{"id":15124,"date":"2018-02-01T12:47:23","date_gmt":"2018-02-01T07:17:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=15124"},"modified":"2018-01-30T17:48:49","modified_gmt":"2018-01-30T12:18:49","slug":"answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-january-31-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-january-31-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 January 31, 2018"},"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) Discuss how the \u201cInternational Tourism Mart\u201d will play an important role in expanding and strengthening India\u2019s emerging tourism markets. (GS-3) <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Context:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in association with the North Eastern States is organising the <\/span><b>\u201cInternational Tourism Mart\u201d (ITM)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>International Tourism Mart:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Northeast India International Travel Mart (NEITM or ITM) is a <\/span><b>tourism event to showcase the Northeastern region of India, which is popularly known as North East (NE).<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This event is organised by Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India in association with hosting State Govts. and other States of the region.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The regional states are <\/span><b>Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and West Bengal.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b> One of the 9 states hosts the event annually.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>What are the highlights of International Tourism Mart?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 6th International Tourism Mart, will put the spotlight on India\u2019s <\/span><b>\u201cAct East Policy\u201d, blossoming ties with ASEAN and the larger East Asia region, home to the world\u2019s rapidly growing economies and India\u2019s emerging tourism markets.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The panel discussions will also focus on <\/span><b>promoting cultural ties, people-to-people contact with countries in the ASEAN region providing enhanced connectivity to the States of North Eastern Region with other countries in our neighbourhood, thereby developing inter-regional tourism between the ASEAN and North East Region of India.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ITM 2017 will also see an <\/span><b>active participation by the Ministry of DONER<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to synergize the process of development of tourism of the North East Region.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It brings together <\/span><b>the tourism business fraternity and entrepreneurs from the eight North Eastern States.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The event has been planned and scheduled to <\/span><b>facilitate interaction between buyers, sellers, media, Government agencies and other stakeholders.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Buyer and Media delegates from around the world and from different regions of the country are participating in the Mart <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and will engage in one-to-one meetings with sellers from the North East Region.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This will <\/span><b>enable the tourism product suppliers from the region to reach out to international and domestic buyers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with the objective of promoting tourism to the region.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q.2) India has potential to achieve 8.5% annual economic growth rate. Do you agree with the statement? \u00a0Justify with some valid arguments. (GS-3) <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Introduction:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has potential to achieve 8.5% annual economic growth rate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It may be noted that India&#8217;s GDP data touched a three-year low in the q1 FY 18 at 5.7 percent compared to 6.1 percent in q4 FY 17 and 7.9 percent in q1 FY 17.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b> Has India achieved a growth rate of 8.5% before?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, India has achieved a growth rate of 8.5% during 2004-2005.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So India has every potential to achieve 8.5% annual economic growth rate.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>How can India achieve the 8-8.5% growth rate?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The measures that should be taken to achieve the 8-8.5% growth rate are as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agriculture needs to be reformed <\/span><b>both externally and internally<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is holding the country is a <\/span><b>lack of right policies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which needs to be paid attention immediately.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There should be action on <\/span><b>India\u2019s demographic dividend<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India should invest in <\/span><b>infrastructure and human capital<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to achieve and maintain high growth of over 8% over the next two decades<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It needs to back of <\/span><b>moderating inflation rates, lower current account and fiscal deficit, strong foreign currency reserve as well as stable tax policies.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is important to <\/span><b>sustain a higher growth <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rather than achieving it for a short period of time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is crucial to have <\/span><b>basic education skills<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which boost productivity and income.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">External factors energy imports and commodity imports <\/span><b>needs to be strong and not ambiguous<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The external environment of the country <\/span><b>should be conducive.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q.3) With reference to constitutional status of Backward Class of India, do you think that Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should have creamy layer categorization on the same line?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Introduction:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Constitution refers to the term <\/span><b>\u2018backward classes\u2019 in Articles 15(4), 16(4) and 340(1).<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Articles 15(4) and 16(4) <\/span><b>empower the State to make special provisions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for any socially and educationally backward class of citizens.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Article 340(1) <\/span><b>authorises the appointment of a Commission (National Commission for Backward Classes)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to investigate the conditions of backward classes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The commission will work for <\/span><b>more equitable distribution of reservation benefits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as it raised the income ceiling for \u201cCreamy layer\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has been recommended on the <\/span><b>grounds of equity and fair play<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by not equating these Extremely Backward Classes with the forwards among the backward classes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently, the Cabinet also increased the <\/span><b>\u201ccreamy layer\u201d ceiling for the Other Backward Classes to 8 \u00a0lakh per annum from the existing Rs 6 lakh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for Central government jobs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The raised limit will also be <\/span><b>applicable to public sector undertakings.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Why Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should have creamy layer categorization?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should have creamy layer categorization because of the following reasons:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The \u2018creamy layer\u2019 categorization is currently meant for the OBCs and is not applied to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reasons cited for this parity is that the provisions for reservations for SC\/ST are <\/span><b>not for their economical benefits but for their social upliftment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thus, SC\/ST reservations are applicable <\/span><b>irrespective of the financial status of the beneficiaries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The recent petition by advocate Shobhit Tiwari argues that <\/span><b>no class or caste remain homogeneously backward<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> across time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Only the backward portion of castes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> included in the list of SCs\/STs alone is constitutionally entitled to the benefits of reservation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the <\/span><b>uplifted\/affluent and advanced sections of the SCs\/STs snatch away<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the maximum benefit.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>95% members <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of these communities are at a disadvantage.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The benefits of the reservation policy are <\/span><b>not percolating down to the people<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> who are in actual need of them.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Archives\u00a0 Q.1) Discuss how the \u201cInternational Tourism Mart\u201d will play an important role in expanding and strengthening India\u2019s emerging tourism markets. (GS-3) Context: The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in association with the North Eastern States is organising the \u201cInternational Tourism Mart\u201d (ITM). International Tourism Mart: Northeast India International Travel Mart (NEITM or ITM)&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-january-31-2018\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 January 31, 2018<\/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-15124","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":1704725541},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15124","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=15124"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15124\/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=15124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}