WEEK: 2

SEPTEMBER
2022

MAINS PRELIMS
HISTORY ENVIRONMENT
GS- I  LIVES OF INDIAN WOMEN  V.O. Chidambaram  India’s most
PRISONERS
151st Birth endangered canid-The
 LANDMARK MARY ROY CASE Anniversary Dhole
& ‘QUESTIONABLE’ WOMEN’S  Freshwater crab
RIGHT TO PROPERTY GEOGRAPHY species found in
 Rainbow clouds Western Ghats
 International Day of
GS- II  INDIA-SOUTH AFRICA Clean Air for Blue
BILATERAL MEET POLITY &
GOVERNANCE Skies
 PUNJAB BANS SARPANCH  Supreme Court issues
PROXIES notice to EC, Govt on SCIENCE &
parties using religious TECHNOLOGY
 CHANGING THE AGE OF  Inflatable Aerodynamic
names, symbols
CONSENT  PM-SHRI scheme Decelerator (IAD)
 ‘Dark sky reserve’ to
GS- III  KERELA ASSEMBLY PASSES INTERNATIONAL come up in Ladakh
LOKAYUKTA AMENDMENT BILL RELATIONS  China’s solar-powered,
 INDIA BECOMES THE FIFTH-  Tibetan Democracy semi-satellite drone
Day  India gets its first nasal
LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE (mucosal vaccines)
WORLD COVID vaccine
 INDIA & ITS START-UP
ECOSYSTEM QUICK BYTES
 Vostok-2022
 BUILDING THE FUTURE:
 India to participate in ‘2+2’ dialogue in Japan
A ROAD TO ENERGY  The world is worried about India banning rice exports
ATMANIRBHARTA  Indian scientist wins award for fortifying millet
 ENVIRONMENT-DRIVEN TAXES  Conversion therapy
 Cervavac, Indigenously developed vaccine for cervical cancer
 SCIENTISTS UNSURE ABOUT
HOW ‘NANO UREA’ BENEFITS
CROP

SPECIAL
 Do Freebies commitments
economically viable?
www.iasscore.in
 Disclaimer
The current affairs articles are segregated from prelims and mains perspective, such
separation is maintained in terms of structure of articles. Mains articles have more
focus on analysis and prelims articles have more focus on facts.
However, this doesn’t mean that Mains articles don’t cover facts and PT articles can’t
have analysis. You are suggested to read all of them for all stages of examination.
 WEEKLY

CONTENTS
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)
Section - A: MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS
Area of GS Topics in News Page No.
 Lives of Indian Women Prisoners 02
GS I SOCIETY  Landmark Mary Roy case & ‘questionable’
03
women’s right to property
INTERNATIIONAL
 India-South Africa Bilateral Meet 04
RELATIONS
 Punjab Bans Sarpanch proxies 05
GS II
POLITY &  Changing the Age of Consent 06
GOVERNANCE  Kerela Assembly passes Lokayukta Amendment
08
Bill
 India becomes the fifth-largest Economy in the
09
world
ECONOMY  India & its Start-Up Ecosystem 11
 Building the Future: A Road to energy
GS III 12
Atmanirbharta
ENVIRONMENT  Environment-driven taxes 13
 Scientists unsure about how ‘Nano Urea’ benefits
SCIENCE & TECH 14
crop
Section - B: SPECIAL
Topics in News Page No.
GS II
 Do Freebies commitments economically viable? 16
& III
Section - C: PRELIMS CURRENT AFFAIRS
Area of GS Topics in News Page No.
HISTORY  V.O. Chidambaram 151st Birth Anniversary 19
GS I
GEOGRAPHY  Rainbow Clouds 20
NTERNATIONAL
GS II  Tibetan Democracy Day 21
RELATIONS
  Supreme Court issues notice to EC, Govt on
POLITY & 22
GS II Parties using religious names, symbols
GOVERNANCE
 PM-SHRI Scheme 23
 India’s most endangered canid-The Dhole 24
ENVIRONMENT  Freshwater crab species found in Western Ghats 24
 International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies 25
 Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (IAD) 26
 ‘Dark sky reserve’ to come up in Ladakh 26
GS III SCIENCE & TECH  China’s solar-powered, semi-satellite drone 27
 India gets its first nasal (mucosal vaccines) COVID
28
vaccine
Section - D: QUICK BYTES
Topics in News Page No.
 Vostok-2022 30
 India to participate in ‘2+2’ dialogue in Japan 30
 The world is worried about India banning rice exports 31
 Indian scientist wins award for fortifying millet 31
 Conversion Therapy 31
 Cervavac, Indigenously developed vaccine for cervical cancer 32
Section - E: QUICK BYTES
Topics in News Page No.
 Indian Army Chief Manoj Pande conferred the honorary rank of Nepal Army
34
General
 Kurki 34
 Borra caves in Andhra Pradesh 35

**********
SECTION: A
(MAINS)
CURRENT AFFAIRS
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

LIVES OF INDIAN WOMEN PRISONERS

CONTEXT:
Recently, the Supreme Court of India granted interim bail to activist Teesta Setalvad stating that the relief of
interim bail is granted in the peculiar facts that the appellant happens to ‘be a lady’.
 This brief aims to analyse the Lives of India’s Women Prisoners and how do they become a forgotten and
shunned part of Indian society.

€ BACKGROUND Other Provisions for women

 Supreme Court had referred to a provision that  Family Courts Act (1984) provides for
says being a woman is a possible ground for establishment of Family Courts for speedy
granting bail, even when otherwise it cannot be settlement of family disputes.
considered.  Indian Penal Code (1860) contains provisions to
 Section 437 of the CrPC deals with bail in case of protect Indian women from dowry death, rape,
non-bailable offences. kidnapping, cruelty and other offences.
! A person shall not be released on bail if there  Code of Criminal Procedure (1973) has
is reasonable ground to believe that he has safeguards for women like obligation of a person
committed an offence punishable with to maintain his wife, arrest of woman by female
death or life imprisonment; or, if he has police and so on.
been previously been convicted for an offence
punishable with death, life imprisonment. Issues faced by women prisoners
 Complete lack of privacy
€ ANALYSIS  They bear the brunt of a stigma
 Lack of hygiene and sanitation
What are the special conditions for women
 Overcrowding
allowing Bail?
 Small number of open prison
 When the woman is a victim of sexual offence or
 Class, caste, religion and nationality have a big say
associated to such case of any age.
in the women’s potential prison experience
 If arrested in terms for presenting as witnesses.
 Physical and mental health of prisoners often
 Physically disabled women and suffering from suffers.
mental disorders are acquainted to relief from
 Female prisoners are housed in smaller enclosures
arrests.
within men’s prisons – a prison within a prison
 Under Section 437 of the Code of Criminal
Procedure (CrPC), a woman is entitled to favourable
treatment. Of the 1,350 prisons in India, just 31 are reserved
for women, and only 15 states and union territories
have separate women’s jails.
Need for Special Provisions Consequences
 Due to Vulnerability of  Easy escape
Women provisions Ways to help women prisoners
Fundamental Rights of for Women
  A liberal application of bail
women: The Constitution of against Crime
 Easier access to legal help
India guarantees the “right  Real Suspect
to equality” to women and can misuse  Special fast-track courts and rehabilitation
prohibits unreasonable the women facilities
discrimination between for criminal  Adequate healthcare, humane treatment,
persons. activities. preserving dignity during searches and protection
 India is a signatory to  Less Judged from violence
Convention on the and easy bail.  Special consideration for women is required but
Elimination of All Forms under the legal framework.
of Discrimination against
Women.  Investigations regarding women needs
sensitization.

2 www.iasscore.in
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
LANDMARK MARY ROY CASE & ‘QUESTIONABLE’
WOMEN’S RIGHT TO PROPERTY
CONTEXT:
Educator and women’s rights activist Mary Roy passed away recently. She was best known for the “Mary Roy”
case, which ensured equal property rights for women from Kerala’s Syrian Christian families.
€ BACKGROUND:
 It all started when Mary Roy was denied equal
rights to her deceased father’s property.
! As a result, she sued her brother, George Isaac,
marking the beginning of a case that is seen as
a milestone in ensuring gender justice in India.
 The key question before the Supreme Court was
whether, in territories that once formed part of the
erstwhile Travancore state, matters of intestate
(a person who has died without leaving a will)
succession to the property of Indian Christian
community members were governed by the
Travancore Christian Succession Act 1917, or by
the Indian Succession Act, 1925.
 This act says that the women belonging to the
Syrian Christian community had no right to
inherit property.
 Also, a daughter shall not be entitled to succeed
to the property of the intestate in the same
share as the son but she will be entitled to one-
fourth the value of the share of the son or Rs 5,000
whichever is less.
 In the case of a widow, the Act only provided for
maintenance that was “terminable at death or on
remarriage”.
Verdict in the case:
 The Supreme Court in its 1986 judgment upheld
the supremacy of the Indian Succession Act, of
1925.
 The Bench comprising Chief Justice of India P
N Bhagwati and Justice R S Pathak ruled that
in case the deceased parent has not left a will,
the succession will be decided as per the Indian
Succession Act, 1925 which will also apply to the
Indian Christian Community in the erstwhile state
of Travancore.
**********
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)
 The verdict put an end to the socially-sanctioned
practice in Syrian Christian families to deny
women their rightful share in inheritance.
Hindu Succession Act, 1956
 The Mitakshara school of Hindu law codified
as the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 governed
succession and inheritance of property but only
recognized males as legal heirs.
 It applied to everyone who is not a Muslim,
Christian, Parsi, or Jew by religion. Buddhists,
Sikhs, Jains, and followers of Arya Samaj, and
Brahmo Samaj, are also considered Hindus for this
law.
 In a Hindu Undivided Family, several legal heirs
through generations can exist jointly.
 Traditionally, only male descendants of a common
ancestor along with their mothers, wives, and
unmarried daughters are considered a joint Hindu
family. The legal heirs hold the family property
jointly.
Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005
 The 1956 Act was amended in September 2005
and women were recognized as coparceners for
property partitions arising from 2005. Coparcener
is a person who shares equally with others in
the inheritance of an undivided estate or in the
rights to it.
 Section 6 of the Act was amended to make a
daughter of a coparcener also a coparcener by
birth “in her own right in the same manner as the
son”.
 It also gave the daughter the same rights and
liabilities “in the coparcenary property as she
would have had if she had been a son”.
 The law applies to ancestral property and to
intestate succession in personal property, where
succession happens as per law and not through
a will.
www.iasscore.in 3
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

INDIA-SOUTH AFRICA BILATERAL MEET

CONTEXT:
Recently India and South Africa in a meeting held, agreed to develop institutional mechanisms for tie-ups
between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) & Skill Institutions.

Key Highlights of the Meeting: ! For domestic students, the policy creates
global immersion programs, encourages
 Discussions were aimed at strengthening the Indian universities to open branch campuses in
academic & skill development partnerships other countries, and allows foreign universities
and bilateral education cooperation. to operate in India, facilitated through a new
 The Ministers agreed to develop institutional legislative framework.
mechanisms for tie-ups between HEIs & skill ! To attract international students, the policy
institutions, mutual recognition of skill provides low-cost, quality education; simplifies
qualifications & capacity building in skill visa and internship policies; allocates funding
development. for Indian universities to develop courses
 Also, it was agreed to set up a Joint Working designed for international students; and
Group on Education between the two countries. encourages international research partnerships
and agreements for mutual recognition of
degrees.
Benefits Concerns
 India has renewed its focus on becoming a
 Internalise the  Can affect the
destination country for international students
idea of Global educational fabric of
and ramping up internationalization efforts on
cooperation for both Indian system.
campuses across India.
the countries.  Advancements
 Expanding the without Teacher
Education sector training Challenges Required measures
in Expanding
 Beneficial for  Handling and
Internationalization
Advance Learning management of
Efforts
 Future prospects of investments
investment  Joint committee may  Limitations on dual  Investment
be biased for specific degrees in schools for
 Increase trade and
school and modern Market-related and differently abled
commerce 
education. cultural challenges students.
 More foreign
Lack of consensus Regulatory barriers  Promoting Indian
students and  
from the local bodies culture in schools
Investments  Shortcomings related Like Yoga,
and stakeholders
 Better Infrastructure to campus life and Ayurveda.
postgraduation
opportunities  Stakeholder’s
India’s role in international education consensus is
 Campus life often must before any
fails to provide implementation
India has a long history of global interface in the social and
education. The ancient Indian universities: Nalanda academic experience  Public awareness
and Taxila were truly international hubs. that international
students look for
 Introduction of National Education Policy when choosing a
(NEP) 2022, has already paved the way for study destination.
the internationalisation of Indian education.

Government’s scheme to promote

internationalisation
 GIAN **********
 SPARC
 Study in India

4 www.iasscore.in
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
PUNJAB BANS SARPANCH PROXIES
CONTEXT:
The Punjab government has decided to ban Sarpanch proxies in any meeting of Panchayati raj
institutions to empower women instead of paying lip service.
What’s the issue?
 Most of the women’s sarpanches do not attend
meetings.
 Instead, the male family members of several
women’s sarpanches were attending official
meetings on their behalf. Some male members
even sign documents on their behalf.
How does it impact the system?
About Panchayat:
 ‘Panchayat’, being “Local government”, is a
state subject and part of the State list of the
Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of
India.
 Through the 73rd constitutional amendment,
one-third of seats in Panchayats were reserved
for women. Several states raised the quantum
of reserved seats to fifty percent.
! This was aimed at empowering women and
ensuring their participation in the political
process and decision-making at the grass
root level.
 Punjab has also made provisions of 50%
reservation for women in Panchayati Raj
Institutions in their respective State Panchayati
Raj Acts.
 Clause (3) of Article 243D of the Constitution
ensures the participation of women in
Panchayati Raj Institutions by mandating not
less than one-third reservation for women
out of the total number of seats to be filled
by direct election and the number of offices of
chairpersons of Panchayats.
**********
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)
 Proxy sarpanches diminish women’s authority
and block the election of women keen on bringing
about a change in society through a career in
politics.
 This is not only making a mockery of the
reservation of women in Panchayati Raj
institutions but also appears to be a hurdle for
other deserving women candidates.
Reasons for the emergence of ‘’sarpanch
proxies”:
 Resistance due to Social barriers
 Poor social status of women
! poor level of literacy
! confined to domestic spaces
! lack financial independence
 Lack of skills: Lack of efforts for women’s capacity
building, training, or inculcating confidence
 Failure of government to act appropriately against
such malpractice and blatant misuse of power.
Required measures:
 Additional work is needed on the capacity
building of women in matters of governance.
This can be done by:
! Raising society’s awareness about women’s
rights
! Sensitizing bureaucracy about the relevance
of women’s participation at the panchayat
level.
! Doing away with the social barriers due to
our traditional society.
www.iasscore.in 5

WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)
CHANGING THE AGE OF CONSENT
CONTEXT:
Recently Karnataka High Court in Bande Rama v. State of Karnataka quashed criminal proceedings of rape and
kidnapping under the Indian Penal Code, under the (POCSO) Act, 2012.
€ BACKGROUND (THE CASE):
 Karnataka High Court quashed the criminal
proceedings under IPC on the complaint of a
17-year-old girl’s father against her 20-year-old
partner. The girl later, stated in court that the
acts were consensual and she had married the
accused after she had turned 18. The marriage was
registered and a child was born to the couple.
 The High Court observed that if the court would
shut its doors to the couple who are married
then the entire proceedings would result in a
miscarriage of justice.
What is the issue?
 Since the consent of a “child” is immaterial,
consensual sexual intercourse with or among
adolescents is treated on par with rape.
 With the enactment of POCSO, a number of young
couples in consensual and non-exploitative
relationships have found themselves embroiled
in the criminal justice system.
 It also impacts the delivery of justice as these
cases constitute a large burden on our courts,
and divert attention from investigation and
prosecution of actual cases of child sexual abuse
and exploitation.
 There is thus a compelling need for law reform
to revise the age of consent and prevent the
criminalization of older adolescents engaging in
factually consensual and non-exploitative acts.
What is the purpose of the Minimum age of
sexual consent?
 The minimum age of sexual consent is the age
from which someone is deemed capable of
consenting to sexual activity.
 The objective of the minimum age of sexual
consent is to protect adolescents from sexual
abuse and the consequences of early sexual
activity on their rights and development.
 There is a possibility that young adolescents
may be lured into sexual activity by older adults
making those from disadvantaged settings.
 Underage sexual activity presents a number
of risks in relation to sexual and reproductive
health, including unwanted or early pregnancy
and exposure to sexually transmitted diseases.
6 www.iasscore.in
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
 Early pregnancy and motherhood in many cases
are, in turn, primary determinants of school
dropout for adolescent girls.
What are the options available to victims in
such matters?
 The only relief available to the couple is to urge
the High Court to quash the case by using
its inherent power under Section 482 of the
Criminal Procedure Code, “to prevent abuse of
the process of any Court or otherwise to secure
the ends of justice.
Section 482 of the CrPC: Nothing in this Code
shall be deemed to limit or affect the inherent
powers of the High Court to make such orders as
may be necessary to give effect to any order under
this Code, or to prevent abuse of the process of any
Court or otherwise to secure the ends of justice.
High Courts Observation:
 The High court observed that the cases of mutual
consent and teenage attraction, are not an
uncommon occurrence at an adolescent age, and,
therefore, the age of consent should be reduced
from 18 years to 16, so that the boy accused of
the crime does not have to undergo punishment
under the POSCO Act.
 Several other High Courts too have recognized
the normalcy of these relationships and the
futility of prosecuting romantic cases owing to
the consensual nature of the relationships as well
as the harmful impact of continued prosecution
on both parties.
 The high rate of acquittals shows that the law is
not in sync with the social realities of the adolescent
relationship.
 Blanket criminalization of such consensual sexual
acts involving older adolescents erodes their
dignity, best interests, liberty, privacy, evolving
autonomy, and development potential.
Capability to give “free consent”?
 It has been found in most cases in this age group
(16-18 years), that girls turn hostile because the
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
sexual act was not against their will and they
were not allured or induced into indulging in the
act.
 It has also been observed that due to a change in
the sociocultural environment in recent decades,
teenagers are sensible enough to understand the
implications of their conduct.
Provisions of the laws relevant to the
situation:
 Our laws do not consider any action by a child
under the age of 7 an offence.
 Even if the child is between the ages of 7 and 12,
but has not attained sufficient maturity to judge
the nature and consequences of his conduct, his
act would not be considered an offence.
 After that, it is implied that a child above 12 years
of age develops a sufficient understanding of
the implications of an offence.
Changing scenario:
 With the changing sociocultural scenario, the
assumption of attaining maturity may also be
applied in cases of granting “free consent”.
 One has to note here, that the Child Labour
(Prohibition and Regulation) Act defines a child as
a person under the age of 14, and, therefore, those
above 14 can legally be employed in otherwise
prohibited occupations and processes. It may be
considered as a possible ground for refering his/
her consent as a “free consent” for the purpose
of law.
**********
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)
Global Scenario:
 Many countries have 16 years or below that as the
age of consent.
 Most of the American states, Europe, Japan,
Canada, Australia, China, and Russia fall into this
category.
 Therefore, the rights of the child (up to 18 years
of age) might be protected in accordance with the
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but the
age of consent can safely be reduced from 18 to
16.
€ WAY FORWARD:
 There is a need to define consensual sex as a
separate category of crime under a more liberal
provision.
 Taking out such cases from the purview of the penal
law will also help the police divert its attention
toward more serious and complex cases.
 According to the National Crime Records
Bureau about half of the POSCO Act cases fall
in the category of the 16-18 years age group.
Removing cases of consensual sex under this
category can help us get a better picture of sexual
assault cases.
 There is thus a compelling need for law reform
to revise the age of consent and prevent the
criminalization of older adolescents engaging in
factually consensual and non-exploitative acts.
www.iasscore.in 7

WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)
KERELA ASSEMBLY PASSES LOKAYUKTA
AMENDMENT BILL
CONTEXT
Kerala Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2022, has been passed by the State’s legislature, amid a boycott
led by the opposition.
€ BACKGROUND
 The term Lokpal and Lokayukta were coined by L.
M. Singhvi.
 In 1966, the First Administrative Reforms
Commission recommended the setting up of
two independent authorities- at the central and
state level, to look into complaints against public
functionaries, including MPs.
 In 2005, the Second Administrative Reforms
Commission chaired by Veerappa Moily also
recommended that the office of Lokpal should be
established without delay.
 In some states, Lokayuktas were already functioning
when the 2013 Act was passed.
 Most states, however, are without a Lokayukta
even after the 2013 Act.
€ ABOUT
Key-highlight of the Kerala Lokayukta
(Amendment) Bill, 2022:
 A public servant has to vacate office if directed
by the Lokayukta.
 The amendment Bill has made the Legislative
Assembly the competent authority to review an
indicting report against the Chief Minister.
 In the case of legislators, the competent
authority will be the House Speaker.
 The competent authority can now either reject
or accept the ombudsman’s report.
**********
8 www.iasscore.in
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
 If a Lokayukta report indicts a cabinet minister,
the Bill vests the reviewing authority in the Chief
Minister.
 The Bill exempts political leaders from the
purview of the Act.
 The Bill allows for retired High Court judges to
be appointed Lokayukta.
Who are the Lokayuktas?
 The Lokayuktas are the state equivalents of the
Lokpal at the centre.
 These institutions are statutory bodies without
any constitutional status.
 Role: States have to establish the Lokayukta to
deal with complaints of corruption against certain
public functionaries in the states.
 The Supreme Court has also directed for states to
take steps for the appointment of Lokayukta.
Formation of Lokayukta:
 The Lokpal and Lokayukta Act delegates the
power to States to establish by law the Lokayukta
to deal with complaints relating to corruption
against public functionaries.
 The Lokayukta is appointed by the Governor of
the State.
 At the time of appointment, the
Governor, generally, consults the Chief Justice of
the State High Court, and the Leader of Opposition
in the State Legislative Assembly.
 The structure of Lokayukta does not follow a
uniform pattern in all the states.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
INDIA BECOMES THE FIFTH-LARGEST ECONOMY IN
THE WORLD
CONTEXT:
India leaped past the UK in the final three months of 2021 to become the fifth-biggest economy.
€ ABOUT
 This calculation is based on US dollars.
 India now trails behind the United States, China,
Japan and Germany in terms of economy.
! A decade ago, India’s rank was 11th among
the world’s largest economies, while UK used
to stand firm at Number 5.
 According to the latest data released by
the National Statistical Office (NSO), during
April-June 2022, the country’s gross value added
(GVA), which is GDP minus net product taxes and
reflects supply growth, grew 12.7 per cent.
Important Sectors:
 Trade, hotels, transporta on, and
communica on; finance, insurance, real
estate, etc. account for more than 60% of
GDP.
 Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries account
for around 12% of total output.
 Manufacturing contributes to about 15% of
GDP
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)
 As per the IMF’s forecast, India is set to take over
the UK in dollar terms on an annual basis this
year. The pound has fallen 8 per cent against the
Indian rupee this year.
 The report comes two days after government
data showed that India’s gross domestic product
(GDP) rose 13.5 per cent in the June 2022 quarter
(Q1FY23) as compared with the 20.1 per cent
growth registered in Q1 2021-22.
 Construc on around 8%
 Mining, quarrying, power, gas, and water
delivery for the remaining 5%.
The difference:
UK India
Sixth largest economy in Fifth largest economy in
the world the world
The size of the UK The same for India was
economy with regards to $854.7 billion
‘nominal’ cash was $814
billion during the quarter
through March.
www.iasscore.in 9
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

UK is currently seeing On the contrary, the  boom in the Investment Business

its inflation grow by Indian economy is
the fastest pace in four forecast to grow more The remaining concerning area
decades, and also faces than 7 per cent this year.
 Population Growth: India’s population growth
a threat of a recession
that may last well into is higher than that in the countries (UK) it has
2024 as per the Bank of overtaken.
England.
 Higher inequality: India’s growth since
liberalisation has been highly inequitable.
Reasons behind India’s growth
 Higher Inflation
 Big domestic market
 favourable demographics
 high catch-up potential due to low initial GDP per According to the World Inequality Report 2022,
head India stands out as a “poor and very unequal
country, with an affluent elite”, where the top
 shift in economic power and focus to the growing 10% holds 57% of the total na onal income
economies of the BRIC countries: Brazil, Russia, while the bo om 50%’s share is just 13%.
India, and China

**********

10 www.iasscore.in
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
INDIA & ITS START-UP ECOSYSTEM
CONTEXT:
The average annual growth rate of Indian unicorns is more than that of the U.S., the U.K., and many other
countries.
€ ANALYSIS
What is a Start-up?
 The term start-up refers to a company in the first
stages of operations.
 Start-ups are founded by one or more entrepreneurs
who want to develop a product or service for which
they believe there is demand.
Why is India seeing the rise of start-ups?
 Benficial demographic dividend: India’s
demographic dividend has blessed it with a
population of such an age group that has either
not entered the job market or is willing to leave
the existing job and start a business.
 Government initiatives such as start-up India,
and stand-up India are focused on providing
finance, training, market access, tax breaks, etc. to
entrepreneurs.
 Availability of investors, both foreign and
domestic, whose purpose of financing start-ups is
to gain multi-bagger returns.
 Telecom and the IT revolution in India have made
getting access to new products and services fairly
easy and therefore generating a customer base
through a website or an app is not that difficult
for start-ups.
Fact/terms related to startups:
 ‘Fintech’ startups work in the field of emerging
financial services technologies.
 A ‘unicorn’ is a startup that reached a valua on
of at least $1 billion.
 Venture Capitalist is a private equity investor that
provides capital to companies with high growth
poten al in exchange for an equity stake.
 Angel capital investors are typically high-net-worth
individuals from tradi onal business backgrounds,
who seek to diversify their por olios.
 ‘Incubators’ accept startups without a prior fixed-
me horizon and raise funds by taking rent.
 Bootstrapping: Use of money that is taken
from friends and family, exis ng resources, or
personal savings as the ini al investment to start
a business.
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)
 Seed Round: Ini al financial rounds of funding,
where the main aim is to raise capital for the
star ng of a business.
 Startup Bubble: a me when the investors are
willing to invest a high amount of money in
startups, which makes their valua on extremely
high.
 Crowdfunding: raising funds from a large number
of people to start a new business.
How can Startups help the Indian Economy?
 Opportunity: Start-ups are providing an
opportunity to the entrepreneurial youth of India
an opportunity to express their idea and grow
their finances exponentially.
 Wealth creation has therefore become
synonymous with start-ups.
 Employment: The establishment of a start-up
brings with it growth in employment opportunities.
 Catering to the needy section: The creation of
products or services can cater to the needs of a
section of the Indian population and make them
economically more potent. For example, the
availability of online e-commerce platforms to
traditional artisans who can now more easily reach
their customers.
Why start-ups are not a complete panacea
to India’s economic woes?
 Short-term: Statistically, a large number of start-
ups do not make it big and are shut down.
 Economic issues: Closure of start-ups leads to
! loss of the capital invested in them
! loss of employment
! sets a demotivating example for those willing to
take chance by establishing a business entity
 Disparities in salary and working conditions are
also known to exist in the start-up ecosystem to a
large extent.
 Unregulated: The start-up sector being less
regulated has also led to no or minimum labour
laws being applied to it.
 Exploitation: Most labourers working for the start-
ups are not entitled to worker’s welfare legislation
and therefore face exploitation.
www.iasscore.in 11

WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)
BUILDING THE FUTURE: A ROAD TO ENERGY
ATMANIRBHARTA
CONTEXT:
Prime Minister has called for “Energy Atmanirbharta” by 2040. A road map will be required
to accomplish the desired goal.
Appropriate definition for Atmanirbharta:
 To many Atmanirbharta translates to self-reliance
or a means to attain self-sufficiency.
 But energy self-sufficiency alone is infeasible
and uneconomic. It would be more yielding if
we understand the idea of Atamanirbharta in the
context of “strategic autonomy”.
x India has an installed power capacity of
403,760 MW – an increase of about 300 times
– and the population has expanded over
fourfold.
x At 1208 kWh per capita consumption, India
is also one of the largest producers and
consumers of energy.
x Despite its dependency on energy imports,
the nation has built a total non-fossil fuel
capacity of about 41.5 per cent, equivalent to
1,67,694 MW.
How can we accomplish the goal of ‘strategic
autonomy’ in energy?
 Prioritize Access to fossil fuels: Our policy must
continue to emphasize affordable and secure
access to oil and gas. This could be achieved by
intensifying domestic exploration.
 Prioritizing access to green energy: The Central
Electricity Authority (CEA) has forecast that wind
and solar energy will make up around 51 percent
of the installed power generation capacity of 830
GW by 2030.
! This will require access to minerals/
components (copper, cobalt, lithium,
semiconductor chips, etc) required to build
EVs, solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries.
The problem is that these commodities are
concentrated in countries that are not on the
same political page as India.
Note: 38 percent of copper is produced in
Chile and Peru. These countries have left-wing
governments unreceptive to private-sector
mining. Further, China controls 47 percent of
copper smelting and 42 percent of copper
refining.
12 www.iasscore.in
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
 Removing the obstacles to domestic mining:
India has some resources such as cobalt, nickel,
and heavy rare earth metals but it has done little
to expedite their mining and processing.
! India must remove the obstacles to domestic
mining and develop strategies to manage
the dynamics of market concentration, global
competition, and unfavorable geopolitics.
 Infrastructure Development: Infrastructure
development is crucial to attaining strategic
autonomy in energy.
! We must expand our strategic petroleum
reserves to cover at least 30 days of
consumption.
! In addition, we must upgrade the transmission
grid and battery storage systems to scale up
renewables and smoothen its supplies.
 Developing Innovative financing mechanisms:
To fund green infrastructure projects we must
work out financing mechanisms.
! It should be emphasized that all such
investments will get impaired if state discoms
are financially insolvent.
 Green Incentives: The government’s production-
linked incentive scheme (PLI) offers benefits for
investment in green energy. The investor response
has so far been encouraging.
 Demand conservation and efficiency: In India,
the demand management of energy has not
attracted as much attention as supply-side issues.
! But this is not true with our European
counterparts. They have standardized and
tightened the energy usage norms. We have
to work in order to correct our approach.
 Energy Diplomacy: Because of our dependence
on the international energy supply chains, our
diplomats should include more arrows of energy
diplomacy in their arsenals.
 Holistic Governance. The age-old structures of
energy governance are obsolete in the present
times. Institutions should be created to facilitate
integrated energy planning and implementation.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
ENVIRONMENT-DRIVEN TAXES
CONTEXT:
The question of designing and imposing environmental taxes with specific objectives remains challenging due to
the complexities involved.
 Recently, there has been growing awareness of the imposition of environmental taxes, and a very large basket
has already been designed in different countries.
€ ECOTAX
 An ecotax is a tax whose tax base is defined so as
to internalise the negative externality generated
either from the production/consumption/
extraction behavior in an economy.
 The basis of such taxes is aimed at capturing
elements of externalities.
! Such taxes are intended to discourage the
overuse of natural resources that damage the
ecology.
 Countries like China also impose various taxes like
“ecotax” on land use (1984), vehicles (2001),
consumption of ecologically harmful products
(1994), farmland occupation tax (1987), and
pollution levy system (1982).
 According to the OECD (2006), there are about
375 environmentally related taxes in the OECD
countries.
! The evolution of these taxes has shown that
most revenue comes from energy, motor
vehicle and transport taxes.
Fiscal instruments to support ecological
issues
Carbon taxes are the most contentious fiscal
instruments widely discussed which serve the dual
purpose of acting as deterrent and raising resources
from activities that impact sustainable economic
development.
Some of the other taxes in this area which have also
been explored globally are:
 Taxes on plastic bags in Ireland were introduced
in 2002. The use of plastic bags in the litter was
reduced from 5% to 0.13% in 2015.
 Deposit refund packaging scheme in Finland
was first introduced in 1950, where a refund
**********
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)
was provided on the deposit of used beverage
packaging. Similar schemes are also in place in the
UK and the USA.
 Landfill tax in the UK was introduced in 1996 to
reduce the amount of waste sent for landfilling
and boost waste recycling.
 Tax on nitrogen emissions in Sweden was
introduced in 1992 to discourage activities with
nitrogen emissions.
! This resulted in a reduction in nitrogen
emissions by 30-40%.
 Fishing license in Ireland was introduced in 2007,
primarily due to declining stocks of salmon and
overfishing in the area.
! License fees were doubled, resulting in the
stabilisation of salmon stock, generated
revenues with a significant impact on the river
banks and restoration of riparian zones.
Ecotax in India:
Some examples of “ecotax” in India at a regional level
are
 Clean energy tax by the Government of India
introduced in 2010, imposed on coal, peat and
lignite
 Gujarat Green Cess imposed on electricity,
presently stayed by the courts.
 Vehicle entry tax introduced in Himachal Pradesh
in 2004
 Tax on old vehicles introduced by 6 States in
India for discouraging old vehicles which impact
ecological balance.
 Cess on non-biodegradable substances,
introduced by Sikkim State in 2005
 Goa Green Cess imposed by Goa in 2013.
www.iasscore.in 13

WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)
SCIENTISTS UNSURE ABOUT HOW ‘NANO UREA’
BENEFITS CROP
CONTEXT:
Although, Nano Urea (a fertilizer) has been approved by the government for commercial use but several experts
have questioned the science underlying its efficacy.
What is Nano Urea?
 It is urea in the form of a nanoparticle. It is a
nutrient (liquid) to provide nitrogen to plants as
an alternative to conventional urea.
 Urea is chemical nitrogen fertilizer, white in
colour, which artificially provides nitrogen, a major
nutrient required by plants.
Why farmers opt for nano urea?
 It is developed to replace conventional urea and
it can curtail the requirement of the same by at
least 50%.
 It allows more absorption than conventional
urea as it has nano particles which consequently
absorbed more by the plants.
 The small size (20-50 nm) of Nano Urea increases
its availability to crop by more than 80%.
How does nano urea work?
 When sprayed on leaves, Nano Urea easily enters
through stomata and other openings and is
assimilated by the plant cells.
 It is easily distributed through the phloem from
the source to sink inside the plant as per its need.
 Unutilized nitrogen is stored in the plant
vacuole and is slowly released for proper growth
and development of the plant.
14 www.iasscore.in
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
Why have experts raised questions about
the efficacy of Nano Urea?
 Discrepancy in the percentage of available
nitrogen: Chemically packaged urea is 46%
nitrogen which means a 45 kg sack contains
about 20 kg of nitrogen. Contrastingly, Nano Urea
sold in 500 ml bottles has only 4% nitrogen (or
around 20 gm).
! This discrepancy in the percentage of available
nitrogen has left many experts puzzled.
 Effectiveness of nitrogen uptake is questionable:
Urea is highly water soluble and already
reaches the lowest form of concentration when
absorbed. Foliar spraying (spraying on leaves)
improves fertilizer uptake is known for over half
a century.
! Even if 100% of 20 gm of Nano Urea, which
is what is effectively available, is utilized by
the plant, it will yield only 368 gm of grain.
Therefore, the total attempt is futile causing
sheer wastage of money.
 Incidence of increase in yield is superfluous:
Some experts say that, in the first year of application
of nano urea, the nitrogen present in the soil and
fertilizer was already sufficient, and supplying
nitrogen via Nano Urea was superfluous.
What is the counter-argument?
 Conventional forms of urea when fall on the soil,
all the nitrogen present in that granule, typically
1-2mm in size, becomes available readily to the
crop. But because of burst release, the ammonia
escapes into the environment, reacts with oxygen
in the environment, and becomes nitrous oxide
which is a greenhouse gas.
 On the contrary, nano-urea is sprayed on the plant
leaf. These are particles of 20 to 50 nanometers.
They get readily absorbed by the plant, and release
nitrogen inside the plant.
! They also stimulate the enzymes involved
in nitrogen metabolism inside the plant cells
and boost the protein content, chlorophyll
content, and the nucleotides such as RNA
content or DNA content.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

Section: B
(SPECIALS)
CURRENT AFFAIRS

www.iasscore.in 15

WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)
DO FREEBIES COMMITMENTS ECONOMICALLY
VIABLE?
CONTEXT:
A debate on freebies started after the Prime Minister’s critical comments on political parties promoting “revdi
culture”.
 Recently, the Supreme Court also asked the central government whether distributing irrational freebies during
election campaigns is “financially viable or not”.
What are freebies?
 Freebies can be defined as something without
charge or cost. It is a very well-known and
widespread practice during election.
 Freebies that are usually distributed include goods
like bicycles, smart phones, TVs, Laptops and
waivers on bills (water, electricity, etc.)
Merit good vs public goods
 There is need to distinguish between the
concept of merit goods and public goods
on which expenditure outlays have overall
benefits.
 Public goods are provided to the entire
society. Merit goods are provided to targeted
individuals. Hence in the case of merit goods,
there is exclusion. On the other goods, there is
no exclusion under public goods.
The issue
 Direct implication of State’s fiscal health: Any state
expenditure has implications for its fiscal health.
So the concern regarding freebies is valid because
these are expenditures that do not positively affect
production in the long run.
Is spending on education, health is also a
concern?
 Providing services such as education, health and
electricity to the deprived sections of society
cannot be considered freebies as they would have
favourable effects on economic growth through
their positive externalities.
 In fact, spending on these services is the
responsibility of the government.
Are freebies and subsidies needed for
developing nations like India?
Despite several impacts on the fiscal management of
the government, it becomes very important for the
developing nation to incentivize such subsidies and
freebies because of various reasons:
16 www.iasscore.in
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
 Food security: To ensure proper Food Security
and the Right to Food as a fundamental right
under Article 21 of the constitution it becomes
mandatory for the government to implement
schemes for subsidized food.
 Better Demography: Ensuring nutritious food
to the citizens can create healthy and productive
demography and help in the creation of Human
Capital.
 SDG goals: Sustainable Development Goals
have objectives to eradicate hunger (SDG-2) and
good health and wellbeing (SDG-3) which can
be achieved by the subsidized food schemes in
developing nations.
 Farmers Welfare: India faces severe cases of
farmers’ distress; to improve the condition of
the rural economy government needs to ensure
schemes and freebies.
 Social Welfare and security: The welfare principle
of the state encourages the states to introduce
such schemes to promote social welfare and
reduce inequality in society.
 Reducing social inequality: Providing food for
all can reduce the prevailing social inequalities on
various grounds.
 Gender Equality (SDG-5): To reduce gender
inequality and provide a secure social status
and recognize all the gender and their sexual
orientation it becomes a compulsory step for the
government to take such steps.
 Induce demand: During the slowdown and low
demand phase these subsidies and freebies can
induce demand in the market that can bring up
the growth at a certain level.
Impacts
Positive Negative
 The distribution of  Waste of taxpayers’
free tablets helps money
minimise the digital
divide
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

 Facilitate access  False promises for population and the government.

to the workplace political benefits  In India, every citizen has a divine right to produce
by eliminating the  Increasing burden on children and Government has the unlimited duty
transportation cost
economy of the state and responsibility to feed, educate, and provide
 The role of free education, health, and employment to each of the
 Can promote
education, health
Communalism children.
and electricity is
benefiting a
helping the economy
particular caste or Required measures
grow rapidly.
religion in a region
 Freebies assist  Realizing Economic Impacts of Freebies: It is
 Not ‘actually’ free:
in mitigating the not about how cheap the freebies are but how
Freebies are not free
income gap between expensive they are for the economy, life quality,
i.e. be it today or
the rich and the poor and social cohesion in the long run.
in the same manner tomorrow ultimately
the methods like tax payers have to ! Instead states should use their authority to
‘progressive taxation’ bear the brunt. harness innovative ideas and solutions to
do. common problems which other states can
emulate.
Is government obliged to provide freebies?  Differentiating Subsidies and Freebies: It is
also essential to distinguish between subsidies
(Obligation of state)
and freebies as subsidies are the justified and
 Government in general is not obliged however; specifically targeted benefits that arise out of
it creates a ground of involvement with the local demands.

State-wise Analysis

**********

www.iasscore.in 17
 Section: C
(Prelims)
CURRENT AFFAIRS
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

V.O. CHIDAMBARAM 151ST BIRTH ANNIVERSARY

€ CONTEXT Thousands of people gathered at the Coimbatore Central Prison to pay homage
to freedom fighter V. O. Chidambaram on his 151st birth anniversary.

Who was V. O. Chidambaram?

 Vallinayagam Olaganathan Chidambaram Pillai (VOC) was popularly known
as Kappalottiya Tamilan (The Tamil Helmsman).
 C Chidambaram Pillai was born on 5th September 1872 to an eminent lawyer Olaganathan
Pillai and Paramyee Ammai in Ottapidaram, Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.
 He graduated from Caldwell College, Tuticorin. Before beginning his law studies, he
worked for a brief period as the taluk office clerk.
 He died on 18th November 1936 in the Indian National Congress Office at Tuticorin as
was his last wish.

Entry in Politics:
 He entered politics in 1905 following the partition of Bengal.
 By the end of 1905, he visited Madras and was drawn closer to the Swadeshi
Movement initiated by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Lala Lajpat Rai.
 He was drawn towards Ramakrishna Mission and came into contact with Subramania
Bharati and the Mandayam family.
 By 1906, he won the support of merchants and industrialists in Tuticorin and Tirunelveli
for the idea of establishing a Swadeshi merchant shipping outfit by the name of the
Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company.
 He established many ins tu ons like Swadeshi Prachar Sabha, Dharmasanga Nesavu
Salai, Na onal Godown, Madras Agro-Industrial Society Ltd, and Desabimana Sangam.
 Even before Gandhiji’s Champaran Satyagraha (1917), he took up the cause of the working
class in Tamil Nadu, and thus he is a forerunner to Gandhiji in this respect.
 He along with other leaders resolved to take out a mammoth procession on the morning
of 9th March 1908 to celebrate the release of Bipin Chandra Pal from jail and to hoist the
flag of Swaraj.

www.iasscore.in 19
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

Important Literary work can be summarized as follows:

 Meyyaram (1914), Meyyarivu (1915), Anthology (1915), Thirukural with literary notes
of Manakudavar (1917), Tholkappiam with literary notes of Ilampooranar (1928),
Autobiography (1946).

RAINBOW CLOUDS

€ CONTEXT Recently, an unusually-shaped rainbow cloud appeared over China. The cloud
in question resembles a pileus cloud, and the phenomenon of bright colours
appearing on a cloud is called cloud iridescence.

€ ABOUT What is a pileus cloud?

 A pileus cloud is usually formed over a
cumulus or cumulonimbus cloud.
 It is formed when the base cloud pushes
a moist current of air upwards and
the water vapour from the current
condenses to somewhat resemble
wave-like crests or umbrellas.
 A pileus cloud is transient in nature and
lasts barely for a few minutes, making it
difficult, and at the same time, exciting,
to spot.

Cloud iridescence:
 Cloud iridescence or Irisation is
an op cal phenomenon that mostly
occurs in wave-like clouds, including
 pileus

 Altocumulus lenticularis

 Iridescence in clouds means the appearance of colours on clouds, which can either be
in the form of parallel bands like in a rainbow or mingled in patches.
 In ancient Greek
mythology, Iris is the
goddess of the rainbow.
 “Irisation”, the
phenomenon of rainbow-
like colours in clouds, is
derived from her name.
 The iridescence of
clouds is an optical
phenomenon produced
by the reflection,
refraction, diffraction, or
interference of sunlight.

20 www.iasscore.in
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

Cause of cloud Iridescence:

 Cloud Iridescence or Irisation is an optical illusion resulting from the diffraction of
light. Different wavelengths are scattered by the presence of small drops of water or
ice crystals in the cloud which is in close proximity to the light of the Sun, or even the
Moon.
 In pileus clouds, small water droplets or ice crystals, usually of a similar size, diffract
the sunlight from falling on them. The thinness of the cloud ensures more exposure to
sunlight for each water droplet or ice crystal.

It is more prominent in optically thin clouds, that’s why they are observed more on the
edges of clouds, or in cases where the clouds are spread thinly across the sky as semi-
transparent clouds.

 The wave crest-like appearance is ensured by the movement of water droplets or

ice crystals in these clouds. The droplets form at one side of the cloud and evaporate
from the other end and hence these clouds remain small and thin.
 According to World Meteorological Organization, iridescence or Irisation is caused
by diffraction within 10 degrees from the sun.
 Beyond ten degrees and up to about 40 degrees, interference of light is the
main cause of iridescence.

TIBETAN DEMOCRACY DAY

€ CONTEXT Tibetan refugees across the world celebrated the 62nd anniversary of Tibetan
Democracy Day on September 2.

Tibetan Democracy Day:

 The day was marked with the inauguration of the Tibetan government-in-exile in
Dharamshala on September 2nd, 1960.
 The day is widely known within the community as Mangsto Duchen (‘Mangsto’:
democracy; ‘Duchen’: occasion).
 At the heart of the Tibetan democratic system, which governs over 1 lakh refugees
across the world, stands the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the Tibetan
government-in-exile in Dharamshala.

NOTE: CTA is not officially recognized by any country.

Important developments
 First Oath: The first elected representatives of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile took
their oaths in Bodh Gaya to inaugurate the Tibetan democratic system.
 1963: Dalai Lama enacted the Tibetan constitution based on the ideals of democracy
and universal values, following which the first women representatives were elected.
 1975: Kashag, the apex body of CTA, declared September 2 as the founding day of
Tibetan democracy.
 1991: Charter of the Tibetans in exile was adopted, and in the following year, the
Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission was established, introducing the exile community
to the three pillars of democracy.

www.iasscore.in 21
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

 Dalai Lama after announcing a position of semi-retirement called for the first direct
election of Kalön Tripa, the executive head of the CTA.
 2011: Dalai Lama handed over all his political and executive power to the Sikyong,
also known as the President of CTA.

India’s official policy towards the CTA:

 India considers the Dalai Lama as a revered religious leader and an honoured guest, but
it does not encourage political activities by Tibetans.
 It does not recognize any separate government of Tibet functioning in India.

SUPREME COURT ISSUES NOTICE TO EC, GOVT ON

PARTIES USING RELIGIOUS NAMES, SYMBOLS
€ CONTEXT: Recently, Supreme Court issued notice to the election commission to cancel the
registration of political parties that use religious symbols or names of religions
in their nomenclature.

€ ABOUT Registration of a political party in India:

 Any party seeking registration has to apply to the Commission within a period of 30
days following the date of its formation as per guidelines prescribed by the Election
Commission in the exercise of the powers conferred by Ar cle 324 of the Constitution
of India and Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
 The registration of all political parties is governed by the provisions of Sec on 29A of
the Representa on of the People Act 1951.

Why registering with the EC is important?

 It is not mandatory to register with the Election Commission but registering as a political
party with the EC has its advantage in terms of intending to avail itself of the provisions
of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
 The candidates set up by a political party registered with the EC will get preference in
the matter of allotment of free symbols vis-à-vis purely independent candidates.

Issuing Symbols

An electoral symbol is a standardized symbol allocated to an independent candidate

or political party by a country’s election commission for use in election ballots.

 The registered political parties can get recognition as a ‘state party or a ‘na onal
party’ subject to the fulfilment of the conditions prescribed by the Commission in
the Elec on Symbols (Reserva on and Allotment) Order 1968.

Significance of Election symbol

 Symbols are used by parties in their campaigning and printed on ballot papers where a
voter must make a mark to vote for the associated party.
 One of their purposes is to facilitate voting by illiterate people, who cannot read
candidates’ names on ballot papers.
 They are easily iden fiable real-world creatures, objects, or items such as the head of
an elephant.

22 www.iasscore.in
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

Related Judgments
 Abhiram Singh vs C D Commachen: An appeal to vote on the ground of the religion (or
caste, community, race, or language) of a candidate or to refrain from voting for a
candidate based on these features would amount to a corrupt practice.

PM-SHRI SCHEME

€ CONTEXT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a new centrally sponsored scheme,
aimed at upgrading 14,500 schools across India to showcase the components of
the National Education Policy, 2020.

What is a centrally sponsored scheme?

 A centrally sponsored scheme is one where the cost of implementa on is
likely to split in the 60:40 ra o among the Union government and the states/
Union Territories.
 It can vary for Northeastern and Himalayan states upto 90% for Centre’s
share.

What is the PM-SHRI scheme?

 The scheme will be called PM SHRI Schools (PM Schools for Rising India).
 Under the said scheme, as many as 14,500 schools across states and Union Territories will
be redeveloped to reflect the key features of the Na onal Educa on Policy (NEP), 2020.
 We already have exemplary schools like Navodaya Vidyalayas and Kendriya Vidyalayas.
The PM SHRI is envisaged to act as “NEP labs”.

Key Features of NEP in School Educa on:

 The NEP envisages a curricular structure and teaching style divided into various
stages:
 Founda onal: The foundational years (pre-school and grades I, and II) will involve play-
based learning.
 Preparatory: At the preparatory level (III-V), light textbooks are to be introduced along
with some formal classroom teaching.
 Middle: Subject teachers are to be introduced at the middle level (VI-VIII).
 Secondary: Secondary stage (IX-XII) will be multidisciplinary with no hard separation
between arts and sciences or other disciplines.

How will PM SHRI schools be different from existing schools of

excellence?
 PM SHRI schools will be an upgrade of exis ng schools run by the Centre, states, UTs and
local bodies like Kendriya Vidyalayas or Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas.
 This essentially means that PM SHRI schools can either be KVs, JNVs, state government
schools or even those run by municipal corpora ons.

Where will the PM SHRI schools come up?

 The Centre has not yet released the list of schools that have been chosen for this
purpose.

www.iasscore.in 23
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

 The PM SHRI schools will also “offer mentorship” to other schools in their vicinity.
 These schools will be equipped with modern infrastructure including labs, smart
classrooms, sports equipment, etc.
 They shall also be developed as green schools with water conservation, waste recycling,
energy-efficient infrastructure and integration of organic lifestyle in curriculum.

INDIA’S MOST ENDANGERED CANID-THE DHOLE

€ CONTEXT: As per studies, limited knowledge about the life history of endangered species is
a common obstacle in addressing conservation challenges.

 One such enigmatic species under threat is the forest-dwelling, social canid of
Indian forests — the dhole (Cuon alpinus).

€ ABOUT About the species:

 Geographic Range: From the Altai Mountains in Manchuria in Central and Eastern Asia,
its range spreads southwards through the forest tracts of India, Burma, and the Malayan
Archipelago. Three races of the dhole exist in India alone.
 Habitat: Dholes like open spaces and can often be found on jungle roads, river beds,
jungle clearings, and paths, where they rest during the day.
 The dhole is a highly social animal, living in large clans without rigid dominance
hierarchies and containing multiple breeding females. Such clans usually consist of 12
individuals, but groups of over 40 are known.
 Conservation
 The dhole is protected under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
 The creation of reserves under Project Tiger provided some protection for dhole
populations sympatric with tigers.
 In 2014, the Indian government sanctioned its first dhole conservation breeding
centre at the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP) in Visakhapatnam.
 It is listed as Endangered by the IUCN, as populations are decreasing and estimated
at less than 2, 500 adults.
 Factors contributing to this decline include habitat loss, loss of prey, and
competition with other species, persecution, and disease transfer from domestic
dogs.

Wild Canids–India Project :

 The Wild Canids–India Project was launched in 2018 by researchers affiliated with
various organizations/universities.
 The project aimed to conduct research work to better understand wild canids and
formulate science-based strategies including citizen science projects to conserve
them.

FRESHWATER CRAB SPECIES FOUND IN WESTERN GHATS

€ CONTEXT: A distinctively coloured crab species has been discovered in the Western Ghats
by a forest guard and a group of researchers.

24 www.iasscore.in
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

About the new species:

 The crab has been named Gha ana dvivarna sp nov.
 The freshwater species was first spo ed in U ara Kannada district in Karnataka.
 The crab’s name is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘dvivarna’, which means bicolour, as
the crustacean has a white body and claws and “red-violet” legs.
 The species was first sighted in June, 2021 in Anshi wildlife range, Kali Tiger Reserve in
Karnataka.
 These crabs usually inhabit the holes in laterite rocks on the elevated mountains of central
Western Ghats (south of Goa-Nilgiris) region.
 They feed on mosses growing on laterite rocks and play a key role in ensuring ecological
balance.
 In India, there are about 125 species of crabs and 13 have been recorded so far under
Ghatiana genus.

Gha ana dvivarna is the 14th freshwater crab to have been discovered.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CLEAN AIR FOR BLUE SKIES

€ CONTEXT Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change organized 3rd
International Day of Clean Air for blue skies as ‘Swachh Vayu Diwas (“Swachh
Vayu Neel Gagan”)’ to raise awareness and facilitate actions to improve air
quality under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).

€ ABOUT International Day of Clean Air for blue skies:

 In 2019, UN General Assembly decided to designate 7 September as the International
Day of Clean Air for blue skies, to be observed starting in 2020.
 The resolution also prompted the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) to promote the day’s observance in collaboration with other appropriate
stakeholders.
 The 2022 theme of “The Air We Share” focuses on the transboundary nature of air
pollution, stressing the need for collective accountability and action.
 It also highlights the need for immediate and strategic international and regional
cooperation for more efficient implementation of mitigation policies and actions to
tackle air pollution.

www.iasscore.in 25
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

INFLATABLE AERODYNAMIC DECELERATOR (IAD)

€ CONTEXT ISRO has recently demonstrated a new technology with Inflatable Aerodynamic
Decelerator (IAD) that is said to be a game-changer with multiple applications
for future missions including to Mars and Venus.

About Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (IAD):

 IAD is designed and developed by ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).
 It was successfully test-flown in a ‘Rohini’ sounding rocket from Thumba Equatorial
Rocket Launching Station (TERLS).
 Initially, it was folded and kept inside the payload bay of the rocket.
 It was later inflated at around 84 km altitude and descended through the atmosphere
with the payload part of the sounding rocket.
 The pneumatic system for inflation was developed by ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems
Centre (LPSC).
 Systematically, the IAD has reduced the velocity of the payload through aerodynamic
drag and followed the predicted trajectory.
 IAD is made from Kevlar fabric, coated with Polychloroprene.
 Since it is made of fabric, IAD can be packed into a small volume of 15 litres, available
in the nosecone of the RH300.
 When inflated, IAD takes the shape of three concentric toroids with an overall
diameter of 1.3m that generates high aerodynamic drag and stability.

New elements being tested in the mission:

Apart from testing IAD, new elements and a host of new methodologies were flight tested
successfully, including:
 Micro Video Imaging System
 Software Defined Radio Telemetry-Dual Transmitter (SDRT-DTx)
 Acoustics Processing Unit with mini-IMAS (Indigenous MEMS Acoustic Sensors)
 New software for wind compensation for TERLS
 Modified nosecone separation system
 Modified FLSC separation system for RH300
 Improved 1s delay detonator for spin rocket separation
 Thermally conducting and electrically insulating potting compound ATCAP-75-7030

‘DARK SKY RESERVE’ TO COME UP IN LADAKH

€ CONTEXT: The Department of Science & Technology (DST) has announced the setting up of
India’s first Dark Sky Reserve in Hanle, Ladakh in the next three months.

What is a Dark Sky Reserve?

 A Dark Sky Reserve is public or private land with a distinguished nocturnal environment
and starry nights that have been developed responsibly to prevent light pollution.
 According to the International Dark Sky Association (IDSA), these reserves “consist
of a core area meeting minimum criteria for sky quality and natural darkness, and a
peripheral area that supports dark sky preservation in the core.

26 www.iasscore.in
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

Objective:
 To promote astronomy tourism in a sustainable and environment-friendly manner.
Scientific methods will be used here to preserve the night sky from ever-increasing
light pollution.

How does a site become a ‘Dark Sky Reserve’?

 Individuals or groups can nominate a site for certification to the International Dark Sky
Association (IDSA). There are five designated categories, namely International Dark Sky
parks, communities, reserves, sanctuaries, and Urban Night Sky Places.
 The certification process is similar to that of a site being awarded the UNESCO World
Heritage Site tag or getting recognized as a Biosphere Reserve. Between 2001 and
January 2022, there have been 195 sites recognized as International Dark Sky Places
globally.

Who is developing India’s first Dark Sky Reserve?

 The Ladakh Union Territory administration is leading the efforts in establishing the
country’s first Dark Sky Reserve.
 To be situated at a height of 4,500 meters above sea level, the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve
(HDSR) will come up within the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary.

Why was Ladakh chosen for the project?

 Ladakh is a unique cold desert located about 3,000 meters above sea level with high
mountainous terrains. Long and harsh winters with minimum temperatures dropping to
minus 40 degrees Celcius make large parts of the UT highly inhabitable.
 This aridity, limited vegetation, high elevation, and large areas with sparse populations
– all make it the perfect setting for long-term astronomical observatories and dark sky
places.

CHINA’S SOLAR-POWERED, SEMI-SATELLITE DRONE

€ CONTEXT China’s first fully solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle has successfully
completed its maiden test flight with all on-board systems functioning
optimally.

About the new machine

 The drone is a large machine powered entirely by solar panels.
 It has a wingspan of 164-ft.
 The high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) UAV can stay airborne for long
durations.
 It is named as the Qimingxing-50, or Morning Star-5.
 This drone flies above 20-km altitude where there is stable airflow with no clouds.
 This helps these drones to make the maximum use of solar equipment to stay functional
for extended durations.
 In fact, the drone’s chief designer told South China Morning Post that it can operate
without a break for months, even years.
 It is capable of carrying out satellite-like functions.
 If satellite services are not available for, say, time-sensitive operations or in case of
wartime disruption, then near-space UAVs can step in to fill the operational gap.

www.iasscore.in 27
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

 These drones are also referred to as ‘High Altitude Platform Stations’ or pseudo-
satellites.
 China already has this capacity, but the Qimingxing-50’s long-endurance provides an
added advantage to make this capability available over a longer period.

Do You Know?
In July 2022, the US Army helped test a solar-powered, near-space Airbus Zephyr S
drone that set a new record by being airborne for 42 days.

INDIA GETS ITS FIRST NASAL (MUCOSAL VACCINES)

COVID VACCINE
€ CONTEXT The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved the country’s first
intra-nasal Covid-19 vaccine Bharat Biotech’s iNCOVACC for restricted emergency
use in those aged above 18 years.

 It’s only the second vaccine in the world, after CanSino Biologics’ vaccine in
China, to get regulatory approval.

Bharat Biotech’s iNCOVACC:

 The vaccine has been developed by Bharat Biotech with technology in-licensed from
Washington University-St Louis.
 iNCOVACC is a chimpanzee adenovirus vectored recombinant nasal vaccine that has been
specifically formulated to allow intra-nasal delivery through nasal drops.
 The nasal delivery system has been designed and developed to be cost-effec ve in low-
and middle-income countries.
 The vaccine is stable at 2-8°C.

Mode of working of the nasal vaccine:

 The vaccine is given nasally, it triggers an immune response in the mucosal
membrane.
 Intra-nasal Covid-19 vaccines may produce local an bodies in the upper respiratory tract
which may provide the poten al to reduce infec on and transmission.
 Therefore, it can stop the virus from replica ng at its entry and spreading to the lungs and
other parts of the body.
 The intra-nasal vaccine s mulates a broad immune response – neutralizing IgG, mucosal
IgA, and T Cell responses.
 Immune responses at the site of infec on (in the nasal mucosa) are essen al for blocking
both infec on and transmission of Covid-19.

Significance of Mucosal Vaccines:

 Spillover an bodies: It has the potential to induce local (mucosal) immunity at the point of
entry of the virus. It could ensure the presence of spillover an bodies on the nasal mucosa.
The nasal area is the spot through which the Sars-CoV-2 virus enters the body.
 No need for Needles: With the vaccine being delivered through a nasal spray, it will do
away with the need for needles and syringes currently required for all the Covid-19
vaccines available.
 No need for trained staff: It will also reduce dependence on personnel trained to give
shots.

28 www.iasscore.in
 Section: D
(QUICK BYTES)
CURRENT AFFAIRS
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

VOSTOK-2022
€ CONTEXT An Indian Army contingent comprising troops from 7/8 Gorkha Rifles is participating
in the multilateral strategic and command exercise ‘Vostok-2022’ which commenced
recently at the training grounds of the eastern military district in Russia.

€ ABOUT Vostok-2022:
 The Vostok-2022 strategic command and staff exercise will be held under the command
of the chief of Russia’s General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, at 13 training grounds in the
Eastern Military District.
 Par cipants: India, China, Belarus, Tajikistan, Mongolia, and other countries will also
participate in the drills.
 It aims to deepen pragma c and friendly coopera on with the militaries of participating
countries, enhance the level of strategic coordination of all participating parties, and
enhance the ability to deal with various security threats.
 The drills are unrelated to the current interna onal and regional situa on.
 The last such Vostok exercise took place in 2018 when China took part for the first time.

INDIA TO PARTICIPATE IN ‘2+2’ DIALOGUE IN JAPAN

€ CONTEXT The second India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Meeting will be held in Japan.

About the second India-Japan 2+2 dialogue:

 India-Japan’s special strategic and global partnership is based on shared values of
democracy, freedom, and respect for rule of law.
 The ‘2+2’ dialogue with Japan was ini ated in 2019. In the 2+2 dialogue, the two sides
are expected to deliberate on ways to further expand bilateral cooperation in the areas
of defence and security besides taking stock of the developments in the Indo-Pacific.

2+2 Dialogue:
 It is an initiative to deepen bilateral security and defence cooperation further and
bring greater depth to the special strategic and global partnership between the two
countries.
 India has the ‘2+2’ ministerial format of dialogue with very few countries, including
the US, Japan, Australia, and Russia.

30 www.iasscore.in
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

THE WORLD IS WORRIED ABOUT INDIA BANNING

RICE EXPORTS
€ CONTEXT 2022 is emerging to be unique for Indian agriculture. Both the staple crops of
rice and wheat appear to be suffering production losses.

€ ABOUT: Projects/estimates:
 The World Bank’s food security update of August 2022 flagged how global concerns
over the likelihood of a rice export ban by India are rising.
 As per NITI Aayog’s demand and supply projections, India’s projected consumption in
2022-23 will be about 108 to 109 MMTs of rice.
 If we assume for the sake of understanding, zero opening and closing rice stocks, then
it appears that last year, the country generated a surplus of about 22 MMTs (130.29 –
108.28).
 This was approximately the amount of rice that was exported from the country in 2021-
22. It is not the same case for 2022-23.

India’s Rice production last year:

 In 2021-22, India produced about 130.29 million metric tonnes (MMTs) of rice.
 About 86 per cent of this (about 112 MMTs) was produced during the Kharif season
(sown during June/July and harvested during November/December).
 The remaining 14 per cent was produced in the winter months during the Rabi
season.

INDIAN SCIENTIST WINS AWARD FOR FORTIFYING

MILLET
€ CONTEXT Telangana-based agriculture scientist Mahalingam Govindaraj has won the
coveted 2022 Norman E. Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application.

Norman Borlaug Field Award:

 The Norman E. Borlaug Award for Field Research and Applica on, endowed by the
Rockefeller Foundation, is presented every October in Des Moines, Iowa, USA, by
the World Food Prize Founda on.
 This $10,000 award recognizes exceptional, science-based achievement in international
agriculture and food production by an individual under the age of 40.
 Awardees emulate the same intellectual courage, stamina, and determination in the
fight to eliminate global hunger and poverty demonstrated by Dr Norman Borlaug as a
young scientist working in Mexico in the 1940s and ‘50s.

CONVERSION THERAPY
€ CONTEXT The National Medical Commission (NMC), the apex regulatory body of medical
professionals in India, has said that “conversion therapy” will be counted as
professional misconduct.

www.iasscore.in 31
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

Conversion Therapy:
 “Conversion therapy,” also known as “repara ve therapy,” is a range of dangerous and
discredited prac ces that falsely claim to change a person’s sexual orienta on or gender
iden ty or expression.
 Such practices have been rejected by every mainstream medical and mental health
organization for decades, but due to continuing discrimination and societal bias against
LGBTQ people, some practitioners continue to conduct conversion therapy.
 Minors are especially vulnerable.
 Conversion therapy can lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness, and
suicide.

CERVAVAC, INDIGENOUSLY DEVELOPED VACCINE

FOR CERVICAL CANCER
€ CONTEXT: Recently the scientific completion of Cervavac, India’s first indigenously
developed quadrivalent human papillomavirus (qHPV) vaccine for the prevention
of cervical cancer has been announced.

About Cervical Cancer:

 Cervical cancer is a prevalent
sexually transmitted
infection.
 It’s a type of cancer that
occurs in the cells of the
cervix, the lower part of the
uterus that connects to the
vagina.
 It is mostly caused by long-
term infection with particular
forms of HPV.
 Human papillomavirus
(HPV) is a viral
infection that is passed
between people
through skin-to-skin
contact.
 It is the second most prevalent cancer form and the second leading cause of cancer
death in women of reproductive age.
 According to the WHO, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among
women globally.

New qHPV vaccine:

 Cervavac was developed by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India in coordination
with the Government of India’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
 Cervavac received market authorisation approval from the Drug Controller General of
India in July 2022.

**********

32 www.iasscore.in
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

Section: E
(MISCELLANEOUS)
CURRENT AFFAIRS

www.iasscore.in 33
 CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

INDIAN ARMY CHIEF MANOJ PANDE CONFERRED

THE HONORARY RANK OF NEPAL ARMY GENERAL
€ CONTEXT Recently, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande was conferred the title of
Honorary General of the Nepali Army by the Nepal President.

About Honour:
 The tradition started in 1950. India also confers the honorary rank of “General of Indian
Army” to the Nepal Army Chief.
 Commander-in-Chief General KM Cariappa was the first Indian Army chief to be decorated
with the tle in 1950.
 In November last year, the Chief of the Nepali Army, General Prabhu Ram Sharma was
also made the Honorary General of the Indian Army by President Ram Nath Kovind at
a ceremony in New Delhi.

India Nepal Relation:

 The country shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states - Sikkim, West
Bengal, Bihar, U ar Pradesh, and U arakhand.
 Land-locked Nepal relies heavily on India for the transportation of goods and services.
 Nepal is important for India in the context of its overall strategic interests in the
region.
 The leaders of the two countries have often noted the age-old “Roti Beti” relationship.

KURKI
€ CONTEXT A farmer committed suicide in Punjab while sitting on a dharna outside the
administrative complex against kurki orders for his land.

34 www.iasscore.in
CURRENT AFFAIRS
WEEKLY
WEEK - 2 (SEPTEMBER, 2022)

€ ABOUT About kurki:

 Kurki means a achment of a farmer’s land, already pledged to the money lending institution
or individual, in case of loan default.
 Apart from banks, private moneylenders, and commission agents also get these decrees
against farmers from time to time.
 Execu on of Kurki:
 Kurki orders are executed under Sec on 60 of the Civil Procedure Code, 1908.
 The land which is pledged by the farmer to the bank or money lender gets registered in
their name.
 In some cases, the land is auc oned as well.
 The process begins after the money lender moves court to get kurki orders in case the
farmer is unable to pay back his loan.
 In kurki, the attachment of the farmer’s land, as well as his tractor, can be done as per
Section 60.
 In 2017, the then Amarinder Singh government abolished Sec on 67-A of the Punjab
Cooperative Societies Act which enabled cooperatives to recover unpaid loans through
auctioning of land mortgaged by farmers.
 However, Sec on 63-B, 63-C of the Act was not dropped to prevent the attachment of
land.

BORRA CAVES IN ANDHRA PRADESH

€ ABOUT: Borra Caves:

 Borra Cave is located near the Ananthagiri hills of the Eastern Ghats range in Alluri
Sitharaman Raju district, in Andhra Pradesh.
 Borra Caves are ranked amongst the deepest as well as the largest caves in India that were
formed millions of years ago.
 These caves are considered to be among rare geological formations and these were
formed by the water activity of the Gosthani River.
 Borra caves go as deep as 80 meters in depth and are kars c limestone structures.
 These caves were discovered by William King George of the Geological Survey of India.
 There is a naturally formed Shivling inside the caves, which is worshipped by the tribals
who live in the nearby forests

**********

www.iasscore.in 35