WSDP Bulletin (20-10-2023)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. “Ghar-Ghar KCC Abhiyaan”: A Transformative Initiative to Ensure Kisan Credit Card Access for Fish Farmers READ MORE
2.  Seeing the magic of artificial intelligence applications in ophthalmology READ MORE
3. Moderating inflation bolsters macro fundamentals: RBI officials READ MORE  
4. Steps in place to check price rise during festival season: Centre READ MORE
5. Why Special and Local Laws also need to be reformed READ MORE
6. SC directs Centre, states to immediately appoint district officers under POSH Act READ MORE
7. Southwest monsoon withdraws from India, winter rains likely in 3 days: IMD READ MORE
8. What is Gyan Sahayak Scheme, and why is it being opposed? READ MORE
9. MSP calculations still continue with old formula & not on comprehensive cost READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. Why a caste survey isn’t enough READ MORE
2. Why are earthquakes frequent in Afghanistan? | Explained READ MORE
3. Riding El Nino, this may be one of India’s five hottest Octobers READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. An opportunity to recast India’s food system READ MORE
2. Personal liberty should be an election issue READ MORE
3. Drug regulatory reforms for improving quality READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Adapting to the future of work with NEP 2020 READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. The BRI at 10, some hits, many misses READ MORE
2. The old Middle East is not back READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Are southern States being punished for their success? READ MORE
2. What to expect from India-UK free trade pact READ MORE
3. Beyond MSP hike: Need to enlarge ambit of crop procurement READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Stubble burning crisis: Why thermal power plants in Delhi-NCR have been slow in adopting biomass co-firing READ MORE
2. The shape of climate justice in a warming India READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Himalayas heading towards a point beyond redemption READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Consciousness chronicles, from duality to bliss READ MORE
2. Judge your company READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. India’s economic trajectory of progression after independence has been accompanied by a severe retrogression in its economic discourse. In light of this statement, analyse how, in recent times, India has turned from an effective economic policy towards electoral populism?
2. Artificial intelligence-powered technological tools have the potential to revolutionise education delivery and improve learning outcomes. Comment.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• You cannot continue to victimise someone else just because you yourself were a victim once.
• Our real enemies are not men and women but suspicion, fear, hatred, violence and feeling of revenge and these enemies cannot be eliminated by military means.
• Discoms will be profitable only when they are unshackled from state controls and electricity distribution is deregulated.
• The goal should be to create more employers than employees, and it is hoped that “PM Vishwakarma” will help make this a reality.
• The SHG federations can work with the existing panchayat-level committees to contribute to the development process of the village to upgrade education, health, sanitation and infrastructure facilities.
• The SHG model is a flexible and comprehensive tool to steer holistic development services as opposed to only providing financial and livelihood services to SHG women.
• While women-led federations role in promoting empowerment and livelihoods promotion is well known, not much has been highlighted about the SHG federation’s work in providing non-financial and development services in their communities.
• As the threat of climate change grows stark in the Himalayan regions the Early Warning System should be deployed to avoid numerous disasters.
• The biggest concern for India right now is the decline in both merchandise exports and imports over the past eight months.
• If the Indian government remains convinced about not joining the RCEP, it must have strategic reasons, which is fine. But it must nevertheless address the ongoing outcomes of such a decision, and that’s where agility in policymaking comes in.
• Despite the emergence of numerous education policies in the post-Independence period, India is yet to generate an indigenous system of education that is propelled by rationality, scientific temper and empathy.
• Education has to set its epistemic and moral worth and the goals of education should be quality, equity and efficiency in learning outcomes.
• A level playing field in terms of educational opportunities and competition, coupled with affirmative action, can enhance classroom accountability.
• To integrate critical thinking, educational reform has to assimilate the willingness to be rationally critiqued and learning must inculcate the ability to question from different vantage points.
• One is the legalisation of anonymous donations, and the other is the violation of citizens’ right to information about the funding of parties.
• The legalisation of anonymous donations would amount to facilitation and legitimisation of corruption.
• In a democracy, the public have the right to know who funds parties because the funding may be used to influence policies.

50-WORD TALK

• The NCLT and NCLAT, created as landmark reforms in 2016, are now being castigated by the Supreme Court for having “got down to a rot”. It’s long been known the two bodies have become more impediments than accelerants. The court’s words should now spur them to overhaul the administrative quagmire.
• The paltry 7% hike in wheat MSP, even if it’s the highest since 2014, barely covers inflation. If pricing was left to the markets, farmers would have received more adequate remuneration. As it happens, though, ill-informed opponents of farm laws have left the farmers at the mercy of the government.

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.