News Juice Monthly May Edition 2018

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Table of Contents
Polity & Governance ..................................................................................... 1
1. Ministry withdraws order on fake news (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II) ....... 1
2. Cabinet approves the Protection of Human Rights (Amendments) Bill, 2018 (Relevant for
GS prelims, GS Mains Paper II) ..................................................................................................... 2
3. Why have protests erupted again over Cauvery? (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper
II) ..................................................................................................................................................... 4
4. What is the row over SC/ST Act verdict all about? (Relevant for GS Prelims and GS Mains
Paper II) .......................................................................................................................................... 5
5. Budget session marked with disruptions (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II) ....... 6
6. Why politicians contest two seats, why EC wants to limit them to one (Relevant for GS
Prelims, GS Mains Paper II) .......................................................................................................... 7
7. Right to convert is part of fundamental right of choice: Supreme Court (Relevant foe GS
Mains II and GS prelims) ............................................................................................................... 9
8. SC to issue order in roster case (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II) ...................... 10
9. State election panels: Independent of central EC, with similar powers (Relevant for GS
Prelims, GS Mains Paper II) ........................................................................................................ 11
10. Allocation of cases is CJI s prerogative, rules Supreme Court (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS
Mains Paper II) ............................................................................................................................ 13
11. Why has violence escalated in Kashmir? (Relevant for GS Mains Paper II) .......................... 14
12. Law Commission favours simultaneous elections (Relevant for GS prelims, GS Mains Paper
II) ................................................................................................................................................... 15
13. Make BCCI a public body: law panel (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II) ............. 17
14. e-Vidhan project (Relevant for GS Prelims and GS Mains Paper III) ...................................... 18
15. Union cabinet approves ordinance for death penalty to child rapists (Relevant for GS
16. Why we need to build on CWG glory? (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III) .......... 19
17. The lowdown on row over SC roster (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II) ............. 21
18. RS Chairman rejects motion against Chief Justice Misra (Relevant for GS Prelims) ............ 22
19. Does Rajya Sabha Chairperson has the power to reject the removal motion of CJI?
(Relevant for GS prelims, GS Mains Paper II) ........................................................................... 23
20. Scheduled Areas declared under Fifth Schedule of the Constitution in Rajasthan (Relevant
for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II: Polity & Governance ......................................................... 24
21. Unpersuasive: on Centre's arguments against elevating Justice Joseph (Relevant for GS
22. Appointment of SC Judge (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II; Polity &
Governance) ................................................................................................................................. 26
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23. Naroda Patiya case (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II; Polity & Governance) .... 29
International Organizations and Relations ...................................... 32

1. All you need to know about US and China trade war (Relevant for GS prelims, GS Mains
Paper II).............................................................................................................................................. 32
2. Nepalese PM K.P. Oli and his relationship with India (Relevant for GS Prelims and GS
Mains Paper II) ................................................................................................................................. 33
3. India-Nepal move ahead on the fuel pipeline project (Relevant for GS prelims, GS mains
Paper II) ........................................................................................................................................ 34
4. Fifteen years after: on Iraq war (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II) .................. 35
5. U.S., Britain, France rain over 100 missiles on Syria (Relevant for GS Prelims) ................ 37
6. Prime Minister visit to UK (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II) ........................... 38
7. Koreas to talk peace (Relevant for GS Mains Paper II) ............................................................ 38
8. A day of smiles as Koreas aim for denuclearization (Relevant for GS Mains Paper II) .... 39
9. Wuhan summit: India, China to undertake joint economic project in Afghanistan
(Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II) ............................................................................ 40
10. China moots India-Nepal-China economic corridor through Himalayas (Relevant for GS
prelims, GS mains Paper II) ............................................................................................................. 41
11. Common wealth? on Commonwealth leaders summit (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains
Paper II) .............................................................................................................................................. 41
12. India s performance in Commonwealth games (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper
III) ........................................................................................................................................................ 43
13. Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff visits Tehran, Iran for Indian Ocean Naval
Symposium (IONS) – 2018 (Relevant for GS Prelims) ................................................................ 47
Economics ..................................................................................................... 49
1. Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Act, 2018 brought in force on 29th March, 2018 .... 49
2. Is India prepared for e-way bill? (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS mains paper III) .............. 50
3. NIRF India Rankings 2018 (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III) ......................... 51
4. All you need to know about the GST e-way bill system (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS
Mains Paper III) ................................................................................................................................ 54
5. RBI switches back to GDP scale to measure economy (Relevant for GS prelims and GS
Mains Paper III) ........................................................................................................................... 55
6. Walmart and Amazon compete to acquire Flipkart (Relevant for GS prelims and GS
Mains Paper III) ................................................................................................................................ 56
7. Undermining of multilateral by US (Relevant for GS Prelims and GS Mains paper III).... 57
8. India among the hardest hit by protectionism in G-20 club (Relevant for GS Mains Paper
III) ........................................................................................................................................................ 58
9. 11 public sector banks put under RBI prompt corrective action framework (Relevant
for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III) .............................................................................................. 59

10. Should you exit your crypto holdings now? ............................................................................... 60

11. Which are the top sectors that generate employment in India? (Relevant for GS mains
Paper III) ............................................................................................................................................ 62
12. Are dynamic bond funds worth buying? (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III) . 65
13. Government names Bhanu Pratap Sharma as new Banks Board Bureau chairman
(Relevant for GS prelims, GS Mains Paper III) ........................................................................... 65
14. The lowdown on poor loan recovery (Relevant for GS Mains Paper III) ............................... 66
15. Why India is on US currency monitoring list? (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS mains Paper III:
Economics) ................................................................................................................................... 67
16. Cabinet approves Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance 2018 (Relevant for GS Prelims,
GS Mains Paper III) ...................................................................................................................... 69
17. India s GDP to reach $5 trillion by 2025: World Bank (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains
Paper III) ...................................................................................................................................... 70
18. What govt. can do to keep fuel prices under check (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains
Paper III) ...................................................................................................................................... 70
19. TCS hits $100 billion market capitalization (Relevant for GS Prelims) ................................. 72
20. India highest recipient of remittances (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III) ........ 72
21. Long term tax on equity made taxable (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains paper III)........ 74
22. Nabbing absconders: on Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance (Relevant for GS Prelims,
GS Mains Paper III) ...................................................................................................................... 75
23. Economic freedom index: India ranks 130th, Hong Kong retains top spot (Relevant for GS
Prelims)......................................................................................................................................... 76
24. NITI Aayog to Open Applications for Atal New India Challenge (Relevant for GS Prelims,
Economics) ................................................................................................................................... 77
25. Human Resource Development Ministry Launches Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0 (Relevant for
GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III: Economics) ............................................................................. 77
26. India signs loan agreement with World Bank for US$ 125 million for Innovate in India for
Inclusiveness Project (Relevant for GS Prelims: Economics) ................................................. 78
27. Merging associate banks with the SBI (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III;
Economics) ................................................................................................................................... 79
28. Van Dhan Scheme (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III; Economics) ..................... 80
29. The rupee is sliding on account of rising oil prices and FII outflows (Relevant for GS
Prelims, GS Mains Paper III) ....................................................................................................... 81
30. Electricity reached all Indian villages (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III;
Economics) ................................................................................................................................... 82
31. The lowdown on rising fuel prices (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III;
Economics) ................................................................................................................................... 83
32. First health centre under Ayushman Bharat scheme (Relevant for GS Prelims and GS Mains
Paper III) ...................................................................................................................................... 84
33. Centre s oil policy evaluation (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III) ....................... 85
34. Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan (Relevant for GS Prelims) ........................................................... 86
35. Shodhganga (Relevant for GS Prelims) ..................................................................................... 86
36. Monument Mitras (Relevant for GS prelims) .......................................................................... 87
37. Swachhata Doot (Relevant for GS Prelims) .............................................................................. 87

38. UTTAM APP for Coal Quality Monitoring (Relevant for GS Prelims) ..................................... 88
39. e-learning initiatives (Relevant for GS Prelims) ....................................................................... 89
40. Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin all set to construct 1 crore pucca rural houses by
December 2018 (Relevant for GS Prelims) ................................................................................ 90
41. First meeting of National Council on India's Nutrition Challenges under POSHAN Abhiyaan
(Relevant for GS Prelims) ............................................................................................................ 90
42. Restructured Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (Relevant for GS Prelims)............................ 91
43. Mobile App (m-Awas) (Relevant for GS Prelims) ..................................................................... 93
Environment.................................................................................................. 93
1. BS VI fuel to be available at Delhi petrol pumps from tomorrow (Relevant for GS prelims
and GS Mains Paper III) .................................................................................................................. 93
2. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is growing rapidly (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains
Paper III) ............................................................................................................................................ 94
3. Blackbuck poaching case: Salman Khan gets five years in jail, fined Rs 10,000; all you need
to know (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III) ........................................................... 95
4. Gujarat, where there is a concern over disappearing lions (Relevant for GS Mains Paper III
and GS Prelims) ............................................................................................................................ 96
5. Environment Ministry notifies Plastic Waste Management (amendment) rules (Relevant
for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III- Environment) ................................................................... 98
6. Centre proposes relaxation of coastal regulation zone norms (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS
Mains Paper III) ........................................................................................................................... 99
7. What the new Coastal Regulation Zone draft says, how it differs from the earlier version
(Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III) ........................................................................ 100
Science & Technology ............................................................................... 104

1. Indian laws inadequate to deal with data theft, say experts (Relevant for GS mains paper
III) ...................................................................................................................................................... 104
2. What is the E.U. law on data protection all about? (Relevant for GS Mains Paper III) ... 105
3. Electric and hybrid vehicles & their possibility in India (Relevant for GS prelims, GS
mains paper III) .............................................................................................................................. 106
4. India moves to auction its first offshore wind energy project (Relevant for GS Prelims,
GS mains Paper III) ........................................................................................................................ 107
5. Google appeals against Competition Commission of Indiaǯs Ǯsearch biasǯ verdict
(Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III) ......................................................................... 108
6. Chemical weapons: All you need to know (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III)
............................................................................................................................................................ 109
7. IRNSS-1I to enrich navigation fleet (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III) ........ 112
8. Chip in TV set-top boxes: Why govt wants Ǯaccurateǯ viewership data (Relevant for GS
Prelims, GS mains Paper II) ......................................................................................................... 112

9. Why new hormone rules for women runners affect one and not the other (Relevant for
GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III; Science & Technology) ........................................................ 114
10. Draft mission to kick-start renewable energy storage (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains
Paper III; Science & Technology) ................................................................................................ 116
11. Use of blockchain beyond cryptocurrencies (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III)
............................................................................................................................................................ 118
Social Issues ........................................................................................ 121

1. 'Bharat Bandh' on SC/ST ruling: All you need to know (Relevant for GS prelims, GS
mains Paper I) ................................................................................................................................. 121
Internal Security ................................................................................ 122

1. Governmentǯs new policy paying dividends in containing Left Wing Extremism
(Relevant for GS Mains Paper III-Internal Security) ............................................................. 122
2. Left wing affected regions (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III: Internal
Security) .......................................................................................................................................... 123
3. Vehicles made on or after Jan. 1 to have High Security Registration Plates (Relevant for
GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III: Internal Security) ................................................................. 126
Miscellaneous ............................................................................................ 127

1. Navjot Kaurǯs gold medal at the Asian Wrestling Championship (Relevant for GS
Prelims) ...................................................................................................................................... 127
2. Govt to outsource operations at five railway stations (Read only for understanding) . 127
3. Kolkata, where a metro service goes under the river (Relevant for GS Prelims) ............ 127
4. TN files for contempt against Centre .................................................................................... 128
5. After glitch, ISRO trying to restore link with GSAT-6A (Relevant for GS Prelims) ......... 130
6. Tentative listing of Six monuments / historical sites in North Eastern States under
World Heritage Site (Relevant for GS Prelims) .................................................................... 131
7. 7 important tax changes from 1 April that will affect common man (Read only for
understanding) ............................................................................................................................... 131
8. Who is Deepak Kochhar? (Read only for understanding) .................................................. 133
9. Why is blue the colour of Dalit resistance? (Read only for understanding) ..................... 133
10. NASAǯs Hubble spots farthest individual star named Icarus (Relevant for GS prelims) 134
11. Crops and vegetables developed by BARC (Relevant for GS Prelims) ............................... 135
12. India second largest manufacturer of crude steel (Relevant for GS Prelims) .................. 135
13. Panel to probe CBSE question leaks (Relevant for GS Prelims)........................................... 135
14. Agreement Between NPCIL and EDF of France (Relevant for GS Prelims) ....................... 136
15. Exercise Gaganshakti-2018 (Relevant for GS Prelims) ......................................................... 137
16. First Meeting of the ǮNITI Forum for North Eastǯ (Relevant for GS Prelims) .................... 137

17. Highlights from Mark Zuckerbergǯs testimony on Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data

scandal (Read for understanding) .............................................................................................. 137
18. ǮNanak Shah Fakirǯ released, opposed, cleared: Why film on Guru Nanak Dev is at centre
of row (Read only for understanding)....................................................................................... 139
19. End on curb to cattle sale (Read only for understanding) .................................................... 141
20. Defexpo-2018 (Relevant for GS prelims) .................................................................................. 142
21. Kathua rape case: Eight-year-old girlǯs brutal rape and murder ignites national outrage;
all you need to know .................................................................................................................... 143
22. Unnao rape case: Hereǯs everything you need to know ........................................................ 144
23. Digital platform for MSME Exporters (Relevant for GS Prelims) ........................................ 147
24. DARPAN Project (Relevant for GS Prelims) ............................................................................. 148
25. Visit of Prime Minister of India to Sweden (16-17 April 2018)........................................... 148
26. List of MOUs and Agreements signed and exchanged on the occasion of the visit of
Prime Minister to Stockholm (Read only for understanding) ............................................. 149
27. No cash in ATMs: Why is there a shortage? What happens next? (Read only for
understanding) ............................................................................................................................... 150
28. ǮStrong anti-minority feelingsǯ: What the NIA probe in six bomb blasts found (Read only
for understanding) ......................................................................................................................... 151
29. Judge Loya death case: Supreme Court rejects independent probe demand (Read only
for understanding) ......................................................................................................................... 154
30. Judge Loya case verdict: We will surely file a review petition in the Court, says
petitioner Ahmed Abdi (Read only for understanding) ........................................................ 155
31. Defence Planning Committee (DPC) to be set up (Relevant for GS Prelims) .................... 156
32. First Ever International SME Convention-2018 in New Delhi (Relevant for GS Prelims)
............................................................................................................................................................ 157
33. Winners of the Ǯ1st Print Biennale India 2018ǯ given away awards in New Delhi today
............................................................................................................................................................ 157
34. Who is Michael Cohen, Trumpǯs deal-maker (Read only for understanding) .................. 158
35. Security forces gun down 16 Naxals in Maharashtra (Read only for understanding) ... 159
36. Asaram Bapu 2013 rape case: All you need to know (Read onlyfor understanding) ..... 161
37. UPSC Civil Services Exam 2017 results: Durishetty Anudeep tops, 8 women in top 25
(Read only for understanding).................................................................................................... 162

Polity and Governance

1. Ministry withdraws order on fake news (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper
II)
Decision follows directions from PM

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry withdrew its order, issued recently, under
which accreditation of any journalist found guilty of disseminating fake news could be
cancelled.
Intervention by PM
The PM has directed that the press release regarding the fake news be withdrawn and the
matter be addressed only by the Press Council of India, a senior official in the PMO said.
Earlier announcement
Announcing the norms on Monday night, the Ministry, headed by Smriti Irani, said
accreditation of a journalist could be cancelled if the news reported by him/her was found
to be fake.
The notification, which did not define the phrase fake news, said complaints would be
referred to the Press Council of India if they pertained to the print media and to the News
Broadcasters Association (NBA) if they related to the electronic media. The regulatory
agencies would have 15 days to dispose off a complaint. During the period of probe, the
journalist s accreditation would be suspended, the note said.
The note further said that on first violation, the accreditation would be suspended for six
months, on the second violation for a year and on the third violation, it would be cancelled
permanently.
Government interference in Press

The government has no mandate to control the press. The media were also worried about
growing incidents of fake news, but the Press Council is the right platform to deal with
complaints of any fake news.
What does accreditation mean for journalists?

Journalists accredited with the Press Information Bureau (PIB) are eligible, along with
members of their family, for subsidised health services under the Central Government
Health Scheme, meant for employees of the Union government. But there are ways in which
PIB accreditation is important for a journalist to carry out her professional responsibilities.
The PIB accreditation card has two important advantages. First, in certain events involving
the President and Prime Minister, and other Ministers, only PIB accredited journalists are
allowed entry.

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Second, accreditation allows a journalist to protect her sources. Since it comes after
security clearance from the Home Ministry, accredited journalists are allowed to enter the
premises of most Union government ministries without prior appointment. She is not
required to register or record her presence at the reception, or with any other official in the
Ministry.
This firewalls the journalist from attempts at finding out when and on how many occasions
she visited the premises, and which officers she met.
The anonymity of sensitive sources is one of the essential principles of journalism across
the world. It may take years for a source to start confiding in a reporter. The trust between
the journalist and her source is, to a large extent, based on the latter s faith that his/her
identity will not be revealed. This becomes paramount when a source is willing to speak
out against a senior official or Minister, or against the policies of the government.
Reporters and photographers with five years of experience as a working journalist, and
freelance journalists with 15 years working experience are eligible for PIB accreditation.
Applications for accreditation are vetted by a Central Press Accreditation Committee

headed by the DG, PIB.
(Adapted from the Hindu and the Indian Express)
2. Cabinet approves the Protection of Human Rights (Amendments) Bill, 2018

(Relevant for GS prelims, GS Mains Paper II)
The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the Protection of Human Rights (Amendments)
Bill, 2018 for better protection and promotion of human rights in the country.
Salient Features:
1. It proposes to include National Commission for Protection of Child Rights as deemed
Member of the Commission;
2. It proposes to add a woman Member in the composition of the Commission;
3. It proposes to enlarge the scope of eligibility and scope of selection of Chairperson,

National Human Rights Commission as well as the State Human Rights Commission; and
4. It proposes to incorporate a mechanism to look after the cases of human rights violation
in the Union Territories.
5. It proposes to amend the term of office of Chairperson and Members of National Human
Rights Commission and State Human Rights Commission to make it in consonance with the
terms of Chairperson and Members of other Commissions.
Benefits:

The Amendment will strengthen the Human Rights Institutions of India further for effective
discharge of their mandates, roles and responsibilities. Moreover, the amended Act will be
in perfect sync with the agreed global standards and benchmarks towards ensuring the
rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual in the country.
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)

It is an autonomous public body constituted in year 1993 under Protection of Human
Rights Act. It is responsible for the protection and promotion of human rights, defined by
the Act as rights relating to life, liberty, equality, and dignity of the individual guaranteed
by the constitution or embodied in the International Covenants .
Composition of NHRC
The NHRC consists of:
• A Chairperson, should be retired Chief Justice of India though GoI mulling appointment
of retired SC Judges as chairperson [4])
• One member who is, or has been, a Judge of the Supreme Court of India
• One member who is, or has been, the Chief Justice of a High Court
• Two members to be appointed from among persons having knowledge of, or practical
experience in, matters relating to human rights
• In addition, the Chairpersons of four National Commissions Scheduled Castes, Scheduled

Tribes, Women and Minorities) serve as ex officio members.
The sitting Judge of the Supreme Court or sitting Chief Justice of any High Court can be
appointed only after the consultation with the Chief Justice of Supreme Court.
Functions of Commission
1. Enquire suo moto or on a petition into a complaint of violation of human rights.
2. Intervene in any proceedings involving violation of human rights pending before court
but with approval of court.
3. Review the safeguards provided by constitution or any law for the protection of human
rights and recommend measures for their effective implementation.
4. Undertake and promote research in the field of human rights.
NHRC reports to the President and Governor on matters relating to Union and State,
respectively. President and Governor cause presentation of the report to respective
legislatures along with ATR (Action Taken Report) by respective Council of Ministers.

(Adapted from PIB and Background from PrepMate-Cengage Polity Book, Chapter
30-Statutory, Regulatory and Quasi Judicial Bodies)
3. Why have protests erupted again over Cauvery? (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains
Paper II)
What is the agitation for?

Tamil Nadu, which witnessed State-wide protests over the ban on jallikattu in January last
year, is again in agitation mode. On Thursday, the Opposition parties, led by the DMK,
organised a bandh against the Centre s failure to frame a scheme to implement the Cauvery
water-sharing agreement set out in the February 16 judgment. Last Saturday, the AIADMK
government moved the Supreme Court to initiate contempt proceedings against the Centre
for its wilful disobedience in not implementing the verdict.
What is the scheme ?

The scheme is required for the implementation of the final order given by the Cauvery
Water Disputes Tribunal in February 2007. While Tamil Nadu argues that the scheme
should have entailed setting up of the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water
Regulation Committee, Karnataka says there is no mention of a board in the court s order.
Even on March 29, when the deadline lapsed, Tamil Nadu hoped against hope that the
Centre would come out with a scheme, but that did not happen.
Why does TN want a Board?

The popular understanding is that the board, by itself, would ensure timely water release,
as spelt out in the Tribunal s final order. The State s long-standing grouse against
Karnataka is that it is not getting its share in right quantum and at the right time. This has
been the situation despite the Tribunal s interim and final orders taking care of irrigation
requirements.
Certain sections in the State felt aggrieved by the Supreme Court increasing Karnataka s
share of water at the cost of Tamil Nadu. The overall share of Karnataka, which has gone up
by 14.75 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft), now stands at 284.75 tmc ft, whereas that of
Tamil Nadu is 404.25 tmc ft. It has become handy for the critics of the Centre to allege that
this is yet another instance of the Union government discriminating against Tamil Nadu.
This argument is gaining attention in the absence of forceful articulation of a counter-view

by the BJP.
Why did the Centre not oblige?

The Union government, in its clarificatory application filed in the Supreme Court after the
deadline lapsed, referred to divergent views expressed by constituents of the Cauvery
basin — Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry — over the judgment. Citing the
Assembly elections in Karnataka and describing the Cauvery as a very emotive issue in
that State, the Centre said the notification of a scheme at this juncture would lead to
massive public outrage, vitiate the election process and cause serious law and order
problems. Seeking three more months, it wanted to know whether an implementation

mechanism could be a mixture of administrative and technical body, and could have
functions, different from what had been recommended by the Tribunal in the February
2007 order.
Why is Cauvery important for T.N.?

Regarded as the lifeline of Tamil Nadu, the Cauvery is the only major river of the State,
unlike Karnataka, the upper-riparian State in the river basin which also gets water from the
Krishna and the Godavari.
The Cauvery also accounts for 70% of canal irrigation in Tamil Nadu. As many as 24.71 lakh
acres have been recognised as the State s irrigated area under the Cauvery. In terms of
paddy-sown area, the delta districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and four
others, including Tiruchi and Pudukottai, account for nearly 40% of the total area in the
State.
In terms of paddy production, they contribute 35% of the total crop. In 2014-15, of the 79.4
lakh tonnes of paddy, the seven districts produced 29.4 lakh tonnes. (Parts of Cuddalore,
though considered part of the delta region, are not included here). In the past 10 years, the
Cauvery has also become a major source of drinking water for a number of districts,
including Ramanathapuram and parts of Madurai and Dindigul in the south and Vellore in
the north, apart from central and western districts of the State.
(Adapted from The Hindu)
4. What is the row over SC/ST Act verdict all about? (Relevant for GS Prelims and GS
Mains Paper II)
What is it?
A recent verdict of the Supreme Court has invited criticism from political parties and others
who argue that it amounts to diluting the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes
(Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The court laid down new guidelines for police officers
on how to ensure that innocent persons, especially public officials, are protected from false
complaints. Most parties demanded that the Centre file a petition to review the order. They
contend that the judgment, and some of the observations in it, would result in the law
losing its teeth and leave Dalits unprotected against atrocities. While agreeing to hear the
review petition, the Bench has, however, declined to suspend its order. It clarified that its
order was aimed at protecting the innocent, not undermining Dalit rights.
How did it come about?

The Bench of Justices A.K. Goel and U.U. Lalit was dealing with an appeal by the Director of
Technical Education (DTE), Maharashtra, a public servant, whose plea for quashing a
criminal case against him was declined by a High Court. The court found that an employee
of an educational institution had given the complaint solely because the DTE refused to
grant sanction to prosecute the institution s principal. It said none of the ingredients of any
of the offences listed against him were made out in the complaint. The Bench then took
note of cases of a similar nature before other courts in which false and frivolous complaints
were made under the Act for personal motives.
Hence, it wanted to lay down guidelines to prevent misuse of the law so that the innocent
could be protected. It sought to explain that interpretation of the Atrocities Act should
promote constitutional values of fraternity and integration of society. This may require a
check on the false implication of innocent citizens on caste lines.
Why does it matter?

It matters because the court s ruling has led to an explosion of Dalit anger. A nationwide
protest on April 2 resulted in violence. Nine people died across the country. The protesters,
as well as the proponents of social justice and Dalit emancipation, have questioned the
verdict. They disagree vehemently with the ruling that the bar under the Act on grant of
anticipatory bail need not prevent courts from giving the accused advance bail if there was
no merit in the complaint against them, and if on judicial scrutiny, it was found to be prima
facie malafide. The ruling also said public servants should not be arrested under the Act
without the permission of their appointing authority; and, in the case of others, without the
approval of the District Senior Superintendent of Police. It further said a Deputy
Superintendent of Police should hold a preliminary inquiry into complaints to rule out their
being false or motivated ones.
The Bench said there was acknowledged abuse of the power to arrest under the Act. It
also observed that the Act cannot be converted into a charter for exploitation or
oppression by any unscrupulous person or by the police for extraneous reasons against
other citizens, as has been found on several occasions in decisions referred to above.
Another observation by the Bench that caused consternation was it is necessary to express
concern that working of the Atrocities Act should not result in perpetuating casteism.
What lies ahead?

Under court procedure, the same Bench that delivered a verdict must also hear the review
petitions. The Centre will now seek to convince the court that the ruling would make it
even more difficult for Dalit victims of caste-based violence and discrimination from getting
their complaints investigated. If the court is convinced, it may agree to modify its order or
recall part of it. In the event of its refusal to do so, the Centre will have to explore other
legal options to ensure implementation of the Act as it stands.
5. Budget session marked with disruptions (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper
II)
Both Houses of Parliament adjourned sine die; over 240 hours of work lost
Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die, as budget session ended amid
repeated disruptions.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die soon after it met at 11 a.m. on Friday, marking the
end of a session in which 127 hours of work were lost to protests over varied issues. The
Rajya Sabha saw 120 working hours being wasted.
What is adjournment sine die?

Adjournment refers to a short recess in the proceedings of Parliament. It is an act of house
and is exercised by Presiding officer of the house. Normally, the house is adjourned with a
date and time fixed for the next meeting. When the house is adjourned for indefinite period
(i.e., without deciding the time for reassembly), then the adjournment is called sine die.
6. Why politicians contest two seats, why EC wants to limit them to one (Relevant for
GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II)
When BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi contested from Varanasi as well as
Vadodara in the last Lok Sabha elections, the obvious objective was to demonstrate his
mass appeal across states, besides drumming up support for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. After
he won from both constituencies, PM Modi retained Varanasi and gave up Vadodara.
Practice of contesting two seats

Over the years, several senior leaders have contested two constituencies in Lok Sabha and
Assembly elections. Some contested even three, until 1996, when an amendment to the
Representation of the People Act, 1951, restricted to two the number of seats one
candidate could contest in one election. And whenever they have won more than one, the
candidates have retained only one, forcing bypolls in the rest.
View of Election Commission

Last week, the Election Commission told the Supreme Court in an affidavit that Section
33(7) of the Act should be amended to restrict any candidate to only one seat in one
election. This was after the court had sought the EC s response to a public interest petition
challenging the validity of the provision that still allows a candidate to contest two seats
simultaneously.
Rationale given by Election Commission

The affidavit said: When a candidate contests from two seats, it is imperative that he has
to vacate one of the two seats if he wins both. This, apart from the consequent unavoidable
financial burden on the public exchequer, government manpower and other resources for
holding by-election against the resultant vacancy, is also an injustice to the voters of the
constituency which the candidate is quitting from. There have been several cases where a
person contests election from two constituencies and wins both.
It referred to an earlier proposal to end or restrict this practice: The Election Commission
proposed amendment of Section 33(7) in the year 2004 to provide that a person cannot
contest from more than one constituency at a time.
Cost of by-election
However, in case the existing provisions are to be retained, a candidate contesting from
two seats should bear the cost of the by-election to the seat that contestant decides to
vacate in the event of him/her winning both seats. The amount in such an event could be Rs
5 lakh for state assembly and Rs 10 lakh for the general election.
That cost would have multiplied many times now. The latter proposal, if put into practice,
would have allowed only candidates with resources to contest two seats, and then bear the
cost of a resultant by-election in the event of their winning both.
Also, if winners were to pay for causing by-elections, what about those caused by the
resignations of sitting MPs, like those of the YSR Congress last week?
The Law Commission has agreed with the proposal to bar a person from contesting more
than one seat at a time but has not endorsed the alternative proposal that winning
candidates also shoulder the cost of ensuing by-elections.
Original Provision in Representation of people act,1951

In the original 1951 Act, Section 33 permitted a person to contest from more than one seat,
while Section 70 of the Act prevented him or her from holding on to more than one seat in
state or central legislatures. In the 1957 Lok Sabha election, when a fledgling Bharatiya
Jana Sangh was struggling to grow, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then 32, tried his luck from three
constituencies in UP — Balrampur, Mathura and Lucknow — after having finished third in
Lucknow in the 1952 polls. Vajpayee got elected from Balrampur, finished second in
Lucknow and forfeited his deposit in Mathura. The Balrampur victory introduced the young
Opposition leader to Lok Sabha, dominated by the Congress then.

In 1977, Indira Gandhi suffered a surprise defeat in her well-nursed constituency, Rae
Bareli; in 1980, she did not want to risk that again. She filed her nomination from Medak
(now in Telangana) and Rae Bareli. It was packaged as an attempt to bridge the divide
between the North and the South. She won from both constituencies and chose to forgo
Medak.
Amendment in Representation of people act,1951

Many leaders continued the trend, both before and after the 1996 amendment that set the
limit at two seats — Vajpayee (Vidisha and Lucknow in 1991), L K Advani (New Delhi and
Gandhinagar in 1991), Sonia Gandhi (Bellary and Amethi in 1999), Mulayam Singh Yadav
(Azamgarh and Mainpuri in 2014) and Lalu Prasad (Saran and Pataliputra in 2009).
Regional leaders took this to another level. Telugu Desam Party Founder N T Rama Rao
contested three seats — Gudivada, Hindupur and Nalgonda — in the 1985 Assembly polls,
won all, retained Hindupur and vacated the other two, forcing by-elections there. In 1991,
Haryana deputy chief minister Devi Lal contested three Lok Sabha seats — Sikar, Rohtak
and Ferozepur — as well as the Ghirai assembly seat. He lost them all. Had he won
everywhere, three by-elections would have been necessitated.
Now, the Supreme Court has taken the matter. And the Election Commission has taken a
position.
(Adapted from PIB)
7. Right to convert is part of fundamental right of choice: Supreme Court (Relevant

foe GS Mains II and GS prelims)
SC judgement on right to choose religion and marry

The Supreme Court held that a person's right to choose a religion and marry is an intrinsic
part of her meaningful existence. Neither the State nor patriarchal supremacy can
interfere in her decision.
The observations are part of the judgment published by the Supreme Court in the case of
Hadiya, a 26-year-old Homeopathy student who converted to Islam and married a Muslim
man.
Setting aside High Court judgement

The Kerala High Court had called the marriage a sham and referred to it as love jihad .
Rationale by Supreme Court

Freedom of faith is essential to his/her autonomy; Choosing a faith is the substratum of
individuality and sans it, the right of choice becomes a shadow.
Matters of belief and faith, including whether to believe, are at the core of constitutional
liberty. The Constitution exists for believers as well as for agnostics .

10
The court held that the Constitution protects the ability of each individual to pursue a way
of life or faith to which she or he seeks to adhere. Matters of dress and of food, of ideas and
ideologies, of love and partnership are within the central aspects of identity. Society has no
role to play in determining our choice of partners, .
Chief Justice Misra described the illegal confinement of Ms. Hadiya as the smothering of her
liberty.
SC judge also wrote that the absolute right of an individual to choose a life partner is not in
the least affected by matters of faith. The Constitution guarantees to each individual the
right freely to practise, profess and propagate religion. Choices of faith and belief as indeed
choices in matters of marriage lie within an area where individual autonomy is supreme .
(Adapted from the Hindu)
8. SC to issue order in roster case (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II)
Petition calls for transparent, codified procedure for constitution of Benches

A day after the Supreme Court s number two judge, Justice Jasti Chelameswar, attacked the
Chief Justice of India s discretionary powers to constitute Benches and allocate cases, a
three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra decided to pass judicial orders
on a petition calling for a transparent and codified procedure for constitution of Benches
and allocation of cases in the apex court.
View under petition

1. Unfettered power is being exercised by the Chief Justices in the matter of formation of
Benches, and so, the same is liable to be regulated through specific rules.
2. It said specific provisions should be incorporated in the Supreme Court Rules of 2013
that the three-judge Bench in the Chief Justice of India s court should consist only of the
Chief Justice of India and the court s two seniormost judges. That is, in the present scenario,
Chief Justice Misra and Justices Chelameswar and Ranjan Gogoi.
3. The petition further demanded that the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court should
consist of five seniormost judges — the CJI, Justices Chelameswar, Gogoi, Madan B. Lokur
and Kurian Joseph — or a combination of the three seniormost and two juniormost judges.
That would be the CJI, Justices Chelameswar, Gogoi followed by Justices Navin Sinha and
Deepak Gupta.
Subjectwise roster
Justices Chelameswar, Gogoi — who is the next in line as CJI under the seniority norm,
Lokur and Kurian Joseph had held the January 12 press conference, accusing the recent
trend of CJIs selectively allocating cases to preferred Benches.
Subsequently, Chief Justice Misra published a subjectwise roster of cases to be handled by

the Supreme Court judges. However, the roster has not eased criticism.
11
9. State election panels: Independent of central EC, with similar powers (Relevant for
Amid a standoff between the Bengal SES and BJP over the withdrawal of a notification that
had extended the last date of nominations in panchayat polls, The Indian Express explains
an SEC s role and powers.
What is a State Election Commission s mandate? How is it different from that of the
Election Commission of India?
Supervision and conduct of elections are entrusted with two constitutional authorities —
the Election Commission (EC) of India and the State Election Commissions (SECs). Set up in
1950, the EC is charged with the responsibility of conducting polls to the offices of the
President and Vice President of India, to Parliament, and to the state Assemblies and
Legislative Councils. The SECs, which were appointed in each state more than four decades
after the EC was set up, supervise municipal and panchayat elections. Although the two
authorities have a similar mandate, they are independent of each other and draw powers
from different laws. The SEC in Bengal draws it powers from the West Bengal State Election
Commission Act, 1994. It has nothing to do with the Representation of the People Act,
which lays down the EC s powers. Each SEC is governed by a separate state Act.
Why were the SECs established decades after the EC?

Under the Constitution, establishment of local self-government institutions is the
responsibility of the states (entry 5, List II, Seventh Schedule). However, experience
showed that not all state governments were serious about empowering Panchayati Raj
institutions as elections were not being conducted regularly. The Constitution was
amended in 1992 to define the term (five years) for these institutions. Simultaneously,
another provision was made for setting up a constitutional authority, the SEC, on the lines
of the EC to conduct regular panchayat elections. The SEC was to be appointed by the
respective state governments.

12
The ECI and SECs have a similar mandate; do they also have similar powers?
The provisions of Article 243K of the Constitution, which provides for setting up of SECs,
are almost identical to those of Article 324 related to the EC. In other words, the SECs enjoy
the same status as the EC. For example, like the removal of a Chief Election Commissioner,
the
State Election Commissioner can only be removed via impeachment — except that the
latter s removal will be passed by the state Assembly and not by Parliament. In 2006, the
Supreme Court emphasised the two constitutional authorities enjoy the same powers.
In Kishan Singh Tomar vs Municipal Corporation of the City of Ahmedabad, the Supreme
Court directed that state governments should abide by orders of the SECs during the
conduct of the panchayat and municipal elections, just like they follow the instructions of
the EC during Assembly and Parliament polls.
The BJP has approached the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court on the West Bengal
SEC s withdrawal of its earlier notification extending the last date for filing nominations for
the panchayat polls.

13
How far can courts intervene?

Courts cannot interfere in the conduct of polls to local bodies and self-government
institutions once the electoral process has been set in motion. Article 243-O of the
Constitution bars interference in poll matters set in motion by the SECs; Article 329 bars
interference in such matters set in motion by the EC. Only after the polls are over can the
SECs decisions or conduct be questioned through an election petition. This powers enjoyed
by the SECs are the same as those by the EC. This is also the reason why the Supreme Court
this week refused to issue any directions to the West Bengal SEC in response to the BJP s
plea to extend the last date of nomination.
How far do the SEC and EC collaborate for an election?

They operate independently. In fact, in a letter to all states in 1996, the EC had clarified that
its chief electoral officers, who represent the EC in each state, should not be entrusted with
any work related to preparation of electoral rolls for municipal or panchayat polls. The EC,
however, has shared its electoral rolls with the SECs in the past. Initially it would also lend
its electronic voting machines to SECs for municipal polls, until the latter bought their own.
But this is where the cooperation ends. The EC has no role in the actual conduct of local
body elections.
In practice, are the SECs as independent as the EC?

Although state election commissioners are appointed by the state governors and can only
be removed by impeachment, in the last two decades many have struggled to assert their
independence. One of the most widely remembered cases of confrontation happened in
Maharashtra in 2008. Then state election commissioner Nand Lal was arrested and sent to
jail for two days in March 2008 after the Assembly found him guilty of breach of privilege
in an alleged conflict over his jurisdiction and powers. Lal had asserted that as the state
election commissioner he had the power to hold elections to the offices of mayor, deputy
mayor, sarpanch and deputy sarpanch.
After a Congress MLA moved a privilege motion objecting to the notification, the privileges
committee of the Assembly asked him to appear and explain. Lal did not, which led to the
committee concluding that he was creating hurdles in constitutional and legislative
functions , a breach of privilege. He was sent for two days of civil imprisonment.
(Adapted from Indian Express)
10. Allocation of cases is CJI s prerogative, rules Supreme Court (Relevant for GS
Prelims, GS Mains Paper II)
SC judgement
A Supreme Court Bench led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra declared the Chief Justice of India
an institution in himself with exclusive prerogative to constitute Benches and allocate
cases.
Rationale given in Supreme Court judgement

14
The three-judge Bench held there is no room for any presumption of mistrust against the
high constitutional functionary, who helms the country's most powerful court.
Second instance
This is the second time that the Supreme Court has, within six months, reiterated the Chief
Justice of India s exclusive duty and authority as master of roster to constitute Benches
and allocate cases.
In November 2017, a Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice Misra had declared the Chief
Justice of India as master of roster.
Dispute to the claim

Subsequent to this judgment, four judges of the SC — Justices Jasti Chelameswar, Ranjan
Gogoi, Madan B. Lokur and Kurian Joseph — held their historic press conference on
January 12, revealing how the CJI selectively allocates cases to preferred Benches.
The verdict dismissed the petition filed by advocate Asok Pande, who highlighted the need
for a set procedure to constitute Benches and allocate cases in the SC and the HCs.
11. Why has violence escalated in Kashmir? (Relevant for GS Mains Paper II)
What happened?
Unprecedented ceasefire violations by Pakistan on the Line of Control (LoC), growing
militant violence and mounting civilian casualties during counter-insurgency operations
have made Kashmir more vulnerable this year.
What has added a feeling of desperation to the combustible situation is the communal
politics played over the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua belonging to
the nomadic Bakherwal community.
Why so many civilian deaths?

People s anger is giving way to dissipation of fear of death among the youth, who constitute
60% of Jammu and Kashmir s population. This year, the first civilian death, of Khalid
Ahmad Dar in Kulgam s Kudwani in south Kashmir, happened on January 9.
Security forces opened fire to stop the locals converging on an Army camp after an
encounter nearby, and Dar fell to bullets. The sister of a trapped militant turned up at
another encounter site and was shot at on January 24. She succumbed to injuries on
February 10, fuelling more anger. The civilian killings proved no deterrent to the locals,
who rushed to encounter sites to help militants escape.
Last year, 30 civilians died near the sites of gunfights. This year, the graph shows an
alarming upward curve. Over 300 civilians have been injured in clashes during counter-
militancy operations since January. In the first 100 days of the year, at least 17 civilians
15
died near the sites of encounters, especially in south Kashmir. In just 10 days in April, nine
civilians died in the clashes with security forces in their bid to help trapped militants. On
April 11, an 18-hour encounter saw four civilians dying in clashes, but the three trapped
militants escaped the fierce encounter, emboldening the outfit they belonged to.
What is the government stand?

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is struggling to stop the youth from joining militant ranks
and to restrain security forces so as to minimise civilian casualties during the operations.
Her attempt to establish a deterrent for the security forces on January 29 by filing an FIR
and naming an Army officer in the killing of two civilians evoked sharp criticism. The
Supreme Court also provided relief to the accused Major.
The State government has sought changes in the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP),
especially for the police, in dealing with the law and order situation. However, there is no
consensus among the security agencies. Director-General of Police S.P. Vaid said any
changes in the SOP to fix the loopholes is the prerogative of the senior officers of the
security grid.
Has Operation All-Out failed?

The Army s Operation All-Out, launched in May of 2017, is also failing to yield desired
results. From around 150 militants in 2017, the number still hovers around 100, despite
the fact that 190 militants were killed last year. Around 30 militants have joined militant
ranks since January, against over 35 killed in the same period. So, for every militant killed,
one joins the ranks.
This despite the fact that for the first time in two decades, 13 local militants were killed in
one day on April 1 in Shopian in a coordinated operation by security forces.
The impact of the political reach-out and calming of the situation by the Centre through
special representative Dineshwar Sharma is diminishing in the absence of concrete steps.
Mr. Dineshwar Sharma s multiple visits to the State have failed to persuade the
stakeholders, including the Hurriyat, to agree to talks. His lack of a clear mandate and
failure to push for any major confidence-building measure is only creating a void to be
filled by more radical ideologies.
12. Law Commission favours simultaneous elections (Relevant for GS prelims, GS

Mains Paper II)

16
Simultaneous elections of Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies

A draft white paper released by the Law Commission of India recommends holding of
simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies, possibly in 2019.
It suggests amending the Constitution to realise this objective.
In a public notice annexed to the draft, the commission, which is the government s highest
law advisory body, said the white paper would be circulated to constitutional experts,
academia, political parties, bureaucrats, students, etc. The commission, headed by former
Supreme Court Judge Justice B.S. Chauhan, says opinions and suggestions should come in
by May 8, 2018.
History
The commission says simultaneous elections were held in the country during the first two
decades after Independence up to 1967. Dissolution of certain Assemblies in 1968 and
1969 followed by the dissolution of the Lok Sabha led to the disruption of the conduct of
simultaneous elections. The panel refers to a January 2017 working paper of the NITI
Aayog on simultaneous elections.
Solutions
The white paper contains a series of possible recommendations of the commission.
1. The first among these is that simultaneous elections may be restored in the nation by
amending the Constitution, Representation of the People Act of 1951 and the Rules of
Procedure of the Lok Sabha and Assemblies.
2. It recommends that in 2019, the election could be held in phases. In the first phase, it
says, elections to the legislatures which are scheduled to go for polls synchronous with the

17
Lok Sabha in 2019 could be held together. The rest of the States could go to elections in
proximity with the Lok Sabha elections of 2024.
3. Citing no-confidence motion and premature dissolution of House as major roadblocks to

simultaneous elections, the commission says the parties which introduce the no-confidence
motion should simultaneously give a suggestion for an alternative government.
4. It even suggests the relaxation of the rigours of the anti-defection law in the Tenth
Schedule to prevent a stalemate in the Lok Sabha or Assemblies in case of a hung
Parliament or Assembly.
5. The panel says that in case of mid-term elections, the new Lok Sabha or Assembly would
only serve the remainder of the term of the previous Lok Sabha/Assembly and not a fresh
term of five years.
6. The commission says the Centre should get the Constitutional amendments, if agreed
upon, to be ratified by all the States so as to avoid any challenge to them.
7. It also says that the Prime Minister/Chief Minister should be elected to lead by the full
House like the Lok Sabha Speaker.
13. Make BCCI a public body: law panel (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II)
Recommendations of Law Panel on BCCI

The 90-year-old Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should be declared a public
body. The board and all its member cricket associations should be brought under the Right
to Information law regime, the Law Commission of India recommended to the government.
Rationale
1. The board s monopolistic activities, directly and indirectly, affect the fundamental rights
of citizens, players, and other functionaries.
2. A private citizen should be able to move the highest court against the BCCI for any
violation of his fundamental rights.
3. The commission said the board has encouraged an environment of opacity and non-
accountability.
4. Corruption concerns
There is an impression in the minds of the general public that corruption and other forms
of malpractices are adversely affecting Cricket in India.
National Sports Federation

18
The BCCI virtually acts as a National Sports Federation (NSF). The commission
recommended that the Ministry website should explicitly mention BCCI in the list of NSFs.
This would automatically bring it within the purview of the RTI Act, the commission said.
Listing some of the reasons why it concluded that the BCCI is a limb of the state , the
commission pointed out how the cricket board, as an entity, is permitted de facto by the
state to represent the country at the international stage.
It selects the Indian cricket team. The selected players wear the national colours and are
the recipients of Arjuna awards. The ICC recognises BCCI as the official body representing
India and neither the government, nor BCCI have ever challenged, discussed or changed the
status.
14. e-Vidhan project (Relevant for GS Prelims and GS Mains Paper III)
e-Vidhan is a mission mode project to digitize and make the functioning of State
Legislatures in India paperless. It is a part of the broader Digital India Programme of the
Government and is likely to contribute to the cleanliness & environment by reducing the
use of papers to a great extent.
Who is responsible for the project?

The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs is the Nodal Ministry for the project. It is taking all
the necessary steps for rolling out the Project in all the States at an early date. One of the
key component of the strategy devised for implementation of the project is to create
Project Monitoring Units both at Central as well as State levels.
(Adapted from PIB)
15. Union cabinet approves ordinance for death penalty to child rapists (Relevant for
The Union cabinet approved the promulgation of the Criminal Law (Amendment)
Ordinance, 2018 for death penalty to those convicted of raping children below 12 years of
age.
The government will look at making changes in the existing law when the Parliament is in
session in order to bring this into effect.
Background
This move comes in the backdrop of the nationwide outrage over the alleged rape and
murder of an eight-years old girl in Kathua district of Jammu & Kashmir and the rape of
another minor in Unnao by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator.
Purpose of this ordinance

19
The ordinance will serve to strengthening the existing legal provisions and act as an
effective deterrence against commission of rape against minors and women in the country.
Other provisions
1. Apart from death penalty, the Centre has also decided to put in place a number of
measures for speedy investigation and trial of rape cases.
2. These include an increase in minimum imprisonment from 7 to 10 years in cases of rape

of women and increase from 10 to 20 years imprisonment for rape of a girl below 16 years
of age. The punishment for gang-rape of a girl (irrespective of age) will invariably be
imprisonment for rest of life of the convict.
3. It has also sought to set a two-month time line each for completion of investigation into
rape cases and trial of accused. A six-month time line has been set for disposal of appeals in
rape cases under the ordinance.
4. Seeking to tighten the law, it has been proposed that there would be no provision for
anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang-rape of a girl under 16 years.
5. New fast track courts would also be set up in consultation with states/UTs and high
courts for speedy redressal.
Present position
Currently, under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO)
Act, 2012, the maximum punishment for aggravated sexual assault on minors is life
imprisonment. The law deals with sexual offences against those below the age of 18 years.
Criticism of BJP
The proposed in the law comes at a time when the NDA government is under intense
pressure from the opposition after one of the BJP legislators in Uttar Pradesh was accused
of raping a minor girl. Similarly, two BJP leaders who were ministers in the Jammu and
Kashmir government had to resign from the state cabinet after they attended a public
meeting in support of accused who had allegedly gang raped an 8-year-old girl.
(Adapted from Live mint)
16. Why we need to build on CWG glory? (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper
III)
How well did India perform?

The Indian contingent returned from the recent Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast in
Australia, with its third best haul (66 medals). The earlier highs were in New Delhi, 2010
(101) and Manchester, 2002 (69). The excellent performance was based on the efforts of
shooters, wrestlers, weightlifters and boxers, who together accounted for 46 medals. India
finished third, bettering its kitty from the previous edition in Glasgow in 2010 by two
medals.
20
The euphoria is not misplaced as Indian achievements have been rare in the international
arena. It is a significant step for a country that spends daily a mere three paise per person
for sport, a fact admitted by Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore.
What made this possible?

The Indian surge at Gold Coast was made possible by consistent performances in many
events. India bagged its maiden mixed team gold in badminton, won both the gold medals
at stake in table tennis, and shimmered more with paddler Manika Batra s victories in the
women s singles, which will inspire future generations. Besides Batra in the individual list,
the overall display showcased the vast potential in the two teenage sensations of Indian
shooting: Manu Bhaker and Anish Bhanwala, the youngest in the fray.
There were other peaks too on view, thanks to the never-say-die spirit of boxer M.C. Mary
Kom, the three-in-a-row by wrestler Sushil Kumar, the facile wins by weight-lifters Mirabai
Chanu and Sanjita Chanu, the exemplary javelin-throwing skills of Neeraj Chopra and the
double delight of badminton stars Saina Nehwal and P. V. Sindhu jousting in a final which
the former won.
How will it help for bigger games?

The fine outing at the Commonwealth Games has bolstered the expectations of an
improved show in the Asian Games at Jakarta and Palembang in Indonesia during August
and September later this year. There is attention too on the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. The
confidence in the Indian contingent will be a good base to build a path towards the future.
However, it is clear that the challenges in the Asian Games are vastly different from those
encountered at the Commonwealth Games.
India will have to compete against the all-conquering Chinese, Japanese, the South and
North Koreans, Thais, Iranians and those from the breakaway republics of the erstwhile
Soviet Union. At Incheon (South Korea) in 2014, India was placed eighth and it can only get
tougher.
The benchmarks at the Olympics will be higher too but India can take heart from the way it
fought and dominated in the Commonwealth Games.
What do we need to do?

There is no dearth of talent in India and its emerging athletes believe that they can compete
with the best in the world. There is potential, and self-belief and these pillars need to be
strengthened with a robust sports policy which plans long-term and also finds corporate
funding. Often athletes struggle for finances and enjoy a windfall only after they win
medals.
It is time to build on the results from the Gold Coast. Realistically, there is hardly any time
to plan for the imminent Asian Games but there is some leeway for the Tokyo Olympics.

21
What is imperative is effective brainstorming and a precise plan backed with adequate
resources to ensure that India, the second populous nation, excels through its athletes over
the next two years. The onus is on sports administrators, coaches, athletes, government
officials and corporate sponsors to ensure that the gains from Gold Coast are not frittered
away.
17. The lowdown on row over SC roster (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II)
What is it?
The master of roster controversy is focussed on the absolute administrative power of the
Chief Justice of India to allot cases to his colleagues in the Supreme Court. Over the past few
months, the Supreme Court, through two back-to-back judgments, have formalised the
convention that the Chief Justice of India is sui generis(unique) in his discretion to decide
which case in the Supreme Court goes to which judge. Both judgments, delivered by a
Bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, agree that he is only a first among the
equals as a judge, but none, even his fellow judges, can question his powers as the court s
top administrator. To justify its reasoning that the Chief Justice of India is administratively
supreme, the two verdicts — in November 2017 and April this year — refer to Rule 1 of the
Supreme Court Rules of 2013, which indicates that the Chief Justice of India would
nominate the judges who would constitute a Bench to hear a cause, appeal or case.
The Supreme Court further applies a Rajasthan High Court judgment which holds that the
Chief Justice is the master of the roster. The Supreme Court s Constitution Bench, in
November 2017, held that the High Court s judgment must apply proprio vigore as regards
the power of the Chief Justice of India.

The issue gained public interest when four senior-most Supreme Court judges — Justices
Jasti Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B. Lokur and Kurian Joseph — blamed the recent
Chief Justices of India of selectively allotting cases to preferred Benches at a press
conference on January 12. A month later, Chief Justice Dipak Misra published a new
subject-wise roster for allocation of cases in the Supreme Court. However, the move did not
mend matters among the top five judges, especially because the Chief Justice of India, in the
new roster, had allocated public interest litigation matters to himself.
The April verdict responded to the criticism by again declaring the Chief Justice of India s
exclusive duty and authority as master of roster. This judgment was a follow-up of the
November 2017 verdict which first declared that the CJI s dominance over the roster was
necessary to protect the Supreme Court from anarchy.
Why does it matter?

The doubts voiced about the master of roster issue were summed up by senior advocate
Dushyant Dave in two quotes. First, Thomas Fuller s Be ye ever so high, the law is above
you and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar s After all, the Chief Justice is a man with all the failings... In a
22
recent lecture, the former Delhi High Court Chief Justice, A.P. Shah, said such immense
powers should not rest in one person. There is an urgent need to democratise the
position of the Chief Justice of India and the Chief Justices of the High Courts while deciding
the roster.
In fact, the November 2017 judgment was triggered by an order of Justice Chelameswar to
have a Bench of the senior-most judges hear the Lucknow medical college scam. The issue
related to allegations of a conspiracy to bribe Supreme Court judges. The private medical
college s case was heard by a Bench led by the Chief Justice.
What next?
The controversy refuses to die down. Within a couple of days after the April judgment, the
former Union Law Minister, Shanti Bhushan, moved the Supreme Court for a judicial
declaration that the authority of the Chief Justice of India as master of roster should not be
reduced to an arbitrary power. Mr. Bhushan argued that allocation of sensitive cases
should be done by the CJI in consultation with his collegium.
A Bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and Ashok Bhushan have sought the assistance of Attorney-
General K.K. Venugopal. All eyes are on the next hearing scheduled for April 27.
18. RS Chairman rejects motion against Chief Justice Misra (Relevant for GS Prelims)
Decision of Rajya Sabha Chairman

23
Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu refused to admit the motion for removal of Chief
Justice of India Dipak Misra, a first in India s constitutional history.
Mr. Naidu, in his 10-page order, dealt with the five charges of misbehavior against the CJI
and noted that the Opposition was unsure of its own case.
Cong. to move court

Former Law Minister Kapil Sibal, addressing a press conference at the Congress
headquarters, responded by announcing that the party would challenge the
unprecedented, ill-advised and illegal order in the Supreme Court.
19. Does Rajya Sabha Chairperson has the power to reject the removal motion of CJI?
(Relevant for GS prelims, GS Mains Paper II)
What has happened recently?

With the Rajya Sabha Chairman rejecting the notice given by 64 Opposition members for
the impeachment of the Chief Justice of India, the focus has shifted to the presiding officer s
power to admit or reject a motion.
The Congress, spearheading the move, is planning to approach the Supreme Court. Section
3 of the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, says the presiding officer may admit or refuse to admit
the motion after holding consultations with such persons as he thinks fit, and considering
the material before him.
What is the present position?

The law is open to interpretation on whether he can reject the motion on merits without
sending the charges to a committee for investigation.
A common-sense view suggests the Chairman has to apply his mind to the nature of the
charge. To argue that he should merely satisfy himself on the number of signatures
appended to the motion and straightaway constitute a probe committee is unlikely to find
judicial favour. However, it needs a court to delineate the contours of such an
interpretation.
On what grounds was the motion rejected?

Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu held there is little merit in
any of the five charges. He has considered the implications for judicial independence if an
investigation were ordered into charges that he says are based on mere suspicion and
conjecture. He has picked holes in the motion s wording, saying the signatories themselves
are unsure of the veracity of the charges.
As for the legal foundation of his order, Mr. Naidu has cited the Supreme Court ruling in M.
Krishna Swami v. Union of India (1992), which directed the Speaker (or Chairman) to act
with utmost care, circumspection and responsibility and to keep equally in mind the
24
seriousness of the imputations, nature and quality of the record before him, and the
indelible chilling effect on the public administration of justice and the independence of the
judiciary in the estimate of the general public . He has also gone by Mehar Singh Saini
(2010) to elaborate on the phrase proved misbehaviour or incapacity , used in Article
124(4) of the Constitution, the ground for impeachment of a Supreme Court judge.
What were the nature of charges?

What is possibly the main charge — that Justice Misra misused his control over the roster
to assign cases selectively with a view to influencing their outcome — is indeed a serious
one. But the question is whether impeachment is an option in the absence of concrete
material to establish this charge. The Opposition is divided on initiating impeachment
proceedings and there are two views within the Congress itself. Taking the matter to court
may result in a judicial resolution, but it is unlikely to end the controversy over the
functioning of the Supreme Court, an issue that has unfortunately assumed a very political
and polarised character.
20. Scheduled Areas declared under Fifth Schedule of the Constitution in Rajasthan
(Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II: Polity & Governance)
The Union Cabinet has given approval to the declaration of Scheduled Areas in respect of
Rajasthan under Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of India.
The Rajasthan Government has requested for extension of Scheduled Areas in the State of
Rajasthan under Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of India.
Beneficiaries:
The Scheduled Tribes residing in Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, and partial areas of
Udaipur, Rajsamand, Chittorgarh, Pali and Sirohi districts of Rajasthan will get benefits of
protective measures available under the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of India.
Provisions of Fifth Schedule

Provisions relating to the administration and control of scheduled areas in states other
than Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram:
President is empowered to increase or decrease the size of the scheduled area or create or
abolish the scheduled area.
President is empowered to give directions to the state for administration of scheduled area.
Governor is required to report to the President annually or whenever required by the
President regarding the administration of the scheduled area.
Governor shall constitute a Tribes Advisory Council to advise him over matters of welfare
and advancement of schedule tribes.

25
Governor can make laws for scheduled areas in consultation with the Tribes Advisory
Council.
Governor also enjoys the power that a law passed by central legislature or state legislature
shall not apply to tribal community or apply to the community with such modifications as
deemed necessary by the Governor.
(Adapted from PIB and Background from PrepMate-Cengage Polity Book, Chapter 28,
Page 295)
21. Unpersuasive: on Centre's arguments against elevating Justice Joseph (Relevant

for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II)
The Centre s objections to the elevation of Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice K.M. Joseph
to the Supreme Court are unpersuasive and raise suspicion whether his appointment is
being blocked for extraneous reasons.
Arguments given by centre

Basically, there are two broad reasons proffered for freezing the appointment. First, that
Justice Joseph is much too junior in the all-India list of judges, with 11 Chief Justices ranked
above him.
Second, that there is an imbalance in the regional representation in the Supreme Court,
something that his appointment will only skew by adding another judge from Kerala.
Neither of these reasons holds good.
Criticism of Centre s views

1. Seniority is not the sole consideration while elevating a High Court judge to the apex
court. Inter se seniority is a consideration when a puisne judge is made a Chief Justice, but
it is not sacrosanct in elevation to the Supreme Court.
There are quite a few instances of senior judges and Chief Justices being overlooked in
favour of a more deserving candidate of outstanding merit. Some of these decisions may
evoke criticism, but there is no laid-down norm under which the Supreme Court collegium
should draw fresh talent for the highest court only in the order in which an all-India
seniority list of High Court judges has been drawn up.
2. Kerala will have two Supreme Court judges were Justice Joseph to be appointed. There
was a time when Kerala had three judges in the apex court; also, other courts have been
routinely over-represented .
While it is desirable that regional imbalances and under-representation are not glaring, this
cannot be cited as a factor to shoot down the candidature of a person otherwise qualified
and validly recommended.
What are the allegations against Centre?

26
Not surprisingly, the Centre s decision has been accompanied by suspicions and allegations
that Justice Joseph is being targeted for his 2016 judgment quashing the proclamation of
President s Rule in Uttarakhand. What happens from now on will depend on how the
collegium reacts.
What should be done?

In the light of its strong recommendation that Justice Joseph is more deserving and
suitable in all respects than other Chief Justices and senior puisne judges , it will be no
surprise if it reiterates the recommendation. Then the government is bound to abide by the
collegium s decision. In that event, the Centre should not prolong the controversy further
by seeking to block his elevation again. There is a strong perception, even within the
judiciary, that the government is much too slow when it comes to approving judicial
appointments. A conflict between the judiciary and the executive over particular
appointments is not in the public interest. Besides allowing Justice Joseph s appointment to
go through, efforts must be made to finalise a revised memorandum of procedure for
appointments so that the case of one judge does not turn into a flashpoint for a sustained
conflict between the two branches.
22. Appointment of SC Judge (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II; Polity &
Governance)

27
Uttarakhand Chief Justice K.M. Joseph name not approved

Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said the government was free to send back Uttarakhand
Chief Justice K.M. Joseph s name to the Supreme Court Collegium for re-consideration.
Indu Malhotra approved

Dismissing claims that the government had cherry-picked senior advocate Indu Malhotra
for appointment as Supreme Court judge over Justice Joseph, Chief Justice Misra, heading a
three-judge Bench, said it was unthinkable, unimaginable, inconceivable for the court to
stay the presidential warrant for the appointment of Ms. Malhotra.
Reason for rejecting file

The government has already sent Justice Joseph s file back to the Collegium for re-
consideration. The grounds for returning the file include Justice Joseph s relative juniority
among High Court Chief Justices. The government has said he is the 42nd in the All-India
High Court Judges Seniority List and there were 10 High Court Chief Justices senior to him.
Besides, the government said, the Kerala High Court was too small a court to be
represented by two Supreme Court judges. The Supreme Court already has Justice Kurian
Joseph, the fifth senior-most judge and a Collegium member.
Lawyers plea

28
Barely an hour after the government communication to the CJI was made known, an urgent
mention was made by 100 lawyers of the Supreme Court to stay the appointment of Ms.
Malhotra. They said that though they were solidly behind Ms. Malhotra, they were equally
anguished by the fact that she was cleared over Justice Joseph. The names of both Ms.
Malhotra and Justice Joseph were recommended on January 11 by the Collegium. The
Collegium had then recorded that there was no match for Justice Joseph in merit.
Procedure for appointment of Supreme Court Judge

Article 124(1) of the Constitution provides for 1 Chief Justice of India (CJI) and not more
than 30 other judges subject to the law made by Parliament. Parliament prescribes the
strength of Supreme Court judges to be 31.
Article 124(2): CJI shall be appointed by the President after consulting such number of
Judges of Supreme Court and High Court as he/she may deem necessary for the purpose.
However, while appointing other judges of the Supreme Court, the President shall consult
CJI and such other judges of Supreme Court and High Court as he may deem necessary for
the purpose.
Similarly, Article 217 deals with the appointment of High Court judges. A High Court judge
should be appointed by the President after consultation with the CJI, the Governor of the
state, and the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court.
Criticism of the Constitutional Provisions Providing for Appointment of Supreme

Court and High Court Judges
1. The above provisions do not clearly specify the role of consultation in the appointment of
judges, i.e., whether it is binding or not on the President.
2. The above provisions do not state the exact number of judges. President is required to
consult.
Emergence of Collegium System

Detailed role and composition of Collegium for the appointment of judges of Supreme Court
and appointment and transfer of judges of High Court has been laid down by Supreme
Court itself through two judgements:
Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association (SCARA) vs. Union of India (1993)
Under this case, the Supreme Court gave the following directions relating to the
appointment of judges of Supreme Court and appointment and transfer of judges of High
Court:
1. President shall give primary consideration to the opinion of Chief Justice of India while
appointing the judges, i.e., President is required to make appointments according to the
opinion of CJI.
2. The opinion of CJI is basically opinion of Judiciary expressed through CJI, i.e., CJI is
required to consult other judges while giving opinion.
29
3. President may, only with logical reasons, ask the CJI to reconsider his opinion.
4. The whole process of consultation shall be in writing.
5. While appointing judges, seniority principle (in terms of number of years served) should
be followed.
Appointment of Judges Case (1998)

The Supreme Court has further clarified the process relating to appointment and transfer
of judges in this case.
1. While appointing the judges of the Supreme Court, CJI shall consult four senior most
judges of the Supreme Court.
2. While transferring a High Court judge, apart from consulting four senior most judges of
the Supreme Court, CJI shall also consult the Chief Justice of High Court from where the
judge is being transferred and the Chief Justice of High Court to where the judge is being
transferred.
3. While appointing the judges of the High Court, the CJI shall consult two senior most
judges of the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of the High Court concerned.
4. In all the above cases, if next in line to become Chief Justice of India is not included then
he too shall be included.
5. If the President requires the CJI to reconsider the opinion, the same panel which made
recommendations earlier shall be reconstituted.
6. No opinion contrary to that of CJI shall be communicated to the President.
7. Similarly, if two or more judges (other than CJI) give an adverse opinion, such opinion
shall not be communicated to the President.
(Adapted from The Hindu and background from PrepMate-Cengage Polity book, Page
145)
23. Naroda Patiya case (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II; Polity &
Governance)
On April 29, survivors of the massacre at Naroda Patiya, where 97 people were killed in the
2002 riots of Gujarat, will gather to discuss their future course of action. On April 20, the
Gujarat High Court acquitted former BJP Minister Maya Kodnani, who had been jailed for
being the kingpin of the violence.

30
Advocate Shamsad Pathan, who appeared for the victims in the case, admitted that the
verdict amounted to a big setback and they would have to decide how to approach the
Supreme Court to challenge the verdict.
What happened?
On February 28, 2002, a mob of around 5,000 people, led by Bajarang Dal leader Babu
Bajarangi, gathered at Naroda Patiya and attacked the lower middle-class Muslim hub. The
riots that lasted almost the whole day left 97 people dead and many injured. Houses were
looted and shrines destroyed. Among the dead were 36 women and 35 children.
Where do victims live?

After the riot, survivors shifted to safe places such as Narol, Juhapur and Vatva. Even after
16 years of the violence, only a handful of families have returned to their original homes,
while the rest have settled in other places.
It s no use going back there because it only brings us memories of those brutally killed,
said a victim, now settled in Juhapura. He lost three members of his family.
In 2012, Kodnani was sentenced to 28 years in jail for her role in the riots in Naroda Patiya.
The riots broke out after the Godhra train carnage, in which 58 kar sevaks returning from
Ayodhya lost their lives. It was one of the worst communal flare-ups in the State, in which
over 1,000 people were killed.
Why was she acquitted?

At a hearing in the case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by the Supreme
Court to reinvestigate the most crucial cases of the riots, had told the trial court that a day
after the Godhra incident, 11 people had seen Kodnani inciting mobs in the Naroda area,
her Assembly constituency in north Ahmedabad. The witnesses told the court that they saw
her handing out swords to rioters, and at one point even firing a pistol.
However, after a protracted battle in the High Court during which several judges recused
themselves from hearing her appeal, the Division Bench of Justices Harsha Devani and A.S.
Supehia, which had reserved its order last August, observed that the witness statements
were inconsistent and had failed to prove Kodnani s guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Justices Devani and Supehia said the investigation carried out by the SIT did not inspire
much confidence.
Of the 32 persons convicted by the trial court, the High Court upheld the conviction of 13
persons, acquitting 18, including the key accused, while one convict died during the appeal
pending in the court. The High Court also reduced the quantum of sentence awarded to all
convicts to 21 years in jail.
Additionally, the High Court convicted three others, who were among the 29 persons
acquitted by the trial court, and their sentences will be announced on May 9. They are
Umesh Bharwad, P.J. Rajput and lawyer Rajkumar Chaumal.
31
In 2003, the Supreme Court stayed the proceedings in nine most crucial cases, including the
Naroda Patiya case, on a petition filed by the National Human Rights Commission and
Citizens for Justice and Peace, an NGO. In 2008, the court constituted a SIT, headed by
former CBI Director R.K. Raghavan, to reinvestigate these nine cases, and special courts
were set up to conduct fast-track trials under the monitoring of the Supreme Court.
What lies ahead?

Working with Jan Sangharsh Manch, an outfit set up by the late advocate Mukul Sinha to
fight for justice for the victims of the riots, Mr. Pathan is bringing survivors, witnesses and
others together to chalk out a strategy for their legal battle in the Supreme Court.

32
International Organizations and Relations

1. All you need to know about US and China trade war (Relevant for GS prelims, GS
Mains Paper II)
Trade war with China: What

The U.S. and Chinese governments issued competing announcements recently, each hitting
$50 billion of the other's products with tariffs. Here's what you need to know about the
ongoing trade dispute.
The U.S. and China are going for tit for tat. Initially U.S. released a list of 1,300 products
from China that it could hit with tariffs, totaling about $50 billion in trade. China imposed
tarrifs on 106 products it imports from America, these products make about of the same
figure of $50 billion.
Which are those products?

The products on the U.S. list include heavy machinery, motorcycles and high-tech items,
such as semiconductors and batteries. Reuters calculates that the top five products affected
are color TVs, cars, copier parts, aluminum alloy plates and hard drives.
China's list names cars, aircraft, soybeans, corn, sorghum, whiskey, beef, tobacco, cotton
and plastic products.
How did the trade war begun?

These proposed tariffs would be Round 2 of the mini-trade war that has already begun: The
U.S. last month announced tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, in part targeting China.
In response, China on Sunday slapped tariffs on $3 billion on agricultural products from the
U.S. including hog parts, wine, fruit and nuts.
The U.S. is targeting China for unfair trade practices and the trade deficit. The U.S says
China treats American companies unfairly by restricting access to its markets and stealing
proprietary technology. The U.S. buys $506 billion worth of goods from China but only
exports $130 billion, leaving a trade deficit of $375 billion between the two countries.
President Donald Trump has said that China must shave $100 billion off that goods deficit.
The U.S. companies most at risk include Boeing, which last year sold one-fourth of its
commercial airplanes to China, and several car makers. Also at risk are foreign firms that
produce in the U.S. Germany-based BMW sends 89,000 vehicles annually from the U.S. to
China, the Associated Press reported, while Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz ships 65,000.
China's tariffs, if enacted, would double the current levy on U.S. cars, to 50 percent.

33
U.S. farmers, too, stand to lose their biggest trading partner. The U.S. is the second-largest
supplier of soybeans to China, after Brazil, and soybean farmers last year sent $14 billion
worth of the crop to China. Soybean prices fell to their lowest level in two years on
Wednesday after China's list came out, Bloomberg reported.
One industry that was spared is apparel. Nearly all clothing sold in the U.S. -- 97 percent --
is imported, and China is the top import partner by far, responsible for 41 percent of U.S.
imports. Industry groups had lobbied hard against the tariffs, pointing out that imports of
clothing are already heavily taxed at the border.
"We pay the highest tariffs on average of any product," Steve Lamar, executive vice
president of the American Apparel and Footwear Association, told CBS MoneyWatch last
week. "We represent 6 percent of the imports but account for 51 percent of the tariffs."
Chances that this may not happen

This could mostly fizzle out, as both the U.S. and Chinese tariffs are still only in the proposal
stage. "Nothing concrete has actually happened; these are proposals," Trump economic
adviser said. The public has until May 11 to submit comments on the proposed list of U.S.
tariffs, with a hearing scheduled for May 15.
(Adapted from www.cbsnews.com)
2. Nepalese PM K.P. Oli and his relationship with India (Relevant for GS Prelims and
GS Mains Paper II)
It is wholly in keeping with other contradictions in Nepal Prime Minister Khadga Prasad
Sharma Oli s political career that he should have emerged victorious from one of the
country s most divisive campaigns to lead a rainbow coalition of parties with everyone
ranging from Maoists to royalists and Nepal s hill elite to Madhesi parties in it.
What is his aim?

During the 2017 campaign, he often targeted India, and by extension, the Madhesis who
claimed support from India. In March 2017, after the Oli-led Communist Party of Nepal-
Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN- UML) launched its election campaign, several Madhesi
activists protested, and at least three were killed in clashes at Rajbiraj. But as Prime
Minister, Mr. Oli, whose coalition won two-thirds of the seats, has made India his first visit
abroad.
At home, he is trying to build a maximalist government, winning the support of Madhesi

parties like the FSFN and the RJNP that he is expected to support in the provincial
government in turn. In an interview to The Hindu, Mr. Oli claimed that not only had he won
88% of the votes in the confidence motion in Parliament, most other members would
have liked to vote for him too, if they had not been bound by party norms. It is an irony that
Mr. Oli, often seen as the rebel within his own party, now strives for the mantle of Nepal s
most widely popular leader.

34
What is his politics?

Called Dhruba as a child, Mr. Oli grew up in eastern Nepal s Jhapa, brought up by his
grandmother after his mother died of smallpox when he was just four. As a teenager, he
took part in the Jhapa revolt or the peasant uprising against landowners in 1967. At 18, he
signed up for the Communist party, and was almost immediately arrested. Now an ultra-
nationalist, he was once a part of ultra-left-wing plots against Nepal s elite, inspired by
India s Naxal movement. Although he rarely refers to his time in and out of prison, where
he spent more than 14 years, his associates say he was moulded by his experiences there.
He has learnt to count on himself more than anyone else, even if that makes him a loner,
said one journalist who has known Mr. Oli for decades. He also taught himself in prison,
and while he never completed a degree, he made himself conversant with philosophy and
history and fluent in English by reading.
Is he pro-India?
Mr. Oli was released in 1987 and formed a front that brought down the Panchayat regime,
and later launched the CPN-UML. In the 1990s, Mr. Oli gained administrative experience as
Home Minister and also played a major role in supporting the Mahakali water-sharing
agreement with India. The CPN-UML split over what it called an unequal agreement, but
Mr. Oli remained an outlier. He was seen supporting a pro-India stance, a far cry from his
more recent role against India during the promulgation of Nepal s Constitution, and the
four-month economic blockade that followed.
What happens next?

According to supporters, he is the most energetic leader they have seen for years, though
the 66-year-old has had several health problems, including a kidney transplant in 2007 in
Delhi.
But the most curious contradiction remains one of his faith. Ideologically, Mr. Oli is no more
the young radical youth of the 1970s.
But he will preside, according to plan, over the merger of his party with Maoists on April 22
to create a unified Communist Party of Nepal. He balances his communist beliefs with a
hearty dose of religiosity, including attending all religious events and frequently quotes
Sanskrit slokas. Asked whether he felt he faced more challenges ahead, Mr. Oli said he
feared nothing as long as he had the blessings of Pashupatinath.
Perhaps as an acknowledgement to his earlier motivators Marx and Lenin, however, Mr. Oli
took his oath in the name of the Nepali people, not God as is the norm, when he was sworn
in as Prime Minister.
3. India-Nepal move ahead on the fuel pipeline project (Relevant for GS prelims, GS
mains Paper II)

35
Pipeline from Motihari in Bihar to Amlekhganj in Nepal

The 69 km pipeline from Motihari in Bihar to Amlekhganj in Nepal will deliver 2 million
tonnes per annum (MTPA) of petroleum products to the fuel starved country and will be
built at a cost of around Rs200 crore.
This is the first transnational petroleum pipeline, that will supply fuel to India s land locked
neighbour.
Need for pipeline

This comes in the backdrop of the fuel supplies from India temporarily being disrupted in
2015 when protestors blocked the main transit point on the border. Nepal also signed a
fuel purchase deal with China, but the route between the nations presents logistic
challenges.
Background
PM Modi had in 2014 said in an address to the Nepal parliament that India would build the
petroleum product pipeline during his visit to Nepal. The project is being implemented by
state run Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Nepal Oil Corporation and will supply petrol,
diesel and kerosene. India has been supplying fuel to Nepal since 1974 under contracts that
were periodically renewed.
Tilt towards China

While the two neighbours have been underlining their special relationship, of late these
ties have been fraying on account of Nepal cultivating links with China to balance those
with India.
Oli is on his first trip abroad after taking over as prime minister in February at the head of a
leftist coalition government. He is slated to visit China post his India trip. Soon after his
India visit in 2016, Oli was in China looking for fuel exports to offset the shortfall of energy
supplies from India.
Recent relations between Oli and India

This is Oli s second visit to India as prime minister since 2016. Ties with India were prickly
as there was a perception in Nepal that India was backing protests against the new
constitution by the discontented 51% of the population—the Tharus, Janjatis and
Madhesis—who were blocking key access roads from India to Nepal, used for transporting
essentials such as fuel and medicines to the landlocked country.
India has also been supplying electricity to Nepal with the eight-member South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) signing a framework agreement on electricity
trade at its Kathmandu summit in November 2014.
(Adapted from Live Mint)
4. Fifteen years after: on Iraq war (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II)

36
Endless Iraq war

Fifteen years ago, a few weeks into the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, a 39-foot statue of Saddam
Hussein in Baghdad s al-Fardous Square was brought down under the watch of American
troops. It was an iconic moment that highlighted more than just the end of the Ba ath
party s decades-long reign. Within a month, U.S. President George W. Bush had declared
mission accomplished in Iraq. But one and a half decades later, the country is still fighting
the ghosts of the destructive war.
Lack of legitimacy
The war, which began on March 20, 2003, had no legitimate basis, being founded on
misleading intelligence information, if not downright lies. The U.S. did not have a UN
mandate to use force against Iraq. Repeated attempts by the Bush administration to get
Security Council approval failed.
Fought on false claims

But the U.S. went ahead with forming an international coalition that included the U.K., and
attacking Iraq, citing mainly two reasons — that the Saddam administration possessed
weapons of mass destruction and that it had ties with al-Qaeda. Both claims turned out to
be false. The occupying troops failed to find any weapon of mass destruction in Iraq, while
al-Qaeda in Iraq was actually founded after the invasion.
Disastrous post war management

The post-war management of Iraq was disastrous. The U.S. first disbanded the Iraqi
military, leaving tens of thousands of soldiers jobless overnight, which posed a security
threat. There was no coherent strategy to stabilise post-Saddam Iraq or to address the
sectarian power struggle to fill the vacuum.
Massive death and destruction

It is difficult to see what the U.S. and its allies achieved from a war that killed hundreds of
thousands of Iraqis and displaced millions. More importantly, by destroying the state
apparatus in Iraq, Washington threw a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country into utter
chaos.
Rise of ISIS
It was in this chaos that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi found the fertile ground to build his
terrorist empire which, after his death and under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi,
transformed itself into the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. In effect, the war got rid of a
ruthless dictator, but left the country in a worse and much more dangerous situation — in
fact, in disarray and perpetual violence.
Present position of Iraq

Iraq now has a functional government, but with deepening sectarian and ethnic fault lines.
Despite the humanitarian and political tragedy that is still unfolding, none of the architects
of the war has been taken to task. No action has been taken even based on the U.K. s Chilcot
report, which took apart the arguments used to justify the war. The Iraq war will remain a
37
reminder of not only one of the greatest humanitarian catastrophes of the century but also
of a grave failure of the international system.
5. U.S., Britain, France rain over 100 missiles on Syria (Relevant for GS Prelims)
U.S., British and French forces struck Syria with more than 100 missiles in the first
coordinated Western strikes against the Damascus government, targeting what they called
chemical weapons sites in retaliation for a suspected poison gas attack.
Major escalation
The bombing represents a major escalation in the West s confrontation with Mr. Assad s
superpower ally Russia but is unlikely to alter the course of a multi-sided war which has
killed at least half-a-million people in the past seven years. That, in turn, raises the question
of where Western countries go from here, after a volley of strikes denounced by Damascus
and Moscow as reckless and pointless.
Response of Assad government

Syria released video of the wreckage of a bombed-out research lab, but also of President
Bashar al-Assad arriving at work as usual, with the caption morning of resilience.

38
There were no immediate reports of casualties, with Damascus allies saying the buildings
hit had been evacuated in advance.
The strikes had been limited so far to Syria s chemical weapons facilities.
6. Prime Minister visit to UK (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II)
PM Narendra Modi visited the United Kingdom (UK) on 18 April 2018. Prime Minister Modi
will also participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London from
19-20 April 2018.
Technology Partnership
UK-India Tech Hub

The fund has been established as part of our growing bilateral Technology Partnership. The
Tech Hub will bring together hi-tech companies to create investment and export
opportunities and provide a new platform to share the very best technologies and advance
policy collaboration including on Future Mobility, Advanced Manufacturing and Healthcare
AI under India s Aspirational Districts Programme.
Trade, Investment and Finance
ISA
The United Kingdom welcomed the pro-active steps taken by India in establishing the
International Solar Alliance (ISA). The event marked the UK joining the Alliance.
(Adapted from PIB)
7. Koreas to talk peace (Relevant for GS Mains Paper II)
What the high-stakes meeting is all about
What is the inter-Korean summit?

The leaders of North and South Korea, Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in, will meet in the
demilitarised zone between the two countries on Friday to discuss the denuclearisation of
the Korean peninsula and the official end to the Korean War (1950-53) which has
technically still not concluded.
How did the summit come about?

North Korea had conducted a number of nuclear and ballistic missile tests under Mr. Kim s
rule, including in 2017, defying United Nations Security Council Resolutions. Consequently,
tensions ran high between stakeholders in the region as Mr. Kim and U.S. President Donald
Trump exchanged threats of war. Mr. Moon, who took over as President of South Korea last
May, has been a proponent of engagement between the Koreas, a cause he has pushed. In
39
his 2018 New Year s Day speech, Mr. Kim said he would send a North Korean delegation to
the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February. Since then, there have been several high-
level diplomatic meetings leading to the setting up of the summit.
How is the U.S. involved in peace talks?

The U.S. is a major stakeholder in the region where two of its key allies, South Korea and
Japan, are located. The U.S has over 28,000 troops in South Korea and the country s
involvement in peace talks is to be expected. As the thaw occurred, Mr. Kim conveyed his
willingness to talk with Mr. Trump via the South Koreans. The two leaders will meet at the
end of May or in early June. U.S. Secretary of State nominee, Mike Pompeo, made a secret
visit to Pyongyang to meet with Mr. Kim around April 1, possibly to prepare for the Trump-
Kim summit. The outcome of the U.S.-North Korea meeting is particularly difficult to
predict because both Mr. Kim and Mr. Trump are unpredictable and prone to dramatic
gestures. According to Mr. Moon, the North Koreans have not demanded that U.S. troops
withdraw from South Korea as a precondition for denuclearisation but have asked for
security and an end to hostility. Mr. Trump, whilst praising Mr. Kim, has said that sanctions
will remain in place until a deal is reached.
What about China?

China is the largest trading partner of both North and South Korea. Some 90% of North
Korea s trade passes through China. Mr. Kim has had a cooler approach to China relative to
his father or grandfather, both of whom ran North Korea before him. As China participated
in UN sanctions against North Korea, the relationship between the two countries was
further strained. Mr. Kim made a sudden visit to Beijing last month — his first foreign trip
as North Korea s leader, and Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to visit Pyongyang later
this year. His manoeuvres could be a clever strategy to engage with all stakeholders, some
of whom, like the U.S. and China, have competing interests in the region. Reaching out to
China before talks with the U.S. could also provide some backing to North Korea. It is likely
though that Mr. Kim will want to reduce North Korea s dependence on China over the
longer term. China, on the other hand, is unlikely to be satisfied for long with the side role
that it seems to be playing at the moment in the peace process.
8. A day of smiles as Koreas aim for denuclearization (Relevant for GS Mains Paper
II)
Kim Jong-un, Moon Jae-in promise an end to Korean war

The leaders of North and South Korea embraced after pledging to work for the complete
denuclearization of the Korean peninsula , on a day of smiles and handshakes at the first
inter-Korean summit in more than a decade.
Earlier, Kim Jong-un became the first North Korean leader since the 1950-53 Korean War
to set foot in South Korea, after shaking hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in
over a concrete curb marking the border in the heavily fortified demilitarized zone.

40
To work with U.S., China

The two Koreas announced they would work with the U.S. and China this year to declare an
official end to the 1950s Korean War and seek an agreement on permanent and solid
peace.
The Panmunjom Declaration, named after the truce village that hosted the talks, included
promises to pursue phased arms reduction, cease hostile acts, transform their fortified
border into a peace zone and seek multilateral talks with other countries, including the U.S.
President Moon Jae-in agreed to visit the North Korean capital Pyongyang later this year,
they said.
Difference from the past

Scenes of Mr. Moon and Mr. Kim joking and walking together marked a striking contrast to
last year s barrage of North Korean missile tests and its largest-ever nuclear test that led to
sweeping international sanctions and fears of war. Their meeting comes weeks before Mr.
Kim is due to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in what would be the first-ever meeting
between sitting leaders of the two countries.
After a furious year of missile launches and Nuclear testing, a historic meeting between
North and South Korea is now taking place. Good things are happening, but only time will
tell! Mr. Trump said on Twitter. KOREAN WAR TO END! The United States, and all of its
GREAT people, should be very proud of what is now taking place in Korea!
9. Wuhan summit: India, China to undertake joint economic project in Afghanistan

(Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper II)
In a move that could upset Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President
Xi Jinping have agreed to undertake a joint India-China economic project in war-torn
Afghanistan at their first informal summit in Wuhan, official sources said on Saturday.
The understanding was reached between the two leaders during the two-day informal
summit which concluded today, they said. As per the understanding, officials of both sides
will identify the project in follow up discussions and work out the modalities. This will be
the first such project in the war-ravaged country by India and China.
China -Pakistan-Afghanistan trilateral meeting

China for the first time held a trilateral meeting with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and
Afghanistan in December last in Beijing to narrow down the differences between the two
countries. China had also announced plans to extend its controversial China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan at the meeting.
(Adapted from Livemint)

41
10. China moots India-Nepal-China economic corridor through Himalayas (Relevant

for GS prelims, GS mains Paper II)
Proposal of India-Nepal-China economic corridor

China proposed a India-Nepal-China economic corridor with multi-dimensional
connectivity through the Himalayas as it seeks to expand its influence over the new
Nepalese government headed by Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli, widely regarded as pro-
Beijing. China s proposal came after visiting Nepalese foreign minister Pradeep Kumar
Gyawali held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
Past cooperation between Nepal and China

Wang said China and Nepal have already signed an MOU on the China s multi-billion-dollar
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in which connectivity cooperation is a part. It included a
long-term vision such as connectivity network and covering the links between the two
countries though ports, railways, highways, aviation, power and communications.
Background
The pro-active initiatives by China came as Oli, who is widely regarded as pro-China, during
his last tenure as Prime Minister signed a transit treaty with Beijing in 2016 ending the
decades-long dependence on India for commodity and energy supplies for his land locked
country. He also sought railway connectivity between the two countries through Tibet
which China is currently building.
China s interests
Wang said Gyawali had given firm commitment for the one China policy accepting Taiwan
and Tibet as part of China. In an apparent reference to curtailment of Tibetan refugees
crossing to Dharamsala through Nepal to meet the Dalai Lama, Wang said Nepal has agreed
to not allow its territory to be used for anti-China activities.
11. Common wealth? on Commonwealth leaders summit (Relevant for GS Prelims,

GS Mains Paper II)
CHOGM London: Attempt to revive

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in London came with
hopes of a re-energised Commonwealth . To begin with, the summit was being held in the
U.K., the founder of the grouping of mostly former British colonies, after 32 years. Besides,
Queen Elizabeth II, the head of CHOGM, attended the summit, which she has done
infrequently in the last few years owing to her health. CHOGM members were looking to
revive the 53-nation grouping as Commonwealth 2.0, amidst Britain s rocky exit from the
EU.
Greater role expected from India

In India too, the summit was seen to be a promising place to play a leadership role, and
Prince Charles s visit to Delhi to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi bolstered that belief.
42
Mr. Modi was the first Indian Prime Minister to attend CHOGM in a decade, after
Manmohan Singh skipped the summits in Australia (2011) and Sri Lanka (2013) over
bilateral differences, and Mr. Modi skipped the summit in Malta (2015) out of indifference.
So it was widely expected that India would step up to a bigger role, and help chart a future
course for the Commonwealth.
Outcome of commonwealth
1. Given the expectations, the outcome of the meet was underwhelming. It was announced
Prince Charles would succeed his mother as the head of the Commonwealth, ignoring calls
for the position to be more democratically shared or rotated.
2. There were substantive statements on the Blue Charter on Ocean Governance and on the
Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment, which could together
counter China s Belt and Road Initiative.
But there was little by way of a road map to achieve the goals.
3. Prime Minister Theresa May apologised for her Home Office s threat to deport thousands
of immigrants brought as manual labour in the 1940s on the ship Empire Windrush from
the Caribbean but failed to convince most members of the Commonwealth that Britain
would reverse its policies on immigration. The U.K. s hard line on Indian illegals , which
prevented the signing of a bilateral agreement on immigrant returns between Mr. Modi
and Ms. May, too indicates that post-Brexit London is likely to welcome trade in goods from
the Commonwealth, not services.
Way forward
The Commonwealth remains a great platform for development aid, democratic values and
educational opportunities, but its relevance is unlikely to increase unless it adopts a more
egalitarian and inclusive attitude to its next generation of Commonwealth citizens, to
partake in a prosperity their forefathers built.
COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS
Commonwealth is an intergovernmental organization of 53-member states that are mostly
former territories of the British Empire. Commonwealth countries span Africa, Asia, the
Americas, Europe and the Pacific and are diverse—they are amongst the world s largest,
smallest, richest and poorest countries. Thirty-one of Commonwealth members are
classified as small states—countries with a population size of 1.5 million people or less. The
headquarters of Commonwealth is located at London, the United Kingdom.
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Every two years, the heads of governments of Commonwealth states meet to discuss issues
affecting the Commonwealth and the wider world at the Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting (CHOGM).
All members have an equal say—regardless of size or economic stature. This ensures even
the smallest of member states has a voice in shaping the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth
43
II is the Head of the Commonwealth. The Queen is also the monarch of 16 members of the
Commonwealth, known as Commonwealth realms. The other Commonwealth members
have different heads of state: 31 members are republics and five are monarchies with a
native monarch.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2015, also known as CHOGM 2015, was
the 24th meeting of the heads of government of the Commonwealth of Nations. It was held
in Malta.
The 25th CHOGM was originally scheduled to be held in Vanuatu in 2017 but could not be
held after a cyclone devastated the country s infrastructure in March 2015. The meeting
was rescheduled for April 2018 in London, United Kingdom.
(Adapted from The Hindu and Background from PrepMate-Cengage IOBR Book,
Chapter 2)
12. India s performance in Commonwealth games (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains

Paper III)
What are Commonwealth games?

Commonwealth is an intergovernmental organization of 53-member states that are mostly
former territories of the British Empire. Commonwealth countries span Africa, Asia, the
Americas, Europe and the Pacific and are diverse—they are amongst the world s largest,
smallest, richest and poorest countries. Thirty-one of Commonwealth members are
classified as small states—countries with a population size of 1.5 million people or less. The
headquarters of Commonwealth is located at London, the United Kingdom.
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games, a multi-sport event, is held every four years; the 2010
Commonwealth Games were held in New Delhi, India, and the 2014 Commonwealth Games
were held in Glasgow, Scotland. The 2018 Commonwealth Games were held at Gold Coast,
Australia.
A summary of India's overall performance at the Gold Coast games

India finished third in the medals tally at the Commonwealth Games 2018with 66 medals
(26 Gold, 20 Silver and 20 Bronze). Only Australia with 198 medals and England with 136
were ahead.
India's 26 Golds was also third, behind Australia (80) and England (45).
The list of India s medal winners at the Gold Coast Games:
Gold (26)
Saina Nehwal clinched women s singles gold in badminton.
Boxer Vikas Krishan wins gold in 75kg category at Commonwealth Games.

44
Manika Batra wins gold in table tennis women's singles, becoming the first Indian woman
to do so.
Vinesh Phogat wins gold in women s wrestling freestyle 50 kg Nordic event.
Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian javelin thrower to claim a gold medal at the
Commonwealth Games.
In the 52kg Boxing event Gaurav Solanki won gold.
In wrestling, Sumit Malik claimed the gold medal in the men s freestyle 125 kg.
Sanjeev Rajput won gold in 50m Rifle 3 Position shooting event.
M.C. Mary Kom won 45-48 kg category boxing event, claiming gold in her debut
Commonwealth Games.
Bajrang Punia won the gold medal in freestyle 65kg wrestling.
Tejaswini Sawant won the 50m rifle position event 15-year-old Anish Bhanwala bagged
gold in men's 25m rapid fire pistol.
In men's freestyle 74kg wrestling, double Olympic-medallist Sushil Kumarwon gold.
Rahul Aware added another gold medal to India's tally, winning in the Men's Freestyle 57kg
wrestling event.
In the double trap women shooting, India's Shreyasi Singh won gold.
Shooter Heena Sidhu won gold in 25m pistol event to give India its 11th gold medal in the
Games.
The Indian mixed team badminton claimed gold for the first time in the Games' history.
In the 10m men's air pistol event, India's Jitu Rai won gold. This is his second
Commonwealth gold.
In the women's table tennis event, the Indian team won its first ever Commonwealth gold
medal.
In 10m women's air pistol, Manu Bhaker won gold and added sixth gold for India at the
Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

45
Weightlifter Punam Yadav became the third woman to win gold for India, coming out on
top in the women's 69 kg category at the CWG 2018.
Weightlifter Venkat Rahul Ragala became the fourth Indian to claim a gold medal in the
men's 85 kg category.
Weightlifter Satish Kumar Sivalingam won India's third gold in the men s 77kg category.
Weightlifter Sanjita Chanu landed India its second gold medal, winning the top spot in the
women s 53kg category.
Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu was the first gold medal winner for India, on the opening day,
in the women's 48 kg category.
Indian men s table tennis team wins gold beating Nigeria 3-0.
Silver (20)
P.V. Sindhu picked up the women s singles silver medal in badminton playing against Saina
Nehwal.
Kidambi Srikanth settled for badminton silver.
Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Joshna Chinappa settle for silver in women s doubles squash.
In mixed doubles squash, Dipika Pallikal and Saurav Ghosal claim silver.
Boxer Manish Kaushik won silver in the Men's 60 kg category.
India s Amit Panghal won silver after losing a very close bout in the Boxing Men s 46-49kg
Final.
Manika Batra and Mouma Das fought hard before going down against defending champions
Feng Tianwei and Yu Mengyu to settle for a silver medal in the women s doubles, a first
ever for India in the Commonwealth Games.
Anjum Moudgil bagged silver in the women s 50m rifle 3 positions event.
Wrestler Pooja Dhanda made a late push in the women s 57kg final bout to win silver.
Wrestler Mausam Khatri failed to make use of his wealth of experience as he settled for a
silver medal in men s freestyle 97 kg event.
Seema Punia came up with a best effort of 60.41m in the women's discus throw, which she
did in her opening attempt to win her fourth successive CWG medal Mehuli Ghosh won
silver in the 10m women's air rifle event.

46
In the 105-category weightlifting for men, Pradeep Singh won the silver.
In 10m women's air pistol, Heena Sidhu won the silver and added second silver for India at
the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Weightlifter P. Gururaja opened India s medal account on the first competition day,
claiming a silver in the men s 56kg category.
Tejaswini Sawant won a silver medal in 50m prone finals in shooting.
Wrestler Babita Kumari won silver in 53kg event.
Bronze (20)
Manika Batra and G. Sathiyan claimed mixed doubles bronze in table tennis.
Sharath Kamal claimed bronze in table tennis Men's Singles.
Harmeet Desai and Sanil Shankar Shetty bagged bronze in the men s doubles Table Tennis
competition.
Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy win bronze at women's doubles badminton.
In wrestling, Somveer claims bronze in Men's Freestyle 86 kg.
In wrestling, Sakshi Malik claimed bronze in the Women's Freestyle 62 kg.
Naman Tanwar won bronze in the boxing Men's 91 kg.
Manoj Kumar won bronze in the boxing Men's 69 kg.
Hussamuddin Mohammed won bronze in the boxing Men's 56 kg.
Divya Kakran won bronze medal in the women s freestyle 68 kg by outplaying Bangladesh s
Sherin Sultana 4-0.
In the women's discus throw, Navjeet Dhillon grabbed the bronze with her final throw of
57.43m.
In women's freestyle 76kg wrestling event, Kiran bagged a bronze medal.
Delhi-born Ankur Mittal claimed the bronze in men's double trap shooting event.
Om Mitharval won bronze in the 50m men's pistol event and in the 10m men's air pistol
event.
India's Apurvi Chandela won bronze in the 10m women's air rifle event.
47
One more medal for weightlifting, Vikas Thakur added a shade of bronze to Indian
weightlifters golden run at the Commonwealth Games, claiming the third position in the
94kg category by equalling his personal best.
Ravi Kumar settles for bronze in men s 10m air rifle event at 21st Commonwealth Games.
Teenager Deepak Lather from Haryana became the youngest Indian weightlifter to claim a
Commonwealth Games medal, clinching a bronze in the men s 69kg category.
Sachin Chaudhary did the country proud by bagging a bronze medal in the men s
heavyweight category in para powerlifting of the XXI Commonwealth Games.
Comparison with 2014 performance

India's combined 66 medals is its third best showing in the history of the Games. India's
best remains 101 in New Delhi (2010), followed by 69 in Manchester (2002).
India bettered its showing in Glasgow 2014, where we finished fifth overall, by just two
medals. In Glasgow, India claimed 15 Gold, 30 Silver and 19 Bronze. India's best Gold tally
of 38 came at home in 2010.
What next?
India s reputation took a beating when A.V. Rakesh Babu and K.T. Irfan were packed off
from the Games for violation of the no needle policy after needles were found in their
rooms. This aberration must not go unaddressed against the backdrop of successes of other
Indian athletes.
With the next Asian Games scheduled in August-September in Jakarta, Indonesia, India is
expected to build on the gains from the Gold Coast. Based on the quality of recent
performances, India could improve upon its 2014 tally of 11 gold, 10 silver and 36 bronze
medals.
Considering the Asian standards of table tennis, badminton, shooting, wrestling,

weightlifting and field events in athletics, it will be over-optimistic to expect a gold haul
anywhere close to what the Indians managed from the Gold Coast. Chopra, Chanu, Sushil,
the badminton players in singles, besides select shooters, will hope to do well. But India
will certainly try to register a better show in hockey where the men s team will defend its
Asian Games title, and automatically qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Till then, the
CWG has held a mirror up to Indian sport and found a refreshing reflection.
13. Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff visits Tehran, Iran for Indian Ocean
Naval Symposium (IONS) – 2018 (Relevant for GS Prelims)

48
The 6th edition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and Conclave of Chiefs is being
hosted by Iran at Tehran from 23 to 25 April 2018. The Chief of the Naval Staff is leading a
four-member Indian delegation for the event.
About IONS
The IONS was conceived by the Indian Navy in 2008. The forum seeks to enhance maritime
cooperation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region by providing an
open and inclusive forum for discussion on regionally relevant maritime issues that would
lead to common understanding on the way ahead. The inaugural edition of IONS was held
in February 2008 at New Delhi, with Indian Navy as the Chair for two years. This was
followed by UAE from 2010 - 2012, South Africa from 2012 - 2014, Australia from 2014 -
2016 and Bangladesh from 2016 - 2018.
The IONS Charter of Business was agreed upon by the Conclave of Chiefs and brought into
effect in February 2014. A relatively young forum, barely in its 10th year of existence, it has
grown into a formidable organisation with 23 members and 09 observers. As the founder
nation, India will also be conducting commemorative activities in November 2018 at Kochi,
for celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year.
(Adapted from PIB)

49
Economics
1. Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Act, 2018 brought in force on 29th March, 2018
The Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2018 has been passed by Lok Sabha on 15th
March, 2018 and by the Rajya Sabha on 22nd March, 2018, has been brought in force on
29th March, 2018.
Background
The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 applies to establishments employing 10 or more
persons. The main purpose for enacting this Act is to provide social security to workman
after retirement, whether retirement is a result of superannuation, or physical disablement
or impairment of vital part of the body.
Therefore, the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 is an important social security legislation to
wage earning population in industries, factories and establishments.
Amendments introduced
1. The present upper ceiling on gratuity amount under the Act is Rs. 10 Lakh. The
provisions for Central Government employees under Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules,
1972 with regard to gratuity are also similar.
Before implementation of 7th Central Pay Commission, the ceiling under CCS (Pension)
Rules, 1972 was Rs. 10 Lakh. However, with implementation of 7th Central Pay
Commission, in case of Government servants, the ceiling has been raised to Rs. 20 Lakhs.
Therefore, considering the inflation and wage increase even in case of employees engaged
in private sector, this Government decided that the entitlement of gratuity should also be
revised in respect of employees who are covered under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972.
Accordingly, the Government initiated the process for amendment to Payment of Gratuity
Act, 1972 to increase the maximum limit of gratuity to such amount as may be notified by
the Central Government from time to time. Now, the Government has issued the
notification specifying the maximum limit to Rs. 20 Lakh.
2. In addition, the Bill also envisages to amend the provisions relating to calculation of
continuous service for the purpose of gratuity in case of female employees who are on
maternity leave from twelve weeks to such period as may be notified by the Central
Government from time to time . This period has also been notified as twenty-six weeks.
Impact
This will ensure harmony amongst employees in the private sector and in Public Sector
Undertakings/ Autonomous Organizations under Government who are not covered under
CCS (Pension) Rules. These employees will be entitled to receive higher amount of gratuity
at par with their counterparts in Government sector.
50
(Adapted from PIB)
2. Is India prepared for e-way bill? (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS mains paper III)
Businesses and transporters are sceptical about the successful roll-out of the GST e-way bill
system, scheduled from 1 April.
Reason cited
1. Though the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN), the firm handling the backbone of
GST regime, has said that e-way bill generation capacity has been ramped up to handle 7.5
million such bills a day, but businesses remain apprehensive.
The number of e-way bills that need to be generated may be much higher than 75 lakh.
Around 70 lakh trucks are used for transport of goods and each truck may carry multiple
consignments that will need e-way bills, said Abhishek Gupta, office-bearer at Bombay
Goods Transport Association (BGTA), adding that many practical issues remain.
2. The anxiety also stems from the fact that the e-way bill system may not adequately
address the actual ways of doing business on the ground, in addition to adding to the cost
of compliance.
About e-way bill

While e-way bills will come into force in the entire country for inter-state shipment of
goods from 1 April, intra-state movement of goods is expected to come under this system
over time. States like Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat are expected to make e-way bills
compulsory for goods movement within their states from 15 April, followed by others in
the next phase.
E-way bill is one of three tools for tackling tax evasion under the GST regime, along with
invoice matching and the requirement of large businesses sourcing products and services
from micro and small businesses, to collect taxes from them and pay to the government on
their behalf under a reverse charge mechanism . Invoice matching and reverse charge
mechanism are still to be implemented.
What is e-way bill?

Under the e-way bill system, goods worth more than Rs. 50,000 have to be pre-registered
online before they can be moved from one state to another. An e-way bill is an electric-way
bill for the movement of goods which can be generated on the GSTN (common portal). After
the implementation of this bill, any movement of goods of more than Rs 50,000 in value
cannot be made by a registered person without an e-way bill. It will be allowed to be
generated or cancelled through SMS.
When an e-way is generated, a unique e-way bill number (EBN) is allocated and is available
to the supplier, recipient, and the transporter.

51
3. NIRF India Rankings 2018 (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III)
The Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Shri Prakash Javadekar, released the
NIRF India Rankings 2018 in various categories on the basis of performance of Higher
Educational Institutions
What is National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)?

It ranks educational institutions based on objective and verifiable criteria. It has been made
available separately for Engineering, Management, Pharmaceutical, Architecture,
Humanities, Law and for Universities.
The first ranks were declared in April 2016. More than 3,500 institutions have participated
in the exercise, making it the largest educational institutions ranking exercise in the World.
The second Rankings were released in April 2017.
About 2018 rankings

In this third edition of India Rankings, some total of 2809 institutions have participated in 9
categories. Collectively they have submitted 3954 distinct profiles, some in multiple
disciplines/categories. This includes 301 Universities, 906 Engineering Institutions, 487
Management Institutions, 286 Pharmacy Institutions, 71 Law Institutions, 101 Medical
Institutions, 59 Architecture Institutions and 1087 General Degree Colleges.
India Rankings 2018 have ranked institutions in the disciplines/categories mentioned

above, and have also provided a common overall rank across all disciplines for those
institutions which have more than 1000 enrolled students.
List of top 10 India Rankings 2018 is as follows:
Overall:
Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 1
Indian Institute of Technology Madras 2
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay 3
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi 4
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur 5
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 6

52
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur 7
Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee 8
Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 9
Anna University, Chennai 10
Management
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad 1
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore 2
Indian Institute of Management Calcutta 3
University
Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 1
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 2
Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 3
Colleges
Miranda House, Delhi 1
St. Stephens`s College, Delhi 2
Bishop Heber College, Tiruchirappalli 3
Pharmacy

53
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education 1

and Research Mohali
Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 2
Panjab University, Chandigarh 3
Medical
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 1
Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education 2

and Research, Chandigarh
Christian Medical College, Vellore 3
Architecture
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur 1
Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee 2
School of Planning & Architecture New Delhi 3
Law
National Law School of India University, 1

Bengaluru
National Law University, New Delhi 2
Nalsar University of Law, Hyderabad 3
Engineering

54
Indian Institute of Technology Madras 1
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay 2
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi 3
(ADAPTED FROM PIB)
4. All you need to know about the GST e-way bill system (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS
Mains Paper III)
The GST e-way bill system was rolled out all over India from 1 April as part of anti-tax
evasion measures under the new tax regime. A look at the new system
What is e-way bill?

It is an electronic documentation detailing the movement of goods and has to be carried by
transporters for any consignment exceeding Rs50,000 in value. It can be generated from
the GSTN set up for the e-way bill system by the transporter before the movement of goods
begins. The e-way bill s validity varies depending on the distance that the goods have to
travel. Typically, the bill s validity is one day for every 100km of movement of goods.
Is it mandatory for all movement of goods?

The GST e-way bill is mandatory from 1 April for all inter-state transport of goods valued
above Rs50,000. It will be made compulsory for the moving goods within a state in a
phased manner from 15 April. Some goods that are out of the e-way bill s ambit include
perishable items such as meat, milk and milk products and fruits and vegetables. Other
items that don t need an e-way bill are gold and silver jewellery, cooking gas cylinders, raw
silk, wool and handlooms.
Why is it important?
The e-way bill is a key anti-tax evasion measure and is a crucial part of the GST
architecture.
Tax authorities believe its implementation will dissuade tax evaders from underreporting
transactions. It will also check instances where the entire transaction is not recorded due
to connivance between the seller and buyer. It will provide a boost to GST revenues, which
have stabilized around Rs85,000-90,000 crore. The government is hoping that this anti-
evasion measure will bring buoyancy.
What are the concerns?

The industry is worried that the technology system may not be prepared to handle the
huge e-way bill volume and that this may cause a disruption to trade. When the e-way bill
system was initially rolled out on 1 February, technological glitches caused long delays in

55
generation of GST e-way bills. This led to trade coming to a standstill, forcing the
government to defer its implementation.
Another worry for industry is the potential scope for harassment by tax authorities.
Taxmen have powers to stop trucks and check e-way bills and transporters fear this may
lead to rent-seeking.
What safeguards have been put in place?

To avoid technological glitches, the GSTN and the National Informatics Centre have ramped
up the infrastructure. The system can now handle 75 lakh e-way bills daily, compared with
26 lakh earlier. To prevent harassment of taxpayers, e-way bill rules specify that goods will
be inspected only once during the journey except in cases where specific information on
tax evasion is received. Further, in case a vehicle is detained for more than 30 minutes, the
transporter can report it on the portal.
5. RBI switches back to GDP scale to measure economy (Relevant for GS prelims and
GS Mains Paper III)
Dumps GVA methodology as it cites global best practices

The Reserve Bank switched back to the gross domestic product (GDP)-based measure to
offer its growth estimates from the gross value added (GVA) methodology, citing global
best practices. The government had started analysing growth estimates using GVA
methodology from January 2015 and had also changed the base year to 2018 from January.
Demand perspective
While GVA gives a picture of the state of economic activity from the producers side or
supply side, the GDP model gives the picture from the consumers side or demand
perspective.
What is Global trend?

Globally, the performance of most economies is gauged in terms of gross domestic product
(GDP). This is also the approach followed by multilateral institutions, international analysts
and investors, and primarily they all stick to this norms because it facilitates easy cross-
country comparisons.
Gross Value Addedor GDP (FC)

Gross value added (GVA) is the measure of the value of goods and services produced in an
area, industry, or sector of economy.
Relationship to GDP
GVA is linked to GDP, as both are measures of output. The relationship is defined as follows:
GVA + Taxes on products − Subsidies on products = GDP

56
Why GVA is Calculated?

1. GVA and GDP give a picture of economic activity from producers (supply side) and
consumers (demand side) perspective, respectively, because GVA is the net receipt of the
producers and GDP is the expenditure incurred by the consumers.
2. Both these measures need not match and there could be a sharp divergence due to net
indirect taxes NIT = indirect taxes − subsidies , which are counted in GDP calculations
(GDP is the sum of GVA and NIT).
3. GVA provides a better measure of economic activity because GDP can record a sharp
increase just on account of increased tax collections due to better compliance/coverage
and not necessarily due to increase in output.
4. GVA is a better reflection of the productivity of the producers as it excludes the indirect
taxes, which could distort the production process.
5. A sector-wise breakdown provided by the GVA measure can better help policymakers to
decide which sectors need incentives/stimulus or vice versa.
(Adapted from the Hindu and Background from PrepMate-Cengage Economic Book,
Chapter 1 Page-4)
6. Walmart and Amazon compete to acquire Flipkart (Relevant for GS prelims and GS
Mains Paper III)
Walmart set to acquire Flipkart

Walmart Inc. has completed a thorough due diligence process on e-commerce firm Flipkart
this week, two people said, as the US retail giant looks to take a controlling stake of 51% or
more in the Indian e-commerce firm.
Walmart has already floated a shareholder agreement, or offer proposal, and is looking to
shell out about $10 billion to $12 billion for the stake that would value Flipkart at roughly
$20 billion.
Walmart s investment would give Flipkart not just additional funds to fight Amazon, but
also arm it with a formidable ally with extensive experience in retailing, logistics and
supply chain management.
For Walmart, a Flipkart deal would open up a vast market and another front to take on its
biggest rival.
Amazon also want Flipkart

A stake in Flipkart would pit Walmart against Amazon.com Inc. in India. Amazon is
exploring a rival offer for India s largest home-grown e-commerce player. Amazon is an e-
commerce retailer and Walmart is physical store retailer keen on entering e-commerce.

57
About Flipkart
Bengaluru-based Flipkart, started by two former Amazon employees Sachin Bansal and
Binny Bansal (not related), is fighting Amazon to grab a bigger piece of India s massive
online retail market which, according to Morgan Stanley, could be worth $200 billion in a
decade.
7. Undermining of multilateral by US (Relevant for GS Prelims and GS Mains paper

III)
Import duties levy

This week has seen rounds of tit-for-tat tariffs between the U.S. and China, set off by U.S.
President Donald Trump levying import duties of 25% and 10% on American steel and
aluminium imports, respectively, in early March.
Rationale given by Donald Trump

Mr. Trump, who has repeatedly used the U.S. trade deficit of over $500 billion as a
barometer for the country s lot in the international trade order, has railed against the U.S.
being treated unfairly by its trading partners, often singling out China.
Biasness in US import policy

While it is true that China produces approximately half the world s steel and that the
European Union, India and other countries have complained about international steel
markets being flooded with Chinese steel, only 3% of U.S. steel is sourced from China.
Interestingly, among those exempted from the tariffs are Canada and Mexico, top sources
for U.S steel imports.
Mr. Trump has linked the threat of tariffs to the North American Free Trade Agreement, a
trade deal among the U.S., Canada and Mexico that Mr. Trump has pried open for
renegotiation.
Tit for tat

Earlier this week China retaliated with tariffs that would impact $3 billion worth of
American goods. This was followed by the U.S. proposing tariffs on more than $50 billion of
Chinese goods, including in the aerospace, robotics and communication industries — the
outcome of an investigation of several months into whether Chinese policies were placing
unreasonable obligations on U.S. companies to transfer technology and hand over
intellectual property while setting up shop in China. Beijing responded with a second round
of proposed tariffs impacting a similar value of U.S. imports into China. Mr. Trump has now
asked the U.S. Trade Representative to examine if an additional $100 billion worth of goods
can be taxed.
Chances for settlement

58
Since the proposed tariffs have not kicked off, there may be room for negotiation. The
economic ties between the countries are deep; China holds some $1.2 trillion in U.S. debt,
and it is in everyone s interest to avoid escalating matters.
Undermining multilaterism
However, the larger cause for concern here is that Mr. Trump continues to undermine the
World Trade Organisation and the international world trade order, now that it has served
the West well and developing countries are in a significantly stronger position than when
the WTO came into existence in 1995. Mr. Trump has pulled out of the Trans-Pacific
Partnership, is pushing changes to NAFTA and has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement to
combat climate change. While large-scale protectionism and unilateralism may please some
of Mr. Trump s constituents in the short run, undermining existing rules arbitrarily serves
no nation, including the U.S., in the long run. In the current climate, it is therefore especially
important for India to be a good steward for responsible globalisation.
8. India among the hardest hit by protectionism in G-20 club (Relevant for GS Mains
Paper III)
Among the largest economies in the G-20 group, China, the US and India have been hit the
hardest by protectionist measures in 2017, according to data from the Global Trade Alerts
(GTA) database. Among emerging economies, China faced the greatest number of
protectionist interventions in the past year (403), followed by India (236). Recent
developments—including US tariff actions against India—suggest that India could be hit
hard by the growing tide of protectionism in the coming months as well.
Impact on Indian economy

The magnitude of loss in export earnings for India might be relatively smaller than in the
case of China because of India s lower share in global exports. Nonetheless, the rising tide
of protectionism threatens India s trade surplus in the services sector and will hit export
earnings of Indian firms.
What is Global Trade Alerts (GTA) database?

The GTA database is a trade policy monitoring initiative by Simon Evenett and Johannes
Fritz, economists with the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. The database attempts to
record all unilateral actions by governments, including those by public institutions such as
the central bank, which affect trade. The countries affected by each such action are
identified on the basis of existing trade pattern between the countries concerned.
The data shows that protectionism has been on the rise ever since the global financial crash
of 2008 shook the world, and disrupted trade and financial flows. The ongoing skirmish
between the US and China over tariffs only marks a new phase in the global lurch towards
protectionism. Protectionism appears to have been more enthusiastically adopted by
advanced countries, which have struggled to grow their economies in the wake of the
global financial crisis.

59
Trends in global trade

Between 2004 and 2008, the global trade-GDP ratio rose 6.6 percentage points to reach a
peak of 60.8% in 2008. The slowdown in global growth and the rising spate of protectionist
interventions have brought down that ratio to 56.4% in 2016.
Indian firms, which witnessed a significant rise in export earnings in the years leading up
to 2008, have witnessed a steep decline in such earnings since then, data from the Centre
for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) shows.
Services sectors such as IT may be among the hardest hit. India s trade surplus in services
is already under pressure. Rise in protectionism will crimp the services trade surplus even
further.
While import tariffs have been governments most preferred tool to restrict movement of
goods, qualitative restrictions have been used to dissuade services. For instance, the US has
tightened H-1B visa norms, making it more difficult for other countries to export services
supplied through the temporary movement of persons.
Response of India
India followed it up with even more import duty hikes in the Union Budget presented in
February 2018. The budget substantially raised tariffs across a range of products, from
fruit juice to mobile phones. Finance minister Arun Jaitley cited the goal of job creation and
Make in India to justify the move.
These measures might not only be counter-productive but could also invite further
backlash. The US has already challenged India s export subsidy programmes at the World
Trade Organization (WTO). The US contends that the Indian government is providing $7
billion worth of benefits to Indian companies which have allegedly created an uneven
playing field for US companies and workers. India has a trade surplus of around $30 billion
with the US.
Although most US trade interventions were directed against China in 2017, the GTA
database shows that India was also a top target of those interventions.
The data suggests that the coming months are not going to be easy for India s trade officials
and export-dependent firms.
9. 11 public sector banks put under RBI prompt corrective action framework
(Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III)
Lending to the corporate sector, particularly small and medium enterprises, is becoming
increasingly difficult with more than half the country s public-sector banks (PSBs) now
under the RBI s Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework, which restricts lending
activities of the banks, government sources said.

60
Government sources also confirmed that at least three-four more banks are expected to be
brought under the PCA framework because of deteriorating performance.
What is Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework?

Under Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) Framework, Reserve Bank of India has set some
trigger points such as CRAR (Capital to Risk weighted Assets Ratio), Non-Performing Assets
(NPA), Return on Assets (RoA), Leverage Ratio for initiation of certain structured and
discretionary actions in respect of banks breaching such trigger points. The initiation of
PCA results in restrictions imposed on the bank from lending to distribution of dividend,
expansion of branch, staff expansion etc.
In other words, PCA framework are supervisory tools which involves monitoring of certain
performance indicators of the banks as an early warning exercise and is initiated once such
thresholds as relating to capital, asset quality etc. are breached.
(Adapted from The Indian Express)
10. Should you exit your crypto holdings now?
RBI aunnoucement
If you have holdings in cryptocurrencies, in spite of Reserve Bank of India s (RBI) warning
in December and the government s word of caution earlier this year, the latest RBI
announcement may have worried you. Last week, the RBI clamped down on
cryptocurrency-rupee trading in the country.
The RBI has given a three-month window to regulated entities such as banks and non-
banking finance companies (NBFCs) to wind up existing relationships with firms or
individuals dealing in cryptocurrencies.
Rationale by RBI
Virtual currencies can adversely impact market integrity and capital control. And if they
grow beyond a size, they can endanger financial stability as well.

61
Are cryptocurrencies legal?

There is nothing that indicates a ban on crypto assets by the government or the RBI. But
there is a clear negative attitude towards cryptocurrencies Whether it will translate to
further action, we will have to wait and watch.
Finance minister Arun Jaitley, in his budget speech had said, The government does not
consider cryptocurrencies legal tender... and will take all measures to eliminate use of these
crypto-assets in financing illegitimate activities or as part of the payment system.
In the past few months, major banks have barred transactions related to cryptocurrencies.
Some banks have also closed current accounts of crypto exchanges operational in India.
Though cryptocurrencies can still be bought through NEFT, RTGS, IMPS and UPI services by
some banks and financial institutions, these too will close in three months.
What about existing holdings?

If you are an investor, the only change for you is that you will not be able to get the
proceeds in your bank account if you sell after three months. You will continue to have
your holdings even after three months. You can even sell it after that but you may not be

62
able to withdraw the money in your bank account and will need to convert it into some
other crypto asset.
Should you exit now?

If you want to redeem your crypto assets in rupees into your bank account, then this is the
chance. After three months, you will have to trade in crypto assets or sell through other
channels.
If you are unable to exit or choose not to exit in the three-month window, look at your
options in the future and consider the risks, which seem to be very high. New investors
should stay away.
11. Which are the top sectors that generate employment in India? (Relevant for GS
mains Paper III)
Growth of jobs in Farm and Non-farm sector
The growth of jobs in the post-liberalization era has been very narrowly concentrated in a
few sectors.

63
Nearly a third of new jobs added in the Indian economy in the post-liberalization era have
been in the construction sector alone, the data shows. The construction sector was a major
job-creator even in the 1980s but its share in new jobs was much smaller then.
Since 1990-91, the construction sector added almost as many new non-farm jobs as the
next four top job-generating sectors—trade, miscellaneous services, transport and storage,
and education—put together.
In other Asian economies, which witnessed a transition from low-productivity jobs to high-
productivity jobs, the manufacturing sector played a big role in that transition. In India, the
role of the manufacturing sector has been very limited.

64
Even as the construction and services sectors expanded their share in the total
employment pie, the share of manufacturing has remained nearly the same as it was three
decades ago.
Manufacturing accounted for a tenth of total employment in the 1980s, and continues to
account for about a tenth of total employment today. Within manufacturing, the share of
labour-intensive industries such as textiles and leather has actually shrunk over the past
few decades.

65
12. Are dynamic bond funds worth buying? (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper
III)
If dynamic bond funds are meant to be managed dynamically—they increase their duration
when interest rates fall and reduce it when interest rates rise—why have most of them lost
out in the past 12-14 months? On an average, dynamic bond funds have lost 0.21% from
November 2016 till date, when rates have risen. Short-term income funds returned 4.72%,
in comparison. Are dynamic bond funds dead or is this just a temporary phase?
What are Dynamic bonds?

Dynamic bond funds are aggressive income funds where the fund manager can change the
underlying portfolios drastically. Every debt fund is supposed to invest as per its mandate:
so, short-term bond funds invest in shorter-tenured securities and long-term bond funds
invest in longer-tenured ones. But dynamic bond funds don t have such restriction. They
can be long-term bond funds in one month and short-term in another, depending on where
the interest rates are headed.
Since interest rates and bond prices move in opposite directions, a higher portfolio
duration (a statistic that measures a bond portfolio s sensitivity to interest rates; higher a
portfolio s maturity, higher its duration) is beneficial when rates are down. In these times,
dynamic funds increase their duration. But if interest rates are rising, dynamic bond funds
typically reduce their duration to cushion the impact of falling bond prices. Shorter tenured
bonds are less volatile than longer-tenured bonds.
What should you do?

Short-term bond funds take lower risks but also give lower, yet stable returns. Dynamic
funds can give much higher returns but they come with much higher risk as well. Avoid
dynamic funds if your investment horizon is less than three years, and only if you don t
mind the volatility. As per the Securities and Exchange Board of India s definition of various
mutual fund categories, as per its latest scheme consolidation exercise that is underway at
present, dynamic debt funds are free to decide their duration.
13. Government names Bhanu Pratap Sharma as new Banks Board Bureau chairman
(Relevant for GS prelims, GS Mains Paper III)
The government appointed Bhanu Pratap Sharma, former secretary of the Department of
Personnel and Training (DoPT), as the new chairman of the Banks Board Bureau (BBB)
along with three other members.
The Board, earlier chaired by former Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai, has been
reconstituted after its original two-year term expired last month.
66
About Banking Boards Bureau

The BBB is a body of eminent professionals and consists of only one government official.
It is a six-member body with at least three former bankers, two professionals and
secretary, department of financial services representing government. Vinod Rai, the
veteran CAG, has been appointed as head of the BBB.
It will replace the existing system of Appointments Board in which appointments for top-
level jobs at public-sector banks are made by an appointments committee led by the RBI
Governor. The BBB has been set up to insulate public-sector banks from interference by the
government.
Functions
The BBB will hold investment in public-sector banks on behalf of the government.
1. The BBB will recommend the appointment of senior-most officials in public-sector

banks.
2. The BBB will advise banks on the ways of raising fund.
3. It will also guide banks on mergers and consolidations.
4. It will also guide banks on mergers and consolidations.
(Adapted from The Indian express and Background from PrepMate-Cengage

Economics book, Chapter 16, page 237)
14. The lowdown on poor loan recovery (Relevant for GS Mains Paper III)
What is it?
The Centre earlier this month told Parliament that non-performing assets (NPAs) worth Rs.
2.41 lakh crore have been written off from the books of public sector banks between April
2014 and September 2017. Since the banks were able to recover only 11% of the distressed
loans worth Rs. 2.7 lakh crore within the stipulated time, the rest had to be written off as
per regulations. The government, however, clarified that the defaulters will have to pay
back the loans, though they were written off. So, a write-off is technically different from a
loan waiver in which the borrower is exempted from repayment. This, of course, does not
mean banks will manage to collect the dues from defaulting borrowers.

For long, India has lacked a proper legal framework to help creditors recover their money
from borrowers. According to the World Bank, the country ranks 103rd in the world in
bankruptcy resolution, with the average time taken to resolve a case of bankruptcy
extending well over four years. Banks in India, in fact, are able to recover on an average
only about 25% of their money from defaulters as against 80% in the U.S. Public sector
banks have also been lenient in collecting their dues from defaulting borrowers because of
67
pressure from powerful interest groups. Instead of classifying sour loans as troubled assets
and taking action to recover them, banks have often chosen to hide such assets using
unethical accounting techniques. Since 2014, however, the Reserve Bank of India has been
stepping up efforts to force both private and public-sector banks to truthfully recognize the
size of bad loans on their books. This caused the reported size of stressed assets to increase
manifold in the last few years.
Why does it matter?

The news about the huge loan write-off comes amid the Union government s efforts over
the last few years to expedite the process of bankruptcy and improve recoveries. The
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), which came into force last year, was the most
notable among them. Many large corporations, as well as smaller enterprises, have been
admitted undergoing liquidation under the IBC so that the proceeds can be used to pay
back banks. The poor loan recovery reported by the government reflects poorly on the
ability of the new bankruptcy law to help banks recover loans and mounts more pressure
on bank balance sheets. It is notable that the Centre recently vowed to inject Rs. 2.11 lakh
crore into public sector banks to cushion their balance sheets from the impact of bad loans.
The poor recovery may increase the size of funds the Centre will have to allocate for the
purpose.
What lies ahead?

It seems unlikely that banks will be able to drastically improve their rate of recoveries
since the new bankruptcy code is far from perfect. Its critics say the IBC is focussed more
on the time-bound resolution of proceedings than on maximizing the amount of money
banks can recover from stressed loans. In particular, since there are strict time-limits
imposed on the resolution process, there is the imminent danger that it may lead to the
fire-sale of valuable assets at cheap prices. This can affect investment incentives. But, for
now, the quick resolution of bad loans will free resources from struggling firms and hand
them to the more efficient ones.
15. Why India is on US currency monitoring list? (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS mains
Paper III: Economics)
For the first time, it meets two of three criteria: significant bilateral surplus with US; and
persistent intervention in forex markets.
On April 13, the US Treasury Department delivered to Congress the semi-annual Report on
Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United
States Treasury, which found that six major trading partners warrant placement on the
Monitoring List for their currency practices. Five of these countries — China, Germany,
Japan, Korea and Switzerland — were already on the list, India has been added this year.
The US move and the higher rise in March trade deficit created nervousness in the foreign
exchange market on Monday, with the rupee falling 29 paise against the US dollar to close
at 65.49, a more than six-month low.
68
What does the report say?

Frequent intervention by the central bank in the foreign exchange market means that India
has increased its purchases of foreign exchange over the first three quarters of 2017.
Despite a sharp drop-off in purchases in the fourth quarter, net annual purchases of foreign
exchange reached $56 billion in 2017, equivalent to 2.2% of the GDP. The pick-up in
purchases came amidst relatively strong foreign inflows, both of FDI and portfolio
investment. Notwithstanding the increase in intervention, the rupee appreciated by over
6% against the dollar and by more than 3% on a real effective basis in 2017. India had a
significant bilateral goods trade surplus with the US, totalling $23 billion in 2017, but the
current account is in deficit at 1.5% of the GDP and the exchange rate is not deemed to be
undervalued by the IMF.
So, India met two of the three criteria for the first time in this report — having a significant
bilateral surplus with the US and having engaged in persistent, one-sided intervention in
foreign exchange markets. US Treasury Secretary Steven T Mnuchin says in the report, We
will continue to monitor and combat unfair currency practices, while encouraging policies
and reforms to address large trade imbalances.
How do central banks intervene and why?

Central banks intervene in the foreign exchange market to reduce volatility in the exchange
rate and often to build foreign exchange reserves or to manage these reserves. They
intervene to ensure that their currencies are neither overvalued or undervalued. If the
currency is overvalued, it can hurt a country s competitiveness in exports while an
undervalued currency will have an impact on inflation. For instance, when the currency is
appreciating, a central bank intervenes in the market by buying foreign exchange — say,
the USD or Euro or any other currency — which leads to an increase in the supply of the
local currency and in turn lowers its value. To combat depreciation of the currency, the
central bank sells foreign exchange. It is also done to manage expectations in the forex
market. India s central bank — the RBI has intervened in the market to build the country s
reserves especially after 2013 when the rupee came under attack. Since then reserves have
risen.
Why has the RBI been buying dollars?

The US report says India has generally been a net purchaser of foreign exchange since late
2013, when the RBI sought to build a stronger external buffer in the wake of large
emerging market outflows globally. Prior to 2013, intervention for several years had
generally been less frequent, and when it had occurred, it had been broadly symmetric, as
for example during 2007 and 2008, when the RBI engaged in both purchases and sales of
foreign exchange at various points in the midst of volatile global financial markets. The RBI
has noted that the value of the rupee is broadly market-determined, with intervention used
only during episodes of undue volatility . Foreign exchange intervention picked up in the
first three quarters of 2017, in the context of strong capital inflows, with FDI of $34 billion
and foreign portfolio flows of $26 billion over the first three quarters of the year.
On what basis is a country named a currency manipulator ?

69
The three pre-conditions for being named currency manipulator are: a trade surplus of
over $20 billion with the US, a current account deficit surplus of 3% of the GDP, and
persistent foreign exchange purchases of 2% plus of the GDP over 12 months. All three
apply to India. While there has not been a dramatic increase in trade surplus with the US,
the RBI accumulated reserves by absorbing the inflows into domestic capital markets. This
caution seems unwarranted considering that India runs a trade deficit overall, based on 36
currency REER (real effective exchange rate), the rupee is still overvalued, said Abhishek
Goenka, CEO, IFA Global.
What about the rupee? Will this report of the US Treasury impact the currency?
The rupee fell 29 paise against the US dollar to close at 65.49 on Monday. However, forex
dealers don t expect a sharp fall as the RBI then props up the rupee by selling dollars.
Notwithstanding the pick-up in intervention, the rupee appreciated 6.4% against the dollar
over 2017, while the real effective exchange rate also continued its general uptrend from
the last few years, appreciating by 3.1%. In its most recent analysis, the IMF maintained its
assessment that the rupee is moderately overvalued. The RBI s most recent annual report
assessed the rupee to be closely aligned to its fair value over the long term .
How have India s foreign exchange reserves moved?

According to latest RBI data, released last Friday, India s forex reserves rose by $503.6
million to touch a record high of $424.86 billion in the week ended April 6, 2018. Of this,
foreign currency reserves were $399.776 billion. Direct intervention has supported a
steady increase in foreign exchange reserve levels. At the end of 2013, foreign currency
reserves were $268 billion, or 2.3 times short-term external debt, 6 months of import
cover, and 14% of the GDP.
How are analysts viewing this Monitoring List of the US Treasury?

Indranil Sen Gupta of Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Research says, We continue to
expect the RBI to recoup foreign exchange reserves if it can, despite being put on the US
Treasury Report s currency manipulator watch list. It should continue to pursue an
asymmetrical policy of buying forex when the dollar weakens and allowing Rs 65-66 per
dollar when it strengthens. The RBI s forex reserves are inadequate: import cover, at 11
months, is running well below the pre-global financial crisis level of 14 months, share of
portfolio investments has jumped to 120% of forex reserves from pre-crisis level of 70%.
Second, we see RBI forex intervention at $15bn/ 0.6% of the GDP in FY19 — which is well
below 2% of the GDP required to be named currency manipulator — with the current
account deficit set to rise to 1.9% of the GDP when portfolio inflows are slowing, Merrill
Lynch says.
16. Cabinet approves Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance 2018 (Relevant for GS
Prelims, GS Mains Paper III)
The ordinance empowers the government to confiscate all the assets of an offender both
within and outside the country including properties that are not proceeds or profits of the
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crime. They can also confiscate benami properties and the offender will not be able to
pursue any civil cases in India.
What is the need of ordinance?

1. The Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance 2018 is expected to give Indian authorities
more powers to bring to task economic offenders like
2. Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, all of whom are not in India and have not
returned to the country to face prosecution.
3. It will plug loopholes in existing laws as at present there is no mechanism to force these
offenders to be a part of prosecution proceedings and follow the rule of law.
4. The ordinance is expected to re-establish the rule of law with respect to the fugitive
economic offenders as they would be forced to return to India to face trial for scheduled
offences. This would also help the banks and other financial institutions to achieve higher
recovery from financial defaults committed by such fugitive economic offenders, improving
the financial health of such institutions, said a person familiar with the development.
5. However, only those cases where the amount involved is more than Rs100 crore will be
covered under this ordinance.
The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, 2018 was tabled in the Lok Sabha in the recently
concluded budget session of Parliament but could not be taken up after both the houses
faced continuous disruptions.
17. India s GDP to reach $5 trillion by 2025: World Bank (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS
Mains Paper III)
With economic reforms adopted in the last few years starting to bear fruit, India is poised
to remain the fastest growing large economy in the world, and its GDP is expected to reach
$5 trillion by 2025, a top Indian official has told the World Bank.
India is poised to remain as the fastest growing large economy in the world. In 2018, we
expect India to grow at over 7.4%, economic affairs secretary Subhash Chandra Garg told
the 97th meeting of the Development Committee of the World Bank in Washington.
(Adapted from the live mint)
18. What govt. can do to keep fuel prices under check (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS
Mains Paper III)

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Petrol and diesel prices touched record levels over the weekend with petrol selling at
₹74.40 a litre, the highest it s been under the current government s tenure and diesel at Rs.
65.65, largely due to rising global crude oil prices but also on high excise duty on the fuels.
How are oil prices behaving?

Crude oil prices rose at a scorching 24% in the first three months of 2018 before hitting a
40-month high in April following a decline in global inventories, largely caused by the
production cuts by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) members
and also by geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
Agencies such as Crisil Research expect crude oil prices to settle at about $70 a barrel
during the calendar year of 2018, representing a 27% increase over last year s level. As a
consequence, India s oil import bill is expected to balloon by about 26% to Rs. 6.5 lakh
crore in FY19.
What is the impact of taxes?

The other aspect has to do with the excise duty on petrol and diesel, imposed by the
government, which has risen sharply over the last few years. According to data with the
Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the
excise duty on branded petrol is Rs. 20.66 a litre or almost 28% of the total price of the fuel.
This proportion is 27% for branded diesel.
Excise duties have risen significantly since 2013-14, accounting for 22-25% of the retail
prices of petrol and diesel respectively, compared with 12-15% earlier when crude prices
were at similar levels, Crisil had said.
What can be done?

The advantage of linking domestic fuel prices to the global oil market, as India has done, is
that oil marketing companies (OMCs) are no longer forced to sell fuel at subsidised rates.
But on the flip side, as can be seen now, is that the consumer is forced to buy fuel at high
prices when global price levels are elevated. So, one thing the government can do, and
which it is reportedly considering doing, is to ask the OMCs to refrain from passing on the
higher oil prices to consumers. In other words, this would represent a return to the
previous subsidy regime, albeit somewhat better. If crude price hikes are not allowed to be
largely passed on to consumers, the marketing margins of OMCs will decline by 80 paise to
Rs. 1 per litre, Rahul Prithiani, director, Crisil Research said in the report. However, that
would still be better than the Rs. 1-1.5 per litre margins they have earned historically.
Is that all?
The government can always reduce the excise duty on petrol and diesel thereby earning a
lower revenue but at least easing some burden on the consumers. However, Petroleum
Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently made it clear that the government had no plans to
cut the levy as it needed revenue for developmental needs. Centre and States bank on tax
revenues to meet developmental needs. Forty-two per cent of collections from excise duty
(on petrol and diesel) goes to States and out of the remaining, 60% is used to fund Centre's
share in development schemes in States, Mr. Pradhan said.
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19. TCS hits $100 billion market capitalization (Relevant for GS Prelims)
Tata Consultancy Services crossed the $100 billion mark in terms of market capitalization.
What is 'Market Capitalization'?

Market capitalization refers to the total dollar market value of a company's outstanding
shares. Commonly referred to as "market cap," it is calculated by multiplying a company's
shares outstanding by the current market price of one share. The investment community
uses this figure to determine a company's size, as opposed to using sales or total asset
figures.
Using market capitalization to show the size of a company is important because company
size is a basic determinant of various characteristics in which investors are interested,
including risk. It is also easy to calculate. A company with 20 million shares selling at
Rs.100 a share would have a market cap of Rs. 2 billion.
20. India highest recipient of remittances (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper
III)

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Largest receiver of remmitances

India retained the top position as a recipient of remittances with its diaspora sending about
$69 billion back home last year, the World Bank said. Remittances to India picked up
sharply by 9.9%, reversing the previous year s dip, but were still short of $70.4 billion
received in 2014.
Global trend
In its latest Migration and Development Brief, the World Bank estimated that officially
recorded remittances to low-and middle-income countries reached $466 billion in 2017.
This was an increase of 8.5% over $429 billion in 2016.
Reason for increase in remittances

The stronger-than-expected recovery in remittances was driven by growth in Europe,
Russia and the U.S. The rebound in remittances, when valued in U.S. dollars, was helped by
higher oil prices and a strengthening of the Euro and the Ruble, it added.
Other large receiver of remittances

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India continued to top in terms of receiving remittance and was followed by China ($64
billion), the Philippines ($33 billion), Mexico ($31 billion), Nigeria ($22 billion) and Egypt
($20 billion).
21. Long term tax on equity made taxable (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains paper
III)
The Finance Act, 2018 has withdrawn the exemption under clause (38) of Section 10 of the
Income-tax Act, 1961 (the Act) and has introduced a new section 112A in the Act, to
provide that long term capital gains arising from transfer of a long-term capital asset being
an equity share in a company or a unit of an equity oriented fund or a unit of a business
trust shall be taxed at 10 per cent of such capital gains exceeding one lakh rupees. The said
section, inter alia, provides that the provisions of the section shall apply to the capital gains
arising from a transfer of long-term capital asset being an equity share in a company, only if
securities transaction tax (STT) has been paid on acquisition and transfer of such capital
asset.
What is LTCG?
Long-term capital gains (LTCG) refer to the profit made on sale of any asset held for a
particular period of time. In case of equity shares, it refers to the profit made on shares held
for more than one year. In other words, if the shares are bought and kept for more than a
year before selling, then the profit, if any, on the said sale are referred to as long term
capital gains (or LTCG). The tax on LTCG is called LTCG tax.
Why is LTCG tax in the news?

In Budget 2018, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley re-introduced LTCG tax on equity shares.
Investors have to pay 10% LTCG tax on gains exceeding Rs. 1 lakh on the sale of shares or
equity mutual funds held for more than one year. Gains arising on shares held for less than
1 year are called Short-term capital gains (STCG). STCG are taxed at rate of 15%.
In other words, the Centre said that if the gains exceeded Rs. 1 lakh in a year, then 10%
LTCG tax had to be paid without the benefit of indexation. Indexation refers to adjusting the
profit against inflation to compute the real taxable gains.
Was the tax levied on stock market trades earlier?

Until October 2004, LTCG tax was levied on stock market trades. It was replaced with the
Securities transaction tax (STT). STT is levied at 0.1% of the trade value on all trades made
on the stock exchanges.
A study published in 2016 revealed that between 2005-06 and 2011-12, the Centre lost
about Rs.3.5 lakh crore by replacing LTCG tax with STT.
The Centre has brought in LTCG tax while retaining STT as well. So, investors will have to
pay both the taxes.
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Who will be exempt?

When such a tax is introduced, prior investments get some kind of relief. The relief given is
called the grandfathering benefit. While reintroducing the LTCG tax, the government has
exempted all gains made prior to January 31, 2018. In other words, all the gains made
before January 31, 2018 would be grandfathered.
How will the grandfathering benefit work?

Let us consider an example. Suppose a person bought shares in May 2017 at Rs.1000. The
value of these shares was Rs.1500 on January 31, 2018. Now, if the person sells the shares
at Rs.1800 in June 2018, then his taxable gains would be Rs. 300. (Rs. 1800- Rs. 1500). The
gain of Rs. 500 (Rs. 1500- Rs. 1000) will not be taxed.
Will all investors be subject to LTCG tax?

LTCG tax is applicable to all investors who trade on stock exchanges. Only foreign portfolio
investors (FPIs), who invest in India from places such as Mauritius and Singapore, are not
subject to LTCG tax. This exemption is due to double taxation avoidance treaties.
Consequently, foreign investors prefer to invest from Mauritius or Singapore route.
However, Centre is reworking on all such double tax avoidance agreements (DTAA). This
benefit would be available only till the time the changes are made into treaty.
How did the stock markets react to the introduction of the tax?
The benchmark equity indices — Sensex and Nifty — lost significant number of points. The
introduction of LTCG tax will increase the cost of stocks trading.
(Adapted from PIB)
22. Nabbing absconders: on Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance (Relevant for GS

Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, 2018

The Union Cabinet recently approved the promulgation of the Fugitive Economic Offenders
Ordinance, 2018. A fugitive is defined as someone who has left India to avoid criminal
prosecution or who is already overseas and refuses to return to face the law. In recent
weeks, banks have been asked to mandatorily collect passport details of those borrowing
above Rs. 50 crore, and the passports of some wilful defaulters are being impounded too.
Need for an ordinance

Given that the proposed legislation was announced well over a year ago, the trigger for this
belated haste is easy to see. While presenting Budget 2017-18, the Finance Minister
referred to instances of offenders fleeing the country to escape its justice system, and said
the government was looking at a law to confiscate the assets of such persons till they return
to face the law. By September, the Finance and Law Ministries had agreed on a draft Bill,
but it was only introduced in the Lok Sabha this March, in a session that proved to be a
washout. The government is no doubt conscious of the clamour for tough action on
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absconding offenders, particularly those involved in financial misdemeanours and wilful

defaulters of bank loans.
Important cases
There remains great consternation over liquor baron Vijay Mallya s flight from the country,
with his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines having run up outstanding loans of over Rs. 9,000
crore from Indian banks. Both Mr. Mallya and former Indian Premier League commissioner
Lalit Modi, who faces an Enforcement Directorate probe for foreign exchange law
violations, are in Britain. They left Indian shores for safer climes under the NDA
government s watch, as did diamond merchants Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and their
associates, whose firms defrauded the country s second largest public-sector bank of over
Rs. 12,800 crore.
What is the state of extradition proceedings?

India is no closer to getting Mr. Modi or Mr. Mallya back to face the law, with extradition
proceedings against the latter crawling through U.K. courts.
No clear indications about whether their return could be expedited emerged during Prime
Minister Modi s meeting with his British counterpart Theresa May last week. Meanwhile,
though government agencies have attached the diamond merchant duo s assets in India, an
American court has disallowed the sale of their assets in other jurisdictions while allowing
their U.S.-based entity to offload its assets. The reason: India is yet to pass a model law
mooted by the UN for cross-border insolvency cases. It is not clear whether this ordinance
can tide over this major handicap.
Way forward
The government may have opted for the ordinance route to deflect the heat from these
cases of fraud, but it needs to present a coherent vision about its plans to bring back those
fugitives who have already got away and plug the remaining loopholes in the system.
23. Economic freedom index: India ranks 130th, Hong Kong retains top spot
(Relevant for GS Prelims)
India has been ranked 130th among 180 countries in the annual Index of Economic
Freedom report released by American think tank Heritage Foundation.
Hong Kong maintains the number one spot for the 4th consecutive year and is followed by
Singapore, New Zealand, Switzerland, Australia, and Ireland.
Last year performance

India was ranked 143rd with the same score of 52.6 points in 2017. With 54.4 points,
Pakistan features at the 131st spot. India was two spots below Pakistan last year.
Reason for improvement

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India s overall score has increased by 1.9 points, led by improvements in judicial
effectiveness, business freedom, government integrity, and fiscal health.
The think tank also credited prime minister Narendra Modi for India s new rank.
System of ranking
Countries are ranked under 5 categories according to their scores – free (100-80), mostly
free (79.9-70), moderately free (69.9-60) mostly unfree (59.9-50) and repressed (49.9-40).
About the index

The Index of Economic Freedom is an annual index and ranking created by The Heritage
Foundation and The Wall Street Journal in 1995 to measure the degree of economic
freedom in the world s nations. The creators of the index took an approach similar to Adam
Smith s in The Wealth of Nations, that basic institutions that protect the liberty of
individuals to pursue their own economic interests result in greater prosperity for the
larger society .
(Adapted from International Business Times)
24. NITI Aayog to Open Applications for Atal New India Challenge (Relevant for GS
Prelims, Economics)
The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under the NITI Aayog shall be launching the Atal New
India Challenge.
Under the Atal New India Challenge, which shall be run in collaboration with five
ministries, AIM will invite prospective innovators/MSMEs/start-ups to design market-
ready products, using cutting edge technologies or prototypes across 17 identified focus
areas such as Climate Smart Agriculture, Smart Mobility, Predictive Maintenance of Rolling
Stock, Waste Management etc.
Applicants showing capability, intent and potential to productize technologies will be

awarded grants up to Rs. One crore. This grant will be further supplemented by mentoring,
handholding, incubating and other support as needed at various stages of
commercialisation, while generating wider deployment for the product.
(Adapted from PIB)
25. Human Resource Development Ministry Launches Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0
(Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III: Economics)
Human Resource Development Ministry today launches Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0. Under
this program students from colleges and universities will go to nearby villages to get
acquainted with the life of the village people and the problems faced by them in day to day
life.

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About Unnat Bharat Abhiyan

Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Human Resources
Development, with the intention to enrich Rural India. The knowledge base and resources
of the Premier Institutions of the country are to be leveraged to bring in transformational
change in rural developmental process. It also aims to create a vibrant relationship
between the society and the higher educational institutes, with the latter providing the
knowledge and technology support to improve the livelihoods in rural areas and to
upgrade the capabilities of both the public and private organisations in the society.
About Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0

Under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0, the institutions have been selected on a Challenge
Mode and the scheme has been extended to 750 reputed Higher Educational Institutes
(both public and private) of the country. Also, scope for providing Subject Expert Groups
and Regional Coordinating Institutes to handhold and guide the participating institutions
has been strengthened. IIT Delhi has been designated to function as the National
Coordinating Institute for this programme and the Ministry intends to extend the coverage
to all the reputed Higher Educational Institutes, in a phased manner. Each selected institute
would adopt a cluster of villages / panchayats and gradually expand the outreach over a
period of time.
(Adapted from PIB)
26. India signs loan agreement with World Bank for US$ 125 million for Innovate in
India for Inclusiveness Project (Relevant for GS Prelims: Economics)
A Loan Agreement for IBRD credit of US$ 125 (equivalent) for the Innovate in India for
Inclusiveness Project was signed with the World Bank on 24th April, 2018 in New Delhi.
The Loan Agreement was signed by Mr. Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary, Department
of Economic Affairs on behalf of Government of India and Mr. Hisham Abdo, Acting Country
Director, World Bank (India) on behalf of the World Bank.
The Objectives of the project is to nurture indigenous innovation, foster local product
development and accelerate commercialization process by bridging critical skill and
infrastructure gaps to promote affordable and innovative healthcare products generation
for inclusive development and increasing competitiveness in India. The project would
support consortia of public, private, and the academic institutions to overcome the key
market failures currently holding back the development of an innovative
biopharmaceutical and medical devices industry in India.
The project consists of the following parts:

(i) Strengthening of pilot-to market innovation ecosystem
(ii) Acceleration of the pilot –to-market process for specific products and
(iii) Project Management and monitoring & Evaluation.

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The closing date of Innovate in India for Inclusiveness project is 30 June, 2023.
(Adapted from PIB)
27. Merging associate banks with the SBI (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper
III; Economics)
Merger of SBI with subsidiary banks

In August 2017, the Lok Sabha passed the State Banks (Repeal and Amendment) Bill of
2017 to amend the State Bank of India (SBI) Act of 1955 to remove references related to
subsidiary banks.
After the acquisition of subsidiary banks by the SBI, subsidiary banks have ceased to exist.
Therefore, the government found it necessary to repeal the SBI (Subsidiary Banks) Act of
1959 and the State Bank of Hyderabad Act of 1956.
The government has also found it unnecessary to retain certain provisions in the SBI Act,
1955, which apply to subsidiary banks. These subsidiary banks — State Bank of Bikaner
and Jaipur, State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of Patiala, and State Bank of Travancore —
were constituted under the SBI (Subsidiary Banks) Act of 1959.
The State Bank of Hyderabad was originally constituted as Hyderabad State Bank under the
Hyderabad State Bank Act and renamed as the State Bank of Hyderabad under sub-section
(1) of Section 3 of the State Bank of Hyderabad Act of 1956.
Reason for merger

To rationalise resources, reduce costs, improve profits, for lower cost of funds leading to
better rate of interest for the public, and to improve productivity and customer service, the
SBI, with the sanction of the Central government and in consultation with the Reserve Bank
of India (RBI), entered into negotiations with the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, the State
Bank of Mysore, the State Bank of Patiala, the State Bank of Travancore and the State Bank
of Hyderabad for acquiring their business, including assets and liabilities. The schemes
relating to such acquisitions were agreed upon by the Central Board of the SBI and the
respective boards of the subsidiary banks and approved by the RBI. In exercise of the
powers conferred by sub-section (2) of Section 35 of the SBI Act, 1955, the Central
government accorded its sanction.
Accordingly, the Central government issued the following orders, sanctioning the scheme of
acquisition: (a) the Acquisition of State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur Order, 2017; (b) the
Acquisition of State Bank of Mysore Order, 2017; (c) the Acquisition of State Bank of Patiala
Order, 2017; (d) the Acquisition of State Bank of Travancore Order, 2017; and (e) the
Acquisition of State Bank of Hyderabad Order, 2017. As per these, the business of these
subsidiary banks is to be carried out by the SBI in accordance with the SBI Act, 1955, with
effect from April 1, 2017.

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28. Van Dhan Scheme (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III; Economics)
The Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi launched the Van Dhan Scheme of Ministry
of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED on 14th April, 2018 during the celebrations of Ambedkar
Jayanti at Bijapur, Chattisgarh. Emphasizing the important role of value addition in
increasing tribal incomes, he stated that Van Dhan, Jan Dhan and Gobar-Dhan Schemes had
the potential to change the tribal-rural economic system. All these three schemes in tandem
need to be promoted for this purpose by the State Governments.
The establishment of Van Dhan Vikas Kendra is for providing skill upgradation and
capacity building training and setting up of primary processing and value addition facility.
This first model Van DhanVikas Kendra in Bijapuris being implemented for training of 300
training beneficiaries with a total outlay of Rs.43.38 lakhs for training, providing
equipments & tools for primary level processing and infrastructure & building for housing
the Kendra. This Kendra to start with will have processing facility for Tamarind brick
making, Mahua flower storage facility and chironjee cleaning and packaging.
Under Van Dhan, 10 Self Help Groups of 30 Tribal gatherers is constituted. They are then
trained and provided with working capital to add value to the products, which they collect
from the jungle. Working under the leadership of Collector these groups can then market
their products not only within the States but also outside the States. Training and
technical support is provided by TRIFED. It is proposed to develop 30,000 such centres in
the country.
Value addition assumes critical importance in ensuring remunerative prices to the tribals
in this approach. Three stage value addition would be the corner stone for enhancing
incomes of the tribals under the scheme. The grass root level procurement is proposed to
be undertaken through Self Help Groups associated with implementing agencies.
Convergence and Networking with other Govt. departments/scheme shall be undertaken to

utilise the services of existing SHGs like Ajeevika, etc. These SHGs shall be appropriately
trained on sustainable harvesting/collection, primary processing & value addition and be
formed into clusters so as to aggregate their stock in tradable quantity and linking them
with facility of primary processing in a Van DhanVikas Kendra.
The stock after primary processing shall be supplied by these SHGs to the State
Implementing Agencies or direct tie up for supply to corporate secondary processor. For
creation of secondary level value addition facility at district level and tertiary level value
addition facility at State level, Big Corporates shall be involved under PPP model. This PPP
model will be based on utilising Private entrepreneur skills in undertaking processing as
well as marketing of the produce and Central/ State Govt. support in terms of creating
infrastructure and providing enabling environment for undertaking value addition of
systematic scientific lines. These will be sophisticated large value addition hubs managed
by Private entrepreneur.

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The Van Dhan Vikas Kendras will be important milestone in economic development of
tribals involved in collection of MFPs by helping them in optimum utilization of natural
resources and provide sustainable MFP-based livelihood in MFP-rich districts.
(Adapted from PIB)
29. The rupee is sliding on account of rising oil prices and FII outflows (Relevant for
GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III)
After a strong showing in 2017, when the rupee appreciated 6% against the dollar, the
currency has weaken by about 4.5% so far this year.
Reasons for fall in value of rupee

1. Rise in global oil prices: With global oil prices continuing a steady climb on the back of
tight output controls marshalled by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries,
Brent crude futures have gained almost 12% through 2018.
This in turn has bloated India s crude import bill and widened the trade deficit appreciably.
2. Rise in bond yields in US: Foreign institutional and portfolio investors — who had
pumped in close to $30 billion into Indian debt and equity in 2017 — have turned net
sellers, with the pace of outflows accelerating sharply this month to more than $2.3 billion.
The prospect of higher interest rates in the U.S., with the Federal Reserve having signalled
last month that it is on course to raise the policy rate at least two more times in 2018, have
now begun to firmly feed into investors expectations as well. This was best exemplified
this week when the yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury debt rose above 3% for
the first time since January 2014.
Global trend
While the rupee is not alone among BRICS currencies to have depreciated against the dollar
this year, with both the Brazilian real and the Russian rouble losing value, it remains
particularly vulnerable to mounting oil costs given the economy s extremely high
dependence on crude imports to meet energy needs. Saudi Arabia, one of the world s
largest crude producers, is eyeing oil prices in the vicinity of $80 a barrel so as to be able to
comfortably balance its budget and have cash to spare to fund Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman s ambitious socioeconomic reforms.
Important factors
The spectre of fresh tensions involving Iran if President Donald Trump walks his tough talk
over the nuclear agreement with Tehran is also almost certain to prevent any significant
softening in oil prices even if American shale producers increase output. Signals from the
dollar index — a measure of the greenback s value against a basket of six major currencies
— too offer little reassurance to the rupee.
The index is close to its highest level since mid-January, indicating that investors see assets
undergirded by the dollar as a strong bet. For now, the war chest of forex reserves the
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Reserve Bank of India has accumulated, $423.6 billion in all, remains the key bulwark
against excessive currency market volatility.
What is Dollar index?

The U.S. Dollar Index (USDX, DXY, DX) is an index (or measure) of the value of the United
States dollar relative to a basket of foreign currencies, [1] often referred to as a basket of
U.S. trade partners' currencies. The Index goes up when the U.S. dollar gains "strength"
(value) when compared to other currencies.
What is a 'Greenback'
A greenback is a slang term for U.S. paper dollars. Greenbacks got their name from their
colour.
30. Electricity reached all Indian villages (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper
III; Economics)
All Indian villages now have access to electricity. The last village to be brought on the
national power grid was Leisang village in the Senapati district of Manipur at 5.30pm on
Saturday.
The electricity has been brought to all villages under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti
Yojana (DDUGJY). State run Rural Electrification corporation (REC) is the nodal agency
appointed for executing the scheme.
All villages electrified

According to the government data, all of India s 597,464 census villages have been
electrified.
This assumes importance given that at the onset of Rs75,893 crore DDUGJY for village
electrification under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, there were
18,452 un-electrified census villages. During the project work it was found out that an
additional 1275 villages also didn t have electricity access. As of 28 April, all these villages
have got electricity access either through the national grid or off grid solutions. Also, 1,236
villages are uninhabited and 35 have been notified as grazing reserves.
Per capita energy consumption

The scheme will also help improve India s per capita power consumption of around 1,200
kWh which is among the lowest in the world.
About DDUGJY
Aimed at providing round the clock power to rural households and adequate power to
agricultural consumers, the DDUGJY involved feeder separation, strengthening of sub-
transmission and distribution network, metering at all levels, village electrification, and
setting up micro grid and off grid distribution network.
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The last village to be provided off grid electricity access was Pakol village in
Churachandpur district of Manipur.
What is the criteria for electrification?

Given that a village is declared to be electrified if 10% of the households can access power
along with public institutions such as schools, the panchayat office, health centres,
dispensaries and community centres; household electrification remains the final frontier in
providing electricity access.
Next target
Given its electoral potential, the next step now is to provide electricity connections to more
than 40 million families in rural and urban areas by March 2019 under the Pradhan Mantri
Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (Saubhagya), wherein all households will be targeted.
Leisang, the last Indian village where the national electricity grid reached.
 Location: Sadar Hills West Sub Division of Senapati district of Manipur.
 Total number of families: 19
 Population: 65
 Males: 31
 Females: 34
31. The lowdown on rising fuel prices (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III;
Economics)
What is it?
The prices of petrol and diesel in Indian cities have risen to their highest level since late
2013. This has come as a surprise to many since the price of crude oil, a major ingredient in
the production of domestic fuels, is now significantly lower than what it was in late 2013. It
is notable that Brent crude oil was trading at over $100 a barrel in 2013, compared to its
current price of $75.
Even when international crude oil prices fell steeply in 2014 and 2015 — as low as $30 —
domestic fuel prices failed to come down as much. Whenever crude oil prices have
increased, the prices of domestic fuels have been raised steadfastly.

There is no strict rule that lower international crude oil prices must lead to lower domestic
fuel prices. This is because, under a free pricing regime, petrol and diesel are priced
according to what consumers are willing to pay rather than based on input costs. At the
same time, there are other ways in which input costs can indirectly influence the retail
price.

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When the price of crude oil is high, oil companies are forced to cut down on their supply to
the retail market in order to drive up the prices to competitive levels. It is worth noting that
crude oil prices have been on an upward trajectory ever since January 2016 when it hit
rock bottom; the agreement between members of the Organisation of the Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC) to cut down production in late 2016 has added to its
momentum.
High taxes are another factor that can discourage producers from bringing enough supply
to the retail market, leading to higher prices. This has predominantly been the case in India.
When crude oil prices fell drastically in 2014 and 2015, for instance, the government
increased the amount of taxes by more than Rs. 10 a litre on both petrol and diesel. While
this increased the amount of revenue collected by the government, it prevented retail fuel
prices from falling as much as international crude oil prices.
Why does it matter?

The rising prices of petrol and diesel increase the burden on citizens, affecting to some
extent the government s popularity. It also quite often brings into question the
government s policy when it comes to taxing basic fuels. More than half of the money that is
paid by the consumer goes to the government in the form of taxes. Some have speculated
that the government might compromise on its fuel deregulation policy, which allows oil
marketing companies (OMCs) to price their output freely.
Not surprisingly, the shares of the government-owned OMCs have witnessed a sharp fall in
recent weeks. The current price rise will thus act as a litmus test for the government s
commitment to reforms in the energy sector. Further, to the extent rising fuel prices have
to do with the decreasing supply in the world market, it has a negative impact on economic
growth.
What lies ahead?

The price of domestic petrol and diesel going forward is likely to depend on the price of
crude oil in the international market as well as the policy preferences of the government as
it heads into a series of elections in 2018 and 2019. While rising geopolitical tensions have
been used to explain the rise in crude oil prices this month, where oil prices are headed
next is anybody s guess.
The oil bulls believe that OPEC countries will drive oil prices even higher in order to meet
their increasing revenue needs. The sceptics of the recent rally, on the other hand, expect
American shale oil producers to rein in any further rise in oil prices quite soon. If
international crude oil prices fail to stabilise or fall, the government may decide to look at
either reducing taxes on these fuels or forcing OMCs to incur losses by selling at lower
prices.
32. First health centre under Ayushman Bharat scheme (Relevant for GS Prelims and
GS Mains Paper III)
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first health centre in Chhattisgarh under
the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
Ayushman Bharat scheme

The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Shri Arun Jaitely while presenting
the Budget 2018-19 announced Ayushman Bharat programme.
The programme consists of two flagship programmes:

(i) Health and Wellness Centre: The government seeks to transform 1.5 lakh Health Sub-
Centres into Health and Wellness Centres. These Centres will provide comprehensive
health care to people in their local areas, including free essential drugs and diagnostic
services. The centres will provide health care for both non-communicable and
communicable diseases. The government has allocated Rs.1200 crore in the Budget.
Contribution of private sector through Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and
philanthropic institutions in adopting these centres is also expected.
(ii) National Health Protection Scheme: National Health Protection Scheme will provide
coverage of Rs. 5 lakh rupees per family per year for secondary and tertiary care
hospitalization to over 10 crore poor families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries). Once
implemented, it will be the world s largest government funded health care programme.
According to government, Ayushman Bharat Programme will build a New India 2022 and
ensure enhanced productivity, well-being and avert wage loss and impoverishment. These
Schemes will also generate lakhs of jobs, particularly for women.
33. Centre s oil policy evaluation (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III)
After a sharp fall at the beginning of the year, oil prices have risen dramatically in recent
weeks. The price of Brent crude has risen by around $10 since it touched a short-term low
of around $62 in early February, hitting its highest mark since late 2014.
Reasons for rise

Tensions in West Asia after U.S. President Donald Trump s decision to strike Syria helped
push up prices. But it is important to separate short-term volatility in oil prices owing to
geopolitical tensions from longer-term trends in the oil market. In its latest market report,
the International Energy Association (IEA) noted that with oil prices ruling over $70, the
Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has accomplished its goal of
ending the glut in global oil supply. Notably, OPEC cut production by around 201,000
barrels a day in March compared to February. Yet, total world oil supply actually rose by
180,000 barrels a day in March, as output from non-OPEC countries, including the U.S., has
been increasing in response to higher oil prices.
Criticism of government policy

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In India, rapidly rising international crude oil prices have failed to push local petrol and
diesel prices upwards in equal measure. The retail selling prices of petrol and diesel across
major Indian cities have in fact risen by less than a rupee since the beginning of April. That
is, they are not in sync with the upward rise in crude oil prices. Last week, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi called for more responsible oil prices, which he said have been in roller
coaster mode for too long. Oil prices, he argued, need to factor in the interests of both
consumer and producer. This assertion, along with the talk of allying with China and other
Asian countries now to buy oil from OPEC members at lower prices, would have held more
weight if the government s actions matched the sentiment.
It has imposed high duties on petroleum products ever since crude oil prices started
moderating in 2014 but has been reluctant to scale down those duties in the face of rising
prices, leading to record pump level prices. This clearly doesn t benefit the consumer.
Now, with the general elections about a year away and critical Assembly polls in Karnataka
just a month away, the Centre is being cautious not to have higher oil import costs passed
on to consumers.
Fake deregulation of Oil Prices

This flies in the face of the pricing freedom it had ostensibly granted to the oil marketing
companies and packaged as a major deregulation reform. So, its stance hasn t benefited the
producers either, as is reflected in their falling stock prices. How the Centre responds to
rising international crude oil prices was always going to be the litmus test of its
commitment to fuel price deregulation. In the current situation, it appears that the
government has only tied itself up in knots over the petroleum pricing policy, and with it,
its reformist credentials.
34. Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan (Relevant for GS Prelims)
The Ministry of Human Resource Development has launched the Rashtriya Avishkar
Abhiyan (RAA). It is an Under RAA, government schools will be mentored by Institutions of
Higher Education like IIT's, IISER's and NIT's. This sub-programme aims to motivate and
engage children between the age group of 6-18 years, in Science, Mathematics and
Technology. RAA is launched under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).
(Adapted from PIB)
35. Shodhganga (Relevant for GS Prelims)
It is the electronic repository of all M.Phil/Ph.D thesis. The repository is accessible to users
in India and abroad. The world-wide access improves visibility of Indian research to other
countries.

87
Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET) is setting up the repository. It is an inter-

university centre under the University Grants Commission (UGC).
(Adapted from PIB)
36. Monument Mitras (Relevant for GS prelims)
Ministry of Tourism in close collaboration with Ministry of Culture and Archaeological

Survey of India (ASI) launched Adopt a Heritage Project to provide world class tourist
facilities at the various natural/cultural heritage sites, monuments and other tourist sites
to make them tourist friendly, enhance their tourist potential and cultural importance in a
planned and phased manner across the country.
The project primarily focuses on providing basic amenities that include cleanliness, public
convenience, drinking water, ease of access for tourists, signage etc. and advanced
amenities like TFC, Souvenir shop, Cafeteria etc.
The project envisages that selected public sector companies, private sector companies and
individuals will develop tourist amenities at heritage sites. They would become Monument
Mitra and adopt the sites essentially under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
activity. They would also look after the operations and maintenance of the adopted site
initially for the 5 years subject to review at any time.
Categorisation of listed sites

The heritage sites/monuments enlisted are categorized as green, blue and orange on the
basis of tourist footfall and visibility. As a part of project guidelines, it is mandatory for
Monument Mitra, who is opting for a monument from green category to choose at least one
site from either orange or blue category.
The most competitive and innovative vision would be considered as the successful bidding
entity. The interested parties selecting more numbers of monuments from orange and blue
category shall be given higher weight age. The Interested parties may also opt for any other
heritage site/monument or tourist site not mentioned in the above list, under the project
and the unlisted tourist site will automatically considered under blue category.
(Adapted from PIB)
37. Swachhata Doot (Relevant for GS Prelims)
According to WHO, over 1.4 million cases of infections are caused worldwide due to lack of
sanitation. Unhygienic practices also lead to diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and
diarrhoea.
It doesn t stop there: this report reveals that staggering 48.2 million children in India are
stunted due to improper hygiene habits. The illness is associated with diminished learning
capacity, diabetes, and hypertension.

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So, where do the germs come from? Many people believe that water that looks, tastes, or
smells clean is automatically fit for drinking. But, it is not so. The water may be
contaminated, and drinking it can transmit diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, and
typhoid.
Diseases can also spread from not washing hands with soap. Unclean toilets are another
source of infection. In rural India, the problem is especially grave, with more than half of
the population still defecating in the open.
Swachhata Doot Programme

Launched under the Swachh Aadat, Swachh Bharat programme by Hindustan Unilever
Limited (HUL), the Swachhata Doot initiative is an important step towards addressing and
tackling India s sanitation crisis. As a part of this mission, the brand has partnered with
Bangalore based NGO, Janaagraha – that specializes in citizen volunteering initiatives – and
built a volunteering platform where citizens can read more and download the handbook.
Simply put, the Swachhata Doot programme urges everybody to be messengers of change
and also provides a Booklet to follow so that people like us can take the movement
forward.
Habits to be taught
As highlighted in the programme, there are three simple habits that you need to educate
your helpers about. The first is to thoroughly wash their hands with soap five times a day.
No matter how busy they are, make sure to ask them to scrub their hands clean, especially
before and after eating, and after using the toilet. According to the UNICEF, washing hands
with soap at such critical times can reduce diarrhoea rates by more than 40%.
The second step to practicing good hygiene is to drink purified water. Urge your maid or
cook to always boil water before drinking it, and to avoid consuming tap water, as it can
have toxic chemicals in it.
The third step is to use clean toilets. Chances are that your domestic help uses a community
toilet, which might be a source of infections. Therefore, encourage them to get it cleaned
regularly using disinfectants. Ask them to also pull the flush after using the toilet, or to pour
water into the bowl to keep it clean. Most importantly, discourage them from open
defecation whenever possible.
38. UTTAM APP for Coal Quality Monitoring (Relevant for GS Prelims)
The Union Minister for Railways and Coal Shri Piyush Goyal launched UTTAM App for Coal
Quality Monitoring. UTTAM stands for – Unlocking Transparency by Third Party
Assessment of Mined Coal (uttam.coalindia.in). The Ministry of Coal and Coal India Limited
(CIL) developed UTTAM, aims to provide an App for all citizens and coal consumers to
monitor the process of Third Party Sampling of coal across CIL subsidiaries.
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Specific benefits of the UTTAM App would be
(i) For Subsidiary structure: The information about subsidiary wise declared GCV will
help citizens and coal consumers to compare and assess the coal quality coming from a
particular mine. It will provide a proper mapping of declared grade of coal dispatch to the
consumers.
(ii) For Coal consumer portal: The portal would give detailed information for coal
consumers regarding the Third-Party Sampling parameters. The App will give access for
monitoring coal quality to individual coal consumers.
(Adapted from PIB)
39. e-learning initiatives (Relevant for GS Prelims)
The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has launched many schemes for
promoting e-learning across students in schools & Universities. The key e-learning
initiatives run by MHRD are as follows: -
(i) SWAYAM: The Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds' (SWAYAM) an
integrated platform for online courses, using Information and Communication Technology
(ICT) and covering school (9th to 12th) to Post Graduate Level. At present, about 1000+
MOOCs Courses are listed on SWAYAM, wherein about 30 Lakhs students have enrolled to
these courses. It also offers online courses for students, teachers and teacher educators
(ii) SWAYAM Prabha: SWAYAM Prabha is an initiative to provide 32 High Quality

Educational Channels through DTH (Direct to Home) across the length and breadth of the
country on 24X7 basis. It has curriculum-based course content covering diverse disciplines.
(iii) National Digital Library (NDL): The National Digital Library of India (NDL) is a
project to develop a framework of virtual repository of learning resources with a single-
window search facility. There are more than 153 Lakhs digital books available through the
NDL.
(iv) E-pathshala: E-books of the resources developed by National Council of Educational

Research and Training (NCERT), State Council of Educational Research and Training
(SCERT) / State Institutes of Education (SIEs), State boards etc. SIEs in multiple languages
and uploaded on e-pathshala website and disseminated through mobile app (android, iOS
and Windows). E-pathshala has been listed/made available on the UMANG App of Govt. of
India, which was launched by Hon ble Prime Minister of India on 23 November 2017 during
GCCS-2017.
(v) National Repository of Open Educational Resources (NROER) : To make digital

resources available for teachers and students as free and open source material. To enable

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the participation of the community in development and sharing of digital resources. To

facilitate the adoption and creation of digital resources in different Indian languages.
(Adapted from PIB)
40. Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin all set to construct 1 crore pucca rural
houses by December 2018 (Relevant for GS Prelims)
Prime Minister launched Pradhan MantriAwasYojana – Gramin (PMAY-G) on 20th

November, 2016 from Agra. The erstwhile rural housing programme, Indira AwaasYojana
(IAY), was restructured into PMAY-G. To achieve Housing for All by 2022 , a target of
completing one crore PMAY-G new pucca houses in rural areas by 31st March, 2019 and
2.95 crore pucca houses by 2022 was set. Of these, 51 lakh houses were to be completed by
31st March, 2018, which included completion of expected 2 lakh incomplete IAY houses as
well.
(Adapted from PIB)
41. First meeting of National Council on India's Nutrition Challenges under POSHAN
Abhiyaan (Relevant for GS Prelims)
The first meeting of National Council on India's Nutrition Challenges under POSHAN
Abhiyaan was held today in New Delhi.
The annual targets set under POSHAN Abhiyaan beginning 2017-18 are as under:
S.No Objective Target
1. Prevent and reduce stunting in children (0-6years) By 6% @ 2% p.a.
2 Prevent and reduce under-nutrition (underweight By 6% @ 2% p.a.

prevalence) in children (0-6 years)
3 Reduce the prevalence of anemia among young Children (6- By 9% @ 3% p.a.

59 months)
4 Reduce the prevalence of anemia among Women and By 9% @ 3% p.a.

Adolescent Girls in the age group of 15-49 years.
5 Reduce Low Birth Weight (LBW). By 6% @ 2% p.a.

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Target of Mission is also to bring down stunting of the children in the age group of 0-6
years from 38.4% to 25% by the year 2022.
About National Nutrition Mission (Poshan Abhiyaan)

National Nutrition Mission was launched with a three-year budget commencing from 2017-
18. NNM aims at improving the nutritional status of Children from 0-6 years, Pregnant
Women and Lactating Mothers.
The goals of NNM include:

1. preventing and reducing stunting in children
2. preventing and reducing underweight prevalence in children
3. reducing Low Birth Weight (LBW) among Children
4. reducing the prevalence of anaemia among young Children
5. reducing the prevalence of anaemia among Women and Adolescent Girls
Implementation - The mission focuses on convergence with various other programmes

related to women and children to attain its objectives.
(Adapted from PIB)
42. Restructured Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (Relevant for GS Prelims)
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra
Modi today gave its approval for restructured Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya
Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).
Expenditure:
The Scheme will be implemented during the period from 01.04.2018 to 31.03.2022 at the
total cost of Rs. 7255.50 crore with the Central Share of Rs. 4500 crore and that of State
Share of Rs. 2755.50 crore as per details given below:
Details:
(i)This scheme will extend to all States and UTs of the Country and will also include
institutions of rural local government in non-Part IX areas, where Panchayats do not exist,
(ii)The scheme will have both Central Component - National Level activities including
"National Plan of Technical Assistance", "Mission Mode project on e-Panchayat",
"Incentivization of Panchayats" and State component - Capacity Building of Panchayati Raj
Institutions (PRIs),
(iii)The Central Component will be fully funded by the Government of India. However,
Centre:State funding pattern for State Component will be 60:40 for all States, except North
East and Hill States where Centre:State funding pattern will be 90:10. For all Union
Territories (UTs) (with and without legislatures), the Central share will be 100%.

92
(iv)The implementation and monitoring of the activities of the scheme will broadly be
aligned for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with main thrust on
Panchayats identified under Mission Antyodaya and 115 Aspirational districts as identified
by NITI Aayog.
(v)The Scheme will converge capacity building initiatives of other Ministries with
particular focus on those Ministries which will be impacted substantially by this Scheme,
(vi)Sunset date for RGSA will be 31.03.2030.
Background:
The Finance Minister, in his budget speech for 2016-17, announced the launch of new
restructured scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), for developing governance
capabilities of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to deliver on the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs). A Committee under the Chairmanship of the Vice Chairman-NITI Aayog was
constituted to restructure the existing scheme of this Ministry as Rashtriya Gram Swaraj
Abhiyan.
(Adapted from PIB)
43. Mobile App (m-Awas) (Relevant for GS Prelims)
Government launched a Mobile App (m-Awas) for allotment of Government

accommodations in General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) in Delhi. A total
number of 61,317 residential accommodations of various types are available in Delhi which
are allotted to the eligible Central Government employees through Automated System of
Allotment (ASA), by using login Id and password. The app will facilitate the applicants of
the Central Government accommodation in Delhi as well as those who are in waiting list, to
apply for allotment, view waiting list and the allotment lists.
(Adapted from PIB)

93
Environment
1. BS VI fuel to be available at Delhi petrol pumps from tomorrow (Relevant for GS
prelims and GS Mains Paper III)
The rollout of a cleaner fuel in Delhi is expected to bring down vehicular pollution in the
city infamous for its air quality levels.
There will be benefits to the extent of reduction of 10-20% in particulate matter (PM) after
the introduction of Bharat Stage VI fuel, or BS VI fuel, said B.V. Rama Gopal, director
(refineries) at Indian Oil Corp. Ltd, at a press conference on Saturday.
Going forward, the plan is to introduce the BS VI fuel across the national capital region and
metro cities by 1 April 2019.
Pre-ponement
The fuel is being introduced in Delhi two years earlier than planned. In January 2016, the
Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance decided to move the country up to
BS VI from the current BS IV standards by 2020, skipping an intermediate level. The shift
from BS IV to BS VI is estimated to cost refiners Rs28,000 crore.
The fuel shall be made available from 187 petrol pumps of Indian Oil within Delhi. For the
next milestone on 1 April 2019 (NCR and metro cities), 1,013 Indian Oil retail outlets shall
be covered, India s largest refiner said in a statement.
Helpful in climate change commitments

Such a shift will also help India achieve its climate change commitments. India is now the
biggest emitter of greenhouse gases after the US and China and is among countries most
vulnerable to climate change. India plans to reduce its carbon footprint by 33-35% from its
2005 levels by 2030, as part of its commitments to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change adopted by 195 countries in Paris in 2015.
Pollution levels in delhi

The vexed issue of tackling pollution had also become a political flashpoint between the
union and the Delhi governments. Various solutions to tackle the problem were
implemented, such as the odd-even scheme, but the city s air quality still remains a major
concern.
Low Sulphur content

One of the crucial features of BS VI fuel is its low sulphur content—10 parts per million
(ppm) as compared to 50 ppm in the earlier fuel grade. Sulphur in fuel contributes to
higher fine particulate matter emissions and corrodes an automobile s engine.
Introduction of BS VI fuel will also reduce the level of certain harmful hydrocarbons
produced due to incomplete combustion of fuel.
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Roll out road map

The rollout road map will be as follows: Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli amd Dhaulpur will get
BS VI fuel by 1 January 2019. This will be followed by supplies to Meerut, Muzaffarnagar,
Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Baghpat, Hapur, Buland Shahar and Shamli by 1 April
2019. By 1 October 2019, the BS VI fuel will reach Faridabad, Gurugram, Mahendranagar,
Rewari, Jhajjar, Palwal and Mewat.
No burden on consumers
As of now, the increased cost of production will not be passed on to the consumers.
According to Indian Oil s Gopal, the refiner is working on a mechanism to recover the cost
at a later date.
2. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is growing rapidly (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS
Mains Paper III)
Great Pacific Garbage Patch

The vast dump of plastic waste swirling in the Pacific Ocean is now bigger than France,
Germany and Spain combined – far larger than previously feared – and is growing rapidly, a
study warned.
Researchers based in the Netherlands used a fleet of boats and aircraft to scan the immense
accumulation of bottles, containers, fishing nets and microparticles known as the Great
Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) and found an astonishing build-up of plastic waste.
Size of dump
We found about 80,000 tonnes of buoyant plastic currently in the GPGP, Laurent
Lebreton, lead author of the study published in the journal Scientific Reports, told.
That's around the weight of 500 jumbo jets, and up to sixteen times greater than the plastic
mass uncovered there in previous studies.
But what really shocked the team was the amount of plastic pieces that have built up on the
marine gyre between Hawaii and California in recent years.
They found that the dump now contains around 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic, posing a dual
threat to marine life.
Cause for concern

• Microplastics, tiny fragments of plastic smaller than 50mm in size that make up the vast
majority of items in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, can enter the food chain when
swallowed by fish.

95
• The pollutants they contain become more concentrated as they work their way up
through the food web, all the way to top level predators such as sharks, seals and polar
bears.
• Fishing net fragments kill marine life by trapping fish and animals such as turtles in a
process known as 'ghost fishing'.
3. Blackbuck poaching case: Salman Khan gets five years in jail, fined Rs 10,000; all
you need to know (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III)
Verdict of Jodhpur court

A Jodhpur court held Bollywood actor Salman Khan guilty and awarded him five years in
jail in a case related to blackbuck poaching filed against him in 1998. The court also
imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the actor.
Salman s lawyers plan to move the sessions court as well as the Rajasthan High Court for
bail. If the bail application is not heard today, the actor will have to spend the night in jail
today.
He is currently being taken to Jodhpur Central Jail, where Asaram Bapu is lodged in a rape
case.
Actors Sonali Bendre, Saif Ali Khan, Neelam and Tabu, who were co-accused in the case,
were however acquitted by the court. Dushyant Singh, who was allegedly accompanying
the actors when the poaching took place, was also acquitted.
What is the Kankani blackbuck shooting case all about?

A complaint was registered by the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan against the actors, who
allegedly hunted down two blackbucks during the filming of the movie. According to the
complaint, Salman Khan is accused of killing two black bucks in Bhagoda ki Dhani near
Jodhpur on the intervening night of October 1-2, 1998. He was also charged for possessing
a weapon with an expired license.
All of them were in a Gypsy car that night, with Salman Khan in the driving seat. He, on
spotting a herd of black bucks, shot at and killed two of them, public prosecutor Bhawani
Singh Bhati had said. But on being spotted and chased, they fled from the spot leaving the
dead animals there, he said, adding that there was adequate evidence against them.
Who all are the accused?

Besides the actors — Salman Khan, Sonali Bendre, Saif Ali Khan, Neelam and Tabu — the
case involves two more accused, Dushyant Singh, who has now been acquitted and Dinesh
Gawre, said to be Salman Khan s assistant.
What are the charges they faced?

96
While Salman Khan faced charges under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, the
other actors were charged under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act read with
Section 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code. Under Section 51, enforcement
can be performed by agencies such as the Forest Department, the Police, the Wildlife Crime
Control Bureau (WCCB), the Customs and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Chargesheets can be filed directly by the Forest Department.
Here s how the Kankani case progressed:

While Salman was released on bail on October 17 the same year, he was later held guilty by
a trial court in 2006. He was charged under the Wildlife (Protection) Act and was
sentenced to five years jail term. He was also asked to pay a fine of Rs 25,000. While the
actor spent six days in jail, the sentence was suspended by the Rajasthan High Court.
The final arguments in the case were completed in the trial court on March 28 this year,
following which Chief Judicial Magistrate Dev Kumar Khatri reserved the judgment for
today.
During the final arguments, the prosecution counsel had described the spot of alleged
poaching, citing the statements of witnesses Poonam Chand and Chhoga Ram and the post-
mortem report.
However, while submitting his arguments, Khan s counsel H M Saraswat ran the video
recording of the statements of Poonam Chand and drew the attention of the court to the
contradiction in his statements taken by the investigating officer and the statements
given by the witness.
Videography of the statements of Poonam Chand clearly showed that the official noting
the statements had been copying them from a paper lying on the table beside him, argued
Saraswat.
Salman was earlier acquitted in two poaching cases by the high court and in a case under
Arms Act by the lower court. The actor later appeared in the district and sessions court for
filing bail bonds after the state challenged his acquittal in the case under Arms Act.
What are the other poaching cases against the actor?

The actor was also charged with two other poaching cases of Chinkara deer and blackbuck
in Bhawad village and Mathania village respectively. He was acquitted in both the cases.
However, the verdict in the Chinkara deer case was challenged by the Rajasthan
government in the Supreme Court following which the actor was issued notice. The matter
is currently pending with the top court.
4. Gujarat, where there is a concern over disappearing lions (Relevant for GS Mains
Paper III and GS Prelims)
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Gir in Gujarat, the last abode of Asiatic lions in Asia, has lost an alarmingly large number of
the endangered wild cats in two years. On March 28, a report of the Comptroller and
Auditor-General of India (CAG) was tabled in the Gujarat Assembly. It listed huge flaws in
lion conservation efforts in the State.
What happened?
Forest Minister Ganpat Vasava told the Assembly that 184 lions had died in two years: 104
in 2016 and 80 in 2017. As many as 32 died of unnatural causes like falling into wells or
getting run over by trains in the same period at the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary. The dead
included cubs too. The high number of deaths prompted the High Court to take suo motu
cognizance of the issue. The court took the authorities to task this March, directing them to
get back on measures being taken by the Environment and Forest Department to ensure
adequate protection to lions.
Why the conflict?

Significantly, the number of lion attacks on livestock and humans in 2016 and 2017 was
pegged at 398, raising serious concerns about a man-lion conflict in eight to nine districts
in the coastal Saurashtra region. Responding to a question by Congress legislator
Gyasuddin Sheikh, Mr. Vasava admitted that wells without parapet walls often became
death traps for the animals.
There are 27 open wells in Amreli district near the sanctuary, and the government has
promised to build parapet walls as soon as possible. Several open wells have already
been secured. The other preventive measures are construction of fences along the rail track
in Amreli district and building speedhumps on roads in the sanctuary.
Why no new habitat?

As per the 2015 census, there were 523 lions in and around the Gir sanctuary.
Unfortunately, though the total population of Asiatic lions increased from 359 in 2005 to
523 in 2015, no new protected habitat was approved by the State government since 2008.
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As stated in the CAG report, the number of lions outside the protected area in 2011 was
108, which increased by 54.6% to 167 in 2015. The Gir Protected Area includes the Gir,
Girnar, Paniya and Mitiyala sanctuaries and the Gir National Park. To provide a safe
corridor for the lions moving out of the Gir Protected Area, the Chief Conservator of Forests
(Wildlife) had proposed a new sanctuary spread over 30,000 hectares in Amreli and
Bhavnagar districts in 2005. Later, the plan was revised, and the new region was proposed
to be a conservation reserve (CR) spread across 10,953 hectares. The CAG observed that as
on May 2017, the Revenue Department had not transferred 4,800 hectares of wasteland to
the Forest Department for setting up the conservation reserve.
Thus, the declaration of the lion habitat area as a conservation reserve is pending despite
the lapse of 11 years, it said. It questioned the non-approval of a new protected area
despite high instances of deaths of lions in their present habitat. The CAG also pointed out
that the genome mapping project was being handled by an agency which did not possess
the expertise, and the progress was slow.
What is their future?

The government, which has always taken pride in showcasing Gujarat as the only habitat of
Asiatic lions, refuses to translocate some of them to Madhya Pradesh despite a Supreme
Court order. It must make sincere efforts to provide adequate protection to the animals
moving out to non-protected areas. It must increase the size of the protected areas to
prevent more lions from dying, wildlife experts say.
5. Environment Ministry notifies Plastic Waste Management (amendment) rules

(Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III- Environment)
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Plastic Waste
Management (Amendment) Rules 2018. The amended Rules lay down that the phasing out
of Plastics is now applicable to Multilayered Plastic (MLP), which are non-recyclable, or
non-energy recoverable, or with no alternate use.
Central Registration system

The amended Rules also prescribe a central registration system for the registration of the
producer/importer/brand owner. The Rules also lay down that any mechanism for the
registration should be automated and should take into account ease of doing business for
producers, recyclers and manufacturers. The centralized registration system will be
evolved by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for the registration of the
producer/importer/brand owner. While a national registry has been prescribed for
producers with presence in more than two states, a state-level registration has been
prescribed for smaller producers/brand owners operating within one or two states.
Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016

Based on several representations received from various stakeholders, MoEF&CC had
constituted a committee on issues/challenges faced with regard to the implementation of
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Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. The
committee deliberated on several issues related to the Rules and its implementation by
various stakeholders and submitted its recommendations to the Ministry.
What are Multilayered Plastic (MLP)?

Multi-layered plastics are made up of a layered composition of various types of plastics.
Sometimes, the plastics material is also combined with non-plastics such as aluminium foil.
Multi-layered plastics products are difficult to be recycled.
Mixed plastics streams are generally separated on the basis of their density for purpose of
recycling.
(Adapted from PIB)
6. Centre proposes relaxation of coastal regulation zone norms (Relevant for GS

States to get leeway in developing tourism, industrial infrastructure

The Centre has allowed India s coasts to be made more accessible to tourism and industrial
infrastructure and given individual States considerable leeway to decide how they should
plan such development, according to a draft version of the proposed modification to India s
coastal regulation zone plan made public on the Environment Ministry website.
Coastal regulation zone - 2011

The coastal regulation zone, or CRZ, 2011, refers to regions in the proximity of India s
7000-km-long shoreline where buildings, tourism facilities, industrial projects, residential
facilities etc are highly regulated. In most cases it begins from the high tide line (HTL) to
about 500 metres towards the landward side. The zone is subdivided into regions, with

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varying leeway for infrastructure development, depending on population and ecological

sensitivity.
The CRZ-1, for instance, includes the most ecologically sensitive areas and according to
current laws is off-limits for tourism activities and infrastructure development except for
defence, strategic and rare public utilities projects.
Coastal regulation zone - 2018

According to the new CRZ, 2018 notification . nature trails and eco-tourism activities. may
be permitted in CRZ-1 regions provided they conform to state-approved coastal zone
management plans.
Change in definition of Coastal Zone

The current law, called the CRZ, 2011 also defines as coastal zone, the region from the HTL
to 100 m of the creek along tidal-influenced bodies such as bays, estuaries, rivers,
backwaters, lagoons and ponds etc. that are connected to the sea. The proposed laws relax
this to 50 metres.
Earlier, rural habitations or relatively undisturbed areas close to the shore, called CRZ-II,
possessed a 200 metre no development zone . This has now been reduced to 50 metres,
provided the area has a population density exceeding 2161 per square kilometre as per the
2011 Census.
7. What the new Coastal Regulation Zone draft says, how it differs from the earlier
version (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III)
The new draft if implemented will not only have an effect on how common areas used by
fisherfolk are managed, but also bifurcate coastal zones along rural areas based on
population density.
The draft Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), 2018, which was released by the Ministry of
Environment and Forests (MoEF) last week, has the potential to change the way coastal
stretches in India are governed. India s coastline runs over 7,500 kilometres.
The new draft if implemented will not only have an effect on how common areas used by
fisherfolk are managed, but also bifurcate coastal zones along rural areas based on
population density. Environmentalists claim that the draft has opened up fragile inter-tidal
areas to real estate agents and framed with an intent to favour large-scale industry at the
cost of fishing communities.
Changes in the new draft

The purpose of the current notifications vis-à-vis the previous one released in 2011
remains more or less the same. The new draft aims to conserve and protect the unique
environment of coastal stretches and marine areas, besides livelihood security to the fisher
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communities and other local communities in the coastal areas and to promote sustainable
development based on scientific principles taking into account the dangers of natural
hazards, sea level rises due to global warming….
A major change in the new draft pertains to the CRZ limits on land along tidal influenced
water bodies . The proposed limit has been reduced from 100 metres to 50 metres or the
width of the creek, whichever is less.
Mapping of high tide and hazard lines

The draft makes the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) the final
authority to lay down standards for High Tide Line (HTL). Earlier the demarcation was
carried out by one of the agencies authorised by MoEF, on recommendations of the NCSCM.
The hazard line, which was demarcated by the Survey of India (SOI), has been delinked
from the CRZ regulatory regime, and will now be used as a tool for disaster management
and planning of adaptive and mitigation measures. Pooja Kumar from the Chennai-based
Coastal Resources Centre points out that the 2011 notification placed a lot of importance
on the hazard line. The 2018 notification takes away the protection that the hazard line
could provide; instead, it merely states that the hazard line should be used as a tool for
disaster management. This means that one can build in these areas after preparing an
environment assessment report stating that certain precautions have been considered,
she said.
Bifurcation of CRZ-III areas

CRZ-III areas — land that is relatively undisturbed such as in rural areas, and do not fall in
areas considered close to shoreline within existing municipal limits — have been divided
into two categories:
CRZ-III A refers to rural areas with a population density of 2,161 people per square
kilometre or more as per the 2011 Census. Such areas shall have a No Development Zone
(NDZ) of 50m from the HTL, the draft notes.
CRZ-III B refers to rural areas with a population density lesser than 2,161 people per
square kilometre. Such areas shall continue to have an NDZ of 200m from the HTL.
Kumar questions the accuracy of data that is used for classification. We had a look at 2011
Census [data], and only state-wise population density is available, so how does one narrow
down to the coastal region? she enquires.
Kanchi Kohli, a researcher at the Centre for Policy Research, pointed out that revenue
records are not available of how many people live in some of the CRZ-III areas. They
[through the draft] want to open up certain parts of the coast. It is clear that the state
governments have asked for this. Some of these common areas are used by fisherfolk to dry
fish and park their boats, she said.
Projects that require MoEF s approval

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Only those projects located in CRZ-I (environmentally most critical) and CRZ-IV (water and
seabed areas) shall require MoEF clearance. All other projects shall be considered by
Coastal Zone Management Authorities (CZMAs) in the states and union territories.
The draft also allows for construction of roads and roads on stilts, by way of reclamation
in CRZ-1 areas , only in exceptional cases for defence, strategic purposes and public
utilities, to be recommended by the CZMA and approved by the Ministry. However, it does
not explicitly state what strategic projects are.
Interestingly, it notes that in cases where roads are constructed through mangroves or are
likely to damage the latter, a minimum three times the mangrove area affected/
destroyed/ cut during the construction… shall be taken up for compensatory plantation….
Floor space index for CRZ-II

While the 2011 notification had frozen the floor space index or floor area ratio for CRZ-II
areas at 1991 Development Control Regulation (DCR) levels, the new draft proposes to de-
freeze the same and permit FSI for construction projects as prevailing on the date of the
new notification.
Kohli points out that certain kinds of buildings in metro cities such as Chennai and Mumbai
have been exempted from CRZ -II areas. Certain buildings will be managed by FSI through
Town and Country Planning Department, and will not require CRZ clearances, she said.
Criticism
Kohli notes that the draft empowers CZMAs at the state-level, which is responsible for the
Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMPs). The idea is to complete the process of drawing
up plans in consultation with coastal dwellers. Land and sea are constantly merging. As a
result, this cannot be done through satellite images. One has to visit the area… The issue is
that the process of creating CZMPs is flawed…, she said.
The MoEF has said that the relaxations/ amendment proposed in the CRZ notification,
2018, shall come into effect only after respective CZMPs that were to be framed under the
previous CRZ notification, have been revised or updated by states/UTs and approved by
the ministry.
The National Green Tribunal has noted that it has been seven years since the deadline set
by the 2011 notification to submit CZMPs to the MoEF has passed. Several states have held
public hearings in this regard. While Maharashtra has requested an extension, the public
hearing in Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu was forcibly cancelled last week due to
opposition from fisherfolk.
According to Pooja Kumar, the dilutions introduced by the new draft will affect customary
land use and traditional land rights. It does maintain the language of long-term housing
plans. What is the point of it if livelihoods and related spaces are not taken care of?

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Coastal spaces are fluid. Applying models that pertain to inland areas to the coast is
problematic… Delhi and its corridors of power lack an understanding of what these places
are, Kohli said.

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Science and Technology

1. Indian laws inadequate to deal with data theft, say experts (Relevant for GS mains
paper III)
At 462.12 million, India has the second highest number of internet users in the world after
China but lacks the legal framework to ensure data protection and privacy with current
laws inadequate for the rapidly-evolving sector, say cyber security experts.
The Facebook issue India connection

As data theft becomes the political buzzword pitching the ruling BJP against the opposition
Congress, recent revelations on the issue have forced people to re-examine their everyday
social media browsing habits, particularly on Facebook.
It started mid-March with international media reports claiming that the profiles of 50
million Facebook users were harvested by UK-based analytics firm Cambridge Analytica
(CA) to influence the US presidential election and the pro-Brexit campaign as well as polls
in other countries.
The resulting storm engulfed India too, with former CA employee-turned-whistleblower

Christopher Wylie claiming the firm extensively operated in the country and had served
political parties, including the Congress and the Janata Dal (United).
Indian laws inadequate

Beyond the global impact of the biggest-ever data breaches and the social media behemoth
Facebook, the scandal brought to the fore the shortcoming of India s laws to deal with ever
advancing issues of online privacy and data theft in the country, say experts.
India has the second highest number of internet users globally. However, India s
Information Technology Act, 2000 and its amendments—2008 and 2011—are not well
suited to deal with social media and internet related cyber-crimes, said Jaspreet Singh,
partner, Cyber Security, Ernst & Young.
According to figures by Internet World Stats, a website featuring data on global internet
usage, China had highest number of internet users at 738.5 million till 31 December 2017.
India was second and the US third with 286.94 million users.
India does not have a dedicated law on data protection and privacy, said Singh.
Consequently, the third-party transfers and cross border movement of personal data, the
entire sharing ecosystem, is not adequately dealt with under the Indian IT Act.
If any organisation is disclosing the personal information to third parties in India for data
profiling or other such marketing and business purposes, there is no effective legal solution
that is available, he added.

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Immoral not illegal according to Indian laws

Going by Indian law, the data breach episode, which has attracted a probe by regulators
and governments in several countries and also triggered panic amongst millions of internet
users, is at best immoral or unethical but not illegal.
If you take Cambridge Analytica as an example, what they have done is mining of data and
purchase of data with the consent of users by tricking them into giving their consent and
taking off their data.
So, you may call this entire practice of data collection and data harvesting immoral and
unethical, but according to Indian laws it is not illegal.
2. What is the E.U. law on data protection all about? (Relevant for GS Mains Paper III)
What is it?
The European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is, arguably, the most
notable change in the data protection regime in the last two decades. The law, which comes
into effect on May 25, has been designed to protect the personal data of E.U. residents.
Personal data is data that relates to an identifiable living individual and includes names,
email IDs, ID card numbers, physical and IP addresses.
The GDPR reflects a paradigm shift in the understanding of the relationship individuals
have with their personal data, granting the citizen substantial rights in his/her interaction
with data controllers (those who determine why and how data is collected such as a
government or private news website), and data processors (those who process the data on
behalf of controllers, such as an Indian IT firm to which an E.U. firm has outsourced its data
analytics).
Under the GDPR, a data controller will have to provide consent terms that are clearly
distinguishable, i.e., consent cannot be buried in the fine print that is incomprehensible to
the layperson.
Additionally, the GDPR requires those collecting data to provide information on the who
and how. Individuals will also have the right to have personal data deleted under certain
conditions. The GDPR also makes reporting obligations and enforcement stronger: data
breaches will normally have to be reported within 72 hours and failure to comply with the
new laws could result in a fine up to % of global turnover or € million — the maximum
amount of the fine.

Brussels recognized that the growth in the digital economy and rapid advances in
technology meant individuals were sharing personal data, and companies and governments
used this data on an unprecedented scale. Therefore, it sought to replace the existing data
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privacy directive, which enables and guides laws in each of the 28 EU member states, with
a regulation (GDPR), a stronger instrument which harmonizes data protection laws across
the 28 countries.
Why does it matter?

Apart from its profound significance for Europe, the GDPR has global implications as it also
applies to those outside the E.U. who either monitor the behavior of EU residents or sell
goods and services to them. Consequently, the law is expected to have a significant impact
on Indian IT firms and other service providers with an E.U. clientèle.
The E.U. as a bloc is India s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade in services alone
running upwards of € billion ₹ . lakh crore . Yet, only a third of Indian IT firms are
making arrangements for the GDPR, with 39% unaware of what it is even, according to a
2018 survey by tax and accounting firm EY. This will likely mean fines, loss of business and
missed opportunities, as well as diplomatic wrangling in trade talks between India and the
E.U.
What lies ahead?

The alleged data breach around Facebook and Cambridge Analytica has alerted people to
the challenges of protecting data in a hyper-digitised environment. The issue has once
again raised questions about what constitutes legitimate uses of data and how businesses,
governments and political parties can and cannot use data. A White Paper produced by a
government-appointed committee, headed by retired judge B.N. Srikrishna, which is
formulating a national data protection law for India, has suggested a hybrid approach to
privacy. This combines the EU rights-based approach, the U.S. approach of using data with
consent to encourage innovation, and an Indian approach, which takes note of the Supreme
Court s ruling that privacy is a fundamental right subject to reasonable restrictions.
3. Electric and hybrid vehicles & their possibility in India (Relevant for GS prelims,
GS mains paper III)
Though the government seems to have dropped its plan to implement a comprehensive
electric vehicle (EV) policy, it is still keen on shifting India s petrol-diesel-based auto
industry to electric. Government think tank NITI Aayog has tasked seven Ministries,
including Heavy Industries and Power, to come up with guidelines to encourage the use of
EVs.
What are the differences between electric and hybrid vehicles?

The key difference between hybrid and all-EVs is in the sources of fuel and locomotion
available to them. Hybrid vehicles have two sources available to them— a battery that
powers an electric motor and a fuel tank that powers a normal petrol engine.
Typically, the battery can power the electric motor for only about 60-70 km, but there are
constant improvements being made in the efficiency and capacity of lithium-ion batteries
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and so, this is expected to improve as more carmakers choose to roll out hybrid or electric
variants. Once the battery is depleted, the hybrid car switches over to the petrol engine,
which then functions like any other normal car engine.
An all-EV does not have this advantage. Once its battery is depleted, it has no backup
source of fuel. However, electric cars have the benefit of larger batteries since they do not
have to share space with a petrol engine or fuel tank. So, typically, an EV can travel a much
longer distance than a hybrid car running on its battery.
How do you refuel them?

A normal plug-in hybrid vehicle can be refuelled by plugging the car into a wall socket or a
charging point, and refilling the petrol tank. However, there are some hybrid variants that
can recharge the electric battery through a technology called regenerative braking, where
the vehicle converts the force of the car when it brakes into electrical energy. In these
models, only the fuel tank needs to be filled. All EVs need to be charged from a charging
point.
Charging time depends on the size of the battery and the source of electricity. A DC
charging point can fully charge a car battery in a fraction of the time taken using an AC
charging point, which is 6-8 hours.
How does the Center differentiate between the two?

The main difference is in their tax treatment under the Goods and Services Tax. While EVs
are taxed at 12%, hybrid vehicles are taxed on par with the luxury vehicles at 28% plus
15% cess.
4. India moves to auction its first offshore wind energy project (Relevant for GS
Prelims, GS mains Paper III)
Gulf of Khambat
In what will help boost its clean energy commitments, India has called for expression of
interest (EoI) for the first offshore wind energy project in the country that is being set up in
Gulf of Khambat, off the coast of Gujarat, according to a government statement.
The development assumes significance, given the 1000-megawatt (MW) size of the project,
with the government s plan to set up at least 5 gigawatt (GW) of offshore wind capacity by
2022. India plans to leverage scale to bring down the offshore energy tariffs by harnessing
the enormous wind power potential along its 7,600km coastline.
Administrative body
The National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) an autonomous body under the ministry of
new and renewable energy (MNRE) has called for Expression of Interest (EoI) for the first
offshore wind energy project of India.

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National Offshore Wind Energy Policy

In September 2015, the Union cabinet had cleared the National Offshore Wind Energy
Policy, which involves wind energy mapping of the country to identify high-potential
locations to be offered to firms for development through a bidding process.
Role in reducing carbon emissions

India, the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases after the US and China, plans to reduce its
carbon footprint by 33-35% from its 2005 levels by 2030, as part of its commitments to the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted by 195 countries in
Paris in 2015. The country plans to achieve 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022.
Of this, 60 GW is to come from wind power projects.
Low wind power tarrif levels

India s onshore wind power tariffs have remained low after plummeting to a record low
Rs2.43 per kilowatt hour (kWh) at an auction conducted by state-run Gujarat Urja Vikas
Nigam Ltd in December, beating the record low solar tariff of Rs2.44 per unit registered in
May. Earlier this month tariffs remained low, with bidders quoting wind power tariffs as
low as Rs2.51 per unit for 2 GW of wind power contracts. In the wind auction conducted by
state-run Solar Energy Corp. of India (SECI) in February, bidders had quoted wind tariffs as
low as Rs2.44 per unit for wind power contracts.
The offshore site, in the Gulf of Kutch of Gujarat, has been chosen after Gujarat and Tamil
Nadu were identified by the government as states with a high potential for offshore wind
farms. As per official estimates, the Gujarat coastline has the potential to generate around
106000 MW of offshore wind energy and Tamil Nadu about 60000 MW.
5. Google appeals against Competition Commission of India s search bias verdict

(Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III)
Online search giant Google has filed an appeal at the National Company Law Appellate
Tribunal (NCLAT) against a judgement from India s competition watchdog that found it
guilty of search bias .
In February, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) had imposed a Rs.1.36 billion
($20.95 million) fine on Google, saying it was abusing its dominance in online web search
and online search advertising markets.
Rationale by CCI
A CCI official said that its judgement was robust and that the competition watchdog plans
to defend its verdict at the NCLAT.
Google was found to be indulging in practices of search bias and by doing so, it causes
harm to its competitors as well as to users, the CCI said in its 190-page judgement.

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European Commission imposed fine

Last year, The European Commission imposed a record € . billion $ billion fine on the
company for favouring its shopping service and demoting rival offerings. Google has
appealed against the verdict.
Details
In India, the Commission found that Google, through its search design, had placed its
commercial flight search function at a prominent position on the search results page to the
disadvantage of businesses trying to gain market access.
The CCI ruling brought to an end a probe first started by the watchdog in 2012 on
complaints filed by matchmaking website Bharat Matrimony and a not-for-profit
organisation, Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS).
6. Chemical weapons: All you need to know (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper
III)
What are chemical weapons?

It is a toxic chemical in a delivery system such as bomb or artillery. The definition was
expanded for the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) — 192 countries as signatories —
that seeks to limit availability of chemicals that can be used as tools of mass destruction
while allowing member states to retain rights to use some of these chemicals for peaceful
purposes such as riot control. According to CWC s Organisation for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons(OPCW), … The Convention defines each component of a chemical
weapon as a chemical weapon— whether assembled or not, stored together or separately.
Anything
specifically designed or intended for use in direct connection with the release of a chemical
agent to cause death or harm is itself a chemical weapon.
What is nerve gas?

It is a compound that acts by incapacitating the mechanism within the body responsible for
the conduction of nerve impulses. This is usually done by blocking the action of
acetylcholineesterase — a compound that catalyses the breakdown of the neurotransmitter
acetylcholine. When acetylcholinesterase is prevented from performing its normal function
of breaking down acetylcholine, muscles go into a state of uncontrolled contraction — a
sign of paralysis or a seizure-like state. Death usually happens because paralysis extends to
the cardiac and respiratory muscles. Other symptoms could include dilation of pupils,
sweating and gastrointestinal pain etc. Nerve agents can also be absorbed through the skin.

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How do nerve gases compare with other chemical weapons?

They are among the most lethal. In the CWC list of chemicals under various degrees of
manufacturing restriction, nerve gases are among the most restricted, given that they have
no use other than in chemical warfare. When countries started to develop newer weapons
to bypass these restrictions, they preferred nerve agents. That is how Novichok evolved:
because restrictions are based on chemical formulae, newer molecules can bypass
restrictions. Novichok is said to be 5-8 times more lethal than VX nerve agent and its effects
are rapid, usually within 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
How many countries possess or use chemical weapons?

Of the 192 CWC signatories, Albania, India, Iraq, Libya, Russia, Syria, and the US declared
possession. Albania, India, Libya, Russia — and Syria — declared completion of destruction
of chemical weapons. According to OPCW, 96.27% or 69,610 of 72,304 tonnes of the
world s stockpile of chemical weapons have been verifiably destroyed .
What was verified in Syria?

OPCW says: The Syrian Arab Republic acceded to the Convention on 14 October 2013. The
Executive Council, supported by a UN Security Council Resolution, decided on an

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accelerated plan… Destruction of Syria s chemicals weapons equipment and munitions

began in October 2013 and by January 2016 the destruction of all chemical weapons
declared by Syria has been completed.
What has Syria s record been like?

In August 2013, an alleged nerve agent had killed 1,100 in in Ghouta. Since October 2013,
when destruction was declared begun, there have been alleged chemical attacks in April
2014 (Kfar Zeita, poison gas, 2 dead, 100 ill); May 2015 (Sarmin, chlorine, 6 dead); August
2015 (Marea, mustard gas, 50 ill); September 2016 (Aleppo, chlorine, 2 dead), April 2017
(Khan Sheikhoun, sarin, 70 dead) and Douma.
Who else have used chemical weapons?
* In World War I, chlorine and phosgene gases were released on the battlefield.
* Iraq used chemical weapons in Iran during the 1980s war, and mustard gas and nerve
agents against Kurdish residents in 1988.
* In Matsumoto in Japan in 1994, 8 people died and 500 were affected in a sarin attack.
* In a sarin attack in the Tokyo subway in 1995, 12 people died and 50 were injured.
Other chemical weapons

The Chemical Weapons Convention defines a chemical weapon, which includes nerve gas,
as anything specifically designed or intended for use in direct connection with the release
of a chemical agent to cause death or harm is itself a chemical weapon. All 192 states of the
Chemical Weapons Convention have the right to use some of these for peaceful purposes –
a common example would be a teargas shell.
Choking agents
Fluid builds up in lungs, choking victim. Examples include chlorine, phosgene, diphosgene
and chloropicrin.
Blister agents
Burns skin, mucous membranes and eyes; causes large blisters on exposed skin; blisters
windpipe and lungs; large casualties, low percentage of deaths. Examples: sulphur mustard,
nitrogen mustard, phosgene oxime, Lewisite
Blood agents
Cyanide destroys ability of blood tissues to utilise oxygen, causing them to starve and
strangling the heart. Examples include hydrogen cyanide, cyanogen chloride, Arsine, VX
Riot control agents Cause tears, coughing and irritation to eyes, nose, mouth and skin;
constrict airway and shut eyes; teargas and pepper spray are examples of such agents
(Adapted from Indian express)

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7. IRNSS-1I to enrich navigation fleet (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III)
Navigation satellite IRNSS-1I was flown into space from Satish Dhawan Space Centre
Sriharikota space pad. The 1,425-kg satellite will shortly become the eighth satellite to join
the NavIC constellation of Indian regional navigation satellites. IRNSS-1I is expected to
serve for 10 years. It was put to orbit on the PSLV-C41 rocket.
What is NavIC?
NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), dubbed India s own GPS, has been designed
to provide precise information on position, navigation and time related to objects or
people.
The eight satellites have a civilian and restricted military/security application to aid
security and disaster management and fleet monitoring on land, air and sea.
What was the need for IRNSS- 1I?

ISRO launched the first seven navigation satellites — IRNSS-1A to 1G — between July 2013
and April 2016. Although 1I is the ninth to be built and launched for the NavIC fleet, the
previous satellite, 1H, was lost in a faulty launch last August.
1I and 1H were planned as backups but became necessary after all three imported
rubidium atomic clocks on 1A failed in orbit. All seven satellites are required for accurate,
24-hour information from the fleet. Both 1I and 1H were fitted with corrected atomic
clocks.
8. Chip in TV set-top boxes: Why govt wants accurate viewership data (Relevant for
GS Prelims, GS mains Paper II)
What is the background and relevance of the discussion between TRAI and the
Ministry?
In a letter written to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) regarding new
licences for Direct-To-Home service providers last month, the Union Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting said it was proposed to ask DTH operators to install a chip
in the new Set-Top-Boxes which can give data about channels watched and their duration .
In its response to the Ministry s March 12 letter, TRAI has said that since installing a chip
was not part of the initial reference from the Ministry, it was not discussed for the
recommendations for new DTH licences that the regulator gave in 2014. (It was on these
recommendations that the Ministry had asked TRAI further questions.) A new issue , TRAI
said, could not be part of a back reference , and if the Ministry desires the regulator s
recommendation on it, it must ask officially. The Ministry has not sent such a request yet.
Background and relevance of the discussion between TRAI and the Ministry

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How is television viewership in India measured currently?

The Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), an industry body that is jointly owned
by advertisers, ad agencies, and broadcasting companies, represented by The Indian
Society of Advertisers, the Indian Broadcasting Foundation and the Advertising Agencies
Association of India respectively, measures television viewership in the country, using
television rating points, or TRPs.
BARC has installed BAR-O-meters in 33,000-odd empanelled households (as of

September 2017) across the country. These households are classified into 12 categories
under the New Consumer Classification System (NCCS), the so-called new SEC that was
adopted by BARC in 2015, based on the education level of the main wage earner and the
ownership of consumer durables from a predefined list of 11 items ranging from an
electricity connection to a car.
While watching a show, the members of the household register their presence by pressing
their viewer ID button, thus capturing the duration for which the channel was watched and
by whom and providing data on viewership habits across age and socio-economic groups.
This data is one of the most important considerations for advertisers and agencies while
choosing a channel to advertise their products.
It is important to note that like any good statistical survey, the panel used to capture TRPs
must be representative of the country s population, and the methodology must be
economically viable for the industry.
So, why does the I&B Ministry need a chip-based activity log?
The Ministry, sources said, feels that a recorded activity log can lead to a more accurate
assessment of viewers , which can be used by advertisers and advertising agencies. Also,
the sources said, there were concerns within the Ministry that BARC was underreporting
viewership numbers for Doordarshan. Finally, according to these sources, the data
produced by BARC may not be accurate, and this could be impacting the advertising costs
of the government — with some channels with low viewership being able to charge more
for advertisements.
BARC, the sources said, was a monopoly which did not disclose its methodology in
sufficient detail, and senior Ministry officials felt that installing the chip could capture more
accurate viewership data for all DTH households.
A BARC spokesperson, however, said being the only agency that the industry subscribes to
does not automatically make it a monopoly. We operate strictly within government
guidelines , the spokesperson said, and BARC s systems and processes are periodically
audited by global firms .
When did these doubts first arise?

The integrity of viewership data has been controversial for a decade. In January 2008, the
I&B Ministry sought TRAI s recommendations on various issues relating to television
audience measurement. In August 2008, TRAI recommended self-regulation through an
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industry-led BARC. The regulator also laid down how many households must be
empanelled, how they should be rotated, who should own the television viewership
assessment body, etc.
As issues persisted, however, the Ministry went back to TRAI in 2012. In 2013, the
regulator reiterated most of its 2008 recommendations, adding, A minimum panel size of
20,000 to be implemented within 6 months of the guidelines coming into force. Thereafter,
the panel size shall be increased by 10,000 every year until it reaches the figure of 50,000.
The panel of homes has to remain representative of all television households in the
country.
And will the proposed chip in set-top boxes produce better data?
The idea is still in a nascent stage, but a basic chip that passively records TV viewership
data of all households that have set-top boxes will only be able to capture the duration of
viewership for each channel — even though it will be able to potentially capture this data
for a much larger TV-watching population. No information about the TV-watching habits of
different age groups will be captured — unless every household that has a set-top box also
has a system by which every member of the household is able to register her presence
while watching a particular channel. Also, for the data to reflect viewership patterns of
different socio-economic groups, each set-top box will have to have a unique marker that
identifies the particular household.
Data from a basic chip, then, will be quantitatively richer, but not necessarily better
qualitatively — which is essential for the advertising industry and, therefore, the
broadcasting industry. Also, the proposal is only for set-top boxes of DTH customers,
whereas TRAI recommends that TRP measurements should be platform-agnostic, i.e., it
should reflect the viewership of cable TV and IPTV, etc., as well.
Are there any other concerns about a chip in set-top boxes?

As explained above, if the chip is to capture qualitative data across age groups and socio-
economic segments, each set-top box will have to be equipped with a unique identifier,
which is rather similar to inviting the government into living rooms to watch which
households and family members are watching what at any given time. Concerns over
privacy are bound to be expressed.
9. Why new hormone rules for women runners affect one and not the other (Relevant
for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III; Science & Technology)
World athletics body has introduced regulations that restrict the participation of female
athletes with high testosterone levels in certain international track & field events. The
Indian Express explains.
Why did the international athletics body come with these new eligibility regulations
for female runners?

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The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) had been asked by the Court
of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) to finalise regulations that would clearly specify events in
which women with high but naturally occurring levels of testosterone could participate.
This was after the CAS had directed the IAAF to provide fresh evidence to prove that
women athletes with higher than normal levels of testosterone had a distinct advantage. It
all started after Indian sprinter Dutee Chand had successfully challenged the now
suspended guidelines for hyperandrogenism (a medical condition characterised by high
levels of male sex hormones such as testosterone) in 2014.
What were the old guidelines and how have they changed?
Earlier, women with testosterone levels of 10 nanomoles per litre or more were ineligible
to participate in track and field events. Dutee challeged the rule, arguing that she had
naturally occurring high levels of testosterone. CAS ruled in favour of the Indian sprinter.
This opened the doors for several other athletes with hyperandrogenism. Now, IAAF has
said that female athletes with 5 or more nanomoles per litre testosterone cannot
participate in 400m, 800m and 1500m races.
How much do testosterone levels vary between males and females?

Testosterone levels in females usually range between 0.12 to 1.79 nmol/L while the male
range is much higher — 7.7 to 29.4 nmol/L. The IAAF has concluded that it is only possible
for a woman to have a testosterone level of 5 nmol/L or greater in the case of a tumour or if
the athlete falls in the intersex category.
Who is an intersex person?

An intersex person is one who has both male and female sex organs or other variations
including chromosomes and does not fall exclusively into the defined male or female
physical characteristics.
What do the guidelines mean for Dutee Chand and who else do they affect?
Chand is free to compete in her two pet events — the 100 metres and the 200 metres —
because these do not fall under the restricted events category. However, the new
guidelines will make it difficult for South Africa s Caster Semenya to compete in 800m and
1,500m at international events. Semenya had to undergone therapy after winning the gold
in 800 metres at the 2009 World Championships, to reduce her testosterone levels.
When do the new regulations come into effect?

From November 1, 2018.
What did the IAAF base its guidelines on?

The IAAF based the evidence in part on a study, published in the British Journal of Sports
Medicine, in July last year. The study, which researched the link between track and field
performance and higher than usual testosterone levels, involved 1,332 elite female athletes
and 795 male athletes — a total of 2,127 subjects. A blood sample was taken from each of
these athletes, a number of whom had participated in the 2011 and 2013 World
Championships. Women with higher levels of testosterone were seen to have a distinct
advantage in 400m, 400m hurdles, and 800m and also in hammer throw and pole vault.
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So, why did the IAAF not include hammer throw and pole vault in the guidelines?
Katrina Karkazis, an expert on testosterone and its effects, who testified when sprinter
Chand knocked on the doors of CAS, feels that the IAAF wanted to target women from the
Global South — Indian subcontinent and Africa — which specifically means Semenya.
Is there any way that an athlete with higher testosterone levels can now participate
in the female category in restricted events?
In order to participate in events of the length between 400 metres and a mile, a female
athlete with higher levels of testosterone must reduce her levels to below 5 nmol/L. This
can be done, the IAAF says, through medication or use of hormonal therapy. Moreover, the
athlete has to show that her testosterone levels are below the upper limit for a period of six
months. The IAAF has said that an athlete does not have to undergo any kind of surgery.
What if an intersex athlete does not wish to comply with the new regulations?
The athlete will not be debarred from competing in the female category in restricted
events if the event is a national competition and will also be allowed to compete in other
events outside the restricted events. The other option for an intersex athlete is to compete
against men at any competition or participate in the intersex category.
What is the logic of the IAAF in asking women to keep their testosterone levels below
the upper limit for a six-month period?
The time period is essential, the IAAF says, to ensure that an athlete does not get any
advantage of previously high levels of testosterone which was present in the body.
10. Draft mission to kick-start renewable energy storage (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS
Mains Paper III; Science & Technology)

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Power grids currently do not integrate renewable energy sources

The draft National Energy Storage Mission expects to kick-start grid-connected energy
storage in India, set up a regulatory framework, and encourage indigenous manufacture of
batteries, according to a member of the expert committee set up by the Ministry of New
and Renewable Energy (MNRE) last month.
What is the target?

The draft sets a realistic target of 15-20 gigawatt hours (GWh) of grid-connected storage
within the next five years, according to Debi Prasad Dash, director, India Energy Storage
Alliance (IESA), an industry body that is a part of the committee. Power grids do not
currently use storage options that would help in smoothly integrating renewable energy
sources.
Why there is need of storage?

Renewable energy sources now make up almost one-fifth of India s total installed power
capacity. However, as power grids increase their share of solar and wind energy, the
problem remains that the peak supply of renewable sources does not always meet peak
demand. For instance, solar energy generation may be at its peak at noon, but unless
stored, it will not be available when needed to light up homes at night. Moreover,
renewable sources are inherently intermittent: there are days when the wind doesn t blow,
or the sky is cloudy.
Batteries could help store surplus energy during peak generation times but are more
immediately needed to stabilise the grid when shifting between renewables and the base
load thermal capacity. Once the installed capacity of renewables reaches 100 GW [from
the current 65 GW], it will become critical to incorporate storage options.

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11. Use of blockchain beyond cryptocurrencies (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains

Paper III)
With India s digital footsteps gaining significant stride in recent years, blockchain
technology has caught the imagination of many. While most of us identify blockchain with
cryptocurrencies, bitcoins in particular, tech designers are yet to fully realise its disruptive
potential in numerous other sectors. In today s rapidly evolving interconnected digital
ecosystem, blockchain can emerge the biggest disrupter.
Blockchain technology has the power to transform business processes and applications
across sectors — from financial services to agriculture, from healthcare to education,
among others. Blockchain-powered smart contracts, where every piece of information is
recorded in a traceable and irreversible manner, can play a revolutionary role in enhancing
ease of doing business. It will augment the credibility, accuracy and efficiency of a contract
while reducing the risk of frauds, substantially.
Property deals
Property transactions in India are still carried out on paper, making them prone to
disputes. Application of blockchain technology would bring revolutionary changes through
in-built transparency, traceability and efficiency in the system. State governments are
already exploring use of this technology to bring order and efficiency to property
transactions.
Financial services has been a pioneer in blockchain-based use cases that are driving
significant improvements in operations and client experience. For example, Yes Bank is an
early adopter of this technology by implementing a blockchain-based multi-nodal system to
fully digitise vendor financing for one of its clients. The system today enables the bank to
do timely processing of vendor payments without physical documents and manual
intervention, while enabling both parties to track the status of transactions in real time.
Healthcare and pharmaceuticals is one of the best prospective areas where a lot of clinical
data is built up and exchanged, which, owing to its sensitive nature, demands a secure and
reliable system. Blockchain could play a crucial part in health insurance claims
management by reducing the risk of insurance claim frauds. The technology can also be
used to prevent the sale of spurious drugs in the country by tracking every step of the
supply chain network at every level.
The education sector can benefit from a blockchain-powered, time-stamped repository of

pass-outs and job records of students so that it becomes easier for employers to verify the
credibility of candidates.
In agriculture too, seasonal data related to crop and climatic cycles and soil testing data can
be protected and used by multi-nodal blockchain application for the benefit of insurance
companies, researchers, market agencies and even to predict stock prices.
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Globally, blockchain technology has proven to be a change-maker. Nasdaq Inc. has

successfully tested a blockchain-powered proxy voting system on its Estonian exchange
and is gearing up for full-scale implementation. In Russia, blockchain-based systems are
being pursued for land registry management as well as for improving the local voting
system. The Dubai government, on the other hand, is on its way to implement blockchain-
based paperless digital systems in areas such as visa applications, licence renewals and bill
payments.
Government as enabler
While the government of India has eliminated the possibility of considering
cryptocurrencies as legal tender, it has endorsed the idea of exploring use of blockchain
technology for ushering in India s digital economy.
The NITI Aayog is exploring the use of blockchain and AI technologies in diverse areas such
as education, healthcare, agriculture, electricity distribution and land records, among
others. In this direction, the Think-Tank is reportedly building a platform called
'IndiaChain' — a shared, India-specific blockchain infrastructure that would leverage the
trinity of Jan-Dhan-Yojana, Aadhaar and the mobile trinity.
When implemented, this one-of-its-kind initiative will likely be the world s largest
blockchain implementation programme in governance.
What may actually work for India is the version Blockchain 2.0 that allows programmable
transactions (modified by a condition or a set of conditions), extending its capability from
being able to do simple transactions to more complex transactions. It can also address
privacy and regulatory needs, complex functions and is not limited to one vendor.
Meanwhile, several State governments including A.P., Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka and
Maharashtra, have started gauging the possibilities, and even implementing in some cases,
the distributed ledger technology for their e-governance initiatives. The A.P. government is
leading the way in blockchain adoption by executing pilot projects in land records and
transport.
For a true digital future

Blockchain s ability to enhance real-time visibility in the functioning of the supply chain
offers myriad possibilities across a range of sectors to prevent leakages, and thereby
increase efficiency. Realising its genuine potential, a number of leading corporations in
India have started investing in Blockchain. At the same time, a number of start-ups are
emerging in this space, developing and using the technology for diverse applications.
While baby steps are being taken, it is also crucial to lay our collective focus on identifying
and resolving key issues and challenges in implementing this technology, the prime
amongst those being data privacy.

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A sustainable future for blockchain would also necessitate creation and sustenance of the
right kind of ecosystem in the country.

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Social Issues
1. 'Bharat Bandh' on SC/ST ruling: All you need to know (Relevant for GS prelims, GS
mains Paper I)
- The NDA government today filed a petition seeking review of the Supreme Court order
diluting the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of
Atrocities) Act, which protects marginalised communities against discrimination and
atrocities. Supreme court has refused to review the petition in fast track manner.
- In the review petition drafted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the
Centre is likely to contend that the order will weaken the provisions of the Act, thereby
reducing the fear of law, which may result in more violations.
Supreme Court Judgement

On March 20, the Supreme Court banned automatic arrests and registration of criminal
cases under the SC/ST Act, triggering widespread criticism and outcry from the dalit
community.
1. The apex court said public servants can't be prosecuted without the approval of the
appointing authority, and private citizens too should be arrested only after an inquiry
under the law.
2. It further ruled that preliminary inquiry in a case under the Act would be conducted by
the Deputy Superintendent of Police to ensure the allegations are not frivolous.
Rationale behind the judgement

The amendment in the law was a bid to protect honest public servants discharging bona
fide duties from being blackmailed with false cases under the Act.
View of Political Parties and Dalit organisations

However, dalit organisations and some political parties fear the dilution of the provisions
of the Act might lead to increase in violence against Dalits.
After holding agitations over the last few days to protest against the top court's ruling on
the SC/ST Act, several dalit outfits have called for a Bharat Bandh today.
(Adapted from The Times of India)

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Internal Security
1. Government s new policy paying dividends in containing Left Wing Extremism
(Relevant for GS Mains Paper III-Internal Security)
Policy to contain LWE (Naxalites)

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been implementing the National Policy and
Action Plan since 2015 to combat Left Wing Extremism (LWE). This envisages a multi-
pronged strategy involving security and development related measures.
The significant features of the new policy were zero tolerance towards violence coupled
with a big push to developmental activities so that benefits of development reached the
poor and vulnerable in the affected areas.
Categorization
MHA had categorized 106 districts in 10 states as Left-Wing Extremism affected. These
districts are covered under the Security Related Expenditure Scheme (SRE) of the MHA for
the purpose of reimbursement of security related expenditure like transportation,
communication, hiring of vehicles, stipend for surrendered Maoists, temporary
infrastructure for forces etc. to the states.
Out of 106 districts, 35 districts which accounted for 80-90 % of country-wide LWE
violence were categorized as Most Affected Districts . This categorization provided the
basis for focused deployment of resources - both security and development related. Over
the last few years, a number of districts have been carved into smaller districts. This has
resulted in the geographical area of the 106 SRE districts to be spread over 126 districts
and that of the 35 most affected districts to be expanded to 36 districts.
Reduction in violence
Over the last four years, there has been a substantial improvement in the LWE scenario.
Incidents of violence have seen a 20% decline with a 34% reduction in related deaths in
2017 as compared to 2013. The geographical spread of LWE violence also shrunk from 76
districts in 2013 to just 58 districts in 2017. Besides, just 30 of these districts account for
90% of the LWE violence in the country. At the same time certain new districts have
emerged as the focus of expansion by the Left-Wing Extremists.
Revision of affected districts

MHA recently undertook a comprehensive exercise in consultation with the States to
review the affected districts in order to ensure that the deployment of resources is in sync
with the changed ground reality. Accordingly, 44 districts have been excluded and 08 new
districts have been added to the list of SRE districts.
In order to counter Maoist efforts to expand their influence in the tribal areas at the tri-
junction of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, three districts of Kerala have been included

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in the list of SRE Districts. Despite the fact that there is hardly any violence in the new
districts, the move is pre-emptive.
As a result of the exercise, 90 districts in 11 States will now be covered by the Scheme,
down from 126. The list of Most Affected Districts has been pruned to 30, down from 36.
The revised categorization is a more realistic representation of the actual LWE scenario.
(Adapted from PIB)
2. Left wing affected regions (Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III: Internal
Security)
Naxalism was once called by the government as the biggest internal security threat faced
by the country. However, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Maoist
influence has been gradually shrinking. In figures released on Monday, the MHA, which

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recently redrew the red corridor, brought down the number of districts affected with Naxal
violence from 106 to 90, spread across 11 states. The list also includes the 30 worst-
affected district — six down from the previous one.
In 2015, the NDA government had adopted the National Policy and Action Plan , which
aimed at addressing Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in the country. In the last couple of years
though, Maoists have managed to carry out big strikes killing scores of policemen.
In Chhattisgarh, over two dozen policemen were killed in separate incidents in 2017; at
least nine CRPF personnel were killed in a similar attack in Sukma last month.
Which states are included in the LWE-affected areas?

The report considers Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Bihar as states that are severely
affected by LWE. West Bengal, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh (earlier a part of the
severely affected category) are considered partially affected. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya
Pradesh are classified as states that are slightly affected.
According to the report, Maoists are making a foray into Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu,
and planning to link the Western and Eastern Ghats through these states. They are not only
planning to increase their activities in these areas, but also carve out a base for themselves
in the tri-junction. The report also notes that the Maoists are attempting to make inroads
into Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, and their success in doing so can have long-term
strategic implications.
Is the recently drawn red corridor different from the older one?
In 2015, the total number of LWE-affected districts was 106. It rose to 126 in 2017
following bifurcation of states and districts, and the expansion of Maoists activities. All
expenses incurred by the affected areas are covered under the Security Related
Expenditure (SRE) Scheme of the MHA, which provides funds for transportation,
communication, hiring of vehicles, stipend for surrendered Maoists, and temporary
infrastructure for security forces.
Of the 106 districts, 36 accounted for 80 to 90% of the country-wide LWE violence and
were categorized as Worst Affected Districts . In its recent review, the Home Ministry
noted that 44 of the 126 districts reported negligence violence, and they were removed
from the list. Eight new districts which witnessed Maoist movements were added to the
SRE list. Currently, 30 instead of 36 of the worst affected districts account for 90% of the
LWE violence.
So, which are the new districts where Maoists are making inroads?
Eight new districts have been included by the MHA.
Kerala: Malappuram, Palakkad and Wayanad
Andhra Pradesh: West Godavari
Chhattisgarh: Kabirdham
Madhya Pradesh: Mandla
Odisha: Angul and Boudh
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Which are the districts that have now been excluded?

As many as 44 districts have been removed from the list. Among them the majority belongs
to the following states:
* Telangana: 19 districts
* Odisha: 6 districts
* Bihar: 6 districts
* West Bengal: 4 districts
* Chhattisgarh: 3 districts
* Jharkhand: 2 districts
* Maharashtra: 1 district
What were the criteria for removing the districts and including new ones?
The primary criterion was incidents of violence . The 44 districts, which have been
excluded, did not report any significant incidents of violence due to LWE in the last three
years.
Similarly, three new districts in Kerala were added following reports of Naxal movement,
and their overground activities. Incidents of violence have seen a 20% decline with a 34%
reduction in related deaths in 2017 as compared to 2013. The geographical spread of LWE
violence also shrunk from 76 districts in 2013 to 58 districts in 2017. The new districts will
receive the SRE fund from the Centre, which will monitor development and security-related
projects. Last year, the combined SRE expenditure in LWE-affected districts was Rs 445
crore.
What is the multi-pronged strategy of the government?

The multi-pronged strategy primarily includes development and security aspects of
affected districts. Projects related to development include infrastructure, roads, cellphone
connectivity, bridges and schools. As per MHA data, 2,329 mobile towers were installed in
Maoist-affected areas in the first phase of the project aimed at improving cellphone
connectivity, with the maximum number of towers being installed in Jharkhand (816),
followed by Chhattisgarh (519). In the second phase, the government plans to install
another 4,072 mobile towers.
Similarly, 4,544 kilometers of road have already been built of the sanctioned 5,422 km. The
second phase of constructing 5,411 km of road will start soon and is estimated to cost Rs
10,780 crores.
Earlier, 11 of the 36 worst affected areas had no Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV), and only six
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs). Now, all the 36 districts have JNVs, and eight districts
have functional KVs. Three new KVs are also being built.
Eight bridges, which were built to enhance connectivity to remote areas in LWE-affected
states, were constructed at a cost of nearly Rs 1,000 crores.

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3. Vehicles made on or after Jan. 1 to have High Security Registration Plates

(Relevant for GS Prelims, GS Mains Paper III: Internal Security)
Tamper-proof lock, hologram tags among features

From January 1, 2019, all classes of motor vehicles will come fitted with tamper-proof High
Security Registration Plates (HSRP) that have a host of in-built security features.
They are expected to offer increased protection against theft. The HSRP was made
mandatory in some States 13 years ago but failed to take off.
To end monopoly of few manufacturers

The move to rope in automobile manufacturers and the dealers is aimed at ending the
monopoly of a few HSRP manufacturers and ensure uniformity in the HSRPs quality.
About High Security Registration Plates (HSRP)

The HSRPs will come with a 15-year guarantee. They will have in-built security features
such as a self-destructive sticker with the engine and chassis number of the vehicle. The
plates will be fitted on the front and rear of the vehicles and windscreens will have a
number plate tag with hologram.
Laser branded numbers

A chromium-based hologram will be applied by hot stamping on the top left corner of the
number plates both at the front and back. A permanent identification number with a
minimum of 10 digits will be laser-branded into the reflective sheeting on the bottom left of
the registration plate. The permanent number will be preceded by two alphabets indicating
the name of the vendor, manufacturer, or supplier, for whom the Type approval certificate
was issued by the testing agencies.
A third registration plate, in the form of a self-destructive, chromium-based hologram

sticker will be affixed on the inner side of the vehicle s windshield. The registering
authority, registration number, laser-branded permanent number, the engine number and
chassis number will all be in the sticker.
The registration plate fitted in the rear of the vehicle will be fastened with a non-
removable/non-reusable snap lock system. For enhanced security, two snap locks will be
used in the HSRP affixed in the rear. The replacement of an existing registration plate will
also be done through the agency responsible for affixing the new plate.

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Miscellaneous
1. Navjot Kaur s gold medal at the Asian Wrestling Championship (Relevant for GS
Prelims)
Navjot Kaur scored victory over Japan s Miyu Imai in the final of the women s wrestling
event at the Asian Wrestling Championships in Kyrgyzstan.
2. Govt to outsource operations at five railway stations (Read only for

understanding)
Indian Railways has decided to outsource operation and maintenance of five railway
stations to firms outside state control for 15 years to improve customer experience.
The railway stations, to be outsourced under the pilot project called Integrated Station
Management, are Pune, Bengaluru, Secunderabad, Anand Vihar (in New Delhi) and
Chandigarh.
These five stations, along with the Habibganj railway station in Bhopal, will take the
number of stations in India being privately managed to six.
According to Indian Railways, the stations will be handed over to state-run Indian Railways
Station Development Corp. (IRSDC) for a makeover. IRSDC will subsequently invite bids
from private firms for operation and maintenance of the stations.
Responsibility of Private Player

The firms that win the contracts will handle operations such as selling platform tickets,
running station stalls, railway display network, advertising on station and its premises and
parking. However, all core operations such as signaling, and movement of trains will
remain with the Railways.
3. Kolkata, where a metro service goes under the river (Relevant for GS Prelims)
The twin cities of Kolkata and Howrah, on either side of river Hooghly, will be soon
connected by a metro service, part of which runs under water. The first tunnel connecting
Howrah and Kolkata is ready.
How long did it take?

On March 22, a German-made tunnel-boring machine, christened Prerna, punched through
the diaphragm of the proposed Metro station at Esplanade in Kolkata and came out on the
surface of the earth. It marked the completion of an eventful journey of 23 months from
April 21, 2016, when the machine was lowered into the ground on the other side of the
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river. Another tunnel-boring machine Rachna, running parallel to Prerna, is catching up

and is just a few metres behind.
What s the distance under water?

Having traversed a distance of 520 metres below the riverbed, the two tunnels, about 3.8
km long, are the first underwater transport tunnels in India. The depth of the crown of the
tunnel below the riverbed is 13 metres. Experts who oversaw the construction of the
engineering marvel say the challenge was not only boring the tunnel below the riverbed
but taking it past some of the oldest buildings in Kolkata, two Jewish synagogues, the Raj
Bhavan and a few dilapidated Railway buildings which could not even be evacuated.
Why are the tunnels needed?

The tunnels are the most crucial part of the East West Metro Project, a 16.6-km line
connecting Salt Lake in the north-eastern fringes of Kolkata to Howrah Maidan on the other
side of the river. Of the 16.6-km line, about 10.8 km will be underground and the rest will
be through an elevated corridor.
The mega infrastructure project, costing ₹ , . crore, was delayed primarily by

objections raised by the Archaeological Survey of India to a 3.8-km stretch running too
close to three heritage structures. With the construction of these tunnels being almost over,
work on the project has received a major boost.
What s the plan?

Work on the next phase of the project, construction of tunnels connecting Esplanade to the
Sealdah railway station, will begin in May.
Once this phase is complete, two of the busiest railway stations, Sealdah and Howrah,
located on the opposite banks of the Hooghly, will be connected. Kolkata Metro Rail, the
agency executing the mega project, is hopeful that by 2021 metro services will be
operational along the entire route.
Why is it important for the city?

The East West Metro Line will align with the existing 27.23-km North South Line, which
ferries 6 lakh passengers on a weekday. This was the first metro railway in the country and
has been operational since 1984.
Considering the population growth, it is projected that by 2035, 10 lakh passengers will
take the East West Metro daily. Among major Indian metros, the ratio of road space to city
space in Kolkata is the lowest, at 6%. The only hope for the lumbering traffic system,
suffering from want of road space, is the metro railway networks criss-crossing the city.
Along with the East West Metro project, four metro networks are in the pipeline.
4. TN files for contempt against Centre

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Union government seeks three months' extension to frame scheme for sharing of
Cauvery water
Tamil Nadu moved the Supreme Court to initiate contempt proceedings against the Union
government for its wilful disobedience in not implementing the court s February 16
judgment in the Cauvery dispute.
In its petition, the State said the Centre had failed to frame a scheme within the time limit
set by the court, by not setting up the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water
Regulation Committee to monitor the allocation of the river water among Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry.
Election constraints
The contempt petition has been filed at a time when the Centre has also moved the court
for a three-month extension of time to implement the verdict. The Karnataka Assembly
election is to be held on May 12.
While seeking clarification on some aspects of the verdict, the Centre claimed that notifying
the scheme during the election process would lead to public outrage and cause law and
order problems. Tamil Nadu accused the Centre of refusing to act to protect the interests
of the farmers and the larger interests of the State.
Six-week deadline
The contempt petition wants the court to purge the contempt forthwith by directing the
Centre to frame a scheme by providing for the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and the
Cauvery Water Regulation Committee as per the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal s order

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of 2007. As per the February 16 judgment in the appeals, the Centre had to frame the
scheme in six weeks. The deadline ended on March 29.
5. After glitch, ISRO trying to restore link with GSAT-6A (Relevant for GS Prelims)
Spacecraft built for 10 years goes silent on second day

A day after GSAT-6A, the country s newest communication satellite, went incommunicado
in space, officials of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said that they were
working to restore the link with it.
Reason for losing contact

The silence is initially believed to have been caused by a power glitch or a short circuit on
the satellite.
What was GSAT-6 lauched?

131
The spacecraft, launched on March 29, was meant to support military communications in
hostile regions using handy ground terminals. Built to last 10-12 years, it was to be a
standby for its three-year-old replica GSAT-6.
ISRO chief hopeful

ISRO Chairman K. Sivan said, Going by preliminary data, we expect that we will be able to
recover the satellite. Its systems are in good health. Functionally, there would be no
shortage or disturbance as GSAT-6 would be at work for some more years.
The command team at the ISRO s Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan would get
another shot at recovery when the satellite passes over India on Monday morning.
Next launch due

The launch of the navigation satellite IRNSS-1I is scheduled for April 12. It will replace the
IRNSS-1A satellite.
6. Tentative listing of Six monuments / historical sites in North Eastern States under
World Heritage Site (Relevant for GS Prelims)
As many as 6 monuments/historical sites in the North Eastern states have been identified
tentatively for listing under World Heritage Site.
Details of monuments/sites identified/placed under tentative list for listing under world
heritage in the north eastern states are given below:
1. Apatani Cultural Landscape, Arunachal Pradesh

2. Iconic Saree Weaving Clusters of India
3. Moidams – the Mound – Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty, Assam
4. Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh
5. River Island of Majuli in midstream of Brahmaputra River in Assam
6. Thembang Fortified Village, Arunachal Pradesh
(Adapted from PIB)
7. 7 important tax changes from 1 April that will affect common man (Read only for
understanding)
Here are seven changes that you need to note for FY19:
1. Pay LTCG tax on stock market investments

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Get ready to pay tax on long-term profits from your stock market investments. Till now,
you paid no tax on your profits if you held stocks and equity-oriented mutual funds for one
year, but from this year, you will have to pay a tax of 10% of the profit if your profit exceeds
Rs100,000 a year. Remember that your profits till 31 January 2018 have been
grandfathered or are protected. Profits made after this date will be taxed if held for a year.
2. The salaried will enjoy a standard deduction of Rs40,000.

A reduction of Rs5,800 in taxable salary is in store for the salaried. They have lost the tax-
exempt annual transport allowance of Rs19,200 and medical reimbursement of Rs15,000,
but gained a standard deduction of Rs40,000, giving a net reduction of taxable salary
income of Rs5,800. There is no need to submit medical and transport bills to the employer
this year.
3. The 60-plus get Rs50,000 tax-free interest.

All types of deposits with banks, co-operative banks and post offices held by all categories
of senior citizens (60-plus) will now have interest up to Rs50,000 a year tax-free. Earlier,
this limit was Rs10,000 for all income-tax assesses. It has now been raised for senior
citizens by Rs40,000.
4. The 60-plus get Rs20,000 additional deduction on health premiums.

Senior citizens now get a deduction for health insurance premium under section 80D of
Rs50,000, up from Rs30,000 last year. There is also a hike in the deduction limits for
medical costs on specified critical illnesses from Rs60,000- 80,000 for senior citizens and
Rs100,000 for very senior citizens who are 80 years and above.
5. Increase in lock-in period for investment in 54EC bonds.

Long-term profits from real estate sales are tax-free if invested in specified bonds under
Section 54EC. Profits become long term if the asset is held for at least two years. Till last
year, you had to stay invested in the 54EC bonds for at least three years to enjoy the tax
break, but from this year, your money will be locked in for five years.
6. Tax exemption on NPS for the self-employed.

Till now, employees contributing to the National Pension System (NPS) were allowed to
withdraw up to 40% of the total corpus without any tax at the time of maturity or closure
of the account. The same benefit has now been extended to self-employed subscribers.
7. Mutual funds to pay dividend distribution tax.

Mutual fund investors will now pay a 10% dividend distribution tax for income distributed
by equity mutual funds. This will affect schemes that were distributing dividends as a
strategy.

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8. Who is Deepak Kochhar? (Read only for understanding)
Low profile CEO of NuPower boasts high profile contacts

Low profile, first generation entrepreneur Deepak Virendra Kochhar, founder and CEO of
NuPower Renewables Pvt. Ltd., has been in the news following CBI investigations into
alleged favours of Rs.64 crore he received from industrialist Venugopal Dhoot after his firm
Videocon Industries got a loan of Rs. 3,250 crore from ICICI Bank. Mr. Kochhar s wife,
Chanda is the MD and CEO of ICICI Bank.
According to the website of NuPower Renewables, the company was set up in December
2008 as independent power producer in the renewable space. Since then the company has
nearly 700 MW of renewable energy assets operating and in the pipeline in projects located
in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
NuPower has authorised share capital of paid up capital of Rs.5.9 crore. Mr. Kochhar also
incorporated NuPower Windfarms Limited in 2013 and Echanda Urja Private Limited in
2014 and became its director in March 2016.
NuPower offices are located just a stone s throw from the corporate headquarters of the
ICICI Bank at the Bandra Kurla Complex.
Batchmates
Mr. Kochhar holds Master s Degree in Finance from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of
Management Studies (JBIMS), Bombay University. Ms. Kochhar, also an alumnus of JBIMS
was Mr Kochhar s batchmate. He is also an alumnus of the Harvard Business School.
Relation between Dhoot and Kochhar

Videocon Industries chairman Venugopal Dhoot has said he was introduced to Deepak
Kochhar through his friend, Sharad Upasani, IAS officer and former chief secretary of
Maharashtra.
Mr. Upasani is the father-in-law of Deepak s brother, Rajeev Kochhar. While Mr. Kochhar
maintains a low profile, in the 90s, as a high profile finance professional, he headed a firm,
Credential Finance with his brother, which also accepted public deposits. However, the
company was shut down in a few years. Rajeev Kochhar then moved to Singapore where he
runs a consultancy firm Avista.
9. Why is blue the colour of Dalit resistance? (Read only for understanding)
1. Statues of B.R. Ambedkar wearing a three-piece blue suit and holding the Indian
Constitution are seen in many villages and towns across the country.

134
2. Blue is also the colour of sky—a representation of non-discrimination, that under the sky
everyone is believed to be equal
3. Ambedkar is known to have introduced the blue Mahar s Flag as his party flag for the
Independent Labour Party.
4. It is representative of identifying with Dalit consciousness that is non-discriminatory. It

also appeals to the masses as in the blue-collar workers .
There are many theories around this, but there is no settled history on why blue became
the colour of Dalit resistance.
10. NASA s Hubble spots farthest individual star named Icarus (Relevant for GS
prelims)
Setting a new distance record, astronomers using NASA s Hubble Space Telescope have
discovered an enormous blue star nicknamed Icarus , the farthest individual star ever
seen.
About Icarus
Icarus, whose official name is MACS J1149+2223 Lensed Star 1 , is only visible because it
is being magnified by the gravity of a massive galaxy cluster — located about five billion
light-years from Earth.
Gravitational lensing
In gravitational lensing, gravity from a foreground, massive cluster of galaxies acts as a
natural lens in space, bending and amplifying light. The discovery of Icarus through
gravitational lensing has initiated a new way for astronomers to study individual stars in
distant galaxies.
Benefit of these observations

These observations provide a rare, detailed look at how stars evolve, especially the most
luminous stars, NASA said.
Detecting the amplification of a single, pinpoint background star provided a unique

opportunity to test the nature of dark matter in the cluster. Dark matter is an invisible
material that makes up most of the universe s mass.
NASA s James Webb Space Telescope

When NASA s James Webb Space Telescope is launched, astronomers expect to find many
more stars like Icarus. Webb s extraordinary sensitivity will allow measurement of even

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more details, including whether these distant stars are rotating. Such magnified stars may
even be found to be fairly common, NASA added.
11. Crops and vegetables developed by BARC (Relevant for GS Prelims)
By using radiation induced mutagenesis along with cross breeding, Bhabha Atomic
Research Centre (BARC) has developed two mutants of rice {Trombay Raipur Rice-1(TRR-
1), Trombay Konkan Kolam (TKKR-13)*} and one mutant of cowpea {Trombay Cowpea 901
(TC901)*} which are identified for release. The major desirable traits in these crops include
higher yield, seed size, improved agronomic and quality traits, early maturity and stress
tolerance.
The BARC developed mutant crop varieties have high patronage from the farming
community and are extensively grown in different states of the country. Popularization is
done by linkages established with State Agricultural Universities (through kisan mela,
frontline demonstrations / exhibitions and awareness programmes).
(Adapted from PIB)
12. India second largest manufacturer of crude steel (Relevant for GS Prelims)
India has overtaken Japan to become the world s second largest producer of crude steel,
according to the Steel Users Federation of India (SUFI). At present, China is the largest
producer of crude steel in the world, accounting for more than 50% of the production.
India s crude steel production was up 4.4% and stood at 93.11 million tonnes (MT) for the
period April 2017 to February 2018, compared with April 2016 to February 2017. This had
helped India to overtake Japan and become the second largest producer of crude steel in
the world, SUFI said in a statement here.
India overtook the U.S. in 2015 to become the third largest producer of crude steel.
13. Panel to probe CBSE question leaks (Relevant for GS Prelims)
The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has constituted a high-power

committee to examine the system of conducting Class 10 and Class 12 examinations to
prevent question paper leaks.
The committee, formed in the wake of leaks in CBSE 10th and 12th board question papers,
will submit its report by May 31.
What is the task of the committee?

136
Retired secretary (higher education) Vinay Sheel Oberoi will be the chairperson of this
seven-member committee that will revisit all aspects related to the security checks built
into the system for ensuring that the question papers reach the examinees without
tampering.
Its terms of reference also include suggestions on the possible ways in which the system
can be made more secure with the use of technology and minimisation of human
intervention.
The other members of the high-power panel include retired CBSE controller of
examinations Pavnesh Kumar and India representative on the executive board of the
UNESCO and former NCERT chairman J.S. Rajput.
Background
The MHRD and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had to battle a major
crisis last week with reports of question paper leaks. The CBSE announced cancellation of
the Class 10 mathematics examination soon after the exam was held, as the leaked paper
doing the rounds reportedly matched the actual question paper.
This came days after complaints that the Class 12 economics paper had also been leaked.
While the CBSE had initially denied leakage of the economics question paper, it cancelled it
alongside the maths paper, thus admitting the leak.
After a preliminary enquiry, the MHRD has announced that there will be no Class 12 maths
re-examination anywhere, but the Class 12 economics exam will be held again across India
on April 25.
Procedure of conducting exams

The CBSE question papers are prepared and distributed through an elaborate system
involving setting of question papers by experts, moderation to calibrate difficulty levels and
ensure syllabus compliance, translation in Hindi, printing by confidential printers, storage
in bank vaults and, finally, distribution to exam centres.
14. Agreement Between NPCIL and EDF of France (Relevant for GS Prelims)
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and Electricite de France (EDF) of
France have on March 10, 2018 signed an Industrial Way Forward Agreement for
implementation of six nuclear power reactor units at Jaitapur, Maharashtra with a total
capacity of about 10,000 MW.
About the reactors

The Evolutionary Pressurized Reactors (EPRs) are evolutionary reactors, whose design has
evolved from KONVOI and N4 reactors which have been in operation in Germany and
France respectively for about two decades. Further, the work at Jaitapur will be
commenced only on demonstration of full power operation of Flamanville-3 under
construction in France, as reference plant, to have an operationally proven technology.
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There are currently four EPRs under construction viz. Olkiluoto-3 in Finland, Flamanville-3
in France and Taishan 1&2 in China. There have been reports that these reactors are
delayed.
There is delay in execution of the project and this is not attributable to the technology itself.
(Adapted from PIB)
15. Exercise Gaganshakti-2018 (Relevant for GS Prelims)
An all-encompassing coordinated and composite exercise named Gaganshakti is being

conducted by the IAF in Apr 18. The aim of this exercise is real time coordination,
deployment and employment of Air Power in a short & intense battle scenario.
(Adapted from PIB)
16. First Meeting of the NITI Forum for North East (Relevant for GS Prelims)
The first meeting of the newly constituted NITI Forum for North East was held in Agartala,
Tripura. The meeting, organized by the NITI Aayog, Ministry of Development Of North
Eastern Region and the North Eastern Council (NEC).
What is NITI Forum for North East?

The NITI Forum for North East was constituted in February 2018 with an aim to ensure
sustainable economic growth of the North Eastern Region (NER) of the country and
periodically review the development status in NER.
(Adapted from PIB)
17. Highlights from Mark Zuckerberg s testimony on Facebook-Cambridge Analytica

data scandal (Read for understanding)
What has happened?

Facebook Inc. chief executive Mark Zuckerberg returned to Capitol Hill for a second round
of testimony in front of lawmakers that lasted well over four hours. Facebook has been
consumed by turmoil for nearly a month, since it came to light that millions of users
personal information was wrongly harvested from the website by Cambridge Analytica, a
political consultancy that has counted US President Donald Trump s election campaign
among its clients. The latest estimate of affected users is up to 87 million.Here are
highlights from Day 2 of Mark Zuckerberg s testimony before the US Congress:
Mark Zuckerberg completes US testimony in Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data scandal

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A few closing points from Mark Zuckerberg s testimony:
■ Mark Zuckerberg says company has not seen activity by Russia or China to scrape
Facebook data.
■ Zuckerberg says Facebook s audits of data harvesting by outside apps will take many
months to complete.
■ Zuckerberg says he does not know when Facebook will launch new European privacy
controls, says we re working on it .
■ Zuckerberg tells US Congress that Facebook cannot stop all unlawful ads, but it needs to
be more proactive to take down unlawful opioid ads, will work on automated software.
Zuckerberg asked if lack of diversity hobbled Facebook on Russia

Lawmakers questions for Mark Zuckerberg included whether a lack of diversity among
Facebook Inc. workers left the social media giant blind to Russian attempts to inflame
minority groups during the 2016 US presidential election. I m concerned that there are not
eyes that are culturally competent looking at these things, said Representative Yvette
Clarke, a New York Democrat. She asked whether the lack of diversity—culturally
competent personnel in your C-suite and throughout your organization —kept Facebook
from detecting Russian attempts to incite racial and religious divisions. I agree that we
need to work on diversity, Zuckerberg replied. In this specific case I don t think that that
was the issue. Facebook was frankly slow in identifying the whole Russian information
operation and not just that specific example, he said.
Snippets from Mark Zuckerberg s testimony on Day 2 of his hearing

■ Zuckerberg says Facebook keeps logs of users web browsing temporarily to find out
interests for ad targeting.
■ Zuckerberg declines to say if he disagrees with any parts of European privacy law, says i
need to think about that .
■ Zuckerberg says Facebook has 200 people working on counterterrorism.
■ Zuckerberg says he would want to get people s consent before using facial recognition for
non-Facebook users.
Mark Zuckerberg says Facebook collects internet data on non-users

Mark Zuckerberg, under stern questioning by US House lawmakers about the social
network s privacy practices, said Facebook Inc. does collect digital information on

139
consumers who aren t registered as users, acknowledging something that has been
reported but not publicly spelled out by the company.
In general, we collect data on people who are not signed up for Facebook for security
purposes, Zuckerberg said.
No Facebook data storage in Russia: Mark Zuckerberg

In a revelation that reduces Moscos s potential access to data, Facebook CEO Mark
Zuckerberg during Day 2 of his testimony said that the social media firm doesn t store any
data in Russia. He later added that his social media is not collecting data from verbal
conversations .
Zuckerberg on Facebook s ad policy

Mark Zuckerberg tells US Congress that Facebook cannot stop all unlawful ads, in response
to questions on painkiller ads. Facebook will take down unlawful opioid ads if people flag
those ads for us, he said. Even 20,000 people reviewing it (ads) can t look at everything ,
he added.
Cambridge Analytica s Alexander Tayler resigns as acting CEO

Cambridge Analytica said Alexander Tayler Has resigned as acting CEO of the data firm.
Tayler will resume former position as chief data officer in order to focus on the various
technical investigations and inquiries.
18. Nanak Shah Fakir released, opposed, cleared: Why film on Guru Nanak Dev is at
centre of row (Read only for understanding)
Kamaldeep Singh Brar explains the controversy over Nanak Shah Fakir , a film SGPC now
wants banned; SC ruled in favour of its release.
What is the controversy around the film Nanak Shah Fakir?

Produced by Harinder Sikka, a columnist and writer, Nanak Shah Fakir is the first ever film
about Guru Nanak Dev. Sikka says making a movie on the life of the first Sikh guru was his
dream . But the Sikh Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) and the Akal Takht says
that no person must portray the Sikh Guru and his family members and that as such
portrayals hurt the sentiments of the community, the film must be banned.
The SGPC maintains that even the existing pictorial depictions of Guru Nanak Dev should
never have been allowed, but their circulation is so widespread that it cannot hope to pull
those back now. Now, says the SGPC, it wants to draw the line at celluloid portrayals.
In May 2003, the Dharam Prachar Committee of SGPC passed a resolution (number 5566),
which laid down that: Characters of Sikh Gurus, their respected family members, panj

140
pyare, cannot be played by real life actors. Only baptised Sikhs can play role of other
important Sikh personalities . The SGPC executive committee adopted and passed the
resolution on July 10, 2003. The Akal Takht also adopted the same resolution.
In order to ensure that its concerns are addressed, the SGPC has long demanded
representation in the Central Film Certificate Board. Several times in the past, SGPC has
raised objections to the manner in which Sikhs or Sikhism are presented in Bollywood
movies. Many Bollywood movies, such as Bole So Nihal starring Sunny Deol, had to first
satisfy SGPC officials for a smooth release.
What authority does the SGPC have to decide how the Guru should be depicted?
As a democratically elected body, the SGPC looks at itself as the Sikh parliament and the
community s widest representative. Although its main mandate is to ensure the smooth
running of gurdwaras, since its formation in 1920, its Dharam Prachar Committee has
made many pronouncements on religious issues. The SGPC s clout is seen in its tight
control over both clerical and temporal matters such as the appointments of the Panj Pyare,
and over the three Takhts under it — the Akal Takht, Takht Damdami Sahib, and Takht
Keshgarh Sahib.
Wasn t this film released two years ago? Why the fresh release?
The film was actually first released in 2015. Sikka had obtained the green light for the film
from the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal body of the Sikh community. The Akal Takht
also gave Sikka a letter, praising his services to the community. But after several Sikh
bodies began to object to the film, the SGPC stepped in and demanded a ban. The Shiromani
Akali Dal-BJP government in Punjab at the time, as well as Chandigarh administration
suspended the screening of the movie. However, it was released in the rest of the country
and in select places in other countries with a significant Sikh diaspora. But Sikka withdrew
the film from everywhere, deciding to seek the SGPC s approval first.
What was the need for Sikka to seek the SGPC s approval?
The SGPC s views on various matters relating to the Sikh community carry influence in the
community across the world. Praise for the film from the SGPC would have ensured that
more people saw the film.
But didn t the SGPC too clear Nanak Shah Fakir later?
The SGPC finally gave its approval to the film in 2016. By then, Sikka had modified the film
to present Nanak s character in animation. In Sikka s original film on Nanak, the Guru was
played by actor Harish Khanna. In 2014, SGPC had passed Char Sahibzaade about the four
sons of Guru Gobind Singh on the grounds that it was an animation movie and no real-life
actor played any role in it. In Sikka s film, though the characters of Guru Nanak Dev s
parents and sister continued to be played by real-life actors, an SGPC sub-committee
cleared the film.
At the time, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar had claimed he was not taken into
confidence while giving the clearance.

141
Why the U-turn by SGPC now?

The SGPC decided to take back approval last month after Sikh bodies, including
organisations such as Dal Khalsa, Sarbat Khalsa, Damdami Taksal, and others started
objecting to the movie. Padma Shri Nirmal Singh Raggi, celebrated for his Gurmat Sangeet,
who has sung six Shabads in Nanak Shah Fakir, is also against the release of the film.
Considered a moderate voice in the community, and a campaigner for permitting Sikh
women to become raagis at the Golden Temple, Nirmal Singh says if the community has
decided something, it should be respected. It is better to not make such movies. I had
advised producer Sikka against depicting character of Guru Nanak Dev ji and his family in
movie. But he didn t listen .
What happened in the Supreme Court?

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the release of the movie. Echoing
previous rulings on demands to ban films, the Court noted that once the Central Board of
Film Certification gives a film the go-ahead, no one can be allowed to obstruct it. The Court
asked state governments to ensure law and order and said freedom of expression cannot
be crippled. The SGPC has said it will file a review petition in the court.
What is the Punjab government s stand on the issue?

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said on Tuesday that while authors, film-makers had the
creative freedom of expression, such freedom could not be allowed to violate the religious
sensitivities of any community. However, the Punjab government has been saved from
having to make any decisions on the film as Sikka has said he will not be releasing the
movie in the state given the sensitivities .
(Adapted from Indian Express)
19. End on curb to cattle sale (Read only for understanding)
Withdrawal of ban on sale

With a fresh set of draft rules to replace last year s poorly conceived ones, the Centre has
sought to withdraw the ban on sale of cattle for slaughter in animal markets. The draft
rules are now open for comments and suggestions.
What happened last year?

When the Union Ministry for Environment, Forests and Climate Change notified the rules
under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act on May 23, 2017, there was concern that in
the name of preventing cruelty to animals and regulating livestock markets the government
was surreptitiously throttling the cattle trade and furthering the BJP s cow protection
agenda.
Why the rules putting restriction were criticised?

The rules were criticised for restricting legitimate animal trade and interfering with dietary
habits. The new draft makes a welcome departure from the earlier rules, seeking to provide
great relief to buyers of animals from cumbersome paperwork and procedural

142
requirements. Some distance-specific conditions to curb inter-State and cross-border

movement of animals are to be dropped, as also rules barring animal markets within 25 km
of a State border and 50 km of the international boundary.
The definition of animal markets will no more include any lairage adjoining a slaughter-
house, thereby removing curbs on the sale of animals in a resting place in the vicinity of a
market. The draft retains good provisions in the earlier notification barring cruelty in the
treatment and transport of animals.
Issue of federalism
The notification had set off a storm last year, with some Chief Ministers stridently opposing
it on the ground that regulating livestock trade was essentially a State subject. Even
assuming that the Centre had jurisdiction under the law against animal cruelty to notify the
rules, it was obvious that only the States could enforce them.
Earlier rules were not implemented

With the Supreme Court expanding a stay granted by the Madras High Court into a nation-
wide bar on the rules, and some States taking a clear stand that they would not implement
the regulations, the notification was a non-starter.
Impact on village economy

There was further concern whether the regulations would adversely impact poor villagers,
as animal markets are predominantly in the countryside. There was an impression that
under the guise of stiff regulations, the Centre was making it impossible for cattle, a term
that covers cows, buffalo, bulls and camels, to be slaughtered even for food, despite the PCA
Act recognising explicitly that animals can be food for humans. The meat trade, valued at
thousands of crores of rupees, would have suffered a serious setback had the rules been
implemented.
20. Defexpo-2018 (Relevant for GS prelims)
Defence Exhibition Organisation is an autonomous organisation of the Indian Government

established in 1981. The organisation was established to promote export potential of the
Indian defence industry. The agency is responsible for organising international exhibitions
such as DEFEXPO and Indian participation at overseas exhibitions.
Defexpo-2018
The 10th edition of Defexpo India, a biennial exhibition on Land, Naval and Internal
Homeland Security Systems, held in April 2018 at Thiruvidanthai in Kancheepuram district
on the East Coast Road near Chennai.
(Adapted from PIB)

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21. Kathua rape case: Eight-year-old girl s brutal rape and murder ignites national
outrage; all you need to know
The Kathua rape case that united entire country to fight against the heinous crimes that
happen against women in the country. The Kathua rape and murder took place in the first
week of January, the case came to spotlight for its shocking revelations of how an eight-
year-old girl in Kathua in Jammu region was raped, sedated, and killed.
When did it happen?

The eight-year-old had gone missing on January 10 while grazing horses in the forest.
Investigators said the accused abducted the girl on the pretext of helping her find her
horses.
The news first came to notice, when the father of the victim, lodged a complaint on January
12, where he reported his daughter as missing since January 10.
The motive behind the rape

According to charge sheet filed by the Jammu and Kashmir Police s Crime Branch reveals,
that the abduction, rape, and killing of the Bakherwal girl was part of a carefully planned
strategy to remove the minority nomadic community from the area. The caretaker of the
Devisthan, a small temple in Rassana village in Kathua about 90 km from site of abduction,
is the main conspirator behind the abduction, rape, and killing.
Who are the conspirators?

Sanji Ram 60-year-old (the alleged mastermind) was allegedly joined by special police
officers Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma, friend Parvesh Kumar alias Mannu, Ram s
nephew, a juvenile, and his son Vishal Jangotra alias Shamma .
Even cops name have come up during the investigation and in the charge sheet, the police
have named investigating officers head constable Tilak Raj and sub-inspector Anand Dutta,
who allegedly took Rs 4 lakh from Ram and destroyed crucial evidence. All eight are under
arrest.
Special Police Officers (SPOs) Deepak Khajuria and Surinder Kumar, a Rasana resident
Parvesh Kumar, Assistant Sub Inspector Anand Dutta and Head Constable Tilak Raj were
also arrested.
The heinous crime

The day after their daughter went missing, the parents went to the Devisthan and asked
Sanji Ram (the alleged mastermind) about her whereabouts. He said she may have gone to
a relative s house. According to the charge sheet, the accused gave the girl sedatives to
make her unconscious while holding her in captivity at the Devisthan .
According to the charge sheet filed, the victim was kidnapped and then sedated and rituals
were performed in a prayer hall, before she was raped, multiple times, by different men.

144
The juvenile, a school dropout, turned out to be the main player in the abduction and
murder, raping the child repeatedly along with Jangotra and Khajuria. Special police
officers Deepak Khajuria, lured the juvenile to kidnap the girl on the assurance that he will
help him in passing the board examination. Subsequently, he shared the plan, worked out
by Ram and Khajuria, with Parvesh Kumar alias Mannu , his close friend and asked for his
help in executing the plan.
Special police officer Surender Verma reached Rassana from Meerut after his cousin s call,
raped the sedated girl along with the juvenile and Mannu. Special police officer Deepak
Khajuria also reached the spot and told them to wait as he wanted to rape her before she
is killed . The charge sheet said the girl was once again gang-raped and later killed by the
juvenile.
The case handed over to Crime Branch

On January 23, about a week after the body was discovered, the government handed over
the case to the Crime Branch, which formed a Special Investigation Team in the course of
investigation, it transpired that somewhere in the first week of January, accused Sanji Ram
decided to put a plan to dislodge the Bakherwal community from Rassana area which had
been brewing in his mind for quite sometime, into operation and in pursuance to that he
made accused Deepak Khajuria, a special police officer, and his nephew (juvenile) as part of
the conspiracy and assigned them tasks separately and individually.
The entire country protests

This rape case shook the entire country, and media outcry brought politicians out of a deep
sleep. Even Bollywood celebrities stood strong and condemned the act. But still, the
President, Prime Minister and BJP chief Amit Shah have still to make comments on the rape
case.
(Adapted from Free Press Journal)
22. Unnao rape case: Here s everything you need to know
BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in Uttar
Pradesh s Unnao district, was sent to seven-day police custody. Earlier in the day, the four-
time lawmaker was produced before a Lucknow court, a day after he was arrested by the
CBI. He remained defiant in claiming his innocence and said he had faith in the judiciary .
The CBI also made a second arrest in the case as it took into custody Shashi Singh, the
woman who allegedly took the victim to BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar on the day of
crime.
The victim, on the other hand, expressed confidence of getting justice following Prime
Minister Narendra Modi s assurance that the country s daughters would definitely get
justice . She was taken to the CBI zonal headquarters for questioning and later to Ram
Manohar Lohia hospital in the city for medical examination

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WHAT IS THE UNNAO RAPE CASE?

The case came to light when the victim and her family tried to immolate herself outside
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath s residence, alleging police inaction against the accused. The
family alleged that the woman was raped by the MLA and his accomplices last year. The kin
added that the family was thrashed after a complaint was filed with the police in this
regard.
I was raped. I have been running pillar to post for the last one year, but no one is listening
to me. I want to see all of them arrested, otherwise I will kill myself, the victim said. She
added, I had even approached the CM to no result. When we lodged an FIR, we were
threatened.
The case worsened when the victim s father died in judicial custody a day later.
Here is how the case progressed thereafter:
BJP MLA s BROTHER ARRESTED

The MLA s brother, Atul Singh Sengar, was arrested along with four others, by the UP-
Crime Branch, for allegedly thrashing the victim s father. According to Unnao district jail
superintendent A K Singh, the father was sent to jail on April 4 in connection with an Arms
Act case, with some marks on his back, suggesting that he was beaten up by sticks. On
April 5, he complained of stomach ache and vomiting. We called the district hospital
physician who came to the jail on April 6 and gave him medicines. They also asked us to
conduct his blood, urine and ultrasound tests, for which we again took him to the district
hospital on April 7.
Since the physician did not find anything serious, he was brought back to the jail the same
evening, Singh said.
The next evening (April 8), he again complained of abdominal pain and vomiting. His
blood pressure too was very low, so the jail doctor asked us to take him to the district
hospital. He was admitted there but passed away hours later, he added.
Atul was charged under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder),
Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke
breach of peace) of the Indian Penal Code.
SIT FORMED
The victim was made to appear before Rajiv Krishan, Additional Director General of Police,
Lucknow, who ordered a probe by the Lucknow police. Later, a special investigation team
was formed to probe the alleged rape case as well as the custodial death of the father.
NHRC NOTICE TO YOGI ADITYANATH GOVERNMENT

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh
government and the state police chief, seeking a detailed report on the death of the father,
and directed authorities to ensure the aggrieved family is not subjected to further
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harassment . The commission observed that the allegations, if true, raised a serious issue of
violation of human rights of the victim family.
It also issued notices to the chief secretary and the director general of police of Uttar
Pradesh, seeking a detailed report, including action taken against the delinquent police
officials , who allegedly refused to register an FIR.
SC AGREES TO HEAR PLEA FOR CBI PROBE

Based on a petition filed by advocate Manohar Lal Sharma, the Supreme Court agreed to
hear the plea for a CBI probe into both the cases. Meanwhile, in more trouble for the BJP
legislator, the Allahabad High Court took suo-moto cognizance of the rape case and
appointed an amicus curia in the case.
VICTIM APPEALS TO CM FOR JUSTICE

While alleging that the district magistrate had confined them to a room in a government
guest house, the victim appealed to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to provide her justice. I
appeal to CM Yogi Adityanath to provide me justice. The DM has confined me to a hotel
room, they are not even serving me water. I just want the culprit to be punished, ANI had
quoted her as saying.
Fearing trouble, the girl s mother refused to return to Makhi village till the situation
normalised. The MLA and his associates must be planning something. No one in the village
will dare support us. No one will raise voice against the MLA and his family. They hold all
administrative posts in the village, she had told Indian Express.
However, Lucknow ADG Rajeev Krishna said the family would be provided full security.
ACCUSED S WIFE THREATENS SUICIDE

Sangeeta Singh Sengar, the wife of accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar, met Director General
of Police (DGP) OP Singh and demanded a narco test on her husband to prove his
innocence. While threatening to commit suicide if her husband was proven guilty, Sangeeta
alleged evidences were being hidden and that there was political motive behind the case.
FIR REGISTERED AGAINST KULDEEP SINGH

While facing flak from all quarters, the state government decided to hand over the case to
the CBI after the Special Investigation Team submitted its report and a video that
purportedly showed the girl s father saying he was assaulted by Sengar s brother Atul in
the presence of police. The government also directed the police to file an FIR against the
BJP leader and four others.
DOCTORS SUSPENDED
The government also received a separate report from Unnao district magistrate on the
lapses on part of the government hospital. Two doctors – DK Dwivedi and Prashant
Upadhyay – were suspended and while disciplinary proceedings were initiated against
three of them – Dr Manoj Kumar, Dr G P Sachan and Dr Gaurav Agrawal – for laxity in giving

147
proper medical care and treatment to the victim s father prior to judicial custody and at the
district hospital.
HC SLAMS UP GOVT OVER DELAY IN MLA S ARREST

The government was pulled up by the Allahabad High Court over the delay in the arrest of
the rape accused. The court also questioned the conduct of the police in the case, saying
whom a victim approach to will register a complaint.
BJP MLA DETAINED BY CBI

Kuldeep Singh was finally detained by the CBI on Friday. However, the Allahabad High
Court directed the agency to arrest the MLA instead.
NO COMPROMISE, SAYS YOGI ADITYANATH

Under fire over his government s handling of the rape case, Yogi Adityanath said his
government had not deviated from its zero-tolerance policy on crime and corruption. As
soon as the matter came to the notice of the government on April 9, we immediately
constituted an SIT Special Investigation Team and initiated action in the matter…the
policemen and doctors found guilty in the SIT report were suspended, he told reporters in
Chitrakoot.
We have referred the matter to the CBI…our government will not compromise on the zero-
tolerance policy it has followed against crime and corruption since the beginning. We will
firmly deal with criminals, however influential they might be, Adityanath added.
RAPED ACCUSED ARRESTED

After questioning him for nearly 15 hours, the CBI on Friday finally arrested the BJP MLA
for raping the minor girl. Kuldeep was produced before a Lucknow court.
23. Digital platform for MSME Exporters (Relevant for GS Prelims)
FIEO Global Linker

The Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Suresh Prabhu launched the FIEO Global Linker-
a digital platform for MSME exporters to digitise their businesses and join a global
community of growing businesses today in New Delhi.
Role of FIEO
The Minister Congratulated Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) for coming
out with the interesting idea. He said that this initiative will help in expanding India's
multi-focused export strategy and also aid in connecting art and artisans to the market.
Benefits of FIEO Global Linker

FIEO Global Linker is setup with a view to make the business growth of SMEs simpler, more
profitable and enjoyable. It is a growing global network currently comprising over 140,000
SME firms, who are seeking business collaboration and growth opportunities through the
148
use of their electronic business card and digital profiles created on the platform. FIEO is
available free of cost and it offers exporters a range of features and benefits like:
• Business Opportunities: Exporters will be able to find clients, suppliers and advisors
using the search and review facilities. Creating a free e-commerce store for direct sales and
improved chain management.
• Up-to-date Business Knowledge through business articles, industry news and common
interest groups.
• Improved Efficiencies: Platform provides services like company intranet, integrating

email, a business calendar.
• FIEO's Services: Application for new RCMC/endorsement/renewal/participation in

FIEO's promotional programme and alerts.
(Adapted from PIB)
24. DARPAN Project (Relevant for GS Prelims)
Shri Sinha said, with a view to achieve total digitisation of postal operations in the country,
under the IT Modernisation Plan, Department of Posts has launched DIGITAL
ADVANCEMENT OF RURAL POST OFFICE FOR A NEW INDIA (DARPAN) Project, which
aims at connecting all 1.29 lakh Rural Branch Post Offices in the country to enable them to
do online Postal and Financial Transactions. Hand held devices with SIM connectivity and
solar power backup are being installed in all Branch Post Offices in the Country. The total
Project cost is more than Rs.1300 crores. 61,941 Branch Post Offices have been rolled out
under DARPAN Project as on 11th April 2018.
(Adapted from PIB)
25. Visit of Prime Minister of India to Sweden (16-17 April 2018)
Prime Minister of India visited Sweden on 16-17 April 2018. This was Prime Minister s first
visit to Sweden as well as a visit to Sweden by Indian Prime Minister after Rajiv Gandhi
visit in 1988. On arrival in Stockholm on 16 April, Prime Minister was received by PM
Lofven.
Meeting with Swedish Kind

King of Sweden holds ceremonial post. Prime Minister had meeting with His Majesty King
Carl XVI Gustaf. King Carl XVI Gustaf visited India earlier in 1993 and 2005.
Meeting with PM
Prime Minister had a meeting with PM Lofven. They met earlier when PM Lofven visited
India in February 2016 and participated in the Make in India Week in Mumbai with a

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strong business delegation. In October 2017, PM Lofven participated in Make in India:

Sweden 2017 event organized in Stockholm.
Prime Minister s discussions with PM Lofven focused on strengthening bilateral ties with
special emphasis on building closer economic relations.
Economic relations
FDI from Sweden into India is USD 1.4 billion. India-Sweden annual bilateral trade stands
at around USD 1.8 billion.
Indian Diaspora
Sweden is home to more than 20000 members of Indian diaspora, including around 2000
Indian students studying in various institutions.
India - Nordic Council Summit

During the visit, India and Sweden also hosted an India-Nordic Summit, entitled India-
Nordic Summit: Shared Values, Mutual Prosperity .
It was attended by Prime Minister of India and PM Lofven and all other Nordic Prime
Ministers, PM Lars Lokke Rasmussen of Denmark, PM Juha Sipila of Finland, PM Katrin
Jakobsdottir of Iceland and PM Erna Solberg of Norway.
India-Nordic economic relations

India has substantial economic ties with Nordic countries. Annual India-Nordic trade is
about $5.3 billion. The cumulative Nordic FDI into India has been $2.5 billion.
(Adapted from PIB)
26. List of MOUs and Agreements signed and exchanged on the occasion of the visit of
Prime Minister to Stockholm (Read only for understanding)
MOUs/Agreements between India and Sweden

• Joint Declaration on India-Sweden Innovation Partnership for a Sustainable Future
between Ministry of Science and Technology of India and the Ministry of Enterprise and
Innovaion
MOUs/Agreements between India and Denmark

• MOU on Cooperation in the field of Sustainable and Smart Urban Development between
the Ministry for Housing and Urban Affairs of India and the Ministry of Industry, Business
and Financial Affairs of Denmark
• MOU on Cooperation in the fields of Animal Husbandry and Dairying between

Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers
Welfare of India and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, Ministry of
Environment and Food of Denmark

150
• MOU on Food Safety Cooperation between the Food Safety and Standards Authority of
India and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration
• MOU on Cooperation in Agricultural Research and Education between the Indian Council
of Agricultural Research and the University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Science, Denmark
MOUs/Agreements between India and Iceland

• MOU on the Establishment of the ICCR Chair for Hindi Language between Indian Council
for Cultural Relations and the University of Iceland.
What is the difference between MOU and Agreement?
Memorandum of Understanding:
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) is a document between parties to express a
convergence of will to indicate an intended common line of action, rather than a legal
commitment. It is a formal alternative to a gentlemen s agreement, but generally lacks the
binding power of a contract.
Agreement: An agreement is a document written between parties to work together on an

agreed upon project or meet an agreed-upon objective. Agreement is binding and holds the
parties responsible to their commitment.
In bilateral or multilateral relations, MOU reflects the common understanding which

further leads to discussions and negotiations amongst the parties. These discussions and
negotiations may or may not conclude into agreement.
(Adapted from PIB and Background from PrepMate-Cengage IOBR Book, Chapter 2
Regional Organisations, Associations and Groupings, Page 62)
27. No cash in ATMs: Why is there a shortage? What happens next? (Read only for
understanding)
Why is there a shortage of cash in ATMs in some states?

There could be a combination of factors. Some of these include the printing of Rs 2000
notes in smaller numbers, the conversion of Rs 2000 cassettes in ATMs to Rs 200 cassettes,
which has reduced the machines cash-carrying capacity; hoarding of cash by the public
ahead of festivals; a mismatch between the growth of currency in circulation with the
growth in economic activity in the 18 months since demonetisation; and the return of cash
transactions, with an increase in the average ticket size of ATM withdrawals since pre-
demonetisation days.
As we understand from various sources, the printing of Rs 2000 denomination notes has
been less, with more emphasis on printing of lower-value notes. ATM transactions have
been steadily increasing, though not at the heady pace we saw from 2012-16. They have
definitely come back to the pre-demonetisation days. The ticket size has also increased
151
from Rs 2,900 to Rs 3,100 across our portfolio of ATMs, said Radha Rama Dorai, MD, ATM
and Allied Services, at FIS, one of the leading firms managing ATMs in India.
How does the Reserve Bank of India decide how much cash is required?
Early every calendar year, before the start of the fiscal, the RBI holds a meeting to calculate
the country s annual cash requirement. It works on an econometric model that takes into
account variables such as the number of notes in circulation, the number that have been
destroyed, and the number needed for replacement — all keeping an eye on projected GDP
growth and inflation for the coming fiscal, and on the volume of electronic transactions,
including fund transfers and payments through cards, during the past year. The RBI collects
data from its 19 regional offices, and then decides on how much currency to allocate to
each office — remittances are generally made quarterly. The Ministry of Finance, whose
Coins and Currency Division oversees the exercise, is then intimated. Officials said the
amount of currency to be printed in a year is a closely guarded secret between the RBI and
the Ministry.
Based on the estimate of currency needed, an indent or order is placed with the country s
four currency note printing presses, with clear instructions on denominations and numbers
of notes each would print.
And how is this cash crunch different from the one after demonetisation?
During demonetisation there was a cash crunch not just at ATMs but also in bank branches
as currency notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 were withdrawn from the system, and new notes
were yet to come in sufficient numbers. This time, the cash crunch is only at ATMs,
suggesting a role for possible logistics issues. At the time of demonetisation, banks had
surplus deposits as the public, including likely hoarders of black money, deposited old
high-value notes. But with gradual remonetisation over the last year, deposits could have
reduced, even as withdrawals increased — which, in conjunction with other factors, may
have contributed to a temporary cash crunch.
So, how should this crunch be viewed?

Rama Dorai of FIS stressed that different states have seen cash crunches at different times,
and this is not in itself a new phenomenon . Economist and India Equity Strategist for
Credit Suisse, Neelkanth Mishra, said that it was not unusual for currency demand to rise
in the first half of April. A study of historical trends shows there is nothing unusual in this
trend — the increase is the lowest since 2013, and as % of GDP, it is the lowest in nearly 10
years, Credit Suisse said in a note issued late Tuesday evening. The note added that
currency in circulation as % of GDP has not yet settled into the normal seasonal pattern,
and it is possible that the government stopping the printing of Rs 2,000 denomination
notes may have caused some concern and triggered some hoarding .
(Adapted from the Indian Express)
28. Strong anti-minority feelings : What the NIA probe in six bomb blasts found
(Read only for understanding)
152
In September 2006, a series of bomb blasts ripped through Malegaon, a town in

Maharashtra, killing at least 30 people and injuring many more. Barely five months later, in
February 2007, explosions in two carriages of the Delhi-Lahore Samjhauta Express left over
60 people dead. In May that year, a bomb blast in the 400-year-old Mecca Masjid in
Hyderabad, and the ensuing clashes between the mob and police, left more than 15 dead.
On October 11, 2007, an explosion near the Ajmer Dargah killed three people and injured
over 17. Nearly a year later, in September 2008, three bomb blasts — two in Malegaon and
one in Modasa, Gujarat — led to the death of at least seven people.
What was common in all the six incidents was pointed out by the NIA, which has probed
the cases since 2011, in its chargesheet filed in the Samjhauta Express blasts case. The
agency claimed that attackers in all the incidents were linked by a common ideology: they
were all associated with Hindu extremist organisations, had strong anti-minority feelings ,
and were agitated about terrorist attacks on temples.
The prime accused in all the blasts — Sandeep Dange and Ramji Kalsangra — still remain
elusive. There was a partial conviction in the Ajmer blast case; in the Mecca Masjid case, all
five-main accused were acquitted on Monday; and the Modasa blast case was closed by the
NIA in 2015.
The change of course

In the 2008 Malegaon blasts case charge-sheet, the NIA did not mention the name of Sadhvi
Pragya Thakur. Another key accused, Lt Colonel Shrikant Prasad Purohit, was granted bail
last year. The names of Dange and Kalsangra only cropped up when then ATS chief Hemant
Karkare tracked a motorcycle, linked to Sadhvi Pragya, that was used in the blast.
The flip-flops in all the cases were first flagged in 2015 by the special public prosecutor in
the Malegaon case, Rohini Salian. After the change in government at the Centre, the NIA
asked me to go soft into these terror cases…, Salian told The Indian Express in October
that year.
The NIA did not appeal after Aseemanand was granted bail in both the Samjhauta Express
and Mecca Masjid blasts cases. It also did not challenge the acquittal in 2017 of
Aseemanand and other accused in the Ajmer Dargah case. In the case of Purohit too, the
agency, which had earlier argued in the Supreme Court against his bail, now did not contest
his plea.
Instead, the NIA got two witnesses, Dr R P Singh and Yashpal Bhadana, and recorded their
statement in connection with the 2008 Malegaon blasts before a magistrate, saying that
they were coerced by the Maharashtra ATS to make an accusation.
Start-stop investigations
Following the 2008 Malegaon blasts, the Maharashtra ATS arrested Sadhvi Pragya and
Purohit in September that year. Pragya s motorbike was used to plant the explosives in
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Malegaon, it was alleged. But within a month, ATS chief Karkare, who was heading the
probe, was killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, throwing the investigation out of gear.
Around the same time, the Rajasthan ATS, which was probing the 2007 Ajmer Dargah case,
arrested Lokesh Sharma and Devendra Gupta (both allegedly associated with the RSS), for
their role in the Mecca Masjid, Ajmer Dargah, Samjhauta Express and Malegaon blast cases.
Former RSS pracharak Sunil Joshi, who was murdered in 2007, was the leader of the group,
which had carried out the attacks, it was alleged.
In the 2006 Malegaon blasts case, nine people were arrested under the stringent MCOCA by
the Maharashtra ATS, which claimed the blasts were carried out by the banned SIMI. The
CBI, which took over the probe from the ATS, also concluded that the nine men had carried
out the blasts. However, it was Aseemanand s confession, which he later retracted, that
helped the Muslim youths get bail. According to the chargesheet filed by the NIA in the
Samjhauta Express blasts case, Dange and Joshi chose the train because most of the
travellers were Pakistani Muslims. Joshi had said, For this, we need a different kind of
bomb, we need to assemble a variety of chemicals. For a number of simultaneous blasts on
a running train, SIM card bombs won t do, the chargesheet alleged.
The trial in the train blast case is currently under way at the Panchkula court in Haryana.
Aseemanand, who was an accused in this case as well, was released on bail in 2015.
Joining the dots

Detailed investigations in the six cases revealed the role of rightwing groups in all of them.
According to the NIA, the planning to carry out the attacks started as early as in 2001, and
some of the alleged attackers met for the first time in Jaipur on October 26, 2005.
It was soon after this meeting that Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma and Sunil Joshi
arranged mobile phones and SIM cards that were used in the attacks.
As many as 11 SIM cards were purchased from West Bengal and Jharkhand using fake ID
cards. Joshi and Dange also taught others how to make bombs, it was alleged.
Similar bombs
The bombs used in the Mecca Masjid, Ajmer Dargah and Malegaon blasts had many
common features. Barring the Samjhauta blasts, almost all bombs contained metal pipes
with grooves in single rows on one side.
Potassium chlorate, which was used in the Samjhauta Express attack, was placed in a
suitcase with an arming device similar to the ones used in the Mecca Masjid and Ajmer
blasts.

154
In its charge sheet in the Mecca Masjid blasts case, the NIA said, Mobile and SIM cards
were used in the form of timer, the containers were same, lock system was same, printed
circuit boards were same, which suggest that both the bomb blasts were executed by the
same groups.
A forensic analysis of the two unexploded IEDs recovered from the Samjhauta Express
listed similarities such as cut length of flexible wires were into the mobile phones from
right lateral side in both the blasts (Mecca and Ajmer). The bomb container in both the case
were made of iron pipes of tubular shapes with black paint….
(Adapted from the Indian Express)
29. Judge Loya death case: Supreme Court rejects independent probe demand (Read
only for understanding)
The Supreme Court dismissed a batch of petitions seeking an independent investigation

into the death of former judge B.H.Loya.
A three-judge bench expressed anguish over the claims made by the petitioners as it
dismissed the pleas alleging mysterious circumstances surrounding Loya s death.
The court held that there was no reason to disbelieve the statements made by the judicial
officers ruling out foul play. A serious attempt has been made to scandalize the court and
obstruct the judicial process.
Who was Justice Loya?

Judge Loya was presiding over the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in the
Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case when he died.
Loya died of a cardiac arrest on 1 December 2014 in Nagpur, where he had gone to attend
the wedding of a colleague s daughter. His death came under the scanner following media
reports citing some members of the judge s family expressing doubts over the
circumstances of his death.
Background
The apex court was ruling on a batch of petitions, including one by Congress leader
Tehseen Poonawalla and another by a Maharashtra-based journalist, seeking a probe into
Loya s death. These also include the two pleas that the apex court transferred to itself
including the one brought by the Bombay Lawyers Association (BLA).
The Loya death case had earlier been allocated to a bench comprising justices Arun Mishra
and M.M. Shantanagoudar. However, after the recent judicial crisis over claims made by
four senior apex court judges about an arbitrary system of allotment of cases by the chief
justice, Misra constituted a new bench comprising justices Chandrachud, A.M. Khanwilkar
and himself on 20 January to hear the matter.

155
According to the documents submitted to the court, four judicial officers who accompanied
Loya to the hospital after he complained of chest pain have denied any foul play in their
statements.
30. Judge Loya case verdict: We will surely file a review petition in the Court, says
petitioner Ahmed Abdi (Read only for understanding)
Petitioner alleges that the Bench has only believed the statements of the four colleagues of
Loya, but they are not medical experts.
Ahmed Abdi, president of the Bombay Lawyers Association and one of the petitioners who
sought a judicial investigation into the death of judge B.H. Loya, says the verdict dismissing
the public interest litigation petitions will surely be challenged. We are disappointed, but
we have only lost the battle, not the war, he says.
Quoting the Supreme Court, how did the petition go from serious to scandalous ?
I filed a PIL plea in the Bombay High Court on January 8. After four days, two petitions were
filed in the Supreme Court. We pleaded that the petition be heard in Bombay, but Justice
Arun Mishra said we will hear all the matters together in the SC. From the very beginning,
they were not inclined to entertain it. Initially, when the four judges of the SC came out in
the open, this matter was sent to Justice Mishra, and at that time itself, we knew the fate of
the petition. On top of that, all those four judges have been sidelined. The SC has only
believed the statements of the four judges [who were colleagues of Loya], but they are not
medical experts. How can they make opinions and express views like this? It should all be
based on medical evidence. So the statements of these judges should come on affidavit, on
oath. Then we can cross-examine them and make them liable because they are coming as
witnesses in the case and not judges.
What do you make of the dismissal?

Everyone told me this will happen. But it was important to file the PIL plea, as the lower
judiciary is the first interface of the institution for the common man. So steps have to be
taken to protect judges and magistrates of the lower judiciary. We are talking about the
protection of these courts because the High Court and the Supreme Court are well
protected. And they [SC] say we are maligning the judiciary. In fact we are protecting it.
Why do you think the Bench has said the petition is a frontal attack on the judiciary ?
This is because it was rightly pointed out by senior counsel Prashant Bhushan that Justices
D.Y. Chandrachud and A.M. Khanwilkar should not have presided over the matter as they
are from Mumbai. They should have recused themselves as you know judges there and it is
a direct conflict of justice. But the lordships took it as an attack .
How can the SC conclude that Judge Loya died a natural death?
The report relied upon by the SC only has the statements of judges, post-mortem report
and some other reports. They haven t relied on any media reports and just gone by the
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statements of the judges. But how can you rule out that the judge who died told his father
and sister that he was offered ₹ crore for giving a favourable order [in the Sohrabuddin
encounter case]. The way the petitions were argued, it was heard every Monday and Friday
for two hours each and there was no scope for them to dismiss it like this.
Will you challenge the judgment?

We will surely file a review petition, though a review is filed before the same Bench. At
least we will get an opportunity to point out all the fallacies in the judgment. If it gets
rejected, we will file a curative petition.
31. Defence Planning Committee (DPC) to be set up (Relevant for GS Prelims)
Defence Planning Committee (DPC)

In an effort to improve higher defence management, the government on constituted a new
committee headed by the National Security Adviser.
A notification issued by the Defence Ministry said the Defence Planning Committee (DPC)
will draft reports on national security strategy, international defence engagement strategy,
road map to build a defence manufacturing ecosystem, strategy to boost defence exports,
and priority capability development plans. The DPC will submit these to the Defence
Minister.
Mixed reactions
Several military sources and observers pointed out that the committee could help improve
India s defence planning in the long term but may end up having no noticeable impact.
Moreover, the next government may dump this committee.
While some of them hailed the move to place the committee under NSA Ajit Doval, others
said it gives Mr. Doval an unprecedented role in the process of planning India s security
strategy.
Vice-Admiral (Retd) S.C.S Bangara, who has had a ring side view of the only effort to bring
military integration after the Kargil conflict, said there were many good aspects to the
present move.
Proposed Composition
The committee will have the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, three service chiefs,
secretaries of the Ministries of Defence, Expenditure and Foreign Affairs as its members.
The Chief of Integrated Staff in the Defence Ministry will be the member secretary of the
DPC, and his headquarters will be the secretariat.
Sub-committees
157
The order has also listed four sub-committees. One to look at policy and strategy; the
second one will work on plans and capability development; third one on defence diplomacy
and the fourth one on defence manufacturing ecosystem. Members will be decided by the
DPC, which is expected to hold its first meeting soon after Mr. Doval returns from Germany
on April 21, officials said.
32. First Ever International SME Convention-2018 in New Delhi (Relevant for GS
Prelims)
One hundred and fifty participants from 31 countries and 400 entrepreneurs from India
will participate in the four-day International SME convention being held in New Delhi from
22ndto 24th April. The Ministry of MSME has engaged with over 35 International Trade
Development organizations to attract and invite able and willing entrepreneurs and
encourage people to people contact with select Indian Entrepreneurs from key sectors of
the International counterparts. The convention has specific focus on inclusion of MSMEs in
the Make in India program & empowering women entrepreneurs.
Need was felt to create a platform which could allow Entrepreneur – to – Entrepreneur
exchange of ideas, free and fair business discussions, mutual sizing of opportunities and
ways to address them.
India is home to more than 60 million MSMEs, majority of who are in low-tech areas and
serve the local domestic markets. Of these, a small percentage, have the ability and
capability to derive access to International Markets, with the vast majority of enterprises
working as ancillaries. Together the MSMEs constitute a single largest employer after the
Agriculture sector in India. Highly developed economies have banked on their small and
medium enterprises for both GDP Growth as well as higher employment resulting in higher
per capita incomes.
(Adapted from PIB)
33. Winners of the 1st Print Biennale India 2018 given away awards in New Delhi
today
Lalit Kala Akademi, organised the award ceremony of the 1st Print Biennale India 2018
(PBI)in New Delhi. It was the first-ever International Print Biennale, an International
Exhibition of Graphic Prints.
About the event

The event comprised display of total 200 original prints created by Indian and
international artists. Total 988 entries at the national level were received of which 127
were chosen for display.
About Lalit Kala Akademi

158
The Lalit Kala Akademi or National Academy of Art is India s national academy of fine arts.
It is an autonomous organisation, established in New Delhi in 1954 by Government of India
to promote and propagate understanding of Indian art, in and outside the country.
LKA provides scholarships and a fellow program, and sponsors and organises exhibitions
in India and overseas. It publishes a bilingual journal. It is funded by the Union Ministry of
Culture. Its headquarters are at Ravindra Bhawan, Ferozshah Road, New Delhi. In April
2015, Government of India took over management control of Lalit Kala Akademi citing
complaints regarding alleged administrative and financial irregularities in its functioning.
(Adapted from PIB)
34. Who is Michael Cohen, Trump s deal-maker (Read only for understanding)
Michael Dean Cohen, the 51-year-old personal lawyer of U.S. President Donald Trump, had
generated a fair share of controversies during their association of more than a decade, but
nothing would have prepared him to be in the eye of the storm that he is currently in. It all
began with a revelation that Mr. Cohen paid a porn star $130,000 to keep quiet on a sexual
encounter between her and Mr. Trump in 2006. The porn star in question is far from
keeping mum. Aided by an articulate lawyer, her story has triggered multiple lines of
investigations that could be the most consequential thus far for the Trump presidency. Mr.
Cohen has become the unlikely central character in the scandal that engulfs Mr. Trump.
When did he join Trump?

Mr. Cohen has held multiple positions in the Trump organisation before becoming personal
counsel to the President. He was executive vice-president, a title he shared with the adult
children of Mr. Trump, in the organisation. More than the title, ever since their first public
association in 2007, Mr. Cohen grew into the role of the future president s fixer and deal-
maker. The deal with the porn star is under public scrutiny and investigation.
Why is he in trouble?
The special counsel investigating Mr. Trump s alleged links to Russia appears to have
unearthed material that puts Mr. Cohen in the dock. FBI agents seized documents and
collected evidence from his home and offices in New York on April 9. He is reportedly being
probed for bank fraud, wire fraud and violation of campaign finance laws. According to
court filings, he showed lack of truthfulness.
Mr. Cohen, a New Yorker like Mr. Trump, had his first law office in a taxi garage in Queens.
He invested in New York taxi licenses, a highly valued asset before Uber came into the
scene and brought lawsuits against insurance companies on behalf of clients claiming
injuries in auto accidents. His associates in both fields created history sheets, but Mr. Cohen
shifted focus to real estate. He bought apartments in Trump buildings, a move that brought
him close to Mr. Trump. He also dabbled in New York politics, unsuccessfully.

159
In 2011, it was Mr. Cohen who tested the waters for Mr. Trump s presidential run with a
website shouldtrumrun.com. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Mr. Cohen became a
surrogate for Mr. Trump on TV, but the more significant job he did during that period was
negotiating a hush deal with the porn star. Mr. Cohen claims that he paid her the money
without the knowledge of candidate Trump to protect him. Whether this was an act of
contribution to his campaign is now a matter of dispute and investigation.
Is there a Russia link?

Of the deals that Mr. Cohen did for Mr. Trump, those linked to former Soviet republics,
including Russia, remain highly speculated upon. A scandalous dossier on Mr. Trump a
British spy made for the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016 follows the trail of Mr. Cohen s
contacts with Russian moneybags. The special counsel has reportedly gathered evidence of
Mr. Cohen s secrets contacts with Russian operatives.
Hot on Mr. Cohen s trail is his namesake Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for the porn star. The
seizure of documents from Mr. Cohen s office lightened the dreams of Mr. Avenatti and
spooked the President and his associates.
Jay Goldberg, another Trump lawyer and adviser, fears that Mr. Cohen is going to spill the
beans on Mr. Trump. Mr. Goldberg said in interviews this week that Mr. Cohen might even
lie to investigators to get some leniency and take Mr. Trump down in the process. The
reason why Mr. Cohen s future could have global implications. Even North Koreans would
be interested in what is going to happen to Mr. Cohen next.
35. Security forces gun down 16 Naxals in Maharashtra (Read only for
understanding)

160
The security forces gunned down 16 alleged members of the outlawed Communist Party of
India (Maoist) in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra on Sunday. The rebels were killed in an
intelligence-based operation in Kasansur area of the district bordering Chhattisgarh.
What is naxalism?
Naxals or Naxalites (or Maoists) are terms used to refer to militants who believe in the
ideology of Communism (or Maoism) and operate in various parts of India, mostly in those
having large forest cover. The term "Naxalite" or "Naxals" comes from the village named
"Naxalbari" which is in West Bengal (Siliguri subdivision of Darjeeling district), which is
where a violent uprising of laborers was organized by a section of the then Communist
Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) under the leadership of mostly three people: Kanu
Sanyal, Charu Mazumdar and Jangal Santhal. This uprising took place in the year 1967.
Reasons for naxalism

The reason why this particular uprising started, is of course hardly discussed or looked at
among Indian politicians or even the other organs of the Indian state, be it the police

161
(especially in West Bengal) or among the Congress party or rulers who then ruled the state.
The violent uprising though was not against the Indian state.
Because of the Permanent Settlement revenue system introduced by the Britishers once the
East India Company established its rule in West Bengal, a large number of
zamindars/landlords were created who owned large tracts of land but were hardly
involved in cultivation of crops and agricultural activities themselves. They instead
employed a large number of laborers and also tenant farmers/sharecroppers (i.e. people
who didn't own your land but who would organize agricultural activity on your land, in lieu
of which he/she will get a part of the total produce).
The sharecroppers would in turn employ agricultural laborers in many cases, who would
be paid a pittance because in most cases the sharecropper would hardly get much of the
total agricultural produce from the land, and whose own tenure was not secure. Moreover,
the sharecropper could be evicted at any moment from the land, because he/she did not
own the land. This happened both under the Britishers and continued once India became
independent using the loophole present in the Land Reforms Act of India (1955), which
stated that sharecroppers had permanent use rights on land leased out to them under
certain conditions, but these rights could not be claimed if the landlord wanted to take the
land back for personal cultivation. Using this route, many landlords used to evict
sharecroppers/tenant farmers regularly and keep them on a leash, with the local
administration working to the benefit of the landlords themselves.
The Naxalbari violent uprising was thus directed at ensuring land reforms, which in simple
terms, meant re-distribution of agricultural land equally among all those engaged in
agricultural production, particularly among the landless (both sharecroppers and also
agricultural laborers), since land was seen as the basis of wealth of the zamindars who in
most cases were absentee landlords-cum-goondas who controlled the local machinery of
the state (local administration and also local police).
One should also try and read on the conditions under which the local people (and a
substantial section among them were tribals) functioned as laborers and sharecroppers.
There were regular complaints of women being molested and even raped by landlords or
relatives/family members of landlords.
(Adapted from The Hindu and quora.com)
36. Asaram Bapu 2013 rape case: All you need to know (Read onlyfor understanding)
What is the charge?

Asaram Bapu has been charged with life imprisonment in the sexual assault case.Asaram is
charged of raping a minor girl from Uttar Pradesh. The rape took place in August 2013 and
Asaram was arrested in the case in September the year. He has been in jail ever since.
HERE S HOW THE CASE UNFOLDED:

162
Asaram (77) was charged with raping a minor girl in Jodhpur s Manai village. The incident
took place in August 2013. An FIR against Asaram was registered in Delhi s Kamla Nagar
police station on August 20, 2013 after which the police took the victim for medical tests.
Asaram has also been accused of trafficking, rape. He has been booked under the
Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) which could entail stringent
punishment.
Asaram was then arrested on September 1, 2013. The police had filed an FIR under
sections 342, 376, 354 A, 506, 509/34 of the IPC, Sections 23, 26 of the Juvenile Justice Act
and Section 8 of the POCSO Act.
A chargesheet was submitted on November 6, 2013. In the chargesheet, Asaram and the
other accused were booked under Section 370(4), 342, 354 A, 376, 376(2)(F), 376(D), 506,
509/34, 109, 120 B of the IPC, Sections 5 (F)(G)/6, 7/8, 17 of the POCSO Act and Sections
23 and 26 of the Juvenile Justice Act.
The prosecution recorded statements of the witnesses from March 2014 to August 2016. In
the five years that Asaram has been in jail and trial against him began, nine witnesses have
been attacked out of which three died.
The victim s statement was recorded in Aril 2014. Asaram and other accused recorded
their statement in October 2016.
Final arguments in the trial completed in March 2018 after which the Jodhpur court
decided that the verdict will be delivered on April 25, 2018.
Asaram also has another case where two sisters from Surat, Gujarat lodged separate
complaints against Asaram and his son Narayan Sai. The two sisters accused Asaram and
his son of rape and illegal confinement.
(Adapted from India Today)
37. UPSC Civil Services Exam 2017 results: Durishetty Anudeep tops, 8 women in top
25 (Read only for understanding)
About toppers
Indian Revenue Service officer Durishetty Anudeep has topped the coveted civil services
2017 examination, breaking a three-year streak of female candidates bagging the top spot.
An officer of IRS (Customs and Central Excise) of 2014 batch, Anudeep qualified the
examination with Anthropology as his optional subject. Anudeep has graduated with BE
(Electronics & Instrumentation) degree from BITS, Pilani. Anudeep is from Metpally in
Telangana, is posted in Hyderabad as an Assistant Commissioner.

163
Anu Kumari, the topper among the female candidates, has graduated with BSc (Hons) in
Physics from the Delhi University and has done an MBA (Finance and Marketing) from IMT,
Nagpur.
Sachin Gupta stood third.
Total Selections
A total of 990 candidates — 750 men and 240 women — have been recommended by the
Commission for appointment to various central government services, UPSC said in a
statement here.
Of the candidates recommended for appointment, 476 are from the general category, 275
from OBC, 165 from scheduled caste and 74 from scheduled tribes category.
The recommended candidates also include 29 physically disabled persons (9

orthopedically handicapped; 8 visually challenged and 12 hearing impaired), it said.
Previous toppers
Nandini K.R., Tina Dabi and Ira Singhal had topped the civil services examination 2016,
2015 and 2014, respectively.
Total candidates appeared

The Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2017 was conducted on 18 June 2017.
9,57,590 candidates applied for this examination, out of which 4,56,625 candidates actually
appeared. 13,366 candidates qualified for appearance in the written (Mains) examination
held in October-November, 2017. Of them, 2,568 candidates qualified for the Personality
Test conducted in February-April, 2018.


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International Organizations and Relations ...................................... 32

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10. Should you exit your crypto holdings now? ............................................................................... 60

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Science & Technology ............................................................................... 104

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Social Issues ........................................................................................ 121

Internal Security ................................................................................ 122

Miscellaneous ............................................................................................ 127

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17. Highlights from Mark Zuckerbergǯs testimony on Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data

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Polity and Governance

Decision follows directions from PM

Government interference in Press

What does accreditation mean for journalists?

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Applications for accreditation are vetted by a Central Press Accreditation Committee

(Adapted from the Hindu and the Indian Express)

2. Cabinet approves the Protection of Human Rights (Amendments) Bill, 2018

2. It proposes to add a woman Member in the composition of the Commission;

3. It proposes to enlarge the scope of eligibility and scope of selection of Chairperson,

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National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)

• In addition, the Chairpersons of four National Commissions Scheduled Castes, Scheduled

4. Undertake and promote research in the field of human rights.

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What is the agitation for?

What is the scheme ?

Why does TN want a Board?

This argument is gaining attention in the absence of forceful articulation of a counter-view

Why did the Centre not oblige?

problems. Seeking three more months, it wanted to know whether an implementation

Why is Cauvery important for T.N.?

(Adapted from The Hindu)

How did it come about?

Why does it matter?

What lies ahead?

(Adapted from The Hindu)

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What is adjournment sine die?

(Adapted from The Hindu)

Practice of contesting two seats

View of Election Commission

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Rationale given by Election Commission

Original Provision in Representation of people act,1951

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Amendment in Representation of people act,1951

(Adapted from PIB)

7. Right to convert is part of fundamental right of choice: Supreme Court (Relevant

SC judgement on right to choose religion and marry

Setting aside High Court judgement

Rationale by Supreme Court

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(Adapted from the Hindu)

Petition calls for transparent, codified procedure for constitution of Benches

View under petition

Subsequently, Chief Justice Misra published a subjectwise roster of cases to be handled by

(Adapted from the Hindu)

Why were the SECs established decades after the EC?

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