Comprehensive News Analysis - 23 March 2016

Table of Contents:

A. GS1 Related:
B. GS2 Related:

1. Self-financing pvt. institutions need not have govt. nominee on their board

2. Will proceed with existing MoP for judges’ post: HC

3. Maharashtra Advocate General Aney resigns

4. India to host BRICS summit in October

5. Aung San Suu Kyi to be Myanmar’s foreign minister

C. GS3 Related:

1. Modi to announce n-security plans in U.S

2. Bangladesh Reports first case of Zika

3. New insurance scheme aims to cover 50% of farmers

D. GS4 Related:

1. Firms pay 50pc of cost as bribes

E.Important Editorials: A Quick Glance
The Hindu:

1. Return to the revolutionary road

The Indian Express:

1. IITs Must be Accessible to All

Others:

1. The ASIAN AGE:- Centre tweaks Atal pension plan

2. Businessline:Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana norms to be out soon: Oil Ministry

F.Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:
G.Fun with Practice Questions 🙂
H.Archives

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Useful News Articles

A. GS1 Related

Today is SHAHEEDI DIWAS( Salute to the Heros). Please see the editorial section below. Other than this no related news today.

 

B. GS2 Related

1. Self-financing pvt. institutions need not have govt. nominee on their board

Topic: Polity

Category: Structure, organization of formal associations

Location: The Hindu, Page 9

Key Points:

  • At a conference on ‘Making India a global hub for higher education’, organised by the Education Promotion Society of India, the Union HRD Minister said Self-financing private institutions need not have a government nominee on their board of management.
  • Also to ensure more flexibity and to end the ‘license raj’ of the AICTE, she said technical institutions need not run for approvals every year to the AICTE once if five year accredition is given.
  • Ms. Irani also said the NCERT would ensure that benchmarks are set for students in classes 1 to 8 so that schools would have a framework.

2. Will proceed with existing MoP for judges’ post: HC

Topic: Polity

Category: Indian Judiciary

Location: The Hindu, Page 9.

Key Points:

  • A PIL petition was filed in Karnataka High Court not to recommend names of judicial officers for elevation to the post of judges of the High Court.
  • Why is this PIL?
    1. Recently the SupremeCourt has directed the Union Governemnt to bring in a modified Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) for selection of judges to the higher judiciary.
    2. It is Still pending.

Note: Though the High Court dismissed the PIL- student should make a note of such issues to analyse the impact of making no headway with proposed NJAC or its alternative and how governace in judiciary suffers!!( adding to it the pile up of cases and delays!!)

3. Maharashtra Advocate General Aney resigns

Topic: Polity

Category: Issues relating to development

Location: The Hindu, page 9

Key Points:

  • Maharashtra’s Advocate General Shreehari Aney demanded separate statehood for Marathwada
  • He said Advocate General’s prime function is to protect the interest of the people
  • His demand evoked a sharp rebuke from the opposition as well as the Shiv Sena.
  • Shreehari Aney submitted his resignation to Governor citing protection of public interest and it became big news!.

Note: Students should make a note of the demand for Marathwada State and analyse its pro’s and con’s

3. India to host BRICS summit in October

Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings

Category: International Relations

Location: The Hindu, Page 12

The logo for the 8th BRICS summit is a lotus with colours from all the five member-countries and a traditional ‘namaste’ in the centre.

Key Points:

  • India assumed chairmanship of BRICS from Russia and in this capacity it will host its eighth annual summit at Goa in October (The seventh summit was held in Ufa, Russia)
  • India’s core theme during its chairmanship is Building responsive, inclusive and collective solutions for the group.
  • India will adopt a five-pronged approach during its chairmanship.-IIIIC/I4C
    1. Institution Building,
    2. Implementation,
    3. Integration
    4. Innovation, and
    5. Continuity with Consolidation

3. Aung San Suu Kyi to be Myanmar’s foreign minister

Topic: Politics of developing countries on India’s interests.

Category: IR- India-Myanmar relations

Location: The Asian Age

Key Points:

  • The Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi will be foreign minister in Myanmar’s first civilian government.
  • Ms Suu Kyi was the sole woman and one of the only six members of her National League for Democracy party in a Cabinet list
  • With this portfolio, She will be at the heart of government and it gives her international clout and a seat at the influential military-dominated Security Council.

Note: Student’s should make note of this and analyse how this will impact- India – Myanmar relations

 

C. GS3 Related

1. Modi to announce n-security plans in U.S

Topic: Nuclear Energy

Category: Science and Technology

Location: The Hindu, page 12

Key Points:

  • The 4th Nuclear Security Summit will be held from March 31to April 1 in Washington DC. Our PM Mr. Modi will be attending this.
  • In this member countries will submit their latest “progress reports” on steps taken to prevent non-state actors from gaining access to nuclear material.
  • The world leaders will also debate about the future of the nuclear security regime

(Note: Summit’s outcome will alter the course of direction for N- Energy and its impact is to been seen in the light of India’s Energy security)

2 .Bangladesh Reports first case of Zika

Topic: Developments in every day life

Category: Science and Technology

Location: Business Standard
Key Points:

  • Zika virus, a mosquito-borne disease that has been linked to birth defects and other health issues.
  • The Bangladesh Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research has confirmed zika virus spread.

Note: Students should broadly follow the developments in the spread of such virus.

3 .New insurance scheme aims to cover 50% of farmers

Topic: Schemes/programmes

Category: Agricultural sector-Indian economy

Location: Livemint
Key Points:

  • Under new scheme, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) government seeks to shield farmers from weather-related risks.
  • The revamped crop insurance policy is set to cover 50% of all farmers
  • How is it different from the previous schemes?
    1. In earlier schemes, sub-districts were taken as a unit of assessment and individual farmers got paid if crops were damaged across a wide area.
    2. In this scheme, either a village panchayat or individual farmer’s field (in case of localized calamities such as hailstorms) will be the unit of assessment.
D. GS4 Related

1 .Firms pay 50pc of cost as bribes

Topic: Public/Civil service values

Category: Ethical Governance

Location: The Hindu, Page 15
Key Points:

  • According to a report by World Economic Forum on Corruption in India, Indian firms pay nearly 50pc of the Total Project cost as bribes to speed up clearances for real estate and infrastructure ventures.

Note: Students should make a note of this and quote it while analysing the extent of corruption and in writing answers related to ethical governance.

E. Important Editorials : A Quick Glance

The Hindu:

1 .Return to the revolutionary road

Topic: Freedom movement

Category: Modern India

( Note: The article is written in the context of SHAHEEDI Diwas today i.e., Bhagat Singh’s death anniversary, and gave insights in to 1931 Karachi Resolution and Bhagat Singh’s-inspiration for it and some advices for Congress party today .But from examination point of view , we have taken only the important aspects)

Key points:

  • The 1931 March Karachi Congress was more than memorable, because in this Gandhi –Irwin accord was discussed and resolution on Fundamental rights was passed.
  • According to this accord, Congress was to call off “civil disobedience” and in return the Satyagrahis were to be released from jail, salt was to be freed for collection in coastal areas, and forfeited lands were to be returned.
  • Also as a part of this pact,Gandhi was to speak for the Congress’s goal of Swaraj in the upcoming Round Table Conference in London.
  • Why is this deal considered momentous?
  • It brought Gandhi and the Viceroy, the Congress and the Raj on a par.
  • Why Bhagat Singh was put in Lahore Jail?
    1. He was facing trials with fellow revolutionaries from the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association including Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar, for the killing of Lahore’s Assistant Superintendent of Police John Saunders on December 1928 and for “waging war against the King”.
    2. What is this waging war against the king? It is charge on Bhagat Singh’s and Batukeshwar Dutt, for threwing bombs and leaflets into the Central Legislative Assembly chambers in New Delhi on April 1929.

(Note: 1. Bhagat Singh added a new dimension to his courage when he resorted to a hunger strike in prison asking the ‘Lahore prisoners’ to be treated as political prisoners, not ‘common criminals’ and 2. It is said Bhagat Singh walked to the scaffold, head held high, with the slogan ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ )

  • The author says that the resolution on India’s future under a scheme of Fundamental Rights and Duties that Nehru drafted, was unmistakably influenced by Bhagat Singh. Author quotes the below example to support his point .
  • In a statement issued by Bhagat Singh with Batukeshwar Dutton June 6, 1928, Bhagat Singh had said: “… labourers and producers, despite being part of the mainstream, are victims of exploitation and have been denied basic human rights… Farmers, who produce, die of hunger. The weaver who weaves clothes for others cannot do so for his own family and children… Masons, carpenters, ironsmiths who build huge palaces die living in huts and slums. On the other side, capitalist exploiters, anti-social elements, spend crores of rupees on their fashion and enjoyment…”

Note : Students should make a note and read this twice/thirce and there may be questions in GS- Paper I related to this.

  • Also the Karachi Congress formulation read: “Every citizen of India has the right of free expression of opinion, the right of free association and combination, and the right to assemble peacefully and without arms, for a purpose not opposed to law or morality.”
  • Again the author putsforth the idea that the above lines were inspired by Bhagat Singh’s ideology and to support this, he quotes the below.
  • In Why I am an Atheist Bhagat Singh had written: “The day shall usher in a new era of liberty when a large number of men and women, taking courage from the idea of serving humanity… will wage a war against their oppressors, tyrants or exploiters… to establish liberty and peace.”
  • Karachi’s resolutions, it is so clear, refracted themselves into the Preamble to the Constitution of India and its chapter on Fundamental Rights. (To that extent Bhagat Singh was, in his permeating influence, an in-absentia member of the Constituent Assembly’s Drafting Committee0
  • Author also says that there can be no doubt that Bhagat Singh’s execution led to the Karachi Resolution saying under ‘Fundamental Rights’: “There shall be no capital punishment.”

The NEW INDIAN EXPRESS

1 .IITs Must be Accessible to All

Topic: Issues relating to Education
Category: Governance
Key points:

  • Recently the Standing Committee of the IIT Council (SCIC) approved a proposal to hike the fees three-fold in the elite public-funded institutes.
  • This led to furore in some sections of the academia and political circles
  • Why are these objections?
    1. This would eventually make quality higher education unaffordable for large sections of students from poor and socially disadvantaged backgrounds.
    2. This is also viewed as state abandoning its responsibility and trying to sneak in privatisation of premier institutes.
  • On the other side there also some sections who opine that increasing the fee can make these institutions autonomous and less dependent on government for financial support.
  • Earlier The Anil Kakodkar Committee set up by the UPA government had recommended fee hike and made a case for survival and growth without public funding.
  • Note; The innovative idea is intended to improve the quality and make IITs self-reliant is welcome, but periodic upward revision of fees for affluent students, but not at the cost of access of quality higher education for all, could be considered.

Others

1 .The ASIAN AGE:- Centre tweaks Atal pension plan

Topic: Schemes/Programmes
Category: Polity
Key points:

  • The Centre has amended its ambitious pension scheme Atal Pension Yojana (APY)
  • Now, it will give an option to the spouse to continue to contribute for balance period even in the event of the premature death of the subscriber.
  • After the death of both the subscriber and the spouse, the nominee of the subscriber shall be entitled to receive the pension wealth, as accumulated till age of 60 years of the subscriber.
  • What is APY?
    1. To address the longevity risks among the workers and to encourage voluntarily saving for retirement, in 2014 government launched Atal Pension Yojana (APY).
    2. Under APY, each subscriber, on completion of 60 years of age, will get the guaranteed minimum monthly pension, or higher monthly pension, if the investment returns are higher than the assumed returns for minimum guaranteed pension, over the period of contribution.

2 .Businessline : . Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana norms to be out soon: Oil Ministry

Topic: Schemes/Programmes
Category: Polity
Key points:

  • The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, will provide free LPG connections to below poverty line (BPL) families.
  • Based on an agreement reached between, Union and state governments, the identification of BPL beneficiaries will be based on the socio-economic caste census
  • Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas asked oil marketing companies to appoint nodal officers for the scheme at state and district levels and urged the management of oil marketing companies to appoint women officers to spearhead the implementation of the scheme.
  • The scheme aims to provide 1.5 crore free LPG connections to BPL families in the fiscal 2016-17.
F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:
  1. Advocate General-role and functions
  2. BRICS
  3. Nuclear Security Summit
  4. PMFBY
  5. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana
  6. ICANN
  7. President’s rule
  8. 1931 Karachi Resolution
  9. Atal Pension Yojana
G. Fun with Practice Questions 🙂
Question 1: Which of the following aspects is/are true with regard to 1931 karachi resolution?
  1. Elections on the basis of Universal Adult Franchise
  2. Government ownership or control of key industries, mines, and transport.

a)Both 1 and 2

b) 1 only

c) 2 only

d) Neither

Question 2:Which of the following statements is/are correct with regard to the recently launched Atal Pension Yojana Scheme?
  1. Atal Pension Yojana (APY) is open to all bank account holders who are members of any statutory social security scheme.
  2. The minimum period of contribution by the subscriber under APY would be 20 years or more.

a) 1only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 or 2

Question 3: Consider the following
  1. Shendurney and Peppara wildlife sanctuaries
  2. Neyyar sanctuary
  3. Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

Which among the above are part of Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve which was recently added to UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves ?

a) 2 only

b) 1 and 2

c) 2 and 3

d) 1, 2 and 3

Question 4: Which of the statements below are true about President's rule in India?
  1. It is imposed to bring control of state under the Union government if the state government fails to function as per constitution.
  2. President can take the decision on imposing Presidents rule only when the Governor sends a report to the center.

a) 1 Only

b) 1 and 2

c) 2 only

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Question 5:Which of the statements below is/are true with regard to the recently launched Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana?
  1. It is a scheme for Providing Free LPG connections to Women from BPL Households.
  2. It can also enhance employment opportunities for rural youth.

a) 1only

b) 2only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Check Your Answers

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IAS General Studies Notes Links
Reservation System In India Industrial Policy 1991
Mandal Commission Lord Irwin
Udham Singh Parivesh
Structure Of The Earth Permanent Settlement
Monthly Current Affairs PDF India Forex Reserves

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