✨Indian Islands
=============
The major islands groups of India are Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago (A chain of islands similar in origin) in Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep islands in Arabian Sea.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands were formed due to collision between Indian Plate and Burma Minor Plate [part of Eurasian Plate][Similar to formation of Himalayas].
Andaman and Nicobar Islands are southward extension of Arakan Yoma range [Myanmar][Arakan Yoma in itself is an extension of Purvanchal Hills].
Lakshadweep Islands are coral islands . These islands are a part
Reunion Hotspot volcanism. [Both these concepts are explained in previous posts]
Other than these two groups there are islands in Indo-Gangetic Delta [they are more a part of delta than islands] and between India and Sri Lanka [Remnants of Adams Bridge; formed due to submergence].

✨Andaman and Nicobar Islands
==========================
This archipelago is composed of 265 big and small islands [203 Andaman islands + 62 Nicobar Islands][ Numbers are just for understanding. You need not remember trivial facts ].
The Andaman and Nicobar islands extend from 6° 45′ N to 13° 45′ N and from 92° 10′ E to 94° 15′ E for a distance of about 590 km.
The Andaman islands are divided into three main islands i.e. North, Middle and South.
Duncan passage separates Little Andaman from South Andaman.
The Great Andaman group of islands in the north is separated by the Ten Degree Channel from the Nicobar group in the south [ Prelims 2014 ].
Port Blair , the capital of Andaman Nicobar Islands lies in the South Andaman.
Among the Nicobar islands, the Great Nicobar is the largest. It is the southernmost island and is very close to Sumatra island of Indonesia. The
Car Nicobar is the northernmost.
Most of these islands are made of tertiary sandstone, limestone and shale resting on basic and ultrabasic volcanoes [Similar to Himalayas].
THE BARREN AND NARCONDAM ISLANDS , north of Port Blair, are
volcanic islands [these are the only active volcanoes in India][There are no active volcanoes in main land India] .
Some of the islands are fringed with
coral reefs. Many of them are covered with thick forests. Most of the islands are mountainous.
Saddle peak (737 m) in North Andaman is the highest peak.
#copy

What does the torch of statue of liberty represent?

The torch is a symbol of enlightenment. The Statue of Liberty's torch lights the way to freedom showing us the path to Liberty. Even the Statue's official name represents her most important symbol "Liberty Enlightening the World". The Statue's current replacement torch, added in 1986, is a copper flame covered in 24K gold. It is reflective of the sun's rays in daytime and lighted by 16 floodlights at night. The original torch was removed in 1984 and is currently inside the lobby of the monument.

18th August 2017

Economic Times

Ø  Quarterly headline inflation in first half to be between 2-3.5%: RBI
Ø  Govt mulls FDI norms easing in print media, construction, retail
Ø  Doubling of minimum wages to hit exports, jobs: AEPC
Ø  NPPA may lose power to fix drug prices in new policy
Ø  Govt extends GST return filing deadline to Aug 28
Ø  GTC puts land parcel on the block for third time

Business Standard

Ø  Economists expect GVA to grow higher at 6.3-6.5% in Q1FY18
Ø  After shell firms, govt looks to weed out defunct LLP firms
Ø  Mutual funds pip FIIs in net investments
Ø  Moody's upgrades Asia steel industry outlook to stable from negative
Ø  Tata Global to introduce ready-to-drink green tea
Ø  Grant Thornton: PE funding up 48% to $1.22 billion in July

Business Line

Ø  India hopes to shoot up in World Bank’s ‘ease of doing business’ ranking
Ø  Draft pharma policy dilutes powers of pricing regulator
Ø   Infra fund to start lending soon, close to finalising investments
Ø  Srei Infrastructure arm to hit capital markets to raise Rs. 1,800-2,000 crore
Ø   18 PSBs among top 20 banks with highest gross NPA ratios: CARE

 **Mint**

Ø  Taking aim at China, India tightens power grid, telecom rules
Ø  SBI planning IPOs of two regional rural banks in the next one year
Ø  South-west monsoon deficit could worsen farm distress
Ø  Govt unwilling to let PSU banks skip bond payments, says Fitch
Ø  Infosys board to consider first-ever share buyback on 19 August

Financial Express

Ø  Airtel to hold shareholders, creditors meet in September on Telenor merger deal
Ø  Two-thirds of power utilities bullish on digitisation: Survey
Ø  India sees over 15% growth in foreign tourist arrivals
Ø  DLF-GIC deal for 40 pct stake in DLF rental arm enters final lap
Ø  Crackdown on shell companies: Sebi to take stock next month

Financial Chronicle

Ø  Incomplete drought recovery may be the new normal
Ø  Revenue dept's probes source of data on black money: Jaitley
Ø  Insurance cos lead primary market offering

What is the new Metro Policy?

The new Metro Rail Policy which was approved by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday lays down norms and guidelines for development of Metro Rail projects and conditions for approvals and aids to be provided by Centre for these projects.

The Union Cabinet approved the new Metro Rail Policy on Wednesday that focused on giving clarity on development of projects, collaborations, participation, standardising norms, financing and creating a procurement mechanism so that the projects can be implemented effectively.

According to the new policy, the Metro rail projects will be approved and aided by the Central government only if their is private participation and the projects ensures last-mile connectivity for commuters.

The policy allows respective states to formulate rules and regulations and it empowers them to establish permanent fare fixation authorities.

Further, the projects will now be cleared on the basis on economic internal rate of return of 14%. This is considered one of the widely followed best practices. It will alter the system that runs on the current financial internal rate of return of 8%.

The policy was proposed by the Union Ministry of Urban Development and provides models for states seeking to develop Metro projects with help by the Centre.

The three models are outlined in the policy:
–Public-Private Partnership with Central assistance. This will be part of the Union Finance Ministry’s viability gap funding scheme.
— Grant by Centre whereby 10% of Metro project cost will be provided by the Central government as lump sum amount.
— 50-50% Equity sharing model taken between the Centre and state.

All three models have a mandatory requirement of private participation.
Since Metro projects require huge capital, they were usually financed by the Centre and states with equity and grants. Some amount is usually raised by investment bodies like in the case of Delhi Metro, Japan International Cooperation Agency pooled in massive investment.

However, the new policy says that the states will now have to come up with innovative ways to raise funds through means like value capture finance tools. They will also have to issue corporate bonds for metro projects for enabling low-cost debt capital.

One of the key aspects of the policy is the last mile connectivity that lays down a catchment area of 5km. The feeder services will require a commitment from the government to be provided via feeders, walkways, pathways and para transport means.
In the last four years, the Centre has sanctioned at least Rs 30,653 crore to Metro projects across the country. A large portion of it, Rs 12,345 crore, was sanctioned to overseeing companies. The current fiscal allotment for Metro rail projects till the end of quarter ended June stands at Rs 17,960. However, in the same period, the expenditure has only been Rs 4,650 crore. The figures given out by the Union Ministry for Urban Development were of Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Hi aspirants
Mains DAF link is activated.
Fill your DAF ,
http://www.upsc.gov.in

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Mains Paper 2: Polity

NHRC is a hot topic these days. after comments from NHRC, it has become more important.

Notice by National Human Rights Commission
NHRC has issued a notice to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs
Why: over the planned deportation of about 40,000 Rohingya immigrants from Myanmar
NHRC has asked for a detailed report within four weeks, from the Ministry
Government’s Plan to deport Rohingya immigrants
The government is planning to deport the Rohingyas by setting up “detention centres”

NHRC
The Rights Commission (NHRC) of India is an autonomous public body constituted on 12 October 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights Ordinance of 28 September 1993
The NHRC is the National Human Rights Commission of India, responsible for the protection and promotion of human rights, defined by the Act as “rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the International Covenants”

Why more complaints in NHRC than FIRs?

Source: National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
There is unwillingness among the police to file an FIR against one of their own
Allegations of human rights violations by the police in India are investigated by the police themselves
Need: A body similar to the Independent Police Complaints Commission as in the United Kingdom or the Independent Police Investigative Directorate in South Africa
The NHRC’s investigative unit draws its members from the State police forces who are on deputation
The unit does not have the powers for active investigation- it cannot collect or preserve physical evidence itself but has to ask the local police for it.

Which national anthem don't have official lyrics ?

The Marcha Real (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmartʃa reˈal], "Royal March") is the national anthem of Spain. It is one of only four national anthems (along with those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and San Marino) in the world to have no official lyrics.

Science & Technology Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

Research on Space Weather is important. Because it is very crucial for the survival of the mankind.


Total Solar Eclipse
About 16% of the U.S. territory will witness a total eclipse
This eclipse has the special feature of lasting for so long over the mainland
Why are Scientists doing research on this Eclipse?
Scientists across the world are trying to use it to verify their theories on the Sun
This can help them model “space weather”
And predict solar storms that can affect the operation of satellites and even electric power grids on Earth
Indian Scientists are also interested in it
Indian Scientists at the Centre for Excellence in Space Sciences India (CESSI) in the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata, are also researching on this eclipse
Why CESSI is doing research: If their prediction is correct, their model of the Sun will be validated and they can then fine-tune it to make predictions of space weather

Total Solar Eclipse
Total solar eclipses occur when the New Moon comes between the Sun and Earth and casts the darkest part of its shadow, the umbra, on Earth. A full solar eclipse, known as totality, is almost as dark as night
During a total eclipse of the Sun, the Moon covers the entire disk of the Sun
In partial and annular solar eclipses, the Moon blocks only part of the Sun
Space Weather
Space weather refers to the environmental conditions in Earth’s magnetosphere, ionosphere and thermosphere due to the Sun and the solar wind that can influence the functioning and reliability of space borne and ground-based systems and services or endanger property or human health.

Mobilization of resources
Once you are done reading this op-ed, you will be able to attempt the below
“A national asset management agency of the kind South Korea and Malaysia have deployed in the past would be a pragmatic way of dealing with NPAs” Discuss

For Prelims: Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets, Strategic Debt Restructuring Scheme, Corporate Debt Restructuring Mechanism
For Mains: NPA problem and solution

RBI Financial Stability Report warned that the banking system’s gross bad loan ratio could rise to as high as 10.2% of the total loan book by March 2018 from 9.6% in March 2017.
Reason?
After global financial crisis, Indian banks pursued an aggressive lending strategy, without conducting adequate credit appraisal or post-disbursal monitoring
Solutions that have been attempted
SARFAESI Act
Corporate Debt Restructuring Mechanism
Strategic Debt Restructuring Scheme
Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets or S4A
But all these hardly helped ameliorate the bad loan situation
Pragmatic approach ?
Create a national asset management company (NAMC) along the lines of South Korea’s Kamco (Korea Asset Management Corp.) or Malaysia’s Danaharta
Kamco’s  Success
Following the Asian financial crisis, both Kamco and Danaharta played a crucial role in reducing the stressed assets
Besides being highly illiquid, the market for stressed assets had large information asymmetries—sellers possess more information about soured assets than the buyers.
This increases the bid-ask spread and damages the chances of market clearance.
Owing to the absence of information on comparables, the buyers end up paying higher prices for the assets.
This is where Kamco, aided price discovery in the illiquid market by stepping in as the first-mover.
Until mid-1999, Kamco appeared to pay higher prices than average for buying bad loans. Soon after, prices became more realistic, drawing interest from private players in the market for distressed loans. 
National asset management company (NAMC)
An NAMC would take over the NPAs corresponding to projects that are unviable in the short and medium term but may become viable in the longer term.
It would then help discover the right price of those assets by being the first-mover in the market
Another way NAMC could reduce market imperfections would be through leveraging the benefits of structured finance.
By pooling different non-performing assets (NPAs), dividing them into tranches according to their risk profiles, and then selling them to interested investors
NAMC could help generate liquidity in the market. This is because investors would be able to participate according to their risk preferences.
Way forward
Setting up an NPA transaction platform that would act as a central repository of data on stressed assets from participating banks .
This would further enhance liquidity by making transaction data standardized and transparent, allowing investors to take informed decisions.
Creation of an NAMC should come with a “sunset clause”. After a predefined period, when the company’s operations are no longer deemed necessary, it should be wound up or the government’s stake sold to private parties.
This would ensure that the company does not fall prey to the same disincentives and degenerate into a bad bank that engages in impetuous lending.

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200 Most Important one word Substitution for SSC CGL,CHSL,BANK 2017
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1. Audience – a number of people listening to a lecture
2. Altruist – one, who considers the happiness and well-being of others first
3. Atheist – a person who does not believe in God
4. Anthropologist – one, who studies the evolution of mankind
5. Autocracy – government by one person
6. Autobiography – the life history of a person written by himself
7. Amputate – to cut off a part of a person's body which is infected
8. Arsenal – a place for ammunition and weapons
9. Archives – a place where government or public records are kept
10. Amateur – a man who does a thing for pleasure and not as a profession
11. Aristocracy – government by the nobles
12. Aquatic – animals/plants ere which live in water
13. Amphibian – animals which live both on land and sea
14. Ambidexter – one, who can use either hand with ease
15. Alimony – allowance paid to wife on legal separation
16. Anthology – a collection of poems
17. Abdication – voluntary giving up of throne in favour of someone
18. Arbitrator – a person, appointed by two parties to solve a dispute
19. Astronomer – a person, who studies stars, planets and other heavenly bodies
20. Astrologer – a person who studies the influence of heavenly bodies on human beings
21. Anthology – a collection of poems
22. Axiom – a statement which is accepted as true without proof
23. Agenda – a list of headings of the business to be transacted at a meeting
24. Anarchist – one, who is out to destroy all governance, law and order
25. Almanac – an annual calender with positions of stars
26. Bigamy – the practice of having two wives or husbands at a time
27. Bibliophile – a lover and collector of books
28. Bouquet – a collection of flowers
29. Bureaucracy – government by the officials
30. Belligerent – a person, nation that is involved in war
31. Biennial – an event which happens once in two years
32. Blasphemy – the act of speaking disrespectfully about sacred things
33. Creche – a nursery where children are cared for while their parents are at work
34. Cosmopolitan – a person who regards whole world as his country
35. Chauffeur – one, who is employed to drive a motor car
36. Curator – a person incharge of a museum
37. Carnivorous – one, who lives on flesh
38. Cannibal – one, who feeds on human flesh
39. Contemporaries – belonging to or living at the same time
40. Cloak room – a place for luggage at railway station
41. Cynosure – centre of attraction
42. Connoisseur – a critical judge of any art and craft
43. Crusade – a religious war
44. Choreographer – one, who teaches dancing
45. Cacographist – a person, who is bad in spellings
46. Calligraphist – a person, who writes beautiful handwriting
47. Cynic – one, who sneers at the aims and beliefs of his fellow men
48. Convalescent – one, who is recovering health
49. Cavalry – soldiers, who fight on horse back
50. Cardiologist – a person, who is specialist in heart diseases
51. Cartographer – one, who draws maps
52. Dormitory – the sleeping rooms with several beds especially in a college or institution
53. Drawn – a game that results neither in victory nor in defeat
54. Elegy – a poem of lamentation
55. Epitaph – words which are inscribed on the grave or the tomb in the memory of the buried
56. Ephemeral – lasting one day
57. Effeminate – a person who is womanish
58. Emigrant – a person who leaves his own country and goes to live in another
59. Edible – fit to be eaten
60. Egotism – practice of talking too much about oneself
61. Encyclopaedia – a book that contains information on various subjects
62. Epicure – one, who is devoted to the pleasure of eating and drinking
63. Florist – one, who deals-in flowers
64. Fastidious – one, who is very -selective in one's taste
65. Fanatic or Bigot – one, who is filled with excessive and mistaken enthusiasm in religious matters
66. Fatal – causing death
67. Fatalist – one, who believes in fate
68. Facsimile – an exact copy of handwriting,
68. Facsimile – an exact copy of handwriting

, printing etc
69. Fauna – the ani

mals of a certain region
70. Flora – the plants of a particular region
71. Fratricide – murder of brother
72. Fugitive – one, who runs away from justice or the law
73. Fragile – easily broken
74. Feminist – one, who works for the welfare of the women
75. Granary – a place for grains
76. Genocide – murder of race
77. Gregarious – animals which live in flocks
78. Hangar – a place for housing aeroplanes
79. Hive – a place for bees
80. Horticulture – the art of cultivating and managing gardens
81. Homicide – murder of man
82. Hearse – a vehicle which is used to carry a dead body
83. Hedonist – one, who believes that pleasure is the chief good (sensual)
84. Horizon – a line at which the earth and the sky seem to meet
85. Honorary – holding office without any remuneration
86. Heretic – one, who acts against religion
87. Herbivorous – one, who lives on herbs
88. Insolvent/Bankrupt – a person who is unable to pay his debts
89. Inaudible – a sound that cannot be heard
90. Inaccessible – that cannot be easily approached
91. Incorrigible – incapable of being corrected
92. Irreparable – incapable of being repaired
93. Illegible – incapable of being read
94. Inevitable – incapable of being avoided
95. Impracticable – incapable of being practised
96. Immigrant – a person who comes to one country from another in order to settle there
97. Invincible – one, too strong to be overcome
98. Indelible – that cannot be erased
99. Incognito – travelling under another name than one's own
100. Indefatigable – one, who does not tire easily
101. Infallible – one, who is free from all mistakes and failures
102. Invigilator – one, who supervises in the examination hall
103. Itinerant – one, who journeys from place to place
104. Infirmary – a home or room used for ill or injured people
105. Infanticide – murder of an infant
106. Infantry – soldiers, who fight on foot
107. Inflammable – liable to catch fire easily
108. Interregnum – a period of interval between two reigns or governments
109. Kennel – a place for dogs
110. Lunatic asylum – a home for lunatics
111. Lexicographer – one, who compiles a dictionary
112. Loquacious – one, who talks continuously
113. Linguist – one, who is skilled in foreign languages
114. Lapidist – one, who cuts precious stones
115. Misanthrope – a hater of mankind
116. Misogamist – one, who hates marriage
117. Mortuary – a place, where dead bodies are kept for post mortem
118. Mercenery – working only for the sake of money
119. Matricide – murder of mother
120. Martyr – one, who dies for a noble cause
121. Maiden speech – the first speech delivered by a person
122. Mint – a place where coins are made
123. Misogynist – a hater of womankind
124. Morgue – a place, where dead bodies are kept for identification
125. Mammals – animals which give milk
126. Monogamy – the practice of marrying one at a time
127. Missionary – a person, who is sent to propagate religion
128. Numismatics – the study of coins
129. Namesake – a person having same name as another
130. Nostalgia – a strong desire to return home, home sickness
131. Novice or Tyro – one, new to anything, inexperienced
132. Narcotic – a medicine for producing sleep
133. Optimist – a person who looks at the brighter side of things
134. Orphan – one, who has lost parents
135. Omnipresent – one, who is present everywhere
136. Omnipotent – one, who is all powerful
137. Omniscient – one, who knows everything
138. Opaque – that which cannot be seen through
139. Obituary – an account in the newspaper of the funeral of the one deceased
140. Orphanage – a home for orphans
141. Obstetrician – one, who is skilled in midwifery
142. Ostler – one, who looks after horses at an inn
143. Omnivorous – one, who eats everything
144. Pessimist – a person who looks at the darker side of things
145. Potable – fit to drink
146. Post mortem – an examination of dead body
147. Philanthropist – a lover of mankind
148. Patricide8. Patricide – murder of father 149. Philatelist – one, who collects stamps
150. Plagiarism – literary theft or passing off an author's origina

l work as one's own
151. Polygamy –

the practice of marrying more than one wife at a time
152. Polyandry – the practice of marrying more than one husband at a time
153. Philogynist – a lover of womankind
154. Plebiscite – (a decision made by) votes of all qualified citizens
155. Philanderer – one, who amuses himself by love making
156. Philistine – one who does not care for art and literature
157. Plutocracy – government by the rich
158. Pseudonym – an imaginary name assumed by an author for disguise
159. Posthumous – a child born after the death of his father or the book published after the death of the writer
160. Panacea – a remedy for all diseases
161. Paediatrician – a person, who is specialist in child diseases
162. Platitude – ordinary remarks often repeated
163. Pedant – one, who makes a vain display of his knowledge
164. Polyglot – one, who speaks many languages
165. Paleography – the study of ancient writing
166. Posse – a number of policemen called to quell a riot
167. Parole – pledge given by a prisoner for temporary release, not to escape
168. Pedestrian – one, who goes on foot
169. Portable – that can be carried easily
170. Quarantine – an act of separation from other persons to avoid infection
171. Rhetoric – the art of elegant speech or writing
172. Regicide – murder of King or Queen
173. Sacrilege – violating or profaning religious things/places
174. Sculptor – one, who cuts in stones
175. Suicide – murder of oneself
176. Stable – a place for horses
177. Somnambulist – a person, who walks in sleep
178. Somniloquist – a person, who talks in sleep
179. Souvenir – a thing kept as a reminder of a person, place or event
180. Swan song – the last work (literary) of a writer
181. Sot, Toper – one, who is a habitual drunkard
182. Sinecure – a job with high salary but little responsibility
183. Stoic – a person, who is indifferent to pleasure and pain and has control over his passions
184. Sanatorium – a place for the sick to recover health
185. Sororicide – murder of sister
186. Triennial – an event which happens once in three years
187. Truant – a person/student who absents himself from class or duty without permission
188. Teetotaller – one, who does not take any intoxicating drink
189. Transparent – that which can be seen through
190. Theocracy – government by religious principles
191. Uxorious – one extremely fond of one's wife
192. Utopia – an imaginary perfect social and political system
193. Uxoricide – murder of wife
194. Verbatim – repetition of speech or writing word for word
195. Volunteer – one, who offers one's services
196. Virgin – a woman who has no sexual experience
197. Versatile – interested in and clever at many different things
198. Veteran – one, who has a long experience of any occupation
199. Venial – a fault that may be forgiven
200. Wardrobe – a place for clothes
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What is the "Tunguska Event" ?

One of the biggest explosions in history, the Tunguska Event occurred on June 30, 1908 in Siberia. The blast leveled approximately 770 square miles of forest, and supposedly left a glow in the night skies for the next three days, according to an issue of Nature from that time. The cause of the explosion, however, has yet to be fully explained. However, of the possible causes, the leading answer is an asteroid burst, similar to the Chelyabinsk meteor in 2013.

What is the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?

From about the 7th century C.E., the process of burial was firmly in the hands of the Church (the Christian organization), and burying the dead was only allowed on the lands near a church (now referring to the building), the so-called churchyard. The part of the churchyard used for burial was called graveyard.

As the population of Europe started to grow, the capacity of graveyards was no longer sufficient (the population of modern Europe is almost 40 times higher than it was in the 7th century). By the end of the 18th century, the unsustainability of church burials became apparent, and completely new places for burying people, independent of graveyards, appeared—and these were called cemeteries.