WSDP Bulletin (14-02-2022)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar launches “SMILE” scheme READ MORE
2. India signs MoU to hand over wheat to WFP in Kandahar READ MORE
3. Govt approves Rs 26,275 crore plan for police modernisation; Rs 18,000 crore fixed for security expenditure in J&K, NorthEast READ MORE
4. Australian Foreign Minister announces Maitri initiatives aimed at strengthening ties with India READ MORE
5. Winter bird monitoring programme: Over 200 species of birds recorded across Mysuru region READ MORE
6. Restoration of French heritage structure at Chandernagore will be completed soon: Ambassador Lenain READ MORE

Main Exam    

GS Paper- 1

1. Hijab row: Why empowerment through education is the only right approach READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. How recent amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act threaten years of progress READ MORE  
2. Needed: A gender-inclusive police force READ MORE
3. Modernising the police force and policing READ MORE
4. Rethink must on IAS cadre rules change READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUE

1. Hidden Hunger READ MORE

 INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. For something: The Quad remains a group of friends who share many things, but not a common enemy READ MORE  
2. Ukraine crisis, US unilateralism and India’s dilemma READ MORE  

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. A faltering recovery: Flailing factory output trends suggestthe rebound in the economy is slow READ MORE
2. Budget 2022-23: Hits and misses READ MORE
3. Improvements in agri-credit system can revive agriculture READ MORE
4. Digital assets await enabling legal framework READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY  

1. India’s Biodiversity Act is being amended to help exploit bio-resources, not conserve them READ MORE
2. Fossil Fuel Firms and Their Mouthpieces Offer Net-Zero Logic on Climate Change READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. A special occasion READ MORE
2. Adherence to Pandemic Ethics during India’s Covid-19 Lockdown READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Quad members may have similar concerns and share many core values, they do not have an identical world view.’ Comment.
2. Discuss the need for ease credit availability for the priority sector. Can changes in the co-lending model ease credit availability for the priority sector? Analyse your view.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Politically, foreign policy never matters until it matters, and then it matters a lot.
• Ethics is indispensable to public health because of the great trade-off between the “voluntary versus coercive” measures often employed in health policies.
• Oil and gas CEOs were too chicken to show up to a recent congressional hearing—perhaps fearing that their climate pledges will be revealed as nothing more than slick PR.
• The Government must reboot its rose-tinted assessment of the economy so that the ‘on-paper’ optimism is reflected in billowing factory chimneys.
• There is a need to rethink power and fertiliser subsidies and reorient MSP and procurement policies towards minimising GHG emissions.
• Institutional development across states should be a priority area for equitable flow of subsidised credit.
• Hijab-abiding students should be allowed to exercise their right to education without any hindrance. Let the women be empowered first, so they can decide how much of themselves they wish to hide.
• Apart from the need for gender diversity, there is evidence that increasing women in the force has positive effects on society.
• The capital expenditure push by the government seems to be a step in the right direction, while the rationale behind the continued focus on protectionism is questionable.
• The court has told the state government to withdraw the controversial notices by February 18. It is expected that the due process of law would finally be followed at the earliest.
• States are, however,correct in pointing out that the proposed amendments are a serious infringement of their right to deploy IAS officers as they deem fit.
• The effects of hidden hunger can be devastating, leading to mental impairment, poor health, low productivity, and even death.

50-WORD TALK

• India has been seeing a massive increase in cryptocurrencies and crypto-assets. The Budget speech has broken new ground. It has provided the scheme of taxation of digital assets. However, this is a grey zone. The legalities of the digital rupee will have to be appropriately worked out. There is a need for more clarification so that more people could be encouraged to use digital currency.

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.