National Mission for clean Ganga (7 Projects Approved)

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♀The Executive Committee of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in its 4th meeting has approved seven projects in the sector of sewage infrastructure, ghat development and research.

♀Three projects each were approved in sewage sector in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Central Government will provide operation and maintenance cost for 15 years to all these six projects along with 100% central assistance

♀Besides, a research study to understand the non-putrefying properties of river Ganga in both water and sediment was also approved. The study will be an extension of a research carried out by National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to identify the special properties of river’s waters.

★About National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)

♀NMCG is the implementation wing of National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga (referred as National Ganga Council). It was established in 2011 as a registered society under Societies Registration Act, 1860.

♀It has a two tier management structure and comprises of Governing Council and Executive Committee. Both of them are headed by Director General (DG), NMCG. Executive Committee is authorized to approve projects under mission up to Rs.1000 crore.

♀ Similar to structure at national level, State Programme Management Groups (SPMGs) acts as implementing arm of State Ganga Committees. This structure attempts to bring all stakeholders on one platform to take a holistic approach towards the task of Ganga cleaning and rejuvenation.

★Note: In October 2016, National Ganga Council has replaced National Ganga River Basin Authority(NGRBA) which was constituted under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA), 1986.
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IISER Scientists has developed Blue Geletor for Oil-Spills

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◆Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER), Thiruvananthapuram have developed gelator that can suck up oil and congeal it.

◆The gelator is hydrophobic material that has property of oleilophilic (oil-loving) and takes up oil when it comes in contact with it. It can be used to recover marine oil spills with a simple, efficient and cost-effective method.

★Key Facts

◆The gelator is developed using a cheap raw material mannitol and cellulose pulp through a one-step process. In this process the mannitol gets adsorbed on the cellulose fibre through hydrogen bonding. The adsorption process changes the cellulose matrix from being very hydrophilic (water-loving) to hydrophobic (water repelling).

◆The property of gelator to self-assemble to form micro fibres makes congealing of oil possible and the oil loses its fluidity and gets trapped within the entangled fibrous network to form a rigid gel. Gelation essentially turns the liquid oil into semi-solid and this allows congealed oil to be simply scooped out using a scoop or a sieve.

◆During the studies, it was found that the gelator was able to absorb and congeal 16 times its own weight of oil. Even, the absorbed oil can be recovered by applying pressure or fractionated by a simple distillation process.

◆Applications: Gelator can also serve as a more efficient, quick and cost-effective way for absorption of crude oil from the sea following marine spill. Unlike other alternatives, the gelator can be easily applied over oil-water mixture and no solvent is needed for spraying it thus making it environment friendly.
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💣 SC Bans use of 5 Heavy Metals in firecracker
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◆The Supreme Court has imposed ban on use of five harmful heavy metals likelithium, antimony, mercury, arsenic and lead in the manufacturing of firecrackers as they cause air pollution.

◆The SC order came on a 2015 petition filed by three Delhi children who had requested the apex court to intervene to regulate the use of crackers and fireworks during festivals like Diwali.

★SC order

●The apex court held that it is the responsibility of the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) to ensure compliance of ban order particularly in Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu where there are large number of firecracker manufacturers. It also asked CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) and PESO to make collaborative efforts for setting up of standards with regard to air pollution caused by the bursting of fire-crackers.

★Heavy metals in firecrackers

●Lithium is a metal used to impart red colour to fireworks. Antimony is used to create glitter effects. Lead oxide provides a special crackling effect which, if inhaled, in high concentration can cause damage to the nervous system.

★About Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO)

●PESO is the apex department to control and administer manufacture, storage, transport and handling of explosives, petroleum, compressed gases and other hazardous substances in India. It functions under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It is headed by Chief Controller of Explosives and is headquartered at Nagpur, Maharashtra.

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Supreme Court dismisses plea against 'wrong' questions in UPSC prelims - Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/supreme-court-dismisses-plea-against-wrong-questions-in-upsc-prelims/articleshow/59860608.cms

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Water bodies: A good and effective solution to water problem. The solution can be used all over India for solving water problems and to counter effects of climate change on water bodies.
News
Jal Swavalamban Abhiyan (JSA) 
It is a programme of Rajasthan Government
It has turned out to be a success in Pratapgarh district
In the district
(1) the groundwater table has increased
(2) green agricultural fields have expanded and
(3) no tankers with drinking water had to be sent to as many as 94 villages this year
NGT hails efforts
The National Green Tribunal lauded the efforts made under the programme.
The NGT’s Bhopal declaration has described the JSA as a massive climate change adaptation programme
The JSA is praised as an initiative which would make every village of the State self-reliant in water by using scientific tools for rejuvenating traditional water bodies.

Mains Paper 2: Governance | Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation

Issues with Manufacturing sector
According to NITI Aayog’s report, the sector’s growth rate has remained constant for the past 25 years
Whereas countries such as Taiwan and China recorded more than double the rate of expansion in India
Example of other countries
In Taiwan and South Korea in the 1960s and 1970s and in China in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, manufacturing grew at rates approaching or exceeding 15 per cent
It lead to transformation of these economies from primarily agrarian and rural character to modern urban ones in around three decades
India’s situation
The fast-growing sectors in India have been automobile and its parts, two-wheelers, machinery, chemicals, petroleum refining, telecommunications, software and pharmaceuticals
None of these sectors employs low-skilled workers in large numbers
As a result, the vast majority of Indian workers remain concentrated in agriculture, unorganised industry or low-paying services
Challenges in front of India
To achieve rapid growth in manufacturing sector
Ensuring healthy growth in labour-intensive sectors such as clothing, leather manufactures, food processing and electronic assembly
Growth in these sectors would help create good jobs for workers with limited skills
Suggestions by the Niti Aayog in its three-year action plan
Suggestions include
Easing entry barriers and reducing duties on synthetic fibres to make India’s apparel industry competitive in global market
Reducing custom duty on gold
Increasing investment in skill training
Expediting creation of integrated mega food parks and lower duties on key inputs of final electronics products.

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Ground water problems

Mobilization of resources
The news card has details on the GST Rate Schedule of solar power systems and its modules and panels. The article talks in detail about the implications of the tax and is an important read from UPSC point of view.Know about the impact of the difference in the taxes on solar energy, how the cess is utilized to write a critical answer on GST.
Context
• The GST Rate Schedule for goods has put ‘solar power generating systems’ and ‘photovoltaic cells whether or not assembled into modules or made into panels’ into different tax brackets
Tax on solar power
• GST rate schedule suggested that all solar power generating systems will be taxed at 5%
• This will be similar to the tax on wind systemsThis would put solar and wind in the same tax bracket as coal
• Coal was previously taxed at 11.69%Nuclear fuel too will be taxed at 5%
The state of confusion
• Another chapter of the GST rate schedule noted that semi-conductor devices including PV cells, which may or may not be assembled into modules or panels, would be taxed at 18%
• The council has put solar panels in the 5% category
• The issue of tax on the remaining components of solar systems remains unresolved even on the eve of the rollout of the new fiscal regime
What will be the impact?
• In the first scenario, utility scale solar (panels and parts), along with other renewable energy sources of electricity as well as coal, is taxed at 5%
• Analysis suggests that GST would result in a minor rise of 1.6% in solar tariffs
• In a thriving solar market, this is unlikely to create any setback for the sector
• While 5% doesn’t seem a mammoth figure, the rise in price of solar power is not insignificant when seen in conjunction with the decline in taxes on coal
• 60% decline in taxation on coal is likely to make thermal power cheaper by as much as Rs 0.15
• This would set back some of the rapid advances made in recent times to close the price gap between the prices of solar power and thermal power
• The cumulative result, with a lower tax bracket for coal and higher (effective) tax implication for solar, would do little to incentives already apprehensive utilities to purchase more solar power
What about the cess?
• The change in the tax regime would be accompanied by a
change in use for the coal cess
• The cess is currently contributing to the National
Environment Fund (NEF), with a mandate to finance and
promote clean energy initiatives
• It is a carbon tax that will now be redirected
Use of cess:
• Collections from the cess on coal are now expected to be
used to compensate states for the loss of revenue due to
the GST regime
• Between 2010 and 2017, this cess has been used to
make budgetary allocations to the ministries of New and
Renewable Energy; Environment, Forests, and Climate
Change; Water Resources, etc.
• The GST Rate Schedule for goods has put ‘solar power
generating systems’ and ‘photovoltaic cells whether or
not assembled into modules or made into panels’ into
different tax brackets
Tax on solar power
• GST rate schedule suggested that all solar power
generating systems will be taxed at 5%
• This will be similar to the tax on wind systemsThis would
put solar and wind in the same tax bracket as coal
• Coal was previously taxed at 11.69%Nuclear fuel too will
be taxed at 5%
The state of confusion
• Another chapter of the GST rate schedule noted that
semi-conductor devices including PV cells, which may or
may not be assembled into modules or panels, would be
taxed at 18%
• The council has put solar panels in the 5% category
• The issue of tax on the remaining components of solar
systems remains unresolved even on the eve of the
rollout of the new fiscal regime
What will be the impact?
• In the first scenario, utility scale solar (panels and parts),
along with other renewable energy sources of electricity
as well as coal, is taxed at 5%
• Analysis suggests that GST would result in a minor rise of
1.6% in solar tariffs
• In a thriving solar market, this is unlikely to create any
setback for the sector
• While 5% doesn’t seem a mammoth fig

ure, the rise in
price of solar power is not insignificant when seen in
conjunction with the decline in taxes on coal
• 60% decline in taxation on coal is likely to make thermal
power cheaper by as much as Rs 0.15
• This would set back some of the rapid advances made in
recent times to close the price gap between the prices of
solar power and thermal power
• The cumulative result, with a lower tax bracket for coal
and higher (effective) tax implication for solar, would
do little to incentives already apprehensive utilities to
purchase more solar power
What about the cess?
• The change in the tax regime would be accompanied by a change in use for the coal cess
• The cess is currently contributing to the National Environment Fund (NEF), with a mandate to finance and promote clean energy initiatives
• It is a carbon tax that will now be redirected
Use of cess:
• Collections from the cess on coal are now expected to be used to compensate states for the loss of revenue due to the GST regime
• Between 2010 and 2017, this cess has been used to make budgetary allocations to the ministries of New and Renewable Energy; Environment, Forests, and Climate Change; Water Resources, etc.

👑👑 India's Rank In Different Indexes Released In 2017👑👑
🌞World’s Men’s Football teams -101st(Brazil-1st)
🌞Tourism rankings - 40th(France- 1st)
🌞Bribery and corrupt practices in businesses - 9th(Ukraine- 1st)
🌞ICC Test rankings - 1st
🌞Human Development Index-131st(Norway- 1st)
🌞World Happiness Report -122nd(Norway- 1st)
🌞Global Ranking- Mercer's Quality of Living Rankings -144th (Vienna, Austria- 1st)
🌞World Bank’s Ease of “Doing Business” Rankings-130th(New Zealand- 1st)
🌞Kearney Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index- 8th(United States of America- 1st)
🌞Green energy spending- 5th(China-1st)
🌞 Milk Production - 2nd(United States of America-1st)
🌞 Global hunger index- 97th(Zambia- 1st)
🌞 Global talent competitiveness-89th(Switzerland-1st)
🌞Corruption perception Index - 76th(Somalia- 1st)
🌞Nuclear material security - 23rd(Australia- 1st)
🌞FDI confidence- 9th(United States- 1st)
🌞Intellectual property (IP) index -43rd(United States - 1st)
🌞Remittance Index -1st
🌞Crony Capitalism-9th(Hong Kong- 1st)
🌞World Press freedom index -136th(Norway- 1st)
🌞Defense Expenditure- 4th(United States - 1st)
⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️

Can Rainbows be full circles?

Yes! Rainbows can be full circles. However, the observer normally sees only an arc formed by illuminated droplets above the ground, and centred on a line from the sun to the observer's eye.
In a primary rainbow, the arc shows red on the outer part and violet on the inner side. This rainbow is caused by light being refracted when entering a droplet of water, then reflected inside on the back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it.
In a double rainbow, a second arc is seen outside the primary arc, and has the order of its colours reversed, with red on the inner side of the arc.

Can Rainbows be full circles?

Yes! Rainbows can be full circles. However, the observer normally sees only an arc formed by illuminated droplets above the ground, and centred on a line from the sun to the observer's eye.
In a primary rainbow, the arc shows red on the outer part and violet on the inner side. This rainbow is caused by light being refracted when entering a droplet of water, then reflected inside on the back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it.
In a double rainbow, a second arc is seen outside the primary arc, and has the order of its colours reversed, with red on the inner side of the arc.

Goods and Services Tax (GST) Finance and Banking
Post GST Launch:

Effects of GST on different sectors of the economy.

India’s manufacturing activity in July slumped to its lowest level since February 2009, dragged down by disruptions to business activity following the introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST)
The Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) stood at 47.9 in July, down from 50.9 in June, and highlighted the first deterioration in business conditions in 2017 so far
July also marked the biggest month-on-month decline since November 2008, just after the collapse of Lehman Brothers triggered the global financial crisis
This contraction is likely to put pressure on the Reserve Bank of India to lower interest rate at its policy meet.

GST Effect

The GST launch, the survey said, affected demand.
The reductions in output, new orders and purchasing activity were all the steepest since early 2009.
However, foreign demand for India-manufactured goods improved in July as new export orders continued to rise.
While some business segments have protested against the GST, many are struggling with the new compliance requirements that require them to file at least three returns every month.

Back2basics

What is the ‘Purchasing Managers’ Index – PMI’

The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) is an indicator of the economic health of the manufacturing sector.
The PMI is based on five major indicators: new orders, inventory levels, production, supplier deliveries and the employment environment.
The purpose of the PMI is to provide information about current business conditions to company decision makers, analysts and purchasing managers.