Table of Contents:
A. GS1 Related:
B. GS2 Related:
1. Arunachal gets a special security package
2. Jaishankar asks TNA to go easy on its demands
C. GS3 Related:
1. An Indian challenge to China in space?
D. GS4 Related:
E. Important Editorials : A Quick Glance
1. Make in India needs an efficient retail sector
1. India offers Tech “Know How” to ASEAN in Telecom Sector
2. Health Secretary launches ‘SAATHIYA’ Resource Kit and ‘SAATHIYA SALAH’ Mobile App for Adolescents
F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn
G. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS
H. Fun with Practice Questions 🙂
I. Archives
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Useful News Articles for UPSC Current Affairs
A. GS1 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
B. GS2 Related
Category: Polity and Governance
Topic: Center-State Relations
Key Points:
- Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on 20th February, 2017 said the Centre has sanctioned a special package for strengthening security in three eastern districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
- This effort being taken is to tackle the insurgency problem there.
- Mr. Singh said that the necessary funds would be given at the earliest for construction of over 20 police stations in the three districts and asked the State government to expedite the work.
- Referring to the hydro power potential of the State, Mr. Singh said a robust connectivity infrastructure was a must to tap this and turn it into a money spinner.
Category: International Relations
Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests
Key Points:
- Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar has asked the Tamil leadership in Sri Lanka to continue negotiating a political solution with the government, without being fixated on the demand for merging the island’s northern and eastern provinces.
- Leader of the Opposition R. Sampanthan briefed Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar on pressing issues faced by the Tamil people, including the lack of progress on the release of military-occupied land by the government and lingering concerns about enforced disappearances and detained Tamil political prisoners.
Background
- Sri Lanka is drafting a new Constitution, but the country’s minority Tamils are worried about the pace of the exercise.
- With a section of Sinhalese lawmakers in the south opposing any increase in the power shared with provinces, the process appears to have hit a major roadblock.
C. GS3 Related
Category: Science and Technology
Topic: Space
Key Points:
- It is reported that China is clinically analysing the successful and cost-effective launch of 104 satellites in one go by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), as well as the outcome of the Aero-India show.
- Some media reports acknowledge that New Delhi may out-compete Beijing in the commercial space-launch business.
- In fact, reports in the international press have highlighted that India’s successful record-breaking satellite launch could serve as a “wake-up call” for China’s commercial space industry.
D. GS4 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
E. Important Editorials: A Quick Glance
Hindu
Category: International Relations
Topic: : Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests
Key Points:
- South Koreans are bracing themselves for another high-profile controversy, this time involving the country’s largest conglomerate, Samsung.
- Samsung Group chief Jay Y. Lee was arrested over his alleged role in a corruption scandal rocking the highest levels of power in South Korea.
- Mr. Lee is a suspect in the influence-peddling scandal that led parliament to impeach President Park Geun-hye in December, a decision that if upheld by the Constitutional Court would make her the country’s first democratically elected leader forced from office.
Importance of Samsung
- Samsung is one of the country’s largest, and its fortunes have a direct bearing on the national economy.
- Its revenues amount to a substantial chunk of South Korea’s gross domestic product.
- The impact of the current development would also be of some concern given the global climate of uncertainty from protectionism.
- Further, legal proceedings under way involving some of South Korea’s electronics giants are evidence of the unhealthy nexus between corporations and officialdom coming under systematic scrutiny.
Economic Times
Category: Indian Economy
Topic: : Manufacturing
Key Points:
- The government reportedly wants to free up foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail.
- But, this would only be for domestically manufactured goods.
- It has been suggested that this shows confused thinking, and not reform to enrich the economy and empower consumers.
- It is important to note that the country needs inflow of foreign capital.
- Further, real reform requires lifting curbs in FDI on all types of retail, both online and physical.
- It will boost investment, both in real estate and in manufacturing, bring in business expertise, and modernise the country’s retail sector.
- The notion that allowing 100 per cent FDI — only in e-commerce and brickand-mortar companies that make and sell stuff locally — will boost domestic manufacturing is misplaced.
The Way Forward
- It is suggested that what will or will not be produced in India should be left to tariffs and industrial policy.
- The need is to freely allow foreign investment in retail, so as to offer manufacturers a ready distribution platform.
PIB
Category: International Relations
Topic: : Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests
Key Points:
- India today offered the secure ICT products to ASEAN countries at competitive costs and also renewed its pledge to share “know how” and “know Why” as New Delhi is willing to provide long-term financing for buying Indian telecom products and services.
- Inaugurating the India Telecom-2017, Minister of Communications Shri Manoj Sinha said that Indian Telecom companies are willing to share technologies and enter into joint production ventures to develop entire telecom eco-system in any host country.
- In the event organized to commemorate the 25th year of the ASEAN-India relations, the Minister urged the participating countries to ensure that Indian telecom products and services should become their number one choice as they accelerate the digital connectivity initiatives.
- Shri Sinha informed that during the 13th ASEAN-India Summit in November, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had committed a Line of Credit of 1 billion US dollars to promote projects that support physical and digital connectivity between India and ASEAN.
- The Minister said that both the sides have complementary skills, huge markets and capacity to develop new technology and products to serve the people.
- Shri Sinha said that Indian communications industry has made great progress over the last decade and with an overall tele-density of 88 and rural tele-density of 53, India has the second largest telecommunications network in the world. Referring to one of the lowest mobile tariffs in the world, Shri Sinha said that India has already overtaken the United States to become the world’s 2nd largest Internet market, with more than 220 million Broadband subscribers and more than 450 million users, only behind China.
India and ASEAN
- In his address, Secretary Telecom, Shri J,S,Deepak said that the potential of partnership between India and ASEAN is indeed huge and specific areas like GSM, broadband, e-education, tele-medicine, disaster management and capacity building can be explored in a win-win fashion.
- He said that Indian telecom products and designs are more affordable, durable and competitive and Indian companies can also provide services in the most difficult areas.
- India has already committed to provide financial as well as technological support for projects that could include-high-speed fibre optic networks, digital villages, rural broadband, national knowledge network, secured communication networks and telecom training and skill development.
Category: Polity and Governance
Topic: : Government Initiatives
Key Points:
- Shri C K Mishra, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare launched the SAATHIYA Resource Kit including ‘Saathiya Salah’ Mobile App for adolescents, as part of the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) program.
- One of the key interventions under the programme is introduction of the Peer Educators (Saathiyas) who act as a catalyst for generating demand for the adolescent health services and imparting age appropriate knowledge on key adolescent health issues to their peer groups.
- In order to equip the Saathiyas in doing so, the Health Ministry has launched the Saathiya Resource Kit (including ‘Saathiya Salah’ Mobile App).
F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn
- ‘Saathiya Salah’ Mobile App
- Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) program
G. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS
| BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGANISATIONS IN NEWS |
H. Fun with Practice Questions 🙂
Question 1: Consider the following statements:
1] India has the second largest telecommunications network in the world.
2] Telephone density or teledensity is the number of telephone connections for every hundred individuals living within an area.
Which of the above statements is/are correct? a) 1 Only b) 2 Only c) Both 1 and 2 d) d) Neither 1 nor 2
Question 2: Which of the following straits separate India and Sri Lanka?
- a) The Palk Strait b) Malacca Strait c) Bering Strait d) Taurus Strait
Question 3: Consider the following statements:
1] A strait is a naturally formed, narrow, typically navigable waterway that connects two larger bodies of water.
2] An Isthmus is a narrow strip of land with sea on either side, forming a link between two larger areas of land.
Which of the above statements is/are correct? a) 1 Only b) 2 Only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2
Question 4: Consider the following statements:
1] Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) Provide comprehensive insurance coverage against crop loss on account of non-preventable natural risks, thus helping in stabilising the income of the farmers and encourage them for adoption of innovative practices.
2] The PMFBY is compulsory for loanee farmers availing crop loans for notified crops in notified areas and voluntary for non-loanee farmers.
Which of the above statements is/are correct? a) 1 Only b) 2 Only c) Both 1, and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2
Question 5: Which of the following organizations bring out the report
known as ‘World Cities Report’?
a) UN-Habitat b) The United Nations Development Programme c) The World Economic Forum d) The World Bank
Check Your Answers
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