Comprehensive News Analysis - 01 November 2016

A. GS1 Related

Nothing here today folks!

B. GS2 Related

1. More differently abled attend schools than before: Census

Category: Social Justice

Topic: Vulnerable sections of society

Key Points:

• Nearly two-thirds of the disabled population in the age-group of 5-19 in 2011 were attending educational institutions, according to new census data release

2. Caught in the crossfire

Category: International Relations

Topic: India-Pakistan

Key Points:

• Exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani forces on the Line of Control and the International Boundary has rendered the 2003 ceasefire ever more fragile
• The brunt of these exchanges is borne by the civilian population in the border villages
• Hundreds have been shifted to shelters and bunkers for safety
• The density of civilian settlement is much higher on the Indian side in comparison to Pakistan’s. As a result, the increased firing across the border creates more pressure on India
• After the two countries agreed to a ceasefire in 2003, the resultant calm had won the confidence of local residents
• The current spiral of violence threatens this peace dividend
• After the surgical strikes, the security forces retain a free hand in responding to infiltrations and instances of firing
• The latest incident underscores the need for an urgent political initiative to prevent the cycle of brutality and reprisal from acquiring its own momentum, as happened in the early 2010s
• It is time the government gathered the reins to address the issue politically and have peace restored on the border

C. GS3 Related

1. A.P., Telangana top in ease of doing business

Category: Indian Economy

Topic: Development

Key Points:

• Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have jointly topped the 2016 all-India State/Union Territory-wise ease of doing business rankings, while last year’s topper Gujarat slipped to the third spot
• The rankings have been arrived at on the basis of a 340-point business reform action plan and their implementation by the States
• The World Bank said what was interesting this year was that four of the seven States with the lowest income levels in India had found a place in the top 10, while all the seven such States had an implementation rate of over 75 per cent
• These low-income States included Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
• The Bank, along with the Centre’s Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) was involved in the process of reviewing the evidence submitted by States/UTs regarding implementation of reforms for the rankings

D. GS4 Related

Nothing here today folks!

E. Important Editorials: A Quick Glance

1. The pivot through Kabul

Category: International Relations

Topic: India – Afghanistan

Key Points:

• India is a small fish in this pond. But its clout is growing
• Indian arms exports doubled by value from 2012- 13 to 2014- 15 to over $ 200 million
• The recipients included Afghanistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Vietnam, South Korea, and even major exporters like Russia, Israel, and Britain. Most of these have been spares and minor equipment
• Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a $ 500 million line of defence credit to Vietnam during his trip to Hanoi, building on an earlier line of credit two years ago for Indian patrol boats
• India has a long history of modest arms provision and training in South Asia and Africa, but by and large it has held back from game- changing sales that would have strategic ripples
• India’s growing arms footprint in Afghanistan points to an important future aspect of its regional power projection

Recommended:

1. NITI Aayog launches the first ever Agricultural Marketing & Farm Friendly Reforms Index. Maharashtra ranks first

Key Points:

• NITI Aayog has identified three key areas for reform and is now persuading states to undertake the reforms. The areas identified for immediate reforms are:
  • Agricultural market reforms
  • Land lease reforms
  • Reforms related to forestry on private land – felling and transit of trees
• Agricultural development in India has entirely ignored the potential of marketing and has continued to follow its old trajectory
• Therefore, the benefits that can be accrued from agriculture are largely untapped
• Productivity is some states is regrettably low and there is a vast disconnect between prices received by farmers and the prices paid by consumers
• Moreover, private capital and modernization have completely evaded agriculture, resulting in barely any addition to the value chain
• The poor state of reforms in the sector is also the primary reason for the non-performance of agricultural food processing industry in India
• NITI Aayog has launched an index to rank States and UTs that is based on implementation of seven provisions proposed under model APMC Act, joining eNAM initiative, special treatment to fruits and vegetables for marketing and level of taxes in mandis
• The Index is named as “Agricultural Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index” and it has a score which can have minimum value “0” implying no reforms and maximum value “100” implying complete reforms in the selected areas
• The state of Maharashtra achieved first rank in implementation of various reforms

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

1. India – Pakistan
2. India – Afghanistan
3. Niti Aayog
4. Air Quality Index

G. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS

Analysis of the Transgender Persons Bill

G. Fun with Practice Questions 🙂

Question 1:Which of the following organizations brings out the publication known as ‘World Economic Outlook’? 

Question 2: Consider the following statements,

Question 3: Consider the following statements about the ancient Nalanda University?

Question 4: Which of the following is true regarding the river Brahmaputra?

Question 5:  Which of the following is/are true?

I. Archives:

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