Current News Analysis

19-12-2016

A. GS1 Related

B. GS2 Related

1. SC wants woman pilot to get permanent wings

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Supreme-Court-wants-woman-pilot-to-get-

permanent-wings/article16901127.ece

Category: Polity and Governance, Social Justice

Topic: Government Interventions, Women Empowerment

Key Points:

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur offered relief to Air Force woman pilot

“a deep Kau i he fight agai st the ules of the Esta lish e t, u de hi h he ti e as a pilot was over.

Let he fl ... let he e ai o e all the ti e, the “up e e Cou t told the go ernment.

It is i po ta t to ote that the out o e of Ms. “a dhu s ase i gs hee to se e al women officers waging a battle in the Supreme Court for equal opportunity.

2. Keep drone, says Trump as China offers return

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/Let-China-keep-the-drone-

Trump/article16899439.ece

Category: International Relations

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on

India’s interests

Key Points:

United States President-elect Donald Trump on 18th

Dec 2016 said that America should let the

Co u ist gia t keep the Na s u a ed u de ate d o e.

This statement was made afte Beiji g ag eed to etu i a app op iate a e the de i e it had seized in the disputed South China Sea (SCS).

It is important to note that this incident is among the most serious military confrontations

between the two powers for decades.

C.GS3 Related

1. Malampuzha has some rare visitors

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/Malampuzha-has-some-rare-

visitors/article16900161.ece

Category: Environment and Ecology

Topic: Conservation

Key Points:

Amur falcons, are small birds of prey that undertake one of the longest migrations.

These birds breed in south-eastern Siberia and North-eastern China.

It is important to note that ornithologists say Nagaland was their home in India.

Every year, they travel 22,000 km from Nagaland to South Africa then onto Mongolia and back

to Nagaland. The bird has one of the longest and most fascinating migratory paths in the avian

kingdom.

Why the name Amur?

Since these falcons normally breed in south-eastern Siberia and North-eastern China where the

Amur river divides the Russian Far East and China, they are named as Amur falcons.

Features of the Bird

Weighing hardly 150 g, the Amur falcon or Falco amurensis is a small bird.

Male falcons are mostly grey in colour, and the female has dark-streaked cream or orange

underparts.

It is important to note that in some parts of Nagaland, tribal people consider the falcons as

messengers of God, their arrival indicating a good year and a bountiful harvest.

The birds eat winged termites and other insects that destroy crops.

2. Rs.10,000-crore fund planned for infra finance

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-business/Rs.10000-crore-fund-planned-

for-infra-finance/article16901869.ece

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Infrastructure, Government Policy

Key Points:

It is important to note that I dia s i f ast u tu e se to , e ui i g i est e ts of o e tha $1.5 trillion in the coming ten years.

The infrastructure sector is now set to get a boost with a dedicated fund of Rs.10,000 crore to

provide credit enhancement for commercially viable projects.

The dedicated fund will be in the form of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) and will be categorised

an NBFC-Infrastructure Finance Company.

The promoters are likely to include Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), General Insurance

Corporation of India, State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Power Finance Corporation, Indian

Renewable Energy Development Agency and India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd (IIFCL).

It is important to note that the government is keen on roping in international financial

institutions such as Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, New

Development Bank (formerly BRICS Development Bank), International Finance Corporation

(World Bank Group).

D. GS4 Related

E. Important Editorials

The Hindu

1. Questions from a washout

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/Questions-from-a-

washout/article16900170.ece

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Union Legislature

Key Points:

During much of the winter session of Parliament, opposition parties mustered all their disruptive

tactics to stall the functioning of both Houses of Parliament.

It is important to note that given what was at stake in the session, the abandonment of the spirit

of give-and-take that keeps the legislative schedule humming was surprising.

The government staked much political capital on key financial reforms that needed cooperation

across the aisles. But unfortunately, it lost the chance to pass bills critical to the April 1, 2017,

deadline for the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax.

The government also failed to end the session on a note of federal cooperation to set up the

shift to Budget day to February 1 from next year.

2. Bridging the learning deficit

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/Bridging-the-learning-

deficit/article16900169.ece

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Initiatives

Key Points:

After almost five decades after India first formulated its National Education Policy, the Ministry

for Human Resource Development appears to be gearing up for another revision to this policy

document.

It is important to note that the state of education, particularly in the critical primary and pre-

primary years, is far from satisfactory.

Unfortunately, there are gaping holes that remain in the system. The barriers to high-quality,

equitably-distributed primary education include: a) high dropout rates, especially for girls; b)

teacher absenteeism and low teaching quality; c) outmoded pedagogies and d) insufficient

resources to implement contemporary teaching methods.

Further, the problem of poor learning outcomes is of concern. The problem of poor learning

outcomes is a structural issue pertaining to the design of curricula and ingrained rote learning

methods.

Unfortunately, these ha e ee the a k o e of I dia s tea hi g t aditio fo o e half a century.

Thus, it is important to note that while efforts of the present and previous government to boost

the quality of learning in higher and vocational education must be appreciated, policymakers

ought not to ignore early childhood education and primary schooling, the phases during which

the most important cognitive development milestones are attained.

The Economic Times

1. Passage of the Disabilities Act was only redeeming feature of

this parliament session

http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-editorials/passage-of-the-disabilities-act-

was-only-redeeming-feature-of-this-parliament-session/

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Initiatives

Key Points:

In an otherwise dismal parliamentary session, the passage of the Rights of Persons with

Disabilities Act, 2016 is a bright spot.

Some important statistics:

As per the Census 2011, only 2.2% of the population has disabilities. Further, there is a

general agreement that a more realistic number is 4-5% of the population. Of those with

disabilities, 64% are unemployed.

In a nod to this double disability, the quota for persons with disability has been hiked to

4% both in educational institutions and government jobs.

The new law, which amends an earlier law of 1995, seeks to address the discrimination

that people with disabilities face in in employment, at the workplace, and in access to

public spaces.

It provides timelines for the building blocks that will deliver the promise of the prime

minister’s Accessible India Campaign. The legislation most clearly puts the onus on the appropriate authorities to take measures

that will allow persons with disabilities to exercise their constitutional rights.

Further, it makes the connection between efforts to improve the lives of those with

disability and actual results on the ground.

‘Implementation’ is the Achilles heel of India’s policy on persons with disability. With a new law in place that is in sync with global standards, the focus must now shift on

delivering on the ground.

The Indian Express

1. New channel

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/inter-state-water-dispute-water-

sharing-national-water-commission-4434150/

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Initiatives, Center-State Relations

Key Points:

On December 15, the Union cabinet announced wide-ranging amendments to the Inter-

State Water Disputes Act, 1956.

It has proposed an agency to collect and maintain water data including those pertaining to

rainfall, irrigation and inter-basin flows.

For a country beset with numerous water conflicts, the salience of this move cannot be

overstated. Collection of data is the first step towards resolving water disputes.

The country has lacked a specialised agency for the purpose. The new agency will ensure

that water data is regularly updated and this will obviate the haste to collect data every time

there is a water dispute.

The cabinet has also decided to constitute a permanent tribunal to adjudicate on all inter-

state water disputes over river waters. This will mean doing away with the current practice

of having a separate tribunal for every inter-state river dispute.

In recent times, the practice of creating a tribunal every time an inter-state water dispute

crops up, has been subject to criticism. These tribunals take inordinate amount of time and

do not resolve the problem satisfactorily. The Cauvery Tribunal, for example, took 17 years

to gi e its fi al a a d a d the dispute is o ea s esol ed. The a i et s de isio to constitute a permanent tribunal is in consonance with the National Water Policy 2012,

which had pointed out that a multiplicity of tribunals militates against the early resolution of

water conflicts and tribunals often work at cross purposes.

There is, however, an even more serious shortcoming of these ad hoc tribunals. That stems

from their Constitutional status. The Constitution attaches a special status to inter-state

wate disputes, he e the eithe fall u de the “up e e Cou t s o a othe ou t s ju isdi tio . The ou ts a , at est, i te p et a t i u al s a a d. The a a d is i di g, ut legal a o alies ha e ea t that a t i u al s de isio is ot e fo ea le — one reason inter-

state river disputes have become virtually irresolvable. Non-compliance of tribunal awards

by states remains a weak link in dispute resolution. That might persist even when there is a

permanent tribunal.

BusineeLine

1. Uber, taxis and transformations

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/transforming-urban-mobility-to-our-

advantage/article9433187.ece

Category: Polity and Governance, Indian Economy

Topic: Government Initiatives, Transport, Infrastructure

Key Points: Enterprises such as Uber, Lyft, Didi-Chuxing, Grab and Ola, are disrupting a

service —that of traditional taxis — which can trace their formal origins to 1654.

It is important to note that over the centuries, taxis have evolved to a predictable

pattern across the world.

Usually the services and their tariffs are regulated. The drivers usually are

organised in some form of labour union and are in turn subject to screening for

health, proficiency and often criminal record. Vehicles are often required to meet

environmental, safety and user access regulations in response to societal

concerns and priorities.

By creating an app-based mobility-as-a-service platform, these new enterprises

aspire to render car ownership as well as several forms of public transit obsolete

within a few decades.

In the modern idiom, they harness a distributed enterprise leveraging dispersed

capital. This renders their balance sheets asset light — a factor that their investors

love.

A blend of affordable fares, low capital demands, and flexible, user-friendly

service has caused these services to appeal not only to commuters but also to

municipalities and local administrations that are under pressure around the

world, to reduce the losses in their unprofitable local transit services.

PIB

1. Environment Minister Exhorts Forest Officers to be sincere

and committed towards Forestry Sector

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=155618

Category: Polity and Governance, Environment and Ecology

Topic: Government Initiatives, Conservation

Key Points:

Urging young forest officers to be sincere and committed towards the cause of the forestry

sector, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change,

Shri Anil Madav Dave emphasized that in order to make the systems corruption free, the

financial transactions should also be cashless, or less cash should be used to the extent

possible.

The Minister said that focus should be on research, through which livelihood and economic

status of the people living around the forest area is enhanced and people get motivated to

grow more trees outside forests to increase the C-mitigation potential of the area.

2. CNS Visit to Japan

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=155615

Category: International Relations

Topic: Agreements involving India

Key Points:

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba, is on an official visit to Japan.

The visit aims to consolidate existing Maritime Cooperation initiatives as well as explore new

avenues.

Historical Context:

The friendship between India and Japan has a long history rooted in spiritual affinity and

strong cultural and civilisational ties.

I dia s ea liest do u e ted di e t o ta t ith Japa as ith the Todaiji Te ple i Na a, where the consecration or eye-opening of the towering statue of Lord Buddha was

performed by an Indian monk, Bodhisena, in 752 AD.

In contemporary times, among prominent Indians associated with Japan were Swami

Vivekananda, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, JRD Tata, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and

Judge Radha Binod Pal. The Japan-India Association was set up in 1903, and is today the

oldest international friendship body in Japan.

Defence cooperation:

Defence cooperation between India and Japan is robust and is primarily focused towards

Maritime Cooperation. Our defence cooperation was institutionalised with commencement

of the India-Japan Comprehensive Security Dialogue which was initiated in 2001.

Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) has participated in the MALABAR exercise in

2007, 2009, 2014 prior being included as a regular member in the exercise since 2015.

JMSDF participated in MALABAR 15 and 16 held in the Bay of Bengal and Western Pacific

respectively.

In 2014, Japan has also been included as an observer in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium

(IONS), a Maritime Cooperation construct conceptualised and pioneered by Indian Navy in

2008.

Points of Convergence:

India and Japan share similar maritime challenges such as long coastline, extensive EEZ,

coastal security, large coastal shipping and fishing fleet, wherein both navies have

opportunities to lea f o ea h othe s e pe ie es. In addition common ground exists for cooperation on a number of issues common to both

navies.

3.World and Region Faces Growing Threat of Terrorism, President

Mukherjee tells Tajik President

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=155624

Category: International Relations

Topic: Agreements involving India

Key Points:

Welcoming the President of Tajikistan to India, the President said his visit to India is on the

eve of the 25th anniversary of India-Tajikistan diplomatic relations. It bears testimony to the

abiding friendship between the two nations and the value that we attach to our bilateral

relations. India was among first countries to recognise emergence of Tajikistan on

dissolution of the former Soviet Union.

The P eside t said I dia e og izes P eside t ‘ah o s ole i e su i g pea e a d sta ilit in Tajikistan which has a similar salutary effect in the region.

Subsequently, President Pranab Mukherjee said India appreciates the close co-operation

that we have in the United Nations and other international organizations. India is grateful

fo Tajikista s suppo t for her rightful claim to a permanent seat in the UN Security Council

and its membership of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation.

The President said as neighbours with a shared vision of peace and stability in our region,

we both desire to strengthen our defence and security co-operation in order to effectively

address our concerns.

The world – and particularly our region, is, today, faced by the growing threat of terrorism.

Both India and Tajikistan are opposed to this menace in all its forms and manifestations. Our

peoples, as secular and pluralistic societies, desire to live in peace. For us, development and

progress of our nations is of utmost importance. We are also committed to assist our mutual

friend and neighbour, Afghanistan, to realise the goals and aspirations of its people -

through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

4. Prime Minister to lay foundation of first ever Indian Institute

of Skills in India at Kanpur

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=155623

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Initiatives

Key Points:

In line with his vision of making India the Skill Capital of the World by empowering its

youth to be more employable and self-sustainable, Prime Minister will lay the

fou datio sto e of the fi st e e I dia I stitute of “kills i the ou t at Ka pu , Uttar Pradesh.

The Institute has been conceptualized by Shri Narendra Modi during his visit to

“i gapo e s I stitute of Te h i al Edu atio . Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in partnership with the

Institute of Technical Education, Singapore has decided to open an institute first ever of

its kind in the country, the institute is inspired by the Singapore model of training and

would adopt various best practices from the country.

F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to

Revise/Learn:

1. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn

Amur Falcons

Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF)

MALABAR exercise

Shanghai Cooperation Organization

International North South Transport Corridor

2. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS

BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGANISATIONS

IN NEWS

Links to Refer

The Right of Persons with Disabilities

Bill, 2014

http://www.prsindia.org/billtrack/the-right-of-

persons-with-disabilities-bill-2014-3122/

3. Tags

Amur Falcons

Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF)

MALABAR exercise

Shanghai Cooperation Organization

International North South Transport Corridor

Practice Questions

Date: 19

th December, 2016

Category: Environment and Ecology

Topic: Conservation, Biodiversity Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

1] Consider the following statements, regarding ‘Amur Falcons’?

1] Since these falcons normally breed in south-eastern Siberia and North-eastern China where the Amur

river divides the Russian Far East and China, they are named as Amur falcons.

2] Amur falcons, are small birds of prey that undertake one of the longest migrations. In some parts of

Nagaland, tribal people consider the falcons as messengers of God, their arrival indicating a good year

and a bountiful harvest.

Which of the following statements is/are incorrect?

a) 1 Only

b) 2 Only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans (d)

Date: 19th December, 2016

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Significant Provisions Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

2] Consider the following statements,

1] Article 262 of the Indian Constitution refers to election of the President of India.

2] The Constitution attaches a special status to inter-state water disputes, whereby they neither fall

u de the “up e e Cou t s o a othe ou t s ju isdi tio . The ou ts can, at best, interpret a

t i u al s a a d.

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

a) 1 Only

b) 2 Only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans (b)

Article 262 of the Indian Constitution refers to adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter State

rivers or river valleys.

Date: 19

th December, 2016

Category: International Relations

Topic: Agreements involving India Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

3] Consider the following statements,

1] The Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) has participated in the MALABAR exercise as a

regular member since 2015.

2] In 2014, Japan has also been included as an observer in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), a

Maritime Cooperation construct conceptualised and pioneered by Indian Navy in 2008.

Which of the following statements is/are incorrect?

a) 1 Only

b) 2 Only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans (d)

Date: 19th December, 2016

Category: Geography

Topic: Various Parts of the world

Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

4] ‘Mischief Reef’ is located in which of the following?

a) South China Sea

b) Red Sea

c) Black Sea

d) North Sea

Ans (a)

Date: 19th December, 2016

Category: International Relations

Topic: Agreements involving India Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

5] Consider the following statements,

1] India was among first countries to recognise emergence of Tajikistan on dissolution of the former

Soviet Union.

2] The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a proposed multimodal

transportation system connecting the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea via Islamic

Republic of Iran, from where it connects St. Petersburg and North Europe.

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

a) 1 Only

b) 2 Only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans (c)

Current News Analysis

20-12-2016

A. GS1 Related

1. Kash ir ra es for Chillai Kala

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Kashmir-braces-for-%E2%80%98Chillai-

Kalan%E2%80%99/article16906999.ece

Category: Geography

Topic: India- Climate

Key Points:

Kashmir braces for the Chillai Kala . This is the harshest 40-day spell of winter.

Unfortunately, the fast dipping sub-zero temperature has slowed down the pace of daily

life.

Chillai Kalan usually brings with it several spells of snowfall.

B. GS2 Related

1. Russian envoy shot dead in Ankara

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/Russian-ambassador-to-Turkey-shot-

dead-in-Ankara/article16906778.ece

Category: International Relations

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on

India’s interests

Key Points:

The Russian ambassador to Turkey was shot in the back and killed while giving a speech at

an art gallery on 19th Dec, 2016.

The gu a shouted Do 't fo get Aleppo , a d as a off-duty police officer.

This development marks one of the most serious spill-overs of the Syria conflict. Turkey has

been a staunch opponent of President Bashar al-Assad, while Russia has deployed troops

and its air force in support of the Syrian leader. It is important to note that, Turkey has

struggled with a string of attacks by Islamist and Kurdish militants but the killing of a

Russian envoy could have resonance throughout the region.

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in televised

o e ts, We ualif hat happe ed as a te o ist a t, She further went on to add that the issue would be raised at the UN Security Council.

C.GS3 Related

1. Pak. involvement obvious in Pathankot attack, says NIA

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Pak.-involvement-obvious-in-Pathankot-

attack-says-NIA/article16907520.ece

Category: Internal Security

Topic: Challenges to Internal Security

Key Points:

The chief of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on 19th

Dec, 2016 that the Jaish-e-

Mohammad (JeM) terrorists, including Masood Azhar, ould ot ha e a ted i isolatio hile pla i g a d e e uti g the te o ist atta k o the Patha kot ai ase a d that the o pli it of Pakista as o ious.

2. I-T Act change to help small firms move to e-payment

http://www.thehindu.com/business/I-T-Act-change-to-help-small-firms-move-to-e-

payment/article16906785.ece

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Government Policy

Key Points:

To reduce the rate of deemed profit from 8 to 6 per cent for small firms with a turnover

of less than Rs.2 crore who receive their payments electronically, the Centre will amend

the Income Tax Act in Budget 2017.

The Finance Ministry announced this plan 19th December, 2016 in a move which will

promote digital payments.

While it is hoped that this should encourage the adoption of electronic payments, it

could lead to some operational difficulties for companies that conduct their business

both electronically and in cash.

The government mentioned that the legislative amendment to make the required

changes to the Income Tax Act will be carried out through the Finance Bill 2017.

D. GS4 Related

E. Important Editorials

The Hindu

1. Grappling with water disputes

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/Grappling-with-water-

disputes/article16906692.ece

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Center-State Relations

Key Points:

It is believed that a permanent tribunal to adjudicate river water disputes between States will

undoubtedly be a vast improvement over the present system of setting up ad hoc tribunals.

The U io Ca i et s recent proposal to have a permanent tribunal that will subsume existing

tribunals is expected to provide for speedier adjudication.

Yet, even with this development, it is doubtful whether this will resolve the problem of

protracted proceedings.

What the critics of the permanent tribunal say?

Critics have argued that given the number of ongoing inter-State disputes and those likely to

arise in the future, it may be difficult for a single institution with a former Supreme Court judge

as its chairperson to give its ruling within three years.

Secondly, its interlocutory orders as well as final award are likely to be challenged in the

Supreme Court.

Further, a confusing aspect is that benches of the permanent tribunal are going to be created to

look into disputes as and when they arise- and it is not clear in what way these temporary

benches would be different from the present tribunals.

It is important to note that, the Supreme Court, in a recent landmark verdict, said it had unfettered

power to hear an appeal arising from a river water dispute tribunal under Article 136 of the

Constitution.

Positives points raised

It is important to observe a positive feature of the proposed changes- that there will be an

expert agency to collect data on rainfall, irrigation and surface water flows.

This acquires importance because party-States have a tendency to fiercely question data

provided by the other side.

It is believed that a permanent forum having reliable data in its hands sounds like an ideal

mechanism to apportion water.

In conclusion, it is important to note that water disputes have humanitarian dimensions, including

agrarian problems. Thus, what is at stake is not merely a set of competing claims over riparian

rights. Institutional mechanisms must be backed by the political will to make them work.

2. ‘isks of Tru p s Chi a poli y

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/Risks-of-Trump%E2%80%99s-China-

policy/article16906693.ece

Category: International Relations

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Key Points:

The recent seizure of an American underwater drone in the international waters of the South

China Sea by the Chinese Navy marks the latest flashpoint in bilateral relations between China

and the U.S.

At this point of time, it is not clear if the capture of the drone, was a junior-level act by sailors or

a strategic move directed by Beijing.

Recent developments involving Trump:

This incident comes days after Donald Trump broke diplomatic protocol and accepted a

congratulatory call from the Taiwanese President. In fact, this move invited an angry response

from China, which sees Taiwan as a breakaway province.

Mr. Trump has recently escalated matters by questioning the One- China policy.

In fact, throughout the election campaign Mr. Trump had maintained that he would renegotiate

the te s of A e i a s e gage e t ith Chi a. Trump had also accused Beijing of currency manipulation.

China has reiterated that the One-China policy is non-negotiable. China has also installed anti-

aircraft weapons and other arms on all seven artificial islands it has built in the South China Sea.

It is important to note that China is a caged naval power which has access to both South and East

China Seas. One reason as to why China is so sensitive about Taiwan is its geopolitical vulnerability.

3. States need to buck up

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/States-need-to-buck-up/article16906629.ece

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Initiatives

Key Points:

It is important to note that as we transition from Millennium Development Goals to

Sustainable Development Goals, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) are taking policy

centre stage in most emerging and developing countries.

Now, it is important to note that WASH sectors are concurrent subjects- thus, policies

have been formulated by the Central government and respective State governments.

Studies have shown that WASH policies formulated by State governments have low

robustness as compared to that of national policies.

The capacity for policymaking of State governments thus needs to be further

strengthened.

Some important statistics

Worldwide, there are 663 million people who lack access to safe water and 2.4

billion people who lack access to improved sanitation.

I I dia, 8 illio la k safe ate se i es a d a out 84 illio people do t have sanitation services.

The Way Forward

Identification of the beneficiary segments is a key component of policy.

The needs and barriers for segments of the population differ and consequently the

strategies also need to be customised for the different segments.

Thus, policymakers have gradually moved a a f o a o e size fits all app oa h to a more beneficiary-centric approach.

A traditional approach has been to segment the beneficiaries on the basis of

geographical and social context (GSS).

Of late, segmenting the beneficiaries on the basis of the human life cycle (LCS) is gaining

traction.

But, the Indian policy engine seems to be more attuned to the GSS framework.

It is important to note that to be able to achieve our WASH targets, it is imperative that

our policies straddle both the LCS and GSS approaches.

The Economic Times

1. The primary task of Election Commission is to monitor political

expenditure

http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-editorials/the-primary-task-of-election-

commission-is-to-monitor-political-expenditure/

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Initiatives

Key Points:

It is suggested that the Election Commission’s (EC) reported proposal to ban all anonymous political donations in excess of Rs 2,000 is, no doubt, well-intended but is ill-

conceived.

Parties routinely report a tiny fraction of their actual income and expenditure.

It is suggested that every party should declare every month how much money it spent at

the level of the polling booth, the panchayat, the municipal ward, the district, the state

and the nation.

This amount should include money spent by activists and well-wishers as well.

Improved corporate governance and a culture of companies funding their new

investments using the bond market rather than through bank loans will help.

A handful of bankers alone need to be persuaded to sanction a loan and defend that

decision. A bond market has very many analysts, brokers and rating agencies

pronouncing on the merits of the project undertaken and how much it should actually

cost. This would reduce the scope for project overinvoicing, a routine method of

generating unaccounted funds with which to finance parties. The EC must think through

its options.

The Indian Express

1. On the brink

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/imphal-curfew-manipur-

violence-protest-bus-burnt-4435936/

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Center-State Relations

Key Points:

I Ma ipu , the U ited Naga Cou il UNC has dee ed the go e e t s o e to upg ade Sadar Hills and Jiribam to full-fledged dist i ts as a atte pt to take t aditio al Naga la d and imposed an economic blockade from November 2 onwards.

Meanwhile, angry Meitei mobs have been breaking the curfew and attacking vehicles

heading to tribal areas in the state.

The go e e t s justifi atio fo the fo atio of the e dist i ts is ad i ist ati e convenience, but given the recent context of conflict and resentment between

communities, the move was bound to cause a flare-up.

The resentment against the new administrative units is just the latest in a series of issues

that have caused strife.

The demand that the Inner Line Permit (ILP) be implemented in Manipur has gained traction

over the last few years amid fears that increasing tourism and migration would alter the

demographic profile of the state.

Unfortunately, the government did not make the process or the decision on the new

administrative divisions a consultative one.

The Hill Area Committees, meant to represent and safeguard tribal interests, have claimed

they were not part of the decision.

Whether for political considerations or administrative convenience, the redrawing of

boundaries is a sensitive issue in the complex social fabric of Manipur and has immediate

and real consequences for the law and order situation in the state.

The government and other political actors must come to a broad agreement before the

situation deteriorates further.

PIB

1. Dr Jitendra Singh discusses Northeast tourism, trade

promotion with top Industry leaders

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=155632

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Tourism

Key Points:

Dr Jitendra Singh said that Northeast has lot much to offer, but the attributes remain

unexplored because people outside are either not aware of it or do not find it convenient to

venture.

He said, it is a strange contradiction that large number of tourists from Mumbai,

Maharashtra and Gujarat are inclined to travel to foreign destinations in the immediate

neighborhood like Bangkok and Kathmandu, but they are not motivated to travel to Shillong

or Gangtok which have much more to offer at a much lesser budget.

The irony is, he said, that a highly scenic destination like Shillong attracts more number of

European and foreign tourists compared to domestic or Indian tourists because of lack of

awareness in other parts of the country.

While dwelling on a vast potential to develop exclusive circuits for industrial, tourism and

religious tourism between Western parts of India and Northeast, Dr Jitendra Singh also

proposed the idea of Medical Tourism for which a place like Mumbai is certainly far more

equipped to attract healthcare seekers and patients, most of whom from Northeast are

presently travelling to distant destinations like Vellore in Tamil Nadu because of lack of

p oje tio of othe optio s. He also suggested that the ou t s leadi g o po ate hospitals could set up referral clinics in different States of the region.

D Jite d a “i gh also flagged the idea of o i i g tou is ith “ta t up I dia programme which could simultaneously help in engaging youth and generating

employability.

2. Indian Railways Plan of Action To Promote SHGs

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=155654

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Railways

Key Points:

Plan of Action to promote SHGs:

● Indian Railways will provide support and access to IRCTC’s website. ● NABARD will ensure extensive e-marketing. ● NABARD will develop a website. ● All information of SHG’s and their products can be seen on this Website. ● Customer can order any of the articles/products on the same website. ● IRCTC to provide link to this website at all of its various existing service websites. ● IRCTC is tendering for installation and operation of Water Vending machines on platforms. ● D and E class stations are being earmarked for Self Help Groups. ● This will help in boosting morale by providing alternative source of earning to Self Help

Groups.

F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to

Revise/Learn:

1. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn

NABARD

Inner Line Permit (ILP)

One-China policy

2. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS

BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGANISATIONS

IN NEWS

Links to Refer

The Right of Persons with Disabilities

Bill, 2014

http://www.prsindia.org/billtrack/the-right-of-

persons-with-disabilities-bill-2014-3122/

3. Tags

NABARD

Inner Line Permit (ILP)

One-China policy

Practice Questions

Date: 20

th December, 2016

Category: Geography

Topic: Various Parts of the World Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

1] Consider the following statements,

1] The states that border Manipur are Nagaland, Mizoram, and Assam.

2] Manipur shares a border with Myanmar.

Which of the following statements is/are incorrect?

a) 1 Only

b) 2 Only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans (d)

Date: 20th December, 2016

Category: Environment and Ecology

Topic: Conservation Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

2] Consider the following statements,

1. Red book contains data of endangered,extinct and threatened species 2. Red data book is prepared by UNDP with the involvement of NGOs and concerned states

Which of the following is/are incorrect? A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both D. none Answer: B It is prepared by IUCN

Date: 20th December, 2016

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Initiatives Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

3] Consider the following statements,

1] Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sectors are concurrent subjects.

2] A recent study has shown that WASH policies formulated by State governments have low robustness

as compared to that of national policies.

Which of the following statements is/are incorrect?

a) 1 Only

b) 2 Only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans (d)

Date: 20th December, 2016

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Provisions Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

4] Consider the following statements,

1] According to Article 136 of the Indian Constitution, the Supreme Court may, in its discretion,

grant special leave to appeal from any judgment, decree, determination, sentence or order

in any cause or matter passed or made by any court or tribunal in the territory of India.

2] Directive Principles of State Policy are justiciable in nature.

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

a) 1 Only

b) 2 Only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans (a)

Directive Principles of State Policy are non-justiciable in nature.

Date: 20th December, 2016

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Evolution of Constitution Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

5] Consider the following statements with reference to the changes which the ‘Indian Independence Act of 1947’ made to the position of the Constituent Assembly.

1] The assembly was made a fully sovereign body, which could frame any Constitution it pleased.

2] The assembly also became a legislative body.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a) 1 Only b) 2 Only

c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans c) Both 1 and 2

Current News Analysis

21-12-2016

A. GS1 Related

B. GS2 Related

1. Central forces rushed to Manipur

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/Central-forces-rushed-to-

Manipur/article16915234.ece

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Center-State Relations

Key Points:

The Centre has rushed around 4,000 paramilitary personnel to Manipur.

This development takes place in the wake of violence following the economic blockade of

the National Highways connecting the State.

Meanwhile, Nagaland Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang has sought the intervention of the Centre

and the Manipur government in securing the lives and property of Nagas in the Imphal

Valley of Manipur.

2. India, Kyrgyzstan seek a global pact against terror

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/India-Kyrgyzstan-seek-a-global-pact-

against-terror/article16916364.ece

Category: International Relations

Topic: Agreements involving India

Key Points:

India and Kyrgyzstan on 20th Dec 2016, finalised plans for joint military exercises in the

New Year, and reiterated the need for a global convention against terrorism.

Visiting President Almazbek Atambaev highlighted the common historical heritage, and

sought cooperation to deal with current global challenges like terrorism.

Mr. Ata ae e tio ed that K rg zsta is ho e to the great Mughals of I dia a d Emperor Babur came from the city Osh and even in his memoir, Baburnama, he refers to

his pla e of origi i the ou tai s ear Osh,

The delegatio s fi alised pla s to hold the a ual joi t ilitar e er ises a ed Kha jar-

IV i Fe ruar -March.

The high-altitude Kyrgyz-Indian Mountain Training Centre being built in the city of Balykchi,

will be used to train Indian military personnel.

The isiti g delegatio also el o ed I dia’s proposal for trai i g K rg z for es for U.N. peacekeeping assignments.

C.GS3 Related

1. Users must pay for rail services: Jaitley

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-business/Users-must-pay-for-rail-

services-Jaitley/article16915558.ece

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Government Policy

Key Points:

Outlining a vision for the Indian Railways, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said rail

passengers need to pay for services.

Significantly, the Minister signalled that the Centre will resist populist measures, focus

on improving the railway station infrastructure, monetise railway assets for commercial

activities, outsource train hospitality and most importantly, make consumers pay for

the services they receive.

D. GS4 Related

E. Important Editorials

The Hindu

1. Demonetisation — an unkind postscript

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/Demonetisation-%E2%80%94-an-unkind-

postscript/article16913530.ece

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Government Policy

Key Points:

In the wake of the recent caveats, announced on 19th Dec 2016, restricting deposits over

Rs.5,000 (roughly $70), critics have observed that this is not just difficult to fathom but also

constitute an unfair change in the rules of the game.

While those opting to disclose unaccounted income under the new amnesty scheme, the

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, face no restriction on depositing old notes- anyone

depositing Rs.5,000 or more into a bank account will have to satisfactorily explain to two bank

officials why this was not done earlier.

It is also opined that implementation would likely be arbitrary as each bank branch may come

up with its own ground rules, just as they are doing in the case of cash withdrawal limits.

2. Time for a policy shift

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/Time-for-a-policy-shift/article16913386.ece

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Government Policy, Manufacturing

Key Points: In the context of the manufacturing and agriculture sectors, there has been a going on for

several years- that of small versus large.

It is believed that small units are usually efficient in terms of resource use and

management, and technically more efficient.

However, small units do not have access to several kinds of resources, particularly in

relation to credit and marketing facilities, and are not able to reap the economies of scale.

Thus, large units may reveal better performance indicators and may have an edge in

market competition.

It is important to note that the unorganised manufacturing sector, which includes both

household and non-household units, accounts for a large majority of total manufacturing

employment in India and the units in this sector are by definition small in size.

One way that has been suggested to judge the economic viability of unorganised

manufacturing units is to consider the performance index in terms of ‘technical efficiency’.

What is te h i al effi ie ?

It is the ability of an industrial unit to transform inputs into output judged against the best

practice units in the same industry — relative to the organised sector units.

It is important to note that with a rise in income, the demand for products shift away from the unorganised

to the organised sector. The government policy initiatives for promoting urbanisation in India, particularly

the ‘Smart Cities’ programme, are expected to help make unorganised manufacturing more economically viable.

It is important to note that an important policy question is whether the unorganised manufacturing sector

should be helped to restructure increasingly from household units to establishments. Such a

transformation will provide efficiency gains to unorganised manufacturing, but may come at the cost of

some loss in employment.

The Economic Times

1. People can take inconvenience, but not bad planning

http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-editorials/people-can-take-

inconvenience-but-not-bad-planning/

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Government Policy, Planning

Key Points:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the finance ministry recently said that any deposits

worth more than Rs 5,000 in demonetised currency could henceforth be done only once.

But, this contradicts the earlier assurance that citizens were free to deposit any amount till

December 30.

This decision by the Government is widely looked upon as an arbitrary decision.

It is important to note that banks do not have legislative or moral sanction to grill their

customers about sources of cash and timing of deposits. They are commercial entities, a

bridge between savers and borrowers.

The job of scrutinising suspect transactions domestically or globally falls on income tax,

revenue department and the enforcement directorate.

This rule, if implemented, will spoil relationships between banks and their customers,

erode faith in formal banking — and could, potentially, drive cash away from banks to

informal credit markets.

BusinessLine

1. A tale of two demonetisations

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/demonetisation-in-india-and-

venezuela/article9436578.ece

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Government Policy, Planning

Key Points: PM Narendra Modi of India and Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela will both be

remembered for embarking on audacious campaigns aimed at demonetisation of

their large denomination currencies.

But unlike our case where the environment has been peaceful, the Venezuelan

experience has been marked by a great deal of dissatisfaction resulting in violence.

Venezuela is one of the worst performing Latin American nations with hyperinflation.

In Venezuela, conditions have not been peaceful. Violence has erupted in less than a

week’s time with the people rioting and attacking banks and ATMs and causing a lot

of destruction.

In contrast, the Indian tale has been more organised.

The Government was absolutely keen on unearthing black money, and in the last two

years, it started the exercise by addressing Swiss bank accounts while simultaneously

starting Jan Dhan to equip all with bank accounts.

An income declaration scheme which ended in September has been followed up with

demonetisation which has removed all old ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes which are to be

replaced with new ₹500 and ₹2,000 notes.

PIB

1. Ne t step towards 7 Power For All : “hri Pi ush Goyal launches GARV-II App to track Rural Household

Electrification and Citizen Engagement Window

“AMVAD

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=155683

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Initiatives

Key Points:

Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri

Piyush Goyal launched the‘GARV-II’ App.

This initiative is seen as the next step in Government of India’s aim to provide access to

electricity to all households in the country. Under this module, village-wise and habitation-

wise base line data on household electrification for all States, as provided by them, has

been incorporated.

Explaining the features of the ‘GARV-II’ app, Shri Goyal said that the data in respect

of about 6 lakh villages, with more than 15 lakh habitations having 17 crore

people, has been mapped for tracking progress on household electrificationin

each of the habitations of these villages, which is a remarkable progress over the

previous GARV App. In the earlier version of the ‘GARV’ App, launched in October

2015 for the effective and efficient monitoring of village electrification

programme, the data of only 18,452 un-electrified villages had been mapped and a

12-stage milestone-based monitoring mechanism was put in place.

Further, the Minister informed that the status of village-wise works sanctioned

under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) and release of

funds to the States for these projects has also been mapped in ‘GARV-II’ to monitor

progress of works in each village. The progress is required to be updated by the

implementing agencies of the States on day to day basis. All data would be made

available in public domain to ensure transparency, enhance accountability of various

stakeholders and facilitate view of near real time progress. Shri Goyal further said that this app is an important part of the ‘Digital India

Initiative’ of Government of India and will contribute in further development of the

villages. In order to bring more transparency, the Minister asked the Power Ministry

officials to place more details regarding discoms, tenders and contracts in public

domain.

2. FM: India remains a bright point in global economy and

BRICS in particular despite the slowdown in global

economy in 2016

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=155695

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: International Trade

Key Points:

The Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley said that the current Financial Year

2016-17 is not a conventional year as many major reformative decisions have been

taken during the year.

He said that there is need for out of box thinking as series of steps are required about

what the Government can do and what the banks can do. The Finance Minister Shri

Jaitley was making his Opening Remarks at the Pre-Budget Consultative Meeting

with the representatives of Banks and Financial Institutions. The Finance Minister

further said that the banking sector is the backbone of our economy. He said that he

doesn’t see any serious challenges as far as structural changes are concerned. After that number of suggestions were given by the representatives of the Bankers

and FIs for consideration by the Government. Some of the major suggestions are as

follows-

It was suggested that there is need for recapitalization of banks in the Current

Financial Year 2016-17 as well as in the next Financial Year 2017-18.

There is need for Full Tax Exemption for NPA provisioning by the banks keeping in

view their profitability.

Post -demonetization, liquidity in banks have improved. This may impact saving

deposit rates. This makes senior citizens more vulnerable as their income is adversely

affected. So, some sort of exemption need to given to them under the Income Tax Act

so that they have a decent income through their deposits.

In case of GST, there is need for Central Registry for GST compliance by the banks

which have branches on pan India basis. In case of digitization, digital acceptance

infrastructure is loss making at present. So digital acceptance infrastructure need to

be incentivized. Another suggestion was that there is need for exempting Banking

Correspondents transactions from service tax.

After demonitisation, the Budget should focus on boosting the consumption to create

demand. Urban Local Bodies should be encouraged to collect Property Tax and

Utility Tax through online means. Finance Bill should mandate that all wages should

be paid by the employers through banking channel or digital mode.

Many shopkeepers don’t sell using digital means as they do not want to pay taxes. So there is need to give some tax rebate to these shopkeepers to use digital means and

for better compliance. Same way, consumer may also be given a tax rebate at the year

end if his digital purchase is more than a certain amount.

Micro Finance Sector has seen a little increase in default as most of the people pay in

cash. Also in SME sector, employers are waiting for the withdrawal limits to be raised

to start paying their workers. Axis Bank representative specifically listed out the steps

taken by bank management against some erring officials and assured the Finance

Minister that as a bank, they are fully committed to highest level compliance of

banking and Government prescribed norms and standards.

To kick start demand in the economy, low cost housing need to be encouraged.

Ownership of a plot or land is required to avail finance for housing. Some customers

do not own land in their own names, hence this norm may be relaxed.

In digital payments, issues of internet connectivity are there. Hence, each district

may be allotted to a particular telecom company to improve internet connectivity.

Mutual Funds and Life Insurance Companies provide employment to a large number

of youths through their distribution network. Some sort of incentive should be given

to them. To fight unemployment, a provision should be made that if a firm, that

employ a certain number of people, increases the number of jobs by a certain degree,

then 2-3 per cent tax relaxation would be given to it. This directly links tax rates with

job generation.

As far as the Government’s Financial Inclusion drive is concerned, a Venture Fund for members of Scheduled Caste was launched with Rs 200 crore. Under this, 71

proposals have been screened so far. So the Government should continue to provide

Rs 200 crore more in next budget. And a similar fund for STs should also be created.

Skilling of the personal for ongoing digitization drive is an imperative. Also revenue

model for business correspondence model to be revamped as many of these business

correspondents are struggling and leaving the companies after some time.

3. More than 1.22 crore new LPG connections released to

BPL women under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=155686

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Government Policy, Government Schemes

Key Points:

A large number of important policies, activities, decisions and initiatives were undertaken by the

Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas in last one year. The achievements were in downstream,

midstream as well as upstream sectors.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

Under the scheme, the Government of India provides deposit free LPG connection of BPL families

identified through the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 data, which includes security of one cylinder,

pressure regulator, hose pipe, installation charges and DGCC Book. The consumer has to purchase ISI

standard gas stove, which is optional. Further, Oil Marketing Companies are also financing purchase of

LPG stove and 1st refill to BPL customers on instalment basis, if they so desire.

Direct Benefit Transfer in PDS Kerosene Scheme (DBTK)

Jharkhand has become first State in the country to implement DBTK and others have

been requested to join the Scheme. Under the Scheme, the Kerosene is being sold at non-

subsidised price and subsidy, as admissible, is being transferred to consumers directly into

his/her bank account. The States would be given cash incentive of 75% of subsidy savings during

the first two years, 50% in the third year and 25% in the fourth year. In case the States

voluntarily agree to undertake cuts in kerosene allocation, beyond the savings due to DBT, a

similar incentive would be given to those States/UTs. The initiative of the Government is aimed

at rationalizing subsidies based on approach to cut subsidy leakages, but not subsidies

themselves. The scheme will also stop diversion of Kerosene.

PAHAL: World s largest Dire t Be efit Tra sfer “ he e

PAHAL Prat aksh Hastha tarit La h is the orld’s largest Dire t Be efit Tra sfer “ he e. Through PAHAL, subsidy given to consumers is directly transferred to the registered account of the

consumer without involving any intermediary. More than 16.99 crore consumers are registered to avail

subsidy as on 28.11.2016. PAHAL Scheme has been acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World

Records as the largest cash transfer programme (households). More than Rs. 38,276 crore of subsidy has

been transferred to the LPG consumers through 204 crore transactions since inception of the Scheme.

F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to

Revise/Learn:

1. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn

PAHAL (Pratyaksh Hasthantarit Labh)

Direct Benefit Transfer in PDS Kerosene Scheme (DBTK)

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

2. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS

BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGANISATIONS

IN NEWS

Links to Refer

The Right of Persons with Disabilities

Bill, 2014

http://www.prsindia.org/billtrack/the-right-of-

persons-with-disabilities-bill-2014-3122/

3. Tags

PAHAL (Pratyaksh Hasthantarit Labh)

Direct Benefit Transfer in PDS Kerosene Scheme (DBTK)

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

Practice Questions

Date: 21

st December, 2016

Category: International Relations

Topic: Agreements involving India Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

1] Recently, an agreement signed regarding annual joint military exercises named “Khanjar-IV” was between which two countries?

a) India- Kyrgyzstan

b) India- Tajikistan

c) India- Turkmenistan

d) India- Kazakhstan

Ans (a)

Date: 21

st December, 2016

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Schemes Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

2] Consider the following statements, regarding “Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

1] Under the scheme, the Government of India provides deposit free LPG connection of BPL families

identified through the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 data, which includes security of one cylinder,

pressure regulator, hose pipe, installation charges and DGCC Book.

2] The consumer has to purchase ISI standard gas stove, which is optional. Further, Oil Marketing

Companies are also financing purchase of LPG stove and 1st refill to BPL customers on instalment basis, if

they so desire.

Which of the following is/are incorrect? A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both 1 and 2 D. Neither 1 nor 2 Answer: D

Date: 21st December, 2016

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Schemes Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

3] Consider the following statements, regarding “Direct Benefit Transfer in PDS Kerosene Scheme

DBTK

1] Jharkhand has become first State in the country to implement DBTK

2] Under the Scheme, the Kerosene is being sold at non-subsidised price and subsidy, as admissible, is

being transferred to consumers directly into his/her bank account.

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

a) 1 Only

b) 2 Only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans (c)

Date: 21st December, 2016

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Schemes Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

4] Consider the following statements regarding PAHAL ,

1] PAHAL Prat aksh Hastha tarit La h is the orld’s largest Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme.

2] Through PAHAL, subsidy given to consumers is directly transferred to the registered account of the

consumer without involving any intermediary.

3] PAHAL Scheme has been acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest cash

transfer programme (households). Which of the following statements is/are correct?

a) 1 and 2 Only

b) All, 1, 2 and 3

c) 2 and 3 Only

d) 1 and 3 Only

Ans (b)

Date: 21st December, 2016

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Schemes Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

5] Consider the following statements regarding ‘H dro ar o Visio 0 0 for North East I dia ,

1] The hydrocarbon vision 2030 aims at doubling Oil & Gas production by 2030, making clean fuels

accessible, fast tracking projects, generating employment opportunities and promoting cooperation

with neighbouring countries.

2] The Vision rests on five pillars: People, Policy, Partnership, Projects and Production.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a) 1 Only b) 2 Only

c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans c) Both 1 and 2

Current News Analysis

22-12-2016

A. GS1 Related

B. GS2 Related

1. Hong Kong revokes visa-free entry to Indians

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Hong-Kong-revokes-visa-free-entry-to-

Indians/article16921110.ece

Category: International Relations

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Key Points:

Hong Kong, which is a China-administered territory has altered its visa agreement with India.

Hong Kong, which used to be part of a block of countries that gave Indians unconditional visa-

free e try, has i trodu ed pre-registratio for I dia atio als to pre ent illegal immigration.

2. Nepal to hold military exercise with China http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/Nepal-to-hold-military-exercise-with-

China/article16921307.ece

Category: International Relations

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Key Points:

Nepal will hold its first ever joint military exercise with China on February 10, 2017.

This development indicates a new level of bilateral military engagement between the

two countries.

The military exercise, will be named Pratikar-1.

The focus of the military exercise, will be on training Nepali forces in dealing with

hostage scenarios involving international terror groups.

Analysts believe that though the military drill with China does not violate the 1950 India-

Nepal treaty of peace and friendship, it does appear unconventional.

C.GS3 Related

D. GS4 Related

E. Important Editorials

The Hindu

1. Ending the Manipur blockade

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/Ending-the-Manipur-

blockade/article16919531.ece

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Center-State Relations

Key Points:

The blockade leading to the Manipur valley, called by the United Naga Council (UNC), has

been in place since November 1.

Unfortunately, this blockade has severely affected life in the State.

There are shortages of essential supplies such as fuel and food. In 2011, Kuki-led groups, enforced a hundred-day-plus blockade in the State. This time the

blockade is in place to oppose the creation of new districts by the Okram Ibobi Singh

government.

On December 9, the State government issued a gazette notification for the creation of

seven new districts by bifurcating seven (of a total of nine) districts.

While residents and groups in the new districts have welcomed the decision, the UNC has

protested.

The UNC has alleged that areas with a Naga population have been divided and that the lack

of consultation is a violation of commitments made by both the Centre and the State in

various memoranda of understanding.

2. A chance for peace in Syria

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/A-chance-for-peace-in-

Syria/article16919534.ece

Category: International Relations

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on

India’s interests

Key Points:

Recently, Russia, Turkey and Iran have come together to discuss a diplomatic solution to

the Syrian crisis.

This is a welcome development.

In fact, they decided to go ahead with the Moscow summit (held on 20th

Dec, 2016) despite

the assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, the previous day.

It is important to note that the su it also arks a shift i ‘ussia s approa h, hi h initially involved negotiations with the United States about possible diplomatic options for

Syria.

Geopolitics

Russia and Iran have direct leverage over the regime in Syria, while Turkey still helps

several militant groups.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears to have realised that his anti-regime Syria policy

has backfired.

Turkey today faces severe security challenges, from both Islamic State jihadists and Kurdish

militants.

If Syria remains at war and the instability spawns more radical militia groups, it could

worsen Turkey s se urity pro le s.

The Economic Times

1. Low rates and few exemptions welcome

http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-editorials/low-rates-and-few-

exemptions-welcome/

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Government Policy

Key Points:

A recent memorandum submitted to government by industry lobby Confederation of

Indian Industry asks for the corporate tax rate to be cut from 30% to 18%, while

scrapping all tax breaks.

It is important to note that according to the government’s own calculations, India’s largest companies with a turnover of more than Rs 5,000 crore per year, pay tax at an

effective rate significantly lower than what smaller ones pay.

There are two reasons for this anomaly: 1) bigger companies can afford expensive tax

planners, out of reach for smaller ones. 2) bigger entities can house profit centres across

the globe, including in tax havens, so as to move revenues around to minimise tax outgo.

It is believed that the goods and services tax will widen the tax base for corporate tax, as

more and more companies come into the indirect tax net and declare their true extent of

production.

BusinessLine

1. Leadership crisis in public sector banks http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/leadership-crisis-in-public-

sector-banks/article9438851.ece

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Government Policy, Money and Banking

Key Points:

It is alarming to note that all the current CEOs of public sector banks will retire in the next two years.

All the executive directors too will retire in the next three years.

The number of general managers and deputy general managers leaving the industry during the same period is very high.

As not many senior executives with adequate experience and exposure are available to fill these slots, the absence of any serious efforts to put in place a succession plan is noticeable.

Thanks to various exigencies, the practice of preparing new recruits through a well-planned and rigorous training schedule- which was in vogue till the 1990s- has not been given importance subsequently.

The absence of commensurate recruitment to keep pace with branch expansion has caused enormous mismatch in requirements and resources. As a result, recruits fresh from college with hardly any exposure or experience, and without going through the grind are made to discharge duties they are not familiar with.

The Way Forward There are competent business leaders with appropriate knowledge, skills and

experience in financial institutions or those guiding the finance functions in corporates, looking for opportunities to grow, which may be limited in their own organisations.

It is believed that one of the reasons for the failure of some senior executives, who find themselves to be square pegs in round holes, is the tendency on the part of their bosses to perpetuate the existing persons in key positions for their comfort.

It should be made mandatory for all banks to have a clear succession plan in place for all senior positions and specialist assignments.

The RBI has been following a policy of granting banks more autonomy and reorienting the approach to oversight of banks with the aid of technology and remote monitoring of various aspects of bank functioning.

To ensure that good human resources (HR) practices prevail, the RBI inspection teams visiting the banks should assess the HR policies and practices and advise the banks suitably.

PIB

1. Ca i et approves reatio of I dia E terprise Develop e t Servi e IEDS i the Offi e of Development Commissioner (MSME) under the Ministry

of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

Category: Polity and Governance, Indian Economy

Topic: Government Initiatives

Key Points:

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval to the Cadre review and formation of a new service in the name of Índian Enterprise Development Service (IEDS)’ in the Office of Development Commissioner (MSME), Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME).

The creation of the new cadre and change in structure will not only strengthen the organization but will also help to achieve the vision of “Startup India”, “Stand-up India” and “Make in India”. The measure will enhance the capacity and efficiency of the organization and also help in achieving growth in MSME sector through a focussed and dedicated cadre of technical officers.

2. India and Kyrgyzstan share common concerns on the

threat of terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking, says

President

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=155719

Category: International Relations

Topic: Agreements involving India

Key Points:

India has had civilizational ties with Central Asia, especially countries which were part of

the ancient Silk Route, including Kyrgyzstan.

Political ties with the Kyrgyzstan have been traditionally warm and friendly. Next year

India and Kyrgyzstan will celebrate the 25thanniversary of establishment of diplomatic

relations.

The President said India and Kyrgyzstan share common concerns on the threat of

terrorism, extremism and drug-trafficking.

He expressed confidence that the Kyrgyz President’s visit would give a fillip to the efforts to enhance the multi-faceted relations between the two countries.

F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:

1. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn

Índian Enterprise Development Service (IEDS)

Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME)

2. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS

BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGANISATIONS

IN NEWS

Links to Refer

The Right of Persons with Disabilities

Bill, 2014

http://www.prsindia.org/billtrack/the-right-of-

persons-with-disabilities-bill-2014-3122/

3. Tags

Índian Enterprise Development Service (IEDS)

Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME)

Practice Questions

Date: 22

nd.December, 2016

Category: International Relations

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

1] Recently, an agreement signed regarding on a joint military exercise, alled Pratikar-1 as sig ed between which two countries?

a) Nepal- China

b) India- China

c) India- Nepal

d) India- Bhutan

Ans (a)

Date: 22

nd December, 2016

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Schemes Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

2] Consider the following statements, regarding the recently launched, “ Google Maps Toilet Lo ator App ,

1] Google Maps Toilet Lo ator App ill enable people locate the nearest public toilet for use in five

cities in National Capital Region and Bhopal and Indore in Madhya Pradesh.

2] This facility would help in addressing open urination and open defecation.

Which of the following is/are incorrect? A. 1 only B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2 D. Neither 1 nor 2 Answer: D

Date: 22nd

December, 2016

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Schemes Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

3] Consider the following statements,

1] Cities a d to s that ha e e o e Ope Defe atio Free ODF re e tly are Visakhapat a , Gu tur and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, Thanesar and Sirsa in Haryana, NDMC, Suchindram and Mailadi in Tamil

Nadu and Khopoli, Kolhapur and Nandurbar in Maharashtra.

2] The Quality Council of India verifies independently the claims of cities and towns before they are

granted ODF certification.

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

a) 1 Only

b) 2 Only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans (c)

Date: 22

nd December, 2016

Category: Environment and Ecology

Topic: Concepts Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

4] Consider the following statements Bio-fortification:

1. It is the idea of breeding crops to increase their nutritional value.

2. It is seen as an upcoming strategy for dealing with deficiencies of micronutrients in the

developing world.

Which are correct?

a. 1 only

b. 2 only

c. Both 1 and 2

d. Neither 1 nor 2

Ans c)

Date: 22nd

December, 2016

Category: Science and Technology

Topic: Space, Developments Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

5] The main application of ISRO’s Geo-stationary satellites are -

a) Communication

b) Inter-planetary exploration

c) Remote sensing

d) Weather forecasting

Ans a)

Current News Analysis

23-12-2016

A. GS1 Related

B. GS2 Related

1. Blue ice, a rare occurrence: Airline

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/Blue-ice-a-rare-occurrence-

Airline/article16929443.ece

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Policy

Key Points:

The NGT had recently asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to issue a

circular to all airlines using the Delhi airport to ensure that they do not release any

waste while landing or taking off at the airport or near it.

In response, airlines have said it is not possible to empty toilet tanks in mid-air.

The NGT had also asked the aviation regulator to impose an environmental

compensation of Rs. 50,000 per violation of the circular and submit a quarterly report to

the tribunal.

Jet Air ays said lue i e , which is a term used for frozen sewage material leaked mid-

air, as a rare o urre e hi h sig ifies a leaki g toilet syste , leadi g to the for atio of a u ulatio of i e i high altitude.

2. India-U.S. interests are aligned in Bangladesh, says Ambassador http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/India-U.S.-interests-are-aligned-in-

Bangladesh-says-Ambassador/article16929319.ece

Category: International Relations

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Key Points:

U.S. Ambassador in Dhaka, Ms. Bernicat, has recently remarked that the U.S. is not

o er ed a out Chi a s gro i g e o o i role i Ba gladesh as i frastru ture de elop e t is a good thi g .

Ms. Bernicat also believes that Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has acted on

her policy of zero tolerance towards terrorists from the time she came to office and that

she has worked very closely with the government of India.

C.GS3 Related

1. Moo race: Tea I dus to carry Japa ese rival’s rover

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Moon-race-TeamIndus-to-carry-

Japanese-rival%E2%80%99s-rover/article16928145.ece

Category: Science and Technology

Topic: Space, Developments

Key Points:

Tea I dus of Be galuru has said its spa e raft ill also arry a Japa ese o testa t s ro er along with its own. This development is seen as an unprecedented tie-up between two private

space novices which are both competing to land on the moon.

This is a first of a kind collaboration of two private space enterprises competing in the [totally

$30-million] Google Lunar XPRIZE.

TeamIndus is the only Indian team competing for the Google Lunar XPRIZE. The $30M Google

Lunar XPRIZE is a global competition to challenge and inspire engineers and entrepreneurs to

develop low-cost methods of robotic space exploration. To win, a privately funded team must

successfully place a robot on the Moon that explores at least 500 meters and transmits high-

definition video and images back to Earth.

D. GS4 Related

E. Important Editorials

The Hindu

1. A little gain after more pain

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/A-little-gain-after-more-

pain/article16926533.ece

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Center-State Relations

Key Points:

In the wake of the demonetization initiative of the government, investigations into the

hoarding of new currency notes in the denomination of Rs. 2,000 have implicated not only

mining barons and contractors, but also government officials and politicians.

Recently, there were searches in the residence and office premises of Tamil Nadu Chief

Secretary P. Rama Mohana Rao (who has since been replaced).

These searches led to the seizure of loads of cash and gold.

In fact, expectations are that more high-profile personalities will come under the scanner

of the enforcement agencies.

Many of these cases would not have come to light but for the illegal exchange of old notes

that the black money hoarders were forced to undertake following the demonetisation.

The Economic Times

1. Digital India calls for greater focus on digital infrastructure

http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-editorials/digital-india-calls-for-greater-

focus-on-digital-infrastructure/

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Government Policy, Infrastructure

Key Points:

The government’s push towards moving to a cashless economy calls for greater focus on digital infrastructure. Growth of the digital economy depends on

building network capacity. The current push towards digital transactions leverages

the high penetration of mobile phones: over a billion subscribers — netting out

multiple subscriptions, the number of phone users would be smaller — of whom

about 35% use smartphones.

In India, the mobile phone will be the predominant mode of transitioning to the

digital economy. Inability to meet the rising demand for network capacity will

place severe constraints on the move to and growth of the digital economy.

Constraining Factors:

One of the constraining factors is the lack of sufficient spectrum available to

mobile use.

According to the Cellular Operators Association of India reports that compared to

international standards, operators in India possess significantly smaller amounts

of spectrum, approximately 13 MHz on average.

It is low compared to other Asian countries such as Bangladesh (37.4 MHz) and

Malaysia (75 MHz).

Not only is spectrum scarce, it is also fragmented, overpriced and inflexible. The

current push to digital transactions on account of demonetisation has meant

increased congestion on a limited spectrum capacity.

Way Forward

To deploy more spectrum for actual use by telecom subscribers, more must be

allocated and at a price that is affordable.

Thus, for a digital economy, it is suggested that the Government must design

policy that will make use of scarce and valuable spectrum in a more efficient

manner.

BusinessLine

1. Another knee-jerk move http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/another-kneejerk-

move/article9440926.ece

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Government Policy, Money and Banking

Key Points:

Recently, the Cabinet has approved an ordinance to amend the Payment of Wages

Act 1936.

The ordinance seeks to amend Section 6 of the Act.

This is being done in an effort to allow for payment of wages under Rs. 18,000 a

month not just by currency but also by cheque — against the present norm of the

employer having to obtain the written consent of the employee before paying by

cheque.

Prima facie, the amendment, which was supposed to have been passed in the winter

session, seems like a no-brainer in an age of modern banking and finance.

It is important to note that the 80-year-old law was obviously rooted in a context

when payments were made in kind, and often not at all, in an economy governed by

exploitative feudal relations; cash, by defining recompense in black and white terms,

was a liberating force.

Criticisms Unfortunately, the amendment places unreasonable curbs on individual

choice and, by extension, transfers a disturbing degree of power to the state.

It gives the Centre and States the discretion to “specify the industrial establishment” where the employer shall pay “the wages only (emphasis

added) by cheque or by crediting the wages in his bank account”. This ironically opens up scope for bribery amidst the drive against black money.

Indian Express

1. Another Digital hurdles

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/demonetisation-online-payment-

card-transaction-decline-digital-payment-sbi-4440727/

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Government Policy, Money and Banking

Key Points:

Card transactions have fallen to a nine-month low, posing a new challenge to the

go er e t s de o etisatio dri e. According to a new SBI research report, the aggregate of debit and card transactions

at point of source (PoS) terminals fell to a little more than Rs 35,000 crore in

November, the lowest since February. The amount spent at PoS terminals was a

little more than Rs 51,000 crore in October.

People seem to be using their debit and credit cards for purchases of relatively

inexpensive items, while there has been a sharp fall in big ticket purchases. This

does not augur well for the economy.

The SBI report also points to the necessity of bolstering the digital transaction

infrastructure.

The are about 15 lakh PoS machines in the country. The SBI report points out that

the country needs an additional 20 lakh such machines.

It is important to note that people prefer making their purchases in cash because

they are not convinced about data safety in digital transactions.

In fact, a security breach a few weeks before the demonetisation drive had forced

the SBI to recall more than three lakh debit cards.

It is suggested that the government should bring in a privacy law with strong liability

lauses to allay people s fears. All this should e a o pa ied y ro ust a are ess drives.

PIB

1. Swachh Bharat Mission moves to a new level; Enabling

easy access to public toilets in urban areas

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=155750

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Initiatives

Key Points:

With construction of individual and public and community toilets in urban areas getting

on to fast track, Swachh Bharat Mission(Urban) today moved to a new level of

i pro i g ease of a ess to pu li toilets . Mi ister of Ur a De elop e t “hri M.Venkaiah Naidu o d De , 6, lau hed Google Maps Toilet Lo ator App to enable people to locate the nearest public toilet for use in five cities in National Capital

Region and Bhopal and Indore in Madhya Pradesh.

Usi g the key ord “ a hh Pu li Toilet , users can access 5,162 public toilets located

near malls, hospitals, bus and railway stations, fuel stations, metro stations and public

and community toilet complexes in the five cities in NCR and 703 in Bhopal and 411 in

Indore. The App also gives information about the nature of the toilet seat available, free

or pay for use, working hours etc. This facility will be extended to other cities in due

course. Ministry of Urban Development has partnered with Google to enable this

service.

Further, Shri Venkaiah Naidu also prese ted “ a hhata Certifi ates ities a d to s who have become ODF recently and their claims verified independently by the Quality

Council of India. These are; Visakhapatnam, Guntur and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh,

Thanesar and Sirsa in Haryana, NDMC, Suchindram and Mailadi in Tamil Nadu and

Khopoli, Kolhapur and Nandurbar in Maharashtra.

F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:

1. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn

Swachhata Certificates

Swachh Public Toilet

Payment of Wages Act 1936

2. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS

BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGANISATIONS

IN NEWS

Links to Refer

The Right of Persons with Disabilities

Bill, 2014

http://www.prsindia.org/billtrack/the-right-of-

persons-with-disabilities-bill-2014-3122/

3. Tags

Swachhata Certificates

Swachh Public Toilet

Payment of Wages Act 1936

Practice Questions

Date: 233d

December, 2016

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Features of the constitution

Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

1. Consider the following statements on Uniform Civil Code

1.) Article 44 of the Constitution guarantees a Uniform Civil Code.

2.) Goa is the only state in India to have a Uniform Civil Code.

Which of the above statements are true?

a.) Only 1

b.) Only 2

c.) Both 1 and 2

d.) None

Answer- b

Date: 23rd December, 2016

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies.

Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

2.) AFSPA is not operational in which of the following states?

a) Manipur

b) Jammu and Kashmir

c) Tripura

d) Nagaland

Answer-c

Date: 23rd December, 2016

Category: International Relations

Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

3.) Balochistan province of Pakistan borders which of the following countries?

a) Iran

b) Afghanistan

c) India

d) Only A and B

Answer-d

Date: 23rd December, 2016

Category: Art and Culture

Topic: salient aspects of Art Forms , Literature and Architecture

Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

4.) Vinaya Pitaka dealt with the

a) Monastic code

b) Birth story of Buddha

c) Philosophy of Buddism

d) Jain Philosophy

Answer-a

Date: 23rd December, 2016

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Features of Constitution

Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

5) Who is the guardian of the Indian Constitution?

a) President of India

b) Supreme Court of India

c) Speaker of Lok Sabha

d) Attorney General of India

Answer- b

Current News Analysis

24-12-2016

A. GS1 Related

1. Ur a pla i g kept the pea e i Harappa

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/%E2%80%98Urban-

planning-kept-the-peace-in-Harappa%E2%80%99/article16935995.ece

Category: Ancient History and Culture

Topic: Indus-Valley Civilization

Key Points:

Indus Valley Civilisation expert Jonathan Mark Kenoyer said ensuring efficient

water supply and sewerage for every city can reduce conflicts. He believes this

strategy is an important lesson to be learnt from the Harappans.

He displayed photographs of sump pots, wash-rooms and toilets built one above the

other at Harappa to show the importance of urban planning in the ancient cities that

flourished from 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE. “The concept of cleanliness and wells and

drains is not so much about hygiene but conflict avoidance. So this is a strategy of

the Harappans to keep people from fighting each other. So if everybody has clean,

proper toilets and drainage, then people won’t be fighting about these kind of things,” he added.

B. GS2 Related

1.NITI Aa og lau hes Perfor a e o Health Out o es i de

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/NITI-Aayog-rolls-out-health-

index/article16934654.ece

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=155812

Category: Centre programs and policies

Topic: NITI Aayog

Key Points:

Centre’s policy think tank NITI Aayog launched ‘Performance on Health

Outcomes’ index that will rank various States on the basis of their performance on

measurable health indicators. It is meant to capture the annual incremental

improvements by States, rather than focus on historical achievements.

The index was spearheaded by NITI Aayog along with Union ministry of Health and

Family Welfare, to nudge States towards transformative action in the Health sector. It

has been developed with inputs from domestic and international experts, including

academicians and development partners as well as feedback from States. The features

of the index, measures and methods of data submission will be disseminated to the

States through these workshops.

What does the index contain: It includes indicators in the domains of health

outcomes governance and information and a few key inputs and processes; the

initiative is envisioned to bring about the much required improvements in social

sector outcomes, which have not kept pace with the economic growth in this country.

It will be used to propel action in the States to improve health outcomes and improve

data collection systems.

The health index will assist in State-level monitoring of performance, serve as an

input for providing performance-based incentives and improvement in health

outcomes.

Note – Monitorable indicators that form a part of Sustainable Development Goal in

Health have been included in order to align these initiatives. The exercise involves the

participation of several partners including technical assistance from the World Bank,

mentor agencies to hand-hold States, where required, during the exercise and third

party organizations to validate the data submitted prior to calculation of the index.

A similar exercise has also been launched for the Education and Water sectors.

2. China open to India joining economic corridor

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/China-open-to-India-joining-

economic-corridor/article16935233.ece

Category: Bilateral

Topic: India – China

Key Points:

China signalled that it was ready to consider India’s participation in the China

Pakistan Economic Corridor - CPEC after a Pakistani general counselled India to

shed enmity and join the project.

China’s Foreign Ministry said, “On China’s part, we view the China-Pakistan

Economic Corridor as a cooperation framework, and we hope that this programme

will not only serve the interest of China and Pakistan but also of Asia and the region

as a whole. CPEC is an important part of China’s Belt and Road initiative and it is

an open proposal, and we are willing to work with Pakistan to discuss the

participation of any third country, on the principle of wide consultation and joint

contribution”

Note - The $46B project CPEC links the Pakistani port of Gwadar with Kashgar in

China’s Xinjiang province.

3.NEET i Ka ada: Kar ataka s dela to la e for its o -inclusion?

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/NEET-in-Kannada-Karnataka%E2%80%99s-

delay-to-blame-for-its-non-inclusion/article16936010.ece

Category: Centre’s Education policy

Topic: NEET

Key Points:

While the State government is crying foul over non-inclusion of Kannada among the

regional languages in which students can write the National Eligibility-cum-

Entrance Test - NEET, documents indicate that Karnataka delayed in making an

appeal for its inclusion.

In fact, while the announcement on 6 regional languages, besides English and

Hindi, in which NEET could be written, was made on December 19, Karnataka sent

its appeal only on December 20, after the issue was raised by Kannada organisations.

Union ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MHFW) also claimed that the

Karnataka government had initially not sought bilingual exams. Sources said that

MHFW had conducted an exhaustive exercise and had consulted various State

governments.

C.GS3 Related

1. Draft Central, State GST laws approved

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Draft-Central-State-GST-laws-approved-

Jaitley/article16934021.ece

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: GST

Key Points:

Union Finance minister said, the Goods and Services Tax - GST Council has moved

a significant step closer to finalising the draft Central GST (CGST) and State GST

(SGST) laws that must be passed in Parliament along with two other laws to bring the

GST into implementation.

The minister further said, the Council will meet very shortly to discuss the

contentious issue of cross-empowerment, the only major issue that is lacking

consensus. At the next council meeting, the CGST and SGST laws would be being

framed in legal language and placed before the States.

Regarding the compensation law, the Finance Minister said a few issues were left to

be settled, such as the source of the compensation fund. He added that compensation

to States for the loss of revenue, if any, from the GST rollout, would be paid every 2

months.

2. New Ebola vaccine provides 100 per cent protection

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/New-Ebola-vaccine-provides-

100-per-cent-protection-Study/article16935994.ece

Category: S&T

Topic: Diseases in news

Key Points:

In a scientific triumph that will change the way the world fights a terrifying killer, an

experimental Ebola vaccine tested on humans in the waning days of the West

African epidemic has been shown to provide 100 per cent protection against the

lethal disease. The vaccine has not yet been approved by any regulatory authority,

but it is considered so effective that an emergency stockpile of 3, 00,000 doses have

been created for use should an outbreak flare up again.

Since Ebola was discovered in the former Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo) in

1976, there have been many efforts to create a vaccine. All began with a sense of

urgency but then petered out for lack of money.

But the huge, explosive 2014 outbreak that took 11,000 lives in Africa and spread

overseas, killing a handful of people in Europe and the United States, provided the

political and economic drive to make an effective vaccine. The vaccine was not ready

in time to stop the outbreak, which probably began in a hollow, bat-filled tree in

Guinea and swept Liberia and Guinea before being defeated. But the prospect of a

vaccine stockpile has brought optimism among public health experts.

Effective Vaccination - The vaccine opens up new, faster, more efficient ways to

encircle and strangle the virus. The many small Ebola outbreaks that occurred

between 1976 and 2014 were all stopped in remote villages by laborious methods:

medical teams flew in, isolated the sick, and donned protective gear to treat them and

bury the dead.

But that tactic failed in 2014 when the virus reached crowded capital cities, where it

spread like wildfire and dead bodies piled up in the streets. The new vaccine has

some flaws, experts said. It appears to work against only one of the two most

common strains of the Ebola virus, and it may not give long-lasting protection. Some

of those who get it report side effects like joint pain and headaches.

Note - The Lancet study was done in 11,841 residents of Guinea in 2015. Among the

5,837 people who got the vaccine, none came down with Ebola 10 or more days later.

There were 23 Ebola cases among the thousands of others not immediately

vaccinated. The 10-day window was important because the trial used the ring vaccination technique developed during the drive to eliminate smallpox.

D. GS4 Related

E. Important Editorials

The Hindu

F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:

1. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn

Indus Valley Civilization

One belt – One Road initiative

China Pak Economic Corridor

Ebola Fever

GST

NITI Aayog

NEET

2. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS

BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS

IN NEWS

Links to Refer

National Index for

Performance on Health

Outcomes

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=155812

3. Tags

GST Council

National Index for Performance on Health Outcomes

Urban Planning

Practice Questions

Date: 24

th December, 2016

Category: Indian History and Culture

Topic: Indus-Valley Civilization

Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

1. Which of the following is the biggest Harappan site?

a) Ganweriwala, Pakistan

b) Mohenjodaro, Pakistan

c) Rakhigarhi, Haryana

d) Dholavira, Gujarat

Ans (c)

Date: 24

th December, 2016

Category: Centre’s schemes and programs

Topic: Performance on Health Outcomes

Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

2. Recently, the centre launched ‘Performance on Health Outcomes’ index. It is an initiative

of - a) NITI Aayog

b) Union ministry of HRD

c) AIIMS

d) Medical council of India

Ans (a)

Date: 24th December, 2016

Category: Diseases in news - Ebola

Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Conceptual

3. Which of the following statements are correct?

(i) Ebola fever is a viral disease

(ii) Fruit bat is the natural carrier of Ebola virus

(iii) It is named after a river

a) (i) only

b) (i) and (ii) only

c) (ii) and (iii) only

d) All 3 are correctly matched

Ans (d)

Date: 24th December, 2016

Category: International initiatives

Topic: CPEC

Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Conceptual

4. Which of the following statements are correct regarding China-Pakistan Economic

Corridor - CPEC?

(1) CPEC is an important part of China’s Belt and Road initiative

(2) It links the Pakistani port of Gwadar with Kashgar in China’s Xinjiang province.

(a) (1) only

(b) (2) only

(c) Both (1) & (2)

(d) Neither (1) nor (2)

Ans (c)

Date: 24th November, 2016

Category: National organizations

Difficulty level: Easy

Type: Factual

5. ‘NITI Aayog’ works on the principle of

a) Cooperative Federalism

b) Administrative decentralization

c) Financial decentralization

d) Top-down approach

Ans (a)

Current News Analysis

25-12-2016

A. GS1 Related

B. GS2 Related

1. Lucky Grahak Yojana and Digi-Dhan Vyapar Yojana

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=155827

Category: Centre programs and policies

Topic: Digital transactions

Key Points:

NITI Aayog and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) jointly launched

two major schemes - Lucky Grahak Yojana for consumers and Digi-Dhan Vyapar

Yojana for merchants. By providing monetary rewards for undertaking Digital

Transactions made with Rupay cards, AEPS, UPI Apps and USSD, these schemes

attempt to attract general public and facilitate significant behavioural change among

public.

Lucky Grahak Yojana - The first draw of the Lucky Grahak Yojana to provide a

cashback of Rs.1000 to 15,000 consumers every day for the next 100 days.

Digi-Dhan Vyapar Yojana - The draws for these events will be taken out in 100

different cities around the country, in an event at each of these cities, where

DigiDhan Mela would also be organised. Presence of various stakeholders of the

digital payment ecosystem, like banks, wallets, telecom service providers, other

financial service providers, UIDAI at these Digidhan Melas would provide the

opportunity to the citizens – both consumers and merchants – to get educated about

digital payment options available, the ease of use and also benefit from hand holding

provided by the service providers which would encourage wide-scale adoption of

digital payments methods.

Thus it is expected that large sections of the population would be able to shift from

cash based to a digital platform. In the long term such a mass movement is expected

to shift large sections of the consumer and producer sections which were hitherto in

the informal sector to the formal fold of the economy.

Reasons for the introduction of the 2 schemes:

Promoting digital payment options is an integral part of Government’s overall strategy to weed out black money and corruption from public life. NITI Aayog

has been tasked to undertake a comprehensive campaign on advocacy, awareness

and co-ordinate handholding efforts among general public, micro enterprises and

other stakeholders for digital payments.

With the goal to ensure that easy and user-friendly methods of digital payments

become a mass movement in India, Government also announced a slew of

incentives to encourage general public to move from cash to a digital platform.

Thus discounts will now be given for payments made on a digital platform at

petrol stations, for insurance premium, tolls at national highways and for railway

tickets. To reduce transaction costs of digital payments several fees and charges

being levied so far by banks and on various government portals have either been

reduced or done away with. Scheme has also been launched to improve supply of

cards and POS machines in rural areas.

Digidhan Melas, where all stakeholders of digital payment ecosystem exhibit and

provide actual hand holding to general public in adopting digital payments have

also been held to popularise the digital payments amongst the general public.

2. UN vote censures Israeli settlements

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/UN-vote-censures-

Israeli-settlements/article16940529.ece

Category: International issues

Topic: Israel-Palestine conflict

Key Points:

Israel scrambled to contain the fallout from the UN Security Council vote to halt

settlements in Palestinian territory after lashing out at U.S. President Barack Obama

over the shameful resolution.

The UNSC passed the measure after the United States abstained, enabling the

adoption of the first UN resolution since 1979 to condemn Israel over its settlement

policy. By deciding not to veto the move, the U.S. took a rare step that deeply

angered Israel, which accused Obama of abandoning its closest West Asia ally in the

waning days of his administration.

The text was passed with support from all remaining members of the 15-member

UN Security Council, with applause. The landmark vote came despite intense

lobbying efforts by Israel and calls from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to block

the text.

While the resolution contains no sanctions, Israel is concerned since the UNSC move

could widen the possibility of prosecution at the International Criminal Court

(ICC). They are also worried it could encourage some countries to impose sanctions

against Israeli settlers and products produced in the settlements.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the resolution and criticised Mr.

Obama in especially harsh language.

The U.S. has traditionally served as Israel’s diplomatic shield, protecting it from

resolutions it opposes. But the Obama administration has grown increasingly

frustrated with settlement-building in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied for

nearly 50 years. Settlements are built on land the Palestinians view as part of their

future state and seen as illegal under international law.

The resolution demands that “Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem”. It states

that Israeli settlements have no legal validity and are dangerously imperilling the

viability of the two-state solution.

C.GS3 Related

1. Demonetisation may impact real estate sector in short-term

www.thehi du. o / usi ess/ De o etisatio -may-impact-real-estate-sector-

in-short-ter /arti le 939 .e e

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Demonetization

Key Points:

According to an Edelweiss Securities report, the demonetisation drive is expected to

significantly impact the real estate sector in the short-term; in the medium to long

term demand will rise.

The report also said the impact would be more pronounced in the unorganised

sector and the implementation of the Real Estate Regulatory Act should result in

demand shifting to the organised sector. Prices would come down mostly for the

luxury sector.

Payment services to be next game changer –

The demonetization move of the government has come as a boon for telecom

company’s who want more and more customers to get used to digital platforms for

availing services and paying for them.

Already, a sizeable numbers of payments for telecom recharges and bills are being

paid online and digitally. In the next wave of the digital transition, we will see more

and more people getting on the digital bandwagon.

Mobile wallet and Payment solutions: The epoch-making revolution unleashed in

India by the recent announcement of demonetization and the replacement of high-

value notes by the government is being perceived by telecom companies as the next

wave of growth. With over 800 million users already being served and over 200

million of them using mobile wallets, the current drive of the government to push the

use of digital and cashless payments is turning out to be a very big fillip to new

growth.

While this space has seen hyper-competition with over 25 active wallet service

providers, the biggest sweet spot for telcos has been cross-selling financial services.

The government’s move of demonetisation has pushed the financial services agenda within the telcos’ ambit and top telcos are well-placed to play a significant

role in making India a ‘less cash’ society with nearly 100 per cent of adult population in India having a relationship with one of the telcos as a customer.

For telcos, the biggest challenge in recent times has been to control churn and add

value to existing relationship with the customer.

2. Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon - SAAW

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=155827

Category: S&T

Topic: Defense - DRDO

Key Points:

The Defence and Research Development Organization – DRDO successfully flight

tested the Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon - SAAW, from an Indian Air Force (IAF)

aircraft.

SAAW – It is an indigenously designed and developed 120 kg class smart weapon,

developed by DRDO, is capable of engaging ground targets with high precision up

to a range of 100 kms. The light weight high precision guided bomb is one of the

world class weapons systems.

D. GS4 Related

E. Important Editorials

The Hindu

F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:

1. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn

UNSC

Israel-Palestine issue

Digital literacy and online payments

Mobile wallets

NITI Aayog

2. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS

BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS

IN NEWS

Links to Refer

Demonetization http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=155829

3. Tags

Lucky Grahak Yojana

Digi-Dhan Vyapar Yojana

Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon

Practice Questions

Date: 25

th December, 2016

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Cashless Economy

Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

1. Which of the following committees dealt with digital payments?

a. Urjit Patel committee

b. Bimal Jalan committee

c. Ratan Watal committee

d. Nachiket Mor committee

Ans (c)

Date: 25

th December, 2016

Category: International Organizations

Topic: International Judiciary

Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Factual

2. Which of the following International Courts/Tribunals work under UN? a) International Court of Justice - ICJ

b) International Criminal Court

c) Permanent Court of Arbitration

d) Both a and b

Ans (a)

Date: 24th December, 2016

Category: Diseases in news - Ebola

Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Conceptual

3. Which of the following statements are correct regarding the ‘National Payments Corporation of India’?

(i) It is the umbrella organisation for all retail payment systems in India

(ii) It is a not-for-profit organisation registered under section 25 of the Companies

Act 1956

(iii) It aims to allow all Indian citizens to have unrestricted access to e-payment

services.

a) (i) only

b) (i) and (ii) only

c) (ii) and (iii) only

d) All 3 are correctly matched

Ans (d)

Date: 25th December, 2016

Category: Defense

Topic: DRDO

Source: The Hindu

Difficulty level: Medium

Type: Conceptual

4. Which of the following statements are correct regarding the Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon

– SAAW?

(1) It is capable of engaging ground targets with high precision up to a range of 100 kms.

(2) It is indigenously developed by DRDO

(a) (1) only

(b) (2) only

(c) Both (1) & (2)

(d) Neither (1) nor (2)

Ans (c)

Date: 25th November, 2016

Category: National organizations

Difficulty level: Easy

Type: Factual

5. ‘NITI Aayog’ works on the principle of

a) Cooperative Federalism

b) Administrative decentralization

c) Financial decentralization

d) Top-down approach

Ans (a)