AIR Discussions(January 4Th Week)

AIR Discussions(January 4th week)

22nd January. IMF outlook on Indian Economy

 World Economy Outlook update- India would remain the fastest growing major economies of the world.  India is projected to grow at 7.5 per cent in 2019 and 7.7 per cent in 2020. India grew at 6.7% in 2017 and in 2018 it is 7.3%.  India‘s economy is poised to pick up in 2019, benefiting from lower oil prices and a slower pace of monetary tightening.  The FY20 forecast has been raised by 0.1percentage point from the projected outlook in October 2018. India‘s Central Statistics Office expects gross domestic product to grow 7.2% in FY19, up from 6.7% last year, while the Reserve Bank of India has pegged it at 7.4%.  China‘s estimated growth is 6.2 per cent in these two years. China grew at 6.9 per cent in 2017 and had a growth rate of 6.6 per cent in 2018.  Despite fiscal stimulus that offsets some of the impact of higher US tariffs, China‘s economy will slow down due to the combined influence of needed financial regulatory tightening and trade tensions with the US.  Growth in emerging and developing Asia will dip from 6.5 per cent in 2018 to 6.3 per cent in 2019 and 6.4 per cent in 2020.  The global economy is projected to grow 3.5% in 2019 and 3.6% in 2020, 0.2 and 0.1 percentage points below last October‘s projections. Global growth for 2018 is estimated at 3.7%, as in the October World Economic Outlook, despite weaker performance in some economies, notably Europe and Asia.  Higher trade uncertainty will further dampen investment and disrupt global supply chains.  IMF- ―A more serious tightening of financial conditions is particularly costly, given the high levels of private and public sector debt in countries… Given this backdrop, policy makers need to act now to reverse headwinds to growth and prepare for the next downturn.‖  PwC‘s Global Economy Watch said that India is likely to surpass theUnited Kingdom in the world‘s largest economy rankings in 2019.

23rd January. 122nd Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhas

 PM Modi paid floral tributes and inaugurated the Subhas Chandra Bose museum at Red Fort to mark his 122nd birth anniversary.  PM- ―He was a stalwart who committed himself towards ensuring India is free and leads a life of dignity. He also added that History echoes from these walls. In this very building, brave sons of India, Colonel Prem Sahgal, Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon and Major General Shah Nawaz Khan were put on trial by the colonial rulers.‖  Museum has the photographs depicting a detailed account of Subhas Chandra Bose and the history of Indian National Army. It also has some of the artefacts associated with Netaji and INA such as wooden chair and sword used by Netaji, medals, badges and uniforms of INA.  The photographs, paintings and newspaper clippings depicting the authentic account of Jallianwala Bagh massacre are showcased in the Yaad-e-Jallian Museum. The museum intends to take visitors through the history of Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919 and sacrifices made by Indian soldiers during World War-1.  Museum on 1857- India‘s first war of Independence portrays the historical narrative of 1857 war of independence, showcasing the valour and sacrifices made by Indians during the period.  Drishyakala- Museum organized exhibition depicting works of Gurudev and works of eminent Indian artists like Raja Ravi Varma, Gurudev Tagore, Amrita Sher-Gil, Abanindranath Tagore, Nandlal Bose, Gaganendranath Tagore, Sailoz Mookherjea amd Jamini Roy.  All four museums have been named as Kranti Mandir.

 Subhas Chandra Bose:  Born in Cuttack and educated in Calcutta and acquired a degree in philosophy.  Selected for the Indian Civil Services but refused to take up service since he did not want to serve the British government.  Bose joined the Indian National Congress in 1921.  He also started a newspaper called ‗Swaraj‘.  He was the President of the All India Youth Congress and also the Secretary of the Bengal State Congress.  In 1924, he became the CEO of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation.  In 1930, he became the Mayor of Calcutta.  Bose authored the book ‗The Indian Struggle‘ which covers the Indian independence movement from 1920 to 1942. The book was banned by the British government.  He coined the term ‗Jai Hind‘.  Bose was sent to prison in Mandalay for nationalist activities in 1925. He was released in 1927 and became the INC‘s general secretary. He worked with Jawaharlal Nehru and the two became the Congress Party‘s young leaders gaining popularity among the people.  He advocated complete Swaraj and was in favour of the use of force to gain it.  Bose stood for and was elected the party‘s president in 1939 but was forced to resign due to differences with Gandhi‘s supporters. Bose‘s ideology tilted towards socialism and leftist authoritarianism.  He formed the All India Forward Bloc in 1939 as a faction within the Congress.  At the start of the Second World War, Bose protested against the government for not consulting Indians before dragging them into the war. He was arrested when he organised protests in Calcutta for the removal of the monument memorialising the Black Hole of Calcutta. He was released after a few days but was kept under surveillance.  He then made his escape from the country in 1941 to Germany via Afghanistan and the Soviet Union.  In Germany, he met with the Nazi leaders and hoped to stage an armed struggle against theBritish to gain independence. He hoped to befriend the Axis powers since they were against his‗enemy‘ the British.  He founded the Indian Legion out of about 4500 Indian soldiers who were in the British armyand had been taken prisoners by the Germans from North Africa.  In 1943, he left Germany for Japan disillusioned with German support for Azad Hind.Bose‘s arrival in Japan revived the Indian National Army which had beenformed earlier with Japanese help.  Azad Hind/Provisional Government of Free India was established as a government-in-exilewith Bose as the head. Its headquarters was in Singapore. The INA was its military.  His famous quote is, ―Give me blood, and Ishall give you freedom!‖  The INA supported the Japanese army in its invasion of northeast India and also took controlof the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. However, they were forced to retreat by the British forces.  Bose died in a plane crash in Taiwan on 18 August1945.Many enquiry committees were tasked with finding out what happened.The Figgess Report (1946), Shah Nawaz Committee (1956), Khosla Commission (1970) concurred with the previous reports.But the Mukherjee Commission (2005) said that Bose‘s death could not be proved. 24thJanuary. Empowerment of Girl child

 The National Girl Child Day is celebrated in India every year on January 24.First initiated in 2008 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the National GirlChild Day aims to promote awareness on a range of issues including education, health, andnutrition.  The theme of NationalGirl Child Day-2019 is―Empowering Girls for aBrighter Tomorrow‖.  The International Dayof the Girl Child isobserved every yearacross world onOctober 11 torecognize girls‘ rightsand uniquechallenges faced bygirls around theworld.  Objectives of NGCD-To increase awareness among the people and ensure every girl gets equal importance as their counterparts, To increase awareness against the social stigma and discrimination faced by girl, To generate awareness on the issue of declining Child Sex Ratio and create a positiveenvironment around valuing the girl child.  Census 2011- Only 65.46 % of the females found to be literate as against 82.14% of males, as per the2011 census. The survey also revealed that gender discrimination was still prevalent in thesociety.CSR - Number of girls per 1000 boys in the age group of 0-6 years. It declined sharply from 976 in 1961 to 918 in Census 2011.  NITI Aayog’s health index report “Healthy States, Progressive India”- 17 out of the 21 states recorded saw a dip in the sex ratio at birth — painting a grim picture of gender justice the country.Only three states saw an improvement — with Punjab having the most improved sex ratio at birth, from 870 to 889.Uttar Pradesh saw an increase of 10 points, from 869 to 879, while Bihar saw an improvement of 9 points, from 907 to 916. Kerala continues to have the highest SRB, even though it saw a fall of 7 points, from 974 to 967, followed by Chhattisgarh that sawa decline of 12 points from 973 to 961.

 Schemes, acts and measures-  Prohibition of Child Marriage Restraint Act 2006, Pre- Conception &Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC&PNDT) Act 1994, Domestic Violence Act 2009, POCSO Act 2012.  Child marriages have been restricted.  'Save the Girl Child' has been introduced by the government.  Introduction of Self-Help groups to ensure a better livelihood for girls in rural areas.  Poshan Abhiyan: strive to reduce the level of stunting, under-nutrition, anemia and low birth weight babies.  Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana: Pan-India Expansion of Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana. The Scheme provides cash incentives to pregnant and lactating women.  Integrated Child Development Scheme: To prevent and reduce young child under-nutrition (% underweight children 0-3 years) by 10 percentage points, enhance early development and learning outcomes in all children 0-6 years of age, improve care and nutrition of girls and women and reduce Anaemia prevalence in young children, girls and women by one fifth by the end of 12th five year plan.  SABLA: Enable the adolescent girls for self-development and empowerment, Improve their nutrition and health status, Promote awareness about health, hygiene, nutrition, adolescent reproductive and sexual health and family and child care and to educate, skill and make them ready for life‗s challenges.  Kishori Shakthi Yojana: This scheme is a redesign of the already existing Adolescent Girls Scheme being implemented as a component under the centrally sponsored Integrated Child Development Services Scheme.  Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra: Improving the child sex ratio, survival of new born girl child, girl education and empower them through several initiatives are the main motives.  Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: Prevent gender biased sex selective elimination, Ensure survival & protection of the girl child, Ensure education of the girl child.  Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana: is a small deposit scheme for girl child to motivate parents to open an account in the name of a girl child and for her welfare to deposit maximum of their savings.  UJJAWALA Scheme: is comprehensive Scheme for Prevention of Trafficking and Rescue, Rehabilitation and Re-Integration of Victims of Trafficking for Commercial Sexual Exploitation.  Swadhar: is a Central sector scheme for integrated services to women in difficult circumstances like destitute widows, women prisoners released from jail and without family support, women survivors of natural disasters, trafficked women/girls, mentally challenged women etc.  Swadhar Greh Scheme: envisages providing shelter, food, clothing and health as well as economic and social security for women victims.  Support to Training & Employment Programme for Women: aims to provide skills that give employability to women and to provide competencies and skill that enable women to become self-employed/entrepreneurs.  SHe-box (Sexual Harassment electronic box): is an online platform to enable women employees to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace.  Sakhi: is a one-stop centre for providing medical, legal and rehabilitation facilities for women subjected to any kind of violence.  Jan Sampark: is a monthly programme to facilitate adoption.  NARI: The portal will provide women citizens with easy access to information on government schemes and initiatives for women.  Khoya Paya web portal: is a citizen based website to exchange information on missing and found children.  Mission Poorna Shakti: aims to achieve holistic empowerment of women through convergence of schemes/programmes of different Ministries/Department of Government of India as well as State Governments.  Priyadarshini Scheme: is a women Empowerment and Livelihoods Programme in the Mid Gangetic Plains.  Nari Shakti Puraskar: It is an award conferred on eminent women, organization and institutions rendering distinguished service to the cause of women especially belonging to the vulnerable and marginalized sections of the society.  Mahila E-Haat: is an initiative for meeting aspirations and needs of women.  Dhanalakshmi Scheme: The objective of the scheme is to provide a set of financial incentives for families to encourage them to retain a girl child, educate her and prevent child marriage.

25th January. National Voters Day

 9th National Voters' Day was celebrated on 25th January 2019 at more than 6 lakh locations covering around 10 lakh Polling Stations across the country.  It will be for the first time that the citizens born in 21st century will vote. President made a special mention of voting in the upcoming LS elections in his Republic Day speech.  Theme of the day: ‗No Voter to be Left Behind‘.  My Vote Matters, a Quarterly Magazine was launched. The National Awards for the Best Electoral Practices were conferred to Officers for outstanding performance in the conduct of elections. In addition, awards were given to CSOs and Media Houses who have made outstanding contribution in the field of voter awareness and outreach.  The National Voters‘ Day (NVD) is celebrated all over the country on January 25 every year since 2011 to mark the Foundation day of Election Commission of India, which was established on this day in the year 1950.  The main purpose of the NVD celebration is to encourage, facilitate and maximize the enrollment, especially for the new voters. Dedicated to the voters of the country, the Day is utilized to spread awareness among voters for promoting informed participation in the electoral process.  Systematic Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) was launched by Election Commission of India to inform, educate, motivate and facilitate voters and in turn make Indian democracy more participative and meaningful.  Electoral Roll Purification and Authentication Programme (NERPAP) to bring out a totally error-free and authenticated electoral roll throughout the country.

26th January. 70th Republic Day

 Highlights of President’s address:  Republic Day is an occasion to reaffirm our commitment to liberty, fraternity and equality acrossour society and among all our citizens. And above all, this is an occasion to celebrate India and thespirit of being Indian.  October 2-150th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi-remains the moral compass of our Republic; his teachings are still the touchstone tomeasure our policies and initiatives.  Nov 26-70th anniversary of the adoption of our Constitution- enlightenedand far-reaching document laid the foundations of our Republic.  This year, the people of India have another responsibility: of voting in the generalelection and electing the 17th Lok Sabha. An election is not just a political exercise. An election is a collective call to wisdom and a collectivecall to action. It represents a renewal and a recommitment to the goals and hopes of a shared andegalitarian society.  Connectivity is bringing us together as never before. India has been united and integrated – now itis being networked.  Leapfrogging technologies and leapfrogging enlightenment are empowering our farmers andequipping our soldiers.  No conception of India‘s development can be complete without a salute to our spirit ofinclusiveness – of access and opportunity for all; of an expansion and an embrace of those whomwe consider our own.  India‘s pluralism is its greatest strength and its greatest example to the world.  The ―Indian model‖rests on a tripod of diversity, democracy and development.  Best indicator of social change in India is change towards gender equity and towards providingequal opportunities, under conditions of equality, to every girl child and every woman.  Our Republic has come a long way and we must appreciate how far successive generations havebrought us. Equally, there are still watersto cover, still gaps to fill and still tears to wipe.  We have to recalibrate our yardstick – from quantity to quality; from a literate society to aknowledge society; from a nation that has room for all segments and communities to a family thatencourages and celebrates the uniqueness and potential in each person.  Partnerships are the thread knitting together family, nation and world – and leading to thetreatment of the World as a Family: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.  Our Republic‘s vision is of reaching democratic goals by democratic means, pluralistic goals bypluralistic means, enlightened goals by enlightened means, compassionate goals by compassionatemeans – and constitutional goals by constitutional means.  Republic Day Celebrations 2019:  Chief Guest-President of Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa.  Nari Shakti theme-This year all women marching contingent of the Assam Rifles took part for the first time and for first time lone woman officer part of the daredevils team.  The Param Vir Chakra is awarded for the most conspicuous act of bravery and self-sacrifice in theface of the enemy. The Ashok Chakra is awarded for similar acts of valour and self-sacrifice but, otherthan, in the face of the enemy.  The 61 Cavalry is the only active serving horse Cavalry Regiment in the world. © APTI PLUS ACADEMY FOR CIVIL SERVICES

 Army items on display-Main Battle Tank of the Indian Army, T- 90 Bhishma, Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV) Ballway MachinePikate (BMP-II/IIK), Surface Mine Clearing System (SMCS), K-9 Vajra-T, M 777 A2 Ultra-Light Howitzer(ULH), Transportable Satellite Terminal (TST), Akash weapon system.  Air Force Tableau titled ‗Indian Air Force Encouraging Indigenisation‘ showcased thescaled-down models of the aircraft, radar and missile system which have been indigenously designedand manufactured. The models displayed will be Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Low-Level Light WeightRadar (LLLWR), Sukhoi-30MKI and Akash Missile System.  DRDO displayed Medium range Surface toAir Missile (MRSAM), Arjun Armoured Recovery and Repair Vehicle (Arjun ARRV).  Twenty-two tableaux, comprising of 16 from different States & Union Territories and six Ministries,Departments and other institutions displayed life, times and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi.

30th January. 71st Death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

 2019 is the 150th birth anniversary year of Mahatma Gandhi.  Republic Day theme this year was based on Gandhiji.  Facts on Gandhiji:  BornOctober 2, 1869 at Porbandar, Gujarat.  UNO declared October 2 as ‗International Non-violence Day‘.  Gopal Krishna Gokhale was his political guru.  Literary works likeJohn Ruskin‘s Unto the Last, Emerson, Thoreau, Leo Tolstoy, the Bible and the Gita had influence on him.  Literary Works- Hind Swaraj (1909), My Experiments with Truth (Autobiography, 1927),Indian Opinion: 1903–15, Harijan:1919–31, Young India: 1933–42.  1888: Left for London to study Law.  1891: Called to the British Bar and enrolled in the High Court.  1893: Representing a Porbunder firm set sail for South Africa.  June, 1893: At Pietermaritzberg station Gandhiji was ordered to go into the van compartment of the train although he held a first class ticket. On his refusal, a constable was brought and he was forcibly ejected, his bundles pitched out after him.  1894: Founded Natal Indian Congress to fight colour prejudice.  1899: Outbreak of Boer War and Gandhiji joined Ambulance Corps.  1901: Moved a resolution on South Africa at Calcutta Congress session.  1903: Founded Transvaal British India Association.  1904: Took over entire management responsibility of 'Indian Opinion'. Founded Phoenix settlement.  1906: Started Passive Resistance Movement.  1909: Wrote 'Hind Swaraj' in Gujarati on board S.S.Kildonan Castle on the way to South Africa fromLondon.  9 January, 1915: Returned to India.  In India (1915–48): . Foundation of Satyagraha Ashram at Kocharab near Ahmedabad. In 1917, Ashrama shifted at the banks of Sabarmati. . 1916: Abstain from active politics (though he attended Lucknow session of INC in 1916, where Raj Kumar Shukla requested him to come to Champaran.) . 1917: Champaran Satyagraha was his first Civil Disobedience Movement in India. . 1918: Hunger strike as a weapon was used for the first time by Gandhi during Ahmedabad struggle. Kheda Satyagraha was his first Non-cooperation Movement. . 1919: Gandhi gave a call for Satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act on April 6, 1919 and took the command of the nationalist movement for the first time (First all-India Political Movement), Gandhi returns Kaisar-i-Hind gold medal as a protest against Jallianwala Bagh massacre; The All India Khilafat Conference elected Gandhi as its president. . 1920–22: Gandhi leads the Non-Cooperation and Khilafat, Gandhi calls off Movement (Feb. 12, 1922), after the violent incident at Chauri- Chaura on Febuary 5, 1922. Non- Co-operation Movement was the First mass based politics under Gandhi. . 1924: Belgaum session of INC–for the first and the last time Gandhi was elected the president of the Congress. . 1925–27 Gandhi retires from active politics for the first time and devotes himself to ‗constructive programme‘ of the Congress; Gandhi resumes active politics in 1927. . 1930–34: Gandhi launches the Civil Disobedience Movement with his Dandhi march/Salt Satyagraha (First Phase: March 12, 1930– March 5, 1931; Gandhi-Irwin Pact: March 5, 1931; Gandhi attends the Second Round Table Conference in London as sole representative of the Congress: September 7-December 1, 1931; Second Phase: January 3, 1932– April 17, 1934). . 1934–39: Sets up Sevagram (Vardha Ashram). . 1940–41: Gandhi launches Individual Satyagraha Movement. © APTI PLUS ACADEMY FOR CIVIL SERVICES

. 1942: Call to Quit India Movement for which Gandhi raised the slogan, ‗Do or Die‘. . 1942–44: Gandhi kept in detention at the Aga Khan Palace, near Pune. This was Gandhi‘s last prison term. . 1946: As a result Muslim League‘s Direct Action call, Gandhi travelled to Noakhali and later on to Calcutta to restore communal peace. . 1947: Gandhi, deeply distressed by the Mountbatten Plan/Partition Plan, while staying in Calcutta to restore communal violence, observes complete silence on the dawn of India‘s Independence (August, 15, 1947). . 1948: Gandhi was shot dead by Nathu Ram Godse, while on his way to the evening prayer meeting at Birla House, New Delhi (January 30, 1948).  Important Philosophies related to Gandhiji:  Non-Violence/ Ahimsa  Truth is God  Satyagraha  Sarvodaya  Trusteeship  Swaraj  Village Economy/decentralization/ Gram Swaraj  His disillusionment with Western Civilization  Nationalism/Patriotism (Humanity)/Inter-nationalism  Six deadly enemies: desire, anger, greed, attachment, pride and jealousy.  The following seven sins are deadly sins according to Gandhi: 1. Wealth without work. 2. Pleasure without conscience. 3. Knowledge without character. 4. Commerce without morality. 5. Science without humanity. 6. Religion without sacrifice. 7. Politics without principle.