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TABLE OF CONTENTS
STATE NEWS
Malnutrition rears its head in b'luru city kids: study........................................................................... 6
centre's delay hits karnataka rural jobs.............................................................................................. 8
centre may cut karnataka's tax share by rs 5,000 cr ........................................................................... 8
former karnataka governor tn chaturvedi passes away .................................................................... 10
flood relief from centre ................................................................................................................... 10
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
anti-satellite (a-sat) missile and the air defence tactical control radar (adtcr) ................................ 117
ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
smog tower ................................................................................................................................... 119
statement on climate of india during 2019 .................................................................................... 119
blue flag beaches........................................................................................................................... 120
australia wildfires .......................................................................................................................... 121
green credit scheme ...................................................................................................................... 122
seismic hazard microzonation project............................................................................................ 123
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
STATE ISSUES
Anti-Defection Law
In News: The Karnataka by-election results
have widely put to display the ineffectiveness
of the Anti-Defection Law. Of the 17
defecting Congress-Janata Dal (Secular)
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Loopholes:
Resignation as MLA was not one of the conditions. Exploiting this loophole, the 17
rebel MLAs in Karnataka resigned, their act aimed at ending the majority of the ruling
coalition and, at the same time, avoiding disqualification.
Speaker’s power- However, the Speaker refused to accept the resignations and
declared them disqualified. This was possible as the legislation empowers the
presiding officer of the House (i.e. the Speaker) to decide on complaints of defection
under no time constraint.
• The law originally protected the Speaker’s decision from judicial review.
However, this safeguard was struck down in Kihoto Hollohan v. Zachillhu
and Others (1992).
• While the SC upheld the Speaker’s discretionary power, it underscored that
the Speaker functioned as a tribunal under the anti-defection law,
thereby making her/his decisions subject to judicial review.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
20.
When the mothers are married off young, their nutrition is at stake. Many women are
anaemic. This leads to low birth weight in children and hence malnourishment.
Researchers found that there was no dietary diversity in the families of such children.
They consumed pulses and cereals, mostly eaten with rice. They had white rice for
most of their meals. In some cases, a form of flavoured white rice was consumed even
for breakfast.
The children didn’t consume any other grains, and the minimal consumption of fruits,
vegetables and greens was another concern.
The study also found that 55% consumed readily available sugar-laden drinks almost
every day.
The research suggested medical attention for such children as they showed a higher
tendency of falling sick. As most families did not have access to a diet chart, Indian
Institute of Health Management and Research, said awareness must be created about
low-cost, easily available nutritional snacks.
The Centre had estimated devolution of Rs 39,806 crore to Karnataka in the February 2019
Union Budget. The amount shrunk by Rs 1,672 crore to Rs 38,134 crore in the July 2019
Union Budget. Of the Central taxes devolved by the Centre, 4.71% is allotted to Karnataka.
Reason for the cut:
Decrease in non-GST tax collection due to the ongoing economic slowdown was the
reason for the cut in devolution to the states.
What would be its effects on Karnataka?
Delay in the release of funds for Centrally-sponsored schemes has also affected
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Karnataka.
Similarly, several Centre-assisted projects under the Rural Development & Panchayat Raj
Department, Women and Child Development department and others are also under
jeopardy due to the fund crunch faced by the Centre.
Karnataka is stretching itself fiscally as it has had to bear much of the expenditure toward
flood relief and rehabilitation from its coffers.
Recommendations of fifteenth finance
commission
Weightage compared to 14thth FFC -
o Population of a state – reduced from 17.5% to
15%
o Demographic performance- increased from
10% to 12.5%.
o “tax effect"(new)- 2.5%
o Income distance (how much lower or higher
than the national average a state is) - reducing
from 50% to 45%.
o geographical area- same 15% assigned
o forest and ecology - 7.5% to 10%.
Impact
The FFC, while determining the vertical devolution,
has effectively reduced the share of states from 42%, which was applicable for 29 states,
to 41%, which is applicable to 28 states.
A part of the change in the relative share of the states may be on account of the change
in criteria and weights for what is called the horizontal devolution. Unlike its predecessor,
the 15th Finance Commission has used the 2011 Census as the sole criteria for population
but has reduced the weight for population to 15% from the earlier 27.5%.
Consequent to the recommendations of the FFC, the tax share of most southern states,
including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka, has come down, while the share of
Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, and Gujarat has gone up.
It has also reduced the weight of income distance from
50% to 45% to provide higher devolution to the states
with lower per capita income.
Demographic performance and tax effort have been
brought in as parameters to reward the states performing
better on both these counts. Through the new mix of
parameters, the 15th Finance Commission has sought to
address concerns that some of the states that had
managed to control the pace of population expansion were being ‘penalised’ for this
achievement.
What does the constitution say?
The Constitution mandates that the Centre share the tax proceeds with the states,
which also tap other revenue sources such as VAT on petrol and diesel, stamp duty
and excise on alcohol. The formula for sharing revenues is decided by the Finance
Commission every five years.
This time, however, the 15th Finance Commission will decide the formula for six
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
years.
Local Disaster:
A State Government may use up to 10 percent of the funds available under the SDRF
for providing immediate relief to the victims of natural disasters that they consider to
be ‘disasters’ within the local context in the State and which are not included in the
notified list of disasters of the Ministry of Home Affairs subject to the condition that
the State Government has listed the State specific natural disasters and notified clear
and transparent norms and guidelines for such disasters with the approval of the State
Authority, i.e., the State Executive Authority (SEC).
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Markandeya reservoir
In News: Karnataka said the constructing reservoirs on
Markandeya river near Yargol Village in Kolar district will not
adversely affect Tamil Nadu.
What Karnataka has to say ?
The state, in its affidavit filed in the Supreme Court to
counter Tamil Nadu's petition, said that the purpose of
building reservoir was to supply drinking water to Kolar
city, Bangarpet and Malur towns and around 45
villages. Earlier, Tamil Nadu filed an interlocutory application in the Apex Court seeking
direction to Karnataka to restrain from building a reservoir on Markandeya River alleging
that since the river was tributary of Pennaiyar River, any construction of the dam by
Karnataka would obstruct natural flows to the downstream.
Karnataka also said that Tamil Nadu cannot request the top court to restrain the state
from pumping 22 MLD (million litres per day) of water to fill up Hosakote tank from
Yellamallappa Chetty tank.
This project was completed in 2011 and nine years after the completion, Tamil Nadu
cannot request the court to prevent using and to fill up the water.
Yellamallapa Chetty tank receives sewage water from Bengaluru out of the drinking water
supplied from the Cauvery river.
Treated sewage water is being lied from Yellamallapa Chetty tank to Hosakote tank only
for recharging underground water.
What Tamil nadu says?
Tamil Nadu claimed that since Markandeya River is tributary of Pennaiyar River, any
construction of the dam by Karnataka would obstruct natural flows to the
downstream. Since a large number of people in Tamil Nadu depend upon Pennaiyar
river water for irrigation as well as drinking purpose, the livelihood of lakhs of farmers
in Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Cuddalore districts would
be affected with the construction of dam.
Tamil Nadu also argued that constructing reservoirs in one of the tributaries of
Pennaiyar was a violation of the Inter-State Water Disputes Act.
Information System (MIS) of Sick Neonatal Care Units (SNCUs) show that Neonatal
Mortality Rate (NMR) that accounts for 70% of the
infant mortality rate is reducing. What is IMR?
The state’s neonatal mortality rate is 18. IMR is the number of deaths of
Who releases the data? children aged less than one year
The Office of the Registrar General every year per 1,000 live births.
releases dependable demographic data derived
from a large cohort of people on indicators like
population growth, fertility and mortality in the SRS report.
In the backdrop of a large number of infant deaths in Kota, Rajasthan, IMR in other
states has assumed significance. The state had an IMR of 28 in 2015 and 24 in 2016. This
is far better than the national average of 33.
What has been done?
“We are strengthening our 44 SNCUs to lower infant mortality rate. Be it equipment,
training of staff nurses or human resource. Neonatal mortality rate has neither increased
nor decreased in the last two years, according to SRS reports. But, going by the data
furnished by SNCU MIS, death rate is definitely decreasing,”
Cause for IMR?
The main cause of NMR is premature childbirths before completing 36 weeks of
pregnancy. This leads to respiratory distress, low birth weight or infections.
Another major cause of NMR in the state is birth asphyxia. “If there is a delay in delivery,
it causes birth asphyxia. So we are focusing on timely referrals from lower primary health
centres to our centres
Measures
To contain premature births focus should beon the spacing between childbirths, antenatal
check-ups and prevention of infections.
Apart from this, antenatal corticosteroids usage is being advocated for those who are at
risk of having premature babies..
Union government’s initiative ‘LaQshya’ (Labour room Quality Improvement Initiative)
is being implemented in all public health centres to reduce newborn mortality and
morbidity due to haemorrhage, retained placenta, eclampsia, obstructed labour and new-
born sepsis. The initiative aims at improving the quality of care during the delivery and
immediately after, stabilise complications and enable an effective two-way follow-up
system.
Benefits:
One of the advantages, was that it would reduce problems caused by middlemen. “Job-
seekers are often cheated by touts of private recruitment firms. With the state
government coming into the picture, such cases will reduce.
It will be easy to sign MoUs with the help of foreign embassies as the agency is under the
government. As of now, many countries have evinced interest in the services offered by
KVSTDCL, adding that the government was ready to fulfil the labour requirements of any
country.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Many times, he alone staged protests for Kannada cause in front of Vidhana Soudha. As a
president of Kannada Shakti Kendra, he had organised protests.
For many decades, Murthy either demanded or submitted a memorandum to the
government seeking renaming of Hyderabad-Karnataka as Kalyana-Karnataka and
Mumbai-Karnataka as Kittur Karnataka.
Using historical and literary evidence, he had proved that boundaries of Karnataka had
expanded beyond today's Kerala and Maharashtra. Murthy had a large number of
students, who revered him for his teaching skills.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
He strongly propagated that Veerashaiva-Lingayat are the same and the faith was a part
of the Hindu religion.
He was born on May 10, 1931, at Hirekogalur, in Channagiri taluk in Shivamogga district.
He secured 10th rank to state at inter examinations. He bagged two gold medals in
graduation.
He served as a Kannada lecturer in Tumakuru, Kolara and Bengaluru. He completed PhD
on ancient Kannada poet Pampa.
In 1960, he joined the department of Kannada at University of Mysore. He also served in
Bangalore University. He authored more than 25 literary and research works.
Murthy and Prof MM Kalburgi were two giants in Kannada research. With Murthy's death,
an era in Kannada research has ended.
There are hardly 10 to 12 district hospitals left, others are already attached to government
medical colleges.
Sagarmala
In News: A dawn-to-dusk bandh, called by fishermen associations and pro-people
organisations against the expansion of the commercial port as part of Sagarmala project,
brought the port city Karwar to a grinding halt
More on the topic Karwar is located in Uttar
The agitators argued that the expansion of commercial Kannada district at the
port would affect the movement of fishing boats and Southern side of the Kali River.
trawlers from and to Baithkol fishing harbour due to its It is the only all-weather natural
proximity with Karwar commercial port. port out of 10 minor ports of
Further, they complained that the Sagarmala project Karnataka.
works would spoil the beauty of the famed It is sandwiched between the
Rabindranath Tagore beach. Arabian Sea on one side and the
They demanded, the government to stall construction of Western Ghats on the other.
seawall as part of the project. It is known as Kashmir of
What is Sagarmala Programme? Karnataka as it is blessed with a
The Sagarmala Programme is Union Government’s wide variety of flora and fauna.
flagship strategic, customer-oriented initiative to
achieve the broad objective of promoting port-led economic development in India.
The ambitious programme seeks to harness vast potential of India’s 7,500 km long
coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and strategic location on key
international maritime trade routes.
It envisages the growth of coastal and inland shipping as a major mode of transport for
carriage of goods and people along the coastal and riverine economic centres.
Sagarmala when integrated with the development of inland waterways will help to reduce
cost and time for transporting goods, benefiting industries and export/import trade.
was found to be the second highest in the country with Karnataka having a re-admission rate
of 49.3%, at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans) and
Dimhans, Dharwad, only behind strife-torn Jammu & Kashmir (61.1%), according to a survey
report.
More on the topic:
All the 43 government-run mental health hospitals in the country were studied for the
survey.
The rate of readmission in the state is higher than the national average, which is less than
15%. This is probably because it is the country’s largest tertiary mental health hospital and
patients from different states get treated here.
Interestingly, Nimhans was also part of the task force which did the Pan-India study. After
studying patients who have been in the facility for more than one year, Hans Foundation
along with a task force comprising members from the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of
Social Justice and Empowerment, Nimhans, Tata
Institute of Social Sciences and other civil society
organisations rolled out a ‘National Strategy for
Inclusive and Community-Based Living for Persons
with Mental Health Issues’.
A total of 4,935 people were identified with one or
more years of stay in state mental hospitals across 24
states.
In Karnataka, out of the 570 surveyed, 69 were long-
stay patients. So, 12.10% had stayed for more than a
year. In Karnataka, more women than men have been confined in state mental health
hospitals.
Among the 69, 28 were men and 41 were women. So, around 60% were women. Around
45% of the patients were admitted by their own families, 16% by police and 31% by others.
Also, a very minuscule percentage of patients have occupied open wards (1.4%). Around
98.6% of patients are occupying closed wards.
At 44.9%, Karnataka is among the three states with more than 40% of long-stay users
classified with severe disability, again probably because of the presence of the country’s
largest tertiary mental health hospital in the state.
With respect to the best possible placement for long-stay patients, 18.8% were
recommended for placements in nursing homes or to continue at the hospital.
Information for the study was collected over a period of seven months from August 2018
to February 2019.
Had the hospital not admitted patients when they see a relapse or when their families
reject them in cases of severe disability, the rate of readmission wouldn't be high in both
Nimhans and Dimhans.
Benefits:
Green budgeting, authorities argue, will help Karnataka meet the goals set by India’s
Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC), the country’s climate plan.
It will also help meet targets set at the Conference of Parties (COP), Paris in 2015.
Environmentalists have often opposed government projects that are not sustainable.
For instance, citizens were up in arms when the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government
proposed a steel flyover, or when the H D Kumaraswamy regime wanted to build a
network of elevated corridors — both in Bengaluru, a city that has significantly lost its
green cover over the years.
A Green Budget report that EMPRI released in February 2019 analysed the outlays of 10
major government departments for the financial year 2017-18.
For instance, the Public Works Department spent just 4% of its total outlay of Rs 3,214
crore on greening measures such as mitigating or making up for loss of vegetation due to
highway projects. The assessment concluded with EMPRI recommending a 10% increase
in the existing Budget in order to achieve INDC targets
Skills Mission:
In News: The Department of Skill Development,
Entrepreneurship & Livelihood, has sought fresh
recruitment of skill development officials at the district
level for the ambitious Kaushalya Karnataka Mission.
About SDEL
The Department of Skill Development,
Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, (SDEL)
Government of Karnataka, aims at channelizing the
dynamism of Youth in nation building activities.
The Department has come up with several programs to reach, engage and empower
the Youth of Karnataka to facilitate Skilling activities across the State. Department of
SDEL has always been at the forefront of encouraging talent and has produced a large
pool of talent who have made Karnataka and India proud in the Global Skill
Competitions. Awards and financial assistance to identified skill talents have marked
an extra mile so far towards achieving remarkable goals.
Department of SDEL, is all set to host most prestigious “World Skills Karnataka
Competition – 2020” in the Month of March 2020. Aim is to aggressively train the
winners of Karnataka Skill Competition 2020, who will be representing the “World Skill
Competition – 2021 held at Shanghai, China in 2021.
Skills create opportunities and connects societies . They are the foundation of
economic progress Government, Industry Partners, Academia and policy makers work
together to raise the profile and recognize skilled professionals around the globe.
Together we are increasing the abilities, status, and economic prospects of young
people.
With a vision to harvest the existing potential and to win maximum medals,
Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, (SDEL)
Government of Karnataka, has partnered with prominent Industries like Toyota,
Bosch, Auto Desk, Schneider Electric, UTL Technologies etc. The availability of strong
potentiality in the opted skills shall increase the probability to grab medals at World
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Skills – 2021.
Kadugolla custom
In News: The anti-superstition law notified by the state government has direct implications
on about two lakh Kadugolla women who endure 'ostracisation' every month during
menstruation, and for two months after childbirth, as they are considered untouchables
during this period. This is one of the 16 practices prohibited by the law
What is the custom?
As per the age-old practice, menstruating
women of this community are forced to live
outside the village, taking shelter under the
trees or in abandoned structures. Women in
the postpartum period dwell in a four-feet
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Based on the findings on the existing situation, suggestions to improve the quality of
education in Ashram schools will be provided. Suggest new interventional teaching
methodology to improve the learning curve of the tribal students.
The objectives of the study are to conduct an in-depth review of the structural,
organisational and operational framework of the selected Ashram schools and to
assess the efficiency and effectiveness of their management and teaching systems.
They will review the impact of Ashram Schools on the students in cultivating attitude,
awareness and aspirations
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
There are 123 Ashram schools with around 16,000 students in Karnataka. After getting
permission from the government, 40 schools will be shortlisted for the study.
A written test will be held for students of 3rd, 4th, and 5th standard in these Ashram
schools.
Teachers, headmasters and wardens will also be surveyed with pre-tested
questionnaires.” “The study will come out with required changes in the methodology
of teaching and curriculum to enhance the learning ability, emotional ability, cognitive
ability and personality development of tribal students.
The visitors can view the digital collections of other state museums here. Exhibits
include the collection of traditional songs, the documentation on the various
celebrations of the communities, day to day life experiences etc.
Their rituals, festivals and celebrations are slowly vanishing. This museum will be the
one place where people can come and see that world. Another feature of this museum
will be digital touch to the way of life of the tribal communities. The digital collections
can be viewed from any other museum set up in another state.
The visitors who visit this museum can also view the digital collections of other state
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Red Notice: It is issued by Interpol to seek location and arrest of wanted persons with
a view to extradition or similar lawful action. Recently, such a notice was issued
against former Fifa executives Jack Warner and Nicolas Leoz. It is the closest
instrument to an international arrest warrant
Yellow Notice: This helps locate missing persons, often minors, or to help identify
persons who are unable to identify themselves. This notice is issued with details of
various body marks on the person to be identified.
Black Notice is issued by Interpol to seek information on unidentified bodies. Every
year, close to 150 black notices are issued by the Interpol.
Green Notice is issued to provide warnings and intelligence about persons who have
committed criminal offences and are likely to repeat these crimes in other countries.
Many serial sex offenders are recipients of such notices.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
UDAN scheme
In News: Bidar's will be the next airport to be operationalised in Karnataka under the UDAN
(Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) Regional Connectivity Scheme. The first flight operation is expected
to begin within a few weeks.
More on the topic:
Five airports across Karnataka are expected to become operational in two years' time.
These include the Vijayapura, Shivamogga Karwar, Hassan/Chikamagalur airports,
besides the Bidar one
The work of other four UDAN airports will be taken up in collaboration with various
agencies and the Airports Authority of India, under public-private partnership.
About UDAN
UDAN is a regional connectivity scheme spearheaded by the Government of India
(GoI). The full form of UDAN is ‘Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik’ and aims to develop smaller
regional airports to allow common citizens easier access to aviation services.
Objectives of the Regional Connectivity Scheme
Operationalization and development of 425 underserved or unserved airports in the
country
Boost inclusive economic development by providing faster connectivity
Development of air transport infrastructure in remote areas aiding job growth
NATIONAL ISSUES
Polity & Governance
Tougher law against sexual harassment at work
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
In News: The Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Home Minister Amit Shah, which was
constituted to strengthen the legal framework to prevent sexual harassment at the
workplace, has finalised its recommendations.
More on the Topic:
The 2013 Act - Shortcomings:
The recommendations, which include addition of
The 2013 Act had shortcomings
new provisions to the Indian Penal Code, will be
like giving the powers of a civil
put up for comments from the public.
court to the internal complaints
The GoM was constituted first in October 2018 in
committee (ICC) without
the aftermath of the #MeToo movement after
specifying if the members need
many women shared their ordeal on social media.
to have a legal background.
It was reconstituted in July 2019 under Home
It only imposed a fine of
Minister.
₹50,000 on employers for non-
The other members of the GoM are Finance
compliance. The Act said the
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Human Resource employer shall provide
and Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal and assistance to the woman if she
Women and Child Development Minister Smriti chooses to file a complaint
Irani. under the IPC “against the
Changes to the existing laws on sexual harassment perpetrator after the conclusion
at the workplace would be incorporated when the of the enquiry”.
overhaul of the IPC was complete. The Ministry of
Home Affairs (MHA) is working on another project
to reboot the IPC, introduced by the British in 1860.
The Women and Child Development Ministry had steered the Sexual Harassment of
Women and Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act in 2013, which was
applicable to government offices, the private sector, NGOs and the unorganised sector.
Guide Lines utilised in the formation of Amendment:
The proposed amendments would be largely based on the Vishaka Guidelines laid down
by the Supreme Court in 1997, on which the 2013 Act was based. It made the employer
responsible to prevent or deter acts of sexual harassment at the workplace.
The GoM also examined the report of the Justice J.S. Verma Committee that was
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
constituted in the wake of the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder in 2012. The Verma
committee had recommended an employment tribunal, instead of an ICC, as dealing with
such complaints in-house could discourage women from coming out.
The number of sexual harassment incidents at “work or office premises” Data:
As per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) the number of sexual harassment incidents
at “work or office premises” registered under Section 509 IPC (words, gesture or act to
insult the modesty of a woman) were 479 and 401 in the years 2017 and 2018
respectively. Among the cities, the highest number of such cases were registered in Delhi
(28), Bengaluru (20), Pune (12) and Mumbai (12) in 2018. The total number of sexual
harassment incidents in 2018 including that in public places, shelter homes and others
was 20,962.
Arguments by Chhattisgarh:
According to the state, the 2008 Act allows the Centre to create an agency for
investigation, which is a function of the state police.
The Chhattisgarh govt. said the Act is “ultra vires the Constitution” and “beyond the
legislative competence of the Parliament”.
‘Police’ is an entry in the State List of the Constitution’s 7th Schedule.
The petition says the 2008 Act takes away the state’s power of conducting an investigation
through the police, while conferring unfettered, discretionary and arbitrary powers” on
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
the Centre.
The provisions of the Act leave no room of coordination and pre-condition of consent, in
any form whatsoever, by the Centre from the State govt. which clearly repudiates the idea
of state sovereignty as envisaged under the Constitution.
The Supreme Court (SC) has delivered the 4.0 version of an issue that has seen three of
its previous versions swinging in different directions and now rolled into a new direction.
The Supreme Court held that the state is well within its rights to introduce a regulatory
regime in the “national interest” to provide minority educational institutions with well-
qualified teachers in order for them to “achieve excellence in education.”
The famous TMA Pai Foundation case (2002) seems to have been the sheet anchor of this
judgement and discussed in three distinct headings—decisions pre-, decisions in and
decision post-TMA Pai Foundation case.
o The pre-TMA Pai discussions were dominated by a seven-judge bench Presidential
reference in respect of the Kerala Education Act, 1958, and the nine-judge bench
order in the St Xavier’s College Society case (1974).
o The TMA Pai Foundation was a landmark 11-judge order which laid down the
contours of governmental regulations on private institutions and still occupies
the education field in so far as the constitutionality of statutes and regulations is
concerned.
o The post-TMA Pai was characterised by the seven-judge verdict in PA Inamdar case
(2005) and the five-judge order in the Islamic Academy of Education case (2003).
For this, the court broadly divides education into two categories – secular education and
education “directly aimed at or dealing with preservation and protection of the heritage,
culture, script and special characteristics of a religious or a linguistic minority.”
When it comes to the latter, the court advocated “maximum latitude” to be given to the
management to appoint teachers.
The court reasons that only “teachers who believe in the religious ideology or in the
special characteristics of the concerned minority would alone be able to imbibe in the
students admitted in such educational institutions, what the minorities would like to
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
As of now, out of the total 30 states and Union Territories (excluding Jammu & Kashmir),
20 are ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party or its allies (including parties who voted with
the BJP on recent legislation in Parliament).
This essentially means that a vote in the Council could largely be an academic exercise —
unless a number of the BJP’s allies switch sides.
Three-fourths majority is needed for the passage of a decision.
With a departure from the consensus approach having been made, there could be more
instances of voting exercises going forward especially as revenue-raising measures come
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
up in future meetings.
About GST Council:
The GST Council is a federal body that aims to bring together states and the Centre on a
common platform for the nationwide rollout of the indirect tax reform.
It is an apex member committee to modify, reconcile or to procure any law or regulation
based on the context of goods and services tax in India.
The GST Council dictates tax rate, tax exemption, the due date of forms, tax laws, and tax
deadlines, keeping in mind special rates and provisions for some states.
The predominant responsibility of the GST Council is to ensure to have one uniform tax
rate for goods and services across the nation.
GST Council - structure:
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is governed by the GST Council. Article 279 (1) of the
amended Indian Constitution states that the GST Council has to be constituted by the
President within 60 days of the commencement of the Article 279A.
According to the article, GST Council will be a joint forum for the Centre and the States. It
consists of the following members:
The Union Finance Minister will be the Chairperson
As a member, the Union Minister of State will be in charge of Revenue of Finance
The Minister in charge of finance or taxation or any other Minister nominated by each
State government, as members.
Internet Shutdowns
In News: Directing the government to mandatorily
publish all orders permitting Internet shutdowns, the
Supreme Court has for the first time set the stage for
challenging suspension orders before courts.
More on the Topic:
Although the Temporary Suspension of Telecom
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Make In India
In News: The Indian government had
announced the ‘Make in India’ initiative to
encourage manufacturing in India and galvanize
the economy with dedicated investments in
manufacturing and services. Down the line the
performance of Make In India Initiative is not
commendable.
More on the Topic:
The ‘Make in India’ idea is not new. Factory production has a long history in the country.
This initiative, however, set an ambitious goal of making India a global manufacturing hub.
The policy approach was to create a conducive environment for investments, develop
modern and efficient infrastructure, and open up new sectors for foreign capital.
To achieve this goal, targets were identified and policies outlined.
is more so when we consider capital investments in the manufacturing sector. Gross fixed
capital formation of the private sector, a measure of aggregate investment, declined to
28.6% of GDP in 2017-18 from 31.3% in 2013-14 (Economic Survey 2018-19).
Out Put Growth: With regard to output growth, we find that the monthly index of
industrial production pertaining to manufacturing has registered double-digit growth
rates only on two occasions during the period April 2012 to November 2019. In fact, data
show that for a majority of the months, it was 3% or below and even negative for some
months. Negative growth implies contraction of the sector.
Employment Growth: There was a delay in the part of government in releasing data.
Employment, especially industrial employment, has not grown to keep pace with the rate
of new entries into the labour market.
Policy Flaws:
The bulk of these schemes relied too much on foreign capital for investments and global
markets for produce. This created an inbuilt uncertainty, as domestic production had to
be planned according to the demand and supply conditions elsewhere.
Second, policymakers neglected the implementation. Policy implementers need to take
into account the implications of implementation deficit in their decisions. ‘Make in India’
has been plagued by a large number of under-prepared initiatives.
It set out too ambitious growth rates for the manufacturing sector to achieve. An annual
growth rate of 12-14% is well beyond the capacity of the industrial sector.
The initiative brought in too many sectors into its fold. This led to a loss of policy focus.
Further, it was seen as a policy devoid of any understanding of the comparative
advantages of the domestic economy.
Given the uncertainties of the global economy and ever-rising trade protectionism also
affected the policy.
Curative Petition
In News: Curative petitions were filed in the Supreme Court by two convicts in the Nirbhaya
case after their execution was scheduled.
More on the Topic:
The concept of Curative petition was evolved by the Supreme Court of India in the
matter of Rupa Ashok Hurra vs. Ashok Hurra and Anr. (2002) Judgement.
The question was whether an aggrieved person is entitled to any relief against the
final judgement/order of the Supreme Court, after dismissal of a review petition.
The Supreme Court in the said case held that in order to prevent abuse of its process
and to cure gross miscarriage of justice, it may reconsider its judgements in exercise
of its inherent powers.
For this purpose, the court has devised what has been termed as a “curative” petition.
Promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights, including the right to freedom of
expression, on the internet and other information and communication technology.
How the internet can be an important tool for fostering citizen and civil society
participation, for the realisation of development in every community and for exercising
human rights.
Model Mains Question: The access to the Internet is a fundamental right. Comment
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
In News: The sixth meeting of the Island Development Agency held in New Delhi. The
meetings of the Agency is chaired by the Union Home Minister.
More on the Topic:
Holistic development of islands program was reviewed in the meeting.
Aim of the initiative is sustainable development in the identified Islands within
scientifically-assessed carrying capacity.
Under the programme, Development Plans with focus on creation of jobs for the islanders
through tourism promotion as well as export of seafood and coconut-based products
made in the Islands have been prepared and are being implemented in four islands of
Andaman & Nicobar and five islands of Lakshadweep.
In the second phase, suitable sites in 12 more islands of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and
5 islands in Lakshadweep have been covered.
Classical Language
In News: At the recently concluded 93rd edition of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya
Sammelan, a resolution was passed demanding the declaration of Marathi as a ‘Classical’
language.
More on the topic:
Currently, six languages enjoy the ‘Classical’ status namely Tamil (declared in 2004),
Sanskrit (2005), Kannada (2008), Telugu (2008), Malayalam (2013), and Odia (2014).
Guidelines for declaring a language as ‘Classical’:
High antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1500-2000 years.
A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras (1950) was one of the early decisions in which the Court
was called upon to interpret the fundamental rights under Part III. The leader of the
Communist Party of India claimed that preventive detention legislation under which he
was detained was inconsistent with Articles 19 (the right to freedom), 21 (the right to life)
and 22 (the protection against arbitrary arrest and detention).
The Supreme Court decided that each of those articles covered entirely different subject
matter, and were to be read as separate codes rather than being read together.
Amongst the most controversial questions in Indian constitutional law has been whether
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
there are any limitations on Parliament’s power to amend the Constitution, especially
fundamental rights. In its early years, the Court read the Constitution literally, concluding
that there were no such limitations.
Phase two, the structure:
In the second phase, the Supreme Court began exploring other methods of interpretation.
Appeals to the text of the Constitution were gradually overtaken by appeals to the
Constitution’s overall structure and coherence.
In the leading case of Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973), the Court concluded
that Parliament’s power to amend the Constitution did not extend to altering its “basic
structure,” an open-ended catalogue of features that lies within the exclusive control of
the Court.
When Parliament attempted to overturn this decision by amending the Constitution yet
again, the Court, relying on structuralist justifications, decisively rejected that attempt.
In this phase, the Court also categorically rejected the Gopalan approach in favour of a
structuralist one in Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978). Through this decision, the
Court conceived of the fundamental rights as a cohesive bill of rights rather than a
miscellaneous grouping of constitutional guarantees.
The right to life was incrementally interpreted to include a wide range of rights such as
clean air, speedy trial, and free legal aid. This paved the way for the Supreme Court to
play an unprecedented role in the governance of the nation.
What was common between the first two phases of the interpretive story was that
significant decisions involving the interpretation of the Constitution were entrusted to
Constitution Benches (comprising five or more judges of court) and were carefully (even
if incorrectly) reasoned.
There was limited scope for precedential confusion, since matters which had been
decided by Constitution Benches and which demanded reconsideration were referred to
larger Constitution Benches.
Third Phase:
In the third phase, the Supreme Court’s interpretive philosophy turned far more result-
oriented than it had ever been. The Court often surrendered its responsibility of
engaging in a thorough rights reasoning of the issues before it. Two factors underpinned
this institutional failure.
First, the changing structure of the Court, which at its inception began with eight judges,
grew to a sanctioned strength of 31; it is currently 34. It began to sit in panels of two or
three judges, effectively transforming it into a “polyvocal” group of about a dozen sub-
Supreme Courts.
Second, the Court began deciding cases based on a certain conception of its own role —
whether as sentinel of democracy or protector of the market economy. This unique
India’s Constitution, at its very inception, was different. In enacting the Constitution, the
founders of our Republic expressed a sense of unease with the status quo and raised
expectations of root-and-branch social revolution and transformation. The Court is now
beginning to interpret the Constitution in accordance with its revolutionary and
transformative potential.
With about a dozen significant Constitution Bench decisions from the Supreme Court
since September 2018, there has been a renaissance in decision-making by Constitution
Benches. This includes the Court’s decisions striking down Section 377 and the criminal
offence of adultery, and including the office of the Chief Justice of India within the scope
of the Right to Information Act.
However, facets of phase 3 continue to linger on in the courts. Cases that involve
substantial questions of interpretation of the Constitution — such as the cases concerning
the National Register of Citizens and the electoral bonds scheme — are still being
adjudicated upon by benches of two or three judges. There remains a latent risk
associated with phase 3, that the gains made in the early days of phase four could be lost.
Legislative Council
In News: The Andhra Pradesh
Assembly on Monday passed a
resolution to pave way for abolition
of the Legislative Council.
More on the Topic:
India has a bicameral system of
legislature. Just as Parliament has
two Houses, the states can also
have a Legislative Council in
addition to the Legislative Assembly through Article 169 of the Constitution.
States having a Legislative Council: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
Maharashtra, Karnataka.
The Parliament can abolish a legislative council (where it already exists) or create it
(where it does not exist) by a simple majority, that is, a majority of the members of each
House present and voting, if the legislative assembly of the concerned state, by a special
majority, passes a resolution to that effect.
Under Article 171 of the Constitution, the Legislative Council of a state shall not have
more than one-third of the total strength of the State Assembly, and not less than 40
members.
Like the Rajya Sabha, the legislative council is a continuing chamber, that is, it is a
permanent body and is not subject to dissolution. The tenure of a Member of the
Legislative Council (MLC) is six years, with one-third of the members retiring every two
years.
Powers of the council: The legislative power of the Councils are limited. Unlike Rajya
Sabha which has substantial powers to shape non-financial legislation, Legislative Councils
lack a constitutional mandate to do so.
Assemblies can override suggestions/amendments made to legislation by the Council.
Again, unlike Rajya Sabha MPs, MLCs cannot vote in elections for the President and Vice
President. The Vice President is the Rajya Sabha Chairperson while a member from the
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Bodo with Devnagri script would be the associate official language for the entire Assam.
Significance of the agreement: The signing of the agreement would “end the 50-year-old
Bodo crisis.”
Around 1500 cadres of BODO militant factions will be rehabilitated by Centre and Assam
Government.
Criminalistaion of Politics
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
In News: The Supreme Court agreed to examine a proposition made by the Election
Commission (EC)
to ask political
parties to not
give ticket to
those with
criminal
antecedents.
More on the
Topic:
Nearly half of
the newly-
elected Lok
Sabha
members
have criminal
charges
against them, a 26 per cent increase as compared to 2014, according to the Association
of Democratic Reforms.
Of the 539 winning candidates analysed by the ADR, as many as 233 MPs or 43 per cent
have criminal charges.
Main reasons for Criminalization: Corruption, Vote bank and Lack of governance.
Efforts by SC in this regard:
The SC has repeatedly expressed concern about the purity of legislatures.
In 2002, it made it obligatory for all candidates to file an affidavit before the returning
officer, disclosing criminal cases pending against them.
The famous order to introduce NOTA was intended to make political parties think before
giving tickets to the tainted.
In its landmark judgment of March 2014, the SC accepted the urgent need for cleansing
politics of criminalisation and directed all subordinate courts to decide on cases involving
legislators within a year, or give reasons for not doing so to the chief justice of the high
court.
Possible Solutions:
Political parties should themselves refuse tickets to the tainted.
The RP Act should be amended to debar persons against whom cases of a heinous nature
are pending from contesting elections.
Fast-track courts should decide the cases of tainted legislators quickly.
Bringing greater transparency in campaign financing is going to make it less attractive for
political parties to involve gangsters.
commissioners. Depending on its success, the rural India. They needed a force
policing system may gradually be implemented in that could support this
other districts as well. objective and unleash tyranny
What is police commissionerate system? and oppression when needed to
Under the 7th Schedule of the Constitution, suit the objective. The worst of
‘Police’ is under the State list, meaning individual officers from the British police
states typically legislate and exercise control over were sent to India. So there was
this subject. In the arrangement in force at the need to put them under the
district level, a ‘dual system’ of control exists, in District Collector.
which the Superintendent of Police (SP) has to
work with the District Magistrate (DM) for
supervising police administration.
At the metropolitan level, many states have replaced the dual system with the
commissionerate system, as it is supposed to allow for faster decision-making to solve
complex urban-centric issues.
In the commissionerate system, the Commissioner of Police (CP) is the head of a unified
police command structure, is responsible for the force in the city, and is accountable to
the state government. The office also has magisterial powers, including those related to
regulation, control, and licensing.
The CP is drawn from the Deputy Inspector General rank or above, and is assisted by
Special/Joint/Additional/Deputy Commissioners.
How many states have it?
Almost all states barring Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, UT of J&K, and some Northeastern
states have a commissionerate system.
The British brought the system first in Kolkata and followed it in Mumbai and Chennai
presidencies. Delhi turned into a commissionerate during the Morarji Desai regime.
The delay in UP was due to resistance from the IAS lobby.
What is different under the system?
Policing is based on the Police Act of 1861. Under the colonial system, the overall in-
charge of a district or region was the district collector; the SP reported to him.
The powers of the executive magistrate, such as issuing orders for preventive arrests
or imposition of Section 144 CrPC, were vested in the district collector. This was called
the dual system of police administration.
Under the commissionerate system, the commissioner does not report to the DM. In
Mumbai and Delhi, he reports directly to the government. It gives an integrated
command structure. It helps fix responsibility with the Commissioner and eliminates
blame game between civil administration and police when something goes wrong
FAME India
In News: The Department of Heavy Industries
operating under Ministry of Heavy Industries
and Public Enterprises has sanctioned 2636
Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations under
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
UJALA, SLNP
In News: UJALA and Street Lighting National
Programme (SLNP) of the central government
completed five successful years.
More on the Topic:
Over 36.13 crore LED bulbs have been
distributed across the country through the
UJALA initiative. This has resulted in
estimated energy savings of 46.92 billion
kilowatt-hour per year.
Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) project brought the market transformation
in the energy efficiency sector. Prices of LED bulbs being distributed under UJALA
programme have fallen to one-tenth of their rates, from 310 rupees in 2015 to 38 rupees
in 2018.
The switch from inefficient incandescent bulbs to LEDs is helping families reduce their
electricity bills while also enabling them to access better brightness in homes.
More than 1.03 crore smart LED streetlights have been installed till date under the Street
Lighting National Programme. This has enabled an estimated energy savings of 6.97
billion kilowatt-hour per year.
LED streetlights have been installed in various states across the country, helping in
generating approximately 13,000 jobs to support Make in India initiative.
scheme is named "UJALA" - an acronym for Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All.
Under the scheme, 20W LED tube lights and BEE 5-star rated energy efficient fans are also
distributed to the consumers. The 20W LED tube lights are 50% more energy efficient than
conventional 40W tube lights and are available for Rs. 220/- per tube, as against the market
price of Rs. 400-600. The energy efficient fans under the UJALA scheme come with a BEE 5
Star rating. These ceiling fans are rated 30% more energy efficient than conventional fans
and are priced at Rs. 1200/- per fan.
The Electricity Distribution Company and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) a public
sector body of Government of India are implementing the programme.
Every grid-connected consumer having a metered connection from their respective
Electricity Distribution Company can get the LED bulbs at about 40% of the market price
under the UJALA Scheme. Consumers also have the option of paying for the LEDs in equated
monthly instalments.
How the model works- Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) distributes LED bulbs to
households at 40 % of market price. Total upfront investment and risk coverage borne by
EESL. DISCOM pays EESL from actual energy savings over 5 years. No subsidy required from
government
Street Light National Programme
is an initiative of the Government to promote energy efficiency in the country.
Government aims to replace 3.5 crore conventional street lights with energy efficient LED lights.
This would result in annual energy saving of 900 crore units and the total cost savings of
municipalities every year will be Rs 5,500 crores
Energy Efficiency Services Limited, a Public Energy Services Company under the administration
of Ministry of Power, Government of India (GoI) is the implementing agency for SLNP.
The National Programme has been launched on 5th January 2015 to convert conventional street
and domestic lights with energy efficient LED lights.
Objective
Mitigate climate change by implementing energy efficient LED based street lighting
Reduce energy consumption in lighting which helps DISCOMs to manage peak demand
Provide a sustainable service model that obviates the need for upfront capital investment as well
as additional revenue expenditure to pay for procurement of LED lights
Enhance municipal services at no upfront capital cost of municipalities
EESL Service Model
EESL replaces the conventional street lights with LEDs at its own costs and consequent reduction
in energy and maintenance cost of the municipality is used to repay EESL over a period of time.
The contracts that EESL enters into with Municipalities are typically of 7 years duration where it
not only guarantees a minimum energy saving but also provides free replacements and
maintenance of lights at no additional costs to the municipalities.
Now, in these states any beneficiary can take grain from any public distribution system
shop in that state.
Work is in the final stage for integrating the entire public distribution system with the
Depots online system (DOS)to ensure seamless working of the National Food Security Act
and bringing further transparency in the storage and distribution process of food grains.
FCI has implemented the Depot Online System (DOS) in all its 563 warehouses and CWC
has implemented it in 144 depots. Apart from this, procurement of food grains by the FCI
has also been made online while purchase, storage and distribution system of most States
has been made online in some form or the other.
It is imperative that there is a seamless flow of information online between FCI and States
and therefore they need to be integrated so that exact information on procurement and
distribution across the nation is available.
NetSCoFAN-Network
In News: Union Health Minister has launched
NetSCoFAN, a network of research & academic
institutions working in the area of food & nutrition.
More on the Topic:
It would comprise of eight groups of institutions
working in different areas viz. biological, chemical,
nutrition & labelling, food of animal origin, food of
plant origin, water & beverages, food testing, and
safer & sustainable packaging.
FSSAI has identified eight Nodal Institutions who would develop a ‘Ready Reckoner’ that
will have inventory of all research work, experts and institutions and would carry out and
facilitate research, survey and related activities.
It would identify research gaps in respective areas and collect, collate and develop
database on food safety issues for risk assessment activities.
NISHTHA Programme
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
In News: NISHTHA, the National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic
Advancement programme was mentioned by Union HRD Minister in a recent event.
More on the Topic:
NISHTHA is the world’s largest teachers’ training programme of its kind in the world.
It has been launched to improve Learning Outcomes at the Elementary level.
The basic objective of this massive training programme is to motivate and equip
teachers to encourage and foster critical thinking in students.
The initiative is first of its kind wherein standardized training modules are developed
at national level for all States and UTs.
However, States and UTs can contextualize the training modules and use their own
material and resource persons also, keeping in view the core topics and expected
outcomes of NISHTHA.
Features of the Programme: Activity based modules including educational games and
quizzes, Social-emotional learning, motivational interactions, team building,
preparation for school based assessment, in-built continuous feedback mechanism,
online monitoring and support system, training need and impact analysis (Pre and Post
training).
Youth Co:Lab
In News: Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) NITI
Aayog and United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) will hosts Youth Co:Lab.
More on the Topic:
It aims at fostering technology, promoting
youth leadership and social
entrepreneurship in India.
It is co-created in 2017 by the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
and the Citi Foundation.
It aims to establish a common agenda for Asia-Pacific countries to invest in and empower
youth to accelerate implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
through leadership, social innovation and entrepreneurship.
By developing 21st century skills, catalyzing and sustaining youth-led start-ups and social
enterprises across the region, Youth Co:Lab is positioning young people front and center
in order to solve the region’s most pressing challenges.
Rojgaar Sangi
In News: The Chhattisgarh State Skill Development Authority (CSSDA) has launched a mobile
phone app - ‘Rojgaar Sangi’ to help skilled and trained candidates find jobs.
More on the Topic:
The app has been developed with the help of National Informatics Centre (NIC).
It will enable more accessibility for skilled and trained candidates, which in turn will
increase job opportunities.
At the initiative of Union Ministry for Home Affairs (MHA), 15 States and UTs have given
their consent to set up Regional Cyber Crime Coordination Centres at respective
States/UTs.
e-mobility mission
In News: The Supreme Court on Friday
sought the response of the government
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PRAGATI Platform
In News: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair
the 32nd interaction through PRAGATI- the ICT-
based, multi-modal platform for Pro-Active
Governance and Timely Implementation in New
Delhi. In the previous thirty-one interactions of
PRAGATI, projects worth over twelve lakh crores
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
GATI Portal
In News: Union Road Transport and Highways
Ministry launched online web portal ‘GATI’ on
the pattern of ‘PRAGATI’, the portal.
More on the Topic:
GATI Portal has been created by the
National Highways Authority of India
(NHAI).
The portal ‘GATI’ can be accessed from
NHAI’s website, and contractors and
concessionaires can raise any project-related issues on the platform.
The issues raised on ‘GATI’ will be daily monitored by a team of NHAI officers and will
be constantly reviewed by the senior officers of the National Highways Authority of
India (NHAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Bhuvan Panchayat
In News: ISRO has developed Bhuvan panchayat Web portal.
More on the Topic:
The Web Geo portal is developed for the benefit of Gram Panchayat members and
other stakeholders, able to perform Database visualization, Data analytics, Generation
of automatic reports and Model based products and services.
The targeted audience for this portal are Public, PRIs and different stakeholders
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
SISDP-Update Project:
Satellite imagery-based database of rural natural resources, called SISDP, was launched by
ISRO.
It will be the backbone of planning and decision-making in the country’s 2.5 lakh village
panchayats, according to its main stakeholders in the departments of Space and Panchayat
Raj.
The recent update to the project is short for Space-based Information Support for
Decentralized Planning — uses high-resolution data from recent earth observation satellites
and offers detailed information to panchayats about their key assets.
Social issues
Bru Refugees
In News: Displaced Bru tribals from
Mizoram, living as refugees in Tripura
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Bhil Tribe
In News: Bhil tribe was in news due to some controversial
statements.
More on the Topic:
The Bhil are one of the largest tribal groups, living in
Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Traditionally, experts in guerrilla warfare, most of them
today are farmers and agricultural labourers. They are
also skilled sculptors.
Odisha- Tribes
In News: Right to Food Campaign, a platform of social
activists, said poor implementation of government welfare
programmes was marginalising tribals further in backward
pockets of Odisha.
More on the Topic:
The most affected tribes are Juanga, Pudi Bhuyan.
Juangas are one of the 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal
Groups (PVTG) out of the total 62 tribes found in Odisha.
They speak Juanga, a dialect of Munda language.
They usually observe their festivals and marriage
ceremony with Changu dance.
Pudi Bhuyan is a major section of the historically famous
Bhuinya tribe.
This tribe is majorly found in Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal and Assam.
It is one of the 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) in Odisha.
They speak local Odia language which is pronounced differently.
In News: Half of all under-5 deaths in 2018 occurred in five countries: India, Nigeria, Pakistan,
the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia. India and Nigeria alone account for about
a third.
More on the Topic:
India is among the few countries in the world where, in 2018, the mortality under-5 years
of girls, exceeded that of boys, according to the ‘Levels and Trends in Child Mortality’
report by the United Nations (UN) inter-agency group for child mortality.
In 2018 fewer countries showed gender disparities in child mortality, and across the
world, on average, boys are expected to have a higher probability of dying before reaching
age-5 than girls. But this trend was not
reflected in India. The burden of child mortality is
According to India’s 2017 Sample determined both by the mortality rate
Registration System (SRS) the States with (the proportion of children who die)
the highest burden of neonatal mortality are and by the estimated population of
Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh, any given State (total number of
with 32, 33 and 30 neonatal deaths per 1,000 annual births). In this sense, Uttar
live births, respectively. India’s neonatal Pradesh is the State with the highest
mortality rate is 23 per 1,000 live births. number of estimated newborn deaths
Also States and Union Territories, Jharkhand, in India, both because of the high
Bihar and Uttarakhand showed the largest neonatal mortality rate and because of
gender gaps in under-5 mortality. the large cohort of births that occur
Causes: every year in the State ( according to
Estimates indicate that the majority of child UNICEF).
mortality cases in India are attributable to
deaths during the neonatal period. The major causes of neonatal mortality are pre-term
birth, intrapartum related events, and neonatal infection. In the post-neonatal period,
the major direct causes of death are diarrhoea and pneumonia.
The report adds that despite the tremendous progress in child survival that has been
made over the past two decades, one child or young adolescent died every five seconds
in 2018.
Need of the Hour:
It is urgently required to further accelerate progress in preventing child deaths.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Current trends predict that close to 10 million 5- to 14-year-olds, and 52 million children
under 5 years of age, will die between 2019 and 2030.
Almost half of these under-5 deaths will be newborns whose deaths can be prevented by
reaching high coverage of quality antenatal care, skilled care at birth, postnatal care for
mother and baby, and care of small and sick newborns.
Corona Virus
These can affect humans as well as mammals including pigs, cattle, cats, dogs,
martens, camels, hedgehogs and some birds
Model Mains Question: India’s expenditure on healthcare is not adequate and there is a
need to increase expenditure on the preventive healthcare front. Discuss.
Tb Eradication
In News: India still has the
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
lysosomal function.
Lysosomes are sacs of enzymes within cells that digest
large molecules and pass the fragments on to other parts
of the cell for recycling.
This process requires several critical
enzymes. If one of these enzymes is The judges pointed out that Article 21
defective, because of a mutation, the (fundamental right to life) coupled
large molecules accumulate within the with Article 47 (duty of the state to
cell, eventually killing it. raise the level of nutrition and the
Lysosomal storage disorders are caused standard of living and to improve
by lysosomal dysfunction usually as a public health) of the Constitution
consequence of deficiency of a single makes the Centre as well as the State
enzyme required for the metabolism of government obligated to provide
lipids, glycoproteins (sugar-containing health care to LSD patients, especially
proteins), or so-called to those who were living below the
mucopolysaccharides. Individually, LSDs poverty line and could not afford the
occur with incidences of less than expensive treatment.
1:100,000; however, as a group, the
incidence is about 1:5,000 – 1:10,000.
Economy
National Infrastructure Pipeline
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
In News: Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled Rs 102 lakh crore of
infrastructure projects, under National Infrastructure Pipeline.
More on the Topic:
It is estimated that India would need to spend $4.5 trillion on infrastructure by 2030 to
sustain its growth rate. The endeavour of the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), is to
make this happen in an efficient manner.
NIP will enable a forward outlook on infrastructure projects which will create jobs,
improve ease of living, and provide equitable access to infrastructure for all, thereby
making growth more inclusive.
During the fiscals 2020 to 2025, sectors such as Energy (24%), Roads (19%), Urban (16%),
and Railways (13%) amount to around 70% of the projected capital expenditure in
infrastructure in India.
It has outlined plans to invest more than ₹102 lakh crore on infrastructure projects by
2024-25, with the Centre, States and the private sector to share the capital expenditure
in a 39:39:22 formula.
What are key benefits of National Infrastructure Pipeline?
Economy: Well-planned NIP will enable more infra projects, grow businesses, create jobs,
improve ease of living, and provide equitable access to infrastructure for all, making
growth more inclusive.
Government: Well developed infrastructure enhances the level of economic activity,
creates additional fiscal space by increasing revenue base of the government and ensures
quality of expenditure focussed in productive areas.
Developers: Provides better view of project supply, provides time to be better prepared
for project bidding, educes aggressive bids/ failure in project delivery, ensure enhanced
access to sources of finance as result of increased investor confidence.
Banks/financial institutions (F1s)/investors: Builds investor confidence as identified
projects are likely to be better prepared, exposures less likely to suffer stress given active
project monitoring, thereby less likelihood of NPAs.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
HSN code
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
In News: No imports will be allowed without HSN code into the country clarified the Union
Minister of Commerce & Industry.
More on the Topic:
HSN code stands for “Harmonized System of Nomenclature”.
This system has been introduced for the systematic classification of goods all over the
world.
HSN code is a 6-digit uniform code that classifies 5000+ products and is accepted
worldwide.
It was developed
by the World
Customs
Organization
(WCO) and it came
into effect from
1988.
The main purpose
of HSN is to classify
goods from all over
the World in a
systematic and
logical manner. This
brings in a uniform
classification of
goods and
facilitates
international trade.
In News: The 7.35% rise in consumer price inflation in December set off fears over whether
India is entering a period of slow growth accompanied by high inflation, in other words,
stagflation.
More on the Topic:
The headline inflation number is driven mainly by food inflation at 14.12% — it was
10.01% in November and -2.65% in December 2018. While onion was the prime villain
pushing up price inflation in vegetables to a huge 60.50% compared to December 2018,
prices of other food items such as meat and fish (up 9.57%), milk (up 4.22%), eggs (up
8.79%) and some pulses were also on the upswing.
These are a largely seasonal rise in prices and are driven mainly by supply-side factors and
the prices will reverse once the supply shortfall is addressed. An analysis by State Bank of
India’s research team shows that minus the increase in prices of onion, potato and ginger,
headline CPI inflation would be just 4.48%.
Core inflation, which is the one that should be of concern, has only inched up marginally
from 3.5% in November to 3.7% in December. That said, it would be worrisome indeed if
core inflation were to shoot up or if food inflation does not cool down in the next couple
of months. Also, the effects of the increase in telecom tariffs, rail tickets and in fuel prices
need to be closely watched.
Way Ahead:
The December data is way above the monetary policy committee’s (MPC) mandated
inflation limit of 6% (4% plus 2%) which means that a rate cut is not viable. Yet, with
growth sagging, there is pressure on the central bank to cut rates at least one more time
to stimulate growth.
The government should engage all levers to address the supply-side issues that are behind
the rise in food inflation. A calming down of food prices will help Reserve bank to lower
rates.
Budget which is due on February will also determine what will lie ahead.
Conclusion:
It is a tremendous loss for the majority of WTO members who are all developing and
poor countries. Clearly, they lack the political and economic clout to enforce their
rights and protect their interests in a system governed by power and not rules.
The absence of the Appellate Body will create a jungle raj and paves the way for a
steep descent into the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, 1947 rules.
Model Mains Question: What introduces friction into the ties between India and the United
States is that Washington is still unable to find for India a position in its global strategy,
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
which would satisfy India’s national self-esteem and ambitions’. Explain with suitable
examples.
Further, the petroleum and natural gas sector has two regulators – Directorate General
of Hydrocarbons for upstream activities and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory
Board for downstream activities.
Issues related with Data:
There are also issues with data collection. No single agency collects energy data in a
wholesome and integrated manner.
Data pertaining to consumption are barely available while supply side data collected
by agencies of respective ministries are riddled with gaps.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
However, for that to happen, the government needs to do more such as whittling the time
taken for approvals of mining leases and also easing the procedures for clearances.
country.
More on the Topic:
Amendments to two Acts through the
Mineral Laws (Amendment) Ordinance
2020 cleared by the Cabinet will free
the sector from restrictions that were
inhibiting its development.
This will open up the coal mining sector
completely, enabling anyone with finances and expertise to bid for blocks and sell the coal
freely to any buyer of their choice.
Until now there were restrictions on who could bid for coal mines. This effectively limited
the potential bidders to a select circle of players and thus limited the value that the
government could extract from the bidding.
End-use restrictions inhibited the development of a domestic market for coal.
The ordinance essentially democratises the coal industry and makes it attractive for
merchant mining companies, including multinationals.
The move was overdue considering that the country spent a huge ₹1,71,000 crore in coal
imports last year to buy 235 million tonnes; of that, 100 million tonnes was not
substitutable, as the grade was not available in India, but the balance 135 million tonnes
could have been substituted by domestic production had it been available.
Significance of the Decision:
Large investment in mining will create jobs and set off demand in critical sectors such as
mining equipment and heavy commercial vehicles.
The country may also benefit from infusion of sophisticated mining technology,
especially for underground mines, if multinationals decide to invest.
However, for that to happen, the government needs to do more such as whittling the time
taken for approvals of mining leases and also easing the procedures for clearances.
PMJDY:
The primary aim of this scheme is to provide poor people access to bank accounts.
The scheme covers both urban and rural areas of India.
All bank accounts will be linked to a debit card which would be issued under the Ru-Pay scheme.
Rupay is India’s own unique domestic card network owned by National Payments Corporation
of India and has been created as an alternative to Visa and Mastercard.
Under the first phase of this scheme, every individual who opens a bank account becomes
eligible to receive an accident insurance cover of up-to Rs 1 Lakh for his entire family.
Life Insurance coverageis also available under PMJDY. Only one person in the family will be
covered and in case of the person having multiple cards/accounts, the benefit will be allowed
only under one card e. one person per family will get a single cover of Rs 30,000.
The scheme also provides incentives to business and banking correspondentswho serve as link
for the last mile between savings account holders and the bank by fixing a minimum monthly
remuneration of Rs 5000.
Companies are allowed to choose the areas in which they want to explore oil and gas,
under OALP. After choosing the area, companies put in an expression of interest which
are then put on auction by the government.
The process offers attractive and liberal terms like reduced royalty rates, no oil cess,
marketing and pricing freedom, round the year bidding, freedom to investors for carving
out blocks of their interest, a single licence to cover both conventional and
unconventional hydrocarbon resources, exploration permission during the entire contract
period, and an easy, transparent and swift bidding and awarding process.
Cut to 2018. The NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, despite all the
political will to disinvest its stake in the airline, could not attract a single bidder. The
reasons: the Centre’s unwillingness to part with 100% of its holding in the flag carrier,
and lack of clarity over the debt being packaged with the airline, among others.
Less than two years later, the government has tweaked the terms of sale — with room for
more changes — and is now putting 100% of its equity in the airline on the block.
Like the last time, low-cost arm Air India Express and a 50% stake in ground handling joint-
venture Air India-SATS are also up for sale. The government has also laid down a principle
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
for calculating debt, which will be bundled with airline, and relaxed the minimum net
worth criteria for potential bidders to Rs 3,500 crore from the Rs 5,000 crore in 2018.
What will the new investor get?
The most attractive proposition in acquiring Air India is the slots and landing rights
that it holds at airports such at Delhi, Mumbai, London, New York, Chicago, Paris, etc.
These could be helpful both to airlines looking to expand into long-haul international
operations, and to entities looking to set up global operations from scratch.
Air India currently operates to 56 Indian cities and 42 international destinations.
Several of Air India’s international and domestic routes are profit-generating, while a
number of them are loss-making or witness low load factors. This is a legacy problem
that the airline comes with for the new promoter.
The new investor also gets hold of the ground-handling firm AI-SATS, which offers end-
to-end ground handling services such as passenger and baggage handling. This would
provide the investor with an ancillary services firm with captive use.
How will consumers and employees be impacted?
The first move by private entity could be pruning of operations to ensure the airline
inches closer to profitability.
This could cause Air India to cease operations on certain loss-making domestic and
international routes leading to a rise in fares.
Air India’s bloated staff strength was flagged by potential investors in the last
disinvestment attempt.
Whether the employees will be retained by the new investor is unclear. The
government is expected to provide more clarity on conditions for retaining staff in the
request-for-proposal stage, which will come after expressions of interest are received.
Forex Reserves
In News: India’s foreign exchange reserves rose by $943
million to touch a lifetime high of $462.16 billion.
More on the Topic:
Forex reserves are holdings of cash, bank deposits, bonds,
and other financial assets denominated in currencies
other than Indian rupee.
The reserves are managed by the Reserve Bank of India
for the Indian government and the main component is
foreign currency assets.
They act as the first line of defense for India in case of economic slowdown, but
acquisition of reserves has its own costs.
They facilitate external trade and payment and promote orderly development and
maintenance of foreign exchange market in India.
They act as a cushion against rupee volatility once global interest rates start rising.
Reserve Bank of India Act and the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 set the legal
provisions for governing the foreign exchange reserves.
RBI accumulates foreign currency reserves by purchasing from authorized dealers in open
market operations.
The Forex reserves of India consist of below four categories:
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
The new plan involves creating a “data lake” project to augment analytical capabilities.
Application of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) tools has the potential
to bring a paradigm shift in the securities market landscape, blockchain can be used in
clearing and settlement activities.
AI/ML tools are being increasingly deployed in fund management, trading, supervision
and surveillance functions in the capital markets.
There is a need for the technologists to invest time in research in these tools for
applications in the capital markets.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
About ICAR
ICAR is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare, Government of India.
The Council is the apex body for co-ordinating, guiding and managing research and
education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the
entire country.
With 101 ICAR institutes and 71 agricultural universities spread across the country this
is one of the largest national agricultural systems in the world.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Model Mains Question: How far is the Integrated Farming System (IFS) helpful in sustaining
agricultural production?
conviction rate
in rape-related
cases stood at
27.2% even
though the
rate of filing
chargesheets
was 85.3% in
such cases.
Cruelty by
husband or his
relatives
(31.9%)
followed by
assault on
women with
intent to
outrage her
modesty (27.6%) constituted the major share of crimes against women.
Accidental Death and Suicides: The NCRB also released the Accidental Death and Suicides
in India 2018 report, which said that 10,349 people working in the farm sector ended their
lives in 2018, accounting for 7.7 % of the total number of suicides in the country. There
were 5,763 farmers/cultivators and 4,586 agricultural labourers among those who ended
their lives.
The total number of people who committed suicide in 2018 was 1,34,516, an increase of
3.6% from 2017 when 1,29,887 cases were reported. The highest number of suicide
victims were daily wagers — 26,589, comprising 22.4% of such deaths.
West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Goa, Chandigarh, Daman & Diu,
Delhi, Lakshadweep and Puducherry reported zero suicides by farmers/cultivators as well
as agricultural labourers.
Murder cases: A total of 29,017 cases of murder were registered in 2018, showing an
increase of 1.3% over 2017 (28,653 cases).
Offences against public tranquillity: A total of 76,851 cases of offences against public
tranquillity were registered in 2018, out of which rioting, 57,828 cases, accounted for
75.2% of total such cases.
Cyber crimes: As many as 27,248 cases of cyber crimes were registered in 2018, up from
21796 cases in 2017.
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes related Acts: The incidents registered under the
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes related Acts saw a decline from 6729 incidents
reported in 2017 to 4816 in 2018.
Annual Status of
Education Report
2019.
More on the topic:
Cognitive skills of
children: Tests
included sorting
images by colour
and size,
recognising
patterns, fitting
together a four-
piece animal
puzzle — as well as
simple literacy and
numeracy tests.
However, of
those children who could correctly do all three cognitive tasks, 52% could read
words, and 63% could solve the addition problem.
ASER data shows that children’s performance on tasks requiring cognitive skills is strongly
related to their ability to do early language and numeracy tasks.
This suggests that focussing on play-based activities that build memory, reasoning and
problem-solving abilities is more productive than an early focus on content knowledge.
Early childhood education: Only 16% of children in Class 1 can read the text at the
prescribed level, while almost 40% cannot even recognise letters.
Early childhood education has the potential to be the “greatest and most powerful
equaliser”.
Global research shows that 90% of brain growth occurs by age 5, meaning that
the quality of early childhood educationhas a crucial impact on the development and
long-term schooling of a child.
Government and Private Schools: Of 6 year olds in Class 1, nearly 42% of those in private
schools could read words in comparison to only 19% from government schools.
This gap is further exacerbated by a gender divide.
More than a quarter of Class 1 students in government schools are only 4 or 5 years
old, younger than the recommended age. These younger children struggle more than
others in all skills.
At the same time, 36% in Class 1 are older than the Right To Education (RTE) Act (2009) -
mandated age of 6.
There is considerable scope for expanding Anganwadi outreach for 3 and 4 year-
old children. Strengthen the early childhood components in the Integrated Child
Development Scheme (ICDS) system for raising school readiness among young children.
Need of the Hour:
A reworking of curriculum and activities is urgently needed for the entire age band
from 4 to 8, cutting across all types of preschools and early grades regardless of whether
the provision is by government institutions or by private agencies.
There is considerable scope for expanding Anganwadi outreach for 3 and 4 year-
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
old children. Strengthen the early childhood components in the Integrated Child
Development Scheme (ICDS) system for raising school readiness among young children.
The year 2020 marks the 10th anniversary of the RTE Act. This is the best moment to
focus on the youngest cohorts before and during their entry to formal schooling and
ensure that 10 years later they complete secondary school as well-equipped and well-
rounded citizens of India.
(16), North Korea (17) and Cambodia (20) continue to highlight serious challenges in the
region.
While often seen as an engine of the global economy, in terms of political integrity and
governance, the region performs only marginally better than the global average.
The top ranked countries are New Zealand and Denmark, with scores of 87 each, followed
by Finland (86), Singapore (85), Sweden (85) and Switzerland (85). The countries ranked
at the bottom of the list are Somalia, South Sudan and Syria with scores of 9, 12 and 13.
In the last eight years, only 22 countries significantly improved their CPI scores, including
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Greece, Guyana and Estonia. In the same period, among the 21 countries that saw a
significantly fall in their scores are Canada, Australia and Nicaragua. In the remaining 137
countries, the levels of corruption show little to no change.
Analysis:
In democracies like India and Australia, unfair and opaque political financing, undue
influence in decision-making and lobbying by powerful corporate interest groups, has
resulted in stagnation or decline in the control of corruption.
The latest CPI report has revealed that a majority of countries are showing little to no
improvement in tackling corruption.
Model Mains Question: Corruption is destruction and it cannot control unless citizen of
country become an active partner to control it. Discuss
Economic Forum
(WEF) published the
top five risks to
humanity in it’s
Global Risks Report.
More on the
Topic:
The report
warned
about the
increasing
economic
and societal
costs due to non-communicable diseases and the lack of research on vaccines and
drug resistance to address the threat of pandemics in the recent future.
“Economic confrontations” and “domestic political polarization” are significant short-
term risks in 2020.
This is a warning for the global South including India and Africa where social unrest
has seen a rise.
The report highlights today’s younger generation, consisting of “Millenials” born after
1980 have ranked environmental risks higher than other older respondents in the
short- and long-terms.
The top five risks by likelihood over the next decade are:
Extreme weather events like floods and storms
Failure of climate change mitigation and adaptation
Major natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and
geomagnetic storms
Major biodiversity losses and ecosystem collapse
Human-made environmental damage and disasters
Top 5 risks by severity of impact over the next 10 years:
Failure of climate change mitigation and adaptation
Weapons of mass destruction
Major biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse
Extreme weather events (e.g. floods, storms, etc.)
Water crises
Top most strongly connected global risks
Extreme weather events and failure of climate change mitigation and adaptation
Large-scale cyber-attacks and breakdown of critical information infrastructure and
networks
In News: The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) 2019 report was recently published.
More on the Topic:
India secured the 5th spot on the
project report.
The CDP Report 2019 said that a total
of 58 companies shared details about
the environment-related activities
undertaken by them in this year.
The report also claims that over 98 percent of top Indian companies have formed some
type or committee or group within its
organization to drive and address climate-related
CDP:
issues.
CDP is published by the Global
The report also showcased the changing mind-set
Reporting Initiative.
of India Inc with nearly all major companies
It is aimed at measuring the
setting up some form of oversight to evaluate
carbon reduction activities
climate risk.
undertaken by different
India is the first developing economy with a
companies and firms operating
maximum number of companies committing to
in various countries across the
the science-based targets.
globe.
Global Statistics:
The report surveys corporate
The US topped the annual CDP report with 135
commitments to science-based
companies disclosing their climate-related
targets (SBT) and evaluates the
activities, followed by Japan in the second position
climate change risk that they
with 83 companies and the UK in the third position
are exposed to.
with 78 countries.
While France was placed fourth with 51
companies disclosing their details, India was placed fifth with 38 companies committing
to the science-based targets.
In 2018, India had only 25 companies committing to the SBTs.
India is followed by Germany and Sweden with 30 and 27 companies respectively, while
Switzerland and Spain had 23 and 22 companies respectively.
Netherlands was listed 10th on the list with 18 companies committing to SBT initiatives.
Democracy Index
In News: India slipped 10 places in the 2019 Democracy
Index published by Economic Intelligence Unit. India’s rank
is 51.
More on the Topic:
The survey attributes the primary cause of “the
democratic regression” to “an erosion of civil liberties
in the country”.
India’s overall score fell from 7.23 to 6.9, on a scale of
0-10, within a year (2018-2019) — the country’s lowest
since 2006.
Gaganyaan mission.
More on the Topic:
Under the Gaganyaan schedule, three flights will be
sent in orbit. Of the three, there will be two unmanned
flights and one human spaceflight.
The human space flight programme, called the Orbital
Module will have three Indian astronauts, including a
woman.
It will circle Earth at a low-earth-orbit at an altitude of 300-400 km from earth for 5-7 days.
The payload will consist of:
Crew module - spacecraft carrying human beings.
Service module - powered by two liquid propellant engines.
It will be equipped with emergency escape and emergency mission abort.
GSLV Mk III, also called the LVM-3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3) the three-stage heavy lift
launch vehicle, will be used to launch Gaganyaan as it has the necessary payload
capability.
The mission is expected to cost around Rs 10,000 crore.
ISRO has demonstrated a number of technologies that are required for this programme
like Space Capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE-2007), Crew module Atmospheric Reentry
Experiment (CARE-2014) and Pad Abort Test (2018).
Significance:
The success of the mission will rekindle public imagination and get the young generation
interested in space in particular and science in general.
The astronauts would carry out a series of experiments, particularly microgravity
experiments.
India’s quest to undertake human space flight and its earlier Moon and Mars missions
proves the growing sophistication of India’s space program and ensures a seat at the high
table of global governance of outer space.
The mission would create 15,000 new employment opportunities, 13,000 of them in
private industry.
If India does launch the Gaganyaan mission, it will be the fourth nation to do so after the
United States, Russia and China.
ISRO and Russian federal space agency (ROSCOSMOS) have signed a memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to work together for India’s 1st manned space mission.
ROSCOSMOS has also offered ride to Indian astronaut short visit to International Space
Station on board Soyuz spacecraft for short training mission.
Recently, a Gaganyaan National Advisory Council has been created with members from
different institutions and industries like Secretaries of Department of Space, Department
of Science and Technology, Department of Defense Research and Development,
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Principal Scientific Advisor to PM, Senior
Officials from Armed Forces, Indian Coast Guard etc.
Project Netra
In News: The Centre has proposed Rs 33.3
crore for ISRO's 'Project Netra' for securing
Indian satellites from space debris and
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
other dangers.
More on the Topic:
India launched the early warning
system Netra (Network for Space
Objects, Tracking, and Analysis) to
secure its satellites and other assets
in space at an estimated to cost Rs 400 crore.
50 years of human space exploration has led to the creation of junk around Earth's
orbit, posing serious traffic risks to man-made satellites.
Scientists say 50 years of human space exploration has led to the creation of junk
around Earth's orbit, posing serious traffic risks to man-made satellites.
The NETRA project would provide India with the same capability as the US and Russia
to assess threats from space debris and other hazards.
Significance:
About 17,000 man-made objects are monitored in space of which 7 per cent are active
objects. After a time, these objects become inactive and collide with each other while
revolving in space.
Every year, there are many incidents of objects colliding in space. As a result, small
pieces of debris rotate at extremely fast speeds. Dead satellites and other debris
present in space exist in the Earth's orbit for many years and these debris can damage
any active satellite.
GSAT-30
In News: The nation's latest communication
satellite, GSAT-30, was sent to space from the
Guiana Space Centre in Kourou.
More on the Topic:
It will replace INSAT-4A which was launched in 2005 and marks the first mission of the
year for Indian Space Research Organisation.
The high-power satellite is equipped with 12 normal C band and 12 Ku band transponders.
GSAT-30 will provide DTH (direct to home) television services, connectivity to VSATs (that
support working of banks') ATMs, stock exchange, television uplinking and teleport
services, digital satellite news gathering and e-governance applications. The satellite will
also be used for bulk data transfer for a host of emerging telecommunication application.
ISRO hired a foreign launcher as GSAT-30 is much heavier than the 2,000-kg lifting capacity
of its geostationary launch vehicle GSLV-MkII.
Newer and more powerful GSLV-MkIII that can lift up to
4,000 kg, the space agency plans to save the two or three
upcoming MkIIIs mainly for its first human space flight
Gaganyaan of 2022 and two preceding crew-less trial.
The “band” in use refers to the radio frequencies used to and
from the satellite:
L-band uses frequencies in the 1 to 2GHz range
Ku-band utilises approximately 12-18GHz, and
Ka-band services uses the 26.5-40GHz segment of the
electromagnetic spectrum.
The higher the bandwidth, the more data can be
transferred
The higher the frequency the more bandwidth is available
A high signal-to-noise ratio is better
An increase in the transmit power level can give an
increase in the communication link.
krait (Bungarus caeruleus), Russell’s viper (Daboia russelii), and saw-scaled viper (Echis
carinatus).
In India, common antivenom is marketed for the treatment of bites from the “big four”,
but its effectiveness is questionable.
While the common antivenom worked as marketed against the saw-scaled viper and the
common cobra, it fell short against some neglected species and also against one of the
“big four” — the common krait.
Accidental contact with snakes leads to over 100,000 deaths across the world every year.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Anti Venom:
Antivenom is made by collecting venom from the relevant animal and injecting small
amounts of it into a domestic animal. The antibodies that form are then collected
from the domestic animal's blood and purified. Versions are available for spider bites,
snake bites, fish stings, and scorpion stings.
Currently, antivenom is produced by immunising horses with extracted snake venom
and is based on a process developed over 100 years ago. This process is laborious and
suffers from a lack of consistency leading to varying efficacy and serious side-effects.
The genome sequencing will help to use genomic blueprint for venom toxins to make
recombinant proteins, generate neutralising antibodies and test them in the clinic.
(Recombinant protein is a protein that whose code is carried by a recombinant DNA.
The term recombinant DNA means that two segments of DNA in a plasmid. Plasmids
are those which generally occur in bacteria. Once a recombinant DNA is inserted into
bacteria, these bacteria will make protein based on this recombinant DNA. This
protein is known as "Recombinant protein".)
Further, sequencing other snake genomes and venom glands will provide information
on additional toxins from these snakes that need to be targeted, leading eventually
to a universal antivenom.
Star Dust:
Stardust is formed by the material ejected from stars and carried by stellar winds,
getting blown into interstellar space.
The stellar wind is a flow of gas ejected from the upper atmosphere of a star.
Interstellar space is defined as that which lies beyond a magnetic region that extends
about 122 Astronomical Unit (AU) from the sun.
During the solar system's birth, this dust was incorporated into everything that formed
including the planets and the sun but survived intact until now only in asteroids and
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
comets.
Xenobot
In News: Scientists in the United States have
created the world’s first “living machines” tiny
robots built from the cells of the African clawed
frog, that can move around on their own.
More on the Topic:
Scientists have repurposed living cells scraped
from frog embryos and assembled them into
entirely new life-forms.
The xenobots can move toward a target, perhaps pick up a payload (like a medicine that
needs to be carried to a specific place inside a patient) and heal themselves after being
cut.
These bots are “novel living machines” and “neither a traditional robot nor a known
species of animal”, but “a new class of artifact: a living, programmable organism”.
Applycations of the xenobot includes searching out nasty compounds or radioactive
contamination, gathering microplastic in the oceans, travelling in arteries to scrape out
plaque etc.
Yarrabubba Crater
In News: According to recent study,
Australia’s Yarrabubba asteroid impact
crater is oldest on earth and it may have
been responsible for ending an ice age.
More on the topic:
The Yarrabubba crater is an asteroid
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Spitzer Mission
In News: NASA’s Spitzer Mission, which studied the universe in
infrared light for more than 16 years, will come to an end since it is
low on fuel and has been drifting away from Earth for a few years
now. Engineers will decommission the Spitzer aircraft, after which
it will cease to conduct science operations.
More on the Topic:
The Spitzer Space Telescope is a space-borne observatory, one
of the elements of NASA’s Great Observatories that include the
Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray.
Using different infrared wavelengths, Spitzer was able to see
and reveal features of the universe including objects that were
too cold to emit visible light.
Apart from enabling researchers to see distant cold objects,
Spitzer could also see through large amounts of gas using infrared wavelengths to find
objects that may otherwise have been invisible to human beings.
These included exoplanets, brown dwarfs and cold matter found in the space between
stars.
Spitzer also studied some of the most distant galaxies ever detected.
Hubble and Spitzer in 2016 identified and studied the most distant galaxy ever observed.
Using these two telescopes, scientists were able to see a bright infant galaxy as it was
over 13.4 billion years ago, roughly 400 million years after the Big Bang, when the universe
was less than 5% of its current age.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Vyom Mitra
In News: ISRO will send Vyom Mitra, the human-
resembling model(Humanoid robot) in a space
capsule around the end of 2020 or early 2021 to study
how she and later real astronauts respond to living
outside earth in controlled zero-gravity conditions.
More on the Topic:
Humanoid will simulate the human functions
required for space before real astronauts take
off before August 2022.
She can detect and give out warnings if environmental changes within the cabin get
uncomfortable to astronauts and change the air condition.
She can take up postures suited for launch and tasks and take commands.
She can also do switch panel operations, be a companion, converse with the
astronauts, recognise them and also respond to their queries.
Polycrack technology
In News: Indian Railways first waste-to-
energy plant has been commissioned at
Bhubaneswar. It utilises Polycrack
technology.
More on the Topic:
Polycrack is the world’s very first
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Drosophila
In News: Pune will host fifth edition of global Drosophila
conference.
More on the Topic:
This biennial conference, which is to be held
between January 6 and 10, aims to promote the
interaction of Drosophila researchers in the Asia-
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
H9N2
In News: Indian scientists have
detected the country’s first case
of infection with a rare variant of
the virus that causes avian
influenza, or bird flu(H9N2).
More on the Topic:
H9N2 is a subtype of the
influenza A virus, which
causes human influenza as
well as bird flu. The H9N2
subtype was isolated for the first time in Wisconsin, US in 1966 from turkey flocks.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), with avian influenza viruses
circulating in poultry, there is a risk for sporadic infection and small clusters of human
cases due to exposure to infected poultry or contaminated environments. Therefore,
sporadic human cases are not unexpected.
H9N2 virus infections in humans are rare, but likely under-reported due to typically mild
symptoms of the infections.
H9N2 viruses have been observed in poultry in India several times. Now, identification of
the first clinical human case of H9N2 virus infection highlights the importance of systemic
surveillance in humans and animals to monitor this threat to human health.
Saras Mk2
In News: The National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL)
said that the government needs to be the “launch
customer” to make Saras Mk2 commercially viable.
More on the Topic:
The 19-seater aircraft, developed with a target
cost of ₹50 crore, is at least 20-25% lower in
cost than other aircraft in the similar category.
It is the first indigenous light transport aircraft.
The first prototype flew in 2004. But without
the initial push from the government, the manufacturing capacity required for
commercial production could not be set up.
The NAL has been pitching SARAS Mk-2 for the government’s UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam
Nagrik), since it has the capacity to operate in “ill-equipped”, “semi-prepared” and
“unpaved airstrips”.
Naseem-Al-Bahr
In News: Oman ships arrived in Goa to participate in
“Naseem-Al-Bahr”, the Indo-Oman bilateral naval
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
exercise.
More on the Topic:
Due to the strategic location of Oman the naval
exercise with Oman is highly important for India.
The country is at the gateway of Strait of Hormuz
through which India imports one-fifth of its oil
imports. The berth rights given by Oman to Indian
vessels is important for the Indian Navy to carry out anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of
Aden.
India and Oman conduct regular biennial exercises between all three services namely
army, navy and air force. ”Al Najah” is the army exercise conducted between the
countries. “Ex Eastern Bridge” is the Air Force exercise that is held between the countries.
Operation Sankalp
In News: In the backdrop of
the deteriorating security
situation in the Gulf region,
post attacks on merchant
ships in the Gulf of Oman in
Jun 19, Indian Navy had
commenced Maritime Security
Operations, code named Op
SANKALP, in the Gulf Region to
ensure safe passage of Indian
Flag Vessels transiting through
the Strait of Hormuz.
More on the Topic:
Indian Navy warships and aircraft were deployed to establish presence, provide a sense
of reassurance to the Indian merchantmen, monitor the ongoing situation and respond to
any emergent crises.
The operation is being progressed in close coordination with all stakeholders including
Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Shipping, Ministry of
Petroleum and Natural Gas and DG, Shipping.
Sahyog-Kaijin
In News: India and Japan took part in a joint
exercise called “Sahyog-Kaijin”.
More on the Topic:
The exercise was held between the
coastal guards of the countries at
Chennai Port.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
India declared that its nuclear triad is operational after indigenous Ship Submersible
Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN) INS Arihant achieved a milestone by conducting its first
deterrence patrol.
India has put in place a robust nuclear command and control structure, effective safety
assurance architecture and strict political control, under its Nuclear Command
Authority.
Given India’s ‘No-First-Use’ (NFU) in launching nuclear weapons, the SSBN is the most
dependable platform for a second-strike.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
SSBNs are designed to prowl the deep ocean waters and carry nuclear weapons.
Because they are powered by nuclear reactors, these submarines can stay underwater
indefinitely without the adversary detecting it.
The other two platforms — land-based and air-launched are far easier to detect.
BrahMos-armed SU-30MKI
In News: The Indian Air Force inducted a squadron of
Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter planes, with the capability to
carry BrahMos missiles, at its Thanjavur airbase.
More on the Topic:
With the SU-30MKI Squadron getting positioned in
Thanjavur, the Indian Air Force would get more air
power to strike from long stand off ranges on any
target at sea or on land with accuracy by day or night and in all weather conditions.
The Sukhoi Su-30MKI is a twinjet multirole air superiority fighter developed by Russia's
Sukhoi and built under licence by India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the
Indian Air Force (IAF). A variant of the Sukhoi Su-30, it is a heavy, all-weather, long-range
fighter.
Brahmos Missile: The BrahMos is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that
can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft, or land.
It is the fastest supersonic cruise missile in the world.
It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroyeniya and India's
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) who together have formed
BrahMos Aerospace.
Operation Vanilla
In News: The Indian Navy has launched the
'Operation Vanilla' to assist the population of
Madagascar affected by Cyclone Diane.
More on the Topic:
Indian Navy has send a large
amphibious ship viz. INS Airavat
carrying clothing, medicines, and other
relief material to provide assistance
and support in the relief operations.
Diane is a tropical cyclone. India assistance to Madagascar is in consonance with Prime
Minister's vision of 'Security and Growth for all in the Region (SAGAR)'.
Environment &Ecology
Forest fire Prone areas
In News: The 2019 report by Forest
Survey of India (FSI) was released. It
states that about 21.40% of forest cover
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Smog Tower
In News: Delhi’s first smog tower was inaugurated
recently.
More on the Topic:
Smog towers are structures designed to work
as large-scale air purifiers. They are usually
fitted with multiple layers of air filters, which
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Number of Cyclones: 2019 was exceptional for the number of cyclones that hit India’s
east and west coasts.
Previously, similar cyclonic activity was reported in the Indian Ocean only during 1893,
1926, 1930, and 1976. During these years, cyclones formed both in the Arabian Sea
and the Bay of Bengal put together numbered to ten in a calendar year.
Notably, an active Arabian Sea saw more cyclonic storms than the Bay of Bengal during
2019. It was only for the second time in 117 years that the Arabian Sea saw such
intense and frequent cyclones.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
In 2019, eight cyclonic storms formed over the north Indian Ocean, of these, five
Cyclones Vayu, Hikka, Kyarr, Maha and Pavan originated in the Arabia Sea, which is
normally calmer. On the contrary, the Bay of Bengal reported less than normal number
of cyclones. The three cyclones formed here were Cyclones Pabuk, Fani, Bulbul.
Coldest Winter: The winter of 2018-2019 was one of the coldest in the northern
hemisphere. Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh reported 51 deaths triggered by snow
avalanche in 2019.
Australia wildfires
In News: Australia’s catastrophic fire season
that began in August 2019 has caused large
scale destruction, mainly in New South Wales
(NSW) and Queensland.
More on the Topic:
Over 10 million hectares of land was
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Community Resources
In News: The Supreme Court of India held that the
Government has no right to transfer “invaluable”
community resources like village water ponds to powerful
people and industrialists for commercialisation of the
property.
More on the Topic:
The common areas like water ponds and wells are the
lifeline of village communities and often sustain various
chores and provide resources necessary for life.
It is necessary to protect village commons for
safeguarding the fundamental right guaranteed
by Article 21 of our Constitution. Community resources are the
Background: resources which are available
The judgment came on a plea against the transfer for everyone’s use in a
of village ponds’ sites of Saini village in the community, village or town.
National Capital Region to some private Example: ponds, playgrounds,
industrialists by the Greater Noida Industrial public parks etc.
Development Authority.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) refused to
intervene on the plea but the apex court ordered
the authorities and the industrialists to remove all obstructions and restore the water
bodies within three months.
SC said the State can not deprive the villagers of their existing source of water and other
community resources even after the promise of providing them with an alternative
source.
There is no guarantee that the adverse effect of destroying the existing water body would
be offset and people would be compelled to travel miles to access the alternative site.
Significance:
Data on avian wealth is important because the wetlands nourish Kaziranga's ecosystem.
Increase or decrease in the number of birds is indicative of the park's health.
The Big Four Conservation:
Much of the focus of conservation efforts in Kaziranga are focused on the 'big four'
species, rhino, elephant, Royal Bengal tiger and Asiatic water buffalo.
The 2018 census had yielded 2,413 rhinos and approximately 1,100 elephants. The tiger
census of 2014 said Kaziranga had an estimated 103 tigers, the third highest population
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
of the striped cat in India after Jim Corbett National Park (215) in Uttarakhand and
Bandipur National Park (120) in Karnataka.
Kaziranga is also home to nine of the 14 species of primates found in the Indian
subcontinent.
Miyawaki method
In News: Kerala will be utilizing Miyawaki
method of afforestation to make the
government office premises, residential
complexes, school premises, and puramboke
land in Kerala greener.
More on the Topic:
The Miyawaki method, developed by a
Japanese botanist after whom it is named,
involves planting saplings in small areas,
causing them to “fight” for resources and
grow nearly 10 times quicker.
It originated in Japan, and is now
increasingly adopted in other parts of the
world, including our Chennai. It has
revolutionised the concept of urban
afforestation by turning backyards into
mini-forests.
Model Mains Question: What is social forestry? Comment on progress of social forestry in
India.
in 2015, voluntary star labelling program for inverter room air conditioners was launched
and was made mandatory with effect from 1st January 2018.
The scientists used a modelling which, complements the traditional approach of climate
modelling to explore the factors that have contributed to the increase in the frequency of
flood and storm events.
Econometric modelling involves accounting for a country’s vulnerability to hazards and its
GDP, population density and changes in mean rainfall.
Snake Eel
In News: A new snake eel species residing in
the Bay of Bengal has been discovered by
the Estuarine Biology Regional Centre
(EBRC) at Gopalpur in Odisha..
More on the Topic:
The new marine species has been
named as Ophichthus
kailashchandrai to honour the vast
contributions of Dr Kailash Chandra
(Director of Zoological Survey of
India) to Indian animal taxonomy.
It is the eighth species of the Ophichthus genus found on the Indian coast.
It lives at a depth of around 50 metres in the sea.
It is 420 mm to 462 mm in length and light brown in colour, with white fins. The outer
surface of their bodies is slimy but they are not poisonous.
Their teeth are moderately elongated, conical and sharp and thus they feed on small
fish and crabs.
African cheetahs
In News: The Supreme Court lifted its seven-year stay
on a proposal to introduce African cheetahs from
Namibia into the Indian habitat on an experimental
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
basis.
More on the Topic:
The plan was to revive the Indian cheetah
population.
In 2012, the top court had stalled the plan to
initiate the foreign cheetahs into the Palpur
Kuno sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh fearing they may come into conflict with a parallel
and a much-delayed project to reintroduce lions into the same sanctuary.
The court was also worried whether the African cheetahs would find the sanctuary a
favourable clime as far as abundance of prey is concerned.
About Cheetah:
The cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus, is one of the oldest of the big cat species, with
ancestors that can be traced back more than five million years to the Miocene era.
The cheetah is also the world’s fastest land mammal, an icon of nature. With great
speed and dexterity, the cheetah is known for being an excellent hunter, its kills
feeding many other animals in its ecosystem—ensuring that multiple species survive.
The country’s last spotted feline died in Chhattisgarh in 1947. Later, the cheetah —
which is the fastest land animal — was declared extinct in India in 1952.
Cheetahs are listed as “Vulnerable” by the International Union for the Conservation
of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species
Archaea
In News: New archaeon was discovered by Indian scientists in
Sambhar Salt Lake of Rajasthan.
More on the Topic:
Archaea are a primitive group of microorganisms that thrive
in extreme habitats such as hot springs, cold deserts and
hypersaline lakes.
These low paced-growing organisms are also present in the
human gut, and have a direct relationship with human
health.
They are known for producing antimicrobial molecules, and for anti-oxidant activity with
applications in eco-friendly waste-water treatment.
Archaea are tough to be cultured due to challenges in providing natural conditions in a
laboratory setting.
production.
It has been designated as a Ramsar site (recognized wetland of international
importance). It is important wintering area for flamingos and other birds that migrate
from northern Asia.
A lagoon in Palau's Rock Islands is a Unesco World Heritage site. The country has a
population of around 20,000 dotted across hundreds of islands.
Toxic sunscreen chemicals have been found throughout Palau's critical habitats, and in
the tissues of our most famous creatures.
Ramsar Sites
In News: India has added 10 more
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
The data on tiger mortality also confirms 22 cases of poaching in the country and one case
of tiger poisoning in 2019. An analysis shows that in 16 out of 22 poaching incidents, which
is almost over 70% of cases of poaching, have been reported outside Tiger Reserves.
Reasons for the Progress:
The reduced numbers of tiger mortalities are because of surveillance, good
management of Tiger Reserves and a lot of awareness and education programmes on
tiger conservation.
Using technology to maintain surveillance on tigers has also come as an added
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
advantage.
The M-STriPES (Monitoring System for Tigers-Intenstive Protection & Ecological
Status) patrolling app is deployed and used in every Tiger Reserve. This system
improved the efficiency.
State-wise Data:
Madhya Pradesh, which has the highest number of tigers in the country (526, as per
the last census), has recorded the most number of cases of tiger deaths, with 31 tiger
deaths reported from the central Indian State in 2019.
This was followed by Maharashtra, which reported 18 deaths. Karnataka, another
State with high tiger population, recorded 12 deaths, and Uttarakhand recorded ten
deaths. Tamil Nadu recorded seven cases of tiger deaths.
Deaths were also recorded from non-tiger bearing States like Gujarat, where a tiger
had strayed into the State and died.
Extraocular vision
In News: Latest research shows that
species of brittle stars, which are
relatives of starfish, can see even
though it does not have eyes. It
becomes only the second creature,
after a sea urchin species, known to
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Bhitarkanika Census
In News: According to annual reptile census, the population
of the saltwater or estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus)
has increased in the water bodies of Odisha’s Bhitarkanika
National Park and its nearby areas in Kendrapara district.
More on the Topic:
Crocodilians were threatened in India due to
indiscriminate killing for commercial purpose and
severe habitat loss until enactment of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.1972.
Crocodile Conservation Project was launched in 1975 in different States.
The Gharial and Saltwater crocodile conservation programme was first implemented in
Odisha in early 1975 and subsequently the Mugger conservation programme was
initiated.
The estimated number of the saltwater crocodiles increased from 96 in 1976 to 1,640 in
2012 in India due to rear and release programme established under the Indian Crocodile
Conservation Project.
Crocodiles in India:
India has three species of crocodilians namely
Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) (IUCN: Critically Endangered)
Mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) (IUCN: Vulnerable)
Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) (IUCN: Least Concern)
Bhitarkanika National Park:
Bhitarkanika National Park is one of Odisha’s finest biodiversity hotspots and is famous
for its green mangroves, migratory birds, turtles, estuarine crocodiles and countless
creeks.
The wetland is represented by 3 protected Areas, the Bhitarkanika National Park, the
Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
Bhitarkanika is located in the estuary of Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra and Mahanadi river
systems.
Irrawaddy dolphins
In News: Odisha Forest Department
officials, wildlife experts and
researchers sighted 146 endangered
Irrawaddy dolphins in Chilika Lake.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
White Rhino
In News: Researchers have created third embryo of the
nearly extinct northern white rhino, a remarkable success
in an ongoing global mission to keep the species from
going extinct.
More on the Topic:
The death of Sudan in 2018, who was earlier at the
Dvur Králové Zoo in the Czech Republic, left the
world with only two northern white rhinos, Najin,
30, and Fatu, 19 both female.
The northern white is one of the two subspecies of the white (or square-lipped)
rhinocerous, which once roamed several African countries south of the Sahara.
According to IUCN, the subspecies is considered Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct
in the Wild).
The other subspecies, the southern white is, by contrast, the most numerous
subspecies of rhino, and is found primarily in South Africa.
There is also the black (or hook-lipped) rhinocerous in Africa, which too, is fighting for
survival, and at least three of whose subspecies are already extinct.
The Indian rhinoceros is different from its African cousins, most prominently in that it
has only one horn.
There is also a Javan rhino, which too, has one horn, and a Sumatran rhino which, like
the African rhinos, has two horns.
International relations
Kalapani Issue with Nepal
In News: The Ministry of External
Affairs said that Nepal and India
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Consequences:
The event is a potential turning point in the Middle East and is expected to draw
severe retaliation from Iran and the forces it backs in the region against Israel and US
interests.
The attack has already killed off even the possibility of renegotiating the nuclear deal.
Iran might see this as an act of war like any sovereign country would do.
It could trigger multiple attacks across the region, destabilising it further, cause heavy
casualties and help the jihadist groups such as al-Qaeda and the IS regroup and re-
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
emerge.
Resumed attacks on oil tankers and other low hanging but high value economic
targets, particularly in the oil sector.
U.S. President Donald Trump is responsible for where U.S.-Iran ties stand today as he
single-handedly destroyed the co-operation between the two nations established by
the 2015 Iran nuclear deal by unilaterally pulling the U.S. out of the agreement in 2018
and reimposing sanctions on Iran.
By sabotaging the fragile peace negotiated over years between world powers, Mr.
Trump, in a single act, pushed both the U.S. and Iran down a dangerous slope.
Impact on India:
India has to deal the issue with its own geostrategic logic.
The impacts couls include Rises in India’s oil import bill
Creates difficulties in supplies,
The safety of an estimated eight million expatriates in the Gulf may be affected.
Iran has the capacity to influence the U.S.-Taliban peace process in Afghanistan as
well. This could impact India.
The possibility of some of Shia Muslims being radicalised by this event cannot be ruled
out.
JUS COGENS
In News: Recently US administration has threatened Iran
by tweeting that, it might attack Iran’s cultural sites by
doing so US is trying to ignore the JUS COGENS legislation
( Attacking any cultural site is a war crime).
More on the Topic:
The jus cogens rules have been sanctioned by the
Vienna Conventions on the Law of Treaties of
1969 and 1986.
According to both Conventions, a treaty is void if it
breaches jus cogens rules.
Besides treaties, unilateral declarations also have
to abide by these norms.
JUS COGENS or ius cogens, meaning “compelling
law” in Latin, are rules in international law that are peremptory or authoritative, and
from which states cannot deviate.
These norms cannot be offset by a separate treaty between parties intending to do
so, since they hold fundamental values.
Today, most states and international organisations accept the principle of jus cogens,
which dates back to Roman times.
So far, an exhaustive list of jus cogens rules does not exist.
However, the prohibition of slavery, genocide, racial discrimination, torture, and the
right to self-determination are recognized norms.
The prohibition against apartheid is also recognized as a jus cogens rule, from which
no derogation is allowed, since apartheid is against the basic principles of the United
Nations.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Jammu, and is making plans for 36 Cabinet Ministers, who have not visited the region
yet, to travel there.
These measures, however, must not come in dribs and drabs, but must be
comprehensive. Only when all communications are restored, all political prisoners
freed and added security restrictions removed can the real task of healing in J&K even
begin.
Taiwan
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Reciprocating territory
In News: The Ministry of Law and Justice issued an
Extraordinary Gazette Notification, declaring the
United Arab Emirates to be a “reciprocating
territory” under Section 44A of the Civil Procedure
Code, 1908.
More on the Topic:
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Both India and the Maldives are the members of the WHO’s Regional Committee for
South-East Asia.
Sagarmatha Dialogue
In News: Nepal has invited the Prime Ministers of India and
Pakistan along with several other heads of government and
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
In 2015, after a flurry of diplomatic activity, Iran agrees on a long-term deal on its nuclear
programme- Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with a group of world powers
known as the P5+1 - the US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany.
Under the accord, Iran agrees to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow in
international inspectors in return for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions.
In May 2018, US President Donald Trump abandons the nuclear deal and reinstated
economic sanctions against Iran and threatening to do the same to countries and firms
that continue buying its oil.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Iran acted with restraint, with thinking that abiding by the nuclear deal it could get
economic favour from EU. However, this policy failed to work for Iran and thereby it began
a counter-pressure campaign.
In June 2019, Iranian forces shoot down a US military drone over the Strait of Hormuz and
then began the cycle of response and escalation between the two countries.
Recently, the top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani (the commander of the Al-Quds Force
of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, IRGC) was assassinated by the US during his
visit to Iraq.
The assassination of Qassem Soleimani further heightened the tension in the region.
About NPT:
The treaty was drawn, drafted and negotiated by the Eighteen Nation Committee on
Disarmament, a UN-sponsored organisation based in Switzerland.
On August 6th and 9th,1945, the twin Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were
bombed by the United States with a powerful and terrible weapon – The Atom Bomb.
The act brought about the end of World War 2, but with a terrible price. Total
casualties amounted between 129,000 to 226,000 between the two cities, with
countless other injured and suffering from radiation sickness.
The after-effects of the bombings were a serious cause of concern among world
powers, along with potential misuse of the weapon. This concern led to calls for a
safeguard to ensure a Nuclear Arms Control was in place. Thus it was in 1961, a U.N
resolution called for a treaty to prevent an arms race for nuclear weapons. This treaty
would go on to become the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The signatories:
Ever since it came into effect since 1970 after it was opened for signing in 1968, the
Non-Proliferation Treaty has 187 nations who are a party to it – more than any other
arms limitation treaty.
The Non-Proliferation Treaty prohibits the nations who don’t have nuclear weapons
from acquiring them, at the same time prohibiting the nuclear states from helping
others in acquiring the weapons.
At the same time working towards total disarmament. The International Atomic
Energy Agency, which is the successor of the United Nations Atomic Energy
Commission verifies the compliance with the treaty. The compliance, in turn, is
enforced by the United Nations Security Council.
There are a total of nine nations who possess nuclear weapons.
Five of the nations namely – US, UK, France, Russia and China have signed the treaty.
The remaining four nations namely – India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea have
not signed the treaty and thus not a party to the treaty.
When a state fails to comply, the Security Council has the power to impose sanctions
against it and ensure compliance when international security and peace are at stake.
So far, the Security Council has never taken a coercive measure against any country to
get an ICJ ruling implemented.
Even with the stepping in of the Security Council, there are several hurdles in
enforcement of ICJ decisions.
Any one of the five permanent members of the Security Council with veto powers can
block the enforcement of an ICJ decision against itself or its ally.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
allowed to return. They could move to the future Palestinian state, be integrated into
the host countries or settled in other regional countries.
Jerusalem, perhaps the most contentious issue, would be “the undivided capital” of
Israel, with Palestine gaining its capital in the east of the city beyond the security
border Israel has already built.
In return, Israel would freeze further settlement activities on the West Bank for four
years the time for negotiations. During this period, the Palestinian Authority should
dismiss its current complaints at the International Criminal Court against Israel and
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Issues such as the status of Jerusalem and the right to return of refugees, an
internationally accepted right, and the final borders should be resolved through talks,
not by dictating terms to one party.
India’s Stand:
India urged Israel and Palestine to engage directly and explore possibilities of finding
an “acceptable” solution to the regional conflict.
India has traditionally supported statehood for the Palestinian side and maintained
that the two-state solution is the best guarantee for solution of the oldest post-World
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
SAARC
In News: India was playing a lead role on connectivity
in the South Asian region but the full potential of the
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
(SAARC) was not utilised because SAARC could not hold
a formal meet in the last four years due to the tensions
between India and Pakistan.
More on the Topic:
SAARC was founded by seven states in 1985. In
2005, Afghanistan requested its accession to SAARC
and formally applied for membership on the same
year.
This organization was formed in Dhaka on December 8, 1985, and its secretariat is based
in Kathmandu, Nepal.
SAARC comprises the following member states:
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
A Shift Towards BIMSTEC:
Tensions between India and Pakistan have led to New Delhi shifting focus from SAARC
to BIMSTEC. For e.g. At the Kathmandu SAARC summit (2014) Pakistan vetoed
connectivity agreements initiated by India when all other countries were ready to sign
it.
After the Uri attack of 2016, India boycotted the SAARC summit, which was to be held
in Islamabad. The Summit was called off after other SAARC member states followed
suit.
Soon after, India invited BIMSTEC leaders to the BRICS outreach summit in Goa in
2016. In 2017 BIMSTEC summit, India’s PM announced, "It is a natural platform to fulfil
our key foreign policy priorities of Neighbourhood First and Act East."
Thereafter, the 2018 BIMSTEC summit in Nepal saw the grouping pass a resolution
demanding that states that “encourage, support or finance terrorism, provide
sanctuaries to terrorists and terror groups” be held accountable.
Why SAARC remains relevant despite renewed interest in BIMSTEC?
SAARC, as an organisation, reflects the South Asian identity of the countries,
historically and contemporarily. It has geographical identity. Equally, there is a
cultural, linguistic, religious and culinary affinity that defines South Asia. BIMSTEC
despite its achievements is not tied in the identity of the nations that are members.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
South Asian countries are closely tied in their socio-political state as they face similar
threats and challenges like terrorism, similar economic challenges, disaster etc.
To face such challenges, the South Asian countries must cooperate. The European and
ASEAN experience is testimony to the contribution of regional cooperation in the
economic growth of the countries.
BIMSTEC itself has faced challenges since its inception. It is also not well
institutionalised as SAARC, which despite political tensions between its largest
members has institutions for cooperation.
Though there have been delays in regular SAARC summits, there are mechanisms of
interaction within SAARCSouth Asian University, South Asia Satellite which keep
SAARC relevant.
India should take lead in creating platforms for informal discussions, formal
mediation and resolution mechanisms tailored to the region’s specific needs and
problems. So that bilateral issues do not hinder broader regional integration under
both SAARC and BIMSTEC.
Jallikattu
In News: Jallikattu, the traditional
event associated with Pongal
festival was held at various parts of
Tamil Nadu.
More on the Topic:
In Jallikattu Bull is released
into a crowd of people, and
multiple human participants
attempt to grab the large
hump on the bull's back with
both arms and hang on to it
while the bull attempts to escape.
Participants hold the hump for as long as possible, attempting to bring the bull to a
stop. In some cases, participants must ride long enough to remove flags on the bull's
horns.
As there were incidents of injury and death associated with the sport, both to the
participants and to the animals forced into it, animal rights organizations have called
for a ban to the sport, resulting in the court banning it several times over the past
years. However, with protest from the people against the ban, a new ordinance was
made in 2017 to continue the sport.
Bojjannakonda-Budhist site
In News: After a sustained campaign, heritage lovers and officials have been successful in
almost stopping the stone-pelting ritual at Bojjannakonda, a famous Buddhist site at
Sankaramhe, Andhra Pradesh.
More on the Topic:
The villagers, as a part of the ancient ritual, used Bojjannakonda and
to pelt stones at a belly-shaped object, believing it Lingalametta are the twin
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Bhima Koregaon
In News: The people of Dalit communities gather in
Bhima Koregaon in large numbers on 1 January every
year to pay tribute to the Dalit heroes who died in
the war between the British and the Peshwas on 1
January 1818.
More on the Topic:
A battle was fought in Bhima Koregaon, a
district in Pune with a strong historical Dalit
connection, between the Peshwa forces and the British on January 1, 1818. The
British army, which comprised mainly of Dalit soldiers, fought the upper caste-
dominated Peshwa army. The British troops defeated the Peshwa army.
The victory was seen as a win against caste-based discrimination and oppression.
Peshwas were notorious for their oppression and persecution of Mahar dalits. The
victory in the battle over Peshwas gave dalits a moral victory a victory against caste-
based discrimination and oppression and sense of identity.
Why Bhima Koregaon is seen as a Dalit symbol?
The battle has come to be seen as a symbol of Dalit pride because a large number of
soldiers in the Company force were the Mahar Dalits. Since the Peshwas, who were
Brahmins, were seen as oppressors of Dalits, the victory of the Mahar soldiers over
the the Peshwa force is seen as Dalit assertion.
On 1 January 1927, B.R. Ambedkar visited the memorial obelisk erected on the spot
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
which bears the names of the dead including nearly two dozen Mahar soldiers. The
men who fought in the battle of Koregaon were the Mahars, and the Mahars are
Untouchables.
Savitribhai Phule
In News: PM Narendra Modi paid his tribute to the
Indian Social Reformer Savitribhai Phule. She was born
on January 3, 1831.
More on the Topic:
Savitribai Phule was an Indian social reformer,
educationalist, and poet from Maharashtra. She
is regarded as the first female teacher of India.
Along with her husband, Jyotirao Phule, she played an important role in improving
women's rights in India. She is regarded as the mother of Indian feminism.
Phule and her husband founded the first Indian girls' school in Pune, at Bhide wada
in 1848. She worked to abolish the discrimination and unfair treatment of people
based on caste and gender.
She is regarded as an important figure of the social reform movement in Maharashtra.
A philanthropist and an educationist, Phule was also a prolific Marathi writer. She
opened the first school for girls in pune.
Lord Curzon
In News: West Bengal Governor drew widespread
condemnation over his tweet referring to a table, apparently
used by Lord Curzon to sign papers pertaining to the Partition
of Bengal in 1905, as “iconic”.
More on the Topic:
Lord Curzon, India’s Viceroy between 1899 and 1905, was
one of the most controversial and consequential holders of
that post.
The partition of the undivided Bengal Presidency in 1905
was one of Curzon’s most criticised moves, which triggered
widespread opposition not only in Bengal but across India,
and gave impetus to the freedom movement.
Curzon, in 1901, had famously said, “As long as we rule
India we are the greatest power in the world. If we lose it, we shall drop straightaway
to a third-rate power.”
Through Calcutta Corporation act 1899 he reduced the number of elected legislatures to
deprive Indians from self-governance.
He looked at Indians with contempt and insulted and injured their feelings. He described
Bengalis as cowards, windbags, impracticable talkers and mere frothy patriots. He even
refused to meet to president of Indian national congress.
Reforms by Lord Curzon:
To set the educational system in order, he instituted in 1902, a Universities Commission
to go into the entire question of university education in the country. On the basis of the
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Ashfaqullah Khan
In News: The Uttar Pradesh cabine approved a proposal for a
zoological garden spread across 121 acres in Gorakhpur, to
be named after the freedom fighter and revolutionary
Shaheed Ashfaqullah Khan.
More on the Topic:
Khan was a freedom fighter who, along with Ram
Prasad Bismil, was sentenced to death for the Kakori
train robbery, commonly referred to as the Kakori
conspiracy of 1925.
In the mid-1920s, Khan and Bismil went on to found
the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association
(HSRA), with the aim of winning freedom for the
country through an armed revolution.
HSRA published its manifesto titled “The Revolutionary” in 1925.
Manilal Doctor
In News: January 8 was the death anniversary of Manilal Doctor,
the colonial-era barrister who fought for the rights of Indian-origin
people in Mauritius and Fiji.
More on the Topic:
An associate of Mahatma Gandhi, Doctor is known for his
efforts towards helping abolish the indentured labour system
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Nagardhan excavations
In News: Archaeological excavations at Nagardhan,
near Nagpur, have provided concrete evidence on the
life, religious affiliations and trade practices of the
Vakataka dynasty.
More on the Topic:
Oval-shaped sealing has been discovered, which
belongs to the period when Prabhavatigupta was
the queen of the Vakataka dynasty.
It bears her name in the Brahmi script, along with the depiction of a conch.
The presence of the conch is a sign of the Vaishnava affiliation that the Guptas had.
Since the Vakataka people had trade with Iran and beyond through the Mediterranean
Sea, these sealings could have been used as an official royal permission issued from the
capital city.
Copper plate issued by Queen Prabhavatigupta has also been found.
It starts with a genealogy of the Guptas, mentioning the Queen’s grandfather
Samudragupta and her father Chandragupta II.
Vakataka dynasty:
The Vakataka Empire originated from the Deccan in the mid-3rd century CE, with
Nagardhan as capital. Vindhyashakti (c. 250 – c. 270 CE) is known to be the founder of the
family.
Evidence indicate the state have extended from the southern edges of Malwa and Gujarat
in the north to the Tungabhadra River in the south and from the Arabian Sea in the west
to the edges of Chhattisgarh in the east.
They were the most important successors of the Satavahanas in the Deccan and
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
In News: On the occasion of National Girl Child Day, the Ministry of Women and Child
Development has set up 10
Chairs in different fields with
an aim to carry out research
activities to encourage
women.
More on the Topic:
The initiative called
Establishment of Chairs
in the Universities in
the name of eminent
women administrators,
artists, scientists and
social reformers is
being launched with
the assistance of
University Grants
Commission (UGC).
The main objective is to
inspire women to
pursue higher
education and to
achieve excellence in
their area of work. This
initiative of highlighting
and celebrating women
achievers of the country will motivate young girls and women towards higher studies.
Initially, the chairs will be set up for a period of 5 years.
Each chair will be funded by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (₹50 lakh
per year).
All the universities that are eligible to receive grant-in-aid from the UGC are eligible to
apply for the establishment of the Chairs.
Any scholar or academician in the age group of 55-70 years, with specialisation in their
fields, will be eligible for the chair.
The selected academicians will be appointed for a period of five years, which can be
extended to another five years.
S.
Subject Proposed name of chair
No.
BANGALORE IAS ACADEMY & NAMMAKPSC ACADEMY |VIJAYANAGAR |HEBBAL |
Freedom Fighter Rani Gaidinliu: Naga spiritual and political leader who had led
3.
(North East) a revolt against British rule in India
4. Medicine & Health Anandibai Gopalrao Joshi: India's first woman physician
Amrita Devi (Beniwal): She sacrificed her life along with her
Forest/Wildlife
6. three daughters to save green trees being felled by the
Conservation
Maharaja of Jodhpur in Marwar, Rajasthan in 1730.
Poetry & Lal Ded: Played a lead role in the creation of Vatsun style of
9.
Mysticism mystic poetry.
Educational
10. Hansa Mehta: A social activist, educator and eminent writer.
Reforms