All creatures great and small (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 3: Environment
Prelims level: World Animal Rights Day
Mains level: Relations between welfare of humans and other animals

Context

• World Animal Rights Day falls on October 4. It coincides with the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron Saint of animals and the environment. In this context, it is necessary to understand the importance of other living beings for human beings.

Man and other living beings

• Bees pollinate 70 of nearly 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world.
• Dung beetles evolved 65 million years ago and, as their name suggests, eat dung, recycle nutrients and improve the quality of the soil.
• Half of the world’s species are insects, so if insects go extinct, the consequence would be complete degradation of our soil consequently leading to the disappearance of all remaining life. Animals provide meat and other dairy products etc.

Key Issues

• The deleterious impact of animal agriculture, including pastoral activities, is captured in research that shows that the Amazon fires were caused by ranchers who wanted to use the land for cattle grazing and farming.
• Indian forests are also being degraded by the excessive pressure of animal agriculture.
• The United Nations has found that “livestock production is one of the major causes of the world’s most pressing environmental problems, including global warming, land degradation, air and water pollution, and loss of biodiversity”.

Way forward

• Farm animals must be grown more compassionately.
• It is time for our government to depute a Ministry and budget for the welfare of animals.
• Animal lives can be saved by commercialising the innovations of plant-based and cultured or clean meat.

Conclusion

• Thus it is suggested that we have an opportunity to translate our philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam into action. We must act in our collective best interest.

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Moderate expectations: On RBI rate cut (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 3: Economy
Prelims level: Repo rate
Mains level: Highlights of the repo rate cut

Context

• The unconventional 35 basis points cut in interest rates in August, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) returned to a normal 25 basis points cut on Friday.
• While a rate cut was a foregone conclusion, the speculation was over whether it would be 25 or 40 basis points, going by the August experience.
• With this, the central bank has pruned rates by 135 basis points in just seven months since the rate cut cycle started in February.
• Of this, until August, banks had passed on 29 basis points to borrowers. But with the shift to an external benchmark by major banks recently — mostly linked to the repo rate — the transmission could be quicker from here onwards.

Predictions made by RBI

• The RBI has also sharply marked down the GDP growth projections for the current fiscal to 6.1% from the 6.9% that it had projected in the August policy.
• This was inevitable after the shocking 5% growth reported in the first quarter but it could be argued though that even the revised estimate is a trifle optimistic.
• If the projection of 6.1% for 2019-20 is to be met, the economy has to grow by about 7% in the second half which does not look very likely.
• If the high frequency data of the last couple of months are any indication, the second quarter may well end up mirroring the first in terms of GDP growth.
• The basis for RBI’s optimism, therefore, appears unclear at this moment.

Targeting inflation in control

• The central bank has done the heavy lifting in the last few months and monetary policy may well be nearing its limits in so far as its ability to influence growth prospects is concerned.
• Inflation is well within the target giving space to the RBI to focus on growth. Crude oil prices are back in the comfort zone, retreating from the spike in mid-September, and food prices are projected to remain soft on the back of a good monsoon.
• The monetary policy statement is unambiguous that the RBI will continue with its accommodative stance “as long as it is necessary to revive growth”.
• While this statement is credible, the problem is that the central bank can only facilitate lower rates and push banks to lend.
• It cannot force borrowers to borrow and this is evident from the soft trends in credit offtake in the last few months.
• Data shows bank credit is growing at just 10.3%.
• The government has been engaging the levers, and the corporate tax cut last month is a major move to get private investment going.
• However, the ₹1.45 lakh crore giveaway has set off fears in the market of a fiscal slippage and higher borrowings by the government.

Conclusion

• These concerns also explain the unenthusiastic response of the stock and bond markets to Friday’s rate cut.
• The ongoing festival season consumption holds the key to revival of the economy this fiscal.

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Rethinking college recruitment (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2: Governance
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Hiring and funding issues among higher institutions in India

Context

• In a marked departure in the way assistant professors, who are on the lowest rung of the academic ladder, are hired and confirmed at all the 23 Indian Institutes of Technology, the IIT Council recently introduced the tenure track system.

New hiring process

• Under this system, an assistant professor may be hired without the mandatory post-PhD experience requirement and her performance reviewed internally after three years.
• Based on an evaluation by an external committee at the end of 5.5 years, he or she may either be granted tenure (made permanent) and promoted to the next higher level of associate professor or asked to leave.
• In certain cases, based on the recommendation of the external committee, an extension of two years may be granted to the candidate before being assessed again.
• At present, a fresh faculty member is placed on probation for a year before confirmation without being subjected to any kind of a critical evaluation.
• According to the Council, this leads to a situation wherein “a large number of faculty, despite having very good credentials, do not put in enough effort on research and teaching”.
• Over the years, the number of faculty whose performance is below par has risen to such an extent that “more than half” underperform.
• The tenure track system is being seen as a silver bullet to prevent further deterioration and to remove non-performers. “The tenure track combines academic freedom with responsibility and accountability,” Higher Education Secretary R. Subrahmanyam told the media.

No guarantees

• If we look at the tenure track system in other countries, it is clear that the process doesn’t guarantee excellence or improve accountability at the institutional level.
• The principal purpose of tenure in the U.S. is to provide permanency and safeguard academic freedom, using the same system to promote research and teaching excellence reflects a lack of application of mind.
• Flogging a small subset of young faculty to improve the metrics using the threat of tenure track while leaving the large majority of senior faculty unmonitored will do little to achieve the prime objective.
• If the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) feels compelled to ape the West, it should be willing to go the whole hog and match the U.S. and other countries that have this system in terms of research facilities.
• Unlike in most U.S universities that have a tenure track system, it is extremely difficult for new appointees to hit the ground running as even basic infrastructure to carry out research is not in place at many of the newer IITs.
• There have been innumerable cases in the older IITs where even securing lab space can take as long as a year or more.
• While those working in theoretical areas might find it relatively easier to publish papers, experimentalists will be at a greater disadvantage as setting up labs will take longer.
• While even established IITs face difficulty finding good computer science faculty, finding computer science students willing to pursue the PhD programme will be even more challenging among the new recruits.

Funding issues

• The older IITs provide seed funding of about ₹20 lakh, the new IITs provide just a couple of lakhs of rupees.
• Researchers will necessarily have to turn to funding agencies for grants.
• With a significant reduction in the number of research proposals getting funded, new faculty will be forced to compete with well-established researchers for a piece of the pie. The delay in disbursal of funds by agencies is another problem.
• The biggest area of concern is the upper age limit of 35 years for an assistant professor’s post, which is not the case in the U.S. Since assistant professors are in the early 30s when they secure a position, anyone who fails to secure tenure at the end of 5.5 years is almost out of the reckoning at any other academic institution.

Way ahead

• With the MHRD planning to extend this system to Central universities and the draft National Education Policy recommending its introduction in all institutions by 2030, chances of securing a position at an alternative institution will be almost nil.
• Unlike in the U.S., industry jobs are not in plenty in India for those who fail to get tenured. The 5.5-year period to secure tenure is particularly disadvantageous to women researchers.

Conclusion

• The introduction of the tenure track system without addressing the underlying problems researchers face is likely to make it even more challenging to find good talent.
• It is also unclear if the new IITs, which are just being built, will find themselves at a disadvantage in attracting talent.
• At this stage, one can only hope that the IIT Council has deliberated on these critical issues and not acted in haste or under duress.

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When children go online (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 3: Security
Prelims level: Cyber security
Mains level: Security threats by using Social media networks

Context

• Data from the Internet and Mobile Association of India has confirmed that 66 million Internet users in India are in the age group of 5 to 11 years.
• While this is an indication that India’s children are getting access to digital tools that help in improving learning and productivity, it is also a cause of worry, because it increasingly exposes them to the dangers that lurk in the online world.

Threat to children

• Children may stumble upon inappropriate content or worse, come in contact with cyberbullies or child predators, which can scar them for life.
• There are a large number of cases of cybercrime against children that have emerged in the recent past.
• For example, the Blue Whale challenge, an online game aimed at teenagers, was linked to numerous suicides around the world.
• Countries like the US have recognised these dangers and have put in place strong laws such as Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.

Case Study

• A case for arguing that parents and educational institutions have the primary responsibility in sensitising children to use the Internet safely.
• There are also technology filters such as parental control software mechanisms that do a competent job of protecting children.
• Relying on the State machinery excessively to ‘police’ Internet usage occasionally comes with downsides, given the State’s reflexive instinct to abuse its regulatory authority.
• But even so, Indian policymakers need to wake up to the need for having overarching laws that protect our children — not just from online predators but also from companies that mine user data for making profits.
• Recently, a major online video streaming site was fined $170 million in the US for illegally collecting personal information of children without parental consent.
• This may be happening in India rampantly with no laws to protect the users.

Social media networks in India

• In India, social media is largely unregulated. While this supports the free flow of data and freedom of speech, it has also led to the rise of online hate-mongering, abusive language and harassment.
• The Centre has so far failed to protect children from data harvesting and targeted advertising; its exertions in the regulatory space have tended to be focussed rather disproportionately on cracking down on dissent.
• Technology companies such as Facebook, Apple and Google should also do more to ensure to create a safer digital world for children.
• As Internet networks penetrate into rural India, a large number of children will get access to online content for the first time.
• The technology companies should form an alliance with schools, parents, State governments to spread awareness about the pitfalls of using the Internet.

Conclusion

• The Internet came into existence more than four decades ago, and companies like Google emerged in the 1990s, but we still do not have any authoritative findings regarding the social impact of the Internet on children.
• If Facebook and other technology companies want to get more users at a younger age then they also should work to help mitigate the dangers.

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(Download) UPSC IAS Mains Exam 2019

SOCIOLOGY (Paper-2)

Exam Name: UPSC IAS Mains SOCIOLOGY (Paper-II)
Marks: 250
Time Allowed: 3 Hours

Section-A

Q1 Write short answers to the following questions in about 150 words each, with a sociological perspective :

(a) Elaborate Srinivas’s views on religion and society among the Coorgs. 10 Marks
(b) Illustrate the contribution of the Tebhaga Movement to the peasants struggle in India. 10 Marks
(c) Examine the changing initiatives of the land tenure system in India. 10 Marks
(d) Write a note on Ghurye’s conception of caste in India. 10 Marks
(e) Comment on the growing assertion of tribal community for autonomy in India. 10 Marks

Q2(a) Critically examine Dube’s contributions to the study of Indian villages. 20 Marks
(b) What is caste politics? Substantiate your answer with examples of how identities are defined by caste dynamics. 20 Marks
(c) Do you think that the Indian saints have brought about social reform and awareness in Indian society? Explain. 10 Marks

Q3(a) What is ethno-nationalism? Examine the critical factors responsible for tribal discontent in India. 20 Marks
(b) Is industrial development in India a bane or a born to agrarian class structure ? Substantiate your answer with suitable examples. 20 Marks
(c) Give an account of Ranajit Guha’s approach in studying ‘subaltern class’ 10 Marks

Q4(a) Define patriarchy. Does it have bearings on women’s entitlement in Indian family system ? Explain. 20 Marks
(b) How do you understand the ‘minority’ question ? Examine the violence and discrimination against the religious minorities in India. 20 Marks
(c) What do you understand by LGBTQ ? Comment on the issues concerning their marriage rights. 10 Marks

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Section-B

Q5 Write short answers to the following questions in about 150 words each, with a sociological perspective :

(a) Comment on the critical issues of commercialization of higher education in India. 10 Marks
(b) Discuss the challenges in Implementing the Rural Development Programmes in India. 10 Marks
(c) Elaborate urbanism as a way of life in India. 10 Marks
(d) Comment on the changing democratic profile of India. 10 Marks
(e) Elucidate the concerns of growing urban displacement dynamics in India. 10 Marks

Q6(a) Examine the importance of Development Planning in India Mixed Economy, and analyze its problems and prospects. 20 Marks
(b) Highlight the main features of the ‘Inter-linking of Rivers’ project in India. What could be its probable advantages to Indian agriculture?  20 Marks
(c) Has reduction of green cover affected ecological degradation leading to global warming? Elaborate your answer with illustration. 10 Marks

Q7(a) Do you think that ‘demonetization’ has accelerated the economic growth in India? How do you understand the in formalization of labour, underemployment and gender discrimination in this context? 20 Marks
(b) Discuss the implications of ‘Swachha Bharat Abhiyaan’. Do you think that civil society has a role to play here ? Substantiate your answer with example. 20 Marks
(c) Do you agree that social movements are caused by opportunity structures that are generated by media? Why? 10 Marks

Q8(a) Why has ‘Active aging’ become a glocal goal? Do you agree that the role of elderly care-giving is disproportionately gendered in developing countries? Why? 20 Marks
(b) What is POSH Act? “Identification of tormentor by women at workplace does not come easily even today”. Examine the statement with substantive examples from India. 20 Marks
(c) What is ‘social security’? Examine recent security measures adopted by the Government in India. 10 Marks

BIHAR State GK Questions (Set-21) for BPSC Exam

Q.1 : बिहार के प्रथम राज्यपाल कौन थे ?

(a) श्री के. सी. साह
(b) जयराम दास दौलत राम
(c) अशोक कुमार चौधरी
(d) श्री अंजनी कुमार सिंह

Q.2 : विश्व का सबसे लम्बा सड़क "महात्मा गांधी सेतु" भारत के किस राज्य में स्थित है ?

(a) झारखण्ड
(b) उत्तर प्रदेश
(c) बिहार
(d) पश्चिम बंगाल

Q.3 : बिहार में स्थित "महात्मा गांधी सेतु" की लम्बाई कितनी है ?

(a) 4.575 किमी.
(b) 5.575 किमी.
(c) 6.545 किमी.
(d) 3.365 किमी.

Q.4 : बिहार में तिलका मॉंझी विश्वविद्यालय कहॉं पर है ?

(a) मधेपुरा
(b) आरा
(c) समस्तीपुर
(d) भागलपुर

Q.5 : बिहार में "कामेश्वरसिंह दरभंगा संस्कृत विश्वविद्यालय" की स्थापना कब हुई थी ?

(a) 1959
(b) 1962
(c) 1961
(d) 1960

बिहार लोक सेवा आयोग प्रारम्भिक परीक्षा के लिए अध्ययन सामग्री

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An effective plan to end the use of plastic (Live Mint)

Mains Paper 3 : Environment
Prelims level : Not much
Mains level : Plastic ban and challenges

Context

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the United Nations General Assembly that India was embarking on a “very large campaign" to get rid of single-use plastic, many assumed that New Delhi was preparing to ban the use of disposable plastic.

Threats from using plastics

• Plastic poses a serious threat to the planet.
• This oil-derived material is not bio-degradable. Careless disposal pollutes the environment.
• The urban crisis of choked drains and garbage heaps, which can’t be incinerated.
• Several species at threat of polymer ingestion.
• Marine life has been suffering since much plastic waste ends up in the sea and in the bellies of aquatic creatures.
• Micro-particles are increasingly being detected in fish, which puts people at risk of contaminant-caused illnesses.

The mission

• The government clarified that it would spread awareness about the menace of plastic and create plastic-free zones around heritage sites to begin with.
• In the absence of sufficient alternatives to plastic, an outright ban would have caused much disruption across the country.
• Users of some flexible items such as carry bags can easily switch to slightly more expensive material. Those of hard-plastic products, such as disposable syringes, would have found an overnight switch-over difficult to achieve.
• The government, through its Swachhata Hi Seva campaign, plans to acquaint Indians with the perils of plastic and ask people to voluntarily reduce its use.
• It intends to ask all states to enforce existing rules against the storage, manufacture, and use of some single-use products, such as polythene bags.

Other steps needed

• Efforts should first be directed at waste disposal mechanisms. These remain archaic.
• Separation-at-source garbage collection has seen only patchy success in India.
• Plastic items rarely have separate channels for recycling.
• Moral suasion could change attitudes here. A nudge of some sort such as express trash clearance assured to those who put anything “poly” in marked-out bins.
• Final disposal will need well-sealed landfills, inspired loosely by burial crypts for spent nuclear fuel rods.
• Institutional and corporate reduction of plastic use, a broad incentive scheme in favour of alternative material could be put in place.
• Defray the financial cost of switching to eco-friendly material.
• Manufacturers are likely to suffer if the material’s consumption were to drop. They need sufficient time to revise their business plans and move on to other opportunities.

Conclusion

• As demand begins to decline, a timeline could be declared for the elimination of some categories of plastic use. How well the objective is achieved would depend on how well we combine coaxing with coercion to wean the world off plastic.

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Decoding the corporate - Hindutva alliance (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 1 : Society
Prelims level : Hindutva alliance
Mains level : Hindutva alliance and its major challenges in Indian Society

Context

• Hindutva “nationalism” unlike anti-colonial nationalism does not comprehend economics.

A discourse shift

• In a period in which neo-liberal capitalism has lost its steam, the corporate-financial oligarchy wants an ideological prop different from the one it had used earlier, namely the promise of a high GDP growth and its potentially beneficial effect for all.
• This no longer suffices when growth slackens.
• Orienting state policy in favour of this oligarchy and yet preventing any revolt from below requires a discourse shift, which Hindutva provides. This is the basis of the formation of the corporate-Hindutva alliance which currently rules the country.
• This shift of discourse is from one bequeathed by the anti-colonial struggle, where political formations vied with one another in projecting the relief they promised to the people, to one of hyper-nationalism that has little in common with anti-colonial nationalism, and largely sidesteps the material conditions of life of the people.
• It harks back rather to a European hyper-nationalism that reached its culmination during the inter-war years.

Political impact

• Such a shift is unprecedented in Indian politics which is why the Opposition has become so incapacitated.
• The Left, committed to the old discourse, has been stunned; it is now just beginning to stir. The Congress is unable to make up its mind whether to stick to the old discourse, or to follow, however grudgingly, the new discourse of Hindutva hyper-nationalism.
• The importance of this discourse shift was clearly manifest during the recent Lok Sabha elections.
• The Bharatiya Janata Party had lost ground prior to it; and a powerful peasant movement was building up threatening its continuance in power.
• But Pulwama and the Balakot strike, strengthening the hyper-nationalist discourse, gave it a fresh lease of life.
• The same peasants, who had marched against the government in Delhi just days before the elections, voted for its continuance.
• The usefulness of this discourse shift to the corporate-financial oligarchy is obvious from recent developments.
• In the lee of the dilution of Articles 370 and 35A, which amounts to a forcible annexation of Jammu and Kashmir and which stokes Hindutva hyper-nationalism, the government has introduced corporate tax concessions worth ₹1.45 lakh crore, ostensibly to overcome the economy’s crisis.
• Whatever opposition one would have normally expected to this gratuitous transfer of public funds to corporate pockets, is drowned out in the din of hyper-nationalism celebrating the “triumph” in Kashmir.

Tax concession effect

• The fact that this tax-concession will have a negative effect on the level of activity in the economy, and hence on employment and output, though obvious, is scarcely articulated.
• Since the tax-concession will not be financed by a larger fiscal deficit, as that would alienate globalised finance capital which the government is loath to do, it will have to pinch resources from the working people.
• This is because the propensity to consume out of income is higher for working people than for corporates who keep their extra income partly as undistributed profits; even out of the dividends distributed out of such extra income the propensity to consume is low.
• And since corporate investment depends on the expected growth in the size of the market, which a rise in the current post-tax profits does not change an iota, there will be no additional investment that would be caused by such tax concessions.
• Hence the overall aggregate demand will decline, worsening the crisis. What is more, with such a decline in aggregate demand, investment in the next period will decline, accentuating the downward spiral of the economy.

Income divide

• This crisis itself has been caused by the enormous increase in income inequality that neo-liberal capitalism has brought about, not just in India but the world over.
• It has shifted incomes from the working people, namely peasants, workers, artisans, craftsmen, and fishermen, towards the corporate-financial oligarchy.
• The demand-contracting effects of this shift had been offset for long by a set of contingent factors, mainly asset price bubbles, both in India and globally.
• But with the decline of such factors, the crisis has manifested itself, with Narendra Modi’s demonetisation and GST only compounding the problem arising from the structural infirmity of neo-liberal capitalism. And now the government’s solution to the crisis is to further shift incomes from the working people to the corporates which caused the crisis in the first place.

A camouflage

• The counter-productiveness of following a pro-corporate and anti-working people income distribution strategy in the midst of a crisis caused by inadequate aggregate demand, will become apparent over time; but this will only spawn even greater Hindutva hyper-nationalist mega projects.
• The idea is to “shock and awe” people in order to distract attention from the economy and camouflage the government’s economic failures.

Way forward

• The Hindutva hyper-nationalist “shock-and awe” mega projects, such as “one country-one language”, or a National Register of Citizens for the country as a whole, or the Citizenship Amendment Bill, pose a threat to our very existence as a secular and democratic society and polity.
• At the same time the pro-corporate and anti-working-people economic policies would mire the economy deeper in crisis.
• Since such economic policies stimulate the “shock-and-awe” projects, the country is caught in a vicious dialectic which will continue until the tide turns.

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Making political parties accountable (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2 : Polity
Prelims level : Public Authority
Mains level : Accountability of the National Parties

Context

• Recently, the Supreme Court in D.A.V. College Trust and Management Society Vs. Director of Public Instructions held that non-governmental organisations which were substantially financed by the appropriate government fall within the ambit of ‘public authority’ under Section 2(h) of the Right to Information Act, 2005.

Defining Public Authority

• Under this section of the RTI Act, ‘public authority’ means “any authority or body or institution of self-government established or constituted by or under the Constitution and included... any non-government organisation substantially financed directly or indirectly by funds provided by the appropriate government.”

Wide ramifications

• Owing to the reasoning given by the court, the judgment can potentially have wide ramifications in the discourse pertaining to the ambit of the RTI regime on national political parties.
• In D.A.V., the top court held that ‘substantial’ means a large portion which can be both, direct or indirect. It need not be a major portion or more than 50% as no straitjacket formula can be resorted to in this regard. For instance, if land in a city is given free of cost or at a heavily subsidised rate to hospitals, educational institutions or other bodies, it can qualify as substantial financing.
• The court resorted to ‘purposive’ interpretation of the provisions by underscoring the need to focus on the larger objective of percolation of benefits of the statute to the masses.
• In 2010, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) filed an application under the RTI to all national parties, seeking information about the “10 maximum voluntary contributions” received by them in the past five years.
• None of the national political parties volunteered to disclose the information. Consequently, ADR and RTI activist Subhash Agarwal filed a petition with the Central Information Commission (CIC).

Inclusion of national parties under RTI Act

• In 2013, a full bench of the CIC delivered a historic judgment by declaring that all national parties came under ‘public authorities’ and were within the purview of the RTI Act.
• Accordingly, they were directed to designate central public information officers (CPIOs) and the appellate authorities at their headquarters within six weeks.
• In 2013, The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill was introduced in Parliament to keep political parties explicitly outside the purview of RTI that lapsed after the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha.
• Notwithstanding the binding value of the CIC’s order under Section 19(7) of the Act, none of the six political parties complied with it.
• Quite interestingly, all the parties were absent from the hearing when the commission issued show-cause notices for non-compliance at the hearing.
• In 2019, a PIL was filed in the Supreme Court seeking a declaration of political parties as ‘public authority’ and the matter is sub judice. Irrespective of the ideological differences among these political parties on almost all the issues under the sun, non-compliance of the RTI mandate has been a great unifier.

Argument behind financing the national parties

• Drawing an analogy between the Supreme Court’s judgment on D.A.V. and the political parties’ issue which is sub judice, it can be argued that national parties are ‘substantially’ financed by the Central government.
• The various concessions, such as allocation of land, accommodation, bungalows in the national and State capitals, tax exemption against income under Section 13A of the Income Tax Act, free air time on television and radio, etc. can easily satisfy the prerequisite of Section 2(h) of the RTI.
• If an entity gets substantial finance from the government, there is no reason why any citizen cannot ask for information to find out whether his/her money which has been given to the entity is being used for the requisite purpose or not.

On accountability

• Applying the purposive rule of interpretation which is discernible from the preamble of the RTI Act, the ultimate aim is the creation of an ‘informed’ citizenry, containment of corruption and holding of government and its instrumentalities accountable to the governed. Under the anti-defection law, political parties can recommend disqualification of Members of the House in certain eventualities under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
• The Law Commission opines that political parties are the lifeblood of our entire constitutional system.
• Political parties act as a conduit through which interests and issues of the people get represented in Parliament.
• Since elections are predominantly contested on party lines in our parliamentary democratic polity, the agenda of the potential government is set by them.

Conclusion

• It is hoped that the top court will further the positive advances made in this direction.
• Since sunlight acts as the best disinfectant and our political parties tirelessly claim themselves to be apostles of honesty and integrity, it is expected that they would walk the talk.

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The brick and mortar of FDI 2.0 (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2 : International
Prelims level : FDI 2.0
Mains level : International Trade

Context

• The world has undergone a structural change with the emergence of Internet Multinational Companies (MNCs) such as Microsoft, Google, Facebook and Twitter that are based on ‘winner-takes-all’ platform business models.
• These firms are characterised essentially by inequitable dynamics, since they distribute most gains to themselves vis-à-vis their host countries. This situation demands a policy response.

Why China banned Internet MNCs?

• This led to China creating nine out of the 20 global Internet leaders. China strategically deploys a quid pro quo policy.
• MNC firms are mandated to transfer technology, share patents and enter into 50:50 joint ventures with Chinese partners in return for market access.
• Given our political system, India will obviously need to follow a new FDI 2.0 policy to achieve more desirable outcomes.
• Rather than accepting the ‘winner MNC takes it all’ as fait accompli, FDI 2.0 should harmonise interests of all stakeholders including Indian consumers, the government and investors.
• FDI 2.0 could deploy ‘List or Trade in India’ as a strategic policy tool to enable Indian citizens become shareholders in MNCs such as Google, Facebook, Samsung, Huawei and others, thus capturing the ‘upside’ they create for their platforms and companies.
• This is equitable to all, since Indian consumers contribute to the market value of MNCs.

A road map for India

• India could implement the following set of proposals: Proposal 1 (List in India): Majority (more than 51%) foreign-owned Indian-listed MNCs could be eligible to domestic company tax rate whereas unlisted MNC subsidiaries could be subjected to a higher tax rate. Many countries such as Bangladesh, Vietnam and Thailand have used tax incentives to attract listing by MNCs.
• To ensure the success of this proposal, the government will need to reconsider the present policy of allowing 100% MNC-owned subsidiaries to compete with their listed Indian counterparts that erodes the value accruing to Indian shareholders.
• Proposal 1, by itself, will not achieve the objective of increasing Indian participation in the fair value of Internet MNCs. This is because of complex issues in revenue booking that result in low profits in Indian subsidiaries. Hence, there is a need for additional initiative by way of proposal 2 to enable Indian investor participation in the ownership of parent MNCs’ shares.
• Proposal 2 (‘Trade in India’ i.e. U.S. dollar-denominated parent MNC Shares to be ‘Admitted for Trading’ on Indian bourses]: In this proposal, Indian investors could buy shares of parent MNCs (where global profits and value get consolidated).
• This can be permitted within the $250,000 Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) limit. Indian bourses could admit only S&P 500 stocks.
• The Mexican Stock Exchange allows trading of international shares listed in other stock exchanges. India could replicate such models.

Mirroring Mexico

• For successful implementation of Proposal 2, the Indian government may need to facilitate following measures:
• Permit Indian bourses to implement international trading system on the lines of Mexico.
• Parent MNCs in S&P 500 with business interests in India could be mandated to facilitate trading of their shares in India. MNCs would readily agree as it does not envisage listing in India.
• For taxation purposes, no distinction should be made between transactions in comparable domestic and foreign securities.
• LRS implementation for buying foreign stocks in GIFT City/NSE/BSE could be simplified and work as single click functionality.
• Educate Indian investors about the value of diversification of their portfolio in international stocks for achieving better risk adjusted returns.

Conclusion

• To increasing Indian equity ownership of MNCs would offer diversification benefits and make Indians more prosperous.
• Wealth distribution through mutual funds would create a virtuous cycle of innovative ideas, entrepreneurship, employment, consumption, higher taxes, social and physical infrastructure for the benefit of Indian society.
• MNCs would earn the goodwill of Indian consumers while expanding their investor base. In other words, this is a win-win for all stakeholders.

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General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

Toilet targets: On ending open defecation (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2 : Governance
Prelims level : Open Defecation Framework
Mains level : Open Defecation Framework and its challenges

Context

• India’s declaration on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi that its rural areas are now open defecation-free will be acknowledged around the world as a milestone in its developmental journey.
• Cleanliness and sanitation were central to Gandhi’s concerns for his vast number of impoverished countrymen, and should ideally have been pursued zealously by governments in free India, along with good housing and access to clean water.

Background

• In 2014, the NDA government made total sanitation a high priority, with the avowed goal of bridging decades of neglect through a policy focused on toilet construction.
• That 110 million toilets were built under this programme since then counts as an achievement in itself, even though many of these structures have been bootstrapped to ramshackle dwellings; many do not meet construction standards.
• It is the campaign for universal sanitation and an end to open defecation cannot go far if toilet access is the sole metric of success.
• One independent survey shows toilets are not used by up to half the population in some places, underscoring the challenge ahead.

Introducing ODF-Plus programme

• An ODF-Plus programme has been adopted by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to encourage toilet use and create the infrastructure to manage solid and liquid waste in every village.
• This is a long road, and the Central government can hope to achieve sustainable outcomes only if it prioritises citizen rights and community participation.
• The campaign has erred in its approach in many instances, opting for coercive methods that produce dreadful consequences.

Way ahead

• Development literature makes it clear that bringing one set of freedoms to people, including material benefits, cannot compensate for the loss of others, notably freedom from oppression.
• This bears mention in the context of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and its efforts to end open defecation, since officials and campaigners have resorted to violence, public shaming and the threat of deprivation of welfare benefits to bring about compliance.
• Such methods must be ended immediately and voluntary participation encouraged. Of concern too is a possible resort to illegal manual scavenging, since many toilets built under the Swachh mission are not of the prescribed twin-pit design, and will need periodic evacuation.

Conclusion

• Despite widely reported cases, the Centre does not appear to be eager to eliminate manual waste removal through a war-like effort, under which all States will install sewage and sludge treatment plants.
• Neither are States keen to strictly enforce the law that makes the practice punishable.
• In the years ahead, making sanitation universal and sustainable will depend not just on toilets, but on providing decent urban and rural housing, and strengthening another key determinant of development the right to a good education.

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(Download) CS (MAIN) EXAM:2019 PHILOSOPHY (Paper 1)

Section-A

Q1 Write short answers to the following in about 150 words each : 10x5=50 Marks

(a) What does Plato want to prove by his ‘Allegory of Cave ’ ?10 Marks
(b) Can hallucination be regarded as an intentional act of Husserl ? Explain. 10 Marks
(c) What is the role of dialectics in realizing the truth in Hegel’s philosophy? 10 Marks
(d) How does Descartes prove the existence of things other than himself and God? Discuss. 10 Marks
(e) Explain Quine’s arguments against synthetic-analytic distinction. 10 Marks

Q2 (a) How do the logical positivists account for the meaning of general statements? Can the same account be applied to metaphysical statements? Discuss. 20 Marks
(b) What are the reasons for development changes in substance according to Aristotle? Discuss. 15 Marks
(c) What do you understand by Spinoza’s statement that what is, cannot be other than what it is? Explain. 15 Marks

Q3 (a) Is Dasein authentic existence for Heidegger? How does he relate temporality with Dasein? Discuss. 20 Marks
(b) Show how Wittgenstein’s critique of solipsism culminates in the critique of private language. 15 Marks
(c) Why is Moore’s philosophy called common-sense realism? 15 Marks

Q4 (a) How does Kant argue for the transcendence of Space and Time? Discuss. 20 Marks
(b) Is there any element of necessity in causal relations according to Hume? Discuss. 15 Marks
(c) How does Sartre look at the problem of freedom of choice and determinism? Explain. 15 Marks

Philosophy Optional Printed Study Materials for UPSC Mains

Section-B

Q5 Write short answers to the following in about 150 words each: 10x5=50 Marks

(a) Justify the status of Abhava as a category in Vaisesika philosophy. 10 Marks
(b) How do the Yogacara Buddhists deny the existence of the external world? Discuss. 10 Marks
(c) Are the Carvakas consistent when they hold that inference is not a source of knowledge? Discuss. 10 Marks
(d) Critically discuss the metaphysical status of a Jiva and a Purusa according to Sankhya philosophy. 10 Marks
(e) How does Mimamsa establish the authority of  Vedic knowledge? 10 Marks

Q6(a) How is reality defined by the Jainas? How is this theory of reality reflected in their view on judgements? Discuss. 20 Marks
(b) What is the role of Jnanalaksana-pratyaka is explaining Anyathakhyati? 15 Marks
(c) What is wrong according to the Carvakas with the following argument ? 15 Marks
        All men are mortal.
        Socrates is a man.
        Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
        Justify your answer with arguments.

Q7 (a) How does Udayana prove the existence of God through Karyat, Ayojanat, Dhrtyadeh and Sruteh? Discuss. 20 Marks
(b) How would Yoga philosophy comprehend the Citta-levels of a Scientist, a God-realized Devotee and a Self-realized Yogi? Justify your answer. 15 Marks
(c) What is Pratityasamutpada? How do the Buddhists apply this concept to prove that everything is momentary? 15 Marks

Q8 (a) Explain the logical consequences of the metaphysical absolutism of Advaitism. 20 Marks
(b) Explain the unique position of the supermind in the metaphysical scheme of Aurobindo’s philosophy. 15 Marks
(c) Which Sankhya proof for the existence of Prakrti actually shows that there can be only one Prakrti? Justify your answer. 15 Marks

(Download) CS (MAIN) EXAM:2019 PHILOSOPHY (Paper 2)

Section 'A'

Q1 Answer the following questions in about 150 words each : 10x5=50 Marks

(a) How far do you think Jhon Rawls is continuing with Plato’s concept of justice ? 10 Marks
(b) Discuss the status of theocracy in the modern secular state . 10 Marks
(c) Evaluate Mahatma Gandhi as a political anarchist. 10 Marks
(d) Is corruption not a form of mass violence ? Discuss. 10 Marks
(e) Can gender equality be realised within a socialist regime ? Analyse. 10 Marks

Q2 (a) Do rights make citizens accountable to the state? Argue in the context of the present Indian scenario. 20 Marks
(b) What are the descriptive and normative perspectives on ideas of multiculturalism ? 15 Marks
(c) Does technological development lead to progress in the ethical standards of the society ? Explain. 15 Marks

Q3 (a) Discuss how far does Austin’s concept of sovereignty go along with Kautilya’s concept of sovereignty. 20 Marks
(b) Consider critically, that gender discrimination is a rather man-made concept but not naturally endowed. 15 Marks
(c) What do you consider to be the future of Marxism in the context of the prevalent free market economy ? 15 Marks

Q4 (a) Examine whether there is any difference between the views of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on the philosophical foundations of secular democracy. 20 Marks
(b) Does liberty put limitations to equality ? Discuss. 15 Marks
(c) Does capital punishment weaken the doctrine of social justice ? Discuss. 15 Marks

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Section 'B'

Q5 Answer the following question in about 150 words each : 10x5=50 Marks

(a) What is instrumental to self-revelation : Faith or Reason ? Justify your position. 10 Marks
(b) Is religion a uniting force for humanity in the globalizing world as of today ? Discuss. 10 Marks
(c) Can there be a philosophical argument to support violence in the name of religion ? Discuss. 10 Marks
(d) Does a devoted commitment to a religious way of life make man go astray from social morality ? Examine. 10 Marks
(e) State and evaluate the profs for the existence of God as propounded in Jainism. 10 Marks

Q6 (a) Discuss whether and how does religious symbolism lead to mysticism. 20 Marks
(b) What role do the concepts of evil and profane play to provide a firm foundation to religion ? 15 Marks
(c) How would a religious person deny the possibility of a religion without God ? Discuss. 15 Marks

Q7 (a) expound and explain the central problem in the discussion between religious pluralists and religious exclusivists. 20 Marks
(b) Secular ethics cannot fully resolve as to why one should be moral all the time. Examine. 15 Marks
(c) How far can religious experience be made a topic of public discourse Analyse. 15 Marks

Q8 (a) State and explain the doctrines of Karma, Rebirth and Rebirth and Reincarnation in Hinduism. 20 Marks
(b) State and evaluate the personalistic and impersonalistic aspects of God. 15 Marks
(c) Discuss the relationship between man and God according to any one of the religions in India. 15 Marks

Exam Name: UPSC IAS MAINS HISTORY - PAPER- I
Time Allowed : 3.00 Hrs
Maximum Marks : 250

SECTION 'A'

Q1. Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of them in your Question-cum-Answer Booklet. Locational hints for each of the places marked on the map are given below seriatim.

(i) Brick temple site
(ii) Early Harappan site
(iii) Ancient seaport and trade centre
(iv) Stone age site
(v) Neolithic site
(vi) Archaeological site
(vii) Ancient capital city
(viii) Ancient capital
(ix) Harappan site
(x) Ancient inscriptions site
(xi) A Rock-cut cave site
(xii) Ancient capital city
(xiii) Famous temple site  
(xiv) Centre of School of art
(xv) Ancient inscriptional site
(xvi) Ancient education centre
(xvii) Pre-Harappan site
(xviii) Chalcolithic  period site
(xix) Early inscriptional site
(xx) Ancient petroglyphs site

Q2. (a) Do you agree that archaeological evidence often helps in the better understanding of literary sources ? Comment. 15 Marks
(b) The development of art and architecture during the Sunga period belies the belief that they were anti-Buddhist. Discuss. 15 Marks
(c) Did the mastery over agriculture act as a leverage for the rise of Harappan towns and cities ? Discuss. 15 Marks

Q3(a) The flourishing international trade during the Kushana period gave tremendous impetus to the development of art. Discuss. 15 Marks
(b) Examine how the transformation of the Varna system from the Rigvedic to the Later-Vedic period affected the position women. 15 Marks
(c) There are no literary sources for the Harappan culture and non archaeological evidence for the vedic period Explain the phenomenon . 20 Marks

Q4(a) Explain how Ashoka used religion as a tool of political, aggrandizement ? 15 Marks
(b) Do you agree that the system of land grants from the Gupta-Vakataka Period was connected with the decentralisation of state in any way ? 20 Marks
(c) The discovery of monsoons by Hippalus gave a new direction to Indo-Roman trade during the Satavahana period. Comment. 15 Marks

SECTION 'B'

Q5. Answer the following questions in about 150 words each :

(a) Discuss how Vijayanagar empire became the cultural capital of the south ? 10 Marks
(b) Examine the status of Sanskrit in Mughal India. 10 Marks
(c) Assess the rule of Zainul Abedin in Kashmir. 10 Marks
(d) The economic measures of Alauddin Khalji were aimed at greater political control. Discuss. 10 Marks
(e) Examine the European impact on Mughal paintings. 10 Marks

Q6(a) Assess the statement that 'the philosophy of Shankaracharya revolutionised religious thoughts in India’.  20 Marks
(b) Delineate the state of agriculture during the Sultanate period. 15 Marks
(c) Sufi and Bhakti thoughts ennobled Indian psyche amidst the  vagaries of time. Elucidate. 15 Marks

Q7(a)  The emergence of early capitalism in the Mughal period was primarily due to urbanisation and commercialisation. Comment. 20 Marks
(b) Internal strife and conflict beset with personal ambitions was enough of an invitation for the Ghurids to invade India. Discuss.  15 Marks
(c) The Mughals built like Titans and embellished like jewellers. Comment. 15 Marks

Q8(a) Critically analyse whether the success of the Mughals is to be credited to their robust Jagirdari and Mansabdari system. 15 Marks
(b) It was as much the court intrigues as also the defiance of the provincial powers that hastened the decline of the Mughals in the 18th century. Comment. 20 Marks
(c) Shivaji was not merely a military conqueror but also was an enlightened ruler. Discuss. 15 Marks

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Printed Study Material for IAS PRE cum Mains General Studies

Exam Name: UPSC IAS MAINS HISTORY - PAPER- II
Time Allowed : 3.00 Hrs
Maximum Marks : 250

Section A

Q1. Critically examine the following statements / Answer the following in about 150 words each: 10x5=50

(a) "Tipu Sultan was trying to build in Mysore a strong centralized and militarized state, with ambitious territorial designs." 10 Marks
(b) "Not until independence, when economic development became a conscious and pursued policy, did the Railways begin to realize their potential for assisting in the transformation of the Indian economy." 10 Marks
(c) "Two important intellectual criteria which informed the reform movements were rationalism and religious universalism." 10 Marks
(d) " ... the Kol Insurrection was mainly a war of the tribal inhabitants of Chotanagpur against the non-tribal settlers and service-holders." 10 Marks
(e) "The Cripps Mission was plagued throughout, and ultimately torpedoed." 10 Marks

Q2.(a)How far was the drain theory a focal point of nationalist critique of colonialism? 20 Marks
(b) Examine the forces at work for the introduction of western education in India. Analyse the thrust given to it by the Christian Missionaries. 20 Marks
(c) Do you subscribe to the view that the Anglo-French tussle in Carnatic demonstrated the internal decay of the provincial chieftains of South India.? 10 Marks

Q3(a) How would you explain the major trends of the Swadeshi Movement in Bengal? 20 Marks
(b) Is it justified to say that the Government of India Act of 1935 had all brakes, but no engine ? 20 Marks
(c) How far was the widow remarriage movement effective in arousing social concern for Indian women ? 10 Marks

Q4(a) Why is the Quit India Movement characterized as a 'Spontaneous Revolution’? Did it accelerate the process of Indian independence? 20 Marks
(b) Assess the role of Subhas Chandra Bose in India's struggle for independence. 20 Marks
(c) How did the introduction of Community Development Programme and Panchayati Raj promote welfare of rural India? 10 Marks

SECTION B

Q5. Critically examine the following statements in about 150 words each: 10x5=50

(a) "The arguments of the free traders were a curious mixture of economic hard-headedness, social benevolence, cosmopolitan idealism and class prejudice." 10 Marks
(b) "There are many ways in which the war of 1914 - 18 was unprecedented, and in human history, entirely novel." 10 Marks
(c) "The ineffectiveness of the League of Nations to prevent or to check Japanese aggression against China was the first serious blow to its prestige as an agency for providing security." 10 Marks
(d) "Non-alignment came to symbolize the struggle of India and other newly independent nations to retain and strengthen their independence from colonialism and imperialism.” 10 Marks
(e) How would you explain the nature of pre-Marxian Socialism? 10 Marks

Q6(a) How did the policies of governments facilitate the process of industrialization in Europe? 20 Marks
(b) How was Italy transformed from 'a geographical expression' to nation state? 20 marks
(c) How far did the Napoleonic preferential stance to help out the French economy result in embroiling France in continental conflicts? 10 Marks

Q7(a) Which factors would you attribute to the British colonial intervention in Malaya in the 19th century? How did Malays react to British colonial rule? 20 marks
(b) Explain why Latin America was beset with chronic political instability and endemic military conflicts throughout most of the 19th century. 20 Marks
(c) Do you agree with the view that the formation of NATO marked a revolution in American attitude to the world problems? 10 Marks

Q8. (a) Do you subscribe to the view that Greek War of Independence was mired in contrasts of the best and the worst episodes? How did affect the Concert of Europe? 20 Marks
(b) Was Czechoslovakia served on a dish to Hitler at Munich? What were its implications? 20 Marks 
(c) Analyse the role of Egypt after the Second World War in bringing about Arab unity. 10 Marks 

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(GIST OF YOJANA)  India's Journey towards a $5 Trillion Economy

 [SEPTEMBER-2019]

India's Journey towards a $5 Trillion Economy

Introduction

• India’s rise is an opportunity to re-imagine an India in consonance with our highest civilisational ideals: joy, sustainable prosperity, responsible freedom, inclusive growth, peace and mutual respect. These ideals, when they influence our foreign policy, have the potential to shape a plural global order.
• As potential leaders and shapers of tomorrow, the current global environment calls on us to envision an inclusive global order and then strive to make it a reality. India needs a dream, an overarching vision to bring coherence lo our actions, lo act as it balancing power and conned with individuals, nations and regions for achieving sustainable prosperity and progress.

India’s Foreign Policy Approach

• If one looks very closely within this churn, India’s foreign policy approach has been undergoing a paradigm shift with economic and strategic relations gaining significant cultural undercurrents. The new approach is reflected in the foreign policy pillars of Panchamrit – Samman (dignity and honour), Samvaad (engagement and dialogue), Samriddhi (Shared Prosperity), Suraksha (regional and global security) and Sanskriti evam Sabhyata (culture and civilisational linkages). Panchamrit has begun to influence our international outreach.
• This has found place in our global engagements through the ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act Fast’ approach, as evidenced by Prime Minister inviting the heads of all SAARC countries to his swearing in ceremony in 2014 and his counterparts in the ASEAN for India’s Republic Day in January 2018.

Achieving a S5 Trillion Economy

• In the Governing Council Meeting of the NITI Aayog Prime Minister announced the target of a $5 trillion economy for India by 2024.
• It is essential to think big when seeking to make a difference, for transformation does not come from modest plans.

What would we like to see in the proposed $5 trillion economy?

• It will require design, funding and governance. The Economic Survey has pegged the GDP growth rate of 7 per cent for FY20, up from 6.8 per cent in the previous fiscal.
• And to achieve the $5 trillion economy, the Economic Survey has laid a road map where it says India must grow at 8 per cent.

Focus on MSME Sector

• The significance of 65 million MSMEs who create about 120 million jobs and 30 percent of the country’s economic output and around 30 per cent of total  employment generation cannot be underestimated.
• Keeping this in mind, the Government has undertaken several transformational reforms in MSME sector recently.

Focus on Agriculture Sector

• Sixty per cent of India’s population lives in rural areas and is mostly engaged in agriculture. The Government has committed to double Farmers' income by 2022.
• The real issue is not the level of productivity' but how produce can be converted into value that will decide farmers’ income.
• Today, no industrialised nation can survive without agriculture. Globally, 60 to 80 per cent movement of goods is around agriculture or its produce.

Focus on Service Sector

• Services contribute to 56.5 per cent of GDP but create only 30 percent of jobs. So far, IT sector has been the mainstay, exporting over 80 per cent of its SI 50 billion turnover.
• But it is also to be seen that more than 50 per cent of IT revenues come from the US, therefore the future looks challenging at the backdrop of current US policies. PM has set the following Vision for New India:
• To be free from poverty, full of prosperity;
• To be free from discrimination, filled with equality;
• To be free from injustices, ensconced injustice;
• To be free from squalor, covered with cleanliness;
• To be free from corruption, complete with transparency;
• To be free from unemployment, enriched with employment;
• To be free from atrocities against women, full with respect for women; and
• To be free from despondency, full of hope.

Conclusion

• It is absolutely essential to work on a framework that provides case of business and predictability.
• It is also time to redirect energies on providing the environment to encourage private sector investments and innovation.

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(GIST OF YOJANA)  Addressing Rural Poverty: Livelihood Development and Diversification

[SEPTEMBER-2019]

Addressing Rural Poverty: Livelihood Development and Diversification

Introduction

• As the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) bring out clearly, poverty is multidimensional and therefore requires a range of interventions. The challenges of creating poverty- free Rural Clusters.
• Non-farm livelihoods and multiple livelihoods are required to make a difference. As recent data points out, half of manufacturing and one-third of the services sector is already part of the Rural Economy. Income and employment through Livelihood Development and diversification is clearly the way forward. 4 additional sources of funds for addressing Rural Poverty during this period:
• The sharing pattern under Programmes for non Himalayan States became 60:40, and 90:10 in Himalayan States, Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G), instead of a 75:25 sharing earlier, it became 60:40 leveraging a total of Rs.45,000 crore in 3 years as State share, against a Government of India provision of Rs. 81,975 crore. Likewise, from December 2015, States started contributing 40% of Pradlian Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. (PMGSY) funds. This leveraged an additional Rs. 8000 to Rs. 9000 crore of State share each year which were not available earlier with PMGSY. A similar increase happened in Programmes that were brought on 60:40 share from the earlier 75:25, like NSAP, DAY-NRLM, etc.
• From 2017-18, under the Housing Programme, additional resources were mobilized through Extra Budgetary Resources (EBRs) as well. A total of Rs. 21,975 crore of Extra Budgetary Funds have been mobilized/are being mobilized in 2017 to 2019 period for PMAY-Gramin. Rs. 7329.43 crore has already been disbursed through EBR.
• The transfer of funds under the 14th Finance Commission awards has also registered a significant increase compared to the allocations earlier under the 13lh Finance Commission.
• The fourth important factor to note is the leveraging of Bank Loans by Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) during this period. A total of Rs. 1.64 lakh crore have been mobilized as Bank Loan by Women Self Help Groups in the last 5 years. The Bank Loan outstanding has more than doubled from Rs. 31865 crore in 2013-14 to Rs. 69733 crore in 2017-18 under DAYNRLM.

Some of the salient livelihood generating and Income and Employment supporting initiatives over the last 3 years are as follows:

• 143 lakh hectares of land provided benefit of Water Conservation works.
• Nearly 15 lakh farm ponds and 4 lakh wells for irrigation besides a very large number off.
• Water Conservation Community Structures came up during this period.
• Over 6222 Custom Hiring Centres managed by Women Self Help Groups fully functional during this period.
• 11000 Bank Sakhis and 773 Bank Mitras trained as Banking Correspondents (BCs) from among SHG Women.
• 33 lakh women farmers supported under non-chemical based agro ecological interventions.
• 86000 Producer Groups and 126 Agri Producer Companies established.
• 449 vehicles under Aajeevika Gramcen Express Yojana (AGEY) for Rural Transport plying on roads with women drivers.
• Over 9 lakh Solar Lamps assembled by nearly 4000 Women Self Help Group Members in remote regions of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh. Jharkhand, Rajasthan, etc.
• Over 6000 Barefoot Technicians trained and certified.
• 3.54 lakh candidates successfully placed for wage employment under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya.
• Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) and 12.65 lakh candidates settled for self employment under Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) in the last 4 years.
• 10949 Rural Masons trained and certified under the Housing Programme.

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Role of MGNREGS

• The Central Government’s commitment to ensure effective implementation of MGNREGS
• FY 2017- IS was Rs. 55,167 crore which was highest since inception.
• Fund Utilization: The fund utilization (including Central and State share) has also seen a significant increase in comparison to previous financial years. The total expenditure in FY 2017-18 is about Rs. 64,288 crore (Provisional) which is the highest ever since inception.
• The person-days generated under MGNREGS in the last 3 years has been in the range of 235 crore every year. This is higher than most years before, indicating how the thrust on durable assets and Individual Beneficiary Schemes (IBSs) has generated a steady demand for MGNREGS.

Factors related to Poverty of Households

• Lack of education and skills
• Under-nutrition and ill-health
• Lack of employment opportunities
• Assetlessness
• Lack of safe housing
• Limited access to public services
• Clutches of middlemen/corruption/moneylender
• Absence of Social Capital collectives of women/youth/poor households.

Poverty of Geographies

• Low price for produce distress
• Violence/crime
• Unirrigated agri/vagaries of monsoon
• Lack of basic infra-roads, electricity, internet.
• Lack of access to markets and jobs
• Lack of non-farm opportunities

Way forward

• It is evident from the data and interventions listed above that higher financial resources have been made available for addressing rural poverty over the last few years along with a much higher scale of leverage of bank loans for women Self-Help Groups.
• These have been contributing to both rise in incomes and employment through diversification and development of livelihoods.
• A few illustrative examples of such diversification have been listed above. Overall the challenges to rural poverty are being effectively addressed through the range of interventions outlined above. Evaluation studies by the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) have also confirmed increase in incomes, productive assets, and enterprises in villages where Women Self-Help Groups are active under DAY-NRLM.
• Similarly, Studies of Water Conservation works under MGNREGA by the Institute of Economic Growth confirmed increase in income, productivity, acreage, and the
  water table. Such increases are bound to generate employment on a large scale.

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PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (Paper-2)

• Exam Name: UPSC IAS Mains Public Administration (Paper-II)
• Marks: 250
• Time Allowed: 3 Hours

SECTION -A

Q1. Answers the following in about 150 words each: 10 x 5 = 50 Marks

(a) In the text of Arthashastra, ‘the state is neither a police State nor merely a tax gathering State’. Comment. 10 Marks
(b) The economic reforms have significantly infringed the basic values and spirits of the Indian Constitution. Examine. 10 Marks
(c) Macaulay’s ideas on Indian Civil Service Corresponded to the elite theory of bureaucracy, which continue to persist. Do you agree? Justify. 10 Marks
(d) There has been an opinion that the ethos of Indian Judicial System continue to be colonial. Suggest measures for raising the level of judicial excellence for achieving speedy justices. 10 Marks
(e) Various commissions have reiterated the crucial role of the Governor in Indian system of governance, but the successive governments have not heeded to make Governor’s office apolitical. Examine with example. 10 Marks

Q2(a) Article 356 acts, “very much like the proverbial bolt from the blue…. without giving an opportunity or notices to the State Government to correct its alleged shortcoming”. This phenomenon not only undermines the autonomy of the State Government, but also demeans the statue of the President of India. Critically analyze. 20 Marks
(b) Public Sector Undertaking were expected to take the Indian economy to the “commanding heights” instead the successive governments have been pushing for disinvestment. Critically examine how the scenario has changed over the years. 20 Marks
(c) Emerging developmental aspirations of the society necessitate the constitutional amendment to change the present safeguards available to the civil servants. Evaluate the pros and cons of such amendment. 10 Marks

Q3(a) “Strong PMO is anti-thesis to the feature of collective responsibility of Council of Ministers”. Examine the issues in relation to the position of PMO via-a-vis Council of Ministers in the light of this statement. 20 Marks
(b) Capacity issues relating to employees have hampered the implementation of several government programmes. Trace the reasons in the context of the provisions of the National Training Policy, 2012. 20 Marks
(c) The strategy to deal with the non-performing assets of banks may lead to overburdened taxpayers. Examine the role of government to protect the interests of both. 10 Marks

Q4(a) Considerable attention has been paid to the restructuring of the administrative systems at the Central and local levels, but very few reforms have been undertaken at the State level. What steps would you suggest to rectify it? 20 Marks
(b) It is observed that non-functioning of District Planning Committees is preventing the convergence of rural and urban planning needs. Do you agree? Justify. 20 Marks
(c) The police-public interface is punctuated with distrust and fear. Suggest how the police can reform its image in the eyes of the public. 10 Marks

Public Administration for UPSC Mains Exams Study Kit

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SECTION -B

Q5. Answer the following in about 150 words each: 10 x 5 = 50 Marks

(a) The evidences suggest that the dream of deliberative democracy could not be realized in practice at the grassroot level. Evaluate the impediments in the functioning of Gram Sabha. 10 Marks
(b) “The RTI has started its journey, but is far from its destination.” In the view of the statement, examine the present’s status of the RTI movement. 10 Marks
(c) The concept of new localism arrangement may defeat the very purpose of local self-governance. Do you agree? Justify. 10 Marks
(d) Effective ‘Performance Management System’ needs to precede ‘taking deadwood out’ from bureaucracy. Comment. 10 Marks
(e) All weather rural connectivity scheme to even unconnected rural habitations has the potential to transform the rural economy. Do you agree? Justify. 10 Marks

Q6(a) The office of the District Collector has merely become a bureau for funneling government schemes, collecting statistics and an officer on attendance for unending VIP duties. Critically examine its role in the light of the recommendations of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission. 20 Marks
(b) Minimal accountability being the dominant norm in the political system, the Lokpal can only be an ideal institution with limited effectiveness. Explain. 20 Marks
(c) ‘Sevottam Scheme’ had great potential to reform service delivery, but opportunity is frittered away. Comment. 10 Marks

Q7(a) The National Policy on Disaster Management envisages a paradigm shift from hitherto reactive post-disaster relief centric regime to more pro-active and enabling environment. Examine the responses of State Governments in this regards. 20 Marks
(b) Efforts to strengthen State Finance Commissions have faced apathy of State Governments over the years, which has also affected the successive Central Finance Commissions in recommending appropriate fiscal transfers to local bodies. Substantiate the answer with example. 20 Marks
(c) Accountability of regulatory bodies would address the problem of over-regulators and help make them truly facilitators. Analyze the present status of regulators and suggest measures to induce accountability in the mechanism. 10 Marks

Q8(a) ‘NITI Aayog’ has changed the way India strategized for economic development, but its effectiveness is yet to be seen, especially when its financial powers are far less than its predecessor. Analyze. 20 Marks
(b) Even though the law and order administration is a State subject, it is paradoxical that the Central agencies- NIA or paramilitary forces under the Union Government-have restricted the powers of State Governments. Discuss. 20 Marks
(c) Performance grants devolved by Finance Commission of India have increased the Financial accountability of the local bodies. Elaborate. 10 Marks

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(Download) UPSC IAS Mains Exam 2019

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (Paper-1)

Exam Name: UPSC IAS Mains Public Administration (Paper-I)

Marks: 250

Time Allowed: 3 Hours

SECTION-A

Answer the following in about 150 words each: 10 x 5 = 50 Marks

Q1 (a) “Public Administration is constantly being reinvented because it is contextual.” Elaborate. 10 Marks
(b) “Bureau pathology denigrates competence in organization.” Explain. 10 Marks
(c) “If there is ever to be a science of Public Administration it must derive from an understanding of man’s behavior”. Explain. 10 Marks
(d) “Chester Barnard in ‘The Function of the Executive’ injected ‘the social’ in the study of organization. Explain in this context how the executive is expected to play a much greater role than a manager.” 10 Marks
(e) “Delegated legislation has become a strategic tool in the hands of the executive despite its utility.” Comment. 10 Marks

Q2 (a) “Governance is neither a paradigm nor a panacea for all the ills of government. It may be a more useful approach when other methods fail in providing public service.” Critically evaluate. 20 Marks
(b) With the entry of the concept of ‘good governance’ the discipline of Public Administration has shed its statist character. Explain. 15 Marks
(c) Has New Public Management failed in promoting a democratic polity? Analyze in the contexts of individuals as a citizen and individuals as a costumer. 15 Marks

Q3(a) “Globalization has constructed the administrative state to save and serve corporate power structure.” Discuss how transnational corporation impact government and public administration in the contemporary era. 20 Marks
(b) “Red light and Green light theories provide contrasting approaches to the role of administrative law.” Which of the two theories will be effective in achieving the objectives of administration law? Justify your choice. 15 Marks
(c) “The advent of the regulatory regimes indicates the demise of the arbitrator state.” Comment. 15 Marks

Q4(a) Contingency theory of organization is founded on the interplay of ‘external fit’ and ‘internal fit’. Discuss. 20 Marks
(b) Mary Parker Follett traced the foundational value of business and enterprise on her way to understand the organism of governmental machinery. Comment. 15 Marks
(c) “Media the Fourth estate is in chains.” Examine the statement in the context of governmental accountability. 15 Marks

Public Administration for UPSC Mains Exams Study Kit

Printed Study Material for IAS PRE cum Mains General Studies

Section-B

Answer the following in about 150 words each: 10 x 5 = 50 Marks

Q5(a) Contractualism has became a favorite policy of the neoliberal forces, but now without its share of controversy. Argue. 10 Marks
(b) The failure to discard its elitist character and west-centric orientation has led to the decline of Comparative Public Administration. Explain. 10 Marks
(c) “Maximum social gain” in public policy making is an attractive goal which is rarely found in practices. Discuss. 10 Marks
(d) A narrow view of information comes in the way of successful implementation of MIS in organization. Analyze. 10 Marks
(e) Has e-governance led to debureaucratization and decentralization ? Assess its impact on bureaucratic inertia. 10 Marks

Q6(a) “Development dynamics is marked by a dilemma : the concept of development has a built-in participatory orientation but the practice of development has been inherently exclusionary.” Discuss. 20 Marks
(b) A more effective system of performance appraisal should acknowledge the subjective elements in it and be less obsessed with the objective criteria. Elucidate. 15 Marks
(c) Is William Niskanen’s “Budget Maximising Model” relevant today? Argue. 15 Marks

Q7(a) Performance measurement remains an emerging issues but it is relegated to exclusively monitor and assess the use of funds. In light of the statement discuss various non-financial parameters of performance measurement to evaluate public sector organization. 20 Marks
(b) The imperatives of administrative ethics are necessarily an anudole to “I was only obeying the orders” argument by public official. Explain. 15 Marks
(c) Discuss the major areas of change in the Tax-Reforms of the post liberisation era. How do you justify the importance of the direct Tax reforms in this context? 15 Marks

Q8(a) In a society marked by social inequity and gender inequality women self-help groups are bound to play a marginal role. Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer. 20 Marks
(b) In the era of increasing stress on productivity work study provides the road ahead for the administration. Identify the positive attributes of work study in the light of the statement. 15 Marks
(c) In the absence of a merit-based, fair and objective civil service a more partisan and corrupt government will emerge. Is the statement justified? Give reason. 15 Marks

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1. उत्तर प्रदेश में सबसे ऊँचा बाँध कौन-सा है ?

a. मेजा
b. राम-गंगा
c. माता-टला
d. रिहन्द

2. मध्य प्रदेश में सबसे अधिक कपड़ा मिले कहाँ स्थित है ?

a. इंदौर
b. रतलाम
c. ग्वालियर
d. उज्जेनै

3. उत्तर प्रदेश में वेर्षा ऋतु में औसतन कतने प्रतिशत वेर्षा होती है ?

a. 65-70 %
b. 75-80 %
c. 90-95 %
d. 70 - 75 %

4. भारत का सबसे बड़ा गन्ना उपादक देश कौन-सा है ?

a. पंजाब
b. उत्तर प्रदेश
c. राजथान
d. हरयाणा

5. उत्तर प्रदेश की सबसे बड़ी नदी कौन सी है ?

a. गोमती
b. गंगा
c. शारदा
d. यमुना

उत्तर प्रदेश PSC (Preliminary) Exam (GS Paper-1) स्टडी किट

Uttar Pradesh PSC (Preliminary) Exam (GS Paper-1) Study Materials