1. Be self-aware and empathetic: These qualities are the markers of high emotional intelligence READ MORE
2. Being alive to the present is enlightenment READ MORE
3. Face Critics Gracefully READ MORE

1. Explained: What are Ramsar Sites, and what is the significance of this listing? READ MORE
2. Climate and Us | Budget shows great promise, but needs greater scrutiny READ MORE
3. Reimagining Indian federalism in the climate crisis READ MORE
4. Plastic Pollution Affects 88% of Marine Species: WWF READ MORE

1. In India, the dangers of a homogenous public culture READ MORE
2. Domicile quota is not a remedy READ MORE

1. Upsetting the Centre-state balance READ MORE
2. Elections can’t ignore Constitution’s spirit READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Parvatmala-An efficient and safe alternate transport network READ MORE
2. PRADHAN MANTRI KRISHI SINCHAYEE YOJANA (PMKSY) READ MORE
3. Explained | When will new Vande Bharat trains be launched? READ MORE
4. Better habitat management helps tigers flourish in Sariska READ MORE
5. RPF launches nationwide operation to curb human trafficking READ MORE
6. Earth’s shrinking glaciers contain less ice than scientists thought, study shows READ MORE
7. E-fasting can minimise e-waste READ MORE

Main Exam   

GS Paper- 1

1. In India, the dangers of a homogenous public culture READ MORE
2. The history and legacy of Netaji READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Upsetting the Centre-state balance READ MORE
2. Elections can’t ignore Constitution’s spirit READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUE

1. Domicile quota is not a remedy READ MORE

 INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. India and the Great Power rivalry READ MORE
2. Economic diplomacy READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. What the economy needed from this year’s budget READ MORE  
2. Is disruption ahead for the gig economy? READ MORE
3. India’s plan to launch a digital rupee needs more thought, less haste READ MORE

 ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY  

1. Explained: What are Ramsar Sites, and what is the significance of this listing? READ MORE
2. Climate and Us | Budget shows great promise, but needs greater scrutiny READ MORE
3. Reimagining Indian federalism in the climate crisis READ MORE
4. Plastic Pollution Affects 88% of Marine Species: WWF READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Be self-aware and empathetic: These qualities are the markers of high emotional intelligence READ MORE
2. Being alive to the present is enlightenment READ MORE
3. Face Critics Gracefully READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. What are the main components of emotional intelligence (EI)? Can they be learned? Discuss.
2. ‘The proposed amendment to the IAS cadre rules portends ill for Sardar Patel’s vision of the All-India Services as a unifying link between the Centre and the states’. Do you agree with this view? Justify your case.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• While high grades and skillsets are definitely important, the importance of someone with a high EI can in no way be overemphasised.
• Expenditure on social welfare, agriculture and rural infrastructure is the best strategy in an economy struggling with low demand and investment.
• Delhi has its own interests to keep in mind. It will struggle to tread the middle ground as Russia-China and US-led blocs consolidate their global coalitions.
• The proposed amendment to the IAS cadre rules portends ill for Sardar Patel’s vision of the All-India Services as a unifying link between the Centre and the states.
• Instead of taking on the larger challenge of delivering sustained growth and enough (and quality) jobs, states bringing such laws are trying to mislead restless, unemployed voters by suggesting that their employment woes are a result of people from other states.
• While the government has shown seriousness in its approach to the climate crisis, but scrutiny in implementation needs serious attention.
• The way in which you handle criticism is an important indicator of your maturity and poise as a human being.
• The Indian voter needs to take responsibility for all his constitutional duties, which include carefully electing representatives to legislatures.
• A digital rupee will be like banknotes, minus the ATMs. Users will be able to transfer purchasing power from their deposit accounts into their smartphone wallets in the form of online tokens.
• Expenditure should have increased to reduce the rural distress induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the trend prevailing in budgets of subsequent years does not support this expectation.

50-WORD TALK

• Imran Khan’s upcoming trip to Moscow—the first by a Pakistani Prime Minister in over two decades—shows the three-way partnership between China, Russia and Pakistan is deepening. Indian sentimentality about Russia, clearly, isn’t shared in Moscow. The rise of this Asian “Anti-Quad” will be a big challenge.

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 the news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and 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 INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. RPF LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE OPERATION TO CURB HUMAN TRAFFIC

THE CONTEXT: Railway Protection Force has launched a nationwide operation to curb human trafficking. As a part of “Operation AAHT”, special teams will be deployed on all long-distance trains/routes with focus on rescuing victims, particularly women and children, from the clutches of traffickers. The Railways, which operate about 21,000 trains across the country daily, is the most reliable mode of transportation for the traffickers who often moved their victims on long-distance trains.

THE EXPLANATION:

The RPF that rescued more than 2,000 women and children between 2017 to 21 from the clutches of traffickers intensified the crackdown on human trafficking with the increasing number of cases. The National Crime Records Bureau registers about 2,200 cases of Human Trafficking cases on an average each year.

Human Trafficking, especially of women and children, for sexual exploitation, forced marriage, domestic servitude, organ transplant; drug peddling etc is an organised crime and the most abominable violation of human rights. Thousands of Indians and persons from neighboring countries were trafficked every day to some destinations where they were forced to live like slaves.

The Indian Railways which transported over 23 million passengers each day (pre-pandemic), is the largest, fastest and most reliable carrier for suspects who trafficked scores of women and children. The RPF personnel had a pan-India presence and were deployed in escorting trains to provide security to railway assets and passengers.

Analysis of the operation –

As part of “Operation AAHT”, the infrastructure and intelligence network of the force could be utilised to collect, collate and analyse clues on victims, source, route, destination, popular trains used by suspects, identity of carriers/agents, kingpins etc and shared with other law-enforcing agencies. The RPF could act as a bridge cutting across States to assist the local police in the mission to curb the menace.

Explaining the need to strengthen the intelligence machinery and the action plan to identify, investigate, rescue and rehabilitate victims of the offence, the cyber cells would start patrolling the web/social media to look for digital footprints of Human Trafficking and added that the focus should be more on trains originating from districts bordering Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

2. J&K BECOMES FIRST UT TO BE INTEGRATED WITH NATIONAL SINGLE-WINDOW SYSTEM

THE CONTEXT: Lt Governor Manoj Sinha launched the single-window portal for Jammu and Kashmir, making it the first Union territory to be integrated with the national single-window system.While 130 industrial services have been made online on the single-window system, over 160 more services will be integrated this year.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Terming the system a “historic move” to facilitate investment. Now global investors can apply for all their business approvals in Jammu and Kashmir through the national single-window system.
• Government is linking the Union territory into a web of partnerships with domestic and foreign companies and ensuring global best practices in our regulatory institutions and systems.
• Since the launch of the new industrial development scheme, policies have evolved to make the Union territory more competitive and lucrative for industries and service enterprises.
• In January last year, the UT administration announced a new industrial developmental scheme (IDS) with a total outlay of Rs 28,400 crore to encourage new investment and to take industrial development to the block level.
• The administration was strengthening the Union territory’s power and road infrastructure, improving connectivity and the law and order situation.
• The integrated single-window system will facilitate new investments locally and globally, e through the national single-window system or through J&K single-window system with user-friendly interfaces and timely approvals.

THE ECONOMY

3. VANDE BHARAT TRAIN

THE CONTEXT: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has in the Union Budget for 2022-2023 proposed the development and manufacture of 400 new Vande Bharat trains in the next three years. In her speech, Ms. Sitharaman said these would be “new generation” trains with better energy efficiency and passenger riding experience.

WHAT IS VANDE BHARAT TRAIN?

• The Vande Bharat train is an indigenously designed and manufactured semi high speed, self-propelled train that is touted as the next major leap for the Indian Railways in terms of speed and passenger convenience since the introduction of Rajdhani trains.
• These trains, dubbed as Train 18 during the development phase.
• The Vande Bharat coaches incorporate passenger amenities.
• The first Vande Bharat was manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, in about 18 months as part of the ‘Make in India’ programme.
• It can achieve a maximum speed of 160 kmph due to faster acceleration and deceleration.
• It has an intelligent braking system with power regeneration for better energy efficiency thereby making it cost, energy and environment efficient.
• The Vande Bharat was India’s first attempt at adaptation of the train set technology compared with conventional systems of passenger coaches hauled by separate locomotives.

HOW MANY VANDE BHARAT TRAINS DO THE RAILWAYS CURRENTLY OPERATE?

• Currently, two Vande Bharat Expresses are operational —one between New Delhi and Varanasi and the other from New Delhi to Katra.

WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE PROGRAMME?

• On the 400 new trains, Railway minister said the announcement had given the Railways a target of coming out with an even better version.
• The design updates in the upcoming trains would focus on safety and comfort of the passengers, including reduced noise and vibration levels.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

4. BETTER HABITAT MANAGEMENT FOR TIGERS, FLOURISH IN SARISKA

THE CONTEXT: The measurement for habitat management for tigers launched about six months ago at the famous Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan’s Alwar district has started bearing fruit. The tiger population in the wildlife sanctuary has gone up to 25, while the resources are being provided to create water supply and develop grasslands for ungulates as a prey base.

THE EXPLANATION:

New route for tourist –

The forest administration has already opened a new route in the tiger reserve’s buffer zone, adjacent to Alwar town, for tourists to facilitate better sightings of the big cats. The new Bara-Liwari route, located in the region where a tigress gave birth to two cubs recently, will reduce pressure on the core area and increase livelihood opportunities for the rural population.

A foundation established by a private bank has started delivering goods and resources which the Forest Department could not arrange because of a variety of handicaps. As part of its corporate social responsibility expenditure, the foundation is funding development of grasslands, earthen bunds and water holes for wild animals at 10 different locations and making livelihood intervention for the villagers being relocated from the sanctuary.

The tiger reserve, spread across 1,216 sq. km area, witnessed the first-of-its-kind tiger relocation from the Ranthambore National Park by helicopter in 2008 after the felines became extinct in the sanctuary. Since then, the animal has taken some time in multiplying at its own ease, unlike the Panna tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh, where a similar aerial translocation was carried out in 2009.

Facility for guards –

The foundation has already distributed 23 motorcycles with helmets to the forest guards in Sariska for monitoring the tiger movement with the pledge that one new motorcycle per new tiger will be given in the future.

 The grassland habitats developed in dry patches of land have helped ungulates to feed better and breed in the areas such as Naya Pani, Dabli and Bhagani, leading to an enhanced feed for tigers.

The forest administration, assisted by the foundation, has created new water sources at 10 diverse habitats within the forest, where solar pump-based tubewells were being sunk. This will facilitate the supply of water to far-off areas, even in the elevated zones without any diesel pump noise as faced in the past.

Amid the efforts being made for relocation of villages, about 1,000 families are still staying in the forest area, with some of them residing within the core area of 881 sq. km, such as in Madhopur, Indala, Kundalka and Haripura. According to the forest officials, the rehabilitated villagers’ needs, including thekhatedarirights on the land allotted to them, have been met on priority to act as a catalyst for the remaining villages to be shifted out of the reserve areas.

5. WHAT ARE RAMSAR SITES, AND WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS LISTING?

THE CONTEXT: On the eve of the World Wetlands Day, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands designated Khijadia Bird Sanctuary near Jamnagar in Gujarat and Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh as wetlands of international importance.

WHAT IS RAMSAR CONVENTION?

The Ramsar Convention, which came into existence in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

With the addition of these two wetlands, the number of Ramsar Sites in India has gone up to 49, the highest for any country in South Asia.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF WETLANDS?

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands defines wetlands as “areas of marsh, fen, peat land or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters.”

As per US Fish and Wildlife services-

• at least periodically, the land supports predominantly hydrophytes
• the substrate is predominantly undrained hydric soil
• the substrate is non-soil and is saturated with water or covered by shallow water at some time during the growing season of each year.

However, the Indian government’s definition of wetland excludes river channels, paddy fields and other areas where commercial activity takes place.

The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 notified by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change define wetlands as “area of marsh, fen, peatland or water; whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters, but does not include river channels, paddy fields, human-made water bodies/ tanks specifically constructed for drinking water purposes and structures specifically constructed for aquaculture, salt production, recreation and irrigation purposes.”

WETLANDS IN INDIA

• Globally, wetlands cover 6.4 per cent of the geographical area of the world.
• In India, according to the National Wetland Inventory and Assessment compiled by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), wetlands are spread over 1,52,600 square kilometres (sq km) which is 4.63 per cent of the total geographical area of the country.

Ramsar Sites in India

• India’s tally of 49 designated wetlands spread over 10,936 sq km in 18 states and two Union Territories is the largest network of Ramsar Sites in South Asia.
• Of the 49 sites, 10 are in UP, 6 in Punjab, 4 each in Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir, 3 each in Himachal Pradesh and Kerala, 2 each in Haryana, Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, Rajasthan and one each in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Ladakh, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RAMSAR LISTING

Not every Ramsar Site is a notified protected area under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, hence systematic protection and conservation regimes might not be in place there. But a Ramsar tag makes it incumbent upon authority to strengthen the protection regime there and also creates defences against encroachment etc on wetlands.

6. E-FASTING CAN MINIMISE E-WASTE

THE CONTEXT: Electronic (e-waste) is emerging as a serious public health and environmental issue globally in this century.

STATUS OF E-WASTE AROUND THE WORLD

• The United States is the world leader in producing electronic waste, generating about three million tonnes each year.
• China already produces about 2.3 million tonnes (2010 estimate) domestically, second only to the United States.
• India is the ‘fifth-largest electronic waste producer in the world’. Approximately 1.2 million tonnes of e-waste is generated annually in India according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
• Annually, computer devices account for nearly 70 per cent of e-waste; 12 per cent comes from the telecom sector, eight per cent from medical equipment and seven per cent from electric equipment.
• The government, public sector companies and private sector companies, generate nearly 75 per cent of electronic waste, with the contribution of individual households being only 16 per cent. Unorganised processing and recycling of e-waste is also not safe from the environmental point of view.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF PROCESSING DIFFERENT ELECTRONIC WASTE COMPONENTS

HOW E-WASTE IS HARMFUL AND HAZARDOUS ?

• E-waste is already a major catastrophe due to its harmful and hazardous effects. It will continue to create more problems if not handled or processed properly.
• Children and adults, who are especially vulnerable to the effects of e-waste, often work, live and play in or near e-waste recycling centres. E-waste can pose several health hazards which include damage of kidney, immune system, reproductive system and central nervous system.
• Electronics waste contains hazardous but also simultaneously valuable and scarce materials which can be extracted. Up to 60 elements are generally found in complex electronics. In the United States, an estimated 70 per cent of heavy metals in landfills come from discarded electronics.

HOW CAN E-FASTING MINIMISE E-WASTE ?

• A digital fasting or e-fasting is usually referred to as reducing technology use such as turning off notifications, turning our phone off while working and setting limits for time we spend on technology daily can not only be helpful for us but also minimise e-waste.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY 8TH FEB 2022

Q. Which of the following is the first state in India to present a separate agriculture budget?

1. Telangana
2. Rajasthan
3. West Bengal
4. Tamil Nadu

Q2. Ramappa temple, which received world heritage tag recently, is located in which of the following states of India?

a. Andhra Pradesh

b. Telangana

c. Karnataka

d. Tamil Nadu

ANSWER FOR 7^TH FEB 2022

Answer:  C

Explanation:

1. Satkosia Tiger reserve – Odisha
2. Valmiki Tiger reserve – Bihar
3. Mukundara Hills Tiger reserve – Rajasthan

[WpProQuiz 151]

THE CONTEXT: During the COVID-19 second wave, the government’s efforts to tackle this unprecedented crisis have all but collapsed. Only a proper institutional design will ensure that we are equipped better to tackle future similar disasters.

PRESENT INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

• The Disaster Management Act, 2005, and Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 are used to tackle the Covid-19 Pandemic.
• As public health is a state subject under the Indian Constitution, State Governments have issued orders under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 (EDA)
• The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued guidelines considering the “coronavirus pandemic” as a “disaster” within the meaning of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (DMA).
• The Disaster Management Act, 2005 provides those powers which the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 does not provide and allows the Central Government to take the necessary steps for a functional response.
• On the health advice side, there are bodies like the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) and Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR).

 NEED FOR A SEPARATE AUTHORITY

Limitations of Epidemics Disease Act, 1897:

• The EDA was enacted in the wake of the bubonic plague epidemic in 1896, in Bombay and it has just four sections. It doesn’t define “epidemic disease”. Its concise nature gives wide powers to the executive.
• The Central government’s power under this law only seems to be restricted to controlling the movement and detention of vessels at ports.

Disaster Management Act: 

• Disasters are normally geographically-localized catastrophic events, disrupting normal life for a few hours or days, but unlike a public health epidemic, do not last over a long period of time.
• While the DMA offers effective and aggressive measures to combat any kind of disaster, including epidemics, it may be inadequate due to two issues.

1. While the definition of a “disaster” under the DMA may be wide enough to include an epidemic, it does not contain any specific provisions or the graded approach to deal with the unique problems created by an epidemic.
2. Even the aggressive measures provided for in the DMA may be inadequate due to the exponential growth rate of the pandemic.

Others:

• The use of such an ad-hoc institutional architecture with a multiplicity of statues has resulted in a patchwork response against the epidemic in several areas.
• As the frequency of pandemics is expected to increase in the future due to factors like climate change and global warming, an empowered Central authority may be constituted with a clear mandate to control pandemics.

EXAMPLE OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT

• Looking at a parallel example, India has done well in its institutional design for tackling natural disasters other than pandemics.
• Through the Disaster Management Act 2005, the Union government set up multi-disciplinary Disaster Management authorities from the national to the state, district, and local levels.
• These authorities were assigned clear functions and responsibilities. A separate fiscal window was carved out to deal with natural disasters.
• The purpose of such a design was to create a rapid response structure free of bureaucratization.
• The success of this approach has been seen in the way India has since handled natural disasters such as floods, cyclones, and earthquakes.

DESIGNING AN EFFECTIVE SYSTEM FOR PANDEMICS

Basic Rules:

• First, functions ought to be carefully allocated to different levels as exclusively as possible. Some concurrency of action is inevitable, but too much overlap between the functions of different levels can create confusion and dilute accountability.
• Second, finance must follow function. No mandates must be given to institutions without giving them recourse to adequate resources for execution; if unfunded mandates exist, sooner than later, they will not be carried out.
• Third, every institution that is given a mandate must be given command and control over the staff and other capacities required to deliver that mandate effectively.

Pandemic Response Authority:

• There is a need to establish a high-powered Pandemic Response Authority at the national level and mimic the structure of the Disaster Management System.
• A Pandemic Response Unit should be established on the lines of NDMA like authority or body, having representation from both the Centre and states, responsible for designing and implementing well-coordinated surveillance, identification, contact-tracing, quarantine, isolation, testing strategy, and treatment.
• While establishing a new Pandemic Response Unit, care must be taken to avoid the danger of over-centralization. It is quite possible that a Pandemic Response Unit becomes a super-ministry, exercising unnecessary discretion and hampering effective response rather than aiding it.
• Ideally, what can be done at a lower level ought not to move upward. Only those residual matters that cannot be handled at a state or local government level need to be handled by an apex unit.
• Matters that have wide repercussions across jurisdictions are best centralized. So also are matters that enjoy scales of economy.

Functions:

• Four important matters in which a Pandemic Response Unit would add value would be in strategic medium-term and long-term planning, promoting research, international cooperation, and capacity-building.
• Develop, exercise, and periodically revise national and state pandemic preparedness and response plans in close collaboration with human and animal health sectors and other relevant public and private partners with reference to current WHO guidance.
• Anticipate and address the resources required to implement proposed interventions at national and sub-national levels, including working with humanitarian, community-based, and non-governmental organizations.
• Develop national surveillance systems to collect up-to-date clinical, virological, and epidemiological information on trends in human infection with seasonal influenza viruses, which will also help to estimate additional needs during a pandemic.
• Identify, regularly brief, and train key personnel to be mobilized as part of a multisectoral expert response team for animal or human influenza outbreaks of pandemic potential.

CONCLUSION:

Public health planning should have been strengthened, taking into account the experiences and lessons learned from the current crisis. Handling of the Covid pandemic in Indian states, in spite of scientific and public health advances, demands honest and critical reflections by policymakers and health experts alike. Political accountability has to be fixed and there is a need to get the management response right. It is priorities to set up systems that can work are set up, and they work right. If that is not done, we will continue to suffer far into the future.

[WpProQuiz 150]

THE INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. THE PHILOSOPHER-SAINT RAMANUJACHARYA

THE CONTEXT: The Prime Minister unveiled the ‘Statue of Equality’ to commemorate the 11th-century Bhakti saint Sri Ramanujacharya in Hyderabad and said the statue will encourage youth and will be a symbol of knowledge, detachment, and ideals.

THE EXPLANATION:

• According to the Prime Minister, India had a strong traditional base which drew strength from the preaching of great men like Sri Ramanujacharya. There was, however, no conflict between tradition and development. Even B. R. Ambedkar subscribed to the teachings of Sri Ramanujacharya.
• He also praised the recognition of the Ramappa temple in the erstwhile Warangal district as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and of Pochampalli as a world tourism village by the World Tourism Organization, was an extension of the rich cultural heritage left behind by the Satavahana and Kakatiya dynasties.

Statue of Equality’:

• The ‘Statue of Equality’ has been built at Muchintal, a village in Telangana. The statue is said to be made of ‘panchaloha’, which is a combination of five metals including gold, silver, copper, brass, and zinc.
• This statue is one of the tallest metallic statues in sitting positions in the world. The statue has been mounted on a 54-feet high base building named ‘Bhadra Vedi’. The building has floors dedicated to a Vedic digital library and research centre, ancient Indian texts, a theatre, and an educational gallery to explore the works of Sri Ramanujacharya.

ABOUT RAMANUJACHARYA

• Ramanujacharya was born in 1017 in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu, Ramanujacharya is revered as a Vedic philosopher and social reformer.
• He was the chief proponent of Vishishtadvaita and stood for the importance of bhakti (devotion) as a means to spiritual enlightenment. He worked tirelessly for the upliftment of people with the spirit of every human being equal regardless of nationality, gender, race, caste or creed.
• He revived the Bhakti movement, and his preachings inspired other Bhakti schools of thought. He is considered to be the inspiration for poets like Annamacharya, Bhakta Ramdas, Thyagaraja, Kabir, and Meerabai.
• The inauguration of the ‘Statue of Equality’ which is a part of a 12-day Sri Ramanuja Sahasrabdi Samarohan, is the ongoing 1000th birth anniversary celebrations of Sri Ramanujacharya.
• The Indian tradition of its scholars that views knowledge above rebuttal and acceptance-rejection. “If we have ‘advait’ then we have ‘dvait’ too and we also have Sri Ramanujacharya’s ‘Vishishtadvaita’ that encompasses both ‘davit-advait’”,

What is Vishishtadvaita?

• It is a non-dualistic school of Vedanta philosophy. It is non-dualism of the qualified whole, in which Brahman alone exists, but is characterized by multiplicity.
• It can be described as qualified monism or qualified non-dualism or attributive monism.
• It is a school of Vedanta philosophy which believes in all diversity subsuming to an underlying unity.

3. CENTRE LIFTS 100-METRE CAP ON CONSTRUCTION NEAR ASI PROTECTED MONUMENTS

THE CONTEXT: The Union Culture Ministry was working on amendments to “The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958” to lift the 100-meter cap on construction near Archeological Protected Area monuments.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The ongoing Budget session (2022) of the parliament, the Lok Sabha passed the amendments to the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, to pave the way for several stalled developmental projects, including expansion of Metro and roads and building bridges.
• The proposed amendment allows construction of public infrastructure such as highways, bridges and airports within 100 metres of monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The original Act prohibited any construction around 100 metres of a historical building or place.
• According to the Ministry of Culture, “the Projects like the 112-years-old bridge in Kolhapur, which is 40 metres away from a monument, Metro rail projects in Kolkata and Pune, proposed bridges on the Yamuna, etc, had been stuck for a long time due to restrictions. The new Bill would pave the way for these projects which are coming up in the interest and the safety of the people.”
• The lok sabha panel also recommended a constitutional amendment to enable the Centre to enforce some protective provisions with regard to monuments and sites that are not under the Central or State governments’ protection. To allow the Archaeological Survey of India to act against encroachment of monuments, the committee recommended that the AMASR Act should grant the ASI the power to seal the illegal construction till it could be demolished.

Value Addition:

Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958

• The AMASR Act provides for preservation of ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance. It also provides for the regulation of archaeological excavations and for protection of sculptures, carvings and other like objects.
• The Archaeological Survey of India functions under the provisions of this act.
• The Act prohibits construction in ‘prohibited area’, an area of 100 meters around protected monument. was amended in 2010 to declare the 100-metre radius of protected monuments as prohibited areas and the next 300-metre radius as regulated areas.
• It does not permit construction in such prohibited areas even if it is for public purposes, except under certain conditions. The iconic monuments in India, Taj Mahal, Ajanta Caves, The Great Stupa at Sanchi and the Sun Temple of Konark, among others are designated as “ancient monuments of national importance” and protected under the AMASR Act.
• The Archaeological Survey of India is the custodian of these monuments.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

3. THE PROBLEMS WITHIN THE UDAN SCHEME

THE CONTEXT: According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation Parliamentary Panel, only one out of four routes under the low-cost flying scheme called UDAN have survived after completing the government’s subsidy period of three years.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The MoS stated that this was because of the failure to set up airports due to lack of availability of land, airlines finding the routes difficult to sustain, and the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The poor financial health of much smaller, regional carriers has been a bane for the scheme.

What is UDAN Scheme:

• The scheme is aimed at enhancing connectivity to remote and regional areas of the country and making air travel affordable.
• It is a key component of the Centre’s National Civil Aviation Policy in 2016.
• Under the scheme, nearly half of the seats in Udan flights are offered at subsidized fares, and the participating carriers are provided a certain amount of viability gap funding (VGF) – an amount shared between the Centre and the concerned states.
• The scheme will be jointly funded by the central government and state governments.
• The scheme will run for 10 years and can be extended thereafter.

What is the status of the scheme?

• A total of nine rounds of bidding have taken place since January 2017. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has set a target of operationalizing as many as 100 unserved and underserved airports and starting at least 1,000 RCS routes by 2024.
• So far, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has awarded 948 routes under UDAN, of which 403 routes have taken off that connect 65 airports, which include eight heliports. Out of the total 28 seaplane routes connecting 14 water aerodromes, only two have commenced.
• While the Ministry of Civil Aviation undertook interesting initiatives within the scheme to provide improved connectivity to hilly regions and islands through helicopters and seaplanes, as well as linking Assam with certain international destinations in South Asia and Southeast Asia, these mostly remain on paper.

What have been the challenges?

• The poor financial health of much smaller, regional carriers has been a bane for the scheme. Financial crunch for maintenance.
• According to the Government, they also have problems with the availability of pilots and are forced to hire foreign pilots which costs them a lot of money and makes the business unviable. So far, only those routes that have been bagged by bigger domestic players such as IndiGo and SpiceJet have seen a better success rate”.
• Similarly, the only seaplane flight launched remains suspended. SpiceJet’s seaplane flight from Statue of Unity in Kevadiya to Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad was launched in October 2020, by the Prime Minister and saw a few flights till April but has since been suspended “due to rise in COVID cases, travel restrictions and keeping passenger safety in mind”.

What lies ahead for the scheme?

The Government offers subsidies for a route for a period of three years and expects the airline to develop the route during this time so that it becomes self-sufficient.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

4. SATKOSIA MAKING FRESH ATTEMPTS TO BE SUITED FOR TIGER HABITAT

THE CONTEXT: Fifteen years after declaration as a tiger reserve and failure of revival of big cat population through India’s first inter-State tiger relocation programme, the Satkosia Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha has started making efforts afresh to re-establish it as a tiger habitat.

THE EXPLANATION:

• At the time of declaration Satkosia as a tiger reserve, it had about 12 tigers. Over the years, the big cat population dwindled. The STR is left with only one tigress.
• To revive tiger population in the STR, India’s first inter- State tiger relocation programme was launched by way of import of a pair of tiger and tigress from Kanha Tiger Reserve and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (MP) in 2018. But, the programme had failed primarily due to hostility of local communities and their intensive use of the tiger reserve resources for livelihoods.

Satkosia Tiger Reserve

• Satkosia was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1976. It is spread along the magnificent gorge over the mighty river Mahanadi in Odisha.
• The area was declared as Satkosia Tiger Reserve in 2007, comprising two adjoining wildlife sanctuaries; the Satkosia Gorge sanctuary and Baisipalli sanctuary. The Reserve is spread over 4 districts like; Angul, Cuttack, Nayagarh and Boudh.
• The Core area of the reserve is also a part of the Mahanadi elephant reserve.
• Satkosia is the meeting point of two bio-geographic regions of India; the Deccan Peninsula and the Eastern Ghats, contributing immense biodiversity.
• Species found: The area of Satkosia Tiger Reserve supports moist deciduous forest, dry deciduous forest and moist peninsular Sal forest.
• This area is the home for Tiger, Leopard, Elephant, Gaur, Sambar, Spotted deer, Mouse deer, Nilgai, Chousingha, Sloth bear, Wild dog etc.
• The Forest Department of the Government of Orissa with technical support from the UNDP and FAO decided to start a breeding programme of crocodiles during March 1974. As a part of this joint conservation initiative, the Gharial Research and Conservation Unit (GRACU) was started during March 1975.

5. THE RARE INSECT SIGHTED IN SESHACHALAM

THE CONTEXT: A Tirupati-based wildlife photographer Black percher or black ground skimmer (Diplacodes lefebvrii), a species of dragon fly, was sighted for the first time in the Seshachalam Hill ranges . It belongs to the phylum arthropoda, class insecta and order odonata.

THE EXPLANATION:

• According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of threatened species, Black Ground Skimmer was labelled in 2016 as of ‘least concern’ in view of its wide prevalence in southern Eurasia and the whole of Africa.
• The insect has been sighted in forest locations of Karnataka and coastal Andhra Pradesh, but this appears to be its maiden appearance in the Seshachalam ranges. It is known to move near forest streams.

Seshachalam biosphere Reserve:

• The Seshachalam Hills are hilly ranges part of the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh.
• In 2010 it was designated as Biosphere Reserve. Seshachalam biosphere is spread over Chittoor and Kadapa districts.
• Tirupati, a major Hindu pilgrimage town and the Srivenkateshwara National Park are located in these ranges.
• It is home to a number of endemic species including the famous Red Sanders and Slender Loris.
• The native population of the reserve includes the tribes of Yanadis.

6. THE STRIPES OF SUCCESS: SARISKA TIGER RESERVE

THE CONTEXT: The measures for habitat management for tigers launched in June 2021 at the famous Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan’s Alwar district have started bearing fruit.

THE EXPLANATION:

The tiger population in the wildlife sanctuary has gone up to 25, while the resources are being provided to create water holes and develop grasslands for ungulates as a prey base.

New tourist route

The forest administration has opened a new route in the tiger reserve’s buffer zone, adjacent to Alwar town, for tourists to facilitate better sightings of the big cats. The new Bara-Liwari route, located in the region where a tigress gave birth to two cubs recently, will reduce pressure on the core area and increase livelihood opportunities for the rural population.

ABOUT SARISKA TIGER RESERVE

• Sariska Tiger Reserve is located in Alwar District of Rajasthan in lap of Aravali hills. Sariska Tiger Reserve or Sariska National Park was a hunting reserve area for Alwar state. It got a status of wildlife reserve in year 1955 and in year 1978 it became Sariska Tiger Reserve.
• It covers area of 866 sq kms. The Wild life 0f Sariska Park includes Royal Bengal Tiger, Leopard, Jungle Cat, Caracal, Striped Hyena, Golden Jackal, Chital, Sambhar, Blue Bull, Chinkara, Four Horned antelope.
• Flora of Sariska is found as Dhok tree, Salar, Kadaya, Dhak, Gol, Ber, Khair, Bargad, Arjun, Gugal and Bamboo etc.
• The topography of Sariska supports scrub-thorn arid forests, dry deciduous forests, rocks and grasses.
• The park is home to numerous carnivores including Leopard, Wild Dog, Jungle Cat, Civets Hyena, Jackal, and Tiger.

 THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY 7TH FEB 2022

1. Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?

1. Satkosia Tiger reserve – Odisha
2. Valmiki Tiger reserve – West Bengal
3. Mukundara Hills Tiger reserve – Rajasthan

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) 1 only                         b) 2 and 3 only

c) 1 and 3 only              d) 1, 2 and 3

ANSWER FOR 5^TH FEB 2022

Answer: b)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: They found the semi-evergreen and mixed-deciduous forests of India
• and Bhutan.
• Statement 2 is correct: In India, they are found only in Assam.
• Statement 3 is correct: Conservation status – Endangered. Also, Schedule-I species under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.