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CURRENT AFFAIRS
DECEMBER 2014

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
NATURAL ECONOMIC ZONE (NEZ) ..................................................................................................................................7
HORNBILL FESTIVAL ................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
INITIATIVES FOR NORTHEAST REGION .................................................................................................................................................. 7
NATIONAL LOK ADALAT ....................................................................................................................................................7
BHAGAVAD GITA AS NATIONAL SCRIPTURE ..............................................................................................................7
SUBRAMANIAN COMMITTEE ............................................................................................................................................8
GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) FOOD CROPS ....................................................................................................................................... 8
MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE................................................................................................................................. 8
STILLWELL ROAD: ................................................................................................................................................................9
GLOBAL FINANCIAL INTEGRITY ......................................................................................................................................9
ANTI-HIJACKING (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2014 .......................................................................................................... 10
INDIA BANS IS ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10
ORDINANCE TO AMEND LAND ACT ............................................................................................................................. 10
WHAT DOES THE ORDINANCE MEAN? ................................................................................................................................................ 11
ORDINANCE TO HIKE FDI IN INSURANCE TO 49%................................................................................................. 11
THE COAL ALLOCATION ORDINANCE ......................................................................................................................... 12
MAKE IN-HOUSE PROBE PROCEDURE PUBLIC: ....................................................................................................... 12
WHAT IS IN-HOUSE PROCEDURE?....................................................................................................................................................... 12
THE REASONS WOULD BE ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13
RAPE, RHETORIC AND REALITY ................................................................................................................................... 13
INTER-COUNTRY DATA REPORT ON RAPE .......................................................................................................................................... 13
RECENT SURVEY AND FINDINGS .......................................................................................................................................................... 13
ANALYSIS OF THE FACTS ....................................................................................................................................................................... 13
RAPE WITHIN MARRIAGES:................................................................................................................................................................... 13
UNODC ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
KASHMIR ISSUE .................................................................................................................................................................. 14
WHAT IS THE MAIN PROBLEM?.................................................................................................................................................. 14
MAKING MAKE IN INDIA HAPPEN .............................................................................................................................. 15
FOR AN INDUSTRIAL POLICY: ............................................................................................................................................................... 15
GOOD GOVERNANCE DAY................................................................................................................................................ 16
THE RAJASTHAN PANCHAYATI RAJ (SECOND AMENDMENT), ORDINANCE 2014 ...................................... 16
FARM LOAN WAIVER HITS CREDIT FLOW ................................................................................................................ 17
URBAN DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................................................... 17
SUGAMYA BHARAT CAMPAIGN..................................................................................................................................... 17
ORDINANCE TO AMEND LAW ON ARBITRATION ................................................................................................... 18
DEVELOPMENT AS A PEOPLES MOVEMENT: ........................................................................................................... 18
BRICS VARSITIES LIST..................................................................................................................................................... 19
AL-SHABAB .......................................................................................................................................................................... 20
MALDIVES JOINS SILK ROAD PROJECT ....................................................................................................................... 20
UNGA RESOLUTION ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS: ......................................................................................................... 20
WATER AID TO THE MALDIVES: ............................................................................................................................... 21

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CHINA AND SRI LANKA TIES: ......................................................................................................................................... 21

INDIAN OCEAN ZONE OF PEACE (IOZOP): ................................................................................................................. 21
CHINA READIES SEA-BASED NUCLEAR DETERRENT AGAINST U.S................................................................... 21
KIEV NO LONGER NON-ALIGNED ................................................................................................................................ 22
PAKISTAN- RUSSIA ENERGY DEAL ............................................................................................................................... 22
INDIA MAY END SUPPORT TO PALESTINE AT U.N. ................................................................................................ 22
INDIA, GERMANY INK GREEN ENERGY PACT ........................................................................................................... 23
WHAT IS GREEN ENERGY PROJECT? ................................................................................................................................................... 23
ISRAEL FINED FOR LEBANON OIL SPILL .................................................................................................................... 23
ATTACK ON SCHOOL IN THE PAKISTAN .................................................................................................................... 23
INDIAS REACTION: ................................................................................................................................................................................ 24
WHAT IS TEHRIK-I-TALIBAN PAKISTAN (TTP)?........................................................................................................................ 24
U.S., CUBA AGREE TO RE-ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC TIES..................................................................................... 24
IRAN NUCLEAR TALKS RESUME IN GENEVA ............................................................................................................. 24
BRITAIN TO SET UP PERMANENT MILITARY BASE IN WEST ASIA .................................................................. 24
U.S., NATO COMBAT ROLE ENDS ................................................................................................................................... 25
INDIA LAST AMONG BRICS IN WEB INDEX................................................................................................................ 25
INDIA- BANGLADESH LAND BOUNDARY DISPUTE: ............................................................................................... 25
LAND BOUNDARY AGREEMENT (LBA) OF 1974............................................................................................................................. 25
2011 PROTOCOL TO THE EXISTING 1974 LAND BOUNDARY AGREEMENT ................................................................................ 26
THE CONSTITUTION (119TH AMENDMENT) BILL, 2013 .............................................................................................................. 26
15TH INDIA-RUSSIA ANNUAL SUMMIT: ....................................................................................................................... 26
STRAIN IN INDO-RUSSIA TIES .............................................................................................................................................................. 27
TAX ADMINISTRATION AND REFORM COMMISSION (TARC) 3RD REPORT: ................................................ 28
TRADE RECEIVABLES DISCOUNTING SYSTEM (TREDS): ..................................................................................... 28
ASHOK LAHIRI COMMITTEE: ......................................................................................................................................... 29
CONSTRUCTION SECTOR: ............................................................................................................................................... 29
MGNREGS REFORM: .......................................................................................................................................................... 29
LIMITING MGNREGS TO POOREST ................................................................................................................................................. 30
STUDIES: .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 30
SBI LAUNCHES HOME-GROWN INDEX TO TRACK ECONOMIC TRENDS .......................................................... 31
WORLD ECONOMIC SITUATION AND PROSPECTS 2015 (WESP) REPORT .................................................... 31
INFLATION ........................................................................................................................................................................... 31
MAKE FOR INDIA................................................................................................................................................................ 31
SITUATION OF AGRICULTURAL HOUSEHOLDS: ...................................................................................................... 32
FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY: ................................................................................................................................................................... 33
ONLY 17% HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE COVER ....................................................................................................... 33
WORLD BANK ESTIMATE:..................................................................................................................................................................... 33
NEW GST BILL:- .................................................................................................................................................................. 34
SALIENT FEATURES OF THE 2014 BILL INCLUDE: ........................................................................................................................... 34
RATIONALIZATION OF PETROLEUM SUBSIDY REGIME ....................................................................................... 36
SUBSIDY AS PER CENSUS 2011 ........................................................................................................................................................ 36

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FREE MARKET MODEL HAS FAILED: KAUSHIK BASU ........................................................................................... 36

CHEAP OIL AND STRATEGIC RESERVES ..................................................................................................................... 37
RECENT DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................................................................................................................ 37
CASH TRANSFERS CAN WORK BETTER THAN SUBSIDIES ................................................................................... 37
CURBS ON GOLD IMPORTS DRIVE SMUGGLING: CENTRE .................................................................................... 37
MUNICIPAL BONDS............................................................................................................................................................ 38
NON-COOPERATIVE BORROWER ................................................................................................................................. 38
NATIONAL WATERWAY-5............................................................................................................................................... 38
PRESENT STATUS ................................................................................................................................................................................... 38
LINK POLICIES TO BEHAVIOUR FOR BETTER OUTCOMES: WORLD BANK.................................................... 40
FINDINGS OF REPORT ............................................................................................................................................................................ 40
RECOMMENDATION ............................................................................................................................................................................... 41
RIGHT TO DIE:..................................................................................................................................................................... 41
SILICOSIS............................................................................................................................................................................... 42
RETHINK THE DEATH PENALTY .................................................................................................................................. 42
ARGUMENT FOR ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY ............................................................................................................................. 42
INDIA GAVE THE FOLLOWING REASONS FOR ITS RETENTIONIST POSITION: ................................................................................. 43
WHY IS THIS JUSTIFICATION INADEQUATE? ...................................................................................................................................... 43
SOCIAL JUSTICE BENCH ................................................................................................................................................... 43
CHILD MARRIAGE .............................................................................................................................................................. 44
RISE IN GLOBAL INEQUALITY ........................................................................................................................................ 44
IMPORTANT FINDINGS ........................................................................................................................................................................... 45
AN INCREASE IN WAGES WOULD IMPACT ON ..................................................................................................................................... 45
RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................................................................................................... 45
ABOUT ILO ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 45
NEW HIV CASES DOWN BY 57 PER CENT ................................................................................................................... 45
ABILITY OF HIV TO CAUSE AIDS SLOWING ............................................................................................................... 46
WEAKENING MUTATION ....................................................................................................................................................................... 46
JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS ............................................................................................................................................... 46
FALL IN IMR ......................................................................................................................................................................... 46
FLUOROSIS RISK ................................................................................................................................................................ 47
NUTRITIONAL INTAKE GROWS IN INDIA .................................................................................................................. 48
ACTION PLAN FOR DIARRHEA AND PNEUMONIA ................................................................................................. 49
MISSION INDRADHANUSH .............................................................................................................................................. 49
INDIAN WOMEN DEAD AFTER MASS STERILISATION .......................................................................................... 50
KERALA MODEL ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 50
IMPROVING THE PROGRAMME ............................................................................................................................................................. 50
A GLOBAL BURDEN OF DISEASE STUDY 2013 ......................................................................................................... 50
INDIA TO REACH REPLACEMENT LEVELS OF FERTILITY BY 2020 .................................................................. 51
FINDINGS ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 51
DATA ON INFANT MORTALITY RATE (IMR):-................................................................................................................................... 52
DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION ................................................................................................................................................................ 52
INFANT MORTALITY RATE (IMR) ...................................................................................................................................................... 52
VENUS MISSION: ................................................................................................................................................................. 53
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CORAL REEFS: ..................................................................................................................................................................... 53

2004 INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI:.................................................................................................................................... 53
WHAT IS TSUNAMI? .............................................................................................................................................................................. 54
INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI OF 2004: .................................................................................................................................................... 54
STEPS TAKEN: ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 54
RUSTUM2 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 55
PANCHI .................................................................................................................................................................................. 55
SONY HACKING A SERIOUS SECURITY ISSUE: U.S ................................................................................................... 55
GREEN CLIMATE FUND TO CONSIDER CONTRIBUTIONS FROM PRIVATE SECTOR .................................... 55
RENEWABLE ENERGY ....................................................................................................................................................... 56
THIRTY METRE TELESCOPE (TMT) PROJECT .......................................................................................................... 56
INDIAS PARTICIPATION: ....................................................................................................................................................................... 56
ORION .................................................................................................................................................................................... 57
GSAT-16 ................................................................................................................................................................................ 57
ABOUT GSAT-16: ................................................................................................................................................................................. 57
GSLV MARK III..................................................................................................................................................................... 57
ABOUT GSLV MARK III ........................................................................................................................................................................ 57
RECENT LAUNCH: ................................................................................................................................................................................... 57
IMPORTANCE OF LAUNCH: .................................................................................................................................................................... 58
INTERNET FREEDOM IN INDIA IMPROVES SLIGHTLY .......................................................................................... 59
PLUTO-BOUND SPACECRAFT ENDS HIBERNATION TO START MISSION ....................................................... 59
FIRST GREEN DIESEL-POWERED FLIGHT................................................................................................................ 60
STEM CELLS HOLD NEW HOPE FOR BALDNESS....................................................................................................... 60
BIO-DIGESTER TOILETS .................................................................................................................................................. 61
NEW EVIDENCE OF WATER ON MARS: NASA ........................................................................................................... 62
INTERNET SHOULD BE 'HUMAN RIGHT' .................................................................................................................... 62
MICROPLASTIC POLLUTION ENDANGERING MARINE LIFE ................................................................................ 62
TAJ: THE POLLUTANTS CAUSING DISCOLOURATION IDENTIFIED .................................................................. 63
HAINAN GIBBON................................................................................................................................................................. 63
KEPLER MISSION................................................................................................................................................................ 63
WHAT IS EXO-PLANET?.................................................................................................................................................................. 63
AGNI-IV .................................................................................................................................................................................. 64
SPECIFICATIONS ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 64
AGRIFOUND PARVATI-2 .................................................................................................................................................. 64
HAYABUSA2 ......................................................................................................................................................................... 64
GLONASS K ........................................................................................................................................................................... 64
INTEGRATED MONITORING OF TERRORISM (I-MOT) .......................................................................................... 65
CO2 EMISSIONS ................................................................................................................................................................... 65
FINDINGS ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 65
INDIA FACTS FROM THE REPORT ......................................................................................................................................................... 65
SUNDARBANS OIL SPILL .................................................................................................................................................. 65
WHAT IS OIL-SPILL? ............................................................................................................................................................................. 66
IMPACTS ON MARINE LIFE ................................................................................................................................................................... 66
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RECOVERY ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 66
NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL (NGT) .......................................................................................................................... 66
GREEN PHABLET ................................................................................................................................................................ 67
WHITE-FI TECHNOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................... 67
PLANT PROTECTION CODE ............................................................................................................................................ 67

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POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

NATURAL ECONOMIC ZONE (NEZ)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the entire Northeast region has a Natural Economic Zone (NEZ) and said
that it would be his priority to nourish the NEZ and tap its potential for the benefit of the region.
The Prime Minister said that while other parts of the country have SEZ (Special Economic Zone) which are manmade, the NEZ in Northeast are natural but yet to be tapped. He also described the Northeast region as Indias
capital of organic agriculture and said six new agriculture colleges would set up in the region.
HORNBILL FESTIVAL
It is a celebration held every year in the first week of December, in Nagaland, North-east India. Hornbill Festival
is held at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama which is about 12 km from Kohima. All the tribes of Nagaland take part
in this festival. The aim of the festival is to revive and protect the rich culture of Nagaland and display its
extravaganza and traditions. The Festival is named after the hornbill, the globally respected bird and which is
displayed in folklore in most of the states tribes.
INITIATIVES FOR NORTHEAST REGION
A modern apparel and garment manufacturing centre would be set up immediately in the State capitals of
Assam, Nagaland and Sikkim.
Ishan Uday special scholarships for 10,000 students from the Northeast, and the Ishan Vikas scheme for
facilitating exposure visits of 2000 students and 500 teachers of colleges in the region to other parts of the
country every year.

NATIONAL LOK ADALAT

The Second National Lok Adalat held across the country amicably settled about 1.25 crore pending and prelitigation cases and brought financial relief of over Rs. 3,000 crore to ordinary litigants in a single day.
The Adalat held over the day and organised by the National Legal Service Authority (NALSA) has reduced backlog
by about nine percent in all the States
The cases settled out of court include family disputes, matrimonial cases, motor accident claims, bank
recoveries, petty criminal matters, revenue matters, disbursement of payment under the MGNREGA and other
government welfare schemes.
In November 2013, around 71 lakh cases were settled in the First National LokAdalat.lc

BHAGAVAD GITA AS NATIONAL SCRIPTURE

Ms. Swaraj had pressed for the Centre to declare the Bhagavad Gita as a Rashtriya Granth (national scripture), a
demand which sparked a controversy.
Analysis

That gods and goddesses should not be invoked as part of the national ethos was made clear even at the
stage of the framing of Indias Constitution.
When a suggestion was made to begin the Preamble of the Constitution in the name of God, there was
strong opposition from many members of the Constituent Assembly.

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As one member who argued against invoking God in the Preamble put it, such a course of action is
inconsistent with the Preamble which promises liberty to thought, expression, belief, faith and worship
to everyone.
Preamble which promises liberty to thought, expression, belief, faith and worship to everyone.
Freedom of conscience that is guaranteed under the Constitution includes the right to practise any or no
religion, and seeking to elevate a sacred scripture of any one religion as Indias national scripture is
tantamount to undermining the secular basis of the Constitution.
As a secular democracy, India cannot possibly adopt as its national scripture a book revered by any one
religion.
Many political parties have opposed the move of central government to declare the Bhagavad Gita as
national scripture.
India is a multi-religious country. Government cant impose one scripture as the book of national
scripture

SUBRAMANIAN COMMITTEE
A four-member high-level committee has been set up under former Cabinet Secretary T.S.R. Subramanian to
examine six laws administered by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change.
The six laws to be put under the scanner are Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; Forest (Conservation) Act,
1980; Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; and The Air
(Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Indian Forest Act (IFA) of 1927.
GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) FOOD CROPS
The government-appointed High-Level Committee has sounded a note of caution on genetically modified (GM)
food crops
The role of the Environment Ministry may have to be one of a Devils Advocate to advise due caution.
It also noted that Europe does not permit field trials and that the average Indian farm is of very small size (which
could lead to severe adverse impact on biodiversity through gene-flow).
Since there are no independent expert agencies in the country, perhaps the Environment Ministry may ask for
greater assurance in respect of potential adverse effects in the medium and long run.
MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE

Proposing a near complete overhaul of the regulatory system

It has proposed new law, the Environment Laws (Management) Act (ELMA). Under this, the application
for environmental clearances expects the applicant to be honest and truthful the concept of utmost
good faith is statutorily introduced, and the consequences of breach are also set out.
The committee has suggested setting up of special environment courts presided over by a sessions judge
and higher penalties.
It proposes to create new agencies, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) at the
national level and the State Environment Management Authority (SEMA) as the pivotal authorities to
process applications for a one-window composite environmental clearance.
The NEMA and SEMA will replace the Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Boards.
The panel also takes away the role of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which, under the proposed
ELMA, will only be able to judicially review the decisions of the Appellate Boards.
The special environment courts shall dispose of cases expeditiously within six months. The aggrieved
parties may approach an appellate board presided over by a retired High Court judge.
The proposed new law will have an overriding effect on all other relevant laws.

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The HLC has said that for linear projects, it is recommended that FRA needs amendment to consider removal of
the condition of Gram Sabha approval.

Forest and environmental clearances should time bound and streamlined.

Wildlife Management plans to be made mandatory;
The demarcation of eco sensitive zones to be enforced around all protected areas and
Proposed the banning of polythene bags and plastic bottles into protected areas.

On the question of public hearing, the HLC recommends that the method of public consultation prescribed in the
existing notification should continue with the modification that only environmental, rehabilitation and
resettlement issues are captured in the public hearing.
A mechanism should be put in place to ensure that "only genuine local participation" is permitted.
The HLC also called for streamlining of the assessment process, preparation a perspective coal plan from a
sustainable point of view, creating an Environment Reconstruction Fund for facilitating research, standard
setting, education and related matters, and putting in place systems for managing solid waste.
Criticism: Many civil society organizations had questioned about the committee recommendations and accused
that government for diluting existing laws for the benefits of corporate that exclude local people and it will
hamper the already stressed natural environment.

STILLWELL ROAD:
Stillwell route built during the Second World War. Union Minister of State for Home pushed for the re-opening
of the Stillwell road, as a trade route from Assam to Chinas Yunnan province. When the Stillwell Road was
closed in 1962 [after the Sino-Indian war], the movement of border trade was also restricted. Re-opening this
road would open up numerous options.
Describing residents of the seven North-Eastern States as prisoners of their own frontiers, Minister of State for
Home called for a two-pronged approach to end the isolation of the States. Internally, we urgently require the
integration of our own country.

GLOBAL FINANCIAL INTEGRITY

Global Financial Integrity (GFI) is a non-profit, research and advocacy organization located in Washington, D.C..
GFI advocates and conducts research on national and multilateral policies, safeguards, and agreements aimed at
curtailing illicit financial flows and enhancing global development and security.
Global Financial Integrity (GFI) has ranked the country third globally with an estimated USD 94.76 billion (nearly
Rs 6 lakh crore) illicit wealth outflows in 2012.
As a result, the cumulative illicit money moving out of the country over a ten-year period from 2003 to 2012 has
risen to USD 439.59 billion (Rs 28 lakh crore), as per the latest estimates released by the Global Financial
Integrity (GFI).
Illicit financial flows are the most damaging economic problem plaguing the worlds developing and emerging
economies.
These outflows-already greater than the combined sum of all FDI and ODA flowing into these countries are
sapping roughly a trillion dollars per year from the worlds poor and middle-income economies.

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ANTI-HIJACKING (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2014

The new legislation to amend the anti-hijack law has been brought to incorporate latest global treaties like the
Beijing Protocol, 2010, of the UN body International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which have been signed
and ratified by India.
The protocol, which provides for stringent measures to deal with civilian aircraft being used as a weapon of mass
destruction by terrorists, was brought about after incidents like the hijack of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 in 1999
and the Sep 11, 2001 terror strike in the US.
The bill also gives powers to concerned agencies and security forces to immobilise an aircraft and allow the
Indian Air Force to scramble its fighters to intercept a hijacked aircraft and force it to land.
A hostile plane could also be shot down if there was evidence that it could be used as a missile to hit a vital
installation.

INDIA BANS IS
The Islamic State (IS) or ISIS terror group has been banned in India under the Unlawful Activities [Prevention]
Act, days after a Bangalore techie was allegedly found tweeting in support of the terrorist organization.
What is ISIS? - Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) or Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is a Sunni
Islamist rebel group that controls territory in Iraq and Syria and also operates in eastern Libya, the Sinai
Peninsula of Egypt, and other areas of the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
In June 2014, the group renamed itself the Islamic State (IS) but the new name has been widely criticized and
condemned, with the UN, various governments, and mainstream Muslim groups refusing to use it.
Groups leader is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Groups strength is estimated to be 20,00031,000 with in Iraq and Syria.

ORDINANCE TO AMEND LAND ACT

Seeking to strike a balance between farmers welfare and the strategic and developmental needs of the country,
the Union Cabinet cleared an ordinance to unshackle defence, infrastructure and rural power projects caught in
land acquisition procedures.
The Cabinet has amended the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation
and Resettlement Act, 2013.
Amendments have now relaxed the requirements of consent and Social Impact Assessment survey for projects in
the following areas:

Defence and defence production

Rural infrastructure (including rural electrification)
Affordable housing
Industrial corridors
Social infrastructure projects including PPPs in which ownership rests with the government

Land Act amendment widens scope of relief

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Under the 2013 Act, compensations were hiked up to four times and twice the market value in rural
areas and urban areas, respectively.
The 2013 law had also required consent from 70 per cent of the affected land owners in case of their
lands being acquired for a public private partnership (PPP) project. If the acquisition was meant for
private companies, consent from 80 per cent of the affected owners was required.
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The provision also mandated a Social Impact Assessment survey to be held along with the process of
getting the families' consent. The Act said its objective was to transform the process of land acquisition
into a humane, participative, informed and transparent process.
Section 105 of the existing Act has been amended to include 13 statutes previously exempted from the
rigours of payment of compensation. These Acts were listed in the Fourth Schedule of the existing Act.

WHAT DOES THE ORDINANCE MEAN?

For Industries

Ordinance envisages projects in defence, rural housing and industrial corridors as exempt from seeking
80% approval from affected persons.
Private hospitals, educational institutions and hotels will be included under definition of public purpose,
and exempt from SIA.
The Ordinance aims to make land acquisition easier for industries, as delays in approvals have restricted
growth in industry and infrastructure, according to stakeholders.

For Farmers

Farmers' compensation will remain the same four times the market rate for urban areas, and twice
for rural areas.
13 statutes that were previously exempted from the rigours of compensation have now been included.
Multi-crop land can be acquired for five purposes without consent of affected families: national security,
defence, rural infrastructure, industrial corridors and social infrastructure.

Criticism:
Opposition parties and various civil society organizations have criticized the amendment. They fear that land will
be forcefully acquired not only for public but also for private purpose.
Land can now be acquired for these projects without having to exhaust the pre-acquisition processes that had
been put in place, namely the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and the determination of prior informed consent
from affected families
In the name of economic reforms and development, the government has taken a significant step backward in
Indias march to land justice. An ordinance pushed through in this manner violates all democratic norms.

ORDINANCE TO HIKE FDI IN INSURANCE TO 49%

The Insurance Bill, which has been pending since 2008 in the RajyaSabha, seeks to increase the composite
foreign investment limit in insurance companies to 49 per cent from current level of 26 per cent.
Government approved promulgation of an Ordinance to hike Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) cap in the
insurance sector to 49 per cent from 26 per cent. The 49 per cent cap would include both FDI and foreign
portfolio investments.
The proposed hike in foreign investment limit to 49 per cent in the insurance sector has potential to attract up to
USD 7-8 billion (about Rs 50,000 crore) from overseas investors.
There are 52 insurance companies operating in India, of which 24 are in the life insurance business and 28 in
general insurance business. In addition, GIC is the sole national reinsurer.

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THE COAL ALLOCATION ORDINANCE

The coal allocation ordinance was passed by the Lok Sabha but it was not allowed to be taken up for discussion
in the Rajya Sabha. That ordinance has been re-promulgated. It will facilitate e-auction of coal blocks to private
companies for captive use and allot mines directly to PSUs.
Background
The Union Cabinet recommended the promulgation of an Ordinance to acquire the land of those 214 coal blocks
mines the allocations of which the Supreme Court had quashed. It also approved a plan for e-auctioning the
cancelled blocks to end-user private players of coal from the power, steel and cement sectors.
Government entities including public sector units such as NTPC and State Electricity Boards, however, will not
have to go through the auction route as a pool of coal mines will be reserved for allocations to them from the
cancelled blocks.
The proceeds from the e-auction will go entirely to the state government where the coal mines are located
including Jharkhand, Orrisa, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh. The Centre will not receive any part of the proceeds.
This will lead to financial empowerment of these states.

MAKE IN-HOUSE PROBE PROCEDURE PUBLIC:

The Supreme Court, in a judgment, directed its Registry to make public the in-house procedure followed for
investigation of complaints, including sexual harassment at workplace, against judges and Chief Justices of High
Courts.
WHAT IS IN-HOUSE PROCEDURE?
The in-house procedure, crystallised in a 1995 Supreme Court judgment in the C. Ravichandran Iyer case,
details the various stages of investigation into complaints against sitting high court judges.
Under the procedure, the Chief Justice of the High Court concerned has only a limited authority to give
an opinion on whether or not a deeper probe is required.
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THE REASONS WOULD BE

The in-house procedure of enquiry in the public domain would be in the interest of safeguarding judicial
integrity.
It moulds the procedure against favouritism, prejudice and bias within the judicial system

RAPE, RHETORIC AND REALITY

INTER-COUNTRY DATA REPORT ON RAPE

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has collected cross-country data, with 4.26 %
reported rapes for every 1,00,000 women. This places India at 85 out of 121 countries in 2012 data.
Developing African nations and industrialised western nations: Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and
Sweden topped the list respectively.
The rate of unreported sexual violence in Indian society is far higher and is likely to be a bigger problem
in India than in other countries, as it is a more patriarchal society.

RECENT SURVEY AND FINDINGS

UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, compiled
the rates of unreported partner and non-partner sexual violence across 99 countries.
Sexual violence within relationships is globally more common than that perpetrated by strangers.
Ten per cent of women in India reported having experienced sexual violence by their husbands during
their lifetime. In the UN Women database, this places India at 43 out of 86 countries with comparable
data.

ANALYSIS OF THE FACTS

Though these findings place India towards the middle to lower end of the global scale of sexual violence.
Sexual violence statistics mask the level of sexual threat and resulting insecurity that are constant
companions for women even when they do not result in violent rape.

Lack of female autonomy: According to the India Human Development Survey, one in five women has her name
on her houses papers and four out of five need permission to visit a doctor.
RAPE WITHIN MARRIAGES:

Rape within marriages not considered a crime in India, and the vast majority of women over the age of
15 being married.
Police statistics only represent that small proportion of sexual violence
Rape is also classified as parental criminalisation of consensual sexual relationships, often when it comes
to inter-caste and inter-religious couples.

Instead of pushback against the curtailment of womens freedoms, these are in fact being sacrificed at the altar
of womens safety: Eg: the promotion of toilets inside the house as a measure for womens safety.
Way Forward
If India is serious about allowing something substantive to emerge from the conversation that began two years
ago, it needs to do the following things.

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The recognition that the vast majority of sexual violence experienced by women is within marriage.
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The acknowledgement that while sexual violence exists and every act is unacceptable and deserves
prosecution.
Addressing the problem that culturally embedded restriction on womens autonomy, across caste, class
and religious groups is the right direction to go in, both statistically and morally.

UNODC

UNODC is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime.
It is established in 1997 through a merger between the United Nations Drug Control Programme and the
Centre for International Crime Prevention.
UNODC operates in all regions of the world through an extensive network of field offices.

KASHMIR ISSUE
When Jammu and Kashmir became a part of India in 1947, which was the first time in the 1400-year-old history
of Islam that a Muslim nation became part of a secular, democratic country.
Instead Jammu and Kashmir is where the Indian State today demonstrates its ability as a strong state. The most
shameful demonstration of this was the hanging of Afzal Guru in 2013, who was convicted of a role in the terror
attack on Indian Parliament in 2001.
WHAT IS THE MAIN PROBLEM?
It is acknowledged that there is a problem that needs to be addressed. The following methods can be used to
resolve the issues:

Empower regional mainstream parties

Engage the separatists
Involve Pakistan.

The main problem: The State has become a command economy controlled by a handful of people and
complicated laws, obstructing it from becoming part of mainstream Indias growth trajectory of industrialisation
and infrastructure building.
Cost of Kashmir to Overall Growth

Indias economic power and diplomatic leverage with the Western countries achieved over the last
decade and Pakistans debilitating internal troubles have allowed India space for a maximalist approach
on Kashmir.
The flip side of this calculation is that if it goes wrong, there can be disastrous consequences, particularly
a new wave of militancy.
It's highly unfair to pass on Kashmir issue as one of lack of development in the state. solution to Kashmir
issue will bring peace to the region unless Kashmiris are involved in it at some stage.

Three imaginations:

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The emergence of Kashmir as the crown of a secular, progressive India, where diversity and democracy
are celebrated.
To visualise Kashmir as the final frontier of a Hindu India, to be conquered and controlled that could be
aggressive.

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The most violent and beyond the control of New Delhi, is the possibility of the State becoming a theatre
of the clash of the place where global jihadis pursuing their Islamist dreams clash with the pursuit of a
Hindu nation.

MAKING MAKE IN INDIA HAPPEN

The theory behind Make in India is as simple. India must become a manufacturing powerhouse in order to
gainfully employ its demographic dividend. We have many natural advantages including a big labour pool and a
large domestic market
All we have to do to improve the ease of doing business in India are these stop tax terrorism, improve
infrastructure, reform labour laws, invest in skills development, make it easier to acquire land, implement Goods
and Services Tax (GST) and fast track approvals.
Energy factor:
The nature of manufacturing is changing. Low-cost automation and robotics are making pure labour cost
arbitrage less important. Lead times and a flexibility of supply chains are far more important, leading many
companies to move manufacturing back closer to the big markets, the United States and Europe.
Energy is the new labour in the sense that the cost of energy will significantly drive where things are made. Here,
the U.S. with its huge new shale gas reserves has a big advantage.
Developed countries are also realising how crucial local manufacturing is to jobs and to having stable,
prosperous societies and so there is an attempt to reverse outsourcing and revive local manufacturing by
embracing new technologies and innovations such as 3-D printing and the Internet of things.
FOR AN INDUSTRIAL POLICY:
India must have a clear industrial policy that spells out priority sectors and how we will build competitive
advantage in a way that is consistent with our obligations to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Building on advantages:
Indias industrial policy must recognise where we have important competitive advantages. India is quite
uncompetitive at low skill manufacturing. On the other hand, it is good at making complex things which require
skilled labour and frugal engineering.
We must focus on building competitive advantage and global scale in sectors where we have a large domestic
market and certain inherent capabilities.
Five priority industries:

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Defence, because we are the worlds leading arms importer.

The second critical industry is electronics hardware. India imports $45 billion of mobile phones,
computers and communications hardware; by 2020, this is projected to grow to $300 billion and exceed
our oil import bill.
The third industry is construction. India will invest a trillion dollars over the coming years in improving
infrastructure.
The fourth is health care. Indias generic pharmaceutical industry is world class.
Finally, agro-industries. We are one of the largest agricultural nations. A third of what we grow just rots
and spoils. Investing in agro-industries such as food processing and establishing a reliable cold chain
would make a huge difference in terms of rural employment and food security.

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Creating ecosystems:
Manufacturing is all about hubs that are ecosystems for innovation, specialised skills and supply chains. Where will
Indias hubs be for pharma, for defence, for electronics, for machinery and construction equipment? Pune,
Chennai, Bengaluru and Delhi are already emergent hubs but what will enable them to scale up to compete with
Shenzen and Tianjin?

GOOD GOVERNANCE DAY

The Government has declared that 25 December, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee, will be celebrated as Good Governance Day.

THE RAJASTHAN PANCHAYATI RAJ (SECOND AMENDMENT), ORDINANCE 2014

The Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Second Amendment), Ordinance 2014, that introduces the provision of minimum
qualifications for candidates contesting Panchayat elections.
As per the provision, any individual contesting the ZilaParishad or PanchayatSamiti polls should have a basic
qualification of Class X, while those aspiring to be elected to Panchayats as sarpanch should have passed Class
VIII and anyone contesting the election for sarpanch in the scheduled area should have passed Class V.
The ordinance has been opposed by various political parties and civil society organizations. The following
arguments have been given against ordinance.

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In a democratic country, introducing selective disqualification measures such as the two-child norm and,
now, the minimum education requirement was hindering inclusive participation in governance.
Introducing a disqualification measure of this nature goes against the basic principles enshrined in the
Constitution of India
It violates the fundamental rights guaranteed to every citizen of this country that acts as a check from
any arbitrary action of the State that attempts to place anyone in a disadvantaged position.
Most importantly it violates the principle of affirmative action that is guaranteed under the 73rd and
74th Amendment to the Constitution as well as the CEDAW Convention to which India is a signatory
that calls for eliminating discrimination against women in political and public life.

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In Rajasthan the literacy rate of women in rural areas is only 45.8 per cent, which is lower than the
national literacy rate of 57.93 per cent (Census 2011). In tribal areas, the situation is even worse with the
literacy rate of women at 25.22 per cent.
By introducing such disqualification criteria, the government excludes some women from the possibility
of exercising their political right to contest elections thereby defeating the very purpose of the 50 per
cent reservation of seats for women in the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act.

FARM LOAN WAIVER HITS CREDIT FLOW

Questioning the effectiveness of the governments farm debt waiver programmes, Reserve Bank Governor
Raghuram Rajan said that such schemes had constrained credit flow to farmers.

On farmers suicide, he said there was a need to study this important and sensitive issue. One question is how
else we should deal with over-indebtedness in the farm sector. Also worth examining is the very important issue
of farmers suicide. How much they are caused by indebtedness, especially to the formal [banking] system, how
much does the formal system alleviate indebtedness.

URBAN DEVELOPMENT

The Right to the City campaign aims at making urban spaces more inclusive, keeping in mind the lakhs of
migrants that move here from rural India every year. Half of the countrys population will call urban India home
by 2025. From recreational spaces to adequate housing, making the rights of an urban citizen integral to
planning is the agenda of the campaign. Right to city campaign advocated people-centric approach for urban
development.

SUGAMYA BHARAT CAMPAIGN

Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) is the nationwide campaign for achieving universal
accessibility for all citizens including Persons with Disabilities, to be able to gain access and live independently.
The Accessible India Campaign comprises of the following key components:17

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Create Mass Awareness

Capacity Building
Interventions (Technology solutions, Legal framework, Resource generation)
Leverage corporate sector efforts including CSR resources.
Leadership endorsements

ORDINANCE TO AMEND LAW ON ARBITRATION

The government has decided to promulgate an Ordinance to amend the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.
The Ordinance is aimed at making it mandatory for commercial disputes to be settled within nine months and
also putting a cap on fee of arbitrator.
The proposed amendments stipulate that the presiding officer of a commercial dispute will have to clear the
case within nine months. The arbitrator will be free to seek an extension from the High Court. But in case of
further delays, the High Court will be free to debar the arbitrator from taking up fresh cases for a certain period.
It is being done to send out a signal to foreign investors that settling commercial disputes in India will no longer
be a time-consuming affair.

DEVELOPMENT AS A PEOPLES MOVEMENT:

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Development as a peoples movement will draw upon Indias democratic, demographic and demand
dividends. At the heart of democracy is access to information. To reap the demographic dividend, our
youth should be well nourished. Still we have 46 per cent malnourished children as per National Family
Health Survey 2006 report.
To make Indias population as major consumer base require adequate employment opportunities as per
current statistics only 10 per cent employed in organised sector and almost 30 per cent living below
poverty line.
Modern technology-based industries and services cannot generate employment on a massive scale; also
put huge pressure on natural resources that adversely affect employment in farming, animal husbandry
and fisheries sectors.
According to Joseph Stiglitz, development should result in an enhancement of the totality of a nations
four-fold capital stocks: the capital of material goods, natural capital such as soil, water, forests and fish,
human capital including health, education and employment, and social capital comprising mutual trust
and social harmony. Our current pattern of economic development is by no means a balanced process
resulting in the overall enhancement of the totality of these stocks. The single-minded focus on
industrial growth is not leading to sustainable, harmonious development, but merely nurturing a moneycentred violent economy.
It is therefore imperative that this modern sector must rein in its adverse impacts on labour-intensive,
natural resource-based occupations and livelihoods. The modern capital-intensive, technology-based
economic sector must nurture a symbiotic relationship with the nature-based, labour-intensive sector.
To make development as peoples movement require synergetic use of constitutional framework
(Panchayati Raj ,PESA, FRA and Biological diversity act ) that promote decentralised governance and
work with nature and people to move forward on a path towards genuine development .
In Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts of Maharashtra, a number of tribal and other traditional forestdwelling communities of these districts now have management rights over Community Forest Resources
under the Forest Rights Act. People not only using forest resources for their benefits but also conserving
them.
Cooperative tourism project has been initiated in Verle village of Goa, benefited people at grassroots
level and incentivise locals to protect natural heritage.

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BRICS VARSITIES LIST

The Times Higher Education BRICS & Emerging Economies Rankings 2015, covering 18 countries, has placed
China on top with 27 universities in the top 100.
India now has four universities in the top 40 IISc, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, IIT Roorkee and
Punjab University, Chandigarh and seven more in the top 100. Chinas Peking University and Tsinghua
University occupy the first and second positions.
The rankings are on the lines of the World University Rankings and are composed of 13 performance indicators
grouped into five differently weighted areas: teaching, research, citations, industry income and international
outlook.
Analysis:
Indian universities need a transformational change for them to become relevant in the context of global rankings
of universities. The higher education system in India, including the university governance systems, needs to
consider the following reforms and policy initiatives.

There is an urgent need to recognise that not all universities need to be engaged in the same manner on
different aspects of institution building. Indian universities should not be differentiated based on
whether they are public or private; the differentiation instead should be based on quality, performance
and contribution.
India could consider empowering 50 of its top universities in every possible manner to seek global
excellence.
Regulatory reform: Universities in India need to be made more autonomous; they need freedom, in
every sense of the word, from both government and from regulatory bodies. The agenda of universities
needs to be established by the faculty and students, keeping in mind the needs and aspirations of
everyone in society.
Funding for research: There is a need to substantially increase the amount of funding that is currently
available for research in Indian universities.
Internationalization: It is important that we need to focus on internationalization of faculty members
and students within Indian universities. Higher education internationalization is a priority in much of the
world. India needs to join the race.

There has to be a new imagination for Indian universities one which draws inspiration from the past, but will
also have to look to the future. Transformational change needs to take place at every level of policymaking,
regulation and governance in higher education if Indian universities are serious about seeking global excellence
and achieving higher rankings.

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INDIA AND WORLD / INTERNATIONAL

AL-SHABAB
Meaning "The Youth", or "The Youngsters", is an Islamist terrorist group based in Somalia. In 2012, it pledged
allegiance to the militant Islamist organization al-Qaeda. The group is an off-shoot of the Islamic Courts
Union (ICU), which splintered into several smaller factions after its defeat in 2006 by the Somali Transitional
Federal Government (TFG) and the TFG's Ethiopian military allies. Al-Shabaab describes itself as
waging jihad against "enemies of Islam", and is engaged in combat against the TFG and the African Union
Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). Al-Shabaab killed 36 non-Muslim quarry workers in northern Kenya.

MALDIVES JOINS SILK ROAD PROJECT

The Maldives has joined Chinas 21st Century Maritime Silk Road project, becoming the second nation in Indias
backyard after Sri Lanka to sign up for the multi-billion infrastructure scheme floated by Beijing to firm-up its
influence in the region.
About Silk route

In ancient time, Silk Road was a trading route that connects the East and the West, and such a route
goes both through the Eurasia continent and across the Pacific and Indian Ocean.
Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed in 2013 that China and countries along the ancient Silk Road
would build together the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
The aim is to inject strong impetus in enhancing political mutual trust, deepening economic cooperation,
and promoting cultural as well as people-to-people exchanges among relevant countries through joint
cooperation, common development and regional integration.
All countries along the Silk Road are welcome to plan, develop and benefit together from "the Belt and
Road Initiative".

The Chinese hope to revive a maritime route that would start from its Fujian province, cross the Malacca Straits
and transit through the Indian Ocean via India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Nairobi in Kenya. It would finally cross
the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal to terminate at Venice. Venice would also be end of the New Silk Route
a land corridor that would start in Xian in China and travel through Central Asia, before entering Europe.
What it means to India?

For India, it is a rather vague proposal, which cant make Delhi forget Chinas assertive moves,
particularly the network of military bases and commercial facilities along important sea lines of
communication, from the Chinese mainland to Africa.
India is seriously concerned by the strategic Chinese bases in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh
and the Maldives which was known as string of pearls or maritime silk route.
This is why India has been sceptical of Chinas intentions since rail network extended to Tibet, roadways
to Karachi via Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), Trans-Himalayan economic zone and special maritime
connectivity with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka was also perceived as strategic encircling of India.
Chinas Maritime Silk Route has raised concerns in India, which opposes the militarisation of the Indian
Ocean. Evoking a 1971 UNGA resolution on the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace, Mr.
Doval said it was important to revisit the resolution mooted by Sri Lanka then calling upon great powers
not to allow escalation and expansion of military presence in the Indian Ocean.

UNGA RESOLUTION ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS:

The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved an Arab-backed resolution on December 2 calling on Israel
to renounce possession of nuclear weapons and put its nuclear facilities under international oversight

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It also urged India and Pakistan to accede to it as non-nuclear-weapon States promptly and without conditions
and to place all their nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.
India and Pakistan too, along with the US, have voted against a provision in a UN resolution calling on to
promptly accede to the NPT as non-nuclear-weapon nation without conditions and to place all its nuclear
facilities under IAEA safeguards .

WATER AID TO THE MALDIVES:

India dispatched water aid to the Maldivian capital of Male, after a fire destroyed the generator of its biggest
water treatment plant. While the Maldivian government put out similar calls to the U.S., China and Sri Lanka as
well, India was the first, and best placed to respond.

CHINA AND SRI LANKA TIES:

China has started a major water supply project in Sri Lanka, using its soft power to deepen its relationship with
Colombo.
The China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) has launched the $230-million enterprise the largest
ever undertaken by the Sri Lankan government.
The Chinese company had been earlier involved in the construction of the $ 1.2 billion Lakvijaya coal fired power
plant in Sri Lanka. Analysts say that the new venture is only one of several steps that Beijing and Colombo have
taken to consolidate their relationship.
China sees Sri Lanka as one of the important elements of the 21 century Maritime Silk Road (MSR), which will
connect its Fujian Province with Europe. The MSR would transit through the Indian Ocean via India, Sri Lanka,
Maldives, and Nairobi in Kenya. It would finally terminate in Venice after crossing into the Mediterranean via the
Suez Canal.
China is also engaged in the expansion of Hambantota Port in southern Sri Lanka. The first phase of the
Hambantota port was also financed by China.

INDIAN OCEAN ZONE OF PEACE (IOZOP):

U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2832 (XXVI) declaring the Indian Ocean as a zone of peace, and which
has called upon the great powers not to allow an escalation and an expansion of military presence in the Indian
Ocean.

CHINA READIES SEA-BASED NUCLEAR DETERRENT AGAINST U.S.

China is set to reinforce its nuclear second-strike capability by mounting on some of its submarines long-range
ballistic missiles, which could target the U.S.

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So far, China could strike the U.S. only with land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles. But with western
advancements in surveillance that could track their location and movements, these weapons had become
vulnerable to a U.S. first strike, gravely undermining Beijings nuclear deterrence.
The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission has concluded that the Chinese are set to acquire a
reliable, hard-to-destroy sea-based deterrent.

KIEV NO LONGER NON-ALIGNED

Ukraines President signed a bill dropping his nations non-aligned status but signalled that he will hold a
referendum before seeking NATO membership.

PAKISTAN- RUSSIA ENERGY DEAL

For the first time, Pakistan and Russia have signed an energy deal worth $1.7 billion to lay a gas pipeline from
Karachi to Lahore. The energy agreement was signed during the day-long visit of Sergei Shoigu, the first visit by a
Russian Defence Minister to Pakistan in 45 years.

INDIA MAY END SUPPORT TO PALESTINE AT U.N.

In what could amount to a tectonic shift in the countrys foreign policy, the Modi government is looking at
altering Indias supporting vote for the Palestinian cause at the United Nations to one of abstention.
Despite the growing defence and diplomatic ties with Israel, the UPA government, which junked traditional ally
Iran to vote with the United States at the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2005, had baulked at making
any change in Indias support to the Palestinians.
Even former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayees government, which invited Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to
India in 2003, did not amend Indias voting record at the U.N.

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Indias stance at the U.N. has been an irritant in Indo-Israeli relations, with Tel Aviv frustrated that close bonds
had not resulted in any change in the stance on Palestine.

INDIA, GERMANY INK GREEN ENERGY PACT

The government has taken lessons from the massive power grid failure that hit the North, East and North-East
regions of the country on July 30-31 in 2012 which called for attention to strengthen the electricity distribution
network in the country.

India will receive 625 million from Germany to support green energy infrastructure.
The funds amounting to 500 million will support the Green Energy Corridor project under the IndoGerman Bilateral Development Cooperation.
The GEC project aims to create transmission infrastructure in Indian States with rich renewable energy
potential and facilitate evacuation of renewable energy into the national grid.
Three separate loan agreements, are given to Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan for intra-State transmission
schemes.

WHAT IS GREEN ENERGY PROJECT?

The Green Energy Corridor Project is an upcoming project which aims at synchronising electricity produced from
renewable sources, such as solar and wind, with conventional power stations in the grid.
The Project:
Objective: Synchronising electricity produced from renewable sources, such as solar and wind, with conventional
power stations in the grid. The whole project has been divided into two parts:

Inter State: To be developed by State utilities

Intra State: To be developed by Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL)
Germany, who has expertise in making smart grids that integrate renewable energy into national grid
will be assisting India in this project. Germany has promised provide developmental and technical
assistance of 1 billion for the project.

ISRAEL FINED FOR LEBANON OIL SPILL

Israel was asked by the U.N. General Assembly on Friday to compensate Lebanon for $856.4 million in oil
spill damages, the war attack flooded the Mediterranean coastline with 15,000 tons of oil, it caused
during its 2006 war with Hezbollah.
The non-binding vote, which passed 170-6, asks Israel to offer prompt and adequate compensation to
Lebanon and other countries affected by the oil spills pollution.

ATTACK ON SCHOOL IN THE PAKISTAN

On 16 December 2014, 9 members of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) conducted a terrorist attack on
the Army Public School in the Pakistani city of Peshawar. They entered the school and opened fire on school staff
and children, killing 145 people, including 132 schoolchildren. This was the deadliest terrorist attack ever to
occur in Pakistan, surpassing the 2007 Karachi bombing.
Background:
In June 2014, a joint military offensive was conducted by the Pakistan Armed Forces against various groups in
North Waziristan which has been the site of a wave of violence. The military offensive, Operation Zarb-e-Azb,
was launched in the wake of the 8 June attack on Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, for which the TTP

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claimed responsibility. It is part of the ongoing war in North-West Pakistan in which more than 2,100 have been
killed so far, and, according to the Army, almost 90% of North Waziristan has been cleared.
Aim of Attack: The Pakistani Taliban said it targeted the sons of army officers with a hit list in the massacre of
children at a Peshawar school. More than 50 sons of important army officers were killed after being identified,
the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, said in an e-mailed statement. The auditorium where students of
secondary and higher secondary sections were being taught first aid was targeted. The attacks were mainly
coordinated by TTP leaders operating in Afghanistan.
Responsibility: The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as revenge
for Operation Zarb-e-Azb, the Pakistani military's offensive in North Waziristan that started in summer 2014.
INDIAS REACTION:
Prime Minister condemned in the strongest terms the brutal terrorist attack in a Peshawar school. Prime
Minister said that this savage killing of innocent children, who are the epitome of the finest human values, in a
temple of learning was not only an attack against Pakistan, but an assault against the entire humanity.
WHAT IS TEHRIK-I-TALIBAN PAKISTAN (TTP)?
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) alternatively referred to as the Pakistani Taliban, is an umbrella organization of
various Islamist militant groups based in the northwestern Federally Administered Tribal Areas along the Afghan
border in Pakistan. Most, but not all, Pakistani Taliban groups coalesce under the TTP.

U.S., CUBA AGREE TO RE-ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC TIES

The United States announced a historic thaw in relations with Cuba, saying it would work to re-establish
diplomatic ties with Havana and ease long-standing trade and travel sanctions.
The announcement comes amid a series of new confidence-building measures between the long-time foes,
including the release of American Alan Gross and the freeing of three Cubans jailed in the U.S. The three were
the remaining members of the so-called Cuban Five, a network of spies arrested in 1998 and convicted in 2001.
The United States imposed a trade embargo against Cuba the Cold War foe closest to its shores in 1960 and
the two countries have not had diplomatic relations since 1961.

IRAN NUCLEAR TALKS RESUME IN GENEVA

World powers resumed negotiations with Iran on Wednesday over Tehrans disputed nuclear programme, more
than three weeks after they last met and gave themselves another seven months to strike a deal.
Political directors of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany the so-called
P5+1 held a one-day meeting in Geneva with the Iranians, mediated by the European Union (EU).
The P5+1 failed to meet a November 24 deadline for a comprehensive deal with Iran last months and gave
themselves seven more months until June 30, 2015 to strike a deal.

BRITAIN TO SET UP PERMANENT MILITARY BASE IN WEST ASIA

Britain will broaden its military footprint in West Asia with the establishment of a permanent military base at the
Mina Salman Port in Bahrain.
It will be Britains first permanent military base in West Asia since it withdrew from the region in 1971, closing all
bases east of the Suez.

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The naval base will become the springboard for Britains involvement in West Asia, most importantly its
operations in Iraq as part of the U.S.-led collation against the Islamic State.

U.S., NATO COMBAT ROLE ENDS

The U.S. and NATO closed their combat command in Afghanistan, more than 13 years after invading the country
in the wake of the September 11 terror attacks to target al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.
From January 1, the coalition will maintain a force of 13,000 troops in Afghanistan, down from a peak around
140,000 in 2011.
Commander of NATO and U.S. forces, said foreign troops now will focus on training and supporting local Afghan
forces, which have led the fight against the Taliban insurgents since mid-2013.

INDIA LAST AMONG BRICS IN WEB INDEX

India ranks behind China and other BRICS nations in a comprehensive index aimed at measuring the Internets
contribution to social, economic and political progress.

Indias low ranking among BRICS countries in the economic impact sub-index. Affordability is Indias biggest
concern as the cost of broadband access in the country is greater than in countries in the neighbourhood such as
Bangladesh. Making Internet access more affordable is critical for fighting inequality and creating jobs.

INDIA- BANGLADESH LAND BOUNDARY DISPUTE:

India and Bangladesh have a common land boundary of approximately 4,096.7 km. The India-East Pakistan land
boundary was determined as per the Radcliffe Award of 1947.
LAND BOUNDARY AGREEMENT (LBA) OF 1974
It was an agreement signed on May 16, 1974, soon after the independence of Bangladesh, to find a solution to
the complex nature of border demarcation. While Bangladesh ratified the agreement, India didnt as it involved
seceding territory and indicating these precise areas on the ground.

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The 1974 agreement provided that India would retain half of Berubari Union No. 12 and in exchange Bangladesh
would retain the Dahagram and Angarpota enclaves. The Agreement further provided that India would lease in
perpetuity to Bangladesh a small area near Dahagram and Angarpota (the Tin Bigha corridor) for the purpose
of connecting Dahagram and Angarpota with Bangladesh.
2011 PROTOCOL TO THE EXISTING 1974 LAND BOUNDARY AGREEMENT
In September 2011, Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh of India and Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh signed a
protocol on border demarcation and exchange of adversely held enclaves.
By the Land Boundary Agreement of 1974 between the two countries, and the 2011 Protocol to the said
Agreement, India and Bangladesh agreed to exchange these small parcels of land (enclaves) and better
demarcate the land boundary between them. The borders of the Indian States of Assam, West Bengal,
Meghalaya and Tripura will be affected by this exchange of territory.
There are 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh; India has 51
Bangladeshi enclaves. India does not govern the Indian
enclaves in Bangladesh, and vice versa. As a result, these
islands of alien populations have had no access to the
development, job opportunities, laws or rights of either the
country to which they belong or the one that surrounds
them. Instead, they have become a law and order and
security challenge on either side of the border.
A second part of the protocol envisages formalising control of
territory in adverse possession, that is, Bangladesh land
contiguous with the border, inhabited by its citizens and de
facto under its control, but falling on the Indian side of the
border, and vice versa.
THE CONSTITUTION (119TH AMENDMENT) BILL, 2013
The Constitution (119th Amendment) Bill, 2013 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on December 18, 2013. The
Bill amends the First Schedule of the Constitution to give effect to an agreement entered into by India and
Bangladesh on the acquiring and transfer of territories between the two countries on May 16, 1974. The First
Schedule of the Constitution defines the area of each state and union territory which together constitute India.
The India-Bangladesh Agreement was signed in 1974, but was not ratified as it involved transfer of territory
which required a Constitutional Amendment. Hence, the Bill has been introduced
Prime Minister sought to the land swap as an instrument of internal security and a means to prevent illegal
migration. The ratification of the Indo-Bangladesh land boundary agreement will reduce the difficulties in
administering border enclaves, and improve the conditions of those living there.

15 TH INDIA-RUSSIA ANNUAL SUMMIT:

India and Russia on 11 December 2014 signed 20 agreements during the 15th India-Russia Annual Summit held
in New Delhi. The agreements signed included eight agreements between government entities and 12 between
private enterprises.
During the summit, both the countries also vowed to strengthen the special strategic partnership and
unveiled Druzhba-Dosti vision statement for the next decade.
The deals touched most of the fields India and Russia cooperate on, from oil, energy and infrastructure to
military training, even as the two countries set a bilateral trade target of $30 billion between them by the year
2025.
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The opening of Indias rough-diamond procurement policy by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Russia's state-owned Rosatom said it would supply 12 nuclear energy reactors for India over 20 years,
under an agreement aimed at boosting nuclear energy cooperation signed by the two countries during a
summit in New Delhi.

Russia plans to assemble about 400 Kamov Ka-226 T twin-engined Russian helicopters in India.

A plan to manufacture advanced Russian military helicopters and defence spare parts in India.
India and Russia announced a $10-billion oil deal for Indian company Essar with Russian oil giant
ROSNEFT to import about 10 million tonnes of crude oil over the next decade.

STRAIN IN INDO-RUSSIA TIES

Russia has watched with displeasure as India has diversified its military imports, especially when it
comes to helicopter and aircraft purchases.

India was outraged by the Russian decision to lift its embargo on defence sales to Pakistan, and the firstever Russia-Pakistan framework agreement that was finalised in November 2014.

Russia concerned about India's perceived proximity to US.

Russia already supplying Mi-35 choppers to Pakistan.
Russia recently signed $400 billion gas agreement with China.

Though no new defence deals were signed, Mr. Modi said Russia will remain our most important defence
partner. The comment came after months of speculation over a strain in India-Russia defence ties, even though
Russia still accounts for 70% of Indias defence inventory.

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ECONOMY
TAX ADMINISTRATION AND REFORM COMMISSION (TARC) 3RD REPORT:
The Government had constituted Tax Administration Reform Commission (the TARC) headed by Dr.
Parthasarathi Shome, on August, 2013, to suggest core reforms to the tax administration set-up in the Country.
The following measures have been suggested in its 3rd report to check black money and to broaden the taxpayer
base.
Banking cash transaction tax (BCTT) - Proposed levying of banking transaction tax on withdrawal of cash beyond
a specified limit in a day to check black money. BCTT was introduced in June, 2005, to track unaccounted money
and trace its source and destination, but was withdrawn in April, 2009.

Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) - Proposed reintroduction of fringe benefits tax. FBT was introduced in 200506 as a tax paid by employers on employee benefits that do not form part of the salary. It was levied on
a prescribed portion of expenditure on 'fringe benefits' such as employee stock options or ESOPs,
entertainment, festival celebrations, gifts and running of cars and aircraft.
Taxing farmers with large land holdings- Against a tax free limit of Rs.5 lakh on agricultural income,
farmers having income above much higher threshold income, such as Rs.50 lakh, could be taxed.
Against amnesty schemes: Taxpayers keep waiting for amnesty schemes to be announced and take
advantage of these schemes to build their capital. Amnesty schemes also cause inequity among
taxpayers, and there is no proof that they improve taxpayer behaviour among evaders.
A conducive environment and tax culture should be created to encourage unorganised retailers to pay
tax dues voluntarily.
Tax administration measures to improve SMEs tax compliance.
The number of income taxpayers should be doubled, from slightly more than three crore to six crore in
three years.
Wealth tax base could be increased by including intangible financial assets in the base while considerably
raising the threshold and decreasing the wealth tax rate.

TRADE RECEIVABLES DISCOUNTING SYSTEM (TREDS):

To make it easier and faster for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to get their dues, the RBI put out
final guidelines for setting up of a Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS).

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Trade Receivables Discounting System or TReDS - an exchange driven trading mechanism that could end the
agony of lakhs of Small and Medium Enterprises which face endless delays in receiving payments for their
supplies to bigger companies.

TReDS will be like an exchange where an MSME that has some receivables pending from a large
corporate will be able to trade the bill. So, if an MSME has to realise rupees 100 from a corporate, it can
exchange the bill with one of the participating entities on the exchange for, say, rupees 95. The buyer of
the bill will then recover the rupees 100 from the corporate concerned, pocketing the profit of rupees 5.
MSME sellers, corporate buyers and financiers both banks and non-bank (NBFC factors) will be
direct participants in the TReDS.
The Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) should have a minimum paid up equity capital of Rs
25 crore and non-promoters would not hold over 10 per cent of the equity capital of TReDS.
The MSME will benefit because its credit cycle is shortened and it will get a better price on the bill due to
competition.
MSMEs, despite the important role played by them in the economic fabric of the country, faced
constraints in obtaining adequate finance, particularly in terms of their ability to convert their trade
receivables into liquid funds.

ASHOK LAHIRI COMMITTEE:

The Finance Ministry set up a high-level committee to interact with trade and industry on tax related
issues on a regular basis and ascertain areas where clarity in tax laws is required.
The high-level committee will be headed by former Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) in the Ministry of
Finance Ashok Lahiri. Other two members of the committee are Settlement Commissions (Income Tax
and Wealth Tax) retired member Sidhartha Pradhan and Customs and Central Excise retired DG (Audit)
Gautam Ray.
The committee will give recommendations to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Central
Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) for issuance of appropriate clarifications by way of circulars,
instructions on tax issues, it added.

CONSTRUCTION SECTOR:
The government relaxed the FDI policy for construction sector by easing exit norms and reducing built-up area
and capital needs.
Provisions of new policy:

A 100 per cent FDI will now be permitted under the automatic route and this gives them the liberty to
invest in all real estate classes.
The new policy has done away with the three-year lock-in period for repatriation of investment
Under the new policy, the minimum floor area requirement has been reduced to 20,000 square metres
from 50,000 square metres earlier.
It also brought down the minimum capital requirement to $5 million from $10 million.
For affordable homes, the government has exempted the conditions of minimum floor area and capital
requirement if an investee/joint venture companies commit at least 30 per cent of the total project cost
for low-cost housing.

Between April, 2000, and August, 2014, the construction sector received FDI worth $23.75 billion or 10 per cent
of the total FDI attracted by India during the period.

MGNREGS REFORM:
The Union Ministry of Rural Development is likely to introduce a Mobile Monitoring System for effective
implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
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 The monitoring system will be introduced on a pilot basis to allow real time monitoring of all works,
workers attendance and work site measurement.
The move is expected to plug leakages in the rural job scheme. Moreover, the Centre has recently
sanctioned Rs.147 crore to the States to strengthen the social audit structures.
Social audit ensures comprehensive public scrutiny of records and accounts with a view to enhance
transparency and accountability.
To improve the quality of assets created by MGNREGA, government is planning to change labour-material from
60:40 to 50:50.

LIMITING MGNREGS TO POOREST

The Union government is considering restricting the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee
Scheme (MGNREGS) to Indias 200 poorest districts to reduce its financial burden.
India Human Development Survey (IHDS) found that nearly 70 per cent of Indias poor live in better-off districts.

Results from the IHDS suggest that targeting districts is likely to be ineffective and that it may be better to target
households.
Reducing the number of districts would run against a fundamental premise of the Act: gainful employment that
affords basic economic security is a human right
STUDIES:
Accountability Initiatives analysis found that in 2010-11, poorer States such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal
and Madhya Pradesh, which together account for 59 per cent of the countrys rural BPL population, generated
only 34 per cent of employment through MGNREGA. On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, which
house eight per cent of the BPL population, accounted for 23 per cent of the total employment generated that
year.

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SBI LAUNCHES HOME-GROWN INDEX TO TRACK ECONOMIC TRENDS

State Bank of India (SBI) launched a tool that will primarily track manufacturing activity to offer a forwardlooking economic trends, giving the country another monthly economic index.

The SBI Composite Index rivals the existing data point from British finanical services provider HSBC.
The Index will analyse data from both manufacturing and services industries to determine expansion or
contraction in the economy.
The public sector lender has created two indices - the SBI Monthly Composite Index and the SBI Yearly
Composite Index.
The indices will also take into account other indicators of economic activities such as consumer
spending, mining, interest rates, inflation and exchange rates on a monthly basis.
The SBI index has been developed on the basis of the state-run bank's internal loan portfolio, which
mirrors the credit demand in the country, and other data sets available in public domain.
The indices will be released every month after Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) credit growth numbers.
Markers at present depend on HSBC India Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) and HSBC India Services
Business Activity Index to get clues about economic trends.
The indices are on a scale of 0 to 100. Index above 50 implies growth over previous respective period
and less than 50 will suggest a contraction over respective period.

The Index will help policymakers and market participants to identify turning points in the manufacturing cycles in
advance and adjust their investment plans or strategy.

WORLD ECONOMIC SITUATION AND PROSPECTS 2015 (WESP) REPORT

Indias economic growth is expected to improve to 6.3 per cent in 2016 with the country leading economic
recovery in South Asia, according to a United Nations report.
The UN World Economic Situation and Prospects 2015 (WESP) report also said India is likely to make progress in
implementing economic policy reforms and help provide support to business and consumer confidence.

INFLATION
Wholesale Price Index (WPI) represents the price of goods at a wholesale stage i.e. goods that are sold in bulk
and traded between organizations instead of consumers.
Wholesale inflation dropped to a six-year low of zero per cent in November.
The Consumer Price Index-based inflation or Retail inflation in November dropped to 4.38 per cent, the lowest
since the new series of data was introduced in January, 2012, on the back of high-base effect of last year and
softening of prices of food items.

MAKE FOR INDIA

Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan cautioned the government on Prime Minister Narendra Modis Make in
India mantra, suggesting that India would have to look for regional and domestic demand for growth to make
in India primarily for India.

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At this stage, an exports-push strategy for growth would be ineffective; as the industrial world
stagnated; many emerging markets were rethinking their export-led growth model
World as a whole is unlikely to be able to accommodate another export-led China.
Since the global economy was still weak, it would be much less likely to be able to absorb a substantial
additional amount of imports in the foreseeable future.
Export-led growth will not be as easy for India as it was for the Asian economies that took that path
before.
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SITUATION OF AGRICULTURAL HOUSEHOLDS:

The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) released the findings from its 70th Situation of Agricultural
Households in India. The new survey was for the agricultural year 2012-13 and covered 35,000 households. For
this survey, the NSSO defined an agricultural household as one in which at least one member was self-employed
in agriculture (even if part-time) and which produced at least Rs 3,000 worth of agricultural produce in a year.

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FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY:

Nearly 90 per cent of Indias farmers have less than two hectares of land.
The average farm household makes less than Rs. 6,500 a month from all sources of income.
58 per cent of rural households are agricultural households. While some of the rest could be doing nonfarm work, a significant number work exclusively as agricultural labourers.
Over half of all agricultural households are in debt; and 42 per cent of them owe money to banks and 26
per cent owe moneylenders.
Over 40 per cent of agricultural households have Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) job cards, showing that even those households not classified as
labourers utilise the scheme.
One in three farm households has less than 0.4 hectares of land and less than 0.5 per cent are large
farmers, having over 10 hectares of land. Large farmers are often absentee landlords, the data indicates;
54 per cent of farmers with over 10 hectares possess land in other states.
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe farm households were over-represented among the poorest
classes with the smallest land holdings. Large farmers were almost exclusively OBC or forward caste.
While wheat is the most commonly grown crop in the first half of the year, paddy growing dominates the
second half. In both seasons, however, sugarcane is the most profitable crop, giving its cultivator an
average of over Rs 80,000 per season.
Private traders dominate the procurement space, and few farmers have enough information about
Minimum Support Prices or report getting the MSP for their produce.

ONLY 17% HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE COVER

Only 21.62 crore people, or 17 per cent of the total populations were covered by health insurance at the end of
March 2014.The estimate, prepared by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) is sharply
lower than that of the World Bank.

WORLD BANK ESTIMATE:

In a report it released in October 2012, Government-Sponsored Health Insurance in India: Are You Covered?,
the World Bank estimated that over 30 crore people, or more than 25 per cent of the population, gained access
to some form of health insurance by 2010, up from 5.5 crore during 2003-04. More than 18 crore of them were
people below the poverty line.

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Noting that health spending was one of the important causes of poverty in India, the report found that
from 2007 to 2012, government-sponsored schemes contributed to a significant increase in the
population covered by health insurance, at a pace possibly unseen elsewhere in the world.
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On the basis of these trends, the report projected that more than 63 crore people, or about half of the
population, could be covered with health insurance by 2015.
By then, spending through health insurance was also forecast to reach 8.4 per cent of the total health
spending, up from 6.4 per cent during 2009-10.
The countrys public financing for health care is less than 1 per cent of the worlds total health
expenditure. Families meet almost 70 per cent of their health expenses out of their own pockets, placing
considerable financial burden on poor households, often pushing them deeper into poverty.

NEW GST BILL:The Constitution (122nd Amendment) Bill, 2014 was introduced in LokSabha on December 19, 2014. It seeks to
amend the Constitution to introduce the goods and services tax (GST), and imposes concurrent powers on the
centre and states to do so.
Background
Earlier, the Constitution (115th Amendment) Bill, 2011, also in relation to the introduction of GST, was
introduced in LokSabha in 2011. It lapsed with the dissolution of the 15th LokSabha. At present, goods and
services are taxed by both the centre and the states. As per the Constitution, some taxes are levied by both the
centre and the states, whereas others are levied by only one of the two. For taxes imposed by states, rates may
vary across different states.
Under the 2014 Bill, the GST subsumes various central indirect taxes including the Central Excise Duty,
Countervailing Duty, Service Tax, etc. It also subsumes state value added tax, octopi and entry tax, luxury tax etc.

SALIENT FEATURES OF THE 2014 BILL INCLUDE:

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Power to impose GST: The Bill amends the Constitution to empower Parliament and state legislatures to
make laws with respect to goods and services tax.
Integrated GST: The Bill inserts a new Article in the Constitution to empower only the centre to levy and
collect GST on supplies in the course of inter-state trade or commerce. The tax collected would be
divided between the centre and the states.
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GST Council: The Bill creates a GST Council consisting of the union finance minister, the minister of state
for revenue and finance ministers of all states. The GST Council shall make recommendations on the
goods and services that will be subjected to and exempted from GST, the rates including floor rates with
bands, model GST law, special provision to special status states, etc. Decisions will be made by at least
three fourth majority, with the centre having one third of the vote and the states two-thirds.
Additional Tax on supply of goods: An additional tax (not to exceed 1%) on the supply of goods in the
course of inter-state trade or commerce would be levied and collected by the centre. Such additional tax
shall be assigned to the states for two years, or as recommended by the GST Council.
Compensation to states: Parliament may, by law, provide for compensation to states for revenue losses
arising out of the implementation of the GST, on the GST Councils recommendations. This would be for
a period up to five years.
Goods exempt: Alcoholic liquor is exempted from the purview of the GST. Further, the GST Council is to
decide when GST would be levied on petroleum crude, high speed diesel, motor spirit (petrol),natural
gas, and aviation turbine fuel.

Analysis:
Amidst the current signs of global economic nervousness, the pressure to reduce the cost of doing business is
occupying increasing bandwidth in the boardrooms of India Inc. It is in this context, that regulatory reforms
proposed in the form of Goods and Services Tax (GST) are much needed now than perhaps ever before.
With a potential to additionally contribute over one percent to Indias Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the
proposed Goods and Services Tax is eagerly being looked forward to. Further, the international experiences of
GST, which over 150 countries have introduced in some or the other variants, the delay in implementation in the
Indian context seems to become all the more a cause of concern.
Advantages:

GST will also enhance revenue for the Centre and states as the streamlined tax collection system will
lead to better compliance.
In addition to simplifying tax system, enhancing compliance and boosting tax revenues for both the
centre and states, GST will reduce tax outflow in the hands of the consumers. As cost of production dips,
goods and services produced in the country will turn price-competitive in foreign markets, it will help
exporters compete with manufacturers abroad.
GST will also reduce paperwork needed to remitting taxes and simplify accounting complexities for
businesses. A simple taxation system is also expected to make several sectors, including manufacturing
and infrastructure, more competitive.
The entire Indian market will be a unified market which may translate into lower business costs. It can
facilitate seamless movement of goods across states and reduce the transaction costs of businesses.
In the long run, the lower tax burden could translate into lower prices on goods for consumers.
It can bring more transparency and better compliance and will reduce corruption in indirect tax
collection.
More business entities will come under the tax system thus widening the tax base. This may lead to
better and more tax revenue collections.

Challenges:

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To implement the bill (if cleared by the Parliament) there has to be lot changes at administration level,
Information Technology integration has to happen, sound IT infrastructure is needed, the state
governments has to be compensated for the loss of revenues (if any) and many more.
GST, being a consumption-based tax, states with higher consumption of goods and services will have
better revenues. So, the co-operation from all the state governments would be one of the key factors for
the successful implementation of GST.

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RATIONALIZATION OF PETROLEUM SUBSIDY REGIME

The central government is proceeding apace to rein in petroleum subsidies. The following steps have been taken
in this direction:

Wiping out under-recoveries on diesel and freeing its pricing.

Direct benefit transfer scheme for cooking gas is being rolled out across cities.
Another recent step is the decision to do away with the supply of subsidised kerosene through the public
distribution system (PDS).

The Centre plans to write to States asking them to provide subsidised kerosene only to un-electrified
households. States which have achieved near 100 per cent electrification will be incentivised to become
kerosene-free. In the remaining States, un-electrified households will be given the choice between cash subsidy
in lieu of kerosene allocation and upfront subsidy for greener solar lighting systems.
SUBSIDY AS PER CENSUS 2011
The allocation of kerosene subsidy will now be in accordance with Census 2011 data, which shows that its no
longer a fuel of choice for cooking but is used for lighting purposes. The Census showed that kerosene has been
almost completely replaced by LPG in urban and semi-urban areas and biomass is the cooking fuel of choice in
the rural areas. Less than 2 per cent of Indias rural households use kerosene as cooking fuel.
The idea behind stopping subsidised kerosene supply through the PDS is to ensure that subsidies are targeted at
those who deserve them and that leakages are plugged. It is estimated that as much as 40 per cent of the
subsidised kerosene supplied through the PDS is diverted, mainly to adulterate diesel.
The government should now turn its attention to cooking gas subsidy. The fuel is also used by the middle-class
and the rich who do not deserve the subsidy.
The move will help the government cut down kerosene subsidy to about a fifth of what prevails now. According
to data from the Petroleum Ministry, kerosene subsidy, shared between the government and the oil companies,
was Rs.31,250.47crore in 2013-14. This will come down to Rs.5,852.14crore in the next year following the latest
move. The decision, while helping to cut the Central budget deficit, shifts the onus to the States, which will now
have to identify households that use the fuel for lighting.

FREE MARKET MODEL HAS FAILED: KAUSHIK BASU

There is now a consensus the world over that the free market economic model does not work, said World Bank
chief economist and former Chief Economic Adviser to the government of India Kaushik Basu .
Just as complete state control fails, leaving all decisions to markets results in grave inequalities and so it doesnt
work even politically.
Now, sharing of the pie with the bottom 40 per cent of people is gaining traction even with the International
Monetary Fund.
The World Bank formally changed its goal to fighting no longer for just eradication of poverty but also for shared
prosperity.
The need for policy intervention is getting recognised globally since a large part of the inequality in the world is
being inherited at birth and getting dynastically transmitted from generation to generation.

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CHEAP OIL AND STRATEGIC RESERVES

The cheaper oil prices now present an opportunity for the government to reform and revamp the energy sector;
it is also an excellent chance to build up our strategic storage, which is now next to nil. India relies on imports for
almost 80 per cent of its oil needs.
Background: India had conceived of a strategic petroleum reserve as far back as in the late 1990s and after
several committees and studies, the project to build a strategic storage for crude oil was given the go ahead
early in 2004 by the NDA government. The plan was to build storage capacities in three places Mangaluru and
Padur (near Mangaluru) on the west coast and Visakhapatnam on the east. With a total capacity of 5 million
tonnes, this storage was estimated to cover two weeks requirements. A special purpose vehicle Indian
Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd. (ISPR) was floated under the Oil Industry Development Board to implement
the project.
RECENT DEVELOPMENT
The Centre has chalked out plans to set up at least four more strategic oil reserves in the country in a bid to store
adequate stock for meeting 90-100 days requirement during any crisis.
It is planned to reserve crude oil for 90-100 days to meet the requirement during emergency situations and
crisis. The present storage capacity is 70-75 days and the four proposed projects will raise it further.

CASH TRANSFERS CAN WORK BETTER THAN SUBSIDIES

Surveys conducted among people in Madhya Pradesh's villages, who received a modest basic income as cash
transfers, showed that beneficiaries were quite capable of making rational decisions that improved their lives.
Providing people with a modest basic income instead of subsidies would actually save public revenue.

CURBS ON GOLD IMPORTS DRIVE SMUGGLING: CENTRE

The Union government has said restrictions imposed on gold imports to stem the pressure on the Current
Account Deficit (CAD) are likely to have led to a substantial increase in smuggling. From April to September this
year, there was a more than four-fold increase in the seizure of smuggled gold, to 2,289 kg, against 522 kg seized
during the same period last year.

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MUNICIPAL BONDS
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) proposed a new set of norms for listing and trading of municipal
bonds on stock exchanges. Such municipal bonds are also known as muni bonds.
The Bangalore Municipal Corporation was the first municipal corporation to issue a municipal bond of Rs.125
crore with a State guarantee in 1997.
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) issued the first municipal bonds in the country without State
government guarantee for financing infrastructure projects in the city. AMC raised Rs.100 crore through its
public issue.
Objectives:

To help in the Governments smart cities programme.

To help channelise household savings and provide a new investment avenue.
Bonds issued by municipalities having good financial track record would be a good alternative
investment opportunity for conservative investors.

NON-COOPERATIVE BORROWER
The Reserve Bank of India has issued a new set of norms defining non-cooperative borrowers.
Definition:
In simple words, a non-cooperative borrower is a defaulter who deliberately stonewalls legitimate efforts of the
lenders to recover their dues.
Background:
A sharp rise in stressed assets or non performing assets over the last few years had prompted RBI to frame
corrective action to improve the performance of banks.
Impact:

Defaulting borrowers, who resort to legal and other means such as denying access to securities to make it
difficult for banks to recover dues, will find it harder to raise fresh funds.
It will become tougher for banks to continue lending to such entities.

Non-Performing Assets:- A Non-performing asset (NPA) is defined as a credit facility in respect of which the
interest and/or installment of principal has remained past due for a specified period of time.

NATIONAL WATERWAY-5
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) with
Government of Odisha, Paradip Port and Dhamra Port Company Ltd. for developing the commercially viable
stretches of National Waterway-5 in two phases. In the National Waterway- 5, East Coast Canal has been
integrated with Brahmini river and Mahanadi delta rivers (588km).
PRESENT STATUS
The National Waterways-1, 2 & 3 have been made operational. For development of NW-4 & 5, Detailed Project
Reports (DPRs) were completed in 2010. Initially Government tried to explore the possibility of developing
stretches of the fairway on NW-4 and 5 under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. However, it has not been
found to be a feasible. It has been decided that fairways in the NWs will be developed through budgetary

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support and multilateral assistance. Alternate options of development through PPP route are also being
explored.
Waterways in India: There are 5 national waterways has been created by an Act of Parliament and they areI.
II.
III.
IV.
V.

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Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system (Allahabad-Haldia-1620 km) in National Waterway-1

River Brahmaputra (Dhubri-Sadiya-891 km) in National Waterway-2.
West Coast Canal (Kottapuram-Kollam) along with Udyogmandal and Champakara Canals-(205 km) in
National Waterway-3.
Kakinada-Puducherry canals along with Godavari and Krishna rivers (1078 km) in National Waterway-4.
East Coast Canal integrated with Brahmani river and Mahanadi delta rivers (588 km) in National
Waterway-5.

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SOCIAL ISSUES/HEALTH
LINK POLICIES TO BEHAVIOUR FOR BETTER OUTCOMES: WORLD BANK

A World Bank report Mind Society and Behaviour describes an impressive set of results when behavioural
aspects are integrated into development policies
The report has found that policy decisions informed by behavioural economics have delivered impressive
improvements in healthcare and education in parts of India.
FINDINGS OF REPORT
Open defecation dropped 11 per cent from very high levels after a Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS)
programme was combined in some chosen villages with the standard approach of subsidies for toilet
construction and information on the transmission of diseases.
The likelihood of default on loans became three times less likely with a simple change in the periodicity of
meetings between microfinance clients and their repayment groups to weekly rather than monthly.
Boys from backward classes were just as good at solving puzzles as boys from the upper castes when caste
identity was not revealed. However, in mixed-caste groups, revealing the boys castes before puzzle-solving
sessions created a significant caste gap in achievement with the boys from backward classes underperforming
by 23 per cent.
In another example of a programme of political affirmative action for women in West Bengal, the policy led
some villages to have female leaders for the first time. It found that just seven years exposure to women leaders
reduced mens bias in evaluating women in leadership positions in these villages though they still preferred male
leaders to female leaders. Additionally, the exposure to women leaders raised parents aspirations for their
teenage daughters, raised the daughters aspirations for themselves, and led to a slight narrowing of the gender
gap in schooling.

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RECOMMENDATION
The presence of a stereotype can contribute to measured ability differences, which in turn reinforce the
stereotype and serve as a basis for exclusion, in a vicious cycle. Finding ways to break this cycle could increase
the well-being of marginalized individuals enormously.

RIGHT TO DIE:

Decision: The Government has decided to decriminalize attempt to suicide by scrapping it from the Indian
Penal Code. Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, prescribes one year imprisonment and a fine if a person
is found guilty of attempting to commit suicide. The decision comes six years after the Law Commission of India
recommended the repeal of Section 309 saying the act of taking one's own life should be treated as a
manifestation of deep unhappiness rather than a penal offence.
Background: Supreme Court in 1994 put forward the observation that all fundamental rights have both positive and negative
connotation. It means that fundamental rights besides having implied positive meaning also suggest meaning/s
which borders to negativity. For example, right to freedom of speech also includes right to remain silent, right to
do business includes right not to do business etc.
Concomitantly with respect to right to life which is secured by the article 21 of the Indian constitution, Supreme
Court in P. Rathinam case for decriminalizing suicide stated that former should include also the right not to live
a forced life or right to die.
Analysis: Right to die as deemed to be established by the decriminalization of suicide is based on idea that it will
promote cause of humanisation. As exercise of this right is central to personal autonomy and bodily integrity and
considered as one of the precondition of humanization. However, while right to remain silent, right not to do
business etc. are only a temporary suspension of right to speech and do business and can be restored later, once
a person is dead right to life cannot be restored. Thus the same logic cannot be applied to right to life and
subsequently, in Gian Kaur case (1996), a five-judge bench overruled P. Rathinam, upholding the validity of
Section 309.
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The right to die is also based on a conservative and individualistic argument whereby suicide is considered a
private affair. But for majority of the population this logic doesnt seem right as person may be the sole bread
winner of his family and if he commits suicide, his family would certainly be driven to destitution and thus suicide
doesnt remain a private affair.
Few states and some specialists have reservations regarding repealing this law based on following arguments:

India has the highest suicide rate in world after China and decriminalizing attempt to suicide will only
increase this number.
Bihar government urged caution, saying suicide-bombers would no longer be covered and deterred by
law.
Madhya Pradesh government believed that the repeal would dilute Section306 dealing with abetment to
suicide.

Conclusion:
Thus decriminalizing suicide is a complex issue considering the unique social and cultural conditions in India.
Hence the better option would be not to punish anyone for attempting suicide but the law may be allowed to
remain on the statute book as the chances of abuse of its deletion are very high. Need of the hour is to provide
medical and psychological support to the victim rather than punishing him/her.

SILICOSIS
Silicosis is a chronic lung disease caused by breathing in tiny bits of silica dust. Silica is the second most common
mineral in the earth's crust. It is a major component of sand, rock, and mineral ores like quartz.
The Karauli-Dholpur-Bharatpur mining belt in eastern Rajasthan, which produces the countrys best quality red
sandstone, also has the largest number of young widows, most of them below 40 years. The social cost of
ineffective healthcare and rehabilitation for miners is rather heavy and it is the women who bear the brunt of it.
There are thousands of mines in 19 districts of Rajasthan, which employ two million workers. Roughly 10-12 lakh
of them are suffering from various stages of silicosis and associated tuberculosis and other respiratory tract
infections.

RETHINK THE DEATH PENALTY

October 10 marks the World and European Day against the Death Penalty. Among the 192 countries recognized
by the United Nations, 140 have abolished the death penalty. Three times, the General Assembly of the United
Nations has passed resolutions by powerful majorities calling for a universal moratorium on the death penalty,
pending its full abolition.
Along with the United States, however, a number of countries in Asia (including China, India and Japan), the
Middle East and the Arab World are still retentionist although the frequency of use of the death penalty varies
widely. In Europe, only Belarus still executes people.
The European Union has made the abolition of capital punishment one of the preconditions for membership.
The International Criminal Court envisages life imprisonment even for crimes against humanity such as genocide.
In June 2013, Madrid hosted the 5th Congress against the death penalty bringing together government and civil
society representatives, academia, lawyers and individuals striving for abolition.
ARGUMENT FOR ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY

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Two wrongs do not compensate for each other under any higher moral code;
The right to life is unconditional and universal;
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The fear of capital punishment (e.g. for rape) may cause a criminal to kill his victim, thus removing a
witness;
A miscarriage of justice in wrongfully convicting and sentencing a person to death cannot be revoked;
There is no statistical link between the death penalty and the reduction of criminality; and there are
other and better ways to deter serious crimes.

INDIA GAVE THE FOLLOWING REASONS FOR ITS RETENTIONIST POSITION:

The sovereign right to determine its own laws;

The death penalty is exercised in the rarest of rare cases; and
India guarantees rule of law and the necessary procedural safeguards for a fair trial.

WHY IS THIS JUSTIFICATION INADEQUATE?

Abolition is now firmly entrenched in the human rights discourse and no longer limited to national
criminal justice policy, making the sovereignty defence much weaker.
As far as the rarest of rare jurisprudence is concerned, the Supreme Court in Sangeeth (2013) agrees
that this principle laid down in Bachan Singh (1981) has received erroneous and inconsistent
interpretations in most judgments since Machhi Singh (1983). The court concedes that the test has
become arbitrary and judge-centric rather than principle-centric.
As far as the due process of law is concerned, the stealthy killings of Ajmal Kasab and Afzal Guru, as well
as the undue delay in handling mercy petitions, deftly spelt out in Shatrughan Chauhan (2014), reflect
flawed executive action that cannot always be corrected by judicial intervention.
Studies conducted by Amnesty International and the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties have shown that
the process of deciding who should be on death row is arbitrary and biased.

Even if public opinion in India currently favours the death penalty, the move towards a more enlightened
approach can be initiated in Parliament. As India endeavours to play a stronger role in world politics, it is
time to rethink its stand on the death penalty with more clarity

SOCIAL JUSTICE BENCH

The Supreme Court set up a special Bench, called the Social Justice Bench, comprising two judges devoted to the
delivery of speedy justice in a range of social issues related to the downtrodden and socially marginalised
groups.
A brainchild of Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu, the Social Justice Bench will be headed by Justice Madan B. Lokur
and also have Justice U.U. Lalit. The Bench would start functioning from December 12. The Bench will sit every
Friday at 2 p.m.
The purpose behind constituting the new Bench was to streamline cases highlighting social issues before one
court and thus facilitate the Supreme Courts monitoring and review of the governments action in such cases.
The Chief Justice of India is of the view that cases relating to the domain of social justiceshall be given a
specialised approach for their early disposal so that masses will realise the fruits of the rights provided to them
by the Constitutional text.
The special Bench will handle issues related to the release of food grains lying in stock for use in droughtaffected areas, framing of a fresh scheme for their public distribution, taking of steps to prevent the untimely
death of women and children for want of nutritious food, hygienic mid-day meals in schools, clean drinking
water, provision of safety and secured living conditions for women forced into prostitution.

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CHILD MARRIAGE

Background: The National Family Health Survey of 2005-06 had shown that 46 per cent of young women were
married before the legal age of 18. To understand the reasons behind it, the Planning Commission selected the
G.B. Pant Institute of Studies in Rural Development, Lucknow, for a study on child marriage in India in 2011.
Findings of the report:

A majority of parents who get their children married before the legal age do not even seek their consent.
Child marriage remains rampant, especially in the northern States. Child marriage was prevalent among
both Hindu and Muslim families, and across caste groups, he said.
Among the parents interviewed, traditional practice was the most common reason for child marriages,
followed by growing demands for dowry later in life, and pressure from relatives.
Over 1 in 10 said that concerns about their daughters safety was one reason to marry them off early.
Nearly 80 per cent were unaware that their act was illegal.
Over 60 per cent of parents said that they had not sought the consent of their children before fixing the
marriage.
One thing that has changed was the age of the children getting married. Now they are adolescents or
teenagers, but still under the age of 18.
The study was carried out in 10 States reporting high rates of child marriage Bihar, Jharkhand,
Rajasthan, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Odisha
and two districts reporting the highest rates were then selected in each State.

RISE IN GLOBAL INEQUALITY

The latest International Labour Organisation report on real wages notes that there is continuing deceleration in
the growth of global real wages and discriminatory pay gaps based on gender and nationality that could sharpen
household income inequalities.
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IMPORTANT FINDINGS

Labour productivity growth outstripped increases in real wage between 1999 and 2013 in the advanced
economies.
In 2013, wages adjusted for inflation grew on average 0.2 per cent less a month than in the year before,
to 2 per cent.
Regional variations are found: nearly 6 % growth in real wages for Asia and Eastern Europe, and less than
1 % increase in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The distribution of wages also significantly influences differing levels of inequality.
Inequality in Spain and the United States are countries among advanced economies with the maximum
increase in inequality between the top and bottom 10 per cent of the population.
More equitable paid employment accounted for 87 and 72 per cent reduction in inequality between the
highend and low-end segments in Argentina and Brazil.

AN INCREASE IN WAGES WOULD IMPACT ON

The cost of production,

Profitability
Competitiveness of firms.
At the macro-level, wage stagnation also feeds into a decrease in domestic consumption, investment
and exports.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on its effectiveness in the developing and advanced countries, the ILO recommends that a
minimum wage floor should be set in a manner that balances the needs of workers and their families
with broader economic factors.
Collective bargaining is the other key institution that has a proven record of narrowing wage inequalities,
The cumulative cost of inequality to growth is by no means insignificant.

ABOUT ILO

The ILO was founded in 1919, in the wake of a destructive war, to pursue a vision based on the premise
that universal, lasting peace can be established only if it is based on social justice.
The ILO became the first specialized agency of the UN in 1946.
The main aims of the ILO are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities,
enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues.

NEW HIV CASES DOWN BY 57 PER CENT

The number of new HIV infections in India has come down by 57 percent and related deaths by 25 per cent in
the last decade. On World AIDS Day, Union Health Minister sought peoples involvement in achieving the
ambitious global goals of zero new infection and deaths.
Union Health Minister Launched the helpline number 1097, a digital resource centre and a supply chain
management system for HIV patients. He also outlined that we should be aware and put special emphasis on
prevention and help those living with HIV and AIDS so that they face no discrimination
The first HIV positive person was reported in 1986 in India which currently has 2.1 million affected people, the
third highest in the world even as the countrys.

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ABILITY OF HIV TO CAUSE AIDS SLOWING

A research study has found that HIV and as a consequence AIDS is slowly becoming less aggressive in parts
of Africa.
Based on a study of about 2,000 pregnant women in Botswana and South Africa, the team has demonstrated
that the weakening of the immunodeficiency virus is due to its rapid evolution and ability to mutate over time.
WEAKENING MUTATION
Scientists were aware that a gene known as HLA-B*57 in a person acted as a protection against the HIV virus.
The new study finds that the virus has adapted to the gene, which therefore no longer offers protection.
However, the unforeseen result of this is that the mutation of the virus also weakens it and reduces its ability to
replicate. One reason for this could be because of the growing use of HIV drugs.
There had been a huge increase of people accessing treatment; today 60 per cent of adults living with HIV are
outside the treatment net.

JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS
Japanese encephalitis is a viral fever that affects the brain and is considered extremely dangerous for children,
and it also has a high mortality and morbidity rate.
Caused by the bite of Culex tritaeniorhynchus mosquito, symptoms of Japanese encephalitis include sudden
onset of fever, vomiting, headache, neck stiffness, and seizures.

FALL IN IMR
Indias infant mortality rate (IMR) has fallen to 40 deaths per 1,000 live births and 49 deaths under the age of 5
for every 1,000 live births, but at these rates it is unlikely to meet its Millennium Development Goals for 2015,
according to the Sample Registration Survey.

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IMR has fallen faster in rural areas than in urban areas.

Among metro cities, Chennai has the lowest IMR (16). Among States, Kerala has by far the best at 12 deaths
per 1,000 live births; the next best States, Delhi and Maharashtra, have IMRs that are twice that of Kerala.

FLUOROSIS RISK
With drinking water in 14,132 habitations in 19 States still containing fluoride above the permissible levels, the
Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry fears that a huge population is at risk of serious health conditions such
as skeletal fluorosis.

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The World Health Organization guideline value for fluoride is 1.5 mg per litre, with a target of between
0.8 and 1.2 mg per litre to maximise benefits and minimise harmful effects
Fluoride contamination affects the teeth and bones and long-term excessive exposure causes abdominal
pain, excessive saliva, nausea, vomiting, seizures and muscle spasms.

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The government has started the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Fluorosis in 2008-09. In
2013-14, the programme was brought under the National Rural Health Mission, which has so far covered 111
districts.
The programme includes surveillance of fluorosis in the community, training and manpower support,
establishment of diagnostic facilities, treatment and health education. The Indian Council of Medical Research
has formed a task force on fluorosis to address issues related to prevention and control.

NUTRITIONAL INTAKE GROWS IN INDIA

Per capita calorie intake in India grew marginally for the first time in 30 years and protein intake grew for the
first time in over a decade.
The National Sample Survey Offices (NSSO) 2011-12 data on Nutritional Intake shows that per capita calorie
consumption rose to 2099 kilocalories per day in rural areas and 2058 kilocalories per day in urban areas. Both
numbers are still below a Planning Commission benchmark of 2,400 kilocalories per day.

But the proportion of acutely under-nourished people seems to be declining; the proportion of Indians who get
less than 80 per cent of the recommended nutritional intake has declined to under one in five in rural areas.
The share of cereals in total calorie intake has steadily declined, the data shows, and is down to just over 60 per
cent in rural Indian and 50 per cent in rural India. The share of meats and dairy has grown only slightly, while the
share of oils and fats has grown sharply.

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ACTION PLAN FOR DIARRHEA AND PNEUMONIA

The Centre will soon launch an action plan against diarrhoea and pneumonia in four States. The aim is to end
preventable child deaths from these two by 2025.
Statistics

36 per cent of all child deaths, below the age of 5, in India are caused by these two conditions.
India accounts for the highest number of diarrhoea and pneumonia deaths among children in the world
with over 2 lakh children dying of diarrhoea and over 3.8 lakh children of pneumonia annually,
accounting for the mortality of 4 in every 10 children under-five.
The four States where the India Action Plan for Diarrhoea and Pneumonia will be rolled out Madhya
Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan account for half of under-five mortality in the country
which stands at 62 deaths per 1,000 live births nationally.

Background
The action plan is a follow-up of the Global Action Plan for Diarrhoea and Pneumonia that was launched by WHO
and UNICEF in April 2013 which aims to reduce pneumonia mortality to less than 3 per 1,000 live births,
diarrhoea deaths to less than 1 per 1,000 live births, reduce incidence of severe pneumonia and diarrhoea by 75
per cent compared to 2010 levels and reduce by 40 per cent the global number who are stunted as compared to
2010 levels by 2025.
Collaboration
The WHO and UNICEF have been entrusted to collaborate with the respective governments in implementing the
action plan which is not a new project or a programme but a framework for strengthening coordination of
existing interventions where the coverage remains low like in exclusive breastfeeding (39 per cent), vitamin A
supplement (75 per cent), DTP3 immunisation (83 per cent), measles immunization (84 per cent), HiB 3
immunisation (43 per cent) and other interventions like access to antibiotics and ORS solutions, sanitation,
better living condition, hand wash and clean drinking water. Since diarrhoea and pneumonia are caused by
multiple pathogens, no single intervention, including vaccine, will help in protecting children.

MISSION INDRADHANUSH
Health and Family Welfare Minister launched Mission Indradhanush, which will aim to cover all those children
by 2020 who had not been vaccinated, or were partially vaccinated, against seven vaccine-preventable diseases
diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B. The Ministry identified 201
high-focus districts in the country in the first phase.
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INDIAN WOMEN DEAD AFTER MASS STERILISATION

A fact-finding team that probed the death of 16 women at a sterilisation camp in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, in
November has ruled out the presence of zinc phosphide in the medicine as the only cause of the deaths. The
report lists several lapses that could have caused infection (Septicamia) in the patients leading to their death.
The State government attributed the deaths to zinc phosphide poisoning.
The report Robbed of Choice and Dignity: Indian Women Dead after Mass Sterilisation drafted by a team
comprising members from four NGOs Population Foundation of India, Parivar Seva Sansthan, Family Planning
Association of India and Common Health said to die of zinc phosphide poisoning the women should have
consumed at least 4.5 grams of it.
The report also recommended moving away from female sterilisation and incentive-based family planning to
increasing the bouquet of services for spacing methods. Analysing the expenditure on family planning, the team
pointed out that for the year 2013-14, India spent Rs, 396.97 crore on female sterilisation, which constituted 85
per cent of the total expenditure.
KERALA MODEL
In Kerala, the proportion of couples effectively protected by family planning methods is the highest in India.
Reasons for the dramatic fall in birth rates is mainly attributed to the following,

Literacy
Womens empowerment
Access to health services
Social welfare measures
The public distribution system
Nutritional security and poverty alleviation.

IMPROVING THE PROGRAMME

One of the key aspects towards improving the national family planning programme is the involvement of
the district Collector and Panchayati Raj institutions in its implementation.
At present, 97 per cent of sterilisations per year are sterilisations of women; only three per cent are
male. This gender imbalance has to be corrected.

In order to avoid any possibility of mismanagement and possible excesses in a campaign approach of this nature

All campaigns should be supervised by a team of officials and non-officials including voluntary workers
and representatives of the Central and State governments.
A detailed compendium of instructions on how to organise an intensive campaign in a district and
Community Development Block can be prepared.
A similar set of instructions can be prepared for voluntary organisations which come forward to do
campaigns in their areas with infrastructural, technical and financial support from the Family Planning
Department.

Other States in India can study how the programme has worked in Kerala and incorporate those features in their
own States.

A GLOBAL BURDEN OF DISEASE STUDY 2013

A Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 published in the journal The Lancet points out that in the case of India,
the life expectancy at birth during the period 1990 to 2013 had increased for both men and women.
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In the case of men, the increase in life expectancy was from 57.3 to 64.2 years and in the case of women, it was
from 58.2 to 68.5 years between 1990 and 2013. The reduction in death rate was seen both in adults and
children. Though the death rate per year witnessed a drop both in adults and children, it was more in the case of
children than adults. At 3.7 per cent, the death rate reduction per year in children was much more than that of
adults, which was at 1.3 per cent.
According to the report, ischemic heart disease was the number one cause of death in India in 2013.
The other leading causes (in descending order) were lower respiratory track infections, tuberculosis, neonatal
encephalitis, preterm birth complications, diarrhoea, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
suicide, and finally road injuries.
COPD is caused due to lung damage. Smoking is one of the causes of COPD. But in the case of women in India,
COPD is more due to indoor pollution than smoking.

Half of all suicide deaths that occur in the world are in India and China. Suicide is a major and growing public
health problem in India, notes a release. What is of great concern is that though India and China account for
half of global suicide deaths, the number of suicides was reducing rapidly in China while it was rising in India
during the period 1990-2013. Both countries have undergone economic growth and urbanisation, a key factor
in limiting access to lethal pesticides, a common method of suicide by poisoning in both countries. Therefore, as
yet unexplained reasons must exist for the divergence between the two countries, the paper notes.
What becomes abundantly clear is that ischemic heart disease is the only lifestyle disease in the top ten causes
of deaths in India. This is in complete variance with what is seen in the developed countries.

INDIA TO REACH REPLACEMENT LEVELS OF FERTILITY BY 2020

New official data shows that fertility is falling faster than expected in India, and the country is on track to reach
replacement levels of fertility as soon as 2020. The 2013 data for the Sample Registration Survey (SRS) was
conducted by the Registrar General of India.
FINDINGS

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The Total Fertility Rate the average number of children that will be born to a woman during her
lifetime in eight States has fallen below two children per woman [See the image]
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Just nine States all of them in the north and east, except for Gujarat havent yet reached
replacements levels of 2.1, below which populations begin to decline. [See the image]
West Bengal now has Indias lowest fertility, with the southern States, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab and
Himachal Pradesh.
Among backward States, Odisha too has reduced its fertility to 2.1.

DATA ON INFANT MORTALITY RATE (IMR):

The survey also noted down that Indias infant mortality rate (IMR) has fallen to 40 deaths per 1,000 live
births and 49 deaths under the age of 5 for every 1,000 live births, but at these rates it is unlikely to
meet its Millennium Development Goals for 2015.
IMR has fallen faster in rural areas than in urban areas.
Among metro cities, Chennai has the lowest IMR (16). Among States, Kerala has by far the best at 12
deaths per 1,000 live births; the next best States, Delhi and Maharashtra, have IMRs that are twice that
of Kerala.

Analysts say that, at 2.3, India is now just 0.2 points away from reaching replacement levels. Fertility is declining
rapidly, including among the poor and illiterate. At this rate India will achieve its demographic transition and
reach replacement levels as early as 2020 or 2022.
DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION
Demographic transition (DT) refers to the transition from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates
as a country develops from a pre-industrial to an industrialized economic system.
INFANT MORTALITY RATE (IMR)
Infant mortality rate (IMR) is the number of deaths of children less than one year of age per 1000 live births. The
rate for a given region is the number of children dying under one year of age, divided by the number of live
births during the year, multiplied by 1,000.

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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY /ENVIRONMENT

VENUS MISSION:
NASAs High Altitude Venus Operational Concept (HAVOC) mission aims to explore the atmosphere of Venus
instead of exploring the surface. NASA plans to send solar-powered airships to explore Venus atmosphere and
to eventually establish a permanent human colony in a floating cloud city above the Earths nearest planetary
neighbour.
The researchers believe the upper atmosphere of Venus is probably the most Earth-like environment thats out
there. At 50 kilometres above its surface, Venus offers one atmosphere of pressure and only slightly lower
gravity than Earth.

The planets proximity to the Sun provides it 40 per cent more solar power than the Earth gets, and 240
per cent more than that seen on Mars.
Since the orbits of Venus and Earth align over time, a crewed mission to Venus would take a total of 440
days using existing or very near-term propulsion technology.
But getting to Mars and back using the same propulsive technology would involve more than 500 days in
space at a minimum.
HAVOC involves a series of missions, including a robotic mission first and then a crewed mission to Venus
orbit with a stay of 30 days, and then a mission that includes a 30-day atmospheric stay.
A helium-filled, solar-powered airship would explore the planets atmosphere. The robotic version would
be 31 metres long while the crewed version would be nearly 130 metres long.
The crewed version would come with a small habitat and the ascent vehicle, a winged two-stage rocket
slung below the airship, that the astronauts would use to return to Venuss orbit and home.

CORAL REEFS:
Marine debris like plastic, glass, metal, rubber abandoned fishing nets and other gear often get entangle and kill
reef organisms and break or damage them.

In 2006, studies suggested that approximately 80 per cent of ocean pollution originates from activities
on land.
Major part of pollution comes from land-based run off, oil spills, nutrients and pesticides from
agriculture, wastewater, industrial effluent, untreated sewage and others.
Among the four major types of marine pollution chemical pollution, nutrient pollution, marine debris
pollution and air pollution, chemical and nutrient pollution play major role to obstruct the role of corals.
Pesticides containing persistent organic pollutant (POPs), hydrocarbons from oil tankers and heavy
metals from industrial (mining, dredging) effluent cause major threat to corals.
Toxic chemicals like POPs and PAHs can destroy or damage reef communities by affecting corals
reproduction and growth and can be bio-magnified to a critical level for the higher level animals of the
food chain making them vulnerable to this process.
Heavy metals such as copper and zinc have been linked to reduced fertilisation, fecundity and growth in
adult corals.
Nutrients discharged in form of fertilisers, waste feed and other materials from aquaculture and
agriculture into coastal waters which lead to the bloom of nuisance algae (eutrophication) and
subsequent oxygen depletion plays a major hindrance in coral growth.

2004 INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI:

On December 26, 2004, the regions most powerful earthquake in 40 years tore open the sea bed off Indonesias
Sumatra. About 230,000 people were killed by the disaster.

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WHAT IS TSUNAMI?
A tsunami is a series of ocean waves that sends surges of water, sometimes reaching heights of over 100 feet
(30.5 meters), onto land. These awe-inspiring waves are typically caused by large, undersea earthquakes at
tectonic plate boundaries. When the ocean floor at a plate boundary rises or falls suddenly it displaces the water
above it and launches the rolling waves that will become a tsunami.
Most tsunamis, about 80 percent, happen within the Pacific Oceans Ring of Fire, a geologically active area
where tectonic shifts make volcanoes and earthquakes common.
Tsunamis may also be caused by underwater landslides or volcanic eruptions. They may even be launched, as
they frequently were in Earths ancient past, by the impact of a large meteorite plunging into an ocean
INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI OF 2004:
A Magnitude of 9.3 Great undersea earthquake off the coast of Banda Aceh, northern Sumatra occurred along a
thrust fault in the subduction zone where the Indian tectonic plate is going below the overriding Burmese plate.
As a result, the ocean floor broke and there was a vertical displacement of about 15 to 20 meters along the fault
causing large scale displacement of water and thus, generating tsunami waves.
This kind of large vertical displacement happened because the magnitude of the earthquake was greater than 9
and it occurred at a shallow depth of less than 30km below the ocean.
Since 1900, only five earthquakes, worldwide have exceeded magnitude 9.0 and all of them occurred in
subduction zones at shallow depths and broke the ocean floor with displacement of the order of greater than 10
metres generating gigantic tsunami waves.
These earthquakes which are referred to as Megathrust earthquakes were 1952 Kamchatka, Russia, 1960 Chile
(the worlds greatest so far with M 9.5), 1964 Prince William Sound, Alaska, 2004 Sumatra and 2011 Tohoku,
Japan.
Since the tsunami waves are long period waves with wave lengths of 200-250 kilometres, their height in the
open sea ranges between few centimeters to a metre. The speed of a tsunami wave is related to the depth of
the ocean, greater the water depth higher the speed.
Typically, for an average ocean depth of 4 km, like in the Indian Ocean/Bay of Bengal region, the speed of the
tsunami waves can go up to 720 km/h or about the speed of a jet airliner. As the tsunami waves approach the
shore, the water depth becomes shallower, waves slow down, wavelength becomes shorter and the waves gain
larger amplitude or heights and become destructive.
STEPS TAKEN:
India set up a warning system in 2005 and upgraded it to a state-of-the-art Indian Tsunami Early Warning System
two years later at the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services in Hyderabad. It has the capability
to issue tsunami bulletins within 10 minutes of a major earthquake in the Indian Ocean.
In terms of tsunami research several models were developed in which scenarios were created which will help in
predicting the time of tsunami wave arrivals, their heights and inundation along the east and west coast of India
in case of earthquakes occurrence in the two subduction zones in Markran, south of Pakistan in the west and
Andaman and Nicobar and Sumatra in the east, identified to be sources of tsunami generation.
Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences has said that the Indian National Centre for Ocean
Information Services (INCOIS) will soon extend its GIS-based 3D protocol on tsunami warning to all vulnerable
areas in the country with new methodologies and improved warning procedures.

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The protocol is in place for Cuddalore and Nagapattinam of Tamil Nadu, and 3D mapping will be ready for the
rest of the tsunami-prone areas too.
Post tsunami there has been a heightened clamour for the construction of a protective wall along the coastal
villages of Cuddalore district. Technically, such a structure built with massive boulders, is known as rubble
mounted sea wall (RMS).The RMS has been built along what is premised as highly vulnerable areas.

RUSTUM2
Next generation unmanned aerial vehicle Rustum2, which is capable of operating at an altitude of 30,000 feet
and 24-hour endurance with a payload of 350 kg.
The UAV would be used for defence operations, including reconnaissance and target identification.
Delivering the 27th Intelligence Bureau Centenary Endowment Lecture on Emerging Technological Challenges
for National Security, Dr. Chander said the UAV was capable of carrying sensors like aperture radar, maritime
patrol radar, communication and electronic intelligence, optical and infrared imagery sensors, including those
developed indigenously.
While the Nishant UAV is already in use by security forces, the RUSTOM1, with a capability of 7-8 hours of
endurance is also ready. While aerostats, which operate at an altitude of 1 km for surveillance activities, have
already been developed, a team of young scientists is working on lighter aerial platforms with a capability to fly
at 60,000- 70,000 feet.

PANCHI
Panchi, the wheeled version of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Nishant, capable of taking off from and
landing on small airstrips, had its maiden flight on December 24 from an airfield at Kolar in Karnataka.
Panchi was designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a Defence Research
and Development Organisation (DRDO) facility at Bengaluru.
Nishant, which has an underbelly airbag, is launched by a catapult, and lands with the help of an onboard
parachute. Panchi has all the surveillance capabilities of Nishant, but it can stay in the air longer because it does
not have to carry the airbag and the parachute systems of the other. It is also a light vehicle with its body made
of composites, and has a high degree of stealth because it has a low radar cross-section signature.

SONY HACKING A SERIOUS SECURITY ISSUE: U.S

The United States said that it is treating the Sony cyber-security breach as a serious national security matter.
On November 24, emails between employees of Sony Pictures Entertainment, information about executive
salaries at the company, copies of unreleased Sony films, and other information were obtained and released by
hackers.
As a result of the security breach, the company has cancelled the release of its movie The Interview.
The FBI has blamed that attack on North Korea, which was furious about Sonys The Interview, a movie
comedy about a plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

GREEN CLIMATE FUND TO CONSIDER CONTRIBUTIONS FROM PRIVATE SECTOR

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) will consider accepting funds from the private sector in June 2015 to bolster much
need finances for climate action.

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The GCF which has crossed the ten billion $ mark during the U.N. climate talks, still needs much more to fill its
coffers and help developing countries.
GCF Executive Director Hela Cheikhrouhou said that the first batch of mitigation and adaptation funds from the
GCF would be disbursed by October 2015 and it was agreed during a board meeting in Barbados earlier this year
that the first period of capitalisation would be for four years from 2015 to 2019.
India suggested that the already existing Adaptation Fund could be used to kick-start the funding process of GCF.
The Adaptation Fund set up in 2001 was to be financed by a share of money from the Clean Development
Mechanism (CDM).

RENEWABLE ENERGY
India has one of the most active renewable energy programmes in the world .Indias total renewable power
installed capacity as on October 31, 2014, has reached 33 gigawatt (GW). Wind energy accounts for 70 per cent
of the installed capacity at 22.1 GW followed by biomass power-4.2 per cent, small hydro power-3.9 GW and
solar power 2.8 GW.
Renewable power is generating around 65 billion units per year corresponding to about 6.5 per cent in the total
electricity mix.
There are 1.1 million households using solar energy and over 10,000 remote and inaccessible hamlets have been
provided with basic electricity services through distributed renewable power systems.
The 12th five year plan has projected 33 per cent installed capacity of power in 2030 from renewable energy
sources. India has ambitious plans to scale up renewable energy to 165 MW, of this solar energy will be 100 GW
by 2019-20. It has proposed 25 solar parks in India and 100,000 solar pumps for irrigation and drinking water. It
has also provided for incentives in investment and a ten -year tax holiday. It is world number five in solar water
heating systems, number two in biogas plants and number one in bagasse co-generation.
India's targets for solar power and the scaling up of solar energy from 20 gigawatt(GW) to100 GW by 2022 for
which an investment of $ 100 billion was made.

THIRTY METRE TELESCOPE (TMT) PROJECT

The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is a ground-based large segmented mirror reflecting telescope under
construction on Mauna Kea in Hawaii. The telescope is designed for observations from near-ultraviolet to midinfrared (0.31 to 28 mwavelengths). In addition, its adaptive optics system will help correct for image blur
caused by the atmosphere of the Earth, helping it to reach the potential of such a large mirror.
TMT will contain 492 hexagonal mirror segments of 82 different kinds. These will behave like a single mirror with
an aperture of 30 metre diameter. This large collecting area of 650 square metres is thrice as sensitive as the
Hubble Space Telescope. The telescope is expected to be completed by 2024.
INDIAS PARTICIPATION:
Union Minister for Science and Technology signed a multilateral agreement admitting Indias participation in the
development of the Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT) in Hawaii.
India has agreed to spend Rs. 1299.8 crores over the next decade for this project. Besides learning about the
universe, India will gain the technology to manufacture fine aspherical mirror segments from the California
Institute of Technology (Caltech). This technology will form the basis of the next generation of spy satellites.
Indias role will primarily be to create the control systems and software that keep the mirrors aligned and
collects the data. India will also manufacture 100 aspherical mirror segments in Hoskote, near Bangalore.

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ORION
NASAs Orion spacecraft is built to take humans farther than theyve ever gone before. Orion will serve as the
exploration vehicle that will carry the crew to space, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during
the space travel, and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities.
NASA has designed the capsule to take up to six astronauts into deep space, and its 16ft-wide heat shield and
sophisticated service module are among the features whose durability will be inspected upon return.

GSAT-16
Communication satellite GSAT-16 was successfully launched on board an Arianespace rocket from Kourou in
French Guiana .
The satellite with 48 transponders, the largest ever carried by a communication spacecraft built by Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO), was injected into the intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
It will join a constellation of 10 satellites that form the Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system. Its transponders,
operating in various frequency bands, will provide much-needed augmentation of the existing 188 transponders
on the INSAT system that broadcast television programmes, provide educational and tele-medicine services,
carry telephone conversations, and relay data. In addition, close to 95 transponders have been leased on foreign
satellites, principally to meet the needs of Direct-To-Home (DTH) television channels.
The orbit of the satellite will be raised to Geostationary Orbit of about 36,000 km altitude through three orbit
raising manoeuvres by firing of GSAT-16s LAM Engine.
ABOUT GSAT-16:
Mass
Transponders
Launcher
Orbital slot
Life
Cost

3181 kg
24 C-band, 12 Ku and 12 extended C band
European Ariane VA 221 from Kourou, Fr. Guiana
55 degrees East [with GSAt-8, IRNSS-1A & 1B)
12 years
Rs. 860 crore for assembly, launch fee & insurance

GSLV MARK III

ABOUT GSLV MARK III
The GSLV-III or Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III, is a launch vehicle currently under
development by the Indian Space Research Organization. GSLV Mk III is conceived and designed to make ISRO
fully self reliant in launching heavier communication satellites of INSAT-4 class, which weigh 4500 to 5000 kg.
The vehicle envisages multi-mission launch capability for GTO, LEO, Polar and intermediate circular orbits.
GSLV-Mk III is designed to be a three stage vehicle, with 42.4 m tall with a lift off weight of 630 tonnes. First
stage comprises two identical S200 Large Solid Booster (LSB) with 200 tonne solid propellant, that are strapped
on to the second stage, the L110 re-startable liquid stage. The third stage is the C25 LOX/LH2 cryo stage.
RECENT LAUNCH:
The first experimental flight of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III registered success,
taking India much closer to realising the dream of manned space flight.
Also known as LVM3/CARE, the suborbital experimental mission was intended to test the vehicles performance
during the critical atmospheric phase of its flight and this carried a passive (non-functional) cryogenic upper
stage.
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The vehicle, exactly five-and-a-half minutes after take-off, carried its payload the 3,775-kg crew-module
atmospheric re-entry experiment (CARE) to the intended height of 126 km.
Two massive S-200 solid strap-on boosters, each carrying 207 tonnes of solid propellants, ignited at lift-off and
separated 153.5 seconds later. The L110 liquid stage ignited 120 seconds after lift-off. With the module gently
landing in the Andaman Sea, about 1,600 km from Sriharikota, the GSLV Mk-III X/CARE mission concluded
successfully.
The payload for this maiden launch was the Crew Module Atmospheric Reentry Experiment (CARE), which
demonstrated the crew capsule which ISRO has been developing for its manned programme. The primary
objective of CAREs mission was to validate the reentry and recovery of the prototype spacecraft.

IMPORTANCE OF LAUNCH:
India has now come a step closer to realising its long-held dream of sending humans into space, with the
successful test flight of GSLV Mark III and the safe splashdown of the unmanned crew module.
The capsule performed as expected after re-entry into the atmosphere and, remarkably, decelerated to 7 metres
a second before splashing into the Bay of Bengal. This is the first time India had ever tested the deployment of
parachutes for deceleration. But more than understanding the re-entry characteristics of the crew module, the
primary objective of the current mission was to test the new design of the rocket, particularly at the time of liftoff and passage through the atmosphere. The fact that there was little deviation from the flight path during its
entire course till it reached an altitude of 126 km, was proof that the two large solid boosters fired
simultaneously at take-off. Also, the vehicle withstood the atmospheric loading as it travelled through the
atmosphere. Tall and heavy rockets encounter greater atmospheric loading than smaller vehicles.
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Back in January 2007, ISRO had orbited a small 550-kg spacecraft, the Space Capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE1), that carried out remote-controlled experiments in the microgravity conditions of space. After 12 days in orbit,
the spacecraft was successfully brought back, landing in the Bay of Bengal with remarkable precision. This
provided experience with re-entry, a prerequisite for manned spaceflight.

INTERNET FREEDOM IN INDIA IMPROVES SLIGHTLY

India is only partly free with a rank of 30 out of 65 countries in Internet freedom but as of May this year, it has
improved its score, a new report says.

The improvement in Indias score, from 47 out of 100 in 2012-13 to 42 out of 100 in 2013-14, is the largest by
any country. Among BRICS and South Asian nations, Brazil and South Africa rank better.
In its Freedom on the Net 2014 report released on Thursday, Freedom House, an independent US-based
watchdog group, ranked the countries on 21 categories under three broad heads obstacles to access, limits on
content and violations of individuals rights.
India improved because of the reduced number of incidents in which ICT (Information Communications
Technology) connectivity and access was restricted, the relative transparency in allocation of spectrum; less
content blocking and reduced known incidents of physical attacks on internet users for content posted online,

PLUTO-BOUND SPACECRAFT ENDS HIBERNATION TO START MISSION

After nine years and a journey of 4.8 billion km, NASA's New Horizons robotic probe awoke from hibernation to
begin an unprecedented mission to study the icy dwarf planet Pluto and sibling worlds in its Kuiper Belt home.
New Horizons is now so far away that radio signals travelling at the speed of light take four hours and 25 minutes
to reach Earth.
Pluto lies in the Kuiper Belt, a region of icy mini-planets orbiting the sun beyond Neptune that are believed to be
leftover remains from the formation of the solar system some 4.6 billion years ago. It is the last unexplored
region of the solar system.
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Since its discovery in 1930, Pluto has been a mystery. Scientists struggled to explain why a planet with a radius of
just 740 miles (1,190 km) - about half the width of the United States - could come to exist beyond the giant
worlds of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
In 1992, astronomers discovered that Pluto, located about 40 times farther away from the sun than Earth, was
not alone in the far reaches of the solar system, prompting the International Astronomical Union to reconsider
its definition of "planet."
In 2006, with New Horizons already on its way, Pluto was stripped of its title as the ninth planet in the solar
system and became a dwarf planet, of which more than 1,000 have since been discovered in the Kuiper Belt.

FIRST GREEN DIESEL-POWERED FLIGHT

Renewable Diesel, often called green diesel or second generation diesel, refers to petrodiesel-like fuels
derived from biological sources that are chemically not esters and thus distinct from biodiesel. Renewable diesel
is chemically the same as petrodiesel, but it is made of recently living biomass.
Biodiesel is produced using a transesterification process, reacting vegetable oils or animal fats catalytically with
a short-chained aliphatic alcohol (typically methanol or ethanol). Glycerol is a by-product of this
transesterification process.
Green diesel is chemically distinct and a different fuel product than biodiesel, which also is used in ground
transportation.
A Boeing aircraft has completed the worlds first flight using green diesel, a sustainable biofuel made from
vegetable oils, waste cooking oil and animal fats.
The company powered its eco-Demonstrator 787 flight test airplane on December 2 with a blend of 15 per cent
green diesel and 85 per cent petroleum jet fuel in the left engine.

STEM CELLS HOLD NEW HOPE FOR BALDNESS

New procedures are being evolved in different therapies and surgical methods to extend the benefits of stem
cell research and its applications to the needy people with better and effective results. This has not only
revolutionised bio-technology sector as a whole but also contributed immensely to the therapeutic procedures
in a variety of areas. The biggest advantage with the Stem cells causes a healthy multiplication of cells in a
specific part of the body where it would be introduced.

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BIO-DIGESTER TOILETS
A simple, low-cost technology for treating human waste developed by the Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) can aid in putting an end to open defecation and manual scavenging in the country.
A recent report Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation, update 2014, by WHO and UNICEF, estimates that
about 597 million people in India resort to open defecation, the highest in the world.
The technology, which uses bacteria to treat waste, was originally developed by the Defence Research
Development Establishment (DRDE), Gwalior, to meet the sanitation requirements of soldiers serving in the high
altitudes of Ladakh and Siachen.
The system is built to operate from minus 20 degrees to plus 50 degrees and is highly customisable as per the
requirements and local conditions. The best feature is that it totally does away with manual scavenging and is
low on maintenance and installation cost.
One major achievement has been its installation in the Railways, which are referred to as the largest open
defecation system in the world.
Over 15,000 systems have been installed and improvements are being carried out jointly by the DRDO and Indian
Railways after which it will be expanded.
In 2012, the then Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh made a push for installing 1,000 bio-digester
toilets along the 90-km Jhamjhadi-Dhamra stretch in Odisha under a pilot project over the next decade.
Being a green technology, it holds potential for providing sustainable and safe disposal of human waste.

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NEW EVIDENCE OF WATER ON MARS: NASA

NASAs Curiosity rover has found new evidence of water on Mars, indicating that the planet most like Earth in
the solar system was suitable for microbial life.
NASA said its interpretation of Curiositys finds in Gale Crater suggests ancient Mars maintained a climate that
could have produced long-lasting lakes at many locations on the Red Planet.
The American space agency said Marss Mount Sharp was built by sediments deposited in a large lake bed over
tens of millions of years.
The thickness of the rock outcrops indicates that the lake or lakes must have sloshed around the bottom of
154-km Gale Crater over the course of millions of years, though the lake probably dried up and then reappeared
a number of times, the researchers said.
Curiosity currently is investigating the lowest sedimentary layers of Mount Sharp, a section of rock 500 feet (150
meters) high dubbed the Murray formation.
Rivers carried sand and silt to the lake, depositing the sediments at the mouth of the river to form deltas similar
to those found at river mouths on Earth. This cycle occurred over and over again.

INTERNET SHOULD BE 'HUMAN RIGHT'

Tim Berners-Lee credited with inventing the World Wide Web says affordable access to the Internet should be
recognized as a human right. That means guaranteeing affordable access for all, ensuring Internet packets are
delivered without commercial or political discrimination, and protecting the privacy and freedom of Web users
regardless of where they live.
Tim Berners-Lee said the Internet can help tackle inequality but only if it comes with the rights to privacy and
freedom of expression.
Almost 4.4 billion people most of them in developing countries still have no access to the Internet, the Web
Index said.
Denmark, Finland, and Norway were ranked as top overall, meaning they were best at using the Internet for
economic, political and social progress. At the bottom of a list of 86 countries were Yemen, Myanmar and
Ethiopia.
Mr. Berners-Lee was working an engineer at the CERN laboratory in Geneva when he proposed the idea of a
World Wide Web in 1989.

MICROPLASTIC POLLUTION ENDANGERING MARINE LIFE

Microplastic particles, measuring less than 5mm in size, have been accumulating in the oceans since the 1960s
and are now the most abundant form of solid-waste pollution on Earth.
Using the lugworm as an indicator species, the first study, from the University of Exeter, found that worms
feeding in highly contaminated ocean sediment ate less and had lower energy levels. The second study, from
Plymouth University, has established for the first time that ingesting microplastics can transfer pollutants and
additives to worms, reducing health and biodiversity.
Lugworms are common invertebrates found widely found across the north Atlantic, living in burrows in the sand
of beaches. They eat sand particles, digesting any microorganisms and nutrients and passing the sand as waste
through their tail, leaving a distinctive trail or cast on the beach. The worm can make up about 30 per cent of
the biomass of an average sandy beach, making it an important source of food for wading birds and flatfish.
The earthworms of the sea, lugworms provide another important ecosystem service by turning over large
volumes of sand, replenishing organic material and oxygenating the upper layers to keep the sediment healthy
for other animals and microorganisms.
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Microplastics can transfer harmful chemicals to lugworms. Due to its role as a prey species, lugworms could pass
these chemicals up the food chain to top predators such as fish.

TAJ: THE POLLUTANTS CAUSING DISCOLOURATION IDENTIFIED

Particulate carbon and fine dust particles that are deposited on the marble are responsible for its browning.
Carbon is of two types black carbon and light absorbing organic carbon or brown carbon. Both organic carbon
and dust particles have the ability to preferentially absorb light in the blue region of the spectrum. The
absorption of blue light by these pollutants in turn gives the marble surface a brown hue.
There is one group of organic carbon which absorbs light in the blue region of the spectrum and this is called
brown carbon. Discolouration is because of what is happening to reflectance, and reflectance is in turn
influenced by these particles.
It is the presence of haematite in the dust that is responsible for the brown hue. If haematite is not present in
the dust then the dust would be only scattering in nature. Haematite is the ingredient that absorbs the blue
wavelength of the spectrum.

HAINAN GIBBON
Scientists are racing to save a critically endangered ape species that lives only in the rainforests of southern
Chinas Hainan Island. With 25 known individuals remaining, a disease outbreak or a strong typhoon could
massively impact the speciess chances of survival.
Hainan is Chinas smallest and southernmost province, an island of rainforests, mountains and sandy beaches in
the South China Sea. The gibbons gangly creatures with small black faces and thick beige fur live in the
Bawangling national nature reserve, a 26 sq mile swath of rainforest more than 120 miles from the provincial
capital, Haikou.
The reserve was home to more than 2,000 gibbons in the late 1950s, but poachers and loggers slowly
encroached on the area, leaving only 30 or so left by 1980, when the Chinese government declared the park a
protected area.

KEPLER MISSION
NASAs planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft, which is carrying out a new mission has made its first exoplanet
discovery a super-Earth located 180 light-years from Earth. Discovery of a planet, HIP 116454b, which is 2.5
times the diameter of Earth and follows a close, nine-day orbit around a star that is smaller and cooler than our
Sun, making the planet too hot for life. Planet weighs almost 12 times as much as Earth.
The discovery was confirmed with measurements taken by the HARPS-North spectrograph of the
TelescopioNazionale Galileo in the Canary Islands, which captured the wobble of the star caused by the planets
gravitational tug as it orbits.
Since the K2 mission officially began in May 2014, it has observed more than 35,000 stars and collected data on
star clusters, dense star-forming regions, and several planetary objects within our own solar system.
WHAT IS EXO-PLANET?

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An exoplanet or extra solar planet is a planet that does not orbit the Sun and instead orbits a different
star, stellar remnant, or brown dwarf. More than 1800 exoplanets have been discovered.
Kepler-186f is the first Earth-sized planet in a habitable zone to have been discovered, a 1.1-Earth-radius
planet in the habitable zone of a red dwarf, announced in April 2014.

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AGNI-IV
India's strategic missile, Agni-IV, was successfully test-fired from the Wheeler Island, off the Odisha coast. The
missile unit of the Strategic Forces Command of the Army flight-tested the missile, which had been developed by
the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Although the missile's full range is 4,000 km, it
was flight-tested for a range of 3,000 km only.
SPECIFICATIONS
Range

4000Km

Warhead

One tonne conventional or nuclear

Wight

17 tonnes

Length

20 meters

Agni-IV can carry a nuclear warhead weighing one tonne. Agni-IV, weighing 17 tonnes and 20 metres long, has
already been inducted into the Army after the DRDO successfully test-fired it three times in a row in November
2011, September 2012 and January 2014.

AGRIFOUND PARVATI-2
The National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation has recently developed the first new garlic
variety Agrifound Parvati-2 recommended for cultivation in Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
The crop matures in 220-240 days after planting and keeping quality is moderate. Bulbs are attractive, compact,
round and white.
It is tolerant to stemphylium blight, purple blotch and environmental stress conditions. Right season for planting
in hills is August-September.

HAYABUSA2
A Japanese space explorer was launched on a six-year roundtrip journey to blow a crater in a remote asteroid
and collect samples from inside in hopes of gathering clues to the origin of earth.
The explorer is expected to reach the asteroid in 2018 and spend about 18 months studying it before returning
in 2020.
The research includes shooting a projectile into the asteroid to blast open a crater so the explorer can collect
rock samples from inside.
Asteroids can provide evidence not available on earth about the birth of the solar system and its evolution.
Japans space agency said Hayabusa2 will explore the origin of seawater and how the planet earth was formed.

GLONASS K
GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System") is a space-based satellite navigation system operated by
the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces and is Russias equivalent of the US Global Positioning System (GPS).
The Glonass satellites designs have undergone several upgrades, with the latest version being Glonass-K.
Developed by the Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems, the Glonass-K marks a substantial improvement over
the previous Glonass-M second-generation satellites, having a longer lifespan and better accuracy. Glonass-K
was launched from the Plesetsk space centre in Russias northwestern Arkhangelsk region.

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This is the fifth launch of a Global Navigation Satellite System satellite or Glonass from the Plesetsk space centre.
The first launch of a Glonass satellite from Plesetsk took place Feb 26, 2011.Earlier, all Glonass satellite launches
had been made from the Baikonur space centre that Russia had leased from Kazakhstan, with the help of ProtonM carrier rockets.

INTEGRATED MONITORING OF TERRORISM (I-MOT)

A software Terrorist Information System, now called Integrated Monitoring of Terrorism (i-MOT), has been
developed by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) to have a mechanism for creation and maintenance of a
centralized data base on terrorist incidents including terrorist financing cases.
The Central and State Law Enforcement Agencies upload the data directly to the server through the link that has
been provided on the website of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

CO2 EMISSIONS
Trends in global CO2 emissions report is released by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency and the
European Commissions Joint Research Centre.
FINDINGS

In 2013, Brazil (6.2 per cent), India (4.4 per cent), China (4.2 per cent) and Indonesia (2.3 per cent)
reported a sharp rise in emissions of the greenhouse gas.
The main reason for the continuous steady increase in energy use in emerging economies such as India is
from burning of fossil fuels and production of cement.
China, the United States and the European Union remain the top three emitters of carbon dioxide of the
world total. The main reason for chinas emission that year was
Decline in electricity and fuel demand from the basic materials industry
An increase in renewable energy and improvements in energy efficiency

INDIA FACTS FROM THE REPORT

Indias CO2 emissions in 2013 continued to increase by 4.4% to about 2.1 billion tonnes, making it the
fourth largest CO2 emitting country, following closely the European Union, and well ahead of the Russian
Federation, which is the fifth largest emitting country
The high ranking is partly caused by the size of its population and economy.
Per capita, Indias CO2 emissions were much lower than those of most developed countries and China.
Coal-based power production, accounting for almost 70% of all of Indias coal-related CO2 emissions

SUNDARBANS OIL SPILL

The massive oil spill from the sunken tanker has put the biodiversity and ecology of the worlds biggest
mangrove forest, a world heritage site since 1997, at risk. The Sundarbans is the world largest mangrove forest,
which covers 26,000 square km in India and Bangladesh, is also the habitat of famous Royal Bengal Tigers.

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The United Nations said has sent a team of international experts to Bangladesh to help clean up the
worlds largest mangrove forest, after it was hit by a huge oil spill.
The oil spilt into the protected Sundarbans mangrove area, home to rare Irrawaddy and Ganges
dolphins.
A team from the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) has arrived to support
Bangladeshs cleanup efforts of the oil spill in the Sundarbans.
The U.N. team will conduct an assessment and advice on recovery and risk reduction measures.

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WHAT IS OIL-SPILL?

An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine
areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution.
The term is usually applied to marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters, but
spills may also occur on land.
Oil spills may be due to releases of crude oil from tankers, offshore platforms, drilling rigs and wells, as
well as spills of refined petroleum products and their by-products, heavier fuels used by large ships such
as bunker fuel, or the spill of any oily refuse or waste oil.

IMPACTS ON MARINE LIFE

Ingestion: The ingestion of the oil by the seabirds and sea mammals causes Kidney Failure, dehydration
and other metabolic disorders.
Furs: The furs of the marine animals are affected badly.
Plumage: The most important impact of the oil spills on the sea organisms is on the plumage of the birds
Photosynthesis: The oil floats on the top of the water and this reduces the penetration of sunlight in the
sea water.

RECOVERY

The Recovery from the oil spill is difficult and depends upon many factors. The clearing and recovery
depends upon the following factors:
Type of the oil spilled
Temperature of the water which may affect the evaporation and biodegradation.
Type of shore line involved.

NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL (NGT)

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The National Green Tribunal sought response from the Centre, States and Union Territories about the measures
they have been adopting to check climate change and how the governments have implemented the National
Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
The Bench was hearing a petition filed by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, who has been raising various
environmental concerns before the NGT. Mr. Bansal sought directions to place on record the relevant materials
and documents relating to steps taken by the Centre and States to implement the NAPCC.

GREEN PHABLET
A customised low-cost combination phone and tablet computer called GreenPHABLET powered by the
GreenSIM was launched by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).
The GreenPHABLET will allow information to be precisely targeted to individual smallholder farmers. This will
help farmers purchase inputs at lower price, get a better price for their produce, and link them to markets, thus
putting them on the path to prosperity.
The GreenSIM is a special SIM card that can be used with any mobile phone. The GreenSIM was created under
partnership between ICRISAT, mobile phone service provider Airtel, and the IFFCO (Indian Farmers Fertiliser
Cooperative) Kisan Sanchar Limited (IKSL).

WHITE-FI TECHNOLOGY
Microsoft is looking at starting a pilot project of its White-Fi technology that uses the unused spectrum in
frequencies used for broadcasting of television signals, and is likely to offer solution to tackle the problem of last
mile broadband connectivity in the country.
The 200-600 MHz frequency is used for TV channels to carry data. In India, 93 per cent of this spectrum is not
utilised. White-Fi will use this vacant spectrum to provide connectivity. In technology parlance, these unused
spectrum spaces are called White Space.

PLANT PROTECTION CODE

Plant Protection Code (PPC) is a set of guidelines for regulating the chemical inputs in tea cultivation. The aim is
to make Indian tea a safe and healthy drink.
The PPC is a comprehensive document, which deals with safe usage of crop protection products and
methodologies that would be followed to reduce pesticide residues in tea.
The code encourages tea growers to critically review their plant protection formulations (PPF), which are a list of
chemicals that are used in tea. The code is based on the Codex Alimentarius, which is a set of international food
standards and guidelines.

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