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Page 1

NATIONAL EVENTS
Islamic State poses danger to India as well
With its global appeal, low-cost, high-impact tactics and swelling ranks, the Islamic State is turning
out be the deadliest terrorist organisation of modern times, outranking groups such as Al-Qaeda.
The attacks in Paris, the earlier incidents in France, and the lone wolf attacks taking place in various
countries, including Bangladesh, are warnings to India to be on alert to a wave of possible attacks in
the coming days.
While Indian agencies are ruling out any immediate threat, it is clear a new version of the IS style of
attacks, very low cost, but high impact, is a high possibility in the country.
The growing scale of IS attacks and the appeal of its twisted ideology are reasons enough to believe
that the group could end up being the deadliest terrorist organisation in modern history. Its brutality
and scale of attacks could soon eclipse those of Al-Qaeda, of which it was once a mere splinter group
in Iraq.
IS is not chasing grand attacks the way Al Qaeda did and is focussed on the immediate to establish
a caliphate, to take on enemies such as Shias and other minorities. However, its ability to attract so
many followers in many countries means it is now a violent global ideology, though it may not be a
cohesive global network.
LPG subsidy likely to be limited to households below 10 lakh income
The Union government is actively examining discontinuation of subsidies such as the one given on
domestic LPG cylinders to all households having an annual income of Rs. 10 lakh and above.
Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Poverty Alleviation M. Venkaiah Naidu said the
government was also planning to give other subsidies such as the one on urea directly to farmers,
instead of giving it to fertilizer companies.
PM's praise strengthens Imran's cause for education
Imran Khan, a 37-year-old Sanskrit teacher dedicated to the cause of education and with no formal
education in Information Technology (IT), has, in the past three years developed 52 Android apps in
Hindi on topics varying from General Knowledge to Science to one on Rajasthan Administrative
Services.
Clicking on Play Store' in the Android phone and searching for gktalk' fetches a series of educational
apps designed to assist students on varying topics. However, unlike other apps, these are in Hindi, are
neatly designed and are free.
A teacher at Alwar's Varishth Upadhyay Sanskrit school, Mr. Khan is also a member of Alwar based
team EKTA which works towards strengthening elementary education.
Further appreciating his efforts, BSNL, on directions of Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, shall
now be providing free Internet to Mr. Khan.
All railway contracts will be tendered online, says Prabhu
Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has said that all Indian Railway contracts will be tendered
online from early next year on an e-tendering platform.

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He was speaking after flagging of the first of the bi-weekly trains from Goa's Margao railway station
to New Delhi in south Goa. The idea was to bring in transparency in the processes and to cut down the
time lag.
The first few modern railway coaches designed by the National Institute of Design have already been
rolled out by Railways. The Ministry was also pushing for a rollout of new, modern coaches which
would change the way a typical journey by Indian Railways is often perceived.
To overcome complaints of wrongdoing in railway exams, the railways had started online
examinations. The plan was to hold all examinations online.
CBI seeks statutory powers under PMLA
The Central Bureau of Investigation has sought statutory powers under the Prevention of Money
Laundering Act (PMLA) to conduct probe into proceeds of crime, attach tainted properties and
prosecute accused persons.
While the CBI hopes to get government notifications to this effect issued, it is learnt that that the
Enforcement Directorate (ED) has opposed the move and pointed out a series of problems that such
an arrangement would create.
As per new amendment to the PMLA, closure of police case has no bearing on investigations into
money laundering charges and prosecution on the same set of allegations. It means that even though a
CBI case gets closed, ED can still pursue the financial angle and file a separate charge sheet.
Demystifying the Constitution for students
A circular, issued by theMinistry of Human Resource Development to observe Constitution Day on

November 26, stated all schools throughout the country may conduct activities to observe the first
Constitution day.
It was on November 26, 1949 that the Constitution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly following
which the Constitution came into force on January 26, 1950.
Schools affiliated to the Central Board of SecondaryEducation (CBSE) have been asked to celebrate
the Constitution as living documents that is capable of adapting itself to the current situation.
Common man unaware of antibiotic resistance, says WHO survey
In fact, a World Health Organisation (WHO) survey conducted in 12 countries has said that most
people don't understand how to keep antibiotic resistance from growing.
Overuse and misuse of antibiotics causes bacteria to become resistant. The WHO survey points out
some of the practices, gaps in understanding and misconceptions that contribute to this phenomenon.
Almost two thirds (64 per cent) of the 10,000 people surveyed across the 12 countries said they knew
antibiotic resistance could affect them and their families. However, they do not understand how it
affects them and what they can do to address it.
Around 64 per cent of the respondents believe that antibiotics can be used to treat cold and flu. This is
despite the fact that antibiotics have no impact on viruses. Close to one third (32 per cent) of those
surveyed believe they should stop taking antibiotics when they feel better, rather than completing the
prescribed course of treatment.

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Home Ministry issues advisory to States
The Islamic State's tape of nashid (chants) in Bengali was posted on the terror outfit's media platform
Al Hayat Media Centre by one Aaron Y. Zelin.
Bangladesh has denied the presence of IS on its soil, though the group itself has claimed responsibility
for the recent killings of an Italian and a Japanese national in that country.
The official asserted again that the government had not so far come across any information that would
suggest the IS was planning an attack on India.
However, the Home Ministry has issued an advisory to all the States which stated that the IS intended
to expand the arc of high profile terror actions beyond the core area of Syria and Iraq.
Though the IS has not been able to establish any significant presence in India, its success in radicalising
some youth, attracting certain sections of the local population or the Indian diaspora to physically
participate in its activities, or the possibility of piggy-backing on terrorist groups operating in India,
have opened up the possibility of IS sponsored terrorist action on Indian territory.
7th pay panel to submit its report
The Seventh Pay Commission will submit its report to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley,
recommending an increase in remuneration of Central government employees as well as pensioners.
The Commission was set up by the UPA government in February 2014 under Justice A.K. Mathur
chairmanship to revise remuneration of about 48 lakh Central government employees and 55 lakh
pensioners.
Its recommendations will also have a bearing on the salaries of the State government staff
The government constitutes the Pay Commission almost every 10 years to revise the pay scale of its
employees and often these are adopted by the States after some modifications.
As part of the exercise, the Commission holds discussions with various stakeholders, including
organisations, federations, groups, representing civil employees as well as Defence services.
The recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission are scheduled to take effect from January 1,
2016.
Delhi government clears the Jan Lokpal bill
The Bill brings the Chief Ministers office under its purview and ensures that any investigation and
trial by the Lokpal has to be completed within six months.
The draft Bill envisages a system where a corrupt person found guilty would go to jail within two years
of the complaint being filed and his ill-gotten wealth confiscated.
It also envisages power to the Jan Lokpal to prosecute politicians and bureaucrats without government
permission.
The Bill also envisages CAG audit in the cases.
The Jan Lokpal Bill (Ombudsman Bill) is an anti-corruption Bill drawn up by activists seeking the
appointment of an independent body that would investigate corruption cases, complete the
investigation and trial in a time-bound manner.
Once passed and notified, people will be able to complain directly and imprison corrupt politicians and
bureaucrats under the law.

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Telanganas tribal master craftsman set to zoom into big league
65-year old tribal master craftsman from the remote confines of Adilabad district in Telangana State
would be conferred prestigious national-level Shilp Guru Award from President Pranab Mukherjee.
The Ojha artisan community which primarily makes brass metal objects for the Gond Adivasis of
Adilabad district to which he belongs.
The brass metal casting of Pjhas, popularly known as Dhokra art though has its range of traditional
artefacts limited to about 50 is looking up after a few design development projects taken up recently.
Justice Thakur has been appointed as CJI
President Pranab Mukherjee appointed Justice T.S. Thakur, judge of the Supreme Court, the Chief
Justice of India with effect from December 3, 2015 as 43rd Chief Justice of India till January 3, 2017.
Justice Thakurs appointment comes shortly after a five judge Constitution Bench struck down the
National Judicial Appointments Commission law and restored the collegium system of judicial
appointments.
The present incumbent and Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu had recommended Justice Thakurs name,
following which the Union Law Ministry processed his file and sent it to the Prime Ministers Office,
from where after approval, it reached the President.
Apex court nod for draft paper on appointment of judges
A five-judge Constitution Bench, led by Justice J.S. Khehar, gave Mr. Rohatgi a broad outline of what
it expected from the memorandum, including the establishment of an independent secretariat to help
the collegium.
Another suggestion was to have the government and the judiciary equally share the burden of
evaluation of complaints against shortlisted candidates. The Bench suggested that complaints about
the professional performance would be evaluated by the judiciary, while the government would probe
charges against candidates' integrity.
The Bench undertook to reform the 21-year-old collegium system, which was restored after it struck
down the NJAC.
But the Constitution Bench's move to accept Mr. Rohatgi's offer to prepare a draft memorandum
evoked both positive and negative responses from top legal minds present in the courtroom.
Cabinet okays Rs.2,000-cr. package for Kashmiri migrants' rehabilitation
The first signs of implementation of the economic package that was recently announced by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi for Jammu and Kashmir were seen as the Cabinet approved Rs. 2,000 crore
for the rehabilitation of Kashmiris who moved to different parts of India in the early 1990s.
The ruling BJP-PDP coalition welcomed the move, saying it will encourage a positive change in the
conflict torn region and possibly repair ties between the Muslim and Pandit communities of Kashmir.
Rs. 2,000 crore was part of the big package of Rs. 80,000 crore that was recently announced by the
Prime Minister at his Srinagar rally.
The money is specifically meant for the people who are registered as residents of Kashmir province.
For Jammu and Ladakh provinces a separate allocation would be approved in the next phase.
Since the first batch of Pandits left Kashmir in January 1990, several Pandit advocacy groups have
blamed Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), a militant outfit that surrendered before the

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Indian government in 1993, for what they called an exodus. JKLF leader Yasin Malik called for a
unilateral ceasefire in 1994.
Registered Kashmiri migrant families numbering 62,000 and residing in Jammu, Delhi and NCR stand
to benefit from the initiative
Recommendation of Central pay commission
Justice A.K. Mathur, Chairperson of the Commission, submitted 7th central pay commission report to
Finance Minister.
The Seventh Central Pay Commission has recommended an overall increase of 23.55 per cent in pay,
allowances, and pension for government employees.
Within this, the Commissions report recommends a 16 per cent increase in basic pay, a 63 per cent
increase in allowances and a 24 per cent hike in pension. The recommendations are to come into force
on January 1, 2016.
The total monetary impact on the central government would be Rs 1.02 lakh crore. Around Rs 74,000
crore would be the impact on the Union Budget and Rs 28,000 crore on the Railway Budget.
The present system of pay bands and grade pay has been dispensed with and a new pay matrix has
been designed. Grade Pay has been subsumed in the pay matrix.
The status of the employee, hitherto determined by grade pay, will now be determined by the level in
the pay matrix.
The report also recommends an annual increment of 3 per cent in basic pay.
The report has recommended a one-rank one-scheme for all government employees, including military
personnel who have retired before January 1, 2016. This formulation will bring parity between past
pensioners and current retirees for the same length of service in the pay scale at the time of retirement.
Technical glitches at Delhi Jan Lokpal
The Jan Lokpal Bill of the Delhi government has come full circle, staring at the same uncertainty that
had surrounded it one year and nine months ago.
The previous Aam Aadmi Party-led government had cleared the Jan Lokpal Bill, but before it could
be tabled in the Assembly, the Lieutenant-Governor objected to it as the Bill required prior clearance
from the Central government.
The same situation has arisen now as the Delhi Cabinet has once again cleared the Bill but not sent the
draft to the L-G and the Union Home Ministry. It is likely to table the Bill in the on-going winter
session.
Army ropes in drones, choppers to track down militants in Kupwara
Several Lashkar-e Taiba (LeT) militants remained holed up in the dense forests of Kupwara district,
90 km from Srinagar, in north Kashmir for the seventh consecutive day on Thursday even as the Army
deployed drones and helicopters to track them down.
Manigah is a bowl-shaped valley with steep gorges and a dense forest cover. In winter, the residents
leave the mud hutments for the plains. It is suspected militants are hiding in these bahaks [mud
hutments].
Drones were deployed to capture images based on thermal technology.

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Width of cybercrime is larger than expected
Nearly half of Indias Internet-using population has been affected by cybercrime during the past year,
with each person losing over Rs. 16,500 on an average as a result, says a report released by security
services firm Norton.
In the past year, 48 per cent of Indias online population, or approximately 113 million Indians, were
affected by online crime.
Despite the threat of cybercrime in India, it hasnt led to widespread adoption of simple protection
measures to safeguard information online, with almost one in four Indians sharing passwords as a
common practice.
Only 40 per cent respondents were confident of knowing what to do if they fell victim to any online
crime.
Deaths due to pneumonia, diarrhoea are among highest in India
India has the highest number of pneumonia and diarrhoea deaths among children globally, reports the
International Vaccine Access Centre (IVAC).
With 2,97,114 deaths, India is once again at the top of the list of countries with the highest burden of
the two diseases among children under the age of five. The list includes Nigeria, Pakistan, the
Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola.
Progress is evaluated by the Global Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Pneumonia and
Diarrhoea intervention scores, including parameters such as vaccination, exclusive
breastfeeding,access to care and use of antibiotics, oral rehydration solution and zinc.
The global study does recognise in India, a strong political commitment to immunise all children in
the next five years, increased efforts to monitor data and progress at the district levels.
Launch of Mission Indradhanush, aiming to expand immunization coverage in high-priority districts
with large populations of unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children.
Nitish sworn in Bihar CM, 28 join his team
Nitish Kumar was sworn in Bihar Chief Minister for a fifth time at a grand event attended mostly by
non-BJP leaders.
The two sons of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Tejaswi and Tej Pratap and 26 others were also sworn
in. In the allocation of portfolios, Tejaswi Yadav, the younger son of Mr. Lalu Prasad, became Deputy
Chief Minister. The elder son, Tej Pratap, was given charge of three important Ministries.
Illegal shrines to be demolished in Maharastra
The Maharashtra government will demolish all illegal religious structures across the State built after
September 2009 in the next nine months.
The State's Home Department issued a government resolution (GR) listing out a timeline to deal with
illegal religious structures in the State following Bombay High Court directives.
According to the State's plan, the process of legalising illegal shrines built before September 2009
should be completed within six months.
The process of shifting some of these structures should be over within six to nine months and the rest
should be demolished within two years.
However, any illegal religious structure built after September 2009 will not be legalised and have to
be razed.

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In September 2009, the Supreme Court had directed all States to initiate action against illegal shrines.
While hearing a public interest litigation petition against illegal shrines, the Bombay High Court in
October 2015 expressed displeasure over the government's delay in taking action against these
structures, following which the government issued an order for the same.

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INTERNATIONAL
Terrorist attacks killed 130 in France
In a deadly terror strike similar to Mumbai on November 26, 2008, suspected Islamic State gunmen
launched a coordinated assault on Paris, leaving 129 dead and 352 injured.
This was the worst terror attack in France's history far bigger than the shooting inside the Charlie
Hebdo newspaper office in January, which killed 12 and injured 11.
French President Francois Hollande announced that he held the IS responsible for the attack and France
considered it an act of war. He announced a state of emergency, the first in France since 2005, and
the deployment of 1,500 soldiers.
The attack was carried out on six locations, one being the French national stadium Stade de France
where France and Germany football teams were playing a friendly before an 80,000-strong crowd.
Mr. Hollande, who was among the spectators, was evacuated immediately following security protocol.
As many as 89 people were killed in the attack at the Bataclan Theatre during a concert by the band
Eagles of Death Metal.
The gunmen entered the 1,500 seat venue and began shooting without warning. The police said the
assailants were killed. A Syrian passport was found on one of the attackers.
Vienna talks agree on concrete calendar for transition in Syria
The discovery of a Syrian passport on an attacker in Paris has once again underlined the urgent need
to begin a peace process in Syria which is facing a multi cornered civil war since February 2011.
The attacks in Paris took place even as high power global diplomats like US Secretary of State John
Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov were on their way to the Austrian capital of Vienna
for talks over Syria.
A day after the attacks in Paris, a French delegation of politicians and intellectuals met President
Bashar Al Assad in Damascus displaying a healing touch of dialogue. Meeting the delegation, led by
prominent French politician Thierry Ariani, Mr. Assad asked France to introspect over its policies over
Syria.
Turkey's Ambassador to India Burak Akcapar had said that the need of the hour is to have an inclusive
government in Syria which can begin the process of normalisation in consultation with all sections of
people.
Bomb downed plane in Egypt: Russia
Hours after confirming for the first time that a bomb brought down a Russian charter jet over the Sinai
Peninsula in Egypt more than two weeks ago, killing all 224 people aboard, Russia joined France in
bombing Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria. Russian submarine had fired cruise missiles at IS targets
in the same area.
Russia struck Raqqa with advanced Kalibr cruise missiles from a submarine in the eastern
Mediterranean.
The strike came after President Vladimir Putin ordered an intensification of attacks following Russian
confirmation that the crash of the Airbus A321 in Egypt had been caused by a terrorist attack.

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Paris attacks complicate Europes strained border controls
The increasing likelihood that one of the Paris attackers entered Europe with a Syrian passport, amid
the hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing war and persecution, has alarmed leaders and
reinvigorated talk about tightening border controls.
Part of the complication with border checks involves the different kinds of borders in Europe: the outer
border, such as between Turkey and Greece, which marks the boundaries of the European Union, and
internal open borders of the 26-nation Schengen area.
Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany has been pressing appeals to Italy, Greece and Turkey to secure
Europes external borders and thus preserve freedom of movement in the Schengen zone
Coordinated action by U.S. and Russia on Islamic state
The terror strikes by the Islamic State in Paris, Beirut and the downing of the Russian plane in
Egypt is likely to bring Russia and the U.S. together in counterterrorism operations.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, met at the
International Syria Support Group (ISSG) in Vienna and said they expected cooperation to be more
effective and broader in the coming days in tackling IS terror.
The U.S.-led NATO had in April 2014 suspended military and civilian cooperation with Russia in
response to its military intervention in Ukraine.
The U.S. and Russia are working together in the International Syria Support Group to promote a
political process to end the civil war in Syria but both are at loggerheads over the question of President
Bashar al-Assad's future.
The U.S. has been accusing Russia of bombing moderate anti-Assad rebels and civilian targets along
with its anti-IS raids.
China, Russia urge unified global front against terrorism
The Russians have already energized their diplomacy to form a unified front by their bid to rope in
France as a partner in the air campaign in Syria, which targets the Islamic State (also known as ISIS)
the alleged perpetrator of the Paris horror.
The ISIS is also the prime suspect in the crash of the Russian passenger airliner.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has already ordered Russian sailors, on board the cruiser Moskva, to
establish a direct contact with a French aircraft carrier, following a telephone conversation with
President Francois Hollande.
The French task force in the Mediterranean, where the Moskva is already deployed, will be led by the
nuclear powered aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle.
The Kremlin press service reported that the Russian and French Presidents focused on building
bilateral and multilateral cooperation to counter international terrorism following the terror strikes in
Paris and the attack on the Russian plane.
The Russian Foreign Ministry had earlier called for the finalization of the draft UNSC resolution.
Analysts say strengthening the anti-IS combine, with French support, would mean that the regime
change policy pursued by the West in Syria since 2011 could be reaching yet another defining
moment.
In Damascus, Syrian President said his country is ready to share intelligence with France, but only if
Paris changed its policy toward Syria.

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Mastermind of terrorist attack in Paris has been killed
The Islamic State jihadist Abdelhamid Abaaoud suspected of masterminding the Paris attacks was
killed in a major police raid.
President Barack Obama would not abandon plans to attend climate change talks in Paris at the end of
November month despite security concerns in the city.
Weapons in ship from Sri Lanka raise alarm
The case of m.v.Avant Garde, a floating armory, has acquired a new dimension since the Sri Lankan
Navy boarded the vessel to discover a massive stash of weapons on board.
The vessel, before being rested at the Galle harbour in eastern Sri Lanka, had been to the Indian
territorial waters while carrying its cargo of weapons.
While the ship was part of Avant Garde Maritime Services (AGMS), allegedly linked to Sri Lankas
Rajapaksa family, the massive cargo of weapons and ammunition has raised eyebrows of security
analysts in South Asia,hinting that the boat could have been part of a maritime version of the Purulia
arms dropping case.
Possible situations in Syria
The tide of global rage against the Islamic State group lends greater urgency to ending the jihadists'
ability to operate at will from a base in war torn Syria.
That momentum could also force a re-evaluation of what to do about President Bashar Assad and puts
a renewed focus on the position of his key patrons, Russia and Iran.
The Syrian leader has lost much of the country to the IS and other groups in the four-year war; half the
population has been displaced, many areas have been levelled, and masses of refugees are flooding
Europe.
Along the way, Assad's brutal military response has made him hated in most of the world.
Ceasefire in Syria could allow Assad and his military to take a leading role in battling IS.
The fact remains, though, that the U.S. and its allies don't want to see Assad benefit from any effort to
dislodge IS from territory it controls in Syria unlike in Iraq.
A temporary reprieve is starting to seem more possible, setting the stage for what some observers
suggest may be an arrangement in which Assad is part of a transition government that has a role in the
priority of defeating ISIS but then quietly makes way.
Russia and Iran would have to be a big part of engineering such a solution.
Life-saving medicines in short supply in blockade-hit Nepal
Shortages of life-saving medicine because of political protests in Nepal that have blocked key roads
could lead to a crisis, as hospitals have started to cut services.
Hospitals were rescheduling surgeries by weeks, and patients were finding it difficult to get to medical
facilities due to fuel shortages.
Truckloads of medicine have been blocked at the main border crossing with India for the last few
months by Nepal's Madhesi ethnic protesters.
Talks between the protesters and the government have made little progress. India, which has close
cultural ties with the group, has restricted fuel and other goods to Nepal.

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Nepal imports 60 per cent of its medicine from India. The remaining locally made drugs also get most
of the raw material and packaging from India. Most of the fuel comes from India, and the restriction
has led to severe shortages in Nepal.
Fuel rationing has led to buses and trucks cutting down services. People travel on rooftops and taxis
charge four times the normal rate.
Patients with long-term illnesses including high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney and heart diseases,
were also having difficulty finding medicine.
Another terrorist attack in MalI
At least 27 people were reported dead as Malian special forces, aided by the U.S. and French
commandos, stormed a luxury hotel in Bamako, where gunmen had held at least 170 people, including
22 Indians, hostage.
Two gunmen were among the dead, there were no more hostages left inside the hotel, but the
government troops were still fighting gunmen.
India's External Afairs Ministry spokesperson also confirmed that all Indian hostages have been safely
evacuated.
Gunmen had entered the 190-room hotel compound in Bamako in a car with diplomatic plates and
automatic gunfire was heard from outside.
Mali battles gunmen in capital as Islamists hit Iraq, Yemen
The raid on the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako, comes a week after Islamic State militants killed 129
people in Paris.
Despite a French intervention in its former colony in 2013, Islamists rebels, who have bases in the
North, have continued in the country's central belt on the southern reaches of the Sahara, and in
Bamako.
An Islamist group claimed responsibility for the death of five people last March in an attack on a
restaurant in Bamako that is popular with foreigners.
And in August, 17 people were killed during an attack on a hotel in Sevare in central Mali, some 600
km northeast of Bamako, which was claimed by the Sahara-based Islamist militant group alMourabitoun.
France's military intervention in Mali is another reason to attack France and French interests.
France has more than 1,000 troops in Mali, a key battleground of Operation Barkhane, a counter-terror
operation spanning five countries in Africa's restive Sahel region.
Islamist groups have continued to wage attacks in Mali despite a June peace deal between former
Tuareg rebels in the country's north and rival pro-government armed groups.
The country's north fell under the control of Tuareg rebels and jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda in
mid-2012.
Despite French intervention two years ago, the West African country continues to see terror attacks;
militants often strike from their desert hideouts.

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INDIA AND THE WORLD

Western Intelligence taps India for inputs on IS
Ever since the Islamic State burst into the global stage in the summer of 2014, when it announced the
establishment of a caliphate, Western intelligence agencies have been scrambling for information on
the group and its sympathisers.
One of the key sources of information for them, incidentally, is India because of several factors. The
key factor is that Indian agencies have sizeable data on Indians who have gone to the IS battlefields,
or who were radicalised by IS handlers.
Indian agencies have interrogated or accessed information about dozens of youths who have either
been to Syria-Iraq or were intercepted while on their way to the Iraq-Syria battlefield.
According to one source, 65 persons are undergoing de-radicalisation after being in touch with the IS,
while another 55 could be under watch. About 20 are thought to be with the IS now, half a dozen are
dead, and a couple of them have returned to India.
European and U.S. intelligence agencies have been struggling to stop further flow of their residents to
the IS. According to a French Senate report in April, of the over 3,000 European IS members, 1,430
are from France.
India to push for inclusive view in G-20 summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the two-day G-20 Summit, after completing his three-day
U.K. visit, is scheduled to be the lead speaker at its inaugural session on Climate Change and
Development.
India's stated position is that the emphasis should rather be on clean technology, Economic Affairs
Secretary and head of India's finance track delegation at the G-20 Summit. India calls for balance
between focus on climate change and development needs.
Mr. Modi is also expected to emphasise that the commitment from the developed countries to make
available from 2020 $100 billion of climate finance every year to developing countries has to be
ensured and a road map for this should be laid down over the next five years.
On the IMF, India is concerned that the 14th round of reforms are pending, in the absence of ratification
by the U.S. Congress, since 2010 which have also pushed the 15th round reforms that were to be taken
up in January 2015.
Earlier, at a meeting of the BRICS Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa nations hosted
by Mr. Putin, Mr. Modi demanded that the G20 push for stronger, coordinated global action for putting
an end to finance, supplies and communication channels of terrorists and an early adoption of the
Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
Proposed H-1B visa changes may not hit Indian software engineers
Prospective software engineers seeking jobs in the United States need not be perturbed by the recent
changes proposed by the U.S. senators on the H-1B visa norms as the changes may not come through
in the proposed form.
This is the overwhelming view of the software industry that sends large number of young software
professionals to work on projects in the United States.

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Recently, two U.S. Senators introduced the legislation against the abuse of the H-1B visa hitting
employment opportunities of the U.S. nationals, and sought reforms to en-sure that Americans don't
lose out to foreign employees on jobs and pay packages.
Indians created 4,50,000 jobs in the U.S., paid $ 2 billion as taxes and contributed another $ 6 billion
to social security. It's only a perception that we are taking away jobs meant for the U.S. nationals.
Americans argue that the H-1B visa was meant for highly specialised areas of employment but foreign
companies were dumping lesser skilled workers willing to work at lower wages. Some U.S. Senators
have been arguing that the visa was highly misused by companies to make huge profits.
Modi for solid result at Paris talks
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India looked forward to a concrete outcome at the Paris climate
talks within the framework of the U.N. Convention on Climate Change that should have an appropriate
balance of collective action: equity and common but differentiated responsibility and respective
capabilities.
India has ambitious plans like an additional 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022 and cuts in
subsidies for fossil fuel, besides a tax on coal.
India also has the proposed $3-billion National Clean Energy Fund aimed at promoting clean
technologies.
He also urged the leaders to ensure that the target of $100 billion climate finance per year by 2020 was
met.
The New Development Bank, the Currency Reserve Arrangement and the Strategy for BRICS
Economic Cooperation were evidence of the BRICS' vision and resolve.
India, Australia seal N-deal procedures
India announced that the procedures for a civil nuclear agreement with Australia for supply of uranium
from it had been completed following a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
his counterpart, Malcolm Turnbull.
External Affairs Ministry told that the two Prime Ministers had announced the completion of the
procedures. No official statement from Australia was immediately available.
Australian Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb said the Australian Parliament was expected
to ratify the nuclear cooperation agreement that the two countries had signed in September 2014.
Australia has about a third of world's recoverable uranium resources and exports nearly 7,000 tonnes
of it a year.
Following the conclusion of the agreement, India will be the first country to buy Australian uranium
without being a signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.
India asked to promote cooperation among countries to counter terror
At the G-20 summit, India called for a comprehensive global strategy to delink terror and religion, and
to promote cooperation among countries to counter radicalisation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, We need to involve religious leaders, thinkers and opinion
makers for a social movement against extremism, particularly addressed to the youth.
In a strongly worded address PM Modi hit at terrorism, especially that perpetrated by countries as an
instrument of state policy.
The changing character of terrorism, he said, was visible with the use of cyberspace for recruitment
and propaganda. We dont have a comprehensive global strategy to combat terrorism. And, we tend
to be selective in using the instruments that we have.

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In a possible reference towards Pakistan he said there should be no distinction between terrorist groups
or discrimination between states and the world must act in unison against terrorism, without any
political considerations.
He also highlighted the need to restructure the international legal framework for dealing with the
unique challenges of terrorism and increasing international cooperation in intelligence and counter
terrorism and appealed for early adoption of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism.
G20 vows to step up anti-terror coordination
The G20 pledged stepped up cooperation to combat terrorism, especially the threat from the Islamic
State.
G20 also resolved to develop measures for better information sharing, border management and to
strengthen global aviation security.
The united show also helped ease concerns about the differing tactics being pursued by various powers
in Syria, and their possible disastrous consequences.
To tackle the terrorism, the G20 leaders also pledged to cooperate on preventive measures and
appropriate criminal justice response.
The statement, the first ever political communique, condemned the heinous attacks in Paris and
pledged solidarity in combating terrorism.
It also expressed concern over the acute and growing flow of foreign terrorist fighters and the threat it
poses for all states, including countries of origin, transit and destination.
However, Mr. Obama rules out putting U.S. troops on the ground. Increasing the U.S. ground force
against the IS in Syria and Iraq would be a serious mistake and lead the nation into an unsustainable
strategy requiring along-term occupation in the region.
G20 nations narrow differences on climate change
The worlds largest economies narrowed their differences over the stand on climate change ahead of
theCOP 21 talks in Paris that start at the end of this month.
After intense negotiations on the key issue of whether to mention the aim to limit the rise in global
warming to 2 degrees, they included the two-degree-goal in the G20 communique.
The final text did not specify the target deadline for the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies, taking care
of a major concern for Indian negotiators.
India has done a lot by phasing out subsidies on petrol and diesel but those on fertilisers and power
are apolitically sensitive issue, NitiAayog Vice-Chairman and Prime Minister Narendra Modis G20
Sherpa Arvind Panagariya briefed presspersons just before the release of the G20communique.
The G20 expressed deep disappointment with the continued delay in implementing the IMF quota and
governance reforms agreed in 2010 and urged the U.S. to ratify the reforms as soon as possible.
It also asked the IMF to complete work on an interim solution that will meaning-fully converge quota
share as soon as and to the extent possible to the levels agreed under the 14th General Review of
Quotas.
India, Bangladesh vow to end border killings
Delhi and Dhaka have agreed to bring border killings to an end and stressed greater awareness among
citizens to avert such incidents in the future.
This was decided at the home secretary level meeting between India and Bangladesh, when the issue
of killing along the border came up prominently.

Page 15

India on earlier occasions announced plans to provide the BSF posted along the Bangladesh border
with non-lethal weapons; but that has not happened yet. At the two day meeting, India assured
Bangladesh of sharing intelligence on militancy.
On the first day of the meeting, India had raised the issues of the influx of fake Indian currency, cattle
smuggling, and illegal infiltration, and sought Dhakas cooperation to completely stop these, while
Bangladesh strongly spoke against the border killings.
Home ministries of India and China linked to counter terror
India and China have decided to establish a ministerial mechanism that would, for the first time, link
the two home ministries, filling a vital gap in the overall institutional architecture of the bilateral ties.
The two sides also discussed counter terror collaboration at length, in the backdrop of the Paris attacks,
and other events, including the killing of a Chinese hostage in Syria by the Islamic State.
Communication lines between the two establishments would also be opened to ensure information
flows on aircraft hijacking and hostage situations.
The new mechanism will provide an institutional platform that will cover all issues that impact on the
internal security of the two countries.
The topics include law enforcement, cyber crimes, terrorism, trans-border crimes and drug trafficking.
The first ministerial meeting of this forum is expected in the first half of 2016.
Trade ties top Modi's agenda at Asean meet
Enhancing the existing trade and economic ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(Asean) is top on the agenda of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He will participate in the thirteenth Asean-India and the tenth East Asia summits.
Besides the two summits, the Prime Minister is slated to address the Business and Investment Summit,
where he wants to emphasise the need for closer economic cooperation and investment opportunities.
The Asean today is India's fourth largest trading partner. India, in turn, is the sixth largest partner for
Asean.
Trade between India and the Asean stood at $ 76.52 billion in 2014-15. India's exports to the Asean
were $ 31.81 billion and imports were $ 44.71 billion.
The Asean-India strategic partnership was stated to have acquired further momentum after the
enunciation of the Act East Policy by Mr. Modi at the 12th Asean-India Summit in November 2014.

Page 16

ECONOMY
China's yuan takes another step towards SDR basket inclusion
Chinas currency, the yuan, took another step forward towards joining the elite group of global reserve
currencies when the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) staff recommended that the Chinese
currency be included in the IMF's benchmark foreign exchange basket, a move that will indirectly
benefit India as well.
Managing Director of the IMF Christine Lagarde also endorsed the yuan's inclusion in the IMF's
Special Drawing Rights basket.
The staff of the IMF has issued a paper to the Executive Board on the quinquennial review of the SDR
(Special Drawing Rights).
A key focus of the Board review is whether the Chinese renminbi (RMB), also meets the other existing
criterion, that the currency be freely usable', which is defined as being widely used' for international
transactions and widely traded' in the principal foreign exchange markets.
SDR are not a currency themselves, but are a certain number of rights given by the IMF to countries
who, in a crisis, can draw up on any of the reserve currencies in the basket currently the dollar,
euro, yen and pound.
The inclusion of the yuan in this basket has been endorsed by almost all of the major economies of the
world, including Germany, Britain, France and Italy.
The U.S. was historically cautious about this, but recently softened its stance in September when
President Obama said the U.S. would support China's bid for inclusion in the SDR basket as long as it
met the IMF's technical specifications, which it now has.
India aims to triple its steel production
Union Minister for Steel and Mines Narendra Singh Tomar has said that the country is striving hard to
achieve its target of tripling the current annual steel production of 100 million tonnes by 2025.
Globally, the steel industry is going through a crisis with a fall in production by 2.3 per cent this year.
However, India has been able to show a four per cent increase in production despite heavy imports
from China.
Four new large steel plants would be established in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Karnataka.
Ministry seeks more than Rs. 25,000-cr for urea subsidy bills
The Fertiliser Ministry has sought more than Rs.25,000 crore from the Finance Ministry for making
subsidy payments to domestic urea manufacturers, as it is facing liquidity crunch.
In this year's budget, the government had allocated Rs.72,968.56 crore for fertiliser subsidy, out of
which Rs.38,200 crore was earmarked for domestic urea.
The Fertiliser Ministry is facing shortage of funds for making payments to domestic urea
manufacturers as there were more than Rs.30,000 crore subsidy arrears from the previous years.
The Department of Fertilisers has issued revised energy norms under the new urea policy for existing
25 gas based urea plants in the country, a move that is expected to save about Rs.800 crore in fertiliser
subsidy.
Urea is provided to farmers at a fixed subsidised MRP of Rs.5,360 per tonne. The difference between
the cost of production and MRP of urea is provided as subsidy to manufacturers.

Page 17

Difficulties for the new gold schemes
The government has launched three new schemes to monetise gold in the country the gold
monetisation scheme, the sovereign gold bond and gold coin.
Households in India hold a large amount of their savings as physical assets gold, silver and other
precious metals and real estate.
With very little of the precious metal now being mined in the country, the seemingly insatiable
domestic demand is being met by gold imports.
Hence a two pronged strategy is needed to provide an instrument that would target would be gold
investors and second, to draw out gold lying idle in private hands.
The amount of gold with households is a mind boggling 20,000 tonnes. Even if 5 per cent can be
mopped up through innovative financial instruments based on gold, the domestic demand - estimated
at between 850 and 900 tonnes annually - can be met.
The gold monetisation scheme (GMS) appears to be central to the three schemes. Under the new
scheme, as small as 30 gms of gold can be accepted.
The tenure can go up to 15 years and the scheme pays higher interest rates to depositors 2.25 to 2.5
against one per cent before.
The gold bond scheme is for those investors who buy gold as an investment.
The gold monetisation scheme is no doubt an improvement over earlier scheme. However, gold held
as jewellery will be very difficult to be monetised.
The point has been made several times before that there would be a sentimental objection to parting
with jewellery, which in many households are passed on from one generation to another.
In fact, no gold monetisation scheme can overcome the inhibitions of all would-be investors. People
buy gold with different motivations. Pledging gold to meet seasonal requirements is very common.
WPI inflation at -3.8 per cent, 12th straight month in negative territory
WPI inflation in October was -3.8 per cent, compared with 4.5 per cent in September, the 12th
consecutive month in which WPI inflation was negative.
This was mostly driven by a high base effect, muted commodity prices in India and internationally,
and poor demand in the economy.
The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at -3.81 per cent (provisional) for the
month of October, 2015 (over October, 2014) as compared to -4.54 per cent (provisional) for the
previous month and 1.66 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year, the
government said in a release.
WPI inflation was -5 percent in August. One of the statistical reasons for WPI inflation remaining
negative for so long is the high base effect.
That is, the index numbers in the year earlier period were higher. However, this base effect is coming
to an end.
Besides muted commodity prices, this is also reflective of persisting weak demand conditions in the
economy.
At this point in time all steps should be taken for improving the demand situation in the economy and
bringing pricing power back in the hands of manufacturers.
Canadian pension fund set to pick up 49% in Reliance Infra
Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra) has agreed to sell 49 per cent stake in its
Mumbai-based power generation, transmission and distribution business to a Canadian pension fund

Page 18

for an enterprise value of Rs.15,000 crore,leading to six per cent increase in RInfra shares to Rs.417
in a firm Mumbai market.
RInfra signed the non-binding term sheet with the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments), one of the largest pension fund managers in Canada with C$112.0 billion of net assets
under management.
Specified business was to be carved out on a going concern basis into a separate special purpose vehicle
(SPV), in which RInfra would own the controlling 51 per cent stake.
This move is significant as the enterprise value comprises Rs.7,500 crore in debt and equity each,
meaning Rs.7,500 crore of debt goes of from RInfras book directly to the SPV and the company will
get another Rs.3,500 crore from PSP Investments for the 49per cent stake.
Emerging market fund managers bearish on India
For the first time since October 2014, India has fallen out of favour among emerging market and Asian
fund managers with its rating falling to neutral from being the most overweight.
China has replaced India as the economy on which fund managers are most bullish on, as per the fund
manager survey released by the Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
The change in view towards India is already being witnessed in the form of an overall slowdown in
foreign fund flows into the domestic equity market.
For instance, in 2014, Indian equity markets saw net foreign flows pegged at Rs. 97,054 crore ($14.73
billion), as per data provided by the National Securities Depository Ltd. (NSDL). The benchmark 30
share Sensex has lost nearly 6 per cent in the current calendar year.
Greece strikes deal for 12-billion bailout funds
Greece has reached agreement on bailout, including the 48 additional measures. This should allow the
12 billion to be paid out.
A Greek government source said the compromise reached will protect around 60 per cent of indebted
households from having their primary residence seized.
The Greek government had sought to protect more than 70 per cent of families at risk of losing their
homes, while creditors had initially been willing to exclude no more than 20 per cent from seizure.
The government is to submit the agreed measures to parliament later Tuesday for a vote on Thursday
India's Internet user base to touch 402 mn by December, surpassing U.S.
The number of Internet users in India is expected to touch 402 million by December, a 49 per cent
jump over last year, making India home to the second largest online user base after China, according
to a report released by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and IMRB International.
India, which currently has the third largest Internet user base in the world after China and the U.S.,
had about 375 million Internet users in October. By December, India is expected to overtake the U.S.
and also will become the first country to have largest Internet users in a free market democratic setup,
according to the report released.
China leads the pack with more than 600 million Internet users. While Internet in India took more than
a decade to move from 10 million to 100 million and 3 years from 100 to 200 million, it took only a
year to move from 300 to 400 million users, as per the report.
According to the report, 71 per cent male and 29 per cent female are Internet users in India. The Internet
usage among males has been growing at a rate of 50 per cent while it is growing at 46 per cent for
female users.

Page 19

However, in Urban India, the ratio between male to female Internet users is 62:38. Significantly,
Internet users among females are growing at a rate of 39 per cent compared to 28 per cent among
males.
Internet users in rural India are expected to reach 117 million by December and 147 million by June
2016 on the back of growing penetration of mobile phones in the country. Rural Internet users
witnessed a 77 per cent jump to reach 108 million in October 2015.
The number of active mobile Internet users grew about 99 per cent to 80 mil-lion by October 2015 and
is ex-pected to reach 87 million by December and 109 million by June 2016, the report stated.
CCEA approves 10 per cent stake sale in CIL
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved a 10 per cent disinvestment in Coal India, the
third government stake sale in the companys history
At the companys current market capitalisation, a 10 percent stake sale will fetch the government
around Rs. 21,100 crore.
the disinvestment target of the government is Rs.69,500 crore for this financial year
So far, the government has been able to pare its stake in only four companies Power Finance
Corporation, Rural Electrification Corporation, Dredging Corporation and Indian Oil Corporation
and has earned only Rs.12,600 crore.
The Department of Disinvestment has reportedly asked for the disinvestment target to be brought down
to Rs.30,000 crore. If this happens, then a successful Coal India stake sale could see the government
overshooting its target.
The CCEA also approved a three per cent interest subvention scheme for SME exporters in a move to
boost exports.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Mr.Narendra Modi, has
given its approval for Interest Equalisation Scheme(earlier called Interest Subvention Scheme) on Pre
& Post Shipment Rupee Export Credit with effect from April 1, 2015 for five years,
Cabinet had given its approval to several moves that would empower the National Highway Authority
of India to get stalled projects moving.
The first has to do with allowing NHAI to extend the tolling period for concessionaires who have been
facing project delays for no fault of their own, such as unavailability of land or relevant clearances.
The second involves authorising NHAI to pay compensatory annuities to the concessionaire
corresponding to the actual period of delay, when the delay was not attributable to the concessionaire.
Tata Steel commissions Kalinganagar Steel Project
Indian steel major Tata Steel commissioned the first phase (3 million tonnes per annum) of its 6 MTPA
capacity Kalinganagar Steel Plantthe largest single location greenfield steel project in India in
Odisha
The state-of-the-art plant, which will produce world class flat and lighter, high tensile strength steel.
It is Indias largest blast furnace at 4,330cubic meter with production capacity of 3.2 MTPA.
Two weeks on, Govt. gets just 400 gm yellow metal
Gold Monetisation Scheme,launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this month, has so far
attracted 400 grams of gold. According to official estimates, around 20,000 tonnes of gold worth over
Rs.52 lakh crore is lying idle with households and temples in the country.
If the 13,000 BIS-certified jewellers are allowed to act as collection agents, then there is a hope that
the scheme will take of in a good way.

Page 20

Finance Ministry was requested to allow jewellers registered with BIS to act as collection point for
gold.
Under Gold Monetisation Scheme, launched on November 5, banks were authorised to collect gold for
up to 15 years to auction them off or lend to jewellers from time to time. Depositors will earn up to
2.50 per cent interest per annum, a rate lower than bank deposits.
As far as the scheme is concerned, earnings are exempt from capital gains tax, wealth tax and income
tax.
The designated banks will accept gold deposits under the short-term (1-3 years) bank deposit as well
as medium (5-7 years) and long-term (12-15 years) government deposit schemes.
The designated banks may sell or lend the gold accepted under the short-term bank deposit to MMTC
for minting India Gold Coins and to jewellers, or sell it to other designated banks participating in the
scheme.
To meet the growing domestic demand, India imports about 800-1,000 tonnes of gold annually.
Reliance Group to develop 6,000 MW solar park
Anil Ambani led Reliance Group will develop a 6,000 megawatt Solar Power Park in Rajasthan, a plan
that has potential to attract an investment of Rs.60,000 crore.
The Reliance Group is the pioneers to set up the first largest solar photovoltaic project of 40 MW at
Dhirubhai Ambani Solar Park at Pokhran, Jaisalmer District, in a record time of just 129 days.
Reliance Group was also the first to commission the worlds largest concentrated solar power
project(CSP) of 100 MW.
Centre to auction eight blocks in fourth round
The government will auction eight coal blocks for the unregulated sector,which includes iron, steel,
cement and capacitive power plants in the fourth round of e-auctions to be held in January 2016.
The coal blocks to be put on auction include Brahmapuri and Suliyari in Madhya Pradesh, Bundu and
Gondul-pura in Jharkhand, Gondkhari and Khappa & Extn in Maharashtra and Jaganathpur A and
Jaganathpur B in West Bengal.
These mines together have reserves totalling 1,143.42 million tonnes (MT) and their peak rated
capacity is 12.86 MT. The first three rounds of auctions had fetched over Rs.3 lakh crore, which would
be realised over 30 years by States where the mines are located.
The e-auctions are taking place following the Supreme Court decision last year to cancel the allocation
of 204 coal mines to companies without auction.
Coal India, which accounts for over 80 per cent of the domestic coal production, is targeting one billion
tonnes of coal production by financial year 2020.
Coal imports in India dropped for the third successive month in September by 27 per cent to 12.6
million tonnes as compared to the year ago period on the back on increased domestic production.
CBDT outlines roadmap to phase out corporate tax exemptions
The government announced its roadmap towards phasing out corporate tax exemptions, a commitment
made by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget speech.
The Finance Minister had promised the dual actions of reducing the corporate tax rate from 30 per cent
to 25 per cent in a gradual manner, and the removal of corporate tax exemptions.
Regarding tax incentives with no date of termination, the CBDT proposes a sunset date of March 31,
2017, adding that there will be no weighted deduction with efect from 01. 04.2017.

Page 21

During his Budget speech in February, Mr Jaitley had raised the issue of India's perceived high
corporate tax and large number of exemptions.
Centre committed to boost public spending on infrastructure
The Centre was committed to boosting public spending on infrastructure in the coming years so that
allied sectors such as cement and steel get a boost, leading to greater employment generation, Union
Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman said during the Resurgent Rajasthan
Partnership Summit'.
In a veiled attack on the critics of the NDA Government, Ms. Sitharaman said Prime Minister Narendra
Modi has been making several trips overseas to lift India's image.
Ms. Sitharaman's comments on increase in public spending on infrastructure assumes significance
because some analysts apprehend that owing to the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations and
the consequent increase in the Centre's wage bill in the next financial year.
It is also significant due to the expected reduction of corporate tax rates, the government could be
forced to bring down public expenditure (including in infrastructure) in the coming year to reduce the
fiscal deficit further.

Page 22

SCIENCE AND TECH

The sun shines on India's Aditya
After a seven year long wait, Aditya, Indias first dedicated scientific mission to study the sun is likely
to get a go ahead from the Prime Ministers Office (PMO). The ambitious solar mission will study the
suns outer most layers, the corona and the chromosphere, collect data about coronal mass ejection and
more, which will also yield information for space weather prediction.
The project costs approximately Rs 400 crores and is a joint venture between ISRO and physicists
from Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru; Inter University Centre for Astronomy and
Astrophysics, Pune; Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, and other institutes.
Though the project was conceptualised in 2008 itself, it has since morphed and grown and is now
awaiting clearance with the government. It now aims to put a heavy satellite into what is called a halo
orbit around the L1 point between the Sun and the Earth. This point is at a distance of about 1.5 million
km from the earth. With the excitement about the Mars Orbiter Mission yet to settle down, this could
be the next most complicated feat that ISRO has carried out till date.
In a three-body problem such as this,- with the earth and sun engaged in an elliptical orbit and a
relatively very light, call it massless in comparison, satellite being placed in between there are five
so-called lagrangian points in space where the light, third body in our case, the satellite may be
placed so that it can maintain its position with respect to the two others. One of these is the L1 point,
which is about 1.5 million km from the earth.
Next generation missile to be test-fired
The Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LR-SAM), which can intercept incoming targets at a range
of 80 km, is all set to be test fired from a naval warship.
Navy officials said integration of the missile and all the systems on board the guided missile destroyer
INS Kolkata were complete.
All preparations are done and the test can happen anytime. LR-SAM, also known as Barak NG (next
generation), is being co-developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
from India and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) of Israel.
The missile has been successfully test-fired against a flying target in Israel in November 2014.

Page 23
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SPORTS
Saina enters final
Defending champion Saina Nehwal is just one step away from retaining her womens singles title at
the $700,000 China Open Super Series Premier badminton.
The Olympic bronze medal-list sealed the final spot after notching up a 21-13, 21-18 win over China's
Yihan Wang, a 2011 World champion and 2012 London Olympics silver medal-list, in the semifinals.
Up against one of her toughest rivals, who has beaten her nine times, Saina showed her prowess as she
fought back from 2-4 down in the opening game and prevailed in a gruelling battle in the second to
outclass Wang.
The top-seeded Indian will next take on Olympic champion Li Xuerui of China, an opponent against
whom she has lost nine times and the only wins coming during the 2012 Indonesia Open and Singapore
Open Super Series in 2010.
Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson declares retirement
Retiring Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson said he had simply lost the hunger to play Test cricket.
Johnson said he finalised the decision in the first innings in Perth, when he returned figures of one for
157.
While he admitted his body was sore, he said it was the mental aspect of Test cricket that prompted
the decision
It was a decision which had been on his mind for around 12 months, and especially since Australia's
World Cup win.
Delhi High Court paves the way for DDCA hosting India-South Africa Test
In a respite for Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA), the Delhi High Court paved the way
for holding of fourth cricket Test match of the India-South Africa series at Ferozshah Kotla Stadium
from December 3 to 7.
The Court directed the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to issue a provisional occupancy
certificate for the venue.
The Court directed DDCA to deposit Rs.50 lakh with the municipal body towards property tax dues
within two weeks.
Disposing of DDCA's writ petition, a Division Bench also appointed Justice Mukul Mudgal, a former
Judge of Delhi High Court and former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, to oversee the
affairs of the match.
The Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA), facing numerous corruption related charges from
the Delhi Government, had appealed to the High Court for permission to stage the Test.
Justice Mudgal was asked by the High Court to oversee the conduct of the match.
Maiden gold for Supuksorn
Thailand's Supuksorn Nuntana claimed her maiden gold medal of the Track Asia Cup cycling
championship by lapping Bidiyaluxmi Devi in the women's 3-km individual pursuit.

Page 24

Besides this silver, India also collected a bronze in the event when Rutuja Satpute expectedly lapped
Bangladesh's Shila Farhana Sultana.
An assured bronze came the way of the host when, in the junior section, Aashu Sharma beat Amritha
Reghu-nathan in the 2-km individual pursuit. In the men's and junior men's sections, India drew a
blank.

Page 25

Important Articles From Various

Hope and clarity in Paris (THE
HINDU)
Newspaper
Parisians are no strangers to violence. During the French Revolution in late 1793, the Reign of Terror swept
across the city, killing more than 2,000 supposed enemies of the revolution. In 1871, the city played host to
the largest European urban insurrection of the nineteenth century the Paris Commune in which nearly
10,000 Parisians were slaughtered. A little less than a century later, at the height of the Algerian War in 1961,
terrorism returned with a vengeance. In June that year, the pro-colonial militants of the Organisation Arme
Secrte planted a bomb on a Strasbourg-Paris train, killing 28. And, in October, the brutal police repression
of a pro-nationalist demonstration left up to 50 dead and bodies floating in the Seine.
This violent history has continued in more recent times, with terrorist bomb attacks by Hizbollah and Lebanese
Islamists in 1986 and Algerian Islamists in 1995 during the Algerian Civil War. Most recently, of course, Paris
endured the massacre of Charlie Hebdo journalists, and shoppers in a Jewish superstore, in January 2015.
None of this should take away from the shock that greeted the appalling coordinated attacks in Paris on
November 13, 2015. The death toll and the scale make the latest events some of the bloodiest examples of
terrorism in Europe, along with the Madrid bombings in 2004. For better or for worse, Paris has become
another site in a global conflict that stretches from Mumbai and Peshawar to Bali and Beirut.
Nevertheless, the long history of violence in France can offer some clues into how an already fragile country
might approach another shock to its social and political identity. In particular, three areas should hold our
attention over the coming days and weeks: the implications of the attack for counter-terrorism in France; the
impact on foreign and immigration policy; and the potential for a sharp rightward shift in French politics.
First, the question of counter-terrorism. It may come as a surprise to some, but France was long held up as a
model of counter-terrorist and counter-insurgency strategy. The ruthless treatment meted out to anti-colonial
activists in Indo-China and Algeria in the mid-twentieth century made the French army, police and intelligence
services a model of how to root out terrorism. So much so that the torture of suspected political dissidents
during the Algerian War in the 1950s and 1960s became a permanent blot on Frances reputation (and an
inspiration for Americas War on Terror after 9/11).
This problem of how to build an effective counter-terrorism strategy is directly connected to Frances foreign
policy. France may be a fading, post-imperial power, but it is still more involved in global conflicts than almost
any other European country. In recent years, French forces have fought Islamist movements in Mali, Libya
and Syria. French security services have also been used across the Sahel to protect Frances significant natural
resource extraction operations from Islamist militant groups who have repeatedly kidnapped or killed French
workers. Frances immigration policy is similarly intertwined with its foreign policy. Whether or not the
November 13 attacks were committed by French citizens, foreigners or militants posing as refugees, the events
will inevitably raise serious questions about Frances attitude to immigration and its participation in Europes
Schengen free-movement zone.
Beyond party politics, however, there are reasons to think that the French will find more positive ways to
understand or explain what has just happened to them. After all, a history of racism and inequality has not
Page 26

stopped France from becoming a complex, multicultural and mixed society. Likewise, the French have
repeatedly found ways of discussing their bloody revolutionary and colonial histories despite the enormous
controversy it has provoked. And, for all the intolerance, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, the vast majority
of French people since the 1980s have learnt to live with Europes largest Muslim population and become
more open to foreigners in their midst.
Lets be realistic on FDI (The HINDU)

In yet another significant move to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), the government has opened the door
wider in several major sectors of the Indian economy, through what it calls path-breaking amendments in
the extant FDI policy. These amendments can be clubbed into three categories: a radical change in the FDI
regime in the construction sector; an increase in the threshold of foreign participation (the so-called sectoral
caps) in several key sectors, including defence, broadcasting, private sector banks, non-scheduled air transport
service, ground-handling services, and credit information companies; and simplification of the procedures for
foreign participation in a number of sectors.
The scope for FDI has been widened over the years, a move that has been predicated on the understanding
that India needs to attract a large amount of foreign investment and that FDI needs to be regulated only in
areas which are of strategic importance, or which have implications for national sensitivities. The
announcement made on November 10 should, therefore, be seen as another attempt by the Indian government
to attract sizeable volumes of foreign capital by easing the procedures, which, in its view, were limiting these
inflows. But as it makes its best efforts to catch the attention of foreign investors, the government may also
like to consider the global realities and its own experience in this regard, since the country turned investorfriendly some two decades back.
First, globally, FDI flows of all hues have not been growing, especially from the developed countries. The
reality is that the developed countries are reaping the benefits of their past investments. Real outflows from
them are far less than what the aggregates suggest. Reinvested earnings (profits generated and retained in host
countries) are bolstering the reported FDI flows. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD), the share of reinvested earnings is reported to have accounted for as much as fourfifths of total outflows in 2014 for select developed countries. A mere 10 per cent of total inflows were
accounted for by direct equity flows, with loans making up for the rest. Obviously, further opening up by India
cannot help attract more FDI that would not have come otherwise. Even if some additional inflows come in,
they would soon be more than offset by outflows.
Another important factor is the costs associated with FDI, especially the servicing burden and crowding out
of domestic investment. Developing countries like India have reached out to FDI not merely because of the
capital they need, but more importantly, for the technologies to make their entities more competitive.
However, experience shows that while developing countries have not been able to acquire the technologies
they need, they have had to make a variety of payments for use of intellectual property. In fact, for India,
the servicing burden of FDI in terms of repatriations, dividend payments and payments for use of intellectual
property is now showing up prominently. About half of the inflows into India during the past six years were
balanced by outflows. What are reported as payments for technology could, in fact, be disguised dividends
which deny the exchequer and the public shareholders their due. Foreign companies which did not pay

Page 27

dividends for many years are happily sending remittances abroad on account of royalty payments, including
those for the use proprietary brand names.
There was a special mention in the new policy announcement about the construction sector and the need to
build 50 million houses for poor. This once again reveals that not much thought has been given to the nature
of foreign investment that the sector has attracted so far. A vast majority of investment in this sector is by
private equity investors and Indians bringing back (black) money in one form or the other. The forms of
investment that the construction sector has attracted raised several pertinent questions. Will private equity
investors, who seek multiple returns, and returning Indians invest in housing for the poor, or in townships for
the rich and the upper middle class and commercial complexes? When the private equity investors encash
their investments, what would be the net outflow? In this context, it should be pointed out that
disinvestments/repatriations were more than a fourth of the total equity inflows during 2009-10 to 2014-15.
Indian subsidiaries of foreign companies in the manufacturing sector run a huge deficit on trade account. The
data released by the Reserve Bank of India shows that there is large dependence on imported inputs. Together
with other payments and expenditure on other heads, the overall effect on the countrys balance of payments
could be substantial. This phenomenon could have significant implications for the Make in India programme.
Many Indian entrepreneurs have now turned into part-traders of imported consumer durables. Without
changing the overall policy landscape and attitude, India cannot expect to make a success of Make in India
with the help of FDI alone. The new measures in no way address this vital issue. FDI cannot be a substitute
for domestic resource mobilisation, and FDI policy cannot be a substitute for prudent domestic policies.
Policymakers need to take cognisance of the fact that it is domestic investment which has provided an
overwhelmingly large share of Indias capital formation and has, therefore, been instrumental in pushing up
the countrys growth rates. India should be careful not to create two classes of investors wherein the foreign
investors, including returning Indians, are given disproportionate advantages. Even UNCTAD had underlined
the large amount of losses to the exchequer of developing countries ($100 billion a year) due to the routing of
FDI through tax havens. While bringing all related policy measures together, especially the Foreign Exchange
Management Act rules, as proposed by the new policy is certainly a welcome step, the Indian government
needs to take a realistic view of what foreign investors can do to shape the destiny of an emerging economic
powerhouse.
Road from Paris for G-20 (THE HINDU)

The terrorist attacks in Paris have given the world the necessary urgency for a united fight against Islamic
State (ISIS). Given their scale and specifics, the global response was bound to be swift and collaborative. In
the event, the G-20 summit in Antalya, Turkey became a timely platform to launch this fight. As leaders of
the worlds biggest economies gathered, it was heartening to see the pull-aside meeting between U.S. President
Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who set aside their differences to speak about a common
strategy to target ISIS. Until last week, the two had been pitted on opposite sides, with western-backed rebel
groups and Russian-backed Syrian forces engaging in what many feared could spill over into something much
larger. Besides getting the U.S. and Russia on the same page, it will be equally important that G-20 leaders
take away from the summit a commitment on stopping all the routes of finance and arms to ISIS. This is
important because in the past, ISIS, or Daesh, has benefited from the worlds disunity over policies on Syria,
which meant that countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey were able to arm, support and supply
Page 28

fighters for anti-Assad rebel groups in Syria, support that eventually found its way to ISIS that has become a
dominant force in the area. Europe, especially France and the U.K., as well as the U.S. have been guilty of
turning a blind eye to this support for several years, in the hope that they would see Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad toppled. Unless the G-20 agrees to stop all such support, put aside its concerns over Mr. Assads
regime and target ISIS in a concerted manner, all the outrage over the attacks on Friday will not produce
results.
It is here that India, thus far silent on the Syria question, is now trying to have its voice heard with Prime
Minister Modis intervention at the G-20, where he proposed a 10-point strategy to tackle terrorism together.
These include obvious actions on isolating sponsors of terrorism, monitoring cyberspace and financial
activities, and cooperation and intelligence-sharing across the world. It also includes the demand for the UN
to finally push through the comprehensive convention on international terrorism (CCIT), that India proposed
in 1996 and has since demanded consistently, especially in the wake of 26/11. Movement on this convention
has only been held up because countries remain disunited on their definitions of terrorism. ISISs actions
should clarify that definition. States or groups that carry out attacks on non-combatant civilians must now face
the worlds unequivocal spotlight, without shadow areas where they may take comfort. The road to the G-20
summits most pressing obligation has come from Paris. It is important that they set the course for action
against ISIS in the next few weeks, till world leaders meet again, at the COP21 summit in Paris, and complete
the circle.
Gujral doctrine for Modi darbar (THE HINDU)

India is a humongous economic and geopolitical presence in South Asia. Yet, since Independence, it has
maintained certain humility, in the knowledge that it houses some of the worlds largest pockets of poverty. It
has been well-aware of its weaknesses in governance, and also that its smaller neighbours are ahead in of it
many human development indices, including infant and maternal mortality rates. As India becomes insular
vis--vis its neighbours, it seems to forget that its neighbours are not going to compromise on their sovereignty.
If ultra-nationalism gains ground in New Delhi, it will only escalate further in the neighbouring capitals
where the easy path to ultra-nationalism has always been through opportunistic anti-Indianism.
It is India that should be showing the self-confident path of soft nationalism, leading towards open borders
and symbiotic economic growth. Before all else, this would benefit the densely peopled peripheral States in
the country, in the arc from Rajasthan to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam. However, India under
Modi seems to want to go it alone, preferring standalone bilateral relationships with its neighbours to a South
Asian regionalism a concept which is still in its infancy. The Akhand Bharat idea does not jive with the
concept of independent countries in cooperation, envisaged by the South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC). Neither is it in consonance with the sub-regionalism promoted by the Bay of Bengal
Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). The idea may be good for a
centralised Indian polity run from New Delhi, but not for an India that seeks a federal devolution of powers.
In this regard, one person whose thinking was far ahead of his times was ex-Prime Minister Inder Kumar
Gujral, who in 1997, had propounded a policy to manage relationships with Indias neighbours. What came
to be known as the Gujral Doctrine was a policy which sought friendship on the basis of sovereign equality
and non-interference, with non-reciprocal magnanimity towards the smaller countries such as Bangladesh,
Nepal and Sri Lanka. The doctrine drew ab initio scepticism from New Delhis national security establishment
Page 29

and today lies in the geopolitical dump. And yet, it was an earnest attempt to extricate India from ultranationalism and make regionalism work for peace and economic upliftment of people in the entire
subcontinent. Indeed, the doctrine sought to reconcile our present reality of nation states to the fluid and
syncretic history of South Asia.
While the Gujral doctrine was empathetic, the Modi Doctrine is a mix of political calculations, a complete
control over diplomacy by the Prime Minister, and an enthusiastic willingness to front for the Western world.
It is totally uncaring towards the sovereignties and sensibilities of the neighbouring countries and marked by
a complete lack of historicity and economic foresight. Some of this may have to do with Mr. Modis previous
tenures in State politics, which perhaps make him oblivious to what makes sovereign entities different,
whatever their size. Mr. Modi seems in a rush to fit South Asia into the narrative of the great destiny of
Akhand Bharat, thought to have been truncated by the rise of nation-states. As I write this, Nepal is facing
the brunt of Mr. Modis ire and being made a testing ground for the new doctrine.
There are also disturbing similarities between Mr. Modis personal style and that of Indira Gandhi, who too
eschewed the collegial leadership of the party and the administration, and was not averse to adventurism, if it
served to buttress her political career. This was reflected in the appropriation of Sikkim in 1975 and her
repeated use of the self-serving foreign hand trope. One wonders what would happen for South Asia policy
if Mr. Modis losing streak continues in State elections beyond Delhi and Bihar. Mr. Modis record thus far
belies the thinking that autocrats, like Richard Nixon and Pervez Musharraf, tend to be more likely to reach
out to adversaries than liberals. He mouths platitudes on a common destiny, but reneges on his cooperation
the moment it seems to go against his personal agenda. It is true that Pakistan has been a recalcitrant member
of the SAARC, but Mr. Modis response has been to disengage with it altogether. The relationship between
the two nuclear weapon powers has seen a freeze, with no constructive engagement, not even Track Two
dialogues.
The West, meanwhile, is cosying up to Mr. Modi in a bid to tap into Indias market and to prop up New Delhi
as a bulwark against Beijings ambitions. A part and parcel of this is what looks suspiciously like an
outsourcing of its South Asia policy to New Delhi evident in the agreement between David Cameron and
Mr. Modi last week that senior officials will hold annual dialogues to discuss South Asia, as if the region were
functioning under the guardianship of India. The lack of cross-border empathy seems to epitomise Mr. Modis
mindset. He talks about connectivity among South Asian countries in highways, energy and telecom. He even
wants to launch a SAARC satellite, a welcome idea, yet thinks nothing about blockading a country which is,
by far, the friendliest of Indias neighbours and with which India has had an open border for decades. The
entire machinery of Indias Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has been activated to convince the world that
this is not a blockade. To be unhappy with Kathmandu is one thing, to do something this drastic about it is
quite another.
How does this evident desire to evolve as a patron rather than as a member of the South Asian comity sit in
with New Delhis great power ambitions? Surely, New Delhis intelligentsia realises that a permanent seat in
the Security Council cannot happen in this particular South Asian context, in the absence of a steady and
optimal amity between the regional countries. The diplomats and academics at the think tanks surely realise
this, but the Modi blunderbuss seems to have them cowed and cowering. In contrast, Narendra Modis
trajectory seems one with the intent to foist a patron-client relationship on Indias smaller neighbours, and if
that requires misinformation and a challenge to international law and basic decency, so be it.
Page 30

Meanwhile, Indias lack of empathy keeps it away from learning from the success stories of its smaller
neigbours: like Bangladeshs examples of service delivery and cyclone preparedness; Pakistans show
resilience against sectarianism, political violence and impossible geopolitical odds; Sri Lankas fight against
autocracy and its development indicators; and Nepals experiments with FM radio, local government and
community forestry. The ultra-nationalism within the small neighbouring countries tends to coagulate into
anti-Indianism, but the civil society in each country tries constantly to shed this particular image. It does not
help when New Delhis establishment speaks the language of jingoism and xenophobia; it is self-defeating
and makes the region as a whole brittle and destruction-prone. Foreign policy should not in this day and age
be a foil for the political ambitions of individuals. More importantly, the goal of regional and international
policies has to involve promotion of economic growth and prosperity for ones own citizens. For this reason
alone, Narendra Modi must adjust the sails of his policy on South Asia. Had he been with us, Gujral the sage
would undoubtedly have suggested a pullback.
Defining terror, evolving responses (THE HINDU)

France faced its 26/11 moment. During three hours of indiscriminate killings that have already claimed 129
lives, the city of lights was shrouded in the darkness of terror. Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility,
threatening more such attacks. President Francois Hollande responded by calling it an act of war and has
vowed to respond without mercy. A state of emergency has been declared and movement across French
borders curtailed. There has been an outpouring of sympathy across the world, reflected in the We are all
Parisiens vigils. Monuments across the world were lit up in the French colours. Leaders at the G-20 summit
in Turkey observed a minute of solemn silence and pledged (once again) to strengthen and coordinate their
efforts to combat terrorism. Eleven years ago, the world had responded in similar vein in March 2004, when
a series of simultaneous bomb blasts on four commuter trains in Madrid killed 191 innocent people. Some key
suspects died in an explosion in three weeks later as the police closed in and 21 persons were convicted in the
trials that followed. Just a year later, the July 2005 suicide attacks in London on three underground train lines
and a bus that led to 56 casualties made the world empathise with the Londoners. Yet, despite statements and
declarations, coordinated action has been lacking.
Unlike the first generation migrants who focussed single-mindedly on economic betterment, the second
generation has been more susceptible to radicalisation, particularly after the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.
Though France opposed the invasion, in the ensuing polarisation between the West and Islam, France was
seen to be firmly in the Western camp. Muscular interventionist policies pursued by Presidents Nicolas
Sarkozy and Mr. Hollande in Libya, Mali and now Syria have also contributed to the alienation of the Muslim
youth. Following the 2008 economic crisis, general unemployment in France has risen to 10 per cent but
among the Muslims, the unemployment rates are nearly twice that. Given the concentration of Muslim
communities in and around certain urban agglomerations (like Paris, Marseilles and Toulouse), networks of
mosques and Internet cafes have linked up with jihadi networks in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Iraq and
now Syria. Like in Merahs case, radicalisation of the Kouachi brothers had also taken place during visits to
these countries. Today, more than a thousand French nationals are reported to have gone to Syria as IS recruits,
the largest number from any European country, matched perhaps only by the U.K.
France has been proud of its rather strict separation of the Church and the State, first legalised in 1905 and
then enshrined in its subsequent Constitutions, as the concept of laicite or secularism. This was further
Page 31

strengthened by the 2004 law which prohibited the ostentatious display of religious symbols in public
institutions. The law alienated sections of the Muslim population as it prohibits the wearing of the hijab which
was becoming increasingly visible in French cities, causing concern. However, to be fair, the law was equally
applicable to Catholics wearing a large cross, Jews wearing a yarmulke (Jewish skull cap) and Sikh boys
wearing a turban in publicly-funded institutions.
Yet, all these traditional policy measures have not prevented an alienation of large sections of the population,
with its attendant risks of radicalisation. One reason is that these policies operated within national boundaries
and failed to take into account the appeal of the ideology of global jihad. Western intervention in traditional
societies has led to the dismantling of the state rather than making it more accountable. Al-Qaeda was
incubated in the jihad sponsored by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Inter-Services Intelligence
(ISI) in the lawless Af-Pak region. The IS was born in Iraq following the disastrous U.S.-led intervention and
has morphed into a Caliphate, aided by Western interventions in Syria and elsewhere, together with the virus
of sectarianism within Islam introduced by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. Lacking the necessary political
space and resources, moderate Muslim leadership has often remained a helpless spectator to this hijacking of
Islam. Military action in Syria and Iraq by itself cannot decimate the IS just as drone strikes have not
eliminated Al-Qaeda.
Another key reason for the failure is that the people in the West and the international community did not feel
the same solidarity when Beirut or Ankara or even Mumbai were subjected to terrorist attacks, though the
Mumbai attacks have now become the preferred model adopted by the terrorists. In fact, intelligence agencies
in many of these countries had concluded after Mumbai that a simultaneous attack on multiple targets with
suicide bombers and gunmen in crowded urban centres was going to be the biggest threat that they needed to
prepare against. Yet, effective international coordination has been missing, though, for over a decade, world
leaders have pledged to deal with this global threat at every summit gathering. We can continue to seek a
primary cause Western interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, the dubious Arab Springs, the anti-Soviet
jihad, the seizing of the Grand Mosque in Makkah in 1979, the Iranian Revolution or the Sykes-Picot pact of
1915. But the fact is that history knows no beginnings; policies create beginnings and policies are made by
political leaders. A simple definition of terrorism would be a good place to start.
A way to judicial independence (THE HINDU)

By striking down the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act and the 99th Constitution
(Amendment) Act as unconstitutional, the Supreme Court has, once again, focussed public attention on the
process of appointment of judges to the higher judiciary. Neither the Executive-appointment model, which
prevailed till 1998, nor the judges-appointing-judges (Collegium) model, as practised till recently, have been
found satisfactory to preserve the independence of the judiciary while promoting efficiency and accountability
in the system. The court is now hearing views and suggestions from the government, the bar and civil society
on how to reform the process while keeping control over the appointment of judges with the judiciary itself.
Under the scheme of the Constitution, the final interpreter of the law is the court, not the legislature or the
executive. Judicial independence is, therefore, central to democracy because it is the judiciary which helps the
realisation of the Rule of Law and protection of human rights. But the concept of independence is a complex
one which subsumes in it concepts like impartiality, accountability, efficiency and respect for other institutions
of governance. In this regard, one has to distinguish individual independence from institutional independence,
Page 32

adjudicative independence from administrative independence, as well as actual independence from perceived
independence. These relationships have to be factored in while appointing judges to the higher judiciary.
Admittedly, a judges personal independence is incomplete unless it is accompanied by the institutional
independence of the judicial branch. The idea of a separation of powers is related to the latter aspect of
independence.
The pool of eligible candidates for judicial selection is partly determined by the Constitution. The Constitution
does not speak about standards of integrity, propriety, competence, independence, etc. as qualifications
essential for judicial selection. Apparently, they are taken for granted and left to the selectors to assess them
by whatever means available to them. Collegium judges say they know the qualities of the men and women
practising before them and no one else can claim better knowledge about this. One may then ask how wrong
appointments have been made by the collegium judges; what the procedures they employed were to verify
their knowledge on attitudes and values of prospective candidates and how fair they were; what the pool of
candidates from among whom they made their selection was, whether it was fair to those outside the pool, and
whether they were still eligible. If these justifiable questions have to be addressed in the selection process,
there has to be a verifiable method of creating a pool of eligible persons for consideration. The system of
examination and interview employed in the selection to the lower judiciary is perhaps not acceptable either to
judges or to advocates. In the circumstances, a transparent procedure is to prescribe the norms and standards
expected of candidates seeking to be appointed as judges and invite applications from them. Alternatively,
they can be nominated by retired judges, senior advocates, bar councils or bar associations, etc., testifying to
their possession of qualifications prescribed. On receipt of applications, a system of shortlisting based on
comparative merit, again according to pre-determined norms and procedures, can follow to identify those who
are meritorious. Both the original list of applicants/nominees and those shortlisted along with their details can
be posted on the website of the court for a reasonable period to elicit objections, if any, from the government
as well as the public. There can be a technical committee of retired judges to shortlist the applications and to
respond to objections/grievances in the initial stage of selection. This part of the procedure should be open to
Right to Information Act queries as well.
The collegium will then sit to verify and decide the final selection of candidates who deserve to be appointed.
The list of selected candidates can be more than the number of vacancies and also be in the order of merit.
Naturally, personal interaction through interviews may be necessary at this stage to prepare the final list. The
list may be valid for a two-year period and the process can be repeated every two years. There are standardised
psychological tests to measure the extent of integrity, independence, sense of equality and other values
essential for adjudicative independence. The whole process can thus be made transparent and fair and less
prone to abuse. Naturally, the process is long, time-consuming, technical and professional, which sitting
judges of the collegium cannot undertake by themselves. Hence the need for a permanent secretariat.
Given the nature of the procedures recommended, the tasks involved are of a continuing nature involving
professional and technical expertise to be supported by secretarial services. Small secretariats at the level of
the Supreme Court and High Courts and supervised by collegium judges become necessary for the purpose.
They will have a small technical panel of retired judges known for their integrity, efficiency and independence
to gather from High Courts the positions to be filled, to invite applications/nominations from eligible
candidates, to do the shortlisting according to the norms and standards set by the law/collegium, and to respond

Page 33

to objections and queries, etc. from the public/governments. They will prepare a manual for streamlining
procedures and develop software to digitise and expedite the processes.
As judicial independence is both an individual and collective responsibility, it is important to involve the full
court in the selection, appointment and transfer processes of judges. Towards this end, it is necessary to
broadbase the membership of the collegium. As most High Courts have nearly 50 or more judges, and their
numbers are increasing, it is not possible to have the entire body of judges sitting in the collegium to deliberate
on issues of appointments. At the same time, it is not acceptable to have the Chief Justice and two or three of
his senior colleagues only deciding the issues which are of importance to the entire body of judges. As such,
broadbasing the collegium by accommodating all judges on a rotational basis is something that has to be
evolved. It is possible to enlarge membership of the collegium in each High Court and Supreme Court to a
third of the total strength of the court. Such an enlarged body has possibilities of being inclusive of women,
minorities, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and therefore promotive of the constitutional goal of
social justice in judicial appointments as well. A third of members can retire every two years thus bringing
into the collegium fresh minds and wide representation.
It is difficult to accept the theory that all advocates selected through the processes prescribed will turn out to
be competent judges from the day they join the high bench. According to a study, it takes five to 10 years for
an advocate to transform himself/herself into becoming a competent judge. The duration can possibly be
reduced through institutionalised education and training. In addition, the time for an All India Judicial Service
has come and the government should legislate for the purpose. Let the window of opportunity provided by the
Supreme Court in looking at suitable procedures for selecting judges be utilised to push for other structural
changes necessary in order to give the country a judicial system which will decide disputes competently, and
in reasonable time and expense.
Holding power to account (THE HINDU)

The Right to Information (RTI) Act has completed 10 years of implementation. According to a conservative
estimate based on the Information Commissions annual reports, there are at least 50 lakh RTI applications
filed in India every year. The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative used the data to estimate that just under
1 per cent of the electorate uses the RTI every year. Over the last decade, at least 2 per cent of the Indian
population has used the law. For a law that requires proactive initiative, those are extraordinarily high
numbers. Despite all our justified complaining about poor implementation, bureaucratic resistance,
interference, absence of political and administrative support, threats against users, and attempts at dilution,
people have fiercely owned the law like no other. They have defended it against every attack and put it to
sustained use.
Many people have tried to understand why the RTI has become so popular in India. Why does use of the law
continue to spread despite the odds stacked against the users and applicants? What converts individuals into
users and users into activists? In the unequal battle of trying to hold power to account, perhaps it is the real
empowerment and sense of hope that the RTI offers to every citizen. People need to hope. About two decades
ago, writer Arundhati Roy made a passing comment on why peddlers of salvation, despite their unattainable
promises, attract so many people. They actually peddle hope. We want to be reassured that we can do
something to set things right. Bollywood films with happy endings, where the single and determined fighter
takes on all that is evil, are not only three-hour escapades but indicators of our need to hope. The human desire
Page 34

for dignity, equality, public ethics, and the capacity to enforce these even to some extent needs an outlet. RTI,
in many ways, offers that measure of hope.
In the world of democratic politics, people face the bleak scenario of political, economic and social promises
being twisted to serve personal profit. Occasionally an election re-infuses great hope. But political leadership
apart, the long march of attempting to make constitutional promises of equality and liberty is part of the daily
survival of millions of Indians. People struggle every day to establish some reason in dealings in public life
with assertions of citizenship, entitlements, and ethics. Discussions and deliberations within such groups and
collectives gave birth to the process and principles of the RTI movement. The genesis of the RTI addressed
issues of constitutional rights: empowering individuals and collectives to demand answers from a corrupt
government.
A decade gives us an opportunity to see what RTI is doing to the much larger processes of change. These are
matters not of law, but of culture, of equations of power, and of unquestioned norms. It is very rare that one
gets an opportunity to not just ask a question but change the basis of questioning. Without specifically
attempting to change relationships in society, the RTI has begun to do just that. Without debating the
hierarchies of who can ask questions and who must provide answers, the Act has begun to encourage a culture
of asking questions. We are far from being an open society, but the RTI is opening our minds to what such a
society might be. Its not often that one can see the impact of a law in terms of its social and philosophical
implications. The RTI is a process of dismantling illegitimate concentrations of power. We can expose the lies
and the cheating, not merely in monetary terms, but unravel the promotion of conflict and exploitation of the
poor.
The RTI is messy, untidy, incomplete, and, of course, imperfect. But that is its strength: it acknowledges
contention and builds its own theory of relativity. There are many perspectives on each issue. The RTI provides
a platform for each view to engage with the other on the basis of a shared logic. It can help us escape from
policy paralysis, and build a more informed, equitable and robust decision-making process. It is widely
acknowledged that we are becoming a consumer-oriented, competitive society. In fact our capitalist
framework seems to encourage it. Should we not also acknowledge other forces in society that are encouraging
us to demand answers of the powerful, use truth as a basis of demand for change, and provide tools that
strengthen the weak and make the strong accountable?
Lets imagine for a moment that India had not passed the RTI a decade ago. What would it be like today? Not
just a less accountable, more corrupt, opaque government, but also a far more discouraging and despairing
country. Despite what the sceptic said in Beawar 20 years ago, India has passed a strong RTI law. The people
of Beawar held a meeting to celebrate ten years of the RTI, and said they had not dreamt how far this would
go in 20 years. Subsequently, the Municipal Corporation of Beawar passed a unanimous resolution to build a
memorial at the spot at Chang Gate where the 40-day dharna took place in 1996, launching the RTI movement
in India. Its foundation stone was laid on October 13 this year. To have a city celebrate a law and identify
itself with it is a sign of strong and sustained citizen activism. To have that sense of ownership spread across
the country should give the Indian citizen some hope of what the next ten years might bring.

Page 35

Planning for the next flood (THE HINDU)

Cyclonic storms on Tamil Nadus 1,076-km coastline are not unusual, and at least once in two years there is
some disaster or the other. The common thread running through every such instance is that all claims of
preparedness are invariably exposed as either hollow or woefully inadequate. The focus, as well as any claim
to administrative efficiency, is solely on rescue and relief operations. What the government is able to
demonstrate is only some good mobilising of human and material resources after the event. Rarely is there a
reconsideration of the policy of civic planning, especially the tendency to place real estate and commercial
interests above those of nature and ecology. The latest disaster to hit Tamil Nadu was not a cyclone, yet it
highlighted the inadequate level of preparedness. The inundation in Chennai and its neighbouring districts
exposed all the flaws in its urban planning, housing and real estate policy and water management. Scenes of
large sheets of water spread across hundreds of localities, cutting off tens of thousands of people from the rest
of the city, provided grim testimony to the appalling mistakes of the past. As rain battered the city, it was clear
that the drainage system was either too weak or non-existent. Compounding the problem of urban waste
clogging drains was widespread encroachments that have whittled down the carrying capacity of many water
channels.
A big factor behind the flooding is the rampant construction of buildings on water bodies, wetlands and areas
that were originally floodplains. Large tracts of land in the suburbs have seen a real estate boom. None should
have been surprised by water flowing into such areas, creating islands out of apartment complexes and making
whole colonies resemble fields under irrigation. There is a good deal of official patronage for the establishment
of habitations on lakes and ponds. Even the Housing Board implements such projects, and planning authorities
approve them routinely. Such disasters could have been prevented through planning, curbs on occupation of
water bodies, and pre-monsoon desilting of drains and water channels. A key factor that ought to be taken into
account is that the city needs an intricate drainage system to match its burgeoning development. With the
citys municipal limits expanded in recent years to take in dozens of smaller villages and townships, the only
remedial step can be significantly enhancing civic infrastructure in the added areas. But it is a daunting task
for the government to implement the real solution keeping water bodies free of construction and habitation.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has sanctioned Rs.500 crore for immediate relief, and sought further Central
assistance. The government must also look for sound hydrological solutions to address the shortcomings in
the citys water storage and drainage system, and revisit present policy priorities. There can be no smart city
without intelligent planning.
Vodafone tax dispute: Why an amicable settlement makes eminent sense

(Economic times)
Vodafone has reportedly offered to go for conciliation on its Rs 20,000-crore tax dispute. An amicable
settlement makes eminent sense. Arbitration has made no headway, and is cumbersome. The government
should be content to collect the original tax claim and set aside interest and penalty. The huge capital gain that
Hutchison made while selling its stake in the joint venture telecom company in India to Vodafone was enabled,
in general, by the stable conditions provided by the government to allow smooth conduct of business and, in
particular, by the policy of charging no upfront payment for spectrum, so as to free up telecom service
providers resources for investment in a low-tariff, high-volume business. The government of India is entitled
to a share of this capital gain, in principle.
The only question was if extant law articulated this principle sufficiently in the case of an indirect transfer. It
did, ruled the Bombay High Court; it did not, said the Supreme Court. Hence, the government clarified, with
Page 36

retrospective effect, that it did. The main question is if the transferred company derives value from its
economic activity in India. Conciliation with Vodafone would require similar treatment of other similar cases,
the case for which is strengthened by a ruling of the Madras High Court, If taxes were payable due to a
retrospective amendment, interest for shortfall of taxes is not leviable as the taxpayer can estimate his current
income and related tax liability only based on the law that exists at the time of payment of tax.
This point was endorsed by the Shome committee as well. The government, which has vowed to settle legacy
tax issues, should be pragmatic. Legal wrangles must end. Provided Vodafones offer of reconciliation is being
made in good faith.
Textile industry: What the government can do boost job creation, exports
(Economic Times)
There are few things the government can do in the short run to boost job creation and exports than to remove
assorted constraints on the textile industry, incentivise rational conduct in the sector and assist the mills to
modernise. We are proud of our great tradition in textiles and the intricacy of our handwoven artistry. While
these
need to be encouraged not just preserved it must be recognised as a niche: policy must be reoriented to
strengthen the modern sector, which accounts for less than 5% of the countrys fabric output. This is the
primary constraint on the garments industry. Powerlooms cannot produce the enormous quantities of uniform,
consistent quality needed to service large orders.
Remove the hank yarn obligation. It only serves to fatten the non-salary income of assorted inspectors; yarn
gets wound on cones and diverted to powerlooms in any case. Handlooms just cannot absorb the 40% of yarn
output required to be kept as hanks. Save money on cotton procurement, as the Confederation of Indian Textile
Industry has suggested, by paying farmers directly, if the market price is below the official minimum support
price (MSP), the difference between the prices realised on cotton sales and the MSP. The enormous cost of
public stockholding of cotton and its distribution can be avoided and the money spent to finance the now
defunct Technology Upgradation Fund. Slash the protection given to man-made fibres, so as to boost the
blended fabric and made-ups business. This would also bring down the consumer price index.
The biggest constraint on the textile industry is antiquated labour policy. Strike a bargain with the unions to
obtain flexible deployment in return for better pay and a safety net that includes reskilling during seasonal
disengagement. The high-end of manufacturing is not meant for low-paid, resentful hands, but calls for people
happy with their work. Laws that protect labour are a boon in the current global mood of consumer sensitivity
to how socially and environmentally sensitive their articles of consumption have been during the production
process.
Why India should fret less about exports and focus on boosting investment
instead (Economic Times)
Indias exports declined for the 11th consecutive month in October, but a sharper fall in import of oil, gold
and non-oil products helped keep the trade deficit under check. The decline in non-oil imports is more
worrisome. It means weaker economic activity, including investment, putting a question mark on economic
recovery. The way forward is to fret less about exports and focus on alleviating rural distress and boosting
investment to firm up sagging domestic demand.
India is rapidly integrating with the global economy, and slowing world trade hurts exports. Sops, interest
subvention and enhanced duty drawback are unlikely to work. World trade is expected to trail world GDP
growth this year, even if part of the problem is optics, arising from a strong dollar the impending US Fed
rate hike will only further strengthen the dollar vis--vis the rupee, and make dollar-denominated exports look
Page 37
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smaller. So, the focus must be to raise domestic production and consumption. The government must have
meaningful reforms to step up investment in infrastructure, boost productivity and make the economy more
efficient.
The RBI cautions that investment demand is tepid with a shrinking pipeline of greenfield projects and little
forward movement on the brownfield pipeline. This, in turn, is putting high stress on banks balance sheets.
Structural reforms are needed to kick-start stalled projects. Utmost priority must be given to enacting the
bankruptcy code for speedy and timebound insolvency resolution and liquidation. Redeploying assets in failed
firms will clean up banks books. Banks will start lending afresh, helping the economy grow. The government
should also address farm distress that has led to a decline in rural purchasing power to revive domestic
consumption
G20 summit: India, too, will have to get its act together
While immediate public attention at the G20 summit was focused, naturally, on world leaders reaction to the
terror strikes on Paris, the grouping of the worlds largest economies and heads of key international
organisations moved ahead with its work on trying to bring coherence to the economic policies of different
countries. This is a tedious but necessary, in fact, vital, process. The leaders communiqu, for example,
deplores US failure to ratify the reform of the International Monetary Fund to better represent the changed
economic clout of emerging markets. Soon, it would be Indias turn to be named and shamed, if it continues
to drag its feet on trade facilitation: the leaders call upon all countries to complete work of the World Trade
Organizations outstanding agenda.
On climate change, the G20 has refused to waffle on the objective of containing a rise in global temperature
within two degrees Celsius. The forthcoming Paris meet on climate change will have to see real trade-offs
between common obligations and differentiated responsibilities, to meet this goal set for change in the global
temperature. The G20 has further endorsed the OECD-led move to end tax avoidance by multinational
companies with the help of small countries that serve as tax havens. With reiteration of the G20s commitment
to identifying the beneficial ownership of companies, unavoidable both to stop terror financing and tax
dodging, businesses and businessmen should start a countdown to prepare for such transparency, instead of
hoping this would be a passing obsession. Transparency in ownership and tax will be real.
While not part of the communiqu, the reported narrowing of differences over what to do with Syrias
president Bashar al-Assad between western powers and Russia is a key development. While no one mentioned
Iran in this context, it would be futile to expect a rational solution to the problems associated with Syria,
whether the Islamic State or the flow of Muslim refugees into Christendom, to emerge without Irans
involvement. India should offer its good offices in this regard, but quietly.

Page 38

NITI AAYOG
Capacity building neds for urban local bodies
Managing efficient urbanisation is critical for ensuring that India remains on high growth trajectory and such
growth is sustainable as well as inclusive. Cities as agencies through which development objectives can be
met was realised post the 74th Constitutional Amendment and with the launch of Jawaharlal Nehru Urban
Renewal Mission (JNNURM).As the structural transformation of Indian economy is underway which
essentially means inter-alia a significant shift in its occupational structure in favour of non-farm employment,
managing Indian urban space has emerged as a key priority area for all the stakeholders, to make cities as
engines of economic growth. The intent of the 74thConstitutionalAmendmentAct can be realized only through
the implementation of certain governance, institutional, financial and administrative reforms, which will pave
the way for enhancing service delivery and effective local governance. All of this will be realised with
effective capacity building of the stakeholders involved in achieving the same. Local governments have to be
enabled to respond to challenges faced in the wake of increasing impetus being given to the urban sector.
In order to assess the capacity building needs of the ULBs, the erstwhile Planning Commission, Government
of India assigned a research study on 'A study to qualitatively assess the capacity building needs of Urban
Local Bodies' to National Institute of Urban Affairs, New Delhi under its Socio-Economic Research (SER)
scheme. The study aimed at conducting a reality check on the functioning of urban local bodies by
interviewing all the major stakeholders. These discussions helped in assessing the status of capacity building
efforts in the ULBs, identifying the challenges faced in implementing such efforts and accordingly proposing
measures to build the comprehensive capacity of ULBs.
Experience from around the country suggests that urban local bodies in India need to invest in systematic
knowledge management. Rather than depending solely on capacity building activities that target individual
capacity, the ULB should pursue institutionalization of the capacity that is created. There is a need to include
governance reforms within urban local bodies to complement capacity building initiatives so that the
knowledge can be sustained in the mid- to long-run. Thus there is a need to put in place knowledge
interventions that can create a lasting impact.
The most pressing issues which cut across all the cities range from discord in functional relations between the
ULBs and states, acute shortage of staff (technical and general) at all levels, frequent transfer of officers, lack
of state level resource institutions which would be better equipped to handle local needs (with most capacity
building efforts not based on demand but routine ad-hoc trainings) and absence of dedicated municipal cadre.
The specific capacity gaps identified, though varying widely across ULBs, can be grouped under 3 heads.
These are:
(a) Inadequate skills and capacity of the present personnel at all levels.
(b) Limited availability of personnel with adequate skill sets to execute projects in a sustainable manner and
(c) Absence of suitable institutional framework for supporting continuous skill up gradation etcetera.
Recommendations:
The capacity building of the Urban Local Bodies has to be carried out in a phased manner and includes short
term and long-term strategies. While empowerment of city level Government remains to be a challenge despite
Page 39

this being one of the most important reforms mandated by JNNURM, of particular difficulty is to ensure that
ULBs have adequate staff with requisite skill set.
A Study to Qualitatively Assess the Capacity Building Needs of Urban Local Bodies 2014 The short-term
measures for capacity building basically would include creating enabling framework for the ULBs to hire
required persons from market and to provide funds for this purpose. The other short term measures may
include consolidating information on available training modules, identifying individual trainers and
institutions and conducting training programmes for ULBs. Induction training for key policy makers and
administrators on Urban Management shall be encouraged at all levels. For long-term measures, the broad
policy framework of the Ministry for capacity building is to ensure creation of municipal cadre and to
strengthen the institutional arrangements, which includes involvement of private institutions, encouraging
academic and professional institutions to introduce courses for urban managers, enabling conditions for
creating a professional cadre etc.
There is a need for a Vision and Framework at City, State and National level. At the ULB level, some of the
city specific suggestions, which arose through the discussions, were:
Much of the current training programs, which focus on technical aspects, should be demand driven
and customised to suit the target groups.
Subjects like urban planning, land use and socio economic development should be transferred to the
city governments as mandated in the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act.
Balance of power (roles and responsibilities) should be equal between elected wing and executive
wing. This will ensure better working together towards a common development goal of the city.
Roles and responsibilities need to be defined at all levels leading to lessening of overlapping functions.
Enhancing capacity of 2nd and 3rd tier level officers through proper training will only ensure
responsibility and accountability in delivery of functions.
All capacity building efforts should be addressed through proper resource persons and it should be
designed towards practical knowledge and sustainability.
Cadre structure in municipal services to include municipal services, accounting services, revenue
services, personnel services, etcetera, should be urgently implemented.
A need for an urban sector specialist to be deputed in the Nagar Nigam is felt. If the planning process
in the urban sector is strengthened governance will improve on its own.
At the State level, interventions include:
Setting up new Institutions where required or strengthening existing institutes of urban management;
Making mandatory preparation of a state level capacity building plan as this will help identify the
capacity gaps and needs for the state and evolve a strategy for CB;
Making preparation of ULB level training need assessment plan mandatory, which will be
amalgamated or feed in to the state level CB strategy etcetera. At the Central level the framework for
capacity building can be put in place through a combination of long-term measures such as:
Creation of a separate division or cell for CB at the central level as dedicated leadership is essential
for large scale capacity building programmes to succeed;
Broad policy framework for CB to strengthen the institutional arrangements including involvement of
private institutions, encouraging academic and professional institutions to introduce courses for urban
managers etcetera;
Comprehensive HR strategies at central and state level;
Creating a municipal cadre and providing administrative and training support for it.

Page 40

National Portal of India

Accessible India Campaign : Creation of Accessible Environment for PwDs
For Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) universal accessibility is critical for enabling them to gain access for
equal opportunity and live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life in an inclusive society.
Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 under
sections 44, 45 land 46 categorically provides for non-discrimination in transport, non-discrimination on the
road and non-discrimination in built environment respectively. United Nations Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), to which India is a signatory, under Article 9 casts obligations on the
Governments for ensuring to PwDs accessibility to (a) Information, (b) Transportation, (c) Physical
Environment, (d) Communication Technology and (e) Accessibility to Services as well as emergency services.
The Department hosted the Second Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia
and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Working Group on Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities during
2-3 March, 2015 at New Delhi in association with the UNESCAP Secretariat. This Working Group has been
constituted by UNESCAP Secretariat to monitor implementation of the Incheon Strategy Make the Right
Real for Persons with Disabilities.Goal No. 3 of Incheon Strategy concerns Enhance access to the physical
environment, public transportation, knowledge, information and communication.
It is the vision of the Government to have an inclusive society in which equal opportunities and access is
provided for the growth and development of PwDs to lead productive, safe and dignified lives. In furtherance
of the vision of the Department, it is imperative to launch a Nation-wide Awareness Campaign towards
achieving universal accessibility for all citizens including PwDs in creating an enabling and barrier-free
environment.In this direction, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry
of Social Justice & Empowerment has conceptualised theAccessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat
Abhiyan)as a nation-wide flagship campaign for achieving universal accessibility that will enable persons
with disabilities to gain access for equal opportunity and live independently and participate fully in all aspects
of life in an inclusive society. The campaign targets at enhancing the accessibility of built environment,
transport system and Information & communication eco-System.
A multi-pronged strategy will be adopted for the campaign with key components as (a) leadership
endorsements of the campaign, (b) mass awareness, (c) capacity building through workshops, (d) interventions
(legal frame-work, technology solutions, resource generation, etc. and (e) leverage corporate sector efforts in
a Public-Private Partnership. Department of Empowerment ofPersons with Disabilities will sign MOU with
State to support spreading awareness about accessibility and help create accessible buildings, accessible
transport and accessible websites etc.
Action Plan for 2015-16:
Conducting zonal awareness workshops for sensitizing of all key stakeholders such as government
officers, professionals such as engineers / architects / real estate developers / students and others.
Creation and dissemination of brochures / educational booklets and videos on the issue of accessibility.
Creation of a portal alongwith mobile app for creating acrowd sourcing platform to comprehensively
obtain information about inaccessible places, processing information for approving proposals for
creation of ramps, accessible toilets and accessible ramps etc., and channelizing CSR resources for
creation of accessible buildings and transportation.

Page 41

To develop a mobile application(mobile-App) in English, Hindi and all Regional languages for
locating nearby accessible places across the country.
With the successful launch of the Accessible India Campaign, India will join the rest of the world, as
an inclusive society with universal accessibility, caring for its citizens, accessibility rights and
independent living. Physical accessibility related actions will initiate accessibility to education,
employment and livelihood, which will unleash productivity of 6% population and their economic
contribution in nation building.

Page 42

Ministry of external Affairs

Joint Statement on the 7th India-Brazil Joint Commission Meeting
The 7th India-Brazil Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) Co-Chaired by the Hon'ble External Affairs Minister
Smt. Sushma Swaraj and her Brazilian counterpart H.E Mr. Mauro Vieira, was held in New Delhi on 19
November 2015. Both Ministers underscored the importance of the JCM mechanism in deepening political
dialogue, reviewing bilateral ties, and exchanging views on regional and multilateral cooperation. The
strategic partnership established in 2006 between India and Brazil has deepened with both countries
cooperating closely in BRICS, IBSA, G4, G20, BASIC and the wider multilateral context of the United
Nations. The partnership is based on a common global vision; shared democratic values; and a commitment
to foster economic growth with social inclusion for the welfare of both the peoples. The Ministers agreed that
there should be a mechanism at senior officer level to hold "Foreign Office Consultations to take stock of the
bilateral cooperation, regional & multilateral issues.
The two Ministers reviewed economic and trade relations noting that there remained tremendous potential for
further growth and diversification of bilateral trade. The trade figures show a total turnover for 2014 increasing
by over 20% to US $ 11.42 billion; India advancing from 12th to 8th among Brazil's top trading partners.
However, the Ministers noted that there is unutilized potential which needs to be tapped.
The Ministers urged early holding of Trade Monitoring Mechanisam (TMM) & functioning of CEOS Forum.
India expressed satisfaction with Brazilian investments in spheres such as urban transportation, IT Services
and equipment, footwear, infrastructure, energy, and healthcare materials. Conversely, the Brazilian side
acknowledged that a significant number of Indian companies had invested in Brazil with over fifty having a
physical presence in areas such as oil, renewable energy, mining, engineering, automotive services,
information technology and pharmaceuticals. India apprised Brazil of the relaxed FDI policies & Make in
India initiative inviting more investments from Brazil.
The two sides noted with satisfaction the continued relevance of the IBSA Dialogue Forum and their shared
interest in deepening the dialogue among India, Brazil and South Africa. They agreed to foster the interests of
the South in the context of the global discourse on the reform of the UN Security Council and the IMF,
international terrorism, climate change, sustainable development, WTO and the Doha Development Agenda.
The two sides underscored the priority of streamlining intra-IBSA cooperation, deepening the most promising
streams of cooperation, while enhancing their effectiveness. They also stressed the need to further consolidate
mutually beneficial cooperation on a range of issues in the G2G, B2B and P2P domains. They highlighted the
role played by the IBSA Fund in sharing their developmental experience with other developing countries
through projects carried out in the spirit of South-South Cooperation.
The Ministers expressed satisfaction at the enhanced trade turnover of US $ 11.42 billion in 2014, with an
increase of the order of 20%. At the same time, they acknowledged that there is tremendous potential for
further growth and diversification of bilateral trade. Both Ministers resolved to encourage their respective
industrial sectors, particularly small and medium enterprises to participate in each other's trade fairs, seminars
and business conclaves to enhance trade flows.
Both sides took note of the existing cooperation between their space agencies and welcomed signing of the
Implementing Arrangement and Cooperation Programme in 2014, which enables the Brazilian Ground Station
to receive and process data from Indias remote sensing satellite, RESOURCESAT-2 since October 2014, and
Page 43

interaction between the two agencies by using Brazil's ground station for India's tracking space science
mission.
The Ministers welcomed the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in New York in
September this year, which reinforces the international communitys commitment to achieving sustainable
development in all its dimensions. They recognized that the 2030 Agenda is universal and based on Rio
principles including the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. They reaffirmed their
commitment towards implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in line with their national
priorities.

Page 44

MCQs
NATIONAL
Ques- With respect to Indian citizenship, consider the following statements and mark the correct answer.
a) Overseas citizenship of India is a form of dual citizenship.
b) OCI are given with voting rights recently.
c) PIO can apply for Indian citizenship after being resident of India for 7 years.
A) a, b
B) c only
C) b, c
D) All
Ans B
Ques- Which of the following is correct regarding the pay commission?
a) Pay commission recommendations are applicable to all the services including defence and state services.
b) Justice A.K Mathur is heading the Seventh Pay Commission.
A) b only
B) a only
C) Both
D) None
Ans A
Ques- Consider the following statements and mark the correct answer.
a) The President shall make rules for the more convenient transaction of the business of the Government of
India, and for the allocation among Ministers of the said business.
b) All executive actions of the Government of India shall be expressed to be taken in the name of the Prime
Minister.
A) a only
B) b only
C) Both
D) None
Ans A

Page 45

INDIA & WORLD

Ques- Which of the following statements are correct with respect to ASEAN?
a) India is a founding member of ASEAN.
b) Trade between India and the Asean stood at $ 76.52 billion in 2014-15.
A) a only
B) b only
C) Both
D) None
Ans B
Ques- India and Bangladesh passed a land boundary agreement in 2015, which statements are correct
regarding this agreement?
a) The LBA transfered 111 Indian enclaves to Bangladesh in return of 51 enclaves to India.
b) to give effect to this transfer parliament passed 100th constitutional amendment act.
A) a only
B) b only
C) Both
D) None
Ans C
INTERNATIONAL
Ques- Consider the following statements and mark the correct option.
a) COP 21 will be held at Paris in Nov 2015.
b) Countries came up with INDCs in Lima.
c) The Kyoto Protocol legally binds developed as well as developing countries to emission reduction targets.
A) a only
B) a, b
C) b, c
D) All of the above
Ans A
Ques- Which among the following are the neighbouring countries of Syria?
a) Turkey
b) Iraq
Page 46

c) Egypt
d) Lebanon
A) a, b only
B) b, c and d
C) a, b and c
D) a, b and d
Ans D
Ques- Which of the following statement is correct regarding the Egypt?
A) It lies between Mediterranean sea and red sea
B) It is in between Mediterranean sea and persian gulf.
C) It is in between Mediterranean sea and Atlantic ocean.
D) None of the above
Ans A
SCIENCE
Ques- Diabeties makes people prone to?
A) Heart disease
B) Kidney failure
C) Tuberculosis
D) HIV/AIDS
E) Malaria
a) A and B
b) B,C,D only
c) A,C,E
d) All
ANS D
Ques- Which among the following is not a viral disease?
A) Chickenpox
B) AIDS
C) Measles
D) Diphtheria
Ans D

Page 47

ECONOMY
Ques- Arrange these subsidies by the Government of India in the decreasing order for the year 2014-15.
a) Fertilizer subsidy
b) Food Subsidy
c) Petroleum subsidy
A) a > b > c
B) b > a > c
C) b > c > a
D) c > b > a
Ans B
Ques- Consider the following statements and mark the correct option.
A) CSO publishes the data for WPI
B) Manufactured Products has the maximum weightage in WPI
C) Under Primary Articles non-food items has been given maximum weightage.
D) Food component is around 19 per cent in CPI.
Ans B
Ques- Which among the following is not a feature in Coal Block Allocations and the 2015 Bill?
A) TheBill creates three categories of mines, Schedule I, II and III.
B) Schedule I mines can be allocated by way of either public auction or allocation.
C) Bill also provides details on authorities that would conduct the auction and allotment and the
compensation for prior allottees.
D) Bill is not related to mines whose auction was cancelled by SC.
Ans D
SPORTS
Ques- - In which country All Stars cricket match held?
A) USA
B) Uk
C) Austraila
D) New Zealand
Ans A
Ques- Recently which judge has been given the power to oversee the affairs of fourth match between India
and South Africa?
A) Justice Thakur
Page 48

B) Justice Balakrishnan
C) Justice Mudgal
D) None of the above
Ans C

Page 49
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