4.60T-Aug 2017 Flashcards
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. RIGHT TO PRIVACY
• Recently, in Justice K. S. Puttaswamy (retd.) vs Union of India case the Supreme Court has declared
right to privacy a fundamental right under Article 21
• Thereby, it overruled its previous judgments of M.P. Sharma (1954) and Kharak Singh (1961) both of
which had pronounced that the right to privacy is not protected under the constitution
ARTICLE 21
• It says that no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure
established by law
• It protects the right of life and personal liberty not only from executive action but also from the
legislative action
• This right extends to citizens as well as non-citizens
ARTICLE 21: IMPLIED FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS
• Right to- Speedy Trial
• Right to Travel Abroad
• Right to Dignity
• Right to Privacy
• Right to Clean Environment
• Right to Livelihood
• Right to marriage
• Right against torture
• Right against Bondage
• Right to legal aid
• Right to Food
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS - RIGHT TO PRIVACY
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
• India has ratified both the above conventions
- TRIPLE TALAQ
• In Shayara Bano vs. Union of India case, the Supreme Court had declared practice of instant divorce
through triple talaq as unconstitutional, illegal and void and not protected by Article 25 (freedom of
religion) of the Constitution.
• It held that triple talaq is manifestly arbitrary and violation of the constitution and fundamental right under
Article 14 (equality before law)
TRIPLE TALAQ BILL, 2017
• Recently, the Lok Sabha passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriages) Bill 2017
• It declared pronouncing instant triple talaq in any form illegal
• The law made pronouncing talaq a cognizable and non-bailable offence and criminalises it with up to
three years in jail for the husband with a fine .• In such cases, the law allows Muslim women to seek subsistence allowance from her husband for her
and her children
• The Muslim women are also entitled to seek the custody of their minor children in such cases
- ARTICLE 35(A)
• There are several petitions filed in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of Article
35(A)
• The petitioners have challenged it on the grounds of,
o The inclusion of the provision through Presidential Order under Article 370 instead of a
constitutional amendment under Article 368
o Violation of fundamental rights (Articles 14, 19 and 21) as it restricts citizens from other States
from getting employment or buying property within J&K
o Gender-bias and violation of Article 14 as it denies property rights to J&K permanent resident
woman who marries a non-resident while a man who marries outside state will continue to enjoy
his rights
ABOUT
• It was added through Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954 issued under
Article 370 of Constitution
• Article 370 (1) allows the President to make certain “exceptions and modifications” to the Constitution
for the benefit of ‘State subjects’ of Jammu and Kashmir
• Article 35(A) empowers J&K legislature to define permanent residents (PR) of state, confer on them
special rights and privileges in public sector jobs, acquisition of property in the State, scholarships and
other public aid and welfare
• The provision mandates that no act of the legislature coming under it can be challenged for violating
the Constitution or any other law of the land
- HARIT DIWALI, SWASTH DIWALI” CAMPAIGN
• Launched by MoEFCC
• To reduce adverse environmental conditions especially pollution in the country after post Diwali
celebrations
• By creating awareness among various stakeholders and encourage people to participate in combating air
pollution
- NABARD (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2017
Passed by the Parliament in January, 2018
• The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Amendment) Bill, 2017 seeks to amend the
NABARD Act, 1981
FEATURES
• Increases capital of NABARD from Rs.5000 crore to Rs.30,000 crore
• Transfer of the RBI’s 0.4% share to Union government
• Adds Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) terms in place of small scale industry, tiny and
decentralised sector
• It allows NABARD to provide financial assistance to banks if they provide loans to the MSMEs
• It includes provisions dealing with definition of a government company and qualifications of
auditors in consistent with the new Companies Act, 2013.
NABARD
• Established in July 12, 1982
• It is an apex Development Bank with a mandate for facilitating credit flow for promotion and
development of agriculture, small-scale industries, cottage and village industries, handicrafts and
other rural crafts
• It provides funds to State governments for undertaking developmental and promotional activities in
rural areas
• It also supports the Self-help Group (SHG) and works for the restructuring of credit institutions,
and training and development of staff
• It was established on the recommendations of Shivaraman Committee
- BANKING REGULATION (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2017
• The Union Government has notified the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2017
• It amended the Banking Regulation Act, 1949
• It added provisions for handling cases related to stressed assets or non-performing assets (NPAs) of
banks
SALIENT FEATURES
• The Act empowers the Central government to authorize the RBI to direct banking companies to
resolve specific stressed assets by initiating insolvency resolution process under the Insolvency and
Bankruptcy Code, 2016.
• The RBI can specify authorities or committees to advise banks on resolution of stressed assets.
• The members on the committees will be appointed or approved by the RBI.
• The Act also make these provisions applicable to the SBI and its subsidiaries and also Regional Rural
Banks (RRBs)
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
7. MEKONG-GANGA COOPERATION (MGC)
• Recently 8th Mekong Ganga Cooperation Ministerial Meeting was held in Manila, Philippines
• India has called for expanding the areas of cooperation among the member countries of the MGC bloc
• The leaders have shared the concept notes on formation of task forces on maritime connectivity and
extension of (India-Myanmar-Thailand) trilateral highway into Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam
ABOUT MGC
• It was launched in 2000 at Vientiane, Laos
• It is named after Ganga and the Mekong rivers
• MGC initiative aims to facilitate closer contacts among the people inhabiting these two major river
basins
• Members: India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam
• MGC emphasises on four areas of cooperation including tourism, education, culture and
transportation linkage for solid foundation of trade and investment cooperation in the region
- INDIA – PHILIPPINES
• India has decided to provide a financial assistance of Rs. 3.2 crore to the Philippines to aid its fight
against the Islamic State (IS)-affiliated terror groups in the city of Marawi in Mindanao province
- TAPI GAS PIPELINE
• India to host the next steering committee meeting of 1, 814 km long Turkmenistan AfghanistanPakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline
• It was decided at sixth joint India-Turkmenistan Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) meeting on trade,
economic, scientific, and technological cooperation
ABOUT
• It is a proposed trans-country natural gas pipeline from Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan to India
through Afghanistan and Pakistan
• It is supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
• The pipeline begins from Turkmenistan’s Galkynysh field
• First proposed in 1995, construction has started in Turkmenistan on December 2015 and is expected
to be operational by 2019.
• It will supply both India and Pakistan about 38 mmscmd of natural gas whereas Afghanistan will get
14 mmscmd supply for period of 30 years
• Member countries established an inter-government joint security task force (JSTF) to serve as the
nucleus of the safety of the pipeline
- RCEP
• Recently, the 19th round of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Trade
Negotiating Committee (TNC) meetings held in Hyderabad
ABOUT
• It is a proposed regional trade block among ASEAN plus Six countries Viz., ASEAN, China, Japan,
South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, India
• RCEP member states accounted for a population of 3.4 billion people with a total GDP (in terms of PPP)
of $49.5 trillion, approximately 39% of the world’s GDP
• RCEP negotiations were launched at 2012 ASEAN Summit in Cambodia
• After years of several rounds of negotiations, first RCEP summit held in Manila, Philippines in Nov,
2017
OBJECTIVES OF RCEP
• To reduce/eliminate tariffs on most goods
• Liberalise investment norms and trade in services
• Boost economic and technical co-operation
• Strengthen intellectual property, besides
• Including provisions on dispute settlement and competition and covering issues such as e-commerce,
public procurement
ASEAN
• The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a political and economic organisation of ten
Southeast Asian countries
• It was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and
Thailand
• Later the membership has expanded to include Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam
• Objective: Economic, Political, Security, Educational and Socio-cultural integration amongst its
members and Asian states.
• First summit: Bali, 1976
• 2017 summit: Pasay City, (Manila)
• 2018 summit: Singapore
• The ASEAN-India Free Trade Area agreement entered into force in 2015
• “ASEAN Plus Three” includes China, Japan, and South Korea
DELHI DIALOGUE
• It is an annual forum of ASEAN and India
ASEAN-INDIA CENTRE (AIC)
• It undertakes policy research, advocacy and networking activities with organizations and think-tanks
in India and ASEAN with the aim to promote the ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership
ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM (ARF)
• Set up in 1993 as a regional security cooperation and dialogue platform
• India participating in it since 1996
ASEAN DEFENCE MINISTERS’ MEETING (ADMM)
• It is the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism in ASEAN.
• The ADMM plus comprises ASEAN nations plus Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand,
Republic of Korea, Russia, and the United States on a biannual basis.
EXPANDED ASEAN MARITIME FORUM (EAMF)
• It is an avenue for track 1.5 diplomacy (a diplomacy channel in which official and non-official actors
work together to resolve conflicts)
- URANIUM BANK
• Recently, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has opened a uranium bank for Low Enriched
Uranium (LEU)
• In Oskemen city of Kazakhstan
• Its objectives include, providing last resort source of LEU for IAEA members in case of emergency, to
discourage new nations from enriching the nuclear fuel, peaceful use of atomic energy etc.
• It is owned and managed by IAEA
• It will be the first of its kind LEU bank not to be under control of any individual country
• The IAEA also manages 123 tons of uranium in Angarsk, Russia but it is under the control of Russian
government
• The project was funded by donors, including the United States, European Union, Kuwait, United Arab
Emirates, Norway and Nuclear Threat Initiative
INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA)
• It is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to
inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons.
• It was established as an autonomous organization in 1957 through its own international treaty, the
IAEA Statute
• It is independent of the United Nations but reports to both the United Nations General Assembly
(UNGA) and Security Council (UNSC)
• The IAEA has no authority to act on its own, but relies on the willingness of nations to cooperate,
or on a UN mandate.
• Headquarters: Vienna, Austria
• Director-general: Yukiya Amano
• Known nuclear-armed states: China, France, India, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, UK, US (Israel
is widely believed to have nuclear arms)
- BIMSTEC
• The 15th edition of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation
(BIMSTEC) ministerial meeting was held in Kathmandu, Nepal
• India was represented by External Affairs Minister
• The meeting was to review the progress and achievements in the identified areas of cooperation and
discuss the ways to accelerate the partnership under the BIMSTEC process.
• The main agenda of this edition of the meeting was to finalise a free trade agreement among the
BIMSTEC member countries
• The MoU on the Establishment of the BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection was readied for final approval and
signature.
• The leaders agreed to expedite comments and observations on the BIMSTEC Framework Agreement
on Transit, Trans-shipment and Movement of Vehicular Traffic (BIMSTEC Motor Vehicle
Agreement) as well as the BIMSTEC Coastal Shipping Agreement with a view to negotiate and
conclude these at the earliest.
• It was decided during the meeting that the Government of Bangladesh will host an International
Conference on Blue Economy
ABOUT
• It is a sub-regional grouping comprising of seven countries of South Asia and South East Asia
• Members: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand
• It was established as BIST-EC on 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration
• Myanmar was admitted in Dec1997 and the organization was renamed as BIMST-EC
• Nepal and Bhutan were admitted in Feb 2004 and the was changed to BIMSTEC
• 1st Summit Meeting: Bangkok, 2004
• Headquarters: Dhaka, Bangladesh
• Its objectives are technological and economic cooperation among south Asian and south East Asian
countries along the coast of the Bay of Bengal
• BIMSTEC Chairmanship rotates among member countries.
BIMSTEC DMEX-2017
• The first BIMSTEC Disaster Management exercise held in New Delhi, India from October 10-13,
2017
• It was conducted by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
• Mandate: to provide platform for sharing best practices on all aspects of Disaster Risk Reduction
(DRR), strengthening regional response and coordination for Disaster Management among BIMSTEC
member countries
BITFM
• The first meeting of BIMSTEC Task Force on Traditional Medicine (BITFM) was held in New
Delhi
• It was organized by Union Ministry of AYUSH
• India being a major stake holder in the field of Traditional Medicine plays an important role in
influencing the policies and strategies related to the Traditional Medicine in the BIMSTEC Forum.
BODHI PARVA: BIMSTEC FESTIVAL OF BUDDHIST HERITAGE
• It was inaugurated in New Delhi on December 08, 2017
• India is hosting it as a part of celebrations of 20th anniversary of BIMSTEC
• ‘Bodhi Parva’ has entwined various threads of the Buddhist heritage into a beautiful melange
- AGREEMENT ON TRANSFER OF PRISONERS
• India and Somalia have signed an agreement for transfer of sentenced prisoners in each other’s country.
• So far India has singed such agreements with 36 countries including Somalia.
INDIA-SOMALIA
• India-Somalia bilateral trade stood at $391.05 million in 2014-15, a more than 51% increase over the
figure of $257.27 million in 2013-14
• India also offers Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) training scholarships and Indian
Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships to Somalia
• It is among the partner countries of India’s Pan African e-Network project
PAN AFRICAN E-NETWORK PROJECT
• It is a fibre-optic network set up by India to provide satellite connectivity, tele-medicine and teleeducation to countries of Africa
• TCIL, a Government of India undertaking, is implementing the project
• The project has been commissioned in 47 countries
- INDIA - BHUTAN NEW TRADE TRANSIT AGREEMENT
• The new bilateral Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between India and Bhutan came into
force from July 2017.
• It provides for a free trade regime between the both countries
• It also provides for duty-free transit of Bhutanese merchandise for trade with third countries
• It removes requirement of having an annual consultation between India and Bhutan
• Four new entry and exit point,
o Two land routes - Phulbar (India-Bangladesh border) and Dawki (West Jaintia Hills , Meghalaya)
o Sea route - Mumbai
o Air route - Chennai
BACKGROUND
• The bilateral trade relations between India and Bhutan are governed by the Agreement on Trade,
Commerce and Transit
• The agreement provides for a free trade regime between the territories of India and Bhutan.
• The last agreement was renewed on July 29, 2006 for ten years
- GLOBAL LIVEABILITY REPORT
• Compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)
• According to its 2017 report, Melbourne is the most liveable city in the world
• No Indian city was ranked in the top ten or bottom ten
• Top 10: Melbourne (1st), Vienna (2nd), Vancouver (3rd), Toronto (4th), Calgary (5th), Adelaide (6th), Perth
(7th), Auckland (8th), Helsinki (9th) and Hamburg (10th)
• Damascus (140th) listed as the least liveable city.
ABOUT
• The EIU Liveability index scores 140 major cities of the world on the scale ranging from 0 (least
liveable city) to 100 (most liveable city)
• Parameters: healthcare, education, stability, culture, environment and infrastructure
ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT (EIU)
• It is a British business within the Economist Group providing forecasting and advisory services
through research and analysis
• Created in 1946
EIU-MAJOR REPORTS
• Government Broadband Index
• China Going Global Investment Index
• Global Food Security Index
• Inclusive Growth Opportunities Index
• Worldwide Cost of Living
• Democracy Index
- QUALITY OF LIVING INDEX
• Released by Mercer
• According to it, best city in India - Hyderabad ( Consecutively 3rd time)
• World best city - Vienna (Austria)
• Top 10: Vienna (1), Zurich (2) Munich (4), Dusseldorf (6), Frankfurt (7), Geneva (8), Copenhagen (9) and
Basel (10)
ABOUT
• Mercer is a global human resources consulting firm
• Headquarter: New York
• Its survey is conducted annually to enable MNCs and other employers compensate its employees
fairly, while sending them on international assignments
• Its city infrastructure ranking that assesses each city’s supply of drinking water, electricity, public
transportation and telephone and mail services as well as traffic congestion and the range of
international flights available from local airports
CITY INFRASTRUCTURE RANKINGS
• Singapore has topped the list
• Followed by Frankfurt and Munich both in 2nd place
• Baghdad (230) and Port au Prince (231) ranked at the bottom for city infrastructure
• Amongst Indian cities, Mumbai (141), Ko
- LIVEABILITY INDEX OF CITIES
• Launched by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban affairs (MoHUA) in January, 2018
• It is a tool that aims to measure quality of life in 99 smart cities, capital cities and those with a population
of over one million (Total 116 cities).
• Funded by the World Bank through its Capacity Building for Urban Development (CBUD) program
• Ranking of these cities is expected to be ready by June 2018
• It will assess cities on comprehensive set of 79 parameters including 15 core parameters
• These 79 parameters are based on four broad pillars: physical (weightage 45%), institutional (25%),
social (25%) and economic (5%)
- ICT FACTS AND FIGURES REPORT
• Released by International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
• According to 2017 report, India and China are home to 39% of the 830 million young people worldwide
who use the Internet
• The report highlighted that the proportion of young people aged 15-24 using the Internet (71%) is
significantly higher than the proportion of the total population using the Internet (48%)
INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION (ITU)
• It is the UN specialised agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs).
• Members: 193 countries and 800 private-sector entities and academic institutions
• Headquarter: Geneva, Switzerland
• It is responsible for allocating global radio spectrum and satellite orbits
• It also develops the technical standards that ensure networks and technologies to seamlessly
interconnect.
• It also strives to improve access to ICTs among the underserved communities worldwide
- DIGITAL EVOLUTION INDEX
• Launched by the Fletcher School at Tufts University, in partnership with MasterCard
• The Index is a comprehensive research that tracks the progress of the digital economy across 60
countries
• It takes into account more than 100 different indicators across four key drivers: supply, consumer
demand, institutional environment, and innovation
• It reflects the state and rate of digital evolution on the one hand, while also identifying avenues for
investment, innovation and policy priorities
• India has been ranked 53rd among 60 countries
• Top 10: Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom,
Hong Kong and the United States
- MERCOSUR
• The Mercosur economic bloc has suspended Venezuela from it for violating the bloc’s democratic
principles and failing to meet its basic standards
ABOUT
• Mercosur is a sub-regional bloc of South American countries
• Objective: to promote free trade and the fluid movement of goods, people, and currency
• Established: 1991
• Headquarters: Montevideo (Uruguay)
• It is a full customs union and a trading bloc
• Full members: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay (Venezuela has been suspended)
• Associate countries: Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Suriname
• Observer countries: New Zealand, Mexico.
• India has signed a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with the MERCOSUR
- APEC
• 7th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation’s (APEC) high level meeting on health and economy was held
in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on 23rd August
ABOUT
• It is a forum for facilitating growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia Pacific region
• APEC is comprising of 21 member countries.
• They are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, China, Chile, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia,
Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand,
Taiwan, Vietnam and United States
• Bogor goals: These are a set of targeted goals for realizing free and open trade in the Asia-Pacific
agreed by member economies in 1994 in Bogor, Indonesia
• India is an observer of APEC since 2011 and has applied for membership
• HQ : Singapore
• The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)summit 2017 was held in Da Nang, Vietnam
• Theme of 2017 summit: ‘Creating New Dynamism, Fostering a Shared Future’
• Next summit : Papua New Guinea (2018)
ECONOMY
22. E-RAKAM PORTAL
• The Union Government has launched e-Rashtriya Kisan Agri Mandi (e-RaKAM) portal to provide a
platform for farmers to sell agricultural produce.
• It connect farmers from the smallest villages to the biggest markets of the world through internet
ABOUT E-RAKAM
• It is a digital initiative that aims to bring together the farmers, PSUs, civil supplies and buyers on a single
platform to ease the selling and buying process of agricultural products
• It has been developed by state-run-auctioneer MSTC Limited and CRWC (Central Railside Warehouse
Company) Limited.
• Under this initiative, e-RaKAM centres are being developed throughout the country in a phased manner to
facilitate farmers for online sale of their produce.
• The farmers will be paid through e-Payment directly into their bank accounts
- PUBLIC CREDIT REGISTRY (PCR)
• The RBI has constituted high-level task force on public credit registry (PCR) for India
• It will be chaired by Y M Deosthalee and will have nine other members
ABOUT PCR
• The PCR is an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all
stakeholders
• It helps good borrowers in securing credit at lowers costs and also improve access of credit to small
and medium enterprises
• It keeps records of individuals and firms on repayment history, unpaid debts, or credit outstanding
• The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the
borrower’s entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes.
• Currently, there are four credit bureaus in India — Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited (CIBIL),
Experian, Equifax and CRIF Highmark
• These bureaus are regulated by the RBI under the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act,
2005
• They provide credit scores and allied reports and services.
• As of now, their analysis reports are used for issuing credit cards and for taking decisions mainly on retail
loans
- GM FOOD CROPS
• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on science and technology and environment and forest
has recommended that no genetically modified (GM) crop should be introduced unless the biosafety and
socio-economic desirability is evaluated in a transparent process
• It also recommended that the Environment Ministry (MoEFCC) should examine the impact of GM crops on
the environment thoroughly
• It held that GM mustard being herbicide-tolerant GM organism (GMO), there are evidences on adverse
impacts of such GMOs elsewhere in world.
MUSTARD
• Mustard is one of India’s most important winter crops sown between mid-October and late November
• It a self-pollinating crop difficult to hybridise naturally as it cross-pollinate
• It is largest edible oil yielding crop of India
GM MUSTARD
• DMH (Dhara Mustard Hybrid)-11 is genetically modified variety of mustard
• It is developed by Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants at Delhi University
• It is Herbicide Tolerant (HT) crop
• In February 2016, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GMEC) had allowed the commercial
production of it.
• However, the Supreme Court stayed the decision of the GMEC
GENETIC ENGINEERING APPRAISAL COMMITTEE (GMEC)
• It is an apex body under the MoEFCC
• Established under the Environment Protection Act, 1986
• It deals with approval of activities involving large scale use of hazardous microorganisms and
recombinants
