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IASBABA’S
PRELIMS EXCLUSIVE
PROGRAM (PEP) 2022
CURRENT AFFAIRS HANDOUTS
DECEMBER 2021

NEWS

WWW.IASBABA.COM, [email protected]
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PRELIMS EXCLUSIVE PROGRAMME (PEP) DECEMBER 2021 CURRENT AFFAIRS

Table of Contents

ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................................................2
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ..............................................................................................................9
HISTORY AND CULTURE .............................................................................................................. 13
INDIAN POLITY, POLICIES, SCHEMES, DEVELOPMENT AND NATIONAL ISSUES ............................. 16
GEOGRAPHY AND PLACES IN NEWS ............................................................................................ 30
ECONOMY ................................................................................................................................. 33
INTERNATIONAL ........................................................................................................................ 38

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ENVIRONMENT

TOPICS KEY ASPECTS Value Addition

Kasturirangan  The Kasturirangan committee  The 39 sites are located across the
Committee report report proposes 37 per cent of Western Ghats and distributed
on Western Ghats the total area of Western Ghats, across the states (Kerala 19),
which is roughly 60,000 square Karnataka (10), Tamil Nadu (6) and
kilometres, to be declared as eco- Maharashtra (4).
sensitive area (ESA).  The boundary of the sites, are in
 The report recommended a most cases, boundaries of the
blanket ban on mining, quarrying, legally demarcated national parks,
setting up of red category wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves
industries and thermal power and forest divisions and therefore,
projects. already accorded with high level of
 It also stated that the impact of protection.
infrastructural projects on the  The Eco-Sensitive Area mapping
forest and wildlife should be and demarcation done by the
studied before permission is committee also indicates that all
given for these activities. sites are within this area.
 It also stated that the UNESCO  The state governments should view
Heritage tag is an opportunity to this development and build a plan
build global and domestic to protect, conserve and value the
recognition of the enormous resources and opportunities of the
natural wealth that exists in the region.
Western Ghats.  The state of Karnataka has the
highest percentage of the ESA-
46.50 per cent.
Ken-Betwa Link  It is the first project under the  The Betwa is a river in Northern
Project National Perspective Plan for India, and a tributary of the
interlinking of rivers. Yamuna.
 It envisages transferring water  It rises in the Vindhya Range
from the Ken river to the Betwa (Raisen) in Madhya Pradesh and
river, both tributaries of the flows northeast to Uttar Pradesh.
Yamuna.  Nearly half of its course, which is
 The Ken-Betwa Link Canal will be not navigable, runs over the Malwa
221 km long, including a 2-km Plateau.
long tunnel.
 The project lies in Bundelkhand, a
drought-prone region, which
spreads across 13 districts of
Uttar Pradesh and Madhya
Pradesh.
 The Ken River is one of the major
rivers in the Bundelkhand region
of central India and flows through
the states of Madhya Pradesh
and Uttar Pradesh. It is a
tributary of the Yamuna.

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Compensatory  It is meant to promote National CAMPA Advisory Council has
Afforestation Fund afforestation and regeneration been established as per orders of The
Management and activities as a way of Hon’ble Supreme Court with the
Planning Authority compensating for forest land following mandate:
(CAMPA) diverted to non-forest uses.  Lay down broad guidelines for State
 CAMPA Act or Compensatory CAMPA.
Afforestation Fund Act is an  Facilitate scientific, technological
Indian legislation that seeks to and other assistance that may be
provide an appropriate required by State CAMPA.
institutional mechanism, both at  Make recommendations to State
the Centre and in each State and CAMPA based on a review of their
Union Territory, to ensure plans and programmes.
expeditious utilization in efficient  Provide a mechanism to State
and transparent manner of CAMPA to resolve issues of an
amounts released in lieu of forest inter-state or Centre-State
land diverted for non-forest character.
purpose which would mitigate
impact of diversion of such forest
land.
Srivilliputhur  It is India's 51st tiger reserve and  Though it's areas are covers the
Megamalai Tiger 5th tiger reserve of Tamil Nadu. Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary
Reserve  It is formed of combining two also for tiger protection. This Tiger
wild life sanctuaries namely Reserve also gives a buffer zone for
grizzled squirrel wild life the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary,
sanctuary and Megamalai wildlife Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary.
sanctuary.
Buxa Tiger Reserve  Buxa Tiger Reserve is a tiger  The Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary of
reserve in northern West Bengal. Bhutan is contiguous to the north of
 In altitude, it ranges from 60 m BTR.
(200 ft) in the Gangetic Plains to  Manas National Park lies on east of
1,750 m (5,740 ft) bordering the BTR. BTR, thus, serves as
Himalayas in the north. international corridor for Asian
 Its northern boundary runs along elephant migration between India
the international border with and Bhutan
Bhutan. The Sinchula hill range
lies all along the northern side of
BTR and the eastern boundary
touches that of the Assam state.
Finn’s Weaver  Finn's weaver (Ploceus  Two races are known; the nominate
megarhynchus) bird, numbering from the Kumaon area and salimalii
less than 500 in India, which until from the eastern Terai.
now was listed as “vulnerable” in  The bird is primarily found in Terai
the International Union for grasslands in Uttarakhand and
Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) western Uttar Pradesh, apart from a
Red List has been uplisted to few pockets in Assam.
“endangered” category.
 Also known as yellow weaver is a
species of weaver bird found in

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the Ganges and Brahmaputra
valleys in India and Nepal.
Vedanthangal Bird  Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is a  Chief Wildlife Warden
Sanctuary protected area located in the  CWLW is the statutory authority,
Chengalpattu District and under the Wildlife Protection Act,
Madurantakam taluk of Tamil who heads the Wildlife Wing of the
Nadu. department and exercises complete
 Vedanthangal is home to administrative control over
migratory birds such as pintail, Protected Areas (PAs) within a state.
garganey, grey wagtail, blue-  Every PA is typically classified as a
winged teal, common sandpiper Wildlife Division and is headed by a
and the like. Deputy Conservator of Forests
 Vedanthangal is the oldest water  National Board for Wildlife (NBWL)
bird sanctuary in the country.  It is constituted under the Wildlife
Protection Act, 1972, and chaired by
the Prime Minister with the
Minister of Environment and
Forests as the vice-chair.
 The board advises the federal and
state governments in matters
concerning wildlife conservation
policy, illegal trade and poaching,
management of national parks and
sanctuaries, impact assessments of
projects on wildlife, and other
related issues.
Root Bridges  The jing kieng jri or living root  Such bridges have been fashioned
bridges — aerial bridges built by by Khasi villagers over decades by
weaving and manipulating the weaving the roots of ficus trees.
roots of the Indian rubber tree —  Ficus elastica is conducive to the
have been serving as connectors growth of bridges because of its
for generations in Meghalaya. very nature. There are three main
 Built over centuries, the bridges, properties: they are elastic, the
primarily a means to cross roots easily combine and the plants
streams and rivers, have also grow in rough, rocky soils.
become world-famous tourist
attractions.
 A root bridge uses traditional
tribal knowledge to train roots of
the Indian rubber tree, found in
abundance in the area, to grow
laterally across a stream bed,
resulting in a living bridge of
roots.
Carbon Credit  A carbon credit is a generic term  Clean Development Mechanism
for any tradable certificate or (CDM)
permit representing the right to  It is a United Nations-run carbon
emit one tonne of carbon dioxide offset scheme allowing countries to

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or the equivalent amount of a fund greenhouse gas emissions-
different greenhouse gas (tCO2e). reducing projects in other countries
 A carbon credit is a permit that and claim the saved emissions as
allows the company that holds it part of their own efforts to meet
to emit a certain amount of international emissions targets.
carbon dioxide or other  It is one of the three Flexible
greenhouse gases. Mechanisms defined in the Kyoto
 One carbon credit is equal to one Protocol.
tonne of carbon dioxide, or in  The CDM, defined in Article 12 of
some markets, carbon dioxide the Protocol, was intended to meet
equivalent gases. two objectives: (1) to assist non-
 The carbon credit is one half of a Annex I countries (predominantly
so-called "cap-and-trade" developing nations) achieve
program. Companies that pollute sustainable development and
are awarded credits that allow reduce their carbon footprints; and
them to continue to pollute up to (2) to assist Annex I countries
a certain limit. (predominantly industrialized
 That limit is reduced periodically. nations) in achieving compliance
Meanwhile, the company may with their emissions reduction
sell any unneeded credits to commitments (greenhouse gas
another company that needs emission caps).
them.
 Private companies are thus
doubly incentivized to reduce
greenhouse emissions. First, they
will be fined if they exceed the
cap.
 Second, they can make money by
saving and reselling some of their
emissions allowances.
Anamalai Tiger  It is a protected area in the
Reserve Anaimalai Hills of Pollachi and
Valparai taluks of Coimbatore
District and Udumalaipettai taluk
in Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu.
 Major reservoirs like
Parambikulam Reservoir, Aliyar
Reservoir, Thirumurthi Reservoir,
Upper Aliyar Reservoir,
Kadambarai, Sholayar Dam and
Amaravathi Dam are fed by the
perennial rivers which originate
from the Sanctuary.
Sustainable Urban  News: The Government of India  Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Development and and the Asian Development Bank  It is a regional development bank
Service Delivery (ADB) have signed Sustainable established on 19 December 1966
Program Urban Development and Service  Headquartered: Manila, Philippines.
Delivery Program.  ADB aims to promote social and

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 About economic development in Asia.
 Ministry: Ministry of Housing and  The ADB was modelled closely on
Urban Affairs the World Bank, and has a similar
 It is a $350 million policy-based weighted voting system.
loan to improve access to urban  It now has 68 members.
services in India.  ADB is an official United Nations
 Policy actions and reforms will be Observer.
accelerated to enhance service  India was a founding member of the
delivery and promote Asian Development Bank (ADB) in
performance-based central fiscal 1966 and is now the bank’s fourth
transfers to urban local bodies largest shareholder and top
(ULBs). borrower.
 ADB will provide knowledge and
advisory support to the in
program implementation,
including monitoring and
evaluation.
Indian Desert Cat  News: An Indian desert cat has  It is found in arid and semi-arid
been spotted for the first time in regions of India which includes
Madhya Pradesh’s Panna Tiger Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh
Reserve (PTR). and Maharashtra.
 About  The Indian desert cat has also been
 It is an African wildcat subspecies spotted in Nauradehi Wildlife
that occurs from the eastern Sanctuary of Madhya Pradesh in the
Caspian Sea north to Kazakhstan, past, informed wildlife experts.
into western India, western China  PTR and Nauradehi Wildlife
and southern Mongolia. Sanctuary both lie in the
 It is in the ‘Least Concern’ Bundelkhand region of MP and the
category of the International climatic conditions and vegetation
Union for Conservation of Nature are similar to that of semi-arid
Red List of Threatened Species. regions – low vegetation, high
 In India, the Asiatic wildcat temperatures and water scarcity.
inhabits the Thar Desert and is  Panna National Park is a national
associated with scrub desert. park located in Panna and
Chhatarpur districts of Madhya
Pradesh.
Olive Ridley Turtles  It is a species of turtle in the  The coast of Odisha in India is one
family Cheloniidae. The species is of the largest mass nesting sites for
the second-smallest and most the olive ridley, along with the
abundant of all sea turtles found coasts of Mexico and Costa Rica.
in the world.  Olive Ridleys at three mass nesting
 It is also known commonly as the sites — Gahirmatha, Devi River
Pacific ridley sea turtle. mouth and Rushikulya.
 It is found in warm and tropical  The olive ridley is classified as
waters, primarily in the Pacific vulnerable according to the
and Indian Oceans, but also in the International Union for
warm waters of the Atlantic Conservation of Nature and Natural
Ocean. Resources, and is listed in Appendix

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 This turtle and the related Kemp's I of CITES.
ridley turtle are best known for
their unique mass nesting sites
called arribadas, where
thousands of females come
together on the same beach to
lay eggs.
Indian White Shrimp  News: Decoding the whole  Shrimp was the economic engine of
genome of the Indian white the seafood exports in India and it
shrimp, scientifically known as accounted for ₹40,000 crore in
Penaeus indicus, is expected to national income, about 75% of the
reduce shrimp breeders’ value of the seafood exports.
dependency on exotic Pacific  The Indian shrimp industry accounts
white shrimp from the United for about 11% of the global
States, the major shrimp species production (7,59,906 tonnes valued
farmed in India at present. at $4 billion in 2019).
 About
 It is found in the Indo-West
Pacific from eastern and south-
eastern Africa, through India,
Malaysia and Indonesia to
southern China and northern
Australia.
National Tiger  NTCA has been constituted under  The authority consists of the
Conservation section 38 L (1) of Wildlife Minister in charge of the Ministry of
Authority (NTCA) (Protection) Act, 1972. Environment and Forests ( as
The objectives of NTCA are: Chairperson), the Minister of State
 Providing statutory authority to in the Ministry of Environment and
Project Tiger so that compliance Forests (as Vice-Chair.
of its directives become legal.  Project Tiger
 Fostering accountability of  The Government of India has taken
Center-State in management of a pioneering initiative for
Tiger Reserves, by providing a conserving its national animal, the
basis for MoU with States within tiger, by launching the “Project
our federal structure. Tiger” in 1973.
 Providing for an oversight by  From 9 tiger reserves since its
Parliament. formative years, the Project Tiger
 Addressing livelihood interests of coverage has increased to 51 at
local people in areas surrounding present, spread out in 18 of our
Tiger Reserves. tiger range states.
Indian Pangolin  News: Odisha Forest and  ndian Pangolin
Environment Department has  It is an insectivore, feeding on ants
completed its first-ever radio- and termites, digging them out of
tagging of the Indian pangolin in mounds and logs using its long
an attempt to standardise the claws, which are as long as its fore
rehabilitation protocol for the limbs. It is nocturnal and rests in
animal in the State. deep burrows during the day.
 Pangolins  Range – Bangladesh; India; Nepal;

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 Pangolins, despite being listed in Pakistan; Sri Lanka
Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection)  IUCN – Endangered
Act, 1972 continue to be the  The Indian pangolin, which dons a
world’s most trafficked mammal. thick scaly skin, is hunted for meat
 According to the International and used in traditional Chinese
Union for Conservation of medicine.
Nature, Indian pangolins are  Out of the eight species of pangolin,
endangered and the Chinese the Indian and the Chinese
pangolins are critically pangolins are found in India. Both
endangered. these species are listed under
 Though the Chinese pangolin is Schedule I Part I of the Wildlife
distributed mostly in Vietnam, (Protection) Act, 1972.
Thailand, Cambodia, the  Pangolins are among the most
northeastern part of our country trafficked wildlife species in the
is also its home. world.
 The population is already limited  Chinese Pangolin
as it has a limited geographical  Range – Bangladesh; Bhutan; China;
range, low fecundity with just Hong Kong; India; Lao People’s
one offspring a year. It is also Democratic Republic; Myanmar;
facing pressure due to habitat Nepal; Taiwan, Province of China;
degradation and is prone to local Thailand; Viet Nam
extinction  IUCN – Critically Endangered
 The primary demand for its scales
in the making of traditional East
Asian medicines has led to an
estimated illegal trade worth $2.5
billion every year.
 Pangolins are the most illegally
traded mammals in the world and
the Indian pangolin is the largest
among eight pangolin species.
 The nocturnal animal lives in
burrows and feed on ants and
termites.
Indravati Tiger  Indravati National Park is a  The vegetation of the Indravati
Reserve national park located in Bijapur National Park is mainly of the
district of Chhattisgarh. tropical moist and dry deciduous
 The park derives its name from type with predominance of
the Indravati River, which flows bamboo, sal and teak.
from east to west and forms the  Indravati National Park has one of
northern boundary of the reserve the last populations of the
with Maharashtra. endangered wild Asian buffalo.
 It is one of three Project Tiger
sites in Chhattisgarh, along with
Udanti-sitanadi, and is home to
one of the last remaining
populations of the endangered
wild water buffalo

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Nilgai  It is the largest Asian antelope  In Bihar, authorities have classified
and is ubiquitous across the the nilgai as vermin.
northern Indian subcontinent.  This antelope is endemic to the
 The nilgai is diurnal (active mainly Indian subcontinent: major
during the day). populations occur in India, Nepal
 Gestation lasts eight to nine and Pakistan.
months, following which a single  In India, the nilgai is protected
calf (sometimes twins or even under Schedule III of the Wildlife
triplets) is born. Protection Act of 1972
 The nilgai is categorised as Least
Concern on the IUCN Red List.
The nilgai has been associated
with Indian culture since the
Vedic period (1500–500 BCE).

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

TOPICS KEY ASPECTS Value Addition

DNA-PLASMID  News: ZyCoV-D is a DNA-plasmid  A plasmid DNA vaccine works like
vaccine vaccine this:
 About  A piece of DNA encoding the
 A plasmid is a type of DNA that is antigen (part of the disease-causing
found only in bacterial cells. They pathogen that induces an immunity
are distinct from the response from our bodies) is
chromosomal DNA. inserted into a bacterial plasmid.
 When people mention ‘DNA’ they  The DNA plasmids carrying the
normally refer to the antigen are injected into the
chromosomal DNA — the old, muscle. Once the DNA gets inside
familiar double-helix ladder. our cells, they start producing
 The plasmid DNA, unlike the antigens, which triggers an immune
chromosomal DNA, does not response.
carry hereditary information, but  The advantages are that (like the
its genes give it advantages such mRNA vaccines) the plasmid DNA
as pesticide- and antibiotic- vaccines can be easily
resistance. manufactured, are inexpensive and
 Scientists have used plasmid safer.
DNAs as a vector, or ‘trucks’, to
carry other materials into cells.
S-gene drop out  Tests usually look for three target  To accurately identify the virus,
genes related to parts of the diagnostic tests are made that can
virus: S (spike), N2 (nucleocapsid identify characteristic genes that
or inner area) and E (envelope or make these proteins.
outer shell).  While the variant can only be
 The S-gene refers to the gene reliably confirmed with genome
that codes for the spike protein, sequencing, the WHO has also
or the most distinctive part of the recommended that certain
coronavirus. commonly used COVID-19

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 The SARS-CoV-2, like many other detection tests, with ‘S-gene
coronaviruses, has key protein- dropout’ capabilities, can be used
regions that define its structure: to quickly screen for an Omicron
The envelope protein (E), infection.
thenucleocapsid protein(N), the
membrane protein (M) and the
spike protein (S).
Laser  NASA launched its new Laser  Laser communications and radio
Communications Communications Relay waves use different wavelengths of
Relay Demonstration (LCRD) — the light. Laser uses infrared light and
Demonstration agency’s first-ever laser has a shorter wavelength than
(LCRD) communications system. radio waves. This will help the
 The LCRD will help the agency transmission of more data in a
test optical communication in short time.
space.  Using infrared lasers, LCRD will
 Currently, most NASA spacecraft send data to Earth at 1.2 gigabits-
use radio frequency per-second (Gbps).
communications to send data.
Optical communications will help
increase the bandwidth 10 to 100
times more than radio frequency
systems.
NASA’s IXPE mission  News: NASA launched a new  IXPE is expected to study about 40
mission named Imaging X-ray celestial objects in its first year in
Polarimetry Explorer or IXPE. space.
 About  This new mission will complement
 IXPE observatory is a joint effort other X-ray telescopes such as the
of NASA and the Italian Space Chandra X-ray Observatory and the
Agency. European Space Agency’s X-ray
 The mission will study “the most observatory, XMM-Newton.
extreme and mysterious objects
in the universe – supernova
remnants, supermassive black
holes, and dozens of other high-
energy objects.”
 The mission’s primary length is
two years and the observatory
will be at 600 kilometers altitude,
orbiting around Earth’s equator.
Vertical Launch  VL-SRSAM has been designed and  The tactic of sea skimming is used
Short Range Surface developed jointly by three by various anti-ship missiles and
to Air Missile (VL- facilities of the Defence Research some fighter jets to avoid being
SRSAM) and Development Organisation detected by the radars onboard
for deployment of Indian Naval warships.
warships.
 The missile has the capability of
neutralising various aerial threats
at close ranges including sea-

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skimming targets.
Log4Shel  A new vulnerability named  The problem impacts Log4j 2
Log4Shell is being touted as one versions which is a very common
of the worst cybersecurity flaws logging library used by applications
to have been discovered. The across the world. Logging lets
vulnerability is based on an open- developers see all the activity of an
source logging library used in application.
most applications by enterprises  The vulnerability is serious because
and even government agencies. exploiting it could allow hackers to
 The vulnerability is dubbed control java-based web servers and
Log4Shell and is officially CVE- launch what are called ‘remote
2021-44228 (CVE number is the code execution’ (RCE) attacks. In
unique number given to each simple words, the vulnerability
vulnerability discovered across could allow a hacker to take control
the world). of a system.
Marmugao  Mormugao is being built at  Project 15B
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd  It is a class of guided-missile
(MDSL) as part of the Project 15B destroyers currently being built for
destroyers. the Indian Navy.
 It is Indian Navy's second  Noted for being the largest-ever
indigenous stealth destroyer of destroyers to be built in India, the
the P15B class. Visakhapatnam-class is an
 INS Visakhapatnam, the first ship upgraded derivative of its
built under the project P-15B, predecessor, the Kolkata-class, with
was commissioned into the improved features of stealth,
Indian Navy on November 21 in automation and ordnance.
Mumbai.
Use of drones in  Multi-features: Drones are well-  Optimisation: Based on this
Agriculture equipped with many features like assessment, the exact amounts of
multi-spectral and photo chemicals needed to fight these
cameras. infestations
 Monitor: It can be used in many  Planting systems: Drone planting
areas of the agriculture sector systems have also been developed
such as monitoring crop stress, which allow drones to shoot pods.
plant growth, predicting yields, This technology increases
and delivering props. consistency and efficiency of crop
 Assessment: Drones can be used management.
for assessing the health of any  Mitigating attacks: The drones
vegetation or crop, field areas were also used for the first time in
inflicted by weeds. warding off the locust attacks in
various states.
Experimental  China's "experimental advanced  In addition to the reboot of EAST,
Advanced superconducting tokamak," or China is building a research facility
Superconducting EAST, is a device used to test to incubate core technologies
Tokamak (EAST) nuclear fusion technologies that related to nuclear fusion.
have the potential to end  The facility is called CRAFT, short
mankind's energy struggle by for "Comprehensive Research
providing borderline-endless Facility for Fusion Technology." It

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clean energy. will become a platform on which
 The device uses magnetic fields engineers develop and test fusion
to confine fusion fuel in the form energy reactor's key components.
of a plasma.
 Devices like EAST are often called
"artificial suns" because they
generate power in a way similar
to the sun in our solar system.
Magnetar  A magnetar is a rare compact  They are therefore associated with
type of neutron star teeming with extreme events in the universe,
energy and magnetism. making them perhaps the most
 Magnetars are relatively rare bizarre objects in the cosmos next
objects, with only about thirty to black holes.
having been spotted within the  The magnetic field of a magnetar
Milky Way so far. may be caused by a neutron star’s
 Magnetars have high magnetic interior – thought to be made up of
fields in the range of 1015 gauss neutrons, quarks and exotic states
and they emit energy in the range of matter such as Bose-Einstein
given by luminosities of 1037 – Condensates – becoming a
1040 joules per second. superconducting fluid.
 Apart from these ultra-powerful  Thus, when the star rotates, it
magnetic fields, magnetars also would behave like a huge dynamo,
release vast amounts of energy in generating an immense magnetic
the form of flares, X-rays, and field.
gamma-ray bursts.
Flex fuel vehicles  A flexible-fuel vehicle (FFV) or  Even a push till the E20 level can
(FFV) dual-fuel vehicle (colloquially result in savings of $4 billion per
called a flex-fuel vehicle) is an annum, as per estimates.
alternative fuel vehicle with an  This is possible only if flex-fuel
internal combustion engine vehicles are made available in the
designed to run on more than market. Also, FFVs will also help the
one fuel, usually gasoline blended government meet its commitments
with either ethanol or methanol when it comes to reducing
fuel, and both fuels are stored in emission.
the same common tank.  According to a report by the expert
 They are capable of running on committee formed by the Ministry
100 per cent petrol or 100 per of Petroleum and Natural Gas, by
cent bio-ethanol or a just hitting E20, carbon monoxide
combination of both. emissions were observed to be 50
 Bio-ethanol contains less energy per cent lower in two-wheelers and
per litre than petrol but the 30 per cent lower in four-wheelers
calorific value (energy contained compared to petrol. Hydrocarbons
in the fuel) of bio-ethanol will were lower by 20 per cent.
become on par with petrol with  The report also mentioned that E20
use of advanced technology. blending will result in drop in fuel
 The government is desperate to efficiency by nearly 6-7 per cent in
bring down the oil import bill by 4 wheelers designed for E0 and
creating fuel substitutes like calibrated to E10.

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ethanol, hydrogen and electricity.

HISTORY AND CULTURE

TOPICS KEY ASPECTS Value Addition

Paika Rebellion  The Paika Bidroha (Paika  A large number of Paikas were
Rebellion) of 1817 took place mobilised under the leadership of
nearly 40 years before the first Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, who
sepoy mutiny. then confronted the British on April
 The Paikas were peasant militas 2, 1817.
of the Gajapati rulers of Odisha  A 400-strong party of Kandhas
who offered military services to crossed over into Khurda from
the king. Ghumsur and declared rebellion.
 The British established The uprising spread like a wildfire
themselves in Odisha when the across the state resulting in several
East India company dethroned confrontations and encounters
the King of Khurda, Raja between the British and the Paika
Mukunda Deva in 1803. forces.
 The following year, in 1804, the  Government buildings in Banapur
king planned a rebellion against were set on fire, policemen killed
the British and roped in the and the British treasury looted.
Paikas for the same. But the plan  Over the next few months, the
was discovered by the British revolt continued but was eventually
who confiscated his entire overpowered by the British army.
territory. Bidyadhar was imprisoned in 1825
 The Paikas lost their estates when and died while still in jail four years
the new colonial establishments later.
and land revenue settlements of
the British came into force.  THINK!
 The continuous interference in  Munda Revolt
the economy and revenue
systems led to exploitation and
oppression of the peasants and
farmers eventually triggering a
rebellion against the British.
Chendamangalam  It is a traditional hand woven  The Chendamangalam brand of
Saree cotton sari from handloom products have GI
Chendamangalam, Ernakulam registration. The products from
district of Kerala. these weaving centres include
 This saree is part of the dhotis, double dhotis, bedsheets,
Chendamangalam Handloom and shirting materials.
tradition of Kerala.
Agariyas  Agariyas, the salt farmers of the  It becomes a brackish water lake in
Little Rann of Kutch (LRK), the four months of the southwest
produce 30 per cent of India’s monsoon. That is when 11 rivers
inland salt — about 0.35 million from Saurashtra, North Gujarat and
metric tonnes. Rajasthan drain here, combining
 The Agariyas produce salt from with tidal waters from the Arabian

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underground brine that has Sea that enter the region via a
extensive reserves in the region, creek.
thanks to its hydro-geological  The LRK, surrounded by five
formation, unlike the sea salt districts of Gujarat, is a wildlife
industry. sanctuary to conserve the endemic
 The brine is pumped out and wild ass. Temperature here varies
spread in large pans to evaporate from 0 degrees in the winters to a
to make crystal salt. scalding 50 degrees Celsius in
 The 5,000 square kilometres of summers.
LRK is a saucer-shaped region  Do You Know?
that remains a desert for eight  India is the third-largest producer
months of salt globally after the United
States and China.
UNESCO’s  Durga Puja is a classic fusion of  Intangible Cultural Heritage
‘Intangible Cultural religion and culture, regarded  According to unesco.org, “cultural
Heritage’ list with a lot of pride and celebrated heritage does not end at
predominantly by the Bengali monuments and collections of
community. objects.
 Durga Puja is a five-day festival  It also includes traditions or living
which begins on the fifth night of expressions inherited from our
the nine-day Navratri festival and ancestors and passed on to our
ends on the tenth day, which is descendants, such as oral
Dashami. traditions, performing arts, social
 During this time, people practices, rituals, festive events,
collectively worship and invoke knowledge and practices
Goddess Durga, who is regarded concerning nature and the universe
as the feminine energy of the or the knowledge and skills to
cosmos, also known as ‘Shakti’. produce traditional crafts”.
 In total, 14 Intangible Cultural
Heritage elements from the
country have now been inscribed
on UNESCO’s Representative List.
 This is the first festival in Asia to
achieve recognition as UNESCO
ICH of Humanity.
Vanniyar Movement  Vanniyars are one of the largest  Vanniyars were categorised among
and most consolidated backward the MBCs with 107 other
communities in Tamil Nadu. communities, with 20% reservation.
 They had raised massive protests  Three decades later, the state
in the mid-1980s demanding 20% government passed a Bill, and the
reservation in the state, and 2% current government has
in central services. implemented it with a Government
 During agitation from September Order ensuring 10.5% reservation
17 to 23, 1987, many protesters for Vanniyars within the 20% MBC
were killed. quota.
 Split of OBC quota: In 1989, the
OBC quota was split into two:
Backward Castes and Most

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Backward Castes.
Bagha Nacha  Bagha Nacha or Tiger Dance is  In this, the male dancer paints
performed in Binka, Sonepur of himself like a tiger. Thus, it is called
Subarnapur district and Bagha Nacha or Tiger Dance.
Brahmapur and in some parts of
Ganjam district in Odisha.
 It is performed in the month of
Chaitra (Gregorian equivalent is
March-April)
Chillai Kalan  Chillai Kalan is a Persian word  Chillai-Kalan is followed by 20-day
which literally means forty days long Chillai Khurd (small cold) and a
of intense cold. 10-days long Chillai Bachha (baby
 It is the local name given to 40 cold).
day period of harsh winter in  Impact of Chillai Kalan on daily life
Kashmir. of Kashmiris: Use of Pheran
 It is the coldest part of winter, (Kashmiri dress) and a traditional
starting from 21 December to firing pot called Kanger increases.
January 29 every year.  Due to subzero temperature, tap
water pipelines freeze partially
during this period and world-
famous Dal Lake also freezes.
Sri Aurobindo  Born on August 15, 1872,  Aurobindo Ghose's political
Aurobindo Ghose was an Indian endeavour in India began in the
philosopher, yoga guru, 1890s when he rebuked the
maharishi, poet, and Indian Congress for taking a moderate
nationalist. stance.
 In his early days, Aurobindo  His ideology evolved during the
Ghose worked as a journalist, Swadeshi movement of the early
editing newspapers such as 1900s when he urged people to
Bande Mataram. follow the path of passive
 At Pondicherry, where he lived resistance.
from 1910 to 1950, Sri Aurobindo  For Aurobindo Ghose the struggle
developed a spiritual practice he to free the motherland was above
called Integral Yoga. all and some scholars would refer
 He joined the Indian movement to him as a matrist.
for independence against British  At the 1907 Surat session of the
rule and went on to become one Congress, Ghose along with other
of its influential leaders. extremists had a major showdown
 Aurobindo Ghose studied for the with the moderate wing of the
Indian Civil Service at King's party.
College, Cambridge, England.  Soon after the Congress split. By
 After returning to India he took then, he was already leading radical
up various civil service works youth organisations in Kolkata
under the Maharaja of the including the Anushilan Samiti
Princely state of Baroda.  The Anushilan Samiti had been
 He got involved in nationalist challenging British rule through
politics in the Indian National militant tactics since 1902.
Congress and the nascent  In 1908, he along with few other

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revolutionary movement in members of the Anushilan Samiti
Bengal with the Anushilan Samiti. were arrested in the Alipore bomb
 It was in England itself that Ghose case.
first felt the call of nationalism  He started a philosophical
when he acquainted himself with magazine by the name Arya and
Italian and Irish nationalists. later a number of books were
 Aurobindo Ghose participated in brought out of it.
an Indian students' organisation  The books were - 'The synthesis of
called the Cambridge Majlis. yoga', 'Essays on the Gita', 'The
 It was only after he returned to secret of the Vedas', 'The ideal of
India that he found himself human unity' among others.
actively embroiled in the freedom
struggle, engaging with radical
youths.

INDIAN POLITY, POLICIES, SCHEMES, DEVELOPMENT AND NATIONAL ISSUES

TOPICS KEY ASPECTS Value Addition

Assisted  To regulate assisted reproductive  Assisted reproductive technology
Reproductive technology (ART) services such as (ART)
Technology in-vitro fertilization (IVF) centres,  It is used to treat infertility. It
(Regulation) Bill, sperm or egg banks etc. includes fertility treatments that
2020  The bill proposes the constitution handle both a woman’s egg and a
of a national board that will set man’s sperm.
minimum standards of physical  It works by removing eggs from a
infrastructure, laboratory, woman’s body.
diagnostic equipment and expert  The eggs are then mixed with
manpower to be employed by sperm to make embryos.
clinics and banks.  The embryos are then put back in
 It also proposes the the woman’s body. In vitro
establishment of a national fertilization (IVF) is the most
registry and registration authority common and effective type of ART.
to maintain a database of all  ART procedures sometimes use
clinics and medical professionals donor eggs, donor sperm, or
serving in the field. previously frozen embryos.
 It further seeks stringent  It may also involve a surrogate or
punishment for those practicing gestational carrier.
sex selection, sale of human  A surrogate is a woman who
embryos or gametes, or found becomes pregnant with sperm from
running agencies, rackets and the male partner of the couple.
organisations for such practices in  A gestational carrier becomes
violation of the law. pregnant with an egg from the
female partner and the sperm from
the male partner.
Dam Safety Bill  The Bill proposes to help all  The state dam safety organisation
states and Union Territories must also report events such as
adopt uniform dam safety dam failures to the National Dam

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procedures. Safety Authority and also maintain
 It aims to “provide for records of major dam incidents of
surveillance, inspection, each specified dam.
operation and maintenance of  The National Dam Safety Authority,
the specified dam for prevention to be headquartered in Delhi, will
of dam failure-related disasters, be formed under the Act. It will be
and to provide for institutional headed by an officer not below the
mechanism to ensure their safe rank of Additional Secretary to the
functioning and for matters Government of India to deal with
connected therewith or problems relating to dam
incidental thereto.” engineering and dam safety
 A National Committee on Dam management
Safety with a three-year tenure, Do You Know?
comprising the chairman of the  Though water is under the state
Central Water Commission, a list, the Centre has brought the
maximum of 10 representatives legislation under Article 246 of the
of the central government in the Constitution read with Entry 56 and
ranks of joint secretary, a Entry 97 Of List I in the Union list.
maximum of seven  Article 246 empowers Parliament
representatives of the state to legislate on any matter
governments, and three experts, enumerated in List I of the Union
will be formed as part of the Act. list in the Seventh Schedule of the
 A state dam safety organisation Constitution.
will be formed as well, which will  Entry 56 allows Parliament to make
be responsible for the dam laws on the regulation of inter-
safety. state rivers and river valleys if it
 This organisation is empowered declares such regulation to be
to investigate and gather data for expedient in public interest.
proper review and study of the  Entry 97 allows Parliament to
various features of the design, legislate on any other matter not
construction, repair and enumerated in List II or List III
enlargement of dams, reservoirs including any tax not mentioned in
and appurtenant structures. either of those Lists.
Protection of Plant  It is a statutory body set up under  Objectives of the Act
Varieties and the Protection of Plant Varieties  To establish an effective system for
Farmers Rights’ and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001. the protection of plant varieties,
Authority General Functions of the Authority the rights of farmers and plant
 Registration of new plant breeders and to encourage the
varieties, essentially derived development of new varieties of
varieties (EDV), extant varieties; plants.
 Developing DUS (Distinctiveness,  To recognize and protect the rights
Uniformity and Stability) test of farmers in respect of their
guidelines for new plant species; contributions made at any time in
 Developing characterization and conserving, improving and making
documentation of varieties available plant genetic resources
registered; for the development of new plant
 Compulsory cataloging facilities varieties.
for all variety of plants;  Facilitate the growth of seed

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 Documentation, indexing and industry in the country which will
cataloguing of farmers’ varieties; ensure the availability of high
 Recognizing and rewarding quality seeds and planting material
farmers, community of farmers, to the farmers.
particularly tribal and rural
community engaged in
conservation and improvement;
 Preservation of plant genetic
resources of economic plants and
their wild relatives;
 Maintenance of the National
Register of Plant Varieties and
 Maintenance of National Gene
Bank.
Rights Available Farmers’ Rights  Breeders’ Rights: Breeders will
under PPV & FR Act,  A farmer who has evolved or have exclusive rights to produce,
2001 developed a new variety is sell, market, distribute, import or
entitled for registration and export the protected variety.
protection in like manner as a Breeder can appoint agent/
breeder of a variety; licensee and may exercise for civil
 Farmers variety can also be remedy in case of infringement of
registered as an extant variety; rights.
 A farmer can save, use, sow, re-  Researchers’ Rights: Researcher
sow, exchange, share or sell his can use any of the registered
farm produce including seed of a variety under the Act for
variety protected under the conducting experiment or research.
PPV&FR Act, 2001 in the same This includes the use of a variety as
manner as he was entitled before an initial source of variety for the
the coming into force of this Act purpose of developing another
provided farmer shall not be variety but repeated use needs
entitled to sell branded seed of a prior permission of the registered
variety protected under the breeder.
PPV&FR Act, 2001;
 Farmers are eligible for
recognition and rewards for the
conservation of Plant Genetic
Resources of land races and wild
relatives of economic plants;
 There is also a provision for
compensation to the farmers for
non-performance of variety
under Section 39 (2) of the Act,
2001 and
 Farmer shall not be liable to pay
any fee in any proceeding before
the Authority or Registrar or the
Tribunal or the High Court under
the Act.

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Greater Tipraland News: Several tribal outfits in  Article 3 comes into play in the case
Tripura have joined hands to push of “formation of new States and
their demand for a separate state alteration of areas, boundaries or
for indigenous communities in the names of existing States” by the
region. Parliament.
 The parties are demanding a
separate state of ‘Greater Do You Know?
Tipraland’ for the indigenous  Tripura was a kingdom ruled by the
communities of the north-eastern Manikya dynasty from the late 13th
state. They want the Centre to century until the signing of the
carve out the separate state Instrument of Accession with the
under Article 2 and 3 of the Indian government on October 15,
Constitution. 1949
 Article 2 of the Constitution deals
with admission or establishment
of new states. “Parliament may
by law admit into the Union, or
establish, new States on such
terms and conditions, as it thinks
fit,” it states.
Default Bail  Also known as statutory bail, this  For most offences, the police have
is a right to bail that accrues 60 days to complete the
when the police fail to complete investigation and file a final report
investigation within a specified before the court.
period in respect of a person in  However, where the offence
judicial custody. attracts death sentence or life
 This is enshrined in Section imprisonment, or a jail term of not
167(2) of the Code of Criminal less than 10 years, the period
Procedure where it is not possible available is 90 days.
for the police to complete an  In other words, a magistrate cannot
investigation in 24 hours, the authorise a person’s judicial
police produce the suspect in remand beyond the 60-or 90-day
court and seek orders for either limit.
police or judicial custody.  At the end of this period, if the
 This section concerns the total investigation is not complete, the
period up to which a person may court shall release the person “if he
be remanded in custody prior to is prepared to and does furnish
filing of charge sheet. bail”
Hallmarking of gold  News: The Government of India  The hallmark consists of three
jewellery has made hallmarking of gold symbols which give some
jewellery mandatory in the information about the jewellery
country. It is now being piece.
implemented by the Bureau of  The first symbol is the BIS logo; the
Indian Standards (BIS) in a phased second indicates purity and
manner. fineness; and the third symbol is
 With an aim to bring the HUID.
transparency in the jewellery  Hallmarking & HUID are mandatory
trade and increase trust among for 14-, 18- and 22-carat gold

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consumers, the Government has jewellery and artefacts.
also made it mandatory for the  HUID gives a distinct identity to
introduction of a Hallmark each piece of jewellery enabling
Unique Identification (HUID) traceability.
number in every piece of  It is critical to the credibility of
jewellery. hallmarking and to help address
 HUID is a six-digit alphanumeric complaints against adulteration.
code, or one that consists of
numbers and letters.
 It is given to every piece of
jewellery at the time of
hallmarking and is unique for
each piece.
Project RE-HAB  Khadi and Village Industries  The project is a cost-effective way
Commission (KVIC) has launched of reducing human-wildlife conflicts
a project aimed at reducing without causing any harm to the
elephant-human conflict. animals
 Under the Project RE-HAB  Project RE-HAB is a sub-mission of
(Reducing Elephant-Human KVIC’s National Honey Mission.
Attacks using Bees), fences are  While the honey mission is a
created by setting up bee boxes programme to increase the bee
on the passageways of elephants population, honey production and
to block their entrance to human beekeepers’ income by setting up
territories. apiaries, Project RE-HAB uses bee
 It is scientifically recorded that boxes as a fence to prevent
elephants are annoyed by honey elephant attacks.
bees. Elephants also fear that the
bee swarms can bite their
sensitive inner side of the trunk
and eyes. The collective buzz of
the bees is annoying to elephants
that force them to return.
How MPs’ questions  In both Houses, elected members  For answering the questions,
are allowed, enjoy the right to seek ministries and departments have
disallowed information from various been divided into five groups (I to
ministries and departments in the V) that have been allotted
form of starred questions, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays,
unstarred questions, short notice Thursdays and Fridays respectively.
questions and questions to  The grouping has been done in such
private members. a way that each minister has one
 Usually, MPs’ questions form a fixed day in the week for answering
long list, which then go through a questions in Rajya Sabha and
rigorous process of clearance. another fixed day for answering
 The admissibility of questions in questions in Lok Sabha.
Rajya Sabha is governed by Rules  In both Houses, the first hour of
47-50 of the Rules of Procedure every sitting is usually devoted to
and Conduct of Business in the asking and answering of questions,
Council of States. and this is referred to as the

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 Once a question that fulfils the ‘Question Hour’.
conditions of admissibility is  The total number of questions for
received, the Secretariat sends it any day is limited to 175, including
to the ministry concerned. 15 questions for oral answers,
 Once the facts are received from questions postponed from one list
the ministry, the question is to another for written answers, and
further examined for 15 questions pertaining to states
admissibility. under President’s Rule.
 A final list of questions is  Questions admissibility is governed
circulated to ministers, on the by Rules 47-50 (Rajya Sabha) and
basis of which they frame their 41-44 (Lok Sabha).
answers.  The Rajya Sabha Chairman or the
 In Lok Sabha, once the notice for Lok Sabha Speaker has the
questions is received, ballots authority to decide whether a
determine priority. question or a part is or is not
 Starred, unstarred and short admissible under the norms of the
notice questions are entered into House, and disallow any question
software, separately. or a part.
 Next, the questions are examined  In Lok Sabha, questions that are not
for admissibility under Rules 41- admitted include: those that are
44 of the Rules of Procedure and repetitive or have been answered
Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha. previously; and matters that are
pending for judgment before any
court of law or under consideration
before a Parliamentary Committee
Armed Forces  AFSPA gives armed forces special  The law has been repealed where
Special Powers Act powers to control “disturbed insurgencies have subsided, and
(AFSPA) areas”, which are designated by when governments have gained
the government when it is of the confidence of managing the region
opinion that a region is in such a using the police force.
disturbed or dangerous condition  The law is based on the Armed
that the use of armed forces in Forces (Special Powers) Ordinance
aid of civil power is necessary. of 1942, which was issued during
 Under its provisions, the armed the Quit India movement.
forces have been empowered to  Enacted by Parliament on
open fire, enter and search September 11, 1958, AFSPA was
without warrant, and arrest any first implemented in the Northeast,
person who has committed a and then in Punjab.
cognisable offence, all while  AFSPA has often been criticised as a
having immunity from being “draconian Act” for the unbridled
prosecuted. power it gives to the armed forces
 AFSPA can be implemented in an and the impunity that security
area after it has been declared as personnel enjoy for their actions
“disturbed”. taken under the law.
 The power to declare a territory  The Jeevan Reddy Committee
“disturbed” initially lay with the formed in 2004 had recommended
states, but passed to the Centre a complete repeal of the law. “The
in 1972. Act is a symbol of hate, oppression

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 Section 3 of AFSPA (in J&K) says and an instrument of high
that an area can be declared handedness”.
disturbed if it is the “opinion of
the Governor of the state or the
central government” which
“makes the use of armed forces
in aid of the civil power
necessary”.
 Currently, AFSPA is in effect in
Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland,
Assam, Manipur (excluding seven
assembly constituencies of
Imphal) and parts of Arunachal
Pradesh.
Chief of Defence  The Chief of Defence Staff of the  The Chief also heads the
Staff Indian Armed Forces (CDS) is the Department of Military Affairs.
military head and chairman of the  The CDS is assisted by a deputy, the
Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. The
Indian Armed Forces. CDS heads the Department of
 The Chief of Defence Staff is the Military Affairs under the Ministry
senior-most and highest-ranking of Defence, as its secretary.
uniformed officer on active duty  There are no written rules for the
in the Indian military, and is the selection of the CDS, with only the
principal staff officer and chief retirement age set at 65 years. This
military adviser to the Minister of means that the CDS appointment
Defence. will be a selection made by the
 The CDS is a four-star officer government, and there is no
selected from among the serving precedent to be follow.
officers of the Indian Armed
Forces. While being "first among
equals" among the service chiefs,
the CDS is a single-point military
advisor to the defence minister.
Law Commission of  It is a currently-defunct executive  The first Law Commission was
India body established by an order of established during colonial rule in
the Government of India. India, by the East India Company
 The Commission's function is to under the Charter Act of 1833, and
research and advise the was presided by Lord Macaulay.
Government of India on legal  After that, three more Commissions
reform, and is composed of legal were established in pre-
experts, and headed by a retired independent India.
judge.  The first Law Commission of
 The commission is established for independent India was established
a fixed tenure and works as an in 1955 for a three-year term. Since
advisory body to the Ministry of then, twenty one more
Law and Justice. Commissions have been
established.
Article 9 of Indian  The Constitution of India is the  The loss can happen under these

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Constitution supreme authority that governs three conditions.
every law in the country and  Loss of citizenship by renunciation
Articles 5 to 11 deal with  A person will lose Indian citizenship
 News: More than citizenship. if they declare their willingness to
six lakh Indians  The Citizenship Act of 1955 and renounce Indian citizenship.
renounced the subsequent amendments  Loss of citizenship by termination
citizenship in the made to it deal with how  The citizenship of a person will be
past five years. citizenship in India are acquired terminated by default if he or she
or terminated. voluntarily or knowingly becomes
 Article 9 has references to the citizen of a foreign country.
persons who apply for citizenship 
in a foreign country and defines
what happens to their Indian
citizenship in such cases.
 Article 9 talks of loss of
citizenship which goes with
acquisition of the citizenship of
another country.
 As per Article 9, an Indian
voluntarily or knowingly acquiring
citizenship in a foreign country
will lose his or her Indian
citizenship.
SAMPANN project  SAMPANN – ‘System for  Other benefits
Accounting and Management of  Provision of e-Pension Payment
Pension’ is an ambitious project Order
of Government of India being  Login for each pensioner enables
implemented by Controller access to key information like
General of Communication payment history
Accounts, Department of  Online submission of grievances and
Telecommunications, Ministry of timely SMS alerts
Communications.
 It has improved the service
delivery to pensioners by
providing a single window setup
ensuring timely settlement of
pension cases
Atmanirbhar  North Eastern Development  For regular repayment, an incentive
Hastshilpkar Scheme Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi) of 1% on the interest rate is
announced a New Scheme provided, which will be refunded to
Atmanirbhar Hastshilpkar the artisans on successful
Scheme for the grass root repayment of loans.
Artisans of the region under
Ministry of Development of
North-East Region (DONER).
 The credit facility is collateral free
and carries a subsidized interest
rate of 6% p.a., which is

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repayable in 24 months.
House Rule 193  Rule 193 lays down how a  The Member who raises the
member will submit in writing his discussion has no right of reply. At
request for a discussion on a the end of the discussion, the
matter of urgent public Minister concerned gives a brief
importance. reply.
 Discussion under Rule 193 does  Do You Know?
not involve a formal motion  While Rule 193 lays down how a
before the House. Hence no member will submit in writing his
voting can take place after request for a discussion on a matter
discussion on matters under this of urgent public importance, Rule
rule. 195 states very clearly that “there
 The Member who gives notice shall be no formal motion before
may make a short statement and the House nor voting”.
such of the Members as have
previously intimated to the
Speaker, may be permitted to
take part in the discussion.
Role of Governors in  In most cases, the Governor of  The VCs too are appointed by the
universities the state is the ex-officio Visitor from panels of names picked
chancellor of the universities in by search and selection committees
that state. formed by the Union government.
 The Governor’s powers and  The Act adds that the President, as
functions as the Chancellor are Visitor, shall have the right to
laid out in the statutes that authorise inspections of academic
govern the universities under a and non-academic aspects of the
particular state government. universities and also to institute
 Under the Central Universities inquiries.
Act, 2009, and other statutes, the
President of India shall be the
Visitor of a central university.
 With their role limited to
presiding over convocations,
Chancellors in central universities
are titular heads, who are
appointed by the President in his
capacity as Visitor.
Minimum Age of  News: Cabinet took the decision  The Special Marriage Act, 1954 and
Marriage to raise the legal age of marriage the Prohibition of Child Marriage
for women from 18 to 21 years. Act, 2006 also prescribe 18 and 21
The legal age of marriage for men years as the minimum age of
is 21 years. consent for marriage for women
 About and men, respectively.
 For Hindus, The Hindu Marriage
Act, 1955 sets 18 years as the
minimum age for the bride and
21 years as the minimum age for
the groom. In Islam, the marriage

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of a minor who has attained
puberty is considered valid.
Biological Diversity News: Environmentalists have  Biological Diversity Act
Act, 2002 expressed concern over  The Biological Diversity Act, 2002,
amendments to the Biological was introduced after India became a
Diversity Act, 2002 on the grounds signatory to the United Nations
that it prioritises intellectual Convention on Biological Diversity
property and commercial trade at (CBD) in 1993.
the expense of the Act’s key aim of  The purpose of the convention was
conserving biological resources. three-fold — conservation of
 About biological diversity, sustainable use
 The bill was enacted for of the components of biological
conservation of biological diversity, and fair and equitable
diversity and ensure fair and sharing of the benefits arising out of
equitable sharing of the benefits the use of genetic resources.
arising out of the use of biological  The Act is India’s corresponding
resources with indigenous and domestic law safeguarding these
local communities, imposed a interests.
heavy “compliance burden” and  In 2014, an amendment to the
made it hard to conduct global CBD, called the ‘Nagoya
collaborative research and Protocol’, provided a legal
investments and simplify patent framework for implementation of
application processes. the third objective under the CBD,
 The amendments include which member states are to comply
reducing pressure on wild with.
medicinal plants by encouraging  According to the Act in its current
their cultivation to “encourage form, companies must enter into an
Indian system of medicine”, fast- ABS (access-benefits sharing)
tracking of research and patent agreement with the communities
applications, and bringing in whose resources are being used
more foreign investments to “the (referred to as ‘benefit claimers’ in
chain of biological resources”. the law), so that the benefits from
 They also include its commercialisation are shared
decriminalisation of violations equitably.
under the Act, which in their
current form are non-bailable
and can lead to imprisonment.
 It proposes to “widen the scope
of levying access and benefit
sharing with local communities
and for further conservation of
biological resources.”
 It seeks to exempt registered
AYUSH medical practitioners and
people accessing codified
traditional knowledge, among
others, from giving prior
intimation to State biodiversity

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boards for accessing biological
resources for certain purposes.
Sinho Commission  EWS reservation was granted  Outside of government, there is an
based on the recommendations income criteria, which was raised
of a commission headed by Major from Rs 6 lakh to Rs 8 lakh in 2017.
General (retd) S R Sinho.  Under the 2019 notification,
The commission had been persons who are not covered under
constituted by the then UPA the scheme of reservation for SCs,
government in March 2005, and STs and OBCs, and whose family has
submitted its report in July 2010. gross annual income below Rs 8
 The Sinho Commission lakh, are to be identified as EWSs
recommended that all below for benefit of reservation.
poverty line (BPL) families within  It also specifies what constitutes
the general category as notified “income”, and excludes some
from time to time, and also all persons from the EWS category if
families whose annual family their families possess assets
income from all sources is below specified in the notification.
the taxable limit, should be
identified as EBCs (economically
backward classes).
 The present income ceiling of Rs
8 lakh fixed for EWS is the same
as that for OBCs for quotas for
people outside of government.
For the OBC quota in
government, there is a different
criteria based on the ranks of the
parents of the candidate.
Multi State  Cooperatives are a state subject,  Issues
Cooperative but there are many societies such  While the system for state-
Societies (MSCS) Act, as those for sugar and milk, registered societies includes checks
2002 banks, milk unions etc whose and balances at multiple layers to
members and areas of operation ensure transparency in the process,
are spread across more than one these layers do not exist in the case
state. The Act was passed to of multistate societies. Instead, the
govern such cooperatives. board of directors has control of all
 They draw their membership finances and administration
from both states, and they are  There is an apparent lack of day-to-
thus registered under the MSCS day government control on such
Act. societies. Unlike state cooperatives,
 Their board of directors has which have to submit multiple
representation from all states reports to the state registrar,
they operate in. multistate cooperatives need not.
  The central registrar can only allow
control of these societies is with inspection of the societies under
the central registrar. No state special conditions — a written
government official can wield any request has to be sent to the office
control on them. of the registrar by not less than one-

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 So far 1,479 such societies have third of the members of the board,
been registered. Maharashtra has or not less than one-fifth of the
the highest number (567) number of members of the society.
followed by Uttar Pradesh (147) Inspections can happen only after
and New Delhi (133). prior intimation to societies.
 Credit societies constitute the  There have been instances across
bulk of registered societies the country when credit societies
followed by agro-based ones. (96 have launched ponzi schemes taking
multistate cooperative dairies advantage of these loopholes. Such
and 66 multistate cooperative schemes mostly target small and
banks) medium holders with the lure of
 Issues high returns.
 Office location - For central
registrar there are no officers or
offices at state level.
 The members of multi state
societies can seek justice only in
Delhi.
 State authorities can only
forward their complaints to the
central registrar.
Cabinet Committee  The Cabinet Committee on  Functions
on Security (CCS) Security (CCS) of the Government  To deal with policy matters
of India discusses, debates and is concerning foreign affairs that have
the final decision-making body on internal or external security
senior appointments in the implications, including cases relating
national security apparatus, to agreements with other countries
defence policy and expenditure, on security-related issues.
and generally all matters of  To deal with economic and political
India's national security. issues impinging on national
 Major decisions with respect to security.
the significant appointments,  To review the manpower
issues of national security, requirements relating to national
defence expenditure of India, are security and setting up new
taken by the Cabinet Committee structures to deal with security-
on Security (CCS) in India. related issues.
 The Prime Minister chairs the CCS  To consider all cases involving
which comprises the minister of capital expenditure of more than
external affairs, the home rupees one thousand crore in
minister, finance minister, and respect of - Department of Defence
the defence minister. Production and Department of
 Functions Defence Research and Development
 To deal with all defence related  All matters relating to atomic
issues. energy.
 To deal with issues relating to law  To consider cases of increase in the
and order and internal security. firmed up cost estimates or revised
cost estimates.
Age Criteria and  The 61st Constitution  The law that deals with juvenile

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various Laws Amendment Act of 1988 defines offenders (or children in conflict
the voting age for elections to with law) and children who need
Parliament and the Legislative care and protection, that is, the
Assemblies as 18. Juvenile Justice (Care and
 The Majority Act, 1875 defines Protection) Act, 2015 does the
the age of majority as “the age of same.
eighteen years and not before”,  Under the Right of Children to Free
and as 21 years if a guardian is and Compulsory Education, 2009,
appointed. that guarantees access to
 Under the Indian Contract Act, education, a child is someone
1872 a person should have between the ages of six and 14
attained the age of majority in years.
order to be able to enter into a  Whereas under the anti-child labour
contract. law or the Child Labour (Prohibition
 The law to punish sexual crimes and Regulation) Act, 1986, which
against children, the Protection prohibits the engagement of
of Children from Sexual Offences children in all occupations and bans
(POCSO) Act, 2012 too recognises adolescents in hazardous
a child as someone under the age occupations, a child is “a person
of 18 years and thereby implies who has not completed his 14th year
that the age of consent for sex is of age” and an adolescent means “a
also 18 years. person who has completed his 14
year of age but has not completed
his 18th year”.
Essential  News: In a bid to cool down the  Section 2(A) of the act states that an
Commodities (EC) domestic prices of Soya Meal, “essential commodity” means a
Act, 1955 Government has notified an commodity specified in the
Order under the Essential “Schedule” of this Act.
Commodities Act to declare ‘Soya  The Act gives powers to the central
Meal’ as an Essential government to add or remove a
Commodities up to 30th June, commodity in the “Schedule.”
2022 by amending the Schedule  The Centre, if it is satisfied that it is
of the Essential Commodities Act, necessary to do so in public interest,
1955. can notify an item as essential, in
 About consultation with state
 It is an act of Parliament of India. governments.
 It was established to prevent  By declaring a commodity as
hoarding of the essential essential, the government can
commodities and to ensure their control the production, supply, and
timely delivery so that normal life distribution of that commodity, and
does not get affected. impose a stock limit.
 This includes foodstuff, drugs,
fuel (petroleum products) etc.
 There is no specific definition of
essential commodities in The EC
Act.
Good Governance  The objectives of GGI are to  The sectors are agriculture and
Index (GGI) provide quantifiable data to allied sectors, commerce and

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compare the state of governance industries, human resource
in all states and union territories, development, public health, public
enable them to formulate and infrastructure and utilities,
implement suitable strategies for economic governance, social
improving governance and shift welfare and development, judicial
to result-oriented approaches and public security, environment
and administration. and citizen-centric governance.
 The GGI-2021 said that Gujarat,  The GGI 2020-21 categorises states
Maharashtra and Goa topped the and union territories into four
composite rank score covering 10 categories, -- other states - Group A;
sectors. other states - group B; North-East
 The GGI 2021 framework covered and hill states and union territories.
10 sectors and 58 indicators.  December 25 is observed as the
good governance day to
commemorate the birth anniversary
of former prime minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee.
Right to be forgotten  It allows a person to seek  The right to privacy has been
deletion of private information recognised as a fundamental right in
from the Internet. the K S Puttaswamy judgment
 The concept has found (2017) and that the ‘right to be
recognition in some jurisdictions forgotten’ is evolving in India.
abroad, particularly the European
Union.
 While the right is not recognised
by law in India, courts in recent
months have held it to be an
intrinsic part of the right to
privacy.
India Semiconductor  The India Semiconductor Mission  A fiscal support of up to 50 per cent
Mission (ISM) is a specialised and of the project cost has been
independent business division approved for setting up certain
within the Digital India variants of silicon-based
Corporation. semiconductor fab in India. A
 It has been set up with the aim to  The financial support is for six years
build a vibrant semiconductor from the date of approval.
and display ecosystem to enable Semiconductor fabs set up in India
India’s emergence as a global hub will also be eligible for a purchase
for electronics manufacturing and preference in procurement of
design. electronic products by the
 The mission is authorised to government.
negotiate with the applicants  A support of up to Rs 12,000 crores
under the semiconductor fab per fab has been earmarked under
scheme and the display fab the scheme for setting up display
scheme. fabs in India.
 This mission has been given the  This scheme aims at attracting large
autonomy to decide the investments in manufacturing TFT
appropriate technology mix, LCD or AMOLED-based display

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applications, node generation, panels.
capacity, among others and  A Scheme for Setting up of
propose the structure and Compound Semiconductors / Silicon
quantum of fiscal support for the Photonics / Sensors (including
selected applicants. MEMS) Fabs and Semiconductor
 A fab is short for fabrication plant ATMP / OSAT facilities in the
where raw silicon wafers are country extends fiscal support of 30
processed and turned into per cent of capital expenditure to
integrated circuits. approved units.
 It is expected that at least 15 such
units of Compound Semiconductors
and Semiconductor Packaging are
expected to be established under
this scheme.
 A Design Linked Incentive (DLI)
Scheme offers an incentive of up to
50 per cent of eligible expenditure
and product deployment linked
incentive of 4-6 per cent on net
sales for five years.
Garima Greh  News: In a big fillip to the  Garima Greh is a move towards
Scheme Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, enabling the transgender
Transgender, Queer, Intersex, community to live a life of dignity
Asexual and others (LGBTQIA+) without discrimination and help
community, the Madras High them integrate into the mainstream
Court has disapproved of the by providing them a safe space to
practice of Union Ministry of stay and learn new skills.
Social Justice and Empowerment
restricting the benefit of ‘Garima THINK!
Greh’ scheme only to  The Transgender Persons
transgenders. (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019
 About
 As part of a pilot project by the
Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment, Garima Greh
Yojana has been launched which
encourages the transgender
community to attend workshops
that impart various professional
skills to help earn a living.

GEOGRAPHY AND PLACES IN NEWS

TOPICS KEY ASPECTS Value Addition

Nahargarh Wildlife  Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary  Maota Lake is also a tourist site
Sanctuary covers an area of 720 hectares, near the Nahargarh Wildlife
enclosing the famous Nahargarh Sanctuary. The lake has an island at
Fort in Rajasthan its centre, called Kesar Kyari Bagh

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 The Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary that has a saffron garden.
is home to 285 species of birds,
Asiatic lions, Bengal tigers, sloth
bear, hyenas, panthers, deer,
crocodiles etc.
Cyclone Jawad  Cyclone Jawad is expected to hit  The changing behaviour of the
parts of Odisha and Andhra monsoon is held responsible for the
Pradesh coasts. unseasonal December cyclone by
 After Yaas in May and Gulab in weather experts.
September, Cyclone Jawad will be  This is primarily because of the late
the third cyclone headed towards withdrawal of the southwest
the east coast this year. monsoon this year and the
improper formation of the
northeast monsoon.
Chimmini Wildlife  Chimmini Wildlife sanctuary is a  It also lies just west of
Sanctuary protected area located along the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary,
Western Ghats in Chalakudy taluk providing some habitat connectivity
of Thrissur District of Kerala. with the forests of that relatively
 Established in 1984, the large protected area.
sanctuary with an area of about  The sanctuary consists of the
85.067 km2 is on the Western watershed areas of Kurumali River
slopes of the Nelliyampathi Hills. and Mupliam rivers.
The highest peak in sanctuary is
Punda peak (1116 m).
Mount Semeru  It is an active volcano in East Java,
Indonesia.
 It is located in a subduction zone,
where the Indo-Australian plate
subducts under the Eurasia plate.
 It is the highest mountain on the
island of Java

New Caledonia  It is a sui generis collectivity of

overseas France in the southwest
Pacific Ocean, south of Vanuatu,
and east of Australia.

Golan Heights  It is a region in the Levant  This region includes the western
spanning about 1,800 square two-thirds of the geological Golan
kilometres. Heights and the Israeli-occupied

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 The region defined as the Golan part of Mount Hermon.
Heights differs between
disciplines: as a geological and
biogeographical region, the Golan
Heights refers to a basaltic
plateau bordered by the Yarmouk
River in the south, the Sea of
Galilee and Hula Valley in the
west, the Anti-Lebanon with
Mount Hermon in the north and
Wadi Raqqad in the east.
 As a geopolitical region, the
Golan Heights refers to the
border region captured from
Syria by Israel during the Six-Day
War of 1967; the territory has
been occupied by the latter since
then and was subject to a de
facto Israeli annexation in 1981.
Point Calimere  It is a protected area in Tamil  The flagship species of the
Wildlife and Bird Nadu, along the Palk Strait where sanctuary is the near threatened
Sanctuary it meets the Bay of Bengal at blackbuck antelope, one of the four
Point Calimere at the antelope species in India (Chinkara,
southeastern tip of Nagapattinam Chausingha and Nilgai being the
District. other three) and the most
 Kodiakkarai has been designated numerous large animal in the
as a Ramsar site since August sanctuary.
2002. Point Calimere is also  This site has recorded the second
associated with the mythological largest congregation of migratory
Hindu epic, The Ramayana. waterbirds in India, with a peak
 The forests of Kodiakkarai, also population in excess of 100,000,
known the Vedaranyam forests, representing 103 species.
are one of the last remnants of
the dry evergreen forests that
were once typical of East Deccan
dry evergreen forests ecoregion.
Deucha Panchami  News: Mining India’s largest coal  It is the second-largest coal block in
coal mine block will displace 21,000 in the world; it is the largest in India.
Bengal. 21,000 will be displaced, The block has a thick coal seam
out of which 9,034 will be trapped between equally thick
Adivasis from Santhal layers of rocks, mostly basalt.
community.
 About
 Deucha Panchami coal mine or
Deaucha Panchami coal block is a
coal mine situated in Deucha and
Panchamati area under
Mohamadbazar community

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Development Block of Birbhum
district, West Bengal.

ECONOMY

TOPICS KEY ASPECTS Value Addition

Positive  News: The armed forces will now  The DIC will be chaired by General
Indigenisation Lists be able to import defence Bipin Rawat, secretary, Department
OR Negative Import equipment in certain of Military Affairs and Chief of
List circumstances even if it figures in Defence Staff.
the negative import list.
 A negative import list is a boost
for domestic industries as it
details all the military equipment
that the government won’t
import in the future.
 Defence Indigenisation
Committee (DIC) would be
constituted. This committee will
oversee the implementation of
the negative list, now known as
the ‘Positive Indigenisation List’,
and give further thrust to
indigenous development.
Non-convertible  Debentures are long-term  To compensate for this drawback of
debentures (NCDs) financial instruments which non-convertibility, lenders are
acknowledge a debt obligation usually given a higher rate of return
towards the issuer. compared to convertible
 Some debentures have a feature debentures.
of convertibility into shares after  Besides, NCDs offer various other
a certain point of time at the benefits to the owner such as high
discretion of the owner. liquidity through stock market
 The debentures which can't be listing, tax exemptions at source
converted into shares or equities and safety since they can be issued
are called non-convertible by companies which have a good
debentures (or NCDs). credit rating as specified in the
 NCDs are debt financial norms laid down by RBI for the
instruments that companies use issue of NCDs.
to raise medium- to long-term  In India, usually these have to be
capital. issued of a minimum maturity of 90
days
Co-Lending  Co-lending or co-origination is a  Under the CLM, NBFCs are required
set-up where banks and non- to retain at least a 20 per cent
banks enter into an arrangement share of individual loans on their
for the joint contribution of credit books. This means 80 per cent of
for priority sector lending. the risk will be with the banks —
 RBI had come out with the co- who will take the big hit in case of a

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origination framework in 2018 default.
allowing banks and NBFCs to co-  Upon maturity, the repayment or
originate loans. recovery of interest is shared by the
 These guidelines were later bank and NBFC in proportion to
amended in 2020 and their share of credit and interest.
rechristened as co-lending  This joint origination allows banks
models (CML) by including to claim priority sector status in
Housing Finance Companies and respect of their share of credit.
some changes in the framework.  NBFCs act as the single point of
 The primary aim of CLM is to interface for the customers and a
improve the flow of credit to the tripartite agreement is done
unserved and underserved between the customers, banks and
segment of the economy at an NBFCs.
affordable cost.
 This happens as banks have lower
cost of funds and NBFCs have
greater reach beyond tier-2
centres.
Directorate General  The Directorate General of  The DGFT also issues
of Foreign Trade Foreign Trade (DGFT) is the scrips/authorization to exporters
(DGFT) agency of the Ministry of and monitors their corresponding
Commerce and Industry of the obligations through a network of 24
Government of India responsible regional offices.
for administering laws regarding  All regional offices provide
foreign trade. facilitation to exporters in regard to
 It is responsible for formulating developments in international
and implementing the Foreign trade, i.e. WTO agreements, Rules
Trade Policy with the main of Origin and anti-dumping issues,
objective of promoting India's etc. to help exporters in their
exports. import and export decisions in an
internationally dynamic
environment
PCA Framework for  News: The Reserve Bank of India The PCA Framework is applicable to
NBFCs issued the Prompt Corrective the following category of NBFCs:
Action (PCA) framework for non-  All Deposit Taking NBFCs [Excluding
banking financial companies Government Companies] (NBFCs-D)
(NBFCs).  All Non-Deposit Taking NBFCs in
 About Middle, Upper and Top Layers3
 NBFCs will have to strictly meet (NBFCs-ND);
benchmarks on capital  [Including Investment and Credit
requirement, non-performing Companies, Core Investment
assets (NPAs), and asset quality. Companies (CICs), Infrastructure
 The objective of the PCA Debt Funds, Infrastructure Finance
Framework is to enable Companies, Micro Finance
Supervisory intervention at Institutions and Factors]; but
appropriate time and require the  [Excluding – (i) NBFCs not
Supervised Entity to initiate and accepting/not intending to accept
implement remedial measures in public funds4; (ii) Government

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a timely manner, so as to restore Companies, (iii) Primary Dealers
its financial health. and (iv) Housing Finance
 The PCA Framework is also Companies]
intended to act as a tool for
effective market discipline.
 The PCA Framework does not
preclude the Reserve Bank of
India from taking any other
action as it deems fit at any time
in addition to the corrective
actions prescribed in the
Framework.
PLI Scheme for  News: Union Cabinet approved a  Benefits
Semiconductors ₹76,000 crore incentive plan to  This will enable India to become an
woo semiconductor fabricators electronics hub and encourage
and display manufacturers. corporates to start manufacturing in
 The new policy, apart from giving India.
incentives for setting up of plants  It is a big step to bring India on the
to manufacture high quality semi- world map of the semiconductors
conductor chips also plans to industry as it will pave the path for
enable, over the next ten years, the industry to broader the horizon
training of 85,000-100,000 of research, manufacturing and
engineers and technicians who export.
can work in these plants.  The issues like sudden surge in
 The programme will give an demand of semiconductors will also
impetus to semiconductor and be addressed.
display manufacturing by  It will also make the Indian
facilitating capital support and manufacturers globally competitive
technological collaborations. to attract investment in the areas of
 The government has lined up core competency and cutting-edge
incentive support for companies technology.
engaged in silicon semiconductor
fabs, display fabs, compound
semiconductors, silicon
photonics, sensors fabs,
semiconductor packaging and
semiconductor design.
Tokenisation of  In a bid to make online payment  Tokenisation reduces the chances of
debit and credit transactions through credit and fraud arising from sharing card
cards debit cards safer and more details. The token is used to
secured, the Reserve Bank of perform contactless card
India (RBI) has ordered all online transactions at point-of-sale (PoS)
payment gateways, merchants terminals and QR code payments.
and e-commerce companies to  Card-on-File (CoF) transaction
implement tokenisation of cards  A CoF transaction is one in which a
by their customers while making cardholder has authorised a
payments. merchant to store his or her
 All merchants need to use Mastercard or Visa payment details,

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encrypted tokens for doing and to bill the stored account. E-
transactions instead of credit and commerce companies and airlines
debit cards. and supermarket chains often store
 Tokenisation refers to the card details.
replacement of credit and debit
card details with an alternative
code called a ‘token’, which is
unique for a combination of card,
token requestor (the entity that
accepts a request from the
customer for tokenisation of a
card and passes it on to the card
network to issue a token) and the
device.
GI Tags Sawantwadi Wooden Crafts  Talapatra pothi chitra of Puri - Palm
 Sawantwadi in Maharashtra is leaf engraving
News: Geographical famous for its art and culture,  These paintings are made by fine-
Indications Registry especially for toys made from line drawings etched with a steel
in Chennai has mango trees in the village of stylus on rectangular strips of palm
received applications Kolgaon. leaves that are delicately strung
seeking the GI tag for  Craftsmen who make these toys together.
the Sawantwadi belong to the Chittari and Sutar  Known as Talapatrachitras, these
wooden craft, communities. paintings hold a world of tales and
Udhampur Kaladi Udhampur Kaladi secrets, beautifully depicted by the
and Talapatra pothi  It is a traditional ripened cheese artists of Odisha.
chitra of Puri. product.  The Ramayana and the
 It is an authentic Dogra cuisine Mahabharata are the favourite
that originated from Ramnagar in subjects of illustration in many art
Udhampur district. forms, as they are with the palm
 Kaladi is prepared daily at almost leaf paintings.
every sweet shop in the Jammu
region. Over the years, it has
evolved into a cottage industry in
this region.
 It is generally made from
buffalo’s or cow’s milk, but goat
and sheep milk is also used. This
product lasts 12-30 days in winter
and 12-15 days in summer.
Anti-Dumping News: Federation of Indian Mineral Caustic Soda
Industries (FIMI) have called for an  Caustic Soda is a key ingredient for
urgent halt to the ongoing multiple large, medium, and small
deliberations to impose anti- industries in India, including textile,
dumping duties on the import of soap & detergent, and alumina
caustic soda from Japan, Qatar, producers.
Oman and Iran.  The consumer industries rely on
About imports as the domestic caustic
 While the DGTR recommends the industry is unable to cater to the

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duty to be levied, the Finance bulk requirements for some sectors,
Ministry imposes it. which range in shipment sizes of
 Countries initiate anti-dumping 8000MT (million tonnes) to
probes to determine if the 10000MT.
domestic industry has been hurt Do You Know?
by a surge in below-cost imports.  India’s exports to China during the
As a counter-measure, they April-September 2021 period were
impose duties under the worth $12.26 billion while imports
multilateral WTO regime. aggregated at $42.33 billion, leaving
 Anti-dumping measures are taken a trade deficit of $30.07 billion.
to ensure fair trade and provide a  While the major caustic soda
level playing field to the domestic producers in India are based in the
industry. Both India and China are western states of Gujarat,
members of the Geneva-based Maharashtra and Rajasthan and
World Trade Organisation (WTO). cater largely to consumers in their
 India has initiated maximum anti- vicinity, the large alumina producers
dumping cases against dumped are concentrated to the eastern
imports from China. part of India, in states such as
Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka
& Jharkhand.
Pineapple  India is the fifth largest producer  It is abundantly grown in almost
of pineapple. Other leading entire North East region, West
producers are Thailand, Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka, Bihar,
Philippines, Brazil, China, Nigeria, Goa and Maharashtra states.
Mexico, Indonesia, Colombia and  Maximum area under pineapple
USA. cultivation is in Assam (14 thousand
 Cultivation of pineapple ha), where productivity is of
originated in Brazil and gradually medium scale. Total production is
spread to other tropical parts of higher in West Bengal, where
the world. Pineapple cultivation productivity is also high.
was introduced to India by Productivity is much lower in
Portuguese in 1548 AD. Karnataka, Kerala and Meghalaya
states.
One Commodity One  News: Market regulator SEBI has  Through this, SEBI aims to bring
Exchange floated the One Commodity One about the comprehensive
Exchange proposal through a development and deepening of the
consultation paper and has Indian commodity derivatives
sought public comments. markets and help India to be in a
 About position so as to able to influence
 Currently there are multiple the global benchmark pricing of
exchanges in India that have such commodities and become a
competing contracts on the same price setter for such commodities.
commodity, resulting in the  Concern - Allowing only one
fragmentation of trading exchange to offer products in a
volumes. commodity for 3-5 years may go
 Having a single exchange against market development as the
launching contracts of a specific designated exchange may fail to
commodity derivative could build liquidity, but at the same time

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result in higher volumes and have would continue to enjoy a
a bigger impact. monopoly status in the said
 SEBI is aiming at reducing commodity.
fragmentation of liquidity and
helping every stock exchange
develop an exclusive set of un-
fragmented liquid contracts.
Algo Trading  Algorithmic trading or Algo  SEBI believes that
trading is computer assisted unregulated/unapproved algos pose
buying and selling of stocks. a risk to the market and can be
 It is also known as automated or misused for systematic market
programmed trading since pre- manipulation as well to lure the
programmed computer strategies retail investors by guaranteeing
execute buy and sell trades them higher returns.
depending on set parameters,
instructions or market pattern
and conditions.
 The key purpose of algo trading is
speed of order execution. It takes
several seconds when humans
punch buy and sell traders.
Apatani textile  News: An application seeking  The tribe predominantly weaves
product Geographical Indication (GI) tag shawls known as jig-jiro and jilan or
for the Arunachal Pradesh jackets called supuntarii. The people
Apatani textile product has been here use different leaves and plant
filed. resources for organic dying the
 About cotton yarns in their traditional
 The Apatani weave comes from ways. And only women folk are
the Apatani tribe of Arunachal engaged in weaving.
Pradesh living at Ziro, the  The traditional handloom of this
headquarters of lower Subansiri tribe is a type of loin loom, which is
district. called Chichin, and is similar to the
 The woven fabric of this tribe is traditional handloom of the Nyishi
known for its geometric and tribe.
zigzag patterns and also for its
angular designs.

INTERNATIONAL

TOPICS KEY ASPECTS Value Addition

G20 Troika  It refers to the top grouping  Italy hosted the G20 summit during
within the G20 that consists of October 30-31, 2021 where India
the current, previous and the had raised the issue of
incoming presidencies — Afghanistan’s future following the
Indonesia, Italy and India. takeover by the Taliban.
 As a Troika member, India will  Indonesia took over the G20
work closely with Indonesia and presidency from 1st December,

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Italy to ensure consistency and 2021 and in the coming months,
continuity of the G20’s agenda. Indonesia will hold rounds of
 India will assume the G20 discussion at various levels among
presidency on 1st December the members of the G20 before
2022 from Indonesia, and will convening the G20 Leaders’
convene the G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled for October 30-
Summit for the first time in India 31, 2022.
in 2023.  G-20 consists of Argentina,
Australia, Brazil, Canada, China,
France, Germany, India, Indonesia,
Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea,
Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South
Africa, Turkey, the UK, USA and the
EU.
Global Gateway  The European Union has unveiled  Global Gateway will bring together
its €300 billion ($340 billion) the EU, Member States with their
alternative to China’s Belt and financial and development
Road initiative — an investment institutions, including the European
program the bloc claims will Investment Bank (EIB), and the
create “links, not dependencies.” European Bank for Reconstruction
 The aim of the EU program — and Development (EBRD) and seek
called Global Gateway — is to to mobilise the private sector in
help underpin the global recovery order to leverage investments for a
by mobilizing investments in transformational impact.
digital, clean energy and  Global Gateway builds on the
transport networks, as well as achievements of the 2018 EU-Asia
boosting health, education and Connectivity Strategy, the recently
research systems across the concluded Connectivity
world. Partnerships with Japan and India,
 Global Gateway is about as well as the Economic and
increasing investments Investment Plans for the Western
promoting democratic values and Balkans, the Eastern Partnership,
high standards, good governance and the Southern Neighborhood.
and transparency, equal  It is fully aligned with the UN’s 2030
partnerships, green and clean, Agenda and its Sustainable
secure infrastructures and that Development Goals (SDGs) and the
catalyse private sector Paris Agreement.
investment.
Global Fuel Economy  It is a partnership between the  GFEI has set a target of improving
Initiative (GFEI) International Energy Agency the average fuel economy (in
(IEA), the United Nations litres/100km terms) for the global
Environment Programme (UNEP), light duty vehicle fleet by at least
the International Transport 50% by 2050 (what we call
Forum of the OECD (ITF), the ‘50by50’) and by 2030 for new
International Council on Clean vehicles.
Transportation (ICCT), the  GFEI offers support to governments
Institute for Transportation to help them develop fuel economy
Studies at the University of policies. This includes support to

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California-Davis, and the FIA undertake a baseline analysis of the
Foundation. vehicle fleet, to develop fuel
 GFEI promotes fuel efficiency in economy policy options and to
cars and light duty vans, through implement proposals.
the adoption of the cost effective
fuel efficiency technologies.
Minsk Agreements  MINSK I  MINSK II
 Ukraine and the Russian-backed  Representatives of Russia, Ukraine,
separatists agreed a 12-point the Organisation for Security and
ceasefire deal in the capital of Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and
Belarus in September 2014. the leaders of two pro-Russian
 Its provisions included prisoner separatist regions signed a 13-point
exchanges, deliveries of agreement in February 2015 in
humanitarian aid and the Minsk.
withdrawal of heavy weapons,  The leaders of France, Germany,
five months into a conflict that by Russia and Ukraine gathered there
that point had killed more than at the same time and issued a
2,600 people – a toll that has declaration of support for the deal.
risen to more than 14,000 now,  The deal set out a series of military
according to the Ukrainian and political steps that remain
government. unimplemented.
 The agreement quickly broke
down, with violations by both
sides.

Uighurs  They are a Turkic ethnic group  The Uyghurs have traditionally
originating from and culturally inhabited a series of oases
affiliated with the general region scattered across the Taklamakan
of Central and East Asia. Desert within the Tarim Basin.
 The Uyghurs are recognized as
native to the Xinjiang Uyghur
Autonomous Region in Northwest
China. They are one of China's 55
officially recognized ethnic
minorities.

Reciprocal Exchange  RELOS will be an important step  India has logistical exchange

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of Logistics (RELOS) forward in the military sphere as agreements with six other
agreement – India it aims at fostering countries, including Quadrilateral
and Russia interoperability and sharing of Security Dialogue, or Quad,
logistics. partners US, Japan and Australia.
 The “long overdue" agreement Singapore, France and South Korea
was to have come up for signing are the other countries with which
in 2019 but that was put off similar arrangements have been
pending finalisation of its terms. effected.
 The agreement has been  ORF says that following the signing
described as being part of a of the Logistics Exchange
broader arrangement that will Memorandum of Agreement
allow the two countries to scale (LEMOA) with the US in 2016,
up their military-to-military “India has become more
cooperation. comfortable in concluding such
 Logistical exchange agreements arrangements with other countries"
are designed to lay down the and is currently pursuing one with
administrative framework the UK while exploring
through which partnering arrangement with other partners
countries can enjoy ease of like Vietnam.
access to use each other’s  These agreements “with like-
military facilities like ports, bases, minded partners extend India’s
and military installations. maritime and strategic reach and
 Experts note that it is usually the influence in the Indian Ocean and
Indian Navy, “the most outgoing beyond"
force of the three services", that
stands to benefit the most from
an logistical exchange agreement
as these impart “enhanced
operational turnaround and
strengthened interoperability…
on the high seas" by relying on
the infrastructure and assistance
of partner countries.
World Inequality  As per the 'World Inequality
Report Report 2022', India is among the
most unequal countries in the
world, with rising poverty and an
'affluent elite.'
 The report highlights that the top
10% and top 1% in India hold 57%
and 22% of the total national
income respectively while the
bottom 50% share has gone
down to 13%.
 The report was authored by Lucas
Chancel and co-ordinated by
renowned economists Thomas
Piketty, Emmanuel Saez and

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Gabriel Zucman.
International Solar  News: UN General Assembly has  The primary objective of the alliance
Alliance conferred Observer Status on the is to work for efficient consumption
International Solar Alliance (ISA). of solar energy to reduce
 About dependence on fossil fuels.
 The ISA was conceived as a joint  It is an alliance of countries, most of
effort by India and France to them being the sunshine countries,
mobilise efforts against climate which lie either completely or partly
change through the deployment between the Tropic of Cancer and
of solar energy solutions. the Tropic of Capricorn.
 It was presented by the leaders of  The alliance is a treaty-based inter-
the two countries at the 21st governmental organization.
Conference of Parties (COP21) to Countries that do not fall within the
the United Nations Framework Tropics can join the alliance and
Convention on Climate Change enjoy all benefits as other members,
(UNFCCC) held in Paris in 2015. with the exception of voting rights.
 The granting of Observer Status
to ISA in the General Assembly
would help provide for regular
and well-defined cooperation
between the Alliance and the
United Nations that would
benefit global energy growth and
development.
The Asian  It analyzes economic and  This report forecasts growth in
Development development issues in developing developing Asia of 7.1% in 2021 and
Outlook countries in Asia. 5.4% in 2022 in an uneven recovery
 This includes forecasting the caused by divergent growth paths.
inflation and gross domestic
product growth rates of countries
throughout the region.
Organisation of  It is the second largest  It
Islamic Cooperation organization after the United also member states of the UN, the
(OIC) Nations with a membership of 57 exception being Palestine. Some
states spread over four members, especially in West Africa
continents. and South America, are – though
 The OIC has permanent with large Muslim populations – not
delegations to the United Nations necessarily Muslim majority
and the European Union. The countries.
official languages of the OIC are  A few countries with significant
Arabic, English, and French. Muslim populations, such as Russia
 HQ - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Thailand, sit as Observer States.
United Nations  It was adopted on 22 December  It also calls on all parties for respect
Security Council 2021. human rights.
Resolution 2615  According to the resolution, the  UN agency UNICEF warned of
Security Council demands that Afghanistan in a disruption for food
humanitarian access for Afghan crisis.
people.

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Counter-Terrorism  News: India, which will chair the  CTED conducts country visits on the
Committee (CTC) UN Security Council's Counter- Counter-Terrorism Committee's
Terrorism Committee (CTC) in behalf to assess Member States'
2022, voted in favour of a counter-terrorism efforts, including
resolution to renew the mandate progress made, remaining shortfalls,
of the CTC Executive Directorate. and priority areas for technical
 About assistance needs, as well as to
 In the aftermath of the 11 identify terrorism-related trends
September attacks against the and challenges and good practices
United States in 2001, the employed in the implementation of
Security Council unanimously relevant Security Council
adopted resolution 1373 (2001), resolutions.
which for the first time
established a dedicated Counter-
Terrorism Committee (CTC) of the
Council.
 The CTC is assisted by the
Executive Directorate (CTED),
which carries out its policy
decisions and conducts expert
assessments of the 193 United
Nations Member States.

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