(The Gist of Kurukshetra) NEW DIMENSIONS OF DEVELOPMENT IN AGRICULTURE

[FEBRUARY-2019]

NEW DIMENSIONS OF DEVELOPMENT IN AGRICULTURE

Introduction

•  Agriculture is the main source of our national income. According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the contribution of agriculture and allied sectors during the year 1960-61 was 52 percent. In
  2001-2002, the share of agricultural sector in national income was 32.4 percent. Agro products such as tea, sugar, rice, tobacco and spices contribute significantly in international trade and India exports these products in a big way.
•  The proper development of the agriculture sector leads to increase in exports and reduction in imports. As a result, it helps in balance of payments in favour of the country and also saves foreign currency. These savings can be utilised in the import of more essential items, raw material, machinery, equipment and other infrastructure related items needed for the country. This accelerates the pace of economic development and strengthens the economy of the country.

Significance of PMFBY

•  "Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana" (Prime Minister's Crop Insurance. Scheme) has been launched from the Kharif season of 2016 to provide safety-shield to farmers against the losses to crops, due to natural calamities.
•  The maximum premium for Kharif crops has been fixed at 2 percent and one and a half percent for Rabi crops. Along with the standing crops, the risks involved before sowing and after harvest, are also included in it. Not only this, payment of 25 percent of the loss claims is being made online immediately. This scheme has been very popular among the farmers.
•  The insured amount per hectare was Rs 17,509 during the last two years of the previous Government, which got enhanced to Rs 38,496, thereby recording an increase of 120 per cent during the two years - 2016-17 and 2017-18 of the present Government.

Key emphasis on organic farming

•  Organic farming is being focused and promoted under 'Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana'. The emphasis is on the maximum use of bio-chemicals, bio-pesticides and bio-fertilizers. Besides promoting expansion in irrigation facilities, horticulture development, agro-forestry, bamboo mission, bee keeping, milk, fish and egg production, special emphasis has been laid on agricultural education, research and development. More investment has been made to strengthen cooperatives.
•  New initiatives have been taken to bring self-dependence in pulses and oilseeds. The contingency plan has been provided to all the districts of the country and by enhancing the relief amount of farmers affected by drought and hailstorms, the interests of the farmers in the economy have been protected and given priority.

Measures taken by the government

•  Agriculture and food security are one of the most important areas for the Government of India. Its main objective is to ensure food and nutrition security at cost-effective prices in an environment-friendly way.
•  Agriculture has much importance in the context of our country, as the majority of our population is still entirely dependent on it for livelihood. Agriculture also contributes significantly to our fast-growing manufacturing sector in terms of supplying raw material.
•  Agriculture sector in India is providing entrepreneurial and employment opportunities to a large number of rural people and youth. It is noteworthy that India has achieved great success and achievement in agriculture and allied sectors as compared to earlier times.
•  A new central scheme called "Agricultural Mechanization Promotion" has been launched with the aim of decreasing the cost of farming, increasing the crop-yield and management of crop-residues. It is being implemented in Punjab, Haryana,

Uttar Pradesh and National Capital Region of Delhi.

•  The focus of this scheme is on in-place management of crop residues. This scheme was announced in the budget of the year 2018. Under this, a total amount of 1151.80 crores will be spent from the Central Fund during the year 2018-19 to 2019-2020.
•  Farmers are being provided 50 percent of the cost of machinery I equipment as financial assistance for the purchase of machinery on personal basis for management of crop-residues. Besides, financial assistance is also being provided to State Governments, Agricultural Science Centres, institutions affiliated to Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Central Government Institutions and Public Sector Undertakings for activities related to Information, Education and Communication (IEC).
•  A new export policy has been prepared to infuse competitive spirit in Indian agriculture. Due to the sincere efforts made by the present Government, export of marine products has increased by 95% that of rice by 85%, fruits by 77% fresh vegetables by 43% and the export of spices by 38%. The interest of farmers has been protected by imposing duty on imports of oilseeds and pulses.

Way forward

•  Due to consistent research in agriculture, 795 new varieties of crops have been released for farmers. These varieties of crops have the ability to withstand the effects of climate change.
•  This will enhance production and thereby increase the income of farmers. Several new colleges of agriculture-education and veterinary-education have been opened,  the number of seats and scholarships started to help farmers receive fair value have also been increased. of their produce . Pradhan Mantri Fasal
•  Innovative technologies developed by the Bima Yojana has been started to cover the Indian Council of Agricultural Research maximum risk of farmers' crops based on (ICAR) have made significant contribution the Scale of Finance by removing capping
• In Increasing the production of food-grains, horticulture-products, crops, milk, fish and eggs.
•  Under the Entrepreneurship Development Program, Krishi Vigyan Kendras are helping farmers on various issues related to agriculture through training and technological resources.
   

Study Material for UPSC General Studies Pre Cum Mains

(GIST OF YOJANA) Multi-Pronged Approach to Urban Transformation

[FEBRUARY-2019]

Multi-Pronged Approach to Urban Transformation

Mains Paper 3: Economy
Prelims level: Smart Cities
Mains level: Infrastructure, roads, ports, railways

Introduction

•  India's urban population was over 31 per cent in 2011 census.
•  This is expected to rise to 40 percent by 2030 and 50 per cent by 2050, i.e., it will cross 800 million.
•  As per 2011 census, urban India contributed 63 percent to the GDP; it is projected to grow over 75 percent by 2030.
•  Challenges to Urban India the Prime Minister saw the challenges of urbanization as opportunities to drive the economy forward investments in infrastructure will create jobs, improve ease of living and employ citizens to best of their abilities in the service of the nation

Three-level strategy

1. At the first level, poverty alleviation, affordable housing and sanitation were the three biggest challenges. Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihood Mission (DAY-NULM), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) and Swachh Bharat Mission- Urban (SBM-U) implemented in all the urban local bodies (ULBs).
2. At the second level, basic infrastructure like water supply, sewage/septage projects and green parks became the focus.These sectors required economies of scale and are being implemented in 500 cities, with 1,00,000 and above population through Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).This covers over 60 per cent of urban population.
3. Finally at the third level, 100 cities are being developed under Smart Cities Mission (SCM) to address the issue of ease of living by evolving new paradigms of urban governance with communities at the core and increased use of digital technology to improve the urban infrastructure, services and utilization of resources.

What do we mean by Smart Cities?

1. More from Less: Being conscious of resource constraints, they have to generate more impact/outcomes from use of less resources- energy, finance and others;
2. Cooperative and Competitive Federalism: Cities are selected through competition in two stage challenges at State and Central levels
3. Integration, Innovation, Sustainability: It is not merely about the use of technology, but creation of integrated infrastructure and services.
4. Technology is the Means, and Not the Goal: Careful selection of technologies, relevant to the context of particular cities, built around specific needs of their communities is important for the cities to work out solutions; and
5. Inclusiveness is a Guiding Philosophy: Cities are for the people and hence they have to be built around the principles of inclusiveness. Broadly, Smart Cities address three core issues: Live-ability, Economic-ability and Sustain-ability.

Smart Cities Mission Strategy

•  Smart Cities Mission was launched on
•  Broadly, the Mission tries to meet the June 25, 2015 by the Prime Minister of major goals hi hlighted earlier t hrough India. a two- fold strat egy:
•  Smart cities in common parlance are  understood to be cities that use 1. Area Based Development, which appropriate technologies for improving quality of lives of their citizens.

1. Citizen at the Core: Citizens and the communities are at the centre of development; focuses on development of world class localities within cities to act as replicable models through redevelopment, retrofitting or green development; and
2. Pan City development, wherein cities identify few key areas of intervention with use of digital technologies to create impacts on basic infrastructure and services with an intent to improve quality of life for their citizens.

Smart Cities Mission Evolution

•  100 Smart Cities have been selected across all States and Union Territories of India. The selection of these 100 cities was done in four different rounds. Technology as a Means, and not the End
•  Technology as mentioned earlier, is a means to an end.
•  This is quite evident from the experience of Smart Cities Mission.
•  Every Smart City under the Mission will have a Smart City Centre (also referred to as Integrated Command and Control Centre).
•  This is and will be the city’s brain and nervous system where digital technologies are integrated to social, physical and environmental aspects of the city to provide centralised monitoring and decision making.
•  Place-making project: Pune has transformed neglected urban spaces into social hubs thereby creating active neighbourhoods.

Quality of Life und Economy: Impact

•  Smart cities’ projects are not only promoting sustainable development but also helping create vibrant, inclusive, healthy and collaborative cities, thus enhancing quality of life.
•  The Mission promotes mixed land-use in area-based developments ns proximity and density reduce the per capita costs of providing and maintaining infrastructure und services, while creating knowledge spillovers and specialization that hugely enhance the urban productivity.
•  Smart Cities are implementing projects with a strong focus on economic returns.
•  The primary focus of initiatives relating to local economic development is on commercial and retail activities, with a strong focus on market redevelopment projects and the new construction of offices, homes and allied institutions such as convention centres, etc., as part of mixed-use development.
•  Few other project interventions being implemented by Smart Cities include setting up of skill development centres, incubation centres and vending zones.

Innovation as Key Driver

•  The Smart Cities Mission aspires to build the right partnerships and networks, create enabling environments for engagement, and put in place an ecosystem which breeds innovation.
•  Recognizing the role of Start-ups, the Smart Cities Mission will work

Impact on Sustainability

• percent of the Smart Cities energy requirement coming from Solar Energy.
•  Diu has become the first city to completely switch over to solar power during the day-time. Many other cities have executed projects on renewable energy including solar and wind energy.
•  Smart Cities have identified initiatives to strengthen their distribution systems through Smart Metering.
•  Promotion of energy efficient green buildings and green transport options to reduce need for electricity are some other initiatives taken up by Smart Cities.

Key Enablers

•  Smart Governance, improved urban finance, capacity building und technology driven innovation ore key enablers in the performance of the smart cities. These are discussed in following paras.

UPSC Pre General Studies Study Material

Smart Governance

•  Smart Cities leverage ICT based technologies and digitalisation to make governance citizen-friendly and cost effective; bring about accountability and transparency; provide services without having to go to municipal offices; form e-groups to listen to people and obtain feedback; and use online monitoring of programs and activities with the aid of online tools.
•  By now, 13 Smart Cities have operationalised ICCCs; and work is in progress in another 49.
•  Smart Cities Mission aims to address barriers in data driven governance through ‘Data Smart Cities', an evolving policy framework on data for smart cities, which aims to be a catalyst for the entire ecosystem comprising of people, processes and technology.
•  Making ULBs financially self-sufficient is very important for sustainable development.
•  Capacity Building and Knowledge Management:
•  The Ministry has launched the Cities Investment To Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS)
•  Challenge in collaboration with the French Development Bank (AFD).
•  AFD will provide investment support of EUR 100 million to selected cities in key sectors of Sustainable Mobility, Public Open Spaces, Urban Governance & ICT and Social and Organization Innovation in Low Income Settlements. The Mission would select at least 15 projects through CITIES Challenge.
•  India Smart Cities Fellowship & Internship Program has been launched to engage brilliant youth with the Mission.
•  This will promote knowledge management within the Mission and provide young professionals with an opportunity to experience various aspects of urban planning and governance.
•  SmartNet is an initiative to support the development or cities across India and  to create a resource rich ecosystem of learning, sharing and disseminating for city managers and primary stakeholders in the urban transformation of India.

National Urban Innovation Hub

•  A new entity titled the ‘National Urban Innovation Hub’ (NUIH) is being proposed at the national level to consolidate existing resources and to expand the footprint of innovation development and capacity building for the urban sector.
•  NUIH would catalyse the creation of an enabling ecosystem for transformation of the urban sector through a culture of continuous and comprehensive innovation.
•  NUIH will anchor the National Smart Cities Capacity Building Program to produce empowered functionaries and stronger institutions.
•  NUIH will be powered by the National Urban Innovation Stack (NUIH).
•  The NUIH is envisaged to provide the foundational components that are required across various urban programs.
•  NUIH is a nationally shared digital infrastructure usable by the Governments, both at Centre and States and across public and private sectors.

Way Forward

•  At the start of the mission, one of the biggest challenges was to create an institutional framework at city level.
•  It is for the first time that city level SPVs have been created for comprehensive urban development in India.
•  Now, these cities have to build capacity at city level to take up innovative technology solutions.
•  A major challenge is to build urban finance capacities in order for cities to be able to leverage grants being provided by the governments.
• Innovative financing models like issuance of municipal bonds, developing PPP projects and formulating land value capture finance (VCF) policies are required. The cities have taken the first step by leveraging the government grant by 2 – 2.5 times (average) in their Smart City Proposals (SCPs).
•  The importance of standardization in the context of development of Smart Cities cannot be ignored.
•  Lack of standards results In problem of vendor lock-in and solution silos The Mission is closely working with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) an effort to come up with smart ICT INFRASTRUCTURE standards and they are hopeful that they should be able to release the first version of these standards around mid-2019.

Complete Study Material For UPSC, IAS Exams

(GIST OF YOJANA) Power for All - A Dream Coming True

[FEBRUARY-2019]

Power for All - A Dream Coming True

Mains Paper 3: Economy
Prelims level: DDUGJY
Mains level: Electrification process

Introduction

•  Access to reliable and affordable energy increases the case of living and generates employment. It powers the development of the country.
•  It is a prerequisite to digital connectivity in rural India, thereby opening new vistas for the people hitherto unconnected to the outer world.
•  The past four and a half years, have seen unprecedented pace of infrastructure creation in every segment be it power generation, transmission or distribution.
•  Regulatory framework is being reformed with a new Tariff Policy and amendments to the Electricity Act. In sum, the Indian power sector has undergone a paradigm change.

Challenges and Way Out

•  The challenges involved in completing this task were huge- these challenges had stood as a barrier to extending electricity to these villages for such a long period.
•  Most of these villages were located in remote inaccessible areas with difficult terrain in hilly areas, forest areas, areas severely affected with LWE activities etc. and transportation of material/equipment and mobilization of manpower for execution of works required determination and perseverance.
•  To achieve this feat, extensive infrastructure was created under DDUGJY.
•  Special focus was on feeder separation (rural households and agricultural) and strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution infrastructure including metering at M levels in rural areas. Hundreds of thousand kilometers of new lines were laid and lakhs of distributions transformers were installed.
•  The Prime Minister launched the ‘Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli liar Ghar Yojana’- Saubhagya in Sept. 2017 with the aim to achieve universal household electrification. Achievement of this within targeted timeline of 31” March 2019 is the challenge we have given to ourselves.
•  As the name of the scheme itself suggests, it has inherent features of ‘Sahaj’ i.c. Simple I Easy I Effortless and ‘HarGhar’ i.e. inclusive universal household electrification.
•  A targeted program of such a scale has never been attempted in the world. The progress is again exemplary in terms of speed and innovation. More than 2.50 crore households have already been electrified under Saubhagya!

About IPDS

•  In addition to providing last mile connectivity in rural areas, the Government launched Integrated
•  Power Development Scheme (IPDS) with an aim to strengthen power infrastructure in urban areas.
•  The focus areas of IPDS are
•  Strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution network in the urban areas
•  Metering of distribution transformers IfeedersIconsumers in the urban areas
•  IT enablement and automation of distribution sector

Renewable Energy

•  While India needs to develop, it has to do so in a responsible way. We owe our future generations a green and clean planet.
•  This is the reason India is in the process of changing its energy mix.
•  To make our electricity clean and green, we have developed a roadmap to achieve 175 GW capacity in the renewable energy sector by 2022, which includes 100 GW of solar power and 60 GW of wind power.
•  The overall installed capacity of Renewable Energy has been more than doubled in the last four and a half years from 34,000 MW to 75,000 MW, solar capacity increased 8 times in last
  4 years.
•  Today, India stands at 5th position in the world in installed solar capacity, at 4th position in installed wind capacity and at 5th position in over all renewable energy (installed capacity). We are on the way to achieve our commitments.

UPSC Pre General Studies Study Material

Energy Efficiency

•  A number of innovative and visionary policy measures have been taken in this field. Household LED bulb distribution program UJALA and SLNP (Streetlight National Project) for replacing conventional streetlights with smart and energy efficient LED street lights have saved billions of unit electricity per year.
•  Star Labeling program, Energy Conservation Building Code and energy efficiency measures through Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) are  also important initiatives in the field of energy efficiency.

Way Forward

•  A new Tariff Policy is being finalized. It contains several consumer friendly provisions to ensure reliable and 24x7 supply of power. This policy makes it mandatory to provide reliable and 24x7 power supply for all from 1st April, 2019.
•  If a power outage occurs without a valid reason (e.g. for scheduled maintenance or disruption due to natural calamity), the concerned power distribution company (DISCOM) will face penalties. This would effectively put an end to gratuitous load shedding by DISCOMs.
•  Another futuristic area we are working on is - Smart Electricity Meters. We have chalked out a strategy to replace all electricity meters in the country with Smart Meters within a period of 3 years.
•  A beginning has already been made with the installation of over 50 thousands Smart Meters in NDMC area.
•  This will revolutionize the power sector by way of reduced AT&C losses, better health of DISCOMs, incentivisation of energy conservation and ease of bill payments etc. Further, it will generate skilled employment for the youth.
•  Electrical vehicles (EVs) are another major emerging area we are focusing on. The Government has launched the National E-Mobility programme to promote electric vehicles in a big way.
•  Creation of extensive charging infrastructure is a prerequisite for large scale adoption of EVs.
•  The Ministry of Power is creating an enabling regulatory framework for rapid expansion of charging and storage infrastructure.

Complete Study Material For UPSC, IAS Exams

Decay of capitalism and an elixir called universal basic income (Live Mint)

Mains Paper 3: Economy
Prelims level: Keynesian economics, Universal Basic Income scheme
Mains level: Economic growth and development

Context

•  Global financial crisis has increased the relevance of Schumpeter’s prediction:
•  Capitalism has seen multiple phases.
•  The period from the start of the Industrial Revolution in the 1760s to the Great Depression in 1929 can be referred to as the period of unfettered capitalism.

Background

•  In the 1930s, we saw increasing fetters being put on capitalism because of the Great Depression and the ascendancy of Keynesian economics.
•  Keynesian economics took a break in the 1980s during the neo-liberal revolution, with political figures such as Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan cutting down the size of the government.
•  Since the global financial crisis in 2008, however, this neo-liberal consensus has been decimated with the clamour for higher social safety nets and greater regulation of market forces.
•  The global financial crisis and a decade of its repercussions have brought us right back to Schumpeter’s prognosis of the slow death of capitalism.
•  All the factors Schumpeter outlined for the death of capitalism, he emphasized most on the growing hostility towards capitalism led by the emergence of an intellectual class.
•  A closer and deeper look into this factor follows.

Emergence of the intellectual class:

•  Capitalism grows by promoting a strong rationalizing attitude that calls into question the existing order.
•  The stage for the Industrial Revolution, when the capitalist engine was humming at its prime, was set by this rationalizing attitude gnawing away at the privileges of kings, aristocrats, and feudal lords and leading to the rise of the bourgeois (entrepreneur) class.
•  This brings us to the central insight of Schumpeter’s analysis.
•  The rise of the bourgeois class and the intensifying of the rationalizing attitude leads to the growth of another class that opposes capitalism, the intellectual class.
•  In Schumpeter’s own words, the “bourgeois" will find to their “amazement that the rationalist attitude does not stop at the credentials of kings and popes but goes on to attack private property and the whole scheme of bourgeois values".

But why does the intellectual class bay for capitalism’s blood?

•  Capitalism is an evolutionary system in which old methods of productions are destroyed and new methods introduced by recurring cycles of entrepreneurial energy.
•  Schumpeter famously called this the process of “creative destruction".
•  Firms in a capitalist system are continuously exposed to the threat of changing surroundings and must, therefore, build a moat around themselves for survival.
•  Practices such as product differentiation, advertisements, patents and discriminatory pricing—policies that increasingly come under the critical gaze of the intellectual class as being suboptimal to maximum production.
•  Also, the process of creative destruction fans business cycles and the disruption that accompanies such cycles intensifies the demands for social justice.
•  The modern tools of the intellectual class: In the past, the printing press and spread of literacy both offshoots of capitalism strengthened the hands of the intellectual class which, ironically, fights capitalism.
•  The modern equivalent of this is the advent of social media and free information.
•  Social media, a creation of capitalism, has brought the intellectual class and the masses in closer contact than what the printing press did.
•  Also, the unlimited and freely available information on the internet, made possible to a large extent by advertisement revenue from capitalists, has made it possible for the masses to swell the ranks of the intellectual class.
•  The pre-eminence of the intellectual class in modern times is manifested in the strong, vocal, and erudite group we commonly refer to as liberals.

Universal basic income can defuse the wrath of the intellectual class:

•  Every attack on capitalism has seen policymakers introduce temporary palliatives such as minimum wage, progressive taxes, higher social safety nets, and more regulation.
•  The combination of the growing intellectual liberal order on the one hand and rising inequality, youth unemployment and multiple economic crises on the other, is ominous for capitalism’s future.
•  The only policy that seems capable of significantly countering the dissatisfaction espoused by liberals is universal basic income.

Core advantages to Universal basic income

•  Universal basic income has two core advantages.
•  First, it has the potential to dramatically eliminate poverty by lifting a section of the population above a certain income level, thus significantly assuaging the concerns of the intellectual class.
•  Second, direct income transfers interfere the least with capitalism’s price mechanism as compared to price controls, quotas and licensing.

Conclusion

•  Whether a universal basic income can permanently stop the forces contributing to capitalism’s decay is something only time will tell.
•  At the very least, we can be certain that universal basic income can extend capitalism’s life in the short term.
•  This still makes it a compelling policy for capitalists to support, for as Schumpeter highlighted, in matters of structural changes, “a century is a short run".

Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

Protecting our forests, minus its inhabitants (Live Mint)

Mains Paper 2: Polity
Prelims level: The Forest Rights Act, 2006
Mains level: Rights and Welfare of STs, SCs, and OBCs - Schemes and their Performance, Mechanisms, Laws Institutions and Bodies

Context

•  The Forest Rights Act, 2006, was a landmark legislation to correct historic injustices and legally recognize the community rights of forest dwellers over their land.
•  The Act allowed forest dwellers to file claims for land titles inside forest areas and as a community to use the forest commons.
•  State governments were put in charge of verifying and approving the claims.

Background

•  On 13 February, the Supreme Court, while hearing a petition filed by conservation groups who questioned the constitutional validity of the Act, ordered the immediate eviction of more than a million households on forest lands, apparently to protect wildlife.
•  The court agreed with the petitioner’s contention that households whose claims to forest land were rejected have to be evicted by July.
•  It ordering a mass eviction, the largest till date in independent India.
•  The court’s decision is in sharp contrast to how it recognized the rights of the Dongria Kondh tribes in 2013 against a bauxite mining project in Niyamgiri, Odisha, following a rigorous process of local consultation.
•  The utter irony in this fiasco is that a progressive legislation has been turned on its head to evict the people it was enacted to protect, when the law itself did not have any provisions for eviction.

Highlights of the court proceedings

•  The court proceedings also showed the callousness of the central government.
•  During the hearing, the centre did not put up a strong defence of the rights of the tribals, though the ministry of tribal affairs is aware that claims of impoverished tribals are often rejected at the insistence of the powerful forest bureaucracy who are part of the local and state-level committees that review claims.
•  The state governments are unlikely to implement the court order, at least before and during the general election, much fear that the judgement may be used selectively in the future, for instance, in cases where tribals oppose mining or other industrial projects.
•  Such projects will not need people’s consent if there are no people to begin with.
•  However, one can hope that the judgement may force some overdue introspection and debate.
•  It is undeniable that the forest cover India has lost is due to urbanization, industrial, and mining projects and the spread of commercial agriculture, while the tribal forest dwellers lived and protected for centuries the land that held valuable minerals like coal, bauxite and iron ore underneath.
•  The loss of green cover has hurt their daily lives as much as it has hurt the wild animals.

Conclusion

•  To designate tribals as encroachers on their own land is not just a travesty of justice, but is also seeped in ignorance of the history of development.
•  India’s first environment movement in 1973 to protect the forests was not started by staunch conservationists or the forest department it was started by the local residents of Chamoli in Uttarakhand who stood up against commercial logging and led the Chipko movement.
•  Enclosing forests and displacing indigenous communities will only lead to more destruction of India’s green cover

Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

Safety nets: on banning unregulated deposit schemes (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2: Economy
Prelims level: Unregulated deposit schemes
Mains level: New rules in the unregulated deposit schemes

Context

• The savings of low-income Indian households have traditionally remained unprotected by the government when compared to those of the more affluent economic groups.
• President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Ordinance, which bars all deposit schemes in the country that are not officially registered with the government from either seeking or accepting deposits from customers.

Significance of this ordinance

• The ordinance will help in the creation of a central repository of all deposit schemes under operation, thus making it easier for the Centre to regulate their activities and prevent fraud from being committed against ordinary people.
• The ordinance allows for compensation to be offered to victims through the liquidation of the assets of those offering illegal deposit schemes.
• Popular deposit schemes such as chit funds and gold schemes, which as part of the huge shadow banking system usually do not come under the purview of government regulators, have served as important instruments of saving for people in the unorganised sector. But these unregulated schemes.
• It has also been misused by some miscreants to swindle the money of depositors with the promise of unbelievably high returns in a short period of time.
• The Saradha chit fund scam in West Bengal is just one example of such a heinous financial crime against depositors.
• The Centre’s latest attempt to curb unregulated deposit schemes through an ordinance reflects a timely recognition of the need for greater legal protection to be offered for those depositors with inadequate financial literacy.

Way forward

• The intent of the ordinance, which is to protect small depositors, is indeed commendable, the benefits that depositors will eventually derive from the new legislation will depend largely on its proper implementation.
• The policymakers will have to make sure that the bureaucrats responsible for the on-ground implementation of the ordinance are keen on protecting the savings of low-income households.
• There must also be checks against persons in power misusing the new rules to derecognise genuine deposit schemes that offer useful financial services to customers in the unorganised sector.
• It have been several cases of politicians acting in cahoots with the operators of fraudulent deposit schemes to fleece depositors of their hard-earned money.
• Another potential risk involved when the government, as in this case, takes it upon itself to guarantee the legitimacy of various deposit schemes is that it dissuades depositors from conducting the necessary due diligence before choosing to deposit their money.
• The passing of tough laws may thus be the easiest of battles in the larger war against illicit deposit schemes.

Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

De-odourising sewage (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2: Governance
Prelims level: Communicable disease
Mains level: Health related issues

Context

• The World Bank estimates that more than a fifth of all communicable diseases in India (21%) are caused by contaminated water.
• It attributes one in ten deaths in India to diseases or infections directly or indirectly transmitted through water.
• Over 500 children die every day in India due to diarrhoeal diseases.

Nitrogen, a growing pollutant

• According to a study by the Indian Nitrogen Group, a task force of scientists tracking the issue, the amount of reactive nitrogen in a bulk of the water bodies in India is already twice the limit prescribed by WHO.
• Nitrogen pollution from untreated sewage, the study found, now outstrips nitrogen pollution from the Indian farmer’s urea addiction.
• Toilets are being built in mission mode and there is enough anecdotal evidence to suggest that there has been a measurable reduction in the number of people defecating in the open, which stood at over 500 million or half the population a few years ago.

Clean India missions

• India’s latest, largest and most significantly scaled attempt at cleanliness the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is likely to add to this problem.
• Under the mission, in the past four years alone, over nine crore toilets have been constructed. Of these, only 60 lakh are in urban areas, where one assumes they are connected to some sort of sewage system (even this assumption is a stretch.

Problems and solution

• A study done by the Centre for Science and Environment in 30 cities in Uttar Pradesh found that only 28% of toilets in these cities were connected to a sewage system).
• The rest will be generating fecal sludge, sewage and septage which have no place to go.
• It will simply get dumped, polluting land, surface and ground water and killing our rivers and ponds.
• According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 63% of urban sewage flowing into rivers is untreated.
• The CPCB’s website admits that the gap between sewage generated in urban areas (all Class 1 and Class 2 towns) and capacity for treating that is over 78%.
• Up to a third of the installed sewage treatment capacity is fully or partly dysfunctional.
• Even where the plants are working, many are not working at full capacity, because the infrastructure needed to feed the raw sewage into the treatment plant a network of drains, sewers and pumping stations is inadequate or incomplete.
• The nation is building toilets in mission mode, one would have thought civic administrations would be building drains and sewers and treatment plants with the same zeal.

Access to water

• The water is increasingly becoming the biggest challenge faced by most Indian cities today.
• According to NITI Aayog’s composite water management index report released last year, 75% of households do not have access to drinking water on premises.
• 70% households lack piped water (potable or otherwise) and as many as 20 cities will effectively use up all available water resources by 2020.

Conclusion

•  Sewage and waste need to come at centre-stage in our policy debates.
•  Elections may be fought on ‘bijli, sadak, paani’ (power, roads, water) but no election is fought over naali (drain).
•  Unless that happens, we run the real risk of eventually either choking or being poisoned by our own waste.

Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

Terror timeline: on FATF advisory to Pakistan (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 3: Security
Prelims level: FATF
Mains level: Procedure taken to counter terrorism operation

Context

• The statement of the Financial Action Task Force in Paris is another message to Islamabad from the international community of the mounting costs of its decades-old lax policy towards terror groups.
• After the February 14 Pulwama attack and the global terror finance watchdog condemned, in no uncertain terms, the suicide bombing of the CRPF convoy that left 40 personnel dead.
  Guidelines issued by FATF
• It issued a 10-point advisory to Pakistan if it wants to be out of the “grey list” of countries posing a “risk to the international system”. Pakistan has been on the grey list since June 2018, and will be required to show compliance or face being “black-listed” by the session in October 2019.
• A black-list would mean enhanced financial scrutiny of its government, possible sanctions against its central bank, and a downgrade of its financial and credit institutions.
• This is something Pakistan, already facing an acute debt crisis, can ill-afford. Amongst the FATF’s stern observations of what it called Pakistan’s lack of “understanding” of the terror finance risks posed by groups, such as the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Islamic State, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, was a clear message.
• Islamabad must visibly demonstrate that it has taken measures to crack down on and shut down the infrastructure and finances of these groups.
• The first deadline to show results is May 2019, with a review in June.
• This goes even beyond the Security Council guidelines under its 1267 listing that oblige Pakistan to ensure that terror entities do not travel out of the country, or have access to funding or weaponry.

Conclusion

• The banning of the JuD and the FIF doesn’t appear to have affected the groups in the slightest, and a day after taking over the Bahawalpur seminary/
• Pakistan’s Information Minister announced that its links to the JeM were simply “Indian propaganda”.
• The world community must make it clear to the Pakistan government the possible international and financial repercussions of ignoring the FATF’s timeline.

Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

UPSC HINDI PAPERS यूपीएससी आईएएस परीक्षा पेपर Download

1. परा के लए उमीदवार अपनी पाता सुनिचत कर ल : परा के लए आवेदन करने वाले उमीदवार को यह सुनिचत कर लेना चाहए क वे परा म वेश हेत सभी पाता शत को करते ह। परा के सभी तर पर उनका वेश नधारत पाता शत को परा करने क शत के अयधीन  अनंतम होगा। उमीदवार को मा वेश प जार कए जाने का अथ यह नहं होगा क उसक उमीदवार आयोग वारा अंतम प से सुनिचत कर द गई है। उमीदवार के सरकार /यितव परण म अहक घोषत कए जाने के बाद ह मूल दतावेज के संदभ म आयोग वारा पाता क शत क जांच क जाती है।

आवेदन कैसे करे:

उमीदवार https://www.upsconline.nic.in वेबसाइट का इतेमाल करके ऑनलाइन आवेदन कर। ऑनलाइन आवेदन करने संबंधी वतत उपय तु वेबसाइट पर उपलध ह। ऑनलाइन आवेदन प भरने के लए सं त अनु देश परशट-II म दए गए ह िजह सावधानीपू वक पढ़ ल। 2.1 उमीदवार के पास कसी एक फोटो पहचान प जैसे आधार काड, मतदाता पहचान प, पैन काड, पासपोट, ाइवंग लाइसस अथवा राय/ क सरकार वारा जार कसी अय फोटो पहचान प का ववरण भी होना चाहए। इस फोटो पहचान प का ववरण उमीदवार वारा अपना ऑनलाइन आवेदन फाम भरते समय उपलध कराना होगा। उमीदवार को फोटो आईडी क एक कैन क गई कॉपी अपलोड करनी होगी िजसका ववरण उसके वारा ऑनलाइन आवेदन म दान कया गया है। इस फोटो आईडी का उपयोग भवय के सभी संदभ के लए कया जाएगा और उमीदवार को परा/ यितव परण/ एसएसबी के लए उपिथत होते समय इस पहचान प को साथ ले जाने क सलाह  जाती है।

आवेदन पत्र की भरने की अंतिम तारीख  :

ऑनलाइन आवेदन प 18 माच, 2019 को सांय 6:00 बजे तक भरे जा सकते ह। पा उमीदवार को परा  होने के तीन सताह पू व ई-वेश माण प जार कया जाएगा। ई-वेश माण प आयोग क वेबसाइट https://www.upsconline.nic.in पर उपलध होगा उमीदवार डाउनलोड कर सकते ह। डाक वारा कोई वेश माण प नहं भेजा जाएगा।

गलत उतर के लए दंड

उमीदवार यह नोट कर ल क वतुन ठ कार के न प म उमीदवार वारा दए गए गलत उतर के लए दंड (ऋणामक अंकन) दया जाएगा।

उमीदवार के मागदशन हेत सुविधा काउटर :

उमीदवार अपने आवेदन प उमीदवार आद से संबंधत कसी भी कार के मागदशन/जानकार/प टकरण के लए काय दवस म  10.00 बजे और सायं 5.00 बजे के बीच आयोग परसर म गेट ‘सी’ के नकट संघ लोक सेवा आयोग के सुवधा काउटर पर यितगत प से अथवा दरभाष 011-23385271/ 011-23381125/011-23098543 पर संपक कर सकते ह।

(स्टडी किट) UPSC सामान्य अध्ययन प्रारंभिक एवं मुख्य परीक्षा (Combo)

(स्टडी किट) UPSC सामान्य अध्ययन (GS) प्रारंभिक परीक्षा (Pre) पेपर-1

मोबाइल फोन प्रतिबंधित:

(क) जहां परा आयोिजत क जा रह है, उस परसर म मोबाइल फोन का योग (चाहे वह  ऑफ ह य ना हो), पेजर या कसी अ य कार का इलेनक उपकरण या कए जा सकने वाला डवाइस या पेन  जैसा कोई टोरेज मीडया, माट वॉच इयाद या कै मरा या लू टूथ डवाइस या कोई  उपकरण या संचार यं के प म योग कए जा सकने वाला कोई अय संबंधत उपकरण, चाहे वह बंद हो या चालूसत मना है।
(ख) उमीदवार को उनके हत म सलाह द जाती है क वे परा थल पर मोबाइल फोन/ लू टूथ सहत कोई भी तबंधत सामी न लाएं, यक इनक सु रा सुनिचत नहं क जा सकती।

उमीदवार को सलाह  जाती है क वे कोई भी  यवान/कमती सामान परा भवन म न लाएं, यक उनक सु रा सुनिचत नहं क जा सकती. आयोग इस संबंध म कसी नकसान के लए उतरदायी नहं होगा।

एफ. सं. 1/9/2018-प.1(ख)

भारत के असाधारण राजप दनांक 19 फरवर, 2019 म कामक और शण वभाग वारा काशत नयम के अनसार नीचे उिलखत सेवाओं और पद म भत के लए संघ  लोक सेवा आयोग वारा 2 जनू , 2019 को सवल सेवा परा क प्रारम्भिक  जाएगी।

(i) भारतीय प्रशासनिक सेवा

(ii) भारतीय विदेश सेवा

(iii) भारतीय पुलिस सेवा

(iv) भारतीय डाक एवं तार लेखा और वित्त सेवा, ग्रुप "क "

(v) भारतीय लेखा परीक्षा और लेखा सेवा , ग्रुप "क "

(vi) भारतीय राजस्व सेवा (सीमा शुल्क और केंद्रीय उत्पाद), ग्रुप 'क'

(vii) भारतीय रक्षा लेखा सेवा, ग्रुप 'क'

(viii) भारतीय राजस्व सेवा (आयकर), ग्रुप 'क'

(ix) भारतीय आयुध कारखाना सेवा, ग्रुप 'क' (सहायक कर्मशाला प्रबंधक , प्रशासनिक)

(x) भारतीय डाक सेवा, ग्रुप 'क'

(xi) भारतीय सिविल लेखा सेवा, ग्रुप 'क'

(xii) भारतीय रेलवे यातायात सेवा, ग्रुप 'क'

(xiii) भारतीय रेलवे लेखा सेवा, ग्रुप 'क'

(xiv) भारतीय रेलवे कार्मिक सेवा, ग्रुप 'क'

(xv) रेलवे सुरक्षा बल में ग्रुप 'क' के सहायक सुरक्षा आयुक्त के पद

(xvi) भारतीय रक्षा संपदा सेवा, ग्रुप 'क'

(xvii) भारतीय सूचना सेवा (कनिष्ठ ग्रेड), ग्रुप 'क'

(xviii) भारतीय व्यापार सेवा, ग्रुप 'क'

(xix) भारतीय कारपोरेट विधि सेवा, ग्रुप 'क'

(xx) सशस्त्र सेना मुख्यालय सिविल सेवा, ग्रुप 'ख' (अनुभाग अधर्कारी ग्रेड)

(xxi) दिल्ली , अंडमान एवं निकोबार द्वीप समूह,लक्षद्वीप , दमन व दीव एवं दादरा व नगर हवेली सिविल सेवा, ग्रुप 'ख'

(xxii) दिल्ली , अंडमान एवं निकोबार द्वीप समूह,लक्षद्वीप , दमन व दीव एवं दादरा व नगर हवेली पुलिस सेवा, ग्रुप 'ख'

(xxiii)पांडिचेरी सिविल सेवा, ग्रुप 'ख'

(xxiv)पांडिचेरी पुलिस सेवा, ग्रुप 'ख'.

UPSC 2019 अधिसूचना के लिए यहां क्लिक करें

ऑनलाइन आवेदन के लिए यहां क्लिक करें

(स्टडी किट) UPSC सामान्य अध्ययन प्रारंभिक एवं मुख्य परीक्षा (Combo)

(स्टडी किट) UPSC सामान्य अध्ययन (GS) प्रारंभिक परीक्षा (Pre) पेपर-1

Courtesy: UPSC

महत्वपूर्ण लिंक:

• शैक्षिक योग्यता

• पाठ्यक्रम (Syllabus)

• UPSC HINDI PAPERS : यूपीएससी आईएएस (प्री) सामान्य अध्ययन परीक्षा पेपर

• अवसरो की संख्या

• आवेदन कैसे करें

• ऑनलाइन आवेदन करने के लिए यहां क्लिक करें

1. CANDIDATES TO ENSURE THEIR ELIGIBILITY FOR THE EXAMINATION:

The Candidates applying for the examination should ensure that they fulfill all eligibility conditions for admission to examination. Their admission to all the stages of the examination will be purely provisional subject to satisfying the prescribed eligibility conditions. Mere issue of e-Admit Card to the candidate will not imply that his/her candidature has been finally cleared by the Commission. The Commission takes up verification of eligibility conditions with reference to original documents only after the candidate has qualified for Interview/Personality Test.

2. HOW TO APPLY:

Candidates are required to apply Online by using the website https://upsconline.nic.in Detailed instructions for filling up online applications are available on the above mentioned website. Brief Instructions for filling up the "Online Application Form" given in Appendix-II. 2.1 Candidate should have details of one Photo ID Card viz. Aadhaar Card/Voter Card/PAN Card/Passport/Driving Licence/Any other Photo ID Card issued by the State/Central Government. The details of this Photo ID Card will have to be provided by the candidate while filling up the online application form. The candidates will have to upload a scanned copy of the Photo ID whose details have been provided in the online application by him/her. This Photo ID Card will be used for all future referencing and the candidate is advised to carry this Photo ID Card while appearing for Examination/Personality Test.

3. LAST DATE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS :

The online Applications can be filled up to 18th March, 2019 till 6:00 PM. The eligible candidates shall be issued an e-Admit Card three weeks before the commencement of the examination. The e-Admit Card will be made available in the UPSC website [https://upsconline.nic.in] for downloading by candidates. No Admit Card will be sent by post.

4. PENALTY FOR WRONG ANSWERS:

Candidates should note that there will be penalty (negative marking) for wrong answers marked by a candidate in the Objective Type Question Papers.

5. FACILITATION COUNTER FOR GUIDANCE OF CANDIDATES:

In case of any guidance/information/clarification regarding their applications, candidature etc. candidates can contact UPSC’s Facilitation Counter near gate ‘C’ of its campus in person or over Telephone No. 011-23385271/011-23381125/011-23098543 on working days between 10.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs.

6. MOBILE PHONES BANNED:

Government strives to have a workforce which reflects gender balance and women candidates are encouraged to apply

(a) The use of any mobile phone (even in switched off mode), pager or any electronic equipment or programmable device or storage media like pen drive, smart watches etc. or camera or blue tooth devices or any other equipment or related accessories either in working or switched off mode capable of being used as a communication device during the examination is strictly prohibited. Any infringement of these instructions shall entail disciplinary action including ban from future examinations.

(b) Candidates are advised in their own interest not to bring any of the banned items including mobile phones/pagers to the venue of the examination, as arrangement for safe-keeping cannot be assured.

7. Candidates are advised not to bring any valuable/costly items to the venue of the examination, as safe-keeping of the same cannot be assured. Commission will not be responsible for any loss in
this regard.

F. No. 1/9/2018-E.I(B) : Preliminary Examination of the Civil Services Examination for recruitment to the Services and Posts mentioned below will be held by the Union Public Service Commission on 2nd June, 2019 in accordance with the Rules published by the Department of Personnel & Training in the Gazette of India Extraordinary dated 19th February, 2019.

1. Indian Administrative Service.

2. Indian Foreign Service.

3. Indian Police Service

4. Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service, Group ‘A’.

5. Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Group ‘A’.

6. Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), Group ‘A’.

7. Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group ‘A’.

8. Indian Revenue Service (I.T.), Group ‘A’.

9. Indian Ordnance Factories Service, Group ‘A’ (Assistant Works Manager, Administration).

10. Indian Postal Service, Group ‘A’.

11. Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group ‘A’.

12. Indian Railway Traffic Service, Group ‘A’.

13. Indian Railway Accounts Service, Group 'A'.

14. Indian Railway Personnel Service, Group ‘A’.

15. Post of Assistant Security Commissioner in Railway Protection Force, Group ‘A’

16. Indian Defence Estates Service, Group ‘A’.

17. Indian Information Service (Junior Grade), Group ‘A’.

18. Indian Trade Service, Group 'A'.

19. Indian Corporate Law Service, Group ‘A’.

20. Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, Group ‘B’ (Section Officer’s Grade).

21. Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service, Group 'B'.

22. Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Police Service, Group 'B'.

23. Pondicherry Civil Service, Group 'B'.

24. Pondicherry Police Service, Group ‘B’.

The number of vacancies to be filled on the result of the examination is expected to be  approximately 896 which include 39 vacancies reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disability Category, i.e. 8 vacancies for candidates of (a) blindness and low vision; 11 Vacancies for (b) deaf and hard of hearing; 15 Vacancies for (c) locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy; and 5 Vacancies for (e) multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (c) including deaf-blindness. The final number of vacancies may undergo change after getting firm number of vacancies from Cadre Controlling Authorities. Reservation will be made for candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes. Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, the Economically Weaker Sections and Persons with Benchmark Disability in respect of vacancies as may be fixed by the Government.

As per the decision taken by the Government for increasing the access of unemployed to job opportunities, the Commission will publicly disclose the scores of the candidates (obtained in the Written Examination and Interview/Personality Test) through the public portals. The disclosure will be made in respect of only those willing candidates who will appear in the Interview/Personality Test for the Civil Service Examination and are not finally recommended for appointment. The information shared through this disclosure scheme about the non-recommended candidates may be used by other public and private recruitment agencies to appoint suitable candidates from the information made available in the public portal.

Candidates will be required to give their options at the time of Interview/Personality Test, while downloading the e-Summon Letter from the Commission's website for the interview. A candidate may opt out of the scheme also and in that case his/her details will not be published by the Commission. Besides sharing of the information of the non-recommended willing candidates of this examination, the Commission will not assume any responsibility or liability for the method and manner in which information related to such candidates is utilized by public/private organizations.

A list of Services Identified suitable for Persons with Benchmark Disability along with the Physical Requirements and Functional Classifications:

3. Eligibility Conditions: (I) Nationality

1. For the Indian Administrative Service, the Indian Foreign Service and the Indian Police Service, a candidate must be a citizen of India.

2. For other services, a candidate must be either:-

• a citizen of India, or

• a subject of Nepal, or

• a subject of Bhutan, or

• a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or

• a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India. Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (b), (c), (d) and (e) shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination but the offer of appointment may be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him/her by the Government of India.

(II) Age Limits:

(a) A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years on the 1st of August, 2019 i.e., he must have been born not earlier than 2nd August,
1987 and not later than 1st August, 1998. Necessary action to make corresponding changes in  respective Rules/Regulations pertaining to various services is being taken separately. (b) The upper age-limit prescribed above will be relaxable:

1. up to a maximum of five years if a candidate belongs to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe;

2.  up to a maximum of three years in the case of candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates;

3. up to a maximum of three years in the case of Defence Services Personnel, disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof;

4. up to a maximum of five years in the case of ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least five years Military Service as on 1st August,
   2019 and have been released;

5. on completion of assignment (including those whose assignment is due to be completed within one year from 1st August, 2019 otherwise than by way of dismissal or
   discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency; or

b. on account of physical disability attributable to Military Service; or

c. on invalidment.

1. up to a maximum of 10 years in the case of

(a) blindness and low vision;
(b) deaf and hard of hearing;
(c) locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy; (d) autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness; and (d) multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d) including deaf-blindness.

1. up to a maximum of five years if a candidate had ordinarily been domiciled in the State of Jammu and Kashmir during the period from the 1st day of January, 1980 to the 31st day of December, 1989.

Note I:-Candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes who are also covered under any other clauses of Rule 6(b) above, viz. those coming under the category of Ex-servicemen, persons domiciled in the State of J & K , Persons of Benchmark Disabilities [viz. (a) blindness and low vision; (b) deaf and hard of hearing; (c) locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy; (d) autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness; and (e) multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d) including deaf-blindness etc.] will be eligible for grant of cumulative age-relaxation under both the categories.
Note II : The details of Functional Classification (FC) and Physical Requirements (PR) of each service is indicated in this Notice which are identified and prescribed by the respective Cadre Controlling Authorities (CCAs) as per the provisions of Section 33 and 34 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Only those category (ies) of disability (ies) mentioned in the Notice shall apply for the examination under Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) categories.

Therefore, the candidates belonging to the Persons with Benchmark Disability categories are advised to read it carefully before applying for the examination.

Note III:-The term Ex-servicemen will apply to the persons who are defined as Ex-servicemen in the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Civil Services and Posts) Rules, 1979, as amended from time to time.

Note IV :-The age concession under para 3(II)(iv) and (v) will be admissible to Ex-servicemen i.e. a person who has served in any rank whether as combatant or non-combatant in the Regular Army, Navy and Air Force of the Indian Union and who either has been retired or relieved or discharged from such service whether at his/her own request or being relieved by the employer after earning his or her pension.

Note V:-Notwithstanding the provision of age relaxation under para 3 (b)(vi) above, candidates of Persons with Benchmark Disability will be considered to be eligible for appointment only if he/she (after such physical examination as the Government or appointing authority, as the case may be, may prescribe) is found to satisfy the requirements of physical and medical standards for the concerned Services/Posts to be allocated to the Persons with Benchmark Disability by the Government.

Save as provided above, the age-limits prescribed can in no case be relaxed.

The date of birth, accepted by the Commission is that entered in the Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate or in a certificate recognized by an Indian University as equivalent to Matriculation or in an extract from a Register of Matriculates maintained by a University which extract must be certified by the proper authority of the University or in the Higher Secondary or an equivalent examination certificate. These certificates are required to be submitted only at the time of applying for the Civil Services (Main) Examination. No other document relating to age like horoscopes, affidavits, birth extracts from Municipal Corporation, Service records and the like will be accepted.

The expression Matriculation/Higher Secondary Examination Certificate in this part of the Instruction include the alternative certificates mentioned above.

Note 1:-Candidate should note that only the date of birth as recorded in the Matriculation/Secondary Examination certificate or an equivalent certificate on the date of submission of application will be accepted by the Commission, and no subsequent request for its change will be considered or granted.

Note 2:-Candidates should also note that once a date of birth has been claimed by them and entered in the records of the Commission for the purpose of admission to an Examination, no change will be allowed subsequently or at any other Examination of the Commission on any grounds whatsoever.

Note 3:- The candidate should exercise due care while entering their date of birth in the online Application Form for the Preliminary Examination. If on verification at any subsequent stage, any variation is found in their date of birth from the one entered in their matriculation or equivalent Examination certificate, disciplinary action will be taken against them by the Commission under the Rules.

(III) Minimum Educational Qualifications :

The candidate must hold a degree of any of Universities incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a  University Under Section-3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification.

Note I:-Candidates who have appeared at an examination the passing of which would render them educationally qualified for the Commission's examination but have not been informed of the result as also the candidates who intend to appear at such a qualifying examination will also be eligible for admission to the Preliminary Examination. All candidates who are declared qualified by the Commission for taking the Civil Services (Main) Examination will be required to produce proof of passing the requisite examination along with their application (i.e. Detailed Application Form-I) for the Main Examination, failing which such candidates will not be admitted to the Main Examination. Such proof of passing the requisite examination should be dated earlier than the due date (closing date) of Detailed Application Form-I of the Civil Services (Main) Examination.

Note II: In exceptional cases the Union Public Service Commission may treat a candidate who does not have any of the foregoing qualifications as a qualified candidate provided that he/she has passed examination conducted by the other Institutions, the standard of which in the opinion of the Commission justifies his/her admission to the examination.

Note III: Candidates possessing professional and technical qualifications which are recognised by the Government as equivalent to professional and technical degree would also be eligible for admission to the examination.

Note IV: Candidates who have passed the final professional M.B.B.S. or any other Medical Examination but have not completed their internship by the time of submission of their applications for the Civil Services (Main) Examination, will be provisionally admitted to the Examination provided they submit along with their application a copy of certificate from the concerned authority of the University/Institution that they had passed the requisite final professional medical examination. In such cases, the candidates will be required to produce at the time of their interview original Degree or a certificate from the concerned competent authority of the University/Institution that they had completed all requirements (including completion of internship) for the award of the Degree

(IV) Number of attempts: Every candidate appearing at the examination, who is otherwise eligible, shall be permitted six attempts at the examination: Provided that this restriction on the number of attempts will not apply in the case of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes candidates who are otherwise eligible : Provided further that the number of attempts permissible to candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes, who are otherwise eligible, shall be nine. The relaxation will be available to the candidates who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates : Provided further that candidates of Persons with Benchmark Disability will get as many attempts as are available to other candidates who do not belong to Persons with Benchmark Disability of his or her community, subject to the condition that a candidate of Persons with Benchmark Disability belonging to the General Category shall be eligible for nine attempts. Necessary action to make corresponding changes in respective Rules/regulations pertaining to various services is being taken separately. The relaxation will be available to the candidates of Persons with Benchmark Disability who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates.

Note :-

(I) An attempt at a Preliminary Examination shall be deemed to be an attempt at the Civil Services Examination.

(II) If a candidate actually appears in any one paper in the Preliminary Examination, he/she shall be deemed to have made an attempt at the Examination.

(III) Notwithstanding the disqualification/cancellation of candidature, the fact of appearance of the candidate at the examination will count as an attempt.

(V) Restrictions on applying for the examination:

(a) A candidate who is appointed to the Indian Administrative Service or the Indian Foreign Service on the results of an earlier examination and continues to be a member of that service will not be eligible to compete at this examination. In case such a candidate is appointed to the IAS/IFS after the Preliminary Examination of Civil Services Examination, 2019 is over and he/she continues to be a member of that service, he/she shall not be eligible to appear in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2019 notwithstanding his/her having qualified in the Preliminary Examination, 2019.
Also provided that if such a candidate is appointed to IAS/IFS after the commencement of the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2019 but before the result thereof and continues to be a member of that service, he/she shall not be considered for appointment to any service/post on the basis of the result of this examination viz. Civil Services Examination, 2019.

(b) A candidate who is appointed to the Indian Police Service on the results of an earlier examination and continues to be a member of that service will not be eligible to opt for the Indian Police Service in Civil Services Examination, 2019.

(VI) Physical Standards: Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standards for admission to Civil Services Examination, 2019 as per guidelines given in Appendix-III of Rules for Examination published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary dated 19th February, 2019.

4. FEE:

Candidates (excepting Female/SC/ST/Persons with Benchmark Disability Candidates who are exempted from payment of fee) are required to pay fee of Rs. 100/- (Rupees One Hundred only) either by remitting the money in any Branch of State Bank of India or by using Visa/Master/RuPay Credit/Debit Card or by using Internet Banking of SBI. Applicants who opt for "Pay by Cash" mode should print the system generated Pay-in-slip during part II registration and deposit the fee at the counter of SBI Branch on the next working day only. "Pay by Cash" mode will be deactivated at
11.59 P.M. of 17.03.2019 i.e. one day before the closing date; however applicants who have generated their Pay-in- Slip before it is deactivated may pay at the counter of SBI Branch during banking hours on the closing date. Such applicants who are unable to pay by cash on the closing date i.e. during banking hours at SBI Branch, for reasons whatsoever, even if holding valid pay-in-slip will have no other offline option but to opt for available online Debit/Credit Card or Internet Banking payment mode on the closing date i.e. till 18:00 Hours of 18.03.2019.

For the applicants in whose case payments details have not been received from the bank they will be treated as fictitious payment cases and a list of all such applicants shall be made available on the Commission website within two weeks after the last day of submission of online application.

These applicants shall also be intimated through e-mail to submit copy of proof of their payment to the Commission at the address mentioned in the e-mail. The applicant shall be required to submit the proof within 10 days from the date of such communication either by hand or by speed post to the Commission. In case, no response is received from the applicants their applications shall be summarily rejected and no further correspondence shall be entertained in this regard.

All female candidates and candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe/ Persons with Benchmark Disability categories are exempted from payment of fee. No fee exemption is, however, available to OBC/EWS candidates and they are required to pay the prescribed fee in full. Persons with Benchmark Disability are exempted from the payment of fee provided they are otherwise eligible for appointment to the Services/Posts to be filled on the results of this examination on the basis of the standards of medical fitness for these Services/Posts (including any concessions specifically extended to the Persons with Benchmark Disability). A candidate of Persons with Benchmark Disability claiming fee concession will be required by the Commission to submit along with their Detailed Application Form - I, a certified copy of the Certificate of Disability from a Government Hospital/Medical Board in support of his/her claim for belonging to Persons with Benchmark Disability.
NB: Notwithstanding, the aforesaid provision for fee exemption, a candidate of Persons with Benchmark Disability will be considered to be eligible for appointment only if he/she (after such physical examination as the Government or the Appointing Authority, as the case may be, may prescribe) is found to satisfy the requirements of physical and medical standards for the concerned Services/Posts to be allocated to candidates of Persons with Benchmark Disability by the Government.

Note I: Applications without the prescribed Fee (Unless remission of Fee is claimed) shall be summarily rejected.

Note II: Fee once paid shall not be refunded under any circumstances nor can the fee be held in reserve for any other examination or selection.

Note III: If any candidate who took the Civil Services Examination held in 2018 wishes to apply for admission to this examination, he/she must submit his/her application without waiting for the results or an offer of appointment.

Note IV: Candidates admitted to the Main Examination will be required to pay a further fee of Rs. 200/- (Rupees Two hundreds only).

Online Coaching for UPSC, IAS PRELIMS Exam

Printed Study Material IAS (UPSC) General Studies PRE Cum MAINS

Weekly Current Affairs Update for IAS Exams Free Sample

VOL. - 219 (12 February 2018 to 18 February 2018)

Covered Topics:

• National

• International

• Business And Economy

• Science and Technology

• Important Article From Various Newspapers

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FREE PDF

Join Online Coaching for UPSC Pre. Exam

Printed Study Material for UPSC Exams

(The Gist of Kurukshetra) Sanitation: The Journey So Far

[JANUARY-2019]

Sanitation: The Journey So Far

The present Government’s initiative in sanitation has been hailed by the political leaders as remarkable with the resolve to make the country “open defecation free” by October 2, 2019 – a promise made by the Prime Minister just after assumption of office. The latest statistics reveal that the coverage of toilets has zoomed to 93 percent by the end of September 2018.

According to reports in the last three years, about 50 million toilets have been constructed in rural India and 3.8 million in cities and towns. Moreover 2.48 lakh villages, 203 districts and five states – Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand and Haryana – are now open defecation free. And it is envisaged that 450 districts in 20 states and union territories would  shortly be open defecation free. In fact, surveys undertaken show that 85 percent of toilets built under Swachh Bharat Mission are being used. Some of the states have been quite efficient in constructing toilets in the countryside. As percent the national plan.

It may be pertinent here to mention that the date of October 2 was fixed keeping in view the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi always talked of a communication approach to life and living and preserving the local environment clean and healthy was the cornerstone of his approach to make life liveable among the masses. In fact, cleanliness was advocated by him which meant keeping not just one’s house but also the neighborhood clean.

Though it is understood that 53 million toilets have been built in rural areas in the three years since the launch of Swachh Bharat, the report further pointed out, and quite rightly that “eliminating open defecation is not only about building latrines but requires adequate methods for behavioural change and sufficient water supply is a pre-requisite for the sustainable and safe use of adequate, low-cost latrines”.

The benefits of sanitation cannot be doubted. Re 1 invested in improving sanitation helps save Rs. 4.30, according to a recent study by UNICEF, which was done to estimate the cost of benefits of government’s Swachh Bharat Mission. Sharing the findings of an independent survey carried out across 10,000 rural households randomly selected across 12 states, chief of wash (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) UNICEF India said: “in a fully open defecation free (ODF) community, considering medical costs averted, the value of time savings and for each household is Rs.
50,000 per year”.

The study of UNICEF, found the financial savings due to improved sanitation resulted in a cost benefit ratio of 430 percent on average; this means that Rs. 3 invested allows a saving of Rs. 4.3”. Whatever be the usage, the benefits are obviously the highest among poor sections of the population. The UN agency has also observed that beyond the Hundreds of thousands of toilets being built, “a genuine prioritization of behaviour change interventions is taking place”.

A major thrust has been given to the sanitation sector as also, to some extent, to the water sector. Now around 70 percent of the urban population has access to sanitation that is, safe disposal of human excreta while in rural areas the earlier figure of a mere just 20 percent, obviously due to the special thrust provided by the present government. Presently, over 55, to 60 percent of households in the country have access to sanitation facilities.

This aspect needs to be given special attention and the government’s program called the Rashtriya Swachh Ganga Mission (National Clean Ganga Mission) of cleaning the Ganga River and setting up treatment plants in the major towns to ensure that the river is not polluted may be positive steps, if action proceeds according to targets set. Similar action needs to be taken for the Yamuna River.

The government has, no doubt, come forward in a big way by providing necessary financial resources, demonstrating its political will and commitment. The private sector should also play an active role in constructing toilets in schools and educational institutions in villages and also ensure that there is water availability in these toilets. The creation of a totally sanitized environment, which has already started with the blessings of the prime minister, can become a reality not just through dedicated action of the government, but also of the private sector through active involvement of the community. ‘Swachhata Hi Seva ‘campaign was also launched to make people feel that the work of cleanliness is a service to the community. While resources are, no doubt, essential, claims only cannot yield desired results as this has to become a people’s campaign. Moreover, adequate water supply has to be taken care of as sanitation and water go hand in hand. If things are carefully planned and executed, the face of the country may change if we care for our neighbourhood and cleanliness.

At this juncture, there is need for a program of epidemiological research on environmental health impacts in the country related to water and sanitation, soil and ecology in order to create proper understanding.

The thinking and philosophy of Gandhiji would be achieved if the Swachh Bharat Program realizes the desired targets but the challenge would be to generate awareness, in a big way. There has been spectacular progress since the last 5 years, thereby fulfilling the targets but the challenge would be to generate awareness, in a big way. There has been spectacular progress since the last 5 years, to the remotest village and realizing a significant facet of Gandhian vision.

Study Material for UPSC General Studies Pre Cum Mains

(The Gist of Kurukshetra) Financial Inclusion For Rural Youth

[JANUARY-2019]

Financial Inclusion For Rural Youth

Globally, financial inclusion is considered as the most effective tool for development and well-being of all sections of the society especially, the youth. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) recognized the role of financial inclusion in achieving 15 out of 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) which include alleviation of poverty, creation of jobs, gender equality, good health, etc. Hence, India is committed to achieve inclusive development goals (Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas).

One of the main goals of financial inclusion is inclusive and sustainable economic growth, by freeing the poor sections of the society from the clutches of the money lenders. Remunerated savings, and an easy way to make payments and remittances. It means insurance and pensions. It means financial literacy and consumer protection. In his opinion, there are five ‘P’s to achieve this: “Financial Inclusion plays an important role in the process of inclusive growth of the poorer sections of the economy by enhancing higher disposable income of the rural households. Again  it is proved that the large scale access of financial services like credit, savings, insurance facilities and easy cash by way of ATM facility have positive impact on household consumption, self employment, poverty as well as overall well-being of the common people (Banerjee, Duflo, Glennerster & kinnan, 2013).

The Pradhan Mantri Jan-dhan Yojana (PMJDY) initiated by the government is an addition to this long term mission of financial inclusion.
The latest edition of the Global Finder (GFX), which was conducted by the World Bank in 2017, shows that 515 million adults worldwide opened an account at a financial institution of through a mobile money provider between 2014 and 2017. India’s GFX was at 35 in 2011, which increased to 80 in 2017. Interestingly, chine’s GFX too stood at 80 in 2017. This reflects a speedy improvement in financial inclusion suggesting that relevant Indian policies in the last few years worded well.

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), financial literacy is: understanding of financial products and concepts by consumers/investors, their ability and confidence to appreciate financial risks and opportunities, capability to make informed choices, and enable them to take other effective action to improve their financial well-being.

Some Policy Initiatives of the Government:

There are various initiatives taken by the Government of India and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the past which include: introduction of lead scheme (1969), nationalization of scheduled commercial banks (1669), regulation of interest rates on the bank loans extended to weaker sections (1972), establishment and expansion of rural credit co-operatives (1980), establishment of regional rural banks (RRBS) in (1975), nationalization of another six banks (1980), launching of Self Help Group Bank Linkage Program (SHG-BLP) in 1992, issuance of licenses to new private sector banks (1993) and implementation of PMJDY (2014) in order to achieve financial inclusion.

1. Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Vojana (PMJDV):

PMJDY is a major policy initiative of the government of India in the realm of financial inclusion, which was announced by our Hon’ble Prime Minister on August 28, 2014. The scheme offers incentives such as insurance coverage, RuPay cards, and overdraft (OD) facility apart from Direct Benefit Transfers (DBTS).

The six pillars of the PMJDV are:

● Universal access to banking services.

● Providing basic banking accounts with OD facilities and a RuPay debit card.

● Financial literacy.

● Creation of a Credit Guarantee Fund.

● Providing micro insurance.

● Providing unorganized sector pension scheme.

Financial inclusion initiative was successful with a record of 8.76 crore savings bank accounts opening within 100 days from the launch of PMJDY. However, mere opening of account is not financial inclusion. There should be a continuity and consistency in use of banking services at a reasonable cost to every citizen of the nation.

In addition to the above, the Government of India launched Make in India, Skill India, Startup India and Stand-up India with a view to building an ecosystem for sustainable economic growth, promotion of entrepreneurial opportunities, and generates large scale employment opportunities especially for the youth. The Stand-up India provides a digital platform based on 3 pillars to support enterprises among entrepreneurs from Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and

Women category through:

● Handholding support.

● Providing Information on financing.

● Credit Guarantee.

2. Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency (MUDRA) Loans:

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector is the most vibrant and dynamic sector, promising high growth potential for the Indian economy. There are close to 51 million MSME units in the country which employ about 11.7 crore people across various sectors, constituting 40 percent of the total workforce. The MSME’s share to the total non-agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is about 37 percent and they also contribute to 43 percent of India’s exports. Most of these MSMEs are owned by people belonging to SC, ST and Other Backward Classes.

Analysis & Discussion

The progress of pradhan mantri jan-dhan yojana (PMJDY) a flagship programme in financial inclusion, is captured in the following table.

As per the above table, PMJDY was instrumental in mobilizing an amount of Rs.84,815 crore in the form of savings bank accounts (33.46 crore bank accounts), 26.44 crore RuPay debit cards have been issued to the beneficiaries till December 5, 2018. The Government of India’s latest initiative of issuance of license to Payments Banks is mainly to encourage micro savings and inculcate banking habits among the rural poor and the financially excluded. The postal payments bank is expected to achieve the last mile in financial inclusion given its wide office network of more than 155000 branches mainly in remote and far-flung areas. The performance of MUDRA loans during the FY 2017-18 is given below

Progress of MUDRA Loans in India

While the total number of savings bank accounts witnessed a phenomenal growth of over 20 times, savings bank deposits increased by more than 7 times during the period 2010-2018, thanks to PMJDY. Similarly, there is a healthy growth in KCCs as well as well as GCCs which shows that credit to the individual farmers picked up during the same period. Besides, banking outreach increased from 67,694 outlets to 569,547 outlets during the last 8 years, a booster dose to last mile financial inclusion.

It is essential to achieve financial inclusion in every aspect namely savings, credit, insurance, pension, remittances, and financial advisory services. This is the pathway to empower the rural youth and the financially excluded. The rural youth have to be extended proper skilling support (DDU- GKY model may follow the BRAC, Bangladesh while extending pre-placement and post-placement support to the youth and the unemployed in India. GRAC’s training program is very successful in terms of placement (close to 80%) as it conducts door to door survey, prior to commencement of the training, to identify the trades/services which are in high demand. Similarly, Grameen Bank, Bangladesh supports the unemployed and qualified graduates to start their own enterprise. Till date, it is instrumental in starting more than 100,000 micro enterprises in this way through the unemployed youth).

Financial institutions, with local control and staffed by knowledgeable local people, could be more effective at providing financial services to the excluded. Further, major policy thrust should be on encouraging more Business Correspondents (deposits), Certified Credit Counsellors (loans), Trade electronic Receivables discounting system and scope for digital lending to MSMEs, Rural Self Employment Training institutes – RSETIs (capacity building for the rural youth), and Farmers Producers Organizations (supply chain management for the farmers, artisans, and the like) in the rural India.

Imparting financial literacy and ensuring consumer protection are very important in the journey of financial inclusion since credit without skills and financial knowledge may result in debt trap for the poor. RBI and banks should coordinate with institutions such as state education boards (SEBs), central board of secondary education (CBSE), University Grants Commission (UGC), AND All India Council for technical education (AICTE), to include financial inclusion as a mandatory subject at different educational levels right from school to higher levels of education. Having developed infrastructure for financial inclusion, the next milestone should be to bring about a mindset and cultural shift among newly connected beneficiaries to derive benefits from the formal financial system by borrowing from banks and repaying loans in time. Therefore, the current need of the hour is more to do with educating people, disseminating financial and digital awareness in the society, and making the beneficiaries aware about the scope of expanding rural enterprises using their rights to borrow and duty to repay bank loans. There should be less emphasis on collaterals (bank side). In this way, we can achieve not just financial inclusion but economic inclusion too.

Study Material for UPSC General Studies Pre Cum Mains

(GIST OF YOJANA) Transforming Public Transport In India

[JANUARY-2019]

Transforming Public Transport In India

With rapid growth of population in the cities and increase in motor vehicles, the urban space in India for creation of the necessary infrastructure is shrinking every year. An average of 60,000 vehicles are sold every day in India. On the other hand, the consistent growth of population is further widening the gap between demand and supply of public transport needs. At a time when traffic in mega cities like New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru is gradually is gradually slowing down the mobility, an effective public transport system like metro rail has become the core priority of urban administrations to ease the urban commutation.

Metro Rail, one of the popular mass transit modes is a form of public transport that operates on exclusive right-of-way and carries a large number of commuters in urban space. This system is operated on non-pollutant energy and is most preferable in densely populated urban spaces. Undoubtedly, the mass transit system is by far the most remarkable invention in public transport. The idea of having an exclusive transport system to provide comfortable means to commute was born out of the team emerging the idea of having an exclusive transport system to provide comfortable means to commute was born out of the then emerging issues of early urbanization in Britain, which led to the construction of underground train network in the late 19th century.

The Metros across the world have undoubtedly smoothened the public transport wherever they were introduced. Besides offering the best public transport, cities like Hong Kong and Tokyo are running Metros with operational profit. Delhi Metros too earned a spot as an operational profitable metro in the world. This success of Delhi Metro sparked a new era of Metro revolution in India. As of today, 524 kilometers of metro network is already operational in India and 620 Kilometers of network is under construction.

Traditional System: A Pollution Hazard

Large cities like Delhi and Mumbai have drastically changed over the past few decades. As predicted, the changing demography of urban space is posing complex challenges to urban administrations. One can observe that almost all major cities in the country are facing similar challenges in public transport. Unfortunately, the traditional means of public transport are outdated and carry only limited capacity. They are far from matching the growing needs of the population. Not to forget, they are also contributing to pollution and the never ending traffic woes. With people stuck in traffic, billions of productive working hours are lost every year. The stranded vehicles on roads are also intensifying the toxic emissions in the urban sphere.

Charging Urban Mobility Needs

Metro Rail is undoubtedly a landmark innovation in the public transport system. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the metro rail has completely changed the way urban mobility needs are met. But, building the metro alone does not ensure its successful operation. In order to make a system viable and reliable, we must constantly update the system to match the changing needs of commuters. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)’s success is owed to the countless innovative practices that were initiated in every stage of its journey.
When Delhi Metro began its operations in 2002, the global MRT sector already had advanced technology in place. In fact, we were quite late to enter the field, but, we made the best use of this delay. DMRC had an opportunity to adopt the best practices of efficient metros across the world and it did so.

Delhi Metro: Technology Survey

The trains brought in by the Delhi Metro were among the best in the world with sophisticated energy efficiency tools and they substantially improved the passengers’ convenience over three phases. Since the inception of its operations in 2002, the DMRC has been continuously improving the quality of services and added several new features to the equipments used for day-to-day operations.
For instance, the trains used by Delhi Metro in its phase-III expansion are equipped with unattended train operation mode, which enables the possibility of operating trains without drivers. With this, the Delhi Metro has joined the pool of very few highly advanced metro systems in the world. The Delhi Metro introduced the highly sophisticated ‘Communication Based Train Control (CBTC)’ system which enables headway improvement to about 90 seconds. In simple words, the CBTC system facilitates higher frequency of train operation, which subsequently helps transporting more people in busy hours. Other effective innovations include the installation of automatic screen doors on platforms which help maintain better crowd management. The LED screens installed inside the train coaches help commuters identify the destinations easily. In addition to this, announcements are made in the trains to inform commuters of current stations and next station to arrive. With such initiatives the Delhi Metro has managed to meet the high expectations of people of national capital region.

New Features

Most of the innovative ideas emerged from the changing needs and feedback of commuters. For instance, it was noticed that commuters might need to charge their laptops and phones while travelling. To facilitate this, power connections in all the 131 trains in phase-II were provided for them. Later on, USB plugins for charging facilities were also introduced.
The new rolling stock (trains) that has been acquired for Phase - III operations has many new features both in its interior as well as commuter facility points of view.

UPSC Pre General Studies Study Material

The new features are as follows:

•  There is a change in the look of the front cab of the trains. There is glass on the front emergency door to give it a better look.
•  LED based lighting is used inside the trains. Presently, the rolling stock used in DMRC has fluorescent lighting.
•  The display panels inside the trains are LED based, where graphics, public information messages and advertisements also will be aired if necessary. Currently, only the station names or messages are displayed there.
•  The dynamic route maps have been changed to LCD technology for better understanding.
•  The noise levels inside the trains have been reduced further from the present limit of 68 dB to 65 dB.
•  Higher number of grab rails and grab handles have been provided for the convenience of the standing passengers.
•  Broader gangways between the coaches provide more convenience to the commuters.

Energy Efficient Techniques

The introduction of Metro in Delhi did more than just smoothening the public transport. A large number of people in Delhi switched from private vehicles to the Metro in recent years. According to a study conducted by Central Road Research Institute, around 3,90,971 vehicles were taken off the roads after Metro started operating in Delhi. This in turn helped reduce around 5,53,203 tones of CO2 from environment every year. In fact, DMRC became the first railway project in the world to win carbon credits. The carbon credit is a permit which allows a country or organization to produce certain amount of emissions which can be traded if full allowance is not used.

Creating Awareness

The early years were more challenging for DMRC. When metro was launched, it was an alien system for many living in the close vicinity of metro stations. DMRC hed to bring a sea change in the culture through awareness campaigns to make them use the advance facilities offered in the metro. Numerous social campaigns to raise awareness on use of escalators, lifts, automatic fare collection (AFC) gates and usage of smart cards were carried out. For this, DMRC used highly engaging theatre arts such as nukkad

Nataks and puppet shows.

In the context of India, these measures taken were highly innovative. No other construction projects in the country had adopted such procedures ever before. This helped DMRC complete its phase – I of 65 kilometers of network 2 years and 9 months ahead of its schedule. Similarly, the phase – II network of 125 was completed five months ahead of the deadline. DMRC is about to complete the phase – III network soon. With this, DMRC proved to the world that such massive projects can be completed within the deadline without causing inconvenience to the public.
Unlike other public transport systems, the Delhi Metro is highly punctual. On average, 99 percent of the train trips are recorded on time and redefine the punctuality norms to 59 seconds. Currently, the Delhi Metro operates 4000 train trips every day from 6 AM to 11 PM with its 280 train sets. The trains are operated on average frequency of 2 to 3 minutes during peak hours of traffic.
Delhi Metro experiment shows that MRT system is capable of carrying large number of people from one point to another without occupying too much space for infrastructure. This system is the answer to future transport challenges that will emerge as the cities grow bigger. In future, we are going to see more successful metro projects like Delhi Metro

Complete Study Material For UPSC, IAS Exams

(GIST OF YOJANA) Space Programmes: Spin Offs For Humanity

[JANUARY-2019]

Space Programmes: Spin Offs For Humanity

As I am writing this article, India has launched its largest and heaviest communication satellite into orbit. It weighs nearly 6 tons and has capability to support high speed data transfer to remote parts of the country. This mission GSAT 11 will fulfill  yet another goal of ISRO’s founding father Dr Vikram Sarabhai to use high technology for the benefit of the common man. Though the India space program started nearly 20 years later than in developed countries, today it has emerged as one among six nations i.e. USA, Russia, Europe, china and Japan having total indigenous capability in building satellites for earth observation communication and scientific research as well as launch them into orbits around earth and even take them to moon or Mars. Indian launch vehicles like PSLV, GSLV have proven track record and cost effectiveness so that even developed countries are approaching ISRO for launching their satellites. While perfecting these high technology ISRO’s focus was on making use of them for the benefit of society. Direct to home transmission of TV signals, connectivity to banks and financial organizations, telemedicine, tele-education and disaster warning system are a few examples of that.
While fulfilling the dreams of the founding father of Indian space program, one has to look at what next. Space is going to be the next frontier for human exploration and presence of humans in outer space and planets is going to be the next challenge. Though USA, Russia and China have already taken a lead, India is yet to make an entry into this field. Though need for new initiatives in this field was felt nearly a decade back, the formal approval was given by the prime Minister through his 2018 Independence Day declaration that India will be having its own human space flight in 2022. This is really going to be a great technology challenge but the goal has to be met if we have to maintain our leadership position in the global scenario.

Important developments related to the human space flight are the Crew module, life support system, Crew escape system and improvement in the overall reliability of the launch vehicle. Once in orbit, the capsule will be in almost zero G condition and hard vacuum and will be subjected to heavy radiation. Creating living conditions inside the module to support human life

providing oxygen, water and food as well as waste disposal for several days needs development of innovative technologies. Training of astronauts to face zero Gas as well as high acceleration levels during launch and re-entry needs thorough understanding of behavior of human physiology and psychology as well as conditioning the astronauts by going through a series of simulated environmental tests. A branch medicine i.e. space medicine will emerge. Such facilities are not available in the country and need to be established through fresh development programmes.

Reliable Vehicles

The PSLV and GSLV have emerged as reliable satellite launch vehicles globally. That is the reason that other countries including USA, Europe and Canada are approaching ISRO for launching their satellites. Demonstrated reliability of these launchers are around 95 per cent but not adequate to carry the manned capsule. Space Shuttle had estimated reliability level of 99 percent, still NASA took the risk of sending astronauts in that. It is sad that they encountered two failures out of its 136 launches. No one will accept such level of risk now. The Space shuttle is decommissioned and further efforts are on to develop a new launch system in USA. At present the only launcher available for the free world for human space flight is Russian Soyuz rocket. Though the Chinese Long March can do such missions it is used only for their national needs. Though the GSLV KIII recently developed by ISRO can take the manned capsule weighing nearly 10 tonnes to low earth orbit, improvement of reliability of the launch system is a must before it carries human on board. The entire design and test results will have to be revisited. Designs margins have to be enhanced wherever required. More important is introduction of redundant and fail safe systems to ensure safety of the crew. This will have to be supported with adequate number of tests and simulations. Providing oxygen and maintaining the temperature within reasonable limits, shielding the external radiation of charged particles and providing waste management onboard are other new developments. After completing the orbital mission, breaking the orbit, sending the module in precise trajectory in guided manner and managing reentry heating load using appropriate ablatives and material which can withstand high temperatures require advanced materials and techniques.

UPSC Pre General Studies Study Material

Recovery System

While all attempts will be made to have a reliable launch system there is a remote chance there could be some chance of failure. In such a case how to bring back the astronaut has to be addressed. Recently, ISRO has demonstrated a crew recovery experiment using which astronauts will be ejected from the launch system and brought back to earth in case of a mission abort the basic design of a space suit, crew module, its landing and recovery process from sea were demonstrated as part of the technology development. Development of new technologies and systems to perfect the manned mission are demanding a lot of innovation and hard work by thousands of scientists, technologists and supporting staff over the next few years. Developing space transportation system and enabling humans to stay in earth orbit for few days and bringing them back is only a small step forward, It will provide a platform for detailed observation of planet earth, scientific observation and studies of stars and galaxies Conducting chemical or biological experiments under zero G condition to generate new molecules are some of the benefits.

At the same time, people are dreaming of sending people to moon and mars with the idea of exploiting resources from the neighboring planets and even colonizing them. But it all needs not only new developments but also large funding. International cooperation, pooling the technologies and financial resources are the only way to achieve such ambitious goals. While dreaming of the future and adventurous journey in the solar system we have to worry about our planet earth. Climate change and associated change in weather, sustainable development with optimum use of natural resources and forecast of natural hazards like drought, floods, earthquake etc are some of the priority areas. India has done well in making use of earth observation satellites, IRS and pictures from meteorological satellites for meeting these requirements on a day to day basis. The recently launched hyperspectral imaging satellite is going to be a powerful tool for monitoring natural resources and supporting agriculture in a big way. As demands are growing, advanced advanced technologies are to be developed for technologies are to be developed for providing high resolution hyperspectral images on a daily basis. Most of the imaging is done in visible range.

To provide data on cloud covered regions, radar imaging techniques will have to be perfected and a constellation of Radar satellites are to be deployed. Satellite images can strengthen the security system and for continuous monitoring of sensitive regions high resolution imaging from geo stationary platform will have to be developed. Innovative solutions are to be found to combine optical and microwave images from such platform from 36000 km is required. Warnings on cyclone drought weather phenomena can be met using precision stationary satellites. But there is no proven technique for advanced warning of earthquakes. There are concepts suggesting variation in magnetic and electric field around the earth which can be monitored using satellites which give indication of eminent earthquakes but this has to be validated and a lot of efforts are required in this area.

Digital Connectivity

Today’s knowledge society is totally dependent on digital connectivity. Geostationary satellites always provided s for this. The recent launch of GSAT-II is a clear example of how space is supporting the needs of the country in this area of high speed digital connectivity. Such resources  will have to be multiplied. Advanced satellites with higher data throughput and coverage to every nook and corner of the country need new ideas and techniques. Through this, digital connectivity is assured not only to remote rural areas but also the doorstep of the poor. While access to knowledge is extended so are the services like health care through telemedicine. Today, telemedicine is limited to remote consultation but the day is not far off when even telesurgery can be done using satellite connectivity.
Today , space based services are efficient but expensive. The cost of launching satellites contribute a major share in this. If schemes are developed to recover and reuse the launch hardware considerable saving in cost can be achieved. Also, use of new propulsion systems using less expensive fuel like kerosene could bring down costs. Development of new generation launch vehicles along these lines poses several technology challenges before ISRO. One should not be lagging behind others in launch capacity. When they are targeting even 100 ton to orbit we should aim at least 20 ton in the near future.

Space research always has been fascinating and India has not lagged behind. Future challenges related to space exploration, space travel, tourism application programmes based on space assets spin off technology benefits etc are going to provide lot of opportunity to the new generation. Those who are adventurous can plunge into it and reap the benefits.

Complete Study Material For UPSC, IAS Exams

Sample Material of Current Public Administration Magazine

1. Accountability and Control

The Pillar Stands

One unfortunate fallout of the recent controversy regarding the non-publication of the labour force survey report by the National Sample Survey Organisation has been the questions raised on the autonomy and independence of the Indian official statistical system. As reported in this newspaper, the possibility of junking the survey report in favour of more acceptable numbers from other sources are being explored. An objective understanding of the official statistical system would dispel many of the fears raised in this context, but cannot overstate the need to further strengthen the institutions.

The credibility of processed official statistics require the government to stay at an arms-length from the processes of data collection, processing and dissemination. It is in this context that the need for an independent board or authority to manage national statistics is widely accepted.

<< Read More >>

2. Indian Government and Politics

Quota, Old Plus New

Reservations are sometimes criticised in a constructive manner by analysts who argue that quotas are cornered by a few jatis at the expense of those who “really need them”. Among Dalits, the Jatavs of Uttar Pradesh and the Mahars of Maharashtra have been targeted by such critiques. The India Human Development Survey, and its last two rounds of 2004-05 and 2011-12, helps us assess the limitations of such a discourse which, usually, does not rely on any solid data.

In terms of their annual per capita mean income (APCMI), Jatavs are not at all doing better than other important Dalit jatis of UP: They earned only Rs 6,135 a year in 2011-12, against Rs 6,643 for the Pasis and Rs 9,077 for the Dhobis. Interestingly, the APCMI of the Jatavs had increased by 125 per cent between 2004-05 and 2011-12, whereas that of the Pasis has jumped by 162 per cent and that of the Dhobis by 198 per cent.

<< Read More >>

3. Welfare Administration

SC Verdict Turns Blind Eye

The recent Supreme Court judgment (in the writ petition (civil) No 109/2008) has evoked much ire and anxiety, and the first reactions to the judgment have been against the suggestion that Adivasis and forest-dwellers be evicted. However, the petitioners, all conservationists, have qualified the objectives of their petition and highlighted the case for safeguarding the forests against “bogus claims to forest rights”, calling for the state to take action against the loss of forest cover. Even if we accept their standpoint as valid and read the judgment as an attempt to address the maladministration of forests, we must recognise the long-term neglect of the rights of Adivasis and forest-dwellers.

<< Read More >>

4. Administrative Law

Framework to Regulate Bias In Alogrithms

What is an algorithm, and what is the big deal about permitting it to make decisions? After all, it is merely a set of instructions that can be used to solve a problem. The reasons for the increasing reliance on algorithms are evident. First, an algorithm can make decisions more efficiently than human beings, thus indicating its superiority to human rationality. Second, an algorithm can provide emotional distance — it could be less “uncomfortable” to let a machine make difficult decisions for you.

However, algorithms are susceptible to bias — and machine learning algorithms are especially so. Such bias may often be concealed until it affects a large number of people. We should examine their potential for bias as algorithms are being used to make evaluative decisions that can negatively impact our daily lives. Algorithms are also dictating the use of scarce resources for social welfare.

<< Read More >>

5. Current Topic

The Best Way to Vote

Whether or not to use EVMs (electronic voting machines) for elections in India has been a raging debate of late. There have been claims of hacking of EVMs and counter-claims of impossibility, steadfast assurances about their safety from election commissioners and technocrats, open challenges through ECI (Election Commission of India)-sponsored “hackathons”, and even live television shows by masked hackers alleging conspiracies.

Public arguments on computer security in India have often been outrageous. On the one hand there have been fatalistic claims that all computer systems can be hacked and that it is just a matter of time before they will be. There indeed are computer systems that are provably secure, but sometimes such guarantees are difficult even for many well-designed ones. The question of whether they can be hacked or not is often “undecidable”, even in a technical sense, and is hence futile.

<< Read More >>

For Full Magazine Click here  (Paid Members Zone)

Study Materials For Public Administration

Online Coaching For Public Administration

(The Gist of Kurukshetra) Skilling Youth Through Suryamitra

[JANUARY-2019]

Skilling Youth Through Suryamitra

Employability skills are necessary for getting, keeping and being successful in a job. Skills and attitudes enable youth to make critical decisions, solve problems, develop new things and ultimately become strong ambassadors and asset for the organization. Skilling India is one of the major initiatives for creating job opportunities. It is a flagship program of the government to create 500 Million Skilled Manpower by 2020.

Renewable energy is one of these targeted sectors, and national institute of solar energy (NISE), an autonomous institute under the ministry of new & renewable energy (MNRE) is assigned with the responsibility to execute the various skill development programs throughout the country in the field of renewable energy technology. NESE is conducting “Suryamitras” training program to provide skilled technicians for installation, commissioning, operation & maintenance in the field of solar technology.

Government of India intends to achieve the target of 175 GW which includes 100 GW from solar energy by 2022. “Make In India” is an Initiative of Government to encourage multinational and domestic companies to manufacture their products in India. Suryamitra initiative is also a part of Make in India. Suryamitra program is a solar PV technician course which has been designed to develop skilled and employable workforce (suryamitras) catering to the needs of solar PV industries and EPC projects in installation, commissioning, and operation & maintenance of solar power plants and equipment, the Suryamitras should be able to perform the jobs related to design, component procurement, site survey, installation, commissioning and operation & maintenance of a  solar PV system in EPC projects. The Suryamitras are capable to take positions as SPV technicians as well a other supervisory and managerial posts in solar PV component manufacturing organizations.

The qualification required to participate in the program is ITI (Electrical & Wireman)/Diploma in Engineering (Electrical, Electronics & Mechanical). Higher qualified participants such as B.Tech etc. are not eligible. The course teaches the basics of electrical, SPV applications and solar power plant including standards, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting etc. to achieve and maintain the target of 100 GW solar power plants for 25 years, India requires about 6.5 lakh personnel, trained in solar energy sector (estimated by CII). This course is designed and oriented as per requirement of solar industry.

Suryamitras are also capable of taking assignments as entrepreneurs for self employment. The main objective of this program is to train the 10+2 passed, ITI/diploma holders/ as field technicians to execute National solar mission (NSM) program across the country. Suryamitra program is focusing to provide employability and entrepreneurship to rural and urban youth & women. MNRE set a target of 50,000 Suryamitras of skilled manpower in solar energy sector. It is funded completely by union government and is a residential program that is implemented by NISE across India. NESE is identifying a network of institutions through state nodal agencies (SNAs) to conduct training programs, arranging funds to them, and also monitor them for proper execution. Separately, NISE is also organizing Suryamitra program in its own campus.

This innovative mobile approach shall enhance the employment of trained youth in solar PV technology and also improve the businesses of solar entrepreneurs because of quality servicing, maintenance and repairing professionals are now available to customers at the click of a button on their mobiles. Under NABARD scheme of off grid solar PV system, few lakhs of off-grid solar PV system, few lakhs off-grid systems have been installed and systems do require regular maintenance. To keep the system in good condition skilled manpower is required, therefore, the proposed technical platform of Suryamitra Mobile App can be utilized for this purpose too. MNRE has an ambitious target of installing 100,000 solar PV pumps in several states. Suryamitra Mobile App would come handy with respect to operation and maintenance, repair and maintenance of solar pumps. Similarly, Millions of square meter of solar water heater systems are already installed in various states. In order to maintain the existing system and to and to install new systems properly, Suryamitra app would be very useful to serve customers at their doorsteps with quality installation, repair, and O&M services. The national institution of solar energy (NISE), an autonomous institution of ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE), is the apex national R&D institution in the field of solar energy. NISE is organizing “Suryamitra” skill development program in collaboration with state nodal agencies, at various locations across the country. The program aims to develop the skills of youth, considering the opportunities for employment in the growing solar energy power project’s installation, operation & maintenance in India and abroad. The Suryamitra program is also designed to prepare the candidates to become new entrepreneurs in solar energy sector. The Suryamitra skill Development Program are sponsored by ministry of new & renewable energy, government of India.

Suryamitra Program is of 3 months duration (600 hrs) & covers all aspects of solar PV system procurement, installation, commissioning, testing & maintenance. The course covers the syllabus as per NISE-MNRE Guidelines. To enter Suryamitra program, the candidate should be 10th pass and ITI in electrician /wireman/electronics mechanic/ fitter/ Sheet Metal, not below 18 years. During the selection of trainees, special emphasis to be  given to the persons coming from Rural Background, Unemployed Youth, Women, SC/ST candidates. Presently, there shall be 30 seats for each batch of training program. At the end of the course, proper assessment shall be made and certificates shall be issued.

The state nodal agencies of the ministry of new and renewable energy and the host institute advertise about the batches of the program including dates and the venue of the training in the print and/or electronic media. The training program is residential with a clear daily time table which would preferable include early morning physical exercise such as yoga/pt etc. the practical hours of the course are designed with for hands on exercise in the lab sites, experiments, classroom exercises, software simulations and to conduct the regular quizzes/class test and industrial visits. The host institute provides one set of uniform and an access to proper toolkits for working in the lab/site to all the session in proper uniforms only. The jacket, safety helmets and boots provide to all participants, and may be retained by the host institute after the training. No fee is charged from the trainees.

During first two months of suryamitra program, visits to medium or large industry to know power transmission, distribution, loads, cabling etc. And one visit to 33 KV substations are planned. Course covers basic electricals, electricity, energy aspects, electron theory, voltage, current, resistance, measurement units and electrical lab work. Suryamitras are trained to operate tools like pliers, nippers, hammers, hacksaw, cutters, chisels, allen keys, hand drill, drill bit, try square. Gimlet, ratchet, pipe vice bench vice, pin vice, plumb bob, centre punch, wrench, plow lamp, pipe cutter, reamer, box spanner, crimping tool, measuring tape, pulley puller, neon tester, mallet, wire stripper. Types of wires and cables, insulating materials, standard wire gauge, specifications of wires and cables, Colour Coding, low and high voltage, precautions in using cables, wire ferrules, continuity/continuity tester, megger electrical lab & yard visit are also part of the training. Course also includes generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, introduction renewable and solar energy, introduction of photovoltaic technology and its applications, components of a PV system: battery, inverter and charge controllers, fundamentals of PV system sizing, troubleshooting of PV modules, troubleshooting of batteries, inverters and charge controllers, importance of tools and its applications preparations and pre-requirements of installation of solar power plant, cable tray and cable laying: scada and control system, commissioning and maintenance, soft and entrepreneur skills.

Study Material for UPSC General Studies Pre Cum Mains

(The Gist of Kurukshetra) Empowerment Of Rural Youth

[JANUARY-2019]

Empowerment Of Rural Youth

Today, population of India is more than 130 corers and 62 percent of it is below the age of 59 years. More than 65 percent of the country’s population is of the youth below the age of 35 years. This makes India the youngest country in the world. The largest section in its population comprising of vibrant youth is a clear proof that at present, India has enormous wealth in the form of youth power and dynamic human resource. Youth is the most energetic and capable period of life. While most developing countries are facing the challenge of ageing population, India’s demographic situation is very favorable in this regard.

It is estimated that by the year 2020, the population of India would have a median age of 28 years only as against 38 years for Japan. In fact, this favorable situation of demographic dividend in itself has opened the floodgate of vast opportunities for India, but to tap its full potential, it is crucial that the country’s economy has the capacity to handle this increase in labor force. Besides, youth should be equipped with appropriate education, skill, positive work attitude, the spirit of commitment and devotion for innovative contribution in the economy. But such imaginative thinking cannot lead to its realization in true sense. For this, the whole nation must show commitment for the holistic development of youth power of the country, especially in the rural areas. Only then will they be able to assess their abilities and become capable to make significant contribution towards the nation-building process. This is only possible through active and effective implementation of the programs of youth empowerment.

It is a matter of great pride that under the dynamic leadership of Shri Narendra Modi, the present government is making efforts to fully utilize this favorable demographic situation. However, the main challenge on this course is how to develop the youth population of rural areas as a dynamic, educated, trained and skilled human resource? Economists are of the view that India’s favorable demographic potential is in a position to bestow unexpected benefits to the country’s economy due to which by the year 2020
India’s favorable demographic potential is in a position to bestow unexpected benefits to the country’s economy due to which by the year 2020
India’s GDP is expected to grow by 2%. Economists also estimate that developed countries may have to face a shortage of more than 5 crore 70 lakh semi-skilled human resources while in India, there is a possibility of generation of about 4 crore 70 lakh manpower in surplus. This will not only meet the requirements of the domestic industry sector, but India will also be able to contribute significantly in meeting the demand of manpower at the global level. About 70 percent of the country’s population lives in villages and agriculture is one sector which is providing employment to the largest number of people. Despite this, the contribution of agriculture sector in the country’s gross domestic product is only 13 percent.

In post independence period, for many decades, the lack of any concrete and effective policy concerning unequal access to opportunities, education and skill training, appropriate and constructive use of the youth in the rural areas could not be achieved. It is a known fact that youth living in urban areas have better access to adequate and good opportunities for education and training as compared to the youth in rural areas. Non-NDA Governments which ruled for long in the Past, did not take any concrete steps to overcome this imbalance. As a result, only that section of rural youth, which could afford to spend or stay in cities, was able to take advantage of government schemes pertaining to youth entrepreneurship or skill-training.

The population of youth comprises about 40 percent of the total population of India. This section, besides begin the most energetic, active and ambitious, is a valuable resource for the country. The majority of our country’s population has been dependent on farming and related activities from the very beginning. It is also natural because India is a country of agrarian economy. It is another matter that the effect of modernization and industrialization has increased with the change of time. Thereby, the central government and various state governments have been focusing on promoting self-employment and skill development for the past few years. On the occasion of “National Youth Day”, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had meaningfully said we want our young people not to seek employment, but to become employers.

In fact, empowerment of rural youth is directly related to the empowerment of villages. The faster the pace of village empowerment and the wider its scope, the empowerment of rural youth will be as comprehensive and effective. However, in present time, there is an issue that has emerged in this regard that, after getting higher education, rural youth does not want to live in village. He migrates to the cities, even though his standard of living there is much lower as compared to the village. This causes double damage to the country. On one hand, there is an unnecessary burden on the already limited infrastructure and resources of the urban area, while on the other hand, has own village becomes a victim of neglect. If that young man uses the education and skills to develop and uplift the village, it can speed up the progress of the village, suggest a new path of progress to the whole village and contribute to its prosperity.

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin has truly transformed the landscape of villages. In fact, with this massive change in the nature of villages today, there has been a significant change in the nature of the whole country. The spirit, which the Prime Minister Awas Yojana (Rural) has kindled in the rural youth to live in the village and contribute to local development by providing the rural youth housing facilities as in a city in the village itself, is praiseworthy. Rural Housing scheme has increased the pace of construction activities that led to creation of large-scale employment opportunities. Under this scheme, there is a target to build one crore houses by March 2019.

The 14th Central Finance Commission has increased the grant for village panchayats to Rs 2,00,292.20 crore for the development of villages for a period of five years which is three times the grant sanctioned by the 13th finance Commission. Gram Panchayats are expected to get almost the same amount from MGNREGA. Today, for the development of rural areas and empowering the rural youth, the Gram Panchayats have access to the funds of the central finance commission and the funding of state finance commission. Besides, the funds are also being received by gram panchayats through convergence of a number of other schemes. In this way, there is now no issue of lack of funds for the development of infrastructure in the villages. Increased flow of funds in the rural areas has helped in the economic progress of rural areas and prosperity and empowerment of the youth. There is no exaggeration in the fact that Indian villages have become stronger, more prosperous and financially more empowered than ever before and it has catalyses the empowerment of rural youth. Dependency on agriculture as a major employment avenue of rural youth has reduced, and the income of the rural households is now supplemented by activities like small scale manufacturing, construction, food processing, repair and semi-skilled or unskilled services. Agriculture clinics, agri-business centers and common service centers are also helping in the socio-economic empowerment of rural youth.

The concept of “New India” free from poverty, unemployment and corruption is intrinsic to our culture and national values, but to achieve this, every Indian will have to come forward with strong determination and willpower. Nearly half of our country’s population is dependent on agriculture or allied activities and this sector provides only partial employment. Thus, full or proper use of capable manpower in the form of rural youth is not being made. Providing skill training to such a large unskilled human resource is no less than a challenge. If efforts are made to showcase agriculture as a profitable business, a large number of educated and trained youth will be drawn to this business. For this, it is necessary to give industry status to agriculture.

In the report of the NITI Aayog on “skill Development and Productivity of the workforce”, it has been mentioned that 70% of India’s labor force inhabits the rural areas, which is dependent on low productive agricultural activities and where employment opportunities are very less. This causes decline in quality of production. The report has expressed happiness over the fact that it is through MGNREGA, efforts are being made in rural areas to coordinate laid down priorities for rural development with the training system and promotion of those non-agricultural activities which might increase the income of the rural people. Efforts are also being made to remove the difficulties arising out of seasonal fluctuations in the agriculture sector.

Through the use of new technologies, alternative crops and labour-intensive crops, the concept of high yield in minimum agricultural land, better income and satisfactory employment is being envisaged. This report also affirms that most of the rural households engaged in farming have disguised unemployment. It is such a situation in which large part of the labor force has no work or it is working in an unproductive and redundant  manner. In only a few employments, more than required workers are engaged. Such labour force should be prepared to move from direct labor to allied activities such as food processing. It is a matter of satisfaction that the government of India is giving adequate emphasis on allied activities of agriculture.

The government has implemented two-point program for making micro, small and medium enterprises and start-ups as engines of development for India. Under the first program, with the aim to improve country’s large economic indicators, emphasis was given on ease of doing business and on top to bottom improvement programs. It has benefitted all entrepreneurs especially MSMES and startups so that they can accelerate the pace of development, and mobilize employment opportunities for nearly one million Indians who emerge as labour force every month. Initiatives like introduction of goods and services tax (GST), institutional mechanism for settlement of debt relief and bankruptcy cases, liberality in FDI, strict and effective action in the case of bad debts of banks and massive investment in infrastructure have proved as life giving force for MSMES and startups. The e-market place portal’ has been launched to streamline the government procurement system. It facilitates smaller companies to bid online for government contracts on competitive rates.

On the basis of GST filing, re-classification of these units has ended the inspector rule. The reduction of corporate tax rates from 30 percent to 25 percent for companies whose annual turnover is upto rupees 250 crore has benefitted more than 6 crore MSME units. Apart from this, under long-term government purchase policy of the government of India, it is now mandatory for every central ministry/department/public sector undertaking to procure at least 20 percent of the total annual procurement of goods and services from Micro and Small Enterprises. There are 358 items which can be procured from MSMES only. In order to ensure that these enterprises have easy access to the capital, the present government has taken several measures. The government has ensured that new economic opportunities are available to all sections of society, including second and third tier towns. For instance, “Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion” has launched a startup tour program, under which a mobile van is sent to second/third tier towns to identify and promote entrepreneurial talents there.

According to the survey of the National Sample Survey Organization, 2015-16, 6the MSME sector has created approximately 11.10 crore employment opportunities. Out of these, 4 crore
97 lakh 78 thousand are in rural areas and more than 6 crore 12 lakh in urban areas. In manufacturing, there is an estimated 45 percent share of this sector while in India’s export, the share is about 40 percent. Recently, its growth has been recorded in double digits. It is clear with this, that MSME sector has helped in the empowerment of rural youth of all section.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has played an important role in enhancing the livelihood security of families in the rural areas of the country. Under this scheme, a minimum of 100 days of guaranteed wage employment is being provided to the adult members of each rural household who wish to undertake unskilled manual labour work. MGNREGA has had substantial and positive impact on the rural economy. During the financial year 2018-19, till December 3, 2018, 165.78 crore labour days were generated and the average number of work days per household was 46. In this, participation of women was 53 percent and that of scheduled castes/scheduled tribes was 39 percent. This scheme has helped increase the agricultural productivity as well as the income of rural households.

Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihood Mission is being implemented with the aim to improve the quality of life of seven to eight crore poor rural households in more than 647 districts, 6,559 blocks, about 238,000 village  panchayats and around 640,000 villages. Under this, special attention is being given to the rural poor families, people who carry human faecal waste, victims of human trafficking, deprived tribal groups, differently- abled and legally released bonded laborers. At least one female member of the specified rural poor family is included in self-help groups and related organizations in a time bound manner.

So far, more than 46.45 lakh Self-help Groups have been formed. The number of women members in them is about 5.27 crore. About 86,000 federations have been formed. A loan of 1.41 lakh crore has been made available to SHGs from 2014 to 2018. Under this, through introduction of the startup village entrepreneurship program (SCEP), rural poor are being supported to set up enterprises, thus bringing them out of the poverty line. During the first phase, from the year 2015 to 2019, about 1.82 lakh enterprises are to be set up in 125 blocks of 24 states to empower rural poor. This step is expected to create jobs for about 3.78 lakh rural youth. Under thes, assistance has been provided to 25,088 enterprises. Under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gramin Kaushalya Yojana, 5.73 lakh rural youths have been trained from 2014-15 to February 2018. Out of this, 3.54 lakh youth were trained for self-employment through the years 2014-15 to February 2018-17 lakh rural youth were trained for self-employment through rural self-employment training institutes. Out of this 12.65 lakh persons got employment. During the financial year 2017-18, training was provided to
4.23 lakh people as against the target of 3.97 lakh. 3.49 lakh people were provided employment. With this, the youth of the rural areas got a good opportunity to start a small trade or restart the business once closed due to lack of funds. It is clear from all these facts and figures that the pace of development of our villages has accelerated and it has positively impacted the empowerment of youth in rural areas. The need of the hour is not only to provide rural youth education and skill training at par with international level and maintain current pace of providing them suitable employment and self-employment, but also take the pledge to enhance the momentum constantly.

Study Material for UPSC General Studies Pre Cum Mains

(GIST OF YOJANA) Scientific Innovations in the Service of Society

[JANUARY-2019]

Scientific Innovations in the Service of Society

Innovations mostly indicates advancements, however, it is important that such advancements should be novel too. This is because, at times, the advancement is more about the progression for the existing technology than having discovered something new or original. Say in case of developments being witnessed over the years in the domain of computers: a 32-bit microprocessor introduced in 1985, the Intel 80386, which was known as 386 was replaced by a 486 microprocessor after a few years, which was a higher performance unit. Here the nature of technology almost remained the same, but the upgradation of technology was witnessed. However, if the present conventional (known as classical) system in future gets replaced by a quantum computing system, then it could be correct to conclude that a new innovation in the computing technology has occurred. This is because the processes of undertaking computations are different in classical format and quantum computing has been projected to bring in major change to the existing structures of computing processes. At present, quantum computing is at an experimental stage and it is expected that in a few years this technology could become a reality bringing in major disruption in the IT (Information Technology) sector in particular and ICT (Information and Communication Technology) sector, in general.

Historical Perspective

Actually, manifestation of various technological developments has resulted in various industrial revolutions since 17th/18th century onwards. The  beginning of the industrial revolution had British industry at the centre. Slowly, industrialization spread from Britain to other European countries like Belgium, France and Germany, and then to the United States. By the mid-19th century, industrial progress had happened mainly in Western Europe and the North and Northeast of the United States. It was the period when the United State was emerging as a major global industrial centre. In Asia, countries like Japan, and in the later part of 20th century, South Korea contributed much towards the industrial revolution. However, during the last few decades, one country that has shown remarkable progress towards industrialization is China. Countries like Israel and India are known to have made some contributions too, with Israel playing a major role in the realm of technology development.

The main features of these industrial revolutions are as follows:

• The First Industrial Revolution: 1760 – 1840. It was a period which witnessed the emergence of steam engine, textile industry and mechanical engineering.
• The Second Industrial Revolution: 1870 – 1914. The revolution was about emergence of railways and steel industry.
• The Third Industrial Revolution: 1969 – 2000. Electric engine, heavy chemicals, automobiles and consumer durables made their presence felt during this period.
• The Fourth Industrial revolution: the digital revolution, since 2000 or a few decades prior. This is an ongoing phase of this industrial revolution which has also been called as Industry 4.0. At the same time there are various other S & T innovations which are leading the progression of this Industrial Revolution.

Innovation in Various Sectors

Biology, Biotechnology, Pharmacy and Medicine are the areas which have witnessed various important innovations over the years. Particularly, all these innovations matter much to humanity because they have helped to increase the life expectancy of humans, have also found cures to various diseases and have overall assisted to make humans healthier. Invention of Penicillin during 1928 by the Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming could be considered as the beginning of the modern era of medicine. It transformed the field of medicine by its ability to cure infectious bacterial diseases. Almost seven decades later during 2001, the secret behind the complete sequence of all three billion base pairs in the human genome was discovered. The discovery of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) has totally revolutionized the field of biology and demonstrated that this discovery would help humans to resolve various challenges beyond medicine. Today, DNA profiling has major utility for confirming if people are related to each other (parenthood testing). It also helps the law enforcement agencies towards solving crimes. Apart from these important discoveries, the research on the stem cell is also an important innovation. Such cells have the unique ability to develop into specialized cell types in the body which could be used to replace cells and tissues that have been damaged or lost due to disease. In addition, various innovations in the organ donation field which assist to replace (repair) eyes, lung, heart, kidney, liver, pancreas or intestine have helped human race immensely.

A major innovation could happen when the current nuclear fusion reactors where the hydrogen isotopes tritium and deuterium are used as the fuel would be replaced by other technology. If helium-3 and deuterium could be used as fuels, then a major revolution in the energy sector is expected. The helium-3 is not available on the earth’s surface hence, at present few states are undertaking missions to Moon where helium-3 is not available in abundance. However, this entire process of getting helium-3 down could take few more decades.

Innovation in Modern Technology

For many years one of the best approaches to industrial production was considered as CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine. This milling technology has existed since 1950s and is being used to produce significant quantities of large, heavy, precision-crafted products having applicability for commercial and industrial equipment, machines, and engines. Today, with the developments taking place in the additive manufacturing (AM) sector it is expected that a major change is at the doorstep of global manufacturing processes. This technology which is commonly known as 3D printing is a mechanism of direct digital manufacturing.

UPSC Pre General Studies Study Material

Internet of Things

At the heart of various technological innovations over the years, lies the Internet. This is the single most technology which has helped to change the face of the world within a few years. This one innovation has actually led to various other innovations. Internet could be branded as one technology which connected the world and has changed various practices of human survival from education to healthcare to nature of doing business including financial transactions. Today, this internet is being viewed as a first setup towards a major disruption in IT and ICT. Internet 2.0 is expected to bring in major changes in the present-day setup of doing various things. Development in multiple fields of science and engineering like nano science, electronics, and sensor technologies are offering new opportunities to relate with internet differently. The idea of using internet differently and by using diverse effects (normally “thing” or “object” is viewed as any possible items in the real world that could join the communication chain) is expected to upswing to the model of Internet of Internet of Things (IoT). Generally, IoT is considered to be simply a means of connecting different sensors to a network. It is important to look at IoT over a broader canvass of numerous IT related and futuristic IT technologies. Ambient Intelligence and Cognitive Technologies are anticipated to have a major impact on the future of IT. Technologies like Fog computing, Cloud computing, Big Data and Block-chain are expected to impact the future of IoT.

The most fascinating aspect of modern S&T innovations has been its evolutionary and adaptable nature. It is important to appreciate the fact that despite being developed for a specific purpose, some technologies have witnessed modifications and have provided innovation for altogether different purposes. For example, cell phones (mobile phones) were originally developed as a unit for remote wireless communication. Since then, however, phones have been implanted with GPS chips that provide information about the device’s geographic position.
Developments in the field of outer space have been fascinating. This is one technological field, which could be said to have made major contribution towards addressing various issues of socio-economic importance. Voice and data communication in real time and offering accurate inputs for various developmental aspects and managerial issues has been the key focus of space technologies. Today, communication, navigational, remote sensing (earth observational), weather and scientific satellites actually almost fully control humans lives.

Largely, technology could be said to have evolved as a response to the various requirements of society and it is expected that the S & T innovations happening in the future too would help humans to live more peacefully and happily.

Complete Study Material For UPSC, IAS Exams