Brief of newspaper articles for the day bearing
relevance to Civil Services preparation
- GS PAPER 2
- Will double farm income by 2022: PM – {Government Policy}
- Siddaramaiah should resign as he has violated FCRA: Joshi – {FCRA}
- Pension scheme – {Laws}
- Centre’s nod for Bank Board Bureau – {Government Institution}
- Space Act will be in place soon, says ISRO Chairman – {Government Policy}
- Electric vehicle components, e-cycles may get sops in Budget – {Government Policy}
- Centre drafts Bill to decriminalise beggary – {Social Welfare}
- Holding the newspaper to account – {Journalism}
- Reworking the Supreme Court’s role – {Judiciary}
- For a green economy that is also just – {Government Policy}
- Arvind Subramanian’s checklist for the Union budget – {Annual Financial Statement}
- A tale of an election and a selection – {International Institutions}
- GS PAPER 3
- Mysuru adopts ‘swachh’ caller tune – {Environment}
- Involving citizens in enforcing plastic ban– {Environment}
- Go green the yoga way, says Environment Ministry– {Environment}
- Ensure minimum standards of relief to disaster victims: Supreme Court– {Disaster Management}
- The machines have taken over, almost – {Labour Reforms}
- Accelerate shift to electronic payments for more revenue – {Cashless Transaction}
- Be cautious on new accounting system: CGA– {Accounting System}
- Cut ore prices: Forging industry– {Economy}
- Where is Indian aviation headed?– {Economy}
- Prelims Facts
GS PAPER 2
[1]. Will double farm income by 2022: PM
Will double farm income by 2022: PM
Challenge:-
Lan fragmentation.
New formula for productive agriculture:-
Dividing farming practices into three sectors,
- traditional farming,
- tree or timber plantation (along the periphery and borders of fields)
- livestock rearing.
[2]. Siddaramaiah should resign as he has violated FCRA: Joshi
FCRA provision:-
According to Section 3 of the Act, a member of the legislature cannot accept foreign contribution by way of an article or currency in whatever form.
Aim of the act:-
To regulate foreign contribution and prohibit the usage of the same which can be detrimental to national interest.
[3]. Pension scheme
Employees could get an option to transfer over a third of their EPF contributions to the National Pension System, regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority or PFRDA.
[4]. Centre’s nod for Bank Board Bureau
What has happened?
Government has approved the setting up of an autonomous Bank Board Bureau.
Part of the seven-point Indradhanush plan to revamp these banks
Objective:-
Constantly engage with the boards of all 22 public sector banks to formulate appropriate strategies for their growth and development.
Who will be the chairman?
Former Comptroller and Auditor-General of India Vinod Rai for a tenure of two years.
Purpose:-.
To reform the troubled public sector banks by
- Recommending appointments to leadership positions and boards of public sector banks and financial institutions
- Advise them on ways to raise funds
- Suggesting measures to go about mergers and acquisitions.
- To improve the governance of public sector banks
Criticism:-
It violates Article 148(4) of the Constitution according to which the CAG was not eligible to take any post-retirement job under the government.
Counter argument:-
The role is advisory in nature and a part-time position.
[5]. Space Act will be in place soon, says ISRO Chairman
A Space Act is in offing.
Significance of space technology:-
To inject satellite-based technology into governance and numerous common uses.
Current provisions:-
Space-related activities are done [as per] business rules.
Why do we need a Law?
The process to be adopted by the government has to be defined because it is responsible for any object put up in space and for what happens to it in orbit or because of it.
As more industries are involved in space activities there is a need for clarity in defining their scope an limitations.
A law is necessary for the government to spell out how it will deal with issues, untoward incidents.
It will help the government in how it will approach
- commercial use of space,
- international collaborations
- international treaties;
- state regulatory mechanisms.
[6]. Electric vehicle components, e-cycles may get sops in Budget
What incentives?
Incentives to boost domestic manufacture of components such as Lithium-Iron batteries
Why?
It will reduce the cost of e-vehicles and benefit consumers.
How?
Imported Lithium-Iron batteries are costly.
Logical argument:-
The logic of providing sops for e-cycles when ordinary cycles themselves were environment-friendly and not consuming any fossil fuel at all is a questionable move.
Issue:-
Many farmers could not afford solar water pumps because they were expensive.
Benefit:-
Help in doing away with the need to provide free power
How to solve this issue?
By implementing subsidy-sharing arrangement with the States
By eliminating some of its existing ineffective incentives.
Other issues:-
- Quality of power from solar pumps were poor with outages
- a sudden drop in voltage is damaging.
[7]. Centre drafts Bill to decriminalise beggary
What?
A Bill is drafted to decriminalise beggary and offer a life of dignity to the beggars, homeless and others who live in poverty or abandonment.
A Crime:-
Begging is currently a crime under the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959.
Under the Act, a person found begging can be sent to a shelter home or even jail without trial.
The draft ‘The persons in destitution (protection, care and rehabilitation) Bill 2015’ looks at the issue as a social menace.
What is destitution?
‘destitution’ refers to a state of poverty or abandonment, arising from economic or social deprivation and
Who are destitutes?
It includes the homeless, beggars, people with physical and mental disabilities, the old and infirm.
[8]. Holding the newspaper to account
The rise of social media has increased pressure on mainstream press.
The two central functions of serious, independent journalism are
- credible-informational
- critical-investigative-adversarial.
Self regulation through News Ombudsman:-
The Hindu is the first newspaper in the history of Indian journalism to appoint a news ombudsman
What is it?
An independent, full-time, empowered professional, known as the Readers’ Editor (RE), with a clearly defined daily role in the newspaper and transparent terms of reference.
They have to work independently within the newspaper at the interface between readers and journalists and editors.
Benefits:-
Newspaper can live up to the highest professional standards and to the editorial values it proclaims.
It brings down both the incidence and the risk of litigation against the newspaper by those who feel aggrieved or offended by something it has published.
[9]. Reworking the Supreme Court’s role
Special Leave Petition for setting up of a ‘National Court of Appeal’
‘National Court of Appeal’
To hear routine appeals in civil and criminal matters from the High Courts, Past attempts for setting it up was failure.
The Concerns:
- Whether the apex court should be burdened with examining the correctness of every case decided by the High Courts.
- Whether SC should not be allowed to devote its time entirely to settling questions of constitutional importance.
- The accumulating backlog of cases in the Supreme Court must also be addressed,
- Need to separate pending cases into those that touch upon constitutional questions and other routine matters.
- Difficulties of litigants from different parts of the country for whom New Delhi may be too far.
The solutions:
- Divide the Supreme Court into a ‘Constitutional Division’ and a ‘Legal Division’;
- Constitution Bench in Delhi and creating four regional Benches to hear appeals on High Court orders;
- Creating a National Court of Appeal that will have four ‘Cassation Benches’ for the adjudication of non-constitutional matters.
Law Ministry has obtained legal opinion that a Constitution amendment to revisit the Supreme Court’s role would be impermissible as it would change the court’s character under the Constitution.
Law Commission in its 229th Report (2009)
If necessary Article 130 (“The Supreme Court shall sit in Delhi or in such other place or places, as the Chief Justice of India may, with the approval of the President, from time to time, appoint”) may be amended to implement its suggestion that Cassation Benches may be set up in four regions, while the Constitution Bench sits in Delhi.
Courts of Cassation are courts of last resort to reverse decisions of lower courts.
key issue:
Can SC share its power of Special Leave with lower courts. Article 136 to grant special leave to appeal on High Court orders by SC.
The National Court of Appeal may be considered in a manner that would not undermine the authority of the Supreme Court of India.
[10]. For a green economy that is also just
What has happened?
The WTO has ruled against India .
Why?
The domestic content requirement (DCR) imposed by india on the production of solar cells and modules under the National Solar Mission violates global trade rules.
What is National Solar Mission?
National Solar Mission, envisages an addition of 100,000 megawatts of solar power capacity by 2022.
What is DCR?
Policy of Domestic Content Requirement is with intent to promote the local manufacturing of the components of solar generation equipment which includes the cells and modules.
Basis for WTO ruling:-
According to World Trade Organisation (WTO) is inconsistent with both Article III:4 of the GATT [General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade] 1994 and Article 2.1 of the TRIMS [Trade-Related Investment Measures].’
India’s Counter argument:-
DCR is a mechanism to facilitate sustainable development.
It has even indicated that it is willing to apply the DCR only for buying solar panels used for government sector consumption, and has assured the U.S. that power generated from such subsidised panels will not be sold for commercial use.
Next step:-
India will contest the WTO ruling before the appellate body.
Criticisms against the ruling:-
Ruling is purely in business motive rather than cosnidering the social relevance and green economy values.
Conclusion:-
The fight against climate change is not an exclusive cause; it has to move in tandem with the provision of jobs and the creation of an environment that facilitates a green economy.
Big economies should realise their responsibility in building a greener world.
[11]. Arvind Subramanian’s checklist for the Union budget
This year two leadership transitions of great international significance will occur.
- Election of 45th president of the US .
- Ninth secretary general of the United Nations (UN).
Global interest in the US presidential election is because of,
- chief executive of the largest economy
- commander-in-chief of the most powerful military
- Dominant and most influential leader in the world.
Little interest in the selection of the UN secretary general (UNSG), because
- It is perceived merely as a bureaucrat-in-chief of the secretariat
- Commander of all UN peacekeeping, with little or no political, economic or military influence.
But,
- UN today commands significant military and economic assets.
- As part of its peacekeeping and police missions, the UN fields over 100,000 women and men in uniform
- Making the UNSG the commander of the second largest globally deployed military force.
- It manages an annual budget of over $13 billion.
- It has to lead a 40,000-plus strong international bureaucracy
- Handles increasingly complex organization that deals with
- issues as varied as peace and security,
- development,
- human rights,
- drugs and crime,
- disarmament,
- humanitarian assistance,
- refugees
- Outer space.
The selection process is so opaque and undemocratic.It inevitably results in a weak appointee.
The selection of the Ban Ki-moon:
- It was entirely determined by the unelected five permanent members (P5) of the UN Security Council behind closed doors.
- His name was then presented to the UN General Assembly,who merely rubber-stamped the decision.
Recent resolution:
- Invited members to “present candidates with proven leadership and managerial abilities, extensive experience in international relations and strong diplomatic, communications and multilingual skills”.
Under the new system:
- seven candidates have formally announced their intention for the post
- With several others expected to join.
- The Assembly is planning to interview the candidates.
This is at best an evolutionary step that merely makes the process somewhat more open and transparent;
Weak and inept leader at the helm challenges their own legitimacy in the Council as well as the existence of the organization.
[12]. A tale of an election and a selection
The Economic Survey serves as a yardstick with which to evaluate the Union budget.
Of the key measures outlined in the survey:
- Real gross domestic product (GDP) growth will be 7-7.75%, with a downward bias. It’s certain that inflation will come down further. That means the budget must assume revenue to be low.
- It presents arguments both pro and con about sticking to the fiscal consolidation road map. And it calls for a re-look at the medium-term fiscal consolidation targets.
- Twin balance sheet problem of banks and the corporate sector. It says the way out is through the 4Rs—
- recognition,
- recapitalization,
- resolution,
- reform.
Last year’s survey had talked of the 4Ds for banking—deregulation, differentiation, diversification and disinterring for the banking system.
- The benefits provided on account of small savings schemes and the tax/subsidy policies on cooking gas, railways, power, aviation, turbine fuel, gold and kerosene “provide a bounty to the well-off of about 1 lakh crore. Any benefits provided to income tax payers will go to the comparatively rich 5.8% of the population who pay income tax.
- The lack of exit policies. The bankruptcy bill is already in Parliament; what can the central government do?
- reform wasteful fertilizer subsidies
- allow sick central public sector units to exit
- disinvest in banks
- do something to stanch the losses from Air India.
- Greater government investment in health and education.
- Greater attention to agriculture, including the need for reorienting agriculture price policies, such that MSPs.
- On subsidies, it wants the annual cap on household cooking gas cylinders to be pared to 10 from 12 and wants the distinction between commercial and household uses to be removed.
- “Is India really pro-competition or is it just pro-business?”
- Favouring business (giving corporate subsidies and not focusing markets) can actually impede competition
GS PAPER 3
[1]. Mysuru adopts ‘swachh’ caller tune
Caller tune:-
The city corporation officials have adopted a special ‘caller tune’ on the importance of segregation of waste for establishing effective models of waste management to create awareness.
[2]. Involving citizens in enforcing plastic ban
Cloth bag initiative:-
To intensify its drive against plastics and also provide an alternative to it the city corporation has decided to popularise the use of cloth bags.
It will involve women beneficiaries of a social welfare schemes under which 1,000 sewing machines are given free of cost every year to those below the poverty line to help empower them.
Cloth will be provided to them and orders will be placed for bags.
This will not only ensure there is a perpetual supply of bags to cater to the city needs, but will also create a stable market for cloth bags and provide a steady source of income for the women.
[3]. Go green the yoga way, says Environment Ministry
What document?
‘Low Carbon Lifestyles’, lists several commonsensical tips to save electricity
Which Website?
MoEF website
Significance:-
Tips can play “a strategic role” in helping India
- Stick to its international climate commitments such as reduction in the emissions intensity of its GDP by a third from 2005 levels,
- Create enough forest and tree cover to absorb 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, by 2030
Tips :-
Do yoga to reduce your carbon footprint rather than opting for treadmill
Use solar inverters
Compact fluorescent lamps instead of incandescent bulbs;
Ensure your car’s tyres have adequate pressure. Done right, the report suggests, the nearly 50 tips could help.
Maths behind the tips:-
Switching off your car at a traffic light instead of idling will reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 85-122 kg and cut annual fuel costs at least Rs. 2,532 and will also mean 8-12 trees less felled.
Typical treadmill that’s active for an hour of exercise will, through the year, use up 544.215 units of power which will translate to 446.26 kg of carbon dioxide and an extra Rs. 3,238 to your power bill whereas Yoga was zero emission and saves enough fuel to prevent the chopping of 44 trees per year.
[4]. Ensure minimum standards of relief to disaster victims: Supreme Court
National Disaster Management Authority has asked the Chief Secretaries of all States to frame a road map to provide ‘Minimum Standards of Relief’ mandated under Section 12 of the NDMA in disaster-hit areas.
Why?
There has been a lack of concerted effort by the States to comply with Section 12 to provide essential services such as shelter, food, drinking water, medical cover and sanitation at relief camps for disaster victims.
The machines have taken over, almost
Machines can be trained to learn from their experiences and perform complex tasks.
Example:-
The government of Andhra Pradesh uses Microsoft’s cloud-based predictive analytics service, Azure Machine Learning, to find out the students who are at a high risk of dropping out.
It involves collecting and analysing data on particulars like teachers, school infrastructure, students’ socioeconomic background etc and training a model based on the data.
The insights can help the government allocate resources judiciously and helps in targetted interventions.
Threat:-
It is feared that computers will overtake humans with AI at some point within the next 100 years.
[5]. The machines have taken over, almost
Machines can be trained to learn from their experiences and perform complex tasks.
Example:-
The government of Andhra Pradesh uses Microsoft’s cloud-based predictive analytics service, Azure Machine Learning, to find out the students who are at a high risk of dropping out.
It involves collecting and analysing data on particulars like teachers, school infrastructure, students’ socioeconomic background etc and training a model based on the data.
The insights can help the government allocate resources judiciously and helps in targetted interventions.
Threat:-
It is feared that computers will overtake humans with AI at some point within the next 100 years.
[6]. Accelerate shift to electronic payments for more revenue
Cost of cash:-
Cost of cash is between one per cent and three per cent of a country’s GDP.
Cashless economy:-
Digital India vision programme envisions a Cashless society.
Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) of digital and plastic currency, as a percentage of overall PCE is still only about five per cent in India.
South korea example:-
South Korea provided tax breaks on the use of credit cards to consumers and two per cent reduction in VAT to merchant for accepting card payments
This has accelerated the pace of electronic payments and strengthened the overall currency ecosystem.
Benefits of cashless transaction:-
- Mitigate costs and risks associated with cash,
- Ensure transparency
- Facilitate tax compliance.
[7]. Be cautious on new accounting system: CGA
What has happened?
The Controller General of Accounts has asked the government to be careful in adopting the accrual method of accounting.
Why?
- heavy costs are involved.
- Timeframe for implementation is around 10-15 years for a government of our size.
- Its is still unclear about transistion by states.
What is accrual method?
While cash accounting recognises a transaction only when money changes hands, accrual accounting recognises the transaction at the time it is made, thereby providing a more current snapshot.
It can be useful in some specific cases such as comparing the cost of public hospitals with private hospitals and in ascertaining why the government is so uncompetitive.
Why this transition?
Fourteenth Finance Commission had strongly recommended the adoption of the accrual system of accounting.
[8]. Cut ore prices: Forging industry
What is the demand?
Association of Indian Forging Industry (AIFI) has urged the Centre to slash the price of iron ore.
Why?
Forging industry is facing an unprecedented crisis due to
- steel pricing,
- minimum import price of steel
- compulsory BIS certification
Significance of forging industry:-
The auto-components industry is one of the key sectors contributing to foreign exchange reserves.
If the steel prices are not adjusted in line with the global trend, then the Indian auto component industry will become uncompetitive and will lose out to other countries.
Threat of cheap imports:-
International prices of plain carbon steel have also come down.
Import of iron ore has become viable due to
- a sharp decline in global prices.
- Freight rates have also fallen heavily
[9]. Where is Indian aviation headed?
Getting some crucial steps right would greatly contribute to India’s successful future in domestic aviation.
India’s air traffic (in terms of domestic flight movements):
- Only the top 55 airports is showing growth in operations.
- Remaining airports are left with smaller operations.
Spatial Focus:
- Most of the airlines operate in limited route.
- This helps in low cost fares.
- Emphasis has not been laid on developing point-to-point traffic across India’s 50-plus other cities with populations in excess of 1 million each.
Rather than competition between Airlines, there is
- Clear patterns of mutual accommodation.
- Extensive overlap of service for denser routes.
Competition would have forced airlines to carve out new markets and grow their networks into new geographies. But that haven’t happened.
Example:
- In a 10-year period, each Indian carrier focused on the same two airports. Frequencies between New Delhi and Mumbai alone would remain well above average.
Comparison with China:
- Airline networks continued to expand spatially.
- The country permitted entry to many airlines, with most of them being differentiated and showing distinct patterns of growth,
- Continued to be about triple that of India’s capacity.
Getting these crucial steps right would greatly contribute to India’s successful future in domestic aviation.
Prelims Facts
[1]. ‘Smart wallpaper’ absorbs heat to power homes
What ?
Ultra-thin graphene sheets can be used in ‘smart wallpaper’.
Speciality:-
It could generate electricity from light or heat, and power a host of applications at home.
Technology:- Nanotexturing -Involves growing graphene around a metallic surface.
How?
Graphene is very strong but traditionally inefficient at light absorption.
Nano-patterning was used to localise light into the narrow spaces between the textured surface, enhancing the amount of light absorbed by the material by about 90 per cent.
[2]. Jurassic fossil site discovered in Argentina
What?
Paleontologists in Argentina have announced the discovery of a major Jurassic-era fossil site
Significance:-
No other place in the world contains the same amount and diversity of Jurassic fossils
The fossils — between 140 and 160 million years old — lie on the surface because they were exposed by erosion.
[3]. PARTICLE
Scientists have discovered a new elementary particle — a rare tetraquark consisting of four distinct types or ‘flavours’ of quarks.
[4]. Robab exponent says the art is vanishing
Facts:-
Art of Sufi devotional music with musical instruments like Robab is on the decline.
Sarod is a descendent of the robab.
[5]. An eye to spot the paradise flycatcher
What?
A technology that will help travellers find animals and birds while on a safari.
Features:-
The app provides details about which animal and bird can be found in which sanctuary and what is the best time to see them.
[6]. Samsung wins appeal in patent dispute with Apple
Facts:-
According to the US appeals court Samsung did not infringe Apple’s “quick links” patent, and that two other patents covering the iPhone’s slide-to-unlock and auto-correct features were invalid.
The court also said Apple was liable for infringing one of Samsung’s patents
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