Spotlight/News Analysis (25 Apr):

• Topic of Discussion: World's Malaria Day
• Expert Panel: Dr. Akshaychand Dhariwal (Director, National Vector borne diseare control Programme), Aditi Tandan (Senior Journalist)

Former IAS officer Vijay Singh has resigned from the post of member of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Singh's resignation has been accepted by President Pranab Mukherjee with effect from April 30, according to an official notification by the Department of Personnel and Training.

Content

• Iran Needs India’s Friendship
• Watery Mars
• Questions for Mr. Nilekani
• Criticism from the top
• Focus on India
• A Lifeline under Siege
• The Solar War Heats up
• An Abomination Called AFSPA
• Adverse Changes in Temperature
• A Model for the Rest of India
• Selecting the Next CAG
• Antarctica Needs MPAs
• PSLV-C20 puts SARAL, 6 other Satellites in Precise Orbits
• The Risk Business Needs Better Cover
• Will Rise in 2013: World Gold Council
• Direct Cash Transfer Scheme
• Tackling the Challenges of Implementation

IRAN NEEDS INDIA’S FRIENDSHIP

The Prime Minister paid an official visit to Iran last year for the nonaligned summit, no doubt upsetting the Americans. The fact that he was ‘granted an audience’ by the supreme leader should not flatter us. Iran certainly needs friends like India. Would the supreme leader have ‘received’ the Prime Minister if his country did not face sanctions? Iran surely knows that India has not joined in the unilateral sanctions imposed by the West. If Iran, in the face of these facts, has convinced itself that India’s ‘qibla’ is in the direction of Washington, there is nothing we can do to disabuse it of its thinking. The above analysis is not an argument for downgrading Iran’s importance for us and for the region of which it is a part. Rather, it is meant to keep in mind what Harish Khare, the respected columnist, recently observed: Appeasement policy does not serve national interest, in domestic politics or in international relations. His advice is aimed at the government but is equally true at the nongovernmental level. International relations must be conducted on the basis of reciprocity and mutuality of interests. We also have to keep in mind that countries which at present have strained, even hostile relations with Iran, can and will change their policy at a time of their choosing; we should not be left surprised.

Contents of the Chapter:

• Intoduction
• Emergency Medical Relief Health
• National Rural Health Mission
• Child Health Programme
• National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme

• Universal Immunization Programme
• Family Welfare Linked Health Insurance Scheme

• National Leprosy Eradication Programme
• National Tobacco Control Programme
• National AIDS Control Programme
• National Cancer Control Programme
• MCQs for Final Practice

Introduction

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare comprises the following departments:

• Department of Health and Family Welfare
• Department of AYUSH
• Department of Health Research
• Department of AIDS Control

• The National Health Policy 2002 aims at achieving an acceptable standard of health for the general population of the country. Keeping in line with this broad objective, the Eleventh Five Year Plan had set upon itself the goal of achieving good health for the people, especially the poor and the underprivileged.

• Conscious and vigorous efforts continued to be made during the current year to step up funding of the health sector as part of the endeavour to ensure that allocations for health in the public domain reach 3 per cent of the GDP by 2012.

• The major thrust in this direction in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) which aims at major qualitative improvements in standards of public health and health care in the rural areas through strengthening of institutions, community participation, decentrali-zation and innovative methods of reaching all habitations. While the Mission was formally launched in 2005 and has taken a while to effectively go on stream, early indications reflect its positive impact. Simultaneously, provision of tertiary health care and increasing human resources to ensure availability of larger number of health care providers have engaged the attention of the Government.

• Considerable upgration of facilities and infrastructure is now under way in 13 medical colleges in the States to provide super speciality treatment under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). Under the scheme work has commenced on construction of six institutions on the pattern of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Under the second phase of the PMSSY it is proposed to establish two more AIMS like institutions—one each in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal—and another six medical colleges have been taken up for upgradation of facilities. Under the National Mental Health Programme, 11 State Mental Hospitals and Institutes have been identified for being developed into Centres of Excellence to upgrade the facilities and provide for creation of more manpower resources in Mental Health. For better surveillance and epidemiological monitoring of infectious diseases, it is proposed to upgrade the National Institute of Communicable Diseases to a National Centre for Disease Control on the lines of CDC in the United States.

National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)

• The National Rural Health Mission was launched by the Prime Minister on 12 April 2005, to provide accessible, affordable and accountable quality health services to the poorest households in the remotest rural regions. The National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) mandates an increase in expenditure in health sector from current level of 0.9 per cent of the GDP to 2 to 3 per cent of the GDP from 2005-12.

• The National Rural Health Mission represents a major departure from the past, in that central government health financing is now directed to the development of state health systems rather than being confined to a select number of national health programmes.

• The expected outcomes of the Mission include reduction of IMR to below 30/1000 live births, MMR to below 100/100,000 live birth and TFR to 2.1 by 2012.

Contents of the Chapter:

• Introduction
• Population Growth- Inter State Comparison
• Size, Growth and Structure
• Population Structure
• Population Growth
• Sex wise Composition
• Demographic Transition
• Population & issues
• Sources of Demographic Data & their limitations

Introduction

India, like many other countries, has come a long way from the initial days of evolution under conditions of high mortality due to famines, accidents, illness, infections and war, when relatively high levels of fertility was essential for species survival. Over the years, better equipped in dealing with diseases and vagaries of nature, it has witnessed significant increase in life expectancy alongwith steep fall in mortality. Confronted with malthusian growth, changing social mores and spurred by government interventions, the population responded by taking steps to reduce fertility, but the continued increase in number of women in reproductive age has ensured high number of births each year. Consequently, in the world of seven billion people, India alongwith China already occupies a place in the Billionaire club and is likely to overtake China by 2025.

Size, Growth and Structure

The second most populous country on earth, India accounts for more than 17 per cent of world population mith meagre 2.4 per cent of the world surface area. In contrast, the USA accounts for 7.2 percent of the surface area with only 4.5 percent of the world population.

RESULT: SECTION OFFICERS’/STENOGRAPHERS’ (GRADE ’B’/GRADE ’I’) LIMITED
DEPARTMENTAL COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION, 2010 & 2011

On the basis of the results of the written part of the SOs’/Stenographers’ (Gr.’B’/Gr.’I’) Limited Departmental Competitive Examination, 2009, 2010 & 2011 held by the Union Public Service Commission in December, 2012 for addition to the Select Lists for the Section Officer’s and the Stenographer’s Grade’B’/Grade’I’ of the services, the candidates with the under mentioned Roll Numbers have qualified in the written part/shorthand test for evaluation of service records.

Spotlight/News Analysis (24 Apr):

• Topic of Discussion: Measures to Boost Power Sector
• Expert Panel:  Ashok Rao (Convenor National Working Group an Power), M. Rajendran (Senior Journalist)

SSC CGL Tier - 1 Examination Held On 21 April 2013 - Evening Session

Contents of the Chapter:

• Intoduction
• Asian Development Bank
• Economic Affairs
• MGNREGS
• Thirteen Finance Commission
• Financial Action Task Force
• Financial Stability and Development
• Banking

• RBI

• Bilateral Relation
• International Monetary Funds
• Insurance
• World Bank
• Evaluate Yourself

Introduction

• The Ministry of Finance comprises four departments, namely, (i) Economic Affairs, (ii) Expenditure, (iii) Revenue, and (iv) Disinvestment.

ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

• There are 9 divisions of the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), which are as follows : (i) Finance Division, (ii) Budget Division including Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM), (iii) Capital Market, (iv) Bilateral Co-operation and Administration, (v) Multilateral Institutions, (vi) Multilateral Relations, and Administration, (vii) Controller of Aid, Accounts and Audit, (viii) Economic Division and (ix) Directorate of Currency.

• The DEA is also responsible for preparation and presentation to the Parliament of Central Budget and the Budgets for the State Governments under President’s Rule and Union Territory Administrations.

Annual Budget

Annual Financial Statement

• Under Article 112 of the Constitution, a statement of estimated receipts and expenditure of the Government of India has to be laid before Parliament in respect of every financial year which runs from 1st April to 31st March. This statement titled “Annual Financial Statement” is the main Budget document. The Annual Financial Statement shows the receipts and payments of Government under the three parts in which Government accounts are kept; (i) Consolidated Fund, (ii) Contingency Fund and (iii) Public Account.

Contents of the Chapter:

• Intoduction
• Growth in significance of G-20 & increased engagement of economies like India, China – Post Global Economic Crisis
• Origin of G-20
• Role of emerging economies like India in G-20 & Regional Cooperations – Pre Global Crisis (2008)
• India, G-20 & World a comparative picture (2012)

Introduction

Second World War was definitive in redistribution of the world power. Authority of United States of America was established and after a prolonged cold war with the other waning super power, USSR, the power slowly shifted towards the western democracies led by US. Japan was quick to recover too and through its technological innovations & business practices soon became a formidable force despite its relatively smaller area, population and insignificant military prowess. Economic might had become the new centre of gravity and formations like G6, a club of the rich, involving US, Japan France, Germany, Italy and UK emerged in 1975.

Origin of G-20

After the second world war, free from occupation and external aggression countries like India and China, initially stayed aloof addressing their own domestic concerns, building their nations. It took some time for these countries to integrate themselves in the world economy. Meanwhile they continued to grow rapidly in terms of population, a factor that they could later leverage when they would start to open up. Slowly even with relatively lower per capita GDP but a big enough population and favourable age structure their overall impact in world economy could no longer be ignored.

In the meantime, Developed countries were at their peak. The way in which business would be done was changing world over. Spurred by the information technology (IT) revolution, trade liberalization and other economic reforms, the entry of an estimated 2 billion people into the labor force as a result of the breakdown of the Soviet bloc and the opening of China, and the freer movement of capital and technology from developed countries to developing countries, the size of the global economy doubled over the decade preceding the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, increasing from $31 trillion in 1999 to $62 trillion in 2008. With the globalization of production, the phenomenon of ‘factory asia’ (production flowing away to countries with cheaper labour) became more evident. While the growth reached practically every region of the world and encompassed dozens of developing countries, a handful of large developing countries—led by China, India, and Brazil—accounted for a major share of the global growth. Other emerging economies with large populations, such as Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, Turkey, and Vietnam, also grew at a rapid pace. China, in fact, was fast becoming a leading driver of the world economy. Larger size had economic repercussions in terms of both market and labour force. The balance of international economic power was shifting away from the United States and European powers that had dominated the world economy since the end of World War II to a few dozen developing countries located in Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Spotlight/News Analysis (22 Apr):

• Topic of Discussion: Living in Harmony with Nature
• Expert Panel: Dr. Anuj Sinha (Former Advisor Ministry of Science & Tech.), Ajay Kumar Jha (Environment Expert)

Result 

Issue Description:

A court adrift, Supreme court and the aam aadmi, Inconsistent decision, Misunderstood relationship, High-stakes race, Looking for money in news and more...

Magazine Description:

India's National Magazine.

Frontline, the fortnightly English magazine from the stable of The Hindu, has been a distinguished presence in the media world for the past 27 years. As per the Indian Readership Survey (IRS) Q4, Frontline’s average issue readership is 152000.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has decided to postpone the civil services Mains examination by a month. While the examination was initially scheduled to be conducted from November 5, as per the new dates the examination will now be held for five days starting December 1.

Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh inaugurated the Eighth Civil Services Day in New Delhi today. Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office and Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Shri V. Narayanasamy; Minister of External Affairs, Shri Salman Khurshid; Minister of Rural Development, Shri Jairam Ramesh; Advisor to the Prime Minister, Shri T. K.A. Nair; National Security Advisor, Shri Shiv Shankar Menon; Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Shri Pulok Chatterjee; and Cabinet Secretary, Shri Ajit Seth graced the occasion. The event was also attended by former Cabinet Secretaries, Secretaries to the Government of India, Chief Secretaries of States, and other Civil Servants.Some of the champions who were conferred Prime Minister’s Award for excellence in Public Administration in the previous years and trainee officers from various National Training Academies also attended the Conference.

Contents of the Chapter:

• Intoduction
• National Population Education Project
• Elementary Education

• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
• Mid-Day Meal Scheme
• Mahila Samakhya Scheme

• Adult Education

• Saakshar Bharat

• Education of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
• Higher Education
• Right to Education 8 Book Promotion
• Secondary Education 8 Evaluate Yourself

Before 1976, education was the exclusive responsibility of the States. The Constitutional Amendment of 1976, which included education in the Concurrent List, was a far-reaching step.

The Central Government continues to play a leading role in the evolution and monitoring of educational policies and programmes, the most notable of which are the National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 and the Programme of Action (POA), 1986 as updated in 1992.

The Government has taken/proposed a number of major initiatives during the 11th Five Year Plan. Some of the new initiatives in the School and literacy sector and Higher and Technical Education sector include: Right of Children to free and Compulsory Education Bill, Launching of Saakshar Bharat, ICT in Secondary Schools and in open/distance schooling, Evolving a National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education, Examination reform in accordance with NCF-2005, introducing a System for replacement of marks by grades at the Secondary stage in schools affiliated to CBSE, Recommendations of Yash Pal Committee and National Knowledge Commission, Establishment of 14 Innovation Universities aiming at World Class Standards, Setting up 10 new National Institutes of Technology, Launching of new Scheme of Interest subsidy on education loans taken for professional courses by the Economically Weaker Students, Scheme of setting up of 374 Model degree colleges in districts having gross enrolment ratio for higher education less than National GER, 150 women’s hostels in higher educational institutions located in districts with significant population of weaker sections and minorities, Academic Reforms (Semester system, choice based credit system, regular revision of syllabi, impetus to research), etc.

In order to ensure all-round development in the field of education, the Ministry of Human Resources Development was created on 26 September, 1985. Currently the Ministry has two departments namely: (i) Development of School Education and Literacy which deals with Elementary, Secondary and Adult Education or literacy. (ii) Department of High Education which deals with university Higher Education, Technical Education, Ministry Education, Scholarship, languages, Book promotion of copyright.

Contents of the Chapter:

• Introduction
• International Collaboration and Efforts
• Sustainable Development and Climate
• Financing Climage Change
• Change in the Indian Context
• Challenges and Outlook

Introduction

The year 2012 may arguably be considered a high water mark in the field of environment and sustainable development initiatives. The global community met at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development that took place in Rio in June 2012, also marking the 20th anniversary of the landmark first Earth Summit held in 1992. The Conference reviewed the progress made, identified implementation gaps, and assessed new and emerging challenges, which resulted in a political outcome called the 'The Future We Want'. In India, the Twelfth Five Year Plan was launched with a focus on sustainable growth. This along with sustainable development policies and programmes which are being followed signalled to citizens at home and the world at large that India is committed to sustainable development with equal emphasis on its three dimensions - social, economic, and environmental. A global comparative opinion survey shows that people in India and indeed all countries, have a marked and rising concern about sustainable development and climate change. However, the challenges are also formidable, especially in the context of finding the matching resources of the required magnitude given the economic conditions. Climate science has rightly taken up an important position in the public debate. Even as the science of climate change grapples with uncertanities the world is witnessing more extreme events. The urgency for action is felt more than ever before. In contrast, though the Doha Gateway on climate change agreed upon in December 2012 ensured that there is continuation of a multilateral and rule-based regime to reduce emissions, the emission pledges on the table by the developed country Parties lacked ambition. Now the Fifth Assessment Report of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is in the final stages of completion. With rising extreme events, and rising citizen demand, the world has little option but to listen to the voice of evolving science and respond adequately with strategies and policy rooted in the principles of multilateralism with equitable and fair burden sharing.

The world population crossed the 7 billion mark but with continued decline in population growth rates. Urbanization continues to grow with more demand for resources. A United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) study, 'Keeping Track of Our Changing Environment: From Rio to Rio + 20 (1992- 2012)', tells the story of where the world collectively stands today on the sustainability and environment front. According to this study, both global gross domestic product (GDP) and the human development index (HDI increased by 2.5 per cent per year) continue to increase but variation and inequalities between regions still exist. The study also points to the growing pressure on agriculture, water, fisheries, and land resources. Pressure on natural resources reflected in per capita global use of natural resource materials has increased around 27 per cent between 1992 and 2005 though there has been a decline in emissions and energy and material use per unit of output, indicating improvement in efficiency levels. At the same time global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have continuously been rising. GHG emissions measured in million metric tons of CO2 equivalent (MtCO2e) from 1990 to 2005 register an increase of 25.9 per cent (World Resources Institute).

Twelfth Five Year Plan Approaches for Sustainable Development and Lower Carbon Strategies

The Twelfth Plan strategy suggests that there are significant 'co-benefits' for climate action with inclusive and sustainable growth. India as a large responsible player with very low income has also to ensure that these efforts are matched by equitable and fair burden sharing among countries, taking into account the historical responsibilities for emissions. These issues are being discussed in the UNFCCC.

India's approach to a lower-carbon growth strategy explicitly recognizes that policies have to be inclusive and differentiated across sectors according to national priorities, so as to lower the transaction costs of implementing the policy, and conform with a nationally fair burden-sharing mechanism. An Expert Group on Low Carbon Strategies appointed by the Planning Commission has outlined the lower carbon strategies for major potential carbon mitigation sectors:

(i) Power : On the supply side, adopt super-critical technologies in coal-based thermal power plants; use gas in combined heat and power systems; invest in renewable technologies; and develop hydropower in a sustainable manner. On the demand side, accelerate adoption of super-efficient electrical appliances through market and regulatory mechanisms; enhance efficiency of agricultural pump sets and industrial equipment with better technology; modernize transmission and distribution to bring technical and commercial losses down to world average levels; universalize access to electricity; and accelerate power-sector reforms.

(ii) Transport : Increase the share of rail in overall freight transport; improve the efficiency of rail freight transport; make it price competitive by bringing down the levels of cross-subsidization between freight and passenger transport; complete dedicated rail corridor; improve share and efficiency of public transport system; and improve fuel efficiency of vehicles through both market-based and regulatory mechanisms.

(iii) Industry : Greenfield plants in the iron and steel and cement sectors adopt best available technology; existing plants, particularly small and medium ones, modernize and adopt green technology at an accelerated pace, with transparent financing mechanisms.

(iv) Buildings : Evolve and institutionalize green building codes at all levels of government.

(v) Forestry : 'Green India Mission' to regenerate at least 4 million ha of degraded forest; increase density of forest cover on 2 million ha of moderately dense forest; and overall increase the density of forest and tree cover on 10 million ha of forest, waste, and community lands.