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  • 2nd Free Decimate Prelims Open Test on 24th Jan | Register now | Check All India Ranking for the 1st open test

    2nd Free Decimate Prelims Open Test on 24th Jan | Register now | Check All India Ranking for the 1st open test

    Dear students,

    First, decimate prelims open test was an excellent eye-opener for you all. Check rankings given at the bottom. Now get ready for the second free Decimate Prelims Open Test 2021. These tests are essential for awareness about your present preparation level.

    Date: 24th Jan 2021

    Time: 10 am

    For more details click on the link below.

    Decimate Open 2021 Bootcamp

    To prepare you all for the rigors and grind that is to follow in Decimate Prelims 2021 program that is starting from 1st Feb 2021, we have launched an open and free Decimate Prelims 2021 Open Bootcamp.

    At least four daily free sessions are planned, starting with Sudhanshu sir’s Polity and important constitutional developments.

    A detailed timetable will be shared with you all in the Club.

    Click here to enroll for Decimate Prelims 2021

    What is Decimate Prelims 2021?

    Decimate Prelims 2021 @ Habitat is a three-phased program that ensures full coverage of current affairs syllabus, related static parts, tests, intensive discussions, and revision.

    We’re going more intensive and comprehensive to make sure that you comfortably go beyond 130+ marks and literally decimate prelims.

    UPSC is evolving, are you? Bury the old ways of IAS Prelims preparation

    Decimate Prelims 2021 progression – 3 Phases

    Decimate Prelims 2021 IAS PRelims 2021

    Click here to enroll for Decimate Prelims 2021

    Ranking for Decimate Prelims Open Test 01

    Click here to check your score

    AIRNameTotal marksCorrectIncorrectNot attempted
    1Suryasnatta200100NANA
    2The Silent Warrior14378202
    3Praveer1317426NA
    4Mansi125692110
    5Bbk1237129NA
    6srilakshmi121661816
    7Nisha12068257
    8Razh114652510
    9Arnapurna Palei114652510
    10Bala11166322
    11Tarakaramarao11064288
    12Shashank10964306
    13mohan10763298
    14Rishika Ajay107612316
    15Anil Kumar Kohli10764324
    16anushrav107622612
    17Malwinder Singh1056436NA
    18Hemlata Prasad105592021
    19Invincible104612811
    20Sachin Vats103602713
    21Hersh102592516
    22Mayuresh Chavan101602911
    23anush hatodiya10162362
    24RANJITH101572023
    25Escalore100582517
    26Pooja Verma99551728
    27Chetan Sharma99582616
    28Shubham sinha99562123
    29Brinda9861372
    30Bharti97583012
    31Prashant9660373
    32sourabh9558339
    33mayur kolsure9459374
    34shiwangi singh9459374
    35kesani sreenivas93562915
    36Japneet92552817
    37bhawna92542521
    38Arushi Gupta92542521
    39Abhinav pal915941NA
    40Pooja Sahu91563311
    41Abhinav Dwivedi91563311
    42mayank91553015
    43SOUMYA9058402
    44Pushkar90553114
    45Nishtha8957385
    46DEVASHISH89553213
    47riyaa88543115
    48Narendra8856377
    49Chandramani Pyasi8756395
    50Sneha Duttaroy87553510
    51bhavana k87533017
    52Abhisekh Sahu87553510
    53Kumar8756395
    54DIKSHA CHAWLA87543313
    55Amit Kumar865743NA
    56Arun prasad s8655378
    57Utkarsh85533314
    58GIRENDRA YADAV85543610
    59Anjana M P84512821
    60M Himabindu8455405
    61Siddharth Asthana84533413
    62Priyadharshini D84533413
    63Arvind84533413
    64AKSHAY NANDAN84481933
    65Kalyani8355414
    66Garima Singh83513019
    67Aishwarya Dubey83523216
    68ALOK82533710
    69Ganapathy82523414
    70Mamta Garg81451441
    71Kshitij Kumar81492724
    72Rijin8154424
    73Akshay Wasudeo Patil8154424
    74Devanshu Patel8154415
    75Sachin81523612
    76Kritika8053407
    77Kavya. N8053407
    78Nagesh80503119
    79MD LUTFUR RAHMAN79493021
    80S.Vinay Rohith79513613
    81D.Sri vigna79472429
    82Sourav ghosh79513613
    83Parul chaudhary79503317
    84kumar samanjashya7952399
    85amoolya7954451
    86Abhi7852408
    87Abhinav78513712
    88Harsh Vardhan Sandhu78513712
    89Yaser77513910
    90Angeline Renita R77493219
    91Spartan Sai77493219
    92Jiyyala Venkatesh7753443
    93Parth77503515
    94Vinay Kumar77472726
    95Sadhvi77513910
    96Dishansh Shah76503713
    97Samriti7652435
    98Kunal7652435
    99Manikandan76452233
    100MANISH7552444

    For more details click on the link below.

  • Digital Service Tax could be an interim solution to cyber tax conundrum

    Business models of digital companies challenge the conventional basis of taxation in which the fixed place of business formed the basis. Digital Service Tax could provide a basis to deal with the challenge. The article deals with this issue.

    Equalisation levy and issues with it

    • Equalisation levy seeks to tax payments made for online advertising services to a non-resident business by residents in India.
    • India is amongst the first to have implemented such levy.
    • It is predominantly applicable to US companies since the market for digital services is dominated by US-based firms.
    • Any company that has a permanent residence in India is excluded since it is already subject to tax in India.
    •  In March 2020, India expanded the scope of the existing equalisation levy to a range of digital services that includes e-commerce platforms.
    • Such levy can result in over-taxation since the company will not be able to claim any credit for tax paid on Indian sales.
    • Such an approach is often viewed as contrary to the ethos of international agreements.

    Issue of taxation of digital companies

    • The agenda to reform international tax law so that digital companies are taxed where economic activities are carried out was formally framed within the OECD’s base erosion and profit shifting programme.
    • Worried they might cede their right to tax incomes, many countries have either proposed or implemented a digital services tax (DST).
    • However, the proliferation of digital service taxes (DSTs) is a symptom of the changing international economic order.
    • Countries such as India which provide large markets for digital corporations seek a greater right to tax incomes.
    • The core problem that the international tax reform seeks to address is that digital corporations, unlike their brick-and-mortar counterparts, can operate in a market without a physical presence.
    • The current basis for taxing in a particular jurisdiction is a notion of fixed place of business.

    Way forward

    • To overcome the challenge, countries suggested that a new basis to tax, say, the number of users in a country.
    • The EU and India were among the advocates of this approach.
    • In 2018, India introduced the test for significant economic presence in the Income Tax Act.
    • However, the proposal of a revised nexus was not supported widely.
    • Moreover, to give effect to a new system would require bilateral renegotiation of tax treaties that supersede domestic tax laws.
    • Meanwhile, the OECD continued to work to find commonalities among a range of solutions.
    • In its current form, the solution is too complex to administer and proposes to allocate residual profit — a term that has no economic definition.
    • It would also require political consensus on multiple issues, including sensitive matters such as setting up of an alternative dispute resolution process comparable to arbitration.
    • This can increase the compliance burden.
    • The US has expressed its preference to apply this measure on a safe harbour basis, which can limit the companies to which it may be applicable.

    Consider the question “Digital corporations can operate in a market without a physical presence. The current basis for taxing in a particular jurisdiction is a notion of fixed place of business. In light of this, examine the challenges in taxing the digital companies and how India is dealing with such a challenge?” 

    Conclusion

    As countries calibrate their response to competing demands for sovereignty to tax, DST is an interim alternative outside tax treaties. It possesses the advantage of taxing incomes that currently escape tax and creates space to negotiate a final, overarching solution to this conundrum.

  • Supreme Court dismisses Aadhaar Review Petition

    The Supreme Court, in a majority view (4:1), dismissed a series of petitions seeking a review of its 2018 judgment upholding the Lok Sabha Speaker’s certification of Aadhaar law as a Money Bill and its subsequent passage in Parliament.

    Try this PYQ:

    Consider the following statements:

    1. Aadhaar card can be used as a proof of citizenship or domicile.
    2. Once issued, Aadhaar number cannot be deactivated or omitted by the Issuing Authority.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) Both 1 and 2

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

    Backgrounder

    • The review petitions had highlighted how the Aadhaar Act was passed as a Money Bill by superseding the Rajya Sabha. It was called a “fraud on the Constitution”.
    • The review petition had argued that the Aadhaar Act clearly did not fall within the ambit of Article 110 (1) of the Constitution, which restricted Money Bills to certain specific fields only.

    What is a Review Petition?

    • Article 137 of the Constitution provides that subject to provisions of any law and rule made under Article 145 the Supreme Court of India has the power to review any judgment pronounced (or order made) by it.
    • Thus the binding decision of the Supreme Court/High Court can be reviewed in the Review Petition.

    Aadhaar Case: Two questions for review

    • Two questions had come up for review regarding the five-judge Aadhaar Bench’s judgment in 2018.
    • One, whether the Speaker’s decision to declare a proposed law as Money Bill was “final” and cannot be challenged in court.
    • The second, whether the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 was correctly certified as a ‘Money Bill’ under Article 110(1) of the Constitution.

    What is the majority Judgment?

    • On the first question, the majority judgment in 2018 said the Speaker’s decision could be challenged in court only under “certain circumstances”.
    • On the second, it concluded that the Aadhaar Act was rightly called a Money Bill.

    Back2Basics: Money Bill

    • A Bill is said to be a Money Bill if it only contains provisions related to taxation, borrowing of money by the government, expenditure from or receipt to the Consolidated Fund of India.
    • Bills that only contain provisions that are incidental to these matters would also be regarded as Money Bills.
    • A Money Bill may only be introduced in Lok Sabha, on the recommendation of the President as per Article 110 of the Constitution.
    • Then, it is transmitted to the Rajya Sabha for its recommendations. Following this, it may be sent to the Rajya Sabha for its recommendations, which Lok Sabha may reject if it chooses to.
    • If such recommendations are not given within 14 days, it will be deemed to be passed by Parliament.

    How is a Money Bill different from a financial bill?

    • While all Money Bills are Financial Bills, all Financial Bills are not Money Bills.
    • For example, the Finance Bill which only contains provisions related to tax proposals would be a Money Bill.
    • However, a Bill that contains some provisions related to taxation or expenditure, but also covers other matters would be considered as a Financial Bill.
  • What is Section 32A of IBC?

    The Supreme Court has held that the bidders for a corporate debtor under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) would be immune from any investigations being conducted either by any investigating agencies.

    Q.Examine the impact of various amendments to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and suggest further improvements in the IBC.

    Backgrounder: IBC

    • IBC was enacted on May 28, 2016, to effectively deal with insolvency and bankruptcy of corporate persons, partnership firms and individuals, in a time-bound manner.
    • It has brought about a paradigm shift in laws aimed to maximize the value of assets, providing a robust insolvency resolution framework and differentiating between impropriety and business debacle.
    • The predominant object of the Code is the resolution of the Corporate Debtor.
    • It has been amended four times to resolve problems hindering the objectives of the Code.

    What is Section 32A?

    • In cases involving property of a corporate debtor, Section 32A covers any action involving attachment, seizure, retention, or confiscation of the property of the corporate debtor as a result of such Proceedings.
    • It provides immunity to the corporate debtor and its property when there is the approval of the resolution plan resulting in the change of management of control of the corporate debtor.
    • This is subject to the successful resolution applicant being not involved in the commission of the offense.

    What were the challenges?

    • Since the IBC came into being in 2016, the implementation of the resolution plan of several big cases has been delayed because of various challenges mounted by its own agencies and regulators.
    • For example, a debt-laden company, admitted into insolvency in 2017, owes more than Rs 47,000 crore to banks and other financial institutions.
    • After a prolonged bidding battle, another won the rights to take over it with a bid of Rs 19,700 crore.
    • However, before it could move to take over, the ED/SEBI swooped in, and attached assets worth Rs 4,000 crore citing alleged fraud in a bank loan under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

    Observations made by the SC

    • In its judgment, the apex court upheld the validity of Section 32.
    • It said it was important for the IBC to attract bidders who would offer reasonable and fair value for the corporate debtor to ensure the timely completion of the corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP).
    • Such bidders, however, must also be granted protection from any misdeeds of the past since they had nothing to do with it.
    • Such protection, the court said, must also extend to the assets of a corporate debtor which will help banks clean up their books of bad loans.
    • The apex court has, however, also said that such immunity would be applicable only if there are an approved resolution plan and a change in the management control of the corporate debtor.

    Significance of SC’s intervention

    • With the Supreme Court upholding the validity of Section 32 A will give confidence to other bidders to proceed with confidence while bidding on such disputed companies and their assets.

    Must read

    [Burning Issue] Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code

  • Ratle Hydroelectric Project

    The Centre has decided to go ahead with the long-pending 850-megawatt Ratle hydroelectric power project on the river Chenab in J&K Kishtwar district, despite objections raised by the Pakistan government over the same.

    Tap to read more about Indus River System

    Ratle Hydel Plant

    • It is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric power station currently under construction on the Chenab River, downstream of the village near Drabshalla in Kishtwar district of the Indian UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
    • The project includes a 133 m (436 ft) tall gravity dam and two power stations adjacent to one another.
    • The installed capacity of both power stations will be 850 MW.
    • In June 2013, then PM Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for the dam.
    • Pakistan has frequently alleged that it violates the Indus Water Treaty.

    What is the Indus Water Treaty?

    • The Indus Waters Treaty is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank signed in Karachi in 1960.
    • According to this agreement, control over the water flowing in three “eastern” rivers of India — the Beas, the Ravi, and the Sutlej was given to India.
    • The control over the water flowing in three “western” rivers of India — the Indus, the Chenab, and the Jhelum was given to Pakistan
    • The treaty allowed India to use western rivers water for limited irrigation use and unrestricted use for power generation, domestic, industrial, and non-consumptive uses such as navigation, floating of property, fish culture, etc. while laying down precise regulations for India to build projects
    • India has also been given the right to generate hydroelectricity through the run of the river (RoR) projects on the Western Rivers which, subject to specific criteria for design and operation is unrestricted.
  • Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR)

    State Bank of India (SBI) has executed two inter-bank short term money market deals with pricing linked to SOFR (Secured Overnight Financing Rate).

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.The money multiplier in an economy increases with which one of the following?

    (a) Increase in the cash reserve ratio

    (b) Increase in the banking habit of the population

    (c) Increase in the statutory liquidity ratio

    (d) Increase in the population of the country

    What is SOFR?

    • Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) is a secured interbank overnight interest rate.
    • It is a replacement for USD LIBOR (London Inter-bank Offered Rate) that may be phased out end-2021.
    • The overnight rate is generally the interest rate that large banks use to borrow and lend from one another in the overnight market.

    Why SOFR?

    • Global regulators decided to move away from the Libor, a vital part of the financial system after it was revealed in 2012 that banks around the world manipulated it.
    • It also didn’t help that volume underlying the benchmark dried up.
    • U.K regulators set the deadline at 2021 for financial firms and investors to transition away from the Libor.

  • What is a Tripuri Risa?

    Tripura CM has of late made a statement to sport the Risa, a customary hand-woven cloth used by Tripura’s indigenous tribal communities.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Consider the following pairs:

    Sr. Tradition State
    1. Chapchar Kut festival : Mizoram
    2. Khongjom Parba ballad : Manipur
    3. Thang-Ta dance : Sikkim

    Which of the pairs given above is/are correct? (CSP 2018)

    a) 1 only

    b) 1 and 2

    c) 3 only

    d) 2 and 3

    What is Risa?

    • Risa is one of the three parts of customary Tripuri female attire, the other two being the Rignai and Rikutu.
    • The Risa, which is essentially a customary hand-woven cloth, is used as headgear, stole, female upper cloth or presented to honour a distinguished recipient.
    • The Rignai is primarily used to cover the lower part of the body and literally translates into ‘to wear’. The Rituku covers the upper half of the body, wrapping it all around.
    • However, it is also used as a ‘chunri’ or a ‘pallu’ of the Indian saree. It is also used to cover the head of newly married Tripuri women.

    Its cultural significance

    • Apart from its beautiful designs, the Risa plays a host of crucial social utilities.
    • Adolescent Tripuri girls are first given Risa to wear when she reaches 12-14 years in an event called Risa Sormani.
    • The event involves prayers to a Lampra god, where her elder women pray for her wellbeing throughout her life.
    • However, it is also used in religious festivals like the Garia Puja, a customary festival of the tribal communities, or as a head turban by male folks during weddings and festivals, as a cummerbund over dhoti or headscarf.
    • The cloth is even used as a makeshift baby carrier on the mother’s back.
  • 21st January 2021| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement

    Important Announcement:  Topics to be covered on 22nd January

    GS-1  Salient aspects of art forms, literature and
    Architecture from ancient to modern times. 

    GS-4 Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values. 

    Question 1)

    Examine the biological significance of soil and give a bio-climatic classification of the soils found on the surface of the earth. 10 marks

    Question 2)

    It is only when the people value and protect the freedom of expression and celebrate the culture of dissent democracy flourishes. Comment. 10 marks

    Question 3)

    What is deepfakes and the treats posed by it? Also mention the ways to deal with the threats associated with it. 10 marks

    Question 4)  

    The term ‘governance’, ‘good governance’ and ‘ethical governance’ though appear alike, mean different in our society. In this context, compare and contrast these terms in the light of governance structure in India. 10 marks

    Reviews will be provided in a week. (In the order of submission- First come first serve basis). In case the answer is submitted late the review period may get extended to two weeks.

    *In case your answer is not reviewed in a week, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. If Parth Sir’s tag is available then tag him.

    For the philosophy of AWE and payment, check  here: Click2Join

  • The threat of deepfakes

    Deepfakes creates media in which it challenges our ability to detect real from fake, it blurs the line between two. This article explains the threat associated with it.

    What are deepfakes and threat associated with it

    • Deepfakes are synthetic media (including images, audio and video) that are either manipulated or wholly generated by Artificial Intelligence.
    • AI is used for fabricating audios, videos and texts to show real people saying and doing things they never did, or creating new images and videos.
    • These are done so convincingly that it is hard to detect what is fake and what is real.
    • They are used to tarnish reputations, create mistrust, question facts, and spread propaganda.

    Legal provision in India

    • Deepfakes even have the power to threaten the electoral outcome.
    • So far, India has not enacted any specific legislation to deal with deepfakes.
    • However, there are some provisions in the Indian Penal Code that criminalise certain forms of online/social media content manipulation.
    • The Information Technology Act, 2000 covers certain cybercrimes.
    • But this law and the Information Technology Intermediary Guidelines (Amendment) Rules, 2018 are inadequate to deal with content manipulation on digital platforms.
    • The guidelines stipulate that due diligence must be observed by the intermediate companies for removal of illegal content.
    • In 2018, the government proposed rules to curtail the misuse of social networks.
    • Social media companies voluntarily agreed to take action to prevent violations during the 2019 general election.
    • The Election Commission issued instructions on social media use during election campaigns.

    How to deal with the problem of deepfakes

    • Only AI-generated tools can be effective in detection.
    • Blockchains are robust against many security threats and can be used to digitally sign and affirm the validity of a video or document.
    • Educating media users about the capabilities of AI algorithms could help.
    • Six themes identified in the workshop convened by the University of Washington and Microsoft are to dela with the deepfakes
    • 1) Deepfakes must be contextualised within the broader framework of malicious manipulated media, computational propaganda and disinformation campaigns.
    • 2) Deepfakes cause multidimensional issues which require a collaborative, multi-stakeholder response that require experts in every sector to find solutions.
    • 3) Detecting deepfakes is hard.
    • 4) Journalists need tools to scrutinise images, video and audio recordings for which they need training and resources;
    • 5) Policymakers must understand how deepfakes can threaten polity, society, economy, culture, individuals and communities.
    • 6) Any true evidence can be dismissed as fake is a major concern that needs to be addressed.

    Consider the question “What are the deepfakes and threats associated with it? How these threats can be tackled?”

    Conclusion

    In today’s world, disinformation comes in varied forms, so no single technology can resolve the problem. As deepfakes evolve, AI-backed technological tools to detect and prevent them must also evolve.

  • Impact of RERA on real estate sector

    The article highlights the various provision of RERA and its overall impact on the sector.

    How it changed the real estate sector

    • Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) was enacted in 2016 and it had been in the works for more than a decade.
    • RERA has infused governance in a hitherto unregulated sector.
    • Along with demonetization and GST, it has, to a large extent, cleansed the real estate sector of black money.
    • It has transformational provisions, conscientiously addressing issues that have been a constant bane for the sector.

    Important provisions of RERA

    • The Act stipulates that no project can be sold without project plans being approved by the competent authority and the project is registered with the regulatory authority.
    • This provision ended the practice of selling on the basis of deceitful advertisements.
    • Promoters are required to maintain “project-based separate bank accounts” to prevent fund diversion.
    • The mandatory disclosure of unit sizes based on “carpet area” strikes at the root of unfair trade practices.
    • The provision for payment of “equal rate of interest” by the promoter or the buyer in case of default reinforces equity.
    • These and many other provisions have empowered consumers, rectifying the power asymmetry prevalent in the sector.

    How RERA is an effort in cooperative federalism

    • Though the Act has been piloted by the Central government, the rules are to be notified by state governments.
    • The regulatory authorities and the appellate tribunals are also to be appointed by them.
    • The regulatory authorities are required to manage the day-to-day operations, resolve disputes, and run an active and informative website for project information.
    • Since RERA came into full force, 34 states and Union territories have notified the rules, 30 states and Union territories have set up real estate regulatory authorities and 26 have set up appellate tribunals.
    • The operationalization of a web-portal for project information, which is at the heart of ensuring full project transparency, has been operationalized by 26 regulatory authorities.
    • Around 60,000 projects and 45,723 real estate agents have been registered with regulatory authorities.
    • Twenty-two independent judicial officers have been appointed to redress consumer disputes, and 59,649 complaints have been disposed-off.

    Consider the question “What were the various problems faced by the consumers in real estate sector? How various provisions in RERA helped in the protection of consumers’ interests?” 

    Conclusion

    RERA is to the real estate sector what SEBI is to the securities market. It helped consumers from the various malpractices in the real estate sector.

     

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