WSDP Bulletin (18-12-2021)

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(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. President Kovind inaugurates landmark Kalibari temple in Dhaka READ MORE
2. Bhutan confers its highest civilian award on PM Modi READ MORE
3. Explained: Why IMD has predicted a cold wave in Northwest India READ MORE
4. India-US announce support to innovations to tackle climate, clean energy challenges READ MORE
5. Parliament Passes Surrogacy Bill, Seeks To Constitute National Surrogacy Board READ MORE

Main Exam 

GS Paper- 1

1. The ties that bind religion, popular culture READ MORE  
2. Preserving the linguistic diversity of Northeast India READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Fifteenth Finance Commission’s Recommendations on Local Bodies: Far too Many Concerns READ MORE
2. The Geopolitics of the Democracy Summit READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. Tackling mental health inequalities in our country READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. The looming Russia-NATO confrontation READ MORE
2. India’s delicate balancing act between Russia and the US READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. When the chips are down: The Semiconductor Mission can power the development of the chip and display industry READ MORE
2. The challenge of achieving 9.5% growth rate: The key lies in the government’s ongoing emphasis on infrastructure spending as reflected in its capital expenditure READ MORE
3. From financial inclusion to financial integration READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Environmentalists oppose proposed changes to Biological Diversity Act READ MORE
2. Insects help richly in ecological restoration READ MORE

SECURITY

1. Not a licence to kill: The government should review AFSPA in Nagaland and other NE areas READ MORE
2. The What, Where, Why and How of AFSPA READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Revolutionary economist READ MORE
2. Gratitude & Happiness READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. How does biodiversity vary in India? How is the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 helpful in conservation of flora and fauna? (UPSC Mains 2018, GS-III)
2. Discuss how insects help richly in ecological restoration?
3. ‘India’s relations with Russia are not as multi-faceted as India’s ties with the U.S., Europe, or even Japan. They are focused primarily on energy and defense’. Critically examine.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Leadership is an action, not a position.
• The Semiconductor Mission can power the development of the chip and display industry.
• The key lies in the government’s ongoing emphasis on infrastructure spending as reflected in its capital expenditure.
• The ‘financially-included’ people must be offered products and services that are relevant to their needs.
• Insects help break down organic matter like corpses and animal faeces. This is important as it reuses nutrients, making them available for aerating the soil.
• Insects constitute a substantial part of our ecosystem but the number and diversity of insects are decreasing due to habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.
• Poverty brings with it stress and debt. The bidirectional relationship between poverty and mental health has been well-recognised and evidenced.
• India’s relations with Russia are not as multi-faceted as India’s ties with the U.S., Europe, or even Japan. They are focused primarily on energy and defense.
• The United States could show better understanding of India’s security concerns if it wants to consolidate the India-U.S. partnership and transform it into a virtual, if not a formal, alliance.
• Gandhian economics is difficult to explain as a coherent system of thought, but its ethical principles can never be ignored. Many of his economic thoughts stemmed from what he considered ethically right or wrong.
• The Fifteenth Finance Commission recommendations on local bodies, particularly those relating to urban local bodies, are a dampener.

50-WORD TALK

• Mental health in the current scenario is not a fairy tale. However, we all can strive to be the fairy godmother and provide the necessary mental health infrastructure to promote mental well-being. We must be the change we want to see and help write the next chapter in the book of mental health in an ideal world.

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.