Current Affairs For UPSC

Current affairs for UPSC is must & Candidates who understand the importance of staying updated with the latest news and events are better prepared to deal with the ever-changing nature of the UPSC Examination. By including current affairs in their study routine and using various resources, they can increase their chances of success in UPSC to a great extent.

Of course, achieving success in UPSC exam is not limited to memorization alone. It’s about understanding our world and applying that understanding thoughtfully and analytically. So, stay informed, stay committed and success will be within your reach.

Current affairs for IAS is essential part of UPSC civil service exam preparation. Our Current affairs include issues of national and international importance although it is not mentioned in the syllabus of IAS examination. The questions are asked on recent happenings. Apart from this, if you correlate current affairs with descriptive answers in mains, it will increase the possibility of getting higher scores in the Civil Service exam. Read Current Affairs for IAS on a daily basis. Make it a regular habit. Fact based current affairs are not asked in the UPSC examination. Questions are asked in depth.

Horizontal & Vertical Reservation Methodology by Supreme Court

Leave a Comment / Indian Society, Social Issue & Social Justice /

Horizontal & Vertical Reservation Methodology by Supreme Court

Recently the Supreme Court has clarified the legal status of the vertical and horizontal reservation.

Background:

Sourav Yadav vs. Uttar Pradesh case by Supreme Court clarified the matter, which was related to the dispute arising out of the manner of reservation given to various sections in the selection process to fill the posts of constables in the state, the legal status of the implementation of vertical and horizontal reservation.

What is ‘vertical and horizontal reservation’ Methodology?

Vertical reservation Methodology :

  • The reservation given for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes is called a vertical reservation.
  • It is provided separately for each group specified under the method. This applies separately to each of the groups specified under the law. Article 16 (4) envisages vertical reservation.

Horizontal Reservation Methodology:

Horizontal reservation means providing equal opportunities in all vertical reservation categories to the beneficiaries of women, retired soldiers, transgender community and persons with disabilities etc. Article 15 (3) envisages horizontal reservation.

Application of Reservation:

  • The horizontal quota is applied separately from the vertical category.
  • For example, if women get 50% horizontal reservation, half of the selected candidates in each vertical reservation category will be women, that is, half of all the selected candidates of scheduled caste will be women, similarly in an unreserved or general category. Half of all the selected candidates will be women. The same procedure will be applicable in all types of reservation categories.

Related matters:

  • In the year 2020, the issue arising from the implementation of reservation in the selection process for the posts of constables in Sourav Yadav vs State of Uttar Pradesh was resolved.
  • The Uttar Pradesh government followed a policy of restricting the candidates of reserved categories to their categories even after achieving higher grades.

Supreme Court verdict:

  • The court pronounced the judgment against the Uttar Pradesh government, saying that if a person falling under both the vertical and horizontal reserved categories scores enough marks to qualify without the vertical reservation, then the person qualifies without the vertical reservation. And will not be excluded from the horizontal quota in the general category.
  • The court said that the logic of the Uttar Pradesh government meant that the general class was ‘reserved only for the upper castes.

Importance:

  • This decision of the court will provide clarity on reservation and will make it easier for governments to implement reservation.
  • If high scoring candidates will be admitted under the general category then more needy candidates of SC, ST and other backward classes will get benefit.

Reservation related provisions in India:

  • Article 15 (3) of the Constitution allows for protective discrimination in favor of women.
  • Article 15 (4) and Article 16 (4) of the constitution enable the state and central governments to reserve seats in government services for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes candidates.
  • The constitution was amended in the year 1995 and a new clause (4A) was included in article 16, which enables the government to provide reservations in promotions.
  • Article 330 and Article 332 of the Constitution ensure exclusive representation through the reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities in Parliament and State Legislatures respectively.
  • Article 243 makes provision for reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in every Panchayat.
  • Also, it also makes a provision to reserve one-third of the total seats available for women.
  • Article 233 provides for reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in each municipality.
  • According to Article 335, the claims of members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should be taken care of to maintain the efficiency of administration.

Source – Indian Express

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Indian Digital Tax Differential | DST | USTR

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Indian Digital Tax Differential | DST | USTR 

United States Trade Representation (United States Trade Representative – USTR) has stated that the Digital Service Tax (DST) adopted by India, Italy and Turkey discriminates against US companies and is inconsistent with international tax principles.

United States Trade Representative: (USTR)

  • It is an organization responsible for the development and coordination of international trade in the United States.
  • Section 301 of the US Trade Act gives the USTR a broad right to investigate and respond to unfair or discriminatory actions taken by an external country that may negatively affect US commerce.
  • This section, adopted through the Trade Act of 1974, allows the US President to impose tariffs or other restrictions on foreign nations.
  • However, the law also presents the option of compulsory consultation with trading partner countries.

Digital Service Tax (DST)

  • This tax is levied on the revenue received by companies in return for providing digital services. This tax mainly applies to digital multinationals such as Google, Amazon and Apple.
  • The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is currently in talks with over 130 countries to optimize the international tax system. One goal of this action is to present solutions to the tax challenges related to the digitization of the economy.

India’s tax on digital companies:

  • The government made an amendment in the Finance Bill 2020-21 to impose a 2% digital service tax on trade and services done by non-resident e-commerce operators with a turnover of more than Rs 2 crore.
  • This effectively expanded the scope of the equivalent levy, which until the previous year applied only to digital advertising services.

USTR test report:

  • Digital service tax is discriminatory in India, as it exempts Indian companies and targets non-Indian firms. These affect US companies dominating the technology industry.
  • 119 companies were identified under the Digital Service Tax, of which 86 (72 percent) were American companies.
  • USTR estimates that the total tax bill for US companies may exceed US $ 30 million per year.
  • The USTR determined that India’s DST is unfair or discriminatory and prohibits US commerce. Thus it is actionable under Section 301, US Trade Act.

Source: Indian Express

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25th Amendment of the US Constitution

Leave a Comment / International Relations & Internal Security /

25th Amendment of the US Constitution

  • Recently there has been controversy over the demand to implement the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution. It may be noted that several people have demanded Vice President Mike Pence to implement the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution after Donald Trump supporters caused a fuss in the US Parliament Capitol Hill.
  • The 25th Amendment is known as the 1967 amendment to the United States Constitution.
  • Through this amendment, succession rules related to vacancy and disqualification of the posts of President and Vice President have been laid down.
  • This amendment was proposed by the US Congress on July 6, 1965, and was passed on February 10, 1967.

The Twenty-fifth Amendment, primarily, has four articles :

  • In the first article, the traditional succession process is codified upon the death of the President, under which the Vice-President will hold the office of the President until the term is over. It also changes about the promotion of the Vice President upon his resignation from the post of President.
  • The second article of the amendment makes provisions regarding the vacancy of the post of Vice-President.
  • The third article sets out a formal procedure for determining the President’s abilities to discharge the powers and duties of the ‘presidency’. If the President can announce his / her inability, the Vice-President will take over as the acting President.
  • The fourth article of the amendment provides that, if the President is unable to declare his incompetence, the Vice-President and the Cabinet will jointly examine it. In this situation, the Vice-President will immediately take over as the Acting President.
  • Vice President Pence is seeking to implement only the fourth paragraph of the Twenty-fifth Amendment against President Trump.

The twenty-fifth amendment used in the past :

  • The twenty-fifth amendment was proposed by Congress on July 6, 1965, and ratified by the US states on February 10, 1967, after the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy.
  • The Fourth Article of the Twenty-fifth Amendment has never been implemented yet.

The reason for the fuss in Capitol Hill by Donald Trump supporters :

  • President Trump, without any valid evidence, has repeatedly insisted that the presidential election in November was rigged.
  • Members of the US Congress gathered in Capitol Hill, the US Parliament, to confirm the counting of Electoral College votes. The vote would have paved the way for Joe Biden to formally take office on January 20, after the US Congress ratified the vote. Trump, meanwhile, inspired supporters to make their voices heard by the US Congress.

Source : Indian Express 

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Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

Leave a Comment / International Relations & Internal Security /

Despite the current COVID epidemic, the 16th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Conference is being organized on 9 January 2021 in the country.

Important facts about Pravasi Bharatiya Divas:

  • Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is organized on 9 January to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community in the development of India.
  • The PBD Conference is a major event of the Ministry of External Affairs and it provides an important platform to connect and establish relationships with Indians living abroad.
  • This program has been regularized since the year 2003.
  • The format of the event was revised in the year 2015 and since then PBD Conference is organized once every two years.
  • The theme of PBD Conference 2021 is “Contribution to Self-reliant India”.

Pravasi Bhartiya Divas - प्रवासी भारतीय दिवस

Reason for celebrating Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on 9 January:

January 9 has been chosen to celebrate PBD, as Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa on this day in 1915 and changed the lives of Indians forever by leading India’s freedom struggle.

Importance:

  • This conference provides a platform for the overseas Indian community to engage with the people of the land of the Government of India and their ancestors and for mutually beneficial activities.
  • These conferences are also very useful for networking among the diaspora community living in different parts of the world and enable them to share their experiences in various fields.

Source: The Hindu

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Asian Water Bird / Waterfowl Census

Leave a Comment / Geography Environment & Disaster Management /

Asian Water bird (waterfowl) Census 

A two-day Asian Aquatic Bird Census (Asian Water bird (waterfowl) Census: AWC) – 2020 has been launched in Andhra Pradesh. It was carried out under the aegis of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) experts.Asian Water Bird / Waterfowl Census

Important facts about Asian Water bird (waterfowl) Census

  • The Asian Water bird (Waterfowl) Census is an annual event where thousands of volunteers in Asia and Australia count waterfowl/Water birds in their country’s wetlands.
  • Every year in January, thousands of volunteers from Asia and Australia travel to the wetlands in their country and during this time they count the water birds / waterfowls. This citizen science program is called the Asian Water Bird Census
  • This program was started in the year 1987.
  • The Asian water bird census is an integral part of the Global Water bird Monitoring Program and the International Water bird Census (IWC), coordinated by Wetlands International.
  • The Asian water bird census is conducted in 143 countries. It is concerned with collecting information about the number of waterfowl at wetland sites.
  • Wetlands International is a global not-for-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and restoration of wetlands.
  • In India, the Asian water bird census is conducted annually, by the Bombay Natural History Society and Wetlands International.

What are waterfowl/water birds ?

According to Wetlands International, water birds are ecologically defined as species of birds dependent on wetlands. These birds are considered an important health indicator of the wetlands of an area.

Benefit:

  • The calculation not only reveals the actual number of birds but also gives an idea of ​​the actual state of the wetlands, i.e. the high number of waterfowl indicates that a sufficient amount of food, resting, roosting and foraging of the birds in the wetland area Spots exist.
  • The information collected helps promote the determination and management of internationally important sites such as nationally protected areas, Ramsar sites, East Asian – Australian Flyway Network sites, important bird and biodiversity areas.
  • It also helps to implement the Convention on Migratory Species and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Source: The Hindu

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Solidarity and Stability Agreement between Gulf Countries 

Leave a Comment / International Relations & Internal Security /

Solidarity and stability agreement between Gulf countries 

  • Leaders of Saudi Arabia and Qatar publicly signed a solidarity and stability agreement with leaders of Gulf countries.
  • The agreement was reached at the 41st Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit held in Alula, Saudi Arabia.
  • With this, ‘Doha’ has been brought back into the regional group after a long three-year rift.

Background:

In June 2017, a group of Gulf countries led by Saudi Arabia banned diplomatic, business and transport relations with ‘Qatar’. These countries accused Qatar of being close to Iran and supporting radical Islamic groups. Qatar dismissed the allegations as an attack on its sovereignty.Solidarity and Stability Agreement between Gulf Countries 

Reason

  • Qatar was accused of strengthening relations with Iran and supporting radical Islamic groups.
  • Qatar was accused of spreading terror and funding with the support of Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood (a Sunni Islamic political group banned by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates).

Objective:

The agreement aims to unite in efforts to promote the Gulf region and to face the challenges faced by the Gulf countries, particularly the challenges posed by Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program and its other destructive plans.

Gulf Cooperation Council:

The GCC is a political, economic, social and regional organization, established in 1981 through an agreement concluded between Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It is important to note that due to geographical proximity, Islam-based common political system and the same objective, a distinct relationship exists between all these countries.

India and Iran:

  • India has always shared friendly relations with Iran, although India-Iran relations are currently going through their most complex phase due to pressure from the US.
  • GCC suppliers account for about 34 percent of India’s crude imports.
  • In May 2018, the US criticized the Iran Nuclear Agreement (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and decided to withdraw from it and tightened economic sanctions against Iran.

India and Qatar:

  • Recently the Foreign Minister of India met top leaders of Qatar and discussed strengthening the economic and security cooperation between the two countries.
  • India shares friendly relations with Qatar and India maintained cordial relations with this oil-rich country even during the sanctions on Qatar.

India’s overall role in this field:

  • India has always abstained from engaging in local or regional disputes in the region, as Indian interests need peace and regional stability, not power.
  • The Gulf countries are among India’s top trading partner countries, marking the increasing volume of energy imports in India and the growing interdependence of the energy sector between the Gulf countries. Also, there is a possibility of large scale investment in India’s hydrocarbon sector from Gulf countries.
  • Along with political cooperation, there has been a considerable increase in cooperation between India and the Gulf countries in the security sector, especially in counter-terrorism operations.
  • India and the Gulf countries are also taking steps as far as possible for cooperation in the defense sector.
  • For example, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and other Gulf countries participated in the multinational mega exercise ‘Milan’.

Why is peace important in the region?

  • Any type of volatility in the Middle East is likely to increase oil prices, and maintain high oil prices in the event of long-term volatility.
  • Qatar is the largest supplier of liquid natural gas in the world and Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are the major recipients.
  • India relies on Qatar for 90% of its natural gas requirements.
  • Qatar’s Sovereign Wealth Fund and other state-owned entities, as well as private investors in Qatar, are looking at an option to invest in the infrastructure sector in India.

Source : The Hindu

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Geographical indication – Cumbum Valley

Leave a Comment / Indian Heritage & Culture /

Geographical indication – Cumbum Valley 

  • January to April.
  • The grapes grown in Cumbum Valley are suitable for making wine, spirit, jam, canned grape juice and raisins.

Which product is given a GI tag?

  • GI tags are given to products that originate in a particular region. The specialty and reputation of these products are established by being produced in that particular region.
  • After receiving this tag, it is prohibited to sell anything else in the market, taking the name of the related product.
  • The GI tag is defined under Article-22 (1) of the WTO Agreement.
  • According to the first treaty on the protection of industrial property, GI tags have been considered as an element of intellectual property rights.
  • Internationally the intellectual property rights of the GI tag are governed by the agreement on trade-related aspects. In India, it is governed by the Geographical Objects Indications (Registration and Security) Act, 1999.

Geographical Indication Registration:

  • Under sub-section (1) of Section 3 of the Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, the Director General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks is appointed as GI Tag Registrar.
  • The Central Government periodically appoints officers with appropriate designations to assist the Registrar in his work.

Source – The Hindu

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The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960

Leave a Comment / Polity And Governance /

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960

The Supreme Court has asked the Center Government to withdraw or amend the rules notified in the year 2017 under the Prevention of Cruelty Act, 1960.

Rules of the year 2017

  • The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Property and Animal Care and Maintenance) Rules, 2017 have been established under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
  • These rules under the Act allow the judge to seize the cattle of a person facing trial.
  • After this, the animals are sent to veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, etc.
  • Such animals can also be adopted by the authorities.

Overview of Supreme Court 

  • These rules are contrary to Section 29 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, under which a person convicted of cruelty can only lose his animals.
  • The government has been asked to either change these rules or take a stay from the court.

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960:

  • It is enacted to prevent animals from causing unnecessary suffering.
  • Under this Act, the Animal Welfare Board of India has been set up under the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
  • It regulates the owners of animal markets, dog breeders, aquariums and pet fish shops.
  • Cruelty to animals is prohibited under the act.

Constitutional Status :

  • The Fundamental Duty is an important part of the Constitution of India. A provision has been made in Article 51 (a) (g), under which the duty of protecting the natural environment in which the lake, river, and wildlife is given.
  • Taking inspiration from this arrangement given in the Constitution, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and Slaughter House Rules, 2001 were made in the Parliament of India.
  • Article-48 is included as a Directive Principle, stating that the State will endeavor to organize “agricultural and animal husbandry systems on modern and scientific grounds” and especially of cows and calves and other milch and carrier will take steps to preserve and improve the breeds of animal and to restrict their slaughter.

Source : Indian Express

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Paddy Crop blast Infection (leaf and collar) : Disease of Paddy Crop

Leave a Comment / Geography Environment & Disaster Management /

Paddy Crop blast Infection (leaf and collar) Disease of Paddy Crop

The concern of farmers has increased due to blast disease in paddy crop. These days, with the end of the rainy season, the temperature and humidity are increasing. Farmers have been advised not to use excess nitrogen.

What is the blast disease of the paddy crop?

  • The blast disease of paddy crops is caused by a fungus called “Magnaportheoryzae “. It can affect all parts of the paddy plant above ground.
  • The disease usually affects paddy crops in areas where soil moisture is low, frequent and prolonged showers and temperatures are low during the day.
  • Due to the difference of day and night temperature, dewdrops on the leaves freeze and thus the relatively cold temperature causes the development of this disease.
  • Blast disease is one of the most devastating diseases for the paddy crop. Blast infection weakens the plant itself at the planting or tillering stage (when the plant builds branches).

Control of Blast disease

The farmer should make balanced use of chemical fertilizer. It is necessary to apply Azacistrovin 25 sc, 500 ml, or Isoprothiolane 40 EC 750 ml per hectare for the blast as soon as symptoms appear on the leaf stage.In case of bacterial scorching, streptocycline 25 g plus copper oxychloride 500 g or Carbendazim 50% WP, 500 gm solution should be sprayed per hectare. This will eliminate blast disease in paddy.

Source – The Hindu

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Smart Classes For Rural Schools (RailTel)

Leave a Comment / Indian Society, Social Issue & Social Justice /

Smart Classes For Rural Schools (RailTel)

RailTel has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Education for a scheme to connect the rural schools run by the central government with smart classes.

RailTel:

  • RailTel Corporation of India Limited is a “Mini Ratna (Category-I)” Public Sector Undertaking. It is an ICT provider of information and communication and is one of the largest neutral telecommunications infrastructure providers in the country. RailTel has an optic fiber network with railway tracks across India.
  • RailTel’s optical fiber cable network covers all the important cities and rural areas of India. It has been selected for the implementation of various mission-mode projects of the Government of India such as the National Knowledge Network, Bharat Net and Optical Fiber-Based Connectivity Project funded by Universal Service Obligation Fund in North East India.

About the proposal:

  • The scheme presents an end-to-end e-learning solution, using a solid optical fiber cable network, which is the backbone of the Indian Railways telecommunications operations.
  • The main objective of the scheme is to get maximum benefits in the field of education through e-learning, especially at a time when the pandemic has allowed teachers and students to use virtual platforms and it has led to the adoption of IT-enabled interactive tools for teaching work.
  • The proposal related to access to high-speed broadband in remote government schools, providing electricity and learning, means the “Internet of Things” environment.
  • The cable network is laid along railway tracks and as far as its reach is concerned, it can be transported anywhere in rural schools in India. It also includes remote areas where reliable Internet facilities are not available.
  • This will affect about 3.5 lakh students enrolled in schools, which are run by the central government for meritorious students, mainly in rural India.
  • RailTel has already provided this type of connectivity to 723 higher educational institutions under the Centre’s National Knowledge Network Program, with broadband speeds of up to 10 Gbps.

Source: Indian Express

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FSSAI reports on Trans Fatty Acids (Fatty Acids)

Leave a Comment / Science & Technology /

FSSAI reports on Trans-fatty Acids (Fatty Acids) 

  • The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has targeted to increase the current amount of Trans-fatty acids in oils and fats by 5% by 2021 and by 3% to 2% by 2022.
  • FSSAI made this change by amending the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011.
  • Earlier in the year 2011, India passed a regulation for the first time under which the limit of Trans-fatty acids in oils and fats was set at 10%. In 2015, this limit was reduced to 5%.
  • These regulations relate to prohibitions and restrictions related to the sale of various food products, ingredients and their combinations.

FSSAI Report On a global scale:

WHO globally launched a campaign called Replace in the year 2018 to eradicate trans-fat in industrially produced edible oils by the year 2023.

Trans Fat: FSSAI Reports

Trans fats help to increase the shelf life (duration of storage and use of ingredients) of oils and foods and stabilize their taste. Trans-fat is also known as Trans-fatty acid. These are of two types:

(i) Natural Trans Fat

(ii) Artificial Trans Fat

  • Trans-fatty acids or trans-fats are the most harmful types of fats, which can cause more adverse effects on the human body than any other dietary component.
  • Although these fats are largely produced artificially, they can also be found in natural form in very small amounts. Thus in our diet, these may exist in the form of artificial TFAand/or natural TFA.
  • The major sources of artificial TFA in our diet are partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (PHVO) / vegetable/margarine, while natural TFAs are found (in very small amounts) in meats and dairy products.

Utilization:

TFA-containing oils can be preserved for a long time. They give the desired shape and form to the food and can easily be used as an alternative to ‘pure ghee’. In comparison, their cost is very low and thus they increase the profit/savings.

Health hazards of trans-fat:

  • According to the World Health Organization, there are about 5.4 lakh deaths globally each year due to the consumption of industrially-produced trans-fatty acids. These rules of the FSSAI have come at a time of the epidemic when the burden of non-communicable diseases has increased. Consumption of trans-fat increases the risk of heart diseases.
  • Most of the deaths due to non-communicable diseases are due to heart diseases. Its consumption increases the level of low-density lipoprotein (also known as “bad” cholesterol). As a result, the risk of heart disease increases. It also lowers the level of high-density lipoprotein (also called “good” cholesterol).
  • They are believed to be the main cause of type-2 diabetes, which is associated with insulin resistance. For this reason, the WHO recommends that trans-fats should not contain more than one percent of the total calorie intake a person consumes.
  • It is helpful in the growth of obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, infertility, certain types of cancer, etc. and also affects the development of the fetus, which can result in harm to the baby born.
  • Metabolic syndrome includes high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess fat around the waist and abnormal levels of cholesterol. The syndrome increases the risk of a person having a heart attack and stroke.

Efforts to reduce TFA intake: FSSAI Report

  • FSSAI launched the “Trans Fat-Free” logo for voluntary labeling to promote TFA-free products. The label can be used by bakeries, local food outlets and shops, with TFA not exceeding 0.2 per 100g / ml.
  • The FSSAI launched a new mass media campaign, “Heart Attack Rewind”, to eliminate industrially-producedTrans fats in food supplies by the year 2022.
  • Edible oil industries have resolved to reduce the level of salt, sugar, saturated fat and trans fat content by 2% by the year 2022.
  • ‘Swasth Bharat Yatra’ is a pan-India cyclotron launched under the “Eat Right” campaign to connect citizens with issues related to food safety, food adulteration and healthy foods.

Source: The Hindu

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Report on Celestial Lightning

Leave a Comment / Geography Environment & Disaster Management /

Report on Celestial Lightning

  • According to a report published by the Climate Resilient Observation System Promotion Council, a greater number of Indians have died from celestial lightning. There have been 1,771 deaths due to lightning strikes in India between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020.
  • In the year 2019-20, 33% of the total deaths due to natural disasters were due to celestial lightning. The number of deaths due to lightning has decreased by about 37% in the year 2019-20.

Celestial lightning

Meaning of celestial lightning:

  • Normally this celestial lightning is generated in 10–12 km high humidity clouds, and this is the result of the difference of electric charge between the upper and lower part of the cloud. Inter-cloud and intra-cloud (IC) celestial lightning is easily observable and is harmless.
  • Cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning originates between the cloud and the land and is as damaging as high electric voltage and electric current, which can also result in the death of a person.

Factors Responsible:

  • Rapid environmental degradation, such as global warming, deforestation, erosion of water bodies, increasing concretization, pollution and aerosols have brought climate change to an extreme level and aerial lightning is a direct effect of these climatic extremes.
  • Incidents of lightning strikes occur in a similar pattern over a certain period and at approximately the same geographic locations.
  • According to the Climate Resilient Observing System Promotion Council (CROPC), it is of paramount importance to pre-report lightning to save the lives of farmers, cattle herders, children and people in open areas.
  • CROPC is a non-profit organization that works in coordination with the India Meteorological Department (Indian Meteorological Department IMD).
  • To reduce deaths due to lightning, local lightning protection action plans, such as installing lightning protection devices, are needed.

Suggestions:

  • States should participate in the Lightning Resilient India campaign and comprehensively ensure greater lightning risk management.
  • The Indian Meteorological Department has started a joint operation with the CROPC named Lightning Resilient India Campaign and it has been duly endorsed by the Indian Meteorological Society (Indian Meteorological Department-IMS), non-governmental organizations, IIT Delhi and other related institutions.
  • Farmers, cattle rearers, children and people in open areas should be given an early warning regarding celestial electricity. The celestial lightning falls almost uniformly at the same geographical locations over a given period.
  • Kalbaishakhi, Norvester, which is a strong storm with celestial lightning, is quite a violent These types of storms generally occur in Bengal.
  • A local Lightning Protection Work Plan should be implemented like Lightning Protection devices.
  • Deaths from celestial lightning should be notified as a disaster to prevent damage.
  • It needs to be noted that the lightning has not been notified by the Center as a disaster.

Source : Indian Express

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International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA)

Leave a Comment / Economic Development /

International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA)

The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) became an associate member of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO)

  • The task of the International Financial Services Centers Authority is to serve as an international financial platform for the entire region and the global economy, along with ensuring strong global connectivity and focusing on the needs of the Indian economy.
  • The IFSCA was established in April 2020 under the International Financial Services Center Authority Bill, 2019. An IFSCA provides essential services to customers outside the jurisdiction of the domestic economy. Its headquarters is located in the Gift City of Gandhinagar (Gujarat).
  • It is a unified authority for the development and regulation of financial products, financial services, and financial institutions in the International Financial Services Center (IFSC) in India.
  • It has been established at IFSC to promote ‘Ease of Doing Business and provide a world-class regulatory environment.

The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO):

  • The International Organization of Securities Commissions was established in April 1983. It is headquartered in Madrid, Spain.
  • IOSCO’s Asia Pacific Hub (IOSCO Asia Pacific Hub) is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
  • This international organization brings together the world’s securities regulators. IOSCO covers more than 95% of the world’s securities markets and acts as a global benchmark for the securities sector.
  • It works closely with the G-20 Group and the Financial Stability Board to establish standards for the strengthening of securities markets.
  • The Financial Stability Board is an international body, which presents its recommendations in the context of the global financial system.
  • The principles and goals of IOSCO’s securities regulation have been endorsed by the FSB as key standards for rational financial systems.
  • IOSCO’s enforcement role extends to the interpretation of the ‘International Financial Reporting Standards, where a (confidential) database of enforcement actions taken by IOSCO member agencies is maintained.
  • International Financial Reporting is an ac, counting standard issued by the International Accounting Standards Board to provide a common accounting language to increase transparency in the presentation of financial information.

Objectives :

To cooperate in ensuring, enforcing and promoting internationally recognized and followed standards of regulation, inspection, and enforcement to protect investors, maintain fair, efficient, and transparent markets and remove systemic risks.

Source : PIB

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National Science Technology and Innovation Policy 2020

Leave a Comment / Science & Technology /

National Science Technology and Innovation Policy 2020

The 5th National Science Technology and Innovation Policy, 2020 has been released by the Department of Science and Technology. This policy will replace the Science Technology and Innovation Policy 2013.

The objectives of this policy:

To identify and explore the strengths and weaknesses of the Indian science technology and innovation ecosystem to inspire the socio-economic development of the country, also make the Indian science, technology, and innovation ecosystem globally competitive.

Important provisions of the draft:

Gender Equality:

The policy said that at least 30% representation of women should be ensured in all decision-making bodies. Also, ‘spousal benefits’ should be provided to scientists associated with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, cure (LGBT +) community.

Caring for children and the elderly:

The policy proposes to make childcare without gender discrimination and to make working hours flexible. Apart from this, sufficient leave has been proposed for parents for maternity, childbirth, and proper care of the child properly.

For handicapped:

This policy favors “structural and cultural change” for their inclusion in all public-funded scientific institutions to assist people with disabilities.

Other related provisions:

  • In cases related to selection, promotion, award, or grant, age-related relaxation should be made the basis of ‘age at educational level’ and not ‘Gender age limit’.
  • Remove the limitation of married couples working together in the same department or laboratory as employees.
  • Till now married couples could not work in the same department, due to which there are cases of leaving employment or when a colleague decides to get married, she is transferred without her consent.
  • Open Science Policy (One Nation, One Subscription): It has been proposed to make available scientific knowledge and data to all, which will make it possible to buy a bulk of all important scientific journals globally, also, their free access to all will be possible in India as well.
  • Establish a science, technology, and innovation observatory that will serve as the central repository of all types of data related to scientific research in the country.

Research and education:

  • It proposes to establish an Education Research Center (Educational Research Center) and Collaborative Research Center (Collective Research Center) to provide research input to policymakers and bring stakeholders together.
  • The relevance of the Research and Innovation Excellence Framework aims to boost engagement with stakeholders as well as enhance the quality of research.

To strengthen India’s strategic position:

  • This policy will help India achieve technically self-reliant status among the top three scientific superpowers in the coming decade.
  • Establish a strategic technology board that will connect all strategic government departments and monitor and recommends technologies to be purchased or manufactured indigenously.

Source : PIB

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Satyamev Jayate : Kerala Digital Literacy Campaign

Leave a Comment / Indian Society, Social Issue & Social Justice /

Satyamev Jayate : Kerala Digital Literacy Campaign

  • The Kerala government has launched a digital media literacy Campaign called ‘Satyamev Jayate’ to tackle the threat of fake news.
  • Schools and colleges will be made aware of this program so that they can be encouraged to develop a curriculum on digital media literacy.

Key Facts :

This program consists of five points:

  1. What is wrong information?
  2. Why are they spreading fast?
  3. What precautions need to be taken when using social media content?
  4. How do fake news spreaders make a profit?
  5. What steps can be taken by citizens?

Satyamev Jayate: National Emblem of India

  • Satyamev Jayate is the national Emblem of India. It means Truth Alone Triumphs. It is inscribed in the Devanagari script under the national emblem of India.
  • It was adopted as the national Emblem of India on 26 January 1950 after independence.
  • This emblem is taken from the crest of the lion pillar built by Emperor Ashoka in 250 BCE at Sarnath near Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, but this motto is not present there.
  • ‘Satyamev Jayate’ is the well-known mantra of Mundaka -Upanishad.

The complete mantra is as follows:

 “Satyamevjayatenanritam ,satyenapanthavitatodevayanah yenakramantyrsayohyaptakama, yatra tat satyasyaparamamnidhanam”

That is, ultimately the truth prevails, not the untrue. This is the path through which Aptakam (whose wishes are fulfilled) achieves the ultimate goal of human life.

  • Madan Mohan Malaviya played an important role in bringing ‘Satyamev Jayate’ to the national platform and promoting it.
  • The Czech Republic and its predecessor Czechoslovakia also have the same meaning as the motto “Pravda Vitezi” (“Truth Wins”).

What is fake NEWS?

Fake news is a kind of yellow journalism. Under this, there are acts like propagating in favor of someone and spreading false news. Attempting to damage the image of a person or organization or inciting people through false news against him is fake news. Increasing click readership and online sharing through fake headlines, sensational and false news, also fall under the category of fake news. Fake news is different from any satire or parody, as they are intended to entertain their readers, while fake news is intended to mislead the readers.

Challenges:

  • Fake news is a type of false information, which is presented as news. Often it is intended to damage the reputation of an individual or organization or to earn money through advertising revenue.
  • Since the spread in print and digital media, the spread of fake news has increased due to social media and carriers, and fake news can reduce the impact of real news and replace it.
  • Political polarization, post-truth politics, confirmation bias, and social media have been implicated in the spread of fake news. It has been observed that the spread of fake news in India is mostly in political and religious matters.
  • Fake news spread through social media has become a serious problem in the country, due to which incidents of mob violence have also been seen.

Measures to control fake news:

  • Often, the government uses ‘internet shutdown’ as a way to prevent the spread of rumors circulating on social media.
  • To counter the problem of ‘fake news, many experts have also suggested the idea of linking ‘Aadhaar’ with a social media account.
  • In some parts of India, such as Kannur in Kerala, the government is conducting classes for awareness of ‘fake news’ in government schools.
  • Several other public-education initiatives are being planned by the government to make the common people more aware of the false news
  • Many fact-checking websites have come up in India to check the truth of ‘fake news, through which the truth of any news can be easily known.

Source – PIB, The Hindu

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Sentinelese Tribe – Anthropological Survey of India

Leave a Comment / Indian Heritage & Culture /

Sentinelese Tribe – Anthropological Survey of India

  • The policy document issued by the Anthropological Survey of India warns that commercial activities may pose a threat to the survival of the Sentinelese tribe.
  • This policy document has been released by the Anthropological Survey of India about two years after the Sentinelese tribesmen killed an American citizen on the north sentinel island.

सेंटिनली जनजाति Sentinelese Tribe Anthropological Survey of India

Guidelines of Anthropological Survey of India:

  • The use of the northern sentinel island of Andaman to gain commercial and strategic benefits is causing adverse effects on the natives and the Sentinelese Tribe.
  • The rights of the people on this island are unassailable, non-negotiable, and non infringe table. The state must treat these rights of the people as eternal and sacred and preserve them. Their island should not be seen as having any commercial or strategic advantage.
  • This document also stresses the need for the creation of a knowledge bank on the Sentinelese tribes. Since ‘on-the-spot study’ is not possible for the tribal community, Anthropologists suggest ‘study of a culture’ from distance in such a situation.

Key facts regarding the Sentinelese tribes:

  • These people belong to the Nigrito (black and short stature) community living on the northern Sentinel Island of Andaman. They are completely isolated without any contact with the outside world but in the year 1991, some coconuts were accepted by this tribal community from a team of Indian anthropologists and administrators.
  • The people of the Sentinel tribe do not cultivate nor raise animals. They consume fruits, honey, tubers, pig, turtle, and fishes. They have neither eaten salt nor tasted sugar yet. It is said that these people do not even know how to light a fire.
  • According to Trilok Nath Pandit, an Indian anthropologist who has made contact with this tribe, this group has no head but honors are given to those who make arrows, spears, baskets, huts, etc.
  • The tribes of these islands do not marry in close relationships.
  • According to the information, when the children of this tribe begin to stand on their feet, they are started being trained to make arrows, so that they grow up to be skillful and get respect.
  • There are also various practices of the Sentinelese tribe, some of which are quite interesting. For example, if someone dies in a hut, no one resides in that place.
  • In case of sickness, only herbs and worship are used. It attaches great importance to tribal spirits. They have good and bad ghosts in their eyes, and they also worship them. Sentinelese is listed by the Government of India as a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG). The Great Andamanese, Onge, Jarawa, and Company of the Andaman-Nicobar Islands are the other four tribes listed as PVTG. All these are protected by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulations, 1956.
  • This regulation declares traditional territories held by tribes as protected areas and prohibits the entry of any persons other than the authorities.
  • Taking photographs of tribes or any kind of filming on them is a crime.

Anthropological Survey of India:

  • The Anthropological Survey of India is a leading research organization under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, working in the fields of physical anthropology and cultural anthropology.
  • This organization was established in 1945. Its headquarters located in Kolkata. Apart from this, there are two regional stations at Jagdalpur and Ranchi and branches at Port Blair, Shillong, Dehradun, Udaipur, Nagpur, and Mysore.
  • It is recognized as the most advanced center for research and training in anthropology and related subjects.

Objective:

  • To study the important tribes and other communities in the population of India from a biological and cultural point of view.
  • To study and preserve human skeletal remains by modern and archaeological methods.
  • Collecting samples of arts and crafts of Indian tribes.
  • Functioning as a training center for tribal meritorious students for anthropology and its administration. To publish research results.

Source – The Hindu

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Akash Missile

Leave a Comment / Science & Technology /

The Union Cabinet has approved the export of Akash Missile, a surface-to-air missile to allied countries. Along with this, it has also been decided to set up a committee to increase exports.आकाश मिसाइल (Aakash Missile)

Background:

  • It is to be noted that 9 countries of Southeast Asia and Africa have shown interest in buying this missile system. According to the Ministry of Defense, Akash is an important missile of the country and it is 96 percent indigenous in nature.
  • According to the Ministry of Defense, this will help the country to improve its defense products and make them globally competitive. With this, under AtmaNirbhar Bharat, India can increase its capabilities in manufacturing various types of defense equipment and missiles.

Important point:

  • This step will help achieve the US $ 5 billion targets of defense exports and strengthen the strategic relationship with the Allied countries.
  • Apart from Akash, the demand for export of other major systems such as coastal surveillance systems, radar, and air-based systems has also increased.
  • Also, a committee comprising Defense Minister, Foreign Minister, and National Security Advisor has been constituted to provide speedy approval for exports of the major indigenous systems.

Akash Missile System:

  • Akash is a surface-to-air missile. It has been developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). Its range is up to 25 km.
  • This missile was inducted into the Indian Air Force in 2014 and the Indian Army in 2015. It may be noted that in the year 1990, the first test flight of the Akash missile was conducted.

Range and Capacity:

  • The Akash missile, with nuclear capability, is capable of flying at a speed of 2.5 Mach (about 860 m per second) at a maximum height of 18 km.
  • It can target enemy airbases such as fighter jets, drones, cruise, air-to-surface missiles as well as ballistic missiles from a distance of 30 km.
  • The cost of development of the Akash missile is 8–10 times less than the cost of similar developed systems in other countries.

Akash Missile inducted into Indian Army:

It is worth noting that the Akash missile was inducted into the Indian Air Force in the year 2014 and the Indian Army in the year 2015.

India export military equipment to 42 countries across the world

  • India is currently exporting defense equipment to a total of 42 countries, including countries such as the US, Australia, Finland, Sweden, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Mauritius.
  • India accounts for only 0.17% of global arms exports.
  • India aims to export the US $ 5 billion worth of military hardware by the year 2025.

स्रोत –द हिन्दू

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Subhash Chandra Bose

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Subhash Chandra Bose

In 1943, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose announced the formation of a temporary government of Azad Hind in Japan-occupied Singapore, The Indian tricolor was hoisted on this occasion.

Major facts related to Subhash Chandra Bose:

  • In the year 1921, Bose took over the editing of ‘Forward’, a newspaper published by Chittaranjan Das’s Swaraj Party.
  • In 1925, he was sent to Mandalay prison due to his revolutionary activities.
  • In the mid-1930s, Bose traveled to Europe and wrote the first part of a book called ‘The Indian Struggle’, in which he covered all the freedom movements of the country, taking place during the years 1920–1934.Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
  • Bose constituted the National Planning Commission in 1938 after being elected as the President of the Haripura Session of the Indian National Congress. This policy was not compatible with Gandhian ideas.
  • At the Tripuri session of 1939, Bose was re-elected president, but soon resigned from the presidency and formed the ‘All India Forward Bloc’, a faction within the Congress, aimed at strengthening the political left.
  • Bose established the “Free India Center” in Berlin and formed the Indian Army with Indian prisoners of war, who fought for the British in North Africa before being imprisoned by the Axis powers(Axis Nations- Germany, Italy, and Japan)
  • Azad Hind Radio was started in 1942 in Germany under the leadership of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The purpose of this radio was to propagate Indians to fight, to get freedom from the British.
  • On this radio, Bose addressed Mahatma Gandhi as the ‘Father of the Nation’ on 6th July 1944.

Indian National Army (INA):

  • Subhash Chandra Bose reached Japan-controlled Singapore from Germany in July 1943, from there he gave his famous slogan ‘Delhi Chalo’ and announced the formation of Azad Hind Sarkar and the Indian National Army on 21 October 1943.
  • INA has first formed under the leadership of Mohan Singh and Japanese Major Iwi chi Fujiwara and it included Indian prisoners of war of the British-Indian Army captured by Japan in Singapore in the Malaya (present-day Malaysia) campaign.
  • The INA included both an Indian prisoner in a Singapore prison and an Indian citizen of South-East Asia. Its military strength increased to 50,000.
  • The INA fought allied forces within the Indian border at Imphal and Burma in 1944, however, with the fall of Rangoon, the Azad Hind government became an effective political entity.
  • In November 1945, soon after the British government prosecuted the INA people, there were mass demonstrations across the country.

Effect:

The experience of the INA created a wave of discontent in the British Indian Army during the years 1945–46, culminating in a naval uprising of Bombay in February 1946 which forced the British government to leave India as soon as possible.

Structure of INA:

The INA was essentially a non-sectarian organization, as Muslims were in large numbers among its officers and ranks and it also started a women’s contingent named after the Rani of Jhansi.

Source: The Hindu

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Light House Project

Leave a Comment / Economic Development /

Light house Project (LAP)

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for the Light House Project (LAP) in six states. He laid the foundation stone for Light House Projects (LAP) under the Global Housing Technology Challenge (GHTC-India)
  • The Lighthouse Project is an ambitious scheme of the Union Urban Ministry under which people are provided sustainable housing, taking care of the local climate and ecology.
  • For the Light House project, 6 states have been selected from across the country, among them Tripura, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu.

लाइट हाउस प्रोजेक्ट Light House Project

Specification

  • In this project, cheap and strong houses are built using special techniques.
  • In this project, beam-columns and panels are brought from the factory to the place of construction of the house, the advantage is that the duration and cost of construction are reduced, hence the cost in the project is reduced.
  • The houses built under this project will be completely earthquake-resistant.

 What is ‘Light House Project’?

  • Lighthouse projects envisage creating a holistic environment for the adoption of state-of-the-art technologies in the field of housing construction.
  • Lighthouse projects are being constructed in Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Rajkot (Gujarat), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Ranchi (Jharkhand), Agartala (Tripura), and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh).
  • It includes about 1,000 houses with associated infrastructure facilities at each location.
  • These projects will present and distribute houses ready to live within just twelve months, much faster than traditional brick and concrete constructions. Apart from this, these houses will also be economical and durable with high quality.
  • These lightweight housing projects (LAPs) demonstrate a variety of technologies. This includes the use of a prefabricated sandwich panel system, tunnel formwork, etc. in LHP of Indore.

Key features of the Global Housing Technology Challenge (GHTC)

  • The Global Housing Technology Challenge, launched in 2019, is a challenging program under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban.
  • The GHTC aims to meet the target of constructing 2 crore houses by the year 2022 by speedily completing the construction of affordable housing.
  • GHTC focuses on identifying displayable technologies that have proved useful for lighthouse projects and mainstreaming their use. Also, under the Global Housing Technology Challenge, potential future technologies for incubation and rapid collaboration are identified through the Affordable Sustainable Housing Accelerators- India i.e. (ASHA-India).

GHTC -India

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has already launched the GHTC.

This challenge has three components:

  • Organizing the Grand Expo and Conference.
  • Identifying certified demonstrable technologies from around the world.
  • Promote potential technologies through the establishment of affordable, sustainable housing for incubation and rapid support.

Source – The Hindu

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Reserve Bank of India : Digital Payment Index (RBI)

Leave a Comment / Economic Development /

Reserve Bank of India: Digital Payment Index (RBI)

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has prepared drafts of the Digital Payment Index to assess the quantum of digitization in the country and the status and innovation of digital/cashless The Reserve Bank of India will publish the Digital Payments Index on a half-yearly basis from March 2021 onwards.
  • Reserve Bank executive director T. Ravi Shankar said that digital payments in India are growing rapidly, although its per capita penetration is still quite low.
  • This index will help the government to overcome the shortcomings of digital distance and digital/cashless

Main points

  • The Reserve Bank of India has set the base year 2018 of the Digital Payments Index.
  • The Digital Payments Index for the year 2019 was 153.47 and for 2020 was 207.84.

Parameters of Digital Payments Index

Five broad parameters have been incorporated in the creation of the Digital Payments Index, which will enable the accurate study of digital payments that have taken place in different periods in the country. These are:

  1. Payment Enablers (25%)
  2. Payment infrastructure – demand-side factor (10%)
  3. Payment Infrastructure – Supply-Side Factors (15%)
  4. Payment performance (45%)
  5. Consumer-centric (5%)

Data analysis : RBI – Digital Payment Index

  • According to the Worldwide India Digital Payments Report, during the second quarter (Q2) of the year 2020-21, Unified Payments Interface (UPI) recorded an 82% increase in the number of payments and a 99% increase in the total prices, which is higher than the corresponding quarter of the previous year.
  • In the second quarter, 19 banks joined the UPI system, bringing the total number of banks providing UPI service to 174 by September 2020, while the customers of 146 banks were being served by BHIM App.
  • The number of point of sale terminals deployed by merchant acquiring banks in the second quarter of the financial year 2020-21 was more than 51.8 lakh, which is 13 percent higher than the same quarter of the previous year.
  • Merchant acquiring banks are those banks that handle payments on behalf of traders/merchants.
  • In 2018, India was ranked seventh among 24 countries by the International Settlement Bank, where digital payments are tracked by the institution.

The requirement of Digital Payments Index

Digital payments have seen a boom in India. According to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), 223 crore transactions worth about Rs 4.16 lakh crore were done in December 2020, while 221 crore transactions worth Rs 3.9 lakh crore were done in November 2020. Digital transactions in the country are increasing day by day. Digital transactions in the country are increasing day by day. Therefore, it is necessary to measure its growth and launch-related initiatives to support development.

Other surveys/reports published by the Reserve Bank of India

Consumer Confidence Survey (CCC-Quarterly)

Household Inflation Expectations Survey (IS-Quarterly)

Financial Stability Report (Half Yearly)

Monetary Policy Report (Half Yearly)

Report on Management of Foreign Exchange Reserves (Half yearly)

Source – The Hindu, PIB

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Zero Coupon Recapitalisation Bonds

Leave a Comment / Economic Development /

Zero Coupon Bonds – Zero-Coupon Recapitalization Bonds

  • The government has issued special Zero-Coupon Recapitalization Bonds worth Rs. 5,500 crore for recapitalization of Punjab and Sindh Bank.
  • Zero-Coupon Bonds are non-interest bearing, non-transferable special GOI securities.

Objective:

This will improve the Capital-To-Risk Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) of these banks.

Capital-To-Risk Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR)

  • CRAR is the ratio of total assets of a bank to its risk-weighted It is also known as Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR).
  • Indian public sector banks are emphasized to maintain a CAR of 12%.
  • When a bank is unable to maintain CAR due to rising non-performing assets (NPAs), then state-run banks infuse capital through bonds or any other way to meet capital adequacy criteria.

Bank recapitalization:

  • The purpose of bank recapitalization is to provide additional capital for banks so that the capital adequacy criteria required for the successful operation of the bank can be met.
  • The Government of India is the largest shareholder in public sector banks, so in the time of a crisis, the government is also responsible for the recapitalization of these banks.
  • Thus the Reserve Bank of India and bank regulators prevent commercial banks from taking excessive risks and going bankrupt.

Zero Coupon Bond:

  • Zero-Coupon Bonds are non-interest bearing, non-transferable special securities of the Government of India. They are also known as pure discount bonds or deep discount bonds. It is purchased at a discounted price and no coupon or periodic interest is paid to the fund holders.
  • An equal difference between the purchase price of the zero coupon bond and the maturity period indicates the return of the investor. Zero-coupon bonds are usually issued for a period of 10 to 15 years.

Difference between Zero Coupon Bonds and Regular Bonds:

  • The difference between a regular bond and a zero-coupon bond is the payment of interest, otherwise known as coupons. A regular bond pays interest to bondholders, while a zero-coupon bond does not issue such interest payments. Instead, zero-coupon bondholders merely receive the face value of the bond when it reaches maturity. Regular bonds, which are also called coupon bonds, pay interest over the life of the bond and also repay the principal at maturity.

Non-Performing Assets (NPAs):

  • Banks’ loans are included in the NPA when the outstanding installment of interest and the principal amount is not repaid within 90 days from the due date.

Effect:

  • Increasing NPAshas three main effects on banks:
  • The lending capacity of banks decreases.
  • The profits of banks decrease.
  • The cash flow of banks decreases.

Recapitalization policy of banks:

It may be noted that the Government of India has decided to give ₹ 2.11 lakh crore as additional capital to the banks to improve the condition of the banks Of this, ₹ 1.35 lakh crore is planned to be given in the form of recapitalization bonds, out of the remaining ₹ 76000 crores, ₹ 18,000 crores will be sanctioned from the budget under the Indradhanush Yojna and the remaining ₹ 58,000 crores will be raised from the banks themselves. The recapitalization will strengthen the capital base of banks and it will help them to build credit.

Punjab & Sind Bank:

  • Punjab and Sindh Bank is a GOI undertaking, which was established on 24th June 1908 with the name of Punjab and Sindh Bank Limited in Amritsar, Punjab.
  • The bank changed into a nationalized bank on 15th April 1980 under the Bank Acquisition Act and was renamed Punjab & Sind Bank.

Source – PIB, Indian Express, The Hindu

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Alternative Dwarfing genes in Wheat can help reduce Delhi’s Air Pollution

Geography Environment & Disaster Management /
Alternative Dwarfing genes in Wheat can help reduce Delhi’s Air Pollution
  • Pune based, Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (India) has mapped alternative dwarfing genes in wheat which might help eliminate the problem of stubble burning.
  • In the regions, where farmers have to sow wheat at the onset of the Kharif season, they are known to resort to the technique of burning down of leftover stubble from the previous cycle of cultivation. This has become a matter of concern, as it causes high levels of Air Pollution every year during the onset of winters, especially in the Delhi-NCR region.
  • The alternative dwarfing wheat varieties that have been mapped can be sown as deep as 7-8 cm, whereas earlier sowing  was limited to 4-5 cm (shallow sowing), hence no ground clearing in the form of stubble burning would be needed. Now it is possible for farmers to sow wheat under rice stubble-retained conditions.
  • The two alternative dwarfing genes Rht14 and Rht18 in wheat. These genes are associated with better seedling vigour and longer coleoptiles (sheath protecting the young shoot tip).
  • The deeper sowing of wheat seeds to avail advantage of residual moisture in the soil under dry environments and hence require less irrigation than current varieties.
  • The presently available semi-dwarf wheat varieties, which were explored during the Green Revolution, carry conventional Rht1 dwarfing alleles (a variant form of a given gene) and produce optimum yields under high-fertility irrigated conditions. However, they are not well adapted for deeper sowing conditions in dry environments due to shorter coleoptiles, and low early vigour often results in reduced seedling emergence. Moreover, crop stands of Rht1 wheat also remain poor where previous crop residues pose a barrier for seedling emergence due to the short coleoptiles.
Source – PIB

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New Scheme launched for Chattisgarh Farmers

Economic Development /
New Scheme launched for Chattisgarh Farmers Why in News
  • A new Income Support Programme has been launched by the state government of Chattisgarh called “Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyaya Yojana” on the 19th death anniversary of Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
  • The scheme will cover Rice, Sugarcane and Maize farmers initially  and expand to include other crop producers later on.
  • Under the scheme, the first instalment worth Rs. 1,500 crores, is going to be distributed among 18 lakh farmers of the state, 80% of whose beneficiaries will be small and marginal farmers. The annual cost of the scheme is pegged at Rs.5,700 crores.
  • Rice and Maize producers will be paid Rs.10,000 per acre while Sugarcane producers will get Rs.13,000 per acre. This money will be transferred in 4 installments.
  • The motive behind the scheme is to provide farmers with additional income to increase rural demand. This amount can be re-invested by farmers into farming activities which needs modernization of techniques like increase in irrigational and other supplements. Currently, the farmers engage in agricultural activities for just one cropping season, which can change with the help of benefits received under this scheme.
Addressing Agricultural Distress in India
  • Indian Agriculture witnesses the problem of high fluctuating prices and is under distress from a very long time. Low contribution of this sector to the National G.D.P has been a matter of grave concern for policymakers. Indian agriculture deals with issues like erratic monsoons, collapsing prices of products, a decline in the average size of the farms, fragmented supply chains, and lack of easy credit-with complete absence of private sector, has left the sector in a worrisome state.
  • To help farmers in the agricultural sector, the Indian Government, at Centre and State levels have engaged in providing them additional income support.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi
  • The additional income support through this scheme is being given to small and marginal farmers, by the Centre.
  • Farmers with landholdings of upto 2 hectares or less,  under this scheme are given assured income support worth Rs.6,000 per year via the Direct Benefit Transfer model.
Ryatu Bandhu Pathakam, Telangana
  • This scheme cover 31 districts of the state of Telangana. The transfer under this scheme is made twice a year, covering 2 agricultural cycles, i.e. Rabi and Kharif seasons.
  • Under the scheme, Rs.4,000 is given to each farmer, per acre.
Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (Kalia) Scheme, Odisha
  • Under the scheme, 10 lakh landless farmers will be provided with Rs. 12,500 to help them take up agricultural activities like goat rearing, fisheries kit, mushroom cultivation and beekeeping etc.
  • Crop loans worth Rs. 50,000 will be provided interest-free to beneficiaries; all farmers will be provided Rs. 10,000 per family for cultivation.
  • The families under the scheme will be given amount Rs.5000 in two installment, i.e one in the Kharif season or on Akshaya Tritiya and the other in the Rabi season or on the day of Nuakhai. The scheme will be implemented for 6 cropping seasons between 2018-19 and 2021-22.
Source – The Hindu

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India faces Border Challenges on two Fronts

International Relations & Internal Security /
India faces Border Challenges on two Fronts Why in News
  • India is currently facing disputes along two fronts along its borders. Firstly, India has condemned Nepal’s new political Map which claims “Kalpani-Limpiyadhura-Lipulekh” as Nepal’s sovereign territories. This section of area has been under dispute and this new political map as been termed as “Unilateral Act” on Nepal’s part, according to Indian officials of External Affairs. This map was unveiled by the Prime Minister of Nepal, K.P.Oli; this was seen as a gesture to re-buff India’s claim on the disputed territory by the inauguration of Dharchula-Lipulekh Road,  which Nepal thought to be an assertive claim on India’s part on the disputed land.
  • Nepal with the release of its new political map has claimed the inclusion of Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani within its border, which comprises an area of 310 sq.km and declared that its total area will now be 1,47,491 sq.km in total.
  • On the second front, China has accused the India Army of patrolling areas which are not within its territorial claims, blocking China’s patrol teams at two places within Chinese Jurisdiction – Baijing and Lujin duan section on Indo-Sino border and attempting to “Unilaterally” trying to change the status-quo of Line of Actual Control. According to the spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry of China, Indian troops have been accused of creating skirmishes along the western section of the Indo-Sino border and Sikkim Section by entering into Chinese territories.
  • Matters like these between the countries have escalated in the past but India- China engaged in diplomatic talks to resolve such border disputes. The most serious incident was the Doklam Face-off in 2017. Recently, incidents of such skirmishes were reported along the Pangong Tso Lake (Eastern Ladakh), Demchok and Galwan river nalah.
  • Chinese authorities have cited displeasure at the construction of a road which branches off the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie(DSDBO)Road. This construction falls in the Galwan river area, well within the Indian domain of control but Chinese discontented attitude has lead to an increase in the movement of Chinese troops to Eastern Ladakh area. Galwan River area is not a part of the disputed territory and Indian officials have failed to understand the reason behind Chinese actions as of yet.
  • The DSDBO connects Daulat Beg Oldie (at Karakoram base) with Shylok and Darbuk. It was completed a year ago. 255 km in length, it runs along Shylok and Tangste River.
Indo-Sino Border
  • The 3,448 km Indo- Sino Border has never been formally demarcated and has been the inheritance of the British Raj Era. It is divided into 3 sectors- Western, Middle & Eastern.
  • In the Western Sector, the dispute centres around the area of Aksai Chin. According to the Johnson Line proposed by British in the 1860s’, Aksai Chin belongs to the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir while this area is claimed by China as its own as well. The Middle sector dispute is a smaller one and have been formally addressed by both countries and resolved. The dispute in the Eastern Sector is surrounding the Macmohan line; here the Twang tract has been occupied by India since 1951 according to the Chinese Government. However, going by the agreement signed between, British Government and Tibetan authorities in 1913-14 during the Shimla Conference which ceded Twang area to Imperial Britain and hence is claimed by India as its own. The Macmohan line has never been recognized by China and is termed as the impact of imperialist aggression.
Indo-Nepal Border Dispute Area The issue between Indo-Nepal Border
  • The problem of identification of boundary limits in the region is interlinked to the identification of the source of the River “Makhali or Kali”. India claims that the source of the River is at Kalapani, where it is joined by many tributaries while Nepal claims that the source of origin of the river is at Lipulek pass where most of the river’s tributaries originate.
Source – The Hindu & Indian Express

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In 2 Schemes worth Rs 30,000 crore, 40% of the Funding from States

Economic Development /
In 2 Schemes worth Rs 30,000 crore, 40% of the Funding from States News 2 schemes – Pradhan Mantri Matysa Sampada Yojana (PMSY) and Scheme for Formalisation  of Micro Food Processing Enterprise (FME)- which have been launched under the campaign of “Atma Nirbhar Bharat”, were announced on 20th May 2020. Pradhan Mantri Matysa Sampada Yojana
  • Though currently it has been announced in the Third Tranche of the Rs.20.97 Lakh Crore stimulus package offered in “Atma Nirbhar Campaign”, the scheme was formally announced in the budget session of 2019-20.
  • It focuses on bringing  “Blue Revolution” in the country through the sustainable use of fisheries resources of India. It aims at “doubling fishermen income by 2024”.
  • The total estimated investments in the scheme have been pegged at Rs. 20,050 crores. Out of this, Rs. 9,407 crore is the centre’s share, Rs. 4,880 crores will come out of States’ pockets and Rs.5,763 crores will be the share from the beneficiaries.
  • The Scheme has two components – 1) Central Sector Scheme and 2) Centrally Sponsored Scheme. Within the framework of CS – contribution of the centre will be 60%, while states’ will be 40% and for Himalayan and North Eastern States, Centre-State share will be in the ratio of 90:10 respectively. For Union Territories, the centre will fund this scheme on a 100% basis. Under the CSS framework, the Centre will bear 100% funding under this scheme.
  • The beneficiaries – Individual or Group, including the National Fisheries Development Board- will receive assistance from the Centre, wherein 40% of the unit /project cost will be provided for General Category and 60% will be provided for Women/SC/ST.
  • The scheme is to be implemented for a period of 5 years from FY2020-21 and FY2024-25. The scheme will be implemented through the Department of Fisheries and try to build a stable supply chain, by making a structural change in infrastructure and modernization, post-harvest management and quality control.
Blue Revolution in India
  • Globally, “Blue Revolution” had begun for the first time in China. It is a campaign which seeks to tap the potential of the Fisheries sector in an economy and transforming it into a modern profitable sector.
  • India is the 2nd largest producer of Fishes in the world and fisheries contribution in the total agricultural export from India has considerably increased in the last 5 years or so, making it India’s single largest agricultural export. Indian boosts of an 8,118 km coastline and is well endowed with ponds, rivers and lakes which is seen as a means to increase the potential of the fisheries sector of India.
  • India launched its first “Blue Revolution” strategy in the 7th Five-year plan (1985-1990) – leading to the establishment of  Fish Farmers Development Agency. During the 8th Five year plan, Intensive Marine Fisheries’ Programme was launched. Fishing harbours were established around this time at Vishakhapatnam, Port Blair and Kochi.
  • Blue Revolution Version 2.0 or Neel Kranti – was launched by the present Government of India, to help develop and manage the fisheries sector in India. It also intends to expand the sector into the hinterland of the country. Aiming to achieve the targets of modernizing the fisheries sector, doubling of the income of men engaged in it and making fisheries an additional source of income for farmers (especially those practising it in the hinterland) are its main goals.
  • Presently it is being implemented by the National Fisheries Development Board, which was established in 2006. The Board functions under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
Scheme for Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (FME)
  • Its estimated outlay is pegged at Rs. 10,000 crores; its funding is shared by the Centre and State in a ratio of 60:40.
  • It is a new scheme which will be implemented over a 5 year period, from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
  • The scheme is to be monitored by the Centre through an Inter-Ministerial  Empowered Group whose chairperson will be the Minister of Food Processing Industries. A state-level committee will be formed to review and sanction setting up micro-units(by SHG, FPO and Cooperatives) and their expansion
  • The scheme will focus on “Cluster” based approach and engage with Perishable products. 2,00,000 micro-enterprises are to be assisted with credit linked subsidy. Micro enterprises will get credit-linked subsidy at 35 per cent of the eligible project cost with a ceiling of Rs. 10 lakh.
  • The scheme will be inviting participation through a National Portal.
  • SHG will be provided with seed capital to set up such units; Rs. 4 lakh will be given for purchasing tools and necessary implements.
  • With 25 lakh unregistered food processing enterprises which constitute 98% of the sector and are unorganized and informal and nearly 66 % of these units are located in rural areas and about 80% of them are family-based enterprises- suffer due to a number of challenges including the inability to access credit, high cost of institutional credit, lack of access to modern technology, inability to integrate with the food supply chain and compliance with the health &safety standards. This scheme will focus on the eradication of these issues at the nearest possible.
SOURCE – Indian Express

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International Tea Day 2020

Indian Heritage & Culture /

International Tea Day 2020

  • 1st International Tea day is being observed today, i.e 21st May 2020.
  • It will be observed annually according to the United Nations.
  • The day will help raise awareness about the long history about one of the most favourite drink in the world, its cultural root and economic significance.
  • Tea likely originated in the region encompassing northeast India, north Burma, Yunnan and Tibet, as a medicinal drink. An early credible record of tea drinking dates to the 3rd century AD, in a medical text written by Hua Tuo, a Chinese physician.
  • The British introduced tea culture into India in 1836 and into Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in 1867. At first they used seeds from China, but later seeds from the clonal Assam plant were used.”

Only black tea was produced until recent decades mostly in India, except in Kangra (present-day Himachal Pradesh) which produced green tea for exporting to central Asia, Afghanistan, and neighboring countries.

स्रोत – इंडियन एक्सप्रेस

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सुशासन सूचकांक 2019

Leave a Comment / Polity And Governance /

सुशासन सूचकांक 2019 

चर्चा का कारण 

  • 25 दिसंबर सुशासन दिवस पर देश में सुशासन की स्थिति का आकलन करने के लिए भारत सरकार द्वारा सुशासन सूचकांक जारी किया गया। इसे कार्मिक मंत्रालय के प्रशासनिक सुधार और लोक शिकायत विभाग ने सेंटर फॉर गुड गवर्नेंस  हैदराबाद की तकनीकी मदद से तैयार किया है।
  • ज्ञातव्य है कि पूर्व प्रधानमन्त्री अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी की जन्मतिथि 25 दिसम्बर को 2014 से सुशासन दिवस के रूप में मनाया जाता है.

सुशासन सूचकांक 2019

परिचय

  • भारत राज्यों का संघ है जिसमें केन्द्र सरकार एवं राज्य सरकारों के बीच शक्तियों का संवैधानिक रूप से स्पष्ट बँटवारा किया गया है। केन्द्र एवं राज्य सरकारों के मध्य संबंध एवं उनके अधिकार
  • क्षेत्रें को संविधान की सातवीं अनुसूची केन्द्र सूची, राज्य सूची और समवर्ती सूची के माध्यम से स्पष्ट रूप से परिभाषित किया गया है।
  • समान संवैधानिक व्यवस्था, संस्थागत स्वरूप, शक्तियों, भूमिकाओं एवं जिम्मेदारी की एकरूपता तथा स्वतंत्रता प्राप्ति से लेकर अभी तक केन्द्र सरकार के लगातार समर्थन के बावजूद राज्यों में
  • शासन की गुणवत्ता और लोगों के जीवन स्तर में व्यापक असमानताएं हैं। हालाँकि राज्यों के आकार, स्थलाकृति और सामाजिक एवं सांस्कृतिक विशेषताओं में पर्याप्त भिन्नता है लेकिन सभी एक ही संविधान और एक समान राष्ट्रीय नीतियों एवं
  • कानूनों द्वारा शासित होते हैं। इन सबके बावजूद भी कुछ राज्यों ने सुशान के क्षेत्र में बेहतर प्रदर्शन करते हुए अच्छे परिणाम प्राप्त किये हैं जबकि कुछ राज्यों ने सुशासन की दिशा में बेहतर भविष्य के संकेत देने शुरू कर दिये हैं।

सुशासन क्या है

  • सुशासन सूचकांक 2019 की अवधारणा दुनिया के लिए नयी नहीं है। समकालीन दुनिया में इसका उपयोग सार्वजनिक एवं निजी दोनों क्षेत्रें में काम करने वाले संगठनों/संस्थानों के संदर्भ में विभिन्न तरीकों से किया जा रहा है। हालाँकि अभी तक इसकी सर्वमान्य परिभाषा नहीं दी जा सकी है।
  •  समाज के समुचित विकास, उसकी शांति एवं समृद्धि के लिए सुशासन पहली शर्त है। सुशासन के अंतर्गत बहुत सी चीजें आती हैं जिनमें अच्छा बजट, सही प्रबंधन, कानून का शासन, सदाचार आदि शामिल हैं। इसके विपरीत पारदर्शित की कमी या संपूर्ण अभाव, जंगलराज, लोगों की कम भागीदारी, भ्रष्टाचार का बोलबाला आदि दुःशासन के लक्ष्य हैं।
  • शासन को प्रभावी व सक्षम बनाकर, विकासात्मक प्रक्रिया को उत्पादनशील बनाने व नयी दिशा प्रदान करने के लिए जिम्मेदारी, पारदर्शिता, भागीदारी और सशक्तीकरण पर जोर दिया जाना ही सुशासन है।
  • सुशासन नव उदारवाद का ही एक रूप है। नव उदारवाद में भागीदारी, समावेशी चरित्र, पारदर्शिता महत्वपूर्ण विषय है। सुशासन इस दौर में एक ऐसी परिकल्पना है जिसमें सबको साथ लेकर चलने की शक्ति होनी चाहिए। इसमें न्यूनतम लालफीताशाही के साथ नागरिक समाज की व्यापक सहभागिता होनी चाहिए।
  • सुशासन न केवल रचनात्मक भागीदारी को प्रोत्साहित करता है, बल्कि विभिन्न तत्वों को एक साथ लाकर उसकी
  • जन स्वीकार्यता को भी आगे बढ़ाता है। सुशासन संस्थागत समावेशन को बढ़ावा देता है।

सुशासन सूचकांक के मुख्य बिंदु

  • जीजीआई का उद्देश्य सभी राज्यों और केन्द्रशासित प्रदशों में सुशासन की स्थिति की तुलना करने के लिए मात्रत्मक डाटा उपलब्ध कराना, शासन में सुधार के लिए उचित रणनीति बनाने और उन्हे लागू करने में उन्हे सक्षम बनाना और उनके यहाँ परिणाम उन्मुख दृष्टिकोण और प्रशासन की स्थापना करना है।
  • इस सूचकांक को तैयार करने के लिए 10 महत्वपूर्ण क्षेत्रें में राज्यों के अभिशासन को आधार बनाया गया है कृषि एवं संबंधित क्षेत्र, वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग, मानव संसाधन विकास, लोक स्वास्थ्य, सार्वजनिक अवसंरचना एवं उपयोगिता, आर्थिक अभिशासन, सामाजिक कल्याण एवं विकास, न्यायिक एवं सार्वजनिक सुरक्षा, पर्यावरण और नागरिक केन्द्रित अभिशासन।
  • इन सभी क्षेत्रें का आकलन 5 उपक्षेत्रें/ संकेतकों के आधार पर किया गया है। सभी संकेतकों का भार भी अलग-अलग है जिसके आधार पर समग्र रैंकिंग तैयार की गयी है।
  • सुशासन सूचकांक में रैंकिंग प्रदान करने के लिए राज्यों को उनके आकार, भौगोलिक स्थिति तथा प्रशासनिक स्वरूप को ध्यान में रखते हुए तीन वर्गों में विभाजित कर समग्र एवं क्षेत्रवार रैंकिंग प्रदान की गयी है।
  • मध्यप्रदेश, मिजोरम तथा दमन और दीव कृषि एवं संबंधित क्षेत्र में खाद्यान्न उत्पादन, बागवानी उत्पादन, दूध एवं मांस उत्पादन और फसल विकास आदि क्षेत्रें में सर्वश्रेष्ठ प्रदर्शन करने वाले राज्य हैं।
  • वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग की श्रेणी में बड़े राज्यों में झारखण्ड, पहाड़ी राज्यों में उत्तराखण्ड और केन्द्रशासित प्रदेशों में दिल्ली को शीर्ष स्थान प्राप्त हुआ है।
  • पर्यावरण श्रेणी में पश्चिम बंगाल बड़े राज्यों में तथा जम्मू कश्मीर पहाड़ी राज्यों में शीर्ष पर है।
  • सामाजिक कल्याण एवं विकास के क्षेत्र में छत्तीसगढ़ बड़े राज्यों में और पहाड़ी राज्यों में मेघालय सबसे बेहतर प्रदर्शन करने वाला राज्य है।
  • आर्थिक अभिशासन में बड़े राज्यों में कर्नाटक तथा पहाड़ी राज्यों में उत्तराखण्ड ने प्रथम स्थान प्राप्त किया है।
  • लोक स्वास्थ में केरल, सार्वजनिक अवसंरचना एवं उपयोगिता में तमिलनाडु तथा हिमाचल प्रदेश ने अपने वर्ग में शीर्ष स्थान प्राप्त किया है।

सुशासन के लिए सरकारी प्रयास

  • कृषि एवं संबंधित क्षेत्रः सरकार 2022 तक किसानों की आय को दोगुना करने और कृषि को लाभदायक बनाने की दिशा में काम रही है। भारत सरकार के साथ-साथ राज्य सरकारें भी इस क्षेत्र के लिए प्रभावशाली पहल कर रहीं हैं, जिनका विशेष ध्यान कृषि लागत, प्रक्रिया और परिणाम पर केन्द्रित है। कुछ पहलें जैसे बुनियादी ढाँचे का निर्माण (जैसे सिंचाई व्यवस्था, भंडारण इत्यादि), कृषि विपणन, फसल बीमा, कृषि में तकनीकी विस्तार, स्थायी कृषि मिशन आदि शामिल हैं। मध्य प्रदेश सरकार कृषि क्षेत्र में विकास विशेष ध्यान दिया है, जैसे- सिंचाई के नहरों का विस्तार किया जाना, बाजार में फसलों की कीमतों के घटने से किसानों के नुकसान की भरपाई के लिए आवंटन योजना आदि।
  • वाणिज्य एवं उद्योगः यह क्षेत्र व्यापार सुगमता, औद्योगिक विकास, सूक्ष्म लघु एवं मध्यम उद्योग प्रतिष्ठान आदि में शासन के पहलुओं को समाहित करता है। केन्द्र एवं राज्य सरकारें उद्योग एवं सेवा क्षेत्र को आगे बढ़ाने की दिशा में काम कर रही हैं। किसी राज्य में उद्योग एवं वाणिज्य का विकास वहां उपलब्ध संसाधनों और क्षेत्र के विकास के समर्थनकारी कानूनों एवं उनके अनुपालन पर निर्भर करता है। मेक इन इंडिया, इनवेस्ट इन इंडिया, स्टार्ट-अप इंडिया और ई-बिज आदि पहलों के माध्यम से सरकार ने देश में निवेश एवं व्यवसाय सुगमता के लिए राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर शासन योजना प्रस्तुत की है।
  • मानव संसाधन विकासः इस क्षेत्र में प्राथमिक एवं माध्यमिक शिक्षा, कौशल विकास और अन्य संबंधित क्षेत्रें में शिक्षा संबंधी पहलुओं को शामिल किया गया है। सरकार शिक्षा की एक समान पहुँच और गुणवत्ता में सुधार के लिए निरंतर प्रयासरत है। केन्द्र सरकार ने इसके लिए सर्व शिक्षा अभियान (ैै।) दीन दयाल उपाध्याय ग्रामीण कौशल योजना, डिजिटल इंडिया, स्किल इंडिया आदि पहलों के माध्यम से मानव संसाधन विकास में जोर दिया है। सभी तक शिक्षा की पहुँच उपलब्ध कराने के लिए सरकार ने शिक्षा को मूल अधिकार के रूप में मान्यता प्रदान कर (शिक्षा का अधिकार-अधिनियम, 2005) राज्यों के लिए इस प्रावधानों को बाध्यकारी बना दिया गया।
  • लोक स्वास्थ्यः लोक स्वास्थ्य में प्राथमिक, द्वितीयक एवं विशेष स्वास्थ्य देखभाल के साथ अन्य स्वास्थ्य संबंधी प्रशासनिक पहलुओं को शामिल किया जाता है।
  • संविधान में स्वास्थ्य देखभाल की जिम्मेदारी राज्यों को प्रदान की गयी है जो राज्यों को अपने निवासियों के पोषण स्तर को बढ़ाने और उनके जीवन स्तर तथा सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य में सुधार करने के लिए जिम्मेदार बनाता है।
  • स्वास्थ्य क्षेत्र को प्रभावकारी बनाने के लिए सरकार ने राष्ट्रीय स्वास्थ्य मिशन, बाल स्वच्छता मिशन, इन्द्रधनुष योजना आदि पहलों को आगे बढ़ाया। वर्ष 2017 में सरकार द्वारा राष्ट्रीय स्वास्थ्य नीति की घोषणा की गयी जिसमें यह प्रावधान किया गया कि जीडीपी का 2-5» लोक स्वास्थ्य पर खर्च किया जायेगा। सरकार द्वारा चालू की गयी आयुष्मान भारत योजना के तहत देश के लगभग सभी गरीब माने जाने वाले लोगों को 5 लाख तक के मुफ्रत बीमा की सुविधा प्रदान की जा रही है।
  • सार्वजनिक अवसंरचनाः बेहतर एवं दक्ष भौतिक बुनियादी ढांचा सतत विकास के लिए एक आवश्यक तत्व है। मलिन बस्तियों एवं ग्रामीण इलाकों में रहने वाले अधिकांश लोगों को स्वच्छ पानी तक उपलब्ध नहीं हो पाता है। सतत विकास लक्ष्यों एवं विभिन्न विकास परियोजनाओं में स्वच्छ जल एवं स्वच्छता प्रावधान विशेष रूप से शामिल किया जाता है। भारत सरकार ने सेवाओं तक पहुँच में सुधार करने और नागरिकों की जरूरतों को पूरा करने के लिए बुनियादी ढाँचा तैयार करने के लिए कायाकल्प एवं शहरी परिवर्तन के लिए अटल मिशन (।डत्न्ज्) , स्मार्ट भारत मिशन, राष्ट्रीय सौर मिशन, शहरी ज्योति अभियान जैसी कई योजनाएँ चलाई है।
  • आर्थिक प्रशासनः इस क्षेत्र में राजकोषीय प्रबंधन, राजस्व प्रबंधन, वित्तीय समावेशन आदि क्षेत्रें को समाहित करने वाले सरकार के आर्थिक प्रबंधन को शामिल किया गया है। राज्यों के बीच विकास और शासन को मापने में अर्थव्यवस्था का महत्वपूर्ण स्थान हेाता है।

राज्यों के आर्थिक विकास एवं वृद्धि के प्रमुख मापक हैं –

  •  सकल राज्य घरेलू उत्पाद वृद्धि दर
  •  प्रति व्यक्ति आय में वृद्धि
  •  सकल राज्य घरेलू उत्पाद पर राजकोषीय घाटा
  •  सकल राज्य घरेलू उत्पाद और सार्वजनिक ट्टण अनुपात

सामाजिक कल्याण : समाज के विभिन्न वर्गों के लोगों का कल्याण राज्य के समग्र विकास में महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभाता है। भारत में सामाजिक कल्याण के महत्वपूर्ण पहलू हैं- स्वास्थ्य, शिक्षा, अर्थव्यवस्था, रोजगार आदि।

  • सामाजिक कल्याण के क्षेत्र में केन्द्र सरकार की पहलें, जैसे- प्रधानमंत्री जनधन योजना, अटल पेंशन योजना, प्रधानमंत्री श्रमयोगी मानधन योजना, प्रधानमंत्री किसान मानधन योजना आदि। वहीं राज्यों ने भी सामाजिक कल्याण की अनेक योजनाएं चलाई हैं, जैसे- राज्यों में वृद्धावस्था पेंशन योजनाएं, विधवा पेंशन योजनाएं, बालिकाओं की शिक्षा एवं सशक्तिकरण से संबंधित योजनाएं आदि।
  • न्यायिक एवं जन सुरक्षाः न्याय सुशासन का एक महत्वपूर्ण पहलू है। सामाजिक एवं आर्थिक सुरक्षा के लिए न्याय के साथ जन सुरक्षा की व्यवस्था को बनाये रखना राज्यों के लिए अति आवश्यक है। जन सुरक्षा के लिए आवश्यक है कि समाज में हो रहे अपराधों की रोकथाम के लिए पुलिस बल पर ध्यान केन्द्रित किया जाये और पुलिस कर्मियों को पर्याप्त मात्र में तैनात किया जाये।
  • पर्यावरणः वैश्विक तापन, प्रदूषण, अनियमित होती पर्यावरणीय दशाओं को नियंत्रित करते हुए सतत विकास को आगे बढ़ाना पर्यावरणीय प्रशासन के अंतर्गत आता है। भविष्य की सुरक्षा को ध्यान में रखते हुए सरकार ने इस क्षेत्र में कुछ महत्वपूर्ण कदम उठाये हैं, जैसे- नमामि गंगे, राष्ट्रीय हरित भारत मिशन, राष्ट्रीय नदी संरक्षण कार्यक्रम, वन्यजीव आवासों के समेकित विकास की योजना, प्राकृतिक संसाधनों एवं पर्यावरणीय प्रणालियाें का संरक्षण आदि।
  • नागरिक केन्द्रित शासनः नागरिकों के कल्याण और उनके अधिकारों को सुनिश्चित करने के उद्देश्य से नागरिक केन्द्रित शासन किसी भी राष्ट्रीय राज्य और स्थानीय सरकार के लिए महत्वपूर्ण है। नागरिक केन्द्रितता का उद्देश्य सुशासन प्रदान करना ही है।
  • इसके लिए सूचना का अधिकार, नागरिक चार्टर, सूचना प्रौद्योगिकी के उपयोग के साथ ऑनलाइन सेवाओं की उपलब्धता आदि का प्रावधान किया गया है।

सुशासन की राह में चुनौतियाँ

सुशासन की स्थापना में सरकार जिन चुनौतियों का सामाना करती है, उनमें सर्वप्रमुख हैं- शासन के तीनों अंगों विधायिका, कार्यपालिका और न्यायपालिका का प्रभावी समन्वय। एक अच्छा शासन प्रदान करने के लिए सरकार को संसदीय सर्वोच्चता एवं न्यायिक स्वतंत्रता के बीच संतुलन स्थापित करना पड़ता है। राज्य की शासन व्यवस्था में निजी क्षेत्र एवं नागरिक समाज का भी योगदान अति महत्वपूर्ण है जिनकी स्पष्ट भूमिका एवं जिम्मेदारी को चिह्नित किये जाने की आवश्यकता है। इस संदर्भ में देखा जाए तो सुशासन के समक्ष कुछ प्रमुख चुनौतियां हैं –

  • शासन संस्थागत संरचना को मजबूत करना
  • सिविल सेवाओं एवं नौकरशाही के काम-काज में सुधार
  • नागरिकों का न्यायपालिका में विश्वास बनाने के लिए न्यायपालिका की स्वतंत्रता एवं जवाबदेहिता को सुनिश्चित एवं सुदृढ़ किया जाना
  • उपभोक्ता हितों की रक्षा के लिए निजी एवं सरकारी दोनों क्षेत्रें की जवाबदेही तय करना।
  • नागरिकों को उनके अधिकारों एवं दायित्वों के बारे में शिक्षित करना और विकास की गतिविधियों का भागीदार बनाना।
  • देश की विशालता उसकी सामाजिक और धार्मिक विविधता, परंपराएं और विश्व स्तर पर हो रही घटनाओं का दबाव जनता के समक्ष कई तरह की चुनौतियां प्रस्तुत कर रहा है।

आगे की राह

  • आम आदमी की दृष्टि में सुशासन का तात्पर्य सुलभ, जवाबदेह एवं किफायती शासन है। पिछले तीन दशकों में हुए वैश्विक विकास ने सुशासन की धारणा को व्यापक बनाकर इसके दायरे में सरकार, निजी क्षेत्र एवं नागरिक सभी को समाहित कर लिया है।
  • शासन में परिवर्तन लाने के लिए सिर्फ सरकार में सुधार पर्याप्त नहीं होता इसके लिए आवश्यक है कि विकास को बढ़ाने वाली नीतियों का निर्माण, उनके अनुपालन में आने वाली बाधाओं का उन्मूलन, आवश्यक एवं अनिवार्य सेवाओं की समयबद्ध उपलब्धता को सुनिश्चित किया जाये।
  • इसके अलावा देखा जाए तो सुशासन के क्षेत्र में मीडिया की भूमिका सर्वोच्च होती है। यह प्रशासन को भटकाव से बचाती है उसके प्रत्येक काम पर पैनी नजर भी रखती है। इस प्रकार सुशासन तभी संभव है जब सरकार के तीनों अंग (विधायिका, कार्यपालिका, न्यायपालिका), समाज के सभी लोग और मीडिया, सभी शुद्ध मन से सहयोग करें व अपने दायित्वों को समझें और उनका पूरी तरह निर्वाह करें। राजनीतिज्ञों एवं अफसरों का भ्रष्ट गठजोड़, जनता का जागरूक न होना, मीडिया की संवेदनहीनता या अपर्याप्त बजटीय प्रावधान सुशासन की राह में रोड़ा हैं,
  • इसलिए आवश्यकता इस बात की है कि सरकार कुशल एवं प्रभावी सेवाओं पर ध्यान केन्द्रित करे जिससे सरकारी योजनाओं का लाभ प्रत्येक व्यक्ति को मिले।

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