Daily PIB Analysis For UPSC/IAS | 12th and 13th November 2018

Table of Contents

In conversation with Taliban

If all the major powers of the world — including Washington, Moscow and Beijing — are talking to the Taliban, should Delhi continue to stay away?
And if the Afghan government is desperate about talking to the Taliban, does it make sense for Delhi to avoid contact with the insurgent group that might well be returning to Kabul in one form or another in the not too distant future?

Unfolding shift in the balance of power between a weakening Kabul and the rising Taliban.
2 retired diplomats from India took part in this conference called Moscow Format.
Delhi has long proclaimed that the peace process in Afghanistan should be “Afghan-owned and Afghanled” as well as controlled by the government in Kabul.
Delhi is conscious of the need to be at the table.

Maharashtra announced 2018 as a drought year: seeking Rs 7,000 crore
Some things have failed badly?
PMFBY
Irrigation investments
Not the only State to face drought
if say, Rs 20 lakh (equivalent to the cost of public irrigation on IPU basis) were given to each farmer on per ha basis as long-term bonds with a fixed interest of say 8 % per annum, he would have got a net annual income of Rs 1.6 lakh without any risk. Gujarat 24% Saurashtra and Kutch region: 34% Rajasthan: 24% North Interior Karnataka: 29% Bihar: 20% Jharkhand: 20% Assam: 20% Meghalaya: 20% Arunachal Pradesh: 20% The question to ask is whether the existing farmers with access to public irrigation are making this much (Rs 1.6 lakh/ha) as net income?
In sum, public irrigation needs major overhauling in the country, especially in states like Maharashtra.
Also, there is the question of who uses how much of irrigation water.
In Maharashtra, although about 19 per cent of gross cropped area is irrigated, in case of sugarcane, it is 100 per cent and, in case of cotton, just 3 per cent.
So there is massive inequity in the distribution of irrigation water in the state.

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has condoled the passing away of the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Anant Kumar.

Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi dedicated the Multimodal Terminal on the River Ganga, to the nation, and received the first container cargo. Eastern Uttar Pradesh is now connected withØ the Bay of Bengal, through the water route.
He inaugurated the Varanasi Ring Road Phase 1, and the development and construction for four laning of Babatpur-Varanasi Section of NH-56.
He also inaugurated and laid the Foundation Stone for various other development projects in Varanasi.

International Conference on Yoga for Public Health of 2018 was held at? Delhi Mumbai Panaji Ahmedabad
Shripad Naik said that, Yoga is basically focus to change the lifestyle.
Western countries are showing much interest towards Yoga.
USA: nearly 20 million people are practicing Yoga and this number is increasing average by 5 percent every year.
Many other countries like United Kingdom, European countries, South Eastern countries are practicing Yoga.
Several modern medical institutes have adopted Yoga as an alternative treatment for many of the disorders.
In our country also, the system of Yoga is gradually gaining popularity as a best mode of alternative therapy to the modern medical system, he further said.
The System of Yoga is having a potential role in the public health system of our country and that’s why the theme of the conference is very appropriate, he added.
600 delegates from 50 countries are participated in the conference.

INS Rana of the Eastern Fleet based at Visakhapatnam under the Eastern Naval Command is on deployment to the South East Asia and arrived at the port of Surabaya to participate in the inaugural edition of Indian Navy – Indonesian Navy Bilateral Exercise ‘Samudra Shakti’ scheduled from 12 to 18 Nov 18.
The aim of the exercise is to strengthen bilateral relations, expand maritime co-operation, enhance interoperability and exchange best practices.
The strategic partnership between the two nations was elevated to ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ during the visit of Honourable Prime Minister of India in May 18 and Defence cooperation has been a significant pillar in this partnership.

An Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters was signed by India and Morocco.
The Agreement will strengthen bilateral cooperation with Morocco and enhance effectiveness and provide a broad legal framework for prevention, investigation and prosecution of crimes; as well as in tracing, restraint and confiscation of funds meant to finance terrorist acts.

I will be visiting Singapore on 14-15 November, to participate in the ASEAN-India and East Asia Summits. In addition, I would also participate in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Leaders’ Meeting.
My participation in these meetings symbolizes our continued commitment to strengthening our engagement with ASEAN Member States and with the wider Indo-Pacific region. I am looking forward to my interactions with other ASEAN and East Asia Summit Leaders.

Shri Narendra Modi, met and interacted with the members of his Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC).
This Council renders advice on all matters related to Science, Technology and Innovation and monitors the implementation of the Prime Minister’s vision on these issues.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the fruits of science, technology and innovation must reach the common man, solve common dayto-day problems, and facilitate ease of living for the people of India.
He reiterated the need to break silos among academic and research institutions.

The Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, led the Indian delegation to the 7th RCEP InterSessional Ministerial Meeting in Singapore on 12-13 November, 2018.
RCEP is a mega regional free trade agreement being negotiated amongst 16 countries, comprising 10 ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) plus six ASEAN FTA partners, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea and New Zealand.
So far 6 Ministerial Meetings, 7 Inter-Sessional Ministerial Meetings and 24 rounds of the Trade Negotiating Committee at the technical level have been held.
Which country is the Chair of ASEAN this year i.e. 2018? Singapore Vietnam Malaysia Myanmar

The joint military exercise between Indian and Russia EXERCISE INDRA 2018 on combating insurgency under the aegis of United Nations (UN) is being conducted at Babina Field Firing Ranges, Babina Military Station from 18 November 2018.
Company sized contingents of the 5th Army of the Russian Federation and a Mechanised Infantry Battalion of Republic of India will participate in the training exercise spanning for eleven days including induction and deinduction of the Russian contingent.
The training will be supervised by a joint directing panel comprising of senior officials of both the national contingents.