merged_document(1)

02 NOV 2015

upsctree.com /2015/11/02/01-nov-2015/

UPSCTREE

1)Networking the Networks:-

The Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley will inaugurate the three day International Conference
on ‘Networking the Networks’ in the national Capital.
This Conference is relevant in the context that South Asia region is vulnerable to the illicit financial
flows from drugs, human trafficking, tax fraud etc. Informal money transfer systems are also
popular in the world and can be easily misused by the criminal networks for the transfer of crime
proceeds, as well as for terrorism financing.
One of the ways to effectively combat the criminal networks is to disrupt their financial flows .
But the criminal networks are of transnational nature and money movements are executed very fast.
So to combat these criminal networks and their illicit financial flows, law enforcement agencies
need fast operational cooperation with their foreign partners, and capacities to deal with the
financial crimes.
There are different regional organizations for law enforcement cooperation – e.g. Central Asian
Regional Information and Coordination Center (CARICC), Southeast European Law
Enforcement Center (SELEC) etc. But their capacities are not fully utilized for tracing of illicit
financial flows and for the law enforcement – financial intelligence cooperation.
Participants will also produce recommendations on best practices and solutions which can be
applied to the nascent South Asia Regional Information and Coordination Center (SARICC)
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime also participates in this conference.

2) National Clean Development Mechanism Authority (NCDMA):-

A new website – http://www.ncdmaindia.gov.in has been launched by the National Clean
Development Mechanism Authority (NCDMA) in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate
Change
It will capture the entire life cycle of CDM( Clean Development Mechanism) Projects.

3)Biodiversity International:-

Bioversity International is a global research-for-development organization with a vision – that
agricultural biodiversity nourishes people and sustains the planet.
The organization delivers scientific evidence, management practices and policy options to use and
safeguard agricultural biodiversity to attain global food and nutrition security, working with partners
in low-income countries in different regions where agricultural biodiversity can contribute to
improved nutrition, resilience, productivity and climate change adaptation.

Why agricultural biodiversity matters:-

It is the source of genetic material that is vital to future generations.

Agricultural biodiversity can provide a cost-effective way for farmers to manage pests and
diseases

For example – In the Central Highlands of Vakinankaratra, Madagascar, growing
fodder radish next to rice acts as a natural barrier that significantly reduces the rice
damage caused by the larvae and adults of black Dynastid beetles

In Uganda, pest and disease damage was substantially reduced when farmers grew
different varieties of common bean with different resistance together. Growing a
combination of varieties together also makes farming systems more resilient to new
pests and diseases

Agricultural biodiversity gives farmers options to manage climate risks

Agricultural biodiversity can contribute to health and nutrition

We know of 7000 plant species in the world that are edible, but over 50% of our plant-
derived calories come from only 3 species: rice, wheat and maize (FAO, 1997).
A diverse diet is the basis of food pyramids and nutrition guidelines around the world.
A healthy diet includes multiple food groups, made of diverse foods. The heavy
reliance on a narrow diversity of food crops puts future food and nutrition security at
risk. Nutrient content varies among species and among varieties within a species.

For example:
Minor millets have protein levels close to that of wheat and are rich in B vitamins,
calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc. Yet they account for less than 1% of
the food grains produced in the world (FAO, 1995). Millets are resilient plants that
require little water and are mostly grown in marginal areas where major cereals would
fail.

Agricultural biodiversity can play a role in sustaining soil health, food and habitat for
important pollinators and natural pest predators that are vital to agricultural production

Traditional knowledge and culture is often based on local species diversity a

for example -In the Indian state of Maharashtra alone, around 1,600 flowering plants
are used in traditional medicine, many of which are threatened with extinction. Much
of this diversity is preserved in ‘sacred groves’ and women are often the ones who
retain knowledge of their uses.

The Challenge ahead :-

In order to feed the projected population of 9 billion people by 2050, how can food production
be sustainably expanded by 60% globally and up to 100% in developing countries?This is the
global challenge ahead of us.

Solution:-

Ecological intensification and diversification – This area of work focuses on how agricultural
and tree biodiversity improves resilience at the field and landscape level.

Landscape restoration and management :-Working with communities, this research focuses

on biophysical, social and institutional mechanisms that influence the flow and delivery of
ecosystem services.

03 NOV 2015

upsctree.com /2015/11/03/03-nov-2015/

UPSCTREE

1)Vertical Farming :-

Vertical farming as a component of urban agriculture is the practice of cultivating plant life within a
skyscraper greenhouse or on vertically inclined surfaces. A common version of vertical farming
uses techniques similar to glass houses, where natural sunlight can be augmented with artificial
lighting and metal reflectors.
Ecologist Dickson Despommier argues that vertical farming is legitimate for environmental
reasons. He claims that the cultivation of plant life within skyscrapers will produce less embedded
energy and toxicity than plant life produced on natural landscapes. He moreover claims that natural
landscapes are too toxic for natural, agricultural production, despite the ecological and
environmental costs of extracting materials to build skyscrapers for the simple purpose of
agricultural production.
Criticism :-

Opponents question the potential profitability of vertical farming. A detailed cost analysis of
start-up costs, operation costs, and revenue has not been done. The extra cost of lighting,
heating, and powering the vertical farm may negate any of the cost benefits received by the
decrease in transportation expense
During the growing season, the sun shines on a vertical surface at an extreme angle
such that much less light is available to crops than when they are planted on flat land.
Therefore, supplemental light, would be required in order to obtain economically
viable yields. Few believe that power demands of vertical farming will be too expensive and
noncompetitive with traditional farms using only free natural light

Relevance in India :-

Land is a a scarce commodity in India.
Indian farmers are small and marginal farmers , save few.
In a land of huge population and limited geography ,India needs to adopt to vertical farming
given it is viable.This will solve issue of small land holdings and feeding 1.2 billion mouths
and ensuring food security

News related Item :-

Antony John, a progressive farmer at Sakthikulangara in Kerala, harvesting vegetables from
his vertical garden set up on the terrace of his house
Antony uses Bio-char* and compost tea as recipe with soil being constituting only 5% of the
total frame where plants are grown
Kerala, is known for its acidic soil and hence not suitable for agriculture, however Antony’s
unique method of vertical farming can be a solution to the problem

*Bio-char :-

Biochar is charcoal used as a soil amendment. Like most charcoal, biochar is made from biomass
via pyrolysis{(Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition of organic material at elevated
temperatures in the absence of oxygen (or any halogen)}. Biochar is under investigation as an
approach to carbon sequestration to produce negative carbon dioxide emissions.
Biochar is found in soils around the world as a result of vegetation fires and historic soil
management practices. Intensive study of biochar-rich dark earths in the Amazon (terra preta), has
led to a wider appreciation of biochar’s unique properties as a soil enhancer.Biochar can be an
important tool to increase food security and cropland diversity in areas with severely depleted soils,
scarce organic resources, and inadequate water and chemical fertilizer supplies.Biochar also
improves water quality and quantity by increasing soil retention of nutrients and agrochemicals for
plant and crop utilization. More nutrients stay in the soil instead of leaching into groundwater and
causing pollution.
It also reduces Acidity of soil as well.

2)Red – Sanders a.k.a Red Sandalwood :-

Prelude- Red-sanders has been in news since past few months. What important from UPSC perspective is
red-sanders itself, not the news related to it, which is , of course has little/no value as long as UPSC
preparation is concerned..

Red sanders biologically known as – Pterocarpus santalinus (no necessary to remember)
occurs in Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests
It prefers lateritic and gravelly soil and cannot tolerate water logging
Red Sanders has a highly restrictive distribution in the South Eastern portion of Indian peninsula to
which it is endemic
The Palakonda and Seshachalam hill ranges of Cuddapah-Chittoor districts of the State of
Andhra Pradesh are its principal geographical range.
Use of red-sanders:- Red Sanders is said to be used in the making of oriental musical instruments
like Shamisen, Koto and Erhu . It has a wide significance in religious practices and hence it has
been smuggled at a large scale.
Recently smugglers and police conflict led to death of many smugglers. Given its endemic nature , it
must be protected , while at the same time the commercial farming of red sanders can be promoted
to meet the commercial needs.But due to its high incubation period , commercial farming is not
viable at a personal economic activity , hence govt must take proactive action to increase
the no. of red sanders trees in the wild through afforestation.

3) Terrorism, Internet and Anti -Radicalization Measures :-

Youth and especially adolescence is a wonderful yet a dangerous age to be in .Most have an
impressionist mind at this age.Teens are extremely susceptible to radicalization at this age.
Given the terrorist propaganda and abundance of radicalizing literature availability over internet,
recruiters for ISIS or any other terror organization are just a click away.

The terrorist and their recruiting agencies are as close as they have ever been in the history , to the
teens of various countries , even their propaganda is so strong that a mature reasoning mind even
falls prey for their antics.
It is in this context that Govt has adopted Anti-radicalizing measures :-

Create positive Internet content
Counter radicalization messages and its online promotion
Penalizing the radicalizers
Counseling the youth
Making parents involvement more robust in this manner

Note:-This is a bigger debate indeed, and we are contemplating to write an essay for this topic as topic
like this needs holistic analysis and only an essay could do justice to such topic.The Essay section will
soon be updated with this issue.

4)Buffer Stock for Pulses :-

Hoarding has been a major issue where the hoarders artificially create a supply -demand
mismatch . Recently Govt raids across states led release of huge amount of pulses.
To offset any artificial manipulation of supply-demand mismatch Govt has come up with Buffer Stock
proposal for Pulses where in it will create a buffer of 3.5 Lakh ton of pulses by utilizing the recently
created price stabilization fund (Rs-500 cr )

5) BrahMos missile test-fired from Indian Navy’s stealth destroyer INS Kochi, hits target:-

The BrahMos (Hindi: brahmos, Russian: Брамос) is a short range ramjet supersonic cruise
missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. It is a joint venture between
the Russian Federation’s NPO Mashinostroeyenia and India’s Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) who have together formed BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited .It is based
on the Russian P-800 Oniks cruise missile and other similar sea-skimming Russian cruise missile
technology.
The name BrahMos is a portmanteau formed from the names of two rivers, the Brahmaputra
of India and the Moskva of Russia.
It is the world’s fastest cruise missile in operation. A hypersonic version of the missile,
BrahMos-II, is also presently under development with speed of Mach 7 to boost aerial fast strike
capability.

04 NOV 2015

upsctree.com /2015/11/04/04-nov-2015/

1) Madhesi People – India and Nepal :-

The flat southern region of Nepal – the Terai – is known as Madhesh (Madhesh) in the Nepalese
language and its indigenous inhabitants are called Madhesi. Terai is a southern strip of the country.
The Terai region is mostly a flatland. People of Terai are culturally distinct. According to the
population census in 2011, Terai occupies 17% of the total area of Nepal and has 51% (22%
Madhesi and 29 Non-Madhesi) of the Nepalese population.

Nepal has recently adopted its constitution and non-representation or inadequate representation in
the Constitution for Madhesi people, led to the Indo- Nepal Skirmishes.The issue lies on the non
inclusive nature in the newly adopted Nepalese constitution.

The issues and amendments as follows:-
* Article 63 (3) of the Interim Constitution provided electoral constituencies based on population,
geography and special characteristics, “and in the case of Madhes on the basis of percentage of
population”. Under this provision, Madhes, with more than 50 per cent of the population, got 50 per
cent of seats in Parliament. The latter phrase has been omitted in Article 84 of the new
Constitution.

*In Article 21 of the Interim Constitution, it was mentioned that various groups would have “the
right to participate in state structures on the basis of principles of proportional inclusion”. In the new
Constitution (Article 42), the word “proportional” has been dropped and it should be re-
inserted.

*Article 283 of the Constitution states that only citizens by descent will be entitled to hold the
posts of President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice, Speaker of Parliament,
Chairperson of National Assembly, Head of Province, Chief Minister, Speaker of Provincial Assembly
and Chief of Security Bodies. This clause is seen as discriminatory for the large number of
Madhesis who have acquired citizenship by birth or naturalization.

*Article 86 of the new Constitution states that National Assembly will comprise 8 members from
each of 7 States and 3 nominated members. Madhesi parties want representation in National
Assembly to be based on population of the Provinces.

*Five disputed districts of Kanchanpur, Kailali, Sunsari, Jhapa and Morang: Based on the majority
of the population, these districts or parts of them may be included in the neighboring Madhes
Provinces.

*Article 154of the Interim Constitution provided for delineation of electoral constituencies every
10 years. This has been increased to 20 years in Article 281 of the new Constitution. Echoing the
Madhesi parties, India wants this restored to 10 years.

*Article 11(6) states that a foreign woman married to a Nepali citizen may acquire naturalized
citizenship of Nepal as provided for in a federal law. Madhesi parties want acquisition of naturalized
citizenship to be automatic on application.

2) Forest dwellers offer to step out of their hamlets , so as to minimize the man-tiger conflict and
earn a livelihood :-

In a bid that could save the forest that sustained them through their lives, about 900 families of
Adivasis and other forest-occupying communities in Telangana that live in tiger reserves in Adilabad
and Mahbubnagar districts have asked the State government to relocate them to non-forest terrain.

The move, mostly initiated by the Gond tribe in Adilabad and Chenchus in Mahbubnagar, could
also contribute to the survival of endangered tigers in Telangana whose count is as low as 20,
according to the recent census

Four Gond habitations of the Kawal Tiger Reserve in Adilabad and an equal number of them
inhabited by Chenchus in the Amrabad tiger reserve, a part of which falls under Mahbubnagar
district, have expressed their desire to move out of the protected tiger zone.

‘Project Tiger’ :-The scheme that is aimed at supporting the ecosystem of tigers, provides a
compensation of up to Rs. 10 lakh or five acres to Adivasis who want to relocate from forests that
encompass tiger reserves in the country.

These tribal hamlets are completely dependent on forest produce like bamboo. But depletion of
forest has resulted in loss of livelihood. Hence a lot many have come forward to move out of the
reserves

3)Pelican and Painted stork welcomed in Kolleru WildLife Sancturay :-

India has been a country that welcomes the visitors, in this context the situation at Kolleru Wildlife
sanctuary has a telling of its own. Many official have been engaged in increasing the water level of
the lake as lack of rain rendered the lake as a squeezed wetland. The lake is home to many
migratory bird and breeding ground . It is especially known for hosting the Pelicans.

As the winter sets in , the officials, knowing the unsuitability of the lake to sustain the upcoming
visitors has resorted to artificial methods to maintain the ecosystem and help the Pelicans and
Painted Stork enjoy their stay here.

Kolleru Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in India located in state of Andhra Pradesh.
Kolleru is located between Krishna and Godavari delta. The lake serves as a natural flood-
balancing reservoir for these two rivers. The lake is fed directly by water from the seasonal
Budameru and Tammileru streams, and is connected to the Krishna and Godavari systems
numerous channels. Many birds migrate here in winter, such as Siberian crane, ibis, and painted
storks. The lake was an important habitat for an estimated 20 million resident and migratory birds,
including the grey or spot-billed pelican (Pelecanus philippensis).It is a bird lovers paradise.

4)Zangmu Dam of China on Brahmputra and it’s Implication on India:-

The Zangmu Dam is a gravity dam on the Brahmaputra River 9 km (5.6 mi) northwest of Gyaca in
the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production
using run-of-the-river technology.It is part of the Zangmu Hydropower Project and will support a
510 MW power station. Construction began in 2009 and the first generator was commissioned in
November 2014. It is commissioned on 13th OCT 2015.It is the first dam on the
Brahmaputra/Yarlung Zangbo River and has caused controversy in India, which lies downstream.

Implication In general:-

Himalaya is geologically and ecologically a sensitive region, hence construction of project in

a fragile region can wreck havoc in case of Natural disaster. (For eg- Uttrakhand Flood in
2013). The disaster’s destruction capability increases multi-fold due to project like this .

It is well known that hydro projects in unstable region can generate artificial earthquake (
e.g.- Koyna reservoir induced earthquake of 1967)

Excessive damming and river management leads to choking of steams down stream and
increases sediment load at the dam site leading to siltation

Implications for India :-

Trust deficit between India and China is well known. Dams and river channels can be
manipulated to serve a country’s need in case of a geopolitical conflict or war.

China claims it as a run-of-the-river dam , however it is building network of dams which are
closely spaced , thus contradicting the run-of-the -river concept.

The near by Gyama Valley is highly exploited and it may pollute the water with heavy metals
, which may badly impact the aquatic and human life downstream .

By 2050, the annual runoff in the Brahmaputra is projected to decline by 14 per cent. This will
have significant implications for food security and social stability, given the impact on climate-
sensitive sectors such as agriculture

Way Forward:-

It would be highly improbable to pursue any country from exercising its sovereign
power in its sovereign territory, thus options for India is highly limited.

Confrontation is better avoided.

India and China can engage in water management and related data sharing in a co-
operative manner – it is the only way out.

India may build engineering solutions to the problems that may mitigate manipulations by
China in case of a geopolitical conflict.

05 NOV 2015

upsctree.com /2015/11/05/05-nov-2015-_updated-complete/

UPSCTREE

1)Syrian Civil War- All that needs to be understood :-

Prelude :- The Middle east is in ruins, Civil war and games of geopolitics derailed the development, peace
and prosperity pursuits of this region.In this context we at UPSCTREE observed that :-

“Spring has long left the Arab,The Arab world is now at cross roads with “destination Anarchy” on
every path of its choosing.The world was waiting for a spring, but to its discomfort , it received an
uprising “. Leaving us to contemplate what went wrong with Arab Spring

Arab Spring:-

The Arab Spring was a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests (both non-violent and
violent), riots, and civil wars in the Arab world that began on 18 December 2010 in Tunisia with the
Tunisian Revolution, and spread throughout the countries of the Arab League and its surroundings.
While the wave of initial revolutions and protests faded by mid-2012, some started to refer to the
succeeding and still ongoing large-scale discourse conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa as
the Arab Winter. The most radical discourse from Arab Spring into the still ongoing civil wars took
place in Syria as early as the second half of 2011.

Syrian Crisis :-

More than 250,000 Syrians have lost their lives in four-and-a-half years of armed conflict, which
began with anti-government protests before escalating into a full-scale civil war. More than 11
million others have been forced from their homes as forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and
those opposed to his rule battle each other – as well as jihadist militants from Islamic State.

Uprising turns violent:-

Pro-democracy protests erupted in March 2011 in the southern city of Deraa after the arrest
and torture of some teenagers who painted revolutionary slogans on a school wall. After
security forces opened fire on demonstrators, killing several, more took to the streets.The
unrest triggered nationwide protests demanding President Assad’s resignation. The
government’s use of force to crush the dissent merely hardened the protesters’ resolve. By
July 2011, hundreds of thousands were taking to the streets across the country.Opposition
supporters eventually began to take up arms, first to defend themselves and later to expel
security forces from their local areas.

Descent into civil war :-

Violence escalated and the country descended into civil war as rebel brigades were formed
to battle government forces for control of cities, towns and the countryside. Fighting reached
the capital Damascus and second city of Aleppo in 2012.By June 2013, the UN said 90,000
people had been killed in the conflict. However, by August 2014 that figure had more than
doubled to 191,000 – and continued to climb to 250,000 by August 2015, according to
activists and the UN.The conflict is now more than just a battle between those for or

against President Assad. It has acquired sectarian overtones, pitching the country’s
Sunni majority against the president’s Shia Alawite sect, and drawn in neighbouring
countries and world powers. The rise of the jihadist groups, including Islamic State,
has added a further dimension.

War crimes:-

A UN commission of inquiry, investigating alleged human rights violations since March 2011,
has evidence that those on both sides of the conflict have committed war crimes –
including murder, torture, rape and enforced disappearances. Government and rebel
forces have also been accused by investigators of using civilian suffering – such as blocking
access to food, water and health services – as a method of war.In February 2014, a UN
Security Council resolution demanded all parties end the “indiscriminate employment
of weapons in populated areas”. Since then, activists say, more than 6,000 civilians
have been killed by barrel bombs dropped by government aircraft on rebel-held areas.
The UN says in some instances, civilian gatherings have been deliberately targeted,
constituting massacres.Islamic State has also been accused by the UN of waging a
campaign of terror in northern and eastern Syria. It has inflicted severe punishments on
those who transgress or refuse to accept its rule, including hundreds of public executions and
amputations. Its fighters have also carried out mass killings of rival armed groups, members
of the security forces and religious minorities, and beheaded hostages, including several
Westerners.

Chemical weapons:-

Facing the prospect of US military
intervention, President Assad agreed to
the complete removal or destruction of
Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal as
part of a joint mission led by the UN and
the Organisation for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The
destruction of chemical agents and
munitions was completed a year
later.Despite the operation, the OPCW
has since documented the use of toxic chemicals, such as chlorine and ammonia, by
the government in attacks on rebel-held northern villages between April and July 2014
that resulted in the deaths of at least 13 people.Islamic State has also been accused of
using homemade chemical weapons, possibly including the blistering agent sulphur
mustard, against Kurdish forces and civilians in northern Syria.

Humanitarian crisis:-

More than four million people have fled Syria since the start of the conflict, most of them
women and children. It is one of the largest refugee exodus in recent history. Neighboring
countries have borne the brunt of the refugee crisis, with Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey
struggling to accommodate the flood of new arrivals. The exodus accelerated dramatically
in 2013, as conditions in Syria deteriorate

A further 7.6 million Syrians have been internally displaced within the country, bringing the
total number forced to flee their homes to more than 11 million – half the country’s pre-crisis

population. Overall, an estimated 12.2 million are in need of humanitarian assistance inside
Syria, including 5.6 million children, the UN says.

A report published by the UN in March 2015 estimated the total economic loss since the start
of the conflict was $202bn and that four in every five Syrians were now living in poverty –
30% of them in abject poverty. Syria’s education, health and social welfare systems are
also in a state of collapse

Rebels and the rise of the jihadists :-

The armed rebellion has evolved significantly since its inception. Secular moderates are now
outnumbered by Islamist and jihadists, whose brutal tactics have caused widespread
concern and triggered rebel infighting.

Capitalizing on the chaos in the region, Islamic State – the extremist group that grew out of
al-Qaeda in Iraq – has taken control of huge swathes of territory across northern and
eastern Syria, as well as neighbouring Iraq. Its many foreign fighters in Syria are now
involved in a “war within a war”, battling rebels and jihadists from the al-Qaeda-
affiliated Nusra Front, who object to their tactics, as well as Kurdish and government
forces.

Peace efforts:-

With neither side able to inflict a decisive defeat on the other, the international community
long ago concluded that only a political solution could end the conflict in Syria. However, a
number of attempts by the Arab League and the UN to broker ceasefire and start dialogue
have failed.

In January 2014, the US, Russia and UN convened a conference in Switzerland to
implement the 2012 Geneva Communique, an internationally backed agreement that
called for the establishment of a transitional governing body in Syria formed on the
basis of mutual consent.The talks, which became known as Geneva II, broke down in
February after only two rounds. The then-UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi blamed the
Syrian government’s refusal to discuss opposition demands and its insistence on a focus on
fighting “terrorists” – a term Damascus uses to describe rebel groups.

Proxy war :-What began as another Arab
Spring uprising against an autocratic ruler
has mushroomed into a brutal proxy war that
has drawn in regional and world powers.

Conclusion :- The spill over of failed Arab Spring
resulted in mass exodus,internal displacement ,
extremism in all forms , and this decade has seen
the worst brutalities that mankind has ever
endured in the past.The sheer no. of human
casualties is numbing. People became refugees
in their own country , the refugee crisis is
enervating the Government across Europe and to
protect their demographic profile without any
significant alteration , Countries have stepped up vigil along the border with intermittent sealing of
border.Desperate attempt by many to flee the conflict zone has led to loss of lives. Children and women

are the most vulnerable groups among these and the brutalities that laid upon them is emotionally
numbing.There seems no vestige of beginning , no prospect of an end of this crisis.Solution lays in
constructive engagement of global powers and institutions , but major players are fighting each other , and
Syria became their geopolitical battleground.

2)Arctic Ocean Losing Ice and Antarctic is gaining Ice :-

The Arctic is warming and the sea ice is melting, with impacts on Arctic people and ecosystems
Some sites in the Arctic Ocean — once covered by sea ice — may see more than 100 additional
days of open water
By the end of this century, assuming a scenario of continued business-as-usual greenhouse gas
emissions, the Arctic will be in a new regime with respect to open water
An increase in Antarctic snow accumulation that began 10,000 years ago is currently adding
enough ice to the continent to outweigh the increased losses from its thinning glaciers.At the end of
the last Ice Age, the air became warmer and carried more moisture across the continent, doubling
the amount of snow dropped on the ice sheet
The good news is that Antarctica is not currently contributing to sea level rise, but is taking
0.23 mm per year away
According to the analysis of satellite data, the Antarctic ice sheet showed a net gain of 112 billion
tonnes of ice a year from 1992 to 2001.

3)GSAT-15 set to replace INSAT-3A and 4B

GSAT-15 set to replace dying INSAT-3A and 4B will replace two older spacecraft-INSAT 3A and 4B-
that will likely expire in the coming months.
According to the ISRO, the transponders of GSAT are solely in the Ku band and will cater to DTH
(direct-to-home) television needs, besides supporting the thousands of VSAT operators who provide
broadband services and DSNG (digital satellite news gathering) for TV news channels.
ISRO is also focusing on bridging the Ku-band shortage in the country. Currently, Indian D2H
broadcasters are heavily dependent on external transponders.
GSAT 15:
Fact Sheet :-

GSAT-15, weighing 3,164 kg, will be launched in on November 11 from Kourou in French
Guiana (in South America) .
It will be stationed over India at a slot at 93.5 degrees East longitude.
GSAT will also carry the third GAGAN satellite navigation transponder as a back-up for
airlines and other users of augmented GPS-based systems.
The two Indian rockets PSLV and GSLV cannot pitch the weight of GSAT-15 to its slot
36,000 km high.
INSAT 3A and 4B: INSAT-3A, launched in April 2003, has completed its 12-year life. INSAT-
4B, flown in March 2007, got reduced to half its functions in 2010 after one of its two power-
generating solar panels developed a snag.

Important Point to be Noted:- The Launching sites are usually near the equator :-

When a spacecraft is launched into orbit, it should end up spinning around the Earth quickly
enough not to be pulled back in by the Earth’s gravity. The huge rockets used in launching a
spaceship help this to happen by giving a huge amount of thrust, enough to achieve
escape velocity. However, the spin of the Earth itself can help give it a push as well.
Anything on the surface of the Earth at the equator is already moving at 1670
kilometers per hour. If a ship is launched from the equator it goes up into space, and it is
also moving around the Earth at the same speed it was moving before launching. This is
because of inertia. This speed will help the spacecraft keep up a good enough speed to stay
in orbit.
Why the equator? The surface of the Earth is traveling faster there. If you look at two spots
on one line from pole to pole, one spot on the equator and the other halfway to the pole, each
will make a complete revolution in 24 hours and return to where it was. But since the Earth’s
shape is round, and the widest point is at the equator the spot on the equator would have to
go more miles in that twenty-four hours. That means that the land is moving faster at the
equator than any other place on the surface of the Earth.

4) NITI Aayog Proposes Agricultural Reforms:-

Setting up of a unified national agriculture market
Changing land lease laws and creating a mechanism to facilitate easy exit for farmers who want to
move out of agriculture
Guaranteed prices for at least half the key crops
National market for farm produce

5) T K Vishwanathan Committee recommendation on Bankruptcy Law:-

Background:-

These changes are much-needed in the Indian context where, in most cases of large corporate defaults,
banks are sitting ducks when it comes to recovery of money like in the case of Rs 7,000 crore default by
Vijay-Mallya owned Kingfisher Airlines.

When the recovery process gets delayed by several years, the value of the underlying assets deteriorates.
Large corporate defaults, including those by willful defaulters (promoters and companies, which have the
ability to repay but wouldn’t do) form a significant part of the Rs 300,000 crore gross non-performing
assets (NPAs) of Indian banks.

According to a 2014 World Bank report, the average time to resolve insolvency is four years in India,
compared with 0.8 in Singapore and one year in London. The Vishwanathan panel too has observed that,
the loan recovery rates obtained in India are among the lowest in the world. When default takes place,
broadly speaking, lenders seem to recover 20 percent of the value of debt.

The biggest challenge for the bankruptcy code to work, however, is the intervention of judiciary in
the insolvency cases

Recommendations:-

It proposes creation of an insolvency regulator and setting a time limit of 180 days (which can be 90
days in special cases) to deal with insolvency resolution cases

If 75 percent of the creditors approve the plan, the insolvency resolution process can kick off. If not,
the adjudicating authority can order liquidation of the company

It also recommended an administrative mechanism for resolving financial distress of viable MSMEs

Speedy judicial resolution

Provide a predictable system for

(a) takeover of management or assets by the company administrator as part of the rescue
process, and

(b) governing the interrelationship between such administrator, the managerial personnel and
the shareholders in the event of such takeover.

Provide an enabling provision for raising ‘rescue finance’ and granting super-priority to such
financiers as part of a scheme of revival

Insolvency:-When an individual or organization can no longer meet its financial obligations with its lender
or lenders as debts become due. Insolvency can lead to insolvency proceedings, in which legal action will
be taken against the insolvent entity, and assets may be liquidated to pay off outstanding debts

Bankruptcy:-Bankruptcy is a legal status of a person or other entity that cannot repay the debts it owes to
creditors. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor.

Bankruptcy is not the only legal status that an insolvent person or other entity may have, and the term
bankruptcy is therefore not a synonym for insolvency. In some countries, including the United Kingdom,
bankruptcy is limited to individuals, and other forms of insolvency proceedings (such as liquidation and
administration) are applied to companies. In the United States, bankruptcy is applied more broadly to
formal insolvency proceedings.

Bankruptcy vs Insolvency :-

A state of insolvency can lead to bankruptcy. However, it is also possible that the state of insolvency could
be temporary and fixable. Thus, insolvency does not necessarily lead to bankruptcy, but all bankrupt legal
entities or persons are deemed to be insolvent.

06 NOV 2015

upsctree.com /2015/11/06/06-nov-2015/

UPSCTREE

1) NGT says no to age-old practice of straw burning :-

Stubble burning is the deliberate setting fire of the straw stubble that remains after wheat and
other grains have been harvested.
The burning of stubble, contrasted with alternatives such as ploughing the stubble back into the
ground has a number of consequences and effects on the environment Stubble burning:

Quickly clears the field and is cheap.
Kills weeds, including those resistant to herbicide.
Kills slugs and other pests.
Can reduce nitrogen tie-up

However, it has a number of harmful effects on the environment:

Loss of nutrients.
Pollution from smoke.
Damage to electrical and electronic equipment from floating threads of conducting waste.
Risk of fires spreading out of control

Note:-There is a perception that stubble burning contributes to atmospheric CO 2. However
carbon dioxide releases are only slightly greater than those from natural decomposition.

The practice is followed by farmers not only to save time under the rice-wheat crop rotation cycle
to clear the land of residue of one harvest and sow the next, it is also believed that it makes the land
more fertile and kill pests.
A Bench headed by the NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed the Delhi government
and the four northern States of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to check the bi-
annual menace, which the farmers engage in to save time between sowing of wheat and rice. The
tribunal also announced a fine of Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 15,000 on farmers found indulging in straw
burning.

Analysis:-

It is easy to penalize the farmer and put a check on straw burning, however what the NGT has
failed to mention is that , it has not suggested any alternative to crop management or asked any
government authority to look at the issue in holistic manner.
India’s farmers are marginal farmers and it is easy for them to light a fire than to afford a machine
.Hence due consideration for alternative is necessity and promotion of the alternative through
various propaganda means is essential.Consensus building can yield a better and sustaining
prospect than imposing a law.
Finding a policy or legal solution to environmental problems is easy , and due to this very reason

the officials who will monitor the stubble burning may engage in corruption practices. The reason is
simple, if there is no viable alternative , the farmers will do what they did before, and now
after the declaration of penal provisions by NGT , they will be subjected to coercion and
leaving space for corruption.

Possible Alternative:-

At harvest, it is best to chop the straw as fine as possible and spread both the straw and
chaff across as wide an area as possible. A chaff spreader can be added on to a combine at
reasonable cost. Chopping straw does not influence its rate of breakdown but it does
facilitate harrowing or cultivation which places the straw in closer contact with soil which
does hasten decomposition.

Bio-ethanol Refinery :-

Can play an important role in solving the chronic problem of straw burning of leftover
agro-based produce especially from wheat and rice feedstocks.

Benefit farmers economically, as they would be paid for their agro-based produce to
extract bio-ethanol

The issue of straw burning can only be resolved if ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research )
provides a viable alternative which is affordable for the poor farmers.The Government should
engage in awareness campaign to sensitize the farmers and farmers themselves should be
convinced to do away with the age-old practice.

2)SAFAR :-System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research

SAFAR envisages a research based management system where strategies of air pollution
mitigation go hand in hand with nation’s economic development to target a win-win scenario.

Air Quality indicators are monitored at about 3 m height from the ground with online sophisticated
instruments. These instruments are operated round the clock and data is recorded and stored at
every 5 minute interval for quality check and further analysis.

Pollutants monitored: PM1, PM2.5, PM10, Ozone, CO, NOx (NO, NO2), SO2, BC, Methane
(CH4), Non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), VOC’s, Benzene, MercuryMonitored Meteorological
Parameters: UV Radiation, Rainfall, Temperature, Humidity, Wind speed, Wind direction, solar
radiation

3)Swachh Bharat Cess at the rate of 0.5% :-

Swachh Bharat Cess is not another tax but a step towards involving each and every citizen in
making contribution to Swachh Bharat. In this direction, the Government has decided to impose,
with effect from 15th November 2015, a Swachh Brarat Cess at the rate of 0.5% on all services,
which are presently liable to service tax. This will translate into a tax of 50 paisa only on every one
hundred rupees worth of taxable services. The proceeds from this cess will be exclusively used for
Swachh Bharat initiatives.

Cleanliness also has huge impact on public health. Dirty surroundings also cause many diseases,
like, malaria, dengue, diarrohea, jaundice, cholera etc., with associated high public health
expenditure. According to the Government of India estimates, expenditure on health adds up to
Rs.6,700 crore annually (approximately Rs.60 per capita). Increased allocation for Swachh Bharat
Abhiyan can prevent many of these diseases with consequential benefit to one and all.

4)South Asian Regional Intelligence and Coordination Centre on Transnational Organized Crime
(SARICC-TOC):-

During the recently held International Conference ‘Networking the Networks’ in national capital,
delegates from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Myanmar discussed
threadbare the modalities for creation of a regional platform to be called ‘South Asian Regional
Intelligence and Coordination Centre on Transnational Organized Crime’ (SARICC-TOC), for
information/intelligence sharing to enable all Member States to respond Transnational organized
crimes.
The SARICC meeting concluded with representatives of the proposed SARICC-TOC, namely, India,
Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Myanmar and finalized the draft structure and
Terms of reference of SARICC-TOC.
This is all the more relevant since the South Asia region lacks such regional coordination
mechanism on the lines of Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre (CARICC)
or Asia-Pacific Information & Coordination Center for Combating Drug Crimes (APICC) to facilitate
criminal intelligence sharing and operational coordination related to organized crime, including illicit
drug trafficking and related activities such as precursor trafficking and money laundering

5)RGI releases Census 2011 data on literacy, workers and educational levels :-

The Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India released data of Census 2011 on Highest
Educational Level Attained among population attending educational institution by age and sex.
Data :- Below Primary occupies the major share of 32.6% followed by Primary (25.2%), Middle
(15.7%), Matric (11.1%), Higher Secondary (8.6%) and Graduate & above (4.5%).
Observation:- During the decade 2001-11, improvement is observed at Middle and above
educational levels and decline in percentage share at lower levels (below-Primary and Primary).
The improvements at higher educational levels are indication of educational advancement in the
country during the decade 2001-11.

6) Prime Minister’s 15-point programme for socio-economic-educational development and
empowerment of minorities :-

Theme – Enhancing opportunities for Education

1. Equitable availability of ICDS( Integrated Child Development Services )
2. Improving access to school education
3. Greater resources for school education
4. Modernizing Madarsa Education
5. Scholarship
6. Improving educational infrastructure through the Maulana Azad Education Foundation

Theme-Equitable Share in Economic Activities and Employment

7.Self-Employment and Wage Employment for the poor -Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana
(SGSY),Swarnajayanti Sahari Swarojgar Yojana (SJSRY),National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme
(NREGS)

8.Upgradation of skills through technical training

9.Enhanced credit support for economic activities

10.Recruitment to State and Central Service

Theme-Improving the conditions of living of minorities

11.Equitable share in rural housing scheme

12.Improvement in condition of slums inhabited by minority communities

Theme – Prevention & Control of Communal Riots
13.Prevention of communal incidents
14.Prosecution for communal offences
15.Rehabilitation of Victims of communal riots

7) iLEDtheway Microsite:-

Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy launched the microsite
http://www.iledtheway.in
In today’s era of Digital India, the microsite will attempt to reach out to all citizens in the country and
spread awareness about the nation-wide movement of #iLEDtheway. Through this microsite,
consumers can take a pledge of switching to LED bulbs, which are safer, brighter and consume less
energy.
The Microsite visitors can join the movement by simply clicking “Take a Pledge” tab which is
prominently displayed on the homepage. Consumers who do not have access to the LED bulb
distribution under the DELP scheme in their city/state, can pre-register for the scheme by sharing
their contact details. It will also give exciting information on the reduction in CO2 emissions, energy
saved, avoided peak demand and is filled with pictures, videos, distribution centre details in each
state and more.
DELP :-Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP)

The government aims to replace 77 crore conventional bulbs and CFLs with the LEDs under
DELP and 3.5 crore street lights over 3-year period, making it the largest LED based lighting
programme in the world.Initiatives of distributing LED bulbs save upto 85 lakh KWh every day
and have helped in reduction of close to 15,000 tonnes of CO2 per day.

8) SATYAM :-

A new programme called SATYAM-“Science and Technology of Yoga and Meditation ” has been
launched to strengthen research in the areas of yoga and meditation.
An objective of SATYAM is to harness knowledge obtained in academic institutions and other
related agencies for finding Science & Technology -led solutions that would enable us to cope with
stress and strain associated with fast changing social, economic, environmental and professional
circumstances

9) IMPRINT India :-

IMPRINT is the first of its kind MHRD supported Pan-IIT + IISc joint initiative to address the major

science and engineering challenges that India must address and champion to enable, empower and
embolden the nation for inclusive growth and self-reliance. This novel initiative with twofold mandate
is aimed at:

(a) Developing new engineering education policy
(b) Creating a road map to pursue engineering challenges , IMPRINT provides the overarching
vision that guides research into areas that are predominantly socially relevant.

10)Ground Zero Summit 2015 :-

The Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh recently inaugurated the Asia’s foremost Information
Security Conference: Ground Zero Summit 2015

Theme: The theme for the Summit is Digital India – ‘Securing Digital India’ .

Aim of the summit: The summit is being organized to deliberate upon various issues related to
cyber security challenges emerging due to the latest technological developments

Summary of Summit:-

Cyber security is a big challenge these days and ‘cyber barriers’ need to be created to
tackle it

Cyber world is the fifth dimension of security along with the earlier dimensions of security i.e.
land, air, water and space. The crimes related to cyber world can be multi-layered, multi-
location, multi-lingual, multi-cultural and multi-legal, that’s why it is difficult to investigate and
reach to the criminal

Government has started making efforts to set up the “ Indian Cyber Crime Coordination
Centre” (I-4C). This will help in monitoring and capacity building of the cyber crimes and will
also help the Law Enforcement Agencies in curtailing these crimes.

The summit is being organized by the Indian Infosec Consortium (ICC), a not-for-profit
organization formed by leading cyber security professionals of the country. With the events
like Ground Zero Summit and formation of National Cyber Registry, ICC wants to consolidate
the cyber security resources in the country and protect its cyberspace. The summit is the
collaborative platform in Asia for cyber security experts and researchers to address emerging
cyber security challenges and demonstrate cutting-edge technologies.

11) Three Gold related Scheme Launched:-

*Note:- The schemes of this nature has magnitude of data , most of them are irrelevant from UPSC exam
perspective.Hence you may go through the literature of these schemes but remember as necessary.The
analysis is important.

Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS):-

The GMS will replace the existing Gold Deposit Scheme, 1999

The gold will be accepted at the Collection and Purity Testing Centres (CPTC) certified by
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The deposit certificates will be issued by banks in
equivalent of 995 fineness of gold.

The designated banks will accept gold deposits under the Short Term (1-3 years) Bank
Deposit (STBD) as well as Medium (5-7 years) and Long (12-15 years) Term Government
Deposit Schemes (MLTGD). While the former will be accepted by banks on their own

account, the latter will be on behalf of the Government of India. There will be provision for
premature withdrawal subject to a minimum lock-in period and penalty to be determined by
individual banks for the STBD.

The interest rate in the STBD will be determined by the banks. The interest rate in the
medium term bonds has been fixed at 2.25% and for the long-term bonds is 2.5% for the
bonds issued in 2015-16.

Gold sovereign bond scheme:–

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will issue these bonds on behalf of the central government.

The gold bonds will be denominated in multiples of gram(s) of gold with a basic unit of one
gram while the minimum investment limit is two grams.

The maximum subscription is 500 grams per person per fiscal (April-March) and for joint
holders, the limit will be applied on the first holder.

As per the scheme, the gold bonds will be sold only to resident Indian entities including
individuals, Hindu undivided families, trusts, universities, and charitable institutions.The bond
tenure will be eight years with exit option beginning the fifth year onwards. They will also be
tradable in the bourses.Bonds can also be used as collateral for loans.

India gold coin and bullion scheme:-

The gold coin and gold bullion schemes are part of the gold monetization programme.

The coin will be the first ever national gold coin and will bear Ashok Chakra.

Initially, the coins will be available in denominations of 5 and 10 grams. A 20 gram bullion bar
will also be launched.

As many as 15,000 coins of 5 gm, 20,000 coins of 10 gm and 3,750 bullion bars will be made
available through Metals and Minerals Trading Corporations (MMTC) outlets.

Reasoning behind these Schemes:-

Indian have a greater affinity to gold, it is the most dearly held precious metal by Indian families.It
has a paramount cultural significance . Over the centuries Indians have accumulated enormous
amount of gold which is locked away in their safety boxes, sitting idle , earning no return.

On the same vein, the demand of gold has grown multi-fold in the past few years. India being a
young nation(demographically) the gold demand is only going to increase and this metal plays a
critical role in marriages and other ceremonies related to life.More the youth, more the marriage
and more the demand for gold.

The scheme has envisaged to unlock the potential of idle gold and put it to use. It has one major
significance:-

India is not a great producer of gold, our gold mines have never been able to meet the
demand , hence we import gold in large quantities, which puts burden on Balance of
Payment (Govt has to pay in dollars to get these gold , thus reducing the forex reserve too )

With this scheme the balance of payment issue can be resolved.It also allows the depositor to earn
on the idle gold.Hence it is a win-win situation for both Government and Depositor.



07 NOV 2015 -South China Sea Complete Coverage(
“Roll-On-News-Day”)

upsctree.com /2015/11/07/07-nov-2015-south-china-sea-complete-coverage-roll-on-news-day/

UPSCTREE

1)South China Sea – The geopolitics and it’s impact on India :-

Background :- South China Sea (hereafter referred as SCS) , has been in news for past few years,
but the confrontation has never grown out of context or become large enough to be a major flash point in
international geopolitics until now. The SCS confrontation has now taken a global dimension which led to
rather self restrained president such as Barack Obama to take bold steps such as sending US naval
vessel to enter into the water of SCS. How the SCS conflict unfolds is a case to watch out for, but to
understand the future , it is necessary to understand the past and present conditions of confrontation.

Introduction:-

The South China Sea area comprising of islands, rocks and reefs are considered strategic,
economic and political assets for the littoral states in the South China Sea because, they can
serve as legal base points for states to project their claims of exclusive jurisdiction over waters and
resources in the SCS.
The sea is believed to be harboring large reserves of oil and natural gas and is in demand for its
rich fishing. With the rise in demand for energy resources, the disputes in the area have been
further exacerbated. It is a critical navigational waterway in this region which is used from the
west of the Indian Ocean to East Asia.
The island groups and the security of the sea lanes (marine terrorism, piracy, marine ecosystems)
have been perceived as important since it is an important shipping lane and ASEAN, India, Taiwan,
China, Japan and South Korea are all heavily dependent upon international and extra regional
trade-most of which is shipped through the area.
As economies develop, the SCS is fast becoming the focus of tension. The straits that separate
these islands are important not only because restrictions upon passage would seriously disrupt
international commerce but also because control over the islands would permit dominance over
those routes.
China’s Involvement:-

Although the assertions of sovereignty, rivalry over maritime resources, nationalism
and attempts to consolidate jurisdictional and legal claims have been long standing
issues where actions by one claimant or another has drawn reaction from others, it is
China’s assertive actions backed by modern maritime enforcement capabilities that
are proving to be a cause of concern. As such, China receives the greatest attention
because it is by far the most powerful claimant and has the record of using force to pursue its
territorial claims.
China’s economic engine is becoming more dependent on imported energy, and recent

Chinese moves suggest safeguarding its energy sources
near and far has become an unstated “core issue”.

As defined by the Chinese officially, core issues are those that must be protected and
secured by any means including military measures. China has been relentlessly increasing
its capacity to exercise control over the Sea by strengthening its capacity and capability to
establish its increasing maritime domain area (MDA) and its emergence as Asia’s pre-
eminent naval power.

These moves taken by Beijing also indicate its growing aggressiveness and unilateralism,
which clearly go against the spirit of the 2002 DOC (Declaration of Conduct of parties), a
multilateral political document agreed upon by the ASEAN and China that calls for resolution
of ‘territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, without resorting to the
threat of force.

Focus of Confrontation:-

It is a dispute over territory and sovereignty over ocean areas, and the Paracels and the Spratlys
– two island chains claimed in whole or in part by a number of countries.Alongside the fully
fledged islands, there are dozens of rocky outcrops, atolls, sandbanks and reefs, such as the
Scarborough Shoal.

Although largely uninhabited, the Paracels and the Spratlys may have reserves of natural resources
around them. There has been little detailed exploration of the area, so estimates are largely
extrapolated from the mineral wealth of neighbouring areas.

The sea is also a major shipping route and home to fishing grounds that supply the livelihoods of
people across the region.

The below map can help in understanding the claims:-

More over China has been flexing its military muscle and building naval bases by reclamation
of islands in the sea, as illustrated in the below map:-

Apart from the reclamation and building artificial islands, China also claims that , historically it
has sovereignty over the territory what it call as Nine Dash Line :-

Beijing says its right to the area goes back to centuries, when the Paracel and Spratly island
chains were regarded as integral parts of the Chinese nation, and in 1947 it issued a map detailing
its claims. It showed the two island groups falling entirely within its territory. Those claims are
mirrored by Taiwan

Vietnam hotly disputes China’s historical account, saying China had never claimed sovereignty
over the islands before the 1940s. Vietnam says it has actively ruled over both the Paracels
and the Spratlys since the 17th Century – and has the documents to prove it.

The other major claimant in the area is the Philippines, which invokes its geographical
proximity to the Spratly Islands as the main basis of its claim for part of the grouping.

Both the Philippines and China lay claim to the Scarborough Shoal (known as Huangyan
Island in China) – a little more than 100 miles (160km) from the Philippines and 500 miles
from China.

Malaysia and Brunei also lay claim to territory in the South China Sea that they say falls

within their economic exclusion zones, as defined by UNCLOS – the United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea.

To sum up the confrontations are around two major islands :- Paracel and Spratly island ; and
Scarborough Shoal.

Implications for INDIA :-

Although India is a non claimant to the SCS Island it is concerned with the developments in the
SCS. Even though the SCS area may seem far from the Indian mainland but in actual terms it is not
so when one considers the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is also important to note that India’s
trade with Japan and South Korea has
been growing and hence, it is crucial that freedom of navigation is maintained in the South China
Sea through which the trading routes between India and these East Asian countries pass. India’s
sea bound trade that passes through Indian Ocean constitutes 92-95 per cent of its total trade and,
there are estimates that nearly 25 per cent (and growing) of this sea bound trade passes
through South China Sea.

India like China is also energy deficit country and is stretching its resources all over the world to
access hydrocarbons in what ever form and quantity available. India’s oil and gas exploration
and extractions in Myanmar and Vietnam need to be understood in this respect. Therefore,
there is no way that India would retreat from South China Sea just because China or any other
country has taken an exception to its economic and naval activities in this region.

Meanwhile, India-ASEAN trade has reached US$ 57.89 billion in 2010-11. Any major conflict in
the South China Sea region is bound to impact Indian economic interests.

Besides, India is worried that if China controls this sea space it will dictate maritime traffic,
both civilian and military. Therefore, its priority is to maintain freedom of navigation in the sea
both merchant and naval ships. India is of the opinion that the SCS region was a key to its energy
security, and that the conflict must be resolved peacefully as per international laws.

China has objected Indian Naval presence and oil exploration projects in and across Vietnam (INS
Airavaat in 2011 , ONGC Videsh project in Vietnam in 2011 )

This has a geopolitical significance as well. India has an advantage in Indian Ocean , to counter it
China has been building chain of ports encircling India, which is otherwise known as “String of
Pearls” . By being assertive in SCS , China hopes to claim a dominant position in the SCS and use
this as a bargain chip in case of a conflict breaks out.String of pearls can be understood from the
below map :-

The activities of China in SCS, puts India in a disadvantageous position , it is also meddling in the
Indian Neighborhood states such as Nepal, Srilanka and Pakistan.Thus it is a greater concern for
national security of India. The way forward is a complex architecture of diplomatic re-
balancing , which is yet to be fully realized by India, the Indian counter being Project
Mausam which is still in incessant phase.

09 NOV 2015

upsctree.com /2015/11/09/09-nov-2015/

UPSCTREE

1)India’s Defense Sector – Snapshot :-

News 1 – Defence Minister Launches Army Cloud, Data Centre & Digi-Locker for the Indian Army :-

The facility under the Army Cloud includes a Central Data Centre, a Near Line Data Centre, both
in Delhi and a Disaster Recovery site for replication of its critical data along with virtualised servers
and storage in an environmentally controlled complex. This is similar to the Meghraj; the Cloud of
National Informatics Centre (NIC) and will provide all Information Technology Infrastructure
including servers for computing, storage, network and network security equipment centrally, for
automation of Indian Army. The latest technologies in the field have been incorporated in the
implementation of the first ever Software Defined Data Centre, wherein all the resources could be
provisioned to different applications on the Cloud, on click of a button. It has already started
providing Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) to the pan Army users as the first Cloud service and
will soon provide Software as a Service (SaaS).

With the launching of Digi-Locker, it will provide a secure and exclusive data storage space to all
the units and formation headquarters of the Army over its dedicated data network. The Digi-Locker
of Indian Army is similar to e-Locker of Digital India program and has all the advanced features like
digital signatures and watermarking. This is an important step towards implementation of cyber
security as it precludes carriage of soft copies of data on CDs/DVDs and removable media. Users
can store, share and access the data from anywhere any time on the Army Data Network. The
infrastructure and platforms being made available for automation and digitisation will catalyse the
pace of digitisation in all branches of Army and is a landmark towards transforming Indian Army from
platform centric to a Network Centric Force, which would leverage the technology as a force
multiplier.

Digital Army:-

In keeping with the national vision of Digital India, the Indian Army has launched a program
for Digital Army with nine pillars for digitisation. Three of the nine pillars of this umbrella
program, namely Broadband highways, Universal access to telephones and Army Data
Network stress upon Information Technology Infrastructure development. Another
three namely e-Governance, Electronic delivery of services and Online information for
all, focus on delivery of services to all units and formation headquarters. For any modern
army, the Network Centric Operations are essential for meeting enhanced challenges
of asymmetry, lethality, fluidity and non-linearity in the present day battlefield. The
Indian Army is addressing this key area comprehensively.

News 2 – Nuclear capable, long-range Agni-IV missile sucessfully test-fired. The details of Agni IV
is in the PDF , mentioned above.

2) SAADMEx – South Asian Annual Disaster Management Exercise

The main focus of this exercise will be to test the inter-governmental coordination, create synergy

and synchronize efforts to institutionalize regional cooperation on disaster response among the
member countries of SAARC region.
This will be the first-ever joint exercise to be conducted by the National Disaster Response Force
(NDRF) of India.
Through the exercise, the important aspects of responding to disasters by pooling of
resources/expertise will be addressed and also the imperative of presenting a well coordinated
response within the SAARC region will be emphasised.

3) “Heart of Asia” – Istanbul Process:- ( India, Pakistan ,Afghanistan and others )

News –Pakistan recently extended invitation to India for Heart of Asia conference.
About :- The Istanbul Process provides a new agenda for regional cooperation in the ‘Heart of Asia’
by placing Afghanistan at its center and engaging the ‘Heart of Asia ’ countries in sincere and
result‐oriented cooperation for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan , as well as a secure and
prosperous region as a whole.
Areas of Engagement:-

The countries participating in the Istanbul process have agreed on the following three
elements for the follow-up to the Istanbul Process:

A) Political consultation involving Afghanistan and its near and extended neighbours .
B) A sustained incremental approach to implementation of the Confidence Building
Measures (CBMs) identified in the Istanbul Process document; and
C) Seeking to contribute and bring greater coherence to the work of various regional
processes and organisations, particularly as they relate to Afghanistan.

‘Heart of Asia’ participating countries:
1. Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
2. Republic of Azerbaijan
3. People’s Republic of China
4. Republic of India
5. Islamic Republic of Iran
6. Republic of Kazakhstan
7. Kyrgyz Republic
8. Islamic Republic of Pakistan
9. Russian Federation
10. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
11. Republic of Tajikistan
12. Republic of Turkey
13. Republic of Turkmenistan
14. United Arab Emirates

4)Saving Asian vulture from fatal drugs :-

After successfully campaigning for the ban on multi-dose vials of painkiller drug diclofenac in
veterinary use, conservationists have stepped up pressure for withdrawing two more drugs

– Ketoprofen & Aceclofenac, which they say, are fatal for Asian vultures.
The “three species of Gyps vultures endemic to South and Southeast Asia, oriental white-backed
vulture (Gyps bengalensis), long-billed vulture ( G. indicus) and slender-billed vulture ( G.
tenuirostris), are the worst affected and are threatened with global extinction after rapid population
declines, which began in the mid-1990s
IUCN lists Vultures as Critically Endangered
Why do we need to save Vultures:-

Environmental:-

The disappearance of vultures has allowed other species, such as rats and wild dogs,
to take their place. These newly abundant scavengers, however, are not as efficient
as vultures. A vulture’s metabolism is a true “dead-end” for pathogens, but dogs and
rats become carriers of the pathogens.
Wild dogs, carrying diseases from rotting carcasses (rabies, anthrax, plague,
etc.),are directly or indirectly responsible for thousands of human deaths. Today in
India, 30,000 people die from rabies each year, more than half the world’s total.Hence
Wild Dogs are inefficient scavengers.
Treating these diseases is extremely costly for the Indian government and people.
Around half a million Indians are treated for rabies each year, at a cost of 1500 rupees
per person,

Cultural :-

While the sanitary, ecological, and economic consequences are considerable, the
cultural impact is also notable.
According to Parsi beliefs, Earth, Fire, and Water are sacred elements, and both
cremation and burial are sacrilegious. For the deceased Parsi to reach heaven,
vultures serve as intermediaries between earth and sky . The dead body is placed
on a Tower of Silence where vultures, by consuming the body, liberate the soul.
The 82,000 Parsi Indians, deprived of their celestial emissaries, have been obliged to
drop these ancient customs for reasons of hygiene, since now bodies take six months
to disappear.

5) H1N1 threat looming large as Winter sets in India:-

The Swine flu virus is an Influenza virus , it is spherical RNA virus
They are usually 3 types:

Type A –

Type A has multiple sub-types – H1N1,H1N2,H2N2,H5N1 and may more, among
them H1N1 is known to cause deadly Swine Flu
Infect multiple species; Human, Avian, Swine (Human , Bird and Pig)

Type B –

No Sub Type

Infects Humans

Type C-

No Sub type

Infects Humans and Pigs

Note :- the H stands for hemagglutinin and N stands for neuraminidase

Notorious Type A :-

It undergoes mutation that can take place within the genome (Antigenic drift) / or re-
assortment among the genetic materials of subtypes (Antigenci Shift ) resulting in a new
virus thus making the existing incapable of handling it.

Antigenic Drift is responsible for new seasonal strains that makes necessary surveillance to
detect these strains and to prepare new seasonal influenza vaccine (yearly basis)

Antigenic Shift may result in a new virus easily transmissible from man to man for which the
population has no immunity : Results in Pandemics

Public Health Importance :-

Causes Pandemics – the outbreak , virus and years-
1)Spanish Flu [A (H1N1)] 1918-19;
2)Asian Flu [A (H2N2)] 1957-59;
3) Hongkong Flu [A (H3N2)] 1968-68;
4) “Swine Flu” [A (H1N1)] 2009-10
Causes Epidemics, seasonal Influenza outbreaks and sporadic cases.

High Risk Groups :- young children with pre disposing risk factors, old age; Pregnant
mothers, Health workers, Co-morbid conditions (Lung disease, heart disease, liver disease,
kidney disease, blood disorders, Diabetes); Immuno-compromised; long term steroid
treatment

Seasonality :-

Temperate zones: epidemics occur in winter
Tropics/ Sub tropics: epidemics occur in rainy season
Sporadic cases: round the year

Overcrowding – Mostly affect urban and peri-urban areas.High attach rates may be
witnessed in Army Barracks, College hostels, Schools, Residential hostels of schools,
aircrafts, ships etc

Government and Medicinal responses :-

Health being a State subject, the State Governments is expected to take prompt measures
for preventing the spread of H1N1 virus and for diagnosis, case management and treatment
of the patients. However, the Central Government has been pro-active in assisting the State
Governments

Oseltamivir is the drug recommended by WHO. The drug is made available through the
Public Health System free of cost. The drug is also sold through Schedule X Chemists. The
States have been asked to review the geographic locations of Schedule X Chemists and
issue fresh license for unrepresented areas and to ensure availability of Osetamivir with

them.
NCDC – National Center for Disease control does round-the-clock monitoring.

Symptoms:

People who have swine flu can be contagious one day before they have any symptoms, and as
many as 7 days after they get sick. Kids can be contagious for as long as 10 days.Most symptoms
are the same as seasonal flu, they can include:

cough
fever
sore throat
stuffy or runny nose
body aches
headache
chills
fatigue

6)India-Russia Joint Army Exercise Indra-2015 in Bikaner to Focus on Counter Terrorism :-

Indian and Russian Armies would be conducting a joint military exercise as a part of a continuing
series of annual joint exercises under the banner ‘Exercise INDRA-2015’
The joint exercise this year would focus on ‘Counter Terrorism Operations in Desert Terrain under a
United Nations Mandate’.
To achieve inter operability in joint operations in the future, troops from an Independent Russian
Motorised Brigade and Indian Army’s Infantry Battalion would initially acquaint themselves with the
approach to such operations, Command and Control systems as well as arms and equipment of
each other

A look at India’s Defense Sector

India’s Defence Sector
Author - UPSCTREE

Ministry of Defense Mandate:-
Tasks :-

Defense Diplomacy :-
Make in India:-

Capacity Building :-









Welfare:-
War History
Integration of Defense with Digital India :-

10 NOV 2015

upsctree.com /2015/11/10/10-nov-2015/

UPSCTREE

1)Chinese Yuan may get reserve currency status:-

Reserve Currency:- A foreign currency held by central banks and other major financial institutions
as a means to pay off international debt obligations, or to influence their domestic exchange rate. A
large percentage of commodities, such as gold and oil, are usually priced in the reserve currency,
causing other countries to hold this currency to pay for these goods. Holding currency reserves,
therefore, minimizes exchange rate risk, as the purchasing nation will not have to exchange their
currency for the current reserve currency in order to make the purchase.
Major Reserve Currency :-

United States dollar
Euro
Pound Sterling
Japanese Yen
Swiss Franc
Canadian Dollar

Chinese Yuan:-The Chinese yuan or renminbi (RMB) cannot be used as a reserve currency as long
as the Chinese government maintains capital controls on the conversion of its currency.Holding the
currency would not be attractive to central banks unless China develops a strong open bond
market.The Bank for International Settlements estimates that in 2010 around 0.9% of all currency
market transactions were carried out in renminbi.

International Monetary Fund representatives have given China strong signals that the yuan is
likely to soon join the fund’s basket of reserve currencies, known as Special Drawing Rights.

What is a Special Drawing Right?

The fund created the SDR in 1969 to boost global liquidity as the Bretton Woods system of
fixed exchange rates unraveled. While the SDR is not technically a currency, it gives IMF
member countries who hold it the right to obtain any of the currencies in the basket —
currently the dollar, euro, yen and pound — to meet balance-of-payments needs. So the
ability to convert SDRs into yuan on demand is crucial. Its value is currently based on
weighted rates for the four currencies.

Why is the IMF likely to approve this?

Global use of the yuan has surged since the IMF rejected SDR inclusion in the last review in
2010. By one measure, the currency became the fourth most-used in global payments with a
2.79 percent share in August, surpassing the yen, according to the Society for Worldwide
Interbank Financial Telecommunication, known as Swift.

Once the Chinese yuan becomes part of the SDR, central-bank reserve managers and
institutional investors will automatically want to accumulate yuan-denominated assets.

2) Particulate Matter :-

News:- Delhi air Pollution has been a major cause of worry for the past years. The issue is
compounded as Diwali is around the corner.

What is Particulate Matter (PM):-

Airborne particulate matter, which includes dust,dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets emitted into the air, is
small enough to be suspended in the atmosphere. Airborne particulates may be a complex mixture of
organic and inorganic substances.They can be characterized by their physical attributes, which influence
their transport and deposition, and their chemical composition,which influences their effect on health.

The physical attributes of airborne particulates include mass concentration and size distribution.Ambient
levels of mass concentration are measured in micro grams per cubic meter (μg/m3); size attributes are
usually measured in aerodynamic diameter

PM10 and PM2.5:-

Particulate matter (PM) exceeding 2.5 microns (μm) in aerodynamic diameter is generally defined as
coarse particles, while particles smaller than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) are called fine particles.

Particles interact with various substances in the air to form organic or inorganic chemical compounds. The
most common combinations of fine particles are those with sulfates.Additionally,atmospheric reactions of
nitrogen oxides produce nitric acid vapor (HNO3) that may accumulate as nitrate particles in both fine and
coarse forms.The
most common combination of coarse particles consists of oxides of silicon, aluminum, calcium, and iron.

Total suspended particulates (TSP) includes particles of various sizes. Some proportion of TSP consists
of particles too large to enter the human respiratory tract; therefore, TSP is not a good indicator of health-
related exposure.

The particles most likely to cause adverse health effects are the fine particulates PM10 and PM2.5 —
particles smaller than 10 microns and 2.5 microns in aerodynamic diameter, respectively.

While all particles smaller than 10 microns in diameter can reach the human lungs, the retention rate is
largest for the finer particles. PM10 can be jettisoned from body by coughing, sneezing etc but PM2.5 has
a deeper penetration hence it is more dangerous.

Black Smoke:-

Black smoke (BS) is a particulate measure that typically contains at least 50% respirable particulates
smaller than 4.5 mm in aerodynamic diameter.

Sources of Particulates:-

Some particulates come from natural sources such as evaporated sea spray, wind-borne pollen, dust, and
volcanic or other geothermal eruptions. Particulates from natural sources tend to be coarse.

Almost all fine particulates are generated as a result of combustion processes, including the burning of
fossil fuels for steam generation, heating and household cooking, agricultural field burning, diesel-fueled

engine combustion, and various industrial processes.

Emissions from these anthropogenic sources tend to be in fine fractions. However, some industrial and
other processes that produce large amounts of dust, such as cement
manufacturing, mining, stone crushing, and flour milling, tend to generate particles larger than 1 micron
and mostly larger than 2.5 microns.

The largest stationary sources of particulate emissions include fossil-fuel-based thermal power plants,
metallurgical processes, and cement manufacturing. The physical and chemical composition of particulate
emissions is determined by the nature of pollution sources. Most particles emitted by anthropogenic
sources are less than 2.5 microns in diameter and include a larger variety of toxic elements than particles
emitted by natural sources.

Ground Level Ozone:-

Ground level or “bad” ozone is not emitted directly into the air, but is created by chemical reactions
between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the presence of sunlight.
Emissions from industrial facilities and electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, and
chemical solvents are some of the major sources of NOx and VOC. Breathing ozone can trigger a variety
of health problems, particularly for children, the elderly, and people of all ages who have lung diseases
such as asthma. Ground level ozone can also have harmful effects on sensitive vegetation and
ecosystems.

3)Reforms in FDI:-

Government has brought in FDI related Reforms and liberalisation touching upon 15 major Sectors of the
Economy. The salient measures are:

1. Limited Liability Partnerships, downstream investment and approval conditions.
2. Investment by companies owned and controlled by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
3. Establishment and transfer of ownership and control of Indian companies
4. Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
5. Plantation
6. Mining and mineral separation of titanium bearing minerals and ores, its value addition and

integrated activities
7. Defence
8. Broadcasting Sector
9. Civil Aviation
10. Increase of sectoral cap
11. Construction development sector
12. Cash and Carry Wholesale Trading / Wholesale Trading (including sourcing from MSEs)
13. Single Brand Retail Trading and Duty free shops
14. Banking-Private Sector; and
15. Manufacturing Sector

The Crux of these reforms is to further ease, rationalise and simplify the process of foreign investments in

the country and to put more and more FDI proposals on automatic route instead of Government route
where time and energy of the investors is wasted.

4)UDAY :-Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojana

UDAY provides for the financial turnaround and revival of Power Distribution companies (DISCOMs), and
importantly also ensures a sustainable permanent solution to the problem.

The weakest link in the value chain is distribution, wherein DISCOMs in the country have accumulated
losses of approximately Rs. 3.8 lakh crore and outstanding debt of approximately Rs. 4.3 lakh crore (as on
March, 2015)

Financially stressed DISCOMs are not able to supply adequate power at affordable rates, which hampers
quality of life and overall economic growth and development. Efforts towards 100% village electrification,
24X7 power supply and clean energy cannot be achieved without performing DISCOMs. Power outages
also adversely affect national priorities like “Make in India” and “Digital India”. In addition, default on bank
loans by financially stressed DISCOMs has the potential to seriously impact the banking sector and the
economy at large.

UDAY assures the rise of vibrant and efficient DISCOMs through a permanent resolution of past as well as
potential future issues of the sector. It empowers DISCOMs with the opportunity to break even in the next
2-3 years. This is through four initiatives:-

(i) Improving operational efficiencies of DISCOMs;

(ii) Reduction of cost of power;

(iii) Reduction in interest cost of DISCOMs;

(iv) Enforcing financial discipline on DISCOMs through alignment with State finances

Salient Features of UDAY :-

States shall take over 75% of DISCOM debt as on 30 September 2015 over two years – 50% of
DISCOM debt shall be taken over in 2015-16 and 25% in 2016-17.
Government of India will not include the debt taken over by the States as per the above scheme in
the calculation of fiscal deficit of respective States in the financial years 2015-16 and 2016-17.
States will issue non-SLR including SDL bonds in the market or directly to the respective banks /
Financial Institutions (FIs) holding the DISCOM debt to the appropriate extent.
DISCOM debt not taken over by the State shall be converted by the Banks / FIs into loans or bonds
with interest rate not more than the bank’s base rate plus 0.1%. Alternately, this debt may be fully or
partly issued by the DISCOM as State guaranteed DISCOM bonds at the prevailing market rates
which shall be equal to or less than bank base rate plus 0.1%.
States shall take over the future losses of DISCOMs in a graded manner and shall fund them.
State DISCOMs will comply with the Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) outstanding since 1st
April, 2012, within a period to be decided in consultation with Ministry of Power.
States accepting UDAY and performing as per operational milestones will be given additional /
priority funding through Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY),Integrated Power

Development Scheme (IPDS), Power Sector Development Fund (PSDF) or other such schemes of
Ministry of Power and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

Such States shall also be supported with additional coal at notified prices and, in case of availability
through higher capacity utilization, low cost power from NTPC and other Central Public Sector
Undertakings (CPSUs).

States not meeting operational milestones will be liable to forfeit their claim on IPDS and DDUGJY
grants.

UDAY is optional for all States. However, States are encouraged to take the benefit at the
earliest as benefits are dependent on the performance.

11 NOV 2015 -Demystifying Myanmar- Complete
Coverage (Roll-On-News-Day)

upsctree.com /2015/11/11/11-nov-2015-demystifying-myanmar-complete-coverage-roll-on-news-day/

UPSCTREE

1)Demystifying the Mysterious MYANMAR – Its geography, Its History ,Its Politics and Its India
Connection :-

News:- Myanmar Political Transformation.

Introduction :- For larger part Myanmar has remained a Mystery to this generation of Indians. But two
generations before (grandparents) , people used to talk about Rangoon as we talk about US or Europe
today.One would have heard growing up about the Rangoon Tales.It was the city which provided large-
scale employment to their generation.Growing up, few of us knew Burma but almost all of us came across
the stories of Rangoon.It is so true for the inhabitants of Eastern coast – from Bengal to Tamilnadu.One is
unsure whether it has the same significance in lives of other parts of Indians, but nevertheless stories has
traveled far and wide.

Today, Rangoon is officially not even Rangoon, and Burma is not Burma. The military government
renamed the country Myanmar and the capital Yangon. But, the country’s most famous citizen, the
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, still calls it Rangoon , as do most people. Five years ago, the
generals abandoned Rangoon/ Yangon altogether, moving the capital 300 km up-country to a newly built
city called Napyidaw.

Geography :-

Myanmar, a republic in South-East Asia, bounded on the north by Tibet Autonomous Region of China; on
the east by China, Laos, and Thailand; on the south by the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal; and on
the west by the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh, and India. It is officially known as the Union of Myanmar. The
coastal region is known as Lower Myanmar, while the interior region is known as Upper Myanmar

A horseshoe-shaped mountain complex and the valley of the Ayarwaddy (Irrawaddy) River system are the
dominant topographical features of Myanmar.Irrawaddy Dolphins are usually sighted in the waters of
eastern coast of India