Comprehensive News Analysis - 12 March 2016

A. GS1 Related

— Nothing here today, folks! —

B. GS2 Related

1. Global recognition for ‘Compassionate Kozhikode’

Topic: Government Policies

Category: Policies, Citizen Participation

Location: The Hindu, Page 11

Keypoints:

• ‘Compassionate Kozhikode’ has been chosen by ITB (Internationale Tourismus-Börse) Berlin, as one of the 50 inspirational global projects to highlight as part of its golden jubilee celebrations.
• ‘Compassionate Kozhikode’ aims at bringing government agencies and citizens to volunteer to make Kozhikode an inspirational destination for them to live in, and invite others to visit
• Called ‘50 Destinations, 50 Encounters, 50 Stories’, the project celebrates the most inspiring and innovative examples from tourism around the world.

C. GS3 Related

1. Kakrapar nuclear plant shut down after coolant system develops leak

Topic: Science & Technology

Category: Effects in everyday life

Location: The Hindu, Page 1

2. Industrial output contracts 1.5%, shrinks for a third straight month

Topic: Economic Development

Category: Industrial growth

Location: The Hindu, Page 18

D. GS4 Related

E. Important Editorials : A Quick Glance

1. Respect for nature is devotion

Topic: Environment

Category: Environment Protection

Location: The Hindu, Page 12

Keypoints:

• The Art of Living Foundation has organised on a thousand-acre site on the floodplain of a river in Delhi to demonstrate ‘humanitarianism’ and the oneness of cultures
• Example of thoughtless environmental destruction
• Large parts of the biodiversity-rich floodplain have been irresponsibly levelled, provision made for approach roads and vehicle parking, and a massive, 40-foot-high stage with garish symbols built for the event
• The Yamuna is a major resource for Delhi, and there is a great deal of scientific literature on why it should be protected and rejuvenated for the benefit of the national capital region.
• Studies done on Delhi’s water needs indicate that there are twice as many people living in the city than it can support based on carrying capacity norms.
• The imperative therefore should be to help the Yamuna use its full potential of recharging its aquifers using monsoon flood flows across a generous one-kilometre width, bringing more precious water to Delhi.

2. Heeding the spirit of the amendment

Topic: Governance

Category:  Policy Making

Location: The Hindu, Page 12
Keypoints:

• For the second year in a row, an Opposition-sponsored amendment to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address has been adopted by the Rajya Sabha
• The President’s Address sets out a government’s policies and programmes, and is first approved by the Union Cabinet
• Should an amendment to the Address be carried through in the Lok Sabha, the government would have to resign
• There is, of course, no such obligation in the Rajya Sabha, but it is still seen to undermine the government’s ability at consensus-building
• For the members of the Rajya Sabha, it is a way to give notice that they cannot be taken for granted
• It raises vital questions for democracy

Others:

Indian Express :

1. Warning should cover 50%, not 85%, of tobacco pack :LS panel report

Topic: Social Justice

Category:  Health  

Location: The Indian Express, Page 10

Keypoints:

• the committee on subordinate legislation of the Lok Sabha, recommended that 50 per cent of the total display area of tobacco packets should carry a warning
• The committee are of considered (opinion) it will be too harsh
• Will result in flooding of illicit cigarettes in the country
• This may lead to a general perception that imported cigarettes are safer than Indian brands, which will also impact government revenues
• For beedis, 50 per cent of only one side of the pack should have the warning
• The final report mentions that the beedi industry had not been consulted in the drafting of the rules and its implementation would “hammer a death knell for the entire beedi industry”

2. The help at hand

Topic: Social Justice

Category:  Health  

Location: The Indian Express, Page 14

Keypoints:

• The government has announced a radical overhaul of the oil and gas exploration policy
• It aims at improving the ease of doing business as well as reducing India’s import dependence by raising the output from domestic sources of oil and gas
• In the process, it is expected to create jobs and spur economic growth
• There are three key changes in the new regime :

1. instead of separate policies and licensing regimes governing different hydrocarbons, such as oil, gas and coal bed methane, there will now be a single unified framework for all
2. the production-sharing contract between government and contractors would henceforth be governed by a revenue-sharing model instead of a profit-sharing one
3. the freeing-up of pricing

3. Mexican opportunity

Topic: International Relations

Category:  India- Mexico  

Location: The Indian Express, Page 15

Keypoints:

• Relations between the two countries have always been distinguished by friendliness and cooperation, but there are endless possibilities to benefit from each other
• India’s involvement with the continent remains a pending matter but, given the 66-year-old friendship, Mexico is a natural gateway for India to dive into one of the most dynamic regions in the world
• Latin America is home to a potential market of 525 million people and includes three G-20 economies.
• It’s an important region for India’s energy security, providing at least 16 per cent of India’s crude oil import.
• Venezuela, Mexico and Brazil are among the top oil providers to India. As resource-rich countries, Latin America is filled with potential partners for renewable energy projects.
• The region is undertaking interesting projects like the Pacific Alliance, an integration initiative between Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Peru.
• It’s one of the most ambitious agreements of its kind and would constitute the eighth-largest economy and seventh-largest exporting entity worldwide.
• India is already involved with the Pacific Alliance as an observer
• Mexico is the largest Latin American investor in India, with an influx of almost $1 billion during the last six years
• Mexico and India face similar challenges which can be overcome by learning from each other. India endeavours to become a world-renowned manufacturing hub through its Make in India programme, an effort in which Mexico already has some experience
• Mexico and India also have a stimulating scientific and technological relationship, dating back to 1975
• tourism as one of the most powerful tools for building bridges and as an engine of development. Last year, Mexico received more than 52,000 Indian visitors, a 52 per cent increase since 2013

4. Higher Credit Card usage helps boost GDP

Topic: Economic Development

Category: GDP

Location: The Indian Express, Page 17

5. Mysuru tops Swachh Survekshan

Topic: Government Policies

Category: Health

Location: The Indian Express, Page 17

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

I. Nuclear reactors

II. Manufacturing Sector

III. India-Mexico

IV. Money Bill

V. TObacco and Cigarettes

VI. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

VII. Various forms of Currency

VIII. Oil and Gas exploration policy

G. Fun with Practice Questions 🙂

To be Updated

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