WSDP Bulletin (07-09-2021)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY AND INDIAN NAVY COMMENCE BILATERAL EXERCISE – ‘AUSINDEX’ READ MORE
2. Dung beetle experiment suggests carbon dioxide is bad for insects too READ MORE
3. Denmark is India’s ‘very unique partner’ in growing back greener: Jaishankar READ MORE
4. In a first, Tamil Nadu to establish conservation reserve for sea cows READ MORE
5. Odisha: Koraput’s Manda buffalo gets unique, indigenous tag READ MORE
6. All you wanted to know about vaccine passports READ MORE

Main Exam  

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Spirit of federalism lies in the consultation: Unilateral legislation without taking States into confidence will see more protests on the streets READ MORE
2. The importance of animal spirits READ MORE
3. Section 377, 3 Years on: Walking Down the Aisle of History READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. A reminder of our vulnerabilities: Amid the rat race, we are missing glimpses of the divine in the ordinary READ MORE
2. Children’s education at extreme risk in 7 African countries: Report READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Moot point: India would get a peek into the psyche of Pak, China, Russia on Afghanistan at the SCO meet READ MORE
2. No time to lose on Afghanistan: In the aftermath of the fall of Kabul, India did not explore the options of reaching out to the erstwhile government, currently headed by Vice-President Amrullah Saleh READ MORE
3. State govt must play a role in India’s foreign policy READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. The Political Fix: The mirage of 20% GDP growth and India’s ‘unaddressed demand crisis’ READ MORE
2. The long and the short of the NMP: It is surprising the Government has avoided mentioning the consequences of asset monetisation on ordinary citizens READ MORE
3. FTAs need a cautious approach READ MORE
4. The story of public sector bank valuations READ MORE
5. Finally, Bitcoin is becoming legal tender in a country READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. After huge wildfires, Greece creates climate crisis ministry READ MORE
2. Out of Africa flashback: Is the world witnessing a migration wave due to lack of water? READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Remembering Keshav Desiraju: The bureaucrat who fought for the disabled READ MORE
2. What is Patience READ MORE
3. WHAT COVID 19 HAS TAUGHT US READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. The essence of cooperative federalism lies in consultation and dialogue. Analyse the statement with reference to the central government’s unilateral enactment of critical laws on subjects in the Concurrent List.
2. Diplomacy is no longer just about government to government contact. It is accompanied by a range of cultural, economic, and societal exchanges between the peoples of those countries. Discuss the statements.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.
• It is surprising the Government has avoided mentioning the consequences of asset monetisation on ordinary citizens.
• The fields in the Concurrent List were to be of common interest to the Union and the States, and the power to legislate on these subjects was to be shared with the Union so that there would be uniformity in law across the country.
• The essence of cooperative federalism lies in consultation and dialogue, and unilateral legislation without taking the States into confidence will lead to more protests on the streets.
• Agriculture is a significant player again in investment, and an area not really recognised.
• In the wake of the US pullback from Afghanistan, there is a clear and present danger of the ‘contract combatants’ industry getting a fillip.
• Marine spaces and resources cannot be effectively managed, with varying territorial jurisdictions which are essentially meant for the land geopolitical situation, in the form of a ‘nation State’. Ocean resources have their own natural zones and boundaries.
• At the International level, India needs to work with the UN to see that the Taliban regime does not get aid and recognition without abiding by the conditionality of an inclusive government, protection of women rights and minorities.
• The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted that Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is fundamental to well-functioning economies and citizens’ well-being.
• Federalism can inform the way the Union government seeks to achieve its foreign policy goals in the larger interest of the nation.
• Diplomacy is no longer just about government to government contact. It is accompanied by a range of cultural, economic, and societal exchanges between the peoples of those countries.
• Good foreign-policy requires not only an understanding of a foreign government and its strategies but also of the social, political and economic situation of the foreign country itself.

50-WORD TALK

• Muzaffarnagar Mahapanchayat is an indicator of farmers’ agitation gathering steam ahead of assembly polls. Its politicisation makes a reasoned debate on farm laws difficult. But the Centre can’t look the other way. It must re-engage with farmers and resume dialogue with them. The standoffish approach will serve neither politics nor governance.
• The return of the Nipah virus to Kerala is alarming, especially because the state’s early “success” with Covid was credited to its experience of tackling Nipah in 2018. Nipah is more lethal and simultaneous containment for two infectious diseases is a tough test of health system preparedness. Kerala faces a challenge.
• GST was envisaged as a simple tax system but its multiple tax slabs, exemptions and constantly changing rules have made it a taxpayer’s nightmare and a never-ending revenue stream for tax and legal practitioners. It’s time to make this tax simple by reducing the tax slabs and minimising exemptions.

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.