Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh Issue Based Current Affairs Week 5 (2016)

Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh Polity related Issues

(Excerpts from Article of Pratap Bhanu Mehta) Gujarat started the debate Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh

To improve democratic participation Vote is not FR but constitutional right Equality – Everyone should vote Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh

 Democratic Paternalism – State knows better  No evidence that it succeeded in other countries  Vote does not signify increase in level of political knowledge  Example of Australia (people were choosing first candidate in the list)  Inverted the democracy (State telling people to come and vote) Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh

 Civil Society to encourage voting  Generate awareness  Empowering women may go a long way (also women representatives) Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh

Case of Haryana and Rajasthan Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh

Education (relatively relaxed norms for Dalits) Sanitation No pending dues to the govt. Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh

Administrative Case  Lakhs of Rupees in grants  Increasing Computerisation  To better coordinate with bureaucracy Progressive Purpose Positive Discrimination Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh

 Absolute belief in idea that education leads to wisdom and good governance  Punishing individual for social failure  Will punish the backwards more (double jeopardy)  No such thing for MPs and MLAs (why only in Panchayats) Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh

 Instead of having qualification for representatives, we can have qualifications for Ministers Supreme Court ruling  Upheld the law  SC says education makes an individual knowledgeable about right and wrong  Will incentivize education and sanitation  State has the power to regulate laws regarding representation in Panchayats Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh

International Relations related Issues Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh

 12 Asia-Pacific countries  An agreement to lower tariffs and open markets  To lift barriers to doing business overseas and boost economic growth  Improve Intellectual property regime  Evaluating the role of government in private enterprise Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh

U.S., Canada, Mexico Japan, Australia, New Zealand Chile, Peru Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam. Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh

 Working on a separate trade agreement with other Asian countries  Separate “bilateral investment treaty”  Seen as part of Obama administration’s efforts to refocus foreign policy in Asia  U.S. point of view : China and other countries are free to join TPP if they’re willing to adopt its rules Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh

 Quicker economic growth  Higher-paying jobs  Trade ties can align countries’ strategic interests and prevent international disagreements. Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh

 Move jobs abroad  Increased competition to domestic market  Sugar, textile and even footwear industry are worried a free-trade deal could affect domestic manufacturers  Dispute-resolution systems in TPP would allow large companies to challenge a country’s domestic laws  (including in areas of consumer protection and environment) Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group, Chandigarh

Issue Based Current Affairs Week 5 (2016) For Regular Updates Visit our Website :