IAS Baba

Dec 16, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 15th December 2017

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 15th December 2017 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Special courts to deal criminal cases against MPs and MLAs Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability and institutional and other measures. Key pointers: The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave the green signal for the Centre’s scheme to set up 12 fast track courts to exclusively prosecute and dispose of 1,581 criminal cases pending against Members of Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies within a year. The Centre will allocate ₹7.8 crore to the States for setting up of the special courts. Pic credit: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article21665773.ece/alternates/FREE_615/lawmakerscol The scheme proposes to club the cases of several politicians together and have one court hear them. This way, the Bench expected a special court to finish at least 100 cases a year. Article link: Click here INS Kalvari Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Indigenization of technology and developing new technology. Key pointers: · First of six scorpene-class diesel-electric vessels was recently commissioned into the Navy. · This is the Navy’s first modern conventional submarine in almost two decades since the INS Sindhushastra was procured from Russia in July 2000. · Kalvari’s induction in the Navy is a big step in defence preparedness,” PM Modi said. · The Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) has undertaken the project to construct the six submarines with technology transfer from the Naval Group (Formerly DCNS) of France. · The Scorpene submarines can undertake different missions including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying and area surveillance. · The second of the Scorpenes would be- Khanderi and the third- Karanj. Article link: Click here No consensus at WTO Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Key pointers: The December 10-13 meeting of the World Trade Organisation’s highest decision-making body, ended with the WTO’s 164 members unable to reach a consensus on substantive issues such as the food security right of developing countries and the centrality of development in multilateral trade negotiations. The member nations though committed to secure a deal by 2019 on banning certain forms of fisheries’ subsidies. Disagreements: The U.S. blocked the demands of more than a 100 developing nations, including India and China, to implement their food security programmes without onerous conditions. India thwarted attempts by several countries, both developed and developing, to initiate binding discussions on what they called the 21st century challenges to trade — including e-commerce, investment facilitation and proposed norms for small firms. India sticked to its position that members should first resolve outstanding issues (such as food sovereignty) of the ongoing Doha Round negotiations that began in 2001 with a ‘development agenda’ (for improving the trading prospects of developing nations), before considering ‘new issues’. Since all major decisions in the WTO need to be taken by ‘the membership as a whole’, even a single country can end up being the deal-breaker. Article link: Click here World Inequality Report Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Inclusive growth Key pointers: Income inequality in India rose rapidly since the 1980s to a situation where the top 10% of the earners accounted for 56% of the income earned in 2014, according to a new report by economists. The report, titled ‘World Inequality Report,’ said inequality rose substantially since the 1980s following the implementation of the deregulation reforms by the government. “In 2014, the share of national income captured by India’s top 1% of earners was 22%, while the share of the top 10% of earners was around 56%,” the report said. “The top 0.1% of earners has continued to capture more growth than all those in the bottom 50% combined.” Central focus: According to the authors, this rising inequality is in sharp contrast to the trends seen in the 30 years following Independence, when income inequality was widely reduced and the incomes of the bottom 50% grew at a faster rate than the national average. After independence, [the then Prime Minister] Jawaharlal Nehru implemented a set of socialist policies, with strict government control over the economy, with an explicit goal to limit the power of the elite,” the report said. “The policies implemented by himself and his followers, including Indira Gandhi, up to the late 1970s, included nationalisations, strong market regulation and high tax progressivity.” These measure, and others, the report said, had a significant impact on reducing income inequality. The report: The report shows unequal impacts of globalisation over past 40 years. It aims to contribute to a more informed global democratic debate on economic inequality by bringing the most up-to-date and comprehensive data to the public discussion Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests The Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral grouping Background: The Russia-India-China trilateral held its 15th meeting in New Delhi recently. This was a month after India was part of the ‘Quad’ discussion on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Manila involving Japan, Australia and the U.S. The trilateral meet is New Delhi’s attempt to overcome challenges in ties with Moscow and Beijing Scope of talks: The broader discussions took place in the backdrop of- The political scenario in West Asia and North Africa. Numerous challenges in putting the world economy back on the growth track. Concerns relating to terrorism, transnational organised crime, illicit drug trafficking, food security, and climate change. Background: The proposal for a Moscow-Beijing-Delhi ‘strategic triangle’ had originally come from the then Russian Prime Minister in 1998. He argued that such an arrangement would represent a force for greater regional and international stability. This idea of a ‘strategic triangle’ took a tangible form when former Foreign Ministers of Russia, China, and India met on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2002. Concern- Growing divergence between Russia and China on one side and India on the other: Russia and China’s continuous attempts to frame global and regional politics through a similar lens, and the growing divergences between India and them. Russia wants India to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative, while for India membership to the initiative would hurt its sovereignty. Targeting India’s participation in the ‘Quad’, Russia has underlined that a sustainable security architecture cannot be achieved in the Asia-Pacific region with “closed bloc arrangements.” China has oppose Quad grouping by arguing that China opposed “hegemony and power politics and disagree with the sphere of influence and promote the democratisation of international relations. China continued to take an aggressive posture on Doklam and its aftermath. The joint declaration of the recent trilateral meeting said: “Those committing, organising, inciting or supporting terrorist acts” must be held accountable and brought to justice under international law, including the principle of “extradite or prosecute.” It stopped short of naming Pakistan-based terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, something that India would have liked in line with the most recent BRICS declaration. Different expectations: The three nations had very different expectations from this trilateral. Russia- Russia’s role is key as its loss of power and influence on the world scene was a major cause of concern for its leadership. There was a growing and pervasive feeling in Russia that it surrendered its once-powerful position on the world stage for a position of little international influence and respect. It is against this backdrop that Russia tried to establish itself as the hub of two bilateral security partnerships that could be used to counteract U.S. power and influence in areas of mutual concern. China- Since the end of the Cold War, China has emerged as a rising power that saw the U.S. as the greatest obstacle, if it was to achieve a pre-eminent position in the global political hierarchy. As a consequence, China recognised the importance of cooperating with Russia to check U.S. expansionism in the world, even if only for the short term. India- India saw in the trilateral a mechanism to bring greater balance in the global order as it believed that a unipolar U.S.-dominated world was not in the best interests of weaker states like itself, even as strategic convergence deepened between Washington and Delhi. Moreover, all three countries realised the enormous potential in the economic, political, military and cultural realms if bilateral relationships among them were adequately strengthened. As a consequence, the trilateral did not lead to consequences of any great importance. It merely resulted in declarations which were often critical of the West, and of the U.S. in particular. Challenge- Changed geo-political scenario: The recent period has seen significant shifts in Indo-U.S. ties as bilateral relations expanded while Russian and Chinese links with the U.S. have witnessed a downward shift. An arrangement that had started with an attempt to manage American unipolarity is now being affected fundamentally by Chinese resurgence. Both Russia and India are having to deal with the externalities being generated by China’s rise. While Russia is getting closer to China, India is trying to leverage its partnership with other like-minded states in the wider Indo-Pacific region. Conclusion: The Russia-India-China partnership comes with its own set of challenges. New Delhi’s continued engagement with the duo suggests that India is today confident of setting its own agenda in various platforms. Just as China engages with the U.S. on the one hand and with Russia on the other, a rising India is quite capable of managing its ties with Washington, Beijing and Moscow simultaneously. It will not always be easy, but diplomacy will have to tread a complex path. As a multipolar world order takes shape, India will have to engage with multiple partners so as to limit bilateral divergences. Connecting the dots: As a multipolar world order takes shape, India will have to engage with multiple partners so as to limit bilateral divergences. Analyze. The Russia-India-China trilateral grouping has not lead to consequences of any great importance because of the growing divergence and different expectations of the three nations. INFRASTRUCTURE/DISASTER MANAGEMENT TOPIC: General Studies 3: Infrastructure Disaster and disaster management. Cyclone Ockhi – Loopholes in Disaster Management What is a disaster? A disaster is an event causing extreme disruption in a society’s functioning. It results in widespread human, material, and environmental losses which are beyond the ability of the affected people to cope with on their own. Most disasters — floods, cyclones, earthquakes, landslides — are due to nature’s fury. When a disaster causes death and destruction, it becomes a calamity beyond human endurance. Cyclone Ockhi: Cyclone Ockhi struck Kanniyakumari district in Tamil Nadu and parts of Kerala on November 29th night and 30th morning. As per the information given by fishermen associations in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, over 120 fishermen are dead and about 900 are still missing. The Tamil Nadu government continues to be in denial mode as far as the number of deaths is concerned, although there is some consensus on the number of people missing. Cyclone Ockhi has left a massive trail of destruction in Kanniyakumari district. It is here that the government’s rapid response by way of disaster management should have stepped in. Failure in damage control: The cyclone warning was delayed. The warning, when it came, was ineffective because it could not be conveyed to thousands of fisherfolk who were already out at sea. Once the cyclone struck, there was no war-like mobilisation and action, which are the hallmarks of good disaster management. Cyclone Ockhi’s devastation started within 12 hours of the first “rough seas” warning that was put out on November 29. Given the limited quantity of fish in nearshore waters, many fisherfolk have diversified into deep-sea and long-distance fishing. The Indian Meteorological Department’s timing of the cyclone forecast was futile. Action plans should have kicked in and the Indian Coast Guard, with its seaborne vessels and helicopters, should have launched emergency search and rescue operations. Had this been done, hundreds of fishing boats and fishermen would have been found and rescued within the shortest possible time. The Indian Navy with its vast array of ships, aircraft and state-of-the-art technology should have stepped in immediately. This too did not happen. The National Disaster Management Act (2005), the National Policy on Disaster Management (2009), the National Disaster Management Plan (2016) and the National Disaster Response Force and infrastructure created thereof didn’t come to rescue. Way forward: The cyclone has also resulted in massive losses to the livelihoods of people living in the coasts due to the destruction of crops, banana, rubber, coconut and forest trees. Relief and rehabilitation is going to be a monumental task and the State government alone cannot take the huge burden of providing a decent compensation to the victims of the cyclone. This calls for the combined efforts of the Central and State government (departments of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and fisheries) and various departments (rubber board, coconut board, spices board, etc.) Connecting the dots: The huge devastation caused by Cycle Okchi reflects the loopholes in disaster management in India. Critically analyze. MUST READ Redefining the hate speech The Hindu Why criminalise instant triple talaq Indian Express Gender based laws- a double edged sword Livemint

Dec 15, 2017 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 103]

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 103] Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements about India BPO Promotion Scheme (IBPS) Under the scheme the government provides subsidy of up to Rs 1 lakh for each BPO seat set in a tier-II or tier-III town It is under the aegis of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) SANKALP Project is associated with Skill Development Filing of GST returns Empowerment of Adolescent Girls Keeping the farmers abreast with crop prices around them Q.3) The world’s newest island ‘Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai’ was formed during a volcanic eruption. Where is it located? Indian Ocean Pacific Ocean Atlantic Ocean Arctic Ocean Q.4) Akshara Sagaram, an ambitious literacy programme for coastal areas is associated with which state? Karnataka Tamil Nadu Kerala Andhra Pradesh Q.5) Buenos Aires Declaration on Women and Trade is concerned with which of the following? World Trade Organization WTO MERCOSUR Community of Latin American and Caribbean States Pacific Alliance To Download the Solution – Click here All the Best IASbaba

Dec 15, 2017 AIR

All India Radio (AIR) : Government Efforts to Maintain Financial Stability

Government Efforts to Maintain Financial Stability ARCHIVES Search 5th October 2017 here http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. In news: PM called for financial stability which is essential for governance of the country. Steps are being taken for increasing investments and bring in economic development. What has impacted the economy? There have been two views on both the big bold reforms which government has brought in. To weed out corruption, promote a digital economy by less use of cash, identify and remove black money from the economy, big bold reforms in form of GST and demonetisation were needed. On these two moves, there are two views supporting and opposing it. One set of people believe that bringing this was not a necessity especially at the juncture when the economy is not doing that well. While others hailed it as it was high time that action was taken against corruption and people who were associated with it. When the GDP growth had come down to 5.7% in 1st quarter it felt that demonetisation and GST would impact GDP in an adverse manner and it has happen so but it is also equally true that what was the option if the government would not have come with these two moves then the pressing issues of the country would still remain addressed or have knee jerk actions of temporary nature which might harm the economy more. In the latest RBI monetary policy, it has reversed GVA growth from 7.3% to 6.7 %. So obviously the impact has been there but the good part is the RBI as well as many experts believe that the bad phase of already bottomed out and from here it can see the upward trajectory only. Also, the impact of big moves like demonetisation and GST take time to concretize and these are early days to forecast its success or failure. The green shoots There is huge inflow of FDI in India as well as reaching 400 billion dollars of foreign exchange. Having macroeconomic stability especially maintaining fiscal deficit and current account deficit. Measuring the economy on these parameters when inflation is down as compared to previous year shows that economy is fairly stable. The cash to GDP has gone down from 12% GDP to 9% GDP which is a major achievement especially with demonetisation move. In last 3 years, the NPA situation has got accumulated. It has gone from bad to worse and private investments have dried up. In the absence of private investment, upliftment in the economy is a big challenge. Hence, the government tried to boost the economy through public investment. Though it might not be beneficial for fiscal consolidation, the result of such moves will not start showing immediately. There is a need to assemble and sort the data of income tax departments and all the investigating offices which shall investigate all those information that has come through demonetisation. This is expected to bring in large number of people in formal accounts who were not filing returns, not paying taxes and people who were basically subverting and opting different methods like shell companies etc. to evade taxes and hide income. This will lead to additional revenue generation both from GST and demonetisation in future. What next? Once there is clear picture about the additional revenue and what kind of revenue from GST is being collected, the government will be in a position to decide how quickly it can alter the GST structure. Reducing the tax burden on people is the big concern area right now but first they have to stabilise GST administratively. Along with it, the difficulties regarding GST registration and filing of tax returns on the part of small traders has to be looked into and the government will certainly do the hand holding so that they comply with the rules that has been set by the government regarding taxation. This is important because, though 80% of the GST comes from 5% of the large tax payers, it is also a fact that 20% of the collection come from 95% of the small ones. This is the chunk of taxpayers from whom revenue can be increased by giving a smooth tax filing options as well as appropriate rate structures. Another set of problem was with exporters that they were not getting refunds. This issue has also been now resolved as the central government has allowed them to pay a nominal GST of 0.1% on the goods manufactured for exports. The most critical reform in existing GST structure will be bringing down the tax rates and also including more and more items in GST specially the petroleum products. It is equally important to maintain honesty and integrity in the system. This was proved by deregistering two and half lakh shell companies by central government. The impact of that would be seen not right now but certainly in the near terms. To get a perspective, Out of 15 lakh registered companies, only 6 lakh files returns which is a big concern on the operation of shell companies. A task force has been created to tackle shell companies. After demonetisation, once the government came to know that the window was again utilised to deposit illegal or unaccounted black money, the action to deregister the shell companies was expedited. Conclusion Infrastructure development especially roads and railways has been commended for the new projects taken and implemented. Power sector is also performing well. Public investment has also aided infrastructure development but real challenge is that of how government brings private investment in the infrastructure sector. Though there is record FDI, there are NPA issues pending to be solved which cannot be alone sorted out through recapitalization of banks. Capacity utilization is now a significant focus area for the investments to pour in. As a forwarding move, RBI has also set up a financial stability unit to carry out periodic stress testing of the banking system and preparing financial stability reports. All these steps along with proper monitoring of big reforms and expediting necessary related changes will ensure fiscal stability. Connecting the dots: Fiscal stability will determine the economic stability and growth. Explain with suitable examples.

Dec 14, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 14th December 2017

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 14th December 2017 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) India-ASEAN Commemorative Summit Part of: Mains GS Paper 2- Global groupings affecting India's interests Key pointers: Marking India’s 25 years of partnership with the ASEAN, the Modi government seeks to augment its ties with the 10-member regional grouping in the coming year. An India-ASEAN Commemorative Summit that will be held on January 25. The theme of the summit, ‘Shared Values, Common Destiny’. It will have a special focus on 3 Cs – Commerce, Connectivity and Culture. Commerce- The most contentious part of the relationship, is bilateral trade between India and ASEAN. While the free trade agreement on goods have been in place since 2010, the pact on services trade have not yet been ratified by Philippines, Laos and Cambodia. It was signed in 2014. ASEAN is India’s fourth largest trading partner. Bilateral trade between India and ASEAN reached $70 billion in 2016-17, up from $65 billion in 2015-16. Connectivity- With connectivity at its core, the summit will also seek to discuss the progress achieved so far in some of the crucial projects such as the Kaladan multi-modal transit transport corridor and India-Thailand Trilateral Highway. Efforts will be made to expedite these projects. On the trilateral highway, efforts are being taken to complete the project by 2019 and then extending it to the CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam) countries. Article link: Click here Controlling organised crime: Uttar Pradesh Part of: Mains GS Paper 2- Key pointers: The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet recently cleared Control of Organised Crime Bill, 2017, it will allow the government to attach “illegal” property of those booked under it. Those found involved in extortion, kidnapping for ransom, illegal mining, manufacturing or sale of fake drugs, and encroachment or trespassing in an organised manner will come under the ambit of the proposed law. An Organised Crime Control Authority, chaired by the state’s Principal Secretary (Home) at the state-level and district magistrate at the district-level, will monitor cases under the proposed law. This authority will also hear appeals against registering cases under it. Another appelate body, headed by a retired judge, will hear appeals against the authority’s order, the Bill says. Once passed, those booked under it will be unable to get any government security. Article link: Click here Future of jobs in India Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Inclusive development Pic credits: Indian Express Akshara Sagaram: Kerala literacy program Part of: Mains GS Paper 2- Pic credits: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/article21617664.ece/alternates/FREE_300/KSLMA-to-roll-oGC631S9E91jpgjpg Key pointers: Akshara Sagaram is an ambitious literacy programme for coastal areas. by rolling it out in three more districts, including Ernakulam. The project is being implemented by the Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority. Illiterate people, newly literate, school dropouts, physically and mentally-challenged people, and all fisherfolks who have not cleared fourth standard have been identified as potential beneficiaries. Improving the living standards of coastal people and coastal area protection measures, women empowerment, elimination of drug abuse, creating awareness about environment, sanitation, cleanliness, health, and various welfare programmes and services provided by the State government have been identified as the other immediate benefits of the project. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) 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: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Encouraging entrepreneurship in India Introduction: Demographic trends in India, the second most populous country in the world, suggest that a million people join the labour force every month. This amounts to 12 million Indians joining the labour force every year, which is more than the entire population of Sweden. The question arises- Are there enough jobs? More important question is- Who creates jobs? Issues with Indian entrepreneurship: Slow pace of entrepreneurship- India produces too few entrepreneurs for its stage of development. The pace of creation of new businesses and new start-ups in India is low compared to the rest of the world (“Entrepreneurship, Growth And Job Creation, In Reshaping Tomorrow”, World Bank). A slow pace of entrepreneurship is associated with a slow pace of job creation. A detailed examination of enterprise in 600 districts in India confirms the strong relationship between new start-ups and subsequent job growth. Districts in India that embraced entrepreneurship have experienced faster job growth. Lopsided entrepreneurship- There is huge heterogeneity in entrepreneurship within India, with new establishments concentrated in a few places. There is extensive evidence of agglomeration economies. For a city, start-ups are more frequent in industries that share common labour needs or have customer-supplier relationships with the city’s incumbent businesses. Which district traits encourage local entrepreneurship? The two most consistent policy factors that predict overall entrepreneurship in a district are: Its local education levels. The link between education and entrepreneurship has strong roots. Education improves skill and spreads ideas more quickly. The quality of local physical infrastructure. Good physical infrastructure is essential to supporting entrepreneurship, economic growth and job creation. Goods and services cannot be produced, or jobs created, without access to roads, electricity, telecommunication, water, education and health. Way forward: Narrowing the knowledge gap and strengthening infrastructure- Programmes that promote education in poorer districts can increase the supply of potential entrepreneurs, provide broader benefits to the communities, and enhance equity. There are limits to the pace at which India can accumulate physical capital and invest in physical infrastructure, but there is no limit to the speed with which India can close the gap in knowledge. Policymakers have the responsibility of providing infrastructure. Districts become more competitive when they are livable, have good infrastructure, are well-governed, invest more in urban knowledge generation and capacity- building and work through strengthened public and private partnerships at the local, national, and international levels. They will attract more entrepreneurs and create more jobs Focusing on areas where future of jobs lies: The jobs challenge faced by India will be shaped not just by how India invests in physical and human infrastructure, but by global trends towards increasing use of digital technologies. Many more new jobs will be created in modern services. The future of jobs will be driven more by education and skills than in the past. Policymakers will need to introduce innovations in the content and delivery of education. The potential of technology-enabled solutions, supported by a stronger foundation of digital literacy, will go a long way in putting the future of jobs on a stronger footing. India’s strength in entrepreneurship lies in its small enterprises. They are now well integrated in global supply chains. Thus, there is a need to promote small enterprises. Women-headed entrepreneurship will become the new driver of job growth in the future. The schemes like Standup India needs to be implemented in an effective manner. Conclusion: The policy message on entrepreneurship and job growth is simple. Local governments wanting to promote pro-entrepreneurial growth should focus less on firm-casing —attracting large mature firms from somewhere else—and focus more on encouraging entrepreneurship in their community. Districts that have a higher level of local education and better quality of local infrastructure will attract many more entrepreneurs and create many more jobs. Connecting the dots: Local governments wanting to promote job growth should focus on encouraging entrepreneurship in their community and this can be done by ensuring better education and better quality of local infrastructure. Discuss. NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 1: Social empowerment General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes Workplace Equality Background: #metoo campaign- A blog post chronicling Susan Fowler's experiences as a female engineer at Uber set in motion events that led to the chief executive officer’s dismissal. From that lone voice almost a year back, the conversation around workplace harassment has now become mainstream. With the #metoo campaign bringing to the surface a new name every week, thousands of women all over the world are openly sharing experiences of the harassment they have faced in society and in the workplace. Fallouts of harassment at workplace: The careers of many women gets stunted or destroyed by such behaviour. The loss of talent is real. According to one data, about 80% of women who experience harassment leave their jobs within two years. Their research also indicates that a woman’s career stagnates after she experiences harassment at the workplace. These women often choose to work in an environment perceived to be safer, but perhaps disconnected from their field of interest. There is also a long-term cost on a woman’s well-being. Successive studies have documented the mental health impacts of being a victim, from depression to loss in confidence. More importantly, scientists have found evidence that harassment early in the career has long-term effects on depressive symptoms. It’s not just the employee that suffers. In the US, employers paid about $125 million in the past two years to settle claims through the equal employment opportunity commission (EEOC). In Indian context: Unlike the US, India doesn’t have a body overseeing workplace equality. The sexual harassment law, while welcome, is fairly recent, with little or no oversight. It’s not easy to bring class-action suits to hold powerful men accountable. The burden of reporting harassment at work or in society lies on the individual facing it. Faced with the prospect of a long and frequently insensitive legal recourse, most women choose to move on. In the process, their careers suffer. Policymakers frequently lament the dismal number of women students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Girls formed only 8% of the total students enrolled in the Indian Institutes of Technology in 2016. A recent study of over 4,000 students from the University of Delhi showed that women are more likely to choose a college that is perceived to have a safer commute, even if it isn’t the top choice academically. Way ahead- Increasing the diversity: Women, not men, are the solution for solving the issue of sexual harassment. The increasing number of women in leadership positions has a direct effect in preventing harassment. In male-dominated industries such as mining or construction, far more women report sexual harassment than in other fields. In comparison, female-dominated and gender-balanced fields, such as education, shows less tolerance of hostile behaviour. The correlation is more pronounced with underrepresented groups. Male-dominated management teams are more likely to tolerate, sanction or even expect, aggressive behaviour from peers. This leads to what we often call the ‘bro-culture’—a culture of complicity where complaints are not taken seriously. Companies with a diverse leadership are more sensitive to such complaints. Conclusion: If the #metoo movement is to be a watershed in workplace equality, the harasser, not the harassed, should suffer the consequences. Perhaps it’s time to consider safety along with social and economic variables to explain the skewed gender ratio. Connecting the dots: Safety is an important variable that explains skewed gender ratio in India. Analyze. For ensuring workplace equality an important step would be ensuring diversity. Discuss. The #metoocampaign showed how thousands of women all over the world have faced harassment in society and in the workplace. Discuss the negative effects of harassment on those harassed. Also suggest way forward. MUST READ A tale of two metro rails The Hindu The outsider The Hindu Health tips Indian Express Who is a Hindu? Indian Express Regarding the verdicts Indian Express Why India needs a green manifesto? Business Line

Dec 14, 2017 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 102]

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 102] Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) are mandatory in nature Health is a State subject Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Other than Venezuela, which one among the following from South America is a member of OPEC? Argentina Brazil Ecuador Bolivia Q.3) Mahamastakabhisheka, a great religious event, is associated with and done for whom of the following? Bahubali Buddha Mahavir Nataraja Q.4) Which one of the following rivers originates in India? Beas Chenab Ravi Sutlej Select the correct code: 1, 2 and 3 2, 3 and 4 1, 3 and 4 All of the above Q.5) WIMAX is related to which one of the following? Biotechnology Space technology Missile technology Communication technology To Download the Solution – Click here All the Best IASbaba

Dec 14, 2017 MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – Effects of Migration

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – Effects of Migration 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)

Dec 14, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 13th December 2017

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 13th December 2017 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Cash benefit for TB patients Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health Key pointers: About 35 lakh identified Tuberculosis patients across the country will soon get Rs. 500 every month from the Centre as social support. The cash benefit for social support will cover loss of wages, travel and mainly nutrition. Undernutrition and TB: TB is inextricably linked to determinants of health such as malnutrition and low immunity due to social deprivation and marginalization. Poor nutrition is increasing the risk by three-fold. Undernutrition at the population level contributes to an estimated over one million new cases of annual TB incidence in India. Article link: Click here The “2+2” dialogue between India & Australia Part of: Mains GS Paper II- International relations Key pointers: Continuing with the strategic bilateral discussion, Australia and India discussed the need to maintain the Asia-Pacific region as a “free” and “open” zone under the “2+2” dialogue model which includes the foreign and defence secretaries of both sides. Both sides agreed that a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region serves the long-term interests of all countries in the region and of the world at large. There is a growing convergence of strategic perspectives between the two countries. Both sides call for the need to maintain the region as a ‘free’ and ‘open’ zone. Article link: Click here Special courts for criminal cases involving MPs and Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability and institutional and other measures. Key pointers: The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that it will set up at least 12 special courts to try exclusively criminal cases involving MPs and MLAs. The government, in an affidavit, said it had framed a scheme to set up the special courts. Background: The affidavit was in response to a Supreme Court direction in November to the government to frame a Central scheme for setting up special courts across the country exclusively to try criminal cases involving “political persons”. In a determined effort to cleanse politics of criminality and corruption, the court said it took years, probably decades, to complete the trial against a politician. By this time, he or she would have served as a Minister or legislator several times over. The scheme should give the details of the funds that are required to set up such courts. The Supreme Court would directly interact with the State governments on issues like the appointment of judicial officers, public prosecutors, court staff and other requirements of manpower and infrastructure for the special courts. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 3: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. 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; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections Policy reforms in Agricultural sector Background: Last year, India’s production was 23 million tonnes (MT), the highest ever, 40% more than the previous year. This was owing to good rains, higher minimum support price (MSP) and higher acreage. High production should have meant lower imports. But, last year’s imports were at an all-time high of 6.6 MT, that too at zero import duty. This caused prices to crash, in some places to half of the MSP. Farmers faced ruin. Procurement of pulses by the government doesn't helps because of the glut and limited storage and fiscal space. The policy lessons: Firstly, there is no instrument for using future price information. Farmers plant crops based on anticipated future prices, not past prices. If futures trading in pulses was allowed, it may have helped in reducing volatility, and garnering some benefits for farmers. Secondly, there are arbitrary stock limits for private traders, which can inhibit inter-period smoothening of prices. In the absence of futures trading, the volatility at times is as high as 48%.. Thirdly, for the past 10 years, all exports of pulses have been banned. This was presumably for food security and price stability. But this export ban has hurt farmers, who couldn’t take advantage of high prices. When prices of food crops go up, the Central government swings into action, clamping down on exports, bringing in zero-duty imports, imposing stocking and storage limits, and so on. But when the opposite happens, that is when prices crash, often, there is no corresponding reverse rescue. Among all World Trade Organization members, India is among a handful of countries with negative protection of agriculture. Lastly, pulses continue to be in the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act. farmers are not free to sell to any buyer they wish but must go through the APMC. Significance of pulses: Pulses are an important source of protein in India. Almost one-fifth of total acreage is used to grow them. They are also an important source of soil fertility since they provide nitrogen through fixation. Indeed, a pulses plant is called a mini fertilizer factory. Lack of self-sufficiency: Pulses were part of the six technology missions created in the 1980s (they were added to the oilseeds mission), to greatly enhance their production, use of technology and processing. But despite the mission-mode approach, India is still not self-sufficient in pulses production. Farmers continue to be at the mercy of nature, markets and government policies. Policy-induced distortion: Agriculture is an arena where policy-induced distortion is the rule, not an exception. The story of pulses is repeated across various crops. In cashew, India’s Kollam used to be the world’s capital, but has lost out to Vietnam due to its failure to adopt technology and due to excessive government control. India pioneered the Green Revolution, but scores very poorly in the global hunger index. The monolithic nationwide policies of promoting and procuring wheat and rice have ultimately proved harmful to health, nutrition and environment (through soil salinity). Coarse cereals, the staple of most rural folk, were largely ignored by the public distribution system, and are only now being introduced in the midday meal schemes. The maze of subsidies in credit, inputs, outputs, water and electricity is a patchwork to act as an antidote to various price and quantity controls, which have an urban/consumer/anti-farm bias. Even policies like prohibition of foreign direct investment in retail hurt the farmer. Farm distress is chronic, and occasionally manifests in its most acute form as farmer suicides. Loan waiver to farmers is yet another reaction to policy-induced indebtedness, which has much deeper roots. Larger issues: The various farm subsidies were cornered mostly by large farmers. Even free or subsidized electricity, or cheap credit, benefits larger farmers. Subsidies also created distortions like overuse of urea, leading to soil salinity, and free power creating a hole in distribution company balance sheets. The single instrument of public procurement and distribution was supposed to achieve three goals: Ensure adequate prices to farmers, Keep food prices low and stable and Ensure food security to the nation. This too has had very limited success. Farm incomes did not rise proportionate to gross domestic product or industry. We have recently had two consecutive years of a serious drought. The blight of farmer suicides is still with us. Farm income growth since 2011-12 has dipped to 1% or below, which is the main factor behind rural distress. Job creation in the rest of the economy is woefully inadequate. A national survey showed that 40% of those in farming would gladly leave, if only they can find a stable job outside. The farm sector does not have a focused lobbying voice. Perhaps this is because the sector is too large and fragmented, and now exposed to globalization. The agriculture sector needs to be unshackled: Export restrictions and monopoly procurement must go. Essential Commodities Act restrictions and arbitrary stocking limits must go. Compulsory sale through the APMC must go. Prohibition on money-lending to farmers, tenancy farming, land leasing, land transfers, all must go (with reasonable and appropriate safeguards). We also need a comprehensive, well-designed crop and price insurance market for farmers. Conclusion: After 69 years of independence, we still have more than half the population depending on farming and related activities for their livelihood. India, with its vast continental size, will have to forge a new path in achieving the rural-urban, industry-agriculture balance, unlike the trajectories followed by Western nations. Removing the anti-farm bias in our policies is a crucial prerequisite for this strategy. Connecting the dots: The policies meant for agriculture have induced distortions at multiple levels. Critically analyze. MUST READ Human rights and Indian values The Hindu Information at court's discretion The Hindu A job crisis in figures Indian Express A shared cultural map Indian Express Working together to teach at right level Livemint Chabahar port- a feather in India's cap Business Line

Dec 13, 2017 AIR

All India Radio (AIR) : Sustainable Tourism- A Tour for Development

Sustainable Tourism- A Tour for Development ARCHIVES Search 27th September 2017 here http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. The world tourism day celebrates the advent of travel and trade. The 2017 theme was- International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development Sustainable tourism means it takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities. But today it is most important challenge of mankind to have tourism which is sustainable as well as a tool for development. In development terms, tourism contributes 10.2% GDP of the world and for the minimum amount of Rs.10 lakh investments, 90 jobs in the world for tourism is generated. However, along with great development aspirations about tourism, there is a need to look at how it is sustainable for it has Environmental concerns Culture concerns Natural resources concern Concerns about how it is beneficial for local population without scattering natural resources The entire ambit of tourism is very warm and India has a very diverse realm right from geological tourism to cultural tourism. The Indian tourism has diversity of domestic tourists who share and exchange own cultural experiences and foreign tourists who have their own set of expectations from Indian tourism. International component in tourism is a big revenue generator as more and more people tour places for relaxation, enhance their own understanding of a country and its culture. Integrated tourism People visit a place to explore and understand its culture because every country has its unique distinct culture. Within the country diverse like India, every corner has a different culture. So it is necessary to address the challenges of tourism responsibly. The tourists find various options in tourism in India like adventure tourism, rural tourism, geological tourism, wildlife tourism, medical tourism etc. When it comes to adventure tourism India has tremendous potential- mountains, beaches, riverside, forests etc. Now there is a need to build the infrastructure and have proper human resource to develop and promote the tourism industry at these places. Likewise, culture tourism, pilgrimage tourism are segments which can also be developed. There should not be boundaries created between cultures at all times instead there should be integration of different realms of tourism. In rural tourism, there is now home stay tourism as well as natural tourism where a person gets to see the ethos of the rural society, the fabric of the rural society, their custom, and their traditions and at the same time may be agricultural varieties and avian population that might have flocked to the region. There can be possibility of geological tourism at the same time. India has many national geological monuments but they are hardly visited. The locals should be given the responsibility of the tourism sustenance. They need to be well aware of prowess of their heritage and in what way they can cater to the tourist. This has been lacking to a great extent which needs to be now concentrated upon. This will preserve the heritage, the tourist spot as well as generate means of employment. Thus, there has to be integrated tourism plan. Participation of communities in sustainable tourism Tourism benefits the local population because it has to be economically viable and stainable and also socially it must be acceptable. The community is benefiting out of tourism and it is getting aware of tourist potentials for them. The government of India has come up with Hunar Se Rozgar scheme under this, capacity of building for service providers has contemplated programs under various heads to consolidate human resource for the adventure tourism sector. Once these people are skilled they can effectively address the requirement of the tourist. There are many heritage buildings for whose sustenance, Adopt a Heritage project has been announced. The project plans to entrust heritage sites/monuments and other tourist sites to private sector companies, public sector companies and individuals for the development of tourist amenities. This is delegating the responsibility to the real stake holders as the people need to know the ways of maintenance and also of disseminating information. This issue of maintenance or rather safe guarding of monuments from increased influx of tourists necessitates awareness among the tourist and there are certain critical things which tourist per se cannot make out and it needs to be educated at the spot. For this, guides and proper instructions are necessities. Also, there can be theme based activities to attract tourists to historical places. For example, Khajurahu dance festival. Sustainable tourism and environment Environment is linked to sustainable tourism because protection of environment is very important component of tourism. Increasing foot falls creates pressure on the local resources and contributes to rising pollution- noise, dirt and litter. Tourism is important for the economic development but it also concerns the environment in terms of environmental pollution and controlling it. Tourists like to stay in areas where abundant natural resources are found- Andaman beaches, the corals of Andaman and Lakshadweep island, Siachen or the Leh or the corridors of valley of flowers in Dehradun. Increased inflow to natural areas adds pressure on ecology and may upset the balance. However, in the places like Lakshadweep there is a certain ceiling all tourist inflow which reduces the threat to natural resources. In Andamans too, there are many guidelines as to how the tourist should move around. There are several places where tourist are not at all allowed (ancient tribe habitations) taking cognisance of virgin islands getting damaged. Also, though considered adventures, activities like animal safaris should be done with protection and caution so as to not disturb the natural habitat of the animals. This will help the country to sustain its wildlife as well as continue to attract tourists. Conclusion Sustainable tourism simply means that the people living next to a resource are the ones best suited to protecting it. The tourism activities and businesses are developed and operated by local community members, with their consent and support. UNESCO which has just come out with its own guidelines where it talks about tourism which is one of the fastest growing industries. However like other forms of development, tourism can also cause its share of problem such as social dislocation, loss of culture heritage, economy dependence and ecological degradations. People have started visiting more places of recent but it should be constantly kept in mind that while having fun, the ecology of the area is not disturbed. Connecting the dots: ‘Sustainable tourism’ has the potential to overtake ‘mainstream tourism’. Critically analyse.

Dec 13, 2017 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 101]

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 101] Archives Q.1) Supreme Court banned production and distribution of ‘Endosulfan’. It caused which of the following? Abnormalities related to male reproductive system Physical deformities Neurobehavioral disorders Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.2) ‘RuTAG’ is often seen in news. Which of the following statements is correct? It is a mechanism to achieve rural advancement through S&T; interventions It enables automatic deduction of toll charges It is a low-cost small satellite launcher by ISRO It is a payment app using Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Q.3) Manipur is bordered by which of the following states? Assam Mizoram Tripura Nagaland Select the correct code: 1, 2 and 3 1, 2 and 4 2, 3 and 4 1, 3 and 4 Q.4) World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) Report is published by United Nations World Economic Forum World Trade Organisation World Bank Q.5) Consider the following statements National Informatics Centre (NIC) It is under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology It was established during the 1991 economic reforms Select the correct code: 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 To Download the Solution – Click here All the Best IASbaba

Dec 12, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 12th December 2017

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 12th December 2017 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) NIC-CERT centre Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Cyber security issues Key pointers: The NIC-CERT centre has been set up by the government. It would monitor and help in early detection and mitigation of cyberattacks on government networks. NIC-CERT currently has a team of about 30 cybersecurity professionals. NIC-CERT will operate in close co-ordination and collaboration with other sectoral CERTs and more so with CERT-In. The government had already announced setting up of sectoral CERTs (computer emergency response teams) for sectors such as finance and power. Using various tools, the team at NIC-CERT will be able to identify vulnerabilities and possible exploits and the intelligence gathered will give CERT the ability to predict and prevent attacks. NIC: NIC’s (National Informatics Centre) networks handle about 500 GB of data at any given point in time. All communications between government departments — Centre, State and district, as well as interactions between the government and the citizens takes place through NIC’s network. Article link: Click here RIC meeting Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Regional groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Key pointers: The India-China-Russia trilateral, for the first time, called for cooperation to take decisive and concerted action against globally-proscribed terrorists and terror entities on Monday. Significant rise in acts of terrorism by terrorist organisations like Taliban, Daesh (Islamic State), al-Qaeda, and LeT directly undermine international peace and security, and endanger ongoing efforts to strengthen the global economy and ensure sustainable growth and development. A comprehensive policy for dealing with global terrorism is required. The policy should include dealing with extremism, countering religious fanaticism, preventing recruitment of terrorists, disrupting terrorist movements, stopping all sources for financing of terrorism, stopping the flow of FTFs (foreign terrorist fighters), dismantling terrorist infrastructure, and countering terrorist propaganda through the Internet, but we should not limit ourselves to these only. Joint statements at RIC meeting: We call for the swift and effective implementation of existing international commitments on countering terrorism, including the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and targeted sanctions relating to terrorism and the FATF International Standards worldwide. We agree to strengthen cooperation to take decisive and concerted actions against globally proscribed terrorists and terror entities. We condemn all forms of terrorism and all terrorists, terror entities and organisations listed by the UN Security Council. Article link: Click here Low-cost small satellite launcher by ISRO Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Science & Technology Key pointers: A low-cost small satellite launcher is being developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation. The launcher will be capable of putting 500-600 kg satellites in orbits close to the earth. The development cost will be kept low at a few crore as the new launcher’s requirement of advanced electronics is considerably lower. It could also tremendously cut the launch fee that customers would have to pay. Which is what all space agencies aim at: low-cost access to space, as they call it. Today, it takes 300-plus engineers and about 40 days to assemble a PSLV. A small launcher that can be got up perhaps in three days by a small team would make a big difference in the market as well as to the launch provider. 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 Regulating the private healthcare Background: Private healthcare in India in recent times has seen a series of scandals. Recent one being a private hospital handing over a dead infant who was thereafter discovered to be still alive. Challenge: Costly private healthcare in a poor country where public health service is totally inadequate is a worrying issue. High commission rates. Reportedly, doctors get a referral fee of 35 per cent for MRI tests and 20 per cent for CT scans and other diagnostic tests. Private healthcare is fighting back too. Doctors in Karnataka organised public protests and changes were made in the final legislation removing the provision for imprisonment as a punishment. Steps being taken by the governments: West Bengal has instituted a regulatory commission. Karnataka has amended and strengthened its 2007 regulation. The union health ministry has written to all States asking them to adopt its 2010 framework, which many have not till now. A few months ago the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority imposed price ceilings on stents and knee replacements which brought down their costs to patients by over half. Regulating the sector: Regulation of private healthcare, when it is the mainstay, is a must. But India is notorious for bureaucratic and rent-seeking regulation. Even the best doctors with enormous experience make mistakes. The system can hardly work if they begin to play safe. For regulation to work, it has to have a light touch, be quick with findings and give the benefit of doubt where due. The regulatory body has to be high-powered, politically independent and represent all sections of stakeholders, particularly patients and NGOs active in the field. The regulator should insist on transparency — hospitals clearly publicising their rates for standard treatments and procedures. There should be normative rates for different types of hospitals as not all private hospitals are posh or located in costly cities. Hospitals should publicise standard packages and rationale for additional charges levied recorded. The regulator should get regular data on the percentage of deviation from standard packages. Checking commissions: Doctors are the anchors of the healthcare system and most societies hold doctors in high esteem. Conversely, unethical practices cannot be widespread without the active participation of doctors. The foremost job of regulators should be to ensure that doctors are not paid commissions for referring patients to diagnostic centres or bringing them to hospitals. Many hospitals pay a commission to consultants on the bills run up by patients who are under their supervision. While inducements offered by pharma companies are easier to track and prevent, commissions paid by diagnostic centres and hospitals are more difficult to track. The code of ethics of the Medical Council of India for professionals disallows this but it seems a dead letter. The payment of commission to doctors creates adverse incentives. The more a doctor recommends diagnostic tests or that a patient should be kept longer in the ICU, the more he earns. Way out: One way in which hospitals can avoid paying commission to consultants is not to have outside consultants, engage them full time and pay them a salary. Solving information asymmetry: In healthcare there is an asymmetry of information. Across the world religious and secular nonprofit hospitals carry a big healthcare load. They seek to function professionally, relying mostly on philanthropy to meet their deficits. Getting global funding for healthcare related NGOs is becoming difficult as the economy booms and India is no longer seen as very poor. The central government’s policy on foreign funding for NGOs is another hurdle. Conclusion: Poor private healthcare sector in a country where public healthcare system has terribly failed is a serious issue in India. Regulating private sector is thus the need of the hour. Connecting the dots: Private healthcare sector must be regulated. Critically analyze. ENVIRONMENT TOPIC: General Studies 3: Environment and Ecology, Bio diversity - Conservation, environmental degradation, environmental impact assessment, Environment versus Development. Climate Change implications and mitigation strategies. Carbon Tax Policy/Cap-and-Trade Policy/Tax-and-Dividend Policy Introduction: Air pollution has become one of the biggest public concerns in India today. Around 19 lakh people die prematurely every year from diseases caused by outdoor and indoor air pollution – Lancet Report Lungs of children who grow up in polluted environments like Delhi are 10% smaller compared to the lungs of children who grow up in the U.S. – Indian Journal of Pediatrics This is nothing short of a public health emergency. Therefore, there is urgent need for a comprehensive policy to curb pollution. Carbon Dioxide A Necessary Evil At the heart of the problem of pollution are carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. About 75% of all greenhouse gas emissions are CO2 emissions produced through burning fossil fuels — oil, coal and natural gas — to generate energy. Since the early 2000s, carbon emissions have increased because of high growth in the Indian economy. In 2014, India’s total carbon emissions were more than three times the levels in 1990, as per World Bank data. This is because of India’s - heavy dependence on fossil fuels and dramatically low level of energy efficiency The way ahead: Tax Carbon Emissions can be curbed only if people are persuaded to move away from fossil fuels and adopt greener forms of energy. And the best way to achieve this is through ‘taxing carbon’. Carbon tax is one of two major market-based options to lower emissions, the other being ‘cap-and-trade schemes’. Concept of Carbon Tax Pricing carbon emissions through a carbon fee is one of the most powerful incentives that governments have to encourage companies and households to pollute less by investing in cleaner technologies and adopting greener practices. A carbon tax is a way to make users of carbon fuels pay for the climate damage caused by releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. If set high enough, it becomes a powerful monetary disincentive that motivates switches to clean energy across the economy, simply by making it more economically rewarding to move to non-carbon fuels and energy efficiency. A shift by households, businesses and industry to cleaner technologies increases the demand for energy-efficient products and helps spur innovation and investment in green solutions. Under this system, the price to pollute sets the strength of the economic signal and determines the extent to which green choices are encouraged. For example, a stronger price on emissions will lead to more investment in cleaner energy sources such as solar and wind power. And although a carbon fee makes polluting activities more expensive, it makes green technologies more affordable as the price signal increases over time. Most importantly, a carbon tax gets green solutions into use. Therefore, carbon tax must be a central part of our strategy for dramatically reducing carbon pollution, a view shared by economists and ecologists. Concept of Cap-and-trade system: In a cap-and-trade system, government puts a firm limit, or cap, on the overall level of carbon pollution from industry and reduces that cap year after year to reach a set pollution target. As the cap decreases each year, it cuts industry's total greenhouse gas emissions to the limit set by regulation, and then forces polluters that exceed their emissions quota to buy unused quota from other companies. Remodeling India’s Energy Mix The Indian economy’s energy mix needs to be remodelled through investments in clean renewable sources of energy like solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and low-emissions bioenergy, and by raising the level of energy efficiency through investments in building retrofits, grid upgrades, and industrial efficiency. According to an estimate, this energy mix overhaul requires an additional 1.5% of GDP (to the current annual level of 0.6%) annually over the next two decades. A part of the carbon revenue generated from Carbon Tax can be used for a systemic overhaul of the energy mix, which, to a large extent, would address the pressing problem of environmental degradation. Since the expenditure will be financed by the carbon tax revenue, it will be a revenue-neutral policy with no implications on the fiscal deficit. This policy not only curbs emissions but also delivers on providing more employment since the employment elasticity in greener forms of energy is higher than those in fossil fuel-based energy. A significant part of more than 3% of India’s GDP currently spent on pollution-induced diseases will surely come down. If we want to breathe to live, India needs to make such a policy leap. Concern with Carbon Tax: Carbon Tax is regressive in nature — i.e., it affects the poor more than the rich. This problem can be solved using a new policy – ‘tax and dividend’ According to this ‘tax and dividend’ policy, the revenue thus generated is distributed equally across its citizens and as a result, the poor are more than compensated for the loss, since in absolute amounts the rich pay more carbon tax than the poor. Or instead of a cash transfer, the other part of the carbon revenue can be used for an in-kind transfer of free electricity to the population that contributes less carbon than the economy average, and universal travel passes to compensate for the rise in transport costs and to encourage the use of green public transport. Such a policy will justly addresses the widening schism/rift between Bharat, which bears the climate impact burden, and India, which is imposing that burden because of its lifestyle choices. Prices of almost all the commodities will rise – Prices of all commodities (esp fuel and energy which has highest carbon content) will rise. For eg. the average price of electricity will rise from its current value of Rs. 3.73 to Rs. 4.67 per kWh. Connecting the dots: What is a carbon tax? Examine how carbon tax can give a fillip to Climate Change mitigation. Is there a need to incorporate carbon tax or cap-and-tax system in our climate change mitigation strategy? Discuss. What is a carbon tax? What are the problems faced by India in adopting a high carbon tax regime in India? ‘The future of climate change mitigation rests on successfully enacting comprehensive carbon tax or cap-and-tax system’. Do you agree? Examine. MUST READ For clean air, India needs a policy leap The Hindu The powerplay in peacekeeping The Hindu Flawed economics The Hindu Diplomacy beyond the canon Indian Express New directions at the RBI Livemint A universal good Business Line

Posts