WSDP Bulletin (04-03-2023)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

  1. Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2022-23 READ MORE  
  2. PMI suggests services activity hit 12-year high in Feb. READ MORE
  3. India scores 74.4 in World Bank index on life cycle of working women READ MORE
  4. Kuno National Park unsuitable to host all 20 cheetahs, not enough prey, says scientist READ MORE
  5. World Bank to lend $1 billion to support India’s health sector READ MORE
  6. Supreme Court eases norm for selection of consumer court presidents, members READ MORE
  7. An Express Investigation – Part Three: Red flags, India’s green certification under cloud READ MORE
  8. Our forests are under threat — here’s how they are certified READ MORE
  9. BIMSTEC region can provide green, affordable energy access to all READ MORE
  10. After 89 years, frog endemic to the higher altitudes of Western Ghats ‘rediscovered’ READ MORE  
  11. How SpaceX and other companies’ satellites are spoiling images taken by Hubble telescope READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

  1. Unscrupulous Inequality READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

  1. Choosing the watchdog: On Election Commissioners appointment READ MORE
  2. Former CEC S Y Quraishi writes: Supreme Court order on appointments will enhance Election Commission’s credibility READ MORE
  3. Supreme Court’s Election Commission verdict: When judicial activism writes the law READ MORE
  4. SC acted on EC selection because Parliament didn’t for 73 years READ MORE
  5. Guv vs states tussle needs a political fix READ MORE
  6. Panel on EC appointments: SC shows the way, onus on Parliament to make law READ MORE
  7. Perfect Bureaucracy READ MORE

 SOCIAL ISSUES

  1. Make public places accessible to the disabled READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

  1. Creative formulas: On India, G20 and the Ukraine conflict READ MORE
  2. Mint Explainer: What the G20 foreign ministers meeting meant for India READ MORE
  3. Leveraging BRICS in times of economic uncertainty READ MORE
  4. One Year of the Russia–Ukraine War READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

  1. Data dissonance: On the revised GDP estimates READ MORE
  2. Ensure price guarantee under contract farming READ MORE
  3. ‘War is slowing down economic growth’ READ MORE
  4. Can India Become a Developed Economy and Catch Up with China? Three Scenarios READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

  1. Generative AI and Large Language Models: The AI Gold Rush READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

  1. BIMSTEC region can provide green, affordable energy access to all READ MORE
  2. ‘Insatiable demand from the East, greed & lack of political will is enabling poaching across Africa’ READ MORE

SECURITY

  1. Cyberattacks are rising, but there is an ideal patch READ MORE
  2. Dealing with the cyber threats READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

  1. Lessons from Turkey: How to make India earthquake prepared READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

  1. The Buddha & Angulimala READ MORE
  2. Facts, fiction and Black Swans READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

  1. ‘Mere allocation of large funds could not ensure the nation’s development or public welfare’. In light of this statement, do you agree with the view that there should be a third-party review, as recommended by the 15th finance commission, of the proper implementation of all Central Schemes?
  2. ‘Perfect’ Bureaucracy, a term coined by Prime Minister Modi, is not possible in India because of the politically influenced environment, but we can develop an able and sensitive administration to ensure that the benefits of Government schemes reach the poorest and well in time by effective implementation of Mission Karamyogi. Examine.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

  • The price of inaction is far greater than the cost of making a mistake.
  • The post of the Governor, a relic of the colonial era, often becomes a fifth wheel and a clog to democratic governance, when provincial autonomy is diluted, or an elected government is derailed.
  • Federalism is an integral part of the basic structure of our Constitution, and it is intertwined inextricably with the unity and integrity of the nation.
  • Despite recommendations of the Sarkaria and Venkatachaliah Commissions, active party politicians have been appointed as Governors. There are instances of young party loyalists being appointed as Governors who were later sworn in as Ministers in the States.
  • A look at the estimated receipt and expenditure position of Budget 2023-24 would make it clear that the Government is consciously ignoring the fiscal consolidation measures enunciated in the last year’s budget.
  • The judicial system ought not to enjoy unfettered freedom in the name of the independence of the judiciary.
  • There is a need for a reformed mechanism for the appointment of judges to the constitutional courts where the judiciary and executive could amicably come to the conclusion.
  • The rule of law requires that law be applied consistently & impartially.
  • Smart technologies and solutions thus have the potential to alter the entire value chain of businesses across industries.
  • Digitalisation is inevitable, but it must be adopted only after proper ‘digital literacy’; end users must be made aware of its drawbacks.
  • A country that is fast emerging as a global leader cannot afford to let an unhealthy preoccupation with the past cast a shadow on its promising future.
  • Technical and operational gaps leading to inclusion or exclusion errors must be plugged to ensure the money reaches the intended beneficiaries.
  • Reducing the inevitable negative impact of conflicts between major powers on the forum will be a diplomatic achievement for Delhi in G20.

ESSAY TOPIC

  • The secret of all victory lies in the organisation of the non-obvious.

50-WORD TALK

  • With concentration of power in a handful of companies that operate a contract, it is the weaker link that invariably tends to get exploited. With more than half of the US egg production in the hands of four large companies, contract farmers are a captive lot. It is true that the companies reeling out a contract provide chicks, feed, medicines, veterinary and technical advice, while poultry farmers are expected to ensure land and housing, which is an expensive proposition.

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.