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GS Paper 3: Indian Economy

Q.3) Critically examine the key features of the recently released New metro policy?

Source:

http://indianexpress.com/article/what-is/what-is-the-new-metro-policy-4801052/

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/going-off-track-ppp-delhi-metro-rail-projects-4801809/

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/nowhere-in-the-world-has-ppp-in-metro-rail-fully-succeeded-says-e-sreedharan-4799989/

GS paper 2: Polity & Governance

Q.2) In the light of recent Gorakhpur tragedy, Discuss the key problems faced by the rural health sector in India. Also suggest measures for improvement.

Source: https://www.civilsdaily.com/op-ed-snap-on-rural-indias-health-systems-the-health-checklist/

GS Paper 1: Geography

Q.1) What do you understand by the phenomenon of temperature inversion in meteorology? How does it affect the weather and the habitants of the place?

What is difference between a policy and mission ? the context i am asking is relating to national health mission and national health policy. how are they different ? how they are enacted (as a law or directive by government) ?

I am looking for aspirants from Chandigarh so that we can discuss, share and improve ourselves.

Introduction

An India-operated port in Iran’s Chabahar would open a gateway for the country to Afghanistan and Central Asia. The port is of strategic importance.

The decision to ink MoU with Iran for expansion of Chabahar Port, after a long delay, opens up major commercial and strategic opportunities for India

Why Chabahar is Crucial?

1. Sits at mouth of Strait of Hormuz area. It is at the Junction of shipping, oil trade routes About 100,000 ships sail by yearly
2. It Connects three regions: Central Asia, South Asia and West Asia
3. ChahBahar will foster Closer ties with Iran will allow Delhi to secure cheaper energy imports. ChahBahar hashold on two-thirds of world oil reserves. Chabahar Port route helps connect India with energy-rich Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan & other central Asian nations.Anestimated 17 billion barrels of crude oil passes this way daily.
4. It Gives India strategic heft in region; helps it bypass Pakistan & build closer ties with Iran and Afghanistan
5. This route is 40% shorter, 30% less expensive than trade via the Red Sea-Suez Canal-Mediterranean route
6. In the absence of transit through Pakistan, Iran is India’s gateway to Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Russia and beyond and the Chabahar port is the key element in that
7. The location of the port is significant asIt is located barely 72 km away from the deep-sea Gwadar port. Thus Once functional, Chabaharwill Offset China’s growing influence and reach in the region. will further undermine Gwadar.
8. While the Chabahar port is essentially meant for commercial purposes and provides transit route to Afghanistan, India Can use the facility to monitor Pakistani & Chinese activities in the India Ocean Region as well as Gulf. It could be convenient location for India to monitor activities of Pakistani Navy
9. Indian investment in the port would serve as a link to Delaram-zaranj road that India built in Afghanistan. Chabahar port would give New Delhi a base to position itself after international troops withdraw from Afghanistan
10. India-built Zaranj-Delaram road in Afghanistan will connect to the Chabahar port via Milak. Iran with financial aid from India is upgrading the Chabahar-Milakroad
11. The Chabahar-Milak-Zaranj-Delaram highway will open up the Indian market to Afghan farm products and other exports. It will also help combat the scourge of illicit drugs production and export and assist the trade, transport and transit network of Iran

Significance of the deal for Afghanistan

1. Unhindered access to the Indian Ocean
2. India-built highway will link country to Chabahar port, further trade
3. Afghanistan hopes to exploit $ltrillion of untapped mineral wealth to earn revenue

Run-Up To The Deal

In 2009, India built a 218 kin long (@$100m) link road from Delaram in western Afghanistan to Zaranj on the Iran-Afghan border to link up with Chabahar port

ZaranjDelaram highway connects with the 2,200 km two-lane metalled road network, known as the Garland Road that connects major cities in ‘the country

Rational for indian Investment in Chabahar

An Indian JV company will lease two berths in Chahbahar’s Phase-I for 10 years, which could be renewed by “mutual pact”. The JV will invest $85.21 m for equipping the two berths further within 12 months.

• India will invest $85m to build a container terminal & a multi-purpose cargo terminal
• On May 6, 2015, Union minister NitinGadkari signed MoU with Iran to complete this by Dee 2016
• Iran wants Chabahar to be the third major hub for its petrochemical industries
• Indian private & public sector entities projected investment worth $22b in the free trade zone area
• Chemicals, petrochem, steel, fertilizer are major sectors, besides Indian railways likely to invest
• India was offered the project to develop Chabahar port in 2003 by Iran, intended to be a critical access-point to landlocked Afghanistan
• For Afghanistan, an operational Chabahar route was a better alternative. It would reduce its dependence on Pakistan – the sole nation providing it access to the sea
• Pakistan has been reluctant to allow Indian goods to pass overland through its territory
• The project did not take off over US sanctions against Iran, but India has gone ahead now follwing lifting of the sanctions

Factors that will obstruct  Chabahar in its full development.

Chahbahar has the potential to alter the entire strategic relations of Afghanistan and Iran with India and oil geopolitics of Central Asia. But the path is not going to be easy.

1. The fate of the Chabahar project will depend on successive governments showing sustained resolve in the face of geopolitical hurdles. The potential spoilers are several.
   • For one, relations between Tehran and the West, though vastly improved, remain fraught, with many hardliners in Iran believing the country was short-changed in the nuclear deal that paved the way for an end to sanctions. That, potentially, could lead to tensions
   • There could be differences over Iran’s role in Syria and Afghanistan.
   • Indian governments will also have to incentivise private corporations for using the Iranian route to transit goods to Central Asia, rather than the fast, cheap networks they now use through Singapore and China.
   • Finally, the project can only be successful if Indian manufacturing is globally competitive.

With inputs from K Siddhartha Sir

1. North Korean Fusion Bomb test in bid to change world power equation
2. Why G4 nations need a hardball diplomacy?
3. Demystifying The Concept Of Diplomatic Immunity
4. What is economic integration and what are the different types of trade agreements?
5. Different levels of Diplomacy | Track 1, Track 2, Track 3
6. USTR’s Special 301 Report & India’s Priority Watchlist status
7. Syrian Civil War and The Refugee Crisis
8. Everything you need to know about the Greece’ Crisis

India and its neighbours: Back2Basics

• Afghanistan
• Bangladesh
• Bhutan
  1. India Bhutan Relations: Key Developments
• China
• Maldives
• Myanmar
  1. Myanmar: Backgrounder with Timelines
  2. India Myanmar Relations: Key Developments
  3. Change in dynamics
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Sri Lanka

CD Explains:

1. Role of border states in India’s Foreign Policy
2. Indian maritime challenges and its diplomatic dimensions
3. Understanding the refugee crisis and lessons for India
4. A Primer on India – Sri Lanka Foreign Relations
5. Indo-Afghan Relations: Developments in Afghanistan till 2016
6. Dealing with Pakistan – Are you a Hawk or a Dove?
7. Everything you need to know about the Greece’ Crisis
8. China-Pakistan Equation: Is it India’s Dilemma?

GS Paper 1

Q.1)  Along with economic factor it was the misrule and inefficiency of CZAR Nicholas II which sowed the seeds of Russian Revolution. Comment.

NCERT

Answer Structure:

• The Russian Revolution was 1 of the most significant event in Modern World History.The Russian revolution not only transformed Russia but its effect was felt far and wide.
• The Weaknesses of Russian economy and the economic difficulties faced by the masses  played most important role in igniting the revolution of 1917.
• Even during the opening decade of 20^th century there was no trace of industrial revolution in Russia and the industries were in backward conditions. The production remained very low and because of this Russia was facing immense difficulties.
• The Russian agriculture was also in backward condition. Most of the land was controlled by feudal lords and there was no trace of Agriculture revolution as well. The agriculture technology was still medieval in outlook and Czarist regime of Russia made no effort to reform the agriculture.The peasants were exploited by land-lords.
• The problem of hunger and poverty remained in Russia.
• However the misrule of CZAR II  has aggravated these problems further. The CZARIST Regime was weak , inefficient and corrupt. It was also characterized by the presence of feudal elements and class privileges.
• The aristocracy dominated the administration and misused the state authority for their own benefits.
• This corrupt and inefficient regime was resulting in the exploitation and harassment  of masses because of this the common masses were facing immense difficulties in Russia during the opening decade of 20^th century.
• Russian involvement in the number of wars & battles had exposed the inherent weaknesses of czarist regime and this popular dissatisfaction was also responsible for the revolution.

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• GS Paper 2

Q.2) The proposed wage code Bill, which incorporates a universal minimum wage, will lead to higher unemployment and informalization of the economy. In the light of the above statement critically Discuss the key features of proposed wage code bill?

Source: http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/WgZM9HZxouo9qiByArRETP/Having-a-minimum-wage-law-is-a-mistake.html

Introduction:

• The proposed wage code bill recognizes a statutory right of monthly minimum wage for all citizens to be set across India, which will be binding on all the states to follow and set wages higher than the proposed.
• The Bill is aimed at reducing disparity in minimum wages across geographical regions and sectors by subsuming four extant Acts: the minimum Wages Act of 1948, the Payment of Wages Act of 1936, the Payment of Bonus Act of 1965 and the Equal Remuneration Act of 1976.

Criticism:

• Though, the Bill signals a formal start of the process of consolidating 44 labour laws into four codes, which is welcomed by some and also seen by some as a redline for its diminishing effects on economy.
• The new wage rate certainly will be higher than the current wage rate however, the actual minimum wage is yet to be set by the Central government. This increase in the cost for employer will invariably result in either retrenchment of employees or a significant slowdown in new hiring or both.
• It will also result in decreasing number of hours of work in order to compensate the increased price. A minimum wage does not satisfy its original intentions i.e. elimination of poverty and will tend to increase unemployment and reduce family income.
• There is a possibility that the Act (when passed and implemented) will contain migration but loss of job and reduced income will further add on the migration and vulnerability to adopt informal jobs as hiring will be less or totally stopped.
• There is also the possibility that when implemented it will increase the use of automated machines in jobs as machines are one time investment, more efficient and good for long term in cost savings.
• The Bill seeks to assume a single national floor for wages for entire country as diverse as India, with so many variations to costs of living. This will increase in disparity of facilities as the cost of living differs across various states.
• The Bill increases the government interventions in non-formal jobs as it seeks to expand the reach of minimum wage regulation to non-formal organisations also.
• At a time when India is facing only job losses and the rate of creation of new jobs is a serious concern, a higher minimum wage will only worsen the situation.
• The applicability of current Act is restricted to scheduled establishments due to which a sizeable number of workers are left out. If Parliament approves the code, the minimum wage will be applicable to all classes of workers. This will certainly make it more difficult for smaller companies to function efficiently.
• The unorganized sector will eventually find ways around to bypass the law if economics tells them that they can’t afford it.

Conclusion:

• The good news is that the Indian Government is in full swing to bring in reforms with the aim of creating a more effective, rationalized, transparent and user-friendly Labour law system in the country. But the need of the hour demands government’s sole focus on easing labour laws, facilitating formalization of the economy by providing more job security and focus on reducing regulatory hurdles for businesses.
• Hence, the Government should bring a balanced approach concerning the highest number of working population to sort out the current demand of the country and a step ahead towards ease of doing business.

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 GS Paper 3

 Q.3) What do you understand by sex semen technology. Discuss the usefulness of sex semen technology for our dairy sector?

Source: https://www.civilsdaily.com/op-ed-snap-how-technology-can-deliver-freedom-from-male-calf/

 

Though India is the largest producer and consumer of milk, dairy industry needs new technologies that ensure high milk producing cattle. As a step in that direction, the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) has launched a project called semen sex technology.

Sex semen technology is a pre-selection breeding technology that can be used to produce a calf of a desired sex. This technology is about pre-selecting the sex of offspring by sorting or separating the X-sperms from Y-sperms. The aim is to deliver freedom from male calves, by ensuring that cows are inseminated by semen containing only X-chromosome-bearing sperms. Sperm are sorted by identifying differences between the X- and Y- bearing sperm.

Advantages of Sexed Semen technology:

• Producing only female calves helps the farmers to save resources that would have been shared with unwanted males.
• An economic way to increase herd strength with no risk of introducing diseases by purchasing heifers from outside (improves bio-security)
• By increasing efficiency of embryo transfer and IVF program.
• Indian farmers will not have to import sexed semen of Sahiwal, Gir, Red Sindhi bulls and Murrah buffaloes and now produce it indigenously processed domestically at half the cost.
• Sexed semen’s usefulness is obvious, particularly in a country where even male calves cannot be sent freely to the slaughterhouse.
• Sperm-sorting technology has an accuracy of 93% i.e. if used will ensure that the calf produced will be female. With ordinary semen used in artificial insemination (AI), that probability is just 50%.

Challenges/ Issues associated with SST:

• Artificial Insemination using conventional semen is just over Rs 50 per insemination dose whereas comparable cost of sexed semen will be anywhere between Rs 1,200 and Rs 2,600 per straw.
• Require highly skilled person to operate sex sorting machines
• High cost of the product which include the cost of the intellectual property right.
• The lower sperm count (machine sorting speeds and efficiency aren’t high enough) and possibility of damage to the cells during the sorting process is another concern. So, managing lower sperm concentration will be a challenge in the field under Indian condition.
• There is no standard operating procedure to perform insemination with sexed semen cumbersome.
• The conception rate i.e. is the chance of the animal getting pregnant from sexed semen is 10-20% lower compared to conventional semen.

But for all its drawbacks, this is a technology still evolving and destined for improvement. The new product is gentler on the sperm cells, with lower processing pressures. The technique also helps in preventing cross breeding and promoting pure breeds. At a time when we are striving for doubling farmer’s income, the sexed semen technology will immensely help and accentuate the Indian dairy farmer undoubtedly.

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GS Paper 4 

Q.4) What in meant by ‘environmental ethics? Why is it important to study? Discuss any one environmental issue from the viewpoint of environmental ethics.

Environmental ethics is a branch of ethics that studies the relation of human beings and the environment and how ethics play a role in this. Environmental ethics believe that humans are a part of society as well as other living creatures, which includes plants and animals. These items are a very important part of the world and are considered to be a functional part of human life. Thus, it is essential that every human being respect and honor this and use morals and ethics when dealing with these creatures.

Why is it Imp.

1.To understand the essential features of moral or ethical thinking;

2.To learn about the important and distinguishing characteristics in environmental ethics;

3.To develop the skills to recognize and deploy moral discourse for leadership in environmental fields etc.

In the most general sense, environmental ethics invites us to consider three key propositions:

1.The Earth and its creatures have moral status, in other words, are worthy of our ethical concern;

2.The Earth and its creatures have intrinsic value, meaning that they have moral value merely because they exist, not only because they meet human needs;

3.Drawing from the idea of an ecosystem, human beings should consider “wholes” that include other forms of life and the environment.

The relationship between environmental ethics and the environmental sciences, however, is a complex and often contested one. For example, debates over whether ecologists and conservation biologists should also be advocates for environmental protection — a role that goes beyond the traditional profile of the “objective” scientist — have received much attention in these fields. Likewise, we will see that issues such as the place of animal welfare concerns in wildlife management, the valuation and control of non-native species, and the adoption of a more interventionist approach to conservation and ecological protection frequently divide environmental scientists and conservationists.