Apr 13, 2018

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 Environment & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 32]

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

Apr 12, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 12th April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) 'Project Dhoop' Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Government interventions in key sectors Key pointers: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched 'Project Dhoop'. An initiative aimed at shifting the school assembly time to noon to ensure maximum absorption of Vitamin D in students through natural sunlight. The schools across the country have been sent advisories asking them to hold daily assembly between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. "Project Dhoop's Noon Assembly is an innovative and effective concept to ensure that school students get adequate Vitamin D through sunlight, while also opting to choose food products like milk and edible oils that are fortified with Vitamins A and D. Background: Studies have shown that over 90 per cent of boys and girls across the country were deficient in Vitamin D while the number ranged between 90-97 per cent for school children in Delhi. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) HEALTH TOPIC:General Studies 2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. 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. The Ayushman Bharat Programme: Challenges Introduction: A nation’s development and growth is gauged by the health of its population. The fact that even after 70 years of independence, 80 per cent of the Indian population is not covered under any health insurance scheme and the average cost of in-patient treatment is almost half of their annual household expenditure is bound to affect India's growth. The announcement of the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) under the Ayushman Bharat Programme, in the Union Budget 2018-19, is timely and can be a trigger to achieving the country’s growth aspirations. Challenges: The programme will cover 40 per cent of the population — 50 crore people in the first phase. A FICCI-EY study in 2012 estimated that to implement UHC in India by 2022, the government would need to allocate health expenditure between 3.7-4.5 per cent of the GDP, as against 1.4 per cent in 2017-18. The bed-to-population ratio needs to be raised to 1.7 beds per 1,000 population from the current 0.9 beds. The country needs another 9 lakh graduate doctors for primary care and around 1.2 lakh specialist doctors for secondary and tertiary care services. Way ahead: The hospital business, particularly the multi-speciality tertiary care business, is capital-intensive with a long gestation period. Financing options along with incentives and tax benefits need to be provided to the private sector to aid development of healthcare infrastructure in Tier II and Tier III cities. Since health is a State subject and States are expected to contribute 40 per cent funding for the scheme, it will be critical to streamline and harmonise the existing State health insurance schemes and RSBY to NHPS. The choice of purchasing model and empanelling providers would be critical to the success of NHPS. Countries with both public and private health infrastructure, such as France, Germany, China and Indonesia, have opted for dual mechanism — “provision by government and contract in from private providers” Reimbursement slabs should be objective, transparent and linked to accreditation according to the hospital categories. National Costing Guidelines and a standard costing template should be used for calculating reimbursement packages. Improving clinical and operational efficiencies in the supply side: Standardisation in clinical practice and other processes needs to be implemented through: Adoption of standard treatment guidelines, electronic health record standards, clinical audits etc. across public and private hospitals, Framing of referral protocols and implementing effective mechanisms for supervision leveraging technology. Integration of technology at each level of the healthcare continuum such as tele-medicine for remote locations, health call-centres, tele-radiology, app based emergency response etc. Addressing workforce woes: In addition to strengthening the number of healthcare professionals, we need focused skilling, re-skilling and up-skilling programmes for existing as well as additional workforce. Three key steps in this direction would be: Providing technical as well as soft skill training to Ayushman Mitras, with adequate incentives and provisions for periodic re-training and upgradation of skills, Making General Practitioners (GPs) responsible for overseeing the primary health network and and incentivising them to prevent the number of hospitalisations Introducing a nurse practitioner system in strict compliance with established clinical protocols, where they are authorised to handle several clinical responsibilities. Addressing grievances: NHPS must use biometric enrolment process, mobile and app based technologies for claim processes and payment wallets for real-time payments to streamline claim management. A robust fraud and abuse control mechanism should be implemented through use of digital technologies, business intelligence frameworks and standards for de-empanelment. A Grievance Redressal Forum should be created to ensure timely resolution of complaints without intervention of civil or consumer courts. The government must encourage and recognise transparency, self-regulation and third party ratings and reward clinical outcomes to help bridge the widening trustdeficit in the sector. Connecting the dots: Described as “the world’s largest government-funded healthcare programme”, the sheer scale of this programme magnifies many its systemic challenges. Highlight the major challenges involved and also ways to address them. NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure. Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein. General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Terms of reference of the 15th Finance Commission: Issues Introduction: Most federations in the world have arrangements for the mobilisation and devolution of resources. In India, the Constitution provides for the appointment of a Finance Commission every five years to recommend methodology to share resources such that the fiscal space of the constituents, especially the States, is well protected. The terms of reference of the 15th Finance Commission are thus a matter of utmost importance to the resources available to the States of India. Concerns: The terms of reference of this Commission have created apprehension among States about principles of fairness and equity in the distribution of public resources for development. Vital for unity: The foremost objective of the Finance Commission is an equitable distribution of financial resources between the two units of the Union. In the allocation of duties (7th schedule of the constitution) between the Centre and the States, fundamental tasks of enhancing human development, income growth, livelihoods, and protecting and sustaining the environment are entrusted to the States. However, although these major tasks of nation-building are the duty of the States, the resources to finance them are substantially controlled by the Centre. Issues: Asymmetry in the federal system: The States in India today neither have the resources to fulfil their tasks as laid down in the Constitution, nor do they have the right to raise such resources. There is thus a great asymmetry in India’s federal system. The Centre’s capacity to mobilise resources is far greater than that of the States, but the latter are required to undertake development expenditures that far exceed their revenue generating capabilities. The Constitution of India entrusts the Finance Commission with the responsibility of addressing this anomaly. In the wake of demonetisation and GST: The devolution of resources by the 15th Finance Commission assumes further significance in the current environment, in which the finances of States have received a double blow in the form of demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The freedom of States to raise resources has been restricted by the introduction of the GST. They now have hardly any major tax left with them to make a difference to State resources. Demographic differences: Using the population data of 2011 as the base for tax devolution should not reduce the allocation of resources to States that have successfully reduced their rate of population growth. These States have incurred huge fiscal costs in order to achieve a lower population growth and healthy demographic indicators. They have made substantial investments on education, health and directly on family welfare programmes. Many States of India today have achieved a replacement rate of growth of population or have gone below that rate in a short span of time. An immediate effect of this is a sharp rise in the proportion of elderly in the population. The care of the elderly is the responsibility of State governments. The enhanced costs of such care must be considered by the Commission in making its awards and in deciding the population criterion to be used. Beyond the constitutional mandate: The current terms of reference go far beyond the constitutional mandate of the Finance Commission. They intensify efforts to use the Finance Commission as an instrument of fiscal consolidation and to impose the ideological and economic agenda of the Central government on the States. It is not the task of a Finance Commission to recommend “road maps for fiscal management” or to impose its perception of what policies are good for the people of the States. That is for democratically elected State governments to decide. The terms of reference explicitly privilege the “committed expenditures” of the Centre. Performance-based incentives: The terms of reference are unprecedented in asking the 15th Finance Commission to consider proposing performance-based incentives beyond those relating to fiscal responsibility, population and devolution to local bodies. This reflects the viewpoint and ideological inclinations of the Central government and is an attempt to micro-manage the fiscal domain of the State governments. For the Finance Commission to propose “measurable performance-based-incentives” is an attack on the federal structure mandated by the Constitution. It is not the duty of the Finance Commission to venture into the realm of day-to-day governance. The elected governments of States will decide what policies are appropriate for our people. Conclusion: India’s great wealth rests in its diversity. To recognise this diversity is also to recognise that States will follow diverse paths of development. The Finance Commission must facilitate diversity and a democratic path of development by respecting principles of equity and fairness in allocating resources between the Centre and States in India. Connecting the dots: Various concerns have been raised regarding the Terms of Reference of the 15th Finance Commission. Discuss these concerns. MUST READ Facing the future of development The Hindu Building India's talent base The Hindu A promise falls short The Hindu 

Apr 12, 2018 AIR

All India Radio (AIR) : China U.S.A Trade War

China U.S.A Trade War ARCHIVES Search 23rd March, 2018 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Trade War The US levied a 25 per cent tariff on more than 1,300 Chinese goods, to the tunes of 50 billion dollars. And China responded by levying additional duty on 106 American products. The proposed U.S. tariffs are the result of the administration’s investigation into whether China has been indulging in unfair intellectual property and technology transfer practices under a “Made in China 2025” industrial promotion policy. If implemented, China’s retaliatory tariffs, on products such as soybean, whisky, orange juice and cars, would hit the U.S. where it hurts; 60% of U.S. soybean exports go to China. China’s Dominance China joined WTO in 2001 and since then it has very clearly used the existing Free Trade system to its huge advantage. China exports more than 2 trillion worth of goods whereas it imports are just 1.32 trillion. The balance in trade which is in favour of China is 236 billion. This is clearly unsustainable. It has created mass manufacturing empire for itself which is hurting other countries including India –low-end manufacturing by offsetting high costs with better infrastructure and more reliable and extensive supply networks. As factory wages in China have risen to the highest in emerging Asia, however, other developing countries with lower costs have begun to steal away investment and jobs, helping to promote industrialization and boost growth at home. Trump is sending a clear message – China cannot dump their goods around the world. What Happens Now? China holds $1.17 trillion of U.S. government debt. If there is a trade war, China could reduce its U.S. debt holdings as a political weapon against the Trump administration tariffs proposal. If that happens, the dollar could fall and other countries could follow suit and sell their holdings. If China reduces it’s buying at a time when the U.S. is increasing its supply of new Treasuries into the market, which could lead to a rout in the bond market. Effect on India: It invariably leads to a higher inflationary and low growth scenario. Inflation is generally good for assets such as gold, while having a negative impact on currency and some sectors in the equity market. The three external risk factors — higher tariffs, rising interest rates, and elevated bond sales —at a time when the domestic banking system is grappling with a renewed stress of bad loans, is a serious threat to India. Interest Rates – the indirect impact: Within the US domestic economy, higher tariffs on a range of imported products escalate the threat of higher consumer prices, caused by importers passing on their increased costs of raw material. This could force the Federal Reserve to frontload its interest rate glide path — raise rates faster than it would have done otherwise. An increase in interest rates in the US has implications for emerging economies such as India, both for the equity and debt markets. Soyabean trade: In case of soybean, which is one of the key items in the list, there could be a cascading impact in terms of openings for India to enter other markets, according to the Soybean Processors Association of India. The bulk of China’s annual soybean import of around 100 million tonnes is for domestic consumption; the rest is used in the manufacture of soybean oil and meal for export. If the levy hits China’s import, exports could be dented, a space that India could potentially fill to meet the demands from other countries. India –China massive trade arrest: India has a trade deficit of 51 billion dollars. Our trade exports to China are 10 billion dollars and imports are worth 61 billion dollars. Conclusion Policies should be people centric and involvement and welfare of people is the most important. The countries need to look at development with a human angle. The Indian economy, especially financial markets, will need to brace for significant volatility and stress from the combined effects of global and domestic challenges Refer: Mindmap Connecting the Dots: A U.S.-China Trade War is in no one's interest. Discuss.

Apr 12, 2018

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 WORLD GEOGRAPHY & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 31]

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

Apr 11, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 11th April 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 11th April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) The NITI NE Forum Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Inclusive development Major proposals: Providing air connectivity between various State capitals of the North-Eastern States. Inclusion of Bangladesh in India’s ‘Act East’ policy. Imparting education and job skills to English-speaking youth. Bringing about wholesome economic development of the region. The first-ever meeting of NITI NE Forum held here on Tuesday. About the forum: The forum, set up at the instance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February, has been given the task of identifying constraints that hamper socio-economic development of India’s most neglected region and streamlining resources available for its growth. Set up under the policy think-tank NITI Aayog, the forum would work closely with the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and the North Eastern Council and have senior bureaucrats from the States and the Centre, policy makers, and other experts as members. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests India-Nepal relations: Going forward Introduction: Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's earlier nine-month tenure as PM in 2015-16 had seen relations with India hit a new low. It thus made eminent sense to begin his second term on a positive note. Unlike the first tenure, which began on the sour note of the Madhesi agitation against the new constitution, this time he has come to power with convincing election victories. From all accounts, the Nepalese PM's recent visit to India went well but it will take pragmatism and patient nurturing on both sides to restore the trust and confidence. Contentious years: Nepal’s political transition began nearly three decades ago when it adopted a new constitution in 1990 which ushered in multiparty democracy. However, stability eluded Nepal with a spreading Maoist insurgency. In the process, the gains of democracy were eroded. After a decade-long insurgency, which claimed 15,000 lives, followed by a reconciliation, an interim constitution was introduced and the ground prepared for yet another exercise in constitution drafting. This seven-year exercise finally produced a new constitution in 2015. Nepal abolished its 250-year-old monarchy and emerged as a federal republic. Last year, 2017, was a year of elections in Nepal. Local body elections were held after a gap of 20 years. This was followed by the elections under the new constitution for the national parliament (the House of Representatives and the National Assembly) and the seven Provincial Assemblies which concluded earlier this year. A rethink in Delhi: In New Delhi too, there has been a growing realisation that time had come to make a new beginning with Nepal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in August 2014 had marked a new high in relations, but Mr. Oli’s nine-month tenure in 2015-16 was marked by acrimonious exchanges. India’s openly stated reservations on the new constitution in support of the Madhesi cause. The economic disruptions caused by the undeclared blockade had fuelled anti-Indianism. Last year, Mr. Oli visited Rasuwagadhi on the Nepal-Tibet border and announced that it would be upgraded as a road and rail hub between China and Nepal. Compared to the Joint Statement issued in August 2014 at the time of Mr. Modi’s visit, the latest one is much shorter and talks about strengthening relations on the basis of “equality, mutual trust, respect and benefit”. Issues still not covered in the lastes joint statement: Difficult issues, including- A review of the contentious 1950 Treaty. Recruitment of Nepali nationals in the Gurkha regiments of the Indian Army. Resolving the fallout of the 2016 demonetisation exercise which has left the Nepal Rastra Bank holding a stock of Indian currency. Long-pending hydel projects like Pancheshwar. Resumption of the SAARC summit process which remains stalled since 2016 after Jaish-e-Mohammed militants attacked the Army base in Uri. The need for an inclusive political process. Do not find any mention. Yet it is a step forward: There is a realisation in Delhi that cultural and historical ties between the people in both countries are important but just as for India, globalisation offers new openings to Nepal too. China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative offers Nepal an option that may end up carrying unacceptable baggage but at least appears attractive at first. Poor Project implementation: For decades, India has been Nepal’s most significant development partner. Yet the pace of project implementation has been slow, leading to significant time and cost over-runs. To be fair, both India and Nepal share the responsibility for this. The idea of four Integrated Check Posts (ICP) on the India-Nepal border to facilitate movement of goods, vehicles and people was mooted 15 years ago and an MOU signed in 2005. While preparation of surveys and project reports moved slowly on the Indian side, acquisition of land by the Nepali authorities got held up leading to delayed construction. As a result, only the Raxaul-Birgunj ICP has been completed. The two Prime Ministers also witnessed the ground breaking ceremony of the Motihari-Amlekhgunj cross-border petroleum products pipeline, a project for which the MOU between the two governments was signed in 2004. It took another three years for the Indian Oil Corporation and the Nepal Oil Corporation to sign the follow-up MOU, eight years to convert it into an agreement and three more to begin the works. More examples abound with the hydro-electric sector being the prime example. Nepal’s installed hydel capacity is less than 700 MW while it sits on a hydel potential of over 80,000 MW and has to import electricity from India during the lean season. Given that over 60% of the Ganga waters come from Nepal’s rivers (Sarda, Ghagar, Rapti, Gandak, Bagmati, Kamala, Kosi and Mechi) and 80% of these flows take place in monsoon months, the imperative for effective water management for both irrigation and power generation is evident, and yet this sector has languished for decades. Conclusion: What is now needed is effective delivery on the pending projects, the remaining ICPs, the five railway connections, postal road network in the Terai and the petroleum pipeline so that connectivity is enhanced and the idea of ‘inclusive development and prosperity’ assumes reality. Connecting the dots: Pragmatism has finally taken root in Delhi and Kathmandu. Project implementation will be the test. Discuss. NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 3: Infrastructure: Energy Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Rooftop solar revolution led by DISCOMs: The SRISTI scheme Background: India’s rooftop solar ambitions are yet to gather momentum. Incentives offered by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in the form of capital subsidies and a net metering policy, which allow consumers to sell excess power to distribution companies (DISCOMs), have failed to catalyse rapid deployment. Capacity addition in rooftop solar stood at around 870 megawatt (MW) in 2017, as compared to the targeted 5,000 MW for FY 2017-18. As of December 2017, cumulative rooftop solar installed capacity was only 1.6 GW. At the current pace of deployment, rooftop solar installations are unlikely to cross even 10 GW by 2022, far short of the targeted 40 GW under India’s National Solar Mission. The Sustainable Rooftop Implementation for Solar Transfiguration of India (SRISTI) scheme: It was announced recently. The SRISTI scheme is an evolutionary step towards a DISCOM-driven model of rooftop solar adoption. This scheme can incentivise DISCOMs to lead a rooftop solar revolution. Jobs potential: The scaling up of rooftop solar offers great socio-economic benefits. As per estimates by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the deployment of rooftop solar creates 24.7 full-time equivalent jobs per MW, significantly higher than the corresponding figure of 3.5 jobs per MW for utility-scale solar. Realising 40 GW target would provide employment to 2,38,000 people. Issue: DISCOMs, however, consider rising rooftop solar penetration as a threat to their business. Rooftop deployment, especially in the commercial and industrial category, has a two-fold impact on DISCOMs’ businesses- A reduction in demand for grid electricity leads to revenue losses. Since this segment cross-subsidises residential and agricultural consumers, these revenue losses compound the financial burden on DISCOMs. Over the past 10 years, tariffs for grid power have risen at an annual rate of 7 per cent. On the other hand, the costs of rooftop solar systems and battery technologies have been declining. As their competitiveness improves further, an increasing share of consumers will make the shift away from grid power. The SRISTI scheme represents the perfect means for DISCOMs to capitalise on the opportunity presented by rooftop solar. The proposed Rs. 14,400-crore incentive fund under the scheme would compensate DISCOMs for their revenue losses. Way ahead: In order to maximize the benefits for DISCOMs, we propose five ideas that could accelerate rooftop solar deployment. There is a need to debunk the narrative of rooftop solar being a threat to the DISCOM business. Adoption of rooftop solar within the boundaries of the distribution network offers certain inherent economic benefits to DISCOMs. Solar generation close to the point of consumption lowers transmission and distribution losses. Further, targeted solar deployment in select geographies could minimise the problems of grid overloading, thereby lowering the requirements of investment for upgradation of distribution infrastructure. DISCOMs must raise consumer awareness to create demand for rooftop solar. Given their limited penetration, solar PV systems are still an unfamiliar technology for many. Further, the lack of awareness of various incentive schemes and processes also contributes to the problem of weak demand. Moreover, many consider it as an expensive alternative to grid electricity despite solar tariffs dipping below Rs. 5 per kWh for small-scale projects. DISCOMs could utilise their existing bill collection and payment networks to disseminate information, thus reducing a major barrier to rooftop solar adoption. DISCOMs could enable developers to expand their service areas beyond their regional geographies. Given the widespread network of DISCOMs, they could provide certain additional services to developers such as bill collection and operations and maintenance. The opportunities for these services are the greatest in remote areas where such services are prohibitively expensive for developers. Such facilities also offer opportunities for building new revenue streams to DISCOMs. Conclusion: DISCOMs have been unwilling participants in India’s rooftop solar revolution so far. However, an alignment of interests could see DISCOMs champion the cause of rooftop solar. Connecting the dots: At the current pace of deployment, rooftop solar installations are unlikely to cross even 10 GW by 2022, far short of the targeted 40 GW under India’s National Solar Mission. DISCOMs can be a game changer and the SRISTI scheme launched recently shows the way. Discuss. MUST READ India has always been selective in human rights discussions The Hindu A register by the people The Hindu Who do you think you are? Indian Express Making educational innovations scalable Business Line 

Apr 11, 2018 MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – Khap Panchayat and Supreme Court

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – Khap Panchayat and Supreme Court 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)

Apr 11, 2018

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 WORLD GEOGRAPHY & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 30]

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

Apr 10, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 10th April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Maritime trade to use electronic mode Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Infrastructure Key pointers: The government has made the use of e-Invoices, e-Payments and e-Delivery orders mandatory across the maritime trade as it seeks to push digitisation of trade processes to improve the ease of doing business. Stakeholders across major ports (owned by the Central government) and terminals therein, private ports, private terminals, container freight stations (CFS) and inland container depots (ICD) have been directed to use e-Invoices, e-Payments and e-Delivery orders. The government has also directed stakeholders to use the Port Community System (PCS), a centralised web-based message exchange platform for the Indian maritime community run by the Indian Ports Association (IPA), to exchange the documents. The move will help improve the turnaround time of shipments, bringing it down to a couple of hours. Article link: Click here 'Prompt Corrective Action' Framework for RRBs Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Indian Economy Key pointers: The National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has come out with a ‘Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) Framework’ framework for regional rural banks (RRBs). The framework is aimed at enabling RRBs that fail to meet prudential requirements relating to capital adequacy, net non-performing assets (NNPAs) and return on assets (ROA) to take self-corrective action to arrest further deterioration in their financial position. The PCA will be invoked if RRBs breach trigger points on three parameters: capital to risk-weighted assets (CRAR) ratio, assets (NPAs), and profitability (ROA). The PCA framework will be implemented based on the findings of Nabard’s inspection with reference to RRBs’ FY2019 financial performance. About RRBs: RRBs are jointly owned by the Central government, the State government concerned and sponsor (usually public sector) bank with the issued capital shared in the proportion of 50 percent, 15 per cent and 35 per cent, respectively. As at end-March 2017, there were 56 RRBs. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 1: Urbanization and related issues General studies 2: Important aspects of governance and e-governance Issues regarding services relating to Health, Education, Human Resource Improving the representation of urban constituencies in decision-making Background: The present delimitation of constituencies in India has been done on the basis of the 2001 census under the provisions of Delimitation Act, 2002. Delimitation commissions have been set up four times in the past—1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002—under Delimitation Commission Acts of 1952, 1962, 1972 and 2002. The government had suspended delimitation in 1976 until after the 2001 census so that states’ family planning programmes would not affect their political representation in the Lok Sabha. This had led to wide discrepancies in the size of constituencies, with the largest having over three million electors, and the smallest less than 50,000. The Constitution of India was specifically amended in 2002 not to have delimitation of constituencies till the first census after 2026. Delimitation of constituencies and Urban governance: The above is extremely relevant to the urban governance in India, where the national and state governments hold the power and purse strings to urban planning and policy. This has led to inefficient governance and even neglect of cities, a dangerous trend in a nation that is urbanizing somewhat quickly. The government should re-examine the way constituencies are re-drawn based on population growth in India’s next delimitation exercise, to be held after 2026. Urbanization rate in India: 33% of Indians lives in cities. By 2040, the urbanization will be at 40%. China will grow from being 50-70% urban. Latin American, North American and European counterparts are already over 70% urban. All indications and future projections suggest that India will not urbanize as quickly as some Latin American nations. Several uniquely Indian factors, such as a lack of jobs and land holdings in villages, however small, are all reasons for a slower rate. The period of transition will likely be 30-50 years, and governance during this time will be complicated and challenging. Issues: At present, local governments and urban dwellers don’t have much say in the urban planning apparatus, and urban under-representation at state and national levels is leading to political neglect. For example, in Maharashtra, India’s most urbanized state, 47% of the populace lives in urban constituencies and yet, these constituencies hold only 31% of assembly seats. According to India’s 11th Five Year Plan (2005-2011), between 2005 and 2011, national funds allocated for rural development were 11 times the amount allocated for urban development. In that period, urban population growth surpassed rural population growth for the first time in India’s history. In India, the lack of proportional representation of cities in state governments is a big challenge. Even if we have elected mayors, they will not have the ability to seek necessary resources from states due to the lack of representation and will always be dictated by the state’s chief minister. For truly empowered mayors to get elected, political representation has to align with population representation at the state and national level. Conclusion: One way to address this challenge would be to improve the representation of urban constituencies in decision-making. This can be done through delimitation, the process of redrawing constituency boundaries based on population. India should ensure that the delimitation process is not delayed too much beyond 2026. Connecting the dots: There is a need to improve the representation of urban constituencies in decision-making. This can be attained by ensuring the delimitation process is not delayed by 2026. Discuss. INTERNATIONAL TOPIC:General Studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Reducing differences over BRI Introduction: At the annual Boao forum in Hainan this week, Chinese leader Xi Jinping is expected to present himself as the new champion of globalisation and castigate the unilateral economic actions of US President Donald Trump. While demonstrating his readiness to confront Trump measure for measure on trade, Xi is likely to signal some flexibility on key issues raised by the US. US has raised various concerns regarding Chinese trade. These include concerns over-restrictive approaches to trade and investment, limited market access, and theft of intellectual property. Earlier this year, Premier Li Keqiang had promised that China will open its door wider to foreign investment as part of Beijing’s new phase in economic liberalisation. Reasons behind skepticism in India: Delhi has struggled hard to cope with the massive trade deficit in favour of Beijing. Currently, at nearly $52 billion, it accounted for nearly 45 per cent of India’s total trade deficit last year. Despite Delhi’s repeated efforts to seek Chinese cooperation in reducing the trade deficit, it has run into a wall in Beijing. Delhi has been deeply troubled by Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative. Last May, Delhi refused to attend Xi’s Belt and Road Forum, despite considerable persuasion from Beijing. India argued that that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project of the BRI, violates India’s sovereignty in Kashmir. It added that the BRI projects are pushing recipient countries into indebtedness, do not transfer skills or technology and are environmentally unsustainable. China is planning to extend the CPEC to Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Maldives, Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka are eagerly pursuing potential BRI projects. Recent Indian advances include: On its part, Delhi is stepping up its effort to promote connectivity with the neighbours. The Chabahar port project in Iran. The recent agreement on building a rail link to Kathmandu. India is also in discussion with Japan and the US to pool resources and coordinate approaches to sustainable infrastructure development in the Indo-Pacific. Reducing the differences over the BRI: Both Delhi and Beijing have an incentive to reduce their differences on the BRI and find ways to work together on at least a limited agenda of connectivity. As both Delhi and Beijing push for mega trans-border connectivity around the Subcontinent, the viability of the projects would significantly improve if there is cooperation between India and China. Consider the fact that financing for China’s hydroelectric projects in Nepal would be lot easier if the power plants are linked to North Indian markets. Similarly, the proposed Indian and Chinese rail lines in Nepal would be more efficient if they are part of sensible trade and transit agreements between Delhi, Kathmandu and Beijing. The Subcontinent’s geography and the size of India’s market make it plain that many BRI projects will be hugely successful if India is part of them. Persistent competition and conflict between India and China on regional connectivity would make many projects of both countries less efficient. On its part, Delhi has said it is open to consultations with China on the development of regional trans-border infrastructure. Beijing, in turn, has floated a number of new proposals for Delhi’s consideration. These include extension of the CPEC to India, promoting connectivity across the Himalayas in J&K, Nepal, Sikkim and other places. Conclusion: India’s broader concerns on the BRI can be addressed if Delhi and Beijing move from the abstract discussion of the BRI as a single grand initiative, to specific connectivity projects. In any such negotiation, all dimensions of the project — from fiscal to environmental — should be jointly finalised by Delhi and Beijing. Connecting the dots: Both Delhi and Beijing have an incentive to reduce their differences on the BRI and find ways to work together on at least a limited agenda of connectivity. Discuss. MUST READ Questions beyond facebook The Hindu Patents and protecting health The Hindu Time for Rapprochement Indian Express Urban India needs a bigger say in politics Livemint For smoother resolution Business Line

Apr 10, 2018 Budget and Economy Survey

IASbaba's Economic Survey-2017-2018 (PRELIMS+MAINS)

Hello Friends,  Hope the preparation is in full swing. At this point of time focus more and more on revision. Be sincere in your effort and do not fear the examination. This is the time when your composure and calmness matters the most. Your dealing with the same will decide the strength of your readiness for the examination. Go through this document on Economic Survey 2017-18. It is prepared considering the relevance and importance of Prelims and Mains. Work hard. All the best. :) Note- Click on the image to download the PDF        

Apr 10, 2018

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 INDIAN GEOGRAPHY & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 29]

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