FCRA AMENDMENT

THE CONTEXT: Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020 was passed by both the Houses recently which seeks to amend FCRA,2010. It seeks to regulate the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contribution by individuals, associations and companies. In this article, let us try to understand the key amendments and the associated problems regarding it along with possible suggestions.

Amendments under Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020

 

Acceptance of Foreign Contribution

  • FCRA Act, 2010 prohibits acceptance of foreign contribution by certain persons such as election candidate, editor or publisher of a newspaper, judge, government servant, MPs and MLAs, judges and political parties among others
  •  FCRA (Amendment) Bill 2020 adds public servants ( as defined by IPC) to this list. He is any person who is in service or pay of the government, remunerated by the government for the performance of public duty.

Transfer of foreign contribution

  • A person cannot transfer foreign contribution to any other person unless such persons is also registered to accept under FCRA act 2010
  • FCRA (Amendment) Bill 2020 prohibits to transfer of foreign contribution to any other person I.e. individual, association or registered company

Aadhar for Registration

  • Under FCRA Act, 2010 , a person may accept foreign contribution if they have:
    1. Obtained a certificate of registration from central government or
    2.  Not registered, but obtained prior permission from the government to accept foreign contribution.
  • Under FCRA (Amendment) Bill 2020, now, any person seeking prior permission, registration or renewal of registration must provide the Aadhaar number of all its office bearers, directors or key functionaries, as an identification document.  In case of a foreigner, they must provide a copy of the passport or the Overseas Citizen of India card for identification.

FCRA Account

  • Presently, a person must accept foreign contribution only in a single branch of a scheduled bank specified by them.  However, they may open more accounts in other banks for utilisation of the contribution.
    1. Foreign contribution can be received only in an account designated by the bank as “FCRA account” in such branch of the State Bank of India, New Delhi, as notified by the central government.
    2. No funds other than the foreign contribution should be received or deposited in this account.  As per FCRA (Amendment) Bill 2020,
    3. The person may open another FCRA account in any scheduled bank of their choice for keeping or utilising the received contribution.

Restriction in utilisation of Foreign Contributions

  • Under FCRA Act, 2010 If a person is found violating any provision of FCRA, the unutilised or unreceived foreign contribution may be utilised or received, only with the prior approval of the central government.
  • Now, as per the current bill, the government can also restrict usage of unutilised foreign contribution for persons who have been granted prior permission to receive such contribution. It can be done, based on a summary inquiry and any other inquiry which makes government believe that such person has contravened the Act.

Renewal of License

  • As per Under FCRA Act, 2010, License needs to be renewed within six months of expiration
  • According to FCRA (Amendment) Bill 2020, Now the government can conduct an inquiry before renewing the certificate to ensure that person applying for it is-
  1. Not fictitious or benami.
  2. Is not prosecuted or convicted for creating communal tensions or indulging in activities aimed at religious conversion
  3. Guilty of diversion or misutilisation of funds.

Restriction in use of foreign contribution for administrative purposes

  • Under FCRA Act, 2010, not more than 50% can be used for administrative expenses but as per the current bill, it reduces it to 20%.

Surrender of Certificate

  • FCRA (Amendment) Bill 2020 adds a provision allowing the Central government to permit a person to surrender their registration certificate based on an inquiry but such provision is not available under FCRA Act, 2010

Suspension of Registration

  • Under FCRA Act, 2010, a registration of a person can be suspended for period not exceeding 180 days.
  • The Bill adds that such suspension may be extended up to an additional 180 days.

Necessity of FCRA

 

  1. International Learning : As per a study by University of Iowa, India has disproportionately high number of foreign funded NGOs. Other outliers were Egypt and Iraq which later suffered from anarchy and upheaval. Thus, to maintain our integrity, it is necessary to regulate these NGOs.
  2. NTU Singapore study : The study showed that foreign interference, foreign influence, soft power and hostile information campaigns are used by NGOs to impact the unity and integrity of nations and highlights the importance of regulating them.
  3. IB Report :An IB report highlighted how FCRA funds were being diverted towards scuttling developmental projects in the power, mining, agricultural and industrial sectors. The modus operandi includes  disguised money flows, staged protests and PR hit jobs against specific projects.
  4. Poverty Porn :Pictures of hungry African children and distraught rural women are used to raise funds, which are then diverted for business-class travel, five-star dinners and jamborees for NGO staff.
  5. High Staff Pay : The donations to organisations like Amnesty International are provided to save democracy and protect human rights. Instead, they are used to pay former executive high severance pay in the
  6. Industry-NGO nexus : Industries are running their own NGOs which are at times used to promote their product in the garb of welfare.

SYNGENTA CASE

 

Switzerland based agrochemical giant Syngenta runs a foundation in India for transforming Indian agriculture. Emamectin Benzoate used to be imported and sold at Rs 10,000 per kg by Syngenta NGO, was later manufactured by domestic companies and sold at Rs 300/kg. Thus, Industry promoted its product through its NGO not for welfare but to increase its own profit.

Problems under FCRA Amendment Bill

 

  1. Legislative Scrutiny :The bill got passed by both the Houses of the Parliament without any real deliberation and thus is seen as a legislative action that intends to silence civil society.
  2. Meaning of Democracy : The bill proposes a flawed understanding of democracy which reduces it to electoral democracy and any other form of democratic action is seen with suspicion and as illegitimate.
  3. Lack of data : The Bill fails to elaborate on the necessity of amendment. It has no data to showcase lack of accountability or regulation of the already heavily regulated NGO sector.
  4. Restriction on distribution of funds :The amendment stops distribution of funds to other bodies including FCRA registered bodies. It fails to understand the structure of NGOs where a big and capable NGO raises funds and then distributes it to small organisation which lack capacity to raise foreign funds on their own.
  5. Restriction of Administrative Expenses to 20% : The expense of any NGO that works on research, advocacy, capacity building, networking, model building for social innovations etc. are mostly administrative expenses. These same NGOs seek accountability from government and thus restriction fo fund use over 20% will throttle civil society.
  6. Bank account to be opened in SBI Delhi Branch : When all the commercial banks are connected through Core Banking solutions, the insistence on a SBI Delhi Branch shows unprecedented centralisation.
  7. Power of Investigation :The enhancement of power of the investigative officers and government officials in the name of inquiry do away with time bound investigations which were in earlier amendment.

WAY FORWARD

 

  1. Institutionalised Transparency and Accountability : NGOs need to be transparent and accountable in their own conduct if they seek to ensure transparency and accountability from the government.
  2. Regulation : NGOs need to be regulated and an Industry led NGO should not be allowed to work in the same or allied sector as that of the parent company. This will stop Industry-NGO nexus and allow real philanthropic bodies to start NGOs.
  3. Macro-management : Government needs to macro-manage the sector and not micro-manage the working of NGOs. Regulation should not lead to silencing the functioning of bodies.
  4. Independent Directors : Similar to Companies, NGOs should also have independent directors which are not motivated by profits and thus provide an independent voice of conscience to the NGOs.
  5. Time-bound Inquiry and permissions : Any inquiry and permissions that have to be provided by the government need to be time bound and all remarks should be noted down in written with attached evidences.


CONCLUSION:

 

NGOs are the third tier of Governance and play an important role in ensuring development of people and the nation. However, it is also true that some of the NGOs have been utilised by people with vested interests against the unity and integrity of nations. Thus, it is pertinent that NGOs should be regulated by the government while at the same time ensuring that their voice is not stifled and their survival is threatened. A proper balance between these two needs to be maintained for ensuring growth of nation and development of citizens.

Questions to Ponder

 

  1. “NGOs are dangerous. They do what the missionaries used to do in Colonial times. They are trojan horses. The worse the situations, the more the NGOs” ‐ Arundhati Roy. Comment.
  1. Critically analyse the FCRA Amendment Bill, 2020 while enumerating its salient features.



Today’s Important Articles For Pub Ad (31-08-2021)

  1. Marital rape: an indignity to women- The marital rape exception is antithetical to women’s dignity, equality and autonomy READ MORE
  2. Road to school: Thorough implementation of standard operating procedures could help schools keep open for long READ MORE
  3. Why Justice Kureshi’s Omission from Collegium List Raises Questions READ MORE



Today’s Important Articles for Geography (31-08-2021)

  1. India is indeed walking the green talk: Even with all its challenges, the country is setting a global example in meeting its Nationally Determined Contributions READ MORE
  2. Balancing economic development and climate goals READ MORE



Today’s Important Articles for Sociology (31-08-2021)

  1. How Localised Public Health Strategies Can Help Tackle Covid-19 Effectively READ MORE
  2. Marital rape: an indignity to women- The marital rape exception is antithetical to women’s dignity, equality and autonomy READ MORE



Ethics Through Current Development (31-08-2021)

  1. When a True Soldier-Sportsperson-Patriot Speaks…! READ MORE
  2. PANDEMIC AND SEMINAL EXPERIENCE READ MORE
  3. Marital rape: an indignity to women- The marital rape exception is antithetical to women’s dignity, equality and autonomy READ MORE



WSDP Bulletin (31-08-2021)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

  1. Leaded petrol eradicated, says UNEP READ MORE
  2. 102 Vande Bharat trains to be operational by March 2024 READ MORE
  3. IISc completes technology transfer of oxygen concentrators to 24 companies READ MORE
  4. Explained: What is the ‘school bubble’ Karnataka has proposed for its students? READ MORE
  5. IBBI proposes amendments in liquidation norms to increase transparency READ MORE
  6. Explained: Is Covid-19 now endemic in India? READ MORE

Main Exam  

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

  1. Marital rape: an indignity to women- The marital rape exception is antithetical to women’s dignity, equality and autonomy READ MORE
  2. Road to school: Thorough implementation of standard operating procedures could help schools keep open for long READ MORE
  3. Why Justice Kureshi’s Omission from Collegium List Raises Questions READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

  1. How Localised Public Health Strategies Can Help Tackle Covid-19 Effectively READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

  1. America’s Asia policy: The U.S. must push for a rules-based international order despite Afghan debacle READ MORE
  2. Is India clueless on Afghanistan? READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

  1. A monetisation move that doesn’t tick most boxes: The National Monetisation Pipeline may not help realise the best value for public assets to kick-start investment demand READ MORE
  2. Asset monetisation holds the key to value creation in infrastructure READ MORE
  3. Oilseed production boost can cut imports READ MORE
  4. Key priorities for employment policy READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

  1. India is indeed walking the green talk: Even with all its challenges, the country is setting a global example in meeting its Nationally Determined Contributions READ MORE
  2. Balancing economic development and climate goals READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

  1. When a True Soldier-Sportsperson-Patriot Speaks…! READ MORE
  2. PANDEMIC AND SEMINAL EXPERIENCE READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

  1. Till the time a collaborative approach is taken between different organs of government, the behemoth of plastic pollution will persist.
  2. Discuss the challenges associated with Palm Oil cultivation. Also, suggest the way forward for these challenges.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

  • The virtue of justice consists in moderation, as regulated by wisdom.
  • Constitutional values like secularism, equality, human dignity etc., are the standards and expectations that are drilled into the soldier’s conscience, not as empty words but as belief systems.
  • Measures that generate income for the poor are more important than tweaking the applicability threshold for labour laws.
  • In dealing with the Taliban regime, the Modi Government must determine the nature of its engagement with this new regime. The question of whether India will move from its fruitless back-channel talks with the Taliban and with Pakistan in the past few months, into something substantive remains to be seen.
  • Developing countries need a ‘global, green multilateral platform’ to help developing countries achieve both development and climate goals, and accelerate the pace of progress.

50-WORD TALK

  • Himachal Pradesh should be congratulated for becoming India’s first state to cover its entire population with the first dose of Covid vaccine. It’s also heartening that it aims to complete giving both doses to all by 30 November. Other states should emulate HP and help avoid a possible third wave.
  • The video of IAS officer Ayush Sinha giving ‘sar-phod’ instructions shows the Singham-isation of civil services too, after the IPS’ similar slide. That he was the 7th ranker in the civil services exam is even more distressing. Some soul-searching is needed on where the UPSC selection and training system is lacking.

Things to Remember:

  • For prelims-related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
  • Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and also exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers, etc. same applies to the national places.)
  • For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates, etc.
  • For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occur frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
  • Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.



DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (AUGUST 31, 2021)

ART AND CULTURE

1. PASHMINA SHAWLS

THE CONTEXT: New initiative in J&K to restore lost glory of Pashmina shawls. Plans are afoot to re-engage women artisans in critical production process by doubling wages and announcing MSPs for GI-certified products.

ABOUT PASHMINA

  • Pashmina refers to a fine variant of spun cashmere, the animal-hair fibre forming the downy undercoat of the Changthangi goat.
  • Both generic cashmere and pashmina come from the same goat, but generic cashmere ranges from 12 to 21 microns in diameter, whereas pashmina refers only to those fibres that range from 12 to 16 microns.
  • Goats naturally shed their undercoat, which regrows in winter. This undercoat is collected by combing goat, not by shearing, as in other fine wools.
  • Traditional producers of pashmina wool in the Ladakh region of the Himalayas are a people known as the Changpa. These are a nomadic people and inhabit the Changthang plateau of Tibet.
  • Raw pashmina is exported to Kashmir.

Reference: The Hindu

INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

2. WHAT HAS THE SUPREME COURT RULED ON ‘CREAMY LAYER’?

THE CONTEXT: On August 24, the Supreme Court observed that economic criterion cannot be the sole basis for identifying the ‘creamy layer’ of a backward class, and that other factors like social advancement, education, employment, too, matter. The judgment came on a writ petition filed by a group from Haryana, the Pichra Warg Kalyan Mahasabha, challenging two notifications issued by the State government in 2016 and 2018, under the Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educational Institutions) Act, 2016.

WHAT WERE THE NOTIFICATIONS?

  • The 2016 notification identified as ‘creamy layer’ backward class members whose gross annual income exceeded ₹6 lakh. It said backward class sections whose families earn less than ₹3 lakh would get priority over their counterparts who earn more than ₹3 lakh but less than ₹6 lakh.
  • The Supreme Court struck down the notifications as a “flagrant violation” of the 2016 Act. It said Section 5 (2) of the Act required the State to consider social, economic and other factors together to identify and exclude backward class members as ‘creamy layer’.

WHO BELONGS TO THE ‘CREAMY LAYER’?

  • The ‘creamy layer’ concept was introduced in the Supreme Court’s Indra Sawhney judgment, delivered by a nine-judge Bench on November 16, 1992. Though it upheld the government’s decision based on the Mandal Commission’s report to give 27% reservation to Other Backward Classes, the court found it necessary to identify sections of backward classes who were already “highly advanced socially as well as economically and educationally”.
  • The court believed that these wealthy and advanced members form the ‘creamy layer’ among backward classes. The judgment directed the State governments to identify the ‘creamy layer’ and exclude them from the purview of reservation.
  • However, certain States like Kerala did not promptly implement the judgment. This led to the Indra Sawhney-II case, reported in 2000.
  • In this, the court went to the extent of determining the ‘creamy layer’ among backward classes. The judgment held that persons from backward classes who occupied posts in higher services such as IAS, IPS and All India Services had reached a higher level of social advancement and economic status, and therefore, were not entitled to be treated as backward. Such persons were to be treated as ‘creamy layer’ without any further inquiry. Likewise, people with sufficient income who were in a position to provide employment to others should also be taken to have reached a higher social status and treated as “outside the backward class”.
  • Other categories included persons with higher agricultural holdings or income from property. Thus, a reading of the Indra Sawhney judgments shows that social advancement, including education and employment, and not just wealth, was key to identify the ‘creamy layer’.

WHY IS IT DIFFICULT TO DRAW THE LINE?

  • Justice Jeevan Reddy, in the Indra Sawhney judgment, wondered “how and where to draw the line” between the deserving and the creamy layer among backward classes. The basis of exclusion should not merely be economic, unless, of course, the economic advancement is so high that it necessarily means social advancement.
  • Justice Reddy highlighted the pitfalls of identifying the creamy layer merely on economic basis. For example, a person who earns ₹36,000 a month may be economically well-off in rural India. However, the same salary in a metropolitan city may not count for much. Here, Justice Reddy warned that while the income of a person can be taken as a measure of his social advancement, the limit to be prescribed should not be such as to result in taking away with one hand what is given with the other. The income limit must be such as to mean and signify social advancement.

Reference: The Hindu

 3. 102 VANDE BHARAT TRAINS TO BE OPERATIONAL BY MARCH 2024

THE CONTEXT: Railway officials say 102 Vande Bharat trains would be commissioned by early 2024.

ANALYSIS:

  • On the occasion of the 75th Independence Day celebrations, Mr. Modi said 75 Vande Bharat trains would be operationalised to connect different parts of the country.
  • Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the operation of 75 Vande Bharat trains, the Ministry of Railways has floated tenders for manufacturing 58 rakes, each comprising 16 coaches. Tenders have already been floated for making 44 rakes.
  • The Train18, later named Vande Bharat Express, was rolled out by the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai. It was showcased as India’s first semi high-speed train with an operational efficiency of 160 kmph and a game-changer.
  • Though the Vande Bharat train was celebrated as one of the most successful products of the Make in India mission, it ran into a controversy over allegations of compromises on safety bringing production of more rakes to a grinding halt.

Reference: The Hindu

4. SCHOOL BUBBLE

THE CONTEXT: The Covid-19 technical advisory committee (TAC) constituted by the Karnataka government has proposed the ‘school bubble’ concept to mitigate the spread of the disease among children (aged below 18) attending offline classes at schools and pre-university colleges across the state.

ANALYSIS

  • School bubbles are physical classifications made between groups comprising a small number of students. As per the concept, each such bubble will include students who tend to remain as a group during school hours throughout the term or an academic year.
  • For instance, a school bubble can include 30 students. If one among them gets infected, the others can self-isolate but the school need not be closed completely. This would allow uninterrupted learning to others as well.
  • The concept of school bubbles, experts feel, will be more relevant to students studying in primary school or below. These students will have more chances of peer-to-peer interactions on a daily basis. With school bubbles in place the risk assessment process to identify close contacts of a Covid-positive student will also get easier.
  • This has been being successfully implemented at schools in the United Kingdom.

Reference: Indian express

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

5. UNEP: LEADED PETROL ERADICATED

THE CONTEXT: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said that the use of leaded petrol has been eradicated from the globe, a milestone that will prevent more than 1.2 million premature deaths and save world economies over $2.4 trillion annually.

ABOUT UNEP

  • It is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system.
  • It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in June 1972.
  • Member of the United Nations Development Group.
  • UNEP hosts the secretariats of several multilateral environmental agreements and research bodies, including CBD, The Minamata Convention on Mercury, CMS and CITES.
  • In 1988, the World Meteorological Organization and UNEP established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
  • UNEP is also one of several Implementing Agencies for the Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Reference: The Hindu

6. WHY ARE HYDROPOWER PROJECTS IN THE HIMALAYAS RISKY?

THE CONTEXT: Environment Ministry told the SC earlier this month that 7 hydroelectric power projects can go ahead. 

WHAT’S THE HISTORY OF HYDROPOWER PROJECTS IN THE HIMALAYAS?

  • In the aftermath of the Kedarnath floods of 2013 that killed at least 5,000 people, the Supreme Court had halted the development of hydroelectric projects in Uttarakhand pending a review by the Environment Ministry on the role such projects had played in amplifying the disaster.
  • A 17-member expert committee, led by environmentalist Ravi Chopra, was set up by the Ministry to examine the role of 24 such proposed hydroelectric projects in the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basin, which contains the Ganga and several tributaries.
  • The Chopra committee concluded that 23 projects would have an “irreversible impact” on the ecology of the region. Following this, six private project developers, whose projects were among those recommended to be axed, impleaded themselves in the case on the ground that since their projects had already been cleared for construction before the Kedarnath tragedy; they should be allowed to continue.
  • The SC directed a new committee to be set up to examine their case. This committee, led by Vinod Tare of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, concluded that these projects could have a significant environmental impact.
  • The Environment Ministry in 2015 set up yet another committee, led by B.P. Das, who was part of the original committee, but had filed a “dissenting report”. The Das committee recommended all six projects with design modifications to some, and this gives lie to the Environment Ministry’s current stance. The Power Ministry seconded the Environment Ministry’s stance.
  • The Water Resources Ministry, then led by Minister Uma Bharti, has been consistently opposed to hydropower projects in the Ganga. In charge of the National Mission for Clean Ganga, the Water Ministry has maintained that the cleanliness of the river was premised on minimum levels of water flow in all seasons and the proposed projects could hinder this.
  • By 2019, however, the renamed Jal Shakti Ministry had changed its stance to accommodate seven out of the 24 projects. Its current position however is that barring these, it is “not in favour” of new projects in the Ganga river basin.
  • Though hearings in the SC are ongoing, this is the first time that the government has a formal uniform position on hydropower projects in the Uttarakhand region.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES SUCH PROJECTS FACE?

  • Glacier retreat and permafrost thaw are projected to decrease the stability of mountain slopes and increase the number and area of glacier lakes. Climate change has driven erratic weather patterns like increased snowfall and rainfall.
  • The thermal profile of ice, say experts, was increasing, which means that the temperature of ice that used to range from -6 to -20-degree C, was now -2-degree C, making it more susceptible to melting.
  • It was these changing phenomena that made infrastructure projects in the Himalayan regions risky, and made expert committees recommend that there should be no hydropower development beyond an elevation of 2,200 metre in the Himalayan region. Moreover, with increased instances of cloudbursts, and intense spells of rainfall and avalanches, residents of the region were also placed at increased risk of loss of lives and livelihood.

HOW CAN THESE CONFLICTS BE RESOLVED?

  • Several environmentalists, residents of the region, say that the proposed projects being built by private companies allot only a limited percentage of their produced power for the State of Uttarakhand itself. Thus the State, on its own, takes on massive environmental risk without being adequately compensated for it or its unique challenges accounted for.
  • Though the Centre is committed to hydropower projects because it’s a renewable source of power, the ecological damage combined with the reduced cost of solar power means that it has in recent times said on multiple occasions that it is not in favour of greenfield hydropower projects in the region.
  • But several environmental activists say that the Centre has frequently changed its position and will continue to prioritise infrastructural development in the region, even if it comes at a heavy environmental cost.

Reference: The Hindu

INDIAN ECONOMY

7. NATIONAL SMALL INDUSTRY DAY

THE CONTEXT:  Every year on August 30, the country celebrates National Small Industry Day. The day is dedicated to encouraging small businesses around the country.

HISTORY OF THE DAY

On August 30, 2000, a comprehensive policy package for the SSI sector was launched, providing significant support to small firms in India. It was subsequently agreed that August 30 would be designated as “SSI Day” by the Ministry.

THE KEY REFORMS INTRODUCED BY MINISTRY OF MSME

  • India is home to more than 6.3 crore MSMEs, which have the ability and capability to access international markets and work as ancillaries to larger international firms.
  • In terms of exports, the sector holds high potential in various sub-sectors such as textiles, leather & leather goods, pharmaceuticals, automotive, gems & Jewellery etc. with overall contribution of 45 percent.
  • Ministry of MSME has been tirelessly working towards development of MSMEs and has undertaken interventions to enhance MSME ecosystem in India. Some of the key reforms introduced by Ministry of MSME are:
  • Revision of MSME definition: In line with Government of India’s top focus on energizing MSMEs in the country, Government of India approved the upward revision of MSME definition on 1st June 2020 under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Package. The Government revised the MSME classification by inserting composite criteria of both investment and annual turnover.
  • Udyam Registration: Udyam is an online and simplified procedure of filing of registration which enables MSMEs to obtain registration without any documentation and fees. It is a globally benchmarked process and a revolutionary step towards Ease of Doing Business. Ministry of MSME has also commenced API integration of Udyam Registration portal with GeM so that MSEs can participate in Government procurement easily.
  • Champions Portal: CHAMPIONS is an online platform to help and handhold the MSMEs specially in this difficult time. It is an ICT based technology system aimed at making the smaller units big by solving their grievances, encouraging, supporting, helping and handholding throughout the business lifecycle. The platform facilitates a single window solution for all needs of MSMEs.
  • National SC-ST Hub (NSSH): National SC-ST Hub has been launched to promote entrepreneurship culture in the SC-ST community and fulfill the 4% procurement target mentioned in the Public Procurement Policy order, 2018.To boost entrepreneurship among SC/ST population and for maximum on-ground penetration, several interventions have been undertaken to cater to the challenge of market linkages, finance facilitations, capacity building etc.
  • Self-Reliant India (SRI) Fund: The scheme is expected to facilitate equity financing of Rs.50,000 crore in the MSME Sector. The infusion of equity will provide an opportunity to get MSMEs listed in stock exchanges. Further, it will also facilitate MSMEs to scale-up their business & growth and will help creating more jobs in the MSME sector.
  • Procurement Policy: For providing marketing support to MSEs, all Central Ministries/Government Departments and CPSEs are required to procure 25% of their annual requirements of goods and services from MSEs including 4% from MSEs owned by SC/ST and 3% from MSEs owned by women entrepreneurs under the Public Procurement Policy.
  • Establishment of Enterprise Development Centers (EDCs): With a view to provide Information related to MSMEs at one place, Enterprise Development Centres (EDCs)have been conceptualized. Till date Ministry of MSME has set up 102 EDCs across India. The aim of these centers is to build a network of entrepreneurial leaders by providing professional mentoring and handholding support services to existing as well as aspiring MSMEs with special focus on rural enterprises on continuous basis.

 Reference: PIB

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

8. IS COVID-19 NOW ENDEMIC IN INDIA?

THE CONTEXT:  As India gets ready to face a possible third wave of SARS-CoV-2, World Health Organization (WHO) chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan has said that India seems to be entering some stage of Covid-19 endemicity where there is low- to moderate-level transmission.

WHAT IS ENDEMICITY?

  • Endemic means something that is present all the time. For example, said leading virologist Dr Shahid Jameel, influenza is endemic, unlike smallpox which has been eradicated.
  • Only those pathogens can be eradicated that don’t have animals (another species) as a reservoir. Smallpox and polio are human virus examples, rinderpest is a cattle virus. This means if there is a virus/pathogen that is present in some animal reservoir like bats, camels or civet cats, and then it can transmit again once the level of immunity wanes in the population against the disease caused by it.
  • In the case of coronavirus disease, it will continue to circulate as it is present in the animal reservoir. This also means that it will cause disease to the extent that people have had no vaccination against or exposure. If, however, enough people are vaccinated or have been exposed to the infection, then the virus will cause symptomatic infection but not disease. So, that is what is considered becoming endemic – it is there but not causing disease.

WHEN IS SARS-COV-2 LIKELY TO BECOME ENDEMIC?

  • That will depend on how fast it spreads and mutates. There are many variables that have to be considered and there is no clear answer regarding when the virus is likely to be endemic.
  • The last serological survey by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had shown from a representative sample of the population — 70 districts out of 718 — that roughly two-thirds of the populations have antibodies. Again, out of those two-thirds, some would have had the antibodies because they have now been fully vaccinated. However, since vaccination rates are still fairly low, the general assumption is that most people who have antibodies have been infected but not all have had disease. This means a majority will be protected from symptomatic disease later on they may get infected but are protected.
  • Again, that is assuming the virus is not going to change to a form that transmits easily and evades immunity. One cannot predict if and when the virus mutates into something where vaccines start failing.

HOW LONG CAN THE ANTIBODIES BE EXPECTED TO LAST?

  • Most everybody now has antibodies that likely reduces the chance of infection and even if infected may not develop severe disease. This virus is going to stay with us. We may already have developed herd immunity, which indicates that most of us have antibodies — either due to infection or vaccination — and hence if infected we may not develop severe disease.
  • “From its rate of spread and its rate of mutation, many of us indeed expect that this coronavirus will never be eradicated – not just in India, but globally – and will become endemic to stay with you without causing major health problems, since the vast majority would have developed protective antibodies.

CAN AN ADDITIONAL VACCINE DOSE HELP?

  • Whether or not a booster dose of a vaccine is required depends on how quickly the antibody level comes down in the average individual.
  • There are wide variations in the trend of waning of antibody level among persons; sufficient data have not yet accumulated to definitively determine the need for a booster dose.
  • While vaccine effectiveness does appear to decline over time, there is still expected to be substantial protection. It is likely that a third shot or booster might be necessary in the future and in fact, a regular booster shot, just like for influenza, might be indicated.

SHOULD WE WORRY ABOUT NUMBERS RISING AGAIN?

  • One can expect a more or less constant level of infection within the population, with the likelihood of severe illness, hospitalisation or death becoming increasingly small as people are vaccinated.
  • The Delta variant now dominates new infections around the country. Viruses mutate constantly, but the question is whether a new variant will come along that is much more transmissible than Delta and can evade a immune response from either a prior infection or vaccination.
  • As long as it does not, we might expect that a small background of reinfections and vaccine breakthroughs will help maintain numbers of infected at a low, constant level. It is more likely that there will be a steady level of cases, with some regions, especially of low prior seroprevalence and low vaccination rates, seeing spikes. It is completely unlikely that we will see case numbers comparable to the second wave.

Reference: Indian express

9. IISC COMPLETES TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OF OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS

THE CONTEXT: Over the past year, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have been working on solutions to address the oxygen shortage due to COVID-19. Two key efforts in this direction have been the development of oxygen generation systems and oxygen concentrators.

ANALYSIS:

  • The oxygen concentrator is an indigenous design developed by IISc researchers led by Praveen Ramamurthy, Professor in the Department of Materials Engineering. The group had already been working on oxygen concentrators since March 2020.
  • A prototype capable of producing oxygen at more than 93% purity at five litres per minute (LPM) and 82% at 10 LPM was developed by August 2020 itself. The researchers then modified this prototype which now delivers more than 93% purity oxygen at 10 LPM within three minutes.
  • The stability and performance of the system was monitored continuously for more than eight months. Clinical trials have been completed, and the system was found to perform on par with compressed oxygen cylinders.
  • Till date, the technology has been transferred to 24 companies, and about 35 units have been supplied to various hospitals. Recently, the Government of Karnataka issued a circular for the supply of two units each to 2,508 public health centres from the licensees, says a press release.
  • Another solution catering to needs of the hospitals is an oxygen generation system based on technology developed by an IISc team . The process is based on a twin-bed swing adsorption system integrated with storage and discharge vessels, and various safety systems. In one of the variants, a cylinder-filing mechanism has also been incorporated using a boost pump. The oxygen produced fulfills the quality requirements prescribed by Indian Pharmacopeia and can be used in ICUs/CCUs/OTs and other clinical wards. Last month, the first unit based on this system was installed at the Pobbathi Medical Centre in Bengaluru.
  • On 15 August 2021, Prof Rangarajan, the Director of IISc, inaugurated an open-source design for a medical oxygen generation system with 50 LPM capacity. The system will be installed at St Mary’s Polyclinic in Lucknow. A unique feature of this system is the capability to fill about ten 47-litre cylinders at 200 bar pressure within 24 hours, apart from supplying oxygen to patient beds. Preparations are underway to ship the system to the Lucknow hospital.
  • IISc has also signed technology transfer agreements with four agencies from across the country for installing oxygen generation systems at various capacities (50 LPM-1000 LPM) to meet the requirements of hospitals.

Reference: The Hindu

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

10. INS AIRAVAT ARRIVES AT HO CHI MINH CITY

THE CONTEXT:  As part of the ongoing Mission SAGAR, INS Airavat arrived at Ho Chi Minh City Port in Vietnam with COVID Relief Material on 30 August 2021.

ANALYSIS:

  • The ship is carrying 100 Metric Tons of Liquid Medical Oxygen in 05 ISO Containers and 300 Oxygen Concentrators of 10 LPM capacity each based on the requirement projected by the Government of Vietnam in its fight against the ongoing COVID19 pandemic.
  • INS Airavat, an indigenously built Landing Ship Tank (Large) under the Eastern Naval Command based at Visakhapatnam, is on a deployment to South East Asia for trans-shipment of COVID Relief aid.
  • The ship had earlier entered Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta, Indonesia on 24 August 2021 and disembarked 10 Liquid Medical Oxygen Containers requested by the Government of Indonesia.
  • As part of the Government of India’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), the Indian Navy has been proactively engaging with countries in the region and has been at the forefront of numerous humanitarian missions spanning the entire extent of the Indian Ocean including South/ South East Asia and East Africa.
  • India and Vietnam enjoy a strong traditional bond of friendship and have been working together towards a safer maritime domain. The two navies cooperate in various areas including a composite training programme in the fields of the submarine, aviation and technical training, and regularly carry out joint naval exercises in the form of bilateral exercises. The current deployment of the ship aims to further strengthen the strategic relationship.
  • The ship will depart Ho Chi Minh City post disembarkation of the medical supplies and as part of the ongoing Mission SAGAR continue onwards to deliver medical supplies to other friendly nations in the region.

Reference: PIB

Q1. UNEP hosts secretariat of which of the following?

  1. Convention on Migratory Species
  2. Minamata Convention
  3. Convention on Biodiversity

Select the correct answer using code given below:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. Consider the following statements about Malabar Rebellion of 1921:

  1. The rebellion was started by Mappila community.
  2. Mappilas were Muslim peasant community in Malabar region.
  3. The rebellion was against Hindu landlords only.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2
  2. 2 and 3
  3. 1 and 3
  4. 1, 2 and 3

ANSWER FOR AUGUST 29 & 30, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Q.1 Answer: D

Explanation:

Concerns associated with Oil Pal cultivation:

  • Destruction of rainforests and native biodiversity.
  • The impact on community ownership of tribal lands.
  • The oil palm is a water-guzzling, monoculture crop with a long gestation period unsuitable for small farmers.
  • High pesticide use in areas where it is not a native crop, leading to consumer health concerns as well.
  • High levels of investment and long wait for high returns tend to attract large corporate investors, while small cultivators have struggled with long gestation period, and have required heavy government support.



Day-30 | Daily MCQs | UPSC Prelims | World Geography

[WpProQuiz 34]




Ethics Through Current Development (30-08-2021)

  1. Towards a more humane police force: Efforts are on to improve the human rights protection regime in police stations READ MORE
  2. “Speaking Truth to Power: Citizens and the Law”: Full Text Of Justice MC Chagla Memorial Lecture By Justice DY Chandrachud READ MORE



Today’s Important Articles for Sociology (30-08-2021)

  1. The broken promise of justice in rape cases READ MORE



Today’s Important Articles for Geography (30-08-2021)

  1. Kinnaur landslides: Will the fragile district survive misguided ‘green energy’ projects? READ MORE
  2. Greenland has received unprecedented rainfall this month. What does this mean for the planet? READ MORE
  3. A fine line: Infrastructure development and eco-conservation should go hand-in-hand READ MORE
  4. Explained | Why are hydropower projects in the Himalayas risky? READ MORE



Today’s Important Articles For Pub Ad (30-08-2021)

  1. Seize this opportunity to institutionalise accountability: The discourse on an indemnity waiver for COVID-19 vaccines is a hidden moment for India to act READ MORE
  2. The real crisis in PSUs: Leadership READ MORE
  3. Explained | What has the Supreme Court ruled on ‘creamy layer’? READ MORE
  4. Transparent Selection of Information Commissioners Need of the Hour READ MORE



WSDP Bulletin (30-08-2021)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

  1. Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) – National Mission for Financial Inclusion, completes seven years of successful implementation READ MORE
  2. Government introduces a new registration mark for new vehicles “Bharat series (BH-series)” to facilitate seamless transfer of vehicles READ MORE
  3. China to require foreign vessels to report in ‘territorial waters’ READ MORE
  4. Hurricane Ida strikes Louisiana; New Orleans hunkers down READ MORE
  5. Afghanistan overshadows key West Asia summit READ MORE
  6. Snorkellers Discover Giant Coral – One of the Oldest on the Great Barrier Reef READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

  1. Seize this opportunity to institutionalise accountability: The discourse on an indemnity waiver for COVID-19 vaccines is a hidden moment for India to act READ MORE
  2. The real crisis in PSUs: Leadership READ MORE
  3. Explained | What has the Supreme Court ruled on ‘creamy layer’? READ MORE
  4. Transparent Selection of Information Commissioners Need of the Hour READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

  1. The broken promise of justice in rape cases READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

  1. Afghan TAKE over and impact on India READ MORE
  2. Asia and its new arc of instability READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

  1. Should a high fiscal deficit be frowned upon? READ MORE
  2. The EV race among states READ MORE
  3. No taper tantrum: India must address risks to financial stability READ MORE
  4. Explained | Why is there a push for asset monetisation? READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

  1. Kinnaur landslides: Will the fragile district survive misguided ‘green energy’ projects? READ MORE
  2. Greenland has received unprecedented rainfall this month. What does this mean for the planet? READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

  1. A fine line: Infrastructure development and eco-conservation should go hand-in-hand READ MORE
  2. Explained | Why are hydropower projects in the Himalayas risky? READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

  1. Towards a more humane police force: Efforts are on to improve the human rights protection regime in police stations READ MORE
  2. “Speaking Truth to Power: Citizens and the Law”: Full Text Of Justice MC Chagla Memorial Lecture By Justice DY Chandrachud READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

  1. ‘Democracy and truth go hand in hand and Democracy needs truth to survive’. Comment.
  2. To make RTI Act more effective, the Commissioners should be chosen through a transparent process. Discuss the statement.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

  • One man’s opportunism is another man’s statesmanship.
  • It was no business of any Government to tell the people what they should drink and what they should not drink.
  • The Renaissance was not merely a literary and artistic revolution but was also supposed to usher in an age where superstitions and dogma would give way to reason and evidence-based upon actual truth.
  • Truth is important in modern democracies which have been described as “spaces of reason”, since any decision must be backed by adequate reasons and because a reason which is based upon a falsehood would be no reason at all.
  • Protests by victims and litigants highlight a culture of impunity and a legal system in urgent need of reform.
  • Victims and litigants are usually added to the design and procedure of courts, while judicial doctrine is built on their stories of social suffering.
  • Instead of crippling the public sector and making false comparisons with the private sector, address organisational deficits.
  • Rainfall makes the Greenland ice sheet more prone to surface melt that can threaten to significantly hamper humanity’s efforts to mitigate climate change.
  • With several information commissioners lacking understanding of the RTI Act or interest in transparency, the selection criteria of information commissioners (ICs) should be made transparent and public. Each IC should set a target of disposing of more than 6,000 applications every year with a performance review every six months.

ESSAY TOPIC:

  • Democracy needs the power of truth to survive.

50-WORD TALK

  • Kindness and gentleness are qualities that every human nature is capable of, and which every human nature appreciates and is moved by. These qualities require neither special training nor special equipment. They are present in every man – only they get overlaid by vanity and self-seeking

Things to Remember:

  • For prelims-related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
  • Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and also exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers, etc. same applies to the national places.)
  • For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates, etc.
  • For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occur frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
  • Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.



At 15, RTI act crippled by rising backlogs

THE CONTEXT: Fifteen years have passed since the implementation of the landmark Right to Information Act, 2005. In this article, we will assess the performance of the Act along with the associated problems and possible suggestions.

 

Some success stories of RTI 

 

  1. High number of applications being filled : There is a constant increase in the number of application being filed for seeking information. There are around 60 lakh cases filed every year as per an estimate.
  2. Attendance of the Village School Teacher in Panchanpur : Villagers sought information regarding attendance records, leave records and medical records of the absconding village school teacher. The teacher was summoned and suspended while a new teacher was appointed to the school thus upholding accountability of the system.
  3. Transparency in PDS for BPL Families, Bahraich, UP : When ration was not provided to the village between the period of Feb 2006 to December 2006, villagers filed an RTI regarding the acquisition and the distribution of the ration and also asked for copies of the ration records. The Kotedar was finally suspended after inquiry and thus upheld transparency in the system.
  4. Scams : Many scams such as Adarsh Society Scam, 2G scam, Commonwealth Games Scam, Indian red Cross Society Scam etc were found due to the application of RTI.

Problems with RTI Performance

 

  1. Capacity :The Central Information Commission has been headless since August 2020 leading to reduced capacity of the Commission. Similar, Odisha is functioning with only four commissioners and Rajasthan with three while Jharkhand and Tripura have none.
  2. Inter-state distribution : There is inter-state differences in the number of pending cases with the maximum being in Maharashtra followed by UP
  3. Low punishment to Government Officials : As per a study, government officials hardly face any punishment for violating the law. This sets a wrong precedent which promote complacent attitude to wards the Act in government officials.
  4. Pendency : Around 2.2 lakh cases are pending in Central and State Information Commissions which are the final court of appeal under the Act. It will take years to clear this backlog.
  5. Awareness : Awareness still eludes people of their rights provided under the RTI Act for holding public officials accountable.
  6. Failure of Courts to Uphold RTI : Court itself has failed to uphold RTI as seen in the RTI application for PM CARES or to the case seeking list of wilful defaulters from RBI.

RTI act salient features

  1. RTI Act provide for setting up of Central Information Commission and State Information Commission. These Commissions act as the Second Appellate Authority and also exercise supervision and monitoring over the functioning of Public Information Officers.
  2. Public authorities have to provide information as early as possible as but not later than 30 days (not later than 48 hours in the matters pertaining to life and liberty of an individual).
  3. In case of delay, the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission can impose a penalty. The Commission can also recommend disciplinary proceedings against the officials guilty of the not providing information with malafide intention.
  4. In case of denial or not providing proper information an appellate structure has also been provided. First appeal lies with the First Appellate Authority nominated by the Department while the second appeal lies with the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission.
  5. Under the law, every commission should have a chief and up to 10 commissioners.

Supreme court ruling in CBSE vs. Aditya Bandhyopadhyay case, 2011

 

  1. RTI Act should not be “allowed to be misused or abused, to become a tool to obstruct the national development and integration, or to destroy the peace, tranquillity and harmony among its citizens”.
  2. Nor should it be converted into a tool of oppression or intimidation of honest officials striving to do their duty.
  3. The threat of penalties under the RTI Act and the pressure of the authorities under the RTI Act should not lead to employees of a public authorities prioritising `information furnishing’, at the cost of their normal and regular duties.”

The controversial verdict is being utilised by the PIOs to discourage RTI Applicants.

WAY FORWARD

 

  1. Awareness : Government should undertake immediate and widespread dissemination of knowledge about the law, as mentioned in Section 26 of the Act.The media and the civil society can play a major role in spreading awareness.
  2. Change in the mindset of officials : Officials need to realise their authority will in no way be undermined by opening up official bureaus.
  3. Modernisation :Officials have to put extra hours of work for streamlining and record-keeping, weeding out records as per the procedure laid down and computerising maximum information with proper indexing.  Information should be easily accessible by the people.
  4. Review of Laws : Even though the Act provides for precedence of its provisions over any other existing law that may contradict it, there is still a chance of conflict between laws. Thus, constant and consistent review and analysis of various provisions of the Act should be undertaken to ensure that it actually facilitates and does not restrict access to information.

CONCLUSION

 

In the present times, the incentives for secrecy are great, and the scope for discretionary actions wide, and thus, the role of information commissions is crucial for ensuring that people can obtain information on healthcare facilities, social security programs and delivery of essential goods and services meant for those in distress.

Questions to Ponder

 

  1. Critically analyse the performance of RTI in its life of 15 years.
  2. “Information is the currency of Democracy”. Comment.



DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (AUGUST 30, 2021)

INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. 7 YEARS OF PMJDY

THE CONTEXT: Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) – National Mission for Financial Inclusion, completes seven years of successful implementation.

BACKGROUND:

  • PMJDY was announced by Prime Minister in his Independence Day address on 15th August 2014. While launching the programme on 28th August, the Prime Minister had described the occasion as a festival to celebrate the liberation of the poor from a vicious cycle.
  • PMJDY is National Mission for Financial Inclusion to ensure access to financial services, namely, Banking/ Savings & Deposit Accounts, Remittance, Credit, Insurance, Pension in an affordable manner.

OBJECTIVES

  • Ensure access of financial products & services at an affordable cost
  • Use of technology to lower cost & widen reach

BASIC TENETS OF THE SCHEME

  • Banking the unbanked – Opening of basic savings bank deposit (BSBD) account with minimal paperwork, relaxed KYC, e-KYC, account opening in camp mode, zero balance & zero charges
  • Securing the unsecured – Issuance of Indigenous Debit cards for cash withdrawals & payments at merchant locations, with free accident insurance coverage of Rs. 2 lakh
  • Funding the unfunded – Other financial products like micro-insurance, overdraft for consumption, micro-pension & micro-credit

INITIAL FEATURES

  • Universal access to banking services  – Branch and BC
  • Basic savings bank accounts with overdraft facility of Rs. 10,000/- to every eligible adult
  • Financial Literacy Program– Promoting savings, use of ATMs, getting ready for credit, availing insurance and pensions, using basic mobile phones for banking
  • Creation of Credit Guarantee Fund – To provide banks some guarantee against defaults
  • Insurance – Accident cover up to Rs. 1,00,000 and life cover of   Rs. 30,000 on account opened between 15 Aug 2014 to 31 January 2015
  • Pension scheme for Unorganized sector

APPROACH ADOPTED IN PMJDY

  • Accounts opened are online accounts in core banking system of banks, in place of earlier method of offline accounts opening with technology lock-in with the vendor
  • Inter-operability through RuPay debit card or Aadhaar enabled Payment System (AePS)
  • Fixed-point Business Correspondents
  • Simplified KYC / e-KYC in place of cumbersome KYC formalities

EXTENSION OF PMJDY WITH NEW FEATURES

  • Focus shift from ‘Every Household’ to Every Unbanked Adult’
  • RuPay Card Insurance – Free accidental insurance cover on RuPay cards increased from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 2 lakh for PMJDY accounts opened after 28.8.2018.
  • Enhancement in overdraft facilities –
  • OD limit doubled from Rs 5,000/- to Rs 10,000/-; OD up to Rs 2,000/- (without conditions).
  • Increase in upper age limit for OD from 60 to 65 years

ACHIEVEMENTS UNDER PMJDY- AS ON 18TH AUGUST’21

JAN DHAN DARSHAK APP

  • A mobile application, was launched to provide a citizen centric platform for locating banking touch points such as bank branches, ATMs, Bank Mitras, Post Offices, etc. in the country. Over 8 lakh banking touchpoints have been mapped on the GIS App.
  • The facilities under Jan Dhan Darshak App could be availed as per the need and convenience of common people. The web version of this application could be accessed at the link http://findmybank.gov.in.
  • This app is also being used for identifying villages which are not served by banking touchpoints within 5 km. these identified villages are then allocated to various banks by concerned SLBCs for opening of banking outlets. The efforts have resulted in significant decrease in number of such villages.

Reference: PIB

2. MAJOR PLANS FOR BOOSTING AYUSH INITIATIVES IN NORTHEAST

THE CONTEXT: In a major boost to the initiatives to promote traditional medicinal practices in the North East, the Union Minister of Ayush announced a slew of major initiatives planned to boost the traditional medicinal practices in the north-eastern states of India.

ANALYSIS:

  • As many as 1000 new Health & Wellness Centres (HWC), as part of the National Ayush Mission (NAM) Scheme, will be opened in the NE states for growth and development of Ayush systems. The aim of these centres is to provide a holistic wellness model based on principles of Ayush systems of medicine.
  • Financial provision of Rs 70 crore, under NAM support, will also be provided for establishment of a new Ayurvedic College at Dudhnoi in Goalpara, announced the union minister while addressing the conference.
  • The Ministry of Ayush has decided to upgrade the Government Ayurvedic College in Guwahati and develop it as a Centre of Excellence. A sum of Rs 10 crore as financial grant is to be provided in this regard. All states of Northeast were requested to put up specific proposal to the ministry for open new Ayush educational institutions.
  • A facilitation Centre for Semi Processing of raw material is going to be opened up in NE. Along with this, it is also envisaged to set up Regional Raw Drug Repository (RRDR) in NE states in collaboration with National Institute of Bio-Resources and Sustainable Development in Imphal, Manipur under Department of Bio-Technology.
  • Ministry is implementing Central Sector Scheme on Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants. This Scheme has provision to support joint forest management committees (JFMCs) for value addition, drying, warehousing and augmenting marketing infrastructure.
  • AHMIS is a comprehensive IT platform to effectively manage all functions of health care delivery systems and patient care in Ayush facilities. It is developed with an aim to improve patient care, work efficiency, effective management and scientific documentation and research of Ayush.
  • The strategic policy & facilitation bureau at Invest India, under the aegis of Ministry of Ayush, will coordinate with and encourage potential investors to  in Ayush and wellness centres in NE states including manufacturing and services.
  • Medical value travel promotion in NE states will be a priority area for the team.

Reference: PIB

3. ONORC NOW SUCCESSFULLY OPERATIONAL IN 34 STATES

THE CONTEXT: From its launch on March 12th 2021, ‘Mera Ration’ app has recorded over 15 lakh downloads on Google Play Store. The app was launched under One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) plan to benefit National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries, particularly migrant beneficiaries to avail maximum benefit of ration cards portability.

ANALYSIS:

  • The App has been developed by the Department in technical association with Central NIC Unit – providing a host of useful TPDS/ONORC information and features.
  • To facilitate better access and maximum benefit, the app is available in 12 languages viz. English, Hindi, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Urdu, Gujarati, Marathi and Bangla.
  • Under One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) which was running successfully in 32 states/UTs till December 2020, has now became operational in two more states/UTs-Delhi and West Bengal till August 2021 thereby, expanding the scheme to 34 states/UTs covering nearly 75 Crore beneficiaries (almost 94.3% NFSA population).
  • In addition, presently a monthly average of about 2.2 Crore portability transactions (including inter-/intra-State and PM-GKAY food grain transactions) are being recorded consistently in the States/UTs under delivering the subsidised NFSA food grains with anywhere flexibility to intended beneficiaries, mostly migrants.
  • The One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) is an ambitious plan and endeavour of the Department to ensure seamless delivery of subsidised food-security entitlements to all beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA), irrespective of their physical location anywhere in the country.
  • The objective of this programme is to empower all NFSA beneficiaries to be self-reliant for their food security anywhere in the country, through portability of their same existing ration cards to seamlessly lift their subsidised food grains (in part or full) from any ePoS (electronic Point of Sale device) enabled Fair Price Shop in the country with biometric/Aadhaar authentication at the time of lifting the food grains through portability. Further, their family members back home can also lift balance/their requirement of food grains on the same ration card.

Reference: PIB

4. BHARAT SERIES (BH-SERIES)

THE CONTEXT:   Government introduces a new registration mark for new vehicles “Bharat series (BH-series)” to facilitate seamless transfer of vehicles.

ANALYSIS:

  • In order to facilitate seamless transfer of vehicles, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has introduced a new registration mark for new vehicles i.e. “Bharat series (BH-series)”. A vehicle bearing this registration mark shall not require assignment of a new registration mark when the owner of the vehicle shifts from one State to another.
  • Format of Bharat series (BH-series) Registration Mark –

Registration Mark Format: –

   YY BH #### XX

   YY – Year of first registration

   BH- Code for Bharat Series

   ####- 0000 to 9999 (randomized)

XX- Alphabets (AA to ZZ)

  • This vehicle registration facility under “Bharat series (BH-series)” will be available on voluntary basis to Defense personnel, employees of Central Government/ State Government/ Central/ State Public Sector Undertakings and private sector companies/organizations, which have their offices in four or more States/Union territories.
  • The motor vehicle tax will be levied for two years or in multiple of two. This scheme will facilitate free movement of personal vehicles across States/UTs of India upon relocation to a new State/UT.
  • After completion of the fourteenth year, the motor vehicle tax shall be levied annually which shall be half of the amount which was charged earlier for that vehicle.

Reference: PIB

5. POSHAN ABHIYAAN

THE CONTEXT: ‘Thematic’ POSHAN Maah to be celebrated across the nation throughout the month of September as part of azadi ka amrit mahotsav.

ANALYSIS:

  • POSHAN Abhiyaan is Government of India’s flagship programme to improve nutritional outcomes for children, adolescent Girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
  • Launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on the occasion of  International Women’s Day on 8 March, 2018 from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, the POSHAN (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition) Abhiyaan directs the attention of the country towards the problem of malnutrition and address it in a mission-mode.
  • Focusing on the aims of POSHAN Abhiyaan, Mission Poshan 2.0 (Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0) has been announced in the Budget 2021-2022 as an integrated nutrition support programme, to strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach and outcomes with focus on developing practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity to disease and malnutrition.
  • POSHAN Abhiyaan is a Jan Andolan or “People’s Movement” by incorporating inclusive participation of public representatives of local bodies, government departments of the States/UTs, social organizations and the public and private sector at large. In order to ensure community mobilization and bolster people’s participation, every year, the month of September is celebrated as POSHAN Maah across the country.
  • During the PoshanMaah, activities related to nutrition awareness will be carried out across all the States/UTs right upto the grass root levels.
  • The implementing departments /agencies like women and child development department through Anganwadi workers, health and family welfare department through ASHA, ANM, primary health centres, community health centres, school education and literacy department through schools, Panchayati Raj departments through panchayats, and rural development trough self-help groups will carry out the activities and spread the message of holistic nutrition throughout the month to ensure a healthier future for women and children.
  • The POSHAN Maah intends to achieve the holistic goals of PoshanAbhiyaan with swiftness in a harmonized manner

Reference: PIB

 

INDIAN ECONOMY

6. NITI AAYOG BATS FOR TAX BREAKS TO ACHIEVE MONETISATION GOAL

THE CONTEXT:  The NITI Aayog has recommended that to make the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) a success, the government should give Income tax breaks to attract retail investors into instruments like Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs).

ANALYSIS:

  • The Centre’s think tank driving the NMP, estimated to raise almost ₹6 lakh crore for the exchequer over four years, has also called for bringing such Trusts under the ambit of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to provide greater comfort to investors.

Reference: The Hindu

INDIAN SECURITY

7. INDIAN COAST GUARD SHIP ‘VIGRAHA’

THE CONTEXT: Raksha Mantri dedicated to the Nation, indigenously built Coast Guard Ship ‘Vigraha’ in Chennai on August 28, 2021. The ship is a perfect example of a successful partnership between public and private sectors to realise the dream of self-reliant India.

ANALYSIS:

  • ICGS Vigraha will be based at Visakhapatnam and operate on India’s Eastern Seaboard under the Operational and Administrative Control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region (East).
  • The 98 meters OPV has been designed and built indigenously by M/s Larsen & Toubro Ship Building Ltd., and is fitted with advanced technology Radars, Navigation and Communication Equipment, Sensor and Machinery capable of operating in tropical sea conditions. The vessel is armed with a 40/60 Bofors gun and fitted with two 12.7 mm Stabilised Remote Control Gun (SRCG) with Fire Control System.
  • The ship is also equipped with Integrated Bridge System (IBS), Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS), and Automated Power Management System (APMS) and High-Power External Firefighting (EFF) system. The ship is designed to carry one Twin Engine Helicopter and four high speed boats for Boarding Operation, Search and Rescue, Law Enforcement and Maritime Patrol.
  • The ship is also capable of carrying limited pollution response equipment to contain oil spill at sea.  The ship displaces approx. 2200 tons (GRT) and is propelled by two 9100 KW diesel engines to attain a maximum speed of 26 knots with endurance of 5000 nm at economical speed.
  • The ship, on joining the Coast Guard Eastern fleet, will be deployed extensively for EEZ surveillance and other duties as enshrined in the Coast Guard Charter, to safeguard the maritime interests of India. The Indian Coast Guard with this ship joining the fleet will have 157 Ships and 66 Aircraft in its inventory.

Reference: PIB

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

8. INDIA, RUSSIA TO EXPAND COOPERATION IN CENTRAL ASIA

THE CONTEXT: Interview with Indian Envoy in Russia D.B. Venkatesh Varma.

ANALYSIS:

  • India and Russia are expecting to conclude the bilateral logistics agreement, Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS), and a Navy-to-Navy cooperation memorandum of understanding (MoU) when Russian Defence Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu visits India later this year.
  • Both countries are also scheduled to hold the maiden 2+2 ministerial dialogue during visit of Gen. Shoigu.
  • There are specific defence and nation- al security considerations that led India to conclude the contract for the supply of S-400 systems. This contract will be implemented.
  • Both sides were also looking at how they could cooperate in using India as a production base for exporting to third countries of Russian-origin equipment and services and would add to the Make in India programme.
  • Situation in Afghanistan impact both India and Russia and normal inter-State relations especially with respect to Central Asia, with additional threats emanating from drug trafficking, organized crime and the flow of refugees.

Reference: The Hindu

9. CHINA TO REQUIRE FOREIGN VESSELS TO REPORT IN ‘TERRITORIAL WATERS’

THE CONTEXT:  Chinese authorities said they will require a range of vessels “to report their information” when passing through what China sees as its “territorial waters”, starting from September 1.

ANALYSIS:

  • While it remains unclear how, whether, and where China plans to enforce this new regulation.
  • Over $5 trillion trade passes through the South China Sea, and 55% of India’s trade pass through its waters and the Malacca Straits.
  • The “nine dash line” is deemed by most countries as being inconsistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which only gives states the right to establish a territorial sea up to 12 nautical miles.
  • The requirements of the latest notice will also be seen as being inconsistent with UNCLOS, which states that ships of all countries enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea.

Reference: The Hindu

Q1. Which of the following are possible negative effects of Oil Pal cultivation in North-East Indian states?

  1. Groundwater depletion
  2. Reduction in forest area
  3. Reduced biodiversity Loss of community ownership of tribal people

 Select the correct answer using code given below:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 1, 2 and 3 only
  3. 1, 3 and 4 only
  4. All of them

ANSWER FOR AUGUST 28, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Q.1 Answer: A)

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct: ESZs are transition areas around the protected areas of National parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
  • Statement 2 is incorrect: Environment (Protection) Act 1986 does not mention about ESZs.
  • Statement 3 is incorrect: They can be up to 10 Kms around the protected areas.



Day-29 | Daily MCQs | UPSC Prelims | WORLD GEOGRAPHY

[WpProQuiz 33]




DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (AUGUST 28, 2021)

INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. OVER 1 CRORE DOSES: INDIA RECORDS HIGHEST SINGLE-DAY VACCINE COVERAGE

THE CONTEXT: India on 27th August administered a record one crore vaccine doses, the highest single day tally achieved since the roll out of the COVID-19 immunization drive on January 16.

ANALYSIS:

  • As per the provisional data, the country reported 1,00,64,032 vaccinations and crossed 62 crore cumulative vaccinations.
  • As per the official data, India has administered a cumulative 62.17 crore vaccinations: 49.08 crore first dose, and, 14.08 crore second dose.
  • On 26th August, India crossed 50 percent first dose vaccine coverage of the eligible adult population.

Reference: Indian express

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

2. BRICS-AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH PLATFORM

THE CONTEXT: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare announced the operationalization of BRICS Agricultural Research Platform prepared and set up in India for strengthening the cooperation in the field of agricultural research & innovations amongst the BRICS member States.

ABOUT BRICS-ARP

  • The BRICS- Agricultural Research Platform, as a global platform for science-led agriculture will help in addressing the issues of world hunger, undernutrition, poverty and inequality by promoting sustainable agricultural development through strategic cooperation in agriculture and allied sector.
  • The BRICS-ARP has been operationalised to intensify cooperation in the areas of agricultural research, technology, policy, innovations and capacity building including technologies for smallholder farming and to sustainably increase yields and farmers income in the BRICS member countries.
  • The platform shall escalate the exchange of research findings and innovation and best practices for upscaling in the respective BRICS Nations.

 Reference: PIB

 3. THE DEEPAR BEEL WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

THE CONTEXT: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified the Eco sensitive zone of Deepar Beel Wildlife Sanctuary on the southwestern edge of Guwahati.

ABOUT DEEPAR BEEL WLS

  • Deepar Beel is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Assam and the State’s only Ramsar Site (declared in 2002), besides being an Important Bird Area.
  • The wetlands have for decades been threatened by a railway track — set to be doubled and electrified — on its southern rim, a garbage dump and encroachment for human habitation and commercial units.
  • Among activities prohibited in the eco-sensitive zone are hydroelectric pro- jects, brick kilns, commercial use of firewood and discharge of untreated effluents in natural water bodies or land areas.

ECO-SENSITIVE ZONES (ESZS) OR ECOLOGICALLY FRAGILE AREAS (EFAS)

  • They are areas notified by the MoEFCC around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
  • The purpose of declaring ESZs is to create “shock absorbers” to the protected areas by regulating and managing the activities around such areas.
  • They act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection.
  • The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 does not mention the word “Eco-Sensitive Zones”.
  • However, Rule 5(1) of the Environment (Protection) Act 1986 (EPA) states that the central government can prohibit or restrict the location of industries and carry on certain operations or processes on the basis of certain considerations.
  • An ESZ could go up to 10 kilometres around a protected area as provided in the Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 2002.

Reference: The Hindu

4. SHORT-TERM PM2.5 EXPOSURE IS DEADLY TOO

THE CONTEXT: Researchers have found a strong association between short-term exposure to PM2.5 (particles that have a diameter less than 2.5 micrometres) and mortality in Delhi.

ANALYSIS:

  • They also noted that the city’s Graded Response Action Plan, designed to curb pollution levels, was not effective, with more ambitious, long-term goals to cut emissions required to bring about significant health benefits.
  • The study — the result of a collaboration between Harvard University, Population Foundation of India, and the Delhi-based Centre for Chronic Disease Control — is the first of its kind to look into over 7 lakh deaths not caused by accidents between 2010 and 2016 to arrive at its conclusion.
  • This study assessed whether changes in PM2.5 levels over 24 hours can affect the number of deaths that occur every day. It was  found that with every 25 μg/m3 increase over 24 hours, mortality increases by 0.8 per cent.
  • Delhi’s PM2.5 levels exceeded 130 µg/m3 in 2016 — over 10 times the recommended World Health Organization (WHO)’s levels — and have been on the rise since.
  • 5 particles are considered dangerous for health because they can penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing a higher risk of developing cardiovascular, respiratory diseases, and lung cancer. This risk is aggravated by chronic exposure.

Reference : The Print

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5. QSIM

THE CONTEXT: Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology, launched QSim – Quantum Computer Simulator Toolkit, to enable Researchers and Students to carryout research in Quantum Computing in a cost effective manner.

ABOUT QSIM

  • QSim is an outcome of the project “Design and Development of Quantum Computer Toolkit (Simulator, Workbench) and Capacity Building”.
  • This is one of the first initiatives in the country to address the common challenge of advancing the Quantum Computing research frontiers in India.
  • This project is being executed collaboratively by IISc Bangalore, IIT Roorkee and C-DAC with the support of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India.
  • QSim allows researchers and students to write and debug Quantum Code that is essential for developing Quantum Algorithms.
  • Quantum systems are highly sensitive to disturbances from environment, even necessary controls and observations perturb them. The available and upcoming Quantum devices are noisy and techniques to bring down the environmental error rate are being intensively pursued.
  • QSim allows researchers to explore Quantum Algorithms under idealized conditions and help prepare experiments to run on actual Quantum Hardware.
  • QSIM can serve as an important educational / research tool providing an excellent way to attract students / researchers to the field of Quantum Technology and provides a platform to acquire the skills of ‘programming’ as well as ‘designing’ real Quantum Hardware.

Reference: PIB

6. SUPER-MASSIVE BLACK HOLES

THE CONTEXT: Indian researchers have discovered three supermassive black holes from three galaxies merging together to form a triple active galactic nucleus, a compact region at the center of a newly discovered galaxy that has a much-higher-than-normal luminosity.

ANALYSIS: 

  • This rare occurrence in our nearby Universe indicates that small merging groups are ideal laboratories to detect multiple accreting supermassive black holes and increases the possibility of detecting such rare occurrences.
  • Supermassive black holes are difficult to detect because they do not emit any light. But they can reveal their presence by interacting with their surroundings.
  • When the dust and gas from the surroundings fall onto a supermassive black hole, some of the mass is swallowed by the black hole, but some of it is converted into energy and emitted as electromagnetic radiation that makes the black hole appear very luminous. They are called active galactic nuclei (AGN) and release huge amounts of ionized particles and energy into the galaxy and its environment.
  • Both of these ultimately contribute to the growth of the medium around the galaxy and ultimately the evolution of the galaxy itself.
  • According to the researchers, a major factor impacting galaxy evolution is galaxy interactions, which happen when galaxies move close by each other and exert tremendous gravitational forces on each other.
  • During such galaxy interactions, the respective supermassive black holes can get near each other. The dual black holes start consuming gas from their surroundings and become dual AGN.
  • If two galaxies collide, their black hole will also come closer by transferring the kinetic energy to the surrounding gas. The distance between the blackholes decreases with time until the separation is around a parsec (3.26 light-years). The two black holes are then unable to lose any further kinetic energy in order to get even closer and merge. This is known as the final parsec problem.
  • The presence of a third black hole can solve this problem. The dual merging blackholes can transfer their energy to the third blackhole and merge with each other.
  • Many AGN pairs have been detected in the past, but triple AGN are extremely rare, and only a handful has been detected before using X-ray observations. However, the researchers expects such triple AGN systems to be more common in small merging groups of galaxies. Although this study focuses only on one system, results suggest that small merging groups are ideal laboratories to detect multiple supermassive black holes.

Reference: PIB

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

7. INDIA-AUSTRALIA AIM FOR ‘EARLY HARVEST’ TRADE PACT BY DECEMBER

THE CONTEXT: The trade ministers of India and Australia have agreed to speed up trade negotiations with an aim to reach an interim ‘early harvest’ pact by December for liberalising the bilateral flow of goods and services.

ABOUT EARLY HARVEST SCHEME

  • Early harvest scheme is a precursor to a free trade agreement (FTA) between two trading partners.
  • This is to help the two trading countries to identify certain products for tariff liberalisation pending the conclusion of FTA negotiation.
  • It is primarily a confidence building measure between two trading partners
  • An Early Harvest Scheme (EHS) is an agreement between two states (or regional trading blocs) which liberalizes tariffs on certain goods preceding the conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

 Reference: The Hindu

Q1. Consider the following statements about Eco- sensitive zone:

  1. They are transition areas around the protected areas of National parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
  2. They are notified under the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act 1986.
  3. They can be up to 20 Kms around the protected areas.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a. 1 only

b. 1 and 2 only

c. 1 and 3 only

d. 1, 2 and 3

ANSWER FOR AUGUST 27, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Q.1 ANSWER: D)

Explanation:

  • The Sambhar Salt Lake, India’s largest inland salt lake, is located 80 km southwest of the city of Jaipur and 64 km northeast of Ajmer, Rajasthan.
  • It receives water from five rivers: Medtha, Samaod, Mantha, Rupangarh, Khari, Khandela.
  • It is surrounded by the Aravali hills on all sides (Centripetal drainage).
  • It has been designated as a Ramsar site (recognized wetland of international importance) because the wetland is a key wintering area for tens of thousands of pink flamingos and other birds that migrate from northern Asia and Siberia.

Q2. ANSWER: B)

Explanation:

  • The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) is NITI Aayog’s flagship initiative – a one-of-its-kind, unified information portal for women entrepreneurs.
  • It strives to improve industry linkages and awareness of existing programs and services and provide access to peer support, learning resources, fundraising opportunities and mentorship.
  • With an overarching objective of becoming an aggregator platform that solves for the information asymmetry in the ecosystem, WEP serves as a one stop solution for information and services relevant to women entrepreneurs.
  • The platform currently hosts over 16,000 registered users and 30 partners and caters to six focus areas: Funding & Financial Management, Incubation Connects, Taxation & Compliance Support, Entrepreneur Skilling & Mentorship, Community & Networking and Marketing Assistance.
  • tentatively assigned as Meso-Neoproterozoic based on the available evidence of stromatolites and organic-walled microfossils




Today’s Important Articles for Geography (28-08-2021)

  1. Climate Change: The New Normal Is Not Yet Here READ MORE
  2. COP 15: China Submits Draft Biodiversity Declaration to UN READ MORE
  3. Land degradation in India hurts farmers and forest dwellers the most READ MORE



Today’s Important Articles For Pub Ad (28-08-2021)

  1. Recent Decisions by Kerala & Chhattisgarh High Courts Highlight Need to Settle Legal Position on Marital Rape READ MORE
  2. Timely step: The collegium and Govt have cleared the names of new SC judges. It would speed up verdicts READ MORE
  3. Government and Labour: Return of Dialogue? READ MORE
  4. New IT Rules, 2021: Crucial Landmark in Digital Governance READ MORE



Today’s Important Articles for Sociology (28-08-2021)

  1. Two-child Norm: Curtailing Welfare, Weaponising Demography READ MORE  
  2. Thrust on online classes deprives poor students of educational opportunities READ MORE
  3. Recent Decisions by Kerala & Chhattisgarh High Courts Highlight Need to Settle Legal Position on Marital Rape READ MORE



Ethics Through Current Development (28-08-2021)

  1. The Most Important decisions READ MORE
  2. Are You on Lord Mahavira’s Path? READ MORE



WSDP Bulletin (28-08-2021)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

  1. Assam’s Deepar Beel Wildlife Sanctuary breathes easy after eco-sensitive zone notification READ MORE
  2. Indian astrophysicists spot rare merger of three jumbo black holes READ MORE
  3. Explained: Govt’s clarifications on CSR expenditure; what impact will these have? READ MORE
  4. Cuba to recognise and regulate cryptocurrencies READ MORE
  5. Why Afforestation Isn’t Likely to Make Up for Our Loss of Carbon-Rich Forests READ MORE
  6. Short-term PM2.5 exposure is deadly too — new study finds strong links to mortality in Delhi READ MORE
  7. Forex reserves decline by $2.47 billion to $616.89 billion in August READ MORE

Main Exam 

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

  1. Recent Decisions by Kerala & Chhattisgarh High Courts Highlight Need to Settle Legal Position on Marital Rape READ MORE
  2. Timely step: The collegium and Govt have cleared the names of new SC judges. It would speed up verdicts READ MORE
  3. Government and Labour: Return of Dialogue? READ MORE
  4. New IT Rules, 2021: Crucial Landmark in Digital Governance READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

  1. Two-child Norm: Curtailing Welfare, Weaponising Demography READ MORE  
  2. Thrust on online classes deprives poor students of educational opportunities READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

  1. Soft power, India’s strength in Afghanistan READ MORE
  2. India’s Afghan Policy: Challenges and Anxieties READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

  1. Asset monetisation — execution is the key READ MORE
  2. High rural workforce, no sign of well-being READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

  1. Climate Change: The New Normal Is Not Yet Here READ MORE
  2. COP 15: China Submits Draft Biodiversity Declaration to UN READ MORE
  3. Land degradation in India hurts farmers and forest dwellers the most READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

  1. Climate crisis: India now confronts a drought READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

  1. The Most Important decisions READ MORE
  2. Are You on Lord Mahavira’s Path? READ MORE

Questions for MAIN exam

  1. Explain the process of monetisation of public sector assets. Discuss the challenges involved in the implementation of the National Monetisation Plan (NMP).
  2. ‘If individual autonomy in a marital relationship is ennobled as a fundamental right, then marital sex without consent ought to be criminalised’. Do you agree with this view? Analyse your view.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

  • You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.
  • A drone doctrine is important to ensure not only that drones are not misused, but also their use does not trigger an escalation of hostility between India and Pakistan.
  • The Government’s plan needs an Asset Monetisation Monitoring Authority to evaluate the execution.
  • Amidst uncertainties caused by the Taliban takeover, India must leverage goodwill earned from its investments in Afghanistan’s infrastructure projects.
  • The decline in good-quality employment options in recent times could have led to a rise in low paid work in rural India.
  • At a time when women are allowed to take the National Defence Academy examination and a gender balance in the higher judiciary is becoming a reality, the Government and the courts should strive to criminalise marital rape.
  • It is about a society determined to deny women their rights even though the Constitution guarantees gender equality and neutrality.
  • Autonomy is now considered as a part of privacy and ennobled as a fundamental right. … In a changed scenario of marriage in the society, shifting from the social philosophy to individual philosophy, we are afraid whether the present divorce law on enumerated grounds would stand to the test of constitutionality.

50-WORD TALK

  • CJI NV Ramana bared the dark underbelly of India’s police system with his plain-speak about officers targeting opponents of politicians in power. Law of rulers instead of rule of law has become a cliché. The answer lies in never forgetting that the police’s oath of allegiance is to the Constitution.
  • Niti Aayog report on Northeast’s Sustainable Development Goal Index shows how decades of insurgency and lax governance have stunted the growth of states like Nagaland, Arunachal and Assam, while stable ones like Sikkim have surged ahead. The onus is on stakeholders in the Northeast to course-correct, with stability and focussed governance as key.

Things to Remember

  • For prelims-related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
  • Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and also exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers, etc. same applies to the national places.)
  • For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates, etc.
  • For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occur frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
  • Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.



DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (AUGUST 27, 2021)

ECI ORGANIZES TWO-DAY SVEEP CONSULTATION WORKSHOP

THE CONTEXT: The Election Commission of India organized a two-day SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) Consultation Workshop on August 25-26, 2021. The agenda of the workshop was to review State SVEEP Plans & conduct extensive deliberations on the important aspects of SVEEP for a comprehensive strategy for the forthcoming elections.

ABOUT SVEEP

  • Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation program is the flagship program of the Election Commission of India for voter education & awareness, spreading voter awareness, and promoting voter literacy in India.
  • SVEEP’s primary goal is to build an inclusive & participative democracy by encouraging all eligible citizens to vote and make an informed decision & ethical choices.

SOURCE:  PIB

NORTH EASTERN REGION DISTRICT SDG INDEX

THE CONTEXT: A milestone towards localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was achieved with the release of the first edition of the North Eastern Region (NER) District SDG Index Report and Dashboard 2021–22 by NITI Aayog and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (M/DoNER).

ANALYSIS:

  • The NER District SDG Index & Dashboard, a collaborative effort by NITI Aayog and Ministry of DoNER, with technical support from UNDP, is the first of its kind in the country as it focuses on the North Eastern Region, which is of critical significance to the country’s development trajectory.
  • The Index measures the performance of the districts of the eight states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura on the Sustainable Development Goals and their corresponding targets and ranks the districts based on the same.
  • The index is based on NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index –the principal and official tool for monitoring progress on the SDGs at the national and State/ Union Territory levels and shares the common ethos of benchmarking performance and ranking on the SDGs to foster competition among the districts.
  • The index offers insights into the social, economic, and environmental status of the region and its districts in their march towards achieving the SDGs. It is a unique policy tool that has immense potential to measure district-level progress, highlight critical gaps, facilitate resource allocation, and will be a handy tool for policymakers.

OVERALL RESULTS AND FINDINGS

  • Out of the 103 districts considered for the ranking, 64 districts belonged to the Front Runner category while 39 districts were in the Performer category in the composite score and ranking of districts.
  • All districts in Sikkim and Tripura fall in the Front Runner category and there are no districts in the Aspirant or Achiever categories.
  • East Sikkim [Score 75.87] ranks first in the region followed by districts Gomati and North Tripura [Score 75.73] in the second position.
  • The score for the 103 districts ranges from 53.00 in Kiphire [NL] to 75.87 in East Sikkim [SK].

SOURCE:  PIB

MANTHAN- 2021 HACKATHON

THE CONTEXT:  Manthan- 2021 is organized by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) in coordination with the Innovation Cell of the Ministry of Education and AICTE.

ANALYSIS:

  • Hackathon “MANTHAN 2021” is a unique national initiative to identify innovative concepts and technology solutions for addressing the security challenges of the 21st century faced by our intelligence agencies.
  • During this 36 hours online hackathon, scheduled from 28th November to 1st December 2021, selected youths from education institutions across the country and registered start-ups will participate to offer strong, safe, and effective technology solutions using their technical expertise and innovative skills.
  • Total Prize money worth Rs. 40 Lakh is announced for the winning teams. Participants are expected to develop digital solutions under 6 themes for20 different challenge statements released today using new technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Augmented reality, Machine Learning, etc. for ever-changing security-related challenges, which include photo/video analysis, Fake Content Identification along with the information of creator, predictive Cyber ​​Crime data analytics, etc.

SOURCE: PIB

THE E-SHRAM PORTAL

THE CONTEXT: Minister for Labour and Employment launched an e-Shram portal and handed it over to the States/UTs.

ANALYSIS:

  • Registration of Unorganized Workers begins across the country as the Government of India launches the e-Shram Portal.
  • Portal will help build a comprehensive National Database of Unorganized Workers (NDUW) in the country.
  • Portal will prove to be a huge boost towards the last-mile delivery of the welfare schemes for crores of unorganized workers.
  • Game changer in the history of the country, where more than 38 Crore workers would register themselves under one portal.
  • Registration is totally free and workers do not have to pay anything.

SOURCE: PIB

NTPC ANNOUNCES RECRUITMENT OF AN ALL-FEMALE ENGINEERS

THE CONTEXT: On Women’s Equality Day, NTPC Ltd has recruited its first all-Female Engineering Executive Trainees (EETs) batch to reaffirm its stand on diversity and inclusion.

ANALYSIS:

  • The company has envisioned an all-female Operation Control Room at NTPC in the near future, towards a brighter future ahead for females in the organization.
  • NTPC is establishing the regular interaction of new recruiters with the senior management and other employees to ensure that the youngsters are assimilated into the spirit & culture of the organization.
  • NTPC has been working on improving its gender ratio wherever possible. It has always believed in providing equal opportunity to all sections of society and has consciously promoted diversity through its hiring practices.
  • As a responsible corporate citizen, NTPC has institutionalized policies like Human Rights and the Right to Equal Opportunity.
  • NTPC promotes equality and diversity amongst its employees. To support the women workforce, the company adheres to policies like Child Care Leave with Pay, Maternity Leave, Sabbatical leave and NTPC Special Child Care Leave on Adoption of a Child/Delivering Child through Surrogacy. Statutory requirements and policy guidelines are adhered to without any discrimination.

SOURCE: PIB

NITI AAYOG’S WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP PLATFORM (WEP)

THE CONTEXT: NITI Aayog partners with Cisco to foster women entrepreneurship in India. The next phase of NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP)will leverage Cisco’s technology and experience working with India’s start-up’s ecosystem to enable more women-owned businesses across the country.

ABOUT CISCO

  • Cisco is the worldwide leader in technology that powers the Internet.
  • Cisco inspires new possibilities by reimagining your applications, securing your data, transforming your infrastructure, and empowering your teams for a global and inclusive future.

ABOUT WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP PLATFORM

  • The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) is NITI Aayog’s flagship initiative – a one-of-its-kind, unified information portal for women entrepreneurs.
  • It strives to improve industry linkages and awareness of existing programs and services and provide access to peer support, learning resources, fundraising opportunities, and mentorship.
  • With an overarching objective of becoming an aggregator platform that solves the information asymmetry in the ecosystem, WEP serves as a one-stop solution for information and services relevant to women entrepreneurs.
  • The platform currently hosts over 16,000 registered users and 30 partners and caters to six focus areas: Funding & Financial Management, Incubation Connects, Taxation & Compliance Support, Entrepreneur Skilling & Mentorship, Community & Networking, and Marketing Assistance.

SOURCE: PIB

INDIA’S NEW DRONE RULES

THE CONTEXT: The central government has notified the Drone Rules 2021, a much more liberalized regime for unmanned aircraft systems than what existed previously.

ANALYSIS:

  • The liberalized regime for civilian drones marks a clear shift in policy by the government to allow operations of such drones and highlights the government’s intent to allow the use of drones while at the same time ensuring security from rogue drones through the anti-rogue drone framework that was announced in 2019.
  • The new Drone Rules will tremendously help start-ups and our youth working in this sector.
  • It will open up new possibilities for innovation & business.
  • It will help leverage India’s strengths in innovation, technology & engineering to make India a drone hub.

SOURCE: TH

SC: CAN PM-CARES FUND HELP CHILDREN ORPHANED BY COVID-19

THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court asked the Union government if it can immediately release money from the PMCares Fund for the education of children who have been orphaned or have lost legal guardians or either of their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ANALYSIS:

  • The children have been separated into three categories — those who have lost both parents, those who have lost either parent, and those who have lost their legal guardians.
  • The onus of identifying the children had been given to the district magistrates concerned.

SOURCE: TH

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

SAMBHAR LAKE NEEDS FASTER RESTORATION

THE CONTEXT: An expert study on the lake’s ecology has said that the Sambhar Salt Lake in Rajasthan, which is constantly shrinking with the degradation of soil and water quality and a decline in the population of migratory birds, needs a faster restoration for conservation of its wetland and salt brine worth $300 million.

ANALYSIS:

  • 30% of Sambhar Lake’s area had been lost to mining and other activities, including the illegal salt pan encroachments.
  • It has also threatened the livelihoods of local people who have always lived in harmony with the lake and its ecology.

ABOUT SAMBHAR LAKE

  • The Sambhar Salt Lake, India’s largest inland Salt Lake, is located 80 km southwest of the city of Jaipur and 64 km northeast of Ajmer, Rajasthan.
  • It receives water from five rivers: Medtha, Samaod, Mantha, Rupangarh, Khari, Khandela.
  • It is surrounded by the Aravali hills on all sides (Centripetal drainage).
  • It has been designated as a Ramsar site (recognized wetland of international importance) because the wetland is a key wintering area for tens of thousands of pink flamingos and other birds that migrate from northern Asia and Siberia.
  • More than 20,000 migratory birds had died due to avian botulism in the lake in 2019.

SOURCE:    TH

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

GREATER MALE CONNECTIVITY PROJECT

THE CONTEXT: India and Maldives will sign a contract on the mega Greater Male Connectivity project (GMCP), the largest infrastructure project in the country.

ANALYSIS:

  • The project, funded by an Indian grant of $100 m and a Line of Credit of $400 m is also the biggest new development project by India in its neighborhood in recent years.
  • The project will begin with the signing of the contract between the Maldives government and Indian Infrastructure Company AFCONS in Male.
  • Called the Greater Male Connectivity Project, it will involve the construction of a 6.74 km long bridge and causeway link connecting the capital Male with the adjoining islands of Villingli, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi.

 SOURCE: IE

Q1.It is India’s largest saltwater lake. It is part of the inland drainage system. It is also designated as a wetland of International importance under Ramsar convention.’ Which of the following site is described in the above paragraph?

a)      Tso Miriri

b)      Pyongyang Tso

c)      Chillika lake

d)      Sambhar lake

Q2.Women Entrepreneurship Platform” is initiative by:

a)      Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

b)      NITI AAYOG

c)      Ministry of Women and Child Development

d)      World Bank

ANSWER FOR AUGUST 26, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER TO RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Q.1 ANSWER: C)

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is incorrect: Fair and remunerative price (FRP) is the minimum price at which rate sugarcane is to be purchased by sugar mills from farmers.
  • Statement 2 is correct: The FRP is fixed by the Union government on the basis of recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
  • Statement 3 is incorrect: It is applied uniformly throughout the country. State government can have their own FRP, which is generally above FRP decided by the central government.

Q2. ANSWER: D)

Explanation:

  • The Jal Shakti Ministry has launched a ‘Sujalam’ campaign to create a million soak pits in villages across the country over the next 100 days, to help manage grey water and prevent the clogging of waterbodies.