ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

1. INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ALLIANCE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

THE CONTEXT: The fourth general assembly of The International Solar Alliance (ISA), is to be held virtually between October 18th and October 21st, 2021.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Fourth Assembly of the ISA will deliberate on the key initiatives around the operationalisation of the OSOWOG initiative, the $1 trillion Solar Investment Roadmap for 2030, and approval of a Blended Financial Risk Mitigation Facility.
• World leaders of ISA member countries will also discuss the strategic plan of the ISA for the next five years encompassing a Country Partnership Framework, Strategy for Private Sector Engagement, and initiatives such as Viability Gap Financing scheme to facilitate affordable finance for solar energy projects across ISA’s membership.
• The ISA will also discuss the partnership with Global Energy Alliance (GEA) to scale up technical and financial support to LDCs and SIDS.
• A detailed report on One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) is expected to be discussed at the Assembly.
• With India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the World Bank and the ISA signing a tripartite agreement on OSOWOG, the initiative could be the world’s most important renewables catalyst.

ABOUT ISA

• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) was conceived as a coalition of solar-resource-rich countries (which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn) to address their special energy needs.
• The ISA will provide a dedicated platform for cooperation among solar-resource-rich countries, through which the global community, including governments, bilateral and multilateral organizations, corporates, industry, and other stakeholders, can contribute to help achieve the common goal of increasing the use and quality of solar energy in meeting energy needs of prospective ISA member countries in a safe, convenient, affordable, equitable and sustainable manner.
• It was launched by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France on 30^th November 2015 in Paris, France on the side-lines of the Conference of the Parties (COP-21)

SOURCE:PIB

2. PRINCE WILLIAM’S INAUGURAL EARTH SHOT PRIZE

THE CONTEXT:   An India-based entrepreneur’s technology that recycles agricultural waste to create fuel was named among the winners of Prince William’s inaugural Earth shot Prize that honours people trying to save the planet.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Dubbed as the “Eco Oscars,” the prizes have been created by the Duke of Cambridge and renowned British naturalist David Attenborough.
• Their aim is to provide assistance to and inspire innovative local solutions amid the growing climate crisis faced globally.
• Vidyut Mohan led Takachar’s innovation was recognised for its affordable technology to convert crop residues into sellable bio-products. The technology reduced smoke emissions by 98 per cent and calls for improving air quality.
• Vidyut Mohan from Takachar was awarded for this technology in the “clean our air” category.
• Other winners included a land-based coral farm in the Bahamas to restore dying coral reefs, a green hydrogen technology developed to transform how homes and buildings are powered.

SOURCE:   TH

3. MUMBAI LOST 40% GREEN COVER BETWEEN 1991 AND 2018

THE CONTEXT: According to a recent study, Mumbai lost 81% of its open land (barren spaces without any vegetation), 40% green cover (forests & scrublands) and approximately 30% of its water bodies (lakes, ponds, floodplains) between 1991 and 2018, while the built-up area (areas developed upon) rose by 66% in the same period.

THE EXPLANATION:

• It concludes that the city witnessed a 2- degree Celsius average temperature rise across 27 years.
• The extreme heat that one experiences while strolling through any urban landscape is caused by the Urban Heat Island Effect, a micro-climatic phenomenon.
• This is due to a number of causes, the most prominent being the usage of materials such as concrete.

SOURCE:  TH

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

4. GEOSPATIAL ENERGY MAP OF INDIA

THE CONTEXT: NITI Aayog in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed a comprehensive Geographic Information System (GIS) Energy Map of India with the support of Energy Ministries of Government of India.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The GIS map provides a holistic picture of all energy resources of the country which enables visualisation of energy installations such as conventional power plants, oil and gas wells, petroleum refineries, coal fields and coal blocks, district-wise data on renewable energy power plants and renewable energy resource potential, etc through 27 thematic layers.
• The map attempts to identify and locate all primary and secondary sources of energy and their transportation/transmission networks to provide a comprehensive view of energy production and distribution in a country.
• It is a unique effort aimed at integrating energy data scattered across multiple organizations and presenting it in a consolidated, visually appealing graphical manner.
• It leverages the latest advancements in web-GIS technology and open-source software to make it interactive and user friendly.
• The Geospatial Energy Map of India will be useful in planning and making investment decisions. It will also aid in disaster management using available energy assets.

SOURCE: PIB

INTERNAL  SECURITY

5. ARMY TRAINS OFFICERS ALONG LAC IN TIBETOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: With a view to orienting its officers and men posted along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Tibetan culture and also preparing them to better understand the information warfare, the Army has begun a course in Tibetology in a tie-up with the Central Institute of Himalayan Cultural Studies in Arunachal Pradesh.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Army’s Training Command, ARTRAC, has identified seven institutes for Tibetology across the country, two of which are in the northeast. The other one is the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology in Sikkim.
• Lamas who were proficient in Tibetan issues were hired from the Bomdila Monastery to teach the course.

SOURCE: TH

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

6. TRADE TALKS BETWEEN INDIA- ISRAEL

THE CONTEXT: India and Israel agreed to resume long-pending negotiations on a free trade agreement, as External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met his Israeli counterpart YairLapid in Jerusalem.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Both also joined a virtual quadrilateral meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed.
• The quadrilateral meeting, seen as an outcome of last year’s Abraham Accords brokered by the U.S. that saw the UAE and Israel establish diplomatic relations, also underlines India’s close relationships with both the West Asian countries and Washington.
• The India-Israel relationship will enter its 30th year.
• The FTA talks would begin in November and concluded by June 2022.
• During the talks, India and Israel also agreed to mutually recognise each other’s vaccination process “in principle”, although for the moment Israel will only allow Indians vaccinated with Covishield to travel there, but not those vaccinated with Covaxin, which is still awaiting an Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) from the World Health Organisation.

SOURCE: TH

7. KUSHINAGAR CONNECT TO SRI LANKA

THE CONTEXT:  When the Prime Minister declares open the Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh on October 20, a sizeable Sri Lankan contingent, led by a member of the first family, will be present.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The airport is expected to provide seamless connectivity to tourists from Sri Lanka, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and so on.
• Kushinagar is the centre of the Buddhist circuit, which consists of pilgrimage sites at Lumbini, Sarnath and Gaya.
• Buddhist pilgrims consider Kushinagar a sacred site where, they believe, Gautama Buddha delivered his last sermon and attained ‘Maha- parinirvana’ or salvation.
• To mark the occasion, Sri Lanka will present to India photographs of two murals painted by renowned Sri Lankan artist SoliasMendis at the KelaniyaRajamahaVihara, a popular Buddhist temple near Colombo.
• One of the murals depicts ‘ArahatBhikkhu’ Mahinda, son of Emperor Ashoka delivering the message of the Buddha to King Devanampiyatissa of Sri Lanka.
• The other shows the arrival of ‘TheriBhikkhuni’ Sanghamitta, the daughter of the Emperor, in Sri Lanka, bearing a sapling of the ‘sacred Bodhi tree’ under which Siddhārtha Gautama is believed to have obtained enlightenment.

SOURCE: TH

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Q1. Geographic Information System (GIS) Energy Map of India is developed by:

a) NITI Aayog and ISRO

b) NASA

c) Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad

d) None of the above

ANSWER FOR OCTOBER 16, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

ANSWER: B)

Explanation:

1. YudhAbhyas – Army
2. Cope India – Air force
3. Malabar – Navy
4. Tiger Triumph – Tri-service

1. Not by growth alone: The salience of redistribution in poverty eradication READ MORE
2. What it is to be ‘educated’ READ MORE

1. Slippery slopes: On the retreat of southwest monsoon READ MORE
2. Explained: COP26 climate conference and why it is important READ MORE
3. Flood and fury: Despite warnings and alerts from the IMD, official response in Kerala has been missing READ MORE

1. Dignity and Tranquillity READ MORE
2. Lakhimpur, a question of human dignity READ MORE
3. What it is to be ‘educated’ READ MORE

1. Cooperative federalism: How local governments are undermined by states READ MORE
2. Everybody loves decentralisation — but only when convenient READ MORE
3. Time to define the law on marital rape READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. NITI Aayog Launches Geospatial Energy Map of India READ MORE
2. Over four crore workers registered on e-Shram portal in under two months READ MORE
3. Indian agricultural waste recycling project wins Prince William’s inaugural Earth shot Prize READ MORE
4. Development projects threaten Bengal florican habitat in Assam READ MORE
5. Kushinagar connect to Sri Lanka READ MORE
6. El Nino-like weather conditions increased short-term malnutrition in children across tropics: Study READ MORE
7. Arctic melt: will polar bears vanish by 2100? READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. Slippery slopes: On the retreat of southwest monsoon READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Cooperative federalism: How local governments are undermined by states READ MORE
2. Everybody loves decentralisation — but only when convenient READ MORE
3. Time to define the law on marital rape READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Not by growth alone: The salience of redistribution in poverty eradication READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. FTA talks back on track as Jaishankar, Israeli counterpart meet READ MORE
2. India and the new ‘Quad’ in West Asia READ MORE
3. Multilateral track: India should be receptive to forging beneficial alliances READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Inflation and the gati shakti plan: The rising global fuel prices and a domestic policy of high taxation is a major concern READ MORE
2. India’s pulses problem: We need real reform READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Explained: COP26 climate conference and why it is important READ MORE

 SECURITY

1. From Kashmir to Bangladesh, the threat of extremism READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Kerala floods: Another man-made disaster READ MORE
2. Flood and fury: Despite warnings and alerts from the IMD, official response in Kerala has been missing READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Dignity and Tranquillity READ MORE
2. Lakhimpur, a question of human dignity READ MORE
3. What it is to be ‘educated’ READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Instead of empowering local governments functions and responsibilities, state governments simply treat them as mere implementing agencies’. Justify the statement with the help of suitable examples.
2. How far do you agree with the view that Multilateral alliances have become a geopolitical necessity in a multipolar world? Justify your view with suitable examples.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.
• Instead of empowering local governments by devolving more powers, functions and responsibilities, state governments simply treat them as mere implementing agencies.
• States (with some exceptions) have played a double game. When presented with autonomy, they have failed to use this in ways that have actively shifted the federal bargain.
• The precarity of living conditions in much of the country make the annual monsoon a persistent threat for millions, and governments should do more to reduce the risk to life and property.
• The first meeting between foreign ministers of India, Israel, the UAE and the US suggests that Delhi is now ready to move from bilateral relations conducted in separate silos towards an integrated regional policy.
• India’s new regionalism to the west of the Subcontinent must also be informed by shifting political geographies.
• Success on the trilateral front will open the door for extending the collaboration with other common regional partners like Egypt, who will lend great strategic depth to the Indo-Abrahamic accords.
• Kerala has been reluctant to learn from scientific evidence on the climate crisis with successive governments allowing destructive economic activities.
• Multilateral alliances have become a geopolitical necessity in a multipolar world.

50- WORD TALK

• Shadow-boxing between Modi government and Supreme Court collegium over judges’ appointments is unfortunate. The fact that the collegium has reiterated many names suggests it’s not convinced by the merits of the Centre’s objections. Both sides need to engage better in the public interest. There should be more transparency in judicial appointments.

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 71]

1. Minority rights: Vulnerable religious groups under attack across South Asia READ MORE
2. Ending Manual Scavenging: Policymaking Needs to Innovate Beyond Compensation READ MORE
3. The digital revolution in Indian health care READ MORE\

1. Here’s why sexual violence by humanitarians and peacekeepers keeps happening READ MORE
2. BETWEEN ROUTINE AND INNOVATION READ MORE

1. El Nino-like weather conditions increased short-term malnutrition in children across tropics: Study READ MORE
2. Need to shift focus to demand management, says water policy panel chief Mihir Shah READ MORE
3. A miracle of saline soil reclamation in cyclone-ravaged Sundarbans READ MORE
4. Climate negotiations need an innovative approach READ MORE

1. Alarming hunger or statistical artefact? The low rank on the Global Hunger Index should push India to look again at its policies and interventions READ MORE
2. India badly needs an overarching policy framework for data governance READ MORE
3. Time to define the law on marital rape READ MORE
4. Minority rights: Vulnerable religious groups under attack across South Asia READ MORE
5. Ending Manual Scavenging: Policymaking Needs to Innovate Beyond Compensation READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. New Delhi to host NSAs on Afghanistan issue READ MORE
2. Stubble burning dropped drastically this year: Ministry READ MORE
3. India’s economy gradually recovering, but beware of inflation: IMF READ MORE
4. What are green crackers? Know which states imposed rules on fireworks this year READ MORE
5. China tested ‘nuclear-capable hypersonic missile’ in August, says report READ MORE
6. Thorns and thistles READ MORE

Main Exam   

GS Paper- 1

1. El Nino-like weather conditions increased short-term malnutrition in children across tropics: Study READ MORE
2. Need to shift focus to demand management, says water policy panel chief Mihir Shah READ MORE
3. A miracle of saline soil reclamation in cyclone-ravaged Sundarbans READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Alarming hunger or statistical artefact? The low rank on the Global Hunger Index should push India to look again at its policies and interventions READ MORE
2. India badly needs an overarching policy framework for data governance READ MORE
3. Time to define the law on marital rape READ MORE
4. Minority rights: Vulnerable religious groups under attack across South Asia READ MORE
5. Ending Manual Scavenging: Policymaking Needs to Innovate Beyond Compensation READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. The digital revolution in Indian health care READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. AUKUS won’t affect the US-India relationship. But it will affect Quad READ MORE
2. Security in Indo-Pacific is not a simple affair. AUKUS, China missile, and Taiwan prove that READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Powering the energy sector: The Electricity (Amendment) Bill is a game-changer READ MORE
2. Coal India, the fall guy for power crisis READ MORE
3. Explained | What is the extent of India’s coal crisis? READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Climate negotiations need an innovative approach READ MORE

 SECURITY

1. Border Security Force | In the line of defence, with growing powers READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Here’s why sexual violence by humanitarians and peacekeepers keeps happening READ MORE
2. BETWEEN ROUTINE AND INNOVATION READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Evaluate the role played by BSF and other security forces in border management of India.
2. How Global Hunger Index is calculated? Examine India’s performance in Global Hunger Index 2021.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• The plan itself is opportunism. There is no plan before that.
• The focus of the academic, legal and business fraternity needs to be drawn to the ability of caste and gender identities, digital technologies as well as the banking system to impact the lived realities of manual scavengers.
• Corruption is systemic and flows from the economic policies of governments, but popular movements against graft only make populist claims that are easy for rightist outfits to hijack.
• Peacekeeping operations have a long history of predatory sexual culture. And the UN’s database shows that abusers come from all continents.
• The challenges and the needs of routine need equal thought and servicing. A life well balanced, between thought through the routine (serviced with determination) when balanced by innovative thinking and action, provides a good charter of success and effectiveness.
• Minority rights are a sacred covenant for a civilised society. Unfortunately, most South Asian countries have descended into a pre-modern orgy of torture and hunting of minorities.
• The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission aims to help achieve UHC in India by implementing the digital building blocks required for health care, and by making those blocks accessible as digital public goods for all.
• The low rank on the Global Hunger Index should push India to look again at its policies and interventions.

50- WORD TALK

• In order to end manual scavenging, policymakers must look beyond compensating individuals losing their lives from the inhuman practise, and consider long-term, holistic solutions that give caste and gender inequality, digital inequity and lack of access to finance among those who practice manual scavenging due consideration.
• There is an urgent need for the judiciary to recognise marital rape as an offence under the IPC, especially now when there is a surge in domestic and sexual violence cases against women due to pandemic-induced conditions. Now is the time to make amendments to the age-old definition of rape. We need to ask whose interest the legislators are safeguarding in the name of protecting the status quo of marriage.

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. GOVERNMENT SAYS DATA IN GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX INFLATED

THE CONTEXT: According to the government, the value of a key indicator used in the Global Hunger Index is ‘inflated’ as there are only 3.9% of Anganwadi children found to be undernourished.

THE EXPLANATION: 

• The real-time data of beneficiaries registered on the Anganwadi platform include 7.79 crore children aged between 6 months to 6 years as per real-time Poshan Tracker data [as of 16-10-2021]. The corresponding number of undernourished children reported on Poshan Tracker is 30.27 lakh which comes to only 3.9%.
• The GHI 2021 ranked India at 101 positions out of 116 countries. The index is based on four indicators — under-nourishment, wasting, stunting and under-five mortality. Of these, India’s performance is shown to deteriorate only for undernourishment, which is what the Government has challenged.
• According to FAO’s data, which is used in the Index, the prevalence of undernourishment in India rose from 14% in 2017-2019 to 15.3% in 2018-2020 which the Government has called exaggerated.
• The Government has also alleged that there has been a selective approach adopted by the publishing agencies to deliberately lower India’s rank on the GHI 2021 by relying on higher values of indicators such as stunting and wasting from different datasets available.
• The Government also maintains that it is not possible to evaluate the extent of malnutrition for the period before 2018 as there were no growth monitoring devices available at anganwadis until they were introduced under the PoshanAbhiyaan.

SOURCE: TH

2. FOOD TECH SUMMIT 2021

THE CONTEXT: To commemorate World Food Day, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, under the Pradhan MantriFormalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, organised the Food Tech Summit on 16th October 2021.

THE EXPLANATION: 

• The Food Tech Summit 2021 aimed at setting the stage for all food-tech stakeholders to impart, discuss and acquaint micro enterprises on the new emerging trends in food processing and technological innovation.

ABOUT THE PMFME SCHEME

• Launched under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the Pradhan MantriFormalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme that aims to enhance the competitiveness of existing individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment of the food processing industry and to promote formalization of the sector and provide support to Farmer Producer Organizations, Self Help Groups, and Producers Cooperatives along their entire value chain.
• With an outlay of Rs. 10,000 crores over a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25, the scheme envisions to directly assist the 2,00,000 micro food processing units for providing financial, technical, and business support for up-gradation of existing micro food processing enterprises.

SOURCE: PIB

3. INDIA TO ACHIEVE 100-CRORE VACCINATION MARK

THE CONTEXT:  In a couple of days or so from now, the number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in India will have crossed 100 crores, or 1 billion. Already, India has administered more vaccine doses than any other country in the world apart from China.

THE EXPLANATION: 

• Still, for a country that faced huge supply bottlenecks, and a fair amount of vaccine hesitancy, at least in the initial period, reaching the 100-crore milestone is no small achievement. Transportation, distribution and storage of vaccines at specific low temperatures posed huge additional hurdles in a country lacking in an elaborate cold-chain network.
• The 100-crore milestone is being achieved in about 275 days — the first vaccine doses were administered on January 16 — which means that, on average, 27 lakh doses have been given every day through this ten-month period.
• There have, of course, been wide variations in the daily number of doses administered. On six days, more than 1 crore doses were administered, with a record of 2.18 crore being achieved on September 17.
• On the other hand, in the initial few days in January and a couple of days in February, less than 50,000 doses were administered.
• States with smaller populations have much better coverage of coverage of Covid-19 vaccination. But some of the larger states, with much larger populations, such as Gujarat, Kerala, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand have also managed to vaccinate over 90% of their adult population with at least one dose.
• On the other hand, some low-population northeastern states — Manipur, Meghalaya and Nagaland – and also Puducherry are lagging behind, with less than 60% of their people having been vaccinated with even a single dose.

SOURCE:  IE

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

4. COP26 CLIMATE CONFERENCE

THE CONTEXT: The UK will host the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference from October 31 to November 12. The event will see leaders from more than 190 countries, thousands of negotiators, researchers and citizens coming together to strengthen a global response to the threat of climate change. It is a pivotal movement for the world to come together and accelerate the climate action plan. This year marks the 26th Conference of Parties and will be held in the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow.

FORMATION OF COP

• The Conference of Parties comes under the United Nations Climate Change Framework Convention (UNFCCC) which was formed in 1994. The UNFCCC was established to work towards the stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.
• It laid out a list of responsibilities for the member states which included:
• Formulating measures to mitigate climate change
• Cooperating in preparing for adaptation to the impact of climate change
• Promoting education, training and public awareness related to climate change

COP1 to COP25

• COP members have been meeting every year since 1995. The UNFCCC has 198 parties including India, China and the USA.
• The first conference (COP1) was held in 1995 in Berlin. At COP3 held in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997, the famous Kyoto Protocol was adopted. It commits the member states to pursue limitation or reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. It entered into force on 16 February 2005 and there are 192 Parties in the Kyoto Protocol.
• India hosted the eighth COP from October 23 to November 1, 2002, in New Delhi. The conference laid out seven measures.
• One of the most important conferences, COP21 2015, in Paris, France. Member countries agreed to work together to ‘limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.’

COP26 GOALS

• According to the UNFCCC, COP26 will work towards four goals:

1. 1. Secure global net-zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach
   2. Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats
   3. Mobilise finance
   4. Work together to deliver

SOURCE:IE

5. GREEN CRACKERS

THE CONTEXT: In view of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) related situation and concerns surrounding the rising level of pollution due to firecrackers during the festive season, several states have imposed certain rules on fireworks this year. These vary from either a complete or a partial ban on firecracker sales in these respective states to permitting the sale of ‘green crackers’ instead.

THE EXPLANATION:

• In July 2021, the Supreme Court dismissed a plea challenging the National Green Tribunal’s order for the imposition of a complete ban on the sale and use of all firecrackers during the Covid-19 pandemic in cities and said that no further clarification or deliberation was required.
• The apex court said that the authorities may permit the sale and use of firecrackers as per the category of AQI in the cities.
• The bench said that manufacturing or production of firecrackers was allowed and those who wanted to use firecrackers could do so with permission depending upon the category of AQI.
• It clarified that the ban is in places where air quality is poor and there is no ban on the manufacture.
• Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin has urged his Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Odisha counterparts to seriously consider the sale of green crackers in their respective territories.

WHAT ARE GREEN CRACKERS?

• ‘Green crackers’ are low-emission fireworks permitted by the Supreme Court for celebrations to a moderate degree during festivals, relaxing the ‘complete ban on fireworks previously imposed in 2017.
• These green crackers, researched and developed by experts at the CSIR-NEERI (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research – National Environmental Engineering Research Institute).
• These green crackers are produced with less harmful raw materials, in accordance with instructions issued by the Supreme court, and are made in a way that suppresses the dust when they are burnt – thus reducing emissions.
• They also do not contain harmful chemicals such as lithium, arsenic, barium, and lead and instead release water vapour that does not allow the dust to rise.
• Although still impactful on the climate to an extent, these green crackers are believed to cause 30 per cent less particulate matter pollution than traditional crackers and are thus considered generally less harmful than their conventional alternatives.

SOURCE:  HT

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

6. EX YUDH ABHYAS 21

THE CONTEXT: The 17th Edition of Indo – US joint training exercise “EX YUDH ABHYAS 21” commenced at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska (USA) on 15 October 2021.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The joint exercise will facilitate both Armies to know each other better, share their wide experiences and enhance their situational awareness through information exchange.
• This will help them in undertaking joint operations at the Battalion level in mountainous terrain with cold climatic conditions under the ambit of the United Nations.

SOURCE: PIB

7. NEW DELHI TO HOST NSAS ON AFGHANISTAN ISSUE

THE CONTEXT:  New Delhi is planning to engage regional powers on the future of Afghanistan. It is sending an official team to attend the Moscow process of talks on October 20 that will include the Taliban government’s, Deputy Prime Minister. New Delhi has also invited regional National Security Advisers to Delhi for a meeting in November.

THE EXPLANATION:

• New Delhi has reached out to countries that participated in the Iran-plus six-nation “Regional Security Dialogue” in Tehran- Iran, Russia, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan for the meeting to be chaired by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
• A Pakistani official confirmed receiving the invitation but said a decision on participation was yet to be taken.
• Although no foreign government has recognised the Taliban as the official government, several, including India are in talks with them, mainly through their political office in Doha, while at least six nations, including Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey and Qatar maintain embassies in Kabul.

SOURCE: TH

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Q1. Consider the following pairs of armed forces exercises between India and the U.S.

1. YudhAbhyas – Army
2. Cope India – Tri-service
3. Malabar – Navy
4. Tiger Triumph – Air force

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 1 and 3 only

c0 1, 2 and 3 only

d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

ANSWER FOR OCTOBER 16, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

ANSWER: D

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: Convertibility refers to the ability to convert domestic currency into foreign ones and vice versa to make payments for the balance of payments transactions.
• Statement 2 is correct: Current account convertibility is the ability or freedom to convert domestic currency for current account transactions
• Statement 3 is correct: Capital account convertibility is the ability or freedom to convert domestic currency for capital account transactions.

1. The declining monsoon rainfall in Punjab over last two decades READ MORE
2. Climate negotiations need an innovative approach READ MORE

1. Do we need to pay more for quality education? READ MORE
2. Vaak Shakti, the power of creative speech READ MORE
3. The toxicity of social media READ MORE

1. Hunger index ignominy: Grand ambitions should not sidestep stark truths READ MORE
2. The toxicity of social media READ MORE

1. Vigilance, vaccination and endemic COVID-19 READ MORE
2. NEET hasn’t created the equality of opportunity it had promised READ MORE
3. Why India’s civil services need corporate management structures and culture READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelims and Main

1. Tuberculosis deaths up in pandemic: WHO READ MORE
2. Compassion cannot be forever, says Supreme Court READ MORE
3. India-U.S. Financial Dialogue includes a new focus on climate change READ MORE
4. China set to send three astronauts on the longest crewed mission yet READ MORE
5. RBI Dy Guv: Banks will have to prepare for capital account convertibility READ MORE

Main Exam 

GS Paper- 1

1. The declining monsoon rainfall in Punjab over last two decades READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Vigilance, vaccination and endemic COVID-19 READ MORE
2. NEET hasn’t created the equality of opportunity it had promised READ MORE
3. Why India’s civil services need corporate management structures and culture READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Hunger index ignominy: Grand ambitions should not sidestep stark truths READ MORE
2. The toxicity of social media READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. The Taliban 2.0 is no different: The Taliban doubtless said that their governance would be different this time. Developments on the ground, however, tell a different story READ MORE
2. The Bhutan-China MoU: Neighbours explore their strategic options READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Fast forward: On Gati Shakti National Master Plan READ MORE
2. Economic growth a test for govt’s policies READ MORE
3. Lessons for state governments from coal crisis READ MORE
4. Doubling farmers’ income by 2022: Evidently, for agricultural productivity and incomes to grow, aggregation of farm holdings in the form of farmer producer organisations is crucial READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Climate negotiations need an innovative approach READ MORE

 SECURITY

1. Tackling terror: Civil society, political forces must do their best to remove fear among minorities in J&K READ MORE
2. Let Border Security Force do its job READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Do we need to pay more for quality education? READ MORE
2. Vaak Shakti, the power of creative speech READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. How far do you agree with the view that India’s animosity towards China and increasing identification with the US’ interests are encouraging its neighbours to explore other options? Analyse your view in the light of recent developments.
2. Discuss the benefits of PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan and the challenges involved in its implementation.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arrogance.
• National security is at stake. The political storm overextension of BSF’s jurisdiction is uncalled for.
• NEET is biased towards the CBSE curriculum and gives an unfair advantage to students from privileged backgrounds.
• Socio-economic inequalities and the absence of objective conditions are distributivities unfair because they decisively hinder the parity of participation.
• There is a crying need for reforms such as a transparent and result-driven appraisal system, rules that make decision-making easier, better interdepartmental coordination, among others.
• The food security situation is not an issue, but distribution is, inequity is, choice of meal is, systemic failure is.
• Malnourishment in early childhood has long-lasting negative impacts. Child and maternal malnutrition also contribute significantly to the total disease burden.
• The UT administration followed up with a strong crackdown on the insurgency seeking to isolate and quell the militant network that is allegedly responsible for the attacks.

50- WORD TALK

• The gruesome killing of a Dalit Sikh at the farmers’ protest site in Singhu underlines how passions are always dangerously on the edge in this crisis. This can only get worse and light bigger fires if not nipped now. Time to set politics aside and address the basic issue urgently.
• Malnourishment in early childhood has long-lasting negative impacts. Child and maternal malnutrition also contribute significantly to the total disease burden. Programmes of the Integrated Child Development Services scheme, which cover pregnant and lactating mothers too, and Poshan Abhiyaan are critical instruments.

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. TUBERCULOSIS DEATHS UP IN PANDEMIC

THE CONTEXT: India is on the list of countries that contributed most to the global reduction in TB notifications between 2019 and 2020.

THE EXPLANATION: 

• According to the 2021 Global TB report released recently by the World Health Organization (WHO), the COVID-19 pandemic has reversed years of global progress in tackling tuberculosis and for the first time in over a decade, TB deaths have increased.
• Worse, India (41%) was on the list of countries that topped those that contributed most to the global reduction in TB notifications between 2019 and 2020. India along with Indonesia (14%), the Philippines (12%), China (8%) and 12 other countries accounted for 93% of the total global drop in notifications.
• The WHO estimated that some 4.1 million people currently suffer from TB but had not been diagnosed with the disease or had not officially reported to national authorities. This figure is up from 2.9 million in 2019.
• The organisation added that there was also a reduction in the provision of TB preventive treatment.

SOURCE:TH

2. COMPASSION CANNOT BE FOREVER: SC

THE CONTEXT: Compassion cannot continue in perpetuity, the Supreme Court said in an order holding that Kashmiri migrants who retired as government officers cannot stay in official accommodation indefinitely.

THE EXPLANATION: 

• The order was passed by a Bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and A.S. Bopanna in applications filed by retired officers occupying government accommodation in Delhi and Gurgaon. Some of these officers had been victims of terrorism and served in critical intelligence offices.
• Applicants are occupying the government accommodation at the cost of other government servants who are waiting in queue for the allotment of a government accommodation to discharge their official duties. The compassion shown to Kashmiri migrants has to be balanced with the expectations of the serving officers to discharge their duties effectively.
• The court struck down as arbitrary an office memorandum allowing government accommodation to retired employees who were Kashmiri migrants.

SOURCE: TH

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

3. TIGER MDT23 CAPTURED AFTER 22-DAY-LONG SEARCH

THE CONTEXT: After a 22-day-long operation, a tiger — nicknamed MDT23 — believed to have been responsible for the death of two herders in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and Gudalur, was tranquillised by the Forest Department.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is located in the Nilgiri district, Tamil Nadu.
• It was declared a tiger reserve in 2007.
• The Nilgiri sub-cluster (UNESCO World Heritage Site) includes the Mudumalai, Mukurthi, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Silent Valley national parks, as well as the Aralam, Wayanad and Sathyamangalam wildlife sanctuaries.

SOURCE:IE

4. FALL IN STUBBLE BURNING INCIDENTS IN PUNJAB AND HARYANA

THE CONTEXT: According to a report by the Commission for Air Quality Management, there is a 70% reduction so far in instances of stubble burning in Punjab and 18% in Haryana from last year.

ABOUT NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT

• It is a statutory body established through the recently enacted The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act 2021.
• Composition: (i) a Chairperson, (ii) an officer of the rank of a Joint Secretary as the member-secretary and Chief Coordinating Officer, (iii) a serving or former Joint Secretary from the central government, (iii) three independent technical members with expertise in air pollution, and (iv) three members from non-government organisations.
• Tenure: The Chairperson and members of the Commission will have a tenure of three years or till the age of seventy years, whichever is earlier.
• Ex-office members: (i) from the central government and concerned state governments, and (ii) technical members from Central Pollution Control Board, Indian Space Research Organisation, and NITI Aayog. It may also appoint representatives of certain ministries.
• Selection of Commission: The central government will constitute a selection committee to recommend appointments of members of the Commission. The Committee will be headed by the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Members of the Committee will include the Cabinet Secretary and the Minister of (i) Commerce and Industry, (ii) Road Transport and Highways, and (iii) Science and Technology.
• Functions of the Commission: (i) co-ordinating actions by concerned state governments (Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh), (ii) planning and executing plans to prevent and control air pollution in NCR, (iii) providing a framework for identifying air pollutants, (iv) conducting research and development through networking with technical institutions, (v) training and creating a special workforce to deal with issues related to air pollution, and (vi) preparing action plans such as increasing plantation and addressing stubble burning.
• Powers of the Commission: Powers of the Commission include: (i) restricting activities influencing air quality, (ii) investigating and conducting research related to environmental pollution impacting air quality, (iii) preparing codes and guidelines to prevent and control air pollution, and (iv) issuing directions on matters including inspections, or regulation which will be binding on the concerned person or authority.
• The Commission will be the sole authority with jurisdiction over matters defined in the Bill (such as air quality management). In case of conflicts, the directions of the Commission will prevail over the orders of the respective state governments, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), state PCBs, and state-level statutory bodies.
• Sub-Committees: The Commission is required to form sub-committees on (i) monitoring and identification, (ii) safeguarding and enforcement, and (iii) research and development.
• The commission may collect environmental compensation from farmers causing pollution by stubble burning. This compensation will be prescribed by the central government.
• Appeals against the Commission’s orders will lie with the National Green Tribunal.

SOURCE:  TH

INDIAN ECONOMY

5. CAPITAL ACCOUNT CONVERTIBILITY

THE CONTEXT: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor T Rabi Sankar said market participants, particularly banks, will have to prepare themselves to manage the business process changes and the global risks associated with capital convertibility.

THE EXPLANATION:

• India has come a long way in achieving increasing levels of convertibility on the capital account.
• It has broadly achieved the desired outcome for the policy choices it has made, in terms of achieving a stable composition of foreign capital inflow.
• At the same time, India is on the cusp of some fundamental shifts in this space with increased market integration in the offing and freer non-resident access to debt on the table.
• The rate of change in capital convertibility will only increase with each of these and similar measures. With that comes the responsibility to ensure that such flows are managed effectively with the right combination of capital flow measures, macro-prudential measures and market intervention.
• Convertibility refers to the ability to convert domestic currency into foreign ones and vice versa to make payments for the balance of payments transactions.
• Current account convertibility is the ability or freedom to convert domestic currency for current account transactions while capital account convertibility is the ability or freedom to convert domestic currency for capital account transactions.

SOURCE: IE

INTERNAL  SECURITY

6. ENHANCED POWERS OF BORDER SECURITY FORCE

THE CONTEXT: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), through a notification in the Gazette of India on October 11, enhanced the “arrest, search and seize” powers of the Border Security Force (BSF) up to 50 km from the international boundary within Assam, West Bengal and Punjab. In Gujarat, the limit was reduced from the existing 80 km to 50 km. In Rajasthan, the 50-km limit remains unchanged.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The notification replaces a 2014 order under the BSF Act, 1968, which also empowers the force to conduct counter-insurgency operations in Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya.
• Though Jammu and Kashmir were not mentioned in the 2014 order, notification specifically mentions the two newly created Union Territories-J&K and Ladakh.
• According to a background note submitted by the MHA to a parliamentary standing committee in 2011, Under Rule 15 of the BSF Rules, 1969, the BSF has been assigned three primary tasks while deployed along the borders: promote a sense of security among the people living in the border area, prevent trans-border crimes/unauthorised entry into or exit from the territory of India and prevent smuggling and any other illegal activity.
• The violations against which the BSF carries out search and seizure include smuggling of narcotics, prohibited items, illegal entry of foreigners and offences punishable under any other Central Act.
• The MHA has given powers to the BSF personnel in border areas under the Customs Act, the Passport Act, the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, the Central Excises and Salt Act, 1944, the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947.
• The BSF does not have police powers; after apprehending a suspect it can only conduct “preliminary questioning” and has to hand over a seized consignment or the suspect to the local police within 24 hours. It does not have the power to prosecute crime suspects. Police is a State subject under the Constitution.
• The amendment establishes uniformity in defining the area within which the BSF can operate and also to improve its operational effectiveness in curbing trans-border crimes. The operational writ of the BSF was different in different Border States and the fresh notification ends this anomaly.
• The two States- Punjab and West Bengal, have termed the MHA’s move an attack on federalism.

ABOUT BSF

• The BSF is a central armed police force (CAPF) that functions under the Union government. It was raised in 1965 in the aftermath of the India-Pakistan war.
• The BSF Act was passed by Parliament in 1968 and the rules governing the Act were framed in 1969.
• The MHA issues all orders pertaining to the BSF and other CAPFs such as the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), SashastraSeema Bal (SSB), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), National Security Guard (NSG) and Assam Rifles.
• India is a Union of States and under the One Border One Force policy, the BSF is deployed along the Pakistan and Bangladesh borders.
• It is also deployed in areas affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE) and is routinely deployed for election and other law and order duties on the request of State governments.

SOURCE:TH

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Q1. Consider the following statements with respect to the concept of Convertibility in the Indian economy.

1. Convertibility refers to the ability to convert domestic currency into foreign ones and vice versa to make payments for the balance of payments transactions.
2. Current account convertibility is the ability or freedom to convert domestic currency for current account transactions
3. Capital account convertibility is the ability or freedom to convert domestic currency for capital account transactions.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only

b) 1 and 2 only

c) 2 and 3 only

d) 1,2 and 3

ANSWER FOR OCTOBER 15, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

ANSWER: C

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach— working at the local, regional, national, and global levels — with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.
• Statement 2 is correct: This concept is used by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). In India, it is a component under the National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Well Being.

THE CONTEXT: The Goods and Services Tax Council is the backbone of the GST system. Of late, this sui generis federal institution has been facing several challenges impacting its working and output. The several States have voiced concerns about the lack of proper deliberations, the high handedness of the Centre, excessive delegation to bureaucracy etc. Added to this, there are questions being raised on the Constitutional status of the decisions of the GST Council. Against this backdrop, this writes up comprehensively examines the various issues the GST Council is facing and also analyses the probable solutions for improving its working.

BACK TO BASICS: UNDERSTANDING THE GST COUNCIL

THE GST COUNCIL AND THE MAKING OF INDIAN COOPERATIVE FEDERALISM

The adoption of GST and the creation of the GST Council itself was a major shift from the past in terms of cooperative and competitive federalism. The working of the GST Council also has been transformative in terms of its number of meetings (more than 43 times), review of GST rates and efforts to seek cooperation with states for the effective implementation of GST. In fact, the work of the GST Council was considered as more successful than that of the Inter-State Council and National Development Council. However, the Covid-19 pandemic and the emerging implementation challenges of GST have also posed challenges for the GST Council.

THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE FUNCTIONS OF THE GST COUNCIL

NATURE OF DECISIONS OF THE GST COUNCIL: RECIPE FOR CONFLICTS?

MAKING THE DECISION BINDING: PROBABLE SOLUTIONS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS

REFORMING THE GST COUNCIL: THE WAY AHEAD

THE CONCLUSION: The GST Council has been a pioneering experiment in the arena of fiscal federalism in India. Although fiscal sovereignty and autonomy are the key features of a federal political system, the States and centres have surrendered their taxation power for the collective good. Despite such noble intentions and objectives, the GST Council suffers from multiple issues, perhaps the biggest among them is the “nature of recommendations of the council”. Along with providing clarity on this issue, the increasing politicisation of the proceedings of the Council must be addressed. In order to make India Atmanirbhar, the GST Council must work in the spirit of “cooperative and collaborative federalism” than in “competitive and disruptive federalism”.

1. Our public schooling system requires rapid expansion READ MORE
2. Human rights and the State READ MORE

1. The declining monsoon rainfall in Punjab over last two decades READ MORE
2. Climate negotiations need an innovative approach READ MORE