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(The Gist of Science Reporter) Go Find Me Track your Loved Ones

 [MARCH-2020]

Go Find Me Track your Loved Ones

• Go Fund Me a real-time GPS tracker that can track even without cell service.
• The device can locate the loved ones more easily as it has built-in GPS and long-range radio technology, etc.
• The features of the device help you to stay in touch with your loved ones even if your cell phone fails.
• This provides an all-round tracking and communication solution for all outdoor activities.

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Study Material for UPSC General Studies Pre Cum Mains

(The Gist of Science Reporter) Yoto Player a Smart Speaker for Kids

 [MARCH-2020]

Yoto Player a Smart Speaker for Kids

• Yo to player is a screen-free smart speaker designed for kids by Pentagram. The smart speaker is controlled by physical cards helping parents to control their kids by making them listen to what they want them to listen.
• The device has been equipped with a built-in battery for portable play and a clever magnetic dockto recharge.
• In the smart speaker, parents can easily upload the desired content to the blank cards by using a parent app enabling them to manage settings behind the scenes.

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Study Material for UPSC General Studies Pre Cum Mains

Rural livelihood and role of employment

Introduction:

• Recently published Economic Survey 2019-20 reflected on the various challenges faced by rural farm and non-farm sectors, particularly rural and agriculture finance, adequate insurance coverage, irrigation facility, market access of products, etc.
• It underscored the importance of agriculture and rural development in achieving the objective of inclusive growth as agriculture and allied sectors contributed 16.5 per cent to the Gross Value Added of the country at current prices in 2019-20. In this backdrop, this article attempts to explain the inbuilt policy direction and socio-economic intent of Gol by discussing a few agriculture and rural livelihood and employment related focus areas as prioritised in the Budget 2020-21.

Budget Allocation to Priority Areas:

• The Budget emphasized its goal to achieve the objective of doubling farmers' income by 2022 and rolled out, inter alia, a 16-point agenda to ensure a quick agriculture-led rural economic growth, allocating resources to important livelihood and rural infrastructure initiatives. An amount of Rs. 1.6 lakh crore was earmarked for agriculture, irrigation and allied activities and Rs. 1.23 lakh crore for rural development and Panchayati Raj. Such resource allocations aim at stimulating economic growth along with job creation, income and wealth generation as well as enhancement of overall consumption demand in rural India.
• Incremental, planned, participatory and schematic investments in rural areas, improved buyers demand and equitable job creation in rural areas can be the growth engines of rural economy.
• The Budget has vowed to facilitate implementation of model laws such as
• Model Agricultural Land Leasing Act (LLA), 2016;
• Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing Act (APLMA) 2017; and
• Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Contract Farming and Services Act (APLCFSA) 2018 in consultation with State Governments to give a big push to the agriculture sector.

Measures taken:

• A number of measures have been suggested to increase production, productivity, farm profits and farmers' income. Prominent among these are directed towards;
• To reducing water stress by comprehensive water planning;
• To promoting balanced use of fertilisers;
• To strengthening operation green initiatives though promotion and nurturing of FPOs in agriculture and fisheries;
• To establishing and enhancing agri-logistic facilities like agri-warehousing, cold storage, reefer vans,
• To mapping and geo-tagging existing agri-logistics and ensuring viability funding for setting up sew infrastructure at taluka level through public-private partnerships;
• To enhancing holding capacity and reducing logistic costs of farmers through construction and operation of community-led village storages;
• To connecting unconnected areas, building and sustaining a national cold supply chain through Kisan Rail and Krishi Udaan, To promoting organic farming;
• To integrating e-negotiable warehousing receipts with e-NAM;
• To developing fodder farms through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA);
• To developing, promoting and making profitable fisheries sector through collectivised effort;
• To double milk processing capacity by 2025; and To enhance farm credit target to Rs. 15 lakh crore.

Livelihoods and Employment through Rural Development:

• The wage and self-employment generation Programmes are always perceived to be effective in a rural set-up which is otherwise riddled with high incidence of poverty, low work participation and increased casualisation of labour.
• Raising a professional cadre of quality experts at the community level would ensure outcome-based public works planning and monitoring under MGNREGA so as to ensure the objectives of
• To ensuring livelihood security through creation of permanent and durable community assets; and
• To expand irrigation potential through MGNREGA works.

National Rural Livelihood Mission:

• NRLM has two important self-employment schematic interventions viz. DeenDayalUpadhyaya Grameen Kaushal Yojana (DDU-GKY)and Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – NationalRural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM).
• The village entrepreneurship development approach ofDAY-NRLM is aimed at creating a catalytic local entrepreneurial ecosystem and encouraging the rural unemployed youth to take up local enterprises on their own. Focus on mobilization of more SHGs, taking their support services for creation and operation of rural warehouses and other agri-logistics would help improve rural livelihoods and income by converging rural development efforts with agri-infrastructure.

The New and innovative rural enterprises scheduled to be established under NRLM during 20-21 will

• To ensure financial inclusion of SHGs & farmers;
• To increase household income;
• To assure training,
• placements to the millions of rural youths; and
• To facilitate farm logistics at community level.

Conclusion:

• The 16-point agenda of the Budget is the need of the hour. This, inter alia, includes minimizing risks in agriculture through coverage of insurance; timely, adequate, equitable financing spread in agriculture and rural sector; building agri-logistic infrastructure; ensuring agri-supply chain; expanding irrigation facilities and promoting sustainable agronomic practices; use of solar power; collectivisation of farming through farmer collectives (FPOs andSHGs); and emphasising convergence of efforts of Ministries/Departments for improved rural livelihoods and employment.
• While MGNREGA implementation requires professionalisation of community-based and outcome-oriented works planning and their transparent implementation  nevertheless appropriate diversification of economic activities and their convergence with training, skill development and placement-oriented programmes of government departments right upto the village level are the need of the hour to makeNRLM a successful and sustainable entrepreneurial intervention in the rural areas.

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Study Material for UPSC General Studies Pre Cum Mains

Justice deferred (Indian Express)

Mains Paper 2: Polity
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Judicial review

Context:

• The Supreme Court order on Monday declining pleas for restoration of 4G internet services in Jammu and Kashmir is disturbing for several reasons.
• The continued denial of such services in the lockdown constitutes a special injustice to a people deprived of fundamental freedoms since the Centre’s August 5 2019 decision to abrogate Article 370 — the present 2G service is not enough for children to access online classes, or for patients to consult doctors, or for businesses dependent on online transactions.

Delay and evasion:

• But the SC order is also troubling because it appears to be part of a broader pattern of delay and evasion, and passing the buck, in cases that touch upon fundamental rights and crucial policy issues — in ways that amount, effectively, to giving the political executive the benefit of the doubt.
• Monday’s order, for..........................

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Delicate balance is must:

• There is no doubt that in Jammu and Kashmir , imperatives of national security need to be factored in, a delicate balance must be struck. But the process of doing so must be both judicious and judicial.
• More generally, while executive assessments are a crucial input, they cannot be the only, or unquestioningly, the last word, in cases that involve constitutional principle and law.
• By throwing the ball on internet access back to a government-led committee, and by its delay in taking up cases of habeas corpus in Kashmir, the court has given the executive a free pass, instead of acting as a check and balance on executive power.

Conclusion:

• The apex court is the custodian of fundamental liberties and the fiercely independent upholder of the letter and spirit of the Constitution.
• That it should be seen to display a lack of urgency on important cases where the executive needs to do the explaining is disappointing and dispiriting.

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Provide income support, restore jobs (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2: National
Prelims level: Labour laws
Mains level: Constitutional and political questions raises concern the abrogation of labour laws

Context:

• Following the adage, “never waste a crisis”, the government of Uttar Pradesh, last week, introduced an ordinance that has scrapped most labour laws for three years — ostensibly for creating jobs and for attracting factories exiting China following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
• These laws deal with the occupational safety, health and working conditions of workers, regulation of hours of work, wages and settlement of industrial disputes. They apply mostly to the economy’s organised(formal) sector, that is, registered factories and companies, and large establishments in general.
• Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have quickly followed suit. Reportedly, Punjab has already allowed 12-hour shifts per day (72 hours per week) in factories without overtime payment to overcome worker shortage after the migrants have left in the wake of the national lockdown.

Snatching away labour rights:

• Snatching away labour rights in the midst of a global pandemic and national lockdown is distressing and shocking. Over the course of the last seven weeks, we have witnessed unheard of human distress as lakhs of migrant .............................................

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Opposition from trade union:

• Employers’ associations have urged the central government to do away with most labour rights to address temporary labour shortages.
• Trade union leaders from the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, and Opposition leaders in Uttar Pradesh have condemned the ordinance. It will face a challenge in courts, legal experts say.

Constitutional and political questions:

• The abrogation of labour laws raises many constitutional and political questions. But will it expand employment and output growth, as claimed by its proponents?
• Such a step, by popular belief, will reduce wage costs, increase profits and augment productive investment and growth. Improved supply is expected to create demand (following Say’s Law in economics). Such (simplistic) reasoning assumes that labour laws are the binding constraints on expanding output.
• Surely, the lockdown has disrupted supply, but only temporarily. There are no inherent shortages at the moment as the inflation rate remains moderate.
• Agricultural produce is rotting in farms for lack of transport. Industrial production is held up as migrant workers have fled for their lives.

Income support:

• Before the lockdown, annual GDP growth rate had plummeted to 4.7% during October-December quarter of 2019-20, from 8.3% in the full year of 2016-17. The slowdown is due to lack of demand, not of supply, as widely suggested.
• With massive job and income losses after the..................................

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More questions:

• The rationale for scrapping labour laws to attract investment and boost manufacturing growth poses two additional questions.
• One, if the laws were in fact so strongly pro-worker, they would have raised wages and reduced business profitability. But the real wage growth (net of inflation) of directly employed workers in the factory sector has been flat (2000-01 to 2015-16) as firms have increasingly resorted to casualisation and informalisation of the workforce to suppress workers’ bargaining power, evidence suggests.
• Two, is it right to blame the disappointing industrial performance mainly on labour market regulations? Industrial performance is not just a function of the labour laws but of the size of the market, fixed investment growth, credit availability, infrastructure, and government policies.
• In fact there is little evidence to suggest that amendment of key labour laws by Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in 2014 took them any closer to their goal of creating more jobs or industrial growth. The role of labour market regulations may be more modest than the strong views expressed against them in the popular debates.

Rationalise labour laws:

• Surely, India’s complex web of labour laws, with around 47 central laws and 200 State laws, need rationalisation. However, now more than ever before, reforms need to maintain a delicate balance between the need for firms to adapt to ever-changing market conditions and workers’ employment security.
• Depriving workers of fundamental rights such as freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, and a set of primary working conditions (such as adequate living wages, limits on hours of work and safe and ..............................................

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Conclusion:

• As India battles the economic and social consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, many State governments have seized the opportunity to scrap labour laws on the pretext of encouraging employment.
• Such a decision makes little economic sense currently, as it will reduce share of wages in output, thereby reducing growth in domestic demand and hurting output expansion. Significantly, exports cannot be an option for now as the global economy is staring at the possibility worse than the Great Depression.
• Hence, the Uttar Pradesh government’s move will only result in a race to the bottom on workers’ pay and labour standards, making workers worse off, without creating additional jobs, as it is a lack of demand that is currently holding up output growth. The Uttar Pradesh ordinance needs to be revoked, lock, stock, and barrel.

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Liquidity lifeline: On Nirmala’s MSME package (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 3: Economy
Prelims level: MSMEs packages
Mains level: Role of MSMEs in economic inclusion

Context:

• From an overall perspective, the first tranche of announcements made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan on Wednesday is impressive indeed.
• There are, and will be, many issues in the details but taken as a whole, the measures announced will go a long way in lifting the spirits of the two key and troubled sectors of MSMEs and non-banking finance companies. While for the former it is an existential crisis, for the latter it is one of liquidity.
  Rs. 3-lakh crore for MSMEs:
• The massive Rs. 3-lakh crore collateral free assistance handed out to MSMEs will help them crank up their operations. Ms. Sitharaman has done well in extending a sovereign credit guarantee for the ................................................

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Rs. 30,000 cores scheme for NBFCs:

• NBFCs, housing finance firms and micro finance entities get a much required liquidity boost in the form of a Rs. 30,000 crore scheme wherein their debt paper will be fully guaranteed by the government.
• With this, and the partial credit guarantee scheme of Rs. 45,000 crore, the government has broken the logjam wherein banks were unwilling to extend credit despite the RBI’s strong push. This should largely attenuate the liquidity crisis in the non-banking space for now.

For power distribution companies:

• The Minister has also done well in addressing the liquidity issues of power distribution companies through a Rs. 90,000 crore infusion that will be securitised on their receivables and backed by a State government guarantee.
• The announcements are focused on the liquidity part of the crisis. While the headline numbers appear big, the reality is that the government will be called upon to bear the liability only if the economic situation becomes hopeless; it may not come to that.

Conclusion:

• What the announcements do is to break the confidence logjam in the credit market and give the assurance to lenders and borrowers that the government is willing to backstop their commitments.
• This is the signal that MSMEs and their lenders needed as liquidity was always there but only for the most credit worthy of borrowers. Here, the government has played its role to perfection.

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Local motif: On Modi’s call for self-reliance (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2: National
Prelims level: Swadeshi Economic Policies
Mains level: Given emphasis on the renewal of Swadeshi Economic Policies

Context:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on a renewed drive for a self-reliant India is not merely a reaction to the new global realities spawned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• It is a throwback to the nationalist economic policies that India and other newly independent nations followed in the last century before the high tide of globalisation swept over.

Renewal of the Swadeshi Economic Policies:

• His statement also foretells a potential renewal of the swadeshi economic policies that continue to inspire Hindutva politics long after centrist nationalists have abandoned them.
• India opened itself to the global market in 1991 through its liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation policies, but remained cautious as it skirted around the whirlwind of international capital in the following decades.
• This hesitant approach of India often led to a clamour from various vocal quarters for faster and deeper opening of its economy but its relative insularity from disruptive global headwinds turned out to be helpful several times in the last three decades.

Call for bolder reforms:

• When Mr. Modi took over as Prime Minister, there was a renewed cry from global corporations and foreign governments for bolder reforms.
• If anything, he travelled the opposite course — raising fresh trade barriers and seeking to strengthen India’s manufacturing base through the ‘Make In India’ initiative.
• In doing so, he has been true to his ideological calling and also to his mandates of 2014 and 2019 — which were not sought or won for expanding globalisation.
• Mr. Modi’s politics, in fact, rides on the mobilisation of people dispossessed and alienated by the rumbling march of globalisation by providing them new targets to vent their anger on.

Limits of globalisation:

• The pandemic brought to the fore at once the limits and inevitability of globalisation. Countries such as the U.S. that relied on others for the supply of essential medicines and medical equipment were suddenly vulnerable.
• China’s unmatched leverage in global .................................

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Conclusion:

• This is largely rhetorical and might be unmindful of India’s limitations. To the extent that such politics brings succor to the disadvantaged, it is to be welcomed. If this is only a façade for majoritarianism or authoritarianism, it will bring more harm to the same people that this approach professes to protect.
• His supporters and opponents alike would be eager to see how this philosophy translates into policy. PM Modi’s call for national self-reliance might be undermined if it turns overly ambitious.

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General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

Introduction:

• India is aiming to become a $5-trillion economy riding on the twin planks of a demographic dividend and digital transformation. In a changing workspace landscape, skill development is of utmost importance that requires the government, the industry and the academia to come together to ensure India's youth is equipped to make the most of the new opportunities.
• Reskilling the current workforce, training youth gearing up for their first jobs, upgrading and redesigning curriculums to meet the needs of the industry, and ensuring enough institutional infrastructure for imparting knowledge with the help of a passionate faculty, is the need of the hour to bridge the skill demand-supply gap and propel the economy to a new growth trajectory.
• India needs to find ways to empower its manpower with appropriate skills so as to help them find employment as well as meet the demand from its industries while also seizing global opportunities by supplying talent to the global job market.

Budget Proposals for Skill Development:

• The recent proposalsIn the Union Budget 2020-21 for skill development and education become relevant. The Budget lays special emphasis on the employability of India's young population and quality aspects of education by earmarking a total outlay of Rs.99,300 crore for the education sector in 2020-21 and Rs. 3000 crore for skill development. "By 2030, India is set to have the largest working age population in the world.
• Degree level full-fledged online education programmes will be started to provide quality education to students of deprived sections of the society as well as those who do not have access to higher education, especially in rural areas. However, these shall be offered only by institutions which are ranked within the top 100 in the National Institutional Ranking Framework, to ensure that the quality of education imparted remains high.
• A National Police University and a National Forensic Science University have also been proposed. In the domain of policing science, forensic science, cyber-forensics in the Budget, thus not only ensuring that the law enforcement forces are supported by technically qualified experts but ensuring that candidates get top-notch training in these institutions.

Making Rural Youth Employable:

• The government has been emphasizing on rural livelihood enhancement programmes, implementing them through different ministries. For development of rural areas through employment generation, strengthening of livelihood opportunities, promoting self-employment, skilling of rural youth, the Ministry of Rural Development Has been implementing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), DeenDayal Upadhyaya-Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY).
• DDU-GKY provides for a minimum placement of 70 per cent trained candidates for claiming full cost of project by Project ImplementationAgency (PIA). A total of 9.88 lakh candidates have been trained and 6.01 lakh candidates have been placed since 2014-15 till December 2019.
• The Ministry of Skill Development andEntrepreneurship is implementing its flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana(PMKVY) through National Skill DevelopmentCorporation (NSDC), with the aim to provide skills training to 10 million youth by 2020. This scheme has two components- Centrally Sponsored CentrallyManaged (CSCM) being implemented by NSDC andCentrally Sponsored State Managed (CSSM) being implemented by State Skill Development Missions of the states/ Union territories.
• NSDC has facilitated creation of Sector SkillCouncils (SSCs) which are industry-led bodies to ensure addressing skill requirements of various sectors. The scheme promotes skilling of manpower in various sectors including agriculture through the Agriculture Sector Skill Council, thus helping rural youth acquire necessary skills that can lead to sustainable employment.

There are three kinds of training routes under the scheme:

• Short TermTraining (STT) for fresh skilling of school/college outs and unemployed youth, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to recognise the existing skills and Special Projects to address skilling requirements of the vulnerable groups and permit flexibility in conducting of Short Term Training. RPL under PMKVY has been able to undertake up-skilling of farmers via bridge course training through some of the projects. The scheme is being implemented across the country spanning 37 sectors including agriculture sector.
• Under the ongoing Environmental Information System (ENVIS) Scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the GreenSkill Development Programme (GSDP) was launched in June 2017, on a pilot basis, at 10 locations, spread over 9 bio-geographic regions of the country to skillyouth in environment, forest and wildlife sectors
  and enabling them to be gainfully employed or self-employed.

Budgeting for Rural Employment:

• Several ongoing government programmes for rural livelihood have found special mention in theUnion Budget 2020-21, with the Finance minister enhancing the outlay for several schemes. Under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural  EmploymentGuarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Pradhan MantriAwas Yojana - Gramin, Pradhan Mantri GramSadak Yojana (PMGSY) and Deendayal Upadhyay- National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM)enhanced allocation has been made as compared to the previous year in the Union Budget. It reflects the commitment of the government to further improve the ease of living of the rural population on one hand and strong resolve to address the issue of rural poverty on the other.
• The Union Budget also proposes to bring a larger number of rural women within the fold ofDAY-NRLM. From existing 58 lakh self-help groups(SHGs), the number would be expanded to 78lakh by 2023-24. Out of this, 8,10,000 SHGs are being formed during the current fiscal. SHGs will be allowed to set up village agri storage facilities.
• Linking rural women from SHGs with village storage schemes to help them become 'Dhanya Will help in creating additional income opportunities for women.

Way forward:

• The above initiatives of the government indicate its resolve to not just create employment opportunities for India's youth, but also boost their job prospects through relevant skill training,thus unleashing India's youth power to take the economy to greater heights. Budget 2020 reiterated the government's focus on skill development,reforms in education and training, rural and social entrepreneurship and livelihood enablement.

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Study Material for UPSC General Studies Pre Cum Mains

Introduction:

• India is making holistic efforts to promote inclusive development “Sabka Saalh, SabkaVikas, Sabka Vishwas" for a rapidly increasing urban population. TheWorld Urban Prospects (WUP). 2018 estimates urban population in India At 34% of total population which is likely to be 40% by 2030 and 50% by2050.
• The new wave of urbanization is expected to bring both opportunities and challenges. The urban share ofGDP is projected to be 75% in 2030. an increase from 62-63% in 2009-10(HPEC, 2011).

Missions for Urban Transformation 2014-19:

• The Government of India Has initiated one of the most comprehensive programs of planned and systematic urban development in the entire world.
• More than 4,500 urban local bodies (ULBs) have been covered with flagship schemes like SwachhBharat Mission Urban (SBM-U),Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban(PMAY-U) and Deendayal AntyodayaYojana-National Urban LivelihoodMission (DAY-NULM) to address the issues of sanitation and cleanliness,affordable housing, and urban poverty alleviation.
• In addition, provision for universal water supply and sewerage/septage in 500 cities (with over 1 lakh population) have been taken up underAtal Mission for Rejuvenation andUrban Transformation (AMRUT).
• Heritage City Development andAugmentation Yojana (HRIDAY)was launched in 12 cities with the aim to preserve and rejuvenate the soul of their heritage character. A big push in urban transport, largely in the form of support to Mass Rapid TransitSystems (MRTS) has been initiated.
• The Smart Cities Mission (SCM) was launched in 100 cities aimed at improving core infrastructure and providing a decent quality of life to urban citizens using smart solutions.

Enhanced budgetary support and funds availability:

• Following the trend of the last five years, the recent Union Budget 2020-21 has allocated a total of Rs. 50.0-10crore to the Ministry of Housing andUrban Affairs (MoHUA), which is substantially higher than the budget allocation (as per the revised figures) of Rs. 42,267 crore in 2019-20.
• Over And above this, there is provision ofRs.10.000 crore as Extra Budgetary Resource (EBR) for housing.

Cities as Engines of Economic Growth in India’s March to US $5Trillion Economy

• Budget has set a definite goal. aspiration to take the economy to US$ 5 trillion level backed with Aastha (Hope). Vishwas (Trust),and Akanksha (Aspirations) of 130crore Indians. To boost infrastructure development, the Government has launched the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) on 31 December,2019 for the period 2020-2025. NIPis expected to improve ease of living, and provide equitable access to infrastructure for all. thereby making growth more inclusive.
• It intends to facilitate supply-side interventions in infrastructure development to boost GDP growth (Economic Survey2019-20). Out of the projected total infrastructure investment of Rs. 103lakh crore during the period FY 2020to 2025, 16% has been earmarked for urban rejuvenation.
• With this investment, India can mitigate its urban challenges and bring positive impacts on the lives of not only the urban population, but also, at least 20crore rural population, who live in the proximity of 70 big cities.

Promoting Investment for Urban Rejuvenation

• Since the launch of various urban flagship schemes, around Rs. 1.62,165crore of central assistance has been released to date during the period 2014-20. It has led to total investment to the tune of Rs. 10.45,076 crore in the Sector, which includes contributions of States/ULBs, Beneficiaries and PPP partners.
• It is. therefore, clear that central assistance is generating around six and half times investments of its contribution for creating urban infrastructure. Further, total investment, estimated for the period 2020-25 is Rs. 17,74,167 crore.
• The development of urban areas will constitute a major part of the investment under NIP.

Urban Infrastructure: Focusing on Connectivity

• In Budget 2020-21, a total of Rs. 20,000 crore has been allocated for total MRTS and Metro Projects (higher allocation than previous year).
• Also, construction of 148 km long Bengaluru Suburban Transport project at a cost of Rs. 18,600 crore has been proposed for the Railways Ministry. Apart from these, budget earmarks provisions for Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail,Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway,Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and promotion of economic activities along river banks with waterways.
• Focus has been provided on digital connectivity throughBharatNet program for all BULBs along with prepaid smart electricity meters with options for individual consumers to choose rates and provider/ sources (thermal or RE) of electricity.

Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) for Cleaner and Healthier India:

• Water and sanitation have received priority in the budget as there is a direct association between sanitation practices and mortality and health outcomes (Economic Survey, 2018-19). Under the flagship program of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban),so far, more than 66 lakh toilets have been constructed and more than 99%cities have become ODF. 1276 cities have been certified ODF and 411as ODF. Many others are under examination for such certifications.
• The progress in terms of Solid Waste Management (SWM) has also been commendable. Non-manual cleaning of septic tanks and sewers has been stressed upon in the Budget Speech, for which action is underway.

Har Ghar Jal: AMRUT:

• AMRUT scheme was launched in 500 cities with over 1 lakh population across the country in June2015, which envisages achieving universal coverage of water supply and increasing sewerage and septage coverage from 31% to 62%.
• Under The scheme, State Annual Action Plans (SAAPs) for all State/UTs for Rs. 77,640 crore have been approved,of  which half is dedicated to water supply, and 42% sewerage and septage.
• Projects worth Rs. 73,007 crore are under implementation; out of this projects worth Rs. 8,725 crore have already been completed. So far71 lakh water tap and 43 lakh sewer connections have been provided under the scheme.

Promoting Water Conservation: Jan Andolan:

• The Ministry has launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan to make water conservation a “Jan Andolan” with four major thrust areas:

1. Rainwater Water Harvesting;
2. Reuse of treated waste water;
3. Rejuvenation of water bodies and
4. Plantation.

• Poverty alleviation, livelihood andSkill DevelopmentThe poor in cities, specially the fresh migrants face various derivations related to occupational,residential, and social needs, which is to be addressed simultaneously in a comprehensive and targeted manner.
• It is in this context that a mission-mode approach to urban livelihoods in the form of the Deendayal AntyodayaYojana-National Urban LivelihoodsMission (DAY-NULM) was initiated.
• The primary target of DAY-NULMis the urban poor, including the urban homeless. Budget 2020-21 DAY NULM allocation is Rs. 795 crore.
• The Finance Minister has proposed to provide 1year internships to fresh engineers in all ULBs in order to enhance the skill of the youth to fulfill the dream of the Prime Minister. A scheme is being worked out in consultation with the States.

Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business:

• MoHUA released the first ever ‘Ease of Living Index’ in 2018covering 111 cities, and assessment for ‘Ease of Living Index 2019’ is currently in progress and will soon be released.
• As per World Bank’s Doing Business Report-2020, India’s ranking Ease of Doing Business is 63,compared to its 2019 ranking of 77.
• Also, India is becoming more time efficient in approval of construction permits. Currently, India ranks 27in terms of construction permits,compared to rank of 185 in 2017.
• The Online Building Permission System (OBPS) has been implemented in 2,506 cities, including 444 AMRUT cities so far. The MunicipalPerformance Index, launched byMoHUA in 2019 aims to build capacity and assess the performance of India’s municipal bodies on the five pillars of governance, technology,services, planning and finance.

Climate Change and Sustainable Urbanisation:

• A total of Rs. 4400 crore have been allocated for clean air and climate action in the cities. MoHUA has already initiated the Climate Smart CitiesAssessment Framework, a pioneering effort towards building capacity of its100 smart cities on climate change adaptation and mitigation practices.
• As part of this endeavor, the Ministry has started a Climate Smart Cities Alliance amongst cities and like-minded organisations

Way Forward:

• The Government of Indiais committed to the vision of developing New India where towns and cities would function as fulcrums of economic growth.
• Promotion of ease of living,responsive governance, clean and sustainable environment, rapid economic growth, and livelihood opportunities for the citizens are pathways identified for a vibrant urban India.
• The Ministry is committed to building cities of the future following a comprehensive,inclusive, participatory, and data driven approach. It aims to scale up urban transformation with our learnings in smart cities and all other Missions in the nation's journey towards the US$5 trillion economy and a New India.

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Tax Proposals: Benefits to Common Man

Introduction:

• The Budget 2020-21, reformative budget in the present economic scenario is the budget that cares for all the people of India Across economic strata.
• The basic canon of this budget has been that our journey towards development to make India a $5 trillion economy by 2024, no one is left behind.
• This Budget woven around the themes of  Aspiration India, the Caring India and Economic development for Allis the guide map for the year 2020-21to join hands together and advance on the path of economic growth together with the help of technology and innovations.

Key objectives:

• This is the Budget to boost people’s incomes, to provide more money in their hands, to enhance their purchasing power, to boost consumption and therefore demand.
• The demand in turn would intensify the growth cycle of the economy with jobs and gainful earnings.
• In this endeavour tax policy is critical astax revenue is not only essential for undertaking expenditure to spur investment, employment and growth but is also essential for undertaking spending on priority sectors and welfare schemes which safeguards the welfare of the marginal sections of the population.
• Tax policy is also used to provide impetus to certain industries, regions and financial instruments by channelizing savings and investment into specific areas based on the priorities of die Government with regards to economic policy and growth.
• With these objectives,the Budget 2020-21 focuses on fundamental structural reforms and inclusive growth.
• The Government’s aim is to make the tax department a department indialogue with taxpayers which listens, trusts and believes you; which is using technology to provide convenience to genuine taxpayers and is judiciously equipped with data analytics and information triangulation to hit tax evaders and reduce leakages with targeted actions; which is faceless but friendly to serve taxpayers better;which is simple, online and helpful system with least possible legal disputes.

Budget highlights in respect of Indirect and Direct Taxes Are:

• Indirect Taxes- GSTRevised Estimate of COST for current FY 2019-20 is Rs. 5,14,000crore and the Budget Estimate of CGST for upcoming FY 2020-21is Rs. 5,80,000 crore. A simplified return currently under pilot run shall be implemented from 1 April, 2020.
• It will make return filing simple with features like SMS-based filing for nil return, return pre-filling, improved input tax credit flow and overall simplification.
• Refund process has been simplified and has been made fully automated with no human interface.
• At the same time, data analytics and AI tools are being used for targeted crackdown on GST free input tax credit, deceitful refundclaims, and other frauds.
• Several measures have been taken for improving compliance.
• E-invoice will be implemented in a phased manner on optional basis to facilitate compliance and return filing. Aadhaar-based verification of taxpayers is being introduced. This Will help in weeding out dummy or non-existent units.
• Dynamic QR-code is proposed for consumer invoices.GST parameters will be captured when payment for purchases is made through the QR-code. A system of cash reward is envisaged to incentivize customers to seek invoice/s. GST rate structure is also being deliberated soas to address issues like inverted duty structure.

Indirect Taxes-Customs:

• The Revised Estimate of Customs Duties for 2019-20 is Rs.1,25,000 crore as against the Budget Estimate of Rs. 1,55,904 crore. Budget Estimate for 2020-21 is Rs. 1,38,000 crore. Besides several tax measures proposed in Customs in line with the stated policy direction of the government, suitable provisions for verification of beneficial duty claim arc are incorporated in the Customs Act to specifically provide for certain obligations on importers and prescribe for time bound verification from exporting countries in case of doubt.
• In addition, changes are being made in certain provisions of safeguard duty and the Anti-dumping Rules And Countervailing Duty Rules are being strengthened for the anti- circumvention measures.
• To give boost to domestic industry, import duty on a number of products such as footwear, furniture, toys, tableware and kitchenware, stationery and other office items and a number of domestic appliances and items of common use that are locally produced, especially by the MSME sector, are being increased.
• A concerted effort has been made to increase domestic value addition in sectors like mobile phones and other electronics items, electric vehicles,batteries, etc., through proper
  phasing of manufacturing activity.
• Customs Exemptions have been reviewed to weed out entries that arc redundant,obsolete or outlived their utility and 80such exemptions are being withdrawn by making suitable amendment/rescission of relevant notifications.
• A health cess is proposed, byway of custom duty, on the imports of medical equipment keeping in view that these goods are now being made significantly in India. The proceeds of this cess shall be used for creating infrastructure for health services in the identified districts.

Direct Taxes:

• Before we go on the direct tax proposals in the Budget 2020-21,let us have a look on the income tax scenario. The efforts undertaken by the income tax department arc reflected in the significant growth in overall tax collection, number officers and taxpayers, etc.
• As a result of the efforts undertaken, the Indian economy has displayed high tax buoyancy with a buoyancy factor greater than 1, i.e., the rate of growth of direct taxes has been greater than the rate of growth of GDP.
• Apart from high tax buoyancy,between 2014-15 and 2018-19, the direct taxes have recorded a growth in collection of 64%.
• Further between FY 2013-14 toFY 2018-19 the number of return files has grown by 91.02% while the number of taxpayers has increased by 60.55%.
• With this performance on income tax,the Budget emphasises on simplifying the direct tax administration and making the proposed Tax Charter The part of the statute. This is the yet another determined step to make the direct tax system taxpayer friendly in true sense.
• The Income Tax Act States taxpayers’ responsibilities.The Taxpayers’ Charter would state tax administration’s accountability towards taxpayers.
• In the budget, Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT)has been proposed to be abolished.The dividend now shall be taxed only in the hands of the recipients at their applicable tax slab rate. There Have been several procedural easingalongside.It proposes to bring a new and simplified personal income tax regime where income tax rates will be significantly reduced for the individual taxpayers who for certain deductions and exemptions.Such relief is expected to give an impetus to the demand at estimated revenue forgone of Rs. 40,000 crore per year.
• The new tax regime shall be optional for the taxpayers hence an individual who is currently avail more deductions and exemptions under the Act may choose to avail them and continue to pay tax in the old regime.
• The Scheme gives complete waiver of interest and penalty if the Scheme Is availed before 31 March, 2020.
• The objective of enhancing the efficiency of the delivery system of the Income Tax Department, theBudget proposes to Nprovide that the CBDT shall adopt a Taxpayer’sCharter and issue necessary directions for the implementation of the same.
• To incentivize the investment by the Sovereign Wealth Fund off oreign governments in the priority sectors, the Budget proposes to grant 100% tax exemption to their income for investments made inIndia.
• In order to enable start-ups to attract talented employees by providing them Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP). The Budget Proposes to allow deferment ofthe tax payment by the employee for five years in respect of income relating to ESOP.
• To further incentivize the start-up ecosystem, the Budget also proposes to provide lax holiday to the large Start-ups having turnover up to Rs.100 crore and also to extend the period of availing the deduction from 7 years to 10 years. The Budget proposes to raise the turnover threshold for compulsory audit from the existing Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 5 crore.
• As it brings in an income tax regime that is not only hassle-free and less cumbersome but also lessens the burden of scrutiny and compliance on the taxpayers and minimizes the paperwork such as receipts maintenance, documentation and burden of proof.

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Vision 2020, Rs 20,00,000 crore: Not just massive, signals a sea-change (Indian Express)

Mains Paper 3: Economy
Prelims level: Rs 20 lakh crore package
Mains level: Impact of Rs 20 lakh crore package for economic revival

Context:

• Even the standards of the stimulus package in developed nations like the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Rs 20 lakh crore package – this includes the Rs 4-4.5 lakh crore of liquidity boost by the RBI – is not just massive, it signals a sea-change in the way the country is to be governed.
• There are, as yet, no details of the package, but Modi promised sweeping reforms to ensure, as he said, the 21st century belongs to India.
• We will be careful about corona, he said, we will wear masks, we will observe ‘do gaz ki doori’, but our lives can’t just be about corona.

Key highlights about the speeches given by Prime Minister:

• The 20th century, he said, began with the Y2K problem that had the world in panic, and it was India that solved the problem.
• Though India has not found a ...................................................................

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Final package:

• Announced by Finance Minister, it will likely be much smaller than what the PM announced – apart form the RBI’s stimulus, some part will probably be guaranteeing bank loans to producers.
• But a good way to judge its size is to juxtapose this with the expected collapse in the economy.
• The most pessimistic estimate is a 5% real contraction in growth; Modi’s package, then, seeks to overcome that and ensure there is a small positive growth in the year.
• As expert after expert has said, it is critical that the economy doesn’t stall/contract as reviving businesses – and livelihoods – after they have shut is very difficult.

Focusing on local:

• In a world where isolationism is the new mantra, thinking local means higher import tariffs and other forms of protection; in other words, a high-cost economy.
• If India is to develop global brands, PM message has to be sweeping reforms to lower costs in the country, whether by way of flexible labour laws, improved infrastructure, a more welcoming environment.
• If, industry doesn’t become more competitive, the loan guarantees that will be part of the package will become a dead weight as firms won’t be able to repay them; if firms like Vodafone Idea shut down, as they will without slashing government levies, ‘local’ can’t take off; having more ‘local’ oil or mineral production, similarly, requires slashing exorbitant government levies and fast-tracking environmental approvals.

Way ahead:

• Also, even if the cash component of the package is Rs 5-8 lakh crore with RBI liquidity, loan guarantees, tax and license fee giveaways forming the rest.
• It will send bond-holders into a tizzy and also make rating agencies relook their India outlook; more so, since there will be a big shortfall in both central and state tax collections this year. In other words, Modi’s ...........................................

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Conclusion:

• Markets will weigh the details over the next few days but, for now, Modi has shown he has the guts to take big decisions.

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Perilous state: On State finances (Indian Express)

Mains Paper 3: Economy
Prelims level: State finances
Mains level: Role of state finance in an economy

Context:

• State finances are in a shambles.
• Every single State’s, without exception, though the degree may vary.

State finances a triple whammy:

• The COVID-19-induced lockdown has dealt State finances a triple whammy.
• Their own revenue sources — mainly from liquor sales, stamp duty from property transactions and sales tax on petroleum products — that account for half their total revenues, have collapsed. And their expenditure such as on interest payments, social sector schemes and staff salaries remains unchanged.
• They are now called upon to spend more on beefing up their health infrastructure and on COVID-19 measures, including testing, treatment and quarantining.
• All of them, including the gold standard ones such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, are now pleading for funding support from the Centre and relaxation in borrowing rules by the RBI.
• The Centre has been watching silently even as some States have gone ahead and cut salaries of their employees and pension benefits to rein in expenses.
• It could be argued that by seeking consecutive extensions of the lockdown, which imposes tremendous strain on not just their finances but also that of the Centre, the States are wrong in their approach.

Seeking extensions and simultaneously demanding financial support from the Centre:\

• Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra, in their desperation, commenced liquor sales with outlets flouting all physical distancing norms.
• The fear is that this could seed fresh infections. The Centre is itself not in a happy place financially. But it at least has the means to replenish its finances through conventional and unconventional means.
• It appropriated almost all of .........................................

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Way forward:

• The States should at least be able to borrow more. The Centre should also give States the freedom to restart economic activity based on their own assessment.
• Not all States are in the same virus-spread position and within each State, not all districts are the same.
• This has to be acknowledged while planning a phased lifting of the lockdown. Greater leeway in restarting economic activity will relieve some of the financial stress, not just on the States but also on the Centre.

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Getting cash transfers out of a JAM (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 3: Economy
Prelims level: JAM trinity
Mains level: Economic inclusion through welfare of schemes

Context:

• For some years now, the so-called JAM trinity (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile) has been propounded as a dream cash-transfer infrastructure for India.
• The term “trinity” itself gives a sense of the faith and fervour this project sought to inspire (why not “trio”?).
• It was born in chapter 3 of the Economic Survey 2015, titled “Wiping every tear from every eye: The JAM number trinity solution”.
• This early JAM promo humbly concluded that “nirvana today seems within reach”. The same lyrical tone can be found in the following year’s Economic Survey, where JAM’s virtues were praised once again.

What JAM really means?

• In practical terms, is conveniently vague. The original formulation, in 2015, mentioned two possible incarnations of the trinity: mobile banking and post office payments.
• The second option never made much headway, perhaps because it did not have enough scope for private profit. So Aadhaar-enabled mobile banking became the supreme goal.
• Earlier, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant predicted .................................................................

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But is that a good idea?

• One way to think about this is to compare women’s JDY accounts with another possible basis for cash transfers, at least in rural areas: the list of households that have a National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) job card.
• The numbers of accounts are roughly comparable: about 14 crore for NREGA job cards, and 12 crore or so for women’s JDY accounts in rural and semi-urban areas (assuming that the gender distribution of accounts is similar in rural and urban areas).
• For purposes of cash relief, the JDY approach turns out to fare poorly on several counts.

Errors galore:

• JDY accounts are a mighty mess:The NREGA job-cards list is far more transparent and well-organised. During the frantic initial JDY wave, in 2014-15, banks opened JDY accounts en masse to meet the targets.
• Banking norms went for a toss: Many ....................................................

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Large exclusion errors:

• According to a recent Yale study, less than half of poor adult women have a JDY account (an even lower proportion, 21%, know that they have a JDY account).
• The study mentioned earlier finds that the proportion of poor households where at least one adult woman has a JDY account is just 57%.
• The NREGA job-card list is likely to have much better coverage of poor households. The natural complementarity between NREGA and social security pensions (covering more than four crore persons under the National Social Assistance Programme alone) would further help to reduce exclusion errors.

Inclusion errors larger in the JDY approach:

• Job cards are meant for rural workers, JDY accounts are for everyone. National Election Studies 2019 data, analysed by Sanjay Kumar and Shreyas Sardesai, show that JDY beneficiaries tend to be better-off than NREGA beneficiaries.
• It suggest that the probability of having a JDY account is more or less the same for poor and non-poor households.
• Some of our middle-class female friends have already received SMS alerts informing them that their JDY account has been credited with ₹500 of relief money.

Back to cash in hand?

• There have been significant issues (e.g. delayed, rejected, blocked or diverted payments) with NREGA payments, often related to Aadhaar. But then, numerous “direct benefit transfer” schemes (social security pensions, scholarships, maternity benefits, among others) have faced similar problems, also reflected in official transaction data.
• Both the Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS) and the Aadhaar-enabled Payment system (AePS) are shot through with technical glitches, possibly exacerbated by the recent surge in transactions, and especially unkind to the powerless.
• Transfers to women’s JDY accounts are unlikely to be more reliable than transfers to job-card holders.

Concern for effective payment:

• As far as effective payment is concerned, there is a further argument in favour of the NREGA job-cards list: unlike JDY accounts, it lends itself to the “cash-in-hand” method (on-the-spot payment in cash, instead of bank payments) as a possible fallback.
• The reason is that the job-................................................................

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Conclusion:

• There is nothing compelling about the use of women’s JDY accounts for cash relief. In fact, it is a bit of a shot in the dark.
• The central government is unlikely to make a U-turn on this before the end of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana’s initial three-month period.
• It would do well, however, to consider other options after that, including a switch to the NREGA job-cards list in rural areas.
• As for the JAM trinity, it should come down to earth for a reality check.

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A welcome change: On ICMR's clearance on using convalescent plasma therapy (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2: Health
Prelims level: Convalescent plasma therapy
Mains level: Convalescent plasma therapy and its effectiveness

Context:

• With the ethics committee approval in hand on May 8, the ICMR cleared the last hurdle to conduct a multicentric phase-2 trial using convalescent plasma on COVID-19 patients with moderate illness.
• Its three feasibility studies in about 20 severely ill patients found the therapy to be safe and able to resolve illness or improve the clinical symptoms.

Concern for safety of convalescent plasma therapy:

• Since safety of convalescent plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 illness is not a huge concern, the first stage of the human clinical trial has been skipped; the ICMR will instead study plasma safety and efficacy in a phase-2 trial with 452 patients.
• The patients with moderate COVID-19 illness will be randomly assigned to receive either convalescent plasma (226 participants) or only standard of care (control group). The primary outcomes of the trial in 21 .............................

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Convalescent plasma therapy:

• Convalescent plasma therapy, about a century old, has shown some benefit in treating measles, chickenpox and rabies. Small studies have shown faster clearance of virus in the case of MERS and SARS if given early in the course of the disease but no randomised controlled studies have been carried out.
• However, no benefit was seen in 2015 on some .......................................

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Conclusion:

• The ICMR’s insistence on an evidence-based approach to plasma therapy is in contrast to the cavalier manner in which it approved the anti-malarial hydroxychloroquine, as a prophylaxis for coronavirus without carrying out any trial and relying on evidence that was slim and intended only for treatment, and also when the risks were unknown.
• If the trial outcomes are overwhelmingly positive, the agency would be ethically obliged to recommend plasma therapy as a standard of care for COVID-19 patients.

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The need for a second chamber (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2: Polity
Prelims level: Rajya Sabha
Mains level: Rajya Sabha role and its responsibilities

Context:

• The Rajya Sabha came into being on April 3, 1952 and held its first session on May 13 the same year. The second chamber underwent severe prenatal scrutiny in the Constituent Assembly.
• The proposal for a bicameral central legislature for the country was discussed at length, with deep divisions between the proponents and opponents.
• From this churning that went on for eight days with the participation of leading members of the Constituent Assembly finally emerged the Council of States and its mandate.
• After 68 years, it is instructive to revisit the debates on the need for a Council of States and its performance since then.

Evolution of the central legislature:

• The central legislature that came into being under the Government of India Act, 1919 was bicameral with a Council of States comprising 60 members and a Legislative Assembly comprising 145 members.
• The membership and voting norms.........................................

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Bicameralism and federalism

• Bicameralism is a principle that requires the consent of two differently constituted chambers of Parliament for making or changing laws.
• This principle came into operation in 1787 with the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. Its appeal grew in strength from time to time.
• At present, 79 Parliaments of the world (41% of the total number) are bicameral.
• Federalism has been in vogue since ancient times when some states got together to confer the power of law-making on a central authority.
• But modern federalism is entirely different given the complexity of geographical, regional, social and economic diversities marking the constituent units of a federation or a union.
• It is more so in India. The U.S. is a union of constituent states and so is India — each unit has a set of unique features.
• Federalism and bicameralism are linked because the federal character of a nation comprising constituent units can be reflected in, and secured by, a bicameral legislature.
• Despite being conscious of the huge degree of diversities and attendant inequalities that marked British India, and aware of the emergence of independent India as a Union of States, the proposal for the Rajya Sabha as a second chamber had no easy sailing in the Constituent Assembly.
• It was subjected to serious argumentation and had a narrow escape.

Constituent Assembly debates:

• Member of the Constituent Assembly, Mohd. Tahir, asserted that an Upper House was not essential and viewed it as a creation of imperialism.
• Professor Shibban Lal Saksena went further and warned that such a chamber would only prove to be a “clog in the wheel of progress” of the nation.
• The need of the hour was quick law-making, he said, which the second chamber would obstruct.
• He was perhaps referring to the role of the House of Lords in the British Parliament whose powers to veto the expenditure proposed was removed, and its ability to obstruct the laws made by the House of ...................................................

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Way forward:

• So, what follows from the above discussion is that the House elected directly by the people is susceptible to passions of the moment and electoral considerations.
• Their imprint on legislation needs to be checked by the second chamber whose members are expected to be sober, wise and well-informed with domain knowledge.
• The mandate of the Rajya Sabha, as can be gleaned from the Constituent Assembly debates and the experiences of other Parliaments, is legislation — to revise or delay legislation without proving a clog in the wheel of the progress.
• To represent the interests of the States as a federal chamber; and be a deliberative body holding high-quality debates on important issues.

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• President addresses both houses of parliament ahead of budget session (Free Available)
• Centre bans export of all kinds of respiratory masks (Free Available)
• UN affirms commitment to resolve Palestine-Israel conflict (Free Available)
• Supreme court issues notice to centre regarding dilution of RTI law (Free Available)
• Maldives readmitted to commonwealth group of nations (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• WCD ministry claims over 1.25crore beneficiaries benefitted from DBT (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• New large natural gas field discovered in UAE (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• PM assures one nation, one tax, one ration card initiative soon (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• SC affirms opening up of command posts to women (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• Parliamentary panel recommends code of conduct for ISP’s (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• Rajya Sabha approves FDI bill on financial services and critical infrastructure (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• SC asserts reservation in promotion in public posts not part of fundamental rights (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• Odisha plans for developmental projects in Naxal affected areas (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• SC upholds validity of sc/st amendment act 2018 (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• Isreali NSA meets Indian PM to expand bilateral relationship (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• Government gives clarification on children left out of NRC (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• President seeks banking of the unbanked to meet $5tn goal (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• UNSC adopts resolution for lasting ceasefire in Libya (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• SEBI develops new system to track client security movement (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• VP stresses on increasing production of nutritive food (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• VP emphasise on joining skilling with schooling (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• IBBI data shows high liquidation in NCLT cases (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• EC to consider remote voting system with aid from scientists (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• SC orders women army officers eligible for permanent commission (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• SC expresses concern over deforestation in West Bengal (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• Finance ministry suggest need to enhance global risk monitoring (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• Global study puts India at 131st rank in terms of children’s health (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• Vice President urges to maintain cultural diversity within peace & prosperity (Only For The Subscribed Members)
• U.S to deliver multi role helicopters by 2021 (Only For The Subscribed Members)

President addresses both houses of parliament ahead of budget session

• President Ram NathKovind said abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A related to Jammu and Kashmir, has paved way for equal development of the regions and people in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have got rights on par with the rest of the country. He was addressing the joint sitting of both the houses of Parliament at Central Hall today.
• The President hailed the Citizenship Amendment Act as historic and said it has fulfilled the wishes of Father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi. Mr.Kovind said, the mutual debate and discussion on any issue strengthen democracy, while violence during protests weaken it.
• Mr Kovind highlighted several work done by the government at the ground level in the last five years which has helped India's ranking on several International ranking indices. Lauding the contributions of farmers, the President said that bringing about a change in their lives is the priority of the government.
• Talking about the health initiatives, Mr.Kovind said, the impact of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme on the health sector of the country is visible. On women safety, the President said that the more than 600 One Stop Centres have been set up in the country and a national database has been created to identify the perpetrators of crimes against women.
• He asserted that the government is working with full strength and determination to free the country from the scourge of terrorism. He said the security situation in the North East has also improved significantly due to the concerted efforts of the government.

Economy survey emphasizes on wealth creation at grass root level

• Economic Survey 2019-20 has emphasised on entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation at the Grassroots. It has suggested that industrial sector performance is a key to achieve the target of a five trillion dollar economy.
• The Economic Survey 2019-20, tabled by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament today, also suggested sectoral initiatives for industrial revival. The survey has projected economic growth at 6 to 6.5 percent in the next fiscal. It called for more reforms to make it easier to do business in the country.
• The survey said for India to achieve a five trillion US dollar economy depends on promoting pro-business policies, strengthening the invisible hand of the market and ease of doing business.
• The Economic Survey gave a detailed analysis of the trends in India’s infrastructure sector which is necessary for growth. Power shortages, inadequate transport and poor connectivity affect overall growth performance.
• To achieve a GDP of five trillion dollars by 2024 - 25, India needs to spend about 100 lakh crore rupees on infrastructure. According to the survey, there is a significant jump of around 2.62 crore new jobs with 1.21 crore in rural areas and 1.39 crore in urban areas. Over 69 lakh candidates have been trained under PradhanMantriKaushalVikasYojana till November last year.
• The Economic Survey underscores various programmes and legislative measures that are in place to encourage female participation in the economy. Talking exclusively to AIR News Chief Economic nAdvisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian said that India has certainly made substantial progress in improving ease of doing business.

Centre bans export of all kinds of respiratory masks

• India on Friday banned exports of all kinds of personal protection equipment, including clothing and masks used to protect people from air borne particles.
• The move assumes significance as there could be a spurt in demand for such products due to the outbreak of deadly coronavirus that has claimed more than 200 lives in China while the number of confirmed cases reached near 10,000.
• Air India's 423-seater jumbo B747 plane took off from the Delhi airport on Friday to evacuate Indian nationals from Wuhan as China deals with the novel coronavirus outbreak.
• The government has reached out to over 600 Indians living in China's Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak, to ascertain their willingness to be brought back to India.
• In a separate notification, the DGFT has also banned imports of stock lot papers.These are kind of discarded, improper sized and unused papers.The move aims at cutting down imports of non-essential items into the country.

WHO declares corona outbreak as global emergency

• The World Health Organization declared a global emergency over the new coronavirus, as China reported Friday the death toll had climbed to 213 with nearly 10,000 infections.
• The UN health agency based in Geneva had initially downplayed the threat posed by the disease, but revised its risk assessment after crisis talks.
• Many countries have already urged their citizens not to visit China, while some have banned entry for travellers from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus first surfaced.
• More than 6,000 tourists were temporarily put under lockdown aboard a cruise ship at an Italian port after two Chinese passengers were isolated over fears they could be carrying the virus. They later tested negative for the illness.
• Beijing has taken extreme steps to stop the spread of the virus, including effectively quarantining more than 50 million people in Wuhan and surrounding Hubei province.
• The virus is similar to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) pathogen. That outbreak also began in China and eventually killed nearly 800 people worldwide in 2002-03.

UN affirms commitment to resolve Palestine-Israel conflict

• UN chief Antonio Guterres said the global body remains committed to supporting Palestinians and Israelis to resolve the conflict on the basis of UN resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements, a day after US President Donald Trump unveiled his Middle East peace plan aimed at settling the longstanding dispute between the two sides.
• Standing along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House on Tuesday, Trump proposed a two-state solution and said no Israelis or Palestinians would be uprooted from their homes.
• Describing it as "historic" and a "giant step" towards peace, he said that under his vision, Jerusalem "will remain Israel's undivided, very important capital." He proposed Palestinian capital in Eastern Jerusalem and that US will set up its embassy there.
• Asserting that his peace plan will more than double the size of Palestinian territory, Trump said that Palestinian people "deserve a far better life" than being trapped in a cycle of terrorism and violence."
• No Palestinian official was present at the launch. The ambassadors from three Arab nations -- Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain -- were at the White House.
• Netanyahu hailed Trump's plan as "historic day" for Israel. He compared Trump's Plan with the day to May 14, 1948, when the then President Harry Truman became the first world leader to recognise the State of Israel.

Google to promote news literacy amongst Indians, prepares AI model to study whales

• On January 31, 2020, Google announced a million USD grant to promote news literacy among Indians. Also, the organization has launched a new application called Tangi.
• The Google News Initiative has announced a 1 million USD grant to improve news literacy of Indians.
• The grant is to be used to build a strong network against fake news producers in the country. Around 300 workshops, boot camps and sessions are to be organized to train journalists, academicians and fast-checkers on the authentication of the published content on the internet. The training is to be provided in 7 Indian languages.
• The Tangi Application of Google focuses on Do It Yourself videos. The name of the application has been inspired from Teach and Give.
• Google has used an AI model that listens to Killer Whales, identifies the origin of sound and displays its location. The model has been installed in Canada.
• According to the Centre for Whale Research, only 73 Southern Resident Orcas (a subspecies of Killer Whales) are left in the world.

Supreme court issues notice to centre regarding dilution of RTI law

• The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to the government on a petition alleging that it had diluted the law to give itself absolute, discretionary powers over the tenure, salaries and working conditions of information commissioners, a fact which it claimed would compromise its independence and integrity.
• The RTI Act came into being in 2005 and had been working well. But the government has in recent days made several changes through the RTI (Amendment) Act, 2019, which activists allege would compromise the working of the institution.
• These include a rule that reduces the tenure of information commissioners to 3 years from 5 and makes it subject to the will of the government. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has challenged this amendment through a petition.
• It infringes fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14 (equality), 19(1)(a) (freedom of speech and expression) and 21 (right to life) of the Constitution. The petition also alleged that these amendments were based on extraneous considerations and had been drawn up without due application of mind contrary to earlier court rulings on the issue.
• The Act, Ramesh claimed, had provided for a non-partisan process of appointing information commissioners and had protected their tenures and service conditions from being changed adversely to protect their independence. But the recent amendments had undone all these built in safeguards, he alleged.

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(The Gist of PIB)  Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP)

Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP)

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, has given its approval for introducing the Scheme for Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP).
• It is under which a mechanism would be created for reimbursement of taxes/ duties/ levies, at the central, state and local level, which are currently not being refunded under any other mechanism, but which are incurred in the process of manufacture and distribution of exported products.

Key highlights:

• This scheme is going to give a boost to the domestic industry and Indian exports providing a level playing field for Indian producers in the International market so that domestic taxes/duties are not exported.
• Under the Scheme an inter-ministerial Committee will determine the rates and items for which the reimbursement of taxes and duties would be provided.
• In line with “Digital India”, refund under the Scheme, in the form of transferable duty credit/electronic scrip will be issued to the exporters, which will be maintained in an electronic ledger.
• The Scheme will be implemented with end to end digitization.
• The refunds under the RoDTEP scheme would be a step towards “zero-rating” of exports, along with refunds such as Drawback and IGST.
• This would lead to cost competitiveness of exported products in international markets and better employment opportunities in export oriented manufacturing industries.

Salient features:

• At present, GST taxes and import/customs duties for inputs required to manufacture exported products are either exempted or refunded. However, certain taxes/duties/levies are outside GST, and are not refunded for exports, such as, VAT on fuel used in transportation, Mandi tax, Duty on electricity used during manufacturing etc. These would be covered for reimbursement under the RoDTEP Scheme.
• The sequence of introduction of the Scheme across sectors, prioritization of the sectors to be covered, degree of benefit to be given on various items within the rates set by the Committee will be decided and notified by the Department of Commerce (DoC).
• The rebate would be claimed as a percentage of the Freight on Board (FOB) value of exports.
• A monitoring and audit mechanism, with an Information Technology based Risk Management System (RMS), would be put in to physically verify the records of the exporters.
• As and when the rates under the RoD TIP Scheme are announced for a tariff line/ item, the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) benefits on such tariff line/item will be discontinued.

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(The Gist of PIB)  National Creche Scheme

National Creche Scheme

• National Creche Scheme (earlier named as Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme) is being implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme through States/UTs with effect from 1.1.2017 to provide day care facilities to children (age group of 6 months to 6 years) of working mothers.

Key features:

• Day care Facilities including Sleeping Facilities.
• Early Stimulation for children below 3 years and pre-school Education for 3 to 6 years old children.
• Supplementary Nutrition (to be locally sourced)
• Growth Monitoring
• Health Check-up and Immunization

About:

• Crèches shall be open for 26 days in a month and for seven and half (7-1/2) hours per day.
• The number of children in the crèche should not be more than 25 per crèche with 01 Worker and 01 helper respectively.
• User charges to bring in an element of community ownership and collected as under:
• BPL families – Rs 20/- per child per month.
• Families with Income (Both Parents) of upto Rs. 12,000/- per month – Rs. 100/-per child per month
• Families with Income (Both Parents) of above Rs. 12,000/- per month – Rs. 200/- per child per month.

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(The Gist of PIB)  Bhoomi Rashipotral

Bhoomi Rashipotral

• Bhoomi Rashipotral has significantly expedited error free and transparent land acquisition for National Highways.

About:

• The Bhoomi Rashi Portal was launched on 01.04.2018 as a major e-Governance initiative of the Ministry of the Road Transport & Highways.
• In 2018-19, 2920 land acquisition notifications have been issued using the portal as against an average of 1000 notifications issued yearly in the previous two years.
• The portal has been integrated with the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) for depositing the compensation in the account of affected/ interested persons on a real-time basis.
• The BhoomiRashi portal model is replicable and can be used by state governments as well as by Ministries which directly acquire land under their relevant legal provisions.

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(The Gist of PIB)  MIEWS portal

MIEWS portal

• Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, launched the– Market Intelligence and Early Warning System (MIEWS) Web Portal. The portal can be accessed at http://miews.nafed-india.com.

About:

• The MIEWS Dashboard and Portal is a ‘first-of-its-kind’ platform for ‘real time monitoring’ of prices of tomato, onion and potato (TOP) and for simultaneously generating alerts for intervention under the terms of the Operation Greens(OG) scheme.
• This portal is a novel initiative of MoFPI leveraging IT tools and furthering the goals of Digital India.
• The portal would disseminate all relevant information related to TOP crops such as Prices and Arrivals, Area, Yield and Production, Imports and Exports, Crop Calendars, Crop Agronomy, etc in an easy to use visual format.

Benefits:

• The MIEWS system is designed to provide advisories to farmers to avoid cyclical production as well as an early warning in situations of gluts. For decision makers, the MIEWS system will help in
• monitoring of supply situation for timely market intervention,
• assist in rapid response in times of glut to move produce from glut regions to deficit/consuming regions and providing inputs for export/import decision making.

Key features:

• A dashboard that would indicate low price and high price alerts as well as price forecasts for 3 months forward.
• Prices and arrivals of TOP crops across the country including interactive charts and comparisons with previous seasons
• Area, Yield and Production of TOP crops
• Crop Agronomy and Trade Profile of each of the TOP crops
• Regular and special reports on the market situation of the TOP crops.

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