INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

50,000 RUPEES FOR EACH COVID-19 DEATH

THE CONTEXT: The Ministry of Home Affairs informed the Supreme Court that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has recommended the payment of 50,000 Rupees each as ex gratia assistance to the next kin of those who died of COVID-19, including those who succumbed to the virus while involved in relief operations and preparedness activities.

SOURCE:  TH

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

WORLD RHINO DAY

THE CONTEXT: The “world’s largest stockpile” of rhino horns was consigned to flames in eastern Assam’s Bokakhat, the headquarters of the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, amid Vedic rituals. The event timed with World Rhino Day was aimed at dispelling myths that have driven the illegal horn trade and the poaching of the animal.

ANALYSIS:

• • Wildlife officials said 2,479 of the 2,623 horns stored in 12 district treasuries since 1979 were burnt in six large iron pyres placed at a stadium in Bokakhat, about 240 km east of Guwahati. These were lit remotely through drones.

INDIAN RHINO VISION 2020 (IRV 2020)

• • Launched in 2005.
  • The initiative was led by the Forest Department, Government of Assam, in partnership with WWF India, International Rhino Foundation.
  • The goal of IRV2020 was to increase the rhino population in Assam to 3,000 by establishing populations in new areas.
  • Rhinos are now found in four Protected Areas in Assam: Pabitora Wildlife Reserve, Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park, Kaziranga National Park, and Manas National Park.

ONE-HORNED RHINOS

• • Only the Great One-Horned Rhino is found in India.
  • Also known as the Indian rhino, it is the largest of the rhino species.
  • It is identified by a single black horn and grey-brown hide with skin folds.
  • They primarily graze, with a diet consisting almost entirely of grasses as well as leaves, branches of shrubs and trees, fruit, and aquatic plants.
  • Conservation status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.
  • CITES Appendix I
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I.

SOURCE:   TH

WHO TIGHTENS GLOBAL AIR QUALITY NORMS

THE CONTEXT: The World Health Organisation (WHO), in its first-ever update since 2005, has tightened global air pollution standards.

ANALYSIS:

• The move does not have an immediate effect in India as the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) do not meet the WHO’s existing standards.
• The government has a dedicated National Clean Air Programme (launched in 2019) that aims for a 20% to 30% reduction in particulate matter concentrations by 2024 in 122 cities, keeping 2017 as the base year for the comparison of concentration.
• These are cities that do not meet the NAAQS when calculated from 2011 to 2015.
• Every year, exposure to air pollution is estimated to cause 7 million premature deaths.

NATIONAL CLEAN AIR PROGRAMME (NCAP)

• The initiatives under NCAP are:
  • The National Air Quality Monitoring Network will be augmented.
  • Air Quality Management Plan for the cities chosen.
  • Indoor Air Pollution Monitoring & Management.
  • National Emission Inventory – this is an inventory of the quantity of pollutants discharged into the air.
  • Network of Technical Institutions
  • Technology Assessment Cell
  • International cooperation including the sharing of best practices with respect to the abatement of air pollution.

SOURCE: TH

POSSIBLY EXTINCT

THE CONTEXT: A number of animals and plants have been listed as ‘possibly extinct in the latest edition of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List of Threatened Species. The latest edition of the Red List was released at the recently-concluded World Conservation Congress organised by the IUCN at Marseille, France.

ANALYSIS: 

• Among animals, there is the coconut crab, the largest terrestrial arthropod in the world. There are also fish species such as bovany barb, native to the Cauvery river system.
• Other fish that have been declared as possibly extinct include the Deolali minnow, the Deccan barb and the Nilgiri mystus, all of which are found in the Deccan.
• Birds include the Pink-headed duck, which has been feared to be extinct since the 1950s, the Siberian crane, which once famously drew crowds to Keoladeo National Park as well as the Buffy fish-owl or Malay owl.
• The Tentacled butterfly ray, a type of ray and the Dwarf sawfish are two other animal species that are feared to be possibly extinct.
• The Millepora boschmaior fire coral is also possibly extinct.
• There are also species that have been marked as ‘Extinct Post-1500’. The term is taken as a marker to estimate after when the presence/population of the species has declined. Species marked thus have been last assessed in the 1900s post which their presence and updates to their population has not been found.

SOURCE: DTE

INDIAN ECONOMY

INCREASED FDI INFLOWS

THE CONTEXT: FDI Inflows grow 62% during the first four months of the current Financial Year over the corresponding period last year.

ANALYSIS: 

• India has attracted a total FDI inflow of US$ 27.37 billion during the first four months of F.Y. 2021-22 which is 62% higher as compared to the corresponding period of F.Y. 2020-21 (US$ 16.92 billion).
• FDI equity inflow grew by 112% in the first four months of F.Y. 2021-22 (US$ 20.42 billion) compared to the year-ago period (US$ 9.61 billion).
• ‘Automobile Industry’ has emerged as the top sector during the first four months of F.Y. 2021-22 with 23% share of the total FDI Equity inflow followed by Computer Software & Hardware (18%) and Services Sector (10%) respectively.
• Under the sector `Automobile Industry’, the majority of FDI Equity inflow (87%) was reported in the state of Karnataka during the first four months of the current financial year (2021-22).
• Karnataka is the top recipient state during the F.Y. 2021-22 (up to July 2021) with a 45% share of the total FDI equity inflows followed by Maharashtra (23%) and Delhi (12%).

SOURCE: PIB

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

MISSION DEPLOYED

THE CONTEXT: Towards enhancing military cooperation with friendly nations, Indian Naval Ship INS Tabar was mission-deployed in international waters for over three months from 13 June 21.

ANALYSIS:

• During the deployment, she made 11 port calls in nine countries of Europe and Africa, traversing nearly 20,000 nautical miles. In all ports, the ship received a warm reception from local officials and was visited by several local dignitaries.
• The ship’s port visits saw various social and professional interactions conducted with the host countries.
• The ship also undertook twelve maritime partnership exercises with foreign navies at sea. These also included prominent bilateral exercises such as Exercise Konkan 21 with the Royal Navy and Exercise Indra-Navy 21 with the Russian Navy.
• These exercises involved wide-ranging and multi-dimensional evolutions covering a diverse range of naval operations. The exercises are deemed to have enhanced interoperability among participating navies and increased the ease with which they can operate together to address shared maritime concerns and threats if required.
• A few of these exercises were maiden engagements, such as that with the Royal Norwegian Navy, the Algerian Navy and the Sudanese Navy.

SOURCE: PIB

COVISHIELD FINE, BUT NOT INDIAN CERTIFICATION: U.K.

THE CONTEXT: In an unexpected move, the United Kingdom added Indian-made Covishield to its list of recognised vaccines, but refused to recognise vaccine certificates given to those administered the vaccine in India.

ANALYSIS:

• The decision, which means Indian travellers to the U.K. will still be subject to 10-day quarantine rules, is expected to further fuel the rift between both countries over what India has called a “discriminatory practice”, and had threatened reciprocal measures against.

SOURCE: TH

THE SAARC MEETING CANCELLED

THE CONTEXT:A meeting of foreign ministers from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries, which was set to be held in New York, has been cancelled. The member states were unable to agree upon the participation of Afghanistan, with Pakistan and India in particular at loggerheads over the issue.

ANALYSIS:

• After Pakistan objected to the participation of any official from the previous Ghani administration, SAARC members reportedly agreed to keep an “empty chair” as a symbolic representation of Afghanistan.
• However, Islamabad later insisted that the Taliban be allowed to send its representative to the summit, a notion that all of the other member states rejected.
• After no consensus could be formed, Nepal, the ‘host’ of the summit, officially cancelled the meeting.

SOURCE: TH

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

 Which of the following species of rhino are critically endangered?

1. Javan rhino
2. Sumatran rhino
3. One-horned rhino
4. Black rhino
5. White rhino

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 1, 2 and 3 only

c) 1, 2 and 4 only

d)1, 4 and 5 only

ANSWER FOR SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER RELEVANT TO ARTICLE)

ANSWER: C

Explanation:

The reproduction number, or R, refers to how many persons an infected person infects on average. In other words, it shows how ‘efficiently’ a virus is spreading

[WpProQuiz 53]

1. Creating citizen-centric police READ MORE
2. Perception gap plagues crime control in UP READ MORE
3. Taking states on board: It is time the Modi govt convened a meeting of the Inter-State Council READ MORE

1. The real deficit in India’s health care system READ MORE
2. Extreme weather events in India made women, children more vulnerable to modern slavery, flags report READ MORE

1. Biomedical waste dumping: Covid has caused a surge in hazardous waste production READ MORE
2. Deforestation in India during British rule READ MORE

1. Can we ignore food ethics in a discussion about food diversity and politics? READ MORE
2. Why get away from the madding crowd? READ MORE
3. Teacher, a friend for life READ MORE
4. Overreaction READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. First Advance Estimates of production of major Kharif crops released READ MORE
2. E-Sanjeevani, Govt. of India’s telemedicine initiative, completes 1.2 Crore consultations READ MORE
3. COVID-19 | R-value dropped below one in mid-September READ MORE
4. CIA officer reports Havana syndrome symptoms on India trip: Reports READ MORE
5. Assam’s wild water buffalo is in troubled waters because of habitat loss READ MORE
6. Researchers develop super-hydrophobic cotton for oil-spill cleanup READ MORE

Main Exam  

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Creating citizen-centric police READ MORE
2. Perception gap plagues crime control in UP READ MORE
3. Taking states on board: It is time the Modi govt convened a meeting of the Inter-State Council READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. The real deficit in India’s health care system READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Iran’s SCO Membership is a Big Deal READ MORE
2. The big deal behind the ruckus over AUKUS: China’s economic and military capacities, as well as its belligerence, have led to a shift in regional security paradigms READ MORE
3. Vaccine diplomacy: UK’s appalling bias against Covishield termed racist READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Changing the Agri exports basket: India has the potential to become a global leader in the food processing sector READ MORE
2. How to boost export of high-end products READ MORE
3. India’s financial system gets a reset READ MORE
4. To succeed, the bad bank must itself be good READ MORE
5. The Need for Major Changes in Agricultural Policies READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Biomedical waste dumping: Covid has caused a surge in hazardous waste production READ MORE
2. Deforestation in India during British rule READ MORE
3. Extreme weather events in India made women, children more vulnerable to modern slavery, flags report READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Can we ignore food ethics in a discussion about food diversity and politics? READ MORE
2. Why get away from the madding crowd? READ MORE
3. Teacher, a friend for life READ MORE
4. Overreaction READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Discuss the strategic & geopolitical implications of the AUKUS security agreement in the Indo-Pacific region.
2. ‘Crop diversification is essential for maintaining groundwater levels and soil health, and protecting the environment from pollution’. Substantiate the statement.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Alliance does not mean love; any more than war means hate.
• India has the potential to become a global leader in the food processing sector.
• The Centre’s policy should be in the direction of nurturing food processing companies, ensuring low cost of production and global food quality standards, and creating a supportive environment to promote the export of processed food.
• India has competitive advantages in various agricultural commodities which can be passed onto processed foods. It has the potential to become a global leader in the food processing sector.
• The Quad is not a security arrangement though there is a widespread feeling that without stronger security underpinnings it would play a limited role in dealing with the real challenge of China’s militarization.
• Allowing oneself to think critically and candidly about food may demand making challenging dietary changes.
• To enable honest police officers to concentrate on their professional work of crime prevention, investigation and maintenance of public order, instead of being used and abused by those in power.
• To accelerate the pace and meet our global health commitments, India must build more institutions for producing professionals and create a conducive environment, with adequate pay packages, to attract and retain the best talent in the workforce.
• There is no place for vaccine ‘racism’ in the global battle against the pandemic.
• For a bad bank to succeed, the government must take steps to ensure that the regulatory environment allows it to discharge its functions with some speed and a bearable cost to itself.
• Widespread public awareness can only be achieved through environmental education and demonstration projects, for which India is still far from its milestone.

50-WORD TALK

• India’s hurt over UK’s new, ‘discriminatory’ Covid travel restrictions for Indians is understandable. But this need not escalate into a diplomatic row. More than vaccines, this is about trusting India’s Cowin certification. New Delhi and London should resolve this sooner than later as this just requires reconciling technologies and processes.
• The flaw in the new marriage law in Rajasthan isn’t just ‘technical’. It can, will be misused. The state’s child marriage cases are higher than the national average — a colossal failure to end the abominable practice. Congress party claims to espouse progressive politics, but this law is willful blindness.

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.

INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

e-SANJEEVANI

THE CONTEXT: eSanjeevani, Government of India’s National Telemedicine Service, has completed 1.2 crores (120 lakh) consultations rapidly shaping into the country’s most popular and the largest telemedicine service.

ANALYSIS: 

• Currently, the National Telemedicine Service is serving daily around 90,000 patients across the country signalling wide adoption by patients as well as doctors, and specialists across the country.
• Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s National Telemedicine Service eSanjeevani is operational through two modes viz. – eSanjeevani AB-HWC (doctor to doctor telemedicine platform)  that is based on a hub and spoke model and eSanjeevaniOPD – (patient to doctor telemedicine platform) which provides outpatient services to the citizens in the confines of their homes.
• Andhra Pradesh was the first state to roll out eSanjeevaniAB-HWC services.

ABOUT e-SANJEEVANI

• of India’s eSanjeevani – National Telemedicine Service is plugging the digital health divide that exists in urban and rural India.
• It is addressing the shortage of doctors and specialists at the ground level while reducing the burden on secondary and tertiary level hospitals.
• In line with the National Digital Health Mission, this digital initiative is also boosting the digital health ecosystem in the country.
• It is an indigenous telemedicine technology developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) in Mohali. The C-DAC team in Mohali is providing end to end services.

SOURCE:  PIB

FERTILITY RATES OF HINDUS AND MUSLIMS CONVERGING

THE CONTEXT: According to a new study published by the Pew Research Center, the religious composition of India’s population since Partition has remained largely stable, with both Hindus and Muslims, the two largest religious groups, showing not only a marked decline but also a convergence in fertility rates.

ANALYSIS:

• From 1992 to 2015, the total fertility rates of Muslims declined from 4.4 to 2.6, while that of Hindus declined from 3.3 to 2.1, indicating that the gaps in childbearing between India’s religious groups are much smaller than they used to be.
• The average fertility rate in India today was 2.2, which was higher than the rates in economically advanced countries such as the U.S. (1.6), but much lower than what it was in 1992 (3.4) or 1951 (5.9).
• In terms of absolute numbers, every major religion in India saw its numbers rise. The sole exception to this trend are Parsis, whose number halved between 1951 and 2011, from 110,000 to 60,000.
• More than 99% of people who live in India were also born in India, and migrants leaving India outnumber immigrants three-to-one.
• Religious conversion has also had a negligible impact on India’s overall composition, with 98% of Indian adults still identifying with the religion in which they were raised.

SOURCE:   TH

KASTURIRANGAN TO LEAD SYLLABUS PANEL

THE CONTEXT: The Centre has started the process to revise school textbooks by appointing former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K. Kasturirangan as the head of a 12-member steering committee responsible for developing a new National Curriculum Framework (NCF).

ANALYSIS:

• Kasturirangan also chaired the drafting committee for the National Education Policy, 2020 which recommended the development of a new NCF.
• The steering committee has been given tenure of three years to complete its task.
• The last such framework was developed in 2005. It is meant to be a guiding document for the development of textbooks, syllabi and teaching practices in schools across the country.
• The subsequent revision of textbooks by the National Council of Educational Research and Training will draw from the new NCF.
• The steering committee will develop four such frameworks, one each to guide the curriculum of school education, teacher education, early childhood education and adult education.

SOURCE:   TH

R-VALUE DROPPED BELOW ONE IN MID-SEPTEMBER

THE CONTEXT: According to experts, the R-value, dropped to 0.92 by mid-September after spiralling over one in August-end.

ANALYSIS:

• However, the R-values in certain major cities — Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru — remained over one. The R-value in Delhi and Pune were below one.
• According to the data, the R-value of Mumbai stood at 1.09, Chennai was 1.11, Kolkata was 1.04, and Bengaluru was 1.06.
• The R-values in Maharashtra and Kerala were below one, giving much-needed relief to these two states with the highest number of active cases.
• The R-value was 1.17 at the end of August. It had declined to 1.11 between September 4 and 7. Since then, it has remained under one.
• The reproduction number or R refers to how many persons an infected person infects on average. In other words, it shows how ‘efficiently’ a virus is spreading.
• According to the Health Ministry, the recovery rate currently stood at 97.75%. The weekly positivity rate (2.08%) had been less than 3% for the last 88 days.

SOURCE: TH

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

22% RISE IN EXPORT OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

THE CONTEXT: According to the Quick Estimates released by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S), the overall export of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) products has witnessed 21.8 per cent growth in terms of USD during April-August 2021 over the same period of the previous year.

ANALYSIS:

• The huge jump in exports of agricultural and processed food products during the first five months of the current fiscal is in continuation of growth in exports witnessed in the financial year 2020-21.
• According to WTO’s trade map, with the total agri-exports of USD 37 billion in the year 2019, India is ranked at 9th position in the world ranking.
• The export of rice, which recorded a positive growth of 13.7 per cent, increased from USD 3359 million in April-August 2020 to USD 3820 million in April-August 2021.
• As per the Quick Estimates, the exports of fresh fruits & vegetables registered a 6.1 per cent growth in terms of USD, while shipment of processed food products like cereals preparations and miscellaneous processed items reported a growth of 41.9 per cent.
• In April-August 2020-21, fresh fruits and vegetables were exported to the tune of USD 1013 million which rose to USD 1075 million in April-August 2021-22.
• India reported a significant 142.1 per cent jump in the export of other cereals while the export of meat, dairy & poultry products witnessed an increase of 31.1 per cent in the first five months of the current fiscal (2021-22).
• The export of other cereals increased from USD 157 million in April-August 2020 to USD 379 million in April-August 2021 and the export of meat, dairy and poultry products increased from USD 1185 million in April-August 2020 to USD 1554 million in April-August 2021.
• The cashew export witnessed a growth of 28.5 per cent in April-August 2021 as the export of cashew rose from USD 144 million in April-August 2020 to USD 185 million in April-August 2021.
• The rise in export of agricultural and processed food products is because of APEDA’s various initiatives taken for the export promotion of agricultural and processed food products.

SOURCE:  PIB

INDIA NOW HAS 10 BLUE FLAG BEACHES

THE CONTEXT: The coveted International eco-label “Blue Flag”, has accorded the Blue Flag Certification for 2 new beaches–Kovalam in Tamil Nadu and Eden in Puducherry beaches.

ABOUT BLUE FLAG CERTIFICATION

• The Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised voluntary eco-labels awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators.
• In order to qualify for the Blue Flag, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria must be met and maintained.
• The Blue Flag Programme for beaches and marinas is run by the international, non-governmental, non-profit organisation FEE (the Foundation for Environmental Education).
• FEE (the Foundation for Environmental Education) was established in France in 1985.
• On the lines of Blue Flag certification, India has also launched its own eco-label BEAMS.

ABOUT BEAMS

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in its pursuit of “Sustainable Development” of the coastal regions of India embarked upon a highly acclaimed & flagship program Beach Environment & Aesthetics Management Services (BEAMS) which is one of the initiatives under the ICZM approach that the MoEF&CC has undertaken for the sustainable development of coastal regions of India,  with a  prime objective to protect and conserve the pristine coastal and marine ecosystems through holistic management of the resources.
• This was aimed at achieving the globally recognized and coveted International eco-label “Blue Flag”, accorded by the International Jury comprising of members from IUCN, UNWTO, UNEP, UNESCO etc.
• FEE Denmark conducts regular monitoring & audits for strict compliance with the 33 criteria at all times. A waving “Blue Flag” is an indication of 100% compliance to these 33 stringent criteria and sound health of the beach.
• The objective of the BEAMS program is to abate pollution in coastal waters, promote sustainable development of beach facilities, protect & conserve coastal ecosystems & natural resources, and seriously challenge local authorities & stakeholders to strive and maintain high standards of cleanliness, hygiene & safety for beachgoers in accordance with coastal environment & regulations.

SOURCE: PIB

SUPER-HYDROPHOBIC COTTON FOR OIL-SPILL CLEANUP

THE CONTEXT: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati, have developed a new class of super-hydrophobic cotton composite with Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) that promise marine oil-spill clean-up in near future.

ANALYSIS: 

• This is a novel, highly porous and water-repellent super-hydrophobic cotton composite material containing MOF, which can absorb oil selectively from an oil-water mixture.
• The MOF composite has great capability for selective separation of the oils from oil/water mixtures and the separation efficiency lies between 95 per cent and 98 per cent, irrespective of the chemical composition and density of the oils.
• Besides, the MOF composite is also able to absorb large volumes of oils and can be reused a minimum of 10 times so that the sorbents can provide more recovery of the spilt oil.
• The practical applications of this research include cleaning the spilt oil from environmental water (river, sea or ocean water) during oil transportation with high efficiency and large absorption capacity, thus reducing environmental water pollution.
• Both heavy and light oils can be effectively absorbed by the material, which is easy to prepare, cost-effective and recyclable.
• MOFs are a class of compounds containing metal ions coordinated to organic ligands to form 3D structures, with the special feature that they are often highly porous materials that act like a sponge.

SOURCE: DTE

SUPER-HYDROPHOBIC COTTON FOR OIL-SPILL CLEANUP

THE CONTEXT: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati, have developed a new class of super-hydrophobic cotton composite with Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) that promise marine oil-spill clean-up in near future.

ANALYSIS: 

• This is a novel, highly porous and water-repellent super-hydrophobic cotton composite material containing MOF, which can absorb oil selectively from an oil-water mixture.
• The MOF composite has great capability for selective separation of the oils from oil/water mixtures and the separation efficiency lies between 95 per cent and 98 per cent, irrespective of the chemical composition and density of the oils.
• Besides, the MOF composite is also able to absorb large volumes of oils and can be reused a minimum of 10 times so that the sorbents can provide more recovery of the spilt oil.
• The practical applications of this research include cleaning the spilt oil from environmental water (river, sea or ocean water) during oil transportation with high efficiency and large absorption capacity, thus reducing environmental water pollution.
• Both heavy and light oils can be effectively absorbed by the material, which is easy to prepare, cost-effective and recyclable.
• MOFs are a class of compounds containing metal ions coordinated to organic ligands to form 3D structures, with the special feature that they are often highly porous materials that act like a sponge.

SOURCE: DTE

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

INDIA CONSIDERS RECIPROCAL STEPS TO U.K.’S QUARANTINE RULES

THE CONTEXT: India could impose “reciprocal measures” on the United Kingdom if London maintained the current quarantine policy that subjected Indian travellers “irrespective of vaccination status” to a quarantine period lasting 10 days.

ANALYSIS:

• The U.K.’s policy to impose 10 days’ quarantine on people vaccinated with Covishield revealed a gap in that country’s policy regarding vaccines made in India.
• The basic issue is that there is a vaccine, Covishield, which is a licensed product of a U.K. company, manufactured in India.
• The U.K moved India to the ‘Amber list’, taking it away from the ‘Red list’. This opened the British “Visit visas” to Indian travellers “irrespective of vaccination status”.
• However, India has kept tourist visas suspended, which is preventing vaccinated British tourists from entering India.

SOURCE: TH

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

In the terminology related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which of the following best explains the ‘R’ value?

a) How many infected persons have recovered in one-day

b) How many persons are re-infected by the COVID-19 virus on average

c) How many persons an infected person infects on average.

d) How many persons are vaccinated in one day

ANSWER FOR SEPTEMBER 21, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER

RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Answer: C

Explanation:

COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, abbreviated as COVAX, is a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines directed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, or GAVI), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

PROJECT FULWARI

THE CONTEXT: Project Fulwari under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to Strengthen Northern Coalfields’ Limited (NCL)fight against Malnutrition in kids.

ANALYSIS: 

• Considering the facts found during the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) regarding malnutrition in Singrauli district, NCL has signed an MoU with the District Administration, to start Project Fulwari.
• The mission aims to address the problem of malnutrition and associated physical and mental development issues of infants.
• At Fulwari Centers, the identified malnourished children are getting special attention to ensure that their weight, physical and mental progress meets the normal standards.
• This initiative will give impetus to the Centre’s fight against malnutrition and its commitment towards Sustainable Social Development.

 SOURCE:  PIB

MOU SIGNED BETWEEN TRIFED AND BIG BASKET

THE CONTEXT: TRIBES INDIA VAN DHAN to expand Online marketing in a big way by tying up with Big Basket, MoU Signed between TRIFED and Big Basket.

ANALYSIS:

• The MoU between TRIFED and Big Basket was signed for promotion and sale of Organics, natural Van Dhan products and TRIFOOD products.
• MoU between TRIFED and Purty Agrotech was signed in order to promote the art of growing pearls among other tribal entrepreneurs.
• TRIFED is continuing to forge partnerships with different organisations to create synergies together, as a part of its ongoing efforts to improve the lives and livelihoods of the tribals and tribal empowerment.

SOURCE:   PIB

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

WESTERN GHATS OFFER MAJOR ADDITIONS TO NEW FLORA

THE CONTEXT: The Botanical Survey of India, in its new publication Plant Discoveries 2020 has added 267 new taxa/species to the country’s flora.

ANALYSIS:

• In 2020, 202 new plant species were discovered across the country and 65 new records were added.
• Among the new discoveries this year, nine new species of balsam (Impatiens) and one species of wild banana (Musa pradhanii) were discovered from Darjeeling and one species each of wild Jamun (Syzygium anamalaianum) from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.
• An assessment of the geographical distribution of these newly discovered plants reveals that 22% of the discoveries were made from the Western Ghats followed by the Western Himalayas (15%), the Eastern Himalayas (14%) and the Northeast ranges (12%).

SOURCE:  TH

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

GLOBAL INNOVATION INDEX 2021

THE CONTEXT: India scores 46th rank in the Global Innovation Index 2021.

ANALYSIS: 

• India has climbed 2 spots and has been ranked 46th by the World Intellectual Property Organization in the Global Innovation Index 2021 rankings.
• India has been on a rising trajectory, over the past several years in the Global Innovation Index (GII), from a rank of 81 in 2015 to46in 2021.
• The NITI Aayog has been working tirelessly to ensure the optimization of the national efforts for bringing policy led innovation in different areas such as electric vehicles, biotechnology, nanotechnology, space, alternative energy sources, etc.
• The GII is the fulcrum for the governments – across the world – to assess the social and economic changes in their respective countries.
• Over the years, the GII has established itself as a policy tool for various governments and helped them to reflect upon the existing status quo.
• The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has also been leading from the front as a torchbearer of India’s journey towards an innovation-driven economy.
• This year, the NITI Aayog, in partnership with the CII and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), is hosting, virtually, the India Launch of the GII and the Global Innovation Conclave during September 21-22,2021.

SOURCE: PIB

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

INDIA TO RESUME COVID-19 VACCINE EXPORTS NEXT MONTH

THE CONTEXT: India will resume the export of COVID-19 vaccines under its ‘Vaccine Maitri’programme to fulfil the commitment towards COVAX (COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access).

ABOUT COVAX:

• COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, abbreviated as COVAX, is a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines directed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, or GAVI), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
• It is one of the three pillars of ’Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator’, an initiative begun in April 2020 by the WHO, the European Commission, and government of France as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

SOURCE: TH

SAMUDRA SHAKTI

THE CONTEXT: Indian navy and Indonesian navy participate in exercise ‘Samudra shakti’.

ANALYSIS:

• Indian Naval Ships Shivalik and Kadmatt arrived at Jakarta, Indonesia on 18 Sep 21 to participate in the 3rd edition of Bilateral Exercise ‘Samudra Shakti’ with the Indonesian Navy scheduled off the approaches to Sunda Strait from 20 Sep to 22 Sep 21.
• The exercise aims to strengthen the bilateral relationship, enhance mutual understanding and interoperability in maritime operations between the two navies.
• The exercise will also provide an appropriate platform to share best practices and develop a common understanding of Maritime Security Operations.
• In pursuance of India’s Act East Policy, Exercise ‘Samudra Shakti’ was conceived in 2018 as a bilateral IN-IDN exercise.

SOURCE: PIB

SURYA KIRAN

THE CONTEXT: The 15th India-Nepal combined battalion-level military training exercise ‘SURYA KIRAN’ commenced at Pithoragarh (UK).

ANALYSIS:

• During the exercise, an Infantry Battalion each from the Indian Army and the Nepali Army will be training together to develop interoperability and share their experience of counter-terrorism operations and disaster relief operations.

SOURCE: PIB

PEACEFUL MISSION – 2021

THE CONTEXT: 6th edition of SCO exercise “peaceful mission – 2021” commences at Orenburg, Russia.

ANALYSIS:

• The aim of the exercise is to foster close relations between the SCO Member States and to enhance the abilities of the military leaders to command multinational military contingents.
• An Indian military contingent comprising of an all arms combined force of 200 personnel from the Indian Army and Indian Air force is participating in the exercise.
• The Exercise Peaceful Mission: 2021 is based on joint counter-terrorism operations at operational and tactical levels in an urban environment in which Armies and Air Forces of all SCO member states are participating.
• Over the next few days, troops will train, share and rehearse tactical drills which will culminate in a final validation exercise, where-in troops from all Armies and Air Forces will jointly undertake operations in a controlled and simulated environment.

SOURCE: PIB

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

 COVAX initiative is started for equitable access of COVID-19 vaccines to all countries. This initiative is led by which of the following?

1. GAVI
2. World Bank
3. CEPI
4. WHO

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) 1 and 4 only

b) 1, 2 and 4 only

c) 1, 3 and 4 only

d) All of them

ANSWER FOR SEPTEMBER 20, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER TO RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Answer: A)

Explanation:

A variant of HELINA (Helicopter based NAG) Weapon System called DHRUVASTRA is being inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF).

1. Low Ethical Standards Are Common in Medical Education in India READ MORE
2. Peace forAll Beings READ MORE
3. Practise kshama to lead a stress-free life READ MORE

1. ‘Climate change is a key driver of financial risk’: RBI READ MORE  
2. On-air pollution, Indian cities must do more READ MORE

1. Why Schools Should Not be Allowed to Open Prematurely READ MORE
2. Modi govt’s e-Shram takes digital literacy for granted. Won’t help unorganised sector workers READ MORE

1. A new water policy for India: It marks a shift from the command-and-control approach to nature READ MORE
2. The obsession with ranking: Can the NIRF scale measure and rank the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom? READ MORE
3. Justice in high-profile corporate cases READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. NCW Launches Country-Wide Capacity Building & Personality Development Program For Women Students READ MORE
2. EPFO adds 14.65 lakh net subscribers in July READ MORE
3. Most internal displacement in East Africa’s Burundi due to rise of Lake Tanganyika READ MORE
4. The Sundarbans: India must protect the world’s largest delta from a dystopian future, and now READ MORE
5. How effective is CPCB in its management of e-waste? READ MORE
6. Western Ghats offer major additions to new flora READ MORE
7. Unique temple for the Hindu Trinity READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. A new water policy for India: It marks a shift from the command-and-control approach to nature READ MORE
2. The obsession with ranking: Can the NIRF scale measure and rank the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom? READ MORE
3. Justice in high-profile corporate cases READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Why Schools Should Not be Allowed to Open Prematurely READ MORE
2. Modi govt’s e-Shram takes digital literacy for granted. Won’t help unorganised sector workers READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. With AUKUS dividing the Western bloc, is there a role for India? READ MORE
2. The Aukus effect: Alliance could bolster the Quad’s impact READ MORE
3. Post-Afghanistan geopolitical potpourri READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. All you wanted to know about bad bank READ MORE
2. The endgame: On the new ‘bad bank’ READ MORE
3. The end of the doing business rankings READ MORE
4. Making the banking sector more vibrant READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. ‘Climate change is a key driver of financial risk’: RBI READ MORE  
2. On-air pollution, Indian cities must do more READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Low Ethical Standards Are Common in Medical Education in India READ MORE
2. Peace forAll Beings READ MORE
3. Practise kshama to lead a stress-free life READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Critically analyse the proposal to establish a bad bank to resolve the NPAs with banks.
2. The new security agreement between security Australia, United Kingdom and the United States offers both opportunities and challenges for Quad Nations. Analyse the statement.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• The idea is to go from numbers to information to understanding.
• Guarantees for the ‘bad bank’ may help, but not sufficient to fix lenders’ woes.
• Just reopening schools won’t make an unequal education system more equal without public funding. It may speed up SARS-CoV-2 mutations and risk another brutal Covid-19 wave.
• Properly managed renewable generation can co-exist with other land uses, and, unlike coal-based power, it does not fundamentally change land during use or following its ultimate de-commissioning.
• The eco-system of self-registration as envisaged in the e-Shram portal does not involve employers’ participation in the process. This does not augur well for labour rights in our country.
• The absence of data on the unorganised workers is not by accident but by design. In formalisation of the labour force is perpetuated to reduce labour cost by making labour casual and subsequently anonymous.
• The Aukus is demonstrably a more robust alliance than the Quad, which remains a somewhat ambiguous network of bilateral agreements among members on issues of common interest — including responses to Covid-19, vaccine diplomacy, and so on.
• The Quad, a loose geo-political grouping involving the US, Japan, Australia, and India, was a mechanism designed to offer a counter to China’s expansive strategy in defining its naval borders.
• Simply the apex court considered emotional issues rather than looking into the facts found by the appellate tribunal, which is not a good symptom for corporate governance in professional ways.
• India’s interests lie in deeper strategic cooperation with France and Europe as well as the Quad and the Anglosphere.
• India’s diverse relationships in the West must be deployed in full measure to prevent a split in the Indo-Pacific coalition.
• The diplomatic fallout from the new security agreement between Australia, United Kingdom and the United States [AUKUS] is just about to begin.

50-WORD TALK

• Nagaland becoming Opposition-mukt is bad for democracy. All parties have united to find ‘a permanent political solution for the state.’ Underlying this is a troublesome message, that nobody wants to challenge the militant groups politically or administratively. This is like the state’s democracy going into suspended animation till a settlement.
• Whether it is nuclear-powered submarines, McDonald’s or Coca-Cola, the anti-American sentiment in France is a deep cultural war. The French fury this time, the first big public squabble inside NATO, has led to the recalling of envoys and the cancellation of events. As always, French exceptionalism has to dominate any global debate.

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.

INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1.2 LAKH PEOPLE DIED IN ROAD ACCIDENTS IN 2020: NCRB

THE CONTEXT: As many as 3.92 lakh lives have been lost in three years in deaths due to negligence related to road accidents, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) revealed in its annual ‘Crime India’ report for 2020.

ANALYSIS:

• While 1.2 lakh deaths were recorded in 2020, the figures stood at 1.36 lakh in 2019 and 1.35 lakh in 2018.
• Meanwhile, 52 cases of deaths due to negligence related to rail accidents were recorded across the country in 2020; 55 such cases in 2019 and 35 in 2018.
• During 2020, India also logged 133 cases of “deaths due to medical negligence;” 201 such cases in 2019 and 218 in 2018.
• There were 51 cases of “deaths due to negligence of civic bodies” in 2020, while there were 147 cases in 2019 and 40 in 2018, according to the report.
• Another 6,367 cases of “deaths due to other negligence” were reported across the country in 2020; 7,912 cases in 2019 and 8,687 in 2018, it showed.

SOURCE:  TH

RAJASTHAN PASSES BILL TO REGISTER CHILD MARRIAGES

THE CONTEXT: The Rajasthan Compulsory Registration of Marriages (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed in the state assembly. The bill has a provision that requires child marriages to be registered within 30 days.

ANALYSIS:

• The legislation would now allow registration to be done at the level of District Marriage Registration Officer as well as Additional District Marriage Registration Officer and Block Marriage Registration Officer level.
• The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said the commission would examine and do the needful to protect the interest of children.
• Child marriages surged by 50 per cent in 2020 compared to the previous year, according to the most recent NCRB data.
• According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data of 2020, a total of 785 cases were registered under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.
• The numbers of cases registered were the highest in Karnataka at 184, followed by Assam at 138, West Bengal at 98, Tamil Nadu at 77 and Telangana at 62.

SOURCE:   INDIATODAY

DELHI-MUMBAI EXPRESSWAY

THE CONTEXT: World’s longest expressway between Delhi and Mumbai to open in March 2023. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways concluded the two-day review of the work progress on the 1380-km eight-lane Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, which will reduce travel time between certain cities to 12-12.5 hours from 24 hours.

WHAT IS THE DELHI-MUMBAI EXPRESSWAY?

• Cost: Rs 98,000 crore
• Length: 1,380 km
• Completion schedule: The first phase from Delhi-Jaipur (Dausa)-Lalsot and Vadodara-Ankleshwar is expected to be open to traffic by March 2022. The expressway is expected to be completed by March 2023.
• The project was kickstarted in 2018 with the foundation stone being laid on March 9, 2019.
• The expressway will feature a spur to Jewar Airport and Jawaharlal Nehru Port to Mumbai through a spur in Mumbai.
• The expressway will improve connectivity to economic hubs like Jaipur, Kishangarh, Ajmer, Kota, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Bhopal, Ujjain, Indore, Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat.
• Out of the 1,380 km, contracts have been awarded for more than 1,200 km where work is under progress.
• Over 15,000 hectares of land has been acquired across states for the construction of the Delhi-Mumbai expressway.

KEY FEATURES OF DELHI-MUMBAI EXPRESSWAY

• The eight-lane access-controlled expressway can be expanded to a 12-lane expressway depending on the volume of traffic.
• The expressway will have wayside amenities – resorts, restaurants, food courts, fuel stations, facilities for truckers, logistics parks.
• A helicopter ambulance service for accident victims and a heliport, which will use drone services for business as well.
• Over two million trees and shrubs are planned to be planted along the highway.
• The expressway is the first in Asia and only the second in the world to feature animal overpasses to facilitate unrestricted movement of wildlife.
• The expressway will also include two iconic 8-lane tunnels, one tunnelling through Mukundra sanctuary without disturbing the endangered fauna in the region for 4 km and the second 4 km eight-lane tunnel will pass through the Matheran eco-sensitive zone.
• The expressway will result in annual fuel savings of more than 320 million litres and reduce CO2 emissions by 850 million kg which is equivalent to the planting of 40 million trees.
• More than 12 lakh tonnes of steel will be consumed in the construction of the expressway, which is equivalent to building 50 Howrah bridges.
• 80 lakh tonnes of cement will be consumed for the project, which is approximately 2% of India’s annual cement production capacity.
• The project has also created employment for thousands of trained civil engineers and more than 50 lakh man-days of work.

SOURCE: IE

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

CENTRE TO SIMPLIFY COFFEE ACT

THE CONTEXT: Centre to Simplify Coffee Act and promote ease of doing business.

ANALYSIS:

• The present Coffee Act was enacted in 1942 and it has many provisions which have become redundant and are impediments to the coffee trade.
• Therefore, it was decided to completely relook at the provisions of the Act and to remove the provisions which are restrictive and regulatory in nature so as to bring out a simple Act that suits the present needs of the coffee sector and facilitates its growth.
• ICAR to do research on Coffee, Tea and Spices.
• ICAR to suggest solutions to deal with Coffee White Stem Borer pest.
• Centre to make efforts to bring suitable provisions in SARFAESI act to resolve problems faced by Plant growers.

SOURCE:  PIB

WHY IS IT DIFFICULT FOR INDIA TO GET TO NET-ZERO?

THE CONTEXT: On his recent visit to India ahead of the U.N. Climate Change conference in Glasgow, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said he had not received any assurance that India was working to raise its ambition to cut carbon dioxide emissions.

 ANALYSIS:

• India, as the country with the third-largest emissions, is under pressure to come up with a higher ambition of cutting CO2 emissions.
• The net-zero concepts, according to the United Nations, has appealed to 130 countries that have either committed themselves to carbon neutrality by 2050 or are considering that target.

WHAT IS INDIA DOING TO LOWER EMISSIONS?

• India is working to reduce its emissions, aligned with the goal of less than 2°C global temperature rise, seen in its headline pledge to cut the emissions intensity of GDP by 33%-35% by 2030over the 2005 level. But it has not favoured a binding commitment towards carbon neutrality.
• It is also not aligned with the more ambitious goal of a 1.5°C temperature rise. Among the contentious issues it faces is heavy reliance on coal. According to the International Energy Agency’s India Energy Outlook 2021, coal accounts for close to 70% of electricity generation.
• Cutting greenhouse gases that heat the atmosphere and contribute to climate change involves shifting power production away from coal, greater adoption of renewables, and transforming mobility through electric vehicles. India is praised by some for its renewables target: scaling up power from renewables such as solar and wind to 450 GW by 2030.
• The U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) provides for common, but differentiated, responsibilities of nations, favouring countries like India.
• Some politicians support a net-zero target as it can put India on a green development trajectory, attracting investment in innovative technologies.

HOW ARE OTHER BIG COUNTRIES PURSUING NET-ZERO?

• As the largest emitter of GHGs, China told the U.N. in 2020 that it would move to net-zero by 2060. Its pledge to peak CO2 emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality three decades later is among the most high-profile commitments.
• The U.S., as the second biggest emitter with large historical emissions, returned to the Paris Agreement under President Joe Biden with an ambitious 2050 net-zero plan.
• The European Union (EU) member-states have committed themselves to reduce emissions by at least 55% by 2030 over 1990 levels.
• In July, the EU published a climate law that binds the bloc to its 2030 emissions target and carbon neutrality by 2050.

WHY DO SOME ANALYSTS SEE NET-ZERO AS CONTROVERSIAL?

• Although a global coalition has coalesced around the concept, an increasingly vocal group views it as a distraction, useful only to score political points.
• Carbon neutrality looks to nascent technology to suck out CO2 from the atmosphere.
• Youth movements and some scientists call this procrastination since it enables the fossil fuel industry to continue expanding. Many fossil fuel companies support net-zero goals.

WHAT ARE INDIA’S CHOICES?

• Getting a stronger economic dividend for the same volume of CO2 emitted by reforming energy, industry and buildings, and achieving higher energy efficiency in all sectors can slow emissions.
• State governments must be part of such a climate plan, and climate governance institutions must be set up at the national and state levels.

SOURCE: TH

INDIAN ECONOMY

WHAT IS THE NEED FOR A ‘BAD BANK’?

THE CONTEXT: The Union Cabinet approved a 30,600-crore rupees backstop facility for guaranteeing securities to be issued by the National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd. (NARCL), the so-called ‘bad bank’ that is being set up to help aggregate and consolidate lenders’ non-performing assets (NPAs) or bad loans.

WHAT IS A ‘BAD BANK’, AND SPECIFICALLY THE NARCL?

• A ‘bad bank’ is a financial entity set up to acquire NPAs from banks and resolve them.
• The bank, which sells the stressed assets to the bad bank, is now relieved of the burden of the bad loans and can focus instead on growing its business by advancing fresh loans to borrowers requiring a credit. The cleaner balance sheet also makes it relatively easier for the lender to raise fresh capital, if required.
• The NARCL, which is being set up by lenders and will be 51% owned by public sector banks, proposes to take over the fully provisioned stressed assets of about ₹90,000 crores in the first phase.
• The minimum size of each NPA to be acquired will be ₹500 crores as the focus is on resolving big-ticket bad loans. The longer-term goal for the NARCL is to help resolve NPAs worth ₹2 lakh crore, with the remaining assets with lower provisions expected to be transferred in a second phase.

HOW WILL THE NARCL OPERATE?

• The ‘bad bank’ will acquire assets by making an offer to the lead bank of a group of lenders of an NPA. The NARCL would make a 15% cash payment to the banks based on a valuation and the rest would be given as security receipts.
• These receipts, in turn, would be guaranteed by the government’s ₹30,600-crore backstop facility.
• To assist the NARCL, public and private banks together would set up an India Debt Resolution Company Ltd. (IDRCL) that would manage the acquired assets and try to improve their value for final resolution. And on completion of the resolution, the balance of 85% of value, being held as security receipts, would be given to the banks.

WHY IS THE CENTRE PROVIDING A BACKSTOP?

• Given the large volume and individual sizes of these NPAs, a backstop from the government helps lend credibility to the resolution process and provides for contingency buffers.
• The guarantee, which will be valid for five years, would be invoked either at the time of resolution or liquidation to cover the shortfall (if any) between the face value of the security receipts and the actual realisation.
• The Union government’s guarantee will also enhance the liquidity of these receipts, which are tradable. Also, given that there would be a pool of assets, it is likely that the realisation of value in many cases would exceed the acquisition cost, obviating the need to draw down on the guarantee.

WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR THE BANKING INDUSTRY?

• The government expects that the setting up of the twin entities, the NARCL and the IDRCL, with adequate capital and its guarantee, will incentivise quicker action on resolving stressed assets, thereby helping in better value realisation.
• As the holders of these stressed assets and security receipts, banks stand to receive the gains accruing from a successful resolution process.
• In a bid to disincentivise delay in resolution, the government has also proposed that the NARCL pay a guarantee fee to the Centre, which would increase with the passage of time.
• Critics of the bad bank concept, however, contend that the government’s role in guaranteeing some part of the NPAs could lead to laxity on the part of bankers in assessing risk and thus creating fresh dodgy loans.
• Separately, a January 2020 Bank for International Settlements working paper on ‘Bad bank resolutions and bank lending’, in fact, found that bad bank segregations are effective in cleaning up balance sheets and promoting bank lending only if they combine recapitalisation with asset segregation.

SOURCE: PIB

INTERNAL SECURITY

HELINA MISSILE SYSTEM

THE CONTEXT: The helicopter-launched Nag Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM), HELINA (Helicopter based NAG), being developed indigenously, has completed all trials and the process for issuing of acceptance of necessity (AoN) by the Army.

ANALYSIS:

• A variant of HELINA Weapon System called DHRUVASTRA is also being inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• Helina is a third-generation fire-and-forget class ATGM mounted on an indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and has a minimum range of 500 metres and a maximum range of 7 kilometres.
• The system has all-weather day and night capability and can defeat battle tanks with conventional armour as well as explosive reactive armour.
• The HELINA missile can engage targets in both indirect hit mode as well as top attack mode.
• NAG missile has a land-attack version called “Prospina”.
• NAG was one of the first five strategic missiles planned to be developed under the Integrated Missile Development Programme initiated in the 1980s. The other missiles developed under the project include Agni, Prithvi and Akash, and all three have been successfully developed and inducted into the armed forces.

SOURCE:TH

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

SUBSTITUTE FOR SINGLE-USE PLASTICS

THE CONTEXT: Researchers from the Department of Material Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (IISc) have found a way to make a substitute for single-use plastic.

ANALYSIS:

• By combining non-edible oils and cellulose extracted from agricultural stubble, the researchers made biodegradable, multiuse polymer sheets.
• In order to obtain sheets with properties like flexibility suitable for making different articles, the researchers played with the proportions of cellulose to non-edible oil.

SOURCE: TH

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

1. Which of the following is the Helicopter based NAG variant being inducted into Indian Airforce?

a) DHRUVASTRA

b) PROSPINA

c) NAMICA

d) MPATGM

ANSWER FOR SEPTEMBER 18, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER TO RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Q1.Answer: c)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: Methane gas is a more potent GHG than CO2 (80 times more potent than carbon dioxide).
• Statement 1 is correct: Its lifetime in the atmosphere is much shorter than CO2.
• Statement 1 is correct: Methane is the main constituent of natural gas.

1. Empathy through education: Social and educational learning is not ‘fluff’; it is an important goal in education READ MORE
2. National R&D labs bring livelihoods to Odisha’s poorest district READ MORE
3. One way to know God and access his wisdom READ MORE

1. Explained | Why is it difficult for India to get to net-zero? READ MORE
2. India’s Palm Push in A&N Islands Puts ‘Atmanirbharta’ Before Real Self-Sufficiency READ MORE

1. Rape in India: Women are vulnerable, unsafe, and deprived of agency READ MORE
2. In the pandemic, more Indian children are falling victim to online grooming for sexual exploitation READ MORE

1. A spike: On records and COVID-19 vaccination coverage- India must prioritise vaccines to States and districts that are at greatest infection risk READ MORE
2. India’s Judicial System Must be Adapted to Society’s Practical Realities; Must be Localised: CJI Ramana READ MORE
3. Why India needs ‘good’ urbanisation READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Ministry of Law and Justice launches Pan-India Special Campaign for Justice Delivery at doorstep READ MORE
2. 2 lakh people died in road accidents in 2020: NCRB READ MORE
3. Punjab gets its first Dalit Chief Minister in Charanjit Singh Channi READ MORE
4. IISc researchers find a way to substitute for single-use plastics READ MORE
5. Explained: How are Humboldts different from other penguins? READ MORE
6. World’s longest expressway between Delhi and Mumbai to open in March 2023: All you need to know READ MORE
7. Rajasthan Assembly passes bill to register child marriages, BJP protests READ MORE
8. Anti-tank missile completes all trials READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. A spike: On records and COVID-19 vaccination coverage- India must prioritise vaccines to States and districts that are at greatest infection risk READ MORE
2. India’s Judicial System Must be Adapted to Society’s Practical Realities; Must be Localised: CJI Ramana READ MORE
3. Why India needs ‘good’ urbanisation READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Rape in India: Women are vulnerable, unsafe, and deprived of agency READ MORE
2. In the pandemic, more Indian children are falling victim to online grooming for sexual exploitation READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. The problem in the West READ MORE
2. View: Quad nations need to coordinate their messaging to pose a serious challenge to China READ MORE
3. Quad gets a stepbrother- US has now formed AUKUS to energise regional connectivity to counter China READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Explained | What is the need for a ‘bad bank’? READ MORE
2. The relative income, subjective well-being connect: A key policy lesson would be to pursue a strategy of shared growth through remunerative employment READ MORE
3. Structural changes in GST: Correction to revenue-neutral rate must not be delayed READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Explained | Why is it difficult for India to get to net-zero? READ MORE
2. India’s Palm Push in A&N Islands Puts ‘Atmanirbharta’ Before Real Self-Sufficiency READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Empathy through education: Social and educational learning is not ‘fluff’; it is an important goal in education READ MORE
2. National R&D labs bring livelihoods to Odisha’s poorest district READ MORE
3. One way to know God and access his wisdom READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. The learning process is a social and emotional experience. In this respect, discuss the significance of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) mentioned in India’s National Education Policy (2020).
2. ‘Instead of relentless pursuit of income growth, more attention must be given to a strategy of shared growth through remunerative employment in order to enhance well-being’. Discuss the statement.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is a success.
• Instead of positioning vaccine drives as opportunities to set vacuous records, the Centre must prioritise vaccines to States and districts that are at greatest infection risk and follow up with vaccine makers to speed up and make good on their commitments.
• A key policy lesson would be to pursue a strategy of shared growth through remunerative employment.
• Instead of the relentless pursuit of income growth, more attention must be given to a strategy of shared growth through remunerative employment in order to enhance well-being.
• Social and educational learning is not ‘fluff’; it is an important goal in education.
• Social and Educational Learning is foundational for human development, building healthy relationships, having self and social awareness, solving problems, making responsible decisions, and academic learning.
• For a true partnership, the United States must understand India’s concerns to the West. It is in the west that India confronts a military-controlled Pakistani establishment, which beliefs in using terror and religious extremism.
• The demand for equality by women creates insecurity in a patriarchal, conservative, male-dominated society and can result in the expression of violence against the same women who do not conform.
• The geopolitics of Asia-Pacific is becoming zestful. Something fundamentally changed in the co-relation of forces following the US’ defeat and exit from Afghanistan.
• India should be wary of China using the ‘cabbage tactic’ in the Indian Ocean region the same way it tries to grab islands in the South China Sea.
• Biofortification is the most sustainable and cost-effective means to provide the needed nutrition through food rather than food supplements, assert senior officials of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

50-WORD TALK

• China has big plans to co-opt the Taliban in its design to securitise the Badakshan border, insulating it from ETIM which the Taliban say has exited from Afghanistan. China will have two strategic corridors to the Indian Ocean, one through Af-Pak and the other via Myanmar, ironically both astride India’s flanks. It is not inconceivable that it could have a third avenue, this to the Indo-Gangetic heartland through the proposed China-Nepal Economic Corridor.
• Good urbanisation is crucial to delivering economic justice for women, children and Dalits. Poor quality urbanisation has meant men-only migration, leaving the women with all the hard labour of farm work, raising the children, and looking after in-laws, while having virtually no recourse to health services, or to even emotional support of the spouse.

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.