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Here are  Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

B2B #1: From news – SEBI panel to study option of direct overseas listings

Global Depository Receipts

• Indian companies are allowed to raise equity capital in the international markets through the issue of GDR.
• GDR are designated in USD / Euros or any other foreign currency.
• The proceeds of GDR can be utilized for various purposes.

American Depository Receipts

• These are like shares issued to US retail and institutional investors and are listed in NASADAQ/NYSE
• They are entitled like share to bonus, stock spilt and dividend.
• ADR route is taken as non-USA companies are NOT allowed to list on US stock exchanges by issuing shares.

B2B #2: From news – [pib] Ten new Swachh Iconic Places launched under Swachh Bharat Mission

Swachh Iconic Places (SIP)

1. The project envisioned by the Prime Minister is being coordinated by Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation with the support of State governments and local administration.
2. The consultation is in process for finalising the PSUs/corporates for extending support to new sites as CSR partners.
3. These new sites have joined the 20 iconic places under Phase I & II where special Sanitation work is already underway.
4. Launched in 2016, the Phase I iconic places are: Ajmer Sharif Dargah, CST Mumbai ,Golden Temple, Kamakhya Temple, Maikarnika Ghat, Meenakshi Temple, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, Shree Jagannath Temple, The Taj Mahal and Tirupati Temple.
5. Phase II of Swachh Iconic Places was launched in Nov 2017, and included Gangotri, Yamunotri, Mahakaleshwar Temple, Charminar, Convent and Church of St. Francis of Assissi, Kalady, Gommateswara, BaidyanathDham, Gaya Tirth and Somnath temple.
6. SIP is a collaborative project with three other central Ministries: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, M/o Culture, and M/o Tourism.
7. It also involves local administrations in the concerned States and Public Sector and Private Companies as sponsoring partners.

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Name : USHUS-II submarine sonar

Defence Forces : Navy

Module Type : Tech Misc.

Brief Intro : 1.Sonars are the eyes and ears of a submarine under water. DRDO has developed the State-of-the-Art submarine sonar suite, USHUS-II, a highly evolved compendium of multiple sensors. 2.The constituent sonars in the suite include passive sonar, active sonar, intercept sonar, obstacle avoidance sonar and underwater telephony.

Reading News for UPSC is utmost important and rising number of questions year on year in UPSC Prelims is a testimony of this

We are starting a daily series where we will analyze news covered in The Hindu, Indian Express and other newspapers which are important from exam perspective and which are not

Important news would have been covered in our daily news coverage in form of newscards.

Unimportant ones will be mentioned here and a short description regarding why it is not relevant for the exam

Click on news headlines to read the full news

High relevance news

PM’s maternity scheme benefits 23.6 lakh

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/pms-maternity-scheme-benefits-23-6-lakh/

Newscard gives details about coverage of PMMVY and associated benefits. Govt schemes are important from both Prelims as well as Mains point of view

What caused the Dec. 1, 2015 Chennai downpour?

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/what-caused-the-dec-1-2015-chennai-downpour/

A detailed reasoning for the heavy downpour in Chennai and subsequent flooding. Cold pool theory can be asked in Prelims and Urban flooding has been appearing in UPSC mains in recent years

Rise in India-ASEAN naval games

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/rise-in-india-asean-naval-games/

Note all bilateral and multilateral exercises mentioned in news card. Apart from that also make a note of points of convergence with ASEAN countries in recent times in order to quote that in Mains answers

Low relevance news

No plans to privatise Railways, says Piyush Goyal

The Centre has no plans to privatise the Railways.

The statement comes amid concerns voiced by unions about the part or full privatization of the Railways, which has been inviting private participation in station development, infrastructure creation and some other areas

Nothing important from exam perspective

Maldives sets deadline for India on taking back helicopters

Tensions over the presence of the two Indian helicopters in two different strategically important locations in Laamu and Addu atolls have been growing over the past few weeks

India had gifted two Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) to the Maldives in 2013

Only notable details are Dhruv helicopter and Laamu and Addu tolls.

Govt. Posters for easy recall

Labour Reforms :

Here are  Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

B2B #1: From news – India to host first BIMSTEC war games in September

BIMSTEC

1. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organization comprising seven Member States lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity.
2. This sub-regional organization came into being on 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.
3. The regional group constitutes a bridge between South and South East Asia and represents a reinforcement of relations among these countries.
4. BIMSTEC has also established a platform for intra-regional cooperation between SAARC and ASEAN members.
5. The BIMSTEC region is home to around 1.5 billion people which constitute around 22% of the global population with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of 2.7 trillion economies

B2B #2: From news – PM’s maternity scheme benefits 23.6 lakh

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)

1. The maternity benefits under PMMVY are available to all Pregnant Women & Lactating Mothers (PW&LM) except those in regular employment with the Central Government or State Government or Public Sector Undertaking or those who are in receipt of similar benefits under any law.
2. The scheme is being implemented on a 60:40 cost-sharing basis with the State governments.
3. It is for first living child of the family as normally the first pregnancy of a woman exposes her to new kind of challenges and stress factors.
4. The Government of India has approved Pan-India implementation of PMMVY in all districts of the country under which the eligible beneficiaries get Rs. 5,000/- under PMMVY
5. The remaining cash incentive as per approved norms towards Maternity Benefit under Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) after institutional delivery so that on an average, a woman gets Rs. 6000/-
6. The objectives of the scheme are:

• Providing partial compensation for the wage loss in terms of cash incentives so that the woman can take adequate rest before and after delivery of the first living child; and
• The cash incentives provided would lead to improved health seeking behaviour amongst the PW&LM. 
• However, to address the problem of malnutrition and morbidity among children, the Anganwadi Services Scheme, which is universal, is available to all PW&LM including the second pregnancy.
• Further, in order to address the malnutrition and morbidity during pregnancies a number of interventions are provided to the pregnant women viz. universal screening of pregnant women for Anaemia and Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation, Calcium supplementation in pregnancy, Deworming in pregnancy, Weight gain monitoring and Counselling on nutrition, family planning and prevention of diseases. 

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Name : UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR)

Recently in News because : Has ranked India as the world’s most disaster-prone country for displacement of residents.

Reading News for UPSC is utmost important and rising number of questions year on year in UPSC Prelims is a testimony of this

We are starting a daily series where we will analyze news covered in The Hindu, Indian Express and other newspapers which are important from exam perspective and which are not

Important news would have been covered in our daily news coverage in form of newscards.

Unimportant ones will be mentioned here and a short description regarding why it is not relevant for the exam

Click on news headlines to read the full news

High relevance news

India, Uzbekistan to route their trade through Chabahar

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/india-uzbekistan-to-route-their-trade-though-chabahar/

SCO has been in news and has gained importance in view of changing dynamics in Iran.

Central Asia is a resource-rich region and can help fill the deficit of important minerals that India doesn’t have.

ISRO’s PRL scientists discover an ‘EPIC’ planet

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/isros-prl-scientists-discover-an-epic-planet/

ISRO missions and discoveries have constantly made it  to Prelims as well as Mains exam

Read all details about the mission. Becomes important as India has joined a handful of countries which have discovered planets around stars

[op-ed snap] Open data, open government

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/op-ed-snap-open-data-open-government/

The application of data and their assimilation with solving social problems, enabling better governance and powering elected governments to serve their citizens better is ushering in a new revolution

Read about Open government data, 5C framework and application of data sciences in governance as it is continuously in news and can make roads to Mains

Low Relevance News

Xi to visit India in 2019 for Wuhan-style informal meet

India and China have expanded on the “spirit” of the Wuhan informal summit

Chinese president accepted PM Modi’s invitation for another “informal summit” in India next year.

Since very fewer details are divulged about the meeting right now, it is not important for UPSC.

Narendra Modi holds bilateral talks with heads of SCO member countries

Talks on sidelines of ongoing SCO summit. No major announcements made.

The only important thing to note is SCO member countries.

Plea to make poll offences cognisable

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court to direct the government to make electoral offences cognizable with a punishment of minimum two years in jail

The offenses listed are bribery, undue influence, impersonation, false statement, illegal payments and non-filing of accounts

Till the SC passes a final verdict on the issue, nothing important from UPSC perspective

Here are  Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

B2B #1: From news – India, Uzbekistan to route their trade though Chabahar

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

1. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic, and security organization
2. The organization, formed in 2001, aims to boost cooperation in economic and security matters between China, Pakistan, India, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan
3. India and Pakistan joined SCO as full members on 9 June 2017 at a summit in Astana, Kazakhstan
4. Iran, Mongolia, Afghanistan, and Belarus have been granted observer status in SCO
5. In 2017, SCO’s eight full members account for approximately half of the world’s population, a quarter of the world’s GDP, and about 80% of Eurasia’s landmass

B2B #2: From news  :  Niti Aayog seeks views on rationalisation of trade margins in medical devices

Drug Price Control Orders (DPCO)

1. DPCO are issued by the DoP under Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, in the exercise of the powers conferred under section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
2. This enables the Government to declare a ceiling price for essential and life-saving medicines and ensure that these medicines are available at a reasonable price to the general public.
3. The latest DPCO was issued in 2013

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Name of the scheme : SWAJAL yojana

Objectives : 90% of the project cost will be taken care of by the government while the rest 10% of the project cost which will be contributed by the community

Salient Features :  It is a community owned drinking water programme which will not only ensure round-the-year availability of clean drinking water but also generate employment. – Besides ensuring the availability of clean drinking water to every household round the year, the project would also generate employment. – It is the second project under the Swajal Yojana. Prior to this, it has been launched in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.

Nodal Ministry : Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation

Reading News for UPSC is utmost important and rising number of questions year on year in UPSC Prelims is a testimony of this

We are starting a daily series where we will analyze news covered in The Hindu, Indian Express and other newspapers which are important from exam perspective and which are not

Important news would have been covered in our daily news coverage in form of newscards.

Unimportant ones will be mentioned here and a short description regarding why it is not relevant for the exam

Click on news headlines to read the full news

High relevance news

[pib] Declaration by the Government of Republic of India relating to Article II and III of the Appendix to the Paris Act (1971)

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/pib-declaration-by-the-government-of-republic-of-india-relating-to-article-ii-and-iii-of-the-appendix-to-the-paris-act-1971/

News discusses about India’s extension of association with Berne convention. Very important from both Prelims as well as Mains perspective

Dhanush artillery gun clears final test, ready for induction

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/dhanush-artillery-gun-clears-final-test-ready-for-induction/

Note technical specifications as well as manufacturers and designers of the weapon. UPSC is now tilting towards these trivial details

Archaeologists find pre-Columbian mass child sacrifice site in Peru

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/archaeologists-find-pre-columbian-mass-child-sacrifice-site-in-peru/

Important from Mains perspective. A link between various contemporary organizations can be asked

In prelims, cities connected to it can be asked in form of places in news and country associated

Germany certain to win UN council seat, but contest in Asia

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/germany-certain-to-win-un-council-seat-but-contest-in-asia/

Contains important details about UNSC structure and the recent election. Note down permanent members and new members elected and do a map practice of those

Low relevance news

Excessive illumination caused VVPAT snags: Election Commission

Preliminary reports on the malfunction of VVPATs during the recent Lok Sabha bypolls have blamed it on excessive exposure of the machines to illumination at polling stations

The preliminary fact-finding reports have indicated that there were two major technical reasons: failure of contrast sensor and length sensor

Nothing important from exam point of view but a good time to go online and read more about VVPAT machines and their use (also note where they were used for the first time)

SC wants panel to monitor shrines

The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to form an independent committee to review whether the “management practices” of shrines across the country are visitor-friendly

It indicated that issues like the harassment and exploitation of devotees by sevaks and staffers “may be common to various other important shrines in the country”

This is just a preliminary intervention by the SC and bears very less relevance for the exam until the court pronounces a verdict on this issue taking in consideration Articles of constitution related to religious practices