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INDEX
TOPPER’S TALK 1 5) Why Brazil’s new pesticide rules should worry India 86
6) What is Pashu Aadhaar 87
POLITY 7) What are overseas sovereign bonds 89
1) How is Delimitation conducted 3 8) Lok Sabha passes Companies Amendment Bill 90
2) Article 370 and 35A revoked 5 9) Indian Economy slowdown 91
3) Incresing strength of Supreme Court judges 6 10) RBI cuts repo rate by 35 bps 93
4) Ladakh before and after 370 7 11) Special Economic Zones Amendment Bill 95
5) Demand for Gorakhaland 9 12) Draft Model Tenancy Act 2019 97
6) Benefits of linking Aadhar with voter ID 11 13) What are farm ponds 98
7) What is Article 371 13 14) Important curves in economics 100
8) Fast track courts in India Boon or Bane 15 15) Automobile sector in India 102
9) J & K Public Safety Act 17 16) FAME-II scheme 103
10) Indian Citizenship 18 17) RBI changes ATM transaction rules 104
11) Inter-State River Water Disputes 21 18) What is negative interest rate 105
(Amendment) Bill, 2019 19) SARAL index launched 106
20) RBI to transfer Rs 1.76 lakh crore surplus 107
GOVERNANCE & SOCIAL JUSTICE 21) Ordnance factory workers strike 109
1) POCSO Amendment Bill 2019 23 22) Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill, 2019 111
2) Transgender Persons Protection of Rights 25 23) Occupational Safety, Health and Working 112
Bill 2019 Conditions Code, 2019
3) Doping in Indian Athletes 26 24) Kosi-Mechi Interlinking river project 114
4) Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019 28 25) Trouble in paper industry 115
5) 5 new Consumer Rights 30 26) Electric Vehicles 116
6) UGC Paramarsh Scheme 32 27) FM announces to measure to revive economy 117
7) Women Empowerment 33
8) What are notifiable diseases 34 SECURITY
9) What is biosimilar drug 35 1) 2019 Model Detention Manual 119
10) Breast milk banks 36 2) Unlawful Activities Prevention Amendment 120
11) E-Commerce Guidelines for Consumer 37 Bill, 2019
Protection 2019 3) CORAS indian railway commando unit 121
12) Marriage age of men VS women 38 4) Why India needs a chief of defence staff 122
13) Is manual scavenging illegal in India 40 5) Rajasthan Assembly Passes Anti-Lynching Bill 124
6) No First Use on nuclear weapons may change 125
INTERNATIONAL RELATION
42 DISASTER MENAGEMENT
1) China’s stand on Ladakh UT
44 1) Rain and flood fury 126
2) India Myanmar submarine deal
46 2) Amazon rainforest fire in Brazil 128
3) Pakistan’s image rebuilding
4) Enf of INF Treaty 47
5) Trade war getting worse 49 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
6) India to sign United Nations Convention on 50 1) Microdots Technology to prevent vehicles theft 130
International Settlement Agreements (UNISA) and fake parts
7) Currency war between America and China 51 2) India test-fires Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air 131
8) Innovation in Israel lessons for India 52 missiles
9) India to sign BECA with USA 54 3) What are Tadigrades 132
10) USA China trade war and global economy 56 4) Russia floating nuclear reactor 133
11) RIL-Saudi Aramco 75 billion dollar deal 57 5) India test fired Israeli SPYDER air defence missile 134
12) China devalues its currency yuan 58 system from Pokhran Test Range.
13) Death penalty back in USA 60 6) Perseid Meteor Shower 135
14) UNSC resolution 47 62 7) Kaveri engine project 136
15) UNSC informal meeting 64 8) Personal data protection Bill 2018 137
16) USA warning on Hong Kong protests 66
17) PM Modi in UAE and Bahrain 67 ENVIRONMENT
18) India-Vietnam patrol vessel project 69 1) MOSAIC mission 138
19) India stops sharing hydrological data 70 2) Are sharks facing extinction in India 140
with Pakistan 3) Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas by WRI 141
20) India invited to G7 Summit 4) Plant based diet can fight climate change 143
71
21) Moscow protests 5) Amazon forest degradation 145
73
22) ITER project 6) Project WASCAL 147
75
23) PM Modi Bhutan visit 7) Methylmercury toxin in fish 149
77
8) Eco-sensitive Zones 151
ECONOMY 9) Mussoorie resolution 153
1) Government bans Unregulated Deposits 79 10) Invasive alien species threat 155
2) Dam Safety Bill, 2019 81 11) Microplastic pollution 157
3) Dholera smart city 82 12) M-sand policy 159
4) U.K. Sinha committee report 84 13) Land degradation neutrality 161

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GEOGRAPHY
1) Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat Narmada 163
Dispute
2) World’s biggest diamond mine closed 165

PRELIMS BITS 166


PRELIMS CAPSULE 174
SOLUTIONS 182
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTIONS 192

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TOPPERS’ TALK
AIR 145 Namita Sharma , Motivation for UPSC Aspirants • For back up, I gave SSC CGL exam for in 2014 and
presently working as a Tax Assistant in Central GST
Interviewer: Which thing motivated you to start your (Mumbai ).
preparation for UPSC? • I had my seniors as IRS in Mumbai, they guided me
a lot saying not to give up told me that you are been
Namita: I was working in IBM for two years and there underemployed here as I joined as TA after leaving my
was some chain of events that keep on occurring with me. job.
• I narrated them my whole journey of UPSC uptill now.
• Starting from my friend who suggested me a book • CSE 2017 was my 5th attempt where I cleared
called, a monk who sold his Ferrari and from there I got Prelims for the first time and reached till interview,
the message that one should always work for what his/ missing out the final list by a small margin.
her heart desires for.
• The second thing that happened was, my constant Interviewer: How you kept yourself motivated for your
contact with my dad’s higher officials, I talked to them last attempt?
and got to know about there lifestyle, social interaction
and much other important stuff. Namita: CSE 2018 being my last attempt I filled the form
• After working for two years in IBM, at the end of at the very last moment, cause I thought I will get through
2014 I thought for preparing for civil services. 2016, but I could not.

Interviewer: How you felt after cracking the civil services • Vacancies were very low this time(2018), lowest in the
exam in your last attempt. whole decade.
• But again I started my preparation for prelims.
Namita : In one word if I will like to say, I will say it was • I cut myself off from all social media accounts as I only
a relief for me, because in the end I just wanted to see my had 15 days in my hand.
name in the pdf and that would have been enough for me. • Joined a test series and started revision .
• This time paper was very unusual kind of so I started
When I got 145 ranks, I cannot express my feeling for that. my preparation for UPPSC as it was also approaching,
and went to Lucknow for its prelims exam.
Interviewer: How would you like to describe your journey • Meanwhile, I check the prelims result for UPSC and
of the UPSC preparation . I cleared Prelims for the second time.

Namita : I completed my engineering from IP university Now, coming to the Mains


from 2008-2012 and wanted to work in the reputed
private sector so I got myself recruited in IBM. • Everyone has it is on strategy for answer writing.
• I had speed in writing the answers and the only thing
• Earlier I wasted my attempt in 2012 and 2014 for which I wanted to work was the content.
UPSC. • This time I mentioned Data facts, graphs, quote in my
• After 2014 I started preparing seriously for the civil answers.
services. • I gave my best, I was satisfied with all the answers
• I got enrolled in Vajiram institute in Karol Bagh and that I wrote in the mains exam
my whole day was invested in coaching only, I had no
time left even for newspaper reading and gave my attempt Interviewer: So beautifully you have narrated all the
in 2015 which was also the unprepared attempt. points, what suggestion would you like to give to the
• After 2015, I kept myself at home and started preparing fellow aspirants?
for it from home itself.
• 2016 was my prepared attempt- I covered everything Namita : UPSC journey in itself is a very long process
but lacked in the revision so I could not qualify in that and involves a lot of Uncertainty.
attempt also.
• Till now my four attempts were been wasted. • It is very important to keep oneself positive.
• I failed in my fourth attempt -2016 prelims despite • I used to write my diary and do the blogging,
preparing a lot, but not in the right direction. whenever I got time.
• I felt very relieved whenever I used to write the diary..

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• I read a lot of Motivational books.


Notes
Interviewer: Should one keep himself/herself locked up
and become a book worm while preparing ? Should we
do anything else apart from studying?

Namita: Sometimes it is difficult to keep the momentum.

Practice meditation, yoga or some physical exercise to


keep yourself pumped up and positive to tackle the
anxiety of approaching the exam. That will not waste
your time but it will boost your preparation.

Interviewer: : What was that constant thing that kept


you motivated in the whole process of preparation.

Namita: I will say one should find out his/her reason for
starting this journey , it can be for your parents or you
want it yourself or you want some change in society, find
out that reason.

Interviewer: What was your optional, how you decided it?

Namita : My optional was sociology and 500 marks are


allocated for the optional subject.

• I could not clear my 2017 exam due to optional only .


• Go through entire syllabus from UPSC website, for all
GS papers and optionals.
• You have to devote a lot of your time on the optional,
so choose it carefully.
• For the preparation of any subject, prepare it topic-
wise.
• I made my handwritten notes and used the internet
(very helpful)
• Understand every concept in details. I followed two
things the Internet and my basic notes.
• Personally, I joined the two-test series, Elite IAS and
Vision IAS test series.
• Nitin Sangwan book for sociology optional, it is
important for filling the gaps while studying for sociology.
Thinkers name is very helpful for answer writing.
• Practice as much as possible. Never skip doing the
previous year papers keep revising multiple times apply
elimination and intelligent guesses to increase the score.

Interviewer: Thank you so much for this talk and


congratulations again from the whole team of study iq .

Namita: Thank you

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POLITY
• The Constitution mandates that its orders are final and
cannot be questioned before any court as it would hold up
an election indefinitely.

How is delimitation carried out?

• Delimitation is carried out by an independent Delimita-


tion Commission.
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
• The Constitution mandates that its orders are final and

Relevance cannot be questioned before any court as it would hold up


an election indefinitely.
• Under Article 82, the Parliament enacts a Delimitation
GS2 || Polity || Political dynamics || Elections
Act after every Census.
• Once the Act is in force, the Union government sets up a
Why in news? Delimitation Commission.
• Composition: The commission is made up of a retired
Supreme Court judge, the Chief Election Commissioner and
• Since the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir state
the respective State Election Commissioners.
into the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh, delimita-
• Functions: The Commission is supposed to determine
tion of their electoral constituencies has been inevita-
the number and boundaries of constituencies in a way that
ble. While the government has not formally notified the
the population of all seats, so far as practicable, is the same.
Election Commission yet, the EC has held “internal
The Commission is also tasked with identifying seats
discussions” on the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation
reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes; these
Act, 2019, particularly its provisions on delimitation.
are where their population is relatively large.
• All this is done on the basis of the latest Census and, in
What is Delimitation? case of difference of opinion among members of the
Commission, the opinion of the majority prevails.
• The draft proposals of the Delimitation Commission are
• Delimitation literally means the act or process of
published in the Gazette of India, official gazettes of the
fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies
states concerned and at least two vernacular papers for
in a country or a province having a legislative body.
public feedback.
• It represents the changes in population.
• The Commission also holds public sittings. After
• In this process, the number of seats allocated to
hearing the public, it considers objections and suggestions,
different states in Lok Sabha and the total number
received in writing or orally during public sittings, and
seats in a Legislative Assembly may also change.
carries out changes, if any, in the draft proposal.
• The final order is published in the Gazette of India and
Objective of delimitation : the State Gazette and comes into force on a date specified
by the President.

• To provide equal representation to equal segments


of a population.
• Division of geographical areas so that one political
party doesn’t have an advantage over others in an
election.

Constitutional Provision :

• Under Article 82, the Parliament enacts a Delimita-


tion Act after every Census.
• Once the Act is in force, the Union government sets
up a Delimitation Commission.

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How often has delimitation


been done in the past?
Notes
• The first delimitation exercise in 1950-51 was
carried out by the President (with the help of the
Election Commission), as the Constitution at that time
was silent on who should undertake the division of
states into Lok Sabha seats.
• This delimitation was temporary as the Constitution
mandated redrawing of boundaries after every Census.
Hence, another delimitation was due after the 1951
Census. Subsequently, the Delimitation Commission Act
was enacted in 1952.
• Delimitation Commissions have been set up four
times — 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002 under the Acts of
1952, 1962, 1972 and 2002. There was no delimitation
after the 1981 and 1991 Censuses.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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(Click on the above image to watch the video) • The Bill proposes wide powers to the Lieutenant Gover-
nor of the proposed Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
Relevance and makes it the “duty” of the Chief Minister of the Union
Territory to “communicate” all administrative decisions and
GS2 || Polity || Constitutional framework || Union and
proposals of legislation with the LG.
its territory
• All Central laws and State laws of J&K would apply to
the new Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.
Why in news? • Assets and liabilities of J&K and Ladakh would be
apportioned on the recommendation of a Central Commit-
• The Centre government revoked Article 370 of the
tee within a year.
Constitution which gives special status to Jammu and
• Employees of State public sector undertakings and
Kashmir and brought in the J&K Reorganisation Bill 2019
autonomous bodies would continue in their posts for
which splits the state into two Union Territories: Jammu
another year until their allocations are determined.
and Kashmir with an Assembly and Ladakh without one.
• The police and public order is to be with the Centre.
• The notification amends the expression “Constituent
Assembly”, contained in the provison to clause (3) of Article
370, to mean “Legislative Assembly”.

Article 370 - Features and


Provisions :
• Present in part XXI of the Indian Constitution which
comprises of Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions
with rest to various states of India.
• Forms the basis of the “Special Status” of J&K.
• Provides for a separate Constitution of J&K.
• Limits the Union Parliament’s power to make laws for
J&K to those subjects mentioned in the Instrument of
Accession (defense, foreign affairs, and communications)
and others as and when declared by the Presidential Orders
Key changes: with the concurrence of the Government of the State.
• Specified the mechanism by which the Article shall cease
• The President had used his powers under Article 370 to be operative. That is, on the recommendation of the
to fundamentally alter the provision, extending all Central Constituent Assembly of the State before the President
laws, instruments and treaties to Kashmir. However, the issues such a notification. However, this provision has been
drastically altered Article 370 will remain on the statute amended by the Constitution (Application to Jammu and
books. Kashmir) Order, 2019.
• While the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will
have a legislature, the one in Ladakh will not.
• The notification by the president has effectively allowed
the entire provisions of the Constitution, with all its amend-
ments, exceptions and modifications, to apply to the area of
Jammu and Kashmir. (Scan the QR code to watch video)

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• As of July 1, the total number of cases pending before


Constitution benches are 557, with 407 before five-judge
bench, 13 before a seven-judge bench, and 137 matters
before the nine-judge constitutional bench

SC Composition: Constitutional
and Statutory Provisions –

(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance

GS2 || Polity || Judiciary || Supreme Court

Why in news?

• Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra


Modi has approved increasing the number of judges in • The strength of Supreme Court is fixed by law made by

Supreme Court from the present 31 to 34 (i.e. by 10%), Parliament as per Article 124 (1) of Constitution of India.

including Chief Justice of India (CJI). • Therefore, the strength can be increased by way of

• In this regard it has approved bill to amend Supreme parliamentary legislation. In pursuance of this Parliament

Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956. At present, the full has enacted Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956,

sanctioned strength of SC is 31 (including CJI). Once which originally provided for maximum of 10 judges (exclud-

this bill gets parliamentary nod, the number of judges ing the CJI). The law was last amended in 2009 to increase

would go up to 34, including the CJI. judges’ strength from 25 to 30 (excluding the CJI).

Background Way forward :

• Introducing modern methods and technology can solve


delays to a large extent. 50% of judicial delay is due to
non-service of summons.

Interesting facts :

• On the 28th of January, 1950, two days after India


became a Sovereign Democratic Republic, the Supreme
Court came into being.
• After its inauguration, the Supreme Court commenced its
• CJI in his letter had urged to augment sittings in a part of the Parliament House.
judge-strength in SC appropriately so that it can • The Court moved into the present building in 1958.
function more efficiently and effectively and go a long • The proceedings of the Supreme Court are conducted in
way to attain ultimate goal of rendering timely justice English only.
to litigant public.
• He also had mentioned that due to paucity of
judges, the required number of Constitution Benches
of SC were not being formed to decide important cases
involving questions of law.
• According to written reply by Law Minister to Rajya
Sabha there are total 11, 59,331 cases are pending in (Scan the QR code to watch video)

the Supreme court.

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• Ladakh as an independent kingdom gained political status


during 15th–16th century when the Namgyal dynasty came
into power; this lasted until 1842 when General Zorawar
Singh integrated Ladakh into the Dogra Empire.
• Ladakh has been linked to the Dogras (and Kashmir) for
hardly 105 years.
• Ladakh is fundamentally different from Kashmir in all
respects – culturally, ethnically and linguistically.
• Over the years the successive governments of the State
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
have adopted a policy of discrimination and subversion
Relevance towards the region with the sole objective of stifling its
people and marginalising its historical, religious and cultural
identity.
GS2 || Polity || Constitutional framework || Union
• The Kashmir valley region has 46 seats, the Jammu
and its Territory
region has 37 seats and the Ladakh region has only 4 seats.
• There was no voice for Ladakh in what was done or how
Why in news? things were done.
• It was so far away too — there was a road which took
• Ending Jammu & Kashmir’s special status in the
two days to reach the state capital. And all decisions were
Indian Union, the government has extended all
taken from there, so one can understand the immense
provisions of the Constitution to the State in one go,
difficulties the ordinary people of Ladakh faced.
downsized the State into two Union Territories and
• Life was made further difficult because Kashmir frequent-
allowed all citizens to buy property and vote in the
ly being in turmoil meant Ladakh was unnecessarily
State.
paralysed, for reasons that did not affect it in any way.
• Anything which happened in Srinagar though meant
Difference between states Ladakh schools and offices would be closed, things didn’t
and UTs: move, and for no reason of Ladakh of its own.
• Schools were forced to have a language like Urdu — which
• States have their own elected government, but in
no one spoke in Ladakh.
Union Territory (UT) is administered by the Central
• Even the courts and police had to function in the Urdu
Government.
language.
• The state is administered by Cheif minister, whereas
• The Ladakh region usually remains cut-off from the rest
UT is administered by Administrator appointed by
of the country for nearly six months annually due to closure
President.
of the 434-km long Srinagar-Leh national highway during
• The states have the Governor as its executive head,
winter.
in UTs, President is its executive head.
• A state mandatorily has its own Legislative Assem-
bly and make law for the state, for UT, it is not mandato- New hopes for Ladakh :
ry to have a Legislative Assembly.
• Powers in states are distributed through Federal • Government recently set up BIS Standard for Pashmina
mode that is powers divided between states and center. industry, similarly more needs to be done for enhancing local
Whereas, in case of UTs, powers are Unitary in nature trade.
that is power is in the hands of the Center. • Encourage local crops like Barley export or movement to
rest of India, encourage crops that augment income like dry
Brief history of Ladakh : fruits, apricots, apple, yak butter etc.
• Science & Tech opportunities - Indian Astronomical

• Ladakh was once an independent Himalayan Observatory (Hanle) in Ladakh.

kingdom, The political history of Ladakh dates back to • Kargil to soon get full-fledged airport for commercial

930 A.D. when several small, sovereign principalities flight operations.

outlying the Western Himalayas were integrated and • The work on the detailed project report for an all-weath-

given a unified polity by Lha-Chen-Palgigon. er railway line between Himachal Pradesh to Leh has
started.

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• The planning for the biggest solar power park in Leh


has already been started .
• Tourism, a major contributor to Ladakh's cash Notes
economy, has brought clear economic benefits to the
minority involved in this trade.
• Other hopes : Ladakh University, Leh Medical
College, Expansion of Leh Airport, Funds for Zogilla
Tunel, Huge funding for Zansker road and road to
Demchok via Nyoma and future road project of Turtuk
Tha Hanu road .

Problem with Tourism :

• Tourism has had a direct negative impact on


Ladakh's environment. Many tourist facilities that
attempt to maintain Western standards end up making
demands on scarce water resources that are far
beyond what the community usually requires.
• Communal water sources have been tapped for the
exclusive benefit of particular hotels, and during dry
periods hotels have brought in water by tank truck.
Until recently Ladakh had no waste problems;
everything could be cycled back to the land. The large
volume of wastes produced in the modern sector is
polluting land and water and has increased the
incidence of disease sharply.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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• Subsequently, after the Trinamool government came to


power, a revamped autonomous entity – the Gorkhaland
Territorial Administration (GTA) with control over 59
departments including education and agriculture.

(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance

GS2 ||Polity || Constitutional Framework || Union


& its Territory

Why in news?

• Bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir spurs


Gorkhaland's statehood demand in Darjeeling Hills.

Arguments against the separate


state of Gorkhaland :

• It can start a chain reaction : Demand for smaller states


of Bodoland, Bundelkhand, Saurashtra, Tipraland, and the
autonomous State of Karbi-Anglong, Vidarbha, Greater
Cooch-Behar may be started.
• Bengal was divided twice earlier, in 1947 and in 1905
What is the issues ? bringing in its wake large scale displacements, communal
strife and bloodshed. A third partition of Bengal can bring
• The Gorkhaland movement is a campaign to create back instability again.
a separate state of India in the Gorkhaland region of • Lack of political will, double speak by most parties :
West Bengal. Trinamool Congress party under Mamata Banerjee has
• The proposed state includes the hill regions of the strongly advocated assimilation between Gorkhas and
Darjeeling district and the Kalimpong and Duars areas. Bengalis.
• It is not about separation from India. It is a demand • Like the mainstream political parties, who are often
for the creation of the state of Gorkhaland within the viewed with distrust by the Gorkhas in the hills, there is a
geographical and constitutional contours of India. trust deficit about Gorkha leadership as well and its failure
• It is about acceptance of Gorkhas as a part of India. to guide the community in realising its dream.
• The 'Gorkhas' in are Indian citizens of Nepali • Various segments of the Gorkha community talk about
ethnicity, who live across the length and breadth of the two movements – one under Subash Ghisingh of the
India. GNLF and another under Bimal Gurung of the GJM. When
• It is based on the linguistic and cultural difference Ghisingh accepted the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, a large
with regard to Bengali culture. section was not too happy about it. It was a viewed as a
• After a lot of internal violence and protracted compromise.
negotiations among the Centre, state and the former
Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), a Darjeeling
Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) was formed with autono-
my over 19 functional areas devolved from the State
List.
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Notes
Way Forward :

• Subject to a political consensus among Delhi,


Kolkata and the local Gorkha leadership of Darjeel-
ing-Kalimpong, there may still be some scope for a
solution short of a full-fledged Gorkhaland state.
• It must happed provided the governor’s role is made
more substantive and direct in respect of the devolved
functional areas.
• A more effective autonomous institution could also
be considered, and assigned all the functional areas
under the State List except law and order, infrastruc-
ture and disaster relief establishment.
• Concomitant revenue raising powers may also be
devolved to such an institution to avoid its financial
dependence on the state government.
• Another issue would be the provision of legislative
authority to this entity vis-a-vis its functional and
territorial jurisdiction.
• If such a provision existed, the state govt would not
have been able to implement its controversial Bengali
language imposition decision.
• Such a restructured autonomous entity may also be
acceptable to the Gorkhas of Darjeeling-Kalimpong.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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• Procedure - Several government functionaries have


discretionary powers that empower them to remove names
from voter lists.
• Additionally, the ECI has the right to disqualify citizens
from voting under certain conditions as per the Constitu-
tion.
• The ECI maintains and it is indeed mandated to publish a
list of people disqualified from voting in each state.
• However, the reasons for their disqualifications are not
included and likely not recorded either.
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
• Concerns - There are people who have voted at a particu-
lar booth previously but have been omitted from the voter
Relevance rolls.
• In many cases, the ECI does not have the contact details
GS2 || Polity || Political Dynamics || Elections (or updated ones) of voters to notify them before a
deletion takes place.
Why in news? • The absence of contact information was due to the fact
that up until recently, the ECI did not collect these details.

• The General Elections 2019 witnessed discrepan- • In cases where they have contact details, the changes in

cies in voter eligibility and rolls, and the resultant the same are not made by voters unless the Electors Photo

denial of voting rights of many. Identity Card (EPIC) is their de facto ID.

• The disenfranchisement of voters is likely due to four • Besides, the most disturbing factor is the political

factors which are discussed below, calling for Aadhaar adventurism of parties (and politicians) and voters alike.

as a solution to resolve them. • There have been cases reported of voters who are
registered to vote in multiple booths and, thus, can vote
multiple times.
What are the concerns with
registration? • Way out - During registration, Aadhaar holders could
give consent to the ECI to have their contact details shared.
• Issue - Several people are unable to register to vote. • In that case, they could be pre-emptively notified about
• The reasons for this range from not being aware of an impending deletion.
the registration methodology, to the process itself being • The illegality of private and political actors in regards
inconvenient to not even knowing there is one. with voters roll needs to be checked.
• Challenges - It is the responsibility of the Election • Here, Aadhaar’s anti-fraud and de-duplication features
Commission of India (ECI) to inform the eligible voters can be put to use.
who have not registered yet.
• The ECI does this via mass campaigns since it is not
possible for it to exclusively identify unregistered adult
What could be Way forward ?
citizens.
• Currently, the easiest way to freshly apply to be • As discussed, many of the exclusions discussed above
registered as a voter is to fill out a Form 6 on the NVSP can be remedied with Aadhaar.
(National Voters’ Service Portal) or the ECI’s app. • It uniquely identifies every individual in the country
• However, this is an extremely cumbersome exercise through all of the same details as the EPIC.
and potentially an impediment to comprehensive voter • Also, unlike EPIC, Aadhaar captures biometric data,
registration efforts. which is useful in validating uniqueness.
• Way out - Aadhaar can significantly simplify the • Ironically, the EPIC does not guarantee a vote; if a name
process, once the ECI has ascertained that a resident is does not appear on the voter rolls, she will not be permitted
eligible to vote. to vote.
• This whole process could be replaced with a single • Even if a person’s name does appear on the voter rolls,
step Aadhaar based e-KYC. the EPIC is not the only document that is accepted as proof
of identity.
What went wrong with voter • Therefore, the very existence of the EPIC is worth
rolls? reconsidering today.

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• In this regard, the ECI publicly expressed its interest


in seeding their databases with Aadhaar.
• It also attempted a drive to voluntarily link Aadhaar
to voter IDs but was halted by the Supreme Court in
2017.
• There have been recent reports, however, suggest-
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
ing that the ECI has been preparing to resume these
activities.
• Given that Aadhaar is the only universal, de-facto
identification infrastructure in India today, the move
could be taken further.

Notes

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Article 371A (13th Amendment


Act, 1962), Nagaland:

• Inserted after a 16-point agreement between the


Centre and the Naga People’s Convention in 1960, which
led to the creation of Nagaland in 1963.
• Parliament cannot legislate in matters of Naga religion or
social practices, Naga customary law and procedure,
administration of civil and criminal justice involving
(Click on the above image to watch the video) decisions according to Naga customary law, and ownership
and transfer of land without concurrence of the state
Relevance Assembly.

GS2 || Polity || Constitutional framework || Union Article 371B (22nd Amendment


and its Territory Act, 1969), Assam:
• The President may provide for the constitution and
Why in news?
functions of a committee of the Assembly consisting of
members elected from the state’s tribal areas.
• Northeastern states of India have expressed
apprehension that having rendered Article 370
irrelevant, the government might unilaterally move to
Article 371C (27th Amendment
abrogate or modify Article 371.
Act, 1971), Manipur:
• However, the government has clarified that it had no • The President may provide for the constitution of a
intention of removing Article 371 of the Constitution. committee of elected members from the Hill areas in the
Assembly, and entrust “special responsibility” to the Gover-
What is Article 371 all about? nor to ensure its proper functioning.

• Articles 369 through 392 appear in Part XXI of the Article 371D (32nd Amendment
Constitution, titled ‘Temporary, Transitional and Act, 1973; substituted by The
Special Provisions’. Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation
• Article 371 of the Constitution includes “special
Act, 2014), Andhra Pradesh and
provisions” for 11 states, including six states of the
Telangana:
Northeast.
• President must ensure “equitable opportunities and
• Articles 370 and 371 were part of the Constitution at
facilities” in “public employment and education to people
the time of its commencement on January 26, 1950;
from different parts of the state”. He may require the state
Articles 371A through 371J were incorporated subse-
government to organise “any class or classes of posts in a civil
quently.
service of, or any class or classes of civil posts under, the
State into different local cadres for different parts of the
Article 371, Maharashtra and State”. He has similar powers vis-à-vis admissions in educa-
Gujarat:
tional institutions.

• Governor has “special responsibility” to establish


“separate development boards” for “Vidarbha, Marath- Article 371E:
wada, and the rest of Maharashtra”, and Saurashtra and
Kutch in Gujarat; ensure “equitable allocation of funds • Allows for the establishment of a university in Andhra
for developmental expenditure over the said areas”, and Pradesh by a law of Parliament. But this is not a “special
“equitable arrangement providing adequate facilities for provision” in the sense of the others in this part.
technical education and vocational training, and
adequate opportunities for employment” under the
state government.

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• Inner Line Permit is an official travel document issued by


Article 371F (36th Amendment the Government of India to allow inward travel of an Indian
Act, 1975), Sikkim: citizen into a protected/restricted area for a limited period.
Despite the fact that the ILP was originally created by the
• The members of the Legislative Assembly of Sikkim British to safeguard their commercial interests, it continues
shall elect the representative of Sikkim in the House of to be used in India, officially to protect tribal cultures in
the People. To protect the rights and interests of north-eastern India.
various sections of the population of Sikkim, Parliament • The inner line permit (ILP) system, required by Indian
may provide for the number of seats in the Assembly, citizens to enter Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram
which may be filled only by candidates from those is issued under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation,
sections. 1873, by the state governments.

Article 371G (53rd Amendment


Act, 1986), Mizoram: Reason not to repeal article
371:
• Parliament cannot make laws on “religious or social
practices of the Mizos, Mizo customary law and • All these provisions take into account the special
procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice circumstances of individual states, and lay down a wide
involving decisions according to Mizo customary law, range of specific safeguards that are deemed important for
ownership and transfer of land… unless the Assembly… these states.
so decides”.

Article 371H (55th Amendment


Act, 1986), Arunachal Pradesh:
• The Governor has a special responsibility with regard
to law and order, and “he shall, after consulting the
Council of Ministers, exercise his individual judgment as
to the action to be taken”.

Article 371J (98th Amendment


Act, 2012), Karnataka:

• There is a provision for a separate development


board for the Hyderabad-Karnataka region. There shall
be “equitable allocation of funds for developmental
expenditure over the said region”, and “equitable
opportunities and facilities” for people of this region in
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
government jobs and education. A proportion of seats in
educational institutions and state government jobs in
Hyderabad-Karnataka can be reserved for individuals
from that region.

Article 371I :

• It deals with Goa, but it does not include any


provision that can be deemed ‘special’.

What is inner line permit ?

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• The 11th Finance Commission had recommended a


scheme for the establishment of 1734 FTCs for the expedi-
tious disposal of cases pending in the lower courts.
Fast-track courts (FTCs) are created primarily to deal with
the judicial backlog.
• At the end of March, 2019 there were 581 FTCs opera-
tional in the country, with approximately 5.9 lakh pending
cases. Uttar Pradesh has the most number of cases.
• However, 56% of the States and Union Territories,
including Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, had no
(Click on the above image to watch the video) FTCs.
• In terms of money, Rs. 870 crore was released by the
Relevance Centre between 2000-2001 and 2010-2011 towards these
FTCs.
GS2 || Polity || Judiciary || Judicial reforms
Issues with subordinate
Why in news? courts in India :

• The subordinate courts account for over 86% pendency


• Recently, Minister for Women and Child Develop-
of cases, followed by 13.8% pendency before the 24 High
ment, informed the Rajya Sabha that the government
Courts. The remaining 0.2% of cases are pending with the
has proposed to set up 1,023 fast-track courts to clear
Supreme Court.
the cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual
• The main reasons for the long delay in the disposal of
Offences (POCSO) Act.
cases is the high number of vacancies in position for judges
• A few weeks ago, the Supreme Court in a suo motu
in the High Courts and the District Courts of the country.
petition had issued directions, stating that districts with
• The court has put the actual figure at 5,133 out 22,036
more than 100 cases pending under the POCSO Act
sanctioned posts. There are more than 5,000 vacancies in
need to set up special courts that can deal specifically
the subordinate courts.
with these cases.
• According to the latest ‘National Judicial Data Grid
statistics’, as of April 2018, there are over three crore cases
Difference between special pending across the Supreme Court, the High Courts, and the
court and fast track court : subordinate courts.

• Fast track court is for speedy disbursement of


pending cases. If any matter is of utmost importance
Issues facing by fast track
courts in India :
and it is convincing that the accused will destroy the
evidences, or harass the other party, like a rape case.
• There is a huge variation in the kinds of cases handled
Then the govt can hand over the case to any fast track
by these courts across States. Certain States primarily
court.
allocate rape and sexual offence cases to FTCs and other
• In a special court there is no pressure to adjudicate
States allocate various other matters.
the matter in fixed time and there are chances that the
• Further, several FTCs lacked technological resources to
special court may take longer time. Special court are for
conduct audio and video recordings of the victims and
uncommon cases involving inter national disputes,
many of them did not have regular staff.
TADA, POTA, money laundering, hawala, militant cases
• Fast-track courts and special courts are administered
of national importance, CBI Courts etc.
under different judicial bodies, with little coordination or
• Both the court here mentioned are Trial court and
uniformity among them.
it's judgement is appealable in High Court and Supreme
• The training of staff as per the demand of FTC is need of
Court of India
the hour. The FTCs must be provided with the adequate
infrastructure to provide justice in a fair way and reduce
Fast-track courts (FTCs) the pendency of cases.
in India: • Heavy workload- Over the years, the number of cases
allotted to them have increased, which has led to the
• A ‘special court’ is one which is to deal with
burdening of these courts which in turn slow down the
special types of cases under a shortened and
decision process, and compromised quality of judgements.
simplified procedure.
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• Lack of infrastructure- These courts were not set up


with different facilities, but were often housed in an
Notes
existing court, limiting their effectiveness.
• Some Fast track courts (FTCs) do not have the
equipment needed to conduct video and audio record-
ings of victims. They do not follow any special, speedier
procedure for disposal of cases which leads to usual
delay like the regular courts.
• Financial bottlenecks– In its judgment in the Brij
Mohan Lal case, the Supreme Court held that the
continuation of FTCs is within the domain of the States
with their own funds. This has left Fast track courts
(FTCs) on the mercy of State as some states have
continued support for FTCs while others did not.
• Challenging of judgements– Judgements of Fast
track courts (FTCs) can be challenged in higher courts
those can slow down the process even if fast track court
delivers speedy justice.

Way Forward:

• For the FTCs to become successful, States will need


to take stock of the issues at the ground level. States
should engage with the principal and senior district
judges to get a sense of issues the courts are facing in
various districts.
• Identifying systemic issues and addressing the
concerns is as important for timely disposal of cases as
increasing the number of judges.
• For the overall system to work productively, it is
important to ensure that its various components work
efficiently and without any hindrance.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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• However, right from the beginning, the law was misused


widely, and was repeatedly employed against political
opponents by consecutive governments until 1990.
• After the emergence of militancy, the J&K government
frequently invoked the PSA to crack down on separatists.
• In the aftermath of the killing of a sympathized terrorist
in July 2016, hundreds of youths in the Valley were detained
under PSA, with extendable detention periods.
• In August 2018, the Act was amended to allow individu-
als to be detained under the PSA outside the state as well.
(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Mains Question
Relevance
What is Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act?
GS 2 || Polity || Other Constitutional Dimensions
|| Centre-State Relations
Additional Info
Why in news?
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/ex-
plained-what-is-the-jk-psa-under-which-shah-faesal-has-be
A former IAS officer was recently detained under the
en-detained-5905119/
J&K Public Safety Act (PSA).

J&K Public Safety Act (PSA)

• The Jammu and Kashmir PSA which received the


assent of the J&K Governor on April 8, 1978.
• The Act was introduced by the government of
Sheikh Abdullah as a tough law to prevent the
smuggling of timber and keep the smugglers “out of
circulation”.
• The law allowed the government to detain any
person above the age of 16 without trial for a period of
two years.
• It allows for administrative detention for up to two
years in the case of persons acting in any manner
prejudicial to the security of the State, and for adminis-
trative detention up to one year where any person is
acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of (Scan the QR code to watch video)

public order.
• Detention orders under PSA can be issued by
Divisional Commissioners or District Magistrates.
• Section 22 of the Act provides protection for any
action taken “in good faith” under the Act.
• No suit, prosecution or any other legal proceeding
shall lie against any person for anything done or
intended to be done in good faith in pursuance of the
provisions of this Act.

Issues with the act

• It is often referred to as a “draconian” law.

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• The Constitution does not define the term ‘citizen’ but


gives, in Articles 5 to 11, details of various categories of
persons who are entitled to citizenship.
• Unlike other provisions of the Constitution, which came
into being on January 26, 1950, these articles were enforced
on November 26, 1949 itself, when the Constitution was
adopted.
• However, Article 11 itself confers wide powers on
Parliament by laying down that “nothing in the foregoing
provisions shall derogate from the power of Parliament to
(Click on the above image to watch the video) make any provision with respect to the acquisition and
termination of citizenship and all matters relating to
Relevance citizenship”.

GS 2 || Polity || Constitutional Framework || Citizenship Thus Parliament can go against the citizenship provisions
of the Constitution.
• The Citizenship Act, 1955 was passed and has been
Why in news?
amended four times — in 1986, 2003, 2005, and 2015. The
Act empowers the government to determine the citizenship
In the run-up to the publication of the final NRC in
of persons in whose case it is in doubt.
Assam, citizenship has become the most talked about
• However, over the decades, Parliament has narrowed
topic in the country.
down the wider and universal principles of citizenship based
on the fact of birth.
How is citizenship • Moreover, the Foreigners Act places a heavy burden on
determined? the individual to prove that he is not a foreigner.
• Citizenship signifies the relationship between
individual and state. So who is, or is not, a
• It begins and ends with state and law, and is thus citizen of India?
about the state, not people.
• Citizenship is an idea of exclusion as it excludes
non-citizens. Article 5

Principles for grant of • It provided for citizenship on commencement of the


citizenship Constitution.
• All those domiciled and born in India were given
There are two well-known principles for grant of citizenship.
citizenship. • Even those who were domiciled but not born in India,
• While jus soli confers citizenship on the basis of but either of whose parents was born in India, were consid-
place of birth, jus sanguinis gives recognition to blood ered citizens.
ties. • Anyone who had been an ordinary resident for more
• From the time of the Motilal Nehru Committee than five years, too, was entitled to apply for citizenship.
(1928), the Indian leadership was in favour of the
enlightened concept of jus soli.
• The racial idea of jus sanguis was rejected by the Article 6
Constituent Assembly as it was against the Indian ethos.
• Since Independence was preceded by Partition and
Citizenship in India migration, Article 6 laid down that anyone who migrated to
India before July 19, 1948, would automatically become an
Indian citizen if either of his parents or grandparents was
• Citizenship is in the Union List under the Constitu-
born in India.
tion and thus under the exclusive jurisdiction of
• But those who entered India after this date needed to
Parliament.
register themselves.

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• This lay down that an illegal migrant cannot claim


citizenship by naturalization or registration even if he has
Article 7 been a resident of India for seven years.

• Even those who had migrated to Pakistan after Citizenship (Amendment)


March 1, 1947 but subsequently returned on resettle- Bill, 2019
ment permits were included within the citizenship net.
• The law was more sympathetic to those who and
• The amendment proposes to permit members of six
called them refugees than to those who, in a state of
communities — Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and
confusion, were stranded in Pakistan or went there but
Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan — to
decided to return soon.
continue to live in India if they entered India before Decem-
ber 14, 2014.
• It also reduces the requirement for citizenship from 11
Article 8
years out of the preceding 14 years, to just 6 years.
• Two notifications also exempted these migrants from the
Any Person of Indian Origin residing outside India who, Passport Act and Foreigner Act.
or either of whose parents or grandparents, was born in • A large number of organisations in Assam protested
India could register himself or herself as an Indian against this Bill as it may grant citizenship to Bangladeshi
citizen with Indian Diplomatic Mission. Hindu illegal migrants.

Amendments to the Assam’s Case


Citizenship Act, 1955

What is different in Assam?


1986 amendment
• The Assam Movement against illegal immigration
• The constitutional provision and the original Citizen- eventually led to the historic Assam Accord of 1985, signed
ship Act gave citizenship on the principle of jus soli to by Movement leaders and the Rajiv Gandhi government.
everyone born in India. • Accordingly, the 1986 amendment to the Citizenship Act
• However, the 1986 amendment to Section 3 was less created a special category of citizens in relation to Assam.
inclusive as it added the condition that those who were • The newly inserted Section 6A laid down that all
born in India on or after January 26, 1950 but before persons of Indian origin who entered Assam before January
July 1, 1987, shall be Indian citizen. 1, 1966 and have been ordinary residents will be deemed
• Those born after July 1, 1987 and before December Indian citizens.
4, 2003, in addition to one’s own birth in India, can get • Those who came after 1 January, 1966 but before March
citizenship only if either of his parents was an Indian 25, 1971,and have been ordinary residents, will get citizen-
citizen at the time of birth. ship at the expiry of 10 years from their detection as
foreigner.
• During this interim period, they will not have the right to
2003 amendment vote but can get an Indian passport.

• The then NDA government made the above


condition more stringent, keeping in view infiltration
Foreigners in Assam
from Bangladesh.
• Identification of foreigners was to be done under the
• Now the law requires that for those born on or after
Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act, (IMDT
December 4, 2004, in addition to the fact of their own
Act), 1983, which was applicable only in Assam while the
birth, both parents should be Indian citizens or one
Foreigners Act, 1946 was applicable in the rest of the
parent must be Indian citizen and other should not be
country.
an illegal migrant.
• The provisions of the IMDT Act made it difficult to deport
• With these restrictive amendments, India has almost
illegal immigrants. On the petition of Sarbananda Sonowal
moved towards the narrow principle of jus sanguinis or
(now Chief Minister), the Act was held unconstitutional and
blood relationship.
struck down by the Supreme Court in 2005.

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• This was eventually replaced with the Foreigners


(Tribunals of Assam) Order, 2006, which again was Notes
struck down in 2007 in Sonowal II.
• In the IMDT case, the court considered classification
based on geographical considerations to be a violation
of the right to equality under Article 14. In fact, another
such variation was already in place.

Constitutionality of Section 6A

• A five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court is yet to


examine the constitutionality of Section 6A under
which the current NRC has been prepared.
• The Bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur did
hold its hearing on April 19, 2017, but it was dissolved
on the retirement of Justice P C Pant in August 2017.
• The Supreme Court, in its order last week, refused to
extend restrictive provisions of amendments to Assam
in view of a different dispensation for them in Section
6A.
• In Assam Sanmilita Mahasangha (2014) where the
constitutionality of the 1986 amendment was
challenged (the Mahasangha argues that the cutoff year
for Assam should be 1951 instead if 1971), the court
referred the matter to the Constitution Bench.
• While Section 6A was inserted in 1986 as a result of
the Assam Accord, which has been discussed at length
by the court, the court accepted the challenge to its
constitutionality in 2014 and referred to the Constitu-
tion Bench.
• It prescribes a different cutoff date for Assam
(1971) from the one prescribed in the Constitution for
the rest of the country (1949).
• But then, this provision was about citizenship on
commencement of the Constitution.

Mains Question

Discuss the debates surrounding the Citizenship


(Amendment) Bill, 2016. What are the concerns of
distress among indigenous people?

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

STUDY IQ
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Aim of the bill :

• The Bill seeks to replace the above mechanism.


• The main purpose of the Bill is to make the process of
dispute settlement more efficient and effective.
• The Bill proposes to set up a permanent tribunal to
adjudicate on all inter-state disputes over sharing of river
waters.
• The replacement of five existing tribunals with a perma-
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
nent tribunal is likely to result in a 25% reduction in staff
strength and a saving of Rs 4.27 crore per year.
Relevance

GS2 || Polity || Other Constitutional dimensions || Tribunals Dispute resolution committee :

Why in news? • Under the Bill, a state will put in a request regarding any
water dispute to the central government.
• The central government will then set up a Disputes
• The Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment)
Resolution Committee (DRC) to resolve the dispute
Bill, 2019 was recently introduced in the Lok Sabha.
amicably.
• The Bill amends the Inter-State River Water
• Composition - The DRC will comprise of a Chairperson,
Disputes Act, 1956.
and experts with at least 15 years of experience in relevant
sectors.
What did the Act provide for? • These will be nominated by the central government.
• It will also comprise one member from each state (at
Joint Secretary level), which is a party to the dispute.
• The Act provides for the adjudication of disputes
• These members will be nominated by the concerned state
relating to waters of inter-state rivers and river valleys.
government.
• Under the Act, a state government may request the
• Resolution - The DRC will seek to resolve the dispute
central government to refer an inter-state river dispute
through negotiations, within one year (extendable by 6
to a Tribunal for adjudication.
months).
• If the central government is of the opinion that it
• It will then submit its report to the central government.
cannot be settled through negotiations, it sets up a
• If a dispute cannot be settled by the DRC, the central
Water Disputes Tribunal within a year of receiving such a
government will refer it to the Inter-State River Water
complaint.
Disputes Tribunal.
• Such referral must be made within 3 months from the
Effectiveness of the tribunals : receipt of the report from the DRC.
• So, now, the current system of dispute resolution would
give way to a new two-tier approach with DRC and the
• Under the 1956 Act, 9 tribunals have so far been set
tribunal.
up. Only 4 of them have given their awards.
• One of these disputes, over Cauvery waters
between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, took 28 years to
Key provisions on Tribunal :
settle.
• The Ravi and Beas Waters Tribunal was set up in
• The central government will set up an Inter-State River
1986 and it is still to give the final award.
Water Disputes Tribunal, for the adjudication of all water
• The minimum a tribunal has taken to settle a
disputes.
dispute is 7 years (by the first Krishna Water Disputes
• This Tribunal can have multiple benches.
Tribunal in 1976).
• All five existing tribunals under the 1956 Act would be
• The multiplicity of tribunals has led to an increase
dissolved.
in bureaucracy, delays, and possible duplication of
• Also, the water disputes pending adjudication before
work.
such existing Tribunals will be transferred to the new
Tribunal.
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• Composition - The Tribunal will consist of a Chairper-


son, Vice-Chairperson, 3 judicial members, and 3 expert
members.
• They will be appointed by the central government on
the recommendation of a Selection Committee.
• Each Tribunal Bench will consist of a Chairperson or
Vice-Chairperson, a judicial member, and an expert
member. (Scan the QR code to watch video)

• The central government may also appoint two


experts serving in the Central Water Engineering
Service as assessors to advise the Bench in its proceed-
ings.
   
• The assessor should not be from the state which is a
party to the dispute.
• Time-frames - Under the Act, the Tribunal must give
its decision within 3 years, which may be extended by 2
years.
• Under the Bill, the proposed Tribunal must give its
decision on the dispute within 2 years, which may be
extended by another year.
• Under the Act, the matter may again be referred to
the Tribunal by a state for further consideration.
• In such case, the Tribunal was to submit its report to
the central government within a period of one year.
• This period can be extended by the central govern-
ment.
• Under the Bill, this provision is amended, specifying
that such extension may be up to a maximum of 6
months.
• So now, all disputes would have to be resolved
within a maximum of four-and-a-half years.
• Decision of the Tribunal - Under the Act, the decision
of the Tribunal must be published by the central govern-
ment in the official gazette.
• This decision has the same force as that of an order of
the Supreme Court. There is no provision for appeal.
However, the Supreme Court, on Cauvery dispute, had
said the decision of the tribunal could be challenged
before it through a Special Leave Petition under Article
136 of the Constitution.
• The Bill removes the requirement of such publication.
• It adds that the decision of the Bench of the Tribunal
will be final and binding on the parties involved in the
dispute.
• The Act provided that the central government ‘may’
make a scheme to give effect to the decision of the
Tribunal.
• The Bill is making it mandatory for the central
government to make such scheme.

STUDY IQ Page 22
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GOVERNANCE & SOCIAL JUSTICE


• Under the Act, a person commits “penetrative sexual
assault” if he:- (i)penetrates his penis into the vagina, mouth,
urethra or anus of a child. (ii)makes a child do the same.
(iii)inserts any other object into the child’s body. (iv)applies
his mouth to a child’s body parts.
• Under the Act, “sexual assault” includes actions where-
a person touches the vagina, penis, anus or breast of a child
with sexual intent without penetration.
(Click on the above image to watch the video) • Penetrative sexual assault: The bill increases minimum
punishment for this offence from 7 years to 10 years. It also
Relevance provides for with imprisonment between 20 years to life,
with fine if person commits penetrative sexual assault on
GS2 || Governance and social Justice || Vulnerable child below age of 16 years.
sections || Children and child labour • Aggravated penetrative sexual assault: The Bill adds two
more grounds to definition of aggravated penetrative sexual
Why in news? assault. These include: (i) assault resulting in death of child
and (ii) assault committed during natural calamity or in any
• Parliament has passed the Amendments in the similar situations of violence. It also increases minimum
Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) punishment from 10 years to 20 years, and maximum
Act, 2012. punishment to death penalty.
• The Act seeks to protect children from offences such • Aggravated sexual assault: The Bill adds two more
as sexual assault, sexual harassment, and pornography. offences to definition of aggravated sexual assault. These
include: (i) assault committed during natural calamity and (ii)
administrating or help in administering any chemical
Sexual abuse of children :
substance or any hormone to child for the purpose of
attaining early sexual maturity.
• 53.22% children reported having faced one or more
• Child Pornography: The Bill defines child pornography as
forms of sexual abuse.
any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct that
• Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar and Delhi reported
involves child such as photograph, video, digital or even
the highest percentage of sexual abuse among both
computer generated image indistinguishable from actual
boys and girls.
child. It also enhances punishments for certain offences
• 21.90% child respondents reported facing severe
related to child pornography.
forms of sexual abuse and 50.76% other forms of
• Storage of pornographic material: It increases punish-
sexual abuse.
ment for storage of pornographic material with imprison-
• 50% abuses are persons known to the child or in a
ment between three to five years, or fine, or both. In
position of trust and responsibility.
addition, it also adds two other offences for storage of
pornographic material involving children. These include: (i)
Key changes proposed : transmitting, displaying, distributing such material except
for the purpose of reporting it and (ii) failing to destroy or
delete or report pornographic material involving child.

L
POCSO Court :

• The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to set up


special courts in each district across the country that have
over a 100 cases of child abuse and sexual assault pending
trial under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenc-
es (POCSO) Act.

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Impact:

• The amendment is expected to discourage the trend


of child sexual abuse by acting as a deterrent due to
strong penal provisions incorporated in the Act.
• It intends to protect the interest of vulnerable
children in times of distress and ensures their safety and
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
dignity.
• The amendment is aimed to establish clarity
regarding the aspects of child abuse and punishment
thereof.

   

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• The Bill states that a person will be recognised as


transgender on the basis of a certificate of identity issued
through the district screening committee. This certificate
will be a proof of identity as transgender and confer rights
under this Bill.
• Going by the bill, a person would have the right to
choose to be identified as a man, woman or transgender,
irrespective of sex reassignment surgery and hormonal
therapy.
(Click on the above image to watch the video) • It also requires transgender persons to go through a
district magistrate and “district screening committee” to get
Relevance certified as a transperson.
• The committee would comprise a medical officer, a
GS2 || Governance and social Justice || Vulnerable
psychologist or psychiatrist, a district welfare officer, a
sections || Transgenders
government official, and a transgender person.

Why in news?
Criticisms of Bill:
• Lok Sabha approves The Transgender Persons
(Protection of Rights) Bill 2019. • The Bill is silent on granting reservations to transgender
persons.
Background: • The bill has prescribed punishments for organised
begging. However, the Bill doesn’t provide anything to
• Transgender community is among one of the most better to condition in those areas, it doesn’t provide for
marginalized communities in the country because they reservation.
don’t fit into the stereotypical categories of gender of • The Transgender Bill does not mention any punishments
‘men’ or ‘women’. for rape or sexual assault of transgender persons as accord-
• Consequently, they face problems ranging from ing to Sections 375 and 376 of the Indian Penal Code, rape is
social exclusion to discrimination, lack of education only when a man forcefully enters a woman.
facilities, unemployment, lack of medical facilities and
so on.
• The Bill shall empower the transgender community
socially, educationally and economically.

New definition:

• According to the new definition, a transgender


person is somebody “whose gender does not match the
gender assigned to that person at birth and includes
trans-men or trans-women, persons with intersex
variations, gender-queers, and persons having
socio-cultural identities such as kinnar, hijras, aravani,
and jogta”. (Scan the QR code to watch video)

Highlights of the Bill:

• The Bill aims to stop discrimination against a


transgender person in various sectors such as educa-
tion, employment, and healthcare. It also directs the
central and state governments to provide welfare
schemes for them.

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World anti-doping agency :

• The World Anti-Doping Agency is a foundation initiated


by the International Olympic Committee based in Canada
to promote, coordinate and monitor the fight against drugs
in sports.
• Headquarters - Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance What is Terbutaline ?

GS2 || Governance and social justice || Human


• The drug name is terbutaline it is indeed found in few
development || Sports
cough syrups, it has properties than can increase anaerobic
respiration (which makes you less tiresome) and also help
Why in news? build muscle in an athlete.
• The terbutaline has been kept in the category of banned
• The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has drugs by WADA because it increases muscle strength.
put out a timeline of events that led to India opener • Terbutaline is generally used to treat problems related
Prithvi Shaw's doping ban. to breathing and can be consumed if the athlete in question
avails a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) certificate in
advance, which prithvi Shaw didn’t avail.

BCCI conflict of interest :

• In a stern letter to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, the Sports


Ministry said that the board’s anti-doping programme
lacked robustness and hinted at a conflict of interest since
the BCCI itself tests and hands out punishment to its
players.
• The Ministry also said that the BCCI did not have the
right to conduct dope tests on players since it is not
Doping in Sports: authorised by the government or the World Anti Doping
Agency (WADA). “Article 5.2 of WADA Code provides for
• In competitive sports, doping is the use of banned sampling of athletes only by an Anti Doping Organisation
athletic performance-enhancing drugs by athletic with testing authority. It is a matter of fact that BCCI is
competitors. neither an anti-doping organisation with testing authority
• The term doping is widely used by organizations that under WADA Code nor it can acquire such a status,”
regulate sporting competitions. • The BCCI has been at loggerheads with the government
for several years for not signing up with the National Anti
International convention against Doping Agency (NADA), an autonomous body mandated to
doping in Sports : keep sports clean. While all other sports and sportspersons
in the country follow regulations laid out by NADA, the
• The International Convention against Doping in cricket board has steadfastly refused to toe the line.
Sport is a multilateral UNESCO treaty by which states • The board has cited flaws in the testing agency’s
agree to adopt national measures to prevent and procedures as one of the key reasons for not complying
eliminate drug doping in sport. with its rules. It has also contended that since the BCCI is
• HQ - Paris, France not a government-funded national federation, it is not
• The Convention was adopted at the General Confer- subject to NADA’s jurisdiction, and claimed to have a “robust
ence of UNESCO in Paris on 19 October 2005. mechanism to ensure Indian cricket is free from doping”.

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Doping in indian Sports :

• As many as 187 athletes tested positive during the


   
doping test in 2018-19 out of a total of 4,348, the Lok
Sabha was informed.
• Replying to an unstarred question, Union Sports and
Youth Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said: "In 2018-2019,
out of a total of 4,348, 187 athletes were tested
positive while in 2017-18 out of 3,822 only 74 were
tested positive."

2018 WADA report :

• India maintained their dubious record of being


among top 10 nations with regards to doping violations
as per World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report.

Way forward :
• We need to raise awareness about WADA guide-
lines.
• Sportsmen need to be made understood about
doping and anti-doping laws.
BCCI must be brought under NADA

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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physically challenged or suffers from life threatening


disorder or fatal illness; and (iv) other conditions that may
be specified by regulations.
• Eligibility criteria for surrogate mother: To obtain a
certificate of eligibility from the appropriate authority, the
surrogate mother has to be: (i) a close relative of the
intending couple; (ii) a married woman having a child of her
own; (iii) 25 to 35 years old; (iv) a surrogate only once in her

(Click on the above image to watch the video)


lifetime; and (v) possess a certificate of medical and psycho-
logical fitness for surrogacy. Further, the surrogate mother
cannot provide her own gametes for surrogacy.
Relevance
• Appropriate authority: The central and state govern-
ments shall appoint one or more appropriate authorities
GS2 || Governance and social Justice || Vulnerable
within 90 days of the Bill becoming an Act. The functions of
sections || Women
the appropriate authority include; (i) granting, suspending or
cancelling registration of surrogacy clinics; (ii) enforcing
Why in news? standards for surrogacy clinics; (iii) investigating and taking
action against breach of the provisions of the Bill; (iv)
• The Lok Sabha has passed the Surrogacy (Regula- recommending modifications to the rules and regulations.
tion) Bill, 2019 by a voice vote. • Registration of surrogacy clinics: Surrogacy clinics
cannot undertake surrogacy related procedures unless they
Key features of the bill: are registered by the appropriate authority. Clinics must
apply for registration within a period of 60 days from the
date of appointment of the appropriate authority.
• Regulation of surrogacy: The Bill prohibits commer-
• National and State Surrogacy Boards: The central and
cial surrogacy, but allows altruistic surrogacy.
the state governments shall constitute the National Surroga-
• Purposes for which surrogacy is permitted: Surroga-
cy Board (NSB) and the State Surrogacy Boards (SSB),
cy is permitted when it is: (i) for intending couples who
respectively.
suffer from proven infertility; (ii) altruistic; (iii) not for
• Functions of the NSB include, (i) advising the central
commercial purposes; (iv) not for producing children for
government on policy matters relating to surrogacy; (ii)
sale, prostitution or other forms of exploitation; and (v)
laying down the code of conduct of surrogacy clinics; and (iii)
for any condition or disease specified through regula-
supervising the functioning of SSBs.
tions.
• Parentage and abortion of surrogate child: A child born
• Eligibility criteria for intending couple: The intend-
out of a surrogacy procedure will be deemed to be the
ing couple should have a ‘certificate of essentiality’ and
biological child of the intending couple. An abortion of the
a ‘certificate of eligibility’ issued by the appropriate
surrogate child requires the written consent of the
authority.
surrogate mother and the authorisation of the appropriate
• A certificate of essentiality will be issued upon
authority. This authorisation must be compliant with the
fulfilment of the following conditions: (i) a certificate
Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. Further, the
of proven infertility of one or both members of the
surrogate mother will have an option to withdraw from
intending couple from a District Medical Board; (ii) an
surrogacy before the embryo is implanted in her womb.
order of parentage and custody of the surrogate child
• Offences and penalties: The offences under the Bill
passed by a Magistrate’s court; and (iii) insurance
include: (i) undertaking or advertising commercial surroga-
coverage for a period of 16 months covering postpartum
cy; (ii) exploiting the surrogate mother; (iii) abandoning,
delivery complications for the surrogate.
exploiting or disowning a surrogate child; and (iv) selling or
• The certificate of eligibility to the intending couple
importing human embryo or gametes for surrogacy. The
is issued upon fulfilment of the following conditions: (i)
penalty for such offences is imprisonment up to 10 years and
the couple being Indian citizens and married for at least
a fine up to 10 lakh rupees. The Bill specifies a range of
five years; (ii) between 23 to 50 years old (wife) and 26
offences and penalties for other contraventions of the
to 55 years old (husband); (iii) they do not have any
provisions of the Bill.
surviving child (biological, adopted or surrogate); this
would not include a child who is mentally or physically

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Need for regulation:

• India has emerged as a surrogacy hub for couples from


other countries and there have been reports concerning
unethical practices, exploitation of surrogate mothers,
abandonment of children born out of surrogacy, and
rackets involving intermediaries importing human (Scan the QR code to watch video)
embryos and gametes.
• The 228th report of the Law Commission of India has
recommended prohibiting commercial surrogacy and
allowing altruistic surrogacy by enacting suitable
legislation.

   

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manufacturing specifications or the product does not


conform to the express warranty
• Recognizes “sharing personal information of consumers”
as an unfair trade practice

RIGHT TO PROTECT CONSU-


MERS AS A CLASS
• A complaint relating to the violation of consumer rights
(Click on the above image to watch the video) or unfair trade practices or misleading advertisements
prejudicial to the interests of consumers may be forwarded
Relevance either in writing or in electronic mode to any one of the
authorities — district collector or commissioner of regional
GS2 || Governance & Social Justice || Introduction | office or Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)
|Public Policy for class action

Why in news? RIGHT TO SEEK A HEARING


THROUGH VIDEO CONFE-
Addition of 5 new Consumer Rights in India
RENCING

• Every complaint shall be heard by district commission on


Provisions
the basis of documentary evidence placed before it
• the commission can allow an application made for hearing
• More responsibility on companies for misleading
or for an examination of parties through video conference
advertising and faulty products
• Lays out penalties for celebrities endorsing or
promoting false advertising and adulterated goods RIGHT TO KNOW WHY A
COMPLAINT WAS REJECTED
Additional consumer rights
• The commission cannot reject a complaint without
RIGHT TO FILE A COMPLAINT hearing the complainant
ANYWHERE • Commission has to decide about admitting or rejecting a
complaint within 21 days
• file a complaint with the District Consumer Commis- • If the commission doesn’t decide within the time limit,
sion or State Consumer Commission from your place of it shall be deemed to have been admitted
residence or work instead of filing at a place of purchase • The commission can direct both parties to give their
or where the seller has its registered office consent to have the dispute settled through mediation
• A complaint can also be filed by a recognized
consumer body or by multiple consumers with the
Problems
same interest
• Consumer affairs ministry will frame rules for the
• The government removed healthcare as one of the
filing of complaints electronically and will also specify
services to make the bill ‘non-controversial’
norms for paying the required fee digitally
• The law proposes a 21-day deadline for hearing
complaints, but 118 posts of president of consumer
RIGHT TO SEEK COMPEN- commissions and 362 posts of commission members are
SATION UNDER PRODUCT lying vacant in 596 districts
LIABILITY
Penalties
• Can file a case against a product manufacturer or
seller for any loss caused on account of a defective Adulteration
product. This applies to all services as well
• The manufacturer shall be held liable if there is a • No injury to consumer – Up to 6 months jail with up to
manufacturing defect or if there is a deviation from the Rs 1 lakh fine

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• Causes injury – Up to 1 year in jail & fine up to Rs 3


lakh
• Grievous injury – Up to 7 years in jail & fine up to Rs    
5 lakh

Non Compliance

• Failure to comply with an order of CCPA – Up to 6


months in jail/jail with fines up to Rs 20 lakh or both
• Failure to comply with orders of the district, state
or national commission – Jail from 1 month – to 3
years/jail with fine from Rs 25,000 up to Rs 1 lakh or
both

Additional Info

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g11Ts5R0-Hc

Mains Question

What are the features of Consumer Rights bill?

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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• This allows a centralized control over operational


efficiency, resource utilization to attain overall development
of the mentee institution.
• The scheme will lead to enhancement of overall quality
of the Mentee Institutions and enhance its profile as a
result of improved quality of research, teaching and
learning methodologies.

(Click on the above image to watch the video)


India’s performance In Global
Innovation Index 2019 :
Relevance
• India’s rank has been improved as it has reached at 52nd
position in 2019. India was at 57th position in 2018.
GS2 || Governance and Social Justice || Human
• In terms of innovation and newly-emerging technologies
Development || Education
India has been performing well and has improved its position
by 29 places in the global index since 2015.
Why in news?
Various Initiatives taken by Gover-
• The Union Ministry of Human Resource Develop- nment to Improve Education
ment has launched ‘Paramarsh’ – a University Grants and Research Sector In india :
Commission (UGC) scheme.
• Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India’s
Developing Economy’ (STRIDE) : STRIDE will provide
Objectives of the scheme:
support to research projects that are socially relevant,
locally need-based, nationally important and globally
• The scheme is for Mentoring National Accreditation significant. The scheme will strengthen research culture and
and Assessment Council (NAAC) Accreditation innovation in colleges and Universities and help students
Aspirant Institutions to promote Quality Assurance in and faculty to contribute towards India’s developing
Higher Education. economy with help of collaborative research.
• The scheme will be a paradigm shift in the concept of • STARS – Scheme for Translational and Advanced
mentoring of institution by another well performing Research in Science : Human Resource Development (HRD)
institution to upgrade their academic performance and ministry has approved funds worth Rs 250 crore for the
enable them to get accredited by focusing in the area of scheme. These funds will be utilised to sponsor about 500
curricular aspects, teaching-learning & evaluation, science projects. The selection of these projects would be
research, innovation, institutional values & practices done on the basis of competitions.
etc. • Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship
and Skills (SHREYAS) programme : The objective of scheme
is to provide industry apprenticeship opportunities to the
Implementation:
general graduates exiting in April 2019 through the National
Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS). It aims to
• The Scheme will be operationalized through a “Hub enhance the employability of Indian youth by providing ‘on
& Spoke” model wherein the Mentor Institution, called the job work exposure’ and earning of stipend.
the “Hub” is centralized and will have the responsibility
of guiding the Mentee institution through the second-
ary branches the “Spoke” through the services provided
to the mentee for self improvement.

Significance and impact of


the scheme:
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
• The scheme is expected to have a major impact in
addressing a national challenge of improving the
quality of Higher Education in India.

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• Besides empowering women politically, the Odisha


government has been organising women into self-help
groups in the last two decades for their economic empower-
ment.
• As of now, Odisha has 6 lakh self-help groups with 7
million women under its flagship ‘Mission Shakti’
programme.
• The programme aims at empowering women by helping
them start income-generating activities.
(Click on the above image to watch the video) • The self-help groups are linked to the Odisha Livelihoods
Mission and Odisha Rural Development and Marketing
Relevance Society.
• Members of the self-help groups are encouraged to sell
GS2 || Governance and Social Justice || Vulnerable products at fairs and exhibitions organised by the State
sections || Women round the year.
• This gives them an opportunity to travel across different
parts of the State and gain greater exposure.
Why in news?

• The Odisha government is among the first to Way forward :


reserve 50% of seats in Panchayati Raj institutions for
women. • It is widely acknowledged that women’s empowerment
helps in the achievement of critical development goals.
What are Odisha's measures • Given this, many of Odisha's women-centric initiatives
in this regard? are potential of being implemented in other states too.
• In effect, these could play an instrumental role in the
• Odisha may be seen as one of the underdeveloped political, economic and social empowerment of women in
states in the country and backward in terms of some India.
human development indicators.
• However, Odisha government’s model for women’s
empowerment has much to teach for other states.
• The Biju Janata Dal (BJD)-led Odisha government
was among the first to reserve 50% of seats in
Panchayati Raj institutions for women.
• Further, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik
nominated women for one-third of the seats in Lok
Sabha election.
• Thus, 7 candidates out of 21 fielded by the party for
the 2019 election were women.
• The success rate among the women candidates was
higher than for men, as 5 out of the 7 won the
elections.
• Other sops include issuing of smartphones, the
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
award of work contracts, and higher entitlements in the
State’s health insurance scheme, arguably superior to
the Ayushman Bharat.
• The State government has also announced an
accident insurance scheme for all members of self-help
groups.

How effective are women


self-help groups there?

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• Making a disease legally notifiable by doctors and health


professionals allows for intervention to control the spread
of highly infectious diseases.
• The process helps the government keep track and
formulate a plan for elimination and control. In less
infectious conditions, it improves information about the
burden and distribution of disease.
• Any failure to report a notifiable disease is a criminal
offence and the state government can take necessary
(Click on the above image to watch the video) actions against defaulters.

Relevance
Mains Question
GS 2 || Governance & Social Justice || Human
What is the need for notifying the diseases?
Development || Health

Additional Info
Why in news?
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/notifiable-dis-
A month after Union Health Minister asked the Delhi ease-malaria-who-notifies-a-disease-and-how-does-it-help-
government to make malaria and dengue notifiable 5906376/
diseases, the local authorities has initiated the work to
notify malaria in the capital.

What is a notifiable disease?

• A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by


law to be reported to government authorities.
• The collation of information allows the authorities to
monitor the disease, and provides early warning of
possible outbreaks.
• The World Health Organization’s International
Health Regulations, 1969 require disease reporting to
the WHO in order to help with its global surveillance
and advisory role.
• Registered medical practitioners need to notify such
diseases in a proper form within three days, or notify (Scan the QR code to watch video)
verbally via phone within 24 hours depending on the
urgency of the situation.
• This means every government hospital, private
hospital, laboratories, and clinics will have to report
cases of the disease to the government.
• The onus of notifying any disease and the implemen-
tation lies with the state government.
• The Centre has notified several diseases such as
cholera, diphtheria, encephalitis, leprosy, meningitis,
pertussis (whooping cough), plague, tuberculosis, AIDS,
hepatitis, measles, yellow fever, malaria dengue, etc.

Why notify diseases?

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• Both are available when drug companies’ exclusive patents


on expensive new drugs expire. And both are designed to
have the same clinical effect as their pricier counterparts.
• But biosimilar drugs and generic drugs are very different,
mainly because while generic drugs are identical to the
original in chemical composition, biosimilar drugs are “highly
similar,” but close enough in duplication to accomplish the
same therapeutic and clinical result.
• Another key difference is that generics are copies of
(Click on the above image to watch the video) synthetic drugs, while biosimilars are modeled after drugs
that use living organisms as important ingredients.
Relevance • But many experts hope the two will share a critical
commonality and that, like generics, biosimilars will dramati-
GS 2 || Governance & Social Justice|| Human cally lower the cost of biologic drugs.
Development || Health

Need for biosimilars


Why in news?
• More affordable than biologics, the high cost of which
• A renowned pharma company has launched in India often puts them out of reach of many patients
Versavo (bevacizumab), a biosimilar of Roche’s Avastin • Targeted toward treating non-communicable diseases
is indicated for the treatment of several types of such as cancer, asthma, and arthritis
cancers. • An alarming spike is being seen across developing
countries in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases
What is Biosimilarity? • For example, diabetes is fast becoming an epidemic in
developing countries, with rates rapidly catching up with
those of the developed world
• Biosimilarity means that the biological product is
highly similar to the reference product notwithstanding
minor differences in clinically-inactive components. Mains Question
• There are no clinically meaningful differences
between the biological product and the reference
What are Biosimilars ? How are they different from Generic
product in terms of the safety, purity, and potency of the
drugs?
product.

Biosimilars Additional Info

• A biosimilar is a biological medicine highly similar to https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/dr-red-

another already approved biological medicine (the dys-launches-biosimilar-cancer-drug-versavo-in-domestic-m

‘reference medicine’). arket/article29140360.ece

• Biosimilars are approved according to the same


standards of pharmaceutical quality, safety and
efficacy that apply to all biological medicines.
• Biological medicines contain active substances from
a biological source, such as living cells or organisms
(human, animals and microorganisms such as bacteria or
yeast) and are often produced by cutting-edge technolo-
gy.
(Scan the QR code to watch video)

Biosimilars vs generics

• Biosimilar drugs are often confused with generic


drugs. Both are marketed as cheaper versions of costly
name-brand drugs.
STUDY IQ Page 35
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• India faces the challenge of having the highest number of


low birth weight babies with 20% mortality and morbidity
in various hospitals.
• Death of preterm babies is among three major causes of
neonatal deaths. In all the neonatal intensive care units,
about one-third of the babies would be preterm.
• Feeding these babies with breast milk can significantly
bring down the risk of infections.
• These milk banks help the baby not just with the feed,
but gives protection from many infections because of its
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
inherent property to provide immunity to the infant.

Relevance
On WHO guidelines
GS 2 || Governance & Social Justice || Human
Development || Health • The World Health Organisation has said that breast milk
is “tailor made” for human infants.
• If for some reason, mother is not able to feed the infant,
Why in news?
her milk should be expressed and fed, according to WHO.
• The Neonatology Forum had been following this diktat
• A breast milk bank proposed by the Neonatology
and insists that the newborns are aggressively breastfed in
Forum (NNF), Kerala, is expected to provide solutions to
the first hour.
all such babies who required intensive care at birth or
are not able to be breastfed immediately for various
other reasons. Additional Info
• There are many mothers who are not able to produce
breast milk for various medical reasons.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ker-
ala/breast-milk-banks-to-ensure-all-infants-get-protective-
cover/article29189086.ece

Mains Question

What are the benefits of breast milk?

About the milk bank

• Any lactating mother can donate to the bank.


• The milk stored in the bank will be pasteurised and
would follow the international guidelines for safety.
• Such milk becomes a blessing for working mothers
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
who require joining work soon after their maternity
leave.
• Breast Milk Bank provides a cheaper option for the
needy.

Protection

STUDY IQ Page 36
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What are the challenges?

• Clearly, the Ministry’s thinking seems to be in line with


the Centre’s approach to regulating the fast-growing
e-commerce sector.
• However, it is challenging to balance between regulating
consumer interests and encouraging innovation and invest-
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
ment, without discriminating against a particular class of
investors.
Relevance
• The DPIIT (Department of Promotion of Industry and
GS2 || Governance and social Justice || Introduction Internal Trade) is also framing an e-commerce policy and
|| Public policy has put up the draft for comments.

Why in news?

• The Consumer Affairs Ministry recently released


the E-Commerce Guidelines for Consumer Protection
2019.

L
What necessitated this?

• India’s e-commerce sector is poised to grow four


times to $150 billion by 2022.
• However, it is still a work in progress when it comes
to safeguarding customer interest.
• Consumers are still compelled to take wild chances
in online transactions.
• There is little they can do if their calls go wrong, as (Scan the QR code to watch video)

returns and reimbursements are risky and cumbersome.


• There are no authentic ways to figure out if product
reviews, ratings or even discounts are genuine.
• Given these, a set of guidelines to protect the
interests of consumers was a much called-for one.

What are the key guidelines?

• An e-commerce entity shall not influence the price


of the goods or services.
• It should not adopt any unfair or deceptive methods
to influence transactional decisions of consumers.
• Entities are also not to falsely represent themselves
as consumers and post reviews about goods and servic-
es.
• The guidelines on returns and refunds are designed
to favour consumers.
• Marketplace entities (e-commerce platforms) will
not be able to buy more than 25% from a single vendor.
• They can also not give discounts on products or sell
the goods of the companies in which there is equity
participation by the marketplace entity.
STUDY IQ Page 37
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It’s Evolution

• The Indian Penal Code enacted in 1860 criminalised any


physical intercourse with a girl below the age of 10.
• The provision of rape was amended in 1927 through the
Age of Consent Bill, 1927, which made marriages with a girl
under 12 invalid.
• The law had faced opposition from conservative leaders
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
of the nationalist movement such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak
and Madan Mohan Malaviya who saw the British interven-
tion as an attack on Hindu customs.
Relevance
• In 1929, the Child Marriage Restraint Act set 16 and 18
years as the minimum age of marriage for women and men
Governance & Social Justice
respectively.
• The law, popularly known as Sarda Act after its sponsor
Why in news? Harbilas Sarda, a judge and a member of Arya Samaj, was
eventually amended in 1978 to prescribe 18 and 21 years
• This week, the Delhi High Court took up a plea that as the age of marriage for a woman and a man, respectively.
sought a uniform age of marriage for men and women.
• The bench issued a notice to the Centre and the Law
Commission of India, seeking their response to the public
Why challenged in court?
interest litigation.
• The petitioner in the Delhi HC case, has challenged the
law on the grounds of discrimination.
Indian Majority Act, 1875
• He alleges that Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution,
which guarantee the right to equality and the right to live
• Currently, the law prescribes that the minimum age
with dignity, are violated by having different legal age for
of marriage is 21 and 18 years for men and women,
men and women to marry.
respectively.
• Two Supreme Court rulings could be significant to the
• The minimum age of marriage is distinct from the age
context of this argument.
of majority, which is gender-neutral.
• In 2014, in NALSA v Union of India, the Supreme Court
• An individual attains the age of majority at 18 as per
while recognising transgenders as the third gender said
the Indian Majority Act, 1875.
that justice is delivered with the “assumption that humans
have equal value and should, therefore, be treated as equal,
Minimum age as well as by equal laws.”
• In 2019, in Joseph Shine v Union of India, the Supreme
• The law prescribes a minimum age of marriage to Court decriminalized adultery and said that “a law that
essentially outlaw child marriages and prevent abuse of treats women differently based on gender stereotypes is an
minors. affront to women’s dignity.”
• Personal laws of various religions that deal with
marriage have their own standards, often reflecting
The debate
custom.
• For Hindus, Section 5(iii) of the Hindu Marriage Act,
1955 sets 18 years as the minimum age for the bride • The different legal standard for the age of men and
and 21 years as the minimum age for the groom. women to marry has been a subject of debate.
• Child marriages are not illegal but can be declared • The laws are a codification of custom and religious
void at the request of the minor in the marriage. practices that are rooted in patriarchy.
• In Islam, the marriage of a minor who has attained • In a consultation paper of reform in family law in 2018,
puberty is considered valid under personal law. the Law Commission argued that having different legal
• The Special Marriage Act, 1954 and the Prohibition standards “contributes to the stereotype that wives must
of Child Marriage Act, 2006 also prescribe 18 and 21 be younger than their husbands”.
years as the minimum age of consent for marriage for
women and men respectively.
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• Women’s rights activists too have argued that the


law perpetuates the stereotype that women are more
mature than men of the same age and therefore can be
allowed to marry sooner.
• The international treaty Committee on the Elimina-
tion of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), also
calls for the abolition of laws that assume women have (Scan the QR code to watch video)

a different physical or intellectual rate of growth than


men.
• The Law Commission paper recommended that the
   
minimum age of marriage for both genders be set at 18.
• The difference in age for husband and wife has no
basis in law as spouses entering into a marriage are by
all means equals and their partnership must also be of
that between equals, the Commission noted.

Marriage- the latent liability


for women

• The discourse on economic development has


become increasingly gendered, in recognition of both
the ethical construct of equality between men and
women and the realization that women’s empowerment
generates positive externalities.

Way forward

• There is no silver bullet that works best in empower-


ing women economically in our country.
• But the heart of the matter is that to get more
women to work, we have to get them out of their homes.
• With patriarchal norms underlying the traditional
role of men and women in households and non-marketi-
zation of childcare, coupled with a shift towards
nuclear families, the burden of domestic work lies on
women.

Mains Question

Why is age of marriage different for men and women?

Additional Info

https://indianexpress.com/article/ex-
plained/why-is-age-of-mar-
riage-different-for-men-and-women-the-law-the-debat
e-5925004/

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• According to SECS of 2011 over 1.82 lakh households


are engaged in manual scavenging for a livelihood.
• Rights groups Safai Karamchari Andolan pegs the number
of manual scavengers across India at over 7 lakh.
• Unofficial records put the number of deaths of manual
scavengers at over 1500 since 2013.
• In the first 6 months of 2019, 50 people have died
cleaning sewers and septic tanks in urban India.

(Click on the above image to watch the video)


Earlier Legislation related
Relevance to manual scavenging :

GS2 || Governance and social justice || Vulnerable • In the late 1950s, freedom fighter G. S. Lakshman Iyer
sections || Safai Karamcharis banned manual scavenging when he was the chairman of
Gobichettipalayam Municipality (Tamil Nadu).
• It became the first local body to ban it officially.
Why in news?

• According to the Social Justice and Empowerment The employment of Manual


Ministry, despite a ban on manual scavenging from 1993, scavengers and construction
620 cases of deaths of sanitation workers (while of dry latrines (prohibition)
cleaning septic tanks and sewers) have been reported, act, 1993 :
of which 88 occurred in the past three years.
• It was passed by Parliament in 1993, after six states
passed resolutions requesting the Central Government to
frame a law.
• It punishes the employment of scavengers or construc-
tion of dry latrines with imprisonment for up to one year
and/or a fine of Rs 2,000.
• But no convictions were obtained under the law during
What is Manual Scavenging? the 20 years it was in force.

• Manual scavenging refers to the unsafe and manual The prohibition of employment
removal of raw (fresh and untreated) human excreta. as manual scavengers and
• The practise of manual scavenging is linked to India’s their rehabilitation act 2013 :
caste system where so-called lower castes were
expected to perform this job. • The act of 1993 was amended in 2013 to form the
• Manual scavengers are amongst the poorest and Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their
most disadvantaged communities in India. Rehabilitation Act.
• Frequent deaths occur as manual scavengers don't • It focused on increasing the punishment for manual
even have adequate tools and protective gear to clean scavenging, and on rehabilitation and employment of those
the manhole. It often involves using the most basic of involved in manual scavenging.
tools such as buckets, brooms and baskets.

So, why manual scavenging


Some figures related to is still prevalent in India?
manual scavenging :
• The act bans manual scavenging only for the workers are
• The 2011 census recorded 7,40,000 households not provided ‘protective gear’ and ‘other cleaning devices’.
that have their waste and faecal matter cleared out by • Further, it does not define what the ‘protective gear’ is.
manual scavengers. • Private contractors usually take advantage of this
• 21 lakh houses disposed of their faecal matter in dry loophole and do not provide any gear while making private
latrines, which were also cleaned manually. workers clean sewage pits and septic tanks.

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Problems in Swachh Bharat


Mission :    

• Extensive toilet-building under SBM is also one of


the reason for the existence of sewer cleaning.
• Because most of the toilets built were single pit
toilets that becomes full after a year’s use. These
toilets are then often cleaned manually.

• Twin pit toilets have the advantage of longevity


where one pit gets full and then the other pit is used till
the excreta in the first pit turns to manure.
• But even this has to be cleaned every few years
which again is carried out by manual scavengers.

Way forward :

• Mechanized cleaning of septic tanks and sewer pits.


• Even when a human has to be put inside a sewer, at
least protective gear such as gloves, masks and shoes
must be provided.
• A doctor must be kept at hand, as well as an
ambulance in case of emergency.
• Finally, to eradicate the profession of manual
scavenging, it is important to provide the scavengers
with alternate professions.
The government could start by giving specific training
for vocations like plumbing, gardening etc.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

STUDY IQ Page 41
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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Why china’s response is
like this?
• China does not want to escalate tensions with India
while it is in the middle of a trade war with U.S.

India’s swift response :


• India launched a diplomatic offensive briefing key
diplomats from the countries currently in the UN Security
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
Council (UNSC) in New Delhi to counter any adverse
reactions to its decision to revoke the special status granted
Relevance
to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian
GS2 || International relations || India and it's neighbours Constitution.
|| China
India-China border dispute :
Why in news?
• After the Indian government began the process of re-
moving the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, China
termed the carving of Ladakh into a separate union terri-
tory as “unacceptable”, with India implicitly ticking off
Beijing for commenting on an “internal matter”.

• The border which China and India share is a long stretch


sectioned into three parts by Nepal and Bhutan which
follows the Himalayan mountains between Myanmar &
Background :
Pakistan.
• The Aksai chin area was the main issue behind the 1962
• On 5 August 2019, the President of India Ram Nath war. Aksai chin is at the western end of this border.
Kovind issued a constitutional order revoking the 1954 • In 1958, China had published a map showing the Aksai
order, and making all the provisions of the Indian Chin plateau on the western stretch of the border as part of
constitution applicable to Jammu and Kashmir. its territory. India had strongly protested this.
• The order rendered the Article 370 and Article 35A • Another disputed area is Arunanchal Pradesh which was
of the Indian constitution ineffective. earlier known as North East Frontier Agency.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the move • The Indo-China war in 1962 broke out because India
to scrap Article 370, which provides a special status to objected to occupation of uninhabited Aksai Chin by China.
Jammu and Kashmir, and proposed the bifurcation of the • India said China occupied 38,000 square km (15,000
state into two Union Territories through a fresh Jammu square miles) of territory in Aksai Chin. Aksai chin was
and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019. considered as a strategic link between the Chinese-adminis-
• The bill proposes making Jammu and Kashmir a tered territories of Tibet and Xinjiang.
Union Territory with a legislature and Ladakh a
separate Union Territory without an assembly.

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(Scan the QR code to watch video)

   

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• Myanmar’s own quest to acquire an undersea capability


was hastened after Bangladesh’s acquisition of two old
Type 35G Ming-class submarines from China in 2017.
Notably, Myanmar has not turned to China to fulfil this
requirement.
• In 2017, Bangladesh received two refurbished Type
035G-class submarines (Ming class) from China as part of a $
203 million deal, a move that was watched with caution in
India as it symbolized the increasing dependence of the
neighboring nation on Beijing.
(Click on the above image to watch the video) • Kilo class (Project 877) being transferred by India is
significantly more capable that the Ming class that was sold
Relevance by China and is suitable for operations in the region as has
been demonstrated by the Indian Navy.
GS2 || International relations || India and it's neighbors • The deal with Myanmar also includes a significant
|| Myanmar training package to prepare the neighbouring nation for
induction of a larger fleet in the coming years.
Why in news? • India’s decision to transfer a submarine is, therefore, a
sort of inducement to encourage Myanmar to stick to its
• India is set to hand over Myanmar its first ever time-tested policy, while also building on the extant
submarine, with a Kilo class boat likely to be sent across synergy in security ties.
this year after being refitted indigenously. • What helps India’s cause is that Myanmar is once again at
the receiving end of Western opprobrium over the Rohingya
issue and is looking for support from Asian democracies such

Background, Need and Details :

• The INS Sindhuvir will be used by the Myanmar


Navy — which is looking at acquiring its own subma-
rine fleet in the coming years — for training purposes.
• The Kilo class submarine, bought from Russia in the
1980s, is currently being modernised by the Hindustan
Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Vizag. (Scan the QR code to watch video)
• The transfer of the submarine is likely to take place
with a line of credit (LoC) that has been extended by
India to Myanmar for enhancing military capability.
The Indian initiative, sources said, came after extensive
talks with the Myanmar leadership over the past four
years to understand their defence needs.
• As part of the capacity building, earlier this month
India supplied Myanmar with advanced light torpedoes
named `Shyena’ as part of a $ 38 million export deal
that was signed in 2017. The torpedoes were manufac-
tured by the state owned Bharat Dynamics Limited
(BDL).

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Pakistan’s image rebuilding


process :
• Pakistan opens 1000-year-old Shawala Teja Singh
temple in Punjab for worship after 72 years. The temple
was partially damaged during attacks on temples here in
reaction to Babri Mosque in 1992.

(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance
GS2 || International relations || India and its neighbours
|| Pakistan

Why in news?
• 5,000 pilgrims will be allowed to visit Kartarpur Sahib
• Among the key findings of the report issued by the US per day.
Commission on International Religious Freedom
(USCIRF) were, in 2018, religious freedom conditions in
Pakistan generally trended negative despite the govern-
ment taking some positive steps to promote religious
freedom and combat religiously motivated violence and
hate speech.
• During the year, extremist groups and societal actors
continued to discriminate against and attack religious
minorities, including Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Ahmadis,
and Shi'a Muslims, the report said.

Pakistan’s current image : • Pakistan has given its green signal for Sharda Peeth
corridor. The Sharda Peeth corridor, when opened, will be
• It said that the Pakistan government failed to the second religious tract after Kartarpur corridor in
adequately protect these groups, and it perpetrated Pakistan-controlled territory that will connect the two
systematic, ongoing, egregious religious freedom neighbouring nations. The temple is revered by Kashmiri
violations. Pandits among other Hindus across the globe.
• Also forced conversions of non-Muslims continued
despite the passage of the Hindu Marriage Act, which
recognises Hindu family law, and these occurred despite
some optimism about the potential for reform under the
new government of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the
report said.

Minority in Pakistan :

• Hindus form the biggest minority community in


Pakistan.
• According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live
in Pakistan.

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• Using social media influencers to improve Pakistan’s


image.

   

But problem remains :


• Following announcement of its liberal visa policy,
Pakistan has urged the foreign countries to revise their
travel advisories as the country is now safe for tourists
to visit.
• Most big countries in the world including the US,
Canada, UK and Australia still keep Pakistan on ‘recon-
sider travel’ category, meaning to avoid unnecessary
travel to the country.
• The US travel advisory keeps Pakistan at level
three, one step short of ‘Do Not Travel’ category. It
advises its citizens to ‘Reconsider Travel to Pakistan’
due to terrorism as some areas have increased risk
factors.
• It also advises its citizens ‘Do not Travel’ to certain
areas including: Balochistan province and Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, and the former Federally
Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), due to terrorism.
• The UK has also rated Pakistan at medium-high risk
level.
• Much of Balochistan, rural Sindh and Khyber-Pakh-
tunkhwa, including the Federally Administered Tribal
Areas and Agencies, have a high level of lawlessness.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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• It is unclear what INF-prohibited systems the United


States could deploy to Europe or Asia in the near term. The
U.S. military has not developed any land-based missiles
within the prohibited ranges for decades and has only just
started funding a new ground-launched cruise missile to
match the 9M729.
• Moscow is in a very different position and could rapidly
expand deployment. The number of operational 9M729
missiles has been quite limited, but released from its
official obligations under the treaty, Moscow could deploy
more units rapidly.
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
• Russia could also effectively reclassify the RS-26
Rubezh, an experimental system that has been tested just
Relevance
above the INF Treaty’s 5,500-kilometer limit. To avoid
violating the INF, Russian officials previously described the
GS2 || International Relations || International
RS-26 as an intercontinental ballistic missile. However, it
Organizations || Miscellaneous
could form the basis for a missile of a slightly shorter range
if Moscow wished to boost its INF forces — without count-
Why in news?
ing it under the U.S.-Russian New Strategic Arms Reduction
Treaty, or New START, governing longer-range systems.
• The U.S has withdrawn from the Intermediate-Range
• This move is also likely to undermine the 2010 New
Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
START treaty governing U.S. and Russian long-range
nuclear systems. The INF Treaty’s demise will undercut
New START by reopening questions on the relationship
between intermediate and strategic systems that have been
resolved for 30 years by the elimination of ground-based,
intermediate-range missiles.

About Intermediate-Range
Nuclear Forces Treaty:

What’s the issue?

• US in early December last year announced that it


would suspend its obligations under the INF treaty by
• The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF
Feb. 2, citing Russian “cheating,” unless Moscow comes
Treaty, formally Treaty Between the United States of
into compliance with the terms of the pact.
America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the
• The U.S. government says the new Russian missile
Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Short-
violates provisions of the pact that ban production,
er-Range Missiles) is a 1987 arms control agreement
testing and deployment of land-based cruise and
between the United States and the Soviet Union.
ballistic missiles with a range of 310 to 3,400 miles.
• Under the INF Treaty, the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. agreed to
eliminate within three years all ground-launched-missiles of
What would happen in the
500-5,500 km range and not to develop, produce or deploy
absence of treaty?
these in future.

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• The U.S. destroyed 846 Pershing IIs and Ground


Launched Cruise Missiles (GLCMs) and the U.S.S.R.,    
1,846 missiles (SS-4s, SS-5s and SS-20s), along with its
support facilities.

Did INF prevent a nuclear war?

• No, INF didn’t prevent a nuclear war as the option


of using air to ground missiles and nuclear submarine
missiles were always available.

Importance of the Interme-


diate Nuclear Forces (INF)
Treaty in U.S.-Russia relations:
• Under the Treaty, the two parties agreed that a
whole important class of nuclear weapons would be
removed from Europe, and only tactical nuclear
weapons (TNW) or short-range missiles mostly
deployed on the territory of Germany would remain.
• The INF Treaty for years served to mitigate fears of
both parties in relation to possibility of military escala-
tion, operational miscalculation, and helping to shift the
logic of MAD [mutually assured destruction] to the
higher “more sensitive” political level.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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• The trade tensions could result in an increasingly fragment-


ed global trading framework, weakening the rules-based
system that has underpinned global growth, particularly in
Asia, over the past several decades.

Impact on India:

• There could be a short-term impact on the stock


markets over fears of the escalating trade war between the
US and China.
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
• In the longer run, while a slowdown in the US economy
does not augur well for emerging markets, the trade war
Relevance heralds a silver lining for some countries.
• India is among a handful of countries that stand to
GS2 || International Relations || India & Rest of the
benefit from the trade tensions between the world’s top
World || USA
two economies, the UN has said in a report.

Why in news?

• The world’s two largest economies are now in a full


blown trade — and currency — war, and the dire
warnings are piling up.
• “We may well be at the most dangerous financial
moment since the 2009 Financial Crisis with current
developments between the U.S. and China,” tweeted
Larry Summers, the U.S. treasury secretary under
President Bill Clinton. (Scan the QR code to watch video)

Origin of the US-China dispute:


   
• Trump slapped heavy tariffs on imported steel and
aluminium items from China in March last year, and
China responded by imposing tit-for-tat tariffs on
billions of dollars worth of American imports.
• The dispute escalated after Washington demanded
that China reduce its $375 billion trade deficit with the
US, and introduce “verifiable measures” for protection
of Intellectual Property Rights, technology transfer, and
more access to American goods in Chinese markets.

Why should the world be


worried?
• In a report earlier this year, the IMF noted that the
US-China trade tension was one factor that contribut-
ed to a “significantly weakened global expansion” late
last year, as it cut its global growth forecast for 2019.
• Also, this exacerbates the uncertainty in the global
trading environment, affects global sentiment negative-
ly, and adds to risk aversion globally.
• The higher tariffs could lead to the repricing of risk
assets globally, tighter financing conditions, and
slower growth.
STUDY IQ Page 49
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foreign investors about India’s commitment to adhere to


international practice on Alternative Dispute Resolution
(ADR).

Initiatives by India to promote


ADR Mechanisms:

• In order to encourage international commercial arbitra-


tion in India, to evolve a comprehensive ecosystem of
arbitration the Government is establishing the New Delhi
(Click on the above image to watch the video) International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC)as a statutory
body.
Relevance • The Commercial Courts Act, 2015, has been further
amended and legislative exercise to further amend the
GS2 || International relations || International Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, is currently under-
organisations || UN way.
• A new Chapter (IIIA) has been inserted in the Commer-
Why in news? cial Courts Act, 2015, for mandatory pre-institution
mediation and settlement in certain category of cases.
• India has signed the United Nations Convention on
International Settlement Agreements (UNISA).

About UNISA:

• The United Nations General Assembly adopted the


United Nations Convention on International Settle-
ment Agreements Resulting from Mediation (“the
Convention”) on 20th December 2018.
• The convention is also known as the “Singapore
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
Convention on Mediation” (the Convention).

Key features:
   

• The Convention provides a uniform and efficient


framework for the enforcement of international
settlement agreements resulting from mediation and
for allowing parties to invoke such agreements, akin to
the framework that the Convention on the Recognition
and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (New York,
1958) (the “New York Convention”) provides for arbitral
awards.
• The Convention defines two additional grounds
upon which a court may, on its own motion, refuse to
grant relief. Those grounds relate to the fact that a
dispute would not be capable of settlement by media-
tion or would be contrary to public policy.

Benefit:
• Signing of the Convention will boost the confidence
of the investors and shall provide a positive signal to

STUDY IQ Page 50
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Rationale behind this move :

• The Treasury’s goal is to focus attention on those


nations whose bilateral trade is most significant to the US
economy and whose policies are the most material for the
global economy.

(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance
GS2 || International Relations || India & Rest of the
World || USA

Why in news? (Scan the QR code to watch video)

• US officially labels China a ‘currency manipulator‘.


• The announcement by the US Treasury follows a
sharp fall in the value of the Chinese yuan against the
   
dollar.

Why is the US worried?

• A weaker yuan makes Chinese exports more


competitive, or cheaper to buy with foreign currencies.

Background:

• China has a long history of facilitating an underval-


ued currency through protracted, large-scale interven-
tion in the foreign exchange market.
• In recent days, China has taken concrete steps to
devalue its currency, while maintaining substantial
foreign exchange reserves despite active use of such
tools in the past.

What is currency manipu-


lation who determines it?

• The US Department of the Treasury publishes a


semi-annual report in which the developments in
global economic and exchange rate policies are
reviewed.
• If a US trade partner meets three assessment
criteria, the US labels it a currency manipulator.
• The US Treasury department defines currency
manipulation as when countries deliberately influence
the exchange rate between their currency and the US

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• Significantly, India also continues to outperform on


innovation relative to its gross domestic product (GDP).

Why is Israel’s performance


significant?

• The biggest news from the 2019 rankings was Israel


breaking into the top 10 list.
• This is the first by any country from the Northern Africa
and West Asia region.
(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance What are the challenges


before Israel?
GS 2 || International Relations || India & Rest of the
World || West Asia • With a population of just 8.5 million, Israel has a very
small domestic market.
Why in news? • Israel’s enterprises cannot look at broadening its market
by exporting to neighboring countries as Israel is surround-

• The Global Innovation Index-2019 (GII 2019) was ed by enemies.

released recently, with India being ranked 52. • It is also endowed with very little natural resources

• In this context, here is how Israel converted its including water.

challenges into competitive advantages, exhibiting its • Its 22,000 square kilometre area is predominantly arid,

intellectual prowess. fit to grow almost nothing.

What are the highlights of How were these dealt with?


GII 2019?
• Any other country with such adversity would have given
• The GII rankings are published every year by Cornell
up and become dependent on allies for survival, but Israel
University, INSEAD and the UN World Intellectual
did not.
Property Organization (WIPO) and GII Knowledge
• Economy - Israel’s policy-makers decided early to invest
Partners.
in human intellectual capital and create a knowledge-based
• This is the 12th edition of the GII rankings of 129
economy.
economies based on 80 indicators.
• By doing so, they hoped that Israel could become home
• These range from intellectual property filing rates
to technology-focused industries that do not depend on
to mobile-application creation, education spending,
natural resources.
and scientific and technical publications.
• At the same time, the country could offer products that
• Switzerland remains number one in the GII index
could be easily exported to meet the demand anywhere in
followed by Sweden, USA, Netherlands, UK, Finland,
the world.
Denmark, Singapore, Germany and Israel.
• Education - Israel believed that its intellectual prowess
would solve many of the pressing challenges - water
scarcity, agricultural development, national security.
How is India’s performance?
• Israel began by investing in a strong education system.
• Currently, it spends 7% of its GDP on education. Over
• India, many believed, would break into the top 50 45% of its adults complete tertiary education.
league for the first time. It came close, and ranked 52. • Its investment in R&D is the highest in the world (4.2%
• Nevertheless, India’s performance was commended of its GDP) with a third of that going into universities.
as it topped the Central and South Asian region for the
9th consecutive year.
• Also, India’s improvement from 81st rank in 2015 to
How have these transformed
52nd in 2019 is the fastest by any major economy.
into?

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• Israeli universities, today, top in patent applications • This has given birth to a trait they call ‘chutzpah’. Failure
in the US. is accepted in the society and a person is encouraged to try
• Over 250 global companies including the likes of
Facebook, Google, Apple, HP and Microsoft have set up
their R&D labs in Israel. What do these hold for India?
• Israel also has one of the highest concentrations of
Nobel laureates.
• That apart, Israel has the largest number of hi-tech • India too has its share of challenges when it comes to
startups per capita than any other country in the world. food, energy, water and national security.
• Tel Aviv houses the second largest startup eco-sys- • India needs to enhance sustainability and take health-
tem after Silicon Valley. care to every nook and corner of the country; all these at a
• Hi-tech exports accounts for 45% of the country’s low cost.
overall exports. • Like Israel, India needs to invest heavily in education and
• The startups have indeed solved the country’s R&D.
pressing problems. • India’s investment in R&D now is a meager 0.7% of GDP.
• E.g. due to their work in membrane technology, • Also, very little of this goes to universities considering
Israel has efficiently used desalination to transform that a bulk of public R&D goes into space, energy and
itself from world’s driest country to one with surplus defence sectors.
water • The size of the economy and population is not the
• It has become a leader in desert agriculture due to constraint here, but rather the intent.
drip irrigation and precision farming. • Notably, China, another large economy, has managed to
up its R&D investment from 1.3% in 2006 to 2.18% in 2018.
• India’s innovation should be focused not just on getting
How were the security issues
products and services to people at an affordable cost.
dealt with?
• Rather, it should be aimed for global leadership.

• Israel faces security issues that come from being • Solving India’s challenges will eventually open opportuni-

surrounded by enemies and constantly fighting ties for Indian enterprises globally, as had happened with

terrorism. Israel.

• To tackle this, it invested heavily in cutting-edge


technologies.
• Today, the Israeli military is a national incubator and
Additional Info
a significant catalyst for innovation.
• With compulsory recruitment, every youth, based https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/columns/in-
on talent and aptitude, gets exposed to the latest novation-lessons-from-israel/article28786937.ece
technology that the military uses.
• That apart, they are taught to work as a team and to Mains Question
solve problems in a structured and disciplined manner.
• These qualities help them come out and build
How Israel converted its challenges into competitive
successful enterprises.
advantages?
• Check Point, the world’s largest cyber security
company, is one such organisation. In fact, Israel
controls as much as 10% of the global cyber security
market.

How has culture contributed


to this success?

• Forced to run, hide and fight in the past, Jews are


(Scan the QR code to watch video)
natural risk-takers, an essential quality to become an
entrepreneur.
• Faced with adversities, Israelis are never happy with
status quo and constantly try to improve things.

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What is COMCASA ?

(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance
GS2 || International relations || India and rest of the
world || USA

Why in news?

• India and the United States are likely to finalise two


critical agreements, the Industrial Security Annexure
(ISA) and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agree-
ment (BECA).
• COMCASA is one of three foundational agreements
that guide US high technology cooperation in defence
sector with other countries. It was earlier called Communi-
cation and Information on Security Memorandum of
Agreement (CISMOA) before name was changed to reflect
its India-specific nature.
• COMCASA is meant to facilitate use of high-end
secured communication equipment to be installed on
military platforms being sold to India by US to fully exploit
their potential. It essentially provides legal framework for
transfer of communication security equipment from US to
India that will facilitate interoperability between armed
About Industrial Security forces of both countries and potentially with other militaries
Annexure : that use US-origin systems for secure data links.

• An ISA, which is an Annexure to the General


What is LSA or LEMOA (Logistics
Security Of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA)
exchange memorandum of
between the two countries, will enable the US govern-
agreement)?
ment and US defence companies to share classified
information with Indian private defence manufactur-
ers. • LSA refers to Logistics Support Agreement. This agree-
• India and the US had the GSOMIA 17 years ago, ment would enable mutual exchange of logistics support,
which allowed sharing of classified information from the supplies and services (LSSS) between the defense forces of
US government and American defence manufacturers both countries.
with Indian government and government-owned • Here we note that United States has signed a so called
defence firms but not with Indian private companies. Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) with
• Washington is not demanding a fresh agreement. It NATO countries. Such agreements have also been signed
is asking New Delhi to sign an annexure to GSOMIA with Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in our neighbourhood.
that would cover the Indian private sector.

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What is BECA?

• BECA refers to Basic Exchange and Cooperation


Agreement for Geo-spatial Cooperation. This agree-
ment would facilitate exchange of geospatial informa-
tion between India and United States for both military
and civilian use.
• BECA makes sure all kinds of information whether
intelligence reports or satellite data inputs regarding
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
the landscape of the battle field or any forms of informa-
tion gathering methods are shared unconditionally
between the 2 military forces.

   

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• The Indian government has estimated an extra $26


billion expenditure due to rising oil prices. Oil importers
buy dollars to pay for their imports. That has contributed
significantly to the falling rupee, which has lost as much as
12% this year, making it the worst performing currency in
Asia. Spending an extra $10 billion a year on imports from
the U.S. would mean further pressure on the rupee.
• A falling rupee makes life difficult for other Indian
importers. This would have a domino effect on the rest of
the economy. Rising prices could dampen consumer
(Click on the above image to watch the video) demand, resulting in poorer profit margins for the industry.

Relevance
GS2 || International Relations || India & Rest of the
World|| USA

Why in news?

• The United States decision to raise tariffs to 25% on


$200 billion worth of Chinese goods took effect — a (Scan the QR code to watch video)
move that potentially impacted goods trade in more
than 5,700 product categories, and sparked another
round of tariff wars between the world’s two largest    

economies.

US-China trade :

• China’s trade deficit with the U.S. is $375.6 billion


for 2017.
• Mr. Trump is targeting imports from China (which, in
his opinion, are taking jobs away from Americans) and
has imposed duties on $50 billion worth of Chinese
exports to the U.S.
• China has reacted with similar duties on imports
from the U.S. US is also planning to target $267 billion
worth of Chinese imports into the U.S. in the third round
of tariff imposition.

Trade-war impact on India :

• There could be a short-term impact on the stock


markets. The benchmark Sensex at the Bombay Stock
Exchange has been falling in line with global markets
that have been spooked by the escalating trade war
between the US and China.
• In the longer run, while a slowdown in the US
economy does not augur well for emerging markets,
the trade war could have a silver lining for some
countries. India is among a handful of economies that
stand to benefit from the trade tensions between the
world’s top two economies, the United Nations has said
in a report.
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• Since 2016, when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman


took charge of the company, Saudi Aramco is on the path of
investing in non-oil sectors such as technology, part of the
country’s plan to become less dependent on petroleum.

Significance of recent deal:

• This will be the second-largest foreign investment in


India. Saudi Aramco’s proposed investment in RIL is second
only to the $16-billion infusion by Walmart in Flipkart in
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
2018.
• The investment, subject to due diligence and regulatory
Relevance approvals, will help RIL, India’s largest private sector
company, cut its debt of Rs 1.54 lakh crore ($22 billion).
GS2 || International relations || India and rest of
the world || West Asia

Why in news?

• Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries announced


that it was selling a 20 % stake in its flagship oil and
chemical business to Saudi Aramco for $15 billion. This
will be the second-largest foreign investment in India.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

   

About the deal :

• Saudi Aramco is Saudi Arabia’s national oil company


which is responsible for managing the nation’s petrole-
um wealth. Currently, the company is said to account
for around 87 per cent of Saudi Arabia’s budget.
• Heavily influenced by the Al Saud royal family,
Saudi Aramco is controlled by the Supreme Council for
Saudi Aramco (SCSA) led by crown prince Mohammed
bin Salman, the nation’s de facto ruler.
• Saudi Aramco is the world’s most profitable compa-
ny. With a net profit of $46.9 billion so far this year,
Saudi Aramco has made more money than Apple and
Alphabet (the parent company of Google) combined,
this despite having witnessed a 12 per cent fall in
half-year net profit.

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• Advantage- Stability in Trade & Investment.


• Disadvantage- Prevents market adjustments when a
currency becomes over or undervalued.

What is different between


terminology of devaluation
and depreciation ?
• Devaluation & Revaluation is related to Fixed Exchange
Rate System.
• Whereas Depreciation & Appreciation is related to
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
Flexible Exchange Rate System.

Relevance
GS2 || International Relations ||India & Rest of the
World || USA

Why in news?

• US officially labels China a ‘currency manipulator‘.


• The announcement by the US Treasury follows a
sharp fall in the value of the Chinese yuan against the
dollar.

Exchange rate impact on


import & export :
• Devaluation or Depreciation leads to more EXPORTS &
lesser IMPORTS
• Revaluation or Appreciation leads to lesser EXPORTS &
more IMPORTS.
What is a floating exchange
rate? Managed floating exchange
rate :
• It is a monetary system that allows the exchange
rate to be determined by supply and demand. • Also known as Dirty Float.
• Advantage- Real value of currency (determined by • In this, exchange rates fluctuate from day to day.
market forces). • But also central banks from time to time influence their
• Disadvantage- Uncertainty in Trade & Investment. countries' exchange rates by buying and selling currencies
to maintain a certain range.

What is a fixed exchange rate?


Impact of tariffs imposed by
USA on Chinese goods :
• Also called pegged exchange rate.
• When a currency's value is fixed or pegged by the
Central Bank against the value of another currency.

STUDY IQ Page 58
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(Scan the QR code to watch video)

   

• This will increase the price of Chinese goods in US


market.
• Thus lesser exports by China to US and lower import
by US from China.
• This may help the US industries & thus more employ-
ment.

What china did to counter


this move by US?
• China decided to let its currency yuan fall to an
11-year low below 7 per dollar.
• But this did not take place through Dirty Float or
Market Forces.

Shell Companies role in


Devaluation?
• First China’s government & People’s Bank of China
form many shell companies.
• Then these shell companies release large amount of
Yuan through purchasing Dollars.
• This artificially leads to shortage of dollars & excess
of Yuan.
• Thus the Chinese currency depreciates in money
market.

Difference between Yuan


& Renminbi :
• The Renminbi is the official currency of the People's
Republic of China.
• The Yuan is the basic unit of the renminbi.
• 1 yuan is subdivided into 10 jiao. 1 jiao in turn is
subdivided into 10 fen.

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Capital punishment in India :

• A total of 26 executions have taken place in India since


1991.
• The first hanging in Independent India was that of
Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte.
• The last hanging was of Yakub Memon in 2015, convicted
of 1993 Bombay bombings.
• In December 2007, India voted against a United Nations
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
General Assembly resolution calling for a moratorium on
the death penalty.
Relevance
• In November 2012, India again upheld its stance on
capital punishment by voting against the UN General
GS2 || International Relations || India & Rest of the Assembly.
World || USA • In 2015, the Law Commission of India submitted a
report to the government which recommended the
Why in news? abolition of capital punishment for all crimes in India.

• The US government has said it will resume the use


of capital punishment, after the Justice Department
Pardoning power of president :
moved to reinstate the practice at the federal level on
Thursday. • Article 72(1) of the Constitution of India states:
• The last time a federal inmate was executed was in • The President shall have the power to grant pardons,
2003. reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to
suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person
convicted of any offence.
Background :

• Currently, 25 states, including Florida and Texas Arguments for death penalty :
have the death penalty, while 21 states, including New
York and Illinois, have abolished it.
• For justice- The death penalty is reserved for the most
• At the federal level, the death penalty has been legal
heinous of crimes, such as murder. Why should a murderer
since it was reinstated in 1988, but the government has
be allowed to live out the rest of their lives in relative
rarely applied it.
comfort, paid for by the public?
• Only three defendants were executed between
• For deterrence- The death penalty saves lives.
1988 and 2003
• For saves resources- Executing the criminal require less
resource than keeping him in jail for rest of his life. Murder-
ers are society's predators, and society has no moral reason
to pay for the upkeep of its predators.
• For closure- The execution of a criminal is the best way to
provide closure to the family of their victim. They can finally
put the crime behind them and move on, knowing that there
is no possibility of the person who took away their loved one
ever leaving prison and walking free.

Arguments against Death


penalty :

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• Miscarriage of justice- You cannot un-execute


someone. If someone is wrongfully imprisoned they can    
at least be released and compensated by the state.
• Deterrence- The statistical evidence doesn't confirm
that deterrence works. Some capital crimes are commit-
ted in such an emotional state that the perpetrator did
not think about the possible consequences. Deterrence
is most effective when the punishment happens soon
after the crime.
• Too much power to the state- The three countries
that executed the most people in 2016 were China, Iran,
and Saudi Arabia. There’s a reason why the death
penalty is favoured in authoritarian regimes: it is the
ultimate form of state control.
• Killing is wrong- Taking a human life is unethical,
whether it is a crime or whether it is done in the name of
‘justice’. Everyone’s right to life should be protected by
law, including criminals.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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What is Resolution 47?

(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance

GS2 || International relations || India and its neighbours


|| Pakistan
• Resolution 47 of the UNSC focuses on the complaint of
Why in news? the Government of India concerning the dispute over the
State of Jammu and Kashmir, that India took to the Security
• Pakistan PM Imran Khan has termed the Govern- Council in January 1948.
ment of India’s decision to remove the special status • In October 1947, following an invasion by soldiers from
for the state of Jammu and Kashmir by modifying the Pakistan Army in plainclothes and tribesmen, the
Article 370 as illegal since it violates UNSC resolution Maharaja of Kashmir, Hari Singh sought assistance from
47. India and signed the Instrument of Accession.
• After the first war in Kashmir (1947-1948), India
approached the UN Security Council to bring the conflict in
Kashmir to the notice of Security Council members.

What happened at the UNSC?

Events before UNSC


Resolution 47 :

• On 1 January 1948, India took the matter to the


UNSC under Article 35 of the UN Charter.
• Claimed that Pakistani nationals and tribesmen had
attacked J&K.
• Requested the Security Council to prevent Pakistan
from continuing its actions.
• India also stated that, despite holding the state's
legal accession, it was prepared to conduct a plebiscite
to confirm the people's wishes and abide by its results.

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• India’s position was that it was ready to hold a


How did India & Pakistan react
plebiscite, a direct vote in which an entire electorate
to the UNSC Resolution 47?
votes on a specific proposal, to know of the people’s
desire and accept the results of the vote.
• Pakistan denied its involvement in the conflict and • India’s contention was that the resolution ignored the

counter-accused India. military invasion by Pakistan and placing both nations on

• In response the UNSC, under Resolution 39 (1948) an equal diplomatic ground was a dismissal of Pakistan’s

stated “with a view to facilitating the restoration of aggression and the fact that the Maharaja of Kashmir, Hari

peace and order and to the holding of a plebiscite, by the Singh had signed the Instrument of Accession.

two Governments, acting in co-operation with one • India also objected to the Resolution’s requirement that

another and with the Commission, and further instructs did not allow India to retain military presence which it

the Commission to keep the Council informed of the believed it needed for defence.

action taken under the resolution.” • The Resolution’s order to form a coalition government,

• It also ordered for the conflict to cease and to would also put Sheikh Abdullah, the Prime Minister of the

create conditions for a “free and impartial plebiscite” Princely State of Jammu & Kashmir, in a difficult position.

to decide whether Jammu and Kashmir would accede • India also believed that the powers conferred on the

to India or Pakistan. Plebiscite Administrator undermined the state’s sovereign-


ty. India also wanted Pakistan to be excluded from the
operations of the plebiscite.
What did the UNSC order • Pakistan on the other hand, objected to even the
Pakistan to do? minimum presence of Indian forces in Kashmir, as allowed
by the resolution. It also wanted an equal representation in
• The UNSC ordered that Pakistan was to withdraw the state government for the Muslim Conference, which was
its tribesmen and Pakistan nationals who had entered the dominant party in Pakistani-held Kashmir.
“the State for the purpose of fighting” and to prevent
future intrusions and to prevent “furnishing of material
aid to those fighting in the State”.
• It was also ordered Pakistan to cooperate with
maintaining peace and order.

What did the UNSC order


India to do?

• The UNSC had a more comprehensive set of orders


for India.
• It said that after the Pakistani army and tribesmen
had withdrawn from the State and the fighting had
ceased, India was to submit a plan to the Commission
for withdrawing forces from Jammu and Kashmir and to
reduce them over a period of time to the minimum
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
strength required for civil maintenance of law and order.
• India was ordered to appraise the Commission of
the stages at which steps had been taken to reduce
military presence to the minimum strength and to
arrange remaining troops after consultations with the
Commission.
• Among other instructions, India was ordered to
agree that till the time the Plebiscite Administration
found it necessary to exercise the powers of direction
and supervision over the State forces and police, these
forces would be held in areas to be agreed upon with the
Plebiscite Administrator.
• It also directed India to recruit local personnel for
law and order and to safeguard the rights of minorities.
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Do UNSC resolutions matter?

• United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 -The


resolution passed in a 14–0 vote by members of the U.N.
Security Council (UNSC).
• The resolution states that Israel's settlement activity
constitutes a "flagrant violation" of international law and
has "no legal validity".
• It demands that Israel stop such activity and fulfill its
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
obligations as an occupying power under the Fourth Geneva
Convention. (2016)
Relevance • Israel has payed no heed to this resolution.
• And there are several other cases like this one.
GS2 || International relations || India and its neighbours
|| Pakistan
Are UN resolutions legally
binding?
Why in news?
• Resolutions by the Security Council can be legally
binding(They can be legally non-binding too). If the council
• Pakistan has been desperately trying to bring a
cannot reach consensus or a passing vote on a resolution,
resolution from the UNSC against the Kashmir Article
they may choose to produce a non-binding presidential
370 abolishment issue.
statement instead of a Resolution.
• These are adopted by consensus.
About United Nations Security • They are meant to apply political pressure — a warning
Council : that the Council is paying attention and further action may
follow.

Pakistan’s Attempts :

• Pakistan tried to approach Poland for their approval to


table a resolution against India regarding Kashmir issue but
they failed.
• But Pakistan didn’t give up and wrote a letter to China.

China’s attempt :

• China managed to get an informal meeting in UNSC


regarding India Pakistan Issue.
• It is extremely rare for the Security Council to discuss
• The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one Kashmir.
of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), • The last time there was a full Security Council meeting on
charged with ensuring international peace and securi- the Himalayan region was in 1965.
ty, accepting new members to the United Nations and
approving any changes to its charter.
• Its powers include the establishment of peacekeep- Result of informal meeting :
ing operations and international sanctions as well as the
authorization of military actions through resolutions –
it is the only body of the United Nations with the
authority to issue binding resolutions to member states.

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• Four Permeant members took India’s side and


supported bilateral dialogue between India and
Pakistan.
• Russia, France, UK and USA supported India’s stance.
• Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United
Nations, Maleeha Lodhi welcomed the meeting at the
UNSC on the issue of Kashmir and said the country was
"grateful to China for calling this meeting".
• Maleeha Lodhi also said that the "voice of Kashmiri
people was heard today".

China’s anti india statement :

• China's UN Ambassador Zhang Jun said members


were concerned about the human rights situation in the
region.
• He said that members are of the view that India and
Pakistan should refrain from taking any unilateral action
that might aggravate the tension.
• India's UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin accused
Zhang of trying to pass off his remarks as "the will of
the international community."

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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The protesters in Hong Kong


are concerned mainly because:
• Many Hong Kongers fear the proposed extradition law
will be used by authorities to target political enemies.
• They worry the new legislation spells the end of the “one
country, two systems” policy, eroding the civil rights enjoyed
by Hong Kong residents since the handover of sovereignty
from the UK to China in 1997.
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
Relationship of Hong Kong
Relevance with respect to China

GS2 || International Relations || India & it's Neighbours


|| China

Why in news?

• U.S. urges China to respect Hong Kong's freedoms


after airport violence.

• Hong Kong is a Special administration region of


China(SAR).
• Being so it operates using a different system and issues
its own Currency (HKdollar) passports,ID cards ect. also
maintains a separate immigration agency
• The former British colony returned to Chinese rule in
1997, and is semi-autonomous under the “one country, two
systems” principle. It has its own laws and courts, and allows
its residents a range of civil liberties. Hong Kong does not
Why are people protesting ? have an extradition agreement with Beijing.

• The protesters were marching against proposed


changes in the law that would allow suspects accused of
crimes such as murder and rape to be extradited to
mainland China to face trial.
• Once the law is changed, Hong Kong will also hand
over to China individuals accused of crimes in Taiwan
and Macau. Macau, like Hong Kong, is a Chinese special
administrative region with significant autonomy.

China’s response: (Scan the QR code to watch video)

• The government has said that the proposed amend-


ments would “plug loopholes” that allow the city to be
used by criminals. It has assured that courts in Hong
Kong would make the final decision on extradition, that
only certain categories of suspects would be liable, and
that individuals accused of political and religious
offences would not be extradited.
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India and UAE relations :

• India and the UAE enjoy warm, close and multi-faceted


relations underpinned by cultural, religious and economic
linkages which, during the prime minister’s previous visit
to the UAE in August 2015, stood elevated to a comprehen-
sive strategic partnership.
• With an annual bilateral trade of about $60 billion, the
UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner. Both the countries
(Click on the above image to watch the video) are working closely and vigorously to implement the
commitment of USD 75 billion investment by the UAE in
Relevance India.
• In the financial year 2018-19, India-UAE bilateral trade
grew by over 20% to reach US$ 59.9 billion. India's exports
GS2 || International relations || India and the rest
to UAE grew by 7% to US$ 30.13 billion whereas UAE's
of the World || West Asia
exports to India surged by 37% to reach US$ 29.78 billion.
• United Arab Emirates (UAE) has operationalised a USD
Why in news? 75 billion sovereign fund for India. Abu Dhabi has a
sovereign wealth fund of about USD 800 billion.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honoured with • India has been eyeing the fund, parked with the Abu
the ‘Order of Zayed’, the UAE’s highest civilian award, Dhabi Investment Authority, for its infrastructure sector.
on Saturday as a mark of appreciation for his efforts to • UAE was among the first few countries that described
boost bilateral ties between the two nations. the Modi government's moves on Kashmir as internal.
• The response from Gulf so far has been significant in
strengthening India's position vis a vis Pakistan's narrative
on Kashmir.

Why UAE is supporting india?

• No prime minister of India had travelled to the UAE for


more than three decades, before 2015, Modi is about to
head to the Emirates for the third time since then.
• The oil rich Gulf has begun to see India, one of the world’s
leading energy importers, as a major economic partner.
• The recent Saudi decision to pick up 20 per cent stake in
the oil business of Reliance Industries Limited and UAE’s
support for the construction of India’s Strategic Petroleum
Reserve are two examples of deepening energy interde-
pendence.
• ISRO to work with UAE for its first spacecraft “Hope
About the award : Probe” launch. The UAE Space Agency and ISRO have both
set up a joint working group regarding this mission. There
• The award in the name of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan have been several meetings with the Indian Space Agency,
Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE, acquires and the latest was earlier this year.
special significance as it was awarded to Prime Minis-
ter Modi in the year of the birth centenary of Sheikh
Zayed,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a
statement ahead of his visit.
• The award has earlier been bestowed on several
world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir
Putin, Queen Elizabeth II and Chinese President Xi
Jinping.
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Highlights of PM visit to
Bahrain :
• Modi, the first Indian prime minister to visit
Bahrain, and Prince Khalifa after the delegation-level
talks witnessed the exchange of MoUs in the areas of
culture, space, collaboration with International Solar (Scan the QR code to watch video)

Alliance (ISA).

Notes

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• India is providing training support for Vietnam's


Kilo-class submarines.
• India has also offered to train Vietnamese pilots to fly
Sukhoi aircraft.
• India is providing a $100 million credit line to Vietnam,
that allows Vietnam to buy defence equipment from India.
• During his visit to Vietnam, on 2 September 2016, India's
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a new line of
credit US$500 million for procurement of defence equip-
ment.

(Click on the above image to watch the video)


India-Vietnam patrol vessel
project :
Relevance

GS2 || International relations || India and the rest of


the world || South east asia

Why in news?

• Vietnam and India have been looking to advance


their existing defense relationship as part of their
wider ties, which were elevated to a comprehensive
strategic partnership in 2016. • India’s Larsen & Toubro shipyard has launched a project
to build 12 high-speed vessels for the Vietnam Border
Guard, funded by the Indian government’s credit package.
• The high-speed patrol ships are designed to help coast
guard forces supervise and safeguard the nation's marine
sovereignty, detect illegal activities such as smuggling and
perform search and rescue missions.
• The aluminium alloy ships will be about 35m in length
with top speeds of 35 nautical miles per hour. They will be
equipped with modern guiding, monitoring and defence
systems.
• Five of the 12 ships, all designed by the Larsen & Toubro,
will be built at the company's Kattupalli shipyard, while the
rest will be constructed at Việt Nam's Hồng Hà shipyard with
support from the Indian firm.

India-Vietnam strategic ties :

• Defense ties have grown in recent years to include


not just the traditional components in this realm of
ties like exchanges and port calls but also coast guard (Scan the QR code to watch video)
collaboration, the training of personnel, capacity-build-
ing funding and equipment, and even discussions about
coproduction and technology transfer with a new credit
line offered by India to help develop Hanoi’s military
capabilities.

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• Under this treaty, India got control over: Beas, Ravi,


Sutlej. While Pakistan got control over: Indus, Chenab,
Jhelum.
• Under the treaty signed between India and Pakistan in
1960, all the waters of the three eastern rivers, averaging
around 33 million acre-feet (MAF), were allocated to India
for exclusive use.
• The waters of the western rivers - Indus, Jhelum, and
Chenab -averaging to around 135 MAF, were allocated to
Pakistan except for 'specified domestic, non-consumptive
(Click on the above image to watch the video) and agricultural use permitted to India,' according to the
treaty.

Relevance

GS2 || International relations || India and it's neighbours


|| Pakistan

Why in news?

• Taking the offensive, India has refused to renew its


1989 agreement of sharing hydrological data during
flood season with Pakistan and told the neighbour that
it would only provide information on “extraordinary
discharges and flood flows”.
Why is the Indus waters
treaty important for Pakistan?
Details :
• Indus, Chenab and Jhelum are the lifelines of Pakistan
as the country is highly dependent on these rivers for its
• The agreement, a result of an earlier India’s
water supply. Since these rivers do not originate from
goodwill gesture, was renewed every year. But the
Pakistan but flow to the country through India, Pakistan
Indian position has changed, coinciding with height-
fears the threat of drought and famine.
ened tensions over the abrogation of Jammu &
• While Chenab and Jhelum originate from India, Indus
Kashmir’s special status and the bifurcation of the
originates from China, making its way to Pakistan via India.
state into two Union Territories.
• Meanwhile, Pakistan has accused India of having
unleashed fifth-generation warfare against it and said What is the importance of
that New Delhi failed to share the hydrological data on Hydrological analysis in flood
the waters of Sutlej river with Pakistan on time, leading control?
to floods across the Islamic nation.
• Every river has its own hydrological characteristics.
• No two rivers are the same in this world.
About Indus water treaty : • Hence, if you want to control flood of a river, you must do
some work in advance about analysing hydrological features
• The Indus Waters Treaty is one of the most liberal of this river, such as annual runoff, historical maximum flow,
water distribution agreements between the two etc.
countries. The pact was signed between India and
Pakistan in September 1960 in Karachi by the then
Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan
President Ayub Khan.
• This agreement took nine years of negotiations and
divides the control of six rivers between the two
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
nations once signed.
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(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance

GS2 || International relations || International


organisations || Miscellaneous

Why in news?

• The 45th Annual G7 Summit is being held in the


French town of Biarritz.

Focus area of 45th G7 summit :

• Fighting inequality of opportunity, promoting in


particular gender equality, access to education and high
quality health services;
• Reducing environmental inequality;
• Strengthening the social dimension of globalization;
• Taking action for peace against security threats and
terrorism; and
• Tapping into the opportunities created by digital
technology and artificial intelligence (AI).

Highlights of 45th G7 summit :


What is G7 Summit?
• On the agenda for this year’s summit will be the ongoing
trade war between the United States and China, the
• G7 Summit is an event conducted annually where
European-backed nuclear deal with Iran currently opposed
world leaders from seven powerful economies of the
by President Trump, and the unrest that continues to
world come together to discuss burning issues happen-
unfold in Hong Kong.
ing around the globe.
• On August 23, President Emmanuel Macron urged the
• They, by mutual understanding, also form policies or
G7 to lead the summit discussions with the 2019 Amazon
figure out remedies for the concerned issue.
wildfires, which he described as an "international crisis". He
• The 2019 G7 Summit, presided over by France, will
said, "Our house is burning. Literally.", adding that the
focus on fighting inequality.
Amazon rainforest produces "20% of the world's oxygen."
• From the Indian perspective, a bilateral meeting
between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US
President would be beneficial only if it helps facilitate and
expedite the trade talks between the two countries.

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• President Trump’s insistence on mediating in Kashmir


overshadowed the proceedings.
• The US President has twice offered his assistance on
   
Kashmir.
• The PM seemed to have staved off these overtures
by underlining that India and Pakistan can solve their
issues bilaterally. What remains to be seen is whether
the camaraderie displayed in Modi’s meeting with Trump
would translate into the US desisting from its drive to
prevent India, along with China, from availing Special
and Differential Treatment (SandDT) in the WTO as
developing countries.

What is G7?

• The G7, originally G8, was set up in 1975 as an


informal forum bringing together the leaders of the
world’s leading industrial nations.

• The summit gathers leaders from the European


Union (EU) and the following countries: Canada, France,
Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the
United States.
• 46th G7 summit will be held in USA. The 46th G7
summit will be held in 2020 in the United States while
it holds the presidency of the G7.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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• All 45 seats in the Moscow city council are up for


reelection on September 8. The legislative body is
controlled by the pro-Kremlin ruling United Russia party.
But the party is pretty unpopular right now, so the Moscow
United Russia candidates came up with an ingenious plan to
run as independents in the city council instead.

Are the protests only about


city elections?

(Click on the above image to watch the video) • Moscow’s municipal elections are very much the focus of
these protests, but it’s hard to divorce it completely from
Relevance larger political and economic issues within Russia, specifical-
ly President Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian regime.
GS2 || International Relations || India & Rest of the
World || Russia
United Russia party :
Why in news? • United Russia is the largest party in Russia and as of
2018 it holds 335 (or 74.44%) of the 450 seats in the State
• Moscow is seeing the biggest protests in years this Duma.
summer - with tens of thousands of Russians hitting the • United Russia members constitute the majority of State
streets. They've been met with mass arrests and a Duma since 2007.
violent crackdown by police.

Another reason of protest -


stagnating Russian economy :

Reasons of protest :

• The protests, which demand that Moscow authori-


ties allow independent candidates to appear on the
ballot in the city’s upcoming elections, have been the
• Preliminary Rosstat figures show Russian gross domestic
largest wave of demonstrations in Russia since
product (GDP) growth in the first three months of the year
2011-2012.
was just 0.5 percent year-on-year, a figure well below even
• The demonstrations began in July after election
the most cautious forecasts.
officials barred opposition candidates from running for
the Moscow city council, disqualifying their ballots
because of what officials claimed were irregularities in Where does russian revenue
the 5,000 signatures each had to gather to run. come from?
• That decision — to block the opposition from
participating —turned a sleepy municipal election into • The World Bank estimates the total value of Russia's

a political controversy that intensified amid police natural resources at $75 trillion US dollars.

crackdowns against demonstrators and opposition • Hence Russia relies on energy revenues to drive most of

figures. its growth.

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• Russia has an abundance of oil, natural gas and


precious metals, which make up a major share of
Russia's exports.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

   

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About International Thermonuclear


Experimental Reactor (ITER) :

• ITER, the world’s largest experimental fusion facility is in


France.
• It is the most complex science project in human history,
started in 2010.
• It will use hydrogen fusion, controlled by superconducting
magnets, to produce massive heat energy.
• This nuclear fusion facility is an international coopera-
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
tion among the European Union, Russia, the US, Japan,
China, India and South Korea.
Relevance • It is the first industrial-scale fusion reactor and it will
illuminate the way to produce clean, cheap, and abundant
GS2 || International relations || India and rest of energy for millions of years.
the world || France • It will start generating a molten mass of electrical-
ly-charged gas “plasma” inside a core by 2025.
Why in news?

• Having committed about Rs. 17,500 crores, Prime


Difference between Nuclear
Minister Narendra Modi took stock of this mega
fission and fusion :
project on his recently concluded trip to France.

Details of India's contribution


to ITER project :
• The harnessed nuclear energy is released in nuclear
reactions. There are two types of nuclear reactions called
• India, by contributing to about ten per cent of the nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.
cost, gets access to one hundred per cent of technolo- • Nuclear fission and fusion involve the disintegration and
gy. combination of the elemental nucleus.
• This is the most expensive mega-science effort India • In the case of nuclear fission, an atom divides into two or
is participating in and globally. more smaller or lighter atoms.
• India has contributed the biggest component in the • Nuclear fusion occurs when two or more atoms join or
project - the world's largest refrigerator that houses fuse together to form a large or heavy atom.
this unique reactor, was made in Gujarat by Larsen &
Toubro. It weighs over 3800 tonnes and is almost half
the height of the Qutb Minar.

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(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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Currency Swap agreement :

• An additional $100 million will be available to Bhutan


under a standby swap arrangement to meet the foreign
exchange requirement.

Sapling palnted at Bhutan’s


historic Simtoka Dzong :
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
• PM Modi planted a Cypress tree sapling at historic
Simtoka Dzong in Thimpu in presence of his Bhutanese
Relevance
counterpart Lotay Tshering.
• Simtoka Dzong is one of the oldest fortress in Himalayan
GS2 || International relations || India and its
nation.
neighbours || Bhutan
• It was built-in 1629 by Shabdrung Namgyal, a Tibetan
Buddhist lama who is regarded as unifier of Bhutan as a
Why in news? nation-state. Simtoka Dzong functions as a monastic and
administrative centre.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a two-day
visit to neighbouring country Bhutan to explore ways
to further strengthen and diversify bilateral partner-
720 MW Mangdechhu hydro-
ship across several sectors
electric power plant inaugurated :

• This hydroelectric plant is touted as a Bhutan-India


friendship project.
• It is a 720MW run-of-river power plant built on
Mangdechhu River in Trongsa Dzongkhag district of central
Bhutan.
• It was developed by Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project
Authority (MHPA). MHPA was jointly constituted by Indian
and Bhutanese governments.
• It is one of the major projects under Bhutan’s initiative to
generate 10,000 MW hydropower by 2020 with support
from Indian government.
• Most of the electricity generated by Rs 4,500-crore
hydroelectric plant will meet energy requirements of Bhutan
and surplus electricity will be exported to India.
• Stamps were also launched to commemorate 5 decades
of India-Bhutan Hydropower cooperation.

Key Highlights of Visit : RuPay Card launched :

• PM Modi launched RuPay Card in Bhutan by making a


• India is providing ₹5,000 crore for Bhutan’s 12th purchase at Simtokha Dzong, one of the oldest dzongs in
five-year plan that began in 2018, the same as the Bhutan.
allocation for the previous plan. • India announced that an additional $100 million will be
• The two prime ministers inaugurated ₹7-crore available to Bhutan under SAARC currency swap framework
ground earth station built by India’s space agency(IS- to meet foreign exchange requirement.
RO) to allow Bhutan to use a transponder on the South
Asian Satellite for broadcast services and disaster
management.
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Two countries signed


10 MoUs :    

• India and Bhutan signed 10 Memorandum of Under-


standing (MoUs) to diversify the friendship in fields of
space research, aviation, IT, power, education, science,
technology and legal education.

Importance of Bhutan :

• Bhutan was the first country Modi visited after


taking office in 2014, a reflection of the priority
accorded to it by New Delhi.
• After winning the 2019 elections, Modi invited
leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral
Technical and Economic Cooperation, a South and
Southeast Asian economic grouping, for his swearing in
on 30 May.
• Tshering was one of those who attended the event
in New Delhi. Modi’s visit comes within three months
of his taking office for the second term.
• Foreign minister S. Jaishankar visited Bhutan on his
first trip abroad after assuming office in June.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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ECONOMY

(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance
• Ponzi schemes are named after Charles Ponzi, an
GS3 || Economy || Banking and financial sector || Italian-American who launched an investment scheme in
Money market Boston, US, in 1919, promising to double investors’
money—first in 90 days and then in 45 days.
Why in news? • Ponzi, however, had no business model to double the
money in such a short time. All he did was use money being
• Rajya Sabha has passed the Banning of Unregulated brought in by the new investors to pay off the old investors.
Deposit Schemes Bill, 2019. • The scheme ran until the money being brought in by the
new investors was more than the money being paid to the
It also seeks to amend three old investors.
laws:- • Once this equation reversed, the scheme collapsed.

• The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934


• The Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 Major ponzi scams :
• The Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002.
• Pearl Chit Fund of ₹49,000 cr. affected 5.5 crore deposi-
Propose of the bill : tors.
• The Oscar Chit Fund had deposits from 1.2 lakh people.
• Ponzi schemes are banned under the Prize Chit and • Rose Valley
Money Circulation (Banning) Act, 1978. Though it is a • Saradha
Central Act but the respective State government are the
enforcement agency of this law. In 2016 The Securities
and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) told the Supreme
Court that banned Ponzi schemes do not,fall under its
regulatory purview.
• The Bill will immediately tackle the menace of illicit
deposit-taking activities in the country launched by
rapacious operators, which at present are exploiting
regulatory gaps and lack of strict administrative
measures to dupe poor and gullible people of their
hard-earned savings, an official statement said.
• It will altogether ban unregulated deposit taking • Stock Guru
schemes, and the law has adequate provisions for • Speak Asia
punishment and disgorgement or repayment of
deposits in cases where such schemes nonetheless
Key provisions of the Bill:
manage to raise deposits illegally.

• Substantive banning clause which bans Deposit Takers


History of ponzi schemes : from promoting, operating, issuing advertisements or
accepting deposits in any Unregulated Deposit Scheme. The
Bill bans unregulated deposit taking activities altogether, by
making them an offence ex-ante rather than the existing
legislative-cum-regulatory framework which only comes into
effect ex-post with considerable time lags.
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• Creation of three different types of offences, namely,


running of Unregulated Deposit Schemes, fraudulent    
default in Regulated Deposit Schemes, and wrongful
inducement in relation to Unregulated Deposit Schemes.
• Severe punishment and heavy pecuniary fines to act
as deterrent.
• Provisions for disgorgement or repayment of deposits
in cases where such schemes nonetheless manage to raise
deposits illegally.
• Attachment of properties / assets by the Competent
Authority, and subsequent realization of assets for
repayment to depositors.
• Clear-cut time lines have been provided for attach-
ment of property and restitution to depositors.
• Creation of an online central database, for collection
and sharing of information on deposit-taking activities in
the country.

The Bill defines “Deposit Taker”


and “Deposit” comprehensively:
• “Deposit Takers” include all possible entities (includ-
ing individuals) receiving or soliciting deposits, except
specific entities such as those incorporated by legisla-
tion.
• “Deposit” is defined in such a manner that depos-
it-takers are restricted from camouflaging public
deposits as receipts, and at the same time, not to curb or
hinder acceptance of money by an establishment in the
ordinary course of its business.

Way forward :

• The law helps to speed up the process of justice after


a scamster is caught.
But it is more important is to nip these schemes at early
stage itself.
For this, the officers of SEBI & RBI need to be more
vigilant than they are.
They need to be aware of Ponzi schemes while they are
getting popular and spreading.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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• The Bill provides for constitution of a National Commit-


tee on Dam Safety which shall evolve dam safety policies and
recommend necessary regulations as may be required for
the purpose.
• The Bill provides for establishment of National Dam
Safety Authorityas a regulatory body which shall discharge
functions to implement the policy, guidelines and standards
for dam safety in the country.
• The Bill provides for constitution of a State Committee on
(Click on the above image to watch the video) Dam Safety by State Government.

Relevance Significance:
GS3 || Economy|| Infrastructure|| Power & Energy
• The Bill will help all the States and Union Territories of
India to adopt uniform dam safety procedures which shall
Why in news? ensure safety of dams and safeguard benefits from such
dams. This shall also help in safeguarding human life,
• Opposition MPs in the Lok Sabha have expressed deep livestock and property.
reservations about the Centre’s decision to introduce the • It addresses all issues concerning dam safety including
Dam Safety Bill, 2019, asserting that the legislation, which regular inspection of dams, Emergency Action Plan, compre-
is ostensibly aimed at providing uniform safety measures hensive dam safety review, adequate repair and mainte-
across the country, would undermine the powers of State nance funds for dam safety, Instrumentation and Safety
governments since water is a State subject. Manuals.
• It lays onus of dam safety on the dam owner and
Concerns raised: provides for penal provisions for commission and omission
of certain acts.
• The bill is too focused on structural safety and not
on operational safety. About DRIP:
• There is inadequate compensation to the people
affected by dams. • The Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR), Government
• There is need for an independent regulator as well as of India, with assistance from the World Bank, is imple-
for a precise definition of stakeholders. menting the DAM REHABILITATION AND IMPROVEMENT
• Many states say it encroaches upon the sovereignty PROJECT (DRIP), which would be a six-year project.
of States to manage their dams, and violates the • The Central Dam Safety Organisation of Central Water
principles of federalism enshrined in the Constitution. Commission, assisted by a Consulting firm, is coordinating
They see it as an attempt by the Centre to consolidate and supervising the Project implementation.
power in the guise of safety concerns. • Goals: The project originally envisaged the rehabilitation
and improvement of about 223 dams within four states
Why Centre is introducing namely, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu
this Bill? and later Karnataka, Uttarakhand (UNVNL) and Jharkhand
(DVC) joined DRIP and total number of dams covered under
• Though the subject does not fall under the purview
DRIP increased to 250. The project will also promote new
of Parliament, the Centre has decided to introduce
technologies and improve Institutional capacities for dam
this bill mainly because dam safety is an issue of
safety evaluation and implementation at the Central and
concern in the country.
State levels and in some identified premier academic and
• And there are no legal and institutional safeguards
research institutes of the country.
in this regard.
• The project development objectives of DRIP are: (i) to
improve the safety and performance of selected existing
Highlights of Dam Safety dams and associated appurtenances in a sustainable manner,
Bill, 2019: and (ii) to strengthen the dam safety institutional setup in
participating states as well as at central level.
• The Bill provides for proper surveillance, inspec-
tion, operation and maintenance of all specified dams
in the country to ensure their safe functioning. (Scan the QR code to watch video)

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(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance
GS3 || Economy || infrastructures || General

Why in news?

• In an attempt to encourage industries to set up


units in the Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR),
the Gujarat government offered land parcels at half
their original price. Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant too
pushed the idea of Dholera as the first “green city in the
world”.

• The investments will be spread across the 1,500 km long


Western Dedicated Freight Corridor which will serve as the
industrial corridor's transportation backbone.
• Located about 100 kilometres south-west of
Ahmedabad, Dholera will be connected to the city by a
six-lane Expressway with a metrorail running through its
centre.
Details of projects : • A greenfield international airport is also being developed
in the vicinity of the SIR which will unburden the Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel International airport of some of its traffic.
• Six of the 24 nodes identified on the DMIC are in
Gujarat.
• The government had set up the Gujarat Industrial
Corridor Corporation (GICC), an SPV to oversee develop-
ment on the DMIC, a decade ago when Narendra Modi was
chief minister.
• The Dholera SIR is slated to be bigger than Singapore. It
covers an estimated 920 square kilometers, encompassing
• The Dholera Special Investment Region is one of 22 villages of Dholera taluka of Ahmedabad district and is
the several greenfield cities that have been planned strategically located between Ahmedabad, Vadodara and
on the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). Bhavnagar.
• It is one of the world's largest infrastructure • The Dholera SIR entails development of total 9225
projects with an estimated investment of US$90 billion hectares of land up to 2040 and will employ an estimated 8
and is planned as a high-tech industrial zone spread lakh persons and will house 20 lakh inhabitants.
across six states, as well as Delhi, the national capital
and itself a Union Territory.
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About Delhi Mumbai


Expressway :

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

   

• The Delhi–Mumbai Expressway is an under-con-


struction 1,250 km long controlled-access highway
connecting the national capital Delhi with India's
commercial capital Mumbai.
• Foundation stone of the project laid by union
ministers Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and Arun
Jaitley on 8 March 2019.

About Kalpasar Project :

• The Kalpasar Project envisages building a 30 km


dam across the Gulf of Khambat in India for establish-
ing a huge fresh water coastal reservoir for irrigation,
drinking and industrial purposes.

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• Review the current institutional framework in place to


support the MSME sector.
• Impact of the recent economic reforms.
• Identify the structural problems affecting its growth.
• To study the global best practices with respect to MSMEs
and recommend its adoption in India.

What is the need for this


committee
(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance

GS3 || Economy || Industries || Industrial Policy

Why in news?

• The RBI-appointed U.K. Sinha-led committee, set up


to study the problems faced by MSMEs, submitted its
recommendations recently. • The MSME sector has been facing stress due to-
• The demonetisation exercise
• Implementation of GST
• The liquidity crunch triggered by a series of debt defaults
by group companies of Infrastructure Leasing and Financial
Services Ltd in 2018.

Challenges in MSME sector :

• Access to technology.
• IPR related issues.
• Low ICT usage.
• Wasteful usage of resources/manpower.
Importance of MSME’S : • Energy inefficiency and associated high cost.
• Poor competitiveness in the overall MSME sector.

• Engines of growth of India.


• The MSME sector employs about 111 million people. What are the key recommend-
• It accounts for more than 80% of the total industrial ations of committee ?
enterprises.
• Distressed Asset Fund - The committee has suggested a
• They account for 28% of GDP.
Rs.5,000 crore stressed asset fund for domestic micro, small
• About 45% of total manufacturing output and 40% of
and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
the total exports.
• The creation of a distressed asset fund will be
structured to assist units in clusters.
Committee on MSME : • This is intended as a relief to small businesses hurt by
demonetization, GST and an ongoing liquidity crunch.
• In January 2019, the RBI appointed an 8-member • The fund would go into reviving MSMEs in which a
expert committee headed by former SEBI chairman U.K. change in the external environment has led to them
Sinha to comprehensively review and propose long-term becoming non-performing asset (NPA).
solutions for revival of the micro, small and medium • The fund could work in tandem with RBI-mandated
enterprises (MSME) sector. restructuring schemes or bank-led NPA revival solutions for
MSMEs.
Terms of references : • The onus of creating this fund would lie with the govern-
ment.

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• Technology – The committee acknowledged the fact


• Fund of Funds - The committee suggested forming a that technology, especially digital platforms, having
government-sponsored Fund of Funds of Rs. 10,000 become inevitable.
crore. • It thus made a case for greater adoption of technology-fa-
• This is to support venture capital and private equity cilitated solutions to many of the problems encountered by
firms investing in MSMEs. the MSME sector.
• MSME Act - The committee observed that small • The committee also suggested to develop group policies
industries face problems of delayed payments. for death and accident cover for MSME entrepreneurs.
• They hesitate to enforce legal provisions available to • This, it said, should be significantly higher than the cover
them under the MSME Development Act, 2006 due to currently offered by the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima
their weak bargaining power. Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana.
• The committee thus recommended an amendment to • Another suggestion entails expediting the integration
the Act. of information on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM)
• Under this, it calls for all MSMEs to mandatorily platform with the Trade Receivables Discounting System.
upload from time to time all their invoices above an • The objective is to boost liquidity at MSMEs.
amount (to be specified by the government) to an • Going forward, the task is now for the RBI and the
information utility. Centre to act on these recommendations to help actualize
• This mechanism will entail automatic display of the the sector’s true economic potential.
names of defaulting buyers.
• This will also act as moral suasion on them to release
payment to these suppliers.
• Also, many Indian start-ups that are at the forefront
of innovation are drawn to look overseas.
• So the new law ought to address the sector’s biggest
bottlenecks, including access to credit and risk capital.
• This will go a long way in prioritizing market facilita-
tion and ease of doing business.
• SIDBI - The committee has recommended expanding
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
the role of the Small Industries Development Bank of
India (SIDBI).
• It called for SIDBI to deepen credit markets for
MSMEs in underserved districts and regions.    
• It emphasised on the role of private lenders such as
non-banking financial companies and micro finance
institutions in this regard.
• Further, SIDBI was suggested to develop additional
instruments for debt and equity.
• This would help crystallize new sources of funding
for MSMEs and MSME lenders.
• Loan portal - New entrepreneurs may not necessari-
ly have information like GSTIN, income-tax returns and
bank statement.
• The committee thus suggested that the ‘PSBLoan-
sIn59Minutes.com’ portal also cater to such new
entrepreneurs.
• Besides, obtaining regular sanctions from the banks
post in-principle approval had not been smooth for
entrepreneurs.
• It was thus suggested to fix a timeline of 7-10 days for
disposal of applications, which have received in-principle
approval.
• The committee also recommended enhancing the
threshold of loan up to Rs. 5 crore.

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• But there is one big hitch in all this: pesticides.


• Brazillian farmers use pesticides in growing all of the
country’s major export crops — soyabeans, corn, sugarcane,
coffee, rice, beans, and cotton.

Why Brazilian soyabean is


harmful?
• Soyabeans is a major crop that is laden with pesticides.
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
• While pesticide use in Brazil has risen three-times faster
than production per hectare, each one per cent increase in
Relevance soyabean production has been accompanied by a 13 per
cent increase in pesticide use.
GS 3 || Economy || Agriculture || Primary Inputs (Seeds, • It may be noted that glyphosate is used on around 95 per
Irrigation, Fertilizers, Pesticides) cent of soyabean, corn and cotton harvested in Brazil and
there is no readily available substitute.
Why in news?

• India needs to watch out as Brazil, Latin America’s


Hazards of glyphosate
powerhouse, dilutes its regulations related to pesticide
rules. • The widely-used herbicide has been linked to numerous
• Brazil’s health surveillance agency Anvisa approved health problems.
new rules which said pesticides in Brazil would be • It has been classified as a probable human carcinogen by
categorised as ‘extremely toxic’ only if they carry a the International Agency for Research on Cancer, an
‘risk of death’. intergovernmental agency under WHO.
• Russia and many European countries called for the
Dilution of rules removal of all Brazilian products and called for a general
boycott on Brazil until the government changes the policy on
pesticides.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies
pesticides into four classes on the basis of toxicity:
extremely dangerous, highly dangerous, moderately What can be done to counter
dangerous and slightly dangerous. this ?
• According to the new rules, ‘extremely dangerous
• Since India does not have any set standards for
and toxic pesticides’ will now be reclassified into
maximum residual limits for glyphosate, the FSSAI has
lower categories.
decided to use the standards set by Codex Alimentarius, a
• The new rules are thus contrary to the existing
joint committee set up by the WHO and FAO.
classification model that considers death risk, along
• It has also suggested the testing of imported shipments
with other effects like skin and eye irritations.
of these products for compliance with these limits.
• While a person may not die due to impact on the
• Even as Brazil is likely to go ahead with its agenda on
skin or an eye, these are certainly indicators of hazard-
revising and weakening pesticide rules, the global consum-
ous impacts on health.
ers or the importing nations need to be cautious while
granting import clearances to crops from Brazil.
Brazil, beans and glyphosate
Mains Question
• Two years ago, Brazil was the world’s top exporter
of soyabeans and captured half the market, followed
What is Glyphosate and why it is harzardious?
closely by the US.
• In 2017, Brazil was the third-biggest seller of beans
to India, with six per cent of the market share, after
Myanmar (60 per cent) and China (10 per cent).
• This year too, it is on its way to being the leading
exporter of soyabeans globally due to the increasing
demand from China. (Scan the QR code to watch video)

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• The data being captured includes the species, breed and


pedigree of the particular animal, information relating to its
calving, milk production, artificial insemination (AI),
vaccination and feeding/nutrition history.

Challenges so far

• Low productivity, poor animal health, the prevalence of


economically debilitating diseases, and genome selection
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
based on non-scientific and anecdotal methods
Objective
Relevance • Enable proper identification of animals and traceability
of their products, be it milk or meat
GS 3 || Economy || Agriculture ||Animal Husbandry • Farmers, processors, animal husbandry department
officials and healthcare professionals can devise appropri-
Why in news? ate strategies for livestock management
• A major cause of zoonotic diseases and challenges in
• India has the world’s largest livestock population and addressing them today is the absence of animal identifica-
is also its biggest milk producer. A giant database tion and traceability mechanisms
relating to livestock information is currently being • If our dairy and livestock industry has to meet interna-
created in India. It issues an animal UID or Pashu tionally-accepted sanitary and phytosanitary standards, a
Aadhaar to the animals. So far, nearly 22.3 million cows robust and comprehensive animal information system that
and buffaloes have been assigned UIDs. allows traceability of products to their source is sine qua
non
Facts • The products obtained from healthy or premium
animals can be separated from those originating from
diseased or nondescript ones
• The nodal agency and repository for this – Informa-
• Leverage this data for scientific and risk-based manage-
tion Network for Animal Productivity and Health or
ment of animals to deliver better health and reproduction
INAPH is the National Dairy Development Board
outcomes, enhanced productivity and improved livestock
(NDDB).
product quality.
• The information through INAPH, including the ancestry
The similarities with Aadhaar and production performance of animals, would help identify
are: healthy and productive livestock for breeding, rejuvena-
tion of weaker ones, plan for better nutritional management
• INAPH too assigns a unique random identification and systematically manage diseases.
number to each animal • The data can be used to select disease-free, high genetic
• It captures a host of data and information useful for merit bulls and fertile cows for breeding indigenous breeds
the effective and scientific management of India’s that are low on productivity
livestock resources
• It will be the biggest global database of animals
when fully captured
Step ahead than identity
• The first phase of the INAPH project would cover
the country’s 94 million-odd productive “in milk” • Artificial Insemination has so far met with limited
female cow and buffalo population. success in terms of boosting overall animal productivity. One
• It covers all indigenous, nondescript, crossbred as reason is the use of not-so-good quality semen from low
well as exotic milch animals. genetic merit bulls. The poor records of AI status of most
• The exercise will subsequently be extended to all cows or the donor bulls is a caus. AI programme will get a
bovines, including males, calves and heifers, old and shot in the arm with more reliable data on the insemination
stray animals. history of each animal.
• Each animal will be provided a thermoplastic • More efficient nutrition management through ration
polyurethane ear tag bearing a 12-digit UID. balancing can be achieved based on information on the
feeding status of each animal.

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• The entire chain, from inputs (AI/breeding, vaccina-


tion, feed and fodder, and nutrition) to output (milk
and meat) can be managed to assure enhanced animal
productivity and improved product quality.
• The database should be seen as a significant step in
heralding the next White Revolution and making
livestock a vehicle of rural prosperity.

Additional Info (Scan the QR code to watch video)

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/now-al-
so-an-aadhaar-card-for-cattle-and-buffaloes/

Mains Question

What are the objectives of providing pashu aadhaar a


Unique Identification Number for Cows & Buffaloes?

   

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Why
L are so many cautioning
against this move?
• The volatility in India’s exchange rate is far more than
the volatility in the yields of India’s G-secs (the yields are
the interest rate that the government pays when it borrows
domestically). This means that although the government
would be borrowing at “cheaper” rates than domestically, the
eventual rates (after incorporating the possible weakening of
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
rupee against the dollar) might make the deal costlier.
• Borrowing outside would not necessarily reduce the
Relevance number of government bonds the domestic market will
have to absorb. That’s because if fresh foreign currency
GS3 || Economy || Banking and financial sector || comes into the economy, the RBI would have to “neutralise”
Money market it by sucking the exact amount out of the money supply.
• This, in turn, will require selling more bonds. If the RBI
Why in news? doesn’t do it then the excess money supply will create
inflation and push up the interest rates, thus disincentivis-
• The government has announced its plans to raise a ing private investments.
portion of its gross borrowing from overseas markets. • Based on the unpleasant experience of other emerging
With the help of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the economies, many argue that a small initial borrowing is the
government will finalise the plans for the overseas thin end of the wedge.
issue of sovereign bonds by September. • It is quite likely that the government will be tempted to
dip into the foreign markets for more loans every time it runs
What exactly are sovereign out of money. At some point, especially if India does not take
bonds? care of its fiscal health, the foreign investors will pull the
plug on fresh investments, creating dire consequences for
• A bond is like an IOU. The issuer of a bond promises India.
to pay back a fixed amount of money every year until
the expiry of the term, at which point the issuer
returns the principal amount to the buyer. When a
government issues such a bond it is called a sovereign
bond.

What is the controversial part?

• The current controversy relates to India’s sovereign


bonds that will be floated in foreign countries and will
be denominated in foreign currencies.
• This would differentiate these proposed bonds from
either government securities (or G-secs, wherein the
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
Indian government raises loans within India and in Indian
rupee) or Masala bonds (wherein Indian entities — not
the government — raise money overseas in rupee terms).
• The difference between issuing a bond denominated
in rupees and issuing it in a foreign currency (say US
dollar) is the incidence of exchange rate risk.
• If the loan is in terms of dollars, and the rupee
weakens against the dollar during the bond’s tenure, the
government would have to return more rupees to pay
back the same amount of dollars. If, however, the initial
loan is denominated in rupee terms, then the negative
fallout would be on the foreign investor.

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(Scan the QR code to watch video)

(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance
   
GS3 || Economy || Economic reforms || Liberalisation
and Privatisation

Why in news?

• Govt introduces bill to amend companies law in Lok


Sabha. It amends the Companies Act, 2013.

Key features of the Companies


(Amendment) Bill, 2019:
• Allows companies to transfer their unspent CSR
funds to a separate account and the same has to be
spent within three financial years. In case, the money
remains unspent, then it should be transferred to any
fund specified in Schedule VII of the Act.
• Provides more teeth to the central government to
deal with violators and reducing burden on special
courts.
• Seeks to enable the National Financial Reporting
Authority (NFRA) to perform its functions through
divisions and executive body.
• Seeks to empower Registrar of Companies (RoC) to
initiate action for removal of a company’s name if the
latter is not carrying out business activities as per the
Act.
• Proposes to transfer some functions from NCLT to the
Central government such as dealing with applications for
change of financial year and conversion from public to
private companies.
• In order to curb the menace of shell companies, the
Bill proposes making non-maintenance of registered
office and non-reporting of commencement of business
grounds for striking off the name of the company from
the register of companies.

L
Significance of the Bill :
• The amendments aim to ensure more accountability
and better enforcement to strengthen the corporate
governance norms and compliance management in
corporate sector.
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(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance

GS3 || Economy || Structure of the Indian Economy ||


National Income & it's measures

Why in news?

• In 2017, India’s economic size stood at $2.65


trillion, followed by the UK at $2.64 trillion and France
at $2.59 trillion. However, this status was short lived as • There are signs of a consumption slowdown spreading to

the UK’s economy grew to $2.82 trillion and the French non-discretionary items such as food items. Thus far, it was

economy expanded to $2.78 trillion in 2018, against feared to have impacted only discretionary expenditure – in

India’s $2.73 trillion, showed the products such as cars and consumer durables.
• Macro indicators too aren’t presenting any encouraging
signs either. First, eight core segments — steel, cement,
fertilisers, coal, electricity, crude oil, natural gas and refinery
products, which together make up about 40% of industrial
production – grew at 1.8 per cent in January this year,
compared with 2.8 per cent in the previous month.
• The growth in industrial output itself dropped to 1.7% in
January 2019 against a growth of 2.6% in December 2018.
In the corresponding month i.e. January 2018, it had grown
7.5%.
• The GDP growth rate in the first three quarters
(April-June 2018, July-September 2018 and October-Decem-
ber 2018) of the current financial year ending March 2019,
What does it mean? the Central Statistics Office estimates, was 8 per cent, 7 per
cent and 6.6 per cent, respectively. This clearly shows a

• It means that India’s economy grew a mere 3.01 per trend of sequential slowing down and these numbers

cent in dollar terms in 2018 against 15.72 per cent in corroborate the signals that have been visible on the ground.

2017.
• On the other hand, the UK’s economy grew 6.81 per Why is it slowing down?
cent against a contraction of 0.75 per cent in this
period. The French economy expanded by 7.33 per
• The demand for passenger vehicles slowed down during
cent against 4.85 per cent.
the second half (beginning September 2018) of this financial
year because of many reasons — high interest rates, higher
Signs to suggest that the Indian fuel prices and lack of credit. However, many in the industry
economy slowing down: say consumers have only postponed the decision to purchase
• Sales of Maruti Suzuki, the largest carmaker, and vehicles, suggesting that there is no permanent destruction
Tractor sales for Mahindra have declined in December of this demand.
2018. Two-wheeler sales too started crawling since • At a very broad level, demonetisation — a radical policy
December. decision — and introduction of Goods and Services Tax — a
structural reform — naturally had an adverse impact on the
economy.

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• Over the last two years, bank credit slowed down


dramatically because banks had to make higher
provisions for bad loans. With six public sector banks
under the central bank’s prompt corrective action
framework, and some others voluntarily having pressed
the pause button on lending, retail and businesses found
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
it quite difficult to access credit.
• Poor bank credit, liquidity crisis and high interest
rates all created a huge drag on the economy.

   

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• The committee comprises six members - three officials of


the Reserve Bank of India and three external members
nominated by the Government of India. They need to
observe a "silent period" seven days before and after the
rate decision for "utmost confidentiality".
• The Governor of Reserve Bank of India is the chairper-
son ex officio of the committee.
• Decisions are taken by majority with the Governor having
the casting vote in case of a tie.
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
• The current mandate of the committee is to maintain 4%
annual inflation until March 31, 2021 with an upper
Relevance tolerance of 6% and a lower tolerance of 2%.
• The committee was created in 2016 to bring transparen-
GS3 || Economy || Banking and financial sector cy and accountability in fixing India's Monetary Policy.
|| Monetary Policy • The monetary policy are published after every meeting
with each member explaining his opinions.
Why in news? • The committee is answerable to the Government of
India if the inflation exceeds the range prescribed for three
• The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) monetary policy consecutive months.
committee (MPC) on Wednesday decided to reduce the
repo rate by 35 basis points (bps) to 5.40 per cent to
help revive the economy. It was the fourth straight rate
Relation B/W Rates & Growth :
cut by the central bank in 2019. The marginal standing
facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate has been adjusted • When the repo rate is decreased, it makes the borrow-
to 5.65 per cent. ing cheaper from the banks.
• Hence more investment and expenditure.
• Thus more output and higher growth.

Negative consequence of lower


rates :

• Since lower rates leads to more borrowings, it increases


the overall demand of goods and services.
• In economic theory, when there is higher demand, the
prices of goods and services increases.
What is Repo rate?
• Thus higher inflation.

• Repo rate also known as the benchmark interest


rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to the Recent developments and Trend
banks for a short term. wrt. rates & growth :
• When the repo rate decreases, borrowing from RBI
becomes cheaper.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) lowered the repo rate
• After the rate cut, EMIs on home loans and other
to 5.40% in the Monetary Policy Review in August.
loans will come down significantly.
• This was a level last seen 9 years ago.
• Reverse repo rate is 25 bps lower than the Repo
• Despite FOUR rate cuts aggregating to 110 basis points
Rate.
in this cycle beginning February, economic growth has failed
to pick up and, in fact, has been slowing down even more.
What is Monetary Policy • This is because the transmission of the earlier cuts by
Committee ?
banks to borrowers has been poor.
• The Monetary Policy Committee of India is responsi- • By the RBI’s own assessment, only 21 basis points have
ble for fixing the benchmark interest rate in India. The been passed on to borrowers by banks in the last two rate
meetings of the Monetary Policy Committee are held cut.
at least 4 times a year and it publishes its decisions
after each such meeting.
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• Therefore, in an environment where the other factors of


Why commercial banks not production are not favourable for an investor, low interest
passing the RBI’S rate cuts to rates by themselves may not prove attractive enough.
consumers? Thus to hope that a rate cut will suffice to re-ignite econom-
• Interest rates in the government’s small savings ic activity would be naive.
schemes have remained high.
• The liquidity crunch triggered by the sudden
inability of the non-banking finance company IL&FS to
pay back loans since last September.

Tug of war B/W RBI & Govern-


ment :
• The government of the day typically has a relatively (Scan the QR code to watch video)
short- term view when it comes to growth.
• But RBI as an institution, has the long-term view
where low inflation would eventually lead to high
growth scenarios.
   
Does only lowering rates spur
economic growth?
• Capital is one of the three main factors of produc-
tion, which are critical to the growth of a commercial
entity, the other two being land and labour.

• But capital is only a necessary, not sufficient,


condition.
• Land, unless allocated by the local government, is
too costly for investors seeking to set up shop. On
labour, even if adequate hands are available for a job,
the skill quotient is still low.
• Also to be taken into account is the market environ-
ment and demand.

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• Creation of employment opportunities


• Development of infrastructure facilities.

SEZ performance :

• Piyush Goyal told the House that the SEZs by the end of
March 2019
• Had generated 20 lakh jobs,
(Click on the above image to watch the video) • Brought investments worth Rs 5 lakh crore,
• Exports worth Rs 7 lakh crore.
Relevance
Salient features of Amendment :
GS 3 || Economy ||Industries ||Industrial Policy

• It amends definition of “person” under Section 2(v) of


Why in news? the SEZ Act 2005 to include ‘trusts’. Apart from trusts, it
also includes any entity that central government may
• Parliament has passed Special Economic Zones notify from time to time in the definition of ‘person’.
(Amendment) Bill, 2019 to allow trusts to establish • These trusts run a wide range of activities ranging from
units in Special Economic Zone (SEZs). health, education, skilling and other livelihood generation
• It was first legislation to be passed by newly-consti- activities to manufacturing and financing.
tuted 17th Lok Sabha. It replaces Special Economic Zone
(Amendment) Ordinance 2019 promulgated March
About Section 2(v) of SEZ Act,
2019 and amends SEZ Act 2005. 2005
What Is a Special Economic • The proposal for establishment of SEZ can be made by
Zone (SEZ)? any “person”. Currently, person under Section 2(v) of the
SEZ Act 2005 is defined as individual, whether resident in
• A special economic zone is an area in a country that India or outside India, Hindu undivided family, co-operative
is subject to unique economic regulations that differ society, company (whether incorporated in India or outside
from other regions of the same country. India), proprietary, firm, concern, or association of persons
• India was one of the first in Asia to recognize the or body of individuals, whether incorporated or not, local
effectiveness of the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) authority and any agency, office or branch owned or
model in promoting exports, with Asia's first EPZ set up controlled by such individual.
in Kandla in 1965.
• The Special Economic Zones (SEZs) Policy was
announced in April 2000.
What is a trust?
• The Special Economic Zones Act, 2005, was passed
by Parliament in May, 2005. • A trust “is a fiduciary arrangement that allows a third
party, or trustee, to hold assets on behalf of a beneficiary
or beneficiaries.”
Special Economic Zones act,
• For example- Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Yogpeeth, a trust
2005 :
which operates from Haridwar, can now operate from the
• The Act provides for the establishment, develop- Vishakhapatnam SEZ and export its products like ayurvedic
ment and management of Special Economic Zones for medicines, cosmetics and food products with ease by using
the promotion of exports. the port facility nearby.

The main objectives of the Why trust included ?


SEZ Act are:
• Generation of additional economic activity • Trusts are significant contributors to the financial
• Promotion of exports of goods and services sector.
• Promotion of investment from domestic and foreign • The government has received eight proposals from trusts
sources. to set up units in SEZs.

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• The proposals, have investment potential of up to Rs


8,000 crore
• The proposed changes can result in about 3 billion
dollars of new investments annually.
• According to the Ministry of Commerce and
Industry- 40% (143) of the notified SEZs (373) are
non-operational. More than 50% of land notified for the
SEZ use is lying vacant. By allowing trusts to set up units (Scan the QR code to watch video)

in the SEZs, the unused land could be put to productive


use now.

INDIA VS CHINA in terms of


SEZ :
• Chinese SEZ initiative is government driven whereas
Indian SEZs are driven by private sector.
• China has exactly six SEZs :- Shenzhen, Zhuhai,
Shantou, Xiamen, Hainan and Pudong.

   

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What will happen to the


existing Acts?
• The Model Act states that all state rent control Acts
stand repealed.
• The land and urban development are state subjects, so
the central Model Act is not binding on the states.
• The states and Union Territories will choose to repeal or
(Click on the above image to watch the video) amend their existing Acts.
• The Model Act would be applicable only to fresh
Relevance tenancies and will not affect the existing tenancies.

GS3 || Economy || Infrastructure || Housing Significance:

Why in news? • It is an important piece of legislation that promises to


ease the burden on civil courts, unlock rental properties
• Centre has proposed a Model Tenancy Law to regulate stuck in legal disputes, and prevent future tangles by
renting of premises. balancing the interests of tenants and landlords.
• As per the Census 2011, a count of 1.1 crore houses are
Highlights of the draft: lying vacant.
• The Model Act would bring these houses into the rental
market and would promote the growth of the sector.
• It mandates the landowner to give a notice in
• The existing rent control laws discourage owners from
writing three months before revising rent.
renting out their vacant houses due to fear of repossession.
• It advocates appointing district collector as rent
• When Housing for All by 2022 Mission was rolled out in
authority and heavy penalty on tenants for overstay-
2015, it promoted only ownership housing — with no
ing.
mention of rental stock.
• According to it, tenants overstaying will have to pay
double the rent for two times and four times thereafter.
• The security deposit to be paid by the tenant in
advance will be a maximum of two months’ rent.
• Both landlord and tenant will have to submit a copy
of rent agreement to the district Rent Authority which
will also have the power to revise or fix rent following
a request either by landlord or tenant.
• States will be free to adopt the law owing to land
being state subject.
• States will be required to constitute rent courts and
rent tribunal.
• If the landowner refuses to carry out the required
repairs, the tenant can get the work done and deduct
the same from periodic rent.
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
• A landowner cannot enter the rented premises
without 24-hour prior notice to carry out repairs or
replacement.
• Landowner cannot cut power and water supply in
case of a dispute with the tenant.
• Rent Authority may direct for compensation on the
person responsible for cutting off or withholding the
essential supply.
• The Rent Authority may levy a penalty be paid to
the landowner or tenant if it finds that the application
was made frivolously or vexatiously.

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• However, this is possible only if they act as rainwater


harvesting structures and not as intermediate storage
points for an increased extraction of groundwater or
diversion of canal water. The latter will cause greater
groundwater depletion and inequitable water distribution.

What does the recent study say?


(Click on the above image to watch the video)
• Farm ponds aid in superior water control through the
harvesting of rainfall, surface run-off and subsurface flows.
Relevance
• Some of them functioned exclusively as recharge points,
contributing to groundwater replenishment.
GS 3||Economy ||Agriculture || Primary Inputs (Seeds,
• They also helped in providing supplemental irrigation in
Irrigation, Fertilizers, Pesticides)
the kharif season and enhanced irrigation coverage in rabi.
• The yield of paddy stabilised, thus contributing to
Why in news?
greater food security.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi explicated the need to


implement innovative water management measures, What is its retention capacity?
stressing particularly the importance of rainwater
harvesting both at the household and community • Farm ponds can retain water for 8-10 months of the
levels. One intervention that has been tried out in year.
various States, and needs to be taken up on a bigger • This means that the farmers could enhance cropping
scale, is the construction of farm ponds. intensity and crop diversification within and across
seasons.

Issues • Increase in area used to cultivate vegetables and other


commercial crops.
• These ponds are being used as intermediate storage
• With an increased variability of monsoons and points, accelerating groundwater depletion and increasing
rapidly depleting groundwater tables, large parts of evaporation losses as the groundwater is brought to the
India are reeling under water stress. surface and stored in relatively shallow structures.
• A number of peninsular regions like Bundelkhand,
Vidarbha and Marathwada have been facing recurring
drought-like situations. What is the need for inlet,
outlet provisions?
Benefits of Farm ponds: • Maharashtra government is promoting farm ponds under
a flagship programme by offering a subsidy of up to ₹50,000
• Farm ponds can be cost-effective structures that per farmer.
transform rural livelihoods. • However, most of them are being constructed without
• They can help enhance water control, contribute to inlet and outlet provisions and their walls are raised above
agriculture intensification and boost farm incomes. A the ground level by only a few feet.
recent study on farm ponds in Jharkhand and West • They cannot arrest the excess run-off as there is no
Bengal found that they aided in superior water control inlet, so they cannot be used effectively for rainwater
through the harvesting not just of rainfall but also of harvesting.
surface run-off and subsurface flows. Some of them • Further, farmers line them at the bottom with plastic,
functioned exclusively as recharge points, contributing restricting seepage and converting the ponds into intermedi-
to groundwater replenishment. ate storage points.
• They also helped in providing supplemental • Such farm ponds have an adverse impact on the water
irrigation in the kharif season and an enhanced tables and accelerate water loss.
irrigation coverage in rabi. The yield of paddy, the most • The usual practice here is to lift water from a dug well or
important crop in kharif, stabilised, thus contributing a bore well, store it in the pond and then draw it once again
to greater food security. to irrigate the fields, often using micro-irrigation.

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Way Ahead
   
• Offering a secure irrigation facility will intensify
competition for extraction of groundwater from the
aquifer.
• In such cases, farmers fill up their farm ponds first
when the canal is in rotation and then take it from the
pond to the field.
• This can obstruct the circulation of water.
• During canal rotation, the aquifer will get recharged
because of the return flow of water coming from the
irrigated fields.
• This return flow benefits all, as most of the farmers
access water though wells in this command.
• But if canals fill up the farm ponds first, it restricts
their benefits only to the pond owners and, in the long
term, reduces the overall return flow at the system
level.

Conclusion

• Overall, farm ponds can act as effective harvesting


structures and also yield healthy financial returns.
• But if they are promoted merely for on-farm storage
of groundwater and canal water, they could accelerate,
rather than reduce, the water crisis in the countryside.

Additional Info

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/transform-
ing-liveli-
hoods-through-farm-ponds/article28775209.ece

Mains Question

What is importance of water harvesting for water


conservation?

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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• The theory states that the higher the rate of inflation,


the lower the unemployment and vice-versa. Thus, high
levels of employment can be achieved only at high levels of
inflation. The policies to induce growth in an economy,
increase in employment and sustained development are
heavily dependent on the findings of the Phillips curve.
• However, the implications of Phillips curve have been
found to be true only in the short term. Phillips curve fails
to justify the situations of stagflation, when both inflation
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
and unemployment are alarmingly high.

Relevance About Lorenz curve and Gini


Coefficient :
GS3 || Economy || Introduction to economics ||
Basic concepts

About laffer curve :

• Developed in 1974 by economist Arthur Laffer.


• Laffer curve shows the relationship between tax • Developed in 1906 by Max Lorenz.
rate and tax revenues. It explains how gradual reduc- • It is a graphical representation of income inequality.
tion in tax rates from high levels to an optimum rate • The Gini coefficient is derived from the Lorenz Curve.
can maximize tax revenue collection for the govern- • The Lorenz curve shows the percentage of total income
ment. earned by cumulative percentage of the population.
• In a perfectly equal society, the “poorest” 25% of the
About Phillips curve : population would earn 25% of the total income, the
“poorest” 50% of the population would earn 50% of the total
income and the Lorenz curve would follow the path of the
45° line of equality.
• As inequality increases, the Lorenz curve deviates from
the line of equality; the “poorest” 25% of the population
may earn 10% of the total income; the “poorest” 50% of the
population may earn 20% of the total income and so on.
• Farther the curve from baseline, higher will be the
inequality. Gini coefficient express the extent of inequality in
a single figure. It can range from 0 (or 0%) to 1 (or 100%).
• GINI index in India was reported at 35.1 in 2011,
according to the World Bank collection of development
• Developed in 1958 by economist William Phillips.
indicators.
• It shows inverse relationship between unemploy-
ment rate and inflation.
• High levels of employment can be achieved only at
high levels of inflation.
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About Kuznets curve :

• Developed in 1950s by economist Simon Kuznets.


• It shows the relationship between Growth &
Inequality.
• Economic growth initially leads to greater inequality,
followed later by the reduction of inequality.
• As economic growth comes from the creation of
better products, it usually boosts the income of
workers and investors who participate in the first wave
of innovation.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

STUDY IQ Page 101


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• The pressure on non-banking financial companies


(NBFCs) and the liquidity squeeze in the market is a big
factor for the decline in auto sales. E.g. a third of the retail
sales of Maruti Suzuki (the country’s largest carmaker) were
funded by NBFCs
• The deteriorating customer confidence is another
factor leading to a continuous slide in sales of passenger
cars.
• Customers are also postponing their purchase decisions
(Click on the above image to watch the video) due to various considerations.
• These include an expected fall in GST rates, and the
hope that the transition from BS-IV to BS-VI may lead to
Relevance big discounts between January and March 2020.
• Customers are also expecting discounts in the coming
festive season.
GS3 || Economy || Infrastructure || Transportation
• Given these factors, July became the twelfth out of the
sector
last 13 months in which the auto sector has seen a decline in
domestic sales.
Why in news ? • Other factors - Apart from the NBFC liquidity stress,
the tractor sales was hurt by weak farm sentiment, the
• Leading automobile manufacturers announced a slowdown in the rural economy, and fears of a worse than
sharp decline of up to 50% in their domestic sales in average monsoon in 2019.
July 2019. • Truck sales have been hurt by changes made by the
government in the axle load norms.
What is the whole issue ?
What does this indicate?
• Market leader Maruti Suzuki reported a 36.2% drop
in sales during July 2019.
• The sharp decline in sales of the leading manufacturer
• Manufacturers are now going for cuts in produc-
shows the decline in consumer sentiment and indicates an
tion.
overall slowdown in the economy.
• Moreover, being one of the biggest job creators in
• The drop in sales over the last one year has led major
the country, the auto sector is staring at a deep-rooted
manufacturers to cut production.
slowdown and job losses across its value chain.
• This has put pressure on the overall automotive sector,
• The drop in sales is happening across all segments.
including the automobile ancillaries.
• The passenger vehicle sales witnessed a fall of
• There have already been job losses across the value chain
18.4% in the quarter ended June 2019.
of the automobile sector, including in the dealerships and
• The commercial vehicle segment witnessed a 16.6%
ancillaries.
decline.
• The continuing decline in sales is now expected to put
• The two-wheeler segment too, saw a drop in sales by
pressure on manufacturers to cut down on their costs, and
11.7% during the quarter.
so reduce workers.
• This is notably the more affordable form of motor-
• The outlook for the rest of the year will depend on
ised mobility and an indicator of consumption demand
multiple factors.
in the hinterland.
• These include the progress of the monsoon and the
• In contrast to the trend, the tractor industry had
festive season offtake, as well as improvement in the
posted a third consecutive year of double-digit growth
liquidity situation.
up until March 2019.
• However, even tractor sales have consistently fallen
since March, recording the biggest monthly fall in
production in June 2019.

What are the causes? (Scan the QR code to watch video)

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cities and cities of Hilly states across the country so that


there will be availability of at least one charging station in a
grid of 3 km x 3 km.
• Establishment of Charging stations are also proposed
on major highways connecting major city clusters.

Challenges of electric vehicles


industry in India :

(Click on the above image to watch the video) • Lack of adequate infrastructure
• Dearth of attractive vehicles - At the moment, the EV
options in India are limited to Hyundai Kona, Tata Tigor EV,
Relevance Mahindra eVerito and Mahindra e20 Plus).
• High cost of Electric Vehicles
GS3 || Economy || Infrastructure || Transportation • No charging infrastructure
• Lack of awareness
• Environment is almost never a factor in car purchasing.
Why in news ?

• Recently the Union cabinet has approved the


Market share of electric
vehicles in India :
proposal for implementation of 'Faster Adoption and
Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India Phase II
(FAME India Phase II)' scheme for promotion of Electric
Mobility in the country.

Objectives of the scheme :

• Encourage Faster adoption of Electric and hybrid


• The Economic Survey noted that the market share of
vehicle by way of offering upfront Incentive on
electric cars in India was a meagre 0.06%, compared to
purchase of Electric vehicles.
about 2% in China and around 39% in Norway.
• Establish a necessary charging Infrastructure for
electric vehicles.
• The scheme will help in addressing the issue of Government initiatives to
environmental pollution and fuel security.
promote electric vehicles :

• Government announced an additional tax benefit of Rs


Salient Features of the 1.5 lakh on the interest paid on the loans taken for the
scheme : purchase of the electric vehicles.
• GST reduction on EVs from 12 per cent from 5 per cent
• Emphasis on electrification of the public transporta-
tion that includes shared transport.
• In 3-Wheel (W) and 4-Wheel (W) segment incentives
will be applicable mainly to vehicles used for public
transport or registered for commercial purposes.
• In the 2-Wheel (W) segment, the focus will be on the
private vehicles.
• To encourage advance technologies, the benefits of
incentives, will be extended to only those vehicles
which are fitted with advance battery like a Lithium Ion (Scan the QR code to watch video)

battery and other new technology batteries.


• The scheme proposes for establishment of charging
infrastructure, whereby about 2700 charging stations
will be established in metros, other million plus cities,

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etc. which constitute ‘on-us’ transactions (i.e. when a card is


used at an ATM of same bank which has issued card) should
also not be part of number of free ATM transactions facility
given to a customer.

About White label ATM :

• White Label ATMs are operated by non-bank entities.


• Any non-bank entity with a minimum net worth of Rs.100
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
crore, can apply for white label ATMs.
• These ATMs doesn’t have a bank logo but their compa-
Relevance ny's logo.

GS3 || Economy || Banking and Financial sector


|| Banking reforms About Brown label ATM :

Why in news ? • When banks outsourced the ATM operations to a third


party, then it is called brown label ATM.
• Every month banks provide certain number of free • The ATM is owned and operated by a private company.
transactions at ATMs to their customers and exceeding • ATM has logo of that bank.
which charges are imposed. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) • Here RBI is not directly involved.
has asked banks not to count failed transactions at
ATMs due to technical reasons as part of ‘free ATM
transactions’ permitted every month.

Background :

• The RBI rolled out a policy in August 2014, pertain-


ing to the amount and the number of ATM transactions
offered by banks for free of charge.
• According to this policy, banks were instructed to
provide a certain number of transactions free of cost to
customers every month.

Circular issued by RBI :

• The central bank has issued a circular in this regard


which comes after it came to RBI’s notice that transac- (Scan the QR code to watch video)

tions that have failed due to technical reasons or even


non-availability of currency in ATMs are also included
in number of free ATM transactions.
• RBI clarified that transactions which fail on account
of technical reasons such as non-availability of cash,
hardware and software issues and any other reason
which is attributable to bank, should not be counted as
valid ATM transactions for customer and therefore, no
charges shall be levied.
• Besides these, if the ATM is used for non-cash
withdrawal transactions such as balance enquiry,
cheque book request, payment of taxes, funds transfer,

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• Hence more investment and expenditure.


• Thus more output and higher growth.

What is negative interest rate?

• It is when a country’s central bank pushes its policy rate


below zero.
• It refers to a scenario in which cash deposits incur a
charge for storage at a bank, rather than receiving interest
(Click on the above image to watch the video) income.
• Instead of receiving money on deposits in the form of
Relevance interest, depositors must pay regularly to keep their
money with the bank.
GS3 || Economy || Banking and Financial sector
|| Monetary policy So, does it mean you earn
interest when you borrow money
What is Interest rate? from bank?

• An interest rate is the percentage of principal • No, the bank doesn’t pay the interest, instead they
charged by the lender for the use of its money. charge almost 0%.
• Banks pay you an interest rate on deposits. • It is a kind of psychological message by the central bank
• Banks charge borrowers a little higher interest rate to the citizens to spend and invest more in the economy
than they pay depositors so they can profit. rather than saving into the bank.

What is repo rate ? Has it helped in increasing


growth?

• The policy has brought some success initially in Europe


when the European Central Bank (ECB) adopted negative
rates in 2014.
• But it has failed to bring any success in countries like
Japan where negative rates were adopted in 2016.
• Thus it's still not clear if the policy work to increase the
growth rate of economy.

• Repo rate also known as the benchmark interest


rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to the
banks for a short term.
• When the repo rate decreases, borrowing from RBI
becomes cheaper.
• After the rate cut, EMIs on home loans and other
loans will come down significantly.
• Reverse repo rate is 25 bps lower than the Repo
Rate.

What happens during slow


down of Economy ? (Scan the QR code to watch video)

• Central Bank keep reducing the policy rate, it makes


the borrowing cheaper from the banks.

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Significance of the index:

• It encourages each state to assess the initiatives taken


so far, and what it can do to improve its solar rooftop
ecosystem.
• This will help states to channelize investments that can
eventually help the sector grow.
• In addition, such an exercise is likely to create a more
conducive environment for solar rooftop installations,
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
encourage investment and lead to accelerated growth of the
sector.
Relevance

GS3 || Economy || Infrastructure || Power and energy


What is rooftop solar?

• Rooftop solar installations — as opposed to large-scale


Why in news ? solar power generation plants — can be installed on the
roofs of buildings. As such, they fall under two brackets:
• SARAL – ‘State Rooftop Solar Attractiveness Index’ commercial and residential.
was recently launched. • This simply has to do with whether the solar panels are
being installed on top of commercial buildings or residential
complexes.
About the index:
What is the potential for rooftop
• The Index evaluates Indian states based on their solar in India?
attractiveness for rooftop development.
• SARAL is the first of its kind index to provide a • The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has pegged
comprehensive overview of state-level measures the market potential for rooftop solar at 124 GW. However,
adopted to facilitate rooftop solar deployment. only 1,247 MW of capacity had been installed as of Decem-
• SARAL has been designed collaboratively by the ber 31, 2016. That is a little more than 3% of the target for
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Shakti 2022, and 1% of the potential.
Sustainable Energy Foundation (SSEF), Associated
Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSO-
CHAM) and Ernst & Young (EY).
• SARAL is in concurrence with the Government’s
target of installing 175 GW of renewable energy
capacity by 2022, of which 100 GW of solar power is to
be operational by March 2022, (40 out of 100 GW is
expected to come from grid connected solar rooftops).

SARAL currently captures five


key aspects:
• robustness of policy framework
• implementation environment
• investment climate (Scan the QR code to watch video)
• consumer experience
• business ecosystem

Key findings of index:

• Karnataka has been placed at the first rank.


• Telangana, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh have got
2nd, 3rd and 4th rank respectively.
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Why RS 1,23,414 crore to Govt.?

• RBI was formed as a private shareholders’ bank in 1935.


• But government nationalised RBI in January 1949 and
thus become the sole owner.
• Thus in accordance with Section 47 (Allocation of
Surplus Profits) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, RBI
transfer the “surplus” — (i.e. the excess of income over
expenditure) to the government.
(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance Background:

GS3 || Economy || Banking and Financial sector || RBI • RBI had constituted a panel on economic capital frame-
work. It was headed by Ex-RBI governor Bimal Jalan.
• The expert panel on RBI’s economic capital framework
Why in news ? was formed to address the issue of RBI reserves—one of the
sticking points between the central bank and the govern-
• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the transfer ment.
of record Rs 1.76 lakh crore dividend and surplus
reserves to the government.

Details :

• The excess reserve transfer is in line with the


recommendation of former RBI governor Bimal
Jalan-led panel constituted to decide size of capital
reserves that the central bank should hold.
• RBI decided to transfer a record Rs 1,23,414 crore of
its surplus to the central government for the fiscal year
2018-19.
• Also an additional Rs 52,637 crore of excess
provisions as recommended by the Bimal Jalan commit-
tee on Economic Capital Framework.

What’s the isssue?

• The government has been insisting that the central bank


hand over its surplus reserves amid a shortfall in revenue
collections.
• Access to the funds will allow the government to meet
deficit targets, infuse capital into weak banks to boost
lending and fund welfare programmes.

What is economic capital


framework?
• Economic capital framework refers to the risk capital
required by the central bank while taking into account
different risks. The economic capital framework reflects the
capital that an institution requires or needs to hold as a
counter against unforeseen risks or events or losses in the
future.

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What govt. will do with the


excess capital from RBI?
• Government can use the capital transfer for
recapitalization of public sector banks which is facing
huge problem of NPA.
• As the revenue collected from GST is not as per (Scan the QR code to watch video)

expectation, the capital from RBI can also be used to


meet the fiscal deficit target of 3%.

   

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• OFB consisting of the Indian Ordnance Factories


functions under the Department of Defence Production of
Ministry of Defence, GOI.
• It comprises 41 Ordnance Factories.
• Corporate headquarter- Ordnance Factory Board,
Kolkata.
• It is a Oldest organization (1712) run by the GOI.
• It is engaged in research, development, production,
testing, marketing and logistics of defence related
products.
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
• Total workforce of about 84,000.
• OFB is the 37th largest defence equipment manufacturer
Relevance in the world & 2nd largest in Asia.
• Played key role in founding of research and industrial
GS3 || Economy || Industries || Industrial policy

Why in news ?

• More than 80,000 workers of the 41 ordnance


factories across the country are on strike, protesting
against the proposed restructuring of the Ordnance
Factory Board (OFB). These factories manufacture
weapons, ammunition, explosives and other equipment
like armoured vehicles for the defence forces as well as
foreign clients. Production at all these has come to a halt.

What is the issue?

• Workers are protesting against the proposed restructur-


ing of the OFB.
• OFB is currently a department under the Defence
Ministry.
• The government plans to convert it into one or more
About Indian ordnance corporate entities fully owned by the government, like the
factories : other public sector units. (BHEL, SAIL).
• Corporatisation of ordnance factories was listed as one
of the 167 “transformative ideas” to be implemented in the
first 100 days of the Modi government’s 2nd term.

Committees recommendation
on this issues :

• 3 expert committees had suggested such a move—


• T K S Nair Committee (2000)
• Vijay Kelkar Committee on Defence Reforms (2005)
• Raman Puri Committee (2015) — had suggested such a
move.
• 4th committee headed by Lt Gen D B Shekatkar, recom-
mended regular performance audits of all ordnance units.

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Need for Corporatisation :


   
• The present set-up is inconsistent with modern age
requirements.
• Being an arm of the government, the OFB and its
factories cannot retain profits. Hence it is difficult to
compete with rivals in the private sector.
• Corporatisation will provide operational freedom
and flexibility to the OFB & bring OFB at par with other
PSUs.

Concerns raised by employees


of ordnance factories :

• Employees fear that corporatisation is a step


towards privatization.
• This may lead to job losses.
• Corporate entity would not be able to survive the
unique market environment of defence products.

Fluctuations in orders, long gaps between orders,
uneconomical order quantity.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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reward. Such a person will not be liable for any civil or


criminal action for any injury to or death of an accident
victim, caused due to their negligence in providing
assistance to the victim.
• Recall of vehicles:The Bill allows the central government
to order for recall of motor vehicles if a defect in the vehicle
may cause damage to the environment, or the driver, or
other road users.
• The manufacturer of the recalled vehicle will be
required to: (i) reimburse the buyers for the full cost of the
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
vehicle, or (ii) replace the defective vehicle with another
vehicle with similar or better specifications.
Relevance • National Transportation Policy:The central government
may develop a National Transportation Policy, in consulta-
GS3 || Economy || Infrastructure || Transportation tion with state governments. The Policy will: (i) establish a
planning framework for road transport, (ii) develop a
framework for grant of permits, and (iii) specify priorities for
Why in news ?
the transport system, among other things.
• Road Safety Board:The Bill provides for a National Road
• The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 seeks
Safety Board, to be created by the central government
to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 to provide for
through a notification. The Board will advise the central and
road safety.
state governments on all aspects of road safety and traffic
management including.
Key highlights off the bill : • Offences and penalties:The Bill increases penalties for
several offences under the Act.
• Taxi aggregators:The Bill defines aggregators as digital
• Compensation for road accident victims: The
intermediaries or market places which can be used by
central government will develop a scheme for cashless
passengers to connect with a driver for transportation
treatment of road accident victims during golden hour.
purposes (taxi services). These aggregators will be issued
The central government may also make a scheme for
licenses by state. Further, they must comply with the
providing interim relief to claimants seeking compensa-
Information Technology Act, 2000.
tion under third party insurance.
• Compulsory insurance: The Bill requires the central
government to constitute a Motor Vehicle Accident
Fund, to provide compulsory insurance cover to all road
users in India.
• The fund will be utilised for: (i) treatment of persons
injured in road accidents as per the golden hour scheme,
(ii) compensation to representatives of a person who
died in a hit and run accident, (iii) compensation to a
person grievously hurt in a hit and run accident, and (iv)
compensation to any other persons as prescribed by the
central government.
• This Fund will be credited through: (i) payment of a
nature notified by the central government, (ii) a grant or
loan made by the central government, (iii) balance of the (Scan the QR code to watch video)

Solatium Fund (existing fund under the Act to provide


compensation for hit and run accidents), or (iv) any
other source as prescribed the central government.
• Good samaritans: The Bill defines a good samaritan
as a person who renders emergency medical or non-med-
ical assistance to a victim at the scene of an accident.
The assistance must have been (i) in good faith, (ii)
voluntary, and (iii) without the expectation of any

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• These include the Factories Act, 1948, the Mines Act,


1952, and the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition)
Act, 1970.

On whom these code applies?

• The Code enhances the ambit of provisions from existing


about 9 major sectors to all establishments having 10 or
more employees.
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
• It does not apply to apprentices.
• Further, it makes special provisions for certain types of
Relevance
establishments and classes of employees, such as factories,

GS 3 || Economy || Structure of the Indian Economy mines, and building and construction workers.

|| Labour & Unemployment


What are the key provisions
Why in news? the bill ?
• Relevant authorities - All establishments covered by the
• The Occupational Safety, Health and Working
Code must be registered with registering officers.
Conditions Code, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha.
• Further, Inspector-cum-facilitators may inquire into
accidents, and conduct inspections of establishments.
• Both these authorities are appointed by the central or
state government.
• Additionally, the government may require certain
establishments to set up safety committees comprising
representatives of employers and workers.
• Advisory Bodies - The central and state governments will
set up Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Boards at
the national and state level, respectively.
• These Boards will advise the central and state govern-
ments on the standards, rules, and regulations to be framed
under the Code.
• Duties of employers - The Code specifies several duties
of employers which include -
Why this code?
• providing a workplace that is free from hazards that may
cause injury or diseases
• To provide a broad legislative framework to ensure • providing free annual health examinations to employees,
safe and better conditions of work, while providing as prescribed
necessary flexibility for making rules and regulations • In case of an accident at the workplace that leads to
in tune with the emerging technologies. death or serious bodily injury of an employee, the employer
It says the endeavour is to simplify, amalgamate and must inform the relevant authorities.
rationalise the provisions of these laws as per the • Rights and duties of employees - Duties of employees
recommendation of the Second National Commission under the Code include -
on Labour (2002). • taking care of their own health and safety
• A healthy workforce would be more productive and • complying with the specified safety and health standards
the occurrence of fewer accidents and mishaps at • reporting unsafe situations to the inspector
work would be economically beneficial. • Every employee will have the right to obtain from the
• So, safety, health, welfare and improved working employer information related to safety and health
conditions are pre-requisite for well being of the standards.
worker and the country’s economic growth. • Working Hours - Work hours for different classes of
• With this in mind, the Code repeals and replaces 13 establishment and employees will be provided as per the
labour laws relating to safety, health and working rules prescribed by the central or state government.
conditions.

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• For overtime work, the worker must be paid twice


the rate of daily wages.
   
• Female workers, with their consent, may work past
7pm and before 6am, if approved by the central or state
government.
• Leave - No employee may work for more than 6 days
a week.
• However, exceptions may be provided for motor
transport workers.
• Workers must receive paid annual leave for at least
one in 20 days of the period spent on duty.
• For sales promotion employees, medical leave must
be provided for at least one-eighteenth of the period of
service.
• During medical leave, the worker must be paid half
his daily wages.
• Working conditions and welfare facilities - The
employer is required to provide a hygienic work
environment.
• These include ventilation, comfortable temperature
and humidity, sufficient space, clean drinking water,
and latrine and urinal accommodations.
• Other welfare facilities may be provided as per
standards prescribed by the central government.
• These facilities may include separate bathing places
and locker rooms for male, female and transgender
employees, canteens, first aid boxes, and creches.
• Offences and penalties - An offence that leads to the
death of an employee will be punishable with imprison-
ment of up to 2 years, or a fine up to Rs. 5 lakh, or both.
• Further, courts may direct that at least 50% of such
fine be given as compensation to the heirs of the
victim.
• For any other violation where the penalty is not
specified, the employer will be penalised with a fine
between 2 and 3 lakh rupees.
• If an employee violates provisions of the Code, s/he
will be subject to a fine of up to Rs 10,000.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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(Scan the QR code to watch video)

(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance    

GS3 || Economy || Agriculture|| Primary Inputs


(Seeds, Irrigation, Fertilizers, Pesticides)

Why in news ?

• Union Government has approved Rs 4,900 crore


Kosi-Mechi Interlinking project for interlinking of Kosi
and Mechi rivers of Bihar. This is the second major river
interlinking project in the country to be approved by
Central Government after the Ken-Betwa project in
Madhya Pradesh.

Need and significance of the


Project :
• The river Kosi is an international river originating
from Tibet and flowing through Nepal in Himalayan
Mountains and the lower portion through plains of
North Bihar.
• To overcome the acute problem of shifting of course
of Kosi river, heavy sediment load, flooding etc. and to
alleviate the severe suffering of the people of Bihar, the
then His Majesty’s Government of Nepal and The
Government of India signed an agreement on 25th April
1954 for implementation of Kosi project. The present
proposal is an extension of Eastern Kosi Main Canal
(EKMC) system upto river Mechi, a tributary of river
Mahananda.
• The aim of extension of EKMC upto Mechi river is
mainly to provide irrigation benefits to the water scarce
Mahananda basin command in the districts of Araria,
Kishanganj, Purnea and Katihar during kharif season
depending upon the pondage available in Hanuman
Nagar barrage.
• This intrastate link scheme will thus transfer part of
surplus water of Kosi basin to Mahananda basin. In view
of irrigation benefit from the link canal, the project is
fully justified.

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• In the same period, imports from ASEAN and South


Korea, with whom India has FTAs, has increased at a CAGR
of 34% and 42% in volume terms.
• India has been witnessing an unprecedented rise in
dumping of hazardous waste paper due to a ban on these
materials in China.

Paper industry in india :


(Click on the above image to watch the video)

• India’s first machine made paper was manufactured in


Relevance 1812.
• Indian paper industry accounts for 1.6% of world’s
GS3 || Economy || Industries || Major industries production.
• It contributes around Rs. 3000 cr. to the exchequer.
• Paper industry in India is mainly plantation based and
Why in news? requires huge amount of water.
• It has created sustainable livelihood in rural areas and
• The Indian Paper Manufacturers Association has has helped the local population especially for women to earn
called for paper and paperboard to be kept in the their livelihood.
Negative List, with no further import tariff conces- • Some of the paper products are- paper boxes, sheet
sions, under the proposed RCEP. paper, tissues, stationary, envelops etc.
• This was to safeguard the industry’s investment and • Specialty papers like sandpaper, carbon paper doesn’t
incentivise it for further growth, said the association. come under paper product industry.

What are the worries


for Domestic Industry?
• The paper industry has made significant invest-
ments to ramp-up capacities in the last few years.
However, the commercial viability of the investments
is being impacted adversely on account of rising
imports,” said AS Mehta, President, IPMA.
• Duty-free imports under RCEP will disrupt industry’s
value chain linkages with farmers which has led to
enhanced rural incomes, employment and greening of
India.
• Already, basic customs duty (BCD) on paper and
paperboard stands at nil under India-ASEAN FTA and
India-Korea CEPA. (Scan the QR code to watch video)
• Under the Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA),
India extended import tariff concessions to the world’s
largest paper producer China and reduced BCD to 7%
from 10% on most grades of paper.
• On the other hand, large paper markets such as the
US and EU have imposed anti-dumping duties on paper
and paperboard originating from some of these
countries.
• In the last eight years, imports have grown at a
compound annual rate of 14% to 1.48 mt in 2018 from
0.54 mt in 2010.
• In value terms it was up 13 per cent to ₹9,134 crore
last fiscal from ₹3,411 crore in 2010-11.

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Solutions

• Air pollution – Construction dust, road dust, thermal


power generation, diesel generators, traditional cooking
fuels, stubble burning and open waste burning also contrib-
ute. Need action against each of these sources.
• Dependence on fossil fuels can be cut down not just by
banning diesel, but by other more sane and immediate
measures. Upgrade to the latest diesel-engine technology in
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
public transport, reduce traffic congestion, ensure adequate
power supply and get into diesel-blends.
Relevance • Ban all Bharat Stage 3 (BS3) vehicles and below. At
once, close to 40% of all the 300 million vehicles on the
EGS 3 || Economy || Infrastructure || Transportation roads will be gone. There’s no “vehicle scrappage policy”.

Why in news? Public transport

The obsession with electric mobility makes it look as if it • Assure top-notch public transport in India’s top 24
is the only solution for India’s transportation problems. cities. A multi-modal grid of trains, buses, taxis, three-wheel-
ers and two-wheelers could achieve this.
• Incentivize the manufacture and purchase of public
What the government must
transport vehicles through lower GST and cheaper loans.
do instead
• Encourage greater use of public transport among
• Bringing down the fuel import bill citizens through redemption and loyalty programs.
• Bringing down air pollution • Get all organizations with more than 100 employees to
use bus fleets.
• Decongest the 60 top smart cities. They constitute
Reasons almost 90% of our vehicular population and thus vehicular
pollution. We need to focus on smoother traffic flow, better
parking management and pedestrian movement. Close to
• We still cannot ensure a 24×7 electricity supply to
12% of vehicular fuel is wasted on idling and traffic snarls.
hospitals. All our villages still do not have a reliable
• Expand the traffic police strength by four-five times in
electricity supply.
over-jammed cities.
• Close to 80% of the electricity generated is from
• Create and mandate dedicated parking spots for shared
coal and gas. Yet another 50,000MW of coal-fired
mobility services.
power plants are being set up under the National
• Create vast grids of pedestrian skywalks. Operate
Electricity Plan.
multi-level parking lots.
• More than 20% of all the electricity generated goes
• Each of these measures would show an immediate
into “transmission and distribution losses”.
impact on vehicle-caused pollution and the use of fossil
fuels.
Points
Mains Question
• Due to inadequate and irregular last-mile supply,
close to 15 million tonnes of diesel is used by local
Electric Vehicles need to travel a long road before they
generators to produce 80 billion KWh of electricity.
become mainstream mode of mobility in India. Discuss.
• Close to $2 billion worth of battery storage capacity
is imported every year.
• Most independent power plants operate at 12-15%
below their declared capacity as they over-invoice plant
costs.
• There will be immense pressure on the power grid
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
that is not yet fully reliable.
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• CSR violationwould be treated as a civil offence, not a


criminal offence.
• All pending GST refundstill now shall be paid in 30 days.
Future GST refunds to be paid in 60 days.
• Govt to simplify the GST system

Auto sector:

(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance
GS3 || Economy || Banking and financial sectors ||
Banking reforms

Why in news?

• Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has


announced measures to revive growth, boost consump-
• BS-IV cars purchased till March 2020 to remain operation-
tion and uplift investor and consumer sentiment.
al for the entire period of registration.
• Govt asks its departments to replace old vehicles.
Present scenario : • Higher vehicle registration fee deferredto June next year.
• Higher depreciation for all vehicle: Depreciation
increased to 30 per cent for all vehicle purchased till March
• Current projected global GDP growth is 3.2%.
2020.
• The slowdown is visible in advanced economies and
• Scrappage policy to be announced soon.
not just in developing economies.
• Reform is an ongoing & continuous process.
• About labour, taxation reforms, we have kept that MSMEs:
momentum," says Nirmala Sitharaman

• Govt withdraws angle tax provision for startups and


key announcements: their investors.
• One-time settlement policy for MSME loans. Policy to be
based on check box approach.
• Laws to be amended to ensure one MSME definition.
Investors:

• Enhanced surcharge on FPIs stands withdrawn.


Surcharge on domestic investors in equity markets also
withdrawn.
• Aadhaar-based KYCfor opening demat accounts and
investment in mutual funds.
• Govt working to bring offshore rupee market to
domestic market.
• Govt to consult with RBI to enhance Credit default
swap options.

Industry:

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Home, auto loans:


   
• Banks to make home, auto loans cheaper. Banks have
agreed to pass on the rate cut announced by RBI to
customers. Banks to launch Repo Rate linked loans.
• Online tracking system for home, auto loans.
• PSBs to return loan documentsto customers within
15 days of loan closure.

Income Tax:

• Govt to end tax harassment. Old tax notice to be


decided by October 1.
• From October 1, all Income Tax notices must be
dispoed off within 3 months.

For NBFCs:

• NBFC can now use Aadhaar-based KYC.


• Prepayment notices issued to NBFCs will be
monitored by banks.
• Additional liquidity to support Housing Finance
Companies by National Housing Board increased to Rs
30,000 crore.
• Govt to release Rs 70,000 crore upfront for PSBs
recapitalisation.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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SECURITY
• The naming of these centres can be decided by the state
government concerned.

Objective behind the orders :

• The development comes amid the exercise to finalize


the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.

(Click on the above image to watch the video) • The move comes as an effort to address the concerns
over the lack of basic amenities at existing centres.
Relevance • The detention centres are meant to house the illegal
migrants/foreigners for longer periods.
GS3 || Internal security || Tackling security threats || • It restricts the movement of foreigners staying back
Major laws and policies illegally.
• It thereby ensures that they are physically available at
Why in news? all times for expeditious repatriation or deportation when
legally ordered.
• The Centre has asked all states and UTs to set up at • The powers to deport illegally staying foreign nationals
least one detention centre each with modern amenities have been entrusted under Article 258 (1) of the Constitu-
for illegal migrants/foreigners tion to state governments.

What is the order? Concerns :

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) came up with • The move raises some discomfiting questions about the
the ‘2019 Model Detention Manual’. government’s broader social agenda centred on citizenship.
• It has called for setting up of “one detention camp in • The move has some dangers that may come with any
the city or district where major immigration check post selective detention policy.
is located”. • Millions of Indians born before the mid-eighties do not
• It also said that all members of a family should be have birth certificates.
housed in the same detention centre. • They may have other documents such as a passport or
• The states do not need specific approvals from the an Aadhaar card or voter ID.
Union home ministry for setting up a detention or • But none of these can be considered incontrovertible
holding centre. proof of citizenship.
• Every detention centre shall have a cell which will • This leaves considerable discretion in the hands of the
provide help to the detainee foreigners. state police to harass people, and the detention centres
• These may include contacting the concerned would amplify that menace.
mission/embassy/consulate or their family through • The already rampant human rights violations at such
proper procedure. centres in Assam remain a cause for concern.
• A “skill centre” and “creche facilities for children” • It places in the hands of the state security apparatus
may be provided within the detention camp. unwarranted powers over the citizenry.
• The home ministry has directed that detention • It is also uncertain if the recommendations for humane
centres or camps be set up outside jail premises. conditions specified in the order would be followed in
• This comes after the observation that detention letter or spirit.
centres in most states were being run from prison.
• Nonetheless, the ministry has called for proper
security measures so that illegal immigrants do not
escape from the detention centres.
• A proper boundary wall with dense barbed wire
fencing above it should be erected.
(Scan the QR code to watch the video)
• The boundary wall should be minimum 10 feet high
with main gate, wicket gate and strict access control
measures.
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• The Bill adds another treaty to the list. This is the


International Convention for Suppression of Acts of
Nuclear Terrorism (2005).

Why is it being opposed?

• This is a potentially dangerous amendment which will


empower officials of Union Ministry to brand any person ‘a
terrorist‘, without following due process.
(Click on the above image to watch the video) • The name of such a person will be included in the ‘Fourth
Schedule’ proposed to be added in the parent Act.
Relevance • The only statutory remedy available to such a person is
to make an application before the Central Government for
GS3 || Security || Tackling security threats || Major l de-notification, which will be considered by a Review
aws and policies Committee constituted by the Government itself.
• The amendment does not provide any legal consequence
Why in news? in case an individual is designated a terrorist.
• The inclusion of one’s name in the Fourth Schedule as a
• Parliament passes the Unlawful Activities (Preven- terrorist per se will not lead to any conviction, imprisonment,
tion) Amendment Bill, 2019. fine, disqualifications or any sort of civil penalties. So this is
simply a power for the government to brand any one as a
Key features of the Bill: terrorist.
• An official designation as a terrorist will be akin to ‘civil
death’ for a person, with social boycott, expulsion from job,
• The Bill amends the Unlawful Activities (Preven-
hounding by media, and perhaps attack from self-pro-
tion) Act, 1967.
claimed vigilante groups following.
• Who may commit terrorism: Under the Act, the
central government may designate an organisation as a
terrorist organisation if it: (i) commits or participates in
acts of terrorism, (ii) prepares for terrorism, (iii)
promotes terrorism, or (iv) is otherwise involved in
terrorism. The Bill additionally empowers the govern-
ment to designate individuals as terrorists on the same
grounds.
• Approval for seizure of property by NIA: If the
investigation is conducted by an officer of the National
Investigation Agency (NIA), the approval of the Director
General of NIA would be required for seizure of proper-
ties that may be connected with terrorism.
• Investigation by NIA: Under the Act, investigation of
cases may be conducted by officers of the rank of
Deputy Superintendent or Assistant Commissioner of
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
Police or above. The Bill additionally empowers the
officers of the NIA, of the rank of Inspector or above, to
investigate cases.
• Insertion to schedule of treaties: The Act defines
terrorist acts to include acts committed within the
scope of any of the treaties listed in a schedule to the
Act. The Schedule lists nine treaties, including the
Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings
(1997), and the Convention against Taking of Hostages
(1979).

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Similar efforts in the past to


tackle Naxalite movement :

(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance
GS3 || Security || Tackling security threats ||
Paramilitary forces

Why in news?

• Union Ministry of Railways launched CORAS • Greyhounds (police) - Greyhounds is a police special
(Commando for Railway Security) of Indian Railways. It forces unit operating in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh
is separate Commando Unit of Railway Protection and Telangana and belongs to the Andhra Pradesh and
Force (RPF). It has been carved out from motivated and Telangana Police departments. Greyhounds specialises in
willing young staff of Railway Protection Force (RPF) anti-insurgency operations against Naxalite and Maoist
and Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF). terrorists.
• Black Panther - Chhattisgarh would get a specialised
anti-Naxal combat force called "Black Panther" on the lines
of the Greyhound unit.
• Operation Green Hunt was the name used by the Indian
media to describe the "all-out offensive" by government of
India's paramilitary forces and the state's forces against the
Naxalites. The operation is believed to have begun in
November 2009 along five states in the "Red Corridor.

About Commando for


Railway Security (CORAS) :

• Vision Statement of CORAS: (i) Develop world level


capabilities of specialized responder for any situation
pertaining to damage, disturbance, disruption of
train/railway operations, attack/hijack/ hostage,
disaster situations in railway areas. (ii) Providing fool
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
proof security to Indian Railways and its users by
following doctrine of graded response, minimum
effective force.
• Deployment : CORAS’ first deployment will be in
naxal-hit Chattisgarh. They will also be deployed in
areas where railway has major ongoing projects which
need security like northeastern States and Jammu and
Kashmir,” the director general of the RPF said.
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• Most countries with advanced militaries have such a


post, albeit with varying degrees of power and authority.
• The United States Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff
Committee (CJCSC), for example, is extremely powerful,
with a legislated mandate and sharply delineated powers.
• He is the most senior military officer and military adviser
to the President.
• The Chiefs of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force,
Marine Corps, and National Guard too, are members of the
JCSC.
(Click on the above image to watch the video) • All, including the CJCSC, are four-star officers, but by
statute only the CJCSC is designated as the “principal
Relevance military adviser”.

GS3 || Security || Tackling security threats || Army,


Navy and Airforce When was CDS proposed?
Why in news?
• The first proposal for a CDS came from the 2000 Kargil
Review Committee (KRC).
• Prime Minister announced the creation of the post
• The Group of Ministers Task Force that studied the KRC
of Chief of Defence Staff to provide effective leader-
report proposed to the Cabinet Committee on Security that
ship at the top level to the 3 wings of the armed forces.
a CDS, a 5-star officer be created.
• In preparation for the post, the government created the
Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) in late 2002
• It eventually served as the CDS’s Secretariat but
remained as a yet another nebulous department within the
military establishment.

What is the office of the Chief


of Defence Staff (CDS)?
• The CDS is a high military office that oversees and
coordinates the working of the three Services.
• It offers seamless tri-service views and single-point
advice to the Prime Minister on long-term defence
planning and management, including manpower,
equipment and strategy, and jointsmanship in opera-
tions.
• The role of the CDS becomes critical in times of What happened to the
conflict. proposal?

Is there any similar post in • No consensus emerged among the tri-Services.


other countries? • The Congress, then opposition, was against the idea of
concentrating too much military power in the CDS’s post.

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• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) opposed it subtly for


the same reasons, and because it could disrupt civil-mili-
tary ties in the latter’s favour.
• Unlike the US and other western militaries, the
   
Indian Services are not an expeditionary force, and for
which a CDS is a necessity.

What is the benefits for


having a CDS?

• CDS was needed to bring more coordination among


the three Services.
• The KRC report said that India is the only major
democracy where the Armed Forces Headquarters is
outside the apex governmental structure.
• Long-term defence planning suffers as day-to-day
priorities dominate.
• The Prime Minister and Defence Minister do not
have the benefit of the expertise of military command-
ers, in order to ensure that higher level defence
management decisions are more consensual and
broad-based.
• The CDS is seen as being vital to the creation of
“theatre commands”, integrating tri-service assets and
personnel like in the US military.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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• The Bill empowers the state police chief to appoint a


state coordinator of the rank of inspector general of police
to prevent the incidents of lynching in the state with the
district superintendents of police acting as the district’s
coordinator, to be assisted by a deputy superintendents of
police, for taking measures to prevent incidents of mob
violence and lynching.
• The Bill also enlists various other offences related to
the lynching such as dissemination of offensive materials,
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
propagation of hostile environment and obstructing legal
processes, which would be punishable with jail terms
Relevance varying from three to five years.
• The Bill also stipulates the provision of compensation to
GS3 || Security || Tackling Security Threats ||Major victims by the state government as per the Rajasthan Victim
Laws & Policies Compensation Scheme.
• It also binds the state government to take necessary
Why in news? measures to rehabilitate the victims of mob lynching,
suffering displacements from their native places.
• Rajasthan Assembly Passes Anti-Lynching Bill.

Need of the bill :

• While the Indian Penal Code and the Criminal


Procedure Code have provisions to deal with the cases
of mob lynching incidents, they are not adequate.
Accordingly, the government has brought the Bill to
provide for stricter punishment to curb such incidents.
• After 2014, 86% cases of mob lynching reported in
the country happened in Rajasthan.
• Legislation fixes command responsibility for commu-
nal incidents. It recognises that targeted communal
violence disproportionately victimises minorities and it
creates a mechanism to insulate investigations of
communal violence from political interference.

Silent features of the bill:


(Scan the QR code to watch video)
• Definitions: “Mob”– a group of two or more individu-
als.
• “Lynching“- “an act or series of acts of violence or
those of aiding, abetting or attempting an act of
violence, whether spontaneous or preplanned, by a mob
on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, place of
birth, language, dietary practices, sexual orientation,
political affiliation or ethnicity”.
• Provision for punishment : For the offence of an
assault by mob, leading to the victim suffering grievous
hurts, the Bill provides for jail terms up to 10 years and
a fine of Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 3 lakh.
• In cases of the victims suffering simple injuries, the
Bill proposes imprisonment up to seven years and a fine
up to Rs. 1 lakh.
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(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance
• Pakistan refuses to adopt a "no-first-use" doctrine,
GS3 || Security || Tackling Security Threats || Nuclear indicating that it would launch nuclear weapons even if the
Weapons other side did not use such weapons first.

Why in news?

• Amid India’s increasing bilateral tensions with


Pakistan, defence minister Rajnath Singh hinted that
India may abandon its No First Use policy on nuclear
weapons.
• “Till today, our nuclear policy is 'No First Use'. What
happens in future depends on the circumstances,” the
defence minister said.

Previous position of India :

• India had first adopted a 'No first use' policy after


the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998. The government's
stated policy till now has been that nuclear weapons are
solely for deterrence and India will pursue a policy of
"retaliation only".
• Prime Minister NarendraModi, too, in the run-up to
the 2014 LokSabha election, had ruled out the first use
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
of nuclear weapons and said the nuclear weapons are
for India's defence and protection, "not to suppress
anyone".

What is no first use policy ?

• No first use (NFU) refers to a pledge or a policy by a


nuclear power not to use nuclear weapons as a means
of warfare unless first attacked by an adversary using
nuclear weapons. Earlier, the concept had also been
applied to chemical and biological warfare.
• China declared its NFU policy in 1964, and has since
maintained this policy.

Pakistan's nuclear policy :

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DISASTER MANAGEMENT
• Even in a rain-shadow region such as Coimbatore in TN,
the collapse of a railway parcel office after a downpour has
led to avoidable deaths.
• All these call for taking preparatory measures for the
rainy season.

What are the concerns in


this regard?
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
• The response of State governments to this imperative is
Relevance delayed.
• States are hesitant to act against encroachment of lake
GS 3 || Disaster Management|| Major Disasters ||Floods catchments, river courses and floodplains.
• E.g., even the extreme distress in Chennai has not
Why in news? persuaded the State government against allowing
structures being constructed on a lake bed, after reclassifi-

• India is witnessing widespread monsoon rains across cation of land

the country, with threats of floods in some states. • Granting such permissions is a clear abdication of

• There has to be concerted measures by states to deal responsibility and violation of National Disaster Manage-

with the crippling cycles of drought and flood. ment Authority Guidelines to prevent urban flooding.

What is the current monsoon What are the measures


status? needed?
• The pre-monsoon phase between March and May
• It is important to increase resilience through planning,
was worrying as rainfall was scarce.
especially in cities and towns which are expanding steadily.
• However, the current robust monsoon season in
• Orderly urban development is critical for sustainability,
most parts of coastal, western and central India augurs
as the mega flood disasters in Mumbai and Chennai
well for the entire economy.
indicate.
• The beneficial conditions in the Indian Ocean have
• Water-harvesting measures, as advocated by the
aided the very heavy rainfall recorded so far.
Centre’s Jal Shakti Abhiyan, and a safety audit of structures
• This is, especially, in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajast-
should be taken up.
han, the north-eastern States, Karnataka, the Konkan
• In drafting their management plans, States must be
coast, hilly districts of Kerala and TN.
aware of the scientific consensus - on future rain spells
• This pattern may extend into Chhattisgarh, Odisha,
influenced by a changing climate.
Bengal and other eastern regions as well.
• They need to invest in reliable infrastructure to mitigate
the impact of flooding and avert disasters that could have
What is the need for caution? global consequences in an integrated economy.
• Scientific hydrology, coupled with the traditional
wisdom of saving water through large innovative
• The recent floods in Kerala and the Chennai catastro-
structures, will mitigate floods and help communities
phe of 2015 remind of the negative side to rains.
prosper.
• The long-term trends for flood impact in India have
been one of declining loss of lives and cattle since the
decadal high of 1971-80. Additional Info
• However, there is rising absolute economic losses,
though not as a share of GDP. https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/cycle-of-ex-
• There can be a terrible cost in terms of lives and tremes/article28917211.ece
property lost, and people displaced in events of flood.
• Distressing scenes of death and destruction are
again being witnessed.

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Mains Question

How can we deal with Rains and Floods?


(Scan the QR code to watch the video)

   

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• They’re now burning in massive numbers, an 80 percent


increase over this time last year, according to Brazil’s
National Institute for Space Research (INPE). The fires can
even be seen from space.

(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance

GS3 || Disaster Management || Major Disasters


|| Forest fires

Why in news?

• Thousands of fires are ravaging the Amazon


rainforest in Brazil – the most intense blazes for almost How did the Amazon fires
a decade. start?

• According to Brazil’s space research center (INPE), the


country has seen an 80% increase in fires this year,
compared with the same period last year.
• According to INPE, more than half were in the Amazon
region, spelling disaster for the local environment and
ecology and 99% percent of the fires result from human
actions “either on purpose or by accident”.
• The weekly Brasil de fato reported that Bolsonaro’s
anti-environment rhetoric has emboldened farmers, who
organised a “fire day” along BR-163, a highway that runs
through the heart of the rainforest.
About Amazon Rainforest: • The weekly quoted a report by local newspaper, that
local farmers had set fire to sections of the rainforest a few
• The Amazon rainforest stretches across 5.5 million days ago to get the government’s attention.
square kilometers, an area far larger than the EU. • While the Amazon rainforest is typically wet and
• The Amazon rainforest home to one in 10 species humid, July and August are the onset of the dry season (the
on Earth is on fire. As of last week, 9,000 wildfires were region’s driest months).
raging simultaneously across the vast rainforest of • Fire is often used to clear out the land for farming or
Brazil and spreading into Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru. ranching. For that reason, a vast majority of the fires can be
• The Amazon rainforest is a moist broadleaf tropical attributed to humans.
rainforest in the Amazon biome that covers most of
the Amazon basin of South America.
• The majority of the forest is contained within Brazil,
Why are the Amazon fires
with 60% of the rainforest, followed by Peru with 13%,
a cause for concern?
Colombia with 10%, and with minor amounts in
Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and • It is also home to indigenous communities whose lives
France (French Guiana). and homelands are under threat due to encroachment by
• The blazes, largely set intentionally to clear land for the Brazil government, foreign corporations and govern-
cattle ranching, farming, and logging, have been ments with economic interests in the resource-rich region,
exacerbated by the dry season. and local farmers.

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• Research by scientists Carlos Nobre and Thomas E


Lovejoy suggests that further deforestation could lead
to the Amazon’s transformation from the world’s largest
rainforest to a savanna, which would reverse the
region’s ecology.
• A National Geographic report said the Amazon
rainforest influences the water cycle not only on a (Scan the QR code to watch video)
regional scale, but also on a global scale.
• The rain produced by the Amazon travels through
the region and even reaches the Andes mountain
range. Moisture from the Atlantic falls on the rainfor-
est, and eventually evaporates back into the atmos-
phere.
• The report said the Amazon rainforest has the
ability to produce at least half of the rain it receives.
This cycle is a delicate balance.

   

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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Uses

• Annually about 2.14 lakh vehicles are stolen across the


country with Delhi topping the list at 38,644 in 2016, which
translates to over 100 vehicles daily, followed by UP
(34,480) and Maharashtra (22,435).
• The move will ensure that consumers have a way of

(Click on the above image to watch the video)


identifying original parts from fake ones and that contrib-
utes to overall safety as well.
Relevance
GS 3 || Science & Technology || Fourth Industrial
Additional Info
Revolution ||Automation
https://indianexpress.com/article/in-
dia/draft-rules-ready-to-make-microdots-must-in-vehicles-
Why in news?
5859198/

• The government has come out with draft rules to


make microdots mandatory in vehicles. Mains Question
• This move will also ensure that consumers have a
way of identifying original parts from fake ones and What are some of the measures of Vehicular safety?
that contributes to overall safety as well.

Microdots Technology

• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued


a draft notification on amending the Central Motor
Vehicles Rules, 1989, and allowing motor vehicles and
their parts, components, assemblies, sub-assemblies to
be affixed with permanent and nearly invisible micro-
dots.
• These microdots can be read physically with a
microscope and identified with ultraviolet light.
• Microdots are a globally proven technology to ensure
originality in spare parts of machines and components,
including in the automobile sector. (Scan the QR code to watch video)

• The government has envisaged that with microdots


becoming a permanent feature in vehicles, identifying
them would become easier in case they are stolen.

How it works?

• The microdots and adhesive are to become a


permanent fixture/affixation which cannot be removed
without damaging the asset itself.
• The microdots are to comply with AIS 155 require-
ments, if affixed.
• The technology involves spraying thousands of
microscopic dots onto vehicles or other assets to form a
unique identification.

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(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance
GS3 || Science and Technology || Defence || Military
Technology

Why in news?

• DRDO has successfully test-fired indigenously dev-


eloped Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air missiles (QRSAM)
from a test range off the Odisha coast.

About QRSAM:

• It has been developed to replace the ‘Akash’ missile


defence system, and has 360-degree coverage.
• It uses solid fuel propellant and has a strike range of
25-30 km with capability of hitting multiple targets.
• It is capable of hitting the low flying objects.

What is the major difference


between DRDO'S QR-SAM and
Akash SAM missile systems?

• It's reaction time is better than Akash SAM.


• It might have cannister launching system which is
considered better than conventional launch vehicle like
of Akash SAM.
• Akash would be used for defending stationary
assets like Airfields, Army installation etc. while
QR-SAM might be used for offensive operations.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance

GS3 || Science and Technology || Space || Miscellaneous


Will Tadigrades Survivein Moon?
Why in news ?
• The tardigrades on the spacecraft were dehydrated and
• The Israeli spacecraft Beresheet which crashed they can come back to “come back to life” on rehydration.
while attempting to land on the Moon was carrying a The tardigrades themselves expel water from their bodies
number of items including thousands of specimens of a and set off a mechanism to protect their cells, and can still
living organism called tardigrade. revive if placed in the water later.
• Although there is ice, there is no evidence of liquid
water on the Moon. Without liquid water, it is possible that
the tardigrades will remain in their current state unless
future astronauts find them and revive them in water. On
the contrary, some also suggest that he tardigrades might
not last very long in the absence of food and air.

What are Tardigrades?

• The tardigrades are also known as water bears. It is


among the toughest and most resilient creatures on
Earth.
• The tardigrades which can only be seen under a
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
microscope are half a millimetre long.
• It is essentially a water-dweller but also inhabits
the land. The tardigrade can endure extreme hot and
cold temperature levels.
• A 2008 study found that tardigrades can survive in
the cold vacuum of outer space.
• Another study in 2017 found that even if all other
life were to be wiped out by a cataclysmic event such
as a large asteroid impact, a supernova or gamma-ray
bursts, the tardigrade is the likeliest to survive.

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(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance
• Features: It is 144 metres long and 30 metres wide. It has
GS3 || Science and technology || Energy || Nuclear displacement capacity of 21,500 tonnes and can carry crew
energy of total 69 people. It has latest security systems and Russia
claims that it is one of safest nuclear installations in the
world.
Why in news ?
• Purpose : Nuclear agency Rosatom says the reactor is a
simpler alternative to building a conventional plant on
• Russia launched world’s first floating nuclear
ground that is frozen all year round, and it intends to sell
reactor called Akademik Lomonosov, sending it on epic
such reactors abroad.
journey across the Arctic.

Concerns :

• It was launched and loaded with nuclear fuel from • Environmentalists and critics have dubbed Akademik
Arctic port of Murmansk for its 5,000 kilometre voyage Lomonosov’s as ‘nuclear Titanic’ or ‘Chernobyl on ice’ citing
to Pevek in northeastern Siberia. to previous Russian and Soviet nuclear accidents (1986
• On arriving in Pevek, it will replace local nuclear Chernobyl disaster).
plant and closed coal plant. It will go in full operations by • They have warned that Akademik Lomonosov’s mission
end 2019 and it will mainly serve region’s oil platforms increases risk of polluting pristine Arctic – a remote,
in Arctic. One of its targets is also to power Chaun-Bilib- sparsely-populated region with no big clean-up facilities.
in mining complex in Chukotka region, which also
includes gold mine.
• It was constructed by Russian state nuclear power
firm Rosatom. It has been named after Russian Acade-
mician and scientist Mikhail Lomonosov.
• It follow examples of nuclear submarines, aircraft
carriers and icebreakers which have long used nuclear (Scan the QR code to watch video)

power, and are intended for isolated areas with little


infrastructure.

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About Pokhran test range :

• The Pokhran Test Range, a key component of India's


nuclear programme, is located in the municipality.
• The Indian Nuclear Test Site is located 45 km north-west
of Pokhran town and 4 km north of Khetolai Village.

(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance

GS3 || Science and Technology || Defence || Military


Technology

Why in news ?
(Scan the QR code to watch video)

• The India Air Force successfully test fired Israeli


SPYDER air defence missile system from Pokhran Test
Range.
• This is seen as a bid to strengthen its preparedness    
to strike down any aerial threat from Pakistan.

Details :

• Spyder (Surface-to-air PYthon and DERby) is an


acquired missile system from Israel which is a
short-range, quick reaction surface-to-air missile to
neutralise enemy targets up to a distance of 15 km and
at heights between 20-and-9,000 metres.
• Spyder is however, shorter than India’s indigenous-
ly developed surface-to-air ‘Akash’ missile, which has a
strike range of 25 km.
• Spyder is an all-weather missile which has an
automatic process of engaging an aggressive aircraft or
missile. Besides aircraft and UAVs, it can also neutralise
low-level cruise missiles.

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• The showers peak when the Earth passes through the


most dense part of the debris cloud.
• Peaks can last for a few hours or several nights. They
tend to be most visible after midnight and before dawn.
• The showers should be seen with naked eyes; binoculars
and telescopes narrow the field of vision.

The Swift-Tuttle Comet

(Click on the above image to watch the video) • The Perseids currently visible in the night sky are not due
to the debris left behind by the comet Swift-Tuttle during its
Relevance most recent pass, which happened in 1992.
• This particular comet goes around the Sun once in 133
GS 3 || Science & Technology || Space || Space Orbits years, and the meteors now visible were left behind by the
pass before the last one — or perhaps even earlier.

What is Meteoric Shower?


Additional Info -Meteor Shower
• On its journey around the Sun, the Earth passes
through large swathes of cosmic debris. • The cosmic debris are the remnants of comets — great
• The debris is essentially the remnants of comets — frigid chunks of matter that leave behind dirty trails of rocks
great frigid chunks of matter that leave behind dirty and ice that linger long after the comets themselves have
trails of rocks and ice that linger long after the comets passed.
themselves have passed. • As the Earth wades through this cloud of comet waste,
• As the Earth wades through this cloud of comet the bits of debris create what appears from the ground to be
waste, the bits of debris create what appears from the a fireworks display in the sky — known as a meteor shower.
ground to be a fireworks display in the sky — known as a • Meteor showers take their name from the location of the
meteor shower. radiant.
• The Perseid radiant is in the constellation Perseus. The
When does Perseid Meteor Geminid meteor shower, which is observed each December,
Shower occur? is named for a radiant in the constellation Gemini.

• Several meteor showers can be seen around the year.


https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/ex-
• Among the brightest and best known of them is the
plained-what-is-perseid-meteor-shower-5900147/
Perseid Meteor Shower, which has been active from
July 17 onward, and can be seen until August 26.
• The showers peaked on the night of Monday-Tues- Mains Question
day.
• The Perseids occur as the Earth runs into pieces of
What is Perseid meteor shower?
cosmic debris left behind by the comet Swift-Tuttle.
• The cloud of debris is about 27 km wide — and at the
peak of the display, between 160 and 200 meteors
streak through the Earth’s atmosphere every hour as
the pieces of debris, travelling at some 2.14 lakh kph.

When to see them?

• Meteors are best seen on a cloudless night, when the (Scan the QR code to watch video)
entire sky is visible, and when the Moon is not extreme-
ly bright.
• Chances of a successful viewing are higher from
locations far away from the lights of cities. Pollution
and monsoon clouds make the Perseids difficult to
view from India.
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• The DRDO-Safran deal is reportedly said to have fallen


through after it was noticed that only 250 million Euros in
form of offsets could be used for the project instead of 580
million. Thus DRDO would have had to shell out around 500
million Euros from its own pocket to keep the project alive,
which was deemed as a price too high.

(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance

GS 3||Science & Technology ||Defence||Military


Technology
(Scan the QR code to watch video)

Why in news ?

• No Ingenious Kaveri Jet Engine For LCA Tejas As


Talks Between DRDO-Safran Collapse Over High
Costs.
   

Details :

• India’s first indigenous fighter jet engine Kaveri


which was supposed to power Light Combat Aircraft
Tejas may not turn into a reality as talks have collapsed
between DRDO and French engine manufacturer
Safran over high costs, Economic Times has reported.
• DRDO was expected to develop the engine for the
second batch of 83 LCA Tejas aircraft and future fighter
jets including the planned Mark-2 version.
• The dream to power Tejas using the ingenious
Kaveri engine had almost died in 2014 as the current
engine failed to produce the required thrust to power
the jet.
• It got a new lease of life in form of Rafale offset
deals and plans were made to build a world class jet
engine via French transfer of technology. Tejas is
currently powered by US made General Electric engines.

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• The penalty would be Rs.15 crore or 4% of the


total worldwide turnover of any data collection/pro-
cessing entity, for violating provisions.
• Failure to take prompt action on a data security
breach can attract up to Rs.5 crore or 2% of turnover
as a penalty.
• Consent - Processing of sensitive personal data
should be on the basis of “explicit consent” of the
data principal.
(Click on the above image to watch the video) • The consent should be given before the
commencement of the processing.
Relevance • The law will not have retrospective application.
• Anonymisation - It is the irreversible process of
GS3 || Science and Technology || Information and transforming personal data to a form in which a data
Communication || Policy principal cannot be identified.
• Notably, the provisions of the draft shall not apply
to processing of anonymised data.
Why in news ? • However, anonymisation should meet the stand-
ards specified by the Authority.
• The draft personal data protection Bill 2018 was
• Right to be forgotten - The data principal will
submitted by the Justice B.N. Srikrishna-headed
have the right to restrict or prevent continuing
expert panel.
disclosure of personal data by a data processor.
• But the bill does not allow for a right of total
What are the key provisions? erasure as the European Union does.
• Also, it gives a data processor considerable space
• The draft takes into account three aspects in in deciding on this ‘right to be forgotten.’
terms of data - the citizens, the state and the • The data holder may charge a reasonable fee to be
industry. paid for complying with such requests.
• The draft bill notes that "the right to privacy is a • Implementation - The law will come into force in a
fundamental right". structured and phased manner.
• It thus makes it necessary to protect personal • The draft has recommended setting up a Data
data as an essential facet of informational priva- Protection Authority to prevent misuse of personal
cy. information.
• Data - Critical personal data of Indian citizens • The draft Bill also provides for setting up an
should be processed in centres located within the Appellate Tribunal.
country.
• Central government will notify categories of
personal data that will be considered as critical.
• Other personal data may be transferred outside
the territory of India with some conditions.
• However, at least one copy of the data will need
to be stored in India.
• For data processors not present in India, the Act
will apply to those carrying on business in India.
• It may also include other activities such as (Scan the QR code to watch video)

profiling which could cause privacy harms to data


principals in India.
• 'Data principal' refers to the individual or the
person providing their data.
• Violation - The draft also provides for penalties
and compensation for violations of the data
protection law.

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ENVIRONMENT
• It comes about 125 years after Norwegian explorer
Fridtjof Nansen first managed to seal his wooden expedition
ship, Fram, into the ice during a three-year expedition to the
North Pole.
• MOSAiC will contribute to a quantum leap in our
understanding of the coupled Arctic climate system and its
representation in global climate models.
• The focus of MOSAiC lies on direct in-situ observations
(Click on the above image to watch the video) of the climate processes that couple the atmosphere, ocean,
sea ice, bio-geochemistry and ecosystem.
Relevance
Why study Arctic climate?
GS3 || Environment || Climate change || Tackling
climate change

Why in news?

• Scientists from 17 nations will take part in the year-


long MOSAIC mission as they anchor the RV Polarstern
ship to a large piece of Arctic sea ice to study climate
change.

About MOSAiC mission :

• The Arctic is a key area of global climate change, with


warming rates exceeding twice the global average.
• The observed rate of climate change in the Arctic is not
well reproduced in climate models.
• Many processes in the Arctic climate system are poorly
represented in climate models because they are not
sufficiently understood.
• The MOSAiC mission stands for Multidisciplinary • Understanding of Arctic climate processes is limited by a
drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate. lack of year round observations in the central Arctic.
• It is a one-year-long expedition into the Central
Arctic, planned to take place from 2019 to 2020. About Arctic council:
• For the first time a modern research icebreaker will
operate in the direct vicinity of the North Pole year • It is an Intergovernmental forum which addresses issues
round, including the nearly half year long polar night faced by the Arctic governments and people living in the
during winter. Arctic region.
• It is Not a treaty-based international organization but
rather an international forum that operates on the basis of
consensus.
• The decisions, recommendations or guidelines of the
Arctic Council are non-enforceable and strictly the preroga-
tive of the individual state.
• Its mandate explicitly excludes military security.
• The Ottawa Declaration lists the following countries as
Members of the Arctic Council: Canada, the Kingdom of
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation,
Sweden and the United States.
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• Observer status in the Arctic Council is open to


non-Arctic states, along with inter-governmental,
inter-parliamentary, global, regional and non-governmen-
tal organizations that the Council determines can    
contribute to its work. Arctic Council Observers primari-
ly contribute through their engagement in the Council at
the level of Working Groups.

About Himadri station :

• Himadri Station is India's first Arctic research


station located at Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway. It is
located at the International Arctic Research base,
Ny-Ålesund.
• It was inaugurated on the 1st of July, 2008 by the
Minister of Earth Sciences.

About IndARC :

• IndARC is India's first underwater moored observa-


tory in the Arctic region.
• It was deployed in 2014 at Kongsfjorden fjord,
Svalbard, Norway which is midway between Norway
and North Pole.
• Its research goal is to study the Arctic climate and its
influence on the monsoon.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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• Coastal sharks and rays visit the areas near the shore
during the breeding season but current disruption by fishing
and coastal development play a major role in the sharks'
sudden decline.
• Various studies have pointed fingers at improved and
modern fishing gear, use of trawlers and deep-sea fishing for
the loss.

Way Forward
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
• In 2013, The Ministry of Environment & Forests had
brought out a policy called “Fins Naturally Attached” to
Relevance
prevent finning of sharks. But this did not bring about a
major impact as there was still demand for whole sharks.
GS 3 || Environment || Biodiversity || Conservation
• Also, the Indian Wildlife Act of 1972 has proved inade-
Efforts
quate in protecting this species. Due to various efforts by
the Government, only the whale shark numbers have made a
Why in news?
revival.
• More laws need to be framed. The Government should
• Recently there has been a drop in the size of the
identify the nurseries and the congregation areas of sharks
sharks and their numbers. This has affected the fisheries
and protect these areas from harmful fishing techniques.
sector and traders.
Sharks do not lay hundreds of eggs like other fish, there are
• India is one of the world's largest shark fishing nations
usually just seven to eight eggs, or some species directly
and Maharashtra and Gujarat together contribute more
give birth. Considering this small number of young sharks,
than 50% of the harvest.
we should be extra careful in protecting them.
• A new study by researchers from India, Australia and
UAE has tried to identify the local drivers of this decline.
Mains Question

Are sharks facing extinction? What can be the way forward to protect the extinction of
sharks?
• A study done in 2014 by the International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had pointed out that a
quarter of all the sharks, rays and other cartilaginous
fish have a high risk of extinction.
• Another recent study published last year by
researchers from over 15 countries added that about
50% of chondrichthyan species (sharks, rays and other
cartilaginous fish) in the Arabian Sea were found to be
in the threatened category of the IUCN.

Why are their numbers going


down?
• Overfishing is one of the main reasons. (Scan the QR code to watch video)

• The study published in May in Ambio adds that in


India there is a high domestic demand for shark meat.
This study helped break the common perception that
the sharks are caught for fin and exported.
• We found that for most of the fisherfolk, sharks
were a non-target catch and was just an additional
income.
• Few fishermen told us that they have sold large
sharks for even ₹30,000 to ₹50,000.

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• Water Stressed Countries : Twelve out of the 17 most


water-stressed countries are in the Middle East and North
Africa(MENA) region and the reason for this can be attribut-
ed to the geographical conditions (hot and dry) of the region
that have created a water supply and demand imbalance.
• Water Stressed Communities : Even in countries with
overall low water stress like in South Africa (SA) and the
United States (US), communities in Western Cape (SA) and
New Mexico (US) may still be experiencing extremely
stressed conditions.
(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Details about India


Relevance
• Both surface water and groundwater in India was highly
GS 3 || Environment || Environment & Ecology ||
exploited
Sustainable Development
• Groundwater levels declined at more than eight centime-
ters per year between 1990 and 2014 in northern India
Why in news? • Chandigarh was the most water-stressed, followed by
Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh
• India is placed thirteenth among the world’s 17 • Groundwater resources were over-exploited in 1,186 of
‘extremely water-stressed’ countries according to the 6,881 assessment units in India
Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas released by the World • Groundwater runs 94.5% of all minor irrigation schemes
Resources Institute (WRI) in India

Consequences
Details about the report
• Food Insecurity: Water is key to food security as agricul-
• Twelve of the 17 were from the Middle East and ture requires large quantities of water for irrigation.
North Africa (MENA) region • Water Conflict and Migration: The loss of livelihood due
• The gap between supply and demand will likely to increasing water scarcity and variability could force those
widen due to climate change and drought-like affected to migrate.
situations, coupled with uncontrolled groundwater • Financial Instability: According to the World Bank,
extraction Increasing water scarcity could erode some nations’ gross
• A region is said to be under ‘water stress’ when the domestic product, triggering economic problems and a host
demand for water exceeds the available volume or of other issues.
when poor quality restricts the use
• ‘Extremely high’ levels of water stress means an
Way ahead
average 80% of the available water in a country is used
by irrigated agriculture, industries and municipalities
every year • The government must focus on more sustainable surface
water schemes
• Reusing wastewater could help countries overcome
Global Findings water stress and become water secure
• Using safely-treated wastewater has been included in
the water resources management plans of several Arab
• Baseline Water Stress (BWS): One-quarter of the countries
world’s population faces extremely high levels of • Oman treats 100% of its collected wastewater and
baseline water stress. reuses 78% of it.
• Rising Water Demand : Globally, water withdrawals
have more than doubled since the 1960s due to the
growing demand for water supply.

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Additional Info- Aqueduct


Water Risk Atlas
• Aqueduct's global water risk mapping tool helps
companies, investors, governments, and other users
understand where and how water risks and opportuni-
ties are emerging worldwide.
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
• Aqueduct tools allow users to better see and
understand water risks and make smart decisions to
manage them.

Mains Question

How can we reduce and recycle water?

   

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• It is because the fight to lower the greenhouse gas (GHG)


emissions, and mitigation of climate-change impact, rests on
this rethinking.
• A large part of land use is tied to human diet, from
pastures for grazing of meat animals to agriculture.
• Thus, the IPCC report says a plants-based diet will be
kinder on the planet than a meat-based one.

Why the report says plant-


(Click on the above image to watch the video)
based diet is kinder?

• Land use and management, including agriculture and


Relevance deforestation, contribute almost a quarter of the GHG
emissions.
GS 3|| Environment || Climate Change ||Tackling • Unless land is managed more sustainably, keeping global
Climate Change warming under 1.5oC above pre-industrial levels is impossi-
ble.
Why in news? • Deforestation for pastures to graze cattle and cattle
themselves are emission-intensive and produces large
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) amounts of methane (GHG).
on climate and land released recently says that a • The emission foot-print of manufacturing animal-feed,
plants-based diet will be kinder on the planet than a water- and electricity-use in raising and slaughtering of
meat-based one. meat animals, and processing/packaging of meat is signifi-
cant.
• That’s why the report says plant-based diet present
What the report is about? major opportunities for adaptation and mitigation.

• It presents the most recent evidence on how the


different uses of land like forests, agriculture, and
What the report projects?
urbanization are affecting and getting affected by
climate change. • It says, by 2050, dietary changes could free up lands of
• The Geneva-based IPCC is the United Nations body about millions of square kilometres and reduce global
for assessing the science related to climate change. carbon emissions by up to 8 billion tonnes annually (relative
• It provides policymakers with regular scientific to business-as-usual).
assessments on climate change, its implications and • Due to politics and socio-cultural sensibilities associated
potential future risks, as well as to put forward with dietary habits, report’s authors have refrained from
adaptation and mitigation options. telling people what to eat.

Why the window to act on


sustainable land use is narro-
wing fast and what could be done?

• Human use, already affects 60-85% of forests and


70-90% of other natural ecosystems. Soil, land and forests
are major carbon sinks.
• But, with manifest climate change effects, desertifica-
tion and degradation of land is becoming an ever-growing
threat, and humans are responding with even more unsus-
tainable use.
• Therefore, the IPCC report calls for stepping up efforts to
Why we need to rethink the keep the land productive while enhancing its carbon-absorb-
global land use?

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Additional Info -Intergover-


nmental Panel on Climate
   
Change (IPCC)
• IPCC was established by the United Nations Environ-
ment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorologi-
cal Organization (WMO) in 1988.
• It is the United Nations body for the assessment of
climate change.
• It provides a clear scientific view on the current state
of knowledge in climate change and its potential
environmental and socio-economic impacts.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/ex-
plained-new-ipcc-report-tells-you-how-land-use-impa
cts-climate-change-5888746/

Mains Question

What actions can be taken to reduce greenhouse gas


emissions?

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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• Armed gold-hunting gangs have reached tribal areas and


the leader of a tribe has been murdered in an incursion.
• Satellite images show that about 4,200 sq km of forests
have been destroyed up to July 24, 2019 under the new
government (since January).
• Brazil’s stance - Brazil is the custodian of forests in
about 5 million sq km of Amazon land.
• Given this, it has everything to gain by engaging with the
international community on meeting the opportunity cost
of leaving the Amazon undisturbed.
(Click on the above image to watch the video) • But Mr. Bolsonaro refused to host the annual conven-
tion of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
Relevance in 2019 (but did not exit the Paris Agreement).
• By doing so, he lost a valuable opportunity to seek
higher funding for forest protection.
GS 3 || Environment || Governance: International ||
Forest Laws & Policies
Way Forward
Why in news?
• Most nations tend to view their land and forests through
• Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil is
the narrow prism of short-term economic gain.
increasing rapidly since January, 2019.
• However, climate science data show that they play a
• It is a matter of global concern, and Brazil must
larger environmental role.
recognise that the Amazon rainforest is a universal
• Globally, there is tremendous momentum to save the
treasure.
Amazon forests.
• So, Brazil must welcome initiatives such as the
How significant are the billion-dollar Amazon Fund backed by Norway and Germa-
Amazon forests? ny, instead of trying to shut them down.
• Remedial funding, accounting for the value of environ-
• The Amazon basin, spread across millions of mental services, is the most productive approach.
hectares in multiple countries, hosts massive sinks of • This is because forest removal has not helped agriculture
sequestered carbon. everywhere due to soil and other factors.
• Significantly, the Amazon forests are a key factor in • In all, Brazil’s President must recognise that rainforests
regulating monsoon systems. are universal treasures, and the rights of indigenous
• The rainforests harbour rich biodiversity. communities to their lands are inalienable.
• Moreover, about 400 known indigenous groups • The international community must use diplomacy in
present there have prevented commercial interests convincing Mr. Bolsonaro at this front.
from overrunning the lands.
• Much of the Amazon has survived, despite relentless
pressure to convert forests into farmlands, pastures
Additional Info -Amazon Fund
and gold mines, and to build roads.
• The legacy of the ecosystem and the indigenous • The Amazon Fund was created in 2008 to receive
groups are now under great threat. donations for non-reimbursable investments.
• The objective was to prevent, monitor, and combat
deforestation, as well as to promote the preservation and
What are the recent sustainable use in the Brazilian Amazon.
changes? • It consists of money donated by Norway, the main
donor, and Germany.
• Deforestation - The new Brazilian President Mr. • The fund holds US$850 million, and is managed by the
Bolsonaro has spoken in favour of “reasonable” exploita- National Bank for Economic and Social Development
tion of Amazon forestlands. (BNDES) of Brazil.
• Although the forest code has not been changed, his
comments have emboldened illegal expansion into
forests.
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Mains Question

How significant are the Amazon forests universally ?

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

   

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• However, heat, drought, floods, in short the consequenc-


es of climate change, are likely to hit the continent hard.

Who are the climate doctors


in action?
• African countries already suffer from extreme climate
conditions and are poorly prepared for the consequences of
climate change.
• This is why the project includes the training of young
(Click on the above image to watch the video)
scientists.
• 10 doctoral programs and 2 master’s programs have
Relevance been introduced at several West African universities.
• They already have 250 experts in climate change and
GS 3 ||Environment || Governance: International || water supply, in adapted land use, or climate changae and
Environmental Organizations security.
• These experts now work across West Africa to prepare
Why in news? political and economic players for climate change.

• Project WASCAL (West Africa Science Service How is training rather than
Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land) is a migration?
regional climate change project.
• It is being sponsored by Germany, to combat • The trained climate experts can bring a wealth of
climate change in West Africa. knowledge and they are highly looked upon.
• Recently, the German Research Minister • The Research Minister also likes to boost vocational
pledged $27.6 million in additional support to this training in the field of climate protection in West Africa in
regional project. the future.
• The Minister also said that the practical side must come
directly from industry, so that the young people are able to
What data does the project connect.
collect? • These things would speed up development in Africa and
• The WASCAL database is the foundation on which pressure is not created for a new wave of migration.
our research can be based upon.
• It helps researchers find out, how high the tempera- What is the fundamental
ture was 5 years ago in a particular region. criticism?
• The intensity of solar radiation, the condition of the
ground and many other parameters can also be • The Germany’s federal government hasn’t understood
measured. the drastic nature of the climate crisis.
• Germany’s CO2 emissions are contributing to sub-Saha-
What conditions are becoming ran Africa’s drought and, the climate change to the slower
extreme? economic growth.
• They have to start cleaning up their own act and phase
• Only with the knowledge of exactly what climatic out coal.
conditions prevail, preparations can be made for • With that, Germany would really help the world in the
extreme weather conditions. fight against climate change.
• Among other things, WASCAL is working on more
precise rain forecasts for farmers.
• It is also working on to find out how much more Additional Info
water will be needed when the climate warms up by two
degrees. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/ex-
• With their relatively weak economies, African plained-how-west-africa-is-using-data-to-prevent-climate-c
countries hardly contribute to climate change. hange-5871397/

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Mains Question

What is project WASCAL?

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

   

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• Besides dietary changes, ocean warming too causes


changes in the methylmercury accumulation in fish.
• Fish metabolism is temperature-dependent. So as ocean
temperature increases, fish experience higher metabolism
and more energy obtained from food is spent on mainte-
nance rather than growth, leading to more methylmercury
getting concentrated in predatory fish.
• The researchers warn that human exposure to the toxin
through fish consumption is bound to increase as a result of
climate change. Hence, there is a need for stronger regula-
(Click on the above image to watch the video) tions to protect ecosystem and human health.

Relevance About Minamata convention


on Mercury :
GS3 || Environment || Climate Change || Global
Warming • The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an internation-
al treaty designed to protect human health and the
Why in news? environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases
of mercury and mercury compounds.
• This Convention was a result of three years of meeting
• Despite a decrease in seawater concentration of
and negotiating, after which the text of the Convention was
methylmercury since the late 1990s, the amount of
approved by delegates representing close to 140 countries
toxin that gets accumulated in certain fish which are
on 19 January 2013 in Geneva and adopted and signed later
higher in the food chain have been found to increase.
that year on 10 October 2013 at a Diplomatic Conference
held in Kumamoto, Japan.
• The Convention is named after the Japanese city
Minamata.
• This naming is of symbolic importance as the city went
through a devastating incident of mercury poisoning.
• It is expected that over the next few decades, this
international agreement will enhance the reduction of
mercury pollution from the targeted activities responsible
for the major release of mercury to the immediate environ-
ment.

About Biomagnification and


Findings of the research : bioaccumulation :

• The amount of methylmercury in fish higher in the


food chain can change due to two reasons — ocean
warming and dietary shifts due to overfishing by
humans.
• Researchers have found that there has been an up to
23% increase in methylmercury concentration in
Atlantic codfish in the Gulf of Maine in the northwest-
ern Atlantic Ocean.
• The increase in the methylmercury concentration in
codfish has been due to changes in the diet caused by • Biomagnification refers to the is the increase in concen-
overfishing. tration of the POPs such as DDT, that occurs in a food chain
• As a result of diet change, cod fish in the 2000s as a consequence of persistence, high lipid solubility and
relied more on larger herring and lobster, which have low water solubility. The substances become more and
higher concentrations of the toxin than other prey fish more concentrated in tissues or internal organs as they
consumed in the 1970s. move up the chain.
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• Here, we note that Bioaccumulation and Bioconcen-


tration are synonymous except the difference of the
source. Both Bioaccumulation and Bioconcentration
occur in the same organism. However, Biomagnifica-
tion occurs across various trophic levels in a food
chain.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

   

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• Permitted activities: Ongoing agricultural or horticultural


practices, rainwater harvesting, organic farming, use of
renewable energy sources, adoption of green technology for
all activities.

What are the provisions in


environment protection act :

• The Environment Protection Act, 1986 does not mention


(Click on the above image to watch the video) the word “Eco-sensitive Zones”.
• The section 3(2)(v) of the Act, says that Central Govern-
ment can restrict areas in which any industries, operations or
Relevance
processes shall not be carried out or shall be carried out
subject to certain safeguards.
GS3 || Environment || Biodiversity || Conservation
• Besides the section 5 (1) of this act says that central
Efforts
government can prohibit or restrict the location of industries
and carrying on certain operations or processes on the basis
Why in news? of considerations like the biological diversity of an area,
maximum allowable limits of concentration of pollutants for
• The two wildlife sanctuaries in Maharashtra
an area, environmentally compatible land use, and proximity
Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary (TWLS) and Tansa
to protected areas.
Wildlife Santuary (TWS) declared as 'eco-sensitive
• The above two clauses have been effectively used by the
zone'.
government to declare Eco-Sensitive Zones or Ecologically
Fragile Areas (EFA).
What are Eco-Sensitive • The same criteria have been used by the government to
Zones ? declare No Development Zones.

• Eco-Sensitive Zones or Ecologically Fragile Areas


are areas within 10 kms around Protected Areas, Merits of Eco-Sensitive Zones :
National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
• ESZs are notified by MoEFCC, Government of India • Protection of rare and endemic flora and fauna from
under Environment Protection Act 1986. extinction.
• In case of places with sensitive corridors, connectivi- • Prevent habitat destruction for endangered species and
ty and ecologically important patches, crucial for its fragmentation.
landscape linkage, even area beyond 10 km width can • They also act as a transition zone from areas of high
also be included in the eco-sensitive zone. protection to areas involving lesser protection.
• The basic aim is to regulate certain activities around • Eco-Sensitive Zones minimise forest depletion and
National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries so as to man-animal conflict.
minimise the negative impacts of such activities on the
fragile ecosystem encompassing the protected areas.
DeMerits of Eco-Sensitive
Zones :
Activities Allowed and
Prohibited in ESZs : • It prevent local resource exploitation by locals which
• Prohibited activities: Commercial mining, saw mills, hampering local/regional development in the region.
industries causing pollution (air, water, soil, noise etc), • Certain economic activities get prohibited in ESZ thus
establishment of major hydroelectric projects (HEP), hindering Socio economic development of locals and
commercial use of wood, Tourism activities like hot-air livelihood loss.
balloons over the National Park, discharge of effluents or
any solid waste or production of hazardous substances. Challenges to Eco-Sensitive
• Regulated activities: Felling of trees, establishment Zones :
of hotels and resorts, commercial use of natural water,
erection of electrical cables, drastic change of agricul-
ture system, e.g. adoption of heavy technology,
pesticides etc, widening of roads.
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• Sometimes the size of the ESZs is reduced to allow


developmental activities. Eg- reducing the ESZs of    
Bannerghatta National Park in 2019
• Tourism
• Introduction of exotic species / invasive alien species
• Climate change
• Natural disasters
• Jhoom cultivation by tribals

Way forward :

• Sustainable development that keeps biodiversity


concerns at its core is the need of the hour. It is essen-
tial that one has to go for regulation and not outright
prohibition in such cases. There has to be balance b/w
development & conservation. (Example – Tourism in
tiger reserves).

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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Reasons for the demand for


green bonus:
• Most of the country’s rivers originate in the Himalayas
and therefore, the Himalayan states have to play the most
significant role in the prime minister’s water conservation
initiative.
• It is also necessary because the Himalayan states’
contribution to environmental conservation is the biggest
(Click on the above image to watch the video) with all their green cover.
• The Himalayan states are also at a disadvantage
Relevance because large swathes of land fell into ecosensitive zones
where all sorts of development activities could not be
carried out.
GS3 || Environment || Biodiversity || Conservation effort • So, these states, by protecting forests and ecosystems,
ensure larger life-saving services to the country. For these,
they also face numerous restrictions in their usual develop-
Why in news?
ment works such as taking up big projects that destroy
forests.
• Himalayan states recently met at a conclave to
• A green bonus thus is needed to compensate the
demand a separate ministry to deal with problems
Himalayan states for their disadvantages.
endemic to them and a green bonus in recognition of
their contribution to environment conservation.
Indian Himalayan region:

• IHR is the section of Himalayas within India, spanning


11 Indian states (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam Himachal
Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram,
Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand) & 2 districts of
Bengal and that runs along 2500 km of Himalayan ranges
between Indus river basin in North-West and Brahmaputra
in the East.
• Approximately 9,000 glaciers of IHR store about 12,000
km³ of freshwater.
Demand raised by Himalayan • This region is endowed with rich vegetation & is home
States : to almost 36% of India’s total biodiversity. More than
41.5% area of IHR states is under forests, representing
• Ten out of 11 states took part in the conclave. 1/3rd of total forest cover of India & nearly half (47%) of the
• It is for the first time that the Himalayan states “very good” forest cover of the country.
have come on a single platform to take a unanimous • The total geographical area of IHR states is approxi-
stand on the issue of green bonus and demanded a mately 591,000 sq. km (18% of India) and it is inhabited by
separate ministry to deal with problems unique to about 3.8% of the country’s population.
them. • The strategic importance of the IHR is evident from the
fact that IHR states share borders with 6 neighbouring
countries.
Outcome of the meet: • This is one of India’s major carbon sink. Besides it averts
soil erosion from the world’s youngest mountain range.
• A “Mussoorie resolution” was passed at the
conclave making a collective pledge to conserve and Payment for ecosystems
protect their rich cultural heritage, bio-diversity, services (PES):
glaciers, rivers and lakes besides making their own
contribution to the nation’s prosperity.

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• The demand for green bonus is an emerging global


mode to conserve ecosystems called payment for
ecosystems services (PES).
• And this demand has triggered interest on PES in
India which has been experimenting this though in
sporadic ways.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

   

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Why India gets such invasions?

• It is difficult to establish how pests and weeds are


entering India.
• What’s inexplicable is that there is no institutional
mechanism to even probe these invasions.
• The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
(MAFW), which is responsible for the control of invasive
(Click on the above image to watch the video) pests and weeds, has not investigated any invasions till
date.
Relevance
Checking their entry
GS 3 || Environment || Biodiversity || Conceptual

• Invasive pests and weeds can enter a country by flying


Why in news? over the border or by simply growing gratuitously. In such
cases, checking their entry is difficult.
• In the past 15 years, India has faced at least 10 major • But when they land up at airports and dockyards in
invasive pest and weed attacks. cargos of imported grain or with items carried by tourists,
• When pests, weeds, viruses and bacteria invade, the authorities should be able to weed them out.
they can wipe out food crops, alter the ecology, deplete • For this reason countries have animal, plant and health
water levels and cause diseases. quarantine facilities at all transborder entry points.
• India, however, seems to have let its guard down of late,
especially with regards to agricultural products, which form
Most recent: Fall Armyworm the bulk of its imports.

• The most recent was the fall armyworm that How is entry regulated?
destroyed almost the entire maize crop in the country
in 2018. • When an agricultural product arrives, customs officials
• India had to import maize in 2019 due to the check if it has a phytosanitary certificate or not.
damage caused by the pest in 2018. • This certificate, showing that the product is without any
pest or weed infestation, is issued by the government of the
exporting country.
• If the product is certified, it is cleared by Quarantine
system after a sample test.

Regulation on Entry

• If the product has not been given a phytosanitary


certificate, the foreign government is obliged to inform
India, in which case Quarantine system fumigates the
product with methyl bromide and issues a phytosanitary
certificate.
• The fumigation is for two to 48 hours and depends upon
the volume and quality of the product, and the country of
origin. The company is charged for the fumigation.

Regulation on Entry

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• If the product has not been given a phytosanitary


certificate, the foreign government is obliged to inform
India, in which case Quarantine system fumigates the
product with methyl bromide and issues a phytosani-
tary certificate.
• The fumigation is for two to 48 hours and depends
upon the volume and quality of the product, and the
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
country of origin. The company is charged for the
fumigation.

Check on imports
   
• Import of agricultural products is governed by the
Destructive Insects and Pests Act, 1914.
• The country has, seaports and transborder railway
stations. 108 plant quarantine centres located at major
airports
• The check posts at these quarantine centres are
under the control of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes
and Customs (CBITC), which works in close coordina-
tion with DPPQS.

What needs a be done?


• There should be a war room-like cell to catalogue,
monitor and investigate the influx of exotic pests and
weeds.
• In fact, India’s quarantine system needs an overhaul.
• Nepal, for instance, stopped the entry of agriculture
products from India without a phytosanitary certificate
in June after the outbreak of acute encephalitis
syndrome in Bihar earlier this year.

Way forward

• With increasing global trade and movement,


countries worldwide are becoming serious about alien
pests and microbes.
• At a time when bioterrorism is a global reality, it is
imperative that we get our quarantine system in order.

Mains Question

What is the impact of alien invasive species in India?

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• Several other recent studies have established the


presence of microplastics in groundwater in the United
States, and in the lakes and rivers of the United Kingdom.
• A study published in June estimated that the average
human ends up consuming at least 50,000 particles of
microplastics in food every year.

Action by countries

(Click on the above image to watch the video) • In the recent past, several countries have passed laws to
limit the amount of microplastics in the environment.
Relevance • The US passed a law in 2015 to prohibit the manufacture
of rinse-off cosmetic products containing plastic microbe-

GS 3 || Environment || Environment & Ecology || Pollution ads.

Why in news? People's Ingestion Of Plastic

• Tiny particles of plastic, known as microplastics, • Drinking water: is one of the largest sources of plastic

have been found in the Arctic region and the Alps, ingestion(with plastic particles found in bottled, tap, surface

carried by the wind, according to a new study that was and groundwater).

widely reported this week. • Shellfish: account for as much as 0.5g a week.

• The study called for an urgent assessment of the risk • Inhalation represented a negligible proportion of

of inhalation of the microplastics. microplastics entering the human body.


• Indoor air because of its limited circulation is more
heavily polluted with plastic than the outdoors.
What are Microplastics? • Major sources of Indoor airborne microplastics are
synthetic textiles and household dust.
• Microplastics are defined as shreds of plastic less
than 5 mm in length. Burden of Plastic
• Microplastics are either manufactured — for
instance, microbeads that are used in cosmetics and
• In the last two decades, the world has produced as much
beauty products — or they are formed when larger
plastic as during the rest of history, and the industry is set to
pieces of plastic break down.
grow by 4% a year until 2025.
• The small, shiny particles advertised as “cooling
• Ocean will contain one metric tonne of plastic for every
crystals” in certain toothpastes qualify as microplastics
three metric tonnes of fish by 2025.
if the ingredients of the toothpaste mention “polyethyl-
• About one-third of waste plastics are dumped or leaches
ene”.
into nature, polluting land, rivers and the sea.
• Even so, manufactured microbeads are not a major
contributor to microplastic pollution.
• One of the main contributors to this pollution, Plastic pollution and Wildlife
instead, is plastic waste, 90% of which is not recycled.
• Plastic bottles, bags, fishing nets, and food packag- • Animals get entangled in large plastic debris, leading to
ing are some examples of the larger pieces that break injury or death.
down into microplastics, eventually finding their way • Animals also ingest large quantities of plastic that they
into the soil, water and the air we breathe. cannot pass through their digestive systems, resulting in
internal abrasion, digestive blockage, and death.
• Toxins from ingested plastic also harm breeding and
Growing concerns
impair the immune system of animals.
• The researchers found huge amounts of them in the
Arctic snow; their study claims to be the first that Curbing Plastic Pollution
contains data on contamination of snow by microplas-
tics.
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• Political and economic actions to reduce the amount


of plastic being disposed of into the environment.
   
• Minimize the use of plastics and encourage
recycling of plastics instead of taking stringent acts of
total ban or zero plastic.
• Legally binding agreement to combat marine plastic
pollution - it should be a stand-alone treaty like the
Montreal Protocol or the Paris Agreement.
• Binding national commitments and protocols for
restricting commercial and household use of plastics.

Mains Question

What are Microplastics? Discuss the threats by them.


What should be the way forward to overcome the
threats posed by the same?

Additional Info

youtube.com/watch?v=ElPujs1EsSM
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/ex-
plained-what-are-microplastics-the-new-pollutant-you-
are-breathing-5913372/

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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• Due to the depletion of good quality river sand for the


use of construction, the use of manufactured sand has been
increased.
• Another reason for use of M-Sand is its availability and
transportation cost.
• Since manufactured sand can be crushed from hard
granite rocks, it can be readily available at the nearby place,
reducing the cost of transportation from far-off river sand
bed.
• Thus, the cost of construction can be controlled by the
(Click on the above image to watch the video) use of manufactured sand as an alternative material for
construction.
• The other advantage of using M-Sand is, it can be dust
Relevance
free, the sizes of m-sand can be controlled easily so that it
meets the required grading for the given construction.
GS 3 || Environment || Governance: India || Miscellaneous • Usage of M-sand prevents dredging of river beds to get
river sand which may lead to environmental disaster like
Why in news? ground water depletion, water scarcity.

In three months, the TN State government will put in Note


place an M-sand policy that aims to promote the use of
M-sand as an alternative building material. It is aimed
• The UNEP has released a report, Sand and Sustainability:
to eliminate the pervasion of sub-standard products in
Finding new solutions for environmental governance of
the market through regulation of trade.
global sand resources.
• It highlights a problem that has largely stayed under the
radar: sand consumption globally has been increasing and
we are extracting it at rates exceeding natural replenish-
ment rates.

Sand Mining

• Sand and gravel are the second largest natural resources


extracted and traded by volume after water, but among the
least regulated.
Manufactured sand (M-Sand) • Sand is created by slow geological processes, and its
distribution is not even.
• M-sand is a substitute of river sand for concrete • Desert sand, available in plenty, is not suited for construc-
construction. tion use because it is wind-smoothed, and therefore
• Manufactured sand is produced from hard granite non-adherent.
stone by crushing. • While 85% to 90% of global sand demand is met from
• The crushed sand is of cubical shape with grounded quarries, and sand and gravel pits, the 10% to 15% extract-
edges, washed and graded to as a construction material. ed from rivers and sea shores is a severe concern due the
• The size of manufactured sand (M-Sand) is less than environmental and social impacts.
4.75mm. • Aggregates (a term for crushed rock, sand and gravels
used in construction materials) are necessary for building
the infrastructure the world needs, especially developing
Why use M-sand? countries bringing their populations out of poverty.
• Quoting studies, the report estimates that a 40-50 billion
• Manufactured sand is an alternative for river sand. tonne of crushed rock, sand and gravel is extracted from
• Due to fast growing construction industry, the quarries, pits, rivers, coastlines and the marine environ-
demand for sand has increased tremendously, causing ment each year.
deficiency of suitable river sand in most part of the • The construction industry consumes over half of this, and
word. will consume even more in the future.

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How can we use M-sand as an alternative to conventional


Hazards of excessive mining
sand?

• Their extraction often results in river and coastal


erosion and threats to freshwater and marine fisheries Additional Info
and aquatic ecosystems, instability of river banks
leading to increased flooding, and lowering of ground https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/poli-
water levels. cy-for-m-sand-to-be-put-in-place-soon/article29185988.ece
• The report notes that China and India head the list of
critical hotspots for sand extraction impacts in rivers,
lakes and on coastlines.
• Most large rivers of the world have lost between half
and 95% of their natural sand and gravel delivery to
ocean the report says.
• The damming of rivers for hydro-electricity produc-
tion or irrigation is reducing the amount of sediment
flowing downstream.
• This broken replenishment system exacerbates
(Scan the QR code to watch video)
pressures on beaches already threatened by sea level
rise and intensity of storm-waves induced by climate
change, as well as coastal developments.
• There are also indirect consequences, like loss of
local livelihoods — an ironic example is that construc-
tion in tourist destinations can lead to depletion of
natural sand in the area, thereby making those very    
places unattractive — and safety risks for workers
where the industry is not regulated.

Way Forward

• The report suggests better spatial planning and


reducing unnecessary construction — including specula-
tive projects or those being done mainly for prestige —
thereby making more efficient use of aggregates.
• It calls for investing in infrastructure maintenance
and retrofitting rather than the demolish and rebuild
cycle, embracing alternative design and construction
methods, even avoiding use of cement and concrete
where possible, and using green infrastructure.
• The report concludes with a call for large-scale
multipronged actions from global to local levels,
involving public, private and civil society organisations.
• This will mean building consensus, defining what
success would look like, and reconciling policies and
standards with sand availability, development impera-
tives and standards and enforcement realities.

Mains Question

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• Land degradation neutrality (LDN) is a condition where


further land degradation (loss of productivity caused by
environmental or human factors) is prevented and already
degraded land can be restored.
LDN has been defined by the Parties to the Convention as:
• – A state whereby the amount and quality of land
resources, necessary to support ecosystem functions and
services and enhance food security, remains stable or
increases within specified temporal and spatial scales and
ecosystems.
(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Benefits of LDN
Relevance
• As land is fixed in quantity, there is ever-increasing
GS 3 || Environment ||Governance: India ||Miscellaneous
competition to control land resources and capitalize on the
flows of goods and services from the land.
Why in news ? • LDN represents a paradigm shift in land management
policies and practices.
• Union Environment Ministry has committed to • It is a unique approach that counterbalances the expect-
rejuvenate 50 lakh hectares (5 million) of degraded land ed loss of productive land with the recovery of degraded
between 2021 and 2030. areas.
• A Centre for Excellence would be set up in Dehradun • This has the potential to cause social and political
for land degradation neutrality. instability, fueling poverty, conflict and migration.

Implementation

• The implementation of LDN requires multi-stakeholder


engagement and planning across scales and sectors, support-
ed by national-scale coordination that utilizes existing local
and regional governance structures.
• UNCCD and the UN Environment Programme (UN
Environment) came together to mark the United Nations
General Assembly adoption of the “2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development”.
• To date, over 120 countries have engaged with the LDN
Why such move? Target Setting Programme and considerable progress has
been made since the 2030 Agenda was adopted in 2015.

• India faces a severe problem of land degradation, or


soil becoming unfit for cultivation. About 29% or about India’s initiatives
96.4 million hectares are considered degraded.
• The State of India’s Environment report, 2017 • This January, India became part of the “Bonn Challenge”,
calculates that nearly 30 per cent of India is degraded or a global effort to bring 150 million hectares of the world’s
facing desertification. This figure touches 40 to 70 deforested and degraded land into restoration by 2020,
percent in eight states—Rajasthan, Delhi, Goa, Mahar- and 350 million hectares by 2030.
ashtra, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Tripura and Himachal • India’s pledge is one of the largest in Asia.
Pradesh. • Schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana,
• Various estimates put the economic costs of degrada- Soil Health Card Scheme, Soil Health Management Scheme
tion in the country at 2.54% of its GDP. and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana are seen as
prongs to tackle this land degradation.

Land Degradation Neutrality • India for the first time will be hosting the 14th session of
the Conference of Parties (COP-14) of the United Nations
Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) from
September 2 to 13.
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Additional Info- United Nations    


Convention to Combat
Desertification (UNCCD)

• Established in 1994, the UNCCD is the only legally


binding international agreement linking environment
and development issues to the land agenda.
• It addresses specifically the arid, semi-arid and dry
sub-humid areas, known as the drylands, where some of
the most vulnerable ecosystems and peoples can be
found.
• 2006 was declared “International Year of Deserts
and Desertification”.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-envi-
ronment/india-to-restore-50-lakh-hectares-of degrad-
ed-land-by-2030-prakash-javadekar/arti-
cle29269482.ece

Mains Question

What is State of afforestation in India?

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

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GEOGRAPHY
• Between Vindya and Satpura ranges, Narmada extends
over an area of 98,796 km² .
• The basin covers large areas in the states of Madhya
Pradesh (86%), Gujarat (14%) and a comparatively smaller
area (2%) in Maharashtra.
• In the river course of 1,312 km, there are 41 tributaries,
out of which 22 are from the Satpuda range and the rest on
the right bank are from the Vindhya range.

(Click on the above image to watch the video)

Relevance

GS1 || Geography || Indian physical geography || Rivers

Why in news ? What is the Controversy?

• Recently, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have • Madhya Pradesh has threatened to restrict the flow of
engaged in a tussle over the sharing of Narmada river water into the Sardar Sarovar Dam, located in Gujarat.
waters. • The Sardar Sarovar Project includes two powerhouses,
the River Bed Power House (RBPH; 1,200 MW) and the
Canal Head Power House (250 MW).
• Power is shared among Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra
and Gujarat in a 57:27:16 ratio.
• The RBPH has been shut since 2017, Gujarat has sought
that generation should not start until the water reaches the
full reservoir level (FRL).
• Gujarat’s view is that its share of 9 MAF (million-acre
feet) water in a normal monsoon year is insufficient to
generate power as drinking water and irrigation are
priorities.
• Gujarat has also argued that reaching the FRL is neces-
sary for testing whether the increased height of the dam can
withstand the thrust at that level.
• In light of this Narmada Control Authority has granted
the permission not to start generation at a powerhouse
until the dam fills to its full level.
• Madhya Pradesh is discontented by frequent power
outages and has refused to release the surplus share for
About Narmada river : power generation and to allow the dam to be tested at FRL.

• The Narmada River, also called the Rewa is a river


in central India. About Sardar Sarovar Project :
• It is also known as "Life Line of Gujarat and Madhya
Pradesh" for its huge contribution to the state of • The Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) is a gravity dam on the
Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh in many ways. Narmada River crossing Gujarat in India.
• Narmada rises from Amarkantak Plateau near • It involves a series of large irrigation and hydroelectric
Anuppur district. multi-purpose dams.
• It forms the traditional boundary between North • The project took form in 1979 as part of a development
India and South India and flows westwards before scheme to increase irrigation and produce hydroelectricity.
draining through the Gulf of Khambhat into the Arabian
Sea, near Bharuch city of Gujarat.
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• The hydroelectric power of the SSP is to be shared


by the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya
Pradesh; the irrigation benefits would accrue to the
states of Gujarat and Rajasthan.

(Scan the QR code to watch video)

Notes

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(Click on the above image to watch the video)

• They are the rarest diamonds in the world.


Relevance • One in a million diamonds discovered worldwide might
be pink.
GS1 || Geography || World economic geography || • A pink diamond is worth between 15 and 50 times as
Mineral resources much as an equivalent white.

Why in news ? Why the mine is closing?

• The world’s biggest diamond mine is being shut by


Rio Tinto Group after almost 4 decades. (1983)

• The Argyle mine will exhaust its supply of economically


viable stones by 2020.
• Hence it is scheduled to close by the end of next year.

About Kimberley Process


Details : Certification Scheme :
• It is the process established in 2003 to prevent "conflict
• Name of the mine- Argyle mine. diamonds" from entering the mainstream.
• Location- North-West Australia. • Conflict Diamonds or Blood Diamonds are diamonds
• Owner- Rio Tinto Group. mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency or war.
• It is the largest diamond producing mine in the world • The process was set up to ensure that diamond purchas-
by volume, averaging annual production of 8 million es were not financing violence.
carats.
• Since operations began in 1983, Argyle's open pit
mine has produced over 75,00,00,000 carats.
• Only 5% of mined diamonds here are of gem quality.
• It is the only known significant source of pink
diamonds, producing over 90% of the world's supply.

What’s so unique about pink (Scan the QR code to watch video)


Diamonds ?

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PRELIMS BITS
Polity & Governance :
Meghalaya to have State Water Policy:
• The Meghalaya Cabinet has approved a draft water policy to address water usages, issues of conservation and
protection of water sources in the State.
• With this, Meghalaya will become the 1st state in India to ensure conservation of water and have its own State Water
Policy.
• The policy’s objective is to recognise water resources as a common pool resource, to provide hygienic water for drinking,
domestic needs, sanitation and livelihood development.
Reservation of Limboo and Tamang Communities:
Context: A proposal for reservation of seats for Limboo and Tamang communities in Sikkim Legislative Assembly is
under consideration of the Government of India.
• Article 371F(f) and Article 332 of the Constitution of India govern reservation of seats in the Legislative Assembly of
Sikkim and the issue of seat reservation for Limboo and Tamang communities is being considered under these provisions of
Constitution of India.

Economy :
Silk Samagra
Context:
• Tamil Nadu, which has been ranked among the leading silk producing States in the country, will receive about
Rs 6.22 crore under the Silk Samagra — an Integrated Scheme for Development of Silk Industry (ISDSI).
About Silk Samagra:
• It is initiated by the Central Silk Board.
• The scheme comprises four major components viz. (i) Research & Development, Training, Transfer of Technology and
Information Technology Initiatives, (ii) Seed Organizations, (iii) Coordination and Market Development and (iv) Quality C
ertification Systems (QCS) / Export Brand Promotion and Technology Up-gradation.
• The main objective of the scheme is to maintain Breeders stock, Breed improvement through R&D Projects, Development of
mechanized practices, Technology translation through Sericulture Information Linkages and Knowledge System (SILKS) Portal,
Mobile Application for Stakeholders and for seed quality monitoring etc.
New Code on Wages
Context: The Code on Wages Bill, 2019 Introduced in Lok Sabha.
• The bill will amalgamate the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Payment of Bonus Act,
1965, and the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.
Key highlights:
• Coverage: The Code will apply to all employees. The central government will make wage-related decisions for employments
such as railways, mines, and oil fields, among others. State governments will make decisions for all other employments.
• Wages include salary, allowance, or any other component expressed in monetary terms. This does not include bonus payable
to employees or any travelling allowance, among others.
Floor wage:
• According to the Code, the central government will fix a floor wage, taking into account living standards of workers. Further,
it may set different floor wages for different geographical areas. Before fixing the floor wage, the central government may
obtain the advice of the Central Advisory Board and may consult with state governments.
• The minimum wages decided by the central or state governments must be higher than the floor wage. In case the existing
minimum wages fixed by the central or state governments are higher than the floor wage, they cannot reduce the minimum
wages.
North East Venture Fund (NEVF)
About North East Venture Fund (NEVF):
• Set up by North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited (NEDFi) in association with Ministry of Development
of North Eastern Region (M-DoNER).
• It is the first dedicated venture capital fund for the North Eastern Region.
Objective: to contribute to the entrepreneurship development of the NER and achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns through

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long term capital appreciation by way of investments in privately negotiated equity/ equity related investments.
• The investment under this schemer ranges from Rs. 25 lakh to Rs.10 crore per venture, which is long term in nature with
investment horizon of 4-5 years.
Aadhaar Seva Kendra’ (ASKs):
Context:
• The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has operationalized 1st ‘Aadhaar Seva Kendra’ (ASKs) in Delhi and
Vijayawada.
• ASKs seek to provide more touch points to public for availing Aadhaar enrolment and updation services.
About UIDAI:
• Established as an attached office of the erstwhile Planning Commission, UIDAI is now a statutory authority under the
provisions of Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 under the aegis of
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
What are Core Investment Companies (CICs)?
Context:
• The Reserve Bank has constituted a working group that will review the regulatory and supervisory framework for core
investment companies.
• The six-member working group is to be headed by Tapan Ray, non-executive chairman, Central Bank of India and former
secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
• The terms of reference of the working group include examination of the current regulatory framework for CICs in terms
of adequacy, efficacy and effectiveness of every component thereof and suggest changes therein.
What are Core Investment Companies (CICs)?
• CICs are non-banking financial companies with asset size of ₹100 crore and above which carry on the business of acquisi-
tion of shares and securities, subject to certain conditions.
• CICs, which are allowed to accept public funds, hold not less than 90% of their net assets in the form of investment in equity
shares, preference shares, bonds, debentures, debt or loans in group companies.

Society & Human Development :


STRIDE scheme
Context:
• UGC announces new Initiative – Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India’s Developing Economy (STRIDE) to
boost research culture in India.
Key features:
• STRIDE will provide support to research projects that are socially relevant, locally need-based, nationally important and
globally significant.
• STRIDE shall support research capacity building as well as basic, applied and transformational action research that can
contribute to national prioritiers with focus on inclusive human development.
• STRIDE shall support creation, development and integration of new ideas, concepts and practices for public good and
strengthening civil society.
Shodhganga:
• It is a digital repository for research scholars across Universities and Institutes to deposit, re-use & share their Theses &
Dissertations in digital formats including scanned documents.
• It is in open access to the world-wide academic community.
Maratha Reservation issue
Context:
• The Bombay High Court has upheld the constitutional validity of reservation for the Maratha community in education
and government jobs in Maharashtra, but directed that it be slashed from the present 16 per cent to 12 per cent and 13 per
cent respectively.
Background:
• The Marathas who are almost one-third of Maharashtra’s population are not a homogeneous community. Historically, they
evolved from the farming caste of Kunbis who took to military service in medieval times and started assuming a separate
identity for themselves. Even then they claimed hierarchy of 96 clans.
• But the real differentiation has come through the post-independence development process, creating classes within the
caste:

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• A tiny but powerful section of elites that came to have control over cooperatives of sugar, banks, educational institutions,
factories and politics, called gadhivarcha (topmost strata) Maratha.
• The next section comprising owners of land, distribution agencies, transporters, contracting firms, and those controlling
secondary cooperative societies, is the wadyavarcha (well-off strata) Maratha.
• The rest of the population of Marathas comprising small farmers is the wadivarcha (lower strata) Maratha.
Kaushal Yuva Samwaad:
• Commemorating World Youth Skills Day on July 15, 2019 and celebrating 4th Anniversary of the Skill India Mission, the
Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship has announced launch of “Kaushal Yuva Samwaad” (A Youth Dialogue).
• Kaushal Yuva Samwaad is aimed at creating an open dialogue with the youth across all skill training centres to hear their
views, ideas, opportunities and recommendations which could help the Ministry in scaling the existing programs and improve
overall efficiency of its projects.
Operation Milap:
• The operation Milap under which children are rescued was launched in December 2014.
• Under this project, the Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Delhi Police develops information, rescues the traffic
ked or kidnapped person and arrests the kidnappers.
• The rescued children are counselled and also given requisite medical attention.
Jan Jagrukta Abhiyaan:
• It is a campaign to be launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in Delhi to sensitize and mobilise the comm
unity on measures for prevention and control of Vector Borne Diseases (VBDs) like Malaria, Dengue and Chikungunya.

IR , Defence & Security :


Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs)
Context:
• Army’s first Integrated Battle Groups to be structured by end of next month.
What are IBGs?
• IBGs are brigade-sized, agile, self-sufficient combat formations, which can swiftly launch strikes against adversary in
case of hostilities.
• Each IBG would be tailor-made based on Threat, Terrain and Task and resources will be allotted based on the three Ts.
• They need to be light so they will be low on logistics and they will be able to mobilise within 12-48 hrs based on the
location.
• An IBG operating in a desert needs to be constituted differently from an IBG operating in the mountains.
Securitypedia:
• The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has launched Securitypedia, an online encyclopaedia as a one stop repository
of information on security related practices across the globe.
• It contains extensive information on technical learning, CISF manuals, case studies, technical compendium, etc.
Kargil Vijay Diwas:
Context:
• Indian Army declared the Kargil mission successful on July 26, 1999; since then the day has been celebrated annually as
Kargil Vijay Diwas.
• India launched ‘Operation Vijay’ to clear the Kargil sector of infiltration by Pakistani soldiers and Kashmiri militants on
the Indian side of the Line of Control.
UKIERI Mobility Programme
Context:
• India and UK have joined hands together for UKIERI Mobility Programme: Study in India which will allow UK students
to visit India for higher studies.
About the UK India Education & Research Initiative (UKIERI) Mobility Programme: Study in India:
• It will be a bilateral pilot programme which will support UK universities to collaborate with Indian partners to send UK
students to India as part of their studies.
• It provides flexible grants to UK higher education institutions (HEIs) and their Indian partner institutions to design and
deliver academically rigorous short-term mobility opportunities in India for undergraduate students from UK HEIs.

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NAM
Context:
• Ministerial meeting of Coordinating Bureau of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was held recently in Caracas, capital of
Venezuela.
• Theme for 2019– Promotion and Consolidation of Peace through Respect for International Law.
• Issues raised by India at NAM Meet included- Climate change, Digital Technologies and Terrorism.
Suggestions by India:
• Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) needs to be re-examined and revise its methodology.
• The grouping needs to undertake a new journey.
About NAM:
• Founded in 1961 in Belgrade.
• It was created by the heads of Yugoslavia, India, Egypt, Ghana and Indonesia.
• The Non-Aligned Movement was formed during the Cold War as an organization of States that did not seek to formally
align themselves with either the United States or the Soviet Union, but sought to remain independent or neutral.
• The movement represented the interests and priorities of developing countries. The Movement has its origin in the Asia
-Africa Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955
Strum Ataka:
• India has signed a deal with Russia for acquiring Strum Ataka anti-tank missile for its fleet of Mi-35 attack choppers of
Indian Air Force (IAF).
Garuda VI:
What is it?
• It is a bilateral air exercise between Indian Air Force and French air force. The latest edition is being held in France.
• It is aimed at enhancing interoperability level of French and Indian crews in air defence and ground attack missions.
Manghdechhu hydropower project:
• The Mangdechhu hydroelectric project is a 720MW run-of-river power plant built on the Mangdechhu River in Trongsa
Dzongkhag District of central Bhutan.
• Mangdechhu is one of the ten hydroelectric projects planned under the Royal Government of Bhutan’s initiative to generate
10,000MW hydropower by 2020 with support from the Indian Government.
World Food Programme
Context:
• Coffee Table Book commemorating 50 years of partnership with UNWFP towards food and nutrition security in India
has been launched.
• The book showcases key milestones achieved by the Government of India in its efforts to make the nation free from
hunger and malnutrition and WFP’s role in this endeavour.
About WFP:
• The World Food Programme (WFP) is the food assistance branch of the United Nations and the world’s largest humanit
arian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security.
• The WFP strives to eradicate hunger and malnutrition, with the ultimate goal in mind of eliminating the need for food
aid itself.
• It is a member of the United Nations Development Group and part of its Executive Committee.
Port integrity campaign
Context:
• Maritime Anti-Corruption Network starts port integrity campaign in India.
What is it?
• The campaign, which aims to reduce and (in the long term) eliminate integrity issues and bottlenecks to trade during
operations in Indian ports, is a collective action of MACN, the Government of India, international organizations, and local
industry stakeholders.
• The main activities of the campaign include implementation of integrity training for port officials and the establishment
of clear escalation and reporting processes.
About MACN:
• Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) is a global business network of over 110 companies working to tackle c
orruption in the maritime industry.
• Established in 2011 by a small group of committed maritime companies.

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Operation Thirst:
What is it?
• It is an all- India drive launched by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) to curb menace of selling unauthorised packaged
drinking water in railway stations.
Red Corner notices:
Context:
• Based on Red Corner notices, 27 accused persons extradited to India till 1st April 2019.
What is it?
• Red Notice is issued by Interpol and is meant to facilitate quick location and arrest of a person abroad and providing the
information to the national agency / authority on whose request the Notice was issued. The Red Notice is not a pre-requisite
for and may not necessarily lead to the extradition of a fugitive offender for which there is a separate legal process to be
followed.
Nag- Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM):
Context:
• Indian Army has successfully conducted summer user trials of NAG, 3rd Generation Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM).
Key facts:
• The NAG missile is a third-generation anti-tank guided missile, which has top attack capabilities that can effectively
engage and destroy all known enemy tanks during day and night.
• It uses an imaging infrared seeker in lock-on-before-launch mode.
• It is launched from NAG missile carrier (NAMICA) which is capable of carrying up to 6 combat missiles.
• Range: Minimum-500 metres and Maximum- 4 kilometres.
• Developed by DRDO.

Geography, Environment & Biodiversity:


International Tiger Day: 29 July
Context:
• Global Tiger Day, often called International Tiger Day, is an annual celebration to raise awareness for tiger conservation,
held annually on 29 July.
• It was created in 2010 at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit.
• The goal of the day is to promote a global system for protecting the natural habitats of tigers and to raise public aware-
ness and support for tiger conservation issues.
Dracaena cambodiana:
Context:
• A group of researchers has discovered Dracaena cambodiana, a dragon tree species in the Dongka Sarpo area of West
Karbi Anglong, Assam.
• This is for the first time that a dragon tree species has been reported from India.
• The Dracaena seeds are usually dispersed by birds. But due to the large fruit size, only a few species of birds are able to
swallow the fruits, thus limiting the scope of its natural conservation.
Chrysomallon squamiferum:
CWhat is it?
• It is a scaly- foot snail found at only three spots in the Indian Ocean.
Why in News?
• It has become the first species to be officially declared threatened due to deep-sea mining.
Key facts:
• Chrysomallon squamiferum is found at three hydrothermal vents in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar.
• It was added by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to its updated Red List of Endangered Species
on July 18, 2019.
Gharial
Context:
• Odisha renews effort to revive gharial population.
Key facts:
• Critically Endangered— IUCN Red List.

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• The male gharial has a distinctive boss at the end of the snout, which resembles an earthenware pot.
• Habitat— foremost flowing rivers with high sand banks that they use for basking and building nests.
• Gharials once inhabited all the major river systems of the Indian Subcontinent, from the Irrawaddy River in the east to
the Indus River in the west. Their distribution is now limited to only 2% of their former range
Coral Rehab Programme
Why in News?
• The National Centre for Coastal Research’s (NCCR) proposal of dropping ‘melted plastic rocks or slabs’ on the seabed for
growing coral reefs and address the problem of disposal of plastic waste has drawn criticism from the Gulf of Mannar (GoM)
Marine National Park, which has been implementing coral rehabilitation programme since 2002.
About the Coral Rehabilitation Programme:
• The GoM Marine National Park has been implementing the corral rehabilitation programme since 2002.
• It has so far covered eight sq km areas in GoM region, where coral reefs suffered bleaching and degradation due to climate
change and high temperature.
• The program employs ‘concrete frame slabs’ method.
• Corals would start growing in 60 days using the concrete frames as sub-state. The acropora coral species grow by 10 to
12 cm per year on these slabs.

Science & Technology :


Hyperbola-1:
Context:
• iSpace, a Chinese startup, has launched first commercial rocket of China- Hyperbola-1– into the Earth’s orbit.
• Hyperbola-1 is carrying the CAS-7B CubeSat (microsatellite). It is an amateur radio mission which is developed by the
Beijing Institute of Technology.
• Hyperbola-1 is also carrying a satellite for Aerospace Science and Technology Space Engineering Development Co. Ltd.
About Hyperbola-1:
• It is around 68,000 pounds (31 metric tons) with three lower stages burning pre-packed solid propellants, and a liquid-
fueled upper stage for a final orbital injection maneuver.
• This rocket is able to deliver up to 573 pounds (260 kilograms) of payload mass to a 310-mile-high (500-kilometer) sun-
synchronous polar orbit.
CARE4U app:
Context:
• IIT Kharagpur team develops app CARE4U for elderly people.
Key features of the app:
• The android-based app will connect the caregiver to the elderly person.
• The app has a record of medical histories, allergies’ account, an SOS button, real time location tracking and so on.
• The network-based fall detection algorithm in the app installed on the phone of the elderly can detect whether the elderly
has fallen down.
• If there is a fall, it automatically calls the caregiver and emergency services along with the exact location of the elderly
person.
• CARE4U can also detect emotions and whenever the elderly opens the app, the phone takes his picture and a mood index
is calculated. This detects whether the person is sad or not and automatically updates the caregiver with the time stamp.
Kala Azar
Context:
• Study warns Kala azar patients can infect others even after treatment. Research showed that patients with the condition
can be a source of infection for others in their community.
Background:
• Kala-azar is endemic to the Indian subcontinent in 119 districts in four countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal).
• This disease is the second-largest parasitic killer in the world. Elimination is defined as reducing the annual incidence of
Kala Azar (KA) to less than 1 case per 10,000 people at the sub-district level.
Kala-azar:
• What is it? Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar, black fever, and Dumdum fever, is the most severe form
of leishmaniasis and, without proper diagnosis and treatment, is associated with high fatality.
• Spread: Caused by protozoan parasites of the Leishmania genus, migrates to the internal organs such as the liver, spleen

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(hence “visceral”), and bone marrow.


PUNCH mission
Context:
• NASA has selected an US based Indian researcher to lead its PUNCH mission which will image the Sun.
About PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere):
• It is focused on understanding the transition of particles from the Sun’s outer corona to the solar wind that fills inter-
planetary space.
• It will consist of a constellation of four microsatellites that through continuous 3D deep-field imaging, will observe the
corona and heliosphere as elements of a single, connected system.
• The mission is expected to be launched in 2022

MISC:
JATAN
• Human Centres Design and Computing Group has developed JATAN: Virtual Museum software which is used for creating
the digital collections in various museums and digital archival tools that are used in background for managing the National
Portal and Digital Repository for Indian Museums.
Jagannath Rath Yatra:
• Popularly known as the ‘Festival of Chariots’, Rath Yatra festival in honour of Puri’s Lord Jagannath is grand celebration.
• The festival is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, his sister Goddess Subhadra and elder brother Balabhadra.
• All the three deities of the temple – Jagannath, Subhadra and Balabhadra – travel in three different chariots during this
festival. The chariots are called Nandighosha, Taladhwaja, and Devadalana respectively.
Kerala Champions Boat League:
• The Champions Boat League (CBL) has been conceived by tourism officials in Kerala on the model of the Indian Premier
League (IPL) to transform the state’s legendary and historically-significant ‘vallamkali’ (snake boat races) into a world-class
sporting event.
• The snake boat, or ‘chundam vallam’ is essentially a long canoe that can seat up to 100 rowers and can have a length
between 100 and 138 feet in length. While the front portion of the boat tapers with a pointy end, the rear end can rise up to
a height of 20 feet — the entire wooden structure resembling a snake with its raised hood, hence the name.
Gandhian Young Technological Innovation (GYTI) Awards:
• SRISTI (Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions) celebrates the creativity and
innovation of young technological students by recognising their outstanding projects with Gandhian Young Technological
Innovation (GYTI) Awards.
• These Awards celebrate the spirit of student innovation in all the fields of engineering, science, technology and design
through extremely affordable/frugal solution or the ones pushing the technological edge.
National Translation Mission (NTM):
• It is a scheme launched in 2008 which is being implemented through the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL),
Mysore.
• Objective: to establish translation as an industry in general and to facilitate higher education by making knowledge
texts accessible to students and academics in Indian languages.
• Under the scheme, the books of knowledge texts mostly text books of various subjects prescribed in Universities and
Colleges are being translated in all Languages of the 8thSchedule of the Constitution of India.
Group ‘A’ Status to Indian Railway Protection Force (RPF) Service:
Context:
• Cabinet approves Grant of Organized Group ‘A’ Status to Indian Railway Protection Force (RPF) Service and and conseq-
uential benefits of Non-Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU).
Impact:
• This will end stagnation, improve career progression of the officers and keep up their motivational level. Eligible officers
of RPF will get benefitted.
Kharchi Puja
• The annual “Kharchi Puja” and festival is meant to cleanse the sins of mortal souls.
• Originally a Hindu tribals’ festivity, it is now observed by all communities and religions.
• The festival features 14 deities – Shiva, Durga, Vishnu, Laxmi, Saraswati, Kartik, Ganesha, Brahma, Abadhi (God of water),

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Chandra, Ganga, Agni, Kamdev and Himadri (Himalaya).


• This year the Kharchi Puja mela will be celebrated with the theme of ‘Nesha Mukta Tripura and Save Water’.

NOTES

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PRELIMS CAPSULE
1) HeliNa & NAMICA, in defence sector are related to
(A) Aircraft Carrier
(B) Submarine
(C) Guided bombs
(D Anti Tank missile

2) Albendazole is a
(A) Antibiotic
(B) Antiviral Medicine
(C) A Magnetic layer around Some planets
(D) None

3) 1. Solar charkha mission is by ministry of textile


2. It is being implemented by khadi and village industries commission (KVIC).
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

4) Recently in news Mission Kaktiya is related to


(A) Restore Kaktiya dynasty Monuments
(B) To save crows population in eastern ghats
(C) To restore tanks and lakes
(D) To manage land rights for farmers

5) Which of the following are among the codes of labour laws


1. Code on Wages Bill
2. Code of Occupational, Safety, Health and Working Conditions Bill, 2019
3. Code on Industrial Relations
4. Code on Social Security
5. Code on gender equality
6. Code on equal payment
Choose correct
(A) 1,2,4,5,6
(B) 1,2,3,5,6
(C) All
(D) 1,2,3,4

6) 1. Rome statute established International court of justice


2. India is a signatory but not a ratifier
3. India has not even signed Genocide convention yet.
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

7) The Economic Survey mentioned Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), What is means
(A) A farming by private players with funding from their own resources
(B)A farming model of totally organic farming by food processing industries
(C) A farming without any budget by forest dwellers
(D)None

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8) Joint Military Exercise ‘Hand-in-Hand’ is between


(A) India & France
(B) India & USA
(C) India & Myanmar
(D)India & China

9) The International Police Expo 2019 on theme ‘Challenges to strengthen peace and security’ was organized in
(A) China
(B) India
(C) Germany
(D) Japan

10) 1. The share of Public Sector Steel Companies in total crude steel production in the country is about 80%.
2. There are two steel manufacturing Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) under the administrative control of Ministry of
Steel namely Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL)
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

11) 1. National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is a statutory body


2. NSDC was set up by Ministry of Finance 3. It implements Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)
Choose correct
(A) 1 & 2
(B) 2 & 3
(C) 1 & 3
(D) All

12) 1. Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2019 amends the Airports Economic Regulatory
Authority of India Act, 2008.
2. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amend)Act, 2019 proposes to establish the Airports Economic
Regulatory Authority of India (AERA).
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) none

13) Organic farming in india is supported under


1. MOVCDNER
2. Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana
3. MIDH
4. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana
(A) 2 only
(B) 2 & 1
(C) All
(D) 2,3,4

14) Strait of Hormuz is between


(A) Iran & Pakistan
(B) Iran & UAE
(C) Iran & Oman
(D) Iran & Qatar

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15) Colistin is a
(A) Cell membrane chemical
(B) A vaccine for Ebola
(C) An antibiotic
(D) Drug for cancer

16) 1. Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) is a CSIR lab
2. It is located in Bengaluru
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

17) 1. Often dubbed as the “Road to Peace” – will connect Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur with Dera Baba
Nanak shrine in India’s Gurdaspur district.
2. The construction of the corridor will allow visa-free access to pilgrims from India.
3. Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur on the banks of the beas river
Choose correct
(A) 1 & 2
(B) 2 & 3
(C) All
(D) None

18) Jalyukta Shivar is a flagship program of _______ Govt.


(A) UP
(B)MP
(C) MH
(D) None

19) 1. Ebola kills Humans and fruit bats only.


2. World Health Organization has declared the recent Congo Ebola outbreak a World health emergency.
3. It spreads to humans with uncooked bushmeats only.
Choose correct
(A) 1 & 2
(B)2 only
(C) 2 & 3
(D) None

20) What is a ploonet


1. A Software based on AI to filter informations
2. A mammal
3. Moons of exoplanets
4. None

21) Bimal Jalan committee is for


1. One nation one election Issue
2. Electoral reforms
3. NPA settlements
4. RBI reserves sharing issue Jalan

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22) 1. Commercial paper (CP) is a short-term debt instrument issued by RBI to companies.
2. It is generally to raise funds for a time period up to one year.
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B)Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

23) 1. Article 157 and Article 158 of the Constitution of India specify eligibility requirements for the post of governor.
2. A governor has more discretionary powers than the president of India 3. Governor is appointed by Govt of India
Choose correct
(A) 1 & 2
(B) 2 & 3
(C) 1 & 3
(D) All

24) 1. In March 2017, Parliament passed the Maternity Benefit Amendment Act, 2017, enhancing paid maternity leave from
a period of 26 weeks to 52 weeks
2. It also makes it mandatory for every organization with 10 or more employees to have a crèche.
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D)None

25) SATAT initiative is related to


1. E-vehicles promotion
2. For employment opportunities to skilled youth
3. Promotion of research in universities
4. To set up compressed bio-gas (CBG) production plants

26) 1. World Heritage Status is a permanent status once given


2. The boundaries cant be changed by respective countries once a tag is given to the site.
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

27) 1. Blue Flag certification is given to beaches by France based World beach international
2. Its based on 33 criterias which must be maintained otherwise flag certification can be taken back
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

28) About Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana,


1. The unorganized sector workers, with income of less than Rs 15,000 per month and who belong to the entry age group of
18-60 years, will be eligible for the scheme.
2. He or she should be an income tax payer.
3. If the subscriber dies during the receipt of pension, any of his or her family member will be entitled to receive 50 percent
of the pension as family pension

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Choose correct
(A) 1 & 2
(B) 2 & 3
(C) All
(D) None

29) Seva Bhoj Yojana is by ministry of


(A)Health
(B)Tourism
(C)Culture
(D)Housing & Urban affairs

30) 1. Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world, located in Indonesian island
2. It’s a dormant volcano
3. Mauna Kea’s summit is one of the best sites in the world for astronomical observation
Choose correct
(A) 1 & 2
(B)2 & 3
(C) 1 & 3
(D) All

31) SATAT initiative is related to


1. E-vehicles promotion
2. For employment opportunities to skilled youth
3. Promotion of research in universities
4. To set up compressed bio-gas (CBG) production

32) 1. World Heritage Status is a permanent status once given


2. The boundaries cant be changed by respective countries once a tag is given to the site.
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

33) 1. In March 2017, Parliament passed the Maternity Benefit Amendment Act, 2017, enhancing paid maternity leave from
a period of 26 weeks to 52 weeks
2. It also makes it mandatory for every organization with 10 or more employees to have a crèche.
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D)None

34) Waorani tribe is a native of


1. Western Ghats
2. North East India
3. Pakistan
4. Equador

35) Recently in news, what is H.R.1044


1. A submarine which was attacked in Indian Ocean
2. High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019 in US
3. New labour Code
4. None
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36) 1. GAFA tax was recently introduced in budget 2019-20


2. It is related to FDI rules in e commerce business
Choose correct
1. Only 1
2. Only 2
3. Both
4. None

37) 1. Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems Ltd (KRAS) is 1st private missile production facility in India.
2. It will build Barak-8 Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (MRSAM) of America for IAF.
Choose correct
1. Only 1
2. Only 2
3. Both
4. None

38) Jal dharo Jal bharo a water conservation program is of


1. UP
2. Uttarakhand
3. Rajasthan
4. None

39) 1. Anshula Kant, Managing Director of State Bank of India (SBI) has been appointed as Managing Director and Chief
Financial Officer (CFO) of World Bank.
2. She will be the 1st woman CFO of World Bank.
Choose correct
1. Only 1
2. Only 2
3. Both
4. None

40) Global MPI 2019 Report is prepared by


1. UNGA
2. Poverty international
3. UNDP & OPHI
4. OECD

41) 1. Chandrayaan-1 failed In its rover’s landing but Chandrayaan-2 will have a soft landing on the moon’s surface
2. According to ISRO, there is a possibility of the presence of water in permanently shadowed areas around south pole.
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

42) 1. Merchant Discount Rate is charged by shopkeepers or business owners on customers during digital payment
2. MDR is recently made zero for companies with over Rs 50 cr turnover accepting payments digitally
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

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43) 1. Great Indian bustard is found in western ghats only


2. The Environment Ministry initiated a central sector scheme to save the ‘Great Indian bustard’.
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

44) LaQshya initiative is related to


1. Space Research
2. GST collection
3. Lowering States’ Fiscal deficit
4. None

45) 1. A nominated MP has introduced a private member’s BillPopulation Regulation Bill, 2019- in the Rajya Sabha
2. There is a provision of 10 years imprisonment for couples giving birth to more than 2 kids
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

46) 1. Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (MHS) is a scheme for promotion of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in the
age group of 12-19 year in rural areas
2. It comes under Ministry of WCD.
3. MHS is a part of Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram, which is to ensure holistic development of adolescent population.
Choose correct
(A) 1 & 2
(B) 2 & 3
(C) 1 & 3
(D) Only 3

47) 1. ‘Central Apprenticeship Council’ works under ministry of corporate affairs


2. It is an apex statutory body under the Apprentices Act, 1961.
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

48) 1. According to the Section 9 of the Foreigners Act 1946, the complainant now has to prove he or she is an Indian.
2. After detention they can appeal only in supreme court
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

49) Recently in news, What is Anttifa ?


1. A decree by caliphate in Iraq for ISIS members
2. A terrorist group in Africa
3. a far-right group in Lebanon
4. None

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50) 1. Dutee Chand, the Indian sprinter won gold medal in women’s 200m in World Universiade, 30th Summer University
Games held in Naples, Italy.
2. She hails from Kerala
Choose correct
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

NOTES

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SOLUTIONS
1) Solution: (D)
NAG missile
• Indian Army has successfully carried out trials of third Generation NAG Missile.
• It is a fire-and-forget, Anti-tank guided missile developed by DRDO.
• It is designed to destroy tanks and other heavily armoured targets.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

2) Solution: (D)
• Albendazole, also known as albendazolum, is a medication used for the treatment of a variety of parasitic worm infestations.
It is useful for giardiasis, trichuriasis, filariasis, neurocysticercosis, hydatid disease, pinworm disease, and ascariasis, among
others.
• It is taken by mouth.
Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

3) Solution: (B)
Solar Charkha Mission
• It is the employment generating venture of Ministry of MSME to train rural people in weaving.
• The looms and spindles will be completely powered by Solar energy.
• It is being implemented by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

4) Solution: (C)
• It is a programme for restoring all the minor irrigation tanks and lakes in Telangana State, India. The programme helps in
rejuvenating 46,531 tanks and lakes, storing 265 TMC water across the state in five years.
• This is the first program to be taken up by the Government of Telangana after coming into power in June 2014.
• The tanks and lakes are dug to remove silt for increasing water storage capacity. The household agricultural income has also
increased 78.50% in the tank ayacut area

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

5) Solution: (D)
As a part of its ease of doing business initiative, the government will be subsuming a total of 44 labour laws into four
codes — on wages, social security, industrial safety and welfare and industrial relations. The Four codes of Labour laws are:
1. Code on Wages Bill
2. Code of Occupational, Safety, Health and Working Conditions Bill, 2019
3. Code on Industrial Relations
4. Code on Social Security

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

6) Solution: (D)
• Neither ‘crimes against humanity’ nor ‘genocide’ has been made part of India’s criminal law, a lacuna that needs to be
addressed urgently.
• This was the lament of Justice S. Muralidhar of the Delhi High Court, while pronouncing the judgment in State v. Sajjan
Kumar (2018).
• The case concerned the mass killing of Sikhs during the anti-Sikh riots in 1984 in Delhi and throughout the country.
• The court categorically stated that these kind of mass crimes “engineered by political actors with the assistance of the
law enforcement agencies” fit into the category of crimes against humanity (CAH).

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

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7) Solution: (D)
• Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a set of farming methods, and also a grassroots peasant movement, which has spread
to various states in India.
• It has attained wide success in southern India, especially the southern Indian state of Karnataka where it first evolved.
The movement in Karnataka state was born out of collaboration between Mr Subhash Palekar, who put together the ZBNF
practices, and the state farmers association Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS).

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

8) Solution: (D)
• The 2019 Hand-in-Hand exercise will be 8th edition of India and China military drill that was resumed in 2018 following a
freeze over Doklam stand-off.
• The 2018 exercise, which was 7th edition, was held in Chengdu in December 2018.
• In Umroi, Meghalaya the India and China military exercise will be at company level, it means that around 100-120 infantry
troops from both sides will be participating.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

9) Solution: (B)
At the Expo, more than 25 countries are showcasing combat/armoured vehicles, advanced firearms and a plethora of
disruptive technologies in cyber security, homeland security, drones and safety and rescue. Over 100 leading manufacturers
and technology players from Israel, Singapore, China, South Korea, Taiwan, UK, US, Malaysia, Germany, Australia, Poland and
other nations are displaying best and advanced technologies.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

10) Solution: (B)


As per the Companies Act, 2013, Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) under Ministry of Steel earmark at least 2% of the
average net profits made during the three immediately preceding financial years for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
activities. Unspent balance for the previous year, if any, is carried forward to the next year for utilization for the purpose for
which it was allocated. Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd.(RINL) have even allocated CSR funds
during loss years to sustain the momentum of the ongoing committed CSR activities. Funds under Corporate Social
Responsibility are not allocated by CPSEs, State/UT-wise.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

11) Solution: (B)


• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is a not-for-profit public limited company incorporated on July 31, 2008
under section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (corresponding to section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013). NSDC was set up by
Ministry of Finance as Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. The Government of India through Ministry of Skill Development
& Entrepreneurship (MSDE) holds 49% of the share capital of NSDC, while the private sector has the balance 51% of the share
capital.
• NSDC aims to promote skill development by catalyzing creation of large, quality and forprofit vocational institutions.
Further, the organization provides funding to build scalable and profitable vocational training initiatives. Its mandate is also to
enable support system which focuses on quality assurance, information systems and train the trainer academies either directly
or through partnerships. NSDC acts as a catalyst in skill development by providing funding to enterprises, companies and
organizations that provide skill training. It also develops appropriate models to enhance, support and coordinate private sector
initiatives. The differentiated focus on 21 sectors under NSDC’s purview and its understanding of their viability will make
every sector attractive to private investment

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

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upsc q com August 2019

12)Solution: (A)
• Rajya Sabha recently passed the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
• The Bill amends the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Act, 2008.
Background:
• The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Act, 2008 established the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of
India (AERA).
• Functions: AERA regulates tariffs and other charges for aeronautical services provided at civilian airports with annual traffic
above 15 lakh passengers. It also monitors the performance standard of services across these airports.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

13) Solution: (C)


• Government of India has been encouraging/ promoting organic farming under two dedicated Schemes, namely, Mission
Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) and Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
since 2015.
• Organic Farming has also been supported under other Schemes viz Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and Mission for
Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Network Project on Organic Farming under ICAR. Third party certification
of organic farming is promoted by Agriculture Processed Food and Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of
Commerce.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

14) Solution: (C)


Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

15) Solution: (C)


Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

16) Solution: (A)


Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

17) Solution: (A)


• The 16th century Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur is on the banks of the river Ravi.
• The gurudwara was established by the first Sikh Guru in 1522.
• This would also be open to pilgrims of Indian origin who are citizens of other countries.
• A four-lane Highway will connect Dera Baba Nanak from GurdaspurAmritsar Highway to International border.
• The length of the corridor is about 4 km, 2 km on either side of the International Border.
• It comes at the time of 550th birth anniversary year of Guru Nanak

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

18) Solution: (C)


Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

19) Solution: (B)


The World Health Organization (WHO) declared ‘Ebola virus’ outbreak in Congo as an international health emergency.
The outbreak, the second largest in history, has killed more than 1,600 people in Congo.
Ebola
Ebo a iss a rare but dead
deadly
yvvirus
rus that causes sudden fever
fever, intense
ntense weakness
weakness, musc
muscle
e pa
pain
n and a sore throat
throat.
t progresses to vom t ng d arrhoea and both nterna and externa b eed ng
t s former y known as Ebo a haemorrhag c fever Ebo a v rus d sease EVD
t spreads to humans by contact w th the sk n or bod y f u ds of an nfected an ma ke a monkey ch mp or fru t bat
t a so spreads between humans through d rect contact w th an nfected person

Source Study Q da y current Affa rs

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20) Solution: (C)


When the moons of exoplanets break away from their own orbits, went rogue and acts like a planet, it is called “Ploonet.”
It gets it name from ‘Planet + moon = Ploonet’.
As the exoplanets move inward toward their suns, the orbits of their moons are often disrupted.
So the moon may run away from their exoplanets and could become ‘Ploonets’, according to new study models.
This is because of the combined gravitational forces of the planet and the star.
This gravitational force would inject extra energy into the moon’s orbit, pushing it farther from its planet until eventually
it escapes.
This process happens in every planetary system composed of a giant planet in a very close-in orbit.
• As for Earth’s own Moon, it is a potential ploonet.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

21) Solution: (D)


It was set up to review the economic capital framework of the RBI.
According to Section 47 of the RBI Act, profits of the RBI are to be transferred to the government, after making various
contingency provisions.
The contingency provisions includes public policy mandate of the RBI, financial stability considerations etc.
The committee proposes transfer of RBI reserves to govt in tranches over 3-5 years.
It recommended transferring of funds from both contingency and revaluation reserves to the government.
The panel has also sought a ‘period review’ of the RBI capital framework.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

22) Solution: (B)


Commercial paper(CP) – It is a short-term debt instrument issued by companies.
1. It is generally to raise funds for a time period up to one year.
2. It is an unsecured money market instrument.
3. Individuals, banking companies, other corporate bodies and nonresident Indians and FII can invest in CPs.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

23)Solution: (A)
• Qualifications for appointment as Governor No person shall be eligible for appointment as Governor unless he is a citizen
of India and has completed the age of thirty five years
• Article 158 in The Constitution Of India 1949
• 158. Conditions of Governor office(1) The Governor shall not be a member of either House of Parliament or of a House of
the Legislature of any State specified in the First Schedule, and if a member of either House of Parliament or of a House of the
Legislature of any such State be appointed Governor, he shall be deemed to have vacated his seat in that House on the date
on which he enters upon his office as Governo

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

24) Solution: (D)


• In March 2017, Parliament passed the Maternity Benefit Amendment Act, 2017, enhancing paid maternity leave from a
period of 12 weeks to 26 weeks.
• The law is applicable to all institutions with 10 or more employees.
• It also makes it mandatory for every organization with 50 or more employees to have a crèche.
• guidelines include:
• A crèche be either at the workplace or within 500 metres of it. Alternatively, it could also be in the beneficiaries’
neighbourhood.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

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25) Solution: (D)


• The government has said that the SATAT initiative has the potential of addressing environmental problems arising from
landfill emissions, farm stubble burning, etc. and also bring down dependency on oil/gas import.
• Till June, 2019, Oil Marketing Companies and Gas Marketing Companies have awarded Letter of Intent (LoI) for 344
plants for production and supply of CBG.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

26) Solution: (D)


• A country may request to extend or reduce the boundaries, modify the official name, or change the selection criteria of
one of its already listed sites. Any proposal for a significant boundary change or modify the site’s selection criteria must be
submitted as if it were a new nomination, including first placing it on the Tentative List and then onto the Nomination File.
• A request for a minor boundary change, one that does not have a significantly impact on the extent of the property or
affect its “outstanding universal value”, is also evaluated by the advisory bodies before being sent to the Committee. Such
proposals can be rejected by either the advisory bodies or the Committee if they judge it to be a significant change instead of
a minor one.
• Proposals to change the site’s official name is sent directly to the Committee

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

27) Solution: (B)


Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

28) Solution: (D)


• About Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana:
• Launched by the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment. The scheme was announced in the Interim Budget 2019.
• PM-SYM is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme that will engage as many as 42 crore workers in the unorganised
sector.
• Eligibility:
• The unorganised sector workers, with income of less than Rs 15,000 per month and who belong to the entry age group of
18-40 years, will be eligible for the scheme. Those workers should not be covered under New Pension Scheme (NPS),
Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) scheme or Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). He or she should
not be an income tax payer.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

29) Solution: (C)


• Union Ministry of Culture has launched- ‘Seva Bhoj Yojna’– a scheme to reimburse central share of CGST and IGST on food,
prasad, langar or bhandara offered by religious and charitable institutions.
• The scheme seeks to reimburse the central government’s share of Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) and Integrated
Goods and Service Tax (IGST) on purchase of raw items such as ghee, edible oil, atta, maida, rava, flour, rice pulses, sugar and
jaggery, which go into preparation of food/prasad/langar/bhandara offered free of cost by religious institutions.
• The main objective of the scheme is to lessen the financial burden of such charitable religious institutions, which provide
free of cost without any discrimination to the general public and devotees

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

30) Solution: (B)


• The Mauna Kea Observatories (MKO) are a number of independent astronomical research facilities and large telescope
observatories that are located at the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawai i, United States. The facilities are
located in a 525-acre (212 ha) special land use zone known as the “Astronomy Precinct”, which is located within the 11,228-
acre (4,544 ha) Mauna Kea Science Reserve.

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• The Astronomy Precinct was established in 1967 and is located on land protected by the Historical Preservation Act for its
significance to Hawaiian culture.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

31) Solution: (B)


• The government has said that the SATAT initiative has the potential of addressing environmental problems arising from
landfill emissions, farm stubble burning, etc. and also bring down dependency on oil/gas import.
• Till June, 2019, Oil Marketing Companies and Gas Marketing Companies have awarded Letter of Intent (LoI) for 344
plants for production and supply of CBG.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

32) Solution: (D)


• A country may request to extend or reduce the boundaries, modify the official name, or change the selection criteria of
one of its already listed sites. Any proposal for a significant boundary change or modify the site’s selection criteria must
be submitted as if it were a new nomination, including first placing it on the Tentative List and then onto the Nomination File.
• A request for a minor boundary change, one that does not have a significantly impact on the extent of the property or
affect its “outstanding universal value”, is also evaluated by the advisory bodies before being sent to the Committee. Such
proposals can be rejected by either the advisory bodies or the Committee if they judge it to be a significant change instead
of a minor one.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

33) Solution: (D)


• Data on provision of mandatory crèche services at establishments is not maintained centrally. The complaints received for
violation of provision of the Act by respective Governments are dealt with as per the provisions of the Act.
• In March 2017, Parliament passed the Maternity Benefit Amendment Act, 2017, enhancing paid maternity leave from a
period of 12 weeks to 26 weeks.
• The law is applicable to all institutions with 10 or more employees.
• It also makes it mandatory for every organization with 50 or more employees to have a crèche.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

34) Solution: (D
Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

35) Solution: (B)


• H.R.1044 – Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019
• Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019
• This bill increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available
that year to 15%, and eliminates the 7% cap for employment-based immigrant visas. It also removes an offset that reduced
the number of visas for individuals from China.
• The bill also establishes transition rules for employment-based visas from FY2020-FY2022, by reserving a percentage of
EB-2 (workers with advanced degrees or exceptional ability), EB-3 (skilled and other workers), and EB-5 (investors) visas for
individuals not from the two countries with the largest number of recipients of such visas. Of the unreserved visas, not more
than 85% shall be allotted to immigrants from any single country

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

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36) Solution: (D)


• What is it? It is a legislation — dubbed the GAFA tax — an acronym for Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon – passed
recently by France Parliament.
• With this, France has become the first major economy to impose a tax on digital giants.
• The new law aims at plugging a taxation gap that has seen some internet heavyweights paying next to nothing in countries
where they make huge profits.
• The law will levy a 3 per cent tax on total annual revenues of the largest tech firms providing services to French consumers.
• The tax would be applied only to companies with global revenues in excess of €500 million and revenue of at least €25
million from UK activities

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

37)Solution: (A)
Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

38)Solution: (D)
• On 12 July 2019, West Bengal government observed Save Water Day across the state to spread the message of water
conservation. This is the 1st time the day was observed. From now onwards it will be observed in state each year to create
awareness among people to check misuse of water.
• The Jal Dharo Jal Bharo Abhiyan was launched in 2011 with the objective of conserving precious water resources through
all kinds of water bodies, viz. tanks, ponds, reservoirs, canals, etc., and through artificial recharging of underground water via
rooftop rainwater harvesting. These conservation measures, in turn, provide wage security for rural people through
labourintensive jobs.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

39) Solution: (C)


Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

40)Solution: (C)
• Global MPI 2019 Report prepared by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and
Human Development Initiative.
• In the 101 countries assessed– 31 low income, 68 middle income and 2 high income –about 1.3 billion people are
“multi-dimensionally poor“.
• The Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)was developed in 2010 by the Oxford Poverty & Human Development
Initiative and the United Nations Development Programme, and uses different factors to determine poverty beyond income-
based lists. It replaced the previous Human Poverty Index. The global MPI is released annually by OPHI and the results
published on its website

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

41) Solution: (B)


• India is aiming to be the 4th country to land on the lunar surface after the USA, Russia and China.
• ISRO will launch Chandrayaan-2, its second spacecraft to the moon on July 15, 2019.
• Chandrayaan-1 was designed to just orbit the Moon and make observations, while Chandrayaan-2is created to land on the
Moon.
• This mission is aimed at landing a rover near the unexplored South Pole.
• According to ISRO, there is a possibility of the presence of water in permanently shadowed areas around it.
• South Pole region also has craters that are cold traps and contain a fossil record of the early Solar System.
• Chandrayaan 2, has three important components — the Orbiter, the Lander ‘Vikram’, and Rover ‘Pragyan’.
• The Chandrayaan will be tucked into the GSLV Mk-III rocket.
• It is also called as ‘Baahubali’, the country’s heaviest and most powerful rocket to date.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

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42) Solution: (D)


Merchant Discount Rate (MDR)
• It is a fee charged by a bank to a merchant for payment processing services from customers on debit and credit card
transactions.
• It is also referred to as the ‘Transaction Discount Rate’ or TDR.
• To give a push to digital payments adoption, government has proposed no charge or merchant discount rate for companies
with over Rs 50 cr turnover accepting payments digitally
• The MDR will instead be borne by supporting banks and the Reserve Bank of India.
• Necessary amendments are being made in the Income Tax Act and the Payments and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 to give
effect to these provisions.
• Contrary to public perception, the MDR has not been made zero.
• The FM’s decision has just shifted its incidence on to the RBI and banks.
• So many payments providers apprehend that the banks will find a way of passing on the costs to them.
• In turn, this will negatively impact the health of a sector that needs nurturing.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

43) Solution: (D)


Great Indian bustard
• The Environment Ministry initiated a project to save the ‘Great Indian bustard’.
• With just 130 great Indian bustards left in the country, this project focuses on their conservation and protection.
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• Through ‘Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats’, government provides funds to states & Union Territories under
the component ‘Species Recovery Programme’.
• The fund is for conservation and protection of 21 critically endangered species, including the Great Indian Bustard.
• The ministry has also initiated ‘Habitat Improvement and Conservation Breeding of Great Indian Bustard’ – An Integrated
Approach.
• The important objective of this is to, build up captive population of great Indian bustard and to release the chicks in the
wild for increasing the population.
• Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra are the important range states involved in this programme.
• Currently, there are two centres for breeding and hatching, in Jaisalmer and in Kota, both in Rajasthan.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

44)Solution: (D)
• “LaQshya” (Labour room Quality improvement Initiative) is to improve quality of care in labour room and maternity
operation theatres in public health facilities.
• It’s under the ‘Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’.
• It aims to give qualitative care to the pregnant mother in the Labour Room to minimize the risks associated with childbirth

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

45)Solution: (A)
• A nominated MP has introduced a private member’s Bill- Population Regulation Bill, 2019- in the Rajya Sabha, seeking to
enforce a two-child norm by giving incentives for those adopting the small family practice and penalties for those contravening
it.
• Highlights of the Bill:
• It suggests that people with more than two living children should be “disqualified” from being chosen as an MP, MLA or a
member of any body of the local self government after the commencement of the Act.
• Similarly, it suggests that government employees should give an undertaking that she or he will not procreate more than
two children.
• It says those government employees who have more than two children on or before the commencement of the Act should
be exempted.

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• Other penalties include reduction in subsidies on loans and interest rates on savings instruments, reduction in benefits
under the public distribution system, and higher than normal interest rates for availing loans from banks and financial
institutions.
• The provisions of the Bill also list out several benefits for Central and public sector enterprise employees who adopt the
two-child norm “by undergoing sterilization operation himself or of the spouse”.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

46) Solution: (D)


• It is a scheme for promotion of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in the age group of 10-19 year in rural areas.
• It comes under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• The major objectives of the scheme are,
• To increase awareness among adolescent girls on Menstrual Hygiene
• To increase access to and use of high quality sanitary napkins to adolescent girls in rural areas.
• To ensure safe disposal of Sanitary Napkins in an environmentally friendly manner.
• Funds are provided to States/UTs through National Health Mission (NHM).
• The funds are for decentralized procurement of sanitary napkins packs primarily to rural adolescent girls at a subsidized
rate of Rs 6 for a pack of 6 napkins.
• The ASHA will be responsible for distribution of napkins.
• They will receive an incentive of Re 1 per pack sold and a free pack of napkins every month for her own personal use.
• A range of IEC (Information Education and Communication) material has been developed around MHS.
• It is a 360 degree approach to create awareness about safe and hygienic menstrual health practices.
• It includes audio, video and reading materials for adolescent girls.
• MHS is a part of Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram, which is to ensure holistic development of adolescent population.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

47) Solution: (B)


• Apprenticeship training reforms
• The ‘Central Apprenticeship Council’ under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, proposed new reforms
in apprenticeship training.
• Major proposals are,
• To raise the upper limit of apprentices from the existing 10% of total strength of establishment to 15%
• To lower the limit of an establishment with mandatory obligation to engage apprentices from 40 to 30.
• To lower the limit of establishments eligible to engage apprentices on optional basis from 6 to 4.
• Rationalization of stipend payable to all categories of apprentices.
• Fixed stipend for apprentices linked to their educational qualification to make it easier for an apprentice to understand the
program.
• Central Apprenticeship Council (CAC)
• It is an apex statutory body under the Apprentices Act, 1961.
• Its function is to assist and advice the Central Government for the implementation of Apprentice Act.
• Central Government can establish the CAC by notification in the official Gazette under Section 24(1) of the Apprentices Act,
1961.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

48) Solution: (D)


• Between 1985 and 2019, more number of people in Assam have been declared foreigners by ‘ex parte orders’(in the
absence of these persons) in Foreigners’ Tribunals.
• Foreigners’ Tribunals declared 1,03,764 persons as foreigners (1985-2019) of which 63,959 were decided by ex parte orders.
• These tribumals are a key player in the exercise to identify illegal immigrants in Assam.
• There are 100 existing and 200 more tribunal to be functional by September 2019.
• They are quasi-judicial bodies meant to decide whether a person is a foreigner or not within the meaning of Foreigners
Act, 1946.
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Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

49) Solution: (D)


• It is a far-left group, short for “Antifascist”.
• They clashed with those of a far-right group called Proud Boys in what is called the Portland violence in USA.
• It happened during a pro-Donald Trump demonstration in Portland.
• The Proud Boys are known as a white supremacist, exclusively male group based in the US.
• Antifa has a more international background and has been around for several decades, dates back to Nazi Germany.
• The movement has had a presence in several European countries and has now come into focus in the United States.
• Antifa members follow far-left ideologies such as anti-capitalism.
• Apart from public-protests, they run websites that track white extremist and ultra-right groups.
• Because of Antifa’s repeated involvement in violence, many liberal figures have criticised the group for bringing disrepute
to existing anti-fascism movements in U.S.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

50) Solution: (D)


She became the first Indian to win a 100m gold in a global event.
• Del Ponte (11.33 seconds) of Switzerland won silver
• Lisa KwaYie (11.39 seconds) of Germany won bronze.
• She has now become only 2nd Indian sprinter to win gold in a global event after Hima Das. Das won top spot in 400m in
World Junior Athletics Champions in 2018
• She won silver each in 100m and 200m in 2018 Asian Games.
• She is also only 2nd Indian track and field athlete to win gold in World Universiade. Earlier, Inderjeet Singh had won top
spot in men’s shot put event in 2015.

Source: Study IQ daily current Affairs

NOTES

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