- India finds itself bracketed with countries like Philippines and Cambodia, rated as the fourth most corrupt nation among 16 countries of the Asia Pacific region surveyed by leading Hong Kong-based business consultancy firm PERC.
- The Political & Economic Risk Consultancy Ltd (PERC) rated India at 8.67 on a scale of zero to 10 with the high end being the worst case of corruption scenario and ahead of the Philippines (8.9 points), Indonesia (9.25 points) and Cambodia (9.27 points).
- Among the 16 countries reviewed in its latest report, Thailand was rated at 11 with a scale of 7.55, followed by China (7.93) and Vietnam (8.3).
- Comparatively, Singapore was given a clean sheet with a score of 0.37, followed by Hong Kong (1.10), Australia (1.39), Japan (1.90) and USA (2.39), putting them in the top five.
- In India, according to the report, civil and other local-level political leaders were found more corrupt than the national-level political leaders, with the former given a score of 9.25 and the latter slightly better at 8.97.
- Indian civil servants at the city level too were rated at 8.18, worst than the civil servants at the national level (7.76).
- "The issue of corruption has grown and overshadowed the second term in office of the Congress-led coalition headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh," said PERC in its Asian Intelligence report on Asian business and politics.
- The government has been wracked by a series of scandals involving the sale of telecom licenses, preparations for the Commonwealth Games, a land scam involving high level military officers, and improper property loans made by State-owned financial institutions, it pointed out.
- The report also noted that the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry was worried that the problem of corruption and the way it was being treated in the media could seriously hurt India's international image and scare away potential investors.
- It takes two to tango and the level of corruption in the public sector would not be possible if there were not plenty of private businessmen willing to pay bribes and work the political system, said PERC.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
India among the most corrupt nations surveyed by PERC
India-Zimbabwe to work for early conclusion of BIPA
- India and Zimbabwe agreed to work for early conclusion and ratification of the Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement (BIPA) to make it operational at the earliest for the benefit of both the countries.
- Commerce Minister said BIPA will provide a fillip to Indian investors seeking to enter Zimbabwe.
- He expressed appreciation over the 54 per cent stake taken by Essar Africa Holdings in Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (ZISCO); which would be the largest Indian investment in Zimbabwe. He noted the possibilities in cooperation in science and technology between India and Zimbabwe, particularly in appropriate technologies in agriculture, agro-processing and renewable energy.
- India carries special interest with Zimbabwe in mining, power generation, railways, ICT and agricultural sector.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Gilani to attend World Cup semi-final at Mohali
- Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani will join his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh in Mohali on Wednesday to watch the Indo-Pak semi-final match of the cricket World Cup.
- In a weekend of overtures from both sides of the border, Pakistan on Sunday also decided to remit the jail term of an Indian who has been languishing in a prison here for 27 years.
- On Friday after the Indian invitation was received, the presidential spokesman had said that a final decision would be taken in consultation with the Prime Minister after he returned from his visit to Uzbekistan. The decision to remit the jail term of Gopal Dass was also taken at this late night meeting in the Presidency after Mr. Gilani forwarded the Government's recommendation to this effect to Mr. Zardari.
- According to the official statement, Dass was pardoned ``to honour'' the Indian Supreme Court's appeal to Pakistan earlier this month to consider granting remission to him on humanitarian grounds. A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court made this appeal while disposing of a writ petition filed in 2008 by Dass through his brother.
- Pakistani records show that Gopal Dass was sentenced to life imprisonment in June 1987 and was due to be released by the end of this year under the law. He was arrested in July 1984 after apparently crossing the Indo-Pak border by mistake. The Government of India had told the court that Dass was to complete his 25-year sentence on June 26 this year.
- The pardon – coming as it does hours after India decided to allow people from `Azad Jammu & Kashmir' to stay in J&K for a maximum period of six months with multiple entries – is being seen as a bid to reciprocate to this unilateral gesture made by India. Both decisions seek to create a positive mood on the eve of the Home Secretary-level talks beginning in New Delhi on Monday as part of the decision to resume `full spectrum dialogue'.
- While a section of the Pakistani media suggested that the two prime ministers would hold a formal meeting after the cricket match and indicated the possibility of Mr. Gilani spending two days in India, the Foreign Office remained non-committal; stating that the ``details are being worked out'
Russia switches to permanent summer time
- The clocks in all of Russia's nine time zones were moved forward one hour for the last time on Sunday under a decree President Dmitry Medvedev signed last month.
- Daylight saving time (DST) was introduced in the erstwhile Soviet Union in 1981 to reduce energy consumption by adjusting better to daylight differences in summer and winter.
- In contrast to countries that lie closer to the equator, such as India, where there is not much difference in the length of days and nights throughout the year, in Russia nights may last up to 16 hours in winter, leaving just eight hours for daylight in winter (less than one hour in the northernmost reaches), whereas in summer the proportion is reverse.
- Mr. Medvedev said the decision to switch to permanent summertime was made after studies showed that DST "disturbs the human biorhythm" and puts an unnecessary strain on public health.
- Some studies showed more suicides and heart attacks occur immediately after a shift to DST. Staying on summer time round the year will give people extra daylight in the afternoon during Russia's long winter. Critics said it would have been more logical to stay on winter time.
- They argued that Russia had already switched all its time zones one hour ahead under Joseph Stalin in 1930 and moved the clock further forward by one hour in 1981 when it went over to DST. This means that Russia will now be permanently two hours ahead of its original time zones.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
PAPER – I
Administrative Theory
1. Introduction:
Meaning, scope and significance of Public Administration; Wilson's vision of Public Administration; Evolution of the discipline and its present status; New Public Administration; Public Choice approach; Challenges of liberalization, Privatisation, Globalisation; Good Governance: concept and application; New Public Management.
2. Administrative Thought:
Scientific Management and Scientific Management movement; Classical Theory; Weber's bureaucratic model – its critique and post-Weberian Developments; Dynamic Administration (Mary Parker Follett);
Human Relations School (Elton Mayo and others); Functions of the Executive (C.I.Barnard); Simon's decision-making theory; Participative Management (R. Likert, C. Argyris, D. McGregor).
3. Administrative Behaviour:
Process and techniques of decision-making;
Communication; Morale; Motivation
Theories – content, process and contemporary;
Theories of Leadership: Traditional and Modern.
4. Organisations:
Theories – systems, contingency; Structure and forms: Ministries and Departments, Corporations, Companies, Boards and Commissions; Ad hoc and advisory bodies; Headquarters and Field relationships; Regulatory Authorities; Public - Private Partnerships.
5. Accountability and control:
Concepts of accountability and control; Legislative, Executive and Judicial control over administration; Citizen and Administration; Role of media, interest groups, voluntary organizations; Civil society; Citizen's Charters; Right to Information; Social audit.
6. Administrative Law:
Meaning, scope and significance; Dicey on Administrative law; Delegated legislation; Administrative Tribunals.
7. Comparative Public Administration:
Historical and sociological factors affecting administrative systems; Administration and politics in different countries; Current status of Comparative Public Administration; Ecology and administration; Riggsian models and their critique.
8. Development Dynamics:
Concept of development; Changing profile of development administration; 'Antidevelopment thesis'; Bureaucracy and development; Strong state versus the market debate; Impact of liberalisation on administration in developing countries; Women and development - the self-help group movement.
9. Personnel Administration:
Importance of human resource development; Recruitment, training, career advancement, position classification, discipline, performance appraisal, promotion, pay and service conditions; employer-employee relations, grievance redressal mechanism; Code of conduct; Administrative
ethics.
10. Public Policy:
Models of policy-making and their critique; Processes of conceptualisation, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review and their limitations; State theories and public policy formulation.
11. Techniques of Administrative Improvement:
Organisation and methods, Work study and work management; e-governance and information technology; Management aid tools like network analysis, MIS, PERT, CPM.
12. Financial Administration:
Monetary and fiscal policies; Public borrowings and public debt Budgets - types and forms; Budgetary process; Financial accountability; Accounts and audit.
PAPER - II
Indian Administration
1. Evolution of Indian Administration:
Kautilya's Arthashastra; Mughal administration; Legacy of British rule in politics and administration - Indianization of public services, revenue administration, district administration, local self-government.
2. Philosophical and Constitutional framework of government:
Salient features and value premises; Constitutionalism;
Political culture; Bureaucracy
and democracy; Bureaucracy and
development.
3. Public Sector Undertakings:
Public sector in modern India; Forms of Public Sector Undertakings; Problems of autonomy, accountability and control; Impact of liberalization and privatization.
4. Union Government and Administration:
Executive, Parliament, Judiciary - structure, functions, work processes; Recent trends; Intragovernmental relations; Cabinet Secretariat; Prime Minister's Office; Central Secretariat; Ministries and Departments; Boards; Commissions; Attached offices; Field organizations.
5. Plans and Priorities:
Machinery of planning; Role, composition and functions of the Planning Commission and the National Development Council; 'Indicative' planning; Process of plan formulation at Union and State levels; Constitutional Amendments (1992) and decentralized planning for economic development and social justice.
6. State Government and Administration:
Union-State administrative, legislative and financial relations; Role of the Finance Commission; Governor; Chief Minister; Council of Ministers; Chief Secretary; State Secretariat; Directorates.
7. District Administration since Independence:
Changing role of the Collector; Unionstate-local relations; Imperatives of development management and law and order administration; District administration and democratic decentralization.
8. Civil Services:
Constitutional position; Structure, recruitment, training and capacity-building; Good governance initiatives; Code of conduct and discipline; Staff associations; Political rights; Grievance redressal mechanism; Civil service neutrality; Civil service activism.
9. Financial Management:
Budget as a political instrument; Parliamentary control of public expenditure; Role of finance ministry in monetary and fiscal area; Accounting techniques; Audit; Role of Controller General of Accounts and Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
10. Administrative Reforms since Independence:
Major concerns; Important Committees and Commissions; Reforms in financial management and human resource development; Problems of implementation.
11. Rural Development:
Institutions and agencies since independence; Rural development programmes: foci and strategies; Decentralization and Panchayati Raj; 73rd Constitutional amendment.
12. Urban Local Government:
Municipal governance: main features, structures, finance and problem areas; 74th Constitutional Amendment; Globallocal debate; New localism; Development dynamics, politics and administration with special reference to city management.
13. Law and Order Administration:
British legacy; National Police Commission; Investigative agencies; Role of central and state agencies including paramilitary forces in maintenance of law and order and countering
insurgency and terrorism; Criminalisation of politics and administration; Police-public relations; Reforms in Police.
14. Significant issues in Indian Administration:
Values in public service; Regulatory Commissions; National Human Rights Commission; Problems of administration in coalition regimes; Citizen-administration interface; Corruption and administration; Disaster management.
Administrative Theory
1. Introduction:
Meaning, scope and significance of Public Administration; Wilson's vision of Public Administration; Evolution of the discipline and its present status; New Public Administration; Public Choice approach; Challenges of liberalization, Privatisation, Globalisation; Good Governance: concept and application; New Public Management.
2. Administrative Thought:
Scientific Management and Scientific Management movement; Classical Theory; Weber's bureaucratic model – its critique and post-Weberian Developments; Dynamic Administration (Mary Parker Follett);
Human Relations School (Elton Mayo and others); Functions of the Executive (C.I.Barnard); Simon's decision-making theory; Participative Management (R. Likert, C. Argyris, D. McGregor).
3. Administrative Behaviour:
Process and techniques of decision-making;
Communication; Morale; Motivation
Theories – content, process and contemporary;
Theories of Leadership: Traditional and Modern.
4. Organisations:
Theories – systems, contingency; Structure and forms: Ministries and Departments, Corporations, Companies, Boards and Commissions; Ad hoc and advisory bodies; Headquarters and Field relationships; Regulatory Authorities; Public - Private Partnerships.
5. Accountability and control:
Concepts of accountability and control; Legislative, Executive and Judicial control over administration; Citizen and Administration; Role of media, interest groups, voluntary organizations; Civil society; Citizen's Charters; Right to Information; Social audit.
6. Administrative Law:
Meaning, scope and significance; Dicey on Administrative law; Delegated legislation; Administrative Tribunals.
7. Comparative Public Administration:
Historical and sociological factors affecting administrative systems; Administration and politics in different countries; Current status of Comparative Public Administration; Ecology and administration; Riggsian models and their critique.
8. Development Dynamics:
Concept of development; Changing profile of development administration; 'Antidevelopment thesis'; Bureaucracy and development; Strong state versus the market debate; Impact of liberalisation on administration in developing countries; Women and development - the self-help group movement.
9. Personnel Administration:
Importance of human resource development; Recruitment, training, career advancement, position classification, discipline, performance appraisal, promotion, pay and service conditions; employer-employee relations, grievance redressal mechanism; Code of conduct; Administrative
ethics.
10. Public Policy:
Models of policy-making and their critique; Processes of conceptualisation, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review and their limitations; State theories and public policy formulation.
11. Techniques of Administrative Improvement:
Organisation and methods, Work study and work management; e-governance and information technology; Management aid tools like network analysis, MIS, PERT, CPM.
12. Financial Administration:
Monetary and fiscal policies; Public borrowings and public debt Budgets - types and forms; Budgetary process; Financial accountability; Accounts and audit.
PAPER - II
Indian Administration
1. Evolution of Indian Administration:
Kautilya's Arthashastra; Mughal administration; Legacy of British rule in politics and administration - Indianization of public services, revenue administration, district administration, local self-government.
2. Philosophical and Constitutional framework of government:
Salient features and value premises; Constitutionalism;
Political culture; Bureaucracy
and democracy; Bureaucracy and
development.
3. Public Sector Undertakings:
Public sector in modern India; Forms of Public Sector Undertakings; Problems of autonomy, accountability and control; Impact of liberalization and privatization.
4. Union Government and Administration:
Executive, Parliament, Judiciary - structure, functions, work processes; Recent trends; Intragovernmental relations; Cabinet Secretariat; Prime Minister's Office; Central Secretariat; Ministries and Departments; Boards; Commissions; Attached offices; Field organizations.
5. Plans and Priorities:
Machinery of planning; Role, composition and functions of the Planning Commission and the National Development Council; 'Indicative' planning; Process of plan formulation at Union and State levels; Constitutional Amendments (1992) and decentralized planning for economic development and social justice.
6. State Government and Administration:
Union-State administrative, legislative and financial relations; Role of the Finance Commission; Governor; Chief Minister; Council of Ministers; Chief Secretary; State Secretariat; Directorates.
7. District Administration since Independence:
Changing role of the Collector; Unionstate-local relations; Imperatives of development management and law and order administration; District administration and democratic decentralization.
8. Civil Services:
Constitutional position; Structure, recruitment, training and capacity-building; Good governance initiatives; Code of conduct and discipline; Staff associations; Political rights; Grievance redressal mechanism; Civil service neutrality; Civil service activism.
9. Financial Management:
Budget as a political instrument; Parliamentary control of public expenditure; Role of finance ministry in monetary and fiscal area; Accounting techniques; Audit; Role of Controller General of Accounts and Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
10. Administrative Reforms since Independence:
Major concerns; Important Committees and Commissions; Reforms in financial management and human resource development; Problems of implementation.
11. Rural Development:
Institutions and agencies since independence; Rural development programmes: foci and strategies; Decentralization and Panchayati Raj; 73rd Constitutional amendment.
12. Urban Local Government:
Municipal governance: main features, structures, finance and problem areas; 74th Constitutional Amendment; Globallocal debate; New localism; Development dynamics, politics and administration with special reference to city management.
13. Law and Order Administration:
British legacy; National Police Commission; Investigative agencies; Role of central and state agencies including paramilitary forces in maintenance of law and order and countering
insurgency and terrorism; Criminalisation of politics and administration; Police-public relations; Reforms in Police.
14. Significant issues in Indian Administration:
Values in public service; Regulatory Commissions; National Human Rights Commission; Problems of administration in coalition regimes; Citizen-administration interface; Corruption and administration; Disaster management.
MATHEMATICS Main Syllabus
PAPER - I
(1) Linear Algebra:
Vector spaces over R and C, linear dependence and independence, subspaces, bases, dimension; Linear transformations,rank and nullity, matrix of a linear transformation. Algebra of Matrices; Row and column reduction, Echelon form, congruence's and similarity; Rank of a matrix; Inverse of a matrix; Solution of system of linear equations; Eigenvalues and eigenvectors, characteristic polynomial, Cayley-Hamilton theorem, Symmetric, skew-symmetric, Hermitian, skew-Hermitian, orthogonal and unitary matrices and their eigenvalues.
(2) Calculus:
Real numbers, functions of a real variable, limits, continuity, differentiability, meanvalue theorem, Taylor's theorem with remainders, indeterminate forms, maxima and minima, asymptotes; Curve tracing; Functions of two or three variables: limits, continuity, partial derivatives, maxima and minima, Lagrange's method of multipliers, Jacobian. Riemann's definition of definite integrals; Indefinite integrals; Infinite and improper integrals; Double and triple integrals (evaluation techniques only); Areas, surface and volumes.
(3) Analytic Geometry:
Cartesian and polar coordinates in three dimensions, second degree equations in three variables, reduction to canonical forms, straight lines, shortest distance between two skew lines; Plane, sphere, cone, cylinder, paraboloid, ellipsoid, hyperboloid of one and two sheets and their properties.
(4) Ordinary Differential Equations:
Formulation of differential equations; Equations of first order and first degree, integrating factor; Orthogonal trajectory; Equations of first order but not of first degree, Clairaut's equation, singular solution.
Second and higher order linear equations with constant coefficients, complementary function, particular integral and general solution.
Second order linear equations with variable coefficients, Euler-Cauchy equation; Determination of complete solution when one solution is known using method of variation of parameters.
Laplace and Inverse Laplace transforms and their properties; Laplace transforms of elementary functions. Application to initial value problems for 2nd order linear equations
with constant coefficients.
(5) Dynamics & Statics:
Rectilinear motion, simple harmonic motion, motion in a plane, projectiles; constrained motion; Work and energy, conservation of energy; Kepler's laws, orbits under central forces.
Equilibrium of a system of particles; Work and potential energy, friction; common catenary; Principle of virtual work; Stability of equilibrium, equilibrium of forces in three dimensions.
(6) Vector Analysis:
Scalar and vector fields, differentiation of vector field of a scalar variable; Gradient, divergence and curl in cartesian and cylindrical coordinates; Higher order derivatives; Vector identities and vector equations. Application to geometry: Curves in space, Curvature and torsion; Serret-Frenet's formulae. Gauss and Stokes' theorems, Green's identities.
PAPER - II
(1) Algebra:
Groups, subgroups, cyclic groups, cosets, Lagrange's Theorem, normal subgroups, quotient groups, homomorphism of groups, basic isomorphism theorems, permutation groups, Cayley's theorem. Rings, subrings and ideals, homomorphisms of rings; Integral domains, principal ideal domains, Euclidean domains and unique factorization domains; Fields, quotient fields.
(2) Real Analysis:
Real number system as an ordered field with least upper bound property; Sequences, limit of a sequence, Cauchy sequence, completeness of real line; Series and its convergence, absolute and conditional convergence of series of real and complex terms, rearrangement of series. Continuity and uniform continuity of functions, properties of continuous functions on compact sets. Riemann integral, improper integrals; Fundamental theorems of integral calculus. Uniform convergence, continuity, differentiability and integrability for sequences and series of functions; Partial derivatives of functions of several (two or three) variables, maxima and minima.
(3) Complex Analysis:
Analytic functions, Cauchy-Riemann equations, Cauchy's theorem, Cauchy's integral formula, power series representation of an analytic function, Taylor's series;
Singularities; Laurent's series; Cauchy's
residue theorem; Contour integration.
(4) Linear Programming:
Linear programming problems, basic solution, basic feasible solution and optimal solution; Graphical method and simplex method of solutions; Duality.
Transportation and assignment problems.
(5) Partial differential equations:
Family of surfaces in three dimensions and formulation of partial differential equations; Solution of quasilinear partial differential equations of the first order, Cauchy's method of characteristics; Linear partial differential equations of the second order with constant coefficients, canonical form; Equation of a vibrating string, heat equation, Laplace equation and their solutions.
(6) Numerical Analysis and Computer programming:
Numerical methods: Solution of algebraic and transcendental equations of one variable by bisection, Regula-Falsi and Newton-Raphson methods; solution of system of linear equations by Gaussian elimination
and Gauss-Jordan (direct), Gauss-Seidel(iterative) methods. Newton's (forward and backward) interpolation, Lagrange's interpolation. Numerical integration: Trapezoidal rule, Simpson's rules, Gaussian quadrature formula. Numerical solution of ordinary differential equations: Euler and Runga Kutta-methods.
Computer Programming: Binary system; Arithmetic and logical operations on numbers; Octal and Hexadecimal systems; Conversion to and from decimal systems; Algebra of binary numbers. Elements of computer systems and concept of memory; Basic logic gates and truth tables, Boolean algebra, normal forms. Representation of unsigned integers,signed integers and reals, double precision reals and long integers.
Algorithms and flow charts for solving numerical
analysis problems.
(7) Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics:
Generalized coordinates; D' Alembert's principle and Lagrange's equations; Hamilton equations; Moment of inertia; Motion of rigid bodies in two dimensions.
Equation of continuity; Euler's equation of motion for inviscid flow; Stream-lines, path of a particle; Potential flow; Two-dimensional and axisymmetric motion; Sources and sinks, vortex motion; Navier-Stokes equation for a viscous fluid.
(1) Linear Algebra:
Vector spaces over R and C, linear dependence and independence, subspaces, bases, dimension; Linear transformations,rank and nullity, matrix of a linear transformation. Algebra of Matrices; Row and column reduction, Echelon form, congruence's and similarity; Rank of a matrix; Inverse of a matrix; Solution of system of linear equations; Eigenvalues and eigenvectors, characteristic polynomial, Cayley-Hamilton theorem, Symmetric, skew-symmetric, Hermitian, skew-Hermitian, orthogonal and unitary matrices and their eigenvalues.
(2) Calculus:
Real numbers, functions of a real variable, limits, continuity, differentiability, meanvalue theorem, Taylor's theorem with remainders, indeterminate forms, maxima and minima, asymptotes; Curve tracing; Functions of two or three variables: limits, continuity, partial derivatives, maxima and minima, Lagrange's method of multipliers, Jacobian. Riemann's definition of definite integrals; Indefinite integrals; Infinite and improper integrals; Double and triple integrals (evaluation techniques only); Areas, surface and volumes.
(3) Analytic Geometry:
Cartesian and polar coordinates in three dimensions, second degree equations in three variables, reduction to canonical forms, straight lines, shortest distance between two skew lines; Plane, sphere, cone, cylinder, paraboloid, ellipsoid, hyperboloid of one and two sheets and their properties.
(4) Ordinary Differential Equations:
Formulation of differential equations; Equations of first order and first degree, integrating factor; Orthogonal trajectory; Equations of first order but not of first degree, Clairaut's equation, singular solution.
Second and higher order linear equations with constant coefficients, complementary function, particular integral and general solution.
Second order linear equations with variable coefficients, Euler-Cauchy equation; Determination of complete solution when one solution is known using method of variation of parameters.
Laplace and Inverse Laplace transforms and their properties; Laplace transforms of elementary functions. Application to initial value problems for 2nd order linear equations
with constant coefficients.
(5) Dynamics & Statics:
Rectilinear motion, simple harmonic motion, motion in a plane, projectiles; constrained motion; Work and energy, conservation of energy; Kepler's laws, orbits under central forces.
Equilibrium of a system of particles; Work and potential energy, friction; common catenary; Principle of virtual work; Stability of equilibrium, equilibrium of forces in three dimensions.
(6) Vector Analysis:
Scalar and vector fields, differentiation of vector field of a scalar variable; Gradient, divergence and curl in cartesian and cylindrical coordinates; Higher order derivatives; Vector identities and vector equations. Application to geometry: Curves in space, Curvature and torsion; Serret-Frenet's formulae. Gauss and Stokes' theorems, Green's identities.
PAPER - II
(1) Algebra:
Groups, subgroups, cyclic groups, cosets, Lagrange's Theorem, normal subgroups, quotient groups, homomorphism of groups, basic isomorphism theorems, permutation groups, Cayley's theorem. Rings, subrings and ideals, homomorphisms of rings; Integral domains, principal ideal domains, Euclidean domains and unique factorization domains; Fields, quotient fields.
(2) Real Analysis:
Real number system as an ordered field with least upper bound property; Sequences, limit of a sequence, Cauchy sequence, completeness of real line; Series and its convergence, absolute and conditional convergence of series of real and complex terms, rearrangement of series. Continuity and uniform continuity of functions, properties of continuous functions on compact sets. Riemann integral, improper integrals; Fundamental theorems of integral calculus. Uniform convergence, continuity, differentiability and integrability for sequences and series of functions; Partial derivatives of functions of several (two or three) variables, maxima and minima.
(3) Complex Analysis:
Analytic functions, Cauchy-Riemann equations, Cauchy's theorem, Cauchy's integral formula, power series representation of an analytic function, Taylor's series;
Singularities; Laurent's series; Cauchy's
residue theorem; Contour integration.
(4) Linear Programming:
Linear programming problems, basic solution, basic feasible solution and optimal solution; Graphical method and simplex method of solutions; Duality.
Transportation and assignment problems.
(5) Partial differential equations:
Family of surfaces in three dimensions and formulation of partial differential equations; Solution of quasilinear partial differential equations of the first order, Cauchy's method of characteristics; Linear partial differential equations of the second order with constant coefficients, canonical form; Equation of a vibrating string, heat equation, Laplace equation and their solutions.
(6) Numerical Analysis and Computer programming:
Numerical methods: Solution of algebraic and transcendental equations of one variable by bisection, Regula-Falsi and Newton-Raphson methods; solution of system of linear equations by Gaussian elimination
and Gauss-Jordan (direct), Gauss-Seidel(iterative) methods. Newton's (forward and backward) interpolation, Lagrange's interpolation. Numerical integration: Trapezoidal rule, Simpson's rules, Gaussian quadrature formula. Numerical solution of ordinary differential equations: Euler and Runga Kutta-methods.
Computer Programming: Binary system; Arithmetic and logical operations on numbers; Octal and Hexadecimal systems; Conversion to and from decimal systems; Algebra of binary numbers. Elements of computer systems and concept of memory; Basic logic gates and truth tables, Boolean algebra, normal forms. Representation of unsigned integers,signed integers and reals, double precision reals and long integers.
Algorithms and flow charts for solving numerical
analysis problems.
(7) Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics:
Generalized coordinates; D' Alembert's principle and Lagrange's equations; Hamilton equations; Moment of inertia; Motion of rigid bodies in two dimensions.
Equation of continuity; Euler's equation of motion for inviscid flow; Stream-lines, path of a particle; Potential flow; Two-dimensional and axisymmetric motion; Sources and sinks, vortex motion; Navier-Stokes equation for a viscous fluid.
Main Compulsory subjects sylabuss
The main Examination is intended to assess the overall intellectual traits and depth of understanding of candidates rather than merely the range of their information and memory.
The scope of the syllabus for the optional subject papers for the examination is broadly of the honours degree level i.e. a level higher than the bachelors degree and lower than the masters degree. In the case of Engineering and law, the level corresponds to the bachelor's degree.
COMPULSORY SUBJECTS
ENGLISH AND INDIAN LANGUAGUES
The aim of the paper is to test the candidate's ability to read and understand serious discursive prose, and to express his ideas clearly and correctly in English/Indian language concerned.
The pattern of questions would be broadly
as follows :-
(i) Comprehension of given passages.
(ii) Precis Writing
(iii) Usage and Vocabulary
(iv) Short Essay
INDIAN LANGUAGES
(i) Comprehension of given passages.
(ii) Precis Writing
(iii) Usage and Vocabulary.
(iv) Short Essay
(v) Translation from English to the Indian
language and vice-versa.
Note 1 : The Papers on Indian Languages and English will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature only. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking.
Note 2 : The candidates will have to answer the English and Indian Languages papers in English and the respective Indian language (except where translation is involved).
ESSAY
Candidates will be required to write an essay on a specific topic. The choice of subjects will be given. They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in orderly fashion, and to write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact expression.
GENERAL STUDIES
General Guidelines:
The nature and standard of questions in the General Studies papers will be such that a well-educated person will be able to answer them without any specialized study. The questions will be such as to test a candidate's general awareness of a variety of subjects, which will have relevance for a career in Civil Services. The questions are likely to test the candidate's basic understanding of all relevant issues, and ability to analyze, and take a view on conflicting socio-economic goals, objectives and demands. The candidates must give relevant, meaningful and succinct answers.
PAPER - I
1. History of Modern India and Indian Culture :
The History of Modern India will cover history of the Country from about the middle of nineteenth century and would also include questions on important personalities who shaped the freedom movement and social reforms. The part relating to Indian culture will cover all aspects of Indian culture from the ancient to modern times as well as principal features of literature, arts and architecture.
2. Geography of India :
In this part, questions will be on the physical, economic and social geography of India.
3. Constitution of India and Indian Polity:
This part will include questions on the Constitution of India as well as all constitutional, legal, administrative and other issues emerging from the politico-administrative
system prevalent in the country.
4. Current National Issues and Topics of Social Relevance :
This part is intended to test the candidate's awareness of current national issues and topics of social relevance in present-day India, such as the following:
(i) The Indian economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.
(ii) Issues arising from the social and economic exclusion of large sections from the benefits of development.
(iii) Other issues relating to the development and management of human resource.
(iv) Health issues including the management of Public Health, Health education and ethical concerns regarding health-care, medical research and pharmaceuticals.
(v) Law enforcement, internal security and related issues such as the preservation of communal harmony.
(vi) Issues relating to good governance and accountability to the citizens including the maintenance of human rights, and of probity in public life.
(vii) Environmental issues, ecological preservation, conservation of natural resources and national heritage.
PAPER - II
1. India and the World :
This part will include questions to test candidate's awareness of India's relationship with the world in various spheres such as the following:-
Foreign Affairs with special emphasis on India's relations with neighbouring countries and in the region.
Security and defence related matters.
Nuclear policy, issues, and conflicts. The Indian Diaspora and its contribution to
India and the world.
2. India's Economic Interaction with the World :
In this part, questions will be on economic and trade issues such as foreign trade, foreign investment; economic and diplomacy issues relating to oil, gas and energy flows; the role and functions of I.M.F., World Bank, W.T.O., WIPO etc. which influence India's economic interaction with other countries and international institutions.
3. Developments in the Field of Science & Technology, IT and space :
In this part, questions will test the candidate's awareness of the developments in the field of science and technology, information technology, space and basic ideas about computers, robotics, nanotechnology, biotechnology and related issues regarding intellectual property rights.
4. International Affairs and Institutions :
This part will include questions on important events in world affairs and on international institutions.
5. Statistical analysis, graphs and diagrams
This part will test the candidate's ability to draw conclusions from information presented in statistical, graphical or diagrammatical form and to interpret them.
The scope of the syllabus for the optional subject papers for the examination is broadly of the honours degree level i.e. a level higher than the bachelors degree and lower than the masters degree. In the case of Engineering and law, the level corresponds to the bachelor's degree.
COMPULSORY SUBJECTS
ENGLISH AND INDIAN LANGUAGUES
The aim of the paper is to test the candidate's ability to read and understand serious discursive prose, and to express his ideas clearly and correctly in English/Indian language concerned.
The pattern of questions would be broadly
as follows :-
(i) Comprehension of given passages.
(ii) Precis Writing
(iii) Usage and Vocabulary
(iv) Short Essay
INDIAN LANGUAGES
(i) Comprehension of given passages.
(ii) Precis Writing
(iii) Usage and Vocabulary.
(iv) Short Essay
(v) Translation from English to the Indian
language and vice-versa.
Note 1 : The Papers on Indian Languages and English will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature only. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking.
Note 2 : The candidates will have to answer the English and Indian Languages papers in English and the respective Indian language (except where translation is involved).
ESSAY
Candidates will be required to write an essay on a specific topic. The choice of subjects will be given. They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in orderly fashion, and to write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact expression.
GENERAL STUDIES
General Guidelines:
The nature and standard of questions in the General Studies papers will be such that a well-educated person will be able to answer them without any specialized study. The questions will be such as to test a candidate's general awareness of a variety of subjects, which will have relevance for a career in Civil Services. The questions are likely to test the candidate's basic understanding of all relevant issues, and ability to analyze, and take a view on conflicting socio-economic goals, objectives and demands. The candidates must give relevant, meaningful and succinct answers.
PAPER - I
1. History of Modern India and Indian Culture :
The History of Modern India will cover history of the Country from about the middle of nineteenth century and would also include questions on important personalities who shaped the freedom movement and social reforms. The part relating to Indian culture will cover all aspects of Indian culture from the ancient to modern times as well as principal features of literature, arts and architecture.
2. Geography of India :
In this part, questions will be on the physical, economic and social geography of India.
3. Constitution of India and Indian Polity:
This part will include questions on the Constitution of India as well as all constitutional, legal, administrative and other issues emerging from the politico-administrative
system prevalent in the country.
4. Current National Issues and Topics of Social Relevance :
This part is intended to test the candidate's awareness of current national issues and topics of social relevance in present-day India, such as the following:
(i) The Indian economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.
(ii) Issues arising from the social and economic exclusion of large sections from the benefits of development.
(iii) Other issues relating to the development and management of human resource.
(iv) Health issues including the management of Public Health, Health education and ethical concerns regarding health-care, medical research and pharmaceuticals.
(v) Law enforcement, internal security and related issues such as the preservation of communal harmony.
(vi) Issues relating to good governance and accountability to the citizens including the maintenance of human rights, and of probity in public life.
(vii) Environmental issues, ecological preservation, conservation of natural resources and national heritage.
PAPER - II
1. India and the World :
This part will include questions to test candidate's awareness of India's relationship with the world in various spheres such as the following:-
Foreign Affairs with special emphasis on India's relations with neighbouring countries and in the region.
Security and defence related matters.
Nuclear policy, issues, and conflicts. The Indian Diaspora and its contribution to
India and the world.
2. India's Economic Interaction with the World :
In this part, questions will be on economic and trade issues such as foreign trade, foreign investment; economic and diplomacy issues relating to oil, gas and energy flows; the role and functions of I.M.F., World Bank, W.T.O., WIPO etc. which influence India's economic interaction with other countries and international institutions.
3. Developments in the Field of Science & Technology, IT and space :
In this part, questions will test the candidate's awareness of the developments in the field of science and technology, information technology, space and basic ideas about computers, robotics, nanotechnology, biotechnology and related issues regarding intellectual property rights.
4. International Affairs and Institutions :
This part will include questions on important events in world affairs and on international institutions.
5. Statistical analysis, graphs and diagrams
This part will test the candidate's ability to draw conclusions from information presented in statistical, graphical or diagrammatical form and to interpret them.
SYLLABI FOR THE EXAMINATION
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION
The Examination shall comprise two compulsory papers of 200 marks each.
Paper I - (200 marks) Duration :
Two hours
Paper II- (200 marks) Duration:
Two hours
Note 2 : The questions will be of multiple choice, objective type.
The Examination shall comprise two compulsory papers of 200 marks each.
Paper I - (200 marks) Duration :
Two hours
- Current events of national and international importance.
- History of India and Indian National Movement.
- Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
- Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
- Economic and Social Development - Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion,Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc.
- General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialisation
- General Science.
Paper II- (200 marks) Duration:
Two hours
- Comprehension
- Interpersonal skills including communication skills
- Logical reasoning and analytical ability
- Decision-making and problemsolving
- General mental ability
- Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation(charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. - Class X level)
- English Language Comprehension skills (Class X level).
Note 2 : The questions will be of multiple choice, objective type.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
obduracy
ob·du·ra·cy
The state or quality of being intractable or hardened
He seems untroubled by the resignation of several Ministers, provincial governors, and diplomats over the shootings. Even the backing given by many senior military officers to the people's uprising has made little difference to his obduracy
The state or quality of being intractable or hardened
He seems untroubled by the resignation of several Ministers, provincial governors, and diplomats over the shootings. Even the backing given by many senior military officers to the people's uprising has made little difference to his obduracy
Young Scientist Award for 11
Eleven scientists, including two from the Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc), have been given the prestigious NASI-Scopus Young Scientist Award for 2010.
Besides Debnath Pal and P.S. Anil Kumar of the IISc the other winners are: Rajeev K. Varshney of the International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad; S. Venkata Mohan of the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad; R. Ramachandran of the Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow; M. Venkat Ratnam of the National Atmospheric Research Laboratory, Tirupati; Souvik Maiti of the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi; Naval K. Vikram of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi; Priya Mahadevan of the S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata; Parag R. Gogate of the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai; and Bikramjit Basu of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.
The annual award was instituted five years ago by the National Academy of Sciences, India, (NASI) and Scopus, the abstract and citation database of the peer-reviewed scientific literature of Elsevier, the Amsterdam-based publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services.
The applicants were evaluated in two stages based on criteria such as publication output, citations and other metrics based on Scopus data as well as research quality and impact by 48 panellists.
The award presentation function was held here earlier this week. T. Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, presented the awards and appreciated the effort of NASI and Scopus to spot and encourage scientific talent in the country.
Each award carries a trophy, a citation and a cash prize of Rs.50,000
Besides Debnath Pal and P.S. Anil Kumar of the IISc the other winners are: Rajeev K. Varshney of the International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad; S. Venkata Mohan of the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad; R. Ramachandran of the Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow; M. Venkat Ratnam of the National Atmospheric Research Laboratory, Tirupati; Souvik Maiti of the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi; Naval K. Vikram of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi; Priya Mahadevan of the S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata; Parag R. Gogate of the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai; and Bikramjit Basu of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.
The annual award was instituted five years ago by the National Academy of Sciences, India, (NASI) and Scopus, the abstract and citation database of the peer-reviewed scientific literature of Elsevier, the Amsterdam-based publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services.
The applicants were evaluated in two stages based on criteria such as publication output, citations and other metrics based on Scopus data as well as research quality and impact by 48 panellists.
The award presentation function was held here earlier this week. T. Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, presented the awards and appreciated the effort of NASI and Scopus to spot and encourage scientific talent in the country.
Each award carries a trophy, a citation and a cash prize of Rs.50,000
Free trade pact with four European nations this year
- India and the Europe Free Trade Association (EFTA) are likely to conclude a free trade agreement (FTA) entailing a comprehensive bilateral trade and investment agreement by this year after fast tracking of the negotiations between the two groups.
- "The EFTA comprising Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein are likely to firm up a FTA this year. The issue came up for discussion at my bilateral meeting with Switzerland`s Economic Minister, Johann Schneider-Ammann. Both the sides agreed that they would conclude their positions within a month. We have already had seven rounds of negotiations and within a month's time specific offers would be made. This will enable us to cover the entire Europe in a comprehensive economic and trading agreement," Mr. Sharma remarked after his meeting with Mr. Schneider-Ammann here.
- These four countries are not part of 27-nation European Union, with which India is already negotiating a FTA. Recognising the need for enhancing trade ties, a Joint Study Group between India and EFTA was established in 2006 to explore the possibility of such an agreement.
- The trade between Switzerland and India stood at $18 Billion in 2010 up from $15 billion in 2009. Swiss exports to India include machines, pharmaceutical and chemical products as well as precision instruments. The exports from India include textiles, agricultural products and components for the airline industry. There are about 170 Swiss companies doing business in India. Switzerland has concluded such accords with about 20 countries, including Canada, Mexico, Singapore and Turkey.
- With the FTA in place, Switzerland will primarily seek to improve access to the Indian market for its chemical and pharmaceutical products, machines and watches. The FTA talks have been going on since 2008 but had hit a roadblock over the deregulation of the market for industrial goods.
- On its part, India has been pushing to obtain greater access to the Swiss market for its export services, including information technology, and fewer immigration restrictions. Switzerland's labour market has been opened for citizens from the EU and EFTA countries, while permits for those from other countries are limited to highly skilled labour.
- Mr. Sharma said India was seeking advance scientific research and institutional linkages with Switzerland for its various sectors. Another area of mutual cooperation has been vocational skills training modules that India strongly needs to meet the challenges that will emerge from the massive economic development taking place at present.
- The last round of negotiations allowed for significant progress particularly with respect to trade in goods. Areas covered by experts groups included market access for industrial products, fish and agricultural goods; sanitary and phytosanitary measures; technical barriers to trade; rules of origin; customs procedures and trade facilitation; trade defence measures; competition; investment; intellectual property rights; and dispute settlement.
- Services experts will continue their discussions in separate meetings. Both the parties agreed on a roadmap for the further process, including follow-up discussions between experts in several areas and a next full round of negotiations before mid-2011 in order to give the FTA a final shape by the end of this year.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
77% Egyptians say ‘yes’ to constitutional amendments
Egyptians have voted overwhelmingly to constitutional amendments, allowing the country to move swiftly toward fresh parliamentary and presidential elections.
Moving further beyond the legacy of ousted President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year authoritarian regime, in the first test for democracy 77.2 per cent Egyptians voted "yes" to the nine constitutional amendments suggested by a committee formed by the Supreme Armed Forces Council.
The amendments limit the presidency to two four-year terms and lay out the requirement of a public referendum for imposing a state of emergency that lasts longer than six months. Egypt has been under a state of emergency for the last 30 years.
Other amendments in the package make easier the requirements for independent candidates seeking the presidency, besides laying out complete judicial oversight for elections.
By virtue of this result, the amended articles are the only active ones, while the rest of the constitution is suspended until a new constitution is written. The military-led transitional government has promised to hold free and fair elections in June.
One of the provisions in the amendments requires the new parliament to appoint a constitutional assembly within six months of taking office.
The constitutional assembly will then be responsible for drafting a new constitution, which would be put to another referendum before taking effect.
For Egyptians, the referendum was the first truly free vote in three decades.
Moving further beyond the legacy of ousted President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year authoritarian regime, in the first test for democracy 77.2 per cent Egyptians voted "yes" to the nine constitutional amendments suggested by a committee formed by the Supreme Armed Forces Council.
The amendments limit the presidency to two four-year terms and lay out the requirement of a public referendum for imposing a state of emergency that lasts longer than six months. Egypt has been under a state of emergency for the last 30 years.
Other amendments in the package make easier the requirements for independent candidates seeking the presidency, besides laying out complete judicial oversight for elections.
By virtue of this result, the amended articles are the only active ones, while the rest of the constitution is suspended until a new constitution is written. The military-led transitional government has promised to hold free and fair elections in June.
One of the provisions in the amendments requires the new parliament to appoint a constitutional assembly within six months of taking office.
The constitutional assembly will then be responsible for drafting a new constitution, which would be put to another referendum before taking effect.
For Egyptians, the referendum was the first truly free vote in three decades.
SEBI announces new code of conduct
- The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) asked all capital market intermediaries to put in place proper internal code of conduct and controls to check unauthorised news related to various scrips circulated in blogs, chat forums and e-mails.
- "Employees should be directed that any market related news received by them either in their official mail/personal mail/blog or in any other manner, should be forwarded only after the same has been seen and approved by the intermediary's compliance officer concerned," SEBI said in a circular to all market participants.
- "If an employee fails to do so, he/she shall be deemed to have violated the various provisions contained in SEBI Act/Rules/Regulations and shall be liable for action. The compliance officer shall also be held liable for breach of duty in this regard," it warned.
- Stating that this circular has been issued by SEBI in the interest of the securities market, the capital market regulator has observed that unauthenticated news related to various scrips is circulated in blogs, chat forums and e-mail by employees of broking houses and other intermediaries without adequate caution as mandated in the code of conduct for stock brokers.
Fertiliser use on the rise in India, soil health deteriorating
- The use of fertilisers for agriculture in India has risen astronomically in the last 60 years, resulting in deterioration of soil health in many parts of the country, particularly the intensively cultivated Indo-Gangetic plains, also known as the "Great Plains".
- In 1951-52, fertilizer usage in the country averaged less than one kg per hectare, which has now risen to 133 kg per hectare, according to information given on the Department of Fertilisers website.
- However, despite this increase, the consumption of fertilisers is still less in India than many developed countries.
- According to World Bank data, per hectare fertiliser consumption (kilogram per hectare of arable land) in India, China, Japan, Bangladesh, USA, Pakistan, and Israel in 2007 stood at 142.3 kg/ha, 331.1 kg/ha, 171.2 kg/ha, 166.2 kg/ha and Israel 524 kg/ha, respectively.
- In view of the deterioration in soil health, the government had in 2008-09 launched a new scheme, namely the National Project on Management of Soil Health and Fertility, to promote soil test-based balanced and judicious use of chemical fertilisers in conjunction with organic manure.
- In addition, the National Project on Organic Farming was started in 2004-05 to promote the use of organic fertilisers.
Buffett Says India Insurance Ownership Limit Deters Berkshire Investment
Warren Buffett, visiting India for the first time, said the country's 26 percent foreign ownership limit of insurance companies deters his Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK/A) from making an investment in the industry.
Buffett, 80, is seeking deals in the U.S. and abroad as earnings climb at Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire. He agreed this month to pay about $9 billion for engine-additive maker Lubrizol Corp. (LZ) and last year bought railroad Burlington Northern Santa Fe for $26.5 billion. Berkshire's cash holdings rose to $38.2 billion as of Dec. 31, prompting Buffett to tell investors two months later that his "elephant gun has been reloaded."
Buffett, 80, is seeking deals in the U.S. and abroad as earnings climb at Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire. He agreed this month to pay about $9 billion for engine-additive maker Lubrizol Corp. (LZ) and last year bought railroad Burlington Northern Santa Fe for $26.5 billion. Berkshire's cash holdings rose to $38.2 billion as of Dec. 31, prompting Buffett to tell investors two months later that his "elephant gun has been reloaded."
SAARC sanitation meet in Colombo
- As many as 500 experts from SAARC countries will meet here from April 4 to 7 to discuss the complex sanitation needs of south Asian countries and methods to improve sanitation.
- More than 700 million people in south Asia practice open defecation. India has among the lowest sanitation coverage in the region, 31 per cent.
- South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN) IV will have representatives of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka review the progress of commitments made in 2008 in Delhi. SACOSAN IV will identify specific objectives for the member countries to accelerate the progress of provision of sanitation services in South Asia, enhancing people's quality of life.
- The Conference on Sanitation is a biennial Conference. The first conference was held in Bangladesh in 2003, the second in Pakistan in 2006 and the third in India in 2008.
Yemeni President given emergency powers
- Yemen's Parliament enacted sweeping emergency laws on Wednesday after the country's embattled President asked for new powers of arrest, detention and censorship to quash a popular uprising demanding his ouster.
- The move escalates the showdown between Ali Abdullah Saleh and the movement that has unified military commanders, religious leaders and protesting youth in demands for his immediate departure. The state of emergency suspends the Constitution, allows media censorship, bars street protests and gives security forces 30 days of far-reaching powers to arrest and detain without judicial process.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Incentive scheme for Central staff to be announced shortly
- The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has finally decided to implement the Performance Related Incentive Scheme (PRIS) recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission for all Central government employees. An announcement is expected in the next couple of days, government sources told The Hindu. Those government employees who make the cut will start earning their incentives in 2012.
- Any department, to qualify for financial incentives, will have to get a performance rating of 70 per cent or more on its Results-Framework Document (RFD) and implement a bio-metric access control system in its offices. As suggested by the Commission, the incentives will be initially paid out of cost savings made by the department in that fiscal year and hence there will be no additional burden on the exchequer for implementing the PRIS, government sources said. Initially, for every rupee saved by the department, it will allow to distribute up to 15 paise depending on its performance.
- The PRIS will cover all employees of the department. While incentives paid to the Secretaries will depend entirely on departmental performance reflected in the RFD, incentives paid to Joint Secretaries will depend on a weighted average of their division's performance and departmental performance. Incentives for junior employees will depend primarily on their individual performance.
- All employees will need to go through a rigorous performance appraisal system consistent with the RFD evaluation methodology.
- Indeed, incentives will start rolling out only after a department has prepared two rounds of robust RFDs, so as to truly capture departmental performance. Given that 2010-11 was the first year for implementation of 12-month RFDs, performance incentives will be paid from 2012-13 to employees who make the cut.
- The decision to implement the PRIS comes in the wake of the Prime Minister's Performance Monitoring and Evaluation System (PMES) for government departments that was approved in September 2009.
In Kalakad forests, a project to bring out amphibian ecology
Perhaps for the first time in the country, researchers of the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment have initiated a project to monitor the presence of frogs and toads in the evergreen forests of the Western Ghats to preserve these endangered species serving as indicators of climate change.
- The Ashoka Trust is based at the Agasthyamalai community conservation centre at Manimuthar.
- The researchers plan to exploit the behaviour of frogs and toads by placing automated sound recorders and climate data loggers in the forests to record the calling of males at night to attract females for breeding. They will analyse the data in relation to climate and the frog species found in an area and discern the patterns after a few years of monitoring.
- Among amphibians, frogs and toads are exceptions: they are without tails while being adults. They are collectively called anurans. India is a home to 277 species of anurans, and close to 150 species have been listed as 'threatened.'
- If the predictions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are to come true, many more anurans may be pushed to the brink of extinction. Sensitive to temperature and moisture in the atmosphere, amphibians also serve as indicators of climate change. This will be the first effort at monitoring the amphibians for long-term population dynamics.
GST Bill tabled in Lok Sabha
The Centre on Tuesday introduced a Constitution Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha to facilitate implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), a tax regime that would subsume levies such as excise, service tax and sales tax. The Bill, introduced by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, seeks to amend the Constitution with a view to conferring simultaneous powers on the Centre and the States to levy taxes on goods and services.
It will also subsume State VAT/sales tax, entertainment tax (unless levied by the local bodies), luxury tax, taxes on lottery, betting and gambling as also tax on advertisements, cesses and surcharges levied by States. However, crude petroleum, diesel, petrol, aviation turbine fuel, natural gas and alcohol for human consumption have been kept out of the GST ambit.
"The GST would replace a number of indirect taxes now being levied by the Central and State governments and is intended to remove cascading of taxes and provide a common national market for goods and services,'' according to the statement of objects and reasons of the Bill.
The Bill provides for creation of a GST Council to be headed by Union Finance Minister. The council will be empowered to recommend tax rates and exemption and threshold limits for goods and services. Besides, the Bill proposes a GST Dispute Settlement Authority to deal with grievances of the Centre and the States with regard to GST.
The chairperson of the authority will be a retired judge of the Supreme Court or the Chief Justice of a High Court, who would be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Chief Justice of India. The GST, considered to be a major tax reform, has been pending for the last four years due to disagreement between the Centre and some States over the structure of the new tax regime.
Banking laws
Mr. Mukherjee also introduced the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2011, that seeks to further amend the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970, and the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act,1980, and to make consequential amendments in certain other enactments.
Cash-for-vote: BJP to move privilege motion against Manmohan
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday said it would move a privilege motion against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday for "misleading" the House by claiming MPs were not bribed during the July 2008 trust vote even though the Parliamentary probe committee said that money was paid.
Privileged motion
Privileged motion
A privileged motion is a motion in parliamentary procedure that is granted precedence over ordinary business because it concerns matters of great importance or urgency. Such motions are not debatable, although in case of questions of privilege, the chair may feel the need to elicit relevant facts from members.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
National Ganga River Basin Authority
- The Central Government has set up the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) in February, 2009 as an empowered authority for conservation of the river Ganga with a river basin approach. The Authority has decided that under Mission Clean Ganga it will be ensured that by 2020 no untreated municipal sewage and industrial effluents flow into Ganga.
- Pollution abatement schemes worth about Rs.2476 crores have been sanctioned under NGRBA so far. River conservation projects such as creation of civic infrastructure for sewage management and disposal are also being implemented under other central schemes, such as Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns, as well as under State sector schemes.
- The pollution load on rivers including Ganga has increased over the years due to rapid urbanization and industrialization. Abstraction of water for irrigation, drinking, industrial use, power etc. compounds the challenge. Disposal of untreated/partially treated sewage by the cities and towns is the major source of pollution in the river, constituting about 75-80% of the pollution loads by volume. As per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 2760 mld (million litres per day) of sewage is generated by the cities and towns along the river. Industrial effluents and other non-point sources of pollution like disposal of dead bodies and animal carcasses, open defecation, cattle wallowing, agricultural runoff etc., add to the pollution loads.
Massive uranium deposits found in Andhra Pradesh
Huge deposits of natural uranium, which promise to be one of the top 20 of the world's reserves, have been found in the Tummalapalle belt in the southern part of the Kadapa basin in Andhra Pradesh.
Fracture-controlled mineralisation of uranium has been found at Rohil in Sikar district in Rajasthan and the grade of the ore is similar to that of the Gogi ore. The Rohil belt is 130 km long and there is continuity of occurrence of uranium ore. The Rohil belt may yield between 5,000 tonnes and 10,000 tonnes of uranium
In Meghalaya, about 10,000 tonnes (at Domiasiat) and 8,000 tonnes (Wakhyn) of deposits were discovered several years ago. But the UCIL was unable to mine them because of socio-economic problems, said S.K.
India has 19 operating Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) that use natural uranium as fuel. It is building more PHWRs of 700 MWe capacity each.
The continuity and tonnage of the Tummalapalle deposits is very high although the grade is medium.
The AMD earlier found uranium deposits in Nalgonda district and it was confident that it could locate reserves in the adjoining Guntur district, where its men were working now.
About 4,000 tonnes of U3O8 deposits were discovered in the Bhima basin at Gogi in Karnataka. Gradewise, the Gogi ore was richer than the Tummalapalle ore but it did not continue over a long distance.
About 4,000 tonnes of U3O8 deposits were discovered in the Bhima basin at Gogi in Karnataka. Gradewise, the Gogi ore was richer than the Tummalapalle ore but it did not continue over a long distance.
Fracture-controlled mineralisation of uranium has been found at Rohil in Sikar district in Rajasthan and the grade of the ore is similar to that of the Gogi ore. The Rohil belt is 130 km long and there is continuity of occurrence of uranium ore. The Rohil belt may yield between 5,000 tonnes and 10,000 tonnes of uranium
In Meghalaya, about 10,000 tonnes (at Domiasiat) and 8,000 tonnes (Wakhyn) of deposits were discovered several years ago. But the UCIL was unable to mine them because of socio-economic problems, said S.K.
India has 19 operating Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) that use natural uranium as fuel. It is building more PHWRs of 700 MWe capacity each.
How to improve governance?
Nice article on governance in ET as below
Global business abhors uncertainty. The ministerial-level corruption in UPA-II has slowed FDI and FIIinflows. The stock market, despite double-digit corporate profit and 8.6% GDP growth, reflects the anxiety of Indian and foreign investors. To take India's growth story forward in the 20th year of economic reforms, political reforms must catch up. Misgovernance won't do in a globalised, interconnected world.
Two kinds of political corruption blight India: episodical and ongoing. Episodical corruption - from 2G spectrum to rice exports - has cost the public exchequer possibly over Rs 1,00,000 crore this year. The sum could have wiped out a quarter of India's 2010-11 fiscal deficit of Rs 4,12,000 crore. Ongoing corruption is more insidious and, therefore, more damaging. For example, over 10% of India's installed power capacity of Rs 1,61,000 mw is stolen every year with government connivance. At least 25% and possibly up to 50% of funds allocated to MGNREGS are siphoned off by district-level officials - an estimated loss of around Rs 20,000 crore per year. Illegal mining, water theft and land allotment frauds skim several thousand more crores of public funds.
All this public theft needs a nexus: politicians, businessmen and bureaucrats form the core and an army of district officials, contractors and middlemen form the base. Judicial oversight has replaced ministerial oversight in matters that lie firmly in the domain of the executive. The Supreme Court cannot - as it has been compelled to - play the role of the PMO.
The government must implement three urgent institutional reforms. One, enact legislation to give the Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states suo motu powers to prosecute ministers, MPs, MLAs and IAS officers. The proposed Lokpal Bill is eyewash. It gives the Lokpal advisory powers. He cannot prosecute a minister or MP accused of corruption without government approval. The alternative civil society Lokpal Bill, which gives the Lokpal independent authority to prosecute ministers and other public servants, is the only way to attack corruption at its root. Activist Anna Hazare has launched a nationwide campaign to revise the Lokpal Bill before it is legislated in the current session of Parliament.
Two, pass a special Act of Parliament to vest the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with autonomous powers like the Election Commission (EC), freeing it from government control. The CBI director should be appointed by a constituted panel of three members: the newly empowered Lokpal, the leader of the largest Opposition party in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. This will allow the CBI to investigate and prosecute without fear, favour or fetter.
Three, end through a constitutional amendment the practice of 'political' governors and speakers. The moment a governor or speaker is appointed, he or she should forfeit for life the right to serve in any other public office and also cease immediately and permanently to be a member of a political party. The Bhardwaj-Buta Singh model of governership must be buried for good.
The new anti-corruption ordinance being examined by the empowered group of ministers under finance minister Pranab Mukherjee must allow for prosecution of ministers, bureaucrats and other public officials by an independent CBI and Lokpal. Land, mining and other natural resources - from spectrum to gas - must be taken out of discretionary government hands (state and central) by law, not words. Nitish Kumar's Bihar has effectively combated corruption by introducing special courts under the Bihar Special Courts Act. Under the Act, such courts headed by a sessions judge with high court approval have the power to confiscate property and cash of government officials accused in corruption cases.
The role of the EC is critical: the roots of political corruption lie in the black money used to fight elections. Candidates with criminal backgrounds buy themselves tickets while parties subvert voters with money and divisions of caste, religion and region. The EC can consider two specific measures.
First, set a high bar of candidate-vetting. Seventy-four MPs in the current Lok Sabha have serious criminal charges against them. To weed out rogue candidates, the EC can set up a judicial commission comprising three retired Supreme Court judges before every election (Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha) as an electoral filter. Any candidate facing ongoing criminal prosecution in a trial court would be barred from standing for election.
In order to protect candidates facing politically-motivated charges, the relevant prosecution would have to be currently 'active' to trigger the bar. What does this mean? Any prosecution pending for over one year without a hearing or adjournment would not count as a valid ground for debarring candidates. This step will filter out at least 50% of rogue candidates who today stand unhindered for elections but also provide a modicum of protection to those who face frivolous and static political charges.
Second, to improve the standard of our democracy - and the quality of candidates political parties put up - the EC must impose term limitations for all office bearers in EC-registered political parties. No individual should be permitted to hold office for more than 10 years. Internal elections to all party posts - including for party president - must be held every year.
If the 10-year time limitation rule is violated, de-recognition of the party would automatically follow. This will mitigate the feudal structures of our dynastic political parties and strengthen India's democratic institutions. The restoration of global business confidence in India will be a natural corollary.
Two kinds of political corruption blight India: episodical and ongoing. Episodical corruption - from 2G spectrum to rice exports - has cost the public exchequer possibly over Rs 1,00,000 crore this year. The sum could have wiped out a quarter of India's 2010-11 fiscal deficit of Rs 4,12,000 crore. Ongoing corruption is more insidious and, therefore, more damaging. For example, over 10% of India's installed power capacity of Rs 1,61,000 mw is stolen every year with government connivance. At least 25% and possibly up to 50% of funds allocated to MGNREGS are siphoned off by district-level officials - an estimated loss of around Rs 20,000 crore per year. Illegal mining, water theft and land allotment frauds skim several thousand more crores of public funds.
All this public theft needs a nexus: politicians, businessmen and bureaucrats form the core and an army of district officials, contractors and middlemen form the base. Judicial oversight has replaced ministerial oversight in matters that lie firmly in the domain of the executive. The Supreme Court cannot - as it has been compelled to - play the role of the PMO.
The government must implement three urgent institutional reforms. One, enact legislation to give the Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states suo motu powers to prosecute ministers, MPs, MLAs and IAS officers. The proposed Lokpal Bill is eyewash. It gives the Lokpal advisory powers. He cannot prosecute a minister or MP accused of corruption without government approval. The alternative civil society Lokpal Bill, which gives the Lokpal independent authority to prosecute ministers and other public servants, is the only way to attack corruption at its root. Activist Anna Hazare has launched a nationwide campaign to revise the Lokpal Bill before it is legislated in the current session of Parliament.
Two, pass a special Act of Parliament to vest the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with autonomous powers like the Election Commission (EC), freeing it from government control. The CBI director should be appointed by a constituted panel of three members: the newly empowered Lokpal, the leader of the largest Opposition party in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. This will allow the CBI to investigate and prosecute without fear, favour or fetter.
Three, end through a constitutional amendment the practice of 'political' governors and speakers. The moment a governor or speaker is appointed, he or she should forfeit for life the right to serve in any other public office and also cease immediately and permanently to be a member of a political party. The Bhardwaj-Buta Singh model of governership must be buried for good.
The new anti-corruption ordinance being examined by the empowered group of ministers under finance minister Pranab Mukherjee must allow for prosecution of ministers, bureaucrats and other public officials by an independent CBI and Lokpal. Land, mining and other natural resources - from spectrum to gas - must be taken out of discretionary government hands (state and central) by law, not words. Nitish Kumar's Bihar has effectively combated corruption by introducing special courts under the Bihar Special Courts Act. Under the Act, such courts headed by a sessions judge with high court approval have the power to confiscate property and cash of government officials accused in corruption cases.
The role of the EC is critical: the roots of political corruption lie in the black money used to fight elections. Candidates with criminal backgrounds buy themselves tickets while parties subvert voters with money and divisions of caste, religion and region. The EC can consider two specific measures.
First, set a high bar of candidate-vetting. Seventy-four MPs in the current Lok Sabha have serious criminal charges against them. To weed out rogue candidates, the EC can set up a judicial commission comprising three retired Supreme Court judges before every election (Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha) as an electoral filter. Any candidate facing ongoing criminal prosecution in a trial court would be barred from standing for election.
In order to protect candidates facing politically-motivated charges, the relevant prosecution would have to be currently 'active' to trigger the bar. What does this mean? Any prosecution pending for over one year without a hearing or adjournment would not count as a valid ground for debarring candidates. This step will filter out at least 50% of rogue candidates who today stand unhindered for elections but also provide a modicum of protection to those who face frivolous and static political charges.
Second, to improve the standard of our democracy - and the quality of candidates political parties put up - the EC must impose term limitations for all office bearers in EC-registered political parties. No individual should be permitted to hold office for more than 10 years. Internal elections to all party posts - including for party president - must be held every year.
If the 10-year time limitation rule is violated, de-recognition of the party would automatically follow. This will mitigate the feudal structures of our dynastic political parties and strengthen India's democratic institutions. The restoration of global business confidence in India will be a natural corollary.
insidious
in·sid·i·ous
Two kinds of political corruption blight India: episodical and ongoing. Episodical corruption - from 2G spectrum to rice exports - has cost the public exchequer possibly over Rs 1,00,000 crore this year. The sum could have wiped out a quarter of India's 2010-11 fiscal deficit of Rs 4,12,000 crore. Ongoing corruption is more insidious and, therefore, more damaging.
adj.
1. Working or spreading harmfully in a subtle or stealthy manner: insidious rumors; an insidious disease.
2. Intended to entrap; treacherous: insidious misinformation.
3. Beguiling but harmful; alluring: insidious pleasures.
2. Intended to entrap; treacherous: insidious misinformation.
3. Beguiling but harmful; alluring: insidious pleasures.
JAPAN: How the nuclear plant crisis happened
- The crisis at the three Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power stations did not come from buildings collapsing due to the March 11 earthquake of magnitude 9 but from power failure following the quake. The tsunami knocked out the generators that produced the power. Lack of power in turn caused the cooling systems of the reactors to fail.
- The Fukushima nuclear reactor 1 went critical on March 1971 and is a 460 MW reactor. Unit-2 and Unit-3 are 784 MW each and went critical in July 1974 and March 1976 respectively. All the three are Boiling Water Reactors (BWR) and use demineralised water for cooling nuclear fuel.
- The fuel, in the form of pellets, is kept inside a casing called cladding. The cladding is made of zirconium alloy, and it completely seals the fuel. Fuel pins in the form of bundles are kept in the reactor core. Heat is generated in the reactor core through a fission process sustained by chain reaction.
- The fuel bundles are placed in such a way that the coolant can easily flow around the fuel pins. The coolant never comes in direct contact with the fuel as the fuel is kept sealed inside the zirconium alloy cladding. The coolant changes into steam as it cools the hot fuel. It is this steam that generates electricity by driving the turbines.
- All the heat that is produced by nuclear fission is not used for producing electricity. The efficiency of a power plant, including nuclear, is not 100 per cent. In the case of a nuclear power plant the efficiency is 30-35 per cent. "About 3 MW of thermal energy is required to produce 1 MW of electrical energy. Hence for the 460 MW Unit-1, 1,380 MW of thermal energy is produced," said Dr. K.S. Parthasarathy, former Secretary, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Mumbai. "This heat has to be removed continuously."
- In the case of the Fukushima units, demineralised water is used as coolant. Uranium-235 is used as fuel in Unit-1 and Unit-2, and MOX (a mixture of oxides of Uranium-Plutonium-239) is used as fuel in Unit-3.
- Since a very high amount of heat is generated, the flow of the coolant should never be disrupted. But on March 11, pumping of the coolant failed as even the diesel generator failed after an hour's operation.
- Though the power producing fission process was stopped by using control rods that absorbed the neutrons immediately after the quake, the fuel still contains fission products such as iodine-131 and caesium-137 and activation products such as plutonium-239.
- The heat produced by radioactive decay of these radionuclides is called "decay heat". Just prior to the shut down of the reactor the decay heat is 7 per cent. It reduces exponentially, to about 2 per cent in the first hour. After one day, the decay heat is about 1 per cent.
- While the uranium fission process can be stopped and heat generation can be halted, there is no way of stopping radioactive decay of the fission products.
- Inability to remove this heat led to a rise in coolant temperature. According to the Nature journal, when the temperature reached around 1,000 degree C, the zirconium alloy that encased the fuel (cladding) probably began to melt or split apart. "In the process it reacted with the steam and created hydrogen gas, which is highly volatile," Nature notes.
- Though the pressure created by hydrogen gas was reduced by controlled release, the massive build-up of hydrogen led to the explosion that blew the roof of the secondary confinement (outer buildings around the reactor) in all the three units (Unit-1, Unit-2 and Unit-3). The reactor core is present inside the primary containment.
- But the real danger arises from fuel melting. This would happen following the rupture of the zirconium casing. "If the heat is not removed, the zirconium cladding along with the fuel would melt and become liquid," Dr. Parthasarathy explained. The government has said that fuel rods in Unit-3 were likely already damaged.
Melted fuel is called "corium." Since melted fuel is at a very high temperature it can even "burn through the concrete containment vessel."
According to Nature, if enough melted fuel gathers outside the fuel assembly it can "restart the power-producing reactions, and in a completely uncontrolled way."
What may result is a "full-scale nuclear meltdown."
Pumping of sea-water is one way to reduce the heat and avoid such catastrophic consequences. The use of boric acid, which is an excellent neutron absorber, would reduce the chances of nuclear reactions restarting even if the fuel is found loose inside the reactor core. Both these measures have been resorted to in all three Units. Despite these measures, the fuel rods were found exposed in Unit-2 on two occasions.
Fate of reactor core
While the use of sea-water can prevent fuel melt, it makes the reactor core completely useless due to corrosion.
The case of Unit-4 is different from the other three units. Unlike in the case of Unit-1, 2 and 3, the Unit-4 is under maintenance and the core has been taken out, and the spent fuel rods are kept in the cooling pond.
Whatever led to a decrease in water level, the storage pond caught fire on March 15 possibly due to hydrogen explosion. The radioactivity was released directly into the atmosphere.
Spent fuel fate unknown
It is not known if the integrity of the cladding has been already affected and the fuel exposed. Since the core of a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) is removed only once a year or so, the number of spent rods in the pond will be more.
If the fuel is indeed exposed, the possibility of fuel melt is very likely. Though the fuel will be at a lower temperature than found inside a working reactor, there are chances of the fuel melting.
Since it does not have any containment unlike the fuel found inside a reactor, the consequences of a fuel melt would be really bad. Radioactivity is released directly into the atmosphere. Radioactivity of about 400 milliSv/hour was reported at the site immediately after the fire.
Live-in relation: SC turns down plea against use of ‘keep’
The SC on Wednesday refused to consider a plea that sought withdrawal of the controversial phrase "keep" used by it in a recent verdict, where it held that a "one night stand" with a man would not entitle a woman to maintenance.
The bench of Justices Markandeya Katju and T S Thakur said, "Application for permission to file a review petition is rejected."
This review petition had been moved on behalf of Mahila Dakshat Samiti, seeking review of the court's order on October 21, 2010.
Noticing that it was not a party in the case, in which the court gave its verdict, the court said, "Mahila Dakshat Samiti was not a party before this court or before the High Court or trial court. Having carefully gone through the review petition and connected papers, we see no reason to grant permission to Mahila Dakshat Samiti to file this review petition. Hence, the application for permission to file review petition is rejected."
In its judgment last year, the court had held, "If a man has a 'keep' whom he maintains financially and uses mainly for sexual purpose and or as a servant, it would not in our opinion be a relationship in the nature of marriage."
The bench of Justices Markandeya Katju and T S Thakur said, "Application for permission to file a review petition is rejected."
This review petition had been moved on behalf of Mahila Dakshat Samiti, seeking review of the court's order on October 21, 2010.
Noticing that it was not a party in the case, in which the court gave its verdict, the court said, "Mahila Dakshat Samiti was not a party before this court or before the High Court or trial court. Having carefully gone through the review petition and connected papers, we see no reason to grant permission to Mahila Dakshat Samiti to file this review petition. Hence, the application for permission to file review petition is rejected."
In its judgment last year, the court had held, "If a man has a 'keep' whom he maintains financially and uses mainly for sexual purpose and or as a servant, it would not in our opinion be a relationship in the nature of marriage."
RBI raises repo, reverse repo rates by 25 bps each
Since last March, this is the eighth time the RBI increased the rates and this move of the central bank would increase the borrowing cost of customers.
The central bank has increased the repo rate by 25 basis points from 6.5 per cent to 6.75 per cent and the reverse repo rate by 25 basis points from 5.5 per cent to 5.75 per cent with immediate effect.
Repo rate is the rate at which banks borrow money from the central bank and reverse repo is the rate at which banks park their funds with the central bank.
In its mid-quarter monetary policy review, the RBI said that further upside risks have stemmed from high international crude prices, their impact on freely priced petroleum products, increase in administered coal prices and pick-up in non-food manufactured product prices. "The March 2011 WPI inflation is now estimated to be higher, around 8 per cent." In its third quarter review, the Reserve Bank had projected year-on-year WPI inflation for March 2011 at 7 per cent.
The central bank has increased the repo rate by 25 basis points from 6.5 per cent to 6.75 per cent and the reverse repo rate by 25 basis points from 5.5 per cent to 5.75 per cent with immediate effect.
Repo rate is the rate at which banks borrow money from the central bank and reverse repo is the rate at which banks park their funds with the central bank.
In its mid-quarter monetary policy review, the RBI said that further upside risks have stemmed from high international crude prices, their impact on freely priced petroleum products, increase in administered coal prices and pick-up in non-food manufactured product prices. "The March 2011 WPI inflation is now estimated to be higher, around 8 per cent." In its third quarter review, the Reserve Bank had projected year-on-year WPI inflation for March 2011 at 7 per cent.
PF deposits to get 9.5% interest for 2010-11
The Finance Ministry on Thursday approved the higher interest rate for deposits with the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) for 2010-11.
After the approval, the Labour Ministry notified the 9.5 per cent interest rate. The EPFO had been paying 8.5 per cent interest on PF deposits since 2005-06.
In a letter to the Central Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFC) on Thursday, the Labour Ministry sought the crediting of 9.5 per cent interest rate for 2010-11 to the account of each member, but on the condition that the 4.72 crore accounts should be updated within six months.
After the approval, the Labour Ministry notified the 9.5 per cent interest rate. The EPFO had been paying 8.5 per cent interest on PF deposits since 2005-06.
In a letter to the Central Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFC) on Thursday, the Labour Ministry sought the crediting of 9.5 per cent interest rate for 2010-11 to the account of each member, but on the condition that the 4.72 crore accounts should be updated within six months.
Norms relaxed for Maharatna status to CPSEs
The Centre on Thursday announced relaxation in norms for according the Maharatna status to Central public sector enterprises, a step that help many CPSEs acquire this tag, which gives a company more financial autonomy.
At present, four CPSEs (ONGC, Indian Oil Corp, SAIL and NTPC) have been given the Maharatna status.
As per the new guidelines issued by the Department of Public Enterprises, a company qualifying for the Maharatna status should have an average annual turnover of Rs.20,000 crore in the last three years, as against Rs.25,000 crore prescribed earlier.
It was in December, 2009, that the government announced the Maharatna scheme to give more operational freedom to the top-performing CPSEs.
"The criteria for grant of the Maharatna status to CPSEs have been re-examined in the context of representations received from various administrative ministries/departments and the need to suitably empower mega Navratna CPSEs so that they can effectively face the challenges of competition, both domestic and foreign and further expand their operations," the new guidelines said.
Similarly, a CPSE with an average annual net worth of Rs.10,000 crore and net profit of Rs.2,500 crore for three years in a row will qualify for the status. Earlier, companies with required average annual net worth of Rs.15,000 crore and net profit of Rs.5,000 crore for three consecutive years were eligible for the tag.
At present, four CPSEs (ONGC, Indian Oil Corp, SAIL and NTPC) have been given the Maharatna status.
As per the new guidelines issued by the Department of Public Enterprises, a company qualifying for the Maharatna status should have an average annual turnover of Rs.20,000 crore in the last three years, as against Rs.25,000 crore prescribed earlier.
It was in December, 2009, that the government announced the Maharatna scheme to give more operational freedom to the top-performing CPSEs.
"The criteria for grant of the Maharatna status to CPSEs have been re-examined in the context of representations received from various administrative ministries/departments and the need to suitably empower mega Navratna CPSEs so that they can effectively face the challenges of competition, both domestic and foreign and further expand their operations," the new guidelines said.
Similarly, a CPSE with an average annual net worth of Rs.10,000 crore and net profit of Rs.2,500 crore for three years in a row will qualify for the status. Earlier, companies with required average annual net worth of Rs.15,000 crore and net profit of Rs.5,000 crore for three consecutive years were eligible for the tag.
U.N. approves Libya no-fly zone
- Moving swiftly in response to a request by Arab nations, the U.N. Security Council on Thursday paved the way for international air strikes against Muammar Qadhafi's forces with its vote authorizing military action to protect civilians and a no-fly zone over Libya.
- The council acted five days after the Arab League urged the U.N.'s most powerful body to try to halt Qadhafi's advancing military and reverse the realities on the ground, where rebels and their civilian supporters are in danger of being crushed by pro-government forces using rockets, artillery, tanks and warplanes.
- The vote was 10-0 with five countries abstaining including Russia and China, which have veto power in the council, along with India, Germany and Brazil. Russia and China expressed concern about the United Nations and other outside powers using force against Qadhafi, and Germany expressed fear that military action would lead to more casualties.
- The United States - which in a dramatic reversal joined the resolution's initial supporters Britain, France and Lebanon - not only helped push for a quick vote but pressed for action beyond creation of a no-fly zone to protect civilians from air, land and sea attacks by Qadhafi's fighters.
- The resolution bans all flights in Libya's airspace to help protect civilians. It also authorizes U.N. member states to take "all necessary measures ... to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, including Benghazi, while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory."
- British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the three criteria for taking action - a demonstrated need, clear legal basis and broad regional support - all have been fulfilled.
- In an interview broadcast just before the vote, Qadhafi said, "The U.N. Security Council has no mandate. We don't acknowledge their resolutions." He pledged to respond harshly to U.N.-sponsored attacks. "If the world is crazy, we will be crazy too," he told the Portuguese public Radiotelevisao Portuguesa.
- The resolution also calls for stronger enforcement of the arms embargo, adds names of people, companies and other entities to the list of those subject to travel bans and asset freezes, and requires all countries to ban Libyan flights from landing, taking off or overflying their country.
- It also demands that Libya ensure the "rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance" and asks U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to establish an eight-member panel of experts to assist the Security Council committee in monitoring sanctions.
U.S. launches military action against Libya
- President Barack Obama authorised limited military action against Libya on Saturday, saying Moammar Qadhafi's continued assault on his own people left the U.S. and its international partners with no other choice. The Pentagon said it fired 110 cruise missiles at 20 targets.
- "This is not an outcome the U.S. or any of our partners sought," Mr. Obama said from Brazil, where he is starting a five-day visit to Latin America. "We cannot stand idly by when a tyrant tells his people there will be no mercy."
- Mr. Obama declared once again that the United States would not send ground forces to Libya, though he said he is "deeply aware" of the risks of taking any military action.
- "Our consensus was strong, and our resolve is clear. The people of Libya must be protected, and in the absence of an immediate end to the violence against civilians our coalition is prepared to act, and to act with urgency," Mr. Obama said.
- The United States has a host of forces and ships in the area, including submarines, destroyers, amphibious assault and landing ships.
- The U.S. intended to limit its involvement -- at least in the initial stages -- to helping protect French and other air missions by taking out Libyan air defences, but depending on the response could launch additional attacks in support of allied forces, a U.S. official said. Both officials spok
Lok Sabha votes demands for grants for 2011-12
Cutting short the process in view of the coming Assembly elections, the Lok Sabha on Thursday voted demands for grants to the tune of over Rs. 46 lakh crore for fiscal 2011-12 without any discussion, completing the second stage of budgetary exercise.
The House also passed the relevant Appropriation Bill, 2011 after guillotine was applied on the debate on demands of grants of various ministries amid a walk-out by the Opposition which demanded resignation of the government over the alleged bribes for MPs' votes in 2008.
The demands of only three of the over 80 ministries and departments were discussed in the few days that were available after Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had replied to the general discussion on the budget last week.
According to indications, Mr. Mukherjee may be making some announcements on its much-debated proposal of imposing 5 per cent service tax on 'high-end' medical service and extension of Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) to Special Economic Zone (SEZ) units and developers.
The House also passed the relevant Appropriation Bill, 2011 after guillotine was applied on the debate on demands of grants of various ministries amid a walk-out by the Opposition which demanded resignation of the government over the alleged bribes for MPs' votes in 2008.
The demands of only three of the over 80 ministries and departments were discussed in the few days that were available after Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had replied to the general discussion on the budget last week.
According to indications, Mr. Mukherjee may be making some announcements on its much-debated proposal of imposing 5 per cent service tax on 'high-end' medical service and extension of Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) to Special Economic Zone (SEZ) units and developers.
Consider Bihar's concerns over Seeds Bill: Nitish
- After raising objections to the permission given by the Centre for trials of Bt Maize in his State, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has now urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not to pass the Seeds Bill in Parliament without taking into consideration the views and concerns of Bihar.
- "The proposed bill is not only anti-farmer but also brazenly favours multinationals in the garb of higher productivity. Any attempt to pass the bill in its present form will irrevocably damage Indian agriculture and make the goal of food security a distant dream," Mr. Kumar said.
- "The bill may, in fact, lose meaning if seeds are not available to farmers at affordable prices. With private companies, particularly multinationals, joining the field, cost becomes relevant. Our experience with private seed companies producing hybrid maize seeds underscores this," he said.
- "Our concern about rushing into the use of genetically modified [GM] crops without adequate safeguards is well-known. The proposed bill should lay down these safeguards explicitly. GM seeds should be registered only after extensive research to address concerns like adverse effects on biodiversity, ecology and human health, with dissemination of findings in the public domain. Seed imports should be allowed only after pest risk analysis and local adaptability assessment. There is a need for a Liability Clause to be introduced that makes seed exporters responsible for any pest outbreak and clean-up operations," Mr. Kumar said.
- He said that while public sector seeds were affordable, "the cost of private seeds runs into hundreds of rupees or even several thousands, in case of hybrid vegetable seeds." Besides, the provision of re-registration would increase the monopoly of seed companies for at least 20 years, he said, adding that the government should take responsibility for seed certification.
- Lamenting that no criterion had been laid for determining compensation to farmers for seed failure, Mr. Kumar said it should be fixed at the difference between the value of expected produce as per the seed producer's claim and the actual produce.He said there should be a time-limit for payment of compensation, and that the definition of farmers — as described in the National Commission on Farmers — should include landless farmers cultivating leasehold lands.
- Raising the issue of agriculture being a State subject, Mr. Kumar demanded a wider role for States in regulation."State governments should have the authority through the bill to fix the retail seed price and royalty charges. This is in light of the fact that apart from spurious seeds, it is also the high market price of seeds that contributes to the complex situation of the current agrarian distress, which results in farmers' suicides," he said.
- Mr. Kumar wanted all the powers of the Seeds Control Order of 1983— which will get nullified once the Seeds Bill is passed — to be incorporated in the proposed bill.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Centre to stop assistance, If Transparency is Not Maintained in Implementation
The Ministry of Rural Development has issued instructions to States and Union territories regarding the stoppage of Central Assistance under Section 27 of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA. The directions have been issued in the wake of the monitoring and review of MGNREGA in the States and the field level visits of the officials from the Ministry, Members of Central Employment Guarantee Council (CGEC), National Level Monitors (NLMs), audit teams and media reports which have often revealed anomalies in the implementation.
Under MGNREGA, the State Government has to implement the scheme and it is expected that they would institute remedial measures. If the Central Government directs the State Government for taking steps for effective implementation of the provisions of the Act and the State Government do not respond by prompt remedial measures as well as corresponding action under Section 25 against persons responsible for defaults and violations of laws, then the Central Government, if necessary, may in exercise of the powers conferred under sub-clause (2) of Section 27 of the Act order for stoppage of release of funds to the Scheme. The liability for funding the Scheme or payment of unemployment allowance during the period shall be with the State Government.
In pursuance of the provisions following process has been laid down by the Ministry of Rural Development :
a) Under Section 27 of MGNREGA it has been provided that complaints received from independent sources will be enquired into by the Government of India.
b) In case there is prima-facie case for further investigation, a proper statement of charges will be framed and sent to the respective State Government for enquiry and response within a period of two weeks.
c) Once the report is received, a screening committee constituted at the Ministry level will examine the report and in case, it is not found satisfactory, get the charges investigated by the CBI (where criminal intent is prima facie established) or by a team of officers of the Ministry, where system failure or non criminal lapse seems to be the case.
d) In the case of investigation of the case by the CBI, the state Governments should transfer the accused officers out of the areas of operation of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA. In case the State Government does not comply, the release of funds will be stopped.
e) In the case of investigation by a team of central officers, on receipt of the report, the release of funds will be stopped and the State Government will be given a reasonable cure period within which they should remedy the system.
f) Central funding will be restored once the Central Government is satisfied that the State Government has taken appropriate remedial measures.
Section 27 of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA states that
1. The Central Government may give such directions as it may consider necessary to the State Government for the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.
2. Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1), the Central Government may, on receipt of any complaint regarding the issue or improper utilization of funds granted under this Act in respect of any scheme if prima facie satisfied that there is a case, cause an investigation into the complaint made, by any agency designated by it and if necessary, order stoppage of release of funds to the Scheme and institute appropriate remedial measures for its proper implementation within a reasonable period of time.
It is expected that the instructions will ensure transparency and accountability in the effective implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA across the country.
Under MGNREGA, the State Government has to implement the scheme and it is expected that they would institute remedial measures. If the Central Government directs the State Government for taking steps for effective implementation of the provisions of the Act and the State Government do not respond by prompt remedial measures as well as corresponding action under Section 25 against persons responsible for defaults and violations of laws, then the Central Government, if necessary, may in exercise of the powers conferred under sub-clause (2) of Section 27 of the Act order for stoppage of release of funds to the Scheme. The liability for funding the Scheme or payment of unemployment allowance during the period shall be with the State Government.
In pursuance of the provisions following process has been laid down by the Ministry of Rural Development :
a) Under Section 27 of MGNREGA it has been provided that complaints received from independent sources will be enquired into by the Government of India.
b) In case there is prima-facie case for further investigation, a proper statement of charges will be framed and sent to the respective State Government for enquiry and response within a period of two weeks.
c) Once the report is received, a screening committee constituted at the Ministry level will examine the report and in case, it is not found satisfactory, get the charges investigated by the CBI (where criminal intent is prima facie established) or by a team of officers of the Ministry, where system failure or non criminal lapse seems to be the case.
d) In the case of investigation of the case by the CBI, the state Governments should transfer the accused officers out of the areas of operation of the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA. In case the State Government does not comply, the release of funds will be stopped.
e) In the case of investigation by a team of central officers, on receipt of the report, the release of funds will be stopped and the State Government will be given a reasonable cure period within which they should remedy the system.
f) Central funding will be restored once the Central Government is satisfied that the State Government has taken appropriate remedial measures.
Section 27 of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA states that
1. The Central Government may give such directions as it may consider necessary to the State Government for the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.
2. Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1), the Central Government may, on receipt of any complaint regarding the issue or improper utilization of funds granted under this Act in respect of any scheme if prima facie satisfied that there is a case, cause an investigation into the complaint made, by any agency designated by it and if necessary, order stoppage of release of funds to the Scheme and institute appropriate remedial measures for its proper implementation within a reasonable period of time.
It is expected that the instructions will ensure transparency and accountability in the effective implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA across the country.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Something about radioactivity - Japan disaster
The different radioactive materials reported at the nuclear accidents in Japan range from relatively benign to extremely worrisome. The central problem in assessing the degree of danger is that the amounts of various radioactive releases into the environment are now unknown, as are the winds and other atmospheric factors that determine how radioactivity will disperse around the stricken plants.
Iodine pills for residents
Iodine pills would be distributed to residents around the Fukushima Daiichi and Daini plants in northeast Japan. Both have experienced multiple failures in the wake of the huge earthquake and tsunami that struck on Friday.
In the types of reactors involved, water is used to cool the reactor core and produce steam to turn the turbines that make electricity. The water contains two of the least dangerous radioactive materials now in the news, radioactive nitrogen and tritium. Normal plant operations produce both of them in the cooling water and they are even released routinely in small amounts into the environment, usually through tall chimneys.
Nitrogen is the most common gas in the earth's atmosphere, and at a nuclear plant the main radioactive form is known as nitrogen-16. It is made when speeding neutrons from the reactor's core hit oxygen in the surrounding cooling water. This radioactive form of nitrogen does not occur in nature.
The danger of nitrogen-16 is an issue only for plant workers and operators because its half-life is only seven seconds. A half-life is the time it takes half the atoms of a radioactive substance to disintegrate.
The other form of radioactive materials often in the cooling water of a nuclear reactor is tritium. It is a naturally occurring radioactive form of hydrogen, sometimes known as heavy hydrogen. It is found in trace amounts in groundwater throughout the world. Tritium emits a weak form of radiation that does not travel very far in the air and cannot penetrate the skin. It accumulates in the cooling water of nuclear reactors and is often vented in small amounts to the environment. Its half-life is 12 years.
Iodine and cesium
The active core of a nuclear reactor splits atoms in two to produce bursts of energy and, as a by-product, large masses of highly radioactive particles. The many safety mechanisms of a nuclear plant focus mainly on keeping these so-called fission products out of the environment.
Iodine-131
Iodine-131 has a half-life of eight days and is quite dangerous to human health. If absorbed through contaminated food, especially milk and milk products, it will accumulate in the thyroid and cause cancer. Located near the base of the neck, the thyroid is a large endocrine gland that produces hormones that help control growth and metabolism.
Fortunately, an easy form of protection is potassium iodide, a simple compound typically added to table salt to prevent goiter and a form of mental retardation caused by a dietary lack of iodine.
Potassium iodide
If ingested promptly after a nuclear accident, potassium iodide, in concentrated form, can help reduce the dose of radiation to the thyroid and thus the risk of cancer. In the United States, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission recommends that people living within a 10-mile emergency planning zone around a nuclear plant have access to potassium iodide tablets.
Over the long term, the big threat to human health is cesium-137, which has a half-life of 30 years. At that rate of disintegration, John Emsley wrote inNature's Building Blocks (Oxford, 2001), "it takes over 200 years to reduce it to 1 per cent of its former level."
It is cesium-137 that still contaminates much land in Ukraine around the Chernobyl reactor. In 1986, the plant suffered what is considered the worst nuclear power plant accident in history. Cesium-137 mixes easily with water and is chemically similar to potassium. It thus mimics how potassium gets metabolised in the body and can enter through many foods, including milk. After entering, cesium gets widely distributed, its concentrations said to be higher in muscle tissues and lower in bones.
Risk of cancer
The radiation from cesium-137 can throw cellular machinery out of order, including the chromosomes, leading to an increased risk of cancer.
Iodine pills for residents
Iodine pills would be distributed to residents around the Fukushima Daiichi and Daini plants in northeast Japan. Both have experienced multiple failures in the wake of the huge earthquake and tsunami that struck on Friday.
In the types of reactors involved, water is used to cool the reactor core and produce steam to turn the turbines that make electricity. The water contains two of the least dangerous radioactive materials now in the news, radioactive nitrogen and tritium. Normal plant operations produce both of them in the cooling water and they are even released routinely in small amounts into the environment, usually through tall chimneys.
Nitrogen is the most common gas in the earth's atmosphere, and at a nuclear plant the main radioactive form is known as nitrogen-16. It is made when speeding neutrons from the reactor's core hit oxygen in the surrounding cooling water. This radioactive form of nitrogen does not occur in nature.
The danger of nitrogen-16 is an issue only for plant workers and operators because its half-life is only seven seconds. A half-life is the time it takes half the atoms of a radioactive substance to disintegrate.
The other form of radioactive materials often in the cooling water of a nuclear reactor is tritium. It is a naturally occurring radioactive form of hydrogen, sometimes known as heavy hydrogen. It is found in trace amounts in groundwater throughout the world. Tritium emits a weak form of radiation that does not travel very far in the air and cannot penetrate the skin. It accumulates in the cooling water of nuclear reactors and is often vented in small amounts to the environment. Its half-life is 12 years.
Iodine and cesium
The active core of a nuclear reactor splits atoms in two to produce bursts of energy and, as a by-product, large masses of highly radioactive particles. The many safety mechanisms of a nuclear plant focus mainly on keeping these so-called fission products out of the environment.
Iodine-131
Iodine-131 has a half-life of eight days and is quite dangerous to human health. If absorbed through contaminated food, especially milk and milk products, it will accumulate in the thyroid and cause cancer. Located near the base of the neck, the thyroid is a large endocrine gland that produces hormones that help control growth and metabolism.
Fortunately, an easy form of protection is potassium iodide, a simple compound typically added to table salt to prevent goiter and a form of mental retardation caused by a dietary lack of iodine.
Potassium iodide
If ingested promptly after a nuclear accident, potassium iodide, in concentrated form, can help reduce the dose of radiation to the thyroid and thus the risk of cancer. In the United States, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission recommends that people living within a 10-mile emergency planning zone around a nuclear plant have access to potassium iodide tablets.
Over the long term, the big threat to human health is cesium-137, which has a half-life of 30 years. At that rate of disintegration, John Emsley wrote inNature's Building Blocks (Oxford, 2001), "it takes over 200 years to reduce it to 1 per cent of its former level."
It is cesium-137 that still contaminates much land in Ukraine around the Chernobyl reactor. In 1986, the plant suffered what is considered the worst nuclear power plant accident in history. Cesium-137 mixes easily with water and is chemically similar to potassium. It thus mimics how potassium gets metabolised in the body and can enter through many foods, including milk. After entering, cesium gets widely distributed, its concentrations said to be higher in muscle tissues and lower in bones.
Risk of cancer
The radiation from cesium-137 can throw cellular machinery out of order, including the chromosomes, leading to an increased risk of cancer.
Mahatma Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP)
- The Union Cabinet approved to establish the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) as a Category I Institute of UNESCO at New Delhi which was recommended by the UNESCO Executive Board, at its 182nd session held in September, 2009 and approved by 35th Session of General Conference of UNESCO in October, 2009.
- It will put India into the category of select countries with a Category I Institute of UNESCO. Currently there are eleven Category I Institutes of UNESCO in the world, out of which 9 are located in the developed countries while the remaining two are located in developing countries namely, Ethiopia and Venezuela. Further it will serve as a platform for India to emerge as a global leader from the Asia-Pacific region in the areas of education for Peace and Sustainable Development.
- The mission of the Institute will be to strengthen educational and knowledge base for promoting education for peace and sustainable development and to contribute to the peace education and sustainable development-related research and capacity building needs of Member States with focus on Asia and the Pacific region.
- The MGIEP will be managed through an Operational Agreement between UNESCO and lndia. It will be administered by a 12 member Governing Board to approve programme and budget of the Institute and give policy directions. The Governing Board shall be assisted by a four- member Executive Committee including the Chairperson,
- The estimated expenditure for setting up this Institute will be Rs.223.68 crore over a period of seven years.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Majuli Island for Unesco World Heritage list
- GOI has proposed to nominate the name of Assam's river-island, Majuli, for inclusion in the 'cultural landscape' category of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) World Heritage list.
- Considered the largest freshwater river-island in the world, Majuli is located in the middle of the mighty Brahmaputra.
- The Majuli dossier will be ready by October, to be submitted to the Unesco in February 2012. Majuli was shortlisted in the World Heritage Site (WHS) 'Tentative List' at the World Heritage Committee session at Suzhou in China. Subsequently, a comprehensive nomination dossier was submitted in 2006, followed by additional information in 2008.
- The revised dossier moves a step closer to securing WHS status for Majuli, incorporating all referred points of past conventions.
- The International Council on Monuments and Sites (Icomos) mission is expected to come in October to evaluate the Majuli cultural landscape
- The island situated in Jorhat district of northern Assam is about 80 km wide and about 10-15 km long, with a total area of 875 sq.km in midstream of the delta system.
- A mixed community of various ethno-cultural groups, the Majulians have migrated to the island over centuries, bringing along their traditions and skills. These communities are united by the social institution of Sattra, which was introduced by the Vaishnava revivalist, saint Sankardeva, in the 16th century.
- The island faces a greater threat from flood and erosion by the Brahmaputra than from external and modern influences. Moreover, the ecosystem and age-old cultural and social system are under pressure following the displacement of the local people and an increase in the population.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Euthanasia, should we allow it?
The word euthanasia means 'good death' from the Greek word eu for good, andThanatos for death. In common parlance, however, it is rarely used in this literal sense which emphasises the type of death experienced, and is usually employed to refer to the act of deliberately inducing the death of a patient who is in severe pain and distress as a result of a terminal or incurable illness. There are two distinctions in euthanasia: active euthanasia and passive euthanasia.
Active euthanasia can be defined as a deliberate act of ending the life of a patient with a terminal or incurable disease. Passive euthanasia is the deliberate withholding or withdrawing of life-prolonging medical treatment with the object of hastening the patient's death, as a result of which the patient dies earlier than he/she would have diedhad treatment been continued. (Otlowski, Margaret, Voluntary Euthanasia and the Common Law, Oxford University Press.)
Many arguments have been advanced by scholars, human rights philosophers and law thinkers advocating legalisation of euthanasia all over the world. These were made on the basis of moral, human rights, and utilitarian grounds. The moral ground is that it is against morality to leave someone in severe pain and do nothing for his/her relief. The human rights angle is that leaving a patient in severe pain would amount to directly challenging the fundamental right of the individual i.e., the right to a dignified life. The utilitarian principle believes in the greatest degree of happiness to the maximum number of people. According to this, if anyone is terminally ill, lying in hospital and is in severe pain, then it would not bring his/her family happiness and it will suffer because of his/her pain. So, utilitarian thinkers argue that an act or abstaining from an act which does not give happiness to anyone is wrong.
Exercising the euthanasia option in any respect is wrong. First of all, it is in contradiction with the moral basis and beliefs of all religions. Every religion states that no one except God reserves the right to take a person's life. Secondly, it prompts doctors to go against their moral duty of always serving and safeguarding the patients irrespective of the severity of their health.
According to the utilitarian principle, provided there is a balance of pain over pleasure, active euthanasia would be justified if it maximises the benefits for all, regardless of whether the patient can or cannot give consent. Thus, the interests of the individual are subordinated to the interests of the majority. Because of this possible manipulation of utilitarian arguments toward non-voluntary and involuntary euthanasia, it ought to be rejected as a moral theory justifying only active voluntary euthanasia.
The basis of active voluntary euthanasia is to relieve patients of their pain by killing them with their consent. But the subjective assessment by the patient of his/her own circumstances can be motivated by a fear of pain, suffering, dependency, undue influence or other causes. These factors combined together provide enough room for manipulation by external agents, which may benefit from the process of euthanasia. Thus, a patient might be unable to provide free and unbiased consent in his/her interest. And considering the weak hold of India's administration and judicial system in rural areas, the chances of prohibiting the misuse of euthanasia are slim. Thus legalising active voluntary euthanasia poses a major risk.
The shortcomings of active voluntary euthanasia are further exposed in a hypothetical situation where the patient wants to die and gives his/her consent for euthanasia but the doctor knows that by taking some positive steps the life can be prolonged. In such cases whose consent is to be considered?
Another major flaw appears in cases where the patients are either too old or are not in a state to give their consent. This poses a grave challenge to the idea as these cases abound everywhere. In such situations, involuntary euthanasia might be considered an option. But it can be realistically seen that it is more prone to misuse than active voluntary euthanasia. In cases where passive involuntary euthanasia is legal, Baylor said that a doctor would be free to accept or reject a patient's consent. If the physician accepts a patient's wish and undertakes treating him/her, the law imposes a duty on the physician to continue treatment as long as the case requires. Then at least theoretically, if the doctor voluntarily omits to do an act, such as withholding medical treatment from a severely retarded or defective infant, knowing that such omission will cause death, he/she will not be criminally liable under the euthanasia principles. I say theoretically because even though at least once a week a doctor somewhere in the Washington Metropolitan area decides that one of his/her infant patients has no chance of a meaningful life and withholds treatment needed to keep the child alive; and even though one-third of the 24 infants died in the D.C. General Hospital in 1973 because doctors decided to withhold treatment, as of 1973, several researchers have concluded that there has never been a case dealing with this issue. (Article: Physician's Criminal Liability for the Practice of Euthanasia. The Foreman, perey 27, Baylor L Rev.54 1975). Thus it is apparent that the doctors cannot be questioned in such cases. This gives the doctors more than permissible control over the fate of the infants under their care.
So if you allow active euthanasia to be legalised then the flaws that will result are that in a majority cases, consent will not be free because consent could be motivated by a fear of pain, suffering or dependency. Also active euthanasia will not cover the width of arguments proposed by human rights activists and moral activists because most of the cases of patients with an incurable disease and those who are too old will not be in a position to give their consent. Consequently, this condition will increase the apprehensions over legalisation of passive euthanasia.
Passive euthanasia will cover infants and unborn babies. We have the example of the Netherlands, where all these acts were legalised. As a result, Netherlands lost more than one-fourth of its population and it badly affected unborn babies with a high fall in birthrate in that country. This is evident from its population statistics. There is an important lesson to every country that is considering following this proponent country and legalising euthanasia. Euthanasia is impracticable in India given its susceptibility which makes it prone to misuse.
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/article1532408.ece
Active euthanasia can be defined as a deliberate act of ending the life of a patient with a terminal or incurable disease. Passive euthanasia is the deliberate withholding or withdrawing of life-prolonging medical treatment with the object of hastening the patient's death, as a result of which the patient dies earlier than he/she would have diedhad treatment been continued. (Otlowski, Margaret, Voluntary Euthanasia and the Common Law, Oxford University Press.)
Many arguments have been advanced by scholars, human rights philosophers and law thinkers advocating legalisation of euthanasia all over the world. These were made on the basis of moral, human rights, and utilitarian grounds. The moral ground is that it is against morality to leave someone in severe pain and do nothing for his/her relief. The human rights angle is that leaving a patient in severe pain would amount to directly challenging the fundamental right of the individual i.e., the right to a dignified life. The utilitarian principle believes in the greatest degree of happiness to the maximum number of people. According to this, if anyone is terminally ill, lying in hospital and is in severe pain, then it would not bring his/her family happiness and it will suffer because of his/her pain. So, utilitarian thinkers argue that an act or abstaining from an act which does not give happiness to anyone is wrong.
Exercising the euthanasia option in any respect is wrong. First of all, it is in contradiction with the moral basis and beliefs of all religions. Every religion states that no one except God reserves the right to take a person's life. Secondly, it prompts doctors to go against their moral duty of always serving and safeguarding the patients irrespective of the severity of their health.
According to the utilitarian principle, provided there is a balance of pain over pleasure, active euthanasia would be justified if it maximises the benefits for all, regardless of whether the patient can or cannot give consent. Thus, the interests of the individual are subordinated to the interests of the majority. Because of this possible manipulation of utilitarian arguments toward non-voluntary and involuntary euthanasia, it ought to be rejected as a moral theory justifying only active voluntary euthanasia.
The basis of active voluntary euthanasia is to relieve patients of their pain by killing them with their consent. But the subjective assessment by the patient of his/her own circumstances can be motivated by a fear of pain, suffering, dependency, undue influence or other causes. These factors combined together provide enough room for manipulation by external agents, which may benefit from the process of euthanasia. Thus, a patient might be unable to provide free and unbiased consent in his/her interest. And considering the weak hold of India's administration and judicial system in rural areas, the chances of prohibiting the misuse of euthanasia are slim. Thus legalising active voluntary euthanasia poses a major risk.
The shortcomings of active voluntary euthanasia are further exposed in a hypothetical situation where the patient wants to die and gives his/her consent for euthanasia but the doctor knows that by taking some positive steps the life can be prolonged. In such cases whose consent is to be considered?
Another major flaw appears in cases where the patients are either too old or are not in a state to give their consent. This poses a grave challenge to the idea as these cases abound everywhere. In such situations, involuntary euthanasia might be considered an option. But it can be realistically seen that it is more prone to misuse than active voluntary euthanasia. In cases where passive involuntary euthanasia is legal, Baylor said that a doctor would be free to accept or reject a patient's consent. If the physician accepts a patient's wish and undertakes treating him/her, the law imposes a duty on the physician to continue treatment as long as the case requires. Then at least theoretically, if the doctor voluntarily omits to do an act, such as withholding medical treatment from a severely retarded or defective infant, knowing that such omission will cause death, he/she will not be criminally liable under the euthanasia principles. I say theoretically because even though at least once a week a doctor somewhere in the Washington Metropolitan area decides that one of his/her infant patients has no chance of a meaningful life and withholds treatment needed to keep the child alive; and even though one-third of the 24 infants died in the D.C. General Hospital in 1973 because doctors decided to withhold treatment, as of 1973, several researchers have concluded that there has never been a case dealing with this issue. (Article: Physician's Criminal Liability for the Practice of Euthanasia. The Foreman, perey 27, Baylor L Rev.54 1975). Thus it is apparent that the doctors cannot be questioned in such cases. This gives the doctors more than permissible control over the fate of the infants under their care.
So if you allow active euthanasia to be legalised then the flaws that will result are that in a majority cases, consent will not be free because consent could be motivated by a fear of pain, suffering or dependency. Also active euthanasia will not cover the width of arguments proposed by human rights activists and moral activists because most of the cases of patients with an incurable disease and those who are too old will not be in a position to give their consent. Consequently, this condition will increase the apprehensions over legalisation of passive euthanasia.
Passive euthanasia will cover infants and unborn babies. We have the example of the Netherlands, where all these acts were legalised. As a result, Netherlands lost more than one-fourth of its population and it badly affected unborn babies with a high fall in birthrate in that country. This is evident from its population statistics. There is an important lesson to every country that is considering following this proponent country and legalising euthanasia. Euthanasia is impracticable in India given its susceptibility which makes it prone to misuse.
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/article1532408.ece
Dalai Lama to step down as 'political head'
The Dalai Lama announced on Thursday that he would step down as "political head" of the so-called Tibetan government-in-exile but would remain as religious leader and continue to advocate "meaningful autonomy" for Tibet.
The Dalai Lama, 75, a Nobel Laureate, said he would hand over his "formal authority" to a "freely-elected" leader. He said he was committed to playing his part for the "just cause" of Tibet.
The new "Parliament" will be elected when Tibetans across the world vote on March 20. By devolving his powers, the Dalai Lama hopes to give the "prime minister" a greater clout.
The Dalai Lama, 75, a Nobel Laureate, said he would hand over his "formal authority" to a "freely-elected" leader. He said he was committed to playing his part for the "just cause" of Tibet.
The new "Parliament" will be elected when Tibetans across the world vote on March 20. By devolving his powers, the Dalai Lama hopes to give the "prime minister" a greater clout.
India to make determined bid for NSG membership
- Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will lead India's bid for full membership in the four international export control regimes — the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Missile Technology Control Regime, the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Group.
- Observers, however, felt that obtaining NSG membership may be the most difficult for India given its close association with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
- However, with every NSG plenary revising the export control list in consistency with the assessment of proliferation trends, officials said it was important for India, as a major player, to be in the organisation.
- Besides engaging with the NSG, senior Indian officials would continue to be engaged with other governments through various outbreak meetings. India would also have bilateral engagement with individual members.
- India is already an adherent to the NSG and MTCR guidelines but does not, as it is not a full member, have a direct say in deciding on changes in norms.
SUMMIT-LEVEL SUPPORT
India had already secured summit-level support — from the United States, Russia and France — which is expected to impart the initial momentum, for this endeavour. Several member countries in the four international export control regimes had been positive to India's bid.
"This acknowledgement is based on India's impeccable non-proliferation record and the benefits that the non-proliferation regime will get [through] India's full membership [in] the four regimes," the sources said.
Asked to comment on the approval granted by the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Directors to the safeguard agreement for Chashma III & IV, sources said this was not unexpected. India had raised the issue with a number of countries, including China. Although a number of countries had expressed concerns regarding China's supply of two additional reactors to Pakistan, it appeared that China has had its way.
India test fires Prithvi-II, Dhanush successfully
- India's Strategic Forces Command (SFC), which handles missiles with nuclear warheads, fired Dhanush and Prithvi-II missiles on Friday within a gap of an hour, establishing the readiness of India's nuclear deterrence systems. Both Dhanush and Prithvi-II are surface-to-surface missiles that can carry nuclear warheads.
- They are products of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The twin-success, coming in the wake of the DRDO firing an interceptor on March 6 to bring down an "enemy" ballistic missile in mid-flight, has boosted the morale of the DRDO missile technologists.
- Dhanush and Prithvi-II were launched in a similar salvo mode on March 27, 2010.
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