Economy

Food Security & Public Distribution System(PDS)

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WHO Defines Food security to exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
food securityFood security has three interlinked contents such as :-

  1. Availability of food,
  2. Access to food and
  3. absorption of food.

Food security is a multidimensional concept covering even the  micro level household food security,energy intakes and indicators of malnutrition.

 

Major components of food security are:-

  1. Production and Procurement
  2. Storage
  3. Distribution

Indian Agriculture is rightly called as a gamble with Monsoon, variability in food production and rising population creates food insecurity in the nation and worst effected are the downtrodden section of the society.

While India has seen impressive economic growth in recent years, the country still struggles with widespread poverty and hunger. India’s poor population amounts to more than 300 million people, with almost 30 percent of India’s rural population living in poverty. The good news is, poverty has been on the decline in recent years. According to official government of India estimates, poverty declined from 37.2% in 2004-05 to 29.8% in 2009-10.

Need for Self-Sufficiency:

India suffered two very severe droughts in 1965 and 1966. Food Aid to India was restricted to a monthly basis by USA under the P.L. 480 programme.  The Green Revolution made a significant change in the scene. India achieved self-sufficiency in food grains by the year 1976 through the implementation of the seed- water-fertilizer policy adopted by the Government of India.

Food grain production increased four-fold during 1950-51 and 2001-2002 from 51 million tons to 212 million tones. The country is no longer exposed to real famines. But the regional variation in the success of Green Revolution which was chiefly limited to northern- Western states has lead to the divide in the nation. Evergreen revoloution and Bringing green revolution to eastern India is the need of the hour.

Green revolution was focused on wheat and rice and thus the production of pulses was stagnant.

National Food Security Mission comprising rice, wheat and pulses to increase the production of rice by 10 million tons, wheat by 8 million tons and pulses by 2 million tons by the end of the Eleventh Plan (2011-12). The Mission is being continued during 12th Five Year Plan with new targets of additional production of food grains of 25 million tons of food grains comprising of 10 million tons rice, 8 million tons of wheat, 4 million tons of pulses and 3 million tons of coarse cereals by the end of 12th Five Year Plan.
The National Food Security Mission (NFSM) during the 12th Five Year Plan will have five components

(i) NFSM- Rice;

(ii) NFSM-Wheat;

(iii) NFSM-Pulses,

(iv) NFSM-Coarse cereals and

(v) NFSM-Commercial Crops.

Government through Public Distribution System has tried to counter the problem of food insecurity by providing the food grains through fair price shops.

The central Government through Food Corporation of India has assumed the responsibilities of  procurement,storage,transfer and bulk allocation of food grains to state governments.

pdsThe public distribution system (PDS) has played an important role in attaining higher levels of the household food security and completely eliminating the threats of famines from the face of the country, it will be in the fitness of things that its evolution, working and efficacy are examined in some details.

PDS was initiated as a deliberate social policy of the government with the objectives of:

i) Providing foodgrains and other essential items to vulnerable sections of the society at resonable (subsidised) prices;

ii) to have a moderating influence on the open market prices of cereals, the distribution of which constitutes a fairly big share of the total marketable surplus; and

iii) to attempt socialisation in the matter of distribution of essential commodities.

 

The focus of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is on “poor in all areas” and TPDS involves issue of     35 Kg of food grains per family per month for the population Below Poverty Line (BPL) at specially subsidized prices. The TPDS requires the states to Formulate and implement :-

  1. foolproof arrangements for identification of poor,
  2. Effective delivery of food grains to Fair Price Shops (FPSs)
  3. Its distribution in a transparent and accountable manner at the FPS level.

 

 

Concept of Developing, Emerging and Developed countries.

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In 1978, the World Bank, for the first time, constructed an analytical country classification system. The occasion was the launch of the World Development Report. Annexed to the report was a set of World Development Indicators (WDI), which provided the statistical underpinning for the analysis. The first economic classification in the 1978 WDI divided countries into three categories: (1) developing countries, (2) industrialized countries, and (3) capital-surplus oil-exporting countries. Developing countries were categorized as low- income (with GNI/n of US$250 or less) and middle-income (with GNI/n above US$250).

Major Characteristics of Developing Countries are:-

  1.  Lower per-capita income
  2.  Low levels of human capital
  3. High levels of poverty and under-nutrition
  4. Higher population growth rates
  5. Predominance of agriculture and low levels of industrialization
  6. Low level of urbanization but rapid rural-to-urban migration
  7. Dominance of informal sector
  8. Underdeveloped labor, financial, and other markets.

Major Characteristics of Emerging Countries are:-

  1. the small size of the economy,
  2. GNP/Capita much lower than in developed countries,
  3. a reduced opening for accepting foreign investors,
  4. a high volatility of the exchange rate which implies greater risk in trading.

Major Characteristics of Developed Countries are:-

  1. Average income per capita of the population is generally high.
  2. Education level of high average population.
  3. Life expectancy of the population average height.
  4.  Population growth rate per year is relatively small.
  5. The death rate per year is relatively small population.
  6. Life-style market economy.
  7. His wide and varied field.
  8. Economic activity in most industry sectors, as well as export commodities.
  9. The majority of the population lives in cities.
  10. Relatively high level of population health.

Nagaland Food Security

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Nagaland Food Security

Nagaland, was born on 1st December 1963 and among the farthest lying state in northeast. The state is split into seven districts: Kohima, Phek, Mokokchung, Wokha, Zunheloto, Twensang and Mon. It is a mostly mountainous state with most area covered by forest. Agriculture is that the most essential economic activity in Nagaland. Principal crops embody rice, corn, millets, pulses, tobacco, oilseeds, sugarcane, potatoes and fibres. Alternative economy boosters are forestry, cottage industries, Insurance, real estate and tourism.Nagaland Food Security

The state is found between the 93°20′ E and 95°15′ E Longitudes and 25°6′ and 27°4′ N Latitudes. The entire space lined by the state is 16,579 sq. kilometer. Nagaland was declared the sixteenth state of the country of India on 1 December 1963. Before this, Nagaland accustomed could be a union territory. The other attention-grabbing knowledge concerning Nagaland is that it homes as many as sixteen entirely completely different ethnic groups. These groups of people have their own separate cultural identities that embrace customs, dresses and languages. Nearly 90% of the population of Nagaland is devout Christians. The state put together options a considerable Hindu people. Kohima, the capital town of the state, options a variety of sites that ought to be visited by the tourists as a result of it will facilitate them in getting an insight of the rich history place. The name ‘Kohima’ has been derived from the name of a plant referred to as ‘Kew Hi’ that thrives inside the mountainous region. Kohima could be a fascinating place, endowed many natural beauty.

Nagaland has created tremendous progress throughout the last forty seven years of its Statehood. Our ability level, these days standing on top of 70th, is on top of the Indian national average. Our growth in agriculture sector, significantly inside the previous couple of years, has even shocked United States. A quick examine the gross domestic product of the State show that the State’s economy has been registered a healthy growth of relating to 15 August 1945. Such tremendous growth in agriculture sector desires corresponding entrepreneurial intervention to want advantage of the potentials, and switch them into economic opportunities.

Meaning of Food security

It is an act to produce for food and organic process security in human life cycle approach , by guaranteeing access to adequate amount of quality food at reasonable costs to individuals to measure a life with dignity and for matters connected with that or incidental to it.

The ‘National Food Security Act, 2013’ was introduced by the govt. to produce quality and nutrient food to the folk, poor and pregnant ladies. the most aim of this Act is – to produce food and organic process security in human life cycle approach, by guaranteeing access to essential and adequate amount of quality food at reasonable costs to folks to measure a life with dignity and for matters connected with that or incidental to it.

The connected provisions and mechanism for providing food and organic process security to common men of this country square measure arranged down within the Act, that square measure as follows:

  • Fair value search
  • Food grains
  • Food Security
  • Rural space
  • Targeted Public Distribution System

Three years after adoption of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in 2013, the state of Nagaland is finally set to implement the Act once abundant talks with the Centre on the financial facet.

 

The Act is enforced in Dimapur and Kohima districts with result from July 1, 2016 and by August next, the NFSA can cover the remaining nine districts. The Nagaland regime can begin execution the NFSA coverage phase-wise from June 1 beginning with Kohima and Dimapur districts. NFSA 2013 was a landmark event within the State’s history. delay in implementation of the Food Security Act in Nagaland was owing to unfavourable funding pattern and varied supplying problems like lack of infrastructure, lack of godowns in most districts of the State, lack of power backup, conversion method and constitution of State Food Commission, vigilance committees, and grievances redress mechanism at the district level.

Under the Act, beneficiaries of Priority Household (PHH) would be provided five metric weight units of backed food grains per head at Rs three per metric weight unit for rice and Rs 2 for wheat within the ratio of 4:1. NFSA 2013 would additionally cover 78.83 per cent of the agricultural people and 61.98 per cent of the urban people within the State.

Department, from high to bottom, was totally mobilized to realize the target of providing extremely backed food grains to the beneficiaries. Informing that each on top of poverty line (APL) and Below poverty line (BPL) beneficiaries are amalgamated beneath the name of Priority home as per the Act, the department had 2,37,434 households with a rise of 44,464 households with feminine members as head of family within the PHH card covering 11,93,922 individual beneficiaries. alongside 2,12,034 Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries, the department would cover 14,05,956 beneficiaries.

Three years once adoption of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in 2013, the state of Nagaland is finally set to implement the Act once abundant talks with the Centre on the monetary facet.

The Act are enforced in Dimapur and Kohima districts with result from 1st  of July, 2016 and by August next, the NFSA can cover the remaining nine districts.

In pursuance of National Food Security Act 2013, the Govt. Of Nagaland has approved for the implementation of the NFSA,2013 within the state. The eligible priority households shall be entitled to receive 5(five) kgs of Foodgrains per person per month either @Rs.3/- per kilogram of rice or Rs.2/- per kilogram of wheat. The implementation shall begin solely once completion of identification of eligible households within the state.

There will be no additional ABL/BPL beneficiaries beneath NFSA solely Priority households. The AAY (Antyodaya Anna Yojana) beneficiaries can still receive their monthly allocation as per the theme. The District Administration, native bodies and village Councils square measure requested to help the Department of F&CS to spot eligible priority beneficiaries. Any false declarations by candidates are mechanically rejected and no additional appeal is thought of.

The Criteria For Identification Of Priority Households Under The National Food Security Act, 2013 Are As Under:-

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Households having an annual family income of Rs. 1.5 lakh or less and falling underneath the subsequent class are considered for inclusion beneath priority households.
  • Vulnerable and marginalised section of the individuals infected with HIV+ and punctually registered by Nagaland State Aids control Society (NSACS).
  • Households with a disable person as head of the households (as outlined in persons with Disabilities Act ‘1995) subjected to submission of prescribed certified by a competent medical Authority.
  • Single women (including widows, unmarried, divorced and deserted women).
  • Homeless and indigent households.
  • Occupationally vulnerable teams like Casual Domestic staff, Unskilled staff, Casual Labourers, rickshaw and Cart-pullers, Marginal Farmers, Vegetables Vendors, Rag-pickers etc. also will be enclosed underneath Priority Households.
  • He/She ought to be a bonafide subject of India and apermanent resident of Nagaland.
  • Salaried workers (Public/Private Sectors) falling below the financial gain bar as mentioned on top of.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Any member of households possessing a four wheeler.
  • Households receiving Ration/Food grant underneath the other
  • Any member of the house who is a worker of
  • Central/State Govt. With an annual income of over Rs.1.5 lakh

30.01.18 Nagaland(NPSC) Current Affairs

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NORTH-EASTERN STATES

  • Territorial integrity of North eastern states won’t be compromised: Rajnath

 

  • Territorial integrity of Assam and other northeastern states will not be compromised when the final Naga peace accord is inked, home minister Rajnath Singh assured Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

 

  • The insurgent group NSCN-IM’s key demand is to integrate the Naga-inhabited areas of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur, which has been strongly opposed by the three states, currently ruled by the BJP.

 

  • The NSCN-IM has been engaged with peace talks with the interlocutor of the central government since 1997 when it announced a ceasefire agreement after a bloody insurgency movement which started in Nagaland soon after the country’s Independence. 

     

    INTERNATIONAL

     

    • ‘Aadhaar’ is Oxford’s first Hindi word of the year

     

    • Dictionaries at the Jaipur Literature Festival.

     

    • ‘Aadhaar’ also becomes the first Oxford Dictionaries Hindi Word of the Year.

     

    • The accompanying shortlisted words include Notebandi, Swachh, Vikaas, Yoga and Bahubali.

     

    ·        India Cheapest Country To Live In After South Africa: Survey

     

    • India is ranked second only to South Africa as the cheapest country to live or retire, according to a recent survey of 112 countries by GoBankingRates.
    • The survey ranked nations on the bases of four key affordability metrics. The metrics are Local purchasing power index, rent index, Groceries index, and Consumer price index.
    • India’s local purchasing power is 20.9% lower, rent is 95.2% cheaper, groceries are 74.4% cheaper, local goods and services are 74.9% cheaper.
    • The top three most expensive countries in the survey are Bermuda (ranked 112), Bahamas (111), and Hong Kong (110).

     

     

    NATIONAL

     

    ·        Economic Survey 2018:  Brief Summary

     

    • The Economic Survey, an annual publication of the Finance Ministry, is presented in both houses of Parliament during the Budget Session. It is a review of the developments in the country’s economy over the previous one year.
    • Sticking to the practice started last year, finance minister Arun Jaitley will present Union Budget 2018 on 1 February.
    • It presents a summary of the performance of the government’s major development programmes undertaken during that period.
    • It also details the main policy initiatives of the government.

     

    • The  Survey sees FY19 GDPgrowing 7-7.5% vs 75% in FY18.

     

    • The Due to higher expected increase in imports, net exports of goods and services are slated to decline in 2017-18.

     

    • The Exports biggest source of the boost to growth.

     

    • It points out that the GDP growth has averaged 7.3% for the period from 2014-15 to 2017-18, which is the highest among the major economies of the world.

     

    • Demonetisation helped share of financial saving to rise.

     

    • The ratio of domestic saving to GDP reached 29.2 percent in 2013 to a peak of 38.3 percent in 2007, before falling back to 29 percent in 2016.

     

    • The Sanitation coverage in rural India increased substantially from 39 percent in 2014 to 76 percent in January 2018. With the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) on October 2, 2014, the sanitation coverage in rural India increased substantially.

     

    • So far, 296 districts and 307,349 villages all over India have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF).

     

    • India is gradually improving its performance in Science and Technology. In 2013, India ranked 6th in the world in scientific publications. Its ranking has been increasing consistently. The growth of annual publications between 2009 to 2014 was almost 14%. This increased India’s share in global publications from 3.1% in 2009 to 4.4% in 2014 as per the Scopus Database.

     

    • The foreign exchange reserves grew by 14.1% on a year-on-year basis from the end of Dec 2016 to end of Dec 2017.

     

    • The forex reserves as per 2016-17 were estimated at USD 370 billion. It grew to USD 409.4 billion in 2017-18.

     

     

     

    ·        VINBAX: India and Vietnam hold first military exercise in Jabalpur

     

    • The India-Vietnam Bilateral Army Exercise (VINBAX-2018)was conducted at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.
    • It is the first military exercise between the two countries.
    • The six-day-long military exercise (from January 29 to February 3, 2018) was conducted as part of joint training undertaken with friendly foreign countries by Indian Army.
    • VINBAX-2018 was Table Top Exercise to carry out training for Peace Keeping Operations under United Nations (UN) mandate.
    • The Defence ties between India and Vietnam have been on an upswing with the primary focus being cooperation in the maritime domain.

    ·        International Bird Festival To Be Held In Dudhwa National Park

     

    • A three-day international bird festivalwill be held at the Dudhwa National Park, Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh in February 2018 with nearly 200 leading ornithologists expected to attend.
    • The purpose of the international bird festival is to promote eco-tourism in Dudhwa and to give it a distinct international identity besides highlighting its traditional Tharu arts, culture, and heritage.

     

    ·        Asias biggest auto testing track inaugurated in Madhya Pradesh

     

    • Union Minister Babul Supriyo and Madhya Pradesh Industrial minister Rajendra Shukla inaugurated Asia’s biggest auto testing track in Pithampur of Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh.
    • The country’s research and development activities in the sector of automobile engineering and technology will get a boost, due to the construction of the auto testing track in Pithampur.
    • Pithampur will emerge as a hub of the automobile industry in future.
    • Union Minister further mentioned that the state government has provided 4 thousand acre land to NATRiP and the National Auto Testing Track has been developed on 3 thousand acre land.
    • Automobile units can be established by the industrialists on the remaining one thousand acre land.

     

    ·        Sandeep Lamichhane Becomes 1st Nepal Player To Get IPL Contract

     

    • Sandeep Lamichhane became the first cricketer from Nepal to land a deal an IPL contract.
    • He was picked by Delhi Daredevils in the player’s auction.
    • The 17-year-old, the only Nepal player in the IPL auction, was sold at his base price of Rs 20 lakh.
    • The leg-spinner rose to prominence with a successful outing at the 2016 U-19 World Cup where he guided Nepal to a creditable eighth place.
    • He hogged the limelight by becoming the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 14 scalps in six innings.

12 Finance Commission of India

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The Twelfth Finance Commission  was appointed under the chairmanship of C. Rangarajan on November 1, 2002 to make recommendations regarding the distribution between the Union and the States of net proceeds of shareable taxes, the principles which should govern the grants- in-aid of the revenues of States from the Consolidated Fund of India and the measures needed to augment the Consolidated Fund of a State to supplement the resources of local bodies in the State on the basis of the recommendations made by the Finance Commission of the State.

 

Recommendations of the Twelfth Finance Commission

Restructuring public finances

  • Centre and States to improve the combined tax-GDP ratio to 17.6 per cent by 2009-10.
  • Combined debt-GDP ratio, with external debt measured at historical exchange rates, to be brought down to 75 percent by 2009-10.
  • Fiscal deficit to GDP targets for the Centre and States to be fixed at 3 per cent.
  • Revenue deficit of the Centre and States to be brought down to zero by 2008-09.
  • Interest payments relative to revenue receipts to be brought down to 28 per cent and 15 per cent in the case of the Centre and States, respectively.
  • States to follow a recruitment policy in a manner so that the total salary bill, relative to revenue expenditure, net of interest payments, does not exceed 35 per cent.
  • Each State to enact a fiscal responsibility legislation providing for elimination of revenue deficit by 2008-09 and reducing fiscal deficit to 3 per cent of State Domestic Product.
  • The system of on-lending to be brought to an end over time. The long term goal should be to bring down debt-GDP ratio to 28 per cent each for the Centre and the States.

Sharing of Union tax revenues

  •  The share of States in the net proceeds of shareable Central taxes fixed at 30.5 per cent, treating additional excise duties in lieu of sales tax as part of the general pool of Central taxes. Share of States to come down to 29.5 per , when States are allowed to levy sales tax on sugar, textiles and tobacco.
  • In case of any legislation enacted in respect of service tax, after the notification of the eighty eighth amendment to the Constitution, revenue accruing to a State should not be less than the share that would accrue to it, had the entire service tax proceeds been part of the shareable pool.
  • The indicative amount of overall transfers to States to be fixed at 38 per cent of the Centre’s gross revenue receipts.

Local bodies

  • A grant of Rs.20,000 crore for the Panchayati Raj institutions and Rs.5,000 crore for urban local bodies to be given to States for the period 2005-10.
  • Priority to be given to expenditure on operation and maintenance (O&M) costs of water supply and sanitation, while utilizing the grants for the Panchayats. At least 50 per cent of the grants recommended for urban local bodies to be earmarked for the scheme of solid waste management through public-private partnership.

Calamity relief

  •  The scheme of Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) to continue in its present form with contributions from the Centre and States in the ratio of 75:25. The size of the Fund worked out at Rs.21,333 crore for the period 2005-10.
    The outgo from the Fund to be replenished by way of collection of National Calamity Contingent Duty and levy of special surcharges.
  • The definition of natural calamity to include landslides, avalanches, cloud burst and pest attacks.
    Provision for disaster preparedness and mitigation to be part of State Plans and not calamity relief.

Grants-in-aid to States

  •  The present system of Central assistance for State Plans, comprising grant and loan components, to be done away with, and the Centre should confine itself to extending plan grants and leaving it to States to decide their borrowings.
  • Non-plan revenue deficit grant of Rs.56,856 crore recommended to 15 States for the period 2005-10. Grants amounting to Rs.10,172 crore recommended for the education sector to eight States. Grants amounting to Rs.5,887 crore recommended for the health sector for seven States. Grants to education and health sectors are additionalities over and above the normal expenditure to be incurred by States.
  • A grant of Rs.15,000 crore recommended for roads and bridges, which is in addition to the normal expenditure of States.
  • Grants recommended for maintenance of public buildings, forests, heritage conservation and specific needs of States are Rs. 500 crore, Rs.1,000 crore, Rs.625 crore, and Rs.7,100 crore, respectively.

Fiscal reform facility

  •  With the recommended scheme of debt relief in place, fiscal reform facility not to continue over the period 2005-10.

Debt relief and corrective measures

  •  Central loans to States contracted till March,2004 and outstanding on March 31, 2005 amounting to Rs.1,28,795 crore to be consolidated and rescheduled for a fresh term of 20 years, and an interest rate of 7.5 per cent to be charged on them. This is subject to enactment of fiscal responsibility legislation by a State.
  • A debt write-off scheme linked to reduction of revenue deficit of States to be introduced. Under this scheme,
    repayments due from 2005-06 to 2009-10 on Central loans contracted up to March 31,2004 will be eligible for write- off.
  • Central Government not to act as an intermediary for future lending to States, except in the case of weak States,
    which are unable to raise funds from the market.
  • External assistance to be transferred to States on the same terms and conditions as attached to such assistance by external funding agencies.
  • All the States to set up sinking funds for amortization of all loans.
  • States to set up guarantee redemption funds through earmarked guarantee fees.

Others

  •  The Centre should share ‘profit petroleum’ from New Exploration and Licensing Policy (NELP) areas in the ratio of 50:50 with States where mineral oil and natural gas are produced. No sharing of profits in respect of nomination fields and non-NELP blocks.
  • Every State to set up a high level committee to monitor the utilization of grants recommended by the TFC.
    Centre to gradually move towards accrual basis of accounting.

Source:Ministry of Finance

02.02.18 Nagaland(NPSC) Current Affairs

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NORTH-EASTERN STATES

  • Budget brings hope to bamboo-rich northeast

 

  • Bamboo is essentially a type of grass, but its classification as a tree for 90 years prevented the northeast, which grows 67% of India’s bamboo, from exploiting it commercially unlike China, the only country with richer bamboo genetic resources.

 

  • Now Budget 2018 has ignited farm hope for this tree-turned-grass which once fuelled insurgency in the northeastern states. The allocation of ₹1,290 crore for a restructured National Bamboo Mission (NBM) has raised hopes for a range of bamboo-based industries – from food professing to construction.

 

  • Bamboo is a wonder, multi-utility grass that more than 300 ethnic groups in the northeast have traditionally been using in every stages of life, from birth to death, besides it being a delicacy. Bamboo’s commercial journey began when it was struck off the list of trees by amending the Indian Forest Act last year.

 

  • The Budget provision is one of the best initiatives to promote holistic development of bamboo. But the restructured NBM needs to be more focussed on value-chain management and value-addition of bamboo at community level which will bring more income to the bamboo farmers and bamboo processors.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

·        India Slips to 42nd Place On EIU Democracy Index, Norway Tops

 

  • India slipped to 42nd place on an annual Global Democracy Index according to the data compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). India has moved down from 32nd place last year.
  • The top 5 Countries in the list are

    Norway,

    Iceland,

    Sweden,

    New Zealand and

    Denmark

 

  • The index ranks 165 independent states and two territories on the basis of five categories: electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, the functioning of government, political participation and political culture.

 

  • The list has been divided into four broad categories- full democracy, flawed democracy, the hybrid regime and authoritarian regime.

 

  • North Korea is ranked the lowest at 167th, while Syria is a notch better at 166th place.

 

 

·        India Joins Ashgabat agreement

 

  • India joined Ashgabat Agreement on the establishment of an International Transport and Transit Corridor between the Iran, Oman, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
  • The agreement was signed in 2011, which envisages facilitation of transit and transportation of goods between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf.
  • According to the External Affairs Ministry, the accession to the Agreement would diversify India’s connectivity options with Central Asia and have a positive influence on its trade and commercial ties with the region.

 

NATIONAL

 

  • Union Budget 2018: Key takeaways and sector-wise highlights

 

  • Finance Minister Arun Jaitley delivered the current government’s fifth and last full financial budget (Budget 2018 for the fiscal year 2018-19) amid subdued economic growth, challenging fiscal situation and farm distress.

 

Here are the key highlights from the Union Budget 2018:

Economic Health

  • Economy firmly on course to achieve high growth of 8%
  • GDP growth at 6.3% in the second quarter of 2017-18 signals turnaround of the economy
  • Growth in the second half likely to remain between 7.2% to 7.5%

Agriculture and Rural Economy

  • MSP for all unannounced Kharif crops increased to 150%
  • Institutional credit for agri-sector increased to Rs.10 lakh crore in 2017-18
  • Fisheries, aquaculture and animal husbandry corpus at Rs.10,000 crore
  • New scheme Operation Greens with an outlay of Rs 500 Crore
  • Govt to develop and upgrade existing 22,000 rural haats
  • Agri-Market Infrastructure Fund with a corpus of Rs.2000 crore
  • Allocation for Ministry of Food Processing doubled to Rs.1400 crore
  • Loans to Self Help Groups (SHG) of women to increase to Rs.75,000 crore by March 2019.
  • Increased allocation of National Rural Livelihood Mission to Rs 5750 crore
  • Under Ujjwala Scheme distribution of free LPG connections will be given to 8 crore poor women
  • Housing for All by 2022 – more than one crore houses to be built by 2019 in rural areas

Education, Health, and Social Protection

  • Estimated budgetary expenditure on health, education and social protection at Rs.1.38 lakh crore
  • Ekalavya Model Residential School to be set up for tribal children
  • Investments for research & infra in premier educational institutions at Rs.1 lakh crore in next 4 years
  • Allocation on National Social Assistance Programme at Rs. 9975 crore
  • NHPS to cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries)
  • NHPS to provide coverage up to 5 lakh rupees per family per year for hospitalisation
  • Rs 1200 crore for the National Health Policy, 2017 – additional Rs.600 crore for TB patients
  • 24 new Government Medical Colleges and Hospitals

Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs) and Employment

  • Major thrust for Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs) – allocation at Rs. 3794 crore
  • Target of Rs.3 lakh crore for lending under MUDRA Yojana
  • 70 lakh formal jobs to be created this year
  • Govt to make 12% contribution of new employees in the EPF for all the sectors for 3 years
  • Outlay of Rs.7148 crore for the textile sector
  • Increase budgetary allocation on infrastructure for at Rs.5.97 lakh crore
  • To develop 10 prominent tourist sites into Iconic Tourism destinations
  • 35000 kms road construction in Phase-I at an estimated cost of Rs.5,35,000 crore

Railways

  • Railways Capital Expenditure pegged at Rs.1,48,528 crore
  • 4000 kilometers of electrified railway network slated for commissioning
  • Work on Eastern and Western, dedicated freight corridors
  • Over 3600 km of track renewal targeted in current fiscal
  • Redevelopment of 600 major railway stations
  • Mumbai’s local train network to have 90 kilometers of double line tracks at Rs.11,000 crore cost
  • 150 km of additional suburban network planned for Mumbai
  • Suburban network of 160 km at for Bengaluru metropolis

Air Transport

  • To expand airport capacity more than five times to handle a billion trips a year
  • Regional connectivity – 56 unserved airports and 31 unserved helipads to be connected
  • To establish unified authority for regulating all financial services

Digital Economy

  • NITI Aayog to initiate a national program to direct efforts in artificial intelligence
  • Department of Science & Technology to launch Mission on Cyber-Physical Systems
  • Allocation doubled on Digital India programme to Rs 3073 crore
  • To set up 5 lakh wifi hotspots to provide net-connectivity to five crore rural citizens
  • Rs. 10000 crore for creation and augmentation of telecom infrastructure

Defence

  • Development of two defence industrial production corridors.
  • Allocation of Rs 2.95 lakh crore to defence sector.

Emoluments

  • To revise emoluments to Rs.5 lakh for the President
  • Rs 4 lakhs for the Vice President
  • Rs.3.5 lakh per month to Governor
  • Pay for Members of Parliament – law for automatic revision of emoluments every 5 years
  • 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi- Rs.150 crore for commemoration programme

Fiscal Management

  • Budget Revised Estimates for Expenditure at Rs.21.57 lakh crore
  • Revised Fiscal Deficit estimates at 3.5% of GDP
  • To bring down Central Government’s Debt to GDP ratio to 40%

Jaitley announces ‘world’s largest healthcare programme’

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced two new initiatives under the Ayushman Bharat Programme in the Union Budget 2018.

  • Under the programme, Mr. Jaitley announced a new flagship National Health Protection Scheme, providing a health insurance cover of ₹5 lakh a family per annum.
  • The scheme will cover 10 crore vulnerable families, with approximately 50 crore beneficiaries.
  • Mr. Jaitley also announced the creation of health and wellness centres, which will “bring healthcare closer to home”.
  • These centres, 1.5 lakh in number, will provide free essential drugs and diagnostic services. A sum of Rs. 1200 crore had been allocated for this.

·         Thirty Second Surajkund International Crafts Mela Begins

 

  • The 32nd Surajkund International CraftsMela begun in Faridabad, Haryana.

    The Mela is organized by the Surajkund Mela Authority and Haryana Tourism in collaboration with Union Ministries of Tourism, Textiles, Culture and External Affairs.

    The 17-day cultural extravaganza will see a spectacular showcase of regional and international crafts, handlooms, traditions along with some mouth-watering multi-cuisine food for the visitors.

    This year Uttar Pradesh is the theme state and Kyrgyzstan is the Partner Nation.

Climate of Nagaland for Nagaland PSC

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Climate of Nagaland

  • Nagaland, the 16th State of the Indian Union, came into being on 1st. December, 1963.
  • Nagaland with a geographical area of about 16,579 Sq. Km. lies between 25°60‟ and 27°40‟ North latitude and 93°20‟ and 95°15‟ East longitude.
  • The state is bounded by Assam in the North and West, by Myanmar and Arunachal Pradesh in the East and by Manipur in the South.
  • Nagaland, being one of the “eight Sisters” commonly called as the North-Eastern Region including Sikkim*, is a land of lush green forests, rolling mountains, enchanting valleys, swift flowing streams and of beautiful landscape.

Temperature and Rainfall Aspects of Climate of Nagaland

  • Climate of Nagaland has a monsoon climate. The state enjoys a salubrious climate. Annual rainfall ranges around 70–100 inches (1,800–2,500 mm), concentrated in the months of May to September.
  • Temperatures range from 70°F (21°C) to 104°F (40°C). In winter, temperatures do not generally drop below 39°F (4 °C), but frost is common at high elevations.
  • Summer is the shortest season in the state that lasts only for a few months.
  • The temperature during the summer season remains between 16°C (61°F) to 31°C (88 °F). Winter makes an early arrival and bitter cold and dry weather strikes certain regions of the state.
  • The maximum average temperature recorded in the winter season is 24°C (75°F).
  • Strong north-west winds blow across the state during the months of February and March.
  • The Climate of Nagaland in general is controlled by its terrain features.
  • It is hot to warm subtropical in areas with elevations of 1000 to 1200 m.
  • The Climate of Nagaland environment is warm sub temperate in areas with elevations of 1200 m and above.
  • The Climate of Nagaland as such is typical of a tropical country with heavy rainfall. Most of the heavy rainfall occurs during four months i.e. June to September.
  • The rain during April to May is low.
  • The temperature varies from 0°C in winter to about 40°C in summer depending on elevation.
  • The average annual temperature ranges from 18°C to 20°C and 23°C to 25°C in the higher and lower elevations, respectively.

Classification of Climate of Nagaland based on Koppen-Geiger

Classification Count Köppen-Geiger Examples
Humid subtropical climate 47 Cwa Kohima, Mon, Wakching, Longching,

Longleng
Subtropical highland oceanic climate 11 Cwb Tuensang, Chintang, Saddle, Shamator, Zunheboto,Fakim
Humid subtropical climate 5 Cfa Dimapur, Naganimora, Naginimora, Barjan, Tuli

 

Agro-Climatic Zone of Climate of Nagaland

  • The Climate of Nagaland to a large extent is controlled by its undulating topographical terrain features.
  • It is hot to warm sub-tropical in area with elevation of 1000-1200m above MSL.
  • The foothill plains, sheltered valleys and the ranges are marked with climatic contrasts.
  • The year is divided into four seasons viz.,
  1. Winter (December-February),Climate of Nagaland
  2. Pre-monsoon (March-April),
  • Monsoon (May-September)
  1. Retreating monsoon (October-November).
  • The beginning of winter is marked by a steep fall in temperature during December. January is the coldest month.
  • In February the temperature starts rising gradually.
  • The winter winds are generally weak and variable.
  • The average annual temperature ranges from 18°C-20°C to 23°C-25°C respectively in the higher and lower elevation.
  • The monsoon lasts for five months from May to September with June, July and August being the wettest months.
  • The following agro-climatic zones in Nagaland are divided into four zones:
  1. Hot per-humid climate
  2. Hot moist sub-humid climate
  • Warm humid climate
  1. Warm per-humid climate

Climate Change aspect of Climate of Nagaland

  • Climate Change has emerged as one of the most serious environmental and socio-economic concerns of our times.
  • It is a global phenomenon with diverse local impacts likely to alter the distribution and quality of our natural resources and adversely affect the livelihood of the people specially the poor and marginalized communities.
  • In 1992, India adopted the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, global initiative to combat climate change.
  • Article 3 of the UNFCCC states that “parties should protect the climate system for the benefit of future and present generations of human kind on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities.”
  • A latecomer into the nation’s development process and with a per capita Green House Gas emission barely a fraction of the national average and the magnitude much below that of other industralised states of the country, the state’s economy is closely linked to its natural resource base and climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture and forestry.
  • Hence, the state faces an increased risk of the negative impacts of climate change.
  • The state would therefore adopt a climate friendly, equity based and sustainable developmental path taking into account our “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities”, and our regional development priorities, objectives and circumstances.
  • A State Action Plan on Climate Change would be prepared within the ambit of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) albeit with modifications that suits the specific requirements of the state.
  • A climate change cell should be set up to coordinate the gathering of information, conduct research and offer solutions to the problems with regard to food security, change in rainfall patterns etc.
  • Climate change initiatives to be started with the cooperation of the civil society at large to achieve:
  1. Energy efficiency.
  2. Harness renewable energy sources.
  3. Adaptive management in agriculture.
  4. Promote climate friendly technologies.
  5. Launch campaign on 3Rs-recycle, reduce, reuse

POVERTY

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  • Following elements mainly affect the magnitude of the poverty ration
    • The nutrition norm in the base year
    • Price deflator used to update the poverty line
    • Pro rata adjustment in the number of households in different expenditure classes to determine the number of households below and above poverty line.
  • Agricultural wage earners, small and marginal farmers and casual workers engaged in non-agricultural activities constitute the bulk of the rural poor

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