MALABAR – 2014

Exercise Malabar is a complex, high-end operational exercise that has grown in scope and complexity over the years. Malabar 2014 is the latest in a continuing series of exercises conducted to enhance multinational maritime relationships and mutual security issues. The exercise will feature both ashore and at-sea training. Whilst ashore at Port Sasebo, Japan from 24 to 26 Jul, the interactions will include subject matter expert and professional exchanges on Carrier Strike Group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, anti piracy operations and Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) operations. Three ships of Indian Navy viz. INS Ranvijay (guided missile destroyer), INS Shivalik (stealth frigate) and INS Shakti (fleet tanker) have already entered Port Sasebo, Japan on 23 Jul 14 for participating in the exercise. The sea phase of the exercise is scheduled from 27 to 30 Jul 14 and will be conducted in the Western Pacific Ocean. Exercises planned during this phase include search and rescue exercises, helicopter cross-deck landings, underway replenishments, gunnery and anti-submarine warfare exercises, Visit, Board, Search and Seize operations (VBSS) and Liaison officer exchange and embarkation. Designed to enhance maritime cooperation among the navies of the participating nations, these exercises further hone individual capacity to conduct operations in a multi-national environment. The Indian, Japanese and U.S. navies have a common understanding and knowledge of a shared working environment at sea. This exercise would further help advance the level of understanding among the navies. Two destroyers along with a P3C Orion and a sea-plane (US-2) are participating from the Japanese Navy. From the US Navy one submarine (SSN), two destroyers, one tanker along with one MR aircraft would be participating. One US Carrier Strike group (CSG) is likely to join for the sea phase of the exercise.

Space Projects Initiated/Pending Completion

The space projects initiated by Department of Space (DOS) in the last three years include – development of three communication satellites viz. GSAT-14, GSAT-15 and GSAT-16; two remote sensing satellites viz. Resourcesat-2A and Cartosat-2E and India’s first interplanetary mission to Mars namely Mars Orbiter Mission. Out of these projects, launch of GSAT-14 and Mars Orbiter Mission have been completed. The projects in progress and pending completion include GSAT-15, GSAT-16, Resourcesat-2A and Cartosat-2E. The details of amount allocated, disbursed and utilized for these projects project-wise are given below:                                                                                                        [` in Crore] Sl No Project Amount Allocated Amount Disbursed (including BE 2014-15) Actuals till 31.3.2014 1 GSAT-14 45.00 42.49 41.19 2 GSAT-15 (including launch services) 859.50 515.42 246.37 3 GSAT-16 (including launch services) 865.50 839.87 296.87 4 Resourcesat-2A 200.00 70.43 20.43 5 Cartosat-2E 160.00 25.00 0.00 6 Mars Orbiter Mission 450.00 420.90 349.90 The details of total amount for space programme left unutilized in the last three years and the amount returned for Department of Space are given below:                                                                                                                              [` in Crore] Financial Year Budget Estimates Amount Returned (Surrendered) Amount left unutilized 2011-12 6626.00 2194.00 647.77 2012-13 6715.00 1835.00 23.75 2013-14 6792.00 1620.00 3.05 New projects initiated in the last two years are development of two communication satellites viz. GSAT-15 and GSAT-16; two remote sensing satellites viz. Resourcesat-2A and Cartosat-2E and India’s first interplanetary mission to Mars namely Mars Orbiter Mission. Problem of Waste Deposits in Space India has done studies related to waste deposits in space referred as Space Debris and successfully developed methodologies and software tools. ISRO performs Space Object Proximity Analysis for its operational Low Orbit spacecrafts on a regular basis to assess the collision risk and determine risk mitigation strategies in advance. Collision Avoidance analysis is also carried out to identify the safe lift-off time for launching of satellites from Sriharikota. The growing space debris poses threat to present and future space activities, globally, in terms of collision risk. ISRO has taken mitigation measures like passivation of spent upper stage of launch vehicles and de-orbiting of non-functional satellites to avoid creation of space debris. ISRO has also undertaken collaborative studies with other space agencies to control and restrict this outer space contamination. India is a active member of Inter Agency Space Debris Co-ordination Committee (IADC) and played a key role in evolving space debris mitigation guidelines formulated by IADC and United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS).

Preparation of Nuclear and Radiation Safety Policy

The mission of AERB is to ensure that the use of ionizing radiation and nuclear energy in India does not cause unacceptable impact on the health of workers and the members of the public and on the environment. The safety policies concerning the activities that are regulated by AERB are enshrined in the high level documents of AERB, namely the Radiation Protection Rules-2004, the AERB mission statement and the ‘Safety Codes & Guides’ of AERB. AERB has been developing Safety documents (codes & guides) over the years and their number currently stands at 144. No need was felt for a separate ‘Safety Policy’ document, as these are well defined in the existing documents. As mentioned before, AERB has already published 144 regulatory documents concerning different aspects of regulation as well as safety aspects covering siting, design, construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning of the different types of nuclear power plants of the facilities it regulates. AERB’s approach with respect to identifying and prioritising for preparation of specific regulatory documents is a dynamic and ongoing process and takes into account a number of factors such as urgency of the need for guidance, coverage of the intent of a particular document by one or more other documents, new developments etc. With developments and/or availability of new experience, there is a possibility that documents identified at one point of time might not be found necessary to be pursued later for publication. In a few cases, separate documents as identified at one point of time could be combined within the scope of a one or more documents identified later. Similarly new documents may also be identified based on the reviews for effective regulation of safety. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) did highlight the issue of development of safety policy document and the issue of some of the regulatory documents identified in the safety guide AERB/SG/G-6 (2001) being still under development. The following actions were taken: i. Detailed responses to explain the position of AERB and the status/ progress of development of the documents were submitted to CAG and Public Accounts Committee (PAC). ii AERB has agreed to the suggestion of Comptroller and Auditor General of India, to the extent of consolidating the existing policy objectives and higher level principles as brought out in various codes and other documents into a separate `Safety Policy` document. iii. Among the twenty seven documents referred in the question, AERB has already published three documents. After detailed review of the scope and the contents of seven documents, it was decided that they need not be brought out separately. Remaining seventeen documents have been incorporated in the document development plan of AERB in accordance with their assigned priorities.  Rare Earths in Kollam                         The mineral monazite, occurring in beach sand and inland placer deposits along the coastal tracts of India, is the major resource of rare earths in the country.  Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit of Department of Atomic Energy, has estimated 0.892 million tonnes of monazite resources in Kollam district, Kerala. The details are given below:  Area In situ Resources of Monazite (Million Tonnes) Chavara 0.819 Kannimelsery-Neendakara 0.023 Edava-Kollam 0.050 Total 0.892                         The beach sand minerals found in the Kollam district of Kerala contain, at different locations, monazite content ranging from   0.058 % to 0.734 %.  The mineral monazite, typically contains about 55 – 60% total Rare Earth Oxides and about 9 – 10% Thorium Oxide.                            Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), a Public Sector Undertaking under DAE, has set up a Monazite Processing Plant at Orissa Sands Complex (OSCOM), Odisha to process 10,000 tons per annum of monazite to produce mixed rare earth chloride.                Further, IREL has already commissioned its High Pure Rare Earths plant at Rare Earths Division, Aluva, in Kerala to process mixed rare earth chloride RCL and produce high pure separated rare earths.                   Besides, IREL has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) and International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy & New Materials (ARCI) for development of rare earths permanent magnet rings Production of Atomic Energy in Gujarat                                    The states where nuclear power is presently being generated in the country with their locations are given in the table below: State Location Units Capacity Maharashtra Tarapur Tarapur Atomic Power Station(TAPS) Units1 to 4 1400 Rajasthan Rawatbhata Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) Units 2 to 6 1080 Tamil Nadu Kalpakkam Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) Units 1&2 440 Kudankulam Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) Unit -1 1000* Uttar Pradesh Narora NaroraAtomic Power Station (NAPS) Units 1&2 440 Gujarat Kakrapar Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) Units 1&2 440 Karnataka Kaiga KaigaGeneratingStation (KGS) Units 1 to 4 880 *KKNPP-1(1000 MW) is currently generating infirm power.             There are two units of Pressurizsed Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) of 220 MW capacity each, in operation at Kakrapar in Gujarat. Two more PHWR units of 700 MW capacity each are under construction at the same site. In addition, the XII Five Year Plan proposals envisage start of work on 2 Units of Light Water Reactors of 1100 MW each at ChhayaMithiVirdi in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat, to be set up in technical cooperation with the USA.

UPSCCALENDER 2015

IAS 2015 PRELIMS on  23RD AUGUST
AND
MAINS FROM 18-12-2015.

UPSC uploads hallticket for Civil services exam-2014, No change in exam date or structure

Dear student
 There is exactly one month left for preparation. Do not follow any rumours in market.PUT all your hard work  for revision of already prepared topics,keep yourself motivated,take care  of health too and faith in GOD,the almighty.

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India at WTO: The global trade facilitation agreement row

An agreement by the WTO’s 160 members, including India, during the ninth ministerial conference in Bali last December saw the members committing to streamline the flow of goods across international borders. Key to the deal was a consensus on pushing through a “trade facilitation agreement” or TFA, which seeks to streamline border procedures, making it easier for merchandise goods to cross international borders. The new NDA government’s threat to veto the implementation of the TFA, in an effort to seek a negotiating space for public stockholding in food grain and food subsidies, has shaken up the WTO set-up.

What is the recent controversy all about?

The ongoing controversy has its roots in the Indian government threatening to veto the implementation of the deal struck in Bali, in an effort to seek a negotiating space for public stockholding in food grain and food subsidies. The current WTO norms limit the value of food subsidies at 10 per cent of the value of foodgrain production. However, the support is calculated at the prices that are over two decades old and not at the current prices.

If India blocks the global attempt to push through a “trade facilitation agreement”, it will be the only country in the entire WTO membership to stop the deal from getting implemented. The WTO’s agriculture committee, which is dealing with the food security issue, is due to meet later on Wednesday in what will only be its third meeting since the Bali ministerial last December. The agriculture committee meeting will be followed by a crucial meeting of the general council on Thursday.

Why is the TFA ratification so important?

The TFA faces its first implementation deadline on July 31 when WTO members, who make decisions by consensus, must approve a one-paragraph “accession protocol”. The deadline of July 31 is by when all the 160 WTO member countries have to sign the agreement into a protocol, marking implementation of the first phase of the deal. It was to come into force fully from 2015.

When the deal was struck in Bali in December, it was decided that as an interim measure, in respect of public stockholding for food security, developing countries would be protected from WTO disputes for non-compliance with the relevant provisions of the Agreement on Agriculture. This protection would be available till a permanent solution, the deadline for which was 2017.

What is the Indian position?

India wants the talks on public stockholding for food security to happen immediately, an issue that has domestic compulsions in India. For the government, the issue of livelihood of its marginal farmers is a deeply political one, especially in light of the stockpiling needs on account of requirements of the Right To Food Act.

Commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman has indicated earlier this month that India would not back the TFA protocol because itwas unhappy with the progress of talks on food security that ministers also committed to in Bali. Those, she was quoted as saying, had been cast aside.

Soon after, commerce secretary Rajeev Kher issued a statement saying until India got an assurance that WTO members were ready to discuss a permanent solution on public stockholding, it would be difficult for it to sign the protocol on TFA.

Central to the Indian position is the government’s move to procure grains, largely by way of offering a minimum support price to farmers, and distributing them to BPL consumers through the public distribution system (PDS) at a subsidised price.

To treat such schemes under WTO rules remains an area of contention that ministers in Bali agreed to tackle by 2017. The government is demanding a reworking of the rules to ensure that developing countries do not breach the prescribed subsidy cap.

Is there support for India?

South Africa is said to be backing India, and other African members of the WTO have raised concerns over whether the financial aid they were promised to help revamp customs procedures will materialise. But broadly, India could be isolated. Domestic analysts say that India is perhaps not doing the right thing by going against the broader global coalition.

Critics have even hinted that India is doing this because it is not prepared to take on the requirements of TFA, with a relatively weak trade infrastructure.

Cabinet approves raising of FDI in insurance to 49 pct with Indian control

The Cabinet today approved 49 per cent foreign investment in insurance companies through the FIPB route ensuring management control in the hands of Indian promoters.

“The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved raising of FDI cap in insurance sector to 49 per cent from 26 per cent,” sources said after a meeting of the CCEA, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

With the Cabinet approving the amendments to the long pending Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, it will now be taken up by Parliament.

In his budget speech, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said that the insurance sector is investment starved and there is a need to increase the composite cap in the sector to 49 per cent, with full Indian management and control, through the FIPB route.

The move would help insurance firms to get much needed capital from overseas partners.

The proposal to raise FDI cap has been pending since 2008 when the previous UPA government introduced the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill to hike foreign holding in insurance joint ventures to 49 per cent from the existing 26 per cent.

However, the Bill could not be taken up in the Rajya Sabha because of opposition from several political parties, including the BJP.

The insurance sector was opened up for private sector in 2000 after the enactment of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999 (IRDA Act, 1999).

This Act permitted foreign shareholding in insurance companies to the extent of 26 per cent with an aim to provide better insurance coverage and to augment the flow of long term resources for financing infrastructure.

The industry has been demanding for long to increase the FDI limit for adequate funds for expansion of the sector.