WSDP Bulletin (20-01-2022)

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(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Dip in eastern swamp deer population in Kaziranga READ MORE
2. Miss Kerala not endangered: aquarists READ MORE
3. 59,000 metric tonnes of biomass co-fired in coal fired Thermal power plants READ MORE
4. Explained: What is the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’? READ MORE
5. Untimely January rain damages rabi crop, vegetables in Odisha’s Nuapada READ MORE
6. ‘Major discovery’ beneath Antarctic seas: A giant icefish breeding colony READ MORE

Main Exam    

GS Paper- 1

1. Abdul Ghaffar Khan: Freedom Fighter, Gandhian, Pacifist, Muslim and Pakhtun: Every aspect of the life of Abdul Ghaffar Khan struck a contrast to the pettiness that is overtaking public life in India and all of South Asia. READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. States weigh options on IAS cadre rule changes READ MORE
2. Democratise and empower city governments: The general approach towards urban empowerment, including financial capabilities, has remained piecemeal in India READ MORE
3. The marital rape exception must go READ MORE
4. Devas imbroglio: SC order gives government hope of winning arbitration battle READ MORE
5. Food for thought: Starvation deaths remain a stark reality even in this time and age, and the Govt must not shut its eyes READ MORE
6. Revisiting the NJAC judgment for credibility READ MORE
7. NALSA was supposed to be India’s beacon for legal aid. But it’s stuck in a systemic rut READ MORE
8. Failing Collegium and a Weakening Judiciary Are Undermining the Administration of Justice READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. NFHS data offers a reality check for claims of Swachh Bharat success READ MORE
2. Stats of the nation: Not just death counts or data on malnutrition, India’s statistics are poor across categories READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. How to avert a demographic disaster READ MORE
2. RBI’s cryptocurrency dilemma READ MORE
3. Inflation must not impact economy READ MORE
4. Area planning better alternative to guaranteeing MSP READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Ministry’s Draft Changes To Act Undermine How India Protects Its Wildlife READ MORE
2. Thaw of permafrost has vast impact on built environment READ MORE

SECURITY

1. India’s N-project going strong: Capable of meeting challenges faced by national security READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Action without conflict READ MORE
2. Why a Karnataka college’s hijab ban is an assault on the fundamental right to religion READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Though, cryptocurrency poses an intriguing ‘regulator’s dilemma’ against RBI but banning it is not a solution’. Analyse the statement and suggest measure for the effective regulation of digital currencies.
2. Discuss the recent ruling of WTO against the subsidies on sugar provided by India.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• The general approach towards urban empowerment, including financial capabilities, has remained piecemeal in India.
• By dramatically expanding basic public services, the government can create the jobs that India’s youth desperately need.
• Sanitation practices are indeed the most influential in family health and collecting such data is vital to understanding the health behaviour of the people.
• The absence of relevant statistics is the primary problem. A related issue is the politicisation of release. Over decades, heated debates over interpreting data have often been political in nature.
• Cryptocurrency poses an intriguing ‘regulator’s dilemma’ – striking a balance between technological progress ushering financial innovation while remaining as sovereign authority.
• Such measures won’t achieve the best results unless the Devas tangle is sorted out at the earliest. The onus is on the government to resolve arbitration issues without loss of face so as to regain investors’ confidence.
• The cash transferred to the poor at present cannot sustain a family of four for a month. That is why the food policy must be rational. India today has surplus food grains.
• India’s experience with cropping patterns is overproduction of a commodity that causes an abrupt fall in prices and heavy losses to farmers.
• While the collegium system doesn’t find any backing in the Constitution, India is the only country where judges appoint themselves and also decide on their transfers and promotions.
• The law laid down by the Supreme Court binds the collegium as well. Yet, the appointment and transfer of judges to the high courts and Supreme Court have not been strictly in terms of that law.

50-WORD TALK

• Tuesday’s drone strike on UAE by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, and subsequent retaliation by Saudi Arabia, raises fears that the two countries’ proxy war could intensify. Escalation would cripple India’s fuel supplies, and harm the 60 lakh diaspora in UAE and Saudi. India must engage both countries to avert this outcome.

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.