{"id":8238,"date":"2017-09-14T10:25:18","date_gmt":"2017-09-14T04:55:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=8238"},"modified":"2017-09-14T10:40:16","modified_gmt":"2017-09-14T05:10:16","slug":"answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-september-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-september-13\/","title":{"rendered":"Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 September 13"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/mains-marathon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Archives<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Q1- Recently, Niti Aayog has \u00a0launched the \u2018Ease of Doing business report\u2019, what are the major findings of this report?What \u00a0are the major government measures to bring India\u2019s ranking on \u201cease of doing business\u201d at par with the global ranking?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ans:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Niti Aayog recently launched the Ease of doing business report based on an enterprise survey of manufacturing firms across the nation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ease of doing business report comes in the backdrop of the fact that India needs to create an environment that fosters globally competitive firms, capable of driving and sustaining economic growth. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>The major findings of this report are as follows:<\/p>\n<p>1- \u00a0\u00a0Economic Performance and Reforms:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A higher level of economic activity and better performance on a range of doing business indicators are strongly correlated in this report. Firms located in high-growth states also report 25 per cent power shortages as compared to firms n low-growth states.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>2- \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Improvements over time.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u00a0\u00a0Newer and younger firms re\u00adport a more favorable business environment in that they take less time in obtaining approvals than older firms, suggesting an improvement in the business environment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>3- Informational gaps:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The survey data show low awareness among enterprises about single window systems, instituted by states.<\/li>\n<li>On aver\u00adage, only about 20% of start-ups, which are of recent origin, report using single window facilities introduced by state governments for setting up a business.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>4- Labor regulations are a bigger constraint for labor intensive firms.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Labour intensive sectors, that create proportionately more jobs per unit of capital investment, feel more constrained by labor related regulations.<b> \u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>5- \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Barriers to firm growth:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Larger \u00a0firms face more regulatory barriers than smaller firm. They incurred higher costs for getting approvals.<\/li>\n<li>Larger firms took \u00a0significantly longer \u00a0time to get necessary approvals than smaller firms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Government has taken the following steps for improving ease of doing business in India:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Government has been making efforts to further improve the ease of doing business and aims to bring the country in the top 50.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduction in number of documents for foreign trade.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Online application for environment clearance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improvements have been made in regulatory environment through Deregulation, delicening, simplification of procedure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Action plan has been formed for improving the regulatory environment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New sectors have been opened to FDI and partnership has been forged between industries and the government through positive mindset<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Government has also focused on creation of modern and efficient infrastructure<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allotment of PAN and TAN cards has been simplified and CIN\/Corporate Identity Number has been included as proof of identity<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indirect tax front initiatives have also been promoted to improve ease of doing business.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Introduction of e-biz project for single window clearance<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mandatory filing of all returns on-line through a unified form.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Q.2 \u00a0Discuss the benefits and challenges for India in maintaining its relationship with RCEP?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>What is RCEP?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a proposed mega-regional Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between 16 Asia-Pacific countries including the 10-member ASEAN countries, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RCEP negotiations were formally launched in November 2012 at the ASEAN Summit in Cambodia.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>What are the immediate benefits to India from RCEP?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The RCEP agreement would complement India\u2019s existing free trade agreements with the Association of South &#8211; East Asian Nations(ASEAN) and some of its member countries, as it would deal with Japan and South Korea.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will help address challenges originating from implementation concerns vis-\u00e0-vis overlapping agreements, obstructing effective utilization of these FTAs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The RCEP would help India simplify the rules and regulations of doing trade, which will reduce trade costs. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The RCEP would reduce the potential negative impacts of TPP and TTIP on the Indian economy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The RCEP will facilitate India\u2019s integration into sophisticated \u201cregional production networks\u201d that make Asia the world\u2019s factory.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With using domestic policy reforms and harmonization of rules and regulations would help Indian companies plug into regional and global value chains and would unlock the true potential of the Indian economy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There would be a boost to inward and outward foreign direct investment, particularly export-oriented FDI.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00b7India is well placed to contribute to other countries in RCEP through its expertise in services, not only consolidating the position of the region as the world\u2019s factory but also developing it as the world\u2019s hub for services.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RCEP will influence new investment decisions in textiles, leather, processed food, machinery and electronic component sectors.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This will happen on account of the common Rules Of Origin (ROO) framework and the entry of China as the new FTA partner of Japan, India and Australia.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By setting up manufacturing joint ventures in India, China can effectively reach India\u2019s domestic market and also a large European market once India signs an FTA with the European Union.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>What are the Challenges in front of India regarding RCEP?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tariff barriers, which have been a matter of discontent in bilateral FTAs, is great matter of concern.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sadly, India has not done enough to minimize tariff barriers; it needs to do more.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Non-trade issues such as environment and labour are likely to be prickly as well and need greater.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India must take steps to strengthen its Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSME) sector, equipping it not only to survive the free flow of trade, but also to become a set of more competition.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has to be firm and calculative in terms of taking tough policy decisions, while working tirelessly on capacity building of its domestic industries.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Conclusion<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The successful conclusion of the RCEP negotiations would serve as a fresh move towards regional integration and unleash economic linkages that would be immensely beneficial for all involved.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The negotiations would attempt to hand pick the best features of existing Asian FTAs and use them as a basis for negotiations to maximize quality.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The negotiations must set clear timetables for concluding talks and actively pursue reforms deeper than any attempted before.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>3) The Rohingya tribe in Myanmar is going through a human rights crisis. Discuss the causes Rohingyas crisis in Myanmar. \u00a0Also, bring out India\u2019s stand of India on the Rohingya crisis.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Myanmar\/Burma, the Rohingya are living with very limited access to basic services and almost negligible livelihood opportunities due to strict movement restrictions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Cause of the recent conflict<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Violence broke out in 2012, when a group of Rohingya men were accused of raping and killing a Buddhist woman.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Groups of Buddhist nationalists burned Rohingya homes and killed more than 280 people, displacing tens of thousands of people.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since 2012, the region\u2019s displaced population has been forced to take shelter in filthy refugee camps.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On October 9 2016, three border posts on the border of Myanmar and Bangladesh were attacked by a group of Islamic militants leading to the death of nine policemen.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The attack, that was reported to have been carried out by Rohingya Solidarity Organisation, was soon followed by a counter terrorism insurgency carried out by the Tatmadaw (Burmese military).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The conflict intensified on August 25, 2017, when Muslim insurgents of Rohingya origin attacked security posts in Rakhine. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Where does India stand on the issue?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has maintained a cautious stance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has been receiving Rohingya refugees and allowing them to settle in different parts of the country over the years particularly after the communal violence in Rakhine state in 2012.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In December 2012, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid visited Rakhine state and donated $1 million for relief in the violence hit state.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, Delhi has not made any official pronouncement.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Why such distant stand by India?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rohingya crisis is irreconcilable and unresolvable. All that can be done is try to mitigate it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With India having no solution or expertise to offer, it is a good reason to stay away.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has real security interests which depend on the goodwill of the Myanmar regime.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2015, for instance, following an attack by Naga rebels on a security convoy in Manipur, Indian forces carried out a covert raid across the border &#8211; with the quiet nod from Yangon. Delhi does not want that trust to be eroded.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A new Muslim militant minority across India\u2019s eastern border poses a severe security threat to the stability in Bangladesh and, in turn, across Assam and northeast India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several thousands of Rohingya refugees already reside in India and with support from activists they could disrupt Delhi\u2019s relations with Myanmar.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Archives\u00a0 Q1- Recently, Niti Aayog has \u00a0launched the \u2018Ease of Doing business report\u2019, what are the major findings of this report?What \u00a0are the major government measures to bring India\u2019s ranking on \u201cease of doing business\u201d at par with the global ranking? Ans: Niti Aayog recently launched the Ease of doing business report based on an&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-september-13\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 September 13<\/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-8238","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":1704548811},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8238","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=8238"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8238\/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=8238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}