1. Reshaping discourse on anti-conversion laws READ MORE
2. Dengue outbreak: Strengthen control and prevention measures READ MORE

1. Protecting India’s natural laboratories: Preserving geological heritage is as important as preserving biodiversity and cultural heritage READ MORE
2. Tackling the climate crisis: The pressure to speed up mitigation and adaptation is at an all-time high READ MORE

1. Worshipping energy as a feminine principle READ MORE
2. To command respect in the simplest way READ MORE

1. The next step is a constitutional right to health: Presently, any investment in health care has failed to translate into a sense of security and sanctuary for many Indians READ MORE
2. The ‘yes or a no’ the Court must ask about Pegasus: A record of the hearings indicates that the judiciary has allowed the Government to get away with much of its evasion READ MORE
3. Why is NCB pursuing the drug user? READ MORE
4. Reshaping discourse on anti-conversion laws READ MORE
5. Reforms needed for police accountability READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. PM launches Indian Space Association READ MORE
2. Three share Economics Nobel for research on “natural experiment” to study cause and effect READ MORE
3. India gets the third set of Swiss bank details under automatic information exchange framework READ MORE
4. Explained: What is the global minimum tax deal and what will it mean? READ MORE
5. Clean, healthy and sustainable environment a universal right: UN Human Rights Council READ MORE
6. Polling through mobile phones? Telangana to conduct a dry run of first e-voting system in India READ MORE
7. India, UK agree upon forwarding Action Plan on power, green finance, renewables, clean transportation READ MORE

Main Exam 

GS Paper- 1

1. Protecting India’s natural laboratories: Preserving geological heritage is as important as preserving biodiversity and cultural heritage READ MORE
2. The splendour of Udayagiri caves READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. The next step is a constitutional right to health: Presently, any investment in health care has failed to translate into a sense of security and sanctuary for many Indians READ MORE
2. The ‘yes or a no’ the Court must ask about Pegasus: A record of the hearings indicates that the judiciary has allowed the Government to get away with much of its evasion READ MORE
3. Why is NCB pursuing the drug user? READ MORE
4. Reshaping discourse on anti-conversion laws READ MORE
5. Reforms needed for police accountability READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Dengue outbreak: Strengthen control and prevention measures READ MORE

 INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. How Delhi came to see Europe as a valuable strategic partner READ MORE  
2. What for? The US has once again created ambiguity around the role and purpose of the Quad READ MORE
3. Quad and Quasi-alignment with the United States READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Why Modi does not repeal the farm laws: The farm laws will open up multiple options for farmers, enabling them to realise a price of their choice which could be even more than MSP READ MORE
2. Decoding RBI’s monetary policy statement READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Tackling the climate crisis: The pressure to speed up mitigation and adaptation is at an all-time high READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Worshipping energy as a feminine principle READ MORE
2. To command respect in the simplest way READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Discuss the need and significance of declaring ‘Right to Health for all’ as a Constitutional right.
2. ‘The farm laws will open up multiple options for farmers, enabling them to realise a price of their choice which could be even more than MSP’. Critically analyse the statement.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Strategy requires thought, tactics require observation.
• The incident in Lakhimpur Kheri marks a violent disregard for dissent and endangers democracy.
• The long-term costs of quasi-alignment with the United States need to be assessed by the Government of India.
• The farm laws will open up multiple options for farmers, enabling them to realise a price of their choice which could be even more than MSP.
• Gandhiji gave up the traditional Gujarati kurta and pyjama and underwent an image makeover to identify himself with the ‘Daridra Narayanas’.
• With the vaccine for dengue still in the initial trial stage, fogging of the affected and disease-prone areas and screening measures, along with the citizens’ dedication to keeping the surroundings clean and dry, are effective strategies to avert an epidemic.
• While supporting growth, the RBI has indicated that normalisation will be transparent and non-disruptive.
• The law on narcotics was amended in 2001 to focus on dealers, not users. The objective was to stop thinking of and treating the latter as hardened criminals, which they seldom are.
• With its economic weight, technological strength and normative power, the EU promise to enhance India’s quest for a multipolar world, rebalanced Indo-Pacific.
• Presently, any investment in health care has failed to translate into a sense of security and sanctuary for many Indians.
• Preserving geological heritage is as important as preserving biodiversity and cultural heritage.

50- WORD TALK

• Failure of the latest India-China military talks isn’t surprising given PLA’s massive infrastructure build-up along LAC. They are evidently there to stay and the Indian Army needs to be prepared for another harsh winter. What also needs watching is the Western front. Coordinated trouble from China and Pakistan isn’t a far-fetched threat.
• Forced conversions do not necessarily take place in broad daylight by means of physical force. Rather, subtler and nuanced approaches of allurement, inducement and coercion are deployed. Sometimes they are guised in the veil of interfaith marriage with lucrative offers of money, security, employment, false hopes of divine benefaction and a better life. The gravity of this situation is intensified with the advent of new technological advancements.
• During the urgent hearing of the Lakhimpur Kheri case, the CJI was of the view that an investigative mechanism other than the state police or CBI may have to be thought of in the given scenario. In the context of a no holds barred ideological polarization at the government level, an independent agency tasked with putting the police violence database consistently in the public domain will definitely empower the citizens.

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.

THE CONTEXT: The police in a democracy works for the welfare of “citizens” unlike in an authoritarian system where it acts for the welfare of the “rulers”. Police being a part of a larger social milieu, reforms in police will not be enough to build bridges between them and the people. The Second Administrative Reforms Commission has noted that police-public relations are in an unsatisfactory state because people view the police as corrupt, inefficient, politically partisan and unresponsive.

An analysis of how public trust in the police has evolved between 2005 and 2012 based on the India Human Development Survey released in 2015 reveals the following. In 2005, about 23% of the surveyed households expressed a great deal of confidence in the police; over 49% only some confidence; and 28% had hardly any confidence. In 2012, there was a rise in the share of those with a great deal of confidence to 27%; those with only some confidence remained unchanged (about 50%), and those with hardly any confidence fell to 22%. Thus, confidence in the police rose over that period, but moderately. This data proves that peoples’ confidence in the police is rather sub optimal and requires some heavy lifting.

Also, in the context of the pandemic, a cooperative relationship between the police and the populace is vital for not only managing the pandemic but also addressing the post-Covid developmental challenges. In this background, this article looks at the various aspects of this pressing issue so that candidates can have a clear grasp of this subject matter.

. Who is the police and what are its duties and functions?

• Police are the function of that branch of the administrative machinery of government that is charged with the preservation of public order and tranquillity, the promotion of public health, safety, and morals, and the prevention, detection, and punishment of crimes.
• The police Act, 1861 is an important statute that highlights the functions and powers of police officers.
• The preamble to this Act states, “it is expedient to reorganize the police and to make it a more efficient instrument for the prevention and detection of crime”
• Therefore, another definition of ‘Police’ can be construed from the preamble which is Police is an instrument whose objective is the prevention and detection of crime.
• Section 57 of the Model Police Act, 2006, lays down the roles, functions and duties of the police. Following are the important provisions of the said Section. Section 57 states as follows,
• to uphold and enforce the law impartially, and to protect life, liberty, property, human rights, and dignity of the members of the public;
• to promote and preserve public order;
• to protect internal security, to prevent and control terrorist activities, breaches of communal harmony, militant activities and other situations affecting Internal Security;
• to protect public properties including roads, railways, bridges, vital installations and establishments etc. against acts of vandalism, violence or any kind of attack;
• to prevent crimes, and reduce the opportunities for the commission of crimes through their own preventive action and measures as well as by aiding and cooperating with other relevant agencies in implementing due measures for prevention of crimes;
• to create and maintain a feeling of security in the community, and as far as possible prevent conflicts and promote amity; etc.

Social Responsibilities of the police

Social Responsibilities as mentioned under Section 58 of Model Police Act, 2006 are as follows.

• behave with the members of the public with due courtesy and decorum, particularly so in dealing with senior citizens, women, and children;
• guide and assist members of the public, particularly senior citizens, women, children, the poor and indigent and the physically or mentally challenged individuals, who are found in helpless condition on the streets or other public places or otherwise need help and protection;
• ensure that in all situations, especially during the conflict between communities, classes, castes and political groups, the conduct of the police is always governed by the principles of impartiality and human rights norms, with special attention to the protection of weaker sections including minorities;
• render all requisite assistance to the members of the public, particularly women, children, and the poor and indigent persons, against criminal exploitation by any person or organised group;

From the above, it becomes clear that the police becomes handicapped without active support from citizens across the whole chain of police functions. This support will only come when there is trust between both. For instance, when the people have fear of the police, then no cooperation is possible between them. This further reinforces the trust deficit. But despite the provisions for a cooperative working relationship between the police and public under the statutes, there exists a deep distrust of police in the minds of the general public.

WHY IS THERE A DEEP TRUST DEFICIT?

• Police as a Regime force: The common man perceives police as an instrument of the governments for achieving their political objectives. For instance, A Delhi court has remarked that investigation into a case related to the communal violence in northeast Delhi seemed to be “targeted only towards one end” while asking the Delhi police to ensure a fair investigation.
• The politicisation of the police: According to former Mumbai Police Commissioner, Julio Ribeiro “A sizeable percentage of officers today carry an invisible stamp on their foreheads showing their loyalty to a particular party”. The ambition of the senior IPS officers to occupy posts of importance is a major contributory factor to the Politicisation. When the seniors surrender their authority by complying with requests from politicians, corruption increases and the investigation of crime in sensitive cases are based not on facts and law but on the wishes and interests of the politician in power.
• Nexus and Corruption: The nexus between criminals, politicians and police functionaries have, over the years, assumed very dangerous proportions. Even after the Vohra committee in 1993 has highlighted the issue, things have not changed much. For instance, The Maharashtra Police department has the most corruption complaints against it among 44 state government departments in the bribery list released for 2019 by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB).
• Police Impunity: On May 22, 1987, 19 personnel from UP police rounded up 42 Muslim youths from the Hashimpuramohalla (locality) of Meerut, shot them in cold blood and dumped their bodies in a nearby irrigation canal. As many as 16 of the 19 accused policemen surrendered only in May 2000 –three of them died in the intervening period — and were enlarged on bail, before getting acquitted by a Tis Hazari court to which the case was transferred in 2002 from Ghaziabad by the Supreme Court. It was only on October 31, 2018, that Delhi High Court overturned the decision, convicting all 16 and sentencing them to life imprisonment.
• Custodial Violence: The brutal and brazen killing of Jayaraj and Bennix in Tamil Nadu Police’s custody has rightfully caused a public outcry against those in uniform. According to an analysis of the NCRB data as many as 255 people died in police custody in three years from 2017-2019, but only three police personnel were convicted in these cases in these years

According to the recently released 2019 National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, a total of 85 people died in police custody in 2019 for which only 23 arrests were made.

• Bias in Police: As per, Status of Policing in India Report 2019 (SPIR 2019) prepared by the NGO Common Cause and Loknitiprogramme of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS),  about half of the police personnel reported that Muslims were ‘naturally prone’ towards committing violence. ‘Police personnel in four of the states surveyed, namely, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Bihar, had about two-third or more police personnel who held this view. Four out of five police personnel from Uttarakhand held this opinion,’ the report states. ‘Police personnel from Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh have the highest proportion of those believing that people from Dalit communities are highly likely to be naturally prone towards committing crimes,’ says the report.
• The fear of police: SPIR 2018 found that 14 per cent of the citizens are highly fearful of the police, and 30 per cent are somewhat fearful of the police. Further, it was found that people fearful of the police are less likely to report willingness to approach the police even if there is a need. Police personnel seem to recognise that common people nurture an inherent fear of the institution and hence, are reluctant to approach them.
• Attitude towards mob violence: In recent years, numerous cases of mob violence against individuals (‘mob lynching’) on suspicions of cow-slaughter, kidnapping, etc. have been reported, and the police is known to have played an enabling role for the people engaging in such forms of violence. While more than one in every three police personnel believe it to be natural for a mob to punish the alleged culprit in a case of cow-slaughter (‘to a large extent and ‘somewhat’ combined), about two in every five believe so in other three cases of crimes,’ says the report.
• Poor Police Reforms: Almost all the points mentioned above come under the purview of reforms in police. Despite numerous expert committee recommendations and the SC directions, even rudimentary reforms in police not been carried out. For instance, The Justice Thomas committee tasked by the SC to monitor police reforms implementation was dismayed by the total apathy of the state governments in carrying out the reforms.

police reforms in india: an overview

• Various expert bodies have examined issues with police organisation and functioning over the last few decades.
• The recommendations of these commissions and committees have been largely ignored by the governments and in the Prakash Singh case 2006, the SC has given the following directions for police reforms. These directives more or less summarises the recommendations of various commissions.
  • Constitute a State Security Commission in every state that will lay down policy for police functioning, evaluate police performance, and ensure that state governments do not exercise unwarranted influence on the police.
  • Constitute a Police Establishment Board in every state that will decide postings, transfers and promotions for officers below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police, and make recommendations to the state government for officers of higher ranks.
  • Constitute Police Complaints Authorities at the state and district levels to inquire into allegations of serious misconduct and abuse of power by police personnel.
  • Provide a minimum tenure of at least two years for the DGP and other key police officers (e.g., officers in charge of a police station and district) within the state forces, and the Chiefs of the central forces to protect them against arbitrary transfers and postings.
  • Ensure that the DGP of state police is appointed from amongst three senior-most officers who have been empanelled for the promotion by the Union Public Service Commission on the basis of length of service, good record and experience.
  • Separate the investigating police from the law and order police to ensure speedier investigation, better expertise and improved rapport with the people.
  • Constitute a National Security Commission to shortlist the candidates for appointment as Chiefs of the central armed police forces.

Implementation:  According to a report of the NITI Aayog (2016), of 35 states and UTs (excluding Telangana), State Security Commissions had been set up in all but two states, and Police Establishments Boards in all states.31  The two states in which the State Security Commissions were not set up by August 2016 were Jammu and Kashmir and Odisha.  Note that the report also found that the composition and powers of the State Security Commissions and the Police Establishment Boards were at variance with the Supreme Court directions.  For example, in states such as Bihar, Gujarat and Punjab, the State Security Commission were dominated by government and police officers.  Further, many of these Commissions did not have the power to issue binding recommendations. In other words, these directions by the SC are observed more in breach by the Governments till today. Even the Police Acts enacted were a mere rehash of the Police Act 1861.

role of police reforms in building public trust

COMMUNITY POLICING: A MODEL FOR BETTER PUBLIC POLICE RELATION

• Community policing requires the police to work with the community for prevention and detection of crime, maintenance of public order, and resolving local conflicts, with the objective of providing a better quality of life and sense of security.
• It may include patrolling by the police for non-emergency interactions with the public, actively soliciting requests for service not involving criminal matters, community-based crime prevention and creating mechanisms for grassroots feedback from the community.
• Various states have been experimenting with community policing including Kerala through ‘Janamaithri Suraksha Project’, Rajasthan through ‘Joint Patrolling Committees’, Assam through ‘MeiraPaibi’, Tamil Nadu through ‘Friends of Police’, West Bengal through the ‘Community Policing Project’, Andhra Pradesh through ‘Maithri and Maharashtra through ‘Mohalla Committees’

why police reforms are not enough?

What is missed in the call for police reforms are the inherent biases of the police that have been exacerbated in many states and Union territories by discriminatory legislation like the Citizenship Amendment Act, a variety of state laws on cow slaughter and so-called ‘love jihad’, and a political atmosphere favouring their ruthless application. Protests have been crushed and innocent lives have been lost, even as the accused in cases of ‘cow lynching’ have largely gotten away while the police turned a blind eye, and first information reports are filed against the hapless victims who are mostly Muslims and/or Dalits

The Status of Policing in India Report for 2018 revealed that police personnel have an inherent bias against minorities and marginalized sections of Hindus such as Dalits. About half the police personnel were reported to hold the view that Muslims were “naturally prone” to committing violence

Other critical areas like rampant political interference, depiction of police in cinema, issues in the criminal justice system, ineffective legislative control and the faulty socialization processes etc must also be reformed for enhancing public trust in police.

what more measures need to be taken?

THE WAY FORWARD

• Civil society must exert pressure on the executive and the judiciary through advocacy, research reports, PILs etc. While providing constructive suggestions for addressing the lack of public trust in police, it can also put moral pressure on these institutions to act quickly.
• The Law Commissions must be mandated to comprehensively study and review the legal and administrative aspects of policing environment and recommend measures to make the police a people’s police.
• Local government authorities must be empowered to have some degree of supervision and control over local police. This will improve the police responsiveness to the concerns of general public leading to greater trust.
• E-governance is an effective way to help the overburdened beat and police station officers as well as harried citizens. User-friendly citizens portals for obtaining passports and driving licences have been game-changers.
• The IJR 2020 audit confirms that states need to invest more resources to upgrade their e-portals for providing the 45 identified basic services to the citizens. This is a task that police leadership can concentrate on without any political interference
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) earmarked about Rs 20,000 crore for the modernisation of police (2017-2020), for schemes such as crime and criminal tracing networks and systems (CCTNS), police wireless and e-prisons. States can take up this crucial service delivery mechanism.

CONCLUSION:The Indian police has been conceived and operationalised as a “force” and not as a “service”. It is not surprising because the Indian Police has been modelled on the “Irish Constabulary System” of the 19^th century in the United Kingdom. The objective of this policy was to “instil fear in the minds of people’. On the other hand, the London Police worked on the philosophy of “police are public and the public is the police”. Thus, the ethos of Indian police still largely resembles the structural. cultural and functional aspects of colonial British Indian police.

Although, these aspects can be dealt with by comprehensive police reforms the larger issues of changes in politics, bureaucracy, legal system and judiciary, cultural milieu and social capital etc must also be addressed simultaneously. The buzzword of 21st-century government is “good governance” and in Indian context it is “sabkasaathsabkavikas and sabkaviswas”. Achievement of this ideal demands a trust-based relation between police and the citizens.

INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. DRY RUN OF FIRST E-VOTING SYSTEM IN INDIA

THE CONTEXT: Future elections in Telangana could witness a major change in the voting process, with the state government gearing up for a dry run of the first-ever smartphone-based e-voting system in the country.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The system allows voters to cast their ballots through their mobile phones by downloading an application.
• A dummy election will be held to test this application on 20 October in the Khammam district. All eligible voters from the district can participate by applying on the app from 8 to 18 October.
• The initiative for the e-voting system was taken by the Telangana State Election Commission (TSEC) and implemented with support from the Emerging Technologies Wing of the state’s IT Electronics and Communications Department, with technical development by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC).
• The technical development was also guided by an expert committee comprising Prof. RajatMoona, director of IIT Bhilai and technical advisor to the Election Commission of India, and professors from IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi.
• The mobile application will carry out a three-factor authentication of valid voters using artificial intelligence. This includes matching voters’ names to their Aadhaar cards, live detection of individuals and matching their image with the EPIC (electoral photo identity cards) database with records dating back to 15 to 20 years.
• The dry run will be carried out using the ‘TSEC eVote’ Android application, which is a “security hardened” app to prevent tampering. It also binds the device ID and phone number to a specific citizen during registration to ensure the same device is used for voting to enhance security.
• The entire process will be monitored and controlled by the admin using a web portal, wherein the generation and access of results is further protected with the requirement of a physical security token-based decryption.
• Experts such as former chief election commissioner S.Y. Quraishi have raised concerns over the perils of online voting and how easily it can be manipulated. Voting on the internet can be manipulated, which is why ECI has not considered it.
• Srinivas Kodali, an independent researcher working on data and governance, also said if implemented, app-based voting poses a risk to the idea of a “secret ballot” and that the “source code” of the app cannot ensure secrecy. Kodali also pointed how Kenya’s electronic voting system in the 2017 Presidential Election created challenges.

SOURCE: THE PRINT

2. KILLING OF MINORITIES A THREAT TO DEMOCRATIC FABRIC OF INDIA: NHRC

THE CONTEXT:  The National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the Jammu and Kashmir government and police over the recent spate of targeted killings of civilians from minority communities. They are an attempt to keep non-Muslims out of the Valley.

THE EXPLANATION: 

• The Commission takes suomotucognisance of the incident and directs the issuance of notices to the Chief Secretary, Jammu & Kashmir and the DGP, Jammu & Kashmir, calling for a detailed report in the matter, including the present status of the investigation being conducted and steps be taken or proposed to be taken by the authorities to safeguard innocent citizens’ lives from being killed in a targeted manner.

ABOUT NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (NHRC)

• It is a statutory body (Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993).
• Composition: A multi-member body consisting of a chairman and five members
• Qualification: The chairman should be retired chief justice of India or judge of Supreme Court, and members should be serving or retired judges of the Supreme Court, a serving or retired chief justice of a high court and three persons (out of which at least one should be a woman) having knowledge or practical experience with respect to human rights. In addition, the Commission also has seven ex-officio members.
• Appointment: Appointed by the president on recommendations of a six-member committee.
• Term: The chairman and members hold office for a term of three years or until they attain the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier.
• Removal: The president can remove the chairman or any member from the office.
• The salaries, allowances and other conditions of service of the chairman or a member are determined by the Central government.
• It has all the powers of a civil court, and its proceedings have a judicial character.
• The Commission is not empowered to inquire into any matter after the expiry of one year from the date on which the act constituting a violation of human rights is alleged to have been committed.
• The Commission is mainly recommendatory in nature. It has no power to punish the violators of human rights nor to award any relief, including monetary relief, to the victim. But, it should be informed about the action taken on its recommendations within one month.
• The Commission submits its annual or special reports to the Central government and to the state government concerned.

SOURCE: TH

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

3. PUNJAB GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL TO USE PADDY STRAW AS CATTLE FEED

THE CONTEXT:  Producing over 20 million tonnes of paddy straw every year, most of which is burnt in fields by farmers, leading to widespread air pollution, Punjab has now proposed to use the paddy crop residue as fodder for animals.

THE EXPLANATION: 

• A research report prepared by the state’s only vet varsity — Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana — was submitted to the government under the project ‘Preparation for the control of stubble burning during Kharif season 2021’, which has recommended usage of paddy straw as animal feed
• High silica and lignin content reduce its digestive properties. Higher selenium content in paddy straw also limits its use as fodder in animals compared to wheat straw. However, if given in moderate quantities (up to 5 kg per animal per day), selenium poses no health hazard to the animal.
• Paddy straw also contains oxalates (2-2.5%), leading to calcium deficiency, so the mineral mixture should always be fed along with the straw.
• There are two methods that have been recommended in the report submitted by GADVASU: Urea-only treatment and urea plus molasses treatment for paddy straw before using it as cattle fodder.

SOURCE:TH

4. CONSERVING INDIA’S DHOLE POPULATION

THE CONTEXT:   A recent study has identified 114 priority talukas/tehsils where habitats can be consolidated to enhance population connectivity for the dhole or Asiatic Wild Dog (Cuonalpinus), a Schedule II species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The scientists combined animal movement models and spatial conservation prioritisation methods to map connectivity hotspots for dholes across the entire country. This information was further used to demarcate ‘dhole conservation landscapes’ and assess the relative importance of different protected areas.
• Efforts should especially be focussed on vulnerable dhole populations in the Western and Eastern Ghats and central India.
• Particular focus should be on habitat patches and talukas that facilitate movement between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats.
• The dhole or Asiatic Wild Dog (Cuonalpinus) is found in three clusters across India, namely the Western and Eastern Ghats, central Indian landscape and North East India.
• The Western and Eastern Ghats is a stronghold region for dholes. It harbours a large number of source populations with a large proportion of land under protection.
• Central India appeared to be weak in terms of connectivity, and there was a lot less forest cover and more isolated protected areas.
• The North East had the largest proportion of forested land. Therefore the patterns of connectivity were diffused.
• It was also used to identify the talukas where targeting conservation efforts would help maintain or improve connectivity for dholes.

SOURCE: DTE

INDIAN ECONOMY

5. INDIA GETS THIRD SET OF SWISS BANK DETAILS

THE CONTEXT: India has received the third set of Swiss bank account details of its nationals under automatic exchange of information pact with Switzerland, as part of an annual exercise under which the European nation has shared particulars of nearly 33 lakh financial accounts with 96 countries.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Federal Tax Administration (FTA) said that this year’s exchange of information involved 10 more countries— Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Dominica, Ghana, Lebanon, Macau, Pakistan, Qatar, Samoa and Vauatu.
• While the exchange of information was reciprocal with 70 countries, Switzerland received information but did not provide any in the case of 26 countries — either because those countries do not yet meet the international requirements on confidentiality and data security (14) or because they chose not to receive data (12).
• The exchange took place last month, and Switzerland will share the next information set in September 2022.
• India had received the first set of details from Switzerland under AEOI (Automatic Exchange of Information) in September 2019, and it was among 75 countries to get such information that year.

SOURCE: TH

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

6. INDIAN SPACE ASSOCIATION

THE CONTEXT:  The Indian Space Association (ISA) was formally launched by Prime Minister as an industry body representing the various stakeholders in the Indian space domain with members comprising the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Bharti Airtel, OneWeb, Tata Group’s Nelco, L&T, MapMyIndia among others.

THE EXPLANATION:

• While India has made progress in the space sector over the years, ISRO has primarily been at the centre of this progress. Along the lines of the US, now several private sector companies, both global and domestic, have taken an interest in India’s space domain, with space-based communication networks coming to the fore.
• Several Indian and international companies have bet on satellite communications as the next frontier to provide internet connectivity at the retail level. This includes SpaceX’sStarLink, Sunil Bharti Mittal’s OneWeb, Amazon’s Project Kuiper, US satellite maker Hughes Communications, etc.
• OneWeb, for example, is building its initial constellation of 648 low-earth orbit satellites and has already put 322 satellites into orbit. Its services are expected to begin this year in the Arctic region, including Alaska, Canada, and the UK.
• By late 2022, OneWeb will offer its high-speed, low latency connectivity services in India and the rest of the world. In addition, StarLink and Amazon are also in discussions with the Indian government for a licence to offer satellite-based internet services.
• SpaceX has a plan to create a network of 12,000 satellites, of which over 1,300 are already sky-borne.
• Industry experts suggest that satellite internet will be essential for broadband inclusion in remote areas and sparsely populated locations where terrestrial networks have not reached.
• However, satellite communications remain limited to use by corporates and institutions that use it for emergency use, critical trans-continental communications, and for connecting to remote areas with no connectivity.
• As of August this year, India had only 3 lakh satellite communications customers, compared with 45 lakh in the US and 21 lakh in the European Union.

SOURCE: IE

MISCELLANEOUS

7. NOBEL PRIZE 2021 IN ECONOMICS

THE CONTEXT: Three US-based economists won the 2021 Nobel Prize for economics for pioneering research on the labour market impacts of minimum wage, immigration and education, and for creating the scientific framework to draw conclusions from such studies that can’t use traditional methodology.

SOURCE: PIB

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS FOR THE DAY

Q1. Consider the following statements about NHRC:

1. It consists of a Chairman and four members.
2. The chairman and members hold office for a term of three years or until they attain the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier.
3. The salaries, allowances and other conditions of service of the chairman or a member are determined by the Central government.

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

a) 1 only

b) 1 and 2

c) 2 and 3

d) 1 and 3

ANSWER FOR OCTOBER 11, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Answer: d)

Explanation:

• Bioremediation uses microorganisms to degrade organic contaminants in soil, groundwater, sludge and solids. The microorganisms break down contaminants by using them as an energy source or cometabolizing them with an energy source.
• Phytoremediation technologies use living plants to clean up soil, air, and water contaminated with hazardous contaminants.
• Phytoremediation is defined as the “use of algae to treat wastes or wastewaters”. The algae comprise both the microalgae as well as the marine macroalgae, more commonly known as the seaweeds.
• The island was formed by Himalayan silt in 2006. It spans 40 square kilometres.
• Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are being relocated on the island.

1. Deciphering the Enigma of departure READ MORE
2. No need for ideologies READ MORE
3. Journalists bag peace Nobel: Selection committee highlights value of press freedom READ MORE

1. States scramble to avoid power restrictions READ MORE
2. COP 15 and the climate-biodiversity link READ MORE
3. UN Urges Nations to Spend More on Species Protection as New Pact Talks Begin READ MORE
4. Bad weather ahead for the Bay of Bengal, but how bad will it get? READ MORE

1. Women and mental health morbidities READ MORE
2. Better Family Planning Can Improve Public Health, Inequality and the Environment READ MORE

1. The regulation of social media can be an opportunity for India READ MORE
2. Propriety a weak ground to curb rights READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. 13TH SENIOR COMMANDERS’ MEETING READ MORE
2. Detoxing pilot project has brought a river back from dead: Meghalaya READ MORE
3. Explained | Why is Invesco entangled in a legal dispute with Indian TV giant Zee? READ MORE
4. Lunar samples brought by Chinese mission studied READ MORE
5. Exercise Malabar Phase-II to be held next week in Bay of Bengal READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. States scramble to avoid power restrictions READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. The regulation of social media can be an opportunity for India READ MORE
2. Propriety a weak ground to curb rights READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Women and mental health morbidities READ MORE
2. Better Family Planning Can Improve Public Health, Inequality and the Environment READ MORE

 INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Can Quad and AUKUS synergise? READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. India needs a carbon policy for agriculture READ MORE
2. The globalisation of corporate taxation READ MORE
3. A powerful signal: Govt’s approval of Air India privatisation is a landmark READ MORE
4. PMAY’s subsidy burden will become unmanageable. Govt must look at the PPP model READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. COP 15 and the climate-biodiversity link READ MORE
2. UN Urges Nations to Spend More on Species Protection as New Pact Talks Begin READ MORE
3. Bad weather ahead for the Bay of Bengal, but how bad will it get? READ MORE

SECURITY

1. India, Nepal to conduct joint patrols for controlling trans-border crime READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Stronger at the grassroots: It is imperative to make disaster resilience an inherent part of community culture READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Deciphering the Enigma of departure READ MORE
2. No need for ideologies READ MORE
3. Journalists bag peace Nobel: Selection committee highlights value of press freedom READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘PMAY is an excellent first step to put mechanisms in place for directly reaching the beneficiaries but it has to evolve so it stays relevant and can be scaled up going ahead’. Analyse.
2. ‘While govt want to regulate social media, a balance between security and right of the peoples is must’. In the light of the statement, discuss how rights of the balance and security can be balanced in the present time?

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Reforms are slow, but they never go backwards.
• Smaller, more sustainable families would create massive long-term savings and catalyze sustainable development.
• The flip-flops over a new system brewing to India’s east show that our best climate models are playing catch up with weather systems in a world beset with climate change.
• PMAY is an excellent first step to put mechanisms in place for directly reaching the beneficiaries but it has to evolve so it stays relevant and can be scaled up going ahead.
• The “national carrier” has been bleeding ever since a botched merger with Indian Airlines more than a decade ago. Its presence in the civil aviation sector had severely distorted the market since government subsidies allowed it to run at a loss and undercut private sector airlines.
• AUKUS adds another layer of deterrence against China. The group is likely to strengthen the military dimension, contrary to the belief that it undercuts Quad.
• If social media networks come to be mandated to monitor user content as part of the ongoing scrutiny by the world’s governments, the world will need millions of censors in the coming years.
• The emerging new balance between public interest, tech-industry business models and online behaviour is an opportunity for India’s tech industry and its people.

50- WORD TALK

• Failure of the latest India-China military talks isn’t surprising given PLA’s massive infrastructure build-up along LAC. They are evidently there to stay and the Indian Army needs to be prepared for another harsh winter. What also needs watching is the Western front. Coordinated trouble from China and Pakistan isn’t a far-fetched threat.
• The protest primarily questions the wisdom of an economic policy choice. The farmers apprehend that the farm laws if allowed to operate, would hurt them seriously. Hence, there is no clash between the exercise of judicial review and the exercise of protest. Their spheres of action are different, though the laws in issue may be the same.

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.