Category: Strategy Sessions

  • [open SIP] Test 21-Economics ( Full Syllabus) Link + Discussion

    Link for the test: Click2Attempt  (Let us know your score in comments)

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    Test 21 as per schedule (Click2View) is Economics ( Full Syllabus)


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  • [Prelims Spotlight] Heavy metals, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), Kavach (KVx) series laser walls

    Here are 2 Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

    B2B #1: From news- Heavy metals in fertilizers raise risk of diabetes, heart diseases in farmers

    Heavy metals

    1. Heavy metals are generally defined as metals with relatively high densities, atomic weights, or atomic numbers. The criteria used, and whether metalloids are included, vary depending on the author and context
    2. In metallurgy, for example, a heavy metal may be defined on the basis of density, whereas in physics the distinguishing criterion might be atomic number, while a chemist would likely be more concerned with chemical behaviour
    3. More specific definitions have been published, but none of these have been widely accepted. The definitions surveyed in this article encompass up to 96 out of the 118 known chemical elements; only mercury, lead and bismuth meet all of them
    4. Despite this lack of agreement, the term (plural or singular) is widely used in science
    5. A density of more than 5 g/cm3 is sometimes quoted as a commonly used criterion and is used in the body of this article

    B2B #2: From news- New system to measure air quality

    System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR)

    1. Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Govt. of India, has introduced a major national initiative “SAFAR” for greater metropolitan cities of India to provide location-specific information on air quality in near real time and its forecast 1-3 days in advance for the first time in India
    2. It was started under the plan scheme “Metropolitan Advisories for Cities for Sports, Tourism (Metropolitan Air Quality and Weather Services)
    3. It has been combined with the early warning system on weather parameters
    4. The SAFAR system is developed by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, along with ESSO partner institutions namely India Meteorological Department (IMD) and National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF)
    5. The implementation of SAFAR is done with an active collaboration with local municipal corporations and various local educational institutions and governmental agencies in that Metro city

    As a part of revision for Prelims 2018, Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

    Name : Kavach (KVx) series laser walls

    Defence Forces : Army

    Module Type : Tech Misc.

    Brief Intro : 1.The hi-tech Kavach (KVx) series laser walls immediately alert the nearest outpost about intrusion attempts and triggers action from a Quick Response Tool(QRT), which is IoT device, developed by CRON Systems, a Delhi-based defence IoT company. 2.CRON Systems has developed Kavach laser walls after working with our jawans on ground and thoroughly understanding their needs and challenges.It takes five KVx-series walls, connected with infra-red, to secure a kilometre-long stretch. Each wall is connected with a quick response tool (QRT), an IoT device, to help jawans respond to alerts.

  • [open SIP] Test 20-History+ Art & Culture Link + Discussion

    Link for the test: Click2Attempt  (Let us know your score in comments)

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    Test 20 as per schedule (Click2View) is History+ Art & Culture


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  • [Prelims Spotlight] Foreign remittance, e-way bill, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

    Here are 2 Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

    B2B #1: From news- India highest recipient of remittances

    Foreign remittance

    1. A remittance is a transfer of money by a foreign worker to an individual in his or her home country
    2. Money sent home by migrants competes with international aid as one of the largest financial inflows to developing countries
    3. Workers’ remittances are a significant part of international capital flows, especially with regard to labour-exporting countries
    4. In 2014, $436 billion went to developing countries, setting a new record. Overall global remittances totaled $582 billion in 2015
    5. Some countries, such as India and China, receive tens of billions of US dollars in remittances each year from their expatriates and diaspora
    6. In 2014, India received an estimated $70 billion and China an estimated $64 billion

     

    B2B #2: From news- Intra-State e-way bills: phase 3 to start Apr. 25

    What is e-way bill?

    1. The E-way bill, short form for electronic way bill, is a document to be generated online under the GST system, when goods of the value of more than ₹50,000 are shipped inter-State or intra-State
    2. The E-way bill must be raised before the goods are shipped and should include details of the goods, their consignor, recipient and transporter
    3. For a comprehensive readClick here

     

    As a part of revision for Prelims 2018, Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

    Name : Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

    Recently in News because : India Has Been Re-Elected To The UN’s Principal Organ, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for Another Three-Year Term

    Objective : ECOSOC is the United Nations’ central platform for reflection, debate, and innovative thinking on sustainable development

    Members : The Council’s 54 member Governments are elected by the General Assembly for overlapping three-year terms. Seats on the Council are allotted based on geographical representation with fourteen allocated to African States, eleven to Asian States, six to Eastern European States, ten to Latin American and Caribbean States, and thirteen to Western European and other States

    Headquarters : New York

    Year Founded : ECOSOC is one of the six main organs of the United Nations established by the UN Charter in 1945

  • [Prelims Spotlight] National Commission for Minorities (NCM), Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), Hepatitis, Swachhata Pakwada

    Here are 3 Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

    B2B #1: From news- Minorities’ commission to seek constitutional status

    National Commission for Minorities (NCM)

    1. The Union Government set up the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992
    2. Six religious communities, viz; Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Zoroastrians (Parsis) and Jains have been notified in Gazette of India as minority communities by the Union Government all over India
    3. The NCM adheres to the United Nations Declaration of 18 December 1992 which states that “States shall protect the existence of the National or Ethnic, Cultural, Religious and Linguistic identity of minorities within their respective territories and encourage conditions for the promotion of that identity”
    4. Constitution of India doesn’t define the word ‘Minority’ but has used the word minorities considering two attributes religion or language of a person
    5. The Commission shall consist of
    • a Chairperson,
    • a Vice-Chairperson and
    • Five Members to be nominated by the Central Government from amongst persons of eminence, ability and integrity; provided that five members including the Chairperson shall be from amongst the minority communities

    B2B #2: From news- CCEA approves restructured Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan

    Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA)

    1. The aim of the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan is to strengthen the Panchayati Raj system across the country and address critical gaps that constrain its success
    2. RGSA seeks to:
    • Enhance capacities and effectiveness of Panchayats and the Gram Sabhas;
    • Enable democratic decision-making and accountability in Panchayats and promote people’s participation;
    • Strengthen the institutional structure for knowledge creation and capacity building of Panchayats;
    • Promote devolution of powers and responsibilities to Panchayats according to the spirit of the Constitution and PESA Act;
    • Strengthen Gram Sabhas to function effectively as the basic forum of peoples participation, transparency and accountability within the Panchayat system;
    • Create and strengthen democratic local self-government in areas where Panchayats do not exist;
      Strengthen the constitutionally mandated framework on which Panchayats are founded

    B2B #3: From news- Health Ministry to roll out prog to combat hepatitis

    Hepatitis

    1. Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver tissue
    2. Some people have no symptoms whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes, poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal pain, or diarrhea
    3. Hepatitis may be temporary (acute) or long term (chronic) depending on whether it lasts for less than or more than six months
    4. Acute hepatitis can sometimes resolve on its own, progress to chronic hepatitis, or rarely result in acute liver failure
    5. Over time the chronic form may progress to scarring of the liver, liver failure, or liver cancer

    As a part of revision for Prelims 2018, Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

    Name of the scheme : Swachhata Pakwada

    Objectives : Mandates to State and City Governments to undertake extensive audit of toilets in urban areas under ‘Swachh Pakhwada’, to ensure that they are functional and fully used.

    Salient Features : – As a part of behavioral change communication, hoardings and posters of ‘Asli Tarakki’ campaign, prioritizing construction of toilets over other needs like owning a scooter or a TV set, are to be prominently and widely displayed during the fortnight. – Google Toilet Locator to be launched for the benefit of the people of National Capital Region which helps in locating the nearest toilet for use.

    Nodal Ministry : Ministry of Urban Development

  • [open SIP] Test 19- CA Dec’17 Link + Discussion

    Link for the test: Click2Attempt  (Let us know your score in comments)

    We have started our Open SIP program in conjunction with our PAID program (Click2Know all details of the program)

    We will be running this special FREE initiative on daily basis providing students with revision questions for static subjects as well as current affairs starting from June 2017

    Test 19 as per schedule (Click2View) is CA Dec’17


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  • [Prelims Spotlight] Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), Swell Waves, RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands

    Here are 2 Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

    B2B #1: From news- India to push for local manufacturing of APIs, reduce dependence on China

    Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs)

    1. All drugs are made up of two core components: the API, which is the central ingredient, and the excipients, the substances other than the drug that helps deliver the medication to your system
    2. The Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) is the part of any drug that produces its effects
    3. Excipients are chemically inactive substances, such as lactose or mineral oil
    4. The quality of APIs has a significant effect on the efficacy and safety of medications

    B2B #2: From news- Swell waves forecast along India’s coasts

    Swell Waves

    1. ‘Swell waves’ are massive ripples that form on the sea due to winds coming from as far away as Madagascar
    2. Swells are collections of waves produced by storm winds raging hundreds of miles out to sea, rather than the product of local winds along beaches
    3. They are often referred to as surface gravity waves
    4. Swell continues to move under winds and waves that have long since changed direction, it can even head in the opposite direction as the wind and waves
    5. They might appear to be tsunami-like waves but have completely different characteristics
    6. They can have heights between 2 m and 3 m and periods between 17-22 seconds

    As a part of revision for Prelims 2018, Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

    Name : RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands

    Brief Intro : The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975 after UNESCO, the Convention’s depositary received the instruments of accession from the countries. – The RAMSAR Secretariat is based at the headquarters of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Gland, Switzerland. – World Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2nd.

    Objective :  An intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

    Type : Conventions

    Category : E&B

    Year : 1971

    Importance (wr. Prelims) : Medium

    Place : Ramasar

    Key Terms/ Institutions spinoffs : The Montreux Record – a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character are of concern. It is maintained as part of the Ramsar List.

    India specific trivia : India currently has 26 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites)

  • [open SIP] Test 17 December’17 CA Link + Discussion

    Link for the test: Click2Attempt  (Let us know your score in comments)

    We have started our Open SIP program in conjunction with our PAID program (Click2Know all details of the program)

    We will be running this special FREE initiative on daily basis providing students with revision questions for static subjects as well as current affairs starting from June 2017

    Test 17 as per schedule (Click2View) is December’17 CA


    Liked the test? You can join our FLT program containing more such high-level questions. The module contains 11 FLTs (8 paper 1 TS + 3 CSAT)

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  • [Prelims Spotlight] Law Commission of India, ‘Kayakalp’ initiative, Samiti

    Here are 2 Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

    B2B #1: From news- Reviewing the Contempt of Courts Act

    Law Commission of India

    1. It is an executive body established by an order of the Government of India. First law commission of independent India was established post the Independence in 1955
    2. Composition: Chairman, 1 Permanent Member, 1 Member Secretary, 2 Part-time Members, 2 ex-officio
      members. (21 st Law Commission Chairman: Justice BN Chauhan)
    3. Tenure: 3 Years
    4. Function: Advisory body to the Ministry of Law and Justice for “Legal Reforms in India”
    5. Recommendations: NOT binding
    6. First Law Commission was established during the British Raj in 1834 by the Charter Act of 1833
    7. Chairman: Macaulay
    8. Recommended for the Codifications of the IPC, CrPC etc.

     

    B2B #2: From news- Health ministry to name hospitals which do not perform under Kayakalp initiative

    ‘Kayakalp’ initiative

    1. ‘Kayakalp’ programme was launched by the health ministry following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to the people of India to realise Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of “Swachh Bharat” (Clean India)
    2. It is an initiative for awarding public health facilities
    3. It aims to incentivise such facilities that show exemplary performance in adhering to standard protocols of cleanliness and infection control as well as inculcate a culture of ongoing assessment and peer review of performance related to hygiene, cleanliness and sanitation
    4. It was launched in May 2015

    As a part of revision for Prelims 2018, Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

    Key words related to History : Samiti

    Dynasty/era : Vedic period

    Meaning : The references to samiti come from the latest books of the Rig-Veda showing that it assumed importance only towards the end of the Rig-Vedic period. Samiti was a folk assembly in which people of the tribe gathered for transacting tribal business. It discussed philosophical issues and was concerned with religious ceremonies and prayers. References suggest that the Rajan was elected and re-elected by the Samiti.

  • [Prelims Spotlight] National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI), Strategic debt restructuring (SDR), Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets (S4A),  Olive ridley sea turtle, Aditya-L1

    Here are 3 Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

    B2B #1: From news-  Supreme Court rules NCMEI has wide powers

    National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI)

    1. The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) was established to protect and safeguard the educational institutions which are established by the minorities in India
    2. The key objective is to ensure that the true amplitude of the educational rights enshrined in Article 30(1) of the Constitution is made available to the members of the notified religious minority communities
    3. This entails, inter alia, addressing all issues that pertain to the denial, deprivation or violation of the constitutional rights of the minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice, including all issues related to the grant of NOC, minority status certificates and affiliation to universities, wherever applicable
    4. The commission is headed by a Chairman who belongs to a minority community and has been a Judge of a High Court
    5. Two members are nominated by Central Government. They too must belong to a minority community and must be “persons of eminence, ability, and integrity”

    B2B #2: From news- No relaxation in new bad loan rules, indicates RBI

     Strategic debt restructuring (SDR) 

    1. Under SDR, banks who have given loans to a corporate borrower gets the right to convert the full or part of their loans into equity shares in the loan taken company
    2. The SDR gives banks more power in the management of the company who has taken the loan and has defaulted
    3. The SDR initiative can be taken by the group of banks or JLF that have given loans to the particular defaulted entity

    Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets (S4A)

    1. The S4A Scheme aims at a deep financial restructuring of big debted projects by allowing lender (bank) to acquire equity of the stressed project
    2. The scheme makes financial restructuring of large projects at the same time helping the lender’s ability to deal with such stressed assets
    3. It is intended to restore the flow of credit to critical sectors including infrastructure
    4. For an account to be eligible for restructuring under the S4A Scheme, the total loans by all institutional lenders in the account should exceed Rs 500 crore (including rupee loans, foreign currency loans/external commercial borrowings)
    5. Under the S4A Scheme, banks would be to allow existing promoter to continue in the management even while being a minority shareholder. Whereas in the case of SDR, the promoter is delinked and ownership is changed

    B2B #3: From news- Olive Ridleys return for rare mass nesting

     Olive ridley sea turtle

    1. The olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), also known as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, are smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world, species of sea turtle found in warm and tropical waters, primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans
    2. They can also be found in warm waters of Atlantic ocean
    3. These turtles, along with their cousin the Kemps ridley turtle, are best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs

    As a part of revision for Prelims 2018, Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

    Name : Aditya-L1

    Details : It is India’s first solar mission. It will study the sun’s outer most layers, the corona and the chromospheres and collect data about coronal mass ejection, which will also yield information for space weather prediction. Significance of the mission: The data from Aditya mission will be immensely helpful in discriminating between different models for the origin of solar storms and also for constraining how the storms evolve and what path they take through the interplanetary space from the Sun to the Earth. Position of the satellite: In order to get the best science from the sun, continuous viewing of the sun is preferred without any occultation/ eclipses and hence, Aditya- L1 satellite will be placed in the halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) of the sun-earth system. What are Lagrangian points and halo orbit? Lagrangian points are the locations in space where the combined gravitational pull of two large masses roughly balance each other. Any small mass placed at that location will remains at constant distances relative to the large masses. There are five such points in Sun-Earth system and they are denoted as L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5. A halo orbit is a periodic three-dimensional orbit near the L1, L2 or L3.

    Year of Launch : 2019

  • [open SIP] Test 16 Polity(Advanced) Link + Discussion

    Link for the test: Click2Attempt  (Let us know your score in comments)

    We have started our Open SIP program in conjunction with our PAID program (Click2Know all details of the program)

    We will be running this special FREE initiative on daily basis providing students with revision questions for static subjects as well as current affairs starting from June 2017

    Test 16 as per schedule (Click2View) is Polity(Advanced)


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  • [Prelims Spotlight] WTO dispute settlement mechanism, Exchange traded fund (ETF), Law Commission of India, Kavach (KVx) series laser walls

    Here are 3 Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

    B2B #1: From news- India takes US steel tariff issue to WTO’s safeguards committee

    WTO dispute settlement mechanism

    1. Dispute settlement is regarded by the World Trade Organization (WTO) as the central pillar of the multilateral trading system, and as the organization’s “unique contribution to the stability of the global economy
    2. A dispute arises when one member country adopts a trade policy measure or takes some action that one or more fellow members considers to a breach of WTO agreements or to be a failure to live up to obligations
    3. The operation of the WTO dispute settlement process involves the parties and third parties to a case and may also involve the DSB panels, the Appellate Body, the WTO Secretariat, arbitrators, independent experts, and several specialized institutions
    4. The General Council discharges its responsibilities under the DSU through the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB)
    5. Like the General Council, the DSB is composed of representatives of all WTO Members
    6. By joining the WTO, member countries have agreed that if they believe fellow members are in violation of trade rules, they will use the multilateral system of settling disputes instead of taking action unilaterally
    7. This entails abiding by agreed procedures (Dispute Settlement Understanding) and respecting judgments, primarily of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), the WTO organ responsible for the adjudication of disputes

    B2B #2: From news:  Bharat-22 ETF offer may worth Rs 10,000 crore

    Exchange traded fund (ETF)

    1. Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are mutual funds listed and traded on stock exchanges like shares
    2. The ETF simply copies an index and endeavors to accurately reflect its performance
    3. In an ETF, one can buy and sell units at a prevailing market price on a real-time basis during market hours
    4. There are four types of ETFs already available — Equity ETFs, Debt ETFs, Commodity ETFs and Overseas Equity ETFs
    5. The Bharat 22 ETF to be offered now allows the Government to park its holdings in selected PSUs in an ETF and raise disinvestment money from investors at one go
    6. It tracks the specially made S&P BSE Bharat 22 Index, managed by Asia Index Private Limited
    7. This index is made up of 22 PSU stocks and with a few private sector companies

    B2B #3: From news: Law Commission for simultaneous polls

    Law Commission of India

    1. Law Commission of India is an executive body established by an order of the Government of India
    2. Its major function is to work for legal reform
    3. Its membership primarily comprises legal experts, who are entrusted a mandate by the Government
    4. The Commission is established for a fixed tenure and works as an advisory body to the Ministry of Law and Justice
    5. Justice Balbir Singh Chauhan, a former judge of the Supreme Court was appointed Chairman of the 21st Law Commission on 10 March
    6. This post was lying vacant since September 2015. 66-year old Justice Chauhan is currently heading the Cauvery River Water Disputes Tribunal
    7. One of the key issues pending before the Law Commission is a call on amending the Indian Penal Code (IPC) amid allegations of abuse and arbitrary use of the law

    As a part of revision for Prelims 2018, Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

    Name: Kavach (KVx) series laser walls

    Defence Forces: Army

    Module Type: Tech Misc.

    Brief Intro:

    1.The hi-tech Kavach (KVx) series laser walls immediately alert the nearest outpost about intrusion attempts and triggers action from a Quick Response Tool(QRT), which is IoT device, developed by CRON Systems, a Delhi-based defence IoT company. 2.CRON Systems has developed Kavach laser walls after working with our jawans on ground and thoroughly understanding their needs and challenges.It takes five KVx-series walls, connected with infra-red, to secure a kilometre-long stretch. Each wall is connected with a quick response tool (QRT), an IoT device, to help jawans respond to alerts.

  • [open SIP] Test 15 CA Nov’17 Link + Discussion

    Link for the test: Click2Attempt  (Let us know your score in comments)

    We have started our Open SIP program in conjunction with our PAID program (Click2Know all details of the program)

    We will be running this special FREE initiative on daily basis providing students with revision questions for static subjects as well as current affairs starting from June 2017

    Test 15 as per schedule (Click2View) is CA Nov’17


    Liked the test? You can join our FLT program containing more such high-level questions. The module contains 11 FLTs (8 paper 1 TS + 3 CSAT)

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  • [open SIP] Test 14 Science and Technology Link + Discussion

    Link for the test: Click2Attempt  (Let us know your score in comments)

    We have started our Open SIP program in conjunction with our PAID program (Click2Know all details of the program)

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    Test 14 as per schedule (Click2View) is Science and Technology


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  • [Prelims Spotlight] Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), Competitive federalism, The Major Ports Authorities Bill, 2016

    Here are 2 Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

    B2B #1: From news- India to launch gas trading hub

    Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB)

    1. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2005 establishes the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) to regulate downstream activities in the petroleum and natural gas sector
    2. The PNGRB shall regulate the laying and expanding of (a) transmission pipelines for gas and petroleum and (b) city/ local gas distribution networks
    3. Entities will have to register with the PNGRB to market petroleum products and natural gas, operate LNG terminals and establish storage facilities beyond specified capacity
    4. PNGRB will monitor PNG prices and can take corrective measures to prevent restrictive trade practice by the entities
    5. The PNGRB will have the same powers as a civil court to settle disputes. The Appellate Tribunal under the Electricity Act will serve as the Appellate Tribunal for this Act

    B2B #2: From news: [op-ed snap] Reimagining governance

    Competitive federalism

    1. Competitive federalism is a concept where centre competes with states and vice-versa, and states compete with each other in their joint efforts to develop India
    2. The states would compete with each other over a broad range issues to provide citizens various services in a hassle-free manner
    3. The policy of one-size-fit-all is replaced with different policies of various states based on the own priorities with in the state
    4. Competitive federalism follows the concept of bottom-up approach as it will bring the change from the states

    As a part of revision for Prelims 2018, Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

    Name: The Major Ports Authorities Bill, 2016
    Act/ Ammendment?
    : New Act
    Year: 2016
    Objectives/need for amendment: The bill aims to empower 12 major ports to perform with greater efficiency on account of full autonomy in decision-making.

    Key features of the bill:
    1.The Bill is more compact in comparison to Major Port Trusts Act, 1963. It has reduced number of sections to 65 from 134 by eliminating obsolete and overlapping Sections of previous Act. 2.Board of Port Authority: It has been delegated full powers to enter into contracts, planning and development, fixing of tariff. However, these powers have exception in case of national interest, security and emergency arising out of inaction and default. Empowers the Board to make its own Master Plan in respect of area within port limits and construct within port limits Pipelines, Communication towers, Telephones, electricity supply or transmission equipment. 3.It is empowered to lease land for Port related use for upto 40 years and for any purpose other than purposes specified in section 22. The approval above 20 years leasing will also require approval of the Central Government. 4.Size of the Board of Port Authority: It has been reduced from 17-19 to 11 members. The compact board with professional independent members will strengthen decision-making and strategic planning. 5.Role of Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP): It has been redefined. It has been given powers to fix tariff which will act as a reference tariff for purposes of bidding for PPP projects. PPP operators will be free to fix tariff based on market conditions.

  • [Prelims Spotlight] Asian premium, OPEC, FATF & Swachh Bharat

    Here are 2 Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

    From news- India to ally with China on ‘Asian premium’
    Asian premium

    1. Asia is far more dependent on oil imports from the Middle East (ME) than any other major importing region in the world
    2. Because of this dependence, it is widely believed that Asian customers have been paying a premium for the Middle East crude oil relative to those in the US and EU
    3. A number of studies have consistently identified higher prices for exports to Asia relative to US and EU prices
    4. This is called as “Asian premium”

    Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

    1. OPEC  is an intergovernmental organization of 14 nations
    2. The 14 countries accounted for an estimated 44 percent of global oil production and 73 percent of the world’s “proven” oil reserves
    3. OPEC’s stated mission is “to coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of its member countries and ensure the stabilization of oil markets, in order to secure an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers, a steady income to producers, and a fair return on capital for those investing in the petroleum industry
    4. The OPEC Conference is the supreme authority of the organization and consists of delegations normally headed by the oil ministers of member countries
    5. The Conference ordinarily meets at the Vienna headquarters, at least twice a year and in additional extraordinary sessions when necessary

    B2B #2: From news: Prevention of Money Laundering Act will need more changes

    Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

    1. FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the initiative of the G7 to develop policies to combat money laundering
    2. The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system
    3. The FATF is, therefore, a “policy-making body” which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas
    4. The FATF has developed a series of Recommendations that are recognized as the international standard for combating of money laundering and the financing of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
    5. The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures, reviews money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures, and promotes the adoption and implementation of appropriate measures globally
    6. The FATF’s decision-making body, the FATF Plenary, meets three times per year

    As a part of revision for Prelims 2018, Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

    Scheme: Swachh Bharat

    Objectives: The objectives are as follows:

    1. Eliminate open defecation,

    2. Conversion of insanitary toilets to pour-flush toilets,

    3. Eradication of manual scavenging,

    4. 100% collection and scientific processing/disposal reuse/recycle of Municipal Solid Waste,

    5. To bring about a behavioral change in people regarding healthy sanitation practices,

    6. Generate awareness among the citizens about sanitation and its linkages with public health.

    7. Strengthening of urban local bodies to design, execute and operate systems,

    8. To create enabling environment for private sector participation in Capital Expenditure and Operation & Maintenance (O&M) costs

    Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Urban Development

  • [open SIP] Test 13 History (Advanced) Link + Discussion

    Link for the test: Click2Attempt  (Let us know your score in comments)

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    Test 13 as per schedule (Click2View) is History (Advanced)


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  • [open SIP] Test 12- CA October ’17 Link + Discussion

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    Test 12 as per schedule (Click2View) is CA October ’17


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  • [open SIP] Test 11- Economics Link + Discussion

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    Test 11 as per schedule (Click2View) is Economics


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  • [open SIP] Test 10- CA Sept ’17 Link + Discussion

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    Test 10 as per schedule (Click2View) is CA- Sept ’17


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