Category: OPINION in Q & A

Delegated legislation

• by IAS Score

 WHAT IS DELEGATED LEGISLATION?

Delegated legislation (also referred to as secondary legislation or subordinate legislation) is law made by an executive authority under powers given to them by primary legislation in order to implement and administer the requirements of that primary legislation\Delegated legislation is the name given to legislation or law that is passed otherwise than in an Act of Parliament. Instead, an enabling Act (also known as the parent Act or empowering Act) confers a power to make delegated legislation on a Government Minister or another person or body. Several thousand pieces of legislation are made each year, compared with only a few dozen Acts of parliament aced legislation can be used for a wide variety of purposes, ran in from relatively narrow, technical matters , to filling in the detail of how an Act setting out broad principles will be implemented in practice.

Delegated legislation is a technique to relieve pressure on legislative time so that it can concentrate on principles and formulation of policies. In the Indian context under Article 77 resident has power to make rules for more convenient trans of business of government. India, rules and regulation, orders, notifications by laws form part of delegated legislation.

ADVANTAGES OF DELEGATED LEGISLATION

Parliamentary time is saved on relatively trivial matters. Local knowledge is usually desirable in deciding what local by- laws should be passed. This task, therefore, is given to the local authorities. Delegated legislation is far quicker to introduce than an Act of Parliament. This can be an advantage in instances when emergencies or unforeseen problems require laws to be changed. The detail of the delegated legislation can be dealt with by the appropriate minister, leaving Parliament as a whole more time to focus on the general principles of the enabling Act.

Delegated legislation by its very nature concerns specialist technical and/or local knowledge. So it is an advantage for such specialist provisions to be dealt with by those who have this knowledge rather than by Members of Parliament who generally would not have the required specialist or local knowledge.

Delegated legislation is more flexible than an Act of Parliament. It is far simpler to amend a piece of delegated legislation than to amend an Act of Parliament. 

DISADVANTAGES OF DELEGATED LEGISLATION

The main criticism of delegated legislation is that it takes law making away from the democratically elected  Parliament. Instead, power to make law is given to unelected civil servants and experts working under the supervision of a Government minister.

Accountability issue is the problem that the authority vested in Parliament to make law is delegated away from Parliament, possibly through a number of ‘layers’, for example, to a Government Minister and to a department and then possibly again to a group of experts.

The accountability issue is the problem of adequate scrutiny. The detailed, technical and specific nature of much-delegated legislation means that, on the whole, Members of Parliament do not have the expertise to consider proposed legislation effectively.

The large volume of delegated legislation produces huge number of  statutory instruments each year which means that it is very difficult for Members of Parliament, let alone the general public, to keep up to date with the present law. This is exacerbated by the fact that delegated legislation is made in private.

What should be done to control Delegated legislation?

1.  Parliament should emphasize more on working on committee system on subordinate legislation. It should thoroughly review all details of legated legislation and give their assent only when they are fully satisfied with proposals. In this way parliament can regain its control over executive.
2.  Judicial Review: All contents of delegated legislation should be subjected to judicial scrutiny and it judiciary finals any substantive ultra-Virus, procedural Ultra-Virus.
Substantive Ultra-Vires: When delegation start is itself unconstitutional, for ex. being violative of a Fundamental Right. Sometimes the present statues may be constitutional but rules made these under may suffer from vice of unconstitutionality. Then the rules can be challenged in the court of law.
Procedural Ultra-Vires: When rule making authority does not abide by procedural requirements which the parent law lays down.
3.  Review by Legislature: All aspects of delegated legislation should be reviewed by legislature before implemented by executive. Legislature should also describe the limits-for delegated legislation so that the executive does not misuse the powers for its own selfish ends.
4.  Pre-requisite approval: Before passing delegated legislation, executive has to take permission from legislature on various aspects of delegated legislation. They include both substance as well as procedural asset of delegated legislature.

Committee on Subordinate Legislation (Lok Sabha) The Committee consists of 15 members nominated by the Speaker. A Minister is not nominated to this Committee. The Committee scrutinizes  and reports to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, by-laws etc. conferred by the Constitution or  delegated by Parliament are being properly exercised by the executive within the scope of such delegation. Committee on Subordinate Legislation of Rajya Sabha Its function is to scrutinise and ensure whether powers to make rules, regulations, bye-laws, schemes or other statutory instruments conferred by the Constitution or delegated by Parliament have been properly exercised within such conferment or delegation, a Committee called the Committee on Subordinate Legislation has been constituted under Rules 204-206 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha.

 

 

 

FAQ on FIR

• by IAS Score

What is an FIR?

First Information Report (FIR) is a written document prepared by the police when they receive information about the commission of a cognizable offence. It is a report of information that reaches the police first in point of time and that is why it is called the First Information Report. It is generally a complaint lodged with the police by the victim of a cognizable offence or by someone on his/her behalf.

What is the difference between Cognizable and Non Cognizable Offence?

A cognizable offence is one in which the police may arrest a person without warrant. They are authorized to start investigation into a cognizable case on their own and do not require any orders from the court to do so.
A non-cognizable offence is an offence in which a police officer has no authority to arrest without warrant. The police cannot investigate such an offence without the court’s permission.

Who can file FIR?

FIRs can be registered by a victim, a witness or someone else with knowledge of the crime. As per the laws laid down u/s 154 of the Cr.P.C., the complainant can give information about the offence either in written or orally. In regard to who can file an FIR, the Apex Court of India has observed that;

“Section 154 does not require that the Report must be given by a person who has personal knowledge of the incident reported. The section speaks of information relating to the commission of a cognizable offence given to an officer in charge of a police station”.

Supreme Court guidelines regarding filling the FIR

Supreme Court has given Directions to be followed in regards to Registration of an FIR, these directions are discussed below:

• Registration of FIR is mandatory under section 154 of the Code, if the information discloses commission of a cognizable offence and no preliminary inquiry is permissible in such a situation.
• If the information received does not disclose a cognizable offence but indicates the necessity for an inquiry, a preliminary inquiry may be conducted only to ascertain whether cognizable offence is disclosed or not.
• If the inquiry discloses the commission of a cognizable offence, the FIR must be registered. In cases where preliminary inquiry ends in closing the complaint, a copy of the entry of such closure must be supplied to the first informant forthwith and not later than one week. It must disclose reasons in brief for closing the complaint and not proceeding further.
• The police officer cannot avoid his duty of registering offence if cognizable offence is disclosed. Action must be taken against erring officers who do not register the FIR if information received by him discloses a cognizable offence.
• The scope of preliminary inquiry is not to verify the veracity or otherwise of the information received but only to ascertain whether the information reveals any cognizable offence.
• As to what type and in which cases preliminary inquiry is to be conducted will depend on the facts and circumstances of each case. The category of cases in which preliminary inquiry may be made are as under:
1. Matrimonial disputes family disputes
2. Commercial offences
3. Medical negligence cases
3. Corruption cases
4. Cases where there is abnormal delay in initiating criminal prosecution, for example, over 3 months delay.
• While ensuring and protecting the rights of the accused and the complainant, a preliminary inquiry should be made time bound and in any case it should not exceed 7 days. The fact of such delay and the causes of it must be reflected in the General Diary entry.
• Since the General Diary/Station Diary/Daily Diary is the record of all information received in a police station, it was directed by Supreme Court that all information relating to cognizable offences, whether resulting in registration of FIR or leading to an inquiry, must be mandatory and meticulously reflected in the said Diary and the decision to conduct a preliminary inquiry must also be reflected.

FAQ on Teacher’s day

• by IAS Score

Why is it celebrated?

Teacher’s Day is celebrated on the 5th of September in India since 1962 to celebrate the birthday of former president Professor Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

About Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

He is remembered as India’s most renowned academics on comparative religion and philosophy and for introducing Indian philosophy to the West, bridging the gap between both the cultures.

After Independence in 1947, Dr. Radhakrishnan represented the country at UNESCO and later served as Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union from 1949-1952. Following this he became an elected member of the Constituent Assembly of India.

In 1952, Dr. Radhakrishnan was elected as the First Vice President of India and then as the second President of India in 1962.

He won the Templeton Prize in 1975, for promoting the notion of “a universal reality of God that embraced love and wisdom for all people”. He donated all the award money to Oxford University

Oxford University, in the memory of the loving teacher of India, set up a scholarship by his name, known as “Radhakrishnan Chevening Scholarships”

About National Awards to teachers

Every year the President of India gives away National Awards to teachers on September 5. It is awarded to outstanding teachers of primary, middle and higher secondary schools in recognition to their meritorious services. Not only is the academic efficiency recognized, but genuine interest/affection towards children, reputation in local community and involvement in social life of the community also considered.

About World Teachers’ Day

UNESCO proclaimed 5 October to be World Teachers’ Day in 1994 a day devoted to appreciating, assessing, and improving the educators of the world. The real point is to provide a time to look at and address issues pertaining to teachers. Strangely one of the most central, vital professionals to society does not receive the respect it deserves in some parts of the world.

Ahmedabad: World Heritage City

• by IAS Score

Context:
Ahmedabad has became the first Indian city to earn the World Heritage City tag from UNESCO, beating New Delhi and Mumbai for the title in the process.

About Ahmedabad:

The city was founded in 1411 to serve as the capital of the Sultanate of Gujarat, by its namesake, Sultan Ahmed Shah. Under British rule, a military Cantonment was established and the city infrastructure was modernized and expanded. It was part of the Bombay Presidency during the British rules in India. Kankaria Lake, in the neighbourhood of Maninagar, is an artificial lake developed by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the Sultan of Delhi, in 1451 A.D. The city is also called Karnavati, a name for an older town that existed in the walled area.

However, the city’s distinctive quality lay in the fact that it was a region that was built and maintained exclusively by the local trading population, resisting every attempt by the foreign rulers to intrude into its sociological framework.

From being one of the oldest trading points in India to becoming the centre of the Indian freedom struggle under Mahatma Gandhi and then later becoming a model for sustainable development in modern India, here are a few reasons why Ahmedabad deservedly won the tag for world heritage city.

Why Ahmedabad has become India’s only World Heritage City

• Barely noticed by the modern day traveller and very often ignored by historians, Ahmedabad is one of those industrialised cities of India where the past and present have fused together beautifully and produced a landscape that unlike most other statured cities of India, owes very little to European domination.
• The reasons are:

1. A thriving centre for trade:

• When Sultan Ahmad Shah established the city, he invited merchants, weavers and skilled craftsmen to come to Ahmedabad and help build it into a flouring centre for trade and commerce.
• While the city exchanged hands from one ruling dynasty to another, it remained a major attraction to enterprisers from across the globe.
• Ahmedabad lay at the crossroads of the caravan routes to Rajasthan and Delhi in the north, Malwa in the east, Sind in the west and the ports of Cambay, Surat and Broach in the south.
• Its location ensured it gained a status of a thriving industrial centre where Dutch and English East India company ships would come for trading in indigo, saltpetre and textiles.
• By the time the Mughals took over in the late 16th century, it had already become a splendid city, rich in culture and architecture.
• The reputation for trade acquired by the city in the 15th century has been maintained ever since and Ahmedabad, till date, holds a name for being a thriving commercial centre and its inhabitants are famed to be few of the sharpest business minds in the world. 

1. An architectural blend of Hindu-Muslim culture:

• The Juma Masjid in Ahmedabad.
• The richness of architecture present in Ahmedabad is enhanced by the cultural fusion of Hindu and Muslim elements.
• For a long time while the city was ruled by Muslim monarchs, the wealth in the region was in the hands of the Hindu and Jain merchants.
• While most of the public buildings were of Muslim ownership, the tone of the architecture evidently loaned much from Hindu artistic traditions.
• Pillars were brought in from the nearby Hindu kingdoms and Hindu and Jain craftsmen were employed to build them.
• The Sidi Saiyyed Mosque built in the 16th century is one of the finest examples of this Indo-Saracenic style of architecture and is a major touristic attraction in the city today.
• Ahmad Shah’s mosque, Teen darwaza, the Jama masjid and Qutub Shah’s mosque are some of the finest examples of a rich historicity in the city. 
• The centre for Gandhi’s freedom struggle:
• Ahmedabad’s place in modern history writing owes a great deal to Mahatma Gandhi choosing it to be his starting point for carrying out his struggle in India.
• While much is said about Gandhi’s personality and skills to motivate the indigenous population to rise against the British, what is often forgotten is how the intrinsic qualities of a certain urban centre might have aided Gandhi in the process.
• The indigenous nature of Ahmedabad provided Gandhi with the best platform for promoting nationalistic themes such as a belief in swadeshi products and the firmness to destroy colonial rule by hitting out at its economic roots.
• In Ahmedabad, unlike in Bombay or Calcutta, the elite who became a part of the freedom struggle, did not in any way identify with the Europeans.
• The trading class who made up Ahmedabad was rooted in local traditions and were fiercely opposed to European impact much before Gandhi set up his base there.
• The indigenous nature of Ahmedabad provided Gandhi with the best platform for promoting nationalistic themes such as a belief in swadeshi products and the firmness to destroy colonial rule by hitting out at its economic roots.

1. Opposition to European interference in shaping cityscape:

• In his work, ‘Colonialism, Indigenous Elites and the Transformation of Cities in the Non-Western World: Ahmedabad (Western India)’, author Siddharth Raychaudhuri says that in the case of Ahmedabad a section of the indigenous elite opposed the restructuring of the city by the colonial government and instead carried out their own reorganisation of the urban centre. Further, they also maintained an indigenous political and social hegemony in the city.

In a changing, dynamic society where people have changed, attitudes have changed, preservation of heritage sites are needed. Heritage does not necessarily mean that an object is dead, heritage means living organisms.

For preservation of heritage sites, we need to inquire into whether we are making our cities as sustainable and, perhaps, more efficient than what they were before and if not then participatory mechanism need to be developed to conserve the rich culture and heritage of the nation.

SHARADA PRASAD COMMITTEE ON SKILL COUNCILS

• by IAS Score

 

 Introduction

• Ministry of Skill Development has constituted Sharada Prasad Committee to Review the Functioning of Sector Skill Councils.

Objective:

1. In order to ensure convergence and optimal functioning of SSCs as per mandate given under the National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015, it was decided to constitute a committee on SSCs.
2. It’s objective was to “review the functioning of the SSCs so as to ensure rationalization & Optimization of the Functioning of the Sector Skill Councils”.

What are Sector Skill Councils (SSCs)?

• SSCs are industry led and industry governed bodies
• Their task is to:

1. To ensure that skill development efforts being made are in accordance with the actual needs of the industry and
2. To develop National Occupational Standards and Qualification Packs (QPs).

• Presently, the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has approved formation of 40 SSCs in different Sectors.

Key findings made by the committee

• Crony capitalism: The committee has termed these councils a ‘hotbed of crony capitalism’ who are trying to ‘extract maximum benefit from public funds.’
• Conflict of interests: It has cited several instances of conflict of interest in the councils’ membership base, including those involving three NSDC board members
• NSDF: It also said that the governance of the National Skill Development Fund (NSDF) is flawed.
  1. The NSDF is required to oversee the work of NSDC. But Board of trustees of the NSDF consists of three members, one of which is chairman of NSDC. Now how can the supervisory body consist of head of the supervised body as a member?
  2. NSDF was set up in 2009 to raise funds from both non-government entities and government.

Key recommendations made by the committee

• Centre should scrap the existing 40 skill councils, many of which have overlapping roles. These should be replaced by just 21 councils in accordance with the national industrial classification of different sectors.
• Government should review the NSDC’s role and functioning comprehensively.
• Government should also introduce an oversight mechanism on the NSDC to ensure that such conflicts of interest do not arise in future. This mechanism should be preferably from the central bank, as it is registered as a non-banking finance company.

The Chairman of NSDC should be excluded from NSDF.

UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME

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UBI is based on the idea that everybody should be given a basic minimum income as an entitlement and not as compensation for work, which shall be directly cash transferred to the eligible beneficiaries. The individuals would, therefore, be free to use the cash as per their discretion and spend according to their individual preferences.

Universal Basic Income is a radical and compelling paradigm shift in thinking about both social justice and a productive economy. It could be to the twenty first century what civil and political rights were to the twentieth. It is premised on the idea that a just society needs to guarantee to each individual a minimum income which they can count on, and which provides the necessary material foundation for a life with access to basic goods and a life of dignity.

UBI has three components:

• Universality,
• Unconditionality and
• Agency (by providing support in the form of cash transfers to respect, not dictate, recipients’ choices).

Arguments in Favour of UBI

• Poverty and vulnerability reduction

  Conditional on the presence of a well-functioning financial system, a Universal Basic Income may simply be the fastest way of reducing poverty.

• Choice

  A UBI treats beneficiaries as agents and entrusts citizens with the responsibility of using welfare spending as they see best; this may not be the case with in-kind transfers.

• Better targeting of poor

  As all individuals are targeted, exclusion error (poor being left out) is zero though inclusion error (rich gaining access to the scheme) is 60 percent.

• Insurance against shocks

  This income floor will provide a safety net against health, income and other shocks.

• Improvement in financial inclusion

  Payment – transfers will encourage greater usage of bank accounts, leading to higher profits for banking correspondents (BC) and an endogenous improvement in financial inclusion.

Credit – increased income will release the constraints on access to credit for those with low income levels.

• Psychological benefits

  A guaranteed income will reduce the pressures of finding a basic living on a daily basis.

• Administrative efficiency

  A UBI in place of a plethora of separate government schemes will reduce the administrative burden on the state.

Arguments against UBI

• Conspicuous spending

  Households, especially male members, may spend this additional income on wasteful activities.

• Moral hazard (reduction in labour supply)

  A minimum guaranteed income might make people lazy and opt out of the labour market.

• Gender disparity induced by cash

  Gender norms may regulate the sharing of UBI within a household – men are likely to exercise control over spending of the UBI. This may not always be the case with other in-kind transfers.

• Implementation

  Given the current status of financial access among the poor, a UBI may put too much stress on the banking system.

• Fiscal cost given political economy of exit

  Once introduced, it may become difficult for the government to wind up a UBI in case of failure.

• Political economy of universality – ideas for self-exclusion

  Opposition may arise from the provision of the transfer to rich individuals as it might seem to trump the idea of equity and state welfare for the poor.

• Exposure to market risks (cash vs. food)

  Unlike food subsidies that are not subject to fluctuating market prices, a cash transfer’s purchasing power may severely be curtailed by market fluctuations.

RADHAKRISHNA COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURAL INDEBTEDNESS

• by IAS Score

Introduction
• The issue of farmers suicides is a burning one- one that has forced the central and state governments to offer relief packages for the affected. The Radhakrishna Committee was constituted to analyse the neglect of agricultural in the planning process and the agricultural crisis that has resulted thereof.
Findings of the Report
• There has been a significant slowdown in the growth of the agricultural sector in the past two decades, and this is particularly accentuated when one compares it to the other sectors of the economy. The share of agriculture in the national product has considerably reduced, but the number of workers depending on it for their livelihoods has hardly changed. The reasons for the current agrarian crisis are various, and they have all acted together in order to manifest the problem in extreme forms such as farmers’ suicides.
• The nature of the problem, as explained by the Radhakrishna Committee can be explained as follows:
a) An excessive proportion of the population is dependent on agriculture. In 2004-2005, from the estimated population of 1092 million in India, 71.4% were in rural areas. Of the total work force, some 56% worked in agriculture, and yet the share of agriculture in the GDP was around 20% (as against some 42% in 1972-73).
b) The rural economy continues to remain by and large undiversified (most of the workers in rural areas are engaged in agriculture).
c) Increasing stress on water resources: There is both the increasing stress on available water resources, as well as the unequal availability of water across the country. Groundwater has emerged as an important source of irrigation, although it has created problems of over exploitation
d) Wide regional disparity: There are wide disparities between different states as regards the productivity and growth in agriculture on account of environmental and governance related issues.
Recommendations
a) Cause of agricultural crisis:
• Root crisis of agricultural indebtedness is not just agriculture alone. Indebtedness is just a symptom.
• These underlying causes are stagnation in agriculture, increasing production & marketing risks and lack of alternative livelihood.
b) Positive repayment system:
• A positive repayment culture for bank loans should be encouraged.
• Under this, those who repay promptly should be rewarded.
c) Money Lenders debt repayment fund:
• Formalize the informal credit by providing long term loans to farmers by banks to enable their debt to the moneylenders.
• For this, create a moneylenders debt repayment fund with a corpus of Rs. 100 crore.
d) Reschedule loans of farmers affected by natural calamities.
e) Ensure that banks adhere to priority sector lending; ensure that Rural infrastructure development fund (RIDF) should be effectively deployed for agricultural development.
f) Crop insurance scheme faces following problems in implementation:
• Non-availability of reliable yield data below state/district level.
• Most of the claims go to few crops in few states.
g) Diversify livelihood base by promoting allied agro-processing and other rural non-farm activities.
h) Strengthen primary health care:
• Expenditure in health leads to heavy borrowing. Thus strengthen primary health care.

BIMSTEC at 20

• by IAS Score

Context

• On June 06, 2017 the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) completed 20 years of its establishment. Comprising of Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan, BIMSTEC is home to 1.5 billion people, accounting for approximately 21 per cent of the world population, and a combined GDP of US$ 2.5 trillion.

Brief background about BIMSTEC

• Initially known as the Bangladesh-India-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation (BIST-EC), it was formed after representatives from the aforesaid four countries met at Bangkok in June 1997.
• With Myanmar joining the grouping as a full member in December the same year, the ‘BIST-EC’ was renamed as ‘BIMST-EC’.
• In February 2004, when Nepal and Bhutan too joined, the grouping was renamed as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation or BIMSTEC.
• According to the June 1997 ‘Declaration on the BIST-EC’, also known as the Bangkok Declaration.
• Objectives of the sub-regional initiative were:
• Creating an enabling environment for rapid economic development of the sub-region.
• Encouraging the spirit of equality and partnership.
• Promoting active collaboration and mutual assistance in the areas of common interests of the member countries.
• Accelerating support for each other in the fields of education, science and technology, etc.
• It took 17 long years for BIMSTEC to finally establish its permanent secretariat in Dhaka in 2014
• BIMSTEC has signed a Free Trade Agreement (2004) and a Convention on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organised Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking (2009).
• BIMSTEC summits:

1. First in Thailand in 2004.
2. Second in India in 2008.
3. Third in Myanmar in 2014.
4. The fourth summit meeting is expected to take place later this year (2017) in Nepal, the current Chair of BIMSTEC.

Significance

• For India, BIMSTEC act as another opportunity, besides the ASEAN, to engage with Southeast Asia, at least partially. The scope for direct connectivity with Southeast Asia via Northeast India and Myanmar, counter-terrorism and anti-insurgency cooperation with Myanmar and other members, potential access to alternative energy resources in Myanmar as well as economic opportunities available in the ASEAN region.
• Besides India, other members too considered it as an important mechanism to achieve their national goals and regional aspirations.
• Myanmar became a member at a time when the junta in the country was facing serious international criticism.
• Thailand was looking for an opportunity to enhance its trade and connectivity with the South Asian countries under the ambit of its ‘Look West’ policy. So, in a way, India’s ‘Look East’ and Thailand’s ‘Look West’ policy complemented each other within the ambit of BIMSTEC.
• Sri Lanka considered BIMSTEC as an opportunity to engage with the economically booming Southeast Asian countries.
• For the land-blocked countries like Nepal and Bhutan, BIMSTEC holds the prospect of enhancing their connectivity with the rest of the region.
• The ongoing India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and the India-Myanmar Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project are expected to further augment connectivity and economic cooperation in the sub-region and beyond.

Challenges

Though largely devoid of bilateral tensions, as is the case in SAARC, BIMSTEC does not seem to have made much progress. The so-called sluggishness in BIMSTEC last two decades is attributed to many factors:

• India, the largest member of the grouping, has often been criticised for not providing a strong leadership to BIMSTEC.
• Both Thailand and Myanmar are criticised for having ignored BIMSTEC in favour of ASEAN.
• Absence of a permanent secretariat for a long time and lack of commitment to invest in several priority areas identified by the member states were seen as some of the key institutional factors holding the BIMSTEC back.
• The ‘noodle bowl effect’ of regionalism too was at work as formation of another sub-regional initiative, the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Forum, with the proactive membership of China, created more doubts about the exclusive potential of BIMSTEC.

Renewed Interest

• Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his message on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of BIMSTEC, described the sub-regional grouping as “a natural platform” to fulfill India’s “key foreign policy priorities of ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’”.
• Earlier in October 2016, India had hosted the BIMSTEC members at Goa during the BRICS Outreach Summit.
• The BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit is believed to have given BIMSTEC its due importance by inviting its members to participate in a larger platform comprising five major emerging economies of the world.
• India is already the lead country for four priority sectors, namely:

1. Transportation and communication.
2. Environment and disaster management.

• Tourism and

1. Counter-terrorism and trans-national crime.

• Within few months of the Goa Summit, India hosted the first meeting of the BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs in New Delhi in March 2017.

For BIMSTEC to become an enabler of regional cooperation, it will have to evolve as an organisation that works through a bottom-up rather than a top-down approach. The people-centric approach seems to be the best as BIMSTEC seriously lags behind ASEAN and other regional organisations in terms of people-to-people contacts. Since the BIMSTEC region is notable for its diversity, the member states need to build on the regional synergies and work towards utilising the available resources in the most optimal manner. This would help build a stronger and a more dynamic BIMSTEC.

NATIONAL INSTITUTIONAL RANKING FRAMEWORK (NIRF)

• by IAS Score

Overview of NIRF
• MHRD (Ministry of Human Resource Development) has released Ranking System Framework for Higher Educational Institutions of India. This is the first time that a reliable, transparent and authentic ranking system is being implemented in the country for Higher Education.

Objective

• To bring fair competition among Indian universities.
• Now parents and students will have worth information about the quality of a particular university, college or vocational institution.

In what background was NIRF developed?

In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THEWUR) 2014
Not a single Indian university could make it to the list of top 275 universities in the world and
Not a single institute of engineering & technology figured in the top 100 institutes in the category.

Then some educationists argued that that India should have its own system of ranking educational institutions based on certain India-specific parameters.
In this background NIRF was launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).

What are the Parameters?

• The parameters broadly cover:

PARAMETERS	COMPONENTS
Teaching, Learning & Resources	·     Student Strength including Doctoral Students ·      Faculty-student ratio with emphasis on permanent faculty ·   Combined metric for Faculty with PhD (or equivalent) and Experience ·    Total Budget and Its Utilisation
Research & Professional Practices	·    Combined metric for Publications ·    Combined metric for Quality of Publications ·     IPR and Patents: Filed, Published, Granted and Licensed ·     Footprint of Projects and Professional Practice And Executive Development Programs
Graduation Outcomes	·    Combined % for Placement, Higher Studies, and Entrepreneurship (GPHE) ·    Metric for University Examinations: GUE ·      Median Salary ·       Metric for Graduating Students Admitted Into Top Universities (GTOP) ·      Metric for Number of Ph.D. Students Graduated GPHD
Outreach and Inclusivity	·       Percent Students from other states/countries (Region Diversity RD) ·      Percentage of Women (Women students + faculty) ·      Economically and Socially Challenged Students ·       Facilities for Physically Challenged Students
Perception	·        Peer Perception: Employers and Research Investors ·       Peer Perception: Academics ·       Public Perception ·       Competitiveness

What can be further done to further improve NIRF?

1. NIRF should be made mandatory for all higher education institutions. By this it will make the institutions realise the need to improve their quality
2. The government should categorise institutions and disciplines as Central universities, State universities, government-funded/aided and private sector and a separate ranking list should also be prepared. It is because it is unfair to make institutions funded by the government to compete self-financed institutions (though, it is a fact that some private educational institutions are far better than government-run institutions in terms of infrastructure, faculty, quality of education, and so on).
3. The data and information provided by the institutions that apply for ranking should be thoroughly verified by the government and those providing false data should be named and shamed.

Suggestions on some parameters to improve quality of higher education system

Parameter	Observation & suggestion
Teaching, learning and resources	·         In many private educational institutions, quality of teachers is not up to the mark as they are not paid on par with their counterparts working in government or government-aided institutions. ·         Thus pay to faculties should be increased.
Research and professional practices	·         It is not the quantity but the quality, originality, relevance and usefulness of research papers that matter. ·         Of late the research papers have been characterised by manufacturing of data, plagiarism and academic dishonesty. ·         Thus a check should be there on this.
Outreach and inclusivity (OI)	·         Working in our local areas is much more than charity for higher education institutions. ·         Just like Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Institute Social Responsibility (ISR) should be emphasised. ·         Each educational institution should adopt a few villages where the faculty and students should interact with the villagers and impart their knowledge to the rural people and learn local lessons from them.

 

India rankings

• India Rankings under the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) were introduced in 2016 to rank Indian Universities.
• Rankings released till now?
  • India Rankings – 2016 based on this framework were released in April 2016.
  • India Rankings – 2017 based on this framework were released in first week of April.
• India Rankings – 2017: List of Awardee

 

OVERVIEW OF LAND DEGRADATION AND DESERTIFICATION

• by IAS Score

Meaning of desertification

1. What is it not? Desertification is not the natural expansion of existing deserts.
2. What is it not? Instead it is the degradation of land in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas. It is a gradual process of “soil productivity loss and the thinning out of the vegetative cover” because of human activities and climatic variations such as prolonged droughts and floods.

What are the reasons for desertification?

Climatic factors	Climatic variations such as prolonged droughts and floods contribute to desertification.
Human factors	Among human causal factors are over-cultivation, overgrazing, deforestation, and poor irrigation practices. Such overexploitation is generally caused by economic and social pressure, ignorance, war, and drought.

 Why is it important to fight desertification?

Desertification, along with climate change and the loss of biodiversity were identified as the greatest challenges to sustainable development during the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.

According to UNCCD (June 2017), Desertification is a worldwide problem directly affecting 250 million people and a third of the earth’s land surface or over 4 billion hectares.

Environmental problems	Removal of land’s topsoil takes centuries tobuild up. Desertification makes land areas flood-prone, causes soil salinisation, results in the deterioration of the quality of water, silting of rivers, streams and reservoirs. Unsustainable irrigation practices can dry the rivers that feed large lakes; the Aral Sea and Lake Chad have both seen their shorelines shrink dramatically in this way.
Socio-Economic Problems	Poverty: The land’s loss of productivity exacerbates poverty in the drylands. Desertification is both the cause and consequence of poverty. Food security: According to UNCCD, annual land lost could produce 20 million tonnes of grain. Land also supports livestock, which will be affected by land degradation. Displacement: Loss of land’s productivity, forces farmers to seek a way of living in more fertile lands or cities. According to UNCCD (data in June 2017) some 60 million people are expected to eventually move from the decertified areas in Sub-Saharan Africa towards northern Africa and Europe in the next 20 years.
Political problems	This displacement of millions of people to other regions/countries may contribute to anti-migrant and xenophobic feelings among the host community leading to fight over scarce resources. According to UNCCD, many armed conflicts in the past had environmental causal factors characteristic of the drylands.

What should be our approach to counter desertification?

Combating Desertification requires interventions in form of Preventive and Curative Measures.

Preventive measures: Preventive measures include adopting Sustainable Land Management (SLM) practices that can ensure sustainable productivity of land resources and; food, water and livelihood security for present and future generations.
Curative measures: Curative measures involve undertaking restoration and reclamation interventions on degraded lands and subsequent SLM of reclaimed land resources.
What steps should be taken to combat desertification?

Firstly, we should address poverty. It is because poverty forces the people who depend on land for their livelihoods to overexploit the land for various reasons.
Secondly, we need environmentally sound human settlements. Thus educate and train to make them aware and a part of our efforts to combat desertification.
Thirdly, we should take practical measures undertaken to preventdegradation and restore degraded land. Some of these measures are
Improved early warning system and water resource management;
Introduction of new species and varieties with a capacity to tolerate salinity and/or aridity; and
Windbreaks and shelterbelts of live plants;
Afforestation and reforestation;
Sustainable pasture and forest & livestock management;
Narrow strip planting etc.
Findings of “Desertification and Land Degradation atlas”

Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas was released by Space Applications Centre (SAC), ISRO, Ahmedabad in June 2016.

This Atlas presents state-wise desertification and land degradation status maps depicting land use, process of degradation and severity level.

Area under Land Degradation/desertification during 2011-13:

Area under land degradation	Area undergoing land degradation process during 2011-13 is 96.40 mha i.e. 29.32% of the Total Geographic Area (TGA) of the country during 2011-13. There is a cumulative increase of 1.87 mha area undergoing process of land degradation in the country during the time frame 2003-05 and 2011-13.
Area under desertification (arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions of the country)	Area under desertification during 2011-13 is 82.64 mha; During 2003-05 it was 81.48 mha. Thus there is a cumulative increase of 1.16 mha area under desertification.

 

Process of desertification/ land degradation: The most significant process of desertification/ land degradation in the country are as follows:

Water Erosion	10.98% in 2011-13
Vegetation Degradation	8.91% in 2011-13
Wind erosion	5.55 % in 2011-13

Indian Scenario: Target and Steps
a)Target for land degradation neutrality (LND): Environment Minister on Eve of World Day to Combat Desertification emphasised that the NDA Government is committed to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality by the year 2030.
b)Steps being taken: Although currently there is no specific policy or legislative framework for combating desertification, but the government is addressing this problem through various measures:
i.In June 2017, environment minister stated that the government is working on a new National Action Programme (NAP) which will be finalised soon.
ii.Soil Health Card Scheme has been launched by the Government to help farmers improve productivity through judicious use of inputs.
iii.Swachchh Bharat Mission has been launched to address concerns over waste disposal, sewage treatment, sanitation. These factors adversely affect the quality of land.
iv.To ensure ‘More Crop Per Drop’ Government has launched the ‘Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana’.
v.Apart from these, government is also implementing Integrated Watershed Management Programme, National Mission for a Green India and National Afforestation Programme.

KEN–BETWA RIVER LINKING PROJECT

• by IAS Score

Context:
The Forest Advisory Committee of the environment ministry has formally approved the inter-linking of the Betwa River (in Uttar Pradesh) with the Ken River (in Madhya Pradesh).

What is the significance of this approval?
Endorsement of this project is significant for the following reasons –
a) Firstly, Implementation of this project will create additional irrigation potential of 600,000 hectares, produce 60 MW of power and provide drinking water to 1.3 million people.
b) Second, it will give a push to the other inter – linking projects which are very important for solving water-related problems of India.

How many river-linking projects are proposed?
Ministry of water resources, under its national water plan has proposed 30 river linkages. The Ken-Betwa project will the first among these 30 proposed project.
In the past India has executed other inter-basin river linkages namely Sarda-Sahayak, Beas-Sutlej, Kurnool-Cuddapah, Periyar-Vaigai projects and the most recent being the linking of Krishna and Godavari rivers which was done with the commissioning of the Pattiseema scheme in Andhra Pradesh in 2015.

What are the benefits of river linking projects?

There are various benefits of these projects:
a) India is not an inherently water-short country, its total annual rainfall of around 120 cm which is well above the global average of around 100 cm. But the bulk of this water runs off to the sea leading to water-shortage. By executing these projects India can transfer surplus water from river basins to deficient ones for equitable distribution of water across the country. It will reduce water shortage in India by creating an additional 35 million hectares irrigation.
b) Then there are other benefits like additional power generation of 34,000 MW, flood control, navigation, fisheries and ensuring domestic water supply.

What are the challenges to river linking projects?

Inspite of the idea of a national network of interconnected rivers being over a century old, the progress on it is very slow due to following reasons:
a) Environmental challenges (e.g. Ken-Betwa river linking will lead to submergence of part of Panna tiger reserve) :
b) Financial challenges;
c) Feasibility challenges;
d) Population dislocation; and
e) Difficultly to build political consensus especially in inter-state river linking projects as water is a state subject.
Interlinking should take place after a detailed study so that it does not cause any problem to the environment and society.

Issue of Fraudulent marriages with NRIs

• by IAS Score

National Commission for Women (NCW) held consultations on the “Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)” to be adopted while dealing with cases related to NRI Matrimonial Disputes.

Meaning of NRI marriages:

NRI marriages as generally understood, are between an Indian woman from India and an Indian man residing in another country (thus NRI – non-resident Indian), either as Indian citizen (when he would legally be an “NRI”) or as citizen of that other country (when he would legally be a PIO – person of Indian origin).

What are the reasons for rise in NRI marriages?

a)Globalization: In light of this rapidly accelerating globalization and expansion of Indian communities abroad, NRI marriages are on rise.
b)Greed: Also many Indian families prefer NRI grooms assuming that it will not only enable their daughters to lead a life full of comforts but will also provide financial support to their families and new avenues for their siblings in foreign countries. Due to this few families run due diligence checks on the background of the grooms.

Problems in NRI marriages:

a)From last several years a new problem has come on the surface that is about Indian women being trapped in fraudulent marriages with overseas Indians. This has led to origin of terms like ‘Honeymoon brides’ or ‘No-where brides’.
b)Regions where the frauds are common: Instances of fraudulent marriages have been reported mostly from Punjab and Haryana. Many families from Andhra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, too, have been victims. The NCW report shows that till January 31, 2011, 540 complaints related to Indian women deserted by their overseas husbands were reported and the complaints increased to 843 by February 5, 2012.
List of issues in NRI marriages: The common issues/problems relating to Overseas Indian/NRI marriages being faced by Indian Women include:
a)Abandonment of the wife for various reasons, even before being taken to the foreign land where her husband resided.
b)Domestic Violence with she being brutally battered, assaulted, abused both physically and mentally, malnourished, confined and ill-treated.
c)NRI husband already married thereby her becoming a victim of bigamy.
d)Continued demands for dowry, pre and post marriage from her in-laws. For example, Neerja Bhanot had an arranged marriage in March 1985 and joined her husband in Doha, Qatar. However, the marriage soon deteriorated following alleged dowry pressure and she returned to her parents’ home in Mumbai within two months.
e)Lenient legal system abroad in respect of grounds for divorce etc. which is misused by her husband.

Why is it difficult to deal with the problem?

c)NRI marriages are not only governed by Indian Laws but laws of the other country also. Hence, the conviction rate is abysmally low due to the complexity that arises out of the jurisdiction involved in such cases.
d)Women in these cases lack knowledge regarding the various avenues of relief available to them.
e)There is also lack of a legislative framework in India to address the issue.

Way ahead?

a)Generate Awareness: Generate awareness about
i.Precautions to be taken before entering into marriage alliance.
ii.The Safeguards available to women deserted by their NRI spouses, legal remedies available, authorities that can be approached for redressal of grievances.
b)Do background check: Families find it difficult to ascertain the information provided by the groom. The Indian government can step in and provide a tool to check the credentials of the groom-to-be.
c)Registration of marriages: Registration of NRI marriages should be made mandatory.
d)Get their social security number: Certificates for such marriages should include the social security number of the NRI spouse
e)Special cell in Indian embassy: A special cell should be setup with the Indian Embassy in different countries to provide assistances during the emergencies.
f)Special cell in external affairs ministry: Constitute a special cell in the external affairs ministry to look into complaints
g)Bring back the groom: Use international treaties to bring NRI spouses back to India so that they can be tried under Indian laws. For this enter into bilateral treaties with other countries.
h)Assistance: Government should increase the expense account for legal help abroad.
i)Enact a NRI matrimonial law: We should enact a NRI matrimonial law to categorically cover aspects such as abandonment, divorce and maintenance and child custody. It can incorporate various provisions such as:
i.No marriage between a NRI and an Indian woman which has taken place in India may be annulled by a foreign court.
ii.Provision may be made for adequate alimony to the wife in the property of the husband both in India and abroad.

What steps have been taken by the government of India in this direction?

a)A scheme was launched in 2007 to provide legal /financial assistance to the deserted or divorced overseas Indian women through the Indian Missions/Posts.
b)NCW has also been nominated by Ministry of External Affairs as the Coordinating agency at the National level for dealing with issues pertaining NRI marriages. The NRI Cell of the Commission has been raising awareness on the issue.
c)Information Pamphlets: The Ministry has brought out Information Pamphlets in English, Hindi, Punjabi, Malayalam and Telugu to make Indian women aware of their rights and responsibilities and the precautions that could be exercised before entering into marital alliance with overseas Indians. These pamphlets have been sent to the State Governments for distribution through Village Panchayats, Anganwadis, Railway Stations, Airports, Hospitals /Dispensaries, NGOs/Self Help Groups etc.

NTRO UNDER INTELLIGENCE ACT

• by IAS Score

Context
The Union Home Ministry has listed National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) under The Intelligence Organizations (Restriction of Rights) Act, 1985.
About Intelligence Organizations (Restriction of Rights) Act, 1985

Agencies included under the act:

a)IB, R&AW and NTRO are covered by the act.
b)Other security agencies like the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) have also been asking the Home Ministry to include them under the Intelligence Organisations Act.
Salient features of the Act:
The Act puts the following restriction on the agency notified under the act
a)Prevents employees the agency from forming unions/associations and
b)Puts restrictions on the employee’s freedom of speech (It bars any communication with the press, or publishing a book/document without the permission of the head of the intelligence organization).
This was done to ensure that the intelligence officials do not leak out information and embarrass the government.

About National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO)

The National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) is a technical intelligence agency under the National Security Advisor in the Prime Minister’s Office, India. It was set up in 2004. It also includes National Institute of Cryptology Research and Development (NICRD), which is first of its kind in Asia.
The agency develops technology capabilities in aviation and remote sensing, data gathering and processing, cyber security, cryptology systems, strategic hardware and software development and strategic monitoring.
The National Critical Infrastructure Protection Centre, an agency under the control of National Technical Research Organisation, has been created to monitor, intercept and assess threats to crucial infrastructure and other vital installations from intelligence gathered using sensors and platforms which include satellites, underwater buoys, drones, VSAT-terminal locators and fiber-optic cable nodal tap points.
Significance
By this NTRO will have the same “norms of conduct” as the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). This would not give the NTRO any powers to intercept. However it would ensure that there are strict norms of conduct in place.

Sharada Prasad committee

• by IAS Score

Context: The Government of India, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship constituted a Review Committee for Rationalization and Optimization of the Functioning of the Sector Skill Councils (SSC). Its objective was to “review the functioning of the Sector Skill Councils so as to ensure rationalization & Optimization of the Functioning of the Sector Skill Councils”.

Key findings made by the committee?

1. Crony capitalism: The committee has termed these councils a ‘hotbed of crony capitalism’ who are trying to ‘extract maximum benefit from public funds.’
2. Conflict of interests: It has cited several instances of conflict of interest in the councils’ membership base, including those involving three NSDC board members
3. NSDF: It also said that the governance of the National Skill Development Fund (NSDF) is flawed.
   1. The NSDF is required to oversee the work of NSDC. But Board of trustees of the NSDF consists of three members, one of which is chairman of NSDC. Now how can the supervisory body consist of head of the supervised body as a member?
   2. NSDF was set up in 2009 to raise funds from both non-government entities and government.

Key recommendations made by the committee?

1. Centre should scrap the existing 40 skill councils, many of which have overlapping roles. These should be replaced by just 21 councils in accordance with the national industrial classification of different sectors.
2. Government should review the NSDC’s role and functioning comprehensively.
3. Government should also introduce an oversight mechanism on the NSDC to ensure that such conflicts of interest do not arise in future. This mechanism should be preferably from the central bank, as it is registered as a non-banking finance company.
4. The Chairman of NSDC should be excluded from NSDF.

WOMEN REPRESENTATION IN COMPANIES BOARDS

• by IAS Score

Context: Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has released a report titled “Corporate India: Women on Boards”.

What are the key findings of the report?

a)Rise in numbers: Female representation in the board of NIFTY 500 companies has doubled from around six per cent on March 31, 2014 to 13 per cent by March 31, 2017.
b)High compliance: As on March 31, 2017, only 15 of the 500 companies did not have a woman director on the board. This shows high levels of compliance.
c)More than one woman directors: As on March 31, 2017, one hundred and seven companies have more than one woman director on their boards, with four companies having four women directors on their board.
d)Independent woman directors: 60 per cent of women directors are independent. This breaks the perception that most of the women directors appointed are from the promoter family itself so as to comply with the regulations.

What are the reasons for increase in number of women in companies’ board?

a)Firstly, the realization that having women on board not only promotes equality but also brings a different perspective to boardroom discussions.
b)Secondly, India enacted Company Act, 2013 which mandates that every Listed Company /Public Company with paid up capital of Rs 100 Crores or more / Public Company with turnover of Rs 300 Crores or more shall have at least one Woman Director.
What are the recommendations made in this report?
The report offers two suggestions.
a) First, one woman director should make way for at least one independent woman director;
b) Second, by 2020, women directors should comprise 20 per cent of board members.

Is the target achievable?

• Yes, by having just one independent director, the number of women directors will reach to 18 per cent. From here, 20 per cent can be reached easily.
• But the challenge is in finding the qualified women directors. In this background, FICCI has launched “Women on Corporate Boards Mentorship Program” under which qualified women are trained to take up board positions.
• We should also have a woman director on a board’s appointment and remuneration committee to widen the pool from which directors are appointed.

 

CHILD MARRIAGES

• by IAS Score

Context
A study on child marriages, based on 2011 census was released by Young Lives in coordination with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). The study focused on 70 districts in 13 States, which comprise more than 20% of child marriages.

What are they findings of the study?
a)No marriage below 10 years of age was reported across the country.
b)There has been a decline in child marriage across the country. Marriage of minor girls declined by 0.1%.
c)Rajasthan has reported the highest incidence of child marriages.
d)Girls: 12.9% of girls got married in the age of 10-17 years and 43.6% between 18-20 years.
e)Boys: 4.9% of boys got married in the 10-17 years age group and 11.2 % in the 18-below 21 age group.

Factors contributing to child marriage
a)Patriarchy and Gender inequality: Families see it as a mechanism to guard their daughters’ sexuality and virginity in order to protect the family honour.
b)Tradition: Child marriage is a traditional practice and thus often goes unquestioned because they have been part of a community’s life and identity for a very long time.
c)Beginning of Menstruation assumed as beginning of adulthood: In some communities, when girls start to menstruate, they become women in the eyes of the community. Therefore marrying them is seen as the next logical status.
d)Wrong assumption of preventing violence against women: Many parents mistakenly believe marriage will protect their daughters from sexual violence
e)Poverty: Some parents see their daughters as burdens or commodities. Where poverty is acute, families believe that giving a minor daughter in marriage will reduce economic hardship by transferring this ‘burden’ to her husband’s family.

Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA)
Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA) is the current law in place to tackle child marriage. Salient features of the act:
a)Definition of child: A child is a person who has not completed 21 years in case of male and 18 years in case of females.
b)Annulment of marriage: The law has a provision for annulment of a child marriage.

MATERNITY BENEFIT PROGRAM

• by IAS Score

Introduction
The highest attainable standard of health is a fundamental right of every person. However, Gender-based discrimination, undercuts this right. It can render women more susceptible to sickness and less likely to obtain care, for reasons ranging from affordability to social conventions keeping them at home.

Thus the new SDG has adopted the goal of reducing the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births and to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes by 2030.
Government of India has launched the Maternity Benefit Program as part of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) to improve maternal and neonatal health by promotion of institutional deliveries (childbirth in hospitals).

Recently Union cabinet has approved pan-India implementation of Maternity Benefit Program.

About the Maternity Benefit Program
a)Target Group: All eligible Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers (PW&LM), excluding those who are in regular employment with the Central/state Government or Public Sector Undertakings or those who are in receipt of similar benefits under any law for the time being.
b)Objective of the scheme: The cash incentives provided would lead to improved health seeking behaviour amongst the Pregnant Women and Lactating Mother (PW&LM) to reduce the effects of under-nutrition namely stunting, wasting and other related problems.
c)Provisions: Partial compensation for the wage loss will be provided in terms of cash incentives so that the woman can take adequate rest before and after delivery of the first living child.
d)Why the government has launched this scheme? Normally, the first pregnancy of a woman exposes her to new kinds of challenges and stress. Thus the scheme provides support to the mother for safe delivery and immunization of her first living child. The improved health care seeking behaviour of the PW&LM would lead to better health status for the mother and the child.
e)Amount of cash incentive: Rs.5000/- will be given to PW&LM in three installment for the birth of the first live child by Ministry of women and child development and the remaining cash incentive after institutional delivery so that on an average, a woman will get Rs. 6000/-.
f)Mode of cash transfer to the Beneficiaries: The conditional cash transfer scheme would be in DBT mode.
g)The Scheme will be implemented using the platform of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) under Women & Child Development/Social Welfare Department of the respective State/UT. However, it will be implemented by respective Health Department in Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
h)Maternity Benefit Programme would be a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under which the grant-in-aid would be released to States/UTs in cost sharing ratio between the Centre and the States & UTs with Legislature 60:40, for North-Eastern States & Himalayan States it will be 90:10 and 100% for Union Territories without Legislature.

Air India Privatisation: Analysis

• by IAS Score

Context:
Recently, NITI Aayog has recommended strategic disinvestment of Air India. Subsequently Union finance minister stated that it will now explore all options for the same.

What are the arguments in favor of its privatization?

a) Huge debt: It is operationally inefficient, has been grossly mismanaged and is unable to compete with private sector operators. Due to this it is consistently making losses and is dependent on the government for survival. It has a debt of close to Rs 50,000 crore.

b) Overstating profit: Analysts strongly believe that the Air India is overstating its operational profit as due to its poor service it has been losing market share. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) questioned its operational profit of Rs 105 crore for 2015-16.

c) Failure of 2012 bailout package: The 2012 turnaround plan (in which the airline was provided with a bailout package of Rs 30,000 crore) has not shown the desired results. Air India has failed to meet the operational targets as well as target of raising Rs500 crore annually through monetization of assets in the four-year period from 2012-13 to 2015-16 (the company managed to raise only Rs64.06 crore).

d) Wastage of tax payers money:
i.If the status quo exists then the government will have to keep bailing out Air India leading to wastage of tax payers money.
ii.It will also affect the fiscal health of the government.
iii.Also this amount can be used in other important areas such as health and education.

e) Against the principles of market economy:
i.Going by the established norms of market economy, the government should not be providing goods and services where the private sector has a vibrant presence.
ii.Presence of state-owned companies having access to government finances and practically no fear of failing affects price discovery in the market and can hurt private sector operators in the business.

f) Will give a push to pending reforms:
i.This will send a strong signal to investors that India is serious about reforms.
ii.This will also set an example and pave the way for disinvestment of other loss-making companies, such as Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) which cant compete in India’s hyper-competitive telecom market.

What are the challenges in its privatization?

It will not be easy for the government to privatize Air India.

a) The NITI Aayog has said that all non-aircraft related debt should be written off to make it attractive for investors. But it will be difficult to convince banks, financial institutions, oil companies and the Airports Authority of India to agree to such a massive write-off.

b) Secondly, there is problem of employees. The Air Corporation Employees’ Union has warned the government of a “major confrontation” if it decides to go ahead with this disinvestment.

What should be the way ahead for the government

a) Government should sit with professionals to find ways to make the deal attractive for a prospective buyer.

b) For this, government should reduce the level of debt in the company. This can be done in various ways
i.Government can sell its non-core assets. Airline owns prime real estate valued at over Rs 4,000 crore. For example the Hotel Corporation of India— one of its subsidiaries, which runs hotels — can be sold to reduce debt.
ii.Government should try convincing the financial institutions to convert a part of the debt into equity.
iii.The government can even infuse equity capital one last time in Air India.

Issue of Triple Talaq

• by IAS Score

Context:

• Recently, PM Narendra Modi stated that the issue of Triple Talaq should be debated without politicizing the issue.
• Now this has led to a debate on whether Triple Talaq should be ended or not.
• This debate comes in the background of the Shayara Bano case. Shayara Bano is a resident of Kashipur in Uttarakhand who was given instantaneous Triple Talaq by her husband.In February 2016 She had approached the Supreme Court challenging the following long-standing practices –
o Talaq-e-Bidat,
o Nikah Halala and
o Polygamy.
• Subsequently, Union government filed an affidavit supporting the petitioner’s demand.

What are the basic terms related to divorce in Islam?

1	Talaq	a) The word Talaq originally meant “rejection” or  “repudiation”. b) In Muslim law, it means divorce initiated by the  husband. Only the husband has a right to pronounce Talaq. c) Talaq can be effected in writing (Talaqnama) or orally.
2	Talaq-Ul-Sunnat	a) Under this form of Talaq, once the husband initiates Talaq, there has to be a three-month waiting period (iddat) to factor in three menstrual cycles of the woman. b) This time is meant for reconciliation.
3	Talaq-e-Bidat	a) It means instantaneous Triple Talaq. Under this form of Talaq, once the husband pronounces Talaq thrice in one sitting, the divorce occurs immediately irrespective of iddat. Once pronounced, it cannot be revoked. b) It has no origin in Quran. According to Muslim scholar Tahir Mahmood, this form traces its origin to the time when the first caliph (Abu Bakr) used it once so as to grant instant divorce to a few women who were no longer willing to stay with their husbands.
4	Nikah-halala	a) Under this, if a female divorcee wants to remarry her previous husband then she has to following the following steps” 1. First she will have to marry someone else, 2. Then consummate that marriage, and 3. Then get a divorce. Then only she is eligible to marry her previous   husband.
5	Khul’	Khul’ is a procedure through which a woman can divorce her husband in Islam through mutual consent or a judicial decree.

What are the arguments in favor of talaq-e-bidat?

1	It is beneficial for women	The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) – a body that comprises just 12 per cent women – states that Triple Talaq has the following benefits – 1. Saves women the shame of divorce proceedingswhich could damage her chances of re-marriage, and 2. Prevents the “murder of wives” by their      husbands.
2	Islamic	It is an integral part of Islam and thus should be continued. The words of allah are divine.
3	Constitutional	Article 25 of the Constitution, states that the religious faith should be protected.
4	Low Divorce Rate	Despite their vulnerability to arbitrary divorce, the divorce rate — number of divorcees per 1,000 marriages —among the Muslim community is not the highest. According to census 2011, the divorce rate among women among different religious community is as follows (in descending order):1. Buddhist (6.73),2. Christians (5.67),3. Muslims (5.63), 4.‘Other communities’ (4.91), 5. Jains (3.04), 6. Hindus (2.60) and 7. Sikhs (2.56).
5	View of clergy	Clergy acknowledges Talaq-e-Bidat to be bad in theology, but valid & good in law.

What are the arguments against talaq-e-bidat?

1	Against women’s rights	This barbaric practice is against women’s rights. Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA), in 2015 conducted a survey of 4,710 Muslim women in 10 states. Following below are the findings – More than 90 per cent wanted an end to polygamy and Triple Talaq. Of the 525 divorced women, 78 per cent had been given Triple Talaq; 76 of these women had had to go through the process of Nikah-halala. BMMA is autonomous national coalition which has over 1 lakh members across 15 states.
2	Un-Islamic	According to many Muslim scholars: Talaq-e-bidat has no foundation in the Quran. Divorce is only permissible in extreme emergency cases and that too, only after all efforts for reconciliation have failed. Infact, around 20 Muslim majority countries including theocratic states like Pakistan and Afghanistan have banned Triple Talaq in one sitting.

 

3	Un-constitutional	Shayara bano’s petition argues that Triple Talaq is against the fundamental rights guaranteed (under Articles 14, 15, 21 and 25) by the Indian Constitution. On Article 25, the petition states that A-25 merely protects religious faith and not practices that are against “morality, public order or health”.
4	Pam Rajput committee’s view	A High level committee on the status of women in India, under the chairmanship of Pam Rajput submitted its report in 2015. Following below are the views of the committee – 1. It recommends reforms in personal laws of all communities in matters of marriage, divorce, succession and custody. 2. In the words of the committee “The approach should not be one of ensuring that there is one law for all, but rather, that all women, whether they choose to be governed by secular laws or their personal laws, enjoy equality which the Indian Constitution promises them.”
5	Religious parity	According to Hindus, When personal laws of Hindus have been codified and reformed, then why shouldn’t the same happen for Muslims.

 

 

 

Legal Status on Gambling and Betting

• by IAS Score

Context: The Law Commission of India has invited suggestions from the public and all stakeholders on the issue of betting and gambling in the country. It has put forward the questions that legalizing them are “morally correct in the Indian circumstances”.

What is the present legal status on gambling?

Public Gambling Act of 1867	Gambling is covered under the archaic Public Gambling Act of 1867, enacted way back in 19th century.
State legislations	The Constitution has enabled the States to enact their own gambling legislation. However there are various issues with them: a) Firstly, there is no uniformity in the various State laws. b) Secondly, most of these laws only deal with physical gambling and not online or virtual gambling, which is seen to be a route to corruption and money laundering.
Section 67 of IT Act, 2000	· Section 67 of the Information Technology Act of 2000 only vaguely prohibits online transmission and publication of material which “corrupt” persons.

What are the arguments against legalizing gambling & betting?

• Ruins families: Gambling is addictive and has ruined many families. Many families have become bankrupt and due to gambling, many people are in Jail.
• Match-fixing: High stakes involved in betting has also led to match-fixing.
• Online gambling: Online gambling and betting is another area which has become very difficult to curb.
• Parallel economy: Since a lot of money is involved in illegal gambling business, this has created a parallel economy.

What are the arguments in favor of legalizing gambling & betting?

• Gambling which is illegal at present, is widespread and “practiced across the country clandestinely”. According to Law Commission, the strict rules against betting and gambling are hardly a deterrent. Thus what can’t be cured should be endured.
• Legalizing them will help in curbing illegal activities.
• Licensing them will help the government to “earn substantial revenue and generate employment”. As per various estimates. a high-profile cricket match like India versus Pakistan attracts illegal betting to the tune of Rs 2,000 crore.
• Supreme court’s approval of other forms of gambling:
  a) In K.R. Lakshmanan vs State of Tamil Nadu case, the SC held that horse racing was a game of skill rather than chance.
  b) In State of Andhra Pradesh vs K. Satyanarayana & Ors, the SC held that rummy is a game of skill and not entirely based on chance.
• Five cricketing nations (namely U.K., Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka) have allowed betting in sports to curb illegal activities and earn revenue.
• In this background, Justice Lodha committee (which was formed in the background of 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal) had recommended legalizing betting with a variety of safeguards.

INSOLVENCY AND BANKRUPTCY CODE, 2016

• by IAS Score

Context: Indian banking industry has a large number of loans outstanding that have simply gone wrong. Non-Performing Loans (NPL) are estimated at just over INR 6.3 trillion. In this context, the new Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code passed by Parliament earlier this year, promises to address the structural problems hampering the efficient recycling of capital and rebalance the rights of creditors, giving them much needed recourse to take timely and effective action against defaulting borrowers.
Basic terms

• Insolvencyrefers to a situation where any person or a body corporate is unable to fulfill its financial obligations (often occurring due to several factors such as a decrease in cash flow, losses and other related issues).
• Bankruptcyon the other hand is a situation whereby a court of competent jurisdiction has declared a person or other entity insolvent, having passed appropriate orders to resolve it and protect the rights of the creditors.

What is the Objective of this code?

• To make the process of shutting down and exiting a business easier and less time-consuming.
• The code aims at reducing the time period of resolve the bankruptcy from four years (as stated by World Bank) to within one year.

What are the salient features of the code?

• Insolvency and bankruptcy board of India: It will be the overall regulator for insolvency and bankruptcy.
• Insolvency professionals: Insolvency professionals would handle the commercial aspects of the resolution process. They would be trained and regulated by insolvency professional agencies.
• Adjudicating authorities: Debt recovery tribunal: it will act as adjudicating authority for individuals and unlimited partnership firms. National company law tribunal: it will act as adjudicating authority for companies and limited liability entities.
• Committee of creditors: If a firm defaults on its debt then its control will be shifted to a committee of creditors.
• In the next 180 days, this committee will evaluate proposals from various parties on enabling liquidation or resuscitating the company.

 What is the significance of this code? The code if implemented properly as various benefits:

• Firstly it will help the companies in exiting a business.
• Secondly, it will improve India’s ranking on ease of doing business index, which is currently ranked at 130 out of 189 countries. India is also ranked at 136^th on the parameter of ‘resolving insolvency’.

What is the progress report on implementation of this code?

• Insolvency and bankruptcy board has been created. Public sector has also taken steps to implement the code. But, the progress on other aspects like creating insolvency professionals and insolvency professional agencies have been minimal.
• Also the private sector is yet to participate in it. It is because many private companies are plagued by non-performing assets issues. They can be wound up only after their assets are rationalized through the NPA-linked initiatives taken by the reserve bank of India.

Critics of New Code

• Time-bound insolvency resolution will require establishment of several new institutional mechanisms. The current capacity of debt recovery tribunals may be inadequate to take the additional role.
• IPAs, regulated by the Board, will be created for regulating the functioning of IPs. This approach of having regulated entities further regulate professionals may be contrary to the current practice of regulating professionals.
• The Code creates an Insolvency and Bankruptcy Fund. However, it does not specify the manner of usage of the fund. The priority being given to secured creditors relinquishing security needs specific attention, especially on account of the same having the potential to be misused, especially if the debtor and the secured creditor can collide and impair the collateral.

 

Anti- Trafficking Bill 2016

• by IAS Score

The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has sent the draft Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2016 to the Cabinet for its approval.

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Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2016

• by IAS Score

The Motor Vehicles Act consolidates the law relating to Motor Vehicles i.e. the law relating to the Constitution, use and control of motor vehicles. The Bill seeks to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Act provides for standards for motor vehicles, grant of driving licenses, and penalties for violation of these provisions.

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Superbug Fungus

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Candida auris is the deadly fungus that does not respond to conventional antifungal drugs.

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Motor vehicle agreement between India, Bhutan and Nepal

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Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicle Agreement for the Regulation of Passenger, Personal and Cargo Vehicular Traffic amongst BBIN.

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Child sex ratio

• by IAS Score

According to civil registration system released by the office of the registrar general of India Child sex ratio at birth continues to worsen in India.

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Climate change performance index 2017

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India was placed at the 20th rank among the 58 countries on the 2017 Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) improved by 5 places than the previous year.

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One Belt One Road initiative

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To facilitate the ease of doing business in the country and to remove the difficulties faced by stakeholders

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Companies (Amendment) Bill 2016

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To facilitate the ease of doing business in the country and to remove the difficulties faced by stakeholders

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Child Labour Amendment Bill

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The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 has been passed by the Parliament.

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Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) e-box

• by IAS Score

According to UNICEF violence against children can be “physical and mental abuse and injury, neglect or negligent treatment, exploitation and sexual abuse.

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Biopharmaceutical Competitiveness & Investment (BCI) Survey

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India has been ranked 19th out of 28 nations in the Biopharmaceutical Competitiveness & Investment (BCI) Survey.

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Planning in India

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Planning is a basic management function involving formulation of one or more detailed plans to achieve optimum balance of needs or demands with the available resources.

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India Bid for NSG entry

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India’s bid to become a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) failed, as China and at least seven

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UJALA scheme

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Recently, UJALA scheme was launched by the Government of India. “Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for ALL “is the wordplay for UJALA.

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Lack of human resource in healthcare system

• by IAS Score

India faces an acute shortage of doctors and needs to desperately ramp up the output from medical colleges.  The shortage is more acute for doctors willing to work in the rural areas where almost 70% of Indians live, or one who will work in government hospitals.Will more doctors mean better healthcare for India’s 1.3 billion? A closer look at the facts raises serious doubts.

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National Waterways project threat to Gangetic dolphins

• by IAS Score

Group of Scientists and wildlife conservationists has shown concern related to the impact of National Waterways project on Gangetic River Dolphins.

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SWACHH SURVEKSHAN -2016

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Swachh Bharat Mission laid a roadmap for improving the level of sanitationand cleanliness in the country with a vision to create a Clean India by 2019,

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Report: Abandoned Kids in India

• by IAS Score

National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has released data on crimes against newborns and the unborn.

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5th International Buddhist Conclave

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With a view to showcasing and projecting the Buddhist heritage and pilgrim sites of India, the Ministry of Tourism is organizing the “5^th International Buddhist Conclave (from 2^nd to 6^th October 2016)”

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Big Data Initiative

• by IAS Score

Big data refers to the explosion of data available as a result of modern, large scientific experiments and how it far exceeds what has been traditionally available.

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Research: New protein to protect humans from radiation

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A new water bear protein has been found recently which can protect the DNA of human cultured cells from otherwise lethal amounts of radiation damage.

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MELTING GLACIERS

• by IAS Score

Glacier is a mass of ice formed from compacted snow that is thick enough to flow plastically. Glaciers occupy about 10 percent of the world’s total land area,

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Lokpal and Lokayukta (Amendment) Act 2016

• by IAS Score

The ‘Lokpal’ is the central governing body that has jurisdiction over all members of parliament and central government employees in case of corruption.

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Cauvery Water Dispute

• by IAS Score

The 765-km. long river Cauvery cuts across two Indian states, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It originates at Talacauvery in Kodagu district in Karnataka.

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Masala Bonds Offshore Rupee Bonds

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Masala Bonds- Offshore Rupee Bonds introduced as a new concept in India.

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Surrogacy Draft Bill

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Surrogacy is when another woman carries and gives birth to a baby for the couple who want to have a child.

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Anti Hijacking Act 2016

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Aircraft means any aircraft, whether or not registered in India, other than a military aircraft or an aircraft used in customs or police service.

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Public expenditure

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Budget is a statement of estimated receipts and expenditures of the government in respect of every financial year.

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SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANISATION

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SCO emerged from Shanghai Five (China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan) which was founded in 1996 after demarcation of China’s borders with the four newly independent States

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Deendayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana

• by IAS Score

Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana (DAY) aims to uplift the urban poor folks by enhancing sustainable livelihood opportunities through skill development.

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Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2015

• by IAS Score

As per the World Bank Index on the ease of resolving insolvencies India stood 136^th out of 189 countries.

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National Capital Goods Policy, 2016

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Capital goods consist of plant machinery, equipment and accessories required, either directly or indirectly, for manufacture or production of goods

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Benami Transactions

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Benami properties are those which are bought in the name of other person whereas it is financed by some other entity.

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Goods and Services Tax

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Goods and Service Tax is a tax on goods and services, which is leviable at each point of sale

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Model Shop & Establishment Bill, 2016

• by IAS Score

The objective is to regulate the conditions of work and employment in shops, commercial

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‘INDIAN SEAPORTS’ –

• by IAS Score

Importance of the Indian port sector?
It plays a vital role in sustaining growth in the country’s trade and commerce. Continue reading “‘INDIAN SEAPORTS’ –”

‘WILDFIRES IN UTTARAKHAND AND HIMACHAL PRADESH’-

• by IAS Score

How bad are the forest fires in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh?
Over 4,500 hectares have been affected in Himachal Pradesh, some 40% more than the 3,185 hectares in Uttarakhand. The latter state has seen 1,470 incidents of fire so far.

Continue reading “‘WILDFIRES IN UTTARAKHAND AND HIMACHAL PRADESH’-“

‘SOCIAL BOYCOTT LAW IN MAHARASHTRA ‘–

• by IAS Score

What has Maharashtra government done?
The Maharashtra assembly passed a new law on april 13, 2016 to make social boycott a crime that invites imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of Rs 5 lakh or both.

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‘SUPREME COURT VERDICT ON NEET ‘–

• by IAS Score

What is NEET?
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test or NEET-UG is a qualifying entrance examination in India, for students who wish to study any graduate medical course (MBBS), dental course (BDS) or postgraduate course (MD / MS) in government or private medical colleges in India. Continue reading “‘SUPREME COURT VERDICT ON NEET ‘–”

‘CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER’S APOLOGY ON KOMAGATA MARU INCIDENT’ –

• by IAS Score

What is the Komagata Maru incident?
Over a century ago, on May 23, 1914, a cargo steamship named Komagata Maru sailed into Burrard Inlet in British Columbia, Canada, on which Vancouver harbour is located. The vessel was owned by a Japanese company and chartered by a Singapore-based businessman named Gurdit Singh. On it were 376 passengers from Punjab — 340 Sikhs, 24 Muslims and 12 Hindus, who had come aboard in batches at the ship’s departure at Hong Kong on April 4 1914, subsequently, in Shanghai and Yokohama. Continue reading “‘CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER’S APOLOGY ON KOMAGATA MARU INCIDENT’ –”

‘US–INDIA DEFENCE RELATIONS’ –

• by IAS Score

What is the recent development?
The three-day visit of U.S. Defence Secretary Ashton Carter concluded on April 12, 2016.
Continue reading “‘US–INDIA DEFENCE RELATIONS’ –”

“MEA ON CROSS-BORDER TERRORISM” –

• by IAS Score

What did external affairs minister said recently wrt cross-border terrorism?
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj warned against China’s obstruction of efforts to have Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar designated a terrorist by the United Nations Security Council’s 1267 committee. “If we continue to adopt double standards in dealing with terrorism,” Swaraj warned, “it will have serious consequences.”
Continue reading ““MEA ON CROSS-BORDER TERRORISM” –”

‘’ DROUGHT IN MARATHWADA REGION” –

• by IAS Score

What has the Maharashtra Government done to address drought conditions in marathawada region?
The Maharashtra Government has decided to ban the setting up of new sugar mills in the drought-hit Marathwada region.
Continue reading “‘’ DROUGHT IN MARATHWADA REGION” –”

‘NEW DOMICILE POLICY IN JHARKHAND’-

• by IAS Score

Why is it in news?
On April 7, the Raghubar Das Cabinet in Jharkhand decided on the definition of a local (Sthaniya) resident of the state.
Continue reading “‘NEW DOMICILE POLICY IN JHARKHAND’-“

‘TIGER CONSERVATION’ –

• by IAS Score

What is the recent development?
According to the latest count released by the World Wildlife Fund and the Global Tiger Forum, over 600 tigers have been added to the global number of some 3,200 in estimation of 2010.
Continue reading “‘TIGER CONSERVATION’ –”

‘CEASEFIRE IN YEMEN’–

• by IAS Score

What is the recent development in Yemen?
A United Nations-backed ceasefire between the Saudi-allied forces loyal to President Abd-Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and Shia Houthi rebels took effect in Yemen.
Continue reading “‘CEASEFIRE IN YEMEN’–”

‘ALCOHOL BAN IN BIHAR’

• by IAS Score

What does Bihar’s new liquor law say?
The Bihar Excise (Amendment) Act, 2016, that came into force on April 1, 2016.
Continue reading “‘ALCOHOL BAN IN BIHAR’”

TAX HAVENS –

• by IAS Score

What are tax havens?
Tax havens come in all shapes and sizes.
Continue reading “TAX HAVENS –”

ON FEE STRUCTURE OF IIT’S –

• by IAS Score

What has HRD ministry done?
The Human Resource Development Ministry has decided to raise the annual undergraduate student fees at the Indian Institutes of Technology to Rs. 2 lakh.
Continue reading “ON FEE STRUCTURE OF IIT’S –”

NATIONAL COURT OF APPEAL (NCA)-

• by IAS Score

Why is the Supreme Court of India considered a “very special kind of court”?
It is special because it acts as a final court of appeal; its decisions are determinative; its pronouncements constitute the law of the land.
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TROLLING –

• by IAS Score

What is a troll?
An Internet troll is an individual (or a team of people) who construct an online identity and use it on message boards and discussion groups for specific abuse purposes.
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RATE CUT BY RBI –

• by IAS Score

Why it did so?
RBI in February 2016 laid down two conditions that must be met before it could consider cutting rates again. The first, that inflation should show a downward trend. The second requirement was that the government should undertake “structural reforms”.
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PRIME MINISTER VISIT TO SAUDI ARABIA

• by IAS Score

Significance of the visit?
Joint statement issued by India and Saudi Arabia has an oblique reference to Pakistan as it calls on all states to dismantle terror infrastructure “where they happen to exist”.
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The PANAMA PAPER LEAK

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What is International Consortium of Investigative Journalists?
It is n international coalition of media outlets
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The Hydrocarbon Exploration Licensing Policy (HELP)

• by IAS Score

When was it announced?
It was announced by the Union government on March 10.

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Medical Council of India (MCI)

• by IAS Score

What is MCI?
It is the statutory body for establishing uniform and high standards of medical education in India.

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EU-TURKEY AGREEMENT

• by IAS Score

What is the agreement?
A controversial agreement was signed between the EU and Turkey 
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Holding elections simultaneously state assemblies and Parliament

• by IAS Score

What has PM suggested?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reported advocacy in a recent party meeting
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World-class universities

• by IAS Score

What does the present government wants to do?
The Prime Minister on Monday reiterated his government’s intention to set up 20 world-class universities this year. Continue reading “World-class universities”

The Defence Procurement Policy 2016

• by IAS Score

What is Defence Procurement Policy?
The DPP is the governing manual for all defence procurement.

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ARTICLE-356

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What is Article 356?
It empowers the President to withdraw to the Union the executive and legislative powers of any state “if he is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the government of the state cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution”. Continue reading “ARTICLE-356”

E-WASTE (MANAGEMENT) RULES 2016

• by IAS Score

Problems facing the E-waste management system in India?
India generates about eight lakh tonnes of e-waste annually, while 151 registered recycling facilities can handle only half of that quantum. Continue reading “E-WASTE (MANAGEMENT) RULES 2016”

India Being a violent society

• by IAS Score

Are we really becoming a violent society?
Yes, some of the recent trigger incidents are
• Dr Pankaj Narang was a dentist, practising his craft in West Delhi. He got killed the other day. A minor argument over a cricket ball ends in a violent, horrific death.
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REAL ESTATE REGULATORY ACT, 2016

• by IAS Score

Aim of the act?

• It is intended to protect homebuyers by providing a framework for reducing conflict with developers, and creates a regulatory authority for this sector.
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GOOD SAMARITAN LAW

• by IAS Score

What has Karanataka government done?

• The Karnataka government’s decision to frame a ‘Good Samaritan law’ as part of an effort to encourage people to offer assistance without the fear of any criminal or civil liability, is a step in the right direction. Continue reading “GOOD SAMARITAN LAW”

FISCAL DEFICIT WRT BUDGET 2016-17

• by IAS Score

What is fiscal deficit?

• Fiscal deficit is defined as excess of total expenditure of government to the sum of total current revenue and recovery of loans and other receipts. Continue reading “FISCAL DEFICIT WRT BUDGET 2016-17”

PRADHAN MANTRI UJJWALA YOJANA SCHEME

• by IAS Score

What is it?

• Announced in budget of 2016-7
• Aim – providing five crore subsidised Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) connections to women of poor households (Below Poverty Line) in the next three years. Continue reading “PRADHAN MANTRI UJJWALA YOJANA SCHEME”

COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS

• by IAS Score

What is commonwealth of nations?

• It is an intergovernmental organisation of 53 member states that were mostly territories of the former British Empire.
• It was formally constituted by the London Declaration in 1949, w
• Objective – ensuring world peace; promotion of representative democracy and individual liberty; the pursuit of equality and opposition to racism; the fight against poverty, ignorance, and disease; and free trade.

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ICANN

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What is ICANN?

It is a non-profit body founded in 1988 that administrates domain names and Internet protocol addresses (IPs) globally

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NANO PARTICLES

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About nano-particles?

• A nanoparticle (or nanopowder or nanocluster or nanocrystal) is a microscopic particle with at least one of its dimensions less than 100 nanometres (nm).
• One nanometre is a billionth of a metre. Typically, a nanoparticle would be about thousand times smaller than the tip of human hair.

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SYL CANAL controversy

• by IAS Score

What is Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal (SARYU)?
• It is a proposed 214-kilometer (133 mi) long heavy freight canal in India to connect the Sutlej and Yamuna rivers.
• The canal starts near Palla village near Delhi, and was to transfer Haryana’s share of 3,500,000 acre-feet (4.3 km3) from the Indus Basin
• When completed, the SYL will allow shipping from India’s east coast to the west coast and the Arabian sea, drastically shortening shipping distances and creating important commercial links for north-central India’s large population.

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The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016

• by IAS Score

What are the features of Aadhar bill?

1. The Bill intends to provide for targeted delivery of subsidies and services to individuals residing in India by assigning them unique identity numbers, called Aadhaar numbers.
2. Information to be submitted: To obtain an Aadhaar number, an individual has to submit his, (i) biometric (photograph, finger print, iris scan) and (ii) demographic (name, date of birth, address) information. The Unique Identification Authority (UID) may specify other biometric and demographic information to be collected by regulations.
3. Cases when information may be revealed: In two cases, information may be revealed:
a. In the interest of national security, a Joint Secretary in the central government may issue a direction for revealing, (i) Aadhaar number and related personal information
b. On the order of a court, (i) an individual’s Aadhaar number, (ii) photograph, and (iii) demographic information, may be revealed.

Continue reading “The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016”

OPINION in Q&A : Honour Killing

• by IAS Score

What is honour killing?

·         Killing of a person by kin, social groups like caste because they believe that victim has brought dishonor upon them.

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