WSDP Bulletin (09/03/2024)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Hong Kong unveils new national security law with tough penalties READ MORE

2. EoUs, SEZs to get RoDTEP sops, till September 30 READ MORE

3. India, EFTA bloc likely to sign free trade pact on March 10 READ MORE

4. Union Cabinet approves IndiaAI Mission with 10,372 crore outlay: How it could help private players READ MORE

5. The nature of ‘royalty’ case: How an alleged typographical error led to 9-judge SC case READ MORE

6. Nutritional crisis: India has most ‘zero-food’ children at 6.7 million; third highest prevalance among 92 LMICs READ MORE

7. India’s onion production expected to fall by over 15%; potato production by 2% READ MORE

8. Fourth global mass coral bleaching? Great Barrier Reef severely affected, corals seen dying READ MORE

9. Countries hope to bring BBNJ or High Seas treaty into force by 2025; only 2 have ratified it so far READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. Women and health in India READ MORE

2. Persisting gender gap in STEM jobs READ MORE

3. Structural Transformation and the Gender Earnings Gap in India READ MORE

4. Himalayan challenge~I READ MORE

5. Himalayan Challenge~II READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. SC mantra: Economy with the environment READ MORE

2. Right to criticize: SC ruling should make the police see reason READ MORE

3. The case for disclosure of judicial assets READ MORE

4. Issues before the Sixteenth Finance Commission READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Right to Education and the Union Budget: Need for Renewed Focus READ MORE

2. Pursuit of an inclusive and equitable healthcare system READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Boosting India-US ties: Strategic move to counter Chinese challenge READ MORE

2. Maldives’ Muizzu is making a mistake READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Gender equality as the plank of sustainable development READ MORE

2. India’s suboptimal use of its labour power READ MORE   

3. The relationship between nutrient intake and household expenses READ MORE

4. The poorest can live better without buying much READ MORE

5. India’s push for semiconductors READ MORE

6. Semiconductor ambitions get a boost READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. RBI and the net-zero transition — A roadmap for green India READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Mission possible for Battlefield AI READ MORE

INTERNAL SECURITY

1. Defence Budget 2024 and India’s deep tech leap READ MORE  

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Mitigating risks in infrastructure development READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. A Pathway to Global Prosperity READ MORE

2. Weakness of the ego READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. The finance commission in India is treated as an independent, impartial, competent and semi-judicial body that has dealt with revenue transfer tasks from the union to state governments over more than seven decades. Examine.

2. Gender equality is not just a matter of social justice; it is also a prerequisite for sustainable development. Comment.

3. The transfers of revenue from the union to the state governments for effective performance through an independent body serve the objectives of equity and efficiency relatively better than those of a political body. Comment.

4. Progress in gender equality has been made, but disparities persist, requiring more government spending on healthcare and gender-responsive policies. Comment.

5. Without a paradigm shift in the pedagogies, NEP’s education strategy would remain a mere rhetorical policy statement enacted through some mechanical, ritualised processes. Comment.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

  • Justice demands that no one should do more ruling than being ruled, but that all should have their turn.
  • Though women have a crucial role in energy access, production, and consumption, they face barriers that limit their participation and impact in the energy sector.
  • Initiatives such as the Women at the Forefront programme and the Energy Transitions Innovation Challenge (ENTICE) provide a forum for individuals, especially women, to embark on entrepreneurial ventures and drive collective action for sustainable energy practices.
  • Women play a crucial role in energy access, production, and consumption. Yet, they often face significant barriers that limit their participation and impact in the energy sector.
  • The economy continues to engage a majority in low quality work, which has larger macroeconomic growth repercussions.
  • In this golden period of reaping labour productivity, the economy continues to utilise its labour capital in a suboptimal fashion by engaging a majority in low quality work.
  • Low-cost eateries run by the government should be seen as an investment in public health and not as a loss-incurring liability.
  • By empowering youth to exercise democratic rights, we can ensure a more inclusive, representative, and responsive political system.
  • In uncovering the secrets of the snow leopards, we can take a step closer towards understanding a green-eyed silent cat standing in a remote Himalayan area.
  • The longstanding problem of gender inequality in India pervades most economic and social outcomes, including health.
  • Migration powers economic growth and connects diverse societies. Yet it is also a source of human tragedies.
  • The time had come to ‘enlighten and educate our police machinery’ about the concept of freedom of speech and expression and the extent to which reasonable restraints on this freedom exist.
  • The US wants competition with China, not conflict, while exuding confidence that America is firmly placed to win the 21st-century race against the Dragon. India is a vital player in the US scheme of things.
  • The US efforts to bolster multilateral cooperation are bearing fruit, going by the growing clout of the Quad alliance in the face of China’s expansionist moves.
  • In India, the GDP data is published every quarter, but there has been a huge lag when it comes to the data on how much households are spending on goods and services.
  • There are concerns regarding judicial accountability, which makes a strong case for the disclosure of assets by judges in the higher judiciary.
  • With the spotlight on the Isopropyl Alcohol industry, pivotal for pharmaceutical production, India faces mounting challenges from China in the global market.
  • The semiconductor industry is a key sector of modern industry and is technology- and capital-heavy.
  • The true empowerment of women in India hinges on bridging the gap between academic achievement and professional engagement in STEM fields ensuring women’s active and sustained participation in these sectors.
  • The transfers of revenue from the union to the state governments for effective performance through an independent body serve the objectives of equity and efficiency relatively better than those of a political body.
  • The finance commission in India is treated as an independent, impartial, competent and semi-judicial body that has dealt with revenue transfer tasks from the union to state governments over more than seven decades.

ESSAY TOPIC

  • Gender equality is not just a matter of social justice; it is also a prerequisite for sustainable development.

50-WORD TALK

  • Supreme Court has rightly used strong words to quash the ‘waging war’ case against the Maharashtra professor who merely updated his WhatsApp status criticising abrogation of Article 370. It has called for educating the police about free speech and democracy. This is key to preventing citizen harassment by the authorities.

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.
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