11thth September,

10 www.jatinverma.org
August, 2020.
2020
 The Hindu, PIB, IE and Others
Index
A) Indices/Committees/Reports/Organisations
1. What is Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE)? (TH)
2. Doorstep Banking Services by PSBs and EASE Banking Reforms Index (Ministry of Finance) (IE)

B) Schemes/Policies/Initiatives/Social Issues
3. NAFED intiative: e-kisan mandis (TH)
4. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PIB)
5. Schemes of the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment (PIB)
6. Kisan Rail and Krishi Udaan (TH)
7. Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE-Atal New India Challenges (ANIC) (PIB)

C) International Relations
8. Thailand scraps the Kra Canal Project (livemint)

D) Economy
9. FDI in India rises 10% in FY20 (IE)

E) Polity/Bills/Acts/Judgments
10. Police custody and judicial custody and the difference between the Two (IE)
11. Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) (PIB)

F) Miscellaneous
12. Shikshak Parv (PIB)

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 Indices/Committees/Reports/Organisation
s
1. What is Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE)? (TH)
• The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) is a direct response to the Rio+20 Declaration, The
Future We Want.
• It brings together the expertise of five UN agencies –
✓ United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP or UN Environment),
✓ United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),
✓ International Labour Organization (ILO),
✓ United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and
✓ United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
• PAGE represents a mechanism to coordinate UN action on green economy and to assist countries in
achieving and monitoring the emerging Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 8: Promote
sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for
all.

2. Doorstep Banking Services by PSBs and EASE Banking Reforms Index (Ministry of Finance)
Doorstep Banking Services by PSBs
• As part of the EASE Reforms, Doorstep Banking Services is envisaged to provide convenience of banking
services to the customers at their door step through the universal touch points of Call Centre, Web Portal or
Mobile App.
• The services shall be rendered by the
Doorstep Banking Agents deployed
by the selected Service Providers at
100 centres across the country.
• At present only non-financial services
are available to customers. Financial
services shall be made available from
October 2020.
• The services can be availed by
customers of Public Sector Banks at
nominal charges.
• The services shall benefit all
customers, particularly Senior
Citizens and Divyangs who would
find it at ease to avail these services.

Performance of PSB on EASE 2.0 Index

• A common reform agenda for PSBs, EASE Agenda is aimed at institutionalizing clean and smart banking.
• It was launched in January 2018, and the subsequent edition of the program ― EASE 2.0 built on the
foundation laid in EASE 1.0.
• The overall score of PSBs increased by 37% between March-2019 and March-2020, with the average EASE
index score improving from 49.2 to 67.4 out of 100.

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• Enhanced Access and Service Excellence (EASE) Banking Reforms Index is based on six themes:
✓ Responsible Banking;
✓ PSBs as UdyamiMitra for MSMEs;
✓ Credit off-take;
✓ Customer Responsiveness;
✓ Deepening Financial Inclusion and Digitalisation;
✓ Developing Personnel for Brand PSB.
• Bank of Baroda, State Bank of India, and erstwhile Oriental Bank of Commerce were felicitated for
being the top three (in that order) in the ‘Top Performing Banks’ category according to the EASE 2.0 Index
Results.

Schemes/Policies/Initiatives/Social Issues

3. NAFED initiative: e-kisan mandis (TH)

• Context: If the electronic National Agricultural Market (eNAM) hasn’t over the last four years of its
existence transformed the markets for farm goods and aided the farmers to reach the right buyers in
a big way, the blame should be assigned to lack of logistic support in transporting the commodities from
one state to another.
o eNAM has been reliant on the APMC mandis for physical infrastructure.

Analysis
• Multi-state cooperative NAFED has developed a new model of e-Kisan mandis, where this lacuna is sought
to be addressed.
• The country’s first e-kisan mandi became operational in Pune recently, led by NAFED’s arm Federation
of Farmer Producer Organisations and Aggregators (FIFA).
• The idea is to roll out 100-odd such facilities over the next six to nine months across the country.
• According to the plan, the FPCs or other farmer groups will run the facility on NAFED-owned lands.
• Unlike e-NAM, which focuses on APMCs, the e-kisan mandis will seek to bring farmers, agri-producers,
traders and small buyers on a common platform for trading agricultural commodities.
• An online electronic market will not work unless it is accompanied by proper physical infrastructure.
• NAFED would invest in setting up warehouses and cold storage at the e-kisan hubs in addition to providing
drying, sorting and grading facilities.
• The e-Kisan mandi platform would not compete with but complement the physical markets.
• It would operate in a hub-and-spoke model, in which the NAFED-owned land will operate as a hub for the
FPCs in the area; FPCs will collect the orders from the online platform and provide the service.

National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED)

• It was established in October 1958.
• It is registered under the Multi State Co-operative Societies Act.
• It was setup with the object to promote Co-operative marketing of agricultural produce to benefit the farmers.
• Agricultural farmers are the main members of NAFED, who have the authority to say in the form of members
of the General Body in the working of NAFED.
• NAFED holds the Central Buffer of onions on behalf of the Union Government.

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Objectives:
• To act as warehouseman under the Warehousing Act and own and construct its own godowns and cold
storages;
• To act as agent of any Government agency or cooperative institution, for the purchase, sale, storage and
distribution of agricultural, horticultural, forest and animal husbandry produce, wool, agricultural requisites
and other consumer goods;
• To act as insurance agent and to undertake all such work which is incidental to the same;
• To undertake manufacture of agricultural, machinery and implements, processing, packing, etc. and other
production requisites and consumer articles by setting up manufacturing units either directly or in
collaboration with or as a joint venture with any other agency;
• To maintain transport units of its own or in collaboration with any other organization in India or abroad for
movements of goods on land, sea, air and operate freight station, container depot and undertake other
incidental activities;
• To subscribe to the share capital and undertake business collaboration with cooperative institutions,
public, joint and private sector enterprises, if and when considered necessary for fulfilling the objectives of
NAFED;
• To establish processing units for processing of agricultural, horticultural and forest produce, wool and
allied products.

4. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PIB)

• Context: The Sports Ministry has come forward to extend financial support to Ramananda Ningthoujam, a
young Indian footballer who has represented India at various international tournaments, and is suffering from
kidney failure.
• Taking cognizance of his serious medical condition and the financial situation of the family, the Ministry
has sanctioned an ex-gratia financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakhs to the athlete under the Pandit Deendayal
Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons.

Analysis
• The salient features of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS)
are as follows:
✓ To provide suitable assistance to outstanding sportspersons now living in indigent circumstances;
✓ To provide suitable assistance to outstanding sportspersons injured during the period of their training
for competitions and also during the competitions, depending on the nature of the injury;
✓ To provide suitable assistance to outstanding sportspersons who bring glory to the country in
international sports field and who are disabled as an after effect of their strenuous training or otherwise
and to provide them assistance for medical treatment;
✓ To provide suitable assistance to promote welfare of outstanding sportspersons generally in order to
alleviate distress among them and their dependents in indigent circumstances.
• Funds are not sanctioned/released under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for
Sportspersons scheme area-wise.
• The financial help is provided to athletes depending upon their financial and medical conditions.
• Monthly pension can also being given from ‘Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for
Sportspersons.’

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5. Schemes of the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment (PIB)
• Context: Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment released a book containing 33 Action Plans
2020-21 of all the schemes of the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment.
• This is the first time that the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has embarked on a
comprehensive Annual Action Plan 2020-21 for each of the Schemes with an objective to give clear targets
and milestones for Central Ministry, the participating State Governments and NGOs.

Analysis
Schemes of the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment
• Free Coaching for Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes, National Fellowship for Scheduled
Castes & Top Class Education For Schedules Castes:
✓ Revised the income limits for eligibility of Assistance under the Top Class Education Scholarship
Scheme for SCs, Free Coaching Scheme for SCs and OBCs, and National Overseas Scholarship Scheme
for SCs etc. from Rs.6.00 Lakh to Rs.8.00 Lakh per annum.
✓ New mode of implementation has been introduced in the Free Coaching Scheme under which eligible
SCs and OBCs students can obtain assistance for undertaking coaching in institute of their choice.
• Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana
✓ 3584 more SC majority villages have been taken up under PMAGY for integrated development taking
the total to 13199 villages.
• National Action Plan on Drug Demand Reduction
o Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan has been launched in 272 Districts most affected in substance use.
• Integrated Programme for Rehabilitation of Beggars
o This project would be run in 10 pilot cities i.e. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad,
Bengaluru, Lucknow, Patna, Nagpur and Indore. These 10 pilots will be done in the year 2020-21.
• National Action Plan for Senior Citizens
o At least one Senior Citizen Home in each District will be ensured in this year.
• National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC)
o National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) an apex corporation
under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, has launched a new scheme with a view to
promote mechanized cleaning and to minimize the incidents of Manual Hazardous cleaning to providing
financial assistance to its target group for procurement and operation of mechanized cleaning equipment
under its Swachhta Udyami Yojna (SUY) with a provision of 50% capital subsidy for equipment
costing upto Rs.5 Lakh.
• Strengthening of Machinery for Enforcement of Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955 and Prevention of
Atrocities Act 1989
• Post Matric Scholarship for SCs
o It is proposed to cover additional 10 lakh students under the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for SCs
during 2020-21.
• Post Matric Scholarship for Other Backward Classes
• Vanchit Ikai Samooh aur Vargon ki Aarthik Sahayta Yojana (VISVAS Yojana)
o It is for the benefit of Scheduled Castes and OBC Self Help Groups/Individual member with annual
family income upto Rs. 3 Lakh.
o Under the scheme SC and OBC Self Help Groups and Individuals will be able to avail Interest
Subvention on bank loans at 5%.

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 o VISVAS Yojana will be implemented by the National Scheduled Castes Finance Development
Corporation (NSFDC) and National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation
(NBCFDC).

6. Kisan Rail and Krishi Udaan (TH)

• Context: India’s second and South India’s first Kisan Train commenced its inaugural run from Anantapur
in Andhra Pradesh to Adarsh Nagar in New Delhi recently.

Analysis
• Anantapur is fast becoming the Fruit Bowl of Andhra Pradesh.
• Introduction of Kisan Rail is conceptualized to provide priority to the farming sector and facilitate
transportation of perishable agricultural products to various market places across the country.
• The trains with frozen containers are expected to build a seamless national cold supply chain for perishables.
• Kisan Rail service was announced in the Union Budget 2020-21 and it was also stated that the Indian
Railways will set up a Kisan Rail through PPP arrangements.
• The first such train runs weekly between Devlali (Maharashtra) to Danapur (Bihar).
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said the Aviation Ministry will launch the

Krishi Udaan
• Krishi Udaan will be launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on international and national routes.
• This scheme aims to assist farmers in transporting agricultural products so that it improves their "value
realisation", especially in the north-east and tribal districts.

7. Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE-Atal New India Challenges (ANIC) (PIB)

• Context: NITI Aayog launched Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE-Atal New India Challenges (ANIC) to spur
applied research and innovation and increase competitiveness of Indian MSMEs and startups.

Analysis
• The ANIC) program will support deserving applied research–based innovations by providing funding
support of up to Rs 50 lakh for speedy development of the proposed technology solution and/or
product.
• Ultimately it aims to provide a steady stream of innovative products & solutions where the Central
Government Ministries / Departments will become the potential first buyers.
• The programme will be driven by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), four ministries—
Ministry of Defence; Ministry of Food Processing Industries; Ministry of Health and Family Welfare;
and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs—and associated industries to facilitate innovative solutions
to sectoral problems.

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 International Relations

8. Thailand scraps the Kra Canal Project (livemint)

• Context: China has suffered a severe blow from Thailand, which said it will scrap the Kra Canal project
(would connect the Gulf of Thailand with the Andaman Sea) that Beijing wanted to build to shorten its
access to the Indian Ocean.

Analysis
• China was pinning its hopes on the Kra Canal project, a proposal to construct a 120-kilometre mega canal
cutting through the isthmus of Kra in Thailand.
o Isthmus is a narrow piece of land with water on each side that joins two larger areas of land.
• The Thai canal could have
been a crucial strategic
asset for China, allowing its
navy to bypass the Strait of
Malacca, a narrow
chokepoint between the
Malay Peninsula and the
Indonesian island of
Sumatra that divides the
Indian and Pacific Oceans.
• As things stand, Thailand
no longer wants the Kra
Canal as it is turned out to
be infeasible both
economically and
politically.
• Firstly, economic reasons:
The Kra Canal project was
unlike Suez Canal or
Panama Canal that would have helped reduce a substantial amount of time or expenditure.
o Kra Canal (120 km appx.) as an alternate route through the Malacca, Sunda or Lombok Straits would
have generated very limited revenue, which would not have justified its construction cost.
o The Suez Canal (193 km appx.) is a man-made waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the
Indian Ocean via the Red Sea.
o The Panama Canal (64 km appx.) is a constructed waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans across the Isthmus of Panama.
• Besides the economic reasons, a Thai canal would pose a little threat to the US and its allies, including India,
which can effectively counter Chinese expansionism with the up-gradation of domestic forward bases in the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• The real concern is that it would further undermine the independence of poor southeast Asian countries like
Myanmar and Cambodia, which have comparatively weak civil societies that are highly vulnerable to
Chinese interference. And it absolutely imperils Thailand.

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• Along with the decision to scrap the canal project, the Thai government has dropped the purchase of Chinese-
made military submarines for a year following public outrage over the controversial agreement.
• As per the TFIPOST report, China has lost all its friends in the Indo-Pacific region. "Thailand itself, for
example, is a part of the Milk Tea Alliance- an online democratic solidarity movement run by internet users
from Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Economy

9. FDI in India rises 10% in FY20 (IE)

• Context: Foreign direct investment into India rose 10 per cent to $42.69 billion in the year ended March 31,
2020 from $38.74 billion in the previous year despite the global slowdown, with the Cayman Islands
showing the biggest jump in bringing cash in to India.

Analysis
• According to the Reserve Bank of India data, FDI from Cayman Islands jumped 305 per cent thus becoming
the fourth largest FDI contributor behind
Singapore, Mauritius and the Netherlands.
o The main activity in Cayman Islands, the
British Overseas Territory and one of the
most popular tax havens, is financial
services.
• Singapore and Mauritius remained the major
source countries, accounting for about 50 per
cent of total FDI flows in 2019-20, followed by
the Netherlands, the Cayman Islands, the US
and Japan, according to the RBI data.
• India was the 9th largest recipient country globally in 2019.
• Most of FDI equity flows went to the services sector, including communication services, retail and wholesale
trade, financial services, computer and business services and the manufacturing sector.
o The manufacturing sector got $ 8.15 billion, communication services $ 6.83 billion and retail trade
$ 4.91 billion (decreasing order).

Polity/Bills/Acts/Judgments

10. Police custody and judicial custody and the difference between the Two (IE)
• The arresting authority cannot detain a person in custody for more than 24 hours without producing him or
her before a magistrate as per section 57 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
o The Article 22 of the Constitution of India also has provisions for protection of a person during arrest
or detention.

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• The magistrate may further remand the person to custody of police for a period not more than 15 days as a
whole.
• After lapse of 15 days or the police custody period granted by the magistrate, the person may be further
remanded to judicial custody.
• The police custody means that the person is confined at a lock up or remains in the custody of the officer.
o Judicial custody means that the person is detained under the purview of the judicial magistrate is lodged
in central or state prison.
• In judicial custody, the person can apply for a bail.
o The judicial custody can extend up to 60 or 90 days as a whole, depending upon the maximum
punishment prescribed for the offence.
o An undertrial person cannot remain in judicial custody beyond half the time period of prescribed
maximum punishment.
• In police custody, the investigating authority can interrogate a person while in judicial custody, officials need
permission of the court for questioning.
• In police custody, the person has the right to legal counsel, right to be informed of the grounds which the
police have to ensure.
o In the judicial custody in jails, while the person under responsibility of the magistrate, the Prison Manual
comes into picture for routine conduct of the person.

11. Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) (PIB)

• Context: The Article 243G of the Constitution intended to empower the Gram Panchayats (GPs) by enabling
the State Governments to devolve powers and authority in respect of all 29 Subjects listed in the Eleventh
Schedule for local planning and implementation of schemes for economic development and social justice.

Analysis
• In 2015, the Fourteenth Finance Commission grants were devolved to GPs that provided them with an
enormous opportunity to plan for their development themselves.
• Since then, local bodies, across the country are expected to prepare context specific, need based Gram
Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP).
• Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) brings together both the citizens and their elected
representatives in the decentralized planning processes.
• Apart from the demand related to basic infrastructure and services, resource development and convergence
of departmental schemes, GPDP has potential to address the social issues.
• GPDP is conducted from 2nd October to 31st December, every year across the country, under the People’s
Plan Campaign (PPC).
• Since last two years, the PPC guidelines and the joint advisory issued by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and
Ministry of Rural Development, has mandated Self Help Groups and their federations under Deendayal
Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) to participate in the annual GPDP
planning process and prepare the Village Poverty Reduction Plan (VPRP).
• VPRP is a comprehensive demand plan prepared by the Self Help Group (SHG) network and their federations
for projecting their demands and local area development which needs to be integrated with the Gram
Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).
• The VPRP is presented in the Gram Sabha meetings from Oct. to Dec. every year.

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People’s Plan Campaign (PPC) of Ministry of Panchayat Raj
• Drawing heavily from the Kerala’s planning process, the Central government launched its People’s Plan
Campaign (PPC) for panchayats from October 2 to December 31 2018 with the slogan Sabki Yojana Sabka
Vikas.
• The Centre’s Plan document defines it as People’s Plan Campaign/Gram Panchayat Development Plan
(GPDP).
• It is being construed as a precursor to revive the Five Year Plan in local bodies.
• When the Centre relinquished the Five Year Plan and substituted Planning Commission with NITI Aayog,
Kerala resolved to pursue the traditional planning process and revived the People’s Plan Campaign model.
• The Centre’s Plan document terms GPDP as a comprehensive participatory process which involves full
convergence with schemes of all related Central Ministries, line departments related to 29 subjects listed in
the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution.

Kudumbashree National Resource Organisation (KS-NRO)

• Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), recognised Kudumbashree as a National Resource Organisation
(KS-NRO) under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) in 2013.
• KS-NRO is expected to provide technical and implementation assistance to the State Rural Livelihood
Missions (SRLMs) that partner with it.

Miscellaneous

12. Shikshak Parv (PIB)

• Shikshak Parv is being celebrated by the Ministry of Education from 8th September- 25th September, 2020
to felicitate the Teachers and to take New Education Policy 2020 forward.

Set 10: Prelims MCQs…because success depends not on the material but how efficiently you can use it!
Q1. Consider the following statements with reference to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare
Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS):
1. It provides suitable assistance to outstanding sportspersons now living in indigent circumstances.
2. It provides suitable assistance to outstanding sportspersons injured during the period of their training for
competitions and also during the competitions.
3. It is being implemented by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A) 1 and 2 only
B) 2 and 3 only
C) 1 and 3 only
D) None of the above

Q2. Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) aims to address which of the following issues?
1. Basic infrastructure and services
2. Resource development
3. Convergence of departmental schemes

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4. Social issues
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A) 1, 2 and 3 only
B) 2, 3 and 4 only
C) 1, 3 and 4 only
D) All of the above

Q3. Which of the following have been correctly matched?

1. Kra Canal: Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea
2. Suez Canal: Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf
3. Panama Canal: Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A) 1 and 2 only
B) 2 and 3 only
C) 1 and 3 only
D) None of the above

Q4. Consider the following statements:

1. Kisan Rail aims to provide priority to the farming sector and facilitate transportation of perishable agricultural
products to various market places across the country.
2. Krishi Udaan aims to assist farmers in transporting agricultural products so that it improves their value
realization.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A) 1 only
B) 2 only
C) Both 1 and 2
D) Neither 1 nor 2

Q5. Which of the following Schemes are being implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice &
Empowerment?
1. Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana
2. National Action Plan on Drug Demand Reduction
3. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons
4. Vanchit Ikai Samooh aur Vargon ki Aarthik Sahayta Yojana
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A) 1, 2 and 3 only
B) 2, 3 and 4 only
C) 1, 2 and 4 only
D) All of the above

Set 10: Answers: 1 A), 2 D), 3 C), 4 C), 5 C)

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Mains Answer Writing Practice…because to succeed “Read Less, Think More, Write Even More”!
Q1. e-kisan mandis aim to supplement the electronic National Agricultural Market (eNAM). Discuss. (150
words)
Q2. China's 'Malacca dilemma' cannot be resolved through the Kra Canal project. Comment. (150 words)

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