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Here are  Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

B2B #1: From news- India to provide tariff concessions on 3,142 items to APTA members

Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA)

1. APTA is an initiative under the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) for trade expansion through exchange of tariff concessions among developing country members of the Asia Pacific Region
2. It is a preferential trade agreement (PTA), under which the basket of items, as well as extent of tariff concessions, are enlarged during the trade negotiating rounds which are launched from time to time
3. The six member countries are Bangladesh, China, India, Laos, Korea and Sri Lanka
4. It is in place since 1975

B2B #2: From news- A 216-foot-tall celebration of Ramanuja

Ramanuja (1017–1137 AD)

1. Rāmānuja’s philosophical foundation was qualified monism and is called Vishishtadvaita in the Hindu tradition.
2. His ideas are one of three subschools in Vedānta, the other two are known as Ādi Shankara’s Advaita (absolute monism) and Madhvāchārya’s Dvaita (dualism)
3. Important writings include:

• Vedārthasangraha (literally, “Summary of the Vedas meaning”),
• Sri Bhāshya (a review and commentary on the Brahma Sutras),
• Bhagavad Gita Bhāshya (a review and commentary on the Bhagavad Gita), and
• the minor works titled Vedāntapida, Vedāntasāra, Gadya Trayam (which is a compilation of three texts called the Saranāgati Gadyam, Sriranga Gadyam and the Srivaikunta Gadyam), and Nitya Grantham.

B2B #3: From news- [pib] ECI to hold a National Consultation on Accessible Elections

Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP)

1. SVEEP is a programme of multi interventions through different modes and media designed to educate citizens, electors and voters about the electoral process in order to increase their awareness and participation in the electoral processes
2. SVEEP is designed according to the socio-economic, cultural and demographic profile of the state as well as the history of electoral participation in previous rounds of elections and learning thereof
3. Now it includes enhanced interaction with the citizens through social media, online contests and voters’ festivals; awareness about new initiatives of linking EPIC with AADHAAR and National Voters’ Service Portal and a regularised yearly plan of activities
4. In addition to target groups of women, youth, urban voters and the marginalized sections, the inclusion of groups like service voters, NRIs, persons with disabilities, prospective voters/ students is of primary focus

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Name : International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

Recently in News because : ICAO had introduced a market based measure for international aviation to measure carbon emission called as CORSIA – Carbon Offsetting and Reporting Scheme for International Aviation

Objective : To set standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency as well as for aviation environmental protection

Members : 192 Member States (36 Member Governing Council)

Headquarters : Montreal, Canada

Year Founded : 1947

Here are  Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

B2B #1: From news- [pib] Suresh Prabhu launches Mobile App ‘ReUnite’

Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA)

1. BBA is India’s largest movement for the protection of children and works along with law enforcement agencies and policymakers.
2. Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Laureate is the founder of this NGO.
3. BBA has played a very important role in the formulation of several laws for the protection of child’s rights.
4. It began from the Nithari case in 2006 which finally culminated with the Supreme Court passing the landmark judgment in 2013 ordering that FIR has to be lodged in all cases of missing children.

B2B #2: From news- [pib] India gets its 37th UNESCO World Heritage Site

UNESCO

1. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) based in Paris.
2. Its declared purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through educational, scientific, and cultural reforms etc.
3. UNESCO implements its activities through the five programme areas: education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication and information.
4. It designates projects and places of cultural and scientific significance, such as:

• Global Geoparks Network
• Biosphere reserves (Programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB), since 1971)
• City of Literature
• Endangered languages and linguistic diversity projects
• Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
• Memory of the World International Register, since 1997
• Water resources management (International Hydrological Programme (IHP), since 1965)
• World Heritage sites
• World Digital Library

UNESCO World Heritage Committee

1. The World Heritage Committee selects the sites to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger.
2. It monitors the state of conservation of the World Heritage properties, defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and allocates financial assistance upon requests from States Parties.
3. It is composed of 21 states parties that are elected by the General Assembly of States Parties for a four-year term.
4. India is NOT a member of this Committee.
5. Recently, its 42^nd meeting in 2018 was held in Manama Bahrain.

B2B #3: From news- [pib] PM reviews progress towards holistic development of islands

Island Development Agency

1. IDA was set up in June 2017 following Prime Minister’s review meeting for the holistic development of islands.
2. The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister.
3. Members of IDA include cabinet secretary, the home secretary, secretary (environment, forests and climate change), secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)

First Meeting

• Its first meeting directions were given to identify and execute infrastructure and connectivity projects together with provisioning of water and electricity.
• 10 islands namely Smith, Ross, Aves, Long and Little Andaman in Andaman & Nicobar and Minicoy, Bangaram, Suheli, Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep have been identified for holistic development in the first phase.

Second Meeting

• It reviewed concept development plans and detailed master plans for holistic development of 9 islands.
• These 9 islands include four in Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Smith, Ross, Long, Avis) and five in Lakshadweep (Minicoy, Bangaram, Thinnakara, Cheriyam, Suheli).

Third Meeting

• It reviewed the progress made towards the preparation of Development Plans for identified Islands (four in A&N Islands i.e. Smith, Ross, Long, Avis and five in Lakshadweep i.e. Minicoy, Bangaram, Thinnakara, Cheriyam, Suheli).
• For these Islands, Final Site Suitability Reports have been prepared, Carrying Capacity determined and Environmental zoning carried out to ensure sustainable development.

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Name of the scheme : Himayat

Objectives : Aims to train youths from both rural and urban areas of J&K in various job-intensive vocational courses over the next three years

Salient Features : -Himayat is a placement linked skill development initiative for training and placement of 1 lakh youths from J&K in next 5 years.

-Youths enrolled for this scheme will be given training for six-months, nine

-months and one year job-oriented courses. -They will be trained in and outside the state.

-A provision has been also kept for foreign placements as well

-The scheme is part of the Skill Empowerment and Employment scheme of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Hello Students,

Test 02 Polity has gone live.
We’ve extensively dealt with all major themes – Panchayati Raj, Anti-Defection Law, Constitutional and Statutory Bodies, other important bodies repetitively in news and many others.

We have covered few questions from Parliamentary Committees. A couple of important themes from the topics for Test 01 would be there as they couldn’t be covered in Test 01. Please attempt these as these will only serve as a revision.

Finally, please be regular.

Here are  Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

B2B #1: From news- Global funding watchdog hands 10-point plan to Pakistan

Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

1. FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 by the Ministers of its Member jurisdiction
2. The FATF is a “policy-making body” which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas
3. The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system
4. The FATF has developed a series of Recommendations that are recognised as the international standard for combating of money laundering and the financing of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
5. The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures, reviews money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures, and promotes the adoption and implementation of appropriate measures globally
6. The FATF’s decision-making body, the FATF Plenary, meets three times per year

B2B #2: From news- RBI steps in as rupee hits record low

Capital & Current account convertibility

Capital and Current Account Convertibility in India

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Key words related to History : Basadis

Dynasty/era : Ancient India

Meaning : Basadi is a Jain shrine or temple. The word is generally used in South India, as well as in Maharashtra. Its historical use in North India is preserved in the names of the Vimala Vasahi and Luna Vasahi temples of Mount Abu.