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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.

PIB

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB)- 14th May to 21st May , 2017

IASbaba Press Information Bureau 14th May to 20th May 2017 ARCHIVES GS-1 Namami Narmade - Narmada Sewa Yatra (Topic: Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent)) What: it is a yatra which was organised from December 11, 2016 to May 15, 2017 in Madhya Pradesh along the banks of Narmada river. Objective To increase awareness about the need for conservation of river Narmada and sustainable use of its resources. Plantation at the banks of river Narmada for protection of riparian zone and reduction in soil erosion. To suggest remedial action in the field of river conservation and promotion of eco friendly agricultural practices. To identify various sources of river pollution and to resolve the same through public awareness and participation. Activities Involves organizing public meetings, seminars, plantation drives etc and focus on increasing awareness on sanitation, promotion of organic farming, reduction in pollution and conservation of the riparian zone of Narmada. Narmada Narmada is the largest river of Madhya Pradesh State. It originates from Amarkantak Narmada flows from east to west and merges with the Arabian Sea near Surat city in Gujarat. GS-2 Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting by India (Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests) What: The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting. Why needed: The Convention is an outcome of the OECD / G20 BEPS Project to tackle base erosion and profit shifting through tax planning strategies that exploit gaps and mismatches in tax rules to artificially shift profits to low or no-tax locations where there is little or no economic activity, resulting in little or no overall corporate tax being paid. Background India was part of the Ad Hoc Group of more than 100 countries and jurisdictions from G20, OECD, BEPS associates and other interested countries, which worked on an equal footing on the finalization of the text of the Multilateral Convention. The Convention implements two minimum standards relating to prevention of treaty abuse and dispute resolution through Mutual Agreement Procedure. The Convention will not function in the same way as an Amending Protocol to a single existing treaty. Instead it will be applied alongside existing tax treaties, modifying their application in order to implement the BEPS measures. Significance Signing of the Multilateral Convention will enable the application of BEPS outcomes through modification of existing tax treaties of India in a swift manner. It is also in India's interest to ensure that all its treaty partners adopt the BEPS anti-abuse outcomes. Amendment to Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1971 (Topics: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.) What: A definition of 'residential accommodation occupation' will be inserted. The Amendment will enable the Estate officer to apply summary proceedings for evicting unauthorised occupants from residential accommodations allotted for a fixed tenure or for a period he/she holds office on the basis of an order of allotment on licence basis, as non-vacation of such residences leads to unavailability of houses to new incumbents. So, now, the Estate Officer can make such inquiry as he deems expedient in the circumstances of the case. The amendment will thus facilitate smooth and speedy eviction of unauthorised occupants from government residences. As a consequence to these amendments, Government of India can now ensure that the unauthorised occupants are evicted from government residence in a speedy and smooth manner and the vacated accommodations are made available to eligible Govt. employees thus reducing the waiting period. Background: The Government of India has to evict unauthorized occupants from Government accommodations under the provisions of PPE Act, 1971. However, the eviction proceedings take unusually long time, thereby reducing the availability of govt. accommodations to new incumbents. Innovate in India (Topics: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.) What: Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for Industry-Academia Collaborative Mission for accelerating discovery research to early development for biopharmaceuticals - "Innovate in India (13) empowering biotech entrepreneurs & accelerating inclusive innovation" to be funded by the Government of India. It will be implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) - a Public Sector Undertaking of Department of Biotechnology (DBT). The key focus areas of the program would aid in preparing India's technological and product development capabilities in the biopharmaceutical sector to a level that it is globally competitive over the next 10-15 years and will transform the health standards of India's population through affordable product development. Focus: on vaccines, biotherapeutics, medical devices and diagnostics; establishment of shared infrastructure and facilities etc. Background The National Biotechnology Development Strategy 2015-2020 announced by the DBT lays emphasis on making India ready to meet the challenge of achieving US $100 billion biotech industry by 2025. The focus is on generation of biotech products, processes and technologies for affordable and accessible health care, promoting innovation R&D, establishing India as world class bio-manufacturing hub, and building the required skilled workforce. For this, it is important to promote industry -academia interface and enable the start-ups and small and medium enterprises to build translational innovation research capacities for affordable healthcare product development. Standard Operating Procedure for cases of Missing Children developed by WCD Ministry (Topics: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.) What: Ministry of Women and Child Development has developed a Standard Operating Procedure for tracing of missing children as per SC’s direction in the case of Bachpan Bachao Andolan v. Union of India & Ors Why: SC court had observed that there are many Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) developed by States to trace out missing children and therefore directed Ministry of WCD to compile a model SOP which may be used by all States/UTs to deal with cases of missing children. The SOP for tracing of missing children is finalized in consonance with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model Rules 2016. The objectives of the Standard Operating Procedure are to work in coordination with stakeholders and respond with urgency to issues of missing child; create awareness and basic understanding of key concepts pertaining to missing children, child vulnerability and child protection etc. Tracking of missing children is the primary responsibility of Police. The SOP clearly defines role of an Investigating officer. Chitale Committee (Topics: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.) What: Chitale committee on Desiltation of Ganga has recommended a slew of measures which include Study of reach wise sediment transport processes Establishing annual sediment budgets to guide de-silting activities Preparation of annual reports (sand registry) describing the previous de-silting/ dredging activity A technical institute to conduct the sediment budget, morphological and flood routing studies that would examine and confirm the necessity of the de-silting of the reach under consideration. Background The committee was constituted in July 2016 by the Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation It was to prepare guidelines for desiltation of river Ganga from Bhimgauda (Uttarakhand) to Farakka (West Bengal). The committee was asked to establish difference between desilting and sand mining and also to establish need for desilting for ecology and e-flow of the river Ganga. What committee says? Erosion, sediment transport and siltation are very complex phenomena. It is impossible to apply a “one-size-fits-all‟ approach to sediment management and control, because the issues involved are frequently very regionally-specific. Local factors such as topography, river control structures, soil and water conservation measures, tree cover, and riparian land-use or land disturbance (for example agriculture, mining, etc.) can have a large impact on sediment loads in rivers. River control structures (such as reservoirs), soil conservation measures and sediment control programmes can cause downstream sediment loads to decrease, while factors such as land disturbance (clearing of vegetation, for example) or agricultural practices can cause increased sediment loads. Indiscriminate de-siltation works may result into more harm to ecology and environment flow. Thus, there is a need to evolve Guidelines, better broad principles, while planning and implementing de-silting works. Ganga Sediment transport and siltation in large rivers like Ganga are very complex phenomena and their estimation has inherent limitations and uncertainties. Sedimentation is mainly seen downstream of Bhimgauda barrage and near the confluences of tributary rivers with Ganga. The discharge congestion, large scale sediment deposition and its negative effects are mainly seen downstream of the confluence of Ghagra and beyond. The river flood plain drastically widens beyond the confluence of Ghagra and is estimated to be around 12 to 15 kms. Is it beneficial? Though de-siltation works can improve hydraulic performance of the river, these have no direct role in improving environment flow in the river. On the other hand, indiscriminate de-silting or sand mining would cause adverse impacts on river e-flow. Basic principles of siltation in rivers: Catchment Area Treatment and Watershed Development works, along with good agricultural practices and river bank protection/anti-erosion works, are necessary to reduce silt inflow into the river system Erosion, movement and deposition of sediment are natural regulating functions of river and Sediment equilibrium of river should be maintained. Rivers should be provided with sufficient flood plains (lateral connectivity) without any hindrance to the flow. Instead of “keeping the silt away”, strategy to “giving the silt way” should be adopted. GS-3 Integrated bio-solar-wind Microgrid centre (Topic: indigenization of technology and developing new technology.) In news: President of India inaugurated a Bio-Solar-Wind Micro grid Centre and Centre for Water and Environment Research at Indian Institute of Engineering Science & Technology (IIEST), Shibpur, West Bengal. It is one of the first few higher learning centres to be established in the country. Since its existence, it has been imparting high quality education in the field of civil and mechanical engineering. Objective: the bio-solar-wind microgrid centre is set up to ensure that electricity is available for ordinary people, and it is also crucial from the perspective of socio-economic development. Rationale- in present-day circumstances, energy availability has become uncertain as there is rising demand for power of various consuming centres such as industry, household, etc. Thus, a micro-management of power system using renewable energy sources will lead to self-sufficiency in high consuming destinations like institutions and industry. Importance: India, being a signatory to the Paris Agreement, must emphasise on renewable energy to ensure sustainable development. States adjoining China (Topic: Security challenges and their management in border areas) In news: Central Assistance for Border Area Development Programmes (BADP) has been enhanced. Indo-China border is undemarcated, extremely cold with very difficult terrain and thus it is more important that impetus should be given to boost up infrastructure and peace in the border areas. Indian states bordering China Jammu and Kashmir Himachal Pradesh Uttarakhand Sikkim Arunachal Pradesh

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 21st June, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 21st 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. Land garb by China in Himalayan region Introduction: China has been effectively using its civilians and consequently army troops to further its expansion into the Indian soil. Bite by kilometre-size bite, China is eating away at India’s Himalayan borderlands. From Shyok, the northernmost border village in the sector where China has been the most aggressive -- the latest reported aggression was in April this year in which they grabbed further some 30 kms of the Indian territory. On average, China launches one stealth incursion into India every 24 hours. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is actively intruding into vacant border space with the objective of occupying it. And according to a former top official with India’s Intelligence Bureau, India has lost nearly 2,000 sq. km to PLA encroachments over the last decade. Use of civilian resources for garbing territory: The strategy underlying China’s actions is remarkable. On land, like at sea, China uses civilian resources—herders, farmers and grazers—as the tip of the spear. Once civilians settle on contested land, army troops gain control of the disputed area, paving the way for the establishment of more permanent encampments or observation posts. Similarly, in the South China Sea, China’s naval forces follow fishermen to carve out space for the reclamation of rocks or reefs. In both theatres, China has deployed no missiles, drones or bullets to advance its objectives. It is indeed remarkable how without firing a bullet China is meeting its objectives. Although Chinese aggression in the South China Sea has garnered criticism and warnings both from the United States and International Court while the same cannot be said for its aggression on the land. China’s land expansion has gone unnoticed. India's response: China’s non-violent terrestrial aggression has garnered less opposition than its blue-water ambition, which has been challenged by the US under international law. Indian leaders have at times even seemed to condone China’s actions. During a recent panel discussion in Russia, for example, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that although China and India are at odds over borders, it was remarkable that “in the last 40 years, not a single bullet has been fired because of [it].” Issues the border people face: The people feel utterly abandoned by the governments -- state as well as the central. Widespread sense of deprivations at the absence of the most basic necessities of life gets painfully accentuated at the stark contrast with the amenities visible a stone's throw across the border in Tibet where they seem to have everything -- hospitals, schools, network of excellent roads, 24x7 electricity and mobile phones with robust connectivity. Since the land grabs by China seems unstoppable and India is perceived indifferent, the border people are having wrenching doubts over India's commitment to them and its territorial integrity. Having seen their land being steadily gobbled by China without any resistance, the border people have begun suspecting their sense of nationhood. The on going loss of land and livelihood has also drastically altered the people's perception of our troops. Unaware of the intricacies of the game between Delhi and Beijing, their pride in the own troops is palpably eroded because they believe they are 'weak' and ‘coward'. Instead of providing them with a sense of security and comfort, the troops often harass and gratuitously punish the villagers in the guise of enforcing the Indian customs law. According to the villagers while the Chinese troops let them reach the market and buy the goods without let or hindrance, Indian troops harass them and do not spare even women carrying tea in China made flasks to their menfolk. The nearest Indian market is at Leh, a long week away. For many it is way beyond their reach. Profits added, the goods are costlier than the Chinese markets across the border. Reasons behind increase in China's territorial assertiveness: The People’s Liberation Army, the armed forces of the Communist Party of China, is highly active at the border. They seek ways to intrude into the vacant Indian territory with the intention of occupation. China’s fast-growing trade surplus with India, which has doubled to almost $60 billion, has increased Chinese President Xi Jinping’s territorial assertiveness. Since there is no clear distinction between the Indian territory and the Chinese territory, any incursion by Chinese troops into India is justified by the Chinese as PLA operating on their land. They promised to exchange maps with India in 2001 but that promise was never met. By acquiescing on bilateral trade—the dumping of Chinese-made steel on the Indian market is just one of many examples—India has inadvertently helped foot the bill for the PLA’s encirclement strategy. Indian border police patrolling the area don’t even carry weapons. With such a docile response, China has been able to do as it pleases along India’s northern frontier. China’s support of the Pakistani military, whose forces often fire at Indian troops along the disputed Kashmir frontier, should be viewed in this light. Way out: India needs to adopt a different strategy, having been on the defensive stance for so many years. PM Modi’s narrative of border peace is not as strong to deter the plans of PLA or China. India has failed to deter China and it is crucial for the Indian government to adopt a new stance so as to counter the aggression. China has become more assertive, underscoring the need for a new Indian containment strategy. We need to abandon the platitudes. Modi’s calls for border peace and tranquillity might be sincere, but his tone has made India look like a meek enabler. A more regionally integrated Indian economy would serve as a counterweight to China’s territorial expansion. India should also beef up its border security forces to become a more formidable barrier to the PLA. India’s under-resourced Indo-Tibetan Border Police, under the command of the home ministry, needs training and equipping, and placing them under the command of the army. This would signal to China that the days of an open door are over. Strengthening the border police exploring the vast number of economic opportunities will send a powerful message to China Conclusion: The PLA began honing its “salami tactics” in the Himalayas in the 1950s, when it sliced off the Switzerland-size Aksai Chin plateau. Later, China inflicted a humiliating defeat on India in the 1962 border war, securing peace, as a state mouthpiece crowed in 2012, on its own terms. Today, China pursues a “cabbage” approach to borders, cutting off access to an adversary’s previously controlled territory and gradually surrounding it with multiple civilian and security layers. Against this backdrop, the true sign of Himalayan peace will not be the holstering of guns, but rather the end of border incursions. India’s accommodating approach has failed to deter China. To halt further encroachments, India will need to bare its own teeth. Ending these incursions should be of prime importance to India if it wants Himalayan Peace. Self-praising that there have been no bullets from either side does not amount to India’s borders being secured. Connecting the dots: A recent study highlights how China is grabbing India's territory across Himalayan borders. Discuss the strategy used by China and how India hasn't responded to such territorial assertiveness effectively. China in recent times has grown more and more assertive both on land and sea. Discuss how India can contain China in this regard. NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 1: Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues Social empowerment General studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, irrigation, agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers. Women farmers in India needs attention Feminisation of Indian agriculture: Higher paying jobs in the city in combination with high tax on agriculture drew men from their farms into cities, hunting for well-paid jobs. This kind of migration of men leaves the woman in charge of the farm and household. The share of female labour in the agricultural workforce increased from 39.2% to 41.9% during the period 1999-2000 and 2004-05. India’s agricultural industry, which employs 80 to 100 million women, cannot survive without the labour of women farmers. From preparing the land, selecting seeds, preparing and sowing to transplanting the seedlings, applying manure/fertilisers/pesticides and then harvesting, winnowing and threshing, women work harder and longer than male farmers. Maintaining the ancillary branches in this sector, like animal husbandry, fisheries and vegetable cultivation, depends almost solely on women. Almost all women in rural India today can be considered as 'farmers' in some sense, working as agricultural labour, unpaid workers in the family farm enterprise, or the combination of the two. Moreover, several farm activities traditionally carried out by men are also being undertaken by women as men are pulled away into higher paying employment. Thus, rural India is witnessing a process of feminisation of agriculture. Issues related to women farmers: Women are usually not listed as primary earners and owners of land assets within their families. So getting loans, participating in mandi panchayats, assessing and deciding the crop patterns, liaising with the district officials, bank managers and political representatives and bargaining for MSPs (minimum support prices), loans and subsidies, remain male activities. Weaknesses in women's rights to land also results in the inability to use land as collateral to obtain credit that is crucial to the purchase of inputs such as seeds and fertilisers. This, in turn, limits adoption of new technology. Unlike male farmers and cultivators, their female counterparts remained doubly burdened during their peak productive period with their reproductive role seen as fundamental to their gender. So even as women laboured in fields, they continued to have and rear children almost single-handedly. In many regions of the developing world, women spend up to five hours a day gathering fuel wood and water and up to 4 hours preparing food. This cuts short time on child care. Women possess traditional knowledge of agriculture and they often possess unique knowledge about livestock, fish and many conventional aspects of farming. But, in many organised activities, women are left behind in the up-gradation of their knowledge and skills. FAO study conducted recently found that women in developing countries contributed about 80% towards food production but received only 2% to 10% of the extension services (FAO, 1998). Agricultural extension agents are a critically important source of technology information to women farmers, given the generally lower levels of education of women compared to men. Yet, the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) in 1988 reported that less than 1 per cent of government-employed agricultural advisers in Asia and West Asia are women. India has one of the largest agricultural research and education systems in the world with an estimated stock of about three lakh graduates in the year 2010, out of which about 25 per cent are women (Rama Rao et al, 2011). But women presence is negligible in high-level decision-making bodies, advisory boards and national academies. agricultural education and work places sensitive to women's needs Women farmers are not given many benefits and do not hold social connections such as credit or market networks. They are even denied irrigation rights because that is provided by the government only to those male farmers who have agreed to grow commercial cash crops on their land and women, on the other hand, use the irrigation water for household use and also to grow subsistence crops. Women working on fields, alongside their husbands, aren’t considered farmers per say, and therefore suicides committed by women are rarely considered farmer suicides, thus leaving them out from benefitting from the government schemes. Way out: The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations stress upon the increasing access to many inputs to productive agriculture, including credit, education and land, and at the same time, promote the development of rural female farmers’ organisations. Updating the legal codes to give women the legal rights of property ownership and credit, which can allow for increased food security. Mechanisation of agriculture: Rapid urbanisation and increased participation of women in the labour force makes a great demand on women's time. This calls for developing technology which relieve women of ``time burdens'' in agricultural production and maintenance without sacrificing their ability to earn independent incomes. Employing women agricultural extension workers is particularly important in societies which forbid the interaction of women farmers with men agricultural extension agents. Conclusion: In spite of the best efforts, the programmes aimed at women fail to realise the desired goals as they are rarely designed and managed by women. This is one of the serious concerns of social planners. Women can play a significant role in agriculture related activities if they are provided relevant education and training. The educated and trained women in agriculture can provide extension services as well as can help in transfer of technologies to the farm women. Connecting the dots: Feminisation of Indian agriculture is taking place. Discuss the reasons. Also critically analyze the challenges faced by women farmers in India and elaborate on steps required so as to improve the present scenario. 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68+in UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2017-How IASbaba Helped One to Get MAINS Call!

Dear Friends, It is but natural that the innate need to show or to propound to the world the goodness one feels to contribute to others!! Whether be it a cricketer who scores to win the game for his side or a teacher who helps his student win the battle in the form of exam. At IASbaba we always believe in holistic ,affordable and integrated approach to crack the IAS examination. Our flagship Online Program ILP (Integrated Learning Program ) is a step in that direction. Last year we had written “The first guru is most important guru. You choose him/her right and yes you will be on the right path.” Saumya Pandey -Rank 4 and Dinesh Kumar- Rank 6, proved us right in cracking the exam sitting at Allahabad. Both were our ILP Students  UPSC/IAS TOPPER'S STRATEGY: Saumya Pandey (Rank 4) 1st Attempt CSE  2016-IASbaba's ILP Student We are happy that we are able to contribute to the prelims success of innumerable students through our ILP program and much famed 60 day program . At IASbaba we had an hint that the prelims paper of 2017 would be static application. That is the same reason we had set the Second Open Mock on tougher side on static side alone. We have got countless “ Thank you “ for the same We are only happy that we helped students prepare better. And this for the third successful year , We have done it!! This will only make you feel better that you followed the right path! Note that few questions have come from last years current affairs and even before. We are not claiming all questions to be direct hit as it cannot be. UPSC has its own way of asking questions. A sincere aspirant consistent with all the initiative must have got through many of the questions with ease. Many direct references are there and our followers will easily relate with them  Note- Answer is put in BOLD 1. Which one of the following was a very important seaport in the Kakatiya kingdom? (a) Kakinada (b) Motupalli (c) Machilipatnam (Masulipatnam) (d) Nelluru 2. With reference to 'Global Climate Change Alliance', which of the following statements is/are correct? It is an initiative of the European Union. It provides technical and financial support to targeted developing countries to integrate climate change into their development policies and budgets. It is coordinated by World Resources Institute (WRI) and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Select the correct answer using the code given below:                   (a) 1 and 2 only                   (b) 3 only                   (c) 2 and 3 only                   (d) 1, 2 and 3 3. With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements: Sautrantika and Sammitiya were the sects of Jainism. Sarvastivadin held that the constituents of phenomena were not wholly momentary, but existed forever in a latent form. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 4. Mediterranean Sea is a border of which of the following countries? Jordan Iraq Lebanon Syria Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 3 and 4 only (d) 1, 3 and 4 only Reference: Current Affairs Class Test 13 Q.27)  5. With reference to 'National Investment and Infrastructure Fund', which of the following statements is/are correct? It is an organ of NITI Aayog. It has a corpus of Rs. 4, 00,000 crore at present. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Set 2 Test 1 Polity – Q.29, Q.67) Mock 1, Test series; Q.23 Economics test, Prelims Test Series http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/49/sections/48/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/84/sections/81/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/99/sections/102/ 6. The Global Infrastructure Facility is a/an (a) ASEAN initiative to upgrade infrastructure in Asia and financed by credit from the Asian Development Bank. (b) World Bank collaboration that facilitates the preparation and structuring of complex infrastructure Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to enable mobilization of private sector and institutional investor capital. (c) Collaboration among the major banks of the world working with the OECD and focused on expanding the set of infrastructure projects that have the potential   to mobilize private investment. (d) UNCTAD funded initiative that seeks to finance and facilitate infrastructure development in the world. 7. For election to the Lok Sabha, a nomination paper can be filed by (a) anyone residing in India. (b) a resident of the constituency from which the election is to be contested. (c) any citizen of India whose name appears in the electoral roll of a constituency. (d) any citizen of India. Reference: Q.14) 60 Day Mock 2 – Explanation http://iasbaba.com/2017/06/iasbabas-india-prelims-open-mock-test-2-live/ 8. Consider the following statements: In India, the Himalayas are spread over five States only. Western Ghats are spread over five States only. Pulicat Lake is spread over two States only. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1 and 3 only Reference: Set 2 Block 4 Geography Part 1 Value Add Similarly Western Ghats as well as Pulikat lake is clearly explained further in the VAN 9. Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a standard criterion for (a) Measuring oxygen levels in blood (b) Computing oxygen levels in forest ecosystems (c) Pollution assay in aquatic ecosystems (d) Assessing oxygen levels in high altitude regions Reference: Q.15) 60 Day plan (Day 36) and  Q.5) Environment & CA-Test Series ttp://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/97/sections/85/ http://iasbaba.com/2017/05/iasbabas-60-day-plan-prelims-test-2017-environment-current-affairs-day-36/ 10. With reference to the role of UN-Habitat in the United Nations programme working towards a better urban future, which of the statements is/are correct? UN-Habitat has been mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities to provide adequate shelter for all. Its partners are either governments or local urban authorities only. UN-Habitat contributes to the overall objective of the United Nations system to reduce poverty and to promote access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1 only Reference: Full Coverage in Babapedia-9th May and Q.19) 60 Day Plan [Day 56] http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2017/05/09/9th-may-india-elected-to-head-un-habitat-the-united-nations-human-settlements-programme/ http://iasbaba.com/2017/05/iasbabas-60-day-plan-prelims-test-2017-history-current-affairs-day-56/ 11. With reference to 'National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF)', which of the statements given below is/are correct? Under NSQF, a learner can acquire the certification for competency only through formal learning. An outcome expected from the implementation of NSQF is the mobility between vocational and general education. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 12. In the context of Indian history, the principle of `Dyarchy (diarchy)' refers to (a) Division of the central legislature into two houses. (b) Introduction of double government i.e., Central and State governments. (c) Having two sets of rulers; one in London and another in Delhi. (d) Division of the subjects delegated to the provinces into two categories. Reference: Q.11) Modern History and Current Affairs- Test Series and  Q.12) 60 days compilation- History [Day 7] http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/95/sections/83/ http://iasbaba.com/2017/04/iasbabas-60-day-plan-prelims-test-2017-history-current-affairs-day-7/ 13. Consider the following in respect of 'National Career Service': National Career Service is an initiative of the Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India. National Career Service has been launched in a Mission Mode to improve the employment opportunities to uneducated youth of the country. Which of the above statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Babapedia 6th April http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2017/04/06/6th-april-government-takes-steps-to-generate-employment-opportunities/ 14. Which of the following statements best k describes the term 'Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets (S4A)', recently seen in the news? (a) It is a procedure for considering ecological costs of developmental schemes formulated by the Government. (b) It is a scheme of RBI for reworking the financial structure of big corporate entities facing genuine difficulties. (c) It is a disinvestment plan of the Government regarding Central Public Sector Undertakings. (d) It is an important provision in 'The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code' recently implemented by the Government. Reference: Babapedia  - 7th Nov and Q.96) Mock Test 1, Test Series http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/11/07/7th-november-sustainable-structuring-of-stressed-assets/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/84/sections/81/ 15. Consider the following statements: Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) to Reduce Short Lived Climate Pollutants is a unique initiative of G20 group of countries. The CCAC focuses on methane, black carbon and hydrofluorocarbons. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Q.93) Environment and Current Affairs-Test Series http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/93/sections/79/ 16. With reference to 'Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)' sometimes mentioned in the news while forecasting Indian monsoon, which of the following statements is/are correct? IOD phenomenon is characterised by a difference in sea surface temperature between tropical Western Indian Ocean and tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean. An IOD phenomenon can influence an El Nino's impact on the monsoon. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Daily Current Affairs Quiz (Day 61); Q.23) Day 60, 60 Day Environment http://iasbaba.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Daily-Quiz-16th-November.pdf http://iasbaba.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Daily-Quiz-16th-November.pdf https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6YbwZa7rGX8azNzQm9zaGFnenM/view 17. If you want to see gharials in their natural habitat, which one of the following is the best place to visit? (a) Bhitarkanika Mangroves (b) Chambal River (c) Pulicat Lake (d) Deepor Beel Reference: Babapedia-Under Environment-Conservation-International Festivals of Birds, Q.9) Set 6 Environment ILP; Q.78) Environment and Current Affairs -Test Series http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/08/23/international-festival-on-birds/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/110/sections/91/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/93/sections/79/ 18. Consider the following in respect of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS): Inaugural IONS was held in India in 2015 under the chairmanship of the Indian Navy. IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region. Which of the above statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Babapedia-13th December and Q.6) 60 Day Plan 2016 (Day 13)  http://test.iasbaba.com/posts/iasbaba-60-day-plan-prelims-test-2016-day-13/ http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/12/13/13th-december-indian-ocean-naval-symposium-ions/ 19. The painting of Bodhisattva Padmapani is one of the most famous and oft-illustrated paintings at (a) Ajanta (b) Badami (c) Bagh (d)  Ellora Reference: Set 3 Ancient History Value Add, Page 51 20. Consider the following pairs:    Traditions                                            Communities 1. Chaliha Sahib Festival                —           Sindhis 2. Nanda Raj Jaat Yatra                  —           Gonds 3. Wari-Warkari                                 —           Santhals Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched? (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) None of the above 21. Which of the following practices can help in water conservation in agriculture? ‎ ‎Reduced or zero tillage of the land ‎ Applying gypsum before irrigating the field ‎ Allowing crop residue to remain in the field ‎ Select the correct answer using the code given below: ‎ ‎(a) 1 and 2 only‎ ‎(b) 3 only ‎ ‎(c)  1 and 3 only ‎ ‎(d) 1, 2 and 3 22. Consider the following statements: The nation-wide 'Soil Health Card Scheme' aims at Expanding the cultivable area under irrigation. Enabling the banks to assess the quantum of loans to be granted to farmers on the basis of soil quality. Checking the overuse of fertilisers in farmlands. Which of the above statements is/are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Reference: Q.16) Environment and Current Affairs-Test Series and Q.94) Economy and Current Affairs- Test Series http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/90/sections/76/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/97/sections/85/ 23. Consider the following pairs: Commonly used /                                                 Unwanted or controversial chemicals consumed materials                                                       likely to be found in them 1. Lipstick                                                                             Lead 2. Soft drinks                                                                      Brominated vegetable oils 3. Chinese fast food                                                        Monosodium glutamate Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched? (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 24. Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) are used to create a digital display in many devices. What are the advantages of OLED displays over Liquid Crystal displays? OLED displays can be fabricated on flexible plastic substrates. Roll-up displays embedded in clothing can be made using OLEDs. Transparent displays are possible using OLEDs. Select the correct answer using the code given below (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 only (c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) None of the above statements is correct Reference: Q.15) 60 day plan - Day 41 http://iasbaba.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/IASbabas-60-Day-2017-Day-41-min.pdf 25. Which of the following is/are famous for Sun temples? Arasavalli Amarakantak Omkareshwar Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 26. Consider the following statements: In the election for Lok Sabha or State Assembly, the winning candidate must get at least 50 percent of the votes polled, to be declared elected. According to the provisions laid down in the Constitution of India, in Lok Sabha, the Speaker's post goes to the majority party and the Deputy Speaker's to the Opposition. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Q.12) 2nd Statement - 60 Day Mock 1 - Explanation & Q.44) 1st Statement- S 1: T 1 - POLITY & SCIENCE – Explanation (ILP 2017) http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/65/sections/65/ http://iasbaba.com/2017/06/iasbabas-india-prelims-open-mock-test-1-live/ 27. Which of the following has/have occurred in India after its liberalization of economic policies in 1991? Share of agriculture in GDP increased enormously. Share of India's exports in world trade increased. FDI inflows increased. India's foreign exchange reserves increased enormously. Select the correct answer using the codes given below: (a) 1 and 4 only (b) 2, 3 and 4 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 Reference: Q.50) Economics and Current Affairs- Test Series http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/99/sections/102/ 28. What is the application of Somatic Cell CJ Nuclear Transfer Technology? (a) Production of bio-larvicides (b) Manufacturer of biodegradable plastics (c) Reproductive cloning of animals (d) Production of organisms free of diseases Reference: Babapedia-2nd February and Q.8 Day 11, 60 day plan http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2017/02/02/2nd-february-new-tb-resistant-cows-developed-in-china/ http://iasbaba.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/IASbabas-60-Day-Plan-2017-Day-11-min.pdf 29. Consider the following statements: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) helps in promoting the financial inclusion in the country. NPCI has launched RuPay, a card payment scheme. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Daily Current Affairs-4th March, Daily Current Affairs Quiz- Day 4, Q.94) SET 5 Full Mock 5, ILP Tests http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/109/sections/90/ http://iasbaba.com/2016/08/iasbaba-daily-current-affairs-quiz-day-4/ 30. The term M-STrIPES' is sometimes seen in the news in the context of (a) Captive breeding of Wild Fauna (b) Maintenance of Tiger Reserves (c) Indigenous Satellite Navigation System (d) Security of National Highways 31. What is/are the most likely advantages of implementing 'Goods and Services Tax (GST)'? It will replace multiple taxes collected by multiple authorities and will thus create a single market in India. It will drastically reduce the 'Current Account Deficit' of India and will enable it to increase its foreign exchange reserves. It will enormously increase the growth and size of economy of India and will enable it to overtake China in the near future. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Reference: Q.1) Eco Survey Test - Test Series/Daily Current Affairs, Big Picture, Yoj/Kurukshetra http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/101/sections/104/ 32. 'Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA)' is sometimes seen in the news in the context of negotiations held between India and (a) European Union (b) Gulf Cooperation Council (c) Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (d) Shanghai Cooperation Organization Reference: Babapedia-17th November http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/11/17/17th-november-impact-of-ftas/ 33. Consider the following statements: India has ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of WTO. TFA is a part of WTO's Bali Ministerial Package of 2013. TFA came into force in January 2016. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Reference: Babapedia-28th March and 28th September, Q.7) Environment and Current Affairs-Test Series http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2017/03/28/28th-march-trade-facilitation-agreement-of-wto/ http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/09/28/28th-september-world-trade-organisation-explainer-part-1/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/93/sections/79/ 34. What is the importance of developing Chabahar Port by India? (a) India's trade with African countries will enormously increase. (b) India's relations with oil-producing Arab countries will be strengthened. (c) India will not depend on Pakistan for access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. (d) Pakistan will facilitate and protect the installation of a gas pipeline between Iraq and India. Reference: Babapedia-Map Based Geography-Development of Chabahar Port http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/08/24/development-of-chabahar-port/ 35. In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cyber security incidents? Service providers Data centres Body corporate Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only (c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 36. Right to vote and to be elected in India is a (a) Fundamental Right (b) Natural Right (c) Constitutional Right (d) Legal Right Reference: Q.1) S 2: T 1 – POLITY- ILP Tests http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/49/sections/48/ 37. What is the purpose of 'evolved Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (eLISA)' project? (a) To detect neutrinos (b) To detect gravitational waves (c) To detect the effectiveness of missile defence system (d) To study the effect of solar flares on our communication systems Reference: Babapedia-S&T; Recent Developments-Gravitational Waves Interferometer is for Gravitational Waves  http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/08/23/gravitational-waves/ 38. What is the purpose of Vidyanjali Yojana'? To enable the famous foreign educational institutions to open their campuses in India. To increase the quality of education provided in government schools by taking help from the private sector and the community. To encourage voluntary monetary contributions from private individuals and organizations so as to improve the infrastructure facilities for primary and secondary schools. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 2 only (b) 3 only (c) 1 and 2 only (d) 2 and 3 only Reference: IASbaba's PIB, Q.12, 60 Day 2016-Day 36 http://iasbaba.com/2016/06/iasbaba-60-day-plan-prelims-test-2016-environment-current-affairs-day-36/ http://iasbaba.com/2016/06/iasbaba-press-information-bureau-pib-13th-june-to-19th-june-2016/ 39. What is the aim of the programme `Unnat Bharat Abhiyan'? (a) Achieving 100% literacy by promoting collaboration between voluntary organizations and government's education system and local communities. (b) Connecting institutions of higher education with local communities to address development challenges through appropriate technologies. (c) Strengthening India's scientific research institutions in order to make India a scientific and technological power. (d) Developing human capital by allocating special funds for health care and education of rural and urban poor, and organizing skill development programmes and vocational training for them. Reference: Q.27)  Eco Survey/IYB and Current Affairs- Test Series and Babapedia-Unnat Bharat Abhiyan http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/08/24/unnat-bharat-abhiyan/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/101/sections/104/ 40. Consider the following statements: The Election Commission of India is a five-member body. Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections. Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognised political parties. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 3 only Reference: Q.78) Geography Test Set 6-ILP Tests & Q.143) Polity 60 day Compilation – Explanation http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/96/sections/84/ 41. In India, if a species of tortoise is declared protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, what does it imply? (a) It enjoys the same level of protection as the tiger. (b) It no longer exists in the wild, a few individuals are under captive protection, and now it is impossible to prevent its extinction. (c) It is endemic to a particular region of India. (d) Both (b) and (c) stated above are correct in this context. Reference: Q.71) Environment and CA-Test Series- Explanation http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/97/sections/85/ 42. In India, Judicial Review implies (a) the power of the Judiciary to pronounce upon the constitutionality of laws and executive orders. (b) the power of the Judiciary to question the wisdom of the laws enacted by the Legislatures. (c) the power of the Judiciary to review all the legislative enactments before they are assented to by the President. (d) the power of the Judiciary to review its own judgements given earlier in similar or different cases. Reference: Q.75) Polity 60 day Compilation – Explanation http://iasbaba.com/2017/06/prelims-2017-exclusive-polity-iasbabas-60-day-plan-subject-wise-compilation/ 43. With reference to Indian freedom struggle, consider the following events: Mutiny in Royal Indian Navy Quit India Movement launched Second Round Table Conference What is the correct chronological sequence of the above events? (a) 1-2-3 (b) 2-1-3 (c) 3-2-1 (d) 3-1-2 Reference: Q.61) History 60 day Compilation http://iasbaba.com/2017/06/prelims-2017-exclusive-history-iasbabas-60-day-plan-subject-wise-compilation/ 44. Consider the following statements: Tax revenue as a percent of GDP of India has steadily increased in the last decade. Fiscal deficit as a percent of GDP of India has steadily increased in the last decade. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 45. Recently there was a proposal to translocate some of the lions from their natural habitat in Gujarat to which one of the following sites? (a) Corbett National Park (b) Kuno Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary (c) Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary (d) Sariska National Park 46. Which of the following are not necessarily the consequences of the proclamation of the President's rule in a State? Dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly Removal of the Council of Ministers in the State Dissolution of the local bodies Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Reference: Q.143) Polity 60 day Compilation – Explanation & Q.149) Polity 60 day Compilation – Explanation & Q.82) Full Mock 3 – Explanation http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/104/sections/105/ 47. Which of the following are envisaged by the Right against Exploitation in the Constitution of India? Prohibition of traffic in human beings and forced labour Abolition of untouchability Protection of the interests of minorities Prohibition of employment of children in factories and mines Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1, 2 and 4 only (b) 2, 3 and 4 only (c) 1 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 Reference: SET 2 Block 1 Value Add Notes-ILP 48. Which of the following is geographically closest to Great Nicobar ? (a) Sumatra (b) Borneo (c) Java (d) Sri Lanka 49. Out of the following statements, choose the one that brings out the principle underlying the Cabinet form of Government: (a) An arrangement for minimizing the criticism against the Government whose responsibilities are complex and hard to carry out to the satisfaction of all. (b) A mechanism for speeding up the activities of the Government whose responsibilities are increasing day by day. (c) A mechanism of parliamentary democracy for ensuring collective responsibility of the Government to the people. (d) A device for strengthening the hands of the head of the Government whose hold over the people is in a state of decline. Reference: Q.7) Polity 60 day Compilation & Q.12) S 1: T 1 - POLITY & SCIENCE – Explanation ILP Tests http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/65/sections/65/ 50. Which one of the following is not a feature of Indian federalism? (a) There is an independent judiciary in India. (b) Powers have been clearly divided between the Centre and the States. (c) The federating units have been given unequal representation in the Rajya Sabha. (d) It is the result of an agreement among the federating units. Reference: Q.94) Polity 60 day Compilation- Explanation & Q.99) Polity 60 day Compilation & Q.72) Mock 2 -60 day Compilation & Q. 46) Polity + CA Question (Test Series) http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/68/sections/68/ 51. The object of the Butler Committee of 1927 was to? (a) Define the jurisdiction of the Central and Provincial Governments. (b) Define the powers of the Secretary of State for India. (c) Impose censorship on national press. (d) Improve the relationship between the Government of India and the Indian States. Reference: Q.62) Full Mock 1-Test Series, ILP http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/84/sections/81/ 52. The term 'Domestic Content Requirement' is sometimes seen in the news with reference to (a) Developing solar power production in our country (b) Granting licences to foreign T.V. channels in our country (c) Exporting our food products to other countries (d) Permitting foreign educational institutions to set up their campuses in our country Reference: 17th September Daily Current Affairs Analysis http://iasbaba.com/2016/09/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-17th-september-2016/ 53. Consider the following statements: The Nuclear Security Summits are periodically held under the aegis of the United Nations. The International Panel on Fissile Materials is an organ of International Atomic Energy Agency. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Daily Current Affairs and TLP http://iasbaba.com/2016/11/2-goals-nuclear-security-summit-2016-think-nss-can-provide-effective-solution-nuclear-threat-critically-examine/ 54. Who among the following can join the National Pension System (NPS)? (a) Resident Indian citizens only (b) Persons of age from 21 to 55 only (c) All State Government employees joining the services after the date of notification by the respective State Governments. (d) All Central Government employees including those of Armed Forces joining the services on or after 1st April 2004 Reference: Q.14) Set 2 – Test 3 ILP and Q.45 Eco Survey/IYB Test- Test Series http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/50/sections/49/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/101/sections/104/ 55. With reference to river Teesta, consider the following statements: The source of river Teesta is the same as that of Brahmaputra but it flows through Sikkim. River Rangeet originates in Sikkim and it is a tributary of river Teesta. River Teesta flows into Bay of Bengal on the border of India and Bangladesh. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Reference: Q.79 Set 6 ILP Tests- Ancient and Medieval Full Test  http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/116/sections/97/ 56. Consider the following statements: In tropical regions, Zika virus disease is transmitted by the same mosquito that transmits dengue. Sexual transmission of Zika virus disease is possible. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Q.72) SET 6 Science ILP Tests and Babapedia http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/114/sections/95/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/114/sections/95/ http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/09/26/26th-september-culex-mosquitoes-not-zika-virus-carriers/ 57. Consider the following statements: The Standard Mark of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is mandatory for automotive tyres and tubes. AGMARK is a quality Certification Mark issued by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Q.22) 60 Day Plan- Day 60, 2016 https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6YbwZa7rGX8azNzQm9zaGFnenM/view 58. What is/are the advantage/advantages of implementing the 'National Agriculture Market' scheme? It is a pan-India electronic trading portal for agricultural commodities. It provides the farmer's access to a nationwide market, with prices commensurate with the quality of their produce. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Daily Current Affairs, 24th April 2017 http://iasbaba.com/2017/04/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-24th-april-2017/ 59. With reference to the 'National Intellectual Property Rights Policy', consider the following statements: It reiterates India's commitment to the Doha Development Agenda and the TRIPS Agreement. Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion is the nodal agency for regulating intellectual property rights in India. Which of the above statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Babapedia -6th and 29th September and Q.82) Modern History Set 6 ILP Tests http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/09/29/29th-september-national-ipr-policy/ http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/09/06/6th-september-copyright-act-now-covers-online-streaming/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/112/sections/93/ 60. According to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which of the following animals cannot be hunted by any person except under some provisions provided by law? Gharial Indian wild ass Wild Buffalo Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Reference: ILP Value Add Notes-Environment  61. Which of the following statements is/are true of the Fundamental Duties of an Indian citizen? A legislative process has been provided to enforce these duties. They are correlative to legal duties. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: PPT - 1st Statement- Session 11 Slide 13 (Offline Class), Polity Compilation-60 Days- Q.21) Explanation http://iasbaba.com/2016/07/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-15th-july-2016/ https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6YbwZa7rGX8bFB1LWlUYkFiZlE/view 62. Consider the following pairs: Radhakanta Deb — First President of the British Indian Association Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty —Founder of the Madras Mahajana Sabha Surendranath Banerjee — Founder of the Indian Association Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched? (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Reference:Q.24) History 60 Days Compilation https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6YbwZa7rGX8OGZBX3V5alNxck0/view 63. Which one of the following objectives is not embodied in the Preamble to the Constitution of India? (a) Liberty of thought (b) Economic liberty (c) Liberty of expression (d) Liberty of belief Reference: Q.24) Polity 60 day Compilation – Explanation & Q.42) S 1: T 1 - POLITY & SCIENCE – Explanation ILP Tests http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/65/sections/65/ 64. With reference to 'Quality Council of India (QCI)', consider the following statements: QCI was set up jointly by the Government of India and the Indian Industry. Chairman of QCI is appointed by the Prime Minister on the recommendations of the industry to the Government. Which of the above statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c)  Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Daily Current Affairs, 15th March http://iasbaba.com/2017/03/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-15th-march-2017/ 65. What is the purpose of setting up of Small  Finance Banks (SFBs) in India? To supply credit to small business units To supply credit to small and marginal farmers To encourage young entrepreneurs to set up business particularly in rural areas. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Reference: Q.8) Economics and Current Affairs - Test Series http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/99/sections/102/ 66. With reference to 'Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development (APMCHUD)', consider the following statements: The first APMCHUD was held in India in 2006 on the theme 'Emerging Urban Forms — Policy Responses and Governance Structure'. India hosts all the Annual Ministerial Conferences in partnership with ADB, APEC and ASEAN. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 67. Democracy's superior virtue lies in the fact 9 that it calls into activity (a) the intelligence and character of ordinary men and women. (b) the methods for strengthening executive leadership. (c) a superior individual with dynamism and vision. (d) a band of dedicated party workers. 68. Which of the following is a most likely consequence of implementing the 'Unified Payments Interface (UPI)’? (a) Mobile wallets will not be necessary for online payments. (b) Digital currency will totally replace the physical currency in about two decades. (c) FDI inflows will drastically increase. (d) Direct transfer of subsidies to poor people will become very effective. Reference: Babapedia 26th August, Q.29) Science Test-Set 6, Q.38) SET 1-Test 1, ILP Tests http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/08/26/26th-august-unified-payments-interface-based-upi-based-app/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/65/sections/65/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/114/sections/95/ 69. The terms 'Event Horizon', 'Singularity', `String Theory' and 'Standard Model' are sometimes seen in the news in the context of (a) Observation and understanding of the Universe (b) Study of the solar and the lunar eclipses (c) Placing satellites in the orbit of the Earth (d) Origin and evolution of living organisms on the Earth 70. With reference to agriculture in India, how can the technique of `genome sequencing', often seen in the news, be used in the immediate future? Genome sequencing can be used to identify genetic markers for disease resistance and drought tolerance in various crop plants. This technique helps in reducing the time required to develop new varieties of crop plants. It can be used to decipher the host-pathogen relationships in crops. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 71. The main advantage of the parliamentary form of government is that (a) the executive and legislature work independently. (b) it provides continuity of policy and is more efficient. (c) the executive remains responsible to the legislature. (d) the head of the government cannot be changed without election. Reference: Q.2) Polity 60 day Compilation & Q.65) Polity + CA Question (Test Series ) http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/68/sections/68/ 72. In the context of India, which one of the following is the correct relationship between Rights and Duties? (a) Rights are correlative with Duties. (b) Rights are personal and hence independent of society and Duties. (c) Rights, not Duties, are important for the advancement of the personality of the citizen. (d) Duties, not Rights, are important for the stability of the State. Reference: Daily Current Affairs-15th July  http://iasbaba.com/2016/07/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-15th-july-2016/ 73. The mind of the makers of the Constitution of India is reflected in which of the following? (a) The Preamble (b) The Fundamental Rights (c) The Directive Principles of State Policy (d) The Fundamental Duties Reference: Q.4) & Q.24) Polity 60 day Compilation – Explanation & Q.13) S 2: FULL MOCK 2– Explanation ILP Tests http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/53/sections/52/ 74. If you travel by road from Kohima to Kottayam, what is the minimum number of States within India through which you can travel, including the origin and the destination? (a) 6 (b) 7 (c) 8 (d) 9 75. The Parliament of India exercises control over the functions of the Council of Ministers through Adjournment motion Question hour Supplementary questions Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Reference: PPT - Session 16, slides 16-21(Offline Class) 76. With reference to the Parliament of India, consider the following statements: A private member's bill is a bill presented by a Member of Parliament who is not elected but only nominated by the President of India. Recently, a private member's bill has been passed in the Parliament of India for the first time in its history. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Q.77) Polity 60 day Compilation Q.48) Full Mock 3 (Test Series) Q.18) Polity + CA Question (Test Series ) http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/104/sections/105/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/68/sections/68/ 77. With reference to the difference between the culture of Rigvedic Aryans and Indus Valley people, which of the following statements is/are correct? Rigvedic Aryans used the coat of mail and helmet in warfare whereas the people of Indus Valley Civilization did not leave any evidence of using them. Rigvedic Aryans knew gold, silver and copper whereas Indus Valley people knew only copper and iron. Rigvedic Aryans had domesticated the horse whereas there is no evidence of Indus Valley people having been aware of this animal. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Reference: Q.31) Full Mock 2 (Test Series),Q.7) 60 days-Day 32; Q.11) Set 5 Full Test ILP http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/109/sections/90/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/85/sections/82/ 78. Recognition of Prior Learning Scheme' is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to (a) Certifying the skills acquired by construction workers through traditional channels. (b) Enrolling the persons in Universities for distance learning programmes. (c) Reserving some skilled jobs to rural and urban poor in some public sector undertakings. (d) Certifying the skills acquired by trainees under the National Skill Development Programme. 79. From the ecological point of view, which one of the followings assumes importance in being a good link between the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats? (a) Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (b) Nallamala Forest (c) Nagarhole National Park (d) Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve 80. One of the implications of equality in society is the absence of (a) Privileges (b) Restraints (c) Competition (d) Ideology 81. Consider the following statements in respect of Trade Related Analysis of Fauna and Flora in Commerce (TRAFFIC): TRAFFIC is a bureau under United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The mission of TRAFFIC is to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. Which of the above statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Q.37) Environment & CA-Test Series and ILP Value Add-Environment  http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/97/sections/85/ 82. Which principle among the 'following was added to the Directive Principles of Stat Policy by the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution? (a) Equal pay for equal work for both men and women (b) Participation of workers in the management of industries (c) Right to work, education and public assistance (d) Securing living wage and human conditions of work to workers Reference: Q.35) Polity 60 day Compilation & Q.37) Polity + CA Question (Test Series) http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/68/sections/68/ 83. Which one of the following statements is correct? (a) Rights are claims of the State against the citizens. (b) Rights are privileges which are incorporated in the Constitution of a State. (c) Rights are claims of the citizens against the State. (d) Rights are privileges of a few citizens against the many. Reference: Q.25) Polity 60 day Compilation – Explanation & Q.42) S 1: T 1 - POLITY & SCIENCE – Explanation-ILP Tests http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/65/sections/65/ 84. Which of the following gives 'Global Gender lb Gap Index' ranking to the countries of the world? (a) World Economic Forum (b) UN Human Rights Council (c) UN Women (d) World Health Organization Reference: Q.40, Economics Test and Current Affairs-Test Series, Babapedia-26th October, Q.18) SET 3-Test 1-ILP Tests http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/10/26/26th-october-india-up-21-places-in-wef-gender-gap-report/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/54/sections/53/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/99/sections/102/ 85. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding Smart India Hackathon 2017? It is a centrally sponsored scheme for developing every city of our country into Smart Cities in a decade. It is an initiative to identify new digital technology innovations for solving the many problems faced by our country. It is a programme aimed at making all the financial transactions in our country completely digital in a decade. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 only (c) 3 only (d) 2 and 3 only Reference: Babapedia-10th November http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/11/10/10th-november-worlds-largest-nation-building-digital-initiative/ 86. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)? It decides the RBI's benchmark interest rates. It is a 12-member body including the Governor of RBI and is reconstituted every year. It functions under the chairmanship of the Union Finance Minister. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only (c) 3 only (d) 2 and 3 only Reference: Q.3) Economy and Current Affairs-Test Series, Q.78) Ancient and Medieval Full Test (Set 6)-ILP Tests, Babapedia-1st October http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/10/01/1st-october-monetary-policy-committee-constitution-under-the-reserve-bank-of-india-act-1934-notified/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/50/sections/49/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/116/sections/97/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/99/sections/102/ 87. With reference to Manipuri Sankirtana, consider the following statements: It is a song and dance performance. Cymbals are the only musical instruments used in the performance. It is performed to narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1, 2 and 3. (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1 only Reference: Q.7) of Day 44 and Q.51) of 60 Days Plan compilation http://iasbaba.com/2017/05/iasbabas-60-day-plan-prelims-test-2017-ancient-history-culture-current-affairs-day-44/ http://iasbaba.com/2017/06/prelims-2017-exclusive-history-iasbabas-60-day-plan-subject-wise-compilation/ 88. Who among the following was/were associated with the introduction of Ryotwari Settlement in India during the British rule? Lord Cornwallis Alexander Read Thomas Munro Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Reference: Q.10) Modern History 60 Days-Day 7; Q.6) and Q.73) Modern History Test ILP Set 6 http://iasbaba.com/2017/04/iasbabas-60-day-plan-prelims-test-2017-history-current-affairs-day-7/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/112/sections/93/ 89. In the context of solving pollution problems, what is/are the advantage/advantages of bioremediation technique? It is a technique for cleaning up pollution by enhancing the same biodegradation process that occurs in nature. Any contaminant with heavy metals such as cadmium and lead can be readily and completely treated by bioremediation using microorganisms. Genetic engineering can be used to create microorganisms specifically designed for bioremediation. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Reference: Q.57) Environment and Current Affairs Test, Test Series http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/93/sections/79/ 90. The Trade Disputes Act of 1929 provided for (a) the participation of workers in the management of industries. (b) arbitrary powers to the management to quell industrial disputes. (c) an intervention by the British Court in the event of a trade dispute. (d) a system of tribunals and a ban on strikes. 91. Local self-government can be best explained as an exercise in (a) Federalism (b) Democratic decentralisation (c) Administrative delegation (d) Direct democracy Reference: Q.126) Polity 60 day Compilation – Explanation http://iasbaba.com/2017/06/prelims-2017-exclusive-polity-iasbabas-60-day-plan-subject-wise-compilation/ 92. Consider the following statements: With reference to the Constitution of India, the Directive Principles of State Policy constitute limitations upon legislative function. executive function. Which of the above statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Reference: Q.22) Polity 60 day Compilation – Explanation & Q.62) Polity + CA Question (Test Series ) & Q.35) S 1: T 1 - POLITY & SCIENCE – Explanation (ILP 2017) http://iasbaba.com/2017/06/prelims-2017-exclusive-polity-iasbabas-60-day-plan-subject-wise-compilation/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/68/sections/68/ http://test.iasbaba.com/admin/exams/65/sections/65/ 93. The term 'Digital Single Market Strategy' seen in the news refers to (a) ASEAN (b) BRICS (c) EU (d) G20 94, At one of the places in India, if you stand on the seashore and watch the sea, you will find that the sea water recedes from the shore line a few kilometres and comes back to the shore, twice a day, and you can actually walk on the sea floor when the water recedes. This unique phenomenon is seen at (a) Bhavnagar (b) Bheemunipatnam (c) Chandipur (d) Nagapattinam. Reference: Don't have Tea break, Have a Kitkat :) Btw we are not claiming this question! It is just to show the unpredictability nature and knack of picking questions by UPSC :) Kitkat Khao, Khud Jan Jao :P  95. With reference to the 'Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 (PBPT Act)', consider the following statements: A property transaction is not treated as a benami transaction if the owner of the property is not aware of the transaction. Properties held benami are liable for confiscation by the Government. The Act provides for three authorities for investigations but does not provide for any appellate mechanism. Which of the statements .given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 2 and 3 only Reference: Babapedia-27th and 28th August and 28th October http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/08/27/27-august-benami-transactions-prohibition-amendment-bill-2015/ http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/08/24/benami-transactions-prohibition-amendment-bill-2015/ http://babapedia.iasbaba.com/2016/10/28/28th-october-benami-act-provisions-to-come-into-force-from-1-november/ 96. Due to some reasons, if there is a huge fall in the population of species of butterflies, what could be its likely consequence/consequences? Pollination of some plants could be adversely affected. There could be a drastic increase in the fungal infections of some cultivated plants. It could lead to a fall in the population of some species of wasps, spiders and birds. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 97. It is possible to proalgae based biofuels, but what is/are the likely limitation(s) of developing countries in promoting this industry? Production of algae based biofuels is possible in seas only and not on continents. Setting up and engineering the algae based biofuel production requires high level of expertise/technology until the construction is completed. Economically viable production necessitates the setting up of large scale facilities which may raise ecological and social concerns. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 98. Which of the following are the objectives of 'National Nutrition Mission'? To create awareness relating to malnutrition among pregnant women and lactating mothers. To reduce the incidence of anaemia among young children, adolescent girls and women. To promote the consumption of millets, coarse cereals and unpolished rice. To promote the consumption of poultry eggs. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1, 2 and 3 only (c) 1, 2 and 4 only (d) 3 and 4 only        99. Consider the following statements: The Factories Act, 1881 was passed with a view to fix the wages of industrial workers and to allow the workers to form trade unions. N.M. Lokhande was a pioneer in organizing the labour movement in British India. Which of the above statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 100. In the context of mitigating the impending global warming due to anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide, which of the following can be the potential sites for carbon sequestration? Abandoned and uneconomic coal seams Depleted oil and gas reservoirs Subterranean deep saline formations Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 20th June, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 20th June 2017 Archives NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these. Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Creation of Gorkhaland: A long-standing demand In news: West Bengal’s Darjeeling district has been on the boil over a separate state demand and witnessed widespread clashes between Gorkha Janmukti Morcha activists and the police. The tourism sector has been hit hard. Background: Sikkim gifted Darjeeling to the East India Company in 1835. Historically, until 1905, when the then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, effected the partition of Bengal, Darjeeling was a part of the Rajshahi division, now in Bangladesh. From 1905 to 1912 Darjeeling formed a part of the Bhagalpur division now in Bihar. It was given back to Rajshahi in 1912 and remained with the Rajshahi division till Partition. The Gorkhaland region, comprising the districts of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri, is home to a large number of Nepali speakers, who resent being part of a state dominated by Bengali speakers. It remains among the earliest demands for statehood in India. Recognised as an official language of Bengal in 1961, Nepali is the official language in the hills of West Bengal. In 1992, Nepali was recognised as one of the official languages of India. Why the Nepali people agitate? Although the Nepali-speaking segment makes up just 1.2 per cent of Bengal’s population, Darjeeling evokes more interest in Nepal than any other Indian region where Nepali-speaking persons are settled. The idea of a “Greater Nepal” still motivates a section of Nepal activists who want Darjeeling restored. The tactful and rigid segregation of workers from the British era to the line of ethnicity in the hills, where the Nepalese were brought in and the plains, where the Chottanagpur migrants worked, rendered one community hostile against the other. The few Bengalis present in the hills were and have always been the babus, working for the British and then the State. The marwaris have controlled most of the wealth, further isolating the Nepali population. The Nepalese find themselves reduced to second class citizens, at the hands of these otherwise miniscule inhabitants. The movement led by the Gorkha National Liberation Front, projected the CPM-led government in Bengal as anti-Nepali. The demand for Gorkhaland has always found its support among the tea plantation workers. Kipat (ownership of land by a community) and Maato (mud) remain central to the movement. What sparked the renewed protest? Gorkhaland demand has been there for more than 75-80 years. Between 1907 and 1987, demands for a separate Darjeeling were raised on “at least on 15 occasions. Ongoing for over decades, language is at the heart of the Gorkhaland crisis. Supporters of Gorkhaland want a separate Nepalese-speaking region. However, the approximate cause of unrest is: The present crisis in Darjeeling was sparked by fears of Bengali being imposed in schools in the GJM-administered areas where a majority of the people are Nepali-speaking Gorkhas. The GJM and other separatist political forces saw this as a ploy to undermine the GTA’s authority. Gorkha Janmukti Morcha-led by Bimal Gurung intensified its demands for a separate state of Gorkhaland calling an indefinite bandh in the region. GJM is a political party which campaigns for the creation of a separate state Gorkhaland within India, out of districts in the north of West Bengal While the protests started with the suspicion that Bengali would be made mandatory in the hills. Later it spiralled into a broad-based ‘indefinite’ agitation with the GJM targeting symbols of the state and ordering closure of all government offices. Tripartite agreement, 2011: Long back, the Gorkhaland movement was called off following a tripartite agreement that led to creation of an autonomous hill council. In 2011, after the Trinamool Congress came to power in the State, the GJM, the State government and the Centre signed a tripartite agreement for the establishment of the GTA, a regional autonomous body aimed at giving significant administrative control over the region to the elected party in the hills. Way forward: The State government must reach out to the GJM and work out a way to transfer powers to the GTA as was promised in 2011. A signal in this direction will go a long way in tamping down the violent agitation. It should also abandon its wishful thinking that short cuts can solve the intractable Gorkhaland issue, which is culturally rooted. Take steps to empower the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. In the years since the establishment of GTA, little has been done on the ground to transfer many of the subjects to the body as was promised, rendering the notion of autonomous rule in the Hills rather moot. Legitimate grievances with the West Bengal government on transfer of powers to the GTA aside, the GJM, which has ruled the Authority, too has been guilty of lackadaisical administration. Thus GTA needs to strengthen its administration. Language has been a fraught issue in the Darjeeling hills for more than a century. Identity politics aside, there is something utilitarian about learning a language. Learning the language, formally, will only help expand the economic avenues of Nepali-speaking people in the Darjeeling hills in West Bengal. A dialogue must be initiated with those demanding a separate Gorkhaland state and the issue thoroughly examined, and that it should not be kept lingering for long. Conclusion: The demand for carving out a separate state, Gorkhaland, from West Bengal is a decades old demand. The issue needs to be handled diplomatically. The cultural divide based on ethnicity and language must be bridged and this can be done only through discussion and engagement rather than violence. The GJM and the state government with the Centre as mediator must come together to bring this issue to a peaceful end. Connecting the dots: Recently separate statehood movement got renewed and intensified in Darjeeling district of West Bengal. Critically analyze the reasons behind the demand and also discuss if creation of another state would help bring stability in the region. NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability Transforming India into a knowledge-based economy Introduction: Knowledge-based economies use ICT, innovation and research, higher education and specialised skills to create, disseminate and apply knowledge for growth. Transformational idea emanates from knowledge institutions. This can then be put to practical use by a for-profit company. Advanced Asian economies such as Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taipei and China have successfully shifted from agriculture to manufacturing to knowledge-based industries. China and India, have built pockets of knowledge-based growth, but have not yet translated this into a broader economic model. Countries such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Lao have yet to really embark upon knowledge-based growth. Importance of creating a knowledge-based economy: A shift to innovation-based growth would help countries avoid the middle-income trap and also address rising income inequalities. The advantage of availability of cheap labour from which countries like India and China and others in the region derive the strength that adds so much value to their economies is likely to disappear in the near future. Some examples form across the world shows how knowledge based economies are already transforming economies and can have an effect on job creation and affect industries in India. Examples: Nike has been experimenting with the use of 3D printers to manufacture shoes. These areas of high-end technology have a rapid rate of convergence. It is well nigh possible that our shoe manufacturing industry could be hard-hit in no time. Google is still very much smaller than the Indian IT company in terms of employees, but it earns much more in one quarter than what the Indian IT company earns in a whole year. This is simply because Google is based on a knowledge idea that has connections to Stanford. The Indian IT company, alas, is dependent on brawn as opposed to brains. A former professor of robotics at the Georgia Institute of Technology has helped create a robotic tailor that can stitch a perfect circle. The only seemingly viable option for the garments industry in the Asian region is to seek to import such machines. There goes a part of our plan to keep unemployment figures down. This indicates troubling future of the garments industry. Indian context: As per the Mimansa school of Indian philosophy, Knowledge without action is meaningless. India has accrued enormous for centuries based on our knowledge systems: C.V. Raman was in the office of the accountant general while making his discovery. In ancient India, much before Christ and the Greeks, some outstanding mathematics was discovered and driven by societal needs. Knowledge systems in India invented cataract surgery and plastic surgery much before Christ. The invention and use of the rapalgai — a rope-based device also called kamal enabled our merchant ships to calculate positions at sea at a time when Europe was clueless. Way ahead: India has the potential to become a leading knowledge-based economy with its youth population and growing information technology. Policy — if at all — must simply be more in the realm of enlightened inducement that encourages and engenders good practices. It must nurture and encourage initiative and out-of-the-box thinking and should be, to an extent, ready to accommodate risk taking and have room for failure. Institutions have to move out of traditional modes of thinking and must recognise that knowledge can exist in all realms, not just in formal systems around academia. The need to develop and nurture educational institutions in a manner that ensures their linkages to the needs and challenges of the nation — including its economic needs. This requires inducing young minds to grapple with the challenges of the nation and society. Steps such as supportive laws, improved infrastructure, removal of barriers to trade and investment, up-skilling of labour force, higher spending in R&D and innovative financing for small businesses must be taken urgently. Regulatory, education, and infrastructure barriers must be overcome. What is required is a strong, coordinated government policies coupled with investment in ICT including universal, affordable and high-speed broadband connectivity, better education notably tertiary and skills-focused training, and a culture of research and innovation with strong intellectual property rights. Flexible capital and labor markets are also crucial. Conclusion: The shift to knowledge-based growth is critical since India’s comparative advantages in labor and capital-intensive manufacturing are fading. New technologies like robotics, and increasing stress on resources like energy and water, are emerging as threats to Asia’s competitive edge. A shift to innovation-based growth would help India avoid the middle-income trap and also address rising income inequalities. Connecting the dots: India needs to transform itself into a knowledge-based economy. Discuss the yrgency, India's potential as well as the challenges in bringing such a transformation MUST READ Legislation and legality Hindu An unpredictable voyage Hindu Lessons for investigative journalism Hindu State of disorder Indian Express A dark satire Indian Express India US and an east-of-suez moment Indian Express Education hits every boundary Indian Express Moving forward on defence and security Livemint Demonetisation effect on income equality Livemint Lets get real about renewables Business Line

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 19th June, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 19th June 2017 Archives HEALTH/NATIONAL TOPIC:  General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health New Rules on Antibiotic Resistance by WHO Introduction: In an effort to curb antibiotic resistance, the World Health Organization (WHO) has divided the drugs into three categories — access, watch and reserve — specifying which are to be used for common ailments and which are to be kept for complicated diseases. The division of the antibiotic is as follows: Access: For commonly used antibiotics. Antibiotics in this group will be available at all times as treatment for a wide range of common infections. This includes amoxicillin, a widely-used antibiotic to treat infections such as pneumonia. Watch: For second line drugs, slightly more potent. It covers antibiotics that are recommended as first or second choice treatment for a small number of infections. The WHO has recommended that prescription of these drugs should be dramatically reduced to avoid further development of resistance. Reserve: For crucial stage, potent drugs to be used only as a “last resort” . The third group, ‘reserve’, includes antibiotics such as colistin and some cephalosporins that should be considered last-resort options, and used only in the most severe circumstances when all other alternatives have failed, such as for life-threatening infections due to multidrug-resistant bacteria.  This is the biggest revision of the antibiotics section in the 40-year history of the essential medicines list (EML). What is antibiotic resistance? Antibiotic resistance is the ability of bacteria to resist the effects of an antibiotic. It occurs when bacteria change in a way that reduces the effectiveness of drugs, chemicals, or other agents designed to cure or prevent infections. Antibiotic resistance occurs naturally, but misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals is accelerating the process. Issues related to antibiotic resistance: Antibiotic resistance leads to higher medical costs, prolonged hospital stays, and increased mortality. It is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today. It can affect anyone, of any age, in any country. A growing number of infections – such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and gonorrhoea – are becoming harder to treat as the antibiotics used to treat them become less effective. Antibiotics can be bought for human or animal use without a prescription, the emergence and spread of resistance is made worse. Similarly, in countries without standard treatment guidelines, antibiotics are often over-prescribed by health workers and veterinarians and over-used by the public. The recent study of The Indian Council of Medical Research found out that the resistance to antibiotics was found in 50% of patients. As per the statistics of Centers for Disease Control at least 23,000 people in the United States die each year due to infections that are resistant to antibiotic treatments. Significance of the initiative Prior to everything, the best way to educate the public about medicine is to properly educate physicians first. It will also ensure that they get the right antibiotic which will eventually solve the problem of resistance. With strict filter of the antibiotics, under which some medicines are reserved for the most resistant microbes, the WHO list can stop their misuse as broad-spectrum treatments. With access to speedy and accurate diagnosis, this new beginning can sensitize the medical community to its responsibility to prevent antimicrobial resistance It will also take enlightened policies on housing, sanitation and hygiene education to prevent new infections and the spread of disease-causing organisms. It will take good public health policies, sufficient funding and determined leadership to overcome antibiotic resistance. The new categorization will further guide countries in ensuring access to appropriate antibacterial agents and support antimicrobial stewardship effort. The new WHO list should help health system planners and prescribers ensure that people who need antibiotics have access to them, and ensure they get the right one, so that the problem of resistance doesn’t get worse Conclusion: The new guidelines by WHO will surely help in fighting the spread of antibiotic resistance. Health system planners and prescribers must ensure the rules are followed in true spirit. Connecting the dots: The issue of antibiotic resistance is becoming more and more challenging. However, the recent guidelines by WHO on antibiotic resistance may help solve the problem. Discuss. MUST READ New playground for non-state actors Hindu A quantum step to a great wall for encryption Hindu Sting journalism is not investigative journalism Hindu Reassure neighbors Indian Express Firm resolve Indian Express From plate to plough: Why bumper harvests spell doom? Indian Express Government limitations in job creation Livemint Countering extremism in Bangladesh Livemint The importance of ease of doing business Livemint Modi goes to Washington again Livemint Delayed impact Business Line A fundamental distortion in farm policy Business Line The elephant in the room Business Line  

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 17th June, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 17th June 2017 Archives ECONOMY TOPIC:  General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Government Budgeting. Need of Parliamentary Budget Office Significance of budget: The budget is an extremely important political expression affecting every citizen. Budgets can be seen as contracts between citizens and the state. The budget, as a socio-economic and political document, primarily involves a legitimate process of raising revenue and (an equitable) distribution of public resources amongst various sectors. The budget is the clearest expression of the direction of a government’s priorities and targets, reflecting its fiscal plans, and social and financial commitments. The budget is also a primary instrument through which the elected representatives can exercise influence on economic and social development policies of the country. Importance of legislative participation in the budget process: Effective legislative participation in the budget process establishes checks and balances that are crucial for transparent and accountable governance, and for ensuring efficient delivery of public services. Ineffective parliamentary control over budget process: Parliament is considered to be “the guardian of the public purse” and must play a greater role in budgetary governance. As a budget approving body, it oversees the following: presentation of the budget; scrutiny of the budget proposal and demands for grants of various ministries; debate; and consideration and approval of the budget. To carry out such functions effectively, the Parliament requires institutional, analytical and technical competence. However, the budget research capacity is negligible in Parliament: The quality and comprehensiveness of the budget scrutiny process, through the debate and the standing committees, is weak. Due to the lack of analytical knowledge support, members of Parliament (MPs) are unable to properly scrutinise the demands for grants in the respective standing committees. On occasion, MPs seek to reach out to external experts for credible analysis and inputs. Such practices help in adding depth to the committees’ work and their reports. While this results in better assessment of demands, it is an ad hoc way of bridging the gap in knowledge and analysis. Consequently, Parliament appears unable to perform the aforementioned functions effectively, often resulting in the executive acting in accordance with its own preferences. Parliament’s failure to exert meaningful influence often results in arbitrary taxation policy, burgeoning fiscal deficit, and an inequitable allocation of public resources among various sectors. The above example suggests that, in India, the effectiveness of parliamentary oversight in public finance is an unsettled concern. Establishing a Parliamentary Budget Office(PBO) is a fitting response to this concern. What is PBO? A PBO is an independent and impartial body linked directly to the Parliament. It provides high-quality technical, objective and non-partisan analysis of budgets and public finance to the Parliament and its committees. Need of PBO: An institutional mechanism, such as a parliamentary budget office (PBO), is necessary to provide continuous assistance to MPs and their committees. An adequate and inclusive role of Parliament or the state legislatures in public finance management is not sufficiently dealt with in the political economy literature in India. There is a visible deficit, a “knowledge gap,” between Parliament and its members in India. Parliamentarians do not have access to detailed evidence that may allow them to pass judgment on budgetary decisions. A body that is independent of the executive is necessary in order to provide “independent costings, fiscal analysis and research to all MPs, especially non-government members.” Many ordinary laws have been piggybacked as money bills and included within the Finance Act, 2017, while the Parliament remained entirely oblivious. The establishment of a PBO would eliminate such malpractice as MPs would have been alerted and appropriate action would follow. A PBO is an instrument for addressing bias towards spending and deficits and, more significantly, for enhancing fiscal discipline and promoting accountability. Further, it can generate quality public debate on budget policy and public finance, enabling parliamentarians to engage more meaningfully in the budget process. A PBO could provide the essential substantive information and knowledge support services for parliamentarians and committees. Such timely, accurate, objective, responsive, and non-partisan information is vital for the productive working of the parliament and its members. An independent, non-partisan, transparent body can bridge the gap between executive decision-making and parliamentarian involvement. Examples form across the world: PBOs are being established across both presidential and parliamentary systems. Traditionally, independent budgetary units are more common in developed countries, but many developing countries are now establishing such entities, for example, Benin, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Morocco, the Philippines, Uganda, Nigeria, Liberia, Thailand, Afghanistan, and Vietnam. The other functioning PBOs are in countries such as the United States (US), Canada, Australia, Austria, South Korea, Italy, Mexico, etc. Core Functions of PBOs: Most PBOs have four core functions: Independent and objective economic forecasts; Baseline estimate survey; Analyzing the executive’s budget proposal; and Providing medium- to long-term analysis. Conclusions: The goal of the PBO is to render budgets more transparent and accountable. PBOs can help parliamentarians understand the complex nature of the budgeting process and provide the parliament and its committees with the capacity to contribute to the budget process. Parliamentary scrutiny of public finance is a very important aspect for holding the government(s) accountable to the people. However, the Parliament as well as the state legislatures are institutionally fragile and ineffective in fulfilling their oversight and scrutiny functions. There is a legitimate democratic need in this country to strengthen the capacity of Parliament and its members. A PBO can ensure that parliamentarians remain informed well enough to perform their budgetary and oversight responsibilities effectively. Establishing a PBO in Parliament will have a positive impact on its ability to carry out budgetary oversight and fiscal decision-making. Connecting the dots: Parliamentarians carry out an important function of budgetary oversight. However the parliamentary control over budget process has remained ineefective. Discuss why is it important to have Parliamentary budget office(PBO) so as to increase the effectiveness of parliamentary insight. NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure. Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.  General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Worsening state finances In news: The viral of farm loan waivers is acquiring epidemic proportions. Unfortunately, broader structural changes in agriculture have eluded coherent implementation. The loan waivers of February 1990 by the National Front government led to sharp fiscal deterioration and the subsequent balance of payments crisis. Subsequent loan waivers had similar results. State governments are entitled to take such decisions but manage their financial consequences. Farm loan waivers are a subset of the broader issue of sustainable State finances. We need to address several issues. Fiscal consolidation State expenditure higher than that of centre: Following the 14th Finance Commission recommendations, the total State expenditure (as a percentage of GSDP) is higher than even the Centre’s. State finances have increasingly become a crucial lynchpin of India’s fiscal framework. Many State governments have adopted State-level fiscal laws and adhered to the 3% fiscal target under the State-level FRBMs (Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act). However as per a report of the Reserve Bank, State Finances: A Study of Budgets 2016-17, the combined deficit of the States reached 3.6% of GDP in FY16, significantly higher than 2.6% in the previous year. This significantly breaches the 3% fiscal deficit stipulated by the States themselves in their FRBMs. The fiscal consolidation of the Centre is more than offset by expansion of the States. This is partly explained by the State power distribution companies (DISCOM) debt, 75% of which will be explicitly accounted in States’ balance sheets, and treated as capital spending in fiscal accounts. The quality of compliance by States has also deteriorated. These go beyond UDAY (Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana) to include irregularities in food credit accounts of State governments with commercial banks, off-balance sheet expenditures, and creative accounting engineering to evade stipulated targets. Unsustainable debt-to-GDP ratio for States: Debt is considered sustainable if debt-GDP ratio is stable or on a declining path. This is a necessary condition for solvency of any government’s finances. While debt ratios for the Central government are projected to decline, the debt ratio for the States under status quo and present FRBM scenarios is projected to increase. This is mainly because the primary deficit (total deficit excluding the interest payments), a driving variable in debt dynamics, is much higher for the States compared to the Centre. The Centre’s primary deficit according to the RBI report is 0.7% of GDP while that of the States is close to 2% of GDP. Nonetheless, if this picture persists, State debts will increase from close to 20% of GDP to 35% of GDP over the next 10 years. A significant consolidation by the States would be needed to keep the debt ratio stable for the States. Challenges arising due to worsening state finances: Given the increased foreign holdings of Indian government bonds, a worsening of State finances will dent India’s credibility among foreign institutional investors (FIIs). The rise in government bond yield of State government securities would increase the interest burden on new debt and also for the old debt which are re-priced. Such a scenario could make State debt more explosive. Borrowings by States are likely to increase sharply due to interest of UDAY bonds, and more importantly, the viral of farm loans waivers. With little compensatory action, this will seriously undercut the hard-won battle to secure fiscal prudence for the country as a whole. Although composite State finances are useful to analyse, there are marked variations across States. States like Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Maharashtra have significantly lower fiscal deficit, with more intensive tax efforts, than States like Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, which collect lower tax and are fiscally less prudent. What can be done? Following steps can be taken: First, we must improve the due diligence by the Central government in giving consent to borrowings by States under Article 293 of the Constitution. Unfortunately, there is some lack of coordination within the Ministry of Finance itself. Approvals for State government borrowings are accorded by the State Plan Division with little coordination with the Budget Division, which monitors implementation of FRBM obligations. A more stringent criteria in approving borrowings for States which deviate from stipulated fiscal norms is urgently needed. The criteria must be transparent and apolitical in character. Second, whenever the Central government breaches the fiscal norms, it secures parliamentary approval. State governments must be encouraged to adopt a similar practice by securing the approval of the State Legislature. Third, regulatory measures can be devised to enable bond yields to be responsive to market signals and bridge the information asymmetry between markets and State finances of the concerned State governments. Finally the 15th Finance Commission must address the broader issue of adherence by States to fiscal obligations. It must restore adherence to fiscal norms as an important ingredient in the devolution formula. This also implies inter se distributional burden among the States themselves. Conclusion: Investors recognize and reward macro stability. Fiscal prudence exercised by the Central government has been widely acclaimed. The management of State finances must not undercut this important achievement which is central to investor confidence and enhanced credit rating. Unchecked profligacy by States can undermine the overall macro stability and thus must be checked. Connecting the dots: Present situation of state finances shows a worrying picture. With demands of farm loan waiver the fiscal situation is likely to become more unsustainable. Discuss the need of maintaining fiscal discipline by states. Also mention the steps to be taken to do the same. MUST READ How genetics is settling the Aryan migration debate Hindu Access to excellence Hindu Book of jobs Hindu Infiltration best countered Indian Express Maximum force Indian Express Being Hindi-medium Indian Express Where is the jugaad? Business Line Why the fed rate hike didn’t create a ripple Business Line  

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 16th June, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 16th June 2017 Archives ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Global economic slowdown: Where does India stands? The global economy has been recovering from the recession of 2009 at a tepid rate (at approximately 2.5 per cent per annum). India's economy is in a 'fairly good shape' and it is likely to be less affected than other emerging economies if there is a further shock to the global economy, according to a senior official of the IMF. Main causes of the current slow global growth are: Declining populations- Population growth boosts economic growth through an increase in the workforce, aided by an increase in productivity. Protectionism- it will hurt global trade and cross-border flow of people. No major productivity-enhancing revolution. The fourth industrial revolution is yet to take place. China’s economy is expected to steadily slow down to 6.6% in 2017 and 6.2% in 2018 due to the “complex process of rebalancing” by reorienting demand from exports and investment in consumption. While for a majority of countries, a high or higher growth rate would be elusive, India has a great opportunity before it. India seems to be less vulnerable With growing political uncertainty in the US, the emergence of protectionist policies and amidst slowdown concerns related to China, countries whose GDP is dependent on exports could find themselves with increased instability. The most affected are those with exports accounting for a high percentage of their GDP and with low domestic demand support. India appears to be less vulnerable on this front. Despite the US’s importance as a market for India and Japan, the larger and more diverse nature of these economies provides them with some cushioning from protectionist trade policies, with shipments to the US making up only 2 per cent and 3 per cent of their respective GDPs. Furthermore, an ADB report suggests that a growth slowdown of 1.6 percentage points in China would bring about a growth deceleration of 0.26 percentage points in developing Asia as a whole. Meanwhile, India is most insulated from China’s slowdown: Its annual GDP growth could be lower by a slight 0.14 percentage points. With roughly 59 per cent share in India’s GDP, household consumption spending has been the major driver of economic growth and has, on many occasions, acted as a protective shield to global demand shocks. India also has low reliance on external savings to fund its growth. As per S&P Ratings, the banks are mainly deposit-funded and don’t rely on wholesale funding to grow their loan books. Healthy consumption spending in India and an inward domestically demand-oriented economy makes India less vulnerable. The Indian context: India is in the middle of a demographic dividend which would be an impetus to growth, if the new entrants to the work force are productively employed. The government has recognised the need for jobs and embarked on a multi-pronged strategy including corporate governance reform, pro-growth tax reform, agricultural reform, administration reform, the expansion of public-private partnerships etc. Increasing jobs through targeted manufacturing/service investment — tourism, health, education, micro and small enterprises, agribusiness — Massive drives like Make in India, Skill India, productivity-based infrastructure development and initiatives related to the ease of doing business will surely help. The rationalisation of subsidies and direct cash transfers will plug leakages associated with the previous subsidy regime and make money available for merit subsidies — health, education, etc. — that can help us exploit our population dividend. These strategies have begun to make a difference and should, over a reasonable period of time, create the jobs we need. We are now poised to leapfrog directly into the digital world and reap the productivity gains. Challenges: The global financial crisis largely passed India by; so, our need for quantitative easing was limited. But we have created our own crisis — non-performing assets (NPA). However, the government is working to resolve the issue. It is worth mentioning that the banking system has a provisioning coverage of 50 per cent plus on NPAs. The priorities should be: Improving ease of doing business Infrastructure improvement Fiscal reforms — such as GST Agriculture reforms Administrative reforms Labor reforms Conclusion: The winners in this changing world are likely to be countries less reliant on global trade, domestic consumption-driven, with an increasing population, a scope for productivity improvement and a low per capita base. It would be fair to conclude that India’s GDP growth rate of 7.5 per cent is good and sustainable, so also is the potential target of 8 per cent plus. We are moving towards increasing manufacturing’s share in furthering jobs. This, combined with the increase in consumption through workforce increase, should impact both consumption and investment, leading to the delta required to take our GDP past 8 per cent. Driven by domestic consumption, the Indian economy is poised to do better than most others. The present situation calls for accelerated economic reforms for India to achieve a higher growth trajectory. Connecting the dots: Discuss reasons behind global economic slowdown. Also mention how India seems to be less vulnerable if the ongoing reforms are implemented in true sense. INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora. India's US policy in the age of Trump At the end of this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will head to the US to meet President Donald Trump. It might just end up being the defining visit of Modi’s US policy in the age of Trump. Trump's policy towards India: During a campaign for a US presidential candidate, Trump termed India as a “key strategic ally” and promised that if voted to power, India and the US would become “best friends”. His hard-line position on Pakistan and Islamist extremism also endeared him to a section of Indians. But since he became President, Trump has given mixed signals about his priorities, confusing many in India. Though his aides have often delivered tough messages to Pakistan about terror, his approach has been erratic at best. The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, went so far as to say that the US may play a proactive role in de-escalating tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi. Trump withdrew from the Paris agreement. Targeting India specifically, Trump argued that “India makes its participation contingent on receiving billions of dollars in foreign aid” and that it will be allowed to double its coal production by 2020. Economic and trade ties have also been under stress, with Trump asking federal agencies to review the temporary visa programme for high-skilled foreigners to ensure preference was accorded to the “most-skilled and highest-paid”. Trump has been critical of H-1B visas, suggesting that they were being used by outsourcing firms to bring in low-skilled workers on low wages who displace Americans. His larger approach towards economic globalization has produced a paradoxical situation wherein China is trying, with some success, to project itself as a defender of the extant global order. Trump's China policy: It is Trump’s China policy which will have the most significant long-term impact on India and regional geopolitics. After angering China by questioning Beijing’s sovereignty over Taiwan under the One China principle, Trump went back on it and endorsed it. He later expressed his “absolute confidence that (Xi) will be trying very, very hard” to resolve the North Korea issue. Despite this, North Korean behaviour remains provocative. Frustration with China is growing in Washington. There is growing concern that as Trump turns America inwards, he is ceding the strategic space to China. Future of India-US relations: Overall, there remains a lot of confusion about the future trajectory of India-US relations under Trump. Bilateral relations have soared after Modi made significant personal investment in boosting ties. But now he faces the challenge of building a rapport with an administration which seems intent on retreating to the margins of global politics and of pursuing a transactional agenda. The strategic logic that largely drove George W. Bush and Barack Obama’s overtures to India—that India’s rise is in America’s larger interest—can no longer be the basis of India-US engagement under Trump. Conclusion: There are indeed challenges here as New Delhi has become used to the broader strategic logic and has traditionally been averse to transactional relationships. But there are new opportunities, if only Indian policy makers remain open to new possibilities. Connecting the dots: Discuss the challenges India-US relationship face under Trump's era. Also mention how Indian policy makers should overcome the challenges posed by changing dynamics when it comes to US. MUST READ The anniversary of a divide Hindu No time to work Hindu Reform, despite nay-sayers Indian Express New president for new India Indian Express Narendra Modi's challenge in Washington Livemint The moral responsibility of celebrity endorsers Livemint Finally a goods and services tax- But what lies ahead? Livemint The right to price Business Line Is this Modi's India shining moment Business Line

RSTV Video

The Big Picture - PM Modi's Kashmir Strategy Implications & Expectations

PM Modi's Kashmir Strategy Implications & Expectations Archives 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. In news: A video, showing a man tied to an army vehicle as a shield against the stone pelters during polling in the Srinagar Lok Sabha by-election on April 9, triggered a public outcry. It was Major Leetul Gogoi who ordered the man, said to be a stone thrower, to be tied to the Rakshak vehicle to ensure a safe passage for the convoy he was leading. Later Major Gogoi was honoured with a Chief of Army Staff (COAS) commendation card. The killing of Burhan Wani, a ‘commander’ of the Hizbul Mujahideen, by security forces in July last year set off a new cycle of violence in Kashmir that does not seem to have ended to this day as stone-pelting is met with pellet guns. Change in strategy: Events indicate that the government is changing its strategy in Kashmir and conveying the message that it mean business. The events indicating this change in recent times include: The army recommencing cordon and search operations, announcing aggressive counter infiltration actions including destruction of Pakistani posts to the press and awarding Major Gogoi on the Jeep tying incident. Several opposition parties have said that India is losing Kashmir with the present prevailing strategy. Background: In 2015 March India's ruling BJP party sworn into government in Indian-administered Kashmir for first time in coalition with local People's Democratic Party, with the latter's Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as chief minister. In 2016 July the killing of popular militant Burhan Wani, a popular militant and top commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen group, sparked violent protests. After Uri attacks in September 2016 in which 18 Indian soldiers were killed India claimed that it carried out "surgical strikes" against suspected militants along the de-facto border with Pakistan in Kashmir but Pakistan rejected the claims. Transactional policies rather than a strategy: It seems as if we don't have a strategy on Kashmir, it's all transactional policies. An event takes place the security forces are brought in. This has marked Kashmir policy for years. The only exceptional change was during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government. He had a clear cut strategy to take things forward, the back channels almost produced a solution then. Issue: The government has put a condition that it would not engage any organisation for any kind of dialogue if they do not believe in Indian constitution. On the other hand the separatist forces like Hurriyat is in no mood of holding talks within the framework of our constitution. The main issue is that the separatist do not want to talk within the framework of the Constitution and the present government remains adamant on its conditional dialogue. The Kashmir problem: Political Problem: On one hand, India wants to integrate Jammu and Kashmir as a normal state of the Indian Union. On the other hand, the Kashmiris stand is that an exceptional status under article 370 of Indian constitution has been provided to Kashmir and it didn't happen as a one-off discussion, two years of negotiations took place between the Jammu and Kashmir leader Sheikh Abdullah and the central government on what the terms of agreement should be. Kashmir has become a pressure cooker there no safety valves. Safety valves in a democracy are elections, dialogue, peaceful protests. Much before stone pelting peaceful protests were banned, people like Yasin Malik for peaceful protests. Sense of alienation/discrimination: The voice of the youth has become the primary form of protest. While it was a gun in the 1990s from 2008 it is the stone pelting. The Sinha delegation report states that Kashmiris say India has failed them, that a sense of discrimination pervades the Kashmiri minds, that there is a history of broken commitments, that ‘India hasn’t done enough to keep Kashmiris with it’, that ‘there is a sense of betrayal against India’. (Sinha delegation- A five-member team created by present government for Track-II diplomacy) After Burhan Wani incident the whole valley south Kashmir rose as one. This shows the deep turmoil and anger in the valley especially amongst the youth. The longer the political process is delayed the angst, especially amongst the youth, will increase. The alienation will enhance hugely and we have a problem also of radicalization. The Pakistan factor: Any disturbance in valley becomes an ideal situation for Pakistan to fish in trouble water What needs to be done? Maintaining robust security: Improve information gathering Winning Hearts and Minds(WHAM): Follow a humane approach to Kashmiri people A congenial atmosphere needs to be created but not by using brute force Activities like the honoring Major Gogoi should be strictly avoided keeping in mind the sensitivity of the Kashmiris. Innovative techniques such as tying a young man to the front of the Jeep gives us a bad name. So instead of winning hearts and minds of people we will end up making people have contempt for the army and mainland India. The Kashmiri youth must be brought into the mainstream. Political process: Ours is accommodative democracy. We'll have to listen to the dissenting voices as well. Thus, unconditional political peace process must be initiated as soon as possible The central government should handle the issue with great aptitude The agenda of Alliance which the PDP and BJP signed before they came into power which said they would have talks with everybody should be looked into. Conclusion: It's not as if unconditional talks have not been held in the past. Naga talks were unconditional and we will have years of ceasefire and will be working towards the solution which will be within the Constitution of India. Thus while we did not begin with the Constitution, we end with the Constitution. Something similar can be done for kashmir also. Mutli-dimensional talks and discussion rather than brute force is required to win the hearts of Kashmiris. The Kashmir problem is much more than the territorial issue. The sense of discrimination prevailing among youths in Kashmir and the increasing radicalization can be a threat to the country's security and stability in future. Connecting the dots: Discuss government's strategy towards handling the Kashmir issue. Elaborate how winning hearts and mins(WHAM) strategy rather than brute force is required to solve the Kashmir problem.

PIB

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB)- 7th May to 13th May , 2017

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB) – 7th May to 13th May 2017 ARCHIVES GS-1 Centenary Celebrations of Bharat Sevashram Sangha (Topic: Art and Culture) About: Bharat Sevashram Sangha is a Hindu charitable non-governmental organisation in India, headquarters at Kolkata. It was founded in 1917 by Acharya Srimat Swami Pranavanandaji Maharaj. The Sangha has hundreds of ashrams in India and other countries including the United Kingdom, United States, Guyana, Canada, Fiji and Bangladesh. Work The Sangha has responded to natural calamities in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa states, the Bengal famine of 1943, the Bhopal disaster, the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. At times of political unrest such as the Partition of India, the Sangha has set up refugee camps and war evacuee camps in the border areas. Celebrating Buddha Purnima (Topic: Art and Culture) About: The Buddha Jayanti falls on the Vaisakha Purnima, that is, on the full moon day of the month of Vaisakha according to the Indian lunar calendar. This is the most important occasion for Buddhists celebrating the Gautama Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana on the same day. In the first meeting of “World Fellowship of Buddhist” held at Colombo, Sri Lanka in May 1950, it was decided to commemorate Vaisakha Purnima as the Buddha’s thrice blessed day. Buddha Purnima is also celebrated as Waisak Day or Vesak Day. A brief look India is the origin of many world religions including the Buddhism. Buddha’s entire events of like took place in India. The advent of the Buddha Sakyamuni in 6th century BCE brought a radical reformation in the culture of philosophy and spirituality in the India. His teaching of Karuna, compassion, and Maitri, loving kindness, give an equal perspective towards all sentient beings including human beings within which no classes are allowed. With the philosophy of dependent origination and practice of non-violence rooted in love and compassion, Buddhism made immense contribution to the culture of peace. To promote Buddhism, GoI organized the 2500th anniversary of Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana as international mega event in 1956. Nava Nalanda Mahavihara was established in 1951 in Nalanda, Bihar to revive the ancient seat of learning in Nalanda. In 1959, Central Institute of Buddhist Studies was established in Leh, Laddhak. In 1968, Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies was established for the promotion of Buddhist and Tibetan studies. Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies, Dahung, Arunachal Pradesh was established in 2003. In 2010 Nalanda University was established at Rajgir to recreate the Ancient centre of Wisdom. India has enshrined the dharma wheel of Buddhism on the national flag. Celebrations around the world Home to 255 million Buddhists — the world’s largest Buddhist population — China sees one of the most widespread celebrations. Most of the action revolves around Buddhist temples, where people light incense and leave offerings. In South Korea, the holiday comes to life in a Lotus Lantern festival, best viewed at Seoul’s Jogyesa Temple. In Sri Lanka, people decorate their homes with paper lanterns. Colombo’s Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple hosts a colorful Vesak Day festival. In Ipoh, Malaysia, Buddhist devotees practice the ritual of “Sunning Buddha.” Also at Enlightened Heart Tibetan Buddhist temple, monks place a sacred Tibetan Buddhist painting — called a “Thangka” — in the sun to absorb its powers. In Nepal, thousands of Buddhists flock to Lumbini, his birthplace, where they donate supplies to disadvantaged communities and pay tribute to monasteries. GS-2 India elected to head UN-Habitat, the United Nations’ Human Settlements Programme (Topic: International Relations) About: UN Habitat came into being in 1978. It promotes socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements across the world. UN-Habitat reports to the United Nations General Assembly. As an inter-governmental policy making and decision making body, the Governing Council of UN-Habitat seeks to promote integral and comprehensive approach to human settlements, assist the countries and regions in addressing human settlement problems and strengthen cooperation among all countries on human settlement issue. India will be leading the organisation for third time after heading it in 1988 and 2007. India will be the President of the Governing Council for the next two years. The theme of the 26th Meeting of the Governing Council is “Opportunities for effective implementation of the New Urban Agenda”. The New Urban Agenda was adopted by the world community at Quito, Ecuador in 2016. Real Estate Act comes into force from 1st May 2017 (Topic: Govt Acts and Policies) About: With Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act,2016 coming into force, it involves regulation of real estate sector involving over 76,000 companies across the county. From now, developers shall get all the ongoing projects that have not received Completion Certificate and the new projects registered with Regulatory Authorities within three months i.e by July end. This enables the buyers to enforce their rights and seek redressal of grievances after such registration. The Act ushers in the much desired accountability, transparency and efficiency in the sector with the Act defining the rights and obligations of both the buyers and developers. Some of the major provisions of the Act, besides mandatory registration of projects and Real Estate Agents include: Depositing 70% of the funds collected from buyers in a separate bank account in case of new projects and 70% of unused funds in case of ongoing projects; Projects with plot size of minimum 500 sq.mt or 8 apartments shall be registered with Regulatory Authorities; Both developers and buyers to pay the same penal interest of SBI’s Marginal Cost of Lending Rate plus 2% in case of delays; Liability of developers for structural defects for five years; and Imprisonment of up to three years for developers and up to one year in case of agents and buyers for violation of orders of Appellate Tribunals and Regulatory Authorities. Stats: As per industry information, between 2011 and 2015, real estate projects in the range of 2,349 to 4,488 projects were launched every year amounting to a total of 17,526 projects with a total investment of Rs.13.70 lakh cr in 27 cities including 15 State capitals. About ten lakh buyers invest every year with the dream of owning a house. Launch of “One IP- Two Dispensaries” and “Aadhaar Based Online Claim Submission” Schemes on International Labour Day (Topic: Issues related to health) About: One IP- Two Dispensaries– ESIC has given an option to an Insured Person (IP) to choose two dispensaries, one for self and another for family through an employer. This will benefit all IPs, especially migrant workers who are working in other than home State, while their families are living in their native States. Because of non-availability of option of second dispensary, the dependant members of family are often deprived of medical benefits. Aadhaar based Online Claim Submission- all EPF Members who have activated their UAN and seeded their KYC (Aadhaar) with EPFO will be able to apply for PF final settlement (form19), Pension withdrawal benefit (Form10-C) and PF part withdrawal (Form31) from the their UAN Interface directly. The three forms collectively form more than 80% of EPFO’s claim workload. VIDYA VEERTA ABHIYAN (Topic: HRD) About: Ministry of Human Resource Development to encourage varsities to display portraits of Param Veer Chakra-decorated soldiers to instill sense of “nationalism” and “patriotism” among the students. MHA advisory to States/UTs on Prison Reforms (Topic: Govt Acts and Policies) About: The 5th National Conference of Head of Prisons of States and UTs on Prison Reforms was held in September 2016. Some important resolutions were adopted for guidance and implementation by the State/UT Prison authorities The nomenclature of ‘Prisons Department’ may be changed to “Prisons and Correctional Administration”, which should have integrated prison, correctional and probation services. Every State should establish a Welfare Wing under Prison Department comprising Welfare Officers, Law Officers, Counselors and Probation Officers. To ensure basic uniformity, all States and Union Territories should revise their existing Prison Manuals by adopting the provisions of Model Prison Manual, 2016 The Prisons should be linked with Courts through video conferencing for expeditious trial and to save costs in escorting under-trials to the Courts. The existing vacancies in all ranks of Prison Departments to be filled up expeditiously. Prison e-system should be integrated with Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) as well as e-Courts on priority basis. Combined training of Prison, Police, Health Department and Judiciary on under-trial Management to be conducted periodically. The States and UTs have been advised to make concerted efforts to implement the same in a time bound manner, which will go a long way in alleviating the condition of prison inmates and bring the desired improvement in prison administration. GS-3 29th India- Indonesia Co-Ordinated Patrol (Corpat) (Topic: S&T) Objective: Apart from securing the trade sea route, the Coordinated Patrol also serves to enhance mutual understanding and inter–operability between the two navies of Indonesia and India. The CORPAT thus reflects the shared concerns between the two countries for a peaceful Indian Ocean for the benefit of international community. The close defence relations between India and Indonesia have been growing steadily with regular joint activities and exchanges of personnel between the Armed Forces of the two countries. Under the broad ambit of this strategic partnership, Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) and the Indian Navy have been carrying out coordinated patrolling twice a year since 2002 near the International Maritime Boundary Line to keep this part of the Indian Ocean region safe and secure for commercial shipping and international trade. Project “LOcal Treatment of Urban Sewage Streams for Healthy Reuse) (LOTUS HR) (Topic: Environment) About: LOcal Treatment of Urban Sewage Streams for Healthy Reuse (LOTUS HR) is an Indo-Netherlands joint project funded by Department of Biotechnology(DBT), Govt of india and NWO/STW, The Govt of Netherlands. Aims To demonstrate a novel holistic (waste-) water management approach, that will produce clean water that can be reused for various proposes (e.g. industry, agriculture, construction etc.), while simultaneously recovering nutrients and energy from the urban waste water, thus converting drain into profitable mines. Special attention will be paid to pathogen removal and removing conventional and emerging pollutants. Special attention will be paid to pathogen removal and removing conventional and emerging pollutants. From the early start of the project, end-users (municipality, DDA, DJB, NGO’s, and companies like Shell, Hydrorock, Nijhuis, Berson, etc.) will be engaged in design at the pilot location as well as in formulation of specific research sub-questions. This will facilitate rapid adoption of the Water Resuse safety plan and the newly developed products. DBT in consultation with DDA has identified the Barapullah drain, Sarai Kale Khan, in the state of Delhi for setting up on-site experimental testing lab and for the establishment of a pilot plant. Department of Telecom (DoT) Launches Tarang Sanchar (Topic: S&T) About: It is a web portal for Information sharing on Mobile Towers and EMF Emission Compliances. It will help in clearing the myths and misconceptions of public on mobile towers and emissions from them. There are over 25,000 studies by WHO in the last 30 years on the subject and there is no proof that EMF radiation has any harmful effect on human health. In future, it will help in identifying the blind spots and it is also environment friendly as no paper work is required for this. For realising the vision of Digital India, it is necessary to have more and more mobile towers in every nook and corner of the country as mobile phone today has become an essential requirement for all including the poor in the remotest corner of the country The portal will allow users to get a tower or base station checked for radiation emission, for a fee of Rs 4,000. The portal also has ‘EMF Overview’ and ‘Learn’ Sections, which provide numerous articles, booklets and videos, to further educate the citizens about EMF and coverage of telecom services. In addition to Government to Citizen (G2C) services, portal also facilitates Government to Business (G2B) service delivery in a transparent and eco-friendly manner. National Steel Policy 2017 (Topic: Growth and Development) About: Union Cabinet has given its approval for National Steel Policy (NSP) 2017 which enshrines the long term vision of the Government to give impetus to the steel sector. NSP 2017 seeks to enhance domestic steel consumption, ensure high quality steel production and create a technologically advanced and globally competitive steel industry. Key features of the NSP 2017: Create self-sufficiency in steel production by providing policy support & guidance to private manufacturers, MSME steel producers, CPSEs Encourage adequate capacity additions Development of globally competitive steel manufacturing capabilities Cost-efficient production Domestic availability of iron ore, coking coal & natural gas Facilitating foreign investment Asset acquisitions of raw materials Enhancing the domestic steel demand Highlights Indian steel sector has grown rapidly over the past few years (Production in 2016-17= 100 MT) It is third largest steel producer globally, contributing to about 2% of the country’s GDP. NSP 2017 aspires to achieve 300MT of steel-making capacity by 2030. It seeks to increase consumption of steel and major segments are infrastructure, automobiles and housing. Steel Ministry will facilitate R&D in the sector through the establishment of Steel Research and Technology Mission of India (SRTMI). With the roll out of the National Steel Policy-2017, it is envisaged that the industry will be steered in creating an environment for promoting domestic steel and thereby ensuring a scenario where production meets the anticipated pace of growth in consumption. Background Steel is one of the most important products in the modern world and forms the backbone to any industrial economy. The sector is of strategic importance to India due to its extensive application right from construction, infrastructure, power, aerospace and industrial machinery to consumer products. Owing to the strategic importance of the sector along with the need to have a robust and restructured policy in present scenario, the new NSP, 2017 became imminent. Though, National Steel Policy 2005 sought to indicate ways and means of consolidating the gains flowing out of the then economic order and charted out a road map for sustained and efficient growth of the Indian steel industry, it required adaptation in view of the recent developments unfolding in India and also worldwide. SAMPADA (Scheme For Agro-Marine Processing And Development Of Agro-Processing Clusters) (Topic: Agriculture) About: Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for re-structuring the schemes of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) under new Central Sector Scheme – SAMPADA for 2016-20 coterminous with the 14th Finance Commission cycle. The objective of SAMPADA is to supplement agriculture, modernize processing and decrease agri-waste. SAMPADA is an umbrella scheme incorporating ongoing schemes of the Ministry like Mega Food Parks, Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure, etc. It now also includes new schemes of Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters, Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages and Creation / Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities. The implementation of SAMPADA will result in creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet.

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