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  • Streak Daily Compilation of Questions & Videos – Sep 7, 2021

    Maintaining consistency is one of the biggest issues faced by IAS Aspirants. Streak’s initiative is to help Aspirants in their day-to-day preparation. You can follow the monthly, weekly, and daily timetables and continue this streak until you find yourself on the final list.

    Please register for Streak Initiative (free) through this link:- https://www.civilsdaily.com/course/streak-daily-initiative/

    You will get following study material:-

    1. Questions (PDF).
    2. RSTV/Yojana monthly notes (PDF).
    3. Burning issue (PDF).
    4. Subject specific (PDF).
    5. Mentor’s phone call for support & encouragement.

    _____________________________________________

    UPSC Daily Study Plan For 2021 and 2022 || STREAK – by Ravi Ranjan

    UPSC PRELIMS-2021 || Current Affairs Based Most Probable Questions on Polity – by Sukanya Rana

    Q1) Consider the following statements with respect to State Election Commission 

    1. The functions of delimitation, reservation and rotation of local body election seats should be vested with the State Election Commission. 

    2. It should submit its annual or special reports to the Election Commission of India and to the Governor. 

    Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 

    a. 1 only 

    b. 2 only 

    c. Both 1 and 2 

    d. Neither 1 nor 2

    Q2) With respect to Schedules of Indian Constitution, consider the following statements: 

    1. Fifth Schedule asks for annual reports from the Governors of each State having Scheduled Areas to the President. 

    2. Sixth Schedule contains recommendations relating to the ability of the autonomous regions to frame land-use policies and policies related to reserved forests. 

    Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 

    a. 1 only 

    b. 2 only 

    c. Both 1 and 2 

    d. Neither 1 nor 2

    Q3) Development and Welfare Board for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNCs) works under the aegis of? 

    a. Ministry of Home Affairs 

    b. Ministry of Tribal Affairs 

    c. Ministry of Rural Development 

    d. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

    Q4) With respect to One Nation One Ration Card Scheme, consider the following statements: 

    a. The scheme is being implemented for nationwide portability of ration cards under National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 

    b. This system allows all NFSA beneficiaries, particularly migrant beneficiaries, to claim either full or part foodgrains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) in the country 

    c. The system also allows their family members back home, if any, to claim the balance foodgrains on same the ration card 

    d. None of the above

    Q5) With respect to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021, consider the following statements: 

    1. Bill provides that the term government referred to in any law made by the Legislative Assembly will imply Lieutenant Governor. 

    2. The Bill prohibits the Legislative Assembly from making any rule to enable itself to consider the matters of day-to-day administration of the NCT of Delhi.

    3. The bill states that the Lieutenant Governor‟s opinion must be obtained on every matter, before taking any executive action on the decisions of the Minister/ Council of Ministers. 

    Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 

    3 only 

    1 and 2 only 

    2 and 3 only 

    1, 2 and 3

    UPSC PRELIMS-2021 || Most Probable Questions on Environment and Ecology – by Santosh Gupta

    Q1) Consider the following statements regarding Global-Warming potential (GWP) 

    1. It’s a relative measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere. 
    2. It is expressed as a factor of carbon dioxide. 
    3. A high GWP correlates with a low infrared absorption and a long atmospheric lifetime. 

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    a. 1 AND 2 

    b. 2 AND 3 

    c. 1 AND 3 

    d. ALL OF THEM

    Q2) Consider the following statements

    1. While Clean  Development Mechanism(CDM) works under Kyoto Protocol, Sustainable development mechanism(SDM) is a mechanism to ensure implementation of SDGs targets. 
    2. While Kyoto protocol ensure binding targets only for developed countries, Paris accord makes no such distinction. 

    Which of the above statement/s  is/are true?

    a. 1 only

    b. 2 only

    c. Both 1 and 2

    d. None of them

    Q3) Consider the following statements regarding United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD): 

    1. It was formed on the recommendations of the World Commission on Environment and Development. 
    2. It is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. 
    3. It has established the Global Mechanism (GM) to assist countries for mobilization of financial resources to address land degradation and drought. 

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    a. 1 and 3 only

    b. 2 and 3 only

    c. 1 and 2 only

    d. All of them

    Q4) Consider the following statements regarding GHG Platform India: 

    1. 1. It is a joint initiative of NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 
    2. It will provide an estimation and analysis of India‘s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across key sectors. 

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    a. 1 and 2

    b. 1 only

    c. 2 only

    d. None of them

    Q5) With reference to the Project Predator, consider the following statements: 

    1. It is an initiative led by the United Nations Environment Programme. 
    2. It aims to enhance governance and law enforcement capacity for the conservation of Asian big cats and other wildlife species. 
    3. The project has its focus on the tiger range countries, including India. 

    Which of the statements given above are correct?

    a. 1 and 2 only

    b. 2 and 3 only

    c. 1 and 3 only

    d. All of them 

  • ESCAPE THE SNOOZE MODE IN YOUR UPSC-CSE PREPARATION

    ESCAPE THE SNOOZE MODE IN YOUR UPSC-CSE PREPARATION

    We talked to 8000+ aspirants in the last one year and their answers will surprise you.

    Inconsistency in UPSC preparation is like getting up at 5 am. A night before you set up your alarm. The motivation to get up is high at this point. But in the morning, when the alarm rings, we swipe it to the right with a thought “IN 5 MINUTES…FOR SURE!!”. This snooze cycle usually continues for some time till we realize it is 8 am. Already a bad start to the day! To add to it, you will spend the whole day repenting upon not being able to get up early, instead of focusing upon the time we have. The same goes for UPSC preparation. You set your targets but one slight glitch and your whole preparation go off track. Till the time you yourself realize this mismanagement, it is a bit too late. Anxiety builds up, performance levels fall. You are not able to achieve even 10% OF YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL on the D-day.

    WE ASKED 8000+ STUDENTS ONE SIMPLE QUESTION –

    “WHAT IS THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE THAT YOU ARE FACING IN YOUR UPSC PREPARATION?”

    YOU WILL BE ASTOUNDED THAT ONE ANSWER WAS COMMON IN REPLIES – INCONSISTENCY.

    They are Consistently Inconsistent. Meaning, they go through these highs and lows in their preparation. They are able to study for days, week but they hit a sudden gap in preparation. Then, they find it very hard to come back. The good news is that we have the solution.

    Click here to register for personalised guidance

    Our philosophy behind MENTORSHIP is to get you out of this Snooze cycle. This ensures that you are the BEST VERSION of yourself in this journey. If you are under the impression that mentorship is weekly calls you attend, then you are mistaken, my friend. Trust us, your mentor will be your ‘FRIEND, PHILOSOPHER AND GUIDE’.

    How Mentorship can fight inconsistency in preparation?

    TO EACH THEIR OWN – Every aspirant is different. Their strengths and weaknesses are different. Their time availability is also different. Identifying this is important so you don’t end up making unrealistic targets and lose momentum. Your mentor will make sure you start slow but remain consistent to build your confidence. Making your schedule structured based on our experience of working with 2500+ students is our first priority. 

    TRACK YOUR PROGRESS – When you see yourself grow, it becomes easier to motivate yourself to push boundaries. Tracking your progress can happen in many ways like mentorship calls or chat sessions or by regular tests. The idea is to ensure that you don’t go off track in your preparation, and even if you do, we have your back.

    Get 1-1 mentorship now, register here

    EVOLUTION – A constant guidance is important to bring consistency to your UPSC preparation. Guidance is not about clearing your doubts or asking you to study when you don’t. It is also about the evolution of your preparation. This is where you and your mentor work as a team. A constant effort to PLAN AND BUILD UP YOUR ABILITY to learn in a faster and more efficient way.

    Receive personal guidance for upsc (register here)

    TALK IT OUT – The biggest hurdle in achieving your highest level of consistency is the emotional part. Every now and then, you. surround yourself with negative thoughts, you feel scared and depressed. Instead of resolving these emotional issues, you avoid them as it seems like a waste of your precious time. You have to understand that ignoring emotional troubles does not solve them. What your doing is building an emotional time bomb that may burst a week before your mains or prelims! This is where your MENTOR AS A FRIEND comes in. All our mentors have been through this journey. We understand your fears and anxieties. So, TALK IT OUT.

    Don’t let inconsistency keep you away from your dreams.

    Fill up the SAMANVAYA form given below. Let us know your problems and we will find a solution to it, just like our students say ” TOGETHER WE CAN AND WE WILL”.

    Register here to get personalised guidance

  • Important National Highways, Waterways and ports in India

    07th Sept 2021

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

    Important National Highways in India

    • According to the Ministry of Roads, Transport and Highways (MoRTH), there are 599 National Highways in India. Over a period of time, the numbering of National Highways in India has been renewed. The total length of National Highways is 132500 Kms.
    • National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is an autonomous authority to develop, maintain, and manage the National Highways of India. Central Government has the power to notify any highway as the National Highway and such highway will be specified in the Schedule.
    • The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is responsible for the development of National Highways.
    • The government launched the Bharatmala Project for the development of about 26,000 km length of Economic Corridors, which along with Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) and North-South and East-West (NS-EW) Corridors are expected to carry the majority of the Freight Traffic on roads.
    National HighwayLength (in kilometers)Route
    NH 44 (old NH 7)3,745Srinagar to Kanyakumari
    NH 273,507Porbandar in Gujarat to Silchar in Assam
    NH 48 (old NH 8)2,807Delhi to Chennai
    NH 522,317Sangrur, Punjab to Ankola, Karnataka
    NH 30 (Old NH 221)2,040Sitarganj in Uttarakhand to Ibrahimpatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
    NH 61,873Jorabat in Meghalaya and terminates at Selling in Mizoram
    NH 531,781Hajira in Gujarat and Pradip port in Odisha.
    NH 16 (Old NH 5)1,711East coast of West Bengal to Chennai in Tamil Nadu.
    NH 66 (Old NH 17)1,622Panvel and terminates at Kanyakumari
    NH 19 (Old NH 20)1,435Delhi to Kolkata
    NH 341,426Gangotri Dham in Uttarakhand to Lakhnadon in Madhya Pradesh

    Operational National Waterways in India:

    Sl. No.NW NumberRiver SystemRouteLength (in km)LocationsEstablished
    1NW – 1Ganga-Bhagirathi-HooghlyPrayagraj – Haldia1620Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal1986
    2NW – 2BrahmaputraSadiya-Dhubri891Assam1988
    3NW – 3West Coast Canal, Champakara Canal, and Udyogamandal CanalKottapuram – Kollam205Kerala1993
    4NW – 4Krishna and GodavariKakinada–Puducherry stretch of canals, Kaluvelly Tank, Bhadrachalam – Rajahmundry, Waziraba–Vijayawada1095Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry2008
    5NW – 10Amba River45Maharashtra
    6NW – 83Rajpuri Creek31Maharashtra
    7NW – 85Revadanda Creek – Kundalika River System31Maharashtra
    8NW – 91Shastri river–Jaigad creek system52Maharashtra
    9NW – 68Mandovi – Usgaon Bridge to the Arabian Sea41Goa
    10NW – 111Zuari– Sanvordem Bridge to Marmugao Port50Goa
    11NW – 73Narmada River226Gujarat and Maharashtra
    12NW – 100Tapi River436Gujarat and Maharashtra
    13NW – 97 (Sundarbans Waterways)Namkhana to AtharaBankiKhalIndo-Bangladesh Protocol Route172West Bengal

    List of New Waterways in India

    StateNo. of rivers/canalName of the River / Canal
    Andhra Pradesh2Pennar and Tungabhadra
    Arunachal Pradesh1Lohit
    Assam14Aai, Barak, Beki, Dhansiri / Chathe, Dehing, Dikhu, Doyans, Gangadhar, Jinjiram, Kopili, Lohit, Puthimari, Subansiri and Tlwang (Dhaleswari)
    Bihar6Gandak, Ghaghra, Karamnasa, Kosi, Punpun and Sone
    Delhi1Yamuna
    Goa6Chapora, Cumberjua, Mandovi, Mapusa, Sal and Zuari
    Gujarat5Jawai-Luni – Rann of Kutch, Mahi, Narmada, Sabarmati and Tapi
    Haryana2Indira Gandhi Canal and Yamuna
    Himachal Pradesh3Beas, Ravi and Sutlej
    Jammu & Kashmir4Chenab, Indus, Jhelum and Ravi
    Jharkhand2Kherkai and Subarnarekha
    Karnataka11Bheema, Ghataprabha, Gurupur, Kabini, Kali, Malaprabha, Netravathi, Panchagangavali (Panchagangoli), Sharavati, Tungabhadra and Udayavara
    Kerala4AVM Canal, Alappuzha- Changanassery Canal, Alappuzha- Kottayam – Athirampuzha Canal and Kottayam-Vaikom Canal
      Amba, Arunawati – Aran, Dabhol Creek – Vashishti River, Kalyan-Thane-Mumbai Waterway – Vasai Creek – Ulhas River, Manjara, Nag, Narmada, Penganga – Wardha, Rajpuri Creek, Revadanda Creek – Kundalika River, Savitri (Bankot Creek), Shastri River – Jaigad Creek, Tapi and Wainganga – Pranahita
    Maharashtra14
    Meghalaya5Ganol, Jinjiram, Kynshi, Simsang and Umngot (Dawki)
    Mizoram1Tlwang (Dhaleswari)
    Nagaland1Tizu – Zungki
    Odisha5Baitarni, Birupa – Badi Genguti – Brahmani, Budha Balanga, Mahanadi and Subarnarekha
    Punjab3Beas, Indira Gandhi Canal and Sutlej
    Rajasthan3Indira Gandhi Canal, Jawai-Luni – Rann of Kutch and Luni
    Tamil Nadu9AVM Canal, Bhavani, Kaveri – Kollidam, Manimutharu, Palar, Pazhyar, Ponniyar, Tamaraparani and Vaigai
    Telangana5Bheema, Manjara, Penganga – Wardha, Tungabhadra and Wainganga – Pranahita
    Uttar Pradesh10Asi, Betwa, Chambal, Gandak, Ghaghra, Gomti, Karamnasa, Tons, Varuna and Yamuna

    Transportation plays an important role in the development of a country and it is of great significance for a developing country like India. The country is bestowed with a plethora of diverse topography which enables different kinds of transportation. India has about 14500 km of navigable waterways. This includes rivers, backwaters, canals, creeks, and so on.

    • National Waterways Act came into effect in 2016. It proposed 106 additional National Waterways and merges 5 existing Acts which were declared the 5 National Waterways. As a result, 106 new waterways were identified by IWAI and intimated to MoS. In this regard, the National Waterways Act, 2016 was published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section I dated 26th March, 2016 as an Act No. 17 of 2016
    • In 1986, the Government of India created the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) for regulation and development of Inland Waterways for navigation and shipping.
    • Out of the 111, National Waterways declared under the National Waterways Act, 2016, 13 are operational for shipping and navigation and cargo/passenger vessels are moving on them.

    Major Sea Ports in India 

    Major Sea Ports  Currently, there is a total of 13 major seaports in India currently among which 12 are government-controlled and one, Ennore port of Chennai is the corporate one. These are located in the 9 coastal Indian states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, and West Bengal).

    S. No.StateName of PortPoints to Remember
    1.KeralaKochi Port or Cochin Portlocated on the Willington island on the South-Western coast of India The port is generally called as the natural gateway for the industrial and agricultural produce markets of South-West India. Exports of spices, tea, and coffee. It is one of the centers for shipbuilding.
    2. Tamil NaduEnnoreIndia’s First corporatized port and 12th major port of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast about 24 km north of the Chennai Port. Trades: Iron Ore, Coal, petroleum products and chemicals
    3.West BengalHaldiaSituated on Hugli river Formed to relieve pressure on Kolkata port
    4. West BengalKolkata PortIt is the only riverine major port in India. Known for twin dock systems viz. Kolkata Dock on the eastern bank and Haldia Dock on the western bank of river Hooghly Trade: Jute, tea, Coal, Steel 
    5.GujaratKandlaKnown as Tidal Port located in the Gulf of Kutch It was constructed after partition when Karachi Port was transferred to Pakistan. It also relieves the congestion of Mumbai Port Largest port by volume of cargo handled. It has been acknowledged as Trade Free Zone
    6.KarnatakaMangaloreIt is deep water, all weathered port. Deals with the iron ore exports It is the only major port of the coastal state of Karnataka.
    7.GoaMarmagoaSituated on the estuaries of the river Juari It is a natural harbour It was awarded the status of a major port in the year 1963. It is a leading iron ore exporting port in India.
    8.MaharashtraMumbaiLargest Natural Port and harbor In India  Earlier, this port location was used by the navies of Shivaji. This port has 3 enclosed wet docks:  Prince’s Dock Victoria Dock Indira Dock The busiest Port in India Jawahar Dweep is an island in the harbor, for Crude and petroleum products handling.
    9.MaharashtraJawaharlal Nehru Port or Nhava Sheva Port Largest Artificial Port and also the largest container port of India. The name Nhava Sheva is given because of the names of two villages that existed in that area. It is located on the eastern shore of Mumbai harbor off Elephanta Island and can be accessed via Thane Creek. This port is the terminal point of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor of Indian Railways. Trade: Textiles, sporting goods, carpets, pharmaceuticals, chemicals etc.
    10.OdishaParadipFirst Major Port commissioned after Independence. Located at the confluence of Mahanadi river and Bay of Bengal. deals with the export of iron and aluminum and Iron ore is exported to Japan in huge quantity.
    11.Tamil NaduTuticorinThis port has been renamed as V.O.Chidambaranar Port. It is an artificial port located in the Gulf of Mannar. It is famous for pearl fishery in the Bay of Bengal and thus also known as the pearl city. Trade:  coal, salt, petroleum products, and fertilizers 
    12.Andhra PradeshVishakapatnamThis port is a natural harbor and also is the 2nd largest port by volume of cargo handled.  Port is located midway between the Chennai Port and Kolkata Port. Trade: Iron Ore, Coal, Alumina and oil. 
    13.Tamil NaduChennaiChennai Port is the largest port on the East coast i.e. Bay of Bengal and the second largest port of India after JNPT. Artificial port.

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  • Consequences of asset monetisation on ordinary citizens

    Context

    In the Budget for 2021-22, the Finance Minister had announced the Government’s decision to monetise operating public infrastructure assets. The National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) was unveiled, which shows that the Government intends to raise ₹6-lakh crore over the next four years by monetising several “core assets”.

    Four issues with NMP

    1)  Assets transferred would be performing assets and not idle asset

    • Strategic and significant asset: The Government has identified “performing assets” to transfer to private entities and these are both strategic and significant.
    • These include over 26,700 kilometres of highways, 400 railway stations, 90 passenger trains etc.
    • Moreover, existing public sector infrastructure in telecoms, power transmission and distribution and petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas pipelines are included in the NMP.
    • Under the NMP, the Government intends to lease or divest its rights over these assets via long-term leases against a consideration that can be upfront and/or periodic payments.

    2) Consequences for ordinary citizens

    • There are two dimensions about the impact on common citizens.
    • Public as a stakeholder: The assets have all been created through substantial contribution by the tax-paying public, who have stakes in their operation and management.
    • Double taxation: These assets have, until now, been managed by the Government and its agencies,  which operate in public interest.
    • Therefore, charges borne by the public for using these assets have remained reasonable.
    • With private companies getting the sole responsibility of running all these assets, prices of these services will go up, as resutl the citizens of this country would be double-taxed.
    • First, they paid taxes to create the assets, and would now pay higher user charges.
    • Concern: Therefore, as the Government prepares to transfer “performing assets” to the private companies, it has the responsibility to ensure that user charges do not price the consumers out of the market.

    3) Are there other avenues to plug the revenue gap?

    • Increase tax revenue: One possibility was to increase the tax revenue, for at 17.4% in 2019-20, India’s tax to GDP ratio was relatively low, as compared to most advanced nations.
    • Improvements in tax compliance and plugging loopholes have long been emphasised as the surest way to improve tax revenue, but little has been done, as the following example shows.
    • Since 2005-06, the Government has been providing data on the profits declared and taxes paid by companies that file their returns electronically.
    • Data shows that India’s large companies have been exploiting the loopholes for reporting lower profits and to escape the tax net.

    4) Efficiency issue

    • According to NITI Aayog, the “strategic objective of the Asset Monetisation programme is to unlock the value of investments in public sector assets by tapping private sector capital and efficiencies”.
    • The NITI Aayog objective assumes that public sector enterprises are inefficient, which is contrary to the reality.
    • In 2018-19, while 28% of these enterprises were loss-making, the corresponding figure for large companies was 51%.

    Consider the question “How asset monetisation is different from the privatisation? What are the issues with the National Manetisation Pipeline that seeks to monetise the assets?”

    Conclusion

    The government should address the issues mention here associated with the roll out of the National Monetisation Pipeline to make it a success.

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Spirit of federalism lies in consultation

    Context

    Recently, various State governments raised concerns about Central unilateralism in the enactment of critical laws on subjects in the Concurrent List of the Seventh Schedule.

    Objection of the state against Centre legislating on the subject in Concurrent List without consulting States

    • Unilateral legislation on subjects in Concurrent list: Kerala Chief Minister stated that it is not in the essence of federalism for the Union government to legislate unilaterally, on the subjects in the Concurrent List.
    • Encroaching on powers of States: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister raised the issue by calling on other Chief Ministers against the Union government encroaching on powers under the State and Concurrent Lists.
    • The Kerala Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution against the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
    • The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly passed a resolution against the controversial farm laws.

    Background of the Concurrent List

    • The Concurrent List gives the Union and the State Legislatures concurrent powers to legislate on the subjects contained in it.
    • Purpose of Concurrent List: The fields in the Concurrent List were to be of common interest to the Union and the States, and the power to legislate on these subjects to be shared with the Union so that there would be uniformity in law across the country.

    Union government extending its control on subjects in the Concurrent List and State list

    1) Farm laws: Encroaching on the powers of States

    • Parliament passed the farm laws without consulting the States.
    • State List subject: The laws, essentially related to Entry 14 (agriculture clause) belonging to the State List.
    • However, Parliament passed the law citing Entry 33 (trade and commerce clause) in the Concurrent List.
    • Against legal principle set by the Supreme Court: The Supreme Court, beginning from the State of Bombay vs F.N. Balsara case, said that if an enactment falls within one of the matters assigned to the State List and reconciliation is not possible with an entry in the Concurrent or Union List after employing the doctrine of “pith and substance”, the legislative domain of the State Legislature must prevail.

    2) Major Port Authorities Act 2021 and Indian Ports Bill: Centre taking away the power of State

    • The Major Ports Authorities Act, 2021, was passed by Parliament earlier this year.
    • Goa objected to the law, stating that it would lead to the redundancy of the local laws.
    • Concurrent List subject: When it comes to non-major ports, the field for legislation is located in Entry 31 of the Concurrent List. 
    • The Indian Ports Act, 1908, presently governs the field related to non-major ports.
    • As per the Indian Ports Act, 1908, the power to regulate and control the minor ports remained with the State governments.
    • The new draft Indian Ports Bill, 2021, proposes the Maritime State Development Council (MSDC), which is overwhelmingly controlled by the Union government.

    3) Electricity (Amendment) Bill,2020: Centre taking away powers of State

    • Various States like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have also come forward against the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
    • The field related to electricity is traceable to Entry 38 of the Concurrent List.
    • The power to regulate the sector was vested with the State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs), members of which were appointed by the State government.
    • The proposed amendment seeks to establish National Selection Committee, dominated by members nominated by the Union government that will make appointments to the SERCs.
    • The amendment also proposes the establishment of a Centrally-appointed Electricity Contract Enforcement Authority (ECEA).
    • In effect, the power to regulate the electricity sector would be taken away from the State government.

    Way forward

    • Consultation with States: The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC), or the Venkatachaliah Commission, had recommended that individual and collective consultation with the States should be undertaken through the Inter-State Council established under Article 263 of the Constitution.
    • Coordination of policy and action in concurrent jurisdiction: The Sarkaria Commission Report had recommended that there should be a coordination of policy and action in all areas of concurrent or overlapping jurisdiction through a process of mutual consultation.
    • Limit powers to ensuring uniformity: The Sarkaria Commission further recommended that the Union government, while exercising powers under the Concurrent List, limit itself to the purpose of ensuring uniformity in basic issues of national policy and not more.
    • Responsibility of Centre: The Supreme Court itself had held in the S.R. Bommai vs Union of India case, the States are not mere appendages of the Union.
    • The Union government should ensure that the power of the States is not trampled with.

    Consider the question “There has been instances of protest by the State government against Centre legislating unilaterally on subjects in Concurrent List. What are the implications of this for the federalism? Suggest the way forward.”

    Conclusion

    The essence of cooperative federalism lies in consultation and dialogue, and unilateral legislation without taking the States into confidence will lead to more protests on the streets.

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

     

  • ESCAPE THE SNOOZE MODE IN YOUR UPSC-CSE PREPARATION

    ESCAPE THE SNOOZE MODE IN YOUR UPSC-CSE PREPARATION

    We talked to 8000+ aspirants in the last one year and their answers will surprise you.

    Inconsistency in UPSC preparation is like getting up at 5 am. A night before you set up your alarm. The motivation to get up is high at this point. But in the morning, when the alarm rings, we swipe it to the right with a thought “IN 5 MINUTES…FOR SURE!!”. This snooze cycle usually continues for some time till we realize it is 8 am. Already a bad start to the day! To add to it, you will spend the whole day repenting upon not being able to get up early, instead of focusing upon the time we have. The same goes for UPSC preparation. You set your targets but one slight glitch and your whole preparation go off track. Till the time you yourself realize this mismanagement, it is a bit too late. Anxiety builds up, performance levels fall. You are not able to achieve even 10% OF YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL on the D-day.

    WE ASKED 8000+ STUDENTS ONE SIMPLE QUESTION –

    “WHAT IS THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE THAT YOU ARE FACING IN YOUR UPSC PREPARATION?”

    YOU WILL BE ASTOUNDED THAT ONE ANSWER WAS COMMON IN REPLIES – INCONSISTENCY.

    They are Consistently Inconsistent. Meaning, they go through these highs and lows in their preparation. They are able to study for days, week but they hit a sudden gap in preparation. Then, they find it very hard to come back. The good news is that we have the solution.

    Click here to register for personalised guidance

    Our philosophy behind MENTORSHIP is to get you out of this Snooze cycle. This ensures that you are the BEST VERSION of yourself in this journey. If you are under the impression that mentorship is weekly calls you attend, then you are mistaken, my friend. Trust us, your mentor will be your ‘FRIEND, PHILOSOPHER AND GUIDE’.

    How Mentorship can fight inconsistency in preparation?

    TO EACH THEIR OWN – Every aspirant is different. Their strengths and weaknesses are different. Their time availability is also different. Identifying this is important so you don’t end up making unrealistic targets and lose momentum. Your mentor will make sure you start slow but remain consistent to build your confidence. Making your schedule structured based on our experience of working with 2500+ students is our first priority. 

    TRACK YOUR PROGRESS – When you see yourself grow, it becomes easier to motivate yourself to push boundaries. Tracking your progress can happen in many ways like mentorship calls or chat sessions or by regular tests. The idea is to ensure that you don’t go off track in your preparation, and even if you do, we have your back.

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    EVOLUTION – A constant guidance is important to bring consistency to your UPSC preparation. Guidance is not about clearing your doubts or asking you to study when you don’t. It is also about the evolution of your preparation. This is where you and your mentor work as a team. A constant effort to PLAN AND BUILD UP YOUR ABILITY to learn in a faster and more efficient way.

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    TALK IT OUT – The biggest hurdle in achieving your highest level of consistency is the emotional part. Every now and then, you. surround yourself with negative thoughts, you feel scared and depressed. Instead of resolving these emotional issues, you avoid them as it seems like a waste of your precious time. You have to understand that ignoring emotional troubles does not solve them. What your doing is building an emotional time bomb that may burst a week before your mains or prelims! This is where your MENTOR AS A FRIEND comes in. All our mentors have been through this journey. We understand your fears and anxieties. So, TALK IT OUT.

    Don’t let inconsistency keep you away from your dreams.

    Fill up the SAMANVAYA form given below. Let us know your problems and we will find a solution to it, just like our students say ” TOGETHER WE CAN AND WE WILL”.

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  • New Code for Creditors (CoC) under IBC

    The insolvency regulator has called for public comments on a proposal to introduce a code of conduct for Committees of Creditors (CoC), of companies undergoing insolvency proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

    Before proceeding, try this PYQ first:

    Q. Which of the following statements best describes the term ‘Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets (S4A)’, recently seen in the news? (CSP 2017)

     

    (a) It is a procedure for considering the ecological costs of developmental schemes formulated by the Government.

    (b) It is a scheme of RBI for reworking the financial structure of big corporate entities facing genuine difficulties.

    (c) It is a disinvestment plan of the Government regarding Central Public Sector Undertakings.

    (d) It is an important provision in ‘The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code’ recently implemented by the Government.

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”lq23m2nrph” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

    About IBC

    • The IBC, 2016 is the bankruptcy law of India that seeks to consolidate the existing framework by creating a single law for insolvency and bankruptcy.
    • It is a one-stop solution for resolving insolvencies which previously was a long process that did not offer an economically viable arrangement.
    • The code aims to protect the interests of small investors and make the process of doing business less cumbersome.

    Key features

    Insolvency Resolution: The Code outlines separate insolvency resolution processes for individuals, companies, and partnership firms. The process may be initiated by either the debtor or the creditors. A maximum time limit, for completion of the insolvency resolution process, has been set for corporates and individuals.

    1. For companies, the process will have to be completed in 180 days, which may be extended by 90 days, if a majority of the creditors agree.
    2. For startups (other than partnership firms), small companies, and other companies (with assets less than Rs. 1 crore), the resolution process would be completed within 90 days of initiation of request which may be extended by 45 days.

    Insolvency regulator: The Code establishes the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India, to oversee the insolvency proceedings in the country and regulate the entities registered under it. The Board will have 10 members, including representatives from the Ministries of Finance and Law, and the RBI.

    Insolvency professionals: The insolvency process will be managed by licensed professionals. These professionals will also control the assets of the debtor during the insolvency process.

    Bankruptcy and Insolvency Adjudicator: The Code proposes two separate tribunals to oversee the process of insolvency resolution, for individuals and companies:

    1. National Company Law Tribunal: for Companies and Limited Liability Partnership firms; and
    2. Debt Recovery Tribunal: for individuals and partnerships

    What is the recent development?

    Ans. Code of conduct for Committees of Creditors (CoC)

    • A CoC is to be composed of financial creditors to the Corporate Debtor (CD) — or operational creditors in the absence of unrelated financial creditors.
    • Under the IBC, CoC is empowered to take key decisions, including decisions on haircuts for creditors, that are binding on all stakeholders, including those dissenting.
    • The CoC is also empowered to seek and choose the best resolution plan for a corporate debtor from the market, and its role is vital for a timely and successful resolution for a CD.
    • The IBBI noted that a code of conduct for CoCs would promote transparent and fair working on the part of CoCs.

    What are the issues that the code of conduct is seeking to address?

    • Several cases in which certain lenders have withdrawn funds from a CD undergoing insolvency proceeding and contributed to delays in the insolvency process.
    • Delays in resolution are seen as contributing to the loss of value in corporate debtors and have become a key criticism of the IBC, with over 75 percent of proceedings having crossed the 270-day timeline.
    • The IBBI highlighted cases in which representatives of lenders have had to seek approval from seniors for decisions such as an appointment of resolution professionals.
    • IBBI has recommended that a code of conduct require that members of the CoC nominate representatives with sufficient authorization to participate in meetings and make decisions during the process.
    • The regulator also highlighted cases where lenders have withdrawn funds from a corporate debtor during insolvency or liquidation proceedings.

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Govt must constitute GST tribunal: SC

    The Supreme Court has warned that the government had no option but to constitute the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Appellate Tribunal.

    What is GST Appellate Tribunal?

    • The GST Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) is the second appeal forum under GST for any dissatisfactory order passed by the First Appellate Authorities.
    • The National Appellate Tribunal is also the first common forum to resolve disputes between the centre and the states.
    • Being a common forum, it is the duty of the GST Appellate Tribunal to ensure uniformity in the redressal of disputes arising under GST.
    • It holds the same powers as the court and is deemed Civil Court for trying a case.

    Constitution of the GST Appellate Tribunal

    The GSTAT has the following structure:

    1. National Bench: The National Appellate Tribunal is situated in New Delhi, constitutes a National President (Head) along with 2 Technical Members (1 from Centre and State each)
    2. Regional Benches: On the recommendations of the GST Council, the government can constitute (by notification) Regional Benches, as required. As of now, there are 3 Regional Benches (situated in Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad) in India.
    3. State Bench and Area Bench

    Why in news now?

    • The GST tribunal has not been constituted even four years after the central GST law was passed in 2016.
    • Section 109 of the GST Act mandates the constitution of the Tribunal.
    • Citizens aggrieved are constrained to approach respective High Court and the same was overburdening the work of the High Courts.

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    Back2Basics: Goods and Services Tax

    • The GST is a value-added tax levied on most goods and services sold for domestic consumption.
    • It was launched into operation on the midnight of 1st July 2017.
    • It subsumed almost all domestic indirect taxes (petroleum, alcoholic beverages, and stamp duty are the major exceptions) under one head.
    • The GST is paid by consumers, but it is remitted to the government by the businesses selling the goods and services.
    • GST is levied at four rates viz. 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%. The schedule or list of items that would fall under these multiple slabs is worked out by the GST council.

    Types

    • The GST to be levied by the Centre is called Central GST (CGST) and that to be levied by the States is called State GST (SGST).
    • Import of goods or services would be treated as inter-state supplies and would be subject to Integrated Goods & Services Tax (IGST) in addition to the applicable customs duties.

    The GST Council

    • It is a constitutional body (Article 279A) for making recommendations to the Union and State Government on issues related to GST.
    • The GST Council is chaired by the Union Finance Minister and other members are the Union State Minister of Revenue or Finance and Ministers in charge of Finance or Taxation of all the States.
    • It is considered as a federal body where both the centre and the states get due representation.

  • Right to Sit to be mandated in Tamil Nadu

    The Tamil Nadu government has tabled a Bill in the Legislative Assembly making it mandatory for establishments to provide seating facilities for employees.

    Right to Sit

    • The Right to Sit is aimed to benefit thousands of employees of large and small establishments, particularly those working in textile and jewelry showrooms.
    • Persons employed in shops and establishments in the State are made to stand throughout their duty time resulting in varied health issues.
    • The bill mandates for every premises of establishments to have suitable seating arrangements for all employees so that they may take advantage of any opportunity to sit in the course of their work.
    • This would avoid the ‘on their toes’ situation throughout the working hours.

    Inspired from Kerala

    • A few years ago, workers of textile showrooms in Kerala had gone on a protest demanding the ‘Right to Sit’, prompting the government there to amend the Kerala Shops and Establishments Act in 2018.
    • This in turn provided seating arrangements for them.

    A move for women

    • Most owners of shops and other retail outlets forbid women, the bulk of the shop workforce, to sit.
    • Even leaning against a wall was punished. They have varicose veins and joint pain from standing.
    • Toilet breaks were strictly limited. This has led to urinary infections, kidney problems.

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  • Inspiration4: SpaceX’s first all-civilian space mission

    SpaceX has announced its ‘Inspiration4’ mission, the first all-civilian, non-governmental spaceflight, for launch.

    What is Inspiration4?

    • Inspiraton4 is a part of an effort to raise funds for pediatric treatment and research facility that focuses on children’s catastrophic diseases, particularly leukemia and other cancers.
    • The mission involves circling the Earth for three days and then splashing down into the Atlantic Ocean.
    • Inspiration4 will orbit the Earth at 575km, higher than the International Space Station (408km) and the Hubble space telescope (547km).
    • This will be the farthest distance travelled by a crewed mission since 2009, when astronauts last went to repair the Hubble.
    • The Dragon module that the group will be using has also been modified for the mission.
    • Usually, the SpaceX module is used for travelling to the ISS, where it has to dock or join the floating laboratory.

    UPSC may ask an MCQ asking: Which of the following is/are the space missions related to human flights? It may throw up 4-5 options (which we all get confused at after few months) like Cassini , InSight , Messanger, Voyager etc.

    Key feature: Dome window

    • Since Inspiration4 is not going to the ISS, the docking port has been removed and has been replaced with a dome window instead.
    • This dome window will offer breath-taking views of the Earth for the four travellers.
    • The window has been inspired by the Cupola, a module on the ISS used to make observations about our planet.

    Why is the mission significant?

    • According to a report in the Independent, the journey will present an opportunity for collecting large amounts of health data that will aid in planning future crewed space missions.
    • As per the report, they will collect data on ECG (electrocardiograph) activity, movement, sleep, heart rate, and rhythm, blood oxygen saturation, cabin noise and light intensity, which will help in assessing behavioral and cognitive changes over the journey.
    • The travelers will undergo balance and prescription tests just before and after their journey to assess their response to the change in gravity.
    • The immune system function will also be monitored by collecting blood. Their organ systems will also be monitored by an AI-powered ultrasound device.

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