{"id":11878,"date":"2017-11-11T14:15:57","date_gmt":"2017-11-11T08:45:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=11878"},"modified":"2017-11-06T13:39:32","modified_gmt":"2017-11-06T08:09:32","slug":"answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-november-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-november-10\/","title":{"rendered":"Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 November 10"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/mains-marathon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Archives<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q.1) The Public Distribution System (PDS) evolved as a system for distribution of food grains at affordable prices and management of emergency situations. What is the significance of the Public distribution system in India? What are the limitations of the distribution system in India? What are the suggested ways to improve the distribution system in India? (GS-2)<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Public Distribution System (PDS) evolved as a system for distribution of food grains at affordable prices and management of emergency situations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Public distribution system (PDS) is an Indian food security system.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Established by the Government of India under Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution and are managed jointly by state governments in India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It distributes subsidized food and non-food items to India\u2019s poor. This scheme was launched in June 1947.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It functions through a network of Fair Price Shops at a subsidized price on a recurring basis.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Significance of the Public distribution system in India<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>The following are the advantages of the public distribution system:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has helped in stabilising food prices and making food available to consumers at affordable prices.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has helped in avoiding hunger and famine by supplying food from surplus regions of the country to deficient regions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The system of minimum support price and procurement has contributed to increase in food grain production.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Limitations of the distribution system in India<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>The following are the disadvantages of the public distribution system;<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instances of hunger occur despite granaries being full.This points to certain lacunae or inefficiency in the system.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High level of buffer stocks often leads to wastage of food grains and deterioration in quality.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The storage of foodgrains inculcates high carrying costs on the government.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The provision of minimum support price has encouraged farmers to divert land from production of coarse grains that are consumed by poor, to rice and wheat.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Steps to improve the distribution system<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The need of the hour is PDS reforms to ensure that public distribution functions the way it is intended. Technology based reforms are suggested.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Technology Based reforms:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">End to end computerization would bring in transparency in the whole process. It would help to prevent leakages and diversion of food grains to a great extent.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The different type\u2019s reforms undertaken by different states are:<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Adhaar Linked and digitized ration cards: <\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This allows online entry and verification of beneficiary data. It also enables online tracking of monthly entitlements and off-take of foodgrains by beneficiaries.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Computerized Fair Price Shops: <\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FPS automated by installing \u2018Point of Sale \u2018device to swap the ration card. It authenticates the beneficiaries and records the quantity of subsidized grains given to a family.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>DBT:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme, cash is transferred to the beneficiaries\u2019 account in lieu of foodgrains subsidy component.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They will be free to buy food grains from anywhere in the market.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is estimated that cash transfers alone could save the exchequer Rs.30,000 crore every year.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Use of GPS technology: <\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to track the movement of trucks carrying foodgrains from state depots to FPS which can help to prevent diversion.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>SMS-based monitoring: <\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allows monitoring by citizens so they can register their mobile numbers and send\/receive SMS alerts during dispatch and arrival of TPDS commodities<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use of web-based citizen\u2019s portal<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Public Grievance Redressal Machineries, such as a toll-free number for call centers to register complaints or suggestions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q.2) India recently raised the issue at the ICRG against Pakistan demanding FATF (Financial Action Task Force) a compliance report on terror funding. What is Financial Action Task Force? Discuss the role Financial Action Task Force play in combating money laundering and terrorist financing. Further discuss the significance of FATF in India\u2019s Context? (GS-3)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Financial Action Task Force<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an intergovernmental body established in 1989 by the Ministers of its Member jurisdictions. \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The FATF is therefore a \u201cpolicy-making body\u201d which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Role played by FATF<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Financial Action Task Force creates universally-applicable recommendations that are designed to ensure that all countries participating are treated equally. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because money launderers change techniques over time, the FATF has to update its recommendations every couple of years.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Significance for India<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indian has become a full-fledged member of Financial Action Task Force (FATF)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FATF membership is very important for India in its quest to become a major player in the International finance. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will help India to build the capacity to fight terrorism and trace terrorist money and to successfully investigate and prosecute money laundering and terrorist financing offences. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India will benefit in securing a more transparent and stable financial system by ensuring that financial institutions are not vulnerable to infiltration or abuse by organized crime groups. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The FATF process will also help us in co-ordination of AML\/CFT efforts at the international level.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Archives\u00a0 Q.1) The Public Distribution System (PDS) evolved as a system for distribution of food grains at affordable prices and management of emergency situations. What is the significance of the Public distribution system in India? What are the limitations of the distribution system in India? What are the suggested ways to improve the distribution system&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-november-10\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 November 10<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":2292,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11878","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mains-marathon-answers","category-public","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/pen-paper-laptop.jpg?fit=1000%2C500&ssl=1","views":{"total":0,"cached_at":"","cached_date":1704672556},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11878","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11878"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11878\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2292"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11878"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11878"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11878"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}