IAS Baba

Mar 16, 2018 RSTV Video

RSTV- The Big Picture : Education Reforms

Education Reforms Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources In News: The Government of India is bringing out a National Education Policy to meet the changing dynamics of the population’s requirement with regards to quality education, innovation and research. Aim: To make India a knowledge superpower How: By equipping its students with the necessary skills and knowledge By eliminating the shortage of manpower in science, technology, academics and industry Committee: By former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan. Why: The great demographic dividend of India can easily turn into a curse if over the next decade the education system is not overhauled completely to transform from input-based system to outcome driven education model that boosts critical thinking and not rote learning. The 21st century Model of Higher Education – High-quality, yet Equitable and Affordable Focus will be on Girl Education: the “golden key” to ensure their constitutional and social security Strengthening Public institutions with a thrust on traditional knowledge Special attention on languages, sports, mathematics at the school level – sports and other activities, which so far have been clubbed as "extra-curricular" or "co-curricular"— will be treated as subjects in themselves Addressing regional inequality Higher education: Affordability and Access What ails school education? Learning Outcomes The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) by the NGO, Pratham, and the NCERT’s National Achievement Survey have shown that — There is a decline in learning levels from lower to higher grades, even as the country has been inching closer to achieving the Right to Education Act’s objective of universal enrollment for six to 14-year olds. More than 25 per cent of the youth in the age group of 14 to 18 can’t even read a basic text fluently — though more than 90 per cent of them were in school. Issues related to Teachers As per a report by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), about 74 countries face grave shortage of teachers, with India being second on the list. ASSOCHAM, in a report last year, finds that the dearth of school teachers is a problem that is pervasive at all levels of government schools in India, with 50 per cent vacancies in schools across India beside 30,000 vacancies for teachers in Haryana alone where more than 800 schools are being run without principals. Among 36 States and Union Territories, Jharkhand has the most acute secondary school teacher shortage at 70 per cent. Half of all secondary school teacher posts in Uttar Pradesh are vacant, as are a third in Bihar and Gujarat. Solutions to Open New Gates for Learning All round development and learning of every Indian child: Students should get time for various other activities that enable their all-round development and make them better human beings. At the stage of development of cognitive skills, students need to be given full freedom. Life education, value education, skill building and experiential learning should become a major part of their education contributing to bringing out the best in each child. A habit of visiting libraries and learning via poetry for 1st generation learners should be encouraged. Learning should be provided with a local context for enabling a child to build up her knowledge with much ease and understanding. India is a diverse country and therefore, learning needs are also diverse which needs to be addressed accordingly. Superficial examination system & Competitive examinations: Examination system is flawed – learning is not tested and therefore never applied. Everything gets completely lost between learning and getting a better rank. It has just become another rejection mechanism. But if we focus on building values and skills in children, they will be able to negate this. A learning assessment should be built in the system where value based, nature based, life based and experience based learning should be evaluated. We need to assess our children for learning, and not of learning. True learning should not have marks as determinants of a child’s future. Issues around Teachers: The current system look at teachers as dispensers of information, and at students as passive recipients of an education that seldom has any connection with their realities! Teachers need to unlearn and relearn the subjects and the way it should be taught. There is no point in teaching and employing rote learning, for just passing the examination. Invest in Teacher’s mind and knowledge: Don’t distrust teachers. Get them back in system. Teacher training has just been limited to getting a degree and not upskilling and learning. There exists rampant commercialisation in teachers training with malpractices like price reductions and forgoing rigorous training requirements. Institutional mechanisms for periodic monitoring of teacher training institutes should be set up and strict adherence to quality parameters is vital. Teaching is a passion and the working conditions need to be revamped if we want to attract best minds, for our children. This will provide them with a creative forum, for them to exercise their autonomy and their innovative approach towards educating. Post training, there should be no differences in the salary of teachers, public or private. This will attract the best young minds towards this profession and will help it regain lost ground. Schools, Public & Private Education: Private education is unaffordable in the country, and the number of government schools is shrinking and those that remain are looked down upon as institutions for the poor. There is a need to strengthen public education. We need an equitable system, free from stratification and regressive board exam pattern – putting onus on child who did not learn is wrong. Must Read Articles for Better Understanding: Link 1 + Link 2 + Link 3 + Link 4 + Link 5 + Link 6 + Link 7 Connecting the Dots: Low standards in education, lack of requisite skills and unemployment form a vicious cycle which is detrimental to India’s demographic dividend. Comment. The need of a comprehensive national education policy is pressing. What in your opinion should be the model policy framework for education in India? Suggest.

Mar 16, 2018

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 ENVIRONMENT & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 12]

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

Mar 15, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 15th March 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 15th March 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Philippines quits ICC Part of: Mains GS Paper II- International relations Key pointers: President Rodrigo Duterte pulled the Philippines out of Rome statute, the treaty underpinning the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Hague-based ICC announced last month it was launching a “preliminary examination” of Duterte’s bloody anti-drug crackdown that has drawn international concern. The Philippines ratified in 2011 the Rome Statute which underpins the ICC, giving the tribunal authority to investigate crimes on its soil. About ICC: Opened in 2002, the ICC is the world’s only permanent war crimes court and aims to prosecute the worst abuses when national courts are unable or unwilling. It is headquartered in The Hague in The Netherlands. Article link: Click here Bill to regulate the chit fund sector Part of: Mains GS Paper II- International relations Key pointers: A bill to streamline and strengthen the chit fund sector has been introduced in the Lok Sabha. It mandates video conferencing while the opening of bids and seeks to hike commission of foremen from 5% to 7%. The Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2018 is based on the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance and the Advisory Groups on Chit Funds set up by the Central government. The amendment bill provides for allowing the mandatory presence of two subscribers, as required either in person or through video conferencing duly recorded by the foreman, while the bids are being opened. It also provides for increasing of ceiling of foreman’s commission from 5% to 7%. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc Transforming Indian Railways Background: Indian Railways is at a crossroads. Aided by the government’s renewed thrust on Indian Railways’s transformation, it can become a strong, profitable, reliable and publicly trusted organization. In the process, it can play a big role in serving India’s fast-growing transportation needs. On the other hand, if coherent measures towards efficiency upgradation are not formulated and executed on an urgent basis, then it risks becoming a burden on the economy. Concerns: Intense competition: Indian Railways has been fighting intense competition and losing. The organization that carried 89% of India’s freight traffic in financial year (FY) 1951 was left with only a 32% share in FY12. Indian Railways is becoming second-best versus the airline industry, that has been growing in the last four years, as well as against the fast-improving road network. Deterioration in operational and financial metrics: In the last 10 years, Indian Railways has witnessed perceptible deterioration in operational and financial metrics. This has been caused largely by a combination- Distorted top line growth. A huge jump in wage costs. Years of underinvestment. Profit margin is targeted at a paltry 3% , in FY18, reflecting Indian Railways’s vastly reduced fund-generation capability into focus. Cross-subsidization: Indian Railways’s gross receipts (revenue) in the last 20 years have been artificially aided by an aggressive escalation in freight rates even though service standards remain patchy. Its upper-class passenger fares too have witnessed regular inflation while airlines have dropped their fares substantially in the last three-four years. For example, air-conditioned, 3-tier fares have risen at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5% in the last five years—to about Rs2,500 for a Mumbai-Delhi trip, which is not too different from the airfare. On the other hand, lower-class passenger fares have been static. This system of cross-subsidization has been a key reason for the loss of market share. Poor economics: During FY03-FY18, India’s per-capita gross domestic product (GDP) on a purchasing-power-parity basis has grown by 200%, but the per-km passenger ticket price for second-class express trains has risen by just 20%. Indian Railways bears sizeable losses (of about Rs34,000 crore in FY17) on account of social service obligations, mainly on lower-class passenger fare discount Under-capacity: The total running rail track—the key capacity bottleneck—has grown at a disappointing 0.9% CAGR since FY01. This is despite the fact that more than 40% of Indian Railways’s sections suffer from capacity utilization of more than 100%, as a result of which too many trains run on the same stretch of lines. Congestion causes train delays and leads to overcrowding in lower-class categories. This curbs the speed—to a sluggish 50 kmph and 30 kmph for passenger and freight trains, respectively—diluting Indian Railways’s competitiveness further. Way ahead: A railway regulator, if put in place, can lead the way in drawing up and implementing a fare-rationalization road map. Improvement in facilities, higher frequency and punctuality of trains, ease of travel and transportation, and enhanced safety are essential for Indian Railways toget back volumes. Wages that constituted 35% of gross receipts in FY08 have swelled to 62% in Indian Railways’s revised budget for FY18. With such high fixed costs, the only way to improve financial sustainability is to augment capacities without inflating the manpower base, thus tapping the operating leverage to the maximum. To broaden capacities, an aggressive plan to double, triple or quadruple rail lines must be drawn up and carried out. The roll-out of dedicated freight corridors (DFC) can go a long way in easing traffic congestion, improving speeds, and reducing accidents by segregating freight and passenger trains. By providing customized and efficient logistics services with faster and predictable transit times at low costs, DFCs can help Indian Railways in regaining lost market share. In addition, as freight traffic shifts to these freight-only lines, passenger trains too can see service quality improvement. Thus, work on the two corridors, Dadri-Nhava Sheva and Dankuni-Ludhiana, must be expedited. Also, work on the four other DFC projects should be commenced soon. Indian Railways seems to be progressing well on its multi-pronged medium-term overhaul plan with a capital investment target of Rs850,000 crore over the next five years. However, this may not be enough for its metamorphosis, especially for capacity augmentation, given decades of underinvestment. Conclusion: A more potent plan to bolster revenue and efficiencies will need to be chalked out. This can be done with active private-sector participation on funding. Above suggested measures need to be and implemented aggressively. Connecting the dots: Indian Railway's transformation can become a strong, profitable, reliable and publicly trusted organization. For this multi-pronged approach has to be adopted to check the constraints. Analyze. INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests India-Japan relationship: Reaching its potential Introduction: In theory, it’s hard to find two nations that make a better economic fit than fast-growing, populous India and rich, demographically challenged Japan. India needs technical expertise and investments to develop its infrastructure, while Japan has capital to spare and know-how to share. They have a common strategic objective in countering Chinese hegemony in Asia, a goal that can be best met in collaboration. They enjoy a rare historic amity, being geographically and culturally close, but not too close and, therefore, free of contentious issues such as border disputes. Recent developments: The two governments in recent times have worked hard to upgrade ties. Regular high-profile bilateral visits have resulted into memoranda of understanding, some big-ticket projects, notably Japanese investment in India’s first bullet train, and political avowals to grow the economic relationship exponentially. There are now 1,369 Japanese companies and over 4,800 Japanese corporate offices active in India. Japan currently ranks as the third largest investor in India. Yet to reach its potential: The India-Japan economic relationship remains underwhelming both in relation to its potential, and to the ties that each nation shares with China. According to Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) data, China received about five times more Japanese investment between 1996-2015 ($116 billion) than India did ($24 billion). Japan-India two-way trade — $13.48 billion in 2016-17 — is also a fraction of the $350 billion China-Japan trade relationship or even India-China trade ($84.44 billion in 2017). The share of India-Japan trade in Japan’s total trade basket is barely 1% and it is a little over 2% of India’s trade with the rest of the world. Reasons behind: Issues that plague foreign investors in India such as inadequate infrastructure, complex tax regulations and land acquisition problems. It takes Japanese companies in India longer than their Korean or Chinese counterparts to learn how best to localise their products for the Indian market. Example- The Japanese tend to think that the most important element is the quality of the air conditioner so that it is able to last without the need for repairs. But in India it is cheap to have an air conditioner repaired and technicians are abundant. The consumer is therefore more focussed on cost than durability. Challenges: The greatest challenge is cultural: an outdated and negative image of India. He said that employees picked for jobs in India often act as though they have drawn the short straw. The larger corporations may realise India’s potential, but small and medium enterprises are the worst culprits of this attitude. The difference in the cultural relationship to punctuality is another stumbling block. In Japan, being on time is akin to religion, whereas in India, punctuality rarely exists. Japanese corporations are strongly risk averse which makes it difficult for them to cope in the freewheeling, jugaad-proud environment of India, where flexibility and impromptu decision making are necessary skills in the businesses. Some measures: Roping in Indian companies to develop and design Japanese products for the South Asian market could be one major way forward in deepening the bilateral engagement. Example- The recent collaboration between Japan’s Panasonic and India’s Tata Elxsi to develop smart solutions and products for Panasonic customers in India and the neighbouring region. The use of India as a manufacturing base for markets in Africa, a trend that is interesting to Japan’s business strategists. Existing examples include Hitachi Construction Machinery’s joint venture with Tata whose Kharagpur plant is a hub for exports to developing countries, as well as auto major Nissan, which exports the India-made Datsun ‘GO+’ to South Africa. Conclusion: Overall, the G (government) to G relationship is far ahead of the B (business) to B.” Closing this distance is what is required. Connecting the dots: The India-Japan relationship is yet to achieve its potential. Discuss. MUST READ Cosmology's worst gambler The Hindu The march on Mumbai The Hindu Moving to the city Indian Express Migration benefits for the home country Livemint The messy world of intelligence and its rules Livemint

Mar 15, 2018 RSTV Video

RSTV- The Big Picture : Nepal: The China Tilt

Nepal: The China Tilt Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 India and its neighbourhood- relations. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests The delicate balance in India’s relations is now under strain and is at a crucial juncture: Analysts have observed that there seems to be a movement by Nepal to move towards China to find an alternative to their dependence over India. Nepal's new prime minister KP Oli has said he wants to deepen ties with China to explore more options and get more leverage in his dealings with India "in keeping with the times". Deepening Ties with China means considering - China-backed $2.5 billion hydropower project Long-established practice of Nepalese soldiers serving in India's armed forces Transit Treaty with Beijing to end dependence on India for his landlocked country to revive the Budhi Gandaki project Improving rail and road network between Nepal and China through Tibet Link: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/is-it-the-end-of-india-s-special-relationship-with-nepal/story-ijLNl5AvvOt1w6fQANekVP.html China’s strategic objectives – Blunt India’s Influence in China culturally as well Curbing the Tibetan refugee population China Study Centres (CSC): To popularise the Chinese language, disseminate anti-India propaganda and reinforce traditional Chinese diplomacy Establishing a presence in Buddha’s birthplace of Lumbini: Redevelopment of Lumbini Airport and seminary-cum-monastery To make Lumbini a China-dominated hub for the “Buddhist tourism circuit” of Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath etc., will marginalise Indian businessmen and tour operators → Inevitable illegal migration to the North East Long-term presences of Chinese military personnel, who will construct, operate and maintain them. The Way Forward: As close neighbours, India and Nepal share a unique relationship of friendship and cooperation characterized by open borders and deep-rooted people-to-people contacts of kinship and culture. They are cultural partners with historic, spiritual and civilisational links between the people and both nations have a vital stake in each other’s well-being and security. Therefore, India needs to up her game before it’s too late – Increase People-to-People Engagement: Relationship with the people themselves is of prime importance. India needs to respect Nepal’s sovereignty and take the chance to gain political confidences as well deepen business ties with the community. Social and religious connect should be leveraged for infusing a sense of ‘oneness’. Better Implementation and Delivery: Indian government should take into account all the projects that were promised to Nepal and should make sure that these projects are completed on time. This is crucial for being a part of Nepal’s growth story, not just by way of providing grants but by creating a number of livelihood opportunities and contributing to its overall development. Must Refer: Link 1 Connecting the dots: Is the Nepal-India ‘special relationship’ undergoing a fundamental shift? Examine. India’s approach to its ties with Nepal needs recalibration keeping in mind the geostrategic significance of the landlocked nation. Examine.

Mar 15, 2018 MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – Contract Farming

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – Contract Farming Archives NOTE – Instructions to download Mind Maps/Images Right Click on the image and ‘Open in a new tab’ Remove/Delete the resolution part from the URl. Eg. “-1024×869” and Press Enter/Load Again Afterwards the URL will look something like this – “iasbaba.com/…./…/..-IASbaba.jpg” Right Click and Save As/Download (You’ll get the maximum resolution)

Mar 15, 2018

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 GEOGRAPHY & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 11]

Mar 14, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 14th March 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 14th March 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) India to eliminate TB by 2025 Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Government interventions Key pointers: Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently said India will fully eliminate tuberculosis by 2025, a good five years ahead of the global deadline of 2030, and has already started working towards achieving this goal. The Delhi End TB Summit is being organised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare jointly with the WHO’s South-East Asia Region Office and international coalition Stop TB Partnership. India is also implementing the National Strategic Plan for TB elimination that is backed by Rs. 12,000 crore in funding for the next three years to ensure every TB patient in the country has access to quality diagnosis, treatment and support. The new strategic plan adopts a multi-pronged approach which aims to detect all TB patients, with an emphasis on reaching patients seeking care from private providers and undiagnosed cases in high-risk populations. The latest Budget has proposed to set aside $100 million to provide nutritional support to TB patients. TB is the leading infectious killer in India. There were an estimated 28 lakh new cases in 2016, with over 4 lakh people succumbing to the disease, including those with TB and HIV. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests India-France relationship Introduction: With French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent visit to India, the India-France Strategic Partnership launched in 1998 seems finally to have come of age. In these two decades, both sides have gradually enhanced cooperation in diverse fields covering civil nuclear, defence, space, counter-terrorism, education, research and development in science and technology, culture, urban development, climate change, trade and economics and people-to-people contacts. The bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding signed, the detailed ‘joint statement’ and accompanying ‘vision statements’ on cooperation in space and the Indian Ocean Region, indicate that the relationship has received a momentum. A shared world view: France has always been sympathetic to similar Indian claims based on its ancient civilisation. This is why both countries were quick to voice support for global multi-polarity once the Cold War ended. Defence cooperation with France began in the 1950s. Joint naval exercises, Varuna, date back to 1983. Cooperation in the space sector has continued since the 1960s when France helped India set up the Sriharikota launch site. After the nuclear tests in May 1998 when India declared itself a nuclear weapon state, France was the first major power to open dialogue and displayed a far greater understanding of India’s security compulsions compared to other countries. It was the first P-5 country to support India’s claim for a permanent seat in an expanded and reformed UN Security Council. Today, it is a relationship of near equals. Establishment of a Strategic Dialogue: Cooperation in defence, civil nuclear, space, intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism has grown. An agreement for building six Scorpène submarines in India with French help was signed in 2005. The ambitious offset target of 50% (nearly Rs. 25,000 crore), properly implemented, can help in building up India’s budding aerospace industry. Terror strikes in France in recent years by home-grown terrorists have enlarged the scope of counter-terrorism cooperation to include cyber security and discussions on radicalisation. Recent developments: B2B and P2P relations- In recent years, it was clear that for a wider partnership, strengthening business-to-business and people-to-people relationships was essential. Climate change and renewable energy resources, particularly solar, soon emerged as a new plank, reflected in the multilateral initiative of the International Solar Alliance. Another area identified was urban planning and management of services like housing, transport, water, sanitation, etc using the public private partnership model which the French have employed successfully. Maritime cooperation: Like India, France has expressed concern about China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean Region. French overseas territories in the Indian and the Pacific Oceans provide it with the second largest exclusive economic zone globally. It has long maintained bases in Reunion Islands and Djibouti and established one in Abu Dhabi in 2009. The signing of MoUs regarding the provision of reciprocal logistics support to each other’s armed forces provide the basis to strengthen joint naval exercises. Strengthening cooperation with France, particularly in the western Indian Ocean Region makes eminent strategic sense even as India develops its presence in Oman (Duqm) and Seychelles (Assumption Island). Trade: It has grown in recent years but at $10 billion is half of the trade with Germany. Nearly $16 billion worth of agreements was signed at the business summit. There are nearly 1,000 French companies present in India while over a hundred Indian businesses have established a presence in France. Educational links: Potentially, the most significant was the focus on youth and student exchanges. Currently about 2,500 Indians go to France annually to pursue higher education, compared to more than 250,000 from China. A target has been set to raise it to 10,000 by 2020. The agreement on mutual recognition of academic degrees and the follow-on Knowledge Summit, where 14 MoUs between educational and scientific institutions were signed, is a welcome move. Tourism: This is another area that has received attention. A target of a million Indian tourists and 335,000 French tourists has been set for 2020. Other developments: In the past, Indian companies saw the U.K. as the entry point for Europe; now with Brexit approaching, India can look at France as its entry point for Europe. Francophonie! The flagship programme of Smart Cities in which France is focussing on Chandigarh, Nagpur and Puducherry is taking shape. Conclusion: The Strategic Partnership has already created a solid foundation; other aspects have now received the much-needed focus. Proper implementation can add to the growing strategic convergence that draws India and France together. Connecting the dots: Discuss how India-France relationship has evolved over time. Outline major aspects. NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General Studies 3: Mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment New classification of the MSMEs Introduction: The Union Cabinet last month decided to change the basis of classification of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). This bodes well for this important segment of India’s industrial base. Present rules: Presently, enterprises qualify as micro, small or medium enterprises if their investment in plant and machinery (for manufacturing units) and equipment (for service providers) is within the limits laid down in Section 7 of the MSMED Act 2006, which are as follows: Type of Enterprise Investment in Plant of Machinery Investment in Equipment Micro Not exceeding Rs 25 lakh Not exceeding Rs 10 lakh Small More than Rs 25 lakh but not exceeding Rs 5 crore More than Rs 10 lakh but not exceeding Rs 2 crore Medium More than Rs 5 crore but not exceeding Rs 10 crore More than Rs 2 crore but not exceeding Rs 5 crore Although Section 7(8) of the Act provides for the Advisory Committee constituted under the Act to make recommendations regarding the need for higher investment by MSMEs in plant and machinery or equipment for technological upgradation, employment generation and enhanced competitiveness, the investment limits have remained unchanged since the commencement of the MSMED Act 2006. These limits are too low in the contemporary context. Classification of enterprises based on fixed monetary limits also places newer units at a disadvantage vis-a-vis those set up in earlier years as the former have to invest more for the same type of plant and machinery or equipment. More importantly, self-declaration by enterprises as regards the cost of investment at the time of registration with the authorities concerned entails verification, adding to the transaction cost. The Union Cabinet has decided to change the basis of classification from investment in plant and machinery or equipment to annual turnover without making a distinction between manufacturing enterprises and service providers. Amendments made: The revised classification and eligibility thresholds: Type of Enterprise Annual Turnover Micro Not exceeding Rs 5 crore Small More than Rs 5 crore but not exceeding Rs 75 crore Medium More than Rs 75 crore but not exceeding Rs 250 crore An enabling provision will be also be made in the MSED Act 2006 to permit the Central Government to vary these limits in future by simply issuing a notification. This will ensure that the monetary limits remain contemporaneous at all times as changing these limits will not require a formal amendment to the MSED Act 2006, which is a time-consuming and cumbersome process. Benefits: The new system of classifying enterprises based on annual turnover will be more reliable, transparent and objective as the qualifying criteria will be verifiable with reference to the data available in the Goods and Services Tax network. This will also reduce transaction costs as it will no more be necessary to carry out any inspection. With a more realistic criterion linked with annual turnover, many enterprises that presently do not qualify should come within the ambit of the MSMED Act, 2006 and benefit from a large number of schemes promulgated by the government for this sector from time to time. Existing MSMEs should also be able to invest more in plant and machinery and equipment without losing out on the benefits available to them. Connecting the dots: The Union Cabinet has recently decided to change the basis of classification of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. What are these changes and why are they beneficial? Discuss. MUST READ An urgent prescription The Hindu First the basic science The Hindu We must enact Indian Express The new protectionism Indian Express A right for the rich Indian Express

Mar 14, 2018 AIR

All India Radio (AIR) : World Sustainable Development Summit 2018

World Sustainable Development Summit 2018 ARCHIVES Search 16th February, 2018 Spotlight Analysis here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Theme of the Summit: 'Partnerships for a Resilient Planet – Attaining Energy, Water, Food Security for All’ India and Sustainability Trusteeship philosophy of India There exists a tradition of harmonious co-existence between man and nature in India. Respect for nature is an integral part of our value system. Our goal is to be able to live up to our ancient texts which says, “Keep pure For the Earth is our Mother and we are her children”. We believe that all resources and all wealth belong to Nature and the Almighty and are just the trustees or managers of this wealth. Journey towards a Sustainable Future As part of the Nationally Determined Contributions, India committed to reducing 33 to 35 percent of emission intensity of its GDP during 2005 to 2030. Goal of creating a carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030 – According to the UNEP Gap Report, India is on track to meet its Copenhagen Pledge of reducing the emissions intensity of its GDP by 20 to 25 percent over 2005 levels by 2020. India’s Philosophy of ‘Convenient Action’ While the world was discussing' Inconvenient Truth’, India translated it into ‘Convenient Action’ through her different initiatives and policies. India believes in growth but is also committed to protecting the environment. The UN Sustainable Development Goals put us on the path of equality, equity and climate justice. Every country should fulfil their commitments based on Common but Differentiated Responsibility and equity. India is focused on Ease of living –through Good Governance, Sustainable Livelihood and through Cleaner Environment. India’s Development needs – Need to be fulfilled but in a cleaner and greener way India is one sixth of the global community, and our development needs are enormous. Our poverty or prosperity will have direct impact on the global poverty or prosperity. The fact that people in India have waited too long for access to modern amenities and means of development, needs no more reiterations. As the world’s fastest growing major economy, India’s energy needs are immense. Plans to draw One 175 Giga-Watts of energy from renewable sources by 2022 – this includes 100 Giga-Watts from Solar Energy and another 75Giga-Watts from Wind and other sources. Added more than 14 Giga-Watts to solar energy generation which was just about three Giga-Watts three years back. Currently, we are already the fifth largest producer of solar energy in the world and the sixth largest producer of renewable energy. With growing urbanization, as our transportation needs are growing, we are focusing on mass transportation systems especially metro rail systems. Even for cargo movement to long distances, national water-way systems are established. Each of our states is preparing an action plan against climate change. The ‘Collaboration’ Approach – The Key Key players between which collaboration should take place – Between governments Between industries Between people This collaboration needs to play out for the following actions – Policy correction to modify our growth pattern Instruments for sustainability needs to a mixture of technology, taxation, PPP, and budgetary considerations (Sizable change in the budget allocated for cities) Need to develop a right set of ecosystem for small mid-sized industry to be able to adopt green norms and adhere to environmental regulations Making shifts and habits that complement the objective of preserving environment Mechanism for Central to push certain policies in a federal state Role of the developed world – For a successful climate action to be put in place, collaboration with the developed world is one of the most important aspect we look forward to. Incentives and innovations to make development truly sustainable is the urgent need of the hour. Access to financial resources: For effective implementation of policies, and to take efforts in bringing about a behavioural change as well. Ease of access to technology: Technology can help countries like India develop sustainably and enable the poor to benefit from it. Connecting the Dots: The Sustainable Development Goals are too many in number and too vague in substance to warrant any concrete ground results. Comment. Development is a multifaceted process. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have captured the vital aspects of human life and set targets accordingly. Does India’s developmental discourse resonate with the SDGs? Critically examine.

Mar 14, 2018

IASbaba’s Bimonthly Gist of Economic and Political Weekly (EPW)- Edition 7

Hello Friends, Continuing our effort towards right guidance and quality coverage to assist you in all possible ways, we are glad to introduce this new initiative where Frontline, IDSA and Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) will be covered considering the relevance of UPSC Examination. This initiative will also help you in Essay, Sociology and PSIR Optional as well. This is the Seventh edition of Economic and Political Weekly (EPW)- Bimonthly Magazine. Hope you all like it DOWNLOAD THE MAGAZINE