A recent study has found that asteroid 16 Psyche, which orbits between Mars and Jupiter, could be made entirely of metal and is worth an estimated $10,000 quadrillion.
A NASA mission has recently landed on and collected samples from an asteroid. Do you remember that? Yes. Its the Asteroid Bennu
16 Psyche
Located around 370 million km away from Earth, asteroid 16 Psyche is one of the most massive objects in the asteroid belt in our solar system.
The somewhat potato-shaped asteroid has a diameter of around 140 miles.
It was first discovered on March 17, 1853, by the Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis and was named after the ancient Greek goddess of the soul, Psyche.
Unlike most asteroids that are made up of rocks or ice, scientists believe that Psyche is a dense and largely metallic object thought to be the core of an earlier planet that failed in formation.
Its surface may mostly comprise iron and nickel, similar to the Earth’s core, according to a study.
Mansar Lake Development Plan is getting fulfilled after a long wait of 70 years.
Try this PYQ:
Q.With reference to a conservation organization called Wetlands International, which of the following statements is/are correct?
It is an intergovernmental organization formed by the countries which are signatories to Ramsar Convention.
It works at the field level to develop and mobilize knowledge, and use the practical experience to advocate for better policies.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
About Mansar Lake
Situated at about 37 km from Jammu, Mansar is a lake fringed by forest-covered hills, over a mile in length by half-a-mile in width.
Surinsar-Mansar Lakes are designated as Ramsar Convention in November 2005.
With all religions belief and heritage behind the Mansar Lake is also picking up its fame among the tourists with all its flora & fauna.
The lake has cemented path all around with required illumination, with projected view decks to enjoy flickering of seasonal birds, tortoise and fishes of different species.
There is a wildlife Sanctuary housing jungle life like Spotted Deer, Nilgai etc. besides other water birds such as Cranes, Ducks etc.
Back2Basics: Ramsar Convention
The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (better known as the Ramsar Convention) is an international agreement promoting the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
It is the only global treaty to focus on a single ecosystem.
The convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975.
Traditionally viewed as a wasteland or breeding ground of disease, wetlands actually provide freshwater and food and serve as nature’s shock absorber.
Wetlands, critical for biodiversity, are disappearing rapidly, with recent estimates showing that 64% or more of the world’s wetlands have vanished since 1900.
Major changes in land use for agriculture and grazing, water diversion for dams and canals and infrastructure development are considered to be some of the main causes of loss and degradation of wetlands.
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Over 50 peple died in the wake of torrential rains in the third week of October in Hyderabad.
This experience is not unique to the city of Hyderabad, five years ago Chennai saw a massive flood costing much damage and lives.
Gurugram over the past few years comes to a complete standstill during the monsoon months.
And for Mumbai, the monsoon has become synonymous with flooding and enormous damages.
Causes of frequent urban floods:
Natural:
Meteorological Factors: Heavy rainfall, cyclonic storms and thunderstorms causes water to flow quickly through paved urban areas and impound in low lying areas.
Hydrological Factors: Overbank flow channel networks, occurrence of high tides impeding the drainage in coastal cities.
Climate Change: Climate change due to various anthropogenic events has led to extreme weather events.
Anthropological:
Unplanned Urbanization: Unplanned Urbanization is the key cause of urban flooding. A major concern is blocking of natural drainage pathways through construction activity and encroachment on catchment areas, riverbeds and lakebeds.
Destruction of lakes: A major issue in India cities. Lakes can store the excess water and regulate the flow of water. However, pollution of natural urban water bodies and converting them for development purposes has increased risk of floods.
Unauthorised colonies and excess construction: Reduced infiltration due paving of surfaces which decreases ground absorption and increases the speed and amount of surface flow
Poor Solid Waste Management System: Improper waste management system and clogging of storm-water drains because of silting, accumulation of non-biodegradable wastes and construction debris.
Drainage System: Old and ill maintained drainage system is another factor making cities in India vulnerable to flooding.
Irresponsible steps: Lack of attention to natural hydrological system and lack of flood control measures.
Impact of the devastation due to floods:
On economy: Damage to infrastructure, roads and settlements, industrial production, basic supplies, post disaster rehabilitation difficulties etc.
On human population and wildlife: Trauma, loss of life, injuries and disease outbreak, contamination of water etc.
On environment: Loss of habitat, tree and forest cover, biodiversity loss and large scale greenery recovery failure.
On transport and communication: Increased traffic congestion, disruption in rail services, disruption in communication- on telephone, internet cables causing massive public inconvenience.
What is to be done
1) Management of wetlands
We neglect the issues of incremental land use change, particularly of those commons which provide us with necessary ecological support — wetlands.
We need to start paying attention to the management of our wetlands by involving local communities.
The risk is going to increase year after year with changing rainfall patterns and a problem of urban terrain which is incapable of absorbing, holding and discharging water.
2) Implementing the idea of sponge cities
The idea of a sponge city is to make cities more permeable so as to hold and use the water which falls upon it.
Sponge cities absorb the rain water, which is then naturally filtered by the soil and allowed to reach urban aquifers.
This allows for the extraction of water from the ground through urban or peri-urban wells.
This water can be treated easily and used for city water supply.
In built form, this implies contiguous open green spaces, interconnected waterways, and channels and ponds across neighbourhoods that can naturally detain and filter water.
It implies support for urban ecosystems, bio-diversity and newer cultural and recreational opportunities,
These can all be delivered effectively through an urban mission along the lines of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) and Smart Cities Mission.
On a top priority, such a mission should address the following.
1) Wetland policy: In most of our lakes, the shallow ends, which often lie beyond the full tank level, have disappeared.
These shallow ends are best characterised as wetlands.
Regardless of ownership, land use on even this small scale needs to be regulated by development control.
2) Watershed management and emergency drainage plan is next.
This should be clearly enunciated in policy and law.
3) Ban against terrain alteration is third.
Lasting irreversible damage has been done to the city by builders, property owners, and public agencies by flattening terrain and altering drainage routes.
4) Use of porus material: Our cities are becoming increasingly impervious to water, not just because of increasing built up but also because of the nature of materials used.
To improve the city’s capacity to absorb water, new porous materials and technologies must be encouraged or mandated across scales.
Examples of these technologies are bioswales and retention systems, permeable material for roads and pavement, drainage systems which allow storm water to trickle into the ground, green roofs and harvesting systems in buildings.
Conclusion
We can learn to live with nature, we can regulate human conduct through the state and we can strategically design where we build. We need to urgently rebuild our cities such that they have the sponginess to absorb and release water without causing so much misery and so much damage to the most vulnerable of our citizens, as we have seen.
Mains 2020 is close and time is a scarcity. Almost every aspirant was affected by Covid19 led shutdown and displacement. Preparation was disrupted on a massive scale, access to notes and material was restricted, and continuity was broken. Now, with less than 75 days left, we can’t afford to lose sight on our goal.
At this point in time studying everything is not desirable neither is it feasible. You don’t have time to read everything, segregate what is important and what’s not, make notes, cover different dimensions, and then find a way to utilize that. What you need at this point in time is efficient and organized coverage of the most relevant topics for the IAS mains exam. With QEP we aim to help you achieve all this.
What is QEP 2020?
QEP or Quality Enrichment Program is an intensive and holistic program for IAS Mains 2020 GS papers. We aim to cover 250+ most relevant and probable issues with a 360-degree view, covering all dimensions of each and every topic. Not only you’ll learn and analyze these issues but will also understand how to utilize them via Daily Answer Writing and Mains Test Series.
Why QEP?
Current affairs in the IAS mains exam must be covered from an ‘issue perspective’ and almost all of them have multiple dimensions to it, various stakeholders involved, have interconnectedness, and can be solved with a multipronged approach only. This should reflect in your answers.
QEP will help you enrich your pre-existing coverage and will add quality to it. With tests and mentorship, you will get an evaluation and necessary course correction. And we will provide daily answer writing to help you sharpen your answer writing skills and knowledge with our daily initiatives on Habitat.
Comprehensive coverage of 250+ most relevant and probable topics/themes for UPSC mains 2020
Coverage of topics/themes in QEP will have one and only one purpose – to enable you to write great answers for any question from a particular topic. You can leave your GS current affairs topic coverage to us and focus on answer writing and revising.
All relevant topics/themes will get covered within a month leaving you with ample amount of time to revise them and practice answers multiple times.
Mains FLTs 2020 – Test series
Because you need to learn and practice answer writing as well. These 12 Full-length GS mains tests are going to be a part of QEP. More details here.
One-to-one Mentorship
After every test you can reach out to your mentor to discuss your test copies, understand the nuances of answer writing, find out the mistakes that you are committing, bringing necessary course correction and closing the learning loop.
Membership to exclusive group on Habitat
You’ll be assigned to a special group on Civilsdaily’s Habitat, it’s headed by Sajal sir and other faculty from Civilsdaily. This group also membered by UPSC rankers and in-service officers to guide you.
Habitat is where everything comes together learning, doubt clearing, notes, references, mentor’s support, and a focussed community. You’re going to learn and discuss like never before.
Here you are going to participate in Daily answer writing sessions, essay discussion and writing, ethics discussion, optional discussions, etc.
That’s not all, we’ve Daily news analysis and Op-ed discussion sessions on Habitat as well.
Program Inclusion:
250+ most probable and relevant topics/themes comprehensively covered (including ethics case studies)
Mains essential video lectures series (50+ hours)
Mains FLTs 2020 – 12 tests
Personal Mentorship – Post-test discussion
Membership to the exclusive group on Habitat
Daily answer writing and discussion, on most probable questions (min 6 questions)
With the approaching winter, minimum temperatures in the national capital have trended downward over the last due to the arrival of northwesterly winds called Western Disturbances.
Try this PYQ:
Q.Westerlies in the southern hemisphere is stronger and persistent than in northern hemisphere. Why?
The southern hemisphere has less landmass as compared to the northern hemisphere.
Coriolis force is higher in the southern hemisphere as compared to the northern hemisphere
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) Only 1
(b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Western Disturbances
A western disturbance is an extratropical storm originating in the Mediterranean region that brings sudden winter rain to the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent.
It is a non-monsoonal precipitation pattern driven by the westerlies.
The moisture in these storms usually originates over the Mediterranean Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea.
Extratropical storms are global phenomena with moisture usually carried in the upper atmosphere, unlike their tropical counterparts where the moisture is carried in the lower atmosphere.
In the case of the Indian subcontinent, moisture is sometimes shed as rain when the storm system encounters the Himalayas.
Western disturbances are more frequent and strong in the winter season.
Their significance
Western disturbances, specifically the ones in winter, bring moderate to heavy rain in low-lying areas and heavy snow to mountainous areas of the Indian Subcontinent.
They are the cause of most winter and pre-monsoon season rainfall across northwest India.
Precipitation during the winter season has great importance in agriculture, particularly for the rabi crops.
Wheat among them is one of the most important crops, which helps to meet India’s food security. An average of four to five western disturbances forms during the winter season.
The rainfall distribution and amount vary with every western disturbance.
The Election Commission (EC) has revoked the status of a veteran leader and former Madhya Pradesh CM as a star campaigner for the party.
Try answering this question:
Q.Ceiling on election expenses ends up being counterproductive and encourages candidates to under-report their expenditure. Critically analyse.
Who is a Star Campaigner?
A star campaigner can be described as persons who are nominated by parties to campaign in a given set of constituencies.
These persons are, in almost all cases, prominent and popular faces within the party.
There is no specific definition according to law or the Election Commission of India.
Star campaigners for a party will not exceed 40 where it is a recognised political party.
For parties that are deemed unrecognized, the number of star campaigners will not be more than 20.
Their purpose
Actors, celebrities and senior political party members are the ones who are nominated to be star campaigners.
This is based on the premise that a popular face, someone that the common voter can immediately identify and side with, can rake in more votes for that political party.
How much does a star campaigner cost?
Section 77 (b) of The Representation of People’s Act, 1951 says that most of the expenses incurred by the campaigner “shall not be deemed to be an expenditure in connection with the election”.
In other words, all expenses will be borne by the respective political party.
For example, expenses borne by star campaigners on account of travel by air or by any other means of transport shall not be deemed as expenditure in connection with the election.
The manual to the Model Code of Conduct states that for the benefit of availing Section 77 (1) of The RP Act, a permit for the mode of transport for every star campaigner will be issued centrally and against their name.
It is also mandatory for this permit to be stuck on a prominent and visible place on the vehicle.
A case for PMs
The MCC states that if the star campaigner is a PM or a former PM, then expenses incurred for bullet-proof vehicles required by centrally appointed security personnel will be borne by the government.
If another political dignitary accompanies this candidate, then 50 per cent of expenses incurred for security arrangements will be borne by the candidate.
The Office of Economic Advisor within the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has released the Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) for September 2020.
Try this PYQ:
Q.In the ‘Index of Eight Core Industries’, which one of the following is given the highest weight?
(a) Coal production
(b) Electricity generation
(c) Fertilizer production
(d) Steel production
What is the Index of Core Industries?
As the title suggests, this is an index of the eight most fundamental industrial sectors of the Indian economy and it maps the volume of production in these industries.
It gives the details of these eight sectors — namely Coal, Natural Gas, Crude Oil, Refinery Products (such as Petrol and Diesel), Fertilizers, Steel, Cement and Electricity.
Since these eight industries are the essential “basic” and/or “intermediate” ingredient in the functioning of the broader economy, mapping their health provides a fundamental understanding of the state of the economy.
In other words, if these eight industries are not growing fast enough, the rest of the economy is unlikely to either.
ICI this year
This data is to focus on the trend of ICI growth over the past 6 months — that is, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns.
A crucial factor in this regard would be the next wave of Covid-19 infections.
If there is a surge in the winter months — as is being witnessed in most Europe and the US — then India’s recovery will be dented yet again.
Three years after it was constituted, the Fifteenth Finance Commission has finalised its report for fund devolution from the Centre to States for the five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Fifteenth Finance Commission
The Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) was constituted on November 27, 2017.
It was constituted against the backdrop of the abolition of the Planning Commission and the distinction between Plan and non-Plan expenditure, and introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
What is the Finance Commission?
The FC was established by the President of India in 1951 under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution.
It was formed to define the financial relations between the central government of India and the individual state governments.
The Finance Commission (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1951 additionally defines the terms of qualification, appointment and disqualification, the term, eligibility and powers of the Finance Commission.
As per the Constitution, the FC is appointed every five years and consists of a chairman and four other members.
Since the institution of the First FC, stark changes in the macroeconomic situation of the Indian economy have led to major changes in the FC’s recommendations over the years.
Why in news now?
That report of the XV FC had pared the States’ share of the divisible tax pool from 42%, as recommended by the Fourteenth Finance Commission, to 41%, citing the creation of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The Commission had then said that some of the key recommendations it was required to make would feature in its final report, including the viability of creating a separate defence and national security fund.
The panel is also expected to factor in unpaid GST compensation dues to States for this year while working out States’ revenue flow calculations for the years beyond 2022.
The central cooperative NAFED will soon begin importing onions in a bid to tame soaring prices before the festive season.
UPSC can frame statements based MCQ over the functions of NAFED.
NAFED
National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) is an apex organization of marketing cooperatives for agricultural produce in India.
It was founded on 2 October 1958 to promote the trade of agricultural produce and forest resources across the nation.
It is registered under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act.
NAFED is now one of the largest procurement as well as marketing agencies for agricultural products in India.
With its headquarters in New Delhi, NAFED has four regional offices at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, apart from 28 zonal offices in capitals of states and important cities.
Functions of the NAFED
To facilitate, coordinate and promote the marketing and trading activities of the cooperative institutions, partners and associates in agricultural, other commodities, articles and goods
To undertake purchase, sale and supply of agricultural, marketing and processing requisites, such as manure, seeds, fertilizer, agricultural implements and machinery etc.
To act as a warehouseman under the Warehousing Act and own and construct its own godowns and cold storages
To act as agent of any Government agency or cooperative institution, for the purchase, sale, storage and distribution of agricultural, horticultural, forest and animal husbandry produce, wool, agricultural requisites and other consumer goods
To act as an insurance agent and to undertake all such work which is incidental to the same
To collaborate with any international agency or a foreign body for the development of cooperative marketing, processing and other activities for mutual advantage in India or abroad
Now try this PYQ:
Q.In, India, markets in agricultural products are regulated under the:
(a) Essential Commodities Act, 1955
(b) Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act enacted by States.
(c) Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937
(d) Food Products Order, 1956 and Meat and Food Products Order, 1973
