EducatorIAS

Debt status Report of Government of India  Salient features of Central Government Debt are as under: i. Central Government Debt stood at 45.7 per cent of GDP at end-March 2019, witnessing a marginal decline from 45.8 per cent at end-March 2018. ii. General Government Debt (GGD)-GDP ratio worked out to 68.6 per cent at end-March 2019, slightlylower compared to 68.7 per cent at end-March 2018. iii. 94.1 per cent of total Central Government debt at end-March 2019 was domestic debt. Sovereign external debt constituted 2.7 per cent of GDP at end-March 2019, implying low currency risk to GoI debt portfolio. The sovereign external debt is entirely from official sources, providing safety fromvolatility in the international capital markets. iv. The share of marketable securities in internal debt stood at 84.4 per cent at end-March 2019, slightlylower than 86.1 per cent at end-March 2018. v. Public debt in India is primarily contracted at fixed interest rates, with floating internal debt constit

 Earth quake and practises : Some recent tremors around Delhi have triggered discussions on earthquakes, particularly the consequences of their occurrence in densely populated urban areas. Unfortunately, it has also given rise to some rumours and fear mongering. So, let’s first be clear on a few things. Earthquakes cannot be predicted. Not yet. Also, they cannot be prevented. They will happen. There is no particular time when the probability of an earthquake happening is higher, or lower. In fact, in areas classified as seismic risk zone IV and V, there is always a probability of a big earthquake of magnitude 6 and above. The Delhi region and the entire Himalayas are in this risk zone. But tremors, even a series of them in a short period of time, are not a forewarning of any upcoming big event. There is ongoing research across the world on identifying precursors to an earthquake, but as of now there is no change in the situation. But, as has been pointed out in this newspaper a few day

Why South China sea is important for India?  South China Sea is an arm of western Pacific Ocean in Southeast Asia.It is south of China, east & south of Vietnam, west of the Philippines and north of the island of Borneo. What makes it so important? This sea holds tremendous strategic importance for its location as it is the connecting link between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. (Strait of Malacca) According to the United Nations Conference on Trade And Development (UNCTAD) one-third of the global shipping passes through it, carrying trillions of trade which makes it a significant geopolitical water body. As the importance of securing trade routes and accessing fast-depleting energy resources grow, the region is experiencing greater volatility and tension over the territorial disputes in the SCS. China, in particular has been an increasingly aggressive actor, using its political and military might to dominate smaller states at different points Why south China sea matters for