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PM has launched the ‘Kisan Suryodaya Yojana’ aimed at providing day-time electricity to farmers in the State of Gujarat for irrigation and farming purposes.
Try this question from CSP 2017:
Q. The term ‘Domestic Content Requirement’ is sometimes seen in the news with reference to-
(a) Developing solar power production in our country
(b) Granting licences to foreign T.V. channels in our country
(c) Exporting our food products to other countries
(d) Permitting foreign educational institutions to set up their campuses in our country
Kisan Suryodaya Yojana
Under the scheme, farmers will be able to avail power supply from 5am to 9pm for irrigation purposes.
Around 234 transmission lines are to be installed under the scheme. Each line is to carry the power of 66 KW. They are to be erected to a total length of 3,490 km.
Dahod, Patan, Mahisagar, Panchmahal, Chhota Udepur, Kheda, Tapi, Valsad, Anand and Gir-Somnath have been included under the Scheme for 2020-21.
The remaining districts will be covered in a phase-wise manner by 2022-23.
A study has shown that a new material superconducts at 15 degrees Celsius but at extremely high pressure.
In India, we often get to hear about the transmission losses in DISCOMS. Such losses can be zeroed with the application of superconducting cables (which is practically impossible unless we find a normal working one). The phenomena, superconductivity, however, is not new to us, UPSC may end up asking some tricky statements in the prelims regarding it.
What is Superconductivity?
A superconductor is a material, such as a pure metal like aluminium or lead, that when cooled to ultra-low temperatures allows electricity to move through it with absolutely zero resistance.
Kamerlingh Onnes was the first scientist who figured out exactly how superconductor works in 1911.
Simply put, superconductivity occurs when two electrons bind together at low temperatures.
They form the building block of superconductors, the Cooper pair.
This holds true even for a potential superconductor like lead when it is above a certain temperature.
What is the new material?
A new material composed of carbon, hydrogen and sulphur superconducts at 15 degrees Celsius.
However, it needs ultrahigh pressure of about 2 million atmospheres to achieve this transition, putting off any thoughts of application to the future.
The pressure they needed was 267 Gigapascals (GPa), or 2.6 million atmospheres.
The pressure at the centre of the Earth is 360 GPa, so it is 75% of the pressure at the centre of the Earth.
What are Superconductors?
Superconductors are materials that address this problem by allowing energy to flow efficiently through them without generating unwanted heat.
They have great potential and many cost-effective applications.
They operate magnetically levitated trains, generate magnetic fields for MRI machines and recently have been used to build quantum computers, though a fully operating one does not yet exist.
Issues with superconductors
They have an essential problem when it comes to other practical applications: They operate at ultra-low temperatures.
There are no room-temperature superconductors. That “room-temperature” part is what scientists have been working on for more than a century.
The amount of energy needed to cool a material down to its superconducting state is too expensive for daily applications.
A new study has shown that dairy products were being produced by the Harappans as far back as 2500 BCE.
Try this PYQ:
Q.Which one of the following is not a Harappan site?
(a) Chanhudaro
(b) Kot Diji
(c) Sohgaura
(d) Desalpur
Dairy production in IVC
By analysing residues on ancient pots, researchers show the earliest direct evidence of dairy product processing, thus throwing fresh light on the rural economy of the civilization.
The studies were carried out on 59 shards of pottery from Kotada Bhadli, a small archaeological site in present-day Gujarat.
How did they find it?
The team used molecular analysis techniques to study the residues from ancient pottery.
Pots are porous. The pot preserves the molecules of food such as fats and proteins. Using techniques like C16 and C18 analysis we can identify the source of lipids.
Traces were seen in cooking vessels indicating that milk may have been boiled and consumed.
Significant outcome of the study
The study has found residues in a bowl showing that either heated milk or curd could have been served.
There are also remains of a perforated vessel, and similar vessels were used in Europe to make cheese.
The Harappans did not just use dairy for their household.
The large herd indicates that milk was produced in surplus so that it could be exchanged and there could have been some kind of trade between settlements.
This could have given rise to an industrial level of dairy exploitation.
North Korean authorities have urged citizens to remain indoors to avoid contact with a mysterious cloud of ‘yellow dust’ blowing in from China, which they have warned could bring Covid-19 with it.
Try this PYQ:
Q.Consider the following
Birds
Dustblowing
Rain
Windblowing
Which of the above spread plant diseases?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
What is yellow dust?
Yellow dust is actually sand from deserts in China and Mongolia that high-speed surface winds carry into both North and South Korea during specific periods every year.
The sand particles tend to mix with other toxic substances such as industrial pollutants, as a result of which the ‘yellow dust’ is known to cause a number of respiratory ailments.
Usually, when the dust reaches unhealthy levels in the atmosphere, authorities urge people to remain indoors and limit physical activity, particularly heavy exercise and sport.
Sometimes, when the concentration of yellow dust in the atmosphere crosses around 800 micrograms/cubic meter, schools are shut and outdoor events cancelled in the affected areas.
A recent study has predicted massive habitat decline for the Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus) by 2050 due to climate change.
Try this PYQ:
Q. The Himalayan Range is very rich in species diversity. Which one among the following is the most appropriate reason for this phenomenon?
(a) It has a high rainfall that supports luxuriant vegetative growth.
(b) It is a confluence of different bio-geographical zones.
(c) Exotic and invasive species have not been invasive species have not been introduced in this region.
(d) It has less human interference.
Himalayan Brown Bear
The Himalayan brown bear is one of the largest carnivores in the highlands of Himalayas.
It occupies the higher reaches of the Himalayas in remote, mountainous areas of Pakistan and India, in small and isolated populations, and is extremely rare in many of its ranges.
While the brown bear as a species is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, this subspecies is highly endangered and populations are dwindling.
It is ‘Endangered’ in the Himalayas and Critically Endangered in the Hindu Kush.
What did the study say?
The study carried out in the western Himalayas by scientists of Zoological Survey of India, predicted a massive decline of about 73% of the bear’s habitat by the year 2050.
These losses in habitat will also result in loss of habitat from 13 protected areas (PAs), and eight of them will become completely uninhabitable by the year 2050, followed by loss of connectivity in the majority of PAs.
The study highlights for the need to adopt preemptive spatial planning of PAs in the Himalayan region for the long-term viability of the species.
Last night UPSC released ‘the PDF’, the result of CSE prelims 2020. Irrespective of who you are, you need a plan for your next move (Mains in Jan 2021 or Pre in June 2021). We’ve released Samanvaya form. Fill it and our senior mentors will call you within 24 hours. Let us discuss.
UPSC prelims result announcement was as unexpected as the questions in the paper itself were. Some of you cleared and some couldn’t.
Irrespective of the result last night you need to reorient your strategy towards your next target. If Pre 2020 indicated anything it was the intent of the UPSC to break the pattern.
Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.
Stands true for the next UPSC CSE (mains 2020/Pre 2021) as well.
UPSC mains 2020 is just 75 days away, while 2021 Prelims is about 7 months away. There is no time to either grieve or feel relaxed. Time is of utmost importance. What, why and how you decide and choose your next step will decide your next result.
For those who cleared Prelims 2020 and are writing mains in Jan 2021:
At this point in time you need to start giving tests (both GS mains and Essays). Your focus should be more on consolidation of information and on learning how to utilize it, rather than learning new things.
Do you have a repository of the issues faced by Govt of India, society, polity, administration and economy in the the last couple of years? Do you have them in a form where you can simply write answers from your notes?
If not, we need to talk and discuss. Fill the Samanvaya form to discuss about Quality Improvement Program for Mains 2020 as well.
The 4th Oct 2020 in many ways was a watershed moment for IAS aspirants. Prelims 2020 has shocked veterans and baffled the first-timers. If anything this paper has taught is that you need to adapt to the expectations of UPSC and adopt a new approach.
UPSC is changing. No more is it about isolating yourself and just doing current affairs, static, attending random classes, or reading a plethora of books. It’s time to bury the old ways for IAS preparation, for good.
Enrollment for November batches of IAS Foundation 2021 and Ultimate Assessment Programs 2021 is open now.
Who are you?
Working Junta? If you are preparing for IAS 2021 and working simultaneously, we can help you strategize and decipher the IAS exam and design a timetable that fits right in your hectic schedule.
First-time prep? If you are in the last year of college or thinking of dropping a year and preparing for IAS 2021 full time, we can help you pick the right books and craft a practical & personalstrategy.
Once done, we will call you within 24 hours or so.
A perfect exam cracking pattern
Broadly, six factors determine your success in cracking this prestigious IAS exam and the most important being understandingthe expectations of UPSC and according to that planning and strategizing; other being Learning – Knowledge and information; Analyzing – making linkages, connections, etc.; Executing and utilizing information; and Constant course correction – because mistakes are inevitable, need to rectify them asap.
Failing to tackle any one of them, feeds into a vicious cycle. Without guidance or mentoring, understanding where the problem lies in and how to rectify it becomes problematic.
This is where our 3 tier mentoring comes in:
1. First step starts with this Samanvayacall: Once you fill in the form, our senior mentors get on a 30-40 minute call with you to understand your prep level, working/ study constraints, current strategies, and create a step by step plan for next week, next month and so on.
2. You are given access to our invite-only chat platform, Habitat where you can ask your daily doubts, discuss your test-prep questions and have real-time, live sessions on news and op-eds, and find your optional groups.
Daily target monitoring.
3. The third and the most personalized tier is the 1 on 1 mentor allotment who stays with you through the course of your UPSC preparation – always-on chat and on scheduled calls to help you assess, evaluate, and chart the next milestone of your IAS 2021 journey.
Here are some testimonials of our students about Samanvaya and our propriety chat interventions:
While highlighting the importance of navy for India, the article examines the need to define the role and relation between the Quad and Malabar.
The salience of navy for India
It took confrontation in the Himalayas to bring focus on India’s maritime domain clearly indicates that the salience of maritime power is not yet understood in India.
On its northern and western fronts, India faces a formidable challenge and can at best hope for stalemate due to two factors :
1) Economic, military and technological asymmetry between China and India.
2) Active China-Pakistan nexus.
Attention has, therefore, been focused on the maritime domain, where it is believed that India may have some cards to play.
While preparing to fight its own battles with determination, it is time for India to seek external balancing (read Quad) — best done via the maritime domain.
Evolution of Malabar Exercise
Above is the backdrop against which one must see the progressive evolution of Exercise “Malabar”,
At beginning, it was a bilateral event involving just the Indian and US navies.
It became tri-lateral with the inclusion of Japan in 2015.
And now it has transformed into a four-cornered naval drill that will also include Australia.
Apart from its geo-political significance for the Indo-Pacific, this development poses two conundrums.
Firstly, given the same composition, what is the distinction, now, between “Malabar” and the “Quad”?
Secondly, does Malabar 2020 mark the release of Australia from China’s thralldom?
Defining the roles and relation betwee Malabar and Quad
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad has its roots in the Core Group of four senior diplomats representing the US, India, Japan and Australia.
The group was formed to coordinate relief efforts after the Great Asian Tsunami of December 26, 2004.
The present Quad has obviously retained this tradition and its members have neither created a charter nor invested it with any substance.
The Quad is 16 years old now, and Malabar 28.
Both have served a useful purpose, and a reappraisal of the roles and relationship of the Quad-Malabar concepts is, therefore, overdue.
Since it is India which faces a “clear and present danger”, it should boldly take the initiative to do so.
Need for the Indo-Pacific Concord
In order to rein in China’s hegemonic urges, there is need for affected nations to come together to show their solidarity and determination in a common cause.
In this context, there is need to create a broad-based “Indo-Pacific Concord”, of like-minded regional democracies.
This should be an organisation with a maritime security charter, which has no offensive or provocative connotations.
Using the Quad and Malabar templates, a shore-based secretariat can be established in a central location like Port Blair, in the Andaman Islands, which would schedule and conduct periodic multinational naval exercises.
The exercises could be structured to hone the skills of participating navies in specialisations like humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, countering non-traditional threats, undertaking search-and-rescue operations and establishing networked maritime domain awareness.
The Concord could also designate forces to uphold maritime security or “good order at sea”.
What Australia joining Quad means
The prospect of Australia belatedly joining the Quad is expected to reinforce the Quad and enhance its credibility.
But there are reasons for India to be circumspect it.
Memories are still alive of its past political ambivalence towards India, its criticism of our naval expansion and its vociferous condemnation of the 1998 nuclear tests.
Nor should one overlook Beijing’s recent influence on Australia’s foreign policy.
This influence on Australia’s foreing policy caused it to flip-flop over the sale of uranium to India as well as its peremptory withdrawal from the Quad in 2008.
Implications of singing of BECA with the U.S.
India signing the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) with the US last of the four “foundational agreements” would enhance interoperability between the respective militaries.
However, there is need to pay heed to two valid concerns:
1) Regarding the possible compromise of information impinging on India’s security.
2) Whether these agreements will barter away the last vestiges of India’s strategic autonomy.
Consider the question “The changing geopolitical equations has necessitated the formation of Indo-Pacific Concord by the democracies of the region.” In light of this, elaborate on India’s role in Quad and its implications for the region”
Conclusion
Indians, given our history, should never lose sight of the truism in international relations, that it is the unerring pursuit of national interests that guides the actions and policies of every nation.
The article examines India’s journey at the UN as it enters it 75year. It also analyses the challenges India faced at the UN and tracks India’s transformation from being an outlier to the high table.
Three phases of India’s presence at the UN
Seven and a half decades of India at the UN may be viewed with reference to roughly three distinct phases.
First phase: From independence to 1989
The first phase lasted until the end of Cold War in 1989.
During this phase, India had learnt to explore and enhance its diplomatic influence in easing armed conflicts in Asia and Africa by disentangling them from the superpower rivalry.
India also leaned that the UN could not be relied upon to impartially resolve vital security disputes such as Jammu and Kashmir.
India strove to utilise the UN only to focus on common causes such as anti-colonialism, anti-racism, nuclear disarmament, environment conservation and equitable economic development.
India seemed to claim the moral high ground by proposing, in 1988 three-phase plan to eliminate nuclear weapons from the surface of earth.
But it resisted attempts by neighbouring countries to raise bilateral problems.
Defeat in 1962 war against China meant a definitive redesign of the country’s diplomatic style to privilege bilateral contacts over the third party role by the UN.
Second phase: 1990s
The 1990s were the most difficult decade for India in the UN.
The 1990s were marked by the sudden end of the Cold War, the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the emergence of the United States as the unrivalled power.
Besides, the uncertain political climate along with the balance of payments crisis constrained the country’s capability to be active in various bodies, especially in the Security Council (UNSC) and the General Assembly.
There was a change in India’s foreign policy: At the UN as India showed pragmatism in enabling the toughest terms on Iraq even after Gulf War or in reversing position on Zionism as racism.
At the same time, growing militancy in Kashmir in the early 1990s helped Pakistan to internationalise the dispute with accusations about gross human rights violations by India.
India to seek favours from Iran and China in the Human Rights Commission to checkmate Pakistan.
The violation of the sovereignty principle by NATO intervention against Yugoslavia in 1999 without the authorisation of the UNSC deeply disturbed India.
At the same time call for an end to aerial attacks on Yugoslavia did not garner much support in the UNSC.
India’s diplomatic difficulties was exposed when it suffered a defeat in the hands of Japan in the 1996 contest for a non-permanent seat in the UNSC.
India resolutely stood against indefinite extension of the Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1995.
India strongly rejected the backdoor introduction for adoption of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 1996.
It is against this background that India surprised the world in 1998 with its Pokhran nuclear weapon tests, ignoring the likely adverse reaction from the nuclear club.
Third phase: Rise in influence in 21st century
The impressive economic performance in the first decade of the 21st century due to economic liberalisation and globalisation policies, helped a great deal in strengthening profile.
This is only aided by its reliable and substantial troop contributions to several peacekeeping operations in African conflict theatres.
India has emerged as a responsible stakeholder in non-traditional security issue areas such as the spread of small and light weapons, the threat of non-state actors acquiring weapons of mass destruction, and the impact of climate change.
India has scaled up its contributions to development and humanitarian agencies, while India’s share to the UN assessed budget has registered a hike from 0.34% to 0.83%.
India’s successful electoral contests for various prestigious slots in the UNSC, the Human Rights Council, the World Court, and functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council indicates its growing popularity
Major unsuccessful initiatives by India
Two major initiatives India has heavily invested in are stuck:
1) The draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism it drafted and revised with the hope of helping consensus.
It encountered reservations on provisions regarding definition of terrorist and the convention’s application to state armed forces.
2) Second is the question of equitable expansion of the UNSC to enable India to attain permanent membership along with other claimants from Asia, Africa and Latin America.
The move has been stuck for more than 25 years because of a lack of unity among the regional formations.
It also includes opposition from some 30 middle powers such as Italy and Pakistan which fear losing out to regional rivals in the event of an addition of permanent seats.
The only realistic possibility seems to settle for a compromise, i.e. a new category of members elected for a longer duration than the present non-permanent members without veto power.
Priorities at the UNSC as a non-permanent member
India’s future role will depend on its ability to deal economic slowdown and a troubled relationship with China.
This is pertinent as India will soon begin its two-year term as a non-permanent UNSC member (January 1, 2021).
Its areas of priority will continue to be the upholding of Charter principles, act against those who support, finance and sponsor terrorists, besides striving for securing due say to the troop contributing countries in the management of peace operations.
It is reasonable to assume (based on earlier patterns) that India will work for and join in consensus on key questions wherever possible.
But it may opt to abstain along with other members including one or two permanent members.
Consider the question “Elaborate on the transformation in India’s role at UN. What are the challenges India may face as a non-permanent member of the UNSC”
Conclusion
As a non-permanent UNSC member now, India needs to uphold the Charter principles in the backdrop of a turbulent world.
The Labour and Employment Ministry has revised the base year of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) from 2001 to 2016.
Why such a move?
This revision reflects the changing consumption pattern, giving more weightage to spending on health, education, recreation and other miscellaneous expenses while reducing the weight of food and beverages.
What is the Consumer Price Index (CPI)?
The CPI is a measure that examines the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services, such as transportation, food, and medical care.
It is calculated by taking price changes for each item in the predetermined basket of goods and averaging them. Changes in the CPI are used to assess price changes associated with the cost of living.
The CPI is one of the most frequently used statistics for identifying periods of inflation or deflation.
Essentially it attempts to quantify the aggregate price level in an economy and thus measure the purchasing power of a country’s unit of currency.
Types of CPI in India
CPI in India comprises multiple series classified based on different economic groups.
There are four series, viz the CPI UNME (Urban Non-Manual Employee), CPI AL (Agricultural Labourer), CPI RL (Rural Labourer) and CPI IW (Industrial Worker).
While the CPI UNME series is published by the Central Statistical Organisation, the others are published by the Department of Labour.
From February 2011 the CPI (UNME) released by CSO is replaced as CPI (urban), CPI (rural) and CPI (combined).
How it is different from WPI?
CPI is different from WPI, or Wholesale Price Index, which measures inflation at the wholesale level.
While WPI keeps track of the wholesale price of goods, the CPI measures the average price that households pay for a basket of different goods and services.
WPI measures and tracks the changes in the price of goods before they reach consumers; goods that are sold in bulk and traded between entities or businesses (rather than consumers).
Even as the WPI is used as a key measure of inflation in some economies, the RBI no longer uses it for policy purposes, including setting repo rates.
The central bank currently uses CPI or retail inflation as a key measure of inflation to set the monetary and credit policy.
Major components of WPI
Primary articles are a major component of WPI, further subdivided into Food Articles and Non-Food Articles.
Food Articles include items such as Cereals, Paddy, Wheat, Pulses, Vegetables, Fruits, Milk, Eggs, Meat & Fish, etc.
Non-Food Articles include Oil Seeds, Minerals and Crude Petroleum
The next major basket in WPI is Fuel & Power, which tracks price movements in Petrol, Diesel and LPG
The biggest basket is Manufactured Goods. It spans across a variety of manufactured products such as Textiles, Apparels, Paper, Chemicals, Plastic, Cement, Metals, and more.
Manufactured Goods basket also includes manufactured food products such as Sugar, Tobacco Products, Vegetable and Animal Oils, and Fats.
Note: WPI has a sub-index called WPI Food Index, which is a combination of the Food Articles from the Primary Articles basket, and the food products from the Manufactured Products basket.
Now try this PYQ from 2014 CSP:
Q.With reference to India, consider the following statements:
The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) in India is available on a monthly basis only
As compared to the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI (IW)), the WPI gives less weight to food articles.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Back2Basics: Base Year
A base year is the first of a series of years in an economic or financial index. It is typically set to an arbitrary level of 100.
Any year can serve as a base year, but analysts typically choose recent years. They are periodically revised to keep data current in a particular index.
A base year is used for comparison in the measure of business activity or economic index.
For example, to find the rate of inflation between 2013 and 2018, 2013 is the base year or the first year in the time set.
