current news analysis 26 -02 -2017 a. gs1...
TRANSCRIPT
Current News Analysis
26-02-2017
A. GS1 Related
1. Why the Barren Island volcano erupts again? http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/the-barren-islandvolcano-erupts-
again/article17369862.ece
Category: Geography
Topic: Volcanoes
Key Points: India’s only active volcano — the Barren Island volcano — in the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands is again spewing lava and ash. A team of scientists from the Goa-based National Institute of Oceanography (NIO)
chanced upon it as part of an ocean expedition in January. The volcano was erupting in small episodes lasting 5-10 minutes.
Where is Barren Island? The Barren Island, about 140 km from Port Blair, is a tourist destination and
surrounded by waters ideal for scuba diving and is home to a wide variety of aquatic life.
It’s the only active volcano along a chain of volcanoes from Sumatra to Myanmar. Historically, the first record of the volcano’s eruption dates back to 1787. detailed studies have shown that the volcano first erupted 1.6 million years ago and
sits on a 106-million-year-old crust. In 1991, the volcano’s eruption was catastrophic for several animal species.
B. GS2 Related
C.GS3 Related
1. Two endangered plant species spotted
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/two-endangered-plant-
species-spotted/article17370078.ece
Category: Environment and Ecology
Topic: Conservation
Key Points: In a major breakthrough in eco-conservation, forest officials in Munnar have spotted
two critically endangered impatiens plant species on the peripheries of the Eravikulam National Park.
Two new species of balsams (impatiens) have been discovered by the officials from the shola forests on the periphery of the park and Mankulam with the help of scientists.
What are Impatiens? Impatiens, also called jewel weeds, are seen in pristine forests where moisture
content and relative humidity are high.
2. Black rhinos on the brink of extinction http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/black-rhinos-on-
the-brink-of-extinction/article17368916.ece
Category: Environment and Ecology
Topic: Conservation
Key Points: As the value of rhinoceros horn touches $65,000 per kg, poaching has begun to drive
the African black rhinoceros to “the verge of extinction”. This is happening not just by reducing its population size, but by erasing 70% of the
species’ genetic diversity. Why is Genetic Variation Important?
Genetic variation is the cornerstone of evolution, without which there can be no natural selection, and so a low genetic diversity decreases the ability of a species to survive and reproduce.
When did the geneti erosion egin?
The origins of the ‘genetic erosion’ coincided with colonial rule in Africa and the popularity of big game hunting.
From the second half of the 20th century, however, poaching for horns has dramatically depleted their population and genetic diversity, especially in Kenya and Tanzania.
Concluding Remarks
Greater the genetic diversity, the better is the population's ability to respond to pressures such as climate change and diseases.
Thus the loss of so much evolutionary potential in the black rhino is worrying for its future adaptability.
3. What is the McGurk effect? http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/demystifying-science-
february-26-2017/article17370018.ece
Category: Science and Technology
Topic: Developments
Key Points: The McGurk effect is a powerful multisensory illusion occurring with
audiovisual speech whereby the brain can be deceived into hearing sounds that don’t exist.
It involves showing a person’s lips making the shape of one sound — like “bah” — while the audio is actually the person saying “fah.”
It demonstrates the overwhelming influence that sight exerts over the brain and how the latter reorders perception to give us a consistent picture of the world.
D. GS4 Related
E. Important Editorials
The Hindu
1. India needs the rubella vaccine http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/india-needs-the-rubella-
vaccine/article17369830.ece
Category: Science and Technology
Topic: Developments, Health
Key Points: India has set an ambitious target of eliminating measles and controlling congenital rubella
syndrome (CRS), caused by the rubella virus, by 2020.
While two doses of measles vaccine given at 9-12 months and 16-24 months have already
been part of the national immunisation programme, it is the first time that the rubella
vaccine has been included in the programme.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), “a single dose of rubella vaccine gives more than 95% long-lasting immunity.”
All children aged nine months and 15 years will be administered a single dose of the
combination vaccine.
A note on Measles and Rubella
Measles is highly infectious and is one of the major childhood killer diseases. Of the
1,34,000 measles deaths globally in 2015, an estimated 47,000 occurred in India.
Unlike measles, rubella is a mild viral infection that mainly occurs in children. But a
woman infected with the rubella virus during the early stage of pregnancy has a 90%
chance of transmitting it to the foetus. The virus can cause hearing impairments, eye and
heart defects and brain damage in newborns, and even spontaneous abortion and foetal
deaths. Of the 1,10,000 children born with CRS every year globally, an estimated 40,000
cases occur in India alone.
The Way Forward
With the target set for 2020 to eliminate measles and control CRS, there is a compelling
need to create a solid wall of immunity in all children up to 15 years in one go at the
earliest.
That can be achieved only if immunisation is carried out in a campaign mode by targeting
410 million children nationwide within 18 months.
Though the goal is only to eliminate measles and control rubella by 2020, both viruses
can be eliminated if their transmission can be broken.
For this to happen, the vaccine coverage has to be over 95% during the campaign and in
the immunisation programme that follows it.
Furthermore, India has to ramp up surveillance of both diseases, maintain outbreak
preparedness, respond rapidly to outbreaks by vaccinating all children in a community
and ensure effective and timely treatment of cases anywhere in the country.
According to the WHO, elimination of measles will help to achieve Sustainable
Development Goal’s target 3.2, which aims to end preventable deaths of children under 5 years by 2030.
PIB
1. East African Community is becoming an Economical and
Political reality http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=158679
Category: International Relations
Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests
Key Points: The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that the East African
Community is taking shape as an Economical and Political Community and many of our
programmes and initiatives in the region will no longer be purely bilateral but will have
to be adapted to work for the entire community.
The Vice President said that India's approach, as long standing friends, has been to give
our African partners assistance in their developmental programmes in those areas where
they want and it is them to convert that into specific requests.
He further said that the broader issues of India's approach to cooperation with African
Countries are well known and well appreciated. One issue of concern to both India and
Africa is scourge of terrorism and there was a total meeting of minds in condemning
terrorism in all shapes and forms, he added.
The Vice President said that the visit to Kigali Genocide Memorial was a tribute to the
determination of the people of Rwanda and that he was glad that they were able to
overcome that heart-rending disaster and re-build their country.
Reacting to a question on trade imbalance, the Vice President said that there was trade
imbalance with Uganda as India exports a lot of things to them and their export basket to
India was presently limited.
He further said that there are two ways to address this; one by increasing the products in
their export basket and two; instead of exporting finished goods from India to Uganda,
some Indian manufacturers could set up their manufacturing units in Uganda.
F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:
1. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn
Sustainable Development Goals
World Health Organisation (WHO)
Barren Island
2. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS
BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGANISATIONS
IN NEWS
Links to Refer
Act East Policy
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=133837
3. Tags
Sustainable Development Goals
World Health Organisation (WHO)
Barren Island
Practice Questions
Date: 26th February, 2017 Category: Environment and Ecology Topic: Conservation Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
1] Consider the following statements,
1] Genetic variation is the cornerstone of evolution, without which there can be no natural selection, and so a low genetic diversity decreases the ability of a species to survive and reproduce.
2] Greater the genetic diversity, the better is the population's ability to respond to pressures such as climate change and diseases.
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
Both the statements are correct.
Genetic variation is the cornerstone of evolution, without which there can be no natural selection, and so a low genetic diversity decreases the ability of a species to survive and reproduce. Greater the genetic diversity, the better is the population's ability to respond to pressures such as climate change and diseases.
Date: 26th February, 2017 Category: Science and Technology Topic: Developments Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
2] Consider the following statements,
1] The McGurk effect is a powerful multisensory illusion occurring with audiovisual speech whereby the brain can be deceived into hearing sounds that don’t exist.
2] It demonstrates the overwhelming influence that sight exerts over the brain and how the latter reorders perception to give us a consistent picture of the world.
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 the statements are correct.
The McGurk effect is a powerful multisensory illusion occurring with audiovisual speech whereby the brain can be deceived into hearing sounds that don’t exist. It demonstrates the overwhelming influence that sight exerts over the brain and how the latter reorders perception to give us a consistent picture of the world.
Date: 26th February, 2017 Category: Environment and Ecology Topic: Conservation Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
3] “Eravikulam National Park” was recently in the news. Where is it located?
a) Kerala
b) Karnataka
c) Tamil Nadu
d) Telangana
Ans a) Kerala
“Eravikulam National Park” is located in the state of Kerala.
Date: 26th February, 2017 Category: Geography Topic: Volcanoes Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
4] Consider the following statements,
1] The Barren Island volcano is India’s only active volcano.
2] It’s the only active volcano along a chain of volcanoes from Sumatra to Myanmar.
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
Both the statements are correct.
The Barren Island volcano is India’s only active volcano. It’s the only active volcano along a chain of volcanoes from Sumatra to Myanmar.
Date: 26th February, 2017
Category: International Relations
Topic: Reports, Organizations Source: The Hindu
Difficulty level: Medium
Type: Factual
5] Which of the following organizations bring out the report known as ‘World Investment Report’?
(a) UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development)
(b) The United Nations Development Programme
(c) The World Economic Forum
(d) The World Bank
Answer: (a) UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) brings out the report known as ‘World Investment Report’.
Current News Analysis
27/02/2017
A. GS 2 Related
1. What exactly is a money bill? http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/what-exactly-is-a-money-bill/article17372184.ece
Category: Constitution
Topic: Article 110; Right to Privacy; Judicial review
The writ petition filed, under Article 32, against Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial
& Other Subsidies, Benefits & Services) Act, 2016 will get the final hearing by Supreme
Court next month. Aadhaar Act was introduced and passed as a Money bill last year and
the legality of the procedure was put in to question.
Article 110 defines a Money bill as that which, broadly, deals with taxation, government
receipts and expenditure, government borrowings, guarantees and any matter
incidental to these affairs. But Aadhaar Act has several other provisions, including the
creation of a framework for maintaining a central database of biometric information
collected from citizens.
If any question arises whether a Bill is a Money Bill or not, the decision of the Speaker of
the Lok Sabha is deemed final under Article 110 (3). Also, Article 122 prohibits the courts
from questioning the validity of proceedings in parliament on the ground of any alleged
irregularity of procedure.
I Raja Ra pal s Ho le Speaker of Lok Sa ha ase, SC as of the ie that proceedings of the legislature were immune from questioning by courts in the case of
procedural irregularity but not in the case of illegality. Though in a more recent
judgment in Mohd. Saeed Siddiqui v. State of UP (2014), SC opined that a Speaker s decision to classify a draft statute as a money Bill, is not judicially reviewable, even if the
classification was incorrect.
Moreover, infringement of Right to Privacy (implicit under Article 21) of the citizens has
been questioned. As Aadhar Act permits the creation of a database of not only
biometric information but also various other private data, without so much as bothering
about safeguards that need to be installed to ensure their security.
2. Ways of sharing http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/ways-of-sharing/article17372178.ece
Category: International relations
Topic: India and its neighborhood
India has allowed its border roads in Mizoram and Tripura to be used by Bangladeshi
forces, during the meeting of Home Ministry and security officials in Dhaka, working
on closer border management cooperation.
This came as a step to further abridge the trust deficit between India and
Bangladesh, after the landmark Land Boundary Agreement of 2015.
In April, during Ms. Hasina s isit to I dia, there are spe ulatio s a out other agreements like defence partnership agreement, movement on the Teesta water-
sharing agreement, ganga water barrage project, other energy and connectivity
projects.
For these agreements to be worked out, Centre has to ring up various stakeholders
(affected Indian States) like West Bengal (Teesta water), Bihar (Farakka barrage) etc.
Strengthening of relations with neighboring countries like this is the way forward to
peaceful co-existence.
3. Protecting the rights of tribals http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/protecting-the-rights-of-
tribals/article17372134.ece
Category: Foreign investment; Social Justice
Topic: Bilateral investment treaties; Tribal rights
Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA), an Emirati investor, initiated an
Investment treaty arbitration (ITA) claim against India under the India-UAE Bilateral
Investment Treaty (BIT), seeking compensation of $44.71 million. This claim arose
after a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Andhra Pradesh and RAKIA
to supply bauxite to Anrak Aluminum Limited was cancelled, allegedly due to the
concerns of the tribal population in those areas.
But this threat of ITA against the state may compel it to refrain from implementing
tribal rights in the development project area.
A recent report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
recognizes three main reasons for the serious impact that foreign investments have
on the rights of indigenous people: failure to adequately address human rights
issues of tribal people in BITs; the perceived threat of ITA for enforcement of
investor protection; and exclusion of indigenous people from the policymaking
process.
Legal and Constitutional provisions for Tribal rights
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP),
adopted in 2007, for which India voted, recognizes among other things indigenous
peoples rights to self-determination, autonomy or self-governance, and their right
against forcible displacement and relocation from their lands or territories without
free, prior and informed consent.
International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention concerns Indigenous and Tribal
Peoples is ased o the respe t for the ultures a d ays of life of indigenous
peoples a d re og izes their right to la d a d atural resour es a d to defi e their o priorities for de elop e t.
Also, Constitution provides autonomy to tribal areas in matters of governance under
the Fifth and Sixth Schedules. Supreme Court opined that the transfer of tribal land
to private parties for mining was null and void under the Fifth Schedule.
Recognition of Forest Rights Act, 2006 protects the individual and community rights
of tribal people in forest areas and their right to free and prior informed consent in
event of their displacement and resettlement.
But Xaxa Committee report of 2014 highlighted that these legislations are regularly
disregarded. Instead of ensuring that tribals are not ousted from the land to which
they are historically and culturally connected, the state becomes more concerned
about fulfilling contractual obligations towards the private investor.
The way forward
Include provisions relating to the protection of indigenous people in BITs.
Implementation of domestic legislations for the protection of the rights of
tribals, where the state does not consider tribals as impediments in the
development process.
Tribal people should be given representation even in investment policymaking.
4. Need for a credible regulatory body for medical devices http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-editorials/need-for-a-credible-regulatory-
body-for-medical-devices/
Category: Polity; Governance
Topic: Regulatory bodies
A regulatory body for credible standards-setting and certifying authority for stents
and other medical devices is missing in India which thwarts the full extent of
competition possible in stents and other medical devices.
A price cap that has been used by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority on
coronary stents is a blunt instrument in a sector that undergoes rapid technological
evolution.
What can be done?
Institution of stiff, bankruptcy-threatening penalties for ethical violations on
hospitals.
A market for insuring the risk of such violations.
Classification of stents into broad categories based on therapeutic efficacy,
accompanied by strict certification of standards.
B. GS3 Related
1. Ministry of UD to push dense urban growth along mass transit
corridors for better living experience
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=158690
Category: Indian economy; Governance
Topic: Urban development
The Ministry of Urban development has for ulated a Natio al Tra sit Orie ted De elop e t Poli y hi h ill e discussed with the States and Union Territories at
a National Workshop on Urban Development.
Policy aims to bring better depth of understanding and a viable solution to many of
the challenges like haphazard urban growth and sprawl, mobility, rapidly rising
private vehicles on roads, pollution, housing choices etc by having co-ordination
with the states and UT's.
Transit Oriented Development (TOD) will be incentivized by the Ministry under two
more initiatives viz., Metro Policy and Green Urban Mobility Scheme. TOD promotes
integration of land use planning with transportation and infrastructure development
which will be financed by channelizing a part of increases in property values
resulting from investments in transit corridors through Betterment Levies and Value
Capture Financing tools.
Promotion of Non-motorized Transport Infrastructure for walking and cycling to
transport stations, development of street networks in the influence zone of transit
corridors, multi-modal integration, effective first and last mile connectivity through
feeder services to enable people access public transit in 5 to 10 minutes from home
and work places is the goal of the program.
City densification will be promoted along mass transit corridors through vertical
construction by substantially enhancing FARs (Floor Area Ratio).
Focus on Increased private sector participation will result in economic development
and employment generation.
Mixed neighborhood development in the form of a range of housing choices
including affordable housing and ensuring spaces for street vendors is the plan of
implementation.
Questions
1. Which authority sets the price caps on medical devices in India?
a)National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority
b)National Medical Regulatory Authority
c)Medical council of India
d)Drug Regulatory Authority
Answer: a)
2. Consider the following:
i) Autonomy to tribal areas in matters of governance is provided under the Fifth Schedule
only.
ii) Tribal people have right to free and prior informed consent in event of their
displacement and resettlement.
Choose the correct option:
a) Both i) and ii) are correct
b) Both i) and ii) are incorrect
c) i) is correct but ii) is incorrect
d) i) is incorrect but ii) is correct
Answer: d)
3. i) Land boundary agreement was signed between India and Bangladesh in 2011.
ii)Bangladesh and India exchanged 162 adversely-held enclaves.
Choose the correct option:
a) Both i) and ii) are correct
b) Both i) and ii) are incorrect
c) i) is correct but ii) is incorrect
d) i) is incorrect but ii) is correct
Answer: d)
4. Consider the following:
i) Lok Sabha cannot consider the amendments made by Rajya Sabha in a Money bill.
ii) Constitution defines a money bill which deals with 7 provisions provided under Article
110 (1).
Which of the above statements is correct?
a) i) only
b) ii) only
c) Both
d) None
Answer: c)
Current News Analysis
28-02-2017
A. GS1 Related
B. GS2 Related
C.GS3 Related
D. GS4 Related
E. Important Editorials
The Hindu
1. Seeing the light http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/seeing-the-light/article17378354.ece
Category: Indian Economy
Topic: International Trade
Key Points: In the renewable energy sector, India and the U.S. have been filing a number of disputes
against each other, challenging the other’s domestic content requirement. Issue being contested currently
India claims that California, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota, Montana and Washington are providing renewable energy subsidies
similar to those of the domestic content requirement under the Jawaharlal Nehru
National Solar Mission (JNNSM), which, the U.S. claims, violates World Trade
Organisation (WTO) law.
India alleges that these states have been granting subsidies to local manufacturers
in the renewable energy industry along with the requirement that the products be
made domestically.
As India lost the case filed by the U.S. at the WTO, critics claim that the present
case has been filed by India as a reciprocation.
India seems to be charging the U.S. of the same issues in the same field to
leverage a settlement in the case that it lost.
The WTO Ruling JNNSM required that 20 gigawatt (GW) of solar power should be generated from
domestically produced modules or solar cells.
The WTO found that the mandatory domestic content requirement under JNNSM
violated the National Treatment provision of Article III:4 of the WTO agreement.
The Indian government has significantly reduced the domestic content
requirement after the initiation of proceedings at the WTO.
At the beginning of the mission, the domestic content requirement in the
auctioned contracts was as much as 50% of the total output generating capacity.
This value dropped significantly through the auctions and is currently down to
5%.
The U.S. is still unsatisfied with the measures undertaken by the government.
Concluding Remarks
Few imagined that India would pursue the dispute and ask the WTO to establish
a panel.
The decision to not pursue the formation of a WTO dispute resolution panel
came after Indian officials met the transition team of U.S. President Donald
Trump and were assured that a settlement would be reached.
However, with the new Trump administration and its ‘America First’ policy, there is a good chance that the panel will be established and the case argued
before the WTO.
This would affect relations between the U.S. and India.
Both the cases are in fact the same, so it would be in the best interest of both
nations to settle it.
2. NOTA and the Indian voter http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/nota-and-the-indian-
voter/article17378495.ece
Category: Polity and Governance
Topic: Elections
Key Points: The introduction of the ‘None of The Above’ (NOTA) option in the Indian electoral
system has seen three years, one Lok Sabha election and four rounds of Assembly elections pass.
The 2016 Assembly elections also saw some active canvassing for NOTA.
Patterns Involving NOTA NOTA polling figures are still small. On an average, the maximum NOTA vote share has not crossed 2.02% of the total
votes polled in any election cycle.
A Brief History of NOTA NOTA was introduced in India following the 2013 Supreme Court directive in
the People’s Union for Civil Liberties v. Union of India judgment. Thus, India became the 14th country to institute negative voting. However, NOTA in India does not provide for a ‘right to reject’. The candidate with the maximum votes wins the election irrespective of the number
of NOTA votes polled.
Important Observations Regarding NOTA
Reserved constituencies have seen a relatively larger number of NOTA votes, which points to the continued social prejudice against political reservation for SC/STs.
Constituencies affected by left-wing extremism have also recorded higher NOTA performance and here probably it served as an instrument of protest against the State itself.
Overall, Indian voters seem to be using NOTA not just to show their disapproval of the candidates in the fray but to express their protest against many things they perceive wrong in the political system.
Concluding Remarks
The early trends of NOTA need to be explored further with more elaborate statistical and ethnographic analysis.
So far, a small number of Indian voters have come to see NOTA as an instrument of protest.
This electoral option will become a meaningful means of negative voting only if it becomes a ‘right to reject’ rather than being a symbolic instrument to express resentment as it is now.
A PIL has already been filed in Madras High Court seeking the full right to reject in place of NOTA.
3. The IS challenge http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/the-is-
challenge/article17378478.ece
Category: Internal Security
Topic: Challenges to Internal Security
Key Points:
Recently, two suspected Islamic State associates from Gujarat were arrested. This development once again raises the question whether the terrorist group is
finding support in India. In recent months, anti-terror officials have arrested young people from different
parts of the country — in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, West Bengal and Rajasthan.
What does the IS thrive on? The IS thrives on support from foreign jihadists, largely the young. Ever since the
organisation declared a ‘Caliphate’ in 2014, it has attracted tens of thousands of fighters from around the world.
It used two tactics — urging sympathisers either to travel to Iraq or Syria, its strongholds, and join the war, or carry out terror attacks in their own countries after declaring allegiance to the ‘Caliph’, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.\
Indian Context India has remained largely insulated from this trend. The number of Indians to have joined the ranks of the IS is very small.
The IS’s puritanical, one-size-fits-all brand of Islam hasn’t found much resonance in India. Given the syncretic nature of Indian Islam, it is extremely difficult for groups such as the IS to become popular among Muslims, as it did in parts of Iraq and Syria.
Method adopted by IS
The IS’s medium is the Internet. It reaches out through online propaganda.
The Way Forward To prevent the group from gaining a foothold on its territory, India needs
high-level intelligence and counter-terror operations to continue. Equally important is better coordination between the state and Muslim
religious leaders in countering radicalisation and having in place specific de-radicalisation programmes, as western governments do.
It is important to not let these isolated arrests be blown out of proportion to target the larger Muslim population, which right-wing elements often try to do. Bigotry cannot be checked with bigotry.
BusinessLine
1. For climate-smart farming http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/editorial/rainfall-mapping-
must-develop-microlevel-precision/article9562341.ece
Category: Geography
Topic: Agriculture, Monsoons
Key Points:
Causes for Concern
Reports of a residual El Nino effect from last year impacting the subcontinent in
the latter half of 2017 should be cause for concern for farm economy managers.
What the southern states, particularly Karnataka and Kerala, already in the midst
of a prolonged spell of dry weather, can scarcely afford is another indifferent
crop year.
Factors Affecting Rainfall
Erratic trends in the spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall arguably have a
more significant effect on crop output than rising temperatures (both being
features of climate change), with half of India’s cropped area being rainfed. Researchers point out that while temperature raises pest activity, over 50 per cent
of the year-on-year variation in crop output can be attributed to annual variations
in rainfall.
IOD Activity
The forecast for this calendar year suggests a warming activity in the Indian Ocean as well (El Nino pertains to warming of the Pacific), called Indian Ocean Dipole in Met parlance.
This tends to negate malignant effects of El Nino. IOD activity is believed to have a stronger influence on rainfall patterns in
India, but it tends to favour central India and the west coast. However, Japanese national forecaster Jamstec has identified the central
region as a candidate for weak rainfall this year.
The Met Department’s first long-range forecast is due in April, by which time more information is likely to be available on the interplay of IOD and El Nino.
It is only to be expected that floods and droughts can break out in different (or even the same) regions in a particular year, or that there can be pockets of crop failure in an otherwise successful agriculture year.
The Way Forward
The Met Department, ICAR and agriculture universities should work towards a
more precise, micro-level understanding of rainfall, temperature, crop choice and
inputs, particularly in rainfed areas.
The focus of farm research should shift towards mapping climate patterns at the taluk level over long periods — perhaps decades — to arrive at better surmises on the monsoon
For example, The Kerala government has initiated an effort along these lines. Research focus on the effects of input-intensive farming in irrigated regions
has led to the neglect of more traditional areas such as managing rain variability.
Climate intelligence must form a more integral part of agriculture policy and extension services.
Finally, there must be a concerted shift towards integrated, sustainable farming, with agro-forestry practices.
Farmers need credit and support to manage this transition.
PIB
1. Indian Navy Concludes Theatre Level Exercise Tropex 2017 http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=158689
Category: Internal Security
Topic: Defense, Coastal Security
Key Points: The Indian Navy’s Annual Theatre Level Readiness and Operational Exercise
(TROPEX 17) was conducted on the Western Seaboard from 24 Jan 17 till 23
Feb 17.
The month long exercise saw participation of over 45 ships from both the
Western and Eastern Naval Commands of the Indian Navy, including the aircraft
carrier INS Vikramaditya, 05 submarines including the nuclear powered Chakra,
50 Naval aircraft, 11 ships from the Coast Guard, troops from the Army and 20
aircraft from the Air Force including Su 30s, Jaguars and AWACS.
Significance TROPEX 2017 assumes great significance in the backdrop of current security
scenario.
The exercise provided an apt-opportunity to test the combat capability of the
Indian Navy, Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Coast Guard, and strengthened
inter-operability and joint operations in complex conflict situation.
2. Three Forest Research Institutes Develop High-Yielding
Varieties of Plant Species
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=158708
Category: Environment and Ecology
Topic: Conservation
Key Points: Three institutes of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE),
Dehradun, have developed 20 high-yielding varieties of plant species.
The Variety Releasing Committee (VRC) of ICFRE, granted approval for the
release of these varieties of plant species.
Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, has worked, for more than a decade, on ten
improved varieties of Melia dubia and three clones of Eucalyptus tereticornis, the
timber of which is in high demand in the industry.
The released cultivars of Melia, popularly known as Dreake, or Malabar Neem,
not only have a high productivity per unit area, with an average of 34.57 cubic
metre per hectare per annum, but also have an excellent bole form, which is a
desirable characteristic for plywood industry.
A brief note on ICFRE Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun
established as an autonomous organisation under Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change, carries out the holistic research on forestry species.
The nine Institutes under ICFRE are actively engaged in improvement of
plantation tree species to improve yield, quality and productivity to meet the
demand for domestic consumption by industries.
3. India & Ukraine to strengthen bilateral cooperation
through Cinema http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=158710
Category: International Relations
Topic: Bilateral Relations
Key Points: India and Ukraine have agreed to strengthen the bilateral cooperation between
the two countries through the medium of Cinema.
The cooperation would be worked out through a policy and institutional
framework to showcase films through the medium of Film Festivals and utilizing
the Film Facilitation Office platform established by India.
The screening of films with subtitles was also discussed in order to reach out to
people.
During the discussions, Shri Naidu said that Ministry of Information &
Broadcasting would extend all possible support to promote exchange programs
between public broadcasters of the two countries, content creation, screening and
distribution of films.
The possibility of translating programs and content and providing subtitles in
respective languages of both the countries was also discussed with respect to the
Public Broadcasters of both the countries.
F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:
1. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn
Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE)
El Nino
2. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS
BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGANISATIONS
IN NEWS
Links to Refer
Act East Policy
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=133837
3. Tags
Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE)
El Nino
Practice Questions
Date: 28th February, 2017 Category: Environment and Ecology Topic: Conservation Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
1] Consider the following statements,
1] Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun established as an autonomous
organisation under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, carries out the holistic research
on forestry species.
2] Recently, three institutes of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun,
have developed 20 high-yielding varieties of plant species.
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
Both the statements are correct.
Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun established as an autonomous
organisation under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, carries out the holistic research
on forestry species. Recently, three institutes of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education
(ICFRE), Dehradun, have developed 20 high-yielding varieties of plant species.
Date: 28th February, 2017 Category: Polity and Governance Topic: Elections Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
2] Consider the following statements,
1] NOTA was introduced in India following the 2013 Supreme Court directive in the People’s Union for Civil Liberties v. Union of India judgment.
2] India became the 14th country to institute negative voting.
3] Significantly, NOTA in India does not provide for a ‘right to reject’.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1 and 2 Only b) 2 and 3 Only c) 1 and 3 Only d) All 1, 2 and 3
Ans d) All 1, 2 and 3.
NOTA was introduced in India following the 2013 Supreme Court directive in the People’s Union for Civil Liberties v. Union of India judgment. India became the 14th country to institute negative voting. Significantly, NOTA in India does not provide for a ‘right to reject’.
Date: 28th February, 2017 Category: Science and Technology Topic: Developments Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
3] “INS Vikramaditya” was recently in the news. What is it?
a) Aircraft Carrier
b) A nuclear submarine
c) A Frigate
d) An offshore patrol vessel
Ans a) Aircraft Carrier
“INS Vikramaditya” is an Aircraft carrier. Date: 28th February, 2017 Category: Geography Topic: Various Parts of the World Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
4] Consider the following statements,
1] Ukraine is bordered by the waters of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
2] Ukraine borders with seven countries: Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Russia, and Belarus.
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
Both the statements are correct.
Ukraine is bordered by the waters of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Ukraine borders with seven
countries: Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Russia, and Belarus.
Date: 28th February, 2017
Category: International Relations
Topic: Reports, Organizations Source: The Hindu
Difficulty level: Medium
Type: Factual
5] Which of the following organizations bring out the report known as ‘World Happiness Report’?
(a) Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)
(b) The United Nations Development Programme
(c) The World Economic Forum
(d) The World Bank
Answer: (a) Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) brings out the report known as ‘World Happiness Report’.
Current News Analysis
01-03-2017
A. GS1 Related
1. Copper axes point to an ancient culture story http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/copper-axes-point-to-an-ancient-
culture-story/article17383808.ece
Category: Indian History
Topic: Ancient India
Key Points: Recently, six copper axes and some pieces of pottery discovered in Sakatpur
of Saharanpur district in Uttar Pradesh. This development could point to a separate culture that straddled the Ganga
and Yamuna, coinciding with the Indus Valley Civilisation, say archaeologists.
Important Points to Note When the Indus Valley civilisation flourished in what is today Punjab,
Haryana and parts of Pakistan, a parallel culture is thought to have co-existed in the fertile plains between the Ganga and the Yamuna in western Uttar Pradesh.
The copper axes and pottery sherds found last week may be related to the Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP) culture in the doab (plains) of the two rivers in the late Harappan period, around 2000 BC.
B. GS2 Related
1. India pushes for Mall a’s e tradition http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-pushes-for-mallyas-
extradition/article17384129.ece
Category: International Relations
Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests
Key Points: Over the past two days, the issue of the overstaying of “certain individuals” wanted by
India was raised including with British Prime Minister Theresa May, during meetings held between Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and senior Cabinet members in the U.K.
While discussions did not name individuals, it was a clear reference to India’s bid to push for the extradition of Vijay Mallya.
Mr. Jaitley has been on a five-day visit to the U.K. which has combined the launch of the
India-U.K. year of culture — and a grand reception at Buckingham Palace hosted by Queen Elizabeth.
2. India, Oman to hold counter-terror exercises http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-oman-to-hold-counterterror-
exercises/article17384866.ece
Category: International Relations
Topic: Bilateral Relations
Key Points: The armies of India and Oman are scheduled to conduct their second bilateral exercise,
Al Nagah-II 2017, in March with a focus on counter-terrorism. India has, of late, been deepening its defence cooperation with the region. The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba, is on a tour of Oman and the UAE to
“explore new avenues for naval cooperation”. The Army said in a statement that the exercise would be held in the Dhauladhar Ranges
at Bakloh in Himachal Pradesh from March 6 to 19.
Aim of the exercise
“The aim of the exercise is to build and promote bilateral Army-to-Army relations and enhance interoperability while exchanging skills and experiences between the Indian Army and the Royal Army of Oman,”
India and Oman already have extensive cooperation in the maritime domain. The navies of the two countries have been holding the bilateral maritime exercises called
‘Naseem Al Bahr’ since 1993.
C.GS3 Related
1. Spectrum auctions to be held annually: Deepak
http://www.thehindu.com/business/spectrum-auctions-to-be-held-annually-
deepak/article17383702.ece
Category: Indian Economy
Topic: Industry, Communications
Key Points:
Recently, the government has decided to hold fresh spectrum auctions between July and December this year and the exercise will be an annual affair from now, Telecom Secretary JS Deepak.
The Centre is also working to ensure that India embraces 5G telecom networks in tandem with the rest of the world, unlike 3G and 4G technologies whose rollout was far slower.
D. GS4 Related
E. Important Editorials
The Hindu
1. Back on track? http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/back-on-track/article17383640.ece
Category: International Relations
Topic: Bilateral Relations
Key Points: The recent discussions between Indian and Chinese officials on the way forward in
Afghanistan are a welcome sign that both countries are attempting to put a very bad year in bilateral ties behind them, and seek common ground where possible.
Points of Convergence In Afghanistan, both China and India see potential for investment and share
concerns over the rise of radicalism and terrorism. There are many avenues for cooperation in Afghanistan.
In fact Beijing had initiated the special talks by inviting Indian officials who deal with Afghanistan and proposed a “joint development project”.
This encourages the conclusion that China is unwilling to have its options cramped by Pakistan’s reservations about India’s role in Afghanistan.
The Way Forward It has been suggested that India must prepare for the larger challenge this year
that will inevitably come from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (B&RI, or One Belt, One Road).
Through the mega infrastructure and trade project, China has plans in place to reach out to each one of India’s land and maritime neighbours, most of whom have signed up for it.
India has decided to not join the B&RI and will not attend even as an observer as the $51-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor, now an integral part of the B&RI initiative, runs through areas of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
This concerns India’s territorial integrity, and New Delhi needs to find ways to make China more sensitive to its concerns.
2. Game of tones http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/game-of-tones/article17383643.ece
Category: Indian Economy
Topic: Industry, Communications
Key Points: It is interesting to note the current wave of mergers and acquisitions in India’s
telecommunications industry. This wave started in November 2015 with Reliance Communications’
agreement to acquire Sistema’s Indian wireless business.
The wave of mergers and acquisitions have gained considerable momentum over the last 15 months with several more announcements — of deals struck or confirmation of ongoing merger negotiations — having been made.
Changed Dynamics
A little more than five years ago, as many as 12 private players jostled with the two state-run telephone operators, BSNL and MTNL.
These two state-run operators vied for a share of the country’s 893.8 million wireless subscribers as of December 2011.
And while the market had expanded to almost 1.13 billion subscribers as of December 2016, the number of non-state mobile services providers had shrunk to 10, inclusive of Reliance Jio.
The industry is now finally poised to coalesce into four large private sector entities, a welcome development both from the industry and government perspective.
Economic Times
1. The right and wrong of free speech http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-editorials/the-right-and-wrong-
of-free-speech/
Category: Polity and Governance
Topic: Basic Provisions
Key Points:
Causes for Concern
It has been suggested that the recent events at Ramjas College in Delhi University truncate the right to freedom of speech.
It is true that the Constitution places reasonable restrictions on this freedom, on grounds of sovereignty and national integrity, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency, defamation and incitement to an offence.
It is important to note that free speech is not meant only for those who agree with a dominant view; it matters most when it comes to unpopular, minority views.
Concluding Remarks
In conclusion, it is important to note that the country’s courts are the final arbiters of when a restriction on free speech is warranted, but in a technical sense.
It is the lived practice of democracy — with citizens actively defending free speech, even of the kind they disagree with — that will give substance to this and other fundamental rights.
PIB
1. India and ADB sign $375 million in loans and grants for first
phase of 2,500–kilometer long East Coast Economic
Corridor http://pib.nic.in/newsite/printrelease.aspx?relid=158722
Category: Indian Economy
Topic: International Trade
Key Points: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed here
$375 million in loans and grants to develop 800-kilometer Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor, which is the First Phase of a planned 2,500–kilometer long East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC).
The Corridor is expected to spur development on India’s eastern coast in line with the Government of India’s Make in India policy to stimulate manufacturing, and Act East policy to integrate the Indian economy with Asia’s dynamic global production networks.
The signing event was held on 23.02.2017 followed the ADB approval of $631 million in loans and grants in September 2016 to develop the Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor.
ADB’s approved loans comprise a $500 million multi-tranche facility to build key infrastructure in the four main centers along the corridor – Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Amaravati, and Yerpedu-Srikalahasti in the State of Andhra Pradesh.
The First Tranche of $245 million was signed today that will finance sub-projects to develop high-quality internal infrastructure in 2 of the 4 nodes of the corridor–Visakhapatnam and Yerpedu-Srikalahasti.
Another component of the approved ADB funds signed on 23.02.2017 was a $125 million policy-based loan that will be used for capacity development of institutions engaged in corridor management, provide support to enhance ease of doing business and for supporting industrial and sector policies to stimulate industrial development.
2. India signs Financing Agreement with World Bank for US$
63 Million for Tejaswini: Socio-Economic Empowerment of
Adolescent Girls and Young Women Project http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=158720
Category: Environment and Ecology
Topic: Conservation
Key Points: A Financing Agreement for IDA credit of US$ 63 million (equivalent) for the
“Tejaswini” Socio-Economic Empowerment of Adolescent Girls and Young Women Project” was signed here with the World Bank on 23rd February, 2017.
The Financing Agreement was signed by Mr. Raj Kumar, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. Junaid Kamal Ahmad, Country Director, World Bank (India) on behalf of the World Bank.
A Project Agreement was also signed by Mr. Mukhmeet Singh Bhatia, Principal Secretary, Department of Women, Child Development, Government of Jharkhand and Mr. Junaid Kamal Ahmad, Country Director, World Bank.
The project seeks to empower the adolescent girls with basic life skills and thereafter provide further opportunities to acquire market driven skill training or completion of secondary education, depending on the inclination of the beneficiary.
The project will be delivered in 17 Districts of Jharkhand. The project has three main components, (i) Expanding social, educational and economic opportunities (ii) Intensive service delivery (iii) State capacity-building and implementation support. About 680,000 adolescent girls and young women in the project Districts are expected to benefit from the program.
F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn: 1. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
China’s Belt and Road Initiative
2. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS
BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGANISATIONS
IN NEWS
Links to Refer
Act East Policy
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=133837
3. Tags
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
China’s Belt and Road Initiative
Practice Questions
Date: 1st March, 2017 Category: Ancient India Topic: Mauryan Kingdom Source: The Hindu
Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
1. The statue of Gomateshwara at Sravanabelagola was built by which of the following rulers,
A. Chandragupta Maurya
B. Kharvela
C. Amoghavarsha
D. Chamundaraya
Ans : (D)
Chamundaraya had built statue of Gomateshwara at Sravanabelagola.
Date: 1st March, 2017 Category: Indian History Topic: Modern Indian History Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
2] The first Indian ruler who joined the subsidiary Alliance was which of the following,
A. The Nawab of Oudh
B. The Nizam of Hyderabad
C. Peshwa Baji Rao II
D. The king of Travancore
Ans : (B)
The Nizam of Hyderabad was the first Indian ruler who joined the subsidiary Alliance.
Date: 1st March, 2017 Category: International Relations Topic: Bilateral Relations Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
3] “Naseem Al Bahr” was recently in the news. What is it?
a) A bilateral maritime exercise between India and Oman
b) A bilateral maritime exercise between India and Iran
c) A bilateral maritime exercise between India and Indonesia
d) A bilateral maritime exercise between India and U.A.E
Ans a) “Naseem Al Bahr” is a bilateral maritime exercise between India and Oman.
Date: 1st March, 2017 Category: Ancient India Topic: Indus Valley Civilization Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
4] Which among the following is the largest site in the Indus Valley Civilization,
a) Rakhigarhi
b) Harappa c) Mohenjodaro d) Kalibangan
Ans a) Rakhigarhi is the largest site in the Indus Valley Civilization.
Date: 1
st March, 2017
Category: International Relations
Topic: Reports, Organizations Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
5] Which of the following organizations bring out the report known as ‘Global Information
Technology Report’?
(a) Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)
(b) The United Nations Development Programme
(c) The World Economic Forum
(d) The World Bank
Answer: (c) WEF (World Economic Forum) brings out the report known as ‘Global Information Technology Report’.
Current News Analysis
02-03-2017
A. GS1 Related
B. GS2 Related
C.GS3 Related
1. Interceptor missile test successful http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/interceptor-missile-test-
successful/article17389133.ece
Category: Science and Technology
Topic: Developments
Key Points: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on 1st
March, 2017 successfully carried out a test of an interceptor missile.
This further validated the reliability of the under-development, two-layered
Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) in shooting down enemy missiles.
This missile is an endo-atmospheric missile, that can intercept missiles at
ranges of 15-30 km.
A note on the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) The BMD consists of two interceptor missiles, the Prithvi Defence Vehicle
(PDV) for exo-atmospheric ranges and the Advanced Area Defence (AAD)
missile for endo-atmosphere or lower altitudes.
The BMD is critical to protect the country from the long-range ballistic
missiles proliferating in the neighbourhood.
DRDO expects to have shield ready for deployment by 2022.
D. GS4 Related
E. Important Editorials
The Hindu
1. Withering highs
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/withering-highs/article17390693.ece
Category: Geography
Topic: Climatology, Monsoon
Key Points: It is important to note that Global weather in recent times has come under
pressure from the El Nino warming that began in 2015 and exerted its influence
into the first quarter of 2016.
Further, it is also significant to note that the Australian international weather
bureau says there is a 50% prospect of a similar phenomenon this year as well,
making it a significant alert on hotter temperatures, and possibly a debilitated
monsoon and weaker agricultural prospects.
Impact
As the temperature edged past 40ºC last year, schools in some states decided to
extend their summer vacations by a week or two.
This may become necessary again.
Urban water distress poses another challenge, because big cities in several States
have not received adequate rainfall to replenish their reservoirs and are using up
groundwater at unsustainable rates.
For farmers, another harsh period would add to their difficulties, requiring a
sensitive approach to their needs.
Administrative decisions for summer management will need to be refined on the
basis of coming IMD updates, although the overall trend appears to be clear.
Concluding Remarks
Temperatures in different parts of the world may have variations due to local
weather phenomena.
The effect of El Nino on the global temperature average is only a small part of
the overall rise, indicating that the trend could be correlated with the rise in
greenhouse gases.
There are clear signs that the world must shift away from further high-emission
pathways in the economy and adopt leapfrogging technologies.
It is also a call for policy initiatives to build resilience by improving water
harvesting and expanding tree cover, including in cities.
For rural India, building surface irrigation facilities such as ponds through the
employment guarantee scheme and climate funds would seem a natural choice,
while urban water supply augmentation needs more reservoirs to be built.
Economic Times
1. Whatever the Q3 growth rate, get on with reforms http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-editorials/whatever-the-q3-
growth-rate-get-on-with-reforms/
Category: Indian Economy
Topic: Government Policy
Key Points:
The recent development of the Central Statistics Office’s (CSO) second advance estimate of economic activity would suggest that the financial shock of removing
86 per cent of the currency from circulation in an economy where more than 90
per cent of transactions were in cash has not hurt economic growth. Growth in the quarter ending December, when the impact of demonetisation
would have been the worst, is estimated to have been 7 per cent and the estimate
for 2016-17 as a whole is 7.1 per cent. The robust growth in agriculture, of 6 per cent in Q3 and 4.4 per cent for the
whole year, after two years of drought does not quite explain it: after all,
agriculture, forestry and fishing account for just 15 per cent of GDP. But there are rational explanations for this seeming mismatch between
expectation and outcome.
Concluding Remarks
CSO estimates GDP using the financial results of companies and sales tax paid
by traders. It is conceivable that quite a few entities declared unusual levels of income and
sales, to bring hoarded cash into formal channels and, thus, presented an inflated
picture of economic activity. This bump in activity would disappear in the fourth quarter, if this were so. And
the CSO figures imply precisely that: growth in Q4 is expected to turn in at 6.9
per cent.
PIB
1. Minister for Civil Aviation Dedicates First Integrated
Heliport to the Nation http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=158731
Category: Indian Economy
Topic: Government Policy
Key Points: The First Integrated Heliport was dedicated to the Nation by Ministry of Civil
Aviation in association with Pawan Hans.
After inaugurating the facility the Minister for Civil Aviation Shri Ashok
Gajapathi Raju said that the heliport was an excellent infrastructure but pointed
out that helicopter services in India are still at a nascent stage.
2. PM greets the scientists on National Science Day; salutes
Sir CV Raman for his contribution to science http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=158727
Category: Science and Technology
Topic: Developments
Key Points: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has greeted the scientists on National
Science Day. The Prime Minister also saluted Sir CV Raman for his contribution
to the science.
“On National Science Day, my greetings and best wishes to our scientific
community. Their role in nation building and advancement is paramount.
We salute Sir CV Raman for his pioneering contribution to science, which
continues to inspire generations of science enthusiasts’’, the Prime Minister said.
3. Successful Test Firing of AAD Endo-Atmospheric
Interceptor Missile http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=158774
Category: Science and Technology
Topic: Developments
Key Points: DRDO conducted the successful launch of the interceptor missile Advanced Area
Defence (AAD).
The endo-atmospheric missile, capable of intercepting incoming targets at an
altitude of 15 to 25 kms successfully destroyed the incoming missile.
All the mission objectives were successfully met.
The weapon system radars tracked the target and provided the initial guidance to
the interceptor which could precisely home on to the target and destroyed it in
endo-atmospheric layer.
The complete event including the engagement and destruction was tracked by a
number of electro-optical tracking systems using infrared imagery.
Radars and telemetry stations tracked the target and the interceptor till the
destruction of the target.
The launch has proved the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) prowess of the
country.
F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:
1. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn
First Integrated Heliport
National Science Day
Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD)
2. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS
BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGANISATIONS Links to Refer
IN NEWS
Act East Policy
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=133837
3. Tags
First Integrated Heliport
National Science Day
Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD)
Practice Questions
Date: 2nd March, 2017 Category: Science and Technology Topic: Developments Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
1] Consider the following statements, regarding Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD),
1] The BMD consists of two interceptor missiles, the Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) for exo-atmospheric
ranges and the Advanced Area Defence (AAD) missile for endo-atmosphere or lower altitudes.
2] The BMD is critical to protect the country from the long-range ballistic missiles proliferating in the
neighbourhood.
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
Both the statements are correct.
The BMD consists of two interceptor missiles, the Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) for exo-atmospheric
ranges and the Advanced Area Defence (AAD) missile for endo-atmosphere or lower altitudes.
The BMD is critical to protect the country from the long-range ballistic missiles proliferating in the
neighbourhood.
Date: 2nd March, 2017 Category: Geography Topic: Ocean Currents Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
2] Consider the following statements,
1] The Agulhas Current and Gulf Stream are warm water currents.
2] The West Wind Drift is a cold water current.
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
Both the statements are correct.
The Agulhas Current and Gulf Stream are warm water currents. The West Wind Drift is a cold water
current.
Date: 2nd March, 2017 Category: Science and Technology Topic: Developments Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
3] “INS Chakra” was recently in the news. What is it?
a) Aircraft Carrier
b) A nuclear submarine
c) A Frigate
d) An offshore patrol vessel
Ans b) A nuclear submarine
“INS Chakra” is a nuclear submarine.
Date: 2nd March, 2017 Category: Science and Technology Topic: Developments Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
4] Consider the following statements,
1] BRAHMOS missile operates on a ‘Fire and Forget Principle’.
2] BRAHMOS is a two-stage missile with a solid propellant booster engine as its first stage.
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
Both the statements are correct.
BRAHMOS missile operates on a ‘Fire and Forget Principle’. BRAHMOS is a two-stage missile with a
solid propellant booster engine as its first stage.
Date: 2nd
March, 2017
Category: International Relations
Topic: Reports, Organizations Source: The Hindu
Difficulty level: Medium
Type: Factual
5] Which of the following organizations bring out the report known as ‘Ease of Doing Business’?
(a) IBRD (World Bank)
(b) The United Nations Development Programme
(c) The World Economic Forum
(d) The World Bank
Answer: (a) IBRD (World Bank) brings out the report known as ‘Ease of Doing Business’.
Current News Analysis
03-03-2017
A. GS1 Related
B. GS2 Related
1. India to attend Lahore meet on Indus Waters Treaty http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-to-attend-lahore-meet-on-indus-
waters-treaty/article17396619.ece
Category: International Relations
Topic: Bilateral Relations
Key Points: India has recently accepted an invitation to attend a meeting of the
Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) to be held in Lahore in March.
This development signals a major shift in India’s position on talks with Pakistan on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
2. Pakistan returns to SAARC, gets Secretary General post http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/herd-of-deer-
found-dead-outside-nagarahole-park/article17397712.ece
Category: International Relations
Topic: India and its Neighbourhood
Key Points: Pakistan succeeded in getting its official elected to the post of the Secretary
General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
This was backed by all members, including India, which made the selection
consensus-based.
However, Officials at the SAARC secretariat, however, said the election was
of administrative nature and diplomatic intent should not be read in it.
Sources at the SAARC secretariat in Kathmandu said the election of Mr. Sial
was possible as India and Pakistan had indicated a greater willingness to
allow SAARC to function.
C.GS3 Related
1. Herd of deer found dead outside Nagarahole park http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-
andhrapradesh/herd-of-deer-found-dead-outside-nagarahole-
park/article17397712.ece
Category: Environment and Ecology
Topic: Conservation
Key Points: A herd of deer desperate to quench their thirst was found dead close to a
watering hole outside the Nagarahole National Park on 2nd
March, 2017.
This development is suspected to be a case of deliberate poisoning.
Wild animals are reeling under the impact of severe drought and extreme
water stress and the authorities are stunned by the poisoning of even the
limited water source though it was outside the park boundary.
Sources in the Forest Department told The Hindu that it was not uncommon
for miscreants to liberally sprinkle urea in waterbodies close to protected
areas, as they are frequented by angulates such as spotted deer, barking deer,
sambar etc. to quench their thirst. The miscreants then trailed the desperate
animals which would fall dead and then poached for meat, they said.
2. No camps within 100 m of Ganga: NGT http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/tp-others/no-
camps-within-100-m-of-ganga-ngt/article17397735.ece
Category: Environment and Ecology
Topic: Conservation
Key Points: The National Green Tribunal recently prohibited all camping activity from
Shivpuri to Rishikesh on beaches along the Ganga which fall within 100
meters of the river.
What about Eco-tourism? It cannot be disputed that river rafting is one of the significant components of
eco-tourism.
It needs to be encouraged but with a clear mandate that it should not cause
any environmental and biodiversity degradation particularly in relation to the
flood plains and the forest areas adjacent to the sites identified for river
rafting.
Who filed the petition? The judgment came on a petition filed by environment activist Vikrant
Tongad, who highlighted how unregulated camping was leading to pollution
in the river and its adjoining areas.
He also highlighted how tourists coming to the area left behind litter and
polluted the river and the soil.
Position of the bench
The bench clarified that “the portion of the identified beaches which mostly fall outside the restriction of 100 meters should alone be used for effective
camping activity.”
The remaining part of the beach should not be permitted for any effective
activity, the bench said. “In other words, on the remnant part of the beach that falls within 100 meters any activity involving tenting, toilets and other
incidental requirements should remain prohibited,” the bench said. “While on the other hand, if 70% area falls within 100 meters and only 30%
area falls outside 100 meters then the effective camping activity with its
related infrastructure requirements could be carried on only in 30% of the
beach area while leaving the entire 70% area free from such interference,” it said.
3. A weapon-locati g radar for the Ar y Swati extensively tested along LoC http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/a-weaponlocating-radar-for-the-
army/article17396689.ece
Category: Science and Technology
Topic: Developments
Key Points: The DRDO has formally handed over an indigenously developed Weapon
Locating Radar (WLR) system called ‘Swati’ to the Army. It has been extensively tested along the Line of Control.
The organisation also handed over a Nuclear, Biological and Chemical
(NBC) recce vehicle and NBC treatment drugs to the Army.
A ote o Swati Swati provides quick, automatic and accurate location of all enemy weapons
like mortars, shells and rockets firing within its effective zone of coverage
and simultaneously handles multiple projectiles fired from different weapons
at different locations.
Swati can also direct artillery response based on the incoming enemy fire.
Swati has a range of 50 km which brings all artillery guns presently in
service worldwide under its coverage.
Four systems are currently in operation and another 30 are on order for the
Army.
D. GS4 Related
E. Important Editorials
The Hindu
1. Are our campuses under siege?
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/are-our-campuses-under-
siege/article17395902.ece
Category: Polity and Governance
Topic: Basic Provisions of Constitution
Key Points: Here, there are three views expressed. The first being ‘Left of Center’, the second being, ‘Right of Center’, and the third being a Centrist position.
Left of Center Views
The writer believes that the political party in power has weakened democratic
institutions which has led to restlessness.
Unfortunately, moral and cultural policing, misuse of force with the involvement
of police, and attacks on universities and colleges are tools with which assaults
on students are organised.
While noting the use and misuse of the media, the writer observes that there is a
classic creation of a surveillance society.
Crucially, the writer observes that in Central and State-funded universities, a
large number of students who take admission belong to the marginal sections of
society and the middle-lower class, and that if they undergo the process of
cultural understanding about the relationship between state and society, they can
be effectively used for institutionalising an alternative polity of the working class
in which the working class, peasantry and women along with SCs, STs and
minorities play instrumental roles in the decision-making process.
Right of Center Views
The writer points out that based on the available literature related to the concept of
nation and nationalism (largely drawn on the Western historical experiences and
philosophical traditions), one can broadly identify three major schools of thought.
The primordialist school, for instance, claims that nations are ‘real’, and ethnicity forms the basis for a nation to emerge. Germany comes to mind,
where people came to together to create the nation first and then a unified
state.
The second are the proponents of civic nationalism — as in France — where
the state is first, then the nation.
The third, popularly known as the constructivist school, contests the
existence of nation as ‘real’ or ‘natural. For the constructivists, the discourse on nation makes it ‘real’.
National identity, according to them, is made-up narratives based on
selective manipulation of facts and used as an instrument by the political elite
for mobilisation and capture of state power.
Indian Context:
Interestingly, India, or Bharat as the Constitution defines it, does not fit into any
of the three categories. India as a nation-state model is sui generis.
It emerged in 1947 as a modern, sovereign nation-state entity but that does
not mean that the idea of Bharatavarsha is new.
The description of Bharat is found in our epics, our sacred texts, shastras, in
Kalidasa’s poem ‘Meghaduta’ (Cloud Messenger), apart from the speeches
and writings of Swami Vivekananda and Sri Aurobindo.
The idea of Bharat Rashtra is thus neither a product of imagination or
narration; it is a natural reality.
Centrist Views
The writer points out that in India, historians R.S. Sharma and Romila
Thapar, both historians of ancient India, are considered Leftists but have very
different methodologies to understand the past.
Knowledge is very fluid. Existentialism impacted Marxism and got changed
in the process; similarly Freud helped Marxists see human nature in a very
different light.
It is true that the Left, when in power, has displayed a tendency to
hegemonise all social and cultural spaces. It destroyed the intellectual life of
West Bengal. When knowledge-seeking is made subservient to what is
thought to be politically correct, it flounders.
Economic Times
1. RBI, scrap these cash transaction charges http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-editorials/rbi-scrap-these-cash-
transaction-charges/
Category: Indian Economy
Topic: Money and Banking, Government Policy
Key Points:
Recently, three of the country’s largest private sector banks — ICICI, HDFC and
Axis — have imposed costs on consumers for transactions in cash at bank
branches.
Only four cash withdrawals or deposits would be free per account in a branch. From
the fifth transaction, a minimum of Rs 150 would be added on as cost.
ICICI Bank would levy an additional Rs 5 every Rs 1,000 transacted. ATM
transactions are exempt, they say: only branch transactions are affected.
Situation on the ground:
A country of 1.33 billion people has less than 2.2 lakh ATM machines, mostly
confined to metropolitan sites.
Everybody else in the vast hinterland has to operate through branch banking.
Restricting third-party cash transactions to Rs 25,000 per day as HDFC Bank
proposes, or Rs 50,000 per day, as ICICI Bank will have it, along with these new
cash transaction costs, can destroy small and medium business, the informal and
farm economy, and slam the brakes on growth.
Zero-balance and salary accounts have not been spared the four-transactions-per-
month rule by private banks.
Concluding Remarks
If the government and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) do not step in immediately to
stop private banks from imposing these transaction costs, state-owned banks
might also follow suit.
The aim should be to make digital transactions so easy and costless as to make
use of cash look foolish.
PIB
1. Maiden Anti-Ship Missile launch by Kalvari http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=158789
Category: Science and Technology
Topic: Developments
Key Points: The Indian Navy, successfully conducted the maiden firing of an Anti-Ship
missile from the first of the indigenously built Kalvari class submarines, during a
test firing in the Arabian Sea.
The missile successfully hit a surface target at extended ranges during the trial
firing, held this morning.
This missile launch is a significant milestone, not only for the Kalvari, which is
the first in a series of Scorpene class submarines being built in India, but also in
enhancing the Indian Navy’s sub-surface warfare capability.
All six Kalvari class submarines being built in India will be equipped with this
anti-ship missile, which has a proven record in combat. These missiles will
provide the submarines the ability to neutralise surface threats at extended
ranges.
F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:
1. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn
Weapon Locating Radar (WLR)
Kalvari class submarines
2. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS
BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGANISATIONS
IN NEWS
Links to Refer
Act East Policy
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=133837
3. Tags
Weapon Locating Radar (WLR)
Kalvari class submarines
Practice Questions
Date: 3rd March, 2017 Category: Science and Technology Topic: Developments Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
1] Consider the following statements,
1] Recently, the DRDO has formally handed over an indigenously developed Weapon Locating Radar
(WLR) system called ‘Swati’ to the Army.
2] Swati provides quick, automatic and accurate location of all enemy weapons like mortars, shells and
rockets firing within its effective zone of coverage and simultaneously handles multiple projectiles fired
from different weapons at different locations.
3] Swati has a range of 50 km which brings all artillery guns presently in service worldwide under its
coverage.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1 and 3 Only b) 2 and 3 Only c) 1 and 2 Only d) All, 1, 2 and 3
Ans d) All, 1, 2 and 3
All the statements are correct.
Recently, the DRDO has formally handed over an indigenously developed Weapon Locating Radar
(WLR) system called ‘Swati’ to the Army. Swati provides quick, automatic and accurate location of all enemy weapons like mortars, shells and rockets firing within its effective zone of coverage and
simultaneously handles multiple projectiles fired from different weapons at different locations. Swati has
a range of 50 km which brings all artillery guns presently in service worldwide under its coverage.
Date: 3rd March, 2017 Category: Environment and Ecology Topic: Conservation Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
2] ‘Nagarahole National Park’ was recently in the news. Where is it located?
a) Karnataka
b) Tamil Nadu
c) Madhya Pradesh
d) Kerala
Ans a) Karnataka
Both the statements are correct.
‘Nagarahole National Park’ is located in Karnataka.
Date: 3rd March, 2017 Category: Science and Technology Topic: Developments Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
3] “INS Kalvari” was recently in the news. What is it?
a) Aircraft Carrier
b) A submarine
c) A Frigate
d) An offshore patrol vessel
Ans b) A submarine
“INS Kalvari” is a submarine.
Date: 3rd March, 2017 Category: Indian History Topic: Ancient India Source: The Hindu
Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
4] ‘Meghaduta’ was composed by?
a) Kalidasa
b) Tulsidas
c) Aryabhatta
d) Harshavardhana
Ans c) Both 1 and 2
‘Meghaduta’ was composed by Kalidasa.
Date: 3rd
March, 2017
Category: International Relations
Topic: Reports, Organizations Source: The Hindu
Difficulty level: Medium
Type: Factual
5] Which of the following organizations bring out the report known as ‘Southeast Asia Energy
Outlook’?
(a) International Energy Agency
(b) The United Nations Development Programme
(c) The World Economic Forum
(d) The World Bank
Answer: (a) International Energy Agency brings out the report known as ‘Southeast Asia Energy Outlook’.
Current News Analysis
04-03-2017
A. GS1 Related
B. GS2 Related
1. UN body slams Sri Lanka http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/un-body-slams-sri-
lanka/article17405516.ece
Category: International Relations
Topic: Bilateral Relations
Key Points: The UN has recently said that reports of abuses including torture remain
widespread in Sri Lanka eight years after the end of a decades-long civil war.
The UN criticized the government’s slow progress in addressing wartime crimes.
At least 1,00,000 people died in the conflict between Tamil separatists and
government forces that ended in 2009.
The UN has been pushing for a special court to investigate allegations that
government forces killed up to 40,000 Tamil civilians in the final months of
fighting.
Mr. Sirisena had agreed to a UN Human Rights Council resolution in
October 2015 which called for special tribunals and reparations for victims
and gave Sri Lanka 18 months to establish credible investigations.
But the deadline lapsed without those commitments being met.
C.GS3 Related
1. For Olive Ridle s, it’s paradise lost http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/for-olive-ridleys-its-
paradise-lost/article17405178.ece
Category: Environment and Ecology
Topic: Conservation
Key Points: In a recent development, tens of thousands of eggs laid by Olive Ridley sea
turtles this year in Gahirmatha Sanctuary in Odisha, one of the world’s largest nesting grounds, are getting destroyed due to shrinking coastal space.
Gahirmatha once had 32 km of beach and nesting area of 1,80,000 square
metres.
2. Centre dithers on Western Ghats issue http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/centre-dithers-on-western-ghats-
issue/article17403548.ece
Category: Environment and Ecology
Topic: Conservation
Key Points: The Environment Ministry has dithered, for the second time in three years,
from bringing into force a law that will make about 56,825 sqkm of the
ecologically-rich Western Ghats out of bounds for industrial development.
Ever since a committee headed by ecologist Madhav Gadgil recommended in
2011 that all of the Western Ghats be declared as the Ecological Sensitive
Area (ESA) — with only limited development allowed in graded zones—
States have forced the Centre to consistently delay imposing the ESA
restrictions.
A committee headed by K. Kasturirangan, former ISRO chairman,
recommended that only about 60,000 sq km — or about 37% of the WG and
a significant reduction from that of the Gadgil committee — be declared as
ESA.
3. U.S. i ed I dia’s plea o refor s i edici e http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/us-nixed-indias-plea-on-reforms-
in-medicine/article17403526.ece
Category: Indian Economy
Topic: International Trade
Key Points: A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) response has revealed that the United
States government had opposed including agenda items proposed by India,
which aimed at reforming medical innovation that currently pump up drug
prices to unaffordable levels.
This development come a month after the 140th World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Executive Board meeting.
What did India propose? The Indian government — along with 11 South East Asian countries — had
proposed a discussion on an ‘Access to Medicines’ report by the United
Nations High Level Panel that had recommended reforms in the funding of
biomedical research and development.
However, the set of documents released by Knowledge Ecology International
(KEI), a not for profit organisation that gives technical advice to
governments, reveals that both the United States and the WHO opposed
including the proposal by India.
D. GS4 Related
E. Important Editorials
The Hindu
1. Crossing a bridge
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/crossing-a-
bridge/article17403329.ece
Category: International Relations
Topic: India and its Neighbourhood
Key Points:
A note on the Permanent Indus Commission: It is important to note that the Permanent Indus Commission mandated to
implement the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) has met like clockwork, 112
times in 56 years, annually in each country.
The commission has experts who look into issues and disputes on the ground
over the utilisation of the waters of six rivers of the Indus system.
Under the treaty, India has full use of the three “eastern” rivers (Beas, Ravi, Sutlej), while Pakistan has control over the three “western” rivers (Indus, Chenab, Jhelum), although India is given rights to use these partially as well for
certain purposes.
Recent Development
The recent development of India accepting Pakistan’s invitation to the next round of talks is welcome, as it denotes India’s commitment to the treaty that has stood the test of time and war, and also displays New Delhi’s sincerity on the issue of water-sharing, given that the IWT is seen to be a model in dispute management.
Background before the development
In September last year, doubts had been raised over India’s commitment after the terrorist attack on an army camp in Uri, killing 19 soldiers.
In the days that followed, senior officials announced the suspension of talks until there was an
“atmosphere free of terror” after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a review meeting on the treaty to consider retaliatory measures against Pakistan for the attack, saying, “blood and water cannot go together”
The atmosphere was also charged after the government announced “surgical strikes” had been carried out along the Line of Control and subsequently pulled out from the SAARC summit in
Pakistan, leading to fears of a freeze in bilateral ties.
Concluding Remarks
The decision follows several other moves between India and Pakistan in the past few weeks
indicating a softening of positions on some other issues as well: from a marked reduction in LoC
firing, the regular annual exchange of nuclear lists, the release of prisoners by both countries, and
India being part of the consensus to elect the Pakistani nominee as the SAARC Secretary-General
this week.
It would be premature to expect that any of these events, some of which are routine, consolidate a
thaw in relations between the two countries.
However, they reaffirm the high stakes that are woven into India-Pakistan relations, and the need
to keep certain issues such as water-sharing above the politics of the moment.
Economic Times
1. Neither collegiu or a co issio : Judges’ appointment must involve Parliament http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-editorials/neither-collegium-
nor-a-commission-judges-appointment-must-involve-parliament/
Category: Polity and Governance
Topic: Judiciary
Key Points: In a recent development, Justice J Chelameswar, one of the three senior-most
judges of the Supreme Court after the chief justice and, thus, a member of the
collegium that nominates additions to the higher judiciary, has penned a note of
dissent on the exclusion of Justice Manjula Chellur from the list of high court
judges submitted by the collegium to the government for elevation to the
Supreme Court.
Brief Background of the issue:
Ever since the Supreme Court ruled the Judicial Appointments Commission
proposed by the government to be unfit, there have been strained relations
between the executive and the judiciary.
The government has delayed appointments, refused transfers and refused to
relent.
Current Situation:
It has been argued that the ongoing system of appointing judges of the
Supreme Court is neither transparent nor accountable.
Concluding Remarks
When a vacancy opens up for a judge in a high court or in the Supreme
Court, eligible members of the judicial fraternity, including lawyers, should
be able to formally register their interest.
The chief law officer of the government and the chief justice should be able
to nominate judges for consideration.
But their appointment as judges must be conditional on confirmation by a
committee of the Rajya Sabha with representatives from all the major
political parties.
F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:
1. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn
SAARC
Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)
UN Human Rights Council
2. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS
BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGANISATIONS
IN NEWS
Links to Refer
Act East Policy
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=133837
3. Tags
SAARC
Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)
UN Human Rights Council
Practice Questions
Date: 4th March, 2017 Category: International Relations; Geography Topic: Agreements; Drainage Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
1] Consider the following statements,
1] The Permanent Indus Commission is mandated to implement the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
2] The commission has experts who look into issues and disputes on the ground over the utilisation of the
waters of six rivers of the Indus system.
3] Under the treaty, India has full use of the three “eastern” rivers (Beas, Ravi, Sutlej), while Pakistan has control over the three “western” rivers (Indus, Chenab, Jhelum), although India is given rights to use
these partially as well for certain purposes.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1 and 3 Only
b) 2 and 3 Only c) 1 and 2 Only d) All, 1, 2 and 3
Ans d) All, 1, 2 and 3
All the statements are correct.
The Permanent Indus Commission is mandated to implement the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). The
commission has experts who look into issues and disputes on the ground over the utilisation of the waters
of six rivers of the Indus system. Under the treaty, India has full use of the three “eastern” rivers (Beas, Ravi, Sutlej), while Pakistan has control over the three “western” rivers (Indus, Chenab, Jhelum), although India is given rights to use these partially as well for certain purposes.
Date: 4th March, 2017 Category: Environment and Ecology Topic: Conservation Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
2] ‘Gahirmatha Sanctuary’ was recently in the news. Where is it located?
a) Odisha
b) Tamil Nadu
c) Madhya Pradesh
d) Kerala
Ans a) Odisha ‘Gahirmatha Sanctuary’ is located in Odisha.
Date: 4th March, 2017 Category: Environment and Ecology Topic: Conservation Source: The Hindu
Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
3] “Gadgil Commission” is often mentioned in the news. What is it in relation to?
a) Western Ghats Ecology
b) Eastern Ghats Ecology
c) Himalayan Ecology
d) Underground Hydrology
Ans a) Western Ghats Ecology
“Gadgil Commission” was an environmental research commission appointed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests of India. Its main area of focus was Western Ghats Ecology.
Date: 4th March, 2017 Category: Indian History Topic: Ancient India Source: The Hindu Difficulty level: Medium Type: Factual
4] ‘Abhijnanasakuntalam’ was composed by?
a) Kalidasa
b) Tulsidas
c) Aryabhatta
d) Harshavardhana
Ans a) Kalidasa
‘Abhijnanasakuntalam’ was composed by Kalidasa.
Date: 4th March, 2017
Category: International Relations
Topic: Reports, Organizations Source: The Hindu
Difficulty level: Medium
Type: Factual
5] Which of the following organizations bring out the report known as ‘Asian Development Outlook’?
(a) ADB (Asian Development bank)
(b) The United Nations Development Programme
(c) The World Economic Forum
(d) The World Bank
Answer: (a) ADB (Asian Development bank) brings out the report known as ‘Asian Development Outlook’.