WSDP Bulletin (08-02-2023)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Use of Bio-Fertilizers READ MORE  
2. One District One Product-Districts as Export Hubs (ODOP-DEH) products in Taj Hotel’s in-house luxury store, Khazana given ODOP-DEH tags READ MORE
3. India received highest ever foreign inward remittances in a single year of $89,127 million in FY 2021-22 READ MORE
4. Blockchain Technology (BCT) is one of many promising technologies: RBI READ MORE
5. FM signals readiness to review 28% GST on cement READ MORE
6. India, Russia continue discussions to resolve payment crisis READ MORE
7. CAR T-cell therapy: the next step towards a holistic treatment of cancer READ MORE
8. What are Primary Agricultural Credit Societies READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. Sinking Himalayas READ MORE
2. Need to address root-causes of domestic violence READ MORE  
3. Women: Education, employment, empowerment READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Neglecting the health sector has consequences: India needs an infusion of resources and a bold imagination to address the problems of the sector READ MORE
2. Defend Constitution against predatory politicians READ MORE
3. Reinventing civil societies and democracy READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Education is the only way ahead but SC/ST/OBC students trapped in status quo of merit READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. A quick reset: On India’s G-20 presidency: India and Canada are looking at the big picture as they put behind misunderstandings READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Are we spending enough? Consumption is the economy’s biggest mover. As inflation moderates, Indians should be consuming more READ MORE
2. Positive outlook. Budget 2023: One for new India, new age farmer READ MORE
3. Gender parity. Financial inclusion faces hurdles READ MORE
4. Supporting farm growth: Budget has enabling proposals READ MORE

TECHNOLOGY

1. Make in IndAIa: As Google comes up with a ChatGPT rival & AI becomes ubiquitous, here’s what GoI must do READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Loss of biodiversity and the new Global Biodiversity Framework READ MORE  

SECURITY

1. C Raja Mohan writes: In light of the Russia-Ukraine war, an opportunity to modernise India’s defence industry READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. When quake strikes: Building quality trumps all factors READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Integrate yourself around your true centre READ MORE
2. Accuracy, ethics must be at centre of AI race READ MORE
3. Drop the dilemma READ MORE
4. Myth, ritual And truth READ MORE
5. IQ, EQ and SQ READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Data Protection Bill is riddled with arbitrary provisions that violate the Right to Privacy’. Examine.
2. ‘As the gap between women’s education and women’s employment continues to widen, the question arises if women are truly being empowered’. In the light of the statement discuss how the discrimination against women at workplace can be addressed?

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Peace is the first condition, without which nothing else can be stable.
• While the Bill takes several commendable steps to ensure that it complies with global standards of data protection, it nevertheless suffers from several infirmities that render its constitutionality questionable.
• A greater engagement with Constitution in our everyday workplaces and social conversations will go a long way in refining our understanding of the Constitution – so that in this upcoming cultural collision, if you will, there is a collective sense of the constitutional idea of India.
• As the gap between women’s education and women’s employment continues to widen, the question arises if women are truly being empowered.
• Reservation on the basis of economic disadvantage can only be justified if the provision or policy attempts to eliminate ingrained types of economic disadvantage that cannot be otherwise addressed by welfare measures.
• While the impact of domestic violence on the victim is worrisome, it can also have a traumatic effect on witnesses, especially kids.
• The pursuit of relentless growth of global and national GDP has become a cancer that is sucking water out of the Earth.
• For status quoist India, the rise of the Asian century might turn out to be too seeped in harsh realpolitik for its comfort
• Even the ECI had expressed doubts about the practicality of remote voting rights for migrants in the past. Meanwhile, there is also an active demand for voting rights for Non-Resident Indians. Higher turnout is worth striving for, but not without sufficient safeguards.
• Laws are an imperfect solution to social problems, but to clearly, loudly and unambiguously say something is not okay, signifies something beyond itself. Some lines must be drawn, even if in the sand.
• As India debates the latest border clashes with China, Delhi should keep in mind that China has moved to a security over economics mode, making a Chinese compromise less likely.
• A scheme such as MGNREGS needs to evolve while keeping its core idea of a demand-driven work allocation intact. Treating it as a burden will only hurt genuine beneficiaries.

50-WORD TALK

• India’s China challenge has to be managed through trade and investment rather than by flexing military and diplomatic muscles. India has a diplomatic advantage over China because it is a more westernised country. But India has to find a more substantial way to deal with China and that lies in the economic sphere. India has to carve out its own niche in world affairs, but without using China as a reference point.
• We should gauge the import of the word ‘digital’ added to the present Data Protection Bill. In the digital realm, the magic is created by servers and phones. So, secure and robust data empowerment will happen if loopholes of both are plugged. Cyberspace and telecom platforms should have an overarching regulatory body. To begin with, the Grievance Appellate Committee can be merged with the Data Protection Board.

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 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.