Maheshwari Ujjawal IAS Academy

MOTIVATE YOURSELF FOR THE UPCOMING EXAM
Someone has correctly said-

“Manzil unhi ko milti hai,

Jinke sapno me jaan hoti hai,

Pankhon se kuchh nahi hota,

Buland Hauslon se udaan hoti hai..”

Quite possible that a lot of you have been preparing for the exam for more than a year and it is perfectly mortal to feel disheartened on not qualifying. Bear in mind that this isn't the end. You have miles to go before you sleep.

Believe in yourself! You can make it! You just need to push yourself. One step at a time and eventually your career will reach its zenith someday. All that is needed is dedication, hard work and focus.

MAHESHWARI UJJWAL IAS ACADEMY NOIDA.
---innovative approach for selection in 1st attempt .
---Each class having tutorials with expected questions cm solutions.
--Group discussions cm seminars.
---Prelims /mains /interview preparation from day one
---Small batches
---Saturdays free demo class
---coaching cm study centre
----free coaching for under privileged
---For details see our website (muiasacademy.in)
---For further inquiry contact.
- 9312518024.
NEW BATCH starting from 3rd of June.First ten enrolled get 20%discount

Floating nuclear power plant launched
A floating nuclear power plant that is also known as ‘Chernobyl on ice’ is ready to begin supplying the electricity in Russia.
The Akademik Lomonosov is reportedly destined to provide power for a region in Russia’s far east.
The ship’s 70-megawatt reactors could power a city of 200,000 people.
China is constructing a similar floating power station.

MAHESHWARI UJJWAL IAS ACADEMY NOIDA.
---innovative approach for selection in 1st attempt .
---Each class having tutorials with expected questions cm solutions.
--Group discussions cm seminars.
---Prelims /mains /interview preparation from day one
---Small batches
---Saturdays free demo class
---coaching cm study centre
----free coaching for under privileged
---For details see our website (muiasacademy.com)
---For further inquiry contact.
- 9312518024

muiasacademy.com

The Bhavantar scheme
The Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana (BBY) was launched by the BJP government in October 2017 in the wake of unrest among farmers over falling prices. It was conceived after five protesting farmers died in police firing and one in custody in June 2017 near Mandsaur. Bhavantar literally means difference in rate. In its original form, the scheme was meant to provide a cushion to farmers when prices of crops fell below the minimum support price (MSP) announced by the central government. Under it, farmers got the difference between the MSP and the modal price (average market price in a mandi over a particular period). For example, if the MSP of soybean was Rs 3,050 per quintal and a farmer sold it for Rs 2,200, he would not get Rs 850 but Rs 550 if the average rate that prevailed in three mandis was Rs 2500 per quintal.
The implementation
The farmers had to register themselves at mandis with details such as their landholding, bank accounts, and likely produce. They were eligible only if they sold their produce during a particular window in the mandi where they had registered themselves. The actual difference in the selling price and the modal rate was deposited directly in their bank accounts.
The scheme was, however, tweaked regularly after its implementation, which brought out its flaws and the difficulties faced by farmers. Also, it ran into allegations that it benefited traders more than farmers. The traders were accused of forming cartels and deliberately keeping prices low. The Congress, then in Opposition, alleged that most traders were affiliated to the ruling BJP and reaped benefits at the cost of farmers by purchasing produce at low rates. The price of soyabean crashed after the scheme was introduced. The Congress pointed out that the prices of soyabean went up immediately after the selling period under the scheme was over.
Where things stand now
Agriculture Minister Yadav initially announced that because the scheme was flawed, the Congress government would scrap it. The immediate implication was that lakhs of soybean and maize farmers would not get the Rs 500 per quintal that had been promised to them. The Congress government is already struggling to raise money to meet the Rs 50,000 loan waiver it has promised.
After the announcement that the scheme would be scrapped, former CM Chouhan announced that he would take to the streets if the farmers did not get what his government had promised. Since then, Yadav has gone back on his announcement saying the scheme was not being scrapped, but would be implemented in a new from.

What is PM10 and PM2.5?
Besides gaseous pollutants, the atmosphere can also be polluted by particles. These particles (either in suspension, fluid or in solid state), have a divergent composition and size and are sometimes called aerosols. They are often catalogued as 'floating dust', but are best known as particulate matter (PM).
This floating dust is most often categorised based on their aerodynamic diameter. The aerodynamic diameter of a dust particle is the diameter of a sphere-shaped particle that shows the same behaviour in the atmosphere as a dust particle (which does not necessarily have a sphere shape). In the framework of air quality problems, particulate matter is the most important.
Particulate matter such as PM10, PM2.5, PM1 and PM0.1 is defined as the fraction of particles with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than respectively 10, 2.5, 1 and 0.1 µm (for your information: 1 µm = 1 millionth of a meter or 1 thousandth of a millimeter). In comparison, the average diameter of a human hair equals 50-70 µm
Bigger particles, after being emitted into the atmosphere, quickly get taken down by gravity or are washed out by rain. The finer particles can remain in the atmosphere for a longer time (a couple of days to weeks). As such, these finer particles can be transported over longer distances. Another consequence of this longer stay in the atmosphere is the possible alteration of composition and the change of characteristics of the particles because of physicochemical processes.

Surrogacy Bill, then & now
ON WEDNESDAY, Lok Sabha passed the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016. Cleared by the Cabinet in 2016, the Bill was subsequently referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee (Health & Family Welfare) before its passage.

What does the Bill aim to do?
The Bill allows only altruistic surrogacy (by relatives) for married couples. It seeks to put an end to commercial surrogacy — payment to a surrogate mother is punishable by up to five years imprisonment — and also has safeguards built in against s*x selection of the baby. The Bill proposes to allow altruistic, ethical surrogacy to intending infertile Indian married couples between the ages of 23-50 (female) and 26-55 (male). It limits the option to only legally married childless couples who have been trying for a child for at least five years. The commissioning couple cannot have a surviving child either biological or adopted, except when they have a child who is mentally or physically challenged or suffers from a life-threatening disorder with no permanent cure.

Why was the Bill necessary?
There have been several reports about the exploitation of surrogate mothers, women who are kept confined in “hostels” during pregnancy and not allowed to meet their families, women who do it repeatedly for a paltry amount thus putting their own bodies at risk. The Bill seeks to put an end to that.
Commercial surrogacy is allowed only in Russia, Ukraine and California. The Bill now requires all surrogacy clinics to be registered. Clinics can charge for these services but the surrogate mother cannot be paid. The national and state surrogacy boards will be the regulating authorities.
What maternity benefits would a commissioning mother be entitled to?
The Bill does not take that into account. It deals with the rights and responsibilities of commissioning parents and surrogate mother vis a vis each other and the baby, but does not address entitlements of a commissioning parent from his or her employer. These are covered by labour laws; the law on maternity benefits does not take into account the possibility of a woman becoming a mother without actually giving birth.

Is the Bill newly passed different from the one cleared by the Cabinet in 2016?
There are changes, including a reduction of punishment. The earlier version provided for a minimum jail term of 10 years for some offences; the present one sets a maximum of 10 years. The present Bill forbids the surrogate mother to use her own gametes (eggs), gives her the option to withdraw before the embryo is implanted, and puts a condition for obtaining a “certificate of essentiality” that the intending couple needs —they must provide a 16-month insurance coverage for the surrogate mother including postpartum complications. The Bill did not make several changes sought by the Standing Committee.
What were these recommendations ?
Pointing out that the Supreme Court has recognised live-in relationships, the Standing Committee had recommended that the government “broadbase the eligibility criteria in this regard and widen the ambit of persons who can avail surrogacy services by including live-in couples, divorced women/ widows”. It had countered the “altruistic surrogacy for married couples” argument and recommended that compensation be the norm and the word altruistic should be replaced with compensated. Altruistic surrogacy, it observed, is tantamount to exploitation

Getting citizenship could become easier for some
Why the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is so deeply contested
What is the proposal?
The winter session of Parliament may see the government push for the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill of 2016. The proposed law, which amends the original Citizenship Act of 1955, mandates that Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan will not be treated as illegal immigrants despite having entered India without valid documents. They will not face deportation as illegal immigrants under the Passport (Entry into India) Act of 1920 and the Foreigners Act of 1946. Illegal immigrants from these six communities from these countries are assured a smooth sail to citizenship over Muslims.
Why did the Act come into existence?
The Bill, which was introduced in Parliament on July 15, 2016, explains that many persons of Indian origin including persons belonging to the six “minority communities” from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh have been unsuccessfully applying for citizenship under the Citizenship Act of 1955 but are unable to produce proof of their Indian origin. Hence, they are forced to apply for citizenship by naturalisation which prescribes 12 years’ residency as qualification.

The Bill states that such a long-drawn process denies illegal immigrants from these six minority communities of the three nations “many opportunities and advantages that may accrue only to the citizens of India, even though they are likely to stay in India permanently”. The amendment shortens the period of residency from 12 to seven years for gaining citizenship by naturalisation. The Bill also empowers the government to cancel registration as OCI in case of any violation of the Citizenship Act or any other laws. Recently, the government has made its resolve clear to go ahead with the amendments by notifying amendments in the Citizenship Rules of 2009 to include a separate column notifying changes in the citizenship form for applicants belonging to six communities from these three nations.
Why is it a bone of contention?
Critics say the Bill violates the basic tenets of the Constitution. By distinguishing illegal immigrants on the basis of religion, the proposed law goes against the fundamental right to equality under Article 14. The protection of Article 14 applies equally to both citizens and foreigners. Second, the Bill would hamper what the Assam National Register of Citizens seeks to achieve in the State. The NRC does not distinguish on the basis of faith unlike the 2016 Bill.
What lies ahead?
The Bill is seen by many as an effort by the BJP to make good their 2014 election promise of making India a safe haven for Hindus persecuted in the three foreign nations. However, the proposed move has drawn flak from the BJP’s coalition partner, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which has threatened to break ties with the BJP if the Bill is passed. The AGP believes that the Bill is a threat to the cultural and linguistic identity of the people of Assam. The Bill, if passed as law, would be challenged in the Supreme Court on the grounds of Article 14 and as a move to disturb the NRC process.

The World Heritage Convention, 1972
The Convention recognizes the way in which people interact with nature, and the fundamental need to preserve the balance between the two.
The Convention defines the kind of natural or cultural sites which can be considered for inscription on the World Heritage Listunder UNESCO
Established in 1992, the World Heritage Centre ensures the day-to-day management of the Convention.
There are 35 (27 cultural, 7 natural and 1 mixed) World Heritage Sites in India that are recognised by the UNESCO as of July 2016.
The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held at Stockholm June 1972
1. Generally called as the ―Stockholm Conference.

2.It was the first declaration of international protection of the environment. In the conference.
3. Stockholm Declaration contains 26 principles. These principles provide the basis of an International Policy for the Protection and improvement of the environment.
4. The United Nations Environment Programme has been established by the UNGA in pursuance of the Stockholm Conference.
5. The Environmental Programme was set up in Geneva in June 1972.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered species of Wild flora and fauna(CITES) 1973
It was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
The Conference aims to control or prevent international commercial trade in endangered species or products derived from them.
The Convention does not seek to directly protect endangered species, rather it seeks to reduce the economic incentive to poach endangered species and destroy their habitat by closing off the international market.
India became a party to the convention in 1976. International trade in all wild flora and fauna in general and species covered under convention is regulated through the provisions of the wild life (protection) Act 1972

Punjab’s burning problem
Farmers in punjab continue to burn paddy stubble every winter despite a ban on the practice.About 200 km northwest of Patiala, in Amritsar — from where the monsoon winds recede earlier — the fields have already been harvested and readied for the winter crop. In Patiala, this step is still some time away, as the fires attest. Flaming carpets belch white smoke into the clear blue sky along this stretch of highway.
according to the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre, Ludhiana, which tracks such fires via satellites and reports them to the government. Punjab alone generates about 20 million tonnes of straw, three-quarters of which are burnt. Behind the generation of such a huge volume of chaff is the increasing popularity of combine harvesters. Farmers prefer these machines as it helps them save on the high labour costs of manual harvesting. But one advantage of manual harvesting is that the stalk which remains is extremely small and does not impede the sowing of fresh seed. But the machines leave stubble shavings that are 6-8 inches high, which if not cleared make fresh sowing impossible.
There are just two things needed for the quickest and the cheapest way to get rid of this stubble: diesel and a match box. Not surprisingly, setting the stubble on fire to prepare the fields for wheat has become a common practice in Punjab. Until a few decades ago, the straw generated by the machines was manageable. They could be sold to the packaging industry and also turned into mulch within the field through the natural, slow process of organic decomposition. Now, however, with about 20 million tonnes of straw generated in the State, and barely two to three weeks to dispose them of and prepare the fields for the next crop, cost-conscious farmers are left with few options other than burning the whole lot.
Are machines the answer?
Earlier this year, the Union Agriculture Ministry earmarked Rs. 591 crore for disbursal to Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, the idea being to help farmers access these machines. Individual farmers could buy them at half their retail price; if bought through self-help groups, they got an 80% discount. In Bibipur, Singh and nine other farmers got together and formed such a group. The cost price of the equipment in the Bibipur council office yard is Rs. 10 lakh, but thanks to the government scheme, a farmer and his associates bought it for Rs. 2 lakh.
“Using farm equipment is only slightly costlier than burning the field and it helps preserve the environment as well as the health of farmers.”
In Punjab and Haryana, there are restrictions in place on how much groundwater could be drawn, as farmers in these States like to flood their fields to sow the rice crop. This, , has further narrowed the window to a mere two-three weeks for clearing out the rice stubble, forcing some farmers to burn away the stubble.
The government line
But officials from the PPCB insist that enforcement of the stubble-burning ban has been stepped up, and so far, there have been fewer fires this year when compared to the same time frame last year.
Now the crop residue is also being used for seven biomass-based power projects with a combined capacity of 62.5 MW .The government is educating farmers that burning the soil also destroys the soil nutrients and increases their fertilizer requirement. For this they have run advertisements. Using farm equipment is only slightly costlier, just Rs. 300 more per acre, than burning the field, and it helps preserve the environment as well as their health.
Apart from efforts to motivate farmers to sell their field residue to power generation companies, the administration is also trying to build a narrative on how stubble-burning damages the soil.
Pointing out that mechanisation is not the sole answer to the problem of stubble burning, Umendra Dutt of Kheti Virasat Mission, an organisation promoting organic farming, says that “mechanisation is only a partial solution, since most of these machines would be used for just a month and lie idle for the rest of the year. Instead, farmers should be motivated to diversify their crops, focussing on domestic diversification and not just commercial diversification.”
While studies over the years have established that pollutants can travel great distances and survive in the atmosphere for a long time, the contribution of Punjab’s stubble-burning to Delhi’s winter smog has not been precisely determined. A Harvard University study published in March 2018 said that “7-78%” of PM2.5 pollution in Delhi is due to “agricultural fires”.
Sachchida Nand Tripathi, a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and an expert on air pollution, says
“Stubble burning does play a role, but our recent studies show that 60% of Delhi’s pollution is due to a wide range of sources within Delhi NCR, such as industries, coal burning, and vehicular emissions. Efforts should be made to address them too.”