WSDP Bulletin (24-08-2021)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Finance Minister launches the National Monetisation Pipeline READ MORE
2. Delhi’s new smog tower: the technology, the impact, the evidence READ MORE
3. Egypt closes Gaza border amid tensions with Hamas READ MORE
4. Pfizer becomes first Covid vaccine to gain full FDA approval READ MORE

Main Exam  

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Farmers have right to protest but stir should not hinder traffic: SC READ MORE
2. What Indian lawmaking needs: More scrutiny, less speed READ MORE
3. Numbers matter: Family planning has effectively reduced the share of southern States in the Lok Sabha READ MORE
4. Why the post-pandemic school is an opportunity to reinvent learning READ MORE  

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. The idea of social justice READ MORE
2. Resilience: Bearings of a great nation- Overcoming health challenges is possible, and voices like Rotary’s are crucial READ MORE
3. Exposed to dust & danger: Include all construction workers’ kids in welfare schemes READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Staying invested: on India’s relations with Afghanistan- India must retain its traditional and historic interest in Afghanistan and its people READ MORE
2. It is Pakistan’s moment of triumph in Afghanistan, but India must bet on patience READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. A new road map: Execution key to making asset monetisation pipeline work READ MORE
2. Maintain credibility: MPC should not ignore inflation risks READ MORE
3. Monetise assets, the right way READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. India’s new directives on sustainable disposal of fly ash may do more harm than good READ MORE
2. ‘Drought-like’ Nagaland stares at water scarcity, low harvest READ MORE
3. Global emissions can decline 10% this decade if refineries clean up their act: Report READ MORE
4. Designing a climate law for India READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Tauktae, Yaas and planning for the next: With a rise in the frequency of devastating cyclones, India needs to look at long-term mitigation measures READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. The Easy And Hard Problems Of Consciousness READ MORE
2. Learn From Failures, Be Grateful For Success READ MORE

Questions for MAIN exam

1. ‘India is vulnerable to tropical cyclones and global warming has increased this vulnerability.’ In the light of this statement, examine the vulnerability of Indian coast to tropical cyclones. Suggest the effective measures to reduce the impact of cyclones.
2. For effective border area management, discuss the steps required to be taken to deny local support to militants and also suggest ways to manage favourable perception among locals. (UPSC Mains 2020, GS-III )

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else.
• With a rise in the frequency of devastating cyclones, India needs to look at long-term mitigation measures.
• India must retain its traditional and historic interest in Afghanistan and its people.
• Strategic patience coupled with political empathy for Afghan people, and an active engagement will continue to keep Delhi relevant in Kabul’s internal and external evolution.
• All bills should go through pre-legislative scrutiny to iron out issues and build broad consensus before being brought to Parliament.
• The classroom must be centred around joyful and creative learning, join the dots between children’s lives and education.
• While there is an economic case for pushing for oil palm, the government must learn from the experiences in Sumatra, Borneo and the Malay Peninsula where oil palm plantations have eliminated pristine forests and pushed out wildlife. A rapid change in land use has also left a deep social impact.
• Caste census is a bad idea. There must be better ways to ensure justice, provide equity, and democratise power than reinforcing, rather than annihilating, caste

50-WORD TALK

• National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM)’s warning about the severity of the pandemic’s third wave due to slow pace of vaccination is a timely wake-up call. It skewers Modi government’s grandstanding on vaccination. Its complacency and premature celebrations after the first wave had disastrous consequences. India can’t afford a repeat.
• The Allahabad High Court calling a policeman’s choice to grow a beard a misdemeanour, harming the secular image of the force is rather unfortunate. Especially because many police stations have Hindu altars and Sikh policemen do wear turbans. UP DGP’s 2020 circular was a sitter for appeals and petitions anyway.

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 map work (marking those areas in maps and also exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers, etc. 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.