Daily Prelims Notes

March 2020 https://t.me/asksantoshsir

Santosh Sir

All 6 Prelims qualified

If I can do it, you can too

3 March

1. Atal Bhujal Yojna

What?

It is a scheme aimed at improving groundwater management through

community participation.

The identified over-exploited and water stressed areas for the

implementation of the scheme fall in the States of Gujarat, Haryana,

Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh

It is flagged off on the occasion of 95th birth anniversary of Atal Bihari

Vajpayee

Funding:

It is central sector scheme. Out of the total outlay of Rs. 6000 crore to be

implemented over a period of 5 years (2020-21 to 2024-25), 50% shall be in

the form of World Bank loan, and be repaid by the Central Government.

The remaining 50% shall be through Central Assistance from regular

budgetary support. The entire World Bank's loan component and Central

Assistance shall be passed on to the States as Grants.

Components:

ATAL JAL has been designed with the principal objective of strengthening

the institutional framework for participatory groundwater management and

bringing about behavioral changes at the community level for sustainable

groundwater resource management

2. Adjournment of the house:

Termination of the sitting of the House which meets again at the time appointed for

the next sitting.

Adjournment sine die: Termination of a sitting of the House without any definite

date being fixed for the next sitting.

Power for adjournment and adjournment sine die lies with presiding officer of the

house.

Prorogation: The termination of a session of House by an order made by the

President under article 85(2) (a) of the Constitution.

3. Speaker of the Lok Sabha

The office of the Speaker occupies a pivotal position in our parliamentary

democracy. It has been said of the office of the Speaker that while the

members of Parliament represent the individual constituencies, the Speaker

represents the full authority of the House itself.

The Speaker is looked upon as the true guardian of the traditions of

parliamentary democracy. Her unique position is illustrated by the fact that

she is placed very high in the Warrant of Precedence in our country,

standing next only to the President, the Vice-President and the Prime

Minister.

Term:

The Speaker holds office from the date of her election till immediately

before the first meeting of the Lok Sabha after the dissolution of the one to

which she was elected.

On the dissolution of the Lok Sabha, although the Speaker ceases to be a

member of the House, she does not vacate her office.

The Speaker may, at any time, resign from office by writing under her hand

to the Deputy Speaker

Removal:

The Speaker can be removed from office only on a resolution of the House passed

by a majority of all the then members of the House. It is also mandatory to give a

minimum of 14 days' notice of the intention to move the resolution.

Election:

In the Lok Sabha, the lower House of the Indian Parliament, both Presiding

Officers—the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker- are elected from among its

members by a simple majority of members present and voting in the House.

As such, no specific qualifications are prescribed for being elected the

Speaker.

The Constitution only requires that Speaker should be a member of the

House.

Powers and functions:

The Speaker has extensive functions to perform in matters administrative,

judicial and regulatory, falling under her domain.

As the conventional head of the Lok Sabha and as its principal spokesman,

the Speaker represents its collective voice. Of course, she is the ultimate

arbiter and interpreter of those provisions which relate to the functioning of

the House. Her decisions are final and binding and ordinarily cannot be

questioned, challenged or criticised.

Following the 52nd Constitution amendment, the Speaker is vested with the

power relating to the disqualification of a member of the Lok Sabha on

grounds of defection.

The Speaker is the guardian of the rights and privileges of the House, its

Committees and members. It depends solely on the Speaker to refer any

question of privilege to the Committee of Privileges for examination,

investigation and report.

4. Foreign Tribunal

The Foreigners’ Tribunals are quasi-judicial bodies meant to “furnish

opinion on the question as to whether a person is or is not a foreigner

within the meaning of Foreigners Act, 1946”.

The Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, 1964 was issued by the Central

Government under Section 3 of The Foreigners Act, 1946. Though the

order, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on September 23, 1964, had

a country-wide jurisdiction, it was intended for the state of Assam, for all

practical purposes.

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued a notification amending some

clauses of the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, 1964.

The amendment empowered district magistrates in all States and Union

Territories to set up tribunals (quasi-judicial bodies) to decide whether a

person staying illegally in India is a foreigner or not. Earlier, the powers

to constitute tribunals were vested only with the Centre.

The amended order (Foreigners (Tribunal) Order, 2019) also empowers

individuals to approach the Tribunals. Earlier, only the State

administration could move the Tribunal against a suspect.

5.Vivad se Vishwas

What?

The ‘Vivad se Vishwas’ Scheme was announced during the Union Budget,

2020, to provide for dispute resolution in respect of pending income tax

litigation.

Need:

The objective of Vivad se Vishwas is to inter alia reduce pending income tax

litigation, generate timely revenue for the Government and benefit taxpayers by

providing them peace of mind, certainty and savings on account of time and

resources that would otherwise be spent on the long-drawn and vexatious litigation

process.

Provisions:

The Direct Tax Vivad se Vishwas Bill, 2020 was introduced in Lok Sabha

by the Minister of Finance, Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman, on February 5,

2020. The Bill provides a mechanism for resolution of pending tax disputes

related to income tax and corporation tax.

Under the Vivad se Vishwas scheme, taxpayers willing to settle disputes

shall be allowed a complete waiver of interest and penalty if they pay the

entire amount of tax in dispute by March 31,2020.

Beyond this date, a 10 per cent additional disputed tax shall have to be paid

over and above the tax liability.

Further, where arrears relate to disputed interest or penalty only, then 25 per

cent of disputed penalty or interest shall have to be paid if the payment is

made by March 31, 2020, beyond which the same shall be enhanced to 30

per cent.

The Vivad se Vishwas scheme would remain open till June 30, 2020.

6. BS VI

The Supreme Court of India has ruled that no Bharat Stage IV vehicle shall be sold

across the country with effect from April 1, 2020. Instead, the Bharat Stage VI (or

BS-VI) emission norm would come into force from April 1, 2020 across the

country. In 2016, the Centre announced that the country would skip the BS-V

norms altogether and adopt BS-VI norms by 2020.

What is Bharat stage?

The Bharat Stage (BS) is an emission standards instituted by the Government of

India to regulate the output of air pollutants from motor vehicles.

The Environment Ministry is responsible for deciding the fuel standard in the

country. The Central Pollution Control Board implements these standards. The

BS regulations are based on the European emission standards.

What is the difference between BS-IV and BS-VI

The main difference in standards between the existing BS-IV and the new

BS-VI auto fuel norms is the presence of sulphur. The BS-VI fuel is

estimated to bring around an 80 per cent reduction of sulphur, from 50 parts

per million to 10 ppm.

According to analysts, the emission of NOx (nitrogen oxides) from diesel

cars is also expected to come down by nearly 70 per cent and 25 per cent

from cars with petrol engines.

Cleaner fuel alone will not make a dramatic difference to air pollution.

For the full benefits to be experienced, the introduction of the higher grade

fuel must go hand in hand with the rollout of BS-VI compliant vehicles as

well.

While automakers will sell only BS-VI vehicles from April 1, all BS-IV

vehicles sold before that date will stay on the road for as long as their

registration is valid.

This, however, could be a concern because using BS-VI fuel in the current

BS-IV engines (or conversely, running BS-VI engines on the current-grade

fuel), may be both ineffective in curbing vehicular pollution, as well as

damage the engine in the long run

Source: https://images.indianexpress.com/2016/01/capture3.jpg

4 March

1.One Nation One Ration Card

In a major step towards achieving the objective of ‘One Nation One Ration

Card’, the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public

Distribution inaugurated the inter-State portability in two clusters of

adjoining States of Andhra Pradesh & Telangana and Gujarat &

Maharashtra.

This will enable beneficiaries from either States’ cluster to avail the benefits

accruing to them under the National Food Security Act from any of the two

States.

The government wants to implement 'one nation, one ration card' scheme

across the country effective 1st June 2020.

Under the initiative, eligible beneficiaries would be able to avail their

entitled food grains under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) from any

Fair Price Shop in the country using the same ration card.

A standard format for ration card has been prepared after taking into account

the format used by different states and after consultation with other

stakeholders. The state governments have been advised to use this new

format whenever the states decides to issue new ration cards.

For national portability, the state governments have been asked to issue

the ration card in bi-lingual format, wherein besides the local language, the

other language could be Hindi or English.

2. OHCHR

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human

Rights) is the leading UN entity on human rights.

The General Assembly entrusted both the High Commissioner and her

Office with a unique mandate to promote and protect all human rights for all

people.

UN Human Rights also plays a crucial role in safeguarding the integrity of

the three interconnected pillars of the United Nations – peace and security,

human rights and development.

Structure:

UN Human Rights is part of the United Nations Secretariat, with a staff of

some 1300 people and its headquarters in Geneva, as well as an office in

New York.

It has field presences that comprise regional and country/stand-alone offices.

The High Commissioner heads OHCHR and spearheads the United Nations'

human rights efforts.

Mandate:

OHCHR is guided in its work by the mandate provided by the General Assembly

in resolution 48/141, the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration

of Human Rights and subsequent human rights instruments, the Vienna

Declaration and Programme of Action the 1993 World Conference on Human

Rights, and the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document.

Human Rights Day is held on 10 December every year, the date the United Nations

General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

proclaiming its principles as the “common standard of achievement for all peoples

and all nations.”

3.Black Carbon

Black carbon is a potent climate-warming component of particulate matter

formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, wood and other fuels.

Complete combustion would turn all carbon in the fuel into carbon dioxide

(CO2), but combustion is never complete and CO2, carbon monoxide,

volatile organic compounds, and organic carbon and black carbon particles

are all formed in the process.

The complex mixture of particulate matter resulting from incomplete

combustion is often referred to as soot.

Ill effects:

Black carbon is a short-lived climate pollutant with a lifetime of only

days to weeks after release in the atmosphere.

During this short period of time, black carbon can have significant direct

and indirect impacts on the climate, glacial regions, agriculture and

human health.

The Climate and Clean Air Coalition

The Climate and Clean Air Coalition is a voluntary partnership of

governments, intergovernmental organizations, businesses, scientific

institutions and civil society organizations committed to protecting the

climate and improving air quality through actions to reduce short-lived

climate pollutants.

Short-lived climate pollutants are powerful climate forcers that remain in the

atmosphere for a much shorter period of time than carbon dioxide (CO2), yet

their potential to warm the atmosphere can be many times greater.

The short-lived climate pollutants black carbon, methane, tropospheric

ozone, and hydrofluorocarbons are the most important contributors to the

man-made global greenhouse effect after carbon dioxide, responsible for up

to 45% of current global warming.

4. Strategic petroleum reserves (SPR)

The Union Cabinet has approved establishment of additional 6.5 Million

Metric Tonne (MMT) Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) facilities at two

locations, i.e. Chandikhol in Odisha and Padur in Karnataka. The SPR

facilities at Chandikhol and Padur will be underground rockcaverns and will

have capacities of 4 MMT and 2.5 MMT respectively.

Government had announced setting up of two additional SPRs during the

budgetannouncement for 2017-18.

Existing SPR:

Government of India decided to set up 5 million metric tons (MMT) of

strategic crude oil storages at three locations namely, Visakhapatnam,

Mangalore and Padur (near Udupi).

These strategic storages would be in addition to the existing storages of

crude oil and petroleum products with the oil companies and would serve as

a cushion during any supply disruptions.

Responsibility:

The construction of the Strategic Crude Oil Storage facilities is being

managed by Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL), a

Special Purpose Vehicle, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Oil Industry

Development Board (OIDB) under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural

Gas.

Uses:

Total 5.33 MMT capacity under Phase-I of the SPR programme is currently

estimated to supply approximately 10 days of India’s crude requirement

according to the consumption data for FY2016-17. Cabinet’s approval for

establishing additional 6.5 MMT Strategic Petroleum Reserve facilities will

provide an additional supply of about 12 days and is expected to augment

India’s energy security.

5. Business Advisory Committee

The Business Advisory Committee of Lok Sabha consists of 15 members

including the Speaker who is the ex-officio Chairperson.

The members are nominated by the Speaker.

The Committee generally meets at the beginning of each Session and

thereafter as and when necessary.

The function of the Committee is to recommend the time that should be

allotted for the discussion of such government legislative and other business

as the Speaker, in consultation with the Leader of the House, may direct to

be referred to the Committee.

The Committee, on its own initiative, may also recommend to the

Government to bring forward particular subjects for discussion in the House

and recommend allocation of time for such discussions.

The Business Advisory Committee was constituted for the first time on the

14th July, 1952

6. CVC and CIC appointment

CVC:

The Central Vigilance Commissioner and the Vigilance Commissioners

shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal.

Provided that every appointment shall be made after obtaining the

recommendation of a Committee consisting of— (a) the Prime Minister —

Chairperson; (b) the Minister of Home Affairs — Member; (c) the Leader of

the opposition.

For the purposes “the Leader of the Opposition in the House of the People”

shall, when no such Leader has been so recognised, include the Leader of the

single largest group in opposition of the government in Lok sabha.

CIC:

Commission includes 1 Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and not

more than 10 Information Commissioners (IC) who will be appointed by the

President of India.

Appointment Committee includes Prime Minister (Chair), Leader of the

Opposition in the Lok Sabha and one Union Cabinet Minister to be

nominated by the Prime Minister.

7. Active Pharmaceutical ingredient

Keeping in view the country’s over dependence on import of Active

Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), Government of India has constituted a Task

Force on APIs under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Minister of State for Shipping

(I/C) and Chemicals & Fertilizers Shri Mansukh Mandaviya to formulate a road

map for the enhanced production of APIs in the country.

Definition:

Any substance or mixture of substances intended to be used in the manufacture of

a drug (medicinal) product and that, when used in the production of a drug,

becomes an active ingredient of the drug product. Such substances are intended to

furnish pharmacological activity or other direct effect in the diagnosis, cure,

mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease or to affect the structure or function

of the body.

API vs Excipients:

All drugs are made up of two core components: the API, which is the central

ingredient, and the excipients, the substances other than the drug that helps

deliver the medication to your system

The Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) is the part of any drug that

produces its effects

Excipients are chemically inactive substances, such as lactose or mineral oil

The quality of APIs has a significant effect on the efficacy and safety of

medications

To avoid the price and supply risks associated with such situation and ensure

assured and sustained availability of these basic inputs to formulation sector, there

is a felt need to focus the attention to promote the manufacturing of API in India.

This is also consistent with the avowed objective of the government regarding

‘Make in India’. In recognition of the situation, Department of Pharmaceuticals has

declared the Year 2015 as the Year of API.

8.National Clean Air Program

In 2019, a time bound national level strategy for pan India implementation to

tackle the increasing air pollution problem across the country in a comprehensive

manner in the form of National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) was launched

Features:

Collaborative and participatory approach involving relevant Central

Ministries, State Governments, local bodies and other Stakeholders with

focus on all sources of pollution forms the crux of the Programme

The tentative national level target of 20%–30% reduction of PM2.5 and

PM10 concentration by 2024 is proposed under the NCAP taking 2017 as the

base year for the comparison of concentration.

Overall objective of the NCAP is comprehensive mitigation actions for

prevention, control and abatement of air pollution besides augmenting the air

quality monitoring network across the country and strengthening the

awareness and capacity building activities

City specific action plans are being formulated for 102 non-attainment cities

identified for implementing mitigation actions under NCAP. Cities have

already prepared action plans in consultation with CPCB. Institutional

Framework at Centre and State Level comprising of Apex Committee at the

Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change in the Centre and at

Chief Secretary Level in the States are to be constituted.

Other features of NCAP include, increasing number of monitoring stations

in the country including rural monitoring stations, technology support,

emphasis on awareness and capacity building initiatives, setting up of

certification agencies for monitoring equipment, source apportionment

studies, emphasis on enforcement, specific sectoral interventions etc.

9.National Security Council

The National Security Council (NSC) of India is a three-tiered organization

that oversees political, economic, energy and security issues of strategic

concern.

It operates within the executive office of the prime minister of India, liaising

between the government’s executive branch and the intelligence services,

advising leadership on intelligence and security issues.

The National Security Council comprises the Strategic Policy Group, the

National Security Advisory Board and a secretariat from the Joint

Intelligence Committee.

It was established in 1998

It is the apex agency looking into – external and internal security, military

affairs, conventional and non-conventional defense, space and high

technology, counter insurgency, counter terrorism, economy and

environment.

It is headed by the Prime Minister, with the National Security Adviser as its

Secretary. The military has no representation in this tier.

5 March

1.Census vs NPR

Census:

The decennial census is the largest single source of a variety of statistical

information on different characteristics of the people of India conducted on

the basis of the Census Act enacted in 1948.

The census, 2021 will be done in two phases. In the first phase, the work of

house-listing or housing census will be conducted from April to September,

2020. In the second phase, the enumeration of population will be done from

February 9 to February 28, 2021 with reference moment as.

The census provides detailed and authentic information on demography,

economic activity, literacy and education, housing and household amenities,

urbanisation, fertility and mortality, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes,

language, religion, migration, disability besides others.

NPR:

The National Population Register (NPR) is a Register of usual residents of

the country.

It is being prepared at the local (Village/sub-Town), sub-District, District,

State and National level under provisions of the Citizenship Act 1955

It is mandatory for every usual resident of India to register in the NPR. A

usual resident is defined for the purposes of NPR as a person who has

resided in a local area for the past 6 months or more or a person who intends

to reside in that area for the next 6 months or more.

The objective of the NPR is to create a comprehensive identity database of

every usual resident in the country. The database would contain

demographic as well as biometric particulars.

The data for NPR was last collected in 2010 along with the house listing

phase of the Census 2011. Updating of this data was done during 2015 by

conducting door to door survey.

2.Jan Shikshan Sansthan Scheme

What?

Jan Shikshan Sansthans are conceived as institutes for conducting skill upgradation

programme in Non-formal mode in rural and urban slums of a district while also

providing academic and technical support to its target group.

Aim:

The Scheme aims to provide vocational education and skill development

programmes to non-literates, neo literates and the person having rudimentary

level of education belonging to disadvantaged sections of the society upto 12

th class Drop outs in the age group of 15- 45 years.

While the focus group of JSS are SC/ST, minorities women/girls, migrants

and slum/pavement dwellers, adolescents are also given preferences under

the scheme.

Implementation:

The Scheme of JSS is being successfully implemented with public and

private partnership since last 50 years through NGOs. These NGOs play

a vital role to provide vocational training at doorstep of the beneficiaries

in the unreached areas of the country.

The JSS function under the NGOs, registered under the Societies

Registration Act, 1860 with annual recurring grant from the Govt. of

India.

History:

The Scheme of Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), formerly known as

Shramik Vidyapeeth is being implemented through NGOs in the

country since March 1967.

The first Shramik Vidyapeeth was established in Mumbai [Worli] and

was commissioned by Bombay City Social Council Education

Committee, a voluntary organisation engaged in the field of Adult

Education for several years.

With the transformation in the economic and social setup over the

years, the role and scope of these polyvalent educational institutions

have widened manifold.

In the changed scenario, the focus of Shramik Vidyapeeth (SVP) was

shifted from industrial workers in urban areas to the non-literates,

neo-literates, unskilled and unemployed youth particularly from

SC/ST/OBC/Minority/Divyang/Women throughout the country

especially to underprivileged people in the rural areas.

The SVPs were accordingly renamed as Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS)

w.e.f. year 2000. The scheme of Jan Shikshan Sansthan was

consequently transferred to Ministry of Skill Development and

Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in July 2018.

3.Women Related schemes:

i)Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

The Government has launched “Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana”(PMUY)

for providing LPG connections to 5 crore women belonging to the Below

Poverty Line (BPL) families over a period of 3 years starting from FY 2016-

17.

Objective of the scheme is to provide clean cooking fuel solution to poor

households especially in rural areas.

Use of fossil fuels and conventional fuel like cow dung, kerosene, biomass,

etc. has serious implications on the health of rural womenfolk and children.

Use of LPG as a cooking fuel helps in effectively addressing health hazards

associated with the use of conventional sources of cooking fuels

Initially, the beneficiaries under PMUY were identified either from SECC

list or from seven other identified categories.

o Beneficiaries listed in the SECC 2011 list

o All SC/STs households beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas

Yojana(PMAY) (Gramin)

o Antyoday Anna Yojana (AAY)

o Forest dwellers

o Most Backward Classes (MBC)

o Tea & Ex-Tea Garden Tribes

o People residing in Islands

o People residing in river islands.

Subsequently, Government has extended the benefit to all left out poor

families under PMUY subject to fulfilment of terms & conditions.

ii)Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

The Census (2011) data showed a significant declining trend in the Child Sex Ratio

(CSR), calculated as number of girls for every 1000 boys between age group of 0-6

years, with an all time low of 918 in 2011 from 976 in 1961. Alarmed by the sharp

decline, the Government of India has introduced Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP)

programme to address the issue of decline in CSR.

Goals:

Prevent gender biased sex selective elimination

Ensure survival & protection of the girl child

Ensure education of the girl child

Initiatives:

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) initiative has two major components. i)

Mass Communication Campaign and ii) Multi-sectoral action

(a)Mass Communication Campaign on Beti Bachao Beti Padhao:

The campaign aims at ensuring girls are born, nurtured and educated without

discrimination to become empowered citizens of this country. The Campaign

interlinks National, State and District level interventions with community level

action in 100 districts, bringing together different stakeholders for accelerated

impact.

(b) Multi-Sectoral interventions in 100 Gender Critical Districts covering all

States/UTs:- Coordinated & convergent efforts are undertaken in close

coordination with MoHFW and MoHRD to ensure survival, protection and

education of the girl child. The District Collectors/Deputy Commissioners (DCs)

lead and coordinate actions of all departments for implementation of BBBP at the

District level. Mulit-sectoral interventions includes:

i) Ministry of WCD: Promote registration of pregnancies in first trimester in

Anganwadi Centres (AWCs); Undertake training of stakeholders; Community

mobilization & sensitization; Involvement of gender champions; Reward &

recognition of institutions & frontline workers.

ii) Ministry of Health & Family Welfare: Monitor implementation of Pre-

Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCP&DT) Act, 1994; Increased

institutional deliveries; Registration of births; Strengthening PNDT Cells; Setting

up Monitoring Committees

iii) Ministry of Human Resource Development: Universal enrolment of girls;

Decreased drop-out rate; Girl Child friendly standards in schools; Strict

implementation of Right to Education (RTE); Construction of Functional Toilets

for girls.

iii) Mahila E-haat Scheme

Mahila E-Haat is an initiative for meeting aspirations and needs of women

entrepreneurs.

This website leverages technology for showcasing products

made/manufactured/sold by women entrepreneurs.

This unique e-platform will strengthen the socio-economic empowerment of

women.

Mission: To act as a catalyst by providing a web based marketing platform

to the women entrepreneurs to directly sell to the buyers.

iv)Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana

It is a small deposit scheme for girl child, launched as a part of the ‘Beti

Bachao Beti Padhao' campaign, which would fetch an attractive interest rate

and provide income tax rebate.

'Sukanya Samriddhi Account' can be opened at any time from the birth of a

girl child till she attains the age of 10 years, with a minimum deposit of Rs

250. A maximum of Rs 1.5 lakh can be deposited during a financial year.

The account can be opened in any post office or authorised branches of

commercial banks.

The scheme primarily ensures equitable share to a girl child in resources and

savings of a family in which she is generally discriminated as against a male

child.

In an effort to motivate parents to open an account in the name of a girl child

and for her welfare to deposit maximum of their savings upto the prescribed

limits, higher rates of interest is given on the deposits on annually

compounded basis with income tax concession.

The account will remain operative for 21 years from the date of opening of

the account or marriage of the girl child after attaining 18 years of age.

To meet the requirement of higher education expenses, partial withdrawal of

50 per cent of the balance would be allowed after the girl child has attended

18 years of age.

The provision of not allowing withdrawal from the account till the age of 18

has been kept to prevent early marriage of girls.

v)Sakhi Yojana

The Ministry has approved Scheme for setting up One Stop Centre (OSC) to

support women affected by violence on 4th March, 2015. Popularly known as

Sakhi, the scheme is being implemented since 1st April 2015.

Features:

The scheme aims to facilitate access to an integrated range of services including

medical aid, police assistance, legal aid/case management, psychosocial

counselling, and temporary support services to women affected by violence.

vi)Ladli Yojana

Delhi Ladli Scheme was launched by the Government of NCT of Delhi on

01.01.2008 for empowerment of girl children born in Delhi.

Objectives

To empower the girl child socially and economically.

To promote birth registration of girl child.

To control female foeticide and to improve sex ratio.

To end discrimination against the girl child.

To promote education among the girls and reduce school drop-out rate of girl

students.

To provide security to girl students for their higher education.

Key Features:

Under the Scheme financial assistance is provided in the form of term

deposits - Rs. 11,000/- if born in hospital or Rs. 10,000/- if born at home at

the time of registration and Rs.5,000/- each in further five milestones i.e.,

Class I, VI, IX, XI & XII.

4.Financial repression

Financial repression is a term that describes measures by which governments

channel funds from the private sector to themselves as a form of debt

reduction.

The overall policy actions result in the government being able to borrow at

extremely low interest rates, obtaining low-cost funding for government

expenditures.

This action also results in savers earning rates less than the rate of inflation

and is therefore repressive.

The concept was first introduced in 1973 by Stanford economists Edward S.

Shaw and Ronald I. McKinnon to disparage government policies that

suppressed economic growth in emerging markets.

March 6

1.Round Tripping and Tax Haven

In the context of black money, money leaves the country through various

channels such as inflated invoices, payments to shell companies overseas,

the hawala route and so on.

After cooling its heels overseas for a while, this money returns in a freshly

laundered form; thus completing a round-trip

How does the money return to India?

It could be invested in offshore funds that in turn invest in Indian

assets. The Global Depository Receipts (GDR) and Participatory Notes (P-

Notes) are some of the other routes that have been used in the past.

The round-tripping business does not generate profits. In international scenarios,

round tripping is used for tax evasion and money laundering. So far many

companies have used round-tripping to distort the market by establishing false

revenue benchmarks.

A tax haven or offshore financial center is any country or jurisdiction that offers

minimal tax liability to foreign individuals and businesses. Tax havens do not

require businesses to operate out of their country or the individuals to reside in

their country to receive tax benefits.

In 1998, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

(OECD) gave a number of factors to identify tax havens. Some of the most

common factors are given below:

No or nominal tax on relevant income

Lack of effective exchange of information

Lack of transparency

No substantial activities

Many tax havens like Mauritius have become popular due to loopholes in multiple

tax avoidance treaties signed with different jurisdictions. Some are becoming less

popular due to various information-sharing treaties signed with different

governments. Destinations like Switzerland and Austria, although not strictly tax

havens, are nevertheless popular for offshore banking services and a safe

destination for assets. The Bahamas has been a popular offshore destination for

U.S. corporations due to its proximity to Florida.

2.FATF and Its Grey List

In response to mounting concern over money laundering, the Financial

Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) was established by the G-

7 Summit that was held in Paris in 1989.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is the global money laundering

and terrorist financing watchdog.

The inter-governmental body sets international standards that aim to prevent

these illegal activities and the harm they cause to society. As a policy-

making body, the FATF works to generate the necessary political will to

bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas.

In October 2001, the FATF expanded its mandate to incorporate efforts to

combat terrorist financing, in addition to money laundering. In April 2012,

it added efforts to counter the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass

destruction.

The FATF currently comprises 37 member jurisdictions and 2 regional

organization namely GCC and EC

Jurisdictions under increased monitoring are actively working with the

FATF to address strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money

laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing. When the FATF

places a jurisdiction under increased monitoring, it means the country has

committed to resolve swiftly the identified strategic deficiencies within

agreed timeframes and is subject to increased monitoring. This list is often

externally referred to as the ‘grey list’.

3.Proliferation Financing

The act of providing funds or financial services which are used, in whole or in part,

for the manufacture, acquisition, possession, development, export, trans-shipment,

brokering, transport, transfer, stockpiling or use of nuclear, chemical or biological

weapons and their means of delivery and related materials (including both

technologies and dual use goods used for non-legitimate purposes), in

contravention of national laws or, where applicable, international obligations

4.FPI

Foreign portfolio investment (FPI) consists of securities and other financial

assets held by investors in another country.

It does not provide the investor with direct ownership of a company's assets

and is relatively liquid depending on the volatility of the market.

FPI holdings can include stocks, ADRs, GDRs, bonds, mutual funds, and

exchange traded funds.

Pros

Feasible for retail investors

Quicker return on investment

Highly liquid

Cons

No direct control/management of investments

Volatile

Cause of economic disruption (if withdrawn)

5.Participatory Notes

Participatory Notes which are also regarded as P-Notes (PNs) are the

instruments issued by registered FIIs.

The PNs are issued for the overseas investors who want to invest in the stock

markets in India, without being registered under SEBI.

The participatory notes are also regarded as offshore derivative instruments

as they are used by the investors abroad but not within India. They are used

by the clients of Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) who do not wish to

participate directly in the Indian stock market.

6.SEBI

The Securities and Exchange Board of India was established on April 12,

1992 in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and Exchange

Board of India Act, 1992.

The basic functions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India is to

protect the interests of investors in securities and to promote and regulate the

securities market.

SEBI Board consists of a Chairman and several other whole time and part

time members

SEBI is a quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial body which can draft

regulations, conduct inquiries, pass rulings and impose penalties.

It functions to fulfill the requirements of three categories –

o Issuers – By providing a marketplace in which the issuers can

increase their finance.

o Investors – By ensuring safety and supply of precise and accurate

information.

o Intermediaries – By enabling a competitive professional market for

intermediaries.

7.Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index

Apart from HDI, other indices that form the part of the 2019 Human

development Report are:

o Gender Development Index (GDI),

o Gender Inequality Index (GII) and

o Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)

o Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI)

The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) identifies multiple deprivations at the

household and individual level in health, education and standard of living.

India accounts for 28% of the 1.3 billion multidimensional poor.

8.HDI

India was ranked 129 out of 189 countries on the 2019 Human Development

Index (HDI) improving from the 130th position in 2018. HDI is part of

the Human Development Report that is published by the United Nations

Development Programme (UNDP).

In 1990 the first Human Development Report introduced a new approach for

advancing human wellbeing.

Human development – or the human development approach - is about

expanding the richness of human life, rather than simply the richness of the

economy in which human beings live. It is an approach that is focused on

people and their opportunities and choices.

The HDI was created to emphasize that people and their capabilities should

be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, not

economic growth alone.

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of average

achievement in key dimensions of human development:

A long and healthy life

Being knowledgeable and

Have a decent standard of living

9. International Court Of criminals

The International Criminal Court (ICC) investigates and, where warranted,

tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the

international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity

and the crime of aggression.

The Court is participating in a global fight to end impunity, and through

international criminal justice, the Court aims to hold those responsible

accountable for their crimes and to help prevent these crimes from

happening again.

As a court of last resort, it seeks to complement, not replace, national Courts.

Governed by an international treaty called the Rome Statute, the ICC is the

world’s first permanent international criminal court.

Structure:

The Rome Statute established three separate bodies:

i) The Assembly of States Parties: Representatives of States Parties meet

and provide management oversight for the Court, including electing

judges and the Prosecutor and approving the ICC’s budget

ii) International Criminal Court, which comprises four separate organs

iii) Trust Fund for Victims: Provides assistance, support and reparations to

victims

10.NPPA

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) was established through

a Government of India Resolution dated 29th August, 1997 as an

independent body of experts for price control of essential and life saving

medicines.

NPPA implements the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy 2012 and the

Drugs (Prices Control) Orders issued by the Department of Pharmaceuticals

(DoP).

Functions and responsibilities:

1. To implement and enforce the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control)

Order in accordance with the powers delegated to it.

2. To monitor the availability of drugs, identify shortages, if any, and to take

remedial steps.

3. To collect/ maintain data on production, exports and imports, market share

of individual companies, profitability of companies etc, for bulk drugs and

formulations.

4. To undertake and/ or sponsor relevant studies in respect of pricing of drugs/

pharmaceuticals.

5. To render advice to the Central Government on changes/ revisions in the

drug policy.

6. To render assistance to the Central Government in the parliamentary matters

relating to the drug pricing.

NPPA provides ceiling price to all Drugs notified under Schedule-I of the

DPCO, 2013 and monitors annual price increase for these and the non-

scheduled drugs.

7 March

1. Tier I capital

Under the Basel norms, a bank has to maintain a certain level of cash or

liquid assets as a ratio of its risk-weighted assets.

The Basel Accords are a series of three sets of banking regulations that help

to ensure financial institutions have enough capital on hand to handle

obligations.

The Accords set the capital adequacy ratio (CAR) to define these holdings

for banks. Under Basel III, a bank's tier 1 and tier 2 assets must be at least

10.5% of its risk-weighted assets.

What Is Tier 1 Capital?

Tier 1 capital refers to core capital that includes equity capital and disclosed

reserves.

Tier 1 capital is essentially the most perfect form of a bank’s capital—the

money the bank has stored to keep it functioning through all the risky

transactions it performs, such as trading/investing and lending.

2.FCRA

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 and rules framed

under it (the “FCRA” or “Act”) regulate the receipt and usage of

foreign contribution by non-governmental organisations (“NGOs”) in

India.

Since the Act is internal security legislation, despite being a law

related to financial legislation, it falls into the purview of Home

Ministry and not the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Aims and objectives:

The focus of the Act is to ensure that the foreign contribution and foreign

hospitality is not utilized to affect or influence electoral politics, public

servants, judges and other people working the important areas of national

life like journalists, printers and publishers of newspapers, etc.

The Act also seeks to regulate flow of foreign funds to voluntary

organizations with the objective of preventing any possible diversion of such

funds towards activities detrimental to the national interest and to ensure that

individuals and organizations may function in a manner consistent with the

values of the sovereign democratic republic.

3. Western Disturbance

The extratropical storm originating in the Mediterranean region that brings

sudden winter rain to the north-western parts of the Indian sub-continent is

called Western Disturbance.

It is a non-monsoonal precipitation pattern driven by the westerlies.

Extratropical storms are a global phenomenon with moisture usually carried

in the upper atmosphere, unlike their tropical counterparts where the

moisture is carried in the lower atmosphere.

Western Disturbance plays important role in bringing moderate to heavy rain

in low-lying areas and heavy snow to mountainous areas of the Indian

Subcontinent especially in winter.

This disturbance is usually associated with cloudy sky, higher night

temperatures and unusual rain.

This precipitation has great importance in agriculture, particularly for the

Rabi crops. Wheat among them is one of the most important crops, which

helps to meet India’s food security.

4.State Election Commission

The State Election Commission constituted under the Article 243-K and

243-ZA Constitution (73rd and 74th ) amendments Act, 1992 for each State /

Union Territory is vested with the power of conduct of elections to the

Corporations, Municipalities, District Panchayats, Panchayat Unions and

Village Panchayats.

Governor of state appoints the Tamil Nadu State Election Commissioner.

Although state election commissioners are appointed by the state

governors and can only be removed by impeachment, in the last two

decades many have struggled to assert their independence.

5.Delimitation Commission

Delimitation literally means the act or process of fixing limits or boundaries

of territorial constituencies in a country or a province having a legislative

body.

The job of delimitation is assigned to a high power body. Such a body is

known as Delimitation Commission or a Boundary Commission.

In India, such Delimitation Commissions have been constituted 4 times – in

1952 under the Delimitation Commission Act, 1952, in 1963 under

Delimitation Commission Act, 1962, in 1973 under Delimitation Act, 1972

and in 2002 under Delimitation Act, 2002.

The Delimitation Commission in India is a high power body whose orders

have the force of law and cannot be called in question before any court.

These orders come into force on a date to be specified by the President of

India in this behalf. The copies of its orders are laid before the House of the

People and the State Legislative Assembly concerned, but no modifications

are permissible therein by them.

6.National Legal Service Authority

The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has been constituted under

the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987

It is to provide free Legal Services to the weaker sections of the society and

to organize Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes.

The Chief Justice of India is the Patron-in-Chief and Supreme Court judge is

the Executive Chairman of the Authority.

In every State, State Legal Services Authority has been constituted to give

effect to the policies and directions of the NALSA and to give free legal

services to the people and conduct Lok Adalats in the State.

In every District, District Legal Services Authority has been constituted to

implement Legal Services Programmes in the District. The District Legal

Services Authority is situated in the District Courts Complex in every

District and chaired by the District Judge of the respective district.

7.Prompt Corrective Action

Prompt Corrective Action or PCA is a framework under which banks with

weak financial metrics are put under watch by the RBI.

The RBI introduced the PCA framework in 2002 as a structured early-

intervention mechanism for banks that become undercapitalised due to poor

asset quality, or vulnerable due to loss of profitability.

It aims to check the problem of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) in the Indian

banking sector.

The framework was reviewed in 2017 based on the recommendations of the

working group of the Financial Stability and Development Council on

Resolution Regimes for Financial Institutions in India and the Financial

Sector Legislative Reforms Commission.

The PCA framework deems banks as risky if they slip below certain norms

on three parameters — capital ratios, asset quality and profitability.

Certain structured and discretionary actions are initiated in respect of banks

hitting such trigger points.

PCA Measures

RBI can place restrictions on dividend distribution, branch expansion, and

management compensation.

Only in an extreme situation, would a bank be a likely candidate for resolution

through amalgamation, reconstruction or winding up.

RBI may place restrictions on credit by PCA banks to unrated borrowers or those

with high risks, but it doesn’t invoke a complete ban on their lending.

RBI may also impose restrictions on the bank on borrowings from interbank

market.

Banks may also not be allowed to enter into new lines of business.

8.Monetary Policy Committee

Monetary policy refers to the use of monetary instruments under the control

of the central bank to regulate magnitudes such as interest rates, money

supply and availability of credit with a view to achieving the ultimate

objective of economic policy

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) constituted by the Central

Government under Section 45ZB determines the policy interest rate required

to achieve the inflation target.

The primary objective of monetary policy is to maintain price stability while

keeping in mind the objective of growth. Price stability is a necessary

precondition to sustainable growth.

In May 2016, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Act, 1934 was amended to

provide a statutory basis for the implementation of the flexible inflation

targeting framework.

The amended RBI Act also provides for the inflation target to be set by the

Government of India, in consultation with the Reserve Bank, once in every

five years.

Accordingly, the Central Government has notified in the Official Gazette 4

per cent Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation as the target for the period

from August 5, 2016 to March 31, 2021 with the upper tolerance limit of 6

per cent and the lower tolerance limit of 2 per cent.

Section 45ZB of the amended RBI Act, 1934 also provides for an

empowered six-member monetary policy committee (MPC) to be constituted

by the Central Government by notification in the Official Gazette.

Accordingly, the Central Government in September 2016 constituted the

MPC as under Governor of the Reserve Bank of India – Chairperson, ex

officio;

The MPC is required to meet at least four times in a year.The quorum for the

meeting of the MPC is four members. Each member of the MPC has one

vote, and in the event of an equality of votes, the Governor has a second or

casting vote.

9.Indian Ocean Commission

India admitted as fifth observer to Indian Ocean Commission

Indian Ocean Commission is an intergovernmental organization that was

created in 1982 at Port Louis, Mauritius and institutionalized in 1984 by the

Victoria Agreement in Seychelles.

The COI is composed of five African Indian Ocean

nations: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion (an overseas

region of France), and Seychelles.

The other four observers China, Malta, European Union and International

Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF).

The admission of India, even as an observer to IOC is of great strategic

significance since it will allow collective engagement with the island

nations of western Indian Ocean (WIO) and further boost ties with an

already strong friend, France.

The move will also lend greater significance to India’s SAGAR (Security

and Growth for all in the Region) policy of the Modi administration.

8 march

1.Sunspots, Solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejection

Sunspots are areas that appear dark on the surface of the Sun. They appear

dark because they are cooler than other parts of the Sun’s surface. The

temperature of a sunspot is still very hot though—around 6,500 degrees

Fahrenheit!

Why are sunspots relatively cool? It’s because they form at areas where

magnetic fields are particularly strong. These magnetic fields are so strong

that they keep some of the heat within the Sun from reaching the surface.

The magnetic field lines near sunspots often tangle, cross, and reorganize.

This can cause a sudden explosion of energy called a solar flare.

Solar flares release a lot of radiation into space. If a solar flare is very

intense, the radiation it releases can interfere with our radio communications

here on Earth.

Solar flares are sometimes accompanied by a coronal mass ejection (CME

for short). CMEs are huge bubbles of radiation and particles from the Sun.

They explode into space at very high speed when the Sun’s magnetic field

lines suddenly reorganize.

When charged particles from a CME reach areas near Earth, they can trigger

intense lights in the sky, called auroras. When particularly strong, a CME

can also interfere in power utility grids, which at their worst can cause

electricity shortages and power outages. Solar flares and CMEs are the most

powerful explosions in our solar system.

2.Genome Sequencing

In an indigenous genetic mapping effort, nearly 1,000 rural youth from the

length and breadth of country will have their genomes sequenced by

the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Meaning:

Genome sequencing is figuring out the order of DNA nucleotides, or bases,

in a genome—the order of As, Cs, Gs, and Ts that make up an organism's

DNA.

The human genome is made up of over 3 billion of these genetic letters.

Uses:

The genome sequence will represent a valuable shortcut, helping scientists find

genes much more easily and quickly. A genome sequence does contain some

clues about where genes are, even though scientists are just learning to interpret

these clues.

Scientists also hope that being able to study the entire genome sequence will help

them understand how the genome as a whole works—how genes work together

to direct the growth, development and maintenance of an entire organism.

Finally, genes account for less than 25 percent of the DNA in the genome, and so

knowing the entire genome sequence will help scientists study the parts of the

genome outside the genes. This includes the regulatory regions that control how

genes are turned on and off, as well as long stretches of "nonsense" or "junk"

DNA—so called because significance of it hasn’t been established.

3.Capital Adequacy Ratio

The capital adequacy ratio (CAR) is a measurement of a bank's available

capital expressed as a percentage of a bank's risk-weighted credit exposures.

Bank regulators enforce this ratio to ensure credit discipline in order to

protect depositors and promote stability and efficiency in the financial

system.

As of 2019, under Basel III, a bank's tier 1 and tier 2 capital must be at least

8 per cent of its risk-weighted assets.

The minimum capital adequacy ratio (including the capital conservation

buffer) is 10.5 per cent.

The capital conservation buffer recommendation is designed to build up

banks' capital, which they could use in periods of stress.

4.Rajput Miniature Painting

Unlike Mughal painting which is primarily secular, the art of painting in

Central India, Rajasthani and the Pahari region etc. is deeply rooted in the

Indian traditions, taking inspiration from Indian epics, religious texts like the

Puranas, love poems in Sanskrit and other Indian languages, Indian folk-lore

and works on musical themes.

The cults of Vaishnavism, Saivism and Sakti exercised tremendous influence

on the pictorial art of these places. Among these the cult of Krishna was the

most popular one which inspired the patrons and artists.

The themes from the

Ramayana., the Mahabharata, the Bhagavata, the Siva Purana,

the Naishadacarita, the Usha Aniruddha, the GitaGovinda of Jayadeva,

the Rasamanjari of Bhanudatta, the Amaru Sataka, the Rasikapriya of

Kesavadasa, the Bihari Satasayee and the Ragamala etc., provided a very

rich field to the painter who with his artistic skill and devotion made a

significant contribution to the development of Indian painting.

Origin:

Some of the Mughal artists of inferior merit who were no longer required by

the Mughal Emperors, migrated to Rajasthan and other places and found

employment at the local courts. It is believed that the popular version of the

Mughal style which these painters carried to various places influenced the

already existing styles of paintings there with the consequence that a number

of new schools of painting originated in Rajasthan and Central India in the

17th and 18th centuries.

Among these the important schools of paintings are Malwa, Mewar, Bundi-

Kotah, AmberJaipur, Bikaner, Marwar and Kishengarh.

i) MALWA

Some of the important paintings executed in the Malwa style are a series

of the Rasikapriya , a series of the Amaru Sataka and a series of

theRagamala

The typical characteristics of the painting are the use of contrasting

colours, refinement of drawing due to the influence of the Mughal

painting and ornaments and costumes consisting of black tassels and

striped skirts.

ii) MEWAR

The earliest example of Mewar painting is a series of

the Ragamala painted in 1605 A.D.. The drawing is bold

and the colours are bright and contrasting. The text of the

painting is written in black on the top against the yellow

ground.

iii) BUNDI

The Bundi style of painting is very close to the Mewar

style, but the former excels the latter in quality. Painting in

Bundi started as early as circa 1625 A.D. A painting

showing Bhairavi Ragini, in the Allahabad Museum is one

of the earliest examples of Bundi painting.

The peculiar characteristics of the Bundi painting, as

evident in this miniature, are the rich and glowing colours,

the rising sun in golden colour, crimson-red horizon,

overlapping and semi-naturalistic trees. The Mughal

influence is visible in the refined drawing of the faces and

an element of naturalism in the treatment of the trees. The

text is written in black against yellow background on the

top.

iv) KOTAH

A style of painting very much akin to the Bundi

style also prevailed in Kotah a place near Bundi,

during the late 18th and 19th centuries. Themes of

tiger and bear hunt were very popular at Kotah.

In Kotah paintings, most of the space is occupied

by the hilly jungle which has been rendered with a

unique charm.

v) AMBER – JAIPUR

The State of Amber had the closest relations with

the Mughal Emperors. It is generally believed that

a school of painting originated at Amber, the old

capital of the Amber State, in early 17th century.

Later on in the 18th century, the centre of artistic

activity shifted to Jaipur, the new capital.

There is a fairly large number of portraits of the

Jaipur rulers and miniatures on other subjects

which can definitely be assigned to the Jaipur

School.

vi) MARWAR

One of the earliest examples of painting in Marwar

is a series of the Ragamala in the collection of

Kumar Sangram Singh, painted by an artist named

Virji in 1623 A.D. at Pali in Marwar.

The miniatures are executed in a primitive and

vigorous folk style and are completely

uninfluenced by the Mughal style. .

A large number of miniatures comprising portraits,

court scenes, series of the Ragamala and the

Baramasa, etc. were executed from the 17th to 19th

centuries at several centres of painting like Pali,

Jodhpur and Nagour etc. in Marwar.

vii) BIKANER

Bikaner was one of the States which had close relations

with the Mughals. Some of the Mughal artists during the

later half of the 17th century were given patronage by

the Bikaner court and were responsible for the

introduction of a new style of painting having much

similarity with the Mughal and the Deccani styles.

One important artist Ali Raza "the Ustad (master) of

Delhi", was employed by Raja Karan Singh of Bikaner

in about 1650 A.D.

Some other noteworthy artists who worked at the

Bikaner court were Ruknuddin and his son Shahadin.

viii) KISHENGARH

During the second quarter of the 18th century, there

developed the most charming school of Rajasthani

painting in Kishengarh under the patronage of Raja

Savant Singh who wrote devotional poetry in praise of

Krishna, under the assumed name of Nagari Das.

Unfortunately only a small number of Kishengarh

miniatures are available. Most of them are believed to

have been done by the master painter Nihal Chand who, in

his works, has been able to create visual images of his

master's lyrical compositions. The artist has executed

types of human figures, delicately drawn, with slender

bodies and uptilted eyes.

The painting is marked by delicate drawing, fine

modelling of the human figures and cows and the broad

vista of landscape showing a stream, rows of overlapping

trees, and architecture.The artist has displayed a masterly

skill in the grouping of many figures in the miniature.

The painting has a golden inner border. It is ascribed to

the middle of the 18th century and may be the work of

Nihal Chand

5.Bengal School of Art

The Bengal School of Art was an influential style of art that flourished in India

during the British Raj in the early 20th century. It was associated with Indian

nationalism, but was also promoted and supported by many British arts

administrators.

The Bengal school arose as an nationalist movement reacting against the academic

art styles previously promoted in India, both by Indian artists such as Raja Ravi

Varma and in British art schools.

Rabindranath Tagore, Abanindranath Tagore, E.B. Havell and Ananda

Kehtish Coomaraswamy played an important role in the emergence of the

Bengal school of Art.

The Bengal School had a great flowering at Shantiniketan where

Rabindranath Tagore set up the Kala Bhavan. Talented artists like Nandalal

Bose, Binod Behari Mukherjee and Ramkinkar Baij rendered training to

aspiring artists.

Nandalal often derived inspiration from Indian folk art and also from

Japanese painting while Binod Behari Mukerjee was deeply interested in

oriental traditions.

Jamini Roy, another great painter of this period, drew inspiration from

Qrissa’s pata painting and Kalighat painting of Bengal.

Amrita Shergil, a great painter received education in Paris and Budapest.

Considered a prodigy from a Sikh father and Hungarian mother, she painted

on Indian themes in bright colours specially Indian women and peasants.

Though she died very young, she left behind a rich legacy of Indian

paintings.

Increasing awareness about British rule, ideals of nationalism and the desire

for a national identity led to creations which were distinct from earlier art

traditions.

In 1943, during the period of the second world war Calcutta painters led by

Paritosh Sen, Niroda Majumdar and Pradosh Dasgupta formed a group who

depicted the condition of the people of India through new visual language,

and novel techniques.

6.Abanindranath Tagore

Abanindranath Tagore, the nephew of Rabindranath Tagore, was one of the

most prominent artists of India.

He was the first major supporter of swadeshi values in Indian art.

Abanindranath first created the ‘Indian Society of Oriental Art’ and later

went on to establish Bengal school of art.

His sole aim for establishing the school was to counter the English influence

on Indian artists. He did that by incorporating Indian elements in his works

and achieved success when British art institutions gave in and accepted to

teach and propagate his style of works in their organizations.

His idea of modernizing Mughal and Rajput paintings eventually gave rise to

modern Indian painting, which took birth at his Bengal school of art.

Abanindranath is also regarded as a proficient and accomplished writer.

Most of his literary works were meant for children.Some of his books like

‘BudoAngla’, ‘KhirerPutul’ and ‘Rajkahini’ are best examples of Bengali

children's literature.

Abanindranath Tagore believed in the traditional Indian techniques of

painting. He rejected the materialistic art of the West and emphasized on

returning to the Indian traditional art forms. He believed that Indian art and

its art forms gave importance to spirituality as opposed to the West which

stressed on materialism.

He was very much influenced by the Mughal School of painting as well as

Whistler's Aestheticism.

In his later works, Abanindranath started integrating Chinese and Japanese

calligraphic traditions into his style. The intention behind this move was to

construct an amalgamation of the modern pan-Asian artistic tradition and the

common elements of Eastern artistic and spiritual culture.

Bharat Mata painting: This beautiful painting was completed in the year

1905. The painting depicts Bharat Mata (Mother India). She is portrayed as

having four hands, carrying important elements in each of her hand. The

painting reflects Indian tradition, which features in most of his works.

7. Gaganerdanath Tagore

Gaganendranath Tagore was a great-grandson of Dwarkanath Tagore, a

nephew of Rabindranath Tagore and elder brother of Abinandranath Tagore.

He is best known as a cartoonist who created political cartoons and social

satires on Westernised Bengalis.

Gaganendranath Tagore, along with his brother Abanindranath, is known for

founding the Indian Society of Oriental Art in 1907.

He also came under the influence of experimentalist art prevalent in Europe

at that time and was allured towards geometric compositions. This led him to

develop his own brand of cubism.

He is said to be the first artist to explore with the French Style of paintings

in India

8.She inspires US

As part of women’s day celebrations, Prime Minister Modi launched a 'She

Inspires Us' campaign on social media to encourage people to share stories

of women who inspire.

Women who wish to get an opportunity to take charge of the PM's social media

accounts for one day can post their stories on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

using the hashtag #SheInspiresUs or post a video on YouTube using the same

hashtag. The women who are selected would get a chance to share their

thoughts with the rest of the world.

9. Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID )

In January 2006, when mainstream media first took notice of human

fatalities caused by the deadly bird flu, public access to the latest genetic

sequences of highly pathogenic avian influenza e.g. H5N1 was limited and

often restricted due to the hesitancy by affected countries to share their

information through traditional public domain archives such as EMBL,

DDBJ and GenBank

The GISAID platform was launched on the occasion of the Sixty-first World

Health Assembly in May 2008.

Created as an alternative to the public domain sharing model, GISAID's

sharing mechanism took into account the concerns of Member States by

providing a publicly accessible database designed by scientist for scientist,

to improve the sharing of influenza data.

The GISAID Initiative promotes the international sharing of all influenza

virus sequences, related clinical and epidemiological data associated with

human viruses, and geographical as well as species-specific data associated

with avian and other animal viruses, to help researchers understand how the

viruses evolve, spread and potentially become pandemics.

10.Meghalayan Age

Geologists have decided to classify the past 4,200 years as the Meghalayan

Age.It is the most recent unit of the Geologic Time Scale in the 4.6 billion-year

history of the Earth.

Earth’s geological history over the past 4.5 billion years is divided up into

various units including eons, eras, periods, epochs, and ages.

Scientists have just assigned three new ages to the Holocene, which is the current

epoch in which we live.

The Holocene commenced 11,700 years ago after the end of the last ice age.

Since that time, Earth’s climate has continued to fluctuate. First, there was a

warm period that lasted from 11,700 to about 8,300 years ago. Scientists have

named this age the Greenlandian age.

Next, the Earth went through a gradual cooling period from about 8,300 to 4,200

years ago, and this is now known as the Northgrippian age.

The last age of the Holocene began 4,200 years ago during a worldwide

megadrought, and it has been named the Meghalayan age.

According to the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), which is the

scientific body responsible for proposing new names for Earth’s geological

history, the drought had severe impacts on many agricultural-based societies.

This in turn led to extensive human migration in areas such as Egypt,

Mesopotamia, the Indus River Valley, and the Yangtze River Valley.

Geological evidence of the megadrought at the onset of the Meghalayan can be

found on all seven continents. Key data for the timing of the new age were

derived from a stalagmite growing in Mawmluh Cave in the state of Meghalaya,

northern India. Subsequently, the new age was named the Meghalayan after the

site of origin of the stalagmite.

9 March

1.TRAFFIC

TRAFFIC is a leading non-governmental organisation working globally on

trade in wild animals and plants in the context of both biodiversity

conservation and sustainable development.

It is a joint program of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the International

Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

It was established in 1976 and has developed into a global network,

research-driven and action-oriented, committed to delivering innovative

and practical conservation solutions.

Functions:

Since its establishment, it has helped in the evolution of the international

wildlife trade treaties.

It focuses on leveraging resources, expertise and awareness of the latest globally

urgent species trade issues such as tiger parts, elephant ivory and rhino horn.

Large scale commercial trade in commodities like timber and fisheries

products are also addressed and linked to work on developing rapid results and

policy improvements.

2.IUCN Red list

Established in 1964, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s

Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most

comprehensive information source on the global extinction risk status of

animal, fungus and plant species.

Importance

The IUCN Red List is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s

biodiversity. Far more than a list of species and their status, it is a powerful

tool to inform and catalyse action for biodiversity conservation and policy

change, critical to protecting the natural resources we need to survive.

It provides information about range, population size, habitat and ecology,

use and/or trade, threats, and conservation actions that will help inform

necessary conservation decisions.

3.Red Panda in India

The red panda is a small arboreal mammal found in the forests of India,

Nepal, Bhutan and the northern mountains of Myanmar and southern China.

It thrives best at 2,200-4,800m, in mixed deciduous and conifer forests with

dense understories of bamboo.

In India, it is found in Sikkim, western Arunachal Pradesh, Darjeeling

district of West Bengal and parts of Meghalaya. It is also the state animal of

Sikkim.

Listed as Endangered in the IUCN red list of Threatened Species and under

Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the red panda has

the highest legal protection at par with other threatened species.

4.SAWEN

South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) is an inter-

governmental wildlife law enforcement support body of South Asian

countries.

SAWEN was officially launched in January, 2011 in Paro Bhutan. It

promotes regional cooperation to combat wildlife crime in South Asia.

SAWEN operates its activities from the Secretariat based in Kathmandu,

Nepal.

Objectives:

To take initiatives for bringing harmonization and standardization in

laws and policies of member countries concerning conservation of fauna

and flora;

• To document the trend of poaching and illegal trade, and related threats

to the natural biodiversity within and across countries in the region;

• To strengthen institutional responses to combat wildlife crime by

promoting research and information sharing, training and capacity

building, technical support, sharing experiences and outreach; and

• To encourage member countries to prepare and implement their

National Action Plans in curbing wildlife crime and to collaborate

towards effective implementation.

The South Asia region is very vulnerable to illegal traffic and wildlife

crimes due to presence of precious biodiversity and large markets as well

as traffic routes for wildlife products in the south East Asian region. The

collaboration in harmonising as well as enforcing the wildlife protection

in the region is considered very important for effective conservation of

such precious biodiversity.

5. New Space India Ltd

Till now, Indian space programme primarily focuses on deriving socio

economic benefits from space technology and its application in national

development

In order to commercially exploit Indian space programme, New Space

India Limited (NSIL) has been incorporated on 06th March 2019, as a

wholly owned Government of India Undertaking / Central Public Sector

Enterprise (CPSE), under the administrative control of Department of

Space (DOS)

Mandate:

i)Small Satellite technology transfer to industry wherein NSIL will obtain license

from DOS/ISRO and sub-license it to industries

(ii) Manufacture of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) in collaboration with

Private Sector

(iii) Productionisation of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) through Indian

Industry

(iv) Productionisation and marketing of Space based services, including launch

and application

(v) Transfer of technology developed by ISRO Centres and constituent institutions

of DOS

(vi) Marketing of spin-off technologies and products, both in India and abroad

6. Finance Bill

The Finance Bill is a part of the Union Budget, stipulating all the legal

amendments required for the changes in taxation proposed by the Finance

Minister.

Finance Bill is an umbrella legislation.This Bill encompasses all

amendments required in various laws pertaining to tax, in accordance with

the tax proposals made in the Union Budget

Financial Bills can be classified as Financial Bills Categories A and B.

Category A Bills contain provisions dealing with any of the matters

specified in sub-clauses (a) to (f) of clause (1) of article 110 and other

matters and Category B Bills involve expenditure from the Consolidated

Fund of India.

Financial Bill Category A can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha on the

recommendation of the President. However once it has been passed by the

Lok Sabha, it is like an ordinary Bill and there is no restriction on the

powers of the Rajya Sabha on such Bills.

Financial Bill Category B can be introduced in either House of Parliament.

Money bill

Only those financial bills which contain provisions exclusively on matters listed in

article 110 of the constitution are called Money Bills.

7.DICGC

Union Finance Minister in budget speech 2020 has proposed to hike the

bank deposit insurance in scheduled commercial banks to Rs 5 lakh per

depositor from the current Rs 1 lakh.

Currently, as per the RBI guidelines, deposits with all commercial banks and

cooperative banks are insured under the Deposit Insurance and Credit

Guarantee Corporation (DICGC). Only Primary Cooperative Societies are

not covered under DICGC.

DICGC covers all deposits such as savings, fixed, current, recurring and so on

except for the following deposits:

Deposits of foreign governments;

Deposits of Central/State Governments;

Inter-bank deposits;

Deposits of the State Land Development Banks with the State co-operative bank;

Any amount due on account of and deposit received outside India

Any amount, which has been specifically exempted by the corporation with the

previous approval of RBI

History:

The Deposit Insurance Corporation (DIC) Bill was introduced in the

Parliament on August 21, 1961. After it was passed by the Parliament, the

Bill got the assent of the President on December 7, 1961 and the Deposit

Insurance Act, 1961 came into force on January 1, 1962.

The Deposit Insurance Scheme was initially extended to functioning

commercial banks only. This included the State Bank of India and its

subsidiaries, other commercial banks and the branches of the foreign banks

operating in India.

Since 1968, with the enactment of the Deposit Insurance Corporation

(Amendment) Act, 1968, the Corporation was required to register the

'eligible co-operative banks' as insured banks under the provisions of Section

13 A of the Act

Further, the Government of India, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of

India, introduced a Credit Guarantee Scheme in July 1960. The Reserve

Bank of India was entrusted with the administration of the Scheme, as an

agent of the Central Government, under Section 17 (11 A)(a) of the Reserve

Bank of India Act, 1934 and was designated as the Credit Guarantee

Organization (CGO) for guaranteeing the advances granted by banks and

other Credit Institutions to small scale industries.

With a view to integrating the functions of deposit insurance and credit

guarantee, the above two organizations (DIC & CGCI) were merged and the

present Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) came

into existence on July 15, 1978. Consequently, the title of Deposit Insurance

Act, 1961 was changed to 'The Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee

Corporation Act, 1961 '.

10 March

1.National Health Authority

National Health Authority (NHA) is the apex body responsible for

implementing India’s flagship public health insurance/assurance scheme

called Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.

Functions of NHA

Formulation of various operational guidelines related to PM-JAY, model

documents and contracts to ensure standardization and interoperability.

Determine the central ceiling for premium (or maximum central contribution for

trusts) per family per year to be provided to the States/UTs and review it from

time to time, based on field evidence and actuarial analysis.

Develop and enforce compliance with standards for treatment protocols, quality

protocols, minimum documentation protocols, data sharing protocols, data

privacy and security protocols, fraud prevention and control including penal

provisions etc.

Develop mechanisms for strategic purchasing of health care services through

PM-JAY, so as to get best return on Government’s investment. Create conducive

conditions for strategic purchasing by preparing a list of packages and their rates

and updating them from time to time using a transparent, predictable and

evidence-based process.

Build a state of the art health information technology ecosystem with requisite

foundational components on which PM-JAY and other health systems can be

hosted/linked; Information Technology standards will be developed in

consultation with Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology (MeitY).

Coordination with various State Governments on regular basis for

implementation of PM-JAY.

Capacity building of State Health Agencies and other stakeholders continuously.

Carrying out awareness activities for informing beneficiaries and other

stakeholders about the scheme.

Prevention, detection and control of fraudulent activities and abuse.

Grievance redressal for all the stakeholders at various levels.

Set up an efficient monitoring system for the scheme.

Stimulate cross learning, sharing of best practices amongst States and

documentation of these practices.

Ensure interoperability, standardization and convergence amongst schemes of

Central Ministries.

Conduct and facilitate policy relevant research and evaluation studies including

knowledge sharing and information dissemination at the national and

international level.

Generate evidence for the policy makers from schemes’ data and other

research/evaluations so as to facilitate evidence-based decision making and

policy formulation by the Government.

Act as apex body for State Health Agencies that have been set up to implement

PM-JAY.

2.Biofertiliser

Biofertilizers are the substance that contains microbes, which helps in promoting

the growth of plants, trees by increasing the supply of essential nutrients to the

plants. It comprises living organisms which include mycorrhizal fungi, blue-green

algae, and bacteria

Types of Biofertilizers

The following types of biofertilizers are available to the farmers in India.

• Nitrogen fixing biofertilizers eg.Rhizobium, Bradyrhizobium, Azo-spirillum and

Azotobacter.

• Phosphorous solubilising biofertilizers (PSB) eg.Bacillus,Pseudomonas and

Aspergillus

• Phosphate mobilizing biofertilizer eg. Mycorrhiza

• Plant growth promoting biofertilizers eg. Pseudomonas sp.

Advantages of biofertilizers:

• They help to get high yield of crops by making the soil rich with nutrients and

useful microorganisms necessary for the growth of the plants.

• Biofertilizers have replaced the chemical fertilizers as chemical fertilizers are not

beneficial for the plants. They decrease the growth of the plants and make the

environment polluted by releasing harmful chemicals.

• Biofertilizers destroy those harmful components from the soil which cause

diseases in the plants. Plants can also be protected against drought and other strict

conditions using biofertilizers.

• Biofertilizers are not costly and even poor farmers can make use of them.

• They are environment friendly and protect the environment against pollutants.

3.OPEC

OPEC is a permanent intergovernmental organization of 13 oil-exporting

developing nations that coordinates and unifies the petroleum policies of its

Member Countries.

Mission:

The mission of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is

to coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of its Member Countries and ensure

the stabilization of oil markets in order to secure an efficient, economic and regular

supply of petroleum to consumers, a steady income to producers and a fair return

on capital for those investing in the petroleum industry.

Membership:

The OPEC Statute distinguishes between the Founder Members and Full

Members – those countries whose applications for membership have been

accepted by the Conference.

The Statute stipulates that “any country with a substantial net export of crude

petroleum, which has fundamentally similar interests to those of Member

Countries, may become a Full Member of the Organization, if accepted by a

majority of three-fourths of Full Members, including the concurring votes of

all Founder Members.”

The Statute further provides for Associate Members which are those

countries that do not qualify for full membership, but are nevertheless

admitted under such special conditions as may be prescribed by the

Conference.

Currently, the Organization has a total of 15 Member Countries. The current

OPEC members are the following: Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Equatorial

Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, the Republic of the

Congo, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.

Indonesia and Qatar are former members.

4. Additional Tier I bond

AT-1, short for Additional Tier-1 bonds, are a type of unsecured, perpetual

bonds that banks issue to shore up their core capital base to meet the Basel-

III norms.

Under the Based III framework, banks’ regulatory capital is divided

into Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital.

Tier 1 capital is subdivided into Common Equity (CET) and

Additional Capital (AT1).

In an attempt to comply with Basel III norms to have higher tier I capital by

financial year (FY) 2019, many public sector banks have raised capital

through perpetual bonds, better known as AT1 bonds or additional tier 1

bonds.

These have higher rates than tier II bonds. While a AAA-rated tier II bond of

a public sector bank may have an interest rate of 7.5% per annum, its AT1

bond can carry a rate of around 9% per annum

These bonds have no maturity date. Technically they can continue to pay the

coupon forever. The issuing bank has the option to call back the bonds or

repay the principal after a specified period of time.

First, the issuing bank has the discretion to skip coupon payment. Under

normal circumstances it can pay from profits or revenue reserves in case of

losses for the period when the interest needs to be paid.

Second, the bank has to maintain a common equity tier I ratio of 5.5%,

failing which the bonds can get written down. In some cases there could be a

clause to convert into equity as well. Given these characteristics, AT1 bonds

are also referred to as quasi-equity

5.10th Schedule

The Tenth Schedule was inserted in the Constitution in 1985 by 52nd amendment. It

lays down the process by which legislators may be disqualified on grounds of

defection by the Presiding Officer of a legislature based on a petition by any other

member of the House.

Disqualification:

1.If a member of a house belonging to a political party voluntarily gives up

the membership of his political party, or Votes, or does not vote in the

legislature, contrary to the directions of his political party. However, if the

member has taken prior permission, or is condoned by the party within 15

days from such voting or abstention, the member shall not be disqualified.

2.If an independent candidate joins a political party after the election.

3. If a nominated member joins a party six months after he becomes a

member of the legislature.

Exceptions under the law:

Legislators may change their party without the risk of disqualification in

certain circumstances. The law allows a party to merge with or into another

party provided that at least two-thirds of its legislators are in favour of the

merger. In such a scenario, neither the members who decide to merge, nor the

ones who stay with the original party will face disqualification.

The law initially stated that the decision of the Presiding Officer is not subject to

judicial review. This condition was struck down by the Supreme Court in 1992,

thereby allowing appeals against the Presiding Officer’s decision in the High Court

and Supreme Court.

6.CCI

The Competition Act, 2002 follows the philosophy of modern competition

laws.

The Act prohibits anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position

by enterprises and regulates combinations (acquisition, acquiring of control

and M&A), which causes or likely to cause an appreciable adverse effect on

competition within India.

The objectives of the Act are sought to be achieved through the Competition

Commission of India, which has been established by the Central

Government on 2003.

CCI consists of a Chairperson and 6 Members appointed by the Central

Government.

It is the duty of the Commission to eliminate practices having adverse effect

on competition, promote and sustain competition, protect the interests of

consumers and ensure freedom of trade in the markets of India.

The Commission is also required to give opinion on competition issues on a

reference received from a statutory authority established under any law and

to undertake competition advocacy, create public awareness and impart

training on competition issues.

7.Operation twist

Operation Twist is the name given to a monetary policy tool that the US

Federal Reserve had initiated to influence the prevailing rate of interest in

the markets.

The tool essentially aims at changing the shape of the yield curve (hence the

name — twist) through simultaneous buying and selling of long- and short-

term government bonds.

In India, the RBI put through its version of Operation Twist by

buying ₹10,000 crore worth of 10-year government bonds while selling four

shorter-term government bonds adding up to the same value.

The intent is to moderate high long-term interest rates in the market and

bring them closer to the repo rate.

Why needed?

The central bank has decided to purchase Rs 10,000 crore worth of one

security - the 6.45% GS 2029. This is a long term 10-year bond.

When the RBI purchases 6.45% bond on December 23, demand is expected

to rise, leading to lower long-term yield.

On the sell side, it has proposed to sell four short term securities which will

mature in 2020for a total of Rs 10,000 crore - 6.65% GS 2020, 7.80% GS

2020, 8.27% GS 2020 and 8.12% GS 2020.

The sale of short-term securities will push up the short-term rate.

Yield curve explained: https://www.indianeconomy.net/splclassroom/what-is-

yield-curve-what-does-it-show-about-the-economic-conditions/

8.Quantitive Easing

Quantitative easing (QE) is a form of unconventional monetary policy in which a

central bank purchases longer-term government securities or other types of

securities from the open market in order to increase the money supply and

encourage lending and investment.

9.Bombay Plan

The Bombay plan was a set of proposal of a small group of influential business

leaders in Bombay for the development of the post-independence economy of

India. This plan was published in two parts or volume- first in 1944 and second in

1945.

Objectives of the Bombay Plan

The prime objectives of the plan were to achieve a balanced economy and to

raise the standard of living of the masses of the population rapidly by

doubling the present per capita income within a period of 15 years from the

time the plan goes into operation.

This plan envisages that the economy could not grow without government

intervention and regulation. In other words, the future government protects

indigenous industries against foreign competition in local markets.

The Bombay Plan offers a comprehensive vision of mass education, including

primary, secondary and vocational and university schooling. It also made for adult

education and scientific training and research. The plan emphasizes the importance

of basic industries, but also calls for the development of consumption goods

industries in the early years of the plan.

11March

1. Fiscal Deficit and

Fiscal Deficit is the difference between the total income of the government

(total taxes and non-debt capital receipts) and its total expenditure.

Fiscal Deficit = Total expenditure of the government (capital and revenue

expenditure) – Total income of the government (Revenue receipts +

recovery of loans + other receipts).

FRBM Act

The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2003,

intends to bring transparency and accountability in the conduct of the fiscal

and monetary actions of the government.

The central government agreed to the following fiscal indicators and targets,

subsequent to the enactment of the FRBMA

o Revenue deficit to be eliminated by the 31st of March 2009. A

minimum annual reduction of 0.5% of GDP.

o Fiscal Deficit to be brought down to at least 3% of GDP by 31st of

March 2008. A minimum annual reduction – 0.3% of GDP.

The FRBM Act made it mandatory for the government to place the

following along with the Union Budget documents in Parliament annually:

1. Medium Term Fiscal Policy Statement

2. Macroeconomic Framework Statement

3. Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement

The FRBM Act proposed that revenue deficit, fiscal deficit, tax revenue and

the total outstanding liabilities be projected as a percentage of gross

domestic product (GDP) in the medium-term fiscal policy statement.

Several years have passed since the FRBM Act was enacted, but the

Government of India has not been able to achieve targets set under it. The

Act has been amended several times.

In 2013, the government introduced a change and introduced the concept of

effective revenue deficit.

This implies that effective revenue deficit would be equal to revenue deficit

minus grants to states for the creation of capital assets.

In 2016, a committee under N K Singh was set up to suggest changes to the

Act.

2.IMPS VS NEFT

Details:

The Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) is built on the National Financial

Switch network and is managed by the National Payments Corporation of

India (NPCI).

While, National Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT) is managed by the

Reserve Bank of India.

The IMPS was launched in 2010 while NEFT was brought forth in the year

2005.

Process:

As aforementioned, IMPS transfers money instantly into the beneficiary’s

account. The beneficiary’s bank has around half an hour to credit and show

the transferred money to the payee.

Meanwhile, NEFT works on a net and batch basis. NEFT transfer

mechanism makes payments in batches. Since NEFT settles on a one – to –

one basis, it transfers funds between two enabled bank accounts through

electronic messages. NEFT isn’t a real-time fund transfer solution like

IMPS. As mentioned, it transfers funds in batches and that too only in its

business hours.

Timings:

IMPS can be used 24 x 7 while NEFT is only available in NEFT business

hours.

NEFT is not a 24 x 7 fund transfer service and it isn’t available on

Sundays, bank off-days and bank holidays altogether.

3. Pesticide use and misuse

Pesticides are chemical compounds that are used to kill pests, including

insects, rodents, fungi and unwanted plants (weeds). Pesticides are used in

public health to kill vectors of disease, such as mosquitoes, and in

agriculture, to kill pests that damage crops.

By their nature, pesticides are potentially toxic to other organisms, including

humans, and need to be used safely and disposed of properly.

There are more than 1000 pesticides used around the world to ensure food is

not damaged or destroyed by pests. Each pesticide has different properties

and toxicological effects.

Many of the older, cheaper (off-patent) pesticides, such as

dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and lindane, can remain for years in

soil and water.

These chemicals have been banned by countries who signed the 2001

Stockholm Convention – an international treaty that aims to eliminate or

restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants.

Effects:

Though each pesticide is meant to kill a certain pest, a very large percentage

of pesticides reach a destination other than their target. Instead, they enter

the air, water, sediments, and even end up in our food.

Pesticides have been linked with human health hazards, from short-term

impacts such as headaches and nausea to chronic impacts like cancer,

reproductive harm.

The use of these also decreases the general biodiversity in the soil. If there

are no chemicals in the soil there is a higher soil quality, and this allows for

higher water retention, which is necessary for plants to grow.

Anupam Verma Committee:

An expert committee was constituted under Dr. Anupam Verma to carry out

technical review of 66 pesticides that are banned, restricted, withdrawn in

one or more countries but continued to be registered in India.

The Expert Committee, inter alia, recommended 13 pesticides to be banned,

27 pesticides to be reviewed in 2018 after completion of certain technical

studies and 6 pesticides to be phased out by 2020.

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is an international

environmental treaty, signed in 2001 and effective from May 2004, that aims to

eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants. POPs are chemical substances that:

o Persist in the environment

o Bio-accumulate through the food web

o Pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the

environment

Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) and the International

Programme for Chemical Safety (IPCS) prepared a list, known as the Dirty Dozen

:

o Eight organochlorine pesticides: aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin,

heptachlor, mirex and toxaphene;

o Two industrial chemicals: hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and the

polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) group; and

o Two groups of industrial by-products: dioxins and furans.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE EXPERT COMMITTEE WITH RESPECT

TO 66 PESTICIDES

S.No. Category No. of

Pesticides

Name of the Pesticides

1. I- to be continued 18 Aluminium phosphide, Bifenthrin,

Carbosulfan, Chlorfenapyr,

Chlorothalonil, Dazomet,

Diflubenzuron, Ethofenprox,

Fenpropathrin, Iprodione,

Kasugamycin, Mepiquat chloride,

Metaldehyde, Paraquat dichloride,

Pretilachlor, Propargite, Propineb and

Zinc phosphide

2. II- to be reviewed

again in 2018,

after completion of

the recommended

studies

27 Acephate, Atrazine, Benfuracarb,

Butachlor, Captan, Carbendazim,

Carbofuran, Chlorpyriphos,

Deltamethrin, Dicofol, Dimethoate,

Dinocap, Diuron, 2,4-D, Malathion,

Mancozeb, Methomyl, Monocrotophos,

Oxyfluorfen, Pendimethalin,

Quinalphos, Sulfosulfuron, Thiodicarb,

Thiophanate methyl, Thiram, Zineb,

Ziram

3. III- to be phased

out by 2020

6 Alachlor, Dichlorvos, Phorate,

Phosphamidon, Triazophos,

Trichlorfon

4. IV- ban to be

continued

1 Fenitrothion

5. V- to be banned 13 Benomyl, Carbaryl, DDT, Diazinon,

Fenarimol, Fenthion, Linuron, MEMC,

Methyl Parathion, Sodium Cyanide,

Thiometon, Tridemorph, Trifluralin

6. VI- not reviewed

as it is sub-judice

1 Endosulfan

4. Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP)

To establish a decentralized state based system of surveillance for

communicable and non-communicable diseases, so that timely and effective

public health actions can be initiated in response to health challenges in the

country at the state and national level.

To improve the efficiency of the existing surveillance activities of disease

control programs and facilitate sharing of relevant information with the

health administration, community and other stakeholders so as to detect

disease trends over time and evaluate control strategies.

OBJECTIVE

• Decentralized Surveillance System. • To identify Risk Factors for

CD/NCD. • Timely Initiation of Public Health action. • Improvement of

efficiency of Surveillance activities. • Dissemination of relevant information

to Health Administration, community, other stake holders about disease risk

factors, monitoring & evaluation.

List of Core diseases: A total of 13 diseases both communicable and non-

communicable have been included for the surveillance as per the decision of the

IDSP committee. These have been grouped as per the types of surveillance into

Regular surveillance

Sentinel surveillance

Regular periodic surveys

1. Malaria , Dengue, JE, Leishmaniasis, Chikungunniya etc.

2. Cholera

3.Typhoid

4.Tuberculosis

5.Measles

6.Polio

7.Road Traffic Accidents (Link up with Police Computers)

8.Plague

9.Menigoencephalitis / Respiratory Distress, Hemorrhagic fevers and other

undiagnosed conditions

5.Carbon Sinks: Amazon forest

A carbon sink is a natural or artificial reservoir that accumulates and stores

some carbon-containing chemical compound for an indefinite period.

The process by which carbon sinks remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the

atmosphere is known as carbon sequestration.

The major natural sinks are the oceans and plants and other organisms that

use photosynthesis to remove carbon from the atmosphere by incorporating

it into biomass.

The world's tropical forests store huge quantities of carbon in their biomass

and thus constitute an important carbon sink.

6.Optimum population

The proposed `Population Regulation Bill, 2019’, introduced in Rajya

Sabha last week called for punitive action against people with more than two

living children and making them devoid of all government services

Optimum population refers to the size of a population that produces the best

results according to chosen end targets. These end targets could be largest

per capita income, long term sustainability, efficient operation of

democracy, preservation of personal freedom and preservation of

biodiversity.

According to J. Stamp, optimum population is one where carrying capacity

of the land is equal to the demand of population.

The optimum population is the one which leads to the highest quality of life

where quality of life means adequate amount of food, energy, air of high

quality. Thus this concept is fundamentally economic in nature.

In simple terms, it is condition where neither resources are dormant nor

over burden nor over exploited. A population which can be sustained

without jeopardising the future.

TFR

India’s total fertility rate (TFR) is declining. It is now 2.2 per

woman, nearing the replacement rate of 2.1, according to the latest

government data.

TFR indicates the average number of children expected to be born to a

woman during her reproductive span of 15-49 years.

12 March

1.Election Commission Powers

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is considering new voting methods,

capping the campaign expenditure of political parties, online registration of new

voters at 17 years and ending social media campaigning 48 hours before polling

among the recommendations proposed by working groups it set up in 2019.

The Constitution of India has vested in the Election Commission of India the

superintendence, direction and control of the entire process for conduct of

elections to Parliament and Legislature of every State and to the offices of

President and Vice-President of India.

Election Commission of India is a permanent Constitutional Body. The

Election Commission was established in accordance with the Constitution on

25th January 1950.

It is the Commission which decides the election schedules for the conduct of

elections, whether general elections or bye-elections. Again, it is the

Commission which decides on the location polling stations, assignment of

voters to the polling stations, location of counting centres, arrangements to

be made in and around polling stations and counting centres and all allied

matters.

Political parties are registered with the Election Commission under the law.

The Commission ensures inner party democracy in their functioning by

insisting upon them to hold their organizational elections at periodic

intervals.

Under the Constitution, the Commission also has advisory jurisdiction in the

matter of post election disqualification of sitting members of Parliament and

State Legislatures.

Further, the cases of persons found guilty of corrupt practices at elections

which come before the Supreme Court and High Courts are also referred to

the Commission for its opinion on the question as to whether such person

shall be disqualified and, if so, for what period.

The Commission has the power to disqualify a candidate who has failed to

lodge an account of his election expenses within the time and in the manner

prescribed by law.

The Commission holds periodical consultations with the political parties on

matters connected with the conduct of elections; compliance of Model Code

of Conduct and new measures proposed to be introduced by the Commission

on election related matters.

2.Union Territories legislature

Union Territories are ruled directly by the Central Government has a

Lieutenant Governor as an administrator, who is the representative of the

President of India and appointed by the Central government.

There are total 8 union territories in India, out of which 3, i.e. Jammu and

Kashmir, Delhi, and Puducherry, have their elected members and the Chief

Minister, as these are granted with partial statehood, by amendment to the

Constitution.

Most importantly, the 69th Amendment Act passed in 1991 — whose

Articles 239AA and 239AB provided for a Legislative Assembly and

Council of Ministers for the UT of Delhi — kept land, police and public

order out of the control of the government of the state.

3.Right to property

The Supreme Court has reiterated that forcible dispossession of a person of his

private property without due process of law is a human right violation.

In a recent judgment by a Bench led by Justice S.K. Kaul, the court stressed,

quoting from its judgments, that right to property is both a human right and a

constitutional right — the latter under Article 300A of the Constitution.

1. The state cannot trespass into the private property of a citizen and then

claim ownership of the land in the name of ‘adverse possession’.

2. Grabbing private land and then claiming it as its own makes the state an

encroacher.

3. In a welfare state, right to property is a human right.

4. The State cannot be permitted to perfect its title over the land by

invoking the doctrine of adverse possession to grab the property of its

own citizens.

3.Epidemic Act

The Centre has decided to invoke Epidemic Act 1897, an act to provide for

prevention of the spread of “dangerous epidemic diseases,” to combat novel

coronavirus in India.

History of the 1897 Epidemic Diseases Act

The colonial government introduced the Act to tackle the epidemic of

bubonic plague that had spread in the erstwhile Bombay Presidency in the

1890s.

Using powers conferred by the Act, colonies authorities would search

suspected plague cases in homes and among passengers, with forcible

segregations, evacuations, and demolitions of infected places.

Provisions of the 1897 Epidemic Diseases Act

It empowers state governments/UTs to take special measures and

formulate regulations for containing the outbreak.

It also empowers state to prescribe such temporary regulations to be

observed by the public or by any person or class of persons as it shall

deem necessary to prevent the outbreak of such disease or the spread

thereof.

The state may determine in what manner and by whom any expenses

incurred (including compensation if any) shall be defrayed.

The State Government may take measures and prescribe regulations

for the inspection of persons travelling by railway or otherwise, and

the segregation, in hospital, temporary accommodation or otherwise, of

persons suspected by the inspecting officer of being infected with any

such disease.

It also provides penalties for disobeying any regulation or order

made under the Act. These are according to section 188 of the Indian

Penal Code (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public

servant).

It also gives legal protection to the implementing officers acting

under the Act.

Examples of implementation

In 2018, the district collector of Gujarat’s Vadodara issued a notification

under the Act declaring the Khedkarmsiya village in Waghodia taluka as

cholera-affected after 31 persons complained of symptoms of the disease.

In 2015, to deal with malaria and dengue in Chandigarh, the Act was

implemented and controlling officers were instructed to ensure the issuance

of notices and challans of Rs 500 to offenders.

In 2009, to tackle the swine flu outbreak in Pune, Section 2 powers were

used to open screening centres in civic hospitals across the city, and swine

flu was declared a notifiable disease.

4.Renewable Purchase Obligation

5.FAME II

The Niti Aayog has recommended that swappable batteries and vehicles which

receive swappable batteries should be treated the same as that of electric vehicles

under GST of 5%. At present, batteries sold as an integral part of EVs are taxable

at 5% GST and batteries sold outside attract 18% GST

About the scheme:

The scheme with total outlay of Rs 10000 Crores over the period of three

years 2019-20 to 2021-22.

This scheme is the expanded version of the present scheme titled 'FAME

India1 which was launched on 1st April 2015, with total outlay of Rs. 895

crores.

Objective:

The main objective of the scheme is to encourage Faster adoption of Electric and

hybrid vehicle by way of offering upfront Incentive on purchase of Electric

vehicles and also by way of establishing a necessary charging Infrastructure for

electric vehicles.

Provisions:

Emphasis is on electrification of the public transportation that includes shared

transport.

o Demand Incentives on operational expenditure mode for electric buses will be

delivered through State/city transport corporation (STUs).

o In 3W and 4W segment incentives will be applicable mainly to vehicles used

for public transport or registered for commercial purposes.

o In the e-2Ws segment, the focus will be on the private vehicles.

o Through the scheme, it is planned to support 10 Lakhs e-2W, 5 Lakhs e-3W,

55000 4Ws and 7000 Buses.

To encourage advance technologies, the benefits of incentives, will be extended to

only those vehicles which are fitted with advance battery like a Lithium Ion battery

and other new technology batteries.

The scheme proposes for establishment of charging infrastructure, whereby about

2700 charging stations will be established in metros, other million plus cities, smart

cities and cities of Hilly states across the country so that there will be availability of

at least one charging station in a grid of 3 km x 3 km.

Establishment of Charging stations are also proposed on major highways connecting

major city clusters. On such highways, charging stations will be established on both

sides of the road at an interval of about 25 km each.

6. Entomophagy

There was a news report about scientists in a Belgian university experimenting

with larva fat in waffles, cakes, and cookies. The idea is to replace butter. Insects

are more sustainable than cattle. They use less water, and less land. This news

report may have attracted media attention.

Concept:

Entomophagy is the technical term for eating insects. Humans have

harvested the eggs, larvae, pupae and adults of certain insect species from

forests or other suitable habitats to eat for thousands of years.

Reasons:

This practice is still common in many tropical countries where certain insect

species grow to large sizes, and they are abundant and relatively easy to

harvest year round.

Insects as food are an excellent source of proteins, vitamins, fats, and

essential minerals.

There is a strong case in favor of mass rearing insects for food as this

practice is probably less environmentally damaging than other forms of

protein production.

Example:

Clearing tropical rain forests and farming cattle for meat is highly damaging.

In comparison to cattle, insects are five times more efficient at converting

food into edible tissue, and when considering this together with their high

reproductive rates and quick developmental times, the food conversion

efficiency of insects maybe 20 times that of cattle!

7.Permaculture : 12 principle

Originally, the word “Permaculture” was the combination of the two words

“permanent” and “agriculture”.

Two Australian men named Bill Mollison and David Holmgren coined the

term in the 1970’s.

It is an agricultural philosophy that allows people to use the resources

around them to the fullest potential.

By observing and learning from our environment, such as how does nature

replenish its soil, how does nature protect and conserve its water resources,

how has nature adapted to the specific climate of an area, etc..learning how

to imitate these natural processes in our daily living.

Therefore permaculture is the conscious design and maintenance of

agriculturally productive ecosystems, which have the diversity, stability and

resilience of natural ecosystems.

8.Shared Economy

Shared economy in India is poised to become a USD 2 billion industry by the end

of the year, a report by Maple Capital Advisors.

Concept:

The sharing economy, also known as collaborative consumption or peer-

to-peer-based sharing, is a concept that highlights the ability of individuals

to rent or borrow goods rather than buy and own them.

The sector predominantly driven by shared mobility, co-working, co-living and

furniture rentals, is pegged to be an about USD 2 billion industry in the organised-

end and growing in double digits.In 2019, the segment was estimated to be about

USD 1.5 billion in size in India.

Shared economy includes segments like co-working (Awfis, WeWork India), co-

living (Stanza Living, OYO Life, Oxford Caps), shared mobility (Uber, Ola,

Shuttl) and furniture rental (Furlenco, Rentomojo.)

Reason for rise in shared economy:

High mobile penetration, high millennial concentration, and an aspirational

population, Asia has highest willingness to use shared assets. India mirrors Asia

trends in these aspects and is thus, poised for high growth and adoption of shared

services

13 March

1. Critically Endangered IUCN Red list

Critically endangered is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN

(International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List to wild species.

A taxon is critically endangered when the best available evidence indicates

that it meets any of the following criteria:

1. reduction in population (greater than 90% over the last 10 years),

2. population size (number less than 50 mature individuals),

3. quantitative analysis showing the probability of extinction in wild in at least

50% in their 10 years, and

4. it is therefore considered to be facing an extremely high risk of extinction in

the wild.

2.Vulture

A unique ‘restaurant’ in Sukhnara village in Kangra district in Himachal

Pradesh has attracted the attention of the local populace for conserving

several species of vultures.

Being natural scavengers, vultures have, for a long time, suffered from rapid

urbanisation and deteriorating climate. Their population in the state

dwindled as an increase in man-made activities reduced their food sources.

In Asia, another cause of dwindling vulture populations has been attributed

to the creation of painkiller drug Diclofenac.

Nine species of vultures are found in India. The species worst hit were

White-rumped, Indian, and Slender-billed Vultures. Others were affected

too, but not as badly, due to a number of factors, including their migratory

nature (such as Cinereous Vulture and Eurasian Griffon) or their habitats

being more remote and forested (such as Himalayan Griffon).

White backed Vulture

IUCN status: Critically Endangered (CR)

Population size and trend: fewer than 10,000 mature individuals; declining

Distribution: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar,

Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and southern Vietnam

Slender Billed Vulture

IUCN status: Critically Endangered (CR)

Population size and trend: fewer than 2,500 individuals; declining

Distribution: mainly India, Nepal and Bangladesh

Long billed vulture

IUCN status: Critically Endangered (CR)

Population size and trend: 30,000 individuals; declining

Distribution: India and south-eastern Pakistan

Red headed Vulture

IUCN status: Critically Endangered (CR)

Population size and trend: fewer than 10,000 mature individuals; declining

Distribution: mainly India and Nepal, with scattered small numbers across

south-east Asia

3.NSAID

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs are the most

prescribed medications for treating conditions such as arthritis.

Most people are familiar with over-the-counter, nonprescription NSAIDs,

such as aspirin and ibuprofen.

NSAIDs are more than just pain relievers. They also help reduce

inflammation and lower fevers. They prevent blood from clotting, which

is good in some cases but not so beneficial in others.

So NSAID is a drug class that groups together drugs that reduce pain,

decrease fever, and, in higher doses, decrease inflammation.

4.Convention on Migratory Species

India is host to 457 migratory fauna, shows latest CMS list. With new additions to

the wildlife list put out by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory

Species (CMS), scientists say that the total number of migratory fauna from India

comes to 457 species. Birds comprise 83% (380 species) of this figure.

About CMS:

As an environmental treaty of the United Nations, CMS provides a global

platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and

their habitats.

CMS brings together the States through which migratory animals pass, the

Range States, and lays the legal foundation for internationally coordinated

conservation measures throughout a migratory range.

As the only global convention specializing in the conservation of migratory

species, their habitats and migration routes, CMS complements and co-

operates with a number of other international organizations, NGOs and

partners in the media as well as in the corporate sector.

In this respect, CMS acts as a framework Convention. The agreements may

range from legally binding treaties (called Agreements) to less formal

instruments, such as Memoranda of Understanding, and can be adapted to

the requirements of particular regions.

Convention:

Migratory species threatened with extinction are listed on Appendix I of the

Convention. CMS Parties strive towards strictly protecting these animals,

conserving or restoring the places where they live, mitigating obstacles to

migration and controlling other factors that might endanger them. Besides

establishing obligations for each State joining the Convention, CMS promotes

concerted action among the Range States of many of these species.

Migratory species that need or would significantly benefit from international

co-operation are listed in Appendix II of the Convention. For this reason, the

Convention encourages the Range States to conclude global or regional

agreements.

Organization structure:

The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the decision-making body of the

Convention. It meets at three-yearly intervals.

Its Standing Committee (StC) gives policy and administrative guidance between

meetings.

The Scientific Council (ScC) meets between COP sessions to offer scientific

advice and identify research and conservation priorities.

The Secretariat is provided by the United Nations Environment Programme

(UNEP) and is based in Bonn, Germany and has an out-posted office in Abu

Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

14 March

1.Essential Commodities Act and list of essential commodities

Context:

The Centre has brought masks and hand sanitisers under the Essential

Commodities Act, 1955 (EC Act) to make sure that these products, key for

preventing the spread of Covid-19 infection, are available to people at the right

price and in the right quality.

Concept:

Under the EC Act of 1955, if the Central government thinks that it is

necessary to maintain or increase supplies of any essential commodity or

make it available at fair prices, it can regulate or prohibit the production,

supply, distribution and sale of that commodity.

Some of the essential commodities listed out in the schedule to this Act are

foodstuffs including edible oils and oilseeds, drugs, fertilisers, petroleum

and petroleum products.

But the Centre has the power to add or remove any commodity in public

interest from this list, and that’s what it has done with masks and hand

sanitisers.

Under this Act, the States and Union Territories can ask manufacturers to

enhance their production capacity so that these products are widely available

to consumers.

In the past, the EC Act was mostly invoked to control the price rise in food

products.

When the prices of any of these commodities rise, the government imposes

stock-holding limits to prevent hoarding, confiscates the stocks of violators

and imposes punishment.

Punishment under the Essential Commodities Act,1955

The States or Union Territories may take action against the offenders under

the Essential Commodities Act,1955 and Prevention of Black-marketing and

Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, (PBMMSEC Act),

1980.

An offender under the Essential Commodities Act,1955 may be

punished with imprisonment up to 7 years or fine or both and under the

PBMMSEC Act, he can be detained for a maximum of 6 months.

Concern:

In recent years, there has been an argument that the EC Act was draconian

and not suited for times when farmers face problems of plenty rather than

scarcity.

The Economic Survey 2019-20 argued that it hampered remunerative prices

for farmers and discouraged investment in storage infrastructure.

But in the context of a crisis like the current one, the EC Act seems to serve

a purpose.

2.Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

Context:

The 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action remains the world’s

most progressive blueprint for advancing gender equality worldwide.

Twenty-five years after it was affirmed by 189 countries, progress made by

it is questionable.

On International Women’s Day, the World Health Organization, United

Nations University - International Institute for Global Health and the British

Medical Journal launched a special series marking ‘Beijing+25’.

It shines a spotlight on health, education, environment, work and other

critical foundations of life as they empower or restrict the rights and well-

being of girls and women.

Concept:

World Conferences on Women

The United Nations has organized 4 world conferences on women.

o Mexico City,1975

o Copenhagen,1980

o Nairobi,1985

o Beijing,1995

The 1995 4th World Conference on Women (WCW), held in Beijing, was one

of the largest ever gatherings of the United Nations, and a critical turning

point in the world’s focus on gender equality and the empowerment of

women.

It marked a significant turning point for the global agenda for gender

equality. The Beijing Declaration was adopted unanimously the UN at the

end of the 4th WCW.

Beijing Declaration is an agenda for women’s empowerment and

considered the key global policy document on gender equality.

It sets strategic objectives and actions for the advancement of women and the

achievement of gender equality in 12 critical areas of concern like women

and health, women in power and decision-making, the girl-child, women and

the environment.

2. Bedaquiline and Delamanid

New antibiotics, bedaquiline and delamanid, now provide opportunities to

high-burden countries like India to improve the efficacy of their Drug

resistance-TB treatment.

India’s National Drug Regulatory Authority allowed the Central TB

Division (CTD) to progressively include bedaquiline and delamanid in

treatment regimens to improve treatment outcomes for adults, adolescents

and children with multi-drug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant

(XDR) TB.

Globally, out of the half-a-million people who develop DR-TB (drug-

resistant-tuberculosis) each year, India currently contributes over 25 per cent

of the burden.

On an annual basis, there are at over 1,00,000 new cases of DR-TB in India.

3.RoDTEP

The Union Cabinet on Friday approved the Remission of Duties or Taxes on

Export Products (RoDTEP), a scheme for exporters to reimburse taxes and

duties paid by them such as value added tax, coal cess, mandi tax, electricity

duties and fuel used for transportation, which are not getting exempted or

refunded under any other existing mechanism.

Under the Scheme an inter-ministerial Committee will determine the rates

and items for which the reimbursement of taxes and duties would be

provided.

In line with “Digital India”, refund under the Scheme, in the form of

transferable duty credit/electronic scrip will be issued to the exporters, which

will be maintained in an electronic ledger. The Scheme will be implemented

with end to end digitization.

The refunds under the RoDTEP scheme would be a step towards “zero-

rating” of exports, along with refunds such as Drawback and IGST.

This would lead to cost competitiveness of exported products in

international markets and better employment opportunities in export oriented

manufacturing industries.

Salient features:

At present, GST taxes and import/customs duties for inputs required to

manufacture exported products are either exempted or refunded. However,

certain taxes/duties/levies are outside GST, and are not refunded for exports,

such as, VAT on fuel used in transportation, Mandi tax, Duty on electricity

used during manufacturing etc. These would be covered for reimbursement

under the RoDTEP Scheme.

The sequence of introduction of the Scheme across sectors, prioritization of

the sectors to be covered, degree of benefit to be given on various items

within the rates set by the Committee will be decided and notified by the

Department of Commerce (DoC).

The rebate would be claimed as a percentage of the Freight On Board (FOB)

value of exports.

A monitoring and audit mechanism, with an Information Technology based

Risk Management System (RMS), would be put in to physically verify the

records of the exporters. As and when the rates under the RoDTEP Scheme

are announced for a tariff line/ item, the Merchandise Exports from India

Scheme (MEIS) benefits on such tariff line/item will be discontinued.

4.Institutes of Eminence (IoE)

After no Indian University found a place in World University Rankings in

2017, the government proposed to set up Institutions of Eminence in India.

Under this proposal, it planned to establish 20 such world class institutes in

the country. A notification in this regard was released by University Grants

Commission (UGC) in September, 2017.

The institutes of eminence scheme under the Union Human resource

and development (HRD) ministry aims to project Indian institutes to

global recognition.

The selected institutes will enjoy complete academic and administrative

autonomy.

The selection shall be made through challenge method mode by the

Empowered Expert Committee constituted for the purpose.

Eligibility: Only higher education institutions currently placed in the

top 500 of global rankings or top 50 of the National Institutional

Ranking Framework (NIRF) are eligible to apply for the eminence tag.

The private Institutions of Eminence can also come up as greenfield

ventures-provided the sponsoring organisation submits a convincing

perspective plan for 15 years.

Benefits of IoE:

Government Institutions to get additional funding upto 1000 Cr.

The selected Institutions under IoE shall have complete academic and

administrative autonomy.

The Institutions of Eminence will have complete financial autonomy to

spend the resources raised and allocated, subject to general conditions &

restrictions of the Statutes and GFR.

Academic collaborations with foreign higher educational institutions (in top

500) would be exempt from government approvals.

Freedom to hire personnel from industry, etc, as faculty who are experts in

their areas but may not have the requisite higher academic qualifications.

Freedom to recruit faculty from outside India (limit of 25% of its faculty

strength for public institution).

Freedom to enter into academic collaborations with other Institutions within

the country.

Freedom to have own transparent merit based system for admission of

students.

Freedom to admit additionally foreign students on merit subject to a

maximum of 30% of the strength of admitted domestic students

. Flexibility in fixing of curriculum and syllabus, with no UGC mandated

curriculum structure.

5. Nidhi Companies

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has tightened compliance norms for

Nidhi companies, a kind of non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), which are

created to borrow and lend money among its members. The move comes in the

backdrop of the government revising corporate norms to ensure that investors are

not duped through fraudulent activities.

Concept

A Nidhi company is a type of company in the Indian non-banking finance sector,

recognized under section 406 of the Companies Act, 2013.

Their core business is borrowing and lending money between their members.

They are regulated by Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

They have to comply with two set of norms, one of Public limited company as

per Companies Act, 2013 and another is for Nidhi rules, 2014.

16 March

1.Poona Pact

The Communal Award was announced by the British primeminister, Ramsay

MacDonald, on August 16, 1932. Award established separate electorates and

reserved seats for minorities and the depressed classes.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar had a viewpoint that the depressed classes should be

treated as a distinct, independent minority separate from the Hindus.

While strongly disagreeing with the Communal Award, the Congress decided

neither to accept it nor to reject it.

Mahatma Gandhi saw the Communal Award as an attack on Indian unity and

nationalism. He thought it was harmful to both Hinduism and to the depressed

classes.

Mahatma Gandhi demanded that the depressed classes be elected through

joint and if possible a wider electorate through the universal franchise, he

went on an indefinite fast on September 20, 1932.

Later Poona Pact was signed between Mahatma Gandhi and B.R.

Ambedkar on behalf of the depressed classes on September 24, 1932.

The Poona Pact abandoned the idea of separate electorates for the depressed

classes.

But the seats reserved for the depressed classes were increased from 71 to

147 in provincial legislatures and to 18% of the total in the Central

Legislature.

The Poona Pact was accepted by the government as an amendment to the

Communal Award.

2.Jhalkari Bai

Jhalkari Bai was part of the Durga Dal, or women’s brigade, of Jhansi.

Her husband was a soldier in the Jhansi army, and Jhalkari too was trained

in archery and swordplay.

Her striking similarity to Lakshmibai helped the Jhansi army evolve a

military strategy to deceive the British.

To elude the British, Jhalkari dressed up like her queen and took command

of the Jhansi army, allowing Lakshmibai to escape unnoticed.

Jhansi, with its Durga Dal, saw the participation of many women who

fought alongside their queen and sacrificed their lives for their kingdom.

Some of the women we’ve found references to include Mandar, Sundari

Bai, Mundari Bai and Moti Bai.

17 March

1.NSSO

The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), formerly called the National

Sample Survey Organisation was the largest organisation in India

conducting periodic socio-economic surveys.

The NSSO was set up in 1950 to conduct large-scale sample surveys

throughout India. The employees of the NSSO are from the Indian Statistical

Service (appointed through the UPSC) and the Subordinate Statistical

Service (appointed through the Staff Selection Commission)

The National Sample Survey Office used to work under the Ministry of

Statistics of the Indian government until May 2019. On 23rd May 2019, the

NSSO merged with the Central Statistics Office (CSO) to form

the National Statistical Office (NSO).

2. GST Council meet

In 39th GST council meet, the recommendation of the Fitment Committee for

calibrating the GST rate structure to correct the inverted duty structure on various

items like Mobile phones, Footwear, Textiles and Fertilizers was placed before the

GST Council for discussion.

Concept:

Inverted Duty structure

The inverted duty structure denotes prevalence of higher taxes on inputs than on

finished items.

GST Compensation Cess

Compensation cess was introduced as relief for States for the loss of

revenues arising from the implementation of GST.

States, in lieu of giving up their powers to collect taxes on goods and

services after local levies were subsumed under the GST, were guaranteed a

14 per cent tax revenue growth in the first five years after GST

implementation by the Central government.

States’ tax revenue as of FY16 is considered as the base year for the

calculation of this 14 per cent growth.

Any shortfall against it is supposed to be compensated by the Centre using

the funds specifically collected as compensation cess.

Compensation cess is levied on five products considered to be ‘sin’ or

luxury goods like SUV, pan masala, cigrattes.

The collected compensation cess flows into the Consolidated Fund of India,

and then transferred to the Public Account of India, where a GST

compensation cess account has been created.

States are compensated bi-monthly from the accumulated funds in this

account.

3.Lower Circuit

Trading in Indian stock markets was halted for 45 minutes as the BSE Sensex

plunged to more than 10 per cent in opening trade.

Concept:

A circuit filter or circuit breaker is the band of upper and lower limits within which

a benchmark market index can fluctuate on a particular day. These are regulatory

mechanisms put in place in stock markets to temporarily halt trading on an

exchange to curb panic-selling. Circuit breakers are a form of market curbs.

What is a lower or upper circuit? Lower or upper circuit is an automatic mechanism to stop a freefall or massive

surge in a security or an index during trading hours. It is used to check the volatile

swings in the market.

When is circuit used?

The index-based market-wide circuit breaker system applies at three stages of the

index movement, either way at 10 per cent, 15 per cent and 20 per cent. These

circuit breakers when triggered bring about a coordinated trading halt in all equity

and equity derivative markets nationwide. The market-wide circuit breakers are

triggered by movement of either the BSE Sensex or the Nifty 50, whichever is

breached earlier.

What is the duration of halt in trade?

It depends on the time of the breach and the quantum of fall. Trade could be halted

for 15 minutes up to the whole day. A detailed mechanism is as followed: 10%

trigger limit: If this limit is breached before 1 pm, trade is halted for 45 minutes. If

the same is breached between 1 pm to 2.30 pm, trade is halted for 15 minutes.

After 2.30 pm, trade is halted for the remainder of the day. 20% trigger limit: If

this limit is breached any time during trading hours, trading is halted for the

remainder of the day.

What happens after the trading halt duration is over?

After the circuit is breached, trading is halted as mentioned above. The market re-

opens, after index based market-wide circuit filter breach, with a pre-open call

auction session of 15 minutes post the duration of halt. The normal trading could

begin and continue as long as the next circuit limit does not activate.

Why is circuit limit used?

The circuit levels are determined by the stock exchanges so as to protect investors

and brokers from an unwanted surprise moment. In case of a sudden swing

investors tend to lose a massive chunk of their capital. Even traders may have to

face margin calls from their brokers in case market plunges or surges too much.

4.Schedule 10

The Tenth Schedule was inserted in the Constitution in 1985 by the

52nd Amendment Act.

It lays down the process by which legislators may be disqualified on

grounds of defection by the Presiding Officer of a legislature based on

a petition by any other member of the House.

The decision on question as to disqualification on ground of defection

is referred to the Chairman or the Speaker of such House, and his

decision is final.

The law applies to both Parliament and state assemblies.

Disqualification:

If a member of a house belonging to a political party voluntarily gives

up the membership of his political party, or votes, or does not vote in

the legislature, contrary to the directions of his political party.

However, if the member has taken prior permission, or is condoned by

the party within 15 days from such voting or abstention, the member

shall not be disqualified.

If an independent candidate joins a political party after the election.

If a nominated member joins a party six months after he becomes a

member of the legislature.

5.Supplementary Question

A Starred Question is one to which a member desires an oral answer from the

Minister in the House and is required to be distinguished by him/her with an

asterisk. Answer to such a question may be followed by supplementary

questions by members.

18 March

1. Basic Structure of the constitution and Independence of judiciary

“The acceptance of nomination as a member of Rajya Sabha by a former Chief

Justice of India Ranjan Gogai, has certainly shaken the confidence of the common

man on the independence of the judiciary, which is also one of the basic structures

of the Constitution of India”,said former Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian

Joseph.

Independence of judiciary

Many provisions are provided in our constitution to ensure the independence of the

judiciary. The constitutional provisions are discussed below:

Security of Tenure:

The judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts have been given the security of

the tenure. Once appointed, they continue to remain in office till they reach the age

of retirement which is 65 years in the case of judges of Supreme Court (Art. 124(2))

and 62 years in the case of judges of the High Courts (Art. 217(1)).

They cannot be removed from the office except by an order of the President and that

too on the ground of proven misbehavior and incapacity. A resolution has also to be

accepted to that effect by a majority of total membership of each House of

Parliament and also by a majority of no less than two third of the members of the

house present and voting. Procedure is so complicated that there has been no case of

the removal of a Judge of Supreme Court or High Court under this provision.

Salaries and Allowances:

The salaries and allowances of the judges is also a factor which makes the judges

independent as their salaries and allowances are fixed and are not subject to a vote

of the legislature.

They are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India in case of Supreme Court judges

and the Consolidated Fund of state in the case of High Court judges. Their

emoluments cannot be altered to their disadvantage (Art. 125(2)) except in the event

of grave financial emergency.

Powers and Jurisdiction of Supreme Court:

Parliament can only add to the powers and jurisdiction of the Supreme Court but

cannot curtail them. In the civil cases, Parliament may change the pecuniary limit

for the appeals to the Supreme Court. Parliament may enhance the appellate

jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

It may confer the supplementary powers on the Supreme Court to enable it work

more effectively. It may confer power to issue directions, orders or writs for any

purpose other than those mentioned in Art. 32. Powers of the Supreme Court cannot

be taken away.

Making judiciary independent:

No discussion on conduct of Judge in State Legislature / Parliament: Art. 211

provides that there shall be no discussion in the legislature of the state with respect

to the conduct of any judge of Supreme Court or of a High Court in the discharge of

his duties.

A similar provision is made in Art. 121 which lays down that no discussion shall

take place in Parliament with respect to the conduct of the judge of Supreme Court

or High Court in the discharge of his duties except upon a motion for presenting an

address to the President praying for the removal of the judge.

Power to punish for contempt:

Both the Supreme Court and the High Court have the power to punish any person

for their contempt. Art. 129 provides that the Supreme Court shall have the power

to punish for contempt of itself. Likewise, Art. 215 lays down that every High Court

shall have the power to punish for contempt of itself.

Separation of the Judiciary from the Executive:

Article 50 contains one of the Directive Principles of State Policy and lays down that

the state shall take steps to separate the judiciary from the executive in the public

services of the state. The object behind the Directive Principle is to secure the

independence of the judiciary from the executive. Art. 50 says that there shall be a

separate judicial service free from executive control.

Basic structure of constitution

The word "Basic Structure" is not mentioned in the constitution of India.

The concept developed gradually with the interference of the judiciary from

time to time to protect the basic rights of the people and the ideals and the

philosophy of the constitution.

In 1973, in Kesavananda Bharti vs. State of Kerala case, the Supreme Court

upheld the validity of the 24th Constitution Amendment Act by reviewing its

decision in Golaknath case.

The Supreme Court held that the Parliament has power to amend any

provision of the constitution, but doing so, the basic structure of the

constitution is to be maintained.

But the Apex Court did not any clear definition of the basic structure.

It held that the "basic structure of the Constitution could not be abrogated even

by a constitutional amendment".

The judgement listed some basic structures of the constitution as:

Supremacy of the Constitution

Unity and sovereignty of India

Democratic and republican form of government

Federal character of the Constitution

Secular character of the Constitution

Separation of power

Individual freedom

Over time, many other features have also been added to this list of basic structure

features. Some of them are:

Rule of law

Judicial review

Parliamentary system

Rule of equality

Harmony and balance between the Fundamental Rights and DPSP

Free and fair elections

Limited power of the parliament to amend the Constitution

Power of the Supreme Court under Articles 32, 136, 142 and 147

Power of the High Court under Articles 226 and 227

Any law or amendment that violates these principles can be struck down by the SC

on the grounds that they distort the basic structure of the Constitution.

2. SC ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989

No meetings of SC, ST committees held in 25 States in 3 years. The panels are

meant to monitor the implementation of SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act

About Act

The Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, or the

SC/ST Act protects the marginalised communities against discrimination

and atrocities.

The SC/ST Act lists 22 offences relating to various patterns or behaviours

inflicting criminal offences and breaking the self-respect and esteem of the

scheduled castes and tribes community. This includes denial of economic,

democratic and social rights, discrimination, exploitation and abuse of the

legal process.

. According to the SC/ST Act, the protection is provided from social

disabilities such as denial of access to certain places and to use customary

passage, personal atrocities like forceful drinking or eating of inedible food

sexual exploitation, injury etc, atrocities affecting properties, malicious

prosecution, political disabilities and economic exploitation.

For speedy trial, Section 14 of the SC/ST Act provides for a Court of

Session to be a Special Court to try offences under this Act in each district.

The prime objective of the SC/ST Act is to deliver justice to marginalised

through proactive efforts, giving them a life of dignity, self-esteem and a life

without fear, violence or suppression from the dominant castes.

Recent amendment:

The Union Cabinet approved an amendment to The Scheduled Castes and

the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to undo ‘dilution’ of the

law by the Supreme Court

The Amendment seeks to insert three new clauses after Section 18 of

the original Act:

o The first stipulates that for the purposes of the Act, “preliminary

enquiry shall not be required for registration of a First

Information Report against any person.”

o The second stipulates that the arrest of a person accused of

having committed an offence under the Act would not require any

approval.

o The third says that the provisions of Section 438 of the Code of

Criminal Procedure — which deals with anticipatory bail — shall

not apply to a case under this Act, “notwithstanding any

judgment or order of any Court.”

19 March

1.Separation of Power

The Constitution of India embraces the idea of separation of powers in an

implied manner.

Despite there being no express provision recognizing the doctrine of

separation of powers in its absolute form, the Constitution does make the

provisions for a reasonable separation of functions and powers between the

three organs of Government.

The Constitution of India lays down a functional separation of the organs of

the State in the following manner:

Article 50: State shall take steps to separate the judiciary from the executive.

This is for the purpose of ensuring the independence of judiciary.

Article 122 and 212: validity of proceedings in Parliament and the

Legislatures cannot be called into question in any Court. This ensures the

separation and immunity of the legislatures from judicial intervention on the

allegation of procedural irregularity.

Judicial conduct of a judge of the Supreme Court and the High Courts’

cannot be discussed in the Parliament and the State Legislature, according to

Article 121 and 211 of the Constitution.

Articles 53 and 154 respectively, provide that the executive power of the

Union and the State shall be vested with the President and the Governor and

they enjoy immunity from civil and criminal liability.

Article 361: the President or the Governor shall not be answerable to any

court for the exercise and performance of the powers and duties of his office.

2.Article 30

A two-judge bench of Justice U.U. Lalit and Justice Arun Mishra, in their

latest judgement on minority rights, has upheld the West Bengal Board of

Madrasah Education Act, 1994, and the West Bengal Madrasah Service

Commission Act, 2008, both of which take away the autonomy of madrasas in

the State.

Concepts:

In order to provide a sense of confidence and security among the minorities,

special safeguards were guaranteed under Article 30 of the Indian

Constitution.

In the landmark Kesavananda Bharati case (1973), the apex court held that

minority rights are part of basic structure of the Constitution.

Article 30(1): All religious and linguistic minorities have the right to establish

and administer educational institutions of their choice.

Article 30(2): The State should not, when granting aid to educational

institutions, discriminate against any educational institution on the ground that

it is under the management of a minority, whether based on religion or

language.

3. International Olympic Committee

To safeguard the health of all involved and to contribute to the containment of

covid-19, the executive board of the International Olympic committee announced

that the it will step up its scenario-planning for the olympic games tokyo 2020.

Doubtful voters

Ordinance

March 21

1.Caretaker Government

After submission of resignation letter by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal

Nath, Governor Mr. Tandon accepted his resignation and asked Mr. Nath to

continue as caretaker Chief Minister.

What?

The phrase ‘caretaker government’ describes a government that holds office

subject to certain temporary restrictions on what it may do, either during the pre-

election period or because it may have lost the confidence of the House of

Commons.

Constrains:

From the start of the election period until polling day, restrictions are in place that

require the government to restrict themselves largely to ‘essential business’.

Ministers, including the prime minister, remain in office but should not announce

new policy, make new appointments, sign new contracts or take decisions of long-

term consequence unless not doing so would be detrimental to public interest.

2. World Happiness Report

About:

The World Happiness Report is a landmark survey of the state of global

happiness that ranks 156 countries by how happy their citizens perceive

themselves to be.

The World Happiness Report 2020 for the first time ranks cities around the

world by their subjective well-being and digs more deeply into how the

social, urban and natural environments combine to affect our happiness.

The World Happiness Report is a publication of the UN Sustainable

Development Solutions Network

Highlights From the Report

Top Performers

Finland is ranked as the world’s happiest nation for the third consecutive

year.Nordic states dominated the top 10, along with countries such as

Switzerland, New Zealand and Austria.

Worst Performers The countries at the bottom are those afflicted by violent conflicts and

extreme poverty, with Zimbabwe, South Sudan and Afghanistan classified as the

world’s least happy nations.

India’s Performance India, previously ranked at 140 dropped to 144. Its rank is way lower

than its neighbours Nepal ,Pakistan , Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

United Nations Sustainable Development Solution Network

The UN SDSN has been operating since 2012 under the auspices of the UN

Secretary-General.

SDSN mobilizes global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical

solutions for sustainable development, including the implementation of the

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement.

The aim is to accelerate joint learning and promote integrated approaches that

address the interconnected economic, social, and environmental challenges

confronting the world.

SDSN works closely with United Nations agencies, multilateral financing

institutions, the private sector, and civil society.

3.Zoonotic Diseases

A zoonosis is any disease or infection that is naturally transmissible from

vertebrate animals to humans. Zoonoses may be bacterial, viral, or parasitic, or

may involve unconventional agents. Animals can sometimes appear healthy even

when they are carrying germs that can make people sick, depending on the disease.

How do germs spread between animals and people?

Direct contact : While petting or touching animals, and bites or scratches.

Indirect contact : Coming into contact with areas where animals live and

roam.

Vector-borne : Being bitten by a tick, or an insect like a mosquito or a

fleafood-borne Eating or drinking contaminated food.

Water-borne : Drinking or coming in contact with water that has been

contaminated with feces from an infected animal.

Types of Influenza in Animals

Bat influenza : Influenza A viruses are found in bats. Internal genes of bat

flu viruses are compatible with human flu viruses. H17N10, H18N11 found

only in bats.

Influenza in cats : Cats can be infected with influenza viruses, including

avian influenza viruses.

Canine influenza (Dog flu) : A contagious respiratory disease in dogs caused

by specific type A influenza viruses — H3N8, H3N2. No human infections

with canine influenza have ever been reported.

Swine/Variant influenza :A respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A

influenza viruses.

Avian influenza : Influenza A viruses are classified into subtypes based on

two surface proteins, Hemagglutinin (HA) and Neuraminidase (NA). For

example, a virus that has an HA 7 protein and NA 9 protein is designated as

subtype H7N9. Avian influenza virus subtypes include A(H5N1), A(H7N9),

and A(H9N2). HPAI A(H5N1) virus occurs mainly in birds and is highly

contagious among them.

Kyasanur Forest Disease

An outbreak of one such zoonotic disease took place near the Kyasanur Forest in

Karnataka in 1957. The Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as monkey

fever, is a highly dangerous haemorrhagic fever. It is a viral disease transmitted to

humans through a tick species usually found on monkeys. Those who live in in

disease-prone areas in forests and those who visit forests frequently for their

livelihood, such as forest guards and health workers are at risk.

COVID-19 pandemic

Another example of a zoonotic disease is COVID-19, which broke out in China's

Wuhan district in December 2019. It was declared a pandemic by WHO in March

2020. COVID-19 is caused by the virus SARS-COV2 which is believed to have

started in Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan. Other types of zoonotic

viruses include SARS-CoV, which was transmitted from civet cats to humans and

MERS-CoV which was transmitted from dromedary camels to humans. Several

known coronaviruses are circulating in animals. These have not yet infected

humans.

How does one safeguard against Zoonotic diseases?

Always wash your hands after being around animals.

Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Prevent bites from mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.

4. Nirbhaya Fund

A Parliamentary committee has noted that only 35% of the Nirbhaya Fund

has been utilised across ministries since formation in 2013.

And also recommends that status of implementation of the projects under

the Nirbhaya Fund should be overseen by a committee under the

chairmanship of the cabinet secretary.

About fund:

The Rs 1,000 crore Nirbhaya Fund was announced in Union Budget

2013.

The corpus was to be utilised for upholding safety and dignity of

women.

Ministry of Women and Child Development apart from several other

concerned ministries were authorised to work out details of structure,

scope and application of this fund.

The Fund is administered by Department of Economic Affairs of the

finance ministry.

March 22

1.Negative Wealth Effect

It is a condition where household’s total debt may exceed its total asset.

Even if this status is temporary, it may affect the household’s ability to save

for durable goods, restrict access to further credit, and may require living in

a state of limited consumption.

2. Probiotic

There are over 400 distinct species of microorganisms that inhabit the

various regions of the adult human digestive tract, making up nearly

two kg of total body weight.This includes harmful as well as useful

bacteria.

Pro-biotics are foods or concentrates of live organisms that contribute

to a healthy microbial environment and suppress the potential harmful

microbes.

Probiotics can be bacteria, molds or yeast. But most probiotics are

bacteria. Among bacteria, lactic acid bacteria are more popular. The

first recorded probiotic was fermented milk.

Foods such as yoghurt, fermented milk, paneer, buttermilk, dhokla, idli,

snack bars, energy drinks and even baby food can contain probiotics.

Prebiotic

Prebiotics are selectively fermented, dietary ingredients that result in

specific changes in the composition and/or activity of the

gastrointestinal micro flora thus conferring benefits upon host health.

Unlike probiotics, a prebiotic targets the micro flora already present

within the ecosystem, it acts as a ‘food’ for the target microbes.

The most widely accepted prebiotics are FOS (fructo- oligosaccharides)

and GOS (galacto- oligosaccharides). FOS and GOS occur naturally in

foods such as asparagus, garlic, artichoke, onion, wheat and oat, as well

as soybean

3. Rowlatt Act 1919

The ‘ Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, ‘ popularly

referred to as the ‘ Rowlatt Act, ‘ was enacted by the British to discourage

Indians from rising against them by suppressing revolutionary groups and

depriving Indians of their right to personal expression and liberty.

On basis of the report of the S.A.T. Rowlatt committee, it replaced the

Defence of India Act (1915) instituted during the First World War with a

permanent law that gave the British more power over Indians.

It gave the government enormous powers to repress political

activities and allowed detention of political prisoners without trial for

two years.

Response:

The ‘Rowlatt Act’ was strongly opposed by all the Indian leaders who felt that

it was extremely repressive and the Indian public too was extremely angry and

resentful.

Mahatma Gandhi, in particular, was a very strong critic of the proposed

legislation as he felt that punishing a group of people for a crime committed by

just one or a few was morally incorrect.

Instead of the constitutional opposition to the Act, Gandhi organized for the

first time a ‘ hartal ‘ for the masses to suspend all business and instead

gather in public spaces to fast and pray to demonstrate peacefully their

opposition to the law with civil disobedience.

However, as the movement came to be known, the ‘ Rowlatt Satyagraha ‘ it

left the British totally unmoved as they did not see the peaceful ‘ hartal ‘ as a

threat.

Arrest of champions of the ‘Satyagraha’ movement Dr. Satya Pal and Dr.

Saifuddin Kitchlew in Punjab for their opposition to Rowlatt act led to mass

protest which resulted in Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

4.AYUSH Health and Wellness Centre (AYUSH HWC)

The Union Cabinet has approved the inclusion of AYUSH Health and

Wellness Centre (AYUSH HWC) component of Ayushman Bharat in the

National AYUSH Mission (NAM).

Union Government has set a target of setting up 12 thousand 500 Ayush

Health and Wellness Centres across the country in three years. Out of

which four thousand will be set up during year of 2020.

Effects:

It is an initiative that helps Ministry of AYUSH to run 10% of the 1.5 lakh

health and wellness centres across the country as part of Ayushman Bharat.

Centres will be complementing the National Health Policy 2017 that insisted

upon integration and mainstreaming of AYUSH services in conventional

health care delivery system.

National AYUSH mission

The basic objective of NAM is to promote AYUSH medical systems through cost

effective AYUSH services, strengthening of educational systems, facilitate the

enforcement of quality control of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani & Homoeopathy

(ASU &H) drugs and sustainable availability of ASU & H raw-materials.

Effects:

The Mission will help in:

i. the improvement of AYUSH education through enhancement in the number of

upgraded educational institutions;

ii. better access to AYUSH services through increase in number of AYUSH

hospitals and dispensaries, availability of drugs and manpower;

iii. providing sustained availability of quality raw material for AYUSH systems of

medicine; and

iv. improving availability of quality Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy

(ASU&H) drugs through increase in number of pharmacies, drug laboratories and

improved enforcement mechanism of ASU&H drugs.

Need for mission:

India possesses an unmatched heritage represented by its ancient systems of

medicine like ASU&H which are a treasure house of knowledge for preventive and

promotive healthcare. The positive features of the Indian systems of medicine

namely their diversity and flexibility; accessibility; affordability, a broad

acceptance by a large section of the general public; comparatively lesser cost and

growing economic value, have great potential to make them providers of

healthcare that the large sections of our people need.

24March

1.Earthquake

An earthquake has rocked Croatia's capital Zagreb, damaging buildings and

leaving cars crushed by falling chunks of masonry. The 5.3-magnitude quake is the

largest to affect the city in 140 years. The tremor was felt in neighbouring Slovenia

and southern Austria.

What?

An earthquake is shaking or trembling of the earth’s surface, caused by

the seismic waves or earthquake waves that are generated due to a sudden

movement (sudden release of energy) in the earth’s crust (shallow-focus

earthquakes) or upper mantle (some shallow-focus and all intermediate and

deep-focus earthquakes).

The point where the energy is released is called the focus or

the hypocentre of an earthquake.

The point on the surface directly above the focus is called epicentre (first

surface point to experience the earthquake waves).

A line connecting all points on the surface where the intensity is the same is

called an isoseismic line.

Different fault lines and focus

Causes:

Fault Zones

Plate tectonics

Volcanic activity

Human Induced Earthquakes

There are several different kinds of seismic waves, and they all move in different

ways. The two main types of waves are body waves and surface waves. Body

waves can travel through the earth's inner layers, but surface waves can only move

along the surface of the planet like ripples on water

The first kind of body wave is the P wave or primary wave. This is the fastest

kind of seismic wave, and, consequently, the first to 'arrive' at a seismic station.

The P wave can move through solid rock and fluids, like water or the liquid layers

of the earth. It pushes and pulls the rock it moves through just like sound waves

push and pull the air.

The second type of body wave is the S wave or secondary wave, which is the

second wave felt in an earthquake. An S wave is slower than a P wave and can

only move through solid rock, not through any liquid medium. It is this property

of S waves that led seismologists to conclude that the Earth's outer core is a

liquid. S waves move rock particles up and down, or side-to-side--perpendicular

to the direction that the wave is traveling in (the direction of wave propagation)

Distribution of Earthquakes

2.No confidence Motion

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wanted to move a no-confidence motion against

the Madhya Pradesh government led by chief minister Kamal Nath against the

backdrop of 22 Congress members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) tendering

their resignation from the legislative assembly.

What is confidence and no confidence motion?

If the government has to demonstrate its strength on the floor of the House,

it can have a motion of confidence (as in UPA-I). However, the opposition

parties (or any member) can move a motion expressing want of confidence

(no confidence) in the House.

A no-confidence motion need not set out any grounds on which it is based.

Even when grounds are mentioned in the notice and read out in the House,

they do not form part of the no-confidence motion.

The Indian constitution does not mention no-confidence, however Article

75 specifies that the council of ministers shall be collectively responsible to

the House of the People.

Lok Sabha's Rule 198 mentions the procedure for a motion of no-

confidence

Procedure:

The Speaker's permission is required first; and the motion has to be

supported by at least 50 MPs in Lok sabha.

Sometimes the Speaker can refuse to admit the motion too. The Speaker then

sets a day/days within the next 10 days, and also allots time for members'.

If majority of the members vote in favour of the motion then the motion is

passed and the government in power has to vacate the office.

Facts:

So far, 27 no-confidence motions have been moved in Lok Sabha since

Independence.

Acharya Kripalani moved the first no confidence motion against Jawaharlal

Nehru in August 1963, immediately after the India–China war.

Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister faced the most number with 15 no-

confidence motions.

3.Pakistan Resolution/ Lahore Resolution

23rd March is called as Pakistan Resolution Day

On this particular day, the idea of a separate homeland for Muslims of India

was converted clearly into the demand of Pakistan.

The Lahore Resolution was written and prepared by Muhammad Zafarullah

Khan and was presented by A. K. Fazlul Huq, the Prime Minister of Bengal.

It was a formal political statement adopted by the All-India Muslim League

on the occasion of its three-day general session in Lahore on 22–24 March

1940.

It called for a separate state for Muslims in British India.

Pakistan was coined by Choudhary Rahmat Ali in his Pakistan Declaration.

On this Day in 1956, Pakistan became the world's first Islamic republic after

adoption of its first constitution.

All India Muslim League

On December 30,1906,Muslim league was formed under the leadership of

Aga Khan, the Nawab of Dhaka and Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk to safeguard

the rights of Indian Muslims.

The objectives of the league were:

o To create among Muslims the feelings of loyalty towards the British

Government.

o To safeguard the political rights of the Muslims and to convey the same to the

government.

o To prevent the rise of prejudice against other communities of India among the

Muslims.

4.National Mission on Quantum Technologies

In the Budget 2020 speech, Finance Minister made a welcome announcement for

Indian science — over the next five years she proposed spending ₹8,000 crore (~

$1.2 billion) on a National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Applications.

Need:

Quantum technologies are rapidly developing globally with a huge disruptive

potential. The next generation transformative technologies that will receive a

push under this mission include quantum computers and computing, quantum

communication, quantum key distribution, encryption, crypt analysis,

quantum devices, quantum sensing, quantum materials, quantum clock and so

on.

The areas of focus for the Mission will be in fundamental science, translation,

technology development, human and infrastructural resource generation,

innovation and start-ups to address issues concerning national priorities.

Applications:

Their applications which will receive boost include those in aero-space engineering,

numerical weather prediction, simulations, securing the communications & financial

transactions, cyber security, advanced manufacturing, health, agriculture, education

and other important sectors with focus on creation of high skilled jobs, human

resources development, start-ups & entrepreneurship leading to technology lead

economic growth.

About Quantum Technology:

Quantum Technology is based on the principles of quantum theory, which

explains the nature of energy and matter on the atomic and subatomic level.

Quantum computers store and process information using quantum two level

systems (quantum bits or qubits) which unlike classical bits, can be prepared

in superposition states.

This key ability makes quantum computers extremely powerful compared to

conventional computers when solving certain kinds of problems like finding

prime factors of large numbers and searching large databases.

5.Methamphetamine

Disruptions to global supply chains due to the spread of the coronavirus is

hampering production of methamphetamine and fentanyl by Mexico’s cartels.

What is it?

Methamphetamine is part of the group of drugs called amphetamine-type

stimulants (ATS). It is a synthetic drug that is usually manufactured in illegal

laboratories. Methamphetamine comes as a powder, tablet or as crystals that look

like shards of glass.

How it affect users?

Methamphetamine stimulates a feeling of physical and mental well being, as

well as a surge of euphoria and exhilaration.

Users experience a temporary rise in energy, often perceived to improve

their performance at manual or intellectual tasks.

Users also feel postponement of hunger and fatigue.

Golden Triangle and Golden crescent

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Established in 1997 through a merger between the United Nations Drug

Control Programme and the Centre for International Crime Prevention,

UNODC is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and

international crime.

For two decades, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

has been helping make the world safer from drugs, organized crime,

corruption and terrorism.

UNODC relies on voluntary contributions, mainly from Governments,

for 90% of its budget.

UNODC is mandated to assist Member States in their struggle against

illicit drugs, crime and terrorism.

6.Veblen Effect

The Veblen effect is named after American economist Thorstein Veblen,

who wrote about conspicuous (which means visible) consumption; it means

spending of money on luxury goods and services to display financial power.

In the 19th century, the term conspicuous consumption introduced by

Veblen in his book “The theory of leisure class: An economic study in the

evolution of institutions.”

Conspicuous consumptions occur by men, women, and families of the upper

class who show off their great wealth as a means to manifest their social

power and prestige either real or seeming.

There is also a ‘Counter-Veblen Effect’, where people believe they will be

admired for buying bargains or for being prudent in their purchases. This can

be seen where people boast about how little they paid for a typically

expensive item. It can also be a motivator for buying in sales and low-cost

outlets.

24March

1.Section 144

Many states imposed section 144 to control movement of people in the view

of COVID 19.

And also administrations frequently cite powers under Section 144 CrPC to

prohibit assemblies of five or more individuals, or to order mobile phone

companies to block voice, SMS, or Internet communications in one or more

small or large geographical areas.

What is Section 144?

Section 144 CrPC, a law retained from the colonial era, empowers a district

magistrate, a sub-divisional magistrate or any other executive magistrate specially

empowered by the state government in this behalf to issue orders to prevent and

address urgent cases of apprehended danger or nuisance.

What powers does the administration have under the provision?

The magistrate can direct any person to abstain from a certain act or to take a

certain order with respect to certain property in his possession or under his

management. This usually includes restrictions on movement, carrying arms and

from assembling unlawfully. It is generally believed that assembly of three or more

people is prohibited under Section 144.

As per the Section, the order can be passed only “if such Magistrate

considers”, that the direction is likely to prevent:

1. obstruction, annoyance or injury to any person lawfully employed.

2. danger to human life, health or safety.

3. disturbance of the public tranquility, or a riot or affray.

Duration of Section 144 order:

No order under Section 144 shall remain in force for more than two

months but the state government can extent the validity for two months and

maximum up to six months. It can be withdrawn at any point of time if

situation becomes normal.

Court rulings:

The orders under this provision will lead to the infringement of fundamental

rights to freedom of speech and expression, assembly and movement

guaranteed under Articles 19(1)(a),(b) and (c) of the Constitution. Hence, the

orders under Section 144 have to meet the test of “reasonable restrictions” as

per Article 19.

To ascertain whether a restriction on liberties guaranteed under Article 19 is

reasonable or not, the Supreme Court has developed the “test of

proportionality”.

In the Constitution Bench decision in Modern Dental College case (2016), the

SC held that a law imposing restrictions will be treated as proportional if :

1. It is meant to achieve a proper purpose, and

2. If the measures taken to achieve such a purpose are rationally

connected to the purpose, and

3. If such measures are necessary.

Difference between Section 144 and curfew: Section 144 prohibits gathering of

four or more people in the concerned area, while during the curfew people are

instructed to stay indoors for a particular period of time. The government puts a

complete restriction on traffic as well. Markets, schools, colleges and offices

remain closed under the curfew and only essential services are allowed to run on

prior notice.

2.Open Market Operation

The central bank announced to conduct purchase of government securities under

OMOs in two tranches of Rs 15,000 crore each in the month of March 2020 to

boost liquidity and enhance investor confidence in the financial markets that

remain under stress over COVID-19 related disruptions.

What is OMO?

Open market operations is the sale and purchase of government securities

and treasury bills by RBI or the central bank of the country.

The objective of OMO is to regulate the money supply in the economy.

When the RBI wants to increase the money supply in the economy, it

purchases the government securities from the market and it sells government

securities to suck out liquidity from the system.

RBI carries out the OMO through commercial banks and does not directly

deal with the public.

OMO is one of the tools that RBI uses to smoothen the liquidity conditions

through the year and minimise its impact on the interest rate and inflation

rate levels.

3.WHO role

WHO works worldwide to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve

the vulnerable.

WHO goal is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health

coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and

provide a further billion people with better health and well-being.

For universal health coverage, WHO:

o focus on primary health care to improve access to quality essential services

o work towards sustainable financing and financial protection

o improve access to essential medicines and health products

o train the health workforce and advise on labour policies

o support people's participation in national health policies

o improve monitoring, data and information.

For health emergencies, WHO:

o prepare for emergencies by identifying, mitigating and managing risks

o prevent emergencies and support development of tools necessary during

outbreaks

o detect and respond to acute health emergencies

o support delivery of essential health services in fragile settings.

For health and well-being , WHO:

o address social determinants

o promote intersectoral approaches for health

o prioritize health in all policies and healthy settings.

WHO’s primary role is to direct and coordinate international health within

the United Nations system.

The main areas of work are health systems; health through the life-course;

non communicable and communicable diseases; preparedness, surveillance

and response; and corporate services.

4. Hydroxychloroquine-azithromycin combination

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are oral prescription drugs that have

been used for treatment of malaria and certain inflammatory conditions.

Chloroquine has been used for malaria treatment and chemoprophylaxis, and

hydroxychloroquine is used for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic

lupus erythematosus and porphyria cutanea tarda.

Both drugs have in-vitro activity against SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and

other coronaviruses, with hydroxychloroquine having relatively higher

potency against SARS-CoV-2.

A study in China reported that chloroquine treatment of COVID-19 patients

had clinical and virologic benefit versus a comparison group, and

chloroquine was added as a recommended antiviral for treatment of COVID-

19 in China. Based upon limited in-vitro and anecdotal data, chloroquine or

hydroxychloroquine are currently recommended for treatment of

hospitalized COVID-19 patients in several countries.”

Has the azithromycin-hydroxychloroquine combo been tested on a

COVID-19 patient yet?

The azithromycin-hydroxychloroquine combination has sometimes been

administered to COVID patients in the US, CDC says.

In a small study published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial

Agents, published on March 17, French scientists reported: “Twenty cases

were treated in this study and showed a significant reduction of the viral

carriage to controls, and much lower average carrying duration than reported

of untreated patients in the literature. Azithromycin added to

hydroxychloroquine was significantly more efficient for virus elimination.”

In other words, the combination did reduce the viral load but the size of the

study is too small for the conclusion to be treated as definitive.

March25

1. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar

Keshav Baliram Hedgewar ,founder of RSS his birth anniversary falls on

the first day of the Hindu new year, that is, chaitra shukla pratipada. And

this year it falls on March 25.

Hedgewar was a member of Yugantar and Anusheelan Samiti.

He deliberately joined the National Medical College in Kolkata to work with

Aurobindo, Trailokya Nath Chakraborty and Rash Behari Bose.

After completing his degree, he returned to Nagpur. The Central province

only had 75 doctors then, but he decided not to join the medical profession.

Instead, he chose to work for the independence of Bharat.

Hedgewar disagreed with the Non-cooperation Movement launched

by Mahatma Gandhi because the Khilafat struggle aimed at restoring the

Caliphate in Turkey was a part of it.

But he travelled and addressed meetings, inspiring people to join the

freedom struggle.

In May 1921, he was arrested on charges of sedition for his objectionable

speeches.

He broke the “jungle kanoon” (Forest Law)” with 11 people and was

arrested. The Congress organised a rally in his support. He was tried the

same day and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for nine months. This was

Hedgewar’s second jail term.

Hedgewar’s satyagraha was one of the most successful programmes of the

civil disobedience movement of the Central province. He took over as the

sarsanghchalak after returning from jail on 1931.

2. Non-Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Movement

In September 1920 congress special session at Calcutta approved NCM till Punjab

and Khilafat wrongs were removed and swaraj was established.

Achievements:

The non-cooperation movement led by Gandhi was a mass movement which

had never been seen before and after the Great Rebellion of 1857.

With the Non-Cooperation Movement, nationalist sentiments reached every

nook and corner of the country and politicised every strata of population—

the artisans, peasants, students, urban poor, women, traders, etc.

This politicisation of men and women which imparted a revolutionary

character to the national movement.

The myth that British rule was invincible was challenged by satyagraha

through mass struggle.

It gave push to indigenous products thereby helping indian producers and

damaged Britain’s economic and commercial interests.

Khilafat Movement

The main objective of the Khilafat movement was to force the British

government change its attitude towards Turkey and restore the Khalifa

to his former position.

Turkey was defeated in the First World War and the harsh terms of the

Treaty of Sevres (1920) was felt by the Muslims as a great insult to

them.

The Muslims in India were upset over the British attitude against

Turkey and launched the Khilafat Movement which was jointly led by

the Khilafat leaders and the Congress.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, M.A. Ansari, Saifuddin Kitchlew and the

Ali brothers were the prominent leaders of this movement.

In November 1919, a joint conference of the Hindus and the Muslims

held under the chairmanship of Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi was

particularly interested in bringing the Hindus and the Muslims together

to achieve the country’s independence.

In February 1920, Gandhiji suggested to Khilafat Committee that it

adopt a programme of nonviolent non-cooperation to protest the

Government’s behavior.

On 9 June, 1920 the Khilafat Committee at Allahabad unanimously

accepted the suggestion of non-cooperation and asked Gandhiji to lead

the movement.

Four stages of non-cooperation were surrender of titles and honorary

positions, resignation from civil services under the Government,

resignation from Police and Army services and non-payment of taxes

Subsequently, the Khilafat Movement merged with the Non-

Cooperation Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920.

Why was the Non-Cooperation Movement suspended?

Gandhiji called off the movement in February 1922 in the wake of

the Chauri Chaura incident.

In Chauri Chaura, Uttar Pradesh, a violent mob set fire to a police station

killing 22 policemen during a clash between the police and protesters of the

movement.

Gandhiji called off the movement saying people were not ready for revolt

against the government through ahimsa. A lot of leaders like Motilal Nehru

and C R Das were against the suspension of the movement only due to

sporadic incidents of violence.

3.Yugantar and Anusheelan samiti

In the first half of the 20th century, revolutionary groups sprang up mainly

in Bengal, Maharashtra, and Punjab. The revolutionaries were not satisfied

with the methods of both the moderates and extremists. Hence, they started

many revolutionary secret organizations.

The revolutionary activity in Bengal was the outcome of the failure of

constitutional agitation to prevent the partition of Bengal in 1905.

The first revolutionary organization in Bengal was the Anushilan samiti. The

Anushilan Samiti was established by Pramathanath Mitra, a barrister from

Calcutta.

The people associated with this samiti were Sri Aurobindo, Deshabandhu

Chittaranjan Das, Surendranath Tagore, Jatindranath Banerjee, Bagha Jatin,

Bhupendra Natha Datta, Barindra Ghosh etc.

Barindra Ghosh was sent to Paris to learn the science of Bomb Making and

here he came in touch were Madam Bhikaji Cama.

Madam Cama was already associated with the India House and the Paris

India Society.

Its members Kudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki were entrusted with the task

of assassination of Kingsford the vindictive judge who had sentenced many

political prisoners to heavy terms of punishment.

They published a periodical named Jugantar, which openly preached armed

rebellion in order to create the necessary revolutionary mentality among the

people. Both Sandhya and Jugantar openly preached the cult of violence.

4.Rajya Sabha elections

The Rajya Sabha currently has 245 members, including 233 elected

members and 12 nominated. As per the constitutional limit, the Upper House

strength cannot exceed 250.

Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha are picked by the President of

India. These MPs are luminaries from the world of economics, sports,

literature, art, social service etc.

Every Rajya Sabha MP has a tenure of six years and elections to one-third

seats are held every two years.

According to Section 154 of the Representation of the People Act 1951, a

member chosen to fill a casual vacancy will serve for the remainder of his

predecessor's term of office.

Elected members of a state's Legislative Assembly vote in the Rajya Sabha

elections in what is called proportional representation with the single

transferable vote (STV) system. Each MLA’s vote is counted only once.

5.Standing Liquidity Facility of RBI

Marginal standing facility (MSF) is a window for banks to borrow from

the Reserve Bank of India in an emergency situation when inter-bank

liquidity dries up completely. The Marginal standing facility is a scheme

launched by RBI while reforming the monetary policy in 2011-12.

It is a penal rate at which banks can borrow money from RBI when they are

completely exhausted of all borrowing assistance. The Marginal Standing

facility allows banks to borrow money with an interest rate above the repo

rate and can be termed as the Marginal standing facility rate.

6.PMO vs Cabinet Secretariat

The Cabinet Secretariat is responsible for the administration of the

Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, 1961 and the

Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules 1961, facilitating

smooth transaction of business in Ministries/ Departments of the

Government by ensuring adherence to these rules.

The Secretariat assists in decision-making in Government by ensuring Inter-

Ministerial coordination, ironing out differences amongst Ministries/

Departments, evolving consensus through the instrumentality of the

standing/ ad-hoc Committees of Secretaries.

The PMO provides secretarial assistance to the Prime Minister. It is headed

by the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister. The PMO includes the anti-

corruption unit and the public wing dealing with grievances.

March 26

1.Regional Rural Banks

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved ₹1,340-crore

recapitalization of regional rural banks to improve their capital to risk-

weighted assets ratio.

The CCEA also approved utilisation of Rs 670 crore as Central Government

share for the scheme of Recapitalisation of RRBs (i.e. 50 per cent of the total

recapitalisation support of Rs 1,340 crore), subject to the condition that the

release of Central Government’s share will be contingent upon the release of

the proportionate share by the sponsor banks.

Why?

Recapitalisation helps by providing minimum regulatory capital to RRBs for

another year beyond 2019-20 -- up to 2020-21 -- for those RRBs which are

unable to maintain minimum Capital to Risk weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR)

of 9 per cent, as per the regulatory norms prescribed by the RBI

Based on the K C Chakrabarty committee’s recommendations, a scheme for

recapitalization of RRBs was approved by the Cabinet in its meeting held on

2011 to provide recapitalization support of Rs 2,200 crore to 40 RRBs with

an additional amount of Rs 700 crore as a contingency fund to meet the

requirement of the weak RRBs, particularly in the North Eastern and Eastern

Region

About RRBs:

Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) were formed under the RRB Act, 1976 with

an objective to provide credit and other facilities to small farmers,

agricultural labourers and artisans in rural areas.

Regional Rural Banks were set up on the basis of the recommendations of

the Narasimham Working Group (1975), and after the legislations of the

Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976.

The first Regional Rural Bank “Prathama Grameen Bank” was set up on

October 2, 1975.

As per the law, the Centre holds 50 per cent stake in RRBs, while 35 per

cent and 15 per cent are with the concerned sponsor banks and state

governments, respectively.

As per guidelines mentioned by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the RRBs

have to provide 75 per cent of their total credit under Priority Sector

Lending.

2.PDS

The Public distribution system (PDS) is an Indian food Security

System established under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and

Public Distribution.

Public Distribution System (PDS) is being implemented under the National

Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 in all States/UTs.

The Act provides for coverage of upto 75% of the rural population and upto

50% of the urban population for receiving foodgrains (rice, wheat &

coarsegrains) at highly subsidized rates i.e. Rs. 3/2/1 per kg respectively.

Under the Act eligible families comprise of Priority Households (PHH) and

Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families.

PDS is operated under the joint responsibility of the Central and the State

Governments.

o The Central Government, through Food Corporation of India (FCI),

has assumed the responsibility for procurement, storage,

transportation and bulk allocation of food grains to the State

Governments.

o The operational responsibilities including allocation within the State,

identification of eligible families, issue of Ration Cards and

supervision of the functioning of Fair Price Shops (FPSs) etc., rest

with the State Governments.

Under the PDS, presently the commodities namely wheat, rice, sugar and

kerosene are being allocated to the States/UTs for distribution. Some

States/UTs also distribute additional items of mass consumption through the

PDS outlets such as pulses, edible oils, iodized salt, spices, etc.

Evolution:

The Public Distribution System (PDS), till 1992, was a general entitlement

scheme for all consumers without any specific target.

The Revamped Public Distribution System (RPDS) was launched in June

1992 in 1775 blocks throughout the country. RPDS was launched with a

view to strengthen and streamline the PDS as well as to improve its reach

poor families especially in the far-flung, hilly, remote and inaccessible

areas. RPDS covered those areas where special programmes such as the

Drought Prone Area Programme(DPAP), Integrated Tribal Development

Projects (ITDP), Desert Development Programme (DDP) and certain

Designated Hill Areas (DHA) were in operations while the main focus was

to improve the PDS infrastructure.

Subsequently in June, 1997, the central government launched the Targeted

Public Distribution System (TPDS) with focus on the poor families. Under

the TPDS, states were required to formulate and implement foolproof

arrangements for the identification of the poor for delivery of foodgrains and

for its distribution in a transparent and accountable manner at the Fair Price

Shops (FPS) level. TPDS aimed at benefiting about six crore poor families

for whom a quantity of about 7.2 million tonne (MT) of food grains was

earmarked annually.

The Food Corporation of India was setup under the Food Corporation's Act 1964, in

order to fulfill following objectives of the Food Policy:

Effective price support operations for safeguarding the interests of the

farmers.

Distribution of foodgrains throughout the country for public distribution

system.

Maintaining satisfactory level of operational and buffer stocks of foodgrains

to ensure National Food Security

Buffer Stock

Buffer stock refers to a reserve of a commodity that is used to offset price

fluctuations and unforeseen emergencies. Buffer stock is generally maintained for

essential commodities and necessities like foodgrains, pulses etc.

Buffer Stock Policy of the Government of India (GOI)

The concept of buffer stock was first introduced during the IVth Five Year

Plan (1969-74).

Buffer stock of food grains in the Central Pool is maintained by the Government of

India (GOI) / Central Government for

i. meeting the prescribed minimum buffer stock norms for food security,

ii. monthly release of food grains for supply through Targeted Public Distribution

System (TPDS) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS),

iii. meeting emergency situations arising out of unexpected crop failure, natural

disasters, etc., and

iv. price stabilisation or market intervention to augment supply so as to help

moderate the open market prices.

3.PM Garib Kalyan Scheme

The Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Smt. Niramla Sitharaman today

announced Rs 1.70 Lakh Crore relief package under Pradhan Mantri Garib

Kalyan Yojana for the poor to help them fight the battle against Corona Virus

Following are the components of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package

I. Insurance scheme for health workers fighting COVID-19 in Government

Hospitals and Health Care Centres

Safai karamcharis, ward-boys, nurses, ASHA workers, paramedics, technicians,

doctors and specialists and other health workers would be covered by a Special

insurance Scheme.

Any health professional, who while treating Covid-19 patients, meet with some

accident, then he/she would be compensated with an amount of Rs 50 lakh under the

scheme.

All government health centres, wellness centres and hospitals of Centre as well as

States would be covered under this scheme approximately 22 lakh health workers

would be provided insurance cover to fight this pandemic.

II. PM Garib Kalyan AnnaYojana

Government of India would not allow anybody, especially any poor family, to suffer

on account of non-availability of foodgrains due to disruption in the next three

months.

80 crore individuals, i.e, roughly two-thirds of India’s population would be covered

under this scheme.

Each one of them would be provided double of their current entitlement over next

three months.

This additionality would be free of cost.

Pulses:

To ensure adequate availability of protein to all the above mentioned individuals, 1

kg per family, would be provided pulses according to regional preferences for next

three months.

These pulses would be provided free of cost by the Government of India.

III. Benefit to farmers:

The first instalment of Rs 2,000 due in 2020-21 will be front-loaded and paid in

April 2020 itself under the PM KISAN Yojana.

It would cover 8.7 crore farmers

IV. Cash transfers to Help to Poor:

A total of 20.40 crores PMJDY women account-holders would be given an ex-gratia

of Rs 500 per month for next three months.

Gas cylinders:

Under PM Garib Kalyan Yojana, gas cylinders, free of cost, would be provided to 8

crore poor families for the next three months.

Help to low wage earners in organised sectors:

Wage-earners below Rs 15,000 per month in businesses having less than 100

workers are at risk of losing their employment.

Under this package, government proposes to pay 24 percent of their monthly wages

into their PF accounts for next three months.

This would prevent disruption in their employment.

Support for senior citizens (above 60 years), widows and Divyang:

There are around 3 crore aged widows and people in Divyang category who are

vulnerable due to economic disruption caused by COVID-19.

Government will give them Rs 1,000 to tide over difficulties during next three

months.

MNREGA

Under PM Garib Kalyan Yojana, MNREGA wages would be increased by Rs 20

with effect from 1 April, 2020. Wage increase under MNREGA will provide an

additional Rs 2,000 benefit annually to a worker.

This will benefit approximately 13.62 crore families.

V. Self-Help groups:

Women organised through 63 lakhs Self Help Groups (SHGs) support 6.85 crore

households.

a. Limit of collateral free lending would be increased from Rs 10 to Rs 20 lakhs.

VI. Other components of PM Garib Kalyan package

Organised sector:

Employees’ Provident Fund Regulations will be amended to include Pandemic as

the reason to allow non-refundable advance of 75 percent of the amount or three

months of the wages, whichever is lower, from their accounts.

Families of four crore workers registered under EPF can take benefit of this window.

Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Fund:

Welfare Fund for Building and Other Constructions Workers has been created under

a Central Government Act.

There are around 3.5 Crore registered workers in the Fund.

State Governments will be given directions to utilise this fund to provide assistance

and support to these workers to protect them against economic disruptions.

District Mineral Fund

The State Government will be asked to utilise the funds available under District

Mineral Fund (DMF) for supplementing and augmenting facilities of medical

testing, screening and other requirements in connection with preventing the spread

of CVID-19 pandemic as well as treating the patients affected with this pandemic.

4.NCBS

National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in Bangalore, Karnataka,

is a research centre specialising in biological research. It is a part of the Tata

Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) under the Department of Atomic

Energy of the Government of India.

The mandate of NCBS is basic and interdisciplinary research in the frontier

areas of biology. The research interests of the faculty are in four broad areas

ranging from the study of single molecules to systems biology.

March27

1.Special Drawing Rights

There is request to IMF to inject liquidity through SDRs in emerging

markets as they failed to enact fiscal or monetary stimulus on the scale of

2009. Central banks around the developed world are using expansionary

monetary policy and co-ordinated liquidity actions to alleviate the impact of

the coronavirus outbreak on the global economy. While these are welcome,

it was insufficient as it leave out most emerging and low-income countries.

The country's foreign exchange reserves fell by a whopping USD 11.98

billion to USD 469.909 billion in the week to March 20 as the Reserve Bank

continued to supply dollars into the market to stem fall in the rupee. The

rupee hit an all-time low of 76.15 against the US dollar on March 23 as

foreign investors continued to withdraw money from domestic equity and

debt market amid uncertainties due to the fast-spreading coronavirus.

Forex reserve:

The Forex Reserves (‘foreign exchange reserves’) of an economy is

its ‘foreign currency assets’ added with its gold reserves, SDRs (Special

Drawing Rights) and Reserve Tranche in the IMF.

Reserve tranche is a portion of the required quota of currency each member

country must provide to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that can be

utilized for its own purposes.

Concept of SDR:

The SDR is an international reserve asset, created by the IMF in 1969 to

supplement its member countries’ official reserves.

So far SDR 204.2 billion (equivalent to about US$281 billion) have been

allocated to members, including SDR 182.6 billion allocated in 2009 in the

wake of the global financial crisis.

The value of the SDR is based on a basket of five currencies—the U.S.

dollar, the euro, the Chinese renminbi, the Japanese yen, and the British

pound sterling.

SDR allocations can play a role in providing liquidity and supplementing

member countries’ official reserves, as was the case amid the global

financial crisis.

The SDR serves as the unit of account of the IMF and some other

international organizations.

The SDR is neither a currency nor a claim on the IMF. Rather, it is a

potential claim on the freely usable currencies of IMF members. SDRs can

be exchanged for these currencies.

The SDR was initially defined as equivalent to 0.888671 grams of fine

gold—which, at the time, was also equivalent to one U.S. dollar. After the

collapse of the Bretton Woods system, the SDR was redefined as a basket of

currencies

2.Anti-Bodies and Antigen

Food and Drug Administration approved the use of plasma from recovered

patients to treat some severe cases of COVID19. Antibodies gathered from

the bodies of those who have recovered may be used to aid those struggling

with the illness caused by the coronavirus, called Covid-19.

The body’s first line of defense against an infectious virus is an antibody

called immunoglobulin M, whose job is to stay vigilant in the body and alert

the rest of the immune system to intruders like viruses and bacteria.

Days into an infection, the immune system refines this antibody into a

second type, called immunoglobulin G, exquisitely designed to recognize

and neutralize a specific virus.

Concept of antigen and antibody:

Antibodies, also called immunoglobulins, Y-shaped molecules are proteins

manufactured by the body that help fight against foreign substances

called antigens.

Antigens are any substance that stimulates the immune system to produce

antibodies. Antigens can be bacteria, viruses, or fungi that cause infection

and disease.

Mechanism:

Antibodies (immunoglobins) are produced by B cells of the immune system

in response to exposure to antigens.

Each antibody contains a paratope which recognizes a specific epitope on an

antigen, acting like a lock and key binding mechanism.

This binding helps to eliminate antigens from the body, either by direct

neutralization or by ‘tagging’ for other arms of the immune system.

The Role of Antigens & Antibodies in Vaccinations

Vaccines contain antigens which stimulate the B lymphocytes of the

immune system to respond by producing plasma cells which secrete disease

specific antibodies (Primary response).

Some of the B cells become memory B cells, which will recognise future

exposure to the disease. This results in a faster and more intense production

of antibodies, which effectively work to eliminate the disease by binding to

the antigens (Secondary response).

3.The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of

Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996

The Centre has asked states to use funds of around Rs 31,000 crore in their

respective state construction worker welfare funds under the Building and Other

Construction Workers’ Welfare Cess (BOCW) to mitigate the impact of COVID-

19 pandemic for 3.5 crore registered workers.

About Act:

The 1996 Act is meant to regulate the employment and conditions of service of

building and other construction workers and to provide for their safety,

health and welfare.

The government has collected over ₹35,000 crore in cess for the welfare of

construction workers employed in the high-risk and hazardous construction

industry that is mostly controlled by private companies.

In November 2012, the Union Cabinet had approved of amendments to the 1996

Act and the Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Cess Act of 1996

in order to streamline the process of registration of construction workers.

These two Acts apply to establishments that employ 10 or more workers.

Features:

According to the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of

Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996, a cess is levied and

collected at the rate of 1 per cent of the cost of construction by the state

governments.

The states, through their respective State Building and Other Construction

Workers Welfare Boards, constituted under the BOCW Act, utilise the cess

fund as per Section 22 of BOCW Act, 1996.

Section 22 of the BOCW Act states that the Building and Other Construction

Workers’ Welfare Board can provide assistance to a beneficiary in case of

an accident; give pension to those who have completed the age of 60 years;

sanction loans and advances to a beneficiary for construction of a house not

exceeding such amount and on prescribed terms and conditions pay premia

for group insurance scheme of the beneficiaries; give financial assistance for

the education of children of the beneficiaries, for medical expenses for

treatment of major ailments, payment of maternity benefits and make

provision and improvement of such other welfare measures and facilities as

may be prescribed.

Further, the Board may grant loan or subsidy to a local authority or an

employer in aid of any scheme approved by the respective state government

for the welfare of building workers in any establishment.

Every construction worker who has completed eighteen years of age, but has

not completed sixty years of age, and who has been engaged in any building

or other construction work for not less than ninety days during the preceding

twelve months shall be eligible for registration as a beneficiary under this

Act.

4.Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008

Unorganised Workers' Social Security Act 2008 is an Act of

the Parliament of India enacted to provide for the social security and welfare

of the unorganised workers(meaning home-based workers, self-employed

workers or daily-wage workers).

As per provisions of The Unorganised Workers Social Security Act, 2008,

every unorganised worker shall be eligible for registration subject to the

fulfilment of the two conditions; i)he or she should have completed fourteen

years of age; and ii)a self-declaration by him or her confirming that he or she

is an unorganised worker.

Every unorganised worker shall be registered by the District Administration.

The State Governments are mandated to register the Unorganised Workers

and to provide benefits of welfare schemes other than the three basic social

security schemes of the Central Government i.e. (i) life and disability cover,

(ii) health and maternity benefits, and (iii) old age protection.

The Central Government has also constituted the National Social Security

Board at Central level to recommend to the Central Government suitable

schemes for different sections of unorganised workers and to monitor the

implementation of schemes and advise the Central Government on matters

arising out of the administration of the Act.

Similarly State Governments/UT Administrations are required to constitute

their State/UT Social Security Board to carry out the provisions of the Act.

March 28

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das announced a series of

measures massive to counter the economic slowdown caused by the novel

coronavirus pandemic.

Repo rate and reverse repo rate have been cut by 74 bps and 90 bps

respectively.

All commercial banks and lending institutions can now allow a three-month

moratorium on all loans outstanding on 1 March 2020.

Cash reserve ratio (CRR) of all banks to be cut by 100 bps to 3%.

Incremental CCB (capital conservation buffer) implementation deferred

from 30 March 2020 to 30 September 2020.

1.CRR

The Reserve Bank of India or RBI mandates that banks store a proportion of

their deposits in the form of cash so that the same can be given to the bank’s

customers if the need arises.

The percentage of cash required to be kept in reserves, vis-a-vis a bank’s total

deposits, is called the Cash Reserve Ratio

The cash reserve is either stored in the bank’s vault or is sent to the RBI. Banks

do not get any interest on the money that is with the RBI under the CRR

requirements.

The Cash Reserve Ratio in India is decided by RBI’s Monetary Policy

Committee in the periodic Monetary and Credit Policy.

The Reserve Bank of India takes stock of the CRR in every monetary policy

review, which, at present, is conducted every six weeks. CRR is one of the

major weapons in the RBI’s arsenal that allows it to maintain a desired level

of inflation, control the money supply, and also liquidity in the economy.

The lower the CRR, the higher liquidity with the banks, which in turn goes

into investment and lending and vice-versa.

2. Bank rate

A bank rate is the interest rate at which a nation's central bank lends money to

domestic banks, often in the form of very short-term loans. Managing the bank rate

is a method by which central banks affect economic activity. Lower bank rates can

help to expand the economy by lowering the cost of funds for borrowers, and

higher bank rates help to reign in the economy when inflation is higher than

desired.

3. Repo rate

Repo rate is the rate at which the central bank of a country (Reserve Bank of

India in case of India) lends money to commercial banks in the event of any

shortfall of funds. Repo rate is used by monetary authorities to control

inflation.

In the event of inflation, central banks increase repo rate as this acts as a

disincentive for banks to borrow from the central bank. This ultimately

reduces the money supply in the economy and thus helps in arresting

inflation.

4. Reverse repo rate

Reverse repo rate is the rate at which the central bank of a country (Reserve

Bank of India in case of India) borrows money from commercial banks

within the country. It is a monetary policy instrument which can be used to

control the money supply in the country.

An increase in the reverse repo rate will decrease the money supply and

vice-versa, other things remaining constant. An increase in reverse repo rate

means that commercial banks will get more incentives to park their funds

with the RBI, thereby decreasing the supply of money in the market.

5. Long-term repo operation (LTRO)

The LTRO is a tool under which the central bank provides one-year to

three-year money to banks at the prevailing repo rate, accepting

government securities with matching or higher tenure as the collateral.

While the RBI’s current windows of liquidity adjustment facility (LAF)

and marginal standing facility (MSF) offer banks money for their

immediate needs ranging from 1-28 days, the LTRO supplies them with

liquidity for their 1- to 3-year needs.

Why it is important?

Since January 2019, the repo rate (the rate at which banks borrows quick

money from RBI) has been cut by 139 basis points. But only a part of these

rate cuts have as yet been passed on to borrowers by banks and other

lenders.

When charged with this slow transmission of rate cuts, bankers complained

that repo loans constituted only a miniscule portion of their overall funds,

making it difficult for them to cut lending rates.

Under the LAF, banks could only bid up to a maximum of 0.75 per cent of

their net demand and time liabilities.

The LTRO bidding system, taken with the removal of the 0.75 per cent limit

on LAF borrowings, is expected to remove these constraints.

The RBI believes that offering banks durable longer-term liquidity at the

repo rate, can help them lower the rates they charge on retail and industrial

loans, while maintaining their margins.

6.SLR

Apart from Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), banks have to maintain a stipulated

proportion of their net demand and time liabilities in the form of liquid

assets like cash, gold and unencumbered securities.

The ratio of liquid assets to net demand and time liabilities (NDTL) is called

statutory liquidity ratio (SLR).

Banks have to report to the RBI every alternate Friday their SLR

maintenance, and pay penalties for failing to maintain SLR as mandated.

7.MSF

Marginal standing facility (MSF) is a window for banks to borrow from the

Reserve Bank of India in an emergency situation when inter-bank liquidity

dries up completely.

Banks borrow from the central bank by pledging government securities at a

rate higher than the repo rate under liquidity adjustment facility or LAF in

short.

The MSF rate is pegged 100 basis points or a percentage point above the

repo rate.

Under MSF, banks can borrow funds up to one percentage of their net

demand and time liabilities (NDTL).

8.Recession

Recession is a slowdown or a massive contraction in economic activities. A

significant fall in spending generally leads to a recession.

Such a slowdown in economic activities may last for some quarters thereby

completely hampering the growth of an economy.

In such a situation, economic indicators such as GDP, corporate profits,

employments, etc., fall.

This creates a mess in the entire economy. To tackle the menace, economies

generally react by loosening their monetary policies by infusing more money

into the system, i.e., by increasing the money supply.

This is done by reducing the interest rates. Increased spending by the

government and decreased taxation are also considered good answers for

this problem. The recession which hit the globe in 2008 is the most recent

example of a recession.

March 29

1.PM CARES Fund

Covid-19: Support pours in for PM-CARES Fund as India gears up for battle

Concept:

Keeping in mind the need for having a dedicated national fund with the

primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress

situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to the

affected, a public charitable trust under the name of ‘Prime Minister’s

Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund’ (PM

CARES Fund)’ has been set up.

Prime Minister is the Chairman of this trust and its Members include

Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister.

Need:

Distress situations, whether natural or otherwise, demand expeditious and

collective action for alleviating the suffering of those affected, mitigation/control

of damage to infrastructure and capacities etc.

2.MPLAD Fund

Context:

The ministry of statistics and programme implementation permitted the use of

MPLAD (members of Parliament local area development scheme) funds for

medical testing, screening and other facilities required to fight Covid-19. A number

of MPs had requested that this fund be allowed to be used for Covid-19-related

activities. Following the order, parliamentarians have been offering these funds to

districts and states to combat the epidemic.

Concept:

Launched in December, 1993

It provides a mechanism for the Members of Parliament to recommend

works of developmental nature for creation of durable community assets and

for provision of basic facilities including community infrastructure, based on

locally felt needs

Features:

The MPLADS is a Plan Scheme fully funded by Government of India. The

annual MPLADS fund entitlement per MP constituency is Rs. 5 crore.

MPs are to recommend every year, works costing at least 15 per cent of the

MPLADS entitlement for the year for areas inhabited by Scheduled Caste

population and 7.5 per cent for areas inhabited by S.T. population.

In order to encourage trusts and societies for the betterment of tribal people,

a ceiling of Rs. 75 lakh is stipulated for building assets by trusts and

societies subject to conditions prescribed in the scheme guidelines.

Lok Sabha Members can recommend works within their Constituencies and

Elected Members of Rajya Sabha can recommend works within the State of

Election (with select exceptions). Nominated Members of both the Rajya

Sabha and Lok Sabha can recommend works anywhere in the country.

March 30

1. Zero Patient

A 57-year-old female shrimp seller in China's Wuhan city, the originating point of

the coronavirus pandemic, has been identified as one of the first victims of

coronavirus, which has claimed nearly 28,000 lives around the world so far.

Wei Guixian, as identified by The Wall Street Journal, was selling shrimps at the

Huanan Seafood Market on December 10 when she developed a cold.

Concept:

In medical science, the index case or the first documented patient in a disease

epidemic within a population

2.RNA and DNA –Testing of Virus

India gets its first indigenous test kit for coronavirus. Virologist Meenal Dhakale

Bhosale of Pune-based Mylab Discovery Solution designed the kit with help from

her colleagues just before she delivered a baby.

As the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease spreads across the world, the

IAEA, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the

United Nations (FAO), is offering its support and expertise to help countries

use real time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (real time RT-

PCR), one of the most accurate laboratory methods for detecting, tracking,

and studying the coronavirus.

Real time RT-PCR is a nuclear-derived method for detecting the presence of

specific genetic material from any pathogen, including a virus.

Process involved:

Some viruses such as the coronavirus (SARS-Cov2) only contain RNA,

which means they rely on infiltrating healthy cells to multiply and survive.

Once inside the cell, the virus uses its own genetic code — RNA in the case

of the coronavirus — to take control of and ‘reprogramme’ the cells so that

they become virus-making factories.

In order for a virus like the coronavirus to be detected early in the body

using real time RT-PCR, scientists need to convert the RNA to DNA. This is

a process called ‘reverse transcription’.

They do this because only DNA can be copied — or amplified — which is a

key part of the real time RT-PCR process for detecting viruses.

Scientists amplify a specific part of the transcribed viral DNA hundreds of

thousands of times.

Amplification is important so that instead of trying to spot a minuscule

amount of the virus among millions of strands of genetic information,

scientists have a large enough quantity of the target sections of viral DNA to

accurately confirm that the virus is present.

As new copies of the viral DNA sections are built, the marker labels

attach to the DNA strands and then release a fluorescent dye, which is

measured by the machine’s computer and presented in real time on the

screen.

3.SAFAR

Amid the 21-day lockdown enforced to contain the spread of coronavirus, the air

quality in the national capital improved to a 'good' category according to

SAFAR.

Concept:

SAFAR envisages a research based management system where strategies of

air pollution mitigation go hand in hand with nation’s economic

development to target a win-win scenario.

"System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research" known

as "SAFAR" for greater metropolitan cities of India to provide location

specific information on air quality in near real time and its forecast 1-3 days

in advance for the first time in India. It has been combined with the early

warning system on weather parameters.

SAFAR will accelerate public awareness and preparedness of air pollution

and weather extremes.

It will also lead to better understanding of linkages among emissions,

weather, pollution and climate.

It will monitor all weather parameters like temperature, rainfall, humidity,

wind speed and wind direction.

In addition to regular air quality parameters like PM2.5, PM10, Sulfur

Dioxide, Ozone, Nitrogen Oxides, Carbon Monoxide, the system will also

monitor the existence of Benzene, Toluene and Xylene.

SAFAR system is developed by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology,

Pune, along with ESSO partner institutions namely India Meteorological

Department (IMD) and National Centre for Medium Range Weather

Forecasting (NCMRWF).

4. Convalescent plasma treatment for corona virus

A prominent US hospital in Houstan has infused the blood of a patient, who has

recovered from COVID-19, into a critically ill patient, becoming the first medical

facility in the country to try the experimental therapy

The individual, who has been in good health for more than two weeks since

being diagnosed with the deadly coronavirus, donated the blood plasma for

what is known as the convalescent serum therapy at the Houston Methodist

Hospital.

The concept dates back to the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918.

5. Himalayan Ibex

A recent study by scientists of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has

proved that Himalayan Ibex is a distinct species from the Siberian Ibex.

The study was funded through the National Mission on Himalayan

Studies.

The National Mission on Himalayan Studies is implemented by the

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

It targets to provide much needed focus, through holistic understanding of

system's components and their linkages, in addressing the key issues relating

to conservation and sustainable management of natural resources in Indian

Himalayan Region (IHR).

Earlier the Himalayan Ibex was regarded as a subspecies of the Siberian

Ibex (Capra sibirica). The Himalyan Ibex is distributed mainly in the trans-

Himalayan ranges of the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and

Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

Siberian Ibex is a species of wild goat..

From Mongolia, its distribution extends towards Altai, Hangai, Gobi-Altai,

the Hurukh mountain ranges as well as Sayan Mountains near Russia and

scattered populations in the small mountains of Trans-Altai Gobi.

In Asia, Ibex is distributed in the Montane habitats, ranging in elevations

from 500 m to 6,700 m in countries like India, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan,

Mongolia, Pakistan, Southern Siberia and China.

Its IUCN status is least concerned.

March 31

1. Rabi crops

Context:

The lakhs of migrant workers streaming to their home villages due to the

COVID19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown have left many farmers across

the country bereft of agricultural labour just before the crucial harvesting season of

the rabi or winter crop.

Concept:

Some of the important rabi crops are wheat, barley, peas, gram and

mustard.

Though, these crops are grown in large parts of India, states from the north

and northwestern parts such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu

and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh are important for the

production of wheat and other rabi crops

Sowing between October and November

Harvest – February to April

Need cold weather for growth

Cropping season in India:

The Indian cropping season is classified into two main seasons

i) The kharif cropping season is from July –October during the south-west monsoon

ii) Rabi cropping season is from October-March (winter).

In between the rabi and the kharif seasons, there is a short season during the

summer months known as the Zaid season. Some of the crops produced during

‘zaid’ are watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables and fodder crops.

2.Disinfectant

Context:

The Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has sparked controversy after migrant workers,

returning home during a nationwide coronavirus lockdown, were doused in bleach

disinfectant used to sanitize buses.

Concept:

A disinfectant can be defined as an antimicrobial agent that can be applied

on the surface of some objects in order to destroy the microorganisms

residing on it.

Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially

resistant bacterial spores; it is less effective than sterilization, which is an

extreme physical and/or chemical process that kills all types of life.

Disinfectants work by destroying the cell wall of microbes or interfering

with the metabolism of microorganisms.

Common disinfectants include alcohols, quarternary ammonium salts,

formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde, bleach, chloramine, chlorine dioxide,

ozone, silver dihydrogen citrate, and thymol.

Disinfectant vs Antiseptic vs Antibiotic

Disinfectants are different from other antimicrobial agents such

as antibiotics, which destroy microorganisms within the body,

and antiseptics, which destroy microorganisms on living tissue

3. Gut micro biome

Context:

A healthy body has a healthy gut. The microbes living in our gut, collectively

known as microbiomes play an important role in the body’sresponse to infectious

pathogens like coronavirus. It is thus important to maintain a healthy gut which

helps to prevent impaired digestion that can damage the vital organs like lungs

causing respiratory failure.

Concept:

Human gastrointestinal microbiota, also known as gut flora or gut

microbiota, are the microorganisms (generally bacteria and archaea), that

live in the digestive tracts of humans.

These organisms play a key role in many aspects such as

Digesting breast milk: Some of the bacteria that first begin to grow inside

babies' intestines are called Bifidobacteria. They digest the healthy sugars in

breast milk that are important for growth

Digesting fiber: Certain bacteria digest fiber, producing short-chain fatty

acids, which are important for gut health. Fiber may help prevent weight

gain, diabetes, heart disease and the risk of cancer

Helping control immune system: The gut microbiome also controls how

your immune system works. By communicating with immune cells, the gut

microbiome can control how your body responds to infection

Research project:

CSIR India has proposed a project that would study and map the human

microbiome across the country. The Rs 150-crore project will get approval

soon. A high-level committee at the Department of Biotechnology has shown a

keen interest in the proposed project. The project will include collection of saliva,

stool and skin swabs of 20,000 Indians across various ethnic groups from different

geographical regions.

4. Vote on account

Context:

Pudhucherry assembly has given nod for vote on account

Concept:

The constitution says that no money can be withdrawn by the government

from the Consolidated Fund of India except under appropriation made by

law.

For that an appropriation bill is passed during the Budget process. However,

the appropriation bill may take time to pass through the Parliament and

become a law.

Meanwhile, the government would need permission to spend even a single

penny from April 1 when the new financial year starts.

Vote on account is the permission to withdraw money from the Consolidated

Fund of India in that period, usually two months.

Vote on account is a formality and requires no debate. When elections are

scheduled a few months into the new financial year, the government seeks

vote on account for four months. Essentially, vote on account is the interim

permission of the parliament to the government to spend money.

So vote on account is just an interim permission to spend money as against a

full Budget which is an elaborate financial statement of expenditure and

receipts including changes in taxes and government policies.

5. ‘Scitech Airon’

Context:

A technology has been developed by an incubatee company of Scitech Park, Pune

which offers an effective solution for India’s fight against Covid 19 by reducing

the viral load of infected areas within a room significantly within an hour. The

technology has been developed under the NIDHI PRAYAS program initiated by

the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

Concept:

The Scitech Airon ionizer machine generates negatively charged ions at

approx 10 ions per sec.

The negative ions generated by the ionizer form clusters around

microparticles such as airborne mold, corona or influenza viruses, mite

allergens, bacteria, pollens, dust and so on and render them inactive through

a chemical reaction by creating highly reactive OH groups called hydroxyl

radicals and H O which are highly reactive and known as atmospheric

detergents.

The detergent property generated by the ion generator helps in the breakdown

of the outer protein of the allergens, viruses, and bacteria, which helps in

controlling airborne diseases.

Uses:

The negative ion generator titled Scitech Airon, which helps to control the virus,

bacteria, and fungal infections in a closed environment, could clean up the air and

disinfect areas which are exposed to the infection through Covid 19 positive cases

and suspects. Hence it could ensure the wellbeing of the staff, doctors, and nurses

who are working round the clock in the quarantine facilities by enhancing their

disease resistance power and ability to fight the virus.

6. Local vs community transmission

Context

A day after a health ministry document mentioned “limited community

transmission” of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country, the government asserted

on Monday it had reached only a “local transmission” stage.

Concept:

Local transmission is when relatives or acquaintances of those who

travelled abroad who test positive after close contact with the infected

person.

At this stage, fewer people are affected, the source of the virus is known and

is therefore easier to perform contact tracing and contain the spread via self-

quarantining. Countries like India are currently in Stage 2.

Community transmission is a stage where those have not been exposed to

an infected person or anyone who has a travel history to affected countries,

still test positive.

In other words, people are unable to identify where they might have picked

up the virus from. Countries like Singapore, Italy and Spain are currently in

Stage 3.

7.PMNRF vs PMCARES

Context:

The government announced the creation of a new fund to deal with the

coronavirus outbreak after the Prime Minister’s office received

“spontaneous and innumerable requests for making generous donations to

support the government in the wake of this emergency”.

The fund has been named PM-CARES or Prime Minister’s Citizen

Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund.

Concept:

It’s a public charitable trust with the PM as the chairman and Union defence, home

and finance minister as other members. This fund will enable micro-donations

About PMNRF and its similarity with PMCARES:

The Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) was established in

1948 entirely with public contributions like PM-CARES

All contributions towards PMNRF are exempt from Income Tax under

section 80(G), like those under the new fund.

Disbursements from PMNRF are made with the approval of the PM,

probably like the PM-CARES fund.

PMNRF is also a trust like PM-CARES and managed from the PMO.

Difference

The resources of the PMNRF are utilized primarily to render immediate

relief to families of those killed in natural calamities like floods, cyclones

and earthquakes, etc. and to the victims of the major accidents and

riots. Assistance from PMNRF is also rendered, to partially defray the

expenses for medical treatment like heart surgeries, kidney

transplantation, cancer treatment and acid attack etc.

The primary objective of PMCARES is dealing with any kind of

emergency or distress situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic,

and to provide relief to the affected

8. IDSP: Hotspot and cluster

Context:

As Covid-19 cases reached 1,071 across the country, India is set to ramp up testing

in 10 identified “hotspots” where “unusual” transmission has been detected.

Delhi’s Nizamuddin West has emerged as a common link among numerous

confirmed cases recorded in different parts of the country.

In Rajasthan’s Bhilwara, 25 confirmed cases and two deaths have been

recorded so far.

The state’s northern district of Kasargod recorded 15 more cases, taking the

total there to over 30.

Concept:

An area where there are more than 10 cases as a cluster.

Places where there are several clusters are treated as hotspots.

Government is planning to follow rigorous surveillance and containment

measures in these places.

The cluster containment plan by the ministry of health, mandates the

epidemiological assessment process is to take time (>12-24 hrs), then a

containment zone of 3 Kms and a buffer zone of 7 Kms have to be decided

which may be subsequently revised, if required, based on epidemiologic

investigation.