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2. NATIONAL
l Centre proposed plan for Non-Timber For- value addition activities at appropriate levels. The inter-
est Produce (NTFP) to help tribals vention envisages strengthening the NTFP value chain on
end-to-end basis and creating strategic public private part-
Conceptually NTFP (Non - Timber Forest Products) re-
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nerships for the benefit of all stakeholders.
fers to all biological materials other than timber extracted
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Further the Government has announced creation of six
from natural forests for human and animal use. It includes
projects in Non-Timber Forest Produce, NTFP covering
plant tissues used for fibre, building material, medicine,
around 60 naxal-affected districts in the country. The
edible leaves, roots, flower, fruit, seed, nuts, honey, resin,
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projects to be executed within six months will be in the
glue, lac etc. and has both consumptive and exchange
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Public Private Partnership mode and will cover the States
value. They have income potentials and provide employ-
like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh,
ment opportunities.
Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Prior to National Forest Policy (NFP), 1988, NTFPs were
It will include the projects in Lac, Gum, Medicinal Plants,
popularly known as Minor Forest Products (MFP) that was
Tasar, Bamboo and Non-edible oil seeds like Neem and
centered around Kendu leaves (Bidi Patta) and few other
Mahua which will provide a good return for the tribal
products. Besides the economic value, the non-economic
engaged in collection of these forest products.
value of NTFP for the forest dwellers is more important
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since quite a good number of such products do not enter
the market and are primarily consumed at local level with
a little value addition. NTFPs are a part of the socio-cul-
tural life of tribal people who mainly maintain a symbolic
The projects will be part of the National Rural Liveli-
hood Mission and will focus primarily on livelihood gen-
eration and value additional in the non-timber forest prod-
ucts in naxal affected areas and called for cooperative
arrangement between forest departments and the local self
relationship with the forest and forest based products. More
particularly the reliance of tribal on NTFP becomes very help groups and other such organizations
high during uncertain agricultural yields for both food
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securities during seasonal shortages as well as for house- l SC appoints bureaucrat to monitor PDS
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hold medicine and income needs. The Supreme Court has nominated a secretary-level of-
Thus aiming to protect tribes from exploitation by middle- ficer in the Centre to monitor the effective implementation
men, Centre is planning to create "strategic public private of government's food programme for the poor as the com-
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partnerships" for roping in market forces to ensure value puterization of the entire PDS has not been able to curb
for non-timber forest produce (NTFP), the major income pilferage and corruption.
source of forest dwellers. The apex court appointed Secretary, Ministry of Con-
sumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, to coordinate
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Objectives of NTFP Management: with states and union territories for distribution of food-
In the 12th five-year Plan the objectives of NTFP manage- grains under the targeted Public Distribution System (PDS)
ment includes the following: which is a massive operation undertaken by the govern-
a) To conserve and develop the vast & diverse potential ment to provide food to the poor in the country.
that the NTFP resources have to critically contribute to The report of the justice D.P Wadhwa committee, which
the food security & livelihood of the forest dwellers has been examining the working of PDS, stated that sub-
and other dependent disadvantaged communities. stantial work on digitalization and computerization of PDS
b) To conserve the biodiversity in general and natural has failed to live upto its efficiency and ratio of bogus
product diversity of forest origin in particular. ration cards has increased.
c) To preserve & develop the resource base for food secu- Earlier the Central Vigilance Committee headed by Jus-
rity of wildlife. tice Wadhwa had devised a scheme of community kitchen
d) To decide and adopt strategies for the above purposes for providing cooked meals to the poor living at places like
in the changing contexts like climate change. city hospitals and bus stops at nominal cost or free with
e) To help & ensure a smooth & successful compliance the help of corporates and Public Sector Units under their
with the mandates of PESA and FRA that give owner- Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) programme. But the
ship rights over MFP to the Gram Sabha on condition committee had received a poor response from various
of preserving & managing them sustainably. ministries on the proposal of community kitchen with the
According to the plan, the NTFP's collective income could help of CSR programme.
be increased through sustainable harvest and scientific The apex court had earlier said that all states should
post harvest practices for higher returns and by negotiat- emulate the PDS model adopted by Tamil Nadu which
ing better with market forces while also taking up various has been supplying rice at Rs. 1 per kg and subsidized
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3. fortified atta and pulses to BPL families without much l CBSE international curriculum launched in
hassles and complaint of pilferage and misappropriation. India
It had directed the Centre to allocate additional five mil-
The Central Board of Secondary Education's international
lion tonnes of foodgrains to the 150 poorest districts under
curriculum (CBSE-i), until now restricted to around 25 schools
the supervision of a committee appointed by it. But the
abroad, will now be available to around 50 schools in India.
slower digitalization of PDS or the nonexistence of sound
PDS system has deteriorated the objective of "food secu- The CBSE-I curriculum is for students choosing the boards
rity for all" in India. such as the International Baccalaureate. The international
syllabus is implemented for class 1 to class 12 and stu-
l Rajasthan launches food fortification dents are taught through e-books. The CBSE-I students
programme have an advantage over other CBSE students as they learn
more foreign languages and different curriculum for other
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Rajasthan has high levels of stunting (40 per cent), subjects. The net-based programme will also have subjects
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wasting and under-nutrition (37 per cent) children with 79 like drama and dance.
per cent of children under 3 years, 62 per cent pregnant
women and even 21 per cent men, becoming anaemic, the The CBSE-i operates through a portal which disseminates
important information to teachers whose institution is sub-
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state government, in partnership with GAIN - the Global
scribed to it and also has an expert panel to answer queries.
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Alliance for Improved Nutrition, and other partners has
launched projects aimed at increasing the nutritional value
l Five-Point Agenda for Rejuvenating Social
of a range of foods - from infant foods to vitamin and
mineral-rich wheat flour. Science Research Announced
The food fortification programme or IPS (Integrated Union Minister for Human Resource Development has
Programme Strategy)-Rajasthan aims to make fortified announced a five-point agenda for rejuvenating social
wheat flour (fortified with iron, Vitamin B12 and folic acid) science research in the country and for attracting bright
and fortified edible oil (fortified with Vitamin A) widely minds for research in this area.
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available across the State.
Under the project, it is envisaged to fortify the lentils
(daal) with folic acid and iron, which would be provided
through the centralized kitchens in the Mid-day Meals
For rejuvenation of Social Science Research follow-
ing five point agenda proposed:
a) ICSSR shall proceed to develop a Fellowship scheme
for embedding young scholars in the universities inter-
(MDM) and Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). ested in pursuit of social science research.
Further GAIN is supporting for setting up of 7 mini- b) ICSSR can create a network of eminent academics to
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industrial plants managed by Women Self-help Groups to collaborate on creation of academic content including
produce fortified food for the ICDS in partnership with publications of texts, digests and manuscripts in spe-
Department of Women and Child Development, Govern- cific areas in social sciences. These manuscripts would
ment of Rajasthan and UN World Food Programme. This provide an inexpensive aid to teachers and students in
project empowers marginalized women to become entre-
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social sciences and would be available in different lan-
preneurs to produce high quality, fortified blended food for guages. The manuscripts could be delivered electroni-
pregnant and lactating mothers and children aged 6-36 cally leveraging on the gains of the National Knowledge
months to complement breastfeeding and other best prac- Network which aims to interlink all institutions of higher
tices in infant feeding. learning with an information super-highway.
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Food fortification is defined as the practice of deliberately c) It could take the lead to develop a Social Sciences
increasing the content of essential micronutrients - vita- Knowledge and Research Network as an open source,
mins and minerals - in a food so as to improve the nutri- virtual assembly of research papers of quality. This
tional quality of the food supply and to provide a public Network could host peer reviewed research papers
health benefit with minimal risk to health. and Ph.D theses in social sciences, both priced and
free, depending on the choice of the author.
The public health benefits of fortification includes:
d) It could establish a National Social Science Research
a) Prevention or minimization of the risk of occurrence of
Innovation Centre in order to develop capacity in new
micronutrient deficiency in a population or specific
and frontier areas of trans-disciplinary research. The
population groups.
Centre could identify innovative research methodolo-
b) Contribution to the correction of a demonstrated micro- gies in frontier areas of knowledge and assist in build-
nutrient deficiency in a population or specific popula- ing a network for carrying forward the research inter-
tion groups. ests of institutions, scholars and teachers.
c) Plausible beneficial effects of micronutrients consistent e) There will be institution of 10 annual Amartya Sen
with maintaining or improving health (e.g. there is Awards for advancement of knowledge in social sci-
some evidence to suggest that a diet rich in selected ences. The Amartya Sen Awards will be on the lines of
antioxidants might help to prevent cancer and other Bhatnagar Awards given for recognition in research in
diseases). science.
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4. INTERNATIONAL
l U.S. bid to woo foreign talent These reforms would hopefully attract new businesses
Amidst pending comprehensive immigration reform, the and new investment to the U.S. and ensure that the U.S.
United States has proposed several steps, including changes has the most skilled workforce in the world.
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in the F-1 and H-1B visas, to attract foreign skilled
l China, Russia veto UNSC resolution against
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workforce, a move likely to benefit professionals from coun-
tries such as India. Syria
Prominent among the reforms include providing work Russia and China has vetoed an Arab League-backed
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authorization for spouses of certain H-1B visa holders, 17- resolution because of what they perceived to be a potential
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month extension of optional practical training (OPT) for F- violation of Syria's sovereignty, which could allow for
1 international students to include students with a prior military intervention or regime change at the United Na-
degree in science, technology, engineering and mathemat- tions Security Council that called on Syrian President
ics, allow for additional part-time study for spouses of F- Bashar Assad to step down, while India, along with the
1 students and allow outstanding professors and research- U.S. and 12 others, backed the move.
ers to present a broader scope of evidence of academic France, Britain and Pakistan also voted in favour of the
achievement. resolution aimed at putting pressure on Syria to end its 11-
month crackdown on anti-government protests that have
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F-1 students who graduate in programs of study classi-
fied as STEM (science, technology, engineering and math-
ematics) could obtain a 17-month extension of OPT as part
of their F-1 status if the degree they are conferred is in-
cluded on the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) list
killed more than 200 people in one of the bloodiest epi-
sodes of the uprising against the Assad regime.
Human Rights Watch had condemned the UNSC resolu-
tion, terming the Russian and Chinese decision irrespon-
of eligible STEM degree programs. This proposed change sible and praised India, which so far was seen siding with
would expand eligibility for extension of OPT by including Moscow and Beijing on this issue, for voting in favour of
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students with a STEM degree that is not the most recent the failed resolution.
degree the student has received.
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l Iran launches observation satellite
The DHS would allow spouses of F-1 students to enroll
in additional academic classes on a part-time basis while Iran has launched an observation satellite called NAVID
into orbit above Earth between 250 and 370 kilometres.
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their spouse is pursuing full-time studies. Presently, under
the current regulation, spouses may only take part-time It is a 50-kilogram micro satellite that will collect data
vocational or recreational classes. which can be used in weather forecasting and natural
Further it would launch 'Entrepreneurs in Residence' ini- disaster management. It is meant to stay in orbit for 18
months, sending back images to Iran as it completes a
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tiative with an Information Summit in Silicon Valley. This
will bring together high-level representatives from the entre- revolution of Earth every 90 minutes.
preneurial community, academia and federal government It was the third domestically made satellite Iran that has
agencies to discuss how to maximize current immigration been put above the planet using its Safir rockets. The other
laws' potential to attract foreign entrepreneurial talent. two observation platforms, launched in February 2009 and
July 2011, stayed in orbit for two to three months.
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5. INDIA AND WORLD
l Iran agrees for payment in rupees for crude of export ban on Milk Powder, Wheat, Edible Oil, Pulses
oil exchange and Non-Basmati Rice with annual limits indicated by the
Bhutanese side.
Iran has agreed to accept 45 per cent of the payment for
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Both leaders has also expressed satisfaction that progress
its crude imports in rupees through three Indian banks to
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in meeting the target of developing 10,000 MW of hydro-
beat the effect of western sanctions.
power capacity in Bhutan by 2020 is on schedule. Bhutan
Since December 2010, Washington and its western allies has an estimated hydropower potential of 30,000 MW with
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had exhorted India not to use the Asian Clearing Union a little over 1,472 MW harnessed. Three major hydroelec-
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(ACU) currency swap system to pay Iran for the exchange tric power projects (HEPs) have been built with Indian
of crude oil. assistance in Bhutan - 336 MW Chukha, 60 MW Kurichhu
The Asian Clearing Union (ACU) was established with and 1020 MW Tala HEPs. In July 2006, India and Bhutan
its head quarters at Tehran, Iran, on December 9, 1974 at signed an Agreement wherein India agreed to develop and
the initiative of the United Nations Economic and Social import 5000 MW of electricity from Bhutan by 2020. This
Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP), for promoting target was revised to 10,000 MW during PM's visit to
regional co-operation. The main objectives of a clearing Bhutan in May 2008.
union are to facilitate payments among member countries Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $377.57
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for eligible transactions on a multilateral basis, thereby
economizing on the use of foreign exchange reserves and
transfer costs, as well as promoting trade among the par-
ticipating countries. But Western countries argued that
million during 2010-11. Total exports to Bhutan were $
176.00 million while total imports from Bhutan were $
201.57 million during 2010-11. India's trade balance with
Bhutan has turned negative from 2006 i.e. India imports
this mechanism was disconcertingly opaque. Consequently, more than it exports to Bhutan.
it was difficult to ascertain whether the money flowing
l India-Romania Bilateral Meet
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into Iran's coffers was not used to fortify the country's
nuclear programme. Thus US ordered to discontinue the Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister of State for
use of dollar as a transaction currency. Faced with these Commerce & Industry re-launched India-Romania Economic
objections, India began using the German bank, EIH, for Engagement by signing the 17th Joint Economic Committee
making payments. However, this channel broke down in Protocol at Bucharest (Romania) and urged the Indian in-
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May 2011, after the European Union imposed sanctions dustry to utilise the available opportunities in Europe for
on Iran. Afer the closure of this path too, the oil payments investments and cutting- edge technology ventures.
were processed through Halkbank in Turkey. India and Romania have agreed to enhance cooperation
Finally the two countries had agreed on part payment in in upstream and downstream hydrocarbon sector, includ-
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rupees as gold was not a suitable option. ing training, capacity building, R&D, supply of equipment
Under the new agreement, 45 per cent of the payment for exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbon and other
would be made in rupees through three Indian banks technical assistance and explore investment opportunities
and Iran could utilize this for buying Indian machinery, in IT, infrastructure and tourism sectors.
metal products, iron, steel, minerals, clothes, fibre, sugar, In a bilateral meeting both nations expressed hope to
tea, wood and automobile spare parts. Indian companies double bilateral trade and economic cooperation in the
can also invest in projects in Iran like developing its oil next three years by 2015.
and gas fields, extraction of iron ore and building roads The JEC which met after a hiatus of 8 years also resolved
and railways. to promote investments and Joint Ventures in areas of supply
Nearly 12 per cent of India's total demand, around of equipment for metallurgy and energy industry, coopera-
4,00,000 barrels a day, feeds India's refineries and petro- tion between Micro small and medium enterprises, Trans-
chemical complexes. The Mangalore Refinery and Petro- port and infrastructure field, IT and ITES, cooperation in
chemicals Ltd (MPCL) is the largest oil importer from Iran. technical textiles, and Tourism.
The IOC, BPCL, HPCL and Essar are also major consum- Even in the midst of the EU crisis, during the current
ers of Iranian crude. fiscal 2011-12, bilateral trade between India and Romania
has grown by 6%. Shri Scindia urged Romanian compa-
l India Bhutan Meet nies to continue the trend of supplying competitively priced
In a move aimed at strengthening bilateral trade rela- inputs to Indian industry and invited them to participate
tions, India has exempted essential commodities to Bhutan in the 'India Show' in the Brno Engineering Fair in the
from export ban. The Director General of Foreign trade has Czech Republic in October 2012, where over 150 Indian
issued notification exempting Bhutan from the application Engineering companies will participate.
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6. l India Signs MoU with USA on Labour and This MoU will help India in increasing her know-how in
Employment the areas of accreditation systems, self-regulation and
auditing through collaboration, exchange and sharing of
India and the United States have signed a Memorandum ideas, etc with USA.
of Understanding establishing a framework for conducting
a dialogue and to cooperate on future labour and employ- The memorandum is an outgrowth of a 2010 meeting
ment issues. between Indian Minister of Labour and Employment
Mallikarjun Kharge and US Secretary of Labour Hilda L.
The MoU will enable Indian and US experts to begin a Solis following a conference of the G20 Labour and em-
dialogue on issues like Skill Development, Youth Employ- ployment ministers hosted by the US Department of Labour.
ment, Occupational Safety and Health and Mines Safety
thus establishing a framework for conducting a dialogue
and to cooperate on future labour and employment issues.
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7. ECONOMY
l Government to release Monthly Headline In- As per the guidelines issued by SEBI, all the listed com-
flation data panies are required to have at least 25 per cent public
holding while in case of state-owned company the limit is
The government has announced discontinuing releasing 10 per cent. Further the promoter will have to sell equity
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of weekly primary and food inflation data based on the of minimum one per cent subject to a minimum of Rs.25
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Wholesale Price Index as the weekly data were not giving crore. However, in respect of companies, where 1% of the
any 'clear and holistic' picture of the inflation situation. paid-up capital at closing price on the specified date is less
The government, however, will continue releasing the than Rs 25 crores, dilution would be atleast 10% of the
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monthly headline or overall inflation data, which also con- paid-up capital or such lesser percentage so as to achieve
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tains the break-up for all segments including food, non-food, minimum public shareholding in a single tranche.
fuel and manufactured items. The headline inflation figures The duration of the offer for sale shall not exceed one
for January are scheduled to be released on February 14. trading day adding that the placing of orders by trading
Besides, from this month the government will also come members should take place during trading hours. As per
out with a retail inflation data based on the all-India the guideline, the promoters should not have purchased
Consumer Price Index. The first nationwide CPI numbers, shares of the company during the 12 weeks period prior
for the month of January, will come out on February 21. and after the offer of sale.
The government has last month decided to do away with l S&P warning to India on negative rating
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the practice of releasing the weekly primary and food in-
flation data as the figures were not portraying the "holis-
tic" picture of the price situation. The decision was taken
by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA),
chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Global rating agency S&P has warned that "the balance
of risk factors" for India's sovereign credit rating could tilt
towards 'negative' zone this year emanating from economic
uncertainties at home and abroad.
However, Standard and Poor's (S&P) maintained that it
Wholesale Price Index does not expect to downgrade or revise its 'stable' outlook
on the investment grade 'BBB-' long-term sovereign credit
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The Wholesale Price Index or WPI is the price of a repre- rating on India in the near future.
sentative basket of wholesale goods. The Indian WPI figure
is released monthly and influences stock and fixed price As per the report, high inflation, a weak fiscal position
markets. The Wholesale Price Index focuses on the price of and slower economic growth have hurt investor confidence
goods traded between corporations, rather than goods bought in the rupee which triggered a capital outflow and all
these negatives weighed on the stable sovereign outlook on
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by consumers, which is measured by the Consumer Price
India in 2012.
Index. The purpose of the WPI is to monitor price movements
that reflect supply and demand in industry, manufacturing l NIESBUD & IFC Rollout Innovative Train-
and construction. This helps in analyzing both macroeco-
nomic and microeconomic conditions. ing of Trainers' Programme for MSME Sector
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In September 2010, the government had changed the base A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between
year for calculating WPI to 2004-05 from 1993-94. The new the National Institute for Entrepreneurship & Small Busi-
ness Development (NIESBUD), an autonomous institution
WPI series has 241 more items than in the old index. With
under the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
the additional items, the WPI now measures a total of 676
and the International Finance Corporation, a member of
items against 435 earlier.
the World Bank Group, for jointly undertaking different
The limitations of WPI are related to: Projects relating to entrepreneurship development in India.
a) Non-inclusion of services; The NIESBUD will collaborate with the IFC in conduct-
b) following a fixed weighting scheme while the economy ing Training of Trainers (TOT) programme, based upon
is undergoing major structural changes, and their vast experience in the area, for strengthening the
training skills of MSME Trainers so that they are in a better
c) Use of gross transactions data rather than data on final
position to impart training and thus facilitate sustenance
purchases. of this vital sector of the Indian Economy. The ultimate
objective is to create a cadre of Master Trainers who would,
l SEBI guidelines set stage for disinvestment in turn, replicate the model to impart training for MSME
In order to facilitate promoters to dilute/offload their Sector in a much bigger way.
holding in listed companies in a transparent manner with The Pilot Programme(s) will be organized for the selected
wider participation, SEBI has decided to allow the offer for Trainers from across the five identified States/U.Ts. The
sale of shares by promoters of such companies through a Programme(s) shall involve the use of the Business Edge
separate window provided by the stock exchange(s). Training of Trainers methodology of IFC which has been
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has rolled out in 29 countries so far. The methodology is a
permitted promoters of top 100 companies to quickly dilute learning platform for small businesses that includes a
their shares through a separate window on the BSE and comprehensive and effective approach to equip trainers
the National Stock Exchange. with key facilitation skills.
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8. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
l DRDO develops a new indigenous, afford- searchers and department officials. The collected data from
able cochlear implant the traps would be digitally processed and compared, using
special software. The data would be kept in KMTR and
The Defence Research and Development Organisation
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another set of data sent to NTCA and the Wildlife Institute
[DRDO] has developed an indigenous and affordable co- of India, Dehra Dun.
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chlear implant which can help millions of deaf people to
hear again. l US engineers unveil laser-guided bullet that
Cochlear implant is a highly complex system. It is a can hit target a mile away
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surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense
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Engineers in the US have invented a bullet that directs
of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely
itself to a target like a tiny guided missile and can hit a
hard of hearing due to loss of sensory hair cells in their
target more than a mile away.
cochlea. Pre-lingually deaf children, post-lingually impaired
children and post-lingually deaf adults who have lost The .50-caliber bullets are being designed to work with
hearing due to diseases such as meningitis form three military machine guns, so that soldiers could hit their
distinct groups of potential users of cochlear implants with mark faster and with precision. The bullet can twist and
different needs and outcomes. turn to guide itself toward a laser-directed point, all while
making up to 30 corrections per second. It's packed with
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In India, there are nearly a million people who need
cochlear implants. Every year, about 9,000 to 10,000 chil-
dren are born deaf. Unfortunately, the imported cochlear
implant is very expensive and priced at Rs. 7 lakh to Rs.
10 lakh, which only the affluent can afford. The new indig-
electronics that control electromagnetic actuators that steer
the bullet's tiny fins.
Working of bullet
The 4-inch-long bullet includes an optical sensor in the
enous cochlear plant will cost 1 lakh only.
nose to detect a laser beam on a target. The sensor sends
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l Fourth phase of intensive tiger monitoring information to guidance and control electronics that use
an algorithm in an eight-bit central processing unit to
programme begins
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command electromagnetic actuators. These actuators steer
The fourth phase of an intensive "Tiger Monitoring tiny fins that guide the bullet to the target.
Programme" envisaged by the Tiger Task Force of the Union
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Government has begun at the Kalakkad - Mundanthurai l Google unveils plans for country-specific
Tiger Reserve (KMTR) in Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu). This content filtering
phase involves setting up of 100 cameras in every four sq.
Google, which launched its blogging service - Blogger -
km. area of a tiger reserve. In the fourth phase, the density
in 1999 has unveiled plans to make content on its blogger
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of camera traps will be significantly more. This phase
platform selectively available, depending on the local rules
involves setting up of 100 cameras in every four sq. km. of
of each country.
recognized habitat area of a tiger reserve. The camera trap-
ping will cover a 400 sq. km. area in the 890 sq. km. spread The new rules would be applicable in many countries,
of KMTR. The 400 sq. km. area has been identified as such as India, Brazil, Honduras, and Germany. According
important tiger habitat. to the new plan company will restrict content in indi-
vidual countries pursuant to requests by the local legal
The earlier three phases of tiger monitoring in India have
authority without blocking worldwide access to that blog.
been as follows.
a) In the first phase, determination of occupancy and This means, for example, that if a blog breaks an Austra-
mapping relative abundance of the carnivores was done. lian law, Google can now block it in Australia but leave it
b) The second phase was based on remotely sensed spa- up in the rest of the world.
tial and attribute co-variates. Google is going to deploy a country-specific uniform
c) In the third phase, camera-trap based mark recapture resource locator (URL) scheme for its blogger platform,
was carried out. which will be redirected to a country-code top-level do-
main, or 'ccTLD'. By utilising country-specific domain
Under the earlier system, the tiger population was moni- addresses, content-removal can be managed on a per-coun-
tored through census, conducted once in four years. In that try basis, which will limit their impact to the smallest
system the casualty of cats due to old age or any other number of readers. Content removed due to a specific
reason could not be identified. In the present intensive sys- country's law will only be removed from the relevant page.
tem movement of every tiger in a reserve can be identified.
This step will continue promoting free expression and
The new system of camera traps will be in place for 45 responsible publishing along with greater flexibility in com-
days, which will be regularly monitored by a team of re- plying with valid removal requests pursuant to local laws.
[8] — Strictly for Internal Circulation 3 Feb - 9 Feb, 2012

9. l India State of Forest Report 2011 Released c) 12 states/UTs (mainly the NE states) have shown
decrease to the extent of 867sqkm. Decline of 281 sqkm
The Forest Survey of India (FSI) has been publishing a
series of biennial assessment report the forest cover in the in Forest cover of Andhra Pradesh is mainly attributed
country since 1987. The India State of Forest Report is to harvesting of mature plantation of Eucalyptus &
other species.
recognized as the authoritative assessment of the country's
forest resources. The India State of Forest Report 2011 is d) Decline in Forest cover of NE is particularly due to
the twelfth report in the series. prevailing practice of shifting cultivation in this region.
e) The state of Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest
It is based on interpretation of satellite data recorded
cover in the country at 77,700 square km followed by
during October 2008-March 2009 from the indigenous IRS-
Aruncachal Pradesh at 67, 410 square km.
P6-LISS III sensor on a resolution of 23.5m with a minimum
mappable area of one hectare. The assessment made on the f) In terms of percentage of forest cover in relation to total
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basis of satellite imageries is backed by rigorous ground geographical area, Mizoram tops with 90.68% followed
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truthing carried out by the staff of FSI. The change matrices by Lakshadweep with 84.56%.
recorded in the present report refer to changes with respect g) The total growing stock of India's forests and trees
to the satellite data recorded for the previous India State of outside forests is estimated as 6047.15 million cu m i.e.
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Forest Report two years earlier. Special coverage is provided 4498.73 million cu m inside the recorded forest area
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to forest cover in hill districts, tribal districts and the north- and 1548.42 million cu m outside the recorded forests.
east keeping in mind the special symbiotic relationship of The Forest Report 2011 has added three new chapters
communities with forests in these regions. that are of crucial importance in the present national and
global worldview about forests. These are: a detailed as-
Salient findings of the Report: sessment of bamboo resources, a production-consumption
a) The Forest and Tree cover of the country is 78.29 million assessment of wood based on data stock in India's forests
ha, which is 23.81% of the geographical area of the reported under the NATCOM project and the assessment
country. In comparison to the 2009 assessment, after of carbon stock in India's forests.
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taking into account the interpretational changes, there is
a decrease of 367 square km in country's forest cover.
b) 15 states have registered aggregate increase of 5000
sqkm in their forest cover with Punjab leading with
increase of 100sqkm.
Due to its significant impact on rural/tribal economy
and their livelihood the Production and consumption Study
is expected to fill the information gap in this arena. The
study highlights the importance of trees outside forests is
meeting the requirements of industrial wood, small timber
and firewood.
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IAS 2012 PT TEST SERIES
(ALL INDIA MOCKS)
Starts 1st April, 2012
• fgUnh • ENGLISH
For Schedule visit : chronicleias.com
Call: 09953120676, 09582263947, 09582948815
3 Feb - 9 Feb, 2012 Strictly for Internal Circulation — [9]

10. 2 - MARKERS
l Himachal to become carbon neutral by 2020 l Tropex 2012
In the process of achieving sustainable development, The Navy staged a network-centric exercise off the South-
Himachal Pradesh has launched carbon smart growth ern coast and displayed cooperation with the Indian Air
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project to make Himachal Pradesh carbon neutral by 2020. Force in its annual TROPEX (Theatre-level Readiness and
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As a initiative the State Government has signed an agree- Operational Exercise).
ment with the World Bank for harnessing carbon credits The exercise was staged to test new platforms, weapons
to generate revenue amounting to Rs. 20 crore for 20 years sensors, communication systems and tactics in order to
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under "Bio-Carbon Projects'' in 177 gram panchayats in optimise the network combat power of the fleet, which
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10 districts. included over 40 surface combatants of various classes,
Further the government had created an "Environment submarines and a large number of aircraft, including un-
Fund'' through voluntary contribution from individuals manned aerial vehicles.
and organisations for environment protection and stressed
the need for more incentives and resources for financing l Centre plans 6.5-year MBBS
mitigation and adaption strategies. The Government has India is planning to make its undergraduate MBBS course
also started a mission called Community-Led Assessment, six-and-a-half years long, instead of the present five-and-
Awareness, Advocacy and Action Programme (CLAP) for
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environment protection and carbon neutrality at panchayat
level under which initially 1000 panchayats will be cov-
ered out of total 3000 panchayats in the hill State.
a half years. The health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and
the Medical Council of India (MCI) discussed amending
the MCI Act that would make a one-year rural posting
compulsory for all MBBS students before they can become
doctors. The proposal was first mooted by former health
l Bengal gives second language status to Urdu
minister A. Ramadoss in 2007.
West Bengal government has accorded second language
Presently India is facing an acute shortage of human
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status to Urdu especially in those areas where over 10 per
resources in health - the sting of which is being faced by
cent of population as per 2001 and 2010 census speaks
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the flagship NRHM scheme, and the vulnerable popula-
the language.
tion in rural, tribal and hilly areas is extremely underserved.
Ten areas, including Kolkata, Asansol, Jamuria,
Champdani, Goaltore I and II blocks, Islampur, Titagrh As per a Planning Commission study, the country is
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and Kamarhati, have been initially identified as having ten short of six lakh doctors, 10 lakh nurses and 2 lakh dental
percent Urdu-speaking population. surgeons, leading to a dismal doctor-patient ratio.
l New copper and gold deposits found l New breeding ground for Black-necked
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Geological Survey of India (GSI) has found the new
Stork
copper and gold deposits in Rajasthan, Karnataka and A wetland near the Dhabok airport in Rajasthan has
Uttar Pradesh. been established as a new breeding site for the rare Black-
It has discovered Copper mineralization at Khera block necked Storks. The place, , is said to be the second known
in Alwar district of Rajasthan and gold mineralisation in breeding ground for the Black-necked Stork (
Tumkur and Sonbhadra districts in Karnataka and Uttar Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus ) in Rajasthan after the cel-
Pradesh respectively. ebrated wetland, Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur.
The population of Black-necked Stork, though not listed
l Conservation reserve status for Jawai forests as endangered by the IUCN, is estimated to be slim with
Rajasthan will soon accord the bio-diversity rich Jawai their combined presence in South and South East Asia
Bandh forests in Pali district the status of a conservation recording a low 1,000 birds. In India, the species is spotted
reserve. The rich forests and the water bodies along the in the west, in the central highlands and the Northern
Jawai dam in Sumerpur tehsil have a large presence of Gangetic plains extending up to the Assam valley. The
crocodiles. The Jawai dam was built in 1957 for drinking birds are found in sizeable numbers in Australia.
water purposes. The creation of the conservation reserve Black-necked Storks are traditionally referred to as "Loha
would provide a fillip to eco-tourism and help preserve Sarang" in Bihar and the Mir Shikars, the traditional bird
crocodiles, aquatic life in the dam and the leopard and hunting community there maintained a tradition of insist-
wolf population in the forest. ing on a young man wanting to get married to catch a
The existing conservation reserves in the State are Jhodbede Black-necked Stork before getting the bride. This practice
in Bikaner district, Bisalpur in Tonk district, Soonda Mata was stopped in 1920 after one of the aspirants was killed
in Jalore district and Gudha Vishnoi in Jodhpur district. by the bird, which can get violent when challenged.
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11. l V. Shantaram award The awards will be given in three categories.
In Category I two awards each of 2 lakhs will be given
Noted environmental film maker Mike Pandey has been
to State/UTs.
honoured with the V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement
Award of the Mumbai International Film Festival MIFF In Category II three awards will be given to individual
2012. The award was instituted in 1996 in memory of officers of States/UTs. The award will carry a commen-
India`s foremost film maker V Shantaram, the award aims dation and Rs. 1.5 lakhs.
to recognise the multi-faceted contributions of an Indian In Category-III two awards will be given to Non-
for the documentary film movement. Government Organisations/Civil Society Organisations
(NGOs/CSOs).
l Awards Instituted for Outstanding Work in
Checking Human Trafficking l G. D. Birla Award
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Government of India has instituted awards for recogni- Prof. Tapas Kumar Kundu of Bangalore-based Jawaharlal
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tion of outstanding work done to check human trafficking. Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research has won
A Three member Committee headed by Shri G. K. Pillai, the G. D. Birla Award for his contributions in the field of
IAS (Retd.), former Union Home Secretary along with Shri bio-chemistry. The award, instituted by the K. K. Birla
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Koshy, IPS (Retd.) and Prof. M. Aslam, Vice Chancellor, Foundation to accord recognition to high-calibre scientific
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IGNOU will shortlist the awardee. research undertaken by Indian scientists below the age of
50, carries Rs.1.50 lakh in cash.
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12. EDITORIALS
l Syria needs diplomacy, not intervention As Neil Macfarquhar of The New York Times reported:
"Three clauses that endorsed specific aspects of the Plan -
President Bashar al-Assad's government has used brute
including that Mr. Assad delegate his authority to his vice-
force to crush a genuine popular upheaval against his
president to speed a transition to democracy - were re-
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regime. The death toll is nearly 6,000. Human rights have
moved. But Arab and Western diplomats said the essential
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been systematically violated. But the crucial question is
idea remained, even if it was not spelled out."
how and what steps can international society lawfully
take to bring an end to the crisis. 'Demands, does not recommend'
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Libya is not a model for emulation but a warning to The Resolution, obviously adopted under Chapter VII,
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heed; more so, Iraq. Each was a split polity surviving on "demands," does not "recommend." It says: "Demands that
fragile unity. The Syrian regime, however unpopular, is the Syrian government, in accordance with the Plan of
supported by a significant section of people. Regime change Action of the League of Arab States of 2 November 2011
through outside intervention wreaks havoc, violates the and its decision of 22 January 2012, without delay." Six
United Nations Charter, the rules of international law, and steps are listed. Finally, the Council "Requests the Secre-
undermines the stability of the world order. These funda- tary General to report on the implementation of this reso-
mentals must not be overlooked. lution, in consultation with the League of Arab States,
At the root of Russia and China's veto of the resolution
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on Syria in the Security Council on February 4, lies dis-
trust, deep and justified. The world was taken for a ride
twice by the Council's resolutions which did not authorise
the use of force, but came in handy as fig leaves to cover
within 21 days after its adoption and to report every 30
days thereafter. Decides to review implementation of this
resolution within 21 days and, in the event of non-compli-
ance, to consider further measures." Of what avail the
disavowal "Nothing in this resolution authorizes measures
the nudity of illegal recourse to war. under Article 42 of the Charter" when the threat is implicit
in the text itself? The League's Plan which is endorsed
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Obama's fatwa provides for Mr. al-Assad to step down.
Statements made in the Council as well as their texts
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Bashar al-Assad is no pushover. Diplomacy should seek
establish that Resolution 1441 of November 8, 2002, did his consent to a plan which leaves him in office but en-
not authorise an attack on Iraq. Nor did Resolution 1973, sures a democratic transition. The resolution is not an aid
adopted on March 17, 2011, authorise the use of force
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to diplomacy but an instrument of duress. The Arab League
against Libya. However, on February 26, President Barack and its Western backers were impatient on regime change.
Obama delivered a fatwa on Col. Muammar Qadhafi: "He
Regime change has furtively acquired certain respect-
should go." Now, on February 4, the very day the UNSC
ability. Time there was when Gladstone told the House of
was to vote on the resolution on Syria, he peremptorily
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Commons on April 2, 1880 that "the rights of a Power, the
declared apropos President al-Assad: "He must step aside
rights of a nation, ought not to be invaded because it
and allow a democratic transition to proceed immediately."
happens to have the misfortune of a despotic government."
Few would believe Hillary Clinton when she said, on Janu-
ary 31, "there is no intention to seek any authority or to The law was laid down by the International Court of
pursue any kind of military intervention". Justice on April 9, 1949, in the Corfu Channelcase: "The
Court can only regard the alleged right of intervention as
Suspicions of plans for regime change are justified. "Then
the manifestation of a policy of force, such as has, in the
you will start telling what King needs to resign and what past, given rise to most serious abuses and such as cannot,
Prime Minister needs to step down. This is not the busi- whatever the present defects of international organization,
ness of the Security Council," Russia's Ambassador to the find a place in international law. … from the nature of
U.N. Vitaly Churkin remarked on January 31. things it would be reserved for the most powerful States;
Textually, the resolution is misleading. It "calls for an …" These words are more relevant now than they were in
inclusive Syrian led political process" but adds it "fully 1949. This was reaffirmed in the Nicaragua case in 1986.
supports in this regard the League of Arab States' 22 Janu- The Court rejected intervention at a "request for assistance
ary 2012 decision to facilitate a Syrian-led political transi- made by an opposition group in another state."
tion to a democratic, plural political system, … including The collapse of the USSR in 1991 opened new vistas of
through commencing a serious political dialogue between the play of power. In 1986, a British Foreign Office Policy
the Syrian government and the whole spectrum of the Syr- Paper noted that "the overwhelming majority of contempo-
ian opposition under the League of Arab States' auspices, in rary legal opinion comes down against the existence of a
accordance with the timetable set out by the League of Arab right of humanitarian intervention". In 1992, the Foreign
States; Encourages the League of Arab States to continue its Office held: "international law develops to meet new situ-
efforts in cooperation with all Syrian stakeholders." ations; we believe that international intervention without
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13. the invitation of the country concerned can be justified in in agreement with those who believe that this bodes very ill
cases of extreme humanitarian need." indeed for the future of free expression in India.
In this clime came R2P. In an inspired moment in But the controversy also raises questions about another
2000, the Canadian movement picked on the egregious issue that touches directly upon writing: this is the way in
Gareth Evans of Australia, with Mohamed Sahuom of which literature is coming to be embedded within a wider
Algeria, doubtless both of undying reason, to co-chair culture of public spectacles and performances. This pro-
an independent International Commission on Interven- cess, which got underway almost imperceptibly, has now
tion and State sovereignty. They coined the phrase "re- achieved a momentum where it seems to be overtaking,
sponsibility to protect". and indeed overwhelming, writing itself as the primary
The doctrine was not accepted by the U.N. General As- end of a life in letters.
sembly on September 14, 2009, after a long debate. On A frequently heard argument in favour of book festivals
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September 24, 1999, Foreign Ministers of the Group of 77 is that they provide a venue for writers to meet the reading
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"rejected the so-called right of humanitarian intervention, public. Although appealing, this argument is based on a
which has no basis in the UN Charter or international flawed premise in that it assumes that attendance is equiva-
law". This represents the opinion of 132 states; 33 Asian, lent to approbation. Books, by their very nature often give
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51 African, 22 Latin American, and 13 Arab states. offence and create outrage, and this is bound to be espe-
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cially so in circumstances where there are deep anxieties
Crisis of legitimacy about how certain groups are perceived and represented.
Such an intervention inevitably entails regime change. In democratic societies, those who are offended or out-
One suspects that change is the main objective; human raged are within their rights to express their views so long
rights violations are a pretext for it. Witness the deafening as they refrain from violence and remain within certain
silence on outrages by the favourites. Beneath the crisis in limits. They are even entitled to resort to demonstrations,
the U.N. system lies a deeper crisis of the legitimacy of an dharnas, occupations and the like; in circumstances where
order which is devoid of an international consensus. That any arm of the government plays a role people are entitled
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can be restored only by a wide consensus. We face a genu-
ine humanitarian problem. Remember Biafra, Cambodia,
Rwanda and Darfur.
Russia's Foreign Minister said on February 4 that the
resolution on Syria was not "hopeless" and that "we sup-
also to press for the withdrawal of public funds or spon-
sorship (something like this has already happened in the
US in relation to publicly-funded TV and radio channels).
The equation is quite simple: to expand the points of direct
contact between writers and the public is also to increase
port the call of the Syrian people for change." There was the leverage of the latter over the former.
ample room for compromise. There is still time for that - a
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Writers and readers have not always stared each other
U.N. Mission comprising members of high credentials can in the face. Until quite recently, most writers shrank from
go to Syria to bring about a settlement which leaves Mr. al- the notion of publicly embracing their readership. I remem-
Assad in office but ensures democratic transition. ber once being at an event with the American novelist
India's Permanent Representative to the U.N., Hardip William Gaddis: this was in the 1990s and he was in his
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Singh Puri, said "the main role of the international com- 70s then. A major figure in American post-modernism,
munity, including this Council, is to facilitate engage- Gaddis had been reared in a very different culture of writ-
ment of the Syrian government with all sections of Syrian ing: he would not sign copies or take questions from read-
society." Nominating its adversary, the Arab League, to ers. He refused even to read aloud from his book. After
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accomplish tasks set by the Resolution is no way to se- much persuasion, he agreed to sit silently in front of the
cure that "engagement." audience while someone else read out passages from his
work. When we talked about this afterwards, he said quite
If anything, the pursuit of regime change is hurting the
categorically that he believed that books should have lives
international community's ability to end the crisis.
of their own and that writers could only diminish the
Source: The Hindu
autonomy and integrity of their work by inserting them-
selves between the reader and the text.
l Writings, not writers
Very few writers could afford to take such a position
I have never attended the Jaipur Literature Festival; nor
today (although JM Coetzee and a few others do still hold
does a visit loom in the foreseeable future. This is largely
to it). The rest of us have become accustomed, in varying
(but not wholly) because I have no taste for tamashas.
degrees, to doing readings, signings and public events:
Although unusual, this aversion is by no means unknown
provisions to this effect are now often written into book
in the Indian subcontinent. I know of many writers and
contracts. But there still exists some degree of choice in
readers who share it, and I suspect that most of us were
regard to the extent to which writers must also be perform-
drawn to the world of books precisely because it provided
ers, which is why it is important to remember that if there
an island of quiet within the din of tamasha-stan.
is something to be gained from the transition there is also
My own inclinations make it difficult for me to under- much to be lost.
stand why Salman Rushdie is so drawn to this festival. But
Through the last century, the relationship between read-
each to their own and I recognise that I am in a tiny minor-
ers and writers was largely impersonal. The reader related
ity. The great majority of writers seem to want to go and
in the first instance to a book, not to its writer; and writers,
anyone who does should certainly be able to. It is appalling
for their part, did not confront their audience directly in
that Rushdie was prevented from attending and I am wholly
the manner of musicians, singers, actors and so on. This
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14. was, I think, one of the reasons why writers were able to tity-based organisations, political extremists, corporations
take greater risks in hurling defiance at society at large. and so on. These may be 'non-State actors' but they can be
The situation has changed dramatically in recent years. very effective in limiting the freedom of speech. It might
The internet, as I have good reason to know, has made it even be said that in India they have succeeded in shrink-
possible to subject writers to great pressure through mass- ing the space for free expression to a point where it is not
mailing campaigns. Face-to-face encounters add yet an- much broader than in China.
other dimension to this: to be called upon constantly to The institutions and organisations that represent writers
provide answers is inevitably to become answerable. If this and artists have yet to adapt to this change: the reflexive
process continues unchecked, its impact on the freedom of responses of the 20th century still prompt us to point our
thought and expression may be greater than any explicit fingers first in the direction of the State. But today the role
policy of repression. of government is often limited to an insidious collusion
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The old, impersonal relationship was, in other words, with various constituencies. Public pressure and criticism
can, and must, be exercised to prevent, or at least impede,
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also a form of protection, a first line of defence, not merely
within public spaces but also within the writer's own head. this collusion. But beyond that the question will inevitably
In breaking this down, the publishing industry certainly arise, as it did in Jaipur and Kolkata, of whether the gov-
ernments of today are even capable of providing the secu-
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has much to gain, as does the tamasha industry; writers
rity they once did.
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too have much to gain, but they also have something to
lose, something that is as intangible as a latitude and yet This is a matter of doubt not just in India but also in
of enormous value: this is the space that allows them to many wealthy countries. Despite the deployment of enor-
explore their own thoughts to the fullest. mous resources neither Denmark nor Holland were able to
Nor is this the only loss. As a child I was drawn to books prevent attacks upon artists under threat; in the US a
because they were a refuge from a world that seemed to be woman who put up a website that was offensive to a
at war with the very idea of an inner life. That world has religious group was quickly forced to go underground.
become today exponentially more noisy, crowded and in- These countries are heavily and efficiently policed: what
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trusive than ever before. Public life in India is now a
whirling continuum that seamlessly unites cricket, politics
and Bollywood. Each domain leaks into the other and the
major figures are all closely linked. It is no coincidence that
are the chances that a country like India would be able to
provide effective protection?
Whether the threats to the Jaipur festival were invented
or real I am in no position to judge. But one has only to
many of these elements are also much in evidence at book open a newspaper to know that certain situations in India
festivals. The intention evidently is to make the book world are inherently combustible. What then would it have taken
another link in the tightly joined whirligig of Cripollywood. to ensure order in Jaipur and Kolkata? One battalion? Two?
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It is easy to see the attractions of this, especially for writers Or should festivals now invest in creating private security
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who are striving to bring their work to public notice. But forces in the manner of mining companies? And what
there is a price to pay: we need to remind ourselves that would this say about the relationship between writers and
Bollywood movies are routinely re-edited to accommodate the public?
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protests of various kinds. Recent incidents in Jaipur and in It is when we think of this that it becomes evident how
Kolkata, where Taslima Nasreen's book was not allowed lucky writers are: unlike musicians and actors they do not
to be launched at the book fair, suggest that Indian pub- actually need to appear in public (although they certainly
lishing will have to adapt its practices to those of the film have every right to do so). Performances are secondary and
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industry if it is to pitch its tent beside the three-ring circus inessential to a writer's work. Our books, which are our
of the tamasha culture. principal vehicles of expression, can reach people through
Another issue that was brought to the fore in Jaipur and impersonal mechanisms. This is what make the world of
Kolkata is that of the relationship between festivals, writ- books so uniquely democratic and accessible.
ers and the government. Much criticism has been directed What is of vital importance now is to ensure that books
at the national and state governments in this regard and of all kinds continue to be published and are made avail-
much of it is certainly well-directed and well-deserved able to readers: this is where the publishing industry should
(although there is more than a touch of irony in seeing an invest its resources. Public spectacles are a sideshow: if the
editor like David Remnick, who trimmed his sails to the Indian book world loses sight of this, as it seems to be in
winds of Bush and Cheney during the Iraq war, holding danger of doing, it will upend both the cart and the horse.
forth on it).
Of course limiting the role of performance would not
Criticism is vitally necessary if the government is to be eliminate the problem; it would perhaps only make it more
prodded into discharging its duties. But it is also impor- manageable. The threats would remain, and the commu-
tant to recognise, I think, that the situation in relation to nity of writers and artists would still need to find ways of
the freedom of expression today is vastly different from protecting those of their number who are facing them.
that which prevailed through much of the 20th century
How is this to be done?
when governments were the chief, often the sole, agents in
the repression of writers and artists. But States where that As I noted earlier the institutions that are active on free-
is still the case - for example, China, North Korean and dom of speech issues - PEN for instance - have, for histori-
Syria - are now the exception rather than the rule. Else- cal reasons, attuned their methods to combating govern-
where threats to free speech today come mainly from pri- ments. There is certainly a place for this, even now, but
vate and sectional interests - fundamentalist groups, iden- today's battle is not the same as yesterday's. Unfortunately
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15. nobody, so far as I know, has yet found an effective means to the long innings of his predecessor, will be remembered
of countering 'non-State actors' - certainly I can't think of for the institutionalisation of democracy in the country.
one. The problem is difficult enough to make the business However, it will also be simultaneously remembered for
of dealing with governments appear relatively easy. But the avoidable, and at times acrimonious, constitutional
this is exactly why we need to pay proper attention to it. and political deadlocks. The Nasheed camp blamed the
It is futile to proceed on the assumption that governments various crises that came in its way on the well-entrenched
alone can provide a solution. administrative set-up that the young President had inher-
Source: Hindustan times ited. The new government did not learn, or learn fast
enough, to live and work with the old guard. Instead, from
l In the Maldives, a resignation that keeps de- day one and until the end, the Nasheed government worked
mocracy afloat against the system. Unfortunately, that did not yield much
in terms of positive results or a positive image for the
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Rather than allowing events to drift towards a political
young inheritors of troubled times.
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or even military showdown, Maldivian President
Mohammed "Anni" Nasheed has shown great fidelity to As President, Nasheed began well. With much help and
democratic principles in a country where none existed cooperation from his predecessor, he could ensure a smooth
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before him by stepping down from office with grace and transition when much trouble was feared. Likewise, at his
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poise. The alternative to his sudden and yet unsurprising exit, he stepped down without unease and discomfort,
resignation - when pushed by circumstances, often of his rather than indulge in brinkmanship that could have put
making or that of his aides and followers - could have the young democracy in difficulties. A street-fighter to the
been political instability at best, and possible street vio- core, it remains to be seen how he will shape up in the
lence at worst. Opposition - before this, when he and his yet-to-be
Under the U.S. executive presidency model, Nasheed has recognised party were fighting for democracy under Presi-
been succeeded by Vice-President Mohammed Waheed dent Gayoom, he had no formal role in the political system.
Hassan Manik, Maldives' first PhD-holder and an interna- Declared a "prisoner of conscience" by Amnesty Interna-
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tional civil servant in U.N. agencies across the world. Again,
as in the U.S. model, Dr. Manik, who was the running-
mate of President Nasheed, will complete the five-year term
for which he was elected, ensuring that there would be no
instability of any kind at the top. That democracy has
tional, Nasheed spent much of his political career either in
Gayoom's prisons, or overseas - he was much influenced
by the British Conservatives and by the U.S.' views on
global issues. Yet, he also displayed an element of sagac-
ity, in accepting India as a natural ally, as in the past.
taken deep-roots in the Indian Ocean archipelago was The complaints
proved even in the hours immediately following President
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Nasheed's resignation, when the People's Majlis , or Par- Today, along with President Gayoom, with whom he did
liament, met to pass the necessary resolutions to declare not share much in common, President Nasheed has a
the succession. substantial role to play in nation-building efforts, both
learning as much from their faults as from the other person's
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Road ahead strengths while in office. This can be both a cementing and
The speculation about the new President ordering fresh calming effect on the polity and society, which has felt
elections is thus ill-informed. If anything, there could be elated at the birth of democracy and a change of leader-
fresh elections to the Majlis . This is also unlikely. Under ship, from the old to the young - and yet could not adjust
itself to the changing realities, particularly on the eco-
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the prevailing circumstances, no party or group is certain
of winning an absolute majority, and therefore, will not nomic front, overnight. Included in the long list of com-
push for elections. Instead, as President, Dr. Waheed may plaints against the Nasheed leadership is the steep in-
consider the feasibility of constituting a national govern- crease in the price of daily needs, all of which have to be
ment, where all parties, including President Nasheed's necessarily imported, the problem further accentuated by
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the two rival par- the International Monetary Fund (IMF)-induced decision
ties founded successively by his predecessor, President at a "managed float of the rufiyaa," the Maldivian currency
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, have a substantial and mean- - a devaluation in other words.
ingful role and responsibility in nation-building, a task Likewise, the IMF-directed slash on salaries and staff-
that has suffered over the past couple of years for a variety strength in the government also had critics in a country
of reasons. where 10 per cent of the population is employed in the
government. Yet, the March 2011 local council elections
Nasheed's legacy did go the MDP way mostly, but then that alone has not
There are other parties and groups that are now in the been enough in this case. From Parliament to the judiciary,
Opposition but had sided with the MDP, particularly during and now at the level of the police, the leadership lacked the
the second round run-off elections to the presidency in capacity to handling crisis situations that eventually be-
which Nasheed was elected in October 2008. Included in came its undoing.
the list are Islamic fundamentalist groups, who were a part
of the informal arrangement of the "December 23 Coali- Contributory role
tion," named after the day on which they all together staged The new President and his two predecessors can play a
a protest to "protect Islam" in 2011. At the end of the day, concurrent and contributory role to make a Maldives of
President Nasheed's short tenure, particularly compared their collective dreams - Dr. Waheed, heading the relatively
3 Feb - 9 Feb, 2012 Strictly for Internal Circulation — [15]

16. minor Gaumee Iththihaad Party does not have any parlia- that too based on rigid national criteria. 'Priority groups'
mentary representation, and must depend on Gayoom and are not fundamentally different from BPL households, and
Nasheed, as well as the Dhivehi Rayathunge Party (DRP), the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC), which seems
the parent party of Gayoom's more recent Progressive Party to be expected to identify priority households, is much the
of Maldives (PPM), among others, to get government busi- same as earlier BPL censuses. In fact, the term 'Socio-Eco-
ness through the legislature. Dr. Waheed can be expected nomic and Caste Census 2011' appears to be treated as
to take the lead in this matter. interchangeable with 'BPL Census 2011' on the website of
Nasheed's short tenure, when compared to the long in- the ministry of rural development.
nings of his predecessor,will be remembered for not only This is a serious problem: the hit or miss approach in-
heralding a democratic era but also avoidable constitu- volved in BPL censuses is bad enough when the PDS is
tional and political deadlocks. run as a scheme, but it is especially problematic for the
Y
Source: The Hindu purpose of legal entitlements. A legal right cannot leave
any ambiguity as to who is entitled to it.
E
l Just Target The Rich In a statement released on October 3, 2011, the govern-
The food security Bill should look to exclude the wealthy, ment asserted that the SECC would actually be a departure
EM
not include only the poorest of the poor from the earlier BPL methodology. Specifically, it promised
CL
How would you feel about a law that entitles half of all to stop setting state-wise caps on the BPL list based on
Indian children to free school textbooks, but leaves it to the official poverty estimates. This sounds good, except that it
government to decide which half ? It would be an odd sort is far from clear how the identification process would work
of law which seeks to create a justiciable entitlement for the without poverty caps. An 'expert committee' is supposed to
child without any guarantee that she is eligible for it. sort this out after the SECC results "are available and have
Suppose, further, that the government decided to give the been analysed", but the track record of expert committees
free textbooks to shorter children on the grounds that on this subject is not particularly encouraging.
underprivileged children are generally shorter - with dif- There is a simple way out of this mess: abolish the distinc-
NI
AD
ferent height cut-offs in different states, depending on their
poverty rates. Perhaps a statistician would be able to relate
to this method, but how would it fare in terms of common
sense, feasibility, equity and political appeal?
tion between general and priority groups and give all house-
holds a common minimum entitlement under the PDS un-
less they meet well defined exclusion criteria. In other words,
target the rich instead of trying to target the poor.
Something like this is about to happen with the National Indeed, the rationale of the distinction between general
Food Security Bill (NFSB). Under this Bill, the population and priority households is far from clear. Neither the
S O
will be divided into three groups: priority, general and National Advisory Council, nor the Rangarajan committee,
excluded. Each group is to have different entitlements under
AC
nor any other expert group recommended that the propor-
the public distribution system (PDS): major entitlements, tion of excluded households should be as high as 25% in
token benefits and nothing, respectively. There is no clar- rural areas (and 50% in urban areas), as the NFSB pre-
ity, however, as to how these groups are to be identified -
IA R
scribes. Insisting, after this exclusion exercise, on a further
the Bill leaves it to the central government to specify iden- distinction between priority and general households is
tification criteria to be applied by state governments. unnecessary, counterproductive and impractical.
Until now, the main beneficiaries of the PDS were "below There is, of course, a case for giving special treatment to
poverty line" (BPL) families. A BPL census was conducted
CH
the poorest households (e.g. by giving them pulses and
every few years to identify BPL families, based on some edible oil in addition to foodgrains under the PDS). But
sort of scoring system. The cut-off scores were supposed to this purpose would be better served by retaining and con-
be set state-wise in such a manner that the proportion of solidating the Antyodaya programme which is working
families with a score below the cut-off (i.e. BPL families)
reasonably well and already covers about 25 million rural
matched the proportion of families below the poverty line
households.
according to the Planning Commission's poverty estimates.
This simplified framework would be relatively practical,
It is fairly well understood now that this approach is
transparent, equitable and politically appealing. Most
very unreliable and divisive. Exclusion errors are massive;
people would be clear about their entitlements, making it
at least three independent national surveys (the National
much more likely that the Bill will succeed. If the Bill is
Sample Survey, National Family Health Survey and India
passed in its present form, it will be very difficult to imple-
Human Development Survey) show that about half of all
poor families in rural India did not have a BPL card in ment. It will also undermine, instead of supporting, the
2004-05. Many states, however, have moved away from recent trend towards a more inclusive PDS in many states.
BPL targeting in recent years, and extended the PDS well Source: The Times of India
beyond the BPL category - Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Orissa, among l That non-starter called BRICS
others. Further, this move seems to have helped them to In 2001, Jim O'Neill of Goldman Sachs put out what the
improve their PDS by creating a broader and stronger firm termed a "game-changing paper" on the economic
constituency for it. performance of four countries in 2000, the first year of the
The NFSB threatens to undermine this positive trend. It new millennium. The combined GDP (in US$ on a PPP
effectively reimposes BPL targeting under another name, basis) of Brazil, Russia India and China, he found, added
[16] — Strictly for Internal Circulation 3 Feb - 9 Feb, 2012