THE ASSAM TRIBUNE ANALYSIS Date -14 September 2020

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE ANALYSISTHE ASSAM TRIBUNE ANALYSISDate Date -- 14 September 202014 September 2020

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ANSWERS to MCQs of 12-09-2020

1.(B) SCO

2. (c) Assam

3. (b)Grade 5

4.(a) Medical and Legal education


4.(a) Medical and Legal education

5. (c) 1 & 3 only

6. (c) 2, 3

7. (d) All of the above

8. (d) All of the above

9. (a) 3 august 2015

10. (d) All the given statements are incorrect



MCQs of 14-09-2020

1. Consider the following statementsregarding Ramon Magsaysay award:(1) The Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia’spremier and highest honour.(2) Started in 1957, the Magsaysay award

2. A helpline set up by DISHA, a joint ventureby the National Health Mission and theDepartment of Health and Family Welfare todeal with the mental health issues in which ofthe following state?


(2) Started in 1957, the Magsaysay awardcelebrates the memory and leadershipexample of the former Philippine president(3) It is given every after 2 years toindividuals or organisations in Asia.Find out the correct statement/sa) 1 and 2 onlyb) 2 and 3 onlyc) 1 onlyd) All

the following state?a) Himachal Pradeshb) Madhya Pradeshc) Keralad) Gujarat


3. Consider the following statementsregarding Mega food park:(1) The Mega Food Park project isimplemented by a Special Purpose Vehicle(SPV) which is a Body Corporate registeredunder the Companies Act(2) State Government, State Government

4. On 26 September of 2020, we arecelebrating the ……….. Birth anniversary ofSrimanta Sankaradeva.a) 562nd

b) 552nd

c) 572nd

d) 600th


(2) State Government, State Governmententities and Cooperatives are not required toform a separate SPV for implementation ofMega Food Park project.(3) Subject to fulfillment of the conditions ofthe Scheme Guidelines, the funds arereleased to the SPVs.Find the correct statement/sa) 1 onlyb) 1 and 2 onlyc) 3 onlyd) All

d) 600

5. Consider the following statements regarding organic farming:

(1) Sikkim became the first State in the world to become fully organic in 2016.

(2) Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region (MOVCD-NER) is a CentralSector Scheme, a sub-mission under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)

(3) Zero budget natural farming is a method of chemical-free agriculture drawing fromtraditional Indian practices

Find the correct statements:


Find the correct statements:

a) 1 only

b) 1 and 2 only

c) 2 and 3 only

d) All


CONTENTS

o Projects worth Rs 11,000 cr announced- Four medical colleges, road corridors planned in State

CJI for mediation in settling huge backlog of pending cases


o CJI for mediation in settling huge backlog of pending cases

o Silpi Sainik Brajanath Sarma Award presented to Rina Bora

o US signs defence deal with Maldives amidst China’s growing presence

o Parliament all geared up for holding Monsoon Session

o DPIIT working on credit guarantee, seed fund schemes - Support to start-ups

o India has attained ‘One Nation, One Grid’ status: Power Secy


EDITORIAL

o Afghan talks



NEWS ARTICLES


NEWS ARTICLES



Projects worth Rs 11,000 cr announcedFour medical colleges, road corridors planned in State

(General Studies on Assam: Economic Development)

oIntroducing the concept of road corridors in Assam, PWD Minister Himanta Biswa Sarmaannounced infrastructure projects worth around Rs 11,000 crore which, he said, is the single-biggest dose of capital investment in the State.


biggest dose of capital investment in the State.

oThe projects included four medical colleges – one at Charaideo, another at Biswanath andthe third at Goalpara. Guwahati will get the second medical college, with the Stategovernment planning to set up one by merging the MMCH and Kalapahar TB Hospital.

o“MMCH will transform into a 12-storey complex facing the Brahmaputra. Probably, this willbe the biggest medical college in eastern India. We have approved Rs 2,050 crore for thefour new medical colleges, work on which is expected to start soon,” Sarma told a pressconference.


oWork on nine women colleges will begin in the next 45 days and for that the Stategovernment has approved Rs 303 crore. Moreover, another Rs 100 crore has beenapproved for six new degree colleges. Ten new law colleges will also be set up in theState.

“Work on the flyover at Maligaon in Guwahati will also begin soon. It will be built at a


o“Work on the flyover at Maligaon in Guwahati will also begin soon. It will be built at acost of Rs 420 crore. The four-lane proposed flyover will run from Maligaon toKamakhya Gate. It will have a half-kilometre extended arm on the Pandu road,”Sarma said.

oAnother flyover will come up at Mission Chariali in Tezpur and for this thegovernment has approved Rs 321 crore.


o“For the first time we are introducing the concept of road corridors. We have sanctionedseveral new road corridors, like one connecting Nagaon-Dhing-Batadrava Than (24km), one at Sonari (41 km), Jorhat-Kamarbandha (32 km), Hajo (8 km), Sipajhar-Tangla (31 km), Rangiya-Nagrijuli (38 km), Mukalmua-Jagra (16 km), Palasbari-Chandubi with flyover (30 km) and Bilasipara-Fakirgram (21 km),” the minister said.


oThese road corridors will be built from the State’s own funds. These corridors will costaround Rs 2,626 crore.

oThe minister said the government is also expecting an investment of around Rs 6,000from ADB and AIIB, under which the 42-km stretch of the historic Dhodar Ali will betaken up, besides a Majuli-Lakhimpur connecting road with a bridge and stretches atSapekhati, Dhakuakhana, Moran, Gohpur-Holongi and Chirang-Bhutan border.


CJI for mediation in settling huge backlog of pending cases(General Studies-2: Polity)

oChief Justice of India SA Bobde said that the COVID-19 pandemic would present a“huge pendency of cases” in courts and a lot of emphasis has to be placed on utilisingmediation for resolving many of these matters.


oThe CJI also stressed on the need to focus on mental health and referred to the“uncomfortable prediction” that there might be a suicide pandemic following the Covidcrisis.

o“This Covid pandemic is going to present us with huge pendency of cases. I do not seeany way out of it. We have to decide cases,” the CJI said during a virtual event where helaunched the book - Judiciary, Judges and the Administration of Justice – authored byformer top court judge Justice R Banumathi.


oThe CJI said he believes that this is the time when a lot of emphasis has to beplaced on utilising mediation, pre-litigation and post-litigation mediation to resolvemany matters.

o“I am not suggesting every matter can be, but when the pandemic goes away and thelockdowns are all lifted, we are going to face a flood of cases which I do not know howwe are going to decide if we go in the usual way of following the detailed procedure


we are going to decide if we go in the usual way of following the detailed procedureand this is something which we all have to put in our minds together to deal with,”he said.

oAddressing the gathering, Justice NV Ramana said judges are now being construed assoft targets for criticism and are becoming “victims of juicy gossip and slanderoussocial media posting”.

oJustice Ramana, the senior-most judge of the apex court after the CJI, said that judges have to balance their social life in order to be independent.


o“It is completely upon the judge to maintain a distance. Judges themselves restrainfrom speaking in their own defence and they are now being construed as soft targetsfor criticism. This issue is further complicated by the proliferation of social mediaand technology. Judges are becoming victims of juicy gossip and slanderous socialmedia posting,” he said. Raising the issue of mental health, the CJI said it requiresserious attention as there is a very “uncomfortable prediction” about a suicide


serious attention as there is a very “uncomfortable prediction” about a suicidepandemic.

o“I don’t believe and sincerely hope that it does not happen,” he said, adding thatpandemic has brought two things amongst people which is very troublesome-depressive tendency and unnecessary aggression.


o“It is high time that we devote energy to mental health,” he said, adding that theSupreme Court has taken an initiative to deal with the mental health issue and provideprofessional mental health advice, which the secretary general of the top court wouldsoon announce.

oHe said the judiciary belongs to the nation and its achievements are the result of


oHe said the judiciary belongs to the nation and its achievements are the result of“unflinching dedication” and commitment of numerous individuals on and off thebench.

oThe CJI said that for judges and consequently for the judiciary, the biggest challengeis to ensure that the nation inches towards the goal set in the Constitution. He saidthat an independent judiciary is “sine quanon” (essential condition) to achieve thesame.


Silpi Sainik Brajanath Sarma Award presented to Rina Bora(General Studies on Assam: Culture)

o Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal presented the Silpi Sainik Brajanath Sarma Award toveteran stage and celluloid actress Rina Bora at Sarbhog in Barpeta district.

o Sonowal paid floral tributes to the revolutionary artiste and freedom fighter Brajanath


o Sonowal paid floral tributes to the revolutionary artiste and freedom fighter BrajanathSarma. A building after the name of the artiste was also inaugu- rated today.

o Responding to the honour, Rina Bora, whose performance had rocked the stage andscreen once, said that she is elated to receive such an award instituted in the name of thedoyen of acting in the State.


US signs defence deal with Maldives amidst China’s growing presence(General Studies-2: International Relations)

oThe US has signed a framework for defence co-operation with the Maldives to deepenengagement in support of maintaining peace and security in the strategic Indian Ocean,the Pentagon has announced, as the Trump administration looks for strengtheningalliances in the Indo-Pacific to counter China’s growing presence in the region.


alliances in the Indo-Pacific to counter China’s growing presence in the region.

oThe framework for defence and security relationship was signed in Philadelphia onSeptember 10 between Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for South and SoutheastAsia Reed Werner and Maldivian Minister of Defence Mariya Didi.

o“The framework sets forth both countries’ intent to deepen engagement and cooperationin support of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean, and marks an importantstep forward in the defence partnership,” the Pentagon said.


oThe Indo-Pacific is a bio-geographic region of Earth’s seas, comprising the tropicalwaters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean.

oDuring discussions after signing the agreement, Mariya said the framework willstrengthen defence and security cooperation between the two countries.



Parliament all geared up for holding Monsoon Session(General Studies-2: Polity, Governance)

oParliament is fully prepared for the 18-day Monsoon Session from Monday under theshadow of the coronavirus pandemic with many firsts, including sitting of the twoHouses in shifts without any off day, entry only to those having a negative COVID-19


Houses in shifts without any off day, entry only to those having a negative COVID-19report and compulsory wearing of masks.

oIn run-up to the session, while over 4,000 people including MPs and staff havebeen tested for COVID-19, most parliamentary operations have been digitalized, entirepremises sanitised and doors made touch-free.

oThe first-of-its-kind Monsoon Session will see Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha sitting in twodifferent shifts, while special seating arrangements have been made for MPs inadherence to social distancing guidelines.


oBarring on the first day, Rajya Sabha will convene in morning shift from 9 am till 1pm, and Lok Sabha in evening shift from 3 pm to 7 pm. The chambers of both housesalong with their respective galleries will be used for sitting of the members in each shift.

oIn between the two shifts, the entire complex will be sanitised. Entry in the premiseswill be allowed only on production of a COVID-19 negative report, with the testconducted not more than 72 hours before the start of the session.


conducted not more than 72 hours before the start of the session.

oFrequent sanitisation of the entire parliament complex will also be carried out, whilearrangements have been made to sanitise various parliamentary papers as well asfootwear and cars of MPs, officials said.

oFrisking of people will also make way for touch-less security scanning, while thermalscanning will also be totally touch-free.


oFor making the entire Parliament complex a safe zone in view of the COVID-19pandemic, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naiduhad held a series of extensive discussions with officials of the Home Ministry, HealthMinistry, ICMR and the DRDO.

oAs per the standard operating procedures finalised for holding the session from


oAs per the standard operating procedures finalised for holding the session fromSeptember 14 till October 1, the MPs and staff of secretariats of both houses, as alsothe media personnel covering the proceedings, will be asked to undergo COVID-19test, not more than 72 hours before the start of the session.

oOfficials said arrangements were made for tests of close to 4,000 people, includingthe MPs, staff members and journalists.


DPIIT working on credit guarantee, seed fund schemes Support to start-ups

(General Studies-3: Economic Development)

oThe Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is working ontwo schemes – credit guarantee and seed funds – to support start-ups in the country.


two schemes – credit guarantee and seed funds – to support start-ups in the country.

oDPIIT Secretary Guruprasad Mohapatra said that an inter-ministerial consultationprocess is on to work out the contours of the two schemes.

o“We are working on a credit guarantee scheme and a seed fund scheme. Both areunder inter-ministerial consultations,” the secretary told PTI.

oHe said there would be a corpus in the credit guarantee scheme which would be givento banks and they will leverage that to lend to start-ups.


oThis scheme would give banks comfort to lend, he said, adding that it is for credit notfor venture capital.“This is for capex credit,” Mohapatra added.

o On the seed fund scheme, Mohapatra said that most start-ups actually face problemsin raising finance or funds in the ideation to the proof of concept stage.


oSome States like Gujarat and Kerala already have schemes like seed funds, but they aresmall, he said. “The Central government ministries also have, but we want to put a panIndia scheme,” the Secretary said.

oBoth the schemes would require approval of the Finance Ministry and then the DPIITwould seek nod of the Union Cabinet for these two schemes.

oHe also said that certain start-ups have raised some issues pertaining toESOPs(employee stock option plans) and “that we have forwarded to the Revenuedepartment”.


oTalking about the next edition of ranking of States and Union Territories (UTs) on theirstart-up ecosystem, the Secretary said that the department has already started theprocess for that.

oThe department is encouraging States to develop their start-up policy to promotebudding entrepreneurs.


budding entrepreneurs.

oIn the 2019 rankings, Gujarat has again emerged as the best performer in developingstart-up ecosystems for budding entrepreneurs.

oThe government had launched Start-up India Action Plan in January 2016 to promotebudding entrepreneurs in the country. The plan aims to give incentives such as taxholiday and inspector raj-free regime and capital gains tax exemption.


India has attained ‘One Nation, One Grid’ status: Power Secy(General Studies-3: Economic Development)

oIndia has already attained the status of ‘One Nation, One Grid, One Frequency’ and thereare now no constraints in inter-regional transfer of power, said Sanjiv Nandan Sahai,Secretary, Ministry of Power, on Saturday.


oHe was speaking in a webinar organised by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry on‘Innovations in Renewable Energy’.

oA liquidity scheme for the power sector with an outlay of Rs 1,20,000 crore has beenstarted under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat scheme to prevent any crisis of confidence in thissector.

oFor this, an amount of Rs 68,000 crore has been sanctioned and out of this, Rs 25,000crore has already been disbursed, said Sahai. Sahai, while deliberating on theamendments to the Electricity Act, said that the consumer is at the heart of renewableenergy power generation.


oTowards this end, amendments are being considered to the electricity legislationswhich will recognise the right of the consumer to get good quality power at reasonablerates. For the renewable energy sector, the “prosumers” will be allowed to set up roof-top solar units up to their sanctioned loads.

oSahai mentioned the long-term Power Purchase Agreements(PPAs) lie at the heart ofall renewable energy contracts. Of late the discoms, which are themselves financially


all renewable energy contracts. Of late the discoms, which are themselves financiallystressed, look for escape routes when they see the renewable energy prices fallingevery day.

oThe Ministry of Power is in the process of making amendments to the electricitylegislations so as to overcome the developing situation.

oWith the extension of electrification to all households, the average cost of power todiscoms has gone up. This has created further financial stress for the discoms,especially when they see the renewable energy prices falling almost with everytender, said Sahai.


o However, the Ministry of Power is all for honouring the PPAs. For this, they areconsidering the amendments to the Electricity Act, like setting up a ContractsEnforcing Authority, mandating a letter of credit to back every PPA, and introducingan “arms-length distance” between the regulator and the government, amongothers, added Sahai.


EDITORIALS


EDITORIALS



Afghan talks(General Studies-2: International Relations)

oAfter decades of strife a ray of hope has emerged for Afghanistan, with talks betweenthe dreaded Taliban and the Afghan Government finally taking place, one day after the19th anniversary of the al-Qaeda attacks in New York.


oThese direct talks have been the outcome of months of negotiations since the Talibanhad so far refused to acknowledge the Abdullah Abdullah-headed Government, deemingit to be the puppet of the Americans.

oEven as the entire world wishes that the talks would succeed, it would be salutary torecapitulate the tortuous course which finally led to this development to gauge thechances.

oThe dreaded Taliban in 1996 had filled the vacuum caused by the Russianwithdrawal from Afghanistan and unleashed a harsh regime upon the Afghan society.


oWomen were rendered into nothing more than chattel, denied education and civil liberties.All forms of entertainment were banned and Sharia laws imposed.

oBut, in harbouring terror groups like the al-Qaeda, the Taliban invited reprisal from the USafter the 2001 attacks and from then onwards, the nation has been converted into a killingfield, with the militants launching lethal attacks on the US and America-trained Afghantroops, uncaring that civilians too became casualties.


oWith over 2,400 US troops killed and 12,000 still stationed in Afghanistan, the Americanadministration has been trying for years to frame an exit strategy, but without success.

oOn the other hand, the US’s superior firepower had also inflicted heavy damage on theterror group and the Taliban too has been seemingly wanting a cessation of hostilities andend to the impasse, ultimately inducing it to sign an agreement with the US.

oUnder the Doha agreement, the Taliban had pledged not to carry out attacks on thedemocratically-elected Afghan Government and not to allow international terror groups tooperate in areas now under its control.


oOn its part the US had agreed to remove all her troops from Afghan soil within 14 monthsif the militants upheld the deal. The current Afghan talks, earlier scheduled to be held inMarch but postponed because of contentious prisoner release issues, was the outcome ofthe Doha agreement.

oAt these historic talks in Qatar, the Afghan Government has called for a humanitarianceasefire with the Taliban, stressing that there was ‘no winner through war’.


ceasefire with the Taliban, stressing that there was ‘no winner through war’.

oTaliban leader Mullah Baradar Akhund on his part expressed hope that the negotiationswould “move forward with patience” but did not mention a truce, reiterating instead thegroup’s stated position that Afghanistan should be under Islamic law.

oSuch directly opposed positions show that the involved parties have a long way to gobefore some form of accord might be reached. Though sceptics doubt that the Taliban wouldhonour any commitment, yet well-wishers of Afghanistan would hope an era of peace doesdawn on this tragedy-prone nation.

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE ANALYSIS Date -14 September 2020

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