CONTEXT: India is currently pursuing multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones programme in an attempt to arm its three services with weapons that would play a critical role in future wars.

Analysis:

• Among the several drone programmes that the Indian military is pursuing, one of them is Project Cheetah.
• Project Cheetah, which is divided into two separate programmes, aims to upgrade and arm India’s Heron drones, with the assistance of Israel, the manufacturer.
• Another programme that India is pursuing is the procurement of 30 MQ-9 Reaper or Predator B drones, which will be a tri-service initiative.

HERON:

• Developed by the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the Heron, also known as Machatz-1, is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV.
• In all, there are about 90 Herons in service with the country

HERON II:

• One big lacuna in the Herons in use with India is that they are not equipped for satellite navigation, which helps in better range and wider coverage.
• Following tensions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China since May last year, the Army ordered on lease four latest generation of Herons, known as the Heron II

SEARCHER:

• Developed by IAI, the Searcher was first deployed in 1992, but it was the Searcher Mk II, introduced in 1998, that India procured after 2000.
• Alongside the Heron UAVs, the Indian Navy also uses Searcher Mk II. However, currently, the biggest user of the Searcher is the Army.

SEA GUARDIAN:

• Developed by the American firm General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), the MQ-9B Sea Guardian is a variant of the MQ-9 Predator B, which is described by the United States Air Force as a “remotely piloted aircraft” instead of the widely-used UAV.
• Unlike the Heron, the Sea Guardian comes under the High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAVs.

SWITCH UAV:

• Developed by Navi Mumbai-based firm idea Forge Technology, the SWITCH UAV is termed as a “first of its kind” Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft and fixed wing hybrid UAV.

Reference: The Print

CONTEXT: Yogita K Adlakha, an Inspire Faculty Fellow, has developed human-based models to study neuron development and neuro developmental disorders such as autism, which can help design treatment strategies for such brain disorders.

Analysis:

• For decades, animal models have been used to understand brain-related disorders and the drugs that function in animal models have failed in clinical trials. The dearth of human models has led to a lack of knowledge of the pathophysiology of such disorders, an essential requirement for designing their treatment strategies.
• Adlakha, a recipient of the INSPIRE Faculty fellowship instituted by the DST, filled this gap by generating human-based stem cell models to understand brain development and dysfunction at the National Brain Research Centre, Manesar, Haryana.
• Along with her research group, Adlakha established a protocol from India for the first time by generating and producing induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from human peripheral blood. They have further refined the protocol of differentiation of iPSCs into brain-specific stem cells, i.e., neural stem cells (NSCs).
• She filled this gap and developed a human-based model that could help study how the brain develops, particularly the neurons, and what goes awry during brain development, leading to cognitive decline, impairment in language and social interaction.

Reference: The Week

CONTEXT: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch an Earth Observation Satellite on August 12 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR, at Sriharikota.

Analysis:

• The satellite, EOS-03, will be carried on board the 14th flight of the GSLV, the GSLVF10, and will place the satellite in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. The satellite will reach the final geostationary orbit using its on-board propulsion system.
• A four-metre diameter Ogive-shaped payload fairing is being flown for the first time in this GSLV flight, ISRO said.
• The EOS-03 is a state-of- the-art agile satellite that will enable real-time monitoring of natural disasters, waterbodies, crops, forest cover changes, among the others.
• EOS-03 is capable of imaging the whole country four to five times every day.

Reference: The Hindu

CONTEXT: India strongly rejected a statement on Jammu and Kashmir by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and asked it to refrain from allowing vested interests to exploit its platform for comments on internal affairs of the country. The strong comments by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) came in response to the statement issued by the General Secretariat of the OIC on the second anniversary of the withdrawal of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Analysis:

• On August 5, 2019, India announced the withdrawal of the special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and its decision to bifurcate the state into two union territories.
• In the statement, the OIC General Secretariat reiterated its “call to revoke all these steps”.
• The OIC General Secretariat also reiterated its call on the international community to increase its efforts to resolve the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the “relevant UN Security Council resolutions”.
• The OIC is a grouping of Muslim-majority nations.

                                                                                                        ABOUT OIC

• The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organisation after the United Nations, with the membership of 57 states, covering four continents.
• The OIC is the collective voice of the Muslim world to ensure and safeguard their interest on economic socio and political areas.
• It was established upon a decision of the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco in September 1969.
• The OIC has Institutions, which implement its programmes.
• Its Headquarters is in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• India is not a member of the OIC.

Reference: The Week

CONTEXT: Mauritius has denied a report that it has allowed India to build a military base on the remote island of Agalega.

Analysis:

• News broadcaster Al Jazeera reported on the construction of an airstrip and two jetties to house an Indian military base on Agalega, located about 1,000 km north of the archipelago’s main island. But the Mauritian government denied any plans to allow a military installation on the Agalega island.
• Although work was under way on two projects agreed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2015 visit to Mauritius — a three-kilometre air strip and a jetty — they would not be used for military purposes.

CONTEXT: Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister introduced the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha to nullify the relevant retrospective tax clauses that were introduced in 2012 to bring past indirect transfer of Indian assets under the ambit of taxation.

Analysis:

• As per the proposed changes, any tax demand made on transactions that took place before May 2012 shall be dropped, and any taxes already collected shall be repaid, albeit without interest. To be eligible, the concerned taxpayers would have to drop all pending cases against the government and promise not to make any demands for damages or costs.
• Former Finance Minister, the late Pranab Mukherjee, had introduced the retrospective taxation power after the Supreme Court had held that Vodafone couldn’t be taxed for a 2007 transaction involving its purchase of a 67% stake in Hutchison Whampoa for $11 billion. Later, the tax was invoked against Cairn Energy for a corporate reorganisation done in 2006-07 and its assets were frozen by the authorities.

Reference: The Hindu

CONTEXT: parliament on Thursday approved a bill that seeks to set up a commission for air quality management in the National Capital Region and its adjoining areas

Analysis:

• The Bill provides for the constitution of a Commission for better co-ordination, research, identification, and resolution of problems related to air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas. Adjoining areas have been defined as areas in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, adjoining the National Capital Territory of Delhi and NCR, where any source of pollution may cause adverse impact on air quality in the NCR. The Bill also dissolves the Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority established in the NCR in 1998. An Ordinance establishing a similar Commission was promulgated in October 2020. It lapsed in March 2021 and was repromulgated in April 2021. The Bill repeals the 2021 Ordinance.
• Congress contested Clause 15 of the bill that allows the government to collect environmental compensation from farmers arguing that the law was anti-farmers and against their interests. They said Clause 15 of the bill empowers the commission to levy and collect environmental compensation from farmers who contaminate the environment by burning stubble. However, the compensation will be prescribed by the central government.

                                                                                       KEY FEATURES OF THE BILL

• Composition: The Commission will consist of: (i) a Chairperson, (ii) an officer of the rank of a Joint Secretary as the member-secretary and Chief Coordinating Officer, (iii) a serving or former Joint Secretary from the central government, (iii) three independent technical members with expertise in air pollution, and (iv) three members from non-government organisations. The Chairperson and members of the Commission will have tenure of three years or till the age of seventy years, whichever is earlier.
• The Commission will also include ex-officio members: (i) from the central government and concerned state governments, and (ii) technical members from Central Pollution Control Board, Indian Space Research Organisation, and NITI Aayog. It may also appoint representatives of certain ministries.
• Selection of Commission: The central government will constitute a selection committee to recommend appointments of members of the Commission. The Committee will be headed by the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Members of the Committee will include the Cabinet Secretary and the Minister of: (i) Commerce and Industry, (ii) Road Transport and Highways, and (iii) Science and Technology.
• Functions of the Commission: Functions of the Commission include: (i) co-ordinating actions by concerned state governments (Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh), (ii) planning and executing plans to prevent and control air pollution in NCR, (iii) providing a framework for identifying air pollutants, (iv) conducting research and development through networking with technical institutions, (v) training and creating a special workforce to deal with issues related to air pollution, and (vi) preparing action plans such as increasing plantation and addressing stubble burning.
• Powers of the Commission: Powers of the Commission include: (i) restricting activities influencing air quality, (ii) investigating and conducting research related to environmental pollution impacting air quality, (iii) preparing codes and guidelines to prevent and control air pollution, and (iv) issuing directions on matters including inspections, or regulation which will be binding on the concerned person or authority.
• The Commission will be the sole authority with jurisdiction over matters defined in the Bill (such as air quality management). In case of conflicts, directions of the Commission will prevail over the orders of the respective state governments, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), state PCBs, and state-level statutory bodies.
• Sub-Committees: The Commission is required to form sub-committees on: (i) monitoring and identification, (ii) safeguarding and enforcement, and (iii) research and development.
• Penalties: Contravention of provisions of the Bill, or orders and directions of the Commission will be punishable with imprisonment of up to five years, or fine of up to one crore rupees, or both. The Bill excludes farmers from the scope of these penalties. However, the Commission may collect an environmental compensation from farmers causing pollution by stubble burning. This compensation will be prescribed by the central government. Appeals against the Commission’s orders will lie with the National Green Tribunal.

Reference: India Today

CONTEXT: Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CMERI), Durgapur, recently inaugurated a “naturally ventilated polyhouse facility” and laid the foundation stone of “retractable roof polyhouse” its Ludhiana centre.

Analysis:

• A polyhouse is a specially constructed structure like a building where specialised polythene sheet is used as a covering material under which crops can be grown in partially or fully controlled climatic conditions. It is covered with a transparent material as to permit the entry of natural light. Polyhouses are also helpful in reducing threats such as extreme heat and pest attacks in crops.
• With rapidly rising temperatures due to mounting greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from human activities, crops are increasingly facing both threats — extreme heat and pest attacks — simultaneously.
• A combination of open field conditions and conventional greenhouse conditions is a more robust way to deal with climate change and associates problems in the future.
• Crop losses in India due to insect pests is about 15 per cent at present and this loss may increase as climate change lowers the plant defense system against insects and pests.
• Conventional greenhouses have a stationary roof to reduce the effect of weather anomalies and pests. However, there are still disadvantages due to roof covering which sometimes lead to excessive heat and insufficient light (early morning). Besides this, they are also prone to insufficient levels of carbon dioxide, transpiration and water stress.
• Retractable Roof Polyhouse Technology will have an automatic retractable roof which will be operated based on weather conditions and crop requirements from the conditional database using PLC software. This ongoing development will be useful in our country with its 15 different agro-climatic zones and will help farmers to cultivate off-season crops that can fetch higher value and income.
• Retractable roof would be used to manipulate sunlight quantity, quality & duration, water stress, humidity, carbon dioxide levels as well as crop and soil temperatures.

Reference: Down to Earth

CONTEXT: The Scheme for PMKSY-HKKP was valid till March, 2021. The extension of the scheme for the period 2021-26 is under consideration of the Government. The targets for this period shall be firmed up based on approval of the scheme for the period 2021-26.

                                                                                                      About PMKSY-HKKP

• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) was launched in 2015-16 with an aim to enhance physical access of water on farm, expand cultivable area under assured irrigation, improve on farm water use efficiency, introduce sustainable water conservation practices, etc.
• Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP) is one of the components of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).
• Under HKKP, financial assistance is being provided by this Ministry under Command Area Development and Water Management (CADWM); Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI); Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies; and Ground Water components.
• CADWM Programme aims for improving water use efficiency in irrigation, providing assured supply of water to every farm field, and transfer of control and management of irrigation system to the Water Users’ Associations (WUAs).
• SMI and RRR of water bodies schemes mainly aims at expanding cultivable area under assured irrigation along with other objectives like improving water use efficiency, Ground Water recharge, improvement and restoration of water bodies. Through these measures, increasing tank storage capacity, revival of lost irrigation potential, increased availability of drinking water, improvement of catchment of tank commands etc. are targeted.
• The Ground Water scheme under PMKSY-HKKP aims to provide financial assistance to States for assured ground water irrigation to small and marginal farmers. State-wise progress made by this Ministry under this component during last two years.

Reference: PIB

CONTEXT: One of the radial gates of KL Rao Sagar Pulichintala Project was washed away, causing floods in nearby villages.

Reference: The Hindu

CONTEXT: A comprehensive initiative called PM e-VIDYA has been initiated as part of Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan in 2020, which unifies all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education to enable multi-mode access to education.

Analysis:

The initiative includes:

• DIKSHA (one nation, one digital platform) is the nation’s digital infrastructure for providing quality e-content for school education in states/UTs and QR coded Energized Textbooks for all grades are available on it.
• One earmarked Swayam Prabha TV channel per class from 1 to 12 (one class, one channel).
• Extensive use of Radio, Community radio and CBSE Podcast- Shiksha Vani.
• Special e-content for visually and hearing impaired developed on Digitally Accessible Information System (DAISY) and in sign language on NIOS website/ YouTube.
• All these schemes/programmes are free of cost and available to all the students across the nation.
• To reach out to those students who lack access to technology various innovative activities are being done at national, state or district level such as Gali-Gali Sim-Sim, Tili-Mili programme, Motor Eskool, Roving Teacher, Project SMILE (Social Media Interface for Learning Engagement), e-Kaksha, formation of Whatsapp and other social media groups, Work Book Distribution at home, Teacher calling to maintain connects with students.
• School Education is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and the state governments have been directed to act based on the situation prevailing at every place to meet the demands of all students for providing them with the digital access required for learning digitally.

Reference: PIB

1. Not always fair game: On online gambling: Historical knowledge, sensitivity and an accommodative spirit need to accompany any dialogue and negotiation READ MORE
2. Not always fair game: On online gambling: State must guard against zealous paternalism while seeking to curb activities online READ MORE
3. All eyes on the police: Be it NE clash, or Asthana’s appointment, it’ll be interesting how events unfold READ MORE

1. The intersection of caste and gender READ MORE
2. India’s godowns are overflowing. So why are people starving? READ MORE

1. Managing water, the Denmark way READ MORE
2. Re-negotiate Indus Treaty with Pakistan in light of climate change: Standing Committee on Water Resources READ MORE
3. IPCC report on climate science: 5 things to watch for READ MORE

1. Not really a game of sportsmanship READ MORE
2. Mahabharat lessons for sportsmen and fans READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelims and Mains:

1. Pulichintala project hydaulic gate washes away due to heavy discharge READ MORE
2. No plan to house Indian military base on Agalega island: Mauritius READ MORE
3. Scientist develops human-based models to study neurodevelopmental disorders READ MORE
4. Govt buries retrospective tax, introduces Bill to amend Income Tax Act READ MORE
5. Parliament approves Air Quality Bill to curb pollution in Delhi-NCR READ MORE

Main exam:  

GS Paper- 1

1. The intersection of caste and gender READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Not always fair game: On online gambling: Historical knowledge, sensitivity and an accommodative spirit need to accompany any dialogue and negotiation READ MORE
2. Not always fair game: On online gambling: State must guard against zealous paternalism while seeking to curb activities online READ MORE
3. All eyes on the police: Be it NE clash, or Asthana’s appointment, it’ll be interesting how events unfold READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. India’s godowns are overflowing. So why are people starving? READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Afghanistan: How Did They Think It Would End? READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. What changed after the economic tsunami that hit India in 1991? READ MORE
2. The post-Covid economic recovery READ MORE
3. Avoid arbitrary regulation: RBI’s micro-management of corporate lending must end READ MORE
4. Can bitcoin help Indians hedge against rising inflation? READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Managing water, the Denmark way READ MORE
2. Re-negotiate Indus Treaty with Pakistan in light of climate change: Standing Committee on Water Resources READ MORE
3. IPCC report on climate science: 5 things to watch for READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Not really a game of sportsmanship READ MORE
2. Mahabharat lessons for sportsmen and fans READ MORE

Questions for MAIN exam

1. ‘Good intentions do not always make for good legislation.’ Analyse the statement with appropriate and relevant examples.
2. Discuss the reasons why despite being self-sufficient in the production of major food commodities, problems of hunger and food insecurity are grave in India?

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Effective policies can help India tackle not just water stress but also reduce greenhouse gas emission substantiall.
• It is the spirit and not the form that keeps justice alive.
• Infrastructure had always been the preserve of the public sector. This changed and the private sector was invited to participate, to get into public-private partnerships and end the government’s monopoly.
• With low and uncertain incomes, families’ dependent on the informal economy do not have assured access to adequate and nutritious food. The pandemic has only aggravated this longstanding problem.
• Despite being self-sufficient in the production of major food commodities, problems of hunger and food insecurity are grave in India because of widespread economic distress, high unemployment and high levels of inequality.
• The sharp increase in food insecurity points to an urgent need for the government to establish systems for regular monitoring of the food security situation in the country and to universalise access to the public distribution system, at least during the pandemic.
• The fate of India’s girls’ rests on a transformation in social attitudes. Without this merely having a more robust legal architecture won’t be enough to tackle violence against women and girls.
• The government’s intention to become an exporthub while creating world-class products for the global markets and generating millionsof jobs is well received. However, the challenge is to overhaul the regulatory compliance regime.
• Technology is necessary to provide public services to large populations in an efficient mannerand that comes with both risks and rewards.

 50-WORD TALK

• Modi government must be commended for deciding to bury the retrospective tax amendments, even if under pressure and seven years too late. This toxic tax hurt India’s reputation for fair play and the delay in scrapping it only made it worse. Disputes spawned by it should now be settled swiftly.
• Two years since the Constitutional changes, Jammu & Kashmir shows relative calm on the ground. Security forces and L-G’s administration have managed the situation with equanimity. But resentment and alienation continue to fester. Modi government must quickly restore statehood and hold elections to address people’s anxieties and sense of hurt.

Things to Remember:

• For prelims related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
• Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do a map work (marking those areas in maps and also exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers etc. same applies for the national places.)
• For economy related news (banking, agriculture etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related with various economic aspects, for examples if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing prices rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates etc.
• For main exam related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occurs frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
• Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment in your writing.

[WpProQuiz 15]