Good Morning Friends,
Following are today’s Mains Marathon Questions.
About Mains Marathon – This is an initiative of ForumIAS to help/aid aspirants in their writing skills, which is crucial to conquering mains examination.
Every morning, we post 2-3 questions based on current affairs. The questions framed are meaningful and relevant to the exam.
Write your answers in the comment box, given below.
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Questions
1) A well-crafted trade agreement could help India enhance its share in global trade and help to make the country a $5-trillion economy. Elaborate
2) The scale of municipal finances in India is undoubtedly inadequate. Measures are required to improve the revenue of ULBs for better infrastructure and services. In the light of the statement, highlight the hurdles facing ULBs in resource mobilization.
Great Answer! You can cut down the content a bit in the introduction part to add more points in the main body:
1. Industry and other stakeholders must be kept in loop during the trade negotiations phase to address their concerns, gain insights etc.
2. You can also quote case study of India-South Korea Zinc trade. India became importer of Zinc from South Korea after signing CEPA in 2010. Before that India was an exporter. This is due to absence of any value addition clause under the Rules of Origin.
3. Services (and movement of labour) aspect was generally neglected. Though this has been addressed in the Agreement with Australia.
4. Faulty negotiations led to inverted duty structure, India lowered duties on finished goods, but duties on imports of raw materials remained high, so cheaper to import finished good, impacted domestic industry.
Also if you use an acronym (GSP), expand it at least once in the answer.
All other aspects are great!
Keep writing 🙂
Thank you so much for the details review and valuable points.
Please review it.
Good attempt. You have slightly deviated from the core of the question.
The question is related to trade agreements specifically and not trade policy. So the focus has to be on lacunae in the Trade Agreements. Issues with the Agreements signed by India in the past led to adverse impacts on our trade e.g., neglect of Rules of Origin led to reversal of trade with South Korea, neglect of services and movement of professionals (where India has competitive advantage) as more focus was on goods etc.
So a lot of points related to challenges and suggestions are not related to question. Try to stick to the crux of the question.
Keep writing 🙂
Thanks. All suggestions has been noted down. try to remain stick to topics.
Please review it.
Great answer! Point related to raising money from markets through municipal bonds could have been added. There is a need to strengthen urban governance so the ULBs can raise money from the market. Also do mention 3-4 major items under ULBs from the 12th Schedule.
Keep writing 🙂
Thanks. Please review yesterday’s answer as well.
Please review it
Good attempt. However, there is scope of lot of improvements.
1. The first part of the answer has deviated from the question. You can mention benefits of FTAs in 2-3 lines. Then highlight the issues with the FTAs India has signed in the past. The article covers that. So your answer should be focused on those aspects. Broadly issues are lack of focus on Rules of Origin led to higher imports, faulty tariffs rate led to lower exports and inverted duty structure, neglect of services and movement of professionals in our FTAs and failure to exploit our competitive advantage in services.
2. Then suggest how can the issues be resolved. You can refer to answer by TON-618, he has given relevant points. Some more suggestions I’d added in his answer’s review.
3. Also if using acronyms, expand it at least once in the answer. Like you have used ToT, now in context of trade it can mean Terms of Trade or Transfer of Technology. So be mindful of it.
Keep writing 🙂
Please review.
Good Answer! The introduction is not relevant though. Try to stick to the theme of the question statement e.g., there is no need to discuss significance of ULBs. Initially you can discuss the Constitutional provisions of ULB Finances (like Subjects delegated under 12th Schedule). You can then move to challenges and solutions, which you have done properly. Some more points could have been added like issuing municipal bonds. Also States haven’t created State Finance Commissions regularly to look into ULB finances.
Keep writing 🙂
Please review it.
Hey, You have deviated from the theme. The question is about provisions of FTAs. Refer to the article. India’s FTAs have some shortcomings which lead to poor performance of India’s export sector and domestic manufacturing. So India must be mindful of these aspects while negotiating new FTAs.
Refer to the article, and answer by TON-618, You’ll get an idea what to write. Don’t mind if You misinterpreted, it’s a start. With regular practice, You’ll be able to understand what is the requirement of the question.
So, Keep writing 🙂
Thank you for ur review..i will update it
PlZ reply my Ans and show me my mistakes.
plz review it.
plz review it.