WSDP Bulletin (15-02-2022)

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(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Successful launch of PSLV-C52 with EOS-04 Satellite READ MORE
2. NHA to integrate databases of welfare schemes to boost PM-JAY coverage READ MORE
3. Centre cuts agri-cess on crude palm oil READ MORE
4. India bans 54 Chinese apps that pose threat to the country. Details here READ MORE
5. Explained: India-Australia interim trade agreement and FTA READ MORE

Main Exam    

GS Paper- 1

1. Lazy lumps: 41% adults lead inactive lifestyles; at risk of disease READ MORE
2. Uniformity: The need is to promote secularism among the citizenry without State interference READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Incorrect diagnosis, wrong remedy: There are simpler solutions to the shortage of IAS officers at the Centre than the proposed amendments READ MORE
2. States of union: State of federalism needs a debate. Opposition CMs need to rise above party politics to start it READ MORE
3. The debate around pendency in the Supreme Court needs a dash of empiricism READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUE

1. Are India’s elite abandoning the country’s poor and vulnerable? READ MORE

 INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Explained | The never-ending problem of Tamil Nadu’s fishermen READ MORE  
2. The significance of the Indo-Pacific for India READ MORE
3. New Delhi truly embraces Quad READ MORE
4. Australia warms up to India: Rediscovers relations after falling out with China READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Correct design can ensure CBDCs don’t destabilise banks READ MORE
2. The Budget’s food subsidy conundrum READ MORE
3. Jobless Growth READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY  

1. How ‘Wilderness’ Was Invented Without Indigenous Peoples READ MORE
2. Climate change may reduce carbon dioxide uptake by forests: Study READ MORE
3. Climate and food price rise: Weather systems are so extreme that farmers have lost entire crop cycle READ MORE

SECURITY

1. Military modernisation lacks enough funds READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Don’t Be in a Hurry READ MORE
2. Pandemic didn’t just affect our mental and physical health, but also changed our morals, trust issues 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

• You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
• More than illegal fishing, the method of fishing, as practised by the fishermen of Tamil Nadu, is the problem.
• Stronger partnerships can strengthen engagement with the Indo-Pacific region and enhance India’s reach and impact.
• There is great synergy between the US desire to “empower allies and partners as they take on regional leadership roles themselves” and India’s ambition to play a larger role in the Indo-Pacific.
• There is a concern on whether a central bank digital currency could destabilise the banking sector. This stems from the sector’s crucial role in financial intermediation.
• Australia could become a major partner, but India must not only revive economic growth and revitalise trade policies, but also ensure social peace.
• India has once again requested the world body for a comprehensive convention against terror as it doesn’t even have a common definition.
• A long-term strategy could be to link our education system to requirements of trade and industry, ensuring that a student coming out of the education system has requisite skills for the jobs on offer and there is no oversupply in any discipline.
• At a time when upper classes continue to thrive on waves of profit maximisation, the social and economic safety net of the poor has been gradually eroding.
• “Skill India” and “Make in India” can be excellent catalysts for employment generation but the outcome has been sub-optimal because the Government appears to care more for headline numbers, planning to achieve a $5 trillion economy by subsidising big business.

50-WORD TALK

• Election Commission’s rule of 48 hours silence, even for news media, before voting needs a realistic, modern upgrade. As PM Modi, CM Yogi have shown, politicians routinely find ways around it. In this era of social media and multi-phase polls, it’s un-enforceable. Technology and political smarts are one step ahead.
• The Quad threatens to become another forum for discussing everything — but doing nothing. The alliance may be engaged on vaccines, cybersecurity and climate change, but it’s dancing around confronting China’s bullying. It’s also divided on geopolitical issues like Myanmar and Ukraine. Till Washington shows clarity and leadership, this won’t change.

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.