(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Prime Minister’s Dream of TB Free India by 2025 READ MORE
2. Baghjan oil well fire: new panel to assess damages READ MORE
3. Long wait for a Deputy Speaker for Lok Sabha READ MORE
4. Explained: Reading US Supreme Court’s refusal to block Texas anti-abortion law READ MORE
5. IMF allocates $17.86 billion to India under SDR READ MORE
6. Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and South Africa launch cenbank digital currency scheme READ MORE

Main Exam  

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Subversion of truth: Central agencies and police being misused to redraw political equations READ MORE
2. How did the makers of the Indian Constitution view patriotism for Indian citizens? READ MORE
3. Early life nutrition and future educational outcomes: Findings from ICDS READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. A perspective on Indian healthcare READ MORE
2. The Long Shadow of Hunger in India READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Noble intentions: The UN must ensure that the Taliban uphold human rights and give up terror tactics READ MORE
2. India at the Bled Strategic Forum READ MORE
3. Taliban challenges the Indian policy READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Is monetising public assets a good idea? The challenge is in structuring the complexity of contracts with private players READ MORE
2. How can India’s economic recovery be sustained — and accelerated? READ MORE
3. RBI and G-secs market READ MORE
4. A scrappage policy just for the record READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Net zero emission can’t halt climate change READ MORE
2. Need urgent pollution policy: High density of air pollutants leads to low life expectancy READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Breakthrough challenge: Vaccine makers should move to make vaccines for the Delta variants READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Life’s a procession of unexpected opportunities READ MORE
2. No ground for grieving READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘A scrappage policy has many advantages, but the Scrappage Policy 2021 will not deliver them as it impractical’. Examine the statement.
2. The National Commission On Air Quality Management faces multiple challenges in addressing the problems of Air pollution in the NCR and adjoining areas. Substantiate with examples.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• The truth is not always beautiful nor beautiful words are the truth.
• While it has decided to embark on talks with the Taliban in Doha, it must continue to play that role on the world stage.
• A country like India, in spite of being a major vaccine producer in the pre-pandemic era, has only now managed to get production lines to deliver one crore vaccines a day.
• The Indian government is coordinating and executing a round-the-clock evacuation of not just Indians but also nationals of other countries from Afghanistan.
• Policy support is needed to nurture the drivers of growth and sustain the recovery process.
• The central bank currently needs all its powers to support the government in the ongoing crisis. Control over the G-sec market is critical in order to discharge many of its key functions such as management of systemic liquidity, regulating foreign exchange market and maintaining financial stability.
• There is a limited window of opportunity for India to leverage the current ongoing realignment of global supply chains and progressively onboard both manufacturing and services entities.
• To combat climate change, agriculture, industry and consumption patterns need to be radically overhauled.
• The economic crisis created high levels of unemployment and a lack of food and basic rights like healthcare and education for a large mass of people. Co-ordinate collective action to declare and treat climate change as an urgent political issue and pressing national security and civilisational threat.

50-WORD TALK

• The status of the national animal is reserved for wild and endangered species. The cow is not. Allahabad High Court remarks on the cow are a needless intervention. The Directive Principles of the Constitution has enough on cow protection. We don’t need more fuel to what is an already inflammable situation.
• SAS Geelani’s death is the last blow to the growing irrelevance of Hurriyat politics in Kashmir. This vacuum creates a space for mainstream political parties to reclaim the support of the disenchanted Kashmiri youth. It also presents an opportunity for New Delhi to begin a new template for political engagement.

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. LONG WAIT FOR A DEPUTY SPEAKER FOR LOK SABHA

THE CONTEXT: With the Delhi High Court asking the Central government to explain its stand on a petition that claimed keeping the post of Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha vacant is a violation of Article 93 of the Constitution.

ANALYSIS:

• The position had been vacant for the past 830 days.
• It is a constitutional mandated position and not a ceremonial one.
• The longest time that this post had remained vacant was in the 12th Lok Sabha and even then on the 59th sitting of Parliament, election to the post was held.

ABOUT DEPUTY SPEAKER OF LOK SABHA

• Article 93 of the Constitution provides for the election of both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.
• He / She acts as presiding officer in case of leave or absence caused by death or illness of the Speaker.
• Usually, the Deputy Speaker is elected in the first meeting of the Lok Sabha after the General elections from amongst the members of the Lok Sabha.
• By convention, position of Deputy Speaker is offered to opposition party in India.
• The date of election of Deputy Speaker is fixed by Speaker.
• Deputy speaker is not subordinate to the Speaker and is directly responsible to Lok Sabha.

Reference: The Hindu

2. EAT RIGHT STATION CERTIFICATION

THE CONTEXT: Indian Railways’ Chandigarh Railway Station has been awarded a 5- star ‘Eat Right Station’ certification for providing high-quality, nutritious food to passengers. This certification is granted by FSSAI to railway stations adhering to standard food storage and hygiene practices.

ANALYSIS

• The ‘Eat Right Station’ certification is awarded by FSSAI to railway stations that set benchmarks in providing safe and wholesome food to passengers.
• The station is awarded a certificate upon a conclusion of an FSSAI-empanelled third-party audit agency with ratings from 1 to 5. The 5-star rating indicates exemplary efforts by stations to ensure safe and hygienic food is available to passengers.
• The certification is part of the ‘Eat Right India’ movement- a large-scale effort by FSSAI to transform the country’s food system to ensure safe, healthy and sustainable food for all Indians.
• Eat Right India adopts a judicious mix of regulatory, capacity building, collaborative, and empowerment approaches to ensure that our food is suitable both for the people and the planet.
• Chandigarh Railway Station becomes the fifth station in India to get this recognition. The other railway stations with this certification include Anand Vihar Terminal Railway Station; (Delhi), Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus; (Mumbai), Mumbai Central Railway Station; (Mumbai) and Vadodara Railway Station.

Reference: PIB

3. PROPHYLACTIC MEDICINES

THE CONTEXT: The Ministry of Ayush launched a campaign of distributing Ayush prophylactic medicines and written guidelines on diet and lifestyle.

ANALYSIS:

• In the next one year, the immunity booster medicines and the guidelines to combat Covid-19 will be distributed to 75 lakh people across the country, with special focus on geriatric (people of 60 years and above age) population and the front line workers.
• The kit of Ayurveda prophylactic medicines for Covid-19 contains Sanshamani Vati, which is also known as Guduchi or Giloy Ghan Vati and Ashwagandha Ghan Vati.
• The kit and the guidelines have been prepared by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Medicines (CCRAS).
• The drive to distribute prophylactic medicines and diet and lifestyle guidelines is a part of the ongoing ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ campaign launched by the Government of India to commemorate 75 years of India’s freedom. The year-long campaign will continue till August 2022 when India celebrates 75th anniversary of Independence.
• Distribution of Ayush prophylactic medicines will help citizens to boost immunity against the corona virus. During the two waves of pandemic, people of this country showed great faith in our traditional system of medicine. Their faith has encouraged us to come up with this nationwide distribution campaign. This campaign is being carried out through the robust network of more than 86 Ayush institutions across the country.

Reference: PIB

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

4. BAGHJAN OIL WELL FIRE

THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court formed an expert committee led by former Gauhati High Court judge, Justice B.P. Katakey, to assess the damage and the cost of reparation of the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and surrounding ecologically fragile areas of Assam, which were damaged in the Baghjan oil well blowout in May 2020.

ANALYSIS:

• Justice Katakey’s committee substitutes the National Green Tribunal’s 10-member committee led by the Assam Chief Secretary.
• The Court directed OIL to pay for the committee’s expenses.
• A blowout is an uncontrolled escape of natural gas or crude oil. The spewing is akin to a volcanic eruption.

BAGHJAN WELL

• It is a purely gas producing well in Tinsukia district, Assam.
• It was drilled by Oil India Limited (OIL) in 2006. It produces around 80,000 standard cubic metres per day (SCMD) of gas from a depth of 3,870 metres.
• It is at an aerial distance of 900 metres from the Dibru- Saikhowa National Park.
• Maguri-Motapung wetland is located near well.

DIBRU SAIKHOWA NATIONAL PARK

• Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is located in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of Assam. • It was designated a Biosphere Reserve in July 1997.
• The park is bounded by the Brahmaputra and Lohit Rivers in the north and Dibru river in the south.
• The forest of Dibru-Saikhowa consists of semi-evergreen forests, deciduous, littoral and swamp forests and patches of wet evergreen forests.
• Dibru Saikhowa is one of the last habitats of the deo hans, or ‘spirit duck’, as the critically endangered white-winged wood duck is known here, and a stronghold of the black-breasted parrotbill, one of India’s rarest birds.
• In its waterways that encompass a myriad wetlands like the Maguri Motapung beel, there are over 300 bird species and 80 species of fish, including the ‘tiger of the river’, the endangered golden mahseer.
• The park is also home to other rare creatures such as Gangetic dolphins, water buffalo, black-breasted parrotbill, tiger and capped langur.

Reference: The Hindu

5. INDIAN BIOLOGIST WINS GLOBAL AWARD IN TURTLE CONSERVATION

THE CONTEXT: Indian biologist Shailendra Singh has been awarded the Behler Turtle Conservation Award for bringing three critically endangered turtle conservation species back from the brink of extinction.

ANALYSIS:

• The award has been bestowed by several global bodies involved in turtle conservation such as Turtle Survival Alliance, IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, Turtle Conservancy, and the Turtle Conservation Fund.
• For some species, such as the red-crowned roofed turtle (Batagur kachuga), northern river terrapin (Batagur baska), and black softshell turtle (Nilssonia nigricans), Dr. Singh and his team’s efforts are the last hope for their wild survival in the country.

RED-CROWNED ROOFED TURTLE OR BENGAL ROOF TURTLE (BATAGUR KACHUGA)

• It is a species of freshwater turtle endemic to South Asia.
• it has suffered declines in population due to being harvested for meat and shells, drowned in fishing nets, water pollution, hydro-electric schemes and habitat loss.
• IUCN: Critically endangered

NORTHERN RIVER TERRAPIN (BATAGUR BASKA)

• It is a species of riverine turtle native to Southeast Asia.
• It prefers freshwater habitats and moves to brackish river mouths or estuaries in the breeding season.
• Threats: exploitation as a food item, loss of nesting beaches and pollution
• IUCN: Critically endangered
• Captive breeding in Sajnekhali Forest Station in the Sunderban Tiger Reserve in India with support from Turtle Survival Alliance.

BLACK SOFTSHELL TURTLE OR BOSTAMI TURTLE (NILSSONIA NIGRICANS)

• It is a species of freshwater turtle found in India (Assam) and Bangladesh.
• In the 1800s it was believed these turtles were brought from Iran to Chittagong shrine pond by Hazrat Bayezid Bostami.
• This turtles he had brought to this pond were treated as sacred and respected by the public.
• These turtles exist in a temple’s pond called the Hayagriva Madhava Temple located in Assam, India.
• IUCN: Critically endangered

Reference: The Hindu

6. PILOT PROJECT TO REPLACE DIESEL WITH LNG IN DUMPERS

THE CONTEXT:  State-owned CIL said it has begun the process of retrofitting LNG kits in its dumpers — big trucks engaged in transportation of coal, a move that will help the PSU to save around crores rupees annually.

ANALYSIS:

• In a big push to reduce its carbon footprint, national miner Coal India Ltd. [CIL] has initiated the process of retrofitting Liquefied Natural Gas [LNG] kits in its dumpers.
• This is a significant move, as the world’s largest coal miner uses over 4 lakh kilolitres of diesel per annum with an annual expense of over 3,500 crore rupees.
• CIL signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with GAIL an BEML to get this pilot project executed.

Reference: The Hindu

INDIAN ECONOMY

7. IMF ALLOCATES $17.86 BILLION TO INDIA UNDER SDR

THE CONTEXT:  The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has made an allocation of special drawing rights (SDR) 12.57 billion (equivalent to around $17.86 billion at the latest exchange rate) to India.

ANALYSIS:

• The total SDR holdings of India now stand at SDR 13.66 billion (equivalent to around $19.41 billion at the latest exchange rate). This increase in SDR holdings will be reflected in the foreign exchange reserves (FER) data that will be published for the week ended August 27, 2021, the RBI said.
• SDR in the RBI’s forex reserves was $1.54 billion as on August 20, 2021. With the latest SDR allocation, the forex reserves are expected to cross $630 billion.
• Holdings are one of the components of the FER of a country. IMF makes the general SDR allocation to its members in proportion to their existing quotas in the IMF.
• The IMF board of governors had approved a general allocation of about SDR 456 billion on August 2, (effective from August 23) of which India’s share is SDR 12.57 billion.

Reference: Indian express

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

8. BLUE STRAGGLER

THE CONTEXT : Carrying out the first-ever comprehensive analysis of blue stragglers, Indian researchers found that half of the blue stragglers in their sample are formed through mass transfer from a close binary companion star, one third are likely formed through collisions of 2 stars, and the remaining are formed through interactions of more than 2 stars.

ANALYSIS:

• Blue stragglers, a class of stars on open or globular clusters that stand out as they are bigger and bluer than the rest of the stars; have intrigued scientists who have for long probed their origin.
• A bunch of stars born at the same time from the same cloud form a star cluster. As time passes, each star evolves differently depending on its mass. The most massive and bright stars evolve and move off the main sequence creating a bend in their track, known as the turnoff.
• Stars above this bend or brighter and hotter stars are not expected in a cluster, as they leave the main sequence to become red giants. But in 1953, Allan Sandage found that some stars seem to be hotter than the turnoff of the parent cluster. Initially, these blue stars still straggling above the turnoff were not part of these clusters. However, later studies confirmed that these stars are indeed cluster members, and they were termed “Blue Stragglers”.
• The only probable way these stars can still be present in these clusters is if they have somehow acquired extra mass along the way while on the main sequence. Confirming the mechanisms of the mass gain required a study using a large sample of blue-straggler stars and estimates of the mass they have gained.
• The study will help improve understanding of these stellar systems to uncover exciting results in studies of large stellar populations, including galaxies.

Q1. Consider the following statements about black softshell turtle:

1. It is lives in both freshwater and brackish water.
2. In India, it is found in Hayagriva Madhava Temple located in Assam, India.
3. It is declared as critically endangered species by IUCN.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Q2 A 5- star ‘Eat Right Station’ certification is granted by?

1. Ministry of Railways
2. State Government
3. FSSAI
4. United Nations World Food Programme

ANSWER FOR SEPTEMBER 02, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Answer: B

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect:ZAPAD 2021 is multi-national exercise held by Russia.
• Statement 2 is correct:It is held at Nizhniy, Russia.
• Statement 3 is correct: The city is located on the bank of Volga river

[WpProQuiz 37]

THE CONTEXT: The concept and practice of gig economy has gained wide currency across the globe. In India, the entry of various food delivery apps, cab aggregators and others have revolutionized this segment of the economy. While they provide huge scope for freelance/part time jobs for India’s demographic dividend, the management practices of these platforms have raised concerns of labour exploitation. In this context, this write up examines how gig economy results in informalisation of labour on the one hand and provides freedom of work on the other.

Developing conceptual understanding

What is Gig economy?

• The gig economy is a job market which consists of short-term or part-time work done by people who are self-employed or on temporary contracts.
• Section 2(35) of the Code on Social Security 2020 defines a gig worker as a person who participates in a work arrangement and earns from such activities outside of a traditional employer-employee relationship
• As per the World Economic Forum, gig economy is defined by its focus on workforce participation and income generation via “gigs”, single projects or tasks for which a worker is hired.
• The term “gig” is a slang word for a job that lasts a specified period of time; it is typically used by musicians.
• Examples of gig employees in the workforce could include work arrangements such as freelancers, independent contractors, project-based workers and temporary or part-time hires.
• As there is no employer-employee relationship, the gig workers are not tied to any particular employer and therefore have greater flexibility in terms of the work they can choose and the hours they dedicate.
• Businesses have flexibility when they are not dependent on a set of employees for executing tasks, and additionally benefit from avoiding the cost of social security and fixed remuneration provided to employees.

What is platform work?

• Platform work means a work arrangement in which an organization or an individual uses online platforms to provide goods and services to consumers. For example, Uber, Ola, Zomato etc.
• The Code on Social Security 2021 defines platform work as a work arrangement outside the traditional employer-employee relationship in which organisations or individuals use an online platform to access other organisations or individuals to solve specific problems or to provide specific services in exchange for payment.
• Section 2(61) of the Code on Social Security defines a platform worker as someone engaged in or undertaking platform work.
• In general, platform workers are the most visible and vulnerable faces of the gig economy. The gig work includes platform work also and often these terms are used interchangeably. For the purpose of our discussion, we also take a similar approach.

What is meant by informalisation of labour?

• When the share of the informal workers in the total labour force increases, the situation is called informalisation of labour.
• It is a process of consistent decline in the percentage of formal sector labour force and consistent increase in the percentage of informal sector labour force in the economy.
• The Economic Survey of 2018-19, released in July 2019, said “almost 93%” of the total workforce is “informal”.

What is the meaning of formal and informal sector?

• It must be made very clear that there is no universally accepted definition of formal and informal or organised and unorganised sector in India (http://iamrindia.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/org_unorg.pdfread for further information)
• In general, the informal sector of the economy is characterised by irregular and low income, precarious working conditions, no access to social safety nets, lack of legal safeguards etc.

Definition of labour force

• Persons who are either ‘working’ (employed) or ‘seeking or available for work’ (unemployed) or both during a major part of the reference period, constitute the labour force. In simple words persons who are employed and unemployed are included in labour force (15-60 in general).

Definition of workforce

• The Work force on the other hand includes only the employed and excludes the unemployed. People who are actually working are included in workforce. The difference between labour force and workforce is the total number of unemployed persons

How Gig Economy leads to informalisation?

Outside the purview of regulatory framework

• The gig economy is outside the ambit of almost all the regulations applicable to the other sectors of the economy. The formal sector employment has been a tightly regulated one and even the informal sector faces some regulation. There is near absence of regulation in the area of gig economy especially in the context of labour rights.

Unclear employment relationship

• In gig economy, the traditional employer and employee’s relationship is replaced by vague ideas of “partners, independent contractors and the like “. These companies call themselves as “aggregators and not employers” which provides escape route from the application of labour laws to them

Exploitative service conditions

• The remuneration and working conditions are arbitrarily set by the companies and workers often complain unwarranted deduction from their salaries. There exists no grievance mechanism to raise the concerns of the workers. For instance, a Swiggy delivery boy earlier received 50 rupees for an order which has been progressively reduced to 20(10 in some cases) rupees on weekdays.

Subjugation to algorithms

• The platform workers’ work life is controlled by the software application. It decides everything from when and where to onboard (log in), how much time is allowed for delivery, calculation of incentives and even imposition of penalty! The gig worker has no voice in deciding any of these aspects and the Application exerts total control over the workers.

Non existent social safety net

• None of the social security benefits available to the traditional workers are available to gig workers. Even the adhoc group insurance is available only on “on duty days’.  The workers are vulnerable to risks of accidents and many have lost lives during the course of their duties. The companies don’t even have any data on how many of its partners have succumbed to Covid 19 or were infected by the virus.

Demand and supply mismatch:

• when the labour supply is high and more disposable, the gig workers have no power to influence payment offerings, and freedom to choose becomes an illusion. In the interplay of demand and supply mechanisms, the gig workers always lose out. Thus, as platforms become more popular among gig workers, more of them join the pool, which leads to companies dictating the terms and conditions of work. The All India Gig Workers union has been protesting against the wage reduction by Swiggy but to no avail.

No scope for collective bargaining

• The problem lack of a formal relationship within the gig economy landscape is accentuated by lack of effective unionization of the workers. The temporary nature of work, disaggregated location of workers etc do not make it feasible for a collective airing of grievances. Even the recently formed Indian federation of App based Transport workers’ protests did not change the status quo.

Exercising control without accountability

• The companies claim that its workers are self-employed, and they can choose when and how long they wish to work. This is not true as for instance, Swiggy does not allow “home log in” and the worker has to reach a “hot zone” for log in. When a worker logs out or is irregular, then the frequency of the orders he receives is reduced. In other words, the companies exercise almost all the control of a traditional employer without commensurate responsibility to workers.

Gig Economy and the Freedom of work

Freedom of choice

• The employees have the freedom to choose from a host of firms operating in the sector. For instance, a delivery executive can choose Swiggy, Zomato or any other food delivery app. This choice is also available in the case of e- commerce companies or cab aggregators and others. This freedom to choose can help the workers to look for greener pastures.

Flexible working hours

• There are no mandatory working hours in these sectors and the worker is free to join in or out any time. This flexibility provides scope for control over one’s work which can be harnessed by those looking for part-time job like students, under employed etc.

No formal training required

• The gig economy generally does not demand any formal education, skills or formal training for carrying out these jobs. For instance, a smart phone and a bike is enough for getting work in food delivery apps (of course subject to company policies). Thus it provides great livelihood opportunities for the unskilled and semi-skilled.

Incentivisation of hard work

• The gig economy works on the principle of ‘the more you work, the more you earn’. This approach encourages those having the zeal for hard work by providing incentives on a par with the output of work. The scope for extra earning works as a great motivator.

Gender empowerment

• The technology based platforms enable women to be a part of workforce by virtue of their openness.
• Women could utilize the informal nature of the platforms especially factors like no restriction of time and place for their advantages. Studies indicate that women students and even housewives have been harnessing the opportunities for financial independence and supporting family during pandemic.

How to bring elements of formalization in Gig Economy?

Data on the size of the Gig workforce

• Any step towards addressing the issue of informalisation in gig economy require proper data on the size of the workforce. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour has criticized the labour ministry for its lackadaisical attitude relating to data collection. Data driven policy making and governance need to be the core of reforming the sector.

Legal interventions

• Regulation by the State of this sector without undermining its animal spirit is the need of hour. The Code on Social Security although defines the gig and platform workers, is silent on the aspect of regulation. A separate regulatory regime for gig sector can be brought which must balance the interest of both the companies and workers.

Providing concrete social safety measures

• The companies need to be persuaded to set up social security system for the workers. Alternatively, they can be legally mandated to contribute to the fund established by Centre or state governments.
• For instance, the Code on Social Security, 2020, mandate companies employing gig or on-demand workers, to allocate 1-2% of their annual turnover or 5% of the wages paid to gig workers.

Clarifying the relationship between company and the workers

• It is necessary to define clearly the nature of relation between these platform companies and the workers. Taking shelter under terms (partner etc) which have no legal basis will only lead to conflicts between workers and the companies and eventually impact the business prospects of the companies.

Learning from international judicial interventions

• In 2021, the UK Supreme Court ruled that Uber’s drivers were entitled to employee benefits; in 2018, the California Supreme Court specified a test for determining an employer-employee relationship, which effectively designated gig workers are employees.  Indian courts must take a leaf out of these progressive judicial interventions.

Unionization of the workers

• There is strength in numbers and the workers need to organize themselves to press for legitimate demands from the government and the companies. A federation of all gig workers must be established to work as a pressure group and a forum for constructive suggestions in improving the work culture and business practices.

Best practices of the state governments

• Karnataka govt is in the process of drafting a law to provide minimum wages and social security benefits to the gig workers. It also formed a company, inter alia, to promote gig economy companies. The Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, a company with 51% stake for the Industries aim to promote the gig economy through various facilitative measures. These type of positive interventions can be replicated in other states also.

WAY FORWARD

• The gig economy rides on the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of the business leaders. Light-touch regulation of the sector which focuses on enabling the companies to accommodate the concerns of the labour rather than coercing them need to be adopted.
• The huge success of the Initial Public Offerings of Swiggy and Zomato in Bombay Stock Exchange point out to the enthusiasm and trust of investors in the growth prospects of the sector. The listing of these companies means they have to disclose details of business practices under SEBI’sbusiness responsibility and sustainability reporting (BRSR) requirements. This may nudge/force the companies to address the concerns of forced labour as the employees are paid below minimum wages in many cases.
• Although the Social Security Code 2020 aims to provide social security benefits to the gig workers, these are not legally guaranteed. It means the benefits will be available to the workers as and when government formulates the schemes. It is high time the good intentions are translated into concrete actions. The Industry is also in line with this approach as in a recent report, ASSOCHAM had suggested that gig workers should be entitled to potable benefits.
• Neoliberal policies adopted by governments world over have put capital in high pedestal over labour. In India also the condition is not different as the race to attract private capital and investment have led to dilution of workers’ rights and their progressive informalisation. This is clearly visible in the context of the criticism of the four labour codes brought in by the government and the data provided by Periodic Labour Force Survey 19-20. Therefore, a Welfare State and Compassionate Capitalism must work in tandem for equitable distribution of surplus among the management and labour.

CONCLUSION

The Economic Survey 2020 has appreciated the role played by gig economy in terms of service delivery and provision of employment to the labour force in the pandemic period. This sector holds out huge promise especially in the context of governments’ push towards digital economy through Digital India. It is true that the freelance nature of the work and other attributes may not strictly fit into the traditional employer-employee matrix. But that does not mean the labour should be left for exploitation and suffer from poor working conditions. It is in the interest of all stakeholders; the promoters, management, workers, the shareholders the consumers and others that adequate concreate measures be adopted for a win situation for all.

INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. ATAL PENSION YOJANA TOTAL ENROLMENTS CROSSED 3.30 CRORE

THE CONTEXT: Under the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) more than 28 lakh new APY accounts have been opened during current FY 2021-22. Overall, enrolments under APY has crossed 3.30 crore as on 25^th August 2021.

ABOUT APY

• The Atal Pension Yojana (APY) is a guaranteed pension scheme of Government of India and administered by PFRDA.
• The APY allows any Citizen of India between the age group of 18-40 years to join through the bank or post office branches where one has the savings bank account.
• Under the scheme, a subscriber would receive a minimum guaranteed pension of Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 5,000 per month, depending upon his contribution, from the age of 60 years.
• The same pension would be paid to the spouse of the subscriber and on the demise of both the subscriber and the spouse, the accumulated pension wealth as accumulated till age 60 of the subscriber is returned to the nominee.
• The scheme is distributed through 266 registered APY Service-Providers consisting of various categories of banks and Department of Posts.
• As this scheme is only available to applicants with a savings bank account, therefore, PFRDA regularly advises all banks to promote the scheme for its outreach to their existing and prospective customers.

Reference: PIB

2. ‘Y-BREAK’ YOGA PROTOCOL APPENVI

THE CONTEXT: Union Minister of Ayush launched the ‘Y-Break’ mobile application.

ANALYSIS

• The five-minute Yoga protocol, especially designed for working professionals to de-stress, refresh and re-focus at their workplace to increase their productivity, consists of Asanas, Pranayam and Dhyana.
• The Yoga protocol in the Y-Break application comprises of a few simple Yogic practices as follows:
• Tadasana- Urdhva-hastottanasana- Tadasana
• Skandha chakra- Uttanamandukasana– Kati Chakrasana
• Ardhachakrasana, PrasaritaPadottanasana- Deep Breathing
• Nadishodhana Pranayama
• Bhramari Pranayama- Dhyana

Reference: The Hindu

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

3. UBREATHE LIFE

THE CONTEXT: IIT Ropar’s startup company introduces World’s first ‘Plant based’ smart air-purifier “Ubreathe Life” Technology uses living, breathing plants for the filtration of contaminants.

ANALYSIS:

• IIT Ropar’s startup company, Urban Air Laboratory that has developed the product claims it to be world’s first, state-of-the art ‘Smart Bio-Filter’ that can make breathing fresh.
• It has been incubated at IIT Ropar, which is a designated iHub – AWaDH (Agriculture and Water Technology Development Hub) by the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India.
• The technology works through the air-purifying natural leafy plant. The room-air interacts with leaves and goes to the soil-root zone where maximum pollutants are purified.
• The novel technology used in this product is ‘Urban Munnar Effect’ along with patent pending “Breathing Roots” to exponentially amplify the phytoremediation process of the plants. Phytoremediation is a process by which plants effectively remove pollutants from the air.
• ‘Ubreathe Life’ effectively improves indoor air quality by removing particulate, gaseous and biological contaminants while increasing the oxygen levels in the indoor space through specific plants, UV disinfection and a stack of Pre-filter, Charcoal filter and HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter fitted in a specially designed wooden box.
• There is a centrifugal fan which creates a suction pressure inside the purifier, and releases purified air, formed at the roots, through the outlet in 360degree direction. The specific plants tested for air-purification include Peace Lily, Snake Plant, Spider plant etc. and all have given good results in purifying indoor-air.
• According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report the indoor air spaces are five times more polluted than outdoor air space.

Reference: PIB

4. LADAKH ADOPTS STATE ANIMAL AND BIRD

CONTEXT: Ladakh adopted two endangered species, snow leopard (Panther unica) and black-necked crane (Grus nicricollis), as State animal and State bird.

SNOW LEOPARDS (PANTHERA UNCIA)

• Also known as the ounce.
• Habitat:  Native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia.  Alpine and subalpine zones at elevations from 3,000 to 4,500 m (9,800 to 14,800 ft), ranging from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Tibetan Plateau, to southern Siberia, Mongolia, and western China.
• In India: found in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh.
• Threats: poaching and habitat destruction following infrastructural developments IUCN status: Vulnerable (In 2017, IUCN had downgraded conservation status of snow leopard from “endangered” to “vulnerable”)

BLACK-NECKED CRANE

• Only found in Ladakh region, it was the State bird of J&K before August 5, 2019.
• Black-necked cranes, considered loyal couples, are only found in Ladakh’s Changthang region.
• IUCN status: Near Threatened
• CITES: Appendix-I

Reference: The Hindu

INDIAN SECURITY

5. HIGH HONOUR FOR NAVAL AVIATION

THE CONTEXT:  President will award the President’s Colour to Indian Naval Aviation at a ceremonial parade to be held at INS Hansa, Goa, on September 6. The President’s Colour is the highest honour bestowed on a military unit in recognition of its exceptional service to the nation.

ABOUT NAVAL AVIATION

• Naval Aviation came into being with acquisition of the first Sealand aircraft on January 13, 1951 and the commissioning of INS Garuda, the first Naval Air Station, on May 11, 1953.
• The Navy was the first among the armed forces to be awarded the President’s Colour on May 27, 1951 by then President Rajendra Prasad.
• The Navy heralded the beginning of carrier aviation with the induction of INS Vikrant in 1957 and integral Sea Hawk and Alize Squadrons subsequently.
• INS Vikrant with its aircraft played a crucial role in the liberation of Goa in 1961 and again in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, where its presence on the Eastern seaboard proved decisive.
• Navy inducted its second carrier INS Viraat along with Sea Harrier aircraft in the mid-1980s and Naval Aviation was further strengthened with arrival of MiG 29K fighters on INS Vikramaditya in the last decade.

Reference: The Hindu

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

7. EXERCISE ZAPAD 2021

THE CONTEXT:  A contingent of 200 Indian Army personnel will participate in the multinational Exercise ZAPAD 2021 being held at Nizhniy, Russia from September 3 to 16.

ANALYSIS:

• ZAPAD 2021 is one of the theatre level exercises of Russian armed forces and will focus primarily on operations against terrorists.
• The NAGA Battalion group participating in the exercise will feature an all arms combined task force. The exercise aims to enhance military and strategic ties amongst the participating nations while they plan and execute this exercise.
• In all, 17 countries have been invited by Russia for the exercise. Of these nine are Participating countries which include Mongolia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Russia, India and Belarus.
• The other eight countries are Observers which include Pakistan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka.
• The Indian Contingent has been put through a strenuous training schedule which encompasses all facets of conventional operations including mechanised, airborne and heliborne, counter terrorism, combat conditioning and firing.

Reference: The Hindu

8. INDIA’S PRESIDENCY OF UNSC ENDS WITH ‘SUBSTANTIVE’ OUTCOMES

THE CONTEXT: India’s month-long Presidency of the powerful United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has ended with ‘substantive’ outcomes on key global issues including a strong resolution on the situation in Afghanistan, which demanded that the Afghan territory not be used to threaten any country or shelter terrorists.

ANALYSIS:

• India, currently serving a two-year term as a non-permanent member of the 15-nation Security Council, assumed the rotating Presidency of the UN body for the month of August.
• The Presidency ended with the first resolution on the situation in Afghanistan, following the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban.
• India began its Presidency with a high-level signature event on maritime security presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with Mr. Tirumurti describing it as “path-breaking” in many ways since this was the first time the Prime Minister of India chaired the Security Council.
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar chaired the two other signature events – on Peacekeeping and Technology on August 18 and the briefing on ISIL/Da’esh on August 19.
• Following the August 19 ministerial-level briefing on ISIL/Da’esh, the Council unanimously issued a press statement that reiterated that they condemn in the strongest terms all instances of terrorism and noted with concern that ISIL (Da’esh) could regain the ability to launch or orchestrate international terrorist attacks.
• Under India’s presidency, the Council successfully steered the discussions on various peace and security issues that are on its agenda, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Syria, Yemen, and the Middle East Peace Process.
• Several UN member states tweeted to express gratitude to India for its leadership of the Council during the month.

Reference: The Hindu

9. SRI LANKA DECLARES ECONOMIC EMERGENCY

THE CONTEXT: Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has declared an economic emergency to contain soaring inflation after a steep fall in the value of the country’s currency caused a spike in food prices.

ANALYSIS:

• President Rajapaksa on Tuesday declared the state of emergency under the public security ordinance to prevent the hoarding of essential items, including rice and sugar.
• The government has appointed a former army general as commissioner of essential services, who will have the power to seize food stocks held by traders and retailers and regulate their prices.
• The military will oversee the action which gives power to officials to ensure that essential items, including rice and sugar, are sold at government-guaranteed prices or prices based on import costs at customs and prevent hiding of.
• The emergency move followed sharp price rises for sugar, rice, onions and potatoes, while long queues have formed outside stores because of shortages of milk powder, kerosene oil and cooking gas.
• The wide-ranging measure is also aimed at recovering credit owed to State banks by importers.
• The Sri Lankan rupee has fallen by 7.5% against the US dollar this year.
• The Central Bank of Sri Lanka recently increased interest rates in a bid to shore up the local currency.
• Sri Lanka, a net importer of food and other commodities, is witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths which has hit tourism, one of its main foreign currency earners.
• Partly as a result of the slump in tourist numbers, Sri Lanka’s economy shrank by a record 3.6% last year. The country is currently under a 16-day curfew until Monday because of a jump in COVID-19 cases.

Reference: The Hindu

10. CHINA’S NEW MARITIME LAW

THE CONTEXT: From Sept.1, China’s new maritime rules designed to control the entry of foreign vessels in what Beijing calls “Chinese territorial waters” take effect. The move is expected to have far-reaching consequences for passage of vessels, both commercial and military, in the disputed South China Sea, East China Sea and Taiwan Strait, and is likely to escalate the existing tension with the US and its neighbours in the region.

ANALYSIS:

• Foreign vessels, both military and commercial, will be henceforth required to submit to Chinese supervision in “Chinese territorial waters,” as per the new law.
• Operators of submersibles, nuclear vessels, ships carrying radioactive materials and ships carrying bulk oil, chemicals, liquefied gas and other toxic and harmful substances are required to report their detailed information upon their visits to Chinese territorial waters.
• Endanger the maritime traffic safety of China will be required to report their name, call sign, current position and next port of call and estimated time of arrival. The name of shipborne dangerous goods and cargo deadweight will also be required.
• The South China Sea, which lies between China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam, is of great economic importance globally. Nearly one-third of the world’s shipping passes through its lanes, and the waters house numerous important fisheries.
• It is also a critical route for India, both militarily and commercially. The South China Sea plays a vital role in facilitating India’s trade with Japan, South Korea and ASEAN countries, and assists in the efficient procurement of energy supplies.
• The Ministry of External Affairs estimates that more than 55% of India’s trade passes through the South China Sea and Malacca Straits. India is also involved in oil and gas exploration in offshore blocks in the margins of the Sea, which has led to standoffs with Chinese authorities.
• The waters around China are hotly contested. Under a “nine-dash line” map, China claims most of the South China Sea as its sovereign territory. This claim is contested by its neighbours in the region and by the United States, which, though it has no claim in the Sea, backs the smaller nations in the fight against Chinese overreach.
• Currently, international maritime activities are governed by an international agreement called the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) of which China, India and over a hundred other countries are signatories (the US, significantly, is not).
• Accordingly, states have the right to implement territorial rights up to 12 nautical miles into the sea. The UNCLOS also states that all vessels have the right of “innocent passage” through this region – China’s new law violates this.
• As the law comes into effect, several questions remain. For one, it is unclear how China intends to implement the regulation. The US, which routinely holds naval exercises in the region, is unlikely to abide by Beijing’s law. It also remains to be seen how the rest of the UNCLOS signatories react to this challenge to the agreement.

Reference: Indian express

Q1. Consider the following statements about ZAPAD 2021:

1. It is bilateral exercise between India and Russia.
2. It is held at Nizhniy, Russia .
3. The city is located on the bank of Volga river.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

ANSWER FOR SEPTEMBER 01, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Answer: a)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: SAARC was established with signing of SAARC Charter in Dhaka in 1985.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Its secretariat is in Kathmandu, Nepal.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: Eight members- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

1. Taste the joy of working on the self READ MORE
2. It’s all in the mind READ MORE

1. Weather disasters killed 2 million in last 50 years, UN agency says READ MORE
2. Weather Disasters Becoming More Frequent and Costly, UN Agency Says READ MORE

1. Foundational Learning as an art READ MORE
2. The prognosis for school reopenings: A model shows that a rise in cases in children could occur, but in-person schooling can proceed with caution READ MORE

1. The prognosis for school reopenings: A model shows that a rise in cases in children could occur, but in-person schooling can proceed with caution READ MORE
2. Better policing, please: Court observations on investigations in Delhi riots should be required reading for all major police forces READ MORE
3. Now That the SC Has 9 New Judges, Who’s Responsible for Their Belated Elevation? READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Atal Pension Yojana total enrolments crossed 3.30 crore READ MORE
2. Maha govt. to amend cooperative societies act READ MORE
3. Allahabad HC judge to Centre: Make cow national animal READ MORE
4. IIT Ropar’s startup company introduces world’s first plant based smart air-purifier ‘Ubreathe Life’ READ MORE
5. LS Speaker inaugurates outreach programme for PRI empowerment in J&K READ MORE
6. Sri Lanka declares economic emergency to contain food prices as forex crisis worsens READ MORE  
7. Ladakh adopts State animal and bird READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. The prognosis for school reopenings: A model shows that a rise in cases in children could occur, but in-person schooling can proceed with caution READ MORE
2. Better policing, please: Court observations on investigations in Delhi riots should be required reading for all major police forces READ MORE
3. Now That the SC Has 9 New Judges, Who’s Responsible for Their Belated Elevation? READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Foundational Learning as an art READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Explained: Why China’s new maritime law might spike tensions in South China Sea READ MORE
2. India made its UNSC presidency count READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Fleeting cheer: On GDP growth and consumption demand READ MORE
2. Enforcing contracts key to ‘ease of business’ READ MORE
3. FDI inflows into India: Mobility as a metaphor READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Weather disasters killed 2 million in last 50 years, UN agency says READ MORE
2. Weather Disasters Becoming More Frequent and Costly, UN Agency Says READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Taste the joy of working on the self READ MORE
2. It’s all in the mind READ MORE

Questions for MAIN exam

1. ‘As Police investigation is the first step of criminal justice; India deserves and needs better policing to ensure justice to its citizens’. Comment on the statements in the light of recent developments.
2. While the gig economy provides huge scope for choice and freedom of work, it also leads to informalisation of labour. Comment.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Talk low, talk slow and don’t say too much.
• The Afghan takeover by the militia is a threat not only to the region but also to India since Nepal is a trusted, though porous, border.
• Fiscal measures should ensure overall consumption demand does not weaken.
• Policymakers must remain laser-focused on expediting vaccination coverage and taking fiscal measures to ensure overall consumption demand does not weaken any further.
• Progress on this front will go a long way in attracting foreign investments in the evolving geopolitical situation.
• A return to democracy, civil governance and peace is a priority for Afghanistan but the elimination of terror is the priority for South Asia in particular.
• The NEP 2020 recommends a paradigm shift in the current education system and teachers by using innovative pedagogies to stimulate critical thinking, creativity and curiosity amongst the children shall play a vital role in the reformatory process.
• The swift clearance of the appointment of nine judges by the SC Collegium and the Union government, soon after Justice R.F. Nariman’s retirement, makes one wonder whether he is the fall guy for the inordinate delay in their elevation.
• Hate crimes as a product of intolerance, ideological dominance and prejudice ought not to be tolerated; lest it results in a reign of terror. Extrajudicial elements and non-State actors cannot be allowed to take the place of law or the law enforcing agency.

50-WORD TALK

• During the two years in the UNSC, the presidency gives an opportunity for focusing on critical issues beyond the regular work of the Security Council. Such special efforts draw attention to India’s role and interests. India has grasped the opportunity well and brought public visibility to issues of importance.
• Q1 GDP growth is good but nothing to be ecstatic about. This is below pre-pandemic levels, and that was a slowdown-hit economy. Consumer confidence remains low and India Inc doesn’t share the optimism of the government or RBI. As RBI Governor says, “we are not yet out of the woods”.
• Indian envoy’s meeting with Taliban leader in Doha is prudent and pragmatic. Its discomfort with the new regime in Kabul notwithstanding, New Delhi cannot just remain a silent bystander. There are critical geopolitical interests to nurture in the region. The ‘wait and watch’ mode shouldn’t become an excuse for inaction.

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 36]

THE CONTEXT: Before the coronavirus, inequality was already increasing in many parts of the developing world. But the pandemic is going to greatly heighten existing economic and social inequalities. In this article, we’ll discuss the role of Covid-19 in heightening inequality in the world and how to tackle them.

The background

• The late microbiologist and environmentalist, René Dubois, famously articulated that every civilisation created its own diseases and epidemics. Into the eighth month of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, one is convinced about what ours would be: Inequality.
• And it took a pandemic to bring this out. It is now being popularly mentioned as the ‘pandemic of inequality’. Nobody is sure when this defining point of the pandemic would be declared over.
• In the last fortnight, global conversations on the pandemic revolved around its impacts on hunger, poverty and inequality, making the world slide again into a time where it had started talking about various global goals like the Millenium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
• Recent estimates and analysis show that the pandemic is impacting the already poor more, whether they are in developed or developing countries.

António Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, while delivering the 2020 Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture, said:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has played an important role in highlighting growing inequalities. It exposed the myth that everyone is in the same boat. While we are all floating on the same sea, it’s clear that some are in superyachts, while others are clinging to the drifting debris”.

Role of Covid-19 in widening inequalities

Loss of job& pay

• The pandemic has increased inequality between workers. Lockdown policies enacted by many governments to suppress the spread of the virus have particularly hurt the working poor in developing countries.
• For these workers, who depend on a daily wage and casual work, the inability to travel to their places of work has led to a significant loss of earnings, with no protection and high levels of insecurity about the future of their livelihoods.
• Consider a street vendor selling vegetables in the streets of Delhi. As the pandemic hit India and the government issued stay at home orders, the street vendor suddenly found herself out of living. In contrast, for the professionals who are able to work from home, the pandemic has had a more limited effect on their earnings.
• The vast majority of workers in developing countries are in informal jobs, without access to the types of support that workers in rich countries get from their governments, such as furloughing schemes.

Digital divide

• The pandemic is contributing to an acceleration in technological change, helping certain businesses stay open digitally and enabling many people to work from home who were previously unable to.
• Those countries whose citizens have access to the internet and are well educated will gain from the move to online technologies such as Zoom for virtual meetings.

Widening gender gap

• While both men and women must stay at home due to lockdown policies, women are more likely to take care of children and domestic chores, leading to an unequal distribution of household duties within the family.
• Women across the world are much more likely to hold jobs in retail and hospitality where remote working is less possible, and which are particularly hit by lockdown-induced job losses.
• The closure of schools and day nurseries may force women to withdraw from employment. In times of economic stress, girls are often the first to be withdrawn from school (or to miss classes) as they substitute for working mothers.

Rising protectionism

• Coronavirus has hit at a time of weak levels of international cooperation. A major example of this is the ongoing trade war between the US and China, as well as numerous statements by the United States President Donald Trump that have undermined important international bodies like the World Trade Organization and World Health Organization.
• The wider trend towards economic nationalism, with countries like the US and UK pulling out of major trade blocs, will be accentuated by the pandemic.
• Greater protectionism in developed countries shuts developing countries out of their richer markets, leaving limited opportunities to gain from world trade.

Access to the vaccine

• Access to the Covid-19 vaccine, once it is developed, will determine the scale and speed of recovery from the pandemic. This is likely to differ across rich and poor countries, further accentuating inequality.
• The WHO has warned of vaccine nationalism where the distribution of vaccines is mostly given to citizens of rich countries, which are pouring billions of dollars into this research.
• We have already witnessed huge fights to procure the necessary personal protective equipment for healthcare workers on the front line of the pandemic.

Impact of Covid-19 on Children

• According to the recently released UN Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Children, almost 24 million children could drop out or not have access to school next year due to the economic impact of Covid-19.
• An estimated 42-66 million children could fall into extreme poverty as a result of pandemic.
• The economic loss might reach 16,000 USD of lost earnings over a student’s lifetime, translating over time into 10 trillion USD of lost earnings globally.
• 188 countries have imposed countrywide school closures, affecting more than 1.5 billion children and youth.
• More than two-thirds of countries have introduced a national distance learning platform, but among low-income countries the share of distance learning is only 30%.
• Rising malnutrition is expected as 368.5 million children across 143 countries rely on school meals for a reliable source of daily nutrition.

Other facts from different sources/reports to highlight growing inequalities

• Oxfam, a non-profit operating across the world, has estimated that there are 121 million more people on the brink of starvation today due to mass unemployment, disruption to food production and supplies.
• In 2019, the WFP assisted 97 million people, which was a record at that point of time. Currently, it assists 138 million people. A severe hunger crisis is precipitating due to the pandemic, among those who were already surviving on subsistence level or with external support.
• According to the WFP, the number of hungry in the countries where it operates would increase to 270 million by the end of this year. This will be an increase of 82 per cent from the level immediately before the pandemic erupted.
• It is first time since 1990, when the concept of human development measurement was adopted across the world, that the human development measure would come down in 2020.
• Over time, economic growth has led to reduction in income inequality among countries. But within countries, inequality in income has, in fact, increased — by four per cent in Gini Coefficient (a statistical measure to gauge wealth distribution) since 1990.
• This global increase in inequality was driven by widening inequality in China, India, Indonesia and the United States.
• A Food and Agriculture Organization assessment shows that COVID-19 may cause an increase in each country’s Gini by two per cent.
• In this case, the number of poor will additionally increase by 35-65 per cent. In India alone, some 400 million people would slip into poverty due to the impacts of the pandemic. And these are mostly workers in informal sectors. This again shows how disproportionate the pandemic’s impacts have been.
• Recently concluded high-level political forum also highlighted that: First, the world has slipped on its commitments for SDGs. Second, inequality will further widen, thus making it very difficult to garner global support to fund the development agenda.

WAY FORWARD

• To avoid the outcome of the pandemic, progress on three fronts is required : Information, Solidarity and
• It is critical that education is at the heart of international solidarity efforts, from debt management and stimulus packages to global humanitarian appeals and official development assistance.
• Now is the time to step up international solidarity for children and humanity— and to lay the foundations for a deeper transformation of the way we nurture and invest in our world’s youngest generation.
• India as a lower-middle-income country needs to use education as an equalizer for its widespread socioeconomic inequalities. Focus on increasing education budget in New Education Policy budget and decreasing digital divide are welcome steps to achieve this goal.
• Inclusive access to finance to strengthen and expand rural supply chains is also crucial. Banking products and financial services must be made available to poor populations on priority basis.
• The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has recently launched a new comprehensive Covid-19 Response and Recovery Programme to provide an agile and coordinated global response aimed at ensuring access to nutritious food for everyone.

CONCLUSION

Whether the pandemic’s effect on inequality will be felt for many years to come will depend on whether governments in developing countries take concerted action – both in the immediate future, in providing large-scale income-support programmes for the working poor, and in the long term, in educating their workers to prepare for a more digitally advanced world and building the infrastructure for it. It will also depend on how the international community can act in a unified way to provide much-needed debt relief and finance for low-income countries.

Question to Ponder

1. The COVID‐19 pandemic has played an important role in highlighting growing inequalities. It exposed the myth that everyone is in the same boat. While we are all floating on the same sea, it’s clear that some are in superyachts, while others are clinging to the drifting debris. Comment.

2. Covid‐19 crisis has derailed the development process of the world and only a sustained innovative and coordinated effort can help the world overcome this crisis. Discuss the steps taken by India in this regard.

4. Covid‐19 is now being popularly mentioned as the ‘pandemic of inequality’. Discuss the reasons for this and suggest some measures to reduce inequalities.
5. While one part of the population enjoys work and nutritional security, health insurance and housing of globally acceptable standards, others survive at the edge of unprotected and uncertain work, abysmal housing without clean water and sanitation, and no assured public health care. Can we resolve to correct this in post‐COVID India? Suggest how.

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2. The Power of Concentration READ MORE
3. Receptive intelligence: ‘Receptive Intelligence’ is the critical factor for all active learning in human beings READ MORE

1. Should 30% Of Earth’s Land and Sea Areas Be Conserved? READ MORE
2. Land, freshwater species in Asia-Pacific impacted by plastic pollution: UN Study READ MORE
3. Monsoon 2021: Is it time for severe drought in India’s northeast and northwest? READ MORE

1. Should schools reopen only after all children are vaccinated? READ MORE
2. Covid-19: Impact on income inequality in India READ MORE

1. The next step in democratic evolution is overdue: India must change, from a darkening elected authoritarianism to building institutions for citizens’ inclusion in governance READ MORE
2. CAA is inadequate and flawed. Devise a new refugee policy, set up a commission READ MORE
3. Judiciary Must Keep Holding Untrammelled Regime to Account READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. 8th Meeting of Agricultural Experts of BIMSTEC Countries held READ MORE
2. Indian envoy in Doha meets Taliban leader READ MORE
3. UNSC resolution addresses ‘key concerns’ on Afghanistan: India READ MORE
4. Mumbai Climate Action Plan: What is it, and why does the city need one? READ MORE
5. PPP model of BharatNet: DoT starts meets, hopes to float bid by Sept-end READ MORE
6. India’s GDP grows by 20.1% in April-June quarter of 2021-’22 READ MORE
7. Ahead of biodiversity meet, study finds amphibians face highest risk of extinction READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. The next step in democratic evolution is overdue: India must change, from a darkening elected authoritarianism to building institutions for citizens’ inclusion in governance READ MORE
2. CAA is inadequate and flawed. Devise a new refugee policy, set up a commission READ MORE
3. Judiciary Must Keep Holding Untrammelled Regime to Account READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Should schools reopen only after all children are vaccinated? READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. It’s time to build BRICS better: The grouping succeeded up to a point but it now confronts multiple challenges READ MORE
2. India, don’t forget Afghans: As Kabul gets a new regime, GoI must maintain people contact and not squander hard-won goodwill READ MORE
3. US-China Relations at Crossroads READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. More flexible policies needed to boost trade READ MORE
2. Covid-19: Impact on income inequality in India READ MORE
3. Does the economy need more people? READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Should 30% Of Earth’s Land and Sea Areas Be Conserved? READ MORE
2. Land, freshwater species in Asia-Pacific impacted by plastic pollution: UN Study READ MORE
3. Monsoon 2021: Is it time for severe drought in India’s northeast and northwest? READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Steps of Awareness READ MORE
2. The Power of Concentration READ MORE
3. Receptive intelligence: ‘Receptive Intelligence’ is the critical factor for all active learning in human beings READ MORE

Questions for MAIN exam

1. ‘The Government of India should act promptly and come up with a refugee law that supports the people of Afghanistan and promotes India’s reputation as a champion of human rights’. Discuss the statement.
2. ‘In the age of technological disruptions and climate change, the case for a young and fast-growing population driving India’s economy is growing weaker’. Examine the statement.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Only the prepared speaker deserves to be confident. — Dale Carnegie
• Digital tools have helped a world adversely hit by the pandemic, and India has been in the forefront of using new technological tools to improve governance. But enhancing people-to-people cooperation will have to wait for international travel to revive.
• BRICS negotiators need to master the art of brevity and tight drafting. When they do so, they will realise that unduly lengthy communiqués are an index to the grouping’s weakness, not strength.
• Democratic constitutions provide elected assemblies for citizens’ representatives to shape new policies and pass laws.
• The Government of India should act promptly and come up with a refugee law that supports the people of Afghanistan and promotes India’s reputation as a champion of human rights.
• The agricultural sector needs to be given enough facilities to ensure faster growth of processed food exports. Such policies could well ensure that India heads slowly but surely in the direction of becoming a leading trading nation yet again.
• The humiliation in Afghanistan is a chance for Americans to reconsider their country’s behaviour.
• The objective of gas-based economy is laudable but the existing regime of gas allocation and administered prices has to be dismantled first.
• The judiciary is stepping in to curb the regime’s excesses, and the executive arms as a whole. It is cause for cautious optimism.
• In the age of technological disruptions and climate change, the case for a young and fast-growing population driving India’s economy is growing weaker.

50-WORD TALK

• The focus on commodities needs to shift to finished products as these provide value and aid in the creation of jobs. The future outlook could be promising as more manufactured products are likely to move into the export basket after investments in the production-linked incentive scheme bear fruit. The results may be visible in the medium term after projects go on stream.
• Reversing the neglect of temple-towns is a good idea, but has to be done smartly and not at the expense of livelihoods and economic activity. Banning meat and liquor in Mathura and calling upon people to start selling milk runs counter to the logic of both urban renewal and preservation.

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. NINE NEW SUPREME COURT JUDGES TAKE OATH

THE CONTEXT: Chief Justice of India N V Ramana administered the oath of office to the new judges in a swearing-in ceremony held in the auditorium of the Supreme Court’s additional building complex. 

ANALYSIS:

• It is for the first time in the history of the apex court that nine judges took oath of office at one going.
• With the swearing-in of the nine new judges, the strength of the Supreme Court has now risen to 33, including the CJI, out of the sanctioned strength of 34.
• The government’s nod to appoint nine judges comes a week after the Supreme Court collegium, ending a nearly two-year-long impasse, sent its recommendations.
• Justice Oka will be the most senior among the nine judges.
• Others in the list include, in order of seniority, Gujarat High Court Chief Justice Vikram Nath, Sikkim High Court Chief Justice J K Maheshwari, Telangana High Court Chief Justice Hima Kohli, Karnataka High Court judge Justice B V Nagarathna, Justice C T Ravikumar of Kerala High Court, Justice M M Sundaresh of Madras High Court, Justice Bela Trivedi of Gujarat High Court, and senior advocate P S Narasimha.
• Justices Nath, Nagarathna and senior advocate Narasimha will join the line of succession for the office of the CJI. While Justice Nath and Narasimha are likely to have tenure of just over six months, the expected first woman CJI is likely to have a relatively short tenure of just over a month.
• With the additions, the apex court will have four women judges for the first time — Justices Nagarathna, Kohli and Trivedi, besides Justice Indira Banerjee, the only woman judge in SC at present.

Reference: Indian express

2. NATIONAL PARTIES COLLECTED OVER ₹3,370 CRORE FROM FROM UNKNOWN SOURCES

THE CONTEXT: According to poll rights group Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), National parties collected 3,377.41 crore rupees from unknown sources in the 2019-20 financial year, which was 70.98% of the total income of these parties.

ANALYSIS:

• In a new report, the ADR said that the BJP declared ₹2,642.63 crore as income from unknown sources, the highest among the national parties, which also include the Congress, the NCP, the CPI, the CPI(M), the TMC and the BSP.
• The Congress declared ₹526 crore as income from unknown sources which is 15.57% of the total income of the national parties from unknown sources.
• National parties collected ₹3,377.41 crore from unknown sources in the financial year 2019-20, which is 70.98% of the total income of the parties. Out of the ₹3,377.41 crore as income from unknown sources, share of income from Electoral Bonds was ₹2,993.826 crore or 88.643%.
• Between 2004-05 and 2019-20, the national parties collected ₹14,651.53 crore from unknown sources.
• Unknown sources are income declared in income tax returns, but without giving source of income for donations below ₹20,000. Such unknown sources include ‘donations through Electoral Bonds’, ‘sale of coupons’, ‘relief fund’, ‘miscellaneous income’, ‘voluntary contributions’, ‘contribution from meetings/morchas’.
• The details of donors of such as voluntary contributions are not available in the public domain.
• The ADR recommended that scrutiny of financial documents submitted by political parties should be conducted annually by a body approved by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and the Election Commission of India to increase transparency and accountability of political parties with respect to their funding.

Reference: The Hindu

3. FAMILIES OF MILITANT RECRUITS OFFERED AN OLIVE BRANCH

THE CONTEXT: Top Army and police officers held a conversation-cum-counselling session with around 80 families of militant recruits in south Kashmir in a bid to initiate their safe return to the mainstream.

ANALYSIS

• These families whom we met were asked to convince their children [newly-recruited terrorists] to return to the mainstream. We made an earnest appeal to them.
• The Army promised to offer all assistance if the youths intend to lay down their arms.
• The Army said the interaction was intended to instill confidence and convey the intent of the security forces, among the families of active terrorists.
• According to the police figures, militant recruitment has shown no let-up since the Centre ended J&K’s special constitutional position on August 5, 2019.
• A total of 167 youths were recruited by militants in 2020 and 88 have been recruited this year so far.

Reference: The Hindu

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

4. MECHANIZED SCAVENGING SYSTEM

THE CONTEXT: CSIR-CMERI is developing a Mechanized Scavenging System, which was initiated after intensive studies of the diverse nature of Indian Sewerage Systems and the manner of its chokages.

ANALYSIS:

• The technology is Modular in design so as to ensure customised deployment strategies as per situational requirements.
• The System also focuses upon Sustainable Usage of resource i.e. Water as the System sucks in Slurry Water from the choked Sewerage Systems and after adequate filtration of the same redirects the same for Clearing of Chokages using Self-Propelling Nozzle.
• CSIR-CMERI technology provides in-situ option for Mechanized Scavenging as well as purification of Water. The design of the Technology is such that the Water Filtration Mechanism may be changed/modified as per the customised needs/requirements with the ability to change/redesign the Filter Media.
• The Vehicle-mounted Filtration Units will be able to augment and use Water from Surface Drain and Flooded Areas and purify it into Water suitable for Agricultural, Household and Drinking Water usages.
• The Drinking Water Scarcity prevalent in Flood-Affected regions can be solved to a certain by providing instantaneous and in-situ Water Purification solutions at ease. This provides a consolidated Technology Solution in a Flood-Affected region as it will be able to clear Drainage Chokages in flood-affected regions, which will help in providing an outlet for flood stagnated Water, as well as provide Water Purification solutions in Flood Disaster Zones.

Reference: PIB

INDIAN ECONOMY

5. ECONOMY GROWS 20.1% IN Q1 FY22

THE CONTEXT: As per the provisional estimates of GDP released by the MoSPI, India GDP Q1 Data: India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the April-June quarter (Q1) of the ongoing financial year 2021-22 (FY22) grew by 20.1 per cent.

ANALYSIS:

• The GVA at basic prices during Q1 of FY22 was 8 per cent, against (-)22.4 per cent in the corresponding quarter year ago
• The sharp rise in Q1 GDP data can be mainly attributed to a low base last year. The Indian economy had contracted by a record (-)24.4 per cent in the corresponding quarter last year owing to the impact of the nationwide lockdown that was imposed to curb the transmission of the Covid-19, which brought all non-essential activities to a halt.
• A recent Reuterspoll of 41 economists showed gross domestic product rose 20.0 per cent in the three-month period ended June.
• Separately, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its monetary policy committee meeting earlier this month had projected the Q1 GDP to grow at 21.4 per cent.
• In value terms, the GDP stood at Rs 32,38,020 crore in Q1 FY22, higher than Rs 26,95,421 crore in corresponding period of FY21 but lower than Rs 35,66,708 crore in Q1 FY20.
• In the first quarter, the manufacturing sector, rose by 49.6 per cent against a contraction of (-)36 per cent a year ago, while the construction sector grew at 68.3 per cent in Q1 FY22 vs. (-)49.5 per cent a year ago.
• The sector of trade, hotels, transport, communication & services related to broadcasting gained 34.3 per cent against a contraction of (-) 48.1 per cent.
• Apart from this, the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector which had grown at 3.5 per cent in the corresponding quarter last year grew 4.5 per cent in Q1 FY22.
• Electricity, gas, water supply and other utility services segment grew by 14.3 per cent in the first quarter of this fiscal, against a 9.9 per cent contraction a year ago.
• The financial, real estate and professional services grew by 3.7 per cent in Q1 FY22 compared to a contraction of (-)5.0 per cent, while public administration, defence and other services grew at 5.8 per cent, compared to (-)10.2 per cent a year earlier.

6. INDEX OF EIGHT CORE INDUSTRIES FOR JULY 2021

THE CONTEXT:  The Office of Economic Adviser, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is released Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) for the Month of July, 2021.

ANALYSIS:

• ICI measures combined and individual performance of production in selected eight core industries viz. Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement and Electricity.
• The Eight Core Industries comprise 40.27 percent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
• The combined Index of Eight Core Industries stood at 134.0 in July 2021, which increased by 9.4 per cent (provisional) as compared to the Index of July 2020. The production of Coal, Natural Gas, Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement and Electricity industries increased in July 2021 over the corresponding period of last year.

SOURCE: IE

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

7. INDIA OFFICIALLY TALKS TO TALIBAN

THE CONTEXT:  In the first official contact with Taliban, Indian envoy to Qatar Deepak Mittal met Taliban leader Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai at the Indian Embassy.

ANALYSIS:

• It said that the discussions focused on safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan. The travel of Afghan nationals, especially minorities who wish to visit India, also came up.
• Ambassador Mittal raised India’s concern that Afghanistan’s soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities and terrorism in any manner.
• The Taliban Representative assured the Ambassador that these issues would be positively addressed.
• This came at a time when in view of the evolving situation in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently directed that a high-level group comprising External affairs minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval and senior officials focus on the immediate priorities of India.
• This group has been meeting regularly over the past few days. It is seized of issues pertaining to the safe return of stranded Indians, the travel of Afghan nationals (especially minorities) to India, and ensuring that Afghanistan territory is not used for terrorism directed against India.
• The group has also been monitoring the ground situation in Afghanistan and international reactions, including the Resolution passed by the UN Security Council.

SOURCE: IE

8. UNSC RESOLUTION ON TALIBAN

THE CONTEXT: The United Nations Security Council under India’s presidency passed the Resolution that reminded Taliban to stand by its commitment to prevent international terrorism.

ANALYSIS:

• Resolution 2593 of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) addresses India’s major concerns on Afghanistan at this time.
• The observation came hours after the UNSC under India’s presidency passed the Resolution that reminded Taliban to stand by its commitment to prevent international terrorism but left the P-5 countries divided over the issue.
• The Resolution failed to get consensus support from all the permanent members of the UNSC. Russia and China abstained during the voting over the draft saying it divided the approach to the Afghan crisis.
• Russian representative at the UNSC pointed out that the author of the draft resolution, that is the U.S., has divided terrorists in Afghanistan into “ours and theirs” indicating at a changing stance of the U.S. towards the Taliban and its allied Haqqani Network which has in the past attacked both American and Indian targets in Afghanistan.
• Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, representing India at the UNSC highlighted the role of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed and said that these outfits should be “called out and condemned” without referring to the Haqqani Network that is likely to come up at the Taliban Sanctions Committee for a discussion among the members for possible delisting.
• The Indian diplomatic team at the U.N. tried to build consensus and reached out to “high-level official contacts” on all sides. The draft resolution called upon the Taliban to stand by its commitment to stop any terrorist activity from originating from the territory of Afghanistan.
• Sources said that a high-level group consisting of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and senior officials are focused on ensuring evacuation of stranded Indians from Afghanistan and also airlifting of religious minority groups from Kabul.

SOURCE: TH

9. MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO BANGLADESH

THE CONTEXT: Indian Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessel INS Savitri departed Visakhapatnam and is enroute to Chittagong, Bangladesh to support the ongoing efforts of the Bangladesh military and government agencies in combating the ongoing wave of the Covid pandemic in their country.

ANALYSIS:

• The ship will arrive on 02 September carrying two 960 LPM Medical Oxygen Plants (MOP), one each for Bangladesh Navy and Dhaka Medical College.
• INS Savitri, is an indigenously built Offshore Patrol Vessel of the Indian Navy under the Eastern Naval Command based at Visakhapatnam. As part of the Government of India’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), the Indian Navy has been proactively engaging with countries in the region and has been at the forefront of numerous humanitarian missions spanning the entire extent of the Indian Ocean including South/ South East Asia and East Africa.
• Earlier, Indian Naval Ship Shakti had transported 100 T of LMO to Colombo, Sri Lanka, whilst INS Airavat is currently on a deployment to South East Asia for trans-shipment of medical aid to Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.
• India and Bangladesh have a close, long-standing relationship covering a wide spectrum of activities and interactions, which has strengthened over the years.
• The people of India and Bangladesh also share close cultural bonds and a shared vision of democratic society and a rules-based order.

SOURCE: PIB

10. CONCERN RISES OVER AFGHANISTAN’S SAARC MEMBERSHIP

THE CONTEXT: With uncertainty hanging over the international representation of Afghanistan under the Taliban, a question has risen over its membership in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which is scheduled to meet next in Islamabad.

ANALYSIS:

• Veteran diplomats here observed that the fate of Afghanistan’s membership, and even the future of SAARC to some extent, depends on the Taliban creating an inclusive government.
• Afghanistan was admitted into the SAARC as the eighth member in 2007.

ABOUT SAARC

• It was established with signing of SAARC Charter in Dhaka in 1985.
• Its secretariat is in Kathmandu, Nepal.
• It objective is to promote the welfare of the people of South Asia and to improve their quality of life, and to accelerate economic growth, territorial integrity, mutual trust and benefit etc.
• Eight members: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
• Highest decision-making authority: Summit level Meetings of the Heads of State or Government of Member States.
• South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA), the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) of SAARC, came into force in 2006.
• India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Nepal are five common countries in SAARC as well as BIMSTEC groupings.

Reference: The Hindu

Q1.  Consider the following statements:

1. SAARC was established in 1985.
2. Its headquarter is located in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
3. Afghanistan is not a member of SAARC.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 1 and 2
3. 3 only
4. 1 and 3

ANSWER FOR AUGUST 31, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS (REFER RELEVANT ARTICLE)

Q.1 Answer: d)

Explanation:

• UNEP hosts the secretariats of several multilateral environmental agreements and research bodies, including CBD, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, CMS and CITES.

Q.2 Answer: a)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: The Malabar rebellion, also known as the Moplah rebellion, was an armed revolt staged by the Mappila Muslims of Kerala in 1921.
• Statement 2 is correct: Mappilas were Muslim peasant community in Malabar region.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The Moplah tenants agitated against the Hindu landlords (locally referred to as janmi) and the British government.

[WpProQuiz 35]