WSDP Bulletin (13-08-2021)

(Newspapers, PIB, and other important sources)

Prelims and Mains

1. MAIDEN AL-MOHED AL-HINDI EXERCISE SET TO BEGIN BETWEEN INDIAN NAVY AND SAUDI ARABIA NAVY READ MORE
2. GSLV-F10 fails to launch earth observation satellite into intended orbit READ MORE
3. Explained: What is the Delhi government’s ‘faceless’ transport initiative? READ MORE
4. Indore becomes India’s first ‘water plus’ city READ MORE
5. India, Australia 2 plus 2 ministerial expected in September READ MORE
6. In a first, India set to import 15 lakh tonnes of genetically modified soya meal READ MORE
7. Officials of India and 3 other Quad members hold talks on Indo-Pacific READ MORE

Main Exam  

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Don’t use public interest as an additional ground to restrict free speech READ MORE  
2. Criminalization of politics must be curbed READ MORE
3. Lessons the country can learn from Odisha READ MORE
4. India is now a parliamentary democracy without a functioning parliament READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Commit India to build national health coverage READ MORE
2. India Can’t Keep Citing the Pandemic to Deprive Children of Education READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Get veto power or bid adieu to UN READ MORE
2. The consensus on maritime security READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. How e-RUPI can transform government’s welfare schemes READ MORE
2. Reforms must reduce economic disparities READ MORE
3. India’s Economy since 1947: How did we do so far? READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. The story of local successes in water management READ MORE
2. Weak action to combat climate change READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Another warning: Landslips in Himachal Pradesh point to the need for a new development paradigm READ MORE
2. Tragedy in the hills: Urgent steps needed to save ecology and lives READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. O, God! Can you please increase my spending? READ MORE
2. Rule upon your Mind READ MORE
3. Get Transformed, Make The World A Better Place READ MORE

Questions for MAIN exam

1. Analyze the natural and man-made factors which make Himachal Pradesh vulnerable to different natural disasters.
2. ‘The checks and balances that define a full democracy have been severely damaged in India’. Comment on the statement in the light of the recently concluded Monsoon Session.
3. ‘Instead of relying on ‘public health’ to violate fundamental rights, governments should now take an approach that balances public health and the right to education. Discuss how Governments can prioritize implementing the fundamental right to education for children amidst the pandemic?

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• With greater rainfall and cloudburst activity, Himachal Pradesh is bound to face greater uncertainty. Maintaining the status quo can only make the ghastly episodes of falling boulders and lost lives a more frequent feature.
• e-RUPI opens up a world of opportunities to the government, people, and businesses to provide, avail, and pay for services seamlessly.
• Parliament is meant to be a check on the executive. But in this session, it was reduced to a rubber stamp whose only job was to mechanically pass bills drafted by the executive.
• Governments should prioritize implementing the fundamental right to education for children during the pandemic. It has already been a year and a half since children are out of school.
• Instead of relying on ‘public health’ to violate fundamental rights, governments should now take an approach that balances public health and the right to education.
• With a rise in earth’s temperature inevitable now, India needs to empower and make every district climate-change ready to mitigate its impact on the poorest populations.
• As India has invested only around one percent of GDP in health for many years, public health infrastructure in India is very weak and inadequate even in normal non-pandemic times.
• Public interest is a fluid construct in Indian legal parlance, it is not defined, and it finds mention across a host of statutes, often justifying the more non-transparent elements of governance.

50-WORD TALK

• Another Parliament session being washed out over another scandal may sound like another headline. But it isn’t. India has been crushed by Covid and economic slowdown. This should’ve been top of the mind for the government and opposition. And a government with a brute majority shouldn’t avoid debate and discussion.
• US intelligence report claiming the Taliban can capture Kabul in 90 days is a severe indictment of what Washington itself didn’t achieve in two decades – ending extremism and rebuilding a nation broken by the Cold War. For President Biden to now say that Afghan leaders must fight for their nation is rich.

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 the news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and exploring other geographical locations nearby, including mountains, rivers, etc.). The same applies to the national places.)
• For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price 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 occur 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 to your writing.