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GS Paper: GS3

  • Species in news: Dhole

    Karnataka, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh rank high in the conservation of dhole in India, according to a new study.

    Dhole

    • The dhole is a canid native to Central, South, East Asia, and Southeast Asia.
    • India perhaps supports the largest number of dholes, with key populations found in three landscapes — Western Ghats, Central India and Northeast India.
    • It is a highly social animal, living in large clans without rigid dominance hierarchies and containing multiple breeding females.
    • It is listed as ‘Endangered’ by the IUCN as populations are decreasing and are estimated at fewer than 2,500 adults.
    • Factors contributing to this decline include habitat loss, loss of prey, competition with other species, persecution due to livestock predation and disease transfer from domestic dogs.

    Their significance

    • Dholes play an important role as apex predators in forest ecosystems.
    • Besides the tiger, the dhole is the only large carnivore in India that is under IUCN’s ‘endangered’ category.

  • Species in news: Hoolock Gibbons

    Hoolock Gibbons, the only species of apes found in India, are threatened with extinction in the Ukhrul and Kamjong districts of Manipur, a report has claimed.

    Try this PYQ from CSP2013:

    Q.Consider the following pairs:

    Protected area:: Well-known for

    1. Bhitarkanika, Orissa:: Salt Water Crocodile
    2. Desert National Park, Rajasthan:: Great Indian Bustard
    3. Eravikulam, Kerala:: Hoolock Gibbon

    Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 1 and 2 only

    (c) 2 only

    (d) 1, 2 and 3

    Hoolock Gibbons

    • The two districts used to be covered with dense, tropical rainforests, which provided ideal tree canopies for the arboreal, brachiating ape species.
    • Rampant deforestation for timber, forest fires and indiscriminate hunting had led to the decline in their population.
    • Without the tree canopies, the gibbons cannot swing from branch to branch and stake out their territories.
    • They also cannot adapt to living on the ground and cannot bear the high temperatures brought about by the loss of green cover.

    Conservation status (a/c to WWF India)

    • The gibbon has a much wider range, as it is found in all the states of the north-east, restricted between the south of the Brahmaputra River and east of the Dibang River.
    • Outside India, it is found in eastern Bangladesh and north-west Myanmar.
    • The eastern hoolock gibbon inhabits specific pockets of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India, and southern China and north-east Myanmar.
    • Of the two, the western hoolock is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Redlist, while the eastern hoolock is listed as Vulnerable.

  • [pib] Bharat Airfiber

    The Union Ministry of Communications has inaugurated “Bharat Air Fibre Services” at Akola in Maharashtra.

    Try this PYQ from CSP 2018:

    Q: Which of the following is/are the aim/aims of “Digital India” plan of the Government of India?

    1. Formation of India’s own Internet companies like china did.
    2. Established a policy framework to encourage overseas multinational corporations that collect big data to build their large data centers within our national geographical boundaries.
    3. Connect many of our villages to the internet and bring WiFi to many of our schools, public places and major tourist centers.

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    (a) 1 and 2 only

    (b) 3 only

    (c) 2 and 3 only

    (d) 1, 2 and 3

    Bharat Air Fibre Services

    • The Bharat Air Fibre services are introduced by BSNL as part of Digital India initiates by the GoI.
    • It aims to provide Wireless Connectivity in the range of 20 KMs from the BSNL Locations.
    • It provides internet connectivity upto 100 Mbps speed.
    • It is completely wireless and offers broadband up to 10Mbps up to a distance of 5 Kms.
    • These services are special and different from other operators as BSNL is providing unlimited free voice calling.
    • Customers at remote places also will be benefitted as BSNL comes with the cheapest services with the support of Telecom Infrastructure Partners (TIPs).

  • The digital lifeline provided by UPI

    The UPI sets the template for India in its journey toward digitalisation. This article by WhatsApp head Will Cathcart explains the success story of UPI and the future scope to build on its success.

    The success story of UPI

    • The UPI system set a national open standard for all of India’s banks, more than 155 of which have adopted it.
    • UPI is open standard that technology companies can adopt on an equal and level-playing field.
    • This means that no one company, foreign or domestic, can write the rules for the other.
    • Since its launch, the UPI system has grown to manage a 100 million-strong user base.
    • NPCI has also set a goal to increase UPI’s user base to 500 million by 2022, which if achieved, would be a true game-changer for Digital India.

    What the success of UPI means

    •  UPI has set important new frameworks around security and efficiency.
    • Because of the strong rules that India has put in place, payment transaction information remains with the banks and within the country.
    • And as a platform built on Indian technology and governed by Indian rules, UPI benefits Indians now and holds great potential for further innovation and commerce.

    Future scope for UPI

    •  It is imperative more tech companies are able to leverage the power of UPI to expand the digital ecosystem to accelerate financial inclusion.
    • UPI can also anchor a broader suite of fintech applications like micro-pensions, digital insurance products, and flexible loans.
    • These are custom solutions created by Indian technology companies, on the public infrastructure of UPI.
    • These solutions will first solve large social, business and financial problems in India and then become templates for other countries to deploy.
    • COVID-19 has only underscored the importance of these tools that will serve as critical lifelines for small and micro-enterprises and individuals as they look to recover.

    Consider the question “Within a short period from its launch the UPI has transformed the payment landscape in India. Examine the factors that contributed to the success of UPI and elaborate on its future scope.”

    Conclusion

    With courage, ambition, and boundless potential, India can emerge from this pandemic stronger than ever before — a leading democratic digital powerhouse that will lead the world in the 21st century.

    B2BASICS

    What is Unified Payments Interface (UPI)?

    Image for post

    • It was launched in April 2016 and in the last two years, the platform has emerged as a popular choice among users for sending and receiving money.
    • UPI is a payment system that allows money transfer between any two bank accounts by using a smartphone.
    • UPI allows a customer to pay directly from a bank account to different merchants, both online and offline, without the hassle of typing credit card details, IFSC code, or net banking/wallet passwords.
    • It also caters to the “Peer to Peer” collect request which can be scheduled and paid as per requirement and convenience.

    Original article:

    https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/coronavirus-india-economy-poverty-digital-payment-bhim-upi-6533171/

  • What is a ‘Smog Tower’?

    In January this year, the Supreme Court has directed that two smog towers should be installed in the capital by April on a pilot project basis considering a proposal by the IIT-Bombay.

    Try this question from CS Mains 2015:

    Q.Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata are the three mega cities of the country but the air pollution is much more serious problem in Delhi as compared to the other two. Why is this so?

    What is a ‘Smog Tower’?

    • A smog tower is a structure designed to work as a large-scale air purifier, fitted with multiple layers of filters which trap fine dust particles suspended in the air as it passes through them.
    • Air is drawn through fans installed at the top of the tower, passed through filters, and then released near the ground.
    • The large-scale filters expected to be installed in the towers in Delhi would use carbon nanofibres as a major component.
    • It would be fitted along the peripheries of the towers and the height would be 20 metres.

    How does it work?

    • The 20-metre (65 feet) high tower will trap particulate matter of all sizes suspended in the air.
    • Large-scale air filters shall draw in the air through fans installed at the top before passing it through the filters and releasing it near the ground.
    • The filters installed in the tower will use carbon nanofibres as a major component and will be fitted along its peripheries. The tower will focus on reducing particulate matter load.

    Has anyone else experimented with a smog tower?

    • Yes, smog towers have been experimented with in recent years in cities in the Netherlands, China, South Korea and Poland.
    • The first such tower was erected in 2015, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, created by Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde.
    • The towers to be installed in Delhi are to be the result of a collaboration between the IITs at Mumbai and Delhi, and the University of Minnesota.

    Why New Delhi?

    • Air pollution in the national capital has been an issue of concern for quite some time as Delhi and its suburbs have ranked among the most polluted cities in the world frequently.
    • In 2014, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared Delhi the most polluted city in the world.
    • Pollution levels in Delhi increase dramatically during winter — on some days to nearly 10 times above the limits prescribed by WHO, posing a serious risk to vulnerable and also healthy populations.
    • This is large because sources of emissions — construction work, industrial and vehicular pollution — in and around the city remain more or less consistent.
    • The situation is aggravated at the start of winter by smoke from stubble-burning in northwestern states, coupled with unfavourable meteorological conditions, such as calm winds, low temperatures, and fewer sunny days.

    How effective are smog towers?

    • An estimate on air quality shows that a tower would reduce 50% of the particulate matter load in an area of 1 kilometre in the direction of the wind, as well as 200 metres each along the sides of the tower and against the direction of the wind.
    • In an open field in calm weather, it can reduce the particulate matter of 10 micrometres (PM10) up to 45%, and PM2.5 levels up to 25% in an area of 20 metres around the tower, as per details on the ENS Clean Air website.

  • What is Black Rain?

    Ahead of the 75th anniversary of Hiroshima, a Japanese court has recognised 84 survivors of the post-nuclear explosion “black rain” as the atomic bomb survivors. This would enable them to avail free medical benefits.

    Try this question from CSP 2011:

    Q.Acid rain is caused by the pollution of the environment by:

    (a) Carbon dioxide and nitrogen

    (b) Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide

    (c) Ozone and carbon dioxide

    (d) Nitrous oxide and Sulphur dioxide

    What is Black Rain?

    • An estimated 69 per cent of the buildings in Hiroshima were destroyed by the atomic bomb.
    • The debris and soot from this, mixed with the radioactive fallout from the bomb, raised high into the atmosphere in the form of a mushroom cloud.
    • This material combined with the vapour in the atmosphere and came down as dark drops of liquid that have been called black rain.
    • Survivors of the black rain described it as consisting of large, greasy drops that are much heavier than normal raindrops.
    • It is full of highly radioactive material, and studies have shown that exposure to it can result in serious illnesses.

    What was its effect?

    • A study conducted in the year 1945 itself showed that black rain had come down as far as 29 km away from ground zero.
    • The rain contaminated everything it came in contact with, and dead fish were reported floating in water bodies and severely ill cattle were seen lying in the fields.
    • It has caused acute radiation symptoms (ARS) in many who were exposed to it, with reports of people suffering from nausea and diarrhoea for weeks.
    • Other ARS include fever, sore throat and loss of hair. Over time, many people who were exposed to black rain have developed cancer.

  • [pib] 15th Finance Commission submits report on Agricultural Exports

    The High-Level Group on Agricultural Exports set up by the Fifteenth Finance Commission has submitted its report to the Commission.

    Try this PYQ from CSP 2019

    Q.In India, which of the following reviews the independent regulators in sectors like telecommunications, insurance, electricity, etc.?

    1. Ad Hoc Committees set up by the Parliament
    2. Parliamentary Department Related Standing Committees
    3. Finance Commission
    4. Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission
    5. NITI Aayog

    Select the correct answer using the code given below.

    (a) 1 and 2

    (b) 1, 3 and 4

    (c) 3, 4 and 5

    (d) 2 and 5

    Why focus on Agri-exports?

    • India’s agricultural export has the potential to grow from USD 40 billion to USD 70 billion in a few years.
    • The estimated investment in agricultural export could be in the tune to USD 8-10 billion across inputs, infrastructure, and processing and demand enablers.
    • Additional exports are likely to create an estimated 7-10 million jobs.
    • It will lead to higher farm productivity and farmer income.

    Highlights of the report

    (A) The HLEG has made its recommendations, major among which are:

    • Focus on 22 crop value chains – demand-driven approach.
    • Solve Value Chain Clusters (VCC) holistically with a focus on value addition.
    • Create a State-led export plan with participation from stakeholders.
    • Private Sector should play an anchor role.
    • The centre should be an enabler.
    • The robust institutional mechanism to fund and support implementation.

    (B) State-led Agri Exports

    The Group has recommended a State-led Export Plan –  a business plan for a crop value chain cluster. It will lay out the opportunity, initiatives and investment required to meet the desired value chain export aspiration.

    The Group has also said that for its success, the following factors needed to be considered:-

    • Plans should be collaboratively prepared with private sector players and Commodity Boards.
    • Leveraging of state plan guide and value chain deep dives.
    • The private sector should play an anchor role in driving outcomes and execution.
    • The centre should enable state-led plans.
    • Institutional governance should be promoted across the state and centre.
    • Funding through the convergence of existing schemes, Finance Commission allocation and private sector investment.

    Back2Basics: Finance Commission (FC)

    • The FC is a constitutionally mandated body that decides, among other things, the sharing of taxes between the Centre and the states.
    • Article 280 (1) requires the President to constitute, “within two years from the commencement of this Constitution.
    • And thereafter constitute FC at the expiration of every fifth year or at such earlier time as the President considers necessary.
    • An FC “which shall consist of a Chairman and four other members”.

    Divisible Pool of Taxes

    • Under Article 280(3) (a) the FC must make recommendations to the President “as the distribution between the Union and the States of the net proceeds of taxes which are to be, or maybe, divided between them under this Chapter and the allocation between the States of the respective shares of such proceeds”.
    • Accordingly, the FC determines a formula for tax-sharing between the states, which is a weighted sum of the states’ population, area, forest cover, tax capacity, tax effort and demographic performance, with the weights expressed in percentages.
    • This crucial role of the Commission makes it instrumental in the implementation of fiscal federalism.

  • How aerial seeding is helping plantation in hard-to-access Aravalli regions?

    The Haryana Forest Department has started aerial seeding across the state on a pilot basis with special focus on the Aravalli region.

    Do you know?

    The Aravalli range is considered the “lungs” of the polluted National Capital Region.

    What is Aerial Seeding?

    • Aerial seeding is a technique of plantation wherein seed balls – seeds covered with a mixture of clay, compost, char and other components.
    • They are sprayed on the ground using aerial devices, including planes, helicopters or drones.

    How does this technique work?

    • Seeds balls or seed pellets are dispersed in a targeted area by the low-flying drones, falling to the ground with the help of the coating of clay, compost, char and other material.
    • Coating provides the required weight for seeds to drop on a predetermined location rather than disperse in the wind.
    • These pellets will then sprout when there is enough rain, with the nutrients present within them helping in the initial growth.

    Why Aravallis?

    • Aravallis these days is severely inundated due to heavy mining and has undergone rapid development and construction activities.

    What are the advantages of this technique?

    • Areas that are inaccessible, have steep slopes, are fragmented or disconnected with no forest routes, making conventional plantation difficult, can be targeted with aerial seeding.
    • Furthermore, the process of the seed’s germination and growth is such that it requires no attention after it is dispersed – the reason why seed pellets are known as the “fire and forget” way of the plantation.
    • They eliminate the need for ploughing and digging holes in the soil and the seeds do not need to be planted, since they are already surrounded by soil, nutrients, and microorganisms.
    • The clay shell of these pellets along with the other items in the mixture also protects them from birds, ants and rats.

    What kind of species can be dispersed using aerial seeding?

    • The species selected have to be native to the area and hardy, with seeds that are of an appropriate size for preparing seedballs and have to have a higher survival percentage.
    • It is critical that the timing of the seeding be correct in order for the plantation to be successful.

    Can this replace conventional plantation methods?

    • Seeding should be done only on a pilot basis to evaluate the effectiveness of the technology and the dispersal mechanism.
    • Conventional methods of afforestation cannot be replaced but supplemented with areal seeding.
    • In this case, the technique will allow plantation in sections of the Aravallis that are either difficult to access or inaccessible altogether.

    Back2Basics: Aravalli Range

    • The Aravalli Range is a mountain range running approximately 692 km in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana and Rajasthan, and ending in Gujarat.
    • The highest peak is Guru Shikhar at 1,722 metres (5,650 ft).
    • The Aravalli Range, an eroded stub of ancient mountains, is the oldest range of Fold Mountains in India.
    • The natural history of the Aravalli Range dates back to times when the Indian Plate was separated from the Eurasian Plate by an ocean.
    • Aravalli, being the old fold mountains, have stopped growing higher due to the cessation of upward thrust caused by the stopping of movement of the tectonic plates in the Earth’s crust below them.
    • In ancient times, Aravalli was extremely high but since have worn down almost completely by millions of years of weathering, whereas the Himalayas being young fold mountains are still continuously rising.

  • Dassault Rafale Fighter Jets

    The five Rafale fighter jets that landed in Ambala will resurrect the Number 17 Golden Arrows squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

    Try this PYQ from CSP 2018:

    Q.What is “Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)”, sometimes seen in the news?

    (a) An Israeli radar system

    (b) India’s indigenous anti-missile programme

    (c) An American anti-missile system

    (d) A defence collaboration between Japan and South Korea

    Dassault Rafale

    (Refer image for specifications)

    • The state-of-the-art 4.5 Generation Rafale jet can reach almost double the speed of sound, with a top speed of 1.8 Mach.
    • With its multi-role capabilities, including electronic warfare, air defence, ground support and in-depth strikes, the Rafale lends air superiority to the Indian Air Force.

    Armed with modern arms

    • Each aircraft has 14 storage stations for weapons. The jets come with one of the most advanced Meteor air-to-air missiles.
    • The 190-kg missile has a Beyond Visual Range (BVR) of over 100 km, travelling at a top speed of Mach 4.
    • The Rafale jets also come with SCALP, the air-to-ground cruise missile with a range over 300 km. It is a long-range deep strike missile.
    • The MICA air-to-air missile on Rafale is for both, close-quarter dogfights, and for BVR.
    • IAF has also asked for HAMMER (Highly Agile and Manoeuvrable Munition Extended Range), which is an air-to-ground precision-guided missile that can be used against bunker-type hardened targets within the range of 70 km.

    What is so special about Rafale fighter jet?

    1. India in September 2016 inked a direct deal with the French government to purchase 36 new Rafale fighter jets in a 7.87 billion euro deal that is likely to bring major work to the Indian private sector in terms of offsets under the make in India policy.
    2. The Rafale deal for 36 jets includes over 3 billion euros of work for the Indian industry over the next 7-8 years.This has a huge potential to develop direct and indirect employment opportunities.
    3. High-end technology like engine know-how, major structural assembly is also likely in India, besides a chunk of avionics work.
    4. India will also get latest weapons like the Meteor and Scalp missiles as part of the contract, besides a 5 year support package that assures high availability of the fighter.
    5. India will pay a 15 % advance and deliveries are to start in three years.

    India Specific enhancements

    The Rafale deal caters to specific Indian air force needs. The fighter jet will be modified by France to meet the following:

    • Helmet mounted sights and targeting system to give the pilots lightening quick ability to shoot off weapons.
    • Ability to taken off from high altitude airbases like Leh on a ‘cold start’ – for quick reaction deployment
    • radar warning receiver to identify hostile tracking systems
    • A towed decoy system to thwart incoming missile attacks
    • French industrial support for fighter for 50 years

    VITAL Stats

    • 7.87 billion Euro: Deal cost. This includes weapon systems, five year support, training, infrastructure and warranties. 15% to be paid in advance.
    • 91.7 million euros: as per contract, if other costs like weapons, training etc not counted, per unit price of single seat Rafale is 91.7 million euros
    • 75 % availability: French side will ensure that at any given point, at least 75 percent of the fleet is combat worthy. Failing which, heavy penalities to be invoked.
    • 67 months delivery: All aircraft ordered to be delivered within 67 months with first one coming in by 36 months
    • 50% offsets: Indian industry to get major boost as French side will invest half of deal value in Make in India products or technology transfer. Indian Partners to be firmed up within a year.
    • 328 million Euros: Saved by negotiation efforts by the Indian side on the Rafale deal, according to defence ministry sources.
    • 28/8: according to deal, India to get 28 single seater jets and 8 twin seaters for training.

    For an edge over China

    • While China’s J20 Chengdu jets are called fifth-generation combat jets, compared to 4.5 generation Rafale, the J20 have no actual combat experience.
    • Whereas the Rafale is combat proven, having been used by the French Air Force for its missions in Afghanistan, Libya and Mali.
    • It has also been used for missions in Central African Republic, Iraq and Syria. Rafale can also carry more fuel and weapons than the J20.

  • Will capping the bank CEO tenure make difference

    The article examines the utility of the proposed limit on the banks CEO tenure.

    Context

    • Last month, the Reserve Bank of India released a discussion paper on governance in commercial banks in India.
    • It has a proposal to cap the tenure of bank CEOs.

    Details of the proposed limit and rationale

    • The paper proposes to cap the maximum tenure of a promoter/major shareholder of a bank as a CEO or a Whole Time Director (WTD) at 10 years.
    • This move aims to separate ownership from management.
    • The rationale offered is that 10 years is an adequate period for a promoter/major shareholder of a bank as CEO/WTD to stabilise its operations and to transition the managerial leadership to professional management.
    • The corresponding limit for a CEO who is not a promoter/major shareholder is 15 consecutive years. T
    • Thereafter, that individual is eligible for re-appointment as CEO or WTD only after the expiration of three years.

    Why banks are different from other companies: 3 Reasons

    • Ordinary corporate governance norms exhort managers to run a company in the interest of shareholders but it may not be suitable approach for all types of banks.
    • 1) Banks are highly leveraged, creating powerful incentives for shareholders to engage in risky strategies at great risk to creditors, including retail depositors.
    • 2) Bank failure could involve systemic risk, which could result in a government bail-out.
    • This moral hazard creates even more high-powered incentives for shareholders to engage in risky strategies.
    • 3) Financial assets held by a bank are hard to monitor and measure.
    • Consequently, external scrutiny of a bank by depositors and creditors is difficult.
    • These unique factors are likely to encourage bank managers to take excessive risks to maximise shareholder value.

    Purpose of Bank governance

    • Bank governance seeks to curb such excessive risk-taking discussed above.
    • It encourages prudent risk-taking such that shareholders’ interests are secondary to depositors’ interests.
    • This is the main logic as suggested in the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision guidelines and the Financial Stability Board principles respectively.

    Will capping the CEO tenure help

    • It is unclear whether imposing a maximum cap on CEO tenure would encourage prudent risk-taking by the management.
    • For Indian banks, the limited empirical evidence seems to suggest that bank performance improves with increasing CEO tenure.
    • A paper published in International Journal of Financial Studies finds that an increase in CEO tenure is associated with significant improvements in asset quality and performance of the bank.
    • The effect of CEO tenure increases rapidly with the year of CEO tenure.
    • Concerning public sector banks (PSBs), the P J Nayak Committee report had identified shorter tenure of chairmen and executive directors as a key reason for weaker empowerment of their boards.
    • These findings seem to be at odds with RBI’s suggestion to cap CEO tenure.

    Consider the question “Examine the factors that justify the application of stricter governance principle for the banks. What would be the impacts of the RBI’s proposed limit on the CEO term of the banks on governance?

    Conclusion

    It may be prudent for the RBI to publish an empirical study on the impact of CEO tenure on bank performance before translating this proposal into an enforceable regulation.