Punjab CM has been admitted to hospital, days after he had drunk a glass of water directly from the Kali Bein, a holy rivulet in Sultanpur Lodhi.
What is the Kali Bein?
The 165-km rivulet starts from Hoshiarpur, runs across four districts and meets the confluence of the rivers Beas and Sutlej in Kapurthala.
Along its banks are around 80 villages and half a dozen small and big towns.
Waste water from there as well as industrial waste used to flow into the rivulet via a drain, turning its waters black, hence the name Kali Bein (black rivulet).
Dense grass and weeds grew on the water until a cleaning project started.
Why did Punjab CM drink water from it?
The occasion was the 22nd anniversary of the cleaning project, which had started on July 16, 2000.
The project has been slow for years after having made remarkable progress in the initial years.
Nevertheless, when Mann drank water from it directly, it was a much cleaner Kali Bein than it was before 2000.
Cultural significance
The Kali Bein is of great significance to Sikh religion and history, because the first Guru, Nanak Dev, is said to have got enlightenment here.
When Guru Nanak Dev was staying at Sultanpur Lodhi with his sister Bebe Nanki, he would bathe in the Kali Bein.
He is said to have disappeared into the waters one day, before emerging on the third day.
The first thing he recited was the “Mool Mantra” of the Sikh religion.
How did the cleaning project start?
It was started by environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal with a handful of followers, without government help.
They removed weeds, treated the water and spread awareness among residents.
Six years of hard work paid off when then President A P J Abdul Kalam visited the site in 2006 and praised them for their effort.
The then government in Punjab then announced that it would take up the project to stop the discharge of untreated water into the rivulet.
What is its national significance?
At one stage, the project had become a role model for river cleaning missions.
The ‘Kali Bein Model’ was cited as the blueprint for the National Mission for Clean Ganga.
Uma Bharti, then Union Minister for Water Resources, River Project and Ganga Rejuvenation, visited the Kali Bein in 2015, and called it a Guru Sthan for the Ganga project.
“Even if your UPSC journey didn’t have a good start, you will be able to clear it very easily. Remember, a setback often moves us to a road that is even worse but leads to an even better destination’ – Civilsdaily
About Anjali Shrotriya– Her UPSC journey and hobbies
Name
Anjali Shrotriya
Age
26
Resident
Indore, Madhya Pradesh
Exam
UPSC 2021
All India Rank
44
Attempts
4th (2nd Interview)
Optional Subject
Geography
Hobbies
Gond painting and tennis
2. Family and Education
Father
A bank employee
Mother
A teacher
Elder sister
–
Anjali Shrotriya hails from the cleanest city, Indore in Madhya Pradesh, and has a family of four consisting of his parents, his elder sister.
Anjali’s Educational Background:
Primary schooling from Indore. After that, She completed his computer science engineering at the Midcap Institution of Science and Technology.
She didn’t join any job
3. UPSC Strategy
She started her UPSC journey in 2018. In her 1st attempt, she couldn’t clear prelims. In her 3rd attempt in 2020, the first time cleared prelims. But this time, unfortunately, she wasn’t able to clear the interview.
She now again appeared for the 2021 prelims in just 15 days. This time she remained laser-sharp-focused on attaining good marks in mains so that the interview wouldn’t decide her rank or placement. And finally, she was successful in her effort.
These 3+ years’ experience and consistency helped him to formulate a better strategy. She, from the beginning, remained careful of limited resources. Her motto was ‘Fewer resources, more revisions’.
For prelims, according to her, Revision of Prelims test series and PYQs are a must. Revision is the key to prelims. She revised all the sources at least 10 times. She prepared her handwritten notes for a greater number of revisions.
Prelims test series:
Forum IAS
Vision IAS
IAS Baba
Current Affairs for Prelims:
Newspapers
Vision IAS monthly magazine
For mains she would give more importance to PYQs. She solved and made frameworks and even answers in some cases for all the PYQs asked by UPSC from 2013 to 2020.
She didn’t join any test series for mains.
She continuously improved her speed of answer writing.
Apart from the above points, she observed that solving PYQs helped her to map important themes and topics that UPSC is asking about these days.
She had been more focused on preparing Introduction and conclusion, diagrams and schematics, keywords, etc crucial things for each important topic in GS papers and optional.
Class XI and XII NCERTs (She knew that UPSC has been asking the conventional questions)
Indian Economy:
Shri Ram IAS booklet
Modern Indian History:
A Brief History of Modern India by Spectrum (Rajiv Ahir)
NCERTs class VI and XII (Old version)
Environment:
Shankar IAS
Science and Tech:
Newspaper & monthly magazine
Art & Culture:
Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania
NCERTs of class XI and XII
Ancient India:
RS Sharma
Ethics:
Ethics and integrity by Subba Rao and PN Rao Chaudhary
Geography:
Certificate Physical and human geography by GC Leong
Indian Geography by Majid Hussain
NCERTs Class IX to Class XII
Challenges to Internal Security of India by Ashok Kumar
ETC.
5. Motivation and inspiration
Anjali Shrotriya’s course to success was not smooth but quite a full of struggle. After graduation, she started preparing for civil services. She faced failure many times and fell and especially after her 3rd attempt where she made it to the interview but not beyond.
Anjali had considerable support from her sister who used to sit with her for 10 to 12 hours during her preparation. Her parents also have unwavering support, telling her to believe in her abilities to make it this far.
Recently, the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) took place from June 20 to 25 in Kigali, Rwanda.
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar led the Indian delegation.
In this article, we examine the role of the Commonwealth and India’s unique relationship with it.
What is the Commonwealth of Nations?
The Commonwealth of Nations is an intergovernmental organization of 53 member states that are mostly former territories of the British Empire.
It dates back to the first half of the 20th century with the decolonization of the British Empire through increased self-governance of its territories.
It was originally created as the British Commonwealth of Nations through the Balfour Declaration at the 1926 Imperial Conference.
It was formalized by the UK through the Statute of Westminster in 1931.
The symbol of this free association is Queen Elizabeth II, who is the Head of the Commonwealth.
History of its creation
The Commonwealth was created in the early 1900s when nations that were formerly a part of the British Empire began to secede.
India is one of the founding members of the modern Commonwealth.
India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, played a key role in the creation of the modern Commonwealth in 1949, Indian policy-makers over the years have considered it as a relic of empire and steeped in colonial legacy.
Membership today is based on free and equal voluntary cooperation.
Working of Commonwealth
Commonwealth members hasno legal obligationsto one another.
Instead, they are united by language, history, culture and their shared values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
Actual functioning: Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)
CHOGM which takes place every two years is a platform for all Commonwealth leaders to meet and discuss issues pertaining to the Commonwealth.
The motto behind the meeting is to reaffirm common values, address the shared global challenges and agree how to work to create a better future.
Why is Britain promoting Commonwealth?
The Commonwealth has become an important forum for London to recalibrate foreign policy.
Britain also wants to reinvent itself politically after Brexit.
India & the Commonwealth
India became a member in 1947, the first with chiefly non-European populations.
India’s new political interest in the Commonwealth is evident by the participation of PM at the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London in 2018.
It marked the first Indian PM’s presence in a Commonwealth Summit after nearly a decade.
India’s interest in the Commonwealth
Old global grouping: First, the membership of the Commonwealth, virtually spanning the entire globe.
Scope for bilateral engagement: For India, membership and prospective leaders of the Commonwealth helps enhance its bilateral ties with individual countries.
Extending India’s soft power: The growing importance of small states for India’s foreign policy. For a rising India, the Commonwealth is the most natural theatre to demonstrate its credibility as a “leading power”.
Indian diaspora: Commonwealth-wide presence of Indian diaspora who once went there as indentured labour is another factor.
Ring-fencing against rivals: China is not and will never be a member of the Commonwealth.
Economic interests: India has the largest economy in the Commonwealth after the UK, India is expected to overtake the UK as the fifth-largest economy in the world and the largest in the Commonwealth.
Issues with the Commonwealth
No agenda: The grouping has no political or economic power, and even former immigration advantages between Commonwealth countries have also ceased to exist.
Declining relevance as a group: Considering its declining importance former PM Manmohan Singh skipped two CHOGM meets, while Narendra Modi didn’t attend the last one, held in Malta in 2015.
Imperialistic setup: Amidst the calls for the position of Commonwealth Head to be more democratically shared or rotated the announcement of Prince Charles as the successor has also put a dent on its democratic credentials.
Importance of Commonwealth
Reach to small nations: From the Indian perspective, the Commonwealth offers opportunities to reach out to small states that make up around 60% of Commonwealth members.
Extending diplomatic presence: In some of these states, India has no diplomatic presence, and forging relations with these countries could help India secure crucial votes during UN or multilateral contests it is involved in.
Voice for small nations: It is also a larger network of countries than any other, except for the UN, which gives a chance for smaller countries to have their voices heard and make their concerns heard.
Most peaceful alliance: On a geopolitical scale, the Commonwealth continues to be an impressive show of the force of a peaceful alliance.
Democratic bloc: Also, for India, it provides an excellent opportunity to give shape to a model of international cooperation and partnership distinct from that of China.
Way Forward
India’s new political interest in the Commonwealth is encouraging. This provides a focus on the Commonwealth looking towards the future.
India has clear opportunities to enhance its global role and maximize its bilateral relations within the multilateral framework of the Commonwealth.
It will seek to focus on enhancing trade and investment in a multilateral Commonwealth-wide context.
The bloc may prove to be an important channel through which India can attempt to build a consensus to develop collaborative ways in dealing with global institutional reforms.
Globally, inflation is now the prime concern of governments, even as there is a speculation that a recession may not be far behind.
Is inflation in India driven by the global factors?
The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been reported as saying that there was a “need to recognise global factors in inflation”.
However, the current inflation in India is, even largely, due to global factors is wrong, and harmful.
While the price of edible oils and the world price of crude may have risen following the Ukraine war, the impact of this development on overall inflation in India, measured by the rise in the consumer price index, would depend upon their share in the consumption basket of households, which is relatively low.
For the commodity groups ‘fuel and light’ and ‘fats and oils’, chosen as proxies for the price of imported fuel and edible oils, respectively, inflation has actually been lower in the first five months of 2022 than in the last five months of 2021.
On the other hand, for the commodity group ‘food and beverages’, it was exactly the reverse, i.e., inflation has been much higher in the more recent period.
Contribution of domestic factors: The estimated direct contribution of this group to the current inflation dwarfs that of all other groups, establishing conclusively that the inflation is driven by domestic factors.
Inadequacy of monetary policy to address the food-price driven inflation
Issues with the monetary policy: Starting in May, the repo rate has been raised.
Raising the interest rate in an attempt to control inflation, implicitly assumes that it reflects economy-wide excess demand.
Such a diagnosis of the current inflation is belied by the fact that the price of food is rising faster than that of other goods i.e., its relative price has risen.
So, the excess demand is in the market for foodstuff, and it is this that needs to be eliminated.
The inadequacy of monetary policy to address food-price-driven inflation has been flagged by economists internationally.
at the World Economic Forum’s annual meet held at Davos, Switzerland in June, Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz observed that raising interest rates is not going to solve the problem of inflation. It is not going to create more food.
Jerome Powell is reported stating that even though the Fed’s resolve to fight inflation is unconditional, “a big part of inflation won’t be affected by our tools”.
This is an acknowledgement that there is only so much a central bank can do when battling inflation driven by the rise in energy and food prices.
Way forward
Need for supply side interventions: To hold on to the view that inflation in India is due to excess aggregate demand curable by raising interest rates ensures that attention is not paid to the necessary supply-side interventions.
Conclusion
India is suffering from undercurrent of a food price inflation, which, by exacerbating poverty, stands in the way of a more rapid expansion of the economy.
For those who missed the amazing session by AIR 11, Apporv Dixit on Making Timetable, time management, and consistency for UPSC 2023-24. Get the recording of the session and a super important webinar PDF.
The Webinar was a great success and many important points were discussed:
We had a discussion with 2500 UPSC aspirants over the last few months. One of the major issues they have been facing is time management and maintaining consistency.
CivilsDaily is back with another super important #UPSCskill 1-1 session. This time you will meet AIR 11, IFoS UPSC 2021 Apoorv Dixit. He will be helping you with workable tips and strategies on making timetables and maintaining consistency.
Lost time is never found again.
Benjamin Franklin
Interactive session: Timetable, time management, and maintaining consistency
1-to-1 session CONCLUDED on 24th July, 6 pm – Sunday
Apoorv Dixit will be taking a LIVE webinar on this coming Sunday. You will be learning the fundamentals of time management for UPSC preparation. Making a timetable that works and gets your targets achieved and maintaining consistency in UPSC Preparation.
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India and Vietnam are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.
India-Vietnam relations background
Commonalities: India’s relations with Vietnam — some of which is based on a set of historical commonalities — predate any conflict between India and China as well as that between China and Vietnam.
Political and security engagement: As India pursues its ‘Act East Policy’, Vietnam has become a valuable partner in India’s political and security engagements in the Indo-Pacific region.
Growing convergence between India and Vietnam
Convergence of strategic and economic interests: Bolstering friendship between the two countries is a natural outcome of a growing convergence of their strategic and economic interests, and also their common vision for peace, prosperity and their people.
Shared strategic concerns: The two countries are working to address shared strategic concerns (such as energy security and open and secure sea lines of communication), and make policy choices without undue external interference.
Given India’s broadening economic and strategic interests in the region and Vietnam’s desire for strategic autonomy, both countries will benefit from a stronger bilateral relationship.
Shared apprehension about China: India and Vietnam face territorial disputes with and shared apprehensions about their common neighbour, China.
Vietnam is of great strategic importance because its position enables it to control ‘the South China Sea — a true Mediterranean of the Pacific’.
The maritime domain, therefore, has become an essential element of India and Vietnam cooperation.
More importantly, India sees an open and stable maritime commons being essential to international trade and prosperity; therefore, it has an interest in protecting the sea lanes.
There are some other potential areas for New Delhi and Hanoi to further deepen collaboration, such as meaningful academic and cultural collaborations, shipbuilding, maritime connectivity, maritime education and research, coastal engineering, the blue economy, marine habitat conservation, and advance collaboration between maritime security agencies.
Four factors responsible for growing maritime engagement with Vietnam
1] Countering China: India’s aspiration to counter an assertive China by strengthening Vietnam’s military power.
2] Security sea lines: With India’s increasing trade with East and Southeast Asia, India has begun to recognise the importance of its sea lines of communication beyond its geographical proximity; the South China Sea occupies a significant geostrategic and geo-economic position, resulting in India’s renewed interests in the South China Sea.
3] Development in maritime domain: India desires to intensify its presence to track potential developments in the maritime domain that could affect its national interests.
4] Naval partnership: The Indian Navy underlines the importance of a forward maritime presence and naval partnership that would be critical to deter potential adversaries.
India’s maritime strategic interests in the region are well established, including the fact that almost 55% of India’s trade with the Indo-Pacific region passes through the South China Sea.
Strategic and defence cooperation
Ever since the formal declaration of a strategic partnership in 2007 and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016, the scope and scale of the India-Vietnam strategic and defence cooperation, particularly in the maritime domain, is deepening with a clear vision, institutional mechanisms.
The signing of ‘Joint Vision for Defence Cooperation’ and a memorandum of understanding on mutual logistics support in June 2022 has further strengthened mutual defence cooperation.
Enhancing Vietnam’s defence capabilities: While a U.S.$100 million Defence Line of Credit has been implemented, India has also announced early finalisation of another U.S.$500 million Defence Line of Credit to enhance Vietnam’s defence capability.
New Delhi has also agreed to expand military training and assist the Vietnam Navy’s strike capabilities.
Cooperation in Indo-Pacific region
India is willing to take a principled stand on territorial disputes in the hope that it contributes to the stabilisation of the Indo-Pacific.
Such positions align closely with Vietnam’s stance on the management of the South China Sea disputes.
The two countries are also engaging in wide-ranging practical cooperation in the maritime domain through a maritime security dialogue, naval exercises, ship visits, Coast Guard cooperation, and training and capacity building.
Working in various frameworks: Both countries have found mutual convergences on cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and are synergising their efforts to work in bilateral as well as other sub-regional and multilateral frameworks, such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, ADMM-Plus or the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus.
Both countries are also looking at collaboration around the seven pillars of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).
Conclusion
The road map agreed upon by the leaders will be helpful in addressing common challenges and decisively navigating towards making an India-Vietnam partnership that helps in stability in the Indo-Pacific.
The RBI is prepared to sell a sixth of its foreign exchange reserves to defend the rupee against a rapid depreciation after it plumbed record lows in recent weeks.
And the way in which India has tackled foreign exchange crises over the years has been quite profound.
A forex crisis can be loosely defined as one where the rupee starts depreciating rapidly or when forex reserves slide precipitously.
Ever since India’s reforms of 1991-92, the external sector has been liberalized, with even full capital account convertibility being considered at one point.
In the rupee’s context, let’s look at options that have been used in the last three decades or so:
(1) Selling dollars
The first course of action has been selling dollars in the spot forex market.
This is fairly straightforward, but has limits as all crises are associated with declining reserves.
While this money is meant for a rainy day, they may just be less than adequate.
The idea of RBI selling dollars works well in the currency market, which is kept guessing how much the central bank is willing to sell at any point of time.
(2) NRI deposits
The second tool used is aimed at garnering non-resident Indian (NRI) deposits.
It was done in 1998 and 2000 through Resurgent India bonds and India Millennium Deposits, when banks reached out asking NRIs to put in money with attractive interest rates.
The forex risk was borne by Indian banks.
This is always a useful way for the country to mobilize a good sum of forex, though the challenge is when the debt has to be redeemed.
At the time of deposits, the rates tend to be attractive, but once the crisis ends, the same rate cannot be offered on deposit renewals.
Therefore, the idea has limitations.
(3) Let oil importers buy dollars themselves
The third option exercised often involves getting oil importing companies to buy dollars directly through a facility extended by a public sector bank.
Its advantage is that these deals are not in the open and so the market does not witness a large demand for dollars on this account.
It is more of a sentiment cooling exercise.
(4) Let exporters trade in dollars
Another tool involves a directive issued for all exporters to mandatorily bring in their dollars on receipt that are needed for future imports.
This acts against an artificial dollar supply reduction due to exporter hold-backs for profit.
(5) Liberalized Exchange Rate
The other weapon, once used earlier, is to curb the amount of dollars one can take under the Liberalized Exchange Rate Management System.
This can be for current account purposes like travel, education, healthcare, etc.
The amounts are not large, but it sends out a strong signal.
(6) Forward-trade marketing
Another route used by RBI is to deal in the forward-trade market.
Its advantage is that a strong signal is sent while controlling volatility, as RBI conducts transactions where only the net amount gets transacted finally.
It has the same power as spot transactions, but without any significant withdrawal of forex from the system.
(7) Currency swaps
The other tool in India’s armoury is the concept of swaps.
This became popular post 2013, when banks collected foreign currency non-resident deposits with a simultaneous swap with RBI, which in effect took on the foreign exchange risk.
Hence, it was different from earlier bond and deposit schemes.
Most preferred options by the RBI
Above discussed instruments have been largely direct in nature, with the underlying factors behind demand-supply being managed by the central bank.
Of late, RBI has gone in for more policy-oriented approaches and the last three measures announced are in this realm.
(8) Allowing banks to work in the NDF market
First was allowing banks to work in the non-deliverable forwards (NDF) market.
This is a largely overseas speculative market that has a high potential to influence domestic sentiment on our currency.
Here, forward transactions take place without real inflows or outflows, with only price differences settled in dollars.
This was a major pain point in the past, as banks did not have access to this segment.
By permitting Indian banks to operate here, the rates in this market and in domestic markets have gotten equalized.
(9) Capital account for NRI deposits
More recently, RBI opened up the capital account on NRI deposits (interest rates than can be offered), external commercial borrowings (amounts that can be raised) and foreign portfolio investments (allowed in lower tenure securities), which has the potential to draw in forex over time.
Interest in these expanded contours may be limited, but the idea is compelling.
(10) Settlement in Rupees
RBI’s permission for foreign trade deals to be settled in rupees is quite novel; as India is a net importer, gains can be made if we pay in rupees for imports.
The conditions placed on the use of surpluses could be a dampener for potential transactions.
But the idea is innovative and could also be a step towards taking the rupee international in such a delicate situation.
Clearly, RBI has constantly been exploring ways to address our forex troubles and even newer measures shouldn’t surprise us.
India came one step closer to bringing back the world’s fastest animal, the Cheetah to the country with an agreement signed in New Delhi with Namibia.
Asiatic Cheetah
Cheetah, the world’s fastest land animal was declared extinct in India in 1952.
The Asiatic cheetah is classified as a “critically endangered” species by the IUCN Red List, and is believed to survive only in Iran.
It was expected to be re-introduced into the country after the Supreme Court lifted curbs for its re-introduction.
Distribution of cheetahs in India
Historically, Asiatic cheetahs had a very wide distribution in India.
There are authentic reports of their occurrence from as far north as Punjab to Tirunelveli district in southern Tamil Nadu, from Gujarat and Rajasthan in the west to Bengal in the east.
Most of the records are from a belt extending from Gujarat passing through Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha.
There is also a cluster of reports from southern Maharashtra extending to parts of Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The distribution range of the cheetah was wide and spread all over the subcontinent. They occurred in substantial numbers.
The cheetah’s habitat was also diverse, favouring the more open habitats: scrub forests, dry grasslands, savannahs and other arid and semi-arid open habitats.
What caused the extinction of cheetahs in India?
The major reasons for the extinction of the Asiatic cheetah in India:
Reduced fecundity and high infant mortality in the wild
Inability to breed in captivity
Sport hunting and
Bounty killings
It is reported that the Mughal Emperor Akbar had kept 1,000 cheetahs in his menagerie and collected as many as 9,000 cats during his half-century reign from 1556 to 1605.
The cheetah numbers were fast depleting by the end of the 18th century even though their prey base and habitat survived till much later.
It is recorded that the last cheetahs were shot in India in 1947, but there are credible reports of sightings of the cat till about 1967.
Conservation objectives for their re-introduction
Based on the available evidence it is difficult to conclude that the decision to introduce the African cheetah in India is based on science.
Science is being used as a legitimising tool for what seems to be a politically influenced conservation goal.
This also in turn sidelines conservation priorities, an order of the Supreme Court, socio-economic constraints and academic rigour.
The issue calls for an open and informed debate.
Issues in re-introduction
Experts find it difficult whether the African cheetahs would find the sanctuary a favorable climate as far as the abundance of prey is concerned.
The habitat of cheetahs is needed to support a genetically viable population.
The UK posted its highest temperature ever recorded — crossing 40°C. Parts of France, Spain and Portugal recorded temperatures between 42 and 46 degrees.
Why in news?
Dozens of towns and regions across Europe reeled under what has been described as a “heat apocalypse”, which has caused widespread devastation this year.
Wildfires caused by a combination of extreme heat and dry weather have destroyed 19,000 hectares of forest in southwestern France.
What is a Heatwave and when is it declared?
Heatwaves occur over India between March and June.
IMD declares a heatwave event when the maximum (day) temperature for a location in the plains crosses 40 degrees Celsius.
Over the hills, the threshold temperature is 30 degrees Celsius.
How are they formed?
Heatwaves form when high pressure aloft (3,000–7,600 metres) strengthens and remains over a region for several days up to several weeks.
This is common in summer (in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres) as the jet stream ‘follows the sun’.
On the equator side of the jet stream, in the upper layers of the atmosphere, is the high pressure area.
Summertime weather patterns are generally slower to change than in winter. As a result, this upper level high pressure also moves slowly.
Under high pressure, the air subsides (sinks) toward the surface, warming and drying adiabatically, inhibiting convection and preventing the formation of clouds.
Reduction of clouds increases shortwave radiation reaching the surface.
A low pressure at the surface leads to surface wind from lower latitudes that brings warm air, enhancing the warming.
Alternatively, the surface winds could blow from the hot continental interior towards the coastal zone, leading to heat waves.
Following criteria are used to declare a heatwave:
To declare heatwave, the below criteria should be met at least in 2 stations in a Meteorological subdivision for at least two consecutive days and it will be declared on the second day.
a) Based on Departure from Normal
Heat Wave: Departure from normal is 4.5°C to 6.4°C
Severe Heat Wave: Departure from normal is >6.4°C
b) Based on Actual Maximum Temperature (for plains only)
Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature ≥ 45°C
Severe Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature ≥47°C
How long can a heatwave spell last?
A heatwave spell generally lasts for a minimum of four days.
On some occasions, it can extend up to seven or ten days.
Impact of Heat Waves
Heat Strokes: The very high temperatures or humid conditions pose an elevated risk of heat stroke or heat exhaustion.
Healthcare crisis: Effects from extreme heat are also associated with increased hospitalisations and emergency room visits, increased deaths from cardio-respiratory and other diseases, mental health issues, adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, etc.
Productivity loss: Extreme heat also lessens worker productivity, especially among the more than 1 billion workers who are exposed to high heat on a regular basis.
Risk of Wildfires: The heat domes act as fuel to wildfires, which destroys a lot of land area every year in countries like the US.
Prevents Cloud Formation: The condition also prevents clouds from forming, allowing for more radiation from the sun to hit the ground.
Effect on Vegetation: The trapping of heat can also damage crops, dry out vegetation and result in
Increased Energy Demands: The sweltering heat wave also leads to rise in energy demand, especially electricity, leading to pushing up rates.
Power Related Issues: Heat waves are often high mortality disasters.
Infrastructure failure: Avoiding heat-related disasters depends on the resilience of the electrical grid, which can fail if electricity demand due to air conditioning use exceeds supply.
What is behind the extreme heat waves in Europe?
Ans. Climate change, but exactly how
Scientists are near-unanimous that the heat waves are a result of climate change caused by human activity.
Global temperatures have already risen by more than 1°C , and studies in the UK had shown that a one degree rise in temperature raises the probability of the country witnessing 40°C by ten times.
The rising global temperature, which this year led to deviations above the normal by as much as 15 degrees in Antarctica, and by more than 3 degrees in the north pole.
Major factor: Changes in old wind patterns
In the case of the US, the record temperatures are being linked to changes in the jet stream — a narrow band of westerly air currents that circulate several km above the earth’s surface.
While a conventionally strong jet stream would bring cooler air from the northern Atlantic, in recent years the jet stream has weakened and split into two.
This has led to intense and more frequent heat waves over parts of the American continent.
The Federated States of Micronesia is one of the latest places on Earth to experience an outbreak of Covid-19, after two and a half years of successfully protecting itself from the virus.
Where is Micronesia?
FSM is located in the Western Pacific, in the Micronesia sub-region of Oceania.
It consists of four island states, Yap, Chuuk, Kosrae and Pohnpei (where the capital Palikir is located), all in the Caroline Islands.
Also known as the Carolines, it is a scattered archipelago of small islands that are divided between Micronesia and the Republic of Palau.
FSM is composed of 607 islands and islets with a total land area of 702 square km.
Its geography
While this area is rather small, the islands stretch across an estimated 2,900 sq. km of sea, giving the nation the 14th largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the world.
EEZs grant countries special right over marine resources up to 370 km from their coasts.
The Federated States of Micronesia shares its sea borders with other small island nations and territories in the Micronesia region like Guam, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Palau, Kiribati, and the Mariana Islands.
Its larger neighbouring states — separated by large swathes of the Pacific Ocean — including the Philippines in the west, Hawaii in the east, Papua New Guinea and Australia to the south, and Japan to the north.
In Mumbai, the unusual vibrations (like earthquakes), coinciding with high-tide times, were the result of the relocation of tetrapods as part of the ongoing Coastal Road Project (MCRP).
What are tetrapods?
Tetra pod in Greek means four-legged.
These are four-legged concrete structures that are placed along coastlines to prevent erosion and water damage.
Tetrapods were first used in France in the late 1940s to protect the shore from the sea.
They are typically placed together to form an interlocking but porous barrier that dissipates the power of waves and currents.
These are large structures, sometimes weighing up to 10 tonnes, and interlocked tetra pods act as a barrier that remains stable against the rocks when buffeted by waves.
Tetrapods, each weighing about 2 tonnes, were placed along Marine Drive in the late 1990s to break and dissipate waves and maintain the reclaimed shoreline in South Mumbai.
How do we know that the removal of the tetrapods was responsible?
The BMC has provided vibration monitoring instruments at the site to study the impact of the phenomenon.
While the corporation has not officially stated that the removal of the tetrapods caused the vibrations, it has agreed to re-install the structures.
They would be put back over the next two-three days during low tide.
GS-1 Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
GS-2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
GS-3 Indian Economy
GS-4 Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service, integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections.
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Explain the two approaches of justice i.e. Niti(arrangement-focused view) and Nyaya(realisation-focused).
Explain why one should focus more on Nyaya rather than Niti.
Provide examples of some removable injustices that should be focused upon by the government, and which would help out in removing other injustices as well in the long run, to reach a just society.
In the intro, mention the recent all time low reached by rupee.
In the body, mention the relationship between the domestic fundamentals and value of the currency. Next mention the weak domestic fundamentals responsible for depreciation between 2008-2012. Also mention the relationship now between the increase in the dollar index and depreciation of rupee in the aftermath of Ukraine war. In the next part mention the policy rate normalisation in the US, and lag in the Eurozone and other economies resulting in appreciation of dollar.
Conclude by mentioning that the dollar will continue to remain strong in the near future.
In the intro, mention that India and Vietnam are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.
In the body mention the historic ties and convergence of interest between the two countries in areas such as maritime cooperation, academic and cultural collaborations, shipbuilding, maritime connectivity, maritime education and research, coastal engineering, the blue economy, marine habitat conservation, and advance collaboration between maritime security agencies. Next mention the shared concerns over China in both the countries.
Conclude by mentioning that a strong commitment of political leadership along with the necessary institutional frameworks and cooperation between the two countries is likely to be more robust in the future.
“It takes roughly 10,000 hours to become good at something, or 28 days of doing the same thing again and again to build a habit. And to clear UPSC you have to learn 2000 topics. Now the choice is yours. The price of success lies on hard work and dedication to the goal in mind”- Civilsdaily
About Yaswant Kumar Reddy– His UPSC journey and hobbies
Name
Challapalle Yaswant Kumar Reddy
Age
Resident
Kurnool Dist. Andhra Pradesh
Exam
UPSC 2021
All India Rank
15
Attempts
3rd
Optional Subject
Anthropology
Hobbies
Watching web series on professional fiction
2. Family and Education
Father
Pulla Reddy, a headmaster in a govt. school
Mother
Amma Laksmidevi, a housewife
Elder Brother
Naga Dastgiri Reddy, an M. Tech
Yaswant Kumar hails from Madi, a village in Kalugotla, Chaglamarri Zone in Andhra Pradesh and has a family of four consisting of his parents, his elder brother.
Yaswant’s Educational Background:
Primary schooling from Mandala Parishad Primary school, in Kottala, Kadapa district. After that, he passed the 10th standard from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Rajampet.
He completed his computer science engineering graduation from JNTU Kakinada. And intern at Shri Chaitanya College, Vijayawada.
He was also selected in Indian Oil Corporation as an Information System Officer.
He worked as an Assistant Commissioner of State Tax in Govt. of Andhra Pradesh.
3. UPSC Strategy
He started his career at a young age with a job as an engineer in IOCL, with Rs. 90,000 per month, but he was not satisfied with that. He started preparing for the competitive examination and secured the third position in Group-A by APPSC. Later, he secured 93rd rank in Civil 2020. In UPSC Civil 2021, he topped with AIR 15 from Telugu state. He left his M.Tech & join the job because it would give him some time to prepare for UPSC CSE
These 3+ years’ experience and consistency helped him to formulate a better strategy.
For prelims he relied only on online materials
For mains he would regularly visit Sakhshieducation and some other websites for UPSC.
He started UPSC preparation by studying NCERTs.
Since current affairs are possibly the most significant part of the IAS exam he backed his preparation with day-to-day newspaper readings to give sufficient focus to the happenings nationally and internationally.
he joined a few online mock test series for Prelims and mains.
He was meticulous about study materials. he consolidated his study materials and revised them as many times as he could.
Be patient and stay focused all the time.
Always tried to improve his performance.
made his notes.
From the very starting, he carried his preparation under senior teachers and mentors.
He didn’t follow any super different strategy of planning. he executed the same strategy differently.
4. Yaswanth Kumar’s Notes & Booklist
Polity:
M. Laxmikant
Indian Economy:
Ramesh Singh
Modern Indian History:
A Brief History of Modern India
NCERTs class VI to XII (Old version)
Art & Culture:
Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania
NCERTs of class XI and XII
Ancient India:
RS Sharma
Ethics:
Ethics and integrity by Subba Rao and PN Rao Chaudhary
Geography:
Certificate Physical and human geography by GC Leong
Indian Geography by Majid Hussain
NCERTs Class IX to Class XII
Challenges to Internal Security of India by Ashok Kumar
Challapalle Jaswanth Kumar Reddy proved that if one relies on hard work towards the goal and moves ahead, one can achieve exceptional success.
His main aim to crack UPSC was to serve his society better he showed his gratitude to his teachers and mentors who were the real torch bearer all along the crooked path of UPSC.
Special Webinar for aspirants in Maharashtra: Timetable and Strategy for Integrated preparation for UPSC and MPSC (Maharashtra PSC) | 22nd July 2022, 3 pm Register and get MPSC Pre 2022 FLTs for FREE | LIVE from Fergusson college
This time we have our student and ‘Pride of Pune’ ranker Sayali Mhetre who secured an AIR 398, UPSC 2021.
A houseful seminar was conducted by CivilsDaily a few days back. The foundation stone for a balanced success in UPSC, along with MPSC has been successfully placed in Pune. Yes, Civilsdaily has reached Maharashtra (Pune).
Sajal sir addressing aspirants from Maharashtra
CivilsDaily is back with the promise of helping you meet rankers from Maharashtra. This time we have our student and ‘Pride of Pune’ ranker Sayali Mhetre who secured an AIR 398, UPSC 2021.
MPSC changes pattern: Aligned with UPSC, to be implemented from 2023
Maharashtra PSC has recently released a notification citing changes in the pattern. Now the main examination will be subjective/descriptive in nature (essay type answers) instead of objective (MCQ type) questions. Also, an Ethics paper has also been introduced, modern history will also be included.
From earlier 6 papers in MPSC Mains now we will have 9 papers, with total marks now standing at 1750 in Mains, closely resembling UPSC’s pattern.
Papers
Subjects
Marks
Nature of papers
Paper 1
Marathi
300
Descriptive (Qualifying)
Paper 2
English
300
Descriptive (Qualifying)
Paper 3
Essay (Marathi or English)
250
Descriptive
Paper 4
GS 1
250
Descriptive
Paper 5
GS 2
250
Descriptive
Paper 6
GS 3
250
Descriptive
Paper 6
GS 4
250
Descriptive
Paper 8
Optional Paper 1
250
Descriptive
Paper 9
Optional Paper 2
250
Descriptive
1750 Marks
Closely resembling the UPSC pattern
Implications of this change
It has certainly made MPSC mains more comprehensive, requiring a wide-based knowledge just like UPSC.
It will be easier for UPSC aspirants to prepare for MPSC and vice-versa.
It improves the percentage of Marathi candidates appearing and clearing UPSC as the paper pattern is almost the same.
It will give equal opportunity to those from rural as well as urban areas. Now every candidate must play on a level playing field.
For those UPSC aspirants who have exhausted their attempts, they would find it easier to appear and crack MPSC.
Aspirants who will reappear in 2023 will have to consider it as a fresh attempt as they have to study almost from scratch.
All these pose an opportunity as well as a challenge for aspirants but for sure it calls for a change in strategy.
CivilsDaily’s performance in UPSC 2021 and an overwhelming number of our Rankers from Maharashtra
UPSC 2021 results were released a few days back and it was a major validation of CivilsDaily’s student-centric approach, personalized mentorship, and commitment to your goal – cracking the UPSC IAS exam.
..amazing observation was the overwhelming number of rankers from Maharashtra.
This was evident from 200+ rankers, including 30+ in the top 50 in the UPSC 2021 exam. Another amazing observation was the overwhelming number of rankers from Maharashtra.
Moreover, we have thousands of CivilsDaily students from the state.
On the insistence of CivilsDaily’s alumni (ex-rankers) and our students from the state, opened our first center in Maharashtra, in Pune.
How is the Pune center going to help UPSC and Civil Services Aspirants from Maharashtra?
Saves you from the trauma of relocation
Aspirants have to leave their home state to Delhi, Karol Bagh for UPSC prep. It seriously dismantles their mental peace and continuity in preparation.
Now you no longer have to leave your state and come to Delhi for UPSC preparation.
Financially
Financially, by saving huge expenditure incurred in Karol Bagh on renting and tuition fees.
Now prepare for both: UPSC and MPSC
Recently the notification for MPSC was released and since the pattern is similar to UPSC now, we will be helping you prepare for MPSC as well.
Live lectures, Offline 1:1 Mentorship, Testing centre in Pune
We will be providing the best classroom lectures; UPSC-relevant tests and study material; experienced mentors and dedicated faculty.
CivilsDaily will always remain committed to a personalized and student-centric approach and will live for its vision of making UPSC and government service exam preparation simpler, effective, result-oriented, and affordable to every aspiring student.
Rupee hits the all-time low of 80 against US dollar recently. The enormity of the challenges can be gauged by these numbers: Since the beginning of war, foreign exchange reserves have declined by $51-billion, total portfolio outflows have been $23 billion, and the current account deficit is now certain to breach $100 billion.
Is depreciation of rupee sign of weak domestic fundamentals?
In case of strong domestic fundamentals: In an ideal world, if domestic economic fundamentals are strong, the depreciation of the rupee should be accompanied by an appreciation of the Dollar Index (DXY) along similar lines.
In case of weak fundamentals: Between January 2008 and February 2012 and October 2012 and May 2014, on a cumulative basis, the rupee had lost a whopping 48.7 per cent against the USD, even as the DXY had appreciated by a modest 5.2 per cent.
This indicates that much of the decline in rupee value then was purely because of weak domestic macro fundamentals.
Current scenario: The rupee has depreciated by a modest 5.6 per cent since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, though the DXY has appreciated by 11.3 per cent.
Thus, the recent decline in the rupee has been more because of the strengthening of the dollar and not because of weak fundamentals at home.
Reasons for the dominance of dollar
In principle, Bretton Woods ensured that the dollar would be a “trust” currency.
The US sits at the centre of an international financial system where its assets have been in high demand.
For instance, frantically growing Asian economies whose penchant for US government securities have also made them susceptible to sudden changes in expectations and economic sentiments sweeping the globe.
The recent disturbances in the global supply chain and volatile commodity prices have only made the job more difficult.
What explains the recent strengthening of dollar
High interest rates in the US: The recent gains in the dollar have come along expectations of aggressive monetary policy by the US Fed compared to other major jurisdictions, particularly, the Eurozone and Japan.
Markets expect the Fed to continue on its path of interest rate normalisation with multiple rate hikes.
Low interest rates in the Eurozone: The European Central Bank (ECB) appears behind the curve, its communication with markets is as uncertain as the political and climatic hot winds criss-crossing the Eurozone.
Low interest rates in Japan: The Bank of Japan has taken a completely divergent path, continuing its accommodative monetary policy despite the hammering of the yen.
This has augured well for the dollar, obscuring the question of how the Fed failed to anticipate the surge in inflation.
Measures by the RBI and the government
As currencies reel under the weight of an unrelenting dollar, questions on the rupee’s performance and future are a natural corollary, more so in the wake of hitting the psychological mark of Rs 80/dollar.
In 2013, when the rupee was in a free fall, stability was finally restored but it came at a cost — a debt buildup of $34.5 FCNR(B).
This time, the RBI and government have taken a long-term view of bolstering dollar inflows, which is perfectly justified.
The RBI, in close tandem with the government, has been supportive of the rupee, and is also now embarking on an unprecedented journey to internationalise the currency.
Conclusion
A direct casualty of the Ukraine war is that the Indian rupee has now depreciated by 5.6 per cent against the dollar. In terms of relative performance, however, the rupee has done quite well compared to most of its counterparts.
Back2Basics: US Dollar Index
The U.S. dollar index (USDX) is a measure of the value of the U.S. dollar relative to a basket of foreign currencies.
The USDX was established by the U.S. Federal Reserve in 1973 after the dissolution of the Bretton Woods Agreement.
It is now maintained by ICE Data Indices, a subsidiary of the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE).
The six currencies included in the USDX are often referred to as America’s most significant trading partners, but the index has only been updated once: in 1999 when the euro replaced the German mark, French franc, Italian lira, Dutch guilder, and Belgian franc.
Consequently, the index does not accurately reflect present-day U.S. trade.
Bretton Woods Agreement and Systems
The Bretton Woods Agreement was negotiated in July 1944 by delegates from 44 countries at the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference held in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire.
Thus, the name “Bretton Woods Agreement.
Under the Bretton Woods System, gold was the basis for the U.S. dollar and other currencies were pegged to the U.S. dollar’s value.
The Bretton Woods System effectively came to an end in the early 1970s when President Richard M. Nixon announced that the U.S. would no longer exchange gold for U.S. currency.
FCNR(B)
An FCNR ( Foreign Currency Non-resident) account is a type of term deposit that NRIs can hold in India in a foreign currency.
FCNR (A) was introduced in 1975 to encourage NRI deposits.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guaranteed the exchange rate prevalent at the time of a deposit to eliminate risk to depositors.
In 1993, the apex bank introduced FCNR (B), without exchange rate guarantee, to replace FCNR (A).
