. P R O F I L E PRASHANT MAVANI MSc. in Management, University of Surrey (UK) Senior Faculty: StudyIQ Follow/Contact me: @PrashantTMavani Download PDF notes of this lecture from my FB Page
.P o s i t i v e S t a r t
Adopting a wait and watch approach- The reason is the differing preoccupations in both countries. Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA
Discussion-
- JCPOA eased sanctions helping India increase its oil imports from Iran and reactivate work at Chabahar. President Trump renewed the 120-day sanctions waiver but announced that this was the last time he was extending it. Iran had faithfully complied with the JCPOA (a fact certified by the IAEA) U.S. has imposed multiple and often overlapping sanctions on Iran
- Unrest that erupted in December in Mashhad Russia, China, and the European countries have indicated their full support for the JCPOA. USA is supported by Israel and Saudi Mr. Modi s characteristic diplohugs were missing and the outcome has been modest 9 MoUs The negotiations on the Farzad-B gas field remain stuck Chabahar free trade zone The uncertainties surrounding the JCPOA provide the justification for adopting a wait and watch approach.
Grid stability is key- The ambitious plan to help farmers earn from solar power generation hinges on small details Instead of transmitting electricity to the farmers, the government, to start with, wants farmers to use solar energy to power their irrigation pumps. Council on Energy, Environment and Water 142,000 solar pumps in India. The government is planning to install one million solar pumps by 2021. Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) 28 GW of combined solar capacity through solar pumps.
Solar Pump-
- The advantage of this scheme is that transmission losses and power theft would drop significantly. There is a need to address the issue of grid stability that this injection of surplus power is bound to create. All power grids require balancing. This balancing entails meeting the demand with adequate supply 24x7 to ensure there is no blackout. Because of India s sheer size, the variability factor considerably increases: if some areas have low consumption, others are likely to have high consumption.
Virtue of reticence:the Army chief must exercise restraint and keep away from political statements- Army chief General Bipin Rawat s comments about an inversion in demographics and a planned migration from Bangladesh into the Northeast are unusual by any standards. Self-restraint that has served both Indian democracy and the military well. Neat separation has allowed the Army to maintain its professionalism and retain public trust. Even if such remarks were made in good faith, the point is that they can result in needless controversies that do nothing to promote the Army s strong and fully deserving image of an institution that is above politics.
Canary in coal mine: Opening up the coal sector to private players is a timely reform- India s coal industry was predominantly driven by the private sector after Independence Indira Gandhi government decided to transfer all coal holdings to Coal India through the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973. Key reason: to meet power needs Coal India accounts for over 80% of the country s coal supply. India has a high dependence on coal for power generation.
- In September 2014, the Supreme Court cancelled the allocation of 204 coal mines to public and private players, after the Comptroller and Auditor General of India found fault with the allocation mechanism. Boost energy security, making coal affordable and creating jobs. Blocks are actually offered to private players; they should not just be the mines Coal India isn t keen on. Norms to ensure miners safety must be upgraded.
Police search Kejriwal s house for CCTV footage- Seized recordings were running 40 minutes behind time Around 20 officers of the Delhi police on Friday searched Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal s residence in the Civil Lines area to seize CCTV footage of the alleged attack on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash late on Monday. Around 40 policemen stood guard outside during the operation.
U.S. tightens H-1B approval process, IT firms worried - The U.S on Thursday announced fresh measures to tighten the scrutiny of H-1B visa petitions, mandating fresh documentary requirements for workers at third-party worksites.
Trudeau hints at probe into invitation to Jaspal Atwal - Says presence of Khalistan supporter unacceptable to him Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated on Friday that he would hold officials accountable for the presence of an extremist Sikh sympathiser at events organised in his honour in India. Addressing selected international media here, he said his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi was great, and he had assured the Punjab government of security cooperation.
U.S. inputs nail Pak. diplomat in terror plot- NIA had sought help via Interpol Digital intelligence shared by U.S. security agencies was crucial in establishing the role of Amir Zubair Siddiqui, Counsellor (Visa) at the Pakistan High Commission in Sri Lanka, in the terror plot to blow up vital establishments in India. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday charged Mr. Siddiqui and two others in the alleged conspiracy to attack nuclear installations, defence establishments and the U.S. Consulate in Chennai, among other targets.
Govt. schedules meeting on Lokpal for March 1 - In a turnaround from its earlier position, the government will invite the leader of the single largest Opposition party to attend a meeting scheduled for March 1 to discuss the long-pending appointments to the anticorruption ombudsman, Lokpal. Under the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act of 2013, the highlevel selection committee for appointments to Lokpal comprises the Prime Minister, Lok Sabha Speaker, the LoP, the Chief Justice of India and an eminent jurist chosen by them. The 16th Lok Sabha does not have an LoP as the Congress party failed to get the required 10 per cent membership in the Lok Sabha post the 2014 parliamentary elections.
Pakistan on watchlist for terror financing- The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Plenary on Friday decided to put Pakistan back on the grey list, subjecting it to direct monitoring and intense scrutiny by the International Co-operation Review Group (ICRG) on terror financing, pending further review in June. Pakistan had been on the same list from 2012 to 2015. The move was pushed by four nominating countries: the United States, U.K., Germany and France.
Retiring judge calls for unity in SC- A retiring Supreme Court judge on Friday told his colleagues in his farewell speech on the court lawns that they cannot project a fractured face and make the public lose faith in the highest judiciary. Justice Amitava Roy was speaking at the end of his last working day as judge of the Supreme Court. He is due to retire on March 1.
Leaders break ground on Afghan section of TAPI - Pipeline will unite countries, says President Ghani Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India on Friday ceremonially broke ground on the Afghan section of an ambitious, multi-billion dollar gas pipeline expected to help ease energy deficits in South Asia. The quartet aims to complete the 1,840 km pipeline and begin pumping natural gas from Turkmenistan s giant Galkynysh gas field by the beginning of 2020.
Acidity rise: coral reefs at risk of dissolving - Coral reefs could start to dissolve before 2100 as manmade climate change drives acidification of the oceans, scientists have said. Acidification will threaten sediments that are building blocks for reefs. Corals already face risks from ocean temperatures, pollution and overfishing.
Questions- 1. Highlight salient features of Asia Africa Growth Corridor. Critically analyse its importance for India.
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