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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
Spy Poisoning Row Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests In News: UK Prime Minister Theresa May has announced the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats in retaliation for the attack on a former spy and his daughter who were poisoned on British soil with a military-grade nerve agent. The pair were hit with Novichok, which refers to a string of chemical weapons developed in Russia starting in the 1970s. Source: http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/testfiles/russia-west/index.html OPCW (the international chemical weapons watchdog) says analysis of samples confirms UK findings about nerve agent used in Salisbury attack – The OPCW does not have the power to identify the source of the nerve agent, only to spell out its chemical properties. It is standard OPCW procedure not to identify the laboratories involved in testing the samples, but the organisation draws from a multilaterally agreed list of labs. Who is Sergei Skripal? He is a former Colonel who was part of the Russian army’s intelligence wing until 1999. He then worked for the Russian foreign ministry in Moscow until 2003. He was arrested in Moscow in December 2004 for spying for Britain, and sentenced to 13 years in prison in August 2006. Russian prosecutors said British intelligence, the M16, had paid Skripal $ 100,000 for “sensitive” information he had been supplying since the 1990s. Skripal was a double agent, a spy who had double-crossed colleagues in the Russian intelligence wing, betrayed fellow army veterans, and provided information to Britain that inflicted considerable damage on Russian intelligence. In July 2010, Skripal was the beneficiary of a spy swap, and had since been living a quiet life in the UK. The attack on him now appears to have broken the Cold War espionage etiquette that pardoned spies would be left alone in the countries that ultimately hosted them. Conclusion Reactions: The reactions are disproportionate as this would lead Russia to retaliate, which means break down of all ways of communication. It has led to one of the biggest diplomatic crises between Russia and Western nations since the Cold War. Need to follow the process: There was a need to first inform OPCW and send them samples so that Russia could not investigate. There was an immediate accusation from Britain’s end. Russia claims that just before the Presidential elections and just before the World Cup and Winter Games, nobody in Russia would carry this out. Russia has accused Britain of trying to drum up anti-Russian sentiment, suggested the British might have carried out the attack themselves. It has denied possessing the nerve agent Britain says was used while Russian President Vladimir Putin has said it was nonsense to think that Moscow would have poisoned Skripal and his daughter. Responsibility of OPCW: It is important for OPCW to get the two main chemical stockpile holders to actually destroy their stockpiles on an accelerated basis in a prescribed timeline. Connecting the Dots: The poisoning of a former Russian double agent in Britain has prompted a global diplomatic row. Discuss.
Creativity Vs Competition: If you have to choose between competition and creativity to help you reach your goals, which one would you choose? What drives you on a daily basis to work harder and put in the necessary effort to work towards your dreams? What is your primary driving force? Is it competition or creativity? There is an oceanic difference between competition and creativity. While competition has its roots in fear of failure, creativity has its roots in momentary application of thought and intelligence. While competition is only a yardstick that you check against to see your focus, creativity is the very purpose and process of action. It is very easy to mistake competition to be the sole purpose of your efforts. It is very easy to forget that the main objective of working towards a goal is finding your own unique creative expression. It is very easy to get lost in the constant noise of competition and forget your true inner creative voice. When you are running a race, you simply acknowledge in your periphery vision that you have others running along with you and they are your competition. You never focus on them so completely that you miss looking at the destination and where you are going. It is very easy to become distracted by competition and forget the ultimate objective. Creativity should be your key driving force, not competition. If there are ten parts to your effort to reach a certain goal, nine of them should be about being creative and one part of it should be about competition. If your objective is to go beyond your completion then obviously your vision should be far beyond your competition. Creativity begins by firstly acknowledging and understanding that the answer to all your questions is within you. You are the source of all the solutions that you are seeking. Once this becomes firm, you can begin to focus on yourself more rather than on the completion. Focusing too much on your competition clearly shows that you are not sure about what you are doing and you are afraid of your competition. If you know yourself and what you are doing well, then there is no need to be worried about your competition. All you have to do is focus on yourself, only once in a while checking with the completion to see your progress. Something dramatically changes when you start focusing on your individual skills, efforts and learning as opposed to worrying about the competition. When you remove competition from the picture, you will start seeing things in unique creative ways. New pathways and channels of learning and understanding will open up. You will enjoy the process of problem solving and learning becomes a thing of joy by itself. “The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”
IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 14th April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Economic Freedom Index Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Governance Key pointers: India has jumped 13 places in the last one year to be at 130th spot in the latest annual Index of Economic Freedom released by a top American think-tank- The Heritage Foundation, an American conservative public policy think-tank based in Washington. In 2017, India with a score of 52.6 points was ranked at 143 among 180 countries, two spots below neighbour Pakistan, according to the Index of Economic Freedom. India’s economic freedom score is 54.5, making its economy the 130th freest in the 2018 Index. The overall score has increased, led by improvements in judicial effectiveness, business freedom, government integrity, and fiscal health. India is ranked 30th among 43 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and its overall score is below the regional and world averages. Economic liberalisation measures, including industrial deregulation, privatisation of state-owned enterprises and reduced controls on foreign trade and investment, that began in the early 1990s, accelerated growth. 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 Substantiating India-US relationship: Need of the hour Introduction: For India, the larger security environment is assuming complex dimensions with a US-China trade-war looming, US-Russia relations taking a nose-dive and China’s Belt and Road masterplan unfolding in the Indo-Pacific. Another cause of concern is the emerging Moscow-Beijing axis and Russia’s courtship of Pakistan. Given that nations have neither permanent friends nor permanent enemies, only permanent interests, it is time for India to consider an policy reappraisal. Evolving bonhomie between India and US: A bipartisan consensus in Washington about enlisting India as a strategic partner led to then-President George Bush in 2005 making an offer which New Delhi could not refuse. The unprecedented US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement, which followed in 2008, accorded India the “de facto” status of a nuclear weapon state without signing the Non Proliferation Treaty. Parallel developments followed in the defence arena. The 2004 Agreement on Next Steps in Strategic Partnership was followed by a Defence Framework Agreement in 2005 and the 2012 Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI), envisaging the transfer of advanced technologies to India. In 2016, India was accorded the status of Major Defence Partner by the US Congress. Poor progress under the DTTI: The DTTI has, however, made little actual progress because of divergent objectives. While India seeks technology, the US remains focused on trade. India’s defence capability has benefited only from $15 billion worth of hardware — comprising patrol-aircraft for the navy, transports and helicopters for the IAF, and howitzer guns for the army — purchased under the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) scheme. Issue: A major impediment in the Indo-US defence relationship has been India’s reluctance to sign the “foundational agreements” required by the US to enhance defence ties. After discussions assuaging India’s justifiable apprehensions about a compromise of strategic autonomy as well as the security of military information, the Logistical Exchange Memorandum of Agreement was signed in 2016. Two others — the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement, and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement — haven't been signed yet due to bureaucratic reservations. A delay in signing these will deprive India of high-tech equipment that should accompany US hardware and prevent the sharing of useful geospatial information between the two militaries. A word of caution: Our time has not yet come Indians must beware of hyperbole obscuring reality in the bilateral discourse. American offers of “help to make India a great power” and declarations that India is “not just a regional power, but a global power”, should arouse scepticism. Undoubtedly, India is destined to assume its rightful place in the world order but a reality check will tell us that our time has not yet come. The vision of a “Super India”, offered by the promise of its growing economy, illusory “demographic dividend” and a nuclear arsenal, is gradually receding in the face of harsh domestic realities. On the other hand, China, with five times India’s GDP, is surging ahead to attain economic, military and technological parity with the US. Aiming to be Asia’s sole hegemon, China has armed Pakistan and enlisted it as a surrogate, thereby containing India within a South Asian “box”. For India to attain its full economic and strategic potential, it will need an insurance against hegemony. The choices before India are few and a partnership with the US appears a pragmatic and realist option at this juncture. Way ahead: The DTTI must serve to bolster design and production capabilities in defence. Instead of pursuing symbolism, the DTTI should facilitate a transfer of technologies that have eluded our engineers and scientists. In order to elevate the Indo-US relationship to a strategic level and resolve many outstanding bilateral issues, Trump and Modi had agreed to establish a “2+2” dialogue between the respective defence and foreign ministers. As and when the “2+2” dialogue does take place, the Indian side should remind their US interlocutors that in the past three decades the USSR and Russia have, amongst other items, leased two nuclear submarines, sold an aircraft-carrier, and transferred technology for a supersonic cruise missile to India. So, if the US is to deliver on tall promises, some serious re-thinking may be required. Connecting the dots: For India to attain its full economic and strategic potential, it will need an insurance against hegemony from China. The choices before India are few and a partnership with the US appears a pragmatic and realist option at this juncture. Comment. NATIONAL TOPIC:General studies 2: Structure, organization and functioning of the Judiciary Judicial reforms must come from within the judiciary In news: The letter by Justice Kurian Joseph to the Chief Justice of India, also sent to 22 companion justices, requests for a bench of seven justices to be formed to “suo motu take up the matter of the government sitting on the two names” for proposed elevation. The prolonged silence, writes Justice Kurian Joseph, imperils the “life and existence” of the court. And he adds, “history would not pardon” it were the court to do nothing to question this kind of governmental conduct. Background: The first constitutional amendment under the present regime enacted the National Judicial Commission with a facilitating Act. Both the constitutional amendment and the Act were struck down by a five-judge bench with a 4:1 decision on the ground that while the amendment affected judicial review as an aspect of the “basic structure” of the Constitution, the Act, in effect, diminished the “primacy” of the CJI and the collegium. The court went an extra mile to ask the executive to propose a Memorandum of Procedure (MoP). More than a year has gone by, but the executive has not yet finalised it, despite reminders by the court. Instead, the executive seems to claim a power of veto over the names proposed; in doing so, it seeks to do indirectly what it could not directly — thus violating a foundational axiom of the rule of law. Present system: Since the 1998 Advisory Opinion, the judicial collegium was not questioned, only the composition and the procedure of functioning were sought to be clarified. Contrary to the heavy propaganda now of judges appointing judges, the Union government had itself accepted the new collegium system of five senior-most justices. It was also accepted that the executive will convey its concerns to the CJI if a security issue was involved; if the collegium reiterated them, the names will become final. Despite occasional grapevine criticism of the collegium, the system continued in place. Issue: The governance tendency comprising non-response to troublesome situations seems to be on a high growth curve. The four senior-most justices had earlier pointed out, in a press conference, that the recommendations of the collegium concerning the MoP were not responded to for a long time, even though finalised by the court. The lack of response to the CJI is angainst the dignity of a high constitutional office, and may also entail the offence of contempt, scandalising the court. Reform must come from within: Any reform of the system will have to come from within the court itself. It has made a welcome beginning by posting some details on the website; but it must do more, for there is no more demanding virtue than transparency. There are prescribed or ordained ways of handling constitutional disagreements. Sheer assertion of the power of not responding is not one of them. The executive clearly holds a different view than the justices on the powers of elevation and transfer; the way ahead is to have a new and creative National Judicial Commission Act, which is acceptable to both the high organs of governance. The CJI should be, and must remain, in a position of robust dialogue with dissenting brethren and blend his power as master of roster with respect for the suggestions and opinions of others. Conclusion: Constitutional democracy is not imperilled by dissent and disagreement but by an overweening sense of power in one person or institution. The Fundamental Duties of all citizens (under Part IV-A of the Constitution) require us to interrupt power from dreams of limitless sovereignty. We need to rekindle a constitutional flame in all our institutions. Connecting the dots: The issue of judicial appointments and elevation is a long pending one. The judiciary and the executive needs to come to a common ground. Also, reforms to ensure transparency must come from within the judiciary. Comment. MUST READ Preventing accidents The Hindu Ambedkar's Dhamma, Gandhi's swaraj The Hindu UK must loosen its grip on commonwealth Business Line Why we should not worship Ambedkar Business Line
Chicken soup for the Indian teenage soul: This is one of the most inspiring books a young Indian can read and enjoy from the series of ‘Chicken soup for the soul’. The book consists of inspiring stories to rejuvenate your spirit and help you to deal with daily challenges of living. Lucid and easy to understand language, filled with true inspiring stories makes for a great reading. The book covers wide range of topics one encounters on a daily basis. Each story is unique and refreshing, and brings in a unique perspective to life. As the title itself suggests, this is a book for young teenage souls or rather this is a book for all those who are teenagers at heart, facing the same challenges as any teenager. More often than not, all one needs is a dose of good inspiration to get back on track. This book offers plenty of that. The collection of stories in this book is very relatable as they all come from inspiring Indians. The economic, social and cultural backgrounds being similar, this book offers a unique connection that one can easily relate to. Enjoy this soup one story or one spoon at a time. You will love it.
IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 13th April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Government to ban e-cigarettes soon Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Government intervention in important sectors Key pointers: The Centre has informed the Delhi High Court that it is in the process of issuing guidelines to ban the manufacture, import, sale and any kind of trade in e-cigarettes, dubbing it a “new emerging threat”. Terming e-cigarettes or Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems “addictive” and targeted at young smokers, the Health Ministry said the decision has been taken in the larger interest of public health. Though there are no specific guidelines to deal with e-cigarettes, several State governments and Union Territories have taken steps to prohibit it. Issues: The chief constituent of e-cigarettes was nicotine, which is addictive. It also has a high level of toxicity and can lead to development of cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases, have adverse effect on the immune and gastrointestinal systems, and raise the risk of miscarriage in pregnant women. Article link: Click here Navigation satellite IRNSS-1I- Part of NavIC Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Science & Technology Key pointers: Navigation satellite IRNSS-1I was flown into space from Sriharikota space pad. The 1,425-kg satellite will shortly become the eighth satellite to join the NavIC constellation of Indian regional navigation satellites. The launch completes the first phase of the constellation NavIC: NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), dubbed India’s own GPS, has been designed to provide precise information on position, navigation and time related to objects or people. The eight satellites have a civilian and restricted military/security application to aid security and disaster management and fleet monitoring on land, air and sea. The NavIC constellation will help make innovative applications for the entire community of position-based services, especially the under- served and un-served. Article link: Click here WHO's and UNICEF's directive on breastfeeding Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Key interventions in health sector Key pointers: The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has issued a new 10-step guidance to increase support for breastfeeding in health facilities that provide maternity and newborn services, which provide the immediate health system platform to help mothers initiate breastfeeding within the first hour and breastfeed exclusively for six months. Breastfeeding all babies for the first 2 years would save the lives of more than 8,20,000 children under age 5 annually, noted a release issued by the WHO. The guidelines describe how hospitals should have a written breastfeeding policy in place, required staff competencies, and antenatal and post-birth care, including breastfeeding support for mothers. It also recommends limited use of breast milk substitutes, rooming-in, responsive feeding, educating parents on the use of bottles and pacifiers, and support when mothers and babies are discharged from hospital. Breastfeeding saves lives. Its benefits help keep babies healthy in their first days and last well into adulthood. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) DEFENCE/SECURITY TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General Studies 3: Mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment Indigenization of technology and developing new technology. Self-reliance in Defence and Aerospace Background: Marking the 20th anniversary of the strategic partnership between India and France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron had a summit meeting in New Delhi in March 2018. Fourteen agreements were signed, including those related to strategic maritime awareness, logistical support between armed forces, and exchange of classified information. France is a major source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in India, with about 750 big French companies, with a cumulative investment of $5.82 billion between April 2000 and June 2017. Over 150 Indian companies are operating in France, employing around 7,000 people. Joint statement: India and France The joint statement acknowledged that “the Make-in-India initiative offers a valuable opportunity for Indian and French defence enterprises to enter into arrangements for co-development and co-production of defence equipment in India, including through transfer of know-how and technologies to the mutual benefit of all parties”. India's policy: The draft defence production policy, 2018, under consideration now, envisions India as one of the world’s top five defence producers by 2025, with self-reliance in 13 areas covering almost the entire range of weapons and systems. The export target has been fixed at Rs35,000 crore ($5 billion) by 2025. The FDI limit is proposed to be raised to 74% under the automatic route for “niche technologies”. India's need: India faces complex security challenges as it has hostile nuclear armed neighbours to its north and west, with unresolved borders. The international community expects India to be a net security provider in the Indian Ocean region. Such security responsibilities require best-of-class armed forces. Challenges: In its quest for the best, and for self-reliance, in defence and aerospace, India’s greatest challenge is to bridge the technology gap. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2017), India has continued to be the largest arms importer in the last five years, with an import dependency running in excess of 60%. Favoring factors: Strong factors favouring India are its colossal requirements, strength of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and a large young population with good basic skills. There are over 6,000 MSMEs in the defence sector, with many more capable of contributing to defence and aerospace in case they find the right opportunity. Way ahead: In order to achieve the targets, it is important for the armed forces to define requirements, both in terms of numbers and technology, well in advance, with a fair degree of certainty. The defence industry requires long gestation periods for design and development. This investment offers good returns in the long run as the life cycle of major equipment is long, with recurring sustenance requirements. In order to optimize the opportunity to mutual advantage, we have to transition from “Buy (Global)” or “Buy & Make” to “Make in India”. This requires engagements to commence upstream in the process of design and development. Innovation partnership at the academia-industry level between countries is an imperative. MSMEs from India are capable, and deserve their place in global supply chains. The aerospace policy and industry need to view the aviation sector, both military and civil, holistically. The policy for UAVs needs to be put in place at the earliest to ensure that the vast resources committed to this industry get a direction. The recently announced defence industrial corridors, and the MSME clusters therein, need to embrace the aviation sector. Most importantly, the energy of the public and private sector has to be harnessed together to be able to achieve self-reliance by 2025. Conclusion: The intent to go deeper than just a buyer-seller relationship is distinctly manifest in both, the India-France joint statement of March 2018 and the draft defence production policy, 2018. Connecting the dots: India's quest for self-reliance, in defence and aerospace is just given its huge potential. However, there are certain challenges which needs to be overcome. 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 Mending of relations between India and Nepal Introduction: After a brief period of turbulent bilateral relations starting September 2015, a U-turn appears to have been effected in India-Nepal relations after the December 2017 elections in Nepal. The U-turn culminated in Prime Minister Oli’s three-day official visit to New Delhi starting April 6. The visit is widely rated as most successful and historical. The current visit of Oli has been characterised as remarkably different. Oli was received at the airport by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is second in rank in the Modi cabinet. Not only was Oli’s first foreign visit to India but even his first official meeting as PM took place with Indian business leaders on which occasion he invited Indian investors to Nepal. The two leaders held a one-on-one meeting for over one hour at Modi’s residence before the delegation level meeting. Such one-on-one meetings rarely happen during visits of high level delegations to India. Other than the 12-point regular joint statement, three special statements on agriculture, rail linkages up to Kathmandu, and inland waterways, were issued during the visit. For the first time in the last three years, the joint statement did not mention internal issues of Nepal such as amendments to the new constitution, inclusion of minorities, Madhesi, etc. Both leaders found synchronization between their favourite development frameworks - ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Bikas’ and ‘Samriddha Nepal Sukhi Nepali’. Purpose of the visit: The principal purpose of the visit was to remove the mistrust that had emerged in bilateral relations in the wake of Nepal’s adoption of the new constitution and India’s reservations about some of its provisions. While addressing Nepal’s Parliament before his three-day India visit, Oli said that “the visit is aimed at deepening the relations that have subsisted between Nepal and India since ages.” Mutual feeling to mend relations: India’s course correction: Why? Since India values democracy, PM Modi personally felt that the public mandate in favour of the UML-led left alliance needs to be respected and that India should support institution building in Nepal under a popular government. Domestically, the government came under tremendous pressure to improve relations with neighbouring countries and especially with Nepal with which India shares a multi-layered relationship. The more than 70 per cent voter turnout and the active participation of Madhesis and Janajatis in Nepal’s three level elections – local, provincial and federal – under the new constitution forced India to revisit its earlier position, shed reservations on the constitution and modify policy towards Nepal. Why did Oli government respond positively? The Oli government needed massive developmental assistance to fulfil its poll promises like roads, rural electrification, drinking water, irrigation, jobs, hospitals, industrial zones, railways and airports. Despite China’s increasing economic cooperation with Nepal, India continues to remain Nepal’s largest trading and business partner. India is the only transit country for Nepal’s third country trade despite having signed a transit agreement with China in March 2016. Second, the Oli government also realized the requirement for massive funds to implement federalism through the creation of the necessary administrative infrastructure in the provincial capitals. Politically, Oli might have felt that rapprochement with India could prevent the formation of a non-UML government in Kathmandu given the slow progress in unification of the two left parties and intra-party factionalism in the UML. Conclusion: No doubt, the purposes of the visit have been achieved and a new phase of relationship has begun with India acknowledging Nepal as an ‘equal partner’. While the visit has set a new tone in the relationship, it has also brought fresh challenges to the fore in terms of each country addressing the other’s concerns. Certainly, the challenges are more for India than they are for Nepal. There is a trust deficit in Nepal because of the Indian reputation for delaying implementation of various projects. This has sent a wrong message in Nepal that the delays are deliberate. After Oli’s latest visit, which has created new expectations in Nepal, India needs to seriously address this problem of delivery-lag. Connecting the dots: A new tone has been set in the India-Nepal relationship. It has also brought fresh challenges to the fore in terms of each country addressing the other’s concerns. Discuss. MUST READ Can Ayushman Bharat make for a healthier India? The Hindu Why we should trust science? The Hindu Still on the startling block The Hindu Inside a black hole Indian Express Global benchmarking of Indian learning Business Line
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
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
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.
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