Thursday, 3 August 2017

#Current #affairs #for #IAS

Proxy voting for NRIs cleared by the Union Cabinet

The Union Cabinet has cleared a proposal to extend proxy voting to overseas Indians by amending electoral laws. If the proposal passes political muster in Parliament, NRIs will be able to exercise their voting rights through “proxy”. Currently, only service personnel are permitted to vote through proxy.

Background:

An expert committee in the Election Commission working on the issue had, in 2015, forwarded the legal framework to the law ministry to amend electoral laws to allow overseas Indians use proxy voting.

Need for the introduction of proxy voting:

According to rough estimates, there are about 1 crore Indians settled abroad, of which 60 lakh could be of eligible voting age. Currently, voters residing abroad can only cast their votes in their respective constituencies. This regulation is seen as restrictive as only a few thousand Indians living overseas have registered as voters, the maximum being from Kerala. Of these, barely anyone has travelled to the country to exercise his or her franchise.

Key facts:

While NRIs and overseas Indians are free to cast their votes in constituencies where they are registered, according to the proposal, they would also be allowed to use the option of proxy, which as of now is only available to service personnel.
For overseas Indians, the Representation of the People Act needs to be amended to include proxy voting as other means to cast their votes.

How proxy voting takes place?

The Union Cabinet’s approval for proxy voting by NRIs carries a caveat: they cannot nominate one proxy for all polls. Overseas electors will have to appoint a nominee afresh for each election — one person can act as proxy for only one overseas voter. The proxy voter should be an ordinary resident of the constituency one is voting in.

Tuesday, 1 August 2017

#Current #Affairs #for #IAS

Constitution 123rd Amendment Bill and National Commission for Backward Classes (Repeal) Bill, 2017 passed with amendment in Rajya Sabha

The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017, providing for setting up of a National Commission for Backward Classes, was recently passed by the Rajya Sabha. The Bill was passed after dropping Clause 3.

What is Clause 3 all about?

Clause 3 pertains to the insertion of a new article 338B about the constitution and powers of the National Commission for Backward Classes.

Background:

The bill is meant to upgrade the Backward Classes Commission from a statutory body to a constitutional body, which will give it powers equal to a court to summon people and inquire into incidents of violence and discrimination against backward classes.

Way ahead:

The amended bill will now have to be returned to the Lok Sabha for its fresh approval. The Lower House had already passed the bill but in the Upper House it had been referred to a Select Committee as the Opposition had wanted more scrutiny. The Constituent amendment bill’s passage requires two-third majority of those present and voting.

Thursday, 27 July 2017

#Today's #Question #for #IAS

Ques. ‘Atpati’, ‘Chugani’, ‘Dastar’ and ‘Jaapi’ all refer to
a) Painting styles of north & northeast India.
b) Methods of Ship building in early medieval India
c) Traditional headgear of India
d) Sculptural Styles of Mughal India

Wednesday, 26 July 2017

#Current #affairs #for #IAS

Hamari Dharohar Scheme

It was launched by Ministry of Minority affairs for preservation of rich heritage and culture of minority communities of India.
Funding under the scheme is project based and not State/District-wise.
It aims to support curating iconic exhibitions, calligraphy, research and development, etc.
A project has been initiated to translate documents belonging to medieval period on the subjects of Medicines, Mathematics, and Literature from Arabic language to English.

Nai Roshni Scheme

It is the Scheme for leadership development among Minority Women.
The objective is to empower and instil confidence among minority women by providing knowledge, tools and techniques for interacting with Government systems, banks and other institutions at all levels.
Recently, NITI Aayog has conducted an evaluation study on ‘Nai Roshni’.
The main objective of the study was to assess the impact of the scheme on minority women and to identify policy/ programme impediments in implementation of the scheme.
The report indicates that the trained women are utilizing their enriched knowledge and thereby helping their families in raising their essential demands and claims from various Government authorities.

Monday, 24 July 2017

#Current #Affairs #for #IAS

Government plans ‘I stand by my country’ campaign

The government hopes to trigger a citizen movement around the theme ‘I stand by my country’ as part of a twin celebration to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement and the 70th Independence Day.

What you need to know?
As part of the programme, the government plans a multimedia campaign that will focus on inspiring the young generation and instilling in them a sense of pride and responsibility.

The celebrations will stress that in the next five years — in an era of determination, will and struggle — a ‘New India’ will be built which is “rid of corruption and black money” and fulfils the aspirations of its teeming millions.
The campaign will also drive home the point that the country has already proved its worth in every field, be it science and technology, sports, spirituality, art, space exploration, economy and defence.
The aim of the campaign, hence is to portray an India which is “bold and decisive, can secure its future, is on the path of reforms, and that cares.

Background:
The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Movement was a Civil Disobedience Movement launched by Gandhi for independence. The movement was accompanied by a mass protest on non-violent lines, in which Gandhi called for “an orderly British withdrawal from India”.

Sunday, 23 July 2017

#Current #Affairs #for #IAS

India, Japan civil nuclear deal comes into force
The India-Japan Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy entered into force on July 20, 2017 with the exchange of diplomatic notes between Dr. S. Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary and H.E. Mr. Kenji Hiramatsu, Ambassador of Japan to India.

The pact was signed in Tokyo during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Japan on November 11, 2016.

Key facts:

India is the first non-member of the non-proliferation treaty (NPT) to have signed such a deal with Japan. The deal will help India access Japan’s nuclear market.
The deal includes the option that Japan can give a year’s notice before terminating it in case India breaks the nuclear testing moratorium that it had extended to the Nuclear Suppliers Group in 2008.
The deal is significant as it will help guarantee Japan’s continued support to India’s civil nuclear programme.
The deal will bring Japan into the Indian nuclear market where France and Russia have already have a strong presence.

Significance of this move:

This Agreement is a reflection of the strategic partnership between India and Japan and will pave the way for enhanced cooperation in energy security and clean energy.
It seeks to promote full cooperation between the two countries in the development and uses of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes on a stable, reliable and predictable basis.
The deal is essential for bringing a network of nuclear energy cooperation for India, especially with the U.S. as prominent American nuclear companies are owned by the Japanese nuclear majors.

Friday, 21 July 2017

#Current #Affairs #for #IAS

Government to launch Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY)

Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), a pension scheme exclusively for senior citizens, has been launched.

PMVVY is a Pension Scheme exclusively for the senior citizens aged 60 years and above.
The Scheme can be purchased offline as well as online through Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India which has been given the sole privilege to operate this Scheme.

Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), a pension scheme exclusively for senior citizens, has been launched.

PMVVY is a Pension Scheme exclusively for the senior citizens aged 60 years and above.
The Scheme can be purchased offline as well as online through Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India which has been given the sole privilege to operate this Scheme.

Benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY):

Scheme provides an assured return of 8% p.a. payable monthly (equivalent to 8.30% p.a. effective) for 10 years.
Pension is payable at the end of each period, during the policy term of 10 years, as per the frequency of monthly/ quarterly/ half-yearly/ yearly as chosen by the pensioner at the time of purchase.
The scheme is exempted from Service Tax/ GST.
On survival of the pensioner to the end of the policy term of 10 years, Purchase price along with final pension installment shall be payable.
Loan upto 75% of Purchase Price shall be allowed after 3 policy years (to meet the liquidity needs). Loan interest shall be recovered from the pension installments and loan to be recovered from claim proceeds.
The scheme also allows for premature exit for the treatment of any critical/ terminal illness of self or spouse. On such premature exit, 98% of the Purchase Price shall be refunded.
On death of the pensioner during the policy term of 10 years, the Purchase Price shall be paid to the beneficiary.

Benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY):

Scheme provides an assured return of 8% p.a. payable monthly (equivalent to 8.30% p.a. effective) for 10 years.
Pension is payable at the end of each period, during the policy term of 10 years, as per the frequency of monthly/ quarterly/ half-yearly/ yearly as chosen by the pensioner at the time of purchase.
The scheme is exempted from Service Tax/ GST.
On survival of the pensioner to the end of the policy term of 10 years, Purchase price along with final pension installment shall be payable.
Loan upto 75% of Purchase Price shall be allowed after 3 policy years (to meet the liquidity needs). Loan interest shall be recovered from the pension installments and loan to be recovered from claim proceeds.
The scheme also allows for premature exit for the treatment of any critical/ terminal illness of self or spouse. On such premature exit, 98% of the Purchase Price shall be refunded.
On death of the pensioner during the policy term of 10 years, the Purchase Price shall be paid to the beneficiary.

Thursday, 20 July 2017

#current #affairs #for #ias

Ram Nath Kovind becomes India’s 14th President

Ram Nath Kovind is elected the 14th President of India. Kovind, the former Governor of Bihar, has served as a BJP MP in the Rajya Sabha as well. He defeated Opposition’s Meira Kumar, a former Lok Sabha speaker, winning more than 65 percent of the votes in the Electoral College.

Kovind will be the second Dalit to become the President of the country after KR Narayanan. The returning officer, Anoop Mishra, said that Kovind received 2930 votes with a value of 7,02,044. He will be the first BJP member to be elected as the President.

Wednesday, 19 July 2017

#current #affairs #for #ias

Supreme Court allows Centre to replace MCI oversight committee
The Supreme Court has allowed the Centre to replace the oversight committee set up to supervise the functioning of the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a fresh panel of five eminent doctors.

It also gave the Centre liberty to replace any doctor in the list with another if he does not wish to be a part of the oversight committee.

Background:
The court had asked the Centre to constitute a panel which would replace the oversight committee set up last year by the apex court to oversee the MCI’s functioning till the government put in place an alternate mechanism. The committee, set up by the court on May 2 last year, was to function for a period of one year or till a suitable mechanism was brought in by the Centre to substitute it.

About MCI:
The MCI was established in 1934 under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1933, as an elected body for maintaining the medical register and providing ethical oversight, with no specific role in medical education.

The Amendment of 1956, however, mandated the MCI “to maintain uniform standards of medical education, both under graduate and postgraduate; recommend for recognition/de-recognition of medical qualifications of medical institutions of India or foreign countries; accord permanent registration/provisional registration of doctors with recognised medical qualifications; and ensure reciprocity with foreign countries in the matter of mutual recognition of medical qualifications.”
The second amendment came in 1993, at a time when there was a new-found enthusiasm for private colleges. Under this amendment, the role of the MCI was reduced to an advisory body with the three critical functions of sanctioning medical colleges, approving the student intake, and approving any expansion of the intake capacity requiring prior approval of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Tuesday, 18 July 2017

#Today's #question #for #IAS

Ques. Apart from Sri Lanka, which other country in India’s neighbourhood has the World Health Organisation officially declared as Malaria-free?

a) Bhutan

b) Nepal

c) Myanmar

d) Maldives

#current #affairs #for #ias

Eco-bridges for the movement of tigers

Eco-bridges

Telangana is the first state to have eco-friendly bridges for the movement of tigers over a canal cutting across the tiger corridor.
The bridge links Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Maharashtra with the forests in Telangana.
It requires the laying of fertile soil to grow grass and plants over the structure, so that fragmentation of the reserve forest is camouflaged.

Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve

Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is a tiger reserve in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra state in central India.
It is Maharashtra's oldest and largest national park.
It is one of India's 50 "Project Tiger" - tiger reserves.
Andhari, a minor river in waiganga basin flows through the tiger reserve.

#Today's #Question #for #IAS

Ques. The ‘North Natuna Sea’, recently in the news, refers to the waters in the exclusive economic zone of
a) Indonesia
b) Peru
c) Ghana
d) Spain

Monday, 17 July 2017

#current #Affairs #for #IAS

Government for crop diversification in Punjab to save soil, water

overnment plans to revive cultivation of crops that make Punjab's iconic "makki ki roti and sarson ka saag" -- maize and mustard -- along with horticulture and fodder to breathe life into the stressed soil and the rapidly depleting water table in the green-revolution state.

The government plans to revive cultivation of crops that make Punjab's iconic "makki ki roti and sarson ka saag" -- maize and mustard -- along with horticulture and fodder to breathe life into the stressed soil and the rapidly depleting water table in the green-revolution state.

The growth rate of Punjab’s agriculture fell to 3% between 1987 to 2005 and it went durther down to 1.6% between 2006 and 2015.
This is less than half the all-India average of 3.5%.

What is the problem?

Punjab is endowed with one of the best possible infrastructures for agriculture in the country.
The network of regulated mandis in Punjab is one of the best in the country.
A robust and fast-moving procurement system has reduced the market risks of wheat and paddy growers in the state.
Almost 90% of the market arrivals is procured at the minimum support price (MSP).
So, this system has made Punjab’s farmers risk averse.
This also discourages farmers from diversifying the wheat-rice cycle e.g Diversification from common rice to hybrid maize.
Farmers are reluctant to switch as there is no effective procurement system for this crop.
Lack of diversification poses a threat of ecological imbalance.

What could be done?

With the GST coming into force, the processing industry could be incentivised to prefer Punjab over other states in purchasing agricultural raw material.
There should be vigorous efforts to increase productivity and procurement of rice in the eastern states.
Simultaneously, Punjab should promote the use of micro-irrigation, especially for sugarcane and fruits and vegetables.
The dairy and meat industries are other sources of diversification for Punjab’s agriculturalists.
They can also diversify towards fruit and vegetables.
The government will also need to invest in marketing infrastructure for fruit and vegetables, as it did for grains by creating a robust mandi infrastructure.
A modern expressway from Khanna (Punjab) to Kandla (Gujarat) could be helpful in the faster transportation of fruit and vegetables.

#Today's #Question #for #IAS

The Antarctic Peninsula is a branch or an arm of Antarctica that sticks out towards

a) South America

b) Africa

c) Australia

d) India

#current #affairs #for #IAS

Tamil Nadu's granary losing substantial ground: delta region shrinks by 20%

Recent study concluded that the Cauvery delta region has shrunk and the cultivable lands are increasingly deteriorating into waste lands.

What was the grim picture presented?

The researchers have tracked land use and changes to land cover to show that the delta region has shrunk by 20%.
It is due to anthropogenic factors such as diversion of land for non-agricultural purposes, as well as factors linked to climate change.
The drastic reduction in crop cover and a 13-fold increase in wastelands between 1971 and 2014 indicate a worrisome phenomenon.
The study also reported the increase in mangrove cover (14 times since 1971) in the region as sea water ingress (entering) has grown in the coastal areas.
This means more and more cultivable agricultural land is coming under sea water and the soil is turning saline.
Due to sea water ingress, there has been a substantial rise in shrimp farming along the coast, which is detrimental to agricultural practice.
With 72% of the low-lying land in the State falling under the delta region along the coast, the land is at greater risk of submergence as a result of rising sea levels.
The Cauvery delta has witnessed a decline of 80% in sediment deposit over the last century.
What are the major concerns?

A noticeable consequence of climate change has been the cycle of drought and flood that coastal areas have been enduring.
The rain occurs within a span of a few days, resulting in heavy flooding.
The fields get flooded and the crops are destroyed.
On the other hand, there is the prevalence of droughts.
All these factors have resulted in a drastic reduction in land under crop cover.
Also, the delta region has clay soil, of which 52% is cracking clay, which is very vulnerable if it doesn’t receive continuous irrigation.
The study also points to the decline of dairy as a secondary occupation, with the cattle population registering a steep decline.
With the Cauvery delta region accounting for 30% of the food grain production in the State, it is imperative that the crisis needs to be solved sooner than later.
What are the government interventions?

The Tamil Nadu State Climate Action Plan, drafted in 2014, anticipates many of the challenges that the report has raised, and envisages a slew of measures to make agriculture sustainable.
Promotion of drought- and flood-tolerant varieties of paddy, micro-irrigation to promote efficient use of water and use of bio-fertilizers to improve soil health are among the proposals.
However, there is no clarity on the extent to which these proposals have been incorporated in government interventions.
Several schemes have been announced by the State for the farmers’ welfare, it remains unclear as to who is benefitting from them.
State has placed greater focus on promoting efficient use of water in agriculture through the expansion of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI).
However, wasteland reclamation work is currently concentrated in the dry regions of Tamil Nadu and not in the Cauvery delta regions.
The State government’s 2017-18 policy note on agriculture admits that agricultural production has been severely affected due to natural factors such as cyclones and drought.
Again, it lacks clarity on the specific resources that would be dedicated to developing such ‘climate-smart’ practices.
Collective farming scheme was proposed, which aims to promote farmer-producer groups with a corpus fund of Rs 5 lakh per group.
This will help reduce the vulnerability of small and marginal farmers to natural hazards as it allows them to pool their resources and scale up farm production.

Thursday, 13 July 2017

#Today's #Question #for #IAS

‘CERT-In’ is a national nodal agency under the

a) Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology

b) Ministry of Home Affairs

c) Ministry of Finance

d) Ministry of Information & Broadcasting

#Current #affairs #for #ias

Cabinet approves SASEC Road Connectivity Investment Program - Tranche 2

South Asian Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Road Connectivity Investment Program aims at upgradation of road infrastructure in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and India (BBIN).
The project corridor is also a part of the Asian Highway No. 01 (AH01) and acts as India's Gateway to the East.
The project is being developed with Asian Development Bank’s loan assistance.
As part of this program, cabinet recently approved the widening and upgrading of Imphal- Moreh section of NH 39 in Manipur.

Wednesday, 12 July 2017

#Today's #Question #for #IAS

‘BBNJ’ is an acronym coined by the United Nations. This is related to

a) Promoting sustainable farming practices
b) Protection of biodiversity of the open seas
c) Preventive actions to be taken by countries in the event of declaration of health emergencies of international concern
d) Promotion of ethical practices in research and development of the renewable energy sector

#Current #affairs #for #IAS

Govt launches 'Mission Parivar Vikas' to stabilise population growth in seven states

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launches this mission on the occasion of World Population Day.
The mission focuses on family planning initiatives and targeted approaches for population stabilisation through better services delivery approach.
It will focus on 146 high fertility districts in 7 states with high TFR.
A new program “Antara” was launched under this mission. Under this program, a new injection will be used which will acts as an alternative to the current birth control methods.

Tuesday, 11 July 2017

#Today's #Question

Ques. The ‘Black Blocs’, recently in the news, were seen in the context of

a) The Doka La stand-off

b) The G20 meet at Hamburg

c) Dead zones in the Palk Bay

d) Recapture of Mosul

#Current #affairs #for #IAS

RESIDEX - Trends in Housing Price Index

RESIDEX is India’s first official Housing Price Index (HPI) that captures the price changes of residential housing.
It was launched by National Housing Bank in 2007 covering 26 cities.
It helps buyers and sellers to check and compare prices before entering a transaction.
They can also analyse the price trends across different cities both at composite level and product category level.
Components of RESIDEX include HPI @ market price and HPI @ Assessment Prices.
Recently, RESIDEX was revamped and the new RESIDEX has been expanded to 50 cities which includes smart cities and state capitals.
Base year for the new RESIDEX has been moved from 2007 to 2012-13.

Monday, 10 July 2017

#Daily #Quiz

Q.1 Who was appointed as Director General of GST Intelligence Agency?

A. Harley Flangan

B. Doug Holland

C. John Joseph

D. A J Novello

#current #affairs #for #ias

Govt to offer GST courses at 'Garib Nawaz' skill centres

The Centre will offer certificate courses in Goods and Services Tax (GST) accounting, programming and other related subjects through its 'Garib Nawaz' skill development centres.

Gharib Nawaz Skill Development Centre

Ministry of Minority Affairs has inaugurated India’s first Gharib Nawaz skill development centre in Hyderabad.
It is launched for providing short term job oriented skill development course for youths belonging to minority communities.
It offers certificate course in Goods and Services Tax accounting/programming and other related subjects.

Sunday, 9 July 2017

#current #affairs #for #ias

World Heritage City

Ahmedabad has been declared India’s first World Heritage City by the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO.
It is a more than 600 year old city founded by Ahmed Shah.
It is walled with 5.5 km city area.
The 5.5 km city area where approximate population of four lakh lives in century old wooden residences in around 600 neighbourhoods is regarded as living heritage.
It is also lauded for the peaceful co-existence of Hindu, Islamic and Jain communities in the Walled City area.
The city was the epicentre of non-violent freedom struggle that led to country’s independence.

Friday, 7 July 2017

#current #affairs #for #ias

“JIGYASA” – Student-Scientist connect programme

Jigyasa, a student- scientist connect programme has officially been launched in Delhi.

About JIGYASA:

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has joined hands with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) to implement this programme. The focus is on connecting school students and scientists so as to extend student’s classroom learning with that of a very well planned research laboratory based learning.

The “JIGYASA” would inculcate the culture of inquisitiveness on one hand and scientific temper on the other, amongst the school students and their teachers.
The Programme is expected to connect 1151 Kendriya Vidyalayas with 38 National Laboratories of CSIR targeting 100,000 students and nearly 1000 teachers annually.
The program will also enable the students and teachers to practically live the theoretical concepts taught in science by visiting CSIR laboratories and by participating in mini-science projects.

The model of engagement includes:

Student Residential Programmes.
Scientists as Teachers and Teachers as Scientists.
Lab specific activities / Onsite Experiments.
Visits of Scientists to Schools/Outreach Programmes.
Science and Maths Clubs.
Popular Lecture Series/ demonstration programme at Schools.
Student Apprenticeship Programmes.
Science Exhibitions.
Projects of National Children’s Science Congress.
Teacher Workshops.
Tinkering Laboratories.

Thursday, 6 July 2017

#current #affairs #for #ias

Definition of ‘Branded’ items for GST

The Ministry of Finance clarified that an item will be deemed to be ‘branded’ if it carries a brand name or trade name that is registered under the Trade Marks Act, 1999.
Trade Marks Act, 1999 provide that a registered trade mark means a trade mark which is actually on the Register of Trade Marks and remaining in Force.
The GST rate on the supply of food items, such as natural honey, wheat, rice, pulses and flour of cereals and pulses, is nil.
But the rate on these items when placed in a unit container and bearing a registered brand name will attract a GST rate of 5%.

Trade Mark

A trademark is a recognizable sign, design, or expression which identifies products or services of a particular source from those of others.
Trademark registration can be obtained for a business name, distinctive catch phrases, taglines or captions.
For a trademark registration to remain valid, it has to be renewed every 10 years for registration granted PRIOR to September 15, 2003.
Registrations granted on or after September 15, 2003 have a 10-year term. Trademarks can be renewed for an additional 10-year term.

#current #affairs #for #ias

Linking Aadhaar and PAN is not mandatory for all

It has now become mandatory for everyone to link their PAN with Aadhaar with effect from July 1, 2017, as per the income tax laws. However, the government has exempted certain class of individuals from linking these two documents subject to certain conditions.

CBDT has notified that Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act is not applicable to the following individuals:

Those categorised as Non-resident Indians as per the Income Tax Laws.
Not a citizen of India.
Is of age 80 years or more at any time during the tax year.
Residents of the states of Assam, Meghalaya and Jammu and Kashmir.

However, it should be noted here that the above mentioned categories of Individuals are exempted from the purview of section 139AA i.e. exempted from compulsory linking of PAN and Aadhaar, only if they do not possess Aadhaar or Aadhaar Enrolment ID.

What is section 139AA is about?
The newly introduced section 139AA of the Income Tax Act states that every person who has been allotted PAN as on July 1, 2017 and who is eligible to obtain Aadhaar Number shall intimate the same to the tax authorities. The PAN of those who fail to do so will become invalid on a date to be notified later by the department.

Background:
The Aadhaar (Target Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 states that every resident shall be entitled to obtain Aadhaar number by submitting his demographic and biometric information by undergoing the process of enrolment. The Act has also defined the eligibility conditions for Aadhaar.