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IASbaba PIB Weekly : Press Information Bureau – 19th Nov to 26th Nov, 2017

IASbaba Press Information Bureau 19th November to 26thNovember, 2017  ARCHIVES GS-2 India Signs Loan Agreement with World Bank for USD 100 Million for “Shared Infrastructure for Solar Parks Project” (Topic: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate; Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) Objective of the project: To increase solar generation capacity through establishment of large-scale parks in the country Will help establish large-scale solar parks and support the government’s plan to install 100 Gigawatts (GW) of solar power out of a total renewable-energy target of 175 GW by 2022. The project consists of two components Shared Infrastructure for Solar Parks (estimated total project cost of USD 100 million, including USD 75 million in IBRD loan and USD 23 million in CTF Loan) Technical Assistance (USD 2 million in CTF Grant) Must Read: Link 1 Cabinet Approves Agreement between India and Philippines on co-operation and mutual assistance in customs matters: The Agreement would provide a legal framework for sharing of information and intelligence between the Customs authorities of the two countries. It would help in the proper application of Customs laws, prevention and investigation of Customs offences and the facilitation of legitimate trade. India's Membership for European Bank for Reconstruction & Development: With the country's impressive economic growth over the years and enhanced international political profile, it was considered appropriate that India should expand its presence on the global developmental landscape beyond its association with the Multi-lateral Development Banks (MDBs) such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and African Development Bank. The decision to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the New Development Bank (NDB) was taken earlier in this backdrop. Major impacts include: Enhance India's international profile and promote its economic interests Access to EBRD's Countries of Operation and sector knowledge India's investment opportunities would get a boost. It would increase the scope of cooperation between India and EBRD through co-financing opportunities in manufacturing, services, Information Technology, and Energy EBRD's core operations pertain to private sector development in their countries of operation. The membership would help India leverage the technical assistance and sectoral knowledge of the bank for the benefit of development of private sector. The membership of EBRD would enhance the competitive strength of the Indian firms, and provide an enhanced access to international markets in terms of business opportunities, procurement activities, consultancy assignments etc. This would open up new vistas for Indian professionals on the one hand, and give a fillip to Indian exports on the other. Increased economic activities would have the employment generating potential. It would also enable Indian nationals to get the employment opportunity in the Bank. Signing of India - Russia Agreement on cooperation in combating terrorism and organized crime: The Agreement would reinforce the relationship between India and Russia through exchange and sharing of information, expertise, best practices and would help in curbing terrorism and enhancing, security in the region. Setting up of the 15thFinance Commission: Under Article 280 (1) of the Constitution, it is a Constitutional obligation. Expansion of umbrella scheme "Mission for Protection and Empowerment for Women" and introducing a new scheme ' Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra': Social sector welfare schemes especially for care, protection and development of women Aim at improvement in declining Child Sex Ratio Ensuring survival & protection of the girl child Ensuring her education, and empowering her to fulfil her potential Will provide an interface for rural women to approach the government for availing their entitlements and for empowering them through training and capacity building. Student volunteers will encourage the spirit of voluntary community service and gender equality. These students will serve "agents of change" and have a lasting impact on their communities and the nation. To provide comprehensive support to women affected by violence, One Stop Centres (OSCs) will be established in 150 additional districts during the period. These one stop Centres will be linked with women helpline and will provide 24 hour emergency and non-emergency response to women affected by violence both in public and private space across the country. A unique initiative involving engagement of Manila Police Volunteers (MPVs) on a voluntary basis in States/UTs will. also be done to create public-police interface, which will be expanded to 65 districts covering all States /UTs. GS-3 Center of Excellence in Maritime and Ship Building (CEMS) (Topic: Infrastructure:Ports) Set up: By Ministry of Shipping in collaboration with Siemens and Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) under the Ministry’s flagship Sagarmala Programme Campuses: Vishakhapatnam and Mumbai Objectives: Will provide industry-relevant skill development Equip students with employable engineering and technical skills in the port and maritime sector Contribute to the Government of India’s ambitious Sagarmala programme CEMS is being set up to meet the domestic skill requirement in ship design, manufacturing, operating and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) Aims to become an international nodal centre in South Asia, attracting students from neighboring countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia for skill development in the Port and Maritime sector. Adds to the Make in India and Skill India efforts in the maritime sector Will provide skilled manpower to make vessels for inland waterways, ships, fishing boats and other ancillary manufacturing sectors Please Note: A.19th November: World Toilet Day B.21st November: World Fisheries Day Theme of this year is "2022 ka hai sapnaa…... kisaan ki aay ho duguna – Sankalp se siddhi" India contributes to about 6.3 % of global fish production which is also 1.1% of the national GDP and 5.15 % of the agricultural GDP of the country. India is the 2nd largest fish producer and 2nd largest aquaculture producer in the world "Blue Revolution Mission-2016" – Mission Fingerling, a programme to enable holistic development and management of fisheries sector in India with a total expenditure of about Rs. 52000 lakh Must Read Article C.The northeastern part of the ‘East West Corridor’ – which runs from Cachar in Assam to Kutch in Gujarat – starts from Silchar. D.Locate on the Indian map: River Barak E.Bamboo, though, taxonomically a grass, was legally defined as a tree under the Indian Forest Act, 1927. Union Government, in a landmark initiative, has promulgated the Indian Forest (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 to exempt bamboo grown in non-forest areas from definition of tree, thereby dispensing with the requirement of felling/transit permit for its economic use. F.India has sent a proposal to United Nations for declaring the year 2018 as ‘International Year of Millets’- Will raise awareness about millets among consumers, policy makers, industry and R&D sector Promotion of production and consumption of millets through conscious efforts at global level is likely to contribute substantially in the fight against targeted hunger and mitigate the effect of climate change in long run Popularizing millets would benefit future generations of farmers as well as consumers. Millet is a common term to categorize small-seeded grasses that are often termed nutri-cereals or dryland-cereals, and includes sorghum, pearl millet, ragi, small millet, foxtail millet, proso millet, barnyard millet, kodo millet and other millets. Millets offer nutrition, resilience, income and livelihood for farmers even in difficult times. They have multiple untapped uses such as food, feed, fodder, biofuels and brewing. Therefore, millets are Smart Food as they are Good for You, Good for the Farmer and Good for the Planet. Photo-insensitive & resilient to climate change, millets are hardy, resilient crops that have a low carbon and water footprint, can withstand high temperatures and grow on poor soils with little or no external inputs. G.India has put “Dharma” at the centre of governance Mahabharata says: “Dharma is for the stability of society, the maintenance of social order and the general well-being and progress of human kind. Whatever conduces to the fulfillment of these objects is Dharma.” “Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitaha”: Upholding Dharma means sustaining our civilization. If we follow the rule of law, our human society will survive. Chanakya: “Law and morality sustain the world” The World Justice Report ranked India at 66th position in its Rule of Index 2016. H.Maximum permissible limits of various antibiotics: Maximum permissible limits of 37 antibiotics and 67 other veterinary drugs are prescribed for chicken. I.Excerpts from the Speech of President of India during Constitution day Celebrations – At the heart of the constitutional project was trust – trust in each other, trust between institutions, trust in the goodness of fellow citizens, and trust in the wisdom of future generations. This sense of trust is inherent in constitutional governance. When the Government trusts citizens to attest their documents themselves, it is in keeping with the spirit of the Constitution. When the Union government trusts state governments by devolving financial powers to them, and taking ahead the mission of cooperative federalism, then too we are working in the spirit of the Constitution. The Constitution empowers the people as much as the people empower the Constitution. When individuals and institutions ask what the Constitution has done for them and how it has built their capacities – they must also consider what they have done to uphold the Constitution. And what they have done to support its value system. The Constitution is ‘We, the People’ as much as ‘We, the People’ are the Constitution. Our Constitution builds a superstructure of political, economic and social democracy. This superstructure rests on three principles or pillars: liberty, equality and fraternity. It is critical to keep this intricate and delicate balance in mind when exploring the relationship between the three branches of the state – that is, the judiciary, the legislature and the executive. They are all equal. They should all be conscious of their liberty and strive to protect their autonomy. And yet, they should be careful not to disturb the fraternity of the separation of powers by even unknowingly intruding into the domain of either of the two other branches. Sobriety and discretion in communication between the three branches is also extremely advisable. This will promote and enhance fraternity between three equal branches of the state, all of which have a certain responsibility to the Constitution. Our fundamental commitment must continue to be to take the values of our Constitution – and the fruits of our social, economic and political development – to the very grassroots of our society. For this we must make constant efforts to raise standards of subordinate institutions and bring them at par with apex institutions in all spheres. Must Read & follow up on – Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY): Link 1 + Link 2  

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus]- 27th November 2017

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 27th November 2017 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) WHO guidelines on responding to child sexual abuse Part of: Mains GS Paper II - Mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of the vulnerable sections. Key pointers: WHO has formulated clinical guidelines on responding to children and adolescents who have been sexually abused. Recommendations are for the frontline health care providers — general practitioners, gynecologists, pediatricians, nurses etc. The guidelines highlight that child sexual abuse has a short-term as well as long-term mental health impact. Mental health impacts include- anxiety, depression, eating disorders, problems with relationships, sleep disorders and suicidal and self-harm ideation etc. Health consequences of the abuse includes- the risk of pregnancy, gynecological disorders, sexually transmitted infections, including HIV etc. The presence of guidelines and following them is extremely essential. The guidelines should be followed with ground training of all first line respondents. Article link: Click here 41-Nation Islamic Military Alliance pledges to fight terror Part of: Mains GS Paper III - Internal Security The first high-level meeting of the Saudi Arabia kingdom-led alliance of Muslim nations against terrorism, was held recently. Key pointers: Saudi Arabia announced the alliance in December 2015. Islamic State group sparked the creation of the alliance. The IS has been driven out of Iraq and lost its self-described capital in Syria. The alliance, initially announced with 34 nations, now includes 41, according the Saudi government. The alliance doesn't include Iran, Iraq or Syria. The meeting sent a strong signal that the 41 nations are going to work together and coordinate together to support each other. Article link: Click here First AI politician- SAM  Part of: Mains GS Paper III - Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. Key pointers: Scientists have developed the world’s first artificial intelligence politician. The robot can answer a person’s queries regarding local issues such as policies around housing, education and immigration. The virtual politician, called SAM, was created by Nick Gerritsen, a 49-year-old entrepreneur in New Zealand. The AI politician is constantly learning to respond to people through Facebook Messenger as well as a survey on its homepage. Article link: Click here  YONO Part of: Mains GS Paper III - Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. Key pointers: YONO (You Only Need One) is the new, unified integrated app from State Bank of India (SBI). The bank is looking to woo the millennials and generation-next with the new app. Even if one is not an SBI customer, he or she can open an account using the Aadhaar account and PAN and proceed to install YONO on the handset. YONO is designed to meet lifestyle needs across a wide range of categories, 14 as of now, with SBI partnering with 60 leading names in the e-commerce space. It is developed using artificial intelligence, predictive analysis and machine learning. It promises to deliver maximum customer convenience, and has Android and iOS versions for download. Article link: Click here (MAINS EXCLUSIVE) NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections. Protecting Children in India In news: According to a recent survey by a humanitarian aid organisation, one out of every two Indian children has experienced sexual abuse. India is home to 19 per cent of the world’s children. Issue: Homes and schools, assumed to be safe and secure havens for our children, have been reporting cases of abuse, exploitation and violence. Despite legislations our performance in creating robust and reliable preventive response systems has been markedly poor. Brutal crimes against children demonstrates that our collective approach to child safety in schools remains ad hoc, laissez-faire and poorly monitored, highlighting the lack of both soft and hard preventive infrastructure. There is a three-way trust deficit between schools, parents and the Government. Whenever there is a gruesome incidence of violence against children, NGOs, parents, school associations and representatives of the Government get locked into defensive or confrontational positions. Of course, the guilty must be punished, but more than that, we need a system that can permanently eliminate the abuse of children. Government's initiative: The National Policy for Children 2013- The Government drafted the National Policy for Children 2013 to “build a preventive and responsive child protection system and promote effective enforcement of punitive legislative and administrative measures against all forms of child abuse and neglect”. Children-specific legislations- We have brought in children-specific legislations such as the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 (POCSO) and the amended Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015. Guidelines- The ministry for human resource development has comprehensive guidelines that take into consideration physical infrastructure such as separate and age-appropriate toilets to safeguard children in school. These also take into account issues related to a school’s staff such as background checks and mental make-up. Way forward: Uniform policy- We need to develop a Uniform Child Protection Policy for all schools, whether private or government, and even tribal ashramshalas (residential schools) in remote parts of the country. Gatekeeping- The policy should emphasise ‘gatekeeping’ to ensure that the recruitment of both teaching and non-teaching staff is done after thorough police verification and psycho-social assessment. Mandatory compliance- The ministry of human resource guidelines need to be made mandatory and compliance must be made non-negotiable. Counsellors- It should also be mandatory for schools to enroll trained counsellors who can both prevent and detect abuse of children — this could be an existing teacher who has undergone the requisite training or a separate counsellor. Children need to have a designated point of contact and it needs to be assured that there is a safe space where they can speak and be heard. Sensitisation- All teachers need to be sensitised about child abuse, taught to recognise it and made aware of laws such as the POCSO Act which makes reporting such acts compulsory. Curriculum- Sessions with children on safety and prevention of abuse ought to become part of the curriculum. Open dialogue- An open dialogue involving all three stakeholders (Schools, Parents, Governments) can go a long way towards creating the right ecosystem for building preventive response mechanisms. Role of parents- Parents can be a source of support and strength. By being watchful guardians, they can ensure that schools follow the guidelines for child protection and by being supportive, they can ensure that any instance of abuse is quickly brought to light. Parents need to realise that even though they have entrusted their children to the school, the safety of their child is a collective responsibility. Conclusion: Protecting children is a common shared responsibility; it cannot be done in isolation by either the school or parents or government. We must all work together to make sure instances of child abuse soon become historical references and not present-day realities. Connecting the dots: One out of every two Indian children have experienced sexual abuse. Discuss the issue and highlight the measures that should be taken to protect Indian children especially school-going ones. Protecting children is a common shared responsibility; it cannot be done in isolation by either the school or parents or government. Discuss the responsibility of each stakeholder in protecting children from sexual abuse. NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 3: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights Reviewing the GI Act, 1999 Background: The law of Geographical Indications (GIs) is linked to the terroir, that is the quality of a product is essentially attributable to the territory where the product originates from. GI Act, 1999: GIs indicate goods as originating in a specific geographical region, the characteristics, qualities or reputation thereof essentially attributable to such region. Complying with the World Trade Organisation-Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (WTO-TRIPS) obligations, India enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999 (GI Act) and has set up a registry in Chennai to register such names. Covering agricultural goods, manufactured and natural goods, textiles, handicrafts and foodstuffs, the GI Registry’s website lists popular GIs like Basmati rice, Darjeeling tea and Pashmina shawls etc. Significance of GIs: GIs support local production and are an important economic tool for the uplift of rural and tribal communities. GIs support and protect local production (as opposed to global production), generate local employment and are mostly untouched by industrialisation, originating in villages or small towns. Unlike other Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) which guarantee the protection of individual interest, GI is a collective right. If their products qualify, producers can use the collective GI mark while commercially exploiting their products. Geographical indications (GI) can be used to protect traditional knowledge and communities. GIs can help built up ancillary industries like tourism and lodging in the respective regions, enabling visitors to get a first-hand experience of the manufacturing process and absorb the history thereof. Such ancillary industries also create local employment and aid in the socio-economic development of the region in the long run. Shortcomings of the Indian GI Act: The existing law for Geographical Indications leans too heavily on documentary proof. Cause for concern: Proof of origin is a mandatory criterion for registering GIs in India. The cause of concern is the focus on historic proof in the form of documentary evidence (such as gazetteers, published documents, news articles, advertisement materials) to bring out the historic development of GIs as laid down under GI Rules, 2002, and clarified by the GI Manual of the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks, and Registrar of Geographical Indications to establish proof of origin. Challenge: Documentary evidence as proof of origin may be a foolproof mechanism to ensure the link between the product and territory, but in a country, such as India where there are regions like the Northeast where oral history has had far wider convention over written history, this provision becomes a hurdle. There is no mandate for such a provision under TRIPs to do so. TRIPS only provide a minimum standard of protection. Nowhere is there an insistence on a particular framework for protection of GI. The case of Assam: Assam has been exploring its natural, agricultural and traditional products as potential GI material. One such example is a traditional rice wine called ‘Judima’. The State government has been tracking academic discourse on the subject with the intent of exploring possibilities in registering it. A hurdle has been the difficulty in gathering documentary evidence as proof of origin. It is the same case with many other products from the Northeast. For most products, especially those of tribal communities, this is bound to be a recurrent problem. GI registration in India is done not by the actual producers, but by some third-party — either in Government or an NGO, with or without commercial interest and even traders. In such cases, producers very often are not even aware of the existence of GI. In such a situation, producers or the people who are the depository of knowledge are unlikely to be benefited. The legal framework for the protection of GIs in India does not emphasise on the importance of quality products. India’s GI Act does not lay much emphasis on inspection and monitoring mechanisms for GI protection. Conclusion: The GI authorities should amend the existing provision regarding proof of origin. The current Indian legal framework for GIs also needs to be strengthened to address quality control and consumer expectations by insisting on multi-layered quality control systems as a precondition for registration. Connecting the dots: Discuss the shortcomings of the Indian GI Act especially the one related to proof of origin. MUST READ  Smart balancing China The Hindu A toolkit to think local The Hindu New insolvency rules will reduce flexibility Livemint Trade and industrial policy must converge Livemint Dealing with robots and other realities Business Line  

AIR

All India Radio (AIR) : National Strategy for Malnutrition Free India

National Strategy for Malnutrition Free India ARCHIVES Search 6th September 2017 http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. In news: NITI Ayog came with a national strategy to fight maternal and child malnutrition and anaemia among women and girls. The basis is that every third child of the country is undernourished which leads to several diseases, child death and maternal mortality. Kuposhan mukt bharat (Malnutrition Free India) is the slogan given by PM and with this aim, the focus on 100 poor performing districts in terms of stunting is placed. The focus will be on decentralised planning and local innovation. Recognising that India pays an income penalty of 9-10% due to a workforce stunted during childhood, the National Nutrition Strategy aims to bring nutrition to the centre-stage and remove all forms of malnutrition by 2030. The strategy paper by NITI Ayog has to be a targeted approach which is monitorable and aims at Reduction in the percentage of underweight below 5 from 35.7 at present to 20.7 by 2022. Reduction in prevalence of anemia amongst children in age 6-59 months from current 58.4% to 19.5% by 2022. Reduction in anemia among women in age group pf 15-49 years from 53.1% to 17.7% Though these standards still lag behind from world standard, solid planning for achievement of all the goals has to be done. Several programmes under ICDS for food supplementation and anganwadis for children. Yet, we have not been able to overcome malnutrition. Malnutrition child death can be prevented as soon as possible. When the women is pregnant, before the pregnancy, there can be a follow-up about common causes of death in women, how to conceive and what nutrition to take at time of pregnancy. There can be folic acid and iron supplementation for better nutrient intake. This can help to deliver a healthy baby. Protein deficiency is a rare deficiency all over world and India is a protein deficiency country. The below poverty countries like Uganda, Columbia have combated malnutrition but India is still facing it. Besides a medical doctor in PHC and CHC, there should be a social and preventive medicine doctor who can be good counsellor and help the pregnant women to fight malnutrition. Aangawadi has good programmes but due to lack of coordination between them and PHCs, children tend to miss the necessary nutrient updates. If baby is healthy, the immunity will be strong. Comfortable to fight with the disease. 4 pillar strategy Improving health services Food Drinking water and sanitation Income and livelihood Focus areas Sanitation is a very important pillar of health sector. Vector borne disease can be prevented due to proper sanitation with regards to how to use food (boiled, cooked, not stale), how to store food (cover with lid), how to wash hands is very basic preventive techniques. Most of air borne disease and vector borne disease can be prevented through proper hand wash practice. Currently 50% of pregnant women and 60% of children in the country are estimated to be anaemic. The focus has been more on teenage girls and women who are anemic. If women is healthy, her child will also be healthy. How to reach last man with polices like food security, swachh bharat, drinking water facility has to be still implemented with high success rate. There are people still left out from availing benefits from such policies. Proper laws can be made concerning nutrition, PPP mode can be entered to tackle the malnutrition challenges and support from civil society can help fight the grave issue. If the message is spread, it has to be taught too. It is not about just announcing programme but to teach the meaning of programme. Communication is more important than information as it interacts with beneficiaries. And service is more important than communication as it shows the commitment to provide benefits that are communicated. Infrastructure needs to be upgraded in terms of space, proximity to beneficiary and ease of access. Medical human resource should also be trained to focus on serving the nation where it is required the most. This points towards giving good health services to all people. Connecting the dots: What is the National Nutrition Strategy and how does it affect India’s social performance. Explain in detail.

RSTV Video

RSTV- The Big Picture : Does India’s Agriculture Policy need a Relook?

Does India’s Agriculture Policy need a Relook? Archives TOPIC: General Studies 3 Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers According to latest release by central statistics office, about 4,96,000 crore rupees worth of milk was produced by farmers in 2014-15. This is for the first time that the value of milk has exceeded the total value of food grains. The data was part of CSO’s gross value of output of agriculture and allied sectors for 2011-12 to 2014-15. The value of food grains which includes cereals and pulses produced stood at 4,87,000 crore rupees. This is due to White Revolution’s contribution to farm incomes which surpasses Green Revolution, but every fifth rupee generated in the farm sector — which includes the total output value of crops livestock produce and fisheries  — comes from milk. Earlier, milk production was not even close to value of food grains and wheat production. In 1999-2000, the value of milk production, at Rs 88,000 crore, was not even two-thirds of cereals at Rs 1,34,000 crore. Relooking the farm priorities The government policy is still fixated in the 20th century with focus on cereals. Whereas, the agriculture is far more diversified than it was before. It is no longer just cereals. People today don’t just want calories and carbs, but want more in diet. The government policy has been slow to respond to this. In union budget 2017-18, the total allocation for department for agriculture and cooperation is 41000 crore whereas for department of dairying and animal husbandry is 2000 crore. All over, in the state budgets, there is hardly 10% that could be for livestock what it is for agriculture. In research priorities also, there is very little research going on fodder development. Only Tamil Nadu University is doing work in developing high protein fodder but hardly such effort is in rest of country is seen. Milk is an integral part of society but still its rise is going unnoticed. Milk is not only thing in livestock sector. It includes meat, leather. It has to be an integrated thing. India is losing the opportunity to garner best from its huge livestock population of bovine, cattle, etc. With increasing population, the demand for milk is going to increase. There are some commodities which need different kind of support. One of the factor for faster growth of dairy sector in India is that it is more liberalised than the kind of intervention is there in foodgrain and other categories. So sometimes instead of government support, such kind of report can give a fact check on growth of sectors. In milk sector, there is no restriction on marketing, FDI, entry of private sector etc. but in food grains there are APMC rules, MSP and many state specific rules. If the horticulture is also liberalised like the dairy sector, it can also bloom, the vegetables and fruits can be promoted in villages. Need to give more importance to livestock The contribution of dairy sector of 20% of agriculture is restricted to Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Bihar and UP. Traditional agriculture has longer gestation period when inputs are more and risk is also there. Hence the farmers turned to milk production. Government also supported it. Here, the money circulation with the farmer is less and investment is also not huge. One of contributory factors to this growth has been cooperative sector. Livestock sector has got more favourable environment because in 2003 government decided to change rules for milk and milk product. Since then it has played a major role in reforming this sector. Institutions of cooperatives, role of AMUL, role of NDDB are public sector initiatives. However, infrastructure in livestock sector is poorer than crop sector in terms of extension, public support and institutional credit. Infrastructure of veterinary care is lacking in almost all states. Feed and fodder quality is poor In fruits and vegetables, only hilly and north eastern regions have done well in the sector. Giving boost to dairy sector The farmer responds to the market demand. The government policy should be to support him to respond to market. Farmers should go for commercial dairying. There can be 30 animals, fodder can be grown in 5 acres of land and sell milk round the year and have daily income unlike putting all money in cotton and groundnut and crop failure. Hence, the issue of farmer suicides can be curtailed because of agriculture diversification. Conclusion Growth of livestock has been higher than crop sector. Government has launched National Gokul Mission and New National Dairy Plan. India should acknowledge that one of the factor for high growth of milk is increase in livestock. In crop sector, there cannot be increase in area, rather it is shrinking. But, the livestock increasing is not a sustainable way of having increase in production because increase in livestock puts all kind of pressure on natural sources. Direct agriculture and allied sector should be strengthened further. Many farmers are converting their cultivable land to fisheries. The policy should see what the specific need is and providing an environment of security to farmers that in case of failure, there is a backup plan too. The dietary preferences are increasing. Globally, the per capita consumption tends to shift away from cereal and go to horticulture and livestock product with rise in per capita income. If farmers are producing more of milk, fruits and vegetables, egg, fish and meat, they are only responding to signals from consumers who are increasingly demanding food richer in proteins and nutrients. For better accessibility, there should be roads from villages to urban connectivity, good transportation and good storage system. The price fluctuation in fruits and vegetables is so much in market that farmers find it risky to cope with it. Hence, the investment has to come in infrastructure too to ensure proper storage, accessibility and transportation of agricultural produce. Thus, there is a need for holistic approach in agriculture. The government policy has to now come out of 20th century, and progress beyond cereals and calories. Connecting the dots: Time is ripe for agricultural diversification in Indian economy for a sustainable livelihood for population. Comment.

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 89]

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 89] Archives Q.1) Dindigul lock manufacturing industry has a high brand image and the locks are known for their traditional design, safety, and quality. It is from which of the following states? Uttar Pradesh Tamil Nadu Madhya Pradesh West Bengal Q.2) With rising number of cases under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, the government has set up a 14-member panel to identify and suggest ways to address issues faced in implementation of the law. The Insolvency Law Committee is chaired by Injeti Srinivas Bibek Debroy Amitabh Kant M S Sahoo Q.3) Talanoa Dialogue is associated with TPP RCEP INSTC None of the above Q.4) Punchhi Commission is associated with Centre-State Relations Judicial Appointments National Institutional of Ranking Framework National Mineral Policy Q.5) AGLAE was recently in news. Consider the following statements It is World's only particle accelerator for art It is located in Italy Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 To Download the Solution – Click here All The Best   IASbaba

Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Inner Life – Inspirational & Educative Articles

Inner Life: Life is probably the most discussed topic on earth. It has to be! What else is more important than understanding the purpose of our lives and our true place in it? We have been exposed to all kinds of theories and concepts of life. There is a new discover lurking in almost every corner of our daily twists and turns of life. Yet, life is still a mystery. The whole problem in understanding life is that we cannot understand it objectively from the outside. All explanations, ideas and conclusions drawn about life come from another individual outside of you. What you know is simply a collection of borrowed and accumulated knowledge. How ever realistic a narration of an experience can be, it can never become your experience. You will never know the taste of coffee if you have not tasted it. Even if the whole world drinks coffee and tries to explain the taste of it in a billion ways, with countless books, you will still never get the actual taste of coffee. Life is personal. It is your journey, period. The only way to make sense of life is by making sense of your individual life. As long as your personal life remains a mystery, life itself will remain a mystery. There is no point in accumulating unwanted knowledge about the general principals of life. You have to look within to find the answers. There is something magical about looking within and finding answers to all your questions of life, experientially. When you start seeing what is happening within you, you will be amazed at how differently life is organized inside of you as compared to the understanding of the world around you. There has only been one rebellion in this world. It is the rebellion of the individual spirit that has experienced the nature of reality within it, against the theories and concepts from the outside. A person who has looked within has never been disappointed. An individual who has looked within and understood himself almost becomes a totally new species. His understanding of life is always complete and true. If your life is still a mystery; if you are still not sure about who you are and what you are doing here. Then it is time to embark on an experiential journey into your inner life. It is time to embrace certain simple and effective techniques of mindfulness and meditation to understand who you are from the inside. It is time to start seeing the world from a new perspective; from your perspective. Everything begins to change and fall into place magically, the moment you start seeing things from your perspective. Life itself springs back to life to reveal its marvelous secretes if you are willing to see it with an uncluttered pure mind. You will know what to do with your life intuitively. “The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”

Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance: Book Review – The feeling of what happens – Antonio Damasio

The feeling of what happens: The feeling of what happens’ is a beautiful book my Antonio Damasio. It is a book that talks about body and emotion in the making of consciousness. The New York Times book review says that it is one of the best Brain stories of the decade. In his elegant and scientific style, Antonio Damasio takes us into the world of thoughts, emotions, brain and consciousness. It is a brilliant scientific exposition on the formation of thoughts and creation of consciousness. He discusses human consciousness from the perspective of a neuroscientist. The nature of consciousness and how it is formed has been one of the fundamental questions of humanity. Antonio explores the understanding of formation of consciousness as a result of intricate thought patterns. This is a new and dynamic theory on the understanding of the human brain and the formation of consciousness. Read this book to dive into the marvelous and mysterious realms of the human brain. “This Book Review is a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”

AIR

All India Radio (AIR) : BRICS Declaration

BRICS Declaration ARCHIVES Search 4th September 2017 http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving Indiaand/or affecting India's interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian diaspora. In news: The 9th BRICS summit was held in Xiamen, China. Many points in the declaration have been satisfactory for India. India’s main concerns were economic and trade related but one of specific concern about terrorism has been forthrightly shared by all countries. For first time in BRICS forum, two terrorist organization which have been attacking India- LeT and JeM- have been named. This is recognition by other BRICS members that source of problems in India and Af-Pak region lies in Pakistan. Members have said that ‘responsibility of all states to prevent financing of terrorist networks and terrorist actions from their territories’. This directs implicitly towards Pakistan. This is a victory for India as this can be a warning to Pakistan that it might lose friends if it is going to pursue terrorism. China invited 5 guest countries- Egypt, Mexico, Thailand, Tajikistan and Guinea but not Pakistan. The omission is significant as in neighborhood, Pakistan is close to china. In this action, there can be an invisible hand of India to prevent Pakistan getting invited as India has said that Pakistan is sponsorer of terrorism and whatever china and Pakistan’s bilateral relations have been, it has to be kept aside. Key Highlights of 9th BRICS Summit Affordable and sustainable access to energy is crucial for development of BRICS nation. It is important initiative of India- International Solar Alliance. Only Russia is energy surplus. So the direction of affordable and sustainable energy is the direction in which BRICS members will work together. This matches with PM also stressed on people to people exchange and advocated inclusive development agenda. This is the dilemma of development- growth is there but in many countries it is not percolating down to all sections of society. In India, employment generation is a big issue. So along with growth and development, it should be inclusive growth. It should not be only seen in economic and statistical terms but in terms of its impact on common man. Urbanization is a big challenge for China, India, South Africa and Brazil. In all the highly populated countries, people are shifting from rural areas to urban areas. So to manage the growing migration and changing lifestyle, use of new technology and information technology to manage the urban growth and employment has to be encouraged and implemented. The theme was – strong partnership for better future. Partnership between BRICS nations is there. It is known that some BRICS countries are facing economic difficulties so together it will be easier to face them by sharing their experiences. It is good signal for India-china friendship. China has been sensitive to India’s concern against cross-border terrorism. Also, there was no reference to OBOR of china. In diplomatic sense, India has been able to convince China to look at concern of other countries and not to push much. In this concern’s support, China has told that BRI is not to advance geopolitical agenda but a platform for practical cooperation. For international banking related issues, India is still dependent on western agencies. That’s why there was an idea of creation of BRICS rating agency. All rating agencies are western so they rate Indian, Chinese institutions with their own perspective. This ignores the actual yardsticks to be used for measuring growth. The 5 BRICS countries are major developing economies. With their own rating agencies can give independent views pertaining to their environment. Developed vs Developing groups The formation of BRICS was to have a common position among major developing countries because major developed countries were united in G7. There are two parts of BRICS Have a common position on international issues- finance, trade, economy, climate change How to have more cooperation among the BRICS countries. The concerns of the developed countries are different. So how to harmonize the two or atleast make sure the developed countries which are economically more powerful and better organized are not able to only push their own agenda is one of the focus. For example During the climate change negotiations, developed countries were trying to put some restrictions on India’s and china’s development. But when many developing countries came together, they had to change their position. BRICS countries account for 43% of population, 50% of world economic growth, 23% of global GDP and 35% voting power in World Bank. BRICS has a way of including views of other developing countries in emerging economy. In a way BRICS provides voice to developing countries. It is a bridge between developed world and developing world. Recently, it also took strong positions in security arena- Syria, North Korea. Way forward BRICS countries have to make sure that their economy grows well, consistently by 6-7%. Internally there should be political stability. The BRICS spirit refers to mutual respect and understanding, equality, solidarity, openness, inclusiveness and mutually beneficial cooperation. Many of the fruitful results of BRICS cooperation are establishing the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA), formulating the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership, strengthening political and security cooperation. Thus, BRICS nations should aspire now to embrace cultural diversity and promote people-to-people exchanges to garner more popular support for BRICS cooperation. Connecting the dots: BRICS nation are the future leaders of world. Critically analyse. BRICS represent the aspirations of developing countries. Comment.  

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus]- 25th November 2017

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 25th November 2017 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) A comprehensive ‘safe city’ plan for women Part of: Main GS Paper II - Social issue, Welfare, Women empowerment, government schemes and policies. Key PT pointers: Eight cities in India will soon have a comprehensive ‘safe city’ plan for women. Eight cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Lucknow and Hyderabad. A robust emergency response system and police-verified public transport will come into place. Central focus: The Nirbhaya fund largely remain un-utilised. Creation of comprehensive plan will help utilise this fund. Issues related to women security includes- 33 per cent reservation of women in police force, installation of CCTV cameras, deployment of women, emergency response system, mapping dark spots, transports and different safety apps, developed by various State Police. Initiatives taken by these cities include ‘Himmat’ app, all women patrol van, ‘shishtachar’ programme of the Delhi police; ‘Hawkeye’ mobile app and ‘Bharosa’ programme of the Hyderabad police; ‘Suraksha’ app of the Bengaluru police and Power Angels of Uttar Pradesh police. The steps taken by other metro cities- mobile counselling vans for hearing the grievances of women, lighting in the sub-urban railway station areas, complaint boxes in the colleges, dedicated helpline for women, awareness programmes organised by the police, setting up of shelter homes for women and making provisions for street lighting were also discussed. Article link: Click here NPPA Part of: Main GS Paper II – Welfare and Health The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has capped the prices of 51 essential formulations, including those used for the treatment of cancer, pain, heart conditions and skin problems. About NPPA: NPPA fixes the ceiling price of essential medicines of Schedule I under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO) 2013. In respect of medicines that are not under price control, manufacturers are allowed to increase the maximum retail price by 10 per cent annually. The calculation for essential drugs is based on the simple average of all medicines in a particular therapeutic segment with sales of more than 1 per cent. Set up in 1997, NPPA has been entrusted with the task of fixation/revision of prices of pharma products, enforcement of provisions of DPCO and monitoring of prices of controlled and decontrolled drugs. Article link: Click here (MAINS EXCLUSIVE) 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, Indian diaspora India and the world, India and its neighbours Chabahar Port: crucial gateway for India and Afghan’s objectives For India’s objectives, the port of Chabahar has become the crucial gateway to step up relations with Iran and Afghanistan. In news: The much-awaited Chabahar route for Indo-Afghan trade, has finally taken off. The first shipment of wheat to Afghanistan left from Kandla port (India) and reached Chabahar port in Iran, and then through the land route (Zahedan-Zaranj-Kabul highway) via Iran into Afghanistan. Link: http://lb.newsflicks.in/ This route is expected to propel the Indo-Afghan bilateral relationship into another level, besides strengthening the trilateral relationship between India, Afghanistan and Iran, and also increasing linkages between Kabul and Tehran. About Chabahar Port Located on the Makran coast South-eastern coast of Iran It is relatively underdeveloped free trade and industrial zone (compared to the sprawling port of Bandar Abbas further west) It is located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Persian Gulf nation’s southern coast. It lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from India’s western coast, bypassing Pakistan. Importance of activation of Chabahar port and the Zahedan-Zaranj-Kabul highway As discussed above, it will propel Indo-Afghan bilateral relationship into another level. It will strengthen the trilateral relationship between India, Afghanistan and Iran. It will help increase Afghanistan as a transit for Central Asian countries into the Arabian Sea. The route reduces Kabul’s dependence on Islamabad, especially over the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade agreement. In other words, Afghanistan would no longer depend on Pakistan for its transit trade with India and other countries with the opening of the strategic Chabahar Port. This would also help change the nature of Afghanistan’s relations both with Pakistan and Iran. For Afghanistan, Chabahar provides an additional leverage in dealing with Pakistan. For India, it is the nearest port to India on the Iranian coast, which provides access Chabahar to the resources and markets of Afghanistan and Central Asia. The strategic location makes it ideal for keeping track of Chinese or Pakistani military activity based out of Gwadar. For Afghanistan, Chabahar is faster and easier, when compared to the tough terrain across the Durand Line. Chabahar and the India-Iran-Afghanistan Trilaterals The activation of Chabahar for Indian goods into Afghanistan means the following. First, it fulfills an Indian promise of an alternative route for Afghanistan. The idea of Chabahar was born when Pakistan refused for transit facilities to India. Second, the activation of Chabahar also fulfils another promise – to Tehran. India has been ridiculed for making promises and not following them up — Chabahar in the West and Sittwe in the east. The Chabahar opening should change that perception. Third, Chabahar also speaks for India’s commitment to improving Indo-Iran relations. There were apprehensions about India moving closer to the US, and Indo-Iran relations becoming hostage to it. It appears New Delhi has been able to withstand American pressure and move ahead with Iran. Fourth, Chabahar port will also improve Afghan-Iran partnership and provide a crucial leverage for Kabul, as a transit between Central Asia and the Arabian Sea. It could further link Russia and provide another warm water outlet for Moscow. Perhaps, for the Afghans, Chabahar is not just about Indo-Afghan trade; it is an opening of a huge new world! But, the most important aspect of Chabahar for Kabul is the confidence that the new axis provides in dealing with Pakistan, especially over transit trade. Connecting the dots: Discuss the strategic significance of Chabahar port for India. Also discuss the significance it hold for India-Iran-Afghanistan Trilaterals economically and geo-strategically? DEFENCE/SECURITY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism. Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security. Revamping Security Architecture of India Background: Terrorism continues to pose the greatest threat to the internal security of the country. According to the US Country Reports on Terrorism 2016, India is the third most affected country after Iraq and Afghanistan in the number of attacks perpetrated on its soil. It is estimated that a total of 52 terrorist groups are active in different parts of India, which is higher than in any other country. Fortunately, there has been no major terrorist attack in the country after 26/11 (2008). But it is not so that we are better prepared now and our law enforcement agencies have been able to prevent such an onslaught. Half-hearted Measures taken in the wake of 26/11: National Security Guard units were decentralised. An elaborate coastal security scheme was drawn up. The National Investigation Agency established. Issues with internal security: The police, who are the first responders to any terrorist crime, continue to be in shambles. The states have done very little to reform, rejuvenate or reinforce the capabilities of the police forces. The Supreme Court’s directions of 2006 have been treated with contempt. The modernisation of police has suffered a setback following the 14th Finance Commission’s recommendations and increase in the share of states’ revenues, as the Centre delegated the responsibility to the state governments. The Government of India recently approved a Rs 25,000 crore scheme to strengthen the law and order apparatus. It will have to be ensured that money is utilised for the purpose for which it has been sanctioned. The Central armed police forces are not in the best health. There is discontent, particularly in the BSF and CRPF, over the quality of leadership at different levels, promotional opportunities, irrational deployments, inadequate infrastructure in insurgency-affected states and aspects of service conditions. Intelligence at the state level is not robust. Implementation of the coastal security scheme has not been effective. The National Counter Terrorism Centre is still not in existence. The “SMART” police conceptualised by the prime minister is nowhere to be seen, because of the indifference of the state governments. Internal security has remained a grey area. Way forward: The Centre must initiate measures to move “police” to the Concurrent List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. The anti-terror law needs to be strengthened. Threats from terrorism: The threat from terrorism continues to increase. The ISI is working on the plan to engulf Assam in turbulence and is said to be coordinating strategies with radical elements among the Rohingyas and illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Assam. Al Qaeda had declared its plans to intensify its activities in Assam as far back as 2014. The Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh has been steadily setting up units in Assam as well as West Bengal. In two other states — West Bengal and Kerala — the fundamentalists have been emboldened. In J&K, the Pakistan-sponsored terrorist groups, particularly Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba, remains active. The Islamic State has been losing territories in Iraq and Syria but its ideology has caught on and lone wolf attacks continue to take place in different parts of the world. Even a small percentage of Muslims in India getting attracted to the ideology would be a good number and pose a serious challenge to the security of the state. Conclusion: The overall scenario is, thus, not good. It is high time that the security architecture is revamped. India has repeatedly given a call at international fora for united efforts to combat terrorism. However, first we need to put our internal security in order. The future of democracy and our capacity to sustain the momentum of economic progress would depend on our ability to reinforce and strengthen internal security. Connecting the dots: India has repeatedly given a call at international fora for united efforts to combat terrorism. However, first we need to put our internal security in order. Comment. MUST READ Endgame in Syria The Hindu The mandates of natural justice The Hindu Making RBI accountable Indian Express The Chabahar checkmate Indian Express States of healthcare Indian Express Keeping children safe Business Line  

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus]- 24th November 2017

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 24th November 2017 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Poor Reach of ATMs in Rural Areas Part of: Main GS Paper III - Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, growth, development, investment. The latest RBI figures reveal that the number of ATMs in rural areas has shrunk by a little over 1,000 in past one year. India’s rural areas were the worst hit during demonetisation. The RBI’s remonetisation drive has not resolved the cash supply to ATMs in rural areas, forcing the shutdown of many ATMs. Issue: Public sector banks operate only about 20 per cent of their ATMs in rural areas. The reach of private banks in the hinterland is far poorer, with just 8 per cent of their machines functioning in these areas. White-label ATMs The RBI took this initiative so as to grant licences to non-bank entities to set up white-label ATMs (WLAs), with the aim of expanding reach of ATMs in semi-urban and rural areas. Under the RBI’s guidelines, a minimum number of WLAs have to be installed in Tier-III to -VI centres. Hence, about 42 per cent of WLAs operate in rural areas. However, since the total number of WLAs itself is significantly smaller than bank-operated ATMs, access to money still remains a challenge. Owing to regulatory constraints and the number of transactions failing to scale up in remote areas, WLA operators have found it difficult to generate revenues and hence expand further. Cash supply issues have made matters worse. Article link: Click here Bamboo: No more a tree as per Indian law Part of: Main GS Paper II - Social issue, Welfare, government schemes and policies. Key PT pointers: The government amended the Indian Forest Act and removing the bamboo - taxonomically a grass - from a list of plants that also included palms, skumps, brush-wood and canes. After 90 years, the bamboo has legally ceased to be a tree. Bamboo grown in the forest areas would continue to be governed by the provisions of the Indian Forest Act. The current demand of bamboo in India is estimated at 28 million tonnes. Though the country has 19% share of the world’s area under bamboo cultivation, its market share in the sector is only 6%. Central focus: For several years now, the classification of the bamboo as a tree meant that it couldn’t be easily ferried across State borders. It also required permits from village councils and couldn’t be cultivated in non-forest areas. The government hoped to promote cultivation of bamboo in non-forest areas to achieve the “twin objectives” of increasing the income of farmers and also increasing the green cover of the country. Article link: Click here PM Modi at the Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS) Part of: Main GS Paper II - Social issue, Welfare, Women empowerment, government schemes and policies. Key pointers: Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for sharing of information and coordination among nations to ensure that “digital space does not become a playground for the dark forces of terrorism and radicalisation”. He pitched for creating “cyberwarriors” to keep the digital space safe. Alertness towards cybersecurity concerns should become a way of life. We need to ensure that cyberprotection becomes an attractive and viable career option for the youth. Note: Above points can be mentioned while writing an essay on topics related to cybersecurity. Article link: Click here UMANG mobile app Part of: Main GS Paper II - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Key PT pointers: A unified app to serve e-governance through mobile devices. Called Umang (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance), the app is developed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and National e-Governance Division (NeGD) to offer services of the central, state, local bodies, and various government agencies right on Android and iOS based mobile devices. The new offering had emerged on the sidelines of the fifth Global Conference on Cyberspace (GCCS) in New Delhi. It has multilingual support with as many as 10 Indian languages in addition to Hindi and English and includes a payment-based transaction access. Central focus: It will provide over a hundred citizen-centric services. At the back-end, these services will be catered for by different departments of the Union and State Governments. This integrated approach will add an automatic layer of 'peer performance pressure', in the working of these departments. The Umang app bundles a list of Digital India services, including Aadhaar, DigiLocker, and PayGov. In terms of e-governance, citizens can use the Umang app to access their income tax filing, LPG cylinder bookings, and Provident Fund account. Parents can also use the Umang app to access CBSE results. Also, the Umang app has social media integration that allows you to connect your Facebook, Google, and Twitter accounts and enable one-touch login process. Article link: Click here Amendments to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code  Part of: Main GS Paper III - Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, growth, development, investment. President recently gave his assent to the ordinance approved by the Union Cabinet to amend the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to strengthen the regime. Key pointers: Prohibits wilful defaulters, those associated with non-performing assets (NPAs), and the habitually non-compliant, from regaining control of the defaulting company or stressed assets through the back door in the garb of being a ‘resolution applicant’. The sale of property to a person who is ineligible to be a resolution applicant has been barred. It also provide for fine ranging from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 2 crore for those violating these norms. A new section has been introduced in the IBC that makes certain persons ineligible to be a ‘resolution applicant’. Those being made ineligible include “wilful defaulters, those who have their accounts classified as NPAs for one year or more and are unable to settle their overdue amounts including interest thereon. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has also been given additional powers. Article link: Click here (MAINS EXCLUSIVE) 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, Indian diaspora Important International institutions Comparison of SAARC with ASEAN Introduction: Comparing SAARC with ASEAN we can notice that ASEAN is much more effective regional organization. ASEAN is a good example for SAARC, particularly for India and Pakistan, to realise the value of cooperation and benefits resulting from a larger common market despite diversity in politics and religion. (Below article compares and provides crucial inputs about the success formula of ASEAN and how ASEAN model can help SAARC to become an effective regional organization.) History (Basics): SAARC The South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an economic and geopolitical organization of eight countries that are primarily located in South Asia or Indian subcontinent. The SAARC Secretariat is based in Kathmandu, Nepal. It came into being in 1985, with founding members Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan joined in 2007. ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was founded in 1967. ASEAN started with founding members Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand; then added Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam in later years. Same but Different: (Similarities and Differences) (Case 1) Common concerns led to their foundations When the ASEAN was founded in 1967, its members existed in a state of mutual suspicion and uncertainty. As new nation-states, its founding members were also concerned with protecting their sovereignty and political and economic development. Nevertheless, over time, ASEAN developed informal diplomatic mechanisms to manage their bilateral tensions. While tensions continue to flare up between neighbours, ASEAN states appear to have successfully avoided the outbreak of armed conflict between states in the region. Similarly, when the SAARC was founded in 1985, its founding members had long running disputes with each other. However, unlike ASEAN, SAARC’s record at managing regional conflicts has not been as successful. Both ASEAN and SAARC were set up because the members were involved in serious disputes. Perhaps ASEAN was more troubled because of its conglomeration of islands and unclear laws dealing with maritime frontiers. Yet, while ASEAN was able to avoid conflict, SAARC was not. (Case 2) Trade and economic cooperation ASEAN nations signed the treaty of amity and cooperation, adopted the principles of refraining or avoiding of threat or use of force and settlement of disputes by peaceful means. The shared conviction of creating an economically win-win situation mobilised the nations in forming an interdependent regional economy.  Therefore, since its inception, the ASEAN countries have become more integrated through enhanced intraregional trade and connectivity. SAARC started its journey with similar aspirations but over time has failed to deliver. It has been unable to integrate the region through trade and connectivity and continues to be stuck in an awkward/complex mix-up of regional politics and rivalry and stagnates from historical distrust and old animosity. (Case 3) Great potential but stalled projects Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN is among the world’s largest regional intergovernmental organisations. Trade in ASEAN has grown rapidly and it has focussed on promoting rapid economic growth and modernisation. It has created the Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA), which ensures liberalisation and protection of cross-border investments operations, together with best practices for the treatment of foreign investors and investments. On the other hand, trade amongst the SAARC members stands at 3.5% of their total volume of trade. Initiatives under the South Asian Free Trade Association have failed to make much headway. Subregional initiatives like the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal Motor Vehicle Agreement also have stalled. (Case 4) Travel and Connectivity The Federation of ASEAN Travel Associations (FATA) has called on the ASEAN nations to waive entry requirements amongst the member states. A feasibility study has been conducted on the development of a rail link from Singapore to Kunming in southern China to enhance seamless connectivity among the ASEAN nations to boost intraregional trade and people-to-people connectivity. Projects aimed at promoting the region as a tourist destination have also been undertaken. On the other hand, the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme only allows certain categories of dignitaries to be exempt from visas, excluding ordinary citizens from accessing unimpeded travel in the region. It is difficult for Indians to enter Pakistan and vice versa. Even citizens of other SAARC countries who have visited either India or Pakistan before and now wish to travel to the other face hassles during visa issuance by either country. And SAARC infrastructural problems plague connectivity. (Case 5) Domination of subregional initiatives As the biggest country of SAARC, India is trying to exert leadership by forming subregional initiatives like the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). Another objective is to isolate Pakistan. Such attempts to forge sub-regional ties at the cost of jeopardising the regional vision for unity have not been witnessed in ASEAN. When ASEAN was criticised for taking in Myanmar in spite of its military rule, the grouping emphasised the importance of keeping open the channels of communication and engagement as a better means to influence the regime. Bilateral arguments or disagreements never got in the way of trade and travel. (Case 6) India and Pakistan In its first two decades, ASEAN focussed on a limited range of issues, but over time its mandate expanded and now includes climate change, disaster management, counterterrorism, drugs and human trafficking. ASEAN’s greatest success has been its ability to deftly resolve disputes. In the early years, for instance, its unity was challenged by the Philippines-Malaysia dispute over Sabah, but the founding members found a peaceful mechanism to mitigate opposing claims. In the case of SAARC, political squabbles, deep mistrust and military conflict between India and Pakistan have frustrated regional cooperation. The whole region is suffering from lost potential due to India-Pakistan hostility which hit a new low when India boycotted the 19th SAARC summit as a result of the Uri terrorist attack, with Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan following suit, eventually resulting in cancellation of the summit. (Case 7) Lack of broad regional vision ASEAN members have avoided showing outward hostility against each other and have tried to resolve differences through dialogue, engagement and cooperation. Politicians in SAARC have mostly catered to their domestic constituents without having any broad regional vision, so that it takes years to sign agreements and even more time to implement them. As a regional organisation, while ASEAN has grown from strength to strength. Unless there is a serious and concerted effort by the political leadership of SAARC, led primarily by India and Pakistan, to revitalise the regional body, it will continue to be what it always has been: a utopian idea existing only in summit documents. The way ahead: (IASbaba’s views) With abundant natural resources and more than 1.5 billion people, SAARC has the potential to become the world’s largest economy after the United States and China and is perceived as the next largest consumer market buoyed by steady economic growth and a booming middle class. Yet, SAARC is failing to harvest the benefit with intra-SAARC trade of only 5%, compared to ASEAN’s 32%, the EU’s 50% and NAFTA’s 65%. From regional stability and security ASEAN has now moved to regional economic integration and cooperation which is another step of their success. Neither in terms of economic co-operation nor in terms of promotion of peace and understanding there have been no signs of regional co-operation in SAARC. Because of India and Pakistan’s suspicion and mistrust of each other SAARC continues to stagnate and will never be as successful as ASEAN. In simple words, the rivalry between India and Pakistan continues to frustrate efforts to integrate South Asia. To pave the way for SAARC’s integration India-Pakistan rivalry has to stop and this calls for bold leadership. Given that India occupies 70% of the SAARC region, both geographically and economically, India has the onus to bring SAARC nations together. For SAARC to progress, it must first capitalise on less contentious issues. Short-term success will create the momentum to work on long-term goals of regional connectivity, resource sharing, and investment. A good start can be adopting a ‘South Asia First’ policy, making SAARC countries import products first from within the region. For example, major garment-manufacturing countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka import more than 80% of raw materials from outside SAARC, even though India and Pakistan are net exporters in this sector. With the flow of multilateralism and regionalism ASEAN is going forward SAARC is still in same position and unsuccessful. SAARC member states should follow ASEAN as a model for regionalism and for the regional prospects and prosperity. Connecting the dots: Can SAARC be next ASEAN? Discuss the initiatives to be taken by regional members and especially India for greater economic integration. SAARC member states should follow ASEAN as a model for regionalism and for the regional prospects and prosperity. Do you agree? Critically evaluate.  NATIONAL                      TOPIC:General studies 2: Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections. Need of Anti-Superstition law: A debate Background: The Maharashtra government has enacted an anti-superstition law. And another such law is in process in Karnataka. Superstition in India: Over recent decades, around 800 women in Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha have been killed for practising witchcraft. Faith healers, on occasion, inflict physical injury to exercise spirits or cure ailments. Practices like branding children with heated objects and using spurious surgical methods to change the sex of a foetus are common. Made-snana, a ritual where devotees from across castes roll over the leftover food of Brahmins in certain temples to cure themselves of skin diseases In Maharashtra, there were several cases where people murdered or brutally injured others and held them responsible for some deaths in their families, merely on suspicion. Maharashtra: Maharashtra has implemented the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013. The Maharashtra legislation has stopped the act of human sacrifice. Before this law, acts involving human sacrifice could not be stopped as they were preceded by some puja and offerings — not banned under any law. The anti-superstition law also makes it possible to curtail activities of so-called godmen before they become too powerful. A section in the legislation specifically addresses and checks claims made by ‘godmen’ who say they have supernatural powers. Constitutional angle: Anti-superstition law can be seen as a reasonable restriction on the right to practise and propagate one’s religion under Article 25 of the Constitution. As long as these restrictions are in the interest of public order, morality and health, the law may withstand the test of constitutionality. A separate law is not needed: The question of whether we need a separate law to curb superstitious practices has to be debated. Legal framework exists to address such crimes. For instance, throwing a child on thorns is an offence under Sections 307 and 323 of the IPC. Similarly, parading a woman naked can also be addressed specifically by Section 354B of the IPC. It is hard to make a case for retaining harmful religious practices. Everything that appears irrational to the less believing cannot be prohibited by law. A separate law is needed: Present IPC not equipped- The cognisance of human sacrifice is in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) only after the murder is committed. The present IPC is not equipped to take care of crimes committed on account of black magic and other superstitious practices. A separate law is necessary because the relationship between a devotee and so-called godman is of a peculiar nature, often marked by violence. Example- The Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, 2005. There are provisions in the IPC to punish violence, but the peculiar nature of the violence faced by women within the family needed a separate law. Legislation has a capacity to act as a deterrent. Way forward: Curbing superstitious practices requires effective implementation and enforcement of existing laws as punishment curbs the rate of crime and not the type or the quantum of punishment. The enforcement machinery needs a major overhaul to make criminal justice more accessible. Enacting special laws for each set of crimes is no solution and makes the problem worse. A discussion can be initiated between the temple authorities and devotees on alternative rituals which are not harmful. Conclusion: India needs legislation on superstition. Superstitious practices that are utterly dehumanising, brutal and exploitative need to be dealt with by a law that specifically addresses them. However, it is education and awareness that can truly liberate a society from superstition, blind faith and abominable practices in the name of faith. Until then, the law will have to continue to identify and punish acts that violate the people’s right to life, health and dignity. Connecting the dots: India needs legislation on superstition or not. Critically analyze. MUST READ The new bipolarity in Asia The Hindu Reaching out to neighbors The Hindu The wind in India's sails Indian Express Polls apart Indian Express India's changing approach to global governance Livemint Inequality comes to Asia Livemint Air pollution is both a challenge and an opportunity Livemint  

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