INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

SEVA SAMARPAN ABHIYAAN

THE CONTEXT: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh launches countrywide free Telemedicine facility to mark “Seva Samarpan Abhiyaan” on the occasion of the birthday of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi

ANALYSIS:

• A countrywide free telemedicine facility will overcome the problems of Accessibility, Availability and Affordability.
• All three obstacles like the quality of services, doctors and assistance, distance travelling, and cost of consultation/treatment are targeted and solved efficiently through this facility.
• Telemedicine services like SAATH and E-Sanjeevani add a meta-layer to the primary health sector, thus helping upgrade India’s entire health care system.
• “JIGYASA”, a student-scientist connect programme will be completed in schools in over 700 districts of India within one year.

SOURCE:  PIB

MAHUA NUTRA BEVERAGE

THE CONTEXT: TRIFED, FITT and Rusicaa Beverages have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together to enhance the income of tribals of Jharkhand through the commercial production and sale of Mahua Nutra beverage, a value-added product made out of Mahua flowers in the state.

ANALYSIS:

• Mahua Nutra beverage is a value-added product made out of Mahua flowers in the state
• TRIFED in association with Foundation for Innovation And Technology Transfer (FIIT) has developed this value-added product Mahua Nutra.
• Now the technology is being licensed to M/sRrusicaa Beverages Private Ltd of Jharkhand for commercialization of this Mahua Nutra Beverage in Jharkhand.
• The Mahua Nutra beverage in its improvised form is blended with pomegranate fruit juice.
• This is the first of its kind of initiative in the State of Jharkhand and the country by TRIFED. This opens up opportunities for partner entrepreneurs in other States looking for starting up Nutra beverage units as well for benefit of tribal communities across the country.
• In its improvised form, the Mahua Nutra beverage is blended with Pomegranate fruit juice, which enhances the nutritional value and masks the flavour of Mahua beverage by improving its aroma and texture.

SOURCE:   PIB

RAILWAYS PLANNING MAJOR RESTRUCTURING

THE CONTEXT: The Indian Railways is heading for a major restructuring plan that could lead to the closure of major establishments, the merger of decades-old organisations and private participation in the running of its schools and hospitals.

ANALYSIS:

• The recommendations of the Principal Economic Adviser Sanjeev Sanyal for Rationalisation of Government Bodies and Proposal for the Ministry of Railways calls for winding up the Central Organisation for Railway Electrification (CORE), the Central Organisation for Modernisation Of Workshops (COFMOW), Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and Indian Railways Organisation for Alternative Fuel (already closed on September 7, 2021).
• Winding up of the CRIS, an autonomous society that develops software capacity in the railways that includes passenger ticketing, freight invoicing, passenger train operations, management of train crew and management of fixed/rolling assets, and handing over all its work to the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
• RailTel, one of the largest telecom infrastructure providers in the country that focuses on modernising operations and safety systems through optic fibre networks that exist along railway tracks, would be merged with the IRCTC.
• Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) that exports rolling stock to take over Braithwaite & Co Ltd., (BCL) which turned sick in 1992, the sources said.
• The merger of the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. (RVNL), which implements projects relating to the creation and augmentation of the railway infrastructure, with the Indian Railway Construction Limited (IRCON), a specialised infrastructure construction organisation.
• The merger of railway schools with Kendriya Vidyalayas or handing them over to the respective State governments.
• Establish Central Public Sector Enterprises to bring eight production units under its fold.
• The merger of the Central Training Institutes with the National Rail and Transportation Institute after upgrading the latter into a Central University and an Institute of National Importance.

SOURCE: TH             

SC COLLEGIUM ON MISSION MODE TO FILL VACANCIES

THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) N.V. Ramana, is proceeding with staggering speed to fill the vacancies and strengthen the judiciary as seen in the latest slew of recommendations, which include eight new Chief Justices to High Courts, the transfer of five High Court Chief Justices and the shuffling of 28 High Court judges across the country.

SOURCE: TH

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

GLOBAL METHANE PLEDGE

THE CONTEXT: U.S. President Joe Biden announced the Global Methane Pledge, a U.S. – EU led effort to cut methane emissions by a third by the end of this decade.

ABOUT METHANE GAS

• It is an odourless, colourless, tasteless gas that is lighter than air.
• Methane is the main constituent of natural gas.
• When methane burns in the air it has a blue flame due to complete combustion.
• Methane is the most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide.
• It is a more potent GHG than CO2 (80 times more potent than carbon dioxide).
• Its lifetime in the atmosphere is much shorter than CO2.
• It helps in the formation of ground-level ozone (a secondary air pollutant).
• Natural sources (40%)- wetlands, oceans, digestive processes of termites.
• Manmade sources (60% of total)- Rice cultivation & livestock (40%), Fossil fuels (35%), Waste (20%), Wastewater treatment.

SOURCE:  TH

INDIAN ECONOMY

RECOMMENDATIONS OF 45TH GST COUNCIL MEETING

THE CONTEXT: The GST Council’s 45^th meeting was held in Lucknow under the chairmanship of the Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Life-saving drugs Zolgensma and Viltepso used in the treatment of Spinal-Muscular Atrophy exempted from GST when imported for personal use
• Extension of existing concessional GST rates on certain COVID-19 treatment drugs up to 31^stDecember 2021
• GST rates on 7 other medicines recommended by the Department of Pharmaceuticals reduced from 12% to 5% till 31^stDecember 2021
• GST rate on Keytruda medicine for the treatment of cancer reduced from 12% to 5%
• GST rates on Retro fitment kits for vehicles used by persons with special abilities reduced to 5%
• GST rates on Fortified Rice kernels for schemes like ICDS reduced from 18% to 5%
• Council also recommends major changes in GST rates and scope of exemption on Services
• Recommends several clarifications in relation to GST rates on Goods and Services
• Council recommends several measures relating to GST law and procedure
• Council decides to set up 2 GoMs to examine the issue of correction of inverted duty structure for major sectors and for using technology to further improve compliance, including monitoring

SOURCE: PIB

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

PLANETARIUM INNOVATION CHALLENGE

THE CONTEXT: MyGov India, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has launched the Planetarium Innovation Challenge for Indian start-ups and tech entrepreneurs.

ANALYSIS:

• The challenge aims to bring together the tech firms and Startups (based out of India) with the potential to build an indigenous planetariums system software using the latest technologies including Augmented Reality (A.R.), Virtual Reality (V.R.) and Merged Reality (M.R.).
• Inspired by the Chandrayaan launches, the Indian Space Research Organization conducted the ISRO Quiz competition 2019 in collaboration with MyGov where several schools, parents and enthusiastic mentors made it memorable through their active participation.

SOURCE: PIB

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

JAISHANKAR CALLS FOR EARLY RESOLUTION OF LAC ISSUES

THE CONTEXT: According to the MEA, Mr Jaishankar once again stressed that peace and tranquillity along the LAC, which depended on resolving all the remaining issues of the 17-month-long stand-off.

ANALYSIS:

• China must not view India through the lens of its ties with other countries, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar told his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, as they met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan.
• They agreed to more talks by military and diplomatic officials to resolve the remaining issues on disengagement.
• Jaishankar said that “Asian solidarity” depended on the example set by India-China relations.

SOURCE:  TH

MODI: POLITICAL CHANGE IN AFGHANISTAN NOT INCLUSIVE

THE CONTEXT: “The first issue is that the change of authority in Afghanistan was not inclusive and this happened without negotiation. This raises questions on the prospects of recognition of the new system. Representation of all sections of Afghans, including women and the minorities, is important,” Mr Modi said in a speech at the Afghanistan-themed outreach summit between the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).

ANALYSIS:

• He expressed India’s support for the “central role” of the United Nations in the global deliberation regarding the current system in Afghanistan.
• The Taliban has declared an “interim government” in Kabul but India has not yet recognised that set-up.
• He highlighted that a “large number of advanced weapons” were left behind by western powers in Afghanistan, and cautioned that the country could emerge as the source of uncontrolled flow of drugs, illegal weapons and human trafficking.
• To deal with the fallout of the volatile situation in Afghanistan, he urged the SCO member countries to frame a “code of conduct” to stop terror financing and cross-border terrorism.
• The Prime Minister stressed the importance of moderate Islam in Central Asia and urged the member- countries to counter religious extremism and radicalisation.

ABOUT SCO:

• Prior to the creation of SCO in 2001, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan were members of the Shanghai Five.
• Shanghai Five (1996) emerged from a series of border demarcation and demilitarization talks that the four former Soviet republics held with China to ensure stability along the borders.
• Following the accession of Uzbekistan to the organisation in 2001, the Shanghai Five was renamed the SCO.
• The eurasian political, economic and military organization aims to maintain peace, security and stability in the region.
• India and Pakistan became members in 2017.
• 8 members: Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan
• Secretariat: Beijing
• Official languages: Russian and Chinese.

ABOUT CSTO

• The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is a Russia-led military alliance of seven former Soviet states that was created in 2002.
• The CSTO’s purpose is to ensure the collective defence of any member that faces external aggression.
• It has been described by political scientists as the Eurasian counterpart of NATO, which has 29 member states, while the CSTO has just six.
• Current CSTO members are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation and Tajikistan.
• Afghanistan and Serbia hold observer status in the CSTO. Uzbekistan again became a CSTO member in 2006 but then withdrew its membership in 2012.
• The organization uses a rotating presidency system in which the state leading the CSTO changes every year.
• Collective Security Council (CSC) is the highest body of CSTO and comprises the heads of member states.

SOURCE: TH

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS:

Q1. Consider the following statements about methane gas:

1. It is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
2. It has more lifespan in the atmosphere as compared to carbon dioxide.
3. It is the main constituent of natural gas.

Which of the given statements are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 and 3 only

c) 1 and 3 only

d) 1, 2 and 3

ANSWER FOR SEPTEMBER 15, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER TO RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Q1. Answer: c)

Explanation:

• Ministry of Labour & Employment has developed an e-SHRAM portal for creating a National Database of Unorganized Workers (NDUW), which will be seeded with Aadhaar.

Who can register in the e-Shram (NDUW) Portal?

Any individual satisfying the following conditions can register on the portal:

1. An unorganised worker (UW).
2. Age should be between 16-59 years.

Not a member of EPFO/ESIC or NPS (Govt. funded)

1. Act and friction: On appointments to tribunals- A national commission is essential to make appointments to tribunals READ MORE
2. EWS quota is a bad law, it needs to go READ MORE
3. Engineering Flexibility without Accountability: Changing chief ministers reflects deep damage to substantive accountability in a democracy. READ MORE

1. A Feminist Interrogation of the POCSO Judgments and Criminal Law in India READ MORE 
2. Task for 21st Century Socialism Lies in Grasping Basics of Democracy, Autocracy, Capitalism READ MORE

1. Climate crisis may destroy aquatic food systems — and livelihoods, economies READ MORE
2. World Likely To Miss Climate Targets Despite COVID Pause in Emissions: UN READ MORE

1. The Bhagwad Gita’s royal path to success READ MORE
2. Serve Others READ MORE
3. Who is Satisfied here? READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. S. President Joe Biden unveils plan to cut methane emissions READ MORE
2. Council raises GST on low-cost footwear, garments to 12% READ MORE
3. India sets record with 2.5 crore COVID-19 jabs in one day READ MORE
4. Explained: In equity wave, don’t forget the basics READ MORE
5. World Likely To Miss Climate Targets Despite COVID Pause in Emissions: UN READ MORE
6. Supreme Court collegium recommends appointments, transfer of chief justices in High Courts: Reports READ MORE
7. Railways launch Rail Kaushal Vikas Yojana READ MORE

Main Exam 

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Act and friction: On appointments to tribunals- A national commission is essential to make appointments to tribunals READ MORE
2. EWS quota is a bad law, it needs to go READ MORE
3. Engineering Flexibility without Accountability: Changing chief ministers reflects deep damage to substantive accountability in a democracy. READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. A Feminist Interrogation of the POCSO Judgments and Criminal Law in India READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Multilateral power game in the region READ MORE
2. India and Australia: Emerging global leaders- In the post-COVID order, the US alone may be unable to guarantee international peace and security, and India and Australia have to step in READ MORE
3. The AUKUS deal: Resets geopolitical stance against assertive Beijing READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. National Monetisation Pipeline shows promise — and limits READ MORE
2. Railways could turn the corner with infra push READ MORE
3. ‘Bad bank’ for big business- New reforms a new form of ‘socialism’ reserved exclusively for capitalists READ MORE
4. Government Policies Drive Farmers to Penury: Ironically, agricultural households now earn “more” income from wages than from crop farming. READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Climate crisis may destroy aquatic food systems — and livelihoods, economies READ MORE
2. World Likely To Miss Climate Targets Despite COVID Pause in Emissions: UN READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. The Bhagwad Gita’s royal path to success READ MORE
2. Serve Others READ MORE
3. Who is Satisfied here? READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. The issue of tribunals has been a source of consider-able friction between the Government and the Court. Discuss in the light of recent developments.
2. Discuss the opportunities and challenges for the India-Australia partnership in indo-pacific.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Every reform movement has a lunatic fringe.
• The Supreme Court has repeatedly called for the establishment of a national tribunals commission to make suitable appointments and evaluate the functioning of tribunals. If the Government has been dragging its feet on this, it is only because there is a method to its mulishness.
• Government must address the low revenue potential and efficiency hurdles that could trip up its asset monetization plan.
• If the private sector is indeed more efficient in running infrastructure assets, the most efficient strategy would be to lease out the worst-performing assets rather than the best performing ones.
• The NITI Aayog would do the policy landscape a big service by following up the proposal with a white paper that addresses some of these efficiency-related issues. Without that, the monetization plan, while intriguing, is incomplete.
• AUKUS not only represents Washington’s renewed focus on the Indo-Pacific region but also marks a significant shift in the UK foreign policy, which is now eager to be more involved after its exit from the European Union.
• From agriculture to artificial intelligence, Indian science has seen a resurgence over the last year and made notable contributions to several domains.
• Indian has made notable contributions in infrastructure developments, especially in high altitude roads, bridges and tunnels. They are of vital importance for a nation to grow, develop, protect and indeed become Atmanirbhar.
• Both the US-India and India-Australia ties are seen as “natural” partnerships, for upholding democracy, respect for territorial sovereignty and unrestrained access to global common goods.
• Reservation is a constitutional scheme to ensure the participation of backward classes in the nation-building process. The EWS Act is the subversion of the constitutional scheme for reservation.
• Changing chief ministers reflects deep damage to substantive accountability in a democracy.
• The government must now set aside the rhetoric of doubling farmer incomes and focus on efforts to increase agriculture productivity and product prices and improve the viability of farming.

50-WORD TALK

• The government’s Bad Bank plan might only work as a band-aid by removing NPAs from balance sheets. The full impact on the exchequer will be known only when the bank is successful in selling bad loans. Sadly, the plan has nothing to make banks improve lending practices and keep books clean.
• Prime Minister Modi spoke of how Afghanistan complicates the threat from radicalised extremism. But the SCO meet also signals the coming together of ‘another Quad’. This is of greater significance to India’s security — with China, Russia and Iran being sharply adversarial toward the US, and Pakistan cynically duplicitous, as usual.

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.

1. The God of Fresh Beginnings – Real Happiness READ MORE
2. Rising Above Stressful Thoughts READ MORE

1. Oil Palm Mission Threatens Rich Biodiversity of A&N Island, Northeast READ MORE
2. COVID-19 pandemic has not slowed climate change: UN READ MORE
3. With climate change, the need to conserve India’s urban water bodies has become even more urgent READ MORE

1. Socialists vs conservatives harmed Indian education. Bahujans need market forces READ MORE
2. Terror and hunger READ MORE

1. Just not justice: NCRB data reveals badly struggling judicial system, and several action points for policymakers READ MORE
2. The role of civil society organisations READ MORE
3. Balancing privacy and agency: Data governance needs a gender lens READ MORE
4. Going down the wrong path: India slips on indices of freedom and the government has not even acknowledged there is a problem READ MORE

INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

REPORT ON REFORMS IN URBAN PLANNING CAPACITY IN INDIA

THE CONTEXT: The report, titled ‘Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India’, was released by NITI Aayog.

REFORMS IN URBAN PLANNING CAPACITY: SUMMARY

India is home to 11% of the total global urban population. By 2027, India will surpass China as the most populous country in the world. Unplanned urbanization, however, exerts great strain on our cities. In fact, the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the dire need for the planning and management of our cities.

Urban planning is the foundation for the integrated development of cities, citizens, and the environment. Unfortunately, it has received due attention so far. The existing urban planning and governance framework is complex, which often leads to ambiguity and a lack of accountability.

The report makes several recommendations that can unblock bottlenecks in the value chain of urban planning capacity in India. Some of them are:

• Programmatic Intervention for Planning of Healthy Cities: Every city must aspire to become a ‘Healthy City for All’ by 2030. The report recommends a Central Sector Scheme ‘500 Healthy Cities Programme’, for a period of 5 years, wherein priority cities and towns would be selected jointly by the states and local bodies.
• Programmatic Intervention for Optimum Utilization of Urban Land: All the cities and towns under the proposed ‘Healthy Cities Programme’ should strengthen development control regulations based on scientific evidence to maximize the efficiency of urban land (or planning area). The report recommends a sub-scheme ‘Preparation/Revision of Development Control Regulations for this purpose.
• Ramping Up of Human Resources: To combat the shortage of urban planners in the public sector, the report recommends that the states/UTs may need to a) expedite the filling up of vacant positions of town planners, and b) additionally sanction 8268 town planners’ posts as lateral entry positions for a minimum period of 3 years and a maximum of 5 years to meet the gaps.
• Ensuring Qualified Professionals for Undertaking Urban Planning: State town and country planning departments face an acute shortage of town planners. This is compounded by the fact that in several states, ironically, a qualification in town planning is not even an essential criterion for such jobs. States may need to undertake requisite amendments in their recruitment rules to ensure the entry of qualified candidates into town-planning positions.
• Re-engineering of Urban Governance: There is a need to bring in more institutional clarity and also multi-disciplinary expertise to solve urban challenges. The report recommends the constitution of a high-powered committee to re-engineer the present urban-planning governance structure. The key aspects that would need to be addressed in this effort are i) clear division of the roles and responsibilities of various authorities, appropriate revision of rules and regulations, etc., ii) creation of a more dynamic organizational structure, standardisation of the job descriptions of town planners and other experts, and iii) extensive adoption of technology for enabling public participation and inter-agency coordination.
• Revision of Town and Country Planning Acts: Most States have enacted the Town and Country Planning Acts, that enable them to prepare and notify master plans for implementation. However, many need to be reviewed and upgraded. Therefore, the formation of an apex committee at the state level is recommended to undertake a regular review of planning legislation (including town and country planning or urban and regional development acts or other relevant acts).
• Demystifying Planning and Involving Citizens: While it is important to maintain the master plans’ technical rigour, it is equally important to demystify them for enabling citizens’ participation at relevant stages. Therefore, the committee strongly recommends a ‘Citizen Outreach Campaign’ for demystifying urban planning.
• Steps for Enhancing the Role of the Private Sector: The report recommends that concerted measures must be taken at multiple levels to strengthen the role of the private sector to improve the overall planning capacity in the country. These include the adoption of fair processes for procuring technical consultancy services, strengthening project structuring and management skills in the public sector, and empanelment of private sector consultancies.
• Steps for Strengthening Urban Planning Education System

1. 1. The Central universities and technical institutions in all the other States/UTs are encouraged to offer postgraduate degree programmes (MTech Planning) to cater to the requirement of planners in the country in a phased manner.
   2. The committee also recommends that all such institutions may synergize with the Ministry of Rural Development, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and respective state rural development departments/directorates and develop demand-driven short-term programmes on rural area planning.
   3. ‘Planning’ as an umbrella term, including all its specializations such as environment, housing, transportation, infrastructure, logistics, rural area, regional, etc., or any other nomenclature approved by AICTE, should be included as a discipline under the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) of MoE to encourage healthy competition among the institutions.
   4. The committee recommends that AICTE may retain the names of specializations based on industry requirements while limiting them to an appropriate number, as 25 nomenclatures seem too high for market acknowledgement and absorption.
   5. Faculty shortage in educational institutions conducting degree and PhD programmes in planning need to be resolved in a time-bound manner by 2022.

• Measures for Strengthening Human Resource and Match Demand–Supply: The report recommends the constitution of a ‘National Council of Town and Country Planners’ as a statutory body of the Government of India. Also, a ‘National Digital Platform of Town and Country Planners’ is suggested to be created within the National Urban Innovation Stack of MoHUA. This portal will enable the self-registration of all planners and evolve as a marketplace for potential employers and urban planners.

SOURCE:  PIB

AIM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

THE CONTEXT: Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) NITI Aayog in partnership with Dassault Systèmes’ is all set to rave up the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem across the country.

ANALYSIS:

• With an aim to promote innovation and entrepreneurship amongst aspiring entrepreneurs, this program will act as a catalyst for an open innovation collaboration to accelerate disruptive innovation in the community.
• There are six aspects of engagement between Dassault and AIM, NITI Aayog. These include access to Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE Lab start-up acceleration program to selected AIM start-ups; mentorship to  selected AIM start-ups for  capability building of their products; 3DEXPERIENCE Lab related global community access to selected AIM start-ups; industry connect for selected AIM start-ups with Dassault Systèmes’ worldwide customers, partners and technology collaborators as and when applicable; participation of selected AIM start-ups in Dassault Systèmes national and global events; and organization and participation in joint events, hackathons, challenges with AIM and NITI Aayog

SOURCE:   PIB

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

GLOBAL OZONE DAY

THE CONTEXT: India observes the 27th Global Ozone Day.

ANALYSIS:

• World Ozone Day is celebrated on 16th September each year to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol, an international environmental treaty for phasing out of production and consumption of Ozone Depleting Substances, that came into force on this day in 1987.
• The Day is celebrated every year to spread awareness among people about the depletion of the Ozone Layer and the measures taken/ to be taken to preserve it.
• The Ozone Cell, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India has been celebrating World Ozone Day since 1995 at the National and State levels.
• The theme of World Ozone Day 2021 is “Montreal Protocol – Keeping us, our food and vaccines cool”.
• Action Plan Released for implementing the recommendations of the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) for the thematic Area Space Cooling in Buildings.
• The India cooling action plan (ICAP), the first of its kind in the world to be developed by the MoEF&CC, addresses cooling requirements across sectors and lists out actions that can help reduce the cooling demand through synergies in actions for securing both environmental and socio-economic benefits. The ICAP aims to reduce both direct and indirect emissions.

SOURCE:   PIB

INDIAN ECONOMY

E-SHRAM PORTAL

THE CONTEXT: Ministry of Labour & Employment has developed an e-SHRAM portal for creating a National Database of Unorganized Workers (NDUW), which will be seeded with Aadhaar.

ANALYSIS:

• It will have details of name, occupation, address, educational qualification, skill types and family details etc. for the optimum realization of their employability and extend benefits of social security schemes to them.
• It is the first-ever national database of unorganised workers including migrant workers, construction workers, gig and platform workers, etc.

WHO CAN REGISTER IN E-SHRAM (NDUW) PORTAL?

Any individual satisfying the following conditions can register on the portal:

1. 1. An unorganised worker (UW).
   2. Age should be between 16-59 years.
   3. Not a member of EPFO/ESIC or NPS (Govt. funded)

WHO IS AN UNORGANISED WORKER?

• Any worker who is a home based-worker, self-employed worker or a wage worker in the unorganised sector including a worker in the organised sector who is not a member of ESIC or EPFO or not a Govt. employee is called an Unorganised Worker.

WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR REGISTRATION?

1. 1. Aadhar Number
   2. The mobile number is linked with Aadhaar.
   3. Savings Bank Account Number with IFSC code

SOURCE: TH

GOVERNMENT SETS UP BAD BANK

THE CONTEXT: Paving the way for a major clean-up of bad loans in the banking system, the Cabinet cleared a ₹30,600 crore guarantee programme for securities to be issued by the newly incorporated ‘bad bank’ for taking over and resolving non-performing assets (NPAs) amounting to ₹2 lakh crore.

ANALYSIS:

• The Reserve Bank of India is in the process of granting a license for the National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL), following which toxic assets worth ₹90,000 crores that banks have already fully provided for will move to the NARCL.
• Finance Minister said the Cabinet’s decision, to extend a five-year guarantee for NARCL-issued security receipts to banks, completed the entire cycle of cleaning up India’s banking system that began with the recognition of the extent of bad loans in 2015.
• Under the mechanism, the NARCL will acquire assets by making an offer to the lead bank. Private sector asset reconstruction firms (ARCs) may also be allowed to outbid the NARCL.
• Separately, public and private lenders would combine forces to set up an India Debt Resolution Company (IDRC) that would manage these as- sets and try to raise their value for final resolution.
• The upfront cash payment by the NARCL will immediately be accretive for the profitability and capital of the banks, however, the ability of the NARCL to resolve these assets in a time-bound manner will be critical for future provision writeback by banks.

SOURCE:  TH PIB

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

CONVERTING THE KERATIN WASTE TO FOOD

THE CONTEXT: Indian scientists have developed a new sustainable and affordable solution for converting keratin waste such as human hair, wool, and poultry feathers to fertilizers, pet, and animal feeds.

ANALYSIS:

• India generates a huge amount of human hair, poultry feather waste, and wool waste each year. These wastes are inexpensive sources of amino acids and protein, underlining their potential to be used as animal feed and fertilizer.
• Professor A. B. Pandit, Vice-Chancellor, Institute of Chemical Technology Mumbai, along with his students, has developed a technology to covert the keratin waste to food for pets and fertilizers for plants.
• This novel technology is patented, easily scalable, environment-friendly, energy-efficient, and it will make amino acid-rich liquid fertilizers more economical as compared to currently marketed products.
• They used advanced oxidation for the conversion of the waste to marketable fertilizers and animal feed. The key technology behind this involves pre-treatment followed by hydrolysis of keratin using a technique called Hydrodynamic Cavitation, which involves vaporization, bubble generation, and bubble implosion in a flowing liquid.

SOURCE: PIB

EXPLORING FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF STARS

THE CONTEXT: Resolution of scientific challenge in calculating chemical abundance in stars can help explore their history better.

ANALYSIS:

• The probe of astronomers into the history of formation and evolution of stars through the chemical constitution of the stars has long been hampered by an intriguing ‘carbon problem’—a mismatch between predicted and observed values of an abundance of elements that prevented the scientists from correctly calculating the abundances of the various elements particularly on the surface of certain Hydrogen-deficient stars called R Corona Borealis stars.
• They have now found a resolution to this with a new method to analyze the abundances and have revised the existing values available in the literature. This method will allow astronomers to calculate the elemental abundances in RCB stars more accurately and better explore their formation and evolution.
• Astronomers use the spectral lines of various elements to determine their abundances in stars. Different kinds of stars can have very different abundances of these elements on their surface. One such class of stars, called R Coronae Borealis stars (RCB), have very little hydrogen, comparable to the abundance of elements heavier than helium, one of them being carbon. This is in stark contrast to the majority of stars whose atmospheres are dominated by hydrogen.
• These are supergiant stars, with surface temperatures of 5000K to 7000K. The surface abundances of hydrogen poor stars are measured relative to helium (He), the most abundant element in their atmospheres.
• The abundance of an element is measured from its absorption line spectra. The extent of this absorption is calculated as a fraction of the underlying continuum absorption. The continuum absorption is due to Hydrogen for Sun-like stars.
• However, it is due to Carbon for RCB stars. Hence astronomers have been able to measure the abundances of heavier elements as a function of Carbon in RCB stars rather than as a function of hydrogen. This implies that the actual abundances can be calculated only if we know the ratio for Carbon relative to Helium.
• However, spectroscopic determination of carbon to helium ratio (C/He) is not possible from the observed optical spectra of RCBs. Therefore, for constructing the model atmosphere to derive the surface abundances of RCBs, a C/He of 1% was assumed. But, the predicted strengths of the neutral carbon lines are stronger than what is observed. This mismatch is called the “carbon problem”.

SOURCE:   PIB

LOW CARBON BRICKS

THE CONTEXT: Researchers have developed a technology to produce energy-efficient walling materials using construction and demolition (C&D) waste and alkali-activated binders. These are called low-C bricks, do not require high-temperature firing, and avoid the use of high-energy materials such as Portland cement.

ANALYSIS:

• Conventionally, building envelopes consist of masonry walls built with burnt clay bricks, concrete blocks, hollow clay blocks, fly ash bricks, lightweight blocks, and so on. The envelopes spend energy during their production, thus incurring carbon emission (i.e., possess embodied carbon) consume mined raw material resources which lead to unsustainable constructions.
• Scientists of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) developed a technology for producing alkali-activated bricks/blocks by utilising fly ash and furnace slag. The team of researchers developed low embodied carbon bricks from CDW waste through an alkali activation process using fly ash and ground slag and characterising the thermal, structural, and durability characteristics of Low-C bricks and their masonry.
• After ascertaining the Physico-chemical and compaction characteristics of the CDW, the optimum mix ratios of the materials were obtained, and then the production process was evolved to produce low-C bricks. Based on the optimum binder proportions, the compressed bricks were manufactured. The bricks were examined for engineering characteristics.

SOURCE:  PIB

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

AUKUS SEEKS TO RESHAPE INDO-PACIFIC TIES

THE CONTEXT: Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. (AUKUS) have announced their forming a new security alliance that will help equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER COUNTRIES?

• The US.: Under President Joe Biden, the U.S. has now withdrawn its troops from Afghanistan while finding that tensions with China have only grown. In the Pacific, the U.S. and others have been concerned about China’s actions in the South China Sea and its antipathy toward Japan, Taiwan and Australia.
• Britain: The U.S. had previously only shared the nuclear propulsion technology with Britain. Leaving the EU under Brexit has left Britain seeking to reassert its global position. Part of that has been an increased focus – or tilt – towards the Indo-Pacific.
• Australia: Under the arrangement, Australia will build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines using U.S. expertise, while dumping a contract with France for diesel-electric submarines. Experts say the nuclear submarines will allow Australia to conduct longer patrols and give the alliance a stronger military presence in the region. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he had called the leaders of Japan and India to explain the new alliance.
• France: Australia told France it would end its contract with state majority-owned DCNS to build 12 of the world’s largest conventional submarines. France is furious, demanding explanations from all sides.
• New Zealand: Left out of the new alliance is Australia’s neighbour New Zealand. It has a long-standing nuclear-free policy that includes a ban on nuclear-powered ships entering its ports. That stance has sometimes been a sticking point in otherwise close relations with the U.S.

SOURCE:  TH

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS:

Q1. E-Shram portal registers workers satisfying certain conditions. Which of the following are correct conditions among them?

1. 1. An unorganised worker.
   2. Age should be between 19-59 years.
   3. Not a member of EPFO/ESIC or NPS.

Select the correct answer using the code given below

a) 1 only

b) 1 and 2 only

c) 1 and 3 only

d) 1, 2 and 3

ANSWER FOR SEPTEMBER 15, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER TO RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Q1. ANSWER: B)

Explanation:

• A new trilateral security partnership for the Indo-Pacific between Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. (AUKUS).
• A central feature of the partnership would involve a tri-lateral 18-month effort to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines which are quieter, more capable (than their conventional counterparts) and can be deployed for longer periods, needing to surface less frequently.

Q2. ANSWER: B)

• NITI Aayog, with RMI and RMI India’s support, today launched Shoonya—an initiative to promote zero-pollution delivery vehicles by working with consumers and industry.
• The campaign aims to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the urban deliveries segment and create consumer awareness about the benefits of zero-pollution delivery.

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. India observes the 27th Global Ozone Day READ MORE
2. Government sets up ‘bad bank’ to clear the NPA mess READ MORE
3. Air, water pollution offences more than triple in 2020: NCRB READ MORE
4. Explained: How a Gupta era temple in Etah has put the focus back on shankhalipi script READ MORE
5. India’s climate action ‘highly insufficient’: New rating system READ MORE
6. AUKUS—a new military alliance to deal with China’s expansion in Indo-Pacific READ MORE

Main Exam  

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Just not justice: NCRB data reveals badly struggling judicial system, and several action points for policymakers READ MORE
2. The role of civil society organisations READ MORE
3. Balancing privacy and agency: Data governance needs a gender lens READ MORE
4. Going down the wrong path: India slips on indices of freedom and the government has not even acknowledged there is a problem READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Socialists vs conservatives harmed Indian education. Bahujans need market forces READ MORE
2. Terror and hunger READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. The Greatest Game: The Indo-Pacific READ MORE
2. Building Blocks of Development: India has its task cut out to make itself heard in global affairs concerning its interests READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Delaying the inevitable: On relief to telcos READ MORE
2. This is not how Centre should be dealing with recession READ MORE
3. Why a bad bank is good for the economy READ MORE
4. Good to see the telecom crisis resolved. Govt should promote competition to boost private sector READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Oil Palm Mission Threatens Rich Biodiversity of A&N Island, Northeast READ MORE
2. COVID-19 pandemic has not slowed climate change: UN READ MORE
3. With climate change, the need to conserve India’s urban water bodies has become even more urgent READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. The God of Fresh Beginnings – Real Happiness READ MORE
2. Rising Above Stressful Thoughts READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Instant justice cannot be a substitute for justice delivered through statuary means in time’. Comment on the statement.
2. ‘The rise of big data and machine learning has caused an immense growth in powerful technologies and applications but these technologies have become a privacy nightmare for their users’. Examine the statement.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Authority does not come from the loudest voice, but the wisest.
• Prescribing higher standards of education is one thing but at the same time blocking the entry of poor people by prescribing an examination which has not been hitherto there is another.
• Instant justice cannot be a substitute for justice delivered through statuary means in time.
• The Centre’s relief to telcos can only be the first step in efforts to boost the stressed sector.
• E-Shram is a vital system to provide hitherto invisible workers much-needed visibility. It will provide the Labour Market Citizenship Document to them.
• Developing basic infrastructure and the production sector is the only way to face an economic crisis. The Centre has the responsibility to help states in this respect.
• NCRB’s data makes a strong case for expediting judicial appointments given the huge pendency rate and improving the quality of policing, evident from low conviction rates in many heinous offences.
• The government must treat civil society as an ally; non-governmental organisations must be transparent.
• Given sensitivities around women’s data and its impact on their ability to use the internet, India’s various data governance proposals that are under discussion currently must be evaluated from a gender lens.
• The rise of big data and machine learning has caused an immense growth in powerful technologies and applications. But simultaneously, the same technologies have become a privacy nightmare for their users.
• Allowing greater private participation in the telecom sector is not enough. It needs to be accompanied by a conducive environment for promoting competition.
• With climate change, the need to conserve India’s urban water bodies has become even more urgent.
• Oil palm cultivation in the most ecologically sensitive and vulnerable regions of the A&N Islands should be ruled out.

50-WORD TALK

• A strategic shift has been made to migrate to a US-India strategic relationship based on mutual economic interests and security especially in the Indo-Pacific region. There is growing confidence among the two largest democracies to deal with the new challenges of the global order based on shared targets and economic prosperity.

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.

[WpProQuiz 49]

1. Humility opens the door to inner strength READ MORE
2. The intergenerational mortality tradeoff of Covid-19 lockdown policies READ MORE

1. With climate change, the need to conserve India’s urban water bodies has become even more urgent READ MORE
2. Some Animals Changing Shapes in Response to Global Warming READ MORE
3. Environment-related offences recorded 78% increase in 2020 READ MORE

1. Nobody knows the fate of our ‘out-of-school’ children. Enrolment data is insufficient READ MORE
2. Asset ownership data a stark reminder of inequality READ MORE

1. Real democratic freedom is impossible without economic equality READ MORE
2. The intersection of IPR and Competition Law READ MORE
3. Juvenile Justice Laws Need to Uphold the Twin Objectives of Justice and Deterrence READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Cabinet approves major Reforms in Telecom Sector READ MORE
2. S., U.K. and Australia announce new security partnership for Indo-Pacific READ MORE
3. Sansad TV launched; Modi calls it the new voice of Parliament READ MORE
4. Folk rice: Researchers spot dozen Indian paddy varieties that can boost nourishment READ MORE
5. Climate change is real: India received 129% over normal rainfall September 14 READ MORE
6. Crimes against SC/STs saw the rise of over 9% in 2020, but crimes against women decline: NCRB data READ MORE

Main Exam 

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Real democratic freedom is impossible without economic equality READ MORE
2. The intersection of IPR and Competition Law READ MORE
3. Juvenile Justice Laws Need to Uphold the Twin Objectives of Justice and Deterrence READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Nobody knows the fate of our ‘out-of-school’ children. Enrolment data is insufficient READ MORE
2. Asset ownership data a stark reminder of inequality READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Hardly the India-China century Deng envisioned: For the current Chinese leadership, the 21st century is destined to be China’s alone, with India to be shown its place READ MORE
2. Biting the SCO bullet to re-enter Afghan game READ MORE
3. Why Afghanistan will be a new geopolitical pivot READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Transient easing: On fuel taxes and prices- Cutting fuel taxes is a sure-shot way to address a major component of price pressures READ MORE
2. A new pipeline for infrastructure READ MORE
3. Lifeline for telecom: The reforms unleashed in the relief package for telecom is a timely rescue act READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. With climate change, the need to conserve India’s urban water bodies has become even more urgent READ MORE
2. Some Animals Changing Shapes in Response to Global Warming READ MORE
3. Environment-related offences recorded 78% increase in 2020 READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Humility opens the door to inner strength READ MORE
2. The intergenerational mortality tradeoff of Covid-19 lockdown policies READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Using technology to solve agriculture problems is good but issues like the digital divide and privacy must be addressed’. Discuss the statement.
2. ‘As economic democracy is real democracy; Government needs to ensure economic security to all through universal property rights rather universal basic income’. Analyse the statement.

ESSAY TOPIC

• Real democratic freedom is impossible without economic equality.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• The radical of one century is the conservative of the next.
• For the current Chinese leadership, the 21st century is destined to be China’s alone, with India to be shown its place.
• Cutting fuel taxes is a sure-shot way to address a major component of price pressures and it is time the Government bites the bullet and acts to provide a more abiding solution.
• Democracy is quintessentially about freedom.
• In India’s case, inequality is the very base of our culture, an unquestioning acceptance of a “culture of inequality.” Democracy is not an end in itself; it is a means to an end that should be socially defined and determined. For instance, development, in a democratic sense, must be inclusive, equitable and sustainable.
• Power, whether at the national, regional, local, corporate or family level, always tends towards centralization.
• Real democracy is economic democracy, as Ambedkar stressed. A starting point is ensuring economic security to all, not through an income transfer programme (universal basic income), but through the provision of universal property rights.
• The National Monetisation Pipeline can be a game-changer if it has the support of the stakeholders and regulatory ecosystem.
• Using technology to solve agriculture problems is good but issues like the digital divide and privacy must be addressed.
• The Taliban’s return will lead to geopolitical realignment. India’s ties with major powers will also be readjusted to manage terrorism coming from the Af-Pak area.
• Intellectual property rights law and competition law have been treated as conflicting in nature as their goals seem to be at loggerheads with one another.

 50-WORD TALK

• Modi government’s relief package for the telecom sector is sweeping in its scope and should end the existential crisis faced by the sector. These reforms should encourage the entry of newer players and investments in technology, service. ‘Digital India’ needs more than three telecom companies and healthy ones at that.
• India’s self-sufficiency in strategic autonomy, though hampered by the tensions with China, will need to assert itself. For all the gloss that is put on the visits to India by Russian, British and US security chiefs to discuss Afghanistan, India has been left holding the bag. The roads to Kabul and beyond have been left wide open for the Pak-China duo. In this situation, Afghanistan’s neighbours will score over the channels that India has explored in the past to get closer to the Taliban.

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

SANSAD TV

THE CONTEXT: Sansad TV, a news channel combining Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV, was launched by the PM.

ANALYSIS:

• A single channel for Parliament had become a reality after careful consideration of the recommendations of a committee set up in November 2019.
• The LSTV, which was the brainchild of former Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, has been functioning for 15 years and the RSTV for 10 years.
• When Parliament is in session, both channels will continue to operate as before bringing in the live telecast. But when it is in recess, only Sansad TV will be telecast.

ABOUT LOK SABHA TV

• Lok Sabha TV is the first parliamentary channel of India launched in July 2006.
• It is dedicated to the Lower House of the Parliament.
• It is owned and operated by Lok Sabha Secretariat.
• It has a mandate to telecast uninterrupted live proceedings of the Lok Sabha.

ABOUT RAJYA SABHA TV

• It was started in 2011.
• Rajya Sabha TV is owned and operated by the upper house of Indian Parliament.
• Apart from telecasting live coverage of Rajya Sabha proceedings, RSTV also brings incisive analysis of parliamentary affairs.

SOURCE: TH

SHOONYA CAMPAIGN

THE CONTEXT: NITI Aayog, with RMI and RMI India’s support, launched Shoonya—an initiative to promote zero-pollution delivery vehicles by working with consumers and industry. The campaign aims to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the urban deliveries segment and create consumer awareness about the benefits of zero-pollution delivery.

ANALYSIS:

• Over 30 e-commerce, OEMs, fleet aggregators, charging infrastructure companies join hands to deliver green as part of the campaign to clean up final-mile deliveries.
• As part of the campaign, a corporate branding and certification programme is being launched to recognise and promote the industry’s efforts towards transitioning to EVs for final-mile deliveries.
• An online tracking platform will share the campaign’s impact through data such as vehicle kilometres electrified, carbon savings, criteria pollutant savings and other benefits from clean delivery vehicles.
• Urban freight vehicles account for 10 per cent of freight transportation-related CO2 emissions in India, and these emissions are expected to grow by 114 per cent by 2030. EVs emit no tailpipe emissions, which can contribute immensely to improved air quality.
• Even when accounting for their manufacture, they emit 15-40 per cent less CO2 compared to their internal combustion engine counterparts and have lower operational costs.
• The central and the state governments have introduced policies to provide upfront incentives for EVs, which will lower the capital cost by a high margin.

SOURCE:  PIB

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

ASSAM WETLAND NEIGHBOURS OPPOSE RAILWAY TRACK REALIGNMENT

THE CONTEXT: Villagers living near Deepar Beel (Assam), a Ramsar Site wetland and Important Bird Area under stress, have opposed the proposed realignment of a railway track skirting its southern edge.

ANALYSIS:

• The project would be catastrophic for the ecology of the Rani-Garbhanga Reserve Forest, affect a prime elephant corridor and uproot the indigenous people, they say.
• The issue of the garbage dumping ground on the edge of Deepar Beel was also taken up. Seepages from the dump and sewers from Guwahati have made the Deepar Beel toxic, threatening aquatic life and waterfowls.
• On August 25, 2021, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified the ecosensitive zone of Deepar Beel Wildlife Sanctuary on the southwestern edge of Guwahati.
• Deepar Beel is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Assam and the State’s only Ramsar Site (declared in 2002), besides being an Important Bird Area.

SOURCE:  TH

INDIAN ECONOMY

INDIA EXPECTED TO GROW AT 7.2% IN 2021: UN REPORT

THE CONTEXT: India is expected to grow at 7.2 per cent in 2021 but economic growth could decelerate next year, according to a United Nations report which said the recovery in the country is constrained by the ongoing human and economic cost of the COVID-19 pandemic and the negative impact of food price inflation on private consumption.

ANALYSIS:

• The UNCTAD Trade and Development Report 2021, released here on Wednesday, sounded a cautiously optimistic note to say that the global economy is set for a strong recovery in 2021, albeit with a good deal of uncertainty clouding the details at the regional and country levels over the second half of the year.
• After a 3.5 per cent fall in 2020, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) expects world output to grow 5.3 per cent this year, partially recovering the ground lost in 2020.
• The report said that India “suffered a contraction” of 7 per cent in 2020 and is expected to grow 7.2 per cent in 2021.
• The report projects that India will clock an economic growth of 6.7 per cent in 2022, slower than the country’s expected 2021 growth rate.
• However, even with a slower growth rate of 6.7 per cent, India will still be the fastest-growing major economy in the world next year.

SOURCE: TH

CABINET APPROVES MAJOR REFORMS IN TELECOM SECTOR

THE CONTEXT: The Union Cabinet approved a number of structural and process reforms in the Telecom sector. These are expected to protect and generate employment opportunities, promote healthy competition, protect the interests of consumers, infuse liquidity, encourage investment and reduce the regulatory burden on Telecom Service Providers (TSPs).

ANALYSIS:

STRUCTURAL REFORMS

• Rationalization of Adjusted Gross Revenue:  Non-telecom revenue will be excluded on a prospective basis from the definition of AGR.
• Bank Guarantees (BGs) rationalized: Huge reduction in BG requirements (80%) against License Fee (LF) and other similar Levies. No requirements for multiple BGs in different Licenced Service Areas (LSAs) regions in the country. Instead, One BG will be enough.
• Interest rates rationalized/ Penalties removed: From 1st October 2021, Delayed payments of License Fee (LF)/Spectrum Usage Charge (SUC) will attract an interest rate of SBI’s MCLR plus 2% instead of MCLR plus 4%; interest compounded annually instead of monthly; penalty and interest on penalty removed.
• For Auctions held henceforth, no BGs will be required to secure instalment payments. The industry has matured and the past practice of BG is no longer required.
• Spectrum Tenure: In future Auctions, the tenure of spectrum increased from 20 to 30 years.
• Surrender of the spectrum will be permitted after 10 years for spectrum acquired in future auctions.
• No Spectrum Usage Charge (SUC) for spectrum acquired in future spectrum auctions.
• Spectrum sharing encouraged- additional SUC of 0.5% for spectrum sharing removed.
• To encourage investment, 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) under automatic route permitted in Telecom Sector. All safeguards will apply.

PROCEDURAL REFORMS

• Auction calendar fixed – Spectrum auctions are to be normally held in the last quarter of every financial year.
• Ease of doing business promoted – a cumbersome requirement of licenses under 1953 Customs Notification for wireless equipment removed. Replaced with self-declaration.
• Know Your Customers (KYC) reforms: Self-KYC (App based) permitted. E-KYC rate revised to only One Rupee. Shifting from Prepaid to Post-paid and vice-versa will not require fresh KYC.
• Paper Customer Acquisition Forms (CAF) will be replaced by digital storage of data. Nearly 300-400 crore paper CAFs lying in various warehouses of TSPs will not be required. Warehouse audit of CAF will not be required.
• SACFA clearance for telecom towers eased. DOT will accept data on a portal based on a self-declaration basis. Portals of other Agencies (such as Civil Aviation) will be linked with DOT Portal.

ADDRESSING LIQUIDITY REQUIREMENTS OF TELECOM SERVICE PROVIDERS

• Moratorium/Deferment of up to four years in annual payments of dues arising out of the AGR judgement, with, however, by protecting the Net Present Value (NPV) of the due amounts being protected.
• Moratorium/Deferment on due payments of spectrum purchased in past auctions (excluding the auction of 2021) for up to four years with NPV protected at the interest rate stipulated in the respective auctions.
• Option to the TSPs to pay the interest amount arising due to the said deferment of payment by way of equity.
• At the option of the Government, to convert the due amount pertaining to the said deferred payment by way of equity at the end of the Moratorium/Deferment period, guidelines for which will be finalized by the Ministry of Finance.
• The above will be applicable for all TSPs and will provide relief by easing liquidity and cash flow. This will also help various banks having substantial exposure to the Telecom sector.

SOURCE:  TH PIB

GOVERNMENT APPROVES PLI SCHEME FOR DRONES AND DRONE COMPONENTS

THE CONTEXT: The Central Government has approved the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for drones and drone components.

SALIENT FEATURES OF THE PLI SCHEME FOR DRONES

• The total amount allocated for the PLI scheme for drones and drone components is INR 120 crore spread over three financial years.  This amount is nearly double the combined turnover of all domestic drone manufacturers in FY 2020-21.
• The incentive for a manufacturer of drones and drone components shall be as high as 20% of the value addition made by her.
• The value addition shall be calculated as the annual sales revenue from drones and drone components (net of GST) minus the purchase cost (net of GST) of drone and drone components.
• The Government has agreed to keep the PLI rate constant at 20%for all three years, an exceptional treatment given only to the drone industry.  In PLI schemes for other sectors, the PLI rate reduces every year.
• The proposed tenure of the PLI scheme is three years starting in FY 2021-22.  The PLI scheme will be extended or redrafted after studying its impact in consultation with the industry.
• The Government has agreed to fix the minimum value addition norm at 40% of net sales for drones and drone components instead of 50%, another exceptional treatment given to the drone industry.  This will allow widening the number of beneficiaries.
• The PLI scheme covers a wide variety of drone components:

1. 1. Airframe, propulsion systems (engine and electric), power systems, batteries and associated components, launch and recovery systems;
   2. Inertial Measurement Unit, Inertial Navigation System, flight control module, ground control station and associated components;
   3. Communications systems (radiofrequency, transponders, satellite-based etc.)
   4. Cameras, sensors, spraying systems and related payload etc.;
   5. ‘Detect and Avoid’ system, emergency recovery system, trackers etc. and other components critical for safety and security.

• The list of eligible components may be expanded by the Government from time to time, as drone technology evolves.
• The Government has agreed to widen the coverage of the incentive scheme to include developers of drone-related IT products
• The Government has kept the eligibility norm for MSME and startups in terms of annual sales turnover at a nominal level – INR 2 cr (for drones) and INR 50 lakhs (for drone components).  This will allow widening the number of beneficiaries.
• The eligibility norm for non-MSME companies in terms of annual sales turnover has been kept at INR 4 crore (for drones) and INR 1 crore (for drone components).
• The incentive payable to a manufacturer of drones and drone components shall be simply one-fifth of her value addition.
• PLI for a manufacturer shall be capped at 25% of the total annual outlay. This will allow widening the number of beneficiaries.
• In case a manufacturer fails to meet the threshold for the eligible value addition for a particular financial year, she will be allowed to claim the lost incentive in the subsequent year if she makes up the shortfall in the subsequent year.

SOURCE : PIB

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

U.S., U.K. AND AUSTRALIA FORM NEW PARTNERSHIP

THE CONTEXT: A week before a meeting of Quad leaders in Washington DC, the Biden administration, announced a new trilateral security partnership for the Indo-Pacific between Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. (AUKUS).

ANALYSIS:

• A trilateral grouping that was security-focused, suggesting it was different from — but complementary to — arrangements such as the Quad.
• A central feature of the partnership would involve a tri-lateral 18-month effort to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines which are quieter, more capable (than their conventional counterparts) and can be deployed for longer periods, needing to surface less frequently.

SOURCE:  TH

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS:

Q1. A new trilateral security partnership ‘AUKUS’ has been recently announced between which of the following three countries?

a) Argentina, U.K. and U.S.

b) Australia, U.K. and U.S.

c) Australia, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the U.S.

d) Australia, South Korea and the U.S.

Q2.  “Shoonya Campaign” launched by Niti Aayog is related to:

a) Improving learning abilities among primary school students.

b) Electric vehicles

c) Women empowerment

d) Culture and history

ANSWER FOR SEPTEMBER 15, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER TO RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Answer: D

Explanation:

• • Statement 1 is incorrect: WPI is compiled by the Office of economic adviser, ministry of commerce & industry.
  • Statement 2 is incorrect: It calculates the changes in prices of only goods (not services) at the producer level.

[WpProQuiz 48]

1. Behind the great Indian Internet shutdown: The tag of the world’s Internet shutdown capital stems from a lack of compliance with Supreme Court guidelines READ MORE
2. Instead of denying slide in democratic values, India must work to fix it READ MORE
3. More questions on Pegasus: India needs more transparent checks and balances READ MORE

1. Tackling mental health: Do the huge numbers warrant OTC anti-depressants? READ MORE
2. Humane touch: The SC correctly favours suicide by COVID-19 patients to be treated as medical deaths READ MORE

1. Positive climate: On India engaging the U.S.: Engagement with the U.S. should help India expand mitigation, adaptation action READ MORE
2. Why India Needs Coal-Ash Pond Design Standards ASAP READ MORE