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1.1.1.

a) Role of Governor in the J&K government dissolution


- Reviewed security preparedness in the militancy-hit State
- Issued proclamation of GR following President's approval
- Placed LA under suspended animation
- Met with key officials and senior administrators of security forces
- Orders issued on day of dissolution kept in abeyance
- Reps of secforces to identify sec gaps nd ensure coordinated action on ground for
strong counter-terrorism responses
- Reviewed imp. sec related issues for Amarnath Yatra
- Ops to be intensified and coordinated

1.1.1.b) Chief moves after the dissolution of the government in J&K


- Governor reviewed security preparedness in the militancy-hit State
- Advisors to the Governor Appointed
- Governor called for COHESIVE action to enforce constant vigil on the IB and LOC
to maintain internal security, people-sensitive establishment-installation safety
- Reps of secforces to identify sec gaps nd ensure coordinated action on ground for
strong counter-terrorism responses
- Reviewed imp. sec related issues for Amarnath Yatra
- Special Rep role to remain, Dineshwar Sharma will continue in office, despite it
being a Centre-PDP resolution to appoint him.

1.1.1.c) Dissolution of a Legislative Assembly : Process and reasons behind such a


move
1.1.1.d) Security moves intensified (from earlier news)

US quits UNHCR (from earlier news)

1.1.2.a) CEA role in Economic Survey


1.1.2.b) Twin-balance sheet problem
1.1.2.c) Rising fuel prices
1.1.2.d) Universal Basic Income

1.1.3.a) KL: Functioning of orphanages in the state (all ddetails related to


ownership, certification)
- Scam involved Janaseva Shishu Bhavan
- human trafficking and other related activities
- Failed to rehabilitate children (poor record)
- Children missing from the orphanage found begging at TCR railway station
- Some chldren traced from an illegal child care institute at MLPM.
1.1.3.b) Process of adoption
1.1.3.c) POCSO Act
1.1.3.d) Juvenile Justice Act

1.1.4.a) Acid tanks in Thoothukudi a serious concern


- Tanks of sulphuric acid left unattended in sealed copper plant could cause
security concerns- humanitarian crises
- Noted leakages may have been act of vandalism or sabotage
- Vedanta sought immediate restoration of electricity supply to the company as
other flammable materials needed to be removed immediately + sec ad protection for
removal of material and continuous assessment of plant so that extent of leak could
be addressed
- Leak couldnt be arrested by gobvt. officials due to pipe flanges submerged in
acid pool in teh dykes around storage plant
- w/o electricity, emergency support services (hyddrants, acid circulation pumps
that store gases/liquids/oils/acids/resins) cannot be operated
- Not possible to use storm and effluent pumps in case of heavy rains/floods

1.1.4.b) Subversion of due process in the wrapping up of the Sterlite Copper Plant
- TNPCB had failed to verify if production was on before elec. cut
- TANGEDCO complied with TNPCB order and disconnected power, then issued notice
which was against safety protocol
- threat to employees and surrounding as machinery, raw material (hazardous also)
were stored in plant
- Minimal restoration of electricity for safety protocol request was not taken into
a/c
1.1.4.c) The undesired impacts of knee-jerk populist policies in industry
1.1.4.d) Implementation of industrial standards
1.1.4.e) Chief lacunae in the implementation of industrial protocols

1.1.5.a) KL: Undermining of cooperative federalism?


- To put pressure on CG to revoke decision of dropping proposal of railway coach
factory in Palghat after acquisition of 230 acres of land and creation of necessary
infrastructure
- Loss of purported job creation

1.1.5.b) Procedure for setting up a Railway Coach Factory


1.1.5.c) Chief problems involved in the sudden change of decision to implement an
RCF - the arbitrariness of Railway decisions

1.4.1.a) KL : Moves to make medical education more inclusive


- Understanding generated with self-financing medical colleges
- Goverment seats released by the management will not vary in number
- NEET UG merit and SC judgement as basis for fees structure in govt seats; private
colleges cannot impose fee mandate
- SG promises rectification of delay in payments to managements by EWS/SC/ST
students
- Scholarships to be provided to meritorious MBBS students from financilly backward
families in self-financing colleges, with corpus fund for same.

1.4.1.b) Higher education policies to ensure better representation from all sectors
of society

1.4.2.a) KL: Procedure adopted to remove to clear invasive plant species in


wildlife sanctuaries
- Special drive with public support regarding removal of exotic invasive species in
the WWS, that pose threats to flora and fauna
- Forest officials have also launched eco-restoration drive in Muthanga forest
range, clearing more than 2 ha of affected land
- Several control measures initiated by the KL Forest Research Institute to
eradicate matured plants and effectively reutilise them in the sanctuary
- NSS and NCC volunteers from instit., NGOs and nature study camp members to be
roped in (1 day/camp for drive)

1.4.2.b) The dangers presented by invasive and exotic species in natural wildlife
sanctuaries
- Senna, etc. post threats to local flora/fauna with 3000-5000 seedlings sprouting
from a single matured plant during monsoon
- Uprooting of plants is the major strategy in reservoirs, which require large
scale public mobilization

1.4.2.c) Forest Dwellers Act, and their role in protecting biodiversity in the
absence of high manpower requirements

1.5.1.a) Construction of GAIL Pipelines across the country: hindrances


- Pipes that take >60% of project cost are susceptible to flooding, especially in
plain terrain; damage to machinery a much more minor worry
- Mud/sludge that enters pipes to be cleared once laying via HDD is done
- Monsoon implies GAIL work shifts to rocky terrain - leads to conflicting project
schedules
- Additional unmobilized machinery hitherto used in plain areas, implying surge in
proect costs (ahead of schedules); if more thn contingency funds available could
lead to project slowing down and further fund issues

1.5.1.b) What is the requirement/progress/process of such pipelines


- Different levels of cleaning to be done before project commission
- At cleaning stage, hydrotesting and n2 filling to be done
- Contracts with competent companies issued for different areas
- Pipeline laid 5-6 m bellow riverbed (sandmining will not affect system)
- Village roads to be cut and filled after laying pipeline
- Major roads to use HDD technology whereby a trenchless insertion of the pipe will
be done 5-6 m below surfce
- Work occurs at night so as not to hinder traffic

1.5.2.a) Bench hunting / Forum shopping in the judiciary : cons/purported pros


1.5.2.b) Chief debates on events in the past
- KL: HC retracts order to not post cases filed by 4 layers in front of a specific
judge of the HC; such an order serves as bd precedent and may encourage forum
shopping

1.6.1.a) KL: The relevance of small and medium hospitals in the health sector
- Verge of closure for small and medium hospitals that provide affordable care
- Request to exempt such hospitals from under the ambit of an act which makes the
display of hospital fares mandatory
DEMANDS:
- Single window system to give legal clearance to small hospitals
- Govt should help hosp. meet salary commitments of employees
1.6.1.b) Legislation that governs the establishment/conduct /regulation/guidelines
on private medical hospitals and clinics
1.6.1.c) The role of government in the provision of public health services
1.6.1.d) Issues caused/incurred by private hospital sector in India
1.6.1.e) Single Window Systems - use, efficacy, need

1.6.2.a) Social welfare pensions


1.6.2.b) Process of disbursement of SWP: case studies across the country
1.6.2.c) Special Purpose Vehicles
1.6.2.d) KL: Mechanism for the disbursal of SWP(NEED?)
- Govt to hand over money from corpus fund to SPV which will disburse it
- SG to hold 100% equity in company

1.7.1.a) Ken-Betwa river interlinking project


- Conceived as a two prt river interlinking (India's first); perceived as a model
plan for similar inter-state water transfers
- PHASE I: 77 m tall and 2 km wide Dhaudhan Dam + 230 km long canal to transfer
water from Ken to irrigate 3.64 LHA (halved from 6.3 lha) Bundelkhand regions of
UP/MP
- In addition provide drinking water (49 mcm) en route
- Accorded clearance by the Nat. Wildlife Board, on principle that land lost would
be recovered by acquiring contiguous revenue land (teh concept of habitat
bridges/corridors)

1.7.1.b) Weaknesses and threats : dangers of the project


- only way to meet increased water requirements would be to include local water
management projects - Kotha barrage, Lower ORR and Bina complex (envisaged in the
second phase) into the first phase ---> Completely fresh environmental appraisal
and danger to the continuity of the project
1.7.1.c) Opportunities and Strengths of the project
1.7.1.d) Chief issues slowing down the project
- Disagreements between UP/MP over river sharing as the earlier MoU is now
outdated, and MP requires more water during Rabi season
- Difficulty in acquiring non-forest land

1.7.2.a) Reasons behind survey of land owned by Mazhabi Sikhs


- in accordance with the recommendation of the high level committee formed to look
into demands of local pressure groups to relocate inhabitants of sikh community
(unconstitutional byb any means)
- survey data purported to be crucial to long pending issue of shifting them from
the commercial hub of shillong
- idea is to clearly demarcate the land belonging to shillong MBoard and to the
Syiem (Khasi king) of Mylliem; settlers spread across both plots now

1.7.2.b) How is this an incursion of fundamental rights? Principles of justice?


Humanitarian principles?
-Dalits have been living sine 1853, in accordance with a british agreement with the
khasi king that brought them in to stay in Khasi wastelands as
sweepers/soldiers/sanitation workers
- Allegations that real estate leaders and local leaders have been conspiring for
eviction

1.7.2.c) Shillong's ethnic struggles - the tribes vs. 'outsiders'


1.7.2.d) Identity in the N-E states

1.8.1.a) Border trauma with US persecuting undocumented migrants


- Separation of children from parents (migrating families) with significant rise in
April-May
- Children revealed to be held mentally distraught in unsanitary conditions incl.
chain link cages (inhuman treatment) - children eing transerred to different
locatioons will have devastating impacts on families
- Under trump they are facing criminal chrges in courts, unlike Bush and Obama
periods that saw catch and release - migrants would be released following
deportation case adjudication
1.8.1.b) Reactions to humanitarian grounds violations
- Internal outrage
- Questions raised on the ethics of using children to discourage undocumented
migration
1.8.1.c) US reaction to criticism
- Trump critted Democrat opponents for not working with Republicans over
immigration legislation to mitigate crises - Mexican wall and reduce legal
migration by affecting chain migration by denying relatives of migrants for visas
- qUITTING FROM THE unhcr OVER WHAT IT CALLS TURNING A BLIND EYE TO OTHER ROUTINE
HUMANITARIAN VIOLAORS - eGYPT, cHINA, cUBA, rUSSIA

1.9.1.a) What is ZBNF? What are its pros and cons?


1.9.1.b) Chief features require sfor a policy framework in implementing the system
1.9.1.c) Threats and opportunities in the system

1.9.2.a) Chief challenges imposed by plastic consumption


1.9.2.b) Why has management of plastic not yet worked?
1.9.2.c) What are policy implications for such a problem?
1.9.2.d) Statistics involving plastic consumption

1.9.4.a) Why has India rejected the UNHCR report on Kashmir?


- Includes regions of PoK and India's J&K but data collected via remote monitoring
from local sources in the absence of permission to UNHCR from wither government to
access area
- Report criticises extra-judicial killings, hard tactics (true) and handling of
protests (to be improved)
- INDIA" Report "undermines UN-led consensus on 0 tolerance to terrorism" as it
recognizes Hizb (designated terrorist grp) as armed group and Burhan wani as its
leader (not terrorist)
- Makes specific recommendations regarding repeal of AFSPA from areas and
instituting inquiies into alleged human rights violations
- INDIA: Report violates 'territorial integrity and sovereignty' as it uses Pak's
official term for PoK - Gilgit baltistan - which was recently absorbed into its
federal structure despite strong Indian protest - report may be seen as
legitimicay/recognition being afforded to regions
1.9.4.b) What are the chief problems faced by the region? (FEN)
1.9.4.c) What are the chief points of contention between Pak and India in J&K over
PoK?
1.9.4.d) What are external worries compounding the problem between the two
countries?

1.10.2.a) PROCESS: ED initiates case on Money laundering


1.10.2.b) Kingfisher/Mallya case fraud
1.10.2.c) Insolvency and Restitution Board
1.10.2.d) Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code
1.10.2.e) Prevention of Money Laundering Act
1.10.2.f) Anti-national agenda: bank frauds and money laundering (How do these
activites affect the nation?)

1.10.1.a) PM reaffirms promise for farm income


- reiterated promise to double farmer income, with budget allocation almost double
than that allocated by previous govt. (2.12 lak cr. to 1.21 lak cr)

1.10.1.b) Initatives to raise farmer income: case studies from other places
- PMFBY protects farmers from natures fury via insurance schemes
- Farmers praised govt schemes with locational themes (specification and tailor-
made projects, apparently)

1.10.1.c) The problems faced by farmers


1.10.1.d) State options to reduce farmer stress, and their pros and cons

1.10.2.a) Mallya's arrest ordered by SpecialC


- Fugitive to be arrested for alleged involvement in money laundering and cheating
bank consortium of 6000 cr, by not keeping up repayment commitments
- Also has alleged 900 crore IDBI-KFA loan fraud case
SCO move: China once again steps in to mediate talks between India and Pakistan
US Humanitarian crises (FEN) + Policy moves to end the detention of children and
parents separately

1.10.3.a) China offers to boost Indo-Pak ties


- Official offer comes via FM spokesperson
- Offered to strenthen its cooperation with Islamabad and Delhi to bolster
stability in the region
- Did not abandon prospects of a trilateral meeting alltogether; "if China,
Mongolia and Russia can have a trilateral summit then why not India, Pak and China"
- India meanwhile continues to ecplore possibility of routes to C.Asia thro' Pak-
Afghan corridor under SCO framework

1.11.1.a) UK-India : India contests UK non-renewal of visa for Indian students


(FEN)
1.12.2.a) US-India : CAATSA law passed by the Senate without any provisions for
waiver - hurts India's interests in the matter
- Senate ignored request from Republican admin for exemptions for India uner
inclusion of a waiver system in CAATSA
- India likely to be penalised under the CAATSA which calls for sanctions against
all countries involved in defence trade with Russia; waivers may only be issued for
180 days if the country in question is seen to be scaling back ties with Russia
- Senate and House versions of bills that diverge are resolved via mandated
reconciliation; but legislation may not change - changes likely after Nov 2018 mid
term elections
1.12.5.a) Nepal-China : Focus on interconectivity projects, and how India is
affected/impacted (+ive or -ive) by such moves in the region
- Trans Himalayan Multi Dimensional Tranport Network : Cross-border connectivity
flagged as major issue, railwy corridor to Kathmandu and maybe later on to India
- NPL seeks connectivity with China (possibly to avoid earlier Indian blockade
created during democratic struggles in Nepal in 2015) - esp. in areas of road,
railway, transmission lines and other reltd areas
- Npl HAS ALSO PROPOSED INFRA PROJECTS - ROADS, RAILWAYS, ENERGY TRANSMISSION UNDER
bri AND obor - mainly aiming at diversifying trade and transit routes
- CHN concerned over slow progress of NPL in implementing agreements; political
fuditiy and instability in the country/concerns over appropriate safeguards before
project ws developed.

1.8.2.a) Chief issues with lateral entry system - failures of the policy framework
- Lateral entry is not new; has happened on ad hoc basis
- Framework policy reuired if govt. plans to institutionalise it
- Clauses contradictory as post calls for specific knowledge but is appointing
joint secretaries to general departments (domain expertise is salient only in a
very narrow context) ; instead specific training could be given to those showing
aptitude in certain subjects nd recruited accordingly
- Selection process to be objective, as presently under the UPSC; IAS has never
been questioned except for accusations of coonial overhang
- Similar to spoils system, but will hhurt bureacrats who will have to report to
them, inspite of greater service - opposes continuity of the UPSC; acts a back oor
entry to the system
- accountability is nil aas 3-5 years of policy making will not ensure continuing
systems are put in place
- Social obligations of govt. comes to forefront, as SC/ST/OBC quotas cannot be
taken into account - also, issues of policies not considering lower classes comes
int oquestion
- such entry will also politicise the issue, which can lead to an erosion of the
check that the UPSC offers
- Problem that the new policy hopes to fix remains vague - vagueness ill lead to
meandering efforts and ad hoc induction on a larger scale
- distant cousin to committed bureacracy approach of the 1970s, which goes counter
to the spirit of governance under constituent assembly
- Traditionally expert opinions were availsed thro consultative process
- Based on assumptuion that civil servants are generalists and ill suited to deal
with policy implications of new learning - domain expert requirement
- policy aim to augment manpower means lateral entry may be a s wide as regular
recruitment and inducted regularly

1.11.2.a) What is the lateral entry system for civil servants of the DPT?
1.11.2.b) Chief O&Ts present in the system ; is it bad or good?
- reflects along with simultaneous election call an impatience with the system put
in place by the constitutent assemblty, which favoured accountabilty over
expeditiousness. Responsible govt > efficient govt was a founding father principle
---> this is why the parliamentary was favoured over the presidential system
(BRAMBEDKAR - FORMER IS unstable but more responsible and vice vera)
- Three checks on govt - judiciaial indpendence, subject executive to constant
scrutiny of legislative; bureacratic neutrlity ---> the wraith of quo warrato is
the stuff of nightmares for most civil servants and the only way to keep them in
check - lateral entry erodes this accountability
- a) state officersb) psu/reserach body employees c) mncs individuals are open to
apply - but fidelity, accountability and neutrality worsens down the line.
- could erode the democratic nature of the service sacrificing nation building for
accountability at the cost of the weaker classes
1.11.1.c) Policy framework that must be suggested?

Role of the Special Representative in J&K (Earlier news)

1.12.3.a) The lowdown on the Yemen Houthi war


1.12.3.b) Moves by Arab coalition forces aimed at bringing down the Houthis
- Battle spilt into residential districts as Houthis had brought tanks in;
- Arab coalition seized the airport/port from Houthi rebels
- Now destroying Houthi fortifications
- Humanitarian agency services affected as people flee, lack of accountability and
problems of a potential cholera break remain rampant in the absence of water
supplies
1.12.3.c) India's role in such movements
1.12.3.d) Lack of international organization outcry on moves against terrorism that
impinge upon another country's sovereignty

N.Korea-China hold further talks on opening up economy (FEN)

1.13.1.a) Factors affecting gross domestic product


- Recent increasing oil prices will hit disposable income, leading to the
cocntraction of domestic spending
- private consumption contributed 60% to GDP in last fiscal
- Normal monsoon could mitigate issues by curbing food inflation

1.13.1.b) Inflation: Reasons for and impacts of inflation


1.13.1.c) Policy response for protecting the economy from rising oil
prices/inflation
1.13.1.d) Disposable incomes

1.13.3.a) Demonetization and its fallout/impacts/results


1.13.3.b) International fallout of demonetization
- RMA of Bhutan washe dits hands of Indian currency saying it was not responsible
for relenishing any money declared invalid by the RBI
- Also requested people to be careful due to the circulation of counterfeit 5000 rs
notes outside the country, as Rupee is legal tender in Bhutan
1.13.3.c) Case studies of similar demonetization problems/solutions in other
countries

1.18.3.a) The use of cannabis for medicinal purposes


1.18.3.a) Case stuies on the legalization of marijuana/cannabis/hashish over non-
recreational use
1.18.3.a) Debates over recreational use of above medicines

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