CIVIL SERVICES ACHIEVERS' POINT, GUWAHATI

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE ANALYSIS

Date – 5 and 6 oct 2020

(For Preliminary and Mains Examination) As per New Pattern of APSC

(Also useful for UPSC and other State Level Government Examinations)

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ANSWERS to MCQs of 03-10-2020

1. (c) Assam witch-hunting (prohibition, prevention and protection) Act, 2015 2. (b) 1 and 2 only 3. (c) 1, 2 and 3 4. (b) , Japan, Australia, USA 5. (b) 2 only

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MCQs of 06-10-2020

1. Amnesty International is an organisation 2. A Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) named ICGS Kanaklata Barua associated with which of the following fields? was commissioned in the Indian Coast Guard recently. In this context consider the following statements (a) Protection of Cruelty to animals (1) It is the fifth and last in a series of FPVs built by Garden (b) Environment protection Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd. (c) Protection of human rights (2) One of the youngest martyrs of the Quit India (d) Protection of historic monuments Movement, Kanaklata Barua, then 17, led the Mukti Bahini, a procession of freedom fighters to unfurl the Tricolour at Gohpur police station on September 20, 1942. (3) This is the first time a coast guard ship is named after her. Choose the correct statement/s a) 2 only b) 3 only c) 1 and 2 only d) 2 and 3 only

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3. who is the first barrister of Assam? 4. . Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan economic (a) Haliram Deka package is how much equivalent to India’s (b) Pranab kumar Barooah GDP? (c) Anundoram Barooah (d) Parul Das (a) 7% (b) 8% (c) 9% (d)10%

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5. Which of the following is/are true regarding Eco- Sensitive Zone?

(1) The zone limits are set on case by case basis and there is no standard specified limit to it. (2) All activities are banned in the eco-sensitive zone.

(a) Only 1 (b) Only 2 (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

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CONTENTS o Modi inaugurates strategic Atal Tunnel o Accounts not performing due to delay won’t be labelled NPAs: Centre to SC o Trump undergoing Remdesivir therapy o Steps on to complete Trilateral Highway- NE, Southeast Asia connectivity o India, Myanmar discuss key issues- Army Chief, Foreign Secy call on Suu Kyi o 3 share Nobel for medicine o India successfully tests ‘game changer’ SMART torpedo system o Eye on promotion of sector’s growth- Prabhu launches India Bamboo Forum

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EDITORIAL o Privatization and private jobs o Extradition treaty o Stale news

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NEWS ARTICLES

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Modi inaugurates strategic Atal Tunnel (General Studies-1: Geography of India)

oPrime Minister inaugurated the strategically important all-weather Atal Tunnel here and lashed out at the Congress-led previous governments, saying strategic projects were neglected and defence interests were compromised for years.

oThe Atal Tunnel, built by the Border Roads Organisation, is the longest highway tunnel in the world and reduces the distance between Manali and by 46 km. It also reduces the travel time by 4-5 hours.

oThe 9.02-km tunnel connects Manali to Lahaul- throughout the year, the Prime Minister’s Office has said, noting that the valley was earlier cut off for about six months every year due to heavy snowfall.

oModi was accompanied by Defence Minister and Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat.

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oThe government had taken the decision to construct a strategic tunnel below the on June 3, 2000, and the foundation stone for the access road to the south portal of the tunnel was laid on May 26, 2002.

oThe Modi government decided to name the Rohtang Tunnel as Atal Tunnel in December 2019 to honour the former Prime Minister who had passed away the previous year.

oSpeaking on the occasion, Modi said Vajpayee laid the foundation of the approach road for this tunnel, but after his government left, the project was all but forgotten. Experts say that the pace at which Atal Tunnel was being constructed after the Vajpayee-led NDA government were to continue, the tunnel would have been completed by 2040, he said.

o“Our govt increased the pace of construction from 300 metres per year to 1,400 metres per year and completed the project in 2020,” Modi said. The work on Atal Tunnel was accelerated after 2014 and in just six years the government completed the work of 26 years, he said.

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oJust like the Atal Tunnel, similar treatment was meted out to several such projects.

o“There was no political will. I can talk about dozens of projects that are important from the strategic point of view, but for years they were neglected,” he said, hitting out at the previous Congress-led governments.

o“Nothing is more important for us than the defence of the country. But for a long time, the country has also witnessed an era when the defence interests of the country were compromised.

oThe Air Force of the country kept demanding a modern fighter plane, while they kept opening and closing files after files, and kept playing around with those files,” he said at Rohtang after inaugurating the tunnel.

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Accounts not performing due to delay won’t be labelled NPAs: Centre to SC (General Studies-3: Economic Development)

oThe Centre has informed the Supreme Court that accounts becoming non-performing due to bank’s or any other delay need not suffer the label of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs).

oThe Centre said concerns have also been expressed regarding possible down gradation of loan accounts from standard to NPAs and the consequent impact on ratings.

o“The resolution framework announced by the RBI provides that loans accounts which slip into NPA between invocation and implementation may be upgraded as standard on the date of implementation itself,” an affidavit submitted by the government said.

oFor example, if a borrower had defaulted on February 10, such borrower would be eligible for invoking restructuring as the account was less than 30 days overdue on March 1.

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o“Invocation of restructuring is now done on, say, October 9 and completed by, say, November 9. Even if the account slips into NPA on October 10, it could be standard on November 9,” the affidavit explained.

oThe Centre told the Supreme Court that more than 50 per cent borrowers have not availed of the moratorium, and if waiving interest on all loans and advances is considered then it would have to forego in excess of Rs 6 lakh crore.

oThe response from the Centre came on petitions that sought a waiver of interest on interest during the moratorium. The affidavit said that though it may not be possible to give the exact percentage of borrowers who have not availed of the moratorium and have deposited their instalments, approximately such class would be more than 50 per cent.

oReiterating that waiver of interest on all loans is not practical, the Centre said: “If the government were to consider waiving interest on all loans and advances to all classes and categories of borrowers corresponding to the sixmonth period for which the moratorium was made available under the relevant RBI circular, the estimated amount is more than Rs 6 lakh crore.”

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oThe Centre emphasised that if banks were to bear this burden, then it would necessarily wipe out a substantial and a major part of their net worth, rendering most of the banks unviable and raising a very serious question mark over their survival.

oBut, keeping in interest of people facing hardships amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the Centre said it will go with the tradition of “hand-holding small borrowers”, and decided to grant a waiver of compounded interest for borrowers of loans of up to Rs 2 crore.

oThe Centre also provided clarification on the concern in connection with the downgrading of credit rating. The affidavit cited circulars issued by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on March 30 and August 31.

oThe Centre said it would engage with SEBI for a humane and holistic view in resolving the issues. The Supreme Court will hear the case next on October 5.

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Trump undergoing Remdesivir therapy (General Studies-3: Science and Technology)

oUS President Donald Trump was shifted to a military hospital where he was given Remdesivir therapy following treatment with an experimental drug after testing positive for COVID-19, a development that upended his election campaign just weeks before the presidential polls.

oTrump, 74, and his wife First Lady Melania Trump, 50, tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. “Going well, I think! Thank you to all. LOVE!!!? Trump tweeted on Saturday.

oTrump, who showed “mild symptoms” of COVID-19, was flown to Walter Reed Military Medical Centre in Bethesda, a Maryland suburb of Washington DC, on Friday.

oTrump walked from his residence to take Marine One at the South Lawns of the White House to travel to Walter Reed hospital. While the President was taken to the military hospital, the First Lady stayed back at the White House.

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oTrump’s physician Dr Sean Conley said the President was “fatigued but in good spirits” and, in a later update, that he was doing well.

oConley said medical specialists have recommended Remdesivir therapy to treat the President’s COVID-19 infection. “I am happy to report that the President is doing well,” Conley said in a health bulletin on Friday night, the first after the President was moved to the military hospital as a precautionary measure.

o“He is not requiring any supplemental oxygen, but in consultation with specialists we have elected to initiate Remdesivir therapy. He has completed his first dose and is resting comfortably,” he said. The Trump administration had issued an emergency use authorisation for Remdesivir earlier this year after the drug showed moderate effectiveness in improving outcomes for patients who were hospitalised with the coronavirus.

oIn a video shared on Twitter, Trump said he is “doing very well” and thanked people for their support. “I think I’m doing very well but we’re going to make sure that things work out,” Trump said in the 18-second video that he tweeted moments after he arrived at the military hospital.

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Steps on to complete Trilateral Highway NE, Southeast Asia connectivity (General Studies-2: International Relations)

oIndia will continue to make full efforts for completion of projects under the Trilateral Highway, as land connectivity of the North East with Southeast Asia has significant and positive impact on trade and investment as well as employment opportunities in the region.

oExternal Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said this in a letter to Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) MP Birendra Prasad Baishya in response to a Special Men tion he had made on September 23 in the Rajya Sabha regarding early completion of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project. The Minister has given a status report of sorts in his letter, which was released on Sunday.

oJaishankar said India has undertaken two projects in Myanmar under the 1,360-km Trilateral Highway project that starts from Moreh in India to Mae Sot in Thailand through Myanmar.

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oThese are construction of the 120-km Kalewa-Yagi road sections to highway standard and upgrading of 69 bridges and approach roads on the Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa (TKK) road section of 150 km.

oThe Kalewa-Yagi road section is among the most challenging of the stretches of the Trilateral Highway with steep gradients and sharp curves.

oConstruction of this road is under way and around onefourth of the road has been completed, the Minister said. Work on the 69 bridges, including approach roads, in the TKK section was held up after the contractor was terminated in December 2018 due to unsatisfactory performance.

oIn August 2020, the Manipur High Court dismissed the contractor’s appeal and upheld the termination. After the High Court’s order, work on the first bridge between Moreh and Tamu (Myanmar) is expected to start soon. The remaining 68 bridges will be taken up separately after revising the technical and cost parameters, Jaishankar said.

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India, Myanmar discuss key issues Army Chief, Foreign Secy call on Suu Kyi (General Studies-2: International Relations)

oIndia on Monday said that successful implementation of the Land Border Crossing Agreement and the ongoing discussions at the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Motor Vehicles Agreement initiatives are on track. The statement comes on the conclusion of Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla’s Myanmar visit today.

oUnder the ‘neighbour hood first’ policy, India has been wooing Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka, among others, as these countries are being clearly sought by China to blunt New ’s influence. India had last held foreign office consultations with Myanmar where several vital issues were discussed.

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oGen Naravane and Shringla called on State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and Commander in Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Gen Naravane also met Vice Senior General Soe Win, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Myanmar Armed Services, while Shringla met U Soe Han, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Myanmar.

oThey presented 3,000 vials of Remdesivir to the State Counsellor, symbolic of India’s commitment to assist Myanmar in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Shringla also indicated India’s willingness to prioritise Myanmar in sharing vaccines as and when these become available.

oThe two sides discussed maintenance of security and stability in their border areas and reiterated their mutual commitment not to allow their respective territories to be used for activities inimical to each other.

oThe Indian side expressed their appreciation to Myanmar for handing over 22 members of Indian insurgent groups to India.

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oBoth sides also discussed the ongoing India-assisted infrastructure projects such as the Trilateral Highway and the Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport Project. They also agreed to work towards operationalisation of the Sittwe port in Rakhine state in the first quarter of 2021.

oBoth sides noted the considerable progress made under the Rakhine State Development Programme (RSDP) and proposed finalising projects under phase III of the programme, including setting up of a skills training centre.

oIndia announced a grant of USD2 million for the construction of the border haat bridge at Byanyu-Sarsichauk in Chin state that will provide increased economic connectivity between Mizoram and Myanmar.

oA quota of 1.5 lakh tonnes of black gram (Vigna mungo) for import from Myanmar till March 31, 2021 was also announced. During the visit, the project agreement on the upgrade of agricultural mechanisation under the RSDP was also signed. Shringla also conveyed India’s support for ensuring safe, sustainable and speedy return of Rohingya refugees to Rakhine, official sources said.

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oSources said both sides have been in discussion to establish a high capacity high voltage grid interconnection between the Indian power grid and the Myanmar grid. Discussions on the low voltage radial interconnections between northeastern States and Myanmar have also taken place.

oSources said that the India-Myanmar Border Area Development MoU has yielded good results. The MoU that provides for USD5 million each year over a period of five years has been extended till 2022.

oThe projects, including those undertaken in the Chin state and Naga Self-administered Zone, have been known to deliver enormous benefits to the people and been empowering the local communities. India also proposed to construct an oil refinery in the Thanlyn region near Yangon.

oAccording to sources, the project would be a win-win arrangement for both the countries and it would involve an investment of about USD6 billion. As of now, Indian Oil Corporation Limited has evinced interest in the project.

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3 share Nobel for medicine (General Studies-3: Science and Technology)

oAmericans Harvey J Alter and Charles M Rice and British-born scientist Michael Houghton won the Nobel Prize for medicine on Monday for their discovery of the hepatitis C virus, a major source of liver disease that affects millions worldwide.

oAnnouncing the prize here, the Nobel Committee noted that the trio’s work identified a major source of blood-borne hepatitis that couldn’t be explained by the previously discovered hepatitis A and B viruses.

oTheir work, dating back to the 1970s and 1980s, has helped saved millions of lives, the committee said. “Thanks to their discovery, highly sensitive blood tests for the virus are now available and these have essentially eliminated post-transfusion hepatitis in many parts of the world, greatly improving global health,” the committee said.

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o“Their discovery also allowed the rapid development of antiviral drugs directed at hepatitis C,” it said, adding, “For the first time in history, the disease can now be cured, raising hopes of eradicating hepatitis C virus from the world population.”

oThe World Health Organisation estimates there are over 70 million cases of hepatitis C worldwide and 400,000 deaths from it each year. The disease is chronic and a major cause of liver cancer and cirrhosis requiring liver transplants.

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India successfully tests ‘game changer’ SMART torpedo system (General Studies-3: Science and Technology) oIndia on Monday successfully flight tested its indigenously developed SMART torpedo system, which the DRDO said will be a “game changer” in anti-submarine warfare, marking yet another milestone in strengthening the country’s maritime strategic capabilities, defence sources said.

oThe Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) was tested at 11:45 hours from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island, earlier known as Wheeler Island, off the Odisha coast.

oIt met all the objectives “flawlessly”. SMART is a missile assisted release of lightweight anti-submarine torpedo system for antisubmarine warfare (ASW) operations far beyond the torpedo range.

oThis launch and demonstration is significant in establishing anti-submarine warfare capabilities, a defence statement said.

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oDefence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated Defence Research and Development Organisation scientists on the successful conduct of the test which marks a major breakthrough for stand-off capability in anti-submarine warfare, a DRDO official said.

oThe flight testing of SMART follows the successful test firing on Saturday of its indigenously developed nuclear capable hypersonic missile ‘Shaurya’ with a strike range of around 1,000 km from the test range.

o“All the mission objectives (of SMART) including missile flight up to the range and altitude, separation of the nose cone, release of torpedo and deployment of velocity reduction mechanism have been met perfectly,” the statement said.

oTracking stations, including radars and electro optical systems along the coast and telemetry stations, also involving down range ships, monitored all the events.

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oA number of DRDO laboratories including DRDL, RCI Hyderabad, ADRDE Agra and NSTL Visakhapatnam have developed the technologies required for SMART, the sources said.

oSecretary to the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy said that SMART is a “game changer” technology demonstration in anti-submarine warfare.

oThe test encompasses hybrid technology which helps to upgrade the present system and also increase the striking range, the defence statement said.

oSMART, when launched from warship or a truck-based coastal battery, takes off like a regular supersonic missile. It covers most of its flight in the air at lower altitudes with twoway data link from the warship or an airborne submarine target detection system and provides the exact location of the hostile submarine to correct its flight path midway, it said.

oJust when it approaches close enough to the submerged submarine, the missile will eject the torpedo system into the water and the autonomous torpedo will start moving towards its target to take out the submarine, it added.

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Eye on promotion of sector’s growth Prabhu launches India Bamboo Forum (General Studies-3: Economic Development)

oFormer Union Minister Suresh Prabhu has launched an independent forum with an aim to give boost to the bamboo sector by promoting entrepreneurship, research, and trade of high-quality bamboo products in a sustainable manner.

oThe India Bamboo Forum – conceived and conceptualised by Prabhu – will undertake the work by bringing together a voluntary group of 55 committed leaders in the bamboo sector.

o“The forum will work actively with the stakeholders from institutions from within India and abroad, policy-makers and industry, and identify specific thematic areas that require resolution at the State and national ecosystems,” Prabhu told PTI.

oPrabhu added that the growth of bamboo sector will help prevent deforestation, create jobs, and help increase farmers’ income.

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oTo begin with, five areas of national importance have been identified – development of a dedicated knowledge dissemination portal, improving technical standards, skill development, providing mentorship to bamboo start-ups and creation of a platform for facilitating buyer-seller linkages of bamboo products, he said.

oPrabhu said the forum will work together to remove the bottlenecks in the sector and ensure an assured and well oiled supply chain.

oIt will ensure availability of high-quality bamboo products not only by use of latest technology and superior processes but also by promoting growth of high quality bamboo species.The forum will also ensure availability of growing material in partnership with agricultural universities.

oHe also underlined the importance of integrating the industry with the global economy and linking the forum to international bamboo networks.

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oAbout 2.5 billion people in the world depend economically on bamboo, and international trade in bamboo is estimated at about $4.5 million per year.

oIn India, bamboo has potential to benefit more than 4 million small farmers and 1.5 million micro entrepreneurs in the next five years, he added.

oFounding members of the forum include IIT-New Delhi Professor Supratic Gupta; Director, Tripura Bamboo and Cane Development Centre (TRIBAC), Selim Reza; Associate Senior Faculty, National Institute of Design-Ahmedabad, Pravin Singh Solanki; Maharashtra Bamboo Promotion Foundation CEO V Giriraj; Konkan Bamboo and Cane Development Centre (KONBAC) Director Sanjeev Karpe.

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EDITORIALS

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Privatization and private jobs (General Studies-3: Economic Development)

oWe are intently perceiving the push for privatization in recent times, probably never seen before. Airports have been handed over to private parties; debt-ridden Air India is looking for a buyer; the Railways have started giving some routes partially to private parties, ideas are mooted to privatize many banks, and many more such moves are round the corner.

oNow it is a policy of the Government to off-load its businesses to the private sector. On May 17, 2020, the Government had announced a disinvestment plan as part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat package and subsequently, announced a list of strategic sectors where the Centre will keep a maximum of four public sector undertakings (PSUs).

oIt has become more compelling now to put it on fast track due to the economic crunch caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s a sensible move too. The Government is not meant for doing business; it has to govern, it has to focus on development and welfare.

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oThe taxpayers’ money should not be utilized in running business. The Government should develop infrastructure, provide proper connectivity, frame conducive policy guidelines and set in place a simple regulatory mechanism.

oPost India’s independence, the Government had to give a thrust on industrialization and to ensure essential services, thus putting up many establishments in manufacturing and service sectors. This was the need of the hour at that stage.

oBut, the country has come out of that stage now. The private sector has come up quite efficiently on all fronts, be it manufacturing or service; the ultimate beneficiaries are the consumers.

oIn response to a query in the Parliament last year, the Minister of State for Finance, , had said: “…guided by the basic economic principle that the Government should not be in the business to engage itself in manufacturing/ producing goods and services in sectors where competitive markets have come of age.”

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oWe prefer to travel by private airlines, prefer to have mobile connections from private service providers, prefer to go to private hospitals, and prefer to go to private banks.

oWhy? Because, we get prompt responses from their executives, personalized customer care, having classy ambiances, and an aura of professionalism all around. That is efficiency.

oBut, more often than not, we get to see awful hullabaloo whenever a PSU is proposed to be privatized. Employees working in these organizations feel insecure and resort to protest which is supported by the public.

oWe have witnessed this in the recent past when oilfields of the Oil India Ltd were handed over to private parties, when Bharat Petroleum was privatized (NRL was supposed to be a part of it) and very recently, when the employees of the AAI registered their protest against handing over the Guwahati airport to the Adani Group.

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oNo doubt, changes are seen in big cities and industrialized States; but, in smaller cities and rural areas, the mindset is still the same. We are not yet ready mentally for private jobs.

o“The attraction and lure of government jobs in the traditional Indian context is extremely huge. People think if they get a government job, they are sorted for life... they are permanent and, even if they misbehave and are found to be not good at their work, it does not matter, the unions will take care of this.

oThat is the reality,” Piyush Goyal, Minister for Railways, rightly summed up the real picture in a CII workshop last year. It is a pain to see people invest money, time and energy to get a Government job.

oThis is a syndrome of underdeveloped countries. But, are we not developing and growing, vowing to push China behind? The more the nation grows economically, the more the number of private jobs. The government jobs will remain limited. So, time has come to gear up and get ready to welcome private jobs. But, what is a private job?

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oPrivate job means, one is associated with a certain business partnering with some people in an organization which needs to earn profit. Of course one will get a salary, but, the organization has to earn profit by doing this business.

oSo, one’s role is directly related to the profit of the organization where resources need to be judiciously used to get the optimum output. The individual’s efforts will have to contribute consistently towards this profit.

oIf she falters frequently or cannot give her best, she will be outclassed and may lose the job. So, her job security is directly linked to her performance or productivity. So one has to be productive and deliver the best all the time.

oTo succeed in this scheme of things, one not only has to be equipped with proper knowledge of the job and right skill sets but also will have to have confidence and courage. This is a competitive environment. We are not comfortable to work in a competitive environment, because we are not armed with these competencies required to handle it.

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oEarning knowledge and getting trained in required skills is not a big deal. Knowledge is gained through education. Now our education system is designed for specialized courses and these courses give the hard skills required for a job aspirant.

oThen one will need soft skills, such as communication skills, interpersonal relationship, leadership skills, presentation skills, analytical ability, team work, etc.

oAlthough development of soft skills are influenced by family, society and education, there is no dearth of institutions, online or offline, for making it more effective. Regular practising of these soft skills reflect in one’s behaviour and it becomes part of the personality.

oThis is the key to push oneself towards success in the private sector. Another alluring factor for government jobs is the hidden income. But, being an ethical citizen, is it proper to consider this as an advantage? This is a mindset issue. If one has competencies, one doesn’t have to worry about money in private jobs, he/she can always earn well and keep his/her head held high.

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oGrowth and recognition of talent is another factor for which private jobs are better and there is no limit, unlike government jobs, where growth of a talented employee and an average employee will be the same.

oThere is no motivation to work hard. Having wisdom in business and commerce, irrespective of educational background, is fundamental in a developing country. We need to understand what is going on in the world of business and we need to relate ourselves to that.

oThe business fraternity is practically driving the economy of our country and ruling us. All our politicians and bureaucrats have to follow them. This is the power of business. So, it is high time we pulled our socks up and embraced private jobs as a choice, which will eventually pave the way for entrepreneurship.

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Extradition treaty (General Studies-2: International Relations)

oIt is a positive development that India has requested the Government of Myanmar to sign an extradition treaty to facilitate smooth handing over of criminals and anti-India elements nabbed in the neighbouring country.

oIt is an established fact that insurgent groups of the Northeast region have been using the territory of Myanmar to launch anti-India offensives for a long time and the signing of an extradition treaty will be helpful for India to deal with members of the militant outfits.

oIn recent times, the relation between India and Myanmar improved considerably, which helped in improvement of the overall law-and-order situation in the Northeast region.

oEfforts should be made to improve the relations with Myanmar further as it is also important for successful implementation of the muchtalked-about Act East Policy, which is vital for the economic development of the Northeast.

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oIndia has already been extending support to Myanmar on implementation of various infrastructure projects, while, completion of the Kaladan project will further boost ties between the two countries in addition to opening of a sea route to connect the Northeast with the rest of world.

oIn recent times, the Government of Myanmar started launching offensives against the militants of the Northeast – the headquarters of the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) in Taga area of Myanmar was taken over by the Myanmar Army last year, which reduced the strength and effectiveness of the outfit by a great extent.

oHowever, the Government of Myanmar has not yet provided details of the damage suffered by the ultras in the operations, while, only a handful of militants were handed over to India.

oThis raised doubts on whether the militants are still hiding in the jungles of Myanmar. India is also aware that the camps of Manipur-based militant groups were also demolished during the operations.

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o The Government of India should keep the diplomatic pressure on Myanmar to launch another operation to flush out militants who may be hiding in the jungles of the neighbouring country in the interest of restoration of complete peace in the Northeast.

o Moreover, there have been frequent instances of drug trafficking through Myanmar and the security agencies of both the countries will have to work in a coordinated manner to deal with the menace.

o It is also reported that the horns of rhinos killed by poachers in the Kaziranga National Park and other parks and sanctuaries in Assam are taken to China via Myanmar and the security forces of both the countries must put their heads together to deal with the problem.

o On its part, the Government of India will have to augment security along the international border with Myanmar to restrict movements of militants and criminal elements.

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Stale news (General Studies-2: International Relations)

oAssertions by central functionaries on the progress being made with the Look East Policy, later rechristened as the Act East Policy, have been made for so long as to take on a hackneyed aura.

oOne notes that, finally acknowledging that since time immemorial cultural and commercial links had existed between the Northeast and Southeast Asia, the Government framed the policy over a decade ago!

oThe goal had been to open up the region to markets in Southeast Asia by establishing land and air connectivity, one integral component of which had been a Trilateral Highway that starts from Moreh in the Manipur State of India to Mae Sot in Thailand through Myanmar and continues on to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

oThus, for the last 10 years, the people of the Northeast have been fed from time to time the news that this highway was a work in progress and was expected to be completed soon.

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oAs early as 2013 Manmohan Singh, after a visit to Japan and Thailand, had stated that the ‘Look East’ policy, of which the Northeast is an ostensible beneficiary, was being translated into reality and work on establishing connectivity had commenced.

oTwo years later the then Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, briefing Governors of the Northeast States, had asserted that the Centre was beginning to ‘act’ on its Act East Policy.

oIn 2016, at the 14th ASEAN-India Summit at Vientiane, Laos, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had actually stated that the process of connectivity between the Northeast and ASEAN nations was well under way, with the Trilateral Highway Project on the verge of being completed!

oAll these are but a few of the assertions which had been made in the last 10 years, but viable land connectivity is yet a far cry.

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oThis is precisely why the reported assurance of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in a later to an MP from Assam, that India will continue to make full efforts for completion of projects under the Trilateral Highway, as land connectivity of the Northeast with Southeast Asia has significant and positive impact on trade and investment as well as employment opportunities in the region, appears to be stale news to observers.

oJaishankar said in the letter that India has undertaken two projects in Myanmar under the 1,360-km Trilateral Highway project, these being the construction of the 120-km Kalewa-Yagi road sections to highway standard and upgrading of 69 bridges and approach roads on the Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa (TKK) road section of 150 km.

oHe also revealed that work on the 69 bridges, including approach roads, in the TKK section was held up after the contractor was terminated in December 2018, but is being resumed now, with only one fourth having been completed till date, a status not boding well for early completion!

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