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AmbuSens Technology
AmbuSens is capable of wireless monitoring of various physiological parameters like ECG, heart-rate,
temperature and blood-pressure.
It can be fitted in an ambulance to ensure remote monitoring of patient condition by the doctors even
before they reach the hospital.
The system preserves patients data confidentiality while simultaneously using the analytic and computing
power of cloud computing.
The web interface of the AmbuSens system provides an easy-to-use graphical interface for doctors and
paramedics alike with data visualisation tools such as real-time ECG graph rendering, and can be accessed
from internet-enabled laptops, tablets and smartphones.
Green protocol for weddings
Kerala state government is coming out with a green protocol to make auspicious occasions more nature-
friendly.
With the implementation of the protocol, plastic and other non-biodegradable articles including disposable
glasses and plates and thermocol decorations will be kept at bay from marriage functions.
Instead of this, people would be persuaded to use tumblers, plates and other utensils made of glass and
environment-friendly metals.
The core objective of the initiative is to reduce the use of plastic in daily life. With the effective
implementation of green protocol, the amount of plastic could be reduced in the long run.
Inspections will be held at marriage halls, convention centres and hotels and other venues of the wedding
ceremony in this regard and action would be taken if the protocol is violated.
The protocol has been released as a part of the governments anti-plastic drive and Green-Kerala Mission.
Suchitwa Mission which is the state nodal agency for sanitation, has already launched the initiative on a
pilot basis.
India among top FDI destinations, but tax concerns remain: UNCTAD report
According to a World Investment Report 2017 of the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD), India will remain among the top three investment destinations globally till 2019.
India ranked 10th in terms of FDI inflows in 2016, with $44 billion coming in, as in 2015.
Over the next two years, India will be behind only the U.S. and China in terms of investment attractiveness.
In terms of projections for the future, the United States of America, China and India are the top prospective
destinations for FDI.
Regarding India, the report noted that although FDI flows had remained the same in 2016 as they were in
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Political Science, Sociology, General Studies, Essay & CSAT 1
2015, there was global interest in mergers and acquisitions in the Indian market.
Cross-border mergers and acquisitions deals have become increasingly important for foreign multinational
enterprises to enter the rapidly-growing Indian market.
Although new liberalisation efforts continue to improve the investment climate in India, tax-related
concerns remain a deterrent for some foreign investors.
The foreign outflows from South Asia declined by 29 per cent to only USD 6 billion in 2016, as Indias
outward FDI dropped by about one third.
The signing of a tax treaty by India and Mauritius in May 2016 might have contributed to reduced round-
tripping FDI.
Despite a historically high number of announced greenfield projects in 2015, FDI flows to India were largely
flat at about USD 44 billion in 2016, up only 1 per cent from 2015.
Other countries:
Pakistans inflows increased by 56 per cent due to significant investment in infrastructure from China in
support of the One Belt One Road initiative.
For the first time, China was the worlds second-largest investor as FDI outflows surged by 44 per cent to
USD 183 billion, a new high.
BRICS the economic group comprising Brazil, the Russian Federation, India, China and South
Africa accounted for 22 per cent of global GDP but received only 11 per cent of global FDI inflows.
Preventive detention no quick fix
The Supreme Court has warned against the indiscriminate use of the law against bootleggers, dacoits and
goondas to push people into preventive custody.
The Supreme Court bench strongly disapproved of the decision of the Telangana government to describe a
seller of spurious seeds as a goonda to keep him behind bars.
Observations made by the court
Preventive detention cannot be resorted to when sufficient remedies are available under the general laws of
the land for any omission or commission under such laws.
The order of preventive detention, though based on the subjective satisfaction of the detaining authority, is
nonetheless a serious matter, affecting the life and liberty of the citizen under Articles 14, 19, 21 and 22 of
the Constitution.
The power being statutory in nature, its exercise has to be within the limitations of the statute, and must be
exercised for the purpose the power is conferred.
If the power is misused, or abused for collateral purposes, and is based on grounds beyond the statute, takes

into consideration extraneous or irrelevant materials, it will stand vitiated as being in colourable exercise of
power.
What is Preventive detention?
Preventive detention is action taken beforehand to prevent possible commitment of crime. While Punitive
detention is punishment for illegal acts done.
Preventive detention thus is action taken on grounds of suspicion that some wrong actions may be done by
the person concerned.
Preventive detention can however be made only on four grounds.
security of state,
maintenance of public order,
maintenance of supplies and essential services and defence,
foreign affairs or security of India.
A person may be detained without trial only on any or some of the above grounds.
A detainee under preventive detention can have no right of personal liberty guaranteed by Article 19 or
Article 21.
Article 22 & Preventive Detention:
The Article 22 (3) of the Indian constitution provides that, if a person is arrested or detained under a law
providing for preventive detention, then the protection against arrest and detention under Article 22 (1) and
22 (2) shall not be available.
Project Jal Sanchay chosen for national award
Project Jal Sanchay has been selected for the national award for excellence in the Mahatma Gandhi national
rural employment guarantee programme (MGNREGP), by the ministry of rural development.
Project Jal Sanchay is a model of water conservation adopted successfully by the authorities in Nalanda
district of south central Bihar.
About the project:
Nalanda has been an agriculture oriented district, but it always remained affected by drought like conditions,
which impacted cultivation and farm production. Though, during monsoon there were flash floods in the
area, the water runoff used to be so high that within 15 days the entire water got washed away.
It was under these conditions that project jal sanchay was launched under MGRNREGP, to offer farmers a
wide spectrum of solutions to their water crisis.
Under the project, check dams and traditional Aahar-Pyne irrigation systems were created.
In addition, traditional water bodies were desilted and renovated.

Campaigns about the usefulness of rainwater harvesting were also carried out.
The project was a mix of modern day techniques and technologies with traditional knowledge and got
evolved into a holistic program to conserve water.
As a result of the implementation of the project, availability of water got improved drastically which
positively impacted the farm production in the district.
See-through frog is at risk of extinction
A newly identified frog species with transparent skin through which its beating heart is visible is under
threat of extinction.
The frog (Hyalinobatrachium yaku), discovered in the Amazonian lowlands of Ecuador, has unique physical
and behavioural traits. Not all glass frogs have hearts that are visible through the chest. In some, the heart
itself is white, so you dont see the red blood.
Drying and polluting streams are the threats for this species. If the stream dries up, or becomes polluted, the
frogs cant survive, and other more resilient creatures may be next.
SEVA App
Union Government has launched mobile app Saral Eindhan Vitaran App (SEVA) for quick tracking of coal
dispatch.
SEVA App
This unique monitoring app was a joint initiative of the Union Ministry of Power, Coal and New and
Renewable Energy and Coal India Limited (CIL).
The app is a part of Digital India initiative, which is aimed at increasing the Consumer Connect as well as
the Transparency and Accountability in Coal dispatch.
The app will provide complete information of departmental functioning and transparency to the public.
It will track coal dispatch to 118 power plants through fuel supply agreement (FSA) of around 500 MT.
In addition, the dispatch through Special Forward E-Auction and Bridge Linkage from more than 200
dispatch points spread over eight states of the country will also be monitored.
It will provide a summary of quantity of coal dispatched along with grades for the given day, month, and the
latest yearly updates.
It will also provide information on rake movement including latest status of indents of rake, allotment and
loading which will help consumers making advance logistics planning.
Much of the information on the SEVA dashboard will be available in open access, however, consumer
specific data would be password protected on the SEVA Dashboard.
The app has a dedicated backend team to monitor the status of specific grievances from consumers and take

action on the feedback received on the app.
Significance of this app:
By using this app, the common man will be able to hold the government accountable for the coal linkage
allocations. This will, in turn, lead to rationalization of coal linkages and finally reduction in the power prices
in the country.
Skill for Life, Save a Life initiative
The initiative aims to upscale the quantity and quality of trained professionals in the healthcare system.
Under this initiative various courses are planned to be initiated targeting specific competencies for healthcare
professionals as well as for general public.
Tough to solve jobs issue
According to Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian, Indias current employment challenge is
particularly difficult as sectors that did well in generating jobs in the countrys previous economic boom
years information technology (IT), construction and agriculture are in trouble now.
What are the concerns?
The IT sector, which was so far very dynamic, has hit a new low. The job losses in the IT sector are due to
the (recent) policy announcements by the American government.
Also, the whole industry is going ahead with automation as a result of which the manpower requirement is
going down.
The pace of job creation fell to a six-year low in 2015 with 1.35 lakh new jobs being created compared with
4.21 lakh new jobs in 2014 and 4.19 lakh in 2013.
Unemployment rate is rising to a five-year high of 5% in 2015-16 compared with 4.9% in 2013-14 and 4.7%
in 2012-13.
Whats the solution?
The economy needs to clock 8% to 10% growth for greater job creation.
Vatsalya Maatri Amrit Kosh
The Vatsalya Maatri Amrit Kosh, a National Human Milk Bank and Lactation Counselling Centre was
recently inaugurated at the Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC).
Vatsalya Maatri Amrit Kosh is established in collaboration with the Norwegian government, Oslo
University and Norway India Partnership Initiative (NIPI).
It is a national human milk bank and lactation counseling centre that will collect, pasteurize, test and safely
store milk that has been donated by lactating mothers and make it available for infants in need.
In addition, this facility will protect, promote and support breastfeeding of their own healthy mothers by

providing lactation support to mothers through dedicated lactation counsellors.
This project will not only act as a dedicated centre to support breastfeeding and improve infant survival but
also act as the teaching, training and demonstration site for other milk banks to be established under the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
Ozone2Climate Technology Roadshow
Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change organised Ozone2Climate Technology
Roadshow in Agra.
The roadshow was organised along with the UN Environment OzonActions Compliance Assistance
Programme.
The Roadshow was inaugurated on the sidelines of the South Asia National Ozone Officers Annual
Network Meeting 2017.
The Technology Roadshow was organised for the first time as part of the annual network meeting for
Ozone Officers of South Asia.
The road show took place post the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.
The Ozone 2 Climate Technology Roadshow, had 13 exhibitors that promoted ozone and climate-friendly
alternative technologies to HCFCs and HFCs in the refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) sector.
The Technology Roadshow showcased current refrigeration and air conditioning equipment designed to be
more energy efficient, hence with a double benefit of saving money for consumers, and with a much lower
impact on the environment.
Over 200 refrigerant technicians, ozone officers, business representatives and government officials attended
the Roadshow.
Kigali Amendment
A historic global climate deal was reached in Kigali, Rwanda at the 28th Meeting of the Parties to the
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP28).
The so-called Kigali Amendment which amends the 1987 Montreal Protocol aims to phase out
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a family of potent greenhouse gases by the late 2040s.
Under Kigali Amendment, in all 197 countries, including India have agreed to a timeline to reduce the use of
HFCs by roughly 85% of their baselines by 2045.
The Kigali Amendment amends the 1987 Montreal Protocol that was designed to close growing ozone hole
in by banning ozone-depleting coolants like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
The Kigali Agreement or amended Montreal Protocol for HFCs reduction will be binding on countries from
2019.

Under Kigali Amendment, in all 197 countries, including India have agreed to a timeline to reduce the use of
HFCs by roughly 85% of their baselines by 2045.
Signatory countries
All signatory countries have been divided into three groups with different timelines to go about reductions
of HFCs. These include:
Wealthy, developed countries, such as the United States and the European Union, will start to limit their use
of HFCs within a few years and make a cut of at least 10% from 2019.
Rapidly developing countries, including many in Latin America, will freeze their use of HFCs starting in
2024.
Developing countries, specifically India, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and the Gulf states, will freeze their use starting
in 2028.
How it is different from Paris agreement?.
The Paris agreement which will come into force by 2020 is not legally binding on countries to cut their
emissions.
The Kigali Amendment is considered absolutely vital for reaching the Paris Agreement target of keeping
global temperature rise to below 2-degree Celsius compared to pre-industrial times.
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
HFCs are a family of greenhouse gases (GHGs) that are largely used in refrigerants in home, car air-
conditioners and air sprays etc.
These factory-made gases had replaced CFCs under the 1987 Montreal Protocol to protect Earths fragile
protective Ozone layer and heal the ozone hole over the Antartica.
th
20 anniversary of the formation of BIMSTEC
The BIMSTEC is a sub-regional group of seven countries in South Asia and South East Asia lying in the
littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal viz. Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand,
Bhutan and Nepal.
It was established on 6th June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.
It is headquartered at Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The whole region which constitutes the BIMSTEC is home to over 1.5 billion people. The population
counts for around 22 percent of the total world population. These countries have a combined GDP of $2.7
trillion.
nd
22 May: International Day for Biodiversity
The International Day for Biodiversity (IDB) 2017 was celebrated all over the country on May 22, by

different States and various organizations.
2017 Theme: Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism.
The International Day for Biological Diversity was first established in 1993, when the 29th of December was
selected to serve as the day to educate the world of the importance of Biodiversity. This was later changed to
the 22 of May in 2000. Too many winter holidays were interfering with countries holding meaningful
celebrations.
th
29 May - International Day of UN Peacekeepers
The Day offers a chance to pay tribute to the uniformed and civilians personnels invaluable contribution to
the work of the Organization.
The Day also honours more than 3500 peacekeepers who have lost their lives serving under the UN flag
since 1948, including 117 in the year 2016.
The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers was so designated by United Nations General
Assembly Resolution, on 11 December 2002. The day was first celebrated in 2003.
UN Peacekeeping
United Nations Peacekeeping was created in 1948.
Its first mission involved the establishment of the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), which
served to observe and maintain ceasefire during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
UN Peacekeeping maintains three basic principles:
1. Consent of the parties,
2. Impartiality and non-use of Force except in self-defence and
3. Defence of the mandate.
The UN Peacekeepers are led by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DKPO).
There are currently 17 UN peace operations deployed on four continents.
UN Peacekeepers are from diverse backgrounds, from areas all around the world. They include police,
military and civilian personnel. They are often referred to as Blue Berets or Blue Helmets because of their
light blue berets or helmets.
The UN Peacekeeping Force won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988.
The United Nations Charter gives the United Nations Security Council the power and responsibility to take
collective action to maintain international peace and security. For this reason, the international community
usually looks to the Security Council to authorize peacekeeping operations.

5th June: World Environment Day
World Environment Day (WED) is observed every year on June 5 to raise global awareness to take positive
environmental action to protect nature and the planet Earth.
2017 Theme: Connecting People to Nature.
Canada is the host country of this year.
World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 on the first day
of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment.
It is run by the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP).
It was Started to create global awareness about the condition of the Environment.
The first World Environment Day was observed in 1973 and since then it is being held every year with
different themes.
A fish that can father a near clone of itself
Scientists have discovered a fish carrying genes only from its father in the nucleus of its cells.
This is the first documented instance in vertebrates of a father producing a near clone of itself through
sexual reproduction a rare phenomenon called androgenesis.
These genes are found in a type of fish called Squalius alburnoides. They are thought to have arisen from
hybridisation between females of one species, Squalius pyrenaicus, and males of another species, now
extinct, that belonged to a group of fish called Anaecypris.
To sustain its population, Squalius alburnoides mates with several other closely related species belonging to
the Squalius lineage.
These fishes normally inhabit rivers in Portugal or Spain.
A gene that staves off heart disease
Scientists have identified a unique gene variant, rs145556679*, in people living in isolated Greek villages that
protects them from heart diseases despite enjoying a high-fat diet.
The cardioprotective variant was found in Mylopotamos in northern Crete, where the population is isolated
and live a long life despite having a diet rich in animal fat. The variant is associated with lower levels of both
bad natural fats.
Action plan for Pampa conservation
A seven-point action plan for the conservation of pampa has been chalked out. The document, named
Pampa Declaration, delineates a comprehensive plan to be implemented with the active involvement and
support of the government and the public. The salient features of the declaration include:
1. Bestowing living entity status to river Pampa;

2. The constitution of a River Management Board for the governance of the river;
3. Documentation of livelihood along the river basin;
4. Publication of periodic status report of flood plains and wetlands and formation of tributaries, micro
watersheds, and ponds linked to the river every five years.
5. Calls for digitising biodiversity reports with the support of students from institutions and colleges affiliated
to Mahatma Gandhi University,
6. Implementation of green protocol for containing the pollution of the river and for the conservation of the
Pampa ecosystem.
7. Also calls upon the government to create an additional standing committee on environment at the local
bodies to ensure participation of local government institutions in the governance of the river.
Pampa river
Pampa is the third longest river in Kerala after Periyar and Bharathappuzha and the longest river in the
erstwhile princely state of Travancore.
The river is also known as Dakshina Bhageerathi and River Baris.
Sabarimala temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa is located on the banks of the river.
Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) of DR
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley has inaugurated the newly built Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) of the
Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) at Chitradurga in Karnataka.
Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) is the first of its kind range that has been set up by the Aeronautical
Development Establishment (ADE), one of the premier laboratories of the DRDO.
ADE works on a range of UAVs (unmanned air vehicles).
It is aimed at creating conditions for research, which will in turn develop the type of human resource in the
country required in the field of aeronautical testing.
The range will cater to the needs of DRDO for testing of indigenously developed aeronautical systems.
The ATR is the first of its kind range in the country exclusively meant to conduct flight-tests of indigenous
unmanned and manned aircrafts, developed by the DRDO.
AFSPA gets six-month extension in Manipur
The Manipur Cabinet has decided to extend the Disturbed Areas Act for another period of six months to
facilitate the imposition of the AFSPA except in seven Assembly segments in Imphal.
The government had lifted the AFSPA from these segments on August 12, 2004.
In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, the
Governor of Manipur declares the entire state of Manipur, excluding the Imphal Municipal Area, as
Disturbed Area.

After 84 years, cobra lily blooms again
The rare cobra lilies scientifically known as Arisaema translucens has been rediscovered in the western
Nilgiris after a gap of 84 years.
Barely a few hundred cobra lily plants are left in the wild and they can be found only in a small area
measuring less than 10 square kilometres in the Nilgiris.
Cobra lily is probably the only member of the Arisaema family to have a translucent spathe.
The indigenous Toda tribals of Nilgiris are capable of predicting the early arrival of monsoon from the
blooming of the cobra lilys translucens.
The Toda tribals have an embroidery motif known as the podwarshk, which resembles it.
Threats
Likely to have been quite common once, cobra lilies have vanished in the past decades along with the
disappearance of the shola tree patches in which they were found.
Prized for their beauty around the world, cobra lilies are at even greater risk of extinction from the
commercial trade in exotic plants.
Amazing pictures show cyclones swirling above Jupiter's poles -Juno
NASAs Juno spacecraft has discovered Earth-sized cyclones at the poles of the Jupiter.
It has also unveiled the presence of the storm systems that travel deep into the heart of the planet.
Both the poles of the Jupiter were found to be covered with Earth-sized swirling storms which are densely
clustered and rubbing together.
The findings were the result of the Juno probes first data-collection pass on August last year. The spacecraft
flew for about 4,200 kilometres of Jupiters swirling cloud top.
The findings suggest the presence of ammonia clouds over the planet which are quite variable and continue
to increase up to a few hundred miles or kilometres.
Measurements of Jupiters magnetosphere indicate that Jupiter has a stronger magnetic field than expected
which is more irregular in shape. The magnetic field in the planet is in the order of 7.766 Gauss which is
about 10 times stronger than the strongest magnetic field found on Earth.
The next flyby of the Juno Probe has been scheduled for July 11. During the flyby, the spacecraft will fly
directly over Jupiters Great Red Spot.
Juno spacecraft
Juno is the unmanned spacecraft, which has been named after the Roman goddess Juno, the wife of Jupiter
who is considered as the god of the sky in ancient Greco-Roman mythology.
Juno is the first mission designed by NASA to see beneath Jupiters clouds.

It has travelled 2.7 billion kilometres since its launch to reach Jupiter.
It will orbit Jupiter from pole to pole, 5,000 kilometres above planets cloud tops.
It will sample Jupiters charged particles and magnetic fields for the first time to study its composition
beneath the sky.
Juno has nine instruments on board to study atmosphere, gravity, magnetic field and possible existence of
solid core in Jupiter.
Juno will map Jupiters gravity and magnetic fields and also track how much water is present in the
atmosphere.
In its mission life, the spacecraft will circle the Jupiter 37 times before finally making a death plunge in 2018
in order to avoid accidentally crashing onto one of the planets moons.
It is important to note that Juno is not the first spacecraft to orbit Jupiter. It is second spacecraft to orbit
Jupiter, after Galileo probe which had orbited the planet from 19952003. Galileo probe in its mission had
found evidence of subsurface saltwater on Jupiters moons Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.
Annual Meeting of African Development Bank
The 52nd Annual Meetings of the African Development bank are being held in Gandhinagar.
This is the first time that the Annual Meetings of AfDB are being held in India.
These Meetings are the Banks largest annual event and serve to raise the profile of the institution on the
global stage.
In addition to the Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors, these Meetings will bring together about
3000 delegates and participants, and will feature a number of official, knowledge, and side events.
The Governors of the Bank are from the 54 African regional member countries and 27 non-regional
member countries (including India).
The Annual Meetings provide a unique forum for representatives of government, business, civil society,
think-tanks, academia and the media from Africa and beyond to debate key issues on Africas
development, and to discuss the Banks performance in delivering on its mandate.
Reflecting the significance of agriculture in Africa and in the Banks development work, the 2017 Annual
Meetings will be held on the theme: Transforming Agriculture for Wealth Creation in Africa.
African Development Bank Group
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is a multilateral development finance institution established
to contribute to the economic development and social progress of African countries.
The AfDB was founded in 1964 and comprises three entities:
The African Development Bank,

The African Development Fund and
The Nigeria Trust Fund.
The AfDBs mission is to fight poverty and improve living conditions on the continent through promoting
the investment of public and private capital in projects and programs that are likely to contribute to the
economic and social development of the region.
The AfDB is controlled by a Board of Executive Directors, made up of representatives of its member
countries.
The voting power on the Board is split according to the size of each members share, currently 60%-40%
between African (or regional) countries and non-regional member countries (donors). The largest
African Development Bank shareholder is Nigeria with nearly 9% of the vote.
All member countries of the AfDB are represented on the AfDB Board of Executive Directors. Member
governments are officially represented at the AfDB by their Minister of Finance, Planning or Cooperation
who sits on the AfDB Board of Governors. The AfDB Governors meet once a year to take major decisions
about the institutions leadership, strategic directions and governing bodies.
The African Development Bank is using a Unit of Account which is registered as XUA as ISO 4217
standard currency code. It is not exchanged directly by individuals, it is used for accounting between state
members.
India and AfDB
India became member of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 1983.
India is a key member of the institutions 24 Non-Regional Member Countries, which support the African
Development Fund (ADF), the concessional resource window of the Bank.
In 2013, Delhi increased its contribution to the 13th replenishment of the fund by 57.28% to USD 18.5
million, among other investments.
The Union Finance Minister and Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance
are the Governor and Alternate Governor of the Bank respectively.
Assam Cabinet approves phasing out Foreign Investment Promotion Board
The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the phasing out of Foreign Investment Promotion Board
(FIPB).
The proposal entails abolishing the FIPB and allowing administrative Ministries/Departments to process
applications for FDI requiring government approval.
Rationale
Over 90% of the FDI inflows in value terms enters through automatic route. The government expects that

scrapping of FIPB would help in ease of doing business. At present, only 11 sectors, including defence and
retail trading needs government approval for foreign direct investment (FDI).
New mechanism
Henceforth, concerned ministries will be responsible for direct approval of foreign investment proposals.
FDI proposals would be approved by the ministries concerned by following the standard operating
procedure approved by the Cabinet.
Those 11 sectors that require approval would be dealt directly by the concerned ministry.
In proposals related to security, the proposals will also need to require the approval of Home Ministry.
Those proposals which are presently pending before the FIPB will be sent back to the ministries concerned.
The FDI proposals above Rs 5,000 crore will continue to come under the purview of the Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).
Significance of the move
With this, Foreign Investors will find India more attractive destination and this will result in more inflow of
FDI.
The move will provide ease of doing business and will help in promoting the principle of Maximum
Governance and Minimum Government.
Foreign Investment Promotion Board
The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) is an inter-ministerial body, responsible for processing of
FDI proposals and making recommendations for Government approval.
It is housed in the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance.
Functions of the FIPB:
Although India allows FDI in most sectors through the automatic route, but in certain segments considered
sensitive for the economy and security, the proposals have to be first cleared by FIPB.
It provides a single window clearance for proposals on FDI in India.
The decisions taken by FIPB are based on the extant FDI Policy, Press Notes and other related notified
guidelines formulated by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in the Ministry of
Commerce and Industry.
Composition
FIPB comprises of the following Secretaries to the Government of India:
Secretary to Government, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance Chairperson
Secretary to Government, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Secretary to Government, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry

Secretary to Government, Economic Relations, Ministry of External Affairs
Secretary to Government, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.
Atal Pension Yojana reaches 53 lakh subscribers
The subscriber base of the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) that aims at old age income security for the working
poor from mostly the unorganised sector has reached 53 lakh.
Over 230 banks and the Department of India Post have been involved in the implementation of the
governments flagship social security scheme that focuses on encouraging and enabling the subscribers to
save for their retirement.
Atal Pension Yojana (APY) is a pension scheme for citizens of India focussed on the unorganised sector
workers.
Under the APY, guaranteed minimum pension of Rs. 1,000/-, 2,000/-, 3,000/-, 4,000 and 5,000/- per
month will be given at the age of 60 years in turn for the contribution varying from Rs 42 to Rs 210 per
month.
PFRDA is the nodal agency for APY and is working out plans to improve reach and information
dissemination.
Any Citizen of India between 18 40 years of age can join APY scheme.
Government co-contribution is available for 5 years, i.e., from 2015-16 to 2019-20 for the subscribers who
join the scheme during the period from 1st June, 2015 to 31st December, 2015 and who are not covered by
any Statutory Social Security Schemes and are not income tax payers.
Backyard Worlds project - find cold new world near solar system
A brown dwarf over 100 light years away from the Sun has been discovered using a new citizen science tool
that helps astronomers pinpoint new worlds lurking in the outer reaches of our solar system. These sightings
were made by the Backyard Worlds volunteers.
The Backyard Worlds project lets anyone with a computer and an Internet connection flip through images
taken by NASAs Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) spacecraft.
If an object is close enough to Earth, it will appear to jump when multiple images taken of the same spot
in the sky a few years apart are compared.
The goal for Backyard Worlds volunteers of which there are more than 37,000 is to flag the moving
objects they see in these digital flipbooks for further investigation by the science team.
So far, volunteers have classified more than 4 million flipbooks.
Brown Dwarfs
Brown dwarfs are objects which have a size between that of a giant planet like Jupiter and that of a small

star.
In fact, most astronomers would classify any object with between 15 times the mass of Jupiter and 75 times
the mass of Jupiter to be a brown dwarf.
Given that range of masses, the object would not have been able to sustain the fusion of hydrogen like a
regular star; thus, many scientists have dubbed brown dwarfs as failed stars.
Ban on sand excavation in Narmada River
The State Government of Madhya Pradesh has put an indefinite ban on the sand excavation in the Narmada
River.
The government has also set up a committee to suggest the scientific ways of mining the rivers.
The government will also promote manufactured sand (made by mixing stones).
Illegal sand mining is one of the serious law & order and environmental issues in several states of India
including Madhya Pradesh. The business has flourished mainly because of nexus between sand mafia,
officers and politicians.
Bilateral Exercise Simbex-17 commences
Simbex-17, a bilateral naval exercise between India and Republic of Singapore commenced in the South
China Sea.
SIMBEX is an acronym for Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercises.
The Simbex-17 is the 24th in the series and is aimed to increase interoperability between the RSN and IN as
well as develop common understanding and procedures for maritime security operations.
Bilateral cooperation between Singapore and India was first formalised when RSN ships began training with
the Indian Navy in 1994.
The thrust of exercises at sea this year would be on Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), integrated operations
with Surface, Air and Sub-surface forces, Air Defence and Surface Encounter Exercises.
Cabinet approves setting up of new AIIMS in Kamrup, Assam
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for establishment of new AIIMS at Kamrup (North Guwahati
Revenue circle).
The cost of the project is Rs.1123 crore and it will be set up under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha
Yojana (PMSSY).
The establishment of new AIIMS is aimed at serving the dual purpose of providing super speciality health
care to the population while also help create a large pool of doctors and other health workers in this region
that can be available for primary and secondary level institutions / facilities being created under National
Health Mission (NHM).

Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY)
The Central Sector Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) was first announced in
August 2003 with the primary objective of correcting the regional imbalances in availability of
affordable/reliable tertiary level healthcare in the country in general, and to augment facilities for quality
medical education in under-served or backward States, in particular.
The scheme has two components: Setting up of new AIIMS and upgradation of government medical
colleges.
Under this scheme, AIIMS have been established in Bhubaneshwar, Bhopal, Raipur, Jodhpur, Rishikesh and
Patna while work of AIIMS Rae Bareli is in progress.
Also, three AIIMS in Nagpur (Maharashtra), Kalyani (West Bengal) and Mangalagiri in Guntur (Andhra
Pradesh) have been sanctioned in 2015 and two AIIMS have been sanctioned at Bathinda and Gorakhpur in
2016.
Cattle trade rules go against 1960 law
According to experts, the recently notified Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock
Markets) Rules of 2017 contravene the provisions of the very law Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act
of 1960 under which it has been notified.
Whats the issue on new rules?
Recently, the Environment Ministry devised the new rules The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules of 2017 placing restrictions on sale of cattle in a livestock market
for purposes of slaughter and religious animal sacrifices.
The new rules permit the sale of cattle in markets only to verified agriculturists, who have to give an
undertaking to authorities that cattle will not be sold or slaughtered for meat.
Nor shall the animal be used for sacrifices. The animal will be used only for farming.
The rules take away the rights of the owner to even sell the carcass of an animal dying of natural causes in
the market.
The rules prescribe that the carcass will be incinerated and not be sold or flayed for leather.
Provisions in the original 1960 act:
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, enacted on December 26, 1960, however, does not impose any
such restriction.
It does not ban a cattle owner to sell the carcass of his animals for leather.
The legislative intent of the 1960 Act is to prevent the infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering on
animals.

In fact, the very proof that neither slaughter nor sale for that purpose is banned by the Act is found in
Section 9 (e) of the statute.
One of the functions of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) under the Act is to advise the
government or any local authority or other person in the design of slaughter-houses or the maintenance of
slaughter houses or in connection with slaughter of animals so that unnecessary pain or suffering, whether
physical or mental, is eliminated in the pre-slaughter stages as far as possible, and animals are killed;
wherever necessary, in as humane a manner as possible.
The Act further recognises slaughter for food. Section 11 of the Act does not categorise slaughter of animals
for food as cruelty.
It makes a specific exemption for destruction of any animal as food for mankind unless such destruction or
preparation was accompanied by the infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering.
Supreme courts observations:
When a PIL petition came up for hearing before the SC to ban animal sacrifices for religious purposes, the
court had specifically noted how Section 28 of the Act mandates that nothing contained in this Act (1960
Act) shall render it an offence to kill any animal in a manner required by the religion of any community.
The restriction on trade of cattle or carcasses in livestock markets will have to be tested on the touchstone
of the fundamental right to occupation, trade or business under Article 19 (1) (g) to see whether it is
reasonable.
Challenges ahead for the centre:
Though Section 38 of the 1960 Act confers the Centre the power to make rules, several judicial precedents
hold that this rule-making power does not allow going beyond the scope of enabling Act or which is
inconsistent therewith or repugnant.
Rules cannot be used to bring within its purview a subject in this case, restriction on sale of cattle for
slaughter or animal sacrifices that has been specifically excluded by the statute.
Besides, many states have questioned the centres unilateral decision on cattle, which is a state subject.
Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) notifies new Safe Harbour Regime
The notification aims to reduce transfer pricing disputes, to provide certainty to taxpayers, to align safe
harbour margins with industry standards and to enlarge the scope of safe harbour transactions.
Safe Harbour
The term Safe Harbour denotes circumstances in which the Tax Authorities shall accept without
undertaking a detailed scrutiny, the transfer price declared by the taxpayer in respect of its international
transactions with related parties. The salient features of the new Safe Harbour Regime are:

It has come into effect from 1st of April, 2017, i.e. A.Y. 2017-18 and shall continue to remain in force for
two immediately succeeding years thereafter, i.e. up to A.Y. 2019-2020.
Assessees eligible under the present safe harbour regime up to AY 2017-18 shall also have the right to
choose the safe harbour option most beneficial to them.
A new category of transactions being Receipt of Low Value-Adding Intra-Group Services has been
introduced.
The new safe harbour regime is available for transactions limited to Rs. 200 crore in provision of software
development services, provision of information technology-enabled services, provision of knowledge
process outsourcing services, provision of contract research and development services wholly or partly
relating to software development and provision of contract research and development services wholly or
partly relating to generic pharmaceutical drugs.
In respect of transactions involving provision of software development services and provision of
information technology-enabled services, safe harbour margins have been reduced to peak rate of 18% from
22% in the previous regime.
In respect of transactions involving provision of knowledge process outsourcing services, a graded structure
of 3 different rates of 24%, 21% and 18% has been provided, based on employee cost to operating cost
ratio, replacing the single rate of 25% in the previous regime.
In respect of transactions involving provision of contract research and development services wholly or
partly relating to software development and provision of contract research and development services wholly
or partly relating to generic pharmaceutical drugs, safe harbour margins have been reduced to 24% from
30% and 29% respectively in the previous regime.
Risk spreads on intra-group loans denominated in foreign currency will be benchmarked to the 6-month
London Inter-Bank Offer Rate (LIBOR) as on 30th September of the relevant year and on loans
denominated in Indian Rupees to the 1-year SBI MCLR as on 1st April of the relevant year.
The safe harbour regime is optional to taxpayers.
Centre amends definition of a start-up
In order to promote entrepreneurship in the country, the Government of India has amended the definition
of a Startup.
Objectives
The changes are an effort to ensure ease of starting up new businesses to promote the Startup ecosystem
and build a nation of job creators instead of job seekers.
What changes have been made to the definition of Startups?

Age of Startup increased:
Taking into account the long gestation period by Startups to establish, an entity shall be considered as a
Startup up to seven years from the date of its incorporation/ registration (from earlier 5 years).
However, in the case of Startups in the Biotechnology sector, the period shall be up to ten years from the
date of incorporation/ registration.
No Letter of Recommendation required:
No letter of recommendation from an incubator/industry association shall be required for either recognition
or tax benefits
Potential of Job and Wealth Creation:
The scope of definition has been broadened to include scalability of business model with potential of
employment generation or wealth creation.
Significance of the move:
The tweak in the definition will help the entities to avail government sponsored venture funding and tax and
other benefits.
It will create more jobs and promote entrepreneurship under the Start-up India scheme.
Startup India:
Startup India was launched by the Government of India on 16th January, 2016 to build a strong eco-system
for nurturing innovation and Startups in the country to drive economic growth and generate large scale
employment opportunities.
Centre clears kambala Bill
In November 2016, the Karnataka high court had banned the kambala along with bull-cart race in the state
while hearing a case filed by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) citing animal cruelty.
The high court had stayed these traditional sports in view of the Supreme Courts ban on jallikattu, a
traditional bull taming sport of Tamil Nadu.
Following protests by people and kambala organisers, Karnataka Assembly had passed Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2017 on February 13, 2017 to allow kambala, the traditional
buffalo race and bullock-cart racing.
The Bill seeks to exempt kambala and bullock-cart racing from the ambit of the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (PCA) Act, 1960.
Kambala
Kambala is an annual Buffalo Race held traditionally under the auspices of local land lords and households
or Patel of village, in coastal Karnataka, India.

The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts until March.
The contest generally takes place between two pairs of buffaloes, each pair raced in wet rice fields,
controlled by a whip-lashing farmer.
The track used for Kambala is a paddy field filled with slush and mud.
The Kambala Committee is formed and it usually arranges Kambala in several categories.
People place massive bets on the buffaloes to win and one can witness more than 20,000 spectators in a
well-organised Kambala, egging on and cheering the buffaloes to complete the race.
In traditional form of Kambala, racing is non-competitive, and buffalo pairs run one by one in paddy fields.
A ritualistic approach is also there, as some agriculturists race their buffaloes for thanks giving (to god) for
protecting their animals from diseases.
The buffaloes developed for the race are carefully fed and some owners of the buffaloes have even built
separate swimming pool for competing buffaloes.
Centre confirms 3 Zika cases in Gujarat
The Union Health Ministry has confirmed that three cases of Zika were reported from Ahmedabad in
January.
The information was made public five months after the cases were reported, as the World Health
Organization (WHO) has now published a member state report on its website.
The health ministry, however, has said the outbreak has been contained.
Note:
An Inter-Ministerial Task Force set up under the Chairmanship of Health Secretary C.K. Mishra and a
Joint Monitoring Group are already reviewing the global situation on Zika.
Zika virus had erupted on a large scale in mid-2015 in which more than 1.5 million people were infected,
mostly in Brazil and other countries in South America.
The Zika virus is a flavivirus, part of the same family as yellow fever, West Nile, chikungunya and dengue
fever. But unlike some of those viruses, there is no vaccine to prevent Zika or a specific medicine to treat
the infection.
Zika is primarily transmitted through the bite of an infected female Aedes aegypti mosquito. It becomes
infected from biting an infected human and then transmits the virus to another person. The Aedes aegypti
mosquito is an aggressive species, active day and night and usually bites when it's light out, in the early
morning or late afternoon. The virus can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her fetus, through
sexual contact, blood transfusion, or by needle.
The World Health Organization (WHO) had declared a global health emergency in February 2016, and

declared it over in November 2016.
Cheapest respiratory filter

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi developed cheapest respiratory filter, named
Nasofilters.
The filter, which is ready for commercialisation, restricts entry of up to 95 per cent dust and air pollutants.
It is the cheapest naso filter available in comparison to the face masks and other alternatives available in the
market to fight critical levels of air pollution.
It gives protection against the finest particulate pollutants in the air for at least eight hours. Therefore, the
device is quite effective at reducing the risk of respiratory diseases.
The filters aim to provide relief to common users from air pollution and to protect people, who are prone to
allergies.
It also safeguards those who are exposed to job related industrial particulate pollutants.
Chitale Committee recommends several measures for Desiltation of Ganga
Chitale committee constituted to prepare guidelines for desiltation of river Ganga from Bhimgauda
(Uttarakhand) to Farakka (West Bengal), submitted its report to Ministry of Water Resources.
The committee was constituted as per the commitment made by Union Minister for Water Resources, River

Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti while chairing the 6th meeting of the National Ganga
River Basin Authority in New Delhi in July, 2016.
Important recommendations
The committee in its report has recommended a slew of measures which include
Study of reach wise sediment transport processes to guide annual de-silting activities,
Preparation of annual reports (Sand registry) and a technical institute may be entrusted to conduct the
sediment budget,
Morphological and flood routing studies to examine and confirm the necessity of the de-silting of the reach
under consideration.
It is necessary to provide the river sufficient areas of flood plain and lakes along the river to moderate the
flood level.
Any encroachment of flood plain, reclamation of lakes or disconnection of lakes from river should be
avoided; rather adjoining lakes/depressions may be de-silted to increase their storage capacities.
Calling for evolving guidelines, better broad principles, which should be kept in mind while planning and
implementing de-silting works, the committee cautioned that indiscriminate de-siltation works may result in
more harm to ecology and environment flow.
Upstream reaches of natural constriction works, like barrages/bridges, tend to get silted leading to the
wandering of the river, Chitale committee says possibly river training, cut-off developments and provision of
extra water way near the constrictions could be tried after proper assessment without impacting the
morphology of river elsewhere.
Embankments, spurs and river training measures provided to protect the banks should not encroach upon
the flood plains and delink the lakes, flood plains and other riverine environments from the river.
Desiltation process is hard to study, Why?
The committee in its report said erosion, sediment transport and siltation were very complex phenomena.
It was impossible to apply a one-size-fits-all approach to sediment management and control, because the
issues involved were frequently regional specific.
Local factors such as topography, river control structures, soil and water conservation measures, tree cover,
and riparian land-use or land disturbance could have a large impact on sediment loads in rivers.
River control structures such as reservoirs, soil conservation measures and sediment control programmes
could cause downstream sediment loads to decrease, while factors like land disturbance could cause
increased sediment loads.
At the same time, indiscriminate de-siltation works might result into more harm to ecology and environment

flow.
There was a need to evolve guidelines, better broad principles, which should be kept in mind while planning
and implementing de-silting works.
Construction Commences on Worlds Largest Telescope in Chile
Construction works for building Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) has commenced in Chile. After
completion, the Extremely Large Telescope will become the worlds largest optical telescope which will be
five times larger than the top observing instruments that are in use today.
The telescope will be constructed at a 3,000 meter-High Mountain in the middle of the Atacama Desert.
The telescope is scheduled to commence its operations in 2024.
The ELT is funded by the European Southern Observatory.
The organization comprises of European and southern hemisphere nations.
Cyclone Mora
A deep depression in the Bay of Bengal has been declared intensified into a tropical cyclone named Mora.
This is second cyclone in the Bay of Bengal after Maarutha, which helped bring in the Monsoon earlier by a
week over Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The tropical Cyclone Mora is likely to hit Bangladesh coast in next 24 hours and expected to cause heavy
rains in West Bengal and North East Indian states.
It may also help to pull monsoon faster over mainland.
Dailong village in Manipur declared Biodiversity Heritage Site
The Manipur government has declared Dailong village of Tamenglong district as a Biodiversity Heritage Site
of the state.
Dialong village, covering an area of 11.35 sq km, has been declared as Biodiversity Heritage Site under
Section 37(1) of Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
The declaration was made after the recommendation of Manipur Biodiversity Board.
Dhola sadiya bridge: Indias longest river bridge
The Dhola-Sadia Bridge is a three lane bridge stretching 9.15 kilometre built over river Lohit, which is a
tributary of the Brahmaputra River.
The Dhola-Sadiya bridge is 3.55 km longer than the BandraWorli Sea Link in Mumbai which is the longest
bridge in the country as of now.
The bridge links Dhola in Assam to Sadiya in Arunachal Pradesh.
It has been constructed on BOT Annuity basis at a total cost of Rs 2,056 crore.
The bridge is part of the Arunachal Package of Roads and Highways under the Ministrys Special

Accelerated Road Development Programme for North East.
Dhola sadiya bridge: Indias longest river bridge
The Dhola-Sadia Bridge is a three lane bridge stretching 9.15 kilometre built over river Lohit, which is a
tributary of the Brahmaputra River.
Earlier, the only means to cross the Brahmaputra at this location was by ferry in the daytime, and even this
was not possible during floods. The Dhola- Sadiya Bridge will ensure 24X7 connectivity between upper
Assam and the eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh.
The bridge will also reduce the distance from Rupai on NH-37 in Assam to Meka/Roing on NH-52 in
Arunachal Pradesh by 165km, cutting down on travel time from the current six hours to just one hour.
This, the government claims, will result in saving of petrol and diesel worth Rs 10 lakh per day.
Given the fact that the North East is prone to high seismic activity, the bridge has been provided seismic
buffers in all its 182 piers.
The bridge promises to provide efficient road connectivity to remote and backward areas which have poor
road infrastructure, which will give a major boost to overall economic development of the areas north of the
Brahmaputra in upper Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
The bridge will also benefit the army, with convoys requiring less time to journey from Assam to the posts
along the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh. The bridge is also expected to enhance Indias defence
capabilities in the northeastern region.
The government said it will also facilitate numerous hydro power projects coming up in the state, as it is the
most sought-after route for various power project developers.
Dr Ambedkar National Award for Social Understanding and
Upliftment of Weaker Sections
The award for the year 2011 was presented to Professor S.K. Thorat on
New Delhi for his contributions towards the upliftment of the
downtrodden.
The award for the year 2012 was presented to Samta Sainik Dal for its
extraordinary services.
The award for the year 2014 was jointly presented to Shri Babu Lal
Nirmal of Rajasthan for his extraordinary contributions in upholding the
rights of poor persons in rural and urban areas of Baran District and to
Amar Sewa Sangam of Tamil Nadu for its extraordinary services being
extended for the welfare of the marginalized population of the society
including the physically and mentally challenged persons.

Dual onslaught on earth: Global warming and local urban heating
Online gambling and betting is another area which has become very difficult to curb.
It is understood that a lot of money is involved in illegal gambling business, creating almost a parallel
economy, converting legally earned money into black money that is drained to gambling operators in other
countries online.
The top quarter of most populated cities, in this scenario, could see the mercury rise 7 degrees Celsius or
more by centurys end, said a study in the journal Nature Climate Change.
For some, nearly 5 degrees Celsius of the total would be attributed to average global warming.
The rest would be due to the so-called urban heat island (UHI) effect, which occurs when cooling parks,
dams and lakes are replaced by heat-conducting concrete and asphalt making cities warmer than their
surrounds.
The top 5% (of cities per population) could see increases in temperatures of about 8 degree Celsius and
larger.
Effects of this temperature rise:
Such a temperature spike can have dire consequences for the health of city-dwellers, robbing companies and
industries of able workers, and putting pressure on already strained natural resources such as water.
UHI significantly increases city temperatures and economic losses from global warming. With the
warming of cities, the median city, right in the middle of the range, stands to lose between 1.4% and 1.7% of
GDP per year by 2050 and between 2.3% and 5.6% by 2100. For the worst-off city, losses could reach up to
10.9% of GDP by 2100.
Cities cover only about 1% of the earths surface but produce about 80% of gross world product and
account for around 78% of energy consumed worldwide.
They produce more than 60% of global carbon dioxide emissions from burning coal, oil and gas for fuel.
Local actions to reduce UHI such as planting more trees or cooling roofs and pavements, can make a big
difference in limiting warming and minimising costs.
Earth 2.0 has water, supports alien life?
According to a new study, an Earth-like planet orbiting our closest neighbouring star, Proxima Centauri,
about 4.2 light years away may have water and the potential to support alien life.
The planet Proxima B was discovered in August last year, and is thought to be of similar size to Earth,
creating the possibility that it could have an Earth-like atmosphere.
Earlier studies have concluded that the planet is present in the habitable zone of its star Proxima Centauri so
much so that it receives the right amount of light to sustain liquid water on its surface.

The planet is of similar size to the Earth and is expected to have an Earth-like atmosphere.
Scientists simulated the climate of Proxima B. The results from the simulation showed that Proxima B could
have the potential to be habitable and lie in a remarkably stable climate regime.
In contrast to Earth, the light from Proxima B was found to be mostly in the infra-red.
Ecological concerns over combustible ice
Commercial development of the globes huge reserves of a frozen fossil fuel known as combustible ice
has moved closer to reality after Japan and China successfully extracted the material from the sea floor off
their coastlines.
Combustible ice
Combustible ice is a frozen mixture of water and concentrated natural gas.
Technically known as methane hydrate, it can be lit on fire in its frozen state and is believed to comprise one
of the worlds most abundant fossil fuels.
Methane hydrate is an attractive energy source due to its high energy density: one cubic meter of
combustible ice contains about 164 cubic meters of regular natural gas.
This high energy density is due to the fact that methane is trapped within the hydrate crystal structure and
greatly compressed.
Methane hydrate has been found beneath seafloors and buried inside Arctic permafrost and beneath
Antarctic ice.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, estimates of worldwide reserves range from 280
trillion cubic metres up to 2,800 trillion cubic metres.
That means methane hydrate reserves could meet global gas demands for 80 to 800 years at current
consumption rates.

Yet efforts
to
successfully
extract the
fuel at a
profit have
eluded
private and
state-owned
energy
companies
for decades.
Concerns
If methane
hydrate
leaks during
the
extraction
process, it can increase greenhouse gas emissions. The fuel also could displace renewables such as solar and
wind power.
eMigrate violates our sovereignty: UAE envoy
The United Arab Emirates, one of the largest employers of Indians in the Gulf, has raised a red flag with the
Ministry of External Affairs over the governments flagship eMigrate programme over what it terms as
sovereignty issues.
What is eMigrate programme?
After hundreds of complaints from workers about mistreatment, the MEAs Overseas Affairs department
(then a separate ministry) had in 2015 set up a database initiative called the eMigrate programme, that
gathers extensive information on emigrants as well as foreign employers, their companies and recruiting
agents.
Objections raised by UAE:
This collection of data is being termed as violation of sovereignty by the UAE.
The concerns are not restricted to Indias database of foreign employers in that country, but includes the
eMigrate programmes mandate to inspect premises of UAE companies, which they want stopped

immediately.
Other Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, had also raised issues with the eMigrate system as soon as it
was launched in July 2015.
Why India should be worried?
Concerns are only one part of a much larger worry for the government as India has seen a job crunch in the
Gulf markets in the past few years.
According to a World Bank study on emigrants and remittances worldwide, published in April 2017, while
India retained the top position as a recipient of remittances, it saw the biggest year-on-year decline of 8.9%
in 2016. In 2014 India received $69.6 billion in remittances, which dipped to $68.9 billion in 2015 and fell to
$62.7 billion last year.
First human antibodies to fight all Ebola viruses found
A team of scientists from the United States have discovered the first natural human antibodies that are
capable of neutralizing and protecting animals against all three major disease-causing ebola viruses.
Monoclonal antibodies have emerged as one of the
most promising treatments for Ebola patients.
The findings could lead to the discovery of first
effective ebolavirus therapies and vaccines.
Scientists have discovered the broadly neutralizing
antibodies from the blood of a survivor of the 2013-16
Ebola outbreak.
Scientists have also pinpointed the human gene which is
expected to be the source of the immune cells that
produce these antibodies.
Monoclonal antibodies (MAB)
Monoclonal antibody therapy uses antibodies that are

made in the lab rather than by a persons own immune system. Once the antibodies are given, they may
recruit other parts of the immune system to destroy the targeted antigen, such as a cancer cell.How
monoclonal antibodies work
Monoclonal antibodies work by recognising and finding specific proteins on cancer cells.
Each monoclonal antibody recognises one particular protein. They work in different ways depending on the
protein they are targeting. So different monoclonal antibodies have to be made to target different types of
cancer.

Many different monoclonal antibodies are already available to treat cancer. Some are licensed to treat
particular types of cancer. Some newer types are still in clinical trials.
Two types of monoclonal antibodies are used in cancer treatments:
Naked monoclonal antibodies are those without any drug or radioactive material attached to them. Naked
monoclonal antibodies are the most commonly used monoclonal antibodies at this time. Although they all
work by attaching themselves to specific antigens, they can be helpful in different ways. Some naked
monoclonal antibodies attach to cancer cells to act as a marker for the bodys immune system to destroy
them.
Conjugated monoclonal antibodies are those joined to a chemotherapy drug, radioactive particle, or
cancer cell killing agent. Conjugated monoclonal antibodies are monoclonal antibodies that are attached to
drugs, cancer killing agents, or radioactive substances. The monoclonal antibodies are used as homing
devices to take these substances directly to the cancer cells. The monoclonal antibody circulates in the body
until it can find and bind to the target antigen. It then delivers the toxic substance where it is needed most.
This lessens the damage to normal cells in other parts of the body caused by the drug, cancer killing agent or
radioactive substance.
First Tejas Express
Indian Railways has introduced Indias first high speed, air-conditioned Tejas Express between Chhatrapati
Shivaji Terminus Mumbai and Karmali.
Tejas Express is a state of the art train capable of running at the speed of 200 kmph with ultra modern
amenities run between Mumbai and Karmali.
Fund for development and maintenance of National Waterways (NWs)
The Union Cabinet has accorded its approval for amendment of Central Road Fund Act, 2000 to allocate
2.5% of the proceeds of Central Road Fund (CRF) for development and maintenance of National
Waterways (NWs) and a reduction in the share provided for development of National Highways.
The proposal was jointly mooted by the Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of Road Transport &
Highways (MoRTH).
In this regard, the Central Road Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2017 would be moved by the Ministry of Road
Transport & Highways in the ensuing Monsoon Session, 2017 of the Parliament.
Significance
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has estimated that approximately Rs. 25,000 crores would
be required for development of identified projects on NWs till 2022-23. An allocation of 2.5% of CRF
proceeds would provide approximately Rs.2000 crore per annum for the development and maintenance of
NWs at existing rates of duties funding the CRF.

Central Road Fund
The Central Road Fund was established by the government as per the Central road fund act 2000 to fund
the development and maintenance of National Highways, State Highways and Rural roads.
In order to mobilise the fund, the Central Road Fund Act 2000 proposed to levy and collect by way of cess,
a duty of excise and duty of customs on petrol and high speed diesel oil.
The fund is utilised for the development and maintenance of National highways, State roads, Rural roads
and for provision of road overbridges/under bridges and other safety features at unmanned Railway
Crossings.
IWAI
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is the statutory body in charge of the waterways in India.
Its headquarters is located in Noida, UP.
Its main function is to build the necessary required infrastructure in these waterways, surveying the
economic feasibility of new projects and also administration and regulation.
The National Waterways Act, 2016 was passed in 2016 for the development and maintenance of National
Waterways. The act which came into force in 12 April, 2016 has declared 111 inland waterways across 24
states as national waterways. At present five National Waterways are operational.
G7 summit
Recently, the 43rd G7 summit was held in Taormina (ME), Italy.
The leaders issued a collective statement at the close of the talks.
During talk, they have shown their commitments towards strengthening collective energy security and
ensuring open, transparent, liquid, and secure global markets for energy resources and technologies.
The bloc meets annually to discuss a wide range of issues, including global economy, security and energy
and this year will be no exception.
G7
The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal bloc of industrialized democraciesCanada, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The European Union is also represented within the G7.
The G7 originates with the Group of Six. It was founded ad hoc in 1975. Canada became the seventh
member to begin attending the summits in 1976.
The G7 countries represent more than 64% of the net global wealth. A very high net national wealth and a
very high Human Development Index are the main requirements to be a member of this group.
The G7 countries also represent 46% of the global GDP evaluated at market exchange rates and 32% of the

global purchasing power parity GDP.
The G7 takes no mandatory decisions, and the meeting is billed as an opportunity to allow leaders to
exchange ideas in key issues. A leaders declaration at the end of summit is not binding in nature.
The presidency, which rotates among member states, is responsible for setting the agenda and arranging
logistics.
Ganeshan Neelakanta Iyer first Indian to be inducted in ITTF URC
Ganeshan Neelakanta Iyer has become the first Indian to be nominated as a member of the Umpires and
Referees Committee (URC) by International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
He will serve for a term of two years which is further extendable.
In another first Ganeshan Neelakanta Iyer has also been recommended as the Technical Commissioner
from Asia to the ITTF. His will serve in this capacity for a period of four years.
Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction - Cancun, Mexico
The Global Platform is the most important international forum dedicated to the disaster risk reduction
agenda, and this will be the first time it has been staged outside Geneva.
The 2017 Global Platform will mark the first opportunity for the international community to review global
progress on the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which was adopted
in Japan in 2015.
More than 5,000 participants are expected, including policy makers and disaster risk managers.
Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction:
The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction is a biennial forum for information exchange, discussion
of latest developments, knowledge and partnership-building across sectors.
Its goal is to improve the implementation of disaster risk reduction through better communication and
coordination amongst stakeholders.
Its core function is to enable governments, NGOs, scientists, practitioners, and UN organizations to share
experience and formulate strategic guidance for the implementation of global disaster risk reduction
agreements: the 2005 Hyogo Framework for Action and its post-2015 successor the Sendai Framework.
Sendai Framework:
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030) is an international Treaty which was
adopted during the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) held in Sendai,
Japan in March, 2015.
It is the successor agreement to the Hyogo Framework for Action (20052015), which had been the most
encompassing international accord to date on disaster risk reduction.

It is the first major agreement of the post-2015 development agenda, with seven targets and four priorities
for action.
The Framework is for 15-year.
It is a voluntary and non-binding agreement which recognizes that the State has the primary role to reduce
disaster risk but that responsibility should be shared with other stakeholders including local government, the
private sector and other stakeholders.
The implementation of the Sendai Framework involves adopting integrated and inclusive institutional
measures so as to work towards preventing vulnerability to disaster, increase preparedness for response and
recovery and strengthen resilience.
Priorities for action:
The Sendai Framework sets four specific priorities for action:
Understanding disaster risk;
Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk;
Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience;
Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to Build Back Better in recovery,
rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Google Unleashes AlphaGo in China
Googles AI AlphaGo has defeated Ke Jie, the worlds number one professional human Go player.
The game of Go is a complex, ancient Chinese board game originated in China 3,000 years ago.
AlphaGo is a narrow AI, computer program developed by Alphabet Inc.s Google DeepMind in London to
play the board game Go.
AlphaGos algorithm uses a Monte Carlo tree search to find its moves based on knowledge previously
learned by machine learning, specifically by an artificial neural network (a deep learning method) by
extensive training, both from human and computer play.
Govt permits DIPP to grant industrial licences to defence manufacturers
Government has made Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) the authority to grant
manufacturing licence for arms, ammunition and defence items.
Until now, the exercise was being carried out by the home ministry.
The decision was taken considering the workload of Home Ministry which has to look after security
concerns of the entire country.
The decision will clear the confusions in the minds of the defence products manufacturing companies as the
battle on the matter between the DIPP and the Home Ministry had virtually stopped the process of granting

industrial licenses since last year.
Note:
The power to grant manufacturing licence with respect to the category of arms and ammunition and defence
items under the Arms Act has been delegated to Secretary, DIPP from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Henceforth, the defence products manufacturing companies are required to apply for industrial licenses to
the DIPP as they used to do before transferring of such power to the Home Ministry.
Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) was first established in 1995, and then reconstituted
in 2000 and merged with the Department of Industrial Development.
The Department falls under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Its main responsibility includes formulation of promotional and developmental measures to boost industrial
sector.
DIPP looks at the overall industrial policy while individual ministries work on the specific areas allocated to
them.
GST Council sets rates for most commodities
The GST Council headed by finance Minister Arun Jaitley has finalised tax rates and has approved all the
seven rules for the GST regime that is scheduled to be implemented from July 1.
The remaining two rules of the GST pertaining to transition and return is under the examination of the legal
committee.
In total, the council has fixed the rates of 1211 items.
It will decide rates of some other items and services in the coming days.
GST rates on green goods
The GST Council has finalised the rates and cess for most of the goods under the purview of the tax.
Among these, it set a rate of 18% for commercial LPG, and 5% for all renewable energy devices and spare
parts, although the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had requested exemption for these items.
Experts term this as a missed opportunity regarding auto LPG.
Experts say, GST Council has missed an opportunity to back environmentally friendly goods.
Domestic LPG is taxed at 5%. This would also encourage theft, since people already transfer LPG from
domestic cylinders to commercial containers to avoid the higher tax.
Henderson island
Henderson island, located in south Pacific Ocean, has been classified as the most polluted place on the earth
by Tasmanias Institute for Marine and Aquatic Studies.
The island contained 37.7 million pieces of debris.

The island is a world heritage site. It lies between Chile and New Zealand.
It is one of the worlds last two raised coral atolls.
High Level Committee on Scouts and Guides Submits Report
A seven-member High-Level Committee on Scouts and Guides has submitted its Final Report to Minister
for State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs & Sports, Vijay Goel with various recommendations.
Recommendations
The committee has suggested for the constitution of an Enquiry Committee to take stock of complaints and
grievances and submit its report.
The committee has suggested for completely revamping the Bharat Scout & Guides and Hindustan Scouts
and Guides.
It has stressed upon the need for streamlining the organizational set up of Bharat Scouts and Guides and
Hindustan Scouts and Guides.
The committee has observed a number of irregularities and anomalies in the financial management of the
Scouts and Guides which are audited by the Chartered Accountant. So, it has recommended for the
constitution of a permanent monitoring Committee to periodically assess the activities of both the
organisations and submit report to the Union Sports Ministry.
The committee has suggested for the nomination of government nominees on the Boards of both the
organizations.
Note:-
After receiving various complaints from various sectors against the Bharat Scouts and Guides and
Hindustan Scouts and Guides, sports ministry had constituted a seven-member High Level Committee
under the chairmanship of Harsh Malhotra in October 2016 to look into the infrastructure and assets of the
two recognized Scouts and Guides Organizations.
The high level committee submitted its first interim report on January 31, 2017 recommending to make
Scouts movement as an integral part of Youth movement.
Bharat Scouts and Guides and Hindustan Scouts and Guides are the two organizations recognized by the
Sports Ministry for conducting scouting and guiding activities across the country.
These two organizations also receive grant-in-aid for conducting the scouting/guiding activities.
Hottest giant planet of the solar system KELT-9B discovered
This planet, called KELT-9b, is hotter than most stars.
KELT-9b is 2.8 times more massive than Jupiter, but only half as dense.
The Jupiter-like planet, KELT-9b, is tidally locked, which means its always showing the same face or its

dayside to its even-hotter host star, dubbed KELT-9.
The planets dayside reaches a balmy 7,800 degrees Fahrenheit, about 2,000 degrees cooler than our sun.
The side of the planet facing KELT-9 is bombarded with stellar radiation and is so hot that water, carbon
dioxide and methane cant form.
KELT-9 radiates so much ultraviolet radiation that it may completely evaporate the planet.
In NTD fight, the end in sight
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of communicable diseases that prevail in tropical and
subtropical conditions in 149 countries and affect more than one billion people, costing developing
economies billions of dollars every year.
They mainly affect populations living in poverty, without adequate sanitation and in close contact with
infectious vectors and domestic animals and livestock.
Concerns
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect over 1.5 billion of the worlds most impoverished people,
including 875 million children.
They cause severe pain, long-term disability, and are the cause of death for over 170,000 people per year.
Amongst children, infection leads to malnutrition, cognitive impairment, stunted growth, and the inability to
attend school.
Adults suffer from social isolation and are unable to work, and anemia caused by NTDs increases the risk of
maternal mortality.
Steps need to be taken:
The Indian government has set itself the target of eliminating kala-azar and filariasis by 2017, and leprosy by
2018. With such ambitious targets, sustained research must remain an integral component of disease
elimination programmes.
Besides basic research the discovery of new facts about a disease, vaccines and drugs new strategies
are needed to make an impact.
For programmes to succeed, it is important to maintain constant vigilance through robust surveillance and
reporting mechanisms.
Partnerships with diverse stakeholders including the private sector, community-based organisations, and
community leaders are specifically useful in creating awareness, improving case detection, treatment
completion and, most importantly, managing stigma associated with these diseases.
While tackling NTDs, it will be important to remember that along with timely diagnosis and treatment
access in unreached areas, focussing on the fundamentals of preventive interventions, nutrition, safe

drinking water, sanitation and hygiene are essential in fast-tracking the ultimate goal of elimination.
Inauguration of Integration of eSanad with Parinam Manjusha
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and IT Minister Ravi Shankar
Prasad has jointly inaugurated the integration of E-Sanad with CBSEs digital repository Parinam Manjusha
in New Delhi.
E Sanad is an e-service for online verification and attestation of documents of Indian citizens.
E-Sanad an initiative under the Digital India programme that aims to offer faceless, cashless, contactless and
paperless document attestation/apostille services.
It will benefit the applicants in India and those travelling abroad as it will enable them to get their
documents attested and verified.
It will facilitate digital verification by foreign governments. The integration will pave way for the seamless
electronic movement of the documents among the stakeholders.
It allows online filing of applications and saves precious time and money of applicants who at present are
required to travel long distances for getting attested by the concerned authorities in States.
eSanad has been designed and developed by NIC. eSanad has been integrated with Non- Tax Receipt Portal
(NTRP) for enabling cashless payment.
The eSanad will be implemented in phases. In the first phase, the initiative has been launched in five
passport offices and is in the process of being implemented in the Apostille/ Attestation Cell of the
Ministry.
For implementation in States, the initiative is being rolled out on a pilot basis in Telangana. Telangana has
become the first state in the country where the pilot e-Sanad project has been rolled out.
Inclusive India Initiative
The campaign was unveiled by the National Trust under Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment in
collaboration with key partners.
Objective of the initiative:
To include persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the mainstream and in all important
aspects of social life, namely education, employment and community Inclusive India in about changing the
attitudes.
The initiative is an attempt to facilitate the realisation of equal opportunities, protection of rights and full
participation of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities into the fabric of society.
Focus areas:
1) Inclusive Education:

Large-scale awareness campaigns would be executed on pan-India basis, making schools and colleges
inclusive for the children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Association with government and private organisations will be explored for making the infrastructure of
educational institutes accessible by providing necessary mobility aids, assistive devices, accessible
information and social support.
2) Inclusive Employment:
The government would engage 2,000 corporate sector organisations; public and private, for creating
awareness towards inclusive employment for persons with intellectual disabilities.
3) Inclusive Community Life:
The efforts towards accomplishing Inclusive community life can be made successful, only when the people
with intellectual and development disabilities, their families, civil society organisations and state government
connect.
The Inclusive India Initiative was born out of this very need of creating awareness among public, ensuring
that the people become sensitive.
India and Russia Sign 5 Pacts & St Petersburg Declaration
To mark the 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and India, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the St Petersburg Declaration.
The declaration envisages an action plan for deepening relations in all areas, including political and economic
development of the two countries and also to ensure that their ties contribute to the establishment of a more
peaceful and just world order.
India awards road contract to complete Kaladan project in Myanmar
Indian government is finally on course to completing the $484-million Kaladan multi-modal transport
projects in Myanmar that will offer connectivity to Mizoram in India.
Kaladan was the first major project taken up by India in Myanmar.
Project status
India completed the construction of Sittwe port, at the estuary of Kaladan river, in trouble-prone Rakhine
state of Myanmar, last year, one year behind schedule.
At the Indian side, extension of the Aizawl-Saiha National Highway by 90 km to the international border at
Zorinpui, at the southern tip of Mizoram, is almost over.
In addition, four-laning of the 300 km Aizawl-Tuipang highway to ensure faster movement of goods
between Sittwe and Aizawl is also nearing completion.
The Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) in Myanmar was conceptualized and is being

administered by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) with a view to facilitate connectivity between the
mainland and the North Eastern States of the country through maritime shipping, inland waterways and
roads of Myanmar.
Mooted in 2003, India entered a framework agreement with Myanmar for Kaladan project in 2008.
Construction began in 2010 with a deadline in June 2015. But, no headway was achieved on the road project.
KMMT is hailed as Future gateway to South East Asia.
When completed, the KMTT will shorten the current time taken to transport goods from Kolkata to
Mizoram by three-four days, and the distance by around 950 km.
The link between North Eastern States of India and Myanmar will pave the way for enhanced trade &
commerce across the border and enable cultural and social integration at the regional level.
India has 31% of worlds poor kids: report
According to a new report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), about 31%
of the worlds multidimensionally poor children live in India.
OPHI is an economic research centre at the Oxford University and the study is based on a survey conducted
among 103 countries.
A multidimensionally poor child is one who lacks at least one-third of ten indicators, grouped into three
dimensions of poverty: health, education and standard of living.

The health dimension comprises indicators such as nutrition, child mortality, and education.
Under standard of living are indicators such as access to cooking fuel, improved sanitation, safe drinking
water,
electricity,
flooring,
and asset
ownership.
India is no. 2 stainless steel producer in the world

According to the figures disclosed by International Stainless Steel Forum at a conference recently held in
Tokyo, Japan, India has emerged as the second largest stainless steel producer in the world after China.
India toppled Japan in the year 2016.
India participates in Mission Innovation and Clean Energy Ministerial
Worlds Energy Leaders have gathered in Beijing for second Mission Innovation Ministerial and 8th Clean
Energy Ministerial.
An Indian delegation led by Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and
Environment, Forest & Climate Change will be participating in the conferences.
Mission Innovation (MI)
Mission Innovation (MI) is a global initiative of 22 countries and the European Union to dramatically
accelerate global clean energy innovation.
Mission Innovation was announced on November 30, 2015, as world leaders came together in Paris (during

COPE 21) to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change.
As part of the initiative, participating countries have committed to double their governments clean energy
research and development (R&D) investments over five years, while encouraging greater levels of private
sector investment in transformative clean energy technologies.
These additional resources will dramatically accelerate the availability of the advanced technologies that will
define a future global energy mix that is clean, affordable, and reliable.
India is Founding Member of the Steering Committee and also a Member of the two sub-groups: Joint
research and Capacity Building and Private Sector Engagement.
Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM)
The Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) is a high-level global forum to share lessons learnt and best practices,
and to encourage the transition to a global clean energy economy. Initiatives are based on areas of common
interest among participating
The CEM is the initiative of the USA. Presently, 23 countries are members of CEM. There are 13 initiatives
under CEM covering energy efficiency, clean energy supply and cross cutting areas.
Since its launch in 2010, the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) has come a long way. Its various initiatives
were instrumental in leading significant collaborative work amongst members in context of clean energy
supply, demand side management and relevant cross cutting issues.
India participates in Mission Innovation and Clean Energy Ministerial
The Saudi-led coalition has accused Qatar of supporting political Islamist groups and perceptions that it is
open to closer ties with Iran, Saudi Arabias rival.
Tensions with Qatars Gulf Arab neighbours have grown in recent years as part of a tussle for regional
leadership.
Qatar has backed Islamist movements in the Middle East in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011,
to the chagrin of Saudi Arabia and the UAE in particular. It has also counselled improving relations with
Tehran, the Saudis arch-enemy.
Rivalry with Iran with which Saudi Arabia is engaged in a series of proxy wars across the region looms
over the dispute and a spark for the current crisis was Donald Trumps visit to the region, during which he
robustly denounced Tehran.
Some analysts have suggested that the Gulf states have been emboldened by Trump and the row with Qatar
is a Saudi-led attempt to bring Qatar into line.
Qatar
Qatar occupies a tiny headland on the Arabian Peninsula, with a single land border with Saudi Arabia and

across the sea from Iran.
Qatar is the worlds top exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the host of an important US military
base in the Middle East.
One of the worlds richest nations, Qatar is a crucial supplier of LNG to Asia and Europe and a large
investor in the UK and Europe through its sovereign wealth fund.
Implications of the move:
Oil prices have seen a jump after the six countries announced suspension of diplomatic ties with Qatar as it
affected some of the worlds biggest oil and gas exporters.
Qatar, a gas rich nation is also the biggest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and a major seller of
condensate (a low-density liquid fuel) and refining product derived from natural gas.
About 40% of Qatars food is believed to come in through its land border with Saudi Arabia which has
been closed. Already people are rushing to shops to stock up on supplies.
There are many major construction projects underway in Qatar not least eight stadiums for footballs 2022
World Cup. The Saudi border closure could affect the supply of materials, and delay projects. Qatar will be
host to 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Saudi Arabia has announced that it would seal its land border with Qatar cutting off the country from the
rest of the Arabian Peninsula.
Qatar is home to a major US military base, a sprawling al-Udeid Air Base, which is home to the US militarys
Central Command hosting 10,000 troops. How this decision would affect American military operations is
yet to be seen.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar are all members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting
Countries (Opec). Saudi Arabia is the de facto leader of the group as the largest oil producer in the world,
while Qatar is one of Opecs smallest oil producers. The group recently agreed to cut oil production to help
prop up prices; some investors are concerned that the dispute with Qatar could affect that deal. That plan to
boost prices has also been undermined by rising oil output in the US.
Egypt and UAE are key recipients of Qatars LNG supply. Although Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and
Bahrain have all closed transport links with Qatar, the state can still ship out both LNG and oil to other
countries by sea.
Implications for India:
Indians are the largest expatriate community in Qatar, the same way they are in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
the two key countries who are in the opposite camp. And, the immediate worry is the trouble Indians
would face as measures to isolate Qatar would hit them there in terms of their travel.

India also has robust defence and energy ties with Qatar. India is the third largest export destination for
Qatar (behind Japan and South Korea) and ranks at 10th position for Qatars imports.
The Gulf Arab state is the largest supplier of LNG to India, accounting for over 65% of Indias global
import and 15% of Qatars export of LNG with an annual import of 7.5 million metric tons (MMT) of
liquefied natural gas (LNG) under a long-term contract between Petronet LNG of India and RasGas Co Ltd
of Qatar, and some spot purchases by Indian companies from time to time.
India also imports ethylene, propylene, ammonia, urea and polyethene from Qatar. Therefore, the balance of
trade continues to be heavily in Qatars favour.
India working with World Gold Council to create a spot exchange
The World Gold Council is working with the Indian government on plans to create a local physical spot-
gold exchange that may start up as soon as next year.
This is expected to bring more order and structure to the market.
Hurdles
The plans still face many hurdles including that the state-level rather than central government has
responsibility for gold-related matters in India.
Increased infrastructure such as gold vaults and reliable receipts for metal are also needed.
World Gold Council
The World Gold Council is the market development organisation for the gold industry.
It works across all parts of the industry, from gold mining to investment, and their aim is to stimulate and
sustain demand for gold.
The World Gold Council is an association whose members comprise the worlds leading gold mining
companies.
It helps to support its members to mine in a responsible way and developed the Conflict Free Gold
Standard.
Headquartered in the UK, they have offices in India, China, Singapore, Japan and the United States.
India, Palestine ink 5 MoUs on cooperation in IT, agriculture sectors
India and Palestine signed five agreements for cooperation in different areas including agriculture, health and
Information Technology.
The Agreements were exchanged after delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas in New Delhi.
Five agreements include:
MoU on Visa Exemption on Diplomatic and Official Passports

MoU on Cooperation in Youth Affairs and Sports
MoU on Agricultural Cooperation
MoU on Cooperation in Health Sector
MoU on Information-Technology and Electronics
Indias first private railway station Habibganj to come up near Bhopal
Habibganj railway station in the suburbs of Bhopal will become countrys first railway station to be
redeveloped in a public-private partnership (PPP) mode.
The project aims at developing Habibganj Railway Station as a as a world-class transit hub equipped with all
amenities.
The Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation Limited (IRSDC) will oversee the Habibganj project.
Indias First Fleet of 200 Electric Vehicles Launched in Nagpur
Maharashtras chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has inaugurated Indias first multi-modal electric vehicle
project at the Nagpur Airport Complex.
The pilot project will have a fleet of 200 electric vehicles including taxis, buses, e-rickshaw and auto-
rickshaws.
All these electric-powered public transport vehicles will be fully owned by cab aggregator Ola.
Indias first ornamental fish tech park in Chennai soon
Indias first Aquatic Rainbow Technology Park (ARTP) in Chennai would be operational in next three
months.
ARTP would be an ultra-modern exclusive facility for ornamental fish equipped with multi-species hatchery
and live feed culture units.
It is being funded by the Tamil Nadu Innovation Initiatives of the state government.
It will be equipped with advanced infrastructure and technical expertise for boosting production of high
value ornamental fish species, both indigenous and exotic.
The ARTP is being developed by Fisheries College and Research Institute (FCRI), Ponneri in Tamil Nadu.
After completion, it would be handed over to ornamental fish breeders and farmers on lease for three years.
Indias first Rural LED Street Lighting Project in Andhra Pradesh
Government will retrofit 10 lakh conventional street lights with LED lights in Gram Panchayats of 7
districts in Andhra Pradesh.
The project will be carried out by the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) functioning under the
Ministry of Power.
This project will be the first rural LED street lighting project under the Government of Indias Street

Lighting National Project (SLNP).
The total upfront capital cost of the project would be funded by French Development Agency Agence
Franaise de Dveloppement (AFD).
The project will help the gram panchayats to cumulatively save approximately 147 million units of electricity
in a year. It will lead to a reduction of approximately 12 crore tonnes of CO2.
The EESL will be made responsible for carrying out annual maintenance and warranty replacement exercises
in these gram panchayats for a period of 10 years.
Indias first uterine transplant performed
In a major medical feat in India, doctors and surgeons at a private hospital in Pune successfully performed
countrys first womb or uterus transplant on a woman.
In 2013, the worlds first uterus transplant was done in Sweden.
What is uterus transplantation?
The uterine transplant is the surgical procedure whereby a healthy uterus is transplanted into an organism of
which the uterus is absent or diseased.
As part of normal mammalian sexual reproduction, a diseased or absent uterus does not allow normal
embryonic implantation, effectively rendering the female infertile.
This phenomenon is known as absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI). Uterine transplant is a potential
treatment for this form of infertility.
Ethical concerns associated with uterus transplantation:
Uterus transplantation is opposed because of the ethical issues involved in it
Removing the uterus from a live donor exposes the person to surgical risk.
Involves too many surgical steps for the recipient.
The transplant is not a life saving procedure.
It also discourages other methods like adoption and surrogacy.
Note
In India, infertility prevalence is between 3.9%- 16.8% of the population of child bearing women. Among
the reasons, uterine factor is the cause in 20% of cases.
The uterine factor can be due to causes like congenital absence of uterus, uterine malformations, genital
tuberculosis and surgical removal of uterus for cancers.
Indian bags key post in UNFCCC
Ovais Sarmad, a senior Indian official, has been appointed as the deputy executive secretary of the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

He was appointed by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The appointment assumes significance as UNFCCC aims to slow down climate change and under it the
landmark Paris agreement was negotiated and adopted.
UNFCCC
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international
environmental treaty negotiated at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992, then entered into force
on 21 March 1994.
The UNFCCC objective is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that
would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.
The framework sets no binding limits on greenhouse gas emissions for individual countries and contains no
enforcement mechanisms.
Instead, the framework outlines how specific international treaties (called protocols or Agreements) may
be negotiated to specify further action towards the objective of the UNFCCC.
With 197 Parties, the UNFCCC has near universal membership and is the parent treaty of the 1997 Kyoto
Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol has been ratified by 192 of the UNFCCC Parties.
India and UNFCCC:
India signed the UNFCCC on 10 June 1992 and ratified it on 1 November 1993.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests is the nodal agency for climate change issues in India.
It has constituted Working Groups on the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol.
Work is currently in progress on Indias initial National Communication (NATCOM) to the UNFCCC.
Indian researchers develop 3D bioprinted cartilage
A team of scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Delhi has made a breakthrough in the
development of 3D bioprinted cartilage.
Scientists has successfully developed a bioink that can be used to print structures like the cartilage found in
human knees.
Note
The bio-ink has high concentration of bone-marrow derived cartilage stem cells, silk proteins and a few
factors.
The chemical composition of the bio-ink supports cell growth and long-term survival of the cells.
The cartilage developed in the lab has remained physically stable for up to six weeks.
Just like cells are surrounded by proteins inside our body, the cells in the engineered cartilage are also
surrounded by bio-ink that has a similar composition.

Benefits of 3D printed cartilage:
While the cartilage found in the knee is an articular cartilage that is typically sponge-like and has a huge load-
bearing capacity, the ones produced in the lab so far are of a different kind transient cartilage.
Unlike articular cartilage, transient cartilage becomes bone cells and, therefore, brittle within a short time. As
a result, the engineered cartilage loses its capacity to bear huge load that is typically encountered in the knee.
But the 3D bio-printing approach adopted by the researchers allows the high concentration of bone-marrow
derived cartilage stem cells present in the bioink to gradually convert to chondrocyte-like cells (specialised
cells which produce and maintain the extracellular matrix of cartilage).
Background:
Recently, the researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy in Sweden have successfully generated cartilage tissue
using a 3D bioprinter, an advance that could lead to new treatments for osteoarthritis.
International Comparison Programme (ICP)
India is participating in the current phase of International Comparison Programme (ICP) with reference to
2017.
The ICP is a worldwide statistical initiative led by the World Bank under the auspices of the United
Nations Statistical Commission.
Its main objective is to provide comparable price and volume measures of gross domestic product (GDP)
and its expenditure aggregates among countries within and across regions.
Through a partnership with international, regional, sub-regional and national agencies, the ICP collects and
compares price data and GDP expenditures to estimate and publish purchasing power parities (PPPs) of the
worlds economies.
In India, Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MOSPI) will take up the price
collection work in rural and urban areas shortly all over the country.
Investment pact system needs review
An International Investment Agreement (IIA) is a type of treaty between countries that addresses issues
relevant to cross-border investments, usually for the purpose of protection, promotion and liberalization of
such investments.
Most IIAs cover foreign direct investment (FDI) and portfolio investment, but some exclude the latter.

Countries concluding IIAs commit themselves
to adhere to specific standards on the treatment India, along with countries including South Africa,
of foreign investments within their territory. had recently opposed efforts by nations including
China, Brazil, Australia and South Korea to begin
IIAs further define procedures for the
discussions on a proposal for an investment
resolution of disputes should these
facilitation agreement at the World Trade
commitments not be met.
Organisation (WTO)-level that reportedly seeks to
The most common types of IIAs are Bilateral
incorporate provisions including the controversial
Investment Treaties (BITs) and Preferential
ISDS mechanism.
Trade and Investment Agreements (PTIAs).
Following many companies suing the Indian
International Taxation Agreements and Double
government using the ISDS mechanism in the BITs
Taxation Treaties (DTTs) are also considered as
that India had inked with various countries, the
IIAs, as taxation commonly has an important
Indian government had revised its Model BIT Text
impact on foreign investment.
and unilaterally terminated the BITs.
How are investments protected under an IIA?
An IIA contains obligations on the host State, which may include:
Treating foreign investors as favourably as domestic investors or foreign investors from other countries;
Treating foreign investors fairly and equitably, as well as giving them protection and security;
Establishing clear limits on the expropriation of investments and compensating foreign investors should
expropriation occur;
Allowing foreign investors to freely transfer their capital in and out of the host State; and
Allowing foreign investors to submit investment disputes to international arbitration.
Why Review?
The IIA system currently has a pro-investor bias as it focuses on the protection of capital and the return on
capital. No such protection has been extended to labour, indigenous people, migrants, or consumers, all of
whom have linkages with investment.
The current ISDS mechanism, which is ad hoc, unpredictable and often arbitrary, needs urgent review.
The current ISDS regime can be quite costly for host countries. As per a UN Conference on Trade and
Development report, as of end-2016, some 767 arbitration cases were publicly known to have been filed
against host countries under IIAs.
The ISDS mechanism is contentious as it enables companies to drag governments to international
arbitration without exhausting the local remedies and seek massive amounts as compensation citing losses

due to reasons, including policy changes.
Way ahead:
The future IIA regime should incorporate different socio-economic conditions of host countries.
There should be a greater focus on other alternative modes of dispute settlement, including domestic
remedies or compulsory negotiation and mediation, wherever possible.
Direct access to international mechanisms should be allowed only when there are no local remedies.
The regulatory freedom of governments to pursue measures for welfare or legitimate public policy purposes
must not be compromised.
Irans presidential election
Hassan Rouhani has been re-elected as the President of Iran. He was elected as president for his first term in
2013.
He won 2013 elections by pledging to end Irans isolation and improve civil rights at home.
ISRO gets Indira Gandhi Prize for 2014
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was recently presented with the Indira Gandhi Prize for
Peace, Disarmament and Development for the year 2014.
ISRO is awarded in recognition of its path-breaking achievements, culminating in the Mars orbiter mission,
its significant contributions in strengthening international cooperation in peaceful use of outer space
The ISRO was selected for the prize in 2014 by a jury headed by Vice-President Hamid Ansari.
It consists of a trophy made of banded Haematite Jasper, with a portrait of the late Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi in Jaipur miniature paintings, a cash award of 1 crore and a citation.
ISRO launches Indias heaviest rocket
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has successfully launched the countrys heaviest rocket
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mark III (GSLV-Mk III) along with a communications satellite
GSAT-19.
GSAT-19 communications satellite is the heaviest to be lifted by an Indian rocket till date to an altitude of
around 179 km above the Earth.
The rockets main and bigger cryogenic engine has been developed by space scientists indigenously. It will
help India get a greater share of the multi-billion dollar global space market and reduce dependency on
international launching vehicles.
Because of the absence of a powerful launcher, ISRO currently launches satellites above 2 tonnes on
European rockets for a big fee. This launch will enable ISRO to launch from India heavier communications
spacecraft to geostationary orbits of 36,000 km.

GSLV Mark III
GSLV Mark III is a three-stage heavy lift launch vehicle developed by ISRO.
It has double the capacity of its predecessor GSLV Mark II in terms of its payload carrying capacity. Its first
stage is made of two straps on motors filled with solid fuel.
It can put four-tonne satellites in the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and is capable of placing up to
eight tonnes in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This capacity is enough to carry a manned module and launch
people into space.
The rocket has three-stages with two solid motor strap-ons (S200), a liquid propellant core stage (L110) and
a cryogenic stage (C-25). The solid booster S200 is the third largest solid booster in the world.
GSAT19
GSAT-19 satellite is the communication satellite of India, configured around the ISROs standard I-3K bus.
The satellite carries Ka/Ku-band high throughput communication transponders.
Besides, it carries a Geostationary Radiation Spectrometer (GRASP) payload to monitor and study the
nature of charged particles and the influence of space radiation on satellites and their electronic components.
GSAT-19 also features certain advanced spacecraft technologies including miniaturised heat pipe, fibre optic
gyro, Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) accelerometer, Ku-band TTC transponder, as well an
indigenous Lithium-ion Battery.
GSAT-19 was powered by indigenously-made Lithium-ion batteries. This was the first time when
ISRO has powered a satellite for the first time with Lithium-ion batteries. Similar batteries will be used in
future to power electric vehicles like cars and buses.
GSAT-19 will help to improve telecommunication and broadcasting areas. This is Indias first fully
functional rocket to be tested with a cryogenic engine.
Joint Declaration of Intent between Germany and India regarding cooperation in the sector of
alternative medicine
The Union Cabinet has approved the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between Germany and India
regarding cooperation in the sector of alternative medicine.
The financial resources necessary to conduct research, training courses, conferences / meetings will be met
from the existing allocated budget and existing plan schemes of Ministry of AYUSH.
Significance
The signing of the JDl will enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the areas of
traditional/alternative medicine.
Initiation of collaborative research, training and scientific capacity building in the field of alternative

medicine under the JDI between the two countries would contribute to the enhanced employment
opportunities in the AYUSH sector.
Alternative medicine
Alternative medicine practices are used instead of standard medical treatments.
Alternative medicine is distinct from complementary medicine which is meant to accompany, not to replace,
standard medical practices.
Alternative medical practices are generally not recognized by the medical community as standard or
conventional medical approaches.
Alternative medicine includes dietary supplements, megadose vitamins, herbal preparations, special teas,
massage therapy, magnet therapy, and spiritual healing.
Joint HADR Exercise
The Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise began at Naval Station
Karwar.
The exercise involves multiple agencies and is being conducted by Indian Navys Western Naval Command.
This years exercise is code-named KARAVALI KARUNYA meaning Assistance to Coast of Karnataka.
It will see the armed forces, central government agencies and state government departments working
together to provide relief in a post-tsunami scenario.
Karmapas travel curbs to go
Urgyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, may be allowed to visit any place in the country, except
Sikkim, without seeking the governments permission.
The Home Ministry has moved the proposal before the Cabinet Committee on Security.
The move assumes significance in the wake of Chinas repeated warnings over the recent Northeast visit of
the Dalai Lama, who Beijing describes as a separatist for spearheading the Tibetan freedom movement.
Issue
The entry of all three Karmapa claimants has been banned at the Rumtek monastery in East Sikkim since
1994, following objections by some prominent teachers of the Kagyu school to recognising Dorje as the
17th Karmapa.
In 2011, the police had recovered 1.2 crore of unaccounted-for foreign currency, including Chinese ones,
from Gyuto Tantric University and Monastery in Dharamsala. The police registered a case against the
Karmapa and the then government put more restrictions on his travel.
Karmapa
Karmapa means the one who carries out buddha-activity or the embodiment of all the activities of the

buddhas.
In the Tibetan tradition, great enlightened teachers are said to be able to consciously control their rebirth in
order to continue their activity for the benefit of all sentient beings.
Since the 12th century the Karmapas have been the heads of the Karma Kayg lineage and responsible for
the continuation of this direct transmission lineage.
The present 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Thaye Dorje was born in 1983 and in 1994 he managed to flee the
oppression of Tibet and came to India.
Karmapa controversy
The recognition of the Seventeenth Karmapa, the head of the Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism, has
been the subject of controversy.
Since the death of the sixteenth Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, in 1981, two candidates have been put
forward: Ogyen Trinley Dorje and Trinley Thaye Dorje.
Both have already been enthroned as 17th Karmapa, and both independently have been performing
ceremonial duties in the role of a Karmapa.
Karma Kagyu school
The Karma Kagyu lineage belongs to one of the 4 main schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
As a lineage of direct oral transmission it places particular emphasis on meditation and the realization of the
direct experience of mind gained through the guidance of a teacher.
The Karma Kagyu lineage has its roots in the teachings of the historical Buddha and developed into a
practical way to enlightenment in India and Tibet.
For over a 1000 years Buddhist Masters (Mahasiddhas) such as Naropa and Maitripa in India as well as the
famous Tibetan Yogis Marpa and Milarepa shaped the lineage as a practical everyday practice for lay people.
Karnataka child marriage Bill finally gets Presidents nod
The amended Bill seeks to ensure zero tolerance towards child marriage, granting powers to policemen and
enhancing penalties for those attending wedding ceremonies of minors.
While the original legislation does not prescribe a minimum punishment for offenders, the amendment
proposes rigorous imprisonment of one year.
It also enables any police officer to take cognizance of the offence.
The Bill was drafted based on the recommendations of a core committee headed by Shivaraj V. Patil, former
Supreme Court judge.
Note
The Bill was amended last year by the State Assembly and sent to the Centre. The Home Ministry, which

acts as an administrative ministry for State Bills and legislation, after consulting other Central ministries,
forwarded the Bill to the Presidential secretariat.
The State had been urging the Centre to pass the Bill at the earliest, in order to help it to eradicate the
menace of child marriage in the next few years.
Karnataka is among the States that record a high number of child marriages in the country (about 23% of
the total, according to a recent survey).
A large number of child marriage cases are reported from north Karnataka, including Dharwad, Belagavi,
Bagalkot, Koppal, Raichur and Vijayapura districts.
Legalising gambling: law panel in moral quandary
India is participating in the current phase of International Comparison Programme (ICP) with reference to
2017.
The ICP is a worldwide statistical initiative led by the World Bank under the auspices of the United
Nations Statistical Commission.
The question came up after the Supreme Court asked the commission to study the possibility of legalising
betting in the backdrop of the IPL betting scandal.
Views
Whether legalising betting and gambling will help in curbing illegal activities.
Will licensing gambling and betting help the government earn substantial revenue and generate employment.
Is legalising betting and gambling morally correct in the Indian circumstances.
What can be a possible model by which people engaging in such activities can be safeguarded against
bankruptcy.
If legalised, should foreign betting and gambling companies be allowed to have a foothold in the country.
Menace of gambling
Because of gambling, families are rendered bankrupt and many people are behind bars.
Online gambling and betting is another area which has become very difficult to curb.
It is understood that a lot of money is involved in illegal gambling business, creating almost a parallel
economy, converting legally earned money into black money that is drained to gambling operators in other
countries online.
Laws preventing gabling in India
Gambling is covered under an archaic law, the Public Gambling Act of 1867.
The Constitution has enabled the States to enact their own gambling legislation.
Section 67 of the Information Technology Act of 2000 vaguely prohibits online transmission and

publication of material which corrupt persons.
However, there is no uniformity in the various State laws and most of these laws pertain to physical
gambling and not online or virtual gambling, which is seen to be a route to crime, corruption and money
laundering.
LIGO makes third gravitational wave detection
The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors in the U.S. have detected yet
another merger of two black holes forming gravitational waves.
Named as GW170104, this is the third confirmed detection of gravitational waves coming from a binary
black hole merger.
Gravitational waves are ripples in space-time predicted by Albert Einstein a century ago.
The study had a major Indian contribution and the LIGO-India facility, which is making immense progress
will join the club in 2024.
M 777 A-2 (Indian) ULH
After a 30-year wait for new artillery guns since the Bofors scandal, the Indian Army received the first two
M-777 A-2 (Indian) ultra-light howitzers (ULH) from BAE systems of the US.
This is a part of an order for 145 long-range guns which will be mostly deployed on borders.
The M 777 A-2 (Indian) ULH having a maximum range of 30 km were being taken to Pokhran firing range
in Rajasthan for test firing.
The M777 is a 155mm, 39 caliber towed artillery gun made of titanium and aluminium alloys.
In November 2016, India signed the Letter of Acceptance (LoA) with the U.S. government under the
Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme for 145 BAE Systems-built M777A2 artillery guns in a deal worth
$737 million.
Madhya Pradesh to develop a happiness index
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpurs Rekhi Centre of Excellence for the Science of Happiness
has signed an MoU with Madhya Pradesh government to collaborate on the development of a Happiness
Index for measuring the well-being of the people of the state.
IIT-KGP will develop the index and analyse data collected by the state government to assess the level of
happiness and chalk out recommendations that can be used to enhance happiness.
IIT-KGP will also develop an online screening and assessment system in order to screen and identify
suitable volunteers from the database of more than 30,000 people who have offered to be part of the
collaborative exercise.
Mapping the universe with quasar positions

Astronomers have created the first map of the large-scale structure of the universe based entirely on the
positions of quasars.
Quasars are supermassive black holes at the cores of galaxies.
Quasars, also called quasi-stellar radio sources, are the most energetic and distant members of a class of
objects called active galactic nuclei (AGN).
Their spectra contain very broad emission lines, unlike any known from stars, hence the name quasi-
stellar. Their luminosity can be 100 times greater than that of the Milky Way.
Quasars also emit visible light, ultraviolet rays, infrared waves, X-rays, and gamma-rays.
How was mapping done?
To make their map, scientists used the Sloan Foundation Telescope to observe an unprecedented number of
quasars.
During the first two years of the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys Extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic
Survey (eBOSS), astronomers measured accurate three-dimensional positions for more than 147,000
quasars.
The telescopes observations gave the team the quasars distances, which they used to create a three-
dimensional map of where the quasars are.
However, to use the map to understand the expansion history of the universe, they had to go a step further,
using a clever technique involving studying baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs).
BAOs are the present-day imprint of sound waves which travelled through the early universe, when it was
much hotter and denser than the universe we see today.
However, when the universe was 380,000 years old, conditions changed suddenly and the sound waves
became frozen in place. These frozen waves are left imprinted in the three- dimensional structure of the
universe.
Significance of these findings
The results of the new study confirm the standard model of cosmology that researchers have built over the
last 20 years. In this standard model, the universe follows the predictions of Einsteins General Theory of
Relativity but includes components whose effects we can measure, but whose causes we do not understand.
Mazaalai: Mongolias first university satellite
Mazaalai is the first university satellite of Mongolia named after the Mongolian endangered Gobi bear
Mazaalai.
It was sent off into space in the United States recently.
The satellite accompanied the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The project under which the satellite was launched

is supported by UNESCO and Japan.
The satellite has been designed by students.
A satellite is advantageous for the nation in many ways such as bringing the ability to conduct independent
space studies, capture the geographic picture of a country, develop more accurate maps, and better prevent
natural disasters.
Minesweeper deal to be inked soon
After repeated delays and protracted negotiations, India and South Korea are set to be close to finalising the
deal for 12 minesweepers for the Indian Navy.
Commercial negotiations are in the final stages and should be concluded in the next two months.
The technical negotiations have long been completed which also involves the Indian Navy.
The deal for 12 minesweepers or Mine Counter Measure Vessels is worth about `32,640 crore and the ships
would be manufactured in India under Transfer of Technology.
The first ship is expected to be delivered three years after the contract is signed.
Minesweepers:
Minesweepers are crucial to detect mines and explosives planted by the enemy targeting our ships as they
enter or leave harbours.
Minesweeper ships use sonar systems to detect mines planted on the seabed or mines that float at
predetermined depths.
They are used to keep seas mine-free.
The Navy is presently left with four ageing minesweepers which will be retired by 2018 end. However,
efforts to procure new MCMVs have been repeatedly delayed.
Ministry of Earth Sciences to launch Deep Ocean Mission by January 2018
Three decades after it started a mission to search for metal resources on sea beds, the Ministry of Earth
Sciences on Tuesday announced its next venture, the Deep Ocean Mission, slated to begin in January 2018.
This will improve Indias position in ocean research field.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences confirmed the participation of seven premier science agencies including
NIO, ISRO and DRDO in the venture.
A FGM (First Generation Mine-site) with an area of 18,000 sq km has been identified. Latest technologies
for extraction of metals from the minerals have also been developed.
Besides identifying the mineral resource and developing technologies for mining and extraction, the
programme has also resulted in high impact research as well as manpower development.
Detailed environmental data has been collected for compliance with International Seabed Authorities

requirements. This is required as the mining activity on large scale should not adversely affect the coast of
other countries in the neighbourhood.
Prelude
India is one of the few countries to have conducted environmental impact assessment of experimental
mining in the deep sea.
The program on poly metallic nodules was initiated at CSIR-NIO with the collection of the first nodule
sample from Arabian Sea on board the first research vessel Gaveshani on January 26,1981.
India was the first country in the world to have been given the pioneer area for exploration of deep-sea
mineral, namely, polymetallic nodules in the Central Indian Ocean Basin in 1987.
This was based on the extensive surveys carried out by the scientists of CSIR-NIO, on several research ships
leading to the allocation of an area of 150,000 sq km to the country with exclusive rights under the UN Law
of the sea.
Subsequently, Environment Impact Assessment studies for nodule mining by CSIR-NIO, development of
metal extraction process by CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur and CSIR- Institute for
Minerals and Metals Technology, Bhubaneswar and development of mining technology by National Institute
of Ocean Technology, Chennai, have been taken up under the national program on Polymetallic nodules
funded by Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Based on the resource evaluation, India has now retained an area of 75,000 sq km with an estimated
resource of about 100 million tons of strategic metals such Copper,Nickel, Cobalt besides Manganese and
Iron.
Polymetallic Nodules
Polymetallic nodules (PMN) are also known as manganese nodules.
They are potato-shaped, largely porous nodules found in abundance carpeting the sea floor in the deep sea
of the world oceans.
Besides manganese and iron, they contain nickel, copper, cobalt, lead, molybdenum, cadmium, vanadium,
titanium.
Of these metals nickel, cobalt and copper are considered to be of economic and strategic importance.
ISA
The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is an autonomous international organization established under the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
ISA governs non-living resources of the seabed lying in international waters.
It was established to organize, regulate and control all mineral-related activities in the international seabed

area beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, an area underlying most of the worlds oceans.
More Akash systems for Army

The Defence Ministry has decided to cancel the Armys global contest for Short Range Surface to Air
Missile (SR-SAM) systems and instead procure two additional regiments of the indigenously developed
Akash missile systems.
The decision was taken at a recently held meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley.
The Akash missile is Indias first indigenously designed, developed and produced air defence surface-to-air
missile system.
Akash is a supersonic short range surface-to-air missile capable of neutralising aerial threats.
The asset of this missile system is its capability to neutralise multiple aerial targets coming from different
directions at the same time.
The maximum range of this missile is 25 kilometres and can neutralise targets at a maximum altitude of 20
kilometres. It is meant for neutralising medium range air targets flying at low or medium height.
An Akash missile regiment has six launchers with three missiles each.
This defence system consists of surveillance and tracking radars, control centres and ground support
systems.
This all-weather missile system can work from both static and mobile platforms.
Akash is a result of 96% indigenisation, with the design being developed by the Defence Research and
Development Organisation and built by Bharat Dynamics Limited along with the involvement of Bharat
Electronics Limited.
Mt Lhotse
The fourth highest mountain in the world after Mt Everest, K2 and Kangchenjunga, Mt Lhotse has
recorded the first summit in 3 years.
Indian climber Debasish Biswas and a woman climber from New Zealand successfully climbed 8516 meter
high Mt Lhotse after a team of Sherpas fixed the route to summit.
John Snorri Sigursson (Iceland) and Cian O Brolchain (Ireland) also climbed at Mt. Lhotse. John and Cian
became the first mountaineer from their respective countries to summit Mt Lhotse.
An avalanche above the icefall section in 2014 and the devastating earthquakes in 2015 restricted the world

climbers from making summit on Mt Lhotse.
Meanwhile with the opening of a climbing route to Mt Everest few days ago, climbers from across the globe
continuing their final summit to the roof of the world.
Mt Lhotse is present on the border between Tibet and the Khumbu region of Nepal.
In addition to the main summit, the mountain also comprises of smaller peaks like Lhotse Middle (8,414 m),
Lhotse Shar (8,383 m).
The main summit was first successfully climbed by the Swiss team of Ernst Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger in
1956.
Mumbai, Kota among worlds most crowded cities
World Economic Forum citing UN-Habitat data has named two Indian cities Mumbai and Kota among
the worlds most crowded in a list topped by Dhaka.
With a population density of 44,500 people per square kilometre, Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is the
most crowded city on the planet, followed by Indias financial capital Mumbai, home to 31,700 people per
square kilometre at the second place.
Kota in Rajasthan with 12,100 people per square kilometre was ranked seventh.
It has been estimated that more than half of the worlds population resides in urban areas and the UN
expects this to increase to 66% by 2050 with around 90% increase concentrated in Asia and Africa.
Nanoparticles to treat eye infection
Scientists at the Hyderabad-based CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) have
developed a novel way to treat fungal keratitis.
Keratitis is the inflammation of the eye, which starts with redness and itching and might eventually lead
to blindness.
Keratitis can be caused by both bacteria and fungi. Fungi attach themselves to the cornea and release
enzymes that break down the corneal proteins for their nutritional requirements.
In the process, the cornea also gets inflamed. Corneal damage causes wound and scar formation leading to
severe visual impairment.
It is estimated that about 30% of keratitis cases in India lead to blindness.
Treating keratitis infection is currently a challenge because it is difficult to maintain a therapeutic dose at the
corneal surface for long periods as blinking and tear formation washes off the drug. To address this
challenge, scientists has developed protein-based nanoparticles that encapsulate the drug.
How this Works?.
Certain antibodies get attached to the outer surface of the nanoparticles, thus anchoring the nanoparticles to

the corneal surface. The infected cornea expresses a set of receptors (TLR4) when infection sets in.
Scientists have used antibodies to these receptors to anchor the nanoparticles to the cornea.
If the infection is severe, more receptors are expressed on the cornea and more nanoparticles get bound to
the receptors. Since they are bound, the residence time in the eye is long; neither blinking nor tear formation
washes off the nanoparticles.
The enzymes secreted by fungi breaks down the gelatine protein of nanoparticles that encapsulates the drug,
thus releasing the drug. Like in the case of the receptors, more enzyme is secreted when infection is severe
leading to more drug being released from the nanoparticles.
The gelatine protein acts as an alternative nutrient for the fungi. The fungi also degrade the gelatine-based
nanoparticle to derive nutrients thus minimising the damage to the corneal tissue. In the process it releases
the drug. In a sense, the fungi are committing suicide by consuming the gelatine protein.
NASA tribute: New species named after Abdul Kalam
NASA scientists have named an organism discovered by them after APJ Abdul Kalam.
Researchers at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) discovered the bacteria on the filters of the
International Space Station and named it Solibacillus kalamii to honour the late Indian President, who was a
renowned aerospace scientist.
Even as it orbits the earth some 400 kilometres above, the ISS is home to many types of bacteria and fungi
which co-inhabit the station with the astronauts who live and work on the station.
New Bill to deter offenders escape
The government has invited comments on Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, 2017 that seeks to deter
economic offenders from fleeing the country by attaching and confiscating properties owned by them in
India.
The Bill makes provisions for a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to declare a
person a Fugitive Economic Offender.
Fugitive economic offender
A Fugitive Economic Offender is a person who has an arrest warrant issued in respect of a scheduled
offence and who leaves or has left India so as to avoid criminal prosecution, or refuses to return to India to
face criminal prosecution.
Need for a law
There have been several instances of economic offenders fleeing the jurisdiction of Indian courts,
anticipating the commencement, or during the pendency, of criminal proceedings.
The absence of such offenders from Indian courts has several deleterious consequences first, it hampers
investigation in criminal cases; second, it wastes precious time of courts of law; third, it undermines the rule

of law in India.
Background
The issue of loan defaults has been stressed as a critical issue burdening the Indian economy.\
The proposed Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, 2017 comes against the background of India seeking the
extradition of liquor baron Vijay Mallya from the U.K. for defaulted loans to banks.
New book celebrates the Reang of Tripura
The Tribal Research and Cultural Institute, Government of Tripura is publishing a book titled Mapping
with respect to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups in Tripura.
The book is an attempt to document and preserve the cultural and social diversity of the Reang, a unique
and detailed publication by Lincoln Reang.
Reang (also known as Riang) is a tribal community residing in the Indian state of Tripura.
The Reang are the second most populous tribe of Tripura after the Tripuris. As per the 2011 census, the
Reang population in Tripura numbers about 1, 88, 220.
The Reang can be found mainly in the North Tripura, Dhalai and the South Tripura districts of Tripura state
in India. However, they may also be found in Mizoram, Assam, Manipur and Bangladesh.
They speak the Reang dialect of Kokborok language which is of Tibeto-Burmeseorigin and is locally referred
to as Kau Bru.
They practise Jhum cultivation and reside in tong ghar (bamboo huts) that are built on a raised platform.
Reang (also known as Riang) are among the 19 tribes of Tripura, the only one to be classified as a
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in the State. The classification is based on their pre-
agricultural level of technology and the low levels of literacy in the community.
Members of the Reang tribe are generally known to be shy and hardly ever depart from their traditional way
of life. Till a few decades ago, they did not mix with people of other communities. However, over the past
few years, changes have slowly started creeping into their way of life.
Concerns about Reang:
One of the main concerns today is the limited access to education.
Traditionally, jhum (shifting) cultivation has been one of the primary agricultural activities of the Reang
tribe. However, with land rights being granted, many members of the community have taken to ploughing
or settled cultivation.
New Chairman for National Commission for Minorities
Syed Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi has been appointed as the new Chairman of the National Commission for
Minorities.

The last member of the panel, Dadi E Mistri, a representative of the Parsi community, demitted office after
completing his stipulated three-year term with the commission.
NCM
The NCM was set up under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 to look into complaints from
members of five religious communities Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis).
Jain community was notified as a minority community in 2014.
Besides NCM, 15 states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Assam, which are
home to sizeable minority populace, have set up commissions at their respective levels.
Aggrieved persons belonging to the communities may approach the state minorities commissions concerned
for redressal of their grievances or send their representations to the NCM after exhausting all avenues of
remedies available.
The functions of the state commissions, inter-alia, are to safeguard and protect the interests of minorities
provided in the Constitution and laws enacted by Parliament and state legislatures.
New curbs on cattle slaughter
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has notified new rules under
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, which bans sale of cattle for slaughter in open markets across the
country.
Highlights of the new rule:
No one can bring cattle to an animal market unless he or she has furnished a written declaration that the
cattle will not be sold for the purpose of slaughter.
Further, upon sale of cattle, the animal market committee will take an undertaking that the animals are for
agricultural purposes and not for slaughter.
Across India, the cattle trade is permitted only among farm land owners. Cattle can be only sold to a person
possessing documents that he is an agriculturist.
As per the new regulations, cattle bought cannot be resold within six months. Young and unfit animals
cannot be traded.
Animal markets cannot be set up within 50 km of an international border and 25 km of a state border.
Transporting cattle outside of the country will require special approval of the state government nominee.
All animal markets has to run with the approval of district animal market committee to be headed by a
magistrate. The committee will also have two representatives from government-approved animal welfare
groups.
The new regulations prescribe around 30 norms for animal welfare in markets like that of water, fans,

bedding, ramps, non-slippery flooring, veterinary facility and separate enclosure for sick animals etc.
The owner of the animal has to bear the cost of its upkeep in a shelter. In case, the owner is unable to pay,
the cost would be recovered as land arrears.
The state government will specify the costs every year on April 1.
Marketplaces where animals are brought from other places for sale or auction. It includes animal fairs, or
areas adjoining a market or a slaughterhouse.
Cattle as defined: A bovine animal including bulls, bullocks, cows, buffalos, steers, heifers and calves and
includes camels.
All existing animal markets will have to be registered within three months with the District Animal Market
Monitoring Committee by making an application to the Committee.
Cruel and harmful practices have been prohibited for animals including, painting of horns, ear cutting
buffaloes, making animals lay on hard ground without proper bedding.
Purchaser of cattle cannot sell animal for slaughter or sacrifice the animal for religious purposes.
The rule mandates the appointment of Veterinary inspectors who shall screen the animals before they enter
the market. The inspector shall also check whether animals are being transported in trucks which are
authorised by law to carry animals.
The new rules apply only to animal markets and not to individual cattle buying and selling by people.
Implications of the move:
The notification is likely to have a major impact on cattle slaughter across the country even though it does
not itself ban slaughter.
Experts say the rules will hurt mostly Muslim traders who face mounting violence by increasingly assertive
cow vigilante groups.
Farmers will also be hit because they will be deprived of a traditional source of income from selling non-
milch and old cattle. Farmers who cant take care of their cattle will have to pay for their upkeep in shelters.
Criticism of the move:
The new regulations say that cattle bought cannot be resold for six months. This provision will hurt the
business of cattle traders.
The new rules have introduced a lot of paperwork for cattle traders who are predominantly illiterate and
poor. For example, a trader has to submit five copies of proof of sale at the local revenue office, the local
veterinary doctor in the district of the purchaser, animal market committee, apart from one each for seller
and buyer.
It is feared that the new rules will introduce inspector raj as it mandates veterinary inspector to certify proper

loading and unloading of animals. He can also mark any animal unfit for sale.
Background:
For years, the Supreme Court has struggled for consistency in its judicial pronouncements regarding cattle,
leaving it ultimately to the Centre and States to devise an appropriate policy.
While Supreme Court banned the bull-running sport jallikattu as cruel, it refused to intervene with States to
frame a uniform policy on cattle slaughter.
Neither did the court deem it fit to examine a plea to ban animal sacrifices for religious purposes.
Now, Victoria Memorial on Google Arts & Culture
To commemorate the occasion of International Museum Day on May 18, Victoria Memorial Hall (VMH) is
introducing facilities of exploring its galleries at the click of a button, courtesy the Google Arts and Culture
project.
The project offers viewers a 360-degree walk through traversing the galleries, in Google Street View mode.
The galleries with The Art of Abanindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore: Painter and Personality, and
The Magnificent Heritage of India as seen by the Daniells can be explored.
Note
English landscape painter Thomas and nephew William spent around nine years in India from 1785 and
made extensive studies, sketches and drawings of the scenery, architecture and antiquities in both oil and
aquatints.
The Victoria Memorial Hall has the largest collection of the Daniells works in India (144 hand-coloured
aquatint plates).
The VMH was opened in 1921. It was conceived by Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy of India, as a tribute to
Queen Victoria.
Google Arts & Culture
Google Arts & Culture provides an online platform via which the public can access high-resolution images
of artworks housed in the worlds leading museums.
Abanindranath Tagore
Abanindranath Tagore was the principal artist and creator of Indian Society of Oriental Art.
He was the first major exponent of swadeshi values in Indian art, thereby founding the influential Bengal
school of art, which led to the development of modern Indian painting.
He was also a noted writer, particularly for children. Popularly known as Aban Thakur, his books Rajkahini,
Budo Angla, Nalak, and Khirer Putul are landmarks in Bengali language childrens literature.
Tagore sought to modernise Mughal and Rajput styles to counter the influence of Western models of art, as

taught in Art Schools under the British Raj and developed the Indian style of painting, later known as Bengal
school of art.
Odisha to have first automatic coastal warning for disasters in India
Odisha State government is all set to commission the ambitious Early Warning Dissemination System
(EWDS) that would enable loud sirens go off simultaneously from towers at 122 locations by July.
Odisha is the first State in India to have developed an automatic public address system that can be activated
along its entire coast.
Neighbouring Andhra Pradesh is also building up such capability to face natural calamities.
Oldest Homo sapiens fossils discovered
The oldest fossil remains of Homo sapiens, dating back to 300,000 years, have been found at a site in Jebel
Irhoud, Morocco.
This is 100,000 years older than previously discovered fossils of Homo sapiens that have been securely
dated.
This marks the first discovery of such fossils in north Africa, and widens the cradle of mankind to
encompass all of Africa.
One million dollar fund established to bolster BRICS media
BRICS Media is aimed at promoting six objectives including balanced reporting.
It aims to create an alternative media narrative distinct from the media of western nations.
The proposal is also aimed at joint development of BRICS digital media, financial information services and
promoting people- to-people contacts.
BRICS media forum
The BRICS media forum is a joint initiative of Xinhua News Agency, Brazils CMA Group, Russias Sputnik
News Agency and Radio, The Hindu group of publications from India, and South Africas Independent
Media.
BRICS:
BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) is an association of five major emerging national
economies.
BRICS comprises 43% of the world population, having 30% of the world GDP and 17% share in the world
trade.
It was established in 2009.
The acronym BRIC was first used in 2001 by Goldman Sachs in their Global Economics Paper,
The World Needs Better Economic BRICs on the basis of econometric analyses projecting that the

economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China would individually and collectively occupy far greater
economic space and would be amongst the worlds largest economies in the next 50 years or so.
In 2011, South Africa joined this informal group and BRIC became BRICS.
So far, eight BRICS summits have taken place. The first formal summit was held in Yekaterinburg,
Russia.
The BRICS members are all developing or newly industrialised countries.
It is important to note that all five BRICS nations are G-20 members.
They are distinguished by their large, fast-growing economies and significant influence on regional and
global affairs.
Online APAR for Indian Trade Service SPARROW-ITS Launched
The Commerce Ministry launched an online system for annual performance appraisal report SPARROW-
ITS (Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window) for trade service officers.
SPARROW-ITS would enable the Indian Trade Service (ITS) officers to fill their performance report online
for the year 2016-17 onwards.
Who will be benefited?
The 150 officers of ITS would be benefited by timely promotions and all other benefits dependent upon the
evaluation of their reports.
New system:
The annual performance appraisal reports (APARs) would be generated and transmitted online to the
concerned officers for filling up of the self appraisal.
The officer can then submit the self appraisal online through Digitally Signed Signature or through e-sign.
The subsequent processes of reporting and reviewing would also be done online by the reporting and
reviewing officer.
Timelines have been drawn up for each stage of the process.
Objective behind this system:
The idea to switch over from manual to online system is:
To ensure ready access of APAR dossier by the authorized users,
Preventing loss of APARs in transition,
Address the issues of ante-dating,
Remarks recorded by the reporting authorities without dates.

Only PSUs may be let to make Oxytocin
The Drug Controller will soon restrict manufacturing of controversial hormone drug Oxytocin to public
sector undertakings (PSUs).
Oxytocin at present is banned in the retail markets after it was found
that indiscriminate use of Oxytocin in milch animals and by farmers
was causing irreversible hormone damage.
Controversial usage: The drug is used by diary owners and farmers to
boost milk production and make vegetables look bigger and fresher.
Oxytocin is a hormone known to trigger a wide variety of physical and
psychological effects and is commonly used to facilitate childbirth.
Operation Clean Money portal launched to track evaders
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley launched Operation Clean Money Portal with an aim to keep a tab on
dishonest citizens hiding their income from the authorities and government.
The Operation Clean Money portal has been designed by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
Income Tax Department (ITD) has initiated Operation Clean Money to investigate tax evaders. As a part of
the operation, the government has launched a website on Operation Clean Money operation.
Operation Clean Money was launched immediately after governments demonetisation drive in order to
bring the tax evaders with undeclared incomes under the tax net.
The income tax department has so far identified about 1.8 million persons and asked them to explain their
deposits, pay tax or disclose past undisclosed income through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana.
Significance of the portal
It will provide comprehensive information at one place consisting of step by step guides, frequently asked
questions, user guides, quick reference guides and training toolkits related to verification process.
It will enable citizen engagement for creating a tax compliant society and citizens would be able to support
the Operation Clean Money by taking pledge, contribute by engaging and educating fellow citizens, and
share their experiences and provide feedback.
It will enable Transparent Tax Administration by sharing status reports and thematic analysis reports.
Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Sanchar Kaushal Vikas Pratisthan Scheme Launched
The Minister of State for Communications Manoj Sinha has launched three new initiatives, namely,
1) BSNLs satellite phone service:
It will be offered in a phased manner.
In the first phase, the service will be extended to the government agencies handling a disaster, state

police, railways, Border security forces and other government agencies.
In the subsequent phases, the phone service would be offered to those people who are travelling in flight
and ships.
Global satellite phone service is modern satellite phone service.
2) Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Telecom Skill Excellence Award Scheme:
It has been instituted to recognize achievers and talents in Telecom sector.
3) Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Sanchar Kaushal Vikas Pratisthan Scheme:
Under the scheme, the ministry will impart training to 10,000 people from 10 States/UTs in the first
phase.
States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Punjab and Haryana will get benefitted in the first phase.
Further, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) plans to establish more than 1,000 Sanchar
Kaushal Vikas Pratisthan in future.
Preference to Make in India in Government procurements
The Union Cabinet Chaired by Prime Minister has given its approval for a national procurement policy that
gives preference to Make In India in government procurements.
The policy aims to maintain the balance between promoting Make in India and ensuring timely, quality and
value-for-money products for the procuring government entities.
New policy
The national procurement policy will provide purchase preference to local content in Government
procurements. Local content essentially means domestic value addition and local suppliers are those whose
goods or services meet minimum thresholds (50%) for local content.
For the procurement of goods below Rs 50 lakhs, only local suppliers will be eligible if the Nodal Ministry
determines that there is a availability of sufficient local capacity and local competition.
For procurements valued above Rs 50 lakhs or in case of insufficient local capacity and if the lowest bid
happens to be from a non local supplier, then the lowest-cost local supplier who is within a margin of 20%
of the lowest bid, will be offered an opportunity to match the lowest bid.
If the order can be split into more than one supplier, the order will be split between the non-local supplier
and the local supplier.
Small procurements valued below Rs 5 lakhs are exempted from the policy. The order also covers
autonomous bodies and all the government entities under the control of the government.
The policy primarily favours self certification for verification of local content. However, if the declarations
were found to be false then the supplier will have to face penal consequences.
A Standing Committee in Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) will oversee the

implementation of this order. It will further make recommendations to Nodal Ministries and procuring
entities.
Significance of the move
The new policy will boost domestic manufacturing and service provision and will enhance income and
employment.
It will facilitate flow of capital and technology into domestic manufacturing and services.
It will also provide a further thrust towards manufacture of parts, components, sub-components etc. of
these items, in line with the vision of Make in India.
As the government procurement is always substantial it can contribute towards increasing the participation
of local employees and improve their living conditions.
Panel to study free movement along Myanmar border
The Union Home Ministry has constituted an expert committee to examine methods to curb the misuse of
free movement along the Myanmar border.
The committee would be headed by Rina Mitra, Special Secretary-Internal Security.
The committee will examine the present rules and regulations adopted by the border States for
implementation of free movement regime.
The decision to constitute an MHA panel was taken at a meeting of chief ministers of the northeastern
states which share a border with Myanmar.
This is for the first time that meeting with the state governments has been called to discuss the issues
concerning the Myanmar border.
Whats the issue?.
Indo-Myanmar border is unique in many ways as it has a visa-free movement regime for people living within
16 kms on either side of the border.
They can stay up to 72 hours with effective and valid permits issued by the designated authority on either
side.
This regime has been in place keeping in view the traditional social ties among the border people.
However, it is misused by militants and criminals who smuggle weapons, narcotics, contraband goods and
fake Indian currency notes (FICN).
Taking advantage of the free-movement regime, occasionally they enter India, commit crimes and escape to
their relatively safer hideouts.
Note:-
In the last few years, this is the second time a committee is being constituted to study the free movement

across the Myanmar border. In 2015, a high-level committee submitted its report.
The report suggested changing the misnomer related to free border movement and asked the
government to replicate the model prevalent in villages and areas along the Bangladesh border.
The report has suggested dedicated crossing points in border villages, where policemen would be made in
charge of regulating the movement of people.
Indias 1,643-km border with Myanmar touches four states: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and
Mizoram.
Plan for Indian SEZs in Bangladesh hits bump
Indias plan to step up investments in Bangladesh by setting up three mega Special Economic Zones (SEZ)
exclusively for Indian companies in the latters territory has hit a major hurdle.
Constraints
Constraints include inadequate infrastructure and lack of uninterrupted power supply at Mongla,
Bheramara and Mirsarai the sites in Bangladesh for the proposed Indian SEZs.
Moreover, there are ambiguity and uncertainty regarding incentives offered by the Bangladesh Government
to develop the SEZs.
India and Bangladesh had inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in June 2015 during Prime
Minister Narendra Modis visit to Bangladesh for cooperation on establishing Indian SEZs in
Bangladesh.
The plan was to develop Indian SEZs at Mirsarai (1,005 acres), Bheramara (about 480 acres) and Mongla
(200 acres).
The construction of these SEZs and Indian investment in the zones were to be facilitated through
concessional Line of Credit extended by India to Bangladesh.
The Centre had promised to address the concerns of India Inc. by taking them up with the Bangladesh
Government in near future and asked Indian companies not to reject Bangladeshs offer of land and other
incentives to build Indian SEZs there.
PNB gets ADBs first tranche for solar rooftop fund of $100 million
State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) has received $100 million (about Rs645 crore) as the first tranche
of the Asian Development Banks (ADB) multi-million dollar funding for installation of rooftop solar
systems in India.
The $100 million loan agreement signed between the ADB and PNB is backed by a guarantee from the
central government.
This is the first tranche loan of the $500 million multi-tranche finance facility Solar Rooftop Investment

Programme (SRIP) approved by the ADB in 2016.
As much as $330 million of this funding will come from the ADBs ordinary capital resources and $170
million from the multi-donor Clean Technology Fund (CTF). The first tranche loan comes from CTF.
Solar Rooftop Investment Programme (SRIP)
The entire cost of SRIP is estimated at $1 billion, inclusive of ADB $500 million funding, and it aims to
install solar rooftop system of around 1 gigawatt (GW) capacity in India.
This will contribute to the climate change goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by about 11 million
tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent over the typical 25-year lifetime of rooftop solar systems.
The programme will contribute to Indian governments plans to increase solar power generation capacity
and also help it meet the carbon emission reduction target in line with its commitment at the recent global
climate change agreement.
The project is suitably aligned with the goals of the Indian government to increase countrys solar rooftop
capacity by 40GW by 2022.
PNB will deploy this fund as loan to various developers and end users to install large solar rooftop systems
on industrial and commercial buildings throughout India.
Indias solar rooftop market is expanding fast with an estimated total capacity potential of 124GW.
With a sharp drop in the price of solar panels, India has a huge potential to expand its use of solar rooftop
technologies.
Prithvi-II Missile Test Fired Successfully
The Prithvi-II is a short-range surface-to-surface missile.
The missile is capable of carrying warheads weighing 500 kg to 1,000 kg.
Notably, Prithvi is Indias first indigenously-built ballistic missile.
With a strike range of 350 km, Prithvi-II is powered by twin-engines which use liquid propulsion.
It uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory to hit its target.
It is one of the five missiles being developed under the countrys Integrated Guided Missile Development
Programme.
The missile was inducted into the armed forces in 2003.
Rajasthan leads in child marriages
The report of a study conducted on child marriages by Young Lives in coordination with the National
Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has been released.
Rajasthan has reported the highest incidence of child marriages in the country. 2.5% of marriages of minor
girls were reported in Rajasthan.

Rajasthan is followed by 15 States, including Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat,
Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Nagaland, Assam, Maharashtra, Tripura, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and
Karnataka.
Rajasthan also topped in the percentage (4.69%) of boys marrying below the legal age of 21 years.
Thirteen other States reported a higher percentage of child marriages among boys when compared with the
national average.
No marriage below 10 years of age was reported across the country.
RCEP trade ministers to meet
Trade ministers of 16 countries, including India and China, are all set to meet in Vietnam to discuss progress
in the ongoing negotiations of proposed trade deal, RCEP.
So far, negotiators of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) have held 18 rounds of
negotiations.
RCEP
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement (FTA) is proposed between the ten
member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (Brunei, Burma (Myanmar),
Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) and the six states with
which ASEAN has existing FTAs (Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand).
RCEP negotiations were formally launched in November 2012 at the ASEAN Summit in Cambodia.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is among the proposed three mega FTAs in
the world so far. The other two is:
The TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership, led by the US) and
The TTIP (Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the US and the EU).
RCEP is viewed as an alternative to the TPP trade agreement, which includes the United States but excludes
China.
Reader titled Raising Happy Children and Providing Safe Childhoods released
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has released a reader titled Raising Happy Children and
Providing Safe Childhoods.
Aim
Divided into three parts, the reader aims to serve as a guide for parents, teachers and community members
on how to prevent crime and violence by children and give suggestions to help them create a more
protective and caring environment for their children.
Reader

It provides advisory guidelines to parents, teachers and community to protect children from being involved
in delinquent behavior through early detection, counselling and positive engagement.
It draws upon basic principles laid down in the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015
which provides a strong formal framework for dealing with children in conflict with the law throughout the
criminal justice process.
The reader draws upon good practices across the world which have proved to be successful in keeping
children safe and away from delinquent behavior.
The reader suggests a broad framework for imbibing positive skills such as conflict resolution and violence
prevention to keep them protected and help them achieve their full potential.
The reader is divided into three parts wherein part-I is for parents and what they can do to prevent violence
and crimes by children, followed by part-II and III for teachers and community members respectively.
Each part briefly discusses few major problems that can push children on the wrong side of law, the early
signs of this, what can be done to strengthen protection or intervene to reduce risks.
Young children experience their world through their relationships with parents, teachers, peers and other
caregivers.
Therefore, there is a need to create a warm, loving and nurturing environment where their physical,
emotional and spiritual needs are recognized and honored by their family, school and community so as to
allow them to reach their full potential.
Paytm Payments Bank
Paytm has finally rolled out its Payments Bank, which is an almost-complete banking solution offered by the
company.
The digital wallet and e-commerce service provider received the final license from RBI for the bank last
week.
With the launch, Paytm is transferring all wallets to the new Paytm Payments Bank.
Under the new banking system, wallets and accounts will be two separate entities. In order to be a part of
the banking system, the user will have to open a bank account with Paytm.
Payments banks
Payments banks are a new model of banks conceptualised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to meet
governments financial inclusion target.
It will be set up as a differentiated bank and will confine its activities to acceptance of demand deposits,
remittance services, Internet banking and other specified services but cannot undertake lending services.
Payments banks can accept deposits up to Rs. 1 lakh per account from individuals and small businesses.

Payments banks will mainly deal in remittance services.
They will not lend to customers and will have to deploy their funds in government papers and bank
deposits.
The promoters minimum initial contribution to equity capital will have to be at least 40% for the first five
years.
They can issue ATM/debit cards but not credit cards.
They can also issue other prepaid payment instruments.
They can distribute non-risk sharing simple financial products like mutual funds and insurance products.
Non-resident Indians (NRIs) are not be allowed to open accounts in payment banks.
Apart from amounts maintained as Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) with the Reserve Bank on its outside demand
and time liabilities, it will be required to invest minimum 75% of its demand deposit balances in Statutory
Liquidity Ratio(SLR) eligible Government securities/treasury bills with maturity up to one year and hold
maximum 25% in current and time/fixed deposits with other scheduled commercial banks for operational
purposes and liquidity management.
This new model of banking allows mobile firms, supermarket chains and others to cater to banking
requirements of individuals and small businesses.
Difference between Payment Banks and Small Finance Banks
The major difference between payment banks and small finance banks is their area of operation. Payment
bank can only open savings account and current accounts but cannot lend money while small finance banks
main aim is to lend money to farmers and small businesses.
Usually, major earnings of the bank come from interest difference between deposits and lending but
payment banks would run on different niche and their earnings would be from the charges levied on
transactions. But in case of small finance banks, their source of earnings would be same as of any other
scheduled commercial banks.
Payment banks aims to provide banking through high-technology and low-cost operations while small
finance banks may or may not be tech-savvy.
Sagarmala- DDUGKY Convergence for Skill Development in Coastal Districts
For skills development of youth in coastal areas, the Ministry of Shipping signed an MoU with the Ministry
of Rural Development.
The MoU is for convergence of the Ministry prestigious project Sagaramala and Ministry of Rural
Developments flagship programme Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU GKY).
DDU-GKY is expected to bring in its skilling expertise to provide skilling for the coastal communities,

thereby preparing them to take advantage of the job opportunities that are expected to come up in the
maritime sector following port led development under Sagarmala.
This MoU will meet the exact skill needs of industries in the port and maritime sector and provide the
coastal communities right skills for better opportunities emanating from the large scale impact of Sagarmala
projects.
With skill development, there will be close involvement of the coastal communities in Sagarmala and will
make them contributors in the economic development and will ensure inclusive growth of the coastal
districts of the country.
DDU GKY
DDU-GKY is a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), tasked with the dual objectives of
adding diversity to the incomes of rural poor families and cater to the career aspirations of rural youth.
DDU-GKY is uniquely focused on rural youth between the ages of 15 and 35 years from poor families.
As a part of the Skill India campaign, it plays an instrumental role in supporting the social and economic
programs of the government like the Make In India, Digital India, Smart Cities and Start-Up India, Stand-
Up India campaigns.
The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) announced the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya
Yojana (DDU-GKY) Antyodaya Diwas, on 25th September 2014.
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Govinda Bhat
Govinda Bhat has been awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar for the year 2016.
He is among the nine artistes chosen for the award in theatre category.
Sangeet Natak Akademi:
The Sangeet Natak Akademi Indias national academy for music, dance and drama is the first National
Academy of the arts set-up by the Republic of India.
It was set up in 1953 through a resolution of Government of India for the promotion of performing arts.
Setting up of Sangeet Natak Akademi is one of the main recommendations of the National conference on
Dance, Drama, and Music, held in New Delhi in 1951.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi is an Autonomous Body under the Ministry of Culture.
It acts at the national level body for the promotion and growth of Indian music, dance and drama;
maintenance of standards of training in the performing arts; recognition of outstanding artists; revival,
preservation, documentation and dissemination of materials as well as instruments relating to various forms
of music, dance and drama.
The academy Renders advice and assistance to the government of India in the task of formulating and

implementing policies and programmes in the field.
It carries a part of the responsibilities of the state for fostering cultural contacts between regions in the
country, as well as between India and the world.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Award) is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi.
The award is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists. The awards are being presented in the
categories of music, dance, theatre, other traditional arts and puppetry.
Ustad Bismillah Khan award is given to young artists for their talent in the fields of music, dance and drama.
Each year the Academy awards Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships, Ratna Sadsya, to distinguished
individuals for their contribution to the field of arts, music, dance and theatre.
Sagarmala- DDUGKY Convergence for Skill Development in Coastal Districts
For skills development of youth in
coastal areas, the Ministry of Shipping
signed an MoU with the Ministry of
Rural Development.
The Sagarmala project seeks to
develop a string of ports around
Indias coast.
The objective of this initiative is to
promote Port-led development
along Indias 7500 km long coastline.
The Union Ministry of Shipping has
been appointed as the nodal ministry
for this initiative.
The project aims to develop access to
new development regions with
intermodal solutions and promotion
of the optimum modal split, enhanced
connectivity with main economic
centres and beyond through expansion
of rail, inland water, coastal and road
services.
It also aims at simplifying procedures
used at ports for cargo movement and

promotes usage of electronic channels for information exchange leading to quick, efficient, hassle-free and
seamless cargo movement.
It also strives to ensure sustainable development of the population living in the Coastal Economic Zone
(CEZ).
The project, envisaging port-led development, targets to provide one crore employment, direct employment
to 40 lakh persons and indirect employment to 60 lakh persons.
SATH program launched by NITI Aayog
NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog has launched a programme, SATH- Sustainable
Action for Transforming Human capital with the State Governments.
The vision of the program is to initiate transformation in the education and health sectors.
SATH aims to identify and build three future role model states for health systems.
The program will be implemented by NITI Aayog along with McKinsey & Company and IPE Global
consortium, who were selected through a competitive bidding process.
Selection process
To select the three model states, NITI Aayog defined a three-stage process expression of interest,
presentations by the states and assessment of commitment to health sector reforms.
Sixteen states expressed prima facie interest, of which fourteen made their presentations. Andhra Pradesh,
Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab,
Telangana and Uttar Pradesh presented their project proposal to a Committee.
The Committee headed by Member of NITI Aayog, Shri Bibek Debroy and comprising of CEO, Amitabh
Kant as well as a representative from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Of these fourteen states, five have been shortlisted.
Metrics such as MMR, IMR, incidence of malaria and others have been considered for determining potential
impact while density of doctors and nurses, compliance to IPHS norms are some of the metrics used to
determine likelihood of success.
The program will be launched in the three selected states after the signing of MoUs.
NITI Aayog
NITI Aayog is essentially an advisory body that seeks to provide critical directional and strategic inputs
across spectrum of key elements of policy to the centre as well as states.
Its a think tank to the government which has no power to implement the government policies.
SBI launches national hackathon
State Bank of India (SBI) has launched a national hackathon for developers, start-ups and students to come

up with innovative ideas and solutions for the banking sector.
The hackathon, named Code For Bank, will focus on the business value driven by technologies like
predictive analytics, fin-tech/blockchain, digital payments, IOT, artificial intelligence, machine learning,
BOTS and robotic process automation.
Scientists bring limitless blood supply closer to reality
For the first time, scientists have generated blood-forming stem cells in the lab, an advance that brings them
tantalisingly close to create a limitless supply of human blood.
Researchers used pluripotent (immature) stem cells that can make virtually every cell type in the body.
Although the cells made from the pluripotent stem cells are a mix of true blood stem cells and other cells
known as blood progenitor cells, they are capable of generating multiple types of human blood cells when
put into mice.
Significance
The study may help create immune-matched blood cells, derived from patients cells, for treatment
purposes.
This step opens up an opportunity to take cells from patients with genetic blood disorders, use gene editing
to correct their genetic defect, and make functional blood cells.
This also gives us the potential to have a limitless supply of blood stem cells and blood by taking cells from
universal donors. This could potentially augment the blood supply for patients who need transfusions.
Scientists come up with easy-to-assemble toilet
The CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre (SERC), Chennai, has developed a cost-effective toilet.
The cost-effective toilet weighs less than 500kg and has a life of 25-30 years.
It can be made in-situ and even assembled in under five hours.
It has been built with the help of the textile reinforced concrete (TRC) panels.
The TRC panels are manufactured using textile reinforced concrete prototyping technology
(TRCPT), an innovative all-in-one technology developed by CSIR-SERC, for which the Indian patent was
applied for in 2014.
The same panel can be used as doors, roofing, walls and even flooring.
It is corrosion-free and depending on how it is fixed, can withstand wind. No mould is required to make
these sheets that vary in thickness from 15mm to 25mm.
These panels used in the toilets are non-load bearing ones, but load-bearing walls and panels too can be
designed.
For now, each toilet costs between `12,000 and ` 15,000. With buildtex (textile used in building

applications) being manufactured in India, the cost is expected to come down further. Buildtex is also being
used in roads to prevent water seepage, and for replacing roofing sheets.
SEBI forms committee on corporate governance

Aiming to improve the standards of corporate governance of listed companies, Securities and Exchange
Board of India (SEBI) has set up a committee under the chairmanship of Uday Kotak, chief of Kotak
Mahindra Bank.
In April 2016, SEBI unveiled the detailed corporate governance norms for listed companies. The new norms
which are in alignment with the new Companies Act would be effective from October 1.
The new norms are aimed at encouraging companies to adopt best practices on corporate governance.
SEBIs new norms provides for stricter disclosures and protection of investor rights including equitable
treatment for minority and foreign shareholders.
SEBI targets participatory note norms
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) proposed tighter regulations for participatory notes (p-
notes), that are open to abuse as they hide the identity of the real investor.
Proposed regulations:
SEBI has proposed a regulatory fee of $1,000 valid for three years on a foreign portfolio investor (FPI) for
every subscriber to its overseas derivative instrument. The fees were aimed at encouraging registration of
FPIs.
It also barred the use of such instrument for speculative purposes.
It has also proposed to prohibit ODIs from being issued against derivatives for speculative purposes.
Currently, ODIs are issued against derivatives along with equity and debt.
Implications:
A large number of investors also deal in both cash and derivatives, but dont use derivatives for hedging
purpose.
According to experts, the ban on derivative trades without underlying equity could impact nearly a third of
ODI subscribers, who currently deal only in derivatives.
According to experts, the average ticket size of a p-note investor is around $20-25 million and there are
about 1,500 ODI subscribers. The regulatory fee could make p-notes costly for this class of investors.
P-notes
P-notes, or Off-shore Derivatives Instruments (ODIs), allow foreign investors to take exposure to Indian
stocks without registering with SEBI.

These instruments are issued by foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) registered with SEBI.
They allow foreign investors to buy stocks listed on Indian exchanges without being registered.
The instrument gained popularity as FIIs, to avoid the formalities of registering and to remain anonymous,
started betting on stocks through this route.
Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Credit Suisse are among the biggest P-note issuers on the
Indian market.
Govt & regulators concerns
The primary reason why P-Notes are worrying is because of the anonymous nature of the instrument as
these investors could be beyond the reach of Indian regulators.
Further, there is a view that it is being used in money laundering with wealthy Indians, like the promoters of
companies, using it to bring back unaccounted funds and to manipulate their stock prices.
Smallest nation joins International Solar Alliance
The tiny island of Nauru which is the worlds smallest republic has become the sixth country to ratify the
International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework pact.
Still five more nations namely the Comoros, Cote dIvoire, Somalia, Ghana and Djibouti have committed to
ink the International Solar Alliance Framework Pact in the ongoing annual meeting of the African
Development bank in Gandhinagar.
Nauru Nauru
It is a tiny island republic in Micronesia located in the northeast of Australia.
Nauru has a population of 10,200-odd individuals.
The highest point in the island measures only 65 metres above sea level. Hence, the island remains
vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
Nauru has a hot and humid climate and normally dont experience cyclones.
Around 30% of the countrys power needs are met through solar power installations.
The tiny republic has set a target for attaining 50% of energy production from renewable sources by 2020.
International Solar Alliance
ISA was launched at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in November, 2015 by Modi and French
President Francois Hollande.
The alliance, headquartered in India, aims to bring together countries situated between the Tropics of
Cancer and Capricorn which receive abundant sunshine for around 300 days a year.
ISA aims to invite solar rich 121 countries located fully or partly between the tropics of Cancer and
Capricorn to join the alliance.

It will function from the Gurgaon, Haryana based National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE).
Alliance seeks to share common platform to reduce the cost of finance and technology that is needed to
deploy solar power widely.
Alliance would pursue cooperation in training, building institutions, regulatory issues, common standards,
and investment including joint ventures.
SMARTGRAM initiative
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee will visit village Dhaula, Gurugram (Haryana) to lay the
foundation stone of a Drivers Training Institute and a Secondary School under the SMARTGRAM
Initiative.
SMARTGRAM Initiative
On May 19, 2016, President of India while inaugurating an Intelligent Operations Centre (IOC) in
Rashtrapati Bhavan had declared the Presidents Estate a smart township.
He directed that the RB smart township model should be replicated in five selected villages in adjoining
districts in NCR to convert them into smart model villages.
Following this, the Haryana government selected the following five villages for the pilot project
1. Alipur,
2. Rojka Meo,
3. Harchandpur
4. Taj Nagar and
5. Dauhla
A SMARTGRAM or smart village is a humane, hi-tech and happy village which ensures an enhanced quality
of life that contributes to the harmony, happiness and well-being of all the villagers.
A smart gram would have the required basic physical and social infrastructure with a layer of smart
information and communication embedded in the infrastructure to improve governance and delivery of
services, livelihood and economic opportunities.
South Korea to freeze new THAAD deployment
South Korea has suspended any further deployment of a controversial US missile defence system until an
environmental impact assessment ordered by new President Moon Jae-In is finished.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), is a missile defence system that is designed to
intercept and destroy short and medium-range ballistic missiles in their final flight phase.
First proposed in 1987 and then finally deployed in 2008, the THAAD cannot be used as a form of attack
against an enemy.

Its role, by use of powerful radar, is to simply track and destroy missiles before they are launched.
State Bank may opt for QIP

The State Bank of India is planning to complete a planned share sale by year-end, probably through a
qualified institutional placement (QIP).
QIP
A QIP is a capital raising tool wherein a listed company can issue equity shares, fully and partly convertible
debentures, or any security (other than warrants) that is convertible to equity shares.
Apart from preferential allotment, this is the only other speedy method of private placement whereby a
listed company can issue shares or convertible securities to a select group of investors.
But unlike in an IPO or an FPO (further public offer), only institutions or qualified institutional buyers
(QIBs) can participate in a QIP issuance.
QIBs include mutual funds, domestic financial institutions such as banks and insurance companies, venture
capital funds, foreign institutional investors, and others.
State gets its own butterfly
The Southern Bird Wing has been officially designated as the State butterfly of Karnataka.
With this, Karnataka has become the second State in the country to adopt a butterfly. Maharashtra had
chosen the Blue Moron in 2015.
It should be noted here that state butterfly tag does not come with additional protection.
The Southern Bird Wing is the largest butterfly in India.
Primarily endemic to South India, it is found in abundance in Karnataka.
Study on Common Risk Mitigation Mechanism for Solar Power Generation Projects
India along with countries like Argentina, Burkina-Faso, Chad, France, Ivory Coast, Mali, Namibia, Niger,
Nigeria, Senegal, Uganda and Yemen has jointly commissioned a study to define and structure a Common
Risk Mitigation Mechanism (CRMM) for solar power generation projects in solar rich countries.
The commissioning of the study is aimed at dramatic reduction in the cost of finance for renewable energy
and the overall price of electricity.
The exercise is part of the international efforts aimed at implementing the the Paris Declaration of the
International Solar Alliance (ISA) adopted on 30 November 2015.
The study has been entrusted to a task force chaired by Terrawatt Initiative (TWI), the World Bank Group,
the Currency Exchange Fund (TCX), the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and also the

Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).
Each of the participating countries will also appoint a qualified representative who will cooperate with the
task force and provide information regarding the country specific expectations, experience and needs of the
task force.
All the countries lying fully or partially between the Tropics are also invited to join the task force and
support this initiative in order to attract investments into solar sector.
The Council on Energy, Environment and Water calculates the cost of capital to form a substantial amount
in the total costs of renewable energy. In India it accounts for 70% of the total cost of solar Power. In this
regard, the CRMM is expected to offer a simple and affordable tool that will develop a secure environment
for private institutional investment in solar assets.
Swiss support Indias NSG bid
Switzerland, the incoming chair of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), will support application for
membership, but has left the door open for Pakistan to join as well.
Despite the supportive Swiss position, India is yet to hold talks with officials at the NSG to push ahead with
its membership this year.
The Grossi process mandates the former NSG chairperson and diplomat Rafael Grossi to build a
consensus among all 48 countries of the NSG, many of which resisted Indias membership bid at the Seoul
plenary session in 2016, unless the country signs the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
NSG - Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a multinational body concerned with reducing nuclear
proliferation by controlling the export and re-transfer of materials that may be applicable to nuclear weapon
development and by improving safeguards and protection on existing materials.
The NSG was founded in response to the Indian nuclear test in May 1974 to stop what it called the misuse
of nuclear material meant for peaceful purposes.
Currently, it has 48 members and European Commission is its Permanent Observer.
Table Top Exercise 2017
Indo-Thailand Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Table Top Exercise 2017 is in progress
at Chiang Mai, Thailand between the Indian Air Force and Royal Thailand Air Force (RTAF).
The aim of the bilateral exercise is to evolve SOPs for planning and executing relief missions during
unforeseen natural calamities like Tsunami, earthquakes, cyclones, floods etc.
The objective is to enhance interoperability between both the Air Forces, while conducting combined air
operations triggered by a crisis.
The exercise would assist in laying down procedures and establish decision support system at various stages

of relief operations.
Three new sites recognised as biodiversity hotspots in Goa
BirdLife International, a conservation organisation, has recognised three new sites in Goa as
hotspots for protection.
The sites have been added to their list of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas.
Previous four:
Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park,
Carambolim Wetlands,
Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary and
Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary.
Latest three: - The list has now added three biodiversity areas
Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary
Navelim Wetlands and
Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary.
What if a site is declared an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area?
Declaring a site as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area does not ensure that the site gets legal protection
or becomes inaccessible to people.
Instead BirdLife International encourages national and State governments to recognise the areas as sites of
vital importance for conservation of wildlife and to empower local community-based conservation
initiatives.
Goa probably has more sites than the seven identified but a lack of systematic effort in the past to document
birds created a void of data because of which conservationist could not propose more sites to BNHS, which
coordinates the programme in India.
Tiny Orang roars on tiger density
According to a survey, Orang tiger reserve in Assam, which has the smallest core, is host to 28 big cats, thus
having the highest density nationally. The count was revealed during phase IV of the all-India tiger
estimation programme of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
Orang national park is located on the northern banks of Brahmaputra in Assam and the park has 100-
odd rhinos in 79.28 sq km area.
It is also known as the mini Kaziranga National Park (IUCN site) since the two parks have a similar
landscape made up of marshes, streams and grasslands.
The park has a rich flora and fauna, including great Indian one-horned rhinoceros, pigmy hog, elephants,

wild buffalo and tigers. It is the only stronghold of rhinoceros on the north bank of the Brahmaputra river.
Though known for rhinos, Orang is also a tiger habitat and has been declared tiger reserve covering an area
of 492.46 sq km on February this year.
The park forms contiguous landscape with Kaziranga, connected through numerous sand islands on
Brahmaputra.
Also Kazirangas tiger population is connected to Orang through sand islands system and forms a single
largest landscape of big cat population in the state. This landscape also includes Loakhowa and Burachapori
wildlife sanctuaries.
NTCA
In 2005, The National Tiger Conservation Authority was established in following a recommendation of the
Tiger Task Force, constituted by the Prime Minister of India for reorganized management of Project Tiger
and the Tiger Reserves of India.
For this purpose, The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 was amended (Wild Life (Protection) Amendment
Act, 2006) to provide for constituting of the National Tiger Conservation Authority responsible for
implementation of the Project Tiger Plan to protect endangered tigers.
UGC App to fight ragging
Human Resources Development Minister Prakash Javadekar has launched an Anti-Ragging Mobile App of
the University Grants Commission (UGC) to help students register complaints against the menace of
ragging in the country.
Previously, students were required to visit the website to register a complaint against ragging. The new app
will facilitate students to register a complaint against ragging instantaneously.
The complaint will be sent to the concerned authorities for timely action and the action will be initiated
immediately.
As the records indicate that timely action had resulted in the decrease of ragging instances in campuses. This
app is aimed at giving a feel of security to students.
Union Sports Min flags off Slum Yuva Daud
Slum Yuva Daud was recently organized in Delhi to mark the beginning of the Adopt Slum Campaign.
Key facts:
It was initiated by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS).
The campaign will involve groups like NSS, public schools, RWAs, NGOs, rotary clubs etc.
The NYKS has adopted slums across 11 districts and will work for their overall development with young
volunteers.

NYKS:
Nehru Yuva Kendras were established in the year 1972 with the objective of providing rural youth avenues
to take part in the process of nation building as well providing opportunities for the development of their
personality and skills.
In the year 1987-88, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan(NYKS) was set up as an autonomous organization
under the Government of India, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, to oversee working of these Kendras.
NYKS is the largest grassroots level youth organization; one of its kind in the world.
It channelizes the power of youth on the principles of voluntarism, self-help and community participation.
The basic objective for creation of youth clubs is to render community support through developmental
initiatives involving activities with particular focus on youth empowerment.
US exit from Paris climate deal
The United States will be withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement, President Donald Trump
announced recently.
He said this move was aimed at protecting American and its citizens.
The US is the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, right behind China.
The withdrawal process takes four years. But when its complete, the United States will join a lonely club.
Just two other countries Syria and Nicaragua have rejected the nonbinding agreement.
Trump says the Paris deal unfairly puts constraints on the United States coal industry, and unfairly allows
some countries to continue to pollute at a greater rate than others.
Paris Agreement
The Paris agreement was signed in 2015 by 195 countries.
The Paris Agreement acknowledges the development imperatives of developing countries.
The Agreement recognizes the developing countries right to development and their efforts to harmonize
development with environment, while protecting the interests of the most vulnerable.
The agreements long-term goal is to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit),
compared with pre-industrial times. It has an aspirational goal of limiting the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees
C (2.7 degrees F). Temperatures have already risen by almost 1 degree C (1.8 degrees F) since the industrial
revolution.
Under the Paris Agreement, countries are required to set national targets for reducing or reining in their
greenhouse gas emissions.
Those targets arent legally binding, but countries must report on their progress and update their targets
every five years. The first cycle begins in 2020.

Only developed countries are expected to slash their emissions in absolute terms. Developing nations are
encouraged to do so as their capabilities evolve over time.
The developed country parties are urged to scale up their level of financial support with a complete road
map to achieve the goal of jointly providing US $ 100 billion by 2020 for mitigation and adaptation by
significantly increasing adaptation finance from current levels and to further provide appropriate technology
and capacity building support.
USA successfully tests ICBM defense system for first time
United States for the first time has successfully tested its defence system against an intercontinental ballistic
missile (ICBM).
ICBM target is hailed as an important milestone for the Ground-based Midcourse Defence (GMD) system.
The GMD uses globally deployed sensors to detect and track ballistic missile threats.
The test comes at the backdrop of USs increased tensions with North Korea.
Use bioethanol to end farm crisis, says Nitin Gadkari
Ethanol could be produced from paddy and wheat straw, bagasse, biomass, segregated municipal waste and
bamboo.
In Nagpur, 55 air-conditioned buses were being operated using 100% bioethanol.
Vehicles with flexi-engines, which can use 100% ethanol or a mix of 22% ethanol with petrol or a blend
of 15% ethanol with diesel, were available globally.
The automotive sector was growing every year at 22%.
The government has a goal to have 100% electric vehicles by 2030.
The new Motor Vehicles law, likely to be passed in the Rajya Sabha soon, would tackle issues such as one-
third of driving licences being fake and a shortage of drivers. The number of driver training institutes issuing
certificates would go up to 2,000 from 84, with computer-based licensing to eliminate corruption, once the
new law was in place.
Bioethanol
Biofuels are liquid or gaseous fuels that are produced from biodegradable fractions of products, remains
from agricultural production and forestry, as well as biodegradable fractions of industrial and municipal
wastes.
However, ethanol produced from renewable energy sources is one of the most promising biofuels for the
future.
Although bioethanol fuels can be manufactured using the chemical reaction between ethylene and stream, it
is mainly produced through fermentation of sugars derived from crops containing starch, such as corn,

wheat, sugar cane, sorghum plants, etc.
It is currently used in the fuel industry as an additive for petrol. The most common blend is 90% petrol and
10% ethanol.
It is a high octane fuel and has replaced lead as an octane enhancer in petrol. Blending ethanol with petrol
oxygenates the fuel mixture so that it burns completely and reduces harmful emissions.
Environmental Impacts
Improving the quality of air is one of the most important functions of bioethanol. When added to fuel,
bioethanol reduces the use of cancer-causing gasoline compounds such as ethylbenzene, xylene, toluene and
benzene.
It also reduces the emissions of small particulates and soot from motor fuels, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Water-saving ethanol plant designs are very common. In addition, the water discharged from these plants is
regulated such that the water is environmentally neutral when it leaves the plant.
Certain plants manage and reuse the wastewater generated during the ethanol process. Therefore, it is
evident that using bioethanol has a positive effect on ecology, minimizes exhaust gas emissions and
improves energy safety and operation of transport facilities.
West Bengal government to soon introduce new fishing method cage culture
A new method of deep-sea pisci-culture commonly known as cage culture is soon going to be introduced in
Bengal.
Cage Culture
As the name suggests, the practice consists of culturing fish inside big floating cages in the middle of the sea.
This type of fish culture is being successfully practised in Norway, Thailand, Japan, Philippines and some
other countries.
The cages are covered with nets to prevent sea birds from feeding on the fish. They are tied down with
buoys to provide stability.
This is also being encouraged to bring down the pressure on the lakes and inland hatcheries; culture in the
open seas would have no environmental impact.
WHO award for global tobacco control role
India is the second largest tobacco consuming country in the world with 27 crore users.
The government has initiated various measures to reduce tobacco consumption in the country.
Implemented large pack warnings with 85% pictorial health warnings on both the sides,
Conducted second round of Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS),
Strengthened & upscaled cessation facilities with the launch of the toll-free national tobacco Quitline and

mCessation services.
Has made substantial investment under the 12th Five Year Plan for expansion of National Tobacco Control
Programme, which was recognized by WHO as a best practice in its Global Tobacco Control report, 2015.
Has also put a ban on smokeless tobacco products and has strengthened the implementation of the Tobacco
Free film and television policy.
Result of these initiatives
As a result of various measures taken by the government, NGOs and civil society organizations, the tobacco
use in the country is estimated to have reduced by 81 lakhs and youth consumption of tobacco has also seen
marked decrease.
A 54% relative reduction in prevalence of tobacco use among minors (15-17 years) and 28% reduction in
the age group of 18-24 years has been reported.
Way ahead
There is a need for a social movement with all the stakeholders including states participating in it for
controlling the tobacco use.
There is an immense importance of awareness campaigns about tobacco use in schools and colleges in both
rural and urban areas.
Alternative job/employment avenues for tobacco growers needs to be thought of and deliberated upon.
WHO FCTC
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is the first global health treaty
negotiated under the auspices of the World Health Organization.
It was adopted by the World Health Assembly on 21 May 2003 and subsequently entered into force on 27
February 2005.
It had been signed by 168 countries and is legally binding in 180 ratifying countries.
It is considered as one of the most widely embraced treaties in the history of WHO and UN.
It provides a new legal dimension for international cooperation in healthcare in combating the tobacco
epidemic.
It has successfully helped to co-ordinate and energize the global struggle against tobacco.
It is an evidence-based treaty that reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health and was
developed in response to globalization of tobacco epidemic.
Under it, the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products was adopted to address the increasing
illegal trade in tobacco products in November 2012.
WHO award for global tobacco control role

India is the second largest tobacco consuming country in the world with 27 crore users.
The government has initiated various measures to reduce tobacco consumption in the country.
Implemented large pack warnings with 85% pictorial health warnings on both the sides,
Conducted second round of Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS),
WHO elects Ethiopias Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as its new director general
Ethiopias former health minister has been elected to serve as the next director-general of the World Health
Organization the first African picked to lead the global health agency.
The World Health Assembly is the legislative and supreme body of WHO. Based in Geneva, it typically
meets yearly in May. It appoints the Director-General every five years.
WHO revises antibiotics protocol
This revision is the biggest such revision of the antibiotics section in the 40-year history of the essential
medicines list (EML).
WHO has divided the drugs into three categories access, watch and reserve.
It has also specified which category of drugs are to be used for treating common ailments and which are to
be used to treat complicated diseases.
Three categories:
Access:
Commonly used antibiotics will be under the access category.
Antibiotics in this group will be available at all times as treatment for a wide range of common infections.
This includes amoxicillin, a widely-used antibiotic to treat infections such as pneumonia.
Watch:
The second line of antibiotics, slightly more potent, have been categorised under watch.
The watch group covers antibiotics that are recommended as first or second choice treatment for a small
number of infections.
Ciprofloxacin, used to treat cystitis (a type of urinary tract infection) and upper respiratory tract infections
(like bacterial sinusitis and bacterial bronchitis), falls under this category.
The WHO has recommended that prescription of these drugs should be dramatically reduced to avoid
further development of resistance.
Reserve:
Potent drugs to be used only as a last resort fall under the reserve category.
This group includes antibiotics such as colistin and some cephalosporins that should be considered last-
resort options, and used only in the most severe circumstances when all other alternatives have failed, such

as for life-threatening infections due to multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Significance of this protocol:
The new WHO list should help health system planners and prescribers ensure that people who need
antibiotics have access to them, and ensure they get the right one, so that the problem of resistance doesnt
get worse.
The new categorisation will further guide countries in ensuring access to appropriate antibacterial agents and
support antimicrobial stewardship effort.
Worlds first hybrid aeroboat
The worlds first hybrid aeroboat capable of travelling on land, water, snow and sand was unveiled in
Moscow, Russia.
It has been built by an Indo-Russian joint venture (IIAAT Holding), between the International Institute for
Advanced Aerospace Technologies and Indian firm Millennium Aerodynamics.
The aeroboat is designed to access difficult terrain, such as flooded or marshy areas where the use of regular
boats is made impossible because of shallow water, patches of dry land or by marine vegetation.
The Aeroboat is also more robust than hovercrafts, and with estimated maintenance costs of $400-$600 per
year, is cheaper to maintain and fuel.
It runs on a hybrid engine, meaning it can run on either petrol or electricity, enabling users to reduce
carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency.
Hovercrafts vis--vis aeroboat:
Hovercrafts work on static air-cushion, whereas aeroboats work on dynamic air-cushion. This feature gives
aeroboats a huge advantage in terms of speed and manoeuvrability.
Hovercrafts are very expensive to operate and also have speed limitations, whereas aeroboats can provide
high-speed year-round navigation, even when bodies of water are frozen like in Russia.
Worlds largest aircraft Airlander 10 completes test flight
The worlds largest aircraft- Airlander 10 has successfully completed a test flight.
This brings the massive helium-filled airship one step closer to commercial use.
The hybrid aircraft dubbed the Airlander 10 merges technology from airplanes, helicopters and airships.
The aircraft is designed to stay aloft at altitudes of up to 20000 feet for up to five days when manned. At a
massive 302 feet long, it is the largest aircraft currently flying.
The Airlander 10 also known as Hybrid Air Vehicles HAV 304 is a hybrid airship designed and
manufactured by British manufacturer HAV.

Worlds oldest fossil mushroom discovered
The worlds oldest fossil mushroom dating back to about 115 million years has been discovered in
Brazil.
The mushroom has been named Gondwana garicites magnificus and belongs to the Agaricales order.
The mushroom was uncovered in the Araripe Basin, in northeast Brazil, in a limestone layer called the
Crato Formation.
Yellow-eyed penguins could be wiped out in 25 years
Researchers have predicted that New Zealands iconic Yellow-eyed penguins may go extinct within the next
25 years due to rising ocean temperatures and climate change.
It is classified as endangered by the IUCN.
The study highlights where conservation efforts could be most effective in building penguins resilience
against climate change.

CrackingIAS.com General Studies Mains 2017 Test - 1 You cant get better coverage
Sociology, Political Science, General Studies Prelims , General Studies Mains, Aptitude
Answer the following in 200 words.
1. Political reform must precede social reform. (Tilak). Comment.
2. Are state funding of elections and state funding of political parties same?. Identify the pros & cons
of state funding of elections. What is the current status in India?.
3. Discuss the development of arts and literature in Gupta period.

4. Explain the Educational Philosophy of Jean Jacques Rousseau.
5. Identify the contribution of the Chalukyas to Indian architecture.
6. Only 7 per cent engineering graduates employable. Identify the causes for this state of affair.
7. Place an assessment on the role of the Left Wing within the Indian National Congress between
1920 and 1947.
8. State Buddha's Four Noble Truths that explore sufferings.
9. The liberal-democratic ideology of the West influenced the shaping of value premises of the Indian
Constitution. Do you agree?.
10. There is a striking similarity between GOI Act 1935 and Indian constitution. Examine.
11. Was Partition of India inevitable?.
12. What are three parent babies?. What are the ethical issues involved?.
13. What do you mean by Consequentialism & Non-Consequentialism?.
14. What is bioprinting?. What are its applications?.
15. What is GST?. Why was it brought?. Is it a snag for federalism?.
16. What is meant by Ratnatraya of Jainism?. Explain about Non-absolutism in Jainism.
17. What is meant by a Sunrise Industry?. Is food processing industry a Sunrise Industry?. Citing
the controversies surrounding the foods business, right from noodles to bread, highlight the scope
for Food processing Industries in India.
18. What is meant by Cooperative and competitive federalism?. Illustrate with examples. Do you think
Cooperative and competitive federalism are mutually exclusive?.
19. What is meant by upstream & downstream stage?. Explicate the upstream & downstream
requirements for efficient supply chain management in Food processing industry. Does India need
FDI in Food processing industry?.
20. Why did Ambedkar embrace Buddhism?.
Study materials available Political Science, Sociology, General Studies, Essay & CSAT Paper 1& 2
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General Studies Mains 2017 Test - 1
Answer the following in 200 words.
1. Political reform must precede social reform. (Tilak). Comment.
Tilak believed that all social evils could be mended if the country attained political freedom.
Tilak was convinced that the emancipation of the country must have the first priority in national
programme, for without it social reforms could make no real headway. He gave the example of
Ireland and argued that Ireland had almost concretely realized the scheme of social reforms which
was suggested by the Indian social reformers but still she was politically backward.
He asserted, "there is no inherent connection or relation of cause and effect between social reform
and earnestness about national regeneration. On the contrary there is a possibility of opposition
between them." Tilak gave more importance to national freedom. It is a naked truth that without
getting power, no nation can change her society.
Tilak resembled Aurobindo when he differed from social reformers and regarded political
freedom as a prerequisite for the removal of social evils. Aurobindo argued, "The hope of social
reform divorced from political freedom... is an illogical hope which ignores the nature of social life
and the conditions of its well-being." He said that if political freedom was denied, an individual
would not be able to follow noble ends and would became a degraded person. (203 words Approx).
2. Are state funding of elections and state funding of political parties same?. Identify the pros &
cons of state funding of elections. What is the current status in India?.
State funding of elections means that government gives funds to political parties or candidates
for contesting elections. While state funding of political parties is a continual and permanent affair,
state funding of elections happen only during the Elections.
Pros
If parties and candidates are financed with only private funds, economical inequalities in the
society might translate into political inequalities in government.
It can increase transparency in party and candidate finance and thereby help curb corruption.
Political parties and candidates need money for their electoral campaigns & manage their day to
day affairs of office. Public funding is hence naturally essential to democracy.
Cons
It would encourage vested persons to get into the political arena merely to avail of state funds.
Budgetary constraints - State expenditure on key social sectors such as primary healthcare is
lacking & hence is a cause of concern.
Current state funding measures include provision of free time on public broadcasters for
national parties in general elections and for registered state parties in state legislature elections.
Besides this, national parties are provided some benefits like security, office space, utility subsidies
etc. Another form of indirect state funding available in India is that registered political parties do
not have to pay income tax, as laid down in Sec.13A, Income Tax Act. (218 words Approx).
3. Discuss the development of arts and literature in Gupta period.

Art and Architecture
Both the Nagara and Dravidian styles of art evolved during this period. The temple at Deogarh
near Jhansi and the sculptures in the temple at Garhwas near Allahabad remain important specimen
of the Gupta art. There was no influence of Gandhara style. But the beautiful statue of standing
Buddha at Mathura reveals a little Greek style.
The craftsmen were efficient in the art of casting metal statues and pillars. The Delhi Iron pillar
of the Gupta period is still free from rust though completely exposed to sun and rain for so many
centuries.
Their paintings are seen at Bagh caves near Gwalior. The mural paintings of Ajantha mostly
illustrate the life of the Buddha.
Samudragupta issued eight types of gold coins.
Literature
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Nagari script had evolved from the Brahmi script. Numerous works in classical Sanskrit came to
be written in the forms of epic, lyrics, drama and prose. The best of the Sanskrit literature
belonged to the Gupta age.
Himself a great poet, Samudragupta patronized a number of scholars including Harisena. The
court of Chandragupta II was adorned by the celebrated Navratnas. Kalidasa referred as Indian
Shakespeare authored the Sanskrit drama Shakuntala. Sudraka renowned poet authored
Mrichchakatika rich in humour and pathos.
The Panchatantra stories were composed by Vishnusarma during the Gupta period.
The Puranas Mahabharatha and the Ramayana in their present form were composed during
this period. (220 words Approx).
4. Explain the Educational Philosophy of Jean Jacques Rousseau.

Rousseaus text mile was the foundation for many current theories of child-centred education.
Rousseau thought that formal learning, such as that acquired through reading or mathematics,
should be delayed until the moral and psychological foundations of personality had been laid down
through interaction with the natural world.
Girls should learn to be the primary educators of children in the private and moral sphere,
whereas boys should learn to carry out their public responsibilities in the wider world.
It encouraged self-expression and self-actualization. Unlike the technicalrational model, which
places the teacher at the centre of the educational process, romanticism is child-centred.
Educational implications of child-centred education
The purpose of education is the development of the whole person.
The childs experiences are the central elements of education.
Children should be free to choose what to learn and how to learn.
Individual experiences, expression and creativity are encouraged as part of the curriculum.
Individual learning plans can be used to recognize the unique characteristics of every child.
All learners are different, and their individuality is unconditionally prized.
Teachers exert minimal control but act as facilitators of learning experiences.
The teacher provides an appropriate and rich environment. (202 words Approx).
5. Identify the contribution of the Chalukyas to Indian architecture.

The Chalukyan style originated in Aihole around A.D. 450 and was perfected in the
neighbouring villages of Badami and Pattadakal. Chalukyan artists blended the Indo-Aryan Nagara
and Dravidian styles, and evolved their own distinctive vesara style. Their style includes two types
of monuments.
1) The rock cut halls (caves)
2) Structural temples
The structural temples of the Chalukyas exist at Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal. These temples
are a mixture of Northern and Dravida style of temple architecture and represent a transition as well
as experimentation in the temple architecture.
The largest temple of Chalukyas of Badami is Virupaksha Temple, whose complex encloses 30
sub shrines and a large Nadi mandapa.
The best specimens of Chalukya paintings can be seen in the Badami cave temple and in the
Ajanta caves. The Badami cave temples are a complex of four Hindu, Jain and possibly Buddhist.
Characteristics
Chalukya architects used northern stepped diamond plan for architectural design.
Chalukya architecture is also called the precursor of Hoysala art.
Cornice is used in Chalukya temple for downward movement of rainwater or to save from
scorching heat.
The decorative pillars with its intricate design of western Chalukya architecture is also known as
gadag style of architecture.
Use of soapstone for projection in walls carvings. (213 words Approx).
6. Only 7 per cent engineering graduates employable. Identify the causes for this state of affair.
Syllabus not updated regularly: There is a big gap between what the market needs and what
Indian education equips its future employees with.
Lack of quality teachers: Faculty is not comprised of the very best of the industries who have the
skills to create brilliant students.
Lack of innovation and research: Rote learning instils in students a sort of complacency for more
than 12 years of education and they are unable to make the shift from un-questioning learners to
innovators in the job market.
Lack of skill-based education: The lack of in-depth understanding of technical information, lack
of client-handling skills and insufficient knowledge across domains are the major skill gaps.
Branding of colleges: As companies are prone to visiting only top colleges to recruit potential
employees which creates a lack in equal opportunities produces a deficiency of quality employees
as this process ignores a huge number of meritorious students who do not study in top tier colleges.
Mushrooming engineering colleges: A major cause is the ease with which state governments
grant permission to little-known barely-trained educational trusts and organizations to set up the
same.
The IT 'employability': Due to comparatively higher employment in the IT sector, engineering
graduates are neither well-versed in their core subjects, nor in IT.
Lack of soft skills: Lack of English communicative skills and low analytical skills, are the other
main reasons for unemployment. (228 words Approx).
7. Place an assessment on the role of the Left Wing within the Indian National Congress
between 1920 and 1947.
Indian Communism was borne out of mostly of peasant and labour activists, Non-Cooperators,
Khilafatists and revolutionaries whose aspirations and participation in the national movement
remained either unfulfilled or insufficient.
M.N.Roy founded the Communist Party of India in Tashkent in October 1920. Various formal
Communist bodies were formed in the period 1920s in different parts of the country.
With the agreement of supporting the national movement as encouraged by Lenin, the
Communist Party of India (CPI) asked its members to join the ranks of the Congress and to form a
strong Left wing within it.
Congress Socialist Party (CSP) was formed in 1934 in Pune under the chairmanship of
Narendra Dev with the aim of consolidating Leftist proposals after gaining independence. It was
geared towards moulding Congress along socialist lines. Nehru and Bose supported CSP from
outside.
The Cabinet Mission Plan was rejected by the CSP and it boycotted the Constituent Assembly.
CSP dropped Congress from its nomenclature in February-March 1947 and threw its door open to
non-Congress members. Its connections with the Congress were formally severed in 1948 after
Patels declaration that all political parties formed within Congress were outlawed. Given the
option to join or opt out, the Socialist Party chose the latter. However, socialist influence was
carried on by Nehru who did not agree with forming a separate organization or breaking away from
Congress and severing the ties with Gandhi and right wing nationalists. (224 words Approx).
8. State Buddha's Four Noble Truths that explore sufferings.

The reality of suffering draws many to Buddha's teachings; the teachings are not about suffering
though. Instead they are about ultimate freedom, and the exuberance that this freedom is accessible
to all. Strive to be a Buddha, not a Buddhist.
Four Noble Truths
1. Dukkha: Suffering exists: Life always involves suffering, in obvious and subtle forms. Even
when things seem good, we always feel an undercurrent of anxiety and uncertainty inside.
2. Samudaya: The cause of suffering is craving and fundamental ignorance. We suffer because of
our mistaken belief that we are a separate, independent, solid I. The painful and futile struggle
to maintain this delusion of ego is known as samsara, or cyclic existence.
3. Nirodha: Our obscurations are temporary. They are like passing clouds that obscure the sun of
our enlightened nature, which is always present. Therefore, suffering can end because our
obscurations can be purified and awakened mind is always available to us.
4. Magga: By living ethically, practicing meditation, and developing wisdom, we can take exactly
the same journey to enlightenment and freedom from suffering that the buddhas do. Freedom
from suffering is possible by practicing the Eightfold Path
Noble Eightfold Path
Three Qualities Eightfold Path
Wisdom (panna) Right View
Right Thought
Morality (sila) Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Meditation (samadhi) Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Contemplation
(215 words Approx).
9. The liberal-democratic ideology of the West influenced the shaping of value premises of the
Indian Constitution. Do you agree?.
Indias long experience of western countries gave us liberal principles which keep power of state
in check and protect rights of citizens.
Fundamental rights such as right to freedom are ensured by art 19. These rights emerged in
aftermath of oppression of monarchy and clergy on poor serfs in France and discrimination
against Americans by European colonies. Hence all these constitutions have pro-individual
character such bill of rights in USA. These rights have included in our constitution with only
Right to property only being an ordinary right. These are very fundamental to western
philosophical thoughts & emerged against utilitarianism such as theory of justice. These theories
bestowed entire range of rights such as right to life, equality, right to justice, right to property on
the citizens. Obviously state has power of reasonable restrictions on them.
Concept of secular state was given by France as per which no social or religious order is
supposed to have hegemony over the lives of the people and religion is just personal matter of
the citizens. Article 25-28 protects citizens and grant them right to practice any religion.
Principle of separation of powers was given by French philosopher Montesquieu. This now
forms the cornerstone of all democratic constitutions including India. Judicial review is an
American device. Also Council of minister remains separate but responsible to Lok Sabha
signifying checks and balances.
American constitution provided us with concept of autonomous states driving their powers
directly from the constitution. This is protected by an independent judiciary. (235 words
Approx).
10. There is a striking similarity between GOI Act 1935 and Indian constitution. Examine.
Government of India act 1935 was introduced on the recommendations of Simon commission
report which was appointed to prepare the report card of GOI act 1919. Nearly 75% of the
constitution can be said to reproduction of GOI act 1935 with suitable adaptations and
modifications.
Federalism: GOI act 1935 first time introduced federal system of govt. in India. This idea of
federalism was adopted in 1950 constitution.
Distribution of subjects: There was a clear cut demarcation of power b/w provinces and centre.
Subjects were classified in 3 lists Federal list, Provincial list and Concurrent list. Indian
constitution versions of these lists are Union list, State list and Concurrent list.
Dyarchy at centre: Dyarchy was introduced in centre. Todays Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are
successor of Federal Assembly and Council of States.
All India Court: For the first time an all India court called Federal Court of India was set up.
Once Indian Constitution came into force it was substituted by Supreme Court.
Direct Election: The act introduced for the first time direct elections and increased the franchise
from 7 million to 35 million. After the independence we also opted for direct election with
universal franchise.
Emergency powers: A degree of autonomy was given to provinces but British authority
retained the right to suspend the responsible govt. This is the genesis of article 356 of Indian
constitution which gives centre the power to impose Presidents rule in state in case of failure of
constitutional machinery. (225 words Approx).
11. Was Partition of India inevitable?.

Muslims began to worry about their future in an independent India;
- Jobs were given to Congress supporters who were mostly Hindus
- Cow slaughter was banned in one state while other states passed tax laws which harmed
Muslim landowners.
By 1940 Jinnah was the leader of Indias Muslims.
Muslim League adopted the Lahore resolution which called for the establishment of Pakistan.
Congress Party was strongly opposed to this. Congress compared the League to the Nazis and
the League expressed fears of a Hindu dominated India.
Partition became inevitable.
London sent a Cabinet Mission. Cripps felt that compromise was possible but the mission
ended in failure. Both sides felt that too much or not enough concessions were given.
Wavell announced the formation of an Indian interim government. Both parties entered into
negotiations.
Calcutta 1946 Jinnah called for Direct Action Day to show support for Pakistan. Four days of
rioting between Hindus and Muslims followed.
Civil war seemed a real possibility, Gandhi travelled to Bengal in attempt to end violence
which meant he was absent from political negotiations in Delhi.
The congress had to accept the partition to check these communal riots. Smaller, unified and
strong India would be better than a bigger but weak India, felt founding fathers.
Lord Mountbatten in fact firmly believed that partition was the only solution left to resolve
Congress-League, and Hindu-Muslim standoff. (235 words Approx).
12. What are three parent babies?. What are the ethical issues involved?.
Misfired Mitochondria causes Leigh syndrome, a fatal genetic disorder that affects the brain,
muscles and nerves of developing infants. Scientists have developed two techniques to stop
mitochondrial diseases being passed from mother to child:-
Mitochondrial spindle transfer (MST) - Doctors use standard IVF procedures to collect eggs
from the mother. They take the nucleus from one of the eggs and drop it into a healthy donor egg
that has had its own nucleus removed. The reconstituted egg contains all the normal genes from
the mother, but her faulty mitochondria are replaced by those from the healthy donor. The egg is
then fertilized with the fathers sperm. The resulting embryo has the usual 23 pairs of
chromosomes that hold the mother and fathers DNA, but the 37 mitochondrial genes, about
0.2% of the total, come from a third person, the donor.
Pronuclear transfer - This is similar to MST, but both the mothers and donors eggs are
fertilized first with the fathers sperm. Before the eggs divide into early stage embryos, the
parents chromosomes are removed from the mothers fertilized egg and placed into the donor
egg, which has had its own chromosomes removed.
Ethical Concerns
The first is the fair distribution of medical resources to make this therapy available to all
patients regardless of their financial capabilities.
The second concern is that if the access to this technology is not fairly distributed, then
economically disadvantaged women may be at risk of exploitation because of the excessive
compensation paid to mitochondrial donors. This financial coercion of impoverished egg
providers is a big issue and serves as a cautionary warning for mitochondrial donation. There
should be strict legal safeguards against such practices. (245 words Approx).
13. What do you mean by Consequentialism & Non-Consequentialism?.

A consequentialist theory judges the rightness or wrongness of an action based on the
consequences that action has. Such argument is similar to a non-sacred or negotiable political
argument. Figures and data are cited rather than principles or authorities, and phrased in the
language of policy experts. Consequentialist reasoning is characterized by attributes such as:
Relativism: implying value trade-offs or comparability with other competing values;
Consequentialism: invoking costs or consequences;
Instrumentalism: referencing calculated self-interest;
Negotiability: invoking compromise
A Denial of boundaries: denying the validity of a boundary.
Utilitarianism is the most familiar example of consequentialism; it proposes that the best action is
one that produces the greatest good for the greatest number.
Nonconsequentialism action is based on properties intrinsic to the action, not on its consequences,
and according to Voorhoeve, (2010), core restrictions on the promotion of the good (like not using
someone harmfully and against his will as a means for the greater good of others) can permissibly
be overridden as the consequences of respecting these restriction are sufficiently awful.
For example, the death penalty is an example of a nonconsequentialist value statement; capital
punishment is not justified by a deterrent effect, but instead is upheld as a moral statement of the
requirements of justice (often combined with the biblical injunction of an eye for an eye, tooth for a
tooth, and life for a life). (232 words Approx).
14. What is bioprinting?. What are its applications?.

3D printing is increasingly permitting the direct digital manufacture (DDM) of a wide variety of
plastic and metal items. While this in itself may trigger a manufacturing revolution, far more
startling is the recent development of bioprinters. These artificially construct living tissue by
outputting layer-upon-layer of living cells. Currently all bioprinters are experimental.
Applications
Certain prototype tools are developed by 3D printing to ensure data collection for usage and
feedback. This allows a relatively lower cost of input in terms of development of the tool with a
variable lesser cost of loss if the tool is unsatisfactory.
For burn victims, 3D printing is beginning to offer a unique combination of bio-printing that
offer skin like texture to printed skin that can be grafted on to the patient.
For the test of prosthetics, 3D printed solutions could allow for a relatively cheaper option.
It offers an impressive alternative to the long list of waiting patients on the donor list. Patients
waiting for various organ transplants have to follow certain criteria such as matching blood
groups. With 3D printing, a patient's conditions can be adopted to suit the modeling of an organ.
(205 words Approx).
15. What is GST?. Why was it brought?. Is it a snag for federalism?.
In principle, GST is the same as the Value-added Tax (VAT) already adopted by all
Indian States but with a wider base. While the VAT which replaced the sales tax was
imposed only on goods, the GST will be a VAT on goods and services.
In the current tax regime, States tax sale of goods but not services. The Centre taxes
manufacturing and services but not wholesale/retail trade. The GST is expected to usher in a
uniform tax regime by subsuming several forms of taxes such as octroi, entry tax, sales tax,
entertainment tax, etc. It is expected to pave way for stability in tax regime system and improve
ease of doing business.
However, it is argued that, it could lead to erosion of states' autonomy as:
Several forms of taxation such as entry tax, octroi, etc. which were hitherto under the control of
states will be merged with a single GST
Since it is a destination tax, several manufacturing states like TN and Gujarat fear loss of
revenue
Given the limited autonomy of states to raise their revenue potential, it is believed that GST will
further limit their fiscal autonomy
Implications for India's federalism
Since GST has sub-components for states and the central government, fiscal powers of state is
not constrained or eroded to the extent it is perceived
Further, increased devolution under 14th Finance Commision suggestions and autonomy given to
states w.r.t. liquor and petroleum goods is in line with federal spirit
The revenue-neutral-rate (RNR), that is, the rate at which ensures that revenue of the Centre and
states is not affected has been reached after consensus among majority of the states
Hence States need to capitalize through structural reforms in labour laws, land issues, etc. to be
able to provide the incentives for investors and business. (i.e) GST is set to give rise to
competitive federalism. (240 words Approx).
16. What is meant by Ratnatraya of Jainism?. Explain about Non-absolutism in Jainism.

The three jewels of Jain ethics are: right faith, right knowledge and right conduct.
Right faith - Samyak darshana - This doesn't mean believing what you're told, but means seeing
(hearing, feeling, etc.) things properly, and avoiding preconceptions and superstitions that get in the
way of seeing clearly.
Right knowledge - Samyak jnana - This means having an accurate and sufficient knowledge of
the real universe - this requires a true knowledge of the five (or six) substances and nine truths of
the universe - and having that knowledge with the right mental attitude.
Right conduct - Samyak charitra - This means living your life according to Jain ethical rules, to
avoid doing harm to living things and freeing yourself from attachment and other impure attitudes
and thoughts. A person who has right faith and right knowledge will be motivated and able to
achieve right conduct.
Non-absolutism implies having an open mind. This encourages respecting all other cultures,
religions, and people. Jain respect differences in belief, and consider the viewpoints of anyone,
even those who oppose them. Jain believes in pluralism, the notion that the truth of reality cannot
be completely captured from one viewpoint and multiple perceptions of one event can be all true
and correct. There is common story in Jainism where an elephant is brought into a dark room and
examined by multiple men with no knowledge of an elephant. The men who feel his trunk believe
the elephant to be a water spout, the men who feel his ear believe it to be a fan, the men who feel
his leg believe it to be a pillar, and the men who feel his back believe it to be a throne. The story
concludes with, "The sensual eye is just like the palm of the hand. The palm has not the means of
covering the whole of the beast." (245 words Approx).
17. What is meant by a Sunrise Industry?. Is food processing industry a Sunrise Industry?.
Citing the controversies surrounding the foods business, right from noodles to bread,
highlight the scope for Food processing Industries in India.
A sunrise industry is a new industry that is expanding rapidly (e.g. telecom industry in 1990s)
and is expected to be increasingly important in the future. Food processing industry is a sunrise
industry in India.
Food processing has been known from time immemorial, ever since human evolution began.
India, especially, has been a forerunner in giving diverse facets to this art of food processing. Using
salt and oil to pickle surplus vegetables and sun-drying brined vegetables and fruits to increase their
shelf life, and survive scarcity and unfavourable conditions.
In a fast-paced world RTE (ready to eat) and RTH (ready to heat) come in handy for the busy
consumer. The demand from consumers and their willingness to pay that extra buck for
convenience are the main reasons behind the roaring business the processed food arena.
While processed foods have multiple advantages of being hygienic, free from pathogens,
sometimes made tastier and healthier too with the addition of flavours and nutrients, they also come
with certain disadvantages deprival of major nutritive properties, rendering of the commodity
toxic and unsafe.
Processed food in India will continue to stay so long as we see changing lifestyles, increasing
numbers of working women, disposable incomes and trendy attitudes. The future of the food
processing industry is dazzling, with food safety, quality assurance and hygiene norms gaining
importance. The stringent rules laid by the government are sure to take this industry to global
standards.
Besides, the government is keen on encouraging this industry by promoting joint ventures, giving
industrial licences, introducing schemes for technology upgrade, and establishing and modernizing
processing industries. (250 words Approx).
18. What is meant by Cooperative and competitive federalism?. Illustrate with examples. Do you
think Cooperative and competitive federalism are mutually exclusive?.
Competitive federalism refers to the vertical relationship shared between centre and the states
or between states (horizontal),here the states have to compete among themselves as well as the
centre so as to get benefits. Competitive federalism is not part of the basic structure of
Indian constitution. It is the decision of executives.
Example
1. States are competing among each other by providing better land acquisition policy, labour law
and other regulatory environment.
3. Center is encouraging competition by selection of smart city by a competitive approach,
performance linked support in AMRUT Yojana etc.
Cooperative federalism is a way of building mutual trust between centre and states where both
are treated as co-equals working towards a common goal of welfare of society.Different federal
units rise above petty politics and parochial mindset to achieve a national goal by coordinating
with each other. Cooperative Federalism is part of the basic structure of Indian constitution and
cannot be amended by the parliament.
Example
1. NITI ayog is created with the objective of making states a party to the developmental plan and
policies of the government.
2. Joint venture between state and center to carry out infrastructure project like rail projects.
A rational mix of both is in the interest of a nation with diversity and plurality. As visible,
competition between equals and cooperation between unequal is a theme for inclusive and
sustainable growth. (230 words Approx).
19. What is meant by upstream & downstream stage?. Explicate the upstream & downstream
requirements for efficient supply chain management in Food processing industry. Does India
need FDI in Food processing industry?.
Upstream requirements
The upstream stage of the production process involves searching for and extracting raw
materials.
Accessibility to raw materials
Good linkages with farmers eliminating middle-men
Modern extraction techniques
Need steady supply of inputs @ reasonable prices
Need uniform high quality raw material
Quality testing facilities
Storage facilities for raw materials like Grains, Meat, Fish etc.
Transport facilities
Work force
Downstream requirements
The downstream stage in the production process involves processing the materials collected
during the upstream stage into a finished product.
Organized retail stores, for efficient distribution of products
Latest processing techniques
Quality testing facilities
Organized retail stores for faster distribution
Work force
FDI - Need
Foreign direct investment of around US$1 billion has already been approved in India's food
processing industry since 1991.
Changing lifestyles, breakdown of the joint-family system, increasing number of working wives
and Western influence in the urban areas are fuelling a demand for packaged foods.
India already has all the requirements for a head-start in the food-processing industry. Basic
materials such as food-grains, pulses, vegetables and meats (non-beef) can be sourced locally or
easily imported if local availability is inadequate.
Many Indian firms are eagerly seeking foreign partners for joint-ventures to avail of their
technological advantage.
Supermarkets are just beginning to appear in India's big cities and this is the time for
international chains to set a foothold. Competition will only increase with time.
There has been some civilized resistance from ultra-nationalistic quarters of opinion to foreign
food products. This resistance will be less if a local partner is involved.
India's liberal intelligentsia is gradually building the opinion that foreign investments in the
processed food sector will benefit rural agriculture, thus beating the nationalists with their own
slogans. The liberal intelligentsia is gradually prevailing. (255 words Approx).
20. Why did Ambedkar embrace Buddhism?.

Ambedkar had long been frustrated by the basic tenets of Hinduism, and considered the
inherent characteristics of the religion, particularly the caste system to be a bigger threat to freedom
in Indian society than that of the British.
Political protest - Ambedkar had for long demanded separate electorates for the untouchables,
as a measure of protection against rule of the Hindu majority. After much agitation however, he
yielded to give up on his demands in the Poona Pact of 1932, which was signed by Ambedkar
along with Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya to break Gandhis protest against the separate electorate
demand.
Life long battle against Hinduism Ambedkars conversion to Buddhism needs to be seen as
a product of his life experience and the cultural influences on him. As per Ambedkar, Hinduism
had failed to secure basic human rights. Unlike Mahatma Gandhi, who considered the internal
reform of the caste system to be the way forward, Ambedkar believed that the only way the Dalits
could find a place for themselves in Indian society was by way of conversion.
Buddhism as a project of modernity - King Ashoka had an impact on Ambedkar, whose
conversion to Buddhism after the battle of Kalinga is known to have initiated an era of tolerance
and service for humanity. The appeal of Buddhas dhamma for Ambedkar was, its emphasis on
rational choice. He went on to dismiss certain parts of Buddhism, particularly the aspect of the
four noble truths which he believed was a later addition to Buddhas teachings due to the
influences of Hinduism. (250 words Approx).
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GENERAL STUDIES - 1
1. Major cities of India are becoming Indian floods are a man-made disaster. 1 15
vulnerable to flood conditions. Discuss. Explain. How can these floods be
scientifically managed?.
Chennai is only the latest example of
demographic and environmental changes 3
leading to urban flooding. Examine the (GS3) 1
issue of urban flooding.
2. Early Buddhist Stupa-art, while depicting Stupas remind the Buddhist practitioner 3 14
folk motifs and narratives, successfully of the Buddha and his teachings. Explain.
expounds Buddhist ideals. Elucidate.
3. Krishnadeva Raya, the king of Krishnadevaraya a Scholar and Patron 3 11
Vijayanagar, was not only an of Arts. Discuss.
accomplished scholar himself but was a
also a great patron of learning and
literature. Discuss.
4. Explain how the upraising of 1857 British policies towards India completely 3 1
constitutes an important watershed in the changed in the years 1857 to 1877.
evolution of British policies towards Examine.
colonial India. 1858 is the Great Divide In modern
Indian history, as the policy, practice and 1 2
ideals of the government that followed
differed fundamentally from the
government of the Company which it
displaced. Discuss.
5. Discuss the role of women in the The role of women in the salt protests fits 3 16
freedom struggle especially during the into a larger understanding of the role of
Gandhian phase. women in Indias fight for freedom from
British rule. Explain
6. An essential condition to eradicate What is Empowerment line?. How is this 3 18
poverty is to liberate the poor from the different from Poverty Line?. What are
process of deprivation. Substantiate this the key priorities for empowering Indians
statement with suitable examples. to shift focus from Poverty to
Empowerment?. 3 7
Explain the dynamics of poverty and (GS2)
deprivation.
7. Why are the tribals in India referred to as Identify the difference between scheduled 3 12
the Scheduled Tribes? Indicate the major caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST) ?
provisions enshrined in the Constitution How has the Indian government
of India for their upliftment. classified tribes and caste into it?.
8. What is the basis of regionalism? Is it that Examine interaction between federalism 3 6
unequal distribution of benefits of and regionalism in India.
development on regional basis eventually
promotes regionalism? Substantiate your
2nd Floor. New.No.59 (Old 1228),18th Main Road, Anna Nagar. Chennai - 40. Landmark - Above ADYAR
BAKERY 1
answer.
9. Present an account of the Indus Water Is Indus Waters Treaty a bad bargaining 3 10
Treaty and examine its ecological, chip for India?.
economic and political implications in the
context of changing bilateral relations.
10. Highlight the differences in the approach Bring out the similarities & differences 4 1
of Subhash Chandra Bose and Mahatma between Netaji & Mahatma Gandhi.
Gandhi in the struggle for freedom.
11. Has the formation of linguistic states Explain BR Ambedkars thoughts on 4 4
strengthened the cause of Indian unity? Linguistic States.
Why language was decided as the basis on
which Indias states were to be 1 25
reorganized?. Comment on the
reorganization of states after States
Reorganization Act, 1956.
12. To what extent globalisation has Does globalization imply we will become 4 3
influenced the core of cultural diversity in one culture?.
India? Explain.
13. Discuss the concept of air mass and What are Air masses?. How does this 4 18
explain its role in macro-climatic changes. relate to climate & forestry?.
14. South China Sea has assumed great South China Sea is of geopolitical and 4 15
geopolitical significance in the present geo-economic interest for India. Discuss. (GS2)
context. Comment.
15. Enumerate the problems and prospects of Highlight the salient features of National 4 8
inland water transport in India. Waterways Bill 2015. Would it be a Game
changer for addressing inland water
transport issues?.
16. In what way micro-watershed Short notes on Drought Management 4 16
development projects help in water Strategies in India.
conservation in drought-prone and semi-
arid regions of India?
17. The Himalayas are highly prone to Why do landslides occur more in 4 20
landslides.Discuss the causes and suggest Himalayas than Western Ghats?. How
suitable measures of mitigation. can landslides be managed?.
18. The effective management of land and Mention three major differences between 4 13
water resources will drastically reduce the the Himalayan and the Peninsular
human miseries. Explain. drainage systems. Managing the optimum
use of water resources is the need of the
hour. Explain.
19. With a brief background of quality of Discussed in Current Affairs Class but
urban life in India, introduce the not covered in Test Papers.
objectives and strategy of the Smart City
Programme.
20. The anti-colonial struggles in West Africa
were led by the new elite of Western -
educated Africans. Examine.
Tallying our Questions with UPSC GS MAINS 2016 Questions

for Paper 2, 3 & 4 are going on. We will upload the details
tomorrow.
BAKERY 2
GENERAL STUDIES - 2
Our Test Mains 2016
None Could Beat us in
GS 2 - Questions
Exactly feeling the Pulse of UPSC. Ask Our Students who have Test. Qn.
No. No.
written the tests. They will
Vouch us.
GENERAL STUDIES - 2
1. Demographic Dividend in India will remain only How has Demographic Dividend 1 8
theoretical unless our manpower becomes more become Demographic Disaster for (GS 1)
educated, aware, skilled and creative. What measures India?.
have been taken by the government to enhance the
capacity of our population to be more productive and
employable?
2. Effectiveness of the government system at various Highlight the features of Citizens 1 5
levels and peoples participation in the governance Charter Bill, 2011. (GS 3)
system are inter-dependent/ Discuss their
relationship in the context of India.
3. In the Indian governance system, the role of non- Give a critical estimate on role of 4 5
state actors has been only marginal. Critically super-national bodies in Indian
examine this statement. governance.
How do Non-state actors pose threat 1 9
to India's internal security?. (GS 3)
4. Increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in India and Is future of regional cooperation in 2 11
growing interference in the internal affairs of South Asia in shambles?.
member-states by Pakistan are not conducive for the
future of SAARC (South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation). Explain with suitable
examples.
5. The broader aims and objectives of WTO are to Examine the background and current 2 4
manage and promote international trade in the era of state of Indian position in Doha
globalization. But the Doha round of negotiations Round negotiations. 2 13
seem doomed due to differences between the Is WTO right in the Indo US solar
developed and the developing countries. Discuss in panel dispute?.
the Indian perspective.
6. The Indian party system is passing through a phase The roots of many pertinent problems 2 17
of transition which looks to be full of contradictions faced by Indian democracy can be partly
and paradoxes. Discuss. traced to the lack of intra-party
democracy in political parties.
Comment.
7. Traditional bureaucratic structure and culture have Government has no business to do 3 8
hampered the process of socio-economic business. The focus should be minimum
development in India. Comment. government and maximum governance.
Discuss.
8. Discuss each adjective attached to the word Should 42nd amendment be repealed 3 14
Republic in the Preamble. Are they defendable in as it altered the philosophy of the
the present circumstances? Indian Constitution?.
[Stressed more in the Class & also
Model answer given for relevance of
Socialism & Secularism]
9. Discuss the essentials of the 69th Constitutional Comment on the Constitutional status 1 2
Amendment Act and anomalies, if any, which have of Delhi. What are the powers and
BAKERY 1
led to recent reported conflicts between the elected duties of the Delhi government?.
representatives and the institution of the Lieutenant
Governor in the administration of Delhi. Do you
think that this will give rise to a new trend in the
functioning of the Indian federal politics?
10. Evaluate the economic and strategic dimensions of Place a review on India's 'Look East' 2 15
Indias Look East Policy in the context of the post- and 'Act East' Policies.
2 7
Cold War international scenario. How has the end of cold war altered
Indias foreign policy stand?.
11. Exercise of CAGs powers in relation to the accounts The Comptroller and Auditor- 1 1
of the Union and the States is derived from Article General (CAG) of India is a
149 of the Indian Constitution. Discuss whether prosecutor with a law that hobbles its
audit of the Governments policy implementation functioning, a judge without the
could amount to overstepping its own (CAG) power to sentence and a litigant with
jurisdiction. no right to appeal. Comment. 3 6
Examine the relationship between a
PAC and CAG.
12. Has the Indian governmental system responded After 25 years after liberalization, India 3 1
adequately to the demands of Liberalization, must realize that wealth isn't
Privatization and Globalization started in 1991? What development unless it is shared. Explain.
can the government do to be responsive to this
important change?
13. In the integrity index of Transparency International, Transparency and Information pervade 3 18
India stands very low. Discuss briefly the legal, good governance. Discuss the statement
political, social and cultural factors that have caused in light of Indias status in Transparency
the decline of public morality in India. Internationals CPI Index.
14. Professor Amartya Sen has advocated important Amartya Sen's capability approach offers 3 2
reforms in the realms of primary education and the path to comprehensive and
primary health care. What are your suggestions to meaningful development for India.
improve their status and performance? Explain.
15. To what extent is Article 370 of the Indian Assess the implications of abrogating 3 3
Constitution, bearing marginal note temporary Article 370?.
provision with respect to the State of Jammu and
Kashmir, temporary? Discuss the future prospects
of this provision in the context of Indian polity.
16. What is quasi-judicial body? Explain with the help of What are Constitutional, Statutory & 4 17
concrete examples. Quasi-Judicial Bodies?. Give examples
for each category.
17. What was held in the Coelho case? In this context, Is 9th Schedule open to judicial 3 10
can you say that judicial review is of key importance review?. Place your arguments. Throw
amongst the basic features of the Constitution? light on I.R.Coelho Judgment in this
context?.
[Stressed more in the Class & also
Model answer given]
18. Did the Government of India Act, 1935 lay down a Covered in the Class but not in TEST
federal constitution? Discuss. PAPERS.
19. Examine the main provisions of the National Child
Policy and throw light on the status of its
implementation.
20. What are the aims and objectives of the McBride
Commission of the UNESCO? What is Indias
position on these?
BAKERY 2
GENERAL STUDIES - 3
Our Test Mains 2016
GS 3 - Questions
Exactly feeling the Pulse of UPSC. Ask Our Students who have written Test. Qn.
No. No.
the tests. They will Vouch us.
GENERAL STUDIES - 3
1. How globalization has led to the reduction of Identify the linkages between globalization 1 11
employment in the formal sector of the Indian and inclusive growth.
4 8
economy? Is increased informalization Globalization and economic reforms
detrimental to the development of the country? typically affect the formal sector, the
informal sector existing outside regulation.
Yet, numerous links between them mean the
informal sector is variously affected. Explain.
2. Comment on the challenges for inclusive How is Inclusive growth different from pro- 1 8
growth which include careless and useless poor growth?.
1 9
manpower in the Indian context. Suggest How to exploit demographic dividend of
measures to be taken for facing these India to achieve Inclusive growth?.
challenges. Few more questions from various
dimensions OF INCLUSIVE GROWTH in
Test 1 of GS -3
3. Discuss Indias achievements in the field of Elucidate the role of science and technology in 1 2
Space Science and Technology. How the fostering inclusive growth. (AN INDIRECT
application of this technology has helped India QUESTION ONLY BUT RIGHT
in its socio-economic development? ORIENTATION TO UPSC QUESTION)
4. The frequency of urban floods due to high Indian floods are a man-made disaster. 1 15
intensity rainfall is increasing over the years. Explain. How can these floods be (GS1)
Discussing the reasons for urban floods. scientifically managed?.
Highlight the mechanisms for preparedness to Chennai is only the latest example of
reduce the risk during such events. demographic and environmental changes 3 1
leading to urban flooding. Examine the
issue of urban flooding.
5. What is water-use efficiency? Describe the role What are the objectives of Pradhan Mantri 2 11
of micro-irrigation in increasing the water-use Krishi Sinchayee Yojana?. Why does Micro-
efficiency. irrigation lag far behind potential?.
6. Use of Internet and social media by non-state India is far behind in cyber security expertise 2 11
actors for subversive activities is a major compared to UK, US and China. Do you
concern. How have these have misused in the agree?. Propose a model of New Cyber
recent past? Suggest effective guidelines to Security Architecture for India.
curb the above threat. Distinguish the terms - Cyber Warfare &
Cyber terrorism. What do you understand by 3 3
"Sabotage"?.
7. What is allelopathy? Discuss its role in major Explore the possible role of possible role of 3 7
cropping systems of irrigated agriculture. allelechemicals in improving crop productivity.
8. Give an account of the current status and the Would UJALA programme emerge as a 3 20
targets to be achieved pertaining to renewable winwin from consumer point of view?
energy sources in the country. Discuss in brief
the importance of National Programme on
Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).
nd
2 Floor. New.No.59 (Old 1228),18th Main Road, Anna Nagar. Ch - 40. Landmark - Above Adyar Bakery 1
9. In the integrity index of Transparency Transparency and Information pervade good 3 18
International, India stands very low. Discuss governance. Discuss the statement in light of
briefly the legal, political, social and cultural Indias status in Transparency Internationals
factors that have caused the decline of public CPI Index.
morality in India.
10. Why is nanotechnology one of the key What are the properties and uses of 3 15
technologies of the 21st century? Describe the nanoparticles?. Elaborate on Indias Nano
salient features of Indian Governments Mission.
Mission on Nanoscience and Technology and
the scope of its application in the development
process of the country.
11. Rehabilitation of human settlements is one of Explain 'development' in DIDR angle. 3 4
the important environmental impacts which
always attracts controversy while planning Note - Development-Induced Displacement
major projects. Discuss the measures suggested And Resettlement (DIDR).
for mitigation of this impact while proposing
major developmental projects. One essay was also given and discussed.
12. With reference to National Disaster Explain the meaning of Uttarakhand 3 6
Management Authority (NDMA) guidelines, cloudburst and how does it affect India?.
discuss the measures to be adopted to mitigate How can we manage such disasters?.
the impact of the recent incidents of
cloudbursts in many places of Uttarakhand.
13. The terms Hot Pursuit and Surgical Strikes What is meant by Doctrine Of Hot Pursuit?. 3 17
are often used in connection with armed action Examine its pros & cons.
against terrorist attacks. Discuss the strategic
impact of such actions.
14. Women empowerment in India needs gender Short notes on Gender Responsive 4 13
budgeting. What are the requirements and Budgeting.
status of gender budgeting in the Indian Gender Responsive Budgeting in India
context? needs a completely different rhythm if it has
to translate into better outcomes for the
women of our country. Examine. 4 7
What is the difference between sex and (GS 1)
gender. Lack of political mobilization and
4
lobbying capacity is a major inadequacy of (GS 1) 19
feminist politics in India. Comment.
15. Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is Jan Dhan Yojana has helped poor, but 4 12
necessary for bringing unbanked to the financial inclusion still far off. Explain.
institutional finance fold. Do you agree with A meaningful financial inclusion starts only 1 2
this for financial inclusion of the poorer with the availability of public goods.
section of the Indian society? Give arguments Elucidate. Do you think that Jan Dhan
to justify your opinion. Yojana will bring meaningful financial
inclusion?.
16. What are Smart Cities? Examine their To Support Smart Cities, India needs Smart 4 16
relevance for urban development in India. Will Villages. Explain.
it increase rural-urban differences? Give Give a brief on schemes of Government of
arguments for Smart Villages in the light of India aimed at making smart villages. In 1 11
PURA and RURBAN Mission. what ways people and tradition would be an (GS 1)
hindrance in this pursuit?.
17. Justify the need for FDI for the development Comment on latest changes in FDI policy. 4 4
of the Indian economy. Why there is gap
between MOUs signed and actual FDIs?
Suggest remedial steps to be taken for
increasing actual FDIs in India.
nd
18. Discuss the role of land reforms in agricultural By and large land reforms in India enacted so 4 3
development. Identify the factors that were far and those contemplated in the near future,
responsible for the success of land reforms in are in the right direction; and yet are far from
India. satisfactory. Explain.
19. Given the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to How can PMFBY scheme can be a 4 10
vagaries of nature, discuss the need for crop gamechanger?.
insurance and bring out the salient features of
the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
(PMFBY)
20. Terrorism is emerging as a competitive What makes terrorism an essentially contested 4 20
industry over the last few decades. Analyse concept?.
the above statement.
nd
GENERAL STUDIES - 4
Our Test Mains 2016
GS 4 - Questions
Exactly feeling the Pulse of UPSC. Ask Our Students who have Test. Qn.
No. No.
written the tests. They will Vouch
us.
GENERAL STUDIES - 4
1. Analyse John Rawlss concept of social justice in the Justice is not an ethic of rewards but an 4 12
Indian context. ethic of redressal. (John Rawls). Comment.
2. Anger is a harmful negative emotion. It is injurious to We are all emotional beings. Emotional 4 17
both personal life and work life. (a) Discuss how it Intelligence is the ultimate workplace
leads to negative emotions and undesirable anger management solution. Comment
behaviours. (b) How can it be managed and from an Individuals perspective and
controlled? Public Administration perspective.
Emotionally intelligent behavior is a
prerequisite for a successful civil servant. 1 4
Examine.
3. Corruption causes misuse of government treasury, The decline in output and corruption can 3 3
Administrative inefficiency and obstruction in the be curbed by promoting professionalism at
path of national Development. Discuss Kautilyas work. (Kautilya). Explain.
views.
4. Discuss Mahatma Gandhis concept of seven sins. Short notes on Seven Deadly Sins as said 1 10
by Mahatma Gandhi.
5. Discuss the Public Services Code as recommended Conduct Rules for civil servants need to be 4 1
by the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission. redrawn. Explain w.r.t. 2nd ARC Report..
6. Explain how ethics contributes to social and human rta is described as a power or force 1 1
well-being. which is the controller of the forces of
nature and of moral values in human
society. Explain.
'RTA' and 'DHARMA' Indian
Philosophy.
7. Law and ethics are considered to be the two tools for (a) Ethics and legality are not synonymous. 2 4
controlling human conduct so as to make it Comment.
conducive to civilized social existence. (a) Discuss
how they achieve this objective. (b) Giving examples
show how the two differ in their approaches.
8. Max Weber said that it is not wise to apply to public Is Weberian Rational Bureaucracy 2 11
administration the sort of moral and ethical norms morally & ethically clean type?. How
we apply to matters of personal conscience. It is does Merton criticize Weber in this
important to realise that the State bureaucracy might regard?. 2 20
possess its own independent bureaucratic morality. What is meant by Bureaupathology?.
Critically analyse this statement. How can it be overcome in Indian
Context?.
9. Our attitudes towards life, work, other people and Attitudes are by and large acquired as a 3 6
society are generally shaped unconsciously by the result of various life experiences, although
family and social surroundings in which we grow up. a small but growing body of evidence
Some of these unconsciously acquired attitudes and indicates that attitudes may be influenced
values are often undesirable in the citizens of modern by genetic factors, too. How can such
democratic and egalitarian society. (a) Discuss such attitudes developed over a period of 20
undesirable values prevalent in todays educated years can be tuned to match the
nd
Indians. (b) How can such undesirable attitudes be requirements of Modern Bureaucratic set
changed and socio-ethical values be cultivated in the up?. Identify the Challenges thereupon.
aspiring and serving civil servants?
10. What do you understand by the terms governance, Differentiate between organizations 4 3
good governance and ethical governance? ethical principles and administrative
procedures. Are Ethical Governance and
Good Governance same?.
11. Why should impartiality and non-partisanship be Relationships are the DNA of 4 6
considered as foundational values in public services, governance. Comment. Differentiate
especially in the present day socio-political context? between impartiality and
Illustrate your answer with examples. nonpartisanship in such relations.
Public servants should strictly observe 2 13
the triple maxim of impartiality,
neutrality, and anonymity. Comment.
12. How could social influence and persuasion
contribute to the success of Swatchh Bharat
Abhiyan?
CASE STUDIES SUBJECTIVE. HENCE WE DO NOT CLAIM.
nd
CrackingIAS.com Mains 2016 ESSAY UPSC REFLECTION IAS EXPRESS
Our Essay Test Questions - 2016 UPSC MAINS Essay Question - 2016
Test : No: 2 - Qn. no. C (Sec A) DIDR in Development Industry Qn. no. 1 (Sec A) If development is not
an urgent issue that needs priority in Policy making. engendered, it is endangered.
Test : No: 3 - Qn. no. A (Sec B) Federalism and Water UPSC MAINS Essay Question - 2016
Management in India. Qn. no. 3 (Sec A) Water disputes between States in
federal India.
Test : No: 2 - Qn. no. C (Sec B) A quarter-century of UPSC MAINS Essay Question - 2016
liberalization Where are we now?. Qn. no. 3 (Sec B) Near jobless growth in India: An
anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms.
Test : No: 1 - Qn. no. C (Sec A) Digital Globalization - Policy UPSC MAINS Essay Question - 2016
challenges. Qn. no. 4 (Sec B) Digital economy: A leveller or a
Qn. no. C (Sec B) The Challenges before RBI. source of economic inequality.
These were slightly indirect topics but close to UPSC Topics.
____________________________________________________________
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