Monthly Pib January 2020

Easy to PICK51 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” GeM Samvaad Syllabus subtopic: Important aspects of Assam and Bihar on 9th January and in Chandigarh on 8th January 2020. governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and  The target is to reach out to all stakeholders and learn from their potential; citizens charters, transparency & experiences on their usage of GeM accountability and institutional and other portal. Through this outreach measures. programme, GeM expects to make the Prelims and Mains focus: about GeM actual users aware about the new Samvaad: aim, significance and achievements features and functionalities of the portal and collect feedback, which is Context: GeM Samvaad, a two month the first step towards GeM’s ‘Voice long national outreach programme was of Customer’ initiative. launched on 17th December 2019.  State Departments and Organizations and Public Sector Aim of the programme Enterprises (PSEs) have been using To reach out to stakeholders across the country and also local sellers in order to GeM for their buying needs. Sellers facilitate on-boarding of local sellers on the marketplace while catering to specific from the States are also benefitting requirements and procurement needs of buyers. through the access to national Public Procurement market using the portal. Through GeM Samvaad the marketplace is looking forward to receiving feedback from users which About GeM Samvaad and its will be used for making significance  The outreach programme took off from improvements and advancements in 19th December 2019 and during the the system. launch week the States of Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and  GeM has more than 15 lakh products Andhra Pradesh were covered. and around 20,000 services, more than 3 lakh registered sellers and service  GeM Samvaad is being conducted in providers and more than 40,000 all States and Union Territories. Government buyer organizations. In its After the first four states the outreach short journey of three years, GeM has programme has been held in J & K on processed more than 28 lakh orders 5th January, Ladakh on 7th January, worth Rs. 40,000 crores in Gross Merchandise Value out of which 50% has been transacted by MSMEs.

Easy to PICK52 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” World Economic Forum meeting 2020 Syllabus subtopic: Important International institutions, agencies and  Commerce and Industry Minister will also participate in an informal WTO fora, their structure, mandate. Ministerial gathering being held in Davos during this period. Prelims and Mains focus: about the World Economic Forum (WEF) meet and  The WEF annual meeting in Davos its significance, about Invest India engages the world’s top leaders to shape global, regional and industry Context: Union Minister of Commerce agendas at the beginning of the year. and Industry & Railways, Piyush Goyal, The theme of the 2020 meeting is will lead the Indian delegation to the 50th stakeholders for a Cohesive and World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos Sustainable World. from January 20th to 24th 2020. About Invest India About the event  Invest India is the National  The Commerce and Industry Minister Investment Promotion and will participate in the WEF along with Facilitation Agency of India and acts Union Minister of State for Shipping as the first point of reference for and Chemical and Fertilizers, Mansukh investors in India. L. Mandaviya and Chief Ministers of the States of Karnataka and Madhya  It is set up as a nonprofit venture Pradesh, Finance Minister of Punjab under the Department of Industrial and the IT Minister of Telangana. Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Secretary Department for Promotion of Commerce and Industries, Government Industry and Internal Trade, senior of India. officials of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Invest India are also  Operationalized in early 2010, Invest part of the delegation. India is set up as a joint venture company between the Department for  Commerce and Industry Minister will Promotion of Industry and Internal hold bilateral meetings with Ministers Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of of Australia, South Africa, Russia, Commerce & Industry (35% equity), Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Korea and Federation of Indian Chambers of Singapore. He will also meet Director Commerce and Industry (FICCI) (51% General of World Trade Organization equity), and State Governments of and Secretary General of Organisation India (0.5% each). for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).  Thus, essentially, Invest India is a private company, unlike India Brand  Apart from this Commerce and Equity Foundation – another Industry Minister will hold bilateral investment promotion agency in India meetings with CEOs of companies, set up by the same Ministry – Ministry attend WEF sessions and round tables of Commerce & Industry. on Accelerating Investments in Indian Railways and attracting Global Institutional Investments in India.

Easy to PICK53 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine”  Invest India’s specialists provide multiple forms of support such as market entry strategies, deep dive industry analysis, partner search and location assessment, and policy advocacy with decision makers. Functions:  The core mandate of Invest India is investment promotion and facilitation.  It provides sector-specific and state- specific information to a foreign investor, assists in expediting regulatory approvals, and offers hand- holding services.  Its mandate also includes assisting Indian investors to make informed choices about investment opportunities overseas.  Its experts, specializing across different countries, Indian states and sectors, handhold investors through their investment lifecycle ⎯ from pre- investment to after-care.

Easy to PICK54 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Syllabus subtopic: Disaster and disaster The head of the NDRF is designated as management. Director General. The Director Generals of NDRF are IPS officers on Prelims and Mains focus: about NDRF deputation from Indian police and its significance organisations. Director General wears the uniform and badges of rank of an Context: The National Disaster Response army three-star general. Force (NDRF) celebrated its 15th Raising Day today.  The NDRF is a top-heavy organisation which in addition to the Director About NDRF General has several Inspector Generals  The National Disaster Response Force (IG) and Deputy IGs, who fly flags and wear army-style badges of rank. (NDRF) is a specialised force constituted \"for the purpose of Significance of NDRF specialist response to a threatening  NDRF has played important role in disaster situation or disaster\" under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. saving the human lives and national property in disaster response  The apex Body for Disaster operations it has always been in the management in India is the National forefront to tackle any kind of disaster Disaster Management Authority occurring in the country. (NDMA). The Chairman of the NDMA is the Prime Minister.  The force has earned good name and fame nationally and internationally  The responsibility of managing with its selfless service and unmatched disasters India is that of the State professionalism in disaster Government. The ‘Nodal Ministry’ in management. the central government for management of natural disasters is the  Since its inception in 2006, NDRF has Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). saved more than One lakh lives in its 3100 operations and rescued/evacuated  When 'calamities of severe nature' over 6.7 lakh people during disasters. occur, the Central Government is responsible for providing aid and  NDRF has so far imparted training to assistance to the affected state, more than 4000 volunteers and has a including deploying, at the State's target to give training to more than request, of Armed Forces, Central 70000 volunteers by 2024 at the local Paramilitary Forces, National Disaster levels in different parts of the country. Response Force (NDRF), and such communication, air and other assets, as are available and needed.  National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is under the National Disaster Management Authority.

Easy to PICK55 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Indo-German Working Group on Quality Infrastructure Syllabus subtopic: Bilateral, regional and Significance global groupings and agreements  Quality infrastructure is the language involving India and/or affecting India's interests of international trade. With a growing relevance of technical regulations – Prelims and Mains focus: about the such as mandatory standards – the meeting on the Quality infrastructure and exchange on regulatory approaches and its significance compliance procedures eases doing business and boosts trade. Context: The seventh annual meeting of the Indo-German Working Group on  Both countries have agreed to intensify Quality Infrastructure took place on 16th the cooperation on standards, technical and 17th January 2020 in New Delhi with regulation, certification, and market around 80 participants. surveillance in key economic areas such as machinery safety, automotive, About the Working Group electric mobility and cybersecurity.  Germany and India established the  A mutual understanding of Working Group in 2013 to strengthen requirements for safe and secure their economic and technical products helps to protect the citizens in cooperation, reduce technical barriers both countries. to trade, and increase product safety.  The Indo-German discussion paper on  The German Federal Ministry for the cybersecurity of Internet of Economic Affairs & Energy (BMWi) Things (IoT) devices which we just and the Indian Ministry of Consumer launched is a good example for their Affairs, Food and Public Distribution successful cooperation. in collaboration with other Ministries are working closely together on standardisation, accreditation and conformity assessment, metrology, product safety and market surveillance.  The dialogues on Quality Infrastructure take place within the framework of the Global Project Quality Infrastructure (GPQI), within which BMWi engages in political and technical dialogues with strategic trading partners. GIZ – the German Agency for International Cooperation – supports the implementation of the project on behalf of BMWi.

Easy to PICK56 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” APEDA Syllabus subtopic: Government policies Authority (APEDA) was established and interventions for development in by the Government of India under the various sectors and issues arising out of Agricultural and Processed Food their design and implementation. Products Export Development Authority Act 1985. Prelims and Mains focus: about the laboratories set up by APEDA and their  The Authority replaced the Processed significance; about APEDA Food Export Promotion Council (PFEPC). Context: Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority  APEDA, under the Ministry of (APEDA) has added 135 laboratories to Commerce and Industries, promotes existing 51 recognized laboratories. With export of agricultural and processed this initiative APEDA recognition of food products from India. laboratories has reached 186 laboratories across the country.  APEDA is mandated with the  The number of laboratories have responsibility of export promotion and development of the following increased in states with exporting scheduled products: potential like Maharashtra (35), Gujarat (23), Andhra Pradesh & 1. Fruits, Vegetables and their Products. Telangana (10), Tamil Nadu (23) and 2. Meat and Meat Products. Karnataka (17). Laboratory testing 3. Poultry and Poultry Products. requirements are crucial in agri export 4. Dairy Products. supply chain. 5. Confectionery, Biscuits and Bakery  For increasing the laboratory network Products. further, APEDA has taken a policy 6. Honey, Jaggery and Sugar Products. decision for simplification of APEDA 7. Cocoa and its products, chocolates of recognition of laboratories. It has been decided that the laboratories which are all kinds. NABL accredited will be recognized 8. Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic by APEDA and same will be added in the network of APEDA recognition Beverages. laboratories. 9. Cereal and Cereal Products. 10. Groundnuts, Peanuts and Walnuts.  This will enable APEDA to 11. Pickles, Papads and Chutneys. continuously expand its recognition 12. Guar Gum. network of laboratories across the 13. Floriculture and Floriculture Products. country and will enable the exporters 14. Herbal and Medicinal Plants. to have an easy access to the laboratories for testing of APEDA Administrative set up: scheduled products for exports.  Chairman – Appointed by the Central About APEDA: Government.  The Agricultural and Processed Food  Director – Appointed by APEDA.  Secretary – Appointed by the Central Products Export Development Government.  Other Officers and Staff – Appointed by the Authority.

Easy to PICK57 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” PRAGATI portal Syllabus subtopic: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications,  PRAGATI also helps in simultaneously monitoring and models, successes, limitations, and reviewing important programmes and projects of the Government of potential; citizens charters, transparency & India, as well as projects flagged by various State governments. accountability and institutional and other  The system has been designed in- measures. house by the PMO team with the help of National Informatics Center Prelims and Mains focus: about the (NIC). As the name suggests, it is PRAGATI app: features and its aimed at starting a culture of Pro- significance Active Governance and Timely Implementation. Context: PM Modi, will chair the 32nd interaction through PRAGATI- the ICT-  It is also a robust system for bringing based, multi-modal platform for Pro- e-transparency and e-accountability Active Governance and Timely with real-time presence and Implementation, on 22nd January 2020. exchange among the key stakeholders. Background Key features of the PRAGATI  In the previous thirty one interactions application are as follows: of PRAGATI, projects worth over • It is a three-tier system (PMO, Union twelve lakh crores have been reviewed Government Secretaries, and Chief by the Prime Minister. Secretaries of the States);  In the last PRAGATI meeting of the year 2019, 9 projects worth over Rs. • Prime Minister will hold a monthly 61,000 crore related to 16 states and programme where he will interact with the Union Territory of Jammu & the Government of India Secretaries, Kashmir were taken up for discussion. and Chief Secretaries through Video-  There were also discussions on various conferencing enabled by data and geo- topics like grievances of Indian informatics visuals. It will be held once citizens working abroad, National in every month on Fourth Wednesday Agriculture Market, Aspirational at 3.30 PM-to be known as PRAGATI District Programme and infrastructure Day. development programmes and initiatives. • Issues to be flagged before the PM are picked up from the available database About PRAGATI portal and its uses regarding Public Grievances, on-going  PM had launched the multi-purpose Programmes and pending Projects; and multi-modal governance • The system will ride on, strengthen and platform PRAGATI on 25th March re-engineer the data bases of the 2015.  PRAGATI is an integrating and interactive platform, aimed at addressing the common man’s grievances.

Easy to PICK58 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” CPGRAMS for grievances, Project Monitoring Group (PMG) and the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. PRAGATI provides an interface and platform for all these three aspects. • It will also take into consideration various correspondences to PM’s office by the common people or from high dignitaries of States and/or developers of public projects; • The issues flagged are uploaded seven days prior to the PRAGATI day (i.e. on third Wednesday of every month). • These issues can be viewed by the Union Government Secretaries and Chief Secretaries after entering into the application; • User ID and Password for each of the Union Government Secretaries and Chief Secretaries have been created and made available; • Union Government Secretaries and Chief Secretaries will be able to see the issues pertaining to their Department /State; • Union Government Secretaries and Chief Secretaries have to put their comments and updates about the flagged issues within three days (i.e. by next Monday); • One day – Tuesday is available to the PMO team to review the data entered by the Union Government Secretaries and Chief Secretaries; • The design is such, that when PM reviews the issue he should have on his screen the issue as well as the latest updates and visuals regarding the same

Easy to PICK59 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Startup India Syllabus subtopic: Government policies depth of the Startup India movement in the and interventions for development in country. various sectors and issues arising out of About Startup India and its their design and implementation. achievements Prelims and Mains focus: About the  Startup India is a flagship initiative of Startup India scheme and its significance; the Government of India, intended to achievements so far build a strong ecosystem to nurture innovation, drive sustainable Context: Department for Promotion of economic growth and generate large Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT), scale employment opportunities. Ministry of Commerce and Industry will showcase a tableau on Startup India  The objective of Startup India is to in this year’s Republic Day Parade at inspire and motivate the youth of Rajpath in New Delhi. India to follow their dreams to generate wealth and become job What will the tableau showcase? creators and not just job seekers. The tableau on the theme “Startups: Reach for the Sky” will showcase stages  The Startup India Action Plan, of the lifecycle of a startup and the all- launched on 16th of January 2016, has round support provided by the stirred entrepreneurial spirit across the Government in this journey. The tableau country. will depict how ideas come to life and how the innovations that emerge  Under the Startup India Scheme, positively affect lives of the citizens of eligible companies can get India. recognized as startups by DPIIT in order to access a host of tax benefits, The front of the tableau depicts a creative easier compliance, IPR fast tracking mind, full of ideas to solve real world and other benefits. More than 26,000 problems. The Startup India Tree, in the startups from 551 districts of 28 States middle, represents the different kinds of and 7 Union Territories have been support given to startups. The staircase recognized in this period. denotes the stages of growth – proving a concept, creating a prototype, preparing a  Working across IT, Industry 4.0, business plan, building a team, launching education, healthcare, agriculture, into markets and eventually scaling up. energy, finance, space, defence and all The wheel at the rear depicts sectors of other sectors of economy, Indian economy where Indian entities have driven startups have attracted substantial economic growth and created employment global investments and created more opportunities on a large scale. The map of than 2,91,000 jobs. India represents the spread of the startup movement, steadily reaching the semi- urban and rural areas. The wheel and the map together depict the width and the

Easy to PICK60 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Commission on OBC sub-categorization Syllabus subtopic: Appointment to or transcription etc appearing in the various Constitutional Posts, Powers, existing Central List of OBCs need to Functions and Responsibilities of various be cleared. Hence the Commission has Constitutional Bodies. sought extension of its term by six, that is upto 31st July 2020 and also Prelims and Mains focus: about the addition in its existing Terms of commission and its mandate; Article 340 Reference. Context: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Impact: the Prime Minister, has approved the The Communities in the existing list of extension of the term of the Commission OBCs which have not been able to get any to examine the issue of Sub- major benefit of the scheme of reservation categorization of Other Backward for OBCs for appointment in Central Classes, by six months that is up to Government posts & for admission in 31.7.2020. Central Government Educational Institutions are expected to be benefitted  The Cabinet has also approved upon implementation of the addition of following Term of recommendations of the Commission. The Reference to the existing Terms of Commission is likely to make Reference of the \"Commission\" - recommendations for benefit of such marginalized communities in the Central “iv. to study the various Entries in the List of OBCs. \"Central List of OBCs and recommend correction of any repetitions, ambiguities, Financial Implications: inconsistencies and errors of spelling or The expenditure involved are related to the transcription.\" establishment and administration costs of the Commission, which would continue to Background: be borne by the Department of Social  The Commission was constituted Justice and Empowerment. under article 340 of the Constitution Benefits: with the approval of President on 2nd All persons belonging to the October, 2017. castes/communities which are included in the Central List of SEBCs (Socially and  The Commission, headed by Justice Educational Backward Communities) (Retd.) Smt. G. Rohini commenced but which have not been able to get any functioning on 11th October, 2017 and major benefit of the existing scheme of has since interacted with all the reservation for OBCs in Central Stats/UTs which have subcategorized Government posts & for admission in OBCs, and the State Backward Classes Central Government Educational Commissions. Institutions would be benefitted.  The Commission has come to the view Implementation strategy and targets: Orders for extension of the term of the that it would require some more time Commission and addition in its Terms of Reference will be notified in the Gazette to submit, its report since the repetitions, ambiguities, inconsistencies and errors of spelling

Easy to PICK61 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” 'in the form of an Order made by the President, after receipt of the approval of the Hon'ble President to the same. Article 340 in the Indian Constitution Appointment of a Commission to investigate the conditions of backward classes (1) The President may by order appoint a Commission consisting of such persons as he thinks fit to investigate the conditions of socially and educationally backward classes within the territory of India and the difficulties under which they labour and to make recommendations as to the steps that should be taken by the Union or any State to remove such difficulties and to improve their condition and as to the grants that should be made for the purpose by the Union or any State the conditions subject to which such grants should be made, and the order appointing such Commission shall define the procedure to be followed by the Commission (2) A Commission so appointed shall investigate the matters referred to them and present to the President a report setting out the facts as found by them and making such recommendations as they think proper (3) The President shall cause a copy of the report so presented together with a memorandum explaining the action taken thereon to be laid before each House of Parliament

Easy to PICK62 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” 3rd Apex Conference of the Smart Cities Syllabus subtopic: Government Policies Recognition of Cities and Overall City and Interventions for Development in Award. various sectors and Issues arising out of their Design and Implementation.  The Outcomes of Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework, Data Prelims and Mains focus: About the Maturity Assessment Framework will conference and issues to be taken up; also be presented to the participants progress under SCM and its impact and presentations on Ease of Living and Municipal Performance Index will Context: The 3rd Apex Conference of the also be made. Smart Cities is being organized on 24th- 25th January, 2020 at Andhra University  With regard to the way forward, States Convention Center, Beach Road, & Cities will present key ideas for Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. better implementation of the Mission going forward. The Award-Winning About the Conference Cities will share their perspectives with  As implementation of Smart Cities regard to “What makes them Best?”, their Best Practices and HR Mission is only possible through a Management and the details of citizen- strong coordination between engagement and communication Municipal Administration, State strategies adopted by them will also be Governments and the Central shared with the participants. Government, Principal Secretaries (Urban Development)/State Mission  On 25th January, 2020, Site visits will Directors along with Municipal be carried out by CEOs of few Smart Commissioners/CEOs of Smart Cities, Cities to the projects of representatives of Bilateral/Multilateral Vishakhapatnam Smart City and in the Institutions and other key stakeholders Wrap Session, presentations will be have been invited to attend the Event. made by CEOs of select Smart Cities.  The conference will have a large gathering from all over the country Progress report of projects under SCM participating in the conference.  Since, the 1st Apex Conference, the 1. State Principal Secretaries (Urban Mission has seen tremendous progress Development) in the implementation of projects by the Smart Cities. The value of 2. State Mission Directors (Smart Cities) tendered smart city projects is over Rs. 3. Municipal Commissioners/CEOs of 1,62,000 crores, the value of work orders issued is around Rs. 1,20,000 100 Smart Cities crores and the value of all completed 4. Heads of PMCs engaged in Smart projects is more than Rs 25,000 crores.  There has been a growth of 224% in Cities the number of projects tendered, a 5. Senior Representatives of Multi- growth of 300% in the projects grounded and 421% growth in the Lateral agencies number of projects completed.  During the Conference, Smart Cities Awards will be distributed amongst the Smart Cities under 7 urban themes, Innovative Ideas, Round-wise

Easy to PICK63 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” SMART CITIES MISSION IMPACT the country to improve the health and  Development initiatives under the fitness of citizens. Mission have catalyzed business in About Smart City Mission several sectors such as ICT solutions,  The Smart Cities Mission is an mobility, water and waste management, energy and environment innovative and flagship initiative by etc. the Government of India to drive economic growth and improve the  100 Integrated Command and Control quality of life of people by enabling Centres will augment public safety local development and harnessing with 50,000 cameras, of which more technology as a means to create smart than 12,000 linked with 45 ICCCs outcomes for citizens. already installed/operational.  The Mission will cover 100 cities and  More than 32,000 km of fibre optic its duration will be five years from cable laid to improve delivery of 2015 to 2020. The Mission is services to citizens. implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.  More than 40,000 cycle trips per day already being generated for enhanced  SCM will be operated as a Centrally use of bikes/cycles as mode for public Sponsored Scheme (CSS) where in transport, promotion of environment- the central Government proposes to friendly non-motorized transport, and provide financial support up to Rs. 100 improved last mile connectivity. crore per city per year. An equal amount, on a matching basis, will have  19,000 KW of solar and 15,000KW of to be contributed by the State/ULB. wind energy generation capacity has already been installed resulting in reduced GHG emission and dependence on fossil fuel.  Waste Processing Plants with capacity of nearly 650 TPD has been completed under the Mission.  More than 700 Smart Classrooms across various Smart Cities have been implemented to provide improved education to students.  84,000 metres of Smart Streets completed for improved safety through better walking and crossing facilities for pedestrians.  More than 100 open air gyms have been installed in various cities across

Easy to PICK64 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Birth Anniversary Syllabus subtopic: The Freedom Struggle  He revived the Indian National — its various stages and important Army, popularly known as ‘Azad contributors/contributions from different Hind Fauj’ in 1943 which was parts of the country. initially formed in 1942 by Rash Behari Bose. Netaji Subhash Chandra Prelims and Mains focus: about Subhash Bose had visited London during pre- Chandra Bose and his contributions independence period to discuss the future of India, with the members of Context: The President of India paid the Labor party. homage to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan  His sudden disappearance from today. Taiwan, led to surfacing of various theories, unfortunately none of which About Netaji and his contribution to were investigated thoroughly by India’s Freedom Struggle successive governments; leaving  Subhas Chandra Bose, was born on people in the dark about one of the most beloved leaders India has ever January 23, 1897, in Cuttack, Odisha. produced.  He was an Indian revolutionary prominent in the independence movement against British rule of India. He also led an Indian national force from abroad against the British during World War II. He was a contemporary of Mohandas K. Gandhi, at times an ally and at other times an adversary. Bose was known in particular for his militant approach to independence and for his push for socialist policies.  He was strongly influenced by Swami Vivekananda’s teachings and was known for his patriotic zeal as a student. He also adored Vivekananda as his spiritual Guru.  In 1920 he passed the civil service examination, but in April 1921, after hearing of the nationalist turmoils in India, he resigned his candidacy and came back to India.

Easy to PICK65 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Forum of the Election Management Bodies of South Asia (FEMBoSA) Syllabus subtopic: Bilateral, Regional and Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Global Groupings and Agreements Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.  The FEMBoSA represents a very large part of the democratic world and is an Prelims and Mains focus: about the active regional association of the forum; its objectives and significance; election management bodies of other initiatives to be taken up during the South Asia. meet; about SAARC  The objectives of the Forum are to Context: The Election Commission of promote contact among the EMBs of India is going to host the 10th annual the SAARC countries; share meeting of the Forum of the Election experiences with a view to learning Management Bodies of South Asia from each other and cooperate with (FEMBoSA) at New Delhi on 24 January one another in enhancing the 2020 and take over as Chair of FEMBoSA capabilities of the EMBs towards for 2020. On this occasion, an conducting free and fair elections. International Conference on the theme ‘Strengthening Institutional Capacity’ is International Conference on also being organised the same day. ‘Strengthening Institutional Capacity’ About FEMBoSA  FEMBoSA was established at the 3rd  An International Conference on ‘Strengthening Institutional Capacity’ Conference of Heads of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of would also be organised on 24th Jan SAARC Countries held at New Delhi from April 30 to May 2, 2012 through 2020. a unanimously adopted resolution on 1st May, 2012 to establish the Forum.  The conference would include, besides The Conference also unanimously adopted the Charter of the Forum. delegates from participating  The annual FEMBoSA meeting is FEMBoSA members, participants from held by rotation among the members. The last (9th) annual meeting of Election Managements Bodies (EMBs) FEMBoSA was held in Dhaka in September 2018. of Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgystan  Besides ECI, the other 7 members are Mauritius, Tunisia, and three EMBs from Afghanistan, International Organisations viz. the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) based in Seoul, Republic of Korea; the US based International Foundation of Electoral Systems (IFES) and International IDEA.  There will be three sessions during the Conference where representatives from

Easy to PICK66 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” the EMBs and International International Organizations viz. Organisations will participate and Afghanistan, Australia, Bhutan, share their experiences, best practices Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Chile, and initiatives taken towards Fiji, Georgia, Ivory Coast, Guinea, ‘Strengthening Institutional Capacity’ Republic of Korea, Kyrgyz Republic, of EMBs in various countries. Libya, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia,  The International Conference is being South Africa, Suriname, Yemen, organised with the purpose of sharing Zambia and United Nations, Intl. the experience of different EMB’s, IDEA & IFES. International Institutions and Experts with regard to analysis of barriers, About SAARC policy interventions, strategies, programmes, good practices and  The South Asian Association for technological innovation for ‘Strengthening Institutional Capacity’ Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is the of EMBs. regional intergovernmental  The international delegates will also attend the National Voters’ Day organization and geopolitical union of Celebrations in New Delhi on 25th January 2020. states in South Asia. Other initiatives to be taken up  Its member states are Afghanistan,  On this occasion, the January 2020 Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri issue of ECI’s quarterly magazine Lanka. “Voice International” will be (Trick to remember:- MBBS released, which will carry articles on PINA) the theme of “Innovative Methods of Voter Registration”.  SAARC comprises 3% of the world's area, 21% of the world's population  On the sidelines of the Conference, and 3.8% (US$2.9 trillion) of the ECI will also renew Memorandum of global economy, as of 2015. Understanding (MOU) for cooperation in the field of election management  SAARC was founded in Dhaka on 8 with the Independent Election December 1985. Commission of Afghanistan. The previous MoU was signed in April  Its secretariat is based in 2008 and expired in April 2013. Kathmandu, Nepal. Besides that, an MoU for cooperation in the field of election management  The organization promotes will be signed with the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) of development of economic and regional Tunisia as well. integration.  Election Commission of India has, so far, signed MOUs with twenty-seven  It launched the South Asian Free Trade Election Management Bodies and Area in 2006.  SAARC maintains permanent diplomatic relations at the United Nations as an observer and has developed links with multilateral entities, including the European Union.

Easy to PICK67 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Association with Indian National enlightening the students, youths and Congress labourers of Calcutta.  Initially, Subhash Chandra Bose  In his fervent wait to see India as an worked under the leadership of independent, federal and republic Chittaranjan Das, an active member nation, he emerged as a charismatic of the Congress in Calcutta. It was and firebrand youth icon. He was Chittaranjan Das, who along with admired within the congress for his Motilal Nehru, left Congress and great ability in organization founded the Swaraj Party in 1922. development. He served several Bose regarded Chittaranjan Das as his stints in prison for his nationalist political guru. activities during this time.  He himself started the newspaper Dispute with the Congress ‘Swaraj’, edited Das’ newspaper  In 1928, during the Guwahati Session ‘Forward’ and worked as the CEO of Calcutta Municipal Corporation under of the Congress, a difference of Das’ stint as Mayor. Subhash Chandra opinion surfaced between the old and Bose played an important role in new members of the Congress. The young leaders wanted a \"complete self-

Easy to PICK68 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” rule and without any compromise’ while the senior leaders were in favour of the \"dominion status for India within the British rule\".  The differences between moderate Gandhi and aggressive Subhash Chandra Bose swelled to irreconcilable proportions and Bose decided to resign from the party in 1939. He went on to form the Forward Bloc the same year.  Although he voiced his dislike for the British often in his correspondences, he also expressed his admiration for their structured way of life. He met with the leaders of the British Labor Party and political thinkers including Clement Attlee, Harold Laski, J.B.S. Haldane, Arthur Greenwood, G.D.H. Cole, and Sir Stafford Cripps and discussed the possibilities that an independent India might hold. Legacy Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose has left deep impact on the psyche of his countrymen. His slogan, ‘Jai Hind’ is still used in reverence to the country. The International airport in Kolkata has been named Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport to commemorate the charismatic leader.

Easy to PICK69 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” International Summit on Women in STEM Syllabus subtopic: women scientists, science  Bilateral, Regional and Global communicators and entrepreneurs from Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. India.  Achievements of Indians in Science & Technology; Indigenization of  Around 350 participants from different Technology and Developing New Technology. STEM field across the globe Prelims and Mains focus: About the participated in the event including summit and its significance scientists, socialists, entrepreneurs, Context: The Department of Biotechnology organized an International researchers, teachers and students. Summit on Women in STEM– “Visualizing the Future: New Skylines” Posters were presented by women on 23rd and 24th January, 2020 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. scientists and students. About the Summit and its goal  The summit provided a good platform  The Summit was organized with the for young students and researchers to overall aim to boost the participation of women in STEM field for interact and network with leaders in the development of scientific career.  During the summit, different sessions field, to develop ideas and generate a of the summit included mechanisms of leadership building, empowering future action plan for making career in women through networking, career opportunities and interactive exercises STEM fields. with scientists.  The aim was to showcase women in Science, Technology, Engineering and STEM successes as real-world Mathematics (STEM), previously examples of successful women Science, Math, Engineering and scientists, doctors and engineers Technology (SMET), is a term used to demonstrating the excitement of being group together these academic disciplines. in the STEM fields as well as the  This term is typically used when rewards associated with it.  Discussions and interactive sessions addressing education policy and between aspiring young, mid-career curriculum choices in schools to and senior scientists in the STEM field improve competitiveness in science were held to understanding the future and technology development. requirements of women’s employment  It has implications for workforce and career progression. Keynote development, national security speakers were renowned women concerns and immigration policy. scientists in STEM from different  The science in STEM typically refers countries, young as well as established to two out of the three major branches of science: natural sciences, including biology, physics, and chemistry, and formal sciences, of which mathematics is an example, along with logic and statistics.  The third major branch of science, social sciences, including psychology, sociology, and political science, are categorized separately from the other two branches of science, and are instead grouped together with humanities and arts to form another counterpart acronym named HASS - Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.

Easy to PICK70 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” DefExpo 2020 Syllabus subtopic: Achievements of Indians in Science & Technology; Indigenization of Technology and Developing New Technology. Prelims and Mains focus: About the event and its significance Context: The display of various indigenously-developed military systems and technologies by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will bring alive the spirit of self-reliance and national pride at the forthcoming DefExpo 2020. About the event  The 11th edition of the biennial expo will be held at Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow from February 5-9, 2020.  The participation of DRDO at the expo is marked with the live demonstration of Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun MK IA, Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP), Counter Mine Flail, 15m Advanced Composite Modular Bridging System (ACMBS) and modular bridge.  The DRDO will exhibit more than 500 products from all technology clusters in the five-day mega expo in line with the theme of the event “Digital Transformation of Defence”.  DRDO will showcase over 23 products in the India Pavilion at DefExpo, which has been set up to showcase the combined strength of DRDO, public and private sector in defence manufacturing.

Easy to PICK71 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Committee on Child pornography Syllabus subtopic: Government Policies About the amendments recommended and Interventions for Development in various sectors and Issues arising out of  Expressing concern over the their Design and Implementation. seriousness of the prevalence of the Prelims and Mains focus: about the committee and various recommendations horrific social evil of child given by it pornography, the Committee has Context: The Adhoc Committee of the Rajya instituted by the Rajya Sabha recommended important Chairman has made 40 far reaching recommendations to prevent sexual amendments to the Protection of abuse of children and to contain access to and transmission of child Children From Sexual Offences Act, pornography content on the social media. 2012 and the Information About the Committee Technology Act, 2000 besides  The 14-member Committee including technological, institutional, social 7 women members of Rajya Sabha was set up by Shri Venkaiah Naidu on and educational measures and state December 12 last year further to some members voicing concern over level initiatives to address the widespread misuse of social media for accessing pornographic content and alarming issue of pornography on child abuse. social media and its effects on children  The Committee heard the views of the Ministries of Women and Child and the society as a whole. Development, Electronics and IT and Home Affairs besides NCPCR and  The 40 recommendations made by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Adhoc Committee relate to adoption of and other stakeholders like Google, a broader definition of child Facebook, Whatsapp, Bytedance pornography, controlling access for (TikTok), Twitter and Sharechat. children to such content, containing generation and dissemination of Child  The Committee also received Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), representations from 3 NGOs viz., making accountable the Internet HERD Educational & Medical Service Providers and online platforms Research Foundation, Nagpur, Centre for denying access to children and for Child Rights, New Delhi and removing such obscene content from Internet Freedom Foundation, New online sites besides monitoring, Delhi. detection and removal of content, preventing under-age use of such content, enabling parents for early detection of accessing such content by children, enabling effective action by the governments and authorized agencies to take necessary preventive and penal measures etc.  Noting that the purveyors of child pornography seem always to be one step ahead of the regulators, the Committee stressed on the need for implementation of its

Easy to PICK72 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” recommendations as an integrated transportation services and any other package of measures and not piecemeal to have any value and programmes with which the school is impact. The Committee urged the Prime Minister to take up the subject associated; of child pornography and the measures required to combat it in one of his 5. National Cyber Crime Reporting forthcoming 'Man Ki Baat' broadcast besides taking the lead in Portal shall be designated as the building up a global political alliance to combat child pornography on social national portal under reporting media like the International Solar Alliance initiative. requirements in POCSO Act in case  The Committee has broadly sought to of electronic material; address two main issues viz., access of children to pornographic material 6. A new section be included in the IT on social media and circulation of pornographic material on social Act 2000, providing for punitive media in which children are abused. measures for those providing The major recommendations of the Committee has given as under: pornographic access to children and Legislative measures 1. The Committee has recommended also those who access, produce or some important amendments to the transmit Child Sexual Abuse POCSO Act, 2012 and the IT Act, 2000 with corresponding changes to Material(CSAM); be carried out in the Indian Penal Code; 7. Union Government shall be 2. A clause to be inserted in the POCSO Act, 2012 under which advocating or empowered through its designated counseling sexual activities with a person under the age of 18 years authority to block and/or prohibit all through any written material, visual representation or audio recording or websites/intermediaries that carry any characterization is made an offence under the Act; child sexual abuse material; 3. Another clause to be inserted in the POCSO Act, 2012 prescribing a Code 8. IT Act to be modified making of Conduct for intermediaries (online platforms) for maintaining child intermediaries responsible for all safety online, ensuring age appropriate content and curbing use of measures to proactively identify and children for pornographic purposes; 4. Under the POCSO Act, 2012, school remove CSAM as well as report it to management should be responsible for safety of children within schools, Indian authorities as well besides the foreign authorities. Gateway Internet Service Providers (ISP's) must bear a significant liability to detect and block CSAM websites. Intermediaries shall also be responsible to report to the designated authority, IP addresses/identities of all those searching/accessing child porn/CSAM key words; Technology measures 1. Law enforcement agencies be permitted to brake end to end encryption to trace distributors of child pornography. Apps that help in monitoring children's access to pornographic content shall be made mandatory on all devices sold in India. Such Apps or similar solutions to be developed and made freely available to ISP, companies, schools and parents; 2. Ministry of Electronics and IT and Ministry of Home Affairs shall

Easy to PICK73 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” coordinate with Blockchain analysis Social and Educational measures companies to trace identities of users Ministries of Women and Child engaging in crypto currency Development and Information and transactions to purchase child Broadcasting shall launch campaigns pornography online. Online payment for greater awareness among parents to portals and credit cards be prohibited recognize early signs of child abuse, from processing payments for any online risks and improving online pornographic website; safety for their child. Schools shall 3. ISPs shall be required to provide undertake training programmes for family friendly filters to parents at the parents at least twice a year, making point of sign up to regulate children's them aware of hazards for children of access to internet content; free access to smart phones, internet at 4. All social media platforms should be an early age. Based on the experiences mandated with minimum essential of other countries, a proper practicable technologies to detect Child Sexual policy for restricting use of smart Abuse Material besides regular phones by under aged kids needs to be reporting to law enforcement agencies considered; in the country; 5. On-streaming platforms like Netflix State level implementation and social media platforms like The committee recommended that each Twitter, Facebook etc. should have State and Union Territory shall have separate adult section where under- empowered State Commission for the aged children could be disallowed; Protection for Child Rights mirroring 6. Social media shall have mechanism capabilities and capacities of the for age verification and restricting NCPCR. E-safety Commissioners be access to objectionable/obscene appointed at state level to ensure material; implementation of social media and Institutional measures website guidelines relating to removal 1. The Committee recommended an of pornographic content, age upgraded and technologically verification, issuing warnings etc. empowered National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to be designated as the nodal agency to deal with the issue of child pornography. NCPCR should have necessary technological, cyber policing and prosecution capabilities; 2. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shall mandatorily record and report annually cases of child pornography of all kinds. A national Tipline Number should be created where child sexual abuse as well as distribution of child pornographic material can be reported by concerned citizens;

Easy to PICK74 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” 10th National Voters’ Day Syllabus subtopic: Appointment to 5. In addition, awards were also conferred various Constitutional Posts, Powers, on CSOs, Govt. Departments and Functions and Responsibilities of various Media Houses for their outstanding Constitutional Bodies. contribution in the field of voter awareness and outreach. Prelims and Mains focus: about the event and its key highlights; about SVEEP 6. Two books were launched by Union Minister Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad and Context: The 10th National Voters’ Day presented to the Hon’ble President. (NVD) was celebrated across the country The first book was Belief in the today. President of India presided over the Ballot-II, an anthology of 101 human national level event held at New Delhi. stories from across the nation about Indian elections. An amalgamation of Key highlights of the event daring, interesting and inspiring stories of both, election officers and voters, 1. The theme for NVD 2020 was this anthology presents experiences of courage, sacrifice and dedication of the ‘Electoral Literacy for Stronger election personnel as well as the enthusiasm and commitment of the Democracy’ reiterating the voters. commitment of Election Commission 7. The second book launched was The Centenarian Voters: Sentinels of of India (ECI) towards electoral Our Democracy. This collection enumerates the stories and experiences literacy for all to ensure maximum of 51 centenarians across India, who braved difficult terrain, poor health and participation and informed & ethical other challenges to come out and vote. voting. 8. Chief Election Commissioners and senior officials from Afghanistan, 2. This year marks an important Bangladesh, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Maldives, Mauritius, milestone in the history of Indian Nepal, Sri Lanka and Tunisia graced the occasion. democracy as Election Commission 9. Reputed international organisations of India (ECI) completes 70 years of working in elections such as A-WEB, IFES and International IDEA were also its journey. a part of the occasion. Members of Political Parties, Members of 3. The President gave away the National Parliament besides Diplomats from various countries and representatives Awards for the Best Electoral from national and international organizations working in the area of Practices to Officers for their democracy and elections also attended the national function. outstanding performance in the conduct of elections in different spheres. 4. The district administrative and Security Officers were lauded for their efforts to ensure enrollment of new eligible voters with sustained efforts, launch of SVEEP Apps to facilitate polling experience, conduct of elections with innovative means, facilitating Persons with Disabilities at polling booths as also working amidst challenging circumstances such as severe cyclonic storm or coordinating security grid mechanisms.

Easy to PICK75 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Achievements of Election Commission and maximize the enrollment, in strengthening electoral democracy especially for the new voters. 1. Interventions taken up by ECI for the Dedicated to the voters of the country, the Day is utilized to spread awareness successful conduct of the 17th Lok among voters for promoting informed Sabha Election in a free, fair and participation in the electoral process. transparent manner. 2. The initiatives for reaching out to Systematic Voters Education and voters in the remotest corner to include Electoral Participation (SVEEP) their names in the electoral roll and to 1. SVEEP is a programme of multi encourage them to exercise the Right to Vote, resulting in the historic voter interventions through different modes turnout of 67.47%. and media designed to educate citizens, 3. The special efforts undertaken by electors and voters about the electoral Election Commission of India to process in order to increase their ensure that the gender gap was awareness and participation in the reduced to less than 0.1% in the last electoral processes. Lok Sabha General Election. 4. The Electoral Literacy Clubs’ efforts 2. SVEEP is designed according to the and use of vernacular language in socio-economic, cultural and reaching out to even in the remotest demographic profile of the state as well areas. as the history of electoral participation in previous rounds of elections and About the National Voters’ Day (NVD) learning thereof. 1. The National Voters’ Day (NVD) is 3. Now it includes enhanced interaction celebrated all over the country on with the citizens through social media, January 25 every year since 2011 to online contests and voters’ festivals; mark the Foundation day of Election awareness about new initiatives of Commission of India, which was linking EPIC with AADHAAR and established on this day in the year National Voters’ Service Portal and a 1950. This year, the celebrations were regularised yearly plan of activities. spread over three days to mark the 70 illustrious years of ECI establishment. 4. In addition to target groups of women, youth, urban voters and the 2. On 23rd January, the Commission marginalized sections, the inclusion of organized the first ever annual lecture groups like service voters, NRIs, series in memory of the first Chief persons with disabilities, prospective Election Commissioner of India, voters/ students is of primary focus. Shri Sukumar Sen. Hon’ble former President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee, delivered the keynote lecture. On 24th January, an International Conference on “Strengthening Institutional Capacity” was organised. 3. The main purpose of the NVD celebration is to encourage, facilitate

Easy to PICK76 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) Syllabus subtopic: Achievements of pest-resistant crops and aid in Indians in Science & Technology; increasing productivity to make Indigenization of Technology and agriculture viable and sustainable. He Developing New Technology. stressed the need to protect farmers from the vagaries of nature. Prelims and Mains focus: about CCMB; corona virus; UNESCO About Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB): Context: The Vice President of India today underscored the need for global  It is a premier research organization cooperation for early detection of new which conducts high quality basic viruses and to contain any serious fallout research and trainings in frontier areas from outbreak of epidemics. of modern biology, and promote centralized national facilities for new  Addressing scientists and researchers and modern techniques in the of CSIR-Centre for Cellular and interdisciplinary areas of biology. Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad, the Vice President while  It was set up initially as a semi- referring to the newly-discovered autonomous Centre on April 1, 1977 strain of Coronavirus, said that it was with the Biochemistry Division of the spreading across the nations and then Regional Research Laboratory causing a major concern to health (presently, Indian Institute of Chemical authorities. Technology, IICT) Hyderabad.  He pointed out that period outbreak of  It is located in Hyderabad and epidemics and new viruses operates under the aegis of the highlighted our vulnerability to Council of Scientific and Industrial diseases. Research (CSIR).  Referring to the vital role of the Indian  It is designated as “Center of Science and Technology Innovation Excellence” by the Global Molecular (STI) System in achieving national and Cell Biology Network, UNESCO. goals as India aspires for sustainable and inclusive growth, he appealed to the private sector to create a fund for financing innovative scientific projects that will address societal concerns.  Lauding CCMB for developing bacterial blight-resistant Sambah Mahsuri rice variety in collaboration with Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR), Shri Naidu urged scientists to find ways to develop more disease and

Easy to PICK77 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Bodo Accord Syllabus subtopic: Linkages between violent movement for a separate Development and Spread of Extremism. Bodoland state claimed hundreds of lives, destruction of public and private Prelims and Mains focus: about the Bodo properties. Accord and its significance; about Bodo tribe  The first Bodo accord was signed with the All Bodo Students Union Context: The Prime Minister hailed the (ABSU) in 1993, leading to creation historic Bodo Accord signed today and of a Bodoland Autonomous Council said the Accord will lead to transformative with limited political powers. results for the Bodo people.  In 2003, the second Bodo accord was  The All Bodo Students' Union signed with the militant group Bodo (ABSU), which has been Liberation Tigers (BLT), leading to spearheading a movement for a formation of a Bodoland Territorial Bodoland state was also signatory to Council (BTC) with four districts of the accord. Assam -- Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baska and Udalguri -- called the Bodoland Background Territorial Area District (BTAD). The demand for a separate state for the Bodos has been going on in Assam for  The BTC has control over 30 subjects about five decades and several Bodo over- like education, forests, horticulture but ground and militant groups raising it no jurisdiction on the police, revenue leading to agitations, protests, violence and and general administration many deaths. departments, which are controlled by the Assam government. The BTC was Bodo Accord inked today stands out for formed under the 6th Schedule of many reasons. the Constitution.  It successfully brings together the About Bodo Tribe leading stakeholders under one  The Bodo are an ethnolinguistic framework. Those who were previously associated with armed group in the Indian state of Assam. resistance groups will now be entering They are a part of the greater Bodo- the mainstream and contributing to our Kachari family of ethnolinguistic nation’s progress. groups and are spread across northeastern India and clustered  The Accord with Bodo groups will strongly in Assam, along the eastern further protect and popularise the Duars. Bodos are politically active and unique culture of the Bodo people. dominant in the Kokrajhar, Baksa, They will get access to a wide range of Udalguri and Chirang districts of development oriented initiatives. Assam, and in the Bodoland Territorial Council. THIRD BODO ACCORD  This is the third Bodo accord to be  The Bodo people speak the Bodo language, a Tibeto-Burman signed in last 27 years when the language recognized as one of

Easy to PICK78 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” twenty-two scheduled languages in the Indian Constitution. The Bodo- Kachari, to which the Bodo people belong, are thought to have entered Assam sometime after Austroasiatic language speakers from Southeast Asia had settled the region. The Bodo- Kachari were also some of the first people to rear silkworms and produce silk material and were considered to be advanced in rice cultivation in Assam during this time period.  The Bodo people are recognized as a plains tribe in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The Bodo people are concentrated within the Assamese districts of Udalguri, Chirang, Baksa, Sonitpur, Goalpara, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, and Kokrajhar.

Easy to PICK79 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” 3rd Global Potato Conclave Syllabus subtopic: (iii)Potato Field Day  Food Processing and Related  The Potato Conference will be held Industries in India- Scope’ and for 3 days during 28-30 January, 2020. Significance, Location, Upstream and It will have 10 themes out of which 8 Downstream Requirements, Supply themes are based on basic and Chain Management. applied research. The remaining two themes will have special emphasis on  Government Policies and Interventions potato trade, value chain for Development in various sectors and management and policy issues. Issues arising out of their Design and Implementation  AgriExpo will be organized during 28 to 30 January, 2020, to showcase the Prelims and Mains focus: About the status of potato-based industries and event and its significance; about PM Kisan trade, processing, seed potato Sampada Yojana production, biotechnology, public- private partnership in technology Context: The Prime Minister addressed transfer and farmers related products the 3rd Global Potato Conclave at etc. Gandhinagar, Gujarat.  Potato Field Day will be organized on Background January 31, 2020. This will include  The previous two Global Potato demonstration of advancements in potato mechanization, potato varieties Conferences were organized during and latest technologies. 1999, and 2008.  Major issues that are to crop up are  The Conclave is being organized by Shortage of Planting Material, Supply Indian Potato Association (IPA) in Chains, Post-Harvest Losses, needs for collaboration with Indian Council of enhanced processing, export and Agricultural Research, New Delhi, and diversified utilisation and necessary ICAR-Central Potato Research policy support – viz for production and Institute, Shimla and International use of certified seed, for long distance Potato Center (CIP), Lima, Peru. transport and export promotion.  Scientists around the world, potato Significance of the event farmers and other stakeholders have gathered for the Global Potato The 3rd Global Potato Conclave will Conclave to discuss the important provide an opportunity to bring all aspects related to food and nutrition stakeholders at one common platform so demand in the next few days. that all the issues are discussed and future plans are made involving everyone related About the event to the potato sector. This will be a unique  This mega event has three major event to expose different stakeholders of the country to the frontiers of knowledge components; and innovations in potato research. (i) The Potato Conference, (ii) The Agri Expo, and

Easy to PICK80 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Govt. initiatives  To create robust supply chain The steps taken by the Government to infrastructure for perishables. promote food processing industries at every level like opening the sector to The following schemes will be 100% FDI, helping in value addition and implemented under PM Kisan SAMPADA value chain development through PM Yojana : Kisan Sampada Yojana. (i) Mega Food Parks About PM Kisan Sampada Yojana (ii) Integrated Cold Chain and Value  A Central Sector Scheme - Addition Infrastructure SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro- (iii)Creation/ Expansion of Food Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters)was Processing/ Preservation Capacities approved by the Cabinet Committee on (Unit Scheme) Economic Affairs (CCEA) in 2017. (iv)Infrastructure for Agro-processing This umbrella scheme has now been Clusters renamed as the \"Pradhan Mantri (v) Creation of Backward and Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)\" Forward Linkages to be implemented by Ministry of (vi)Food Safety and Quality Assurance Food Processing Industries (MoFPI). Infrastructure (vii) Human Resources and  PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana is a Institutions comprehensive package which aims to create modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet.  It will not only provide a big boost to the growth of food processing sector in the country but also help in providing better returns to farmers and is a big step towards doubling of farmers income, creating huge employment opportunities especially in the rural areas, reducing wastage of agricultural produce, increasing the processing level and enhancing the export of the processed foods. Objectives of the scheme  Creation of modern infrastructure for food processing mega food parks/ clusters and individual units  To create effective backward and forward linkages - linking farmers, processors and markets

Easy to PICK81 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Measures to protect Commercial decision making by Banks Syllabus subtopic: 5. Committee of Senior Officers to monitor progress of pending  Indian Economy and issues relating to disciplinary and internal vigilance cases and to frame timelines to reduce Planning, Mobilization of Resources, delays in deciding such cases. Growth, Development and Employment.  Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors and About Central Vigilance Issues arising out of their Design and Commission (CVC) Implementation It is the apex vigilance institution. It was created via executive resolution Prelims and Mains focus: about the steps (based on the recommendations of taken by the government for protecting genuine commercial decisions of bankers; Santhanam committee) in 1964 but about CVC was conferred with statutory status in 2003. It submits its report to the President of India. Context: The Finance Minister has Composition: Presently, the body repeatedly assured Bankers that adequate consists of central vigilance measures would be taken to protect commissioner along with 2 vigilance honest commercial decisions taken by commissioners. them and distinction would be made Appointment: They are appointed by between genuine commercial failures the President of India on the and culpability. recommendations of a committee consisting of Steps taken by the government 1. Prime Minister, 2. Union Home Minister and 1. Section 17A inserted in Prevention of 3. Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha (if there is no LoP then the leader of Corruption Act requiring prior the single largest Opposition party in the Lok Sabha). permission before initiating Term: Their tenure is 4 years or 65 years, whichever is earlier. investigation against a public servant. Removal: The Central Vigilance Commissioner or any Vigilance 2. Advisory Board for Banking and Commissioner can be removed from his office only by order of the Financial Frauds (ABBFF) constituted President on the ground of proved misbehavior or incapacity after the for first level of examination of Supreme Court, on a reference made to it by the President, has, on inquiry, suspected frauds in excess of Rs.50 reported that the Central Vigilance Commissioner or any Vigilance crore. Commissioner, as the case may be, ought to be removed. 3. Personal responsibilities of MD &CEOs of PSBs for compliance with prescribed times lines done away with. 4. Compulsory examination of fraud for all NPA accounts exceeding Rs. 50 crore has been aligned with Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) circular of 15th Jan, 2020 whereby all such cases of suspicious fraud are to be initially referred to the ABBFF.

Easy to PICK82 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Waste to Energy Plant in Bhubaneshwar Syllabus subtopic: Station will be feeder material for this  Achievements of Indians in Science & plant. Technology; Indigenization of Advantages to the technology Technology and Developing New 1. The process is a closed loop system Technology.  Conservation, Environmental Pollution and does not emit any hazardous and Degradation, Environmental pollutants into the atmosphere. Impact Assessment. 2. The combustible, non-condensed gases Prelims and Mains focus: about the plant are re-used for providing energy to the and the technology used in it; advantages entire system and thus, the only of the technology over conventional emission comes from the combustion approach of gaseous fuels. Context: Indian Railways has 3. The emissions from the combustion are found to be much less than prescribed commissioned country’s first environmental norms. governmental Waste to Energy Plant, 4. This process will produce energy in the form of Light Diesel Oil which is having capacity of 500 Kg waste per day, used to light furnaces. in Mancheswar Carriage Repair Workshop Polycrack has the following advantages over the conventional approach of at Bhubaneswar in East Coast Railway. treating solid waste:- 1. Pre-segregation of waste is not Technology used in the plant required to reform the waste. Waste as  This Waste to Energy Plant, a collected can be directly fed into Polycrack. patented technology called “Polycrack”, is first-of-its-kind in 2. It has high tolerance to moisture hence drying of waste is not required. Indian Railways and fourth in India. 3. Waste is processed and reformed  It is world’s first patented within 24 hours. heterogeneous catalytic process which converts multiple feed stocks 4. It is an enclosed unit hence the into hydrocarbon liquid fuels, gas, working environment is dust free. carbon and water. 5. Excellent air quality surrounding the  Polycrack Plant can be fed with all plant. types of Plastic, Petroleum sludge, Un- segregated MSW (Municipal Solid 6. Biological decomposition is not Waste) with moisture up to 50%, E– allowed as the Waste is treated as it is Waste, Automobile fluff, Organic received. waste including bamboo, garden waste etc., and Jatropha fruit and palm bunch.  Waste generated from Mancheswar Carriage Repair Workshop, Coaching Depot and Bhubaneswar Railway

Easy to PICK83 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” 7. The foot print of the plant is small hence the area required for installing the plant is less when compared with conventional method of processing. 8. All constituents are converted into valuable energy thereby making it Zero Discharge Process. 9. Gas generated in the process is re-used to provide energy to the system thereby making it self-reliant and also bring down the operating cost. 10. There is no atmospheric emission during the process unlike other conventional methods except for combustion gases which have pollutants less than the prescribed norms the world over. 11. Operates around 450 degrees, making it a low temperature process when compared with other options. 12. Safe and efficient system with built-in safety features enables even an unskilled user to operate the machine with ease. 13. Low capital cost and low operating cost. 14. Fully automated system requires minimum man power.

Easy to PICK84 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) Syllabus subtopic: Welfare Schemes for 2. Aim: to provide Functional Vulnerable Sections of the population by Household Tap Connection (FHTC) the Centre and States and the Performance to every rural household by 2024, of these Schemes; Mechanisms, Laws, Institutions and Bodies constituted for the 3. Currently, only 33 million out of Protection and Betterment of these around 178 million rural households in Vulnerable Sections. the country have facility of piped water connection and hence approximately Prelims and Mains focus: about JJM: 146 million households are to provided objectives and significance with household tap connections by 2024 under JJM. Context: The magnificent tableau of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, highlighting the 4. The Jal Jeevan Mission is set to be Government’s new initiative ‘Jal Jeevan based on various water conservation Mission’ has been adjudged the best efforts like point recharge, desilting of tableau, jointly with the NDRF tableau minor irrigation tanks, use of in Republic Day Parade 2020 greywater for agriculture and source sustainability. About JJM 1. In his Independence Day address, last 5. The Jal Jeevan Mission will converge with other Central and year the Prime Minister Shri Narendra State Government Schemes to achieve Modi announced launch of Jal Jeevan its objectives of sustainable water Mission. supply management across the country.

Easy to PICK85 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Need for and significance of the mission: 1. India has 16% of the world population, but only 4% of freshwater resources. Depleting groundwater level, overexploitation and deteriorating water quality, climate change, etc. are major challenges to provide potable drinking water. 2. It is an urgent requirement of water conservation in the country because of the decreasing amount of groundwater level. Therefore, the Jal Jeevan Mission will focus on integrated demand and supply management of water at the local level.

Easy to PICK86 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2019 Syllabus subtopic: Government Policies 2. enable transparency and accountability and Interventions for Development in for protecting the interest of the various sectors and Issues arising out of general public. The Commission will their Design and Implementation. promote availability of affordable Prelims and Mains focus: about the healthcare services in all parts of the amendments proposed in the bill; about country. NCH bill, 2019 and its key features Context: The Union Cabinet, chaired by About National Commission for PM Modi, has given its approval to the Homoeopathy Bill, 2019 official amendments in the National The Bill seeks to repeal the Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2019 Homoeopathy Central Council Act, for amending the Homoeopathy Central 1973 and provide for a medical education Council (HCC) Act, 1973. Presently, the system which ensures: Bill is pending in Rajya Sabha. (i) availability of adequate and high Background quality homoeopathic medical 1. The Homoeopathy Central Council professionals, (ii) adoption of the latest medical (HCC) Act, 1973 was enacted for research by homoeopathic medical constitution of a Central Council of professionals, Homoeopathy for regulation of (iii) periodic assessment of medical education and practice of institutions, and Homoeopathy, for maintenance of (iv) an effective grievance redressal Central Register of Homoeopathy and mechanism. for matters connected therewith. Key features of the Bill include: 2. This Act has been modelled on the 1. Constitution of the National pattern of the Indian Medical Council Commission for Homoeopathy Act, 1956. (NCH): The NCH will consist of 20 3. The broad functions, constitution, members, appointed by the central regulation making powers are government. identical to those of the Medical  A Search Committee will recommend Council of India. names to the central government for 4. While the Act provides a solid the post of Chairperson, part time foundation for the growth of medical members, and presidents of the three education and practice in autonomous boards set up under the Homoeopathy, but various bottlenecks NCH. These posts will have a in the functioning of Council have maximum term of four years. been experienced, which has resulted  The Search Committee will consist of in serious detrimental effects on six members including the Cabinet medical education as well as delivery Secretary and three experts nominated of quality Homoeopathy healthcare by the central government (of which services. two will have experience in the The new amendments will: homoeopathic field). 1. ensure necessary regulatory reforms in the field of Homoeopathy education. Members of the NCH will include: a) the Chairperson,

Easy to PICK87 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” b) the President of the Homoeopathy advise the NCH on measures to Education Board, determine and maintain minimum c) the President of the Medical standards of medical education. Assessment and Rating Board for 5. Entrance examinations: There will be Homoeopathy, a uniform National Eligibility-cum- d) the Director General, National Institute Entrance Test for admission to of Homoeopathy, under-graduate homoeopathy e) Advisor or Joint Secretary in-charge of education in all medical institutions Homoeopathy, Ministry of AYUSH, regulated by the Bill. The NCH will and specify the manner of conducting f) four members (part-time) to be elected common counselling for admission in by the registered homoeopathic all such medical institutions. The Bill medical practitioners from amongst proposes a common final year themselves from the prescribed National Exit Test for the students regional constituencies under the Bill. graduating from medical institutions to  Within three years of the passage of obtain the license for practice. Further, the Bill, state governments will there will be a uniform Post- establish State Medical Councils for Graduate National Entrance Test Homoeopathy at the state level which will serve as the basis for 2. Functions of the NCH include: admission into post-graduate courses (i) framing policies for regulating at medical institutions. medical institutions and 6. The Bill also proposes a National Teachers’ Eligibility Test for homoeopathic medical professionals, postgraduates of homoeopathy who (ii) assessing the requirements of wish to take up teaching homoeopathy healthcare related human resources as a profession. and infrastructure, 7. Appeal on matters related to (iii) ensuring compliance by the State professional and ethical misconduct: Medical Councils of Homoeopathy State Medical Councils will receive of the regulations made under the complaints relating to professional or Bill, and ethical misconduct against a registered (iv) ensuring coordination among the homoeopathic medical practitioner. If autonomous boards set up under the medical practitioner is aggrieved of the Bill. a decision of the State Medical 3. Autonomous boards under the Council, he may appeal to the Board of supervision of the NCH: Ethics and Medical Registration for (i) the Homoeopathy Education Board Homoeopathy. The State Medical (ii) the Medical Assessment and Councils and the Board of Ethics and Rating Board for Homoeopathy Medical Registration for Homoeopathy (iii) the Board of Ethics and Medical have the power to take disciplinary Registration for Homoeopathy action against the medical practitioner 4. Advisory Council for Homoeopathy: including imposing a monetary Under the Bill, the central government penalty. If the medical practitioner is will constitute an Advisory Council for aggrieved of the decision of the Board, Homoeopathy. The Council will be the he can approach the NCH to appeal primary platform through which the against the decision. Appeal of the states/union territories can put forth decision of the NCH lies with the their views and concerns before the central government. NCH. Further, the Council will

Easy to PICK88 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 Syllabus subtopic: Government Policies increase in gestational age will ensure and Interventions for Development in dignity, autonomy, confidentiality and various sectors and Issues arising out of justice for women who need to their Design and Implementation. terminate pregnancy.  In order to increase access of women Prelims and Mains focus: about the bill to safe abortion services and taking and its significance; about the proposed into account the advances in medical amendments technology, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare proposed Context: The Union Cabinet, chaired by amendments after extensive PM Modi, has approved the Medical consultation with various stake holders Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) and several ministries. Bill, 2020 to amend the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. Salient features of proposed The Bill will be introduced in the ensuing amendments: session of the Parliament. 1. Proposing requirement for opinion of Signficance of the bill one provider for termination of  The bill is for expanding access of pregnancy, up to 20 weeks of gestation and introducing the requirement of women to safe and legal abortion opinion of two providers for services on therapeutic, eugenic, termination of pregnancy of 20-24 humanitarian or social grounds. The weeks of gestation. proposed amendments include 2. Enhancing the upper gestation limit substitution of certain sub-sections, from 20 to 24 weeks for special insertion of certain new clauses under categories of women which will be some sections in the existing Medical defined in the amendments to the MTP Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, Rules and would include 'vulnerable with a view to increase upper gestation women including survivors of rape, limit for termination of pregnancy victims of incest and other vulnerable under certain conditions and to women (like differently-abled women, strengthen access to comprehensive Minors) etc. abortion care, under strict conditions, 3. Upper gestation limit not to apply in without compromising service and cases of substantial foetal quality of safe abortion. abnormalities diagnosed by Medical  It is a step towards safety and well- Board. The composition, functions and being of the women and many women other details of Medical Board to be will be benefitted by this. Recently prescribed subsequently in Rules under several petitions were received by the the Act. Courts seeking permission for aborting 4. Name and other particulars of a woman pregnancies at a gestational age whose pregnancy has been terminated beyond the present permissible limit on shall not be revealed except to a person grounds of foetal abnormalities or authorised in any law for the time pregnancies due to sexual violence being in force. faced by women. The proposed

Easy to PICK89 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Operation Vanilla Syllabus subtopic: India and its 1. As the first respondent, Indian Navy Neighborhood- Relations. Ship Airavat, which was en-route to Seychelles has been diverted to Prelims and Mains focus: about operation Madagascar for rendering assistance vanilla; about IORA 2. INS Airavat is an amphibious assault Context: Indian Navy on Tuesday ship and its missions also include launched Operation Vanilla in a bid to humanitarian assistance and disaster support the people of island nation relief (HADR). Madagascar in the face of Cyclone Diane. 3. India’s assistance to Madagascar is in cooperation agreement during the consonance with Indian Navy’s visit of the Indian President. Foreign Cooperation initiatives in line with Prime Minister's vision of 5. Madagascar is also a member of inter- 'Security and Growth for all in the governmental organisation Indian Region (SAGAR)'. Ocean Rim Association (IORA). 4. In March 2018, President Ram Nath 6. There are about 15,000 persons of Kovind became the first Indian India origin in Madagascar, including President to visit Madagascar. India approximately 2500 Indian passport and Madagascar signed a defence holders

Easy to PICK90 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” About IORA:  The Indian Ocean Rim Association was set up with the objective of strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean Region.  Setup in 1997, it Consists of 22 coastal states bordering the Indian Ocean.  The IORA is a regional forum, tripartite in nature, bringing together representatives of Government, Business and Academia, for promoting co-operation and closer interaction among them.  It is based on the principles of Open Regionalism for strengthening Economic Cooperation particularly on Trade Facilitation and Investment, Promotion as well as Social Development of the region.

Easy to PICK91 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” RFID project Syllabus subtopic: Infrastructure: Energy, reliability. Ports, Roads, Airports, And Railways etc.  Two works for RFID project have been Prelims and Mains focus: about the RFID sanctioned by Railway Board for a project to be implemented by Indian total of Rs. 112.96 Crores. Railways and its advantages  The project enables real time visibility Context: Indian Railways is amongst the of railway wagons through the largest Railway systems in the world, National Rail Network using cutting addressing a significant part of the edge technologies like RFID with GS1 country’s transportation needs, both in the global standards for unique & passenger and freight segment. It carries universal identification, in line with about 23 million passengers per day and global best practices. over 3 million tons of freight every day over 65000 route kilometers. It has major  It enables enhanced operational growth plans and needs to improve service efficiency of the Indian Railways. This levels and operating efficiency. unique initiative of standards based technology development coupled with About the RFID project high-paced field work done by CRIS  The RFID project aims to during last 15 months has now borne fruit – the complete technology eco- automatically and accurately track system for RFID implementation on and trace rolling stock as they move the Indian Railways has been across the country with a special focus established jointly. on improving their safety and

Easy to PICK92 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Implementation of the Project expected to come up which shall  For implementing this project over communicate to a central control center using GS1's LLRP (low level Indian Railways, the Centre for reader protocol) standard. Railway Information Systems (CRIS, the IT arm of the Indian  The complete solution also includes Railways), GS1 India and the Indian the integration of RFID readers with Industry have come together in various equipments such as Train alignment with the Hon'ble Prime Presence Detectors (TPDs), trackside Minister's 'Make in India' initiative. condition monitoring equipment etc. The combination of all of these allows  Thereby creating a new segment in the for an early identification of rolling AIDC (Automatic Identification and stock that may need maintenance. Data Collection) industry in India uniquely suited for the Indian Railways  Future areas that are currently under requirements. study include laundry management, medical working and others.  This project is being spearheaded by the Rolling Stock Department of the Indian Railways. GS1 India is deeply involved in ensuring the quality of the work and proper adoption of international standards. CRIS has been utilising the considerable expertise of GS1 in developing and validating solutions, based on GS1 Standards, for the Indian Railways.  In order that RFID tags can be used in all locations in the country including those with poor connectivity, Indian Railways opted to use the GIAI-202 standard. Indian Railways has successfully field tested these CRIS designed GIAI202 encoded tags at a speed of 182.7 kmph. This feat puts the Indian Railways in the league of leaders with respect to AIDC technology in the Railways sector.  The Indian Railways has aggressive implementation plans for RFID. All Rolling Stock, roughly 3,50,000 vehicles, are expected to be tagged by 2021. Till now approximately 22,000 wagons and 1200 coaches have been fitted with RFID tags. Additionally, roughly 3500 fixed RFID readers are

Easy to PICK93 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” NCRB launches two online national level services Syllabus subtopic: Government Policies  In this user friendly search, citizen may and Interventions for Development in enter search criteria in the portal and various sectors and Issues arising out of the system will search it from the their Design and Implementation. available national database across country and will display the result Prelims and Mains focus: about the immediately with photograph and initiatives by NCRB and their significance; other details. about NCRB  Generate Vehicle NOC: It allows Context: National Crime Record citizens to ascertain the status of a Bureau (NCRB) launched Police related vehicle before its second hand Citizen centric services on CCTNS purchase, as to whether it is suspicious platform. or clean from Police records. This search could be made against National What are these services? database based on vehicle’s details; 1. ‘Missing Person Search’ one can generate and download the 2. ‘Generate Vehicle NOC’ relevant NOC, required by the RTO before the transfer of ownership. Utilities of these online services  Citizens can search for their missing Other initiatives by NCRB 1. NCRB and Cyber Peace foundation kins against the national database of recovered unidentified found together have designed CCTNS person/unidentified dead bodies from Hackathon and Cyber Challenge their homes. This will hugely benefit 2020 with the aim to enhance skills relatives of missing persons and save and knowledge of law enforcement them from running around pillar to personnel at ground level. This post, as all such details including Hackathon has been organized to offer photos are available in Crime and a unique experience to the Criminal Tracking Network System participants,to advance their skills and and will now be accessible to citizens knowledge and to promote through this portal at their coordination with industry and convenience. academia.  The services can be accessed through 2. NCRB and National Centre for ‘digitalpolicecitizenservices.gov.in’ Missing and Exploited Children’s portal or through a link in the existing (NCMEC), USA has signed a ‘Digital Police Portal’. Memorandum of Understanding to receive information on such material  So far such services are being provided originating from India. through the state citizen portals and it is the first time that these are being  NCMEC is a non-profit organization launched centrally. establishedby the United States Congress. It has a centralized reporting

Easy to PICK94 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” system by which internet service providers across the world or intermediaries like facebook, youtube, etc. can report about persons who circulate images of child pornography. Conclusion The intersection between crime and technology is more apparent today than ever before. Digital technologies and the internet have not only spurred cybercrimes but also made them much more sophisticated. It is therefore requisite for law enforcement agencies to be agile skilled in the use of latest technology and adopt innovative methods to track, investigate and combat cybercrimes.

Easy to PICK95 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” Key Highlights of Economic Survey 2019-20 Syllabus subtopic: Indian Economy and  Need for the hand of trust to issues relating to Planning, Mobilization of complement the invisible hand, Resources, Growth, Development and illustrated by financial sector Employment. performance during 2011-13. Prelims and Mains focus: about the key  Survey posits that India’s aspiration to highlights of the economic survey and become a $5 trillion economy depends various suggestions given in it critically on: Context: The Union Minister for Finance 1. Strengthening the invisible hand of the & Corporate Affairs, presented the market. Economic Survey 2019-20 in the Parliament today. 2. Supporting it with the hand of trust.  Strengthening the invisible hand by The Key Highlights of the Economic Survey 2019-20 are as follows: promoting pro-business policies to:  Provide equal opportunities for new Wealth Creation: The Invisible Hand Supported by the Hand of Trust entrants.  India’s dominance as global economic  Enable fair competition and ease power for three-fourths of economic doing business. history manifests by design.  Eliminate policies unnecessarily  Kautilya’s Arthashastra postulates the role of prices in an economy undermining markets through (Spengler, 1971). government intervention.  Historically, Indian economy relied on  Enable trade for job creation. the invisible hand of the market with  Efficiently scale up the banking the support of the hand of trust: sector. 1. Invisible hand of the market reflected  Introducing the idea of trust as a in openness in economic transactions. public good, which gets enhanced with 2. Hand of trust appealed to ethical and greater use. philosophical dimensions.  Survey suggests that policies must  Post-liberalisation, Indian economy empower transparency and effective supports both pillars of the economic enforcement using data and model advocated in our traditional technology. thinking.  Survey illustrates enormous benefits Entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation accruing from enabling the invisible at the Grassroots hand of the market.  Entrepreneurship as a strategy to fuel  Exponential rise in India’s GDP and GDP per capita post-liberalisation productivity growth and wealth coincides with wealth generation. creation.  Survey shows that the liberalized  India ranks third in number of new sectors grew significantly faster than firms created, as per the World the closed ones. Bank.  New firm creation in India increased dramatically since 2014: 1. 12.2 % cumulative annual growth rate of new firms in the formal sector during 2014-18, compared to 3.8 % during 2006-2014.

Easy to PICK96 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” 2. About 1.24 lakh new firms created in  Survey suggests enhancing ease of 2018, an increase of about 80 % from doing business and implementing about 70,000 in 2014. flexible labour laws can create maximum jobs in districts and thereby  Survey examines the content and in the states. drivers of entrepreneurial activity at the bottom of the administrative Pro-business versus Pro-markets pyramid – over 500 districts in India. Survey says that India’s aspiration of becoming a $5 trillion economy depends  New firm creation in services is critically on: significantly higher than that in 1. Promoting ‘pro-business’ policy that manufacturing, infrastructure or agriculture. unleashes the power of competitive markets to generate wealth.  Survey notes that grassroots 2. Weaning away from ‘pro-crony’ policy entrepreneurship is not just driven by that may favour specific private necessity. interests, especially powerful incumbents.  A 10 percent increase in registration of new firms in a district yields a 1.8  Viewed from the lens of the Stock % increase in Gross Domestic market, creative destruction increased District Product (GDDP). significantly post-liberalisation:  Entrepreneurship at district level has a 1. Before liberalisation, a Sensex firm significant impact on wealth creation at expected to stay in it for 60 years, the grassroots. which decreased to only 12 years after liberalisation.  Birth of new firms in India is heterogeneous and dispersed across 2. Every five years, one-third of Sensex districts and sectors. firms are churned out, reflecting the continuous influx of new firms,  Literacy and education in a district products and technologies into the foster local entrepreneurship economy. significantly:  Despite impressive progress in 1. Impact is most pronounced when enabling competitive markets, pro- literacy is above 70 per cent. crony policies destroyed value in the economy: 2. New firm formation is the lowest in eastern India with lowest literacy rate 1. An equity index of connected firms (59.6 % as per 2011 Census). significantly outperformed market by 7 % a year from 2007 to 2010, reflecting  Physical infrastructure quality in the abnormal profits extracted at common district influences new firm creation citizens’ expense. significantly. 2. In contrast, the index underperforms  Ease of Doing Business and flexible market by 7.5 % from 2011, reflecting labour regulation enable new firm inefficiency and value destruction creation, especially in the inherent in such firms. manufacturing sector.  Pro-crony policies such as discretionary allocation of natural resources till 2011 led to rent-seeking by beneficiaries while competitive

Easy to PICK97 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” allocation of the same post 2014 ended increase in the price of the regulated such rent extraction. pharmaceutical drug vis-à-vis that of  Similarly crony lending that led to an unregulated but similar drug. wilful default, wherein promoters  The increase in prices is greater for collectively siphoned off wealth from more expensive formulations than for banks, led to losses that dwarf cheaper ones and for those sold in subsidies for rural development. hospitals rather than retail shops.  These findings reinforce that the Undermining Markets: When outcome is opposite to what DPCO aims to do - making drugs affordable. Government Intervention Hurts More  Government, being a huge buyer of drugs, can intervene more effectively Than It Helps to provide affordable drugs by combining all its purchases and  Government intervention, though well exercising its bargaining power.  Ministry of Health and Family Welfare intended, often ends up undermining must evolve non-distortionary mechanisms that utilise Government’s the ability of the markets to support bargaining power in a transparent manner. wealth creation and leads to outcomes 3. Government intervention in Grain opposite to those intended. markets:  Four examples of anachronistic  Policies in the food-grain markets led to: government interventions:  Emergence of Government as the 1. Essential Commodities Act (ECA), largest procurer and hoarder of rice and wheat. 1955: Frequent and unpredictable  Crowding out of private trade. imposition of blanket stock limits on  Burgeoning food subsidy burden  Inefficiencies in the markets, affecting commodities under ECA distorts: the long run growth of agricultural  The incentives for the creation of sector.  The food-grains policy needs to be storage infrastructure by the private dynamic and allow switching from physical handling and distribution of sector. food-grains to cash transfers/food coupons/smart cards.  Movement up the agricultural value 4. Debt waivers: Analysis of debt chain. waivers given by States/Centre:  Development of national market for  Full waiver beneficiaries consume less, save less, invest less and are less agricultural commodities. productive after the waiver, compared to the partial beneficiaries.  Imposition of stock limits on dal in  Debt waivers disrupt the credit culture. 2006-Q3, sugar in 2009-Q1 and onions in September, 2019 spiked up the volatility of the retail and wholesale prices of onions.  The Ministry of Consumer Affairs must examine whether the ECA is relevant in today’s India.  With raids having abysmally low conviction rate and no impact on prices, the ECA only seems to enable rent-seeking and harassment.  Survey suggests there is clear evidence for jettisoning this anachronistic legislation. 2. Drug Price Control under ECA:  The regulation of prices of drugs, through the DPCO 2013, led to

Easy to PICK98 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine”  They reduce formal credit flow to the  Survey analyses the impact of very same farmers, thereby defeating India’s trade agreements on overall the purpose. trade balance: o India’s exports increased by  Survey suggests that: 13.4 % for manufactured  Government must systematically products and 10.9 % for total merchandise examine areas of needless intervention o Imports increased by 12.7 % for and undermining of markets; but it manufactured products and 8.6 does not argue that there should be no per cent for total merchandise. Government intervention. o India gained 0.7 % increase in  Instead it suggests that the trade surplus per year for interventions that were apt in a manufactured products and 2.3 different economic setting may have % per year for total lost their relevance in a transformed merchandise. economy.  Eliminating such instances will enable Targeting Ease of Doing Business in competitive markets spurring India investments and economic growth.  A jump of 79 positions to 63 in Creating Jobs and Growth by 2019 from 142 in 2014 in World Specializing in Network Products Bank’s Doing Business rankings.  Survey says India has unprecedented  India still trails in parameters such as opportunity to chart a China-like, Ease of Starting Business, Registering labour-intensive, export trajectory. Property, Paying Taxes and Enforcing  By integrating “Assemble in India for Contracts. the world” into Make in India, India can:  Survey has numerous case studies: o Raise its export market share to o For merchandise exports, the logistics process flow for imports is about 3.5 % by 2025 and 6 % by more efficient than that for exports. 2030. o Electronics exports and imports o Create 4 crore well-paid jobs by through Bengaluru airport illustrate 2025 and 8 crore by 2030. how Indian logistical processes can be world class.  Exports of network products can provide one-quarter of the increase in  The turnaround time of ships in India value added required for making India has almost halved to 2.48 days in a $5 trillion economy by 2025. 2018-19 from 4.67 days in 2010-11.  Survey suggests a strategy similar to  Suggestions for further Ease of Doing one used by China to grab this Business: opportunity: o Specialization at large scale in o Close coordination between the labour-intensive sectors, especially Logistics division of the Ministry of network products. Commerce and Industry, the Central o Laser-like focus on enabling Board of Indirect Taxes and assembling operations at mammoth Customs, Ministry of Shipping and scale in network products. the different port authorities. o Export primarily to markets in rich countries. o Trade policy must be an enabler.

Easy to PICK99 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine” o Individual sectors such as tourism or o Creation of a GSTN type entity manufacturing require a more that will aggregate data from all targeted approach that maps out the PSBs and use technologies like regulatory and process bottlenecks big data, artificial intelligence for each segment. and machine learning in credit decisions for ensuring better Golden jubilee of bank nationalisation: screening and monitoring of Taking stock borrowers, especially the large  Survey observes 2019 as the golden ones. jubilee year of bank nationalization Financial Fragility in the NBFC Sector  Accomplishments of lakhs of Public  Survey investigates the key drivers of Sector Banks (PSBs) employees Rollover Risk of the shadow banking cherished and an objective assessment system in India in light of the current of PSBs suggested by the Survey. liquidity crunch in the sector.  Since 1969, India’s Banking sector  Key drivers of Rollover Risk: has not developed proportionately to o Asset Liability Management (ALM) the growth in the size of the economy.  India has only one bank in the global Risk. top 100 – same as countries that are a o Interconnectedness Risk. fraction of its size: Finland (about o Financial and Operating Resilience 1/11th), Denmark (1/8th), etc.  A large economy needs an efficient of an NBFC. banking sector to support its growth. o Over-dependence on short-term  The onus of supporting the economy falls on the PSBs accounting for 70 % wholesale funding. of the market share in Indian banking:  Survey computes a diagnostic (Health o PSBs are inefficient compared Score) by quantifying the Rollover risk to their peer groups on every for a sample of HFCs and Retail- performance parameter. NBFCs (which are representative of their respective sectors). o In 2019, investment for every rupee in PSBs, on average, led  The analysis of the Health Score has to the loss of 23 paise, while in the following findings: NPBs it led to the gain of 9.6 o The HFC sector exhibited a paise. declining trend post 2014 and overall health of the sector o Credit growth in PSBs has been worsened considerably by the end much lower than NPBs for the of FY2019. last several years. o The Score of the Retail-NBFC sector was consistently below par  Solutions to make PSBs more for the period 2014 -19. efficient: o Larger Retail-NBFCs had higher o Employee Stock Ownership Health Scores but among medium Plan (ESOP) for PSBs’ and small Retail- NBFCs, the employees medium size ones had a lower o Representation on boards score for the entire period of 2014- proportionate to the blocks held 19. by employees to incentivize employees and align their  Survey suggests that the Health Score interests with that of all provides an early warning signal of shareholders of banks. impending liquidity problems.

Easy to PICK100 - “UPSC Monthly Magazine”  Equity markets react favourably to debate about accuracy of India’s GDP increase in Health Score of individual estimation following the revised HFCs and Retail-NBFCs. estimation methodology in 2011 is extremely significant.  The Survey prescribes this analysis to  As countries differ in several observed and unobserved ways, cross-country efficiently allocate liquidity comparisons have to be undertaken by separating the effect of other enhancements across firms (with confounding factors and isolating effect of methodology revision alone different Health Scores) in the NBFC on GDP growth estimates.  Models that incorrectly over-estimate sector, thereby arresting financial GDP growth by 2.7 % for India post- 2011 also misestimate GDP growth fragility in a capital-efficient manner. over the same period for 51 out of 95 countries in the sample. Privatization and Wealth Creation  Several advanced economies such as UK, Germany and Singapore have  Survey examines the their GDPs misestimated with incompletely specified econometric realized efficiency gains from model.  Correctly specified models that privatization in the Indian context and account for all unobserved differences and differential trends in GDP growth bolsters the case for aggressive across countries fail to find any misestimating of growth in India or disinvestment of CPSEs. other countries.  Concerns of a misestimated Indian  Strategic disinvestment of GDP are unsubstantiated by the data and are thus unfounded. Government’s shareholding of 53.29 Thalinomics: The Economics of a Plate per cent in HPCL led to an increase of of Food in India  An attempt to quantify what a common around Rs. 33,000 crore in national person pays for a Thali across India. wealth.  A shift in the dynamics of Thali prices  Survey presents an analysis of the since 2015-16.  Absolute prices of a vegetarian Thali before-after performance of 11 have decreased significantly since CPSEs which underwent strategic 2015-16 across India and the four regions; though the price has increased disinvestment from 1999-2000 to during 2019-20.  Post 2015-16: 2003-04: o Average household gained close to o Financial indicators such as net Rs. 11, 000 on average per year from the moderation in prices in the worth, net profit, return on assets case of vegetarian Thali. o Average household that consumes (ROA), return on equity (ROE) two non-vegetarian Thalis gained etc of the privatized CPSEs, on an average, have improved significantly. o Privatized CPSEs have been able to generate more wealth from the same resources.  Survey suggests aggressive disinvestment of CPSEs to: o Bring in higher profitability. o Promote efficiency. o Increase competitiveness. o Promote professionalism. Is India’s GDP Growth Overstated? No!  GDP growth is a critical variable for decision-making by investors and policymakers. Therefore, the recent