Apr 10, 2018 RSTV Video

RSTV- The Big Picture : Death for Child Rape

Death for Child Rape Archives 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 In News: After Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, Haryana has become the third state where the assembly has approved the provision of capital punishment for such sexual offenders. Delhi might be following the footsteps as well. PIL basis the case: The case concerns the “brutal” sexual assault of an eight-month-old child in the National Capital. Government’s Response: The government has expressed its objection to death penalty for child abusers, rapists and paedophiles, saying “death penalty is not an answer for everything.” The Law The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) was enacted in 2012 to address the growing sexual violence against children and the inability of the Indian Penal Code to deal with this concern. The Act provides – A graded classification of sexual offences against children Prescribes higher mandatory minimum sentences for such crimes Mandates several processes and safeguards to ensure a child-friendly trial such as the designation of “special courts” Child-friendly process of recording victim testimony Provision of compensation Protection of the identity of the child, etc. The Act also contains extensive mandates for procedures to be followed by the police, magistrates and medical personnel handling victims of child sexual abuse. Although more than five years have elapsed since it came into force, the system is replete with failures and shortcomings. Crime in India, 2016 revealed that 19,920 children were allegedly victims of child rape in 2016 alone. However, the conviction in 2016 for such crimes stood at an abysmal 28.2 per cent while a majority of cases (89.6 per cent) are still pending for disposal. Systemic changes needed for Deterrence Two-finger tests need to be banned: Some hospitals still seek information on the status of the hymen, and that doctors continue to practice the two-finger test in rape cases. The two-finger test attempts to ascertain whether a girl or woman has a sexual history, with the assumption that if she consented to sex at some point earlier, her claim that she was raped is suspect. The Supreme Court in 2013 had held that the two-finger test on a rape survivor violates her right to privacy, and asked the government to provide better medical procedures to confirm sexual assault. Treatment of survivors at hospitals and courts: During medical examinations, survivors sometimes have to wait for hours outside the room where the examination is to take place. The room is clearly marked out as such, and thus passers-by identify the girl or woman as having suffered sexual abuse. At times, the examination-in-chief of a child in court has repeatedly delayed as the judge was reluctant to hold an in-camera hearing, as is mandated by the law in such cases. Thus, the child was made to remember and recount her ordeal several times over, which is against the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. Fear of reporting: In many cases where the offender is known, families may find it difficult to file a complaint with the police given the possibility that he may be sentenced to death. A more recent study conducted by the Centre for Child and the Law, National Law University of India-Bengaluru in five states on the POCSO Act has shown that the percentage of cases where the perpetrator was known to the child was above 70 percent in all the five states surveyed. The study also finds that where children do testify against the accused, several systemic gaps such as lapses in investigation, lack of child-friendly procedures, challenges related to age-determination, poor appreciation of the testimony of the child adversely affect the conviction rate. Other fears: As a large number of people continue to associate an incident of sexual assault with stigma for the victim, they may fear that she may be socially ostracised or that no one would marry her. Additional victimisation by authorities during the investigation of a rape only heightens these fears. Several cases of sexual assault go unreported for this reason. The Way Forward – To curb Child Sexual Abuse Safety should begin at home: There is a need to reform education – to guide them during their exploration years, to make them understand about the right ethical behaviour and to make them understand between good touch and bad touch. As in most of the cases, rape is committed by people known to child such as relatives, and neighbours, there is an urgent need for the family to be sensitised, and the deep-rooted attitudes that view them as inferior to men need to be also tacked with. Law is not vengeance – it is meant to punish, to deter, and to reform In order to provide an effective response, it is imperative to analyse the present system and understand why it has failed. The low rates of conviction do not even have the effect of creating a fear of accountability in the first place. Our investigation needs to be quick and scientific. Instead of pursuing drastic remedies, we need to urgently devise ways to bolster the existing criminal justice and child protection systems and ensure higher convictions, higher reporting of offences, put in place preventive strategies, and address a large number of systemic and operational gaps. Victims should be provided with proper counselling at different stages, for life. Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi has advocated setting up a national children’s tribunal, on the lines of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), to deal with cases of crime against children in a time-bound and expeditious manner. Connecting the Dots: One out of every two Indian children have experienced sexual abuse. Discuss the issue and highlight the measures that should be taken to protect Indian children especially school-going ones.

Apr 10, 2018 PIB

IASbaba PIB Weekly : Press Information Bureau – 1st April to 7th April, 2018

IASbaba Press Information Bureau 1st April to 7th April, 2018 ARCHIVES GS-2 Constitution of a High Powered Committee to examine the system of conducting Class X and Class XII examination (Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education) The Ministry of Human Resource Development has constituted a High Powered Committee to examine the entire system of conducting Class X and Class XII examination conducted by the CBSE with a view to prevent leakages. The terms of reference of the Committee are as under: To revisit all aspects related to the security checks built into the system for ensuring that the Question papers reach the examinees without tampering. To examine and assess all areas of potential weakness in the present system of transporting question papers from the printing presses to the examinees. To suggest ways in which the system can be made more secure with the use of technology and minimization of human intervention. Capacity Building Programme for Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) of Panchayati Raj (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) Project by: Ministry of Women & Child Development Implementation by: National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD), an autonomous body functioning under the aegis of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India. Vision: Moving the country from “women development to women-led development” Issue: Role of EWRs remained ineffective, despite their large presence in the directly elected local governance. The project is aimed to work on developing EWRs as “change agents”, while improving their leadership qualities and management skills for better implementation of various programmes of the Government. The training of EWRs is being done through a two tier training programme – In the first phase, an intensive training program for EWRs of Panchayati Raj Institutions and Resource persons/Master Trainers was organized on 27th November, 2017. The training in second phase is being imparted through these Master trainers. General trainings being organized in the country for Elected Representatives do not focus on the gender component in details and also fall short on the needs of these women representatives to address the specific challenges faced by them at the grassroots level. The Ministry has developed training modules regarding Laws for protection of women and children Development schemes and programmes (State and Center) Information Communication Technology (ICT) for the EWRs Participatory planning and asset creation Monitoring of Public Works and leadership qualities. This targeted approach to build capacities of these grassroots leaders has been envisaged to yield more desired development outcomes. It will help to empower the women members and heads of panchayats so that they can govern the villages more effectively. Deendayal Antodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) Aim: Alleviating rural poverty & fostering diversified livelihoods through sustainable community institutions of poor It is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) that seeks to alleviate rural poverty through building sustainable community institutions of the poor. The centrally sponsored programme is implemented in partnership with the State governments. Community Institution Building – Financial year 2017-18 More than 82 lakh households mobilized into 6.96 lakh Self Help Group (SHGs) across the country. More than 4.75 crore women have been mobilized into more than 40 lakh SHGs. Cumulatively, these community institutions have been provided more than Rs. 4,444 crore as capitalization support. Mahila Kisan Shashaktikaran Pariyojana and Value Chain Initiatives Objective: In order to promote agro-ecological practices that increase women farmers’ income and reduce their input costs and risks, the Mission has been implementing the Mahila Kisan Shashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP). More than 33 lakh women farmers were being supported under this scheme. Further, about 8 lakh Mahila Kisans have been mobilized into 86,000 Producer Groups (PGs) which are federated into 126 Producer Companies (PCs). These value chain development initiatives have contributed significantly to the farmers’ income from agriculture, horticulture, dairying, fisheries and Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) related activities. Small and marginal farmers producing Maize, Mango, Floriculture, Dairy, Goatery etc., have benefited significantly through the value chain interventions across different states. As of February 2018, more than 1.05 lakh SHG members have been covered under these interventions. Community Livelihood Professionals The community driven implementation strategy is the cornerstone of the Mission. More than 1.72 lakh community members have been trained and deployed to provide support to the community institutions in a variety of themes, such as bookkeeping, training and capacity building, financial services etc.  This also includes more than 22,000 Community Livelihoods Resource Persons (CLRPs) such as Krishi Sakhi and Pashu Sakhi who provide 24 X 7 door step extension services to the small and marginal farmers including dairy farmers. Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme & Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana As part of its non-farm livelihoods strategy, DAY-NRLM is implementing Start-Up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) and Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY). SVEP aims to support entrepreneurs in rural areas to set up local enterprises. Implemented in 17 States since 2016-17, about 16,600 enterprises have been supported under SVEP resulting in gainful employment for about 40,000 persons. Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY), was launched in August 2017 to provide safe, affordable and community monitored rural transport services to connect remote rural villages. As of March 2018, proposals from 17 States have been approved and 288 vehicles are operating.    Deendayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDUGKY) aims at building placement linked skills of the rual youth and place them in relatively higher wage employment sectors of the economy. Rural Self Employment Training Institutes: The Mission is in partnership with 31 Banks and State Governments, is supporting Rural Self Employment Institutes (RSETIs) for skilling of rural youth to take up gainful self-employment. In FY 2017-18, a total of 4.23 lakhs candidates have been trained and 3.34 lakhs candidates have been settled. Independent Assessment of DAY-NRLM: Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), was entrusted to carry out the independent assessment of design, strategy and impacts of DAY-NRLM. As part of the study, survey of nearly 4500 households spanning across 746 villages was conducted during January – March 2017. The results indicate that the households in the treatment areas: Have a higher number of livestock assets as compared to control areas - On an average, each household in a Mission village had more than 2.34 productive livestock assets compared to a similar household in non-Mission village Show a higher proclivity to save in formal institutions; Have a higher loan size (about 67% more than the loan size in the control areas) and are more likely to borrow from formal financial sources; NRLM households also pay a lower rate of interest Have 22% higher (net) income than the households in the control areas, largely due to income from enterprises. On an average, each NRLM village had 11 enterprises more than the non-NRLM villages – suggesting livelihood diversification in NRLM villages. Participate more in PRIs - NRLM households participate 3 times more than their counterparts Promotion of Farm Livelihoods: DAY-NRLM plans to Include another 5 lakh women farmers under its farm livelihoods interventions like sustainable agriculture, livestock and NTFP based activities with major focus on North East states. Further, the Mission aims at supporting an additional 75000 SHG member households through farm-based value chain initiatives. It would also promote 15 large size farm-based producer enterprises to provide market linkages to women producers. In addition, organic cultivation will be promoted in 1000 village clusters across States. Promotion of Non-Farm Livelihoods: It is also expected that Start Up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) will support an additional 25000 entrepreneurs during the year 2018-19. In addition, it is expected that by March 2019, about 1500 vehicles will be operating across 17 States under Aajeevika Gram Express Yojana (AGEY). Setting up of Rural Haats: Development of haats has emerged as one of the most important strategies to market SHG products and agricultural produce. To facilitate marketing of rural produce, it is proposed to set up haats at village and block levels in convergence with MGNREGS and the District and State level using DAY-NRLM resources. It is proposed to set up 4567 rural haats across the country during FY 2018-19 Enabling rural poor’s access to formal sources of finance: The Mission will continue to promote access of SHGs to bank credit and other financial services. In FY 18-19, it is planned to link 22 lakh SHGs to bank credit for total loan amount of Rs. 42500 crores, taking the SHG Bank loan outstanding to Rs. 75000 crore. The Mission will make efforts to expand Banking services to underserved regions through alternate channels in partnerships with various banks. Deendayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana: More emphasis will be placed on long-term training for better placement outcomes. The Industries will be invited to partner as Project Implementing Agency (PIA) and/or own a training batch and will have proactive engagement with Industry heads through workshops & conferences. It is envisaged that the increased engagement of Institutions of MSME & other prestigious Government Institutions for taking up DDUGKY program will lead to high end training with better salaries & District-wise survey for skilled manpower requirement. Rural Self Employment Training Institutes: An increased involvement of State Government has been envisaged in planning and implementation of skill development of rural poor through RSETIs. This would facilitate better mobilization (using Kaushal Panjee app) and identification of needy candidates in rural poor households. The mission is launching Standard Operating Procedures for greater transparency, efficiency and Quality assurance in the implementation of skill training in RSETIs. Mission is facilitating partnership of Industry Bodies with RSETIs to enable scaling up of rural entrepreneurs. Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) There are 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) notified as on date in the country.  The criteria followed for determination of PVTGs are as under: A pre-agriculture level of technology; A stagnant or declining population; Extremely low literacy; and A subsistence level of economy. Development of PVTGs: Covers the 75 identified PVTGs among Scheduled Tribes in 18 States/ UT of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.   It is a flexible scheme and covers funding for activities like housing, land distribution, land development, agricultural development, animal husbandry, construction of link roads, and installation of non-conventional sources of energy for lighting purpose, social security including Janshree Beema Yojana or any other innovative activity meant for the comprehensive socio-economic development of PVTGs.   Priority is also assigned to PVTGs under the schemes of Special Central Assistance (SCA) to Tribal Sub-Scheme (TSS), Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution, Grants-in-aid to Voluntary Organisations working for the welfare of Schedule Tribes and Strengthening of Education among ST Girls in Low Literacy Districts. Digital Initiative for Ease of Export (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) Launched by: IC, the official export certification body of Government of India Aim: To keep pace with changing dynamics of the world. For credible inspection and certification To strengthen the confidence on Indian produce, three portals have been developed to reduce transaction time and cost in a transparent manner – provide an opportunity for ease of export and plays an important role in the Go Green initiative by reducing paper usage and saving millions trees. To provide fast, efficient and transparent services for ease of doing business in all sectors the complete export food chain has been integrated in this digital platform. Primary production, chain catch, aquaculture pond, dairy farms and apiaries are all linked. Processing units, testing laboratories, official controls and exports have complete traceability. One lab one assessment portal provides unified approach to all stakeholders like accreditation bodies, regulators and laboratories by bringing them together on a common platform. Simplified procedures for granting joint certification and joint decisions helps in reducing cost, time and multiplicity of assessment. The Export Alert Monitoring portal monitors non compliances raised by importing countries. The portal will enable monitoring of alerts and action taken by multiple organizations involved in initial certification in the food safety & biosecurity and analysing the trend, understanding the trade barriers to reduce the alerts and enhance the export trade. Cabinet Approves: Cooperation Arrangement between India and Afghanistan for cooperation in the field of food safety and related areas: The areas of cooperation include the following: Establishment of a mechanism of information exchange and communication; Facilitating technical exchange on identified topics of interest especially about import procedures, quality control operations, sampling, testing, packaging and labeling Facilitating/organization of joint seminars, workshops, visits, lectures, training programme, etc. MoU between India and Iran on the establishment of an expert group on trade remedy measures: will promote cooperation between the two countries in area of trade remedies such as exchange of information, capacity building activities, cooperation in investigations related to anti-dumping and countervailing duty, etc. MoU between India and Canada to foster cross-border partnerships focused on research excellence and industry-academic collaboration: The MoU enables Indian and Canadian researchers to undertake graduate level academic research mobility and cross-border industry-academic cooperation. MoU between India and United Arab Emirates on Technical Cooperation in Rail Sector: The MoU will provide a platform to Indian Railways to interact and share the latest developments and knowledge in the railway sector. The MoU will facilitate exchange of information, expert meetings, seminars technical visits and implementation of jointly agreed cooperation projects. Rightsizing the Competition Commission of India: The proposal is expected to result in reduction of three Posts of Members of the Commission in pursuance of the Governments objective of "Minimum Government - Maximum Governance". Protection of Human Rights (Amendments) Bill, 2018: Salient Features: It proposes to include “National Commission for Protection of Child Rights” as deemed Member of the Commission; It proposes to add a woman Member in the composition of the Commission; It proposes to enlarge the scope of eligibility and scope of selection of Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission as well as the State Human Rights Commission; and It proposes to incorporate a mechanism to look after the cases of human rights violation in the Union Territories. It proposes to amend the term of office of Chairperson and Members of National Human Rights Commission and State Human Rights Commission to make it in consonance with the terms of Chairperson and Members of other Commissions. GS-3 BS-VI fuel will bring down sulphur level by 80 percent from current BSIV levels (Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation) Objective: To proactively advance the roll-out of BS-VI fuel in Delhi from April 2018, instead of April 2020 after taking stock of the alarming pollution situation in Delhi in winters. BS-VI fuel will bring down sulphur by 5 times from the current BS-IV levels – this is an 80 percent reduction which makes it extremely clean. It will improve emissions from the existing fleet, even from the older vehicles on road. BS-VI is as clean as CNG or even cleaner than CNG in some respects With the introduction of BSVI, India joins the small list of Asia - Pacific nations -Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines and China. China is using it only for heavy vehicles. Prelims oriented News: 5th April: National Maritime Day 7th April: World Health Day Dark Net: Was used for sale and purchase of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Utkal Divas – Odisha Formation Day (Konark Sun Temple is Odisha’s pride) Commonwealth Games: Gold Medal in the Women’s 53 kg weightlifting event: Weightlifter K Sanjita Chanu Won a bronze in Weightlifting: Weightlifter Deepak Lather (youngest Indian weightlifter to claim a Commonwealth Games medal) Gold Medal in the Men's 77 kg weightlifting event: Sathish Kumar Sivalingam Swadhar Greh Scheme: Targets the women victims of difficult circumstances who are in need of institutional support for rehabilitation so that they could lead their life with dignity. The Scheme envisages providing shelter, food, clothing and health as well as economic and social security for these women. Mahila Shakti Kendra: To empower rural women through community participation The scheme is envisaged to work at various levels, and at the National level (domain based knowledge support) and State level (State Resource Centre for Women) technical support to the respective governments on issues related to women is provided. Student volunteers will play an instrumental role in awareness generation regarding various important government schemes/ programmes as well as social issues. District Level Centre for Women (DLCW) has also been envisaged for 640 districts to be covered in phased manner. These centres will serve as a link between village, block and state level in facilitating women centric schemes and also give foothold for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme at the district level. POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission): under Innovation component, envisages undertaking activities to be implemented intended to improve the service delivery system, capacity building of front line functionaries and community engagement for better nutritional outcomes. PM Ujwala Yojana: To prevent pollution and facilitate the healthy atmosphere in the families of poor people – the objective of the central government to give gas connections to 5 crore families by 2019. Indian Railways inducts New Machine 09-3x Dynamic Tamping Express: It is a latest high output integrated tamping machine having multiple functions, so far being carried out by different machines. These machines have been manufactured in India under MAKE IN INDIA initiative with imported components. 42 more such machines have been planned to be included in Indian Railway maintenance fleet over next three years. Measure pre & post track geometry Correct the track to required geometry Can tamp three sleepers simultaneously Stabilize and measure post tamping track parameters under load to ensure quality of work done. This eliminates the need for a separate stabilisation machine which reduces operating costs and track possession time. This machine will vibrate & compact the loose stone ballast after tamping for safe movements of trains. This will further improve the safety, reliability and economy in maintenance of tracks over Indian Railways. This will also eliminate manual measurement of track quality after maintenance. Mechanism for marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support price (MSP) and development of Value chain for MFP: objective of providing fair price to MFP gatherers, enhance their income level and ensure sustainable harvesting of MFPs. The MSP scheme seeks to establish a framework to ensure fair prices for the produce collected by them, assurance of buying at a particular price, primary processing, storage, transportation etc., while ensuring sustainability of the resource base. Establishment of the first multipurpose “Van Dhan Vikas Kendra” on pilot basis: in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh State for providing skill upgradation and capacity building training and setting up of primary processing and value addition facility. This Kendra to start with will have processing facility for Tamarind brick making, Mahua flower storage facility and chironjee cleaning and packaging. Satellites launched by ISRO in the last four years Communication satellites carried communication transponders in different frequency bands of C, Extended C, Ku, Ka and S-band for telecommunication, broadcast and mobile communication services. Navigation satellites were part of the indigenous constellation NavIC, India’s own regional navigation system. Navigation satellites carried navigation payloads in L and S-bands for providing position, navigation and timing services. Earth Observation satellites are used for deriving inputs for Natural Resource Management, Disaster Management, Cartographic Applications, Weather, Climate and Ocean Studies. Astrosat (Science payload) is a unique multi wavelength observatory in space. It provides an opportunity for observation of celestial sources in Ultra-Violet, Optical and X-ray wavelength bands. ISRO has launched satellites for Technology demonstration and student satellites to encourage young generation to work in the field of space. Baobab sapling planted in the gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan: It was gifted by the University of Madagascar as a gesture of goodwill in return for the Neem tree that the President planted at the University campus in Antananarivo during his State visit to Madagascar in March. Has a life span of over 2000 years High in medicinal and nutritional properties, quite like the Neem tree Trishul Special Olympics & Paralympic Games: For Special Children – a total 69 Children between ages 7 and 18 yrs, of Special Schools supported by the AFWWA (Air Force Wives Welfare Association) will be receiving training from Special Olympics Bharat, Resource Team on Athletics, Bocce, Powerlifting and Roller Skating Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan (RAA): A convergent framework across School Education and Higher Education aiming to encourage children towards learning Science and Mathematics and to develop their interest through activities related to Science and Mathematics. One of the interventions under RAA is strengthening of school Science and Mathematics laboratories, through the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA). Important interventions i.e. Science Fair/Exhibition and Talent Search at district level; mathematics and science kits to schools, visit to higher institutions of students and learning enhancement of students have been approved. Atal Innovation Mission is establishing Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs) in schools across India. The objective of this scheme is to foster curiosity, creativity and imagination in young minds; and inculcate skills such as design mindset, computational thinking, adaptive learning, physical computing etc. Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching (PMMMNMTT) aims at addressing comprehensively all issues related to teachers, teaching, teacher preparation, professional development, curriculum design, and developing assessment & evaluation methodology, research in developing effective Pedagogy. Government has taken up far-reaching education reforms to improve quality and access to education Aimed at expanding access to quality education, new premier higher education institutions have been opened across the country, marking the highest ever such expansion in the history after Independence. SWAYAM MOOCs portal ( (Study Webs of Active learning for Young Aspiring Minds) is an indigenous MOOCs portal that provides high quality education - anyone, anytime, anywhere at no cost- has been made operational. The portal has courses by the best teachers in the country and offers video lectures, e-reading material, discussion forum and assessment system - resulting in award of credits to the successful learners. Up to 20 % credit transfer into the academic record of students, is allowed now, for the courses taken on the SWAYAM portal. The initiative of National Digital Library (NDL) is a virtual repository of learning resources with a single window search facility. It has already brought together 15 million digital books and journals and 31 lakh learners are using this facility. It supports all academic levels including researchers and life-long learners, all disciplines, all popular form of access devices and differently abled learners. Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) is a new initiative to make use the knowledge base in the higher educational institutions for plugging technology gaps in the rural areas. In this year, 750 institutions are being selected on challenge mode. This is expected to enrich rural India by way of customising existing technology as per local needs and also by improving the implementation of existing government schemes. Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching (PMMMNMTT) scheme has been launched to address the issues of supply of qualified teachers, attracting talent into teaching profession, raising the quality teaching in schools and colleges. Constitution of a Committee to draft National Education Policy under the Chairmanship of eminent scientist Dr. K. Kasturirangan Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme: To promote mutual understanding between States & UTs in India which have diverse cultures, traditions, languages etc., through a process of sustained mutual engagement between the people. All States and UTs are paired with each other for a period of one year, after which the pairing would change. The objective is to break the inhibitions arising from diversity in culture through participative appreciation and engagement by people so that a spirit of oneness is created in the process for the nation. Under Swachh Bharat programme: To promote Swachhta in the form of an attitude of zero tolerance to anything unhygienic. It has initiated Swachhta Rankings of Higher Educational Institutions and Swachhta Action Plans have been prepared. Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) is an initiative to garner best international knowledge and experience into the country’s higher education so as to enable Indian students & faculty to interact with best academic and industry experts from across the world. IMPRINT India is an effort to direct research in the premier institutions into areas of social relevance. 10 such domains have been identified which could substantially impact the living standards of the rural areas The Uchchtar Avishkar Yojana (UAY) has been launched to promote industry specific need-based research so as to keep up the competitiveness of Indian industry in the global market. Prime Minister Research Fellows (PMRF) scheme is launched to support 1000 bright undergraduate students every year, for direct admission in the research programmes in the reputed institutions like IISc, IITs. The fellowship carries a lot of social recognition and it ranges from Rs 70,000 to 80,000 per month for 5 year period. Smart India Hackathon initiative is to promote innovation in the students by encouraging out of the box solutions for common problems faced by the society at large. National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) is the biggest ranking exercise launched in 2015, in which more than 3,500 institutions participated. It is one of the biggest efforts for bringing in accountability and transparency in the higher educational institutions. The ranks are released in the various categories of institutions namely Universities, Engineering, Management, Pharmacy etc.. Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA): for creation of a fund with government equity of Rs. 1000 crores, to give a big push for building up robust higher educational institutions. The HEFA would finance the academic and research infrastructure projects through a 10 year loan.   Rashtriya Uchchatar Siksha Abhiyan (RUSA): To provide more assistance for infrastructure to Universities and Colleges, creation of Model Degree colleges, Cluster universitites, Upgradation of autonomous colleges and Vocationalisation of higher education. Vidyalaxmi portal provides one-window clearance for the Education Loans with Interest Subvention. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) provides assistance to State Governments and UTs to ensure free and compulsory quality elementary education for all children in the age group of 6-14 years in accordance with the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory (RTE) Act, 2009. Preference for opening of school is given to tribal areas, and areas with high concentration of Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and minority population. Under the SSA, the districts with high concentration of population of SCs, STs and Muslims have been identified as Special Focus Districts (SFDs). The criteria for identifying the SFDs in case of SCs and STs is a population of 25% and above, while for Muslims, it is 20% and above population. Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs): Residential schools at upper primary level for girls belonging to disadvantaged groups such as SC, ST, OBC, Minority and BPL. Aims to reduce gender gap at elementary education and is operational in Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs). Note: The dropout rate of girls at primary level has been steadily decreasing in the last three years. Six monuments / historical sites in North Eastern States identified for listing under World Heritage Site: Apatani Cultural Landscape, Arunachal Pradesh Iconic Saree Weaving Clusters of India Moidams – the Mound – Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty, Assam Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh River Island of Majuli in midstream of Brahmaputra River in Assam Thembang Fortified Village, Arunachal Pradesh Person in News Babu Jagjivan Ram An Indian independence activist and politician from Bihar. He was instrumental in foundation of the All-India Depressed Classes League, an organisation dedicated to attaining equality for untouchables, in 1935 and was elected to Bihar Legislative Assembly in 1937, after which he organised the rural labour movement. In 1946, he became the youngest minister in Jawaharlal Nehru's interim government, the first cabinet of India as a Labour Minister and also a member of Constituent Assembly of India, where he ensured that social justice was enshrined in the Constitution. He was the Defence Minister of India during the Indo-Pak war of 1971, which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. His contribution to the Green Revolution in India and modernising Indian agriculture, during his two tenures as Union Agriculture Minister are still remembered, especial during 1974 drought when he was asked to hold the additional portfolio to tide over the food crisis. Quotes The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu On Science & New India We need a scientific renaissance in our country and the excellence and quest for the best should be the goal posts of the new India. The spirit of enquiry and the spirit of enhancing public wellbeing should be the guiding principles. The new India will be a scientific India and it will be a technological India. It will be an India that will be sustained by knowledge and science, what is called as ‘Gyana’ and ‘Vigyana’ in Indian parlance Scientific approach that relies on evidence and raising relevant questions and seeking answers should be internalized Students should be encouraged to ‘discover’ rather than be ‘told’ the answers and rote memorization should be discouraged. We have to bring back the fun into the learning process and the joy of knowing, the joy of discovering, and the joy of innovating lies at the core of scientific temper. This should be the heart of the schooling and educational processes at various levels Quoting Confucius, the Vice President said that teaching, learning process should be reoriented keeping in view the basic principles encapsulated in his famous saying “I learn and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand”. Must Read: E-Way Bill + MNREGS

Apr 9, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 9th April 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 9th April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Indian are averse to adopt differently-abled children Part of: Mains GS Paper I- Social issues Key pointers: For every Indian parent who adopts a differently-abled child there are at least seven foreigners who adopt such children from India after they fail to find a family in the country. The latest data shared by the apex body for adoption in the country — Child Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) — reveals that domestic adoptions of children with special needs has fallen with every passing year. At the same time, foreigners adopting children with a physical deformity or an ailment rose by 50% last year alone. As per law, efforts have to be made to place a child within India first, and only when a child is not accepted by Indian applicants is he or she referred to foreigners. As a result, overseas applicants are mostly referred differently-abled children. The huge gap can be attributed to differences in cultural attitudes towards disabilities. While better social security abroad helps families adopt a child with disabilities, there is also a need to look within. In India, there are issues related to schooling, access to public spaces, and employment opportunities. While all these factors do contribute to parents in India not opting for differently-abled children, the primary reason is attitude towards them. Article link: Click here NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General Studies 3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. India's forest policy: Issues with latest draft Introduction: India's Forest Policy was last revised in 1988 and thus changes are overdue. The new draft Forest Policy 2018, however, ignores the lessons from this period and returns to the state-managed forestry of the 1950s, but with a neoliberal twist. Background: India’s diverse forests support the livelihoods of 250 million people, providing them firewood, fodder, bamboo, beedi leaves and many other products. The timber currently benefits the state treasury. Forests also regulate stream flows and sediment, benefitting downstream communities. Finally, they provide global benefits of biodiversity and carbon sequestration. However, these multiple goods and services, flowing to different beneficiaries, cannot be simultaneously maximised. Forest policy, therefore, focusses on- Which benefits (and beneficiaries) to prioritise, where and through what process. Decide when and through what process to allow diversion of forest land for “non-forest” activities such as dam building, mining and agriculture. Evolution of forest policy: Forest policy in colonial India: It focussed on maximising products and revenues for the state through the imperial forest department as sole owner, protector and manager of the forest estate. Unfortunately, post-Independence policy continued this statist approach. Forests were seen as sources of raw material for industry and local communities were simply treated as labour. The 1988 Forest Policy: In a paradigm shift, the 1988 Forest Policy recognised the multiple roles of forests and prioritised environmental stability over revenue maximisation. It also acknowledged that the needs of forest-dependent communities must be the “first charge” on forest produce. Equally important, the policy emphasised people’s involvement in protecting and regenerating forests, thus formally recognising the limitations of state-managed forestry. Post-1988 experience: Joint forest management (JFM) was initiated in the 1990s to implement the concept of people’s involvement. But what began with great expectations eventually ended up beinf fake. Foresters created thousands of village forest committees but severely limited their autonomy and jurisdictions. Donor money was spent on plantations but activities were stopped once funds ran out. “People’s participation” by executive order was too weak and lopsided a concept. Instead what was required was substantive devolution of control over forests. The 1990s also saw the Supreme Court getting involved in forest governance. To regulate forest diversions, it introduced a high ‘net present value’ (NPV) charge on the lands diverted. But the court refused to assign any role to local communities affected by such diversion, not even a share in the NPV received. The Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006: It created a historic opportunity for devolution. Its community forest resource provisions gave communities rights to both access and manage forests. Today, thousands of villages in Maharashtra and Odisha have received these rights, and hundreds have begun to exercise them. The FRA democratised the diversion process by requiring community concurrence for forest diversion once community forest rights are recognised. The Adivasis of Niyamgiri in Odisha exercised this provision to prevent bauxite mining in their sacred hill tracts. The 2018 Forest Policy draft: Highlighting the decline in forest productivity, it identifies “production forestry” and plantations as the “new thrust area”. Forest development corporations are to be the institutional vehicle. They will now enter into public-private partnerships (PPPs) to bring corporate investment into forest lands. Issue: In the past, production forestry led to replacing natural oak forests with pine monocultures in the Himalayas, natural sal forests with teak plantations in central India, and wet evergreen forests with eucalyptus and acacia in the Western Ghats. All this has decimated diversity, dried up streams and undermined local livelihoods. PPPs will entail more such destruction, with even the profits ending up in corporate hands. There is little about decentralised governance in the draft policy though the term “community participation” is use, but not seriously. The draft talks of “ensuring synergy” between gram sabhas and JFM committees, when the need is to replace JFM committees with statutorily empowered gram sabhas, and revamp the colonial-era Indian Forest Act by incorporating FRA provisions. Conclusion: There is a need of revamping India's forest policy. But the latest draft overlooks the ecological and social implications of carbon and production forestry and the need for decentralised democracy. Thus, there is a need to have a re-look. Connecting the dots: Discuss how India's forest policy has evolved over time. Also discuss the concerns associated with the new draft Forest Policy 2018. 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 Strengthening India-US Economic Partnership: Advancing prosperity Introduction: Despite vastly different levels of economic development, India and the US increasingly face a number of similar economic challenges. Both countries need to rapidly create new jobs, move people into the middle class and keep them there, and take advantage of the opportunities that globalization can bring while mitigating its challenges to sustainable domestic growth and strong and equitable democratic societies. Tackling challenges require effective domestic economic policies that address not just interest rates and investment, but also healthcare and education. International economic partnerships will be a key part of the solution as well, and, working together, the US and India can advance shared prosperity. The US-India economic relationship: It has a strong foundation. Bilateral trade has more than doubled since 2006, reaching $115 billion in 2016. By leveraging the ties that already exist, and through a coordinated strategy of investment and innovation, a smart US-India economic partnership can help each country improve the condition of its people. Boosting economic growth by strengthening partnership: Three areas of bilateral cooperation in particular can boost economic growth that reaches all sectors of society in both countries. The two countries must invest in infrastructure. India needs to invest $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years to meet its infrastructure needs. The US department of treasury has been providing technical assistance to help the Pune municipal corporation issue municipal bonds. By expanding this programme, more cities around India could fund their infrastructure needs. Similarly, large institutional investors, such as US public pension funds, have been increasingly focused on investing in global infrastructure since they need a diversity of quality investment options to help them meet the retirement security needs of their beneficiaries, who include public school teachers, firefighters, and police officers. In order to link up investors with ripe investment opportunities, both countries should hold institutional investor summits to facilitate private sector investment in each other’s infrastructure. This focus can boost long-term economic growth and job creation in both countries. Both countries must develop new and innovative ways to contend with the changing landscape of employment. As the nature of work changes, creating jobs requires innovation in addition to investment. India and the US are home to tremendous human capital and research and development capabilities, and the two countries should bring these together in policy forums and research centres. By holding a bilateral dialogue focused on the future of work, policymakers, entrepreneurs, technology experts, and community leaders can address employment trends and community needs to refine policy solutions that leverage the changing nature of work to create stable, well-paying jobs and empower citizens. Subnational cooperation is critical to economic growth in the two large, diverse federal democracies, where states and cities will be key actors as they craft solutions that meet their regions’ unique needs. Large states and cities should create their own offices of international affairs, and work with the foreign ministries to connect one another with technical training, capacity building, and best practices. This can also advance the existing cooperation on smart cities. The US government is currently providing technical assistance for three Indian cities—Ajmer, Allahabad, Visakhapatnam—identified by India for building modern infrastructure and renewable energy capacity. Conclusion: A vibrant democracy functions best when all its citizens are empowered. Without jobs that benefit all segments of society, neither country will be able to support sustainable growth, and the backlash against trade will grow, harming economic opportunities and the openness of both societies. India and the US are often described as indispensable democratic partners. Delivering on the economic opportunity could play a major role in realizing the potential of this partnership. Connecting the dots: India and the US are often described as indispensable democratic partners. Strengthening the economic partnership can help advance shared prosperity given similar economics challenges. MUST READ Inclusion and right to dignity The Hindu A case to withdraw triple talaq The Hindu Taming the hydra Indian Express Changing paradigm on economic policy Business Line 

Apr 9, 2018 RSTV Video

RSTV- The Big Picture : New Push to Education

New Push to Education Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources In News: UGS has granted autonomy to 60 higher educational institutions that have maintained high academic standards. It spells introduction of a liberalised regime in the education sector. Focus of the government is on linking autonomy with access and quality. Under these rules, central, state, deemed, and private universities will be graded into three groups, with a different degree of autonomy for each category. The categorisation hinges on an institution’s performance in either reputed global rankings (QS or Times Higher Education) or the assessment done by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). Depending on the scores, the institutions will be slotted in category I, II and lower, with higher autonomy to colleges in the higher ranks. The NAAC assesses institutions on seven parameters — Curriculum Teaching-learning and evaluation Research Infrastructure Student support Governance and leadership Institutional values — and gives each a score out of four. Academic Autonomy: Design new courses, new departments, new programmes, off campuses, skill courses, research parks, appoint foreign faculty, take foreign students, , introduce online distance learning without coming back to UGC for approval Administrative Autonomy: Less hassles and bureaucratic processes Financial Autonomy: Allows them to maintain their books of accounts and offer variable incentive packages Legitimate Fears Funding: Critics argue that autonomy is simply a ploy to increase fees and corporatize public education. There is an impression that both state and central universities will be expected to generate their own funds to start new courses and departments. This could result in increased tuition fees, thereby making higher education more expensive and exclusive. Ensuring access to higher education opportunities for economically deprived is also a question. Creation of an ecosystem for showcasing dedication towards their areas of study with better and level playing opportunities as well as financial support is the way ahead. Also, government mentions that there exists inherent check that everything is in line with norms and regulations. Fee regulatory bodies exists both at the national and state level to counter malpractices. Leadership: Academic autonomy must filter down. The institution must have autonomy from external pressures, the department must have autonomy from the head of the institution and the teacher from the head of the department. The Way Forward Firstly, universities, teachers and students need to create many more forums for interaction with the wider world since it is such interaction that would lead to generation of workable ideas and workable courses that can generate wealth. With changing economies and the evolving nature of work itself, there is an acute need for universities to turn from static to dynamic models of education. This requires an overhaul of the curriculum, which emphasises learning across disciplines towards solving problems and producing enlightened citizens. Secondly, innovation needs to be tested against reality. Setting up of incubation centres is the first step, which should be complemented with – Internships for students, work on real world problems and building databases of knowledge that could be useful for artificial intelligence. Interactions like these would provide good guide maps for what students should be taught and the research that is needed. Thirdly, there is a need to offer doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships in many fields – Data analytics, cyber security, macro-economics, IT for retail management and warehousing need expertise just as much as healthcare, travel and tourism and linguistics. Conclusion: Autonomy always goes with responsibility. That means that colleges have potential to take care of societal needs, national needs, and educational needs. Students who are unable to go for higher education abroad can avail the same staying back in India, and get an opportunity to perform better. Universities will be truly autonomous when mature conversations can take place between its leadership and the government. Note: The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) is an organisation that assesses and accredits higher education Institutions (HEIs) in India. It is an autonomous body funded by University Grants Commission of Government of India headquartered in Bangalore. Connecting the Dots: Why is granting autonomy considered important for universities? Analyse.

Apr 9, 2018 MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – Sanitation

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – Sanitation 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 9, 2018

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 INDIAN GEOGRAPHY & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 28]

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 8, 2018 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Nurturing a Dream – Inspirational & Educative Articles

Nurturing a Dream: It does not take any great skill or talent to dream big. If given an opportunity everybody dreams big. Dreaming big by itself does not make you special or unique. Every dog wants to chew on the biggest bone and every man wants to make it big in life; there is absolutely no big deal about dreaming big. If you think that you have big dreams and just because you dream big, people around you should love you and respect you, you are in for a rude shock. People really don’t care about your dreams. Dreams belong to your private domain; they cannot impress anybody on the outside. The more you try to assert your big dreams on people around you, the smaller you become in their eyes. A dream is not meant for taking on a parade to showcase its grandness. Rather a dream is a silent inner longing. It takes a divine reverence to protect and nurture a dream; boastful show of it only destroys it. When you are pregnant with a great dream, you become something different; you become quiet and secretive about it. Something changes in you when you are infused with a real dream. You walk differently, talk differently, think differently, eat differently and sleep differently when you are nurturing a dream. People around you will find it difficult to connect with you. They can notice that something has gone wrong with you but they cannot tell what that is. When you nurture a dream, you become mysterious to yourself and to people around you. Only a deep silent longing is a sign that you have begun to nurture a great dream; a dream that will consume your entire being and will eventually come to define you as a person. Finding a great dream is like finding a precious diamond; you don’t run around announcing that you have found it, rather you keep it a secret. There is something in the very nature of the mind that nurtures and protects a secret better than something that is open and visible to all. By the very nature of the mind, you will lose interest in your dream if you don’t keep it a secret. Secrecy increases the longing and helps it acquire new creative expressions. It does not matter if you have found a great dream or a great dream has found you, what is more important is learning how to protect and nurture it. Nurturing a dream is almost like starting a fire, it is best done when you find a quiet corner and work towards kindling it. Almost 90% of your work to nurture this dream has to be done within you, in secret. It takes patience and effort to nurture a dream. Nurturing a dream is infinitely more difficult than finding a dream. Just pause for a moment and ask yourself this question. Have you found a great dream to work towards? If the answer is yes then tell yourself that there is absolutely nothing special about it, everybody finds a great dream. Then ask yourself another question. Do you know how to nurture and protect a dream? If the answer is no, then your actual work has just begun. “The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”

Apr 7, 2018 IASbaba's OFFLINE CLASSES

REGISTRATION OPEN (Classroom Programme): IASbaba’s OFFLINE INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAMME – ILP 2019

For the Detailed write-up about our OFFLINE Classes -> Click Here Dear Friends, This program is meant for those who have completed 0% of syllabus yet determined to succeed in the first attempt itself. We place no restriction on your initial knowledge or competence as this program enhances both during the course! There are aspirants who have attended Mains/Interview and yet joined this program to redefine their basics with our smart strategies and then there are people who have not even touched 6th standard NCERT’s and joined this program. Both the above types have gone on to write mains and qualify for the interview.You will hear more about them in this year’s results!! Our flagship program ILP OFFLINE is designed to help freshers/Working Professionals/mains qualified/interview attended, learn from first principles and build strong basics. This approach helped our students solve several confusing/ambiguous questions of Prelims 2017. We believe in smart work. Our classes and materials guide aspirants to get the best results with minimal time and effort. Even working professionals who were regularly attending our weekend classes of ILP Offline 2016-17 have given their interview and are waiting for the results. In line with our tagline – “One Stop Destination for UPSC Preparation”, we have created an ecosystem that would stand true to its name ‘One Stop’ for every student who is part of it. The quality and pedigree of IASbaba faculty is unmatched by UPSC standards. Regarding the quality and importance of ILP OFFLINE 2018 programme, you can hear it from the students themselves. Features of IASbaba’s Offline Classes: Working Professionals can also join. There will be classes on Saturday's and Sunday's. Integration of Online Programme with Offline Classes – Offline Classes will be complemented by ILP online program which would contain Babapedia (Current Affairs), Value Added Notes (VAN), Test Series. Duration of the programme will be 15 months. The classes will be conducted keeping all the 3 Stages of the examination (Prelims, Mains, Interview) in mind. All GS papers will be covered before Prelims. Prelims (GS + CSAT) and Mains Tests are incorporated in the programme. The tests will be designed keeping a fresher’s preparation in mind. Accordingly, there will be a gradual increase in the difficulty level of the test. In tune with the demand of UPSC, there will be weekly Current Affairs Classes/Discussions and Test. Motivation and Prelims & Mains Strategy class exclusively by Toppers and Founders. We have the best mentors for the programme who will guide you throughout with the best possible support. Library Facility with WiFi and AC. This is where you get to interact with veterans many of them who are rank holders and accelerate your preparation. (It will be separately charged) Note: Optional guidance for subjects like Public Administration, Geography, Anthropology, Sociology is provided. Kannada Literature Optional Classes are charged separately. Admission Process for OFFLINE ILP 2019: Fill up the REGISTRATION FORM <- Click Here. Please note that all the fields in the registration should be filled. Incomplete forms will not be accepted. Once the registration form is filled, selected candidates will get an INVITE giving you the complete details of the programme (Course details, fees, date of commencement of the programme etc.) Also, the PAYMENT LINK will be given to make the payment for the Offline Classes. Once the payment is made, please send the acknowledgement to offline@iasbaba.com. This confirms your admission process! Please note that admission is through phone call/invite and then through first cum first serve from the process of the invites we have sent. It is our sole discretion to accept or reject any aspirant into the program. IMPORTANT DATES: REGISTRATION OPEN  for Admissions into OFFLINE ILP 2019 -  7th April 2018 REGISTRATION CLOSES – 30th June 2018 INVITIE’s for the Selected Candidates (via mail offline@iasbaba.com) -  1st May 2018 onwards CLASSES will commence from of 3rd week of JULY Queries Email- offline@iasbaba.comMobile No- 9035077800 Thank You IASbaba

Apr 7, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 7th April 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 7th April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Maharashtra Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture: WB to provide loan Part of: Mains GS Paper II,III- Key interventions by the government, Environment conservation Key pointers: The World Bank has approved a Rs. 2,700-crore loan to improve water harvesting structures and adopt climate resilient agricultural practices in the water-starved Vidarbha and Marathwada regions of Maharashtra. The multilateral funding agency signed an agreement with the Centre and the Maharashtra government for a 30-year long loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which will be used to improve water availability in rain-fed areas in these regions, an official release said. Called Maharashtra Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture, the project is said to benefit seven million people, mainly small and marginal farmers, in over 5,100 villages in 15 climate vulnerable districts in these two regions. The project is expected to take a series of measures at the farm and watershed level. It will scale up climate-resilient technologies such as micro irrigation systems, expand surface water storage and facilitate aquifer recharge, which is expected to directly contribute to a more efficient use of scarce water resources. Besides, it will encourage farmers to adopt seeds of short-duration, and drought and heat-resistant crops so that farmers face lesser risk of climate-related crop failure. Article link: Click here Declining population of the Great Indian Bustard Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Environment, Conservation Key pointers: The global population of the GIB plummeted from 1,300 in the 1970s to a mere 300 between 2011-12. Rajasthan and Abdasa (Kutch, Gujarat) are the last remaining abodes of the GIB. Apart from power lines (high voltage ones, running above the ground) and loss of grassland are the reasons behind the decline. Loss of grassland — the habitat of the GIB — is primary cause: There is unhindered grazing and installing of windmills and power stations on grasslands, thereby encroaching upon the breeding and wintering ground of the GIB. Large parcels of grassland are converted to agricultural land. The changing agricultural pattern that is moving away from traditional crops is another reason. With the disappearance of the traditional Bajra and Jowar crops, whose by-products served as fodder, their food has been on the decline. An increase in the use of pesticides has further depleted the population of insects like the beetle, which the GIB and other birds feed on. About the GIB: The GIB is a heavy bird, weighing 15-16 kg. The GIB is a flagship species of the grassland; it determines the health of the grasslands, on which many other species of birds and animals, and even the dairy industry is dependent on. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) HEALTH/NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health Bringing in behavioral change for success of healthcare policies Background: The World Health Day, which is celebrated every year on on April 7, happens to be the day (in 1948) when the constitution of World Health Organization (WHO) came into force under the flag of the United Nations. This year’s World Health Day happens to be the 70th anniversary of WHO, which is being celebrated with the theme “Universal Health Coverage: Everyone, Everywhere”. Healthcare challenges in India: One can talk at length about the healthcare challenges India faces. The country’s diversity in terms of geography, culture, and demography Political system Unsafe boundaries Huge population burden Poor investment in health Changing the behaviour pattern of the Indian masses, including the patient population, is something which has been focused upon much yet. How behavioural patterns, old traditions, beliefs, and habits affect the success of healthcare efforts? A case study: Gramin Health Care clinics were set up at IFFCO bazaars. The clinics were strategically located at IFFCO bazaars to ensure easy accessibility for a cluster of nearby villages. People were expected to begin accessing a modern healthcare clinic, which was operational throughout the year. However, the turnout was very low. A new approach was adopted- holding camps and reaching out to the villages and people started responding. The experience of interacting with the villagers exposed the strong hold that conventional beliefs and habits had on people. The lack of trust on existing healthcare models was evident given over the years, thousands of villages in India were left untouched by primary healthcare. Busting various myths, sharing continued education and awareness, and rendering door-to-door services especially for women and child care — triggered a change in the behavioural patterns of the villagers who began trusting a scientifically sound model, and moved away from long entrenched practices of going to quacks and unqualified doctors. In a short span, daily footfall at the clinics increased. The roadmap: A public policy promoting health awareness and healthcare delivery is unlikely to succeed if no efforts are made to modify individual behaviour. The focus needs to be towards the following: Effective people participation and engagement in healthier practices is essential. The more interactive health policies are, the higher will be chances of developing public understanding. New care delivery models should have behaviour change as a core component. Convincing the influencers first is vital. From the head of the village panchayat to celebrities, there needs to be a strategic approach in taking their help in bringing about behavioural change. Using modern technology to bridge the gap is key. Social media, digitisation, tele-assisted medicine, video and audio campaigns can play a significant role in reaching to the remotest of regions. The role of incentives and penalties cannot be overstated in bringing about beahvioural change. Including more accountable stakeholders is also important. Conclusion: Approaching healthcare policies from the behavioural angle can ensure better systemic efficiency and large-scale transformation. Connecting the dots: Ensuring behavioral change for the success of any policy is crucial, same is the case when it comes to health policy. Discuss. Also suggest measures to bring the behavioral change for the success of healthcare efforts. INTERNATIONAL TOPIC:General Studies 2: India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Normalising India-Nepal relations Background: The current state of India’s relations with Nepal is unhealthy. Standing up against India has unfortunately become an important part of Nepal’s definition of sovereignty. Delhi must try and understand the sources of this negative tradition and address the problem purposefully. Issue: Delhi inherited from the Raj, the sense of paramountcy over the Subcontinent. And Delhi has refused to adapt to the new circumstances. If the Raj’s hegemony was based on a partnership with friendly feudals, Delhi was torn between aligning with the monarchies and responding to the democratic aspirations of the people in the peripheral states. One way or another, India was inevitably sucked into the internal affairs of its neighborus, including Nepal. The most recent case was India’s involvement in Nepal’s constitution-making. Way ahead: Nepal PM Oli's visit this week provides a major opportunity for Delhi to put the relationship with Nepal back on a new set of rails. As in India-US ties, the initiative to reduce suspicion and generate political comfort must come from the larger nation, which is India in case of India-Nepal. Three broad imperatives stand out for Delhi. India should acknowledge Nepal’s sovereignty and promise to conduct relations on that basis. Delhi needs to shift from underlining “the special relationship” with Nepal to one based on “sovereign equality”. This would mean that India should stop meddling in Nepal’s internal affairs and focus more on the state-to-state relationship. Also, it is in India’s interest to have a strong and sovereign Nepal on its northern frontiers. Instead of demanding an “India first policy” from Oli, Prime Minister the government must affirm that India’s strong support for a “Nepal first” policy. Situated between the world’s two fastest growing economies, Nepal has every reason to benefit from its location. While the Indian security establishment has long claimed a special political relationship, Delhi’s economic policies have prevented the full development of the natural economic complementarity between the two countries. The rotting trade infrastructure on the long and open border, Delhi’s cumbersome procedures for administering economic assistance and the inability to implement infrastructure projects in reasonable time, have all added to India’s woes in Nepal. Conclusion: The two sides must focus on the already committed projects and the ones that promise early returns to the people on both sides of the border. An emphasis on projects relating to cross-border trade, transport and tourism could be the beginning of a solid economic foundation for a sustainable political partnership with sovereign Nepal. Connecting the dots: The current state of India’s relations with Nepal is unhealthy. The initiative to reduce suspicion and generate political comfort must come from the larger nation, which is India in this case. Discuss. MUST READ Forging a culture of innovation The Hindu Healthy India, happy India Indian Express Ends and means Business Line 

Apr 6, 2018 RSTV Video

RSTV- The Big Picture : State of Our Cities

State of Our Cities Archives TOPIC: General Studies 1: Urbanization, their problems and their remedies General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation In News: An assessment was carried out on the quality of laws, policies, institutions, and institutional processes – commonly called city systems in the 2017 Annual Survey of India’s City System (ASICS), by Janaagraha, a city-based non-profit. The study suggests that the city systems are the base or structure on which the quality of life of its residents depends. For this study, four factors were taken into account to gauge the quality of life for residents of a city Urban planning and design Urban capacities and resources Transparency, accountability and participation Empowered and legitimate political representation The study scores cities on a scale of 0 to 10. The Indian cities are also compared to benchmark cities across the world like New York and London. While both New York and London score 8.8, Indian cities struggle to cross the 5 point mark. Rankings: Pune is the best Indian city to live with a 5.1 rating followed by Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram and Bhubaneswar, each receiving a rating of 4.6. Capital Delhi manages a score of 4.4, while Hyderabad a 4.3. Mumbai is at 4.2, Chennai gets a 3.4 with Bengaluru at 3. Image source: https://www.livemint.com/Sundayapp/5H1c8l1WXm4bnuMNWGgojI/Countries-and-happiness-best-governed-cities-Messis-centu.html How has Pune gone from fourth to first position in the last three years? Undertook AMRUT Reforms seriously, laying down a plan in place and following it effectively. It has improved the share of its own revenue in total expenditure and raised the average per capita capital expenditure for the last three years. First city to use Municipal Bonds. It has made available online municipal staff data and a roadmap for digital governance. This led to the building of confidence and increased connect to community. Key Messages from ASICS: India’s cities need to address five systemic challenges in order to deliver better quality of life to citizens in a sustainable manner – Lack of viable spatial planning and design standards for public utilities – India has 1 urban planner per 400,000 people compared to UK’s 148 for the same Weak finances, both in terms of financial sustainability and accountability – more than half of the municipalities do not generate enough money to pay their salaries, 70% of the cities’ budget vary by 30% Poor human resource management – 35% average staff vacancy Powerless mayors and city councils, severe fragmentation of governance – multiple civic bodies, parastatals – multiple civic bodies with frequent change of toothless mayors, commissioners. Local government has the least amount of capability, quality of delivery and poor processes that are being followed. Most of the laws and policies that they are following are archaic. Total absence of systematic citizen participation and transparency – Only two cities have ward committees The Way Ahead Cities and their Foundation: There is a need to focus on building stronger foundations – not just focus on outcomes but also policies. Policies are very important and nobody talks about it. There is an urgent need of giving the highest importance to ‘urban designing’ and not just planning. Cities need to be seen as a unit of empowerment at the systems level. Cities and Reforms: Reforms in the big cities have been painfully slow also due to political instability. Smaller cities under AMRUT are witnessing better transparency, accountability and participation. Finances need to not just be generated but also be managed and accounted for. City people and City government: Government needs to meaningfully engage with the citizens. They need to update the citizens and push the envelope on the issue of discussions being done at the systemic level. City and local body of governance: There is a need to strengthen local body’s capability and capacity to deliver. A discussion on autonomy and devolution of power is long pending. Mayors need to be empowered with decision, and be trusted for the same. Absence of participatory citizen platforms: Citizens need to be involved and sensitized. More awareness programs in public places, schools and colleges need to be conducted. Must Read Articles: Link 1 + Link 2 + Link 3 + Link 4 Connecting the Dots: For India to make urbanisation sustainable, it must first tackle the problems of multiplicity of jurisdictions, weak revenue base and human resource capacity deficit that impact most of its cities. Analyse.