5070 Manthan2.0NOVEMBER-2023 WEEK-2 (Topic1-10) V101120231

MANTHAN 2.
O
NOVEMBER 2023 : WEEK-2
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Manthan 2.O | November 2023 : Week-2
Contents
1. Cyclone Storm Tej & Cyclonic Storm Hamoon ....................................................................................................... 3
2. ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup ......................................................................................................................................... 7
3. Key outcomes of the G20 Summit 2023 ................................................................................................................. 11
4. India abstains from UN vote calling for truce in Israel without mentioning Hamas........................ 14
5. Bhutan King Wangchuck visited India .................................................................................................................... 19
6. Electoral Bonds and Electoral Trusts ...................................................................................................................... 22
7. Jharkhand launches drive to grant land titles under FRA ............................................................................. 26
8. PM 2.5, Sulphur Dioxide, and more: What are the pollutants in our air, and how they
impact health ...................................................................................................................................................................... 29
9. How did the watermelon become a symbol of the Palestine cause?........................................................ 32
10. GRAP Stage 4 implemented in Delhi-NCR amid severe air pollution ...................................................... 34
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1. Cyclone Storm Tej & Cyclonic Storm
Hamoon
 Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Tej was a strong tropical cyclone that formed over the central-
south Arabian Sea and made landfall on Yemen. It was the first cyclone to make landfall in the
nation since Cyclone Luban of 2018. The sixth depression and the third named cyclonic storm of the
season, Tej coexisted with Cyclone Hamoon in the Bay of Bengal, a rare phenomenon not seen
since 2018. The cyclone then took a northwestward track in the Arabian Sea and made landfall in Al
Mahrah Governorate of Yemen between 23 and 24 October 2023, bringing significant rainfall and
flooding across the eastern half of the country and western parts of Oman.
 While India proposed ‗Tej‘, Iran chose ‗Hamoon‘ as per the Indian Ocean Region‘s cyclone
naming convention. Expected to be 2500 kilometers apart, the cyclones will independently follow their
paths, reports said. While minimal impact is foreseen for India, slight weather changes are anticipated in
Chennai and Tamil Nadu‘s coastal areas as the cyclones move away.
 Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Hamoon was a relatively strong tropical cyclone that made landfall in
Bangladesh. The fourth named storm of the 2023 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Hamoon formed
from a low-pressure area over the west-central Bay of Bengal on 21 October 2023. It suddenly
strengthened, peaking at Category 2-equivalent intensity with winds of 155 km/h (100 mph) in terms of
1-minute sustained winds. Several districts of Tamil Nadu are experienced heavy rainfall for the two
days as cyclonic storm Hamoon is anticipated to further intensify. Making landfall, Hamoon rapidly
weakened once inland and bringing severe rainfall in Bangladesh. The Cyclonic storm has been
named ‗Hamoon‘ by Iran. The word ‗Hamoon‘ is a Persian word that refers to inland desert lakes
or marshlands. They are formed as natural seasonal reservoirs in areas adjoining the Helmand basin.
What are Cyclones?
 A Cyclone is a rapid inward air circulation around a low-pressure area. In other words, it is a low-
pressure system that forms over warm waters.
Cyclones in India
 India has a bi-annual cyclone season that occurs between March to May and October to
December. But on rare occasions, cyclones do occur in June and September months. Tropical
cyclones in the North Indian Ocean region (Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea) develop during the
pre-monsoon (April to June) and post monsoon (October to December) periods. Cyclone Tej is
developed in the Arabian Sea.
Understanding Cyclone Formation and Coriolis Effect

 Formation of Low Pressure: As air gets warm over hotter regions it ascends, leading to low pressure
at the surface it is covering. In a depression or low-pressure situation, the air is rising and blowing in a
specific direction around the low-pressure center.
 Coriolis Effect: This direction is due to the Coriolis effect, which is the result of the Earth‘s rotation
on its axis.
 The Coriolis effect causes the air to deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left
in the Southern Hemisphere, leading to the anticlockwise and clockwise circulation around the low-
pressure center, respectively.
 This process is crucial in the formation and intensification of a cyclone, and it can lead to severe
weather events such as heavy rainfall, strong winds, and storm surges.
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 High Pressure: When air cools in colder areas it descends, leading to high pressure at the surface.
Tropical Cyclones: Characteristics and Formation Stages
Tropical cyclones
 These are intense circular storms that originate over warm tropical oceans in tropical areas and move
over to the coastal areas bringing about large scale destruction caused by violent winds, very heavy
rainfall and storm surges. They are characterized by low atmospheric pressure.
The conditions favourable for the formation and intensification of tropical storms are
 Large sea surface with temperature higher than 27° C.
 Presence of the Coriolis force.
 Small variations in the vertical wind speed.
 A pre-existing weak low- pressure area or low-level-cyclonic circulation.
 Upper divergence above the sea level system.
 Cyclone Tej meets all the criteria to be classified as a tropical cyclone
Stages of Formation: Tropical Cyclones

 Formation Stage: It depends upon the transfer of water vapour and heat from the warm ocean to
the overlying air, primarily by evaporation from the sea surface.
 It encourages formation of massive vertical cumulus clouds due to convection with condensation of
rising air above the ocean surface.
 Mature Stage: When a tropical storm intensifies, the air rises in vigorous thunderstorms and tends to
spread out horizontally at the tropopause level.
 Once air spreads out, a high pressure at high levels is produced, which accelerates the downward
motion of air due to convection.
 With the inducement of subsidence, air warms up by compression and a warm ‗Eye‘ (Low pressure
centre) is generated.
 The main physical feature of a mature tropical cyclone in the Indian Ocean is a concentric pattern of
highly turbulent giant cumulus thundercloud bands.
Modification and Decay

 A tropical cyclone begins to weaken in terms of its central low pressure, internal warmth and
extremely high speeds, as soon as its source of warm moist air begins to ebb or is abruptly cut off. This
happens after its landfall or when it passes over cold waters.
Tropical Cyclones: Global Naming Conventions

 Typhoons: China Sea and Pacific Ocean;
 Hurricanes: West Indian islands in the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean;
 Tornados: Guinea lands of West Africa and southern USA.;
 Willy-willies: North-western Australia.
 Tropical Cyclones: Indian Ocean.
Why generally cyclones do not form during the active monsoon season?
 Vertical Wind Shear: During the monsoon season, there exists very high vertical wind shear due to
strong monsoon currents.
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 Vertical Wind shear is a change in wind speed or direction with a change in altitude.
 This dampens the intensification in strength and wind speeds of cyclones. As a result, clouds do not
grow vertically and monsoon depressions often fail to intensify into cyclones.
 Strong opposing winds: Generally, the monsoon conditions are not favourable for cyclones to
develop in the North Indian Ocean due to the presence of strong opposing winds i.e. ―the lower
atmospheric winds are in one direction (southwesterly) and the upper atmospheric winds are in the
other direction (northeasterly). This prevents a cyclone from developing vertically.‖
How are Names of Cyclones Decided?
 Cyclones that form in every ocean basin across the world are named by the regional specialised
meteorological centres (RSMCs) and Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs). There are six
RSMCs in the world, including the India Meteorological Department (IMD), and five TCWCs. The
India Meteorological Department (IMD) is one of the RSMCs and is responsible for naming cyclones
that develop over the north Indian Ocean, including the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, by
following a standard procedure.
 In 2000, a group of nations called WMO/ESCAP (World Meteorological Organisation/United Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific), which comprised Bangladesh, India, the
Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand, decided to start naming cyclones in the
region. After each country sent in suggestions, the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC)
finalised the list. The cyclone names are assigned in a sequential manner, with names starting from A to
Z, excluding Q, U, X, Y, and Z. The WMO/ESCAP expanded to include five more countries in 2018 —
Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Impact of Climate Change on Cyclones: Trends and Foreseen Consequences”
 Impacting Cyclone Cycle: Climate change is expected to affect the frequency, intensity, and
patterns of tropical cyclones.
 Warmer ocean temperatures, rising sea levels, and changes in atmospheric circulation patterns are all
factors that contribute to the changing nature of tropical cyclones.
Increase in Intensity
 Warmer ocean temperatures provide more energy for tropical cyclones to form and strengthen, leading
to more frequent and more severe storms.
 It has been observed that tropical cyclones that reach category 4 or 5 intensity have increased in recent
decades.
 Changing Pattern: In some regions,frequency of tropical cyclones may decrease, while in others, it
may increase.
 For example, the number of Atlantic hurricanes may decrease in the future, while the number of
storms in the Pacific may increase.
 Rising sea levels: Higher sea levels mean that storm surges caused by tropical cyclones can penetrate
further inland, causing more extensive damage and posing a greater risk to coastal communities.
Increased Cyclonic Activity in the Arabian Sea
 The Arabian Sea is a region of the northern Indian Ocean that is bounded by the Indian subcontinent
to the east, the Arabian Peninsula to the west, and the Somali Peninsula to the south.
 This region has seen relatively few tropical cyclones compared to other parts of the world, such as the
Western Pacific and the Atlantic.
 However, in recent years, the number of cyclones forming in the Arabian Sea has increased by about
50% over the past four decades, and the trend is expected to continue in the future due to rising sea
surface temperatures.
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Cyclone Mocha
 Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Mocha was a powerful and deadly tropical cyclone in the North
Indian Ocean which affected Myanmar and parts of Bangladesh in May 2023. The second
depression and the first cyclonic storm of the 2023 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Mocha
originated from a low-pressure area that was first noted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD)
on 8 May.
 After consolidating into a depression, the storm tracked slowly north-northwestward over the Bay of
Bengal, and reached extremely severe cyclonic storm intensity. After undergoing an eyewall
replacement cycle, Mocha rapidly strengthened, peaking at Category 5-equivalent intensity on 14 May
with winds of 280 km/h (175 mph), tying with Cyclone Fani as the strongest storm on record in the
North Indian Ocean in terms of 1-minute sustained winds. Mocha slightly weakened before making
landfall, and its conditions quickly became unfavorable. Mocha rapidly weakened once inland and
dissipated shortly thereafter. Yemen suggested the name ‗Mocha‘, which is supposed to be
pronounced as Mokha. The cyclone has been named after a Red Sea port city known for its coffee
production. The city also gave its name to the popular beverage, café Mocha
Cyclone Biparjoy
 Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Biparjoy was a long lived, powerful tropical cyclone that
formed over the east-central Arabian Sea. The third depression and the second cyclonic storm of the
2023 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Biparjoy originated from a depression that was first noted by
the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on 6 June, before intensifying into a cyclonic storm. The
cyclone steadily weakened due to deep flaring convection. Biparjoy accelerated northeastward,
strengthening to a Category 3-equivalent tropical cyclone and an extremely severe cyclonic storm. The
cyclone made landfall in Naliya, India on June 16. Biparjoy was downgraded to a depression, and
further into a well-marked low-pressure area late on 19 June. Named by Bangladesh, Biparjoy means
‗calamity‘ in Bengali language. The name of the cyclone is Biparjoy given by Bangladesh and the
word means ‗disaster‘ or ‗calamity‘ in Bengali.
India Meteorological Department (IMD)

 The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the
Government of India. It is the principal agency responsible for meteorological observations,
weather forecasting and seismology. IMD is headquartered in Delhi and operates hundreds of
observation stations across India and Antarctica. Regional offices are at Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata,
Nagpur, Guwahati and New Delhi. IMD is also one of the six Regional Specialised Meteorological
Centres of the World Meteorological Organisation. It has the responsibility for forecasting, naming and
distribution of warnings for tropical cyclones in the Northern Indian Ocean region, including the
Malacca Straits, the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf.
 After a tropical cyclone hit Calcutta in 1864, and the subsequent famines in 1866 and 1871 due to
the failure of the monsoons, it was decided to organise the collection and analysis of meteorological
observations under one roof. As a result, the India Meteorology Department was established in 15
January 1875. Henry Francis Blanford was appointed the first Meteorological Reporter of the
IMD. In May 1889, Sir John Eliot was appointed the first Director General of Observatories in the
erstwhile capital, Calcutta. The IMD headquarters were later shifted to Shimla in 1905, then to Pune in
1928 and finally to New Delhi in 1944. Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra is currently the Director General
of Meteorology at the India Meteorological Department and the Permanent Representative of India
with WMO.
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
 The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations
responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology,
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hydrology and geophysics. The WMO originated from the International Meteorological Organization, a
nongovernmental organization founded in 1873 as a forum for exchanging weather data and research.
The Convention entered into force on 23 March 1950, and the following year the WMO began
operations as an intergovernmental organization within the UN system. Headquartered in Geneva,
Switzerland, the WMO is governed by the World Meteorological Congress, composed of member
states, which meets every four years to set policies and priorities. Jukka Petteri Taalas is a Finnish
meteorologist and Secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization.
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. Cyclone Tej, an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm, made landfall on _________, marking the first
cyclone to hit the nation since Cyclone Luban in 2018.
2. India proposed the name ‗Tej‘ for the cyclone, while Iran chose ‗Hamoon‘ according to the naming
convention for the _________.
3. Cyclonic Storm Hamoon, a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm, made landfall in _________, causing
heavy rainfall in several districts of Tamil Nadu.
4. Tropical cyclones in the North Indian Ocean region typically develop during the pre-monsoon (April
to June) and post-monsoon (October to December) periods, with Cyclone Tej forming in the
_________.
5. The Coriolis effect, influenced by the Earth‘s rotation, causes air circulation around a low-pressure
area in a cyclone, leading to anticlockwise circulation in the _________ Hemisphere.
6. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is responsible for naming cyclones that develop over
the north Indian Ocean, including the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, by following a
_________.
7. Warmer ocean temperatures provide more energy for tropical cyclones to form and strengthen,
contributing to the increase in frequency and severity of storms, especially those reaching category
_________ intensity.
8. The Arabian Sea has witnessed a recent increase in cyclones, attributed to rising sea surface
temperatures, with the number of cyclones forming in the region increasing by about _________
over the past four decades.
9. Cyclone Mocha, an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm, was named after a Red Sea port city known
for its coffee production, pronounced as _________.
10. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the _________,
responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology,
and geophysics.
2. ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup

 The Cricket World Cup, officially known as ICC Men‘s Cricket World Cup is the international
championship of One Day International (ODI) cricket. The event is organised by the sport‘s
governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), every four years, with preliminary
qualification rounds leading up to a finals tournament. The tournament is one of the world‘s most
viewed sporting events and is considered the ―flagship event of the international cricket calendar‖ by the
ICC. It is the pinnacle championship of the sport of cricket.
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 The first World Cup was organised in England in June 1975, with the first ODI cricket match having
been played only four years earlier. However, a separate Women‘s Cricket World Cup had been held
two years before the first men‘s tournament, and a tournament involving multiple international teams
had been held as early as 1912, when a triangular tournament of Test matches was played between
Australia, England and South Africa. The first three World Cups were held in England. From the
1987 tournament onwards, hosting has been shared between countries under an unofficial rotation
system, with fourteen ICC members having hosted at least one match in the tournament.
 The current format involves a qualification phase, which takes place over the preceding three years, to
determine which teams qualify for the tournament phase. In the tournament phase, 10 teams,
including the automatically qualifying host nation, compete for the title at venues within the host
nation over about a month. In the 2027 edition, the format will be changed to accommodate an
expanded 14-team final competition.
 A total of twenty teams have competed in the twelve editions of the tournament, with ten teams
competing in the recent 2019 tournament. Australia has won the tournament five times, India and
West Indies twice each, while Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England have won it once each. The best
performance by a non-full-member team came when Kenya made the semi-finals of the 2003
tournament. England are the current champions after winning the 2019 World Cup edition. The
2023 World Cup in India is ongoing, and the subsequent 2027 World Cup will be held jointly in
South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
 For the 2023 ODI World Cup, Super Overs are deployed as a tiebreaker if the scores are level at
the end of a match. This means that in case of a tie, teams will participate in a Super Over to
determine the winner. The 2023 ICC Men‘s Cricket World Cup is the 13th edition of the Cricket World
Cup, a quadrennial One Day International (ODI) cricket tournament contested by men‘s national teams
and organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The tournament is being hosted by India.
It started on 5 October and is scheduled to conclude on 19 November 2023.
 The International Cricket Council (ICC) is thrilled to announce that ‗Blaze‘ and ‗Tonk‘ have been
unanimously chosen as the names for the mascot duo ahead of the first cricket event they will attend,
the Men‘s Cricket World Cup 2023 where they will look to engage and entertain cricket fans. ‗Blaze‘,
the female mascot, wields a turbo-powered arm that propels fireballs with lightning speed, leaving even
the most audacious batters in sheer amazement. ‗Tonk‘, the male mascot, radiates a unique blend of icy-
cool composure and electrifying batting prowess.
History
 The first international cricket match was played between Canada and the United States, on 24 and
25 September 1844. However, the first credited Test match was played in 1877 between Australia
and England, and the two teams competed regularly for The Ashes in subsequent years. South Africa
was admitted to Test status in 1889. Representative cricket teams were selected to tour each other,
resulting in bilateral competition. Cricket was also included as an Olympic sport at the 1900 Paris
Games, where Great Britain defeated France to win the gold medal. This was the only appearance
of cricket at the Summer Olympics.
Prudential World Cups (1975–1983)

 The inaugural Cricket World Cup was hosted in 1975 by England, the only nation able to put
forward the resources to stage an event of such magnitude at the time. The first three tournaments
were held in England and officially known as the Prudential Cup after the sponsors Prudential plc. The
matches consisted of 60 six-ball overs per team, played during daytime in the traditional form,
with the players wearing cricket whites and using red cricket balls.
 Eight teams participated in the first tournament: Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan,
and the West Indies (the six Test nations at the time), together with Sri Lanka and a composite team
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from East Africa. One notable omission was South Africa, who were banned from international cricket
due to apartheid. The tournament was won by the West Indies, who defeated Australia by 17 runs
in the final at Lord‘s. Roy Fredricks of West Indies was the first batsmen who got hit-wicket in
ODI during the 1975 World Cup final.
 The 1979 World Cup saw the introduction of the ICC Trophy competition to select non-Test
playing teams for the World Cup, with Sri Lanka and Canada qualifying. The West Indies won a
second consecutive World Cup tournament, defeating the hosts England by 92 runs in the final. At a
meeting which followed the World Cup, the International Cricket Conference agreed to make the
competition a quadrennial event.
 The 1983 event was hosted by England for a third consecutive time. By this stage, Sri Lanka had
become a Test-playing nation, and Zimbabwe qualified through the ICC Trophy. A fielding circle was
introduced, 30 yards (27 m) away from the stumps. Four fieldsmen needed to be inside it at all times.
The teams faced each other twice, before moving into the knock-outs. India was crowned champions
after upsetting the West Indies by 43 runs in the final.
More about 1983 Cricket World Cup

rd
 The 1983 Cricket World Cup (officially the Prudential Cup ‗83) was the 3 edition of the Cricket
World Cup tournament. It was held from 9 to 25 June 1983 in England and Wales and was won by
India. The final of the 1983 Cricket World Cup was played between India and the West Indies at Lord‘s
on 25 June 1983. This was the third consecutive World Cup final appearance for the West Indies, having
won the last two Cricket World Cups. India, playing in their first final, defeated the West Indies to claim
their first World Cup title. Kapil Dev captained the Indian cricket team that won the 1983 Cricket
World Cup, becoming the first Indian captain to win the Cricket World Cup. He is still the
youngest captain (at the age of 24) to win the World Cup for any team.
 In the Semifinal match between India v Zimbabwe match on 18 June, 1983 was described by
Wisden as ―a remarkable match contained one of the most spectacular innings played in this form of
cricket‖, as Kapil Dev coming in to bat with India at 9/4 that soon became 17/5, went on to score
175 not out from India‘s score of 266/8, which Zimbabwe narrowly failed to chase down, India
winning by 31 runs.
 The 2016 Indian film Azhar, directed by Tony D‘Souza, revolves around Match fixing scandals in
late 90s and 2000. In the film Dev‘s character was played by Varun Badola. Indian filmmaker Kabir
Khan directed a biopic film, titled 83, about India‘s first world cup win in 1983. The film features
Ranveer Singh as Dev and is produced by Anurag Kashyap and Kapil Dev has a cameo as a spectator.
 The Duckworth-Lewis method was first introduced in the 1992 ICC Men‘s ODI World Cup to
adjust targets in rain-affected matches. The D/L method was devised by two British statisticians,
Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis, as a result of the outcome of the semi-final in the 1992 World
Cup between England and South Africa, where the Most Productive Overs method was used.
When rain stopped play for 12 minutes, South Africa needed 22 runs from 13 balls, but when play
resumed, the revised target left South Africa needing 21 runs from one ball, a reduction of only one
run compared to a reduction of two overs, and a virtually impossible target given that the maximum
score from one ball is generally six runs.
More about 2011 Cricket World Cup

 The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup was the tenth Cricket World Cup. It was played in India, Sri
Lanka, and for the first time in Bangladesh. India won the tournament, defeating Sri Lanka by 6
wickets in the final at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, thus becoming the first country to win the
Cricket World Cup final on home soil. India‘s Yuvraj Singh was declared the man of the
tournament. This was the first time in World Cup history that two Asian teams had appeared in the
final. It was also the first time since the 1992 World Cup that the final match did not feature
Australia. Stumpy, a young elephant, was the official mascot for the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
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 The 2011 Cricket World Cup Final was the final match of the 2011 Men‘s Cricket World Cup, the
10th edition of ICC‘s championship of One Day International (ODI) cricket. The match was played
between India and Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India on 2 April 2011. It was the first
time that two Asian teams had faced each other in an ODI World Cup final. India won the match
by six wickets—its second World Cup win after the 1983 tournament—and became the third team
to have won the title more than once, after Australia (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007) and the West Indies
(1975 and 1979). India became the first country to win Cricket World Cup in their own country.
The Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara chose to bat first after winning the toss. India captain
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, promoting himself up the order, joined Gambhir and they both added 109 runs,
an Indian record in a World Cup final. Dhoni was declared the ―man of the match‖ for scoring 91
runs, while his compatriot Yuvraj Singh was awarded the ―man of the tournament‖.Dhoni is the
first cricketer to be a winning captain of all three major ICC trophies, as under his captaincy,
India won the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, the 2011 World Cup, and the 2013 ICC Champions
Trophy, the most by any captain.
Hosts triumph (2011–2019)
 India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh together hosted the 2011 World Cup. Pakistan was stripped of
its hosting rights following the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009, with the
games originally scheduled for Pakistan redistributed to the other host countries. The number of teams
participating in the World Cup was reduced to fourteen. Australia lost their final group stage match
against Pakistan on 19 March 2011, ending an unbeaten streak of 35 World Cup matches, which
had begun on 23 May 1999. India won their second World Cup title by beating Sri Lanka by 6
wickets in the final at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, making India the first country to win the
World Cup at home. This was also the first time that two Asian countries faced each other in a
World Cup Final.
 Australia and New Zealand jointly hosted the 2015 World Cup. The number of participants
remained at fourteen. Ireland was the most successful Associate nation with a total of three wins in the
tournament. New Zealand beat South Africa in a thrilling first semi-final to qualify for their maiden
World Cup final. Australia defeated New Zealand by seven wickets in the final at Melbourne to lift
the World Cup for the fifth time.
 The 2019 World Cup was hosted by England and Wales. The number of participants was reduced to
10. New Zealand defeated India in the first semi-final, which was pushed over to the reserve day due to
rain. England defeated the defending champions, Australia, in the second semi-final. Neither finalist had
previously won the World Cup. In the final, the scores were tied at 241 after 50 overs and the match
went to a super over, after which the scores were again tied at 15. The World Cup was won by
England, whose boundary count was greater than New Zealand‘s.
Know more about International Cricket Council (ICC)

 The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the global governing body of cricket. It was founded as
the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from Australia, England and South
Africa. It was renamed as the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and adopted its current name in
1987. The ICC has its headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
 The ICC has 108 member nations currently: 12 Full Members that play Test matches, and 96
Associate Members. The ICC is responsible for the organisation and governance of cricket‘s major
international tournaments, most notably the Cricket World Cup, T20 World Cup, and ICC World Test
Championship. Gregor John Barclay is a Canadian-New Zealand sports administrator who has served
as the chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 2020. Geoffrey John Allardice is an
Australian former cricketer and current administrator, who serves as the CEO of the International
Cricket Council.
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QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. The ICC Men‘s Cricket World Cup is organized by the international cricket governing body known
as _________.
2. The first ICC Men‘s Cricket World Cup was held in _________ in June 1975.
3. The mascot duo chosen for the ICC Men‘s Cricket World Cup 2023 are named _________ and
_________.
4. The first international cricket match was played between _________ and _________ in September
1844.
5. The 1983 Cricket World Cup was won by _________, defeating the West Indies in the final at
Lord‘s.
6. The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup was hosted by _________, _________, and _________.
7. Australia‘s unbeaten streak of 35 World Cup matches came to an end in 2011 when they lost to
_________.
8. The 2015 Cricket World Cup final was held in _________, where Australia defeated New Zealand.
9. The ICC has _________ member nations, including 12 Full Members that play Test matches.
10. The current chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC) is _________, who has been serving
since 2020.
3. Key outcomes of the G20 Summit 2023

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s diplomatic coup: PM Narendra Modi views this summit as
India‘s diplomatic milestone, with its G20 presidency serving as a platform to amplify the Global
South‘s concerns. In a personal capacity, the G20 Summit‘s outcomes are important for the Indian
leader as he faces general elections next year.
 At the Summit, India was able to leverage its economic significance to garner support from all G20
member nations for a Leaders‘ Declaration recognizing the conflict in Ukraine without specifying any
aggressor. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chaired the Summit, also advocated for reforming
global institutions like the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to align with the changing world
dynamics, which received backing from the United States. The timing of the G20 Summit was also
opportune, following India‘s successful moon landing under the Chandrayaan-3 program.
G20 New Delhi Declaration

 All 83 paragraphs of the 2023 G20 New Delhi Leaders‘ Declaration were unanimously approved,
achieving a remarkable 100 percent consensus, even with China and Russia in agreement. Notably,
this declaration stood out by containing no footnotes or Chair‘s Summary, marking a historic moment.
 Within these 83 paragraphs, multiple agreements pertaining to the Finance Track were embedded.
Furthermore, it featured 8 paragraphs addressing the conflict in Ukraine and its subsequent economic
implications. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted the achievements of the Indian G-
20 Presidency, emphasizing a concrete strategy for strengthening multilateral development banks,
a clear path for regulating cryptocurrencies, and the deployment of digital public infrastructure to
enhance financial inclusion. She also underscored the importance of a faster debt relief plan for
vulnerable nations.
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 Regarding climate change, the declaration stressed the urgency of mobilizing ―US$5.8-5.9 trillion in
the pre-2030 period for developing countries‖ and ―US$4 trillion per year for clean energy
technologies by 2030‖ to attain net-zero emissions by 2050. It called for a substantial increase in
climate funding, transitioning from billions to trillions of dollars.
African Union accepted as part of the G20

 Prior to this, the only African member of the G20 was South Africa. At the Delhi Summit of the
G20, the African Union, which represents the 55 countries in the African continent, was given full
membership, like how the EU is represented.
 India has successfully positioned itself as a champion for developing and underdeveloped nations and
seeks to align this with its ambitions for a permanent seat on the UNSC. India is actively seeking
support from the African continent, which holds 55 crucial votes, in pursuit of this goal. India also
invited Nigeria, Egypt, and Mauritius as part of the ‗Guest Countries‘ at the G20 summit.
Global leadership participating at the Delhi Summit of the G20
 Azali Assoumani, the President of the Union of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union,
joined the gathering of leaders at the summit. Notable attendees included German Chancellor Olaf
Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni,
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Chinese
President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were conspicuously absent from the
summit. Instead, China was represented by Premier Li Qiang, while Russia sent its Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov.
India – Middle East – Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)

 During the G20 Summit in New Delhi, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed among the
governments of India, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, the European Union, the UAE, France, Germany,
and Italy to establish the India – Middle East – Europe Economic Corridor. IMEC is envisioned as a
network of transportation routes encompassing railways and sea lanes. Its primary objective is to
promote economic development by fostering integration between Asia, the Arabian Gulf, and Europe.
 While specific details are yet to be outlined, this project falls under the umbrella of the Partnership
for Global Infrastructure Investment (PGII), an initiative led by Western nations to support
infrastructure projects worldwide. The PGII aims to secure funding for critical infrastructure
development, including roads, ports, bridges, and communication systems, with the overarching
goal of enhancing global trade and cooperation.
 While no leader explicitly mentioned China, it‘s clear that the IMEC corridor hopes to become a
viable alternative to China‘s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which has steadily established global
connectivity linkages with the Chinese market through extensive shipping, rail, and road
networks, since its conception 10 years ago.
Climate action
 Leaders at the G20 Summit did not reach a consensus on the phase-out of fossil fuels, despite a United
Nations report categorizing this phase-out as ―indispensable‖ for achieving net-zero emissions. The G20
nations collectively contribute to approximately 80 percent of global emissions. The inability to
agree on this crucial issue casts a shadow over upcoming climate discussions set to commence in
November in the oil-rich UAE.
 Nevertheless, the G20 did endorse a goal to triple global renewable energy capacity and
emphasized the necessity for emissions to peak before 2025. Additionally, the Declaration
acknowledged that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit)
necessitates a 43 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030 compared to 2019 levels.
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 The G20 New Delhi Leaders‘ Declaration also featured commitments to mainstream Lifestyle for
Environment (LiFE), implement sustainable energy transitions, provide sustainable finance, reaffirm
the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), address plastic pollution, preserve the ocean-
based economy, and more. Additionally, the summit witnessed the launch of the Global Biofuel
Alliance (GBA), a new organization aimed at promoting the development and adoption of
sustainable biofuels, along with the establishment of relevant standards and certification.
Bilateral meetings on the sidelines
 During the 2023 New Delhi G20 Summit, Prime Minister Modi engaged in a series of bilateral
meetings with world leaders. He symbolically handed over the G20 presidential gavel to Brazilian
President Lula, expressing confidence in India‘s successor to promote global unity and prosperity.
Modi also addressed issues of mutual interest with various leaders.
 In one notable meeting, Modi raised India‘s deep concerns regarding extremist elements in Canada
supporting secessionism, inciting violence against Indian diplomats, and threatening the Indian
community there. President Biden highlighted the partnership between India and the U.S., rooted
in Mahatma Gandhi‘s principle of trusteeship, shared between the two nations.
 Russia praised the G20 Summit under India‘s presidency as a ―breakthrough,‖ highlighting its
outcomes as a roadmap for addressing global challenges and showcasing the strength and importance of
the Global South. PM Modi also discussed the enhancement of trade and infrastructure relations with
Turkish President Erdogan.
 Several world leaders at the G20 Summit congratulated Modi on the success of Chandrayaan-3.
Japanese PM Kishida commended PM Modi for the ―Mission LiFE‖ concept. European
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen advocated for the creation of a new global framework for
addressing artificial intelligence risks, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding society and
encouraging responsible AI investments. Furthermore, G20 leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden,
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, paid their respects to
Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial, Rajghat.
What is the G20 and how does it work?
 The G20 originated in 1999 in response to the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98, initially serving as
an informal platform for finance ministers and central bank governors from both developed and
developing economies. In 2008, following the global financial crisis, the G20 expanded to include
the heads of state of member countries. The G20 Presidency rotates annually under a troika
system, involving the current, previous, and next host countries. In 2022, India took over the G20
Presidency from Indonesia, the preceding member of the troika. The presidency has now been
passed to Brazil, the next troika country.
How the G20 works?
The G20 operates through three main tracks: the Finance Track, the Sherpa Track, and Engagement Groups.
Finance Track: Led by finance ministers and central bank governors, this track convenes approximately
four times a year. It addresses fiscal and monetary policy issues, including the global economy, infrastructure,
financial regulation, financial inclusion, international financial architecture, and international taxation. Key
working groups within this track cover topics, such as the Framework, International Financial Architecture,
Infrastructure, Sustainable Finance, Financial Inclusion, Finance and Health, International Taxation, and
Financial Sector Matters.
Sherpa Track: Established in 2008 when the G20 became a leaders‘ summit, the Sherpa Track is
comprised of representatives of heads of state. It focuses on socioeconomic concerns like agriculture, anti-
corruption, climate change, the digital economy, education, employment, energy, environment, health, tourism,
trade, and investment. Each representative in this track is referred to as a Sherpa, and there are 13 working
groups covering areas, such as Agriculture, Anti-corruption, Culture, Development, Digital Economy, Disaster
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Risk Reduction, Education, Employment, Energy Transitions, Environment and Climate Sustainability, Health,
Tourism, and Trade and Investment.
Engagement Groups: This unofficial track includes non-government participants and engagement
groups that provide recommendations contributing to policy-making. The Engagement Groups consist of
Business20, Civil20, Labour20, Parliament20, Science20, SAI20, Startup20, Think20, Urban20, Women20, and
Youth20.
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi views the G20 Summit as India‘s diplomatic milestone, leveraging
its economic significance to garner support for a Leaders‘ Declaration recognizing the conflict in
_________ without specifying any aggressor.
2. The 2023 G20 New Delhi Leaders‘ Declaration achieved a remarkable 100 percent consensus with
_________ and _________ in agreement.
3. The African Union, representing 55 countries, was granted full membership at the G20 Summit in
New Delhi, aligning with India‘s ambitions for a permanent seat on the _________.
4. The India – Middle East – Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) was established through a
Memorandum of Understanding signed among the governments of India, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, the
European Union, the UAE, France, Germany, and _________.
5. The inability to reach a consensus on the phase-out of fossil fuels at the G20 Summit cast a shadow
over upcoming climate discussions set to commence in November in the oil-rich _________.
6. The G20 leaders endorsed a goal to triple global renewable energy capacity and emphasized the
necessity for emissions to peak before _________.
7. During the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Modi engaged in bilateral meetings and symbolically
handed over the G20 presidential gavel to Brazilian President _________.
8. Several world leaders congratulated Modi on the success of _________ during the G20 Summit.
9. The G20 originated in 1999 in response to the Asian financial crisis and initially served as an
informal platform for finance ministers and central bank governors, expanding to include the heads
of state in _________.
10. The G20 operates through three main tracks: the Finance Track, the Sherpa Track, and _________.
4. India abstains from UN vote calling for

truce in Israel without mentioning
Hamas
 India abstained from voting on a resolution in the United Nations that called for an immediate
humanitarian truce in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The resolution drafted by Jordan also
called for unhindered humanitarian access in the Gaza Strip but had no mention of Hamas. Canada
proposed an amendment that a paragraph condemning the ‗terrorist attacks by Hamas‘ be inserted. India
voted in favour of Canada‘s proposed amendment along with 87 other nations. But it could not be
adopted as it did not have a two-third majority.
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 The Jordan-drafted resolution titled ‗Protection of civilians and upholding legal and
humanitarian obligations‘ was adopted with 120 nations voting in its favour, 14 against it and 45
abstaining. India, Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Ukraine and the UK abstained from voting. The
resolution referred to Israel as ―the occupying Power‖. The resolution called for the rescinding of the
order by Israel, ―the occupying Power‖, for Palestinian civilians, UN staff and humanitarian workers to
evacuate all areas in the Gaza Strip north of Wadi Gaza and relocate to the south.
India-Palestine
 India‘s support for the Palestinian cause is an integral part of the nation‘s foreign policy. In 1974,
India became the first Non-Arab State to recognize Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as
the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. In 1988, India became one of the
first countries to recognize the Palestinian State. In 1996, India opened its Representative Office in
Gaza, which was later shifted to Ramallah in 2003.
Evolution of the relations
 1974: India became the first non-Arab state to recognize Palestine Liberation Organization
(PLO).
 1988: India was one of the first countries to recognize the State of Palestine.
 1996: India opened its Representative Office to the State of Palestine in Gaza.
 2003: It was shifted to Ramallah. Unlike in Israel, India does not have an embassy in Palestine.
 October 2011: India voted in favour of Palestine for its acceptance as a full member of
UNESCO.
 November 29, 2012: India co-sponsored the resolution that made Palestine a ‗non- memberstate‘
of United Nations General Assembly.
 April 2015: India supported the Bandung Declaration on Palestine at Asian African
Commemorative Conference
 September 2015: India supported installation of Palestine flag at UN premises.
Indian and Palestine Relations
 Indian and Palestine relations are old and time tested. India‘s development assistance for
Palestine has been consistent and has grown over the years.
 India has always supported the cause of Palestine and since 1988 India has recognized Palestine.
India is engaged in the nation building efforts of Palestine in several sectors like IT,Education,
Rural development and capacity building. India is providing aid and financial assistance to
Palestine. Recently at the UNGA resolution, India voted against US President Donald Trump
decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel‘s capital.
India’s focus to Link West
 After the Act East policy, the government is shifting the focus to Link West. West Asia has always been
India‘s extended neighborhood. But India has not paid much attention to West Asia considering the
importance of this area in terms of political and economic affairs. Most of India‘s energy requirements
come from West Asia. 6 million Indian origin works in the gulf and the West Asia who send huge
remittances to India. The new dimension to the relationship is in terms of security and counter terrorism
where the countries are facing the problem of terrorism. There are many areas of convergence between
India and West Asia.
Bilateral Visits
 Bilateral Visits There have been regular high level bilateral visits between India and Palestine. Prime
Minister Shri Narendra Modi paid a historic first-ever visit to Palestine on February 10, 2018. Former
Page 15
President Shri Pranab Mukherjee paid a historic first-ever visit to Palestine in October 2015. There were
also other high level visits from India to Palestine in recent years, namely visits of Smt. Sushma Swaraj,
External Affairs Minister in January 2016 and Shri M.J. Akbar Minister of State for External Affairs in
November 2016. Prime Minister had met President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine in September 2015 on
the sidelines of UN General Assembly session in New York and later in December 2015 in Paris on the
sidelines of the climate change summit. President Mahmoud Abbas visited India in 2005, 2008, 2010,
2012 and recently in May 2017 on his third State Visit. During his Visit in 2017, President Abbas had
discussions with Rashtrapatiji and Prime Minister while Vice President and EAM called on him. In
April 2015, Prime Minister of Palestine Dr. Rami Hamdallah and Foreign Minister Dr. Riad Malki met
External Affairs Minister in Indonesia on the sidelines of the Asia Africa Commemoration Conference.
Former President of Palestine Yasser Arafat visited India several times.
Joint Commission Meeting
 The first ever Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) between India and Palestine was held in Ramallah in
November 2016. The JCM was co-chaired by Shri M.J. Akbar, Minister of State for External Affairs and
Dr. Riad Malki, Foreign Minister of Palestine.
 The first ever Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) between India and Palestine was held in
Ramallah in May, 2015. The second round of FOC was held in New Delhi in April 2017.
IBSA Cooperation
 India, Brazil, South Africa (IBSA) Fund has also financed five projects in Palestine, namely
Indoor Multipurpose Sports Complex in Ramallah, Phase I and Phase II of Setting Up of
Cardiothoracic Unit of Palestinian Red Crescent Society‘s Al Quds hospital in Gaza, Atta Habib
Medical Center in Gaza and Rehabilitation Centre for People with Mental Disabilities in Nablus.
Bilateral Trade
 Trade between India and Palestine is conducted through Israel and therefore, comprehensive
trade statistics are not available. Limited data suggests that India-Palestine annual bilateral trade
is worth about US$ 40 million.
 Indian exports include marble, granite and other stones, Basmati Rice, raw material for making vaccines,
coffee, cashew nuts, sugar, sweet biscuits, sacks and bags for the packing of goods, etc.
 Palestinian exports are mainly virgin olive oil and its fractions, dates, etc.
 In terms of sectors automotive spare parts, medical tourism, agro-products, textiles, fabrics,
readymade garments, household appliances, stationery products, leather and leather products,
agrochemicals, plastic products, pharmaceuticals and engineering goods could be the target
sectors for Indian manufacturers and exporters.
Culture & People to People relations

 Indian arts and culture, especially Indian movies are very popular in Palestine.
 Several cultural activities, including film shows and photo exhibitions have been organized by the
Representative Office of India in various Palestinian cities in addition to screening of documentaries
prepared by Public Diplomacy division, MEA in local TV channels, schools and youth clubs.
 The first Indian restaurant in Ramallah was opened in January 2018.
 India-Palestine Youth Exchange Programme was started in 2017.
The Palestine-India Techno Park

 The park will be located next to the Birzeit University Academic Campus. The Representative of
India to Palestine, Sunil Kumar, released third tranche of funding, worth $3 million, for the
construction of a Palestine-India Techno Park.
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 In total, India has made a commitment of investing over $12 million, part of India‘s broader
framework of capacity building in Palestine. The Indian government pays $3 million on a half-
yearly basis.
 The Techno Park is meant to create a national business environment and culture ―that will
enable knowledge-based and creative enterprises as well as technology clusters to successfully
operate locally, regionally and globally‖.
 Its objectives include establishing an environment that is accessible to industry, supporting the
process of commercialization and industrialization, supporting entrepreneurship and bridging the
knowledge gap between the private sector and academia.
 India‘s investment towards the park is part of India‘s support to the Palestinian cause. Once
completed, the Technopark will serve as an IT hub in Palestine with complete IT facilities
offering a one-stop solution to all IT-related service requirements, providing state of-the-art
technology, hosting IT companies and foreign companies benefitting local business, Universities
and other institutions.
Israel–Palestine Issue
 Israel-Palestine relations are not just a serious issue but a very complicated issue. India has
always talked about peaceful solution. India believes in a two-state solution in which both Israel
and a future Palestinian state coexist peacefully.
 In West Asia the political and strategic scenario is changing very quickly. India wants to
dehyphenate its relationship with Israel and Palestine and see them as mutually independent and
exclusive. These are two standalone relationships and they should not be hyphenated together. It
shows the maturity on part of the Israel also as it has recognized this aspect of Indian diplomacy
and is confident of their relationship with India.
 This allows India to maintain the image of its historical moral support for Palestinian
selfdetermination, and at the same time to engage in military, economic, and other strategic
relations with Israel
India’s Position on Palestine

 India‘s position on Palestine is independent and consistent. It is shaped by our views and
interests, and not determined by any third country.
 Along with political support, India has been contributing material and technical assistance to the
Palestinian people.
 In 2016 India pledged a USD 1.25 million to the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees
 India has always been a leading partner in educational support and capacity building process
 The recent visit of India‘s President to Palestine manifests India‘s support to Palestine cause is
still intact.
 The critics view is that Indian policy is certainly affected by US in recent times.
 How has India‘s policy on Israel and Palestine evolved over time?
 India‘s policy on the longest running conflict in the world has gone from being unequivocally
pro-Palestine for the first four decades, to a tense balancing act with its three- decade-old
friendly ties with Israel. In recent years, India‘s position has also been perceived as pro-Israel.
1. Post 1948
 In 1948, India was the only non-Arab-state among 13 countries that voted against the UN
partition plan of Palestine in the General Assembly that led to the creation of Israel.
Page 17
 In 1975, India became the first non-Arab country to recognise the PLO as the sole representative
of the Palestinian people, and invited it to open an office in Delhi, which was accorded
diplomatic status five years later.
 In 1988, when the PLO declared an independent state of Palestine with its capital in East
Jerusalem, India granted recognition immediately.
2. Post 1992
 The balancing began with India‘s decision to normalise ties with Israel in 1992, which came
against the backdrop of the break-up of the Soviet Union, and massive shifts in the geopolitics
of West Asia on account of the first Gulf War in 1990. The opening of an Indian embassy in Tel
Aviv in January 1992 marked an end to the earlier stand.
3. Until 2017
 India‘s position was that it supported ―the Palestinian cause and called for a negotiated solution
resulting in a sovereign, independent, viable and united State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem
as its capital, living within secure and recognised borders, side by side at peace with Israel‖- this
was a two- state solution. Then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stated this position in
November 2013. So did then President Pranab Mukherjee, in October 2015.
4. Post 2017
 India dropped the references to East Jerusalem and the borders in 2017 when Palestinian Authority
President Mahmoud Abbas visited Delhi. In 2018, when Mr. Modi visited Ramallah, he reaffirmed the
same position, with no direct reference to the borders or Jerusalem.
 A resolution titled ―Ensuring respect for international human rights law and humanitarian law in
Occupied Palestinian Territory including East Jerusalem and in Israel‖ recently came up at the Human
Rights Council [HRC] against the backdrop of the latest round of conflict between Israel and Gaza strip,
the coastal part of the Palestinian territories.
 However, India abstained from voting. Now, in response to this, Palestine has observed that such
abstention suppresses human rights of ―all people‖.
 The resolution was adopted with the vote of 24 members. Nine voted against, and 14, including India,
abstained. The passing of the resolution led to the setting up of an independent commission of inquiry to
investigate violation of international law by Israel.
What does this indicate?
 The trend is clear – India‘s decisions are based on a mature understanding and evaluation of the Israel-
Palestine issues and New Delhi is following the same approach now as Israel and Palestine exchange
rocket fire. India has refused to pick a side and called for de-escalation and dialogue.
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. In 1974, India became the first non-Arab state to recognize _________ as the sole and legitimate
representative of the Palestinian people.
2. In 1988, India was one of the first countries to recognize the _________.
3. In 1996, India opened its Representative Office to the State of Palestine in _________.
4. The Palestine-India Techno Park, once completed, will serve as an IT hub in Palestine with complete
IT facilities offering a one-stop solution to all _________.
5. India, Brazil, South Africa (IBSA) Fund has financed five projects in Palestine, including the Indoor
Multipurpose Sports Complex in _________.
Page 18
6. The first ever Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) between India and Palestine was held in _________
in November 2016.
7. India‘s position on the Israel-Palestine issue has evolved from being unequivocally pro-Palestine for
the first four decades to a tense balancing act with its three-decade-old friendly ties with _________.
8. In 1992, India normalized ties with Israel and opened an Indian embassy in _________.
9. India‘s position on Palestine dropped references to _________ and borders in 2017.
10. India believes in a _________ solution in which both Israel and a future Palestinian state
coexist peacefully.
5. Bhutan King Wangchuck visited India

 Bhutan‘s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck recently arrived in India on a highly anticipated
trip, receiving a red carpet welcome. The visit holds significant importance as it coincides with
renewed efforts by Bhutan and China to resolve their longstanding border dispute. New Delhi is
closely monitoring these negotiations due to potential implications for India‘s security interests,
particularly in the Doklam tri-junction.
 Recently, India and Bhutan agreed to discuss new routes of Regional Connectivity, and upgrade
border and immigration posts, in order to enhance trade and Partnership during Bhutan King‘s
India visit.
What are the Key Highlights of the Discussion?
Regional Connectivity
 India and Bhutan have agreed to discuss new routes of regional connectivity, which includes the
development of a cross-border rail link between Gelephu in Bhutan and Kokrajhar in Assam,
spanning 58 km. Additionally, there is a plan to explore a second rail link of approximately 18 km
between Samtse in Bhutan and Banarhat in the tea gardens area of West Bengal. Both sides discussed
upgrading border and immigration posts to support this project, and it could be a significant
development in the border area.
Trade and Connectivity
 The two countries agreed to facilitate trade by allowing Bhutanese trade items to be carried further
from Haldibari in West Bengal to Chilahati in Bangladesh, aiming to enhance trade opportunities
and ease the movement of goods between Bhutan and Bangladesh through Indian territory.
Immigration Check Post
 The Darranga-Samdrup Jongkhar border crossing between Assam and Bhutan‘s SouthEastern
district will be designated as an immigration check post. This will allow not only Indian and
Bhutanese nationals but also third country nationals to enter and exit the area, promoting tourism and
enhancing connectivity.
Support for Bhutanese SEZ Project
 The two sides agreed to strengthen trade infrastructure with the upgradation of an existing land
customs station at Dadgiri (Assam) to a modernised ―Integrated Check Post‖ (ICP) along with
―development of facilities on the Bhutanese side at Gelephu‖, indicating India‘s support to the
Bhutanese SEZ project.
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Development Assistance
 India has committed to continue its support for Bhutan‘s socio-economic development, with a particular
focus on the 13th Five-Year Plan. This underscores the enduring commitment to their strong bilateral
ties. For the 12th Five Year Plan, India‘s contribution of Rs. 4,500 crore constituted 73% of
Bhutan‘s total external grant component.
Lauds India’s Support for Global South
 Bhutan lauded India‘s successful organization of the recent G20 Summit, praising India for
fostering consensus and constructive decisions outlined in the Delhi Declaration. Bhutan
commended India‘s dedication to integrating the interests and priorities of Global South countries in
G20 deliberations.
India-Bhutan Energy Partnership
 Progress on the construction of the 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II hydropower project was noted
with satisfaction, with its early commissioning expected in 2024. An agreement was reached to
expand the existing India-Bhutan energy Partnership from hydro to non-hydro renewables, including
solar energy, as well as green initiatives related to hydrogen and e-mobility. India assured essential
technical and financial support for projects in these areas.
Recalling Operation All Clear
 Bhutan King recalled Operation All Clear which was a military operation conducted by the Royal
Bhutan Army in 2003 against Assam separatist insurgent groups in the southern regions of Bhutan.
What is the Significance of Bhutan for India?

Strategic Importance
 Bhutan shares its borders with India and China, and its strategic location makes it an important
buffer state for India‘s security interests. India has provided Bhutan with assistance in areas such as
defense, infrastructure, and communication, which has helped to maintain Bhutan‘s sovereignty and
territorial integrity.
 India has helped Bhutan build and maintain its border infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, to
strengthen its defense capabilities and ensure its territorial integrity. In 2017, during the Doklam
standoff between India and China, Bhutan played a crucial role in allowing Indian troops to enter
its territory to resist Chinese incursions.
Economic Importance
 India is Bhutan‘s largest trading partner, and Bhutan‘s major export destination. Bhutan‘s
hydropower potential is a significant source of revenue for the country, and India has been instrumental
in assisting Bhutan in developing its hydropower projects. India also provides Bhutan with financial
assistance for its development projects.
Cultural Importance
 Bhutan and India share strong cultural ties, as both countries are predominantly Buddhist. India
has provided assistance to Bhutan in preserving its cultural heritage, and many Bhutanese students come
to India for higher education.
Environmental Importance
 Bhutan is one of the few countries in the world that has pledged to remain carbon-neutral, and
India has been a key partner in helping Bhutan achieve this goal. India has provided assistance to
Bhutan in areas such as Renewable energy, forest conservation, and sustainable tourism.
Page 20
What are the Challenges in the India-Bhutan Relations?
China’s Growing Influence
 China‘s increasing presence in Bhutan, particularly along the disputed border between Bhutan
and China, has raised concerns in India. India has been Bhutan‘s closest ally and has played a key
role in protecting Bhutan‘s sovereignty and security. However, China‘s growing economic and military
influence in the region poses a challenge to India‘s strategic interests in Bhutan.
Border Disputes
 India and Bhutan share a 699 km long border, which has been largely peaceful. However, there
have been some incidents of border incursions by Chinese forces in recent years. The Doklam standoff
in 2017 was a major flashpoint in the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction. Any escalation of such
disputes could strain India-Bhutan relations.
 In a noteworthy development, Bhutan reaffirmed its commitment to the one-China principle during
talks with China, as indicated in a Chinese readout. This aligns Bhutan‘s stance with China‘s position
on Taiwan, despite Bhutan not having official diplomatic relations with China. Bhutan and China
agreed to expedite negotiations by implementing a ―three-step roadmap‖ to resolve their border
dispute, a move seen as positive progress in their dialogue.
Hydropower Projects
 Bhutan‘s hydropower sector is a key pillar of its economy, and India has been a major partner in
its development. However, there have been concerns in Bhutan over the terms of some of the
hydropower projects, which have been seen as too favorable to India. This has led to some public
opposition in Bhutan to Indian involvement in the sector.
Trade Issues
 India is Bhutan‘s largest trading partner, accounting for over 80% of Bhutan‘s total imports and
exports. However, there have been some concerns in Bhutan over the trade imbalance, with Bhutan
importing more from India than it exports. Bhutan has been seeking greater access to the Indian market
for its products, which could help to reduce the Trade Deficit.
What are the Key Facts Related to Bhutan?
 Bhutan is a landlocked country in South Asia. Thimphu is its capital and largest city, while
Phuntsholing is its financial center. Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is the current reigning
Druk Gyalpo or ―Dragon King‖ of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Lotay Tshering is the current Prime
Minister of Bhutan in office since 7 November 2018. He has also been the president of Druk
Nyamrup Tshogpa since 14 May 2018. Bhutan is the first country in the world to come up with a
happiness index and linked it to development, which is otherwise based on GDP numbers. The
ngultrum is the currency of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Bhutan borders only two countries: India
and Tibet, an autonomous region of China.
 Bhutan became a democracy in 2008 after the first democratic elections were held in the country.
The King of Bhutan is the Head of State. It is named ‗Kingdom of Bhutan‘. The Bhutanese name is
Druk Gyal Khap, which means the ‗Land of the Thunder Dragon‘. The longest river in Bhutan is
the Manas River with over 376 km in length. The Manas River is a transboundary river in the
Himalayan foothills between southern Bhutan and India.
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. Bhutan‘s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck recently visited India, coinciding with renewed
efforts by Bhutan and China to resolve their longstanding _________ dispute.
Page 21
2. During the visit, India and Bhutan discussed the development of a cross-border rail link between
Gelephu in Bhutan and Kokrajhar in Assam, spanning _________ km.
3. The Darranga-Samdrup Jongkhar border crossing between Assam and Bhutan‘s SouthEastern
district will be designated as an _________ check post, promoting tourism and enhancing
connectivity.
4. India has committed to continuing its support for Bhutan‘s socio-economic development, with a
particular focus on the _________ Five-Year Plan.
5. Bhutan lauded India‘s successful organization of the recent G20 Summit, praising India for fostering
consensus and constructive decisions outlined in the _________ Declaration.
6. Progress on the construction of the 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II hydropower project was noted, and
an agreement was reached to expand the existing India-Bhutan energy partnership from hydro to
non-hydro renewables, including _________ energy.
7. Bhutan recalled Operation All Clear, a military operation conducted by the Royal Bhutan Army in
_________ against Assam separatist insurgent groups.
8. Bhutan shares its borders with India and China, making it an important buffer state for India‘s
_________ interests.
9. Bhutan and India share strong cultural ties, as both countries are predominantly _________, and
India has assisted Bhutan in preserving its cultural heritage.
10. China‘s increasing presence in Bhutan, particularly along the disputed border, poses a challenge to
India‘s strategic interests and has raised concerns about _________ influence in the region.
6. Electoral Bonds and Electoral Trusts

 Before the controversial Electoral Bonds (EB) Scheme was introduced in 2018, there was something
called an Electoral Trusts (ET) Scheme, which was introduced by the UPA government in 2013.
 Both schemes were meant to facilitate donations to political parties by corporates and individuals. But
while the EB scheme seeks to ensure anonymity for the donor, the electoral trusts under the previous
scheme were required to submit to the Election Commission of India a report on contributions from
individuals and companies, and their donations to parties every year.
This is how the two schemes have worked so far.
First, what are electoral trusts?
 Under the scheme notified by the UPA-2 government on January 31, 2013, any company registered
under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956, can form an electoral trust.
 Under Section 17 CA of the Income-tax Act, 1961, any citizen of India, a company registered in India,
or a firm or Hindu Undivided Family or association of persons living in India, can donate to an electoral
trust.
 The electoral trusts have to apply for renewal every three financial years. They must donate 95% of
contributions received in a financial year to political parties registered under the Representation of the
People Act, 1951. The contributors‘ PAN (in case of a resident) or passport number (in case of an NRI)
is required at the time of making contributions.
 The number of registered trusts has ranged from three in 2013 to 17 in 2021-22, but only a few of them
actually make donations every financial year.
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And how does the working of this scheme differ from that of the EB Scheme?
 The electoral trusts route is transparent on contributors and beneficiaries. Where there is only one
contributor and one beneficiary of a particular trust, the public can know for sure who is funding whom.
For instance, in 2018-19, the Janhit Electoral Trust had just one contribution of Rs.2.5 crore from
Vedanta, and the entire amount was donated to the BJP, as per the trust‘s annual contribution report.
 However, if there are multiple contributors and recipients of donations, it cannot be specified which
company is funding which party. So, Prudent Electoral Trust, which was known as Satya Electoral Trust
before 2017, received contributions from a host of companies such as DLF, GMR, and Bharti Airtel, as
well as several individuals, and donated to a range of national and regional parties. But it is difficult to
pinpoint which donor gave to which party.
 In fact, Prudent is the only trust that has given every year since the scheme started, with total donations
adding up to more than Rs. 1,891 crore from 2013-2014 to 2021-2022, which is the latest financial year
for which reports are available. About 75% of total donations (Rs 1,430 crore) went to the BJP, and
about 8.4% (Rs 160 crore) went to the Congress.
 Electoral bonds, on the other hand, are exempt from disclosure requirements. Parties inform the ECI of
the aggregate donations received through EBs, but give no details of the donors, which they are required
to do in case of donations in cash or by cheque or bank transactions over Rs.20,000 each.
 The government argues that this lack of transparency in donations through EBs is to maintain the
privacy of donors.
How do donations through electoral trusts stack up against donations made through EBs?
 Data from nine financial years (2013-14 to 2021-22) show that political funding through the two
government schemes shot up after the introduction of EBs, with the bulk of donations coming through
the newer scheme.
 Over this entire nine-year period, a total Rs. 2,269 crore was routed to parties though the ETs, from
Rs. 85.37 crore in 2013-14 to Rs. 464.81 crore in 2021-22.
 During the period 2017-18 — the financial year in which EBs were first made available — to 2021-22,
however, the money donated through EBs was more than five times the amount that came through the
Electoral Trusts. Thus, between 2017-18 and 2021-22, political parties got a total Rs. 1,631 crore
through ETs, while Rs. 9,208 crore was donated through EBs.
 In the six and a half years from the opening of the first sale window in March 2018 to the 10-day
window that closed on October 13 this year, electoral bonds worth more than Rs. 14,000 crore were sold
by the State Bank of India, the only bank authorised to sell them, replies by the bank to questions asked
under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, show.
 A new window for the sale of EBs opened on November 6.
Which parties have received how much from electoral trusts?
 The BJP got 72% of the total Rs. 2,269 crore donated through electoral trusts from 2013-14 to 2021-22.
This was higher than the share of the funding the BJP has got through electoral bonds (57%). However,
the total EB corpus being much bigger than total ET donations, the actual amount the BJP got is much
more than what it got through ETs.
 The Congress got 10% of the total EB funding from March 2018 to October 2023, and 9.7% of the ET
donations from 2013-14 to 2021-22.
 The Trinamool Congress was the third biggest recipient of EBs (8.3%), though it got only 0.11% of ET
funds. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) was the third biggest beneficiary of donations through ETs after the
BJP and Congress, and got about 1% of the total funds given by the trusts.
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 A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) earlier this year found that more than 55%
of the funding for political parties came through electoral bonds. In fact, for some parties, these bonds
have become the only source of contributions — the BJD declared to the ECI that its entire income from
―grants, donations and contributions‖ in 2021-22 came from EBs.
Electoral Bonds Scheme
 Electoral bonds are interest-free bearer bonds or money instruments that can be purchased by companies
and individuals in India from authorised branches of the State Bank of India (SBI).
 These bonds are sold in multiples of Rs. 1,000, Rs. 10,000, Rs. 1 lakh, Rs. 10 lakh, and Rs. 1 crore.
 They can be purchased through a KYC-compliant account to make donations to a political party.
 The political parties have to encash them within a stipulated time.
 The name and other information of the donor are not entered on the instrument and thus electoral bonds
are said to be anonymous.
 There is no cap on the number of electoral bonds that a person or company can purchase.
 The government brought in amendments to four Acts to introduce the Electoral Bond Scheme via the
Finance Act of 2016 and 2017.
 These acts are Representation of the People Act, 1951, (RPA), the Companies Act, 2013, the Income
Tax Act, 1961, and the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA), through the Finance Acts
of 2016 and 2017.
 Before the scheme was introduced the political parties had to make public all donations above
Rs. 20,000.
 Also, no corporate company was allowed to make donations amounting to more than 7.5% of their total
profit or 10% of revenue.
Who can receive funding via electoral bonds?
 Political parties that secured at least 1% of the votes polled in the recent Lok Sabha or State Assembly
elections and are registered under the RPA can get a verified account from the Election Commission of
India (ECI).
 The bond amounts are deposited in this account within 15 days of their purchase.
 The political party has to encash the amount within those 15 days, the amount received as a donation
gets deposited into the Prime Minister‘s Relief Fund.
 These bonds, however, are not available for purchase all the time.
 They are available for a period of 10 days in a gap of four months (January, April, July and October).
They are also open for 30 days in Lok Sabha election years.
What are the concerns raised by the ECI?
 In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court in 2019, the ECI said that electoral bonds would wreck
transparency in political funding and invite foreign corporate powers to impact Indian politics.
 It also warned that the amendments brought about to key legislations would open up the possibility of
shell companies set up for the sole purpose of making donations to political parties, with no other
business consequence or disbursable profit.
 It also pointed out that the amendments virtually made the ECI guidelines of August 29, 2014 redundant
— these require political parties to file reports on contributions received, audited annual accounts, and
election expenditure statements.
 The Commission also said that it had cautioned the Ministry of Law and Justice against these
amendments in May 2017 and annexed letters written to the Law Ministry along with its affidavit.
Page 24
 It underscored the importance of ensuring that donations received by political parties are declared for
better transparency and accountability in the election process.
 The ECI opposed the amendment to the RP Act that permitted political parties to skip recording
donations received through electoral bonds, terming it a retrograde step as far as transparency of
donations was concerned and calling for its withdrawal.
 It also urged the Ministry to ensure that only profitable companies with a proven track record are
permitted to make political donations.
RBI objections
 The plea filed by ADR also noted how the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had repeatedly warned about its
potential to increase black money circulation, money laundering, cross-border counterfeiting, and
forgery.
 Terming electoral bonds ‗opaque financial instruments‘, the RBI pointed out that since the bonds are
transferable any number of times like currency, their inherent anonymity can be exploited for money
laundering.
 ―While the person/entity buying the bearer bond will be as per Know Your Customer parameters, the
identities of the intervening persons/entities will not be known.
 The RBI added that if the intention of the government was to ensure that political funding is routed
through formal banking channels so as to flush out black money, the same could be achieved through ―a
normal cheque, demand draft or any electronic or digital mode of payment.‖
 However, the then Revenue Secretary, Hasmukh Adhia swiftly rejected such apprehensions, saying in a
letter that the RBI ―has not understood the proposed mechanism of having pre-paid instruments for the
purpose of keeping the identity of the donor secret, while ensuring the donation is made only out of fully
tax-paid money of a person.‖
How has the government defended the scheme?
 The government has said that electoral bonds were introduced to promote transparency in funding and
donations received by political parties.
 ―They [bonds] can be encashed by an eligible political party only through their accounts with authorised
banks.
 The bonds do not have the name of the donor or the receiving political party and only carry unique
hidden alphanumeric serial numbers as an in-built security feature,‖.
 Emphasising that the electoral bond scheme is ‗transparent‘ and does not permit any black money to be
funneled through, Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Central government,
submitted before a Bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and BV Nagarathna in October last year that
―the methodology of receiving money is absolutely transparent… It is impossible to get any black or
unaccounted money in… To say that this (electoral bonds scheme) affects democracy may not hold
water.‖
 Ahead of the court‘s hearing, Attorney General R Venkataramani through written submissions said that
the right of citizens to be aware of candidates‘ criminal antecedents cannot be extrapolated to mean that
they have the right to information regarding the funding of political parties. Reiterating objections to
judicial review, he contended that the Court ―cannot be permitted to scan State policies for the purpose
of suggesting better or different prescriptions.‖
 Highlighting that the scheme promotes the contribution of clean money and adherence to tax
obligations, he opined that scrutinising a new law must be left within the purview of the public and
parliamentary debates in consonance with the doctrine of separation of powers.
Page 25
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. Before the controversial Electoral Bonds (EB) Scheme was introduced in _________, there was
something called an _________ Scheme.
2. Electoral bonds are interest-free bearer bonds or money instruments that can be purchased by
companies and individuals in India from authorised branches of the _________.
3. The political party has to encash the amount within those 15 days, the amount received as a donation
gets deposited into the _________.
4. The present Chief Election Commissioner of India is _________.
5. At present, the national parties in India is _________.
6. Political parties that secured at least _________ of the votes polled in the recent Lok Sabha or State
Assembly elections and are registered under the RPA can get a verified account from the Election
Commission of India (ECI).
7. The government has said that _________ were introduced to promote transparency in funding and
donations received by _________ parties.
8. The government has said that electoral bonds were introduced to promote transparency in funding
and donations received by _________.
9. The government has said that electoral bonds were introduced to promote transparency in funding
and donations received by _________.
10. The present Solicitor General of India is _________.
7. Jharkhand launches drive to grant land

titles under FRA
 The Jharkhand government started a special drive, titled Abua Bir Dishom Abhiyan, to give land title
certificates to individuals and communities under the Forests Rights Act.
 The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006,
grants the rights of self-cultivation and habitation, in the form of Individual Forest Rights (IFR) and
Community Forest Rights (CFR). The titles cover areas such as grazing, fishing, access to water bodies,
resource access, recognition of customary rights, among others.
Why the drive now?
 As per Jharkhand government data submitted in the Supreme Court this year, it received 98,308 IFR and
2,695 CFR applications since the formation of the state in November 2000.
 Out of them, 60,021 IFR titles and 2,013 CFR titles have been given, which translates into 2.17 lakh
acres in terms of forest land.
 As many as 30,906 claims were rejected and 8,333 are pending.
 This is way below Chhattisgarh, the state formed at the same time as Jharkhand, which has managed
9.28 lakh title claims and 5.28 lakh title distributions till June 30, 2023.
 Since the Hemant Soren government won the 2019 election on the ‗Jal, Jungle, Zameen‘ plank — and
another of its key promises, of a modified domicile policy, is stalled with the Governor — it is working
hard to streamline FRA claims generation and titles distribution.
Page 26
 A dedicated website and mobile application are being set up, where multiple stakeholders can track the
application process; verify geotagged land parcels, etc.
How is the government undertaking this exercise?
 Last month, the government had ordered DCs to organise Gram Sabhas in all the villages of their
district, so an FRC could be formed in the presence of an observer.
 In the next phase, a special Gram Sabha will be held in all the villages from November 1 to 15 with the
instruction that in addition to new claims, the FRCs will also need to consider old pending claims or
rejected claims.
 The Panchayat Secretary and Head of each Panchayat have been given the responsibility of organising
the special Gram Sabha.
 In addition, the government needs knowledge and technology partners who have worked in states like
Chhattisgarh, Odisha, etc. So it is working with the Foundation of Ecological Security (IES), with its
partner organisation Phia Foundation in Jharkhand. Another partner is the Indian School of Business
(ISB).
What are the challenges?
 Deputy Commissioners and Divisional Forest Officers from all 24 districts were present in Ranchi for
training on important issues surrounding the implementation of the Act.
 ―Some forest officials view forest dwellers as encroachers. If we see them as encroachers, we will not be
able to do justice.
 This mindset has to change.‖
Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006
 The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 recognizes the rights of the forest dwelling tribal communities and
other traditional forest dwellers to forest resources, on which these communities were dependent for a
variety of needs, including livelihood, habitation and other socio-cultural needs.
 The forest management policies, including the Acts, Rules and Forest Policies of Participatory Forest
Management policies in both colonial and post-colonial India, did not, till the enactment of this Act,
recognize the symbiotic relationship of the STs with the forests, reflected in their dependence on the
forest as well as in their traditional wisdom regarding conservation of the forests.
 The Act encompasses Rights of Self-cultivation and Habitation which are usually regarded as Individual
rights; and Community Rights as Grazing, Fishing and access to Water bodies in forests, Habitat Rights
for PVTGs, Traditional Seasonal Resource access of Nomadic and Pastoral community, access to
biodiversity, community right to intellectual property and traditional knowledge, recognition of
traditional customary rights and right to protect, regenerate or conserve or manage any community forest
resource for sustainable use.
 It also provides rights to allocation of forest land for developmental purposes to fulfil basic
infrastructural needs of the community.
 In conjunction with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition,
Rehabilitation and Settlement Act, 2013 FRA protects the tribal population from eviction without
rehabilitation and settlement.
 The Act further enjoins upon the Gram Sabha and rights holders the responsibility of conservation and
protection of bio-diversity, wildlife, forests, adjoining catchment areas, water sources and other
ecologically sensitive areas as well as to stop any destructive practices affecting these resources or
cultural and natural heritage of the tribals.
 The Gram Sabha is also a highly empowered body under the Act, enabling the tribal population to have
a decisive say in the determination of local policies and schemes impacting them.
Page 27
 Thus, the Act empowers the forest dwellers to access and use the forest resources in the manner that
they were traditionally accustomed, to protect, conserve and manage forests, protect forest dwellers from
unlawful evictions and also provides for basic development facilities for the community of forest
dwellers to access facilities of education, health, nutrition, infrastructure etc.
Objective
 To undo the historical injustice occurred to the forest dwelling communities
 To ensure land tenure, livelihood and food security of the forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other
traditional forest dwellers
 To strengthen the conservation regime of the forests by including the responsibilities and authority on
Forest Rights holders for sustainable use, conservation of biodiversity and maintenance of ecological
balance.
Community Forest Rights (CFR)
 The Community Forest Resource (CFR) area is common forest land that has been traditionally protected
and conserved for sustainable use by a particular community.
 The community uses it to access resources available within the traditional and customary boundary of
the village, and for seasonal use of landscape in the case of pastoralist communities.
 Each CFR area has a customary boundary with identifiable landmarks recognised by the community and
its neighbouring villages.
 It may include forest of any category – revenue forest, classified & unclassified forest, deemed forest,
DLC (District Level Committee) land, reserve forest, protected forest, sanctuary and national parks etc.
What are Community Forest Resource Rights?
 The Community Forest Resource rights under Section 3(1)(i) of the Scheduled Tribes and Other
Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (commonly referred to as the
Forest Rights Act) provides for recognition of the right to ―protect, regenerate or conserve or manage‖
the community forest resource.
 These rights allow the community to formulate rules for forest use by itself and others and thereby
discharge its responsibilities under Section 5 of the FRA.
 CFR rights, along with Community Rights (CRs) under Sections 3(1)(b) and 3(1)(c), which include
nistar rights and rights over non-timber forest products, ensure sustainable livelihoods of the
community.
 Once CFRR is recognised for a community, the ownership of the forest passes into the hands of the
Gram Sabha instead of the forest department.
 Effectively, the Gram Sabha becomes the nodal body for management of the forests.
 These rights give authority to the Gram Sabha adopt local traditional practices of forest conservation and
management within the community forest resource boundary.
 Chhattisgarh is only the second state to have recognised CFR rights inside a national park i.e., Kanger
Ghati National Park.
 In 2016, the Odisha government was the first to recognise Community Forest Resources (CFRs) inside
the Simlipal National Park.
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. The _________ government started a special drive, titled _________, to give land title certificates to
individuals and communities under the Forests Rights Act.
Page 28
2. The present Governor of Jharkhand is _________.
3. In conjunction with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition,
_________ protects the tribal population from eviction without rehabilitation and settlement.
4. The _________ is also a highly empowered body under the Act, enabling the tribal population to
have a decisive say in the determination of local policies and schemes impacting them.
5. To ensure land tenure, livelihood and food security of the forest dwelling _________ and other
traditional forest dwellers
6. The _________ area is common forest land that has been traditionally protected and conserved for
sustainable use by a particular community.
7. The Community Forest Resource rights under Section 3(1)(i) of the _________ (commonly referred
to as the Forest Rights Act) provides for recognition of the right to ―protect, regenerate or conserve
or manage‖ the community forest resource.
8. Effectively, the _________ becomes the nodal body for management of the forests.
9. _________ is only the second state to have recognised CFR rights inside a national park i.e.,
_________.
10. In 2016, the _________ government was the first to recognise Community Forest Resources (CFRs)
inside the _________.
8. PM 2.5, Sulphur Dioxide, and more: What

are the pollutants in our air, and how
they impact health
 Rising pollution levels in north India have led to focus returning on the Air Quality Index (AQI) score, a
measure of air pollution. Delhi, for instance, recorded an AQI score of more than 400.
 This puts the air in the ‗severe‘ category, with anything beyond 100 considered to be a state of at least
moderate pollution on the index.
 The AQI transforms complex air quality data of various pollutants into a single number for ease of
understanding.
 The pollutants include PM 10, PM 2.5, Nitrogen Dioxide, Ozone, Carbon, etc.
What is PM 10 and PM 2.5?
 These are extremely fine particulate matter (PM) particles, with the digits accompanying them referring
to their diameter.
 So, PM 10 and PM 2.5 are smaller than 10 and 2.5 microns in their diameter, respectively.
 One micron is about a thousandth of a millimetre and this tiny size has a role to play in how they impact
human health.
 The finer the particles are, the more difficult it gets to protect oneself from them.
 Due to their size, the PM 2.5 particles can easily bypass the nose and throat and can enter the circulatory
system.
Page 29
 The particles can also lead to chronic diseases such as asthma, heart attack, bronchitis and other
respiratory problems.
 Byproducts of emissions from factories, vehicular pollution, construction activities and road dust, such
particles are not dispersed and stay suspended in the air that we breathe.
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
 Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) gets in the air from the burning of fuel, with sources including emissions from
vehicles and power plants.
 The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that short-term exposure to high
levels of NO2 can aggravate respiratory diseases like asthma, and lead to other problems such as
coughing or difficulty in breathing.
 Long-term exposure may also contribute to the development of asthma and could increase susceptibility
to respiratory infections.
 Exposure to NO2, even for a short duration (between zero and seven days), leads to an increase in the
number of emergency room visits by 53 per cent, according to a large study by AIIMS, Delhi.
Ozone (O3)
 Ozone is a gas that is present in the upper layers of the atmosphere, protecting human health from the
impact of the Sun‘s UV rays.
 However, surface-level ozone is among the most significant air pollutants. It is formed by the reaction of
atmospheric pollutants in the presence of sunlight.
 ―With increase in surface ozone levels, there is likelihood of an increase in risk of hospital admissions
for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) and the number of cardiovascular and respiratory
deaths.‖
Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
 According to the US government‘s Environment Protection Agency, the largest source of SO2 in the
atmosphere is the burning of fossil fuels by power plants and other industrial facilities.
 Additional sources are industrial processes and natural sources such as volcanoes.
 As with other gases, SO2 exposure is harmful to the cardiovascular system and can lead to the
development of respiratory illnesses. SO2 can also react with other compounds to form particulate
matter.
 ―At high concentrations, gaseous SOx can harm trees and plants by damaging foliage and decreasing
growth,‖ EPA states.
Ammonia (NH3)
 A 2017 NASA-funded study said that in India, ―A broad increase in fertilizer use coupled with large
contributions from livestock waste has resulted in the world‘s highest concentrations of atmospheric
ammonia.‖
 ―In the troposphere – the lowest, most dense part of the atmosphere where all weather takes place and
where people live – ammonia gas reacts with nitric and sulfuric acids to form nitrate-containing
particles.
 Those particles contribute to aerosol pollution that is damaging to human health.
 Ammonia gas can also fall back to Earth and enter lakes, streams and oceans, where it contributes to
harmful algal blooms and ―dead zones‖ with dangerously low oxygen levels,‖.
Page 30
Lead (Pb)
 Lead is a naturally occurring toxic metal found in the Earth‘s crust.
 But in increased quantities, exposure to it becomes extremely dangerous to health.
 Important sources of environmental contamination come from mining, smelting, manufacturing and
even recycling activities, according to the WHO.
 Also, young children are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning because they absorb four to five times
as much ingested lead as adults from a given source.
 Children who survive severe lead poisoning may be left with permanent intellectual disability and
behavioural disorders.
 At lower levels of exposure that cause no obvious symptoms, lead is now known to produce a spectrum
of injury across multiple body systems,‖ the WHO notes.
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
 A toxic, colourless and odourless gas, it is given off when fuel containing carbon, such as wood, coal
and petrol, is burned.
 If CO levels are high enough, a person may become unconscious and die. Long-term exposure has been
linked with an increased risk of heart disease.
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. _________ is a gas that is present in the upper layers of the atmosphere, protecting human health
from the impact of the _________ UV rays.
2. _________ exposure is harmful to the _________ system and can lead to the development of
respiratory illnesses.
3. According to the US government‘s Environment Protection Agency, the largest source of SO2 in the
atmosphere is the burning of _________ by power plants and other industrial facilities.
4. _________ gas can also fall back to Earth and enter lakes, streams and oceans, where it contributes
to harmful _________ and ―dead zones‖ with dangerously low oxygen levels,‖.
5. ―In the troposphere – the lowest, most dense part of the atmosphere where all weather takes place
and where people live – _________ reacts with nitric and sulfuric acids to form nitrate-containing
particles.
6. A 2017 NASA-funded study said that in India, ―A broad increase in fertilizer use coupled with large
contributions from _________ waste has resulted in the world‘s highest concentrations of
atmospheric ammonia.‖
7. Children who survive severe _________ poisoning may be left with permanent intellectual disability
and behavioural disorders.
8. Important sources of environmental contamination come from mining, smelting, _________ and
even recycling activities
9. _________ is a naturally occurring toxic metal found in the Earth‘s crust.
10. _________ is toxic, colourless and odourless gas, given off when fuel containing carbon, such as
wood, coal and petrol, is burned.
Page 31
9. How did the watermelon become a
symbol of the Palestine cause?
 In the many posts showing support for Palestine on social media, a popular symbol is the watermelon.
 Pictures and emojis of the sliced fruit, as well as artwork featuring it, are often used to express solidarity
with the people of Palestine.
 While the reason for why a watermelon is considered a symbol of the Palestinian struggle is simple
enough, the history of its use is more complicated.
Why a watermelon
 A watermelon when sliced shows the colours of the Palestinian flag — red, green, black, and white.
 As carrying and displaying the Palestinian flag has often been barred by Israeli authorities, a watermelon
is used to symbolise it instead. On social media, many claim that posts with overt Palestinian symbols
are restricted by the US-headquartered bigger platforms, and hence, the sliced watermelon comes in
useful here too.
 The watermelon is also widely cultivated in Palestine, from the West Bank to Gaza, and features
prominently in Palestinian cuisine.
Its use in protests
 Palestine has been on the boil the whole of this year, much before the Hamas attack that triggered the
bloodbath in Gaza by Israel. In January, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir claimed he
had instructed the police to tear down any Palestinian flags flown publicly, after a terror convict waved
the flag after his release from prison.
 Flowing the Palestinian flag is not legally banned in Israel, but the police often crack down, claiming the
flag could ―disturb peace‖. As the arrests continued, in June, an organisation called Zazim began adding
images of sliced watermelons on taxis playing in Tel Aviv, with the accompanying text reading ―This is
not a Palestinian flag‖.
 Another prominent example is the work of Palestinian artist Khaled Hourani, who in 2007 painted a
slice of watermelon for the Subjective Atlas of Palestine project. His work received wide viewership,
and served to associate the watermelon with the Palestinian cause strongly.
Origins
 After the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, Israel occupied West Bank and Gaza, and criminalised public displays
of the Palestinian flag.
 Thus, it is plausible that sliced watermelons were used during the First Intifada, which was against the
occupation.
 However, in a 2021 report, Abu Dhabi-based The National reported, ―The story has become a bit of a
contemporary myth, proliferated recently on social media, with its true origins buried in various
retellings and reposts.‖
 ―There is no mention at all of this practice in the literature of the first Intifada [in English and Arabic].
There are references to people using the watermelon as an example of the banned colour combination…
but none of the widespread use of watermelon slices as a political statement or as a substitute for the
Palestinian flag.‖ They also add, ―…we reached out to several members who were active in the popular
committees of the Intifada regarding this issue, none of them could recollect anyone ever using
watermelons as symbols of resistance.‖
Page 32
 In fact, many of those who mention the First Intifada rely heavily on two sources — a 1993 The New
York Times report, and a story involving artists Sliman Mansour, Nabil Anani and Issam Badr. As The
National reports, an exhibition by the artists in 1980 was ―shut down by the Israeli army as the artworks
were deemed political and bore the Palestinian flag and its colours. Confronting the officer, Badr asked,
―What if I just want to paint a watermelon?‖, to which he replied, ―It would be confiscated‖.‖
 Israel and Palestine recognised each other as part of the Oslo Accords and displaying the Palestinian flag
was no longer criminal, said, ―In the Gaza Strip, where young men were once arrested for carrying
sliced watermelons—thus displaying the red, black and green Palestinian colors—soldiers stand by,
blasé, as processions march by waving the once-banned flag.‖
 ―Having investigated the matter with the proper authorities, I can state that such arrests have never been
official Israeli policy. If such an isolated and unsanctioned act did occur, no individual was ever
prosecuted under such innocent circumstances.‖
Oslo Accords
 The Oslo Peace Accords refer to a few agreements signed between the Palestine Liberation Organisation
(PLO) and the Government of Israel.
 It was the Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin, and the leader of the Palestine Liberation
Organisation (PLO), Yasser Arafat who signed the agreements.
Pair of agreements were signed.
 The first one, that is the Oslo I Accord was signed in the year 1993 at Washington D.C.
 The second one, that is the Oslo II Accord was signed in the year 1995 at Taba, Egypt.
 These accords set up limited self-rule for Palestine in some parts of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
 The Oslo Accords are similar to the Camp David Accords.
 The latter were numerous agreements. These agreements eased the relations between Israel and Egypt in
the year 1978 after the Yom Kippur War.
 The Camp David Accord envisaged Palestinian autonomy in Gaza and the West Bank.
 The number of settlers was increasing, and there were concerns regarding the continued Israeli
settlement.
 However, the Israeli government did not have a word with the Palestinian Liberation Organization, as
they viewed PLO as a terrorist organization. Therefore, the concern was left on the backburner by the
Camp David Accords.
 In the 1990s, the situation changed. It was in this decade that Israel chose to view the PLO as Palestinian
representatives. Israel started negotiating directly with the PLO. The Oslo Accords were actually signed
as an interim agreement.
 Oslo I Accords established a follow-up agreement for the Oslo II Accords.
 These included discussions over issues like how Jerusalem would actually be governed, and who would
govern it.
 The Oslo II accord gave limited control to the Palestinian Authority over the West Bank and the Gaza
regions.
 It permitted Israel to annex a lot of areas of the West Bank.
 It set the groundwork for cooperation between the Palestinian Authority and the government of Israel.
 One of these important provisions stopped both sides from engaging in violence against each other.
Page 33
Camp David Accord
 Camp David Accords, agreements between Israel and Egypt signed on September 17, 1978, that led in
the following year to a peace treaty between those two countries, the first such treaty between Israel and
any of its Arab neighbours.
 Brokered by U.S. Pres. Jimmy Carter between Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian
President.
 Anwar Sadat and officially titled the ―Framework for Peace in the Middle East,‖ the agreements became
known as the Camp David Accords because the negotiations took place at the U.S. presidential retreat at
Camp David, Maryland.
 Sadat and Begin were awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1978 for their contributions to the
agreements.
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. After the _________ Arab-Israeli war, Israel occupied West Bank and Gaza, and criminalised public
displays of the Palestinian flag.
2. The currency of Israel is _________.
3. The Capital of Israel is _________.
4. In the many posts showing support for Palestine on social media, a popular symbol is the ________.
5. The Oslo Peace Accords refer to a few agreements signed between the _________ and the
Government of Israel.
6. The Camp David Accord envisaged Palestinian autonomy in Gaza and the _________.
7. Oslo II Accord was signed in the year _________ at Taba, Egypt.
8. _________ Accord was signed in the year 1993 at _________.
9. Anwar Sadat and officially titled the ―Framework for Peace in the Middle East,‖ the agreements
became known as the Camp David Accords because the negotiations took place at the U.S.
presidential retreat at Camp David, _________.
10. Camp David Accords, agreements between _________ signed on September 17, 1978.
10. GRAP Stage 4 implemented in Delhi-

NCR amid severe air pollution
 With the Nation Capital Region‘s Air Quality Index (AQI) deteriorating to the ‗severe‘ category, the
Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for formulating
strategies to combat pollution in the region, invoked measures under Stage 4 of the Graded Response
Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect.
 ―Keeping in view the prevailing trend of air quality, in an effort to prevent further deterioration of the air
quality, the sub-committee decided that ALL actions as envisaged under Stage IV of the GRAP i.e.,
‗Severe+‘ category (DELHI AQI >450) be implemented in right earnest by all the agencies concerned in
the NCR, with immediate effect,‖.
Page 34
What is the Graded Response Action Plan?
 GRAP is a set of emergency measures that kick in to prevent further deterioration of air quality once it
reaches a certain threshold in the Delhi-NCR region.
 Approved by the Supreme Court in 2016 and notified in 2017, the plan was formulated after several
meetings that the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) held with state
government representatives and experts.
 The result was a plan that institutionalised measures to be taken when air quality deteriorates.
 GRAP is incremental in nature and thus, when the air quality dips from ‗poor‘ to ‗very poor,‘ measures
listed under both sections have to be followed. Stage 1 of GRAP is activated when the AQI is in the
‗poor‘ category (201 to 300), Stage 2 is when it‘s in the ‗Very poor‘ category (301-400), Stage 3 is when
the AQI is the ‗Severe‘ category (401-450) and finally Stage 4 is when it rises to the ‗Severe +‘ category
(more than 450).
What measures does GRAP Stage 4 entail?
 As the AQI in NCR dipped to the ‗severe‘ category last week, stage 4 of GRAP was set in motion.
 A central panel directed authorities to prohibit the use of diesel four-wheelers that are not BS-VI
compliant, as well as the entry of trucks in Delhi. Petrol cars can continue to ply as usual.
 The BS or Bharat Stage emission standards are instituted by the government to regulate the output of air
pollutants from motor vehicles from internal combustion engine equipment. The BS-VI fuel was
estimated to bring around an 80% reduction of sulphur, from 50 parts per million to 10 ppm.
 The ban on diesel four-wheelers, except BS-VI vehicles and those used for essential and emergency
services, will be applicable in Delhi and NCR districts bordering the capital, according to the order. All
Delhi-registered diesel medium and heavy goods vehicles are also prohibited from plying in Delhi,
except those used for essential or emergency services.
 Additionally, construction and demolition activities, including those on linear public projects like
highways, roads, flyovers, pipelines and power lines, which were previously allowed to continue, will
also be banned.
 According to the order, the state governments in the NCR may decide to discontinue physical classes for
classes 6 to 9 and class 11, and conduct lessons online.
 Moreover, the governments may also decide on whether to allow public, private, and municipal offices
to work on 50% strength while the rest of the employees work from home.
 State governments may also consider other emergency measures like closure of colleges and other
educational institutions, and closure of non-emergency commercial activities, permitting vehicles to run
on an odd-even basis. The central government may make an appropriate decision on permitting work
from home for employees working in central government offices.
What happens next?
 The Delhi government directed schools to suspend physical classes, barring classes 10 and 12, until
November 10 and reintroduced the odd-even scheme from November 13-20.
Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA)
 EPCA was constituted under section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for the National
Capital Region in compliance with the Supreme Court order dated January 1998.
 It has the power to take action suo-moto, or on the basis of complaints made by any individual,
representative body or organization functioning in the field of environment.
 It takes all necessary steps for controlling vehicular pollution, ensuring compliance of fuel quality
standards, monitoring and coordinating action for traffic planning and management.
Page 35
INSAT
 The Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system is a constellation of operational communication satellites
placed in Geo-stationary orbit.
 Established in 1983 with commissioning of INSAT-1B.
 The constellation of INSAT System consists of operational satellites, namely – INSAT-3A, 3C, 3D, 4A,
4B, 4CR, 3DR.
SAFAR
 The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) is a national initiative
introduced by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) to measure the air quality of a metropolitan city,
by measuring the overall pollution level and the location-specific air quality of the city.
 The system is indigenously developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune and
is operationalized by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Air Quality Index (AQI)
 An air quality index (AQI) is an indicator developed by government agencies to communicate to the
public how polluted the air currently is or how polluted it is forecast to become.
 As air pollution levels rise, so does the AQI, along with the associated public health risk.
 Children, the elderly and individuals with respiratory or cardiovascular problems are typically the first
groups affected by poor air quality.
 When the AQI is high, governmental bodies generally encourage people to reduce physical activity
outdoors, or even avoid going out altogether. When wildfires result in a high AQI, the use of masks such
as N95 respirators outdoors and air purifiers incorporating HEPA filters indoors are also encouraged.
 Different countries have their own air quality indices, corresponding to different national air quality
standards.
 Some of these are Canada‘s Air Quality Health Index, Malaysia‘s Air Pollution Index, and Singapore‘s
Pollutant Standards Index.
 Computation of the AQI requires an air pollutant concentration over a specified averaging period,
obtained from an air monitor or model.
 Taken together, concentration and time represent the dose of the air pollutant. Health effects
corresponding to a given dose are established by epidemiological research.
 Air pollutants vary in potency, and the function used to convert from air pollutant concentration to AQI
varies by pollutant.
 Its air quality index values are typically grouped into ranges. Each range is assigned a descriptor, a color
code, and a standardized public health advisory.
 The AQI can increase due to an increase of air emissions. For example, during rush hour traffic or when
there is an upwind forest fire or from a lack of dilution of air pollutants.
 Stagnant air, often caused by an anticyclone, temperature inversion, or low wind speeds lets air pollution
remain in a local area, leading to high concentrations of pollutants, chemical reactions between air
contaminants and hazy conditions.
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. With the _________ Air Quality Index (AQI) deteriorating to the ‗severe‘ category, the Commission
for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for formulating strategies to
combat pollution in the region, invoked measures under Stage 4 of the GRAP with immediate effect.
Page 36
2. As the AQI in NCR dipped to the ‗severe‘ category last week, _________ of _________ was set in
motion.
3. EPCA was constituted under section 3 of the _________ for the National Capital Region in
compliance with the Supreme Court order dated January 1998.
4. INSAT is established in _________ with commissioning of INSAT-1B.
5. The Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system is a constellation of operational communication
satellites placed in _________ orbit.
6. SAFAR system is indigenously developed by the _________ and is operationalized by the India
Meteorological Department (IMD).
7. The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) is a national initiative
introduced by the _________.
8. Stagnant air, often caused by an _________, temperature inversion, or low wind speeds lets air
pollution remain in a local area
9. An _________ is an indicator developed by government agencies to communicate to the public how
polluted the air currently is or how polluted it is forecast to become.
10. Air _________ vary in potency, and the function used to convert from air pollutant concentration to
AQI varies by pollutant.
Page 37

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MANTHAN 2.

2. ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup ......................................................................................................................................... 7

3. Key outcomes of the G20 Summit 2023 ................................................................................................................. 11

5. Bhutan King Wangchuck visited India .................................................................................................................... 19

6. Electoral Bonds and Electoral Trusts ...................................................................................................................... 22

7. Jharkhand launches drive to grant land titles under FRA ............................................................................. 26

9. How did the watermelon become a symbol of the Palestine cause?........................................................ 32

Understanding Cyclone Formation and Coriolis Effect

Stages of Formation: Tropical Cyclones

Modification and Decay

Tropical Cyclones: Global Naming Conventions

India Meteorological Department (IMD)

2. ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup

Prudential World Cups (1975–1983)

More about 1983 Cricket World Cup

More about 2011 Cricket World Cup

Know more about International Cricket Council (ICC)

3. Key outcomes of the G20 Summit 2023

G20 New Delhi Declaration

African Union accepted as part of the G20

India – Middle East – Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)

4. India abstains from UN vote calling for

Culture & People to People relations

The Palestine-India Techno Park

India’s Position on Palestine

5. Bhutan King Wangchuck visited India

What is the Significance of Bhutan for India?

6. Electoral Bonds and Electoral Trusts

7. Jharkhand launches drive to grant land

8. PM 2.5, Sulphur Dioxide, and more: What

10. GRAP Stage 4 implemented in Delhi-

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