WSDP Bulletin (26-08-2021)

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(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. NITI Aayog and World Resources Institute India Jointly Launch ‘Forum for Decarbonizing Transport’ in India READ MORE
2. 100 days ‘SUJALAM’ Campaign begins READ MORE
3. Centre raises the fair price of sugar cane READ MORE
4. Fukushima nuclear water to be released via undersea tunnel READ MORE
5. e-Shram portal: A database for unorganised sector workers READ MORE
6. India pips the US to rank second in the list of most attractive manufacturing hub globally; China first READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. The ugly face of a crime-fighting move: The implementation of the National Automated Facial Recognition System in India lacks adequate safeguards READ MORE
2. Caste census is important — whether you are for or against reservation READ MORE
3. ‘Skin-to-skin’ verdict: SC must take corrective measure against HC order READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Covid-19 and growing food insecurity: Insights from rural Bihar READ MORE
2. Why Uttar Pradesh’s Proposed Population Bill Is Anti-Fact and Anti-People READ MORE
3. Over 80% of hypertension patients live in low- and middle-income countries READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. G-7 statement on Afghanistan is guarded. Delhi must prepare for manoeuvring at international fora READ MORE
2. India backed the wrong horse in Afghanistan and has gone into a strategic sulk now READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. It’s time for Industry 4.0: Adopting Industry 4.0 technologies would make MSMEs more efficient and competitive READ MORE
2. The dangers of India’s palm oil push READ MORE
3. Tumultuous journey of a development bank READ MORE
4. How Will Asset Monetisation Help the Government? READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. IPCC report warning: 4.5°C rises in Kolkata by century-end, rise in cyclones, sea level READ MORE
2. Climate change, a catalyst for Arctic cooperation: Environmental challenges should be a priority for all players in the region, outweighing military and economic issues READ MORE
3. Negotiating the new global climate policy: Reducing per-person emissions to the global average as a first step to national net-zero requires a human rights frame READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Calmness Of Mind READ MORE
2. Learn from failures, be grateful for success READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Without accountability and oversight, facial recognition technology has strong potential for misuse and abuse. Analyse.
2. Global climate policy needs a reframing on the line of human rights and well-being. Analyse.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• A school is a building which has four walls with tomorrow inside.
• To empower the Indian police with information technology, India approved the implementation of the National Automated Facial Recognition System (NAFRS) to “facilitate investigation of crime and detection of criminals” in a quick and timely manner.
• Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are expected to become the backbone of India as the economy grows larger.
• Environmental challenges should be a priority for all players in the region, outweighing military and economic issues.
• Reducing per-person emissions to the global average as a first step to national net-zero requires a human rights frame.
• Apart from ecological impact, incentivising palm oil cultivation could have negative implications on farmer incomes, health, and food security in the long run.
• Emerging research shows that Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on the already undernourished and marginalised populations, by affecting their access to food and nutrition, and consumption patterns.
• India’s actions in Afghanistan stem more out of pique for the triumph of radical Taliban and its mentor Pakistan, and less due to the lack of strategic options.

50-WORD TALK

• The national monetisation plan is a positive step that shows PM Modi’s readiness to walk his talk about the government having no business to be in business. There may be many pitfalls in realising the ambitious target but the government’s keenness to push the political economy towards privatisation must be applauded.
• CJI NV Ramana has rightly insisted that the CBI and ED speed up the process of filing charge sheets in cases involving MPs and MLAs. The inordinate delays cannot be explained away by just citing court stays. When cases are left hanging for years, they hurt democratic processes and voting choices.
• China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan apart, even the US, UK, EU to G-7 are — if reluctantly — accepting the inevitability of Taliban rule. It’s better therefore that PM Modi has engaged with Vladimir Putin. India also has to make a substantive strategic shift. Moscow is a good place to begin the walk-back from.

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.