PERIYAR IAS CURRENT AFFAIRS 11-NOVEMBER-2017
Topic: Important
Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone
etc., geographical features and their location- changes in critical
geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and
fauna and the effects of such changes.
National
Rural Drinking Water Programme
The
Union Cabinet has accorded its approval for continuation and restructuring of
National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) to make it outcome-based,
competitive and better monitored with increased focus on sustainability
(functionality) of schemes to ensure good quality service delivery to the rural
population. The programme will cover all the Rural Population across the country.
§ A
sum of Rs. 23,050 crore has been approved for the programme for the Fourteenth
Finance Commission (FFC) period 2017-18 to 2019-20.
§ The
restructuring will make the programme flexible, result-oriented, competitive,
and will enable the Ministry towards to reach the goal of increasing coverage
of sustainable Piped Water Supply.
About
NRDWP:
What
is it?
The
NRDWP was started in 2009, with a major emphasis on ensuring sustainability
(source) of water availability in terms of potability, adequacy, convenience,
affordability and equity. NRDWP is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with 50: 50
fund sharing between the Centre and the States.
The
aim and objective of National Rural
Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) is to provide every rural person with adequate
safe water for drinking, cooking and other basic domestic needs on a
sustainable basis, with a minimum water quality standard, which should be
conveniently accessible at all times and in all situations. Achieving this aim
and objective is a continuous process.
Sources:
pib.
Paper
2:
Topic: Statutory,
regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.
National
Testing Agency (NTA)
The
Union Cabinet has approved creation of National Testing Agency (NTA) as
a Society registered under the Indian Societies Registration Act, 1860, and as
an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organization to conduct
entrance examinations for higher educational institutions.
Background:
In
view of the need to have a specialized body in India like the most advanced
countries, the Finance Minister in the Budget speech of 2017-18 had announced
setting up of a National Testing Agency (NTA) as an autonomous and
self-sustained premier testing organization to conduct all entrance
examinations for higher educational institutions.
Features:
§ The
NTA would initially conduct those entrance examinations which are currently
being conducted by the CBSE. Other examinations will be taken up gradually after
NTA is fully geared up.
§ The
entrance examinations will be conducted in online mode at least twice a year,
thereby giving adequate opportunity to candidates to bring out their best.
§ In
order to serve the requirements of the rural students, it would locate the
centres at sub-district/district level and as far as possible would undertake
hands-on training to the students.
Constitution:
§ NTA
will be chaired by an eminent educationist appointed by MHRD.
§ The
CEO will be the Director General to be appointed by the Government.
§ There
will be a Board of Governors comprising members from user institutions.
§ The
Director General will be assisted by 9 verticals headed by academicians/
experts.
Finances:
NTA
will be given a one-time grant of Rs.25 crore from the Government of India to
start its operation in the first year. Thereafter, it will be financially
self-sustainable.
Significance
of this move:
Establishment
of NTA will benefit about 40 lakh students appearing in various entrance
examinations. It will relieve CBSE, AICTE and other agencies from
responsibility of conducting these entrance examinations, and also bring in
high reliability, standardized difficulty level for assessing the aptitude,
intelligence and problem solving abilities of the students.
Sources:
pib.
Topic: Government
policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues
arising out of their design and implementation.
“People
First” campaign
Pension
Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has planned to conduct State
specific Atal Pension Yojana (APY) mobilization Campaigns under the title
“People First”. The People First campaign will be a series of campaigns
conducted at various states across the country to increase APY outreach.
About
APY:
What
is it?
The
Atal Pension Yojana became operational from June 1, 2015 and is available to
all the citizens of India in the age group of 18-40 years.
Features:
§ Under
the scheme, a subscriber would receive a minimum guaranteed pension of Rs 1,000
to Rs 5,000 per month, depending upon his contribution, from the age of 60
years.
§ The
same pension would be paid to the spouse of the subscriber and on the demise of
both the subscriber and the spouse, the accumulated pension wealth is returned
to the nominee.
§ The
Central Government would also co-contribute 50% of the total contribution or
Rs. 1000 per annum, whichever is lower, to each eligible subscriber account,
for a period of 5 years, that is, from 2015-16 to 2019-20, to those who join
the NPS before 31st December, 2015 and who are not members of any statutory
social security scheme and who are not Income Tax payers.
Sources:
pib.
Topic: Bilateral,
regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting
India’s interests.
Joint
Interpretative Declaration between India and Colombia
The
Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing the Joint Interpretative
Declaration (JID) between India and Colombia regarding the existing Agreement
for the Promotion and Protection of Investments between India and Colombia.
Significance
of the JID:
The
JID would impart clarity to the interpretation of the existing Agreement as it
includes interpretative notes to be jointly adopted for many clauses,
including, the definition of investor, definition of investment, Fair and
Equitable Treatment (FET), National Treatment (NT) and Most Favoured Nation
(MFN) treatment, expropriation, Investor – State Dispute Settlement provision
and Denial of Benefits.
Need
for JIDs:
Joint
Interpretative Declarations/Statements in general play an important
supplementary role in strengthening the investment treaty regime. With
increasing Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) disputes, issuance of such
statements is likely to have strong persuasive value before arbitration
tribunals. Such pro-active approach by partners can foster a more predictable
and coherent reading of treaty terms by arbitration tribunals.
Facts
for Prelims:
Colombia
is a sovereign state largely situated in the northwest of South America, with
territories in Central America. Colombia shares a border to the northwest with
Panama, to the east with Venezuela and Brazil and to the south with Ecuador and
Peru. Ecologically, it is one of the world’s 17 megadiverse countries, and the
most densely biodiverse of these per square kilometer.
Sources:
pib.
Topic: Important
International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.
11
Trade ministers reach deal on Pacific trade without US
In
a major breakthrough, trade ministers from 11 Pacific Rim countries have
reached a deal to proceed with the free-trade Trans-Pacific Partnership deal
that was in doubt after President Donald Trump abandoned it. The TPP member
countries are trying to find a way forward without the U.S.
Background:
In
January, Mr. Trump pulled out of the deal that was championed by his
predecessor Barack Obama. Leaders of the 11 countries remaining in the TPP had
been due to meet and endorse a deal worked out in last-minute talks overnight.
About
TPP:
What
is TPP?
Initially,
twelve countries that border the Pacific Ocean signed up to the TPP in February
2016, representing roughly 40% of the world’s economic output. The pact aimed
to deepen economic ties between these nations, slashing tariffs and fostering
trade to boost growth. Members had also hoped to foster a closer relationship
on economic policies and regulation.
Aim:
The
agreement was designed so that it could eventually create a new single market,
something like that of the EU.
Member
states include:
Japan,
Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico,
Chile and Peru.
Why
Trump is against this deal?
Trump
thinks such deals will hurt American workers and undercut US companies. His
stance on trade is protectionist: he has vowed to shield Americans from the
effects of globalised trade by slapping hefty tariffs on cheap Chinese imports
of up to 45%.
Trump
says, “The TPP creates a new international commission that makes decisions the
American people can’t veto, making it easier for our trading competitors to
ship cheap subsidised goods into US markets – while allowing foreign countries
to continue putting barriers in front of our exports.”
Sources:
the hindu.
Paper
3:
Topic: Effects
of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their
effects on industrial growth.
Avoidance
of Double Taxation
Context:
The
Union Cabinet has given its approval for entering into an Agreement between
India and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of China for the
Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect
to taxes on income.
Significance
of this agreement:
The
Agreement will stimulate flow of investment, technology and personnel from
India to HKSAR & vice versa, prevent double taxation and provide for
exchange of information between the two Contracting Parties. It will improve
transparency in tax matters and will help curb tax evasion and tax avoidance.
About
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement:
What
is it?
A
DTAA is a tax treaty signed between two or more countries. Its key objective is
that tax-payers in these countries can avoid being taxed twice for the same
income. A DTAA applies in cases where a tax-payer resides in one country and
earns income in another. India has DTAAs with more than eighty countries, of
which comprehensive agreements include those with Australia, Canada, Germany,
Mauritius, Singapore, UAE, the UK and US.
Why
is it important?
DTAAs
are intended to make a country an attractive investment destination by
providing relief on dual taxation. Such relief is provided by exempting income
earned abroad from tax in the resident country or providing credit to the
extent taxes have already been paid abroad. DTAAs also provide for concessional
rates of tax in some cases.
Legal
provisions in this regard:
In
so far as India is concerned, the Central Government is authorized under
Section 90 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 to enter into an Agreement with a
foreign country or specified territory for avoidance of double taxation of
income, for exchange of information for the prevention of evasion or avoidance
of income-tax chargeable under the Income-tax Act, 1961.
Facts
for Prelims:
Hong
Kong is an autonomous territory in China. It is the world’s fourth most densely
populated country or territory. Under the principle of “one country, two
systems”, Hong Kong maintains a separate political and economic system from
China. Except in military defence and foreign affairs, Hong Kong maintains its
independent executive, legislative and judiciary powers.
Sources:
pib.
Topic: Infrastructure:
Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
Prime
Minister’s Ladakh Renewable Energy Initiative
Context: 1.5
MW Small Hydro Power Plant in Biaras Drass, Kargil (J&K) has become the
first project to be commissioned under Prime Minister’s Ladakh Renewable Energy
Initiative.
§ The
plant will power the Drass town in Kargil, which is one of the coldest places
in India. Power from Biaras SHP would be sufficient to meet normal power
requirement of about 1000 families, which would make them comfortable in the
extreme winter season.
§ The
project has been developed by Kargil Renewable Energy Development Agency
(KREDA) under Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council.
About
Prime Minister’s Ladakh Renewable Energy Initiative:
What
is it?
The
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing the project. It aims to
minimize dependence on diesel in the Ladakh region and meet power requirement
through local renewable sources.
Implementation:
The
approach is to meet power requirements through small / micro hydel and solar
photovoltaic power projects /systems and use solar thermal systems for water
heating / space heating / cooking requirements. The project also envisages
setting up of 10 solar photovoltaic power plants in defence establishments.
Benefits:
Such
projects would be able to replace use of diesel to a great extent, at least for
about 8 months in a year and reduce green house emissions in the region.
Sources:
pib.
Topic: Disaster
and disaster management.
Facebook
brings in disaster response tools to India
Facebook
has partnered with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and a
non-profit body, SEEDS in India, to offer tools to these agencies to help them
respond more effectively to natural disasters.
§ Facebook
will offer ‘disaster maps data’ that illustrate aspects like people’s movement
and concentration of Facebook users in the given area before and after a
calamity. The programme will be piloted in two disaster-prone States — Assam
and Uttarakhand.
How
will this help in disaster management?
The
intention of introducing these initiatives is to help improve response efforts
to natural disasters in India. It is because during and after these crises,
response organisations need accurate information to help communities response,
recover and rebuild. Traditional communication channels are often offline and
it can take significant time and resources to understand where help is desperately
needed. In case there is an area which has a high concentration of Facebook
users that suddenly goes offline, even that data insight can be used to rush
services to the area.
Disaster
maps:
Disaster
Maps was introduced globally in June and uses aggregated location information
that users have chosen to share with Facebook. These tools have been deployed
in Peru and the US.
Other
initiatives by Facebook:
§ Facebook
already has a safety check feature that allows users to notify their friends
and family that they are safe.
§ Facebook
is also holding its first annual Disaster Response Summit in India with NDMA,
which will bring together many humanitarian organisations to help train and
discuss how technology can be used to devise better responses to natural
disasters and subsequent recovery.
§ It
is also supporting the pilot of the Aapda Samachar Karyakarta-Disaster
Information Volunteers (ASK-DIV) scheme where a network of trained volunteers
provide supplementary information to inform government relief efforts through
the Facebook Workplace platform.
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