UPSC 2017: Comprehensive News Analysis - October 15

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS1 Related
B. GS2 Related
POLITY
1. PM Modi to inaugurate first ever All India Institute of Ayurveda
2. Kancha Ilaiah case: We’re not here to ban books, says Supreme Court 
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS/BILATERAL RELATIONS
1. NRIs can proxy-vote soon: Sushma
2. India plans a riposte to slavery report 
3. India acts against bottom trawling 
C. GS3 Related
INTERNAL SECURITY
1. A bigger nuclear submarine is coming
D. GS4 Related
E. Prelims Fact
F. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
G. UPSC Mains Practice Questions 

 

A. GS1 Related

Nothing here for Today!!!

 

B. GS2 Related

Category: POLITY

1. PM Modi to inaugurate first ever All India Institute of Ayurveda

In news:

  • The first ever All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), modelled on the lines of AIIMS, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital on ‘Ayurveda Day’ on October 17.
  • Set up as an apex institute under the Ministry of AYUSH, the AIIA will bring in the synergy between traditional wisdom of Ayurveda and modern diagnostic tools and technology.

2. Kancha Ilaiah case: We’re not here to ban books, says Supreme Court

Context:

  • The petition filed by advocate took exception to a particular chapter in a book titled ‘Post-Hindu India’ called ‘Hindutv-Mukt Bharat’.
  • The book is critical about the caste system prevailing in India, especially in the Arya Vysya community.

Supreme Court Observation:

  • “Any request for banning a book of the present nature has to be strictly scrutinized because every author or writer has a fundamental right to speak out ideas freely and express thoughts adequately. Curtailment of an individual writer/author’s right to freedom of speech and expression should never be lightly viewed,”
  • It is not up to the Supreme Court to use its powers to ban books, which are a free expression of a writer’s thoughts and feelings about the society and world he lives in. Courts cannot be asked to gag free expression.
  • The Supreme Court has always placed the fundamental right to free speech at the highest pedestal.
  • This is what the Supreme Court recorded in its two-page order while dismissing a petition to ban a book written by writer and activist Professor Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd called Samajika Smugglurlu Komatollu.

Category: INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS/BILATERAL RELATIONS

1. NRIs can proxy-vote soon: Sushma

In news:

  • Addressing women BJP workers in a town hall interaction, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that soon non-resident Indians (NRIs) would be able to proxy-vote in elections in the country as the government was set to amend the Representation of the People Act.

Present situation:  under the present law, NRIs registered in India as voters had to fly to the country during an election to cast their vote, but with the amendment, they could just issue an authorization letter to family members or relatives to vote on their behalf.

2. India plans a riposte to slavery report

In news:

  • After sending a rebuttal to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) challenging India’s ranking in a global slavery report, India will build pressure on the global body to distance itself from the Australia-based NGO-Walk Free Foundation.
  • It was the WFF, founded by Australia’s mining mogul Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, that had compiled the report.
  • As per the report, the highest number of people, 17,000, were surveyed in India and it was placed in a cluster of 53 countries like Honduras, Belize, Iraq, Pakistan and China.
  • Indian security agencies informed the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) that though the methodology of sampling was not clear, the WFF’s entire focus was on India and had “enough potential to substantively harm India’s image and kill its exports market”.
  • The PMO was warned that there was “evidence of rising interest of private and multilateral institutions in highlighting human trafficking and forced labour as modern-day slavery, with India being the largest hub of slaves”. 

Point-wise rejoinder

  • The Centre has tasked the V. Giri National Labour Institute, an autonomous body under the Labour and Employment Ministry, to prepare a point-wise rejoinder to the ‘modern slavery’ report.
  • The Labour Ministry shot off a strong letter to the ILO regarding its report titled ‘Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage 2017,’ The report released on September 19 did not contain any India-specific findings, barring one mention that 17,000 people were interviewed for the survey.

3. India acts against bottom trawling

Context:

  • Bottom trawling by Indian fishermen had emerged as a major issue because of the disruptive impact it left on the coastal communities of Sri Lanka.
  • Earlier in July, Sri Lanka banned bottom trawling, increasing the chances of interception of more Indian bottom trawlers.

In news:

  • India informed Sri Lanka that it has taken measures to stop bottom trawling by its fishermen in the waters near the Sri Lankan coastline.
  • During a weekend meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) in Delhi, officials expressed satisfaction over the release of Indian fishermen by Colombo, and reiterated the need to bring the rest of them back to India.

Initiatives taken by the Government of India to end bottom trawling:

  • Recent initiatives taken by the Government of India to end bottom trawling in the Palk Bay area include the launch of a programme on diversification of bottom trawlers into deep-sea fishing vessels for tuna long lining under the Blue Revolution Scheme, construction of Mookaiyur and Poompuhar fishing harbours, and capacity-building programmes for fishermen of the Palk Bay area in deep sea tuna long lining.
  • Besides, fresh registration for bottom trawlers in the Palk Bay area has been banned by the Government of Tamil Nadu.
  • India has informed that schemes promoting seaweed farming and sea-cage farming have begun in the Palk Bay area to wean away fishermen from deep-sea trawling.

Joint Working Group (JWG) mandate:

  • From the beginning, the JWG has been dealing with the twin problems of arrest of Indian fishermen and boats by Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka’s complaint against Indian fishermen for using “bottom trawling” which erodes aquatic resources in the Palk Bay area.

 

C. GS3 Related

Category: INTERNAL SECURITY

1. A bigger nuclear submarine is coming

In news:

  • India’s second strategic nuclear submarine Aridhaman is just a few weeks from sea launch.
  • There are plans to build a bigger and more potent version of the indigenous nuclear submarine in the immediate future.

New features to be added:

  • The leap for India’s ballistic nuclear submarine capabilities would come with the fourth submarine planned in the same class, named S4-Star.
  • It would have a stronger weapons configuration integrated into an extra compartment that would be added to Arihant’s original design.

Strategic capabilities:

  • The indigenously built second nuclear submarine will add to India’s growing nuclear capabilities, in the face of the new strategic realities of the region, including the assertive Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean.

Key Facts:

  • Last October, India commissioned its first Ballistic Nuclear Submarine, INS Arihant.
  • The vessel, weighing 6,000 tonnes, is powered by an 83 MW pressurised light water nuclear reactor.
  • The project to build a strategic nuclear submarine to carry nuclear missiles began as the Advanced Technology Vessel project in the 1980s, and the vessel project was launched in 2009 by Dr. Manmohan Singh.
  • Arihant, which can carry nuclear tipped ballistic missiles, is of the ship submersible ballistic nuclear class.

 

D. GS4 Related

Nothing here for Today!!!

 

E. PRELIMS FACT

Nothing here for Today!!! 

 

F. Practice Questions for UPSC Prelims Exam

Question 1. Identify the correct statement with reference to INS Aridhaman.
  1. It is a Submarine
  2. It is an artillery gun
  3. It is a naval ship
  4. None of the above

See

Answer


(a)

Topic: Current Affairs
Level: Moderate

Explanation 

 

India’s second strategic nuclear submarine Aridhaman is just a few weeks from sea launch.

Question 2. Section 139AA inserted in the Income Tax Act, which was in news recently 
deals with?
  1. Provision of Aadhaar being mandatory for getting a PAN.
  2. Provision of Aadhaar being mandatory for getting a GST number.
  3. Provision of Aadhaar being mandatory for getting IT rebates.
  4. None of the above

See

Answer


 (a)

Topic: Economics
Level: Moderate

Explanation

Section 139AA inserted in the Income Tax Act: Makes Aadhaar mandatory for getting a PAN. Possession of an Aadhaar card is necessary for the continuing validity of an existing PAN and for filing returns under the income tax law.

Question 3. Recently government of India issued Guidelines on Fair Trade Practices 
Related to Charging of Service Charge from Consumers by Hotels and Restaurants, 
Identify the correct statement with reference to that guidelines.
  1. Consumers are not given the right to decide service charge.
  2. Hotels and restaurants to decide how much service charge is to be paid by the customer.
  3. It is mandatory for the consumers to give a tip to the waiter or waitress.
  4. None of the above
See
Answer


 (d)

Topic: Current Affairs
Level: Moderate

Explanation

The Guidelines on Fair Trade Practices Related to Charging of Service Charge from Consumers by Hotels and Restaurants-

  • The government approved new guidelines which gives consumers the right to decide service charge they wish to voluntarily pay on a hotel or restaurant bill.
  • While the new norms provide relief to those dining out, the hotel industry is not likely to take it lying down as they feel being singled out.
  • The new guidelines has been issued in public interest to protect consumers right
  • Mandatory levy of service charge amounts to unfair trade practice.
  • Hotels and restaurants should not decide how much service charge is to be paid by the customer and it should be left to the discretion of the customer.
  • The (food) bill presented to the customer may clearly display that the service charge is voluntary and the service charge column of the bill may be left blank for the customer to fill before making payment.
  • The guidelines made it clear that a component of service is inherent in provision of food and beverages ordered by a customer and pricing of the product is expected to cover both goods and service components.
  • Placing of an order by a customer amounts to his or her agreement to pay the prices displayed on the menu card along with the applicable taxes. Charges for anything other than the aforementioned without express consent of the customer would amount to unfair trade practices as defined under the Act
  • Tip or gratuity paid by customers is towards hospitality received by them beyond the basic minimum service already contracted between them and the hotel management.It is a separate transaction between the customer and the staff of the hotel or restaurant, which is entered into at the customers discretion.
  • Customers can assess quality of service and decide whether or not to pay tip only after having the meal, the order said it is “not correct” if a hotel or restaurant considers that entry of a customer to its premises amounts to his or her implied consent to pay service charge.
  • Any restriction on the entry into a hotel based on this amounts to restrictive trade practice as defined under the Act.
Question 4. As per article 110 of the Constitution of India , who endorse the money bill?
  1. Speaker of Lok Sabha
  2. Chairman of Rajya Sabha
  3. President of Inida
  4. Finance Minister
See
Answer


 (a)

Topic: Polity
Level: Easy

Explanation

Article 110. Definition of Money Bill

(1) For the purposes of this Chapter, a Bill shall be deemed to be a Money Bill if it contains only provisions dealing with all or any of the following matters, namely

  • (a) the imposition, abolition, remission, alteration or regulation of any tax;
  • (b) the regulation of the borrowing of money or the giving of any guarantee by the Government of India, or the amendment of the law with respect to any financial obligations undertaken or to be undertaken by the Government of India;
  • (c) the custody of the consolidated Fund or the Contingency Fund of India, the payment of moneys into or the withdrawal of moneys from any such Fund;
  • (d) the appropriation of moneys out of the consolidated Fund of India;
  • (e) the declaring of any expenditure to be expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund of India or the increasing of the amount of any such expenditure;
  • (f) the receipt of money on account of the Consolidated Fund of India or the public account of India or the custody or issue of such money or the audit of the accounts of the Union or of a State; or
  • (g) any matter incidental to any of the matters specified in sub clause (a) to (f)

(2) A Bill shall not be deemed to be a Money Bill by reason only that it provides for the imposition of fines or other pecuniary penalties, or for the demand or payment of fees for licences or fees for services rendered, or by reason that it provides for the imposition, abolition, remission, alteration or regulation of any tax by any local authority or body for local purposes

(3) If any question arises whether a Bill is a Money Bill or not, the decision of the Speaker of the House of the People thereon shall be final

(4) There shall be endorsed on every Money Bill when it is transmitted to the Council of States under Article 109, and when it is presented to the President for assent under Article 111, the certificate of the Speaker of the House of the People signed by him that it is a Money Bill

Question 5. How many times money bill gets endorsed by the Speaker of the House?
  1. Once
  2. Twice
  3. Thrice
  4. None of the above
See
Answer


 (b)

Topic: Polity
Level: Easy

Explanation

There shall be endorsed on every Money Bill when it is transmitted to the Council of States under Article 109, and when it is presented to the President for assent under Article 111, the certificate of the Speaker of the House of the People signed by him that it is a Money Bill.

 

G. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

GS Paper II
  1. Exercise of CAG’s powers in relation to the accounts of the Union and the States is derived from Article 149 of the Indian Constitution. Discuss whether audit of the Government’s policy implementation could amount to overstepping its own (CAG) jurisdiction.
GS Paper III
  1. What is water-use efficiency? Describe the role of micro-irrigation in increasing the water-use efficiency.

 

Also, check previous Daily News Analysis

 

“Proper Current Affairs preparation is the key to success in the UPSC- Civil Services Examination. We have now launched a comprehensive ‘Current Affairs Webinar’. Limited seats available. Click here to Know More.”

 

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