InstaLinks : help you think beyond the issue but relevant to the issue from UPSC prelims and Mains exam point of view. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background. This helps you study a topic holistically and add new dimensions to every current event to help you think analytically
1. Ten More Ramsar Sites Added
2. Illegal Mining of Minor Minerals
1. Compassion towards the weaker section of society: Initiatives by Civil Servants
Content for Mains Enrichment (Essay/Ethics)
1. Ironers in Bengaluru ditch coal irons for LPG alternatives to beat harmful fumes
4. ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AIFMM)
7. Start-up India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)
Left-over Articles from prominent Newspapers will be taken up tomorrow.
Context: India has added 10 more Ramsar sites, or wetlands of international importance (taking the total number of such sites to 64)
Direction: Ramsar Site is important for both Mains and Prelims. The news came a few days back, but we have covered it today.
Importance: Many of the sites are already notified under the Union government’s Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017 meaning development activities within the waterbody as well as within its zone of influence are regulated.
Criteria: The site has to test across nine criteria, including its services as a habitat.
Previously, 5 new sites were added: Three wetlands (Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest & Pichavaram Mangrove) in Tamil Nadu, one (Pala wetland) in Mizoram and one wetland (Sakhya Sagar) in Madhya Pradesh.
To remember all the previous Ramsar Sites: Click here
Q. Discuss the importance and role played by Wetlands in the Ecological conservation of Earth. (15M)
Q. Consider the following pairs: (UPSC 2022) Wetland / Lake Location
How many pairs given above are correctly matched ?
Hokera- J&K; Sasthamkotta (Kerela)
If a wetland of international importance is brought under the ‘Montreux Record’, what does it imply? ( UPSC 2014)
(a) Changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring or are likely to occur in the wetland as a result of human interference.
(b) The country in which the wetland is located should enact a law to prohibit any human activity within five kilometres from the edge of the wetland.
(c) The survival of the wetland depends on the cultural practices and traditions of certain communities living in its vicinity and therefore the cultural diversity therein should not be destroyed.
(d) It is given the status of ‘World Heritage Site.’
Source: The Hindu Editorial section
Context: India has grossly underestimated the issue of illegal mining, which damages the environment and causes revenue loss.
Direction: Just go through the article once, to understand the issue. Can note a few points.
Examples: There have been numerous cases of the illegal mining of dolomite, marble and sand across the States. In Andhra Pradesh’s Konanki limestone quarries alone, 28.92 lakh metric tonnes of limestone have been illegally quarried.
Issue with the regulation of Minor Minerals
Protecting minor minerals requires investment in production and consumption measurement and also monitoring and planning tools. To this end, technology has to be used to provide a sustainable solution e.g., Satellite imagery can be used to monitor the volume of extraction and also check the mining process.
Recently, the NGT directed some States to use satellite imagery to monitor the volume of sand extraction and transportation from the riverbeds. Additionally, drones, the internet of things (IoT) and blockchain technology can be leveraged to monitor mechanisms by using the Global Positioning System, radar and Radio Frequency (RF) Locator.
MINES & MINERALS AMENDMENT BILL
Q. Explain the distribution of major non-metallic minerals in India. Critically Analyze the National Mineral Policy, 2019 in revitalizing the mining sector, increasing output and focusing on responsible and sustainable mining. (15M)
Q. Consider the following minerals: (UPSC 2020)
In India, which of the above is/are officially designated as major minerals?
Bentonite is an absorbent swelling clay consisting mostly of montmorillonite (a type of smectite). The main uses of bentonite are in the drilling mud and as a binder, purifier, absorbent, and carrier for fertilizers or pesticides.
Various initiatives taken by Civil Servants
Once, APJ Abdul Kalam interacted with Shri Venkatesham Burra (IAS) who was the collector of Medak District in Andra Pradesh which is now in Telangana. Kalam asked Burra about the biggest challenge he faced in his service and how did he find a solution to it. Burra replied that the biggest challenge he faced while serving in his district was extreme deprivation.
The solutions suggested by him
Shri Venkatesham Burra made an attempt to solve this problem by motivating communities and by involving NGOs.
The weaker section includes the poor, beggars, orphans, senior citizens, persons with disabilities etc. Such compassion means understanding and empathizing with the sufferings of the marginalized section of society. Moreover, it is needed for citizen-friendly and pro-people administration for delivering social justice. Burra’s replies and his examples of Aasara and Ashraya sprang from one important quality of a civil servant- compassion towards the weaker section.
How the values of tolerance and compassion is important for a Civil Servant? 10M
According to the World Health Organization, burning of coal releases particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and other substances detrimental to human health.
Udhyam (an NGO), which works on the skill development of school students and small entrepreneurs, launched The ‘Istri Project’ in 2019 to help clean up the issue of using coal irons boxes. They emphasized using LPG alternatives to be used by tailers for straightening clothes.
Ironers on average save 133 minutes a day with LPG irons and are able to press 9-12 clothes more; they also save around Rs 850 on fuel a month, according to the non-profit which has developed the irons
Context: CARE (an NGO) has highlighted the global link between Gender Inequality and food insecurity.
Direction: Not important for prelims. For mains, just remember the name ‘CARE NGO’ and 1-2 points.
CARE: It is a not-for-profit organization that builds the capacity of communities to ensure empowerment for marginalized women and girls in the field of – Health, Livelihood, Education and Disaster Relief & Resilience.
Context: IMD said that Climate Change has hampered the ability of forecasting agencies to make predictions accurately.
IMD uses the Long Period Average (LPA) as a base to predict the expected amount of Monsoon rainfall in a particular year.
Based on LPA, IMD categorizes yearly monsoon rainfall on an all-India basis in below five categories-
About IMD: Established in 1875, (HQ: Pune), IMD comes under the Ministry of Earth Sciences and is the
the principal government agency responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasting, and seismology.
Context: SC has asked to facilitate the release of undertrials and those convicted of minor offences to celebrate the 75th year of Independence.
Direction: Diagrams are just for noticing the trends. No need to note it down.
Definition of Under-trails: One who is arrested for some crime and is waiting to appear before the magistrate.
Reasons for a high number of undertrials: Delay in the justice system, shortages of court staff and judges, inconsistency in the bail system, poor legal representation etc.
Initiative for Undertrials: setting up of several Fast-Track Courts, Modernization of Prison scheme, Open Court, Streamlining of IPC and CrPC laws, Clubbing of similar petty offences and clearing them on mission mode, E-Prison project.
Malimath Committee (2013) recommendation: Standard of ‘Proof beyond reasonable doubt’ followed in criminal cases be done away with.
Context: Three years of abrogation of Art 370 and Art 35A in Jammu and Kashmir.
Direction: No need to remember, just go through it once.
Under Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019: It made provisions of the Indian constitution applicable in the state of J&K. All provisions which separated the Constitution of J&K were abrogated (35A was automatically scrapped)
Under the J&K reorganization Act, 2019: The state was reorganized into two UTs – J&K (with legislature) and Ladakh (without Legislature)
Impact of the Move: J&K cannot maintain a separate flag, Ranbir Penal Code replaced with IPC, all the provisions of the Indian Constitution now automatically apply to J&K as well, and Law and order incidents have seen a drastic reduction.
ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AIFMM)
Context: 30 years of India-ASEAN relations and 2022 has been designated as ASEAN-India friendship year.
Direction: Those preparing for Mains this year, do keep a ready-made note prepared on India-ASEAN relations.
About: ASEAN (Est. 1967) is an inter-governmental organization of 10 countries aimed at promoting economic growth and regional stability.
Context: Taiwan is planning to use this strategy to fight back in case China attempts to occupy it by force
The “porcupine doctrine”, which was proposed in 2008 by US Naval War College research professor William S Murray, is a strategy of asymmetric warfare focused on fortifying a weak state’s defences to exploit the enemy’s weaknesses rather than taking on its strengths.
It is about building defences that would ensure that Taiwan “could be attacked and damaged but not defeated, at least without unacceptably high costs and risks”.
Context: RBI has allowed BBPS to process cross-border “inbound” bill payments aimed at benefiting senior citizens and families of persons who are dependent on remittances from abroad.
Till now, BBPS was accessible only to ‘residents in India’.
BBPS: It is an interoperable platform for the standardized bill payment system, conceptualised by RBI and implemented by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
NPCI: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is an umbrella organization for all retail payments systems in India. It was set up with the guidance and support of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA). NPCI has ten promoter banks.
About Startup India Initiative: Started in 2016, it envisages building a robust Startup ecosystem in the country for nurturing innovation and providing opportunities to budding entrepreneurs.
Other initiatives for startups: Startup Innovation Challenges, National Startup Awards, Ranking of States on Support to Startup Ecosystems, Shanghai Cooperation Organization Startup Forum, ‘Prarambh’ Summit.
Context: 4th NWA launched for nomination
About: NWA is given for exemplary work in the field of water resource management. The first National Water Award was launched in 2018, by the Jal Shakti Ministry. It aims to fulfil the government’s vision of ‘Jal Samridh Bharat’
Other schemes for water conservation: Catch the Rain, Jal Kranti Abhiyan (Jal Gram Scheme to develop two model villages in the water-deficient region), MGNREGA for water conservation, National Water Mission (increase water use efficiency by 20%), NITI Aayog Composite Water Management Index, Jal Jeevan Mission (for Piped drinking water)
Context: Recently, SSLV-D1 placed the satellites into a 356×76 km elliptical orbit instead of the 356-km circular orbit, making the satellite unusable.
The SSLV (Small Satellite Launch Vehicle) is the smallest vehicle (110tn) aimed at launching small satellites into Earth’s low orbits.
Benefits: Low cost, with low turn-around time, flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, launch on-demand feasibility, minimal launch infrastructure requirements, etc.
NSIL: ISRO commercial arm, New Space India Limited (NSIL) will mass-produce and manufacture the SSLV and the more powerful PSLV in partnership with the private sector in India through technology transfers.
Context: Indian Army tested the operational readiness of its satellite-based systems under this operation.
Definition: ‘Satellite-based Systems’ provide communication facilities to military’s ground and air-based systems. It also acts as a backup in case terrestrial connectivity is disrupted.
Why the need: Currently, Army doesn’t have a dedicated satellite system (unlike Air-force and Navy). GSAT-7B satellite will be launched for use by Army.
In a massive show of strength, China began its live-fire exercise near Taiwan by launching at least 11 ballistic missiles into the country’s coast, after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan.
Live-fire exercises are exercises primarily used by military personnel, in which live ammunition is used to create training conditions that are as close to real combat scenarios as possible. Live-fire exercises are also used by law enforcement and firefighters as a form of field training, to train them to act calmly in real-life emergency situations in the future.
It also involves testing the effectiveness of vehicles, weapon platforms and weapons systems (such as intercontinental ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and anti-aircraft weapons), so that any design flaws can be resolved before the weapons are fully operational.
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