Daily News Mail - News of 02/07/2015

Transformation by Digital India & A Detailed Article on Digital India Program
Prime Minister started campaign of Digital India Week on July 1 to attract various stakeholders to ensure the success of initiative. This ambitious initiative aims to transform India to a true ‘Knowledge Economy’, where not only government services are provided through ICT, but all aspects of life, be it business, agriculture or education are facilitated likewise. India, given its huge human resources in IT sector is well suited to achieve such change.

It will have multiplier effect of economy of the country. In one go this will ensure transparent and accountable government, ease of business, hassle free procedures, higher living standard of masses and reduce in wastages in public spending. Positive impacts of digitization are quite apparent in current E-ticketing system of IRCTC, E- filling of income tax returns, E- Passport services, Digitization of land records among many examples. In all these initiatives power of middle man and discretion of lower level bureaucracy has decreased significantly.

Unlike predecessor National E-Governance Plan (NEGP), Digital India initiative looks much beyond public service delivery system. It places equal stress on digital infrastructure, governance and service delivery and digital empowerment of citizens. Without such comprehensive plan NEGP had very little relevance in rural and backward areas.

As always implementation is the key, but this program is starved of Infrastructure. There are two different options for delivery, one is through spectrum wavelength i.e. through mobile data and other is through landline broadband for which ‘National Optical Fiber Network’ is being laid. In case of former efficient delivery of service demands national wide roll out of 4G and plus services and in case of latter, current speed of work is dismal at 500 km/month while it should be 30000 km/ month.

Another issue is legal framework of the country. Current legal framework seems obsolete as Cyber Security law is 15 years old and is incapable of dealing with modern technicalities and crimes. Similarly, IT act of 2000 doesn’t even cover many types of crime. In absence of holistic legal framework, this initiative can get marred under obstructive litigation. National Cyber security policy was framed in 2013, but it is now a dead letter. However, in telecom sector both regulatory (TRAI) and appellate body are in place which can well take care of infrastructural part of the plan.

To ensure success, it is essential that masses participate in this initiative. Relevant applications with suitable content in local languages will have to be developed to educate diverse people of the country. So far awareness about technology is quite low in country side. This results in exclusion of poor from the services.

This initiative also aims hardware development in India and tries to draw synergies from ‘Make in India’ initiative. Currently China holds about 40% share in electronics market. Wages and other costs in China are expected to inflate significantly in coming years and this provides India an opportunity to dislodge China from top position. For this to happen, along with massive skill development, India will have to correct its ‘inverted duty structure’. India’s imposes heavy excise duty on domestic manufacturing of various electronic components, whereas China provides heavy subsidies or low taxes. This along with low import duty mandated by WTO agreement makes imports cheaper than domestic manufacturing. This is called inverted duty structure and it has retarded Indian industry.

Having said this, data security is of utmost importance. Huge amount of private and sensitive government data will flow on digital highways. Any leakage or attack on such data can jeopardize national security and disrupt the lifeline. Apart from security, systems should be put in place to ensure that individual privacy is respected. There is a widespread suspicion throughout the world over digitization. It is felt that governments and big business houses are in position to mi-utilize ‘Big Data’ technique for their private ends. These suspicions will have to be properly addressed before spending huge funds on the program. Russian laws doesn’t allow domestic data to be stored beyond its boundaries, this should be looked into by India.

What is Digital India?
Digital India is a Programme to prepare India for a knowledge future. The focus is on being transformative – to realize IT + IT = IT. The focus is on making technology central to enabling change. It is an Umbrella Programme – covering many departments. It weaves together a large number of ideas and thoughts into a single, comprehensive vision so that each of them is seen as part of a larger goal.

Each individual element stands on its own. But is also part of the larger picture. It is coordinated by DeitY , implemented by the entire government. The weaving together makes the Mission transformative in totality.

The Programme: Pulls together many existing schemes. These schemes will be restructured and re-focused. They will be implemented in a synchronized manner. Many elements are only process improvements with minimal cost. The common branding of programmes as Digital India highlights their transformative impact.

Vision of Digital India
Centered on 3 Key Areas

• Digital Infrastructure as a Utility to Every Citizen
• Governance & Services on Demand
• Digital Empowerment of Citizens

Vision Area 1: Infrastructure as a Utility to Every Citizen

• High speed internet as a core utility
• Cradle to grave digital identity -unique, lifelong, online, authenticable
• Mobile phone & Bank account enabling participation in digital & financial space
• Easy access to a Common Service Centre
• Shareable private space on a public cloud
• Safe and secure Cyber-space

Vision Area 2

• Seamlessly integrated across departments or jurisdictions
• Services available in real time from online &mobile platform
• All citizen entitlements to be available on the cloud
• Services digitally transformed for improving Ease of Doing Business
• Making financial transactions electronic & cashless
• Leveraging GIS for decision support systems & development

Vision Area 3

• Universal Digital Literacy
• Universally accessible digital resources
• All documents/ certificates to be available on cloud
• Availability of digital resources / services in Indian languages
• Collaborative digital platforms for participative governance
• Portability of all entitlements through cloud

For more details - http://www.insightsonindia.com/2015/07/02/lok-sabha-tv-insights-transformation-by-digital-india-a-detailed-article-on-digital-india-program/

New members appointed for North Eastern Council
Two eminent persons were recently appointed as the new members of the North Eastern Council for a period of three years. The two members are- Shri Chandra Kanta Das, a senior retired IAS officer and Prof Gangmumei Kamei, a distinguished academician, author and public activist. They will function as full time non-official members from the NEC headquarters at Shillong.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh is the Chairman of the NEC.

About the North Eastern Council:
Its functions are similar to the five Zonal Councils -  Northern Zonal Council, Central Zonal Council, Eastern Zonal Council, Western Zonal Council and Southern Zonal Council, but is created by separate Act of Parliament - the North-Eastern Council Act of 1971.

Except North Eastern Council, all are established by an Act of the Parliament, that is, States Reorganisation Act of 1956.

Each Zonal Council consists of the following members: (a)home minister of Central government,(b)chief ministers of all the States in the zone(c)Two other ministers from each state in the zone(d)Administrator of each union territory in the zone.

The home minister of Central government is the common chairman of the five zonal councils. 

The North Eastern Council is the nodal agency for the economic and social development of the North Eastern Region which consists of the eight States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. The chief ministers and governors represent them.

• The headquarters of the council is situated in Shillong, and it functions under Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region.
• The North Eastern Council was constituted in 1971 by an Act of Parliament.
• The Council is an advisory body and may discuss any matter in which the north-eastern states have a common interest and advise the Central Government as to the action to be taken on any such matter.
• The funding of council mainly lies with the central government with small portions contributed by the state governments as well.
• The NEC act has been amended in 2002 to add Sikkim and restructure it as the regional planning body for the North Eastern Region.

Digital ‘Guddi-Gudda Board’
The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has adopted the ‘Digital Guddi-Gudda Board’ as a Best Practice under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme on the occasion of Digital India Week being observed from 1st July to 7th July, 2015.

About the’Digital Guddi-Gudda Board’:
The Digital Guddi-Gudda Board is an innovation of District Jalgaon in Maharshtra, initiated by its Collector, Ms Rubal Aggarwal with the support of Ms Raksha Khadse, MP, Raver and Mr. A.T. Nana Patil, MP, Jalgaon.

• The digital Board has been popularized in the district of Jalgaon, Maharashtra and works as a platform for dissemination of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Material on Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme as well as updating monthly birth statistics.
• The digital board displays audio video material as well as still frames for disseminating information.
• This Board is being currently displayed at important state offices including that of the Chief Minister, district level offices, Zila Panchayat offices, primary health centers and other public places frequently visited by the common man.
• This is a fine example of digital innovation and best practice connected with the BBBP Scheme.
• Apart from displaying disaggregated birth statistics, this Board also contains other audio video IEC material related to the Scheme.

About BBBP:
Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Andolan will help in generating awareness and improving the efficiency of delivery of welfare services meant for women.

• It is set up with an initial corpus of Rs 100 crore.

Aim: The adverse and declining child sex ratio (CSR) across the States is a major cause of concern as it has fallen from 927 in 2001 to 918 in 2011. The BBBP seeks to arrest the trend and over time to reverse it.

Implementation:

• A 100 critical low CSR districts in all States and UTs have been identified for focused and convergent action by the Ministries.
• The Ministry of WCD is the nodal Ministry for this initiative and will carry out training to stakeholders, community mobilization and sensitization. It will also embark upon a range of advocacy measures and activities, not limited to the 100 low CSR districts but all across the country.
• All forms of media and social media platforms would be used for this.

With AFSPA, India has failed statute: Amnesty

Amnesty International recently released a detailed report on the implications of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Jammu & Kashmir, asserting that the Union government has often refused to prosecute the Army or paramilitary personal accused of human rights abuses.

Details of the report:

• The report is titled “Denied: Failures in accountability for human rights violations by security force personnel in Jammu & Kashmir”.
• The report says, “By not addressing human rights violations committed by security force personnel in the name of national security, India has not only failed to uphold its international obligations but has also failed its own Constitution.”
• The report has urged India to become signatory of international conventions on human rights and has asked the Centre to “accept and facilitate” a request from the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance to visit India.
• Citing many instances where their RTI applications failed to get a response, Amnesty has called for making the information about the cases pertaining to human rights violations in J-K public.
• The report has also sought amendments in the legislations to limit the jurisdiction of military courts. It admits that to address the issue of impunity is a “challenge” but says is essential to ensure justice.
• The report also points out that legislation like the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990–which gives security officials special enforcement powers to act against alleged terrorists and separatists and protects them against civilian prosecution—do not conform with international human rights standards or the Indian Constitution that guarantees right to life, justice and remedy.

Recommendations made by the Amnesty International:

It has made a slew of recommendations to the federal authorities and state government in Jammu and Kashmir.

• It asks both the federal and state governments to take immediate steps to start independent and impartial investigations into all cases of alleged human rights violations by security forces and to prosecute the suspects in proceedings that meet international fair trial standards.
• It asks the federal government to repeal AFSPA and “ensure that all other national security legislation complies fully with India’s international legal obligations and is in line with international standards.” It has identified “impunity” and “lack of political will” as a long standing problem in J-K.

World Bank approves $650 m loan for eastern freight corridor

The World Bank has approved an additional loan of $650 million for the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), which is aimed at the faster delivery of goods between the northern and eastern parts of the country.

• This round of loans to the Eastern DFC follows two other loans by the World Bank. This round of World Bank funding will build the 401 km Ludhiana-Khurja section in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab.
• The Cabinet had recently approved the revised cost estimate of Rs.81,459 crore for the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) Project.

About the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) Project:

The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor Project (EDFC) will ease congestion choking the railway system and reduce travel-time for passenger trains on the arterial Ludhiana-Delhi-Mughal Sarai railway route.

• The corridor will add additional rail transport capacity, improve service quality and create higher freight capacity.
• It will also help to develop the institutional capacity of the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation (DFCCIL) and Ministry of Railways to best utilize heavy haul freight systems.
• This Project aims at the faster delivery of goods between the northern and eastern parts of the country.
• The project will help increase the capacity of these freight-only lines by raising the axle-load limit from 22.9 to 25 tonnes and enable speeds of up to 100 km/hr.
• An analysis of the projected greenhouse gases that are expected to be generated by the Eastern freight corridor project found that it would be 55 per cent lower than the levels of gases released without the project.
• The Eastern DFC project is expected to release 10.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions up to 2041-42, compared to a whopping 23.3 million tonnes in the absence of the freight corridor.

This is also part of India’s first Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) initiative – being built on two main routes – the Western and the Eastern Corridors. These corridors will help India make a quantum leap in increasing the railways’ transportation capacity by building high-capacity, higher-speed dedicated freight corridors along the “Golden Quadrilateral” – the four rail routes that connect Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata.

Cabinet clears setting up of online national agriculture market

The union cabinet recently approved the setting up of an online national agriculture market that will provide more options to farmers for selling their produce.

• Currently, farmers are restricted to selling their produce at mandis or market committees that charge various taxes on producers.

Details:

• According to the decision taken, an online platform would be set up wherein farmers will be able to sell and buy fruits, vegetables and other produce from across the country.
• An agency would be set up to oversee online trading and to ensure that transactions take place smoothly, they said.
• It will also focus on creating godowns and facilitating transportation of the farm produce after the online trade, sources added.
• The move is expected to give choice to farmers to sell the farm produce both in physical mandis or online platform.
• The freer access to sell via online trade is likely to boost their incomes and improve availability, moderating price rise.
• This online agriculture market will also focus on creating godowns and facilitate transportation of the farm produce after the online trade.

Vijayanagar inscription found

An inscription dating back to the times of the Vijayanagar Empire has been found at a temple at Kandavara village in Kundapur taluk of Udupi district, Karnataka.

• Archaeologists said that the inscription dates back to the times of the Vijayanagar ruler Krishnadevaraya.
• The inscription was brought out during the renovation of the temple and installed on its outer premises.
• There are 30 lines written in Kannada on the rectangle stone slab. The writing mentioned in the inscription corresponds to 1509 AD. This date also corresponds to the first year of Krishnadevaraya’s reign.

About Vijayanagar ruler Krishnadevaraya:

• He was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire who reigned from 1509–1529.
• He is the third ruler of the Tuluva Dynasty.
• Krishna Deva Raya earned the titles Kannada Rajya Rama Ramana, Andhra Bhoja and Mooru Rayara Ganda.
• He became the dominant ruler of the peninsula of India by defeating the Sultans of Bijapur, Golconda, the Bahmani Sultanate and the Raja of Odisha.
• The great south Indian mathematician Nilakantha Somayaji also lived in the Empire of Krishnadevaraya.
• He was the most powerful of all the Hindu rulers of India at that time.
• Portuguese travellers Domingo Paes and Fernao Nuniz also visited the Vijayanagara Empire during his reign.

Do you think Directive Principles of State Policy should be given same importance and primacy as is given to the Fundamental Rights? Critically analyse. (200 Words)

There has been a fight between the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles for supremacy and precedence on several occasions .Against the background of the Supreme Court ruling on one such occasion that held the prevalence of the Fundamental Right in case of conflict between the two, it is important to assess whether Directive Principles of State Policy should be extended same importance and primacy as is given to the Fundamental Rights:-

Arguments against this :-

1. Constitutionally enshrined Fundamental Rights form the core and heart of a democratic nation and can't be taken away whereas the Directive Principles are just a set of ethical and moral guidelines that a state should practice for good governance, committed to the welfare of it's people .
2. Social ,political and economic realities of a nation limit the extent and scope of applicability of the later .No state possesses the quantum of capability and financial resources that would meet the requirements and goals of the latter.Hence,it is virtually impossible for government to implement and enforce them .
3. Attempt by any state to enforce the guidelines set by later would lead to serious and blatant violation of the former , thus defeating the very purpose of a democracy.

Arguments in favor:-

1. Fundamental Rights promote the welfare of the individual whereas the Directive Principles seek to promote the welfare of the community.
2. The latter could be effective in addressing much of the problem of social inequality and injustice like economic ,educational and social backwardness and discrimination ,poverty ,income and wealth disparities if strictly enforced . 
3. Would promote efficient and competent governance constantly committed to the development and welfare of the society.
4. However. the Directive Principles of State Policy can't be given same importance and primacy as is given to the Fundamental Rights due to arguments mentioned above.These principles are too ideal and generalistic to be followed in reality.They can be practiced in an Utopian world only and not the world where we live in .

Daily News Mail - News of 01/07/2015

Monsoon Impact on Economy
Proving apprehensions of deficit rainfall false, monsoon in June showered 16% surplus rainfalls in well distributed manner. Only few areas (north east, Bihar, Kerala and T.N.) received deficit rainfalls. About 20% of total showers expected during the season, are received in June. However, IMD forecast for the months of July and August is pessimistic at 88% of normal rainfall. Overall performance of sector will emerge clearly only after a few months. Given that El Nino is prevalent this year, government already framed a ‘crisis management plan for drought’ for 2015.

Last year we witnessed drought in many places, which pushed agriculture growth down to meagre .2%. Previous few years registered robust growth of 4% plus on the back of good monsoons. Erratic rainfalls earlier this year devastated vast quantities of rabi crops bringing millions of farmers under distress. So, good monsoon is very crucial to prevent further deterioration. Good monsoon contributes to healthy growth in national GDP and this growth is much more inclusive than growth in Industry and services.

Crop sowing so far this year has dropped for rice, maize and millets in comparison to last year. In case of cash crops, Jute, sugarcane and cotton has witnessed the decline. For pulses and oil seeds, sowing is marginally up.

In anticipation of bad monsoon and spiraling prices of few commodities government has imported pulses and other essential goods to maintain the buffer stocks. We have sufficient stocks of Rice (20 Million tons) and wheat (40 MT), and these are expected to increase by current year’s surplus. That said, India doesn’t produce sufficient pulses and edible oils. We import about 20% of requirement. Recent crunch in supply of pulses resulted in 30% increase in prices. Main reason behind this is lower MSPs in comparison to food grains, Low productivity and technology resistance nature of pulses. Recently government increase MSP of pulses significantly, but this is only a partial solution. Pulses yield merely 700-1000 kgs per hectare and this is almost stable from pre green revolution period. In contrast, food grains despite being in similar state few decades ago now yield 2500-3000 kg. Per hectare. Accelerated Pulse Production Program (AP3) is in place to promote better farming, but so far there is limited success. In Canada, Australia and USA productivity is almost 2-3 times that of India. Similarly, edible oils are being imported from South East Asia even when we have ample potential.

India is net exporter of agriculture and monsoon in India is observed closely by whole world. Even some developing countries such as Brazil and ASEAN have as low as 3-4% population engaged in agriculture, so unlike India (which stocks physical grains) these countries are dependent on imports for food security in times of distress. Further, in case of natural calamities like recent Nepal EQ and floods in Pakistan last year, India is main provider of food grains. This is an opportunity given that every 1% increase in agri exports, brings Rs 8500 crore of revenues to India. But for this agriculture sector needs to be infused with new technologies and practices.

Financing and Technology are key determinants in future of this sector. Farmer needs money for all the Inputs viz, seeds, fertilizer, electricity, technology and also for post harvesting period so that he can hold the crop till it fetches good price. Despite numerous steps taken under aegis of NABARD small farmer is as vulnerable as ever.

Recent decline in value of Rupee against dollar is worrying trend especially in case of deficit monsoon. In that case first recourse of government will be to import to the extent of the shortfall of food stuff. Expensive dollar will pull up prices of imports and in turn food inflation in the country. Decline in Rupee, though is more attributable to international worries about possible Greek’s from European Union. But thankfully, India currently holds highest ever Forex reserves at more than 350 billion $s.


In past we have seen Government in spite of putting adequate contingency plan in place generally failed at delivery. This time it should work proactively and deliver good quality seeds in vulnerable villages. It should also chart out an Income Insurance scheme for farmers. This along with long term commitment of making agriculture monsoon proof will bring prosperity in our countryside.

CAG slams Delhi for poor fund allocation
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in it’s recently released annual report, has said that the Delhi Government’s allocation of funds was less productive and its social welfare schemes showed serious discrepancies in implementation.

What else the report says?

• There was unrealistic budgeting and deficient financial management by several departments.
• Though the Delhi Government had invested Rs.17,060.35 crore as of March 31, 2014 in statutory corporations, rural banks, joint stock companies and cooperatives, the return on these investments was a meagre 0.07%.
• The Delhi Government paid interest at an average rate of 8.80% on its borrowings during 2013-14.
• Overall fiscal liabilities of the State increased from Rs.26,544.20 crore in 2009-10 to Rs.32,080.32 crore in 2013-14, depicting a rise of 20.86%.
• The Delhi Government has failed to obtain fund utilisation certificates (Ucs) from various institutions. Over 4,780 UCs amounting to Rs.19,064.02 crore were awaited from various departments at the end of March 2014.
• The implementation of mid-day meal scheme, MLA local area development scheme and welfare schemes for persons with disabilities as well as management of jails, mechanisation of sanitation and performance of Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation are also not so good. While only 1,154 children were covered under the mid-day meal scheme, jails were overcrowded with 14,209 prisoners being lodged against the capacity of 6,250.
• No State policy was developed to address the issues of persons with disabilities.

TAPI also on the agenda

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the five Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan — in July is expected to give an impetus to various energy and mining projects including the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline.

The multi-billion dollar TAPI project could be off to a year-end start, as the legal framework is expected to be in place by September followed by the announcement of the consortium.
TAPI will also be on the agenda for talks when Prime Minister Modi arrives in Turkmenistan.

What is TAPI?

• The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India Natural Gas Pipeline (TAPI) Project is a proposed natural gas pipeline being developed by the Asian Development Bank.
• It aims to export up to 33 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas per year through a proposed approximately 1,800-kilometer (km) pipeline from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.
• This project makes way for enhanced energy trading between Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India
• The pipeline will transport Caspian Sea natural gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and then to India.

TAPI Project

Mercury pollution victims seek justice

An ex-workers of the thermometer manufacturing unit of Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HUL) in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, who resigned from the company after exposure to hazardous mercury, has sought justice from the court.

• The victim has said that he has been experiencing headaches, memory loss, skin and tooth infections and exposure to deadly mercury for over four years has left him impotent. He also said that his wife had to undergo abortion eight times.
• The unit was shut down on March 7, 2001, after a spate of protests, but workers claim that tonnes of hazardous mercury waste continue to lie scattered around the unit compound in Kodaikanal.
• A 2005 study on mercury pollution published by Elsevier Ltd., which had four experts from the BARC, Department of Atomic Energy, and Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, had concluded that the water, sediment and fish samples from Kodai lake showed elevated levels of mercury even four years after the stoppage of mercury emissions.
• However, the company has said that no adverse impacts on the health of employees or the environment were seen.

Mercury- basic facts:

• Mercury is a chemical element with symbol Hg and atomic number 80.
• It is commonly known as quicksilver and was formerly named hydrargyrum.
• Mercury is the only metallic element that is liquid at standard conditions for temperature and pressure. The only other element that is liquid under these conditions is bromine.
• Mercury occurs in deposits throughout the world mostly as cinnabar (mercuric sulfide).
• Mercury poisoning can result from exposure to water-soluble forms of mercury (such as mercuric chloride or methylmercury), inhalation of mercury vapor, or eating seafood contaminated with mercury.
• Mercury is used in thermometers, barometers, manometers, sphygmomanometers, float valves, mercury switches, mercury relays, fluorescent lamps and other devices. It is also used in lighting: electricity passed through mercury vapor in a fluorescent lamp produces short-wave ultraviolet light which then causes the phosphor in the tube to fluoresce, making visible light.
• Mercury is a very rare element in the Earth’s crust. It accounts for only about only 0.08 parts per million (ppm).
• It is a relatively poor conductor of heat. Most metals are excellent thermal conductors.

Effects of Mercury on Health:

• Exposure to mercury – even small amounts – may cause serious health problems, and is a threat to the development of the child in utero and early in life.
• Mercury may have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, and on lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes.
• Mercury is considered by WHO as one of the top ten chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern.
• People are mainly exposed to methylmercury, an organic compound, when they eat fish and shellfish that contain the compound.

Bioaccumulation of Methylmercury

New case marks Ebola’s return to Liberia

The West African country, Liberia could face another outbreak of the Ebola disease nearly two months after being declared Ebola-free. Recently a boy was found to be infected with the Ebola Virus.

• The World Health Organization declared Liberia Ebola-free on May 9, after it went 42 days without a new case.
• Liberia had been hardest hit before by the outbreak with a death toll of more than 4,800 people.

EBOLA:

• Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. It is a disease of humans and other primates caused by an ebolavirus.
• Symptoms start two days to three weeks after contracting the virus, with a fever, sore throat, muscle pain and headaches.
• Typically, vomiting, diarrhea and rash follow, along with decreased functioning of the liver and kidneys. Around this time, affected people may begin to bleed both within the body and externally.
• The virus may be acquired upon contact with blood or bodily fluids of an infected animal.
• Fruit bats are believed to be a carrier and may spread the virus without being affected. Once human infection occurs, the disease may spread between people, as well.
• In order to reduce the spread, the World Health Organization recommends raising community awareness of the risk factors for Ebola infection and the protective measures individuals can take. These include avoiding contact with infected people and regular hand washing using soap and water. Traditional burial rituals, especially those requiring washing or embalming of bodies, should be discouraged or modified.

Quarantine: Quarantine, also known as enforced isolation, is usually effective in decreasing spread. Governments often quarantine areas where the disease is occurring or individuals who may be infected.

Vaccine: No vaccine is currently available for humans. The most promising candidates are DNA vaccines or vaccines derived from adenoviruses, vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus (VSIV) or filovirus-like particles (VLPs) because these candidates could protect nonhuman primates from ebolavirus-induced disease. DNA vaccines, adenovirus-based vaccines, and VSIV-based vaccines have entered clinical trials.

Treatment: No specific treatment for the disease is yet available. Efforts to help those who are infected are supportive and include giving either oral rehydration therapy (slightly sweet and salty water to drink) or intravenous fluids.

The recent outbreak in West Africa is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976. The most severely affected countries were Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Green Climate Fund to become operational soon

The Green Climate Fund Board recently said that the $100-billion Green Climate Fund will soon become operational in India and the process of accrediting organisations which can access the funds is going on.

Some international agencies have already accessed funds to work towards climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Green Climate Fund (GCF):

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a fund within the framework of the UNFCCC founded as a mechanism to redistribute money from the developed to the developing world, in order to assist the developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change.

Why it was founded?

• It was founded as a mechanism to redistribute money from the developed to the developing world, in order to assist the developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change.
• It was also founded to make a significant and ambitious contribution to the global efforts towards attaining the goals set by the international community to combat climate change.
• It is governed by a Board of 24 members and was initially supported by an Interim Secretariat.

How it helps?

• The Green Climate Fund will support projects, programmes, policies and other activities in developing country Parties using thematic funding windows.
• It is intended to be the centerpiece of efforts to raise Climate Finance of $100 billion a year by 2020.
• The Fund will promote the paradigm shift towards low-emission and climate-resilient development pathways by providing support to developing countries to limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the impacts of climate change, taking into account the needs of those developing countries particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
• The Fund will strive to maximize the impact of its funding for adaptation and mitigation, and seek a balance between the two, while promoting environmental, social, economic and development co-benefits and taking a gender-sensitive approach.

Who will govern the Fund?

• The Fund is governed and supervised by a Board that will have full responsibility for funding decisions and that receives the guidance of the COP.
• The Fund is accountable to, and functions under the guidance of, the COP.

Census data on disabled population released

The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India has released data on disabled population by type of disability, type of households and sex – 2011.

• The data gives the number of households having disabled persons by type of households including normal, institutional and houseless households.
• The disabled persons living in different type of households are further cross-classified into eight different disabilities i.e. seeing, hearing, speech, movement, mental retardation, mental illness, any other and multiple disability for India/States/UTs.

Details of the data:

• The data released shows 207.8 lakh households have disabled persons in the country constituting 8.3% of the total households. Out of the total households having disabled persons, about 99% households are normal households, 0.4 % are institutional and 0.2% are houseless households.
• Total households having disabled persons show an increase of 20.5 lakhs, from 187.3 lakhs in 2001 to 207.8 lakhs in 2011 (6.2 lakhs in rural and 14.3 lakhs in urban). Normal households increased by 2,02,4495, institutional households by 8,370 and houseless households by 13,560 during the decade 2001-11.
• Disabled persons in normal households increased by 48,19,382, institutional households by 65,895 and houseless households by 22,948 during the said decade.

Three follow-on Water Jet Fast Attack Craft launched

The Indian Navy launched three Follow-on Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (FO-WJFAC) at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE) in Kolkata recently.

• The vessels are named- INS Tarmugli, INS Tilanchang and INS Tihayu.
• The names of the ships are based on picturesque places in the Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Bay of Bengal.

About the vessels:

• The Follow on Water Jet Fast Attack Craft are powered by the latest 4000-series of MTU engines, along with advanced machinery control system and water jets and can attain a maximum speed of 35 knots.
• The craft will also have the latest communication equipment and radars which would enable effective surveillance.
• These follow-on ships have higher power generating capacity of 280 kW, enhanced capacity of RO plant from 2 TPD to 4 TPD among many other features as compared to the Water Jet Fast Attack Craft already in service. The indigenous CRN 91 Gun with Optronic Pedestal gives them the requisite firepower to undertake their basic role of patrolling effectively.

Discuss the issue of “tribunalisation” of courts in India. Do you think it is a good development? Critically examine.

The tribunalisation of courts is the subsequent effect of the 42nd Constitutional amendments , establishing the Central Administrative Tribunal(CAT) under the Article 323 A through the Administrative tribunal act 1985 with jurisdiction to adjudicate all disputes in relation to recruitment and service matters of all-India services, the Central civil services, civil posts under the Center and tribunals on other matters like disputes regarding taxes claims ,foreign exchanges,import and exports ,security under the Article 323 B .

It took away the power to adjudicate on these matters form the hands of civil courts to the the administrative tribunals .

Positive aspect of tribunalisation:-

1. reduced the burden on courts at all levels significantly.

2. reduced the delays and complication in delivery of judgement related to government services disputes, tax claims and business and financial markets disputes.

3. paved way for participation of efficient and competent executives with knowledge and rich experiences over the respective matters in adjudication on those matters.

Concerns and criticisms/negative aspects:-

1. interference on the power of judiciary by restricting the Civil and High Courts on excising their jurisdiction over these matters .In the later case, the Supreme Court later declared the restriction unconstitutional and hence abrogated it.

2. finding retired judges and competent candidates with qualifications set out by Parliament, to be members of quasi-judicial tribunals has been a difficult task.

3. tribunals are under the direct administrative control of ministries within the government which administer their day to day functioning and appointments and hence are likely to be influenced by the government's opinion ,thus interfering with the justice delivery.

However, despite so many concerns, tribunals have been pivotal and effective in addressing disputes in past .They may adjudicate on matters under their jurisdiction but the ultimate power lie with the High Courts and the Supreme Court.

Daily News Mail - News of 30/06/2015

Iran Nuclear Deal

• 30th June was deadline for both sides to agree on nuclear deal, it is expected to be extended today. On one side is G5 (US, Britain, France, Russia, China) + 1 (Germany), while on the other side is IRAN. Temporary deal was arrived at in November, 2013 and now permanent solution is sought for.
• The goal is an agreement on a set of measures that can provide reasonable assurance that Iran’s nuclear program will be used only for peaceful purposes. Iran has already agreed to limit its enrichment to 3.67% for next 15 years, to limit number of centrifuges to current 19000 and to open its nuclear establishment for inspection by International Atomic Energy Agency. In return it will be liberated from sanctions imposed by USA, European Union and UNSC. Both sides are negotiating to get best deal for themselves and that’s where differences are emerging.
• Iran wants that sanctions should be removed as soon as agreement is signed, but G5 wants it to be in calibrated manner. Further, many interest groups in US and France are pushing for a strict deal which guarantees access to IAEA to all military establishments. This is unacceptable to Iran for obvious reasons and it has refused to allow any blanket access.
• There are also disagreements on consequences of violation of agreement by IRAN. US is pushing for even stricter sanctions in such scenario, while Iran is demanding a ‘Dispute Resolution Mechanism’. Iran also wants to maintain some of its R&D facilities, so that it can preserve current progress and success it has achieved in the field.
• Western negotiators are concerned that the total of about 19,000 centrifuges that Iran has installed at its enrichment plants at Natanz and Fordow is sufficient for producing, should it decide to do so, highly enriched uranium for nuclear weapons purposes (typically enriched to 90 percent uranium-235) in a time frame that may be too short for the international community to detect the effort and respond to it effectively. (Current capacity is 20% enriched U-235)The negotiators currently appear to be discussing limits on Iran’s centrifuge program that would translate into a potential “breakout” time of about six to 12 months to make enough material for a first bomb rather than the estimated two months that Iran probably would require today. Additional time would be required to fabricate a nuclear explosive device that could be tested or a nuclear warhead that could be integrated with a delivery system such as a ballistic missile, turning Iran into a nuclear-armed state.
• In US things became complicated after it emerged that US Senate will have right to review the deal. To this Iran has expressed its concerns. Also, Republican Party and Israeli lobby are hell bent to influence deal to make it tougher for Iran to agree upon. While all interested parties feel that deal is inevitable and beneficial for stability of Middle East in particular and world in general, yet they have some aversion to a developed Iran. Saudi Arabia and Israel fear that this will open doors of development for Iran and a decade or so later a stronger Iran will defy the deal and will easily acquire nuclear weapons.
• Deal is compelling for both economic and security reason. With world economy anticipating downturn due to default by Greece and its possible exit from EU, it is expected that Iran’s integration with world economy will bring much relief. Iran huge oil reserves are expected to push prices further down, which in turn will help in faster growth in US, EU and India. 
• Further, growing threat of Islamic Sunni terrorism and absence of any viable combat plan makes it nesseccary for both Iran and west to cooperate with each other. Shia Iran is also as hated by IS as is west. Lastly, it is perfect opportunity for US for damage control. Due to arbitrary interventions by west in last many decades its credibility has hit nadir and this is one of the reason that IS is attracting so many young people.
• Iran also has very young demography like India as 42% of its population is below 25 years. This group is quite aspirational and don’t want to remain isolated anymore. Sensing huge market opportunities, big businesses are already queuing up in Iran in anticipation of breakthrough. Due to sanctions, its economy is already wretched and inflation is still as high as 25%. So Iran, in order to preserve its stability desperately needs the deal. It is commendable that despite suffering such coercion Irani people have so far not fell prey to radicalism.
• This will be a breakthrough in International diplomacy and will give a major geopolitical shift. Saudi Arabia will become lesser important for West. Given the readiness on part of Iran, west should cooperate. Every country has right to maintain some sovereignty. Pushing Iran too much against wall my backfire, after all Iran has capacity to develop nuclear weapon and this attitude will provide it no incentive to give up its program. Iran also has credible warhead delivery systems I.e. Intercontinental Ballastic Missile.

What is Uranium enrichment and Centrifuges?

• Uran­ium is an element that is similar to iron. Like iron, you dig uranium ore out of the ground and then process it to extract the pure uranium from the ore. When you finish processing uranium ore, what you have is uranium oxide. Uranium oxide contains two types (or isotopes) of uranium: U-235 and U-238. U-235 is what you need if you want to make a bomb or fuel a nuclear power plant. But the uranium oxide from the mine is about 99 percent U-238. So you need to somehow separate the U-235 from the U-238 and increase the amount of U-235. The process of concentrating the U-235 is called enrichment, and centrifuges are a central part of the process.
• U-235 weighs slightly less than U-238. By exploiting this weight difference, you can separate the U-235 and the U-238. The first step is to react the uranium with hydrofluoric acid, an extremely powerful acid. After several steps, you create the gas uranium hexafluoride.
• Now that the uranium is in a gaseous form, it is easier to work with. You can put the gas into a centrifuge and spin it up. The centrifuge creates a force thousands of times more powerful than the force of gravity. Because the U-238 atoms are slightly heavier than the U-235 atoms, they tend to move out toward the walls of the centrifuge. The U-235 atoms tend to stay more toward the center of the centrifuge.
• Although it is only a slight difference in concentrations, when you extract the gas from the center of the centrifuge, it has slightly more U-235 than it did before. You place this slightly concentrated gas in another centrifuge and do the same thing. If you do this thousands of times, you can create a gas that is highly enriched in U-235. At a uranium enrichment plant, thousands of centrifuges are chained together in long cascades.

50 nations in, AIIB takes shape

• India and 49 other founding members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) recently signed articles that determine each country’s share and the lender’s initial capital.
• The remaining seven founding members can sign the agreement before December 2015.
• India had signed the Memorandum of Understanding for Establishment of AIIB in October 2014 along with 21 regional founding members.

AIIB:

• The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is an international financial institution proposed by China. The purpose of the multilateral development bank is to provide finance to infrastructure projects in the Asia-Pacific region.
• AIIB is regarded by some as a rival for the IMF, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which the AIIB says are dominated by developed countries like the United States and Japan.
• The AIIB is expected to focus on infrastructure development in Asia, and unlike the existing International Monetary Fund and World Bank, is unlikely to restrict lending on political considerations.
• The authorised capital of AIIB will be $100 billion. AIIB’s headquarters is to be located in Beijing.
• India is the second largest shareholder in the Bank after China.
• In March 2015, United Kingdom became the first of G7 nations to join the bank.
• It is being called as a very positive development in the sense that it opens up more borrowing opportunities.
• China, India and Russia are the three largest shareholders.
• Voting pattern: The voting shares are based on the size of each member country’s economy and not contribution to the bank’s authorised capital.

Azhagankulam was in the big league

Excavation at Azhagankulam village in Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu, has thrown up fresh evidence that it was an important trading post between the Sangam Pandyas and the Romans from circa 50 BCE to circa 500 CE.

• Archaelogists have said that Arikkamedu in Puducherry and Pattanam (Muziris) in Kerala formed a troika of trade centres between Rome and the Tamil country during the Tamil Sangam age.
• So far, the excavation at Azhagankulam has yielded broken Roman Amphora jars, Mediterranean pottery, embossed Roman potsherds, copper coins, Chinese Celadon ware, rouletted ware, potsherds with Tamil Brahmi letters, a potsherd with a swastika symbol, Beads made of carnelian, quartz and glass.
• Excavations have also yielded three Roman coins. The legend on them showed that Roman emperors Valentine II (regnal years 383 CE to 395 CE) and Arcadius (regnal years 395 CE to 408 CE) issued them.
• The Mauryan context at Azhagankulam was also revealed recently, with the occurrence of the northern black polished ware and punch-marked coins.

Pandyan Dynasty – Basics:

• The Pandyan dynasty was an ancient Tamil dynasty, one of the three Tamil dynasties.
• The Pandya King, along with Chera King and Chola King, together were called as Three Crowned Kings of Tamilakam.
• The dynasty ruled parts of South India from around 600 BCE (Early Pandyan Kingdom) to first half of 17th century CE.
• The capital of the Early Pandyan kingdom was initially Korkai, around 600 BCE, and was later moved to Koodal (now Madurai) during the reign of Nedunjeliyan I.
• The kings of the Pandyan Dynasty are frequently mentioned in Sangam literature of the third century BCE and onwards, in works such as the Mathuraikkanci and other early Tamil literary works such as Cilapatikaram.
• The Pandyas ruled for the longest time in the Indian history and are believed to be the richest dynasty in the history of India.

An exact 3D model of heart hot off the printer

Researchers have produced the first 3D anatomic model of a patient’s heart using two common imaging techniques, aiming to enhance diagnosis and surgical planning.

• This is the first time the integration of computed tomography (CT) and 3D transesophageal echocardiography (3DTEE) has been used for printing a hybrid 3D model of a patient’s heart.
• Previous methods of 3D printing utilise only one imaging modality, which may not be as accurate as merging two or more datasets. Hybrid 3D printing integrates the best aspects of two or more imaging modalities, which can potentially enhance diagnosis, as well as interventional and surgical planning.
• The team used specialised software to register images from the two imaging modalities to integrate datasets selectively to produce an accurate anatomic model of the heart. The result creates more detailed and anatomically accurate 3D renderings and printed models, which may enable physicians to better diagnose and treat heart disease.
• This is being seen as a huge leap for individualised medicine in cardiology and congenital heart disease.

CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are established imaging tools for producing 3D printable models.

Facing up to global troubles

• Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan has a certain stature in the global financial world. He had predicted the 2008 global financial meltdown much in advance: in 2005, during his tenure at the International Monetary Fund he wrote a research paper in which he warned of financial sector-induced turmoil. Since then, Dr. Rajan’s words and actions in his line of work are watched and read with more than a cursory interest. Not surprisingly, his purported remark made at a London Business School programme last week on intimations of the Great Depression elicited wide reactions. The RBI had to intervene with a clarification to put the Governor’s articulation in perspective and context. “What Governor Rajan did say, in his remarks, was that the policies followed by major central banks around the world were in danger of slipping into the kind of beggar-thy-neighbour strategies that were followed in the 1930s,” it clarified. For quite some time now, Dr. Rajan has been voicing his concerns over the ‘competitive monetary policy easing’ by central banks across the globe. According to him, the current non-system in international monetary policy is a ‘substantial source of risk’ to sustainable growth as well as the financial sector. Unconventional policies have the potential to trigger huge risks when they are terminated. He reckons that such policies will push the world economy towards ‘musical crises’. In an inter-connected world, actions in one place trigger consequences elsewhere. In such a situation, domestic policy-planners have to factor in this ‘outside influence’ in their strategies.
• Indeed, Indian policy-planners find themselves in a predicament thanks to the continued monetary easing by some nations and the shrinkage in world trade. Given this ‘new normal’ kind of an environment, they will have to look at ways to protect the Indian economy from external vicissitudes. In this context, a fund-starved country like India will do well to focus on foreign direct investment rather than get unduly worried about foreign institutional investment, which will have its ebb and flow depending on the environment outside. A 75 basis-point reduction in the key repo rate made in three equal instalments this year by the RBI has not really helped spur investments. A combination of capacity overhang, slack demand and banks’ mounting non-performing assets has only compounded the problems. With everyone waiting for the other to act first, the onus is definitely on the political bosses to devise quick solutions to accelerate the economy. Perhaps, the prescription of the Depression-era economist John Maynard Keynes is relevant now. Indeed, a bit of a socialistic approach to spur demand is unavoidable.

Manipur ambush: NIA arrests NSCN regional chairman

• The National Investigation Agency on Monday made its first arrest in connection with the killing of 18 Army personnel at Chandel in Manipur earlier this month.
• Accused Abi Anal alias Ambison is a senior functionary of banned outfit National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) that claimed to have carried out the ambush on June 4.
• “The agency has arrested Ambison, who is the regional chairman of NSCN (K) in Chandel. Investigations have revealed that the accused was deeply involved in the conspiracy to attack the Army personnel,” said an NIA officer.

‘MSP hike can boost pulses production’

Former Member of the Planning Commission and economist Abhijit Sen said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could give a push to increasing pulses production by raising the minimum support price (MSP) for procurement.

“Only by hiking the MSP of pulses significantly will their cultivation become more attractive over the growing of other crops,” Dr. Sen said.

In his Mann Ki Baat address on Sunday, Mr. Modi had asked farmers to increase the production of pulses so that India no longer needed to import them.

Why India need to import one-fifth of its supply of pulses

• An analysis by The Hindu of food grains production data to understand why farmers prefer to grow cereals rather than pulses found that pulses are among the least productive of all crops — the yields are on average 760 kg per hectare, compared to 2,400 kg per hectare for cereals, and 1,100 kg per hectare for oilseeds.
• Low yields on the one hand and relatively more lucrative MSP for other food grains makes pulses an unattractive crop for farmers. For example, one hectare’s yield of jowar with a minimum support price of Rs. 15.90 per kg (as of June 17, 2015) gets the farmer Rs. 38,160. The same land used to grow urad dal or tur dal with an MSP of Rs. 44.25 per kg earns the farmer Rs. 33,630 — that’s Rs 4,500 less for every hectare the farmer devotes to pulses instead of cereals.
• The reason behind this low yield in pulses — which has barely changed in more than three decades — is that pulses are technology-proof crops, argued Dr. Sen. “Despite years of trying, no amount of R&D has increased the yield of pulses significantly, unlike cereals which saw a huge increase in productivity due to technological advances.”
• Another reason for the poor level of yields is that farmers are increasingly growing pulses on inferior land. “As farmers found that they were getting more out of growing cereals, pulses increasingly became marginal crops grown on marginal [less fertile] land. This has further hit yields,” Dr. Sen said.
• Mr. Modi’s exhortation to farmers to grow more pulses comes at a time when a fifth of the country’s supply of pulses is imported, as the 2014-15 data shows. This proportion is much higher in the case of specific pulses. For example, 42 per cent of India’s supply of peas was imported. This number was 32.4 per cent and 31 per cent for mosur dal and moong/urad dal, respectively.

French Open - Tennis - 2015

Event	Champion	Runner-up	Score
2015 Men's Singles	Stan Wawrinka	Novak Djokovic	4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–4
2015 Women's Singles	Serena Williams	Lucie Šafářová	6–3, 6–7(2–7), 6–2
2015 Men's Doubles	Ivan Dodig  Marcelo Melo	Bob Bryan  Mike Bryan	6–7(5–7), 7–6(7–5), 7–5
2015 Women's Doubles	Bethanie Mattek-Sands  Lucie Šafářová	Casey Dellacqua  Yaroslava Shvedova	3–6, 6–4, 6–2
2015 Mixed Doubles	Bethanie Mattek-Sands  Mike Bryan	Lucie Hradecká  Marcin Matkowski	7–6(7–3), 6–1

Daily News Mail - News of 29/06/2015

India, Thailand to sign double taxation avoidance treaty
India and Thailand will sign a double taxation treaty during the upcoming three-day visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

What is Double Taxation?
Double taxation is the levying of tax by two or more jurisdictions on the same declared income (in the case of income taxes), asset (in the case of capital taxes), or financial transaction (in the case of sales taxes). This double liability is often mitigated by tax treaties between countries.

What is Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA)?
DTAA also referred as Tax Treaty is a bilateral economic agreement between two nations that aims to avoid or eliminate double taxation of the same income in two countries.

DTAA provides that business profits will be taxable in the source country if the activities of an enterprise constitute a permanent establishment (PE).

Benefits of such agreements:

• Deals with the black money menace.
• Provides solutions to avoid double taxation of same income.
• The agreements generally provide for other matters of common interest of the two countries such as exchange of information, mutual assistance procedure for resolution of disputes and for mutual assistance in effecting recovery of taxes.
• It will provide tax stability to the residents of both the countries and will facilitate mutual economic.

The Nabakalebar festival to be promoted through Incredible India campaign

• Since Lord Jagannath’s Nabakalebar festival is being observed after a gap of 19 years, the Centre has decided to promote the Hindu religious festival under ‘the Incredible India Campaign for its international branding’.
• The preparations are on in Puri for Nabakalebar festival to be celebrated on 10th July this year.
• As per tradition of the Puri temple, the old bodies of the deities at Puri temple will be replaced by the new ones made of Neem (Margo) wood logs called sacred Daru. This religious ritual is known as Banayaga Parba of the Nabakalevara ceremony.
• On this occasion, the Union Culture Ministry will release a postal stamp and coin to mark the long-awaited festival.

About Nabakalebar festival:

• The Nabakalebara is an ancient ritual associated with most of the Jagannath Temples when the Idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshan are replaced by a new set of Idols.
• A year with an extra Ashadha masa/month as per Hindu Calendar is considered auspicious for conducting the ceremony. This usually occurs every twelve to nineteen years.
• The Deities are made from a special type of Neem wood known as Daru Bramha.
• Preparations for the ceremony start in the month of Chaitra. Last ceremony was done in the year 1996.
• This festival is celebrated at the Jagannath Temple in Puri, Orissa.

Economics

Economics and Current Affairs
1. Growth trend in Indian economy has shown noticeable improvement because of

1. Decline in oil prices.
2. Monetary easing.
3. Policy support from government.
4. Lowering of unemployment rate.
5. Strengthening of business sentiments.

Select the correct code

1. 1, 2, 3 only
2. 2 only
3. 1,2,3,5 only
4. All of the above

Solution: 3

Explanation:

Decline in oil prices helps in decreasing the input cost and also moderates the inflation rate.

Monetary easing enhance money supply in the market. Policy support has always been an important factor to put a country on high growth trajectory. Government’s pro-business steps establishes an enabling environment for business and build business sentiments among investors. As a result. Growth shows positive trend.

2. Low level of private investment is a result of

1. Poor and inadequate banking system
2. Deficiencies of public private partnership (PPP) model in infrastructure.
3. Tight monetary policy.
4. Rationalization of subsidies.

Select the correct code

1. 1, 2 only
2. 2 only
3. 1, 2, 3 only
4. All of the above

Solution: 3

Explanation: Rationalization of subsidies will enhance private investment

3. A decline in the employment elasticity of growth can result into

1. Disruption of projected growth targets in India.
2. More competition among youths
3. Sustainable and inclusive India.

Select the correct code

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. 2, 3 only
4. All of the above

Solution: 3

Explanation: A decline in employment elasticity of growth means a given amount of growth leads to fewer jobs created than in the past. So it is independent of growth envisaged.

4. Consider the statements:

1. Revenue-to-GDP ratio (for the general government) in India is more as compare to emerging Asian economies.
2. India’s overall revenue (for the general government) is approximately one-fifth of GDP.

Select the correct code

1. 1, only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 
4. None

Solution: 2

Explanation: 

Revenue-to-GDP ratio (for the general government) in India is less as compare to emerging Asian economies and it is estimated around 19.5% by IMF.

'Tax-To-GDP Ratio' -  The ratio of tax collection against the national gross domestic product (GDP).

5. Moderation in oil prices is result of

1. Weak global demand.
2. Increase in supply
3. global monetary and liquidity environment
4. Sanctions imposed on Russia over Ukraine issue.

Select the correct code

1. 1, 2 only
2. 2 only
3. 1, 2, 3, only
4. All of the above

Solution: 4

Explanation: Tradition markets like china and Europe are not showing hunger for oil as current dip in demand in international market and in USA increase in oil and shale gas production supplies get enhanced.

6. Low rural wage growth in India leads to

1. Lowering of inflation rate.
2. Further monetary policy easing
3. Financial repression on liability side in banking sector

Select the correct code

1. 1, 2 only
2. 2 only
3. 2, 3 only
4. All of the above

Solution: 1

Explanation: Low rural wage growth has been pointed as one of the reason behind moderation in inflation. Lower inflation sets a ground for monetary easing.

7. High minimum support for rice and wheat results into

1. Monoculture
2. Environmental concerns.
3. Induce greater price volatility in non-MSP supported crops.
4. Enhance nutrition availability to poor in general.

Select the correct code

1. 1, 2, only
2. 2 only
3. 1, 2, 3 only
4. All of the above

Solution: 3

Explanation:High minimum support for rice and wheat entail farmers to grow these high fetching crops. These crops are water intensive so problem of lowering ground water table has been quite conspicuous. 

These crops are so popular that they are being grown over the areas where traditionally coarse grain crops were cultivated. Coarse grains have high nutrition level.

8. Consider the statements:

1. The profits generated by freight services have cross-subsidized passengers services.
2. Indian freight rates are deliberately kept low to attract freight traffic from road sector.

Select the correct code

1. 1, only
2. 2 only
3. Both1 and 2
4. None

Solution: 1

Explanation:One of the reasons for high freight rate in India is profits generated by freight services have crosssubsidized passengers services.

10. Consider the statements

1. 1. Public sector banks perform well above private sector banks on average even though they are burdened with social obligation.
2. Private sector banks have level of professionalism, management skills and better incentives for Employees as compare to public sector banks

Select the correct code

1. 1, only
2. 2 only
3. Both I and 2
4. None

Solution: 2

Explanation:Public sector banks perform well below private sector banks on average. 

11. Gender inequality index is a composite measure reflecting inequality in achievement between men and women in three dimensions and that are:

1. Life expectancy.
2. Labor market.
3. Gross enrollment at primary level.

Select the correct code

1. 1, only
2. 1, 2 only
3. 2 only
4. None

Solution: 3

Explanation:

Gender inequality index is a composite measure reflecting inequality in achievement between men and women in three dimensions that are reproductive health, Empowerment and the labor market. 

12. In quest for greater commitment to climatic change initiative, Indian government has taken a

slew of steps that includes:

1. Shifts from a carbon subsidization regime to carbon taxation regime.
2. Focus on increasing share of hydro-electricity by installing micro-turbine along the perennial rivers.
3. Increased the coal cess fromRs. 50 per ton to Rs. 75.
4. Panchayats are advised to meet 5% of energy demand by biogas production in their area to curb emission from burning cow-dung cakes and wood in rural households.

Select the correct code

1. 1 only
2. 1, 3 only
3. 1, 2, 3 only
4. All of the above.

Solution: 1

Explanation:Coal cess has increased from Rs. 50 to Rs.100, statement 2 and 4 are not at all related to question. India has taken substantial action to eliminate petroleum subsidies and gone beyond to impose substantial taxes on these products

13. A GM or transgenic crop is a plant that has a novel combination of genetic material obtained

through the use of modern biotechnology. Consider the following regarding GM crops

1. India has the third largest area planted under genetically modified (GM) crops after US and Brazil.
2. The first generation of GM crops resulted into increased nutritional and/or industrial traits.
3. The second generation GM crops will feature increased nutritional and/or industrial traits like Rice enriched with iron, vitamin A and E, and lysine and Potatoes with higher starch content, and inulin

Select the correct code

1. 1 and 2
2. 2 and 3
3. Only 1
4. Only 3

Solution- 4

Explanation -

India has the fourth largest area planted under genetically modified (GM) crops, according to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) .In the developed world, there is clear evidence that the use of GM crops has resulted in significant benefits. These include:

1. Higher crop yields

2. Reduced farm costs

3. Increased farm profit

4. Improvement in health and the environment

These “first generation” crops have proven their ability to lower farm-level production costs.

Now, research is focused on “second-generation” GM crops that will feature increased nutritional and/or industrial traits. These crops will have more direct benefits to consumers. Examples include:

1. Rice enriched with iron, vitamin A and E, and lysine

2. Potatoes with higher starch content, and insulin

3. Edible vaccines in maize, banana and potatoes

4. Maize varieties with low phytic acid and increased essential amino acids

5. Healthier oils from soybean and canola

6. Allergen-free nuts

14. Recently India has successfully launched a ‘Canister-Based’ nuclear capable AGNI-V missile.

Consider the following regarding this

1. An advantage of canister based system is, it can be used for the launch of any missile irrespective of its size.
2. AGNI-V is the first missile to be tested on Canister based launch system.

Select the correct code-

1. Only 1
2. Only 2
3. Both
4. None

Solution- 4

Explanation- A canister for a missile serves a duel function which provides an environmental container and a launching tube. A canister launch system can be either hot launch, where the missile ignites in the cell, or cold launch, where the missile is expelled by gas produced by a gas generator which is not part of the missile itself, and then the missile ignites. In case of hot launches the problem is the heat

produced by the missile at the time of launch. The hot launch is better for small missiles as the ejection part itself will be done by using missiles own engine.

So it depends on the size of missile – the feasibility of the system utilized for the ejection.

The Shaurya missile is a canister launched hypersonic surface-to-surface tactical missile developed by the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for use by the Indian Armed Forces.

15. Consider the following statements with reference to Multiple Independently targetable Reentry Vehincle (MIRV)

1. India possesses MIRV technology along with Russia, USA China, France and Brazil.
2. It is a ballistic missile payload containing several warheads, each capable of being aimed to hit one of a group of targets.

Select the correct code-

1. Only 1
2. Only 2
3. Both
4. None

Solution- 2

Explanation- India is working on the development of MIRV technology. But right now there is no fully tested version of MIRV in any of Indian missiles. Only France, China, US, Russia and Brazil possesses this technology.