1. Current Affairs Week 6 February 2016 GS - 2 Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh

2. MNREGA Governance Related Issues Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh

3. Scheme 100 days of work to a household Greater preference to manual labour (51:49 ratio of Labour : Material) Pilot Project in 2006 Adopted Nationwide in 2008 Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh

4. Broader Aims Rural Development Poverty Removal Social Safety Employment Guarantee Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh

5. Positives Demand Driven SC/ST benefitted Women empowerment Checks Migration Financial Inclusion (linking payment to bank accounts) Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh

6. Social Justice/Affirmative Action Local Participation (Planning + Execution + Oversight) Local Usage Positive impact on wages Positives Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh

7. Criticism Dependence Syndrome (Seen as a dole) Corruption (Fund Siphoning) Lack of timely payments defeat the purpose Lack of durable assets Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh

8. Use of primitive technology (culture of inefficiency creeping in) Shortage of Labour (agri-labour in particular) No incentive to upgrade skills (because of focus on unskilled work) Inflationary tendencies (Rise in rural wages without corresponding increase in supply) Criticism Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh

9. Way Ahead It is an instrument of Social Security An agent of qualitative improvement in women participation Administrative reforms needed A tool to empower workers bargain better wages elsewhere Linking MNREGA to private works as well (agri industry, textile industry, etc.) Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh

10. Linked to Green Jobs (Water Conservation, Flood Control, Drought Proofing, Rural Sanitation, Will also enhance agricultural productivity) Learn from best practices Convergence (Link with other schemes like IAY, Swachh Bharat, etc.) Way Ahead Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh

11. International Realtions related Issues Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh South China Sea

12. Nature of Dispute Sovereignty Issue (Jurisdiction Issue – EEZ) Territorial Claims and Counter Claims Manifested in shapes of Spratly and Paracel Islands Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh

13. Why Dispute National Pride/Ego Economic Interests (Potential reserves of Gas/Oil, Fishing) Strategic (SLOC, Greater EEZ) Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh

14. Claims China (Historical Claim - Nine Dashed line) Taiwan Similar Claim Vietnam Says ruled both since 17 th Century Phillipines Geographical Proximity Malaysia and Brunei (quote EEZ under UNCLOS) Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh

15. Present Status China controlling Paracels Sansha City as formal administrative body China – Vietnam standoff 2012 and 2014 Airstrip April 2015 Philippines taken China to ICA Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh

16. China - wanting bilateral negotiations USA - wanting Freedom of Negotiation, Sailed its guided missile destroyer within 12 nautical miles of artificial island Phillipines - Scarborough Shoal ASEAN - Divided India -Respect Internaitonal Institutions and maintain freedom of SLOC Way Ahead Raj Malhotra’s IAS Study Group Chandigarh

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