Recent Appointments in India

Recent Appointments in India

POSTS/DEPTT.	PERSONS
Foreign Secretary	§  Subrahmanyam Jaishankar took over as foreign secretary §  Replaces Sujatha Singh
New Governers	§  KK Paul - Uttarakhand’s new governor. §  Aziz Qureshi - 15th Governor of Mizoram §  Kalyan Singh - took oath as Governor of Himachal Pradesh §  K K Paul - sworn in as sixth Governor of Uttarakhand
NITI AAYOG	§  National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog. §  Chairman Narendra Modi §  Vice Chairman: Free market  economist Arvind Panagariya §  CEO: Ms.  Sindhushree Khullar (IAS) §  Fulltime Members: Economist Bibek Debroy and former DRDO Chief V K Saraswat.
Air India	§  CMD Rohit Nandan (10 months extension)
DRDO	§  Chief Avinash Chander asked to step down. §  Defense Secretary RK Mathur is holding the charge of DRDO (30-Jan-2015).
BSNL	§  Anupam Shrivastava became new CMD
EC	§  Hari Shankar Brahma, became the 19th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India. He is an Assamese IAS officer from Andhra Pradesh cadre. §  He replaced V S Sampath
Censor Board	§  Pahlaj Nihalani became new chief §  Leela Samson resigned after her decision against Dera Sachcha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim’s movie “Messanger of God” (MSG) was overturned by the appellate board.
Prasar Bharati	§  Chairman Arkalgud Suryaprakash
ISRO	§  A.S.Kiran Kumar replaced K.Radhakrishnan as the new ISRO Chief.
TCA Anant	§  Chief statistician of India.
Railway board	§  New chairman A.K. Mittal.

Read more: http://www.bankersadda.com/

Multinational Bank Slogans/ Punchlines(For IBPS and RBI exams)

Bank Name	Slogan/Punch line
CITI Bank	Let’s get it done
Standard Chartered Bank	Your Right Partner
HSBC Bank	The World’s Local Bank
Royal Bank of Scotland	Make it happen
BNP Paribas	The bank for a changing world
JPMorgan Chase Bank	The right relationship is everything
Deutsche Bank	A passion to perform
Scotia Bank	You’re richer than you think
American Express Bank	Do more
Barclays Bank	Fluent in finance
DBS Bank	Living, Breathing Asia

Key Economy Terms(High frequency)

Some Key Financial Terms for Various Exams

APR: It stands for Annual Percentage Rate. APR is a percentage that is calculated on the basis of the amount financed, the finance charges, and the term of the loan.

ABS: Asset-Backed Securities. It means a type of security that is backed by a pool of bank loans, leases, and other assets.

EPS: Earnings Per Share means the amount of annual earnings available to common stockholders as stated on a per share basis.

Financial Administration: Monetary and fiscal policies; Public borrowings and public debt; Budgets - types and forms; Budgetary process; Financial accountability; Accounts and audit.

FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION:

 MEANING & IMPORTANCE -

As per the definition given by the USA Census department, Financial Administration involves all the activities of finance and taxation. Includes central agencies for accounting, auditing, and budgeting; the supervision of local government finances; tax administration; collection, custody, and disbursement of funds; administration of employee-retirement systems; debt and investment administration; and the like.
So,in simple words Financial Administration  involves :
- all the functions /operations which aim at making funds and finance available for administrative activities of  the government
--all those activities which ensure the lawful and efficient use of the funds/finance.

Actors in Financial Administration:
And these functions are collectively performed by the Executive(asks for funds),Legislature(that has the sole power to grant those funds),Finance Ministry(controls those funds) and the Auditor(to audit whether the funds were used for what they were demanded).

The steps involved in Financial administration are
1-Preparation of the budget for the ensuing financial year
2-Getting it passed by the legislature
3-Executing the budget and collecting the funds for it
4-Managing those funds via the treasury
5-the audit of the Centre and State executive accounts by the Audit authority.

So one can understand the importance of Financial Administration in its element. A balanced and precise financial administration is the base as well as the means to attain successfully all goals of development as well as growth of a country.

MONETARY POLICY:

Monetary Policy is the process by which monetary authority(an authority that controls all matters relating to money) of a country, generally a central bank controls the supply of money in the economy by exercising its control over interest rates in order to maintain price stability,reduce inflation and achieve high economic growth. A sound monetary policy ensures that various sectors of the economy have sufficient tokens/authority to carry out their transactions. It provides the basis to the fiscal policy and the fiscal policy influences the monetary policy and gives it a direction to proceed in.

Monetary policy helps in keeping the money supply and economy of a nation stable whereas the fiscal policy is more involved in development and infrastructural work and policy making and enactment of budget.

Acronym(Jargon) List used by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Our honourable Prime minister used a lot of acronyms before and after election. He highlighted the various unnoticed and popular mischiefs and promoting his development agenda. Although he used many for showcasing the development agenda of the government. Jargons also help citizens to connect with the government. Mr Modi dedicated team is working very hard to create new jargons for different schemes.

                             As a civil services aspirant, for us these jargons are very useful in answer writing. I along with my friends remembered them and used it judiciously in the mains examination. I would classify them in different groups, such that it would be easy to remember and use.

International and Bilateral Relation

For Pakistan

     3 AKs - “Admired in Pakistan”:

         AK-47,

         AK Antony

         AK-49 who floated a new party

• For Bhutan

     “B4B - Bharat for Bhutan.”

       (Bharat for Bhutan and Bhutan for Bharat)

• For Bangladesh

      B2B – Bharat to Bangladesh

     He also used B-2- B --- Bullet to Ballot (Jammu and Kashmir election campaign).

• For Nepal

         4Cs : Constitution

                   Connectivity

                   Culture

                   Coopeartion

• Other One

           HIT: Highways,

                     Informationways,

                     Transmissionways.

• For China à INCH to MILES

Imp Geographical terms(high frequency)

Agro-climatic
The climatic and land resource conditions in totality which are crucial for the development of agriculture and allied economic conditions of a region.

Aquifer
A saturated geological unit (e.g. sands,gravels, fractured rock) which can yield water to wells at a sufficient rate to support a well.

Artificial Recharge to Groundwater
Artificial Recharge to Groundwater means the process by which groundwater reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that under natural condition of replenishment.

Command Area
The area served by a canal system through supply of water for irrigation and other purposes.

Culturable command area
It refers to the culturable land irrigated by a canal system. It is different from gross command area. The later includes all the area served by a canal system including unculturatble.

Biofertilisers,Organic Farming,IPM,GMO(prelims based)

• Biofertilizers are plant nutrients of biological origin like algae, bacteria, fungi which
have no harmful effect on soil and environment.

• Organic farming is a type of agriculture which avoids synthetic inorganic fertilizers,
pesticides, growth regulators and livestock feed additives.Organically grown food products are free from harmful chemicals, or typical flavoursand preservatives.

• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a grand idea to control pest and diseases. This
increases production, sakes the environment from pollution and harmful effects of
pesticides and saves money which is usually spent on buying pesticides.

• Biotechnology technique is used to produce plants by gene transfer (transgenics or Genetically modified organisms) whichcan be a direct answer to grow plants resistant to diseases, pests, tolerant to cold
draught and flooding etc. One can design a plant to suit this condition.

Aptly describes Migration

WHAT I LEFT BEHIND, WHAT I HOPE TO FIND


I left home, to come to school
I left farm, to come to food
I left my cows, my sheep,
But did not have time to weep.
Now I know why I cry tonight
’Cos I know now what I left behind
and today, what I hope to find.
Cities full of cars and bikes
Restaurants and bars and roaring mikes
But I miss the vast sky
and my kites to fly
And my folks, my friends
Seem vanishing trends
So I cry tonight but what shall I gain
Tomorrow I’ll struggle and then day after day again

WPI vs CPI

W.P.I	C.P.I
Wholesale price index measures inflation at each stage of production	Consumer price index measures inflation only at final stage of production
Wholesale price index is the middle point of the sum of all the goods bought by the traders	Consumer price index is the middle point of the sum of all the goods bought by consumers
Wholesale Price Index (WPI), is based on the price prevailing in the wholesale markets or the price at which bulk transactions are made	The Consumer Price Index (CPI), is based on the final prices of goods at the retail level.
There are only few countries that uses WPI to calculate inflation rates	Many nations have already shifted to using CPI.
There are 676 elementary items included in WPI, some of which are insignificant & outdated goods that are considered in WPI	CPI, on the other hand, have well-selected variables.
Category Weights – Base Year is 2004-05 with Energy Products having 14.91% weights, food 14.3% while services are not included.	Category Weights – Base Year is 20105 with Energy Products having 9.49% weights, food 49.7% while services are included with 26.3% weightage.

Reasons for Widening gap between CPI and WPI

Monthly variation between CPI and WPI inflation during January 2012 to January 2013 shows that the direction of the differential is on the rise.

The gap between inflation calculated at WPI (Wholesale Price Index) and CPI (Retail Price Index) has been found widening in the recent months. Monthly variation between CPI and WPI inflation during January 2012 to January 2013 shows that the direction of the differential is on the rise.

WPI inflation has been decelerated to 6.62% in January 2013 from 7.2% in January 2012, however, CPI Inflation has been increased from 7.7% in January 2012 to 10.8% in January 2013.

• The widening gap between prices at wholesale level and retail level could be attributed to supply chain bottlenecks which impede the process of smooth distribution of goods. Post-production hurdles at several levels including storage, packaging, marketing and infrastructure is a major fuel to retail prices
• A second reason may be the high weightage of food prices in calculation of CPI. In the WPI, food articles have a 14.33% weight. In the CPI (Rural+Urban), the food index has a 47% weight.Soaring food prices has been a major issue in India. Inflation in the food articles (WPI) has been increased from 6.7% in October 2012 to 8.8% in November 2012 to 11% in December 2012 and 11.8% in January 2013.CPI for food and beverages rose to 13.3% in January 2013 from 13% in December 2012, 11.8% in November 2012 and 11.4% in October 2012

retrieved from http://www.miraeassetmf.co.in/mailers/mar13/wpivscpi.html

Drought Management.

Droughts had been the grim past of our country.It is so sad to believe that a country which boasts of its GDP is so poor in social sector figures.Malnutrition,Health sector,Women and Infant health show a poinant figures.Agriculture sector which is responsible for  more that 50% employment suffers the most due to droughts leading to imbalance in the whole economy chain.

All said and done I believe following are the steps that can be taken to reduce droughts.--

1) Animal Camps to be promoted and maintainde properly as farmers sell them in their distressed situation.
2)Fodder crops,maize,pulses oilseeds etc which are high value but very less water requiring crops must be given precedence.
3)Seed banks must be opened.
4)Millets and ragi must be included in Public Distribution System progressively.
5)Proper infrastructure chain has to be developed to supply food during drought conditions.
6)Promotion of protein rich food like eggs,poultry etc.

One grave issue is about farmers enthusiasm.In a national weekly, 40% of farmers interviewed said that they would quit farming if they had another option. A grim prospect ,isnt it??

Save Tigers

Wildlife Conservation in India Aiming to Sustainable Growth and Development

Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals, and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative. Wildlife can be found in all ecosystems, Deserts, rain forests, plains, and other areas including the most developed urban sites all have distinct forms of wildlife. While the term in popular culture usually refers to animals that are untouched by human factors, most scientists agree that wildlife around the world is impacted by human activities.

Indian wildlife:-
The wildlife of India is a mix of species of diverse origins. The region's rich and diverse wildlife is preserved in numerous national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country. Since India is home to a number of rare and threatened animal species, wildlife management in the country is essential to preserve these species. According to one study, India is home to about 60-70% of the world's biodiversity. India, lying within the Indomalaya ecozone, is home to about 7.6% of all mammalian, 12.6% of avian, 6.2% of reptilian, and 6.0% of flowering plant species.

Indian Administrative Services(IAS)

The officers of the IAS play a major role in managing the bureaucracy of both the Union Government (Central Government) and the state governments, with its officers holding strategic posts across the country. It is one of the three All India Services (along with the Indian Police Service and the Indian Forest Service)

The Civil Service

History: The Indian Civil Service (Pre Independence)
In 1854, the British rulers introduced the principle of open competitive examination for entry into the Indian Civil Service (ICS). Although Indians had a right to sit for it, the only examination centre was in London and the system operated as a bar to those who could not afford to travel so far. The Indianisation of the ICS started only in 1922, when the entrance examination was held simultaneously in Allahabad, under pressure from the Indian National Congress. However, the ICS continued to be dominated by the British, and it was often denigrated as ‘neither Indian, nor Civil, nor Service’.

After Independence the loyalty of ICS officers was suspect. Public opinion was generally hostile to the ICS in view of its identification with foreign rule and its obstructing role during the freedom struggle. But Sardar Patel, the leader of the conservatives in Congress, did ultimately succeed in forcing his proposals down the throat of an unwilling Constituent Assembly. He advocated the importance of administrative continuity for the stability of the country. Finally, the institution was maintained under a new name, the Indian Administrative Service.

A nation which every Indian Wants

1.A Nation where the rural and urban divide has reduced to a thin line.
2. A Nation where there is an equitable distribution and adequate access to energy and quality water.
3. A Nation where agriculture, industry and service sector work together in symphony.
4. A Nation where education with value system is not denied to any meritorious candidates because of societal or economic discrimination.
5. A Nation which is the best destination for the most talented scholars, scientists, and investors.
6. A Nation where the best of health care is available to all.
7. A Nation where the governance is responsive, transparent and corruption free.
8. A Nation where poverty has been totally eradicated, illiteracy removed and crimes against women and children are absent and none in the society feels alienated.
9. A Nation that is prosperous, healthy, secure, devoid of terrorism, peaceful and happy and continues with a sustainable growth path.
10. A Nation that is one of the best places to live in and is proud of its leadership.

Brief Account of IAS and other Central Services(Posts Classification and Training Structure)

There is a lot of confusions regarding Group A ,B,C Services,Gazzetted posts and Training of the All India Civil Servants. So on demand I am posting a brief detail about the Civil Services and other Group B services.

Basically the creation of All India Services lies in the hand of Parliament act but it can only be done after recommendation from Raja Sabha(done to protect the interests of state).All India Services Act 1951 regulates the formation of rules and procedures for these services.
All India Services are managed and controlled by different Ministries  such as:
-IAS by Ministry of Personnel
-IPS by Ministry of Home Affairs
-IFS by External Affairs Ministry
-IFoS by Environment and Forest Ministry

Central Services can be divided into 4 categories-
• Group A(Selected through Civil Services Examination conducted by UPSC,more than 50 posts now.)
• Group B(Selected through SSC)
• Group C(Selected through SSC)
• Group D

Group C services consist of clerical personnel and Group D consists of manual personnel.
Group A and Group B are Gazetted Officers whereas Group C & D are non Gazetted posts.

Committes which led to evolution of present recruitment system
• Macauley Committee(1854)
• Kothari Committee
• Satish Chandra Committee
• Alagh Committee
• Hota Committee

Training Structure for the UPSC Civil Servants:
The UPSC submits the list of finally selected candidates to Ministry of Personnel.Through this lists Personnel Ministry,Home Ministry and External Affairs Ministry selects candidates for IAS,IPS and IFS respectively.This is followed by other ministeries and departments in a fixed order
IAS officers are also recruited through other methods also i.e –Promotion from State Civil Service(over all 33.33% posts in IAS),Special Selections from gazetted posts of State governments who are members of State Administrative Services.

After final Selection the Training is done in Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration at Mussorie.The Training Structure is as follows:

1. Foundational Training------------------------------------------------------4 months
2. Professional Training-First Spell--------------------------------------------5 months
3. District training in the respective State Cadres------------------------------12 months
4. Professional Training –Second Spell----------------------------------------3 months


After common Foundational Training Professional Training is different for different officers:

• IPS officers continue at—National Police Academy(Hyderabad)
• IFS officers at Foreign Service Institute,New Delhi and Language Training at Indian Mission Abroad.
• IRS officers at IRS Training Institute Nagpur
• Indian Audit and Accounts ar IAAS Staff Training College Shimla 

and the list goes on...