Current Affairs January 2018

January, 2018
“ A MONTHLY MAGAZINE FOR UPSC CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION”
FRDI Bill, 2017 IBC Ordinance, 2017

Insolvency regime for Insolvency regime for
‘FINANCIAL’ firms ‘NON-FINANCIAL’ firms
Bail-in clause
Chakravyuh Problem
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Current Affairs
An initiative of Group
January, 2018
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Contents
Anti-Competitive Conduct .................................................................................... 67
Mission 41K ................................................................................................................ 67
Insolvency Ordinance ................................................................................................6 Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) ........................................................................... 67
FRDI Bill, 2017 ...............................................................................................................9
Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) ........................................................................... 68
Mid-term Review of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2015-20 .................... 13
Legatum Prosperity Index 2017........................................................................... 68
Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), 2017 ................................................ 17
100 Years of One Rupee Note ............................................................................... 69
Ease of Doing Telecom Business.......................................................................... 20
Seaplane...................................................................................................................... 21 Age for joining NPS increased to 65 years ....................................................... 69
QUAD An Indo-Pacific “Concert of Democracies”........................................... 22 Pulses ........................................................................................................................... 69

Wassenaar Arrangement ....................................................................................... 24 National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAPA) ................................................... 70
Dalveer Bhandari (ICJ) ............................................................................................ 26 Changes in GST ......................................................................................................... 70
Hong Kong Convention on Recycling of Ships ............................................... 28
Aerial Refueling......................................................................................................... 30
Brahmos ...................................................................................................................... 32
Tribunals: Law Commission Report No. 272 .................................................... 33
BIMSTEC Coastal Shipping .................................................................................... 71
Defection .................................................................................................................... 35
Yamal LNG Project.................................................................................................... 71
Holding Regular Parliament.................................................................................. 37
Hate Speech ............................................................................................................... 39 European Bank For Reconstruction & Development (EBRD) ...................... 72
Crime in India – 2016 .............................................................................................. 42 China, Djibouti Forge ‘Strategic’ Ties .................................................................. 73
Conference of the Parties (COP 23) .................................................................... 46 DRC-NITI Aayog Dialogue ...................................................................................... 73
Bharat Stage VI .......................................................................................................... 48 Hafiz Saeed Released .............................................................................................. 73
Resource Efficiency (RE) : Strategy for India..................................................... 50 PM Modi visit to Philippines ................................................................................. 74
Smog on the Cricket field ...................................................................................... 52
Hwasong-15 ............................................................................................................... 74
Look up to stars ........................................................................................................ 53
Saudi-UAE Partnership ........................................................................................... 76
Data Protection Framework .................................................................................. 54
Sampriti 2017 ............................................................................................................ 76
DNA Fingerprinting ................................................................................................. 56
Diabetes ...................................................................................................................... 58 G5 Sahel ...................................................................................................................... 76
Egypt Terror Attack .................................................................................................. 77
Emmerson Mnangagwa: The Crocodile ............................................................ 77
Bharat-22 ETF ............................................................................................................ 60

Initial Coin Offerings (ICO) ..................................................................................... 60
GDP, GVA Accelerates .............................................................................................. 61 President’s bodyguard ............................................................................................ 78
Sankalp ........................................................................................................................ 61 International Committee of Military Medicine (ICMM) ................................ 78
Panel to Address NPAs in The Power Sector .................................................... 61 INS Sarvekshak .......................................................................................................... 78
National Power Portal(NPP) .................................................................................. 62 IS was?.......................................................................................................................... 79
Tesla Semi ................................................................................................................... 62 Joint Training Doctrine Indian Armed Forces – 2017.................................... 79
FDI Inflow to India .................................................................................................... 62 INS Kalvari ................................................................................................................... 80
Indian Forest (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017................................................. 63 Uber Hack: The Latest Data Heist to Hit Millions ............................................ 81
SC Halts Govt to take over Unitech..................................................................... 63

New Direct Tax Legislation .................................................................................... 64
Logistics Sector Granted Infrastructure Status ............................................... 64
MSME Sambandh ..................................................................................................... 64 National Capital Region (NCR) ............................................................................. 82
India Eases Bilateral Transfer Pricing Norms .................................................... 65 Prabhari Officers ....................................................................................................... 83
Hyderbad Metro Rail ............................................................................................... 65 Consumer frauds on the rise ................................................................................ 83
Special package for leather and footwear sector .......................................... 66 Section 126 (1) of the RPA, 1951 .......................................................................... 84
North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) .......... 66 Ministers not under RTI .......................................................................................... 84
NLCPR for North-East .............................................................................................. 66 Judicial Infrastructure ............................................................................................ 84
New Graphene Battery ......................................................................................... 103
Oumuamua: Interstellar Asteroid ...................................................................... 104
National Medical Commission Bill, 2017 ........................................................... 85 Excitonium................................................................................................................ 105
National Nutrition Mission .................................................................................... 85 Light Emitting Plants ............................................................................................. 105
Sub-Schemes Under ICDS ..................................................................................... 86 World’s Largest Lithium Ion Battery ................................................................. 106
Centre to give Rs. 500 To TB patients every month ....................................... 87 Draft Space Activities Bill, 2017 ......................................................................... 106
Trachoma .................................................................................................................... 87 R.I.P. Bios, Welcome UEFI ...................................................................................... 107
National Ayush Mission (NAM) ............................................................................ 88
India Hypertension Management Initiative (IHMI) ........................................ 89
QS Ranking of BRICS Universities 2018 ............................................................. 89
Mission for Protection and Empowerment for Women ............................... 90 Law Commission Report No. 269 ...................................................................... 108
Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra ............................................................... 90 Case Study ................................................................................................................ 111
Rape of Minors to attract death in M.P. ............................................................. 90 Lessons from life of Sardar Patel........................................................................ 112
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao ........................................................................................ 91 Quote for Essay ....................................................................................................... 114
Laqshya........................................................................................................................ 91
Dr Ambedkar Scheme for Social Integration Through Inter-Caste Marriage .......91
Kerala Alcohol Prohibition..................................................................................... 92
Hausla-2017 ............................................................................................................... 92 Katas Raj Temple ..................................................................................................... 115
Youthquake ................................................................................................................ 93 Pandit Narayanrao Bodas .................................................................................... 115
Quami Ekta Week...................................................................................................... 93 Intangible Cultural Heritage ............................................................................... 116
Deen Dayal Divyangajan Sahajya Scheme ....................................................... 93 Salvator Mundi ........................................................................................................ 117
Rohit Sharma ........................................................................................................... 118

Hemidactylus Sushilduttai .................................................................................... 95 Ravichandran Ashwin ........................................................................................... 118
UN Environment Assembly ................................................................................... 95 Mirabai Chanu ......................................................................................................... 118
Aravalli Range............................................................................................................ 97 Cristiano Ronaldo ................................................................................................... 119
Costa Rica: Carbon Neutral.................................................................................... 97 SAICON 2017............................................................................................................ 119
Shared Infrastructure for Solar Parks Project................................................... 97 Mother Teresa Memorial Award......................................................................... 119
International Solar Alliance (ISA) ......................................................................... 98 Miss World 2017...................................................................................................... 120
International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography .................. 98 Miss Universe 2017 ................................................................................................ 120
Ara San Juan .............................................................................................................. 99 48th International Film Festival of India (IFFI)............................................... 120
World’s First Mobile Stadium ................................................................................ 99 Pt. Ramnarayan Sharma National Award ........................................................ 121
Machu Picchu’s “Sacred Sister” ........................................................................... 100 ICCR Distinguished Indologist Award .............................................................. 121
Eruption Of Mount Agung .................................................................................. 100 Gurbir S. Grewal ...................................................................................................... 121
World’s Newest Island ........................................................................................... 101 Shashi Kapoor ......................................................................................................... 121
Sunil Kumar Chourasia ......................................................................................... 122
Homai Vyarawalla ................................................................................................... 122
Begum Rokeya ........................................................................................................ 122
Aditya-L1 ................................................................................................................... 102 Rukhmabai ............................................................................................................... 123
New “Out Of Africa” Exodus Theory .................................................................. 103 Cornelia Sorabji....................................................................................................... 123
Halszka ....................................................................................................................... 103 Christian Doppler ................................................................................................... 123
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect policy or position of CURRENT AFFAIRS Magazine or
MADE EASY Publications. They should be understood as the personal opinions of the author/ authors.
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6
Current Affairs MADE EASY B I G L E A R N I N G S M A D E E ASY
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
Chakravyuh Problem Reasons for Exit Problem? (Three I’s)

In India, the exit problem arises because of I’s
View of Economic Survey 2015-16
1. Interests
Present status of exit: Chakravyuh Problem w Liberalization is difficult because producers are more
• The Economic Survey 2015-16 invoked the legend of the influential then consumers.
Charkravyuha from the Mahabharata describing the ability to w It is because these producers have more voice and are
enter but not exit, with seriously adverse consequences. backed by financial power. i.e. Power of Vested Interests.
• According to it, the Indian Economy has made great strides 2. Institutions: impeded exit is a combination of
in removing barriers to entry for firms but less in relation to w Weak institutions: Our weak legal procedures increase
exit. the time and financial costs of exit.
• Thus, over the course of six decades, the Indian economy w Strong institutions: Strong but inflexible institutions are
has moved from Socialism with limited entry to Marketism unable to make risky decisions when departures from
without exit. strict principles may be necessary for the economy.
• The above view is also supported by Doing business report 3. Ideology

2018 released by World Bank which ranks India @ 103 in w The founding ideology of socialism makes it difficult to
resolving insolvency. phase out entitlements even as those intended for the
poor end up accruing to the relatively better off.
Cost of exit: w E.g. interventions in agriculture and all the anti-poverty
Impeded exit has fiscal, economic, and political costs. programs, once set in place, are very difficult to reverse.
FISCAL • Inefficient firms often require government Solution:

Costs support in the form of explicit subsidies (for There are five possible ways to address this problem.
example bailouts) or implicit subsidies (tariffs,
1. Avoid exit through liberal entry: I.E. promoting competition
loans from state banks).
via private sector entry rather than change of ownership from
ECONOMIC • Misallocation of resources: In a capital public to private.
Costs scarce country such as India, misallocation of 2. Direct policy action: i.e. have better laws like the Insolvency
resources can have significant costs. and Bankruptcy Code to expedite exit and strengthen
• Stressed assets: It also leads to stressed institutions by empowering bureaucrats.
assets on corporate and bank balance sheets. 3. Technology and the JAM solution: Increase the use of
The consequence is a reduced flow of new technology as it has two broad benefits (i) lowering human
investment, dampening medium term growth. discretion and the layers of intermediaries; (ii) changing the
POLITICAL • Difficult to initiate reforms: Government old ways of doing business.
costs support to “sick” firms can give the impression 4. Increasing Transparency: e.g. In relation to agriculture,
that government favours large corporate. government should highlight the social and environmental
Politically, this limits the ability of government costs of over-use of fertilizer, water and power.
to undertake reforms that will benefit the
5. Exit as an opportunity: showcase exit as an opportunity
economy but might be seen as further
towards a better tomorrow. e.g. If employees of a public
benefitting businesses.
sector firm oppose it’s privatisation, then in those cases,
• Questions the regulatory mechanism: Resources earned from privatization could be earmarked for
Similarly, if wilful defaulters cannot be dealt employee compensation and retraining.
with appropriately, the legitimacy of regulating
institutions can be called into question.
To address this Chakravyuh problem, Insolvency &
Bankruptcy Code, 2016 was enacted
Article Current Affairs MADE EASY 7
January, 2018
Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code, 2016

Salient features of the code
• The Code repeals the Presidency Towns
Insolvency These professionals will administer the resolution process,
Insolvency Act, 1909 and Provincial Insolvency
Professionals manage the assets of the debtor, and provide information for
Act, 1920. In addition, it amends 11 laws,
creditors to assist them in decision making.
including the Companies Act, 2013, and the
Insolvency The insolvency professionals will be registered with
Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial
Professional insolvency professional agencies. The agencies conduct
Institutions Act, 1993, among others.
Agencies examinations to certify the insolvency professionals and
• Applies to: The 2016 Code applies to companies
enforce a code of conduct for their performance.
and individuals.
Information Information utilities (IUs) will be established to collect, collate
• Time-bound resolution for insolvency: The Code
Utilities and disseminate financial information to facilitate insolvency
creates time-bound processes for insolvency
resolution.
resolution of companies and individuals. These
processes will be completed within 180 days. If Adjudicating The proceedings of the resolution process will be adjudicated
insolvency cannot be resolved, the assets of the authorities by the
borrowers may be sold to repay creditors. National Companies Law Tribunal (NCLT), for companies;
• Resolution plan (RP): A resolution plan specifies and
the details of how the debt of a defaulting debtor Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT), for individuals.
can be restructured. Insolvency and It will be set up to regulate functioning of IPs, IPAs and IUs.
• Institutional mechanism: The Code creates Bankruptcy The Board will consist of representatives of Reserve Bank of
various institutions to facilitate resolution of Board India, and the Ministries of Finance, Corporate Affairs and
insolvency. These are as follows: Law.
Committee to Review IBC, 2016

Recently, in November 2017, The Ministry of Corporate
Affairs constituted an Insolvency Law Committee to examine
suggestions for improving the IBC, 2016.
• Composition: The Committee will be chaired by the
Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Its members will
include representatives from: (i) RBI, (ii) Ministry of Finance,
(iii) law firms, (iv) chartered accountants, and (v) company
secretaries.
• Objective: The Committee will: (i) examine the implementation
of the IBC, 2016, and (ii) make recommendations to improve
the efficiency of the corporate resolution and liquidation
framework.
• The Committee will submit its recommendations within two
months from its first meeting.
IBC (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017
Salient features:
The recent IBC (amendment) ordinance, 2017 amends the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.
IBC, 2016 IBC (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE, 2017
Definition of RA is a person who submits a resolution RA is a person who submits a resolution plan after receiving an invite
Resolution plan to an insolvency professional (IP). by the IP to do so.
applicant (RA)
Eligibility for RA IP will take control of the defaulting IP will only invite those resolution applicants to submit a RP, who fulfil
company, and invite applicants to certain criteria laid down by him or by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
submit resolution plans (RP). Board.
Bar on certain — Certain persons are prohibited from being a resolution applicant and
RA submitting a resolution plan.
e.g. Undischarged insolvent; wilful defaulter; person whose account
has been NPA for over 1 yr. (This is the most debatable provision)
Approving RP Committee of creditors will approve a Committee of creditors will approve a RP by 75% majority subject to
RP with 75% majority. any other conditions specified by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board.
Committee of creditors are prohibited from approving a RP submitted
before the promulgation of this Ordinance, where the plan has been
submitted by a person ineligible to be a resolution applicant.
Liquidation IP are allowed to sell the moveable or IP are prohibited to sell this property to any person who is ineligible to
immovable property of the debtor in be a resolution applicant.
case of liquidation.
Penalties — Any person violating the Code for which no penalty has been specified
will be punishable with a fine ranging between Rs. 1 lakh -2 crores.
Significance: • By widening the scope and definition of those it considers

• The IBC, 2016 is a landmark in India’s economic reforms. ineligible to participate in the resolution process the
However, creditors had expressed concerns about promoters amendment risks becoming an instrument of blunt force that
wresting back control of their defaulting companies. hurts more than it helps.
• The ordinance provides clarity on the eligibility criteria for • The existing promoters have better understanding of their
the resolution applicants. This ensures that due diligence is companies and they understand the reasons for the failures
followed to determine the credentials, creditworthiness and better. Outside investors may place much lower bids than the
capability of resolution applicants. reasonable value of the business and this may result in loss
for the creditors.
• The amendment will deter chronic defaulters from regaining
control of the company in the guise of a resolution plan. After • And, worse, by making the amendments retrospective
all, the purpose of the IBC would be defeated if fraudulent to cover even those cases already referred to the
promoters re-acquired the assets. National Company Law Tribunal, the Centre may have
ended up, unintentionally, throwing the baby out with
• In September, 2017 the rating agency CRISIL estimated
the bathwater.
stressed assets to be Rs 11.5 lakh crore, nearly 14 per cent
of the total advances made by banks. Recent amendments • In short, No other restructuring law in the world has such
to the IBC will allow the banks to deal with stressed assets restrictive thresholds. There is fear that it could reduce the
better. number of revival proposals that may come up during the
process.
Concerns regarding people barred:
• The category of people barred includes promoters and
Concluding remark:
those in management whose loan accounts are classified • IBC is not intended to serve as a mere instrument of liquidation.
as non-performing assets for one year or more. It should be Instead, it is to provide an enabling legal framework for
remembered that the not all bad loans are a result of mala insolvency resolution in a time bound manner and promote
fide intent on the borrower’s part. entrepreneurship, among other goals.
• It ignores the genuine business failures and doesn’t provides • With the IBC still evolving, it needs to be seen if it can indeed
opportunity to the existing promoters who may have viable deliver where earlier resolution structures failed.
resolution plans
Meaning of Terms
(1) FINANCIAL FIRMS: (3) DEPOSIT INSURANCE:
• Types: Financial firms include banks, insurance companies, Need:
and stock exchanges, among others.
• Protecting the deposits made by people in banks is very
• Task: These firms accept deposits from consumers, channel important to ensure confidence in the banking system. The
these deposits into investments, provide loans, and manage common form of providing safety to depositors is deposit
payment systems that facilitate transactions in the country. insurance.
(2) FINANCIAL RESOLUTION: Meaning:

Need: • Deposit insurance is providing insurance protection to the
• As we can see from above financial firms are an integral part depositor’s money by receiving a premium.
of the financial system. • Here, when the bank fails, the depositors will get back their
• Since they transact with each other, their failure may have an money. Insurance to deposits will be provided up to a limit.
adverse impact on financial stability and result in consumers For getting the deposit insurance protection, the depositors
losing their deposits and investments. should pay an insurance premium.
• As witnessed in 2008, the failure of a firm (Lehman Brothers) Institutional mechanism in India:
impacted the financial system across the world, and triggered • Deposit Insurance Corporation and Credit Guarantee
a global financial crisis. Corporation (DICGC): In India, the deposit insurance was
Meaning: started with the launch of the DICGC of India in 1961. DICGC
is fully owned by the RBI.
• Resolution regime is a government created legal framework
that resolves a failed bank/financial institution in an orderly • Coverage amount: The premium charged is on a flat rate basis
way so the financial markets do not collapse. Simply, it is an which is 10 paise per Rs 100. The amount of coverage is
insolvency regime for financial institutions. presently limited to Rs one lakh.
• Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF): A DIF is built up from the
Institutional mechanism in India:
premium received from insured banks and the coupon
• Currently, there is no specialised law for the resolution of
received from investment in central government securities.
financial firms in India.
• In the event of a bank failure, DICGC protects bank deposits
• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 enacted by the
that are payable in India.
Parliament provides for resolution and liquidation of non-
financial firms. Institutions covered under deposit insurance:
• In the Budget 2016-17, it was announced that the Code for • Deposit insurance is mandatory for all banks including foreign
resolution of financial firms, together with the Insolvency and banks functioning in India.
Bankruptcy Code will provide a comprehensive resolution Types of deposits insured by the DICGC:
mechanism for our economy.
• The DICGC insures all deposits such as savings, fixed,
• Accordingly, Government has proposed the Financial current, recurring, etc.
Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill, 2017.
• Exemption: Deposits of foreign and Central/State
The FRDI Bill is complementary to the Insolvency and Governments; Inter-bank deposits; Deposits of the State
Bankruptcy Code-2016 for resolving bad loans Land Development Banks with the State co-operative bank.
10
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
Key Provisions of The Bill

How does the resolution corporation monitor and prevent failure of financial firms?
Timeline: • Time-limit of resolution: It will resolve the firm using any of

• The FRDI Bill, 2017 was introduced in Lok Sabha during the methods specified in the Bill, within one year (may be
Monsoon Session 2017. extended by another year). During this period, the firm will be
immune against all legal actions.
• It is currently being examined by a Joint Committee of the two
Houses of Parliament. • Methods: Financial firm can be resolved using any of the five
methods:
Objective: 1. Transferring the assets and liabilities of the firm to another
1. To create a framework for monitoring the risk faced by firm.
financial firms. 2. Merger or acquisition of the firm.
2. And resolve them if they fail to honour their obligations (such 3. Creating a bridge financial firm (where a new company is
as repaying depositors). created to take over the assets, liabilities and management
of the failing firm).
Resolution corporation: 4. bail-in (internally transferring or converting the debt of the
• The bill seeks to establish a Resolution Corporation. firm).
• Composition: It will include representatives from all financial 5. liquidate the firm to repay its creditors.
sector regulators (RBI, IRDA, SEBI) and the ministry of • Which method to use?
finance, among others. w To ensure continuity of a failing firm, it may be resolved
• Task: To monitor these firms to pre-empt failure, and resolve by merging it with another firm, transferring its assets and
or liquidate them in case of such failure. liabilities, or reducing its debt.
w If resolution is found to be unviable, the firm may be
Risk based classification: liquidated, and its assets sold to repay its creditors.
• The Resolution Corporation or the appropriate financial sector • Liquidation:
regulator may classify financial firms under five categories, w If the resolution is not completed within a maximum period
based on their risk of failure. of two years, then the firm will automatically go in for
• These categories in the order of increasing risk are: (i) low, (ii) liquidation.
moderate, (iii) material, (iv) imminent, and (v) critical. w The Bill also specifies the order of distributing liquidation
• Based on the risk to failure, the Resolution Corporation or proceeds to creditors. The amount paid to depositors as
regulators takes action. deposit insurance gets preference over other creditors.
Corrective action:
(for firms at Material and Imminent risk)
• Restrictions: If the firm is at a higher risk to failure (under
‘material’ or ‘imminent’ categories), the Resolution Corporation
or the regulator may:
w prevent it from accepting deposits from consumers,
w prohibit the firm from acquiring other businesses, or
w require it to increase its capital.
• Resolution and Restoration plans: Further, these firms will
formulate resolution and restoration plans to prepare a
strategy for improving their financial position and resolving
the firm in case it fails.
Subsuming DICGC:
Resolution by corporation: • In India, deposits in banks are insured for a maximum of
Rs 1 lakh by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee
(for firms at critical risk)
Corporation (DICGC), which is now an arm of the RBI.
• Take-over of management: The Resolution Corporation
• The Bill proposes to subsume the functions of the DICGC
will take over the management of a financial firm once it is
under the Resolution Corporation.
classified as ‘critical’ (i.e. if it is on the verge of failure).
January, 2018
12
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
Bail-In Provisions
What is bail-in? Safeguards for creditors:
• It is one of the various method specified in the bill to resolve There are certain safeguards which seek to protect creditors and
a failing financial firm. ensure continuity of critical functions of the firm when resolving
• Bail-in allows a financial firm to be rescued by internally a firm through bail-in.
restructuring its debt. It allows for cancellation or writing down • The power of the Corporation while using bail-in to resolve a
of liabilities of a financial firm firm will be limited.
• Bail-in vs bail-out: Bail-in differs from a bail-out which • The Corporation will have to ensure that none of the creditors
involves funds being infused by external sources to resolve receive less than what they would have been entitled to
a firm. This includes a failing firm being rescued by the receive if the firm was to be liquidated.
government. • A liability is be cancelled or converted under bail-in only if
the creditor has given his consent to do so in the contract
Methods of bail-in: governing such debt.
• Under bail-in, the Resolution Corporation can internally
• The terms and conditions of bank deposits will determine
restructure the firm’s debt by: (i) Cancelling firm’s liabilities
whether the bail-in clause can be applied to them.
that the firm owes to its creditors, or (ii) Converting its liabilities
into any other instrument (such as equity), among others. Clarification by Government: (07-December-2017)
• The Bill allows the Resolution Corporation to either resolve a The government has clarified that
firm by only using bail-in, or using bail-in in combination • India’s FRDI Bill is more depositor-friendly than that of many
with other resolution methods like a merger or acquisition. other jurisdictions that provide for statutory bail-ins, where
the consent of creditors or depositors is not required for bail-
Rationale behind bail-in:
ins.
• This method is used where it is necessary to continue
• It does not propose in any way to limit the scope of powers to
the services of the firm, but the option of selling it is not
extend financing and resolution support to banks, including
feasible.
public sector banks.
• It also aims to minimise the cost of any such failures of financial
• The government’s implicit guarantee for public sector banks
firms to taxpayers (who suffer in bail-out). Shareholders of
remains unaffected. That is perhaps an indication that the
banks and creditors must also pay their share of costs, rather
sovereign may not want to foreclose the option to back a
than governments or taxpayers absorbing all losses.
failed bank.
Concerns:
Comment:
• Bail-in has caused a lot of concern among depositors who
• The recent clarification from the finance ministry doesn’t fully
are worried they may lose their hard-earned money deposited
address saver concerns. Asserting that the FRDI Bill provides
with banks in case a bank fails.
‘additional protections’ to depositors, it doesn’t elaborate on
• The bail-in clause matters because it formalises the risk
what these are.
associated with depositing money in banks. Even now,
• It says that FRDI bail-in provisions are far friendlier than other
deposits are not risk-free. In the case of a bank being forced
jurisdictions, but depositors are more worried about changes
to liquidate, deposits are insured only up to `1 lakh; the rest
to their status quo.
is forfeited.
• The reiteration of the sovereign guarantee to PSBs is
• There are concerns that the Bill may not clearly lay down
reassuring, but informed depositors may like more details
the quantum of protection for deposits, or classify deposits
about how the insurance mechanism will change under the
separately.
FRDI and the extent of discretionary powers to the Resolution
• This assumes greater importance in the light of the
Corporation.
government’s recent efforts to increase banking coverage.
• The FRDI Bill must specify the amount guaranteed
About 30.7 crore bank accounts have been opened under
the Jan Dhan Yojana. • The time is also ripe to sharply increase the measly deposit
insurance cover of ₹1 lakh per depositor set over two decades
• The banking sector is under stress, with non-performing
ago.
assets rising to alarming levels, especially for public sector
banks. • The JPC must incorporate these aspects into its ongoing
review of the FRDI Bill.
Mid-Term Review
FTP 2015-20
On December 5, 2017, the Minister
of Commerce and Industry, Shri
Suresh Prabhu released the Mid-term
Review of the Foreign Trade Policy
(FTP) 2015-20.
FTP 2015-2020: Snapshot MID TERM REVIEW

Highlights of the FTP 2015-2020 – Mid Term review (December
• Objective: In 2015, government announced foreign trade
2017) are as follows:
policy, 2015-2020, to provide stable policy environment
for trade and Promote diversification of export base. GST related reforms:
• Target: It has set an export target of $900 billion by 2020, • GST has been launched w.e.f. 1.07.2017. Uniform tax rates
almost double of $466 billion achieved in 2013-4. and practices across States have led to huge logistics and
• Incentive scheme: It Introduced following two incentive transaction cost saving for exporters.
schemes without any (conditionality’s attached to it) for • Exporters have been extended the benefit of sourcing inputs/
rewarding merchandise exports with different Duty Scrips. capital goods from abroad as well as domestic suppliers for
w MEIS (Merchandise Exports from INDIA): for goods. exports without upfront payment of GST.
w SEIS (service exports from India scheme) : for services.
• Scrapping old schemes: It did away with the following 5 Encouraging exports by MSMEs and labour intensive
schemes which have been merged with MEIS industries:
w FPS (focus product scheme) • Across the board increase of 2% in existing MEIS incentive
w MLFPS (market linked FPS) for exports by MSMEs / labour intensive industries involving
w FMS (focus market scheme) additional annual incentive of 4567 Crore.
w Agriculture infrastructure incentive scrip • Major sectors covered are leather, agriculture, carpets, hand-
w Vishesh krishi gram udyog yojna tools, marine products, rubber products, ceramics, sports
• E-commerce: For the first time, exports by e-commerce will goods etc.
be provided incentives under MEIS.
New trust based Self Ratification scheme for duty free
• Defense: Defense products will be supported under MEIS
(another new step).
import of raw material:
• New trust based Self Ratification Scheme has been introduced
• Council for trade development and promotion (CTDP):
to allow duty free inputs for export production under duty
CTDP will be setup comprising representatives from the
exemption scheme with a self-declaration.
states and UTs, Thus ensuring cooperative federalism.
• The scheme will expedite export of new products by
• Make in India: To boost make in India, export obligations
decreasing product turn-around time, particularly in sectors
has been reduced to 75% from 90% in case of procurement
such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, engineering which
of capital goods from domestic manufacturers.
have dynamic raw material requirements.
• Quality: A roadmap has been prepared to improve quality
of Indian merchandise. Contact@DGFT service for trade facilitation:
• Branding: Branding campaign for Indian products will be • Contact@DGFT service has been launched on the DGFT
started. website (www.dgft.gov.in) as a single window contact point
• Revision: New policy will be revived after 2 and half years for exporters and importers for resolving all foreign trade
instead of annually. related issues and also to give suggestions.
14
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
Ease of Trading Across Borders: Focus on agricultural exports for increasing farmers’
• Focus is on improving Ease of Trading across Borders for income:
exporters and importers. • New Agricultural Exports Policy is under formulation to focus
• Professional team has been envisaged to handhold, assist and on increasing exports of agricultural value added products
support exporters with their export related problems, accessing through elements like:
export markets and meeting regulatory requirements. w a stable and `open’ export policy for the long term.
w effective handling of sanitary and phytosanitary standards
Trade facilitation: (SPS) and technical barriers to trade (TBT) issues in
• National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC): domestic and destination markets.
w It has set up under Cabinet Secretary following ratification w creating cold chain and transport logistics facilities from
by India of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). the farm to the ports and airports.
w It broadly covers provisions related to transparency, w promoting organic exports through appropriate policy
technology, simplification of procedures, risk based interventions.
assessment and infrastructure augmentation.
Greater participation in the global and regional value
• National Trade Facilitation Action Plan (NTFAP):
w It has been drawn out in consultation with the stakeholders,
chains (RVCs and GVCs):
identifying 76 trade facilitation measures with implementation • Focus is on increasing participation in high value segments of
timelines, of which 51 are TFA-plus activities. RVCs and GVCs to increase India’s exports, in recognition of
the fact that products manufactured through GVCs account
New Logistics Division: for two-thirds of world trade in manufactured Goods.
• A new Logistics Division has been created in the Department • This would be facilitated by a focus on automating port and
of Commerce to develop and co-ordinate integrated customs operations, allowing green channel clearances and
development of the logistics sector. bench marking the turnaround time of ships with the best
• These steps would improve India’s ranking in the Logistics global practices.
Performance Index (LPI).
Leveraging services for increasing exports:
State-of-the-art Trade Analytics: • New Services division has been set up in DGFT to examine
• A State-of-the-Art Trade Analytics division has been set up in EXIM policies and procedures from the point of view of
DGFT for data based policy actions. “Services”.
• The initiative envisages processing trade information from • The very successful Global Exhibition on Services
DGCIS and other national and international databases institutionalized as an annual event to showcase India’s
related to India’s key export markets and identify specific strengths in the Services.
policy interventions.
Export promotion schemes:
Exploring new export Markets: • Scope and incentives as a percentage of exports under
• Focus on high potential regions like Africa, Latin America and Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) and Service
the Caribbean region, to cover not just trade in goods and Exports from India Scheme(SEIS) has been enhanced.
investment but also in capacity building, technical assistance • New Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme (TIES) was
and services such as healthcare and education. launched in March 2017 to enhance export competitiveness
• Sectors like agro processing, manufacturing, mining, by bridging gaps in export infrastructure, creating focused
textiles, consumer goods, infrastructure development and export infrastructure, first mile and last mile connectivity for
construction would be focus areas. export-oriented projects.
• Market Access Initiatives (MAI) Scheme to act as a catalyst to
Exploring new export products: promote exports on a focus product-focus country approach,
• Focus is on increasing exports of products which have so as to evolve specific markets and products through market
become important in the world trade of late. studies/surveys.
• Promising product groups are: Medical devices/ equipment, • Supplies of goods and services to Special Economic Zones to
technical textile, electronic component, project goods, defence be treated as zero rated under GST so as to get the benefit of
and hi-tech products, Ayush, diamond, gold and jewelry. tax refund on the pattern of actual exports.
January, 2018
Simplification of procedures and processes: Capacity building:

• PAN is now being used as IEC. Procedure for application for • In the last two years over 50,000 entrepreneurs have been
IEC being further simplified. trained under the Niryat Bandhu program implemented by DGFT,
thus complementing the Startup India and Skill India initiatives.
data showed that India’s exports went up by just 1.2% in

the second quarter of the current fiscal.
ANALYSIS • Exports are an important driver of economic growth and

will also help create much needed jobs for India’s growing
workforce. They played an important role in transforming
Laudable:
countries such as South Korea and China in recent
• The much awaited mid-term review of FTP has not notified
decades.
any new schemes, however, has realigned the policy vis-
• Therefore, India will need to work on increasing competitiveness
a-vis GST and at the same time provided relief to exporters
to expand its exports share in the world market.
through enhancement of benefits under MEIS/SEIS.
• It is often argued that India stands to gain as labour-
• The focus of initiatives seems to be on MSMEs, agro sector
intensive manufacturing is moving out of China due to
and small exporters.
rising wages and an ageing population. But this is not
• Specific procedural relaxation and trade facilitation
happening in a big way, and India is losing out to other
measures have been taken to assist exporters.
Asian countries such as Bangladesh and Vietnam which
• Further, the commitment to use data analytics for are becoming more competitive and are capturing the low-
continuous monitoring of trade performance and take real end manufacturing space being vacated by China.
time policy
• The latest Economic Survey (2016-17) also highlighted how
• Intervention as needed is proactive approach which India is losing out in labour-intensive sectors like apparel
hopefully will be leveraged to gain greater share of global and footwear, and why it is important to focus on these
trade. sectors.
• Overall it is a welcome realignment which hopefully • Thus India will have to work on multiple levels to increase
will provide relief to exporters and improve the export its competitiveness.
outlook and at the same time promote trust based trade
partnership. Way ahead:
• First, it will need to improve logistics to increase efficiency,
both in terms of the time and costs involved. The trade
policy review shows that the government is addressing this
issue.
• Second, India has a large number of small enterprises,
which are facing difficulty in international markets due to
regressive labour laws. Firms in labour-intensive sectors
will need more freedom to operate. Similarly, more flexibility
in land acquisition will also help the manufacturing sector.
• Third, while there is a threat of rising protectionism, India
needs to be prepared to protect its interests without
Concerns: compromising on its open trade policy. India should look
• However, at a broader level, India needs structural changes for opportunities to reduce trade barriers at the regional
to be able to attain higher and sustainable exports growth and bilateral levels.
in the medium to long run, particularly in labour-intensive
• Fourth, it will be important to keep the currency competitive.
sectors.
This is not to suggest that India needs an undervalued
• At a time when the global economy is witnessing a currency, but the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) should not
synchronized recovery, the latest gross domestic product allow the rupee to appreciate sharply.
Sl. Title Price Sl. Title Price
1 Current Affairs MADE EASY- Annual Issue 2017 150 37 PSUs: Practice Book : Computer Science & IT 450
2 ESE 2018 Prelims : GS and Engineering Aptitude Theory : Volume-I 700 38 PSUs: Practice Book : Electronics Engineering 550
3 ESE 2018 Prelims : GS and Engineering Aptitude Theory : Volume-II 700 39 4400 MCQs : Mechanical Engineering - Practice Book for ESE, GATE & PSUs 750
4 GS and Engineering Aptitude Practice Book - 3000+ Solved Questions 750 40 3200 MCQs : Civil Engineering- Practice Book for ESE, GATE & PSUs 575
5 ESE 2018 Prelims : Civil Engineering Objective Paper - Volume I 775 41 3500 MCQs : Electrical Engineering- Practice Book for ESE, GATE & PSUs 700
6 ESE 2018 Prelims: Civil Engineering Objective Paper - Volume II 775 42 2500 MCQs : General Studies- Practice Book for ESE and PSUs 275
7 ESE 2018 Prelims: Mechanical Engineering Objective Paper - Volume I 725 43 BSNL DRDO ISRO : Electronics Engineering : Previous Solved Papers- 2018 500
8 ESE 2018 Prelims: Mechanical Engineering Objective Paper - Volume II 725 44 DRDO, ISRO : Mechanical Engineering : Previous Solved Papers - 2018 400
9 ESE 2018 Prelims: Electrical Engineering Objective Paper - Volume I 625 45 ISRO : Computer Science : Previous Solved Papers - 2018 300
10 ESE 2018 Prelims: Electrical Engineering Objective Paper - Volume II 625 46 Practice book for Electrical Engineering: GENCO.TRANSCO & DISCOMS 425
11 ESE 2018 Prelims : E &T Engineering Objective Paper - Volume I 675 47 UPPSC Previous Years Solved Papers- Civil Engg. : Volume-1 500
12 ESE 2018 Prelims: E &T Engineering Objective Paper - Volume II 625 48 UPPSC Previous Years Solved Papers- Civil Engg. : Volume-2 500
13 ESE 2018: Mains Examination: Civil Engineering Conventional Paper - I 775 49 A Text Book on Production Engineering 500
14 ESE 2018: Mains Examination: Civil Engineering Conventional Paper - II 775 50 A Text book on Engineering Mechanics for GATE, PSUs & UPSC Exams 300
15 ESE 2018: Mains Examination: Mechanical Engineering Conventional Paper - I 600 51 A Text Book on Analog Electronics: EE/E&T/IN 360
16 ESE 2018: Mains Examination: Mechanical Engineering Conventional Paper - II 600 52 CE & ME: Strength Of Materials through Ques. &Ans. for ESE,GATE & PSUs 400
17 ESE 2018: Mains Examination: Electrical Engineering Conventional Paper - I 700 53 A Text Book on Industrial Engineering , Mechatronics & Robotics 450
18 ESE 2018: Mains Examination: Electrical Engineering Conventional Paper - II 700 54 IAS, IFS : CE & ME - SOM- Previous Years Solved Papers (Obj. & Conv.) 325
19 ESE 2018: Mains Examination: E & T Engineering Conventional Paper - I 700 55 General Studies - 2018 for UPSC, SSC, Railways, PSUs and Bank PO 650
20 ESE 2018: Mains Examination: E & T Engineering Conventional Paper - II 700 56 CSAT Paper II : UPSC Civil Services Examination 399
21 GATE 2018: Civil Engineering Solved Papers 700 57 SSC : JE Civil Engineering Previous Year Solved Papers 425
22 GATE 2018: Mechanical Engineering Solved Papers 800 58 SSC : JE Mechanical Engineering Previous Year Solved Papers 425
23 GATE 2018: Electrical Engineering Solved Papers 800 59 SSC : JE Electrical Engineering Previous Year Solved Papers 425
24 GATE 2018: Electronics Engineering Solved Papers 800 60 Civil Services Examination: Civil Engineering Prelims Previous Year Solved Paper 450
25 GATE 2018: Computer Science and IT Engineering Solved Papers 800 61 Civil Services Examination: ME Prelims Previous Year Solved Paper 400
26 GATE 2018: Instrumentation Engineering Solved Papers 600 62 Civil Services Examination: EE Prelims Previous Year Solved Paper 400
27 Engineering Mathematics for GATE and ESE Prelims 600 63 Civil Services Mains Exam : Civil Engineering Solved Papers- Volume -1 775
28 General English for for GATE and ESE Prelims 450 64 Civil Services Mains Exam : Civil Engineering Solved Papers- Volume -2 775
29 Reasoning & Aptitude for for GATE and ESE Prelims 500 65 Civil Services Mains Exam : Mechanical Engineering Solved Papers- Volume -1 650
30 A Handbook for Civil Engineering 350 66 Civil Services Mains Exam : Mechanical Engineering Solved Papers- Volume -2 675
31 A Handbook for Mechanical Engineering 350 67 Civil Services Mains Exam : Electrical Engineering Solved Papers- Volume -1 800
32 A Handbook for Electrical Engineering 350 68 Civil Services Mains Exam : Electrical Engineering Solved Papers- Volume -2 700
33 A Handbook for Electronics Engineering 350 69 UGC-NET: Computer Science & Applications: Previous Year Solved Papers 600
34 A Handbook for Computer Science /IT Engineering 300 70 IFS : Civil Engineering : Previous Years Solved Papers : Volume 1 650
35 A Handbook on Instrumentation Engineering 350 71 IFS : Civil Engineering : Previous Years Solved Papers : Volume 2 650
36 A Handbook of Engineering Mathematics 300 72 IFS: Mechanical Engineering : Previous Years Solved Papers : Volume 1 650
73 IFS : Mechanical Engineering : Previous Years Solved Papers : Volume 2 650

January, 2018
Today, more than 11 million women in the

Origin:
• It is an annual summit held since 2010 with the objective of
United States own businesses. Many women
connecting American entrepreneurs and investors with the become entrepreneurs and job creators out of
international counterparts. necessity - some weren’t given the flexibility they
• It was launched after President Obama elevated needed at work to care for their families
entrepreneurship to the forefront of the United States’
engagement in 2009. - Ivanka Trump at GES 2017
What is it?
• GES is the preeminent annual gathering of emerging
entrepreneurs, investors and business & government leaders
from around the world.
• Its objective is to empower entrepreneurs through networking,
mentoring, and workshops.
GES 2017:
• This was the eighth edition of the GES organized jointly by
United States of America and the Republic of India.
• The first seven summits were held in Washington DC, Istanbul,
Dubai, Marrakech, Nairobi, Kuala Lumpur, and Silicon Valley. MITRA
• Over 1500 delegates from over 150 countries attended the
• Launch: At the GES 2017, Mitra Robot was launched by
Summit.
PM Modi and Ivanka Trump.
• Venue: Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
• Development:
w This was the first time that GES was held in South Asia.
w Mitra is an indigenous, Made in India humanoid robot.
• Theme: "Women First, Prosperity for All" w A humanoid robot is a robot with its body shape built to
w This theme was chosen to focus on supporting women resemble the human body.
entrepreneurs because Investing in women entrepreneurs w It has been developed by a Bengaluru-based start-up
not only fuels economic growth, but also drives innovation Invento Robotics, founded by Balaji Vishwanathan.
to address the critical challenges faced by communities
• Working:
worldwide.
w Made of fibre-reinforced plastic, the five-foot-tall hu-
w This was the first GES in which women are the majority (52
manoid is capable of face and speech recognition and
% of the participants).
can interact with human beings smartly.
• Focus areas: The summit focussed on four innovative, high-
w It works on facial recognition technology to identify cus-
growth industries:
tomers.
1. Healthcare and life sciences
w Mitra has inbuilt applications to help individuals in cus-
2. Digital economy and financial technology tomer interactions and provides contextual information
3. Energy and infrastructure to customers using a recommendations engine similar
4. Media and entertainment to what Facebook and Google use for their services.
18
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS in INDIA

In the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), with the theme own about 30 percent of the businesses currently operating,
-``Women First, Prosperity for All', Ivanka Trump gave a keynote but only employ around 6 percent of the workforce.
address.
Importance of women becoming entrepreneurs:
Status of Women entrepreneurs in India: • A study by McKinsey Global Institute stated that India’s GDP
• In the Global Women Entrepreneurs Leader Report, India could increase anywhere between 16% to 60% by 2025 if
is ranked 29 out of 31 countries surveyed on ease of doing more women participated in the workforce.
business for women. • Women entrepreneurs will also bring new ideas into the
• Women constitute only 14 % of all business owners in India. market which may solve some of the women specific
This is in the larger backdrop of only 27% of the women problems E.g. Aditi Gupta founded Menstrupedia to
receiving secondary education and only 12.2% parliament raise awareness about Menstrual hygiene through a
seats are held by women. Hindi comic book illustrating and educating girls about
• India happens to be the third largest startup hub in the world, menstruation.
but only 9% of startup founders are women. • Women entrepreneurs will become role models for other
• In rural India, traditionally, a lot of women primary producers women to participate in the socio-politic-economic milieu
can be classified as entrepreneurs. For instance, a dairy of the nation. Entrepreneurship can act as a facilitator for
farmer who supplies milk to a nearby dairy or household women empowerment.
is an entrepreneur, but such “micro enterprises” rarely • Financially independent women will ensure good nutrition
achieve scale and serve only to barely sustain the women and healthcare for her children and family in general, thus
entrepreneurs and their families. leading to better public health outcomes.
Problems faced by Women Entrepreneurs:

1. Socio-cultural: Culturally entrenched gender bias in the
startup ecosystem. Stereotyped roles and typecasting
of responsibilities of women within the house as mother,
daughter and wife.
2. Gender gap in education: While women are making major
strides in educational attainment at primary and secondary
levels, they often lack the combination of education,
vocational and technical skills, and work experience
needed to support the development of highly productive
businesses.
3. Access to Funding: Women entrepreneurs face bias in
accessing funding for their startups. E.g. YourStory
Research stated that only 2% of all equity funding raised this
What is the global scenario? year in India went to women-led startups.
• Globally too, there is a gender bias in the entrepreneurship 4. Legal Issues: In some Patriarchal Societies there are unequal
domain as Only 3% of venture capital funding in 2016 went to inheritance laws and work limitations that restricts women from
startups founded by women. accessing startup capital. Some countries do not allow women
• There are only seven countries (Panama, Thailand, Ghana, to work without the permission of their husband/fathers.
Ecuador, Nigeria, Mexico and Uganda) in the world where 5. Human Capital related issues: Lack of quality education and
men and women own businesses at an equal rate. awareness among women regarding their own potential and
• Even in countries where women own a substantial portion of opportunities.
firms, they tend to perform at a lower level than businesses 6. Safety Issues: Sexual harassment and safety issues for women
owned by men. E.g. In the United States, for example, women at workplace.
January, 2018
Way Ahead: • The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,

• Educate and empower women to become entrepreneurs. Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 was passed by the
Parliament to protect women from sexual harassment at their
• Ensure adequate financial resources to support their
place of work.
entrepreneurial ventures.
• Amazon India, in the partnership with SEWA (Self-Employed
• Provide mentoring to promote success in entrepreneurship.
Women Association) and Impulse Social Enterprise,
E.g. In the US there is a non-profit organisation called Service
launched Saheli, a new programme aimed at empowering
Core of Retired Executives (SCORE) that provides free
and enabling women entrepreneurs across the country to sell
mentoring services to business owners. India could establish
their products on the Amazon.in marketplace.
a programme similar to SCORE dedicated to women
entrepreneurs. Maharashtra Industrial policy for women entrepreneurs:
• The Digital Age provides a level playing field all and The Maharashtra government on 5th Dec 2017, approved an
transgresses the limitations of the manufacturing sector. industrial policy for women entrepreneurs, that aims to boost
Digital Literacy must be spread specially among the women. and encourage female entrepreneurship in the state according
• Last and most importantly, build an environment where to which:
women are confident of their abilities and are sure that enough • Woman entrepreneur would get a financial assistance from
support will be available to them in case their entrepreneurial Rs 15 lakh up to Rs 1 crore in proportion of 15 per cent
venture do not work out. to 35 per cent of the capital investment of the project at a
subsidised rate of interest of upto 5 per cent.
Role of Self Help Groups (SHGs) in promoting
entrepreneurship: • Projects run by women will get electricity at subsidised rate
of Rs 1-2 per unit instead of Rs 7-8 per unit charges for
• An ambitious programmes for empowering women financially
industries.
and socially is through membership of a collective known as
the self help group (SHG). • Few stalls or some areas in malls, commercial complexes or
market yards will be kept reserved only for women.
• A typical Indian SHG consists of 10-20 poor women from
similar socio-economic backgrounds who meet once a • Also, land will be reserved for women industrialists
month to pool in their savings and discuss issues of mutual in Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC)
importance. area across the state.
• Their collective strength is used as social collateral to avail Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA):
loans from financial institutions.
• SEWA meaning "service" in several Indian languages, is a
• Allowing women direct access to financial services might trade union based
improve their possibilities to become entrepreneurs, thus in Ahmedabad, In-
increasing their individual incomes, their chances to become dia that promotes the
more independent, and their participation in family and rights of low-income,
community decision-making. independently-em-
ployed female work-
Initiatives taken for helping women entrepreneurs in
ers.
India:
• SEWA was founded
• The Indian government is running a series of initiatives
in 1972 by Gandhian
such as MUDRA and ATAL Innovation Scheme to foster
and civil rights leader
entrepreneurship across the country, and especially boost
Ela Bhatt as a branch
the participation of women in running their own businesses.
of Textile Labour As-
• NITI aayog is setting up a Women Entrepreneurial and
sociation (TLA), a la-
Innovation Cell that will offer women financial support through
bour union founded
the Rs. 10,000 crore Fund of Funds and Mudra micro-loan
by Gandhi in 1918.
scheme apart from mentorship facilities.
• With over 2 million participating women, SEWA is the largest
• Stand-up India scheme provides loans from Rs 10 lakh to Rs
organization of informal workers in the world and largest non-
1 crore to women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs from the
profit in India.
scheduled castes and scheduled tribes (SC/ST).
20
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
Background: • Rationalizing of prescribed fee for testing of roll-out obligations:

• Promoting "Ease of doing business" is essential for unhindered Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) should be charged for roll-
growth of the telecom sector which is the backbone to the out obligations test fee only for those areas which are actually
Digital India vision. tested by Telecom Enforcement, Resource and Monitoring
(TERM) cells.
• A number of steps have already been taken for ease of
doing telecom business by the Government, generally on the • Revision of existing financial penalty structure: DoT should
recommendations of TRAI. devise a suitable matrix, linking the penalty to the severity of
the incident and recurrence of the violation for imposition of
• But with the change in the policies over a period of time or
financial penalties.
with the technological development, there could be some
processes, which may have become redundant or may be Way ahead: reform the regulatory structure
executed in an efficient and transparent way.
• Although the recommendations addresses key bottlenecks
• A majority of the existing policies were written when the faced by operators and service providers, the real issue
telecom sector was opened up for private sector participation could be the implementation as it would require a major
in the 90s. These rules may have been relevant then but they overhaul of the existing regulatory structure.
are not anymore.
• There are multiple bodies within the telecom department that
• In this background, on 30th November 2017, TRAI released are responsible for these activities and often there is lack of
Recommendations on 'Ease of Doing Telecom Business'. coordination between them.
Recommendations: • What complicates the structure further is that licensing power

is with DoT while dispute settlement power is with the Telecom
• SACFA Site Clearance: The entire process of Standing Advisory
Dispute Settlement Appellate Tribunal.
Committee for Frequency Allocation (SACFA) clearance should
be made paper-less. • TRAI has only a recommendatory role with some powers to
enforce licence terms and conditions.
• Import Licence for Wireless Equipment’s: Import Licence
should be granted within a defined time-line of not exceeding • This division of power has led to complications with one arm
30 days. not agreeing with the other on several occasions.
• Transfer/Merger of Licences: DoT should spell out a definite • There have been proposals in the past, including by the
timeline, not exceeding 30 days post National Company Law Justice Shivraj V Patil committee, to streamline the operations
Tribunal’s (NCLTs) approval, for providing written approval to of the various regulatory units in the sector. However, these
transfer/merger of licences by the Licensor. proposals remain on paper.
• Guidelines on Trading of Access Spectrum: Spectrum trading • In short, TRAI’s proposals for improving ease of doing
should be permitted in all the access spectrum bands which business are welcome but to seriously improve the ease of
have been put to auction. doing business in the telecom sector it should go beyond the
changes proposed by TRAI and look at a major overhaul of
the overall policymaking scenario.
January, 2018
PM Modi flew in a seaplane from the

Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad to the
Dharoi dam in Mehsana district.
Quest Kodiac Plane: • The project however failed to commence owing to protests by
• The seaplane is a the local fishing communities.
powered fixed- (c) Private sector initiatives:
wing aircraft ca- • Private players like Seabird Seaplane Pvt Ltd and Mehair had
pable of taking announced seaplane services way back in 2011-12.
off and landing
• But these private service providers however ceased
(alighting) on wa-
operations due to commercial non-viability and issues over
ter. It requires a
governmental permissions.
runway length of
just 300 metres
Importance of Seaplane Service:
and is equipped
with floats that al- • India has roughly 14,500 km of navigable waterways.
low it to land on waterways. • Introduction of seaplane travel is a right step in the direction
• He travelled in a Quest Kodiac plane, which is a seaplane. of diversifying the transportation system within the country
• Quest Aircraft Company is a company based in Idaho, United and to ensure air connectivity to remote and unconnected
States. It introduced its first aircraft, the Kodiak 100, in 2007. destinations.
• UDAN: Keeping this in mind, under the ambitious Regional
Did PM Modi travel on the first ever seaplane in India? Connectivity Scheme (RCS), seaplanes are permitted to fly.
No The RCS, also known as UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik)
PM Modi’s seaplane ride was touted as the first ever in the aims to connect unserved and under-served airports as well
country by the Prime Minister’s website and repeated by news as make flying more affordable.
outlets when that was clearly not the case, nor was the PM the first
• Union transport minister has also requested Japanese firm
Indian to travel in a seaplane.
Setouchi to manufacture seaplanes in the country following
This narrative was initially played up and then quietly retracted the successful trial runs of the firm’s aircraft here.
on PM Modi’s website.
Following below are the earlier seaplane services in India: Violation of Safety Norms?
(a) Jal Hans: • His seaplane ride attracted controversy over flouting of safety
• The first ever commercial seaplane service was Jal Hans norms for travel of VIPs.
which was launched in India in 2010. • The Kodiak seaplane that the PM flew in is a single-engine
• The service was jointly operated by Pawan Hans, the public aircraft, while norms require him to travel in a twin-engine
sector helicopter service provider and the administration of aircraft.
the Andaman & Nicobar islands.
• Twin-engine planes are considered safer as pilots may be
• The Jal Hans service has now been stalled.
able to take off or land on one engine even if the other fails.
(b) Kerala seaplane service:
• Later on, Union Transport minister stated that rules will be
• In 2013, the Kerala seaplane service promoted by Kerala
framed for such form of transport on the lines of regulations in
Tourism Infrastructure Ltd was announced to connect the
Canada, the U.S. and Japan.
waterways of the state.
22
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
Timeline: Do You Know?

• Such a quadrilateral dialogue had originally been mooted In
2007 by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the concept Democratic Peace Theory is a theory which states that
of a "Democratic Peace theory". democracies are hesitant to engage in armed conflict with
other democracies.
• The Quadrilateral was supposed to establish an "Asian Arc of
Democracy", envisioned to ultimately include "virtually all the Origin: The first real articulation of the
countries on China’s periphery, except for China itself." concept can be found in the essay
''Perpetual Peace'' written by 18th-century
• Indeed, in 2007 the Malabar Exercises held by India with
German philosopher Immanuel Kant.
the US were a step in this direction by involving also the
Japanese and Australian navies. Arguments in favour:
• However, critiques while calling it as "Asian NATO" hinted that • Democratic leaders are forced to
the arrangement "could lead to military conflict," accept culpability for war losses to a voting public.
• In deference to strong Chinese demarches Australia opted • Publicly accountable states people are inclined to
out of these exercises and India restricted the same only to establish diplomatic institutions for resolving international
the US till 2015 from when it began to also invite Japan on a tensions
regular basis. • Democracies tend to possess greater public wealth
• The recent initiation of the Quad talks comes once again than other states, and therefore eschew war to preserve
upon Japan's call for a dialogue amongst these democracies infrastructure
for substantive cooperation in defence, maritime security and However, critiques argue that there have been as many wars
infrastructure development. between democracies.
Highlights of first meeting:

• The first meeting was held around the theme of a “free and
open Indo-Pacific’.
• Seven core themes were identified: 1. Rules-based order
in Asia, 2. freedom of navigation and overflight in the maritime
commons, 3. respect for international law, 4. enhancing
connectivity, 5. maritime security, 6. North Korean threat and
nonproliferation, and 7. terrorism.
• Members themselves have close ties with china - All the parties
ANALYSIS in quad are interlinked economically with china sizeable

proportion of their respective trade volumes, thus the subtle
objective of China’s containment may not be achieved.
Importance of Quad for India:
• Unpredictable U.S.: Furthermore, it is difficult to depend on
• Countering china: According to analysts, the big democracies U.S. led by Trump administration whose policies are in a flux.
in Asia are again trying to address both the security related
• Chinese backlash: Their is also fear of Chinese backlash. Out
and belt and road challenges posed by a rampaging China.
of quad members, only India shares border with China. India
Many analysts welcomed quad which while non-threatening
should remember that
could be counterweight.
• Multilateralism: The quad champion’s multilateralism as
against unilateralism, quad is not only a formulation of
A malevolent neighbor can be far more irksome
strategic deterrence but a mechanism to provide more and than benevolent friends far abroad
better options to regional powers.
• Is china really a threat in Indian ocean? Finally, according to
• Act East policy: it will further India’s Act East policy by
critiques, despite an expansion of PLAN (People’s Liberation
enhancing proximity to the emerging zone of importance for
Army Navy) activity in the Indian Ocean Region, China hasn’t
the future.
challenged Indian sovereignty in its territorial waters, nor they
• Emergence as a key Regional Player: It also provides an avenue have impeded the passage of Indian merchantmen in the
for India to perform the role of net security provider’ in the regional sea-lanes and choke-points.
region.
This does not mean India’s grievances with China are invalid. But
• Move towards Pragmatic Diplomacy: India’s increasing Beijing is going about its business carefully. Thus China’s naval
engagement in the Indo-Pacific shows that it is steadily expansion in South Asia does not constitute an intrusion for which
leaving behind its Cold-War non-alignment philosophy and Beijing can be held legally, politically or militarily accountable.
is seeking ways to actively influence major geopolitical
Thus sceptics conclude that for the moment, the maritime-quad
outcomes in the region.
remains an idea whose time still hasn’t arrived.
All this makes it important for India to link up with like minded
democratic countries Way ahead
The future of Quad will depend upon the level of ambition of the
An Elusive Maritime-Quad?
foursome.
According to sceptics, a closer look at the emerging naval
• Formalise it: Take steps to formalise the group by setting up a
dynamics in Asia and other factors make it clear that the maritime
charter, devising a roadmap of action and hold it regularly at
'quad' isn't still a wholly viable proposition
a much higher level.
• Lack of clarity on security agenda: Neither Japan nor the US • Don’t project it as Anti-Chinese: Quad should not be projected
has given any indication that the new grouping will have as an anti-China bloc focus on common regional interests like
a China-centric security agenda. Rather they are more security, connectivity and freedom of navigation.
concerned with finding an alternative to China’s Belt and
• Countering BRI: To counter the belt and road initiative, it would
Road Initiative (BRI).
need to devise more attractive alternatives which
• U.S. indifference to South Asia: U.S. has remained indifferent w provide a greater fillip to the domestic economy and not
to the geopolitics of maritime South Asia as its main concern that of an external player
lies in the Western Pacific.
w enjoy complete transparency and are not opaque and
w It is yet to address India’s key concerns in Sri Lanka,
w are financed on the most liberal terms and not with
Bangladesh and Myanmar, and strengthening China-
onerous conditions.
Pakistan nexus in the Arabian Sea.
• Future Expansion? After formalising the charter, it should then
• U.S. dependence on China: With a growing dependence of decide whether or not to take new members. it will also be
Trump administration on China to deal like North Korea, it is useful to open a dialogue with the ASEAN on Indo-Pacific
losing out leverage it in shaping China’s strategic choices in security architecture.
the Indian Ocean. • Develop blue economy: India should additionally reach out on
• Will ASEAN support? Many South-East Asian states are its own to all the countries in the region on developing the
openly acknowledging China’s role in regional security blue economy. It is most appropriate as
and development. Thus it seems unlikely that they will w it would have enormous spin off benefits.
support a proposal aimed at the containment of Chinese w the oceans are integral to region in which nearly all
naval power. countries have long coastlines or are island nations.
24
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
was reached in 1995 to start a new type of multilateral co-

Do You Know?
operation.
Agreement or Arrangement? • Establishment: 1996. WA became operational in 1996 and
• Wassenaar Agreement should not be confused with the succeeded the Cold War-era Coordinating Committee for
Wassenaar Arrangement. Multilateral Export Controls.
• The Wassenaar Agreement was an agreement reached in • Secretariat: Vienna (Austria).
1982 between employers' organisations and labour unions • Wassenaar Arrangement Plenary:
in the Netherlands to restrain wage growth in return for the w It is the decision-making body of the Arrangement.
adoption of policies to combat unemployment and inflation. w It is composed of representatives of all Participating States
• The International Labour Organization describes the and normally meets once a year, usually in December.
Wassenaar as "a groundbreaking agreement, setting the w The position of Plenary Chair is subject to annual rotation
tone for later social pacts in many European countries". among Participating States. In 2017 the Chair was held by
France.
Dual use technologies: w All Plenary decisions are taken by consensus.
• Goods and technologies are considered to be dual-use • Vienna Points of Contact (VPOC): These are called for periodic
when they can be used for both civil and military purposes, meetings under the Plenary Chair to facilitate intersessional
such as special materials, sensors and lasers, and high- information flow and communications between/among
end electronics. Participating States and the Secretariat.
Multilateral Export Control Regime (MECR): Members:

MECR is an international body that countries use to organize How many?
their national export control systems. These regimes regulate the • It has 42 countries, the latest entrant being India.
conventional, nuclear, biological and chemicals weapons and • With the exception of China, all the other permanent members
technologies. of the U.N. Security Council are signatories of the WA.
How many? There are currently five such regimes (refer
Infographic above).
Of these India is now a member of
1. Missile technology control regime (joined in 2016).
2. Wassenaar Arrangement (joined in 2017).
India is also reported to be in advanced stage of entering
Australia group.
Wassenaar Arrangement: Summary Facts

• Origin of the name: The name comes from Wassenaar, a
suburb of the Hague, the Netherlands, where an agreement
January, 2018
Membership Criteria: Unlike the NSG or the MTCR, Wassenaar How the WA works?
Arrangement has defined criteria for participation. 1. WA Control Lists:
The eligibility of a state to participate in the Wassenaar w The Arrangement works according to what it calls WA
Arrangement is based on following four criteria Control Lists.
1. Whether it is a producer/exporter or arms or industrial w There are two broad categories of control list under the
equipment respectively. WA:
2. Whether it has taken the WA Control lists as a reference in its i. Munitions list.
national export controls. ii. Lists of dual-use goods and technology (Items placed in
3. Whether it is adhering to non-proliferation policies. this list are referred to as the General Technology).
4. Whether it is adhering to fully effective export controls.
2. The WA Participating States:
Objectives: w have agreed to maintain national export controls on items
included in the WA Control Lists. These controls are
1. To promote transparency in transfers of conventional arms
implemented via national legislation.
and dual-use goods and technologies, thus preventing
w exchange information on sensitive dual-use goods and
destabilising accumulations.
technologies.
2. To prevent the acquisition of these items by terrorists.
w Being a part of major groups like WA enhances India’s
ANALYSIS chances to get a permanent seat in United Nations

Security Council in future.
Benefit of WA’s Membership To India: Benefits to WA from India’s membership:

1. Import of technology: • Apart from this, Bringing India into these will also go a long
w Entry into WA does not guarantee access to all the items way in enhancing the credibility of the grouping.
that fall under its Control lists because the transfers will • India’s entry into the Arrangement would be mutually
be subject to India’s bilateral negotiations with supplier beneficial and further contribute to international security and
countries. non-proliferation objectives.
w What it will do is increase the probability of India receiving
high technology, which will help address the demands of Way Ahead for India: Quiet Diplomacy:
Indian space and defence sectors. • The Wassenaar Arrangement membership is also a lesson
2. Boost to defence: It also helps India to build up its capabilities on the need for quiet diplomacy in sensitive nuclear issues,
as a counter-weight to countries such as China and its allies compared to the loud botched attempt to gain entry to the
like Pakistan who are serious challengers to India as a power NSG in 2016.
in South Asia. • While India’s efforts at the NSG were stopped by China, which
3. Export of technology: India will also be able to sell its is not a member of the Wassenaar Arrangement, raising the
indigenously produced equipment without attracting adverse pitch publicly at the time came with costs.
reactions. It will also be in a better position to collaborate with • It made the task of forging a consensus on membership to
other countries in developing such capabilities. the NSG more difficult.
4. Victory for India's non-proliferation track record: It enhances • Nonetheless, now that more and more countries are
its credentials in the field of non-proliferation despite not signing on to India’s steadily strengthening credentials in
being a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). the nuclear area, there is hope that a fresh momentum will
5. Push to join other groups: be imparted to a future bid for the NSG, although it won’t
w Gaining it’s membership would also help India lobby be easy.
better for membership in the NSG and Australian Group • The Australia Group, which focusses on biological and
as many of its members are also members of NSG and will chemical weapons, may be easier to crack given that China
further give credibility. is not a member.
26
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
Selection procedure of Judges to ICJ:

ICJ ICC
• To be elected, the candidate must receive an absolute
International Court of International Criminal
majority in both the General Assembly and the Security
Justice Court
Council. Voting takes place in both houses simultaneously
Estabiished 1946 2002 by Rome statue. but separately.
in
• Allocation of seats:
HQ Hague, Netherlands Hague, Netherlands w The seats are distributed on the basis of geographical
Function 1. Settle legal disputes Criminal prosecution of regions.
between parties & individuals w As per the current configuration, three seats are allotted to
Africa, three to Asia, two to Latin America and the Caribbean,
2. Advisory opinion to
five to Western Europe and two to Eastern Europe.
other organs, bodies
Subject Sovereignty, boundary Genocide, Recent election:
matter disputes, maritime War crimes, • Six candidates applied for the nine-year term beginning in
disputes, trade, natural Crime against humanity February 2018.
resources, human
Crimes of aggression • Out of the six, four were elected in the fifth round of voting.
rights, treaty violations,
• This placed Bhandari and Greenwood in a fierce fight,
treaty interpretations
which extended to six more rounds of voting and ended
and more.
only with the withdrawal of the latter and election of the
Jurisdic- National governments Individual former as the fifth judge to the bench.
tion
Do You Know?
Members All UN members are its 123. India is not a
members members Dalveer Bhandari (born 1947) is an
Indian member of the International
Judges 15 18
Court of Justice and was a judge of the
Elected for 9 year term Elected for 9 year term
Supreme Court of India.
Relation to It is the primary judicial Independent of UN Bhandari was first elected to the ICJ in 2012 for the remainder
UN organ of the United (although it has some term of a judge who quit prematurely. His new full term of nine
Nations. relations with UN i.e. it years will begin on February 6, 2018.
may receive referrals In 2014, President of India conferred Bhandari with Padma
from UNSC) Bhushan, third highest civilian award in India.
ANALYSIS • Bhandari’s win reiterated the huge backing that India enjoys
in the General Assembly. He got 115 votes against 76 for
Greenwood in the sixth round of voting held on November 9.
A. Prospects for Security Council Seat and freedom of • Displeasure against P5: This voting record also highlighted
Kulbhushan Jadhav? the displeasure of the majority of the UN member states
Many analysts have observed that Justice Bhandari's victory is against the P-5, which is unwilling to surrender any of the
vital for two reasons. privileges they enjoy, including the tradition of holding the
First, since India is campaigning for a permanent seat in the UN ICJ seats.
Security Council, the ICJ election is a litmus test indicating the w This is the first time in the 71-year history of the ICJ that
quantum of support for New Delhi in the world body. Britain, one of the five permanent members (P-5) of the
United Nations Security Council (UNSC), has no judge on
However, this assumption is unfounded:
the bench.
• Security Council reform and ICJ election are entirely different
• European resentment against Britain after Brexit and
matters with unique methods and processes. One will not
India's wide acceptability among the developing and
ensure the other.
underdeveloped countries also worked in the numbers game
• In contrast to the ICJ election process, in the case of Security
in the General Assembly.
Council reform, the P-5 enjoys veto power to block any
• Moreover, it is a matter of prestige of having an Indian judge
decision that hurts their interests. The position of the P-5
on the ICJ bench.
during the voting and their responses after the election show
that nothing has changed in this regard. C. Faults to Rectify:
• For instance, while congratulating Justice Bhandari, a State However, the whole process of the election kindled some grave
Department Spokesperson echoed the US' opposition to any concerns as well.
alteration or expansion of the veto.
1. Indian policymakers need to seriously think as to why Justice
Second, is the assumption that Justice Bhandari's win will be a Bhandari could not secure an absolute majority in the
big boost for India in dealing with the Kulbhushan Jadhav cases. Security Council during the first eleven rounds of voting. This
• It is true that the Kulbhushan Jadhav case had influenced opposition by the P-5 states raises doubts about their often
India's steadfast campaign and its commitment to remain in professed support for India's UNSC bid as well.
the contest even after eleven rounds of voting. 2. Surprisingly, among the non-permanent members of Security
• However, this assumption is also unfounded. It is because Council, Japan, one of the G-4 countries and a close friend of
once elected, a member of the ICJ cannot act as a delegate of India also voted against Bhandari.
any government or state. They are obliged to act impartially. 3. India was also unable to solicit support from its trusted friend
• Even in the context of voting to settle the final verdict, it is not Russia.
possible for a government or state to instruct a judge on how 4. Further, India contested in the 'Europe and Other ' category
he/she should vote. because the Asian position was filled by the Lebanese
• Moreover, there have been many cases in which judges voted candidate during the very first round of the election. This
contrary to the submissions of their respective countries. was partly because of India's very late announcement of
Bhandari’s candidacy, only four months back. In contrast,
B. Significance of re-election: Lebanon had been campaigning for the last two years. A
Inspite of this his re-election is historic in many ways. longer term strategy and preparation would help to minimize
• Diplomatic Victory: His re-election of Justice Bhandari was similar occurrences in future.
a great diplomatic victory for India, especially since the
opponent was a P-5 nation. D. Concluding remark:
• Symbolic victory: For India it was not only an impressive diplomatic • The final takeaway of the ICJ election is that it is a triumph
success but a symbolic victory against its former colonial master, of India’s pragmatic multi-lateral diplomacy worked well for
Britain, as well. It reflects the changing global order India in the General Assembly.
• It highlighted the success of India’s multilateral diplomatic • Therefore, to ensure such victories in future in global
outreach. For the past few months, from lobbying by Prime multilateral forums, India should continue to focus on its
Minister and External Affairs Minister to the creation of a relationship with small and middle powers and not neglect
separate cell at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India them in the process of pursuing relationships with the great
put great efforts for his re-election. powers.
28
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
Ship Disposal w Most vessels contain a large amount of hazardous

Modern ships have a lifespan of 25 to 30 years before corrosion, materials such as asbestos, PCBs, TBT, and CFCs, which
metal fatigue and a lack of parts render them uneconomical to run. can also lead to highly life-threatening diseases such as
mesothelioma and lung cancer.
Thus a number of different methods exist for disposing of a ship
after it has reached the end of its life with an organisation.
• Ship recycling: It Is a type of ship disposal involving the
breaking up of ships for either a source of parts.
• Artificial reefing: it is the sinking of ships offshore to form reefs.
Before sinking, the vessel needs to have all toxic components
and electrical devices removed.
• Donation, or sale for re-use: it allows for the refurbishment
and reuse of a vessel by a secondary party. Such uses
can include further life as a ship, houseboat, office, hotel,
museum, or conference center.
Ship recycling:
• Ship breaking may also be known as ship dismantling, ship
cracking, or ship recycling.
• Benefits:
w The parts broken can be sold for re-use, or for the
extraction of raw materials, chiefly scrap.
w This lowers the demand for mined iron ore and reduces
energy use in the steelmaking process. Equipment on
board the vessel can also be reused.
w The ship breaking yards of India, Bangladesh, China and
Pakistan employ 100,000 workers as well as providing a
large amount of indirect jobs.
w In Bangladesh, the recycled steel covers 20% of the
country's needs and in India it's almost 10%.
w It is also the most common and most environmentally
accepted method of ship disposal.
• Harms:
w While ship breaking is sustainable, there are concerns
about the use of poorer countries without stringent
environmental legislation.
w It is also considered to be "amongst the most dangerous
of occupations, with unacceptably high levels of fatalities,
injuries and work-related diseases.
January, 2018
Global Scenario: Hong Kong Convention:

• India, Bangladesh, China and Pakistan have the highest • Full name: The Hong Kong International Convention for the
market share and are global centres of ship breaking. safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships.
• Chittagong Ship Breaking Yard in Bangladesh, Alang in India • Objective: To make the ship recycling industry safe for its
and Gadani in Pakistan are regarded as the largest ships' workers and the environment.
graveyards in the world. • Agencies involved: The convention was adopted in 2009 by
• The largest sources of ships are states of China, Greece and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Germany respectively • Timeline:
w It was adopted in 2009.
Indian Scenario:
w It will enter into force two years after "15 states, representing
40% of the world merchant shipping by gross tonnage, and
on average 3% of recycling tonnage for the previous 10
years, have signed and ratified it.
w None of these conditions was met as of 2017. Only six
countries – Norway, Congo, France, Belgium, Panama
and Denmark — have ratified it.
INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION (IMO)

Key facts:
• What is it? It is a specialised agency of the United Nations
(UN) responsible for regulating shipping.
• Origin: It was established by means of a Convention adopted
under the auspices of the UN in Geneva in 1948 and met for
the first time in 1959.
• Membership: 172.
• Headquarters: London, United Kingdom.
• Alang:
w Alang is a town in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat located on Structure:
the Gulf of Khambat. • Assembly
w In the past three decades, its beaches have become a w IMO's governing body is the Assembly which is made up
major worldwide centre for ship breaking. of all the Member States and meets normally once every
two years.
• Beaching method:
• Council:
w India follows the beaching method to dismantle ships,
under which ships are first grounded and then dismantled. w The Council, of 40 Member States elected by the
Assembly, acts as governing body in between Assembly
w This method is often criticised for its lax safety and health
sessions.
aspects. The IMO Convention does not prohibit the
beaching method. w The Council is elected by the Assembly for two-year terms
beginning after each regular session of the Assembly.
Steps by India: w In Categories “A” and “B” there are 10 members each and
1. Upgrading ship-breaking beaches: India is upgrading the in Category “C” 20 members, who are elected by the IMO
world’s largest stretch of ship-breaking beaches on Alang Assembly.
through a $76-million soft loan from the Japan International India and IMO:
Cooperation Agency. The upgrades envisage concrete
• India ratified the IMO Convention and joined it as a member-
floors to prevent pollutants from entering the sub-soil and
state in the year 1959.
improvement of environmental facilities.
• Re-election to council
2. Ratification of convention: India has drafted a legislation w India has been re-elected to the Council under Category
to implement the Hong Kong convention, which is now “B” for two years (2018-19).
undergoing pre-legislative consultations. w Except for two years for the period 1983-1984 India has
been elected to the Council of the IMO, ever since it
started functioning.
30
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
What is it? • Way ahead:

• It is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one military w The in-flight refuelling of AEW&C leads to an overall
aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) during flight. enhancement of IAF’s combat potential.
w To truly exploit this newly tested operational capability,
• It is also known as: In-flight refueling (IFR), Air-To-Air Refueling
IAF will have to:
(AAR), and Tanking.
w augment its fleet of in-flight refuellers and
• Types: Two main refueling systems are:
w train an adequate number of aircrew, mission
1. Probe-and-Drogue a.k.a Hose and Drogue
commanders, fighter controllers and systems operators
2. Flying boom
for AEW&C for enhanced mission effective time.
(Refer table on next page for details of two types)
Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems
History: (AEW&CS)
• It was originally employed shortly before World War II on
About:
a very limited scale to extend the range of British civilian
• It is an airborne surveillance system.
transatlantic flying boats.
• It is considered as “eyes in the sky“ as it plays a critical
• But since the Vietnam War, it has been extensively used in role in modern-day warfare by detecting
large-scale military operations for many different military w Incoming fighters, drones and cruise missiles much
aircraft operations. before ground based radars.
w Air defence fighters during combat operations with
Benefits: A significant Air Power force multiplier
enemy jets.
1. Greater payload carrying capacity: Because the receiver
aircraft can be topped up with extra fuel in the air, air refueling Present scenario in our neighbours:
can allow a takeoff with a greater payload which could be • Due to its importance, both Pakistan and China have made
weapons, cargo, or personnel. them a top military priority.
2. Longer flight duration: The procedure allows the receiving • While Pakistan Has 7 And China Well Over 20 AWACS.
aircraft to remain airborne longer, extending its range or loiter Present scenario in India:
time on station. • Phalcon: The Israeli Phalcon radar systems mounted on
3. Cost effective method: By reducing the number of aircraft Russian IL-76 heavy-lift aircraft, were inducted in 2009-
needed to maintain a combat air patrol (CAP), it reduces 2011 under a $1.1 billion deal inked in 2004.
the number of maintenance personnel needed as well as the • Netra: India inducted an indigenous AEW&C christened
amount of time aircraft spend on the ground. “Netra“ in February, 2017, about seven years behind
schedule. However, there are some problems:
Recent air refuelling by India:
w Netra has a normal radar range of just 250-km with
• An Indian Air Force (IAF) Embraer transport aircraft with
240-degree coverage
Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) successfully
w In comparison Phalcon have an over 400-km range with
carried out Air to Air Refuelling (AAR).
360degree coverage.
• The AAR was carried out using the “probe and drogue”
• The less number of AWACS is because of two key reasons
methodology.
w Procurement issues: The case for two more “follow-on“
• Significance:
Phalcon AWACS, in the tripartite deal with Russia and
w It was for the first time that the AAR has been carried out
Israel, remains stuck due to sharp cost escalation.
on the Embraer platform.
w Production issues: On the indigenous front, the two
w It will allow it to prolong its surveillance missions. A mere
aircraft under the AWACS-India project will be ready
10 minute in-flight refuelling can generate additional four
only by 2024-2025 at the earliest.
hours of flying endurance.
Types of January, 2018
Refuelling System
PROBE-AND-DROGUE FLYING BOOM
a.k.a Hose and Drogue
Meaning This refueling method employs a flexible hose that trails from The boom is a rigid, telescoping tube that an
the tanker aircraft. A drogue (a small windsock) at the end of operator on the tanker aircraft extends and inserts
the hose stabilizes it in flight, and provides a funnel for the into a receptacle on the aircraft being refueled.
aircraft being refueled, which inserts a probe into the hose.
Advantages • Simpler tanker design. • Higher fuel flow rates can be achieved with the
• Tankers can be equipped with multipoint hose-and- large diameter of the pipe in the flying boom,
drogue systems allowing two (or more) aircraft to refuel requiring less time to complete refueling
simultaneously, reducing time spent in refuelling. operations than probe-and-drogue systems.
• Multiple refueling points also offers redundancy over the • Less susceptible to receiving aircraft pilot
single refueling point system. error and fatigue.
• Aircraft are easily equipped with a refueling probe. • Less susceptible to adverse weather
conditions.
Disadvantages • Lower flow rates due to a lower pressure and limited hose • Due to requirement of a boom operator, there
diameter. is added complexity of modification with
• Subject to turbulence and aerodynamic forces (bow wave) attaching a boom to an aircraft.
of approaching aircraft. • Boom only allows for one receiver at a time.
• Requires greater receiving pilot input and susceptible to
receiving pilot fatigue.
• Susceptible to adverse weather conditions.
AKASH MISSILE
Akash missile tested with indigenous radio frequency seeker.
About:
• Surface-to-air missile Akash was successfully test fired
with an indigenous radio frequency seeker from the Launch
Complex-III at Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha.
• This is the first surface-to-air missile with indigenous seeker
that has been test fired.
• With this success, India has achieved the capability of
making any type of surface-to-air missile.
• This his missile is being inducted into Army as Short Range
Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM).
32
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
About Brahmos: Current developments:

• The BrahMos is a medium-range ramjet supersonic • The land-launched and ship-launched
cruise missile that can be launched from submarine, versions are already in service, with the air and
ships, aircraft, or land. submarine-launched versions currently in the
• It is the fastest supersonic cruise missile in the world. testing phase.
The missile travels at speeds of Mach 2.8 to 3.0, which • A hypersonic version of the missile, BrahMos-II, is
is being upgraded to Mach 5.0. also presently under development with a speed of
• It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation's Mach 7-8 to boost aerial fast strike capability. It is
NPO Mashinostroeyenia and India's Defence Research expected to be ready for testing by 2020.
and Development Organisation (DRDO) who together • In 2016, as India became a member of the
have formed BrahMos Aerospace. Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR),
• The name BrahMos is formed from the names of two India and Russia are now planning to jointly
rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of develop a new generation of Brahmos missiles
Russia. with 600 km-plus range and an ability to hit
protected targets with pinpoint accuracy.
ANALYSIS
(d) Geo-strategic significance:
w The missile can potentially reach Pakistani targets in the
west and in Tibet in the east with 99.99 per cent accuracy.
Significance of Testing of ALCM:
w Development of these indigenous long range and
(a) Cruise missile triad: accurate weapons in adequate quantity will partially
w The IAF becomes the world’s first air force to launch a offset the capability deficiency resulting from the IAF’s
multi-platform, multi-mission, self-propelled attack missile dwindling force structure.
of this kind. w Beyond the technical details, the BrahMos venture’s
w Variants can be designed to be deployed in Rafales success signifies is the durability of India-Russia ties.
and advanced medium combat jets too.
w Thus BrahMos is now capable of being launched from Way Ahead:
land, sea and air, completing the tactical cruise missile (a) Enhancing accuracy:
triad for India. w Three aspects of BrahMos are still in progress: extending
(b) Enhanced Range: its range, increasing its speed to hypersonic level, and
w A standoff range of 300 to 400 km keeps the mother shrinking its size so that three missiles can be carried by a
aircraft outside the lethal zone of all known terminal single aircraft.
defence weapons. w Of these the most significant change is enhancing the
w If need be, the mother aircraft can go deep inside the missile’s accuracy which will actually reduce the number
adversary’s territory to attack the target systems hitherto of weapons required to achieve the desired effect.
not reachable. This effectively increases the range by 25 (b) Operationalising it:
to 30 %. w Originally scheduled to be operational by 2012, the
(c) Difficulty in interception: BrahMos ALCM is heading to become a reality after a
w Carrying out attacks against targets defended by multi- delay of five years.
layered air defence weapons systems has risks. w Work needs to be carried out on finalising the modification
w Although BrahMos itself can be intercepted, owing to its of the aircraft, the manufacture of suitable pylons and
relatively smaller Radar Cross Section (RCS) and high changes in the weapon to ensure seamless compatibility
speed, interception is much more difficult. and communication between the three.
January, 2018
What is Tribunal?
• ‘Tribunal’ is an administrative body established for the
purpose of discharging quasi-judicial duties.
• They are setup to adjudicate disputes related to specified
matters.
• It is neither a Court nor an executive body. It stands
somewhere midway between them.
• Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985: It provides for the

establishment of three kinds of administrative Tribunals:
TIMELINE
(a) The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), State
Administrative Tribunals (SAT) and Joint Administrative
Tribunals (JAT).
Evolution of Tribunals in India: • Additional courts: Apart from these, Article 247 of the
constitution gives parliament power to establish certain
• History of tribunals in India dates back to the year 1941,
additional courts. So all other tribunals not covered by the
when first Tribunal was established in the form of Income-Tax
above mentioned articles comes under it.
Appellate Tribunal.
• Tribunalization of India: Now tribunals have replaced high
• Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976: Based
courts for disputes under the Companies Act, Competition
on the recommendations of the Swaran Singh Committee,
Act, SEBI Act, Electricity Act, and Consumer Protection Act
Part XIV-A was added by the Constitution (Forty-second
among others. The number of tribunals increased to 36, in
Amendment) Act, 1976, titled as ‘Tribunals’ which provided
2016.
for the establishment of
w ‘Administrative Tribunals’ under Article 323-A: It gives • The Finance Act, 2017: The Finance Act, 2017 has merged
exclusive power to the Parliament for establishing eight tribunals on the ground of functional similarity and has
tribunals. given the power to the Government to appoint and remove
w ‘Tribunals for other matters’ under Article 323-B: It gives the members.
power to the concerned State Legislature to constitute
Background to LCI report:
Tribunals for the respective subjects specified therein.
• Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd v. Essar Power Ltd (2016): Earlier,
the Supreme Court, in the case of Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam
Ltd. v. Essar Power Ltd., had directed the LCI to examine the
functioning of tribunals.
• Scope: The report examined issues related to:
w Constitution of tribunals,
w Appointment of the chairman and members of tribunals,
and
w Service conditions of the members of tribunals.
w In October 2017, LCI submitted its report.
ANALYSIS
• Uniformity in service conditions
Need of tribunals: w Currently there is no uniformity in the age of retirement of
tribunal members.
• Due to growing commercial ventures and welfare activities
w It is despite the fact that Supreme Court has held that
by the Government in different sectors, Tribunals have been
the as Tribunals are substitutes of the High Courts, thus
established in almost all the countries for the reason that they
service condition should be same.
are
w cheaper (cost-effective). • Appeal system:
w accessible. w Tribunals were established to reduce the burden on
w free from technicalities & expeditious (as they follow the courts.
principles of natural justice, instead of Indian Evidence w But as the decisions of appellate tribunals are regularly
Act, 1872 that is commonly followed in Courts) appealed before High Courts, the purpose of establishing
w efficient as they are manned by experts having detailed tribunals gets defeated.
knowledge of their particular subject. • Accessibility (benches of tribunals):
• Lack of tribunals leads to crisis of delays and backlogs in the w Tribunals are also not as accessible as high courts.
administration of justice. w E.g. A shareholder in Northeast would have to travel to the
Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) in Mumbai to challenge
• One should remember that Right to Fair and Speedy Trial is very
any order by the SEBI. This makes justice expensive.
much a part of right to life and personal liberty, a fundamental
right guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India
Recommendations of law commission:
Criticism of their functioning: 1. Selection of members:
w To ensure impartial selection of members of tribunals,
• Pendency in Tribunals (Source: LCI report no. 272):
involvement of government agencies should be minimal
w The top five central tribunals in the country have a
combined backlog of over 3.50 lakh cases. w They should be appointed by a selection committee
headed by the Chief Justice of India or a sitting judge of
w Thus the objective of setting them up has not been
the Supreme Court. It should have only two nominees of
achieved.
the central government.
Tribunal As on Pending 2. Uniformity in Service Conditions:

cases w There should be uniformity in the appointment, tenure,
and service conditions for the members of tribunals.
Central Administrative Tribunal July, 2017 44,333
w To ensure this, the function of monitoring their working
Railway Claims Tribunal 30-09-2016 45,604 should be transferred to a single nodal agency, set up
Debt Recovery Tribunal 03-07-2016 78,118 under the Ministry of Law and Justice.
Customs, Excise and Service Tax End of 2016 90,592 3. Appeal system:
Appeal Tribunal w Appeals against a tribunal’s order should first lie before the
appellate tribunal setup by that act. Only when appellate
Income Tax Appellate Tribunal End of 2016 91,538
tribunals don’t exist, should the appeal lie before a High
• Selection of members: Court.
w The Tribunal Rules, 2017 gives the Central government w Moreover, a party aggrieved by an appellate tribunal’s
the power to “make rules for appointment, removal and decision can approach Supreme Court only on the
other conditions of service” for judges appointed to grounds of public or national importance.
tribunals. 4. Accessibility (Benches of tribunals):
w This is against the principles of independence of tribunals w To ensure access to justice by people across geographical
and separation of powers as government is also a litigant areas, Tribunals should have benches in different parts of
in many cases. the country.
w Expertise: Further, when retired high court judges w These benches should be located where High Courts are
invariably preside over every tribunal, the justification of situated.
expert adjudication by tribunals disappears.
January, 2018
Anti defection law

Recent case: • To curb this evil of defection, the Anti-Defection Law
was passed in 1985 through the 52nd Amendment to the
(a) Disqualification of JD(U) MPs:
Constitution.
• These members were elected on a Janata Dal (United)
• It added the Tenth Schedule to the Indian Constitution i.e.
ticket.
A–102(2) and A–191(2).
• They were disqualified under the Tenth Schedule of the
• It deals with all 3 types of members: (1) Members elected from
Constitution better known as the anti-defection law.
party’s ticket, (2) Independents and (3) Nominated members.
• They were deemed to have ‘voluntarily given up their
Key provisions of 10th schedule:
membership’ by engaging in anti-party activities which
included criticizing the party on public forums on multiple 1. Grounds of defection for members:
occasions, and attending rallies organised by opposition • For members elected 4m a party ticket: If a member of a house
parties in Bihar. belonging to a political party:
w Voluntarily gives up the membership of his political party, or
(b) Other Recent cases of defection:
w Votes, or does not vote in the legislature, contrary to the
• In September 2017, 18 MLAs were disqualified by the
directions of his political party
Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly under the anti-defection
w However, if the member has taken prior permission, or is
law.
condoned by the party within 15 days from such voting or
• In recent years, allegations of legislators defecting in
abstention, the member shall not be disqualified.
violation of the anti-defection law have been made in
• For independent members: If an independent candidate joins
several other states including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal
a political party after the election.
Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Nagaland, Telangana and
Uttarakhand. • For Nominated members: If a nominated member joins a party
six months after he becomes a member of the legislature.
In this background, we look into the anti-defection law.
2. Exceptions:
What is defection? • Wrt Merger: A person shall not be disqualified if his original
Defection means when the legislator leaves the political party political party merges with another, and he/she and other
from which he/she was elected and joins the other party. members of the old political party
w become members of the new political party, or
Aaya Ram, Gaya ram:
w do not accept the merger and opt to function as a separate
• The need for an anti-defection law was first felt in the late group.
1960s. w This exception shall operate only if not less than two-thirds
• Of the 16 States that went to polls in 1967, Congress lost of the members of party in the House have agreed to the
majority in eight and failed to form the government in seven. merger.
Thus began the era of coalition governments. • Wrt cross voting/abstention: In the following cases in cross
• This was accompanied with the phenomenon of large scale vioting/abstention, the member shall not be disqualified
political migrations. w If the member has taken prior permission by the party
• Within a brief span of 4 years (1967-71), there were 142 w Of the member is condoned by the party within 15 days
defections in Parliament and 1969 defections in State from such voting or abstention.
Assemblies across the country. Thirty-two governments 3. Power to disqualify:

collapsed and 212 defectors were rewarded with ministerial • The Chairman or the Speaker of the House takes the decision
positions. to disqualify a member.
• Another Haryana legislator, Gaya Lal, defected thrice within a • If a complaint is received with respect to the defection of the
fortnight which led to the well know terms ‘Aya Ram’ and ‘Gaya Chairman or Speaker, a member of the House elected by that
Ram’. House shall take the decision.
36
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
NALYSIS of
NTI DEFECTION LAW
IMPORTANCE: • Main reason for bring anti – defection law was to curb
• Incidence of defection has reduced due to the enactment of defection, not dissent.
anti-defection law. • Recommendation: Thus Whip should be restricted for only
• It provides stability to the government by preventing shifts of those votes that determine the stability of the government i.e.
party allegiance. (i) Confidence motion and (ii) Money bill.
• It also promotes party discipline. 3. Independent candidate joining a political party

• Ensures loyalty to party manifesto: It also ensures that the after the election:
legislator doesn’t betrays the people who elected him on
• 10th schedule says that they can’t join a party. But still without
basis of his party and party manifesto.
formally joining a party (which requires paying party fee,
filling a form) they become a kind of members of that party
LOOPHOLES IN THE LAW AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
• For example, during the tenure of BS Yeddyruppa of BJP
Law commission of India and various committees like “Halim
as CM of Karnataka from 2008 – 2011, many independents
Committee on anti-defection law (1998)” found the following
attended party meetings and even became part of Council of
loopholes in law:
Ministers, but were not disqualified as they didn’t joined the
1. Voluntarily giving up the membership of his/her party formally.
political party: • Recommendation: This provision is useless and redundant
• It is still not clearly defined that what is the meaning of which should be removed.
voluntarily giving up membership.
4. Power of speaker to disqualify:
• SC in 1994 said that “voluntarily giving up membership” have
• Speaker he/she mainly belongs to ruling party. So his/
a wider meaning and is not synonymous with resignation.
her intentions could be Malafide/politically motivated while
• And thus a lot is left on speaker’s discretion.
disqualifying a legislator.
• Recommendation: Clearly define the meaning of voluntarily
• Recommendation: The issue of disqualification should be
giving up membership.
decided by the President/ Governor on the advice of the
2. Voting contrary to the directions of his/her political Election Commission (instead of by speaker).
party: CONCLUDING REMARK:
• Even if the legislator has no malafide intentions then also he/
Thus we need a anti – defection law but we should modify it to
she can’t disagree with parties’ directions.
make it in tune to present scenario.
• This has various flaws
w Restricts a legislator from voting in line with his conscience;
Goes against the legislator’s freedom of speech and
expression.
w Suppresses healthy intra party debates.
w Restricts a legislator from voting in line with the interests
of his electorate who elected him/her.
w Impedes the accountability function of the legislature over
the government
• E.g. while passing of Women’s reservation bill in Rajya Sabha
in 2010, many legislators publicly opposed the bill but due to
whip’s fear they all voted in favor of bill.
January, 2018
Recent Controversy: • Who summons the Legislature?

• Winter Session of Parliament is being held from December w Article 85 says that Parliament will be summoned by the
15, 2017 to January 5, 2018 — much later than usual. In the President (who shall act on the aid and advice of the
last few years, the session usually started in the third or fourth Council of Ministers.
week of November and closed just before Christmas. w Similar provisions exist for State legislatures. Thus, it is
effectively the Prime Minister (or the Chief Minister) who
• Opposition parties alleged that the government is avoiding
determines the date and duration of Parliament session (or
Parliament so as to focus on Gujarat assembly election
an Assembly), subject to the gap being less than six months.
campaign and avoiding tough questions on GST and
economy. • Notification:
w The dates for each session are announced at least 15
• Union government which decided the schedule justified its
days in advance, so Members have adequate time to
decisions on following grounds
submit their questions and reach Delhi.
w It wants a regular Winter Session without clashing with the
December 9-18 Gujarat Assembly elections. History of Article 85
w Article 85 only requires that there should not be a gap of
more than six months between two sessions of Parliament. The Government of India Act, 1935:
This year, the monsoon session ended on August 11, • It specified that the central legislature had to be summoned
2017. So, the next session can be convened at any time to meet at least once a year, and that not more than 12
until February 2018. months could elapse between two sessions.
• B R Ambedkar in 1949 stated that the idea behind this
View of Constitution on……… provision was to summon the legislature only to collect
• No. of days: The Constitution does not specify when or for how revenue and to avoid scrutiny of the government by the
many days Parliament should meet. Article 85 only requires legislature.
that there should not be a gap of more than six months between
Article 85 in the original Constitution:
two sessions of Parliament.
• It required Parliament to be summoned “twice in a year”,
• No. of sessions: According to the convention dating back to
with a gap of no more than six months between its
1955, Parliament meets for three sessions in a year.
sessions.
w Budget: The longest, the Budget Session, is held towards
the beginning of the year. First amendment:
w Monsoon: A three-week Monsoon Session follows from • The First Amendment changed this in 1951, and now
July to August. Article 85 only requires that there should not be a gap of
w Winter: Winter Session, also three weeks long, is generally more than six months between two sessions of Parliament.
held in November-December.
ANALYSIS 10 Minutes session:
• There have also been some extreme cases in terms of session
time.
• Puducherry: On September 25, 2015, the Puducherry
A. HAVE GOVERNMENTS ADHERED TO
Assembly commenced a session at 9.30 a.m. and closed at
ARTICLE 85? 9.38 a.m., which included a two-minute silence for obituary
There has never been a gap of more than six months between references
two sessions of Parliament. w The record of the shortest session (five minutes.) is also
However, over the years, all governments have worked around by the same Assembly in October 1986.
the dates of sessions to accommodate political and legislative • U.P: In 2011, Uttar Pradesh held a 10-minute session to pass
emergencies. the resolution to divide the State into four parts
Number of sitting days: Extended monsoon session:

• Another interesting case of tweaking of rules is the year 2008.
• In 2008, the two-day Monsoon Session (in which a no-
confidence motion was moved against the UPA-I government
over the India-US nuclear deal) was extended until December
to prevent the moving of another no-confidence motion.
• The reason is that the government wanted to take advantage
of one of the rules of procedure which stipulates that a motion
cannot be proposed twice within the same session.
B. IMPORTANCE OF A REGULAR
PARLIAMENT SESSION:
Regular and predictability sittings of parliament is key to a well-
functioning democracy.
• Over the years, there has been a decline in the sitting days of
• Legislation: Law-making is dependent on when Parliament
Parliament. While Lok Sabha met for an average of 130 days
meets.
in a year during the 1950s, these sittings came down to 70
days in the 2000s. • Accountability: Parliament also has the important role of
holding the government to account for its actions.
• In 2011, political parties agreed to cut short the Budget
Session so they could campaign for Vidhan Sabha elections • According to B.R. Ambedkar, parliamentary system
in five states. as compared to presidential system provides a better
accountability of the government through regular assessment
• Lesser number of sittings indicates that Parliament was able
by members in the form of questions, motions and debates
to transact less business compared to previous years.
on addresses.
• View of NCRWC: To address this, the National Commission to
• One should remember that, In a parliamentary democracy
Review the Working of the Constitution has recommended
the executive is accountable to Parliament. Allowing the
that Lok Sabha should have at least 120 sittings in a year,
government to call the Parliament to meet could be in conflict
while Rajya Sabha should have 100 sittings.
with this principle.
Scenario in states: • Instead, Parliament should convene itself, if a certain number
• In several States the situation is dire. Data for 20 Assemblies of MPs agree, so that it can effectively exercise its oversight
over the last five years (2013-2017) indicate that they meet for functions and address issues without delay.
29 days a year on average. There are various ways of doing this:
• States such as Haryana (12 days a year) and Uttarakhand
(13 days) rarely meet.
It is time to change the rules to ensure that

C. WAY AHEAD: ALTERNATIVE MODELS
(i) Western Model: Year-around session with a
calendar of sitting
w In countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom
and Canada, Parliaments are in session throughout the year.
w Thus, the five-year term of Parliament consists of five sessions
of a year each.
w Calendar of sittings: At the beginning of the year, a calendar
of sitting days is formalised and legislative and other
businesses are programmed in. This would help members
and others plan better for the whole year.
w Number of days: On average, the sitting days of these
legislatures range between 100 days (as with the US
Congress) to 150 (with the British Parliament) days in a year.
w Implementing this in India would require some minor changes
in rules such as permitting no-confidence motions to be taken
up multiple times in a session if a significant minority asks for
it. Definition:
• Advantages of this model: • ‘Hate speech’ is an emotive concept. There is no universally
w One, it enables detailed planning of legislative and policy accepted definition of it.
work all year round.
• Put simply, Hate Speech made of two words, “Hate” and
w Second, it negates the need for enacting Ordinances “Speech”. It is any expression of discriminatory hate
(like the recent Ordinance that was enacted to amend the towards people: it does not necessarily entail a particular
Bankruptcy Law). consequence.
w Third, it enables accountability of government functioning
by Parliament throughout the year. Hate Speech vs Sedition:
• Hate speech should be Distinguished from sedition.
Do You Know?
• The offence of hate speech affects the State indirectly by
In constituent assembly, some members were of the opinion disturbing public tranquillity, while sedition is an offence
that Parliament should be in session throughout the year. directly against the State.
In 1955, Lok Sabha recommended a calendar of sittings for
• To qualify as sedition, the impugned expression must
each session, the cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru agreed to the
threaten the sovereignty and integrity of India and security of
recommendation, but it was not implemented.
the State.
(ii) Pakistan Model: Legal definition of Hate Speech in India?

w Minimum no. of legislators calling a session: Another approach • Constitution: As it is difficult to define hate speech,
is allowing a significant minority of members to call for ‘limits’ to article 19 contained in 19(2) were arrived at,
a session. Pakistan’s Constitution requires a session of rather than approaching a definition of hate speech
Parliament within 14 days if one-fourth of its membership itself.
demands one. • Legislation: Hate speech has not been defined in any law
w Minimum no. of dates: It also states that Parliament should in India. However, legal provisions in certain legislations
meet at least 130 days every year and there should be at (IPC, CrPC, 1973, Representation of the People Act,
least three sessions. 1951) prohibit select forms of speech as an exception to
freedom of speech.
• In this background in 2014, the Supreme Court of India
in Pravasi Bhalai Sangathan vs Union of India requested
Politicking doesn’t interfere with law-making the Law Commission to define hate speech and make
recommendations on curbing hate speech.
HATE SPEECH PYRAMID
Dilemma in Defining Hate Speech
Defining hate speech is one of the most significant task. We 3. Lawful ‘hate speech’
need not ban or curb all the speeches as that will lead to curving
freedom of expression.
• Expression may be inflammatory or offensive, but not meet
any of the thresholds described above. This expression may
Therefore, to ensure the balance between Freedom of Speech
be characterised by prejudice, and raise concerns over
and Public order, ‘hate speech’ can be divided into three
intolerance, but does not meet the threshold of severity, at
categories:
which restrictions on expression are justified.
1. Hate speech that must be prohibited • This does not preclude States from taking legal and policy
Under international law, States are required to prohibit the most measures to tackle the underlying prejudices of which this
severe forms of ‘hate speech’. The prohibitions are tailored to category of ‘hate speech’ is symptomatic, or from maximising
preventing the exceptional and irreversible harms the speaker opportunities for all people, including public officials and
intends and is able to incite. institutions, to engage in counter-speech.
These are: Case Study of lawful hate speech:
• Direct and public incitement to genocide” • A teenage boy, with a small number of followers on Twitter,
• Any advocacy of discriminatory hatred that constitutes tweets an offensive and sexist joke that trivialises the
incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence disappearance and likely murder of a local schoolgirl. It
provokes a strong critical response against the boy online,
2. Hate speech that may be prohibited
and he eventually deletes the tweet.
International human rights law permits States to restrict
expression in limited and exceptional circumstances, complying • Though the communication is offensive and reflects a broader
with the three-part test under Article 19(3) of the International problem of misogyny in society, he did not intend to incite any
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). These restrictions harmful conduct against a particular group, and in any case
must be: he does not have this kind of influence over his followers. This
kind of ‘hate speech’ may justify soft intervention from local
1. Provided for by law.
actors in positions of authority, such as teachers in his school
2. In pursuit of a legitimate aim, such as respect for the rights of
or other community leaders, but it does not justify the State
others.
imposing sanctions or other restrictions.
3. Must be necessary in a democratic society.
4. Social: We can see several hate speeches in social sphere.
ANALYSIS For instance, Caste Violence erupted in Saharanpur between

the Thakur and Dalit communities fuelled by rumours and
provocative posts on Facebook.
5. Freedom of Expression: Hate speech may cause fear and can
Originating factors for Hate Speech: be the reason why people withdraw from the public debate.
1. Ethnic and religious Reasons: A derogatory, insulting, or The result being that important voices that should be heard in
disrespectful nickname for a person’s ethnicity. For instance, the public debate are silenced.
Hate speeches in Nigeria on ethnic lines and the infamous
Rohingya Crisis are apt examples. Recommendations to tackle Hate Speech:
2. Racial: It is based on race of people. For instance, attack on Legal Measures:
African students in Greater Noida and Attack on Students
• Law Commission of India:
from North Eastern India.
w It submitted its report in March 2017, in which it drafted
3. Homophobic: Section 377 of IPC makes the LGBTQ a new law The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2017 by
Community vulnerable to attack and indignity. Discrimination inserting new Sections to fortify democracy against hate
based on sexual orientation has also led to taking actions for speeches.
protection of sexual minorities. w New Sections:
4. Political: According to an IndiaSpend analysis of self- w Insert Section 153C to penalise incitement to hatred.
disclosed crime records of candidates, Candidates with w Insert Section 505A to make ‘causing fear, alarm, or
hate-speech cases against them were three times more provocation of violence in certain cases’ a specific
successful in elections compared to those without a criminal criminal offence.
record. • TKA Vishwanath Committee: It submitted its report in
September 2017. It made following recommendations to curb
Facilitating factors for Hate Speech:
the menace of hate speech and abuse on internet.
1. Social Media Platforms: Social media platforms like Facebook,
w It said that Section 78 primarily dealt with capacity building
Twitter, Google and many others have been susceptible to
and needs to be relooked at with a view to sensitize the
misuse due to their reach and anonymity. It is very difficult to
officers of law enforcement agencies.
trace who is posting such content.
w Each state should have a State Cyber Crime Coordinator
2. Role of Media: Both deliberate and unintentional negative which should be an officer not below the rank of Inspector
portrayals of speeches are often found in the media, thus General of Police.
negatively impacting people’s views of these communities.
Non- Legal Measures:
3. Lack of Clarity: In terms of analyzing what constitutes hate
• Training: Improving the level of training in equality and non-
speech and what does not, there is a lack of clarity, which
discrimination among police forces and legal bodies, improving
has led to the culprits not being prosecuted properly.
research and encouraging reporting of such content.
4. Legal Loopholes: Hate speech has been covered indirectly
• Clarity and technological up-gradation: is needed to deal with
under 6-7 provisions of IPC in India. Despite best intentions,
this and a mechanism to get down such material, which is
the government’s actions are often marred by procedural
prone to disturb social setup.
irregularities and overreach.
• Awareness and Contra-narratives: Generating contra-narratives
Impact of Hate Speech: on social networks and raising public awareness through
1. Threat to Internal Security: Propagation of hate speech and campaigns to tackle extremism.
by the terror outfits to spread their message of hate and • Popular television dramas which subtly and effectively
violence to radicalize the youth. This in turn affects internal promote harmony between warring communities,
security of the country. • The involvement of religious heads to build empathy across
2. Hate Crimes: It leads to hate crimes. In India, exodus of North religious lines to reduce communal tension, and
Eastern Students from Bangalore and Anti-black Racial • Strategic interventions (especially in the context of social
attack in the US, genocide, ethnic cleansing etc. media) to monitor the dissemination of hate speech and mob
3. Refugee Crisis: Anti-immigrant and Anti-refugee rhetoric are on mobilisation.
rise with inflow of migrants and examples of harsh treatment • Persuading people who are the weakest links, to stop
of these communities. Examples: West Asian Refugee Crisis spreading a harmful rumour.
and Rohigya Crisis.
42
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
New additions: Cyber Crimes:

• There is a new chapter on “Missing Persons & Children”. • During 2016, 48.6% of cyber-crime cases reported were for
• For the first time Statistics are provided on the seizures of illegal gain followed by revenge with 8.6% and insult to the
Arms, Ammunitions, Drugs and Currency by CAPFs/CPOs modesty of women with 5.6%.
(Assam Rifles, CISF, BSF, CRPF, NIA and SSB).
Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) Seizure:
• For the first time, for 19 Metropolitan cities (having population
• In a first, data of fake notes included in NCRB report
above 2 million) also, chapters on Violent Crimes; Crime
• A total of 2,8 lakh notes worth Rs. 16 crore were seized under
Against Women, Children, SC/STs, Economic Crimes etc.
FICN during 2016.
have been included in the report.
• Delhi UT has reported maximum number of seizure of FICN
Total number of crimes: followed by Gujarat and West Bengal during 2016.
• A total of 48.3 lakh cognizable crimes comprising 29.7 lakh Crime against Children:
Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes and 18.5 lakh Special &
• Major crime heads under ‘Crime Against Children’ during
Local Laws (SLL) crimes were reported in 2016, showing an
2016 were kidnapping & abduction (52%) and cases under
increase of 2.6% over 2015.
the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012
• During 2016, IPC crimes have increased by 0.9% and SLL (34%) including child rape.
crimes have increased by 5.4% over 2015.
• Share of IPC and SLL cases: Percentage share of IPC was Juveniles in Conflict with Law:
61.6% while percentage share of SLL cases was 38.4% of • Over 44,000 juveniles were apprehended in over 35,000 cases.
total cognizable crimes during 2016. • 74% of juveniles in conflict with law apprehended were in the
age group of 16 years to 18 years during 2016.
Scenario in states:
• Highest number (IPC): Uttar Pradesh accounted for 9.5% Crime/Atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SCs):
of total IPC crime reported in the country followed by • Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of cases of
Madhya Pradesh (8.9%), Maharashtra (8.8%) and Kerala atrocities against SCs accounting for 25.5% followed by
(8.7%). Bihar with 14% and Rajasthan with 12.5% during 2016.
• Assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty with
• Highest rate (IPC): Delhi UT reported the highest crime rate
7.7% (3172 cases) reported the highest number of cases of
(974) under IPC crimes followed by Kerala (727) against
crimes/atrocities against SCs followed by Rape with 6.2%
national average of 233. (2541 cases) during 2016.
• Highest number (SLL): Kerala has reported highest number of
cases of SLL crimes (24%) followed by Gujarat and Tamil Crime/Atrocities against Scheduled Tribes (STs):
Nadu (15.5% each) of total SLL crimes reported in the country • Madhya Pradesh reported the highest number of cases
during 2016. of atrocities against STs accounting for 27% followed by
Rajasthan with 18% and Odisha with 10% during 2016.
• Highest rate (SLL): Kerala reported highest SLL crime rate
• Rape cases reported the highest number of cases of crimes/
of 1,252.7 in the country during 2016 followed by Gujarat
atrocities against STs accounting for 15% during 2016.
(457.1) against national average of 145.
Riots:
Murder cases:
• The cases of riots reported in 2016 were down by 5%
• Murder cases in the country have shown declining trends compared to 2015.
during the last three years. • A total of 61,974 cases of riots and group clashes took place
• Murder cases decreased by 5.2% in 2015-16, from 32,127 in the country in 2016 compared to 65,255 the previous year.
cases in 2015 to 30,450 cases in 2016. • The highest - 11,617 cases - were registered in Bihar, 8,018
in Uttar Pradesh and 7,898 in Maharashtra.
January, 2018
Crime Against Women:

• Majority of cases under crimes against women were reported
under ‘Cruelty by Husband or His Relatives’ (32%) followed
by ‘Assault on Women with Intent to Outrage her Modesty’
WAY AHEAD
(25%), ‘Kidnaping & Abduction of Women’ (19%) and ‘Rape’
Rather than view the available data passively, governments
(11.5%).
would do well to launch serious studies that result in policies
• Uttar Pradesh reported 14.5% (49,262 out of 3.3 lakh cases)
and measures for freedom from violence.
of total cases of crimes against women followed by West
Bengal (9.5%) during 2016. Violent Crimes:
• Delhi UT reported the highest crime rate (160) compared to the • Viewed in perspective, the murder rate today has declined to
national average rate of 55. the level prevailing in the 1950s, which was 2.7 per 1,00,000
people, after touching a peak of 4.62 in 1992.
• But that macro figure conceals regional variations. Not all
States are equally affected
• In U.P. and Bihar, 4,889 and 2,581 murder incidents took
place during 2016, respectively, while it was 305 in densely
populated Kerala.
• One question that needs to be analysed is, how much does
social development influence a reduction in crime?
Crime against Women:

• Since the Delhi gang rape case of 2012 the definition of the
heinous offence has been broadened, police forces have
been directed to record the crime with greater sensitivity, and
some measures have been initiated to make public places
safer for women.
• This approach could lead to a reduction in violent crime over
time.
Juveniles:
• There is a rise in the number of cases involving juveniles.
• A focussed programme to universalise education and skills
training would potentially keep juveniles from coming into
Do You Know?
conflict with the law.
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB):
• HQ: New Delhi.
Police reforms:
• The orders of the Supreme Court on police reforms issued
• Parent Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
in 2006 have not been implemented in letter and spirit by all
• Establishment: It was set-up in 1986 on the recommendation
States.
of National Police Commission by merging the Directorate
• With genuine measures, Ministerial superintendence over
of Coordination and Police Computer (DCPC), Statistical
the police would become more transparent and socially
Branch of BPR&D, Inter State Criminals Data Branch of
accountable, eliminating political interference in its
CBI and Central Finger Print Bureau of CBI.
working.
• Functions:
• This would lead to a reduction in crimes committed with
w Collecting and analysing crime data as defined by the
impunity and raise public confidence in the criminal justice
Indian Penal Code (IPC).
delivery system.
w Acts as a National repository of fingerprints of all
criminals. • As a measure of data improvement, it should be mandatory to
w Implementing Crime and Criminal Tracking Networks record not just the principal offence in a case, as the NCRB
and Systems (CCTNS). does, and list all cognisable offences separately.
46
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An initiative of
January, 2018
BACKGROUND • We Are Still In: In reaction to the US federal government’s

How has the political landscape changed since the previous stance, American governors, mayors and business leaders
Conference of the Parties (COP 22) and what were the main have recently formed ‘We Are Still In’, a sub-national coalition
challenges faced by the delegates? which has vowed to uphold the Paris Agreement and move
ahead with policies to fight climate change.
Paris Agreement:
• Paris Agreement was agreed at COP 21 in Paris in December
2015.
• It established the framework of the new international climate
regime, and over the coming years the details that will make
this framework a reality need to be fleshed out.
• The Paris Agreement is based on a bottom-up approach to
emission reduction commitments, with individual countries
making pledges to cut their respective carbon emissions,
known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
Climate change leaders:

• Since President Trump’s declaration, others have taken up
the climate leadership role.
• In Europe, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and
President Emmanuel Macron of France have vowed that the
Paris Agreement will flourish without the US.
• In Asia, President Xi Jinping of China and PM Modi of India
are promoting their countries as climate change champions.
Challenges to be addressed by delegates to COP 23:

US withdrawal: Key challenges for delegates included
• In June 2017, US President Donald Trump announced that • Making further progress on pre-2020 climate actions,
he would pass legislation to take the US out of the Paris • Increasing the ambition of NDCs and developing the Paris
Agreement. ‘rulebook’,
• Legally, the US must wait until 2020 to officially withdraw, • Making progress on the issue of ‘loss and damage’ and most
meaning that for the duration of Trump’s term in office the US controversial of all, on climate finance.
will continue to be present during the UNFCCC negotiations • (Current pledges, even if fully implemented, would still result
in order to protect its interests. in at least 3°C of global warming).
KEY OUTCOMES Loss and damage:
• The Paris Agreement includes a section recognising the
of COP 23 importance of averting—and addressing—the loss and
damage caused by climate change.
Syria signs Paris accord:
• Discussions on loss and damage took place under a technical
• Syria, embroiled in a civil war since 2011, became a signatory
group called the Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM)
on 7 November 2017.
which was originally agreed in 2013 at COP 19 in Warsaw.
Pre-2020 action: • At the COP 23, the WIM agreed on a five-year rolling work-plan
• Developing countries led by India and china expressed but has yet to bring forward any concrete plans on finance,
concerned that rich countries are not doing enough to meet the main difficulty in the loss and damage discussions.
the emission reduction commitments made for the period
Agriculture
prior to the implementation of the NDCs, which apply post-
• A notable outcome of COP 23 was the end of a deadlock on
2020.
agriculture which had lasted for years.
• Even if these commitments were to be fully implemented, they
• Parties agreed to work over the next few years on a series of
would still lead to a pre-2020 ambition gap (the difference
issues linking climate change and agriculture such as
between current commitments and the amount of emission
w How to improve soil carbon and fertility.
reductions needed to meet the 1.5°C target).
w How to assess adaptation and resilience of crops.
• Thus pre-2020 ambition and implementation was included in w How to create better livestock management systems.
the COP 23 decision text. • This was historic because it was the first time in the history
• The decision established a process to review progress of of the climate negotiations that countries had reached an
developed countries’ pre-2020 commitments to reduce agreement on agriculture.
emissions and to provide finance and technology to support
developing countries. Climate Finance:
• Like at most previous COPs, this issue was the source of
Talanoa dialogue: major disagreements at COP 23, both in relation to pre-2020
• Parties in Paris agreed that there should be a global ‘stock ambition and to the implementation of the Paris Agreement
take’ in 2018 to review the progress made on climate action itself and thus saw no progress.
to date, with the intention that this information should be used • Many developing country NDCs include conditional pledges
to inform the following round of NDCs, due in 2020. (based on the availability of financial support from developed
• This global stocktake will lead to the establishment of a countries), which means that discussions of climate finance
mechanism to regularly review and increase ambition every cannot be easily separated from increasing climate ambition
five years. This is known as the Paris Agreement’s ‘ratchet (discussed under the Talanoa Dialogue).
mechanism’. • This contrasts with the views of developed countries, who
• Under the Fijian COP presidency, the 2018 global stock prefer to keep the discussions separate.
take was re-named ‘Talanoa dialogue’, reflecting a traditional
approach to discussions used in Fiji. Comment:
• The dialogue will be structured around three general topics: • With the conclusion of COP 23, a busy 2018 is anticipated,
w Where are we? with the Talanoa dialogue, the completion of the Paris
w Where do we want to go? rulebook, the submission of views on agriculture, the expert
w How do we get there? dialogue on the WIM and the continuation of discussions on
finance.
• Importantly, the dialogue will be informed by the IPCC
Special Report on global warming of 1.5°C, which is due to • Many of the proposals floated by India as part of Like Minded
be published in October 2018. Developing Countries (LMDC) were agreed upon by the COP
Presidency and found a place in the draft decision text. Thus
Development of the Paris ‘rulebook’: it was a Big win for India and developing countries in COP 23.
• The COP 23 recognised that additional negotiating time may • The CoP 23 declaration did finally mention financial and
be needed to ensure the completion of the Paris rulebook by technology transfers. But that is, at best, a procedural victory
COP 24. for the developing countries. It will be at least six months
• Paris ‘rulebook’ is the technical rules and processes before we know whether the developed countries have put
needed to meet the Paris Agreement’s goals. their money where their mouth is.
48
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
Bharat Stage Emission Standards:

• What are they? These are emission standards instituted by Timeline of Emission Control
the Government of India based on European regulations.
• Objective: To regulate the output of air pollutants from internal
Regime in India
combustion engine equipment. The higher the fuel standard
a vehicle complies with, the less polluting it is.
• Who sets them? The standards and the timeline for
implementation are set by the Central Pollution Control Board
under the Ministry of Environment & Forests and Climate
Change.
(Refer Timeline Box for evolution of emission control regime in India)
Introduction of BS-VI Norms:

• Implementation of the BS V standard was earlier scheduled
for 2019. This has now been skipped.
• BS VI, originally was proposed to come in by 2024.
• In September 2016, the Ministry of Road Transport and
Highways had notified a shift from BS IV fuel to BS VI fuel by
April 1, 2020, skipping BS V fuel.
• In November 2017, it was announced that BS VI fuel will be
launched in Delhi on April 1, 2018 instead of April 1, 2020.
Difference between BS-IV and BS-VI:

• Sulphur content:
w The main difference is in the amount of sulphur in the fuel
which is reduced from 50 ppm in BS IV fuel to 10 ppm in
BS VI fuel for both gasoline and diesel.
• NOx emissions:
w BS VI norms will address one of the inherent flaws in the
European emission standards which permits diesel cars
to emit more particulate matter and nitrogen oxide.
w NOx emissions from diesel cars are expected to come
down by nearly 70% and, from cars with petrol engines,
by 25%.
January, 2018
2. Challenges for OMCs:
ANALYSIS
w Oil marketing companies (OMCs) will have to upgrades
their refineries to supply fuel that can match the BS-VI
standards.
w But questions have been raised about it. The full
Reason for advancing the implementation:
transition to BS-IV took seven years because refiners
• The implementation of advanced norms is a critical step as India
were unable to produce the superior fuel in required
is the world’s third largest emitter after China and the US.
quantities.
• India being a signatory to the 2015 Paris Climate Change w For the recent shift they need substantial investment
Conference, has agreed to reduce its carbon footprint by 33- (anything between Rs 50,000 crore to Rs 80,000 crore).
35% from the 2005 levels.
3. Challenges for automakers (Technological hurdles):
• There exists a broad public sentiment against the air pollution w The introduction of higher grade fuel will be beneficial
in major Indian cities. only if it is done in sync with the rollout of BS-VI compliant
• While advancing the date, ministry argued that the "health of vehicles. Using BS-VI fuel in the current BS-IV engines
the people is more important than the commercial interest of (a) may be ineffective in curbing vehicular pollution, and (b)
automobile manufactures". may damage the engine in the long run.
w For automakers, the big hurdle in jumping directly from
BS-IV to BS-VI norms lies in equipping cars with two
key components and road-testing them within the time
schedule.
w These two critical components are: diesel particulate filter
(DPFs) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) module.
w But including them to Indian specific conditions of driving
could take an estimated three-four years apart from
massive capital.
4. Flaws of a Piecemeal approach:
Rolling out higher grade fuel and vehicles first in the cities
has inherent drawbacks, as was evident in the BS-IV
implementation.
w Just outside the peripheries of designated BS-IV cities,
BS-III vehicles could be registered. BS-IV vehicles
(especially heavy vehicles) were more expensive, and
BS-III fuel was cheaper than the BS-IV equivalent.
w Interstate trucks and buses, the biggest polluters, were
forced to stay on with BS-III engines simply because the
fuel outside cities did not conform to BS-IV norms.
w It also doesn’t make practical sense for automakers to
build BS-VI compliant vehicles for just one city.
Hurdles:
There are various practical, financial and technological hurdles
to meet the deadlines of having super clean fuel in Delhi by April, Concluding Remark:
2018 • Ideally, the technologies must be introduced in series (i.e.
1. Past experience: stage V and then stage VI), and then synergised. It’s no
w It took as many as seven years for the entire country to surprise that auto firms are not too enthusiastic about the
shift to BS-IV. shift.
w Attempt to leapfrog one stage — BS-V — altogether, and • But it is a reality that industry must contend with. The challenge
that makes the switch to BS-VI that much more difficult for can be met by a significant leap in technological capability,
the two major industries: (1) Oil Industries (2) Automobile timely infusion of capital along with the Centre helping out on
Manufacturers. the regulatory front.
50
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An initiative of
January, 2018
Resource efficiency is a strategy to achieve the maximum • This is reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals
possible benefit with least possible resource input. (SDGs) 12 which aims to Ensure Sustainable Consumption
and Production Patterns.
Rationale for Resource Efficiency • Eight other SDG goals (2, 6, 7,8,9,11,14 and 15) also have a
• Economic benefits: bearing on resource efficiency.
w RE has enormous potential for job creation, not only in the
recycling sectors, but also high skilled jobs in innovative India’s response: Existing Policy scenario
design and manufacturing. In India, there are many existing policies influencing resource
w RE has the potential to improve resource availability that use at different lifecycle stages starting from mining to designing,
is critical to the growth of industries. followed by manufacturing, consumption and ultimately end-of-
w By using resources more efficiently, or by utilizing life management (disposal or recycling).
secondary resources, industries can improve • At the mining stage, the National Mineral Policy already
competitiveness and profitability, since material cost is includes zero-waste mining as a national goal and emphasizes
typically the largest cost for the manufacturing sector. the need to upgrade mining technology.
• At the design stage, policies like the National Housing and
w Scientific mining can help increase recovery of primary
Habitat Policy, 2007 and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
and associated materials from mined ores.
(PMAY), 2015 emphasize on developing appropriate
w New industries can be created including those in the
ecological design standards for building components
recycling sector, as well as in innovative design and
• At the manufacturing stage, flagship programmes like “Make
manufacturing, and India can aspire to become a key
in India” that provide special assistance to energy efficient
innovation hub for RE (like it has for ITES).
technologies can promote RE.
w Finally, reduced import dependence for critical minerals
• While an eco-labelling scheme from MoEFCC is in place, its
helps to improve the country’s trade balance and promote
impact has been rather limited;
economic stability.
• In case of end-of-life stage policies, there are policies existing
• Social benefits: to tackle all types of waste enforcement has been limited
w India’s mineral rich areas are under dense forests and due to lack of support for business models that lead to better
inhabited by indigenous communities. implementation.
w Extraction pressures have contributed significantly to
conflicts due to displacement, loss of livelihood and have Highlights of the RE Strategy by NITI Aayog:
led to opposition by tribals and other local communities It includes the core-action plan for the period 2017-2018 and medium
including fishermen in Andhra Pradesh. term action plan for 2017 – 2020 with the following key elements:
w These social and political conflicts also pose significant • Institutional development including setting up an inter-
threat to internal security. departmental committee and Task force of experts.
• Environmental benefits: • Setting up a Bureau for Resource Efficiency (BRE) which
w Reduced extraction pressures due to adoption of RE creates a prominence and enabling platform for this topic like
strategies will help to reduce ecological degradation and the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in India.
pollution associated with mining. • Capacity development at various levels for strengthening of
w Reduced waste generation will not only reduce pollution capacities and sharing of best practices.
associated with disposal but also save related costs.
• Development of an indicator monitoring framework for
w Finally, resource extraction and use is highly energy
baseline analysis.
intensive.
• Launch of Short term course on RE under the GIAN Programme
Global response: Sustainable Development Goals of Ministry of HRD.
(SDGs) • Development of Industrial clusters and waste-exchange
• Resource Efficiency is a key element of Sustainable platform, information sharing & awareness generation along
Development. with development of sectoral action plans.
January, 2018
Ensure Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns

Food
• 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted every year while almost
1 billion people go undernourished and another 1 billion
hungry.
• Land degradation, declining soil fertility, unsustainable water
use, overfishing and marine environment degradation are all
lessening the ability of the natural resource base to supply
food.
• Overconsumption of food is detrimental to our health and
the environment. 2 billion people globally are overweight or
obese.
• The food sector accounts for around 30 per cent of the
world’s total energy consumption and accounts for around
22 per cent of total Greenhouse Gas emissions.
GOAL 12 TARGETS
• By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient
use of natural resources.
• By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and
FACTS & FIGURE consumer levels and reduce food losses along production
and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.
Water • By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management
• Less than 3 per cent of the world’s water is fresh (drinkable), of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in
of which 2.5 per cent is frozen in the Antarctica, Arctic and accordance with agreed international frameworks, and
glaciers. Humanity must therefore rely on 0.5 per cent for all significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order
of man’s ecosystem’s and fresh water needs. to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the
• Man is polluting water faster than nature can recycle and environment.
purify water in rivers and lakes. • By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through
• More than 1 billion people still do not have access to fresh prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.
water. • Encourage companies, especially large and transnational
• Excessive use of water contributes to the global water stress. companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate
• Water is free from nature but the infrastructure needed to sustainability information into their reporting cycle.
deliver it is expensive. • Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable,
in accordance with national policies and priorities.
Energy • By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant
• Despite technological advances that have promoted energy information and awareness for sustainable development and
efficiency gains, energy use in OECD countries will continue lifestyles in harmony with nature.
to grow another 35 per cent by 2020.
• Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific
• Commercial and residential energy use is the second most and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable
rapidly growing area of global energy use after transport. patterns of consumption and production.
• One-fifth of the world’s final energy consumption in 2013 was • Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable
from renewables. development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates
• If people worldwide switched to energy efficient lightbulbs jobs and promotes local culture and products.
the world would save US$120 billion annually. • Rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage
wasteful consumption.
52
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
SMOG During the cricket Test match

played in Delhi between India and
Sri Lanka, the visitors took to the
on the CRICKET FIELD field in masks to protect themselves

from toxic air.
Event: second most polluted among the world’s big cities. WHO
• Sri Lankan cricket team played a three match test series in has described the condition as equivalent to smoking 30
India from 16 November 2017 till 6 December 2017. cigarettes a day.
• During the second day of the third Test, the Smog in Delhi • In November 2017, Costa Rica’s Ambassador Mariela Cruz
forced the Sri Lanka cricketers to wear anti-pollution masks. Alvarez was forced to move to Bengaluru because she found
This was the first time in the 140-year history of test cricket the capital’s air, “unbreathable”.
that players wore masks on the field. • Thus India’s cricket governing body not only erred in
• Sri Lankan bowlers complained of breathlessness, One Sri scheduling the Delhi match, its criticism of the Sri Lankan
Lankan even vomited on the field and several of his teammates cricketers has shown it to be a bad sport.
had to rush to the dressing room to use oxygen cylinders.
Economic impact of smog:
• Play was suspended more than three times. Lankans came
• The damage done by smog extends beyond sport. It
close to forfeiting the match as team was reduced to 10 men
highlights the dangers ahead for north India.
with no sub willing to come out. Coach Nic Pothas offered to
• Delhi’s pollution is making waves in international media and
field, prompting Virat Kohli to declare at 536/7.
toxic air contributes greatly to the national capital region’s
A Melodrama? reputation as a hardship post for expatriates.
• BCCI president C. K. Khanna accused the Sri Lankan team • Pollution — in Delhi and elsewhere in India — is taking a huge
of making “unnecessary fuss” fuss while Indian spectators toll in terms of human lives and economic costs.
called the team "melodramatic". • Winter pollution could greatly affect foreign investment
• Ex-cricketer Virender Sehwag slammed Sri Lanka for smog coming into NCR or into north India in general.
complaints by calling it strategy to stop Virat Kohli from • In addition, since north India attracts most international
scoring runs. tourists in winter, the tourist trade will be damaged as well.
Sri Lankans not to be blamed: Way ahead:

• Sri lankans were not only suffering. On day 4, India's • The message from the cricket field only underlines the
Mohammed Shami was also seen vomiting on the field. Infact urgency: Delhi must clean up its air.
both teams were using oxygen cylinders in their dressing • If toxic air is to be confronted, governments need to work out
rooms due to breathing difficulties. an integrated public transport plan which sees this region as
• President of the Indian Medical Association, KK Agarwal, said one economic ecosystem.
that playing in such conditions could result in lung and heart • Comparable bad press in the run-up to the 2008 Olympics
disease, and recommended the inclusion of atmospheric led to Beijing investing on massive scale in public transport.
pollution as a factor in the assessment criteria for a match. India can learn from them.
• In 2016, 2 Ranji matches (Bengal-Gujarat & Hyd-Tripura) • In addition, states and Centre need to coordinate on moving
were called off due to smog in Delhi. the region’s energy usage towards cleaner fuels and devising
• In September 2017, Delhi was ranked by the WHO as the an economic package to discourage crop burning after
harvest.
January, 2018
New constellations
based on modern
day inspirational
figures have been
created in a bid to
get more children
interested in the
universe.
LOOK UP THE STAR • Indeed, 72% of children have never looked up at

• In a campaign to get more young people interested the night sky to find a star constellation, and 29%
in the universe, The Big Bang Fair has partnered with wouldn’t be able to recognise a single classical
astronomers at University of Birmingham to create constellation when shown them.
‘Look Up To The Stars’ project.
FAQS ON CONSTELLATION
• Under this project, a new set of constellations have
been created which represent icons from sport, What are they?
entertainment, science and activism that children are • The first thing to know is that constellations are not
inspired by today. real!
• The constellations are totally imaginary things that
List of new Constellations: poets, farmers and astronomers have made up over
Named after Shape of Constellation the past thousands of years.
1 Malala Yousafza Book Why they have been created?
2 JK Rowling Harry Potter’s glasses • The real purpose for the constellations is to help us
3 David Attenborough Whale tell which stars are which, nothing more.
4 Tim Peake Spacecraft • On a really dark night, you can see about 1000 to
5 Mo Farah Mobot 1500 stars. Trying to tell which is which is hard.
6 Serena Williams Tennis Racket
• The constellations help by breaking up the sky into
more managable bits. They are used as memory aids.
7 Usain Bolt Lightning bolt celebration
• For example, if you spot three bright stars in a row
8 Michael Bond Paddington Bear
in the winter evening, you might realize, "Oh! That's
part of Orion!" And once you recognize Orion, you
Reason behind their creation:
can remember that Orion's Hunting Dogs are always
• The new constellations were created after research nearby.
revealed how existing classical creations based on
the zodiac and ancient mythological figures are not How many are there?
inspiring today’s children to look up to the night sky. • There are currently 88 existing constellations officially
recognised by the International Astronomical Union.
54
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An initiative of
January, 2018
Summary Facts: BN Srikrishna Committee However, the unregulated and arbitrary use of data, especially
• Timeline: It was constituted in August 2017; submitted its personal data, has raised concerns related to centralisation of
report in November, 2017 and has sought comments on databases, profiling of individuals, increased surveillance and a
certain questions raised by it till January 31, 2018. consequent erosion of individual autonomy and privacy and cyber
attacks.
• Scope:
w To examine issues related to data protection, Do You Know?
w recommend methods to address them, and
The massive online attack using ransomware WannaCry
w draft a law for data protection.
allowed hackers to seize control of computers across
• Objective: To ensure growth of the digital economy while
100 countries. In India, too, there have been a number of
keeping personal data of citizens secure and protected.
incidents wherein cyber thieves have stolen information from
Background: A Digital India in a Digital World the Aadhaar database.
• Rise of Information age: The 21st century is widely referred

to as ‘the information age’. It is believed that by 2020, the Present Data Protection framework in India:
global volume of digital data we create is expected to reach A. Puttaswamy judgement:
44 zettabytes. • The nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court in Puttaswamy
• Digital India: This digital revolution has permeated India as recognised the right to privacy as a fundamental right under
well. Recognising its significance, the Government of India Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
has implemented the “Digital India” initiative. • It went on to recognise "Informational Privacy" as a facet of
• Digital India to Digital economy: With nearly 450 million the right to privacy.
Internet users and a growth rate of 7-8%, India is well on the • It also directed the Union Government to put in place a
path to becoming a digital economy, which is expected to robust data protection regime to ensure protection against
generate new market growth opportunities and jobs. the dangers posed to an individual’s privacy.
• Digital data processing: While the transition to a digital
B. Legislative Developments:
economy is underway, Internet has given birth to entirely
new market of those dealing in collecting, organizing and • While regulators in the US, China and the EU have put in
processing of personal information. place laws to address concerns around privacy and data
protection, India has so far taken a piecemeal approach.
Importance of Data Protection framework • These includes the SPDI Rules under the Information
The issue of data protection is important both intrinsically and Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act), Aadhaar Act, 2016 as well as
instrumentally. various sector specific laws on data protection.
1. Intrinsic: Intrinsically, a regime for data protection is • Regulators like RBI and TRAI have put in place a few
synonymous with protection of informational privacy. As data-protection rules but those are limited to some
the Supreme Court observed in Puttaswamy, “Informational aspects of financial transactions and telecom networks,
privacy is a facet of the right to privacy. respectively.
2. Instrumental: Instrumentally, a firm legal framework for data In this light, formulating a data protection law is the need of the
protection is the foundation on which data-driven innovation hour for India.
and entrepreneurship can flourish in India.
January, 2018
White Paper by
B. N. Srikrishna Committee
Comparative Approaches to Data Protection: Questions Raised by it:
Globally, there are two distinct models in the field of data Some of the questions asked by the Committee relate to:
protection. • Applicability: (i) Territorial applicability of the law, (ii) extent to
1. EU Model which the law should apply outside India, and (iii) measures
w It is a rights based one, where protection of personal that should be included in the law to ensure compliance by
data is equated with protecting the fundamental right to foreign entities.
privacy. • Definition of personal data: (i) what kind of information
w However, it has been criticised for being excessively qualifies as personal data, (ii) should the definition focus on
stringent, and imposing many obligations on the whether a person can be identified based on the data, and
organisations processing data. (iii) treatment of sensitive personal data.
2. US model: • Exemptions: the categories of exemptions that should be
w it focuses on protecting the individual from excessive included under the law, and the basic safeguards that should
State regulation. be ensured when processing data in these categories.
w It recognises the value of data vis-a-vis encouraging • Consent: It Conditions that determine valid consent.
innovation, and therefore allows collection of personal
• Enforcement models: It sought comments on the enforcement
information as long as the individual is informed of such
tools to be used for: (i) code of conduct, (ii) breach of personal
collection and use.
data, (iii) categorisation of different data controllers, and (iv)
w However it has been viewed as inadequate in key
creation of a separate data protection authority.
respects.
These approaches must be kept in mind while framing a data Analysis:
protection law. The exhaustive paper released by the Srikrishna Committee is a
delayed but a welcome move. Thus the Centre must hasten to
Recommendation: Seven Principles of a Data finalise a policy.
Protection Law
Concerns:
A data protection framework in India must be based on the
following seven principles: Critiques have raised some concerns regarding the proposals
of the Committee:
1. Technology agnosticism: The law must be flexible to take
into account changing technologies and standards of • India relies on many imported technologies which follow the
compliance. standards of their origin countries and different countries
have different rules. It will be difficult to apply the indigenous
2. Holistic application: The law must apply to both private sector
laws on those imported technologies.
entities and government. Differential obligations may be
carved out in the law for certain legitimate state aims. • There is also lack of analysis of data protection vis-a-vis
Aadhaar.
3. Informed consent: Consent is an expression of human
autonomy. Thus, Consent should be genuine, informed, and Way ahead:
meaningful. • Maintain balance: it is critical to bring a balance between the
4. Data minimisation: Processing of data should be minimal and innovation and privacy.
only for the purpose for which it is sought. • Which model to follow? In this era of Big Data analytics when
5. Controller accountability: Entities controlling the data should there is fear that individual liberties are compromised. its
be accountable for any data processing, whether by itself or better to follow the rights-based approach of the European
entities with whom it may have shared the data for processing. Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, 2016.
6. Structured enforcement: Enforcement of the data protection • Clear rules: Ground rules that legitimise reasonable access to
framework should be by a high-powered statutory authority. data must be clearly spelt out.
This must coexist with appropriately decentralised • Spread awareness: There is also a need for a national
enforcement mechanisms. awareness campaign to highlight the importance of
7. Deterrent penalties: Penalties should be adequate to adopting strong encryption and to be cautious in the virtual
discourage any wrongful acts. world.
56
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
Lalji Singh: letters of the alphabet appear in a certain order to form

• Lalji Singh (1947 – 2017) was words and sentences.
an Indian scientist. w Base pairs: DNA bases pair up with each other, A with T
and C with G, to form units called base pairs.
• Areas of work:
w He worked in the field • Nucleotide: Each base is also attached to a sugar molecule
of DNA fingerprinting and a phosphate molecule. Together, a base, sugar, and
technology in India, where phosphate are called a nucleotide.
he was popularly known as • Double helix structure: Nucleotides are arranged in two long
the "Father of Indian DNA strands that form a spiral called a double helix. The structure
fingerprinting". of the double helix is somewhat like a ladder, with the base
w He also worked in the areas of molecular basis of sex pairs forming the ladder’s rungs and the sugar and phosphate
determination, wildlife conservation forensics and molecules forming the vertical sidepieces of the ladder.
evolution and migration of humans. • DNA replication An important property of DNA is that it can
• Institutions founded by him: replicate, or make copies of itself. Each strand of DNA in
w Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics in 1995. the double helix can serve as a pattern for duplicating the
w Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species sequence of bases. This is critical when cells divide because
(LaCONES) in 1998. each new cell needs to have an exact copy of the DNA
w Genome Foundation in 2004. present in the old cell.
• Awards and honours:
w In 2004, he received the Padma Shri.
DNA
• What is it? DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary
material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly
every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA.
• Location: Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is
called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be
found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial
DNA or mtDNA).
• Bases:
w AGCT: The information in DNA is stored as a code made
up of four chemical bases: adenine (A), guanine (G),
cytosine (C), and thymine (T).
w How many? Human DNA consists of about 3 billion bases,
and more than 99 percent of those bases are the same in
all people.
w Sequence: The order, or sequence, of these bases
determines the information available for building and
maintaining an organism, similar to the way in which
Law Commission (Report No. 271)
About DNA Profiling: • Patenting of genes: Ensuring that commercial interests do not
Meaning: DNA profiling is also known as DNA fingerprinting, limit equity and access.
DNA testing, DNA typing. It is a technique to ‘compare the DNA Do You Know?
sequences’ of any two individuals.
• A gene patent is the exclusive rights to a specific
Working: it works on the principle of polymorphism. Polymorphism
sequence of DNA (a gene) given by a government to the
means variation at genetic level. It involves the following:
individual, organization, or corporation who claims to have
• First Short tandem repeats (STR) are collected. STR means
first identified the gene.
“a repeating sequences of 2-6 base pairs of DNA”. It is also
• Once granted a gene patent, the holder of the patent
called as microsatellite.
dictates how the gene can be used, in both commercial
• Then STR are processed which results in bands that are
settings, such as clinical genetic testing, and in
unique enough to be used for identification. This creates a
noncommercial settings, including research, for some
DNA profile.
years from the date of the patent.
• Then this STR is compared with STR of other samples with
whom we have to match.
Law Commission (Report No. 271):
Importance of DNA profiling: The DNA based technology (use and regulation) Bill, 2017
• Accurate technique: It is an accurate technique. Supreme According to Law Commission of India in its Report No.271,
Court in its various judgements has stated that the DNA test there is absence of an appropriate regulatory mechanism for
has 99.99 % chance of correct conclusions. handling of DNA samples and profiles in India.
• Longer storage: Unlike blood found at a crime scene, DNA Most of the countries have enacted appropriate laws for the
material remains usable for an endless period of time. aforesaid purposes.
• Applications: Due to this, it is helpful for Merely amending the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, may
w forensic science that guides in criminal investigation by not serve justice to this important issue.
identifying the offenders. In the above background, in July 2017, it recommended a bill for
w disaster victim identification. regulating DNA profiling.
w establishing biological relationships between individuals.
w medical research purposes.
Its salient features are:
Ethical issues: • Only for identification: DNA profiling would be undertaken
Ethical Issues that arise are generated from: only for identification of a person and not for extracting any
other information.
• Misuse: information from DNA samples can also reveal more
intrusive information like their allergies, or susceptibility to • Informed Consent: The draft has introduced a new provision
diseases. Thus the data can be misused causing harm to that explicitly prohibits the collection of any “bodily substance”
individual. from an arrested individual (for the purposes of a DNA test)
without his/her consent.
• Privacy: Informed consent and confidentiality of data are key
principles of medical ethics which are at risk. Supreme Court • Privacy: Strict confidentiality will be maintained with respect to
has recently declared Right to privacy a fundamental right. keeping off records of DNA profiles and their use. Sharing of
DNA profiles with foreign governments or other government
• Limitations of genetic testing: While in some cases, genetic
agencies, organisations or institutions would only be for the
tests provide reliable and accurate information on which
purpose of this Act or any of its agencies.
people can make decisions, in other cases it may not be
possible to obtain a definitive result. • DNA Profiling Board: It will be constituted as a statutory body
w The individual’s environment can modify the expression of which will be responsible for supervising, inspecting and
genetic messages to the body and many factors are not assessing DNA laboratories.
genetic that make an individual who they are. • DNA Data Bank: DNA Data Banks will be created at national
• Inappropriate applications: Inappropriate applications and regional (states) level which will store DNA profiles
of genetic testing such as for the sole purpose of family received from DNA laboratories.
balancing (sexing of a fetus for this reason) or its use in • Penalties: The violators of the provisions would be liable for
paternity testing without the informed consent of all parties punishment of imprisonment (up to three years) and a fine
involved. which (up to Rs two lakhs).
ON THE RISE
58
Current Affairs MADE EASY 1.5 MILLION
deaths caused
January, 2018
by diabetes
422
adults have diabetes
MILLION
What is diabetes? Impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting

• Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs glycaemia:
THAT’S 1 PERSON IN 11
w Either when the pancreas does not produce enough • Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and impaired fasting
insulin. glycaemia (IFG) are intermediate conditions in the transition
w When the body cannot effectively use the insulin it between normality and diabetes.
produces. • People with IGT or IFG are at high risk of progressing to type
• Insulin: Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. 2 diabetes, although this is not inevitable.
Mainuncontrolled diabetes.
types of diabetes Consequences
• Hyperglycaemia, or raised blood sugar, is a common effect of
Consequences:
Diabetes
Diabetes cantolead
can lead to complications
complications in many partsin
of many parts of
the body
Type of Diabetes: the body and increase the risk of dying prematurely.
and increase the risk of dying prematurely.
Type 1 • Previously known as: insulin-dependent,
TYPE 1 DIABETES
juvenile or childhood-onset. Stroke
• Characterized by: Deficient insulin production Blindness
Body does not produce
and requires daily administration of insulin.
enough insulin
• Cause: it is not known and it is not preventable
with current knowledge.
• Symptoms: Excessive excretion of urine,
Heart attack
thirst, constant hunger, weight loss, vision
changes, and fatigue.
Type 2
TYPE 2 DIABETES
• Previously known as: non-insulin-dependent,
or adult-onset (this type was seen only in Kidney failure
Body produces insulin
adults but is now also occurring increasingly
but frequently in children).
can’t use it well
• Characterized by: Body’s ineffective use of
insulin.
• Cause: It is largely the result of excess body
weight and physical inactivity.
GESTATIONAL
• Symptoms: Symptoms mayDIABETES
be similar to those Amputation
of type 1 diabetes, but are often less marked.
A temporary condition in
As a result, the disease may be diagnosed
pregnancy
several years after onset, once complications
have already arisen.
Gestational • It is a temporary condition in pregnancy.
diabetes • It is hyperglycaemia with blood glucose
How can the burden of diabetes be reduced?
values above normal but below those
• Prevention: Healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining
diagnostic of diabetes, occurring during
a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use are ways to
pregnancy.
www.who.int/diabetes/global-report #diabetes
• Women with gestational diabetes are at
prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.
• Cure: Diabetes can be treated and its consequences avoided
an increased risk of complications during
or delayed with diet, physical activity, medication and regular
pregnancy and at delivery.
screening and treatment for complications.
January, 2018
WDD & Diabetes Atlas

A. WORLD DIABETES DAY (WDD) • Diabetes in people aged over 65 years has been further
• When observed? November 14. analysed.
• Why November 14? The day marks the birth anniversary In 2017, IDF estimates that:
of scientist and Nobel laureate Frederick Banting who • One in 11 adults (20-79 years) has diabetes (425 million).
discovered insulin (in 1922). • One in two adults with diabetes are undiagnosed (over 212
• Objective: To create awareness about the effects of diabetes. million people).
• Origin: • Some 12% of global health expenditure is spent on diabetes
w it was started in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (USD727 billion).
(IDF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). • One in six births (16.2%) is affected by gestational diabetes.
w The day became an official United Nations Day in 2006.
• 4.0 million deaths globally are attributable to diabetes.
w A blue circle logo, adopted in 2007 serves as the global
symbol for diabetes. By 2045, IDF estimates that:
• One adult in ten will have diabetes (629 million).
WDD 2017 • Diabetes-related health expenditure will exceed USD 776
• Theme: “Women and diabetes - our right to a healthy future”. billion.
• Reason for choosing this theme:
Top 5 countries of most people living with diabetes:
w Diabetes is the ninth leading cause of death in women
globally. Rank Country Number of Country Number of
(18-99) People with (20-79) People with
w Two out of every five women with diabetes are of
Diabetes (18- Diabetes
reproductive age. 99) (20-79)
w Approximately one in seven births is affected by gestational
1 China 114.1 million China 109.6 million
diabetes (GDM).
2 India 70.2 million India 69.2 million
3 US 32.8 million US 29.3 million
4 Brazil 15.4 million Brazil 14.3 million
5 Russia 12.6 million Russia 12.1 million
Profile of South-East Asia:

• The IDF South-East Asia Region (SEA) comprises seven
countries—India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mauritius,
B. IDF DIABETES ATLAS – 2017 Bhutan and the Maldives.
What is the Diabetes Atlas? • Prevalence among adults:

• It was first published by IDF in 2000. At present it is produced w Mauritius has the highest adult diabetes prevalence rate
biennially. The 2017 atlas is the 8th edition in the series. in this region (22.0%), followed by Sri Lanka (10.7%) and
India (10.4%).
• The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is a worldwide
alliance of over 230 national diabetes associations in more w India is home to the second largest number of adults
than 160 countries. living with diabetes worldwide, after China.
• It contains data on diabetes cases, prevalence, mortality and • Prevalence among Children’s:
expenditure on the global, regional and national level. w India is home to the second largest number of children
and adolescents aged 0-19 years with type 1 diabetes in
Changes in methodology:
the world, after the USA.
The following modifications have been made in the IDF Diabetes
• Mortality:
Atlas 8th Edition:
w The region had the second highest number of deaths
• The children and adolescent age group has been expanded
attributable to diabetes, after West Pacific.
to 0-19 years old from 0-15 years old.
w India is the largest contributor to the regional mortality,
• Estimates for diabetes prevalence among adults aged 18-99
with nearly 1 million estimated deaths attributable to
years has also been calculated in addition to 20-79 years.
diabetes.
60
Chapter 1
Current Affairs MADE EASY
January, 2018
ECONOMY
BHARAT-22 ETF INITIAL COIN OFFERINGS (ICO)
In early November 2017, the Government of India launched Initial coin offerings are becoming a rage. Dozens of
the BHARAT-22 Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) managed by ICICI companies including celebrities like Boxer Floyd Mayweather
Prudential Mutual Fund as a part of the Centre’s disinvestment and Paris Hilton have raised billions of dollars via it.
programme.
What is an ICO?
Exchange Traded Fund (ETF): • An ICO (Initial Coin Offerings) is also called "token sale".
• An ETF is an open-ended mutual fund scheme with an • It is the process in which the developers of a new
objective to track and reflect the performance of its underlying cryptocurrency offer the chance to investors to buy a part of
index. their token.
• It achieves this through a passive investment strategy of • This "early adoption" is a popular way for them to fund their
investing in the same stocks and in the same proportion as project but also to bring liquidity to the coin they are about to
they constitute the underlying index. release.
• Advantages of an ETF:
w Investments in ETFs are highly liquid as they are held How does an ICO works?
through a Demat account and can be traded on a stock • Most of the cryptocurrencies works with "emissions"
exchange like direct equity shares. (the amount of coins that are going to be injected in the
w Also, being passively managed, they have lower expense network in total). What an ICO offers you to do is to buy
ratios in comparison to actively managed mutual funds. a part of that emission and be in the group of the initial
investors.
Bharat 22 ETF: • Most of the developers; as a reward of gratitude for your
• The government of India, in the Budget speech of 2017, investment; will offer a "bonus percentage" (that is different
announced its plan to achieve a divestment target of Rs from projects to projects) of coins depending on the amount
72,500 crore in the FY 2017-18. of BTC you decide to put in their token.
• Bharat 22 ETF has been set up as one of its vehicle to achieve • Some of them also offers a share of the cryptocurrency
the target. depending on the percentage you decided to invest.
• It is an open-ended Exchange Traded Fund which will invest
in similar composition and weightages as they appear in How can an Initial Coin Offerings be profitable?
Bharat 22 Index. • Being an early supporter; you will be in control of the
• The index is collectively comprised of 22 stocks of Central initial capital of the coin once it is released into the market
Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE), Public Sector Banks and (Exchanges, etc...).
private companies which are Strategic Holding of Specified • This can be a great opportunity to make a lot of profit since
Undertaking of Unit Trust of India (SUUTI). you bought the cryptocurrency at its minimal worth (and
• The said 22 stocks are spread across six sectors (Basic might have got a bonus percentage at the same time.)
Materials, Energy, Finance, FMCG, Industrials and Utilities).
What's the catch/risk?
• The index invests a maximum of 15% in a single stock and 20
• The biggest and major problem with ICO's (and what makes
per cent in a particular sector.
it different from an IPO crowdfunding) is that you are putting
• The government of India has appointed ICICI Prudential AMC money into a coin that hasn't been launched yet. thus there is
to create, launch and manage Bharat 22 ETF. a lot of risks to take in the process.
• The scheme is intended for investors who are seeking long- • The ICO's scene has been victim of a lot of scams in the last
term wealth creation through a diversified portfolio which is years (developers hyping the coin; making profits from the
largely comprised of high-quality public sector undertakings. Initial Coin Offering but never released the token).
Economy Current Affairs MADE EASY 61
January, 2018
GDP, GVA ACCELERATES What is the relationship between Gross value added (GVA) and
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)?
India’s economy regained momentum in the September
• When the value of taxes on products (less subsidies on
quarter.
products) is added, the sum of value added for all resident
units gives the value of gross domestic product (GDP).
• Thus, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of any nation
represents the sum total of gross value added (GVA)
(i.e. without discounting for capital consumption or
depreciation) in all the sectors of that economy during the
said year after adjusting for taxes and subsidies.
SANKALP
India Signs Loan Agreement with World Bank for US$ 250
Million for (SANKALP) Project.
About:
• Acronym: SANKALP stands for “Skills Acquisition and
Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion”.
About:
• Objective: To enhance institutional mechanisms for skills
Following are the key highlights of the official data released by
development and increase access to quality and market-
the government:
relevant training for the work force.
• GDP growth: GDP growth recovered in the second fiscal • Result areas: The Key result areas for the project include
quarter from a three-year low of 5.7% in the preceding three- w Institutional Strengthening at the National and State
month period. Levels for Planning, Delivering, and Monitoring High-
• GVA growth: Gross Value Added (GVA) growth accelerated to Quality Market-Relevant Training.
6.1% from 5.6% in the first quarter w Improved Quality and Market Relevance of Skills
• Agriculture: Agriculture, however, remained a cause for Development Programs.
concern. The performance of agriculture sector was worse w Improved access to and completion of skills training for
as it grew at 1.7%. female trainees and other disadvantaged groups.
• Manufacturing: This quarter’s positive result has been w Expanding skills training through private-public
impacted significantly by growth in manufacturing. The partnerships (PPPs).
manufacturing sector expanded by 7% in the quarter, a • Time period: The closing date for the project is 31st March,
robust acceleration from 1.2% in the first quarter. 2023.
• Service: Experts are also pointing to the slowdown in the
services sector, especially finance, transport, and hotels, all PANEL TO ADDRESS NPAS IN THE POWER
of which saw growth slowing in the second quarter compared SECTOR
with the first quarter.
Government has set up a panel to address Non-performing
Comment: assets (NPAs) in the power sector.
Overall performance indicates that perhaps the impact of
demonetisation and GST is now behind us and hopefully in the About:
coming quarters we can look for an upward trajectory. • Chairman: NITI Aayog chief executive Amitabh Kant.
Do You Know? • Objective: To address the problem of NPAs in India's power
sector.
What is Gross value added (GVA)?
• Background: According to the second volume of the
It is the value of output less the value of intermediate
Economic Survey 2016-17 released in August, 2017, NPAs in
consumption. Value added represents the contribution of
power generation accounted for around 5.9% of the banking
labour and capital to the production process.
sector’s total outstanding advances of Rs4.73 trillion.
62
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
NATIONAL POWER PORTAL(NPP) FDI INFLOW TO INDIA
The National Power Portal (NPP) has been launched. Despite steady rise in FDI inflow to India, it is only 2% of global
total.
• It is a centralized hub for the collation and dissemination of
information on the Indian power sector Although foreign direct investment inflow to India is rising at
• It will serve as a single source of power sector information for a steady pace, the total inflow of foreign funds to establish
apex bodies like courts and government bodies; utilities for business operations and acquire assets in India is very small
use in analysis, planning, and monitoring efforts; as well as when compared other large economies.
for public users.
• The portal can be accessed at http://npp.gov.in/.
• Implementing agencies:
w The nodal agency for the implementation of NPP and its
operational control is Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
w The system was conceptualized, designed, and
developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
TESLA SEMI
Elon Musk, founder of electric vehicle maker Tesla unveiled the

Tesla Semi.
About:
Tesla Semi is an all-electric heavy-duty truck.
Features:
• The company claims that it has a remarkable 500-mile (over
800-km) range in one charge
• A 30-minute charge can add 400 miles to the Tesla Semi.
• The battery and motor can last up to one million miles.
• It can hit 60 mph three times faster than a regular truck. Ex-
perts say the mileage can be around $1.26 a mile. That’s
impressive, given that a regular diesel trucks takes $1.51 for
the same distance.
• It has no transmission, clutch, big engine or any such typical
components one generally finds in a conventional truck.
The model unveiled is, of course, a testing prototype, but could
may enter mass-production mode by 2019.
January, 2018
INDIAN FOREST (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE, 6. Though India has 19% share of world’s area under bamboo
cultivation, its market share in the sector is only 6%. At
2017
present, India imports timber and allied products, such
as pulp, paper, furniture etc. The amendment will help in
Union government has promulgated Indian forest
addressing some of these issues.
(amendment) ordinance, 2017.
Background: SC HALTS GOVT TO TAKE OVER UNITECH

• Under the Indian Forest Act,
1927, the definition of tree Supreme Court (SC) has stayed NCLT order allowing Centre to
includes palms, bamboos, take over Unitech
stumps, brush-wood and
canes. About:
• Bamboo, though, • On December 8, 2017, National Company Law Tribunal
taxonomically a grass, was (NCLT) passed an order under which it suspended eight
legally defined as a tree. Unitech directors over allegations of mismanagement
• Thus the felling and transit of and siphoning of funds and permitted their substitution by
bamboo grown on forest as government nominees.
well non-forest land attracted • It allowed union government to take over management of
the provisions of the Indian embattled realty firm Unitech Limited
Forest Act, 1927 (IFA, 1927). This was a major impediment • On December 13, the Supreme Court stayed the order of
for bamboo cultivation by farmers on non-forest land. NCLT on the condition that Unitech MD Sanjay Chandra
would resume negotiations from jail, where he is lodged at
Indian Forest (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017
present, for sale of assets and properties of the realtor major
• The Ordinance amends the definition of tree under the Indian
to generate Rs 750 crore, which he has been asked to deposit
Forest Act, 1927 to remove the word bamboos.
in court for refund purposes.
• Following this, bamboo growing in non-forest areas will be
waived off the requirement of permission for its felling or
transportation for economic use.
• This is expected to encourage bamboo cultivation in non-
forest areas.
• Bamboo grown in the forest areas shall continue to be governed
by the provisions of Indian Forest Act, 1927.
Significance:
Promote cultivation of bamboo in non-forest areas has lot of
benefits:
1. Increasing the agricultural income of farmers and Tribals,
esp. in North-East and Central India.
2. Increasing the green cover of the country. it will create
a viable option for cultivation in 12.6 million hectares of
cultivable waste land.
3. It has various other ecological benefits such as soil-moisture
conservation, landslide prevention and rehabilitation,
conserving wildlife habitat, enhancing source of bio-mass,
besides serving as a substitute for timber.
4. Enhancing supply of raw material to the traditional craftsmen
of rural India, bamboo based/ paper & pulp industries,
cottage industries.
5. Overall it will greatly aid the success of recently constituted
National Bamboo Mission.
64
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
NEW DIRECT TAX LEGISLATION Depot (ICD) with minimum investment of Rs. 50 crore and
minimum area of 10 acre,
Union government has constituted a new task force for w Cold Chain Facility with minimum investment of Rs.15
drafting a new direct tax legislation. crore and minimum area of 20,000 sq. ft, and/or
w Warehousing Facility with investment of minimum Rs. 25
crore and minimum area of 1 lakh sq ft.
Background:
• Benefits: It will enable the Logistics Sector
• During the Rajaswa Gyan Sangam held on 1st and 2nd
September, 2017, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi w to avail infrastructure lending at easier terms with
had observed that the Income-tax Act, 1961 (the Act) enhanced limits,
was drafted more than 50 years ago and it needs to be w access to larger amounts of funds as External Commercial
re-drafted in consonance with economic needs of the Borrowings (ECB),
country. w access to longer tenor funds from insurance companies
and pension funds and
Terms of reference: w to be eligible to borrow from India Infrastructure Financing
• The Terms of Reference of the Task Force is to draft an Company Limited (IIFCL).
appropriate Direct Tax Legislation keeping in view: (i) The • Background:
direct tax system prevalent in various countries, (ii) The w Logistics cost in India is very high compared to developed
international best practices. (iii) The economic needs of the countries which reduces the competitiveness of Indian
country and (iv) Any other matter connected thereto. goods.
w Development of logistics would give a boost to both
Members:
domestic and external demand thereby encouraging
The Task Force has been constituted with the following Members:
manufacturing and 'job creation'.
1. Arbind Modi, Member (Legislation), CBDT - Convener
w This will in turn be instrumental in improving country's
2. Girish Ahuja, practicing Chartered Accountant and non- GDP.
official Director, State Bank of India;
3. Rajiv Memani, Chairman & Regional Managing Partner of
E&Y; MSME SAMBANDH
4. Mukesh Patel, Practicing Tax Advocate, Ahmedabad;
5. Mansi Kedia, Consultant, ICRIER, New Delhi; Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for MSME,
launched MSME Sambandh.
6. G.C. Srivastava, Retd. IRS (1971 Batch) and Advocate.
Dr. Arvind Subramanian, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) will be a
permanent Special Invitee in the Task Force. About:
• What is it? It is a Public Procurement Portal for Micro and
Time period: Small Enterprises (MSEs).
• The Task Force shall submit its report to the Government
• Objective of portal: To monitor the implementation of the
within six months.
Public Procurement from MSEs by Central Public Sector
Enterprises.
LOGISTICS SECTOR GRANTED • Background:
INFRASTRUCTURE STATUS w The Procurement Policy launched in 2012 mandates the
Central Government Departments / CPSUs to procure
The Logistics Sector has been granted Infrastructure status. necessarily from MSEs.
w i.e. they shall set an annual goal for procurement from the
About: MSE sector at the beginning of the year, to achieve an
• Logistics Infrastructure has been included in the Harmonized overall procurement goal of minimum of 20 % of the total
Master List of Infrastructure Sub-sectors in the renamed annual purchases of the products or services produced or
category of ‘Transport and Logistics’. rendered by MSEs.
• Logistics Infrastructure includes w By creating an online portal, the Ministries and the CPSEs
w Multi-modal Logistics Park comprising Inland Container can assess their performance.
January, 2018
INDIA EASES BILATERAL TRANSFER PRICING Advance Pricing Agreement:

NORMS • To avoid such a manipulation arising out of transfer
pricing, taxpayer and at least one tax authority enters into
Income Tax Department has allowed mutual agreement an agreement in advance to determine the transfer pricing
procedures (MAPs) and advance pricing agreements (APAs) methodology for pricing the tax payer’s intra company
with all countries. transactions for the coming years. This price agreement is
known as Advance Price Agreement.
• Types of APAs:
Background:
w Unilateral APA (UAPA): An APA that involves only the tax
• India’s previously held stand was that if treaties with
payer and the tax authority of the country where the tax
a particular country did not contain a ‘corresponding
payer is located.
adjustment’ clause, then the Indian revenue department
w Bilateral APA (BAPA): An APA that involves the tax payer,
would not enter into bilateral advance pricing agreements
associated enterprise (AE) of the tax payer in the foreign
with those countries.
country, tax authority of the country where the tax payer is
• In other words, any transfer pricing disputes would be located, and the foreign tax authority.
settled through domestic litigation instead of bilateral
w Multilateral APA (MAPA): an APA that involves the tax
arbitration.
payer, two or more AEs of the tax payer in different foreign
• Due to this such agreements were disallowed with major countries, tax authority of the country where the tax payer
trade partners like France, Germany, Italy, Singapore and is located, and the tax authorities of AEs.
South Korea.
• Benefits of APAs: APAs gives certainty to taxpayers, reduce
disputes & litigation costs, enhance tax revenues and make
Recent development:
the country an attractive destination for foreign investments.
• India has now agreed to entertain such APAs and MAPs,
regardless of whether that clause was in the agreement or
not. HYDERBAD METRO RAIL
• APAs are meant to settle potential disputes in advance, while
MAPs lay out the procedure to settle a dispute once it has Hyderabad metro was inaugurated on 28 November 2017 by
happened. PM Narendra Modi.
Significance:
• The new stand adopted by India is in line with the commonly
accepted practices abroad.
• It will further improve India’s ease of doing business
rankings.
Transfer Pricing:
• It is the rates/prices that are used when selling goods or
About:
services between company divisions and departments, or • By this, Hyderabad became the ninth Indian city to get
between a parent company and a subsidiary. the Metro. The earlier eight are: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta,
Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Jaipur and lucknow.
• In principle a transfer price should match either what the
seller would charge an independent, arm's length customer, • It is being implemented entirely on public-private partnership
or what the buyer would pay an independent, arm's length (PPP) basis, with the Telangana government holding a
supplier. minority equity stake.
• However, they have become a major tool for tax avoidance. • The first stretch that was inaugurated covers 30 km, the
i.e. they are misused to: longest stretch in the country to be operationalised at one go.
w Lower profits in a division of an enterprise that is located • It is the world's largest elevated Metro Rail PPP project
in a country that levies high taxes (less profit, less tax based on DBFOT basis (Design, Built, Finance, Operate and
payed) and Transfer).
w Raise profits in a country that is a tax haven that levies no • Mascot: The mascot of Hyderabad Metro Rail is Niz. It was
or low taxes. derived from the word Nizam, who ruled the princely state of
Hyderabad.
66
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An initiative of
January, 2018
SPECIAL PACKAGE FOR LEATHER AND Impact of the package:

FOOTWEAR SECTOR • Development of infrastructure for the leather sector
• Addressing environment concerns specific to the leather sector
• Facilitating additional investments
Union Cabinet has approved special package for employment
• Employment generation. It has the potential to generate 3.24 lakhs
generation in leather and footwear sector.
new jobs in 3 years and assist in formalization of 2 lakh jobs.
Components of the package:

The package involves the following: NORTH EAST SPECIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
• Indian Footwear, Leather & Accessories Development DEVELOPMENT SCHEME (NESIDS)
Programme: This will be implemented with an approved
expenditure of Rs. 2600 Crore over the three financial years Union cabinet has approved introduction of new Scheme,
from 2017-18 to 2019-20. Detail from below. NESIDS.
• Enhancing Scope of Section 80JJAA of Income Tax Act
• Introduction of fixed term employment: This is being done in NESIDS:
order to attract large scale investments at global scale. • Funding: It is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% funding
from the Central Government.
Details of the Indian Footwear, Leather & Accessories
• Implementation period: 2017-18 till March, 2020.
Development Programme
• Objective: To fill up the gaps in creation of infrastructure in
It is a Central Sector Scheme with following sub-schemes
specified sectors.
under it:
• Features: It will cover creation of infrastructure under following
• Human Resource Development (HRD) sub-scheme: It proposes
sectors
to provide assistance for Placement Linked Skill Development
w Physical infrastructure: i.e. relating to water supply, power,
training to unemployed persons.
connectivity and specially the projects promoting tourism;
• Integrated Development of Leather Sector (IDLS) sub-scheme: w Social infrastructure: I.E. Infrastructure of social sectors of
IDLS sub-scheme proposes to incentivize investment and education and health.
manufacturing including job creation by providing backend
• Benefits:
investment grant/subsidy to Micro, Small & Medium
w The assets created will not only strengthen health care and
Enterprises (MSMEs).
education facilities in the region but will also encourage tourism
• Establishment of Institutional Facilities sub-scheme: It
thereby the employment opportunities for local youth.
proposes to provide assistance to Footwear Design &
w It will act as a catalyst in overall development of the region
Development Institute (FDDI) for upgradation of some of the
in the years to come.
existing campuses of FDDI into "Centres of Excellence".
• Mega Leather, Footwear and Accessories Cluster (MLFAC) sub-
scheme: it aims at providing infrastructure support to the
NLCPR FOR NORTH-EAST
Leather, Footwear and Accessories Sector by establishment
of Mega Leather, Footwear and Accessories Cluster. Union Cabinet has approved continuation of the existing Non
Lapsable Central Pool Of Resources (NLCPR) scheme for North
• Leather Technology, Innovation and Environmental Issues sub-
East till March 2020.
scheme: Under it assistance is proposed to be provided for
upgradation/installation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants The scheme has been approved with funding pattern of 90:10 till
(CETPs). March, 2020 with an outlay of Rs.5300.00 crore.
• Promotion of Indian Brands in Leather, Footwear and
Accessories Sector sub-scheme: Under it, the eligible units NLCPR:
approved for Brand Promotion are proposed to be assisted. • What is it? NLCPR is the accrual of the unspent balance of
• Additional Employment Incentive for Leather, Footwear and the mandatory 10% budgetary allocation of the Ministries/
Accessories Sector sub-scheme: Under it, it is proposed to Departments.
provide the employers' contribution of 3.67% to Employees' • Origin: Created in 1997–98 (operationalized in 1998–99)
Provident Fund for all new employees in Leather, Footwear • Objective: To ensure speedy development of infrastructure by
and Accessories sector, enrolling in EPFO for first 3 years of way of filling the existing infrastructural gaps (economic and
their employment. social) in the region by making funds available from the pool.
January, 2018
ANTI-COMPETITIVE CONDUCT • The estimated savings on these accounts indicates that in

ten years, these initiatives are on path towards achieving IR’s
Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed penalty Mission 41K.
on Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the anti-
About:
competitive conduct.
• Origin: In early 2017, Railway Ministry unveiled ‘Mission 41K’.
• Objective: To save Rs. 41,000 crore on the Indian Railways’
About:
expenditure on energy consumption over the next 10 years.
• According to CCI, BCCI has given an assurance to the
• Strategy: This target will be achieved by taking various
broadcasters of Indian Premier League (IPL) that BCCI
measures which include.
shall not support any other professional domestic Indian
w Moving 90 % of traffic to electric traction over diesel.
T20 competition that is competitive to IPL, for a sustained Presently, this is at 50 % of the total rail traffic.
period of ten years. w Procuring more and more electricity at cheaper rates
• In short, BCCI has denied access to the market for through open market instead of sourcing it through
organization of Professional Domestic Cricket League/ DISCOMs
Events. w Exploring new technologies to bring down electric
• This, according to CCI amounts to abuse if dominant consumption.
position and is in contravention of the Section 4(1) read ‘TRACTION’ means the action of drawing or pulling something over
with Section 4(2)(c) of the Competition Act, 2002 (Act). a surface, especially a road or track.
Thus CCI has issued following orders against BCCI

• Imposed penalty of Rs. 52.24 crore on BCCI for the Anti-
BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARD (BIS)
Competitive conduct.
Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs,
• BCCI shall cease and desist from indulging into the
Food & Public Distribution chaired the first meeting of the
conduct that is found to be in contravention of Section 4 of
Governing Council of Bureau of Indian Standard.
the Act;
• BCCI shall not place blanket restriction on organisation It was the first meeting of the Governing Council after enforcement
of professional domestic cricket league/ events by non- of the new BIS Act 2016 which has been implemented with effect
members. from 12 October 2017.
• BCCI shall issue appropriate clarification regarding the

Bureau of Indian standards (BIS) act 2016:
rules applicable for organisation of professional domestic
• Objective:
cricket leagues/ events in India
w The new Act will further help in ease of doing business
• BCCI shall file a report to the Commission on the compliance
in the country, give fillip to Make in India campaign and
of the aforesaid directions within a period of 60 days from
ensure availability of quality products and services to the
the receipt of CCI’s order.
consumers.
• Salient features:
MISSION 41K w The Act establishes the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
as the National Standards Body of India.
Indian Railways has accomplished major savings in its 'Electric w It has enabling provisions for the Government to bring
Traction Energy Bill'. under compulsory certification regime any goods or
article which it considers necessary in the public interest.
Recent development: w Enabling provisions have been made for making
• In a major strategy to reduce the cost of its electric traction hallmarking of the precious metal articles mandatory.
energy bill, Indian Railways (IR) has succeeded in achieving w It enables the Central Government to appoint any authority/
a cumulative saving of ₹5636 cr. from April, 2015 to October, agency, in addition to the BIS, to verify the conformity of
2017 products and services to a standard and issue certificate
of conformity.
68
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
MERCHANT DISCOUNT RATE (MDR) to install PoS terminals. Getting small merchants to install PoS
machines has been a challenge, as cash transactions entail
Union Cabinet has approved subsidizing MDR charges on no extra costs to them, while cards do.
debit card/BHIM UPI/AePS transactions of value less than • Due to the recent decision, the consumer and the merchant
Rs.2000. will not suffer any additional burden in the form of MDR
thereby leading to greater adoption of digital payment modes
for such transactions.
What is MDR?
• It is estimated that the MDR to be reimbursed to the banks in
• MDR is the fee that the store accepting your card has to pay
respect of transactions less than Rs.2000 in value would be
to the bank when you swipe it for payments.
Rs.1,050 crore in FY 2018-19 and Rs.1,462 crore in FY 2019-
• The MDR compensates the bank issuing the card, the bank
20.
which puts up the swiping machine (Point-of-Sale or PoS
terminal) and network providers such as Mastercard or Visa
for their services. LEGATUM PROSPERITY INDEX 2017
• MDR charges are usually shared in a pre-agreed proportion
between them. In India, the RBI specifies the maximum MDR Legatum Prosperity Index 2017 was recently released.
charges that can be levied on every card transaction.
About:
• The Legatum Pros-
perity Index is an
annual ranking
developed by the
L o n d o n - b a s e d
Legatum Institute.
• It is based on
104 different vari-
ables which are
grouped into 9
sub-indexes.
• The 9 sub-index-
es are: Economic
Union cabinet decision:
Quality, Business
• Union Cabinet has approved that the Merchant Discount
Environment,
Rate (MDR) applicable on all debit card/BHIM UPI/ Aadhaar
Governance, Ed-
enabled Payment System (AePS) transactions upto and
ucation, Health,
including a value of Rs. 2000 will be borne by the Government.
Safety & Security,
• This will be borne by for a period of two years with effect from Personal Free-
1st January, 2018 by reimbursing the same to the banks. dom, Social Capital and Natural Environment.
• A government committee will look into the industry cost
structure of such transactions which will form the basis to 2017 Rankings:
determine the levels of reimbursement. • In the 2017 rankings, there were 149 countries ranked.
• Top 3: Norway topped the list, followed by New Zealand and
Impact of this approval:
Finland.
• When payment is made at a merchant point of sale, MDR
• India:
is payable by the merchant to the bank. Citing this, many
w Overall Prosperity: In the overall Prosperity Index rankings,
people make cash payments inspite of having debit cards.
India has climbed to by 4 positions from 104 in 2016 to
Similarly, MDR is charged on payments made to merchants
100.
through BHIM UPI platform and AePS.
w Pillar Rankings: In the Prosperity Pillar rankings, India
• To ensure wider adoption of plastic, banks must have more performs best on Governance and Economic Quality and
cards/PoS machines in circulation and more merchants need scores lowest on the Natural Environment pillar.
January, 2018
100 YEARS OF ONE RUPEE NOTE Do You Know?
The nation marked the 100th birthday of the Rs. 1 note on One Rupee Note Vs Other Note
November 30, 2017. • While all other notes have the RBI governor’s signature, the
Rs 1 note is signed by the finance secretary as a testimony
that it is the base unit of the currency system and an “asset”
Note The Journey:
of the government. Hence, the note does not say “I promise
• Introduced on November
to pay the bearer”, unlike other notes.
30, 1917, the note was
• Basically, when the RBI governor says I promise to pay Rs
brought in as minting
10, he essentially means he will pay 10 one-rupee coins or
silver coins became too
notes, which are assets of the sovereign.
costly during the First
World War. The first Rs
1 note was printed in
England with a photo of
AGE FOR JOINING NPS INCREASED TO 65
King George V on it. YEARS
• This note, along with
other small-value notes The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority
such as the exotic Rs 2 (PFRDA) increased the upper age limit for joining the National
and eight annas were Pension System (NPS) from 60 years to 65 years.
discontinued on January
1, 1926, on cost-benefit About:
considerations. • Currently, any Indian between the age of 18 to 60 years may
• The rupee started getting voluntarily join the NPS.
printed in India only after • The Authority observed that due to better healthcare facilities
the Security Press and and increased fitness, people are living an active life allowing
Currency Note Press them to be employed productively for longer.
was established in Nasik, • Consequently, it has increased the age limit for joining the NPS.
Maharashtra, in 1928.
• A subscriber joining the NPS after the age of 60 years will
• After the establishment be eligible to continue in the system till the age of 70. Such
of the Reserve Bank of subscribers will have the same investment choices as
India (RBI) in 1935, the available to those joining before 60 years.
rupee, including the Rs
1 note, started becoming
the fiat currency of the PULSES
nation.
• In 1940, the Rs 1 note The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has taken
was re-introduced with the status of a rupee coin. The note various decisions related to pulses.
had the image of a rupee coin with a photo of King George
VI. Decisions taken:
• After Independence, the currency presses were busy printing • Export:
notes for both India and the newly-created Pakistan. Once w It approved the removal of prohibition on export of all
that arrangement was over, Independent India’s first Rs 1 types of pulses.
note was printed in 1949 with the Lion Capitol of the Ashoka w It also enabled a Committee (Chair: Secretary, Department
Pillar. of Food and Public Distribution) to review the export and
• The note was signed by India’s first Finance Secretary R K import policy on pulses.
Shanmukham Chetty. • Buffer stock: it also approved the utilisation of a part of the
• The Rs 1 note has seen several revisions, and after being buffer stock of pulses to provide nutrition to beneficiaries
discontinued in 1994, was reintroduced in 2015, quickly under the central government schemes such as the Mid-day
scaling up to 160 million pieces in two years. Meal scheme.
70
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An initiative of
January, 2018
GST: Recent Developments
NATIONAL ANTI-PROFITEERING AUTHORITY • Functions:

w It will identify GST taxpayers who have not passed on
(NAPA)
such benefits by reducing prices.
w In the event of a taxpayer not reducing prices, the NAPA
Union Cabinet approved the creation of the posts of Chairman
may order a reduction in prices, impose penalties or
and Technical Members of the National Anti-Profiteering
cancel the registration of a person.
Authority (NAPA).
• Structure: The NAA will be headed by a senior officer of
the level of Secretary to the Government of India. There
What is profiteering? will be four Technical Members from the Centre and/or
• Profiteering means unfair profit realized by traders by the States.
manipulating prices, tax rate adjustment etc. In the context
• Tenure: The NAPA will cease to exist two years after the
of the newly launched GST, profiteering means that traders
Chairman takes charge, unless the GST Council recommends
are not reducing the prices of the commodities when the GST
otherwise.
Council reduces the tax rates of commodities and services.
Creation of posts:
Need of NAPA:
• The creation of these posts will allow for the immediate
• Decision about the formation the NAPA comes in the
establishment of the NAPA under the Goods and Services
background of rate reduction of large number of items by
Tax (GST) framework.
the GST Council in its 22nd meeting at Guwahati held in
• Subsequently, Mr. B. N. Sharma (currently serving as
December 2017.
Additional Secretary, Ministry of Finance) was appointed as
• At the meeting, the Council reduced rates of more than 200
the Chairman of NAPA. The Ministry also appointed other
items including goods and services.
Technical Members.
• This has made tremendous price reduction effect and the
consumers will be benefited only if the traders are making
quick reduction of the prices of respective items. CHANGES IN GST
• There is a concern that traders are reluctant to make price cut
so that they can make profit. GST Council reduces tax rates on some items; increases
eligibility under composition scheme.
GST on profiteering:
• The GST Act itself contains provision for anti-profiteering Key recommendations of the Council include:
measures.
• Reduction in GST rates:
• The Act recommend for the setting up of an institutional w The Council recommended reducing the number of
mechanism to ensure that the full benefits of price reductant items under the 28% tax rate from 224 to 50. Some of the
factors (i) the input tax credits and (ii) reduced GST rates on items on which tax rates were reduced include furniture,
supply of goods or services, made from time to time will be detergents, fans, marble and granite, and bulldozers.
passed on to the consumers. w Tax rates were also reduced on certain items falling under
• Besides the NAPA, the GST law also proposes for other other tax brackets (18%, 12%, and 5%). These items
institutional arrangements: a Standing Committee, Screening include refined sugar, puffed rice, and idli and dosa
Committees in every State and the Directorate General of batter.
Safeguards in the Central Board of Excise & Customs (CBEC). • Eligibility under the composition scheme:
All these bodies will work together on the anti-profiteering w The central and state GST laws allow certain taxpayers
front. with annual turnover less than one crore rupees to pay
GST on turnover, instead of the value of supply of goods
National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAPA):
and services.
• Objective: To ensure that any reduction in GST rates is
w The Council recommended increasing this limit to two
passed on to the consumers by a commensurate reduction in
crore rupees. This change will be implemented after the
the price of goods and services.
central and state GST laws are amended.
2
International Issues Current Affairs MADE EASY 71
January, 2018
Chapter INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

BIMSTEC COASTAL SHIPPING YAMAL LNG PROJECT
BIMSTEC member states discussed draft text of coastal Yamal LNG project began gas exports when the first cargo of
shipping agreement. liquefied natural gas (LNG) left from Sabetta.
About: Location:
• Recently, member States of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative • Yamal LNG project is located on Russia’s Yamal Peninsula.
for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) • It is located above the polar circle in the estuary of the Ob
discussed the draft text of BIMSTEC Coastal Shipping Agreement River, a wild, remote region that is frozen for seven-to-nine
drafted by the Ministry of Shipping, Government of India. months a year.
• Objective of agreement: To facilitate coastal shipping in the
region, thereby giving a boost to trade between the member
countries.
• Significance:
w Coastal ship movements require smaller vessels and
lesser draft, and therefore, involve lower costs.
w Once the agreement is ratified by the member countries and
becomes operational, a lot of cargo movement between the
member countries can be done through the cost effective,
environment friendly and faster coastal shipping route.
• Background: The meeting of the Working Group is a follow up of
the BIMSTEC leaders’ call at the Retreat hosted by PM Modi in
Goa in October 2016, to enhance connectivity in the region.
Partners:
• The project is operated by Yamal LNG company, which is
owned by
w Russian independent gas producer Novatek (50.1%)
w French company Total (20%)
w China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) (20%)
w Silk Road Fund (9.9%)
Overview of project:
• Objective: To tap natural gas reserves totaling more than 4
billion barrels of oil equivalent.
• Strategy to achieve the objective:
w To do so, more than 200 wells have been drilled and three
liquefaction trains built, each with a capacity of 5.5 million
metric tons.
w Every year, nearly 16.5 million metric tons of LNG will
transit through the port of Sabetta, with all LNG production
sold to customers in Europe and Asia under 15- to 20-year
BIMSTEC: contracts.
• BIMSTEC is an international organization involving a group of
Significance:
countries in South Asia and South East Asia.
• Russia, the world’s biggest gas exporter, has for decades
• Formed in: 1997.
relied on pipeline supplies of the fuel to Europe as a major
• Membership: Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, source of income.
Myanmar and Thailand.
72
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
• It now aims to build LNG plants from the Baltic region to

its Pacific coast to take on the biggest current and future EBRD: SUMMARY FACTS
producers of the super-chilled fuel delivered by tanker, Key facts:
including Qatar, Australia and the U.S. • Founded in: 1991.
• The Yamal region potentially contains more gas than the • Location: London.
Persian Gulf. • President: Suma Chakrabarti.
• The project is expected to meet 80% of China’s LNG demand.
Objective:
• The EBRD was founded in 1991 during the dissolution
of the Soviet Union by representatives of 40 nations
EUROPEAN BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION & from 3 continents and two European institutions, the
DEVELOPMENT (EBRD) European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European
Economic Community (EEC, now European Union –
Union Cabinet has approved India's Membership for EBRD. EU).
Necessary steps will be initiated by Ministry of Finance to • It was founded to support countries of the former Eastern
acquire the membership of the EBRD. Bloc in the process of establishing their private sectors.
• It works with publicly owned companies to support their
Background: privatization.
• With the country's economic growth and enhanced Members:

international political profile, it was considered appropriate
• Initially focused on the countries of the former Eastern
that India should expand its association beyond the Multi-
Bloc it expanded to support development in more
lateral Development Banks (MDBs) such as the World
than 30 countries from central Europe to central Asia.
Bank, Asian Development Bank and African Development
Besides.
Bank.
• Europe, member countries of the EBRD are from five
• The decision to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
continents (North America, Africa, Asia and Australia),
(AIIB) and the New Development Bank (NDB) was taken
with the biggest shareholder being the United States, so
earlier in this backdrop.
the name is somewhat of a misnomer.
• Now government of India is focussing on EBRD.
Potential Impact of membership:

• Development of private sector: EBRD's core operations
pertain to private sector development in their countries of
operation. The membership would help India leverage the
technical assistance and sectoral knowledge of the bank for
the benefit of development of private sector.
• Access to international market: The membership of EBRD

would enhance the competitive strength of the Indian firms,
and provide an enhanced access to international markets
in terms of business opportunities, procurement activities,
consultancy assignments etc.
Suma Chakrabarti:
• Investment: This would contribute to an improved investment
• He is a British national of
climate in the country.
Indian origin.
• Employment: Increased economic activities would have the
• He was elected as the President of
employment generating potential. It would also enable Indian
the EBRD in 2012 for a period of four
nationals to get the employment opportunity in the Bank. years.
• Status: Membership of EBRD would enhance India's • He was elected for a second four-
international profile year term in 2016.
January, 2018
CHINA, DJIBOUTI FORGE ‘STRATEGIC’ TIES Increasing Chinese presence:

• Djibouti is the first ever foreign military base for China. Under
During the visit of Djibouti’s leader Omar Ismail Guelleh to an accord signed in 2016, China can host up to 10,000
China, the two countries agreed to elevate their nations’ soldiers on Djibouti until 2026.
diplomatic relations by forming a “strategic partnership”. • In September 2017, Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops
conducting their first live-fire military drills overseas on their
Significance of Djibouti: base in Djibouti.
• The four different states constituting the Horn of Africa— • China is developing a 750 km-long rail link between
Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti — along with Yemen landlocked Ethiopia and Djibouti.
across the Red Sea have long been described as one of the
world’s pivotal regions.
DRC-NITI AAYOG DIALOGUE
• While Djibouti’s population is less than a million and its land is
largely barren, Djibouti’s location has made it a very attractive
The 3rd edition of the Dialogue between the NITI Aayog and
piece of geopolitical real estate.
the Development Research Council of China, the DRC- NITI
• Economic: Lying on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the tiny African Aayog Dialogue was held in Beijing.
nation of Djibouti serves as a gateway to the Suez Canal, one
of the world's busiest shipping routes. • Origin: The dialogue took place under the MOU between NITI
• Strategic: Djibouti's proximity to restive areas in Africa and Aayog and the Development Research Centre (DRC), State
the Middle East and its relative stability have made it a prized Council of the China. The MoU was signed during the visit of
location for foreign military bases and ensured a steady flow PM Modi to China 2015.
of foreign assistance. • Objective: It provides an important platform for both sides
• Political stability: IsmaIl Omar Guelleh, the current President to discuss key macro- economic issues impacting both
of Djibouti, is in office since 1999 has provided stability to countries and areas of mutual interest.
the region. His “all are welcome” approach has drawn many • The 4th NITI Aayog - DRC Dialogue will be convened in India
powers to set up military bases in Djibouti. in 2018.
HAFIZ SAEED RELEASED
Recently, Militant Leader Hafiz Saeed was released by Pakistani Court
About:
• A Pakistani court has ordered the full release of Hafiz
Muhammad Saeed, the founder of the Islamist militant group
that carried out the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks, 10 months
after the government placed him under house arrest, his
lawyer said.
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• Mr. Saeed had long been one of the most-wanted militant HWASONG-15
leaders in the region, but he had been living in the open in
Pakistan for years despite a $10 million American bounty on On 28 November 2017, North Korea launched Hwasong-15.
him.
Public image: About:

• But to many Pakistanis, Mr. Saeed is a hero: the architect • The Hwasong-15 is an intercontinental ballistic missile
of a long militant campaign to fight India in Kashmir, and a developed by North Korea.
prominent voice for fundamentalist Islam. • It had its maiden flight on 28 November 2017.
• Some love how he has mocked efforts by the United States
Range:
to capture him, and he drew large crowds as he continued to
• Based on its trajectory and distance, the missile would have
lead public gatherings, especially in his home city, Lahore.
a range of more than 13,000 km.
• The Pakistani government long ago formally banned Lashkar-
• Thus it is the first ballistic missile developed by North Korea
e-Taiba, which was widely listed as a terrorist group.
that is theoretically capable of reaching all of the United
• But Pakistan had made few public advances against Mr. States mainland (including Washington D.C.).
Saeed even after he founded a charity, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, • In addition, the range covers several of the United States’s
that is openly considered a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba and that international allies such as the United Kingdom and France,
recently began moving into political campaigning. as well as all of Earth's continents, except South America and
most of Antarctica.
Comment:
• The move will free Mr. Saeed to participate more directly Mission accomplished:
in Pakistan’s politics. it presents another example of how the • After the launch, Kim Jong-un, the country’s supreme leader,
most extremist voices in the country seem to be moving more claimed that the country had “finally realized the great historic
into the mainstream. cause of completing the state nuclear force.”
• India, in particular, has criticized Pakistan for not bringing • Hwasong-15 is the ‘greatest ICBM’ that could be armed with
him to justice after the militant group he founded, Lashkar-e- a ‘super-large heavy nuclear warhead’ capable of striking the
Taiba, killed 166 people in the Mumbai attacks. ‘whole mainland’ of the U.S.A.
• In India, the response to the Pakistani court ruling was
outrage. Geo-strategic implications:
• Many media organization ran a banner headline on its news • By this, North Korea indeed may have achieved a feat that
channel saying that “jihad over justice” had prevailed. only the P-5 nuclear club (and not even India and Pakistan)
• Every time that the international pressure on Pakistan mounts have attained.
to a certain degree, they have a reflex action of putting Hafiz • Strategically, North Korea’s breaking into the nuclear high
Saeed and his cohorts behind the bars. table is a potential game changer in global geo-politics, par-
ticularly if it shares its ICBM technology with Pakistan, a fail-
ing state with a growing anti-American sentiment.
• It was Pakistan, with China as a go-between, which helped
PM MODI VISIT TO PHILIPPINES North Korea with nuclear enrichment technology in exchange
for missile technology in the 1990s.
• Iran is another po-
tential North Korean
client, and it is not NOTE TO READERS
hard to see other The topic of North
anti-US regimes Korea-US Tension was
making a beeline to
comprehensively dealt in
Pyongyang, an iso-
October 2017 edition of
lated cash-starved
country that has our magazine kindly refer
stewed in anti-US that edition for complete
hatred for more than ANALYSIS on the same .
half a century.
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SAUDI-UAE PARTNERSHIP • Abu Dhabi’s powerful Crown Prince, Mohammad bin Zayed
al-Nayhan, also is believed to have a closer relationship with
UAE and Saudis formed a new partnership separate from GCC. Saudi Arabia’s young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) SAMPRITI 2017

It is a regional intergovernmental political and economic union
consisting of all Arab states of the Persian Gulf, except for Iraq. Indo-Bangladesh Exercise ‘SAMPRITI 2017’ comes to an end.
Members: Its member states are Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia,
• The seventh Indo-Bangladesh joint exercise SAMPRITI was
the UAE, Kuwait and Oman.
held in Mizoram.
Established in: 1981.
• Exercise SAMPRITI is an important bilateral
HQ: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
defence cooperation endeavour between India and
Bangladesh.
• Objective: Strengthening cooperation between the Indian
and Bangladesh Armies while working together in a counter-
insurgency and counter-terrorism environment under the UN
mandate.
G5 SAHEL
Saudi Arabia and UAE have pledged funds for G5 Sahel.
• What is it? It is a five-nation anti-terror force in the Sahel region

of West Africa.
Recent announcement: • French leadership:
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia have w G5 Sahel initiative is led by Former colonial power France.
formed a new military and trade partnership separate from w France is fighting against jihadists in West Africa with its
the GCC. 4,000-strong regional Barkhane force, but is keen for the
• It was announced as representatives of the six countries met countries affected to take on more responsibility.
on the side-lines of the 38th GCC summit in Kuwait City. • Origin: It was created in 2014.
• The Emirati announcement did not say whether any other Gulf • Headquarters: Nouakchott, Mauritania.
Arab countries would be invited to join the new group.
Do You Know?
Background: The Sahel or Sahel Belt
• The development comes amid heightened tensions within the (derived from Arabic word
GCC over the past six months amid a Saudi-led blockade of sahil, shore, border or coast
Qatar. of the Sahara) is a semi-arid
• Since June, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt tropical savanna ecoregion
have enforced a land, sea and air blockade against Qatar, in Africa, which forms the
accusing the tiny Gulf nation of supporting "terrorism". transitional zone between
• Qatar has denied the allegations and accused the the Sahara Desert to the
neighbouring countries of attempting to infringe on its north and the more humid
sovereignty. savanna belt to the south.
• The move could undermine regional bloc amid Qatar crisis The Sahel stretches from the Atlantic Ocean on the west,
eastward through northern Senegal, southern Mauritania, the
Closer UAE-Saudi ties: great bend of the Niger River in Mali, Burkina Faso, southern
• The UAE and Saudi Arabia have cultivated even-closer ties in Niger, northeastern Nigeria, south-central Chad, and through
recent years. the nation of Sudan to the Red Sea coast.
• Emirati troops are deeply involved in the Saudi-led war in
Yemen.
January, 2018
EGYPT TERROR ATTACK IS targeting Sufis:

• ISIS follows a fundamentalist, highly intolerant interpretation
In one of the deadliest attacks in Egypt’s modern history, of Islam known as Wahhabism.
militants targeted a mosque. The attack left 305 people dead • Wahhabism grew out of the teachings of an 18th-century
and 128 injured in a town of only 800. reformer named Ibn Abd al-Wahhab, who argued for
‘purifying’ Islam by getting rid of the ‘innovations’ that had
come up in Islam as it spread to new lands and mixed with
indigenous beliefs and practices.
• But groups like ISIS have taken some of the ideas of
Wahhabism to new extremes. They consider Sufis as a threat
because they think Sufis are polytheists as they venerate
mystics and erect shrines to saints.
• They believe Sufi shrines are the most egregious expression
of polytheism.
• In the fifth issue of Rumiyah, an ISIS publication, a leader for
ISIS in Sinai said he wanted his group to “wage war” against
Sufis and others because of their “sorcery, soothsaying, and
Who are behind the attack? grave-worship.”
• No group has claimed responsibility, but the assailants were • Other Islamic militants — not just ISIS — destroy Sufi shrines
reportedly carrying ISIS flags. and sites around the world, including in Libya, Mali, and Iran.
• In response, the Egyptian military targeted militants fleeing
the town with airstrikes.
EMMERSON MNANGAGWA: THE CROCODILE
Who were targeted?
Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in as the third president of
• The attack was also striking because the victims were
Zimbabwe on November 24, 2017.
primarily Sufi Muslims.
• ISIS’s affiliate in Sinai — which some experts believe carried out
the strike — has targeted Sufis several times over the past year. About:
Other ISIS militants have also murdered Sufis around the world. • Emmerson Mnangagwa is a Zimbabwean
• Experts say ISIS considers Sufism — a mystical form of Islam politician serving as the third and cur-
— a “threat” to what it preaches. According to an analyst rent President of Zimbabwe.
“When you are claiming to be the one true religious authority as • He is nicknamed "Garwe" or "Ngwena",
ISIS does, other people that practice your religion differently which mean "the crocodile" in the Shona
are more of a threat than people from other religions”. language, initially because that was the
name of the guerrilla group he founded,
What is Sufism? but later because of his political shrewdness.
• Describing Sufism, which has been a form of Islam since
around the time the religion was founded in the seventh Rise to Presidency:
century, is a hard task. • A long-time ally of his predecessor Robert Mugabe and a
• What it is not? Sufism isn’t a sect, and it’s not even a subgroup senior member of the ruling ZANU–PF party, he served as
within Sunnism. First Vice President of Zimbabwe from 2014.
• What is it? • After being dismissed from his position by Mugabe in

w Sufism is “a spiritual tendency within Islam that prioritizes November 2017 for allegedly plotting against the government,
the inward aspects of religion and one’s personal he fled to neigbouring South Africa for two weeks.
relationship with God.” • General Constantino Chiwenga, his ally and chief of the
w Sufis also celebrate mystics, or spiritual guides. Zimbabwe Defence Forces, launched a coup d'état to
w They believe these mystics help them have a relationship end Mugabe's purges of senior ZANU-PF officials, which
with God, which is part of the reason they honor them in ultimately resulted in Mnangagwa returning and assuming
death. Devotees may leave gifts, like rose petals, on their the presidency.
graves.
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Chapter INTERNAL SECURITY

PRESIDENT’S BODYGUARD About ICMM:
• It is an international inter-governmental organisation.
President Ram Nath Kovind presented a silver trumpet and • Created in: 1921
trumpet banner to the President’s Bodyguard at a special • Secretariat: Brussels in Belgium
function.
• Member nations: 112
• Objective: Its main objective is to encourage the exchange of
technological and scientific experiences in the field of military
medicine.
• Organizers: It was organised by the Armed Forces Medical
Services (AFMS) under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence
(MoD).
• Theme of the 42nd World Congress: “Military Medicine in
Transition: Looking Ahead”.
w The theme portrays both the dynamic and evolving nature of
medical science per se and the ever changing and volatile
environment of the practice of military medicine in particular.
• The five-day event was organised for the first time in India,
and is the largest medical conference ever organised by the
AFMS.
About: • At the event, Azerbaijan was elected as a full-fledged member
• The President’s Bodyguard is the oldest regiment in the of ICMM.
Indian Army, having been raised as the Governor-General’s
Bodyguard (later the Viceroy’s Bodyguard) in 1773.
INS SARVEKSHAK
• On January 27, 1950, the regiment was renamed the
President’s Bodyguard. INS Sarvekshak arrived at Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania on 15 Nov
• As the President of India’s own Guard, it has the unique 2017 for undertaking joint Hydrographic Survey along with
distinction of being the only military unit of the Indian Army the Tanzanian Navy.
that is privileged to carry the President’s Silver Trumpet and
Trumpet Banner. About:
• This distinction was conferred on the President’s Bodyguard • What is it? It is a hydrographic survey ship in the Indian Navy,
in 1923 by the then Viceroy, Lord Reading, on the occasion under the Southern Naval Command.
of the Bodyguard completing 150 years of service. Each • Task: The primary task of INS Sarvekshak includes Hydro-
succeeding Viceroy, thereafter, presented the Silver Trumpet graphic Surveys, Nautical Chart preparation & Cartography
and Trumpet Banner to the Bodyguard. & Training.
• The President’s Bodyguard are personal troops of the President • Builder: Goa Shipyard Limited
and hence form an integral part of all state functions. They • Class: The ship is second ship of the Darshak class of ships.
perform operational duties. The regiment has seen action in
• Commissioning: it was commissioned into the Naval service at
various roles and battlefields ever since it was raised.
Kochi naval base in 2002.
• Solar Power: In
INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF MILITARY February 2017,
MEDICINE (ICMM) Sarvekshak be-
came the 1st ship
The 42nd World Congress of the ICMM was recently held from of Indian Navy
November 19-24, 2017 in New Delhi, India. ever to deploy so-
lar power.
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IS WAS? • Iraq is a divided country today. The resource-rich south,

which is mostly Shia, supports the government and is
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has declared victory over relatively peaceful.
the Islamic State. • In the war-stricken north and west, there is no doubting that
people feel alienated from the Shia-dominated government in
Baghdad.
• The Kurdish Autonomous Region has already held a
referendum, against the wishes of Baghdad, in which a
majority of voters supported independence.
• If the government fails to tackle these divisions and lets parts
of the country drift into anarchy again, groups like the IS will
find it an easy breeding ground and regain a footing.
IS still exists:
• It would be blind to deny that the group doesn’t exist
anymore. It is not known, for instance, what happened to
its self-declared Caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
• In Syria it still controls territory, even if it is under growing
pressure of Russian-American bombing and Kurdish
attacks.
Coordinated approach under Haider al-Abadi’s
leadership: Lessons from past:
• In 2006-07, al-Qaeda in Iraq had faced similar military
• At the peak of its influence, the IS controlled almost a third
setbacks. But when Iraq’s sectarian rivalry took a turn for
of Iraq, including Mosul, its second largest city.
the worse and civil war broke out in Syria, it regrouped and
• Mr. Abadi, who took over as Prime Minister in September
reinvented itself as the IS.
2014 when the country was in the middle of the civil war,
• Mr. Abadi has to see that this doesn’t repeat itself. In order
adopted a cautious, gradualist approach with direct help
to do so, he must, besides keeping the military on alert,
from the United States and Iran to take on the IS.
reach out to the country’s disaffected Sunnis and Kurds.
• Iraqi troops first stopped the IS’s southward expansion Only a united Iraq can hold off the resurrection of the
in the suburbs of Baghdad and then started offensive extremists.
operations in the group’s small pockets of influence.
• After capturing cities such as Ramadi and Fallujah, Iraqi
troops moved to Mosul, the jewel in the IS crown. Iran-
JOINT TRAINING DOCTRINE INDIAN ARMED
trained Shia militias and Kurdish Peshmerga troops joined FORCES – 2017
the ground battle, as the U.S. provided air cover.
‘Joint Training Doctrine Indian Armed Forces – 2017’ was
• When Mosul was liberated in July after nine months of
released.
fighting, it was arguable whether a final victory over the IS
was just a matter of time.
About:
• Mr. Abadi claims Iraqi soldiers have established control
over the vast Iraq-Syria border after ousting IS fighters • It was released by Admiral Sunil Lanba, Navy Chief and
Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, in the presence of other
from small border towns where they had retreated after
two Service Chiefs.
losing urban areas.
• Objective: To promote ‘Integration’ amongst the three Services
Concerns: A divided nation leading to optimum utilisation of resources.
• This is a moment of both relief and accomplishment, but it • How it works: The doctrine brings out our approach to joint
may be far too simplistic to conclude that Iraq is totally rid of training at macro-level, fundamentals, objectives, joint
the IS threat. structures, planning and organisation.
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INS KALVARI Other Scorpene submarines:

• The second of the Scorpenes under construction, Khanderi,
On December 14, 2017, INS Submarine Kalvari was inducted
was launched in January 2017 and it is currently undergoing
into Indian Navy by PM Modi.
rigorous phase of sea trials.
Kalvari is the first of the six indigenously-built Scorpene
submarines. In fact, it is the first submarine that India got in • The third Scorpene, Karanj, is being readied for launch later
17 years; the last being INS Sindhushastra in 2000. this year.
• The remaining submarines are likely to be delivered to the
navy by 2020.
Nomenclature:
• Kalvari is named after the dreaded Tiger Shark, a deadly
deep sea predator of the Indian Ocean.
• Kalvari was also the name of the first Indian submarine to
be commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1967. The previous
Kalvari served for nearly three decades, before being
decommissioned in 1996.
Tiger Shark
The tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) is a species of
requiem shark and the only extant member of the genus
Galeocerdo.
It is commonly known as the "Sea Tiger".
Its name derives from the dark stripes down its body, which
resemble a tiger's pattern but fade as the shark matures.
Populations are found in many tropical and temperate
waters, especially around central Pacific islands.
Project 75:
• Kalvari was built indigenously under a venture called Project
75, at Mumbai’s Mazagon Docks.
• Under this project, the Indian Navy was authorised to build
six submarines in collaboration with French firm DCNS at a
cost of around Rs 350 crore.
• Construction of the first submarine had started in 2009 and
the project ended way behind schedule.
Internal Security Current Affairs MADE EASY 81
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UBER HACK: THE LATEST DATA HEIST TO HIT MILLIONS
Uber recently revealed that data of 57 million customers was stolen by hackers in 2016. But what was more trouble-some was its
admission that it tried to cover up the data theft by paying hackers to delete the data. The firm now faces a multi-million dollar
lawsuit for withholding news of the breach.
Below we present a brief overview of the major data breaches, the millions affected, and the costs entailed.
4
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Chapter POLITY & GOVERNANCE
NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION (NCR) of the participating States of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar
Pradesh.
UP's Shamli Is 23rd District To Be Part Of NCR. This was decided • Under this NCR and the associated National Capital Region
in the 37th Meeting of the National Capital Region Planning Planning Board (NCRPB) were created in 1985 to plan the
Board (NCRPB). development of the region and to evolve harmonized policies
for the control of land-uses and development of infrastructure
in the region.
NCR Constituent Areas:

• The NCR as notified covers the whole of NCT-Delhi as its
core and certain districts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and
Rajasthan.
• The sub-region wise area details are as under (As on
December 2017):
Sub-Region Name of Number of

the Districts Districts
Haryana Faridabad, Gurgaon, 13
Mewat, Rohtak, Sonepat,
Rewari, Jhajjhar, Panipat,
Palwal, Bhiwani (including
Charkhi Dadri), Mahendra-
garh, Jind and Karnal
Uttar Meerut, Ghaziabad, Gau- 8
Pradesh tam Budh Nagar, Buland-
shahr, Baghpat, Hapur,
Evolution of Concept of National Capital Region: Muzaffarnagar and Shamli.
• High population growth: Delhi has been experiencing Rajasthan Alwar and Bharatpur 2
phenomenal growth of population since 1951 recording
Delhi Whole of NCT Delhi. —
decennial growth rate of 52.44%, 52.91%, 52.98%, 51.45%
and 47.03% during 1951-61, 1961-71, 1971-81 and 1991-01 23
decades respectively.
• Reason: One of the main causes for this is migration into the Central National Capital Region:
city not only from the adjacent states but also from others • The 2001 regional plan defined the "Delhi Metropolitan Area"
such as Bihar. (DMA) as including Ghaziabad, Noida, Faridabad, Gurgaon,
• Consequence: This has contributed to increasing congestion Bahadurgarh and Kondli.
and shortages of civic amenities. • The 2021 plan renamed the area as the "Central National
• It was with this concern that the need for planning Delhi in the Capital Region" (CNCR), covering about 2,000 km2 in addition
regional context was felt. to the 1,483 km2 of NCT Delhi.
1985 act: Counter Magnet Areas:

• Thus in 1985, the National Capital Region Planning Board Act • The NCR Planning Board Act, 1985, under Section 8 (f),
was enacted by the Union Parliament, with the concurrence empowers the Board to select any area outside the NCR
Polity & Governance Current Affairs MADE EASY 83
January, 2018
having regard to its location, population and potential for • Topics covered by it included transport, telecommunications,
growth as a ‘Counter Magnet Area’ in consultation with the power and water supply, waste and sewerage, education,
State Government concerned with a view to achieving the health, the environment, housing and the "counter magnet"
objectives of the Regional Plan. areas.
• At present (as on March 2017) the following nine counter
magnet areas to NCR have been identified:
PRABHARI OFFICERS
w Hissar and Ambala in
Haryana
Cabinet Secretary and CEO of the NITI Aayog jointly chaired
w Bareilly and Kanpur
the first meeting of Prabhari Officers.
in Uttar Pradesh
w Kota and Jaipur in
Rajasthan About:
w Patiala in Punjab • In keeping with the PM Modi’s vision of a New India by 2022,
w Gwalior in Madhya Government has embarked upon a major policy initiative for
Pradesh the rapid transformation of 115 backward districts across the
w Dehradun in country.
Uttrakhand • In this background, senior Government officials in the rank
of the rank of Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary have
Regional planning: been designated as Prabhari Officers.
• The planning body for the region is the National Capital
• Their task is to coordinate the efforts of the Centre and the
Region Planning Board (NCRPB).
states in addressing the specific developmental needs of the
• It has issued the "Regional Plan 2021, National Capital Region" districts.
approved in 2005.
CONSUMER FRAUDS ON THE RISE

India remains the only country in the top four of the Asia-Pacific region with high fraud incidents, indicating to a possible gap
between perception (the lack of awareness and understanding about online frauds) and truth (the actual occurrences of fraud
itself), says a study by Experian, a global information services company.
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SECTION 126 (1) OF THE RPA, 1951 and the transport and conveyance of voters to and from
polling station.”
Both BJP and Congress have accused each other of violating the • “All political parties and candidates shall – not allow
Model Code of Conduct and Section 126 of the Representation unnecessary crowd to be collected near the camps set up by
of the People Act, 1951. the political parties and candidates near the polling booths
so as to avoid Confrontation and tension among workers and
It is alleged that Rahul Gandhi (for giving Interview Ahead of sympathizers of the parties and the candidate.”
Polls) and PM Modi (for doing Roadshow After Casting Vote) have Concluding remark:
violated election norms during the Gujarat assembly elections. • ECI should ensure that not only it is impartial, but is also seen
to be impartial.
Violation by Rahul Gandhi?
• Fair elections are the cornerstone of a democracy and all
On December 13, 2017 the Election Commission of India issued
violators should be brought to justice by the law. The phrase
a show cause notice to Congress President Rahul Gandhi for
“all violators” holds utmost significance here.
violating The Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951.
• Thus the guardian of free and fair elections in the country should
According to ECI, Rahul Gandhi gave an interview to a Gujarati
hold responsible all parties, for violating elections norms.
channel a day before the second phase of the Gujarat polls (i.e.
during the 48-hour period before polling), in which he talked
about Gujarat election. This is in violation of section 126(1)(b) MINISTERS NOT UNDER RTI
of RPA, 1951.
Show-cause notice means an order seeking for explanation on an Delhi High Court has ruled that Ministers are not under RTI.
incident, misconduct, etc. and giving reasons why action should
not be taken against the party. About:
Section 126 (1) of the RPA, 1951 • 2014: A Maharashtra resident moved an application before
Additional Private Secretary, Ministry of Law and Justice, to
According to Section 126 (1) of the RPA, 1951 no person shall:
know how to get an appointment with the Union Law Minister.
(a) convene, hold, attend, join or address any public meeting or
As the information sought was not received, the matter
procession in connection with an election; or
reached the CIC.
(b) display to the public any election matter by means of
• 2016: Central Information Commission (CIC) declared
cinematograph, television or other similar apparatus; or
Ministers as “public authorities” under Section 2(h) of the Act
(c) propagate any election matter to the public by holding, or by and thus answerable under the Right to Information law.
arranging the holding of, any musical concert or any theatrical
• 2017: Delhi high court overturned the CIC verdict arguing that
performance or any other entertainment or amusement with a
“direction issued by CIC are outside its scope”.
view to attracting the members of the public thereto, in any
polling area during the period of forty-eight hours ending with
the hour fixed for the conclusion of the poll for any election in JUDICIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
that polling area.
The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of the
Violation by PM Modi? centrally sponsored scheme for development of infrastructure
In retaliation, the Congress accused BJP of using EC “as a tool
facilities for the judiciary.
for its political gains” and criticized them for “double standards”.
They argued that after casting his vote, PM Modi did a roadshow
in Ahmedabad, with people cheering him as he passes showing About:
off his inked finger. • Period of implementation: The scheme will be implemented
This is alleged to be in violation of Election Commission’s Model beyond the 12th Five Year plan (i.e., 2012 to 2017) till March
Code of Conduct which says: 31, 2020 at a cost of Rs 3,320 crore.
• “All parties and candidates shall avoid scrupulously all • Objective: Under the scheme, court halls and residential
activities which are “corrupt practices” and offences under the accommodation will be constructed for judicial officers of the
election law, such as bribing of voters, intimidation of voters, district and subordinate courts.
impersonation of voters, canvassing within 100 meters of • Funding: Funds for the scheme will be shared in 60:40 ratio
polling stations, holding public meetings during the period of between central and state government. The ratio for north-
48 hours ending with the hour fixed for the close of the poll, eastern and Himalayan states will be 90:10.
5
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Chapter SOCIAL ISSUES

• They would be entrusted with:
w conducting undergraduate and postgraduate education,
w assessment and accreditation of medical institutions and
w registration of practitioners.
NATIONAL MEDICAL COMMISSION BILL, 2017
Other features of the bill:
Union Cabinet has approved the National Medical Commission • To get practicing licences all medical graduates will have to
Bill, 2017. clear a common entrance exam and licentiate exam.
• No permission would be required to add new seats or to start
postgraduate courses.
Objective of the bill:
• The deterrence for non-compliance with maintenance of
• To bring reforms in the medical education sector which has
standards is in terms of monetary penalty.
been under scrutiny for corruption and unethical practices.
Background:
• In 2016, a parliamentary standing committee on health and
family welfare tabled a report which exposed the scam-
infested Medical Council of India, the country’s sole medical
regulatory body.
• The report alleged, the MCI had become a “club” of influential
doctors who perform their roles as regulators (approving the
setting up of medical colleges and monitoring conduct of
doctors) with little care for the basic norms of governance or
fear of regulation.
• According to report, corruption and bribery thrived in
approvals for setting up these medical institutions, and
further down the line even in the inspection process.
End of MCI:
• The bill would replace the existing apex medical education NATIONAL NUTRITION MISSION
regulator Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body
named National Medical Commission. The Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of National
Nutrition Mission (NNM).
• Structure of commission:
w The commission will have government nominated
chairman and members. Background:
w A search committee under the Cabinet Secretary will • There are a number of schemes directly/indirectly affecting
select the board members. the nutritional status of children (0-6 years age) and pregnant
w There will five elected and 12 ex-officio members in the women and lactating mothers.
commission. • Inspite of these, level of malnutrition and related problems in
the country is high.
Autonomous boards:
• This is because of not of shortage of schemes but lack of
According to a senior government functionary, the draft bill
creating synergy and linking the schemes with each other to
provides for the constitution of
achieve common goal.
• Four autonomous boards would be constituted under the
• NNM through robust convergence mechanism and other
National Medical Commission.
components would strive to create the synergy.
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January, 2018
Features: Impact:
• The NNM, as an apex body, will monitor, supervise, fix • The programme through the targets will strive to reduce
targets and guide the nutrition related interventions across the level of stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and low birth
the Ministries. weight babies.
• The proposal consists of • It will create synergy, ensure better monitoring, issue alerts
w Mapping of various Schemes contributing towards for timely action, and encourage States/UTs to perform, guide
addressing malnutrition. and supervise the line Ministries and States/UTs to achieve
the targeted goals.
w Introducing a very robust convergence mechanism.
• More than 10 crore people will be benefitted by this
w ICT based Real Time Monitoring system.
programme.
w Incentivizing States/UTs for meeting the targets.
w Incentivizing Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) for using IT
based tools. SUB-SCHEMES UNDER ICDS
w Eliminating registers used by AWWs.
w Introducing measurement of height of children at the Cabinet approved Continuation of sub-schemes under
Anganwadi Centres (AWCs). Umbrella Scheme “Integrated Child Development Services
w Social Audits. (ICDS)” for the period till November, 2018
w Setting-up Nutrition Resource Centres, involving masses
through Jan Andolan for their participation on nutrition The Cabinet has also approved phasing out of the on–going
through various activities, among others. Kishori Shakti Yojana for out of school girls in the age group of
11-14 years.
Financial Outlay:
• it has been approved with a three-year budget of Rs. 9,000 Background:
crore commencing from 2017-18. The ongoing schemes have been rationalized by the Government
in financial year 2016-17 and have been brought under Umbrella
• This will be funded by Government Budgetary Support (50%)
ICDS as its sub-schemes.
and 50% by IBRD or other MDB.
• Government budgetary support would be 60:40 between The approved Sub-Schemes include:
Centre and States/UTs, 90:10 for NER and Himalayan States
and 100% for UTs without legislature. Sub-Scheme Objective
• Total Government of India share over a period of three years Anganwadi Holistic development of children under the
would be Rs. 2849.54 crore. Services age of six years. its beneficiaries are chil-
(ICDS) dren of this age group and Pregnant Women
Coverage: & Lactating Mothers.
• All the States and districts will be covered in a phased Scheme for Empower Adolescent Girls through im-
manner i.e. 315 districts in 2017-18, 235 districts in 2018-19 Adolescent proved health status, mainstreaming out of
and remaining districts in 2019-20. Girls school AGs into formal/non formal education
and providing information/guidance about
Implementation strategy and targets:
existing public services.
• Implementation strategy would be based on intense
monitoring and Convergence Action Plan right upto the Child Protec- Provide safe and secure environment for
grass root level. NNM will be rolled out in three phases tion Services children in conflict with law and children in
from 2017-18 to 2019-20. need of care and protection, reduce vulner-
abilities through a wide range of social
• NNM targets to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, Anaemia
protection measures.
(among young children, women and adolescent girls)
and reduce low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per National Cre- Providing a safe place for mothers to leave
annum respectively. che Scheme their children while they are at work, and
• Although the target to reduce Stunting is atleast 2% p.a., thus, is a measure for empowering women
Mission would strive to achieve reduction in Stunting as it enables them to take up employment.
from 38.4% (NFHS-4) to 25% by 2022 (Mission 25 by At the same time, it is also an intervention to-
2022). wards protection and development of children
in the age group of 6 months to 6 years.
January, 2018
CENTRE TO GIVE RS. 500 TO TB PATIENTS w 50% of adult men weigh below 43 kg.
w 50% of adult women weigh below 38 kg.
EVERY MONTH
Tuberculosis:
About 35 lakh identified Tuberculosis patients across the
• Cause: Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by bacteria
country will get Rs. 500 every month from the Centre as social
(Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs.
support.
Tobacco use greatly increases the risk of TB disease and
death. More than 20% of TB cases worldwide are attributable
to smoking.
• Transmission: TB is spread from person to person through the
air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they
propel the TB germs into the air. A person needs to inhale
only a few of these germs to become infected.
• Symptoms: Common symptoms of active lung TB are cough
with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness,
weight loss, fever and night sweats.
• Who is most at risk?
w Age Group: Tuberculosis mostly affects adults in their
most productive years. However, all age groups are at
risk.
w Regions: Over 95% of cases and deaths are in developing
countries. Six countries account for 60% of the total, with
India leading the count, followed by Indonesia, China,
Nigeria, Pakistan and South Africa.
TRACHOMA
Union Health ministry released the National Trachoma Survey

Report (2014-17).
Guidance document: Trachoma: Trachoma is a chronic infective disease of the eye.

• The guidance document, based on which this decision • Reason:
was taken, was prepared by a team of experts in TB and
w It is caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia
nutrition.
trachomatis.
• It pointed out that under-nutrition is an established risk w Infection spreads through personal contact (via hands,
factor for progression of latent TB infection to active TB. clothes or bedding) and by flies that have been in contact
• What the guidance document has? with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected
w Guidelines on nutritional assessment, counselling and person.
support. w With repeated episodes of infection over many years, the
w A simplified field chart for doctors and health workers to eyelashes may be drawn in so that they rub on the surface
make patient-specific assessment of required nutrition.
of the eye, with pain and discomfort and permanent
w Recommendation that patients should also be screened
damage to the cornea.
for anaemia.
• Consequence:
w Recommends extra care for management of severely
w It is the leading cause of infective blindness globally.
undernourished patients.
w Severely undernourished patients should be w Blindness from trachoma is irreversible.
hospitalised. • ‘SAFE’ strategy: The elimination strategy is encapsulated by
• Why is nutrition important? the acronym "SAFE":
w Weights in TB patients are among the lowest in the world Surgery for advanced disease.
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An initiative of
January, 2018
Antibiotics to clear C. trachomatis infection. w India met the goal of trachoma elimination as specified by
Facial cleanliness. the WHO under its GET 2020 program.
Environmental improvement to reduce transmission.
• WHO resolution: The World Health Assembly adopted
NATIONAL AYUSH MISSION (NAM)
resolution WHA51.11 in 1998, targeting the global elimination
of trachoma as a public health problem. Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of National
• Indian scenario: Trachoma infection of the eyes was the most Ayush Mission (NAM) for a three-year period (from 01.04.2017
important cause of blindness in India in 1950s and over 50% to 31.03.2020) with an outlay of Rs. 2400 crore.
population was affected in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, and
Uttar Pradesh. It was the most important cause of corneal
About:
blindness in India, affecting young children.
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme which was launched in
• Global scenario: It is known to be a public health problem in
September, 2014.
41 countries, and is responsible for the blindness or visual
impairment of about 1.9 million people. In 2016, 190.2 million • It is being implemented by Ministry of AYUSH.
people lived in trachoma endemic areas and were at risk of
Objective:
trachoma blindness.
It’s primary objective is to provide cost effective AYUSH
Services, with a universal access which involve, among other
things –
• upgradation of AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries,
• co-location of AYUSH facilities at Primary Health Centers
(PHCs), Community Health Centers (CHCs) and District
Hospitals (DHs),
• strengthening institutional capacity at the State level through
upgrading AYUSH educational institutions, State Govt,
ASU&H Pharmacies,
• Drug Testing Laboratories and ASU & H enforcement
mechanism,
• supporting cultivation of medicinal plants by adopting Good
Agricultural Practices (GAPs) to provide sustained supply of
quality raw-materials
Expected outcomes of the Mission:

1. Better access to AYUSH healthcare services through
increased number of healthcare facilities offering AYUSH
services and better availability of medicines and trained
manpower.
National Trachoma Survey Report (2014-17): Key 2. Improvement in AYUSH education through well-equipped
Findings enhanced number of AYUSH Educational institutions.
• India is now free from ‘infective trachoma’, and termed this as 3. Improved availability of quality AYUSH drugs by
a momentous achievement. increased number of quality pharmacies and Drug
Testing Laboratories coupled with stringent enforcement
• The active trachoma infection has been eliminated among
mechanism.
children in all the survey districts with overall prevalence of
only 0.7%. 4. Increased awareness and acceptance of the Yoga &
Naturopathy as promotive and preventive health-care
• This is much below the elimination criteria of infective
systems.
trachoma as defined by the WHO
w Active trachoma is considered eliminated if the prevalence 5. To meet the increasing domestic demand of herbal raw-
of active infection among children below 10 years is less materials and also to promote export.
than 5%.
January, 2018
INDIA HYPERTENSION MANAGEMENT emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South
Africa.
INITIATIVE (IHMI)
There are 350 universities in the five BRICS countries.
India Hypertension Management Initiative (IHMI) has been In the overall rankings, the top three remained unchanged from
launched. the 2017 list— Tsinghua University, Peking University and Fudan
University, all from China.
About:
• Need of IHMI: Around 200 million adults in India have high
blood pressure, yet control rates for the condition remain low.
• Objective: Reducing disability and death related to
cardiovascular disease (CVD) by
w Improving control of high blood pressure (hypertension).
w Reducing salt consumption.
w Eliminating artificial transfats.
• Components: It is focused on five essential components of
scalable treatment of hypertension.
w Adoption of standardized treatment plans for managing
high blood pressure.
w Regular and uninterrupted supply of quality-assured
medications.
w Patient-centered services that reduce the barriers to
treatment adherence.
w Data on hypertension to be improved through streamlined The rankings brought a mixed bag of news for India.
monitoring systems.
• IIT-Bombay was the best-ranked among Indian universities.
w Lessons learned and practice-based evidence will inform
It broke into the Top 10 list by bagging the ninth position
further interventions to improve cardiovascular care.
(overall).
• Coverage: IHMI will be progressively rolled out in 25 districts
selected by the Health Ministry in the first two years for • Sadly, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, lost the
screening and treatment activities for hypertension. sixth position it had secured in 2016; it now ranks 10. IISc,
• Agencies involved: It is a joint collaboration by Indian Council though, continues to be among the top institutions among
of Medical Research (ICMR), Union Health Ministry, State BRICS nations.
governments and World Health Organization (WHO). • Unchanged from 2016, four Indian universities—IIT-Bombay,
• Link with NPCDCS: IHMI aims to strengthen the cardiovascular IISc-Bangalore, IIT-Delhi at 15 and IIT-Madras at 18—
disease component of the Health continued to feature among the Top 20.
• Ministry’s National Program for Control of Cancer, Diabetes, • The highest ranked private Indian university is BITS Pilani
Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS). at 109, followed by Thapar University at 137 and Symbiosis
International University at 144.
• In total, 65 Indian universities are ranked among the published
top 300. This is more than Brazil’s 61 and South Africa’s 12,
but fewer than Russia’s 68 and China’s 94.
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS)

QS RANKING OF BRICS UNIVERSITIES 2018
• Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) is a British company
IIT-Bombay breaks into Top 10 BRICS list at 9th position. specialising in education and study abroad.
• The company was founded in 1990 by Nunzio Quacquarelli
and Matt Symonds.
About:
• It offers publications and events to broaden the scope of
The latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking of BRICS
study abroad.
universities for 2018 was released. BRICS stands for the
90
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
About:
• Objective: To empower rural women through community
participation to create an environment so that they can
realize their full potential. To increase the care, protection
MISSION FOR PROTECTION AND and development of women across the country.
EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN • Background: During budget speech in 2017, Finance Minister
Arun Jaitley has stated that Mahila Shakti Kendra will be setting
Union Cabinet has approved expansion of umbrella scheme up at Anganwadi centres. Nearly 14 Lac Anganwadi centres are
"Mission for protection and empowerment for women". there in India. Recently the cabinet has given nod to MSK.
• MSK centres:
Union cabinet has approved expansion of the schemes of w The union cabinet ministry has said that around 920
Ministry of Women and Child Development under Umbrella Mahila Shakti Kendra or centres will be established in 115
Scheme "Mission for Protection and Empowerment for Women" districts that are backward. The centres will be setting up
for a period 2017-18 to 2019-20. at block-level.
w On these Kendras, the government will provide some
Key Features: facilities including skill development, employment, digital
• Objective: The main purpose of this scheme is to enhance literacy, health and nutrition for women.
women’s quality of life. Starting from saving and surviving • Ministry in-charge: Ministry of Women and Child Development.
of girl child, their primary as well as secondary education • Volunteers: 3 Lac students will be volunteered in this scheme.
and overall quality of life will be improved through the They all will be from colleges. Along with them NSS and NCC
implementation of this scheme. students will also be associated with this scheme.
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme gets extension: Along • Phases: The scheme will be implemented in different phases.
with this scheme Beti Bachao Beti Padhao will also be As of now no news regarding phases have come out from the
extended. Cabinet said that currently BBBP scheme is authority. It will soon be published.
operating in 161 districts and soon it will reach to 640 • Implementation: The scheme will be implemented at district,
districts in India. state and national level. A common task force will be formed
• One Stop Centre: The cabinet ministry has confirmed that under the scheme to plan, review and monitor the progress
nearly 150 One Stop Centres for women will be established of the schemes. Also it has been said that Niti Aayog will be
in various districts. These centres will be beneficial for the engaged in this scheme for the digital monitoring.
survival of sexually harassed cases. They will be provided • District level Agencies: There will be district and state level
medical, psychological, legal and police protection under agencies that will be responsible to implement the schemes
these centres. at grass root level.
• Helpline: There will be round-the-clock helpline in 36 states
and UTs for the women. They can ask for help at anytime by RAPE OF MINORS TO ATTRACT DEATH IN M.P.
dialling the helpline numbers.
• Volunteer: The government has targeted students to volunteer The Madhya Pradesh Assembly passed a Bill awarding death
in this scheme. There will be more than 3 Lac students to those found guilty of raping girls aged 12 and below.
who are said to volunteer in this scheme and will help it to
implement in grass root level.
About:
• Mahila Police Volunteer Scheme: Apart from these schemes
• Capital punishment would be awarded to convicts under
Mahila Police Volunteer Scheme will also be extended.
Section 376 (A), which is related to rape, and Section 376 (D,
Currently in India, only 10 districts from 5 states have this
A), pertaining to gang-rape.
scheme implemented. After getting an extension 65 districts
will be covered. • All parties supported the Bill in Assembly. Justifying the bill,
legislators argued that “There are people in society who can
be set right only by severe punishments. Apart from this,
PRADHAN MANTRI MAHILA SHAKTI KENDRA awareness will also be raised in society against such crimes.
• The Bill will now be sent to the President for his assent, after
Union government has introduced the Pradhan Mantri Mahila which it will become a law.
Shakti Kendra (PMMSK) Scheme. • With this, MP becomes the first State where those convicted
of such rapes will death penalty.
January, 2018
BETI BACHAO BETI PADHAO LAQSHYA
Union Cabinet has approved expansion of Beti Bachao Beti Government of India has launched “Laqshya- Labor Room
Padhao (BBBP). Quality Improvement Initiative”.
Background: About:
• BBBP was launched by the PM in 2015 at Panipat, Haryana • Objective: To improve the quality of care that is being
as a comprehensive programme to address the declining provided to the pregnant mother in the Labour Room and
Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of empowerment Maternity Operation Theatres, so as to reduce preventable
of women over a life-cycle continuum. maternal and new-born mortality, morbidity and stillbirths.
• It is a joint initiative of Ministry of Women and Child • Implementation:
Development, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and w This initiative will be implemented in Government Medical
Ministry of Human Resource Development. Colleges (MCs) besides District Hospitals (DHs), and
high delivery load Sub- District Hospitals (SDHs) and
• The Sectoral interventions under the programme include
Community Health Centres (CHCs).
the following:
w The initiative plans to conduct quality certification of
w Ministry of WCD: Promote registration of pregnancies in
labour rooms and also incentivize facilities achieving the
first trimester in Anganwadi Centres (AWCs); Undertake
targets outlined.
Training of stakeholders; Community Mobilization &
Sensitization; Involvement of Gender Champions;
Reward & recognition of institutions & frontline workers.
w Ministry of Health & Family Welfare: Monitor
implementation of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal
Diagnostic Techniques (PCP&DT) Act, 1994; DR AMBEDKAR SCHEME FOR SOCIAL
Increased institutional deliveries; Registration of births; INTEGRATION THROUGH INTER-CASTE
Strengthening PNDT Cells; Setting up Monitoring
MARRIAGE
Committees.
w Ministry of Human Resource Development: Universal
NDA government has changed rules of a scheme to promote
enrolment of girls; Decreased drop-out rate; Girl Child
inter-caste weddings.
friendly standards in schools; Strict implementation of
Right to Education (RTE); Construction of Functional
Toilets for girls.
About the scheme:
• “Dr Ambedkar scheme for social Integration through inter-
Expansion: caste marriage” was initiated in 2013 aiming to provide a fiscal
• The programme will be completing 3 years shortly and incentive to at least 500 such inter-caste couples every year.
in this short duration, BBBP has been well-received and • Objective is to enable the couple to “settle down in the initial
favourable trends are visible in many of the districts. phase of their married life.
• It has been realized that no district can be left out of BBBP • It is believed that people who marry outside their caste often
ambit if a real dent is to be made on overall CSR. face social ostracisation and in such instances, financial
help from the state can help the couple to rebuild their lives
• Accordingly, Union Cabinet has approved the expansion
independent of traditional social institutions.
for Pan India Coverage with a proposed outlay of Rs.
1132.5 Crore from 2017-18 to 2019-20, to be funded 100% • An Inter-caste marriage, for the purpose of this Scheme means
a marriage in which one of the spouses belongs to Scheduled
by the Central Government.
Caste and the other belongs to a Non-Scheduled Caste.
• The expansion would include Multi sectoral intervention
• It shall be the discretion of the Minister of Social Justice &
in 244 districts in addition to existing 161 districts. 235
Empowerment & Chairman of Dr. Ambedkar Foundation
districts are to be covered through Alert District Media,
(under the ministry) to sanction the incentive to the Couple.
Advocacy and Outreach, thus covering all the 640 districts
of the Country. • The incentive for a legal inter-caste marriage shall be Rs.2.50
lakh per marriage.
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An initiative of
January, 2018
Importance of inter-caste marriages: • The preference of a majority of people to marry within their
The institution of marriage is crucial to the preservation and own caste is a disturbing sign of continuing social orthodoxy.
perpetuation of caste. Hence, Babasaheb Ambedkar wrote It also points to a failure of politics.
that “the real remedy for breaking caste is inter-marriage”.
“Nothing else,” he said, “will serve as the solvent of caste.”
KERALA ALCOHOL PROHIBITION
• Mahatma Gandhi , who started as a supporter of the varna
system, would in his later years allow only inter-caste State cabinet in Kerala has decided to raise the legal drinking
marriages to be conducted at his ashram. The founding age to 23.
fathers of the republic were clear that caste must go.
Rules Changed: About:

Union government has ‘discarded’ the following rules to avail the • The Kerala government has raised the legal drinking age
cash incentive: from 21 to 23 years.
• The Total income of the newly-wedded couple will not exceed • The previous UDF regime had adopted a pro-prohibitionist
Rs 5 lakh per annum. policy by shutting down bars and closing state-run liquor
w Earlier, inter-caste couples (with Dalit bride or groom), vending outlets to reduce the availability of legal liquor.
whose total annual income exceeded Rs 5 lakh, were not • But in September, 2017 the LDF government eased the norms
eligible to get a one-time incentive of Rs 2.5 lakh from the for four star and above bars by reducing the mandatory offset
Centre. from places of worship and educational institutions from 200
• The marriage should be the couple’s first marriage. metres to 50 metres, which led to a State-wide scramble to
• The marriage should be registered under the Hindu Marriages upgrade bars and hotels.
Act. • This invited strong resistance from the prohibition activists,
• The proposal for claiming the benefit should be submitted who saw it as a move to please the liquor lobby. They feared
within a year of marriage. that it would lead to increased alcohol abuse
However, to avail the benefit of the scheme, the ministry has • The Cabinet decision to raise the legal drinking age to 23 is
made it mandatory for the couples to submit their Aadhaar perceived to be an attempt to blunt the criticism against the
numbers and details of their Aadhaar-linked joint bank government.
account. • But critiques argue that the new law would merely drive
underage drinking underground. Maharashtra and New Delhi
Reason for easing the rules: had raised the age to 25 but found it had little impact on the
• Many states that have similar schemes that do not have an ground.
income limit; so the Centre too decided to remove it.
• The scheme hasn’t been well implemented at the ground level
HAUSLA-2017
since its very inception. In 2015-16 merely 72 couples were
given the beneficiary amount as against an annual target of
Child Rights Week (Hausla 2017) was recently celebrated.
500.
• Getting the approval to avail the scheme has also been
problematic. From the 409 proposals that the social justice About:
ministry received in 2017, only 74 couples got the clearance • Every year, the country celebrates the Children’s Day on
from the government. 14th November and the International Child Rights Day is
celebrated on 20th November.
Comment: • The period between the two important events (16th to 20th
• While such schemes — state governments have similar November, 2017) was celebrated as Child Rights Week
initiatives — serve a purpose in financially supporting inter- (Hausla 2017) by Ministry of Women and Child Development
caste couples, they seem to have had only limited success in WCD Ministry.
encouraging inter-caste alliances. • It was an Inter CCI Festival for the children who reside in
• As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-III) (2005-6), Child Care Institutions (CCIs).
inter-caste marriages constitute only about 11 per cent of the • WCD Ministry celebratd Child Rights Week by hosting an inter
whole. CCI Festival “Hausala 2017” between 16th to 20th November.
January, 2018
YOUTHQUAKE • When celebrated: it is observed every year all across the India
from 19th of November to the 25th of November.
'Youthquake' was named 2017 word of the year by Oxford • Objective: To foster and reinforce the strength of public
Dictionaries. harmony and national integration.
• How is it celebrated? During whole week various programmes
Meaning: are held related to the specific theme of each day celebrations.
• It means “A significant cultural, political, or social change • Themes: The whole week celebrations are titled as the:
arising from the actions or influence of young people.” w National Integration Day on 19th of November.
w Welfare of Minorities Day on 20th of November.
• It represents the awakening of millennials striving for change
w Linguistic Harmony Day on 21st of November.
during a turbulent 12 months across the world.
w Weaker Sections Day on 22nd of November.
Reason for choosing the word: w Cultural Unity Day on 23rd of November.
• Data collected by editors at Oxford Dictionaries revealed a w Women’s Day on 24th of November.
huge increase in usage of the word in 2017 compared with w Conservation Day on 25th of November.
2016. • National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH):
• The British election called by Prime Minister Theresa May in w NFCH is an autonomous organisation with the Ministry of
early June is believed to have caused a spike in usage. Home Affairs.
w It organises Communal Harmony Campaign coinciding
• Britain saw a huge turnout of young voters hoping to make
with the Qaumi Ekta Week and observes the Communal
an impact as they rallied behind Labour Party leader Jeremy
Harmony Flag Day on 25th November.
Corbyn. The Guardian and other publications dubbed their
collective actions a “youthquake.” w The Foundation promotes Communal Harmony and
strengthens National Integration.
DEEN DAYAL DIVYANGAJAN SAHAJYA

SCHEME
Vice president Venkaiah Naidu launched a scheme for

differently abled people in Assam.
Origin:
• The word “youthquake” may be the winner for 2017, but it is
not new.
• It was coined in 1965 by Vogue Editor Diana Vreeland, who
used it to highlight changes young people drove in the
fashion and music industries.
Deen Dayal Divyangajan Sahajya Scheme
• The scheme was launched on the occasion of International
QUAMI EKTA WEEK Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3).
• Under the scheme every differently abled person in the state
Quami Ekta Week or National Integration Week was recently
of Assam would be entitled to a one-time grant of Rs 5,000 for
celebrated.
their treatment.
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About:
• It is an official United Nations international observance day
on 19 November.
• Objective: To reach, SDG #6 i.e. to reach everyone with
sanitation, and halve the proportion of untreated wastewater
and increase recycling and safe reuse.
• History:
w it was established by the World Toilet Organization in
2001.
w Twelve years later, the UN General Assembly declared
World Toilet Day an official UN day in 2013.
• Official Convener: UN-Water.
2017 Theme: Wastewater

• UN-Water chooses a special theme for each year. In 2017 the
theme was “wastewater."
• Infact it was also the theme for World Water Day observed by
UN water.
• Why Wastewater?
w Globally, over 80% of the wastewater generated by society
flows back into the ecosystem without being treated or
reused.
w 1.8 billion people use a source of drinking water
contaminated with faeces, putting them at risk of
contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio.
w Safely managed wastewater is an affordable and
sustainable source of water, energy, nutrients and other
recoverable materials.
• The 4-step poo journey:
w With the focus on wastewater, it asks the question, ‘Where
does our poo go?’
w It recommends, to achieve SDG 6, everyone’s need poo
to take a 4-step journey: 1. Containment, 2. Transport, 3.
Treatment, 4. Disposal or reuse.
6
Environment, Disaster Management and Geography Current Affairs MADE EASY
ENVIRONMENT, DISASTER January, 2018
95
Chapter MANAGEMENT & GEOGRAPHY
UN ENVIRONMENT ASSEMBLY
The UN Environment Assembly gathered in Nairobi, Kenya,

from 4-6 December 2017.
HEMIDACTYLUS SUSHILDUTTAI
After 70 years, Mahendragiri gecko termed distinct species. About:

• The UN Environment Assembly is the world's highest-level
decision-making body on the environment.
Recent development:
• Origin: It was created in 2012, when world leaders called for
After genetic analysis scientists have discovered that the Dutta’s
UN Environment to be strengthened and upgraded during
Mahendragiri geckos were not a population of Spotted rock
the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development,
geckos (found in the northern Western Ghats in Maharashtra)
also referred to as RIO+20.
as it was believed.
• Objective: It meets biennially to set priorities for global
environmental policies and develop international
environmental law.
• Members: It has the universal membership of all 193 UN
Member States.
The 2017 UN Environment Assembly:

• Theme: Towards a Pollution free planet.
• Sub-themes: It will address five sub-themes: Water Pollution,
Land Pollution, Marine Pollution, Air Pollution, and Sound
Management of Chemicals and Waste.
• At the conference India announced that it will host the World
Environment Day celebration in 2018.
About:
• Christened Hemidactylus sushilduttai, the lizard is the 32nd
species of Hemidactylus gecko found in India.
• Name:
w Hemidactylus sushilduttai is commonly known as Dutta’s
Mahendragiri gecko
w This species was named after Prof. Sushil Dutta in honour
of his immense contributions in Indian Herpetology.
• Region:
w The lizard is found in northern Andhra Pradesh’s
Mahendragiri hill range.
w It is the second gecko to be found endemic to the area.
The discovery highlights the biodiversity importance of
the region.
• Features:
w Dutta’s Mahendragiri gecko has golden eyes and pale,
black-bordered horizontal bands.
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An initiative of
January, 2018
Environment, Disaster Management and Geography Current Affairs MADE EASY 97
January, 2018
ARAVALLI RANGE COSTA RICA: CARBON NEUTRAL
Location: In 2017, Costa Rica ran on 100% Renewable Electricity for 300
• it is a range of mountains in western India running Days.
approximately 692 km in a northeastern direction across
the Indian states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Haryana, About:
ending in Delhi. • Costa Rica is a green country blessed with lush rainforests
• The famous Delhi Ridge is the last leg of the Aravalli Range, and flora and fauna.
which traverses through South Delhi and terminates into • Now the country is taking its green initiative to a whole other
Central Delhi where Raisina hill is its last extension. level by making massive strides towards becoming carbon
• The southern end is at Palanpur near Ahmedabad, Gujarat. neutral by 2021.
• The range joins two of the ancient segments that

make up the Indian craton, the Marwar segment to the
northwest of the range, and the Bundelkhand segment to
the southeast.
Origin:
• The Aravalli range are the oldest fold mountains in India.
• Old fold mountains are characterized by having stopped
growing higher due to the cessation of upward thrust
caused by the stopping of movement of the tectonic plates
in the Earth's crust below them.
• It dates back to a pre-Indian subcontinental collision with
the mainland Eurasian Plate.
• The range rose in a Precambrian event called the Aravalli-
Delhi orogen.
• In 2015, Costa Rica generated 100 % of its electricity from
Highest peak: renewable energy sources (combination of hydro, wind,
geothermal, biomass and thermal energy) for 299 days.
• The highest peak is Guru Shikhar in Mount Abu in Rajasthan.
• In 2016 it was 271 days an in 2017 it ran for 300 days.
Rivers:
• Numerous rivers rise amidst the ranges including the
Way ahead:
Banas River, the Luni River, the Sahibi, the Sakhi, and the • While this green initiative is forward-thinking, its automobiles
Sabarmati River. continue to run on internal combustion engines, which are
damaging to air quality and the climate.
• Chambal and Luni are two main rivers that flow through
Rajasthan. • Thus it could also do some work on transforming its
automobiles’ carbon footprint.
• In ancient times they were extremely high but since have
worn down almost completely by millions of years of
weathering. In contrast, the Himalayas are continuously SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SOLAR
rising young fold mountains of today.
PARKS PROJECT
Mining
India signs loan agreement with world bank for USD 100
• Mining of copper and other metals in the Aravalli range
million for “Shared infrastructure for solar parks project”
dates back to at least 5th century BC, based on carbon
dating.
About:
• Recent research indicates that copper was already mined
• Objective: To increase solar generation capacity through
here during Sothi-Siswal period going back to c. 4000
establishment of large-scale parks in the country.
BCE. Ancient Kalibangan and Kunal, Haryana settlements
obtained copper here. • Components: The project consists of two components viz.
w Shared Infrastructure for Solar Parks.
w Technical Assistance.
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INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ALLIANCE (ISA) Other Facts:

• Interim Secretariat of ISA: It is located at Surya Bhawan,
With ratification by Guinea as the 15th country on 6th National Institute of Solar Energy (An autonomous Institute of
November 2017, ISA became a treaty-based international Ministry of New & Renewable Energy) in Gurgaon, Haryana.
intergovernmental organization on 6th December 2017. • Director-general: Presently, the Secretary, Ministry of New
and Renewable Energy is the Ex Officio Interim Director
About: General of ISA, who is carrying out day to day functions of
It is a coalition of solar resource rich countries (a.k.a. sunshine the Interim Secretariat of ISA.
countries) lying fully or partially between the Tropic of Cancer • India’s contribution to ISA?
and the Tropic of Capricorn. w Has offered to meet ISA Secretariat expenses for initial
five years
Timeline: w Has made a contribution of Rs.175 Crore for creating ISA
• It was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Corpus fund.
Conference in 2015 by Indian PM Modi and French President w Has offered training support for prospective ISA member
Francois Hollande. countries at the National Institute of Solar Energy.
• The Framework Agreement of the International Solar
Alliance opened for signatures in Marrakech, Morocco in
2016 for 121 prospective member countries (who lie between
the two tropics)
• Present status: 46 countries have signed and 19 have ratified
the Framework Agreement of ISA. INTERNATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE FOR
OPERATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY
Countries that do not fall within the Tropics can also join
the ISA and enjoy all benefits as other members, with the
Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of
exception of voting rights.
International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography,
as a Category-2 Centre (C2C) of UNESCO, in Hyderabad.
Objective:
According to Paris Declaration on ISA, which was unveiled on
About:
occasion of launch of ISA, its objective is:
• Objective of the agreement: To establish a training centre
• Reducing the cost of finance & technology for immediate
towards development of capacity for the countries on the
deployment of solar generation.
Indian Ocean Rim (IOR), African countries bordering the
• Formulate financial instruments to mobilize more than Indian and Atlantic Oceans, small island countries under the
US$1000 billion dollars in investments that will be required by framework of UNESCO.
2030 for the massive deployment of affordable solar energy.
• What is Operational oceanography? It is an activity of
• Be a collective voice in international fora to protect against conducting systematic oceanographic studies towards
monopolistic international groups and behaviours. providing information services to various sectors viz.
fisherman, disaster management, shipping etc. for conducting
their day-today operations.
• Present status:
w The centre is currently operational with the state-of-the-art
facilities available at Indian Centre for Ocean Information
Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad.
• Significance:
w Provides an opportunity for India to emerge as a leading
country in the Indian Ocean.
w Will help India to forge cooperation and improve
engagement among the counties of the Indian Ocean,
including South Asian and African states bordering the
Indian Ocean.
January, 2018
w It responds to the worldwide increasing need to Disappearance:

build technical and management capacity to address • On 15 November 2017,
marine and coastal sustainability issues and prepare
San Juan stopped
the region for and react efficiently to marine natural
communicating during
hazards.
a routine patrol in the
w Contributes to achieving Sustainable Development
South Atlantic off the
Goal-14 (SDG 14) related to building marine scientific
coast of Argentina.
research capacity in geographical area of the Centre
• A multi-nation search
responsibility
and rescue operation
Do You Know? was The search and
rescue operation was
Category 2 Centres (C2C):
carried out under the
• Category 2 Institutes and Centres serve as international auspices of ISMERLO.
or regional poles of expertise and provide technical
• On 30 November,
assistance and services to Member States, partners and
the Navy declared
UNESCO.
the rescue part of the
• Through capacity-building, knowledge sharing and operation to be over,
research, Category 2 Institutes and Centres support turning its attention to
global, regional, sub-regional or interregional activities finding the submarine
carried out by UNESCO and other organizations. and not her crew.
• The loss of 44 crewmen
WII, Dehradun:
constitutes the largest
• Earlier the Union Ministry of Environment in association
loss of life aboard a submarine since the Russian Kursk sank on
with UNESCO establishing a Centre for World Natural
12 August 2000.
Heritage Management and Training for the Asia and
Pacific Region as a UNESCO Category 2 Centre at the ISMERLO
Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun.
• The International Submarine Escape and Rescue Liaison
Office ("ISMERLO") was established in 2003 following the
Russian Submarine K-141 Kursk disaster.
• This international organisation of over 40 countries was
initially established by NATO and the Submarine Escape
and Rescue Working Group (SMERWG) to assist in the
ARA SAN JUAN global coordination of submarine search and rescue
operations.
The Navy of Argentina declared the rescue part of the • It consists of an international team of submarine escape
disappearance of the Argentine submarine ARA San Juan to and rescue experts based at Northwood, UK
be over.
In 2013, INS Sindhurakshak, a Russian-built Indian submarine
exploded in Mumbai harbour and sunk leaving 18 crew member
About:
dead.
• ARA San Juan (S-42) is a TR-1700-class diesel-electric
submarine in service with the Argentine Navy as part of the
Argentine Submarine Force.
WORLD’S FIRST MOBILE STADIUM
• The submarine was built in West Germany and entered ser-
vice in 1985.
Qatar has unveiled the design of Ras Abu Aboud Stadium.
• Name:
w The submarine's name derives from the province of San About:
Juan. • It is the seventh 2022 FIFA World Cup stadium.
w The prefix ARA is the acronym of the Argentine Navy in • if built in its presented shape, it would be the first ever fully
Spanish (Armada de la República Argentina). demountable and transportable stadium that could be re-
erected at any location worldwide.
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• It is being created only with modular, demountable structures, • Choquequirao forms part of a government scheme to increase
including shipping containers for catering, media and even tourist arrivals to seven million by 2021.
staircases.
• The stadium could also be used to supply modules for other
ERUPTION OF MOUNT AGUNG
smaller venues like amphitheatres, indoor arenas or smaller
sports venues.
Mount Agung erupted multiple times in late November 2017.
• It's designed with the 2022 World Cup in mind.
About:
MACHU PICCHU’S “SACRED SISTER” • Mount Agung or Gu-
nung Agung is a vol-
Peru’s government is planning to open up the mountaintop cano in Bali, Indone-
citadel of Choquequirao with new roads and a cable car to sia.
take visitors to the remote Incan ruins. • This stratovolcano is
the highest point on
Bali.
• Gunung Agung is an
active volcano, with a
large and deep cra-
ter that occasionally
emits smoke and ash.
2017 eruptions:
• Tectonic earthquakes from the volcano had been detected
since early August, and volcanic activity intensified for
several weeks before decreasing significantly in late
October.
• A second, more violent period of major activity began in
late November.
• it erupted multiple times in late November 2017, causing
thousands to evacuate and disrupting air travel.
• The recent eruptions caused surrounding airports (Lombok
International Airport, located on the neighboring island of
Lombok and Ngurah Rai International Airport to be temporarily
closed).
Choquequirao:
• Also known as:
w Machu Picchu’s “sacred sister”.
w “Cradle of gold” in the local Quechua language.
• Origin: It was built by the Incas around the turn of the 16th
century.
• Currently only accessible to hikers willing to make a five-day
round trip, Choquequirao sees about 5,800 visitors a year
compared to Machu Picchu’s 1.2 million.
January, 2018
WORLD’S NEWEST ISLAND Formation of island:

• In 2009, Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai erupted for several
According to NASA, the world’s newest island may offer clues
days, sending a violent stream of steam, rocks, and ash
to how life potentially developed on Mars.
thousands of feet into the air.
• Geologists confirmed that the eruption came from two
volcanic vents, one that was located on Hunga Ha’apai, and
another located 100m (330 ft) offshore.
• The two vents ejected so much debris, however, that they
created a new landmass between them.
• Though the eruption wiped out all signs of wildlife on the
original islet, the “new” island added hundreds of square
meters to Hunga Ha’apai.
• The volcanic ash that forms much of Hunga Tonga-Hunga
Ha₹apai has reacted with the warm oceanic water around it.
This chemical reaction has turned the ash into much harder
rock.
Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai: • Volcanologists now believe the island will last for several
• Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai is an underwater volcano off decades rather than be eroded. This makes Hunga Tonga-
the coast of Tonga, just 62km northwest of the Tongan capital Hunga Haʻapai only the third volcanic island in the last 150
of Nuku’alofa. years to survive more than a few months.
• The volcano gets its name from the two small islands it’s
Insights into Mars:
nestled between, Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha’apai.
• Scientists at NASA have been studying Hunga Tonga-Hunga
• It is part of the highly active Tonga-Kermadec Islands volcanic
Ha'apai, using it as a model for volcanic shapes on Mars.
arc (a subduction zone extending from New Zealand north-
• In a recently published article (in late 2017), they concluded
northeast to Fiji).
that the island has eroded in ways that are remarkably
w The island arc is formed at the convergent boundary where
similar to the erosion patterns seen on similar landforms on
the Pacific Plate subducts under the Indo-Australian Plate.
Mars.
• It is also part of the highly volcanic Pacific Ring of Fire. It is
• This suggests Mars was once flooded briefly by water, but
thus believed that Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai is part of a
that the water receded fairly quickly.
cluster of 36 undersea volcanoes.
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Chapter SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ADITYA-L1 Lagrange Points:

• A Lagrange point is a location in space where the combined
ISRO will send solar mission Aditya-L1 sometime in 2019 or gravitational forces of two large bodies, such as Earth and
2020. the sun or Earth and the moon, equal the centrifugal force felt
by a much smaller third body.
• The interaction of the forces creates a point of
equilibrium where a spacecraft may be "parked" to make
observations.
• These points are named after Joseph-Louis Lagrange,
an 18th-century mathematician who wrote about them in
a 1772 paper concerning what he called the "three-body
problem." They are also called Lagrangian points and
libration points.
ADITYA-L1:
• It is a spacecraft whose mission is to study the Sun.
• It will be inserted in a halo orbit around the Lagrangian point
1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system, which is 1.5 million km from
the Earth. The satellite carries additional six payloads with
enhanced science scope and objectives.
• Objective:
w It will provide observations of Sun's Photosphere (soft and hard
X-ray), Chromosphere (UV) and corona (Visible and NIR).
w In addition, particle payloads will study the particle flux
emanating from the Sun and reaching the L1 orbit, and
the magnetometer payload will measure the variation in
magnetic field strength at the halo orbit around L1.
• Present status: The project is approved and the satellite will
be launched during 2019 – 2020 timeframe by PSLV-XL from
Sriharikota.
• Significance:
Structure of Lagrange points in sun-earth system:
w A Satellite placed in the halo orbit around the Lagrangian
• There are five such points, labeled L1 to L5, all in the orbital
point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system has the major
plane of the two large bodies.
advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any
eclipses. • The first three are on the line connecting the two large bodies;
w Only NASA and ESA have successfully placed satellites the last two, L4 and L5, each form an equilateral triangle with
at the L1 point as of date. the two large bodies.
w This will be the first Indian space mission to study the Sun. • The two latter points are stable, which implies that objects
w It will be India’s third big extra-terrestrial outing after Moon can orbit around them in a rotating coordinate system tied to
and Mars. the two large bodies.
Science & Technology Current Affairs MADE EASY 103
January, 2018
NEW “OUT OF AFRICA” EXODUS THEORY HALSZKA
Advances in DNA analysis challenge the traditional “Out of In a study released by the journal Nature, Scientists mentioned
Africa” model that modern humans evolved in Africa and then about the discovery of a new dinosaur species.
dispersed across Asia in a single wave about 60,000 years ago.
About:
About: • The researchers have named it Halszkaraptor

• Recent discoveries published in Science show that humans escuilliei (HAHL-shka-rap-tor ES-key-lay- ee) or
left Africa multiple times before 60,000 years ago and that "Halszka" after the late Polish
they interbred with other hominins in many locations across paleontologist Halszka
Eurasia. Osmolska.
• HOMININS, representing the earliest evolutionary phase of • According to them, its
Homo sapiens, are believed to have dispersed from Jebel appearance mixes duck, croc,
Irhoud in Morocco around 300,000 years ago. ostrich and swan.
• Palaeontologists have found modern human fossils in • It also had flippers like a penguin, and while
southern and central China between 70,000 and 120,000 it walked like an ostrich it could also swim.
years old. That's the first time swimming ability has been
• The analysis cites other finds indicating that modern humans shown for a two-legged, meat-eating dinosaur.
reached Southeast Asia and Australia between 70,000 and • The tiny creature, only about 18 inches (45 centimeters) tall,
65,000 years ago. roamed 75 million years ago in what is now Mongolia.
• Recent genetic research has confirmed that modern humans
interbred with other ancient hominins.
NEW GRAPHENE BATTERY
Researchers at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology

in South Korea have developed a new graphene-based battery
material.
Key Feature:
• Its charging speed is five times faster than today’s lithium-ion
batteries.
• The battery can maintain a highly stable 60 degree Celsius
temperature, with stable battery temperatures particularly
key for electric vehicles.
Working:
• Researchers applied graphene and discovered a mechanism
to mass synthesise it into a 3D form like popcorn using
affordable silica.
• This “graphene ball” was utilised for both the anode protective
layer and cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries.
• This ensured an increase of charging capacity, decrease of
charging time as well as stable temperatures.
Significance:
• This provides promise for the next generation batteries,
particularly related to mobile devices and electric vehicles.
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OUMUAMUA: INTERSTELLAR ASTEROID Theories on Interstellar Asteroids:

• Theories of how our own solar system was formed tell us that
Observations related to Oumuamua were published in Nature the asteroids and comets that remain in our solar system
on 20 November, 2017. today are only a small fraction of the original population.
Oumuamua is the first known interstellar object to pass • The rest of the material was dispersed by young Jupiter,
through the Solar System. either spewed out into interstellar space or sent crashing into
the Sun.
• Planetary systems that formed around other stars likely evolved
in the same way, with each Jupiter-sized planet ejecting its own
systems’ asteroids and comets into interstellar space.
• The space between the stars probably has billions and billions
of planetesimals roaming around independently. Scientists
understood that inevitably, some of these small bodies would
enter our own solar system.
• This interstellar visit by 1I/2017 U1 reinforces our models of
how planetary systems form.
About 1I/2017 U1: A planetesimal is a rock-type object formed in the early solar
• Name: The Interstellar object 1I/2017 U1 has been named system from collisions with other objects in the solar system. The
by the Pan-STARRS observatory team as 'Oumuamua’. The collisions eventually formed larger objects that led to the formation
name is of Hawaiian origin and means “a messenger from of planets.
afar arriving first.”
Way ahead:
• Discovery:
• Scientists estimate that an interstellar object similar to 1I/2017
w The object was discovered on Oct. 19, 2017 by the NASA-
U1 passes inside the orbit of the Earth several times a year,
funded Pan-STARRS1 telescope.
but up until now they have been too faint and hard to detect.
w Initially assumed to be a comet, it was reclassified as
an asteroid a week later, then the first of a new class of • Recent upgrades to survey telescopes such as Pan-STARRS
interstellar objects. increase the chances of finding these objects, and those
odds will increase even more when next-generation survey
• Journey:
telescopes begin operations.
w Scientists don’t know which star system this object came
from. 1I/2017 U1’s trajectory indicates it came from the
general direction of the constellation Lyra.
w It is on an outbound trajectory. It will pass above Neptune’s
orbit in 2022. As it leaves our solar system it is headed
towards the constellation Pegasus.
• Size and Shape: The object is believed to be at least a quarter-
The fifth edition of GCCS was held in India.
mile (400 meters) long and cigar-shaped, with a length
roughly ten times longer than the width.
• Composition: It is similar to many asteroids found in our solar About:
system – dense, possibly rocky or even metallic. The object’s The Global Conference on Cyberspace (GCCS) are conferences
surface is somewhat reddish due to effects of irradiation from held biennially since 2011.
cosmic rays over millions of years.
HELD IN VENUE
Significance First conference 2011 London
• First Detection: The discovery of interstellar object 1I/2017 U1
Second conference 2012 Budapest
is the first detection of a celestial object in our solar system
that originated from another solar system. Third conference 2013 Seoul
• Unique shape: The highly-elongated shape of the object itself Fourth conference 2015 Hague
looks very different than any asteroid or comet we’ve seen in Fifth conference 2017 New Delhi
our own solar system.
January, 2018
• This was proven when the scientists studied non-doped

• This is for the first time GCCS took place outside the crystals of the oft-analyzed transition metal dichalcogenide
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development titanium diselenide (1T-TiSe2) and reproduced their
(OECD) nations. surprising results five times on different cleaved crystals.
• Objective: At GCCS, governments, private sector and • Significance: The findings, published in the journal Science,
civil society gather to discuss cooperation and norms for holds great promise for unlocking further quantum mechanical
responsible behaviour in cyberspace. mysteries.
• Theme of GCCS 2017: “Cyber4All: A Secure and Inclusive
Cyberspace for Sustainable Development”.
LIGHT EMITTING PLANTS
• UMANG App:
w At GCCS 2017, PM Modi launched the UMANG App.
MIT scientists have created plants that can glow.
w It aims to bring 162 government services of 33
departments/applications and 4 States on a single mobile
app, with a larger goal to make the government accessible
on the mobile phone of Indian citizens.
EXCITONIUM
Scientists have proven the existence of new form of matter

called excitonium.
What is Excitonium?
• Excitonium is a condensate
it exhibits macroscopic
quantum phenomena,
like a superconductor, or
superfluid, or insulating MIT scientists have found a way to induce plants to give off dim
electronic crystal. light.
Formation: Summary working:

• It's made up of excitons, • This has been achieved by embedding specialised nanopar-
particles that are formed ticles into their leaves.
in a very strange quantum • The light is ultimately powered by the energy metabolism of
mechanical pairing, namely the plant itself.
that of an escaped electron
and the hole it left behind. Components:
• When an electron, seated at the edge of a crowded-with- • Luciferase: To create the glowing plants, the team used
electrons valence band in a semiconductor, gets excited and luciferase, the enzyme that gives fireflies their glow.
jumps over the energy gap to the otherwise empty conduction Luciferase acts on a molecule called luciferin, causing it to
band, it leaves behind a "hole" in the valence band. emit light.
• That hole behaves as though it were a particle with positive • Co-enzyme A: Another molecule called co-enzyme A was used
charge, and it attracts the escaped electron. When the to remove a reaction byproduct that can inhibit luciferase
escaped electron with its negative charge, pairs up with activity.
the hole, the two remarkably form a composite particle, a • Nanoparticle carrier:
boson—an exciton. w The team packaged these components into a different
type of nanoparticle carrier.
Proof of Existence: w The nanoparticles help each component get to the right
• Ever since the term 'excitonium' was coined in the 1960s by part of the plant. They also prevent the components from
Harvard theoretical physicist Bert Halperin, physicists have reaching concentrations that could be toxic to the plants.
sought to demonstrate its existence.
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w The researchers used silica nanoparticles about 10 About:

nanometres in diameter to carry luciferase, and they • Tesla Powerpack will charge using renewable energy from
used slightly larger particles of the polymers PLGA and the Hornsdale Wind Farm and then deliver electricity during
chitosan to carry luciferin and coenzyme A, respectively. peak hours to help maintain the reliable operation of South
Australia’s electrical infrastructure.
Process:
• To get the particles into plant leaves, the researchers first Significance:
suspended the particles in a solution. • Wind and solar energy are less predictable sources of power
• Plants were immersed in the solution and then exposed than fossil fuel or nuclear alternatives.
to high pressure, allowing the particles to enter the leaves • In September 2016, a massive storm caused an
through tiny pores called stomata. unprecedented state-wide blackout in South Australia, with
• Particles releasing luciferin and coenzyme A were designed 1.7 million people spending the night without power and
to accumulate in the extracellular space of the mesophyll, questions raised about the stability of the region’s renewable
an inner layer of the leaf, while the smaller particles carrying energy supply.
luciferase enter the cells that make up the mesophyll. • The event led to the coupling of the Hornsdale Wind Farm
• The PLGA particles gradually release luciferin, which then with the world’s largest lithium ion battery.
enters the plant cells, where luciferase performs the chemical • Making renewable reliable: The coupling of renewable
reaction that makes luciferin glow. technology with batteries is seen as a key way to prevent the
above mentioned kinds of widespread blackouts.
Significance:
• The vision of scientists is to make a plant that will function as
a desk lamp - a lamp that you don’t have to plug in. DRAFT SPACE ACTIVITIES BILL, 2017
• This technology could be used to provide low- intensity indoor
lighting, or to transform trees into self- powered streetlights. The Department of Space has released a draft Space Activities
Bill, 2017. Comments on the draft Bill were invited till
Present status: December 21, 2017.
• Duration: These plants at present could glow for about 3.5
hours. Present regulation:
• Light emitted: The light generated by one 10-centimetre • Currently, space activities are regulated by policies such as
watercress seedling is currently about one-thousandth of the the
amount needed to read by. w Satellite Communication Policy, 1997 and
• According to researchers the light emitted, as well as the w Remote Sensing Data Policy, 2011.
duration of light can be further boosted by optimising the
concentration and release rates of the components. Objective:
• The Bill seeks to promote and regulate space activities
in India including promotion of private participation in the
WORLD’S LARGEST LITHIUM ION BATTERY sector.
The 100MW Tesla Powerpack, built by Tesla, has now been Key features of the Bill:
activated in South Australia. The company claims that the • Regulatory mechanism: The central government is
battery is three times as powerful as the next largest in the responsible for setting mechanisms and promoting space
world. activity. This includes exploration and use of outer space,
and development of the sector.
• Functions of central government: The central government can:
w Grant, transfer, or terminate licenses to any person for
commercial space activities,
w Provide professional and technical support, and
authorisation to launch or operate space objects, and
w Monitor the conformity of space activity with international
space agreements to which India is a party.
January, 2018
• Terms and conditions of licences: A license granted by the • The BIOS takes care of the basic initialisation processes
central government includes: in a PC; it boots (starts) the hardware and makes the first
w Permission for the central government to inspect any checks on it to make sure the hardware is in good health, the
space activity and documents related to space activity, keyboard is connected, the random-access memory (RAM) is
and alive and kicking.
w Obligation on the licensee to insure himself against any
liability incurred due to any activity authorised by the Rise of BIOS:
license. • American computer scientist Gary Kildall came up with the
• Penalties: The draft Bill provides for penalties for: (i) term BIOS in 1975.
unauthorised commercial space activity, (ii) causing • It then appeared in the so-called CP/M (Control Program/
environmental damage, and (iv) entry into prohibited areas Monitor) operating system.
• Liabilities: A licensee should compensate the central • Soon, it became part and parcel of personal computers
government for damages arising out of commercial space and got super popular with the arrival of Microsoft’s Disk
activities covered under the license. Operating System or DOS. BIOS was part of IBM’s first PC in
• Protection of action taken by the central government: No legal 1981.
proceedings can lie against the central government with • Computer companies that wanted to build systems that
respect to anything done in good faith in pursuance of space worked with the PC had to build systems that essentially
activity. worked with the BIOS if they wanted their software to run well
• Intellectual property rights (IPRs): IPRs developed on the back of the OS.
during the course of space activity will be protected
Fall of BIOS:
under the law. Further, any IPR developed on-board a
• But as time went by, the importance of BIOS and its services
space object in outer space will be the property of the
started waning.
central government.
• Advancements in technology empowered the OS much more
than expected and pushed the BIOS to the initial system
R.I.P. BIOS….WELCOME UEFI boot, with the OS handling most of the operations.
Intel has announced that the PC BIOS will be phased out by Rise of Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI):
2020, marking the full transition to UEFI firmware. • Recently at an event organised by the Unified Extensible
Firmware Interface (UEFI) Forum, chipmaker Intel
revealed that by 2020 it will phase out the last remaining
What is it BIOS?
relics of the PC BIOS. This will mark a permanent shift to
• The BIOS ("Basic Input/Output System") is a small piece of
UEFI firmware.
code embedded into a PC's motherboard that handles the
• What is UEFI? UEFI also connects a computer’s firmware to its
basic initialization and booting of hardware.
OS like BIOS does. It is also installed when the computer is
made and is the first program that goes live when you switch
on a computer.
• Advantages of UEFI: UEFI addresses several handicaps and
limitations of BIOS.
w It is faster, for one. It can handle large hard disk partitions,
and do much more. In simple terms, many experts call it
as a micro OS.
w It is “programmable”, and this facility enables PC makers
add applications and drivers to it. This wasn’t possible
with BIOS, which was very much dependent on the CPU
or central processing unit of the computer.
w Many computer scientists also feel that BIOS has
Functions of BIOS: become (un)suitably vulnerable. UEFI, they hope, will
modernise modern computing enhancing security and
• It does the preliminary checks before an OS kicks in to
performance..
perform heavier duties.
8
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Chapter ETHICS, VALUES & INTEGRITY
ANIMAL WELFARE IN ANCIENT INDIA

Arthshastra: • End of animal sacrifice: According to Rock Edict of the S.
• Indian ethos on animal’s welfare dates back to Kautilya‘s Dhammika, Emperor Ashoka indicated no living beings would
Arthshastra. For example, it prohibited killing or injuring be slaughtered or offered in a sacrifice.
protected species and animals in reserved parks and • End of violent practices: He also condemned violent acts and
sanctuaries; A person found treating an animal cruelly could put an embargo on sterilizing roosters
be restrained in any manner. • Protecting their environment: The king also put an
embargo burning husks or forests sheltering animals.
Edicts of Ashoka: After all, protecting the natural habitat of native species
Emperor Ashoka, who reigned the Indian subcontinent between is one of the main goals of animal rights movements
268-223 BC, is known as Ashoka the Great. nowadays!
The wise king embraced Buddhism after seeing the carnage of • Welfare centers: The ruler also set up watering holes and wells
war and became a gentle and caring individual. He proposed along with rest and welfare centers for humans as well as
the first animal rights laws in India. His edicts are a beautiful animals. Nursing animals or those feeding their young were
summation of animal welfare laws and the rights of animals as given protection as well.
living beings. • Medical treatment: For the first time, the Edicts of
Here is a brief summary of what the edicts of Ashoka say about Ashoka proposed medical treatment of animals. Medical
animal rights herbs were promised to treat humans and animals alike,
• Ridding the Royal Kitchens of Animal Slaughter: In the edicts, while trees were planted and wells were dug for the benefit of
Emperor Ashoka expresses concern about the number of all species.
animals killed in the royal kitchens just to provide him with a To quote the edicts, Emperor Ashoka said, “the sound of the
meal. Thus he put a stop to royal hunting parties and chose drum has been replaced by the Sound of Dhamma”, that is,
not to eat meat. cosmic order and righteousness.
Ethics, Values & Integrity
109
FRAMEWORK GOVERNING HOUSEKEEPING

AND TRANSPORT OF POULTRY IN INDIA
Constitution:
• Article 21: The Supreme Court in Jallikattu Case, extended
LAW COMMISSION
the rights guaranteed under article 21 of the Constitution to
all living beings.
RECOMMENDATIONS
• DPSP: The State under the Directive Principles of State
Policy (DPSP) is mandated to organise agriculture and Law Commission Report no. 269:
animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines: the state
• March 2017: In this background, the Ministry of Law and
is also mandated to safeguard the forest and wildlife of the
Justice asked the Law Commission of India to look into the
country.
existing laws and international practices on the transport
• Fundamental Duty: It is the Fundamental Duty of each
and housekeeping of poultry birds.
citizen, under article 51A(g) of the Constitution, to ₹protect
and improve the natural environment including forests, • July 2017: The Commission submitted its Report No.269
lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living titled Transportation and House-keeping of Egg-laying hens
creatures. (layers) and Broiler Chickens.
Statutes: Layers and broilers:

• Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 ('PCA Act'): • Worldwide, the chickens have been commercially trait
w It’s objective is to ensure Prevention of unnecessary selected for two reasons, that of egg production (layers) and
pain or suffering on animals. meat production (broilers).
w It lays down responsibilities of the persons in charge of
• The report deals with both the aspects. It recommends
the animals to to ensure their well-being.
that the entire process from housekeeping to transport to
w It provides for setting up of the Animal Welfare board
slaughter must be made humane.
of India (AWBI) to make rules to ensure that the welfare
standards are met and that the animals are not exploited. • The Law Commission in this report has examined the issues
• State Laws: Since the protection, improvement of stock pertaining to both, the layers and broilers.
and prevention of animal diseases is a State subject under
Status of egg production: According to the Food and
the Seventh Schedule of the constitution, there are several
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, India is the
State specific statutes such as
third largest producer of eggs in the world producing more
w Bombay Diseases of Animals Act, 1948
than 65 billion eggs.
w Gujarat State Poultry Farm Registration and Regulatory
Authority Act, 2007
w Punjab Poultry Production Act, 2016 1. Standards to follow:
Animal welfare can be assessed by examining two criteria,
Five Freedoms:
namely
India is a member of World Organization for Animal Health
(OIE) which works on universally recognised principle of Five 1. Design criteria: The design criteria describes the quality
Freedoms. of the environment or the way in which animals kept. This
According to this concept, an animal‘s primary welfare needs includes battery cages, floor space, housing and stocking
can be met by providing: density etc.
1. Freedom from hunger, malnutrition and thirst; 2. Animal-based criteria: Animal-based criteria evaluate the
2. Freedom from fear and distress; behaviour and physiology of the animals, including health
3. Freedom from physical and thermal discomfort; levels.
4. Freedom from pain, injury and disease; and
These standards have been globally recognised and India too
5. Freedom to express normal patterns of behaviour.
needs to adhere to these standards in the interest of animal
These five fundamental rights have been affirmed by the
welfare.
Supreme Court of India Animal Welfare Board of India v. A.
Nagaraja & Ors (Jallikattu Case).
P.T.O
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2. Battery cages: 5. Broiler chicken:

• Importance: Housing conditions in poultry farming have a • Meaning: Broiler chickens are bred and raised through trait
significant impact over the production. But in order to achieve selection in order to achieve maximum body weight in the shortest
the maximum production, low cost caging techniques even at period of time, with little regard for the welfare of the bird.
the cost of consumer quality standards are rampantly in use. • Criticism: Rapid growth of muscle on an infantile skeletal
• Battery cages: The hens used for the production of eggs structure makes the broilers prone to joint, bone and ligament
in the egg industry are reared in small, barren wire cages disorders. As a result, these birds suffer from leg deformities
called ₹battery cages, a name given due to the arrangement and lameness.
of cages placed side by side. • Scenario in France (Label Rouge chickens):
• Criticism: w It has been noted that the incidence of diseases is
w The battery cages are so small that the animals are unable markedly reduced in slower growing broiler chicken
to stand up straight or spread their wings without touching strains. France has produced ₹Label Rouge chickens.
the sides of the cage or other hens. w These chickens reach slaughter weight at 12 weeks, and
w This has led to sore feet, minor and major abrasions, suffer substantially lower incidences of leg disease, low
broken bones and other bodily injuries to the birds. It also mortality rates despite having a grow-out period that is
increases the risk of diseases in the flock. twice as long as conventional broiler chickens.
• Global scenario: • Recommendations on Broiler Chickens:
w All member countries of the European Union (EU) have w Therefore, slower growing chicken strains may be
phased out the use of battery cages. promoted for broiler production.
w In 2013, Bhutan declared itself a cage – free country. w It is desirable that early steps are taken to notify regulations
• Recommendation (Certification of farms): to ensure that trait selection is not only for production of
w Ensure certification of poultry farms by the Animal healthy broiler chickens but also welfare centric.
Husbandry Departments of the States, where a distinction
6. Slaughtering:
of produce obtained from cage free egg farming from that
obtained from battery cage farming, is drawn. • The law commission found the procedures and standards
w This would enable the consumer to select the produce prescribed in the Slaughter House Rules, 2001, as well as
obtained from healthy farming and will result in the FSS Regulations, 2011, satisfactory.
discouraging battery cage farming. • However, these rules/regulations are violated blatantly in
roadside meat shops and outlets.
3. Stocking density: • Recommendation:
• It is a matter of concern that there is no regulation with respect w Ensure strict compliance of these laws by providing for
to stocking density and other housing conditions. The most personal responsibility of the concerned officer for a
common cages hold 5-10 birds. failure which may be treated as dereliction of duty
• Recommendation: The minimum floor space available per w Additionally, a mechanism be developed for imparting
bird should be an important factor in calculation of maximum training to butchers/slaughter men so that sanitary
stocking density. practices are followed during slaughter.
4. Antibiotics in feed: 7. Review of punishments in PCA Act:

• There are no statutory regulations, at present to prescribe • The rules under the PCA Act 1960, largely suffers from weak
the standard, quality and quantity of food for poultry in India penal provisions.
which leads to rampant use of antibiotics in the poultry feed. • While the penal provisions pertaining to fine in the Act may
• Thus It is also important that the feed used must be nutrient have been a sufficient deterrent in 1960, those provisions
rich and devoid of antibiotics as it affects the consumer food have lost their significance due to inflation.
quality standard which is required to be maintained across • Amend the provisions of the PCA Act to make stringent
countries. punishments for inflicting cruelty on animals.
Ethics, Values & Integrity Current Affairs MADE EASY 111
January, 2018
Y
ou are the newly • Try and haggle with
appointed CEO the board a justified let
of Bharat So- off package for employ-
lar Pvt. Ltd. A leading ees who are to be let off.
company in solar power • Give out this news in
generation, the compa- the best possible man-
ny was once the market ner.
leader in solar power generation but since few years it Regarding losing respect among the employees after this
has been facing stiff competition from other similar play- decision we need to focus on the overall good of the com-
ers. As part of a cost cutting measure many employees pany and hence have to take such harsh decision. We need
of the company have been made to quit in the past few to make the employees understand the necessity of such
months which has had a negative impact on the morale a decision and show them that the best possible thing has
of the employees as there is fear among them that they been done for them. At the same time we need to motivate
can be asked to pack their bags any day, this has in-turn them to work even harder and smarter to sustain their jobs.
led to fall in their performance at work and ultimately
the company is the one which suffers. As soon as you Final Answer:
join the company you address all the employees to work This decision is a harsh one and hence those affected and
more efficiently and not to be worried about losing the their colleagues have to be handled in a sensitive manner.
job. Gradually you are able to connect with them and To disclose this news I will try and personally meet each
in the coming months their performance improves, they and every individual affected and make him understand
start trusting you and respecting you for your style of why such a decision had to be taken. I will personally see
working. But the whole solar power generation sector is to it that they are compensated properly and timely after
going downhill and hence nothing much can be done this decision. I will assure them that they have been given
and in the Annual General Meeting of the company it is the best possible deal and if possible will suggest some
decided that some more job cuts will have to be made. other job opportunities that they could make use of.
You as the CEO know that this will be unfair to your hard- As an aftereffect of this decision the other employees of
working employees but nothing much can be done and the company may lose hope and their performance may
this step has no alternative solutions. go down. To ensure that such a thing does not happen
A. How will you disclose this news to your employees? I will
B. After this decision you may lose respect among your • Talk to them and make them understand that such deci-
employees and their performance can go down what sions have to be taken sometimes but the best employ-
will you do so as to ensure that such a thing does not ees and the most efficient ones never suffer and hence
happen? each and everyone of them needs to improve and be-
come more efficient.
Rough Answer:
• Make them understand that the number of those let off
This is a very common problem in the private sector. This
has been kept at the minimum and they have been giv-
problem tests your overall managerial skills. Yes it will be
en a decent let off package too.
a harsh decision to just put off some of your hardworking
• Make them pledge that they will work with more enthusi-
employees but it has to be made. So what one can do is
asm from now on.
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Always rooted to the ground:

• Patel was born to a peasant family. He worked in the fields
STORY TIME with his father and observed a day long fast twice a month.
Sacrifices like these gave him nerves of steel. His humble
background always made him have a soft corner in his heart
A letter in the middle of case…. for the poor of the country.
Once a person was given a death sentence and Sardar Patel • His foray into public life and eventually into the freedom
was arguing for him.
movement was possible through successful Peasant
At the same time a telegram reached Patelji. After reading it, Satyagrahas in Barod and Kheda.
he kept it in his pocket and didn't tell anyone about it and he
• He earned the title of ‘Sardar’ after he spearheaded peasant’s
continued with his arguments. In the end the victim's death
no-tax campaign at Bardoli in Gujarat.
sentence was cancelled.
Later when the judge asked Patelji about the telegram, he said," Political unification:
Your honour, the telegram is about my wife's death. A dead • By employing methods of Sama, Dama, Dand and Bhed
person can't be brought back to life but If I had not argued for where ever necessary, Sardar Patel assisted by VP Menon
this victim today, then I would have had to see two deaths today." prevented the balkanization of the country and ensured the
Such was the level of commitment to duties. merger of more than 560 princely States with the Union of
India.
Sacrifice:
• He gave friendly advice in some cases, persuaded the rulers
Patel always seemed to have had a propensity to sacrifice
to see reason in others and even used force as in the case of
his own cherished goals to make others happy. He nursed an
Hyderabad.
ambition to study law in London to become a barrister, and
having saved enough by dint of hard work, applied for passport • What makes this stupendous integration most remarkable is
and other travel documents. Due to a quirk of fate perhaps, all that it was achieved without any bloodshed.
these papers were delivered to his elder brother, Vithalbhai Patel,
under the common initials V.J.Patel. In deference to Vithalbhai's
Administrative unification:
pleadings, the Sardar gave up his own ambition, and allowed • Sardar Patel was aware 'you will not have a united India if
his elder brother in his place to go to London for studying law. you do not have a good all-India Service'. Independent
However the Sardar was able to fulfill his own ambition, and India needed a steel frame to run its civil, military, and
successfully completed his study of law in London at the administrative bureaucracy.
relatively late age of 36. • Thus his vision for a unified independent India also saw
the creation of All India Administrative Services which he
A true friend: described as the ‘Steel Frame’.
When bubonic plague broke out in Gujarat in the 1930s, Patel
• His exhortation to the probationers to maintain utmost
acting against popular advice, went to take care of his friend
impartiality and incorruptibility of administration is as relevant
who was infected. This resulted in him contracting the disease
today as it was then.
himself. He stayed in seclusion at a dilapidated temple in Nadiad
until he recovered. As an architect of the Constitution
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel played a decisive role in the
Vallabhbhai Patel (1875 – 1950), popularly known as Sardar Constituent Assembly
Patel, was the 1st Deputy Prime Minister of India. • He played an important role in the selection of members of
He was an Indian barrister and statesman, a senior leader of the the drafting committee. Not only did Patel see that Ambedkar
Indian National Congress and a founding father of the Republic was appointed law minister but ensured that he completed
of India who played a leading role in the country's struggle his tenure despite his colleagues wish to drop him at one
for independence and guided its integration into a united, point.
independent nation.
Ethics, Values & Integrity Current Affairs MADE EASY 113
January, 2018
• Some of the basic tenets of the Constitution, particularly the • Black money: That does not mean he did not recognise
balancing of fundamental rights with the maintenance of law concentration of wealth as a social problem and unethical.
and order in the state, and the reservation of a whole set of His argument was that it was not merely ethical and patriotic,
citizen’s rights as non-justiciable directives of the state were but even economically pragmatic, to channelise “Hoarded
evolved by Patel. Wealth” in economic undertakings, where the returns were
• Patel's emphasis for a strong Centre and his anxiety to guarantee certain to be richer.
the privileges of the princes is reflected in the Constitution. • Ease of doing business: He wanted to see India industrialise
• He also dispensed with separate electorates and seat quickly. The imperative being to reduce dependence on
reservations for the minorities with the unanimous consent of external resources. His promise to industry was for no
their leaders. “impediments, bottle-necks or red-tape”.
• Sardar Patel’s approach was balanced, pragmatic and
Economic thoughts on….: liberal. Economics was an “intensely practical science” for
• Self-sufficiency: Self-reliance was among the chief tenets of him. Short cuts and arbitrary policies of temporary palliatives
his economic philosophy, on which, his views were closer or artificial reductions in prices or stimulation of investment
to those of Pandit Nehru than Mahatma Gandhi’s, who were not acceptable to him.
championed self-sufficiency at the village level.
• Socialism: The role he envisaged for the government was that Foreign Policy:
of a welfare state, but he was unimpressed with the slogans • He pre-empted the relevance of Independent Tibet as a
raised for socialism, and spoke often of the need for India to buffer state between India and China.
create wealth before debating over what to do with it, how to • Patel had written a letter in November 1950 to Nehru warning
share it. him of the dangers of China's ambitions in the north of India.
• Nationalisation: Nationalisation he rejected completely; clear • It was Patel who sent Indian navy to the port of Lakshadweep
that industry ought to be the sole preserve of the business at an appropriate time, as Pakistan was equally keen to
community. occupy the strategically important islands.
• Planning: He was a great believer in planning, especially • On Kashmir, the realist Patel had advised Nehru against
of the kind practised in the developed and industrialised going to the UN.
countries.
• Profit: To him, the profit motive was a great stimulant
Conclusion:
to exertion, not a stigma. He wholly approved of it, and The invaluable contribution of Sardar Patel in building a modern
advocated it for even the non-capitalist classes, the middle and unified India needs to be remembered by every Indian as
classes, the labour and even the agriculturists. the country marches ahead as one of the largest economies in
the world.
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QUOTES for 'ESSAY'

Quotes by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Religion is a matter between the man and his maker.
One can take the path of revolution but there is no place for violence in revolution.
The main task before India today is to consolidate herself into a well-knit and united power.
Character is very essential for real success. One who has no character can succeed neither in politics
not in commerce.
A war based on Satyagraha is always of two kinds. One is the war we wage against injustice, and
the other we fight our won weaknesses.
9
Culture Current Affairs MADE EASY 115
January, 2018
Chapter CULTURE
KATAS RAJ TEMPLE w It is believed by Hindus to be the site where the Pandava
brothers engaged in a riddle contest with the Yakshas, as
While stressing the conservation of Katas Raj Temple, the described in the Yaksha Prashna.
Supreme Court of Pakistan called it a national heritage. • Restoration: In 2006, the Pakistani government began
restoration works at the temples, with further improvements
announced in 2017.
PANDIT NARAYANRAO BODAS
Pandit Narayanrao Bodas passed away at the age of 84 after

a brief illness.
About:
• He was an eminent exponent of the Gwalior gharana of
Hindustani classical music
• He also devoted a considerable amount of his career
to Marathi natya sangeet (enactment of musicals on
stage).
• Location: The complex is located in the Potohar Plateau region
• He is survived by his son, Pandit Kedar Bodas, himself a
of Pakistan's Punjab province. The temples are located near
luminary of the Gwalior gharana.
the town of Kallar Kahar, and are near the M2 Motorway.
• Also known as: The Katas Raj Temples are also known as Qila Gwalior Gharana:
Katas. • Origin:
• About them: w It is the oldest Khyal
w The Katas site houses the Satgraha, a group of seven Gharana.
ancient temples, remains of a Buddhist stupa, five other w The rise of the Gwalior
medieval temples, havelis scattered around a pond Gharana started with
named Katas which is regarded as sacred by Hindus. the reign of the great
• Architecture: Mughal emperor Akbar
w The temples at Katas are mostly constructed on square (1542–1605). Miyan
platforms. Tansen in the court of
w The elevation of the sub shrines seems to form a series of Akbar came from the
cornices with small rows of pillars, crowned by a ribbed town of Gwalior.
dome. • Key features:
w The seven temples were built in an architectural style w A distinguishing feature
similar to Kashmiri temples, with dentils, fluted pillars, of the gharana is its simplicity: well-known ragas (melodic
trefoil arches, and rooflines that are pointed. modes) rather than obscure ones are selected.
• Mythological significance: w The sapat taan is important to the Gwalior style. It is the
w The name Katas (Raj temple) is derived from Kataksha, a singing of notes in a straight sequence and at a vilambit
Sanskrit word meaning ‘tearful eyes’. pace.
w The temples' pond is said in the Puranas to have been • Exponents: Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, Pandit Omkarnath
created from the teardrops of Shiva, after he wandered Thakur, Veena Sahasrabuddhe and Malini Rajurkar.
the Earth inconsolable after the death of his wife Sati.
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INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE 3. Social practices, rituals and festive events

4. Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe
UNESCO has inscribed ‘Kumbh Mela’ on the Representative List of 5. Traditional craftsmanship
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during its 12th session
held at Jeju, South Korea from 4-9 December 2017. List of intangible culture:
• It is an annual list which focuses on those forms of performing
art which are of outstanding value but are vulnerable due to
WHAT IS INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE?
lack of support.
• Intangible culture is that part of culture which cannot be
• Thus it aims to ensure the better protection of important
touched but can only be recorded.
intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of
• It includes performing arts like song, music, drama, skills,
their significance.
crafts etc.
• The program currently compiles two lists
UNESCO CONVENTION FOR THE SAFEGUARDING OF Representa- • It comprises cultural practices and
THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE tive List expressions that help to demonstrate
• It was adopted in 2003 the diversity of this heritage and raise
• India ratified it in 2007 awareness about its importance.
For cultural (monuments) & natural sites we have 1972 World • It is longer
Heritage Convention. Urgent Safe- • It is composed of those cultural elements
guarding list “whose continuous recreation and
Comparison with other conventions: transmission” are threatened and are in
• 1972 World Heritage Convention: need of immediate support.
w It deals with tangible heritage: monuments, as well as • It is shorter.
cultural and natural sites.
w Among other things, the heritage must be of outstanding Indian elements on the list
universal value and of authentic character. Experts and site
Element Year of inscription
managers are key actors for identification and protection.
Kumbh Mela 2017
• 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the
Diversity of Cultural Expressions: Nawrouz/Novruz 2016
w It aims to provide artists, culture professionals, Yoga 2016
practitioners and citizens of the world with the possibility Traditional brass and copper craft of 2014
to create, produce, promote and enjoy a wide range of utensil making among the Thatheras of
cultural goods, services and activities. Jandiala Guru, Punjab, India
• 2003 Convention for Intangible Cultural Heritage: Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and 2013
w The 2003 Convention comes at the intersection of these dancing of Manipur
conventions. Buddhist chanting of Ladakh: recitation 2012
w Its aim is to safeguard a specific form of (intangible) of sacred Buddhist texts in the trans-
heritage: practices, representations, expressions, Himalayan Ladakh region, Jammu and
knowledge, and skills that communities recognize as their Kashmir, India
cultural heritage. Chhau dance 2010
w It is also a tool to support communities and practitioners
Kalbelia folk songs and dances of 2010
in their contemporary cultural practices, whereas experts
Rajasthan
are associated only as mediators or facilitators.
Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance 2010
Domains: drama of Kerala
UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Ramman, religious festival and ritual 2009
Intangible Cultural Heritage proposes five broad ‘domains’ in theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas, India
which intangible cultural heritage is manifested: Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre 2008
1. Oral traditions and expressions, including language as a Tradition of Vedic chanting 2008
vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage Ramlila, the traditional performance of 2008
2. Performing arts the Ramayana
KUMBH MELA
• Largest congregation of pilgrims: and thus liberating her/him from the cycle of birth and
w According to UNESCO, Kumbh Mela (the festival of the death.
sacred Pitcher) is the largest peaceful congregation of • Location:
pilgrims on earth attended by millions of people. w The festival is held at Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik
w The congregation includes ascetics, saints, sadhus, every four years by rotation
aspirants-kalpavasis and visitors. w As it is held in four different cities in India, it involves
• Dip in river: different social and cultural activities, making this a
w During it, participants bathe or take a dip in a sacred river culturally diverse festival.
as they believe that by doing this one gets freed from sins
SALVATOR MUNDI
Salvator Mundi, a painting was sold at auction by Christie's in New
York, on 15 November 2017, for $450.3 million, setting a new mark
for most expensive painting ever sold.
About:
• Salvator Mundi, Latin for Saviour of the World, is a subject in
iconography depicting Jesus Christ.
• Christ is depicted with his right hand raised in blessing and his
left hand holding an orb surmounted by a cross, known as a
globus cruciger. The latter symbolizes the Earth.
• The theme was made popular by Northern painters such as Jan
van Eyck, Hans Memling, and Albrecht Dürer.
• A painting of the subject has been attributed or reattributed to
Leonardo da Vinci since 2011. This painting broke records in 2017,
when it was sold for the highest auction price in the world.
10
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Chapter MISCELLANEOUS
ROHIT SHARMA
In the ongoing series against Sri Lanka, Rohit sharma of India

scored a double hundred in one day internationals (ODIs).
Records made in the match:

• He has become the first batsman to hit three double centuries
in ODIs. Earlier he has scored a double century against
Australia and Sri Lanka.
MIRABAI CHANU
• Apart from Sharma, no other batsman has registered even
two. The other players combined have recorded only four
Mirabai Chanu won a gold medal at the World Championships
double hundreds – one each by Sachin Tendulkar (India),
weightlifting competition in California. By this she became
Martin Guptill (New Zealand), Virender Sehwag (India) and
only the second Indian after Karnam Malleswari to achieve
Chris Gayle (West Indies).
this feat.
• He also became the second batsman to score an ODI 200 as
captain after Virender Sehwag did so.
• In the ODI match, India became the first team to register 100
totals of 300-plus in ODIs, followed by Australia (96), South
Africa (79), Pakistan (69) and Sri Lanka (66).
About:
• Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (born 1994) is an Indian female
weightlifter.
• She hails from Manipur state of India.
• Championships won:
w Recently, she who won Gold medal in the 48 kg category
RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN at 2017 World Weightlifting Championships held in
Anaheim, United States.
Ravichandran Ashwin of India has become the fastest
w Earlier she had won silver medal in the women's 48 kg
cricketer to take 300 wickets in test cricket breaking the record
weight class at the 2014 Commonwealth Games at
of Dennis Lillee of Australia.
Glasgow.
Miscellaneous Current Affairs MADE EASY 119
January, 2018
CRISTIANO RONALDO
Real Madrid star Cristian Ronaldo has claimed his fifth Ballon
d’Or, equalling rival Lionel Messi.
MOTHER TERESA MEMORIAL AWARD
Ballon d'Or ("Golden Ball")
Mother Teresa Memorial Awards were recently presented.
• It is an annual football award.
w It has been awarded since
1956, although between
About:
2010 and 2015, an • Objective: These are awards to honour individuals and
agreement was made with organizations that promote peace, equality and social justice.
FIFA and the award was • Origin: These are given in honour of Mother Teresa since
temporarily merged with 2005 annually or biannually.
the FIFA World Player of the • Organization: They are an initiative of Harmony Foundation,
Year, and known as the FIFA an organization created by Abraham Mathai in Mumbai. It is
Ballon d'Or. the only award in the name of Mother Teresa recognised by
w But the partnership was the Missionaries of Charity.
ended in 2016 and the award been reversed back to
Ballon d'Or while FIFA also renamed its traditional award. 2017 awardees (organizations and people):
• Presented by: France Football; a French weekly magazine (Indian organizations and people have been highlighted)
containing football news from all over the world. • UNHCR
• Who are honoured? • A21
w It honours the male player deemed to have performed the best • Hellenic Rescue Team
over the previous year, based on voting by football journalists. • Shigeru Ban
w Originally, only European players were in contention for
• Mercy Corp
the Ballon d'Or. Since 2007 all players from around the
• Khalsa Aid
world are eligible.
• Caritas Internationalis
MOST BALLON D’ OR TITLES • Bayat Foundation
Ronaldo 2008, 13, 14, 16, 17 5 • IsraAID

• Zakat Foundation of India: It is an NGO based in Delhi which
Messi 2009-12, 2015 5
collects and utilizes ‘zakat’ or charity for socially beneficial
Van Basten 1988, 89, 92 3 projects in a transparent and organized manner.
Platini 1983-85 3 • Tom Uzhunnalil: He is an Indian Catholic priest. He was
Cruyff 1971, 73, 74 3 kidnapped in 2016 and held by terrorists in Yemen, before
being released in September 2017 with the intervention of
Oman and the Catholic Church.
SAICON 2017 • Priyanka Chopra: she is a Bollywood actress. As a UNICEF
Goodwill Ambassador, she took up the cause of fighting for
SAICON 2017 was held in New Delhi Dec 7-9, 2017.
the rights of refugees and displaced people.
About:
• What was it? It was the first International Conference on Sports
Medicine & Sports Sciences.
• Organized by: Sports Authority of India (SAI).
• Theme of the conference: ‘Scoring Goals in Sports with
Science and Technology’.
• Objective: Promoting scientific temperament in country and
inspire students, researchers and educationists alike to take
up sports science and research to next level.
120
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
MISS WORLD 2017
Manushi Chhillar of India (born in Rohtak, Haryana) was crowned as Miss World 2017 on 18 November 2017 in Sanya, China.
This is the sixth time that India has won the Miss World, tying it for the most title wins with Venezuela.
MISS UNIVERSE 2017 • This event was jointly conducted by the Union Ministry of
Information and broadcasting, Directorate of Film Festivals
Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters was crowned as Miss Universe 2017. and the Government of Goa.
• Filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh, who was appointed head of the jury
of the Indian panorama section, resigned from the position
About:
on 14 November after alleging that the Ministry of Information
• Miss Universe 2017 was the
and Broadcasting dropped two films S Durga and Nude from
66th Miss Universe pageant,
screening in the Indian Panorama section for their controversial
held on 26 November 2017.
theme.
• The event was held in Las
Vegas, Nevada, United States. Awards:
• Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South • Golden peacock award for best film: 120 BPM.
Africa was crowned as Miss • Best director award: Vivian Qu (for her 2017 film ‘Angels Wear
Universe 2017. White’)
• Special jury award: Take off.
48TH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF • Best actor (female): Parvathy thiruvoth kottuvatta
INDIA (IFFI) • Best actor (female): Nahuel Perez Biscayart
• Lifetime achievement award: Atom Egoyan
48th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) concluded in • Indian film personality of the year: Amitabh Bachchan
Goa on November 28, 2017. • ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal: Marathi Film ‘Kshitij- A Horizon’.
w This award, instituted by the International Council for Film
About: & Television, Paris and UNESCO is given to a film that
• The 48th IFFI was held from 20 to 28 November 2017 in Goa. portrays the Gandhian values of peace and harmony.
January, 2018
PT. RAMNARAYAN SHARMA NATIONAL Professor Hiroshi Marui:

AWARD • Professor Marui has spent over 40 years working on Indian
philosophy and Buddhist Studies.
On December 4, 2017, the President of India presented the Pt • As President of the Japanese Association of Indian and
Ramnarayan Sharma National Ayurved Award for the years Buddhist Studies, he has made a significant contribution to
2008-2014 at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Indology in Japan.
• His many acclaimed publications and research papers are
About: considered a final authority on several subjects the world over.
• The Pt Ramnarayan Sharma National Award was instituted by

the Ramnarayan Vaidya Ayurved Research Trust in 1982.
• It honours an eminent Ayurvedic scholar every year.
• The Award consists of a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh, a silver idol
of Lord Dhanwantari and a citation.
GURBIR S. GREWAL
ICCR DISTINGUISHED INDOLOGIST AWARD Gurbir S. Grewal has been nominated as the next Attorney
General of the US state of New Jersey.
The President of India conferred the 3rd ICCR Distinguished
Indologist Award on Professor Hiroshi Marui of Japan. About:
• He is a prominent Sikh-American
lawyer.
• A public prosecutor, he has previously
served as an Assistant US Attorney in
New York and New Jersey.
• With this nomination, Mr. Grewal
is set to become the first Sikh-
American State Attorney General in the United States.
SHASHI KAPOOR
Shashi Kapoor died on 4 December 2017 due to prolonged
liver cirrhosis.
Indology:
• Indology is the academic study of the history and cultures,
About:
languages, and literature of India.
• Shashi Kapoor (1938 – 2017) born
ICCR Distinguished Indologist Award: as Balbir Prithviraj Kapoor was an In-
dian film actor and producer.
• It is an annual award instituted in 2015 by Indian Council for
Cultural Relations (ICCR). • He appeared in over 168 films.
• Cash prize: US$ 20,000. • He was a member of the Kapoor

family, a film dynasty in India's Bolly-
• It is given to a person for one’s exemplary contribution to
wood cinema. He was the third and
Indology.
youngest son of Prithviraj Kapoor and the younger brother of
Recipients: Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor.
• The program currently compiles two lists • Awards:
w In 2011, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan for his
Year Recipients Country
contributions to Art-Cinema.
2015 Prof. Heinrich Freiherr Von Stietencron Germany w In 2015, he was awarded the 2014 Dadasaheb Phalke
2016 Prof. Yu Long Yu China Award, making him the third member of his family to
2017 Prof. Hiroshi Marui Japan receive the highest award in Indian Cinema after Prithviraj
Kapoor and Raj Kapoor.
122
Group
An initiative of
January, 2018
SUNIL KUMAR CHOURASIA About:

• Homai Vyarawalla (1913 – 2012) was India's first woman
Sunil Kumar Chourasia has been appointed as the new Director photojournalist.
General of Ordnance Factories (DGOF) and Chairman of the • She began work in late 1930s and retired in the early 1970s.
Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) w.e.f. 1st December, 2017. He • Most of her photographs were published under the
joined Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS) in 1981. pseudonym "Dalda 13₹.
w The reasons behind her choice of this name were that her
birth year was 1913, she met her husband at the age of 13
Ordnance factories Board (OFB):
and her first car's number plate read "DLD 13₹
• Founded in: 1802.
w Thus she was commonly known by her pseudonym Dalda 13.
• HQ: Kolkata. w In 2011, she was awarded Padma Vibhushan.
• Parent agency: It functions under the
Department of Defence Production of BEGUM ROKEYA
Union Ministry of Defence.
• Functions: Google dedicated a doodle to Begum Rokeya to celebrate
w It is engaged in research, development, production, Begum Rokeya Day, marking her 137th birth and 85th death
testing, marketing and logistics of a comprehensive anniversary.
product range in the areas of air, land and sea systems.
w OFB comprises forty-one Ordnance Factories, nine
Training Institutes, three Regional Marketing Centres and
four Regional Controllerates of Safety.
• Key feats:
w OFB is the world's largest government-operated
production organisation, and the oldest organisation run
by the Government of India.
w It is often called the "Fourth Arm of Defence", and the
About:
"Force Behind the Armed Forces" of India.
• Begum Rokeya (9 December 1880 – 9 December 1932) was
born in Bengal Presidency in the then British India.
• Literary career:
w She was a pioneer in Bengali feminist thinking and writing.
w Her literary career spanned several published essays,
poems, short stories, and books, but her most well-
known work is SULTANA’S DREAM, a science-fiction piece
HOMAI VYARAWALLA depicting a feminist utopia.
• Women education:
Google honoured Homai Vyarawalla on her 104th Birth w Rokeya was a major advocate for women’s education,
Anniversary with a doodle, as "First Lady of the Lens". believing deeply that the disparity in available education
for men and women was the root cause of inequality.
w A few years after writing Sultana’s Dream, Rokeya established
the first school for Bengali Muslim women in Calcutta, which
remains a successful school for girls and women.
w Later she created the Muslim Women’s Association,
developed to support women’s education and employment
causes. Rokeya believed firmly in narrowing the gap in
opportunities for men and women, and dedicated her
entire life to the cause.
• Legacy:
w In Bangladesh, 9 December is celebrated as Rokeya Day.
w In 2004, Rokeya was placed at number 6 in the BBC's poll
of the Greatest Bengali of All Time.
January, 2018
RUKHMABAI • become an advocate in India,

• practice law in India and Britain.
On 22 November 2017, Google commemorated Rukhmabai's
153rd Birthday with a Google Doodle.
Kaisar-i-Hind Medal:
• She was also involved in various social services.
• Rukhmabai (1864 - 1955) was an Indian physician and
• In recognition of her services to the Indian nation, she was
feminist.
awarded the Kaisar-i-Hind Gold Medal in 1909 by British
• Age of Consent Act in 1891: Monarch.
w She was involved in a landmark case that involved her
marriage as a child bride between 1884 and 1888.
w The case raised significant public debate which ultimately CHRISTIAN DOPPLER
contributed to the Age of Consent Act in 1891, which changed
the age of consent from 10 to 12 years across British India. Google doodle celebrated Christian Doppler’s 214th Birthday.
• As a physician:
w In 1894, she received her Doctor of Medicine from the
London School of Medicine for Women.
w Doctors Kadambini Ganguly and Anandi Gopal Joshi
were the first Indian women to have received medical
degrees in 1886.
w But only Dr. Ganguly went on to practice medicine,
making Rukhmabai the second Indian woman to both
receive a medical degree and practice medicine.
w In 1895, she returned to India and worked as the Chief
Christian Andreas Doppler (1803 –1853) was an Austrian
Medical Officer at the Women's Hospital in Surat.
mathematician and physicist. He is most known for his principle
• Purdah:
“Doppler effect”.
w In 1929 after her retirement, she started publishing a
pamphlet titled "Purdah - the need for its abolition" arguing Doppler effect:
that young windows were being denied the chance to
• The whistle of a fast moving train appears to increase
actively contribute to Indian society.
in pitch as it approaches a stationary observer and it
appears to decrease as the train moves away from the
CORNELIA SORABJI observer.
• The phenomenon of the apparent change in the frequency of
A Google Doodle celebrated her 151st birthday on 15 sound due to the relative motion between the source of sound
November 2017. and the observer is called Doppler effect.
Applications:
About: • Sirens, explaining the Speed of stars, explaining the colours
Cornelia Sorabji (1866 – 1954) was the first Indian woman to of stars, Radar (Radio detection and ranging), Sonar (Sound
• graduate from Bombay University, navigation and ranging) are some of the application of
• study law at Oxford University (indeed, the first Indian national Doppler effect.
to study at any British university),
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Current Affairs January 2018

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Current Affairs January 2018

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January, 2018

“ A MONTHLY MAGAZINE FOR UPSC CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION”

FRDI Bill, 2017 IBC Ordinance, 2017

MADE EASY Publications

QUAD An Indo-Pacific “Concert of Democracies”........................................... 22 Pulses ........................................................................................................................... 69

Bharat-22 ETF ............................................................................................................ 60

Sankalp ........................................................................................................................ 61 International Committee of Military Medicine (ICMM) ................................ 78

National Power Portal(NPP) .................................................................................. 62 IS was?.......................................................................................................................... 79

FDI Inflow to India .................................................................................................... 62 INS Kalvari ................................................................................................................... 80

SC Halts Govt to take over Unitech..................................................................... 63

Rohit Sharma ........................................................................................................... 118

Chakravyuh Problem Reasons for Exit Problem? (Three I’s)

• The above view is also supported by Doing business report 3. Ideology

FISCAL • Inefficient firms often require government Solution:

Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code, 2016

Committee to Review IBC, 2016

Significance: • By widening the scope and definition of those it considers

(2) FINANCIAL RESOLUTION: Meaning:

Key Provisions of The Bill

Timeline: • Time-limit of resolution: It will resolve the firm using any of

FTP 2015-2020: Snapshot MID TERM REVIEW

Simplification of procedures and processes: Capacity building:

data showed that India’s exports went up by just 1.2% in

ANALYSIS • Exports are an important driver of economic growth and

73 IFS : Mechanical Engineering : Previous Years Solved Papers : Volume 2 650

Today, more than 11 million women in the

WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS in INDIA

Problems faced by Women Entrepreneurs:

Way Ahead: • The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,

Background: • Rationalizing of prescribed fee for testing of roll-out obligations:

Recommendations: • What complicates the structure further is that licensing power

PM Modi flew in a seaplane from the

Timeline: Do You Know?

Highlights of first meeting:

ANALYSIS in quad are interlinked economically with china sizeable

was reached in 1995 to start a new type of multilateral co-

Multilateral Export Control Regime (MECR): Members:

Wassenaar Arrangement: Summary Facts

w Being a part of major groups like WA enhances India’s

ANALYSIS chances to get a permanent seat in United Nations

Benefit of WA’s Membership To India: Benefits to WA from India’s membership:

Selection procedure of Judges to ICJ:

Ship Disposal w Most vessels contain a large amount of hazardous

Global Scenario: Hong Kong Convention:

INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION (IMO)

What is it? • Way ahead:

Akash missile tested with indigenous radio frequency seeker.

About Brahmos: Current developments:

• Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985: It provides for the

Tribunal As on Pending 2. Uniformity in Service Conditions:

Anti defection law

Assemblies across the country. Thirty-two governments 3. Power to disqualify:

• It also promotes party discipline. 3. Independent candidate joining a political party

Recent Controversy: • Who summons the Legislature?

Number of sitting days: Extended monsoon session:

It is time to change the rules to ensure that

(ii) Pakistan Model: Legal definition of Hate Speech in India?

ANALYSIS For instance, Caste Violence erupted in Saharanpur between

New additions: Cyber Crimes:

Crime Against Women:

Crime against Women:

BACKGROUND • We Are Still In: In reaction to the US federal government’s

Climate change leaders: