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July – 2020 (Exclusive Current Affairs)

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N. Kalyana Chakravarthy [email protected] +91 92 46 36 56 22

Monopoly in Railways to come to an end: The first railway completed in India was a 21-mile-long line of track running between Bombay and Thane, which opened in 1853. Indian Railways divided into zones, divisions. As of now (2020) there are 17 zones and 70 divisions in India The Indian Railways is a huge organisation spread over length and breadth of the country. To make its management and operations smooth and hassle-free, it has been divided into zones, which are further sub-divided into divisions. Each division has its divisional headquarter. At present there are 17 Railway Zones and a total of 70 divisions in India. Each of these Railway divisions is headed by a Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) who reports to the General Manager (GM) of that zone. The Divisional Railway Manager is generally assisted by one or two Additional Divisional Railway Managers (ADRM) of the division. Note: 18th zone South Coastal Railway Zone is announced in 2019 with headquarters in Andhra Pradesh with three divisions. RFQ: Request for Qualifications

RFP (Request for Proposal)

OD- Origin Destination

Taking the first step in divesting its near-total monopoly in the Railways, the GOI on July 1, 2020 invited RFQ for private players for the operation of passenger train services on 109 OD pairs of routes through introduction of 151 modern trains.

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The Railways had picked about 100 routes to run 150 private passenger trains in December last year.

According to Railway Ministry the operation of these passenger trains is a part of a project that “would entail private sector investment of about Rs 30,000 crore. “This is the first initiative of private investment for running passenger trains over Indian Railways network. The announcement of seeking private participation in operating passenger trains could effectively alter the very landscape of the railway network and would for the first time diminish the national transporter’s overarching control on trains, tracks and manpower.

Inviting RFQ is just like an expression of interest. The logistics will be decided gradually. Naturally, the private operators will choose their technology and determine the fare. But Certain aspects like safety, time-tabling of trains etc. will stay with the railways only. Keeping the time-tabling with the Railways would be important to ensure that all the busy time slots are not taken by private players. Need of RFQ: “RFQ is the first step of the process. In this it will be gauged who are the parties eligible, whether they have the technical know-how or not, etc

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After the RFQ, there would be an RFP (Request for Proposal), which can be called the bidding process.

The Railways would subsequently constitute a Rail Development Authority. This is going to be an independent body to decide rail fares to ensure pricing is commensurate with the expenses. Majority of the trains would be manufactured in India in the future, and the private entity will be responsible for financing, procuring, operation and maintenance of the trains.

Objectives of Privatisation:

The objective of this initiative is to introduce modern technology rolling stock with reduced maintenance, reduced transit time, boost job creation, provide enhanced safety, provide world-class travel experience to passengers, and also reduce demand supply deficit in the passenger transportation sector.

How these trains to be?

Each train would have a minimum of 16 coaches and be designed for a maximum speed of 160 km/h.

“There would be a substantial reduction in journey time.

The running time taken by a train shall be comparable to or faster than the fastest train of Indian Railways operating in the respective route.

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The private entity shall pay fixed haulage (commercial transportation) charges and energy charges according to actual consumption, and a share in gross revenue determined through a transparent bidding process.

How many trains are operated by Railways now?

The railways run 13,000 passenger trains, out of that 150 is a very small number.

Scope in future:

Depending on the success of private train operators, the number can be expanded. The existing trains will continue to be with the railways, with operations staying with the transporter too.

Note:

Private players will not get operations — driver, guard, safety certification, infrastructure will remain with railways.

Private players will only get on-board services — entertainment, food, cleanliness, passenger amenities, fare collection.

Think:

Advantages and disadvantages of privatisation of railways.

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Q. What is the name of India’s first indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine?

a. COVAXIN

b. COVIDAXIN

c. BHARATKAVACH

c. None of the above

Ans: A

COVAXIN is the first indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine to be approved for Human Clinical Trials. It is developed by Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech.

Q. Garuda is the name of exercise between:

a. Indian Air Force & French Air Force

b. Indian Navy & French Navy

c. Indian Air Force & US Air Force

d. Indian Navy & Russian Navy

Ans: A

Garuda is the name of exercise between Indian Air Force & French Air Force

Note:

Varuna is a Indo-French Joint Naval Exercise.

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Q. How many urban forests will be developed under Nagar Van scheme?

a. 58

b. 89

c. 150

d. 200

Ans: D

On the World Environment Day on 5 June 2020, Nagar Van Scheme was announced under which the target was set for the development of 200 Urban Forests in the upcoming five years over the country.

On the occasion of World Environment Day, the government announced implementation of the Nagar van scheme to develop 200 Urban Forests across the country in next five years with a renewed focus on people’s participation and collaboration between Forest Department, Municipal bodies, NGOs, Corporates and local citizens. World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated on 5th June every year. Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change celebrates WED focusing on the theme declared by United Nation’s Environment Programme (UNEP) and organizes several events. In view of the prevalent situation due to COVID-19 pandemic the ministry held virtual celebrations of World Environment Day on this year’s theme with focus on Nagar Van (Urban Forests).

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Q. J2157 is sometimes seen in news. It is a name of:

a. Black hole

b. Asteroid

c. Comet

d. Moon

Ans: A

J2157 is the fastest-growing black hole and the brightest black hole known in the universe.

The black hole is 34 billion times the mass of our Sun and it eats the mass equivalent of one sun every day.

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The supermassive black hole is only one step short of the largest black hole in the universe — Abell 85 — which has a mass of 40 billion suns.

A team of researchers led by The Australian National University has determined just how massive the fastest-growing black hole in the Universe is. The team is also determined how much material the black was consuming. According to the scientists, the gigantic black hole is 34 billion times the mass of our Sun and eats approximately the equivalent of one Sun every day.

A black hole is a region in space where the pulling force of gravity is so strong that light is not able to escape. The strong gravity occurs because matter has been pressed into a tiny space. This compression can take place at the end of a star's life. Some black holes are a result of dying stars.

Because no light can escape, black holes are invisible. However, space telescopes with special instruments can help find black holes. They can observe the behavior of material and stars that are very close to black holes.

Black holes can come in a range of sizes, but there are three main types of black holes. The black hole's mass and size determine what kind it is.

The smallest ones are known as primordial black holes. Scientists believe this type of black hole is as small as a single atom but with the mass of a large mountain.

The most common type of medium-sized black holes is called "stellar." The mass of a stellar black hole can be up to 20 times greater than the mass of the sun and can fit inside a ball with a diameter of about 10 miles. Dozens of stellar mass black holes may exist within the Milky Way galaxy.

The largest black holes are called "supermassive." These black holes have masses greater than 1 million suns combined and would fit inside a ball with a diameter about the size of the solar

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system. Scientific evidence suggests that every large galaxy contains a supermassive black hole at its centre. The supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way galaxy is called Sagittarius A. It has a mass equal to about 4 million suns and would fit inside a ball with a diameter about the size of the sun.

A black hole cannot be seen because of the strong gravity that is pulling all of the light into the black hole's centre. However, scientists can see the effects of its strong gravity on the stars and gases around it. If a star is orbiting a certain point in space, scientists can study the star's motion to find out if it is orbiting a black hole.

Kulbhushan Jadhav:

The Indian response came after the Pakistan claim that Mr. Jadhav, arrested on charges of espionage and terrorism in 2016, had refused to file an appeal in the Islamabad High Court.

India said on July 8, 2020 that former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a Pakistan Army court, had “clearly been coerced” into not appealing against his April 2017 conviction.

The Indian response came after Pakistan claimed earlier in the day that Mr. Jadhav, arrested on charges of espionage and terrorism in 2016, had refused to file an appeal in the Islamabad High Court.

Speaking at a special briefing arranged by the Pakistani Foreign Office in Islamabad, Pakistan’s Additional Attorney-General Ahmed Irfan stated that an ordinance had been issued in May that allowed Mr. Jadhav, his legal representative, or a representative of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad to file a review petition in line with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) verdict of July 2019.

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“India sought unimpeded access to Shri Jadhav to discuss his remedies under the ordinance. In a brazen attempt to scuttle even the inadequate remedy under the ordinance, Pakistan has obviously coerced Shri Jadhav to forego his rights to seek an implementation of the judgment of the ICJ,” an External Affairs Ministry statement said.

It’s interesting that Mr. Jadhav, whose sentence was handed down by a Pakistani Army field general court martial, has now been extended the right to appeal in a civilian court – the Islamabad High Court. (Pakistani Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa had confirmed the court martial verdict).

Mr. Irfan claimed that on June 17 Mr. Jadhav was “invited” to file a review petition in the Islamabad High Court against his sentence, but chose not to do so. Mr. Jadhav, instead, “preferred to follow-up” on his pending “mercy” petition.

The Pakistani legal officer also claimed that they had written repeatedly to the Indian High Commission to file a review petition on behalf of Mr. Jadhav.

India, on the other hand, said Pakistan had all along maintained that their laws allowed for effective review and reconsideration. “Now, after almost a year, they have made a U-turn and issued an Ordinance to ostensibly provide for some sort of review. We have already expressed our serious concerns at the content of the Ordinance and how it violates the ICJ judgment. Pakistan is only seeking to create an illusion of remedy.

In its July 2019 verdict, the ICJ ordered Pakistan to review Mr. Jadhav’s death sentence, ruling that India’s right to have consular access to its national had been violated.

Pakistan “deprived the Republic of India of the right to communicate with and have access to Mr Kulbhushan Sudhir Jadhav, to visit him in detention and to arrange for his legal representation”, the judges said.

“A continued stay of execution constitutes an indispensable condition for the effective review and reconsideration of the

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conviction and sentence of Mr. Kulbhushan Sudhir Jadhav,” the world court ruled.

Following the ICJ judgment, India finally obtained consular access to Mr. Jadhav in September 2019 – but only in the presence of video cameras and Pakistani officials.

According to the deadline given by Pakistan on July 8, 2020, Mr. Jadhav has until July 20 to file an application petition against his conviction and sentence in the Islamabad High Court.

Mr. Irfan also claimed that Pakistan had also offered India consular access to Mr. Jadhav for a second time.

Q. Japanese Encephalitis is caused by:

a. Bacteria

b. Virus

c. Protozoan

d. Algae

Ans: B

Japanese Encephalitis is a mosquito-borne viral infection. It is a flavivirus family related to dengue, yellow fever and West Nile viruses.

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• It will not spread from one person to another.

• There is no cure for the disease.

• ‘SA 14-14-2’ vaccine become the most widely used vaccine in

endemic countries, and it was prequalified by WHO.

• Migratory birds along with pigs in the community play an important role in the transmission of JE from one area to another

• Vector is an organism, typically a biting insect or tick, that transmits a disease or parasite from one animal or plant to another.

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Q. Which of the following organizations is related to Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting?

a. OECD

b. UN

c. SAARC

d. OPEC

Ans: A

Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting, sometime abbreviated BEPS multilateral instrument, is a multilateral convention of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to combat tax avoidance by multinational enterprises (MNEs) through prevention of Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS). The BEPS multilateral instrument was negotiated within the framework of the OECD G20 BEPS project and enables countries and jurisdictions to swiftly modify their bilateral tax treaties to implement some of the measures agreed

Q. Tehri Dam is located in:

a. Himachal Pradesh

b. Jammu & Kashmir

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c. Sikkim

d. Uttarakhand

Ans: D

The Tehri Dam is the highest dam in India and one of the highest in the world. It is a multi-purpose rock and earth-fill embankment dam on the Bhagirathi River near Tehri in Uttarakhand

It rises in the Gangotri glacier near Gaumukh (3,900 m) in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. Here, it is known as the Bhagirathi.

The Tehri dam, in the north of India, was commissioned in 2006 to provide water for electricity generation, irrigation and drinking water. It has a sediment trap efficiency of 95 per cent and was designed to offset 150 years of sedimentation. Watershed management is the principle measure in use for reducing the sediment inflow into the Tehri reservoir.

The Tehri reservoir serves multiple purposes besides storing water to produce 6,200 GWh of annual electricity generation. It provides irrigation to an additional area of 270,000 hectares as well as supporting the existing irrigated area of 604,000 hectares. It supplies clean drinking water to about 4 million people in Delhi and 3 million people in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. And last but not least, the Tehri reservoir has a flood control pool capacity of 219.65 Mm3.

Bhagirathi source is Gangothri Alakananda source is Satopanth glacier In Devprayag the rivers Bhagirathi and Alakananda merged

(confluence) and takes the name Ganga. It is believed that a third river, the mythical Saraswati river is

underground and meets these two rivers at the confluence. Saraswati, which originates from Mana Village in Badrinath

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Panch Prayag:

1. Dev Prayag 2. Rudra 3. Karna 4. Nanda 5. Vishnu

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Q. Bhitarkanika National Park is located in:

a. Madhya Pradesh

b. Odisha

c. Jammu & Kashmir

d. Tripura

Ans: B

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The Bhitarkanika National Park (BNP) of Odisha has become the largest habitat of the endangered estuarine crocodiles in India with a record number of their nesting sites spotted in it.

An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environments known as ecotone

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Estuarine Crocodile

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World Population:

At the dawn of agriculture, about 8000 B.C., the population of the world was approximately 5 million. Over the 8,000-year period up to 1 A.D. it grew to 200 million (some estimate 300 million or even 600, suggesting how imprecise population estimates of early historical periods can be), with a growth rate of under 0.05% per year.

A tremendous change occurred with the industrial revolution: whereas it had taken all of human history until around 1800 for world population to reach one billion, the second billion was achieved in only 130 years (1930), the third billion in 30 years (1960), the fourth billion in 15 years (1974), and the fifth billion in only 13 years (1987).

During the 20th century alone, the population in the world has grown from 1.65 billion to 6 billion.

In 1970, there were roughly half as many people in the world as there are now.

Because of declining growth rates, it will now take over 200 years to double again.

6 Billion – 1999 (12th October) 7 billion – 2011 (31st October) 7.8 billion- July 2020 8th billion – (2023) 9th billion – (2037) 10th billion – (2057)

India:

The current population of India is 1,380, 407,161 as of July 11, 2020, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data.

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India 2020 population is estimated at 1,380,004,385 people at midyear according to UN data.

India population is equivalent to 17.7% of the total world population.

India ranks number 2 in the list of countries by population. The population density in India is 464 per Km2 (1,202 people per

mi2). The total land area is 2,973,190 Km2 (1,147,955 sq. miles) 35.0 % of the population is urban (483,098,640 people in 2020)

The five largest countries by Population:

1. China - 1,439,487,500 2. India - 1,380,407,161 3. USA - 331,059,982 4. Indonesia - 273,609,570 5. Pakistan - 221,021,284

Issues:

Every day, hundreds of thousands of girls around the world are harmed physically or psychologically, with the full knowledge and consent of their families, friends and communities.

And without urgent action, the situation is likely to worsen. These are the findings of UNFPA’s flagship 2020 State of World Population Report.

The report examines the origin and extent of harmful practices around the world, and what must be done to stop them.

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• Some 47 million women in 114 low- and middle-income countries are projected to be unable to use modern contraceptives if the average lockdown, or COVID-19-related disruption, continues for 6 months with major disruptions to services.

• If the lockdown continues for 6 months and there are major service disruptions due to COVID-19, an additional 7 million unintended pregnancies are expected to occur.

Never before had population grown so rapidly - in 1950, five years after the founding of the United Nations, world population was estimated at around 2.6 billion people. It reached 5 billion in 1987 and 6 billion in 1999. In October 2011, the global population was estimated to be 7 billion.

A global movement "7 Billion Actions" was launched to mark this

milestone. The world’s population is expected to increase by 2 billion persons in the next 30 years, from 7.7 billion currently to 9.7 billion in 2050 and could peak at nearly 11 billion around 2100.

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IFSC:

An international financial services centre caters to customers outside the jurisdiction of domestic economy, dealing with flows of finance, financial products and services across borders

Gujarat International Finance Tec-City Co. Ltd is developed as

the country’s first international financial services centre (IFSC). What is an IFSC? An IFSC caters to customers outside the jurisdiction of the

domestic economy. Such centres deal with flows of finance, financial products and services across borders.

London, New York and Singapore can be counted as global financial centres.

Many emerging IFSCs around the world, such as Shanghai and

Dubai, are aspiring to play a global role in the years to come. An expert panel headed by former World Bank economist Percy

Mistry submitted a report on making Mumbai an international financial centre in 2007. However, the global financial crisis that unfolded in 2008 made countries including India cautious about rapidly opening up their financial sectors

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What are the services an IFSC can provide? Fund-raising services for individuals, corporations and

governments Asset management and global portfolio diversification

undertaken by pension funds, insurance companies and mutual funds

Wealth management Global tax management and cross-border tax liability

optimization, which provides a business opportunity for financial intermediaries, accountants and law firms.

Global and regional corporate treasury management operations that involve fund-raising, liquidity investment and management and asset-liability matching

Risk management operations such as insurance and reinsurance Merger and acquisition activities among trans-national

corporations The SEZ Act 2005 allows setting up an IFSC in an SEZ or as an SEZ after approval from the central government. IFSCs such as Dubai International Financial Centre and Shanghai International Financial Centre, which are located within SEZs, have six key building blocks:

Rational legal regulatory framework Sustainable local economy Stable political environment Developed infrastructure Strategic location Good quality of life

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Since India has many restrictions on the financial sector, such as

partial capital account convertibility, high SLR (statutory liquidity ratio) requirements and foreign investment restrictions, an SEZ can serve as a testing ground for financial sector reforms before they are rolled out in the entire nation. Apart from SEZ-related incentives, as per the SEZ Act, there is an exemption from the securities transaction tax levied under Section 98 of the Finance Act, 2004, in case taxable securities transactions are entered into by a non-resident through an IFSC.

Commercial banks are allowed to open offshore banking units (OBUs) within SEZs, which are deemed as overseas branches. Such OBUs can trade in foreign currencies in overseas markets and also with Indian banks, raise funds in foreign currency as deposits and borrowings from non-resident sources and provide loans and liability products for clients.

SBI set up its first OBU at Santacruz Electronics Export Processing Zone in Mumbai, in 2003.

Latest:

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of Injeti Srinivas as chairman of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA).

The former corporate affairs secretary and 1983-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre will head the IFSCA for a period of three years.

While at the helm of the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA), Srinivas was instrumental in pushing through significant reforms

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in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and the Companies Act.

As part of the government’s objective to improve the ease of doing business, Srinivas played a pivotal role in the decriminalisation of various minor, procedural and technical offences under the Companies Act.

He also ensured an increase in the threshold for initiating insolvency proceedings under the IBC to Rs 1 crore, aimed at insulating micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from the pandemic fallout.

Heading the Insolvency Law Committee, Srinivas pushed for the inclusion of home buyers as financial creditors under the IBC for housing projects to ensure they had powers to make construction firms accountable.

The IFSCA was established by the finance ministry on April 27 as the unified authority to regulate all financial services in International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) in the country.

The main function of the authority will be to regulate financial products such as securities, deposits or contracts of insurance, financial services, and financial institutions which have been previously approved by any appropriate regulator in an IFSC. The body will be headquartered at GIFT (Gujarat International Finance Tec-city) city in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Back Ground:

The International Financial Services Centres Authority Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of Finance, Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman, on November 25, 2019.

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The Bill provides for the establishment of an Authority to develop and regulate the financial services market in the International Financial Services Centres in India.

Key features:

Coverage: The Bill will apply to all International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) set up under the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005.

International Financial Services Centres Authority: The Bill sets up the International Financial Services Centres Authority. It will consist of nine members, appointed by the central government. Members of the Authority will include: (i) the Chairperson, (ii) one member each to be nominated from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), (iii) two members from among officials of the Ministry of Finance, and (iv) two members to be appointed on the recommendation of a Search Committee. Members will have a term of three years, subject to reappointment.

Functions of the Authority: The Authority will regulate financial products (such as securities, deposits or contracts of insurance), financial services, and financial institutions which have been previously approved by any appropriate regulator (such as RBI or SEBI), in an IFSC. It will follow all processes which are applicable to such financial products, financial services, and financial institutions under their respective laws. The appropriate regulators are listed in a Schedule to the Bill, and includes the RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, and PFRDA. The central government may amend this schedule through a notification.

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Other functions of the Authority include: (i) regulating any other financial products, financial services, or financial institutions in an IFSC, which may be notified by the central government, and (ii) recommending any other financial products, financial services, or financial institutions to the central government, which may be permitted in an IFSC.

International Financial Services Centres Authority Fund: The Bill sets up the International Financial Services Centres Authority Fund. The following items will be credited to the Fund: (i) all grants, fees and charges received by the Authority, and (ii) all sums received by the Authority from various sources, as decided by the central government. The Fund will be used for: (i) salaries, allowances and other remuneration of members and employees of the Authority, and (ii) expenses incurred by the Authority. Further, the central government may provide grants to the Authority for the regulation of IFSCs.

Performance Review Committee: The Authority will constitute a Performance Review Committee to review its functioning. The Review Committee will consist of at least two members of the Authority. It will review whether: (i) the Authority has adhered to the provisions of the applicable laws while exercising powers or performing functions, (ii) the regulations made by the Authority promote transparency and best practices of governance, and (iii) the Authority is managing risks to its functioning in a reasonable manner. The Committee must submit a report of its findings to the Authority at least once every year.

Transaction in foreign currency: As per the Bill, all transactions of financial services in IFSCs will be in such foreign currency as specified by the Authority, in consultation with the central government.

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Reservation for Disabled:

Anamol Bhandari (minor) through his father/Natural Guardian v. Delhi Technological University – (2012)

The Supreme Court, in a significant decision, confirmed that persons suffering from disabilities are also socially backward and

entitled to the same benefits of relaxation as Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe candidates in public employment and education.

A three-judge Bench led by Justice Rohinton Nariman upheld a 2012 judgment of the Delhi High Court in Anamol Bhandari (minor) through his father/Natural Guardian v. Delhi Technological University in a significant decision.

“In Anamol Bhandari, the High Court has correctly held that people suffering from disabilities are also socially backward, and are therefore, at the very least, entitled to the same benefits as given to the Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe candidates,” - Supreme Court judgment pronounced on July 8, 2020.

The decision by the Justice Nariman Bench came on a petition filed by Aryan Raj, a special needs person represented by senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, and advocate Rajan Mani, against the Government College of Arts, Chandigarh.

The college denied Mr. Raj relaxation in minimum qualifying marks in the Painting and Applied Art course.

The college insisted that disabled persons too need to meet the general qualifying standard of 40% in the aptitude test, whereas SC/ST candidates were given a relaxation to 35%.

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Setting aside the college decision, the Supreme Court noted that Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe candidates require 35% to pass in the aptitude test, the same shall apply so far as the disabled are concerned in future.”

The apex court allowed Mr. Raj to apply afresh for the current year. “Further, it is clear that aptitude test pass mark, so far as disabled are concerned, is now 35%,” – Declared by the Apex Court.

Justice Nariman’s Bench also highlighted the Delhi High Court’s words in the Anmol Bhandari case that new academic courses should be crafted to specifically cater to the needs of intellectually disabled persons.

“We cannot lose sight of the fact that intellectually/mentally challenged persons have certain limitations, which are not there in physically challenged persons. The subject experts would thus be well advised to examine the feasibility of creating a course which caters to the specific needs of such persons. They may also examine increasing the number of seats in the discipline of Painting and Applied Art with a view to accommodating such students. - The Supreme Court quoted from the High Court judgment.

Hitherto, candidates with disabilities were often not able to get the benefit of reservation in education and employment because of not meeting the general standards. Now, public sector employers and colleges / universities will have to allow the same relaxations to them as to SC / ST candidates.


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OBC Reservations:

About 40 out of 5,000-6,000 castes/communities among the OBC which constitute less than 1 per cent, have cornered 50 per cent of the reservation benefits in admissions to central educational institutions and recruitment to central services. -- A panel constituted by the government and headed by Justice Rohini.

According to the panel, formed to examine the sub-categorisation of OBCs in October 2017, around 20 per cent of OBC communities did not get any quota benefit between 2014 and 2018. The mandate requires the committee to look at the distribution of reservation benefits at the central level

The panel was led by retired Delhi High Court chief justice G. Rohini, the commission got its ninth extension for six months, on 24 June, 2020.

The OBCs are eligible for a 27 per cent quota in government jobs and education institutions.

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Sub-categorisation of OBCs, which comprise thousands of communities, castes etc, has been a long-standing demand among some sections to ensure better distribution of reservation benefits.

The issue of sub-categorisation assumes significance ahead of the Bihar assembly elections scheduled in November, as caste politics is known to play a dominant role in deciding poll outcomes in the state.

While OBC reservation in government jobs was introduced in 1993, the education quota came into force in 2006.

Pointing to the inequity in the availing of quota benefits, members of the Justice Rohini panel said sub-categorisation had become “urgent and inescapable”.

The Justice Rohini panel was to submit its report within 12 weeks of formation. It started working with data from 2014-17, but subsequently got updated numbers until 2018 amid term extensions.

“The latest data that we have compiled is up to 2018. And it has thrown up the same results as before.

According to the commission, between 2014 and 2018, there were about 13,000 OBC admissions to IITs, more than 3,000 to the IIMs, and over 60,000 to various other central universities.

The central list of OBC has 2,633 entries. According to the commission, many of the 2,633 entries comprise several classes, communities and sub-communities, etc, which means the total number of individually named classes/castes in the central list is between 5,000 and 6,000.

The findings of the panel so far suggest that 25 per cent of the reservation benefits were availed of by communities listed in 10

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entries of the central list. Another 25 per cent were availed of by communities listed in another 38 entries.

The commission also found that 20 per cent of the communities, listed in 983 entries, could not avail of any benefits. Those in another 994 had a share of just 2.68 per cent.

The data shows gross inequity in the benefits of reservations enjoyed by different communities. “The level of inequity is such that it makes the exercise of sub-categorisation among the OBCs urgent and inescapable.

India and Iran:

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As in 2017 The first phase of the Iranian Chabahar Port, which India is

developing to open a trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan, was inaugurated on December 3, 2017.

The Chabahar port is crucial as Pakistan does not allow India to send goods to Iran and Afghanistan through its territory by land.

It is also expected to act as a counter to the Gwadar port in Pakistan, barely 100km away, which is being developed by China.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a $62bn connectivity project envisioned to stretch from the western Chinese city of Kashgar to Pakistan’s Arabian Sea port of Gwadar, located near Iran and Persian Gulf shipping lanes.

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http://multimedia.scmp.com/news/china/article/One-Belt-One-Road/pakistan.html

It is a major component of Beijing’s broader Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Pakistan is a significant partner for China as it links China to the Central Asia, Southern Asian region and Middle East and

the deep-sea port Gwadar offers direct access to the Indian Ocean and beyond.

It’s taken decades of work to build the road from Chinas Xinjiang to Gwadar, but it is finally partly operational.

Gwadar port, which is still under construction, is owned by the Pakistan government’s Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) and operated by state-run Chinese firm China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC), which will run it for 40 years.

The ships have now started arriving and they are bringing cargo and equipment for the work on the port. All in all, the progress is good.”

Gwadar port in Pakistan and Chabahar in Iran are not mere ports but geopolitical launch pads that can alter the strategic balance in the region.

What is a strait? Please recollect


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https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/capital-projects-and-infrastructure/our-insights/one-belt-and-one-road-connecting-china-and-the-world

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/capital-projects-and-infrastructure/our-insights/one-belt-and-one-road-connecting-china-and-the-world

http://worldnewsreport.in/a-tale-of-two-ports-gwadar-versus-chahbahar/

The Gwadar port close to the Straits of Hormuz allows China to

access the Indian Ocean. China can monitor US and Indian naval activity in the Persian

Gulf and Arabian Sea while its proxy Pakistan can control the energy routes from there.

On the other hand, Chabahar is India’s trump card and gateway to Afghanistan, Central Asia, Russia, and beyond. It can allow India to monitor Pakistani and Chinese naval activities in the Indian Ocean Region and Gulf.

Iran's Chabahar port is the only deep seaport and India's gateway to central Asia. The port was inaugurated in 2017, it not only side-stepped Pakistan but also counter-balanced the Chinese-controlled Gwadar port.

What is Deep Seaport? A Panamax port is a deep water port that can accommodate a fully

laden Panamax ship.

Panamax and New Panamax (or Neopanamax) are terms for the size limits for ships travelling through the Panama Canal. The limits and requirements are published by the Panama Canal Authority in a publication titled "Vessel Requirements". These requirements also describe topics like exceptional dry seasonal limits, propulsion, communications, and detailed ship design.


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Panama Canal: Panama Canal, Spanish Canal de Panamá, lock-type canal, owned

and administered by the Republic of Panama, that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the narrow Isthmus of Panama.. The length of the Panama Canal from shoreline to shoreline is about 40 miles (65 km) and from deep water in the Atlantic (more specifically, the Caribbean Sea) to deep water in the Pacific about 50 miles (82 km).

The canal, which was completed in August 1914, is one of the two most strategic artificial waterways in the world, the other being the Suez Canal. Ships sailing between the east and west coasts of the United States, which otherwise would be obliged to round Cape Horn in South America, shorten their voyage by about 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km) by using the canal.


India had an ambitious plan - offload shipments in Chabahar, load them on trucks and trains, send them to Zahedan in Iran, go further to Zarang in Afghanistan and take the goods to the central Asian republics.

For this plan to be successful, India needed to develop better connectivity to the port - enter the Chabahar-Zahedan railway line, the 628-km-long track connecting the port to Zahedan

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India and Iran had agreed to jointly construct the railway line with 34 stations estimated to ferry 2.8 million tonnes of freight per year. The deal was reached in 2016 during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Iran.

Four years on (July 2020) Tehran has thrown New Delhi out of the project. It now wants to construct the railway line alone. Reports claim that Iran has already inaugurated the track-laying process.

Tehran claims New Delhi has been delaying funding. The project was being stalled because of US sanctions on Iran, although it was waived in 2018 but finding suppliers and partners continued to remain a challenge as banks too were reluctant to provide loans.

Iran is now constructing the railway line alone. It wants to complete the project by 2022. It is a big roadblock in India's strategic ambitions in central Asia.

It loses it’s influence in the trade corridor and it is a setback for India's bigger plan since the railroad was supposed to be a transit corridor to Afghanistan after connecting Chabahar to Zahedan, the railroad was to be linked to Zaranj in Afghanistan.

The plan may now need a rethink. The loss is diplomatic too. It is a sign of Iran losing confidence in India.

India's loss is China's gain. The development comes at a time when China is finalising a $400 billion strategic partnership deal with Iran. Not surprising given the two countries have a common enemy - the United States.

Beijing is set to gain from Chabahar development. Firstly, it will ensure a tighter grip over Iran which is a country with a population of 80 million with 60 per cent people under 30.

Secondly, Chabahar's loss is Gwadar's gain. The two ports are just 172 km away. Gwadar already has better connectivity, and China is unlikely to be shy of promoting it as the go-to port for trading with central Asia.

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Also, by kicking India out of a project in Iran, China gets to poison one more of India's allies and China gets to carve its way into trying to influence the affairs in Chabahar.

India must learn from the episode. New Delhi cannot take its allies for granted especially when the expansionist Dragon is on the loose and desperate.

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Climate Change in India:

This rise in temperature will not be uniform across all parts of the country - R Krishnan, executive director, Centre for Climate Change Studies at the (IITM).

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From 1901 to 2018, India’s average temperature had risen by 0.7

degrees Celsius. Experts attributed this rise to the variations in land use and land cover along with effects of greenhouse gases.

By the end of the 21st century, India’s mean surface air temperature will rise approximately by 1.39-2.70 degrees Celsius relative to the 1976-2005 temperature.

This rise in temperature will not be uniform across all parts of the country according to R Krishnan while speaking on ‘Climate Science and Earth System Modelling – Progress and Prospects’, in a webinar organized by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) -June 2020

Krishnan had led a 100-member team of scientists from multiple institutions, operating under the MoES, in drafting India’s first Climate Change Assessment Report over Indian Region.

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“The temperature rise predicted between 2070 and 2099 can be up to 2.70 degrees Celsius.

Greater warming will mean more water vapour presence in the atmosphere, which will in turn lead to more rainfall in the coming decades.

From 1901 to 2018, India’s average temperature had risen by 0.7 degrees Celsius.

Experts attributed this rise to the variations in land use and land cover along with effects of greenhouse gases.

The 2015 El Nino was one of the strongest in recent years, which was followed by two consecutive drought years.

El Nino is an abnormal warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean and is linked to decreased rainfall over India.

On the ongoing efforts to improve climate models, Krishnan said that his team was working towards developing an Earth System Model (ESM) that has a 27 km resolution. Some experiments are underway for the new ESM, which is being carried out as part of Co-ordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiments (CORDEX)

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El Niño is a climate cycle in the Pacific Ocean with a global impact on weather patterns.

The cycle begins when warm water in the western tropical Pacific Ocean shifts eastward along the equator toward the coast of South America. Normally, this warm water pools near Indonesia and the Philippines. During an El Niño, the Pacific's warmest surface waters sit offshore of north-western South America

El Niño is a climate phenomenon that occurs when a vast pool of water in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean becomes abnormally warm.

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Note: Under normal conditions, the warm water and the rains it

drives are in the western Pacific.

El Niño occurs every few years. Its most direct impacts are

droughts in normally damp places in the eastern Pacific, such as parts of Indonesia and Australia, while normally drier places like the west coast of South America suffer floods.

But the changes affect the global atmospheric circulation and can weaken the Indian monsoon and bring rains to the western US.

It is not certain what tips the unstable Pacific Ocean-atmosphere system into El Niño, but a weakening of the normal trade winds that blow westwards is a key symptom.

In 2014, the trigger may have been a big cluster of very strong thunderstorms over Indonesia in the early part of the year.

An El Niño is officially declared if the temperature of the eastern tropical Pacific rises 0.5C above the long-term average. The extreme El Niño year of 1997-98 saw a rise of more than 3C.

El Niño is one extreme in a natural cycle, with the opposite extreme called La Niña. The effect of climate change on the cycle is not yet understood, though some scientists think El Niño will become more common.

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Manodarpan

Union HRD Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched virtually the Manodarpan initiative of HRD Ministry on 21st July, 2020

Through a video tweet, Shri Pokhriyal informed that during the COVID pandemic, the HRD Ministry felt the need to focus on continuing education on the academic front and the mental well-being of the students.

He further informed that the Ministry has, therefore, taken up an initiative, named, ‘MANODARPAN’ covering a wide range of activities to provide Psychosocial Support to students for their Mental Health & Well-being during the COVID outbreak and beyond.

The Minister informed that the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 12.05.2020, launched the ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT ABHIYAN, a stimulus package for revitalising the economy of India post COVID-19 outbreak.

The ‘Manodarpan’ initiative has been included in the ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT ABHIYAN, as a part of strengthening human capital and increasing productivity and efficient reform and initiatives for the Education sector.

The Minister also appealed to all the students, teachers and parents across the country to join the initiative to keep a healthy lifestyle and lead a stress-free life.

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Creamy and Non-Creamy Layer Category

The government has recommended raising the income ceiling for the creamy layer of other backward classes (OBCs) from Rs 8 lakh to Rs 12 lakh per annum.

This means that if a household’s annual income is over Rs 12 lakh per annum, it will be ineligible for caste-based reservation in government jobs and admission to government-funded educational institutions under the OBC category.

The move has come after a government-appointed committee, to examine issues related to creamy layer equivalence among the socially and educationally backward classes (SEBCs), made two major recommendations.

In its report submitted on 19 September 2019, the committee proposed to include salaries in counting the gross annual income for determining the OBC creamy layer, and to raise the income ceiling from the present Rs 8 lakh.

It also proposed to include households with landholdings of over 10 hectares, of which at least 4 hectares is under irrigation, in the creamy layer.

B.P. Sharma, former secretary of the department of personnel and training, chaired the panel.

The ministry now circulated a Cabinet note on the recommendations, seeking suggestions and inputs from other ministries. The matter will be tabled before the Union Cabinet soon wherein a final decision will be taken.

The government last increased the creamy layer income ceiling for OBCs in September 2017 , from Rs 6 lakh to Rs 8 lakh per annum.

During the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s discussions on the report, the committee pointed out that the current system is ambivalent as income from salary is not included in determining the creamy layer for the salaried class.

The committee also suggested two alternatives.

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Firstly, it proposed to apply the gross annual income limit uniformly on all OBC categories, after excluding a few categories such as persons holding constitutional/statutory/senior government position.

This option also excluded households with a landholding of more than 10 hectares, of which at least 4 hectares is under irrigation, from the creamy layer.

“The committee has suggested that all taxable income, including salary, should be counted, which will remove the possibility of any discrimination; and will also be simpler.

The panel’s second option was to continue with the current system with certain modifications — wherein salary is not part of the total income.

The ministry chose to take the first option in its Cabinet note. Further, in view of the committee’s suggestion to raise the current income ceiling for creamy layer, the ministry proposed to increase it to Rs 12 lakh.

The current rules:

The OBCs are entitled to 27 per cent reservation in government jobs and admission to educational institutions. However, the creamy layer among them is excluded from such benefits.

In the Mandal Commission case, the Supreme Court had said the creamy layer among the OBCs would not get reservation benefits, and asked the government to decide criteria for determining that.

Presently, those with annual parental income (excluding earnings from farming, agriculture land, etc.) of Rs 8 lakh and above are not eligible for reservation benefits.

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Further, those who hold constitutional positions and enter Class-A positions in the government sector are automatically included in the creamy layer

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Q. World Day against Child Labour is observed every year on:

a. June 12th

b. July 18th

c. Dec 17th

d. July 5th

Ans: A

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The World Day Against Child Labour, which is held every year on June 12, is intended to foster the worldwide movement against child labour in any of its forms.

It was spurred by ratifications of ILO Convention No. 138 on the minimum age for employment and ILO Convention No. 182 on the worst forms of child labour.

152 million children between the ages of 5-17 were in child labour, almost half them, 73 million, in hazardous child labour.

Almost half (48%) of the victims of child labour were aged 5-11; 28% were 12-14 years old; and 24% were 15-17 years old.

Child labour is concentrated primarily in agriculture (71%) - this includes fishing, forestry, livestock herding and aquaculture - 17% in services; and 12% in the industrial sector, including mining.

Q. Headquarters of International Court of Justice is located in:

a. Geneva

b. Hague

c. Washington

d. New York

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Ans: B

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) sometimes called the World Court is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN).

The ICJ's primary functions are to settle international legal disputes submitted by states (contentious cases) and give advisory opinions on legal issues referred to it by the UN

The ICJ comprises a panel of 15 judges elected by the General Assembly and Security Council for nine-year terms. The court is seated in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, making it the only principal U.N. organ not located in New York City.

Q. Which of the following country is the largest supplier of Uranium to India?

a. Kazakhstan

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b. Australia

c. Russia

d. France

Ans: A

Kazakhstan is the largest supplier of Uranium to India providing 5,000 tonnes between 2015 and 2019.

Kazakhstan produces the largest share of uranium from mines (43% of world supply from mines in 2019)

Andhra Pradesh is the largest producer of Uranium in India A radioactive, silvery metal. Uranium is a very important element

because it provides us with nuclear fuel used to generate electricity in nuclear power stations.

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Q. Which state/UT government launched “Mukhya Mantri, Ghar Ghar Ration Yojana”?

a. Madhya Pradesh

b. Delhi

c. Punjab

d. Haryana

Ans: B

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched “Mukhya Mantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojana”. The scheme is to help the eligible beneficiaries get ration delivered at home.

Q. Which of the following launched “Manodarpan” initiative?

a. NITI Aayog

b. Ministry of HRD

c. Ministry of electronics & IT

d. Ministry of women and child development

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Ans: B

Ministry of Human Resources and Development launched “Manodarpan” initiative under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. The initiative is being launched to provide psychosocial support to the students for their mental wellbeing.

Q. India signed Communications, Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCSA) agreement with which country?

a. USA

b. Australia

c. Russia

d. France

Ans: A

COMCASA stands for Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement and is one of the four foundational agreements that the U.S. signs with allies and close partners to facilitate interoperability between militaries and sale of high end technology.

COMCASA is an India-specific version of the Communication and Information on Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA).

COMCASA allows India to procure transfer specialised equipment for encrypted communications for US origin military platforms like the C-17, C-130 and P-8Is.

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India had signed the General Security Of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) in 2002 and the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016. The last one remaining is the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-spatial Cooperation (BECA).

Q. Nelson Mandela International Day is observed every year on:

a. July 18th

b. July 20th

c . Dec 17th

d. April 5th

Ans: A

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Nelson Mandela International Day is observed every year on 18 July in recognition of the former South African President Nelson Mandela’s contribution to the culture of peace and freedom.

Q. Under which article of the constitution president of India constitutes Finance commission?

a. Article 272

b. Article 275

c. Article 280

d. Article 282

Ans: C

The Finance Commissions are commissions periodically constituted by the President of India under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution to define the financial relations between the central government of India and the individual state governments.

Q. NIMITZ is the name of navy carrier of:

a. USA

b. Australia

c. Russia

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d. France

Ans: A

Q. For which of the following states inner line permit (ILP) is required?

a. Arunachal Pradesh

b. Nagaland

c. Mizoram

d. All the above

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Ans: D

Inner Line Permit (ILP) is an official travel document issued by the Government of India to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected area for a limited period.

It is obligatory for Indian citizens from outside those states to obtain a permit for entering into the protected state. The document is an effort by the government to regulate movement to certain areas located near the international border of India.

The inner line permit (ILP) system, required by Indian citizens to enter Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram is issued under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, by the state governments.

Q. World Day for International Justice is observed on:

a. July 15th

b. July 17th

c. Dec 17th

d. May 12th

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Ans: B

World Day for International Justice is known as International Criminal Justice Day or International Justice Day is observed annually on 17th July to recognize the emerging system of international criminal justice

This day is the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute in 1998. The help of this treaty International Criminal Court (ICC) established.

Q. Govt planned to increase coal production to one billion tone by:

a. 2019-20

b. 2020-21

c.2021-22

d. 2022-23

Ans: D

The main aim of the government is to increase the total production of coal in the country to one billion tone by 2022-23

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Q. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports have partnered with which organization to strengthen the youth volunteers to achieve Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan?

a. UNICEF

b. NITI Aayog

c. UNESCO

d. None of the above

Ans: A

Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports have partnered with UNICEF to strengthen the youth volunteers in the country to achieve Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan

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BPCL to be Privatised:

State-owned BPCL has brought a voluntary retirement scheme for its employees ahead of the government privatising the country's third biggest oil refiner and second-largest fuel retailer.

"The Corporation has decided to offer a VRS, with a view to enable employees, who are not in a position to continue in service of the Corporation due to various personal reasons, to request for grant of voluntary retirement from the services of the Corporation,"

The 'Bharat Petroleum Voluntary Retirement Scheme - 2020 (BPVRS-2020)' opened on July 23 and will close on August 13.

The VRS has been brought to offer an exit option for any employee or officer who does not want to work under a private management

"Some employees feel their role, position or place of posting may change once BPCL is privatised. So this scheme offers them an exit option,"

BPCL, where the government is selling its entire 52.98 per cent stake, has about 20,000 employees.

5 to 10 per cent of employees are expected to opt for VRS. Expressions of Interest for buying BPCL are due on July 31. All employees who have completed 45 years of age will be

eligible for the scheme, according to the VRS notice. It, however, excludes active sportspersons (employees recruited

as sportsperson who are yet to be deployed in mainstream) and board level executives.

"Employees opting for VRS would be eligible to receive a compensation payment equivalent to two months' salary for each completed year of service or the monthly salary at the time of voluntary retirement multiplied by the balance months of service

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left before normal date of retirement on superannuation, whichever is less.

Repatriation expenses, as payable in case of retirement, will also be paid.

Employees who opt for voluntary retirement will be eligible for

medical benefits under Post-Retirement Medical Benefit Scheme. Also, they would be eligible for encashment of leaves including

casual, earned and privilege leaves. While those opting for VRS will neither be eligible for

employment in company's joint ventures nor be engaged as retainers/consultants/advisors, any persons facing disciplinary action will not be eligible for the scheme.

BPCL will give buyers ready access to 15.3 per cent of India's oil refining capacity and 22 per cent of the fuel market share in the world's fastest-growing energy market.

BPCL has a market capitalisation of about ₹97,247 crore and the government stake at current prices is worth over ₹51,500 crore. The successful bidder will also have to make an open offer to other shareholders for acquiring another 26 per cent at the acquisition price

Privatisation of BPCL is essential for meeting the record ₹2.1 lakh crore target the finance minister has set from disinvestment proceeds in the budget for 2020-21.

BPCL operates four refineries in Mumbai (Maharashtra), Kochi

(Kerala), Bina (Madhya Pradesh), and Numaligarh (Assam) with a combined capacity of 38.3 million tonnes per annum, which is 15.3 per cent of India's total refining capacity of 249.8 million tonnes.

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The government of India is proposing strategic disinvestment ofits entire shareholding in BPCL comprising of 114.91 croreequity shares, which constitutes 52.98 per cent of BPCL's equityshare capital, along with transfer of management control to astrategic buyer (except BPCL's equity shareholding of 61.65 percent in Numaligarh Refinery Ltd).

The bidding will be a two-stage affair, with qualified bidders inthe first EoI phase being asked to make a financial bid in thesecond round.

Public sector undertakings (PSUs) “are not eligible to participate"in the privatisation.

Any private company having a net worth of USD 10 billion iseligible for bidding and a consortium of not more than four firmswill be allowed to bid.

According to the bidding criteria, the lead member of theconsortium must hold 40 per cent stake and others must have aminimum net worth of USD 1 billion. Changes in the consortiumare allowed within 45 days, but the lead member cannot bechanged.

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