Apr 5, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 5th April 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 5th April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) One candidate, one seat Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Salient features of ROPA Act. Key pointers: A petition has been filed in SC challenging Section 33(7) of the Representation of the People Act, which allows a candidate to fight from two seats at the same time. As per the law, a person can contest elections for the same office from two constituencies simultaneously. Section 70 of the Act specifies that a person who wins on both seats can hold one seat only. In 2004, the CEC had urged the Centre for amend the Act to provide that a person cannot contest from more than one constituency for the same office simultaneously. Issues raised by the petitioner: When a candidate contests from two seats, it is imperative that he has to vacate one of the two seats, if he wins both. The financial burden on the public exchequer, government manpower and other resources for holding a by-election against the resultant vacancy. It is also an injustice to the voters of the constituency which the candidate is quitting from. Article link: Click here NIRF rankings 2018 Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. Key pointers: The Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has recently announced the National Institution Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2018 rankings for higher education institutes. The Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, topped the overall rankings and also secured the top position in the best university category. IIT Madras secured the second place followed by IIT Bombay and IIT Kharagpur. The rankings, according to the report was released under nine categories: Overall, universities, engineering, colleges, management, pharmacy, medical, architecture, and law. The NIRF also added several new criteria such as total budget and its utilisation, combined metric for quality of publications, university examinations and how many graduating students admitted into top institutions. Article link: Click here 10 GW of wind power by 2022 Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Energy security Key pointers: The Centre is looking to boost the country’s renewable energy footprint through offshore wind energy projects. The first bid for setting up an offshore wind project in Tuticorin will come this year. The government is expecting to have 10 GW of installed offshore wind power generation by 2022 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 China-India-Pakistan-Bangladesh axis: A game changer for South Asia Background: At the heart of South Asia’s poor integration is India-Pakistan rivalry, complicated by China-Pakistan proximity and India-China hostility. A new dimension has been added with souring of Pakistan-Bangladesh relations and the India-China tug of war over Bangladesh. Time has come to make a paradigm shift in South Asia’s regional integration strategy. Caught in a tangle: Today the big three of South Asia (IPB) are caught up in a complex web, both within and beyond the region. The remaining five — i.e. Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan — are paying the price of regional disintegration caused by unresolved puzzles having roots in the China-IPB (CIPB) axis. If the big three can have a strategic partnership that also factors in China, the remaining five can effortlessly fit into positive regionalism with a win-win situation for all. India-Pakistan-Bangladesh: IPB account for approximately 95% of South Asia’s GDP and population. Along with China, they account for 18.5% of global GDP and 41% of global population. Intra-regional trade: Far below potential: South Asia’s intra-regional trade, currently 5% of total trade, can grow to $80 billion from the current $28 billion, the lion’s share being within IPB. Pakistan and India have potential trade capacity of $20 billion compared to the current $3 billion. Underdeveloped transport and logistics services and bureaucratic procedures are deterring India-Bangladesh cross border trade, which can grow by 300%. Accelerating inward investments: Although the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is being developed as a bilateral initiative, if Indian sensitivities can be addressed, it can be a multilateral project, integrating India as well as other South Asian and Central Asian regions. China has already pledged $38 billion to Bangladesh under the BRI. Synergetic integration of the economic corridors with other BRI projects can accelerate inward investment into IPB. Connectivity: Issue: Due to cross-border barriers and lack of transport facilitation among IPB, freight movement is taking place along expensive routes, escalating investment cost. Movement of trucks across the international frontier is confined by absence of cross-border agreements between India and Bangladesh and India and Pakistan. Rail connectivity is restricted due to technical problems of different gauges, track structures, signalling and so forth. Absence of a multilateral agreement has restricted the realisation of the railway potential. Way ahead: The deep-pocketed Chinese can invest in land and rail infrastructure to develop both inter-regional connectivity and intra-regional connectivity. Although India and Bangladesh have started exploring opportunities using Ashuganj inland port, regional inland waterways must be explored. China can lead in transport and transit agreements to facilitate smooth movement of freight and passenger vehicles across IPB resulting in integration with China and also South Asia. Meeting the energy potential: The supply-demand gap of power in IPB is estimated to be 18,707 MW. To unravel the full potential, energy treaties based on renewable sources have become imperative. With greater electricity generation and utilisation of domestic energy endowments, combined efforts of BCIM, CPEC and the proposed China-Nepal-India (CNI) Economic Corridor under BRI, can capitalise on regional energy potential. Meeting the water demand: By 2050, China, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh will experience water shortages. Issue: The three largest trans-boundary river basins, Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra, are all within CIPB. This represents a huge potential for water-sharing and hydro power projects across the basins, but political mistrust is an impediment. While there exist bilateral river-water sharing treaties between India and Pakistan as well as India and Bangladesh, China is absent except for a hydrological data-sharing collaboration. China has expressed interest to pursue water- sharing treaties and the other three affected can come together in a collaborative framework. This can boost the livelihoods of millions across the region. Promoting tourism: Issues: IPB fail to attract sufficient tourists due to poor civil aviation connectivity, complex regulations and lack of visa liberalisation procedures. Of China’s total outbound tourists, only 1% are to IPB. Inadequate, expensive and mediocre travelling facilities against the backdrop of pickpockets, burglary, and sexual assaults have resulted in tourists lacking interest in the region. If these issues are resolved, it would enhance mobility of both tourists and students. Conclusion: A strategic collaboration between CIPB that rises to the occasion, looking beyond historical animosity and misgivings, can unlock a new era of regionalism whose benefits far outweigh negatives. Connecting the dots: Today the big three of South Asia (India-Pakistan-Bangladesh) are caught up in a complex web, both within and beyond the region. Time has come to make a paradigm shift in South Asia’s regional integration strategy. Discuss. MUST READ Confidence in the house The Hindu Anti-forest, anti-dweller The Hindu Failing the law Indian Express The friend of my enemy Indian Express An untenable defence Indian Express

Apr 5, 2018 AIR

All India Radio (AIR) : Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Innovation and Entrepreneurship ARCHIVES Search 19th March, 2018 Spotlight here: 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 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources   The vision of a newer and better India calls for meeting certain developmental milestones, some of these as early as 2022, the year the country commemorates 75th anniversary of Independence. It is imperative that India becomes a growth engine for the world and provides a new model of inclusive development by providing a large number of open technological and other solutions for the developing and developed world. A comparison of India with its peers in BRICS economies in a recent study suggests that perception about entrepreneurship on rise in India. The report suggests that perceived opportunity is the highest and perceived capability is the second highest among all. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report found An increase in the rate of entrepreneurial intention to 14.9% in 2017 compared to 9% the previous year Fear of failure rate has decreased to 37.5% from 44% in 2016. Festival of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (FINE) Aim: To recognise, showcase and reward innovations and to promote a supportive ecosystem for innovators from all over the country Would provide platform to the innovators for building the linkages with potential stakeholders whose support can improve their prospects in coming years for the larger social good Help in promoting lateral learning and linkages among the innovators to enrich the ecosystem for sharing of ideas Provide a window to showcase creative and innovative solutions for social development through innovation emerging from grassroots, student ideas and other technologies Organised by: Rashtrapati Bhavan in association with the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) India and the Department of Science and Technology Gandhi Young Technological Innovation (GYTI) Awards were given to 23 innovators for their innovative products that ranged from innovations in microscopy to biotechnology, including one on the solar cooker. FINE also includes an “In-Residence” Program as part of which a batch of ten innovation scholars will stay within the President’s Estate and will be provided mentoring as well as opportunities for idea sharing with key stakeholders. The Way Ahead – Setting rules for our tomorrows Innovations have the potential to make India a collaborative society, and there is a need to translate innovation to entrepreneurship. At the same time, these innovations need to revitalize every link in the innovation value chain, and be replicable that can reach out to all cross-sections of the society. Mantra to be followed: Innovate, Patent, Produce and Prosper – IPPP Create the right set of conditions for game-changing business models to emerge and flourish – India needs to nourish a true culture of innovation. Entrepreneurship should become the centerpiece of contemporary education, as it is not only about the ability to start companies, but also to think creatively and ambitiously. Students need to be “innovation-ready” to face the challenges of the complex world they will be a part of in the future. To have an entrepreneurial mindset is to have the ability to identify and solve problems. Schools should encourage children to tinker rather than memorise and mug. Work cultures should be such that young talent looks up and questions – rather than looks down and nods. Technology is the key We have to promote cutting-edge technologies alongside grassroots innovations so that a pipeline for future applications is generated. Big or small, businesses are looking to adopt emerging technologies. To keep pace, we must be re-inventing, challenging and rethinking the way we do business. That means venturing into unfamiliar territory. Step one for India in seizing the global tech stage is internalizing this elemental spirit of innovation. Adopt the culture of embracing failure and fear Failure is an essential ingredient for innovation. But in India, we have traditionally been much more risk-averse. We need to grow comfortable with risk—and pursue forward-looking opportunities with potential for enormous payoff. Innovations by themselves are not enough. We must also build an ecosystem for converting innovations into enterprises. This requires support for start-ups and for incubating young innovators. Therefore, India must work towards translating innovative ideas into accessible and affordable products and services for its people. At the end of the day, innovation is all about people, and that’s a resource that India has in abundance. Must Read: Link 1 Connecting the Dots: For a country sitting at the cusp of a demographic disaster, it is imperative to unleash the entrepreneurial energy of its marginalized and weaker sections. Discuss. Examine the provisions of the Stand Up India Loan Scheme. What are the roles of skill development, training and entrepreneurship for both post-harvest management and food processing industry? Examine.

Apr 5, 2018 RSTV Video

RSTV- The Big Picture : Wombs Not for Rent

Wombs Not for Rent Archives 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. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources   In News: Union cabinet has given its nod to the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016, paving way for the regulation of surrogacy by setting up National Surrogacy Board at the centre. The proposed legislation seeks to ensure – Effective regulation of surrogacy Prohibit commercial surrogacy Allows altruistic surrogacy to the needy Indian infertile couples Rein in unethical practices so that the exploitation of commercial mothers is stopped National Surrogacy Board: Post its enactment by the Parliament, the National Surrogacy Board will be constituted at the central level, while the states and Union Territories will constitute the State Surrogacy Boards and State Appropriate Authorities within three months of the notification by the Central Government. Note: It will apply to whole of India, except for Jammu and Kashmir. Why is it important? India has emerged a hub for infertility treatment, attracting people from the world over with its state-of-the-art technology and competitive prices initially to treat infertility. With the prevailing socio-economic inequities, underprivileged women found an option to ‘rent their wombs’ and thereby make money to take care of their expenses — often to facilitate a marriage, enable children to get education, or provide for hospitalisation or surgery for someone in the family. The demand also picked up and unscrupulous middle men inveigled themselves into the scene, and the exploitation of women began. Several instances began to emerge and there was an increase in the rate of filing police complaints for – Unethical practices Exploitation of surrogate mothers Abandonment of children born out of surrogacy Rackets of intermediaries importing human embryos and gametes Points of Contention: Surrogacy will only be allowed to Indian couples, who have been married for five years or more, in case one of the partners is infertile. The law not only bans singles and homosexuals from having surrogate children, it also makes it difficult for heterosexual couples with medical indication for surrogacy. The decision to keep live-in partners out of the purview of the bill is indicative of the fact that it is not in consonance with the present day social milieu and is too narrow in its understanding Article 14 of the Constitution guarantees “equality before the law and equal protection of laws to all persons”. Article 21 guarantees “protection of life and personal liberty of all persons”. Restricting conditional surrogacy to married Indian couples and disqualifying others on the basis of nationality, marital status, sexual orientation or age, does not appear to qualify the test of equality and has no connection with the intended objectives of the proposed legislation. The surrogate mother needs to be a close relative of the couple, who has been married and already has a child. Doctors say the law will send surrogacy underground, and there will always be possibilities of blackmail within families. In Indian marital homes, the decision-making power rarely rests with women and not so privileged or financially weak relatives who can be coerced into becoming surrogate mothers with absolutely no bargaining power. No payment of any sort other than medical expenses will be allowed Pregnancy is not a one minute job but a labour of nine months with far reaching implications regarding a woman’s health, her time and her family. It should be a woman’s right to be ‘reasonably and adequately compensated’ for their reproductive labour. Given the patriarchal character of the Indian family, this demanded altruism may reinforce the idea that a woman’s body is not her own. The yardsticks governing domestic altruistic surrogacy will offer an opportunity for corruption and exploitation, pushing surrogacy into unethical hands. It could foster an underground abusive trade in surrogacy. Conclusion: The pursuit of happiness is founded upon autonomy and dignity, and more so when we are talking about ‘women’. The setting up of a national registry of assisted reproductive technology clinics and banks is a good step towards ensuring a creation of a central database and accountability for the actions. Through this, details of these clinics and banks, including the nature and type of services provided by them, can be obtained on a regular basis, and the loopholes could be better managed and plugged. The best safeguards for surrogates would be empowerment rather than relying on the market or the state for protection. Instead of banning commercial surrogacy, the government should work towards Legalizing Regularizing Regulating Connecting the Dots: What are the issues involved with respect to surrogacy? Examine.

Apr 5, 2018

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 POLITY & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 26]

Hello Friends,  The 60 Days Training has finally begun:) Before any competition, there is a preparatory phase. That phase involves a lot of sessions on strengths and weaknesses. Throughout the preparatory phase, the athletes train in a gradual manner. In the last phase, just before the actual competition, the training is done so as to sharpen their skills. This training requires complete focus and dedication. In this phase, the athletes do not try anything new or train in a new fashion rather focus on sharpening of skills, focusing on strength and precision. Similarly, the upcoming 60 days, is like the last phase (training session), just before the actual competition. Here, the focus should be on sharpening the concepts, consolidating the knowledge base and solidifying the learning with loads and loads of revision. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL DETAILS AND SOLVE QUESTIONS

Apr 5, 2018 Yojana

YOJANA & KURUKSHETRA Magazine: MARCH 2018

Archives Friends, Here we are with the MARCH 2018, edition of Yojana and Kurukshetra. Yojana/Kurukshetra: MARCH 2018 – Download Download Mind Maps   1. Click Here 2. Click Here 3. Click Here 4. Click Here 5. Click Here 6. Click Here 7. Click Here 8. Click Here 9. Click Here 10. Click Here 11. Click Here

Apr 5, 2018 IASbaba's Monthly Current Affairs Magazine

IASbaba’s Monthly Current Affairs Magazine-MARCH 2018

ARCHIVES Hello Friends This is the 34th edition of IASbaba’s Monthly Magazine on Current Affairs for UPSC Civil Services Examination. This edition covers all important issues that were in news for the month of MARCH 2018 DOWNLOAD THE MAGAZINE- CLICK HERE

Apr 4, 2018 IASbaba's OFFLINE CLASSES

IASbaba's OFFLINE CLASSES-Integrated Learning Programme (ILP)- 2019

  Dear friends, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein In a short period of just 3 years, IASBaba has grown to be a brand of its own. This has been possible because of pure passion, the quality of people at IASbaba, their perseverance, urge to excel and the faith and support that you all have provided. It is nothing sort of a miracle. At IASbaba we have a single guideline before starting any initiative “Can we at IASbaba, do the best in comparison to any existing system, Can we redefine the way things are delivered” Yes, if we are doing a classroom programme, then we would want it to be the best! Most structured and at the same time the one which can bring any ordinary person to UPSC standards in the shortest time. This was the motto with which we started our classes 3 years back. And you can see where IASbaba is today! Every Online and Offline programme of IASBaba is meticulously designed to suit the requirements of UPSC. Why is 60 Day Programme so famous and most trusted? The answer is its QUALITY and its relevance to UPSC Questions and standard. Integrated Learning Programme (ILP) ONLINE– Today it is the number 1 Online Programme that provides the best guidance for not only Prelims but Mains as well. Quality and affordability is it’s USP. Our classroom programme, which is the best programme in terms of quality and largest offline programme in Bangalore is known for imparting individual attention to students. A further testimony to the above has been 60 Day Program, TLP program ILP Program which has now become the biggest online environment for UPSC learning. 120 selections in the span of just two years (2015, 2016) including Ranks, 4, 6 and 9 in TOP 10. Our Hit Ratio in Mains and Prelims- 2017, which is close to 85 % and 70% respectively – How IASbaba was helpful in Mains 2017  and 68+in UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2017-How IASbaba Helped One to Get MAINS Call! We have two OFFLINE Class Programme’s conducted by IASbaba - CONNECT TO CONQUER (C2C) and INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAMME (ILP) - OFFLINE. Unique features of both the programmes are given below. CONNECT TO CONQUER (C2C): OFFLINE MAINS ANSWER WRITING PROGRAMME   When we started our C2C programme, the intention was very clear and defined. It was solely to focus on answer writing not by merely a named initiative but through imparting true guidance and feedback to all our students on one to one basis. It was to build a strong foundation and in-depth understanding of the subject matter. The programme is nothing short of a SKILL DEVELOPMENT ECOSYSTEM where everything is designed to impart the required skill before you leave the system. No ecosystem works if the ingredients are not properly designed and placed in for the core value building. It is not merely a Test Series where you write and get the review from unknown sources. It is designed to fill the gap of mentorship and guidance at the same time. Since it is Mains Answer Writing, it is expected that students have finished their syllabus at least once and have a basic understanding of Mains as a whole. To reap the dividend of this initiative, it is the core requirement and nothing else. How it differs from others? Students are divided into groups of 15 For every group, a mentor is allotted.Each of the mentor allocated is one high quality The mentor evaluates the answer sheets on an individual basis and sits with you to provide strategic feedback. This process lets you uncover the inherent flaws in your answers. The mentors are hardworking and put extra effort to guide students in all possible ways. They are more like your friend than a teacher. You can reach out to them personally for anything related to preparation. This programme has transformed our students in the following ways With only 2-3 sitting with their mentors, students have understood the nuances of Answer writing. Most of them started off with Ground Zero on Day 1 and now they are able to write good answers From stories and unrelated content to crisp and to the point content in their answers is the reflection of the thought building process that they are undergoing in C2C. The detailed synopsis and discussion with their mentors provide a strong foundational support to them. From inherent fear to attempt a question to attempting them with full confidence and quality is the output that is being worked upon here. In fact, this is the first time anywhere in UPSC coaching an individual mentor is associated with the aspirant. This program is in direct competition and better version of a similar offered and it is offered at HALF the price. Please cross-check with students and make an informed decision. Also, we have heard rumours of competitors wanting to copy this program :) Rather than we boasting about our Offline Classes (unlike other normal institutes which in reality are another way around), you can get the feedback from the horse’s mouth. This is what our students have to say about Connect to Conquer (C2C).   NOTE- C2C Phase-II would be launched immediately after prelims. Details of Phase -II will be announced shortly.   FLAGSHIP OFFLINE PROGRAMME-INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAMME 2019- FRESHERS   This program is meant for those who have completed 0% of syllabus yet determined to succeed in the first attempt itself. Our flagship program ILP OFFLINE is designed to help freshers learn from first principles and build strong basics. This approach helped our students solve several confusing/ambiguous questions of Prelims 2017. We believe in smart work. Our classes and materials guide aspirants to get the best results with minimal time and effort. Even working professionals who were regularly attending our weekend classes of ILP Offline 2016-17 have given their interview and are waiting for the results. In line with our tagline – “One Stop Destination for UPSC Preparation”, we have created an ecosystem that would stand true to its name ‘One Stop’ for every student who is part of it. The quality and pedigree of IASbaba faculty is unmatched by UPSC standards. Regarding the quality and importance of ILP OFFLINE 2018 programme, you can hear it from the students themselves. Features of IASbaba’s Offline Classes: Integration of Online Programme with Offline Classes – Offline Classes will be complemented by ILP online program which would contain Babapedia (Current Affairs), Value Added Notes (VAN), Test Series. Duration of the programme will be 15 months. The classes will be conducted keeping all the 3 Stages of the examination (Prelims, Mains, Interview) in mind. All GS papers will be covered before Prelims. Prelims (GS + CSAT) and Mains Tests are incorporated in the programme. The tests will be designed keeping a fresher’s preparation in mind. Accordingly, there will be a gradual increase in the difficulty level of the test. In tune with the demand of UPSC, there will be weekly Current Affairs Classes/Discussions and Test. Motivation and Prelims & Mains Strategy class exclusively by Toppers and Founders. We have the best mentors for the programme who will guide you throughout with the best possible support. Library Facility with WIFI and AC. This is where you get to interact with veterans many of them who are rank holders and accelerate your preparation. (It will be separately charged) Note: Optional guidance for subjects like Public Administration, Geography, Anthropology, Sociology is provided. Kannada Literature Optional Classes are charged separately. Eligibility criterion to Join Offline Classes We do not have “X” criterion of the syllabus that needs to be completed and ‘X’ books to be read to join our programme. An aspirant with Basic English and Aptitude is all we are looking forward to. A FRESHER who has the passion, zeal and perseverance to clear the exam in his/her 1st attempt, one who is honest and dedicated to put in that extra effort can join our Offline Programme. There are many students who are in their final year of graduation who joined the weekend batch and are ready to ace. We believe in the practical transformation of an individual who has no skill and want to assist/impart the required skill in the process. All you need to do is fill the form and wait for our call. If we find you eligible we would offer you the invite! How our Offline Classes differs from others? Since we invite Freshers, the programme starts with strategy classes to make you understand the process of UPSC The first few classes will enable you with the proper understanding of Prelims and Mains. We are not selective in the selection of students to boast about the results later. Rather, we want to be part of the real transformation of a person from ‘Nil-UPSC’ to ‘Nail-UPSC’. The cohort group of students encompass a variety of backgrounds and experience to share with. Few of them are experienced/veterans, have joined the programme keeping aside their ego and ready to learn with a fresher as a fresher to get their basics right. Such a group of students act as a catalyst for others to be competitive ILP 2019 will be integrated with Offline classes. Subjects will be covered through short modules followed by regular tests in the end. This will provide double exercise and benefit to offline students, one through conceptual learning in class and the other through the online setup. There will be regular tests for Prelims and Mains both as per the plan. By the end of this programme: You will understand the importance and meaning of smart work How to analyse an issue and present your answer in line with the demand of the question Write UPSC level answers in mere 3 months into the course. Take a stand on diversified opinion & issues which will help you in your Interview In short, you will come to know, on what it takes to be in the coveted list of successful candidates! There is no wishful thinking or claims of ranks in future. We believe that right work in the right direction will definitely be rewarded. We are expecting good news around the corner with 2017 Results. Wait for the Surprise !! We welcome you to come to Bengaluru, talk to our students about the classes and get their feedback before joining. You can also visit different institutes, compare the programs offered, material provided and make an informed choice. Let us share a story with you: One day, a man was walking with his favourite Horse and the Horse fell into a deep precipice. The man was unable to pull it out no matter how hard he tried. He, therefore, decides to bury it alive. The man started pouring the soil on the horse from above. Every time he poured the soil, the Horse felt the load and shook it off his back. As more and more soil was poured, the Horse felt the load, shook the soil off its back and steps on it. The more the load was poured, the higher it rose. By noon, the Horse was out, grazing in green pastures, with its master. Success is like the Horse mentioned in the story. Are you ready to see the dream transforming into reality? If yes, come and join us with the best minds in UPSC preparation and make history!! ***Details will be shared on 7th April with the Registration Form***

Apr 4, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 4th April 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 4th April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) India and Nepal to jointly lay 900 MW Hydropower Project Part of: Mains GS Paper II- International relations Key pointers: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart KP Sharma Oli will jointly lay the foundation stone of the 900 MW Arun III hydropower project. The foundation stone of the hydroelectricity project will be laid in Sankhuwasabha district of eastern Nepal. The power project has been developed by Sutlej Jala Vidhyut Nigam (SJVN), an Indian state-run utility. This is the largest hydroelectric project undertaken by the India government in Nepal and it gained momentum after Modi came to power in 2014. India will provide a total of $ 1.5 billion for the project which is being constructed on the build, operate, own and transfer ( BOOT) model. Article link: Click here NAM Conference, Azerbaijan Part of: Mains GS Paper II- International relations Key pointers: External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj has embarked a three-day official visit to Azerbaijan's capital city Baku to participate in Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Ministerial Conference. The NAM Mid-Term Ministerial Conference will be held in Baku on 5-6 April under the theme of "Promoting international peace and security for sustainable development". India and Azerbaijan: During the visit, EAM will hold bilateral consultations with her Azerbaijani counterpart. The two sides will discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest. India and Azerbaijan enjoy warm and friendly relations based on historical and cultural ties. They have growing bilateral cooperation in many areas including energy, transportation, and capacity building. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Introduction: Financial inclusion has been recognised as a key building block which will form the foundation for achieving several of UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. As a construct, it provides much more than access to financial services. Steps taken in promoting financial inclusion: The first step towards achieving financial inclusion was to begin with providing a bank account to a majority of our population. This was enabled through the Jan Dhan Yojana under which the government has opened over 30 crore accounts with almost 60 per cent being in rural areas. Importantly, the zero balance accounts amongst these have declined from 77 per cent in 2014 to 20 per cent nowshowing that the government has been successful in getting unbanked people to actively use it. Part of this has been driven through the linking of Aadhaar and doing Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to these Jan Dhan accounts. The next step was to create an infrastructure which could handle all aspects of servicing such a large segment of the population. A multitude of solutions, be it UPI, BHIM, NeSL and BBPS amongst others have been created. Progress: All the above changes have started showing results. About a month ago, Crisil disclosed the findings of its Inclusix financial inclusion index for FY2016 reporting an improvement in the overall score for India. The index gives us a rough indicator of how we have accelerated the path to financial inclusion in the last few years. The score has moved from 50 in FY2013 to 58 in FY2016 and would have been much higher at 62 this year, were it not for the re-basing and inclusion of insurance data. More needs to be done: Despite the improvement, credit penetration remains low at 56 per cent compared with 78 per cent deposit penetration. By providing bank accounts and establishing the requisite infrastructure, the government has created a strong foundation and ensured the availability of the bare minimum. . It now needs to gear up for the next stage in this evolution. Way ahead: Democratisation of credit: Availability of credit remains a major roadblock for a vast majority of the population. The biggest deterrent to resolving this has been the lack of tangible data points, which can help the credit bureaus put together better underwriting models for these unbanked customers. This problem is now slowly being resolved as these bank accounts are linked to Aadhaar providing a consistent flow of payments data, an increasingly important parameter whilst underwriting individual credit. Financialisation of savings: The last couple of years have seen intensive flows into investment avenues like mutual funds. The challenge will now be to translate this model to the bottom of the pyramid. However, a one-size-fits-all approach will not work here. With the investible surplus being much lower for this segment, innovation will hold the key in designing products which are suitable for this segment. Promoting financial literacy: Increasingly enhancing financial literacy across society is critical for the success of any other inititatives for financial inclusion. This needs to be achieved across all age groups, for the younger populace through school education and through special programmes for the adult population. A financially literate society makes the job of financial inclusion that much easier. Conclusion: A lot of efforts have been put in creating widespread access and the infrastructure backbone. The next steps mentioned above requires concerted efforts, not just by the government but equally importantly by the regulators and the financial services participants. Connecting the dots: India has come far ahead in its path of financial inclusion. The next steps to achieve the goal should be- democratisation of credit, financialisation of savings and promoting financial literacy. Discuss. NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 1: Effects of Globalization on Indian Society; Urbanization and related issues General studies 2: Important aspects of governance and e-governance Issues regarding services relating to Health, Education, Human Resource Improving public spaces in India Introduction: Public spaces are defined by UN-Habitat as “all places, including streets, publicly owned or of public use, accessible and enjoyable by all for free and without a profit motive”. Public spaces yields benefits of greater inclusion, safety, democratic engagement, quality of life, gender parity and economic returns. Sustainable Development Goal 11, sustainable cities and communities, focuses on making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable by providing “universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible green and public spaces”. Sorry state of public spaces in India: A study on public spaces in Mumbai highlights that merely 1.28 sq. m of the city’s public space is available per person whereas all major global cities provide healthy public space: for instance, London (31.68 sq. m), New York (26.4), and Chicago (17.6). There is a growing and palpable demand that India should expedite its efforts on the availability of, and access to, public spaces. Issue: The real problem lies in identifying the policies that could achieve the desirable level of public space. In 2015, UN-Habitat also launched the “Global Public Space Toolkit: From Global Principles To Local Policies and Practice”. However, the trouble lies in picking practical, actionable and realistic policy measures and replicating them as per the Indian local context. What needs to be done? Cities should direct meaningful focus and resources towards non-motorized transport (NMT). Cities can identify key markets, bustling roads and transport junctions and only allow non-motorized transport during one day of the week. This will unleash the humanist element of our cities, where people would gather, but without the symbol of exclusivity and private space—automobiles. The city administration can identify streets, sidewalks, neighbourhoods, marketplaces and places of historical importance, and allocate them for cultural expression. Reviving the cultural scene can usher gains in tourism, social cohesion, and liveliness. The state and local governments should work on leveraging privately-owned public spaces (POPS), also referred to as pseudo-public spaces. These are owned and managed privately but provide access to the public. Shopping malls are an example of such spaces. Private neighbourhoods should be encouraged by municipalities to adopt nearby public spaces. This could be a win-win situation, since there is evidence that well-managed and planned public spaces bolster the prices of nearby residential neighbourhoods. We need to rejuvenate the existing inventory of public spaces- parks, beaches, historical landmarks, places of worship, and centuries-old architecture. Indian public spaces can be revived if the government addresses the four basic needs of infrastructure, hygiene, security, and accessibility. Cities should target the conversion of old infrastructure, wastelands, landfills and other such places into public places. Such a move will minimize the cost of developing a new public space. This effort should also involve reversing the encroachment of city water bodies such as ponds, beaches, mangroves and seafronts. Conclusion: With the above mentioned measures, the state of public spaces in Indian cities can be improved. These measures provide early and easy gains on the issue of public spaces in Indian cities. Connecting the dots: Discuss the importance of improving public spaces in India. Also suggests ways to do so. MUST READ The data sets stack up The Hindu Fair justice The Hindu Dangers of the 'lynch mob' mentality Business Line River of discontent Business Line

Apr 4, 2018

IASbaba’s Bimonthly Gist of Economic and Political Weekly (EPW)- Edition 8

Hello Friends,  Continuing our effort towards right guidance and quality coverage to assist you in all possible ways, we are glad to introduce this new initiative where Frontline, IDSA and Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) will be covered considering the relevance of UPSC Examination. This initiative will also help you in Essay, Sociology and PSIR Optional as well. This is the Eighth edition of Economic and Political Weekly (EPW)- Bimonthly Magazine. Hope you all like it  DOWNLOAD THE MAGAZINE

Apr 4, 2018

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 POLITY & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 25]

Hello Friends,  The 60 Days Training has finally begun:) Before any competition, there is a preparatory phase. That phase involves a lot of sessions on strengths and weaknesses. Throughout the preparatory phase, the athletes train in a gradual manner. In the last phase, just before the actual competition, the training is done so as to sharpen their skills. This training requires complete focus and dedication. In this phase, the athletes do not try anything new or train in a new fashion rather focus on sharpening of skills, focusing on strength and precision. Similarly, the upcoming 60 days, is like the last phase (training session), just before the actual competition. Here, the focus should be on sharpening the concepts, consolidating the knowledge base and solidifying the learning with loads and loads of revision. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL DETAILS AND SOLVE QUESTIONS