WSDP Bulletin (29-09-2021)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. PM dedicates to the Nation 35 crop varieties with special traits READ MORE
2. 4th Indo-US Health Dialogue 2021 concludes READ MORE
3. Country’s first Pan-India helpline for senior citizens READ MORE
4. Pfizer begins the study of mRNA flu vaccine READ MORE
5. Explained: What is Mumbai civic body’s 3D mapping initiative? READ MORE
6. Nitin Gadkari reviews Zojila tunnel work READ MORE

Main Exam  

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Digital health ID: Technology alone can’t address systemic inadequacies READ MORE
2. PM Modi’s Digital Health Mission Might put Personal Data at Risk, Lead to Exclusion READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Welfare delivery in the digital world READ MORE
2. More female representation: Structural biases against women must be addressed READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Four geopolitical developments and a window of opportunity for India READ MORE
2. AUKUS won’t derail either Quad or Western unity READ MORE
3. Can Taliban takeover reframe Indian thinking? READ MORE
4. The unspoken risk of Quad and AUKUS: A bigger arms race in the Indo-Pacific READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Explained: How the PLI scheme for textiles works READ MORE
2. India must make ‘green’ hydrogen a priority READ MORE
3. Human capital: Need for State-level approach READ MORE

 ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Explainer: What is green hydrogen and how can it help India mitigate climate change? READ MORE
2. Stricter air quality standards set by WHO are a reminder to governments to clean up their act READ MORE

SECURITY

1. Tackling the Maoists: On Left Wing Extremism READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. The pursuit of happiness through justice: The great degree of unhappiness in Indian society has a lot to do with the way the law and its institutions operate READ MORE
2. Bureaucracy’s digital challenge: If civil servants don’t use social media appropriately, their role as independent advisers stands threatened READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Should civil servants use social media in their official capacity? Justify your view.
2. ‘Asian countries caught between the US and China should push for a new paradigm of multilateralism’. Comment.
3. How far do you agree with the view that the digitalisation of health services will push personal data at risk? Suggest the way forward in this regard.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• The great degree of unhappiness in Indian society has a lot to do with the way the law and its institutions operate.
• Bureaucrats should use social media to improve public policies. If they don’t use social media appropriately, their role as independent advisers stands threatened.
• The insurgency has weakened but its potency in select areas has not reduced.
• Developments on the security front herald a period of uncertainty and danger, but with China’s crackdown on its private sector, India’s economic prospects look brighter.
• Investments in research and development can help India tap its ‘green’ hydrogen potential and align its energy sector with climate goals.
• India has the advantage of producing cheap electricity from renewable sources and thus, we have the potential of becoming hydrogen exporters and should not lose this opportunity as we have lost in the case of solar cells and batteries.
• Asian countries caught between the US and China should push for a new paradigm of multilateralism.
• There is a need for micro-level studies that can create evidence-based policy interventions to improve human development.
• It’s important to bridge the digital divide that is preventing millions of people from making the most of technology-based public services. A holistic approach is a way forward to give a new lease of life to the health sector.

ESSAY TOPIC

• Happiness is a measure of the quality of governance.

50- WORD TALK

• Delhi High Court’s message to CM Arvind Kejriwal should be applicable to all politicians: Don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep. AAP government’s stand that CM’s assurance to pay poor tenants’ rent doesn’t constitute an unconditional promise amounts to political chicanery. Kejriwal must realise that voters are much smarter.
• Digital health IDs launched by PM Modi is an innovative addition to India’s growing data banks. But this needs to be matched by better healthcare infrastructure, especially in the public health sector. Without access to good, affordable hospitals, doctors, diagnostic services, health care could end up as welfare optics.

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.