WSDP Bulletin (16-01-2024)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. New butterfly species endemic to Western Ghats discovered in Karnataka READ MORE
2. India Signs Agreement for Lithium Exploration & Mining Project in Argentina READ MORE
3. Over 24.8 crore people moved out of poverty in India in nine years: NITI report READ MORE
4. Exports marginally up at $38.45 billion in December; trade deficit narrows READ MORE
5. AI will impact 40% of jobs globally, says IMF chief READ MORE
6. Why Kashmir and Ladakh are without snow this winter, its implications READ MORE
7. Warming up to climate change: As greenhouse gases occur naturally, why do emissions from human activities matter? READ MORE
8. Who are the shankaracharyas — and who was Adi Shankara? READ MORE
9. What is the World Economic Forum meeting, held annually in Davos? READ MORE
10. Changes in precipitation in moderate or very high emissions scenario to impact 3-5 billion people: Study READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. Second class: Autonomy in decision-making for Indian women is a rare privilege. Blame our social structure READ MORE
2. Indian women: Climbing the U curve READ MORE
3. Rising tide of atrocities against Dalits READ MORE
4. Bose’s winning goal for Independence READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. A Speaker’s flawed move to determine the real faction READ MORE
2. Regulating India’s online gaming industry READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. On the Swachh Survekshan awards: Factors that hinder general improvement in sanitation must be overcome READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Iran, also ran: Jaishankar’s visit is useful. But New Delhi’s key interests in West Asia don’t now include Tehran READ MORE  
2. Doing diplomacy with patience in Maldives READ MORE
3. A new milestone in India-West Asia relations READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Empowering rural India through digital access READ MORE
2. WTO legitimacy at stake in Abu Dhabi meeting READ MORE
3. The geography of unequal growth READ MORE
4. The Middle Corridor and opportunities for India READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. For India, the easiest way to decarbonise is to scale up renewable capacity READ MORE
2. Conservation strategies to protect big cat stripes READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Are antibiotics over-prescribed in India? READ MORE
2. Direct mobile broadcasting is a gamechanger READ MORE
3. The pragmatic approach to counter international terrorism READ MORE

INTERNAL SECURITY

1. The delusion of eliminating ‘the last terrorist’ READ MORE  
2. Border management cannot ignore Myanmar situation READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Awareness and deterrence key to reducing fire hazards READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Of Sun, science and sacred flames READ MORE
2. Spiritual compass READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. The Middle Corridor initiative presents great opportunities for countries to create economic diversification, encourage regional integration, and foster stronger diplomatic relations. Comment.
2. The country requires a fiscal blueprint that harmonises economic growth with environmental imperatives and the 16th FC is the best-placed institutional mechanism to fulfil this critical need. Comment.
3. Indian diplomacy in the neighbourhood lacked both the economic and the military resources to deliver on its policy objectives that it inherited as the successor state to British India. Examine.
4. As long as defection disputes are in the hands of Speakers, and not any independent authority, political considerations will undoubtedly cast a shadow on the power to disqualify. Argue in the light of recent developments.
5. The lack of access to timely and accurate information always remained a hurdle for farmers in India. Discuss how the agri-tech startups are bridging this information gap through mobile applications and digital platforms?

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• We do not need guns and bombs to bring peace, we need love and compassion.
• Neutralising terrorists is a crucial objective of the security operations, but it ought not to become the overriding factor in the context of there being lower terror indices.
• It must be made clear here that the question as to which faction is the real party cannot be decided by the Speaker as the Tenth Schedule does not require him to decide this. This question is decided only by the Election Commission of India under paragraph 15 of the symbols order.
• Establishing a strict regulatory framework is an urgent need, not just for protecting our digital nagriks and national interests, but also to ensure responsible growth of the online gaming sector.
• Reduction in the use of fossil fuels can be easily done in the case of power generation where one needs to substitute coal and gas with solar, wind, hydro and also nuclear.
• India is caught between Iran’s ‘Axis of Resistance’ on one hand and the US-Israel-Arab partnership on the other hand.
• Women’s participation rate in labour has risen, thanks to improvements in convenience and safety of working, and changes in social norms and preferences.
• Strained Delhi-Malé relations will boost Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean.
• Democracy is when the people keep a government in check.
• The situation in Myanmar, the diverse ethnic ecosystem in India’s North-East and the overall regional economic potential, a sound border management requires multi-stakeholder consultations.
• The complexities of geopolitics and geoeconomics in West Asia, India’s engagement with Iran, to a great extent, opened the doors for New Delhi in Riyadh, Kuwait, Baghdad and other regional capitals.
• Common Service Centres are transforming lives in rural India by offering employment opportunities and delivering digital services.
• Addressing the roots of terrorism and creating general awareness, along with public support against terrorist acts, are essential steps. However, the government’s attempt to delegate judgment to police and armed forces must be balanced to avoid diluting benefits and impeding peace and negotiation.
• The feudal equations across India are intertwined with caste and gender hierarchies, which create a power structure based on land possession and creates a congenial environment for violence against Dalits, especially in rural areas.
• The Middle Corridor initiative presents great opportunities for countries such as Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the Central Asian Republics. It has the potential to create economic diversification, encourage regional integration, and foster stronger diplomatic relations.
• To address challenges in global security, climate change, emerging technology and trade, the international community must prioritize diverse voices and involve actors that have previously been on the margins of multilateral fora.

ESSAY TOPIC

• The truly happy ones, understand life.

50-WORD TALK

• Maharashtra assembly speaker Narwekar ruling in favour of Shinde faction in MLAs’ disqualification case was on expected lines. His interpretation of Sena’s leadership structure and SC’s observation on legislative majority was ingenious and convenient. Anti-defection law has become ineffective. SC’s suggestion for independent tribunal for disqualification petitions must be implemented.
• The islands remain largely inaccessible, tourist connectivity cumbersome and facilities limited. It’s time to unlock Lakshadweep’s potential. This round has gone to India; Maldives is busy controlling the damage after its ministers’ remarks on PM Modi’s Lakshadweep visit. But what comes next is an inconvenient truth: we haven’t leveraged the tourism potential of our archipelago.

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.