VISION: Prelims2018

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Showing posts with label Prelims2018. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prelims2018. Show all posts

Monday, April 23, 2018

Polity Trending Topics for UPSC Prelims 2018

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ECONOMICS Trending Topics for UPSC Prelims 2018

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Friday, April 20, 2018

Target 2018 Reports And Indices pdf

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Government Schemes part 2 Prelims 2018 (ShankarIAS ) Pdf Download

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Thursday, April 19, 2018

UPSC Complete Study Notes: Biosphere Reserves of India

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This post is brought to you by Oliveboard, an online exam preparation platform for government, banking and MBA exams.

Biosphere reserves of India form an important topic for the UPSC CSE preparation. This blog post covers all important points about it.

Definition of Biosphere Reserves
· Biosphere Reserve (BR) is an international designation by UNESCO for representative parts of natural and cultural landscapes extending over large area of terrestrial or coastal/marine ecosystems or a combination thereof.
· BRs are thus special environments for both people and the nature and are living examples of how human beings and nature can co-exist while respecting each others’ needs.
· These areas are internationally recognized within the framework of UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme, after receiving consent of the participating country.
Functions of Biosphere Reserves
Some functions of Biosphere Reserves are:
Conservation
•To ensure the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variations.
• To encourage the traditional resource use systems
•To understand the patterns and processes of functioning of ecosystems
• To monitor the natural and human-caused changes on spatial and temporal scales
Development
• To promote, at the local level, economic development which is culturally, socially and ecologically sustainable.
• To develop the strategies leading to improvement and management of natural resources
Logistics Support
• To provide support for research, monitoring, education and information exchange related to local, national and global issues of conservation and development
• Sharing of knowledge generated by research through site specific training and education; and
• Development of community spirit in the management of natural resources.

National Biosphere Reserve Programme
India has created a network of protected areas in the form of 96 National Parks, 510 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 28 Tiger Reserves and 25 Elephant Reserves. The area covered under protected area network accounts for around 5% of the total geographical area of the country. The rich biodiversity in India has given shape to variety of cultural and ethnic diversity which includes over 550 tribal communities of 227 ethnic groups spread over 5,000 forest villages.
The national Biosphere Reserve Programme was initiated in 1986 and its aims and objectives are described in the following sections.

Aims of the Scheme
• To serve as wider base for conservation of entire range of living resources and their ecological foundations in addition to already established protected area network system
• To bring out representative ecosystems under conservation and sustainable use on a long-term basis.
• To ensure participation of local inhabitants for effective management and devise means of improving livelihood of the local inhabitants through sustainable use.
• To integrate scientific research with traditional knowledge of conservation, education and training as a part of the overall management of BR.

Objectives of the Scheme
It must be noted that BRs are not a substitute or alternative, but a re-enforcement to the existing protected areas. The objectives of the Biosphere Reserve programme are as follows:
• To conserve the diversity and integrity of plants and animals within natural ecosystems
• To safeguard genetic diversity of species on which their continuing evolution depends; • To provide areas for multi-faceted research and monitoring
• To provide facilities for education and training; and
• To ensure sustainable use of natural resources through most appropriate technology for improvement of economic well-being of the local people.

Criteria for Selection of Biosphere Reserves
The criteria for selection of sites for BRs are listed below:-

Primary Criteria
• A site that must contain an effectively protected and minimally disturbed core area of value of nature conservation and should include additional land and water suitable for research and demonstration of sustainable methods of research and management.
• The core area should be typical of a biogeographical unit and large enough to sustain viable populations representing all tropic levels in the ecosystem.

Secondary Criteria
• Areas having rare and endangered species
• Areas having diversity of soil and micro-climatic conditions and indigenous varieties of biota.
• Areas potential for preservation of traditional tribal or rural modes of living for harmonious use of environment.
 
Structure and Design of Biosphere Reserves
In order to undertake complementary activities of biodiversity conservation and development of sustainable management aspects, Biosphere Reserves are demarcated into three inter-related zones. These are:-
(I)   Natural or Core Zone
The core zone is kept absolutely undisturbed. It must contain suitable habitat for numerous plant and animal species, including higher order predators and may contain centres of endemism. Core areas often conserve the wild relatives of economic species and also represent important genetic reservoirs. The core zones also contain places of exceptional scientific interest. A core zone secures legal protection and management and research activities that do not affect natural processes and wildlife are allowed. Strict nature reserves and wilderness portions of the area are designated as core areas of BR. The core zone is to be kept free from all human pressures external to the system.
(II)  Manipulation or Buffer Zone
In the Buffer Zone, which adjoins or surrounds core zone, uses and activities are managed in ways that protect the core zone. These uses and activities include restoration, demonstration sites for enhancing value addition to the resources, limited recreation, tourism, fishing and grazing, which are permitted to reduce its effect on core zone. Research and educational activities are to be encouraged. Human activities, if natural within BR, are likely to be permitted to continue if these do not adversely affect the ecological diversity.
(III) Transition Zone Outside the Buffer Zone
The Transition Zone is the outermost part of a Biosphere Reserve. This is usually not delimited one and is a zone of cooperation where conservation, knowledge and management skills are applied and uses are managed in harmony with the purpose of the Biosphere Reserve. This includes settlements, crop lands, managed forests and area for intensive recreation, and other economic uses characteristic of the region.
In Buffer Zone and the Transition Zones, manipulative macro-management practices are used. Experimental research areas are used for understanding the patterns and processes in the ecosystem. Modified or degraded landscapes are included as rehabilitation areas to restore the ecology in a way that it returns to sustainable productivity.
List of Biosphere Reserves of India
Nine of the eighteen biosphere reserves of India are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (* marked in the above image), based on the UNESCO MAN and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list.
How Biosphere Reserves are different from protected areas such as National Parks (NP) and Wildlife Sanctuaries(WS)?
It must be noted that the BR is not intended to replace existing protected areas but to widen the scope of conventional approach of protection and further strengthens the Protected Area Network. Existing legally protected areas (National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuary, Tiger Reserve and reserve/protected forests) may become part of the BR without any change in their legal status. On the other hand, inclusion of such areas in a BR will enhance their national value.
 However, the Biosphere Reserves differ from protected areas due to their emphasis on :
(i) Conservation of overall biodiversity and landscape, rather than some specific flagship species, to allow natural and evolutionary processes to continue without any hindrance.
(ii) Different components of BRs like landscapes, habitats, and species and land races.
(iii) Developmental activities, and resolution/mitigation of conflicts between development and conservation,
(iv) Increase in broad-basing of stakeholders, especially local people’s participation and their Training, compared to the features of scheme on Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks.
(v) Sustainable environment friendly development, and sustained coordination amongst different development organizations and agencies.
(vi) Research and Monitoring to understand the structure and functioning of ecological system and their mode of reaction when exposed to human intervention
Hope this gives you all the information you need.
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Quick Revision For Prelims 2018 – Current Affairs From Feb-2018 and March-2018

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Tuesday, April 17, 2018

UPSC Study Notes 2018: Important Bills to Remember!

09:27

This post is brought to you by Oliveboard, an online exam preparation platform for government, banking and MBA exams.

The bills passed (and / or pending) in the parliament are an important form an important part of the topic of ‘governance’, which itself is an important subject for the UPSC CSE (Civil Services/ IAS Exam). This blog post covers some of the most important bills passed (and / or pending) in the parliament in the recent times.

1. The HIV And AIDS (Prevention & Control) Bill, 2014 [Passed]
  • The bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on February 11, 2014 by the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad.
  • It seeks to : prevent and control the spread of HIV and AIDS, prohibits discrimination against persons with HIV and AIDS, provides for informed consent and confidentiality with regard to their treatment, places obligations on establishments to safeguard their rights, and creates mechanisms for redressing their complaints.
  • It lists the various grounds on which discrimination against HIV positive persons and those living with them is prohibited.  These include the denial, termination, discontinuation or unfair treatment with regard to: (i) employment, (ii) educational establishments, (iii) health care services, (iv) residing or renting property, (v) standing for public or private office, and (vi) provision of insurance (unless based on actuarial studies).  The requirement for HIV testing as a pre-requisite for obtaining employment or accessing health care or education is also prohibited.
  • Every HIV infected or affected person below the age of 18 years has the right to reside in a shared household and enjoy the facilities of the household.  The Bill also prohibits any individual from publishing information or advocating feelings of hatred against HIV positive persons and those living with them.
  • The Bill requires that no HIV test, medical treatment, or research will be conducted on a person without his informed consent. Establishments keeping records of information of HIV positive persons shall adopt data protection measures.
2. The Integrated Goods & Services Tax Bill, 2017 [Passed]
  • The Integrated Goods and Services Tax Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on March 27, 2017.  The Bill provides for the levy of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) by the centre on inter-state supply of goods and services.
  • Levy of IGST:  The centre will levy IGST in the case of (i) inter-state supply of goods and services, (ii) imports and exports, and (iii) supplies to and from special economic zones.  Supply includes sale, transfer, exchange and lease made for a consideration to further a business.  In addition, IGST will be levied on any supply which will not fall under the purview of the Central and State GST Acts.
  • Tax rates: IGST will be levied at a rate recommended by the GST Council.  The tax rate will be capped at 40%.
  • Exemptions from IGST: The centre may exempt certain goods and services from the purview of IGST through a notification.  This will be based on the recommendations of the GST Council.
  • The GST is expected to add 2% to the country’s GDP, besides making the movement of goods easier across states. Because so far taxes have varied across states, often commercial trucks have had to go through multiple checkpoints to obtain the necessary permits and pay several taxes to the states they pass on their routes, which causes delays and encourages bribery. A uniform tax will make that movement of commercial products smoother.
3.The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2013
  • The Bill provides for mandatory registration of all projects with the Real Estate Regulatory Authority in each State.
  • It makes mandatory the disclosure of all information for registered projects like details of promoters, layout plan, land status, schedule of execution and status of various approvals.
  • It seeks to enforce the contract between the developer and buyer and act as a fast track mechanism to settle disputes.
  • 50% of the buyers’ investment has to be deposited into an escrow account that would be used only for the construction of that project.
  • The Bill prohibits a developer from changing the plan in a project unless two-thirds of the allottees have agreed for such a change.
  • Builders would be responsible for fixing structural defects for five years after transferring the property to a buyer.
  • In case builders still cause delays in transferring properties to buyers, the appellate tribunals would intervene and slap fines on them within 60 days.
4. The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016 [Passed]
  • The Act provides maternity leave up to 12 weeks for all women. The Bill extends this period to 26 weeks. However, a woman with two or more children will be entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave.
  • The Bill introduces maternity leave up to 12 weeks for a woman who adopts a child below the age of three months, and for commissioning mothers. The period of maternity leave will be calculated from the date the child is handed over to the adoptive or commissioning mother.
  • The Bill requires every establishment with 50 or more employees to provide for crèche facilities within a prescribed distance. The woman will be allowed four visits to the crèche in a day.
  • An employer may permit a woman to work from home, if the nature of work assigned permits her to do so. This may be mutually agreed upon by the employer and the woman.
  • The Bill requires an establishment to inform a woman of all benefits that would be available under the Bill, at the time of her appointment. Such information must be given in writing and electronically.
5. The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016
  • The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 was introduced by Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Mr. J. P. Nadda in Lok Sabha on November 21, 2016.
  • Purposes for which surrogacy is permitted:  Surrogacy is permitted when it is, (i) for intending couples who suffer from proven infertility; and (ii) altruistic; and (iii) not for commercial purposes; and (iv) not for producing children for sale, prostitution or other forms of exploitation.
  • The intending couple should have a ‘certificate of essentiality’ and a ‘certificate of eligibility’ issued by the appropriate authority.
  • The certificate of eligibility is issued upon fulfilment of the following conditions by the intending couple: (i) Indian citizens and are married for at least five years; (ii) between 23 to 50 years old female and 26 to 55 years old male; (iii) they do not have any surviving child (biological, adopted or surrogate); this would not include a child who is mentally or physically challenged or suffers from life threatening disorder or fatal illness.  Other conditions may be specified by regulations.
  • Eligibility criteria for surrogate mother:  To obtain a certificate of eligibility from the appropriate authority, the surrogate mother has to: (i) be a close relative of the intending couple; (ii) be an ever married woman having a child of her own; (iii) be 25 to 35 years old; (iv) be a surrogate only once in her lifetime; and (iv) possess a certificate of medical and psychological fitness for surrogacy.
6. The Finance Bill, 2017 [Passed]
  • As per Finance Bill, 2017, it will now be compulsory to have an Aadhaar (from July 1, 2017) in order to file income tax returns and to obtain and retain PAN, or permanent account number. The aim is to put curbs on instances of issuing multiple PAN to a single individual. Further, quoting of Aadhaar number would restrict granting of subsidies to only those individuals who are eligible to claim it.
  • The amendments to the bill propose to remove: (i) the limit of 7.5% of net profit of the last three financial years, for contributions that a company may make to political parties, (ii) the requirement of a company to disclose the name of the political parties to which a contribution has been made. In addition, contributions to political parties will have to be made only through a cheque, bank draft, electronic means, or any other scheme notified by the government to make contributions to political parties.
  • The threshold limit of cash payments has been decreased from Rs. 3 lakhs to 2 lakhs.
  • Certain Tribunals are proposed to be replaced, and their functions are proposed to be taken over by existing Tribunals under other Acts
7. The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Fifth Ordinance, 2016 [Ordinance : In Force]
  • The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Fifth Ordinance, 2016 was promulgated on December 22, 2016. 
  • The central government had designated some properties belonging to nationals of Pakistan and China as ‘enemy properties’ during the 1962, 1965 and 1971 conflicts.  It vested these properties in the ‘Custodian of Enemy Property’, an office under the central government.  The 1968 Act regulates these enemy properties.
  • Definition of enemy:  The 1968 Act defined an ‘enemy’ as a country (and its citizens) that committed external aggression against India (i.e., Pakistan and China).  The Ordinance expands this definition to include: (i) legal heirs of enemies even if they are citizens of India or of another country which is not an enemy, (ii) nationals of an enemy country who subsequently changed their nationality to that of another country, etc.
8. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016
  • The Bill defines a transgender person as one who is partly female or male; or a combination of female and male; or neither female nor male.  In addition, the person’s gender must not match the gender assigned at birth, and includes trans-men, trans-women, persons with intersex variations and gender-queers.
  • A transgender person must obtain a certificate of identity as proof of recognition of identity as a transgender person and to invoke rights under the Bill. 
  • The Bill prohibits discrimination against a transgender person in areas such as education, employment, and healthcare.  It directs the central and state governments to provide welfare schemes in these areas.
  • Offences like compelling a transgender person to beg, denial of access to a public place, physical and sexual abuse, etc. would attract up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine.
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Target 2018 Economy December 2017-March 2018 Pdf

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Vision IAS PT 365 Culture PDF [Hindi Medium]

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