IAS Baba

Mar 13, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 13th March 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 13th March 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) World's largest nuclear power plant soon to come up in Jaitapur Part of: Mains GS Paper II, III- International relations, Infrastructure Key pointers: France and India reiterated their intention to start work this year on what could become the world’s largest nuclear power plant. French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Electricite de France SA and India’s monopoly atomic energy producer, Nuclear Power Corp., to accelerate discussions on a contract and start work at the site in Jaitapur, Maharashtra. Once installed, the Jaitapur project will be the largest nuclear power plant in the world, with a total capacity of 9.6 gigawatts. International equipment makers have been hesitant to move forward with projects in India because India’s nuclear liability law exposes reactor suppliers to claims for damages during an accident. Facts: Jaitapur, a small town on India’s western coast known for its mango and coconut orchards. India’s nuclear power capacity is about 6.8 gigawatts, barely 2 percent of the country’s total generation capacity. Article link: Click here Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership Part of: Mains GS Paper II- International relations Key pointers: 11 Asia-Pacific countries, including Japan, Australia and Canada, have signed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. The CPTPP is, in effect, the original Trans-Pacific Partnership struck during the Barack Obama presidency minus the U.S. The CPTPP comes soon after the U.S. had made clear its plan to impose tariffs on the import of aluminium and steel in an attempt to protect domestic manufacturers. T The countries signing the agreement, which account for more than 13% of the world economy, have agreed to bring down tariffs on cross-border trade by as much as 98% after domestic ratification. More countries are expected to sign the CPTPP in the future, and there is hope that a post-Trump U.S. may join the bloc. Article link: Click here India's first national academy to train police Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Internal security Key pointers: India's first national academy to train police forces in effectively safeguarding the Indian shoreline will soon start functioning along the Gujarat seafront. The Union home ministry recently sanctioned the launch of the National Academy of Coastal Policing (NACP) in the newly created Devbhoomi Dwarka district. The first-of-its-kind institution of the country will be created and run by a multi-agency team of paramilitary and defence forces and sharpen the response and skills of the marine forces of multiple states which have sea lines. The academy will train police personnel and other security agencies staff in maritime laws, seamanship, boat work, navigation, weapons handling, usage of sea guidance and surveillance gadgets and survival skills for long haul operations on the sea or during distress times when they may get stranded in these waters running up to 12 nautical miles from the shore. India has a vast coastline of 7,516 kms touching 13 states and union territories (UTs). It also has around 1,197 islands. Article link: Click here NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 1: Social empowerment General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General Studies 3: Indian economy and issues related to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Taking advantage of technology to create jobs Background: Millions of jobs could be lost by 2020 due to various global disruptions — digitalisation, AI, automation, robotics, longevity, IoT, etc. At the same time, a few million jobs will be created in specific sectors. Of these, business and finance ops, management, and computer and mathematics-related job families will see the biggest growth. At the same time, some of the largest economies in the world — the US, the UK, Japan, South Korea — will face a significant gap between talent supply and demand with a net talent deficit position. India’s tryst with technology, On one hand: Jawaharlal Nehru, educated in Britain and inspired by Fabian Socialism, placed technology-driven modernism at the top of his priority list. He was instrumental in creating world class institutions such as the IITs and NITs; he believed that technology would be the bedrock of India’s transformation into a modern society and trained workforce. Leaders such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Rajiv Gandhi and Chandrababu Naidu did take the pain to pioneer policies, import computers and court global technological giants to create tech-driven jobs in India. Many believe the agglomeration of tech giants in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, and India’s solid foundations on digital literacy, is an outcome of such efforts. On the other hand: Deep-rooted distrust, and, to a large extent, the broader policy paralysis existed around promoting technology at a greater pace. Unfortunately, the overwhelming perception amongst some sections of stakeholders and policymakers is that greater induction of technology will only lead to job losses. In more recent times, job insecurity has fuelled the formation of unions in the IT/ITes sector which has so far remained untouched by unionisation. Unfounded fears: Rather than causing job losses, technology has created new businesses, processes, products and systems which couldn’t have been imagined before. They improved productivity, which led to a rise in wages and that drove the purchasing power upwards. This expanding purchasing power further created new business opportunities. According to one report, the internet created 2.4 new jobs for every one job lost. More job creation with greater technological penetration: India stands out as the country with likely the largest talent pool surplus. India is positioned uniquely to capitalise on the opportunity that will be created through technological and other disruptions given India’s surplus talent pool and strength in the identified job segments. At the heart of job-creation is our ability to create new businesses and entrepreneurs. Technology is a core enabler of this aspect. India is a global growth leader and a leading centre when it comes to startup ecosystems. As new businesses emerge and grow, technology-powered entrepreneurship will be a key platform for millions of jobs in India across all segments of society. Technology has enabled connectivity and provided increased access to opportunities. This in turn has led to a robust growth in consumer spending. This is a virtuous cycle which will further create demand for more goods and services and thereby create more business opportunities across all tiers and segments of jobs. What needs to be done? India must focus on a comprehensive policy framework that addresses three key pillars in an integrated manner: A calibrated national talent management approach through a deeper labour market analysis as talent scarcity, surprisingly or not, is also on the rise. Introducing strong elements of technology and innovation into the country’s education curriculum, backed by systematic institutional collaboration. Focus on broadening and/or enhancing existing skill development/re-skilling programmes, including planning around job rotation and mobility support. Conclusion: How India can take advantage of technology to potentially create millions of jobs will depend on the Government’s ability to establish an ecosystem that helps businesses to benefit from technology to drive innovation and growth. Above mentioned steps should thus be taken. Connecting the dots: India can take advantage of technology to potentially create millions of jobs. This will depend on the Government’s ability to establish an ecosystem. Discuss. (MAINS FOCUS) HEALTH TOPIC: General Studies 2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health Development processes and the development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders Tracking health status Introduction: As India moves towards creating structures for universal healthcare with the National Health Protection Scheme, we need to challenge following beliefs- Private practitioners are less suited to deliver healthcare services than public healthcare professionals based on the presumption that private practitioners are committed to profit while government doctors exist to serve the public. This has resulted into lack of institutional systems to rope in private practitioners into the public health system. Health outcomes of patients are immaterial, that there is no need to track patients or maintain records, spending more money on healthcare is enough. The fear that the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) will promote corporate hospitals and put healthcare out of reach of the people exists. Whether it does or not will depend on the institutional systems that are put in place to regulate the NHPS. Tracking health status: It means that patient outcomes like disease, death, infection and so on, be regularly ascertained, reported and monitored. In some countries, it is routine to set up such reporting systems. In India, till date, there has been no institutional framework fixing such key indicators, nor is there any general rule mandating that these should be reported regularly, whether in the public or private sector. Since India already have enough IT professionals for setting up such systems we can easily create one. Doctors, like all professionals, whether in the public or private sector, respond to institutional signals. If there is an institutional requirement to report patient-related indicators by the government, that in turn would pressurise the managements of private institutions to set up systems for tracking health status. In the absence of system-wide requirements, it is merely ideology and individual conscience that determines the quality of care available to patients. Making private practitioners an important part of the public healthcare: It is counterproductive to insist that private practitioners should not be an integral part of the overall government effort to provide good healthcare to people. Such an insistence makes the notion of maintaining disease-specific countrywide registers in which individual doctors and hospitals participate almost impossible. A truly universal healthcare system is driven by protocols that care for the patient and integrate all practitioners. Once such a system is put in place along with regular reporting, the distinction between private and public becomes meaningless. Conclusion: To successfully put care and quality back into healthcare, it is important to set up this kind of system to track the health status of patients. This will help remove smoothen the public-private healthcare debate. Connecting the dots: India lacks a system to tack health status of its citizens. Discuss the importance of creating an institutional system so that a track can be maintained. MUST READ Ineffective and arbitrary The Hindu The cost of education The Hindu Always a rule maker The Hindu Indo-French harmony The Hindu

Mar 13, 2018

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 GEOGRAPHY & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 9]

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 12, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 12th March 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 12th March 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) India commits $1.4 billion for International Solar Alliance Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Energy security Key pointers: India recently announced one of the world’s largest investment plans in solar energy at the Founding Conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). The $1.4 billion line of credit will cover 27 projects in 15 countries and boost the much-required financial power to the solar sector. India will start a solar technology mission with international focus, which will cover all government technical and educational institutions. The Founding Conference was co-chaired by Mr. Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron. Mr. Modi presented a 10-point action plan aimed at making solar power more affordable while raising the share of power generated. Three issues that needs to be addressed — the solar energy potential in each country should be be identified; mobilisation of finance; and the provision of a favourable framework. Article link: Click here Founding Conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Energy security Key pointers: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target of achieving 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar power by 2022, accounting for more than half of the 175 GW the country plans to produce from renewable sources. This was announced at the International Solar Alliance (ISA) summit. It was announced at the summit that a Project Preparation Facility (PPF) has been set up by India to help partner countries prepare viable project proposals that can be considered for concessional financing under Lines of Credit. The PPF fills the capacity gap in identifying a need, conceiving a project and preparing a proposal. ISA envisages generating 1 TW (terawatt) of solar power by 2030. The Delhi Solar Agenda: It was released after the summit. According to the agenda, the ISA will facilitate “affordable finance, access to appropriate, clean and environment-friendly technology and undertake capacity building.” About ISA: The ISA is a coalition of 121 solar resource-rich countries created to address special energy needs and bridge gaps through a common approach. India will contribute $27 million towards the ISA corpus, for infrastructure and for recurring expenditure over a five-year period from 2016-17 to 2020-21. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) HEALTH TOPIC: General Studies 2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health Development processes and the development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders For the success of NHPS Background: India recently announced an ambitious plan called the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) to provide government-sponsored insurance to roughly 500 million people or nearly 40% of India’s population. Is the NHPS a good idea? Definitely yes. There are several reasons: Financial wellbeing: India under-invests in the healthcare of its citizens and this is affecting the health and financial well-being of Indians. Out-of-pocket payments for healthcare services are very high in our country (about 70%, according to the National Sample Survey Office, 2014), which causes impoverishment to nearly 7% of our population. Health-financing policy directly affects the financial protection of people when direct payments that are made to obtain health services do not threaten their living standards. So, the NHPS should be considered a significant move towards universal health coverage. Cost-effective: Providing insurance to the poor not only saves lives but is also “cost-effective”. It provides good value for money as the benefits of insurance far outweigh the costs. Case study: Vajpayee Arogyashree Scheme (VAS)- health insurance scheme in Karnataka. A study found that- VAS lowered mortality for covered conditions for BPL families and erased rich-poor disparities in mortality rates. Most of this reduction was due to fewer deaths from cancer and cardiac conditions, which account for the bulk of VAS claims. They found that people covered by insurance were more likely to seek healthcare for their health issues and symptoms (such as chest pain), had better access to tertiary care hospitals, and had better post-operative outcomes likely due to seeking care at higher quality hospitals. Insurance lowered out-of-pocket medical costs and lowered the chances of having catastrophic expenditures that are likely to push people into poverty. What more needs to be done? We need to pay attention to both the design of NHPS and its implementation: Making insurance easy to use Insurance that is difficult to use will not be used. Therefore, we need to streamline both the enrollment process and access to care once enrolled. The number of forms people face to enrol in NHPS must be minimized. Aadhaar makes it easy to verify eligibility and enrol. For this, Aadhaar should be made readily available to demographics where it does not exist. Once enrolled, access to care should be provided where people live. This is a challenge in rural India but can be addressed with innovative models. For example, In Karnataka, health camps organized by super specialty hospitals were successful in improving access to care. Telemedicine in Uttar Pradesh where patients at primary health centre are connected to specialist doctors in Andhra Pradesh for virtual OPD care. Right targeting: A programme financed by public money needs to conserve resources. Therefore, we should provide government sponsored insurance only to those who cannot afford insurance on their own. “Mission creep” or mis-targeting, however, is a significant threat as we witnessed in the case of Aarogyasri, where nearly 80% of Andhra Pradesh‘s population reported having coverage while the scheme was exclusively aimed at population below poverty line. This is why the Aadhaar platform becomes fundamental to enrolment to the NHPS. In addition to targeting the poor, insurance should target health conditions where disease burden is high and effective interventions are available but underused. Contracting with private hospitals and clinics Nearly 75% of out-patient department care and 55% of in-patient department care in India is exclusively from the private sector. Therefore, private hospitals and clinics need to be part of NHPS. We thus need to monitor them and create the right incentives for them. Not all hospitals should be eligible for NHPS. Only hospitals that meet certain quality standards should be allowed to serve NHPS beneficiaries. Quality should be measured not only by the infrastructure available at the hospital but also by actual patient outcomes achieved. NHPS should institute prior authorization for expensive medical procedures and surgeries. NHPS doctors should review the medical records of NHPS beneficiaries to make sure that the surgery in medically warranted and meets evidence-based guidelines. Using data to learn and evolve The NHPS will have access to health information of 500 million people. This is an unprecedented amount of data and if curated well, it can have far-reaching applications. It can be used for comparative effectiveness research or understanding which treatments work in the real world rather than just in clinical trials. Treatments and interventions can be highly contextualized to local conditions. It can be used to advance personalized or precision medicine. That is, tailoring treatment based on individual genetic or other characteristics. It can be used to improve the health system and understand how different delivery and financing designs affect care outcomes and costs. It can be used to improve transparency by providing information on quality of care provided by different hospitals or clinics in India. Conclusion: Not addressing health issue disproportionately affects the weaker and vulnerable sections of society – women and children. A well run NHPS has the potential to become the cornerstone of India’s healthcare needs for several future generations. Connecting the dots: Importance of an insurance scheme for country like India is immense, given it promotes financial well-being and is also cost-effective. In this light discuss steps required for successful implementation of NHPS. Also read: For the success of Modicare(NHPS) ENVIRONMENT/NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. 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. General Studies 3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. International Solar Alliance: Multiple opportunities for India Introduction: India has often sit at the high table of global negotiations. On the contrary, it is also many a times seen by the rest of the world as a deal breaker on issues such as global trade and climate change. Background: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a breakthrough in our global positioning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a driving force ever since he first announced the idea at the India-Africa Summit in New Delhi in October 2015 and followed this up with more concrete moves during the United Nations climate change talks in Paris in November 2015, with France being an important partner. India has suddenly became a catalyst in the global attempts at capping climate change. This is important in a geopolitical sense when China is clearly expanding its global footprint. There are now 121 countries which have signed up for the global solar alliance. Domestic commitments: Central to this new role in global affairs is the domestic commitment to generate 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar energy by 2022, part of the broader 175GW target for renewable energy. The strategic thought behind this: India has to push towards mass prosperity at a time when climate change is a huge concern. Key challenges: Ways ahead Unilateralism will not do- Fighting climate change cannot come at the cost of halting the urgent fight against poverty. Global initiatives should always be seen through the lens of national interest. That is why an international alliance based on credible commitments is important. The rich countries that are responsible for most of the stock of excess carbon in the atmosphere as well as the high current levels of per capita carbon emissions (as against national aggregates) need to be pushed to provide asymmetrical funding for climate change mitigation and technology transfers. This will continue to be an important challenge for the global solar alliance. The shift to solar energy should not be seen only as a defence mechanism. It can also be an opportunity. The fight against climate change—and the broader move to low-carbon economies—is likely to create the next big technological wave. New technology will be the critical factor in the transition to a green economy which also grows rapidly, and India should take a shot at global leadership. Conclusion: ISA thus offers many opportunities —from geopolitical advantages to economic benefits in the next wave of global innovation. Connecting the dots: International solar alliance offers many opportunities —from geopolitical advantages to economic benefits. Discuss. MUST READ Bifurcation and blame The Hindu Under a humane constitution The Hindu In testing times Indian Express Social injustice Indian Express New Delhi is walking into the China trap Livemint What's the role of public sector banks? Business Line

Mar 12, 2018 PIB

IASbaba PIB Weekly : Press Information Bureau – 4th March to 11th March, 2018

IASbaba Press Information Bureau 4th March to 11th March, 2018 ARCHIVES GS-2 Launch of National Nutrition Mission (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes ;) Aimed at: 10 crore beneficiaries, mainly children up to the age of 6 years, pregnant and lactating women, and adolescent girls. Target: To reduce stunting, under-nutrition, and low birth weight by 2 percent per annum, and anaemia by 3 percent annually Half of the amount required for the scheme is proposed to come from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and other multilateral development agencies. It would be executed with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) as the nodal ministry along with Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare which is in-charge of immunisation. The mission aims to bring down the stunting percentage as per the National Family Health Survey-4 (2014-15) from 38.4 percent to 25 percent by 2022. ICT would be used for real-time monitoring of the services provided by anganwadi workers, ASHA workers (accredited social health activists) and auxiliary nurse midwives. Must read: Link 1 Launch of Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes ;) By: NITI Aayog Aimed at: Building an ecosystem for women across India to realize their entrepreneurial aspirations, scale-up innovative initiatives and chalk-out sustainable, long-term strategies for their businesses. Three pillars on which WEP is built: Ichha Shakti (motivating aspiring entrepreneurs to start their enterprise) Gyaan Shakti (providing knowledge and ecosystem support to women entrepreneurs to help them foster entrepreneurship) Karma Shakti (providing hands-on support to entrepreneurs in setting-up and scaling up businesses). “Make in India” Action Plan (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) Under the “Make in India” action plan, 21 key sectors have been identified for specific actions under: Policy initiatives Fiscal incentives Infrastructure creation Ease of doing business Innovation and R&D Skill development Key sectors have been opened up for FDI: defence manufacturing, food processing, telecom, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, civil aviation, space, private security agencies, railways, insurance and pensions and medical devices. Key Points: In 2016-17, FDI inflow stood at a record of USD 60 billion, highest ever recorded for a fiscal year ever. According to IMF World Economic Outlook (April2017) and UN World Economic Situation Prospects 2017, India is the fastest growing major economy in the world and is projected to remain so in year 2018. Draft Indian National Strategy for Standardization (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) The Strategy considers the current state of development across sectors, the existing quality infrastructure and the policy directions in relation to domestic economic developments and trade in goods and services. Key Objectives of Draft INSS Positioning standards as a key driver of all economic activities relating to goods and services Developing a comprehensive ecosystem in India for standards development taking into account the diversity of interests and expertise available Using standards as enhancer of competitiveness of Indian goods and services in domestic and international markets Providing level playing field to domestic industry Adopting best practices in standardization, conformity assessment and technical regulations and creating an integrated infrastructure, roadmaps and institutions for their effective management Playing an active role and taking leadership positions in apex international forums in the related areas Creating response mechanisms to global developments on standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment practices that impact market access of Indian goods and services Aligning the Strategy with other national policies related to trade & industry, consumers and environment Cabinet Approves: Signing of Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement between India and France: The Agreement represents a major milestone in enhancing people-to -people contacts, fostering mobility of students, academics, researchers and skilled professionals and strengthening cooperation on issues related to irregular migration and human trafficking between the two sides. Signing of an Agreement between India and France to facilitate "Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications": To facilitate Mutual Recognition of educational qualifications and periods of study undertaken by students in duly approved, recognized and/or accredited educational Institutions within the two countries The agreement will be instrumental in encouraging mobility of students from both the countries by facilitating possibilities for them to continue their studies in the other country and would also promote excellence in higher education through innovative partnerships/collaborations and research activities which will be leading to the improvement of the quality of education in India. Agreement between India and France to prevent illicit consumption and reduction of illicit traffic in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Chemical Precursors and related offences: Aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation between the two countries in the prevention of the said offences through exchange of information, expertise and capacity building. MoU between India and Hellenic on Renewable Energy Cooperation: Both sides aim to establish the basis for a cooperative institutional relationship to encourage and promote technical bilateral cooperation on new and renewable issues on the basis of mutual benefit equality and reciprocity. Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2018 for introduction in the Parliament: It is a part of the efforts of the Government to encourage institutional arbitration for settlement of disputes and make India a centre of robust Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism. Benefit: Will facilitate achieving the goal of improving institutional arbitration by establishing an independent body to lay down standards, make arbitration process more party friendly, cost effective and ensure timely disposal of arbitration cases. Background: To give a boost to institutional, arbitration vis-a-vis ad hoc arbitration and to remove some practical difficulties in applicability of the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Act, 2015, a High Level Committee (HLC) under the Chairmanship of Justice B. H. Srikrishna, Retired Judge, Supreme Court of India, was constituted by the Central Government. The HLC was given the mandate – To examine the effectiveness of existing arbitration mechanism by studying the functioning and performance of Arbitral Institutions in India; To devise a road map to promote institutionalized arbitration mechanisms in India; To evolve an effective and efficient arbitration eco-system for commercial dispute resolution and submit a Report on suggested reforms in the statute. Memorandum of Cooperation between India and France in the field of environment: Will enable establishment and promotion of closer and long-term cooperation between the countries in the field of environment protection and management of natural resources on the basis of equity, reciprocity and mutual benefits, taking into account the applicable laws and legal provisions in each country. India – Vietnam Relations (Topic: India and its neighbourhood- relations) President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: H.E. Mr. Tran Dai Quang Fathers of the Nation, Vietnam: President Ho Chi Minh Defence & Security – an important and effective pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Stronger cooperation between their armed forces and enhanced cooperation in areas of cyber security, combating terrorism and violent extremism in all their forms and manifestations, transnational crimes, human and drug trafficking, maritime security, climate change and food security. Reaffirmed their commitment to an open, free, secure, stable, peaceful and accessible cyber space under the auspices of the United Nations and called for greater cooperation and effective implementation of the agreements signed between the two sides on cyber security Both sides agreed to expedite the implementation of the US$100 million Line of Credit for building of high-speed patrol boats for the Viet Nam Border Guards and urged for early signing of a framework agreement on the US$ 500 million Line of Credit for defence industry Economic Relations – Need to enhance strong trade and economic engagement To explore new trade and investment opportunities in identified priority areas of cooperation: hydrocarbons, power generation, renewable energy, energy, conservation, infrastructure, textiles, footwear, pharmaceuticals, machine tools, agriculture and agro-products, tourism, chemicals, ICT and other service sector industries To intensify cooperation to increase productivity, quantum and content of science and technology in agricultural products Energy Cooperation – Welcomed Indian oil and gas companies to avail of opportunities in the midstream and downstream sectors in Viet Nam, to expand their oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities on land and in the continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Vietnam Culture, Education & People-to-People Exchanges To intensify cooperation in the fields of culture, tourism and people-to-people exchange, widen and deepen cultural and historical ties by cooperating further in the areas of archaeology, conservation and museums to revive and reconnect the civilizational and historic cultural heritage between the two countries Connectivity The Indian side urged Viet Nam to utilise various initiatives of India for CLMV countries, including the US$1 billion line of credit for physical and digital connectivity projects. The two sides agreed to explore the possibility of extending the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway further to Viet Nam through Cambodia and Lao PDR. The two sides stressed the importance of the early signing of an ASEAN-India Maritime Transport Cooperation Agreement. They sought acceleration of the establishment of direct shipping routes between the sea ports of India and Viet Nam. Regional Cooperation Underscoring the significance of sub-regional frameworks in strengthening bilateral cooperation and complementing regional cooperation through ASEAN frameworks, they agreed to optimally develop and utilise existing sub-regional frameworks, especially the Mekong-Ganga Economic Corridor. The Vietnamese side reiterated its consistent support for permanent membership of India in a reformed Security Council. The two sides re-affirmed their determination and efforts to further cooperate in maintaining peace, stability and development in the Indo - Pacific region as well as in the world at large. They also reiterated the importance of, and the need for complete compliance with international law, notably the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), including the implementation of international legal obligations in good faith, the maintenance of freedom of navigation and over-flight in the South China Sea, full respect for diplomatic and legal processes, peaceful settlement of disputes without resorting to the threat or use of force, and in accordance with international law. In this regard, both sides support the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and look forward to an early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. Please Note – Thousands of educational institutions of all Minority communities including Madrasas have been included in the mainstream education system by connecting them with 3Ts – Teacher Tiffin Toilet Key Statistics: School dropout rate among Muslim girls down from 70% to about 40% UNICEF has stated that 25 million child marriages were prevented worldwide in the last decade with South Asia witnessing the largest decline largely due to progress in India. It was stated that in the current trend, 27 per cent of girls get married before they turn 18 years—steep decline from 47 per cent a decade ago. Quotes by: PM of India – Shri Narendra Modi On your journey towards success: “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life, think of it, dream of it, live on that idea, let the brain, muscles, nerve, every part of your body be full of that idea and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.” Education: “Your education should be an education of the heart and the spirit, and of the spirit as much of the brain; it should be a living connection between yourselves and your past as well as the modern world!” Former President Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam: “If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher.” The architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: “I measure the progress of community by the degree of the progress which women have achieved”.

Mar 12, 2018 MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – Passive Euthanasia

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue –Passive Euthanasia 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 12, 2018

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 GEOGRAPHY & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 8]

Mar 11, 2018 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Feedback – Inspirational & Educative Articles

Feedback: As the word itself suggests, feedback is a returning of information, ideas and concepts once they hit the intended target and return back. Ya I know, it sounds like a physics experiment. But feedback is quite literally a physical experiment. Feedback is the most scientific form of measuring progress. Without feedback there cannot be any scientific exploration. Feedback forms the bulk of all experimentation. Just imagine if Edison decided to create an electric bulb and each time he received a feedback that it is not working, he simply ignored the message. Without feedback it would have been impossible for him to make the necessary course corrections to reach his target. Your life is nothing but a scientific experimentation of different ideas, concepts and pathways. The whole objective is to get the formula right. If life is a scientific exploration, then feedback comprises of almost 90% of it. Without understanding the importance of feedback all your efforts will be in vain. It is very easy to be prejudiced while analyzing a feedback. This is the reason why most people are afraid of honest feedback. It takes a little bit of courage to look at feedback objectively to try and learn from them. This is why it is important to understand the obstacles for honest feedback. The first and the most important obstacle is reluctance to change. Change is a difficult concept for the mind to grasp. The mind simply wants to travel along already set thought patterns; it refuses to change. This is reason change is a painful process. You cannot change without going through certain discomfort. In order to avoid this discomfort, the mind ignores honest feedback. The second important obstacle for feedback is preconceived notions and ideas. It takes a little bit of practice to look at feedback objectively without subjecting it to cultural, religious, social, economic, individual and other prejudices. It is very easy to through a concept or an idea heavily loaded with personal prejudices to block an honest feedback. Even simple progress becomes enormously difficult when you block honest feedback. Another reason for prejudiced feedback is unknown fear. There is a general tendency for the mind to be afraid of something that it isn’t familiar with. More often than not feedback can open up doors for new possibilities. A mind that is filled with fear usually refuses to see those opportunities. A keen scientific eye is required to observe, watch and learn from the feedback of life. Analyzing feedback with a prejudiced mind is like conducting a scientific experiment drunk; you will obviously get the data wrong. The greatest art is learning how to see things just the way they are, not the way you want to see them. Pure objective observation solves most issues of accepting honest feedback. “The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”

Mar 10, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 10th March 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 10th March 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) SC allows Passive Euthanasia Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Key pointers: In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court recently passed an order allowing passive euthanasia in the country. The apex court, recognising “living will” made by terminally-ill patients who are likely to go into a permanent vegetative state, laid down guidelines for the same. The guidelines include who would execute the will and how nod for passive euthanasia would be granted by the medical board. The guidelines will be in force till legislation on the same is passed by Parliament. Justice Chandrachud today said, “Life and death are inseparable. Every moment our bodies undergo change… life is not disconnected from death. Dying is a part of the process of living.” Advance directives for terminally-ill patients could be issued and executed by the next friend or relatives of the person after which a medical board would consider it. What is passive euthanasia? Passive euthanasia, defined by the SC in Aruna Ramchandra Shanbaug vs Union Of India & Ors, 2011, entails withholding of medical treatment for continuance of life, e.g. withholding of antibiotics where without giving it a patient is likely to die.” Advance Directive: It lets a person decide in advance whether or not to be put on life support in case of terminal illness. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 1: Social empowerment Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues. Gender gap as biggest challenge to our demography Introduction: India’s demographic dividend, being a nation of young people, puts us at a great economic advantage over other ageing countries. There exist challenges in reaping the benefits of this dividend. India’s woeful gender gap in the workplace makes us much poorer as a nation, economically and socially. Gender gap: About 48.5 per cent of Indians are women, that’s nearly half of our population. The World Bank says that the share of Indian women above the age of 15 employed in our workforce is only 25 per cent. It was 34 per cent in 1991 and has been sliding steadily since. In China, the number is 60 per cent. According to the ILO, India ranks 121 out of 131 countries in Female Labour Force Participation (FLFP), one of the worst in the world. Any talk of a demographic dividend is meaningless when one half of the population is just not participating in the economy. The reasons are many: India is a deeply feudal, parochial and sexist society. Deep down, most Indians subscribe to the stereotype that a man’s place is in the workplace, the woman’s at home. For many Indian men, it is a matter of shame to see women in their families go out to work. There also exists a fear that financially independent women could challenge the men's assumed superiority and dominance in the household. Women too have internalised this thought. More girls may be going to school, yet this ethos is so ingrained that education may be a necessary but not sufficient condition for taking up employment. Even in urban and educated households, it is documented that women’s participation in the workspace actually goes down with improvement in family incomes. As families earn more, they feel it is no longer necessary for the woman to work, the man’s income is enough. The above mentioned sub-optimal employment trends underscore the unequal status Indian women are accorded in households, particularly in rural and semi-urban India. Challenges: The National Family and Health Survey reveals that more than half of Indian women do not even enjoy free mobility; they are not allowed to move out of their house unaccompanied by a male member. Even for women who are allowed to work, travelling to the workplace is a challenge. In many parts of India, there is either no public transport or the quality of it is so forbidding to women that going to work is not a feasible option. As agricultural prospects fade further, a large part of rural India keeps migrating to urban centres in search of work. This again puts women at a disadvantage; most often it is men who travel out with women left behind to tend to children and the elderly. Women with children face tremendous discouragement within their family setups to go out to work, further the absence of any childcare support infrastructure renders it impossible for mothers to continue full-time work. Safety in the workspace is another huge issue. Our neighbors are doing better: Our neighbours, other than Pakistan, seem to be doing much better on this front. The FLFP for Bangladesh is 57 per cent and Sri Lanka 35 per cent. Reason- Other than social factors, one reason could be the assimilation of women into the vibrant exporting sectors of these countries. The textile industry, in both these countries, employs millions of women. Lesser opportunities for women: India has a strong IT sector, which employs many educated women but lacks a large enough manufacturing export sector which can employ less skilled women, who are much larger in number. This may be the most significant economic reason for India’s woeful female labour participation. In the West, much of the recent discourse has revolved around a gender pay gap — women getting paid far less than men for similar job profiles. In our country, while pay gaps do exist, the real challenge is to get more women gainfully employed. Conclusion: Decades of conditioning is not easy to undo, particularly in a society as conservative and regressive as ours. Such a low female labour participation comes at a huge cost, even to our GDP. The social consequences of a larger assimilation of women into our workspace is immense. We need women, not just in our boardrooms but on our shop floors, in our factories and on our workstations. India needs its own MeToo moment, of a different kind. Connecting the dots: Women in India faces the dual challenge of lack of jobs as well as of suitable jobs. This is not only hurting our economy but society too. Discuss. NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes. General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it Investment and Infrastructure Agrarian/Rural distress and Rural Development Tackling agrarian distress: Analysing budgetary measures Background: This year’s budget is being termed pro-agriculture (increased outlays to the agricultural sector and initiation of various programmes). But, closer scrutiny of the three major measures announced shows it may be less effective to tackle the agrarian distress. There are some real challenges confronting them. 1st Measure: Raising the minimum support price (MSP) by at least 50% above the cost of production. The MSP will also be extended to all crops for which estimates on cost of cultivation and a remunerative price are to be ascertained. Issues: Estimating the cost of production of commodities not covered under the scheme and their procurement procedures, if undertaken. The production cost, as calculated by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, is based on three different methods, termed as A2, A2+FL, and C2. -> A2 covers all paid-out expenses, including in cash and in kind, namely, cost on account of seeds, chemicals, hired labour, irrigation, fertilizers and fuel. -> A2+FL covers actual paid cost and unpaid family labour. -> C2 includes all actual expenses in cash and kind incurred in production and rent paid for leased land, imputed value of family labour plus interest paid. In the last few years, the government has been giving MSP above 50% based on cost A2+FL, which is to be continued as per this Budget. But farmers, for many years, have been demanding that the raise in MSP be based on C2 instead. Also, little attention has been paid towards altering the ongoing ‘high input cost and low output price’ regime. Thus, the government must extend immediate help to farmers from rampant price volatility. Way out: The States can implement the ‘price deficiency payment scheme’ (difference between MSP and price received) as has been started in Haryana for some vegetables, and the Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana in Madhya Pradesh for select oilseeds. These schemes can also encourage small holders, including tenants, who constitute at least 86% of farmers, to sell in the regulated markets. 2nd Measure: Developing and upgrading the existing 22,000 rural haats into Gramin Agricultural Markets. A corpus of ₹2,000 crore has been allocated in the name of the Agri-Market Infrastructure Fund for developing and upgrading marketing infrastructure. Challenges: The challenge is to ascertain the priority of the respective States towards it and ways to accelerate its pace. Way out: Public-private partnership may help. Under market reforms, it will be important to link production centres with marketing through agri-value chains, which would require farmers to aggregate, form self-help groups, or farmer producer organisations. A hike in MSP should be supplemented with irrigation, and reduction in fertilizer cost. Also the launch of ‘Operation Green’ with an outlay of ₹500 crore to address the challenge of price volatility of perishable commodities requires State governments to bring various programmes under one roof, perhaps within the Agricultural Produce and Livestock Market Committee 2017, to help farmers. 3rd Measure: Increasing institutional credit from ₹10 lakh crore in 2017-18 to ₹11 lakh crore in 2018-19. The share of agricultural credit in gross domestic product in agriculture and allied activities has increased from 10% in 1999-2000 to 41% in 2015-16. The actual flow has considerably exceeded the target. Therefore, targeting of the announced allocation to the poorer farmers and tenants in each State will go a long way in improving their purchasing power and augmenting investment, which is currently low. Other issues: What more needs to be done? Irrigation: Close to 52% of net sown area (73.2 million hectares out of 141.4 million hectares) is still unirrigated and rainfed, in addition to the recurrence of floods and droughts due to climate change. Despite its presence in the Economic Survey 2017-18, the subject has not received due attention in this Budget. The plan is to take up 96 districts deprived of irrigation with an allocation of ₹2,600 crore under the Prime Minister Krishi Sinchayee Yojana — Har Khet ko Pani. The Centre will work with the State governments to enable farmers to install solar water pumps to irrigate fields. The Minor Irrigation Census 2013-14, published in 2017, warns of a tremendous increase in deep tube wells to more than 2.6 million in 2013-14, from 1.45 million in 2006-07, and the resultant decline in the ground water table. It is ironic that the government aims to install more tube wells while being worried about depleting groundwater. Way out: A location-specific policy for irrigation with the identification of suitability of medium-major irrigation projects and/or minor or micro irrigation facilities is required to protect farmers from the adverse impacts of climate change. It must be supplemented with timely completion of pending canal irrigation projects, and strengthening of the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme by an increase in compensation and timely advice on weather. Technological interventions that update farmers about sowing and harvesting time and extension services can help prevent misfortunes. Investment in agricultural research and development (Ag R&D): India spends almost ₹6,500 crore on Ag R&D, which is not even 0.4 % of GDP from agriculture and allied activities. This is a serious concern in view of the low annual rate of growth in agriculture in the last four years. More drought and pest-resistant crops are needed, along with better irrigation technology. Farmers also require interventions in the seed sector to raise production and diversify to alternate crops to induce higher growth. Conclusion: Rather than providing compensation and increased budgetary outlays, the government should assure doable action plans that quickly rescue them from price or crop failure. The long-term measures should be to accelerate investments in irrigation, infrastructure, improved extension services and institutions fully backed by a competitive marketing system. Connecting the dots: Discuss the major budgetary decisions regarding agricultural sector and challenges in implementing them. Also discuss the need to focus on long term measures like investments in irrigation, infrastructure and improved extension services. MUST READ Trade goes on The Hindu Death with dignity The Hindu Between war and peace Indian Express Changing our stories Indian Express Deterring fugitives Business Line Trumps' tariff can dent economies Business Line

Mar 10, 2018 RSTV Video

RSTV- The Big Picture : Cauvery : Dousing The Fire

Cauvery: Dousing The Fire Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 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. Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions. Inter-State Water Dispute Cauvery River: Originates in Karnataka Goes on to flow through Tamil Nadu, before meeting the Bay of Bengal. The 765-km-long river cuts across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Verdict of the SC: The Supreme Court pronounced that Karnataka be given additional 14.75 TMC of the river water while 177.25 TMC of water be released for Tamil Nadu. The allocation of Karnataka which used to be 270 TMC has been increased to 284.75 TMC Point of contention – The factor called ‘groundwater’ The court decided to reduce Tamil Nadu’s share by 14.7 thousand million cubic feet – from 192 thousand million cubic feet to 177.2 thousand million cubic feet – citing that the tribunal had not taken into account that the state has a minimum 10 thousand million cubic feet of available groundwater that can be used for irrigation. Groundwater levels have dropped because of a steady rise in the exploitation of groundwater resources. Salinity of groundwater in some of the districts is excessive With the river dry for most of the year, seawater has been invading the canals in the basin and seeping into groundwater resources. Way Forward: SC Recommendation: Speedy establishment of Cauvery Water Management Board which should include eminent water technologists and agriculture specialists in the management board to help Ensure greater economy and equity in the sharing of the Cauvery water Look into the water efficiency measures involving recycling of water Demand management: There is a need for the basin states to reduce the demand for water by adopting the following – Cropping patterns which require less water Drip irrigation and other water-saving techniques, paying attention to crops which are in demand in the market and which can enhance the income of farmers per unit of water. Supply augmentation: Tamil Nadu should Make rainwater harvesting mandatory as it is a rain shadow region and water becomes available largely during the north east monsoon period. There is a large scope for water harvesting and storage. Set up a Water Security Board in order to derive maximum benefits Urban Planning: Since urbanization has altered both quantity and quality of our water resources, it is important that proper urban and water planning are taken into consideration. Background: Appeals were filed by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala against the 2007 order of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal (CWDT) on sharing of water. The dispute dates back to the 1970s and has its origin in two agreements signed between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and the Princely State of Mysore in 1892 and 1924, (It was decided to divide the river water between the two states), which lapsed in 1974. Tamil Nadu then asked the Congress-ruled government at the Centre to form a tribunal to look into the diversion of water and ensure that it gets its due share. When Centre did not pay heed to Tamil Nadu demand, it approached the Supreme Court, which, in May 1990, ordered the creation of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. In 1991, the tribunal passed an interim award ordering Karnataka to release 205 tmc ft (thousand million cubic feet) of water every year to Tamil Nadu. This prompted strong and in some places, violent protests in Karnataka, which delayed the release of water. For the next 14 years, both sides continued to spar over water-sharing and the legal battle continued, until the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal announced its final award in 2007. The order from the tribunal meant that Karnataka would have to release 192 tmc ft of water from its catchment to Tamil Nadu every year. However, the tribunal failed to comprehensively and authoritatively state how the water was to be shared in “distress years”, when the flow in the Cauvery was deficient owing to inadequate rainfall. Connecting the Dots: Do you think that the next World War will be over water? Discuss ‘Rivers as a mechanistic producer of water, not as a dynamic life-giving system that is responsive to local and global triggers of use and abuse’. Comment.

Mar 9, 2018 AIR

All India Radio (AIR) : India UAE Bilateral Relations

India UAE Bilateral Relations ARCHIVES Search 11th February, 2018 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests. India and West Asia Relations. India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Relationship: Enjoys strong bonds of friendship based on age-old cultural, religious and economic ties In the aftermath of 9/11 and then the Iran nuclear deal signed in 2014 by US president Barack Obama, there was a feeling of abandonment across the Arab world — which also led to them looking at stable and emerging partners in the region. India, which has always been a friend of the UAE, fulfilled those requirements. As India seeks to enhance economic engagement and deepen security cooperation with the Gulf, it finds a willing partner in the UAE. On the other hand, as the UAE ‘Look[s] East’ to find partners for its economic growth and grapples with security concerns emanating from turmoil in West Asia and growing threat from terrorism and extremism, it finds a natural partner in India. Factors pushing India and the UAE to enhance their engagement: Current flux in West Asia Rise of radical and extremist forces Changes in the regional order Uncertainties over US policy under President Donald Trump India’s growing interest in the Gulf region driven by its economic and trade ties, energy stakes Over seven-million strong Indian diaspora in the Gulf (including 2.6 million people in the UAE) Why is UAE special for India: Economically: Central to India’s pitch for improving foreign direct investments (FDIs) inflow to the country with the large sovereign wealth and business acumen (India is the UAE’s largest trading partner, while the UAE is India’s third largest trading partner after China and the US.) Expo-2020, the world’s third largest global event after the Olympics is going to be held in Dubai → Boost infrastructure related activities in the UAE → Open opportunities for Indian investors (UAE is focused on diversifying its economy) Strategically: To counter terrorist threats and combat online radicalization India and UAE are rapidly expanding cooperation in the areas of defence, maritime security, space, civilian nuclear energy, defence manufacturing and collaboration between security agencies with an eye on fighting terrorism. India has stepped up efforts to raise the issue of cross-border terrorism and use of religion to incite terror activities against India during its engagements with these countries. The Mumbai Attack gave a very powerful message against ‘jihad’ sponsored by Pakistan. Way Ahead: To tap into further opportunities and untapped potential, and give new impetus to Strategic Partnership Medical Tourism in India: Finest human resources Provision of world class medical facilities Renewable energy: Cost for production and transmission of solar energy in the UAE are a fraction to that of India Indian companies with expertise in this area should invest in the renewable energy sector in UAE. Improve the investment climate in India to attract UAE businesses: Significant scope for growth in automobile industry, services sector, agriculture and allied industries. Need to ease business regulations and reduce the time spent on getting clearances Must Read: Link 1 + Link 2 + Link 3 + Link 4 Connecting the Dots: The growing synergy between India and the UAE is a testimony to the economic and strategic importance of this region for India. Elucidate. Even though UAE’s economic, political and cultural links with India, dates back to more than a century, the relationship has not matured to the extent that was expected. Critically analyse. A peaceful West Asia is a necessity for India to maintain its energy security. Critically examine the above statement with respect to the ongoing conflicts in West Asia. UAE is not only important for India’s energy security but holds a comprehensive 360 degrees relevance. Highlight he areas of cooperation between the two nations and how will India benefit from this relationship.

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