WSDP Bulletin (22-11-2021)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Cleanest Cities of India Honoured by President at Swachh Amrit Mahotsav READ MORE
2. Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin completes 5 years READ MORE
3. Tastier, more nutritious, climate-resistant chana soon, thanks to study led by India’s ICRISAT READ MORE
4. New plant species named after tribal sect READ MORE
5. Explained | Will Pakistan law on Kulbhushan Jadhav help India’s position? READ MORE
6. Life expectancy lower for urban poor, says study READ MORE

Main Exam    

GS Paper- 1

1. Attempts To Add Communal Colour to the Moplah Rebellion Are Wrong READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Reliable data, good policy: The onus is on the government to ensure that there is a robust system of public data production and use READ MORE
2. ‘Go back to committees’ is the farm laws lesson: In any key legislation, the practice now of not involving the established systems of Parliament has to be reviewed READ MORE
3. POCSO Act: Why the SC’s ruling is critical READ MORE
4. Digitisation of courts brings privacy concerns. But India lacks right to be forgotten READ MORE
5. How the Modi government’s new IT rules jeopardise the right to privacy and free speech READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. Error corrected: Laws should not be interpreted in a way that destroys the intent behind them READ MORE
2. Caste Dimensions of Poverty and Wealth: Large income and asset deficits disempower the disadvantaged castes. READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Steel and aluminium can unlock the US-India trade agenda READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Tackling the problem of bad loans READ MORE
2. Farm laws: Finding the right public-private mix in farming READ MORE
3. A controversy in the making? READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY  

1. Explained | Why is India’s coal usage under scrutiny? READ MORE
2. Restructure economy to bring down pollution READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Accountability at the workplace READ MORE
2. Happiness: Another Name for Contentment READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Investigating agencies needs independence in their working, not tenure extension for their directors’. Discuss the statement in the light of recent tenure extensions of the director of CBI and ED.
2. ‘Agriculture should be transformed into a business rather than a livelihood programme with active participation from the private sector’. Discuss the statement.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• When tillage begins, other arts follow. The farmers are the founders of human civilization.
• The government and research institutions’ initiatives need to be complemented with efforts by civil society to address social barriers and information gaps in crop residue management.
• When evidence-based policymaking becomes the cornerstone of good governance, it is difficult to overstate the importance of reliable and timely public data.
• A proper parliamentary scrutiny of pieces of legislation is the best guarantee that sectoral interest will not jeopardise basic national interest.
• Despite various attempts to create an efficient framework for resolving bad loans, poor ecosystem and legal delays frustrate many of these initiatives.
• Repeal of farm laws reveals excessive social mistrust of private players. Farmers need public goods as well as private innovation.
• As a profession, agriculture should be transformed into a business rather than a livelihood programme with active participation from the private sector.
• Any right to privacy of individuals should not have to depend on their privilege, but ensure their access to resources and ability to approach the higher judiciary to get relief.
• The Centre’s recent attempts to provide clarification over the notification fail to allay concerns raised by civil society, tech companies and internet users.

50- WORD TALK

• Supreme Court ordering a CBI probe into 26% stake sale in HZL by government in 2002 but allowing it to divest its remaining stake is a bit perplexing. The history of privatisation shows that it has worked well. An overly technical reading of rules can end up hurting this process.
• The repeal of the controversial but much-needed farm reform laws is the second big retreat by the Modi government. First was the ambitious land acquisition ordinance. These expose the limitations of parliamentary majority in a democracy. Numbers may bring hubris but public consensus still needs to be sought and built.

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.