1. ADITYA-L1 MISSION

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS) payload, onboard the Aditya-L1 spacecraft, has captured the first glimpse of solar flares.

EXPLANATION:

• HEL1OS Payload:
  • The High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS) payload onboard Aditya-L1 is the instrument responsible for capturing the first glimpse of solar flares.
  • It marks an important milestone in India’s mission to study the Sun.
  • The information collected is expected to contribute to our understanding of solar activity and its impact on space weather.
  • The payload was developed by the Space Astronomy Group of the U. R. Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru, ISRO.

• Solar Flares:
  • During its first observation period on October 29, HEL1OS recorded the impulsive phase of solar flares.
  • Solar flares are sudden and intense bursts of energy and radiation from the Sun.
  • The data captured is consistent with X-ray light curves provided by NOAA’s GOES satellites.

• Scientific Value:
  • The HEL1OS instrument’s capabilities allow for monitoring the Sun’s high-energy X-ray activity with fast timing and high-resolution spectra.
  • This data is essential for researchers to study the explosive energy release and electron acceleration during the impulsive phases of solar flares.
  • Understanding these processes is crucial for space weather prediction and solar physics research.

• L1 Orbit:
  • Aditya-L1 is scheduled to arrive at the L1 point in January 2024.
  • Once there, the satellite will operate in an irregularly shaped orbit, allowing it to continuously monitor the Sun’s behavior from this vantage point.

• International Collaboration:
• • The collaboration with NOAA’s GOES [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites], indicating the valuable international partnerships in the field of space research and solar observations.

WHAT IS ADITYA L1 MISSION?

• Aditya L1 is the first space based Indian mission to study the Sun.
• The spacecraft shall be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system, which is about 1.5 million km from the Earth.
• A satellite placed in the halo orbit around the L1 point has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation/eclipses.
• This will provide a greater advantage of observing the solar activities and its effect on space weather in real time.
• The spacecraft carries seven payloads to observe the photosphere, chromosphere, and the outermost layers of the Sun (the corona) using electromagnetic and particle and magnetic field detectors.
• Using the special vantage point L1, four payloads directly view the Sun, and the remaining three payloads carry out in-situ studies of particles and fields at the Lagrange point L1.
• It will provide important scientific studies of the propagatory effect of solar dynamics in the interplanetary medium.

WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES OF ADITYA-L1 MISSION?

The major objectives of Aditya-L1 mission are:

• Study of Solar upper atmospheric (chromosphere and corona) dynamics.
• Study of chromospheric and coronal heating, physics of the partially ionized plasma, initiation of the coronal mass ejections, and flares.
• Observe the in-situ particle and plasma environment providing data for the study of particle dynamics from the Sun.
• Physics of solar corona and its heating mechanism.
• Diagnostics of the coronal and coronal loops plasma’s temperature, velocity, and density.
• Development, dynamics, and origin of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs).
• Identify the sequence of processes that occur at multiple layers (chromosphere, base, and extended corona) which eventually leads to solar eruptive events.
• Magnetic field topology and magnetic field measurements in the solar corona.
• Drivers for space weather (origin, composition, and dynamics of solar wind.

ADITYA-L1 PAYLOADS:

• The instruments of Aditya-L1 are tuned to observe the solar atmosphere mainly the chromosphere and corona.
• In-situ instruments will observe the local environment at L1.
• There are total seven payloads on-board with four of them carrying out remote sensing of the Sun and three of them carrying in-situ observation.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/aditya-l1-captures-first-glimpse-of-solar-flares/article67508968.ece

2. SEMICONDUCTORS

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Approximately $8 billion out of the $10 billion allocated for the semiconductor manufacturing scheme remains unused.

EXPLANATION:

• The funds have been allocated by the Union government of India for encouraging domestic production of semiconductors under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme.
• This underutilization of funds highlights a significant gap in the government’s efforts to promote semiconductor production in India.
• Incentives for Semiconductor Manufacturing:
  • The government is providing incentives, including financial support, in high-tech areas such as semiconductor manufacturing.
  • These incentives are intended to attract semiconductor makers to establish manufacturing facilities in India, with the goal of strengthening the country’s manufacturing base.

• Encouraging Korean Investors and Bilateral Trade Goals:
  • The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade Secretary, Rajesh Kumar Singh said that India and Korea must aim to enhance bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030.
  • This goal suggests the desire for closer economic ties between the two countries.
  • Korean investors have invested $5.6 billion in India since April 2000 and they can take advantage of the semiconductor PLI along with upcoming opportunities for investments in battery storage solutions.
  • There is a call to upgrade and enhance the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Korea. Strengthening this economic partnership is seen as beneficial to both countries.
  • Korean investors have a history of investing in India, and there is a call for them to consider utilizing the untapped incentives provided under the scheme.
  • The importance of enhancing bilateral trade between India and Korea has been emphasized.

• Opportunities in Battery Storage Solutions:
• • In addition to semiconductor manufacturing, there are upcoming investment opportunities in battery storage solutions.
  • The Indian government is inviting investors, including Korean companies, to participate in the bid openings for over 20 gigawatt hours of storage and mobility battery capacity in India.

INDIA’S INITIATIVES IN SEMICONDUCTORS

1. INDIA SEMICONDUCTOR MISSION (ISM)

• India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) is a specialized and independent Business Division within the Digital India Corporation.
• It aims to build a vibrant semiconductor and display ecosystem.
• It aims to enable India’s emergence as a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design.
• The mission aims to serve as a focal point for the comprehensive and smooth development of Semiconductor in consultation with the Government ministries / departments / agencies, industry, and academia.

2. INDIA’S SEMICON PROGRAMME.

• The Union Cabinet had approved the comprehensive Semicon India programme with a financial outlay of INR 76,000 crore for the development of a sustainable semiconductor and display ecosystem in 2021.
• Semicon India Program aims to provide attractive incentive support to companies that are engaged in Silicon Semiconductor Fabs, Display Fabs, Compound Semiconductors, Silicon Photonics etc.
• The program will give an impetus to semiconductor and display manufacturing by facilitating capital support and technological collaborations.

3. CHIPS2 STARTUP (C2S) PROGRAMME

• An umbrella programme “Chips to Startup(C2S)” was in line with the objective and vision of National Policy on Electronics 2019 (NPE-2019).
• It aims at developing Specialized Manpower in VLSI/Embedded System Design domain.
• It also addresses each entity of the Electronics value chain via Specialized Manpower training, Creation of reusable IPs repository, Design of application-oriented Systems etc.
• The programme would be implemented at about 100 academic institutions/R&D organizations across the Country.
• Start-ups and MSMEs can also participate in the programme by submitting their proposals.
• Under the programme, the project would be initiated in following key areas:
  • Energy & Environment
  • Healthcare
  • Agriculture
  • Disaster Management
  • Intelligent Transport System
  • Emerging Technology etc.

CONCLUSION:

• There is a need for India to attract more investment in semiconductor manufacturing by utilizing the allocated funds effectively.
• The government is also actively seeking foreign investors, particularly from Korea, to participate in this scheme and tap into the incentives provided.
• The broader goal is to strengthen economic ties and bilateral trade between India and Korea and to encourage investment in high-tech sectors, including semiconductor manufacturing and battery storage solutions.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/business/80-funds-allocated-for-semiconductor-manufacturing-scheme-remain-unused/article67509688.ece/amp/

3. LANDSLIDE AT THE SUBANSIRI HYDRO PROJECT

TAG: GS 1: GEOGRAPHY  

THE CONTEXT: A massive landslide occurred at the Subansiri hydro project on October 27, completely blocking the only functional diversion tunnel (DT).

EXPLANATION:

• This landslide at the NHPC’s 2,000-MW Subansiri hydro project, which is located along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border in India, has blocked the only operational diversion tunnel, affecting water flow in the river.
• The diversion tunnel number 1, which was the only one in use, was obstructed by the landslide, impacting water flow through the river.
• Fortunately, there have been no reports of human casualties resulting from the incident.

• Landslide warnings ignored:
  • In April 2022, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) warned that the Subansiri Lower Project was at risk of landslides.
  • The CEA recommended that National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Ltd., the company responsible for building the dam, conduct a study to assess the risk of landslides.
  • However, NHPC ignored this recommendation.

• Status of the Hydro Project:
  • The Subansiri Lower Hydro Electric Project has faced multiple delays and setbacks since its inception.
  • The project, with a capacity of 2,000 MW, has experienced revisions in its commissioning deadline and has been postponed several times.
  • As of today, more than 90% of the total work on the project has been completed.

• Impact on River Flow:
  • The main dam spillway is not yet ready, and the river was flowing through the diversion tunnel, making the landslide a critical issue.
  • The landslide has significantly reduced the flow of the river downstream.
  • The water level in the reservoir is gradually increasing due to the reduced flow, and measures are being taken to restore the normal river flow.

• Concerns for Aquatic Life:
  • The reduced river flow has caused the river bed to dry up, leading to concerns about aquatic life.
  • Locals report that people are walking on the dry river bed and catching fish, which poses a threat to aquatic life.
  • This drastic change in river flow is noted as unusual and potentially harmful to the environment.

• Project Details and Cost:
• • The Subansiri Lower Hydro Electric Project is a run-of-river scheme and is expected to generate approximately 7,500 million units of power annually.
  • The cost of the project has escalated significantly from the initial estimate, reaching around Rs 20,000 crore in January 2020, up from the initial estimate of Rs 6,285 crore.
  • NHPC began construction work on the project in January 2005 after obtaining forest clearance in October 2004.

CONCLUSION:

• The landslide at the Subansiri hydro project has caused a blockage in the diversion tunnel, affecting water flow in the river and raising concerns about its impact on aquatic life.
• The project has faced multiple delays and cost overruns, highlighting the challenges in implementing large-scale hydroelectric projects in the region.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/subansiri-hydroelectric-project-landslide-blocks-diversion/article67484442.ece

4. AIR QUALITY INDEX (AQI)

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Air Quality Index (AQI) in North India, particularly in Delhi, has risen to “severe” levels.

POLLUTANTS, SOURCES, THEIR IMPACTS AND HEALTH IMPLICATIONS:

• PM 10 and PM 2.5:
  • These are fine particulate matter (PM) particles with diameters smaller than 10 and 2.5 microns, respectively.
  • Smaller particles (PM 2.5) can penetrate the circulatory system.
  • It can lead to serious health issues such as asthma, heart attacks, bronchitis, and other respiratory problems.
  • They are primarily emitted from factories, vehicles, construction activities, and road dust.

• Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2):
  • NO2 comes from the burning of fuel, especially from vehicles and power plants.
  • Short-term exposure to high levels of NO2 can worsen respiratory diseases like asthma and lead to coughing and breathing difficulties.
  • Long-term exposure can contribute to the development of asthma.

• Ozone (O3):
  • While ozone in the upper atmosphere protects from UV rays, ground-level ozone is a significant air pollutant.
  • It forms through the reaction of atmospheric pollutants in sunlight.
  • Increased surface ozone levels are associated with an increased risk of hospital admissions for respiratory diseases and cardiovascular deaths.

• Sulphur Dioxide (SO2):
  • SO2 primarily comes from the burning of fossil fuels by power plants and industrial facilities, as well as industrial processes and natural sources like volcanoes.
  • SO2 exposure is harmful to the cardiovascular system and can lead to respiratory illnesses.
  • High concentrations can harm plants and trees.

• Lead:
  • Lead is a toxic metal that can be naturally occurring but becomes dangerous in high quantities.
  • Environmental contamination primarily comes from mining, smelting, manufacturing, and recycling activities.
  • Young children are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning, which can lead to intellectual disability and behavioral disorders.
• Carbon Monoxide (CO):
  • Carbon monoxide is a toxic, odorless, and colorless gas produced when carbon-containing fuels like wood, coal, and petrol are burned.
  • High levels can lead to unconsciousness and death, while long-term exposure is linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
• The sources of these pollutants are mainly industrial activities, vehicular emissions, power plants, and natural sources like volcanoes.
• Recommendations: While the article focuses on the concerning air quality, it doesn’t provide specific recommendations or actions being taken to address the issue. However, it emphasizes the need for awareness and action to mitigate the impact of air pollution on public health.
• Air Quality Index (AQI):
• • The AQI is a numerical measure used to convey the overall quality of air in a specific area.
  • In this context, it is used to assess air quality in North India, with a focus on Delhi, where the AQI has reached severe levels.

INITIATIVES TAKEN FOR CONTROLLING AIR POLLUTION:

• System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) Portal.
• Air Quality Index: AQI has been developed for eight pollutants viz. PM2.5, PM10, Ammonia, Lead, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, ozone, and carbon monoxide.
• Graded Response Action Plan (for Delhi).
• For Reducing Vehicular Pollution:
• BS-VI Vehicles,
• Push for Electric Vehicles (EVs),
• Odd-Even Policy as an emergency measure (for Delhi).
• New Commission for Air Quality Management
• Subsidy to farmers for buying Turbo Happy Seeder (THS) Machine for reducing stubble burning.
• National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP): Under NAMP, four air pollutants viz. SO2, NO2, PM10, and PM2.5 have been identified for regular monitoring at all locations.

WAY FORWARD

• Changing Approach:
  • India needs to change its approach and bring out effective policies in order to improve air quality and reduce pollutants to levels considered acceptable by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

• Close Coordination Required:
• • Curbing air pollution requires not only tackling its specific sources, but also close coordination across local and national jurisdictional boundaries.
  • Regional cooperation can help implement cost-effective joint strategies that leverage the interdependent nature of air quality.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/everyday-explainers/air-pollution-aqi-source-health-impact-explained-9016879/

5. GLOBAL LANDSCAPE OF CLIMATE FINANCE 2023

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: As per the Climate Policy Initiative’s (CPI) new report Global Landscape of Climate Finance 2023, Climate finance flows have doubled compared to previous years but have been unevenly distributed across geographies and sources.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT:

• Global Climate Finance Growth:
  • According to the report, the average annual flow of climate finance in 2021 and 2022 reached $1.3 trillion.
  • This is a significant increase compared to the $653 billion recorded for 2019 and 2020.
  • The growth is primarily attributed to an escalation in mitigation finance, which saw an increase of $439 billion from the previous two years.

• Uneven Distribution of Climate Finance:
  • Climate finance has been unevenly distributed across sectors and geographies.
  • Mitigation finance has primarily gone to renewable energy (44%) and transport (29%), with a strong presence of private financing.
  • In contrast, sectors responsible for significant emissions like agriculture and industry received a smaller share of total mitigation and dual benefits finance.
  • Adaptation finance reached a new high of $63 billion but still falls short of the estimated needs, which are projected to be $212 billion per year by 2030 for developing nations.
  • Nearly all adaptation finance (98%) tracked in the report came from public sources.

• Geographic Concentration:
  • Developed countries mobilized the majority of climate finance, with a significant contribution from the private sector.
  • East Asia and the Pacific, the United States, Canada, and Western Europe accounted for 84% of all climate finance.
  • China led in domestic resource mobilization for climate finance, contributing 51% of all domestic climate finance globally.
  • Developing and low-income countries received a limited share of funds.
  • The report pointed out the disparities in climate finance distribution, with the 10 countries most affected by climate change receiving a very small portion of total climate finance.

• Private Sector Contribution:
  • Private actors contributed 49% of total climate finance, amounting to $625 billion.
  • The report highlighted the rapid growth in private finance, driven in part by household spending, particularly from the sales of electric vehicles, which doubled from 2020 to 2021.
  • Fiscal policies promoting low-carbon technologies played a role in this increase.

• Recommendations:
  • The report suggests measures to enhance the scale and quality of climate finance, focusing on four categories:
    • transforming the financial system,
    • bridging climate and development needs,
    • mobilizing domestic capital, and
    • improving climate finance data.
  • The report underscores the need to reduce the cost of capital barriers, particularly for developing and low-income countries, by reforming financial institutions and making concessional finance more accessible.

• Global Climate Finance Needs:
• • Despite the growth in climate finance, it is emphasized that the current scale represents only 1% of the global GDP.
  • The report’s projections indicate that average estimated annual climate finance needs will increase to $9 trillion by 2030.

WAY FORWARD:

• Transforming the Financial System:
  • This involves reducing the cost of capital barriers, particularly for developing and low-income countries.
  • There is a call for reforming financial institutions to make concessional finance more accessible.

• Bridging Climate and Development Needs:
  • The report highlights the need to bridge the gap between climate and development needs.
  • This could involve strategies to align climate investments with broader sustainable development goals, ensuring that climate finance addresses poverty reduction and other social objectives.

• Mobilizing Domestic Capital:
  • The report suggests mobilizing domestic capital for climate finance.
  • This could involve promoting domestic investment in climate-friendly projects and industries to reduce dependence on international funds.

• Improving Climate Finance Data:
• • Data collection and interpretation have improved over the years.
  • The report underscores the importance of continuing to enhance the quality of climate finance data and information.

Climate Policy Initiative’s (CPI):

• The Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) is an independent, non-profit, international research organization that works to support governments, businesses, and financial institutions in driving economic growth while addressing climate change.
• It was founded in 2009 to support nations building low carbon economies to develop and implement effective climate, energy and land use policies.
• CPI provides analysis, advice, and solutions in the areas of climate finance, climate policy, and low-carbon development.

CPI’s work is focused on the following areas:

• Enabling capital:
  • CPI helps to mobilize and allocate capital for low-carbon investments by developing innovative finance mechanisms, such as blended finance and risk management frameworks.

• Promoting green and sustainable finance:
  • CPI monitors and evaluates climate finance flows and investments, providing insights into the effectiveness of different approaches and identifying opportunities for improvement.

• Enabling a just transition:
• • CPI helps countries to develop and implement policies and strategies for a just transition to a low-carbon economy, ensuring that the transition is fair and equitable for all.

SOURCE: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/governance/global-climate-finance-increasing-but-scale-pace-not-enough-new-report-92671

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. India and Sri Lanka re-launch negotiations of the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) READ MORE
2. UPSC tightens guidelines for appointment of State DGPs READ MORE
3. Haemoglobin isn’t used only in blood, scientists find in major discovery READ MORE
4. Manufacturing PMI falls to an eight-month low READ MORE
5. Gwalior, Kozhikode now on Unesco list of creative cities READ MORE
6. Bangladesh PM Hasina’s daughter Saima Wazed voted as new WHO regional director READ MORE
7. India-born author Nandini Das wins 2023 British Academy Book Prize READ MORE
8. Rajya Sabha panel to hold meeting, take up pending cases of privilege breach READ MORE
9. India’s cotton yield may be lowest in 15 years, to drop by 20% READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. Divorce: Changing attitudes and social mores READ MORE
2. WWF: 32 million acres of grasslands across US & Canadian Great Plains ploughed up since 2012 READ MORE
3. View from the Himalayas | The ‘Third Pole’ is drying up READ MORE
4. With El Nino around, the heat is on READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. The blueprint to develop India by 2047 must factor in critical governance reforms READ MORE
2. Impacting a woman’s freedom to reproductive choices READ MORE
3. Law doesn’t bar states from counting castes READ MORE
4. Small projects, big impact READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Challenges in equipping job seekers with skills READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Hope floats for a thaw in China-US relations READ MORE
2. US can help India become battery manufacturing powerhouse. And decouple from China READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. India is proud to be the biggest development partner of Bangladesh: PM READ MORE
2. Why GST collections surged sharply in October READ MORE
3. Supreme Court’s decision on tax treaties clarifies India’s Most Favoured Nation approach READ MORE
4. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation: India and global supply chains READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. India’s race to a green hydrogen future READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. AI and the issue of human-centricity in copyright law READ MORE

INTERNAL SECURITY

1. Malware malice: On the Apple cyberattack alert READ MORE
2. India’s Need for a National Security Strategy Cannot Be Ignored READ MORE
3. Is it Time to Call India a Digital Dystopia? READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Farm fires rage on: Stakeholders not doing enough to curb menace READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. The birth and death of Ego READ MORE
2. Essence of the Upanishads READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. One of the strengths of an effective administrator is the ability to retain equanimity and restraint in any situation and those in power do not act as the instruments of nemesis due to their inflamed egos. With the help of some real-life examples, justify this statement.
2. To address the challenges posed by rapid and mass urbanisation, policymakers must shift their focus to organic rural development that involves farmers and local communities. Do you think, in this regard, a bottom-up infrastructure development approach over a top-down approach would be an effective strategy?
3. Policymakers in India need to assume a more cautious approach against diluting the human-centricity in copyright law. Discuss why there is a need to have a cautious approach in extending existing IP protections to work generated by Artificial Intelligence?
4. Caste censuses are essential for addressing socioeconomic inequalities and informing policymaking. How far do you agree with this view? Justify your view.
5. India is deploying smart fencing, but there should be a balance between manned security and technologies. Comment on the statement in light of recent developments.
6. Recent data breach shows that digital India, in reality, is too far from the claim and India needs to renew its efforts to de-mystify technology with the aim of surveillance reforms. Comment.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.
• One of the strengths of an effective administrator is the ability to retain equanimity and restraint in any situation and those in power do not act as the instruments of nemesis due to their inflamed egos.
• Policymakers and courts in India also need to assume a more cautious approach against diluting the human-centricity in copyright law.
• The popularity and importance of the right to a piece of information has been used to hold local governments accountable for lapses in the delivery of services and secure access to basic rights and entitlements.
• Aiming for a high 9% growth rate between 2030 and 2047 is laudable but factoring in alternative scenarios and changing course when warranted, is advisable.
• There needs to be cautious approach in extending existing IP protections to work generated by Artificial Intelligence.
• There is no place within our constitutional structure to see a foetus as anything but dependent on the mother. To see it as a separate, distinct personality would be tantamount to conferring a set of rights on it that the Constitution grants to no other class of person.
• As economic realities change, negotiated relations among countries must also adapt. There is a need for periodic review of tax treaties, especially with respect to their economic benefits.
• The Hamas attack on Israel and this colossal human crisis that is unfolding before our eyes has key lessons for India and the world.
• Engaging with research organisations and academic institutions that focus on education, skills, and labour markets is critical to building capability.
• India needs infrastructure, but the issue is that policymakers often prioritise large and impressive projects that often benefit only those directly connected to the larger economy.
• To address the challenges posed by rapid and mass urbanisation, policymakers must shift their focus to organic rural development that involves farmers and local communities.
• India is deploying smart fencing but the recent developments show that there needs to be a balance between manned security and technologies.
• It is time to renew efforts to de-mystify technology with the aim of surveillance reforms, before this Digital Dystopia becomes a permanent future.
• Digital India isn’t what it is being claimed, the reality is different on the ground. It is time to renew efforts to de-mystify technology with the aim of surveillance reforms, before this Digital Dystopia becomes a permanent future.

50-WORD TALK

• India’s major IT companies have laid off 21,000 people between June and September, largely citing operational efficiency. This data is important. While there is the social cost of such a move, this is how markets function. It’s important for IT giants to think long and hire responsibly, not on impulse.
• India is testing smart fencing in Kashmir using sensors by Magal, which developed systems in Gaza and US. But the Israel episode shows that there needs to be a balance between manned security and technologies that enable unmanned defence at borders. Reliance on such technologies can only go so far.

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.

1. DEEP OCEAN MISSION (DOM)

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: India’s ambitious “Deep Ocean Mission” (DOM) is a program aimed at exploring and harnessing the depths of the ocean.

EXPLANATION:

• The mission has been approved by the Union Cabinet and has several pillars:
• Development of Technologies for Deep-Sea Mining:
  • It involves the creation of technologies for deep-sea mining and a crewed submersible capable of reaching a depth of 6,000 meters in the ocean.
  • The submersible will be equipped with scientific sensors, tools, and a system for mining polymetallic nodules.

• Ocean Climate Change Advisory Services:
  • It focuses on understanding and projecting future climate changes through ocean observations and models.

• Technological Innovations for Deep-Sea Biodiversity:
  • The mission aims to develop technologies for exploring and conserving deep-sea biodiversity.

• Deep-Ocean Survey and Exploration:
  • The objective here is to identify potential sites of multi-metal hydrothermal sulfides mineralization along the Indian Ocean mid-oceanic ridges.

• Harnessing Energy and Freshwater from the Ocean:
  • This pillar aims to utilize the ocean as a source of energy and freshwater.

• Establishing an Advanced Marine Station for Ocean Biology:
• • It seeks to create a hub for ocean biology research and blue biotechnology development.

INSIGHTS INTO THE PROGRESS OF THE DOM:

• The development of technologies for deep-sea mining and a crewed submersible, named Matsya6000, is led by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT).
• Matsya6000 is designed to reach a depth of 6,000 meters and has been through the initial design phase.
• Testing and experimentation will be conducted at a depth of 500 meters within a year, with the goal of realizing its full 6,000-meter capability within two to three years.
• The Ministry is also working on an integrated system to mine polymetallic nodules.
• The decision to target a depth of 6,000 meters is strategic, as it allows India to cater to both its Exclusive Economic Zone and the central Indian Ocean where valuable resources like polymetallic nodules are found.

CHALLENGES OF DEEP-OCEAN EXPLORATION:

• Deep-ocean exploration presents unique challenges due to high pressure, soft and muddy ocean bed surfaces, and the need to extract materials.
• Operating under high pressure requires specialized equipment.
• Visibility and communication are also significant hurdles in the deep oceans.

MATSYA6000:

• Matsya6000 is India’s deep-ocean submersible designed for exploration.
• It accommodates three crew members and is constructed from durable materials to withstand high pressures.
• It has an array of scientific tools, cameras, lights, and communication systems.
• Matsya6000 combines features of remote operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous remote vehicles (AUVs) and is designed to operate untethered.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/2023-11-01/th_chennai/articleGFJBV12S4-4729109.ece

2. FISCAL DEFICIT

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The fiscal deficit of the central government in the first half of the 2023-24 financial year has risen to the 39.3% of the annual budget.

EXPLANATION:

• Fiscal deficit of 2023-24 financial year is slightly higher than the 37.3% fiscal budget recorded in the same period in the previous year.
• In actual terms, the fiscal deficit at the end of September 2023 stood at ₹7.02 lakh crore. This indicates the budgetary gap between government spending and income during this period.
• The government had initially projected to reduce the fiscal deficit to 5.9% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the 2023-24 financial year.
• In the previous financial year (2022-23), the fiscal deficit was 6.4% of the GDP, slightly lower than the initial estimate of 6.71%.
• Tax revenue reached ₹11.60 lakh crore, which is 49.8% of the annual target.
• The central government’s total expenditure for the first half of the 2023-24 financial year was ₹21.19 lakh crore, which is 47.1% of the budget estimate for the year.
• This expenditure figure is marginally higher than the corresponding period in the previous year.

FISCAL DEFICIT:

• It is the gap between the government’s expenditure requirements and its receipts.
• This equals the money the government needs to borrow during the year.
• A surplus arises if receipts are more than expenditure.
• Fiscal Deficit = Total expenditure – (Revenue receipts + Non-debt creating capital receipts).
• It indicates the total borrowing requirements of the government from all sources.
• Gross fiscal deficit = Net borrowing at home + Borrowing from RBI + Borrowing from abroad
• The gross fiscal deficit is a key variable in judging the financial health of the public sector and the stability of the economy.
• The government’s ability to achieve the projected fiscal deficit target for the year will depend on various economic factors, including revenue collection and expenditure control in the coming months.
• Fiscal deficits are important indicators of a government’s financial health and its ability to manage its budget effectively.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/govts-fiscal-deficit-rises-to-393-of-annual-target-in-first-half-of-fy24/article67480542.ece/amp/

3. BRAZZAVILLE SUMMIT OF THE THREE BASINS

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Brazzaville Summit of the Three Basins took place in the Republic of Congo, bringing together delegates from countries in the Amazon, Congo, and Borneo-Mekong-Southeast Asia basins.

EXPLANATION:

• The summit concluded with a declaration by the Heads of State and Government of States.
• It focused on biodiversity, tropical forests, and climate change.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DECLARATION:

• The declaration emphasizes the importance of the three ecosystems of biodiversity and tropical forests, which provide essential ecosystem services for humankind and sustainable development in the regions they cover.
• It acknowledges the significance of protecting tropical forests, which occupy one-third of the world’s land surface.

The seven-point declaration urged nations to:

• Recognise the value of enhanced cooperation between the three basins.
• Recognise that sovereign management of biodiversity, forests and associated resources of the three basins is essential.
• Develop solutions together.
• Pool and capitalise on existing knowledge, experience, resources and achievements.
• Involve all states and national authorities, including indigenous peoples, youth, women, civil society, academia and the private sector.
• Encourage financial mobilisation and the development of traditional and innovative financing mechanisms.
• Establish a sustainable system of remuneration for the ecosystem services provided by the three basins.

Climate Change and Financial Commitments:

• The declaration also addresses climate change and calls for the creation of a fund to address loss and damage due to climate change.
• It urges developed countries to meet their commitments, including providing $200 billion per year by 2030 for biodiversity and $100 billion per year in climate finance to developing countries.
• These financial commitments are set out in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Disappointment with the Outcome:

• The civil society is disappointed, as the summit did not result in the formation of an Alliance of the three basins.
• Such an alliance would have served as a platform for joint initiatives and knowledge-sharing between the countries in these regions.

Importance of Protected Areas:

• The declaration acknowledges the significance of protected areas within these basins, which are home to a substantial portion of global biodiversity and forest cover.

Deforestation Concerns:

• A report by the Forest Declaration Assessment, indicates that 4.1 million hectares of tropical forest were lost to deforestation in 2022.
• It points out that the majority of global deforestation (96%) occurs in tropical regions, underscoring the ongoing challenges in forest conservation and sustainable management.

SOURCE: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/environment/brazzaville-summit-of-the-three-basins-ends-with-a-declaration-92565

4. MELTING OF THE WEST ANTARCTIC ICE SHEET

TAG: GS 1: GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, a new study revealed that the melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet is now unavoidable.

MELTING OF THE WEST ANTARCTIC ICE SHEET:

• The melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet is inevitable due to warming waters around it.
• This melting is happening at an alarming rate and will continue, even if global carbon emissions are significantly reduced.
• The West Antarctic ice sheet’s complete loss could raise global mean sea levels by 5.3 meters (17.4 feet).
• The study considers various climate scenarios, including the best-case scenario of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
• However, even in this scenario, the West Antarctic ice sheet will continue to melt at an accelerated pace, with water warming three times faster than in the 20th century.

An illustration of most of Earth’s ice features, including the ice sheet.

CONSEQUENCES OF ICE SHEET MELTING:

• The melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet has serious implications for coastal regions around the world, including India.
• A sea-level rise of this magnitude could be devastating for millions of people living in vulnerable coastal cities.
• It can lead to increased risks of flooding, erosion, and displacement.

WHAT IS AN ICE SHEET?

• Ice sheets are the massive masses of glacial ice that cover more than 50,000 square kilometers of land.
• The two major ice sheets in the world today are the Greenland ice sheet and the Antarctica ice sheet.

    Antarctica ice mass variation since 2002

• Ice Sheet Impact on Sea Level:
  • When ice sheets lose mass, they contribute to a rise in global mean sea level.
  • Conversely, when they gain mass, they contribute to a fall in global mean sea level.
  • This provides context for understanding the significance of the West Antarctic ice sheet’s melting.

• How Ice Sheets Melt?
• • In the case of the West Antarctic ice sheet, warm ocean waters melt the ice shelves, which are the edges of the ice sheet floating on the ocean.
  • This can lead to the destabilization of land-based glaciers behind them, causing them to flow faster and discharge more ice into the ocean.

CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION:

• Despite the bleak findings, the study emphasizes that the melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet is just one contributor to sea-level rise and one impact of climate change.
• We have reached the point where some impacts of climate change can no longer be avoided, and substantial ice loss in West Antarctica is probably one of them.
• There are many other impacts which we can still avoid or limit: like the loss of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, or the severity of heatwaves, droughts, and extreme rainfall.
• It underscores the importance of continued efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-climate/ice-sheet-melt-west-antarctica-9006179/

5. WRIT PETITION AGAINST GOVERNOR

TAG: GS 2: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: The Tamil Nadu government has moved a writ petition in the Supreme Court against Governor R.N. Ravi.

EXPLANATION:

• The petition alleges that the Governor’s actions, particularly the delay in clearing crucial bills and government orders, are creating a “constitutional deadlock”.
• Governor’s actions are disrupting the day-to-day governance of the state.
• The writ petition filed in the Supreme Court seeks to address the perceived delays and inactions by the Governor.
• The government requests the court to declare these actions as unconstitutional, illegal, arbitrary, and malafide exercise of power.

CONSTITUTIONAL CONFLICT:

• The Tamil Nadu government sees a growing conflict between the elected government and the Governor, leading to an impasse.
• The government contends that the Governor’s inactions have created a situation where he is positioned as a political rival to the elected government.
• Specific Issues Raised:
  • These issues include the delay in granting approval for prosecutions and investigations into corruption cases involving public servants.
  • The delayed approval of bills passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
• The Tamil Nadu government is asking the Supreme Court to set a specific deadline or “outer time limit” within which the Governor should consider pending bills and government orders.

ALLEGATIONS OF POLITICALLY MOTIVATED CONDUCT:

• The petition accuses the Governor of engaging in “politically motivated conduct” by denying sanctions for investigations into corruption cases despite evidence.
• It cites instances where the Supreme Court and the Madras High Court have approved inquiries that the Governor allegedly obstructed.
• A delegation of elected representatives, led by the State Law Minister, met with the President to seek her intervention in directing the Governor to act in accordance with the Constitution.

CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE GOVERNOR

• Article 153 says that there shall be a Governor for each State. One person can be appointed as Governor for two or more States.
• A Governor is appointed by the President and is a nominee of the Central Government.
  • It is stated that the Governor has a dual role.
  • He is the constitutional head of the state, bound by the advice of his Council of Ministers (CoM).
• He functions as a vital link between the Union Government and the State Government.
• Articles 157 and 158 specify eligibility requirements for the post of governor. A governor must:
  • Be a citizen of India.
  • Be at least 35 years of age.
  • Not be a member of the either house of the parliament or house of the state legislature.
  • Not hold any office of profit.
• Governor has the power to grant pardons, reprieves, etc. (Article 161).
• There is a CoM with the CM at the head to aid and advise the Governor in the exercise of his functions, except some conditions for discretion. (Article 163).
• The Governor appoints the Chief Minister and other Ministers (Article 164).
• Governor assents, withholds assent, or reserves the bill for the consideration of the President passed by the Legislative Assembly (Article 200).
• Governors may promulgate the Ordinances under certain circumstances (Article 213).
• Governor’s role:
  • The Governor holds a constitutional position and is expected to perform specific functions, including granting assent to bills passed by the state legislature and ensuring the proper functioning of state administration.
  • The Governor’s actions are perceived as a hindrance to these responsibilities.

SOURCE: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/tamil-nadu-government-moves-supreme-court-against-governor-rn-ravi-over-delay-in-clearing-bills-101698730657484.html

1. CLOUD SEEDING

TAG: GS 1: GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, IITM Pune demonstrated that cloud seeding can produce rainfall.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE STUDY:

• IITM Pune conducted a cloud seeding experiment in Solapur city, which typically receives low rainfall due to its location on the leeward side of the Western Ghats.
• The experiment resulted in an 18% relative enhancement in rainfall, equivalent to approximately 8.67mm more rainfall over a two-hour period.
• The experiment, called Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX phase-4), used hygroscopic seeding in convective clouds and involved two aircraft for cloud parameter study and seeding.
• A total of 276 convective clouds were selected, with 150 seeded and 122 left unseeded.
• Seeded clouds produced more rainfall than unseeded ones, indicating the effectiveness of cloud seeding under suitable conditions.
• Calcium chloride flares were used for cloud seeding, targeting the base of warm convective clouds during their growing stage.
• Cloud seeding alone cannot mitigate droughts but can increase rainfall by 18%, partially addressing water requirements.
• The approximate cost of producing water through cloud seeding was 18 paisa per liter, which could decrease by over 50% if indigenous seeding aircraft were used.
• The study aims to provide protocols and technical guidance for cloud seeding in India, including the identification of target locations, suitable clouds for seeding, and effective strategies to enhance rainfall.
• Not all cumulus clouds produce rainfall when seeded, and the actual increase in rainfall was 18% over a 100 sq.km area.

WHAT IS CLOUD SEEDING?

• Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique that aims to change the amount or type of precipitation that falls from clouds.
• It does so by dispersing substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei, which alter the microphysical processes within the cloud.
• Its effectiveness is debated; some studies have suggested that it is “difficult to show clearly that cloud seeding has a very large effect.”
• The usual objective is to increase precipitation (rain or snow), either for its own sake or to prevent precipitation from occurring in days afterward.

TYPES OF CLOUD SEEDING:

• Static seeding:
  • This involves introducing condensation nuclei into clouds that are already producing precipitation.
  • The condensation nuclei help water droplets to grow larger, which increases the likelihood of precipitation falling.

• Dynamic seeding:
• • This involves introducing ice nuclei into supercooled clouds.
  • Supercooled clouds are clouds that contain water droplets that are below freezing temperature but have not yet frozen.
  • The ice nuclei provide a surface for the water droplets to freeze on, which initiates the precipitation process.

METHODS OF EXECUTION:

• Cloud seeding can be done from the ground or from the air.
• Ground-based cloud seeding typically involves using generators to release silver iodide particles into the air.
• Air-based cloud seeding typically involves using aircraft to drop flares or generators into clouds.
• Cloud seeding is used in a variety of countries around the world, including the United States, China, Russia, and Australia.
• It is used for a variety of purposes, including:
  • Increasing precipitation in areas that are experiencing drought
  • Reducing the risk of hail damage
  • Suppressing fog
  • Increasing snowpack in mountain areas

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/iitm-pune-demonstrates-cloud-seeding-can-produce-rainfall/article67466334.ece

2. COP28 PRESIDENCY

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: A new report from the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) Presidency, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and the Global Renewables Alliance was launched on the sidelines of a pre-COP event in Abu Dhabi.

EXPLANATION:

• It emphasized the need to triple renewable energy capacity for power generation and double energy efficiency by 2030 to limit global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT:

• Emissions Reduction Goals:
  • The report stresses that in the next seven years, 22 gigatonnes of greenhouse gases must be cut to keep the 1.5°C target within reach.
  • It emphasized the necessity of phasing down fossil fuels responsibly.

• Renewable Energy Expansion:
  • The report calls for a significant increase in renewable energy capacity.
  • By 2030, installed renewable power generation capacity should grow more than threefold from 3,382 GW in 2022 to 11,174 GW.

• Solar and Wind Growth:
  • The report highlights the need for substantial increases in solar photovoltaic capacity to over 5,400 GW from 1,055 GW in 2022.
  • Increase in wind installations to exceed 3,500 GW (3,040 GW onshore and 500 GW offshore) from 899 GW in 2022.

• Hydropower Expansion:
  • Global installed hydropower capacity (excluding pumped hydro) must grow by nearly 17% from the 2022 level, reaching 1,465 GW by 2030.

• Variable Renewable Energy:
  • To meet the 2030 target, the share of variable renewable energy (solar PV and wind power) needs to increase from 10% of total electricity generated in 2021 to 46% by 2030.

• Energy Efficiency:
  • The report also underscores the need to double the global annual rate of energy intensity improvement by 2030 compared to current levels.
  • It focused on technical energy efficiency improvements and smart electrification strategies.

• Carbon Emission Reduction:
  • While Nationally Determined Contributions and low greenhouse gas emission development strategies may be implemented, they are projected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by only 6% in 2030 compared to 2022 levels.

• Grid Modernization and Investment:
  • Grid modernization and expansion, as well as investment in renewable power generation, are crucial.
  • Annual average investment in renewable power generation must increase from $486 billion in 2022 to $1,300 billion by 2030.

• Global Financial Support:
  • The report suggests reforming the global financial architecture to support the energy transition in the Global South.
  • It also suggests to increase funding from multilateral development banks and a redirection of public capital from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

• Infrastructure and Cooperation:
• • The report calls for cross-sector infrastructure planning, increased cross-border cooperation, and the development of regional power grids to meet energy efficiency and emissions reduction goals.

THE INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY (IRENA):

• It is an intergovernmental organization that supports countries in their transition to renewable energy.
• It is the global hub for renewable energy cooperation and information exchange, and it provides state-of-the-art data and analyses on technology, innovation, policy, finance, and investment.
• IRENA was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
• It has 168 member countries and the European Union.
• India is the 77th Founding Member of IRENA.
• IRENA’s mission is to promote the widespread adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy, including bioenergy, geothermal, hydropower, ocean, solar, and wind energy.

SOURCE: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/renewable-energy/cop28-presidency-triple-renewable-energy-capacity-double-energy-efficiency-by-2030-to-limit-global-warming-92548

3. WORLD ENERGY OUTLOOK

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: As per the latest World Energy Outlook report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), Global emissions are on track to raise temperatures by around 2.4 degrees Celsius under existing policy settings.

EXPLANATION:

• The report highlights the urgency of accelerating the transition to clean energy and the need for balanced investments in various sectors.
• It also metions the impact of this transition on fossil fuels and the complex geopolitical and supply chain implications.
• Additionally, it addresses specific energy challenges faced by India.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT:

• Global Emission and Temperature Projections:
  • The report indicates that current policies and those under development could lead to a temperature increase of approximately 2.4°C.
  • This is concerning as it exceeds the 1.5°C target set by the Paris Agreement.
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also noted a likely increase of 3.2°C by 2100 under existing policies.

• Peak in Fossil Fuel Demand:
  • The most striking revelation is the prediction of a peak in fossil fuel demand by the end of the decade.
  • This includes coal, oil, and natural gas, with factors such as the rise of electric vehicles contributing to the shift.

• Investment Requirements:
  • The report emphasizes the need for increased energy investments, with estimates ranging from $3.2 trillion to $4.7 trillion by 2030.
  • Most of these investments are currently favoring clean energy and infrastructure, with significant funds diverted from fossil fuels.

• Balanced Mix of Investments:
  • The report recommends a balanced mix of investments that goes beyond solar, wind, and electric vehicles.
  • It highlights the importance of investing in infrastructure, grid expansion, low-emission fuels, and carbon capture technologies.

• Clean Energy Investment Challenges:
  • Scaling up clean energy investments in emerging markets and developing economies outside of China is a challenge, with financial constraints and high project costs being obstacles.
  • The report suggests stronger domestic policies and global assistance to reduce investment risks.

• Energy and Mineral Security Concerns:
  • As the energy sector transforms, there may be concerns regarding supply concentration and mineral shortages for clean energy technologies.
  • The IEA suggests increasing investment in mining and extractive processes but acknowledges the associated risks.

• Geopolitical Implications:
• • The report highlights the importance of political and commercial ties in managing energy supply and demand.
  • It notes that the shift towards cleaner energy sources reduces reliance on fossil fuel-producing states and can destabilize economies that fail to diversify away from fossil fuels.

INDIA’S ENERGY OUTLOOK:

• India’s energy landscape has undergone significant changes, with progress in power generation and clean cooking access.
• However, rising energy demand, especially for cooling due to increasing air conditioner ownership, presents challenges.
• India’s energy consumption is expected to lead to higher emissions, and there are concerns about the nation’s solar module manufacturing capacity.

INDIA’S ENERGY OUTLOOK

IEA’S PROPOSED ENERGY AMBITIONS:

• As the world heads to COP28, the IEA proposes five key energy ambitions:
  • tripling renewable capacity,
  • doubling energy efficiency progress,
  • reducing methane emissions from fossil fuels by 75%,
  • increasing clean energy investment in emerging economies, and
  • ensuring an orderly decline in fossil fuel use.

THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY (IEA)

• It is an intergovernmental organization that works to ensure reliable, affordable, and clean energy.
• It was founded in 1974 to ensure the security of oil supplies.
• It was created in response to the 1973-1974 oil crisis when an oil embargo by major producers pushed prices to historic levels and exposed the vulnerability of industrialised countries to dependency on oil imports.
• It consists of 31 member countries and eleven association countries.
• In March 2017, India joined the IEA as an Association country and deepened its ties with the Agency.
• A candidate country to the IEA must be a member country of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The IEA’s work is focused on the following key areas:

• Energy security:
  • The IEA works to help countries mitigate risks to their energy supplies and ensure that they have access to reliable and affordable energy.

• Energy efficiency:
  • The IEA works to help countries reduce their energy consumption and improve energy efficiency.

• Clean energy transition:
  • The IEA works to help countries transition to a clean energy future by supporting the deployment of renewable energy technologies and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector.

• International cooperation:
• • The IEA works to promote international cooperation on energy issues and to build consensus on energy policies.

SOURCE: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/climate-change/iea-world-energy-outlook-2023-fossil-fuel-demand-to-peak-by-2030-urgent-investment-shift-needed-92538

4. AKHAURA-AGARTALA INTERNATIONAL RAIL LINK

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The successful completion of the first trial run of a goods train between Bangladesh and Tripura marks a significant development in the Indo-Bangla international railway project between Akhaura in Bangladesh and Agartala in India.

EXPLANATION:

• Historical Significance:
  • Akhaura used to be the railway link for Agartala during the colonial era.
  • The revival of this rail link has historical significance and will enhance connectivity between the two regions.

• International Cooperation:
  • This project represents the collaboration and cooperation between India and Bangladesh.
  • It will help in improving transportation and trade links.
  • It’s a tangible example of regional cooperation.

• Economic Benefits:
  • The railway link will have economic implications, facilitating the movement of goods and passengers.
  • Reducing travel time between Agartala and Kolkata via Dhaka from 31 hours to 10 hours can significantly boost trade and connectivity.

• Challenges Overcome:
  • The project faced delays due to land acquisition issues and the COVID-19 pandemic, but its successful trial run is a positive sign that these challenges are being addressed.

• Border Connectivity:
  • The railway link is crucial for Tripura, which shares a long international border with Bangladesh.
  • This connection provides an alternative route for travel and trade, reducing dependence on Assam and West Bengal for road connectivity.

• Potential for Passenger Trains:
  • While goods trains are expected to start soon, the introduction of passenger trains will require formalities to be observed by both Indian and Bangladeshi railway authorities.

• Regional Integration:
  • Improved rail connectivity contributes to regional integration and fosters people-to-people contact.
  • It has the potential to enhance tourism and cultural exchanges.

• Cost and Investment:
• • The project’s estimated cost is significant, but it represents a long-term investment in infrastructure that can have far-reaching economic and social benefits.
• Overall, the successful trial run of the goods train is a positive step toward improving cross-border rail connectivity and fostering regional cooperation between India and Bangladesh.
• It holds promise for trade, travel, and economic development in the region.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/tripura/akhaura-agartala-international-rail-link-trial-run-goods-train-bangladesh-tripura-9006052/

5. INFORMATION COMMISSIONS

TAG: GS 2: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court expressed its dissatisfaction with the failure of states and the Union government to fill the vacancies in Information Commissions across the country.

EXPLANATION:

• The bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra was hearing a petition concerning the large number of vacancies in the information commissions set up under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

The petitioners highlighted the commission-wise status of vacancies which is as follows:

• Central Information Commission (CIC) is currently functioning without a Chief and has 7 vacancies with only 4 commissioners working. All the 4 commissioners are set to retire their by November 6, 2023 following which the CIC will become defunct.
• Maharashtra SIC is without a Chief and functioning with only 4 commissioners even though more than 1,15,000 appeals/complaints are pending.
• Jharkhand SIC has been completely defunct since May 2020 and no appeals/complaints are being registered or disposed for the last three years.
• Tripura SIC has been defunct for more than 2 years since July 2021.
• Telangana SIC has been defunct since February 2023 even though more than 10,000 appeals/complaints are pending.
• There are many examples like this that has been presented by the petitioners.

JUDGEMENT BY THE SUPREME COURT:

• The Supreme Court emphasized that the failure to fill these positions defeats the purpose of the RTI Act.
• This Act is a crucial tool for citizens to access government information, and vacancies in the Information Commissions can lead to delays and hinder the right to information.
• The Supreme Court directed the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to prepare a chart detailing the number of vacancies and pending appeals/complaints in all the commissions.
• It also ordered the central and state governments to take immediate action to fill these vacancies.
• It also highlighted issues such as commissions operating without a Chief, significant backlogs of appeals and complaints, and some commissions being entirely defunct for extended periods.
• The matter is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court after three weeks, indicating that the Court is taking the issue seriously and expects prompt action.
• The Supreme Court’s directive addressed the critical role of Information Commissions in upholding the right to information and the need for timely appointments to ensure their effective functioning.

PREVIOUS SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT:

• A 2019 judgment by the Supreme Court in Anjali Bhardwaj and Ors v. Union of India:
  • It called for the timely filling of vacancies in the Central Information Commission (CIC) and State Information Commissions (SICs).
  • Despite this judgment, the vacancies had not been filled, resulting in a backlog of cases and delays.

CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION (CIC):

• It was established by the Central Government in 2005, under the provisions of the Right to Information Act (2005). It is not a constitutional body.
• The Commission consists of a Chief Information Commissioner and not more than ten Information Commissioners.
• They are appointed by the President on the recommendation of a committee consisting of the Prime Minister as Chairperson, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.
• The Chief Information Commissioner and an Information Commissioner shall hold office for such term as prescribed by the Central Government or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
• They are not eligible for reappointment (as per the amendments made in RTI Act, 2005 in 2019).

POWER AND FUNCTIONS OF CIC:

• It is the duty of the Commission to receive and inquire into a complaint from any person regarding information requested under RTI, 2005.
• The Commission can order an inquiry into any matter if there are reasonable grounds (suo-moto power).
• While inquiring, the Commission has the powers of a civil court in respect of summoning, requiring documents etc.

STATE INFORMATION COMMISSION:

• It is constituted by the State Government.
• It has one State Chief Information Commissioner (SCIC) and not more than 10 State Information Commissioners (SIC).
• SIC has to be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Appointments Committee headed by the Chief Minister.

SOURCE: https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/rti-act-will-become-dead-letter-supreme-court-directs-states-union-to-fill-vacancies-in-information-commissions-241201

1. NASA-ISRO SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR (NISAR)

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The ‘NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar’ (NISAR), an Earth observation satellite, is ready to facilitate the exploration of how shifts in Earth’s forest and wetland ecosystems impact the global carbon cycle and influence climate change.

EXPLANATION:

• It will measure Earth’s changing ecosystems, dynamic surfaces, and ice masses, providing information about biomass, natural hazards, sea level rise, and groundwater.
• NISAR will observe Earth’s land and ice-covered surfaces globally with 12-day regularity on ascending and descending passes.

ABOUT NISAR:

• The NISAR Observatory will be launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota on the southeast coast of the Indian peninsula.
• It will be launched on the GSLV expendable launch vehicle contributed by ISRO.
• The target launch readiness date is January 2024.
• NISAR is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observatory jointly developed by NASA and ISRO.
• It is an SUV-size satellite weighing 2,800 kilograms.
• It consists of both L-band and S-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instruments, which makes it a dual-frequency imaging radar satellite.
• NISAR will be the first satellite mission to use two different radar frequencies (L-band and S-band) to measure changes in our planet’s surface.
• NASA has provided the L-band radar, GPS, a high-capacity solid-state recorder to store data, and a payload data subsystem. ISRO has provided the S-band radar, the GSLV launch system, and spacecraft.
• It also consists of a large 39-foot stationary antenna reflector made of a gold-plated wire mesh which will be used to focus “the radar signals emitted and received by the upward-facing feed on the instrument structure.
• Key facts:

SOURCE: https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/nasa-isro-radar-satellite-to-offer-detailed-insights-into-forests-and-wetlands-know-all-about-nisar-403665-2023-10-28

2. KOYNA DAM

TAG: GS 1: GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: An earthquake of 2.9 magnitude on the Richter Scale was recorded on 28^th October, 2023 around 9.6 kilometres from the Koyna dam in Satara district.

EXPLANATION:

• The epicentre was seven kilometres deep near Goptewadi village, making it the nearest to the dam so far in recent months.
• This earthquake is a reminder of the seismic hazard posed to the Koyna dam, which is one of the largest dams in India.
• The dam has been affected by earthquakes in the past, including a 6.5 magnitude earthquake in 1967 that caused significant damage to the dam and the surrounding area.
• The Koyna dam is equipped with earthquake measuring devices, which recorded the 2.9 magnitude earthquake on October 28.
• These devices are used to monitor the dam’s structural integrity and to provide early warning of any potential damage.

KOYNA DAM:

• Situated in the Satara district of Koyna Nagar, this rubble-concrete dam is one of the biggest in the state of Maharashtra.
• It was built on the Koyna River.
• One of the most important civil engineering projects in India after the country’s independence, the Koyna Hydroelectric Project was completed in 1963.
• It serves primarily as a source of hydroelectricity with some irrigation in surrounding areas.
• With a total installed capacity of 1,920 MW, it is the largest hydroelectric power plant in the country.
• The dam’s catchment area blocks the Koyna River, creating the roughly 50 km-long Shivsagar Lake.
• It is located in a seismically active region.
• The Koyna Seismic Zone (KSZ) is a region of high seismic activity that is located around the Koyna dam. The KSZ has been the site of several earthquakes in the past, including the 6.5 magnitude earthquake in 1967.
• Finally, the dam is essential for controlling flooding during the monsoon season.

WAY FORWARD:

• The 2.9 magnitude earthquake on October 28 is a reminder of the importance of monitoring the Koyna dam for seismic activity.
• Steps must be taken to mitigate the risk of earthquake damage.
• The Koyna dam is a critical infrastructure asset, and its failure would have devastating consequences for the surrounding region.
• The Koyna dam must be monitored closely for seismic activity.
• The Koyna Earthquake Monitoring Center (KEMC) is a dedicated facility that monitors the dam and the surrounding area for earthquakes.
• So, the KEMC can provide early warning of any potential damage to the dam from seismic activity.

SOURCE: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolhapur/tremors-felt-near-koyna-dam-in-satara/articleshow/104811312.cms

3. INSTALLATION OF DNA SYSTEMS IN POLICE STATIONS

TAG: GS 3: INTERNAL SECURITY, GS 2: GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: The installation of DNA systems in police stations is part of the broader effort to modernize and enhance the capabilities of law enforcement agencies in India.

EXPLANATION:

• The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act (CrPI), passed in April 2022, repealed the British-era Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920.
• It introduced provisions for using modern techniques to capture and record appropriate body measurements, including DNA samples and facial recognition.

THE KEY ASPECTS RELATED TO DNA SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT:

• Modernization and Improved Crime Solving:
  • The introduction of DNA systems allows law enforcement agencies to employ advanced forensic techniques for crime-solving.
  • DNA analysis can be crucial in identifying suspects, confirming or excluding individuals as potential perpetrators, and linking evidence to unsolved cases.

• Repealing Outdated Legislation:
  • The CrPI Act replaced an archaic law from the colonial era, which was limited in scope and didn’t account for modern forensic technology.
  • The new Act seeks to align with contemporary crime investigation practices.

• Centralized Database and Common Standards:
• • The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) plays a crucial role in maintaining a centralized database of measurements.
  • It ensures common standards for collecting, storing, and handling measurements.
  • This can streamline data sharing and access among authorized police and prison officials across the country.

WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS AND CHALLENGES?

• Privacy and Data Protection:
  • The legislation has raised concerns about individual privacy and data protection, particularly with the inclusion of DNA samples and facial recognition technology.
  • Safeguards need to be in place to prevent misuse of this sensitive data.

• Awareness and Implementation:
  • There appears to be a gap in awareness and implementation of the rules among police officers.
  • Ensuring that measurements are only recorded for specific cases and that records are destroyed when necessary as it is crucial to protect individual rights.

• Destruction of Data:
  • The provision that individuals are responsible for requesting the destruction of their data after 75 years has raised concerns, especially for those who may not have easy access to the legal system.

• Training and Infrastructure:
  • Proper training is required for handling DNA samples, and adequate storage infrastructure must be in place to ensure the integrity of the samples.

• Scope and Application:
  • Clarity is needed regarding the scope of DNA sample collection.
  • Currently, it is compulsory in cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, but its application in other types of crimes is yet to be defined.

• Connectivity Issues:
• • In some smaller states, limited connectivity and inadequate internet infrastructure may hinder the secure transfer of data and access to the centralized database.

SAFEGUARDS AND ACCOUNTABILITY:

• To address these concerns, it is essential to implement robust safeguards, including strict access controls, encryption, and audit trails to prevent unauthorized access to the database.
• Accountability mechanisms should be in place for data handling, storage, and disposal.

CONCLUSION:

• The introduction of DNA systems in police stations is a significant step in modernizing law enforcement and improving crime-solving capabilities.
• However, it is essential to balance these benefits with privacy protections, awareness and training for law enforcement personnel, and the establishment of safeguards to prevent misuse and maintain data integrity.
• Additionally, addressing infrastructure and connectivity challenges is critical for the successful implementation of the system.

EXPLANATION:

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/why-will-police-stations-install-dna-systems-explained/article67470936.ece/amp/

4. THE GRAVITATIONAL CONSTANT

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Stephan Schlamminger, a prominent expert in gravity experiments, intentionally introduced an undisclosed error into his experiment to obscure his measurement of Newton’s gravitational constant. The code is not disclosed yet.

EXPLANATION:

• It pertains to the gravitational constant (often denoted as ‘G’) and its significance in the realm of physics, particularly in the context of gravitational theories proposed by Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein.

GRAVITATIONAL CONSTANT:

• G is a fundamental physical constant that plays a pivotal role in both classical Newtonian mechanics and Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
• It quantifies the strength of the gravitational force between two objects.

NEWTON’S THEORY:

• In Newton’s theory, the gravitational force between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
• G is the proportionality constant that makes this law precise.
• This law was revolutionary in explaining how celestial bodies are attracted to each other due to gravity.

EINSTEIN’S THEORY:

• In Einstein’s theory, G appears in the equations that describe the curvature of spacetime caused by the presence of mass and energy.
• This theory supersedes Newton’s law of gravitation and provides a more accurate description of gravitation, especially in the vicinity of massive celestial objects like black holes or neutron stars.

HOW DOES THE VALUE OF G IS DETERMINED?

• The value of G was first accurately determined by Henry Cavendish in 1797 through a famous experiment known as the Cavendish experiment.
• However, despite its historical significance, the precise value of G is still not known with absolute certainty.
• The value of G has been determined with an uncertainty of about 22 parts per million, which means there is still some degree of uncertainty associated with this fundamental constant.
• Ongoing research in the field of experimental physics aims to further refine the measurement of G.
• As it is crucial for understanding celestial mechanics, determining the mass of celestial bodies, and conducting experiments related to gravity.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PRECISE G VALUE?

• A more accurate determination of G is essential for various applications in physics, astronomy, and cosmology.
• It affects our understanding of the behaviour of celestial objects, the orbits of planets, and the study of astrophysical phenomena.
• Furthermore, it is significant in the context of high-precision experiments, such as those seeking to detect gravitational waves, as well as in testing the predictions of general relativity.
• It is a fundamental constant that underpins our understanding of gravity in both classical and modern physics.
• Its accurate determination is crucial for advancing our knowledge of the universe, and ongoing research continues to refine its value to improve the precision of gravitational theories and their application in various scientific disciplines.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/2023-10-30/th_chennai/articleGFGBUN3UT-4707782.ece

5. BAN ON THE EXPORT OF THE RICE

TAG: GS 3: AGRICULTURE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, India has banned the export of non-basmati white rice amid depleting public stock in the Central pool, elevated cereal prices, and looming threat of the uneven monsoon.

EXPLANATION:

• India is the biggest exporter of rice in the world.
• As per the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), India accounted for about 40 per cent of the total rice exports (56 million tonnes) in the world during calendar year 2022.

EFFECT OF INDIA’S RESTRICTIONS ACROSS THE GLOBE?

• Soon after India banned the export of non-basmati white rice, there was a sharp jump in the price of rice across markets.
• In the following months, prices have come down, but are still higher than the pre-ban period.
• As per the Rice Outlook of the Economic Research Service, US Department of Agriculture:
  • Over the past month, quotes for trading prices for most grades of regular (neither parboiled nor aromatic) whole-grain milled rice from Thailand decreased 5−6 percent, mostly due to a weaker baht.
  • Thailand’s price rose rapidly from late July through mid-August, primarily in response to India’s July export ban on regular-milled white rice.”

IMPACT ON THE DOMESTIC PRICES OF RICE:

• There has been no respite from the increase in the prices of rice despite the export ban.
• As per the data available on the Agriculture Ministry’s portal, the daily average wholesale price of rice was recorded at 18.42 per cent higher compared with the price (Rs 4,731.32 per quintal) when the government announced the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) in January 2023.
• The retail prices are also higher than last year.
• For instance, the daily average retail price of rice was recorded at Rs 42.80 per kg on October 24, which is 12.59 per cent higher than a year ago.
• On July 20, the day India banned the export of non-basmati white rice, the all-India daily average retail price of rice was recorded 11.42 per cent higher than a year ago.

HOW DOES INDIA EXPORT RICE? WHAT IS BANNED AND WHAT IS NOT?

• India’s rice exports are broadly categorised into basmati and non-basmati rice.
• The non-basmati rice category includes 6 sub-categories— rice in husk of seed quality; other rice in husk; husked (brown) rice; rice parboiled; non-basmati white rice; and broken rice.
• While the government has banned export of two sub-categories of broken rice and non-basmati white rice, there is no ban on the remaining four sub-categories.

BASMATI RICE:

• Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, and Yemen were the top 5 destinations of Indian basmati during 2022-23.
• In all, India exported basmati to 149 countries during the last financial year.
• During the first five months (April-August) of the current financial year (2023-24), the basmati rice export has reached 20 lakh metric tonnes.

NON-BASMATI RICE:

• The non-basmati rice includes varieties like Sona Masuri and Jeera rice.
• In financial year 2022-23 (April-March), India exported 177.91 lakh metric tonnes of non-basmati rice.
• The other three categories accounted for a lower quantity: other rice in husk; rice in husk of seed quality; and husked (brown) rice.

NON-BASMATI WHITE RICE:

• Benin, Madagascar, Kenya, Cote D’ Ivoire, Mozambique, Togo and Nepal were among the top 10 buyers of India’s non-basmati white rice.
• In all, India exported the non-basmati white rice to 142 countries during 2022-23. Most of these countries were poor, and were located in Africa.
• When exports got banned exports, the quantity of grain shipped out marginally declined.
• The number of countries importing Indian non-basmati white rice declined to 25.

BROKEN RICE:

• Before India banned export of broken rice, every month 40 countries imported over 4 lakh tonnes of broken rice from India.
• After New Delhi banned the export of broken rice, the number of countries declined to 21 in September, and to 6 in October.
• In the financial year 2022-23, India’s broken export stood at 30.49 lakh metric tonnes, of which a maximum 12.80 lakh metric tonnes was exported to China, followed by Senegal (10.26 lakh metric tonnes), and Indonesia (1.94 lakh metric tonnes).

PAR-BOILED RICE:

• There is no ban on export of this category of rice from India.
• In the current financial year, Benin, Guinea, Togo, Somalia and Vietnam are the top five buyers of Indian par-boiled rice.

HUSKED (BROWN) RICE:

• The husked (brown) rice is the type of rice from which only the husk has been removed, while the brown rice is unpolished rice.
• Netherlands, UK, USA, Saudi Arabia, and Canada were top 5 buyers of this category of rice during the last financial year.
• In the first five months of the current financial year, only 7,146 metric tonnes of husked (brown) rice have been exported.

RICE IN HUSK OF SEED QUALITY:

• In the financial year 2022-23, a quantity of 19,681 metric tonnes of ‘rice in husk of seed quality’ was exported.
• In the first five months of the current financial year, the export of this category of rice stood at 10,697 metric tonnes.

OTHER RICE IN HUSK:

• India exported a quantity of 4.61 lakh metric tonnes of ‘Other Rice in Husk’ during 2022-23, of which almost 99 per cent went to Nepal.
• In the current financial year, a quantity of 2.02 lakh metric tonnes of this category of rice during the first five months.
• Of this, almost the entire quantity has been exported to Nepal.

RICE PROCUREMENT, REQUIREMENT:

• Total production of rice during 2022-23 is estimated to be at a record 1357.55 lakh tonnes.
• It is higher by 62.84 lakh tonnes than previous year’s Rice production of 1294.71 lakh tonnes and by 153.65 lakh tonnes than the last five years’ average production of 1203.90 lakh tonnes.
• Procurement is on for the kharif marketing season (KMS) 2023-24.
• A quantity of 56.04 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has been procured from 8 states—Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.
• Under the National Food Security Act, 2013, the monthly requirement (allocation) of rice is about 32 lakh tonnes.
• Taking into consideration other welfare schemes including ICDS, PM-Poshan, the monthly requirement is 35 lakh metric tonnes.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-economics/india-bans-exports-of-some-rice-explained-9004685/lite/

THE CONTEXT: Mumbai is facing severe air pollution levels worse than that of Delhi’s at a four-year high mark for the October in particulate matters as well as temperature after the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon.

MORE ON THE NEWS:

• The Air Quality Index (AQI) in several places of the city had breached the 200-mark in the October, 2023 which is considered ‘poor’ and causes serious health hazards.
• In the first few days of this month, the pollution was much more intense than what the AQI indicated because a layer of haze blanketed major parts of the Mumbai sky, leading to reduced visibility.

CAUSES OF AIR POLLUTION

• Wind patterns: The direction and strength of winds are often the key factor in determining Mumbai’s air quality. Winds usually alternate between moving from the sea towards the land and moving from the land towards the sea, and this cycle repeats every three to four days. This year, instead of alternating every 3-4 days, the winds were sometimes changing directions after eight or ten days, which impacted the city’s air quality.
• Diminshing effect of sea breezes: The effect of sea breezes is weakening because of adverse meteorological conditions, triggered by climate change. This has negated the natural cleansing advantages of the city by the sea.
• Climate change: The dip in La Nina and cooling of the ocean surface and change in wind patterns partially caused a sudden spike in the particulate matter in the coastal city. The dip in the periodic cooling of the sea surface leads to a defers the strong wind reversal from across the sea, keeping the pollutants hanging in the lower atmosphere for longer period.
• Dust from road and construction sites: There is high level of construction activity ongoing in the city. City officials concluded dust from construction sites as the key contributor of this pollution. Another cause of pollution in the city is found to be the displacement of dust particles from roads and vehicles carrying construction debris.
• Use of unclean oils for cooking in eateries: Cooking at several restaurants, dhabas and other eateries using unclean oils emit ultrafine particles including oil droplets and condensed organic compounds. Unclean kitchens also produce nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and formaldehyde in harmful concentrations.

STEPS TAKEN BY AUTHORITIES:

• Officials decided to operate anti-smog guns on 50 to 60 major roads. A sensor-based air pollution monitor to be installed at work sites.
• Vehicles transporting construction debris will be covered properly with tarpaulin sheets and not carry more than the prescribed load.
• The transport commissioner has also been directed to take stringent action against vehicles which are past their service life, do not have a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate or are overloading.
• BMC formed task forces to conduct weekly drive to identify those restaurants, bakeries and banquet halls those were using unclean oils as well as fuels to fire the ovens.
• BMC issued a warning to halt construction activities at all sites if dust and pollution control measures were not being implemented in response to deteriorating air quality in Mumbai.
• Earlier, BMC had released Mumbai Air Pollution Mitigation Plan(MAPMP) guidelines that laid down procedures to be followed during construction and other activities that cause dust and pollution.

THE WAY FORWARD

• Robust air quality monitoring: Air quality monitoring needs to become robust and regular, with real-time updates about the critical air pockets and sources of pollution along with health information. Data dissemination should be quick, sorted and effective so that analysis becomes easier for mitigation and policymaking.
• Addressing root cause of the pollution: There is a need to address the root cause of the pollution which is not the natural cause but anthropogenic. For that, the government needs to run awareness programmes and prioritise long-term mitigation of pollution by using scientific techniques.
• Inclusive approach: There is a need to have a more inclusive approach by involving everyone in the decision-making step. The government can form a city-level committee under the National Clean Air Program, including citizen stakeholders and experts from civil society. The inputs from the committee and collectives can be taken into consideration while addressing different sources of air pollution.

THE CONCLUSION:

Geographical advantage of Mumbai has protected the city from bad quality air but the recent rise in pollution is rising concerns among the residents. However, given the seriousness of climate change, it is time to take serious steps for effective measures to improve the city’s air quality.

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1 What are the key features of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) initiated by the Government of India? (2020)

Q.2 Enumerate the National Water Policy of India. Taking river Ganges as an example, discuss the strategies which may be adopted for river water pollution control and management. What are the legal provisions of the management and handling of hazardous wastes in India? (2013)

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.1 Despite having natural cleansing air mechanism, Mumbai is facing severe air pollution. Discuss the causes and suggest measures to tackle the pollution.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-climate/why-mumbai-is-witnessing-more-poor-air-quality-days-8998070/#:~:text=Long%2Dterm%20trends%20show%20a,more%20consumptin%20and%20more%20emissions.

1. NUTRIENT BASED SUBSIDY (NBS)

TAG: GS 3: AGRICULTURE

THE CONTEXT: The Union Cabinet approved the proposal of the Department of Fertilizers for fixing the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for Rabi Season 2023-24 on Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilizers.

EXPLANATION:

• The NBS rates are designed to ensure that farmers have access to affordable fertilizers, which are essential for increasing crop yields and improving farm incomes.
• The NBS rates for Rabi Season 2023-24 are as follows:
  • Nitrogen: Rs. 47.2 per kg
  • Phosphorus: Rs. 20.82 per kg
  • Potash: Rs. 2.38 per kg
  • Sulphur: Rs. 1.89 per kg
• In the upcoming Rabi season 2023-24, an expenditure of Rs.22,303 crore is expected on NBS.
• The subsidy on P&K fertilizers will be provided based on approved rates for Rabi 2023-24 to ensure smooth availability of these fertilizers to the farmers at affordable prices.

BENEFITS:

• The availability of fertilizers to farmers at subsidized, affordable and reasonable prices will be ensured.
• Rationalization of subsidy on P&K fertilizers in view of recent trends in the international prices of fertilizers and inputs.
• Farmers can purchase fertilizers at affordable prices, which helps to reduce their input costs.
• The NBS scheme promotes the use of balanced fertilizers, which is essential for improving soil fertility and crop yields.
• The NBS scheme helps to reduce the dependence of farmers on imported fertilizers.
• The NBS scheme helps to increase farm incomes and improve the livelihood of farmers.

NUTRIENT BASED SUBSIDY (NBS):

• The subsidy on P&K fertilizers is governed by NBS Scheme since 2010.
• Under the NBS scheme, the government provides a fixed subsidy per kilogram of nutrients (N, P, K, and S) contained in fertilizers.
• The subsidy rates are revised on annual basis to take into account the changes in the cost of production and import of fertilizers.
• Government is making available 25 grades of P&K fertilizers to farmers at subsidized prices through fertilizer manufacturers/importers.
• In accordance with its farmer friendly approach, the Government is committed to ensure the availability of P&K fertilizers to the farmers at affordable prices.
• In view of the recent trends in the international prices of fertilizers & inputs i.e. Urea, DAP, MOP and Sulphur, Government has decided to approve the NBS rates for Rabi 2023-24 on Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilizers.
• The subsidy would be provided to the fertilizer companies as per approved and notified rates so that fertilizers are made available to farmers at affordable prices.

RABI CROPS:

• These crops are sown around the Retreating Monsoon and Northeast monsoon season, which begins in October and are called rabi or winter crops.
• The harvest for these crops happens typically during April and May, during the summer season.
• These crops are not much affected by the rainfall.
• Major Rabi crops are wheat, gram, peas, barley etc.
• A warm climate is required for seed germination and cold climate for the growth of crops.

SOURCE: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1970773

2. ANCIENT LANDSCAPE UNDER THE ANTARCTIC ICE

TAG: GS 1: GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: A new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience has revealed the existence of an ancient landscape cut by rivers deep under the Antarctic ice.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE STUDY:

• The landscape is located in East Antarctica’s Wilkes Land region bordering the Indian Ocean, covers an area roughly the size of Belgium or the U.S. state of Maryland.
• It is thought to be at least 14 million years old, predating the initial growth of the East Antarctic ice around 34 million years ago.
• The study used satellite observations of the ice surface and ice-penetrating radar data from a plane flying over the site.
• The radar data revealed a series of valleys and ridges that are consistent with the features of a river-carved landscape.
• Some previous studies similarly have revealed ancient landscapes beneath Antarctica’s ice including mountains and highlands, though the landscape discovered in the new study was the first of its type.
• The landscape has been modified by different processes influenced by rivers, tectonics and glaciation over a very long period of geological time.
• Right before 34 million years ago, Antarctica’s landscape and flora likely resembled today’s cold temperate rainforests of Tasmania, New Zealand and South America’s Patagonia region.
• Antarctica was once part of the Gondwana supercontinent that also encompassed what is now Africa, South America, Australia, the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian Peninsula, but eventually split off and became isolated in a geological process called plate tectonics.
• Researchers think that when Antarctica’s climate was warmer, rivers flowed across the newly identified landscape toward a continental coastline that was created as the other land masses broke away.
• When the climate cooled some small glaciers formed on hills next to the rivers, with valleys deepening amid glacial erosion.
• Then the climate cooled more significantly, and an ice sheet grew which covered the whole continent, swamping any glaciers that had existed before.
• When that ice growth occurred, the conditions between the base of the ice and the landscape changed to become very cold – and in this way it was no longer able to erode our landscape. Instead, the landscape got preserved, likely for 34 million years.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE

• The discovery of this ancient landscape has a number of implications for the future.
• Firstly, it shows that the Earth’s climate is more dynamic than previously thought. This suggests that we need to be better prepared for the possibility of rapid climate change in the future.
• Secondly, the discovery of the landscape could help us to better understand how the Antarctic ice sheet will behave in response to climate change.
• This information is essential for developing strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
• Thirdly, the discovery of the landscape could lead to new discoveries about life in Antarctica.
• The landscape could provide a habitat for microbes that have survived for millions of years beneath the ice.
• The study of these microbes could provide new insights into the origins and evolution of life.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/antarctica-forests-rivers-34-million-years-ago/article67456512.ece

3. INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ALLIANCE

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: The Sixth Assembly of the International Solar Alliance is going to be held in New Delhi from October 30 – November 2, 2023.

EXPLANATION:

• The International Solar Alliance (ISA), comprising 116 member countries dedicated to accelerating the adoption of solar technology globally, is set to release its first-ever “global solar stock-take report.”
• This report is inspired by the United Nations Conference of Parties’ (COP) inaugural “Global Stocktake,”. This report aims to evaluate the progress made by member countries in their transition to solar technology.
• The “Global Stocktake” is part of the Paris Agreement and is conducted every five years to assess the actions taken by countries to shift away from fossil fuels and combat global warming.

ABOUT ISA:

• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies as a means for bringing energy access, ensuring energy security, and driving energy transition in its member countries.
• The ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France to mobilize efforts against climate change through deployment of solar energy solutions.
• It was conceptualized on the sidelines of the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Paris in 2015. With the amendment of its Framework Agreement in 2020, all member states of the United Nations are now eligible to join the ISA.
• At present, 116 countries are signatories to the ISA Framework Agreement, of which 94 countries have submitted the necessary instruments of ratification to become full members of the ISA.

INVESTMENT TRENDS: 

• In 2020, the global solar sector attracted approximately $300 billion in investments, and this figure increased to about $380 billion in 2022. However, manufacturing remains concentrated in China.
• The stocktake aims to identify strategies for diversifying solar manufacturing and expanding it to other regions.

GLOBAL SOLAR INSTALLATIONS:

• As of 2022, global solar photovoltaic installations reached 1,133 gigawatts (GW), with an addition of 191 GW in 2022.
• China, although not an ISA member, accounts for approximately one-fourth of the total installations at around 350 GW. The United States, an ISA member, follows with 111 GW of solar capacity, and India ranks among the top five countries globally with 62 GW.

CONCLUSION:

• The ISA’s decision to compile and release a “global solar stock-take report” demonstrates its commitment to assessing the progress made in adopting solar technology by member countries.
• The report aims to provide an overview of investments, manufacturing trends, and challenges in the global solar sector.
• As solar energy gains prominence as a reliable and sustainable energy source, the ISA plays a pivotal role in advancing the transition to renewables and promoting solar technology on a global scale.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/international-solar-alliance-to-release-solar-stocktake-report/article67458458.ece/amp/

4. LAND DEGRADATION

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: As per the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) data, the world lost at least 100 million hectares of healthy and productive land each year from 2015-2019.

EXPLANATION:

• As per the UNCCD’s first data dashboard compiling national figures from 126 countries, land degradation across all regions of the world is becoming worse at an astonishing rate.
• At the planned assembly for the 21st session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention delegates will review global progress made towards land degradation neutrality (LDN).
• Issues like enhancing drought resilience, promoting women’s land rights and combating sand and dust storms will also be addressed.
• The proportion of land degraded varied according to the region, UNCCD data showed.
  • Eastern and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean regions experience the most severe degradation, affecting at least 20 per cent of their total land area.
  • Sub-Saharan Africa, Western and Southern Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean experienced land degradation at rates faster than the global average, the analysts observed.
  • Notably, in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, 163 million hectares and 108 million hectares, respectively, succumbed to land degradation since 2015.

Proportion of degraded land, 2019

UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION (UNCCD):

• The 1994 UNCCD is the only legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management.
• India is a signatory to the United Nations Convention for Combating Desertification (UNCCD).
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal Ministry of Government of India (GoI) that oversees implementation of the Convention in the country.
• The Convention addresses the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, known as the drylands, where some of the most vulnerable ecosystems and peoples can be found.
• Parties work together to improve the living conditions for people in drylands, to maintain and restore land and soil productivity, and to mitigate the effects of drought.
• The UNCCD is particularly committed to a bottom-up approach, encouraging the participation of local people in combating desertification and land degradation.
• The UNCCD is one of the three Rio Conventions—along with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
• It was called for in Agenda 21, the programme of action adopted at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED, or Earth Summit).

SOURCE: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/environment/100-million-hectares-of-arable-land-lost-yearly-to-degradation-shows-un-report-92465

5. BRAZZAVILLE SUMMIT

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Tropical forests are facing threat from fossil fuel, mining and extractive industry expansion.

EXPLANATION:

• Delegates of the Three Basins i.e., Amazon, Congo, Borneo-Mekong and Southeast Asia have gathered in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo to strengthen the South-South governance for these three critical ecosystems.
• According to a global report called the Three Basins Threat Report, Tropical Forests in Amazon, Congo, and Borneo-Mekong Basins are facing threats from fossil fuel, mining and extractive industry expansion.
• The Three Basins Summit is an unmissable opportunity to deepen collaboration between tropical forest countries and to stimulate the action and finance needed to protect and restore Earth’s vital forest ecosystems.

THREATS TO TROPICAL FORESTS:

• The report outlines the ongoing threats faced by these vital ecosystems, including extensive forest loss and a looming systemic breakdown.
• These threats have far-reaching consequences, affecting global climate stability, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of millions of indigenous peoples and local communities.
• Approximately 20% of intact tropical forests in these basins are within active and potential oil and gas concessions.
• In the Amazon and Congo basins, nearly 25% of forests are within active or potential mining concessions.
• In Indonesia, half of all nickel concessions overlap with natural forests, posing a fivefold risk of deforestation and degradation if these permits expand to cover the entire deposit area.

IMPACT:

• Over 200 million people, including a significant proportion of indigenous and local communities, are affected by these expansions.
• There will be fewer but strong tropical storms in the Ganga-Mekong basin.
• One-third Lost or degradation of Amazon Forest.

SPECIFIC INFORMATION:

• Amazon Basin: Almost 13% of undisturbed tropical forests overlap with existing or planned oil and gas blocks, and over 33% overlap with active and inactive mining concessions. More than 70 million hectares overlap with mining concessions, affecting the livelihoods of indigenous communities.
• Congo Basin: Over 39% of undisturbed Tropical Moist Forests overlap with oil and gas blocks, and nearly 27% overlap with mining concessions. The expansion of fossil fuels and mining threatens the unique cultures and future of indigenous communities.
• Southeast Asia: Nearly 20% of undisturbed Tropical Moist Forests are within oil and gas blocks designated for production or exploration. In Indonesia, 53% of natural forests are vulnerable to extractive concessions, and half of nickel mining concessions overlap with natural forests.

CALLS FOR ACTION:

• The report urges world leaders to prioritize the protection of forests in these basins and emphasizes the crucial role of indigenous peoples and local communities in the proposed solutions.
• It calls for an immediate moratorium on industrial activities in primary and intact forests to create space for sustainable economic development that aligns with planetary boundaries.
• Indigenous countries urgently call for 80 per cent protection by 2025.
•  They also emphasize the need for legal security for indigenous territories to safeguard their rights.

SOURCE: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/forests/brazzaville-summit-of-the-three-basins-needs-to-find-ways-to-protect-world-s-tropical-forests-92472

1. SOUTHERN OCEAN AROUND THE ANTARCTICA

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: More than 200 scientists from 19 Countries warned that the Southern Ocean around Antarctica is in trouble.

EXPLANATION:

• The Southern Ocean around Antarctica has been warming for decades, however the annual extent of winter sea ice seemed relatively stable as compared to the Arctic.  In some areas Antarctic Sea ice was even increasing.
• In 2016, everything changed, the annual extent of winter sea ice stopped increasing. Now we have had two years of record lows.
• In response to these changes, the international scientific community launched the first-ever marine ecosystem assessment for the Southern Ocean in 2018.
• The report is modelled after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the resulting “summary for policymakers” serves as a comprehensive report akin to an IPCC assessment but focused specifically on the Southern Ocean.

Importance of sea ice:

• Sea ice is to life in the Southern Ocean as soil is to a forest. It is the foundation for Antarctic marine ecosystems.
• It plays a fundamental role in the food chain, providing sustenance to krill, small fish, phytoplankton, and various species like penguins, seals, and whales.
• Its decline poses a significant threat to these fragile ecosystems.

The Need for Better Information:

• The management bodies under the Antarctic Treaty System responsible for the Southern Ocean urgently require improved information to guide decision-making regarding the conservation and protection of this vital region.
• The assessment aims to fill this information gap and provide guidance for future policies.

Findings of report:

• The Southern Ocean’s habitats, from the surface ice to the depths of the sea, are undergoing significant changes.
• Warming oceans, reduced sea ice, glacier melt, ice shelf collapses, increasing acidity, and human activities such as fishing are impacting various aspects of the ocean and its inhabitants.
• Important foundation species such as Antarctic krill are likely to decline with consequences for the whole ecosystem.
• The assessment stresses climate change is the most significant driver of species and ecosystem change in the Southern Ocean and coastal Antarctica.

Way forward: 

• Reduce  carbon emissions: Climate change is the biggest threat to the Southern Ocean. By reducing carbon emissions, we can help to slow down the warming of the ocean and reduce the impacts of climate change.
• Reduce plastic pollution: Plastic pollution is a major problem in the Southern Ocean. We can reduce our plastic pollution by avoiding single-use plastics and recycling whenever possible.
• Support research and conservation efforts: We need to learn more about the Southern Ocean and its ecosystems in order to protect them. We can support research and conservation efforts by donating to environmental organizations or volunteering our time.

Source:https://science.thewire.in/environment/more-than-200-scientists-from-19-countries-warn-the-southern-ocean-is-in-trouble/

2. PRADHAN MANTRI ANUSUCHIT JAATI ABHYUDAY YOJANA (PM-AJAY)

TAG: GS 2: SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: Under Adarsh Gram Component, a total of 1260 villages have been declared as Adarsh Gram during the current FY 2023-24.

EXPLANATION:

About the scheme: 

• Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) is the combination of three schemes. It has been implemented since 2021-22.
• These schemes are Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY), Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan ( SCA to SCSP) and Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana(BJRCY).

The objectives of the Scheme:

• To reduce poverty of the SC communities by generation of additional employment opportunities through skill development, income generating schemes and other initiatives.
• To improve socio-economic developmental indicators by ensuring adequate infrastructure and requisite services in the SC dominated villages.
• To increase literacy and encourage enrolment of SCs in schools and higher educational institutions by providing adequate residential facilities in quality institutions, as well as residential schools where required.

Components of the scheme: 

• Development of SC dominated villages into an Adarsh Gram.
• Grants-in-aid for District and State-level Projects for socio-economic betterment of SCs that may include creation of infrastructure in SC dominated villages including those selected under Adarsh Gram component, construction of hostels or residential schools, Comprehensive Livelihood Projects which may include components such as Skill development, etc.
• Construction of Hostels in higher educational institutions which are top ranked as per the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) of Government of India and are funded by the Centre or State Governments either fully or partially.

Challenges:

• There is a lack of awareness about the scheme among SCs. This is a challenge that needs to be addressed in order to ensure that SCs are able to benefit from the scheme.
• The submission of an Annual Action Plan by the States was made mandatory despite that states are not submitting reports on time.
• The scheme is complex, and it will be challenging to implement it effectively. This is a challenge that needs to be addressed in order to ensure that the scheme meets its objectives.
• The proposal for enhancement of the Subsidy from Rs. 10000 to Rs 50000 under the income generation component could not be implemented due to pending approval of Cabinet from 2018-19.
• The meager subsidy of Rs. 10000 per beneficiary under the Income Generation Activities which form a major component of the Scheme is not able to incentivize the process and lacking in adoption of the Scheme at the beneficiary level.
• It has also been observed, that due to non-release of funds by the State Treasuries to the implementation Departments has resulted in the poor implementation during Pandemic situation prevailing in the Country.
• Sometimes poor budgetary planning at the State level is also resulting in the non-release of the funds by the State Treasury to the implementation Departments like in Karnataka.

Way forward: 

• The Monitoring of the Scheme implementation has been enhanced and regular follow-up through VC/WhatsApp is being done with States/UTs.
• Performance report should be released on time. The states which perform poorly should be reported. For example, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Maharashtra are performing poorly at the moment.
• For proper planning and implementation of the Scheme through developing websites which have facility for need based decentralized planning, proposal preparation, its appraisal, submission, evaluation, approval and implementation along with financial tracking.
• Beneficiaries can avail benefits under the Skill Development and Income Generation Components would also be brought under the proposed portal.

Source: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1970043

3. LOK SABHA ETHICS COMMITTEE

TAG: GS 2: POLITY

THE CONTEXT: Trinamool Congress (TMC) member of parliament Moitra is facing inquiry by Lok Sabha Ethics Committee over bribery and misconduct allegations.

EXPLANATION:

• The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee received an affidavit from a businessman who alleged that he paid a member of parliament to raise questions in Parliament on his behalf.
• Lok Sabha Ethics Committee was constituted in 2000, but it became a permanent feature of the House only in 2015.

Committee on Ethics: 

• As per the Rules of the House, there will be a Committee on Ethics consisting of not more than fifteen members.
• The Committee will be nominated by the Speaker and shall hold office for a term not exceeding one year.

Functions of Committee on Ethics:

The Committee shall:

• • examine every complaint relating to unethical conduct of a member of Lok Sabha referred to it by the Speaker and make such recommendations as it may deem fit.
  • formulate a Code of Conduct for members and suggest amendments or additions to the Code of Conduct from time to time.

Procedure of inquiry:  

• On a matter being referred to the Committee, a preliminary inquiry shall be conducted by the Committee.
• If the Committee, after a preliminary inquiry, is of the opinion that there is no prima facie case, it may recommend that the matter may be dropped and the Chairperson shall intimate the Speaker accordingly.
• If the Committee, after preliminary inquiry, is of the opinion that there is a prima facie case, the Committee shall take up the matter for further examination.
• The Committee may lay down procedures, from time to time, for examination of matters referred to it.

Report of the committee: 

• The recommendations of the Committee shall be presented in the form of a report.
• The report shall be presented to the Speaker who may direct that the report be laid on the Table of the House.
• The report of the Committee may also state the procedure to be followed by the House in giving effect to the recommendations made by the Committee.

Source:https://theprint.in/theprint-essential/lok-sabha-ethics-committee-looking-into-mahua-moitra-case-how-it-was-formed-what-are-its-powers/1813301/

4. CYCLONE IN ARABIAN SEA AND BAY OF BENGAL

TAG: GS 1: GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the weakening of Cyclone Tej in the Arabian Sea might have strengthened its counterpart Cyclone Hamoon across Peninsular India in the Bay of Bengal.

EXPLANATION:

• The Indian subcontinent is currently experiencing a rare meteorological event as two cyclones, Cyclone Hamoon and Cyclone Tej, simultaneously moving in the Indian Ocean.
• It is after 5 years that the marginal seas of the Indian Ocean are together witnessing cyclones.
• The last time such a phenomenon took place was in 2018, when Cyclones Luban and Titli formed over the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal respectively.
• In twin cyclonic systems like these, when one cyclone weakens and shifts, the other often becomes stronger.
• Factors such as a reduced influx of warm air as the cyclone moves away from the coast and potentially higher sea surface temperatures in its current location contribute to intensification of Hamoon.

Tropical cyclones: Tropical cyclones are violent storms that originate over oceans in tropical areas and move over to the coastal areas bringing about large-scale destruction caused by violent winds, very heavy rainfall and storm surges. Tropical cyclones originate and intensify over warm tropical oceans.

• The conditions favourable for the formation and intensification of tropical storms are:
  • Large sea surface with temperature higher than 27° C.
  • Presence of the Coriolis force.
  • Small variations in the vertical wind speed.
  • A pre-existing weak low-pressure area or low-level-cyclonic circulation.
  • Upper divergence above the sea level system.
• The energy that intensifies the storm, comes from the condensation process in the towering cumulonimbus clouds, surrounding the centre of the storm. With continuous supply of moisture from the sea, the storm is further strengthened.
• On reaching the land the moisture supply is cut off and the storm dissipates. The place where a tropical cyclone crosses the coast is called the landfall of the cyclone.
• The cyclones, which cross 20o N latitude generally, recurve and they are more destructive.

Source:https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/weakening-of-tej-in-arabian-sea-might-have-strengthened-hamoon-in-bay-of-bengal-imd-expert-92453

5. FOREST CONSERVATION ACT, 2023

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Conservationists challenged that Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act 2023 is in violation of several fundamental rights guaranteed under the constitution.

EXPLANATION:

• A group of former civil servants and conservationists has taken the bold step of challenging the constitutionality of the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act 2023 in the Supreme Court of India.
• Their petition urges the court to declare the new amendment “null and void,” citing violations of fundamental rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution and established principles of Indian environmental jurisprudence.

Challenges against the Act:

• It alleges that the Amendment Act violates several fundamental rights guaranteed under the Indian Constitution.
  • The petition specifically cites the violation of Article 21, which guarantees the right to live in a pollution-free environment.
  • Article 14: The right to equality, implying that the state must treat environmental protection matters fairly.
  • Article 48A: The state’s responsibility for protecting and improving the environment and safeguarding forests and wildlife.
  • Article 51A(G): The duty of every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment, including forests.
• The petition argues that the new Act violates established principles of Indian environmental jurisprudence.
• It points out that the amendment introduces a regulatory regime that facilitates “unrestricted deforestation” and changes the entire object and purpose of the Forest Conservation Act.
• It also mentions that the Amendment Act contradicts a 1996 Supreme Court order that permitted the recognition and protection of forest lands based on functional definitions, not just official records.
• The petition further alleges that the Union Environment Ministry provided “false and incomplete” information to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).
• The JPC accepted these submissions without rigorous scientific examination or scrutiny of the documents. Despite numerous concerns raised by experts and conservationists, the JPC did not address these issues adequately.

The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023: 

• The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023, has replaced the existing Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
• The primary objective of the Act is to address certain ambiguities in the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and introduce exemptions to expedite infrastructure development projects.

Features of Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act 2023:

• Land Under the Act: The Act applies to two types of land.
  • Land declared as a forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, or any other law.
  • Land not initially declared as a forest but officially marked as a forest after October 25, 1980.
  • The Act does not apply to land that was changed from forest use to non-forest use before December 12, 1996, by authorized state or union territory authorities.

• Exemptions:
  • Certain types of land are exempt from the Act, such as forest land near government-maintained rail lines or public roads leading to habitation areas. Also, roadside amenities within a limited size.
  • The Act offers exemptions for specific situations, like land within 100 km from international borders for national security projects, up to 10 hectares for security infrastructure, and up to five hectares for defense or public utility projects in left-wing extremism affected areas. Central government guidelines will determine these exemptions.

• Leasing Forest Land:
  • States need approval from the central government to assign forest land to any entity, not just those not owned or controlled by the government.
  • The central government can specify terms and conditions for this approval.

• Activities Allowed in Forest Land:
  • The Act restricts changing forest land into non-forest use but allows exemptions with central government approval.
  • Non-forest purposes include using land for things like farming horticultural crops or any purpose other than reforestation.
  • However, the Act allows specific activities related to forest and wildlife conservation and management, like setting up check posts, fire lines, fences, and wireless communication, without restrictions.

Source:https://thewire.in/environment/constitutionality-of-forest-conservation-act-2023-challenged-in-sc-centre-to-respond-in-6-weeks

1. PINK BOLLWORM

TAG: GS 3: AGRICULTURE

THE CONTEXT: The devastating impact of the pink bollworm on Bt cotton crops is a grave concern for farmers across India. The widespread infestation has resulted in significant yield losses, pushing farmers to the brink of despair.

EXPLANATION:

• Cotton crops across North Indian states, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, have reported a severe pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) attack.
  • In Haryana and Punjab, the losses are estimated to be around 65 per cent while Rajasthan is far worse.
  • The Rajasthan government has claimed the losses extend up to 90 per cent of damage.
• Genetically modified pest-resistant variety called Bt Cotton (Bollgard II seed) is falling prey to the pest it was created to resist.
• However, the insect invasion is claiming more than just the crops the losses are pushing farmers to the brink of suicide.
  • Because the severe infestation has resulted in heavy losses to farmers, burdening them with increasing debt.
• The reasons for the resurgence of pink bollworm attacks on Bt cotton in the North Zone are complex.

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS OF PINK BOLLWORM ATTACKS:

• The widespread cultivation of Bt cotton varieties that express only a single Bt toxin (Cry1Ac).
• This has allowed pink bollworm populations to develop resistance to the toxin.
• The lack of effective non-Bt pest management practices which resulted in pink bollworm populations to build up in the absence of Bt cotton.
• The use of sub-optimal insecticide dosages and spray intervals. This has allowed pink bollworm larvae to survive and complete their development.

PINK BOLLWORM:

• It is a major pest of cotton, causing significant yield losses worldwide.
• It is originally native to India but now it is recorded in nearly all the cotton-growing countries of the world.
• The larvae of the pink bollworm bore into cotton bolls, feeding on the developing seeds. This can result in significant yield losses, as well as reduced seed quality.
• It is one of the most destructive pests of cotton.
• Pectinophora gossypiella is its scientific name.

DESCRIPTION:

• The adults are small moths about 3/8 inch long and are dark brown with markings on the fore wing.
• The larval stage is the destructive and identifiable stage.
• The larvae have distinctive pink bands and can reach a length of ½ inches right before they pupate.

ECOLOGICAL THREAT:

• Pink bollworms are major pests of cotton.
• Adults only last for 2 weeks, but females will lay 200 or more eggs.
• Adults lay eggs on cotton bolls; once hatched, the larvae eat the seeds and damage the fibers of the cotton, reducing the yield and quality.
• When the larvae mature, they cut out the boll and drop to the ground and cocoon near the soil surface.
• It has also been observed to attack hibiscus, okra, and hollyhock plants.

BT COTTON:

• Bt cotton has been genetically modified by the insertion of one or more genes from a common soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis.
• These genes encode for the production of insecticidal proteins, and thus, genetically transformed plants produce one or more toxins as they grow.
• The genes that have been inserted into cotton produce toxins that are limited in activity almost exclusively to caterpillar pests (Lepidoptera).
• However, other strains of Bacillus thuringiensis have genes that encode for toxins with insecticidal activity on some beetles (Coleoptera) and flies (Diptera).
• Some of these genes are being used to control pests in other crops, such as corn.

BENEFITS OF BT COTTON:

• Increased yields
• Reduced insecticide use
• Improved fiber quality
• Reduced environmental impact
• Increased farmer income

SOURCE: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/cotton-curse-bt-cotton-losses-by-pink-bollworm-pushing-farmers-to-brink-of-suicide-92400

2. ORIONID METEOR SHOWER

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The Orionid meteor shower peak will occur on October 20–21 and it is active from September 26 to November 22.

ORIONID METEOR SHOWER:

• It occurs in October each year, appear to be originating near the constellation Orion the Hunter.
• Orionids are caused by the debris of a comet that once crossed Earth’s path.
• In this case, the shower is caused by debris from Halley’s Comet, also known as comet 1P/Halley.
• The comet’s 76-year orbit brings it close enough to Earth to have been seen in the night skies for centuries.
• It last passed close to Earth in 1986 and will return in 2061.
• The Orionid meteor shower typically peaks between October 20 and 22.
• During the peak, observers can expect to see up to 20 meteors per hour. The meteors are known for their speed and brightness, and they can often leave persistent trains in the sky.
• Halley’s Comet, measuring about five by nine miles in size, loses between three to ten feet of material on each passage through the inner solar system.
• The Orionids are visible in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres during the hours after midnight.

METEOR:

• When meteoroids enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speed and burn up, the fireballs or “shooting stars” are called meteors.
• Meteor showers occur annually or at regular intervals as the Earth passes through the trail of dusty debris left by a comet.
• Meteor showers are usually named after a star or constellation that is close to where the meteors appear in the sky.

SOURCE: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/etimes/trending/orionid-meteor-shower-to-return-due-to-halleys-comet-all-about-it-here/articleshow/104552675.cms?from=mdr

3. NIEMANN-PICK

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: Parents of children with Niemann-Pick disease have recently sent a request to the Union government requesting it to notify the disease under the National Policy for Rare Diseases.

EXPLANATION:

Niemann-Pick Disease:

• This rare genetic illness causes sphingomyelin to build up in cell lysosomes and is caused by a malfunction in the metabolism of sphingolipids.
  • The three most widely known varieties are Types A, B, and C of Niemann-Pick.
  • The liver, spleen, bone marrow, brain, nerves, and, in extreme situations, the lungs can all be impacted by this illness.
• People with this condition experience symptoms related to progressive loss of function of nerves, the brain and other organs.
• Although it can happen to anyone at any age, children are the ones who are most affected.

CAUSES:

• It is inherited in a c pattern, which means both copies of the gene must be defective to cause the disease.
• Most often, the parents of a child with an autosomal recessive disorder are carriers: they have one copy of the altered gene but are not affected because the other copy produces the enzyme.
• If both parents are carriers, each pregnancy has a 25% chance of producing an affected child.

SYMPTOMS:

• Enlargement of the liver and spleen (Hepatosplenomegaly)
• Low levels of platelets in the blood (Thrombocytopenia)
• Slurring of speech (dysarthria)
• Difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia)
• Abnormal posturing of the limbs, trunk, and face (dystonia).
• Voluntary rapid eye movements (supranuclear gaze palsy).
• Gradual loss of intellectual abilities, causing dementia and seizures

CLASSIFICATION:

• Types A and B:
  • Mutations in the SMPD1 Gene cause types A and B.
  • They produce a deficiency in the activity of the lysosomal enzyme acid sphingomyelinase that breaks down the lipid sphingomyelin.

• Types C:
• • Mutations in NPC1 or NPC2 cause Niemann–Pick disease, type C (NPC), which affects a protein used to transport lipids. It is the most common form of the disease including types C1 (95% of type C) and C2.

TREATMENT:

• No specific treatment is known for type A and B, but symptoms are treated.

NATIONAL POLICY FOR RARE DISEASES:

• The Government has launched National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD), 2021 in March, 2021 for the treatment of rare disease patients.
• The salient features of NPRD, 2021 are as under:
  • The rare diseases have been identified and categorized into 3 groups namely Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3.
  • Group 1: Disorders amenable to one-time curative treatment.
  • Group-2: Diseases requiring long term/lifelong treatment having relatively lower cost of treatment and benefit has been documented in literature and annual or more frequent surveillance is required.
  • Group 3: Diseases for which definitive treatment is available but challenges are to make optimal patient selection for benefit, very high cost and lifelong therapy.

PROVISIONS UNDER THE POLICY:

• It provides the provision for financial support of up to Rs. 50 lakhs to the patients suffering from any category of the Rare Diseases and for treatment in any of the Centre of Excellence (CoE) mentioned in NPRD-2021, outside the Umbrella Scheme of Rashtriya Arogaya Nidhi.
• To receive financial assistance for treatment of rare disease, the patient of the nearby area may approach the nearest Centre of Excellence to get him assessed and avail the benefits.
• Eight (08) Centres of Excellence (CoEs) have been identified for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of rare diseases.
• Five Nidan Kendras have been set up for genetic testing and counselling services.
• It also facilitate promotion of research and development for diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases; promotion of local development and manufacture of drugs and creation of conducive environment for indigenous manufacturing of drugs for rare diseases at affordable prices.

SOURCE: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/list-niemann-pick-as-rare-disease-parents-of-young-patients-urge-govt/articleshow/104539755.cms

4. POSH (PREVENTION OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT) ACT, 2013

TAG: GS 2: SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court issued a series of directions to the Centre, states and Union Territories, flagging gaps and lack of uniformity in the implementation of the POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) Act, 2013 by various state governments.

EXPLANATION:

• The judgement came on a petition by an NGO, Initiatives for Inclusion Foundation, seeking directions for implementation of the Act.
• Among others, the petitioner also urged the court to direct the different governments to ensure that the annual compliance reports collected by the district officers are consolidated and the reports are published in the public domain.

KEY DIRECTIONS ISSUED BY THE SUPREME COURT:

• The court ordered the Principal Secretaries of the Women and Child Ministries in the States to ensure appointment of a district officer in each district within their jurisdiction within four weeks from the date of this judgment as contemplated under Section 5 of the POSH Act.
• The undertaking of efforts to spread awareness about the existence of Local Committees (LCs) among workers in the unorganized sector.
• The ensuring of compliance with the provisions of the Act by all employers.
• The providing of training for Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) on the proper conduct of inquiries into complaints of sexual harassment.
• The ensuring of transparency in the disposal of complaints of sexual harassment.

POSH Act, 2013:

• The POSH Act is a legislation enacted by the Government of India in 2013 to address the issue of sexual harassment faced by women in the workplace.
• The Act aims to create a safe and conducive work environment for women and provide protection against sexual harassment.
• The POSH Act defines sexual harassment to include unwelcome acts such as
  • physical contact and sexual advances,
  • a demand or request for sexual favours,
  • making sexually coloured remarks,
  • showing pornography, and
  • any other unwelcome physical, verbal, or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature.
• The Supreme Court in a landmark judgment in the Vishakha and others v State of Rajasthan 1997 case gave ‘Vishakha guidelines’.
• These guidelines formed the basis for the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
• The SC also drew its strength from several provisions of the Constitution including:
  • Article 15 (against discrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, and place of birth),
  • Relevant International Conventions and norms such as the General Recommendations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which India ratified in 1993.

KEY PROVISIONS:

• Prevention and Prohibition:
  • The Act places a legal obligation on employers to prevent and prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace.

• Internal Complaints Committee (ICC):
  • Employers are required to constitute an ICC at each workplace with 10 or more employees to receive and address complaints of sexual harassment.
  • The Complaints Committees have the powers of civil courts for gathering evidence.

• Duties of Employers:
  • Employers must undertake awareness programs, provide a safe working environment, and display information about the POSH Act at the workplace.

• Complaint Mechanism:
  • The Act lays down a procedure for filing complaints, conducting inquiries, and providing a fair opportunity to the parties involved.

• Penalties:
• • Non-compliance with the Act’s provisions can result in penalties, including fines and cancellation of business licenses.

SOURCE: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sc-directs-centre-states-to-immediately-appoint-district-officers-under-posh-act-101697744155584.html

5. SOUTHWEST MONSOON

TAG: GS 1: GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the southwest monsoon has ended, and the northeast monsoon is likely to set in the end of the October.

EXPLANATION:

• The 2023 southwest monsoon season was not only the weakest in five years but was also marked by erratic distribution of rains.
• June received 9% below normal rainfall, while July brought torrential downpour and floods across man regions in northern India.
• August was the driest month on record in 100 years, with 36% below normal rainfall.
• September saw some recovery with showers 13% above normal, but the four-month monsoon season ended with 6% below normal rainfall.
• Rains in the June-September season drives the bulk of India’s $3 trillion economy.
• It accounts for nearly 75% of the country’s annual rainfall, which plays a crucial role the agriculture, replenishes reservoirs and aquifers, and helps meet power demand.
• Over half of India’s arable land is rain-fed and agriculture remains among the biggest employment generators.
• The southwest monsoon is also crucial as ensures soil moisture when farmers begin planting rabi, or winter, crops such as wheat, the main crop of the season, chana (gram), mustard, among others.

SOUTHWEST MONSOON:

• The southwest monsoon is a seasonal wind system that brings rainfall to India and other parts of South Asia.
• It originates in the southern hemisphere, where it is known as the trade winds.
• As the trade winds cross the equator, they are deflected to the left by the Coriolis force, becoming the southwest monsoon.
• The southwest monsoon typically arrives in India in early June and lasts until September.
• It is responsible for about 80% of the country’s annual rainfall. The monsoon is vital for India’s agriculture, as it provides the water needed for crops to grow.
• The southwest monsoon is a complex weather system that is influenced by a number of factors, including the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
• ENSO is a climate pattern that involves changes in sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean.
• When ENSO is in its El Niño phase, the southwest monsoon is typically weaker than usual. This can lead to drought conditions in India.
• The southwest monsoon is a vital part of India’s climate and economy.
• The monsoon provides the water needed for agriculture, which is the backbone of the Indian economy. The monsoon also helps to regulate temperatures and reduce the risk of heatwaves.

NORTHEAST MONSOON:

• It is a comparatively small-scale monsoon, which is confined to the Southern peninsula.
• It is called the winter monsoon. It occurs during October to December.
• After the complete withdrawal of the Southwest monsoon from the country takes place by mid-October, the wind pattern rapidly changes from the south-westerly to the north-easterly direction.
• The period after the Southwest monsoon season, from October to December, is the peak time for cyclonic activity in the North Indian Ocean region covering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
• The winds associated with the formation of low pressure systems, depressions, or cyclones influence this monsoon, and therefore, the rainfall.
• Its rainfall is influenced by global climate parameters such as ENSO (El Nino/La Nina & Southern Oscillation Index – SOI), Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO).
• El Nino, positive IOD and MJO in phase 2-4 with amplitude greater than one are generally associated with good NEM rainfall.
• Also, La Nina & positive SOI during the second half of the season is also favourable for good NEM activity.

SOURCE: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/southwest-monsoon-withdraws-from-india-winter-rains-likely-in-3-days-imd/amp-11697705099396.html

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Cabinet approves Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for Rabi Crops for Marketing Season 2024-25 READ MORE
2. How quantum algorithms solve problems that classical computers can’t READ MORE
3. Parliamentary Panel examining Bill to increase minimum age of marriage for women gets another extension READ MORE  
4. Centre notifies transfer of 16 High Court judges, appointment of 17 READ MORE
5. OBCs and subcategories: Why this has been a hot-button issue for long READ MORE
6. Severe drought grips the Amazon rainforest: The impact, cause and grim future READ MORE
7. Israel using white phosphorus in Gaza? 5 things about the controversial weapon READ MORE
8. Flash floods in Kerala: A junked breakwater plan may have been Achilles’ heel READ MORE
9. Microalgae are adapting to warming climate, declining nutrient levels in seas with novel strategy READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. In India, reproductive autonomy remains a pipedream READ MORE
2. Why Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage verdict opens no doors for queer people READ MORE
3. Same-Sex Marriage: An opportunity lost, hope not forever READ MORE
4. Holes in the green cover READ MORE
5. Is climate change the reason for Sikkim flash floods? READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Revamp governance to make cities liveable READ MORE
2. Limits to women’s reproductive rights READ MORE
3. Same-Sex Marriage : Onus on legislature to initiate reforms READ MORE
4. Two decades on, India plans to strengthen diplomatic corps READ MORE
5. Federalism puzzle READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. India Improve nutrition delivery and don’t bristle at low rank READ MORE
2. Global Hunger Index a stark reminder to address hunger, poverty 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. The measure of the working woman READ MORE
2. Fear factor: On the inflation battle READ MORE
3. Going beyond the International Year of Millets to achieve decade-long action READ MORE
4. Tackling urban poverty READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Accelerating green innovation through EVs READ MORE
2. India’s energy transition: Who will lead the way? READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. The explosion of digital uncertainty READ MORE
2. The final frontier READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Localise strategies to build climate resilience READ MORE

INTERNAL SECURITY

1. Cybercrime surge: Focus on persistent vigil, collaborative efforts READ MORE
2. Beyond ‘Black Mirror’s’ fiction – Impact of Generative AI on policing, security READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Consciousness chronicles, from duality to bliss READ MORE
2. Happy greetings READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. As the threat of climate change grows stark in the Himalayan regions, the Early Warning System should be deployed to avoid numerous disasters. Comment.
2. Despite the emergence of numerous education policies in the post-independence period, India has yet to generate an indigenous system of education that is propelled by rationality, scientific temper and empathy. Do you agree that transforming education into the practice of freedom is an effective way forward?
3. The Electoral Bonds scheme not only creates an uneven playing field for political parties but is a danger to our democracy. Comment.
4. The SHG federations with the existing panchayat-level committees have opportunities to contribute to the development process of the village to upgrade education, health, sanitation and infrastructure facilities. 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

• While arguments on who bombed al-Ahli Hospital rage, it underlines the horrors ahead if war grinds on in densely-populated Gaza. The killing of innocent civilians is empowering extremists and defeating the international peacemaking crisis. Leaders on all sides must refrain from stoking a fire threatening to spread beyond the region.
• As the threat of climate change grows stark, events like the recent glacial lake outburst flood that caused death and devastation in Sikkim are becoming frequent. This underlines the urgency of installing early warning systems in the fragile Himalayan range. Governments can no longer afford to ignore such red flags.
• Faced with a moral, legal and ethical dilemma, the Supreme Court walked on eggshells to reject a 26-week-old pregnant woman’s plea to abort her foetus on the ground that it risked her psychologically. The issue will be debated in the coming days as a prudent balance between competing fundamental rights.
• GIFT City has many infrastructural marvels, and attractive tax incentives. But, it’s nowhere near being the next Singapore. It needs to come out of Gujarat government’s shadows and allow a restriction-free, socially liberal lifestyle that youthful, global workforce thrives on. Relax prohibition, improve connectivity, housing, open spas, and golf courses.

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.

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. PM inaugurates Global Maritime India Summit 2023 READ MORE
2. SC declines to legalise same-sex marriage, says legislature to decide READ MORE
3. Kerala mulls planting bamboo along Munnar’s Gap Road to avert landslips READ MORE  
4. ST status for Meiteis was considered and rejected in 1982 and 2001, government records show READ MORE
5. How synergistic barriers are affecting progress on SDGs READ MORE
6. AI finds supernova, the biggest explosion in universe, first without human help READ MORE
7. India-Sri Lanka ferry service restarted after 40 yrs: Opportunities, challenges READ MORE
8. Scientists using AI to decode secrets of ancient Pompeii scroll READ MORE
9. Amazon forests threatened: 10% more wildfires than last year, environmental gains may be undone READ MORE
10. No health warnings on iron fortified rice: SC directs govt to respond in 4 weeks READ MORE  

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. Why Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage verdict opens no doors for queer people READ MORE
2. Solve water woes to save TN growth target READ MORE
3. Is climate change the reason for Sikkim flash floods? READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Demolishing the frame from outside the Constitution READ MORE
2. Centralised procurement as a powerful health idea READ MORE
3. Law and custom: On the Supreme Court’s verdict on same-sex marriage READ MORE
4. Invoking the spectre of judicial legislation READ MORE
5. Empowered CAG: Guardian of public purse must stay independent READ MORE
6. Providing non-financial services to rural communities READ MORE
7. Electoral Bonds must be scrapped READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Food deprivation & hunger remain widespread in India READ MORE
2. Higher education at crossroads READ MORE
3. Transform learning READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. A ferry tale from the neighbourhood READ MORE
2. Building bridges READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. How to read India’s latest employment data READ MORE
2. Role of banks in a knowledge economy READ MORE
3. Gig workers law deepens industrial democracy READ MORE
4. Watch out for global headwinds READ MORE
5. Farm to fork: An overview of millet supply chains in India READ MORE
6. GM crops need more research READ MORE
7. Indian Agriculture has a problem. We farm too much for too little READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Climate lessons from G20 for Dubai COP28 READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. AI could redefine police techniques READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Localise strategies to build climate resilience READ MORE

INTERNAL SECURITY

1. Cybercrime surge: Focus on persistent vigil, collaborative efforts READ MORE
2. Beyond ‘Black Mirror’s’ fiction – Impact of Generative AI on policing, security READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. This Quote Means: ‘Women… are fuelled by a will to survive’, from Iran’s Nobel Peace Prize winner READ MORE
2. The Buddha’s wisdom can help to heal the mind READ MORE
3. Supreme intelligence READ MORE
4. Civil servants who say no to scams are national icons READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. As the threat of climate change grows stark in the Himalayan regions, the Early Warning System should be deployed to avoid numerous disasters. Comment.
2. Despite the emergence of numerous education policies in the post-independence period, India has yet to generate an indigenous system of education that is propelled by rationality, scientific temper and empathy. Do you agree that transforming education into the practice of freedom is an effective way forward?
3. The Electoral Bonds scheme not only creates an uneven playing field for political parties but is a danger to our democracy. Comment.
4. The SHG federations with the existing panchayat-level committees has opportunities to contribute to the development process of the village to upgrade education, health, sanitation and infrastructure facilities. Comment.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• The Constitution’s identity is endangered not just by a textual transformation but also in the subversion of its liberal, democratic environment.
• 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

• As the threat of climate change grows stark, events like the recent glacial lake outburst flood that caused death and devastation in Sikkim are becoming frequent. This underlines the urgency of installing early warning systems in the fragile Himalayan range. Governments can no longer afford to ignore such red flags.
• Faced with a moral, legal and ethical dilemma, the Supreme Court walked on eggshells to reject a 26-week-old pregnant woman’s plea to abort her foetus on the ground that it risked her psychologically. The issue will be debated in the coming days as a prudent balance between competing fundamental rights.
• GIFT City has many infrastructural marvels, and attractive tax incentives. But, it’s nowhere near being the next Singapore. It needs to come out of Gujarat government’s shadows and allow a restriction-free, socially liberal lifestyle that youthful, global workforce thrives on. Relax prohibition, improve connectivity, housing, open spas, and golf courses.

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.

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Ministry of Ayush’s endeavours towards Special Campaign 3.0 gear up READ MORE
2. Notification issued for Green Credit Program (GCP) and Ecomark scheme Under LiFE Initiative to Promote Sustainable Lifestyle and Environmental Conservation READ MORE
3. Indian Railways’ PSUs, RITES Ltd and IRCON granted Navratna status READ MORE  
4. India’s 1st CAR-T cell therapy developed by ImmunoACT gets CDSCO nod READ MORE
5. CJI says India’s abortion law is liberal, pro-choice and far ahead of other countries READ MORE
6. Government mulls partnerships to make semiconductor chips READ MORE
7. What is Australia’s Indigenous Voice referendum? READ MORE
8. Farmers lost $3.8 trillion to disasters over 30 years: FAO’s first-ever global estimation READ MORE  
9. More than half of world’s poor out of safety net coverage, says World Bank READ MORE
10. World’s water cycle severely impacted by climate change and human activities in 2022: WMO READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. Parents and educators must reduce student stress READ MORE
2. Changed outlook READ MORE
3. Is climate change the reason for Sikkim flash floods? READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Testing the waters for General Elections 2024 READ MORE
2. Democracy dies when justice suffers READ MORE
3. 16th Finance Commission’s political challenge READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Hunger pangs: Alarming findings of 2023 global index READ MORE
2. India Ranks 111 in Global Hunger Index; Report Makers Reject Indian Government Objections READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Balancing policy: On Israel, Palestine and India’s line: India must pressure Israel to act responsibly in the face of terror READ MORE
2. A war that ends the Saudi-Israel ‘normalisation’ process READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Claudia Goldin’s quiet revolution: How she helped feminise economic enquiry READ MORE
2. Why we must cheer the Nobel for Goldin READ MORE
3. The economic mosaic: Chugging along at the ‘new-old normal’ growth rate READ MORE
4. DC Edit | Inflation falls, RBI still cautious READ MORE
5. Role of Banks in Promoting Risky Financial Assets READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Clearing the air: Contrary to general perception, there is no change in India’s stand on Palestine READ MORE
2. Meeting the Goals of the Paris Agreement READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. AI could redefine police techniques READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Localise strategies to build climate resilience READ MORE
2. India’s cyclone warning system is the model for disaster-proofing the country. Floods next READ MORE

INTERNAL SECURITY

1. How the Khalistan movement is interlinked with Punjab’s growing drug problem, gun culture READ MORE
2. Beyond ‘Black Mirror’s’ fiction – Impact of Generative AI on policing, security READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Working and praying READ MORE
2. Narges’ Nobel and the all-pervasive fear of freedom READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Repeated elections have a cost, but the benefits of enhanced democracy that they trigger are far greater. Critically examine the statement in the light of recent debate about One Nation, One Election.
2. India is diverse, with different regions confronting diverse issues, and that impacts politics in the states. In light of statement, how far do you agree with this view that the concept of One Nation, One Election goes against the reality of India’s diversity?
3. Balancing growth and inflation is a complex endeavour, requiring a steady hand on the economic tiller. Discuss how India can this balance in the ongoing uncertain global economic landscape?
4. Assessing vulnerabilities is the first step in reducing disaster risk. In light of recent disasters in the Himalayan region, discuss how the climate resilience approach in infrastructure development can minimize the disaster risk in that region.
5. The bureaucracy delivers on episodic events like conducting elections, which have a clear exit date but when it comes to daily events such as provision of civic amenities, the result is deeply unsatisfactory. Do you think that the division of bureaucracy between the three levels of government is a likely reason for such unamenities?
6. Modern states have evolved from directly running factories to regulating economic activity and for that, the Indian government need to revisit the bureaucracy’s recruitment process and should focus on more domain expertise. Discuss.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable.
• Delhi’s history of intervening positively also led to the ironical consternation of the Maldivian opposition parties who started a disquiet campaign against the Maldivian Government’s traditional ‘India First’ policy to suggest a compromise to Maldivian sovereignty.
• Democracy weakens when the people’s choice is not based on who will represent their interests and fulfil their aspirations.
• Democracy is always in a state of flux and not in its ideal form.
• To strengthen democracy, politics needs to be more accountable.
• Having one election every five years will make political parties more unaccountable and free to fulfil the agenda of vested interests. That will weaken democracy and cost the nation far more than the direct and indirect costs of elections at present.
• Even if India had a perfect democracy, the ‘One Nation, One Election’ idea assumes homogeneity in the nation.
• A one-size-fits-all approach goes against the reality of the nation’s diversity and can lead to severe political backlash.
• The reality is that India has an imperfect democracy that needs to be strengthened.
• Elections are the times when the public can force political parties to become answerable.
• Repeated elections have a cost, but the benefits of enhanced democracy that they trigger are far greater.
• No farmers’ company can address climatic aberrations amidst a changing climate, broken landscapes, tattered ecologies and market volatilities unless supported by policies and incentives.
• Balancing growth and inflation is a complex endeavour, requiring a steady hand on the economic tiller.
• Ever since the artificial intelligence chatbot GPT technology burst on the global computer media scene suggesting its multifarious applications and uses in almost any area of human endeavour.
• If the ASEAN has to remain relevant, it needs to reinvent itself to suit the changing regional environment.
• Shortage of workers is pushing the demand for farm equipment. India can dominate the world market by leveraging its machine tools.
• The UN has the responsibility to resolve conflicts. But its failure should not be taken as an opportunity to abet terrorism in the name of freedom.
• It is crucial to re-evaluate building typologies and focus on developing climate-resilient designs.
• The bureaucracy delivers on episodic events like conducting elections, which have a clear exit date. But when it comes to daily events such as provision of civic amenities, the result is deeply unsatisfactory.

50-WORD TALK

• Instead of issuing defensive reactions to the Global Hunger Index, the government should instead engage with the root issue—nutrition. India might not have the empty-bellied hunger such indices imply, but it does have widespread and severe malnutrition and anaemia. Free foodgrain alleviates hunger, but balanced meals are what Indians need.
• Israel cannot carpet bomb Gaza into rubble. It has a right to defend itself and respond to terrorism, but indiscriminately targeting civilian areas isn’t the way. Israel will find it increasingly difficult to have the unambiguous support of its allies. It also risks ceding Middle East leadership role to Iran.

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.

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Mission Indradhanush 5.0 (IMI 5.0) campaign with special focus on improvement of Measles and Rubella vaccination coverage, will conclude all three rounds on 14 October 2023 READ MORE
2. INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION RISES TO 10.3% IN AUGUST 2023 READ MORE
3. India ranks 111 out of 125 countries in Global Hunger Index READ MORE  
4. What war crimes laws apply to the Israel-Palestinian conflict? READ MORE
5. Why Odisha govt’s new rural development scheme has triggered a controversy READ MORE
6. Dragonfly: The faces of wetlands in India READ MORE
7. IMI 5.0 reaches children up to five years for the first time READ MORE  
8. Biohydrogen’s role in India’s green hydrogen pathway READ MORE
9. Targeted methane mitigation can avoid 0.1°C warming in 2050, should be adopted with decarbonisation efforts: Report READ MORE
10. Joshimath sinking: Landslides in region not a new problem, says GSI report READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. The case for caste census in India | Explained READ MORE
2. Changed outlook READ MORE
3. Is climate change the reason for Sikkim flash floods? READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Should the 50 % legal ceiling on reservation be reconsidered? READ MORE
2. Administrators: All services need more officers, not just IFS. So do local govts. And recruit more specialists READ MORE
3. Pharma laxity: No tainted firm deserves leniency READ MORE
4. Make funding truly transparent and free of cash for fair polls READ MORE
5. ‘One Nation, One Election’ Will Further Weaken Indian Democracy READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Pro-choice, pro-women: A split SC verdict reflects a wider judicial-medical confusion about abortion rights. This must change READ MORE
2. India Ranks 111th Among 125 Countries in Global Hunger Index Report READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Non-state actors are a threat to world peace READ MORE
2. ASEAN must reinvent itself to stay relevant in region READ MORE
3. India-Maldives Ties: A Walk on Eggshells As New Delhi Faces the China Question READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Ways to make IBC more effective READ MORE   
2. Terms of Trade | Let’s discuss India’s growth forecast READ MORE
3. The right path: IMF raises India’s growth rate, validating that its economy is on a firm footing READ MORE
4. India’s farm machinery has global market READ MORE
5. By the farmers READ MORE
6. IMF and India READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Curbing air pollution: Centre, states need to work in close coordination READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. AI could redefine police techniques READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Localise strategies to build climate resilience READ MORE
2.  India’s cyclone warning system is the model for disaster-proofing the country. Floods next READ MORE

INTERNAL SECURITY

1. How the Khalistan movement is interlinked with Punjab’s growing drug problem, gun culture READ MORE
2. Beyond ‘Black Mirror’s’ fiction – Impact of Generative AI on policing, security READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Lies, levels, life: Cultivating your best being READ MORE
2. Misery is a choice READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Repeated elections have a cost, but the benefits of enhanced democracy that they trigger are far greater. Critically examine the statement in the light of recent debate about One Nation, One Election.
2. India is diverse, with different regions confronting diverse issues, and that impacts politics in the states. In light of statement, how far do you agree with this view that the concept of One Nation, One Election goes against the reality of India’s diversity?
3. Balancing growth and inflation is a complex endeavour, requiring a steady hand on the economic tiller. Discuss, how India can this balance in the ongoing uncertain global economic landscape?
4. Assessing vulnerabilities is the first step in reducing disaster risk. In light of recent disasters in the Himalayan region, discuss how the climate resilience approach in infrastructure development can minimize the disaster risk in that region.
5. The bureaucracy delivers on episodic events like conducting elections, which have a clear exit date but when it comes to daily events such as provision of civic amenities, the result is deeply unsatisfactory. Do you think that the division of bureaucracy between the three levels of government is a likely reason for such unamenities?
6. Modern states have evolved from directly running factories to regulating economic activity and for that Indian government needs to revisit the bureaucracy’s recruitment process and should focus on more domain expertise. Discuss.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable.
• Delhi’s history of intervening positively also led to the ironical consternation of the Maldivian opposition parties who started a disquiet campaign against the Maldivian Government’s traditional ‘India First’ policy to suggest a compromise to Maldivian sovereignty.
• Democracy weakens when the people’s choice is not based on who will represent their interests and fulfil their aspirations.
• Democracy is always in a state of flux and not in its ideal form.
• To strengthen democracy, politics needs to be more accountable.
• Having one election every five years will make political parties more unaccountable and free to fulfil the agenda of vested interests. That will weaken democracy and cost the nation far more than the direct and indirect costs of elections at present.
• Even if India had a perfect democracy, the ‘One Nation, One Election’ idea assumes homogeneity in the nation.
• A one-size-fits-all approach goes against the reality of the nation’s diversity and can lead to severe political backlash.
• The reality is that India has an imperfect democracy that needs to be strengthened.
• Elections are the times when the public can force political parties to become answerable.
• Repeated elections have a cost, but the benefits of enhanced democracy that they trigger are far greater.
• No farmers’ company can address climatic aberrations amidst a changing climate, broken landscapes, tattered ecologies and market volatilities unless supported by policies and incentives.
• Balancing growth and inflation is a complex endeavour, requiring a steady hand on the economic tiller.
• Ever since the artificial intelligence chatbot GPT technology burst on the global computer media scene suggesting its multifarious applications and uses in almost any area of human endeavour.
• If the ASEAN has to remain relevant, it needs to reinvent itself to suit the changing regional environment.
• Shortage of workers is pushing the demand for farm equipment. India can dominate the world market by leveraging its machine tools.
• The UN has the responsibility to resolve conflicts. But its failure should not be taken as an opportunity to abet terrorism in the name of freedom.
• It is crucial to re-evaluate building typologies and focus on developing climate-resilient designs.
• The bureaucracy delivers on episodic events like conducting elections, which have a clear exit date. But when it comes to daily events such as provision of civic amenities, the result is deeply unsatisfactory.

50-WORD TALK

• The external affairs ministry’s statement has rightly made it clear that India’s condemnation of the Hamas terror attack on Israel and New Delhi’s stated support to two-states solution on Palestine are not mutually exclusive. Unnecessarily obfuscating the two issues only sullies public debate. India’s position has been nuanced but consistent.
• Supreme Court listing electoral bonds case for final hearing after six years is welcome. Issues at stake are vital for democracy— need for transparency in political funding and undue advantage to ruling party. From passage as Money Bill to legalization of anonymity—this haze-shrouded scheme calls for thorough judicial scrutiny.

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.

1. Even temporary global warming above 2°C will affect life in the oceans for centuries READ MORE
2. Is climate change the reason for Sikkim flash floods? READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Cabinet approves royalty rates for mining of three critical and strategic minerals- Lithium, Niobium and Rare Earth Elements (REEs) READ MORE
2. Cabinet approves establishment of an autonomous body Mera Yuva Bharat READ MORE
3. ‘Operation Ajay’ set to evacuate Indian nationals from Israel READ MORE  
4. Cauvery Committee retains water release recommendation of 3,000 cusecs to T.N. READ MORE
5. The cases before the new CJI-led nine-judge Constitution Bench | Explained READ MORE
6. Order on cleaning rivers not followed, NGT issues notice to Chief Secretaries of all States, Ministry of Jal Shakti READ MORE
7. India, China agree to maintain momentum of ‘dialogue and negotiations’ READ MORE  
8. How new royalty rates for strategic minerals lithium, REEs can help cut their imports READ MORE
9. What the GI tag can mean for the cashew industry in Goa READ MORE
10. India’s first bamboo-based biorefinery to start operations in March READ MORE
11. Chhattisgarh Baiga tribe gets habitat rights under FRA READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. Globally, 9 million girls face extreme risks of climate disaster and child marriage every year: Report READ MORE
2. Changed outlook READ MORE
3. Even temporary global warming above 2°C will affect life in the oceans for centuries READ MORE
4. Is climate change the reason for Sikkim flash floods? READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Women’s quota — rhetoric and reality READ MORE
2. CrPC, IPC changes fall short of expectations READ MORE
3. RTI Act: Time to make it more effective READ MORE
4. Transparency Law | CIC’s evolution from defender to bystander READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Learning for the future READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. UN Security Council reform is a song in a loop READ MORE
2. Are reunifications the key to world peace? READ MORE
3. Global Leadership Is Not Just About Drafting a Statement READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. India may face economic trouble as fertility levels drop READ MORE   
2. The labour market is tougher on women. This is what the Economics Nobel for 2023 acknowledges READ MORE
3. Good, do better: For India, to be the fastest growing major economy isn’t enough. Real change needs 8% growth READ MORE
4. Focus on economy’s basics for 8% growth READ MORE
5. India Needs Stronger Exports to Hold the Line READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Curbing air pollution: Centre, states need to work in close coordination READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Generic drugs are everywhere – and that’s a problem READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. How the government covered up the severity of Teesta floods by blaming them on a ‘cloudburst’ READ MORE

INTERNAL SECURITY

1. How the Khalistan movement is interlinked with Punjab’s growing drug problem, gun culture READ MORE
2. Beyond ‘Black Mirror’s’ fiction – Impact of Generative AI on policing, security READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. The inescapable meaning of life READ MORE
2. Dealing with failure READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. India’s economy is navigating a labyrinth of interconnected challenges, and addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach encompassing domestic policy reforms. Comment on the statement in light of global economic uncertainties and supply chain disruptions.
2. The challenges against world leadership cannot be addressed if the global institutions are not reformed with time. Analyse the statement in the light of recent global challenges.
3. If global institutions are not reformed as per occurring challenges, then instead of solving problems, they risk becoming part of the problem. In the light of statement, discuss the need for reforms in the United Nations.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Unlike carbon-based fuels, the wind and the sun and the earth itself provide fuel that is free.
• China’s Tibet policy is primarily based on ruthless exploitation hidden under the façade of mega infrastructure projects which are showcased to the rest of the world as a sign of development in this region.
• Goldin’s Nobel and her own awarded work which took decades of research provides a tremendous intellectual platform for a wider level of global policy discussion and action on issues of gender wage gap, women and work, and more.
• Based on its achievements in key fields of technology, India is not in the global game. Yet, as a geopolitical pivot whose importance is derived not by its national power but its sensitive location, India is being courted by all three geostrategic players.
• The inclusion of the African Union as the new G-20 member was a pyrrhic victory compared with the six new members added to the BRICS (these include all global major energy exporters and importers) given that 50 of the 54 African nations attended the 2023 BRICS summit.
• India’s economy is navigating a labyrinth of interconnected challenges and addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach encompassing domestic policy reforms, diversification of export markets and enhancing economic resilience to global shocks.
• India’s ability to overcome global economic uncertainties and supply chain disruptions hurdles will be critical in ensuring continued economic growth and stability in an ever-evolving global landscape.
• Non-urban India has remained blindsided for decades in terms of superannuation, benefits, and social security. Rural India will now catch up with its urban counterpart at a quicker pace.
• The Central Information Commission’s job is to strike a balance between people’s right to know and the State’s legitimate need for limited secrecy.
• Right to Information (RTI) has brought transparency and systemic reforms but there is need to prevent its misuse and plug in loopholes.
• Climate change is exacerbating the risks. Because of global warming, more and more glaciers are melting.
• We must be careful in granting permission for the design of our mega hydro projects. We must do proper environment assessment of these projects and ensure that these withstand any water discharge that may happen in case of a glacier outburst.
• An increase in investment in traditional sectors such as mining and utilities because they trigger wider economic activities.
• Frequent tweaks of irritants aside, the GST regime needs a holistic reform plan, including a road map to bring in excluded items such as electricity, petroleum and alcohol.

50-WORD TALK

• A radical re-imagination of growth and developmental opportunities offering a wider platform for Indian (and other developing countries’) women (especially those at the margin in the employment landscape) through a greater, more assertive policy can be a starting point for subsequent transformations to happen across other nations too.
• The disaster in Sikkim is only the latest in a string of related incidents. But it must serve as an urgent reminder at all levels of the state and Central governments that the fragile condition of the Himalayas as the effects of climate change escalate will pose a continued and imminent danger to residents of India’s hill states.

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.

1. Something changed about cyclone formation in the 1990s | Explained READ MORE  
2. What the hottest September ever reveals about climate change READ MORE
3. India can reap the demographic dividend – but there’s a deadline READ MORE
4. Why does Delhi NCR frequently experience earthquakes, what causes seismic activity in region? READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Competition Commission of India to host 8th BRICS International Competition Conference during October 11-13, 2023 in New Delhi READ MORE
2. SC to hear pleas challenging electoral bond scheme on October 31 READ MORE
3. Net direct tax collections up 21.8% to ₹9.57 lakh crore READ MORE  
4. PCA regime to cover PSU NBFCs from October 2024 READ MORE
5. IMF raises India growth forecast to 6.3% for FY24 READ MORE
6. India, Italy sign defence cooperation agreement READ MORE
7. SC to hear petition challenging electoral bonds: What is the scheme and its criticisms? READ MORE  
8. Dancing frogs of Western Ghats among most threatened amphibians globally READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. Mental disorders 10 times more likely following detention among asylum-seeking children: Report READ MORE
2. Women want change, society needs change READ MORE
3. DC Edit | Caste census to address inequity READ MORE
4. Something changed about cyclone formation in the 1990s | Explained READ MORE  
5. What the hottest September ever reveals about climate change READ MORE
6. India can reap the demographic dividend – but there’s a deadline READ MORE
7. Why does Delhi NCR frequently experience earthquakes, what causes seismic activity in region? READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Caste census: Why the liberal intelligentsia’s opposition is misplaced READ MORE
2. Stop being vindictive’: SC directive to ED welcome READ MORE
3. DC Edit | SC’s relook at PMLA provisions welcome READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Learning for the future READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. BRICS: The mortar of competition in a globalised world READ MORE
2. ‘West is hypocritical’ is now India’s go-to foreign policy response. Delhi not exempt either READ MORE
3. India and the Israel-Palestine War: Choices, challenges and trade-offs READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. The impact of Claudia Goldin’s work READ MORE  
2. Achieving the green energy goal READ MRE
3. Centre’s push on infra is transforming India READ MORE
4. West Asia crisis can hit global economy READ MORE
5. Claudia Goldin’s Nobel is a Wake-up Call for India’s Disjointed Labour Markets READ MORE
6. DC Edit | RBI keeps its focus on inflation READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Deregulation of biodiversity regime to impact environment READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. We need evidence-based traditional medicine READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. More people moved into high flood zones, exposing larger populations to water disasters: World Bank READ MORE
2. Sikkim’s Chungthang dam collapse signals the need for dam safety & emissions reduction READ MORE

INTERNAL SECURITY

1. How the Khalistan movement is interlinked with Punjab’s growing drug problem, gun culture READ MORE
2. Beyond ‘Black Mirror’s’ fiction – Impact of Generative AI on policing, security READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Gita unfolds the true essence of sanatan dharma READ MORE
2. Dealing with failure READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Why does Delhi NCR frequently experience earthquakes? What causes seismic activity in this region?
2. There is a need to redefine the relationship between the State and universities for a truly autonomous and thriving academic environment. Comment on the statement in light of recent developments.
3. While constitutional safeguards and legal protection for Dalits exist, caste-based discrimination has taken on new forms in the modern era. Discuss why the safeguards and legal protection failed to address the issue of discrimination in higher educational institutions?

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• A leader who doesn’t hesitate before he sends his nation into battle is not fit to be a leader.
• India must carefully weigh the situation, its long-term trajectory, and fall outs and find sensible geopolitical choices and security measures to deal with future challenges.
• The growing perception of Canada being a sanctuary for global offenders not only tarnishes its international reputation but also poses a threat to its societal fabric.
• It is difficult to fathom how a pause in policy rates or controlling liquidity could bring down food inflation, which was caused mainly because of supply shortages.
• Inclusion does not happen on its own in a society beset with inequalities which have a history of thousands of years; it takes deliberate and forceful attempts.
• While the apex court puts its imprimatur on the law finding it an effective tool to take on international terror rackets, its use on the ground does not share that confidence.
• It may be a paradox that a country which runs per a democratic Constitution and vouches by the rule of law has for all these years let an investigating agency infringe on the fundamental right to liberty of citizens without offering them a reason.
• Future-ready education is one that will help students adapt to ever-changing circumstances, prepare them for the drastic fallouts of climate change, teach them the importance of maintaining a balanced ecology and help them to be genuine global citizens.
• Generative AI’s impact on military warfare can be both revolutionary and riddled with ethical and legal considerations. It has significant implications for defence strategies, intelligence gathering, and training simulations.
• The fall in prices and the strengthening of international financial linkages will allow India to attain a current account surplus.
• The United Nations’ report on ageing in India serves as a reminder that the country’s opportunity to reap the demographic dividend is not perpetual.
• Russia’s increasing involvement in Africa is about its geopolitics, economics, and intricate security concerns.
• Reservation is the most effective form of affirmative action and equity is the first step to equality.

50-WORD TALK

• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is complaining about India to a growing list of global leaders from the UK, the UAE, and now Jordan. If Trudeau has concrete evidence of Indian wrong-doing, he should present it. Else, he’ll have to get used to the eye-rolling all whiny children eventually get.
• Awarding the Economics Nobel to economic historian Claudia Goldin is entirely appropriate. She’s greatly enhanced our understanding of women’s pay and labour participation, and historical issues therein. That she’s only the third woman to win this Nobel, and the first to do it solo, highlights how vital her research is.

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.

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Harvard professor Claudia Goldin wins Nobel Economics Prize for gender gap research READ MORE
2. Scientists untangle mystery about the universe’s earliest galaxies READ MORE
3. Sri Lanka to take over as Chair of Indian Ocean Rim Association READ MORE  
4. Ahead of Bima Vistaar rollout, IRDAI issues guidelines on Bima Vahaks READ MORE
5. ICMR to set up study to develop solutions to remedy childhood undernutrition READ MORE
6. What is multimodal artificial intelligence and why is it important? READ MORE
7. Joint Statement during the State Visit of the President of Tanzania to India and launch of Strategic Partnership between India and Tanzania (8-10 October 2023) READ MORE  
8. Appointment of Manipur HC CJ to be notified soon, Centre tells apex court READ MORE
9. Unemployment rate drops to 6.6% in urban areas in Q1 READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. Mental health and the floundering informal worker READ MORE
2. Socio-economic takeaways from Bihar caste survey READ MORE
3. Does India need a caste census? READ MORE
4. Extreme weather impact: 20,000 children displaced every day in last 6 years READ MORE  
5. How climate crisis will trigger more water wars in India READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. The state of India’s Scheduled Areas READ MORE
2. Uncertain timing, Census and delimitation hurdles cast shadow over women’s reservation READ MORE
3. Law Commission age of consent recommendations threaten to criminalise the young READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. The ‘invisible’ disability of mental illness: Challenges of social security access READ MORE
2. Fundamental health services for women: Analysing gender disparities READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. The end of the two-state solution: Hamas’s spectacular terrorism will push back Palestinian statehood by a generation READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. With food inflation limited to dal roti, why govt policy may need changes READ MORE  
2. Economics Nobel 2023: How Claudia Goldin shed light on the status of women in the workforce READ MORE
3. Is RBI heading in the right direction? READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Why India is launching a national framework for climate services Extreme weather impact: 20,000 children displaced every day in last 6 years READ MORE
2. Natural disasters occur due to our apathy towards environment READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. More people moved into high flood zones, exposing larger populations to water disasters: World Bank READ MORE
2. Sikkim’s Chungthang dam collapse signals the need for dam safety & emissions reduction READ MORE

INTERNAL SECURITY

1. Back to square one on theatre commands READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. It’s okay to be not okay READ MORE
2. Only we can reform our society READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Empowering women with the right to a safe and inclusive online environment is a crucial step toward a more equitable and just society in the digital age. Comment.
2. There is a need to redefine the relationship between the State and universities for a truly autonomous and thriving academic environment. Comment on the statement in light of recent developments.
3. While constitutional safeguards and legal protection for Dalits exist, caste-based discrimination has taken on new forms in the modern era. Discuss why the safeguards and legal protection are failed to address the issue of discrimination in higher educational institutions?

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Palestine is the cement that holds the Arab world together, or it is the explosive that blows it apart.
• The disturbing trends seen in women’s mental health call for immediate gender mainstreaming action in mental health policies.
• Policy neglect, uncertain job market, and increased contractualisation are making labourers’ economic condition worse. Inflation is negating purchasing power too.
• Wages of informal labourers neither become an election issue nor do they count as a measure of poverty.
• ]The only way to protect the Indian rupee is through price stability. Assured stability through firmer anti-inflationary measures sends an effective message to overseas investors.
• We need to enhance our responsibility and responsiveness towards climate cure and healing; we must investment in climate-pro solutions.
• Enhance cooperation for mitigation efforts, and develop sustainable and viable ecosystems for a crisis-free society.
• A caste census is deemed discriminatory and opposed by those who seek equal rights for all. Besides, opinions are sharply divided on its impact.
• The release of the socio-economic profile of various SRCs can bring back the lost focus on the ‘economic’ aspect of social justice.
• The promise of a caste census could influence outcomes in the upcoming assembly elections but not do much for the cause of universal welfarism.
• India and South Korea, guided by universal values, should build beyond bilateralism as they refuse to be bystanders amid global disorder.
• Law Commission recommendations on age of consent sidestep key question of how to protect the young from sexual abuse, while ensuring they are not punished for consensual sexual activity with peers.
• Informal workers, despite their significant contribution to national income, are perennially exposed to economic, physical, and, in turn, mental vulnerabilities.
• The only way forward is for a Palestinian leadership that can credibly signal to the Israeli people that it will not use the freedoms it gains from any peace deal to hurt Israel. The prospects for that seem dim.

50-WORD TALK

• The shocking failure of Israel’s security services to preempt Hamas’ brutal strikes illustrates the damage caused when elected dictators operate without scrutiny and the perils of emulating Erdogan-style rule. PM Netanyahu’s politics undermined Jerusalem’s military and intelligence leadership. Israel will prevail—but at a price that need not have been paid.
• Army signing contracts worth Rs 18,000 crore under emergency procurement and asking it be institutionalised shows how convoluted military procurement has become. It is a shame that Services have to use EP to fill up critical gaps. This piecemeal approach should be stopped and procurement systems decluttered for faster procurement.

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.

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. As per GRAP, Stage-I is to be imposed in the entire NCR when the daily average AQI of Delhi touches/ crosses 201 index value READ MORE
2. India Re-elected as President of Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) for a Third Successive Term READ MORE
3. REC launches ‘SUGAM REC’, a mobile app for 54EC Bonds Investors READ MORE  
4. Two of every five amphibians threatened with extinction, reveals study READ MORE
5. Election Commission briefs observers ahead of Assembly polls in five states READ MORE
6. RBI’s status quo and an indication that rate cuts would have to wait: What’s in store for borrowers, depositors READ MORE
7. Russia may pull out of CTBT: How the treaty tried — and failed — to stop nuclear testing READ MORE
8. When can a bill be designated as a ‘money bill’: SC to hear challenge READ MORE
9. UN launches 10 principles to close Asia-Pacific sustainable finance gap READ MORE

Main

GS Paper- 1

1. Equality and identity: On the findings of the Bihar caste count READ MORE
2. Implement women’s reservation now READ MORE
3. Beyond Politics: Caste Census Is About Deepening India’s Social Justice Paradigm READ MORE
4. Modelling study shows how controversial geoengineering may affect global food production READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. Age of Consent: Law Panel Report Simply Diagnoses, Doesn’t Solve the Problem READ MORE
2. In Strong Judgement, SC Comes Down Heavily on ‘Arbitrary Exercise of Power’ by ED READ MORE
3. Law Commission of India and Uniform Civil Code: Looking Back, Looking Forward READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Aligning higher education with the United Nations SDGs READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. India-China power play gets new life in Maldives READ MORE
2. Reading ‘India Way’ in the Neighbourhood First Policy: Moral Exceptionalism or Strategic Pragmatism? READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Revenue riddles: On GST inflows and areas of concern READ MORE  
2. RBI’s Monetary Policy and the art of letting it be READ MORE
3. Rates to stay elevated for longer READ MORE
4. Inflation clouds growth dreams READ MORE
5. De-risking is better than decoupling READ MORE
6. Factsheet of bad loans in the banking sector READ MORE
7. GDP Growth: The Gap Between Reality and Rhetoric READ MORE
8. K-shaped Recovery Dents Growth of Worker Earnings READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Over $9 trillion investments in infrastructure resilience, Net Zero needed by 2050 to mitigate climate impact: CDRI READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Inspiring colours: On the 2023 Chemistry Nobel READ MORE
2. Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023 goes to three scientists for quantum dots fundamental to nanotechnology READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. ‘Sikkim tells us to be very careful before allowing any new hydropower project in the Himalayas’ READ MORE
2. Sikkim serves a warning, govts must heed now READ MORE
3. Deluge of apathy: Sikkim flash flood has claimed several lives after decade-old warnings were conveniently ignored READ MORE
4. Sikkim Flood Was a Disaster Forecast – But Warnings Were Ignored READ MORE

INTERNAL SECURITY

1. In Manipur, another internet shutdown, a conflict intensified READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Can We Teach Someone to Be Ethical? READ MORE
2. Give us a smile READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Ethics are moral principles that govern behavior. Comment.
2. An urgent review of both the impact of climate change and infrastructure development in hilly areas is needed. Comment on the statement in the wake of the Sikkim glacial lake outburst flood.
3. India’s Neighborhood First Policy is guided by ideas of moral exceptionalism rooted in particular civilizational framings but is not without strategic pragmatism. Critically examine.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Anything that you will build on the foundations of caste will crack and will never be a whole.
• As India refigures its foreign policy to a region now changed by Armenia’s defeat in Nagorno-Karabakh, it almost certainly will have to seek out other, more stable avenues for its infrastructure ties given the potential of the INSTC project.
• India’s Neighborhood First Policy is guided by ideas of moral exceptionalism rooted in particular civilizational framings, but is not without strategic pragmatism.
• The growing dependence of female workers on self-employment points to increasing economic distress that forced women to shift from household work to informal employment.
• India’s GDP numbers need to be recalculated with a change in methodology. The argument that the discrepancies get evened out is not a strong one.
• The eastern Himalayas require special attention in terms of the potential for earthquakes as well as flood disasters. A special effort needs to be mounted to develop hazard scenarios and models as well as land zonation maps that demarcate areas prone to floods and landslides.
• Nationality is a feeling of oneness which makes those who are charged with it feel they are kith and kin. It is a feeling of ‘consciousness of kind.
• With four decades of experience in political reservation for women in local elections, there’s a compelling case for introducing the bill sooner rather than later.
• The Indian banks, especially the public sector banks, are yet to benchmark the criterion for NPA and keep risk in tolerable limits while disbursing loans.
• Globalisation has become so strong that complete economic decoupling of a country or region is not feasible. De-risking and realignment is the way forward.
• The victory of a pro-China government in the Maldives offers Beijing an opportunity to restore its influence in the Indian Ocean region.
• The rise in extreme weather events should prod the government to rehaul its management of all mountain approaches.
• We need high-elevation meteorological stations for more accurate weather forecasts. Most of us use remote-sensing methods but we also need to develop our capacity in field glaciology.
• Educational institutions have to rethink their approach so that it is in tune with the NEP which will be crucial in realising the 2030 deadline for SDGs.
• It is high time that universities adopted sustainability as a mantra and incorporated SDGs into their institutional strategies, both in daily administration and in teaching and research.
• It has been realised that higher education cannot work in isolation; rather it must be directly integrated with socio-economic development where each activity and transaction has meaningful and multiple impacts on SDGs.
• Every citizen must feel that the universities contribute directly to their well-being and nation-building.

ESSAY TOPIC

• India to awaken the people, it is the women who must be awakened
• What we sow we reap.

50-WORD TALK

• In wake of the Sikkim glacial lake outburst flood, an urgent review of both the impact of climate change and infrastructure development in such areas is needed. India alone can’t do anything about global warming. But it’s imperative to assess the viability, risks of dams generating power from glacier runoff.
• MK Stalin is right to say that National Medical Commission rules are undermining state rights. Linking MBBS seats with state population means southern states can’t raise seats or open new colleges. It amounts to punishing states that actually delivered quality medical education. Instead, add better colleges elsewhere in the country.
• Hiking LPG subsidy for Ujjwala customers by 50% is further backsliding of the government’s proclaimed freebie policy. From making scathing political speeches about opposition’s ‘revdi culture’, PM Modi is himself distributing subsidies with increasing frequency as elections approach. It’s cynical politics that fiscal prudence is being sacrificed for electoral gain.
• Nobody’s above the law of the land, including NewsClick. But UAPA, on top of the already draconian PMLA, peremptory seizure of electronic devices, characterises a heavy-handed State. Just allow the law to play out instead. The goal appears to be to silence critics through shock-and-awe while courts watch on ineffectually.

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.

1. PRADHAN MANTRI MATSYA SAMPADA YOJANA

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT:  PMMSY: bridging gaps in the fisheries sector

EXPLANATION:

• PMMSY began to bridge the gaps in the fisheries value chain from fish production, productivity, and quality to technology, post­harvest infrastructure and marketing.
• The PMMSY has successfully pulled inland fisheries from traditional waters, and infused technology, inspiring many talented and enterprising youth to venture into fisheries.
• The PMMSY has empowered fisher women to explore remunerative options and alternative livelihoods, such as ornamental fisheries, pearl culture, and seaweed cultivation.
• India is now counted among the world’s top three countries in fish and aquaculture production and is also the biggest shrimp exporter in the world.

About PMMSY: 

• Government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) on September 2020.
• PMMSY has brought the Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of the fisheries sector in India at a total investment of ₹ 20,050 crore for holistic development of the fisheries sector including the welfare of fishers.
• PMMSY will be implemented in all the States and Union Territories for a period of 5(five) years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25.
• Fishermen are given insurance protection, financial aid, and the option of a Kisan Credit Card (KCC) in order to make access to institutional credit easier.

Objectives of PMMSY:

1. Harness the potential of the fisheries sector in a sustainable, responsible, inclusive, and equitable manner.
2. Enhance fish production and productivity through expansion, intensification, diversification, and productive utilization of land and water.
3. Modernize and strengthen the value chain including post-harvest management and quality improvement.
4. Double fishers and fish farmers’ incomes and generate meaningful employment.
5. Enhance the contribution of the fisheries sector to Agricultural GVA and exports.

Benefits

• Financial assistance for fishing infrastructure: The scheme provides financial assistance to develop fishing infrastructure like fishing harbors, fish landing centers, fish markets, fish feed plants, fish seed farms, and fish processing units.
• Financial assistance for fish farmers: The scheme provides financial assistance to fish farmers for various activities like the construction of ponds, cages, hatcheries, and nurseries, and for the installation of aeration systems and other equipment.
• Assistance for fisheries management: The scheme provides financial assistance for the management of fishery resources through the adoption of scientific methods, setting up of fishery management plans, and developing fishery information systems.
• Credit-linked subsidy for fish farmers: The scheme provides a credit-linked subsidy for fish farmers to encourage them to take up fish farming as a business.
• Assistance for marketing and export of fish products: The scheme provides assistance for the development of cold chains, fish processing units, and packaging facilities to promote the export of fish products.

Source:(https://epaper.thehindu.com/reader?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=TH_ePaper_BrandSearchExact&tpcc=THEPGS&gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwgZCoBhBnEiwAz35RwlVuIGxRhaHq8ISbr4c4gbxKlrYc6htj17YZRxceUd6wimjWPFRK6hoCkeEQAvD_BwE)

2. RUBBER BOARD OF INDIA

TAG: GS 1:  GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT:  Rubber Board to increase area under rubber in Northeast.

EXPLANATION: 

• In a move to expand the area in non-traditional States, the Rubber Board is implementing a project to bring 2 lakh hectares under natural rubber in the Northeastern States, except Sikkim, but including West Bengal.
• The northeastern states, particularly Tripura and Assam, account for over 16 percent of the total production, up from around 10 per cent a few years ago. The share of Kerala has come down from around 90 percent to 78 percent. The non-traditional regions of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra have a combined share of 6 percent in the total output.
• “The current rise in production has come more from higher output in northeastern states than from Kerala. Low prices and high production costs have reduced tapping in Kerala.

Rubber board of India:

• The  Rubber  Board  is  a  statutory  body  constituted  by  the  Government  of  India,  under  the Rubber Act 1947, for the overall development of the rubber industry in the country.
• ​The Rubber Board functions under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry of the Government of India. The Board is headed by a Chairman appointed by the Central Government and has 28 members representing various interests of the natural rubber industry. The Board’s headquarters is located at Kottayam in Kerala. 

About Rubber: Rubber is made up of latex of a tree known as Hevea Brasiliensis. It is an equatorial crop.

• Climate: Rubber plants are native to tropical areas, so they don’t like to be hit with cold blasts of air from doors or drafty windows and may begin to drop some leaves if they are.
• Temperature: It requires high temperature throughout the year – ranging between 20°-35°C or average monthly mean of 27°C. Less than 20°C temperature is detrimental. Similarly, rubber also requires heavy rainfall(200cm).
• Soil: Rubber will do well on a wide variety of soils, some of which would be too poor for many crops. Deep, friable, well-drained soils are ideal as they promote root devel­opment, and acidic soils are also suitable.

Production and Consumption in India:

• India is currently the sixth largest producer of NR in the world with one of the highest productivities. The production capacity in India is around 900,000 tonnes, of which around 75% is tapped. Traditional rubber-growing states comprising Kerala and Tamil Nadu account for 81% of production. Major non-traditional rubber growing regions are the North Eastern states of Tripura, Assam and Meghalaya, Odisha, Karnataka, Maharashtra and West Bengal.
• India is the 2nd largest consumer of NR globally with current consumption of around 1.1 million tonnes.. Around 40% of the total NR consumption in India is at present met from import of rubber.

Challenges faced by Rubber industry:

• The sector also faces many challenges, some of which are sub-optimal agro-climatic conditions and adverse impact of climate change, saturation of area for new planting in traditional regions, agro-climatic, topographic, social, cultural, institutional and infrastructure constraints in non-traditional regions, global price volatility and low-price situations, and its repercussions on production, lack of competitiveness, stagnation in the growth of Non-Tyre Rubber manufacturing sector etc.

Government Initiative: 

• National Rubber policy,2019.
• Rubber plantation development scheme.
• 100% FDI in Plantation of Rubber.
• The Rubber Board, in association with major tyre companies, is implementing the NE Mitra scheme in northeastern states that contemplates fresh cultivation of rubber in 200,000 hectares in five years.

Top Rubber producing state in India: 1. Kerala, 2.Tamil Nadu, 3.Tripura, 4.Assam

Largest Rubber producing countries in the world: Thailand, Indonesia , Vietnam ,Ivory Coast , China, India.

Source:(https://www.thehindu.com/business/rubber-board-to-increase-area-under-rubber-in-northeast/article67307179.ece#:~:text=In%20a%20move%20to%20expand,Sikkim%2C%20but%20including%20West%20Bengal.)

3. KALAIGNAR MAGALIR URIMAI THITTAM SCHEME

TAG: GS 2: SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT:  Tamil Nadu CM Stalin launches Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam in Kancheepuram.

EXPLANATION: 

• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam in Kancheepuram on the occasion of the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) founder C.N. Annadurai.

• About Scheme:
  • Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam is a  basic income scheme.
  • The main objective behind launching this scheme is to empower women financially so that their livelihood and standard of living will improve.
  • Women Head of a Family whose Age is 21 Years and above are eligible for monthly financial assistance under this scheme.
  • Registration for Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam is started by Tamil Nadu Government.

Universal Basic Income (UBI):

• It is a guaranteed, ongoing cash distribution from the government to all residents, regardless of their financial situation or level of income. UBI will serve as a universal safety net for all people, regardless of their income or age.
• The Universal Basic Income (UBI) comprises three components, namely universality, unconditionality, and agency, according to the Economic Survey (2016–17).
  • Universal: All citizens will be covered by UBI.
  • Unconditional: The beneficiaries of UBI are not chosen based on any criteria.
  • Agency: Providing financial assistance in order to respect rather than impose the recipients’ preferences.
• UBI is intended to be distributed to individuals, not families, on a regular basis, in the form of money (rather than vouchers or coupons).

Benefits of UBI:

• Combating Extreme Events: By providing a basic income to everyone, the general public will be better able to withstand shocks like the COVID-19 Pandemic and other shocks like natural disasters (floods, tsunami, earthquakes, etc.). According to numerous reports, the majority of rural poor people have become financially vulnerable, while the lowest of the poor are essentially going hungry as a result of the pandemic’s effects.
• Economic Recovery: The current economic condition has forced the closure of numerous businesses and led to significant job losses. Due to this, the economy’s demand for goods and services has decreased. UBI can assist ignite the demand and boost the economy.
• Ensuring Dignity: A guaranteed quarterly financial transfer would make it possible for everyone to live a more dignified life, honoring everyone’s right to life as guaranteed by Article 21.
• Social justice: A society will not pass the justice test if it does not ensure that every citizen receives a respectable minimum income. As a result, UBI advances social justice by ensuring a minimum, unconditional income.

Challenges:

• The problem in the scheme comes when cut-offs are set and benefits are targeted at certain groups.
• Fiscal issues also surface when, rather than having a fixed budget for the scheme covering all citizens, cut-offs for various segments have to be worked out.
• A targeted scheme cannot be called universal and this will also require another round of Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) to get updated data on beneficiaries as the 2012 data is now outdated and does not provide the correct picture.
• Recipients may abuse the funds they receive and defeat the goals of social security. UBI will further discourage individuals from working or cause them to work less.

Way forward:

• First, since the wealthy can be excluded from cash transfer programs, the government can reconsider real universality. specific classes of residents may be automatically excluded (for example, if they possess specific assets).
• Second, the government should exploit the potential of the JAM(short for Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile) trinity (biometric identification, financial inclusion, and mobile penetration) for direct cash transfers to household bank accounts after agreeing on the quasi-basic income criterion.

Source:(https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-cm-stalin-launches-kalaignar-magalir-urimai-thittam-in-kancheepuram/article67310529.ece)

4. THE POST OFFICE BILL, 2023

TAG: GS 2: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: The Post Office Bill 2023 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha to repeal the Indian Post Office Act 1898.

PROVISIONS OF THE POST OFFICE BILL 2023 AND POST OFFICE ACT 1898

Post Office Act 1898

The Act provides for the issuance of postage stamps as per the Rules prescribed by the central government.

The Act provides that wherever the central government establishes posts, it will have the exclusive privilege of conveying letters by post, as well as incidental services such as receiving, collecting etc.

The Act specifies the services provided by the Post Office to include: (i) the delivery of postal articles including letters, postcards, and parcels, and (ii) money orders.

The Act allows for the interception of a shipment being transmitted through the post on certain grounds.  An interception may be carried out on the occurrence of any public emergency, or in the interest of public safety or tranquillity.  Such interceptions may be carried out by the central government, state governments, or any officer specially authorised by them.

Under the Act, the Director General has powers to decide the time and manner of delivery of postal services. Under the Act, the central government can notify charges for postal services through notifications.

The Act specifies various offences and penalties.  For instance, theft, misappropriation etc.

The Act exempts the government from any liability related to the loss, mis delivery, delay or damage to a postal article.  This does not apply where the liability is undertaken by the central government in express terms.  Officers are also exempt from such liability unless they have acted fraudulently or wilfully.

Post Office Bill 2023

The Bill also states that the Post Office will have the exclusive privilege of issuing postage stamps.

The Bill does not contain such privileges.

The Bill provides that the Post Office will provide services prescribed by the central government.

The Bill instead provides that the interception of a shipment being transmitted through post may be carried out on the following grounds: (i) security of the state, (ii) friendly relations with foreign states, etc.  An officer empowered by the central government through a notification may carry out an interception.

As per the Bill, the Director General may make regulations to specify charges.  The Director General may also make regulations on supply and sale of postage stamps and postal stationery.

The Bill does not provide for any offences or consequences, except one.  Amounts not paid or neglected by a user will be recoverable as arrears of land revenue.

The Bill retains these provisions.  However, it provides that instead of the central government, the Post Office may prescribe the liability regarding its services.

WHY THERE IS NEED TO REPEAL THE ACT?

• The Indian Post Office Act, 1898 was enacted in 1898 with a view to govern the functioning of the Post Office in India which was primarily related to mail services provided through the Post Office.
• With time the services available through the Post Office have diversified beyond mails and the Post Office network has become a vehicle for delivery of a variety of citizen centric services. Further with India Post Payments Bank the postal department has entered banking too.
• All this necessitated the repeal of the said Act and enactment of new law in its place.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/changing-the-way-the-postman-knocks/article67308498.ece

5. K2-18B EXOPLANET

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: A new investigation with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope into K2-18 b, an exoplanet 8.6 times as massive as Earth, has revealed the presence of carbon-bearing molecules including methane and carbon dioxide.

EXPLANATION:

• Webb’s discovery adds to recent studies suggesting that K2-18 b could be a Hycean exoplanet, one which has the potential to possess a hydrogen-rich atmosphere and a water ocean-covered surface.

K2-18B EXOPLANET:

• K2-18b is an interesting exoplanet, a planet that orbits another star.
• It is discovered in 2015 by the Kepler Space Telescope’s K2 mission. It is a type of planet called a sub-Neptune. These are smaller than Neptune in our own Solar System.
• The primary science objective of the Kepler mission was transit-driven exoplanet detection with an emphasis on terrestrial planets located within the habitable zones of Sun-like stars.
• The planet is about eight and a half times heavier than Earth and orbits a type of star called a red dwarf, which is much cooler than our Sun.
• However, K2-18b orbits much closer to its star than Neptune does in the habitable zone.
• This is the area that is not too hot and not too cold, where liquid water can exist (instead of freezing to ice or boiling into steam).
• Earth is called a rocky planet, but sub-Neptunes are gas planets, with much larger atmospheres containing lots of hydrogen and helium. Their atmosphere can also contain other elements.

NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope: NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope is an observatory in space dedicated to finding planets outside our solar system, with a particular focus on finding planets that might resemble Earth. The observatory was in commission for just under nine years, from its launch in March 2009 to its decommission on Nov. 15, 2018.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE STUDY:

• The new study found a lot of carbon dioxide and methane.
• It also found a small amount of dimethyl sulfide. Dimethyl sulfide is an molecule, made up of carbon, hydrogen and sulfur.
• On Earth, dimethyl sulfide is linked to life, on other planets it may somehow be related to geological or chemical processes.
• On Earth, it’s generally a bit smelly. But it’s also closely linked to life.
• Marine life and plankton emit it in the form of flatulence(gas).

SOURCE: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/science-technology/signs-of-life-why-astronomers-are-excited-about-carbon-dioxide-methane-in-atmosphere-of-alien-world-91741

1. PADMA AWARDS

TAG: GS 1: ART AND CULTURE

THE CONTEXT: The last date for online nominations for the Padma Awards 2024 is 15^th September, 2023.  Padma Awards will later be announced on the occasion of Republic Day in 2024.

EXPLANATION:

• The Padma Awards nominations and recommendations will be received online on the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal (https://awards.gov.in). Online nominations were opened on 1st May 2023.

About Padma Awars:

• The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India. It is instituted in 1954 and these awards are announced on the occasion of the Republic Day every year.
• The Awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service).
• The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year.
• The Padma Awards Committee is headed by the Cabinet Secretary and includes Home Secretary, Secretary to the President and four to six eminent persons as members.
• The award seeks to recognize ‘work of distinction’ and is given for distinguished and exceptional achievements in various fields where an element of public service is involved.
• All persons without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex are eligible for these Awards. Every citizens can make nominations and recommendations, including self nomination.
• Government servants including those working with PSUs, except doctors and scientists, are not eligible for Padma Awards.

• The award is normally not conferred posthumously. However, in highly deserving cases, the Government could consider giving an award posthumously.
• A higher category of Padma award can be conferred on a person only where a period of at least five years has elapsed since conferment of the earlier Padma award. However, in highly deserving cases, a relaxation can be made by the Awards Committee.
• The awards are presented by the President of India where the awardees are presented a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion.
• The recipients are also given a small replica of the medallion, which they can wear during any ceremonial/State functions etc.
• The names of the awardees are published in the Gazette of India on the day of the presentation ceremony.
• The total number of awards to be given in a year (excluding posthumous awards and to NRI/foreigners/OCIs) should not be more than 120.
• The award does not amount to a title and cannot be used as a suffix or prefix to the awardees’ name.
• The Padma Awards has been briefly suspended twice, from July 1977 to January 1980 and from August 1992 to December 1995.

History and Relevance

• The Government of India instituted two civilian awards-Bharat Ratna & Padma Vibhushan in 1954.
• The latter had three classes namely Pahela Varg, Dusra Varg and Tisra Varg. These were subsequently renamed as Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri vide Presidential Notification issued on January 8, 1955.

List of Fields:

The award seeks to recognize works of distinction and is given for distinguished and exceptional achievements/service in all fields of activities/disciplines. An illustrative list of the fields is as under:

1. Art (includes Music, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Cinema, Theatre etc.)
2. Social work (includes social service, charitable service, contribution in community projects etc.)
3. Public Affairs (includes Law, Public Life, Politics etc.)
4. Science & Engineering (includes Space Engineering, Nuclear Science, Information Technology, Research & Development in Science & its allied subjects etc.)
5. Trade & Industry (includes Banking, Economic Activities, Management, Promotion of Tourism, Business etc.)
6. Medicine (includes medical research, distinction/specialization in Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Sidhha, Allopathy, Naturopathy etc.)
7. Literature & Education (includes Journalism, Teaching, Book composing, Literature, Poetry, Promotion of education, Promotion of literacy, Education Reforms etc.)
8. Civil Service (includes distinction/excellence in administration etc. by Government Servants)
9. Sports (includes popular Sports, Athletics, Adventure, Mountaineering, promotion of sports, Yoga etc.)
10. Others (fields not covered above and may include propagation of Indian Culture, protection of Human Rights, Wild Life protection/conservation etc.)

SOURCE: https://newsonair.gov.in/News?title=Nominations-for-Padma-Awards-2024-open-till-15th-September%2C-2023&id=467349

2. WHITE SAMBAR DEER SPOTTED IN CAUVERY WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

TAG: GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: The presence of a leucistic sambar has been documented in the Sangama range of Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary during studies carried out on leopards by researchers.

EXPLANATION:

• This is the first time a leucistic sambar deer has been spotted in this forest area. A similar deer was spotted at Bandipur Tiger Reserve earlier in 2014.
• This condition is identified as leucistic which is caused due to lack of melanin in body parts. In the condition of albinism, the eyes become pink or red. But in leucistic animals, the eye colour is normal.
• This condition can occur naturally from birth due to a phenotype (a trait of any living being) that may have formed from a defect in the animal’s development.

Sambar deer

• The sambar (Rusa unicolor) is a large deer native to the Indian subcontinent, South China and Southeast Asia.
• It is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List since 2008.
• Populations have declined substantially due to severe hunting, local insurgency, and industrial exploitation of habitat.

Habitat

• The sambar is distributed in much of South Asia in the slopes of the Himalayas in Nepal, Bhutan and India and in mainland Southeast Asia including Burma, Thailand, Indochina, the Malay Peninsula, Indonesia (Sumatra and Borneo), Taiwan, and South China.
• It inhabits tropical dry forests, tropical seasonal forests, subtropical mixed forests with stands of conifers and montane grasslands, broadleaved deciduous and broadleaved evergreen trees, to tropical rainforests.

Behaviour

• Sambar are nocturnal species and they often congregate near water, and are good swimmers.
• The males live alone for much of the year, and the females live in small herds of up to 16 individuals.
• Like most deer, sambar are generally quiet, although all adults can scream or make short, high-pitched sounds when alarmed. However, they commonly communicate by scent marking and foot stamping.

Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary

• Cauvery wildlife division is spread over three districts, namely, Chamarajanagar, Mandya and Ramanagara.
• The wildlife sanctuary was originally notified in 1987 with an area of about 510 Km². Subsequently it was expanded by adding more forest areas in stages, and its present extent is 1,027 Km².
• Cauvery wildlife division has two sub-divisions, namely, Hanur and Kanakapura sub-divisions, and consists of seven ranges, namely, Kothnur, Hanur, Cowdally, Gopinatham, Halagur, Sangam and Muggur ranges.
• The sanctuary provides a vital link between Bannerghatta National Park in the north and Biligiri Ranganatha Swamy Temple Tiger Reserve and Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary in the south.
• The area is drained by three rivers, namely, Cauvery, Arkavathi and Shimsha, along with their numerous rivulets.
• The forest is primarily of dry deciduous and scrub types, but a wide range of forest types including moist deciduous, semi-evergreen, evergreen, shola, riverine, Hardwickia forest, etc. are encountered at different altitudes.
• Important animals found in the sanctuary are tiger, elephant, leopard, bison, wild dog, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, sloth bear, wild boar, common langur, bonnet macaque, giant squirrel, honey badger (ratel), chevrotain, kollegal ground gecko, varieties of reptiles and birds, etc.

SOURCE: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/white-sambar-deer-spotted-at-cauvery-wildlife-sanctuary-2-2676028

3. UPI ENABLED ATM

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: Hitachi Payment Services, a subsidiary of Japan’s Hitachi, has introduced a new UPI enabled ATM in collaboration with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

EXPLANATION:

• The launch of the ‘UPI ATM’ will mark a significant milestone in banking services by seamlessly integrating the convenience and security of UPI into traditional ATMs.
• This innovative concept is designed to provide quick access to cash even in remote areas of India without the use of debit or credit cards.
• These ATMs will allow customers to make cash withdrawals from bank accounts through the UPI apps. Anyone with a registered UPI app will be eligible for UPI ATM transactions. Both Android and iPhone users will be able these ATMs.
• These UPI-ATMs are also expected to improve security by eliminating the risk of card smikking by scammers and fraudersters.

Features of UPI-ATM

• Compatible with various systems.
• Transactions without the need for a physical card.
• Transaction limit of up to ₹10,000 per transaction is aligned with existing UPI daily limits and issuer bank’s UPI-ATM transaction limits.
• Offers convenience by eliminating the necessity to carry an ATM card for cash withdrawals

How does this work?

• The UPI-ATM service, also known as Interoperable Cardless Cash Withdrawal (ICCW), offers a convenient way for customers of participating banks who are using UPI to withdraw cash from any ATM that supports UPI-ATM functionality.
• When a customer selects the ‘UPI cash withdrawal’ option at the ATM, they will be prompted to enter the desired withdrawal amount.
• Once the amount is entered, a unique and secure dynamic QR code will appear on the ATM screen.
• To complete the transaction and obtain cash from the ATM, the customer simply needs to scan this QR code using any UPI app and authorize the transaction with their UPI PIN on their mobile device.

How is it different from cardless cash withdrawals offered by banks?

• The current card-less cash withdrawals depend on mobile numbers and OTPs, whereas UPI-ATM functions through QR-based UPI cash withdrawals.
• UPI-ATM is available to individuals using UPI who have installed a UPI application on their Android or iOS smartphones.
• To conduct transactions, users need to have a UPI application installed on their Android or iOS mobile devices.

National Payments Corporations of India (NPCI)

• It is an umbrella organisation launched in 2008 by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
• The NPCI, owned by a consortium of banks, is aimed at creating robust payments and settlement systems.
• NPCI is promoted by ten major banks, including the State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Citibank, Bank of Baroda, and HSBC. In 2016 the shareholding was broad-based to 56 member banks to include more banks representing all sectors.
• The regulatory board of the NPCI, headquartered in Mumbai, includes nominees from the RBI along with nominees from ten core promoter banks.
• Payment systems that the NPCI can operate include National Financial Switch (NFS), Immediate Payment System (IMPS), Aadhaar-enabled Payments System (AEPS) and National Automated Clearing House (NACH).
• NPCI has also launched products including RuPay, Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM), and Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

SOURCE: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets-news/explained-upi-only-atms-and-how-they-can-help-users/articleshow/103436077.cms

4. HEAT INDEX

TAG: GS 1: GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Iran recorded a scorching heat index of 70 degrees Celsius (°C) in the coastal part of the country.

EXPLANATION:

• This is not the first time that Iran is dealing with extreme heat. In July as well, U.S.-based weather observer reported that the Persian Gulf Airport reported a heat index of 66.7 °C.

What is heat index?

• Heat index, also known as apparent temperature, is a measure of how the temperature feels to humans. Relative humidity is an important factor that determines heat index, along with air temperature.
• Heat index is an important indicator for how atmospheric temperatures and humidity impact populations during heat waves.

Heat index calculation

• Hot air can hold more moisture than cold air. Therefore, when temperature rises, the air’s capacity to hold moisture also increases, thus affecting the apparent temperature or heat index.
• Dew point, which is the temperature at which gas is transformed into liquid state, is an important factor in the calculation of heat index.
• In terms of atmospheric moisture, dew point is the temperature at which air cannot hold any more water vapour, and droplets of water begin to form. In heat index 14 °C is taken as the dew point.
• In 2024, India is scheduled to launch its own heat index to quantify the impact of heat on its population and generate impact-based heat wave alerts for specific locations.

Why is it important to measure heat index?

• High humidity can lead to heat stress, meaning the body is unable to get rid of excess heat. Humans usually maintain a core temperature in the range of 36.1 to 37.2 °C.
• When the body is unable to get rid of excess heat, the heart rate increases due to a rise in core temperature, leading to heat-related exhaustion and rashes, among other symptoms.
• This is why a measure of heat index is more useful than just the temperature to gauge the impact of heat on humans.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/explained-what-is-heat-index-and-why-is-it-important-to-measure/article67226405.ece

5. ASEAN AND THE EAST ASIA SUMMIT

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: Prime Minister attended the ASEAN-India and the East Asia summit in Indonesia to discuss the future contours of India’s partnership with the countries in the strategically important region.

EXPLANATION:

• The comprehensive strategic partnership between India and the ASEAN has injected new dynamism into the group’s ties with India. Engagement with ASEAN is an important pillar of India’s ‘Act East’ policy’.
• This year’s theme of ASEAN is ‘’ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth’’.
• PM emphasised the importance of establishing “a rule-based post-COVID world order and collective particpation towards human welfare and spoke about “free and open Indo-pacific” and amplifying the voice of the global south.
• East Asia Summit forum provides a useful opportunity to deliberate on issues of importance to the region including food and energy security, environment, health, and digital transformation.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

• ASEAN is a regional grouping that aims to promote economic and security cooperation among its ten members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
• The group has played a central role in Asian economic integration, joining negotiations to form the world’s largest free trade agreement and signing six free trade deals with other regional economies.
• ASEAN Secretariat is located in Indonesia, Jakarta.
• The ASEAN Declaration states that the aims and purposes of the Association are:

(1) to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region (2) to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries in the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter.

Fundamental principles

ASEAN Member Countries have adopted the following fundamental principles in their

relations with one another, as contained in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast

Asia (TAC):

• mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, and
• national identity of all nations;
• the right of every State to lead its national existence free from external interference,
• subversion or coercion;
• non-interference in the internal affairs of one another;
• settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful manner;
• renunciation of the threat or use of force; and
• effective cooperation among themselves.

Working of the ASEAN:

• ASEAN is headed by a chair a position that rotates annually among member states and is assisted by a secretariat based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• Important decisions are usually reached through consultation and consensus guided by the principles of noninterference in internal affairs and peaceful resolution of conflicts.

History of ASEAN

• It was formed in 1967, by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, who sought to create a common front against the spread of communism.
• In 1976, the members signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia which emphasizes mutual respect and noninterference in other countries’ affairs.
• Membership doubled by the end of the 1990s. With the addition of Brunei (1984), Vietnam (1995), Laos and Myanmar (1997), and Cambodia (1999), the group started to launch initiatives to boost regional cooperation.
• In 2007, the ten members adopted the ASEAN Charter, a constitutional document that provided the grouping with legal status and an institutional framework. The charter enshrines core principles and delineates requirements for membership.
• The charter laid out a blueprint for a community made up of three branches: the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), the ASEAN Political-Security Community, and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.

East Asia Summit (EAS)

• The EAS was established in 2005 as an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led initiative.
• The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a regional forum held annually by leaders of, initially, 16 countries in the East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian and Oceanian regions, based on the ASEAN Plus Six mechanism. Membership expanded to 18 countries including Russia and the United States at the Sixth EAS in 2011.
• The EAS comprises 18 members: the 10 ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) and eight dialogue partners (Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States)
• The EAS is the only leader-led forum in the Indo-Pacific that brings together all key partners to discuss political, security and economic issues of strategic importance.
• Since its establishment, ASEAN has held the central role and leadership in the forum. EAS meetings are held after the annual ASEAN leaders’ meetings, and plays an important role in the regional architecture of Asia-Pacific.
• The EAS has six priority areas of cooperation: environment and energy; education; finance; global health issues and pandemic diseases; natural disaster management; and ASEAN connectivity.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pm-modi-arrives-in-indonesia-to-attend-asean-india-east-asia-summits/article67278949.ece

1. PM-PRANAM (PM PROGRAMME FOR RESTORATION, AWARENESS, NOURISHMENT AND AMELIORATION OF MOTHER EARTH) SCHEME

TAG: SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES

THE CONTEXT: Union Budget 2023–24 launched the PM-PRANAM to promote the balanced use of chemical and alternative fertilisers, generating awareness of Regenerative Agriculture (RA). In this context, there is debate over whether the scheme will reduce the fertiliser subsidies and boost the Regenerative Agriculture (RA).

EXPLANATION:

• Regenerative Agriculture is an outcome-based food production system that nurtures and restores soil health, protects the climate and water resources and biodiversity, and enhances farms’ productivity and profitability.
• It is worth noting that the subsidy burden on chemical fertilisers is about ₹2.25-lakh crore for FY 2022-23, which is 39 per cent higher than FY 2021-22’s figure (₹1.62-lakh crore).
• The PRANAM scheme may encounter a few challenges amid some opportunities.
• Fertiliser consumption shows that nitrogenous fertiliser consumption, especially urea, has not declined from 2012-13 until 2021-22 (P). However, the subsidy bill has increased significantly. So, promoting PRANAM will help the government reduce subsidy bills and fiscal deficits if it picks up.
• Nevertheless, the efficacy of alternative fertilisers to enhance crop yield or productivity remains a concern. Thus, a gradual phase-out of subsidies on chemical fertilisers can stimulate alternative or bio-fertiliser adoption.
• PRANAM can increase its economies of scale and help the extant distribution network stock alternative fertilisers. However, the margin on bio-fertiliser sales should be worked out to incentivise sales and distribution networks.

PM-PRANAM (PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother earth) SCHEME

• The scheme’s goal is to encourage states and union territories to employ alternative fertilizers and balance their chemical fertilizer consumption.
• The scheme seeks to minimize the subsidy burden on chemical fertilizers, which is projected to increase by 39% in 2022-2023, from Rs.1.62 lakh crore to Rs.2.25 lakh crore.
• It seeks to discourage the use of synthetic or chemical fertilizers and encourage sustainable agricultural practices.
• The government will evaluate the utilisation of fertilisers in terms of increase or decrease in overall consumption in a year vis-a-vis consumption over the past three years.
• The Integrated Fertilisers Management System (iFMS) is the platform envisaged to track the use of fertilisers.

How will the scheme operate?

• The scheme will not have a separate budget and will be subsidized by the savings of existing fertiliser assistance under schemes run by the Department of fertilisers.
• The scheme will use savings from subsidies to encourage states to use alternative soil nutrients and keep track of the use of fertilisers.
• 50% subsidy savings will be given as a grant to the state that saves the money, of which 70% can be used for asset creation related to the technological adoption of alternative fertilisers and alternative fertiliser production units at village, block, and district levels.
• The remaining 30% can be utilised for incentivising farmers, panchayats, farmer-producer organisations, and self-help groups that are involved in the reduction of fertiliser use and awareness generation.

How is the scheme beneficial?

• The PM PRANAM scheme will accelerate policies that not only enhance agricultural production but also safeguard the environment and health.
• According to the government, India’s consumption of fertilisers was about 40 million metric tonnes from April to mid-December 2022, with production of 32 mmt and imports of 12.8 mmt.
• The scheme is aimed at reducing the use of chemical fertilisers, especially urea. Excessive exposure to fertilisers affects human health through cancer and diseases caused by DNA damage. Fertilisers also pollute water bodies, leading to algal bloom and affecting aquatic life.
• The scheme will promote the use of other nutrients and fertilisers, including natural nutrients. This is expected to improve soil quality in the long run and increase crop yields, apart from preventing environmental damage.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/can-pranam-reduce-fertiliser-subsidy-bill/article67252948.ece

2. US-INDIA RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY ACTION PLATFORM (RETAP)

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; GS 3: ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: In a move towards a greener future, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) came together to introduce the US-India Renewable Energy Technology Action Platform (RETAP).

EXPLANATION:

• During the meeting, the delegations shared information about emerging technology developments in each country, including hydrogen, energy storage, wind, geothermal energy, and clean energy deployment programs among others.
• DOE and MNRE intend to enhance RETAP collaboration, including potentially through the creation of a RETAP Steering Committee, joint working groups and collaboration among subject matter experts.
• RETAP has been established as a result-oriented, time-bound platform with a keen focus on technology. Its primary objective is to propel the development and deployment of new and emerging renewable technologies.
• In its initial phase, RETAP is set to concentrate on green and clean hydrogen, wind energy, long-duration energy storage, and explore prospects in geothermal energy, ocean/tidal energy, and other technologies as they emerge in the future.
• The collaboration blueprint for RETAP has been outlined by DOE and MNRE and is guided by five overarching themes:

1. Research & development
2. Piloting & testing of innovative technologies
3. Advanced training & skill development
4. Policy and planning for advancing renewable energy technologies
5. Investment, incubation, and outreach programs.

• DOE and MNRE intend to enhance RETAP collaboration, including potentially through the creation of a RETAP Steering Committee, joint working groups and collaboration among subject matter experts.
• It is intended to advance new and emerging renewable technologies with a view toward deployment and scaling.

SOURCE: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1953550

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/us-and-india-join-forces-to-launch-renewable-energy-technology-action-platform-11693408975833.html

3. LAKE TOBA AND UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK

TAG: GS 1 : GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: Google Doodle celebrates Lake Toba, known as Danau Toba, located on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Lake Toba was designated as UNESCO Global Geopark on August 31, 2020.

EXPLANATION:

Lake Toba

• Lake Toba is a large natural lake in North Sumatra, Indonesia, occupying the caldera of a super volcano with a surface elevation of about 900 metres (2,953 ft).
• It is the largest lake in Indonesia and the largest volcanic lake in the world and one of the deepest lakes in the world.
• Toba Caldera is one of twenty geoparks in Indonesia,and was recognised in July 2020 as one of the UNESCO Global Geoparks. It was formed as a result of a massive volcanic eruption from Toba Caldera thousands of years ago.
• The collapse of the volcano’s magma chamber formed the island of Samosir, which is a popular tourist destination and home to various Indigenous ethnic tribes.
• In addition to celebrating Lake Toba, it’s essential to acknowledge the Indigenous Batak Toba people, the lake’s native inhabitants.
• Their traditional villages, local markets, and distinctive houses attract visitors from around the world. Traditional dances like the Tor-Tor and authentic wood carvings are common in these villages.

UNESCO Global Geoparks

• UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development.
• UNESCO Global Geoparks are:

1. Managed by a nationally recognised body such as a local authority or Geopark Management Group
2. Visible to the public in their promotion of geology, sustainable development and education

• Their bottom-up approach of combining conservation with sustainable development while involving local communities has become increasingly popular.
• At present, there are 169 UNESCO Global Geoparks in 44 countries.

SOURCE: https://www.livemint.com/news/world/google-doodle-celebrates-indonesias-lake-toba-largest-crater-lake-and-unesco-global-geopark-11693446907130.html

4. HOLLONGAPAR GIBBON SANCTUARY

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Experts recommended to reroute the Railway track through the Assam Gibbon Sanctuary.

EXPLANATION:

• Primatologists have suggested to reroute a 1.65-km-long railway track that has divided an eastern Assam sanctuary dedicated to the western hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) into two unequal parts.

Western hoolock gibbons in Assam’s Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary.

Hoolock Gibbon:

• It is the only ape found in India.
• It is one of the 20 species found worldwide inhabiting tropical and subtropical forests in Southeast Asia.
• They are found in forested areas of Northeast India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Southern China.
• It is the smallest and fastest of all apes.
• They have become endangered due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
• The species is listed on Schedule 1 of the Indian (Wildlife) Protection Act 1972.
• It is categorised into Western Hoolock Gibbon and Eastern Hoolock Gibbon.
• Western Hoolock Gibbon is listed as Endangered and Eastern Hoolock gibbon as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary:

• The Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary was formerly known as the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary or Hollongapar Reserve Forest.
• It is an isolated protected area of evergreen forest located in the Jorhat district of Assam.
• The upper canopy of the forest is dominated by the Hollong tree, while the Nahar dominates the middle canopy. The lower canopy consists of evergreen shrubs and herbs.
• The sanctuary has a rich biodiversity and is home to the only apes in India, the western Hoolock, as well as the only nocturnal primate found in the northeast Indian states, the Bengal slow loris.
• It is home to Stump-tailed macaque, northern pig-tailed macaque, eastern Assamese macaque, rhesus macaque, and capped langur etc.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/reroute-railway-track-running-through-assam-gibbon-sanctuary-suggest-scientists/article67247555.ece

5. SUPERMOON AND BLUE MOON

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Supermoon, a very rare event was seen on 31^st august, 2023. It is one of the largest and brightest moons of 2023. It was the second supermoon of August. The first one appeared on August 1.

Explanation:

WHAT IS SUPERMOON?

• A supermoon occurs when the Moon’s orbit is closest (perigee) to Earth at the same time the Moon is full.
• Its closest point is the perigee, which is an average distance of about 226,000 miles (363,300 kilometers) from Earth.
• When a full moon appears at perigee it is slightly brighter and larger than a regular full moon – and that’s where we get a “supermoon.
• A supermoon occurs every two and a half years on average.
• The supermoon casts 30% more light on Earth compared to the dimmest full moon.

WHAT IS BLUE MOON?

• A Blue Moon has nothing to do with the colour of the Moon.
• Normally blue moons occurs about every two or three years.
• Blue Moon can be described as the second full Moon in any calendar month with two full moons.
• As August 2023 ended up with two full moons, so by this definition second moon was blue moon.

Note:

• According to NASA: About 25 percent of all full moons are supermoons, but only 3 percent of full moons are blue moons.

SOURCE: https://www.livemint.com/science/news/supermoon-the-largest-and-brightest-moon-of-2023-11693408202630.html

1. KATCHATHEEVU ISLAND

TAG: GS 1: GEOGRAPHY ; GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister revived the debate over Katchatheevu, an uninhabited and barren island near Rameshwaram, by reiterating the demand for retrieval from Sri Lanka to put a permanent end to the problems of fishermen of the State.

EXPLANATION:

• Addressing a fishermen’s conference in Mandapam of Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu CM pointed out that following his letters to Prime Minister fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan authorities, were released.

Where is the island of Katchatheevu located?

• Katchatheevu is a 285-acre uninhabited island in the Palk Strait, between India and Sri Lanka. It is no more than 1.6 km in length and slightly over 300 m wide at its broadest point.
• It lies northeast of Rameswaram, about 33 km from the Indian coast. It is about 62 km southwest of Jaffna, at the northern tip of Sri Lanka, and 24 km away from the inhabited Neduntheevu (Delft Island), belonging to Sri Lanka.
• The only structure on the island is the St Anthony’s Church which is visited by both Indians and Sri Lankans for the annual festival. Indians do not need a visa for this.
• Katchatheevu is not suited for permanent settlement as there is no source of drinking water on the island.

What is the island’s history?

• The island is relatively new in the geological timescale, being the product of a 14-century volcanic eruption.
• In the early medieval period, it was controlled by the Jaffna kingdom of Sri Lanka. In the 17th century, control passed to the Ramnad zamindari based out of Ramanathapuram, about 55 km northwest of Rameswaram.
• It became part of the Madras Presidency during the British Raj. But in 1921, both India and Sri Lanka, claimed Katchatheevu in order to determine fishing boundaries.
• A survey marked Katchatheevu in Sri Lanka, but a British delegation from India challenged this, citing ownership of the island by the Ramnad kingdom. This dispute was not settled until 1974.

What is the agreement ?

• In 1974, then Indian Prime Minister made attempts to settle the maritime border between India and Sri Lanka.
• As a part of this settlement, known as the ‘Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime agreement’ Katchatheevu was ceded to Sri Lanka to deepen its ties.
• As per the agreement, Indian fishermen were still allowed to access Katchatheevu. Unfortunately, the issue of fishing rights was not ironed out by the agreement.
• Sri Lanka interpreted Indian fishermens’ right to access Katchatheevu to be limited to “rest, drying nets and for visit to the Catholic shrine without visa”.
• Another agreement in 1976, during the period of Emergency in India, barred both country from fishing in the other’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

The stand of the Union government on the issue:

• In August 2013, the Union government contended that the islet was a matter of dispute between British India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and there was no agreed boundary, a matter of which was settled through 1974 and 1976 agreements.
• In December 2022, the Union government, while referring to the two agreements, pointed out in its reply in the Rajya Sabha that Katchatheevu “lies on the Sri Lankan side of the India-Sri Lanka International Maritime Boundary Line.” It added that the matter was sub-judice in the Supreme Court.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/explained-the-katchatheevu-controversy/article67213802.ece

2. GLOBAL INITIATIVE ON DIGITAL HEALTH (GIDH)

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; GS 2: SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: Union Health Minister launched the ‘Global Initiative on Digital Health’ (GIDH), a World Health Organization-managed network, in the presence of the  Director-general, WHO.

EXPLANATION:

• In a significant decision at the G20 Health Minister’s summit, nations have collectively launched the Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH).
• This move underlines the growing recognition and commitment to the amalgamation of digital health strategies on a worldwide spectrum.

Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH):

• The Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH) is a WHO managed network of stakeholders organized to facilitate the implementation of the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2025 and other WHO norms and standards for Digital Health System Transformation.
• The GIDH aims to consolidate efforts and investments in the digital health sector, creating a comprehensive digital health ecosystem.
• The Initiative will serve as a platform to enable a wide global ecosystem to work collectively to promote country capacity and strengthen international cooperation in digital health.
• The initiative aims to focus on four foundational pillars to converge global efforts for digital health and scale up digital solutions with the use of cutting-edge technologies.

1. Aligning efforts with the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025
2. Offering quality-assured technical assistance for standards-based and interoperable systems,
3. Facilitating the use of digital transformation tools
4. Ensuring mutual accountability.

• GIDH will prioritize the following core areas of work:

1. Assessing and prioritizing Member States’ needs
2. Evaluating the availability and reporting of country-level digital health resources and identifying under-funded priorities
3. Supporting technically and financially the accelerated achievement of the strategic objectives defined in the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2025.

• Digital health is a proven accelerator to advance health outcomes and achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and health-related Sustainable Development Goals.
• The key components of the GIDH will leverage existing evidence, tools and learnings and will be co-created through a transparent and inclusive process. Through this evidence-based and comprehensive co-creation process, GIDH will ultimately aim to:

1. ALIGN efforts to support of the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025
2. SUPPORT quality-assured technical assistance to develop and strengthen standards-based and interoperable systems aligned to global best practices, norms, and standards.
3. FACILITATE the deliberate use of quality assured digital transformation tools that enable governments to manage their digital health transformation journey.

• As a WHO Managed Network (“Network of Networks”), GIDH will address challenges such as duplication of efforts and “products-focused” digital health transformation through a focus on four foundational pillars:

1. Country Needs Tracker – facilitating digital health investments to be informed by country priorities;
2. Country Resource Portal – identifying traditional as well as innovative resource opportunities, and promoting transparency, while reducing the risk of duplication for enabling a standards-based prospective and retrospective analysis of resourcing gaps in digital health.
3. Transformation Toolbox – advocating for quality-assured tools and resources that strengthen country capacity and autonomy to manage the national digital health transformation.
4. Convening and Knowledge Exchange – promoting strengthened collaboration and knowledge exchange across global, regional, and national networks in digital health.

SOURCE: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/g20-health-ministers-unveil-initiative-on-digital-health-11692446211179.html

3. KANNIYAKUMARI’S MATTI BANANA

TAG: GS 1: ART AND CULTURE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Matti banana variety which is native to the Kanniyakumari district was granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag that is known for its unique characteristics.

EXPLANATION:

• The application for Kanniyakumari Matti banana was filed by Kanyakumari Banana and Horticulture Farmers Producer Company Limited. The process was facilitated by the Tamil Nadu State Agriculture Marketing Board and NABARD Madurai Agribusiness Incubation.
• Matti banana is mostly grown in the Kalkulam, Vilavancode, Agatheeswaram, Thovalai, Thiruvattar taluks of Kanniyakumari district.
• The Matti banana fruit‘s apex is 2.5 – 3 cm long, slightly larger than human fingers, and looks like mouth of a crocodile. It is also called as ‘Crocodile Finger Banana’.
• It is a traditional table banana cultivar of medicinal value and the fruit is highly fragrant, sweet with sub-acid flavour, firm texture and powdery nature.
• Unlike typical banana bunches that grow straight, the Matti’s fingers exhibit a distinct wind-blown appearance. Its low total soluble solids content (TSSC) recommends it as a baby food.

• The fruit has sweet fragrance and honey-like taste .It is served traditionally in marriage feast mixed with payasam.
• There are six known types of the Matti bananas:

1. Nal Matti boasts a yellowish-orange colour and fine aroma.
2. Theyn [honey] Matti’s pulp tastes like honey.
3. Kal Matti gets its name from the calcium oxalate crystals forming in its pulp and black dots on the skin.
4. Nei Matti exudes the aroma of ghee.
5. Sundari Matti, a Matti clone, with its elongated fingers, thick peel, and creamy white rind, is facing extinction.
6. Semmati (red) is a fusion of Matti and Red banana, with a mix of red and yellow pulp containing ascorbic acid beneficial to the growth of children. It is also called Sanna Kathalai and the sugar level is very low and suitable even for diabetics.

• The Matti banana flourishes due to the area’s special conditions, producing a slightly larger-than-human finger-sized fruit with a sweet fragrance and honey-like taste that can’t be replicated elsewhere.
• The uniqueness of the Matti banana is attributed to a combination of factors including humidity, water, temperature, soil composition, and nutrient balance.
• Experts highlight the significance of the Genotype-Environment-Microbiome interaction (G×ExM) for gene expression, underscoring the importance of the environment in shaping genetic traits.
• The distinctiveness of the Matti banana arises from a complex interplay of factors, making it difficult to reproduce its qualities in other areas with a single factor.

NOTE: Refer to 2^nd August DNA for more information on Geographical Indication tag.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/kanniyakumaris-matti-is-distinct-with-fragrance-and-honey-like-taste/article67206980.ece

4. GENETICALLY EDITED MUSTARD

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Indian scientists have developed the first ever low-pungent, disease- and pest-resistant mustard. It is transgene-free, not genetically modified and is based on CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing.

What is gene editing?

• Genome editing is a method for making specific changes to the DNA of a cell or organism.
• These technologies allow genetic material to be added, removed, or altered at particular locations in the genome.
• Human genome editing technologies can be used on somatic cells (non-heritable), germline cells (not for reproduction) and germline cells (for reproduction).
• Several approaches to genome editing have been developed one of them is called CRISPR-Cas9.
• CRISPER Cas9 is short for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9.
• It was adapted from a naturally occurring genome editing system that bacteria use as an immune Défense.

How does CRISPR Cas9 works?

What were the challenges in traditional mustard?

• Traditional mustard types have significant levels of glycosylates, sulphur- and nitrogen-containing compounds, which help to give mustard oil and meal its distinctive pungency.
• They exhibit less resistance against pests and diseases, contributing to lower crop yields and increase need for chemical pesticides.
• Due to its high glucosinolate content, mustard oil is less popular with consumers who prefer cooking tools with milder flavours and odours.
• Rapeseed meal, a byproduct of oil extraction, is utilised as a feed ingredient for animals and birds.
• Certain animals find the meal unpalatable due to the high glucosinolate content, which can also cause goitre, decreased feed intake, and organ abnormalities.

How does the application of CRISPR address the challenges of traditional crop system?

Challenges of CRISPER Cas9 technology:

• As with any gene editing technology, unintended consequences are possible.
• For example, if CRISPR targets an unintended location within the DNA, edits could lead to disease.
• Many countries are struggling with how to regulate these technologies.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-economics/gene-edited-mustard-less-pungent-more-useful-8901549/

5. AI AND ACOUSTIC SIDE CHANNEL ATTACKS (ASCA)

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: A research paper titled “A Practical Deep Learning-Based Acoustic Side Channel Attack on Keyboards” was published recently.

Key highlights of the study:

• It revealed that the Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be utilized to decipher passwords by analysing the sound produced by keystrokes.
• It also highlighted the precision of Acoustic Side Channel Attacks (ASCA) when state-of-the-art deep learning models were applied to categorise laptop keystrokes and their mitigation.
• Although ASCA is not a new concept, side channel attacks have become a greater threat due to the advancement of AI and deep learning.

What are ASCA?

• Side-Channel Attacks (SCAs):
• It is a method of hacking a cryptographic algorithm based on the analysis of auxiliary systems used in the encryption method.
• These are performed using a collection of signals emitted by devices, including electromagnetic waves, power consumption etc as well as sound from keyboards and printers to target devices.
• These signals are used to decipher signals that could be used to undermine a device’s security.
• Acoustic Side Channel Attacks:
• A keyboard’s clicks are used to evaluate keystrokes and decipher what is being typed to leak sensitive information.
• These attacks are especially dangerous since consumers underappreciate the potential dangers of the acoustic sounds produced by a keyboard, in addition to being easily accessible.
• When inputting sensitive information, most users cover their screens, but no security measures are taken to hide the sound of the keystrokes.
• The adoption of laptops has expanded the range of ASCAs because laptop models have the same keyboard, which makes it simpler for AI-enabled deep learning models to detect and understand the acoustics.

WAY FORWARD:

• Since 1950 ASCA attacks have existed, when acoustic emanations of encryption devices were utilised to breach their security.
• There is no explicit means of defence against ASCAs, simple changes to typing could reduce the chances of attacks.
• Changes in typing style and creating stronger passwords using combination of upper- and lower-case alphabets can make it more difficult to launch successful ASCA attacks.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/what-are-acoustic-side-channel-attacks-and-how-is-ai-used-to-increase-its-accuracy/article67216538.ece