Jul 18, 2017 PIB

IASbaba PIB Weekly: Press Information Bureau - 26th June to 30th June , 2017

IASbaba PIB Weekly: Press Information Bureau - 26th June to 30th June , 2017 ARCHIVES GS-2 Open Defecation Free states in India— (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) Sikkim Himachal Pradesh Kerala Uttarakhand Haryana Launch of Web Application for Legal Services to Prisoners (Topic: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures) By: National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) – entrusted with responsibility to provide legal aid inter-alia to all persons in custody. Data will be fed for each individual prison inmate in the jails, with regard to their being represented through a counsel in the court. The software will be able to generate reports showing total number of inmates, number of inmates unrepresented, number of inmates represented by legal services lawyers and number of inmates represented by private lawyers. Impact: Transparency in the legal system Will be useful in monitoring the grant of legal aid to the prisoners in order to ensure that absolutely no prisoner goes unrepresented right from the first day of his production in the court. Must read: Prison Reforms Inauguration of Textile India 2017 (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) FDI – 100 percent FDI through automatic route India World’s largest producer of cotton and jute World’s second largest producer of silk and man-made fibre World’s second largest exporter of textiles, commanding a global share of around five percent Based on the “Make-in-India” initiative, the organized textile industry is being infused with the mantras of ‘skill, scale, speed’ and ‘zero-defect, zero-effect’ for scaling up employment, production and exports. Textile and India India has an abundant supply of raw material, like cotton, wool, silk, jute, and man-made fibre Has strong spinning, weaving, knitting and apparel manufacturing capacities Young, skilled labour is available at a reasonable cost High demand for textiles, apparel, and handcrafted lifestyle products by today’s youth with higher disposable income High global demand for textiles and apparel manufactured in India Employment: Second largest employer after agriculture; over forty-five million people are employed directly in the sector, and over sixty million people are employed in allied activities. 6th Joint Trade Committee Meeting between India and Myanmar (Topic: India and its neighborhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests) Myanmar - India’s gateway to South East Asia and ASEAN India is seeking greater economic integration with ASEAN through ‘Act East’ Policy Myanmar shares a long land border of over 1600 Kms with India as well as a maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal. India’s trade with Myanmar grew by 6.01% from USD 2.05 bn in 2015 -16 to USD 2.18 bn in 2016-17. The total export achieved in 2016-17 was 1.11 USD Billion, reflecting an annual growth of 3.79%. The import stood at 1.06 USD Billion showing a growth of 8.43%. Discussion Points: Border Haats on the ‘India-Myanmar border’: 10 points spread across 4 states viz., Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur, have been identified for operationalising Border Haats. To explore opening of two new Border Trade Points at Pangkhuwa and Zoninpuri. Comprehensive MoUs would be explored in areas— Health Care, Textiles, Capacity building between RBI and CBM and on cooperation in the field of Power Sector The proposed MoU between RBI and Central Bank of Myanmar on currency exchange rate fixation also needs to be expedited. Read about: India Myanmar Relations: An analysis Locate on the map: Pangkhuwa and Zoninpuri MoU between India and Israel on National Campaign for Water Conservation in India approved (Topic: India and its neighborhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests) India and Israel shall work to enhance cooperation at the national, regional and international level to design, implement and monitor a professionally-designed National Water Conservation campaign in India. Objectives: Put water conservation on the national agenda in India Encouraging every citizen to save water in everyday life Generating awareness about water Promoting Re-use, Recharge and Recycling of water Development of digital tools such as websites, mobile applications on the subject of water conservation. You can also read: PM Modi’s visit to Israel Swasth Saarthi Abhiyaan (Topic: 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. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources) Purpose: To address the major issues being faced by public transport drivers of the region by focusing on providing preventive healthcare (basic health check-up) to the auto, taxi and bus drivers of the region Initiative of: Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) – 2 month long medical camp at all their stations in the Capital Key notes: Drivers in the capital region are partners in the growth story of gas used as fuel in vehicles. Free health checkup includes blood test, sugar test, eye test, cataract surgeries, etc. Provision of health insurance which would also include death benefits for drivers in the Capital Launch of the Swasth Saarthi web application: Will enable the drivers undergoing the health checkups during the campaign to access their health records online from anywhere, in case of need. GS-3 Pathways to Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India’s Electricity Grid (Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.) Study developed under: U.S.-India bilateral program “Greening the Grid” 2015 Target: The Government of India in 2015 had set the ambitious target of adding 100 GW of solar energy and 60 GW of wind energy into the country’s energy mix. Key operational impacts: Large-scale benefits of fuel savings and reduced emissions due to increased renewable energy production Existing fast-ramping infrastructure is sufficient to maintain grid balance In post-175 GW clean energy scenario, coal plants operating at part capacity will need suitable incentives for flexibility. Must Read: Harnessing wind power through Kites India’s Energy Transformation   Launch of National Data Repository (NDR) and Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) (Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.) Under: Market driven Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) of Government of India National Data Repository: Will serve as an integrated data repository of E&P data of the Indian sedimentary basins, in line with the Digital India initiative Open Acreage Licensing: Will accelerate exploration activities in the country since investors can express their interest in an area which they feel has prospective without waiting for formal bidding. Launch of National Biopharma Mission (Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights) Program: Innovate in India (i3) aspires to create an enabling ecosystem to promote entrepreneurship and indigenous manufacturing in the sector. Implementing Agency: Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Undertaking of Department of Biotechnology Key notes: India has been an active player in the pharmaceutical industry and has contributed globally towards making life saving drugs and low cost pharmaceutical products accessible and affordable for those in need. But Indian biopharmaceutical industry is still 10-15 years behind their counterparts and faces stiff competition from China, Korea and others. Currently India has only 2.8% share in the global biopharmaceutical market, the program would elevate this to 5% resulting in an additional business opportunity of 16 Billion USD. Reasons behind the lacuna: Disconnected centers of excellence Less focus on translational research Staggered funding With i3: Increased focus on product discovery, translational research and early stage manufacturing to ensure inclusive innovation Make India a hub for design and development of novel, affordable and effective biopharmaceutical products and solutions Boost the growth curve for domestic biopharma in India by accelerating the translation of research concepts into viable products, supporting clinical validation, enabling sustainable networks for collaboration between industry and academia, and supporting entrepreneurial ecosystem amongst many others. Provision of a holistic and integrated approach to strengthen and support the entire product development value chain for accelerating the research leads to product development. India's GSAT-17 Communication Satellite Launched Successfully (Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights) GSAT-17 – India’s third communication satellite to successfully reach orbit Carries communication payloads in C-band, Extended C-band and S-band for providing various services to the country Also carries equipment for meteorological data relay and satellite based search and rescue services. Did you know – India has moved up by Thirty two places in the last two years in the Global Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum. Nineteen places on the World Bank Logistics Performance Index of 2016. Sixteen places on the Global Innovation Index of the World Intellectual Property Organisation in 2016 India is third among the top ten FDI destinations listed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.  

Jul 18, 2017 AIR

All India Radio (AIR): Involving Private Sector to Achieve Housing for all by 2022

Involving Private Sector to Achieve Housing for all by 2022 ARCHIVES 9th April 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. Development processes and the development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders India is increasingly witnessing growing urbanisation. National Urban Housing and Habitat Policy (NUHHP), 2007 has set the objective of Affordable Housing for All as a key focus. The PM has also given commitment to have “housing for all” by 2022 when India will complete 75 years of independence. So far, about 32 lakh houses have been built under the scheme and by 2019, there is proposal to build 1.35 crores more houses. Recent update: In a meeting at PMO, private builders were called and were told to take part in the scheme. But overall it has emerged that private sector has some difficulty in taking part in scheme. The private sector builders have not given any proposal to government despite the fact that in December 2016 PM announced interest subsidy of 3% and 4% for those going for housing loan upto Rs. 12 lakh and Rs. 9 lakh respectively, so that availing loan would be easier and cheaper. Housing for all is important from economic as well as social point of view. From economic viewpoint, the real estate sector is largely catering to the housing development- 80% of real estate is in housing. Here also, 80% supply is required in affordable and EWS segment. The problem is Majority has to be provided in urban center where high land cost and lack of land availability is major deterrent for such projects. There is excessive control in land in terms of density and limited availability in FAR and FSI available on land. This limits the development on that particular land part. Multiple taxation on the housing projects are levied Higher cost of capital to be borne by developer. Rising compliance cost Low cost housing is available and there are subsidies offered by government. But the major problem is to avail those subsidies and to avail a banking loan which is where the subsidies are passed on the housing loan. To avail housing loan, there is lot of paper work which is required as per RBI guidelines. So, poor people who are not salaried class and don’t have salary slip to support their income have difficulties to find source of home loan from banks or NBFCs. Thus, supply as well as inability of availing home loans is a major deterrent why the private developers are not able to contribute to the scheme. Government support- Through PMJDY, now atleast one crore people have bank accounts and they can give evidence that they have money in their accounts which may enable the banks to provide them loans in future. To some extent the government may have addressed this challenge but more needs to be done. Government initiative is equally important and that too from land point of view. Where land is concerned, the departments have been directed to identify the unutilised land which may not be required for long term future and can be given for housing for all scheme. The department have not to necessarily sell their land but can invite the private developers to build their projects on the land and still be owner of land. There is another concept of rental housing which is prevailing in countries like Singapore and Thailand. Here the government is providing rental housing at cheaper rate. This enables to have shelters for the poor and needy people. Housing for all aims to help people get their own houses. It is a social security scheme where one family has atleast one house. The government can also look at the rental housing plan where it can provide central housing the way it has been provided to government employees. Proper planning and integrated development is key The central government has committed Rs. 90000 crores for housing to all scheme. However, the track record of scheme has been skewed- TN has built 1.9 8 lakh houses, MP has done 1.94 lakh houses and AP has built around 2.27 lkahs but other states like Bihar, UP, Odisha haven’t done much. This shows that just the housing numbers are not going to support the overall big picture. It will be possible when the entire economic development takes place. Housing has to be near a commercial set up where people have jobs. Cities like Chandigarh, Noida, Gurgaon has jobs and houses in close proximity to each other. This is comprehensive development structure which is needed in other parts of the country. If the houses are developed in areas where there are no or less job opportunities, such houses will remain vacant as people will move to other areas. This defeats the purpose of aim of housing for all. Capacities to create such huge number of houses has to be created rather than addressing the shortcomings in the sector individually. If industrialisation is focused in certain part of state, the housing infrastructure has to be comprehensive to the employment generation areas. This can be seen being undertaken in Sagarmala project where ports are being developed and around them integrated townships are created. Thus, there has to be coordination between central, state government and their departments before the private sector is called to participate. Housing in rural areas Almost 33 lakh houses are to be built in rural areas as 65% of population is dependent on agriculture. Farmers will require housing near to their farms. The problem comes back to the farmer in terms of affordability because he is getting high cost of capital for his agricultural purposes. Another loan for housing purposes will burden him.  The state governments have to take great initiatives and have a comprehensive plan to do it. For the private sector to be involved, the government has to provide land with clear titles to them for construction which can be later allotted to the right beneficiary. Increasing efficiency Indira Awas Yojana has been subsumed in the new scheme. In the last 4 years, 36 lakh houses are still being built. The norms say that these houses should be built in 6-9 months. The technology is available where such kind of mass housing can be done in short period. But there are various shortcomings in line of achieving efficiency The multi-level approval system is required. There are multiple agencies which provide 175 approvals to housing project which are time consuming approval processes which the developer is compelled to follow. Funding issue A system is required where there is a comprehensive approval process in place along with land clearances so that no further approval is required. Here the developer comes in, develops and hands over to the state government. If this is not in place, it is bound to take 3-5 years. Conclusion Private sector finds its capability and capacity in place. Only thing it requires is encouragement and right kind of policies to be implemented by government. If the policies are viable for joint participation of public and private sector, then it will fasten the speed of building housing projects. The beneficiaries are targeted through the caste and the economic census 2011 which gives the data of homeless people and the people living in kuccha houses. The integration of the loose ends is also needed. There has to be adequate mechanism for providing housing loans to weaker sections of society. The data of non-salaried, low income people who do not have adequate proof to support their income documents have many difficulties in providing home loans. In absence of home loans, affordable housing also becomes a big challenge. Hence, RBI must customise the funding requirement or the funding documentation process to be given to such communities so that they can afford homes. Connecting the dots: Is the PPP model in housing infrastructure viable option? Critically analyse. Brining in private players into fray of affordable housing scheme will no longer keep the housing affordable. Do you agree with the statement? Evaluate.

Jul 18, 2017 RSTV Video

RSTV- The Big Picture: Govt Plans for Lateral Entry in Higher Administrative Posts: Rationale and Impact

Govt Plans for Lateral Entry in Higher Administrative Posts: Rationale and Impact Archives General Studies 2 Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein. Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity. As per media reports, DoPT has been asked by PMO to prepare a proposition on lateral entry in civil services that deal with economy and infrastructure sectors where private sector executives will be appointed in ranks of deputy secretary, director and joint secretary. This decision was taken in response to central government staffing policy paper where DoPT had indicated lack of officers at middle level management level. Composition: Acc. to reports, the selection of private level individuals or social workers would be through a matrix of experience and qualifications. The existing salary of candidate will not be taken into account. A starting estimate- 40 individuals comprising of successful entrepreneurs, academicians and social workers will be taken. Selection: A committee headed by Cabinet Secretary will be responsible for final selection. In the past 30-40 years, there have been few lateral entry situations and the experience has not been bad. Dr. Manmohan Singh, Vijay Kelkar, Montek Singh Ahluwalia are few examples. With regards to senior people in services in late 1990s, out of 300 secretaries, 150 were from AIS and remaining from outside. So, lateral entry is not new to Indian governance. The question is- if the present interest is in short of assignment of private sector into government or long term. Why needed? Bureaucracy has faced lot of flak for its inefficiency. There is a need to change the behavioural and attitudinal part of bureaucracy. Rationale When talked of expertise, sectors such as water, energy, environment are broad spectrum areas. So one person cannot be an expert on the entire sector. Hence, domain expertise can be taken advantage of by bringing in environmentalists into government to frame appropriate policies and take necessary actions. The absolute peculiarity is lifetime tenure in services. It is not good for discipline, doesn’t motivate people and everybody rises with seniority. Too many secretarial positions destroy the hierarchy and hence there is now no accountability and no reporting. Lateral entry should be limited to posts where domain experts are not available in the services itself. For example, ff it is not available in foreign services in the area of disarmament, then there should be lateral entry. Hence, there shouldn’t be one size fits all approach but case by case basis. The idea is to draw in people who have domain expertise. Even now on contract basis, outsider specialists are being engaged for advice. Challenges India has a high corrupt system, particularly in states. So to allow private people for short term of 2-3 years where they can leave without responsibility, there cannot be any disciplinary control over them or the actions taken. The fairness of the selection process- the process of recruitment should not be corrupt. But the way systems work in India, unfortunately, the initial wave of enthusiasm degenerates into nepotism. Chief Secretary’s post has become highly political post. If chief secretary starts selecting experts, there can be huge disasters as seen in telecom sector. It will be difficult for the country to bring in private players for two years and then entangling in legal matters over the decisions taken by them. In other countries UK There are short term lateral entrants allowed to come and work for government and leave. There is a culture of trust but beyond it there is a regulatory mechanism and apparatus put in place to ensure there is no misuse of role assumed when in government. So, with adequate safeguards, lateral entry can be made possible in India. US It has revolving door system. Here, the lawmakers and the lobbyists switch jobs from time to time. In this system, more the top position, more is the influence in the government and its policies. The lucrative positions after government stints are arms dealer, media lobbying, pesticides and chemicals etc. Reforming the civil services For bureaucracy to change its system, there is a need to first bring in political reforms. Unless the politicians allow the civil servants to do their job properly, they cannot be faulted for not doing their jobs. There is an incentive to not make any mistake but no incentive to do anything right. So there is a need to change the incentive structure for promotion. Having lateral selection after certain level of seniority within the government will allow sufficient competition in play and get good people. Those who fail to make the cut, shall retire. It is not necessary that everyone who joins the services should retire at secretarial levels. Currently, some people are being compulsorily retired after 50years when the rigorous review is taken place. Even at state level such steps should be taken. There should be written examinations and interviews at middle level career to weed out incompetent people. Lot of administration is mainly looked at Delhi. But three fourth of the administration is based outside Delhi. In UP in last two years, there are three changes every year in district magistrates of 4-5 months. Every districts is controlled by mafia. There is no force to settle the political situation. Thus, the focus to bring in reforms should be in a right direction. For this, ground level changes have to be made. For example, District administration is the bedrock of civil service. Instead of big districts, there should be smaller ones which are handed over to junior people. This gives time to senior administration to focus on bigger issues. More and more departments and portfolios should be combined into one. Less of secretaries and more of experts is the requirement. A systemic cleansing approach needs to be taken to ensure that there is improvement in bureaucracy. There need to be tenure in secretarial positions as there is a need for continuity. In SR Das report, the average tenure of the district collector is 7 months and is still a reality today. Instead there should be a commissioner in district where he is reported to. Today, nobody reports anybody. The education officer at one time reported to the collector. Conclusion UPSC has had an excellent record over years. The careers of the service officers is selected from the best in India. He has seen cross sectoral experience of 10-15 sectors. Thus he has certain advantage. The man at the top has a broad vision rather than having domain expertise. Hence, the top positions in critical areas should be reserved for within the government. For the sectors that require more of technical and domain knowledge, lateral entry can be considered a good option. In principle it is a good idea. But the private sector should be involved only when there is a required gap to be filled. Along with recruitment, they should be also made accountable for the actions and decisions taken in capacity of a government officer. Accountability will ensure no personal gains once the position is left. Hence, Broadly, lateral entry should be favoured only if it is to stay for long term. Lastly, political reforms are the key to system change in governance in country. They should be slowly induced with time to make bureaucracy more efficient. Connecting the dots: “The Committee of Secretaries have favoured lateral entry into services.” Explain in detail the meaning, impact, rational and challenges of lateral entry into civil services.

Jul 18, 2017 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 7]

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 7] Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements about International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) It is headquartered in Philippines A South Asia regional centre of the global rice research institute IRRI will be set up in Varanasi Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements about Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISC) which is being set up in Punjab. It will be set up by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal Point for the TISC national network Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) The drainage basin of the Godavari river is present in Maharashtra Telangana Andhra Pradesh Odisha Madhya Pradesh Select the correct code: 1, 2, 3 and 4 1, 2, 3 and 5 1, 2 and 3 All of the above Q.4) Ottan Thullal and Chakyar koothu are folk dances of Karnataka Kerala Assam Tamil Nadu Q.5) The folk music named ‘Bhatiali’ hails from which state? Maharashtra Karnataka Uttar Pradesh None of the above Download The Solution - Solution will be uploaded tomorrow All The Best  IASbaba

Jul 18, 2017 Yojana

YOJANA & KURUKSHETRA Magazine: APRIL 2017

Download Yojana Magazines 2016 and 2015– Click here   Friends, Here we are with the APRIL 2017,  edition of Yojana and Kurukshetra. Mind Maps- Download Zip File Yojana/Kurukshetra: April 2017- Download   

Jul 18, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 17th July, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 17th July 2017 Archives NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 1 Poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Issues relating to poverty and hunger. Food Wastage: It's time we stop it Food wastage is an extremely critical issue of national importance. To address the problem of food loss and waste globally, the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3 aims to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses. One third of food wasted: According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), “One third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally, which amounts to about 1.3 billion tons per year.” It also states: “Food is lost or wasted throughout the supply chain, from initial agricultural production to final household consumption.” The losses, it says, represent “a waste of resources used in production such as land, water, energy and inputs, increasing the green gas emissions in vain”. What leads to food wastage? Food wastage is linked to people’s behaviour. There are wastages which happen due to food’s perishability and the absence of an effective distribution mechanism and legal framework. A recent study by the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, revealed that only 10% of food is covered by cold storage facilities in India. This, coupled with poor supply-chain management, results in significant wastage, both at pre- and post-harvest stages, of cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables. A study undertaken by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (2013) highlights that the underlying cause of post-harvest loss in the country is due to the lack of infrastructure for short-term storage, particularly at the farm level, as well as the lack of intermediate processing in the production catchments. Implications of food wastage: Food wastage has multiple socio-economic and environmental impacts. In a country like India, not only is food scarce for many poor families, it is a luxury for many others. Though hunger cannot be tackled directly by preventing food wastage, a substantial amount of food that is wasted in our country can feed many hungry people. India ranked 97th among 118 countries in the Global Hunger Index for 2016. About 20 crore people go to bed hungry and 7,000 people die of hunger every day; wastage of food is not less than a social delinquency. The wastage of food entails loss of considerable amount of resources in the form of inputs used during production. For example, 25% of fresh water and nearly 300 million barrels of oil used to produce food are ultimately wasted. The increasing wastage also results in land degradation by about 45%, mainly due to deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices, and excessive groundwater extraction. Wastage results in national economic loss. To put a monetary value to the loss in terms of wastage, India loses Rs. 58,000 crore every year, to quote The CSR Journal. The energy spent over wasted food results in 3.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide production every year. Decay also leads to harmful emission of other gases in the atmosphere; for instance, decaying of rice produces methane. Food waste emissions have a major impact on climate change and result in greater carbon footprint. Food loss and waste generates about 8 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Laws to encourage donation: Many countries have legislation providing for global best practices, such as the 1996 Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act in the U.S., which was intended to encourage donation of food and grocery products that meet quality and labelling standards by protecting the donor and the recipient agency against liability, except in the case of gross negligence and/or intentional misconduct. France has taken a lead by becoming the first country in the world to ban supermarkets from destroying unsold food, forcing them instead to donate it to charities or food banks or send it to the farmers to be used as fertilisers in crop production. In India: There are many civil society, private sector and community initiatives aimed at distributing food among the poor. The government is also committed to securing availability of food grains for two-thirds of the 1.3 billion population, under the National Food Security Act, 2013. While securing food for all or feeding them through such initiatives is important, addressing wastage of food in all forms is equally critical to complete the cycle of food sufficiency and food sustainability. Way ahead: Looking at the scale of problems, it is wise to frame a comprehensive strategy by combining the efforts of the government and private sectors and civil society. The government can create a time-bound task force under Niti Aayog, with experts from different sectors, to frame a national policy to tackle this gigantic issue, which can recommend the legal framework to support initiatives to reduce food loss and waste. As a nation, we need to give priority to tackling this issue so that we can handle the social, economic and environmental ill-effects of wastage of food. There are initiatives such as India Food Banking Network (IFBN), which is promoting the concept of collaborative consumption with support from the private sector and civil society organisations. Such initiatives, creating networks and channels of distribution between those who have surplus food and those who are in need of them, are necessary. The government needs to do more and should play a larger facilitating role. The Prime Minister’s call to the nation during Mann ki Baat needs to be followed up with further interventions. There is an urgent need to understand the complexity of the problem and then to devise a national-level strategy to combat it so that surplus of food can be turned into an advantage instead of resulting in wastage. Prevention solutions: Upstream solutions include promotion of resource efficient and regenerative agricultural practices ( precision and organic agriculture); improved access to low-cost handling and storage technologies ( evaporative coolers, metal silos). Mega food parks are being commissioned in India to increase the processing of perishables. Other solutions include using active intelligent packaging for perishables; optimising food packaging; tapping businesses that buy unwanted food/produce directly from distributor/manufacturer for discounted retail sale. Technology would be central to addressing food waste; but the ultimate success will depend on our readiness to change attitudes of stakeholders along the value chain. Conclusion: Hunger and food wastage are two sides of the coin. The cycle of hunger cannot be broken without channelising the wasted food to help the needy. Without stopping wastage of food, we cannot do justice to millions of hungry people, our economy and the planet. Connecting the dots: As a nation we have been focusing enough on improving agricultural productivity, strengthening food distribution network etc., It's time we focus on chekcing the food wastage in the country. Discuss how global the issue of food wastage is and its implications. SOCIAL ISSUES TOPIC: General Studies 2 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. Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Domestic workers need a law to safeguard their rights Concerns associated with Domestic Workers in India: There are around 3.9 million domestic workers in India, according to 2011 NSSO data. However, according to trade unions estimate, there are around 10 million domestic workers in India. Most of these are from vulnerable communities – Adivasis, Dalits or landless OBCs. Nearly all of them are migrant workers. And an overwhelming number are women. But there exists not one law that specifically deals with this unorganized sector, of which women constitute over two-thirds of the workforce in this unorganised sector. Neither the Maternity Benefits Act nor the Minimum Wages Act or any of the scores of other labour laws apply to domestic work. Domestic workers can be hired and fired at will. The employer has no legally binding obligations. Most of the domestic workers are barely of legal working age and their wages less than the minimum fixed by the government. Only a few states like Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Bihar have fixed minimum wages, but in most cases the wage rate is fixed arbitrarily, is too low and irrelevant to those working in urban areas where the cost of living is much higher. In a country where 93% of the workforce is in the unorganised sector and therefore beyond the purview of most labour laws, domestic workers represent a new low in terms of disempowerment: they are not even recognised as workers. Their work — cooking, cleaning, dish-washing, baby-sitting — is not recognised as work by the state. (Lack of recognition) Their employers range from Indias elite to its nouveau riche, many of who still believe in the traditional divide between servants and masters. Abuse, mental, physical or sexual, of these women is not uncommon. Cases of torture, beatings, sexual assault, and incarceration are common. Indeed, hardly a week goes by without some news report about a domestic help being abused by her employer. (In News) One such dispute between a family and their Muslim domestic worker led to a riot-like situation in a gated community in Noida on July 12, 2017. Background of legislations associated with Domestic Workers: ‘Domestic Workers Welfare and Social Security Act’ In 2010, the National Commission for Women had drafted the ‘Domestic Workers Welfare and Social Security Act’ to help address complaints about unpaid wages, starvation, inhumane work hours and verbal, physical and sexual abuse. The proposed law was meant for domestic workers above 18 years of age and clearly stated that no child shall be employed as a domestic worker. (But the draft remained a proposal.) International Labour Organization (ILO’s) Convention 189 In 2011, the International Labour Organization adopted Convention 189 which “offers specific protection to domestic workers. It lays down the basic rights and principles, and requires States to take a series of measures with a view to making decent work a reality for domestic workers”. (India voted in favour of the convention, but is yet to ratify it.) Ratifying an international convention amounts to a formal commitment to implement all the obligations, including passing of comprehensive legislation for domestic workers. Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) The same year (in 2011), the government made a half-hearted effort by including domestic workers in the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) – a smart card based cashless health insurance scheme. But, there was a catch. Only registered domestic workers could avail the cover of up to Rs 30,000 cover. To register, a domestic worker would have to get certificates from two of four listed institutions – the employer, the police, the resident welfare association, or recognised trade unions. Unorganized Workers Social Security Act, 2008 and Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace India has only two laws that, in a roundabout way, construe domestic helps as workers. The Unorganized Workers Social Security Act, 2008 (UWSSA) and the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 – include domestic workers, but does not address their specific vulnerabilities. While the former is a social welfare scheme, the latter is aims to protect working women in general. Neither of these recognises domestic helps as rights-bearing workers. The way ahead: There is a necessary pre-condition for a National Policy for Domestic Workers and enacting a Domestic Workers (Regulation of Work and Social Security) Act which - calls for promoting awareness of domestic work as a “legitimate labour market activity” recommends amending existing labour laws to ensure that domestic workers enjoy all the labour rights that other workers do calls for the compulsory registration of the employer and the employee with the District Board for regulation of domestic workers mandates the collection of cess from the employer for the maintenance of a social security fund for domestic workers Moreover, the most important thing is to change the mindset of the society which is the root cause of such discriminatory and abusive attitude towards the domestic workers. Connecting the dots: What are the problems faced by the Domestic Workers in India socially and in terms of policy implementation? What are the corresponding measures that are needed to be taken to address problems in both the areas? MUST READ The past catches up Hindu A looming threat Hindu Master of his role Indian Express   Jobs, facts and fiction Indian Express Way of the river Indian Express   From Plate to Plough: Lessons for the field Indian Express   Is the Indian Economy at an inflexion point? Livemint Employment 4.0: bug, not feature Livemint Off-grid solar power and rural electrification Livemint   The birth of the new Nuclear Prohibition Treaty Livemint   Higher economic growth, a big ask now Business Line

Jul 17, 2017 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 6]

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 6] Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements about Ramanuja He is the main proponent of Vishishtadvaita philosophy His ideas are one of three sub schools in Vedānta Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements about National Human Rights Commission of India The Chairperson should be retired Chief Justice of India The Chairperson and the Members of the Commission are appointed by the Prime Minister of India Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Khawthlangtuipui River flows through Arunachal Pradesh Nagaland Manipur Mizoram  Q.4) Consider the following statements about Global Foreign Exchange Committee (GFXC) The committee has been set up under the guidance of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) It will promote and maintain the FX Global Code Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Consider the following statements about Gonorrhoea It is a cardiovascular disease It can spread from a mother to a child during birth Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Download The Solution - Click here All The Best  IASbaba

Jul 16, 2017 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – In the moment – Inspirational & Educative Articles

In the Moment: This moment is all that stands between you and everything else. Everything you have ever experienced has happened through this moment. This moment contains everything; your past, present and the future. How you handle this moment is all that matters. One of the most difficult things to understand and deal with is the present moment. It is very easy to understand the past; it is a collection and memory of everything you have ever done. It is also very easy to understand the future; it is the collection of everything you want to do. But present is a mystery. Let us for a moment try and understand what is present and understand its relationship to our lives. Firstly present is not a single moment between the past and the future; rather it is a continuous stream of reality happening at an one moment in time. In fact present is the only true experiencing dimension of life. Past and future are just a part of our imaginary mind. Of all the different experiences we have had in our lives, we recollect a few select experiences that have caused us immense joy or immense sadness and we categorize them into different emotions. This collection of selected experiences which are prejudiced by our mind is what we call our past. Similarly future is a pure imaginary projection of what we want to accomplish. This again is subjected to the prejudices of the desires of the mind. The only thing that is real and will always remain real is this present moment and how you handle it. Present is the only functional and experiential dimension of life. Everything we can accomplish and achieve can be done only in this present moment. When we are able to control this moment, we can control our entire lives. Each moment lived with focused awareness and action stringed together becomes a beautiful and successful life. Learning to be in the present moment is probably the most important skill you can develop. The more rooted you are in the present moment, the more easier it becomes to handle all the challenges of life. Present is the door, learning to enter it and being in it is all that matters. “The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”

Jul 16, 2017 Motivational Articles

MOTIVATION: Stop Right Here and Design the Life You Love!

Design the Life You Love A guru and his disciple were sitting in the garden and were having a conversation. Suddenly the disciple felt that he was no longer holding the exclusive attention of his guru. “Guru jee?” he exclaimed. “Yes,” confirmed the guru. Regarding his disciple with a smile, he said – “Have you ever thought about that one thing which is common between you and that dog?” “Your life is the most important thing in the world to you,” said the guru. “Same for the dog.” Hello? Are you hearing that the life of a human and the life of an animal are of the same value? Yes, you most certainly are! The way we want to enjoy life, the way we want to stay alive, the way we cling to our particular level of consciousness – we are very much alike the animals. Who does not wish to enjoy a delicious meal? Who does not want to sleep in a safe, comfortable bed? Student, guru, a rich businessman – or a stray dog – we just want to stay alive. But maybe as humans we have much greater potential, of course. And that is the reason why ‘your life’ is your most important project. Design the Life You Love At this point, when some of you are gearing up to become the next civil servant of our country, and some who have just rang the doorbells of this CSE process, it is important to understand the fundamental rulesthat lead straight to the role that you aspire to play. It is simple. The rules are easy to understand. You have chances. You can relax. You can breathe. You can pull yourself back up. BUT – Rules are not easy to apply. Your chances stand subjected to your willpower. You can relax only if you slog hard. You can breathe calmly only if it is guided. And you can pull yourself back up only if you want to. Death is an inevitable part of this process! But rebirthsare possible. You, my dear reader, are standing on an intersection of a difficult process and your life.You need to think like a designer or an architect – what a life that you love looks like. The process called Civil Service Examination, CSE preparation is not an ocean where you can easily get lost. Agreed that from outside it may seem to some of you like a big maze where everybody is madly looking out for turns to win their trophy. For some of you, it may seem like an ocean which has a beginning but no end. S-T-O-P right there! Take a deep breathe. Relax. Deconstruct Yes. Deconstruct. Forget every problem. Forget even that an ocean exists. Stop planning those turns you were about to take in the maze. Forget the trophy. Forget those thoughts that you have always been carrying in your heart. Forget how practical your mind is. Let go the strings attached with the word S-U-C-C-E-S-S. Wonder how strange a word failure is! Break it. Forget it. Leave it. Throw it. Just D-E-C-O-N-S-T-R-U-C-T in 2 minutes. Take a pen and a rough paper. Channelize everything that you are forgetting, transfer every emotion, positive or negative in that pen. Just close your eyes and start scribbling slowly and slowly in the rough paper. Scribble all your thoughts, all your worries, all your anxiety away. Scribble so much that your mind finally asks you to stop because of the pain in your hand. Afterwards, when you open your eyes and you take a deep breath of relief, you would realise that when you let it all go, when you deconstruct something, you cannot get it back. You cannot put it back the way it was before. This blank space is where untapped potential lies hidden. This is the heart of creativity and productivity. Nobody has a perfect life. The term perfect is alright. It can mean a lot of things. It can give beautiful meaning to something deserving of it. But the application of the term ‘perfect’ has most of the times been misguided. Do not adhere to other’s definition of ‘perfect’. But you have a chance today to define what ‘perfect’ means to you. What your life means to you. What your CSE preparation should be like. It’s risky, yes. You will not know how your journey will turn out to be. So, stop playing by the rules. Craft your own! Why not design your own original life, eh? With this little seedling in your mind, IASbaba take your leave. You will find me in your inbox on a Monday morning soon. Until then, study well and take good care of yourself. Your friend, philosopher and guide-IASbaba

Jul 15, 2017 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 5]

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 5] Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements about Wholesale and Long-Term Finance (WLTF) banks It will be exempted from the statutory liquidity ratio It will focus primarily on lending to infrastructure sector and small, medium & corporate businesses Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements about sustainable development goals index Singapore is the only Asian country in top 10 It is produced by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) The recently launched 'Nivaran' portal is launched by Ministry of Railways Ministry of Consumer Affairs Ministry of Commerce and Industry Ministry of Finance Q.4) Caspian Sea is bordered by Kazakhstan Azerbaijan Iran Georgia Select the correct code: 1, 2 and 3 2, 3 and 4 1, 3 and 4 All of the above Q.5) Consider the following statements about Falun Gong It is identified with the qigong movement in China It is banned in India Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Download The Solution - Click here All The Best IASbaba