What is meant by cloud burst?
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A cloud burst is a sudden violent rainstorm falling for a short period of time limited to a small geographical area. The rain is of the shower type with a fall rate equal to or greater than 100 mm per hour. Cloud bursts are usually associated with thunderstorms.
@UPSC_18
A cloud burst is a sudden violent rainstorm falling for a short period of time limited to a small geographical area. The rain is of the shower type with a fall rate equal to or greater than 100 mm per hour. Cloud bursts are usually associated with thunderstorms.
Notice To Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)
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GST Intelligence unit has slapped a notice on the EPFO for defaulting on payment of service tax
Also, the unit has sought to examine the PF department’s records till 2016-17
It had sought for overall records of all its regional and zonal offices and issued separate notices to EPFO’s different offices.
EPFO’s argument over the notice
The EPFO has told Revenue authorities that the PF office was exempted from paying service tax from April 2016
And hence, its services were exempt from any levy under the new indirect tax system
The EPFO cited an order dated April 13 from the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal
The order said that it was not liable to pay service tax on the statutory activities performed under the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952.
Https://karpathuias.blogspot.in
GST Intelligence unit has slapped a notice on the EPFO for defaulting on payment of service tax
Also, the unit has sought to examine the PF department’s records till 2016-17
It had sought for overall records of all its regional and zonal offices and issued separate notices to EPFO’s different offices.
EPFO’s argument over the notice
The EPFO has told Revenue authorities that the PF office was exempted from paying service tax from April 2016
And hence, its services were exempt from any levy under the new indirect tax system
The EPFO cited an order dated April 13 from the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal
The order said that it was not liable to pay service tax on the statutory activities performed under the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952.
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Decline in infant mortality rate (IMR)
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India has attained an 8% decline in the IMR in 2016 from a year ago
According to the Sample Registration System (SRS) bulletin, IMR has declined to 34 per 1,000 live births last year from 37 per 1,000 live births in 2015
The Bulletin is released by the Office of the Registrar General
It attributed the improvement to countrywide efforts to expand health services coverage, including reproductive, maternal and newborn health services
More takeaways from the bulletin
IMR declined in 29 states and Union territories, was stable in two states and increased in five states and Union territories
The highest decline of 7 points was reported by Chandigarh and the highest increase of 6 points was reported by Arunachal Pradesh
@UPSC_2018
@UPSC_18
India has attained an 8% decline in the IMR in 2016 from a year ago
According to the Sample Registration System (SRS) bulletin, IMR has declined to 34 per 1,000 live births last year from 37 per 1,000 live births in 2015
The Bulletin is released by the Office of the Registrar General
It attributed the improvement to countrywide efforts to expand health services coverage, including reproductive, maternal and newborn health services
More takeaways from the bulletin
IMR declined in 29 states and Union territories, was stable in two states and increased in five states and Union territories
The highest decline of 7 points was reported by Chandigarh and the highest increase of 6 points was reported by Arunachal Pradesh
Discuss Transparency, Participation and accountability through Open Government?
@UPSC_18
@UPSC_2018
Openness through transparency becomes a means to greater civic participation in an enabled environment, where there is effective free flow of information both ways, to see through the working of the government; and to verify whether or not public servants are meeting their obligations to expectations of citizens.
All the four components of accountability i.e. answerability, sanction, redress, and system improvement need information to account for unacceptable conduct, decisions, and actions. The gaps in conventional supply side accountability have led to the emergence of demand side accountability. “Social Accountability is the institutionalization of durable societal control over policies and their implementation. Civil society is progressively showing tremendous potential to participate directly in institutions of horizontal accountability.
This can extend to all faces of development process, viz., planning (people’s planning), programming, budgeting (budget analysis, participatory budgeting), release of funds (publication of funds released, public expenditure review), award of contracts (procurement watch, integrity pact), and monitoring of contracts (independent quality inspection). Post planning, this may extend to implementation (hospital advisory, management committees, community forest management), progress of implementation (corruption watch) and evaluation (citizen report card, community scorecards) and audit (public hearing, participatory audit, citizen audit request, monitoring of audit compliance, general law on social audit)”. Open government can thus be said to have three components viz.
Right to information
Civic engagement in the processes of governance, and
Accountability for what the government or the public servant says and does
The early tidings of open government in India can be said to have begun with the landmark judgment of Justice P. N. Bhagawati of the Supreme Court of India in 1981, where, besides giving a general description of open government he stressed the need for increased disclosure in matters relating to public affairs. Noting that open government means ‘information available to the public with greater exposure of the functioning of government which would help assure the people a better and more efficient administration’ he went on to describe Open Government in India to be, “the new democratic culture of an open society towards which every liberal democracy is moving and our country (India) should be no exception.
@UPSC_18
@UPSC_2018
Openness through transparency becomes a means to greater civic participation in an enabled environment, where there is effective free flow of information both ways, to see through the working of the government; and to verify whether or not public servants are meeting their obligations to expectations of citizens.
All the four components of accountability i.e. answerability, sanction, redress, and system improvement need information to account for unacceptable conduct, decisions, and actions. The gaps in conventional supply side accountability have led to the emergence of demand side accountability. “Social Accountability is the institutionalization of durable societal control over policies and their implementation. Civil society is progressively showing tremendous potential to participate directly in institutions of horizontal accountability.
This can extend to all faces of development process, viz., planning (people’s planning), programming, budgeting (budget analysis, participatory budgeting), release of funds (publication of funds released, public expenditure review), award of contracts (procurement watch, integrity pact), and monitoring of contracts (independent quality inspection). Post planning, this may extend to implementation (hospital advisory, management committees, community forest management), progress of implementation (corruption watch) and evaluation (citizen report card, community scorecards) and audit (public hearing, participatory audit, citizen audit request, monitoring of audit compliance, general law on social audit)”. Open government can thus be said to have three components viz.
Right to information
Civic engagement in the processes of governance, and
Accountability for what the government or the public servant says and does
The early tidings of open government in India can be said to have begun with the landmark judgment of Justice P. N. Bhagawati of the Supreme Court of India in 1981, where, besides giving a general description of open government he stressed the need for increased disclosure in matters relating to public affairs. Noting that open government means ‘information available to the public with greater exposure of the functioning of government which would help assure the people a better and more efficient administration’ he went on to describe Open Government in India to be, “the new democratic culture of an open society towards which every liberal democracy is moving and our country (India) should be no exception.
What is tear Gas?
The most commonly used tear gas contains the chemical agent 2- chloro benzaldene malononitrile (CS). Despite its name, tear gas is not a gas, but an aerosol. CS is solid at room temperature and mixed with liquid orgas dispersal agents when used as a weapon designed to activate pain-sensing nerves.
What is Kepler Space craft?
Kepler is a space observatory launched by NASA to discover Earth-size planets orbiting other stars. Named after astronomer Johannes Kepler, the spacecraft was launched on March 7, 2009, into an Earth-trailing heliocentric orbit. The number of known alien planets has just gone up by more than 60 percent. NASA's Kepler space telescope has discovered 1,284 new exoplanets, including nine rocky worlds that might be capable of supporting life as we know it, astronomers announced on 10 May,2016.
The most commonly used tear gas contains the chemical agent 2- chloro benzaldene malononitrile (CS). Despite its name, tear gas is not a gas, but an aerosol. CS is solid at room temperature and mixed with liquid orgas dispersal agents when used as a weapon designed to activate pain-sensing nerves.
What is Kepler Space craft?
Kepler is a space observatory launched by NASA to discover Earth-size planets orbiting other stars. Named after astronomer Johannes Kepler, the spacecraft was launched on March 7, 2009, into an Earth-trailing heliocentric orbit. The number of known alien planets has just gone up by more than 60 percent. NASA's Kepler space telescope has discovered 1,284 new exoplanets, including nine rocky worlds that might be capable of supporting life as we know it, astronomers announced on 10 May,2016.
Important Books & Authors List for 2017
1.1991: How P.V. Narasimha Rao Made History - Sanjaya Baru
2.A Horse Walks into a Bar - David Grossman
3.A Life in Diplomacy - Maharajakrishna Rasgotra
4.A Life in Science - CNR Rao
5.Ace against Odds - Imran Mirza, Sania Mirza, and Shivani Gupta
6.Advice and Dissent: My Life in Public Service - Y. V. Reddy
7.Akhada: The Authorized Biography of Mahavir Singh Phogat - Saurabh Duggal
8.An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India - Shashi Tharoor
9.An Unsuitable Boy - Karan Johar
10.Choices: Inside the Making of India S Foreign Policy - Shivshankar Menon
11.Choked - Pallavi Aiyar
12.Collective Choice and Social Welfare- Amartya Sen
13.Conflicts of Interest: My Journey through India's Green Movement - Sunita Narain
14.Courage & Commitment: An Autobiography - Margaret Alva
15.Defeat Is an Orphan: How Pakistan Lost the Great South Asian War - Myra Macdonald
16.Democrats and Dissenters - Ramachandra Guha
17.Demonetisation And Black Money - C. Ram Manohar Reddy
18.Driven: The Virat Kohli Story - Vijay Lokapally
19.Family Life - Akhil Sharma
20.Feroze Gandhi: The Forgotten Gandhi - Bertil Falk
21.Half - Lion: How P.V Narasimha Rao Transformed India - Vinay Sitapati
22.Himalaya: Adventures, Meditations, Life - Ruskin Bond
23.I Do What I DO - Raghuram Rajan
24.India's Broken Tryst - Tavleen SinghIndira
25.Gandhi: A Life in Nature - Jairam Ramesh
26.Kohinoor: The Story of the World's Most Infamous Diamond - Anita Anand and William Dalrymple
27.Matoshree - Sumitra Mahajan
28.Michael Clarke: My Story - Michael Clarke
29.Mr and Mrs Jinnah: The Marriage that Shook India - Sheela Reddy
30.Old History, New Geography: Bifurcating Andhra Pradesh - Jairam Ramesh
31.On My Terms: From the Grassroots to the Corridors of Power - Sharad
PawarSelection Day - Aravind Adiga
32.Speaking: The Modi Way - Virender Kapoor
33.Standing on an Apple Box: The Story of a Girl Among the Stars - Aishwarya R. Dhanush
34.The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable - Amitav Ghosh
35.The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad - Twinkle Khanna
36.The Ministry of Utmost Happiness - Arundhati Roy
37.The People's President: Dr A P J Abdul Kalam - S M Khan
38.The Sellout - Paul Beatty
39.The Serpent's Revenge - Sudha Murty
40.Things to Leave Behind - Namita Gokhale
41.What You Can Learn From Military Principles - Virender Kapoor
42.Who Moved My Interest Rate ? - Duvvuri Subbarao
1.1991: How P.V. Narasimha Rao Made History - Sanjaya Baru
2.A Horse Walks into a Bar - David Grossman
3.A Life in Diplomacy - Maharajakrishna Rasgotra
4.A Life in Science - CNR Rao
5.Ace against Odds - Imran Mirza, Sania Mirza, and Shivani Gupta
6.Advice and Dissent: My Life in Public Service - Y. V. Reddy
7.Akhada: The Authorized Biography of Mahavir Singh Phogat - Saurabh Duggal
8.An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India - Shashi Tharoor
9.An Unsuitable Boy - Karan Johar
10.Choices: Inside the Making of India S Foreign Policy - Shivshankar Menon
11.Choked - Pallavi Aiyar
12.Collective Choice and Social Welfare- Amartya Sen
13.Conflicts of Interest: My Journey through India's Green Movement - Sunita Narain
14.Courage & Commitment: An Autobiography - Margaret Alva
15.Defeat Is an Orphan: How Pakistan Lost the Great South Asian War - Myra Macdonald
16.Democrats and Dissenters - Ramachandra Guha
17.Demonetisation And Black Money - C. Ram Manohar Reddy
18.Driven: The Virat Kohli Story - Vijay Lokapally
19.Family Life - Akhil Sharma
20.Feroze Gandhi: The Forgotten Gandhi - Bertil Falk
21.Half - Lion: How P.V Narasimha Rao Transformed India - Vinay Sitapati
22.Himalaya: Adventures, Meditations, Life - Ruskin Bond
23.I Do What I DO - Raghuram Rajan
24.India's Broken Tryst - Tavleen SinghIndira
25.Gandhi: A Life in Nature - Jairam Ramesh
26.Kohinoor: The Story of the World's Most Infamous Diamond - Anita Anand and William Dalrymple
27.Matoshree - Sumitra Mahajan
28.Michael Clarke: My Story - Michael Clarke
29.Mr and Mrs Jinnah: The Marriage that Shook India - Sheela Reddy
30.Old History, New Geography: Bifurcating Andhra Pradesh - Jairam Ramesh
31.On My Terms: From the Grassroots to the Corridors of Power - Sharad
PawarSelection Day - Aravind Adiga
32.Speaking: The Modi Way - Virender Kapoor
33.Standing on an Apple Box: The Story of a Girl Among the Stars - Aishwarya R. Dhanush
34.The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable - Amitav Ghosh
35.The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad - Twinkle Khanna
36.The Ministry of Utmost Happiness - Arundhati Roy
37.The People's President: Dr A P J Abdul Kalam - S M Khan
38.The Sellout - Paul Beatty
39.The Serpent's Revenge - Sudha Murty
40.Things to Leave Behind - Namita Gokhale
41.What You Can Learn From Military Principles - Virender Kapoor
42.Who Moved My Interest Rate ? - Duvvuri Subbarao
👍1
What is "What3Words" or Three word addressing system?
What3Words is a service that divides the globe into something like 3 trillion 3 meter by 3 meter squares, and gives each of those squares a natural-language, three-word moniker, e.g., "apple bicycle road".
Let's say, for example, that you wanted to find the three word address for the crooks who reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC USA. Here it is: strong.pitch.volunteered . The three word address is "strong.pitch.volunteered". If you're from, say, Tokyo, and you're not familiar with American addressing systems, those three words make more sense to you than does "1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC USA." This three word addressing system becomes even more useful if you're trying to identify a precise area of an "unaddressed" area such as in the middle of the Amazon, or Borneo, or interior Antarctica, etc.
What3Words is a service that divides the globe into something like 3 trillion 3 meter by 3 meter squares, and gives each of those squares a natural-language, three-word moniker, e.g., "apple bicycle road".
Let's say, for example, that you wanted to find the three word address for the crooks who reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC USA. Here it is: strong.pitch.volunteered . The three word address is "strong.pitch.volunteered". If you're from, say, Tokyo, and you're not familiar with American addressing systems, those three words make more sense to you than does "1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC USA." This three word addressing system becomes even more useful if you're trying to identify a precise area of an "unaddressed" area such as in the middle of the Amazon, or Borneo, or interior Antarctica, etc.
Economic Times
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Business Standard
Ø GST mop up for August dips to Rs 90,669 crore
Ø IDFC and Shriram to redraw new merger formula
Ø 'Indian telecom undergoing tech disruption phase'
Ø NCLT to hear Ericsson-RCom insolvency plea on Oct 6
Ø Facebook to localise user data or be blocked: Russia
Ø NeSL to be the first IU under the new recovery law
Ø Reliance Infra to raise stake in Reliance Naval
Ø Sebi stiffens rule on unauthorised trades
Ø Govt considers fund to help exporters under GST regime
Ø TN to procure 1500 MW of solar power at Rs 3.47 per unit
Ø ICICI Lombard to make market debut today
Ø Sebi to allow mutual funds, PMS to participate in commodity futures market
Ø ArcelorMittal's focus on other assets may hit $1-bn JV with SAIL
Business Line
Mint
Ø SEBI allows guarseed options on NCDEX
Ø Parliamentarians, experts for early passage of Motor Bill
Ø UP sugar mills demand status quo on cane prices
Ø JM Baxi Group opens India’s first ICD-based cold store in Haryana
Ø Godrej Agrovet eyes raising ₹1,160 cr via IPO
Ø ‘RCom has backup plans in place for the delayed Sistema merger’
Ø GE warns India about risks to altering $2.5 billion diesel locomotives deal
Ø Dabur ties up with Amazon to boost global sales
Ø Shell companies: Disqualified directors under banks’ scrutiny
Ø Lloyds Bank to transfer 1,000 staff to TCS subsidiary
Ø Hong Kong, Malaysia looking better as India slows: ADB
Ø Technology billionaires lose $16 billion as sector stocks sink
Financial Express
Financial Chronicle
Ø Rupee closes at 65.45; weakest in 6 months
Ø India raises market access, barriers issue with Indonesia
Ø Airtel deploys 5G capable tech; promises faster data speeds
Ø Anil Ambani says telecom sector in ICCU, warns of monopoly
Ø Letters from a whistle-blower to SEBI on NSE rot
Ø Tech, infra upgradation vital for agri-business
Ø Rising oil prices to further hurt bleeding economy
Ø RJio foots chunk of bill for cut-price phone, bets on data
Ø ADB lowers India growth outlook
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Business Standard
Ø GST mop up for August dips to Rs 90,669 crore
Ø IDFC and Shriram to redraw new merger formula
Ø 'Indian telecom undergoing tech disruption phase'
Ø NCLT to hear Ericsson-RCom insolvency plea on Oct 6
Ø Facebook to localise user data or be blocked: Russia
Ø NeSL to be the first IU under the new recovery law
Ø Reliance Infra to raise stake in Reliance Naval
Ø Sebi stiffens rule on unauthorised trades
Ø Govt considers fund to help exporters under GST regime
Ø TN to procure 1500 MW of solar power at Rs 3.47 per unit
Ø ICICI Lombard to make market debut today
Ø Sebi to allow mutual funds, PMS to participate in commodity futures market
Ø ArcelorMittal's focus on other assets may hit $1-bn JV with SAIL
Business Line
Mint
Ø SEBI allows guarseed options on NCDEX
Ø Parliamentarians, experts for early passage of Motor Bill
Ø UP sugar mills demand status quo on cane prices
Ø JM Baxi Group opens India’s first ICD-based cold store in Haryana
Ø Godrej Agrovet eyes raising ₹1,160 cr via IPO
Ø ‘RCom has backup plans in place for the delayed Sistema merger’
Ø GE warns India about risks to altering $2.5 billion diesel locomotives deal
Ø Dabur ties up with Amazon to boost global sales
Ø Shell companies: Disqualified directors under banks’ scrutiny
Ø Lloyds Bank to transfer 1,000 staff to TCS subsidiary
Ø Hong Kong, Malaysia looking better as India slows: ADB
Ø Technology billionaires lose $16 billion as sector stocks sink
Financial Express
Financial Chronicle
Ø Rupee closes at 65.45; weakest in 6 months
Ø India raises market access, barriers issue with Indonesia
Ø Airtel deploys 5G capable tech; promises faster data speeds
Ø Anil Ambani says telecom sector in ICCU, warns of monopoly
Ø Letters from a whistle-blower to SEBI on NSE rot
Ø Tech, infra upgradation vital for agri-business
Ø Rising oil prices to further hurt bleeding economy
Ø RJio foots chunk of bill for cut-price phone, bets on data
Ø ADB lowers India growth outlook
#copy
Questions for prelims
@UPSC_18
Milk fever in cows occurs due to the lack of
(a) Phosphates
(b) Calcium
(c) Iron
(d) iodine
After hatching by the hen, the young chicks come out of eggs within
(a) One week
(b) Two weeks
(c) Three weeks
(d) Four weeks
Which one of the following is a fast growing tree ?
(a) Teak
(b) Eucalyptus
(c) Banyan
(d) Coconut
Decrease in white blood cells results in
(a) Decrease in Antibodies
(b) Increase in Antigens
(c) Increase in Antibodies
(d) No change
In India people suffer from Anaemia due to lack of
(a) Iron
(b) Iodine
(c) Calcium
(d) Potassium
Reserprine derived from the plant ‘Serpentina’ is used to
(a) Alleviate pains
(b) Alleviate high blood pressure
(c) Alleviate low blood pressure
(d) Cure rickets
In India it is found recently that incidence of Malaria is increasing because
(a) The mosquitoes have become DDT resistant
(b) Of poverty in villages
(c) Of poor sanitary conditions
(d) On account of increase in population it has become impossible to maintain cleanliness everywhere
Less dew is formed on cloudy nights because
(a) Clouds absorb the falling dew
(b) Clouds scatter moisture
(c) In cloudy nights the radiation takes place very slowly
(d) In cloudy nights the radiation takes place very quickly
Feeding of milk cattle with cotton seeds
(a) Increases fat content temporarily
(b) Decreases fat content temporarily
(c) May decrease or increase fat content
(d) Causes no change in fat content
Mouth and foot diseases in cattle are caused due to
(a) Bacteria
(b) Virus
(c) Fungi
(d) Penicillium
A body partially floats in wafer when
(a) The volume of the displaced liquid is equal to the volume of the body
(b) The volume of the displaced liquid is greater than the volume of the body
(c) The weight of the displaced water is equal to the weight of the body
(d) The weight of the displaced water is greater than the weight of the body
Permanent hardness of water cannot be removed by
(a) Boiling
(b) Adding caustic soda
(c) Distillation
(d) Adding soda
In summer, man with excess perspiration feels weak, because of the
(a) Loss of more water through evaporation
(b) Loss of salts through evaporation
(c) Loss of carbohydrates through evaporation
(d) All factors mentioned above
The two branches of a plant give two different fruits : tomatoes and brinjals. This can be explained
(a) By hybridisation
(b) By grafting one with the other
(c) By nature’s freak
(d) By (a) or (c) mentioned above
Questions for prelims
@UPSC_18
Milk fever in cows occurs due to the lack of
(a) Phosphates
(b) Calcium
(c) Iron
(d) iodine
After hatching by the hen, the young chicks come out of eggs within
(a) One week
(b) Two weeks
(c) Three weeks
(d) Four weeks
Which one of the following is a fast growing tree ?
(a) Teak
(b) Eucalyptus
(c) Banyan
(d) Coconut
Decrease in white blood cells results in
(a) Decrease in Antibodies
(b) Increase in Antigens
(c) Increase in Antibodies
(d) No change
In India people suffer from Anaemia due to lack of
(a) Iron
(b) Iodine
(c) Calcium
(d) Potassium
Reserprine derived from the plant ‘Serpentina’ is used to
(a) Alleviate pains
(b) Alleviate high blood pressure
(c) Alleviate low blood pressure
(d) Cure rickets
In India it is found recently that incidence of Malaria is increasing because
(a) The mosquitoes have become DDT resistant
(b) Of poverty in villages
(c) Of poor sanitary conditions
(d) On account of increase in population it has become impossible to maintain cleanliness everywhere
Less dew is formed on cloudy nights because
(a) Clouds absorb the falling dew
(b) Clouds scatter moisture
(c) In cloudy nights the radiation takes place very slowly
(d) In cloudy nights the radiation takes place very quickly
Feeding of milk cattle with cotton seeds
(a) Increases fat content temporarily
(b) Decreases fat content temporarily
(c) May decrease or increase fat content
(d) Causes no change in fat content
Mouth and foot diseases in cattle are caused due to
(a) Bacteria
(b) Virus
(c) Fungi
(d) Penicillium
A body partially floats in wafer when
(a) The volume of the displaced liquid is equal to the volume of the body
(b) The volume of the displaced liquid is greater than the volume of the body
(c) The weight of the displaced water is equal to the weight of the body
(d) The weight of the displaced water is greater than the weight of the body
Permanent hardness of water cannot be removed by
(a) Boiling
(b) Adding caustic soda
(c) Distillation
(d) Adding soda
In summer, man with excess perspiration feels weak, because of the
(a) Loss of more water through evaporation
(b) Loss of salts through evaporation
(c) Loss of carbohydrates through evaporation
(d) All factors mentioned above
The two branches of a plant give two different fruits : tomatoes and brinjals. This can be explained
(a) By hybridisation
(b) By grafting one with the other
(c) By nature’s freak
(d) By (a) or (c) mentioned above
What is the definition of the Berlin Wall? Why did the Berlin wall Fall?
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Berlin wall , A wall that separated West Berlin, Germany, from East Germany, which surrounded it until 1989. At the end of World War II, the victorious Allies divided Berlin, the German capital, into four sectors. The eastern, or Russian, sector became the capital of communist East Germany.
The Fall of the Wall. On November 9, 1989, as the Cold War began to thaw across Eastern Europe, the spokesman for East Berlin's Communist Party announced a change in his city's relations with the West. Starting at midnight that day, he said, citizens of the GDR were free to cross the country's borders.
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Berlin wall , A wall that separated West Berlin, Germany, from East Germany, which surrounded it until 1989. At the end of World War II, the victorious Allies divided Berlin, the German capital, into four sectors. The eastern, or Russian, sector became the capital of communist East Germany.
The Fall of the Wall. On November 9, 1989, as the Cold War began to thaw across Eastern Europe, the spokesman for East Berlin's Communist Party announced a change in his city's relations with the West. Starting at midnight that day, he said, citizens of the GDR were free to cross the country's borders.
Question : The prismatic model of Riggs is equally applicable to developing as well as developed society. Comment . (10 Marks/150 Words)
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Model Answer:
Fred Riggs defined prismatic model of society as intermediary between fused society and diffracted society .It Identified with attainment of values, selectivism in societal interaction and polyfunctionalism. Its Important characteristics are heterogeneity i.e coexistence of opposite views and institutions, formalism- difference between prescribed values and functions and effective values and functions, overlapping -coexistence of formally differentiated structure of diffracted types with undifferentiated structures of fused type.
Both developed and developing societies exhibit these traits depending upon the extent of integration and differentiation characterizing development as per Riggs. Developing society has considerable differentiation but less integration. Developed society has great differentiation and integration. Both societies experience continuous change towards achievement of values, universalism and speciality in various domains, hence can be analysed by prismatic model.
However, Riggs considered America a developed society as ideal and diffracted and developing societies as prismatic and turbulent. Application of negative formalism can be observed in Riggsian Prismatic Model which is not in tandem with reality as per administrative scholars.
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@UPSC_2018
Model Answer:
Fred Riggs defined prismatic model of society as intermediary between fused society and diffracted society .It Identified with attainment of values, selectivism in societal interaction and polyfunctionalism. Its Important characteristics are heterogeneity i.e coexistence of opposite views and institutions, formalism- difference between prescribed values and functions and effective values and functions, overlapping -coexistence of formally differentiated structure of diffracted types with undifferentiated structures of fused type.
Both developed and developing societies exhibit these traits depending upon the extent of integration and differentiation characterizing development as per Riggs. Developing society has considerable differentiation but less integration. Developed society has great differentiation and integration. Both societies experience continuous change towards achievement of values, universalism and speciality in various domains, hence can be analysed by prismatic model.
However, Riggs considered America a developed society as ideal and diffracted and developing societies as prismatic and turbulent. Application of negative formalism can be observed in Riggsian Prismatic Model which is not in tandem with reality as per administrative scholars.
GST council mein major decisions taken today :
1. Cloth pe tax reduced to 5% from 12%.
2. 60 items tax reduced to 5% from 12%.
3. Restaurant Tax reduced to 12% from 18% GST.
4. Return to be filed once in quarter not monthly basis.
5. Other details to be shared shortly
1. Cloth pe tax reduced to 5% from 12%.
2. 60 items tax reduced to 5% from 12%.
3. Restaurant Tax reduced to 12% from 18% GST.
4. Return to be filed once in quarter not monthly basis.
5. Other details to be shared shortly
Question : Development administration is characterised by its purposes, loyalties and attitudes. Explain (10 Marks/150 Words)
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Model Answer :
Development administration highlights the changing role of bureaucracy existing in a dynamic environment which aims at fostering socio-economic transformation. The distinctive characteristic of development administration is its central concern with socio-economic change. It is this special orientation which distinguish it from regulatory or traditional administration which is basically concerned with maintenance of status quo. Development administration has to be result oriented since the changes have to be brought rapidly and within a specified time schedule. Bureaucracy is expected to be committed and loyal to the jobs they are called upon to perform. However bureaucracy is known for red-tapism and formalism. Hence a change in bureaucratic behavior is a pre-requisite to meet the demands of dynamic situation. There is a need to change the hierarchical and rigid bureaucratic behavior to client oriented attitude. The needs of specific target group have to be catered to. The people have to be considered active participants . It is the close relation between ‘public’ and ‘administration’ that is an essential attribute of development administration.
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@UPSC_2018
#KARPATHUIAS
Model Answer :
Development administration highlights the changing role of bureaucracy existing in a dynamic environment which aims at fostering socio-economic transformation. The distinctive characteristic of development administration is its central concern with socio-economic change. It is this special orientation which distinguish it from regulatory or traditional administration which is basically concerned with maintenance of status quo. Development administration has to be result oriented since the changes have to be brought rapidly and within a specified time schedule. Bureaucracy is expected to be committed and loyal to the jobs they are called upon to perform. However bureaucracy is known for red-tapism and formalism. Hence a change in bureaucratic behavior is a pre-requisite to meet the demands of dynamic situation. There is a need to change the hierarchical and rigid bureaucratic behavior to client oriented attitude. The needs of specific target group have to be catered to. The people have to be considered active participants . It is the close relation between ‘public’ and ‘administration’ that is an essential attribute of development administration.
@UPSC_2018
#KARPATHUIAS
Karnataka’s efforts in popularizing millets yield results
#https://karpathuias.blogspot.in
Karnataka’s efforts in popularising millets, which was the staple a couple of generations ago, appears to have yielded results if the indicators of a nationwide study by the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) to assess urban nutrition is anything to go by.
Karnataka is the third highest consumer of millet among 16 States studied, with Maharashtra and Gujarat occupying the first two slots. However, the picture is not very rosy in terms of consumption of other food items.
Except for intake of pulses and legumes and roots and tubers, where Karnataka’s consumption pattern matches with the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) recommended daily intake (RDI), it is far behind the RDI in terms of consumption of green leafy vegetables, milk and milk products and fats and oils.
For years millets were dismissed as the food of the poor. Now, that attitude is slowly shifting and one of the reasons for this is the growing urban demand for organic and nutritious food.
The demand is high in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka. It is the lowest in Bihar, Kerala and Assam.
Karnataka in also the only State to have included millets such as jowar and ragi in its Public Distribution System since July 2015 in accordance with recommendations in the National Food Security Act, 2013.
@UPSC_18
Indians consume far less than recommended nutritious food
A nation-wide study, carried out by the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) to assess urban nutrition, shows not only a great diversity in food consumption in 16 States in the country, but also that Indians consume far less than the recommended quantum of several micro-nutrients and vital vitamins.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported the highest intake of flesh foods, including meat and fish, while Odisha has the highest consumption of green leafy vegetables (GLV). On an average, while the recommended dietary intake of GLV is 40g/Cu/day, the consumption in the country is 24g/Cu/day.
Madhya Pradesh has the lowest intake of flesh foods, and Kerala consumes the least green leafy vegetables.
If Madhya Pradesh has a sweet tooth with the highest intake of sugar and jaggery, Odisha and Assam have the highest intake of salt. Rajasthan is high on the intake of fats and oils as well as milk and milk products.
The study, led by AvulaLaxmaiah, scientist (Director Grade) from the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), the country’s premier nutrition research institute, was released recently.
The researchers used the method of a 24-hour dietary recall to collect food and nutrient information from 1.72 lakh people in 16 States.
While the average intake of cereals and millets was found to be 320g/Cu/day, which is lower than the recommended dietary intake (RDI), the intake of pulses and legumes was about 42g/Cu/day.
This is on par with the suggested level of the Indian Council of Medical Research, said Dr. Laxmaiah.
#KARPATHUIAS
Karnataka’s efforts in popularizing millets yield results
#https://karpathuias.blogspot.in
Karnataka’s efforts in popularising millets, which was the staple a couple of generations ago, appears to have yielded results if the indicators of a nationwide study by the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) to assess urban nutrition is anything to go by.
Karnataka is the third highest consumer of millet among 16 States studied, with Maharashtra and Gujarat occupying the first two slots. However, the picture is not very rosy in terms of consumption of other food items.
Except for intake of pulses and legumes and roots and tubers, where Karnataka’s consumption pattern matches with the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) recommended daily intake (RDI), it is far behind the RDI in terms of consumption of green leafy vegetables, milk and milk products and fats and oils.
For years millets were dismissed as the food of the poor. Now, that attitude is slowly shifting and one of the reasons for this is the growing urban demand for organic and nutritious food.
The demand is high in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka. It is the lowest in Bihar, Kerala and Assam.
Karnataka in also the only State to have included millets such as jowar and ragi in its Public Distribution System since July 2015 in accordance with recommendations in the National Food Security Act, 2013.
@UPSC_18
Indians consume far less than recommended nutritious food
A nation-wide study, carried out by the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) to assess urban nutrition, shows not only a great diversity in food consumption in 16 States in the country, but also that Indians consume far less than the recommended quantum of several micro-nutrients and vital vitamins.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported the highest intake of flesh foods, including meat and fish, while Odisha has the highest consumption of green leafy vegetables (GLV). On an average, while the recommended dietary intake of GLV is 40g/Cu/day, the consumption in the country is 24g/Cu/day.
Madhya Pradesh has the lowest intake of flesh foods, and Kerala consumes the least green leafy vegetables.
If Madhya Pradesh has a sweet tooth with the highest intake of sugar and jaggery, Odisha and Assam have the highest intake of salt. Rajasthan is high on the intake of fats and oils as well as milk and milk products.
The study, led by AvulaLaxmaiah, scientist (Director Grade) from the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), the country’s premier nutrition research institute, was released recently.
The researchers used the method of a 24-hour dietary recall to collect food and nutrient information from 1.72 lakh people in 16 States.
While the average intake of cereals and millets was found to be 320g/Cu/day, which is lower than the recommended dietary intake (RDI), the intake of pulses and legumes was about 42g/Cu/day.
This is on par with the suggested level of the Indian Council of Medical Research, said Dr. Laxmaiah.