Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana PMGKAY Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana ( PMGKAY ) is part of Rs 1.70 Lakh Crore relief package under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana for the poor to help them fight the battle against Corona Virus. 80 crore poor people will to get 5 kg wheat or rice and 1 kg of preferred pulses for free every month till November as per the latest announcement by Prime Minister. As part of the scheme, the food needs of all the beneficiaries under the public distribution system (TPDS) for Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and priority household (PHH) ration cardholders will be provided. Considered as the world’s largest food security scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana aims at ensuring sufficient food the poor and needy during the coronavirus crisis. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

Chabahar Port Project

Chabahar port Chabahar port located in gulf of Oman is a seaport in the southeastern Iran. Chabahar port agreement is a trilateral agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan to develop railroad connectivity linking Chabahar port of Iran to Zahedan, across afghan borders. The project was conceived in 2003 during the prime ministership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. However, the project did not materialise due to U.S sanctions on Iran. The project was revived under the initiative of PM Narendra Modi. According to the 2016 MoUs, India would be granted a 10-year lease to develop and operate two terminals and five berths, access to the Chabahar free trade zone, and the opportunity to build the 628 km rail line from Chabahar to Zahedan, just across the border from Afghanistan. Iranian government decision to proceed with the construction on its own, dropping India, citing delays from the Indian side in funding and starting the project is a setback. India’s loss in failing to develop the Chahbahar project is China’s gain. While India’s influences is waning, China and Iran are in an advanced stage of finalising the 25 year strategic partnership agreement that would allow China to expand its presence in banking, telecommunications, ports, railways and several other sectors in the Islamic Republic in return for heavily discounted oil. Read Also Privatisation of Indian Railways Geo-Strategical importance of Chabahar port Chabahar project was a reflection of India’s commitment to the peace and stability of Afghanistan and the age old ties with Iran. Chabahar port is considered as the gateway for India to Central Asia upto Moscow for trade , energy and connectivity. It opens access to landlocked Afghanistan circumventing troublesome Pakistan. Chabahar port situated in gulf of Oman not far from the Strait of Hormuz, through which the bulk of the world’s energy supplies pass. The port is easily accessible from India’s western coast and is increasingly seen as the counter to Pakistan’s Gwadar port where Chinese ships sustain anchorage. The Chabahar port is also seen as a feeder port to the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) that has sea, rail and road routes between India, Russia, Iran, Europe, and Central Asia. Read India-Afghanistan Relations Way forward India should maintain its strategic autonomy in its relationship with Iran vis-a-vis U.S.A. Delay in project implementation due to American sanctions heavily cost India in its ties with Iran. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o12bvUH2K74 Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

PRAGYATA Guidelines on Digital Education

COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted normal life including school education. The spread pandemic has led to the closure of schools and has impacted over 240 million children of the country who are enrolled in schools. Extended closure of schools may have caused a loss of learning among students. To mitigate the impact school education has to be remodelled and revamped. Digital education is considered the most convenient method in this regard. Advantages of digital education While digital / online education cannot replace classroom education, it has following advantages. It allows flexible and personalized learning at the speed of the learner. Digital content an be continuously augment and delivered to much larger audience through digital means conveniently. It facilitate education at finger tip without movement of children outside their home. The rapid increase in internet penetration and various government initiatives such as Digital India campaign have created a conducive environment for moving towards digital education. Read Also Chabahar Port Project Government initiative to promote digital education PM e-Vidya by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), is a national campaign which will unify all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education. This included DIKSHA (one nation – one digital platform), TV (one class-one channel), SWAYAM (online MOOCS on various topics), IITPAL (platform for exam preparation), AIR (through community radio and CBSE Shiksha Vani podcast) Study materials for differently abled students developed by NIOS. Read Free GS Notes  Challenges Screen time : Children exposed to digital technologies/gadgets for a longer time are prone to severe health issues. Cyber safety and security : children are vulnerable and easy target for cyber crimes and their digital privacy is a concern Mental and physical health and well-being : children have been complaining of postural defects, ophthalmic issues, and other physical problems owing to long hours before digital screens. Digital divide : Unequal access to technology among different sections of society makes online education inaccessible and discriminative. Digital infrastructure inadequacy: Poor internet penetration in rural and remote areas limits the scope of digital education. PRAGYATA Guidelines for digital education PRAGYATA Guidelines focus on all stakeholders such as teachers, parents and students separately. The PRAGYATA guidelines include eight steps of online/ digital learning that is, Plan- Review- Arrange- Guide- Yak(talk)- Assign- Track- Appreciate. These steps guide the planning and implementation of digital education step by step with examples. Age-appropriate schedule for digital education to avoid long hours of screen time and excess use of gadgets. Emphasis the need to unify all efforts related to digital/ online/on-air education, benefitting school going children across the country. For parents, the guideline helps to understand the need for physical, mental health and wellbeing along with the cyber safety measures for children at home. Emphasis on balanced online and offline activities keeping the screen time as an essential parameter. Stress on inclusiveness, i.e no one is lest behind due unequal access to technology. Conclusion While digital education is the most effective way for continuing education during lockdown period, a country like India characterised by multifarious diversity and constraints in terms of availability of resources (ICT infrastructure, electricity, budget, skilled manpower) switching over to digital modes of education is full of challenges. The guidelines emphasis on continuous learning while addressing the challenges in digital education. Read Also World Bank’s STARS project Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

Defence Acquisition Council

Defence Acquisition Council Defence Acquisition Council gave approval of 38,900 crore worth deals, amid the ongoing tensions on India -China border. DAC, under the chairmanship of Defence Minister was constituted for overall guidance of the defence procurement planning process. Objective of DAC is to ensure expedite and timely procurement of the approved requirements of armed force. In-principle approval of 15 Year Long-Term Integrated Perspective Plan for Defence Forces. Categorisation of the acquisition proposals relating to ‘Buy’, ‘Buy & Make’ and ‘Make’. The deal includes ‘Pinaka’ , an indigenous all weather fire free Artillery rocket. Astra a beyond visual range class air to air missile for fighter aircraft designed by DRDO. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Pakistan Prime minister made a statement that Pakistan is to move forward CPEC at all costs. The CPEC ( China Pakistan Economic Corridor) is a collection of infrastructure and other projects under construction throughout Pakistan since 2013. Originally valued at $46 billion, the projects were worth $62 billion as of 2017. The CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Pakistan’s Balochistan with China’s Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of China“s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. India has protested to China over the CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and is a violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity of our nation. The BRI was launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping when he came to power in 2013. It aims to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes. The BRI is seen as an attempt by China to further its influence abroad with infrastructure projects funded by Chinese investments all over the world. Read Also Balochistan liberation Army        India China Relations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5rmYGY4A80 Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

United Nations Economic and Social Council

United Nations Economic and Social Council UN Economic and Social Council held its high level dialogue virtually, in the context of COVID-19. The dialogue attended by world leaders was on the subject ‘Multilateralism after COVID-19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th Anniversary?’ . PM stressed that only reformed multilateralism with a reformed United Nations at its centre can meet the aspirations of humanity. Ina speech focusing on fight against corona virus, he pointed out the path to sustainable peace and prosperity is through multilateralism. About EcoSoc UN charter of 1945 established Economic and Social Council as one of six principal organ of UN, headquartered in New York, U.S.A. The Economic and Social Council is at the heart of the United Nations system to advance the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental. It is the central platform for fostering debate and innovative thinking, forging consensus on ways forward, and coordinating efforts to achieve internationally agreed goals. High-Level Political Forum , a component of ECOSOC provides political leadership, guidance and recommendations for sustainable development, and reviews progress in implementing sustainable development commitments It has 54 members elected by General Assembly for an overlapping period of 3 years. India is member of EcoSoc since its formation and the first president of EcoSoc was an Indian. Read Also Do we need a fiscal council ? Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

Kaziranga National Park

About Kaziranga National park The second wave of floods in Assam has left a trail of destruction. Close to 95% of Kaziranga National Park, located in the banks of Brahmaputra, is submerged. Kaziranga is an unmodified natural area located at the heart of Assam. The park was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. The entire ecosystem – Brahmaputra Valley flood plain – is a dynamic product of river fluctuations by the Brahmaputra . The park is home to Bengal tigers, elephants, Indian hog deer, wild buffalo and one-horned rhino. The Kaziranga has a core area of 430 sq.km. It is also a tiger reserve covering 1,055 sq.km. and has an estimated 121 tigers. One-horned rhino is classified as ‘ high risk to extinction in wild’ by World Wildlife Fund. Kaziranga is home to more than 55% of the one-horned rhinos on earth. Read Dibru Saikhowa National Park While the flood which is an annual phenomenon is shaping the unique geography and ecosystem of Kaziranga NP, it is also responsible for death of wild animals. Animals use nine major and several minor corridors between the Kaziranga National park and the hills of Karbi Anglong to escape floods during the monsoon and return when the waters subside. The destruction of hills and slopes due to indiscriminate mining destroys their safety of hills. Lose of direction to animals due to barriers in corridors also lead to drowning and death of the animal. Forest authorities and conservationists should facilitate safe passage of animals to the relative safety of hills in the region.https://youtu.be/mZYbaDig8ZQ Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

PM SVANidhi Yojana

PM SVANidhi Yojana Street vendors, an important part of supply chain, are constituent of the informal economy. They play significant role in ensuring the availability of goods and service by door to door delivery to the consumers. The COVID-19 pandemic and consequent lockdowns have adversely impacted the livelihoods of street vendors. They usually work with a small capital base and might have consumed the same during the lockdown. The Street Vendors AtmaNirbhar Nidhi Yojana was designed recognising the urgent need to provide credit for working capital to street vendors to resume their business. Objective of PM SVANidhi Yojana The micro-credit scheme is a Central Sector Scheme i.e. fully funded by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs with the following objectives: To facilitate working capital loan up to 10,000. To incentivize regular repayment. To reward digital transactions. Features Scheme is aimed at benefiting over 50 lakh vendors who had their businesses operational on or before March 24, 2020 and scheme is valid till March 2022. The loans are meant to help kick-start activity for vendors who have been left without any income since the lockdown was implemented on March 25. Urban street vendors will be eligible to avail a Working Capital (WC) loan of up to 10,000 repayable in monthly instalments with in a year. The vendors, availing loan under the scheme, are eligible to get an interest subsidy @ 7%. No collateral will be taken by the lending institutions for the loan. The Scheme has a provision of Graded Guarantee Cover for the loans sanctioned. The scheme will incentivize digital transactions by vendors through cash back facility. Help integration of the street vendors to the formal economy. Open up new opportunities to climb up the economic ladder. Read Also Child Labour during pandemic period Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

Bilateral netting

Bilateral netting The Economic Survey 2020 advocated introducing Bilateral netting for financial sector in India and government is planning to introduce Bilateral Netting of Qualified Financial Contracts Bill, 2020. According to the Survey, “A bilateral netting agreement enables two counterparties in a financial contract to offset claims against each other to determine a single net payment obligation due from one counterparty to the other.” Context As of now, BN for financial contracts is not allowed in India. Instead, we practice ‘ gross netting ‘. Under gross netting method, banks measure credit exposure to the counterparty for Over the counter derivatives based on the gross market to market exposure. This increase credit risk for financial sector participants, especially in the case of insolvency, which then raises the systemic risk. The current system requires banks to divert greater capital towards collateral requirements. This has a negative impact on banks and other financial market participants. Benefits of Enabling BN for Financial Contracts in India. Reduce credit risk and regulatory capital burden for banks, freeing up capital for other productive uses. Reduce hedging costs and liquidity needs for banks, primary dealers and other market-makers, thereby encouraging participation in the Over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives market to hedge against risk. Increased market participation in the Credit default swap market would also provide an impetus for corporate bond market development. Establish an efficient recovery mechanism for financial contracts under instances of default by a counter party . Adhere to India’s G20 and FSB commitment to implement global regulatory reforms in the OTC derivatives market. Most of the advance economies settlements are carried out in bilateral netting, which generally give rise to strong derivatives market and it provides the most accurate picture of a company’s financial position, solvency and risk. Adoption of bilateral netting is in accordance with international practice and is needed reform. Read Also New domicile rule in J&K  Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

Ashgabat Agreement

Ashgabat Agreement Ashgabat agreement is a multimodal transport and transit agreement between Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Oman and India.The agreement was originally signed by Iran,Oman, Qatar, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. India formally joined in 2018. Objectives of Ashgabat Agreement Facilitation of transit and transportation of goods between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf. Enhance connectivity within the Eurasian region and synchronize it with other transport corridors within that region including the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). Relevance to India India’s Accession to the Agreement would diversify India’s connectivity options with Central Asia and have a positive influence on India’s trade and commercial ties with the Central-Asian region majorly. The agreement is in line with India’s Look West Policy and Connect with Central Asia policy. Central Asia with its abundant natural resources, including petroleum, uranium and natural gas , is a large supplier of energy and can help to meet our energy needs. Scope for these countries to benefit from India’s expertise in information technology and IT-enabled services. Helps to optimise India’s trade routes to the EU, both in terms of costs and time. The regional connectivity agreement helps to counter Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. Improves India’s connectivity with land locked Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan. Diminish the leverage being exercised by Pakistan in curtailing India’s connectivity to Central Asian countries. Sustainable the momentum maintaining steady flow of funds and avoiding delays in project implementation is the key to success of the agreement. Read Also Paris Climate Agreement Read GS International Relations Notes Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now