UPSC Current Affairs September 16 2016 | Comprehensive News Analysis

Useful News Articles

A. GS1 Related

Nothing here today folks!

B. GS2 Related

‘Yatri Mitra’ to the aid of rail passengers in need of assistance

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Initiatives

Key Points:

The Ministry of Railways has announced the launch of ‘Yatri Mitra Seva’- which is an initiative to improve the railway travel experience of elderly, differently-abled and ailing passengers.
This initiative can simplify access to wheelchairs, battery operated cars and porter services.
The scheme will be operational at all major railway stations.
Yatri Mitra Seva is derived from the ‘Sarathi Seva’ introduced in the Konkan Railways.

Ganga water has heavy metal, pesticide traces, says CPCB

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Initiatives

Key Points:

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has revealed that water quality of the river Ganga shows the presence of bacterial contamination besides traces of pollutants like heavy metals and pesticides.
The CPCB said that it has already directed industries regarding Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD). This is in the effort to achieve ZLD in distillery, tannery and textile units as it was mandatory that pollutants like chromium, total dissolved solid and other chemicals are separated before they are disposed of.
The CPCB has maintained that all the industries discharging industrial effluents should transmit online data of their effluent quality on an uninterrupted basis to the CPCB and the SPCBs. These industries should also submit fortnightly data of effluent quality based on samples collected manually and getting it analysed through laboratory recognised under the Environment Protection Act.

The full circle of reason

Category: International Relations

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Key Points:

President Ashraf Ghani’s second official visit to New Delhi has presented a course correction under way in Afghanistan’s foreign policy.
It is important to note that recently, Mr. Ghani warned Pakistan that if it continued to restrict Afghan trade with India, then Afghanistan would consider blocking Pakistan’s own access to Central Asia.
The recent visit by President Ashraf Ghani also assumes importance because one observes that the US Congressional mood on Pakistan is shifting, as evidenced by the decision to block funding for F-16 sales and $300 million of funds.
Also, Mr. Ghani is turning to India because his relationship with Pakistan appears to be breaking down. The reason which can be attributed to this is that Pakistan has neither reined in the insurgency nor compelled the Taliban to negotiate.

Prachanda arrives with ‘Himalayan’ tasks

Category: International Relations

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Key Points:

Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kumar Dahal ‘Prachanda’ will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This would be the Nepalese PM’s first visit abroad since being sworn in.
This visit is expected to see a big push for Indian infrastructure projects in Nepal.
It is important to note that Prachanda has a limited tenure in office, as he is due to hand over charge to Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba in April 2017.
This is part of a power-sharing arrangement, paving the way for elections under the new Constitution in 2018.
It is important to note that changes to Nepal’s Constitution, which would incorporate Madhesi demands for inclusion, reconfiguring state boundaries, proportional representation for elected representatives as well as changing citizenship laws, are issues which are all extremely complex and will take time.

French Defence Minister coming to conclude Rafale deal

Category: International Relations

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Key Points:

The French Defence Minister is likely to visit India next week to conclude the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) between India and France.
This visit would be to hasten the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets, bringing to an end the 17-month-long negotiations.
The final deal is expected to cost about Euro 7.87 billion- this would translate to over Rs. 55,000 crore depending on the currency fixation in the contract.
The aircraft would be slightly customised as per requirements of the Indian Air Force and deliveries will begin in 2019 with the sovereign guarantee by the French government.

BRICS members to unite against terror groups

Category: International Relations

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Key Points:

The BRICS High Representatives in charge of security, have agreed to intensify cooperation against terror groups like the IS in West Asia and North Africa region (WANA).
This development needs to be seen in the larger light of the demand for an international legal order to deal with the threat of terrorism.
The BRICS High Representatives have also agreed to pool BRICS’ efforts to counter terrorism and violent extremism emanating from the West Asia and North Africa region (WANA).
Further, the High Representatives also discussed non-traditional threats like cyber hacking and agreed to join hands for capacity building and research and development.

C. GS3 Related

U.S expects India to ratify Paris treaty this year

Category: Environment and Ecology

Topic: Climate Change

Key Points:

The U.S maintains that they are confident that India will be able to ratify the Paris Agreement on climate change before the end of the year.
Also, it is believed that the Obama administration is actively persuading members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to admit India.
The formal ratification of the Paris Agreement on climate change will have to be done by the Union Cabinet, but the process before it reaches that stage could be a lengthy one.
Since the agreement concerns emission norms, it would have far-reaching impacts, for example, it would impact how our electricity legislation is framed, etc.
Hence, there is a cascading implication for different segments of the economy.

D. GS4 Related

E. Important Editorials: A Quick Glance

The Hindu

Editorials:

When the river weeps

Category: Polity and Governance

Topic: Government Initiatives

Key Points:

Agitations over the distribution of water in the Cauvery river between the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are not new or surprising given the extreme dependence on agriculture and economic activity in the Cauvery river basin.
The Cauvery river basin is fertile and has encouraged the growth of forests, agriculture and industry. But they coexist in an uneasy manner and are now threatened.
Across the basin, deforestation has contributed to reduction in rainfall, soil erosion, and flooding.
It is important to note that in the place of forests, plantations of water-hungry trees such as eucalyptus and acacia are further reducing the water table.
The rapid rate of urbanisation has converted fertile agriculture, forests and wetlands into concreted areas which are unable to retain rainwater or channel them into tributary streams that feed the Cauvery river.
Widespread changes in farming and agricultural patterns further amplify the problem.
The Cauvery basin was once an area of millet cultivation- but it has been transformed into a location for the cultivation of high-yield paddy and sugar cane, both of which are water-intensive crops.
Thus, there needs to be a redesign of the farming system, especially keeping in mind the specific water requirements of the crops planted after the onset of the south-west monsoon.
The need of the hour is conversation and cooperation across the basin, and not reactive conflict.

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

Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
West Asia and North Africa region (WANA)
Rafale fighter jets
Yatri Mitra Seva
Sarathi Seva

G. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS

BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS	Links to Refer
Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)	http://www.nuclearsuppliersgroup.org/en/

H. Fun with Practice Questions 🙂

Question 1: Consider the following statements,

Paddy and sugar cane, are water-intensive crops.
Eucalyptus and Acacia are water-hungry trees.

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Question 2: Consider the following statements,

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has revealed that water quality of the river Ganga shows the presence of bacterial contamination besides traces of pollutants like heavy metals and pesticides.
The CPCB said that it has already directed industries regarding Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD)- this is an effort to achieve ZLD in distillery, tannery and textile units as it was mandatory that pollutants like chromium, total dissolved solid and other chemicals are separated before they are disposed of.

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Question 3: The 'Rafale fighter jets', recently in the news, is manufactured in which country?

a) France

b) India

c) Germany

d) U.K

Question 4: Consider the following statements,

The Ministry of Railways has announced the launch of ‘Yatri Mitra Seva’- which is an initiative to improve the railway travel experience of elderly, differently-abled and ailing passengers.
This initiative can simplify access to wheelchairs, battery operated cars and porter services.
The scheme will be operational at all major railway stations.

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 and 3 only

c) All 1, 2 and 3

d) 3 only

Question 5: Which of the following international boundaries divide Pakistan and Afghanistan,

a) Durand Line

b) 38th Parallel

c) McMahon Line

d) 24th Parallel

Check Your Answers

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