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  • (Zoom Link inside) UPSC Mains Bootcamp + Open Test (25th Jun)| Learn writing quality answers, making mains worthy notes, and more with Mridul- 22yo, First attempt, AIR 247| Register for Mridul’s notes + Exclusive Telegram group

    (Zoom Link inside) UPSC Mains Bootcamp + Open Test (25th Jun)| Learn writing quality answers, making mains worthy notes, and more with Mridul- 22yo, First attempt, AIR 247| Register for Mridul’s notes + Exclusive Telegram group

    Join using this Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82434146383?pwd=ZE00aFlvNHhBN3BoWGxHM0dJSEh4QT09

    Meeting ID: 824 3414 6383
    Passcode: 195793

    Register for the Open test, Mridul’s notes, and access to Telegram group
    UPSC Mains 2022 is just ~80 days away. Get your Mains prep started with UPSC Ranker, Mridul. Register for CivilsDaily’s Bootcamp: 25th June 2022. This will be followed by an Open Mains Test on the same day. Details below
    (click) Book my slot for the mains bootcamp and open test | Register for FREE

    Haven’t started with mains prep? Feel nervous about Mains answer writing? Not able to write all 20 questions? Can’t make yourself sit and start answer writing?

    Facing the same issues as mentioned above? This webinar cum UPSC Bootcamp is for you.

    Mridul Shivhare, AIR 247 is a special ranker. He cleared UPSC in his first attempt at the young age of 22. His quality of answers is amazing. He has tricks to literally compel the examiner to give marks. By the way, a crazy fact- Mridul left around 170 marks worth of questions in his Mains and still was able to secure AIR 247 (yup, quality of answer matters).

    In this special session, we will also be joined by Sukanya Rana, UPSC Mains head, CivilsDaily IAS. Sukanya has been able to guide successfully around 50 rankers in 2021 including AIR 28,32, 49, and more.

    (click) Book my slot for the mains bootcamp and open test | Register for FREE
    UPSC Mains 2022 strategy for next 2 months. Parameters on which UPSC evaluates your answers Improve your mains answer's structure How to write quality answers with limited knowledge/content? Access to Mains Telegram group My Mains resources
    After Bootcamp, we will be having an Open Mains Test on 25th June only, at 6 pm. Top five scorers will get a Scholarship for Mains Mentorship Test Series and Program.

    Register for the Bootcamp and we will email you the link for the Telegram group, Open test question paper, and other Mains resources.

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    About CivilsDaily’s Mains Programs

    Mains Essential Program FLT EDITION 2022

    Program Inclusion Details:

    • 12 Full-length tests: After the prelims, it is time to go full gear. Practice 3 rounds of FLT based on 4 GS paper.
    • Quality Enrichment Program Notes: QEP is an intensive and holistic program for IAS Mains 2022 GS papers. We aim to cover up to 250 most relevant issues with a 360-degree view, covering all dimensions of each and every topic. Not only you’ll learn and analyze these issues but will also understand how to utilize them via Daily Answer Writing and Mains Test Series.
    • Personalized discussion in 1-to-1 mentorship: You doubt why you are scoring less or how you can improve your score for the next paper. No worries! Just schedule a call with our mentor to clear all your doubts and queries.
    • Civilsdaily’s handholding
    • Civilsdaily magazine: Your current affairs will be covered with access to our 1-year subscription.

    Click Here to Check Details

    Have a query about the program? Reach Us

    Smash Ethics Program

    Smash Ethics 2022 (Batch 2) with 1-to-1 Mentorship | Score 110+ in Ethics GS-4

    Program Inclusion:

    • Comprehensive Video Lectures covering Paper 4
    • Full syllabus Notes.
    • 8 FLT tests
    • 1-1 Mentorship support after every test
    • Membership of Ethics group (exclusive) on Civilsdaily’s Habitat
    • Doubt resolution session on Habitat

    Click Here to Enroll the Course

    Have a query about the program? Reach Us

    MEP Super 100 2023

    Program inclusion:

    • 12 Sectional tests: The whole syllabus will be divided into portions like history, economics, and geography. The test will be spread for a period of 8 months. This will ensure that your basic static preparation happens on a continuous basis alongside your mains answer writing program. Killing two birds with one stone!
    • 12 Full-length tests: After the prelims, it is time to go full gear.
    • Personalized discussion: You doubt why you are scoring less or how you can improve your score for the next paper. No worries! Just schedule a call with our mentor to clear all your doubts and queries.
    • Civilsdaily’s handholding: You will be provided membership to Mains 2023 club on Habitat. There you can put up your doubts and queries. Also can be used to interact with peers on strategies to improve your mains writing. You can also contact mentors like Sajal sir, Sukanya ma’am, Sudhanshu sir and Poornima Ma’am. They all have interview-level experience, so utilize their experience to your benefit.
    • Civilsdaily magazine: Your current affairs will be covered with access to our 1-year subscription. (June 2022 to May 2023)

    Click Here to Enroll the Course

    Have a query about the program? Reach Us

    Essay Program

    Program inclusion:

    • 8 FLTs
    • Detailed orientation for beginners
    • Process building Sessions
    • Content/Approach Building Sessions
    • Model essays
    • One-to-one mentorship
    • Membership in exclusive Essay group on Habitat
    • Notes and references on Habitat
    • Topic-wise arranged PYQs

    Check Out Now

    Have a query about the program? Reach Us

    (click) Book my slot for the main bootcamp | Register for FREE
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  • Cleared Prelims 2022? Great! But don’t forget, the goal is UPSC 2022 | Do these 6 things (Read inside)- Assessing preparedness, starting answer writing, and more.

    Cleared Prelims 2022? Great! But don’t forget, the goal is UPSC 2022 | Do these 6 things (Read inside)- Assessing preparedness, starting answer writing, and more.

    Your next steps are going to decide your success in the UPSC 2022 exam. Read below: What you should be doing, Bootcamp and Open Test || Talk to a senior mentor.

    Hey aspirants, Prelims 2022 result was released a day before and congrats if you have qualified for the Mains 2022. Well, it calls for a celebration but if you are still celebrating please consider this as a wake-up call.

    ..only a super calculated, extremely planned, measurable, and adaptive strategy will sail you through the UPSC final list (without even bothering about interview marks).

    Friends, the expectations and requirements of UPSC from a Mains candidate are very different compared to that from a Prelims candidate. You need a distinct temperament and fresh approach to tackle Mains. But only a super calculated, extremely planned, measurable, and adaptive strategy will sail you through the UPSC final list (without even bothering about interview marks).

    What to do now?

    1. Self-awareness: Know where you stand wrt your Mains preparation

    You know the endpoint (clearing UPSC Mains) knowing where you have to start is essential. You must know your current preparation status, syllabus coverage, the time you have, how many hours can you dedicate to optional, GS, current affairs, etc. Talk(1-1) to CivilsDaily’s senior mentor to assess your prep status.

    The best way would be to write a few answers. We have an Open Test preceded by a Mains Bootcamp on 25th June.

    Register for CivilsDaily’s Bootcamp: 25th June 2022. This will be followed by an Open Mains Test on the same day. (click for more details)
    (click) Book your slot for the mains bootcamp and open test | AIR 247, Mridul and Sukanya Rana | Register for FREE

    2. Start making or organizing your Mains notes: 1-2 page crisp notes for every Mains-worthy topic that helps you write any question asked from a particular topic.

    There is no denying the fact that you need content or information. That has to be comprehensive and organized in a usable format (enabling you to write answers).

    If you haven’t prepared them, get on a call with CivilsDaily’s mentors to understand How to make awesome notes? and register for the Bootcamp tomorrow (Mridul, AIR 247, and other rankers had some awesome notes that they will share)

    We will be sharing our Quality Enhancement Program very soon and such notes will be provided to you in that program.

    3. Start Answer Writing Practice. From today only.

    Well, this is a no-brainer. It would be better if that is under the guidance of a mentor and discussed with peers as well. By the way, we have a Mains-focused Telegram group, it is invite-only. Register for the Bootcamp, and we’ll email the link to you.

    You can also have a look at Daily Answer Writing Enhancement Program.

    In the Bootcamp tomorrow, AIR 247 Mridul and Sukanya Rana, Mains head, CivilsDaily will tell you exactly how to start answer writing.

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    (click) Book your slot for the FREE mains bootcamp and open test | AIR 247, Mridul and Sukanya Rana | Register for FREE
    Register for CivilsDaily’s Bootcamp: 25th June 2022. This will be followed by an Open Mains Test on the same day. (click for more details)

    4. Join a Mains Test series or Mains program.

    Best test series for Mains? (answers from Quora)

    You must invest in a good test series. And with so many of them in the market which one to go for. Well, there are just a few things that you must take note of: (Details of CivilsDaily’s test here)

    • Test series or Mains program must include Personalized Mentorship. A mentor will help you understand the requirements of UPSC mains, the pattern and format will be there to resolve all your doubts, analyze your checked copies – question by question, provide you feedback and necessary inputs, and a roadmap to integrate those inputs into your preparation.
    • Questions must be evidence-based (as per UPSC pattern) and relevant to the current year. There are many famous institutes with outdated questions in the test series.
    • It must be evaluated by seasoned evaluators and not just another aspirant like you who might not have even appeared for a single UPSC interview. Yes, many famous institutes do this. All of CivilsDaily’s evaluators have years of experience and qualify the criteria of at least 3 UPSC interviews.

    CivilsDaily’s Mains Program and Test series have been launched. Schedule a call with a senior UPSC mentor to know which one should you join.

    5. Don’t ignore UPSC Essay and Ethics: They’re a game-changer

    Many of the aspirants ignore these till Prelims and feel insufficiently or totally unprepared for both UPSC Essay and Ethics (GS Paper 4). Integrate them in your Mains timetable and strategy now. We have launched Mentorship driven Smash Essay 2022 under Zeeshan Hashmi and Smash Ethics 2022 under Sukanya Rana.

    Just get on a call with us to plan and discuss how to cover UPSC Essay and Ethics. We’ll have a detailed discussion.

    6. Get a Mentor for Mains 2022. You don’t want to waste an attempt.

    Someone who has an experience of at least 4 Mains or 2-3 UPSC interviews. One who should be able to provide you a patient ear and regular feedback. One who is sympathetic to your issues understands your weaknesses and is committed to helping you improve day by day, question by question, and test by test.

    Don’t have a mentor? Oh, you have one at CivilsDaily.
    (click) Get on a FREE mentorship CALL with Senior UPSC Mentor | 1-1 call for FREE | Discuss your preparation

    CivilsDaily’s Mains Programs

    Smash Mains 2022 – only 5 seats left

    Mains 2022 Programs details

    Smash Ethics 2022

    Smash Essay 2022

  • Need for transparency in RBI’s policy making

    Context

    Modern inflation targeting central banks are often bound by explicit statutory mandates. Critics have argued that the RBI ignored its statutory inflation targeting duty.

    Why transparency and predictability of the central bank is important?

    • Prior to the 1990s, central banks preferred secrecy.
    • Surprising market: The common wisdom was that the efficacy of monetary policy depended on taking markets by surprise.
    • This belief started changing gradually with the adoption of inflation targeting.
    • Influencing the inflation expectations: Targeting inflation required central banks to influence households’ and firms’ decisions.
    • Thus emerged the need for central banks to be transparent and predictable.

    Independence with accountability of the Central bank

    • There was growing international recognition that central banks as monetary authorities should enjoy a relatively higher degree of independence from governments.
    •  In a democratic polity, this could only be expected in exchange for increased accountability.
    • As a result, regulatory governance gradually emerged as a relevant consideration for independent central banks over the last three decades.

    Regulatory governance at the RBI

    • The regulatory governance discourse in India came into the focus with the report of the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission in 2013.
    •  Like a state, regulators usually enjoy significant legislative, executive and judicial powers and should be subject to appropriate accountability mechanisms.
    • These should include internal separation of powers; a well-structured regulation making process overseen by the board, through public consultation and cost-benefit analysis; duty to explain its actions to regulated entities and public at large; regular reporting requirements; and judicial review.
    • Based on these recommendations, the Ministry of Finance released a handbook in 2013 for voluntary adoption of these enhanced governance standards by all financial sector regulators.
    • These developments turned the spotlight on the RBI’s regulatory governance.

    Reasons for the criticism of the RBI

    • Targeting exchange rate: The central bank appears to have ventured into uncharted legal territory by possibly targeting the exchange rate instead of inflation.
    • Regulatory governance issues: Separately, critics have also highlighted broader regulatory governance challenges at the RBI.
    • For instance, its alleged use of informal nudges to restrict a foreign player’s access to the Indian payment ecosystem goes against an adverse Supreme Court ruling.
    • Such criticisms underline an urgent need to improve the credibility of the central bank’s rule of law quotient.
    • Least responsive in legislative function:  A 2019 research paper found the central bank’s legislative functions to be the least responsive in comparison to three other regulators – SEBI, TRAI and AERA.
    • RBI’ss consultation papers usually presented only one solution and did not offer merits and demerits of multiple possible solutions.

    Implications of weak regulatory governance: Judicial scrutiny

    • Weak regulatory governance resulted in weak regulations, inviting judicial scrutiny.
    • Changes in master circular: In 2019, the Supreme Court effectively rewrote RBI’s master circular on wilful defaulters to provide additional procedural safeguards to borrowers.
    •  Striking down of crypto ban: In 2020, the court struck down an RBI circular that sought to ban its regulated entities from dealing or settling in virtual currencies.
    • The court found that the RBI had neither adduced any cogent evidence of the likely harm, nor had it considered any less intrusive alternative before issuing the circular.

    RRA 2.0 suggestions for the RBI

    • The recent report of the Regulations Review Authority 2.0 (RRA) offers useful suggestions to improve the central bank’s regulation-making process.
    • The RBI had set up the Review Authority 2.0 (RRA) in April 2021 to streamline its regulations.
    • Skill improvement in regulatory drafting: RRA has advocated for skill development in regulatory drafting inside the RBI.
    • Public consultation: To improve regulatory governance at the RBI, RRA suggested that its regulatory instructions should be issued only after public consultation, except if they are urgent or time sensitive.
    • They must contain a brief statement of objects and reasons clearly explaining the rationale behind their issuance.
    •  Although much softer than the FSRLC standards, RRA nevertheless signal a progressive step forward.

    Conclusion

    The RBI should heed these recommendations. It should ideally hardcode the suggested principles into a secondary legislation that is binding on itself. That would be the best way to signal that the central bank takes regulatory governance and rule of law seriously.

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • 24th June 2022| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement(AWE)

    Topics for Today’s questions:

    GS-1          Social Empowerment

    GS-2        Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting  India’s interests.

    GS-3        Indian Economy

    GS-4        Case Studies

    Question 1)

     

    Q.1 Identify the barriers faced by Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in India. What measures have been taken by the government in this context? (10 Marks)

     

    Question 2)

    Q.2 How Ukraine crisis affects BRICS? How BRICS can tackle the challenges posed to it by the crisis? (10 Marks)

    Question 3)

    Q.3 India is heavily import-dependent for its mineral fertiliser requirements. What are the issues with such import-dependence? Suggest ways to reduce the import dependence. (10 Marks)

    Question 4)  

    Q.4 The Ken-Betwa link project is expected to provide annual irrigation of 10.62 lakh hectares, drinking water supply to about 62 lakh people and also generate 103 MW of hydropower. At the same time, the ambitious project will lead to a large-scale displacement of the people. A total area of about 9,000 hectares will be submerged due to the proposed dam. Some of the area also lies within the Panna Tiger Reserve, considered to be the core habitat of tigers in the region. People fear losing their livelihoods as well. Due to these issues, there has been an ongoing protest by the local people against the project. You, as the head of the project, are given the responsibility to ensure timely completion of the project and ensure its success, as it spearheads India’s ambition of river interlinking. Consider the following questions: (a) What are the ethical issues involved in the above case? (b) Discuss the steps that can be taken to address these issues. Also suggest some long term measures for such issues. (20 Marks)

     

    HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

    1. Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.

    2. A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.

    3. You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.

    4.  Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.

    5. Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.

    6. If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 11th  February is uploaded on 11th February then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis

    7. If you are writing answers late, for example, 11th February is uploaded on 13th February , then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.

    8. We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Staff so that the mentor is notified about your answer.

    *In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. 

    1. For the philosophy of AWE and payment: 
    CLICK HERE To join Daily AWE

  • Land Degradation

    Context

    A key element of sustainable food production is healthy soil because nearly 95 per cent of global food production depends on soil. The current status of soil health is worrisome.

    The threat posed by soil degradation

    • The challenge to food security: Soil degradation on an unprecedented scale is a significant challenge to sustainable food production.
    • About one-third of the earth’s soils is already degraded and alarmingly, about 90 per cent could be degraded by 2050 if no corrective action is taken.
    • Soil degradation in India: While soil degradation is believed to be occurring in 145 million hectares in India, it is estimated that 96.40 million hectares — about 30 per cent of the total geographical area — is affected by land degradation.
    • The FAO’s latest ‘State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture’ says: “…soil pollution is also an issue. It knows no borders and compromises the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe.
    • Globally, the biophysical status of 5,670 million hectares of land is declining, of which 1,660 million hectares (29 per cent) is attributed to human-induced land degradation, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s ‘State of Land, Soil and Water’ report.

    Cause of the problem

    • Use of agrochemicals: The excessive or inappropriate use of agrochemicals is one cause of the problem.
    • The global annual production of industrial chemicals has doubled since the beginning of the 21st century, to approximately 2.3 billion tonnes.
    • Extensive use of fertilisers and pesticides led to the deterioration of soil health and contamination of water bodies and the food chain, which pose serious health risks to people and livestock.
    • Salination: Another challenge comes from salinisation, which affects 160 million hectares of cropland worldwide.”

    About Soil Health Card Scheme

    • Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme is promoted by the Department of Agriculture & Co-operation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
    • An SHC is meant to give each farmer soil nutrient status of his/her holding and advice him/her on the dosage of fertilizers and also the needed soil amendments, that s/he should apply to maintain soil health in the long run.
    • SHC is a printed report that a farmer will be handed over for each of his holdings.
    • It will be made available once in a cycle of 2 years, which will indicate the status of soil health of a farmer’s holding for that particular period.
    • The SHC given in the next cycle of 2 years will be able to record the changes in the soil health for that subsequent period.
    • Under the programme as of date, soil health cards have been distributed to about 23 crore farmers.
    • The scheme has not only helped in improving the health of the soil, but has also benefited innumerable farmers by increasing crop production and their incomes.

    Progress made so far on soil restoration

    • India is well on course to achieving the restoration of 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.
    • A study conducted by the National Productivity Council in 2017 on this programme revealed that there has been a decrease in the use of chemical fertilisers in the range of 8-10 per cent as a result of the application of fertilisers and micro-nutrients as per the recommendations on the soil health cards.
    • Overall, an increase in crop yields to the tune of 5-6 per cent was reported as a result.
    • First organic state in the world: “A Healthy Planet for Healthy Children’’ published by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research and the World Future Council highlighted success stories from various countries — including Sikkim in India, which became the first organic state in the world.

    Way forward

    • Natural farming: Several studies have established that natural farming and organic farming are not only cost-effective but also lead to improvement in soil health and the farmland ecosystem.
    • Agro-ecological practices: With the threat to food security looming large globally, the need of the hour is to adopt innovative policies and agro-ecological practices that create healthy and sustainable food production systems.

    Conclusion

    The time has come for collective global action involving governments and civil society to reverse the alarming trend of soil degradation.

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Pakistan’s Economic Crisis and the IMF Challenge

    Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves have been depleting during the last one year and is heading towards a default risk as Sri Lanka did.

    Pakistani economy is said to have been crippling since the discontinuance of US ‘military’ aid which it had used

    What is the news?

    • The Pakistani rupee has been on free fall; from 150 in April 2021 to 213 against the dollar on 21 June, an all-time low.
    • This would mean high oil and electricity prices, to outrage the people who are already to the streets due to ousted PM Imran Khan.
    • The government-International Monetary Fund (IMF) talks have remained complicated.

    Options available for Pakistan

    • Pakistan is under deep Balance of Payment (BoP) crisis (as was India in 1991).
    • Pakistan has exhausted all credit options as SL did.
    • Even the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is at standstill.
    • Even the Saudi’s and so called ‘caliphate’ of Turkey has not come to Pakistan’s rescue.

    Only option left: IMF bail out

    • The immediate future of Pakistan’s economy would depend on IMF resuming its support.
    • Despite an intense discussion between the two, there has not been a consensus until now.

    What is IMF bail-out?

    • Bailout is a general term for extending financial support to a company or a country facing a potential bankruptcy threat.
    • When a country asks the IMF for a loan, the country is facing a major economic crisis.
    • In particular, it does not have enough foreign currency (‘dollars’) to pay for imports and the repayments on its loans. In short, the country cannot pay its international bills. So, it need a bailout.
    • The IMF will give the country an aid, which is ‘cash’ in the sense that it does not have to be spent on a particular project. This money can be used to pay its bills.
    • But, the IMF will impose certain conditions. The basic condition is to spend less – both domestically and internationally.
    • This belt-tightening is not easy – people lose jobs, prices rise, etc. And, one has to repay the loan.
    • These conditions are necessary to ensure that the money is being spent where it is supposed to.

    Pakistan and IMF: A track record

    • Pakistan’s relationship with the IMF has remained complicated. It sees conditions laid as a breach of sovereignty.
    • Though Islamabad has been negotiating with the IMF repeatedly, there has been an economic nationalism, mostly jingoistic, against approaching the IMF in recent years.
    • Imran Khan, the former PM made statements and fuelled the sentiments against the IMF.
    • After becoming the PM in 2018, he preferred approaching friendly countries (China and Saudi Arabia) and avoiding the IMF.
    • The new government is now back to the IMF; it expects the IMF to release the payments, expand the support programme, and give a longer rope to repay.

    Conditions laid out by IMF for recent bail-out

    • The IMF is willing to support Pakistan but has some conditions regarding macroeconomic reforms.
    • It wants Pakistan to be transparent about its debt situation, including what Islamabad owes to China, as a part of the CPEC.
    • Terror-financing in Pakistan is the most favored type of investment!
    • The IMF may agree to support after a few more promises by the government.
    • But the relief may be less than what Pakistan would hope for.

    A vicious cycle

    • Since its inception, Pakistan has spent more years inside an IMF programme than outside of it.
    • Every leader took the money, imposed massive hardships on the population through austerity and demand suppression and then reneges on its commitment through a patchy implementation.
    • Radical fanaticism and anti-India sentiments are successful tools of public appeasement.

    Will Pakistan pursue macroeconomic reforms?

    • In Pakistan, budgets have remained populist.
    • The economic governance declined due to corruption, lack of financial institutions’ independence, and the export decline.
    • The subsidies in the energy sector — fuel, oil and electricity — remain high to appease the public.
    • With the present coalition government facing elections, they are less likely to take any further bold decisions.

    Will “friendly countries” support Pakistan without preconditions?

    • Saudi Arabia and China have been supporting Pakistan. MBS has already pulled his hands.
    • Riyadh’s support is not unconditional.
    • It can ask Pakistan “to return the money at any time if the two countries have divergent views regarding their relationship or ties with a third country, or some other issue.”
    • China has been another significant source for Pakistan. Islamabad has been regularly seeking loans from China within and outside the CPEC projects.
    • However, since the attack on Chinese citizens by Baloch Fighters, China appears to have been disgusted with Pakistan.
    • CPEC is also at a standstill.

    FATF clearance is no panacea

    • During the latest Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting, there was an understanding that Pakistan has met its requirement.
    • The FATF has agreed to explore the possibilities of removing Pakistan from the grey list.
    • However, even when Pakistan was on the grey list, the IMF had been holding talks with Islamabad.
    • The big two — China and Saudi Arabia — were not constrained by Pakistan’s listing in the FATF.
    • So, the relaxation is less likely to open gates for big investments.

    Will Pakistan go the Sri Lankan way?

    • The situation was similar in Sri Lanka — the falling value of rupee, declining foreign exchange reserves, differences with the IMF, and rising fuel prices.
    • All of them led to public protests in Sri Lanka against the government.
    • The economic and energy crises in Pakistan have not snowballed into a political storm as it had happened in Sri Lanka.
    • The dope of “threats to Religion” works effectively there.

    Conclusion

    • The experiment of Pakistan (as a separate nation) has failed on various fronts.
    • To conclude, Pakistan’s economic and energy situation is serious and demands bold decisions.
    • The situation will worsen in the short term before it gets better, but this has been Pakistan’s history in the last 75 years.
    • With a relief from the IMF, after a protracted negotiation, a few band-aids, and the US intervention, Islamabad may muddle through this time as well, until the next crisis.

     

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Group wants new order on MGNREGA workers revoked

    Certain groups has asked to discontinue manual attendance for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) work sites with more than 20 workers and use a mobile phone-based application.

    What is MGNREGA?

    • The MGNREGA stands for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act of 2005.
    • This is labour law and social security measure that aims to guarantee the ‘Right to Work’.
    • The act was first proposed in 1991 by P.V. Narasimha Rao.

    Features of the scheme

    • MGNREGA is unique in not only ensuring at least 100 days of employment to the willing unskilled workers, but also in ensuring an enforceable commitment on the implementing machinery i.e., the State Governments, and providing a bargaining power to the labourers.
    • The failure of provision for employment within 15 days of the receipt of job application from a prospective household will result in the payment of unemployment allowance to the job seekers.
    • Employment is to be provided within 5 km of an applicant’s residence, and minimum wages are to be paid.
    • Thus, employment under MGNREGA is a legal entitlement.

    What is so unique about it?

    • MGNREGA is unique in not only ensuring at least 100 days of employment to the willing unskilled workers, but also in ensuring an enforceable commitment on the implementing machinery i.e., the State Governments, and providing a bargaining power to the labourers.
    • The failure of provision for employment within 15 days of the receipt of job application from a prospective household will result in the payment of unemployment allowance to the job seekers.
    • Any Indian citizen above the age of 18 years who resides in rural India can apply for the NREGA scheme. The applicant should have volunteered to do unskilled work.
    • Employment is to be provided within 5 km of an applicant’s residence, and minimum wages are to be paid.
    • Thus, employment under MGNREGA is a legal entitlement.

    Answer this PYQ in the comment box:

    Q.Among the following who are eligible to benefit from the “Mahatma Gandhi national rural employment guarantee act”?

    (a) Adult members of only the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe households.

    (b) Adult members of below poverty line (BPL) households.

    (c) Adult members of households of all backward communities.

    (d) Adult members of any household.

     

     

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  • Places in news: Snake Island

    Ukraine has said it has caused “significant losses” to the Russian military in airstrikes on Zmiinyi Island, also known as Snake Island, in the Black Sea.

    Snake Island

    • Zmiinyi Island, also known as Snake or Serpent Island, is a small piece of rock less than 700 metres from end to end, that has been described as being “X-shaped”.
    • It is located 35 km from the coast in the Black Sea, to the east of the mouth of the Danube and roughly southwest of the port city of Odessa.
    • The island, which has been known since ancient times and is marked on the map by the tiny village of Bile that is located on it, belongs to Ukraine.

    Why does Russia seek to control the Black Sea?

    • Domination of the Black Sea region is a geostrategic imperative for Moscow.
    • The famed water body is bound by Ukraine to the north and northwest, Russia and Georgia to the east, Turkey to the south, and Bulgaria and Romania to the west.
    • It links to the Sea of Marmara through the Bosporus and then to the Aegean through the Dardanelles.
    • It has traditionally been Russia’s warm water gateway to Europe.
    • For Russia, the Black Sea is both a stepping stone to the Mediterranean as well as a strategic buffer between NATO and itself.
    • Cutting Ukrainian access to the Black Sea will reduce it to a landlocked country and deal a crippling blow to its trade logistics.

     

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  • Festival in news: Sao Joao Festival

    As in every monsoon, Catholics in Goa will celebrate Sao Joao, the feast of St John the Baptist.

    Note: The name typically sounds like a North-Eastern festival, but it is not.

    What is Sao Joao and where is it celebrated in Goa?

    • In Goa, Catholics celebrate all the feasts of the Roman Catholic Church, which include the feast of St John the Baptist on June 24.
    • John the Baptist is the person who he had baptised Jesus Christ on the river Jordan.
    • Traditionally, there are spirited Sao Joao festivities in the villages of Cortalim in South Goa and Harmal, Baga, Siolim and Terekhol in North Goa.
    • However, over the years, pool parties and private Sao Joao parties in Goa have been a “complete package of merriment and joy” for tourists.

    Course of celebration

    • The celebrations will include revellers sporting crowns made of fruits, flowers and leaves, and the major draw of the feast is the water bodies – wells, ponds, fountains, rivers – in which the revellers take the “leap of joy”.
    • Enjoyed by children and adults alike, the festival also includes playing the traditional gumott (percussion instrument), a boat festival, servings of feni, and a place of pride for new sons-in-law.

    What does jumping into water bodies symbolise?

    • The youngsters in Goa celebrate this occasion with revelry and perform daredevil feats, by jumping into over flowing wells or rivulets.
    • The boys are found merrily jumping into the water to commemorate the leap of joy, which St John is said to have taken in the womb of his mother St Elizabeth when virgin Mary visited her.

     

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  • Odisha’s Mo Bus: Recipient of the UN’s prestigious public service award

    Mo Bus, the bus service of Odisha’s Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) authority, has been recognized by the United Nations as one of 10 global recipients of its annual Public Service Awards for 2022.

    Mo Bus service

    • The Mo Bus service was launched on November 6, 2018.
    • It aimed to ensure transformation of the urban public transport scenario in the city and its hinterland through use of smart technology, service benchmarking and customer satisfaction.
    • The buses are designed to integrate smart technologies such as free on-board Wi-Fi service, digital announcements, surveillance cameras, and electronic ticketing.
    • CRUT says that to increase women’s participation in the workforce, and to make women riders feel safer, it is committed to ensuring that 50% of Mo Bus Guides (conductors) are women.

    What is the recent award?

    • The public transport service has been recognised for its role in “promoting gender-responsive public services to achieve the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)”.
    • The “impact” is that 57 per cent of the city’s commuters now use the Mo Bus, the UN said.
    • Mo E-Ride is estimated to reduce pollution by 30-50 per cent.

    About UN Public Service Award

    • The UN describes its Public Service Awards as the “most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service”.
    • The first Awards ceremony was held in 2003, and the UN has since received “an increasing number of submissions from all around the world”.
    • It is intended to reward the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions that lead to a more effective and responsive public administration in countries worldwide.
    • Through an annual competition, the UN Public Service Awards promotes the role, professionalism and visibility of public service.

     

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