Category: Ranker Webinars

Hello Students,

Test 02 Polity has gone live.
We’ve extensively dealt with all major themes – Panchayati Raj, Anti-Defection Law, Constitutional and Statutory Bodies, other important bodies repetitively in news and many others.

We have covered few questions from Parliamentary Committees. A couple of important themes from the topics for Test 01 would be there as they couldn’t be covered in Test 01. Please attempt these as these will only serve as a revision.

Finally, please be regular.

Here are  Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

B2B #1: From news- Global funding watchdog hands 10-point plan to Pakistan

Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

1. FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 by the Ministers of its Member jurisdiction
2. The FATF is a “policy-making body” which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas
3. The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system
4. The FATF has developed a series of Recommendations that are recognised as the international standard for combating of money laundering and the financing of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
5. The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures, reviews money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures, and promotes the adoption and implementation of appropriate measures globally
6. The FATF’s decision-making body, the FATF Plenary, meets three times per year

B2B #2: From news- RBI steps in as rupee hits record low

Capital & Current account convertibility

Capital and Current Account Convertibility in India

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Key words related to History : Basadis

Dynasty/era : Ancient India

Meaning : Basadi is a Jain shrine or temple. The word is generally used in South India, as well as in Maharashtra. Its historical use in North India is preserved in the names of the Vimala Vasahi and Luna Vasahi temples of Mount Abu.

Here are  Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

B2B #1: From news- [pib] Development without Felling/Cutting of Trees

National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited (NBCC)

1. It is a Navratna organization under category I, is a Central Public Sector undertaking which trades publicly in the market and is largely owned by Government of India.
2. It engages in the Real Estate Development & Construction business and also provides Project Management Consultancy.
3. NBCC has also undertaken overseas projects in countries like Iraq, Libya, Nepal, Mauritius, Turkey, Botswana, Republic of Maldives, Republic of Yemen et al.
4. NBCC is also designated as the implementing agency for executing projects under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY), Solid Waste Management (SWM) and developmental work in North Eastern Region.

B2B #2: From news- Centre proposes new body to replace UGC

UGC (University Grants Commission)

1. The University Grants Commission of India (UGC India) is a statutory body set up by the Indian Union government in accordance to the UGC Act 1956 under Ministry of Human Resource Development.
2. The UGC has two primary responsibilities:

• providing funds to educational institutions; and
• coordinating, determining and maintaining standards in institutions of higher education.

Its main functions are:

• promoting and coordinating education in universities,
• determining and maintaining standards for teaching, examination and research in universities,
• framing regulations on minimum standards for education,
• disbursing grants to universities and colleges,
• liaising between the CG, State governments and higher educational institutions, and
• advising the CG and State governments on possible policy measures to improve higher education in India.

B2B #3: From news- [pib] Additional 6.5MMT Strategic Petroleum Reserves at Chandikhol in Odisha and at Padur, Karnataka

Strategic Petroleum Reserve Programme

1. The Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve (ISPR) is an emergency fuel store.
2. Strategic crude oil storages are at 3 underground locations in Mangalore, Visakhapatnam and Padur (near Udupi).
3. All these are located on the east and west coasts of India which are readily accessible to the refineries.
4. These strategic storages are in addition to the existing storages of crude oil and petroleum products with the oil companies and serve in response to external supply disruptions.
5. FM Arun Jaitley in his 2017-18 budget speech has announced that two more such caverns will be set up Chandikhole in Jajpur district of Odisha and Bikaner in Rajasthan as part of the second phase.

B2B #4: From news- [op-ed snap] Ujjwala Revolution

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

1. PMUY is a welfare scheme being implemented by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to provide LPG connections to families below the poverty line, guided by the strong commitment to bring about changes in the life of poor women and also protect their health
2. Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) is used to identify the beneficiaries (adult woman of a BPL family) and is given a deposit free LPG connection with a financial assistance of Rs.1600 per connection by the centre
3. This scheme will help prevent pollution and facilitate the healthy atmosphere in the families of poor people.

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Name : Beijing declaration

Brief Intro : The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) is an international declaration of women’s rights set up at the UN’s landmark Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995. The BPfA covers 12 key critical matters of concern and areas for action including women and poverty, violence against women and access to power and decision- making. It was supported by 189 countries, including the UK, at the 1995 World Conference.

Objective : Gender equality and the empowerment of all women, everywhere.

Type : Declaration

Category : Social

Year : 1995

Importance (wr. Prelims) : Medium

Place : Beijing

Key Terms/ Institutions spinoffs : It was the outcome of The Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace convened by UN

Here are  Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

B2B #1: From news- India votes against draft decision on chemical weapons use at OPCW meet

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

1. OPCW is an intergovernmental organization and the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, which entered into force on 29 April 1997
2. The OPCW, with its 193 member states, has its seat in The Hague, Netherlands, and oversees the global endeavor for the permanent and verifiable elimination of chemical weapons
3. The organization promotes and verifies the adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the use of chemical weapons and requires their destruction
4. Verification consists both of evaluation of declarations by member states and onsite inspections
5. The OPCW has the power to say whether chemical weapons were used in an attack it has investigated
6. The organization was awarded the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize “for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons”

B2B #2: From news- [pib] Inauguration of NIMHANS Digital Academy, proposed Health and Wellness Centres

National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) Bangalore

1. Established in 1925, NIMHANS, the apex center for mental health and neuroscience education in the country
2. It operates autonomously under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
3. The institute was inaugurated on 27 December 1974, establishing it as an autonomous body under the Societies Registration Act.
4. NIMHANS is a multidisciplinary institute for patient care and academic pursuit in the frontier area of mental health and neurosciences.

B2B #3: From news- ICSSR’s new vision: make research relevant to policy

Indian Council of Social Science

1. Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) was established in the year of 1969 by the Government of India to promote research in social sciences in the country.
2. Its one of the important function is to advise the Government of India on all matters pertaining to social science research as may be referred to it from time to time, and take such measures generally as may be necessary from time to time to promote social science research and its utilization.

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Name : Dawn Mission Extended at Ceres

Details : NASA has authorized a second extension of the Dawn mission at Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. NASA’s Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. The mission will characterize the early solar system and the processes that dominated its formation.

Agency : NASA

Reading News for UPSC is utmost important and rising number of questions year on year in UPSC Prelims is a testimony of this

We are starting a daily series where we will analyze news covered in The Hindu, Indian Express and other newspapers which are important from exam perspective and which are not

Important news would have been covered in our daily news coverage in form of newscards.

Unimportant ones will be mentioned here and a short description regarding why it is not relevant for the exam

Click on news headlines to read the full news

High relevance news

Toxic air is causing malnutrition in trees

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/toxic-air-is-causing-malnutrition-in-trees/

Note about Mycorrhizal fungi. Also, study symbiotic relationship from Environment book/notes. Can be asked in Prelims in indirect way

[pib] Outcomes of 13th Executive Committee meeting of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/pib-outcomes-of-13th-executive-committee-meeting-of-national-mission-for-clean-ganga-nmcg/

Read and remember details about Ganga Mitra. UPSC has been asking questions digged from such news items

[op-ed snap] Plastic-free India is a nudge away

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/op-ed-snap-plastic-free-india-is-a-nudge-away/

Editorial discusses about the nudge theory which won Nobel prize this year & how it can be used to bring about a behavioral change amongst masses

Nice points that can be quoted in Mains answers as well as Essay

Low Relevance News

Social security cover extended to 50 crore people: Narendra Modi

The government is promoting schemes like Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Atal Pension Yojana

The government is also promoting Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana for citizens aged 60 years and above

All these schemes have been discussed in detail previously. Nothing else in news from exam point of view

MP panel flags stalled lending by PSU banks

Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance raised concerns about “stagnation in lending operations” of State-owned banks during a meeting with representatives of 11 public sector banks

The 11 banks are under the RBI’s watchlist for mounting bad loans

Nothing important from UPSC perspective.

Govt. Poster for easy recall

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Name : Phalcon AWACS

Defence Forces : Air Force

Module Type : Tech Misc.

Brief Intro : Phalcon AWACS(Airborne Warning AND Control Systems) is the India First AWACS which is capable of detecting any aerial threats more effectively than ground-based radars.It is also capable to defend the IAF against cruise missiles and hostile aircraft more efficiently.