SEPTEMBER 2022
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Indian Polity, Governance ,
Policies and Internal security
1. How did the Bilkis Bano convicts
walk free?
Context: The Gujarat government released
11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano murder and
gangrape case of 2002 under its remission
and premature release policy.
What is remission?
 Remission implies reducing the
period of a sentence without changing

its character.
Indian laws provide pardoning
power sourcing from statutory and
constitutional authorities.
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
remissions -
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As per law, there are three kinds of
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Constitutional
Statutory
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Those earned in accordance with jail
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manuals
While Article 72 of the Constitution
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empowers the President to grant
remission, Article 161 vests similar
power with the Governor.
 Sections 432 and 433 of the Code of
Criminal Procedure (CrPC) lay down
rules for the State governments to
suspend or remit sentences.
The statutory Power of Remission
 Since Prisons is a State Subject, state
governments have powers under
Section 432 of the Code of Criminal
Procedure (CrPC) to remit sentences.
 However, Section 433A of the CrPC
puts certain restrictions on these
powers of remission. It says
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"Where a sentence of imprisonment for life
is imposed on conviction of a person for
an offence for which death is one of the
punishments provided by law, or where a
sentence of death imposed on a person has
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been commuted under Section 433 into one
of imprisonment for life, such person shall
not be released from prison unless he had
served at least fourteen years of
imprisonment".
Rules for remission
 Judicial decisions advocate both
subjective and objective norms for
remission. Y
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Remission should be informed, fair and
reasonable, and not arbitrary; that it
should not undermine the nature of the
crime.
 In Laxman Naskar vs Union of India
(2000), the Supreme Court laid down
five considerations:
 whether the offence is an individual act
of crime that does not affect society;
whether there is a chance of the crime

being repeated in future;
whether the convict has lost the


potentiality to commit crime;
whether any purpose is being served
in keeping the convict in prison; and
 socio economic conditions of the
convict's family.
 Under Section 435 of the Code of
Criminal Procedure (CrPC), in a case
investigated by the CBI, Centre's
consultation is mandatory prior to
remission.
 The Supreme Court has also ruled that
'consultation' means 'concurrence' in
this regard.
Mains Point: Discuss in detail Remission
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and examine in the case of Bilkis Bano
convicts
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2. Cabinet approves PM SHRI
scheme - PM SHRI Schools (PM
ScHools for Rising India)
Context: The Union Cabinet approved the
'PM Schools for Rising India' (PM SHRI)
scheme to turn existing government schools
into model schools for implementation of
the National Education Policy, 2020.
 The PM-SHRI schools will have a
modern, transformational and holistic
method of imparting education.
 The scheme will be implemented as a
Centrally sponsored scheme with a
total project cost of ?27,360 crore, with
the Centre's share being ?18,128 crore
for the period of five years from
2022­23 to 2026­27 for transforming
nearly 14,500 schools across the
country.
 A school will receive nearly ?2 crore,
and the money will be transferred AD
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directly to the school's account through
Direct Benefit Transfer.
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The principal or the local committee
will be given the flexibility to
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determine the use of 40% of the fund.
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"School
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The PM SHRI scheme also provides a
Quality Assessment
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Framework" which will be developed
for measuring key performance
indicators for carrying out quality
evaluation of schools selected from the
current academic year.
 Under the Scheme, schools will be
selected only if the State government
agrees to implement the NEP "in
entirety with the Centre laying down
commitments for supporting these
schools for achieving specified quality
parameters".
Key features
 PM SHRI will provide high-quality
education in an equitable, inclusive
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and joyful school environment that
takes care of the diverse background,
multilingual needs, and different
academic abilities of children and
makes them active participants in their
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own learning process as per the vision
of NEP 2020.
 The PM SHRI Schools will be
developed as Green schools,
incorporating environment friendly
aspects like solar panels and LED
lights, nutrition gardens with natural
farming, waste management, plastic
free, water conservation and
harvesting, study of traditions/
practices related to protection of
environment, climate change related
hackathon and awareness generation to
adopt sustainable lifestyle.
 Pedagogy adopted in these schools will
integrated, Y
be more experiential, holistic,
play/toy-based
E M
(particularly, in the foundational years)
inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented,
learner-centred, discussion-based,
flexible and enjoyable.
 Focus will be on learning outcomes of
every child in every grade. Assessment
at all levels will be based on conceptual
understanding and application of
knowledge to real life situations and
will be competency-based.
 A School Quality Assessment
Framework (SQAF) is being
developed, specifying the key
performance indicators to measure
outcomes. Quality evaluation of these
schools at regular intervals will be
undertaken to ensure the desired
standards.
Issues with respect to NEP and PM SHRI
initiatives:
The scheme has been announced at a time
when some States, including Tamil Nadu,
continue to oppose the NEP for -
 Imposing a centralised education
system on the entire country when
education is a State subject
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 Enforcing the three language policy
under which students will learn three
languages out of which two have to be
native to India.
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 Mandatory school entry at three years,
which could leave out many from
marginalised communities
 Promotion of vocational courses from
Class 6 at the cost of formal education
 The option to exit schools in Class 10
with the option to re--enter in Class 11
Prelims and Mains point: PM SHRI scheme
3. Suspense in Jharkhand as CM
Soren may face disqualification
Context: Election Commission (EC) had
issued a notice to Hemant Soren for prima-
facie violation of Section 9A of the
Representation of People's Act and
consequently recommended the
disqualification as a member of the State
Legislative Assembly.
Disqualification of MLA under the
Representation of People's Act
AD
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AC
Under Section 9A of the Representation
of the People Act, 1951, the CM could
face disqualification for entering into
a government contract.
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The clause states that "a person shall
be disqualified if, and for so long as,
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there subsists a contract entered into
by him in the course of his trade or
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business with the appropriate
Government for the supply of goods
to, or for the execution of any works
undertaken by, that Government."
 The Constitution of India does not
define the Office of Profit. It has only
mentioned it under Article 102 (1) and
Article 191 (1).
 EC recommended disqualification
from the state Assembly in the mining
lease case.
What is the significance of disqualification
under "Office of Profit"?
 MPs and MLAs, as members of the
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legislature, hold the government
accountable for its work.
 The essence of disqualification is if
legislators hold an 'office of profit'
under the government, they might be
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susceptible to government influence,
and may not discharge their
constitutional mandate fairly.
 The intent is that there should be no
conflict between the duties and
interests of an elected member.
 Hence, the office of profit law simply
seeks to enforce a basic feature of the
Constitution- the principle of
separation of power between the
legislature and the executive.
Provisions for Office of Profit
 Legislators can face disqualification for
holding other positions, which bring
them financial or other benefits.
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Under the provisions of Article 102 (1)
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and Article 191 (1) of the Constitution,
an MP or an MLA (or an MLC) is barred
from holding any office of profit under
the Central or State government.
Who has the authority to disqualify?
 The President and the Governor have
the authority to disqualify an MP,
MLA, or MLC, with or without
recommendations by the Election
commission.
Can exemptions be granted under the law?
 In the recent past, several state
legislatures have enacted laws
exempting certain offices from the
purview of office of profit in addition
to the existing provisions laid under
Articles 102 and 191.
 Parliament has also enacted the
Parliament (Prevention of
Disqualification) Act, 1959, which has
been amended several times to expand
the exempted list.
Conclusion
A provision requiring such a disqualification
is needed to protect the democratic fabric of
the country from being corrupted by
executive patronage. It also secureswww.csbias.com
the
independence of members of parliament
from the influence of the government.
Prelims and Mains Point : Discuss the
provisions of Disqualification of MLA
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4. 'One Nation, One Fertiliser'
Scheme - Single brand to help cut
fertiliser cost
Objectives of the Scheme:
 To reduce logistics costs involved in
the transportation of fertilisers.
 To ensure the availability of fertilisers
to the farmers throughout the year.
 To monitor real time movement,
availability and sales of fertilisers in a
State.
Significance of ONOF Scheme
 "One Nation One Fertilizer" would
stop the criss­­cross movement of
fertilisers for longer distances
 The Centre had taken steps to ensure
the steady availability of fertilisers by
entering into agreements with
countries such as Russia and Saudi
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Arabia at the time of a global shortage
D introduced the Armed Forces (Special
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for fertilisers.
Centre signed an agreement in Saudi
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Arabia for the supply of 2.5 million
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tonnes of fertilisers for different Indian
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manufacturers.
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The production and distribution
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process would be redrawn as the
companies would not have to
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transport their products beyond 500
kilometres on average.
Conclusion:The Scheme will encourage
capturing the local market by selling
fertilisers by companies and would lead to
timely availability of fertilisers to the
farmers.
5. Armed Forces (Special Powers)
Act 1958(AFSPA) - A draconian
law that needs to disappear
History of AFSPA:
 The roots of AFSPA can be traced to
British Rule during the freedom
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movement.
 The British government had
promulgated the Armed Forces Special
Powers Ordinance to suppress the
Quit India movement in August 1942.
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 Over the years various ordinances were
promulgated for various reasons which
include "Assam disturbed areas
(1947)", "Assam Disturbed Areas Act of
(1955)"etc.
 The Act was replaced by the AFSPA for
wider application. A similar Act
specific to Jammu and Kashmir was
enacted in 1990.
About The AFSPA
 In the 1950s, Naga insurgents resorted
to large-scale violence and
meticulously planned and launched
ambushes, which resulted in either
killing or injury of hundreds of Indian
Y
Army soldiers, Central and State
paramilitary personnel in the region.
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As a result, the Union government
Powers) Act 1958, or AFSPA.
AFSPA gives sweeping powers to the
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armed forces which include powers to
open fire, even causing death, against
any person in contravention to the law
or carrying arms and ammunition.
 Also empowers the armed forces to
arrest individuals without warrants, on
the basis of "reasonable suspicion", and
search premises without warrants.
Invocation:
 It can be imposed by the Centre or the
Governor of a state, on the whole or part
of the state, after these areas are
declared "disturbed'' under Section 3.
 The Act was amended in 1972 and the
powers to declare an area as
"disturbed" were conferred
concurrently upon the Central
government along with the States.
 Currently, the Union Ministry of Home
Affairs (MHA) issues periodic
"disturbed area" notifications to extend
AFSPA only for Nagaland and
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Arunachal Pradesh.
 The notification for Manipur and
Assam is issued by the respective State
governments.
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 Tripura revoked the Act in 2015 and
Meghalaya was under AFSPA for 27
years, until it was revoked by the
MHA from 1st April 2018.
Efforts to withdraw and Resistance to a
rescinding
 Hunger strike by the iron lady of
Manipur, Irom Chanu Sharmila: who
went on a 16-year long hunger strike
starting from November 2000 and only
could achieve partial withdrawal of
AFSPA.
 The Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy
Commission was tasked with
reviewing the provisions of AFSPA. In
its 2005 report it recommended the
withdrawal of the AFSPA and had
suggested making amendments to the
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,
1967 (UAPA) to achieve the purpose
of AFSPA.
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 Second Administrative Reforms
Commission (ARC) Recommendation:
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Subsequently, the Second ARC headed
by Veeerapa Moily, endorsed these
recommendations.
I right. Dangers to this can originate
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Measures taken so far
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
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said that all three wings of the defence
forces were in favour of the removal
of AFSPA from the Northeast and
Jammu and Kashmir.
 In April 2022, the Prime Minister of
India, Narendra Modi made a
statement to the people of the North-
east that the Government intends to
withdraw the much-dreaded Armed
Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958, or
AFSPA, completely from the region.
 Following the PM's statement, in
March this year, the government has
partially withdrawn the AFSPA from
parts of Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal
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Pradesh and Manipur.
6. Puttaswamy and the fading
promise of a right
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Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (retd.) vs Union of
India case(2017): The nine -judge
Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court
ruled that individual privacy is intrinsic to
life and liberty and an inherent part of the
fundamental rights enshrined in Article 21
of the Constitution.
 It formally recognised the right to
privacy as being a fundamental right
stemming from the right to life and
personal liberty, guaranteed under
Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.
About Right to Privacy
 Privacy is a constitutionally protected
right emerging primarily from the
Y
guarantee of life and liberty in Article
21 of the Constitution.
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While the right to privacy is intrinsic
to an individual's ability to exercise
bodily autonomy, it is still not an
"absolute right".
 Privacy is not an absolute right, but any
invasion must be based on legality,

need and proportionality.
Informational privacy is a facet of this
from both state and non-state actors.
Issues in enforcement even after 5 years of
Right to privacy judgement
 So far, the recognition of the right has
not been upheld in letter or in practice.
This can be understood from the nature
of the relationship shared among
consumers and companies.
 Data not protected: Data security
breaches which result in the loss and
theft of personal, sensitive data
continues unabated. The Personal Data
Protection Bill, 2021 has been
withdrawn after an unnecessarily long
period of stagnation.
 Data collection: In India, any person or
business can procure the www.csbias.com
personal
information for a vast majority of the
people. These data are used and
consumed most often by some
legitimate advertising agencies,
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
unscrupulous telemarketing firms,
and cyber criminals.
 This status quo leaves the people open
to a range of harms like phishing
attacks, financial scams, as well as
other harmful activities based on
information about an individual.
 'Spying' from above: There are
apprehensions about the unauthorised
or illegal state surveillance in the name
of the security and integrity of India.
For example, this is validated with the
allegation of the misuse of the Pegasus
spyware by the Indian government.
 Other 'transgressions': The
Government has demanded the VPN
service providers, most of which
operate in jurisdictions outside of
India, to ensure start collecting and
maintaining KYC records on Indian
nationals who seek to avail their
AD
services. The kind of information
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requested to be collected and storedC
includes full name, phone number,
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home address, etc., which generally is
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not sought by VPN service providers.
7.
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Appointment of Chief Justice of
India
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Context: President Droupadi Murmu
appointed Justice Uday Umesh Lalit as the
49th Chief Justice of India.
Reforms brought by the CJI
 CJI U U Lalit assured that there will be
at least one Constitution Bench
functioning throughout the year in the
Supreme Court.
 Another reform that Justice Lalit has
talked about is that court proceedings
would start at 9 am instead of the usual
10.30 am.
 Urgent matters: A clear-cut mechanism
Email :would be in place to allow lawyers to
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mention urgent matters, which
includes bail petitions, et, before the
respective Benches for early listing.
 Pendency of cases: The Supreme
Court's pendency has crossed over
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71,000 from a little over 55,000 in 2017.
This is despite the fact that the
sanctioned judicial strength of the court
was increased to 34 judges in August
2019.
About Constitution bench:
 It is the name given to the benches of
the Supreme Court of India which
consist of at least five judges of the
court which sit to decide any case
 Involving a substantial question of law
as to the interpretation of the
Constitution of India
 For the purpose of hearing any
reference made by the President of
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India under Article 143.
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This provision has been mandated by
Article 145 (3) of the Constitution of
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India.
The Chief Justice of India has the power
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to constitute a Constitution Bench and
refer cases to it.
Setting up at least one Constitution
bench that would sit through the year
to ensure smoother methods for listing
cases and allowing lawyers to
effectively 'mention' their cases for
listing is a step in forward direction.
Appointment of Chief Justice of India
 The CJI and the Judges of the SC are
appointed by the President under
clause (2) of Article 124 of the
Constitution.
 From 1950 to 1973, the practice was to
appoint the senior most judge of the SC
as the CJI.
 This established convention was
violated in 1973 when A N Ray was
appointed as the Chief Justice of India
by superseding three senior judges.
 Again in 1977, M U Beg was appointed
as the chief justice of India by
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superseding the then senior-most
judge.
 This discretion of the government was
curtailed by the SC in the Second
Judges Case (1993), in which the SC
ruled that the senior most judge should
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alone be appointed to the office of the
CJI.
Removal of Judges
 A judge of the SC can be removed from
office by an order of the President.
 The President can issue the removal
order only after an address by
Parliament has been presented in the
same session for such removal.
 The address must be supported by a
special majority of each House of
Parliament.
 Grounds of Removal: Proved
misbehaviour or Incapacity.
The Judges Enquiry Act, 1968 regulates

the procedure relating to the removal
of a judge of the SC by the process of
impeachment.
 No judge of the SC has been
impeached so far.
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 Impeachment motions of Justice V
Ramaswami (1991-1993) and Justice
AC
Dipak Misra (2017-18) were defeated
in the Parliament.
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8.
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Revisiting the S. Subramaniam
Balaji vs Tamil Nadu judgement
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Context: The Supreme Court referred to a
three-judge Bench a series of petitions
seeking a judicial direction that political
parties who make wild promises of largesse
should also reveal where they will get the
money to pay for them in their election
manifestos. The reference departs from the
court's position in the 2013 Subramaniam
Balaji vs Tamil Nadu decision.
Constitutional and Statutory Provisions
 Articles 324 to 329 of Part XV of the
Indian Constitution contain provisions
relating to the conduct of free and fair
elections in India.
 These provisions gave Parliament the
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authority to enact legislation to govern
the electoral process.
 In order to implement these
provisions, Parliament passed the
Representation of the People Act, 1950,
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and the Representation of the People
Act, 1951.
1951 Representation of the People Act
 The RP Act 1951 was passed prior to
the first general election. The act
mandates the holding of elections in
India.
 It addresses the following election
issues:
 Actual election conduct;
Administrative machinery for
conducting elections; o Poll; Election
offences; Election disputes; By-
elections; Registration of political
parties.
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Corruption, as defined by the RP Act of
1951
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E M
Section 123 of the RP Act 1951 defines
corrupt electoral practices. The
following practises have been

identified as corrupt:
Bribery is defined as any gift, offer,
promise, or gratification given to
another person as a motive or reward.
The Supreme Court ruled in the 2013
Balaji case that making promises in
election manifestos does not constitute
corrupt practices under Section 123 of

the Representation of People Act (RP).
As a result, the Supreme Court has
decided to reconsider the Balaji
decision.
The 2013 Judgment's Highlights
 The Supreme Court ruled that:
 It would be deceptive to conclude that
all promises in the election manifesto
amounted to corrupt practice.
 A political party's manifesto is a
statement of its policy.
 The question of manifesto
implementation arises only if the
political party forms a government.
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 The court agreed, however, that
freebies create an uneven playing field.
 It had requested that the Election
Commission of India consult with
political parties and issue guidelines
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on election manifestos, which would
be included in the Model Code of
Conduct (MCC).
The significance of the current Supreme
Court decision to review the 2013
judgement
 Fiscal burden and associated concerns
 The court anticipates that freebies will
lead to a situation in which the state
government will be unable to provide
basic amenities due to a lack of funds,
pushing the state into bankruptcy.
 The court wants a transparent debate
before the three-judge Bench on
whether an enforceable judicial order
can prevent political parties from
promising and distributing irrational
freebies.

kind because the Supreme Court is
investigating whether judicial AD
One-of-a-kind o This case is one-of-a-
parameters can be imposed on a
purely political act of promisingAC
freebies.
A S
Why is the Supreme Court reconsidering
this judgement? I to families, uplift clusters of these
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SB
The Supreme Court has said that
freebies may create a situation wherein
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the State government cannot provide
basic amenities due to a lack of funds
and the State is pushed towards
imminent bankruptcy.
 Hence, a transparent debate before the
three-judge Bench should be held on
whether an enforceable judicial order
can stop political parties from
promising and distributing 'irrational
freebies'.
 Significance: This revisit by the
Supreme Court on its earlier
judgement is unique as the court is
exploring whether judicial parameters
can be set on a purely political act of
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promising freebies.
Mains Point : Comment critically Political
parties and their election promises and
funding has to be transparent
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9. Tribe categorisation work delays
benefits under SEED
Context: The Scheme for Economic
Empowerment of Denotified/Nomadic/
SemiNomadic(SEED) is a scheme meant for
the upliftment of Denotified, Nomadic and
Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs/NTs/SNTs).
 According to government estimates,
more than 10 crore Indians from 1,400
communities belong to these groups.
 The process has been marred with
multiple exercises to bring all DNT, NT
and SNT communities under SC, ST,
and OBC categories.
 The scheme has been launched based
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on the recommendations of the Bhiku
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Ramji Idate Commission which called
for a separate schedule to be created
for these communities so that they can
avail benefits meant for them.
About SEED Programme:
 The SEED scheme was launched in 2022
with the aim to provide free
competitive exam coaching to
community students, health insurance
communities through livelihood
initiatives, and provide financial

assistance for housing.
Corpus: The Ministry has allocated
?200 crores for this scheme - to be spent
over five years from FY 2021-2022 to FY
2025-2026.
 Recognition: The scheme will be
implemented through an online portal
that will issue a unique ID to each
applicant so they can apply and track
the status of their application online.
 Designation: There has been the
creation of a list of DNTs/NTs/SNTs
enumerated by the commission led by
Bhiku Ramji Idate, which has listed
1,262 such communities and
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categorised them under SC/ST or OBC
and others.
 Need for recognition: Categorisation of
DNTs/NTs/SNTs is essential for the
implementation of welfare
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programmes as there is no schedule in
the Constitution providing for their
reservation.

Major issues with the scheme:

 Administrative apathy: The

Development and Welfare Board for
De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-
Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC)
has not yet begun sifting through the
applications as they are still being
reviewed at the State and district
levels. History of De-notified Tribes
 Cascading tapism: The involvement of  The term 'De-notified Tribes' stands for
multiple officials in the Y
all those communities which were once
implementation of the scheme is
holding up the process of accurate
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notified under the Criminal Tribes Acts,
enforced by the British Raj between l87l
and I947.
categorisation of DNTs/NTs/SNTs
under the list of Scheduled Castes,
Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward AD  Post-independence: These Acts were
repealed by the Independent lndian


Classes.
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List mismatch: Inconsistencies have
Government in l952, and these
communities were "De-Notified".

S
been hindering the processing of SEED

A
applications of those communities
Government steps to improve status:

I
which are already in the classified list
 Idate commission: The Government in
2014 had constituted the National

SB
of 1,262 communities. For instance,
Banjara people were under the SC list
Commission for Denotified, Nomadic
and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (NCDNT) for


C
in Delhi, the ST list in Rajasthan and
the OBC list in Uttar Pradesh.
Slow process: Idate commission has
also added 267 communities to the list
which is now being studied by the
Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI)
and Tribal Research Institutes to
classify them under either SC, ST, or
OBC.
 Different designations: Different
generations of the same community
had been issued different community
certificates.
 Dialect mismatches: Differences in the
spelling of communities based on local
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
dialects have prevented many of them
from getting a community certificate.
a period of three years to prepare a
State-wise list of castes belonging to
Denotified and Nomadic Tribes.
 Renke Commission: It was created in
2008 and was earlier commissioned to
identify and list the DNT communities.
 Creation of welfare Board: A
Development and Welfare Board for
De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-
Nomadic communities has been
constituted by the government for the
Development and Welfare of De-
notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic
communities.
www.csbias.com
Mains Point : challenges in SEED
programme of GoI

CSB IAS ACADEMY 9

 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
10. The concerns around Aadhaar-
Voter ID linkage
 Reports have surfaced online of
instances where block level officers
have asked individuals to link their
Aadhaar with their Voter IDs, failing
which their Voter IDs could be
cancelled.
Aadhaar-Voter ID linkage: Why does the
government want this?
 The EC conducts regular exercises to
maintain an updated and accurate
record of the voter base.
 A part of this exercise is to weed out
duplication of voters.
 There have been migrant workers who
may have been registered more than
once on the electoral rolls in different
constituencies or for persons
registered multiple times within the
same constituency. AD
 As per the government, linkage of
AC
Aadhaar with voter IDs will assist in
A S
ensuring that only one Voter ID is
issued per citizen of India.
I
Is the linking of Aadhaar with one's Voter
ID mandatory?

SB
In December 2021, Parliament passed
C
the Election Laws (Amendment) Act,
2021 .
 This was to amend the Representation
of the People Act, 1950 and Section
23(4) was inserted in the RP Act.
 It states that the electoral registration
officer may require voters to furnish
their Aadhaar numbers to verify
Authenticity of voters list.
Why is it making headlines now?
 There has been the use of discretionary
language throughout the amendments.
 This has been accompanied by
assurances that linkage is optional by
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both the government and the EC.
 Alternative is provided to only those
who does not have an Aadhaar
number.
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 To that extent, the limited element of
choice that has been incorporated in the
amendments seem to be negated or at
the very least thrown into confusion.
Why is there such a proposal for linking?
The preference to use Aadhaar for
verification and authentication, both by the
state and private sector, stems from few
reasons:
 Increase in UID-holders: First, at the end
of 2021, 99.7% of the adult Indian
population had an Aadhaar card.
 Most versatile document: This
coverage exceeds that of any other
officially valid document such as
Y
driver's licence, ration cards, PAN
E M
cards etc. that are mostly applied for
specific purposes.
 Reliable source of authentication: Since
Aadhaar allows for biometric
authentication, Aadhaar based
authentication and verification is
considered more reliable, quicker and
cost efficient when compared to other
IDs.
Issues with mandatory linking: Puttaswamy
judgement highlights
 Puttaswamy judgement: The above
reasons do not suffice the mandating
of Aadhaar except in limited
circumstances as per the Puttaswamy
judgement.
 Indispensability of the purpose: It
needs to be considered whether such
mandatory linkage of Aadhaar with
Voter ID would pass the test of being
"necessary and proportionate" to the
purpose of de-duplication which is
sought to be achieved.
 Constitutional ambiguity: In
Puttaswamy, one of the questions that
the Supreme Court explored was
whether the mandatory linking of
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Aadhaar with bank accounts was
constitutional or not.
 Against informational autonomy: It is
the right to privacy which would allow
a person to decide which official
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
document they want to use for
verification and authentication.
Other judicial observations: Lal Babu
Hussein (1995) Case
 The Supreme Court had held that the
Right to vote cannot be disallowed by
insisting only on four proofs of
identity.
 The voters are entitled to rely on any
other proof of identity and obtain the
right to vote.
What are the operational difficulties?
 Aadhaar is not a citizenship proof: The
preference to Aadhaar for the purposes
of determining voters is puzzling as
Aadhaar is only a proof of residence

and not a proof of citizenship.
Excluding non-citizens is not easy:
Verifying voter identity against this
A
will only help in tackling duplicationD
AC
but will not remove voters who are not
citizens of India from the electoral
rolls.

A S
Estimate of error rates in biometric
I
based authentication: This certainly
differs. As per the UIDAI in 2018,
Aadhaar
SB based biometric
authentication had a 12% error rate.

C
Disenfranchisement of existing voters:
Errors have led to the
disenfranchisement of around 30 lakh
voters in AP and Telangana before the
Supreme Court stalled the process of
linkage.
Key concern: Right to Privacy
 Some civil societies have highlighted
that linking of the two databases of
electoral rolls and Aadhaar could lead
to the linkage of Aadhaar's
"demographic" information with voter
ID information.
 This could lead to violation of the right
Email :to privacy and surveillance measures
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
by the state. This would leave the EC
with the option of verifying its
information only through door-to-door
checks.
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? There is a lack of enforceable data
protection principles that regulate how
authentication data will be used.
Mains Point : Comment on linking of
Aadhaar with one's Voter ID and Right to
Privacy
11. The Dolo scandal - Pharma needs
a dose of regulation
 Bengaluru-based Micro Labs has been
accused of tax evasion and paying
doctors Rs 1,000 crore as bribe to
prescribe Dolo-650 for Covid-19
patients.
 The Supreme Court is currently hearing
Y
a plea to make the Uniform Code for
E M
Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices
(UCPMP) a statutory requirement.
What is Dolo?
 Dolo 650 is an analgesic (pain killer)
and antipyretic (fever reducing) tablet
manufactured by Micro Labs, a
Bengaluru-based pharmaceutical firm.
 This trademarked product is a fixed
dose combination medication with 650
mg of an active compound called

paracetamol.
This NSAID (non-steroidal anti-
inflammatory medication) is
prescribed for fever and mild pains. It
is even sold without a medical
prescription.
The Dolo 650 scandal
 The controversy is centred on Micro
Labs' marketing strategies. The pharma
firm is alleged to have bribed doctors,
into promoting Dolo 650, with freebies
worth ?1,000 crore.
 The ceiling prices of more than 850
medicines, including paracetamol
combinations, has been established by
the DPCO (Drugs (Prices Control)
Order). In the case of awww.csbias.com
650 mg
paracetamol tablet, the ceiling price is
?1.83, while for a 500 mg paracetamol
tablet, it is ?0.91.
 Hence, the sale of the 650 mg version
is more profitable for the manufacturer.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
Steps have been taken by the government
to stop freebies for doctors
 The Uniform Code of Pharmaceuticals
Marketing Practices of 2015 prohibits
gifts, payments and hospitality
benefits to doctors by the medical
representatives. However, this code
has been fully voluntary since 2015 and
there is no enforcement mechanism.
 Further, the Income Tax Act, 1961
disallows deductions for payments to
doctors and the tax deducted at source
(TDS) is applicable for all payments
made to doctors.
 The Indian Medical Council
(Professional Conduct, Etiquette and
Ethics) Regulations, 2002 also
prohibits the disbursement of gifts. It
may also lead to cancellation of license
if found guilty.
AD
The need for Uniform Code for
Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices AC
(UCPMP)

A S
The nexus between doctors and
I
pharma companies is well-known. The
SB
most basic form of nexus consists of
sending doctors and practitioners
C
branded stationery, calendars, or desk
knick-knacks. It keeps their products
on top of the mind in a crowded
market.
 It is especially important in a market
such as India, where many essential
drugs are placed under price control.
 However, the issue is a serious nexus.
Where doctors are paid to fulfil the
objectives of pharmaceuticals like fees
to act as lead investigators on clinical
trials or in endorsing key research
papers.
 Thus, a statutory code instead of
voluntary code has been suggested,
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where all pharma companies need to
disclose payments made to doctors or
their associations, directly or
indirectly.
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Wayforward
 Prescriptions should be written without
brand names. It should be made the
normal practice.
 Doctors will then have no incentive to
promote particular brands.
Pharmaceutical companies also will
have no incentive to give freebies to
doctors.
 There should be a flat dispensing fee
in place of incentives for pharmacists.
It will prevent pharmacists from
recommending a brand name.
12. Can civil servants express their
Y
views on law, governance?
E M
Context: A senior IAS officer, Smita
Sabharwal from Telangana tweeted from her
personal account in support of Ms. Bilkis
Bano and questioned the Gujarat
government's decision of releasing 11 men
convicted on charges of gang-raping during
the 2002 Gujarat riots.
 This has prompted a debate about
whether the officer breached the Civil
Service (Conduct) Rules of 1964 and
revived the debate about civil servants'
right to express their personal views on
matters of law and governance.
Critical analysis of Rule 9 of the Central
Civil Services (Conduct) Rules
 It says that no Government servant
shall make any statement of fact or
opinion which has the effect of an
adverse criticism of any current or
recent policy or action of the Central
Government or a State Government.
 It is in violation of Article 19 (freedom
of speech and expression) of the
Constitution.
 Once a person takes up government
service, he/she surrenders and allows
some restrictions on www.csbias.com
his/her
fundamental rights. He/she is to
operate within bounds.
 The rule says he/she cannot criticise a
policy judgement which is a very
12
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
vague expression and needs to be
carefully scrutinised.
Rule may not violate Article 19
 A fundamental right cannot be
curtailed except by a valid law made
by a legislature.
 It is a rule and not the law. It is not in
the Constitution while Freedom of
speech is given in the Constitution.
 These are Conduct Rules and they are
imposed because there has to be some
discipline in an organisation for that
organisation to function.
 There is a process of decision-making.
Right from below, the matter is
examined, the pros and cons are taken
up, the bureaucracy is given an
opportunity to examine all the aspects,
write their notes of objection or
support, and finally, it reaches the
political executive. AD

obeyed and complied with by the AC
When a policy is decided, it has to be
bureaucracy
A S

I
There are no laws that restrict the
government servant to use social
SB
media such as Twitter. A government
servant can share his/her opinion that
C
he/she is very pained by what's
happened today.
 Ms. Sabharwal has not given a speech
about it and it is just a private
communication on Twitter that she
chose to express her own anguish.
Previous Court Orders
 Lipika Paul v. The State Of Tripura:
The court said that a civil servant (the
petitioner) is not devoid of her right to
free speech, a fundamental right which
can be curtailed only by a valid law.
However, this is subject to the civil
servant not crossing the borders laid
Email :down in the Conduct Rules.
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
 Kerala High Court Judgement: The
court said that one cannot be prevented
from expressing his views merely
because he is an employee. In a
CSB IAS ACADEMY
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democratic society, every institution is
governed by democratic norms.
Right to object and right to dissent
 Government officers are given only one
way of encouragement to say good
things in the media. They do not have
the liberty as of today to say what is
bad.
 In a democracy, everybody has a right
to express his or her opinion, a right to
object, a right to dissent. The same
thing stands true for an IAS officer that
he or she may have a right to dissent.
 Creating more transparency about
policies through social media is the
Y
duty of a government officer which has

E M
to be taken on a case-by-case basis.
We need to make a differentiation
between what is something that's going
to hurt society, hurt the Constitution,
and the rule of law.
 The decision to release convicts on
remission is not a government policy
but an action, which is ordained by the
Supreme Court, executed by the
government of Gujarat, and the
question is over the manner in which it
has been done.
13. Positive Secularism - Karnataka's
hijab case
Context: India believes in 'positive
secularism' based on tolerance of all
religious faiths and not 'negative secularism'
followed in countries like France which holds
that display of religion in public is offensive,
said a student from Karnataka who has
challenged the ban on wearing hijab to
school.
What is Positive Secularism?
 Secularism is most commonly defined
as the separation of religion from civic
affairs and the state.
 It may be broadened to awww.csbias.com
similar
position seeking to remove or to
minimise the role of religion in any
public sphere.
 Positive secularism is where the state
plays an enabler role in the exercise of
13
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
fundamental rights and the religious
freedoms of all communities.
Circumstances where hijab can be
prohibited in school
The State can only restrict her right in three
circumstances:
 One, to protect public order, morality
and health.
 Two, to protect another fundamental
right.
 Three, if such a restriction is authorised
by a law made to regulate or restrict
any economic, financial, political or
secular activity which may be
associated with religious practice or to
provide for social welfare and reform.
What was the judgement announced by
Karnataka HC?
 The HC held that wearing hijab is not
AD
an essential religious practice in Islam
by the right to freedom of religion
guaranteed by Article 25 of the AC
and is not, therefore, protected under
Constitution.
A S

I
The court said it was a reasonable
restriction that was constitutionally

SB
permissible.
The Bench also upheld the legality of
C
the order prescribing guidelines for
uniforms in schools and pre-university
colleges under the provisions of the
Karnataka Education Act, 1983.
 The court said that school uniforms
will cease to be a uniform if hijab is
also allowed.
How is religious freedom protected under
the Constitution?
 Article 25(1) of the Constitution
guarantees the "freedom of conscience
and the right freely to profess, practise
and propagate religion".
 It is a right that guarantees a negative
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liberty - which means that the state
shall ensure that there is no
interference or obstacle to exercise this
freedom.
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 However, like all fundamental rights,
the state can restrict the right for
grounds of public order, decency,
morality, health and other state
interests.
 Observations made by the Supreme
Court in this matter:
 People have a right under the
Constitution to profess, practise and
propagate religion (Article 25).
 Every person is the final judge of his/
her choice of religion or who their life
partner should be. Courts cannot sit in
judgement of a person's choice of
religion or life partner.

Y
Religious faith is a part of the
E M
fundamental right to privacy.
14. Gyanvapi order & The Places of
Worship Act, 1991
Context: The district judge of Varanasi in
Rakhi Singh & others has ordered that the
petition by the five Hindu women is
maintainable under the Civil Procedure
Code (CPC) of 1908.
 The judge has noted that the petitioners
are seeking neither the conversion of
the Gyanvapi mosque into a Shiv
temple nor making any claim to
ownership. They are merely seeking a
right to worship as a civil right and,
therefore, the bar of the 1991 Act is not
applicable.
The Places of Worship Act
The Places of Worship Act - brought in 1991
to maintain a status quo at all pre-
Independence religious sites in terms of
their nature - is currently facing this test.
 It is described as "An Act to prohibit
conversion of any place of worship and
to provide for the maintenance of the
religious character of any place of
worship as it existed on the 15th day of
www.csbias.com
August 1947, and for matters connected
therewith or incidental thereto."
Provisions of the Act
Section 3: This section of the Act bars the
conversion, in full or part, of a place of
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
worship of any religious
denomination into a place of worship
of a different religious denomination
or even a different segment of the same
religious denomination.
 Section 4(1): It declares that the
religious character of a place of
worship "shall continue to be the same
as it existed" on 15th August 1947.
 Section 4(2): It says any suit or legal
proceeding with respect to the
conversion of the religious character of
any place of worship existing on 15th
August, 1947, pending before any
court, shall abate and no fresh suit or
legal proceedings shall be instituted.
Section 5: It stipulates that the Act shall

not apply to the Ram Janmabhoomi-
Babri Masjid case, and to any suit,
appeal, or proceeding relating to it.
Exemption: AD
 The disputed site at Ayodhya was
exempted from the Act. Due to this AC
A S
exemption, the trial in the Ayodhya
case proceeded even after the
I
enforcement of this law.

SB
Besides the Ayodhya dispute, the Act
also exempted:

C
Any place of worship which is an
ancient and historical monument, or
an archaeological site covered by the
Ancient Monuments and
Archaeological Sites and Remains Act,
1958.
 A suit that has been finally settled or
disposed of. Any dispute that has been
settled by the parties or conversion of
any place that took place by
acquiescence before the Act
commenced.
Penalty:
Email :Section
 6 of the Act prescribes a
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
punishment of a maximum of three
years imprisonment along with a fine
for contravening the provisions of the
Act.
CSB IAS ACADEMY
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Criticism:
 The law has been challenged on the
ground that it bars judicial review,
which is a basic feature of the
Constitution, imposes an "arbitrary
irrational retrospective cutoff date,"
and abridges the right to religion of
Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs.
Mains Point : Comment on Right to worship
with respect to Gyanvapi order
15. Parliamentary business and an
essential pit stop
Context: The recently concluded monsoon
session of Parliament (July-August), even
Y
though it was adjourned sine die, it
E M
witnessed the Competition (Amendment)
Bill, 2022 and the Electricity (Amendment)
Bill, 2022 being sent to the Department-
Related Standing Committee of Parliament
for detailed examination and a report
thereon.
 The Lok Sabha's productivity was 47%
and the Rajya Sabha's productivity was
only 42%.
 The percentage of Bills having been
referred to the DRSCs during the
tenures of the 14th (2004-2009), 15th
(2009-2014) and 16th Lok Sabhas (2014-
2019) has been 60%, 71% and 27%,
respectively.
Why does the government have to refer the
Bill to DRSCs?
 The deliberations in these committees
mostly add value to the content of the
legislation as the Members discuss the
provisions of the bill irrespective of
their party positions.
 Committee members from both the
ruling side and the opposition side
have some sort of ownership of the bill
as they examine the bill.
 As in most of these committees, the
www.csbias.com
government has a majority and the final
decision is always by the process of
majority voting.
15
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
About Parliamentary Committees
 Parliamentary standing committees
are permanent and regular committees
which are constituted from time to time
in pursuance of the provisions of an
act of parliament or rules of procedure
and conduct of business in Lok Sabha.
AD 
 The work of these Committees is of
continuous nature. AC

A S
Among the Standing Committees, the
three Financial
I
Committees-
Committees on Estimates, Public
SB
Accounts and Public Undertakings
constitute standing committees as they
C
keep a vigil over Government
expenditure and performance.
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Importance of Parliamentary Standing
Committees in democracy:
 Executive accountability:
Parliamentary standing committees
ensure executive accountability
through scrutiny of public spending
and various laws.
 Help in Economic growth: The
Estimates Committee examines the
Union Budget and suggests alternative
policies to bring about efficiency and
economy in administration.
 Scrutiny of public funds: The Public
accounts committees scrutinise the
government accounts and the report of
Y
the Comptroller and Auditor-General
of India. Thus reducing the chance of
E M
misspending and also validating the
government's spending statistics.
Ensure better laws and rules: The
Committee on Subordinate Legislation
scrutinises and reports to the house
about regulations, rules, sub-rules,
bye-laws, etc. conferred by the
Constitution being properly exercised
within the limits of various provisions.
 Ensure answerability: The Committee
on Government Assurances committee
scrutinises the various assurances,
promises, undertakings, etc. given by
ministers from time to time reporting
on the extent to which such assurances
have been implemented.
Although parliamentary and cabinet
committees are not a part of the Constitution
they ensure healthy democracy and
governance through scrutiny and better
policies. They enable the cabinet and
Parliament to make difficult decisions.
16. For State Of The Nation, Look At
States Of The Nation
Context: In the Independence Day speech,
www.csbias.com
the PM set the tone for a Viksit Bharat
(Developed India) by 2047. He also said
'When the states grow India grows.' Niti
Aayog, with its mandate to actualise
16
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
cooperative federalism, is a perfect platform
for the national development agenda.
How can Niti Aayog help in making Viksit
Bharat?
 The medium between states to
implement best practices
 States have varying capacities in
driving transformational and inclusive
growth. But Vision 2047 requires
strong and agile institutions with an
overall development strategy, setting
sectoral targets and bringing together
technology, enterprise and efficient
management for policy formulation
and implementation.
 Niti Aayog can act as a medium for
states to learn from each other through
sharing of their best practices. For
example,
AD

orphans, minority communities andAC
Project Excel is a Gujarat government
initiative to empower women, youth,
A S
marginalised groups by promoting
entrepreneurship, farm value chain
interventions, etc. I

SB
The Farmer Registration and Unified
Beneficiary Information System
C
(FRUITS) facilitates faster and targeted
delivery of agriculture-related services
to farmers in Karnataka.
Enhancing cooperative federalism
 With the help of Niti Aayog, state
planning departments can reinvent
themselves as State Institutions for
Transformation (SIT). SITs would
identify critical growth drivers and
play a vital role in facilitating
stakeholder consultations for focussed
efforts that balance sustainable growth
with social development while
addressing climate concerns.
Email :Such
 SITs will be key to achieving a
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
medium-term vision of SDG 2030 and
a longer-term vision of India@100. For
example, Karnataka set up the State
Institute for Transforming Karnataka
(SITK).
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17. Internal democracy - The ECI is
right in rejecting the notion of
'leader for life' in political parties
Context: The Election Commission of India
(ECI) has rejected the idea of a 'permanent
president' for a party, while taking issue with
the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party
(YSRCP), which rules Andhra Pradesh.
 There is merit in the ECI's view and its
insistence on internal democracy, as no
individual should be elected leader for
life.
 The ECI has periodically used
guidelines issued for registration of
parties under Section 29A of the
Y
Representation of the People Act, 1951
to remind parties to conduct elections
M
and to ensure that their leadership is
E
renewed, changed or re-elected every

five years.
But the commission does not have any
statutory power to enforce internal
democracy in parties or to mandate
elections
What is the legal position on conducting
internal elections within political parties?
 There is no law that mandates elections
within political parties. Nothing in
Article 324, section 29A of
Representation of People Act, 1951
regulates the internal functioning of
parties.
 Political parties are nowhere
mentioned in the constitution. The
definition of political parties was given
in anti-defection law, for the first time.
All rules and regulations apply more
to candidates than to political parties
in India.
What are the directions of ECI on the
internal democracy of political parties?
 The commission said that a) No
individual should be elected www.csbias.com
leader for
life, b) Any party that participates in a
democratic process, and wants to
govern and legislate, should include a
formal and periodic election of office-
bearers.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
Why ensuring the internal democracy of
political parties is challenging?
 Nature of political parties in India: For
instance, India has
 Structured, cadre-based organisations
that function towards an ideological
goal or a principle. For Example,
Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist
parties, etc.
 More loosely structured collections of
individuals with different strands of
opinion functions within an
association that has core ideals. For
example, the Congress party
 Some other parties still reflect social or
regional cleavages and so on.
 Family politics and leader-driven
politics: The fragmentation of India's
polity into a federalised, multi-party
system has also given way to the
domination of "charismatic"AD
individuals or their families. These
parties' support and financing AC
A S
structures necessitate a centralised
control by a single coterie or a family.
 I
So, these parties do not conduct
SB
internal elections to secure their
leadership. Even if they do, they lack
C
sufficient contestation and only
favourite leaders get promoted over
the populist leaders. This reaffirms the
dominance of the high command.
 The election is seen as a zero-sum
game: Political parties are reluctant to
allow internal contests, fearing that
this could foster disunity, as opposed
to nomination and consensus-building
on leadership.
 The ECI lacks statutory power to
enforce internal democracy: The ECI
has periodically used guidelines
issued for the registration of parties
under Section 29A of the
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Representation of the People Act, 1951
to remind parties to conduct elections
and to ensure that their leadership is
renewed, changed or re-elected every
five years. But the commission does
not have any statutory power to
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enforce internal democracy in parties
or to mandate elections.
Mains Point:Internal Democracy is essential
feature for Political parties in India comment
18. Jyoti Punwani writes: Making
criminals of peaceful protesters
diminishes Indian democracy
Context: Earlier, even if detained, protesters
were let off in a couple of hours, with no
charges filed. But now, even peaceful
protesters, including students, teachers and
even journalists are threatened with criminal
cases.
 The new Criminal Procedure
Y
(Identification) Act 2022, which permits
E M
policemen to record the biometrics of
individuals arrested and even if they
are only detained, has just had rules
created for it.
 Only those who have no previous
offences against them are free from
Section 144 arrest penalties. The police
are permitted by the new law to keep
your biometric data on file until your
acquittal. However, we require a
magistrate's order before we may
delete the biometrics.
Major Problem
 Laws are not respected by the police.
Seven years ago, the Supreme Court
invalidated Section 66A of the IT Act.
The police continue to make arrests in
accordance with this law. The way the
police handle lawful demonstrators
relies on the directives they get and
their personal biases.
 A democracy's core right is the freedom
to peaceful protest. Our Constitution
makes this promise. It has previously
received support from the Supreme
Court. It is detrimental to democracy
to criminalise nonviolent
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demonstrators.
 Recent protests include those over the
suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula
in 2016, the Maharashtra Kisan Long
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
March in 2018, the anti-CAA/NRC
rallies in several towns in 2019-2020,
and the farmers' protests in Delhi in
2020-21.
 These, though, were limited to
particular sections.The act of peaceful
demonstration has been made illegal.
A few hours earlier, demonstrators
were released without being charged.
 But recently, charges have been
brought against nonviolent
demonstrators.
Obtaining police approval to hold silent
protests outside of approved locations is an
extremely difficult task.
 The system contains biases. Only those
who support the ruling party receive
special treatment while organising
protests.
Mains Point: Peaceful protests is the core
for a successful functioning of Democracy AD
19. Death penalty: Deciding the AC
rarest of the rare
A S
I
Context: The Supreme Court has done well
to acknowledge that capital punishment
SB
needs closer scrutiny and referring the
matter to a five-judge bench. The problem
C
that the Supreme Court's reference to a
Constitution Bench seeks to remedy is the
need to achieve consistency on the
requirements of a fair, meaningful and
effective sentencing hearing
 In Bachan Singh case, Supreme Court
proposed sentencing framework for
death penalty. It asked courts to weigh
aggravating and mitigating
circumstances. It introduced "rarest of
rare" category of case for capital
punishment.
 Four decades and over 400 judgments
after Bachan Singh v State of Punjab
Email :(May 1980), a three-judge bench has
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had the judicial courage to
acknowledge that there are serious
problems in India's death penalty
regime, indicating that the current state
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of death penalty sentencing is
untenable.
Concerns with Death penalty framework
 This is not the first time that the
Supreme Court has noticed that all is
not well with the Bachan Singh
framework. In 2009, in Santosh Kumar
Bariyar v State of Maharashtra, Justice
S B Sinha expressed concern about the
lack of uniformity in death penalty
sentencing.
 In 2018, Justice Kurian Joseph in his
minority opinion in Channu Lal Verma
v State of Chhattisgarh called for a
relook at the constitutional possibility
Y
of the death penalty because of the
arbitrariness that had crept in.

E M
Lethal Lottery in 2008, and the 262nd
Law Commission of India Report in
2015, underscored the inconsistencies
in the Supreme Court's approach to
death penalty sentencing. The Law
Commission recommended abolition
due to the irresolvable arbitrariness
inherent in death penalty law.
 In 2020, Project 39A's doctrinal study
of trial court judgments from 2000-2015
evidenced the inconsistencies in the
application of the framework, which
often arose from the confusion
embedded in the framework.
Way forward
 The courts have taken differing
approaches in which factors are
relevant to sentencing and how best to
bring in factors relevant to punishment.
The courts have different opinions
about the weightage sentencing factors
must receive, and the contentious role
of public opinion.
 Accused in death penalty cases are
mostly poor. They cannot afford
quality legal representation. They don't
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have the resources to put before the
Court meaningful mitigation
information.
 The accused need to be given time and
resources to gather and present such
19
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
information in every single case and
at every judicial stage. We are
required to remove the deep suspicion
and biases faced by the accused person.
20. Democracy in Kashmir: Indira's
failure, Vajpayee's success
Context: May 2022 marked the completion
of four years since the elected government
fell. Since then, the erstwhile state has been
under direct administration by the
Union.Ghulam Nabi Azad's re-entry into
Jammu and Kashmir's politics with the
launch of a new party has once again put
the focus on the long-overdue elections in
the former state.
Article 370 and its consequent changes
 The Union Parliament changed Jammu
and Kashmir from a state to a union
Delhi legislature, the new UT was A
territory. Along the same lines as theD

given restricted authority.
More adjustments were made in the AC
A S
UT by the national government. For
instance, State subject certificates were
I
replaced with domicile certificates,
SB
which gave both temporary and long-
term residents the ability to vote and
 C
own property.
It modified land laws, impacted forest
rights, gave mining rights to
businesses outside the state, and
eliminated the entitlement to free
postsecondary education.
 The most recent modifications were
changing the electoral constituency
boundaries in accordance with the
reorganisation statute.
Jammu and Kashmir still has a lot of issues,
nevertheless.
Voters' list: Following the delimitation
commission's submission of its report, the
administration of Jammu and Kashmir
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started to update the voters' list. However,
it is challenging to comprehend how the
voters' list was created in the absence of a
recent census in 2020.
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New legislation: The effects of the new
domicile certificates, land laws, and
industrial policies have been felt in Jammu
and Kashmir as well.
Delimitation commission: There are also
claims that the Kashmiri population was not
treated fairly when the delimitation of
electoral constituencies was done by the
delimitation commission.
Pakistan and J&K share a border, and there
have been wars there that have strained
relations.
Insurgency: The insurgency in the Kashmir
valley has intensified, and ongoing targeted
attacks against pundits, panchayat officials,
Y
and police officers.,A free and fair election
for the assembly is also required, especially
society. E M
one that admits observers from the civil
Future course of action
When the insurgency was at its worst,

the Atal Bihari Vajpayee administration
made sure that the 2002 elections were
free and fair. Following the elections,
new non-interference policies in state
governance as well as peace talks with
armed groups and Pakistan were
implemented.
 Attacks and casualties significantly
decreased throughout the Vajpayee
and Manmohan Singh administrations,
and a functioning government was
once again restored. The years of peace-
building from 2002 to 2012 also set the
stage for India to use the Financial
Action Task Force (FATF) of the UN to
pursue terrorists with ties to Pakistan.
 As a result, the government's current
policy has to be revised. First, a
peaceful J&K may be restored with a
free and fair election in 2023. Second,
stopping the implementation of the
delimitation commission's
recommendations and restoring www.csbias.com
statehood before elections would be
the most effective strategy for fostering
confidence.
Mains Point : Jammu and Kashmir and
Article 370 discuss
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
Social Issues
1. Changing the age of consent
Context: In Rama Bande Rama v. the State
of Karnataka, the Karnataka High Court
quashed criminal proceedings of rape and
kidnapping under the Indian Penal Code,
under the Protection of Children from
Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. It was
based on a complaint of a 17-year-old girl's
father against her 20-year-old partner.
The High Court observed that "if the court
would shut its doors to the couple who are
married and bringing up the child, the entire
proceedings would result in miscarriage of
justice."
AD
Protection of Children from Sexual
Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012:
AC
It was enacted to protect the children from
A S
offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment
and pornography with due regard for
I
safeguarding the interest and well-being of
children.
SB
Consent of person under 18 years: Under
C
POCSO, the consent of a person under the
age of 18 is irrelevant, regardless of the
nature and circumstance of the sexual
interaction, or the particulars of the person
with whom it takes place. It defines a child
as any person below eighteen years of age
Issues with age of consent in POCSO:
 Criminal justice system: A number of
young couples in consensual and non-
exploitative relationships have found
themselves embroiled in the criminal
justice system
 Sexual offences: Boys/young men are
charged with sexual offences without
Email :proper investigations.
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
 Institutionalised in children's homes:
The girls are treated as victims and
institutionalised in children's homes
when they refuse to return to their
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parents or their parents refuse to accept
them.
 The POCSO Act 2012, by defining a
child as a person below 18 years of age,
fixes the age of consent at 18 years.
 Under POCSO, the consent of a "child"
is immaterial and consensual sexual
intercourse with or among adolescents
is treated on a par with rape.
 While boys/young men are charged
with sexual offences, the girls are
Y
treated as victims and institutionalised
M
in children's homes on refusal to return
E
to their parents or if their parents refuse
to accept them.
 The only relief available to the couple
is to urge the High Court to quash the
case under Section 482 of the CrPC to
prevent abuse of the process of any
Court or otherwise to secure the ends
of justice.
The Court judgements regarding the issue
 In Rama @ Bande Rama v. State of
Karnataka, the High Court quashed
criminal proceedings under the IPC
and Protection of Children from Sexual
Offences (POCSO) Act.
 The case had been initiated based on a
complaint of a 17-year-old girl's father
against her 20-year-old partner.
 The girl stated in court that the acts were
consensual and she had married the
accused after she had turned 18 and a
child was born to the couple.
 In Vijaylakshmi v. State Rep (2021), the
Madras High Court observed that
punishing an adolescent boy who
enters into a relationship with a minor
girl by treating him as an offender, was
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never the objective of the POCSO Act.
 In Raj Kumar v. State of Himachal
Pradesh (2021), the Himachal Pradesh
High Court allowed a petition filed by
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
the minor girl's father for quashing the
trial against his son-in-law.
 In Skhemborlang Suting v. State of
Meghalaya (2021), a couple got
entangled under the POCSO Act as the
wife was a minor.
The need of the hour
 The high rate of acquittals shows that
the law is not in sync with social
realities of adolescent relationships.
 Blanket criminalisation of such
consensual sexual acts involving older
adolescents erodes their dignity,
liberty, privacy, evolving autonomy,
and development potential.
 It also impacts the delivery of justice
as these cases constitute a large burden
on our courts, and divert attention
A
from investigation and prosecution ofD

exploitation.
Merely creating awareness among AC
actual cases of child sexual abuse and
S
children will not solve the issues
A
between teenagers. I
arising out of consensual relationships

SB
There is a need for law reform to revise
the age of consent and prevent the
C
criminalisation of older adolescents
engaging in consensual and non-
exploitative acts.
Conclusion: There is thus a compelling
need for law reform to revise the age of
consent and prevent the criminalisation of
older adolescents engaging in factually
consensual and non exploitative
Mains point: Importance of changing the
age of consent
2. Rainbow of hope - The LGBTQIA+
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
community needs more than
words to live with dignity and The
ban on conversion therapy for the
LGBTQIA+ community
CSB IAS ACADEMY
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Context :The National Medical Commission
(NMC), has written to all State Medical
Councils, banning conversion therapy of
LGBTQIA+ Community and calling it a
"professional misconduct".
 In recent years, several countries,
including India, have legally
recognized third sex and homosexuals
as equal citizens, after a long struggle
of several different movements and
protests around the world.
 The Preamble of Indian Constitution
recognises its citizens impartially as
"We the people of India" and ensures
Y
justice - social, economic, and political.

E M
On 6 September 2018, the Supreme
Court struck down the part of Section
377 which criminalized consensual
homosexual activities.
In 2019, Parliament enacted

Transgender Persons (Protection of
Rights) Act with an objective to
provide for protection of rights of
transgender people, their welfare, and
other related matters.
 Navtej Singh Johar Vs. Union of India:
The SC held that Article 14 of the
Constitution guarantees equality
before law and this applies to all
classes of citizens. It restores
'inclusiveness' of LGBTQ Community
and homosexuality was
decriminalised.
 The LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, queer, intersex, asexual or
of any other orientation) are the people
who don't identify with cisgender (sex
assigned at birth) heterosexual
"ideals".The 'plus' is used to signify all
of the gender identities and sexual
orientations that letters and words
cannot yet fully describe.
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22
 SEPTEMBER 2022 CURRENT AFFAIRS
CSB IAS ACADEMY Contact us: 9966436875
 It urged the authorities to take action
against professionals involving
themselves in any form or method of
conversion therapy.
 Court directed to educate people on
the Transgender Persons (Protection of
Rights) Rules, 2020, and the
Transgender Persons (Protection of
Rights) Act, 2019, in letter and spirit,
the court said it was imperative to hold
sensitization programmes for an all-out
effort to understand the community
and its needs.

3. The concerns around Aadhaar-

Y
Voter ID linkage

E M
Context: The Election Commission (EC)
started a campaign to promote the linkage

 In India, the LGBTQIA+ community

AD of Voter ID and Aadhaar. Though in the
beginning many people supported the
campaign but later it faced criticism.

distinct community: the Hijras.At

AC
also includes a specific social group, a Government pushing the Aadhaar-Voter ID
linkage
present they are referred to as the
Third Gender.
A S  The EC carries out routine tests to keep
a current and accurate registry of the
I
Conversion Therapy and Associated Risk voter base. Eliminating duplicate


SB
Reparative therapy, sometimes known
as conversion therapy, aims to make a
person heterosexual by altering their
voters is one of the objectives of this
effort.

C
sexual orientation or gender identity.
It may involve the use of medicines,
 There have been instances of migrant
workers who may have had several
registrations on the electoral registers,
exorcism (evil rituals), psychotherapy, either for themselves or for other
or even physical force (Attraction to people who had multiple registrations
Oppositre Sex). It also entails making within the same constituency.
an effort to alter the basic identity of
 According to the government, linking
young people whose gender
Aadhaar to voter identification cards
identification conflicts with their sex
would help ensure that each Indian
anatomy.
resident receives a single voter
 Conversion therapy has the danger of identification card.
triggering or worsening mental health
 The Election Laws (Amendment) Act,
issues including worry, stress, and
2021 was approved by Parliament in
drug use, which can occasionally
December 2021 to alter the
result in suicidal ideation.
Email :The
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
Representation of the People www.csbias.com
Act, 1950,
 Madras High court ruling and Section 23(4) was added.
prohibited any attempt to medically
 It states that the electoral registration
"cure" or change the sexual orientation
officer may ask individuals to provide
of LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual,
their Aadhaar numbers in order to
transgender, queer, intersex, asexual
verify their identity or to authenticate
or of any other orientation) people.
CSB IAS ACADEMY 23
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
entries in the electoral rolls of more
than one constituency or more than
once in the same constituency for
citizens who have already registered.
Linking Aadhaar with Voter ID: concerns
 In the Puttaswamy case(Right to
Privacy), one of the questions that the
Supreme Court explored was whether
the mandatory linking of Aadhaar with
bank accounts was constitutional or
not.
 The preference for Aadhaar for the
purposes of determining voters is
puzzling as Aadhaar is only proof of
residence and not proof of citizenship.
Therefore, verifying voter identity
against this will only help in tackling
duplication but will not remove voters
who are not citizens of India from the

electoral rolls.
Violation of Right to Privacy: The AD
linking of the two databases of
AC
electoral rolls and Aadhaar could lead
A S
to the linkage of Aadhaar's
"demographic" information with voter
I
ID information and lead to violation of
the right to privacy and surveillance
 SB
measures by the state.
There is a lack of enforceable data
C
protection principles that regulate how
authentication data will be used.
Steps ahead
 The government must first work on
passing the Personal Data Protection
(PDP) law before moving further with
the Aadhaar-voter ID linkage.
 Governmental organisations must be
subject to the PDP regime and be
required to get a person's explicit
agreement before sharing personal
data with other government agencies.
4.
Email :Explained | Challenging the
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
Special Marriage Act, 1954
Context:The Supreme Court on Monday
dismissed a writ petition challenging
provisions of the Special Marriage Act
(SMA), 1954 requiring couples to give a
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notice declaring their intent to marry 30 days
before their marriage.
 The SC Rejected the petition on the
grounds that the petitioner was no
longer an aggrieved party as she had
already solemnised her marriage
under SMA.
Special Marriage Act (SMA), 1954
 The Special Marriage Act,1954 is an Act
of the Parliament of India enacted to
validate and register inter-religious
and inter-caste marriages in India.No
religious formalities are needed to be
carried out under the Act.
 The Special Marriage Act, 1954 is an Act
Y
of the Parliament of India with
E M
provision for civil marriage for people
of India and all Indian nationals in
foreign countries, irrespective of
religion or faith followed by either
party.
Provisions challenged under the Act
 Section 5: Couples married under it
must provide the Marriage Officer a
notice 30 days before the wedding.
 In accordance with Section 6, such a
notice must subsequently be recorded
in the Marriage Notice Book kept by
the Marriage Officer, which is
accessible to "any person desirous of
seeing the same." These notifications
must also be posted in the marriage
officer's office in a "conspicuous area,"
or a location where it is obvious to all,
so that anybody may protest the
marriage.
 Section 7 describes the procedure and
reasons for objecting. Section 8: It
details the investigation process to be
used once an objection is made.
Petitioner challenged the Provisions
 The petitioner claims that these clauses
violate the constitutionalwww.csbias.com
right to
privacy protected by Article 21. This is
due to the fact that these regulations
provide for couples to submit a notice
30 days prior to the wedding date,
opening the door for public objections.
24
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 One's ability to manage access to and
use of personal information is severely
compromised by this. Additionally,
antisocial individuals have utilised
these public advertisements to harass
engaged couples.
 Due to the absence of these standards
in personal law, these rules also violate
Article 14 on the prohibition of
discrimination on the basis of religion,
race, caste, and sex as well as Article
15 on the right to equality.
5. Crime against women rose by
15.3% in 2021: NCRB
Context:The NCRB report also shows that
the rate of crime against women (number of
incidents per 1 lakh population) increased
2021. National Crime Records
Bureau(NCRB) has released a report titled AD
from 56.5 per cent in 2020 to 64.5 per cent in
and "Crime in India(CII)" report 2021.
AC
"Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India"
A S
Important Highlights of the report
I
Crime against women: From 2020, there
SB
were 15.3% more cases of crime against
women. In 2021, there were 64.5 crimes
2020. C
reported per lakh women, up from 56.5 in
 'Cruelty by husband or family' (31.8%)
made up the majority of cases filed
under the IPC, followed by molestation
(20.8%), kidnapping (17.6%), and rape
(7.4%).
 State-wide, crimes against women
were most prevalent in Uttar Pradesh,
while in major cities, Delhi saw the
greatest number of incidents.
 Nagaland stood out because it had the
fewest reported offences against
women during the previous three
Email :years. Assam (168.3%) has the highest
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
rate of crime against women in 2021.
 According to the report, the highest
rate of crime against women in 2021
was registered in Assam (168.3 per
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cent), despite a marginal dip over the
last three years
Conviction rate in rape cases: With only 156
cases being found guilty and over 22,313
cases still under trial, the conviction rate in
rape cases across India remained pitifully
low at 24.8% in 2021.
 Data from the NCRB show that less than
1% of all rapes in the nation each year
are rape-murders. I
Domestic Violence Act: Throughout 2021,
507 cases-or 0.1% of all crimes against
women-were reported in the nation under
the Domestic Violence Act. A total of 270
cases were submitted, with Kerala having the
most.
Y
E M
Dowry Deaths: In the past year, there have
been approximately 6,589 incidents of dowry
deaths reported, with the states of UP and
Bihar recording the most of these cases.
Suicides in 2021: The greatest rate of suicide
fatalities since 1967, the earliest year for
which this data is available, was in 2021, with
120 deaths per million people. In 2010, there
were 113.5 suicide fatalities per million
people, which is the second-highest rate ever
recorded in the nation. This demonstrates
how the pandemic seems to have affected
Indians' emotional health.
 State-by-state, Maharashtra led the
nation in terms of reported suicides in
2021 for the third straight year. Daily
wage earners, who made up 25.6% of
all suicide victims in 2021, continued
to be the most prevalent profession.
Students and small business owners
experienced the fastest rise in suicide
fatalities, corroborating anecdotal
reports of chronic stress brought on by
the epidemic.
Prelims and Mains point: NCRB report on
crime against women
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6. Shambuka to Indra Meghwal,
inequality hurts it all
Context:Caste system hasn't gone away
completely today. It stunts knowledge
25
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
creation and smothers imagination and
innovation.
 This story in the Valmiki Ramayana
comes true every few years when a
Shudra, Dalit or tribal student, who
dares to seek education, pays with his
life. The most recent was a nine-year-
old boy from Rajasthan, Indra
Meghwal, who allegedly drank water
from a container reserved for his upper
caste teacher.
Caste system- Problems
 Even now, a person's occupation is
determined by caste. It turns Labour
into a must rather than an option.
Caste-based division of labour is used.
A caste is frequently linked to a certain
line of profession. Most low caste
people work in low-profile jobs.
 This division hinders the development
of comprehensive knowledge. It AD
hinders the production of new
AC
knowledge and stifles creativity and

innovation.
A S
Education is not a naturally joyful
I
process for many Dalit students.
SB
Several news reports detail their
harassment and humiliation in schools
across India. They are often forced to
C
sit apart from other children or to
queue separately for lunch. Sometimes
they are beaten by upper caste teachers
and students.
 In many places, common water taps
are not for them. Higher education is
also not immune to the oppressive
conditions that forced Dalit students
like Senthil Kumar (2008) and Rohith
Vemula (2016) and Payal Tadvi (2019)
to commit suicide.
 Stuck in the era of statutes and
assigned codes, our education system
can hardly encourage critical thinking.
Email :Indian
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
schooling focuses on rote
learning and exam results. One-time
exams, rather than a series of
assessments, are used to judge
students' abilities.
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 The monetary value of work is
determined by the worker's position on
the caste rung - not by the social need
for work. This is why most manual jobs
- from domestic work to garbage
collectors - bring in abysmal wages. As
providers of essential services,
sanitation workers should receive
salaries similar to those of doctors. But
not only are we paying them less, but
we are also making their work unsafe
and ignoring their deaths in manholes.
 The caste of the labourer, not the
societal necessity for labour,
determines the monetary worth of
labour. Caste prejudice causes several
Y
issues for our democracy. Political
E M
democracy has been attained through
the liberation fight and overthrow of
the British, but social democracy is still
far off, as B.R. Ambdedkar correctly
noted.
Caste discrimination makes our democracy
difficult. As Ambedkar said at the dawn of
the Indian republic in 1948, "political
democracy has been achieved by the struggle
for freedom and the relief of the British, but
social democracy is a long way off".
Mains point: Caste system continued its
ugly face hindering the potential of Indian
from Unleashing
7. A neglected contributor to the
country's crisis of public health
Context: A caste society militates against the
very notion of a 'public' in the sense of a
political community that works towards
issues of common good.Caste-based ideas
of cleanliness and filth hinder sanitation and
contradict the notion that we should all work
toward a common goal.
 In Britain, for instance, the mid- to late
19th century was a period of the 'Great
Sanitation Awakening', leading www.csbias.com
to a
dramatic fall in mortality due to
communicable diseases. The key point
is before the discovery of penicillin and
antibiotics in the 1940s, the mortality
26
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
revolution took place in Britain with
classical proven methods .
 Post industrial society has prioritised
sanitation and nutrition and so basic
infrastructure was well addressed.
India failed to improve the basic social and
well-being indicators of its population
 Caste system : The contradictory caste
values of purity and pollution have
significant negative effects on public
sanitation. A particular caste that is
excluded from society is compelled to
engage in sanitation because they are
thought to be ritually dirty.
 As a result, even the most advanced
and scientifically oriented members of
caste society do not view current
manual scavenging as their enemy.
 But because there is a lack of social
AD
cooperation and trust, the caste system
also has an impact on the wealthy
AC
classes. The elite classes are powerless
to stop the revolution in cleanliness,
A S
get rid of infectious diseases, create
public places, get clean air, etc.
 I
The aristocratic classes also came to the
SB
understanding that they cannot entirely
isolate themselves from the rest of

C
society as a result of the covid
pandemic.
Control over women, according to B.R.
Ambedkar was essential to preserving
caste purity. Even now, women have
little say in the decisions they make
about getting married or having
children.
 Different types of violence have been
used against women. Both caste/clan
and gender are related to honour
killings in the same way. India has one
of the lowest rates of female
involvement in the workforce
worldwide. India is in a scenario like
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
that in which the New York City Board
of Health proclaimed racism a "public
health problem."
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8. The global threat to our food
security
Context:We must raise procurement to
prepare for a possible rise in inflation as
global food supplies shrink.
 Food price increases, particularly those
for edible oil and more recently for
cereals, primarily wheat, have
contributed significantly to this year's
inflation. Data on domestic and
international wheat and rice output
indicate that there is still a threat to food
security.
International Level
 At this time, the world has been
Y
affected by heat waves and droughts
E M
in places like Europe, China, the US,
and Brazil. For instance, the drought in
Europe last month was deemed to be
the worst in 500 years.
The world's supply of important grains

and other food crops is under danger
due to the heat wave and droughts. The
agricultural output would decrease as
a result of these adverse weather
conditions.
 For instance, the most recent EU
prediction predicts a fall in maize of
16%, wheat of 5%, and edible oil of 8-
10%. This will result in a lack of
domestic and international supplies of
the majority of farm products, as well
as excessive food prices and a threat to
global food security. Lower sowing in
Ukraine as a result of the war will have
an effect on the world's food supply.
Indian Level
 A premature heat wave in March has
already caused a downward revision
to wheat production in India. Because
less land is being used for paddy
cultivation than last year, the rice
situation is likewise not encouraging.
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 Major rice-producing states are
experiencing a strange dwarfing illness
in their standing paddy crops. This
year, India purchased the least amount
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
of rice and wheat in the previous three
years.
 Furthermore, the distribution record of
the government isn't any better. There
have been illogical attempts to slash
and transfer state-to-state allocations of
rice and wheat. As a result, recipients
of the National Food Security Act and
Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Anna
Yojana (PMGKAY) are not lifting food.
Ways ahead to handle food Security
problem
 An extension of the PMGKAY is
required. A sufficient stockpile, the
restoration of the original allocations,
and the creation of a backup plan must
be added to this. The government
must make sure there is a sufficient
supply of food and increase

distribution efficiency.
Additionally, proactive measures are AD
required to raise the earnings of
AC
farmers in our areas that are suffering
A S
from drought and illness. This could
be accomplished by making plans for
I
increased procurement during the
kharif season.

SB
Providing food security for the poor
would shield them from a potential
C
future global food catastrophe and is
crucial for easing the strain on our
rural economy.
9. Academia, research and the glass
ceiling in India
Context:True gender parity is when
institutions consider women as assets rather
than it being just a diversity rectification
issue.Gender issues, particularly gender
inequality and discrimination in academia
relating to higher education is still
continuing.
The glass ceiling of women in pre-
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independence India- some examples
 Sir C.V. Raman turned down Kamala
Sohonie's desire to work with him on
physics research only because she was
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a woman. After the satyagraha, she was
allowed to stay for a year with
restrictions.
 Bibha Chowdhuri: Because he lacked
acceptable study projects to assign to
women, Professor D.M. Bose was
hesitant to enrol her in his research
group. She had finally been included
after a protracted battle. Her work in
measuring the mass of mesons using
cosmic rays is renowned.
 Donna Strickland was awarded the
Nobel Prize in Physics, for her work on
lasers in 2018. She became the third
woman to win a physics Nobel, after
Y
Marie Curie in 1903 and Maria
Goeppert Mayer in 1963 by breaking
E M
this glass ceiling.
New Findings
 India ranks last among the nations
studied by UNESCO, with just 14% of
its researchers being female and
working in STEM fields. In the world's
most rigorous fields of science,
technology, engineering, and
mathematics, women are still
underrepresented (STEM).
 India, however, isn't far behind many
developed nations in this regard. For
instance, the United States has 27%, the
United Kingdom has 39%, while Japan
has just 16% female researchers.
 Africa's Tunisia has the greatest
percentage of female researchers (55%)
followed by Argentina (53%) and New
Zealand (52%).'
Education of women and their presence in
Research job
 One of the largest percentages of
women in the world, 43%, make up the
STEM graduate population. The
number of female fellows in India's
three science academies is 7% for the
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Indian Academy of Sciences (IAS), 5%
for the Indian National Science
Academy (INSA), and 8% for the
National Academy of Sciences India
(NASI).
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 However, only 14% of women enrol in
academic institutions and universities.
For instance, just 31 out of 314
professors at IIT Madras were women.
Women are increasingly taking up
leadership and decision-making roles
in private businesses (the corporate
sector).
 The percentage of women in senior
management roles in India's corporate
sector is 39%, and a Deloitte projection
indicates that by 2022, there would be
19.7% more female board members in
the management of private companies
than there are currently. By 2045, near
parity will be attained if this rate
continues.
Government incentives
 Gender Advancement for
Transforming Institutions (GATI),
Knowledge Involvement in Research
AD
Advancement
Nurturing(KIRAN), Vigyan Jyoti C
through
A
Programme, etc.

A S
Some institutions are setting up
I
crèches so that scientist mothers can
carry on with their research work
SB
uninterrupted. Universities too are
trying their best to be equal

C
opportunity employers
Government can also 1) Mechanism of
selection and promotion of personnel
in the private sector based on
competence or merit, 2) Private sector's
adoption of various schemes: Such as
flexi-hour work time, rejoining the
workforce after an interim break,
sections operated only by women, etc.
Therefore, gender equality or parity won't
take place unless institutions shift their
perspectives and start seeing women as
assets rather than just a variety of
representation issues.
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
Mains Point: Critically make an attempt to
understand the glass ceiling of academia for
women
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10. India ranks 132 in UNDP's Human
Development Index, amid a global
fall
Context:India ranks 132 out of 191 countries
in the Human Development Index (HDI)
2021, after registering a decline in its score
over two consecutive years for the first time
in three decades.India ranks 132 out of 191
countries in the Human Development
Index(HDI) 2021.
 The United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) released the
Human Development Index(HDI).:
HDI was created to emphasise that
people and their capabilities should be
Y
the ultimate criteria for assessing the
development of a country, not
E M
economic growth alone.
Important Findings of the report
 India's Position: In the Index, India's
position dropped from 130 in 2020 to
132 in 2021.India's HDI score in 2021
was 0.633, which was lower than the
0.732 global average. The decline in life
expectancy-from 69.7 in 2020 to 67.2 in
2021-is the main cause of India's HDI
decline.
 The mean number of years spent in
education in India is 6.7 years, while
the expected number is 11.9 years.
$6,590 is the Gross National Income
(GNI) per capita average. www.csbias.com
 After gender inequality deteriorated
between 2019 and 2020, India's Gender
Inequality Index value in 2021 (0.490
vs. 0.493) showed a little improvement.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 For the rest of the world, India's 3Is
policies-investment in everything from
renewable energy to pandemic
preparedness; insurance that includes
social protection; and innovation-hold
promise.
 For instance, India has helped an
astounding 271 million people escape
multidimensional poverty during the
past ten years. The nation is making it
easier to get potable water, sanitary
facilities, and cheap renewable energy.
 With a 9.8% increase in the budgetary
allocation to the social services sector
in 2021-2022 over 2020-2021, India has
also improved access to social
protection for vulnerable segments of
society, especially during and after the
epidemic.
International Findings
AD
AC
A S
I 
SB
C the epidemic, many women returned
 Switzerland has topped the index. In
2020 or 2021, 90% of countries saw a
decline in their HDI value. The recent
reduction in the HDI has been mostly
attributed to a global decline in life
expectancy, which fell from 72.8 years
in 2019 to 71.4 years in 2021.
 The crises the world experienced over
the past two years are the main causes
Email :of
the fall in human development.
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
Included in this were COVID-19, the
Ukraine War, social and economic
upheavals, and potentially disastrous
planetary changes.
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Manspoint : India rank of 132 in UNDP's
Human Development Index,speaks volumes
about our growth story.
11. The gender pay gap, hard truths
and actions needed
Context:Asymmetries abound in India's
labour market and closing the gap is key to
achieving social justice for working women.
International Equal Pay Day 2022 falls on the
18th of September. This day makes us think
of the gender gap that has arisen between
women and men. The commitment towards
'equal pay for work of equal value' has not
been achieved.
Y

E M
Gender pay gap
As per the International Labour
Organisation's "Global Wage Report
2020-21", massive downward pressure
has been inflicted on wages
disproportionately affecting women's
total wages compared to men and thus,
widening the pre-existing gender pay
gap.
Women employees were most
negatively impacted by the epidemic
in terms of lost jobs and income. During
to their full-time jobs caring for children
and the elderly.
 It is hard to recover economically from
the epidemic without increasing
women's employment rates and closing
the gender wage gap.
 Discrimination based on sex or gender
is another factor contributing to the
widening gender wage gap.Gender-
based discriminatory practises include
undervaluing the work of women in
strongly feminised vocations and
businesses, as well as paying women
less for work of similar worth.
www.csbias.com
Steps taken to address the gender gap
 The United Nations has made
international efforts to address gender
inequity in all its forms. Equal
compensation for equal work is a
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
principle that the ILO has incorporated
into its Constitution.
 A global legal framework for achieving
gender equality is provided by the
Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW).
 "Achieving full and productive
employment and decent work for all
women and men, including for young
people and individuals with
disabilities, and equitable
remuneration for work of equal worth"
is one of the objectives of the UN
Sustainable Development Goal 8 by
2030.
The Equal Pay International Coalition

(EPIC), a multi-stakeholder initiative
spearheaded by the International
Labour Organisation (ILO), UN
Women, and the Organisation for
AD
Economic Co-operation
AC
Development (OECD), was established
and
in 2017 with the goal of achieving
A S
equal pay for women and men

everywhere.
I
According to the Global Wage Report
SB
2020-21 of the International Labour
Organisation, there is massive
C
downward pressure on wages and this
has affected women's total wages
compared to men.
India - steps taken to decrease the gender
pay gap
 Despite the efforts made to close the
gender wage gap, it remains high by
worldwide standards in India.
According to projections from the
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)
2020-21, the pandemic caused the gap
to widen by 7% between 2018-19 and
2020-21.
 The National Sample Survey Office
Email :(NSSOdata
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
)'s on the labour force
indicate that the gender wage gap has
decreased from 48% in 1993-1994 to
28% in 2018-19, nevertheless.
 India has taken required reforms in the
Minimum Wages Act in 1948 and
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adopted the Equal Remuneration Act
in 1976. India has also enacted the Code
on Wages.
 Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act
(MGNREGA) in 2005 has also
benefited rural women workers and
helped reduce the gender pay gap
directly and indirectly. MGNREGA has
helped women workers directly by
raising their pay levels and indirectly
by providing higher earnings to
women involved in agricultural
occupations.
 India amended the Maternity Benefit
Y
Act of 1961 which increased maternity
leave with pay protection from 12
E M
weeks to 26 weeks for all women
working in firms that employ 10 or

more workers.
Skill India Mission has helped women
to learn market-relevant skills to bridge
the learning-to-livelihood gap and the
gender pay gap.
Mains Point: gender pay gap is in existence
since time immemorial, but its time to
recheck its validity
12. A census is not about counting
sheep
Context:The Census in India is about many
things - it must be made a priority and used
to affirm a sense of comradeship.Census is a
very important exercise for a democratic
country. Considering its importance, the
timely organisation and completion of the
census must be a priority for the government.
 India's first Census was held in 1872.
After that India has held its decadal
censuses regularly from 1881 to 2011,
despite any circumstances.
 Every citizen is counted in the census,
along with specified data (age, religion,
www.csbias.com
gender, etc.). As a result, the nation and
its citizens are more connected. Census
also offers opportunities for a country
to address and solve the issues of its
citizens, among many other benefits.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
Issues hindering 2021 census
 First, the census practice was
suspended during the pandemic while
political demonstrations were
permitted.
 Second, some segments of the
population have a bad impression of
the census. It results from a few official
government pronouncements that link
the National Register of Citizens (NRC)
and National Population Register
(NPR). People protested against it.
 The people's lack of trust in the
government was a result of these
numerous complex concerns.
 Third, a civilised state and condition
of affairs have traditionally been
characterised by the capacity to
conduct a census in peace. Recently,
the Democratic Republic of the Congo
was able to complete its census in AD

peace.
Fourthly, the nations that have notAC
A S
conducted a census since 1990 are
Afghanistan (1979), Lebanon (1932),
I
Somalia (1985), Uzbekistan (1989), and
SB
the Western Sahara (1970). India most
certainly won't want to be included on
this list of nations.
 C
Fifth, the government is upholding the
laws that make it simple to gather
information on citizens. For instance;
 The Criminal Procedure
(Identification) Rules, 2022 have
recently been announced by the
Ministry of Home Affairs. It outlines
the process for acquiring body
measurements in order to gather
biological samples, retina scans, and
other biometrics, among other things.
 Aadhaar and electoral rolls can now be
linked according to a law. Citizens'
rights to data protection are not yet
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fully implemented.
 So, conducting the census, which
demonstrates its desire to engage with
the people who ultimately make up the
nation, shouldn't be problematic.
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Mainspoint: Reasons for delay in Census
2021 and its consequences
13. UNESCO inaugurates 2022 State
of the Education Report for India:
Artificial Intelligence in Education
Context:United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO) launched its State of the
Education Report for India: Artificial
Intelligence in Education. The report is the
fourth edition and is an annual flagship
report.
Important Findings of the report
 The proportional rate of AI skill
Y
penetration is highest in India (over 3
E M
times the global average) By 2025, the
Indian AI market is projected to
increase by 20.2% annually, reaching
US$7.8 billion.
 The National Education Policy (NEP)
2020 places a strong focus on the
necessity to teach the requisite
technical knowledge and the
integration of AI in Education in order
to align India's curriculum to make the

students fit for the AI economy.
India has several obstacles when it
comes to using AI in education,
including: 1) a lack of rules; 2)
infrastructure and resource constraints;
3) an increase in the use of AI for fraud
and cheating; and 4) a preference for
memorization-based instruction
(instead of critical thinking).
Recommendations
 Prioritize algorithmic biases and the
resulting discrimination; Provide an
overall regulatory framework for AI in
education quickly;
 Establish successful public-private
partnerships; Ensure that all students
and teachers have access towww.csbias.com
the most
up-to-date technology;
 Attempt to correct algorithmic biases
and the resulting discrimination;
 Increase public trust in Al; and Request
the private sector to better involve
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
students and educationists in
developing Al products.
14. Feroze Varun Gandhi writes: Why
our urban spaces need to be
reimagined
Context:One day of rainfall is making
Bangalore, New Delhi, Hyderabad and other
cities have worse situations like water-
logged streets, crawling traffic, broken-down
vehicles and what not.
 In Banglore Over 2,000 houses were
flooded and 10,000 homes isolated
from the rest of the city - in many
places, including posh localities, there
were instances of lack of drinking
water and electricity. It is a recurring
phenomenon each year, across all

major Indian cities.
AD
The situation is the same for other cities
too if there is little more rainfall than
usual.
Urban Problem -Major Reasons AC

S
Civic infrastructure is lacking in Indian
A
I
cities despite their development of
economic zones and planning. Urban
B
planning essentials like storm water
S
drainage, etc., are disregarded.

C
The master plans on which cities are
built offer relatively little room for
urban planning flexibility.
Additionally, cities also did poorly on
the 2020 Ease of Living Index. For
instance, Delhi got 57.56 out of 100
whereas Bengaluru had a score of
55.67.
 The creation of master plans is rarely
given much care. They have a limited
amount of urban planning flexibility
and failed to consider the effects that
market forces and migration will have
on the plans.
Different countries and their Strategy of
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Urban Planning
 In the UK, the Garden City movement
developed to offer employees
healthier living quarters that were a
little farther from their places of
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employment. Open spaces, public
parks, and boulevards were included
in the planning of these places. A
garden city would expand nearby once
it was built out to its full potential.
 The garden city movement in the US
gave rise to the idea of a
neighbourhood. Around community
centres and schools, it developed
residential neighbourhoods and
roadways.
 In order to protect biodiversity and
balance traffic and pollution, London
maintains a metropolitan green belt
around the city.

Y
Paris is where the idea of a 15-minute
metropolis was conceived. Every
E M
Parisian should be able to complete
their shopping, employment, and
cultural demands within a 15-minute
walk or bike ride, according to the
concept.
Steps ahead
 Every Indian city needs a master plan,
which should be revised every ten to
twenty years. These plans have to take
urban development, poverty
alleviation, access to cheap housing,
and livability for urban migrants into

account.
Urban land use pattern: This has to be
improved. India's urbanisation is now
unplanned and informal. This resulted
in lax enforcement of construction
regulations and a lack of urban
infrastructure and services needed to
support expansion.
 Outmoded planning procedures: In
well-known cities and urban
neighbourhoods, low land usage
results from outdated planning
services.
 For instance, half of the land in Mumbai
www.csbias.com
is unused area around buildings,
whereas one-fourth is open public
space. If these public areas are used
effectively, it will result in public land
availability ratios that are comparable
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
to those of cities used as benchmarks
across the world.
 Urban density: This is something else
that should be considered. An
increased urban density will result in
more people using public places,
which will raise emissions. Our cities
will be more vulnerable to excessive
heat and flooding due to high
emissions.
 Climate change: The World Bank
estimates that by 2050, climate change
might have a 3% negative impact on
India's GDP and its citizens' level of
living. Therefore, it is important to
prioritise both conservation and
competent structural engineering. For
instance, lakes in Bangalore can be
transformed into ferries in the Bangkok

manner.
Lack of town planning education in
AD
AC
India due to insufficient institutional
capability. There are just 26 institutes
that provide this degree, and each
A S
year, they turn out just 700 town

planners.
I
By 2031, India is projected to have a
SB
need for 3,00,000 town and country
planners. As a result, more institutions
C
are required to establish a separate
planning department in addition to
NITs and IITs.
 As a result, in order to rejuvenate our
cities, we must reconsider a number of
urban issues, such as affordable
housing, urban healthcare, urban
design, and inclusiveness, among
others.
Mains Point : India urban space are obsolete
and needs to addressed swiftly
15. India Inc. needs a neurodiverse
workplace
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
Context: Organisations embracing
neurodiversity enjoy a competitive edge in
several areas such as efficiency, creativity,
and culture
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Neurodiversity:Inclusion of people with
neurodivergent problems such as ADHD,
autism spectrum disorders, dyslexia,
dyspraxia, dyscalculia, and Asperger's
Syndrome is referred to as neurodiversity in
the workplace.
 There is no one right way of thinking,
learning, or acting, according to
Harvard Health Publishing, which
defines neurodiversity as the idea that
every person interacts with and
perceives their surroundings
differently. These variations shouldn't
be interpreted as flaws or diseases.
 The neurological and developmental
Y
disease known as autism affects
approximately 2 million people in
E M
India, according to a new survey.
Nearly 20% of the world, according to
a different Deloitte survey, is
neurodiverse.
 According to estimates, 85% of
Americans who fall under the autism
spectrum are unemployed, compared
to 4.2% of the general population.
Therefore, it is critical to establish a
workplace that values neurodiverse
people.
Neurodiversity in the workplace
 People with neurodevelopmental
disabilities may be excluded due to
stigma, a lack of knowledge, and
inadequate infrastructure (such as
office layout or personnel structures).
It can be easier to be inclusive of
everyone when communities, schools,
companies, and healthcare facilities
recognise and value neurodiversity.
Mains Point: Comment on Neurodiversity
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UPSC Super Pointer
1. Nikshay Poshan Yojana- this
scheme was Launched in 2018 by
the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare. Under the scheme, every
TB patient in India, seeking
treatment in both government
and private sector hospitals is
eligible for a direct benefit
transfer(DBT) of Rs 500 per
month to support their nutritional
needs.
 The major risk factor driving TB in
India is undernutrition. More than 0.9
million new cases are attributable to
undernutrition, accounting for nearly

34% of all cases
As per India TB Report 2022, only 62.1
the country received at least one
AD
% of 2.1 million notified TB cases across

payment in 2021.
AC
In Delhi, which has the highest burden
of all forms of TB at 747 cases per
S
100,000 people, only 30.2 % of patients
A
 I
have got at least one DBT.
Other poor performers are Punjab,
SB
Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Bihar,
Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. In the
C
North East, Manipur and Meghalaya
fared the worst.
2. Operation Megh Chakra: 50 under
CBI scanner over child
pornography
 Operation Megh Chakra is a pan-India
drive against the circulation and
sharing of Child Sexual Abuse
Material(CSAM).The Central Bureau of
Investigation(CBI) has conducted an
operation code-named "Megh Chakra".
 The operation is being carried out
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following the inputs received from
Interpol's Singapore special unit.
 CBI had launched a similar exercise
code-named "Operation Carbon'' in
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2021 in which the suspects in 13 States
and one Union Territory were raided.
 CBI constituted a special unit called
Online Child Sexual Abuse and
Exploitation Prevention/ Investigation
(OCSAE) in 2019.
3. Fertility rate declined by 20% in
India in 10 years: SRS data
 General Fertility Rate(GFR): It refers to
the number of children born per 1,000
women in a year in the reproductive
age group of 15-49 years.
 From 2008 to 2010 (a three-year period),
India's average GFR was 86.1; from
Y
2018 to 2021, it was 68.7. (an average of

E M
three years).
Rural areas have experienced a sharper
fall than urban areas (20.2% vs. 15.6%).
Jammu and Kashmir among the states/
UTs has seen the greatest fall in GFR
between 2008-10 and 2018-20, followed
by Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand,
and Rajasthan.
 Some of the main causes of this
transition include the rising marriage
age, women's increased literacy rates,
and the accessibility of contemporary

contraceptive options.
According to the most recent SRS
statistics, India's total fertility rate
(births per woman of reproductive age)
is 2. Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and West
Bengal reported the lowest TFR, while
Bihar reported the highest TFR (3.0).
(1.4). At the national level, a rural
woman's TFR now stands at 2.2, higher
than that of an urban woman (1.6).
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35
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
Heritage and Culture
1. Anang Tal lake declared
monument of national importance
Context: The Anang Tal lake has been
declared a Monument of National
Importance through a gazette notification by
the Ministry of Culture.
 It is located in South Delhi. The lake is
situated to the north of Jog Maya
temple and approximately 500 metres
to the northwest of Qutub Complex.
 The lake is claimed to have been built
by a Tomar King, Anangpal II in 1060

AD.
It is also said Alauddin Khalji, in 1296-
when he built (Qutub) minar and
AD
1316 AD, utilised the water of this tank

extended the Qutub-ul-Islam mosque.
Once declared to be of national
AC
importance, the site would be
A S
protected by the ASI and incur
its vicinity. I
restrictions on construction activity in
SB
C 1958 the central government declared
Basic Funda's
Monuments of National Importance
 The Monuments of National
Importance are designated by the
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
 The union government of India is
Email :authorised to maintain, protect and
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
promote the Monuments of National
Importance.
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 An Archaeological Sites and Remains
Act, 1958 defines an Ancient
Monument as follows:
 Ancient Monument means any
structure, erection or monument, or
any tumulus or place of interment, or
any cave, rock-sculpture, inscription or
monolith which is of historical,
archaeological or artistic interest and
which has been in existence for not less
than 100 years.
 Y
It should include the following:

 E M
The remains of an ancient monument
The site of an ancient monument
 The land on which there are fences or
protective covering structures for

preserving the monument
Land by means of which people can

freely access the monument.
In exercise of the powers conferred by
sub-section (1) of section 4 of the
Ancient Monuments and
Archaeological Sites and Remains Act,
the said ancient site and remains to be
of national importance.
National Monuments Authority (NMA)
 Established under the Ministry of
Culture in accordance with the
requirements of the Ancient
Monuments and Archaeological Sites
and Remains AMASR (Amendment
and Validation) Act, 2010.
 The NMA has been delegated specific
tasks for the conservation and
preservation of monuments and sites,
including control of the banned and
restricted areas surrounding centrally
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designated monuments.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
 It is a premier organisation under the
Ministry of Culture, for the
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
archaeological research and protection
of the cultural heritage of the nation.
 It regulates all archaeological activities
in the country as per the provisions of
the Ancient Monuments and
Archaeological Sites and Remains Act,
1958.
 It also regulates the Antiquities and
Art Treasure Act, 1972.
Prelims Point: Anang Tal lake
2. Adi Shankaracharya
Context: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra
Modi, visited Sri Adi Shankara
JanmaBhoomi Kshetram, the holy birthplace
of Adi Shankaracharya, at Kalady village.
About Adi Shankaracharya: Born in 788 CE
in a place called Kaladi, Kerala, India. Adi
sankaracharya died in 820 CE at a place
AD
called Kedarnath, Uttarakhand, India.
Govinda Bhagavatpada was the guru of Adi
AC
Shankaracharya.

A
Padmapada, Totakacharya, HastaS
Malaka,
I
Sureshvara
Sankaracharyas important Disciples
are

SB
Adi Shankaracharya was well known
for his Dashanami Sampradaya,

C
Advaita Vedanta Philosophy
Adi Shankara was an Indian
philosopher and theologian who
expounded the doctrine of Advaita
Vedanta. He renounced the worldly
pleasures at a very young age.
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 Shankaracharya amalgamated the
ideologies of ancient 'Advaita Vedanta'
and also explained the basic ideas of
Upanishads. He advocated the oldest
concept of Hinduism which explains
the unification of the soul (atman) with
the Supreme Soul (Nirguna Brahman).
 Though he is best known for
popularising 'Advaita Vedanta', one of
Shankaracharya's most important
works is his efforts to synthesise the six
sub-sects, known as 'Shanmata.'
'Shanmata', which literally translates to
'six religions,' is the worship of six
supreme deities.

Y
Shankaracharya explained the existence
of one Supreme Being (Brahman) and
E M
that the six supreme deities are part of
one divine power.
 He also founded 'Dashanami
Sampradaya,' which talks about
leading a monastic life. While
Shankaracharya was a firm believer in
ancient Hinduism, he condemned the
'Mimamsa school of Hinduism' which

was purely based on ritual practices.
Throughout the course of his journey,
Shankaracharya discussed his ideas
with various other philosophers and
fine-tuned his own teachings from time
to time. Shankaracharya founded four
monasteries (mathas) that continue to
spread his teachings.
Works
 Adi Shankaracharya is renowned for his
spectacular commentaries on ancient
texts. His review of 'Brahma Sutra' is
known as 'Brahmasutrabhasya', and it
is the oldest surviving commentary on
'Brahma Sutra'. It is also considered as
his best work.
 He also wrote commentaries on
Bhagavad Gita, and the ten principal
Upanishads. Adi Shankaracharya www.csbias.com
is
also well-known for his 'stotras'
(poems).
 He composed many poems, praising
gods and goddesses. The ones
dedicated to Krishna and Shiva are
37
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
considered most important among his
'stotras'.
 He also composed the famous
'Upadesasahasri' which literally
translates to 'a thousand teachings.'
'Upadesasahasri' is one of his most
important philosophical works.
Mathas
Adi Shankaracharya founded four
monasteries (mathas) - one each at the four
cardinal points in India. Here are the four
mathas founded by Shankara:
 Sringeri Sharada Peetham - It is located
at the southern part of India, along the
banks of Tunga. Sringeri Sharada
Peetham advocates 'Aham Brahmasmi'
(I am Brahman) and was formed on the
basis of Yajur Veda.
 Dvaraka Pitha - Dvaraka Pitha is
located in the western part of India.
Dvaraka Pitha advocates 'Tattvamasi' AD
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About Puli Thevar:
 He was born in 1715.
 He was one of the first Indians to resist
British Imperialism.
 He was one of 77 Polygars or Local
Chieftains in the Tamil region.
 Puli Thevar first met British forces in
1755 when British Colonel Alexander
Heron marched on western Tamil
region.
 British artillery proved ineffective
against the thick stone walls of Puli's
fort.
Revolt of Puli Thevar (1755-1767): In March
1755 ,Mahfuzkhan (brother of the Nawab of
Y
Arcot) was sent with a contingent of the
E M
Company army under Colonel Heron to
Tirunelveli. Madurai easily fell into their
hands. Thereafter Colonel Heron was urged
to deal with Puli Thevar as he continued to

basis of Sama Veda. AC

(That thou art) and was formed on the
defy the authority of the Company. Puli
Thevar wielded much influence over the
western palyakkarars. For want of cannon


A S
Jyotirmatha Peetham - This monastery
is located in the northern part of India.
and of supplies and pay to soldiers, Colonel
Heron abandoned the plan and retired to
I
Totakacharya was made the head of Madurai. Heron was recalled and dismissed

SB
this matha which advocates
'Ayamatma Brahma' (This Atman is
from service. Marathas.


C
Brahman). Jyotirmatha Peetham was
formed on the basis of Atharva Veda.
Govardhana matha - Govardhana
matha is located at the eastern part of
India. The matha is a part of the famous
Jagannath temple. Padmapada was
made the head of this monastery which
advocates 'Prajnanam Brahma'
(Consciousness is Brahman). It was
formed on the basis of Rig Veda.

3. He fought for people': PM Modi 4. Sittanavasal - A Jain heritage site

pays tribute to freedom fighter
Puli Thevar
Context: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra
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Modi has paid tributes to brave Puli Thevar
on his birth anniversary.Puli Thevar was a
great leader who wrote the first chapter of
India's freedom struggle. He recalled the
king's defiance in refusing to pay taxes.
CSB IAS ACADEMY
in T.N. battles the elements
Sittanavasal, A small village in Pudukottai
district of Tamil Nadu was a majorwww.csbias.com
centre of
Jain influence for 1,000 years just before the
Christian era.
 Sittanavasal houses the Arivar Kovil
(temple of Arihats - Jains who
conquered their senses), Ezhadipattam
38
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
(a cavern with 17 polished rock beds),
megalithic burial sites and the
Navachunai tarn (small mountain
lake) with a submerged shrine.
AD
AC
A S
Sittanavasal Paintings: I

SB
Sittanavasal is the only place in Tamil
Nadu where we can see Pandya
C
paintings. At least three fourths of the
art is already damaged, so it is
important to protect the site for future
generations.
 The artwork on the ceiling of the
sanctum and the ardha mandapam of
Arivar Kovil is an early example of
post­Ajanta cave paintings of the fourth
to sixth centuries, done using the
fresco-secco technique (a process that
dispenses with preparation of the wall
with wet plaster).
 The ceiling paintings show 'bhavyas'
(exalted souls who work to achieve
Email :moksha or spiritual liberation)
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
enjoying themselves in a pool, full of
lotuses; today much of it is obscured
by patchy plastering.
 Faint outlines linger of dancing girls
on the 'ardha mandapam' pillars. The
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pillars of the verandah (added by the
Maharaja of Pudukottai in the 1900s),
were brought from Kudumiyanmalai.
 The colours are a mixture of plant dyes
and mineral elements such as lime,
lamp black, and clay pigments such as
ochre for yellow and terre verte for the
greyish green tints.
5. Who was Arattupuzha Velayudha
Panicker, on whose life Malayalam
movie Pathonpatham Noottandu
is based?.
Context: Both critics and viewers have
praised the recently released Malayalam
Y
film Pathonpatham Noottandu ('Nineteenth
E M
Century'). It is based on the life of Kerala's
Ezhava community member and social
reformer Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker.
Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker
He was a nineteenth-century social reformer
from Kerala's Ezhava community. He was
one of the most significant figures in the
state's reformation movement. He brought
about improvements in the lives of both men
and women by challenging the hegemony of
the upper castes, or "Savarnas." In 1869, the
then-king of Travancore bestowed upon him
the title of "Panicker."
www.csbias.com
Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker-
Contribution
He is credited with constructing two temples
for the Hindu god Shiva that were open to
people of all castes and religions.
39
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 He was the strike leader for the
Achippudava Samaram at
Kayamkulam, Alappuzha, in 1858.
During this strike, it was hoped that
women from disadvantaged groups
would be granted the freedom to dress
in lower clothing that reached their
knees.
 He organised the Mukkuthi Samaram
in 1860 at Pandalam in the
Pathanamthitta district to support
lower-caste women's rights to wear
nose rings and other gold jewellery.
 He was the leader of Kerala's first-ever
agricultural labourers' strike, known
as Karshaka Thozhilali Samaram.For
the Ezhava people, he also founded the
first Kathakali Yogam (local schools for
the traditional dance genre Kathakali)
in 1861.
AD
6. Nuakhai Juhar
Context:Nuakhai is an annual harvest AC
S
festival in Odisha, celebrated to welcome the
A
season's new rice. Celebrated a day after
I
Ganesh Chaturthi, Nuakhai is the most
B
auspicious and important social festival in
S
Western Odisha and the neighbouring areas
of Simdega in Jharkhand. It is celebrated
C
throughout Odisha and will be held on
September 1, 2022.
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 The agricultural celebration Nuakhai
Juhar, also known as Nuakhai Parab
or Nuakahi Bhetghat, is held annually.
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The arrival of the season's first harvest
is celebrated.
 Nuakhai, a combination of the two
terms "nua" and "khai," denotes the
consumption of fresh rice. This
celebration is held in Western Odisha,
Southern Chhattisgarh, and nearby
Simdega regions (Jharkhand).
Nabanna, which may be found in
Coastal Odisha, is its coastal
counterpart.
 The day after the Ganesh Chaturthi
celebration, it is observed on panchami
tithi (the fifth day) of the lunar fortnight
of the month of Bhadrapada (August-
September).
Y
Farmers offer the first produce from

M
their lands to Goddess Samaleswari,
E
the famous 'Mother Goddess' of
Sambalpur district of Odisha.
Sambalpuri dance forms like Rasarkeli
and Dalkhai can be witnessed.
7. Archaeological Survey of India
finds 12,000-year-old artefacts
near Chennai
Context:The Archeological Survey of India
recovered nearly 12,000-year-old artefacts in
excavations near the Renault automobile
factory on the outskirts of Tamil Nadu's
capital city Chennai, The ASI team has also
found pit layers or artefacts separated by
hundreds of years from the excavation sites.
In some cases, these artefacts were separated
by even thousands of years.
The ASI discovered signs of four
civilizations at the Vadakkupattu village in
Tamil Nadu:
 Mesolithic Period: ASI discovered hand
axes, scrappers, cleavers, and choppers
from the Mesolithic period. They were
www.csbias.com
recovered 75 cm from beneath the
surface.
40
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 Sangam Era: They discovered Sangam
AD
A
including rouletted pottery, Roman
amphora sherds, and glass beads
C
era (almost 2,000 years ago) artefacts
Rome.
A S
suggesting active commerce with
 I
Early and Later Pallavas: They
SB
discovered sculptures ranging from
the early Pallava period (275 CE) to the
C
late Pallavas on the floor inside the
surrounding space (897 CE).
 Vadakkupattu village is located in
Sriperumbudur taluk of
Kancheepuram district in Tamil Nadu.
Vadakkupattu village site has now
become a culturally and
archaeologically important site.
7. Pitching India as a signature
destination: Dharamshala
Declaration
Context:The Dharamshala Declaration aims
to recognise India's potential in supporting
global
Email tourism and also promote domestic
: csbiasacademy@gmail.com
tourism. With pandemic tourism sector
sector recorded very poor contribution so
government of India in its efforts to promote
tourism- Dharamshala Declaration
Dharamshala Declaration
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 The Dharamshala Declaration aspires
to acknowledge India's contribution to
global tourism while concentrating on
local tourism revival.
 To encourage more Indians to go
within their own country and discover
it, the Ministry of Tourism has
developed a strategy. It will assist in
achieving Ek's objective.
Bharat Shrestha Bharat.
 Identifying 20 Indian missions overseas
has also been a joint effort between the
tourism ministry and the ministry of
external affairs. This will assist in
drawing more tourists to India.

Y
Additionally, the Indian tourist
E M
industry has targets set for the
upcoming years that will accelerate the
sector's growth.
India in tourism sector
 With 15 million foreign visitors
arriving in India by 2024, the country
would generate $30 billion in foreign
exchange revenues and $150 billion in
GDP from tourism. By 2030, India is
anticipated to expand at a compound

annual growth rate of 7% to 9%.
By 2047, India will be one of the top
tourist destinations in the world,
thanks to the efforts of the Tourism
Ministry.
The draft National Tourism Policy 2022
 Its first goal is to enhance the national
framework for the growth of
tourism.This will be accomplished
through bolstering tourist-related
enterprises, expanding tourism
support services, and growing tourism
sub-sectors.
 Second, it supports inclusive,
responsible, and sustainable travel in
keeping with our cultural ideals.
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Thirdly, it seeks to foster skill
development through the Tourism and
Hospitality Sector Skill Mission as well
as digitization, innovation, and
41
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
technology through the National
Digital Tourism Mission.
 Fourth, the strategy places a specific
emphasis on public-private
partnerships that involve the business
sector (PPP).
 This policy is the first effort made after
2002 toward the tourism and
hospitality industries. Additionally,
India will benefit from the G20
leadership by promoting its tourism
around the world.
Opportunities for India
 India has an opportunity to position
itself as a major tourism destination
during India's presidency of the G20.
India will welcome delegates from the
20 countries/European Union and it
will be hosting around 200 meetings
with foreign delegates.
This will be an opportunity for India AD

to showcase its country's cultural
richness to the world. Moreover, theAC
S
Ministry of Tourism should also work
A
with other Ministries to bring required
I
transformation in visa, ease of travel,
SB
traveller-friendly and improved
immigration facilities at airports.
8. C
Ministry of Culture organises
Bathukamma festival- an annual
celebration in Telangana at
Kartavyapath, India Gate
Context:Ministry of Culture organized the
celebration of Bathukamma festival being at
Kartavyapath, India Gate, New Delhi,
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CURRENT AFFAIRS
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Bathukamma festival
 Bathukamma is an annual festival in
Telangana.The Telangana women's folk
commemorate the event, which
showcases the splendour of nature via
the vivid hues of several flowers.
 The Bathukamma celebration kicks off
a week before its major conclusion,
"Saddula Batukamma," which falls two
days before Dussehra. Women and
girls chant and dance around
beautifully arranged flowers during the
nine-day yearly celebration. They
submerge the specially arranged
flowers, known as Bathukamma, in
celebration. Y
nearby ponds at the conclusion of the

E M
Bathukamma has been a state holiday
in Telangana since the state's creation
in 2014.
9. Archaeological Survey of India
(ASI) unravels remarkable
Archaeological remains
Bandhavgarh Forest Reserve
in
Context : Archaeological Survey of
India(ASI) has discovered remarkable
archaeological remains in Madhya Pradesh's
Bandhavgarh Forest Reserve.
 26 caves which are mostly Buddhist in
nature. Remains of the Mahayana sect
of Buddhism like chaitya-shaped
doors and cells containing stone beds.
 26 ancient temples/relics of Kalachuri
period (9th century CE to 11th Century
CE).
 A large Varaha sculpture datable to the
9th - 13th century CE. It appears to be
the world's largest sculpture. 24 Brahmi
inscriptions (2nd century CE to 5th
century CE)
 Important kings of the era mentioned
in the inscriptions include Shri
www.csbias.com
Bhimsena, Maharaja Pothasiri and
Bhattadeva.
42
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
AD
AC
A S
I Safeguarding Traditional Indian

SB
26 caves which are mostly Buddhist in
nature. Remains of the Mahayana sect
C
of Buddhism like chaitya-shaped
doors and cells containing stone beds.
 26 ancient temples/relics of Kalachuri
period (9th century CE to 11th Century
CE).
 A large Varaha sculpture datable to
the 9th - 13th century CE. It appears to
be the world's largest sculpture. 24
Brahmi inscriptions (2nd century CE to
5th century CE)
 Important kings of the era mentioned
in the inscriptions include Shri
Bhimsena, Maharaja Pothasiri and
Bhattadeva.
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
Bandhavgarh National Park
 Bandhavgarh National Park is located
in the Umaria district of Madhya
Pradesh. It was declared as a National
Park in 1968 and then became a Tiger
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Reserve in 1993. The park resides on
the extreme northeastern border of
Madhya Pradesh and the northern
edges of the Satpura mountain ranges.
 The park derived its name from the
most prominent hill of the area which
is said to have been given by Lord
Rama to his brother Laxman to keep a
watch on Lanka The fort was built by
Gond Dynasty kings. One of the biggest
attractions of this national park is the
Bengal tiger(Panthera tigris tigris).
Bandhavgarh has a very high density
of tigers within its jungles.
10. UNESCO
Y launches
documenting 50 iconic Indian
list
M
heritage textiles
E
Context:UNESCO released a list of 50
exclusive and iconic heritage textile crafts of
the country.
 UNESCO has released a list of 50
exclusive and iconic heritage textile
crafts of India under the title
"Handmade for the 21st Century:

Textile".
The UNESCO publication gives
recommendations for their
preservation as well as a catalogue of
the textiles' history and legends. It also
outlines the intricate and secretive
techniques that go into manufacturing
each cloth.
 Some of the textiles described are:
From the North: Thigma or wool tie and
dye from Ladakh; Khes from Panipat;
Chamba rumals from Himachal
Pradesh; and Awadh Jamdani from
Varanasi.
 From the south: from Karnataka, Ilkal
and Lambadi or Banjara needlework,
Thanjavur's Sikalnayakanpet
www.csbias.com
Kalamkari, Tamil Nadu's Toda
embroidery and Sungadi, and
Hyderabad's Himroo weaves.
 Other states: Bandha tie-dye weaving
from Sambalpur in Odisha, Kunbi
43
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
weaves from Goa, Mashru weaves and
Patola from Gujarat, Himroo from
Maharashtra, Garad-Koirial from West
Bengal.
 The lack of a good inventory and
recording is one of the biggest
obstacles to the preservation of South
Asia's intangible cultural heritage,
making this list by UNESCO
important.
11. What is the Rs 600-crore
redevelopment plan for Ujjain's
Mahakaleshwar temple
Context:The first phase of the
Mahakaleshwar Corridor, which cost Rs 350
crore, is complete and will be inaugurated
by PM Modi on October 11
 Mahakal Maharaj Mandir Parisar
Vistar Yojna is a plan for the
expansion, beautification, and
decongestion of the Mahakaleshwar
AC
temple and its adjoining area in Ujjain
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 The temple in its present form was built
by the Maratha general Ranoji Shinde
in 1734 CE. Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga
is one of the 12 jyotirlingas considered
the most sacred abodes of Shiva.
 As per records, the temple's Mahakal
Lingam is believed to be Swayambhu
(self-manifested) and unlike any other
jyotirlingas in the country, the idol of
Mahakaleshwar faces south. The shrine
is also revered as one of the 18 Maha
Shakti Peeth in India.
Y
E M
AD


district.

A S
Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is a Hindu
I
temple dedicated to Shiva.It is located

SB
in the ancient city of Ujjain in the state
of Madhya Pradesh. The temple is

C
situated on the side of the holy river
Shipra.

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CSB IAS ACADEMY 44

 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
Economy
1. A quarter century of public-
private partnership.
Context: With the government aiming to
channel private capital to monetise
brownfield operating assets, PPP may well
be set to see a revival
Background of PPP
 The early 1990s witnessed the growth
of public-private partnership or PPP
before it mainstreamed into economic
policy.
 Spectrum's Kakinada and GVK's
Jegurupadu power plants were two of
the eight fast-track projects approved
by the government in 1992.
The fiscal 1996-97 can be regarded to be the
AD
official starting year of PPP:
 An expert group
Commercialization of InfrastructureAC on
A S
Projects submitted a path-breaking
report advocating a significant role for
I
private capital. The private sector
SB
allowed into ports through an
amendment to the Major Port Trusts
C
Act and National Highways Authority
of India's capital base was widened to
Rs. 500 crores.
 This report helped the formation of
various organizations such as The
Infrastructure Development Finance
Corporation.
 The Planning Commission recognized
a significant intra deficit. It planned to
raise the Gross Capital Formation
(GCF) in infrastructure to 9 per cent of
GDP by the terminal year of the 11th
Plan (2007-12).
 The India Infrastructure Finance
Email :Company Ltd (IIFC) was set up in 2006
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
to provide long-term financial
assistance to PPP projects.
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 The share of private capital moved up
from 22 per cent in the 10th Plan period
to 37 per cent in the 11th Plan.
 PPP started lowering from 2012
onwards due to inappropriate risk-
allocation, aggressive bidding, twin
balance-sheet problems, mounting
non-performing assets, and lack of
dispute resolution.
 Almost all Indian corporations and
commercial lending institutions are
Y
careful of investing in greenfield PPP
E M
projects and foreign investors prefer
operating brownfield assets.
The steps taken by government to revive
PPP:
 The Budget of 2014 proposed to set up
an institution called 3P India with
allocation of Rs 500 crore.
 In May 2015, the government
constituted a nine-member committee
which submitted its report "Revisiting
and Revitalizing PPP Model of
Infrastructure Development".
 The committee endorsed setting up "3P
India".
 3P India would deal with complex PPP
issues like renegotiation, independent
regulation, equitable risk-allocation,
and amendments to Prevention of
Corruption Act 1988, expeditious
redress of disputes, and capacity
building.
 The annuity and hybrid annuity
models that sought to substantially
reduce the risk of private investment
were adopted.
 New sectors like ropeways and effluent
treatment plants were brought into the
www.csbias.com
PPP ambit.
 PPP is back with 100 percent of the
National Monetization Pipeline target
of Rs 6 trillion and 40 percent of the
National Infrastructure Pipeline target
45
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
of Rs 111 trillion expected to be funded
under PPP formats.
 The finance ministry in July announced
the setting up of a new body called the
Infrastructure Finance Secretariat (IFS)
which is expected to play an
integrative role in the revival of the
PPP ecosystem.
Mains point: Privatization and
liberalization.
2. Cabinet approves disposal of
Chana procured under Price
Support Scheme & Price
Stabilization Fund
Context:Cabinet Committee on Economic
Affairs has approved the disposal of Chana
(Pulses) to States/UTs at a discounted rate
to be utilized for various Welfare Schemes
from the stock of pulses procured under the
Price Support Scheme(PSS) & Price AD
Stabilization Fund (PSF).
Price Support Scheme: AC
S
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture &
A
Farmers Welfare
I
Purpose: The scheme is operationalised
SB
only when prices of agri-produce fall below
the minimum support price(MSP).

C
Price Support Scheme (PSS): Under this
physical procurement of pulses,
oilseeds and Copra to be done by
Central Nodal Agencies in
collaboration with state governments.
 Both National Agricultural
Cooperative Marketing Federation of
India (NAFED) and Food Corporation
of India (FCI) to take up PSS operations
in states.
 As per norms, the central government
will bear the procurement expenditure
and losses due to procurement.
The Price Stabilization Fund(PSF):
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
Setup in: 2014-15
Nodal Ministry: Department of Consumer
Affairs
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Aim: To help regulate the price volatility of
important agri-horticultural commodities
like onion, potatoes and pulses.
Features of the scheme: The scheme
provides for maintaining a strategic buffer
of commodities for subsequent calibrated
release to moderate price volatility and
discourage hoarding and unscrupulous
speculation.
 For building such stock, the scheme
promotes direct purchase from
farmers/farmers' associations at the
farm gate/Mandi.
Fund Utilization: The PSF fund is utilized
for granting interest-free advance of working
Y
capital to Central Agencies, State/UT
Governments/Agencies to undertake market
M
intervention operations.
E
 Apart from domestic procurement
from farmers/wholesale mandis,
import may also be undertaken with
support from the Fund.
Background:
Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan
Abhiyan(PM-AASHA) : The scheme
comprises of three sub-schemes viz.
Price Support Scheme (PSS): Under this
physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and
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Copra to be done by Central Nodal Agencies
in collaboration with state governments.
 Both National Agricultural
Cooperative Marketing Federation of
India (NAFED) and Food Corporation
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
of India (FCI) to take up PSS operations
in states.
 As per norms, the central government
will bear the procurement expenditure
and losses due to procurement.
Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS):
This is based on the recommendations of
NITI Aayog which suggested "Price
Deficiency Payment" for implementation of
MSP in crops where procurement is poor.
 Direct payment of the difference
between the MSP and the selling price
will be made to pre-registered farmers
selling their produce in the notified
market yard and thus it does not
involve any physical procurement.
 The aim of the scheme is to provide
compensation to farmers for
agriculture products whenever its
price falls below the announced
Minimum support price (MSP) and AD
thereby protecting them from losses
AC
suffered on account of distress sale.

A S
All payments will be done directly into
registered bank accounts of the
farmers.
I years to reach six to seven billion in
SB
Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist
Scheme (PPPS): Under this scheme,
C
participation of the private sector in
procurement operations will be
piloted.States have the option to roll out the
scheme on a pilot basis in selected districts/
APMCs involving private stockists.
Mains point:the Price Support Scheme(PSS)
& Price Stabilization Fund (PSF)
3. Precision farming needs to be
promoted to get more output with
less exploitation of natural
resources"
Context:Humans are over-exploiting the
planet's natural resource endowment. This
may
Email : boomerang and threaten the very
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
existence of humanity.
The challenges in current farming methods:
 Lands are degrading, especially the
topsoil that is crucial for providing us
with food, animal feed and fibre,
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 Groundwater is depleting and its
quality is becoming poorer with the
increasing use of chemical fertilisers
and other industrial waste,
 Air human breathe is polluted. When
stubble burning peaks in farmers' fields
in Punjab and Haryana it is difficult to
even breathe in a city like Delhi.
 The extreme weather events such as the
recent heat waves in Europe and Asia
alongside droughts and floods in other
areas exacerbate these issues even
more.
An imbalance between people and the
planet:

Y
In 1804, for the first time in history, the
E M
human population touched one billion.
The next billion was added in 123 years
with the count touching two billion by
1927. Several major breakthroughs in
medical science ensured that the next
billion was added in just 33 years by
1960.
 Thereafter, humanity progressed even
faster. For instance, it took only 12
2010, and another 12 years to touch
eight billion in 2022.
 This created a huge imbalance between
the demands of people and the capacity
of this planet to supply them in a
sustainable manner.
The role of natural/organic farming in
correcting this imbalance:
 Many governments, religious
organisations, and some NGOs believe
that organic/natural farming is the only
way to correct this imbalance. Most of
the studies conducted by ICAR in India
show that with the adoption of natural
farming yields go down for major
staple crops like wheat and rice by as
much as 30 to 50%. But the yields
www.csbias.com
recovered back to normal levels after
some time.
 Organic farming in India: Sikkim was
declared an organic state, etc. The
Indian government has initiated a
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
major programme on natural farming
along the Ganga, five kilometres on
each side of its banks. Many states like
Andhra Pradesh are also scaling up
natural farming.
India need to focus on farming:
 Sri Lanka wanted to get rid of chemical
fertilisers but was facing an economic
challenge. India is going to be the most
populous country on the planet in 2023.
So, India needs a proper policy
decision with better and more scientific
evidence if India wants to avoid a Sri
Lanka-like fiasco.
To improve farming activities:
 Focus on precision farming: It can give
India "more from less". The
innovations and developments in GIS
(Geographical Information System),
AIML (Artificial Intelligence and
Machine Learning) can use enormous AD
data and bring about precision in
farming.
AC
A S
Reduction of subsidies: In India, there
is a culture of free power, free water,
I
almost 80 to 90% subsidy on urea, and
B
so on. These subsidy policies may
S
have been good in the 1960s or the
1970s when the country was hugely
C
food deficit. But now these subside
have to be reduced.
Background Key points:
Zero budget natural farming: -
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
CSB IAS ACADEMY
CURRENT AFFAIRS
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 Zero Budget' means without using any
credit, and without spending any
money on purchased inputs. 'Natural
farming' means farming with Nature
and without use of fertilisers. Zero
budget farming is a set of farming
methods that involve zero credit for
agriculture and no use of chemical
fertilisers.
The four-wheels of zero budget natural
farming-
 Water vapour condensation for better
soil moisture.
 Seed treatment with cow dung and
urine based formulations
 Mulching.
Y

E M
Ensure soil fertility through cow dung
and cow urine based concoctions.
Mains point: :India's farming activities.
4. The road
Atmanirbharta.
to energy
Context:The Prime Minister has called for
"Energy Atmanirbharta" by 2040 recently.
The requirements needed for India to achieve
Energy Atmanirbharta by 2040:
 India should be clear with the
definition of Atmanirbharta. It means
self-reliance not self-sufficiency. Self-
sufficiency should not be our goal as
energy self-sufficiency is infeasible and
uneconomic.
 We should prioritise access to fossil
fuels because the transition to a green
energy system is a lengthy, time taking
and costly process. There is a low
probability of finding substantive,
additional domestic resources of
hydrocarbons, even if India is able to
enhance domestic exploration, it may
be difficult to produce them on
commercially viable terms. Therefore,
www.csbias.com
our policy must continue to emphasise
affordable and secure access to oil and
gas.
 Prioritise access to the building blocks
of green energy. We have ambitious
targets for renewables. However,
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
minerals/components (copper, cobalt,
lithium, semiconductor chips etc.)
required to build EVs, solar panels,
wind turbines and batteries are
concentrated in countries that are not
on the same political page with India.
For example, 38 percent of copper is
produced from Chile and Peru. China
controls 47 per cent of copper smelting
and 42 per cent of copper refining.
Therefore, India must remove the
obstacles to domestic mining and
develop strategies to manage the
international market dynamics.
 In a recent example of Germany, it
faced the LNG supply problem
because it was not connected by a
pipeline built by Spain. Therefore, it
became possible for Russia to

weaponize the gas supply.
AD
Infrastructure development is needed.
AC
GAIL is investing in the development
of a national gas pipeline grid. In
addition to it India must expand its
S
strategic petroleum reserves to cover
A
 I
at least 30 days of consumption.
Offering green incentives to encourage
SB
private participation. For example,
investors' response was encouraging
C
after the government's production-
linked incentive scheme (PLI) offered
benefits for investment in green
energy.
 Private capital can help meet net
carbon zero targets of the country.
 In the face of high gas prices, Europe
is enjoying the disproportionately
positive benefits of demand
management. This must be corrected.
Energy usage norms must be
standardised and tightened.
Legislation should be properly
enacted to ensure compliance.
Email : Retraining
 and upskilling.
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
 The nature of jobs and their location
will change with the gradual transition
to a green energy system. Therefore,
the requirements for training/skilling
should be anticipated and delivered.
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 Energy diplomacy. Our diplomats
should add energy to their diplomacy.
This is because of our dependence on
the international energy supply chains.
Success in navigating economic and
geopolitical uncertainties will depend
greatly on skillful diplomacy.
 Holistic governance. The current
energy governance requires proper
administration. Institutions should be
created to facilitate integrated energy
planning and implementation.
Mains point:India to achieve Energy
Atmanirbharta.
5.
Y
Heavy debt burdens are the real
E M
issues in our debate over freebies
Context:The Centre never logged a fiscal
deficit ratio of less than 3% after 2007-08 and
all states combined had logged less than 3%
after 2004-05.
 This is because the Fiscal
Responsibility and Budget
Management (FRBM) rules cap the
deficit at 3% of gross state domestic
product. It requires special permission
to go beyond this level.
The rules needed to be adopted to check
the fiscal deficit:
There are rules needed to cap the deficit as
well as ensure transparency.
 We need a rule that is binding on both
the Centre and states. The Reserve Bank
of India can be made the caretaker to
ensure that access to the debt market
for states and centres closes beyond a
prescribed level.
 Contingent liabilities must be counted
as a part of the fiscal deficit-both of the
Centre and states. This will deliver
transparency and ensure that debt
doesn't build up outside budgets.
 Guarantees by the government to any
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publicly-owned entity should be
banned. Because, it creates an
environment of not taking
responsibility for performance and the
entity will be forced to operate on
49
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
commercial terms. If guarantees are
gone, they will have to borrow money
from the financial system based on
their strength and performance.
 To ensure a certain amount is spent as
a capital expenditure a certain portion
of the borrowing should be set aside
by a rule. This will ensure that the
government is building infrastructure.
The Finance Commission must
strongly mandate the level of capex at
20% or 25%.
Mains point:achieve the fiscal deficit target.
6. Fixing the quality problem of Make
in India
Context:There are lots of programmes and
incentives announced by the government of
India to make India a global manufacturing
hub. However, there are many challenges in
achieving this goal. AD

A
Production-linked incentive schemes
are an attempt to make Indian an
C inspections, but the same medicines
A S
attractive global manufacturing hub.
However, the question arises, would
I
these policies be more successful
SB
compared to the previous attempts.
India to become a global manufacturing
hub:
 C
The recent geo-political tension and
supply chain disruption has made
compulsory to reduce its dependence
on China.
 Second, it is not possible to find a
solution to rising unemployment
without focusing on the manufacturing
sector. Manufacturing sectors play an
important role in job creation.
The challenges, in front of India, in
becoming a global manufacturing hub:
 India has tried to reduce its
dependence on China but the progress
Email :made by India is not upto the mark. It
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
has not been able to attract big global
strategic manufacturing investment.
 India's dependence on China for
inputs and manufactured goods has
also increased.
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 There are infrastructure issues, like, the
cost and ease of doing business, high
taxes as well as frequent policy
changes.
 There are also regulatory failures in
enforcing quality consciousness
among manufacturers. The Indian
government and regulators have
adopted lower manufacturing
standards than developed countries.
But they have not been able to enforce
even those low standards.
 For example, Indian automobile
manufacturers export products with
higher safety norms and at a cheaper
Y
price than the ones they sell in the
domestic market.

E M
Indian drug makers exporting
medicines build and operate
manufacturing facilities that pass the
US Food and Drug Administration's
sold in the domestic market have far
less regulatory scrutiny and made in
factories with fewer quality controls.
 The excuse often given for lower
quality standards is that stricter norms
could increase costs sharply, which is
a baseless point.
 It is often the taxes and infrastructure
issues that add to the costs rather than
higher quality standards.
The government and manufacturers in the
country focus on producing uniformly
higher quality products:
 Indian manufacturers did not have to
worry about quality before the
liberalisation.
 After the economic reforms of 1991,
there was a large gap between what the
Indian consumer expected and what
consumers in developed markets
demanded.
www.csbias.com
 The Indian middle-class consumer
often accepted products that their
counterparts in developed countries
rejected.
50
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 This was one of the reasons for
adopting low quality standards by
Indian manufacturers but the quality
is critical in becoming a major
manufacturing hub.
 India needs to enforce stringent
quality norms for goods produced
within the country for both domestic
and international consumers if it wants
to become a manufacturing hub.
Mains point:Industries and industrial
policies
7. Gorbachev, macro-economics, and
Gandhi.
Context: Recently, Mikhail Gorbachev
passed away. He has been known for his role
in ending the ideological conflict between
communism and capitalism.
Mikhail Gorbachev's political and
AD
economic decisions:

AC
Economic policy: Gorbachev favoured
a slow transition to a "mixed economy"
S
like the Indian model and had even
A
 I
approached Rajiv Gandhi for advice.
With his concepts of perestroika and
SB
glasnost, Gorbachev wanted to save
common citizens from being

C
oppressed by powerful people.
Political decisions: He also brought
down the Iron Curtain and ended the
Cold War between the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO) and the
Soviet Union.
 Gorbachev also helped to bring the
world back from the nuclear precipice.
Russia evolve after Mikhail Gorbachev's
Presidency:
 Boris Yeltsin: He took power after
Gorbachev. During his regime, "big
bang" capitalisation was imposed on
Russia by U.S. economists. Instead of
Email :the
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
Indian model, the "Washington
economics" model prevailed.
 Note: After 1991, India itself opened
up its economy to the US model.
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 Vladimir Putin: Under him, Russia
again moves towards authoritarianism.
The capitalist model way:
 Overall life expectancy is a good
measure of the well-being of a nation's
citizens. This is because, when all
citizens are well-nourished when
public health systems function well,
and when violence in society is low, an
average person lives longer.
 International comparisons reveal that
GDP per capita is an insufficient
contributor to longevity. Many
countries with substantially lower
incomes outperform the U.S. in life
expectancy.
Y

E M
For example, Cuba is one place above
the U.S. in longevity tables even though
its income per capita is just 14% of U.S.
incomes.
The impact on Russia due to the capitalist
model:
 The big bang capitalist reforms of the
Russian economy in 1991 and 1994, life
expectancy fell from 64 to 57 years.
Many Russian deaths were caused by
suicides, alcohol poisoning, homicides,
and heart attacks brought upon by
despair with joblessness and
hopelessness, created by wholesale
privatisation of the economy and
disruption of social safety nets.
The basis of the capitalist model, and The
challenges:
 It is founded on two fundamental
ideas.
 The ideology of "property rights"
outdoing human rights
 In this, whosoever owns more shares
in a property must have a greater say.
Thus, one dollar owned gives one vote
in governance, and a million dollars,
one million votes. www.csbias.com
l This is visible by the a) Creation of
international tribunals which
adjudicate disputes between foreign
investors in countries and the
governments (representing the
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
interests of millions and billions of
people) of those countries, b) Global
trade rules, and national financial and
trade regulations also favour the needs
of financial investors, making it easier
for them to enter and exit. But the
governments are stopping human
migrants from searching for better
opportunities across national borders.
 On the other hand, the democratic
principle of "human rights" requires
that every human being, black or
white, or whether billionaire or
pauper, has an equal vote in
governance.
 Hardin's "Tragedy of the Commons".It
says that communities cannot manage
shared resources; therefore, a common
property must be privatised for its
protection. When a public resource is
privatised, those who already have
AD
wealth can buy it. Those with more
wealth will win and become even
wealthier. Thus, inequalities willAC
increase.
A S
should follow: I
An alternative to the capitalist model India

SB
Follow Gandhi's ethical economics:
Concepts of free trade, financial
C
freedom, and privatisation, promoted
by macroeconomists, are not good
solutions for India's billion citizens
struggling for resilience in their lives.
 India's economic governance must be
guided by Mahatma Gandhi's
calculus, with principles of human
rights and community management, to
realise the promise of our commons,
and provide "poorna swaraj" to all
citizens.
Mains point:the capitalist model and its
alternative.
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
8. 28th edition of Status Report on
India's External Debt 2021-22
released.
Context:External Debt Management
Unit(EDMU) in the Department of Economic
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Affairs, Ministry of Finance has released the
28th edition of the Status Report on India's
External Debt 2021-22.
The key highlights from the report:
 India's external debt rose by 8.2% to
stand at $620.7 billion on March 31, 2022
compared to $573.7 billion on March 31,
2021.
 Out of total external debt, 53.2% of
external debt was denominated in US
dollars. Indian rupee-denominated
external debt was estimated at 31.2%
and was the second largest.
 The long-term debt estimated at $499.1
billion formed the largest chunk
Y
(80.4%) of the total external debt
E M
amount while the short-term debt, at
$121.7 billion accounted for 19.6%.
 Commercial borrowings, NRIs
deposits, short-term trade credit and
multilateral loans accounted for

around 90% of the total external debt.
External debt as a ratio to GDP fell
marginally to 19.9% as of March 2022
compared to 21.2% of the year-ago
period.
 Foreign currency reserves as a ratio to
external debt stood slightly lower at
97.8% as of March 2022, compared to
100.6% of the year-ago period.
 Sovereign External Debt: As of March
2022, sovereign external debt(SED)
increased by 17.1% over the level a year
ago reflecting the additional allocation
of SDRs by the IMF during 2021-22.
 FPIs: Foreign Portfolio Investors(FPIs)
holding Government Securities(G-Sec)
slid to the US $19.5 billion from US$
20.4 billion a year ago.
 Non-sovereign external debt estimated
at US$ 490.0 billion as of March 2022
posted a growth of 6.1% over last
year.CBs, NRI deposits and short-term
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trade credit accounted for about 95%
of non-sovereign debt.
 Debt Service Ratio: The debt service
ratio fell to 5.2% during 2021-22 from
8.2% during 2020-21 due to buoyancy
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
in current receipts and a decline in debt
service payments.
India's external debt position at risk:
 India's external debt continues to be
sustainable and prudently managed.
From a cross-country perspective,
India's external debt is modest,
occupying the 23rd position globally.
 In terms of various debt vulnerability
indicators, India's sustainability was
better than the Low-and-Middle
Income Countries (LMICs) as a group
and vis-à-vis many of them
individually.
Mains point:India's External Debt 2021-22
9. For a stronger economy: We need
economic reforms beyond
liberalisation.
Context: The Indian economy was expected
AD
to collapse due to the pandemic.
AC
Appropriate counter-cyclical policy enabled
the recovery and it worked because reforms
A S
had reached a threshold of adequacy.

I
New reforms and measures are
required to tackle the current economic
SB
situation.
The new reforms are required from India:
 C
Liberalisation has reached a point of
diminishing returns and new reforms
are needed to overcome the current
economic situation.
 The focus should be on adopting the
measures that currently favour
India.These include
a) the digitization, where India has a
comparative advantage,
b) supply chain diversification,
c) moving to a net zero economy and
d) using green initiatives as a source of
investment and innovation.
Email :Attention
 should also be given to
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
a) developing skills and capabilities,
b) improving employability,
c) improving infrastructure,
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d) reducing logistics and other business
costs through better Centre-state
coordination, e) enhancing the quality
of governance and counter-cyclical
regulation with good incentives,
f) improve data use and privacy
g) functioning of courts and police.
Why banks not be privatised:
 There is a recommendation to privatise
most public sector banks (PSBs).
 There is an argument that PSBs drain
taxpayers' money but this argument is
based on the experience of the last
decade. PSBs were doing better than
private banks in the 2000s.
 Y
NPA rose because PSBs were pushed
M
to lend to infrastructure where there
E
are inherent asset liability mismatches.
 However, after some recent measures,
like improvements in governance of
PSBs and risk-based lending profiles,
NPA ratios have decreased. Even social
schemes are now financed through
direct subsidies by the government

which has benefitted PSBs.
PSBs are trusted by people throughout
the country and it is evident from the
opening of 1.7 trillion Jan Dhan

accounts.
PSBs can gain advantage in low-cost
deposit deposits through many co-
lending opportunities and
partnerships.
 Private banks alone cannot increase
credit when lending from PSBs has
slowed.
 PSBs should be allowed to compete
and raise resources on their own and
only those PSBs which are weak can be
privatised.
The rupee should not be made completely
market determined:
www.csbias.com
 There are recommendations that the
rupee should be completely market-
determined. Also, it should be allowed
to sink under foreign outflows since
this would benefit exporters.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 However, the effect of exchange rate
depreciation is reflected faster in
Indian imports. Because they are
dominated by dollar-denominated
commodities such as crude oil.
 Indian exporters have little market
power and they are forced to bear the
cost of depreciation.
 Studies show that exporters do not
gain from currency volatility and the
gain that is earned is usually
temporary.
 The fall in the exchange rate of the
rupee from about Rs 8 in the 1990s to
about Rs 80 currently has not brought
about a sustained rise in exports.
 Lower volatility in the real exchange
rate helps both gainers and losers
when there are changes in the value of
the rupee. The positive and negative
A
deviations from equilibrium real rates
D varieties called the spur, most of which

are harmful.
AC
Only a fraction of the foreign portfolio
A S
flows (FPI) that look for trading
benefits gain from volatility.
 I
Some rupee volatility is good and
risks.
SB
encourages firms to hedge currency
Mains
C
point:Indian
Liberalisation.
Economy - 
10. Profitability of apple farming: The
crisis of apple farmers
Context: Apple growers in Himachal
Pradesh are protesting due to the non-
profitability of apple farming.
The reasons behind the non-profitability
of apple farming:
 In the 1970s and 1980s, Himachal
Pradesh provided a lot of support to
apple production. Such as setting up
nurseries and giving plants to farmers
Email :on
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a large scale, offering a transport
subsidy on cartons, providing heavy
concessions on tools, etc. Land reforms
restricted the transfer of land to non-
agriculturist of Himachal Pradesh.
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 But in the 1990s, with rising
fragmentation of land, low
productivity and withdrawal of state
support, apple agriculture became
unsustainable.This resulted in
a) Increasing cost of apple production,
b) Input cost of fertilisers, insecticides,
and fungicides have risen by 300% in
the last decade,
c) Increase in the cost of apple cartons and
trays and packaging. For example,
increase in the Goods and Services Tax
on cartons from 12% to 18%.
 All this made farmers sell their produce
to big buyers instead of selling it in the
Y
open market. The big growers have also
E M
started to shift from the conventional
varieties to more genetically modified
are imported from European nations.
The apple procurement by large players
make apple farming non-profitable:
 In the open market, the price of apple
is decided on the basis of an apple
carton. Large players do not buy apples
in cartons; they procure them in plastic
trays and decide the rate on the basis
of a kilogramme.
Unlike in the open market, where
apples of all varieties/grades are
procured, the large players only
procure apples of high quality. Such
apples don't constitute even 20%-30%
of the total production in a harvest.
Further, large players also bring in a
substantial fall in procurement prices
across the market.
 Note: Jammu and Kashmir ensure
legally guaranteed procurement at a
Minimum Support Price. But in States
such as Himachal Pradesh, the MSP is
absent for apple farmers.
To ensure the profitability of applewww.csbias.com
farming:
Formation of an independent body: A
statutory body must be formed. Such a body
should
54
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
a) Have representatives of apple growers,
market players, commission agents
and the government,
b) Conduct research in the apple
economy,
c) duly supported and trusted by the
farmers.
Mains point: the non-profitability of apple
farming.
11. Lending Transparency
Context:The article explains the concerns
related to loan apps and issues related to
recent RBI exercise of vetting loan apps.
 The Finance Ministry has asked the RBI
to check digital loan apps and compile
a "whitelist". The Ministry of
Electronics and Information
Technology (MEITY) has been asked
AD
to coordinate with the RBI and service
providers such as Google Play and
AC
Apple App Store to ensure that only
loan apps on the RBI whitelist are
available for download.
A S
 I
The concerns related to loan apps:
These applications provide loans to
SB
vulnerable, tech-illiterate people, and
low-income groups at exorbitant
C
interest rates with hidden processing
fees and charges.
 Lenders also use predatory loan
recovery practices involving
blackmailing and criminal
intimidation.
 There is also the possibility of money
laundering and tax evasions.
 There are also concerns related to
indebtedness of households. The RBI
data shows the financial indebtedness
of households was 40% of GDP in May
2021.
The RBI role:
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 It can create a checklist of information
pertaining to interest rates, fees and
other charges, all of which should be
clearly published by any loan app.
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 It could set ceilings on interest rates and
impose penalties for violations.
 For data protection, the RBI could check
the apps that collect more data than
strictly necessary to generate credit
scores and process loans, and that all
such data are collected with
permissions, and not shared with other
entities. It could publish such data-
collection standards in the interests of
public safety.
 It should work with the Income Tax
Department and other departments to
detect the cases of money-laundering.
 However, the RBI must ensure that it
Y
does not exclude legitimate players by
setting complicated, opaque standards
M
for whitelisting. It must also ensure that
E
its process of approval or rejection is
prompt and offer reasons to the
applicant in cases of refusal.
The role of other organs of government:
 To prevent use of strong arm tactics to
extract money from borrowers,
executive and the judiciary need to
ensure that citizens are not harassed,
while accelerating processes of loan
recovery.
 MEITY could coordinate with Apple
and Google to ensure non-compliant
apps are kept off these stores.
 To prevent "side-load" apps that can
be installed by sending a link
bypassing Apple and Google app
stores, we should educate potential
borrowers to avoid these practices.
Mains point:the concerns related to loan
apps and issues
12. Making In India. But How?
Context: The article explains the Production
Linked Incentive Scheme and its future
scope. www.csbias.com
Production Linked Incentive scheme (PLI),
intended to create a sustainable
manufacturing base in India.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
The need for the PLI scheme:
 It starts from the premise that India
manufactures too little because it
suffers from a competitive
disadvantage of around 8. 5-11% on
account of factors such as lack of
adequate infrastructure, high cost of
finance; inadequate availability of
quality power; neglect of R&D; and the
inadequate skills of Indian workers.
 Since addressing these weaknesses
will take time, the government wants
a faster alternative.
 GoI through PLIs offer manufacturers
a government payment of some
percentage, provided they meet
incremental investment and sales
targets.
Who pays?
 The Indian customer pays a higher
price because of tariffs if parts are AD

imported
AC
The Indian taxpayer pays for subsidies,
A S
not just to Indian firms that are selected
for PLI but also to international
manufacturers. I

SB
Jobs are being created:
There is no data available on that. We
C
can have a look at imports and export
data in the telecommunication sector.
 In the last third of 2019 before PLI was
introduced , exports were $1. 6 billion
and imports $4. 4 billion. In the last
third of 2021 after PLI was introduced,
exports were $2. 7 billion and imports
$5.
 So exports have gone up substantially,
but they were already trending up
before PLI.
 On the other hand, imports were
trending down, and now are trending
up, which is consistent with PLI
Email :encouraging manufacturers to import
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
parts so long as the final assembly is
done in India.
The main concerns related to the scheme:
 The producers can shift their
production to countries having better
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investment climates like Vietnam,
when PLI ends and achieve scale
economies without incurring
disadvantages given the small
investment required to meet PLI
eligibility. There will be little incentive
for them to continuously operate in
India.
 Manufacturers could continue to
produce, but will require continued
tariff and subsidy protection.
 If PLI-induced domestic production
does not become globally cost-
competitive, it will reduce exports in
other sectors. For example, high cost
Y
domestically produced semiconductor
through PLI incentives will reduce the
E M
competitiveness of two wheeler
exports that rely on chips.
There is a need to enhance human capital
investment, a feasible land acquisition
process, strengthening infrastructure and a
predictable tax regime.
Mains point:Production Linked Incentive
Scheme.
13. Connecting the dots to boost the
patent ecosystem
Context: The recent report of the Economic
Advisory Council to the Prime Minister
(EAC-PM), 'Why India Needs to Urgently
Invest in its Patent Ecosystem?', highlights
the significance of a robust patent system for
a knowledge economy and for the promotion
of technological innovations.
The key findings of the report on India's
patent ecosystem:
 The rising share of residents in the total
number of patent applications filed in
India has more than doubled during
the last decade.
 For the first time, the number of patent
applications by residents has
www.csbias.com
surpassed that of foreign applications
during the last quarter of the financial
year 2021-22.
The suggestions of the report to improve
India's patent ecosystem:
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
The report expressed the long pendency of
processing patent applications in India as a
major concern. So the report suggested
a) Increasing the efficiency of processing
patent applications,
b) Investigate the patent ecosystem more
closely to connect the dots so that
appropriate measures are adopted to
improve the patent ecosystem.
The other concerns in India's patent
ecosystem:
 Increasing abandoned applications:
The total number of patent
applications to the Indian patent office
has increased by 48% between 2010-11
and 2020-21. Similarly, the number of
abandoned patent applications also
increased by almost 350% during this

period.
These applications do not meet the
requirements under Sections 9(1) and AD
Note:
21(1) of the Patents Act.
AC

A S
Section 9(1) of the Patents Act provides
I
that those applications accompanied
by provisional specifications be
SB
supported by complete specifications
within one year.

C
Section 21(1) requires patent
applicants to re-file documents if the
patent examiner finds them not
meeting the requirements.
 The applicants did not refile or submit
specifications due to
a) applicants are not confident,
b) the long pendency discouraging
applicants from following up on their
applications.
 Incentives to file patents and associated
issues: Since the National Intellectual
Property Rights Policy 2016, a lot of
emphasis has been attached to the
Email :filing
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
of patent applications. This
resulted in encouraging the filing of
patent applications even when the
innovator knows that their claims will
not pass scrutiny.
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 India's poor performance in industry-
academia collaboration: India's score
for the industry-academia
collaboration indicator has declined
over the last few years, from 47.8 in
2015 to 42.7 in 2021. Consequently,
India's ranking in this indicator in the
GII declined from 48 to 65 during this
period.
Note: India's improvements in some other
indicators have resulted in India's
overall ranking in the GII improving
from 81 in 2015 to 46 in 2021.
 The draft of the National Auto Policy
2018 points out that collaboration
Y
between the industry and academia in
India has been limited to niche research
E M
areas that have low commercial
significance.
To improve India's patent ecosystem:
 To improve India's patent ecosystem,
a)
India needs to
Eliminate perverse incentives in the
system that promote patent filing
b) Fasten the entire patent filing system,
c) Promote the quality of patent
applications and d) Increase the
collaboration between academia and
industry.
Mains point: India's patent ecosystem.
14. Connecting the dots to boost the
patent ecosystem.
Context:At present, businessmen are seen
not as wealth creators but as nation builders.
Corporate India receives trust, goodwill and
confidence from the nation, and it must
provide returns to the nation in equal
measure.
The present state of Indian business
activities:
 Challenges with corporate: Corporate
www.csbias.com
India focuses on brand power, digital
technology, talent pools, scales of
operations, and global connectivity. So,
Corporate India's response to the
country's job crisis has been more
symbolic than substantial.
57
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 Challenges with the Small and
Medium Enterprises (SMEs):
a) Much of India's blue-collar
employment is generated in SMEs and
in its sprawling gig economy. The jobs
thus created are sub-optimal with low
wages and unstable working
conditions,
b) Some 45% of India's manufacturing
takes place in garments units,
hazardous chemical factories and in
unsafe engineering workshops.
To improve Indian business activities:
 Learn from Taiwan: Technology and
innovation in Taiwan has transformed
its low-level economy into a part of a
global value chain. Taiwanese SMEs
which manufactured cotton shirts,
plastic flowers and wooden toys are
now producing memory chips and
A
laptops and assembling smartphones.
D The Windfall Tax:
 The Government's ONDC (Open
AC
Network for Digital Commerce) and
A S
collaboration from other corporate can
also transform Indian SMEs.
 I
India's SME sector needs to modernise
SB
itself with the help of digital
technology, professional management
 C
and better scale of operations.
India's corporate sector can extend a
helping hand across the aisle to help
the SMEs achieve a transformation.
This helping hand should be market-
driven and backed by a strong value
proposition.
 Indian food is popular worldwide.
However, India has not been able to
create a McDonald's or KFC to bring
Indian food to the world stage as a
global business in scale and
sophistication. So, the corporates has
to utilise this space.
 Across the world, the informal sector
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is steadily evolving into the formal
sector in partnership with the
organised industry which is creating
innovative business models. For
instance, Uber, Ola, etc. This model
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could now be replicated in other
situations. This can create a win-win
situation for both the corporate and
informal sector.
 Mahatma Gandhi's insight that "what
we need is not mass production, but
production by the masses" must be an
enlightened vision of Indian business.
Mains point: Indian business activities
15. Explained | What is windfall tax
and why are countries imposing it
on the energy sector right now?
Context:The Finance Minister has defended
the windfall tax imposed by the Government
Y
on domestic crude oil producers by saying
E M
that it was not an ad hoc move but was done
after full consultation with the industry.
 Windfall taxes are designed to tax the
profits a company derives from an
external, sometimes unprecedented
event- for instance, the energy price rise
as a result of the Russia-Ukraine

conflict.
These are profits that cannot be
attributed to something the firm
actively did like an investment strategy

or an expansion of business.
Note: The United States Congressional
Research Service defines a windfall as
an unearned, unanticipated gain in
income through no additional effort or
expense.
The rationale behind imposing a windfall
tax:
 There have been varying rationales for
governments worldwide to introduce
windfall taxes, from redistribution of
unexpected gains when high prices
benefit producers at the expense of
consumers, to funding social welfare
schemes and as a supplementarywww.csbias.com
revenue stream for the government.
The countries imposing Windfall Tax now:
 Prices of oil, gas and coal have seen
sharp increases since late 2021. This
increase stems from a combination of
58
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
factors including a mismatch between
energy demand and supply during the
economic recovery from COVID-19
further amplified by the Russian war
in Ukraine.
 These rising prices meant huge and
record profits for energy companies
while resulting in hefty gas and
electricity bills for household bills in
major and smaller economies.
 Since the gains stemmed partly from
external change, multiple analysts
have called them windfall profits.
The issues with the windfall tax:
 Companies are confident in investing
in a sector if there is certainty and
stability in a tax regime. Since windfall
taxes are imposed retrospectively and
are often influenced by unexpected
events, they can brew uncertainty in
the market about future taxes. AD

AC
There is another argument about what
exactly constitutes true windfall profits
A S
and how it can be determined. For
instance, companies may argue that it
I
is the profit they earned as a reward
SB
for the industry's risk-taking to provide
the end user with petroleum products.

C
There is an issue of who should be
taxed- only the big companies
responsible for the bulk of high-priced
sales or smaller companies as well-
raising the question of whether
producers with revenues or profits
below a certain threshold should be
exempt.
Mains point:the windfall tax imposed by the
Government on domestic crude oil
producers .
16. Labouring under an illusion.
Context:The complex labour laws in our
country and reforms needed in the system.
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
Employment elasticity of growth has
declined. It is half of what it used to be two
decades ago.
The reasons behind low employment
elasticity:
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 Labour laws are very rigid. There are
about 50-55 Union laws. Their
definition differs, which increases the
scope of litigation and complicates case
law.
 There is a lack of harmonisation in these
laws as they were enacted at different
times.
 Sections of the Industrial Disputes Act
related to lay-offs and closures are
offending.
 It increases the non-wage transactions
cost of hiring labour.
 Complex labour law affects the
working of an enterprise in all three
Y
stages of life cycle- entry, functioning
E M
and exit.
The states have introduced flexible labour
laws:
 Economic survey classifies states into
those having flexible labour laws and
those without them. Almost half of the
states have introduced flexible labour
laws.
The meaning of flexibility:
 It does not always mean statutory
changes. It can be done by flexible
orders and regulations.
It difficult to assess the impacts of
flexibility:
 There is not a long enough time-series.
 The lack of data sources. The only data
source is the Annual Survey of
Industries.
 Services are covered by state level
Shops and Establishment Act.
 Covid has disrupted the labour market.
 Technology has turned the
manufacturing sector into capital-
intensive and there is an increasing
trend of contract labour.
 labour intensity is a functionwww.csbias.com
of labour
prices and capital. It is influenced by
subsidies and tax exemptions.
The Union government and state
governments steps:
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 On the recommendations of the
Second National Labour Commission
(2002), and several other reports, the
Union government unified 29 statutes
and passed (2019, 2020) four Codes on
wages, safety (and health), industrial
relations and social security. These are
statutory changes, to be followed by
new rules under the new Codes.
 Except for two or three large states,
most states have announced these
rules
What needs to be done?
 Labour market rigidities and complex
procedures also exist in state-level
Shops Establishments Acts. These
need to be made flexible in the spirit
of Model Shops and the Establishment
Act.
Mains point:Employment.
AD
17. Is the Long Wait For Private
Investment Over? AC
Context: There
A S
are favourable
I
macroeconomic indicators that can lead to
higher investment in the fiscal year 2023.
SB
The macroeconomic indicators which are
not favourable:

C
Gross Fixed Capital Formation, which
is private investment, was at its peak
at 34.3% in 2012-13. It has been in the
range of 30-32% since that time.
 Share of the manufacturing sector in
GDP remains below the stated
government policy of 25%. It was
17.4% in 2020.
 Labour force participation rate was
below 40% in 2022.
The drives of private investment in India:
 Government capital expenditure is
insignificant to drive private
investment.
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 External causes had a negative impact
on the investment cycle in recent years.
It explains the need for durable growth
and demand outlook to spur private
investment.
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The factors conducive to private investment:
 Balance sheets of both corporates and
banks have improved. Both corporate
debt to GDP ratio and NPAs have
declined.
 Central government policy of high
capital expenditure can create a strong
multiplier effect for the economy.
 Corporate profitability is at a high
despite higher input cost pressures.
 Capacity utilisation is improving. It
was at 74.5% in March 2022 and
surpassed the pre-pandemic level.
 At 15.1% in July 2022, credit growth is
highest in nearly 2.5 years.
 Y
According to RBI's Industrial Outlook
E M
Survey, business confidence among
corporates has recovered well above

pre-pandemic levels.
Atmanirbhar Bharat policy can offset
global slowdown.
Mains point:the current scenario of
investment in India.
18. Synchronize policies to counter
weak growth and high inflation.
Context:The problem associated with the
rising inflation and measures that can be
taken to tackle this.
 The Indian economy has suffered a
huge set-back with the pandemic.
However, with the efforts of RBI and
government, it is reviving still there are
other problems emerging that need
attention.
The current situation of Indian economy:
 The headline inflation rate in India has
remained above RBI's upper tolerance
limit of 6% since January and now has
again exceeded 7%.
 The reason behind high headline
inflation is high food and energy price
www.csbias.com
inflation across the world.
 It has brought the challenge of low
growth and high inflation, which
requires the close fiscal-monetary
policy coordination for resolution.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
The coordination of fiscal-monetary policy:
 Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
recently reportedly remarked that RBI
cannot contain inflation on its own.
Some of the facts make this statement
true.
 There is a significant supply
disruption both at home and abroad
due to various factors like the Ukraine
crisis. RBI's policy instruments are not
particularly effective in addressing
supply constraints.
 Given supply constraints, RBI can
impose exceptionally harsh
contractionary policies to curtail
demand, even for necessities like food.
These policies may lower the inflation
rate but poor households will be the
most affected.

and state government should AD
Therefore, it is required that the central
C
intervene in using its fiscal measures
A
to ease the restrictions from the supply
side.
A S
To tackle the increasing inflation:
 I
There should be close coordination
SB
between RBI and the government to
tackle this issue.

C
The government can intervene by
taking different measures like easing
domestic infrastructure, imposing
temporary restrictions on exports of
essential commodities, etc.
 Apart from the intervention the central
government's fiscal policy should
continue to focus on stimulating
aggregate demand and reviving
growth.
 The Tinbergen rule should be followed.
This rule says that the monetary and
fiscal policy instruments should be
separately assigned to address the two
different policy goals of reducing
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inflation and reviving growth.
Mains point:Growth and Development.
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19. A shimmer of hope for the golden
fibre as demand for shopping bags
rises.
Context:The government has recently
banned single use plastic bags and this has
led to an increase in the demand for jute bags.
However, the jute industry faces many
challenges and has to stay in line with this
demand.
 Jute is 100 percent biodegradable and
environment-friendly.
The current situation of jute industry in
India:
 Jute mills mainly focus on exporting
jute bags due to the high global
demand.
Y

E M
According to data from the Indian Jute
Mills Association (IJMA), export of jute
handbags was about 47 million in 2015-
16 and increased to 104 million in 2021-
22.
 Shopping bags account for about 50 per
cent of the export basket for most mills.
 However, there are many problems this
industry is facing.
The problems with the jute industry in
India:
 Market diversification: The jute
industry in India is small and only few
mills have taken the advantage to
export.
 This sector is highly dependent on
government orders and small to
medium sized mills are producing
almost 100 per cent government orders.
 The size of the jute industry is about
Rs 10,000 crore out of which the
government is procuring around Rs
7,500 crore of jute bags. The rest is
exported to various firms.
 Only a few large companies with
modernised facilities are generating 30-
40 per cent of their revenue www.csbias.com
from
exports.
 Financial Issues: The other problem is
the financial condition of the jute
industry is challenging.
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
 Regulations: The jute sector is a highly
regulated sector. The government
determines the minimum support
price (MSP) of jute crops for each crop
year and jute bag prices are fixed on a
price formula of the Tariff
Commission.
 The Jute Packaging Materials Act
(JPMA), 1987 has mandated that 100
per cent of food grain and 20 percent
of sugar production is packed in jute
bags.
 But the margins on government orders
are low. It lies between 5 and 7 per cent
for jute bags other than shopping bags
which have over 10 percent margin.
The challenges with the low margin in the
jute:
 The low margin has various
challenges.
For example, the jute production was AD

the minimum carryover for FY 2022.AC
very low in the year 2021 which led to
A S
This caused the rise in jute prices upto
Rs 7000 - 7200 per quintal.
 I
The government announced the
SB
maximum procurement price of raw
jute in September 2021 which was

C
around Rs 6,800 while the MSP was Rs
4500 per quintal.
In many cases, the government-
mandated maximum price of raw jute
doesn't work. However, this price cap
didn't work and jute mills had to buy
raw jute at higher prices. This led to
the closure of operations in about 15
jute mills.
The course of action:
 The jute industry's dependence on the
mandatory sector is another challenge.
There is a need to develop new markets
for jute products in order to make this
industry survive. The other probable
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
markets may be soil savers and jute
geotextiles. But we need research and
development to figure out where jute
fiber is required.
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 There is currently demand for shopping
bags only in export markets. However,
with the ban on single-use plastic
items, it is expected there will be a rise
in the demand in the domestic markets
as well.
 The Bring Your Own Bag campaign
(BYOB) campaign has been
represented before the Ministry of
Textiles. This campaign focuses on
using reusable bags.
 However, in India, campaigns can lift
the demand but industries also need
to push towards modernization to grab
the market and bring back the lost shine
Y
in the jute (golden fiber).
Mains point: issues with the jute industry
E M
and measures to improve them.
20. Ease of moving-Lower logistics
costs will boost output.
Context:The Prime Minister has recently
launched the National Logistics Policy(NLP)
to help Indian businesses improve
efficiency.
The previous reforms in the Logistics sector:
 The Union government created the
Logistics Division in the Department of
Commerce in 2017 to enable the
integrated development of the sector,
 A draft logistics policy was published
in 2019, but the implementation was
delayed, partly because of the
pandemic,
 The government recently revised the
land use policy of the Indian Railways
to enable longer-term leasing of
surplus railway land at a much lower
rate for setting up cargo terminals,
among other things,
 A number of state governments have
formed their logistics policy.
The expected benefits of NLP: www.csbias.com
 Improve infrastructure: India's
infrastructure deficit is often regarded
as one of the biggest constraints in
rapid economic growth. The NLP will
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
improve India's logistical
infrastructure.
 Address the fragmentation: India's
logistics sector is extremely
fragmented, which adds to the cost of
doing business. According to one
estimate, the sector involves over 20
government agencies and a host of
certifications.
 Creates employment: An increase in
systemic efficiency will boost overall
activity and help create employment
even in the logistics sector, which
supports the livelihood of over 22
million people.
 Brings digital service providers
together: Along with the NLP, the
recently launched Unified Logistics
Interface Platform will help bring all
to a single portal.
AD
digital services in the transport sector

will make Indian businesses more
AC
Increase exports: Lower logistics costs
A S
competitive and help push up exports,
which can become an important driver
I
of growth and employment generation
over the medium term. For instance, a
SB
10% reduction in logistics costs is
estimated to push up exports by 5-8%.
 C
Further, the logistics policy will build
on the PM Gatishakti plan, which is
expected to provide multimodal
connectivity in various economic
zones.
To improve the logistics sector:
 The Union and all state governments
work together to address inefficiencies
in the logistics sector.
 The overall objective of reducing
logistics costs by NLP will depend on
sustained investment in the
infrastructure sector. So the
government should frame attractive
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
policies to sustain investment in the
sector.
Mains point:About the benefits of National
Logistics Policy(NLP).
CSB IAS ACADEMY
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21. "The gender pay gap, hard truths
and actions needed.
Context:International Equal Pay Day 2022
falls on the 18th of September. This day
makes us think of the gender gap that has
arisen between women and men. The
commitment towards 'equal pay for work of
equal value' has not been achieved.
The increase in the gender pay gap:
 Pandemic: The pandemic affected
women workers most in terms of job
and income losses. Many women have
gone back to full-time care of children
and the elderly during the pandemic.
 Economic recovery from the pandemic
Y
is impossible without improving
E M
women's employment rate and
reducing the gender pay gap.
 Discrimination: Another reason for the
increase in the gender pay gap is
discrimination based on gender or sex.
 Gender-based discriminatory practices
include lower wages paid to women
for work of equal
undervaluation of women's work in
value,
highly feminised occupations and

enterprises, etc.
However, there are many steps taken
at the international level to bridge the
gender pay gap.
To address the gender pay gap:
 The United Nations have taken efforts
at the international level to eliminate
all form of gender inequality. The ILO
has enshrined 'equal pay for work of
equal value' in its Constitution.
 The Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW) provides an
international legal framework for
realising gender equality.
 One of the targets of the UN Sustainable
Development Goal 8 is "achieving full
www.csbias.com
and productive employment and
decent work for all women and men,
including for young people and
persons with disabilities and equal pay
for work of equal value" by 2030.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 Equal Pay International Coalition
(EPIC) was launched in 2017 as a
multi-stakeholder initiative led by the
ILO, UN Women and the Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) seeks to achieve
equal pay for women and men
everywhere.
The current situation of women's wages:
 Internationally: According to the
Global Wage Report 2020-21 of the
International Labour Organization,
there is massive downward pressure
on wages and this has affected
women's total wages compared to
men.
At the India level: The gender pay gap

in India remains high by international
standards despite the efforts taken in

bringing down the gender pay gap.
AD
The estimates from the Periodic Labour
increase in the gap by 7% between
AC
Force Survey (PLFS) 2020-21 show an
pandemic.
A S
2018-19 and 2020-21 due to the

I
However, labour force survey data of
SB
the National Sample Survey Office
(NSSO) indicates that the gender pay
gap has declined from 48% in 1993-94
C
to 28% in 2018-19.
The steps have been taken by India to
decrease the gender pay gap:
 India has taken required reforms in the
Minimum Wages Act in 1948 and
adopted the Equal Remuneration Act
in 1976. India has also enacted the Code
on Wages.
 Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act
(MGNREGA) in 2005 has also
benefited rural women workers and
helped reduce the gender pay gap
directly and indirectly. MGNREGA
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
has helped women workers directly by
raising their pay levels and indirectly
by providing higher earnings to
women involved in agricultural
occupations.
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 India amended the Maternity Benefit
Act of 1961 which increased maternity
leave with pay protection from 12
weeks to 26 weeks for all women
working in firms that employ 10 or
more workers.
 Skill India Mission has helped women
to learn market-relevant skills to bridge
the learning-to-livelihood gap and the
gender pay gap.
The course of action to bridge the gender
pay gap:
 Accelerated and bold action is needed
to prevent a widening of the gender
pay gap and closing the existing gap.
Y
Equal pay for work of equal value is
necessary to close the gender pay gap.

E M
Closing the gender pay gap is a key to
achieving social justice for working
women as well as economic growth for
the nation.
Mains point:Gender pay gap and issues
related to it.
22. Out of tune: An orchestra of
multiple instruments is required to
deal with the continuing high
inflation.
Context:Covid pandemic and Ukraine war
has led to the rise in inflation. The inflation
is currently at 7 percent (CPI-based) and 12.4
percent (WPI based). However, inflation in
India is better when compared to other
countries.
The situation of inflation in India compared
to other countries across the world:
 India has done well when compared to
the US and most European countries
where inflation is higher ranging from
8 to 12 percent.
 The rate of inflation in India is also
lower than in Turkey (80%), Pakistan
(27%) and Sri Lanka (64%). www.csbias.com
The current situation of the Indian
economy:
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
Inflation
 Problems: RBI and MPC have been
entrusted to keep inflation within the
4 +/- 2% band but targeting inflation
should not be the only objective.
Inflation has also impacted the GDP
growth of the country.
 Solution: The Finance Minister has
recently said that inflation management
requires organisation and coordination
of many policies. Monetary policy
alone cannot tackle inflation.
 Therefore, monetary policy along with
fiscal, trade and tariff policy, food and
agricultural policy, and infrastructure
policy should work together to control
inflation.
Fiscal deficit

of GDP (Centre and states combined)
for continuously three years. This AD
Problem: Fiscal deficit has crossed 10%
deficit is causing inflationary
A
pressures along with loose monetary
C 45.86% weight in the CPI basket in

policy.
A S
Solution: A tight fiscal policy is
needed. I Mains point:Inflation and issues associated

SB
However, India has effectively
managed its inflation despite various
C
problems.
India tried to manage its inflation:
 India has effectively managed its
inflation during the pandemic hit and
protected its GDP growth also.
 This is done by
a) Not giving an excessive stimulus to
boost consumption demand,
b) Spend more on infrastructure building
that had a high multiplier effect on
GDP which created demand,
c) Recent deal with Russia for importing
crude oil at discounted prices was part
of an inflation management strategy.
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
The course of action to control inflation:
 India needs better macroeconomic
management to put inflation at 4% with
GDP growth at 7%. The measure that
can be taken are -
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 First, there is a need to re-orienting
public policy from freebies to
investments in rural areas. India needs
to focus on creating more and higher
productive jobs, better rural
infrastructure, improving the
competitiveness of agriculture, agro-
based industry and the MSME sector.
 Second, there is a need for higher R&D
allocations in agriculture. This will
help to develop climate-smart
agriculture with an increase in food
supplies. Stable and higher farm
productivity is required during
unexpected climate change to control
food inflation.
 Y
Third, there is also a need to rationalise
E M
the food and fertiliser subsidies that are
expected to increase to Rs 5 lakh crore

in 2022-23.
Fourth, food and beverages have a
India. The weights of food and
beverages in the CPI basket need
urgent revision.
with it.
23. Breaking ground and filling the
gaps.
Context:The functioning of farming sector
startups in India.
The facts related to agri-start-ups in India:
They are new as compared to other sectors
but have started to grow.
Services provided by them-
 They are providing consultancy and
select services in fields like custom-
hiring of agricultural machinery,
including drones.
 They are promoting the sale and
purchase of farm inputs and products
through electronic platforms.www.csbias.com
 They are providing advanced
technologies to enhance the efficiency
and precision of farm operations.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 They are also helping in water-resource
management.
The agri-start-up ecosystem in India
 The business models of most agri-
start-ups are focused mainly on filling
the gaps in the existing farming
systems and their value chains to
ensure optimal returns to farmers.
 Many start-ups are working in
agriculture's allied fields such as
dairying, poultry and fisheries.
 Some of them are also collaborating
with the government through public-
private partnership mode to enhance
the effectiveness of agriculture
ministry schemes.
 Out of the total startups in India, only
5% are in the agriculture sector.
 The current value of these agri-start-
ups is estimated at Rs 75,000-80,000
AD

crore.
The turning point came during the
pandemic. The investment in these AC
A S
startups have surged three times
during the pandemic.
I
The financing scenario of these startups:

SB
Earlier the financial institutions were
wary of providing financing to these
C
startups because of the risk associated
with the agriculture sector. But now
they have started to give loans to them.
 Reserve Bank of India has now
allowed commercial banks to treat
loans of up to Rs 50 crore to agri-start-
ups as priority sector lending.
The steps have been taken by the
government:
 The Finance Minister announced in her
Budget speech this year that the
government would set up a fund for
agri-tech startups.
 It will provide more resources through
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the NABARD to help agri-start-ups.
 The government would encourage the
use of Kisan drones for agriculture
activities.
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The challenges faced by these startups:
 Their presence is uneven across the
states. Agri-startups are generally more
successful in states like Haryana, Uttar
Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and
Maharashtra than elsewhere.
The steps should be taken by the
government:
 Central and state governments need to
take steps to facilitate smooth
functioning of agri-start-ups to
diversify agriculture.
 There is a need to diversify these
startups from being largely service
providers to producers and marketers
Y
of value-added farm products.
E M
Mains point:Agriculture start-ups.
24. Dollar unrelenting rise spells
trouble for the global economy.
Context: the phenomenon of the recent
strengthening of the US dollar against other
currencies.
 The ICE US Dollar Index, which
measures the US dollar against the
basket of biggest trading partners, has

risen more than 14% in 2022.
Other currencies like Euro, Yen and
Pound have fallen to their multi-
decade low.
The reasons behind the recent surge:
 The Federal Reserve's aggressive
interest rate hike is responsible for it.
It has encouraged investors to pull
money from other markets and invest
them in US assets.
 Inflation in the US is compelling the
Federal Reserve to increase the interest
rate.
 Dismal economic prospects like the
Ukraine war around the world are
further making a strong case for the
www.csbias.com
Federal Reserve to continue with this
policy.
The impacts of this surge:
 There is increasing financial pressure
on emerging markets. Sri Lanka and
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
Pakistan have sought help from IMF.
Serbia is also negotiating with IMF.
 Emerging markets are already
burdened by debt. It was augmented
during the pandemic. According to the
reports, They have a debt of $83 million
in US dollars which is due by next year.
The dollar surge will make payback
expansive for them.
 It is making food and fuel imports
priced in US dollars expensive for
smaller nations.
 Not only emerging markets but
Europe is also facing challenges. There
is a slide of 12% in the Euro this year.
It is leading to a historical increase in
inflation in Europe.
 It is leading to decreased investment
in commodities like gold and oil
A
The steps are being taken to stem this rise:D

AC
There are calls for coordinated global
action. In 1985, a joint effort called the
Plaza accord was launched to weaken
the US dollar.
A S

I
The Bank of China is releasing more
dollar liquidity into the market to
SB
strengthen the Yuan.
Mains point:Global Economy.
C
25. Dematerialisation: A digital
revolution in Indian finance.
Context:The number of dematerialized
accounts in India recently crossed 100
million. There is a need to look at the
evolution of the system.
History of Dematerialization:
 1993: The foreign institutional investor
(FII) started increasing. However, the
system of physical shares resulted in
the harassment of domestic investors
by bad deliveries and fake certificates.
 Due to these issues the Stock Holding
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
Corporation of India proposed
building a depository by immobilising
share certificates.
 Later NSE proposed to eliminate the
physical share certificates with
CSB IAS ACADEMY
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dematerialisation which was about
one-sixth the cost of the physical
certificates.
 This type of depository was first
introduced within NSE and it was
named as National Securities
Depository Ltd (NSDL).
 1995: The digital depository required
legal reforms which were brought by
the Depositories Ordinance in
September 1995. The word demat was
first introduced in this ordinance.
 Later, other reforms were also brought
to solve various other issues associated
with stocks of the companies, stamp
Y
duty, securities, income tax, etc.
government:M
The transformations brought by the Indian
E
 According to the Stamp Act, the
revenues from the duty levied on
securities are assigned to states.
 The stamp duty rates for select
instruments are to be decided by the
Government of India (GoI) and the
balance instruments by states.
 Different states have their own stamp
duty legislation because of the subject
mentioned in the Concurrent List.
 This led to differential rate structures
on the same instruments across states
which required uniformity.
 This problem of uniformity of rates was
solved in 2019 by amending the
Ordinance Act of 1995.
The institutional set-up of securities
markets changed in India:
 The transformation of the Indian
securities markets was led by setting
up new institutions.
 National Stock Exchange (NSE),
National Securities Clearing
Corporation (NSCC) and then National
Securities Depository Limited www.csbias.com
(NSDL)
came up in the securities market of
India.
 National Securities Depository Limited
is an Indian central securities
depository, based in Mumbai. It was
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
established in August 1996 as the first
electronic securities depository in
India with national coverage.
 Moreover, the government has
expected the problems of monopoly of
a single depository (NSDL).
 Therefore, BSE built a competitor to
NSDL which was called the Central
Depository Services Ltd (CDSL).
Today, CDSL has more accounts than
NSDL.
 These institutions proved to be
beneficial for India in many ways.
The benefits of these institutions:
 These institutions have helped in
cutting operational prices with the

increase in output volumes.
NSDL helped in the design of the New

Pension System.
A Central Recordkeeping Agency was
AD
pension system participant for
decades and supported frictionless
C
created that stored facts about each
A 
A S
transfers from one pension fund

manager to another.
I
NSDL was also the institutional
SB
foundation for building the Tax
Information Network for the income

C
tax system.
NSDL and CSDL also have various
other benefits also such as it can easily
store government bonds and securities
for issuers (either private or
governments) overseas.
Mains point: The evolution of the securities
market in india.
26. One Nation, One Grid: A
problematic power equation.
Context: The concept of "One Nation, One
Grid, One Frequency, One Price" was
announced in October 2021. The policy is
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
based on the market-based economic
dispatch, or MBED, mechanism. There are
many issues associated with this
mechanism.
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 It is part of the National Electricity
Policy of 2021 which proposes to
double the penetration of short-term
power markets by 2023-24.
 The intention of this policy is to reduce
the price of power to the consumer but
the procedure by which this goal will
be achieved appears problematic.
The Market-Based Economic Dispatch
(MBED) mechanism:
 The centralised policy is based on the
market-based economic dispatch or
MBED mechanism.
 Under this mechanism the power
ministry is planning to set up a central
Y
scheduling and pooling system.

M
The benefit of MBED mechanism:
E
This system will allocate power at a
favourable price by prioritising the
least-cost and most efficient generators
and removing more expensive ones.
This system will reduce consumers'
power-purchase cost initially by 5 per
cent and will help in the distribution

of cheap power across the country.
This system will also replace the
existing decentralised and voluntary
system which operates through a

network of load dispatch centres.
It will lead to a "uniform clearing
price". Sellers and buyers will be able
to bid for the day ahead of the market
leading to market clearing price. This
in turn will help to generate savings
for consumers.
 However, there are many problems
associated with this centralised MBED
mechanism.
The problems associated with MBED:
 Generators use their capacity under
long-term power-purchase agreements
(PPAs) up to 25 years with state
www.csbias.com
distribution companies (discoms) at
negotiated prices.
 Therefore, it is unclear how MBED will
work in these long-term PPAs in its
"lowest-cost" pricing.
68
 SEPTEMBER 2022 CURRENT AFFAIRS
CSB IAS ACADEMY Contact us: 9966436875
 The inclination of states to offer power is a digital platform that will store
to politically sensitive groups below information about cargo movements
actual cost will impose burden on across the country and provide
discoms. clearances for such movements.
 This has already made the financial
conditions of discoms bad and their
dues on states stand at Rs 1.3 trillion.
 As per a recent study by the RBI, a
bailout of discoms in 18 large states is
likely to impose a burden equivalent
to around 2.3 per cent of the GSDP of
these states.
 Central schemes have been
unsuccessful in addressing the
problems of discom.
 MBED can create constitutional Source: PIB
Y

problems.
Power lies in the concurrent list of the


Constitution and centralising pricing
and supply decisions can take away
the autonomy of states.
E M
The policy focuses on the target to
reduce overall logistics and supply
AD chain costs in India from 12 per cent of
GDP to the global average of 8 per cent.

AC
Mains point: advantages and disadvantages
of MBED power mechanism.
 India's rank in Logistic Performance
Index (LPI) issued by World Bank is 35.
It is low when compared to other

A S countries. It will be achieved through

I
27. Harnessing Gati Shakti, National
Logistics Policy for closer regional
integration of local supply chains with
international supply chains.
ties.
SB
Context:The government has announced two
Gati Shakti and NLP can help India's
neighbours:

C
major initiatives to develop infrastructure
in India. These initiatives can be helpful in
regional integration as well.
The two initiatives are -
a) Gati Shakti, or the National
Infrastructure Master Plan and
b) the National Logistics Policy.
These two are interrelated pillars that will
help India to become a competitive
economy.
PM Gati Shakti:
The features of National Logistic Policy
(NLP):
Email :Itcsbiasacademy@gmail.com
 aims to create a multi-modal
connectivity network that enables easy
movement of goods, services and
people across the country.
 The policy provides for a Unified
Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP). It
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 The integration of Gati Shakti and NLP
will help in regional economic
integration.
 Components of the Gati Shakti and
NLP can be expanded to India's
neighbors. It can become a powerful
instrument for their economic and
social development.
 For example, the objectives of Gati
Shakti and NLP can be applied to
transport connectivity with the
member countries of SAARC.
 It will help in improving the regional
and digital connectivity among
countries for smooth movementwww.csbias.com
of
goods and people across borders.
 India should seek to become the transit
country of choice and the most
preferred development partner for all
the countries of the Indian
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
subcontinent. It is possible by giving
the neighbouring countries a "national
treatment", in terms of access to India's
transportation and logistics network.
 This can be done by integrating
waterways through the Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) sub-
regional cooperation platform. Further
linking the several cross-border rivers
can also be done.
 Moreover, the development of new
ports in the BBIN countries can be
done by promoting coastal shipping
(Sagarmala) and ocean trade.
 NLP includes setting up of modern
warehousing and logistics facilities at
nodal points across India. Such shared
facilities can be extended to
neighbouring countries also.
 The objectives of NLP and Gati Shakti
can also be introduced on the AD
BIMSTEC platform that seeks to
A
integrate South Asia with Southeast
C The problems with new trade policy:

Asia.
A S
Other areas that can be extended to
I
neighbouring countries are the
SB
expansion of rail services, the greater
utilisation of water transportation, etc.

C
These areas are important for
enhancing energy security and fighting
climate change. However, there are
other steps that can be taken to give
regional dimensions to Gati Shakti and
NLP.
The steps can be taken by India to give
regional dimensions to Gati Shakti and
NLP:
 India should reshape the architecture
of these initiatives to enable their
extension to our neighbouring
countries.
 The initial focus may be made on river
transportation and coastal shipping
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among the BBIN and island
Neighbours.
 India should offer participation to
interested neighbouring countries in
India's ULIP. It will provide benefits
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of lower transaction and supply chain
costs to those countries.
 With little effort Gati Shakti and NLP
have the potential to become the key
pillars of our Neighborhood First
Policy.
Mains point:Infrastructure.
28. Trade tactics - on India's Foreign
Trade policy
Context:The Government will release a new
foreign trade policy in the coming week.
 The new foreign trade policy could
include measures to boost goods and
services exports as well as control the
Y
rising import bill.

E M
The current trade policy was
introduced in 2015 for a five year term.
However, the policy was extended for
a year due to the pandemic.
 It is not ideal to begin a new trade
policy in the middle of the financial
year.
 Moreover, exports have been one of the
reasons for better post-COVID recovery
and ending an old policy with a new
one to boost exports is not understood.
The exports performed recently:
 Goods exports touched a record 422
billion dollars in 2021-22.
 The government is expecting better
exports revenues this year but it has
declined to the single digit in July and
August this year.
 The reasons for declining exports could
be a slowdown in the global growth
and fear of recession in Europe and the
US among the buyers.
 Thus, the new policy should be focused
on boosting exports and reducing
issues associated with it. www.csbias.com
The course of action for the new trade policy
and for India:
 Trade policy: The new policy will have
to address some of industry's key
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
concerns such as a buffer against rising
interest rates.
 The new policy can exclude growth
sectors such as pharma, chemicals, and
iron and steel from the duty remission
scheme due to their better
performance.
 India: India's recent decision to stay
away from the trade agreement of IPEF
has shown that there are not many
options left for India. India should
adopt other ways to negotiate the terms
not suitable to it than by moving away
from the trade agreements
29. Shrinkflation.
Context:Shrink inflation is when a product
downsizes its quantity while keeping the
price the same.
AD
AC
A S
I potency, purity, standard, and price of
SB

C
For example, reducing the scoops of
ice cream in a container or reducing the
number of chips in a packet would
count as shrinkflation.
Shrinkflation occur:
 Shrinkflation occurs when materials or
ingredients used to make products
become more expensive and when
there is intense competition in the
market.
 As a result, instead of raising prices,
they might just give less of the product
so as to maintain their profit margins.
 Shrinkflation can also occur in different
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ways. For instance, if consumers are
aware that the quantity is constantly
declining, they would switch or change
brands.
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 To prevent this, a product can
reformulate or remove ingredients
while maintaining its price. For
example, Cadbury Dairy Milk stopped
using foil which it used to prevent
chocolate from losing its quality and
flavour in order to save expense.
The effect of Shrinkflation:
 Shrinkflation deceives consumers into
believing that the brands they buy are
not affected by inflation, since
container and vessel sizes are reduced
by very small amounts, saving
manufacturers more money in the long
run.
Y
To tackle shrinkflation:

E M
India needs a mix of macroeconomic
policies to manage demand and
supply, as well as address structural
rigidities in the economy.
In India, the Right to Information has

been recognised as a consumer right
under the Consumer Protection Act,
2019. This means that the consumer has
the right to know the quality, quantity,

goods.
Therefore, the Central Consumer
Protection Authority needs to bring
some guidelines to inform consumers
when the weight of a product is
reduced, instead of letting consumers
be fooled by companies
Mains point:shrinkflation.
30. External risk factors for the
Indian economy: Global storm:
Overseas risk is the main policy
challenge.
Context:In line with major global markets,
Indian financial markets were struck
recently. Similarly, the rupee-dollar
exchange rate has also hit a recordwww.csbias.com
low at Rs
80.99.
The major external risk factors for the Indian
economy:
 Unclear trajectory of major central
banks trying to pull back inflation.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
Hardening of interest rates will trigger
a sharp economic slowdown in major
economies.
 Most currencies weakened against the
dollar and Japan's central bank made
its first foreign exchange market
intervention in over two decades.
 Inflation is unlikely to quickly go
downwards even as demand falls. This
is because of ongoing energy supply
readjustments that have pushed
economic activity and inflation in
different directions.
European countries are facing economic
challenges:
 Europe: Ever since the Ukraine crisis,
European gas and electricity prices
have risen 105% and 75%, respectively.
Further, Europe's economic activity is
rapidly slowing as the energy shock
undermines manufacturing. AD
 UK: The UK's inflation, at 9.9%, is
AC
almost five times its inflation target.
A S
The economic challenges for India:

I
Economic policymaking in India will
have to factor in an abnormal global
SB
scenario. At present, there is no clear
signal about the near future behaviour
C
of either revival or price stability of the
Indian Economy.
 RBI's monetary policy committee will
have an upcoming bi-monthly
meeting that has to contend with risks
coming largely from overseas.
31. Sebi working on new ASBA-like
payment system for secondary
trades: Buch"
Context:SEBI is working on a new payment
system for the secondary market which
could prevent brokers from accessing their
client funds.
Email
 :The
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
new payment system will be on
the lines of the Application Supported
by Blocked Amount (ASBA) process.
The advantages of the new payment system
for secondary market:
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 Movement of funds: This system will
help in the movement of funds from an
investor's bank account only after the
confirmation of trade. Therefore,
money will never leave the account
until the settlement is done.
 Settlement mechanism: The new
payment system is linked with the new
T+1 settlement mechanism. This
mechanism would lead to efficient use
of capital and will also help in further
developing India's capital markets.
 Standardisation: The new payment
system will also lead to standardisation
of process.
system: Y
The challenges with the proposed payment

E M
Broking industry: The proposed
system could impact the broking
industry because many brokers earn a
float on the funds parked.
 It could even push up the cost of trading
as brokers might look for alternative

sources of income.
Brokers not backed by banks: The
system will pose complex challenges
for brokers who are not backed by
banks.
 It will be difficult for standalone
brokerages to get access to a client's
bank account.
 However, it will not be challenging for
brokers who are backed by banks as
blocking of funds has been happening
for more than two decades in the banks.
 Operational difficulties: There will be
more transparency but it will lead to
difficulties in operations where there
is a one-time payment.
 It will also lead to many occasions of
blocking and unblocking money for the
multiple trades a customer takes in a
day. www.csbias.com
 There are also issues of failure rates
and sometimes more time is required
for blocking funds.
 Intraday traders: It will become a
challenging task for people taking
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
many intraday trades because the new
system might require the client to give
multiple instructions to the bank.
However, the use of technology can
help to solve this issue.
Mains point: Financial Market in India.
32. RBI, inflation targeting, and the
limits of monetary policy.
Context:The new statutory framework for
inflation targeting. It also explains the reason
behind high levels of inflation in recent times
and implications of this.
The statutory framework for monetary
policy:
 The Centre, under RBI Act, 1934 has
fixed the CPI inflation target at 4% with
an upper tolerance limit of 6%.
 With the enactment of the inflation
targeting framework, RBI was
AD
AC
entrusted with the responsibility of
meeting this target ("accountability").
It was given "independence" for the
S
conduct of monetary policy.
A
 I
The RBI been able to achieve its target:
Inflation in 2022 has been above 6%
August.SB
every single month from January to
 C
During the present government's first
term, inflation was above 6% only for
one month after a new inflation
targeting framework came into
existence.
 During the second term, it has
exceeded its target in 21 months out of
41 months.
RBI needs help of government in
controlling inflation:
 Food and beverage items have a
combined 45.86% weight in the overall
CPI (Consumer Price Index).
 There has been consistent increase in
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
the general CPI as well as the consumer
food price index (CFPI).
 During the present government's first
term, average food inflation was low,
thus RBI was able to control the
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inflation. Whereas, during the 2nd
term, food inflation has been high,
therefore the inflation has been high.
 Average weight of food items in CPI is
45% in India. While, it is 10-25% in
developed countries.
 The food inflation cannot be controlled
through demand side measures like
increase in repo rate. There is a need
for supply side measures.
 Therefore, RBI has to be dependent on
the government for supply side
measures. For example, the
government banned wheat exports in
May this year. It impacts the
Y
independence of RBI in conducting
monetary policy.

E M
Inflation control cannot be left to the
RBI alone. It needs cooperation
between the government and the RBI.
Mains point:new statutory framework for
inflation targeting.
33. Pitching India as a signature
destination.
Context:World Tourism Day is celebrated on
27th September 2022 but the tourism sector
has been severely impacted by the pandemic
in India and around the world.
 However, the government is making
efforts to bring the industry back on
track.
 One of such efforts is the 'The
Dharamshala Declaration' which has
been developed with help of various
Ministers.
Dharamshala Declaration:
 The Dharamshala Declaration aims to
recognize India's role in contributing
towards global tourism as well as
focusing on recovery of domestic
tourism.
www.csbias.com
 The Ministry of Tourism has come up
with a strategy to encourage more
Indians to travel domestically and
explore India. It will help to reach the
goal of Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 The Tourism Ministry has also been
working with the Ministry of External
Affairs to identify 20 Indian missions
abroad. This will help in bringing a
higher number of tourists to India.
 Moreover, there are goals set for the
Indian tourism sector for the coming
years that will boost the sector's
growth.
The goal set for India in tourism sector:
 India would be achieving $150 billion
as GDP contribution from tourism and
$30 billion in foreign exchange
earnings with 15 million foreign tourist
arrivals by 2024.
 India is estimated to grow at 7%-9%
compounded annual growth rate by
2030.
 The Tourism Ministry is committed to
work on these goals to ensure the
positioning of India as one of the AD
2047. AC
world's best tourism destinations by
A S
The current situation of tourism in India
and The steps have taken by government:
 I
Tourism has been one of the sectors

SB
severely affected by COVID-19.
The Government of India's Emergency
C
Credit Line Guarantee Scheme was
recently enhanced from ?4.5 lakh crore
to ?5 lakh crore to benefit enterprises
in hospitality and related sectors.
 Further, the Ministry of Tourism has
also prepared a draft National Tourism
Policy 2022.
The provisions of the draft National
Tourism Policy 2022:
 It aims at improving the framework
conditions for tourism development in
the country.
 This will be done by supporting
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tourism industries, strengthening
tourism support functions and
developing tourism sub-sectors.
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 It also promotes sustainable,
responsible and inclusive tourism in
line with our cultural values.
 It aims to give support to
digitalization, innovation and
technology through the National
Digital Tourism Mission and skilling
through the Tourism and Hospitality
Sector Skill Mission.
 The policy also gives a special focus to
private sector participation through
public-private-partnerships (PPP).
 This policy has been the first attempt
towards the tourism and hospitality
sectors after 2002.

Y
Moreover, the presidency of G20 will
E M
be an advantage for India to bring its
tourism In Front of the world.
The presidency of G20 will be helpful for
tourism sector in India:
 India has an opportunity to position
itself as a major tourism destination
during India's presidency of the G20.
 India will welcome delegates from the
20 countries/European Union and it
will be hosting around 200 meetings

with foreign delegates.
This will be an opportunity for India
to showcase its country's cultural
richness to the world.
 Moreover, the Ministry of Tourism
should also work with other Ministries
to bring required transformation in
visa, ease of travel, traveller-friendly
and improved immigration facilities at
airports.
Mains point:tourism sector in India and
problems associated with it.
34. Why PLI Is Worth Doing.
Context:Vedanta Foxconn semiconductor
factory in Gujarat has received an investment
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of $20 billion through the government's
flagship Production Linked Incentive (PLI)
scheme. This has led to the analysis of the
Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.
PLI affect a specific product category:
74
 SEPTEMBER 2022 CURRENT AFFAIRS
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argued whether the government will be
able to spend this amount.
 The amount is expected to be spent
over five years and it would be 1. 5%
of Union Budget expenditure (0. 2% of
GDP). Therefore, it seems reasonable
and can be supported by the
government through the budget.
 Further, the total expenditure is
dependent on milestone production
 PLI on a specific product category is achievements of the companies. If the
accompanied by higher tariffs on the maximum projected milestones are
product. achieved by the companies, they would
 This increases the import tariffs and generate enough additional taxes to
usually results in higher price for the pay for the programme by itself.
Indian consumer and lower prices of
domestic products.

Y
Post PLI: Investment through PLIs is for
a five-year period and this raises
 For example, iPhone 13 costs Rs 1. 29
lakhs in India versus Rs 92,500 in E M
concerns for the companies for post
five-year plans. It has been said that
Chicago.
The PLI recognize the problem of AD PLIs would help companies with
incentives to build ecosystems and
manufacturing sectors and the steps taken
for the improvement:
AC sustain themselves without any further
requirement of the incentives.


A S
Problem: Manufacturing as a
proportion of GDP has not picked up
Mains point:advantages and problems
associated with the Production Linked

I
meaningfully despite reforms in 30 Incentive (PLI) scheme.

B
years. PLI reforms recognize that

S
India's manufacturing productivity is
almost 20-30% lower than the rest of
35. A push for semiconductor industry.

C
Asia. It also recognizes that perfect
conditions required for its growth will
Context:The article explains the size of the
semiconductor industry. It also talks about
the Indian government scheme to promote
take time to come up. semiconductor manufacturing in India and
 Solution: The government will the challenges associated with the scheme.
monetize that productivity deficit
The semiconductor industry:
through PLI.
 This will help them to invest in large
global-scale capacities. Therefore, PLIs
are the industrial variant of Direct Cash
Transfer that help to boost the
industries.
 However, there is a concern for its
affordability through budget and post
PLI measures.
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com www.csbias.com
The concerns associated with PLIs:
 Affordability: The total combined
estimation for the 14 PLI programs is
Rs 3.46 lakh crores and it is being

CSB IAS ACADEMY 75

 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 Semiconductors are the building
blocks of almost every modern
electronic device from smartphones to
connected devices in the Internet of
Things.
 The chip-making process is complex
and highly exact. It has multiple other
steps in the supply chain that include-
 Designing software for chips and
patenting them through core
Intellectual Property rights.
 Making chip-fabrication machines and
setting up factories.
 ATMP (assembly, testing, making and
packaging).
 The chip-making industry is highly-
concentrated. It is controlled by the big
players like Taiwan, South Korea U.S.
According to a New York Times
estimate, 90% of 5nm chips are mass-
produced in Taiwan. AD
The changes introduced in the scheme:
 A
According to the Electronics and IT
C Context:Fund of Funds for startups has
S
Ministry, semiconductor demand in
A
by 2026. I
India would increase to $70-$80 billion

SB
In December 2021, India announced its
$10 billion dollar production linked
C
incentive (PLI) scheme to encourage
semiconductor and display
manufacturing in the country.
 It also announced fiscal support for a
design-linked initiative (DLI) scheme
for designing software, IP rights etc.
 The new changes in the scheme seek
to harmonise government incentives
for all technology nodes of
semiconductors. The modified scheme
provides uniform 50% fiscal support
for all nodes. Besides, it will provide
50% of capital expenditure for other
steps of the process as well (chip
Email :design and ATMP).
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
The challenges:
 Resources-Chip production is a
resource-intensive and expensive
process. The outlay of the scheme
remains $10 billion. Just the setting up
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of one semiconductor factory requires
an investment of anywhere between $3
and $7 billion. Little would be left to
support other elements like packaging
and testing facilities, and chip design
centres.
 Initial funding should focus on areas
like design and R&D.
 Water-Chip-making requires ultra-
pure water. Government needs to
provide it to chip making factories. It
could create challenges for the
government.
Main point:semiconductor manufacturing.
Y
36. Govt commits Rs. 7,385 crore
E
India M
under Fund of Funds for Startup
Investment for 88
Alternative Investment Funds
(AIFs)"
committed Rs 7,385 crore to 88 alternative
investment funds (AIFs). These AIFs in turn
have invested Rs 11,206 crore in 720 startups.
The Fund of Funds for Startups(FFS):
 Launched in 2016 under Startup India
Initiative.Department for Promotion of
Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT),
Ministry of Commerce and Industry is
the Nodal Ministry
 Main objective is to increase capital
availability as well as to catalyse
private investments and thereby
accelerate the growth of the Indian
startup ecosystem.
 Corpus: The fund was announced with
a corpus of Rs. 10,000 crores. The
corpus is to be built up over the 14th
and 15th Finance Commission Cycles
through budgetary support.
 Features: FFS does not invest in
startups directly but provides capital
to SEBI registered Alternativewww.csbias.com
Investment Funds(AIFs) known as
daughter funds which in turn invest
money in high-potential Indian
startups.
76
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 Managed by: SIDBI has been given the
mandate of managing the FFS through
the selection of daughter funds and
overseeing the disbursal of committed
capital.
 Significance: FFS has not only made
capital available for startups at the
early stage, seed stage and growth
stage but also played a catalytic role
in facilitating the raising of domestic
capital, reducing dependence on
foreign capital and encouraging
homegrown and new venture capital
funds.
37. Centre to set out area limits for
mineral mining in states.
Context:The Government of India is
preparing to set out area caps for mining as
it aims to carve out smaller mining areas to
attract more investors. AD
The current method of allocating mining
areas: AC

A S
Currently, in the mining process, the
government first identifies large areas
I
that could have probable mineral
SB
reserves and offers them to companies
for initial testing.

C
Once the probable mineral resource is
established, a prospecting licence(PL)
is given where licensees get to do more
exploration to establish the possible
mineral resources.
 Then, they apply for a mining
lease(ML) for a particular area to
extract the resource. Essentially, PL is
granted for undertaking "prospecting
operations" to explore, locate or prove
mineral deposits while ML is granted
for the actual mining operation.
The changes the government is planning
to bring now:
Email :The
 Government of India is preparing
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
to set out area caps for mining as it
aims to carve out smaller mining areas
to attract more investors.
 This move will also prevent vast tracts
of land irregularly ending up with a
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few miners, which would undermine
the very purpose of auctioning mineral
concessions through a fair and
transparent mechanism.
 All states will have to follow the area
limits for various minerals including
iron ore, diamond, bauxite, gold and
copper while auctioning resources and
changes would require permission
from the Center.
 These changes will be brought through
an amendment of the Mines and
Minerals (Development and
Regulation) Act, 1957.
Y
38. The future of farmer producer
E M
companies could be brightened.
Context:Farmer Producer Companies (FPC)
in India. It analyses the challenges faced by
these FPCs and possible solutions to address
these issues.
The issues faced by the farming sector:
 70% of farmers are small and marginal.
They have disadvantages in terms of
scale, potential risk and bargaining
power.
 The average monthly income is almost
10000 per month at current prices.
 Almost half of farmers are facing debt
issues.
 Most farmers are rain-fed and exposed
to climate risk.
Farmer Producer Companies:
 They were introduced in the 2000s as
potential solutions to challenges faced
by the farming sector. They operate on
the basis of the welfare model of
collectivization.
 They function under the Companies
Act, 2013 where shareholding farmers
pool their resources for better market
linkages.
www.csbias.com
 By 2019, 7374 FPCs have been formed.
 A central sector scheme was launched
in 2021 to promote 10000 FPCs.
 Additional funding is provided
through the Small Farmers
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
Agribusiness Consortium, NABARD
and schemes like the Agriculture
Investment Fund.
The challenges before FPCs:
 The issue is related to raising capital
from its members. High income states
like Haryana and Punjab have better
scope for raising capital. In states with
lower per capita income like Odisha,
it is difficult to raise capital. 65% of
FPCs were operating on meagre share
capital before the pandemic.
 The issue is that they cannot absorb
public funding equally. There is a role
of business development service
providers, knowledge partners, and
technical institutes to nurture FPCs.
Small FPCs find it difficult to engage
with these entities.
 Smaller FPCs face issues in hiring full
staff for operations that impact theirAD

branding and customer outreach.
A
The issue is related to dominance of
C 
A S
male. Women farmers face issues in
providing share capital. They are
I
represented by their male proxies.

SB
The possible solutions:
Better coordination- There is a need for
C
policy platforms like POSHAN
Abhiyan for inter-agency convergence.
 Capacity building- The capacity of
FPCs for absorbing public funds
should be strengthened. Government
officials and cluster-level federations
set up under the One District One
Product scheme can mentor FPOs.
 Better incentives- FPCs must enable
farmers access to entitlements like PM
Fasal Bima Yojana, PM krishi Sinchai
Yojana, KCC.
 Women participation- They need to be
given equal priority in these FPCs.
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
39. How much should India prop up
the rupee?
Context:The rupee weakened against the
dollar recording a low at Rs 81 per dollar in
the last week. The Reserve Bank of India
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(RBI) has been intervening in the forex
market to smoothen the decline.
 Indian foreign exchange reserves have
fallen to about $545 billion till mid-
September 2022 in order to control the
volatility.
The forex reserves should be used by the
RBI to control the rupee volatility:
 The use of forex reserves is appropriate
at this point. Forex reserves are being
spent to curb currency volatility.
 It is not easy to fix the rupee at a
particular level but it is possible to
make it less volatile.
 However, there is also a limit to rely
Y
on the reserves in order to control the
E M
rupee volatility.
The excessive intervention by the RBI can
affect and forex reserves and what steps are
needed:
Forex reserves can finish if RBI is
aggressive in the intervention.
Therefore, a holistic approach is
needed. Thus, a multi-dimensional
policy will be required, which includes
easing provisions for remittances,
allowing short-term foreign portfolio
investments in government securities,

etc.
Further a scheme to attract NRI
investment can also be considered.
 Depreciating the rupee sustainably
will help the export sector and will
address the challenge of high current
account deficit (CAD) to some extent
 Interest rate policy can be used to
address domestic concerns and to help
sustain the impact of the U.S. Federal
Reserve's rate hikes.
 However, there is a limit to the RBI
continuously managing volatility
because its priority is price stability
through inflation containment and not
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the exchange rate management.
The reason for rupee volatility and what
measures are required to address it:
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 The US Federal Reserve's decision to
increase rates is making foreign
portfolio investors move out of
emerging markets.
 Geopolitical uncertainties like the war
in Ukraine, energy price volatility has
also contributed to this situation.
The level of forex reserves in India in terms
of number of months of import cover and
is this measure adequate:
 The import cover is one way to
measure reserves adequacy but it's a
very narrow one. There are other
measures such as the Guidotti-
Greenspan rule that looks at external
debt that is less than one year.
 Forex reserves should be sufficient to
serve short term debt. From that point
of view, we still have adequate
reserves.
The real effective exchange rate (REER) beAD
helpful for RBI in forex management:
 AC
It may not be a good approach and it
defence.
A S
is better to move with interest rate
 Therefore, I
addressing the
SB
macroeconomic fundamentals is
necessary as it helped during the taper
 C
tantrum in 2013.
High inflation is also increasing the
import costs which is widening the
CAD.
 However, we have already lived with
CAD of 4% of GDP and it is more
important to come up with measures
to finance the deficit.
 Financing the CAD with capital
inflows and preventing hot money
outflow with the help of interest rates
could be an effective long-term
solution.
The consequences for the economy if CAD
hits 4%:
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
 Even during the tenure of Raghuram
Rajan the CAD went up to 4% but as
soon as hot money became volatile
panic set in.
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 However, if RBI can operate the interest
rate effectively, that can check the
outflow. But in using this tool RBI has
to focus on the real interest rate and
economic growth, i.e., R and G, for
public debt management.
 If the R is going to be greater than G
then there is an unsustainable situation.
 The only way to address these concerns
such as fiscal consolidation, twin
deficit crisis, and a negative real rate
of interest is to raise rates.
The concerns associated with the falling
rupee:
 As per an RBI report, 44% of the
Y
outstanding debt has not been
E M
protected and is vulnerable to forex
volatility.
 The rupee hasn't seen the kind of
weakness that it saw during the taper
tantrum and now it is extremely
orderly. The pace of rupee
depreciation has not been very severe
this time to cause concern. However,
uncertainties remain.
 Moreover, rupee depreciation and
appreciation are market-based and it is
based on demand and supply

mechanisms.
Therefore, RBI needs to intervene only
if the rupee is on a sustained free fall.
Mains point: The concerns associated with
declining rupee and widening CAD.
40. Convergent growth.
Context:The historical reason for disparity
in growth and development performance
between Indian states. It also tells about the
steps needed to be taken to remove this
disparity.
 The prime minister's August 15 speech
spoke of a united and integrated India
as one of the five focuses forwww.csbias.com
policy in
the years ahead to the centenary of
independence.
Some facts related to disparity in growth
and development performance of states:
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 Low growth states are in northern,
eastern and central parts of the
country.
 High growth states are in the south,
west and south-west parts of the
country.
 There is a widening gap between low
growth and high growth states of the
country
 The ratio of per capita state product
increased from 1.6 in 1990-91 to 2.6 in
2019-20.
The historical reasons for this disparity:
 Colonial period- Madras and Bombay
presidencies saw higher growth. It was
shaped by domestic entrepreneurship

driven by nationlist considerations.
Large princely states also experienced
higher growth. There was significant
government support for industry,
AD

education.
AC
The low growth areas coincides with
the old Bengal presidency. Although
A S
in some parts, there was significant
I
development in industry and
agriculture. But it was dominated by

B
British companies.
S
After independence- There was
C
substantial public investment in
manufacturing and mining directed
mainly at the eastern and central
regions. But this heavy investment
could not generate opportunities for
private enterprises. In west Bengal.
Growth was further impacted by
extreme leftism.
 States in the south and west were
benefited by private investment in
chemical, engineering and consumer
industries. There was also public
investment in the petroleum and
chemical sectors.
Email :After
 liberalisation- There has been a
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
substantial shift from public to private
investment. There has been rapid
growth of export-oriented hightech
services like the IT sector.
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 Higher growth states are the main
beneficiary due to their strong private
sector, coastal location and global
interactions.
The way forward:
 The focus of convergent-growth
policies must therefore be on the five
northern and central states-Rajasthan,
UP, Bihar, MP and Jharkhand. There is
a need to focus upon West Bengal
which has the presence of most growth
factors.
 There is a need to properly utilise the
demographic dividend of these five
northern and central states. These states
Y
will account for 91.6 per cent of the
national increase in the working-age
E M
population between 2030 and 2050.
 The northern states cannot be
integrated easily with the global
economy. There is a need to connect
them with the higher-growth states
through encouraging a national value

chain in manufacturing.
Making the northern states part of a
national manufacturing value chain
will require serious investment in
logistics and infrastructure for
manufacturing, skill development, and
organised support for local MSMEs. It
can not be done without central
government support.
Mains point:Challenges to growth of the
Indian economy.
41. A costly decision - Extension of
PMGKAY should have been
avoided.
Context:Recently, the government has
extended the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan
Anna Yojana (PMGKAY-Phase VII) for a
further period of 3 months i.e. October to
December 2022. www.csbias.com
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
(PMGKAY):
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 Type: It is a Central Sector Scheme
launched in March,2020.
 Aim: To provide an insurance cover of
?50 lakh to healthcare providers,
including community health workers
who may have to be in direct contact
of COVID-19 patients and therefore at
risk of being infected.It also includes
Accidental death on account of

contracting COVID-19.
A
Coverage: It covers private hospital
D conditions have changed significantly.
AC
staff/retired/volunteer/local urban
bodies/contract/daily wage/ad-hoc/
outsourced staff requisitioned by
A S
States/Central hospitals/autonomous
I
hospitals of Central/States/UTs,
AIIMS & INIs/hospitals of Central
SB
Ministries drafted for COVID-19
related responsibilities.

C
Is there any age-limit for health
workers under this scheme? There is
no age limit for this scheme.
 Implementation: The entire amount of
premium for this scheme is being
borne by the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare.It has collaborated
with the New India Assurance(NIA)
Company Limited for providing the
insurance amount based on the
guidelines prepared for the scheme.
The concerns associated with extending
PMGKAY:
 Not an emergency situation: The
Email :scheme has been extended due to
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
successive waves of the pandemic,
which affected economic activity. But
now the economy has now opened up
completely.
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 Against finance ministry advice:
Against the advice of finance ministry
officials, the government extended the
scheme due to political considerations.
 Additional expenditure: In terms of
fiscal impact, the extension will lead to
an additional expenditure of Rs 44,762
crore. This is expected to take the food
subsidy bill to about Rs 3.38 trillion,
as against the Budget estimate of Rs
2.07 trillion.
 Difficult to withdraw: The extension of
the scheme gives an impression that it
would continue even in normal times
and was not necessarily an emergency
intervention.
Y
Impact money market: Because of

M
measures taken by the Reserve Bank of
E
India to contain inflation, the liquidity
Higher government borrowing at this
stage can push up the cost of money.
The need to be done instead of extending
PMGKAY:
 Higher revenues at this stage should
have been used to either push up
capital expenditure, which would have
boosted growth or reduced the fiscal
deficit.
 A swift fiscal consolidation in the case
of better revenue realisation is needed
in the medium term.
 The global economic outlook has
worsened significantly and will affect
growth in the Indian economy as well.
So India should use every opportunity
to move forward in fiscal
consolidation. This would help create
some policy space to deal with another
potential adverse shock.
Mains point: About extending PMGKAY.
41. India climbs to the 40thwww.csbias.com
rank in
the Global Innovation Index of
WIPO; a huge leap of 41 places in
7 years
81
 SEPTEMBER 2022 CURRENT AFFAIRS
CSB IAS ACADEMY Contact us: 9966436875
Context:India had come a long way in the  IN Global Innovation Index
Global Innovation Index (GII) from the 81st iSwitzerland has emerged as the
spot in 2015 to the 40th spot in 2022 world's most innovative economy for
Global Innovation Index the 12th consecutive year. The second
 The Global Innovation Index is an position was secured by the United
annual ranking of countries by their States (US) followed by Sweden, the
capacity for, and success in, United Kingdom (UK) and the
innovation. It was started in 2007 by Netherlands.
INSEAD and World Business, a British
magazine.
 This report index is published by
World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO) annually with an
aim to track the most recent global
innovation trends against the
background of an ongoing COVID-19
pandemic, slowing productivity Y
growth and other evolving challenges.
E M
The index is calculated as the average of
two sub-indices.
A
Innovation Input Sub-Index: It gauges
D

C
elements of the economy that enable
A
and facilitate innovative activities and

A S
is grouped into five pillars: (1)
Institutions, (2) Human capital and
I
research, (3) Infrastructure, (4) Market

SB
sophistication, and (5) Business
sophistication.

C
Innovation Output Sub-Index: It
captures the actual result of innovative
activities within the economy and is
divided into two pillars: (6)
Knowledge and technology outputs
and (7) Creative outputs.
 India has been ranked at the 40th
position in the index in 2022. This is
the first time India has entered the top
40. In 2021, India was in the 46th
position.
 India is the innovation leader in the
lower middle-income group. It
continues to lead the world in ICT
services exports and holds top
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rankings in indicators like venture
capital receipt value, finance for
startups, graduates in science and
engineering and domestic industry
diversification.

CSB IAS ACADEMY 82

 SEPTEMBER 2022
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International Issues
1. At Vostok­22, why is India not
joining naval drill?
 An Indian Army contingent
comprising troops from Gorkha Rifles
is participating in the multilateral
strategic and command exercise
'Vostok-2022' in Russia.
 The Exercise is a two part event. The
first part of the land exercises were
held in Russian military training
grounds in Siberia and the Far Eastern
Federal District, the maritime part of
the exercises would be held in the Sea
of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan. These
are near the disputed South Kuril

islands.
AD
India has only sent its army contingent
take part in the maritime section.
AC
of the 7/8 Gorkha Rifles, and will not
A S
I 
SB
C Muslim Bangladesh, are stateless and
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
2. Should India change its policy on
the Rohingya?
Who are the Rohingyas?
 Rohingya, an ethnic group, mostly
Muslim, hail from the Rakhine
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province of west Myanmar, and speak
a Bengali dialect.
 They comprise one million out of the
53 million people that live in
Myanmar, forming the world's largest
stateless population in a single
country.
 Universally reviled by the country's
Buddhist majority, they have been
oppressed by the government since the
late 1970s when the government
immigrants'. Y
launched a campaign to identify 'illegal

E M
Serious abuses were committed,
forcing as many as 250,000 Rohingya

refugees to flee to Bangladesh.
The 1982 Citizenship Law in former
Burma made the Rohingyas stateless
people.
 They have often been called the most
persecuted minority in the world.
The 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims
squeezed precariously into the
northwest state of Rakhine, in mainly
Buddhist Burma, bordering majority
unwanted.
India's stance on Rohingyas
 Amid fears of a fresh exodus of
Rohingya from Myanmar, the MHA in
2017 cautioned all the States about
infiltration from Rakhine State of
Myanmar into Indian Territory.
 It cited the burden on the limited
resources of the country that
aggravates the security challenges
especially in the North-East.
 It also said the rise in terrorism in the
last few decades is a cause for concern
www.csbias.com
in most nations and that illegal
migrants are more vulnerable to getting
recruited by terrorist organisations.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
India's Policy on Refugees
 No International Commitment : India
is not a party to the 1951 Refugee
Convention or its 1967 Protocol and
does not have a national refugee
protection framework.
 However, it continues to grant asylum
to a large number of refugees from
neighbouring States and respects
UNHCR's mandate for other nationals,
mainly from Afghanistan and
Myanmar.
 Legislations: There is no distinction
made between 'foreigners' and
'refugees' under Indian law. The
Foreigners Act of 1946, Passport Act of
1967, Extradition Act of 1962,
Citizenship Act of 1955 (amended in
2019) and the Illegal Migrant
(Determination by Tribunals) Act of
1983 are some of the laws applicable
AD

to both.
A
Under these laws, foreigners can be
C deportation carried out in the garb of
A S
detained and forcibly deported, even
if they are refugees escaping their
I
countries of origin in fear of death.

SB
Administrative decision-making :The
regulation of refugees and asylum
seekers in India is conducted on an ad-
C
hoc basis through administrative
decision-making.
 The Constitution of India safeguards
the rights of all persons within its
territorial jurisdiction, citizen or non-
citizen,Indian courts have extended the
scope of constitutional rights.
 These rights include protection from
discrimination and arbitrary action
under Article 14 and the right to life
and liberty under Article 21.
Need of Refugee Law in India
 There are gaps in refugee protection
in India that can be traced to the
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
country's differential treatment of
refugees.
 Since the 1951 Convention is not
suitable in the South Asian context,
where countries like India frequently
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experience a large influx of refugees,
adopting a national law emerges as a
better choice.
 Till now, Indian administrative policies
and judicial interventions have served
as alternatives in the absence of sound
domestic legislation.
 However, a long-term practical
solution requires that India make a shift
from its charitable approach to a rights-
based approach by enacting a national
refugee law.
 A national refugee law will streamline
refugee- status determination
procedures for all kinds of refugees
Y
and will guarantee them the rights they
have under international law.

E M
Additionally, it could sufficiently
address India's security concerns,
while at the same time ensuring that
there is no unlawful detention or
national-security concerns.
Future Prospects
 Many Countries that have signed the
UN Refugee Convention also do not
follow them and therefore the most
important thing is that the countries
should be non-discriminatory in all
their approaches in dealing with
refugees and the principle has to
always be a commitment to universal
human dignity .
 At the national level, India needs to
ensure that no Rohingya refugee in
India is deported back to Myanmar
until it is safe to do so.
 At the same time, ensuring basic
amenities in refugee camps will be
critical.
 The international community must do
more to ensure that the Rohingya do
not continue to languish in
www.csbias.com
displacement and redouble efforts for
increased political dialogue and
diplomatic engagement to create
conditions for voluntary, safe,
dignified and sustainable return.
84
 SEPTEMBER 2022 CURRENT AFFAIRS
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Prelims and mains Point: India's Policy on
Refugees

3. Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Weapons (NPT) Treaty - The NPT
is beginning to look shaky

About Non-Proliferation of Nuclear

Weapons (NPT) Treaty

 The NPT is a landmark international

treaty whose objective is
 to prevent the spread of nuclear
weapons and weapons technology,
Success of NPT
 to promote cooperation in the peaceful
uses of nuclear energy and  Y
The first objective was strongly
 to further the goal of achieving nuclear M
supported by the nuclear-haves; the
E
other two were demands made by the
disarmament and general and
complete disarmament.
A
The Treaty represents the only binding
D 
nuclear have-nots.
Achievement of the non-proliferation


AC
commitment in a multilateral treaty to
the goal of disarmament by the nuclear-
objective: This objective has been
achieved in large measure. In the last
50 years, only four more countries have


weapon States.

A S
Opened for signature in 1968, the
gone on to test and develop nuclear

I
Treaty entered into force in 1970. On
arsenals. These are India, Israel, North
Korea and Pakistan.

SB
11 May 1995, the Treaty was extended
indefinitely.
 Note: South Africa developed nuclear
weapons, but the apartheid regime

C
A total of 191 States have joined the
Treaty, including the five nuclear-
weapon States. More countries have
destroyed them and joined NPT in
1991.
 Non-proliferation post-1991: After the
ratified the NPT than any other arms
end of the Cold War, non-proliferation
limitation and disarmament
remained a shared priority for the
agreement, a testament to the Treaty's
major powers and the International
significance.
Atomic Energy Agency, set up
 Nuclear-weapon states (NWS) consist originally to promote international co-
of the United States, Russia, China, operation became better known as the
France, and the United Kingdom non-proliferation watchdog.
 The Treaty does not affect the right of
state parties to develop, produce, and
use nuclear energy for peaceful
purposes.
Email :India
 is one of the only five countries
csbiasacademy@gmail.com www.csbias.com
that either did not sign the NPT or
signed but withdrew.

CSB IAS ACADEMY 85

 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
The failures of NPT
 Unity of P5 against universal
condemnation: When the nuclear have-
nots suggested a universal
condemnation of all threats of nuclear
use, all five nuclear haves joined
together to resist such moves.
 Halt in progress between US and
Russia: Arms control talks between the
U.S. and the U.S.S.R./Russia did bring
down their collective arsenals from a
high of nearly 65,000 in the early 1980s
to less than 12,000 warheads. But this
process has been halted.
 For example, the U.S. withdrew from
the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM)
Treaty in 2002 and from the 1987
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces
(INF) Treaty in 2019.
 Rising China and associated nuclear
threats: While withdrawing from INF,AD
the US stated that China's missile
developments created new security
AC
A S
threats that needed to be addressed.
The US even invited China to join in
I
the arms control process. But the
requests were rejected. Analysts
SB
suggest that China may be on track to
expand its arsenal from current levels
C
of approximately 350 warheads to
over 1,000 by 2030.
The status of other treaties on nuclear non-
proliferation
 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear
Weapons (TPNW): It is also called the
Ban Treaty. Frustrated by the absence
of progress on nuclear disarmament,
the nuclear have-nots successfully
negotiated this Treaty in 2017.
 All 86 signatories are nuclear have-nots
and parties to the NPT. The TPNW
creates a new legal instrument. But the
nuclear-haves and their allies ignored
Email :the
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
Vienna meeting.
 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
(CTBT): It was concluded in 1996 but
has yet to formally enter into force
because two major powers, the U.S.
and China, have yet to ratify it.
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 1985 Reagan-Gorbachev declaration
states that 'a nuclear war cannot be won
and must never be fought'. The
statement remains valid. Nobody
wants a breakdown of the NPT but
sustaining it requires facing up to
today's political realities. Without
addressing the new challenges, the
NPT will weaken.
Basic Funda's
Y
E M
4. A lot is at stake for India­
Bangladesh ties
Context: The recent state visit of the Prime
Minister of Bangladesh showcased the high
stakes of India-Bangladesh bilateral ties.
 The latest visit resulted in seven
agreements designed to increase
cooperation in the diverse domains of
water sharing, railways, science and
technology, space, media and capacity
building.
Present status of India-Bangladesh
relations
 Trade: Bangladesh is India's sixth
largest trade partner with bilateral
trade rising from $2.4 billion in 2009 to
$10.8 billion in 2020-21.
 Connectivity: India and Bangladesh
have implemented several projects to
boost eastern India-Bangladeshwww.csbias.com
connectivity. India's connectivity
projects with ASEAN and Bangladesh
will open up the region to economic
growth.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022 CURRENT AFFAIRS
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 India-Bangladesh bilateral waterway  This is the first such pact between them
trade will get boosted as India can now in over 25 years - the Ganga water
use the Mongla and Chittagong ports. treaty was signed in 1996.
 India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative  The pact will benefit people in southern
Commission: The commission Assam and Sylhet in Bangladesh.
expanded the India-Bangladesh Under the pact, the two countries will
partnership to include Artificial also share the data on floods.
Intelligence, Fintech, cybersecurity,
startups, and connectivity.
 Land Swap Agreement: In 2015, India
and Bangladesh resolved the decades-
long border dispute through the Land
boundary Agreement.
 Curb of illicit activities: Bangladesh's
government has uprooted all anti-
India insurgency activities within
Bangladesh by leading from the front. Y
Outcomes of Bangladesh PM's visit:
E M
Kushiyara River
 Security cooperation: Agreement "to
continue close security cooperation"
AD
over counter-terrorism, border crimes,
 Kushiyara River is a distributary river
in Bangladesh and Assam. It forms on


and border management.
Development partnership: The two AC the India-Bangladesh border as a
branch of the Barak River when the
Barak separates into the Kushiyara and

A S
sides recommitted themselves to
enhancing their development
Surma.

I
partnership which is already quite
 The waters of the Kushiyara originate
in the state of Nagaland and pick up


SB
extensive and multi-faceted.
Build resilient supply chains: Between
tributaries from Manipur, Mizoram
and Assam.

C
the two countries and "across the
region.
 Comprehensive Economic Partnership
Agreement (CEPA) in 2022: To
conclude negotiations by the time
Bangladesh graduates from least
developed country status in 2026.
 Expanding connectivity: Through
more rail, road, inland waterways, and
coastal shipping linkages.
 Logistics for power trade: Between
Bangladesh and its neighbours - India,
Nepal and Bhutan - have been put in
place.
Email :Startups:
 India will assist Bangladesh
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
by sharing its rich experience of
innovation through startups.
Interim water sharing agreement for
Kushiyara River
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 The current agreement will benefit
southern parts of Assam state in India
and the Sylhet region in Bangladesh.
Areas of concern between India-Bangladesh
ties
 Teesta river water sharing: For West
Bengal, Teesta is important to sustain
its impoverished farming districts
which comprise 12.77% of its
population. For Bangladesh, the
Teesta's flood plains cover about 14%
of the total cropped area of the country
and provide direct livelihood
opportunities to approximately 7.3% of
the population. www.csbias.com
Apart from Teesta river water issue the other
issues are
 The continued presence of 1.1 million
Rohingyas who fled from Myanmar in
2017 has created enormous pressure on
87
 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
the Bangladesh economy and social
harmony. So, Bangladesh wants
stronger support from India to
facilitate their early return to Myanmar
 China factor: India's sensitivity to
growing cooperation between
Bangladesh and China rankles the
authorities in Bangladesh.
 Case of minorities: Despite the
government's secular policy in
Bangladesh, "incidents" against the
Hindu minority have occurred, but her
government has acted against
miscreants.
 At the same time, Bangladesh has
expressed concern about the safety of
minorities in India.
5. The Spirit of 1971 - India and
Bangladesh must focus on future
cooperation based on past AD
partnership
AC
Context : Ever since the Liberation War in
A S
1971, Bangladesh and India have shared a
special relationship not only due to their
I
geographical boundaries, but also largely
SB
owing to their shared cultural, linguistic and
historical connections. India, during the war
C
for liberation of the Bangladeshi nation,
provided much of the required
humanitarian as well as militaristic support
which was so duly needed at the time. Both
the countries since then, have shared a
gigantic 4000 km long border which makes
Bangladesh India's longest land sharing
neighbour in the South Asian region.
History of the India-Bangladesh
Relationship
 Rabindranath Tagore created the
national anthems of both Bangladesh
and India in 1905 and 1911
respectively.
 The bilateral relations between the two
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
nations formally started after the
Bangladesh liberation war,1971 which
had played a key role along with the
Mukti Bahini, thus helping East
Pakistan (as called then) to separate
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from Pakistan and emerge as an
independent nation. Bangladesh
liberation day, 16th December is
celebrated as "Vijay Diwas" in India.
 India was the first country to recognize
Bangladesh as a separate and
independent state and established
diplomatic relations with the country
immediately after its independence in
December 1971.
India-Bangladesh ties: An organic
transformation
 India's links with Bangladesh are
civilization, cultural, social and
economic.

Y
There is much that unites the two
E M
countries - a shared history and
common heritage, linguistic and
cultural ties, and passion for music,
literature and the arts.
India shares its longest border of

4,096.7 kilometres with Bangladesh,
which is also the fifth-longest border in

the contemporary world.
With the onset of economic
liberalisation in South Asia, they forged
greater bilateral engagement and trade.
Significance of Bangladesh for India
 Strategic- From the perspective of
India's Northeast, Bangladesh is India's
most strategic neighbour. The only
connection between India's mainland
and the northeast was the Chicken's
Neck - a narrow strip of land that has
always been a huge security concern.
 Connectivity to East Asia- India's
dream of 'Act East Policy' can only be
materialised with the helping hands of
Dhaka. Perhaps on top of the list is
connectivity between India's mainland
and the crucial northeast, which is part
of India's "Look East" Policy.
 Internal Security- The other big security
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concern for India is that Bangladesh
should not turn into the frontline of
radical terror in the southeast.
Bangladesh could turn into a
launchpad for religious radical terror
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activities in India if relations are not
maintained well.
 Countering China- India's relationship
with Bangladesh is also linked to its
relationship with China. India did not
want Bangladesh to become a pearl in
China's "String of Pearls" strategy to
them in India by using its neighbours.
 Trade- Bangladesh is currently India's
biggest trade partner in the South
Asian region.
Issues hurting the relationship
(1) Illegal migration
 This has always been a primary
problem for India since the partition
of Bengal.
 Recently, the Supreme Court asked the
Centre to complete the fencing of the
India-Bangladesh border soon to check
illegal immigration from Bangladesh
AD

into Assam.
Continuous border killing of
AC
Bangladeshi people by Indian border
S
guards, aiding illegal immigrants,
A
I
helping in armed dacoity, fake money
transfer and illegal drug trades by both
SB
Indian and Bangladeshi people are the
major problems between Bangladesh
C
and India.
(2) Increasing Chinese footprint
 In 2016, Bangladesh agreed to join the
One Belt One Road(OBOR) initiative.
 Bangladesh is increasingly tilting
towards China due to the Asian giant's
massive trade, infrastructural and
defence investments in these countries.
 In spite of its Neighbourhood First
Policy, India has been losing its
influence in the region to China.
(3) NRC conundrum
 The National Register of Citizens
(NRC) has left out 1.9 million
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
Assamese from the list with a group
labelled as "illegal immigrants from
Bangladesh" living in Assam post-
1971.
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 India plans to seek their repatriation to
Bangladesh.
 Bangladesh remains firm in its stance
that no migrants travelled to Assam
illegally during the 1971 war of
independence and that the
controversial NRC risks hurting
relations.
(4) Rohingya Issue
 The Rohingya issue and India's
remarks in 2017 on the issue have been
upsetting for Bangladesh which has
been facing the challenge of providing
shelter to more than a million refugees
fleeing persecution.
(5) River disputes
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India and Bangladesh have failed to
conclude a framework agreement to
optimise the use of waters from six
rivers including the Manu, Muhuri,
Khowai, Gumti, Dharla and
Dudhkumar, which has been discussed
for several months.
 No progress was reported on the long-
pending Teesta water-sharing
agreement either after the recent visit.
(5) Rising radicalization
 Bangladesh is witnessing rising
radicalization as evident from multiple
attacks on religious places of Hindu
minorities in the nation and also from
the massive violence during PM
Modi's visit to Bangladesh last year.
Mains point: India -Bangladesh relations
has new challenges comment
6. Great G20 power, great
responsibility
Context: India will assume the Group of 20
(G20) year-long presidency in December 2022
and will also hold the G20 Summit in India
in 2023. India will have the opportunity to
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assume centre stage in proposing and setting
the global agenda and discourse.
G20 and its background
 The G20 is a strategic multilateral
platform connecting the world's major
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developed and emerging economies.
The G20 holds a strategic role in
securing future global economic
growth and prosperity.
 Together, the G20 members represent
more than 80 percent of world GDP,
75 percent of international trade and
60 percent of the world population.
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The objectives of the G20 are:
 Policy coordination between its
members in order to achieve global
economic stability, sustainable growth;
 Promote financial regulations that
reduce risks and prevent future
financial crises;
 Create a new international financial
architecture.
Mains point: G20 new challenges and
perspectives

7. Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

(IPEF)

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Context:The Indo-Pacific Economic
Framework (IPEF) was launched by United

23, 2022.
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States (US) President Biden in Tokyo on May

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
The IPEF has four pillars:
Trade; supply chains; clean energy,

AC 

decarbonisation and infrastructure;
tax and anti-corruption.


A S
Starting in 1999 as a meeting for the
finance minister and central bank
 Except Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar,

I
governors, the G20 has evolved into a
yearly summit involving the Head of
other Southeast Asian nations are a part
of the IPEF.

B
State and Government.
S
PARTICIPANTS: The members of the
 IPEF is being said to be the US' answer
to the other trade pacts in the Indo-

C
G20 are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil,
Canada, China, France, Germany,
Pacific region: the Trans Pacific
Partnership (TTP) and its successor
agreement, the Comprehensive and
India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic
Progressive Agreement for TTP
of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi
(CPTPP), and the Regional
Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the
Comprehensive Economic Partnership
United Kingdom, the United States,
(RCEP).
and the European Union. Spain is also
invited as a permanent guest.
 The presidency of the G20 rotates every
year among its members, with the
country that holds the presidency
working together with its predecessor
and successor, also known as Troika,
to ensure the continuity of the agenda.
Email :Currently Italy, Indonesia, and India
csbiasacademy@gmail.com www.csbias.com
are the Troika countries.
 The G20 has no permanent secretariat.

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 This initiative being launched on the
sidelines of a Quad summit, most
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(Asean) countries did agree to be a part
of it, despite their fears that
mechanisms like the Quad impinge on
Asean centrality.
 IPEF allows Asian countries - 13 in all
- to sign on to individual initiatives
without fully participating in all of
them. It is much less clear if it is a
complete strategy or an adequate
policy package to counter China's
gains in the economic sphere in Asia.
AD
AC
A S
I forum. Therefore, it will be difficult for
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C 
 Thus, IPEF is being portrayed as a tool
to enhance economic cooperation and
establish a rule based order in the
Indo-Pacific.
India decided to stay away from the trade
part of IPEF
 India has recently decided to stay away
from the trade aspect of Indo-Pacific
Economic Framework (IPEF).
Email :The
 government has argued that there
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
are not clear guidelines and
commitments in the areas of labour,
environment, and public procurement
are still emerging.
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 This decision of India might affect its
long-term economic goals.
Issues involved with the decision of India
to stay away from the trade part of IPEF?
India's decision to stay away from the trade
pillar of IPEF could has geopolitical and
geoeconomic implications.
 First, India is not a member of any mega
trade agreement yet. IPEF provided an
opportunity for India to build trade
partnerships with countries in the
region along with the US.
 Second, it is possible that India will not
benefit from the supply chain pillar of
the IPEF as well. Because trade and
Y
supply chains are interconnected and

E M
interdependent.
Third, it will also send a message that
India has joined QUAD with a narrow
focus on geopolitical security and it is
not open for broader economic

partnership in the region.
Fourth, India might also get isolated in
trade and other economic aspect of the
forum if India is not active in the IPEF
India to stand as an alternative to China
in the Indo-Pacific region.
Fifth, the trade conditions of these
agreements are making India
uncomfortable. However, these
conditions might become a part of
bilateral trade negotiations with
advanced economies.
Mains point:Indo-Pacific Economic
Framework (IPEF): India's role
8. India raises Sri Lankan Tamil
issue in U.N.
Context: In its statement at the 51st session
of the United Nations Human Rights Council
in Geneva, India voiced concern over the
"lack of measurable progress" in Sri Lanka's
www.csbias.com
promised political solution to the long-
pending Tamil national question.
Statement given by India at UNHRC
 India has voiced concern over the lack
of measurable progress by Sri Lanka on
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
its commitment to a political solution
to the Tamil issue through full
implementation of the 13th
Amendment of the Constitution.
What is the 13th amendment to the Sri
Lankan Constitution?
 It is an outcome of the Indo-Lanka
Accord of July 1987 signed by then
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and
President J.R. Jayawardene in an
attempt to resolve Sri Lanka's ethnic
conflict.
 The amendment led to the creation of
Provincial Councils and assured a
power-sharing arrangement to enable
all nine provinces in the country,
including Sinhala majority areas to
self-govern.
 Subjects such as education, health,
agriculture, housing, land and police
are devolved to the provincial AD
administrations but because of
AC
restrictions on financial powers and
President, the
A S
overriding powers given to the
provincial
headway. I
administrations have not made much
SB
Why is this statement of India at UNHRC
significant?
 C
India's statement comes ahead of a
resolution on Sri Lanka that will likely
face a vote at the UNHRC.
 Since 2009, India has voted thrice in
favour of the U.N. resolution on Sri
Lanka - two were critical - and
abstained twice, in 2014 and 2021.
 Irrespective of its vote, India has
consistently underscored the need for
a political settlement within the
framework of a united Sri Lanka,
ensuring justice, peace, equality and
dignity for the Tamils of Sri Lanka.
What are the issues faced by Sri Lankan
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
Tamils?
 In the post-war years, Sri Lanka's
human rights defenders have
frequently flagged concerns over
persisting militarisation, especially in
CSB IAS ACADEMY
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the Tamil-majority north and east;
repression and the shrinking space for
dissent.
 Moreover, in the latest report on Sri
Lanka, the U.N. Human Rights Chief
said that embedded impunity for past
and present human rights abuses,
economic crimes and corruption were
among the underlying factors that led
to the country's devastating economic
crisis.
Mains Point: Discuss critically India's stand
on sri lanka
9. For India, the buzzword now is 'all-
alignment
Y
E M
Context: In his book the India Way, External
Affairs Minister offers a critique of India's
traditional policy of "non-alignment". He
distinguishes between the "optimistic non-
alignment" of the past and the more realistic
"multiple engagements of the future".
India's participation in the SCO summit is
a clear signal of India's all-alignment
policy?
India will host the SCO summit 2023, and is
expected to invite all members - this includes
the Chinese President and Pakistan's Prime
Minister. India's engagement with the
upcoming Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand,
Uzbekistan highlights India balances various
blocs. For instance,
 India is a member of SCO and BRICS
and also a member of Quad, groups
such as the I2U2 (India-Israel-U.S.-
UAE), and the Indo-Pacific Economic
Framework (IPEF).
 India joined the Russian-led 'Vostok'
Army Exercises along with China, and
plans to host SCO-RATS counter-terror
exercises.
 On the other hand, the Indianwww.csbias.com
Air Force
took part in the Australian 'Pitch Black'
exercises, and the Indian Army is
planning exercises with the U.S. (Yudh
Abhyas).
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This shows India is the only country that
would form the intersection, a part of all of
those groupings.
How does India's all alignment policy
function within the SCO grouping and what
India can do in the upcoming SCO Summit?
India's ties with Russia: India has refused
to heed pleas from the U.S. and Europe to
endorse resolutions critical of Russia at the
United Nations. India often abstained from
voting on the Ukraine crisis. Further, India's
imports of Russian oil jumped from 0.66
million tonnes in the first quarter to 8.42
million tonnes in the second this year.
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framework that counters the China-Pakistan-
Economic Corridor from Gwadar.
India's engagement with Pakistan: The
decision by the Pakistan government in 2019
that no trade with India is possible without
a reversal of India's Article 370 moves in
Jammu and Kashmir has ended formal
communication between both the countries.
With Pakistan reeling from massive floods,
an economic crisis, and growing worries of
an unstable Afghanistan Pakistan might look
for a way to hold a conversation with India.

Y
All this shows India fights for its unique
In the recent Eastern Economic Forum
meeting, India outlines it wants to further
E M
brand of multi-alignment or "all-alignment"
with partners worldwide, without having to
strengthen energy ties, building on the $16

AD
billion investment Indian public sector units
already have in Russian oil and gas fields.
choose between them.

AC
India's ties with China: The two leaders of
India and China met 18 times between 2014-
About Shanghai Cooperation Organization
 Shanghai Cooperation Organization is

A S
2019. But have not spoken directly once since
the standoff that began in April 2020
a permanent intergovernmental
international organisation.

I
between the Indian Army and the People's  Its creation was announced on 15 June

SB
Liberation Army (PLA). India-China
bilateral ties have come to a virtual
2001 in Shanghai (China) by the
Republic of Kazakhstan, the People's
Republic of China, the Kyrgyz
of trade. C
standstill on most fronts, with the exception
Republic, the Russian Federation, the
Republic of Tajikistan, and the
Republic of Uzbekistan.
During the Doklam conflict, it was a "brush
by" meeting between two leaders at the G-  It was preceded by the Shanghai Five
20 summit that led to the "breakthrough" in mechanism.
talks. So a similar thing can happen in the  The Shanghai Cooperation
upcoming SCO summit or the G20 Summit. Organisation Charter was signed
India's engagement with Iran: The SCO during the St. Petersburg SCO Heads
meeting is expected to pitch the Chabahar of State meeting in June 2002, and
port terminal India is developing as an entered into force on 19 September
important route for trade to Central Asia and 2003.
Russia.  The SCO's official languages are
Russian and Chinese.
Further,
Email Iran has asked for India's support
: csbiasacademy@gmail.com www.csbias.com
with "above ground" equipment and parts
for its plans to extend the rail line from the
Afghan border outpost to Turkmenistan, the
shortest possible route for India. This is in
line with India's plan to build a connectivity

CSB IAS ACADEMY 93

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Member Countries
 SCO comprises eight member states,
namely the Republic of India, the
Republic of Kazakhstan, the People's
Republic of China, the Kyrgyz
Republic, the Islamic Republic of
Republic of Tajikistan, and the
Republic of Uzbekistan. AD
Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the

AC
The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,
the Republic of Belarus, the Islamic
A S
Republic of Iran and the Republic of
Mongolia are the observer states in
SCO.
I About Abraham Accords

SB
SCO has six dialogue partners, viz, the
Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic
C
of Armenia, the Kingdom of
Cambodia, the Federal Democratic
Republic of Nepal, the Republic of
Turkey, and the Democratic Socialist
Republic of Sri Lanka.
Goals and Objective
 Promoting mutual trust and
neighbourliness.
 Promoting cooperation in politics,
trade, economy, research, technology
and culture.
 Enhancing ties in areas like education,
energy, transport, tourism,
environmental protection and
Email :healthcare.
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
 Maintaining and ensuring peace,
security and stability in the region.
 Moving towards establishment of
democratic, fair and rational
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international political and economic
order.
SCO RATS:
 Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure
(RATS) of SCO is a permanent body
based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The
objective of RATS is based upon the
Shanghai Convention on Combating
Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism.
RATS possess information on terrorist
organisations and terrorists.
 The military exercise 'Peace Mission
2018' was conducted in Russia and
became the first platform after UN
Peace Mission Peacekeeping Missions
Y
for joint military engagement between
India and Pakistan.
E M
Mains Point: Discuss the age old concept of
NON alignment of India has to be operated
in the new age of global politics
10. Abraham Accords have led to
greater regional cooperation,
expanding opportunities for India
 The Abraham Accords are a series of
treaties normalising diplomatic
relations between Israel, the United
Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Sudan,
and Morocco, facilitated by the U.S.
Administration between August and
December, 2020. In the span of five
short months, these four Arab states
joined Egypt and Jordan in making
peace with Israel.
 It aims towards normalisation of ties
by bringing Israel closer to the Gulf
nations and taking forward the peace
initiative.
 The benefits of this agreement continue
to grow, which can be seen by the
deepening people-to-people ties and
business opportunities. www.csbias.com
 New joint ventures are also being
undertaken in critical sectors such as
clean energy, health, innovation, etc
 The Accords were called 'the Abraham
Accords' as the three major
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monotheistic religions of the world,
Islam, Christianity and Judaism, all
find their roots in Prophet Abraham.
 The Accords were named 'the
Abraham Accords' to reiterate that
though the history of the three faiths is
rife with war, animosity and conflict,
their broad beliefs and faith are shared
and they are children of the same God.
AD
AC
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Significance of Abraham Accord for India:

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Regional connectivity: Abraham
Accords have improved the regional
connectivity between the member
countries. This regional connectivity
has also helped Indians.
 For example, the Indian diaspora in the
Gulf can now fly directly from the UAE
to Israel or from Israel to Bahrain.
 Technology cooperation: Beyond
trade, there is potential for India, UAE,
and Israel to collaborate in many areas
- from space to defence technology.
 'Extended' neighbourhood: This
engagement will open the door for
Email :extending the collaboration with other
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
regional partners like Egypt, having
much more impact in the region.,
 Peace and Stability in West Asia:
Agreement opens the doors to the first
big rapprochement between
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traditional adversaries in West Asia-
Israel and the Arab This would open
new doors for India's engagement in the
region.
 Group formation: The Accords have
helped in the formation of the I2U2
Group. This group is established by
Israel, India, the UAE, and the United
States.
Rising importance of the Middle East
region for India:
 Energy Security: The Middle- East
region plays a significant role in India's
economy, as it provides about two-
thirds of India's total oil imports.

Y
Remittances: Millions of Indian
E M
migrants have been moved to search for
jobs in the Middle-Eastern Countries
becoming a significant part of the total
remittance received from out of the
country.
 Strategic Region: The Persian Gulf is a
very important zone for India's
maritime security, and the Strait of
Hormuz is a strategic point.
Rising FDI from this region: Saudi is
planning investments in India worth
$100 billion. Other countries have also

shown interest in investment in India.
Countering Pakistan: Pakistan is very
active in the Middle-east. Using the
platform of OIC and making
connections with particular Arab
countries like Turkey Pakistan is trying
to get support on the Kashmir issue
and blocking India to get support in
NSG. Thus, by conducting
sophisticated balance-of-power
diplomacy, India is trying to counter
Pakistani influence in the Gulf region.
 Defence Imports: Israel has been very
important to India due to its technical,
intelligence, and military support.
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Israel has been one of the major
military equipment providers in India
and also an important trading partner.
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 Security Challenge: Rising terrorism in
this region has a direct and indirect
impact on India.
Mains Point : Discuss Abraham Accords
11. G4 countries highlight 'urgent
need' for reform in the U.N.
Security Council
About G4 Nations
 G4 Countries It was formed in 2004
with India, Brazil, Germany and Japan
as its members.
 The group is primarily focused on
UNSC reforms, and permanent
membership of the body for G4
members, among others.
Why do G4 nations demand for UNSC
reform matter?
 UNSC reforms are imperative to
ensure equitable representation and
AD 
AC
reflect the geopolitical and economic
realities of the present world order.

A S
G4 countries represent the changing
world and must be represented in
UNSC.
I Nations Security Council.

SB
The USA is now in favour of a
permanent seat without veto power.
The UK shares a similar view. France
C
has been closest with intention to
provide both seat and veto.
 Recently, U.S. President Biden
emphasised U.S. support for
expanding permanent and non-
permanent seats on the Council,
during his UNGA address.
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 Expanded members would have the
same responsibilities and obligations,
as current permanent members, thus
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making the council reflective of current
order.
Challenges faced by G4 countries:
 Resistance from P-5 countries as these
countries are reluctant to share the
exclusive power with new entrants.
 Absence of consensus on complex
issues such as the size of the expansion
in the permanent and non-permanent
categories, regional distribution, the
working methods of the Security
Council, its relationship with the
UNGA, and veto powers.
 Opposition from other countries -
Pakistan along with the Uniting for
Y
Consensus (UFC) countries have been
E M
leading the opposition to India's
inclusion.
UFC comprises countries like Pakistan,
Italy, Mexico, Egypt, South Korea etc.
Uniting for Consensus (UfC),
nicknamed the Coffee Club, is a
movement that developed in the 1990s
in opposition to the possible expansion
of permanent seats in the United
 China Factor - Rise of India threatens
China by creating its own rival power
structure. Hence, it does not want India
to be a member of the Security Council.
The Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN)
on Security Council (SC) reform
 IGN is a group of nation-states working
within the United Nations to further
reform of the UNSC.
 The IGN is composed of several
different international organisations,
namely:
 The African Union;
 The G4 nations;
 The Uniting for Consensus Group
(UfC), also known as the Coffee Club;
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 The L.69 Group of Developing
Countries;
 The Arab League; and
 The Caribbean Community
(CARICOM).
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 Each group represents a different set
of positions vis-a-vis reforming the
United Nations Security Council.
Note : The United Nations Security Council
(UNSC)
 Established by the United Nations
charter in 1945, the Security Council
has the primary responsibility of
maintaining international peace and
security.
 The Security Council has 15 members.
 There are five permanent members: the
United States, the Russian Federation,
France, China and the United
Kingdom.
 The non-permanent members of the
Security Council are elected for a term
of two years.
 Each member of the Security Council
AD
has one vote. Decisions of the Security
Council on matters are made by an
affirmative vote of nine members
AC
including the concurring votes of the
A S
permanent members. A "No" vote from
one of the five permanent members
I
blocks the passage of the resolution.

SB
Any member of the United Nations
which is not a member of the Security
C
Council may participate, without vote,
in the discussion of any question
brought before the Security Council
whenever the latter considers that the
interests of that member are specially
affected.
Mains point: G4 countries demand for
reform for UN security council, Justify
12. Geopolitics without geoecono-
mics, a fool's errand
Context: India has shown a great desire to
be a part of the geopolitical developments
in the Indo-Pacific. However, the efforts
taken: csbiasacademy@gmail.com
Email by India seem to be insufficient as
India requires shifting from geopolitical to
geo-economic policy.
The current situation of India in geo-
economics
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 India's focus is still on geopolitical
aspects rather than geo-economics
while the advanced economies have
moved beyond that.
 This is evident from India's decision to
stay away from the trade pillar of the
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
(IPEF) and walking out of the
negotiations of the Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership
(RCEP).
 Both agreements provided India with
a chance to enter geo-economics and
improve its economy in the Indo-
Pacific region.

Y
However, these examples show that
India is interested only in bilateral
E M
trade agreements and not in
multilateral or plurilateral agreements.
For example, the signing of the free
trade agreement (FTA) with the UAE
and the signing of Early Harvest
Agreements with Australia and the
United Kingdom.
What will be the potential impacts on India
for neglecting geo-economics?
 India has shown a lack of geopolitical
interest in the Indo-Pacific region by not
joining the trade pillar of IPEF and the
decision to stay away from the
multilateral trade agreement can affect
India's interest in multiple ways.
 An advantage for China: India's
absence from various regional trading
platforms will automatically boost
China's geo-economic hegemony in
Asia. India-China trade has only
increased in the past years despite the
increasing tension at the border.
 There is a fear that China can misuse
its increasing trade ties with India for
geopolitical gains. It was also a great
opportunity for India to be the part of
the trade pillar of IPEF and www.csbias.com
find an
alternative to China's trade as it is
impossible to completely end trade ties
with China.
 Hamper's supply chains: It would be
hard for India to integrate itself into the
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
regional and global supply chains
without being a part of important
regional multilateral trading
agreements.
 Loses business opportunities: Since
the U.S. is looking to find an alternative
to China's trade there are some
businesses that are moving away from
China and shifting to countries like
Vietnam. These investments or
businesses could have shifted to India
if India would have joined multilateral
trade agreements such as IPEF.
 These businesses and investments are
important for India's growth.
 Hinders maritime security: India is
serious about its maritime security,
but it cannot only rely on the military
for its security. This also requires
involving other countries in the Indo-
Pacific to create economic stakes in
AD
 India has an FTA with the ASEAN
AC
India as it is already done by China.
A S
countries but it is equally important
for India to become part of trading
I
arrangements which have major non-
regional states. This would help India
SB
to become a major part of the region's
supply chains.
 C
Result in economic isolation of India:
If India stayed away from joining
regional multilateral trading
arrangements then it would be
economically isolated.
What can be done to improve India's
participation in geo economics?
 First, India should rethink its geo-
economic preferences if it is serious
about enhancing its geopolitical
influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
There is still an opportunity for India
to join the trade pillar of IPEF and it
should also think of joining RECP.
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 Second, it can also seek to join the
Comprehensive and Progressive
Agreement for Trans-Pacific
Partnership (CPTPP). The US has
walked out of this agreement and
China is seeking to join it.
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 Third, India can start by joining IPEF
and CPTPP which China is not a
member of.
 Fourth, India should also actively show
its interest in joining the Minerals
Security Partnership (MSP). It is led by
the US and focuses on securing supply
chains of critical minerals.
 Fifth, India has cleared that IPEF and
QUAD are not military agreements. If
they are not military agreements then
they can be considered as geo-
economic agreements that can also help
members to pursue their geo-political
interests.
Y
E M
13. Energising India-Nepal ties, the
hydropower way
Context:Nepal's move to involve India in
completing the West Seti and Seti River (SR6)
joint storage project has the potential to
enhance much-needed cross-border power
exchanges
 Nepal signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with India to
develop 1200 MW West Seti and

EastSeti River (SR6) projects.
Early in the 1980s, the initiative was
conceived. From 1997 until 2011, the
Australian corporation worked on the
project's development. A Chinese firm
was given the project in 2011. After
China withdrew from the project in
2018, Nepal redesigned it as the
combined East and West Seti River
project.
Importance of the Project
 Relationship improvement may give
India the necessary leverage for future
hydropower collaboration. In western
and eastern Nepal, India is already
working on the Mahakali Treaty (6,480
MW), the Upper Karnali Project (900
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MW), and the Arun Three projects (900
MW). The project could improve cross-
border power transfers between the
two countries.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 In addition, it will help India
strengthen its presence in Nepal and
reduce China's geopolitical influence.
A significant Chinese project under the
Belt and Road Initiative was the West
Seti Hydroelectric Project.
Benefits to Nepal: The export of electricity
from Nepal to India is anticipated to boost
the country's foreign exchange reserves and
reduce power shortages. If the hydropower
potential is completely utilised, Nepal is
predicted to be able to export electricity to
India and earn 1,069 billion rupees annually
by 2045.
Benefits for India: The West Seti
Hydroelectric Project may offer a different
way to alleviate India's power shortages.
Ways a head
AD
 Exploring new possibilities and
project have gone up. At the AC
alternatives is necessary. Costs for the
A S
preliminary stage, a thorough analysis
of investment scenarios, distribution
I
and transmission networks, and the
required.
SB
price of resettling and rehabilitation is

C
Nepal is concerned that the rates and
availability of energy from India are
insufficient to fulfil the growing
demands. This has to be resolved.
 The Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal
(BBIN) framework for transnational
energy cooperation allows the project
to be expanded to additional regional
partners. It is possible to establish a
cross-border energy market that
includes Nepal, Bhutan, and India's
northeastern states.
Mains point : Discuss the strategic
importance of Nepal in our neighbourhood
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14. Permanent membership of the
UNSC is another story
Context:There is a buzz in India about the
prospects of the country becoming a
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permanent member of the United Nations
Security Council.
 UNSC remains the only exclusive club,
where none of the new emerging
countries has entered. Otherwise, even
the exclusive Nuclear Club has been
breached by India, Pakistan, North
Korea, and Israel.
Y
E M
Various issues concerning With UNSC
 For some nations, the ability to vote
alongside permanent UNSC members
has been a source of concern. This
authority has been regularly utilised to
thwart attempts to undermine any

permanent UNSC member.
For instance, while the Palestinian issue
was being discussed, Western
participants used their special position
to defend Israel. Veto power was also
used to block the imposition of
sanctions against South Africa's
apartheid government.
 Russian vetoes have been used more
often than those of the three western
UN members. However, it has
frequently gone in India's favour as
well. For instance, Russia has
frequently supported India with regard
to the Kashmir issue.
 Russia additionally supported India by
exercising its veto against adverse
decisions during the 1971 Bangladesh
Liberation War. However, www.csbias.com
given the
current circumstances, India cannot be
certain that Russia will assist it in the
future on the Kashmir issue or any
other negative situation.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022 CURRENT AFFAIRS
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 India cannot count on the United States  India shouldn't accept permanent
or the United Kingdom to vote against membership without the ability to veto,
Pakistan. India already faces hostility according to some analysts. While
from China. It is evident in the Chinese some contend that even permanent
blockade of the UNSC resolution membership without the right to vote
listing sanctioned Pakistani terrorists would be extremely beneficial in
who have been verified to be terrorists. advancing our interests.
Challenges Mains point: Justy India's membership
 None of the P-5 nations favours the demand in UNSC
UNSC adding any new members.
Currently, there is no representation in
the permanent category from Africa,
Latin America, or the Caribbean.
 Africa is seeking two permanent seats,
although it has not yet decided which
two African nations will be
represented. India, Japan, Brazil, and Y
Germany are the four officially stated
contenders for permanent E M
membership, together known as the G-
4.
AD
 The opposition to G-4 permanent
AC
participation is a source of concern. As

A S
an illustration, China will never help
Japan or India. It will be against
Germany.
I


SB
Last but not least, even if India receives
unanimous support for permanent
membership, other nations will join
C
the organisation as well.
Conclusion
 Looking at the present geopolitical
divide India's dream of a seat at the
highest table is unlikely to get fulfilled
in near future. India must analyse the
utility of UNSC membership for
securing its national interest. India
should not give up anything in bargain
against the UNSC seat which harms its
international interest.
 A new class of semi-permanent
members has been proposed by a
committee of specialists. Countries
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would be able to run for reelection after
serving an eight to ten-year term in
office. India should seriously consider
this approach as well.

CSB IAS ACADEMY 100

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Science & Technology
1. Overseeing an ocean: INS Vikrant
joins the navy's fleet
Context:Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vikrant is
commissioned into the navy's fleet. The
articles discuss the further challenges before
India in securing the vast ocean.
 It was the second aircraft carrier with
India, first one being the INS
Vikramaditya, that was bought from
Russia. It will enter India into the
exclusive club of only 5 countries, with
2 aircraft carriers.
 However, it will still not be sufficient
to tackle the challenges in front of
India.
The issues India might still face:
AD
 The Indian navy required two
A
deployed carriers, minimum: One forC
the east coast (the Bay of Bengal and
S
Malacca Strait) and a second for the
A
I
west coast (the Arabian Sea, the
Pakistan coast and West Asia).

SB
Lately, the navy has begun suggesting
for a third deployed carrier to carry out
C
power projection at longer ranges
across the Indian Ocean Region.
 Now, India's 2 aircraft carriers don't
mean that both will be deployed. The
naval fleet must have three aircraft
carriers to have two carriers
operationally available. Because most
of the time one of those three would
be in the dockyard for maintenance.
 For example, out of US's 11 carriers,
only three US Navy carrier strike
groups (CSG) were operationally
deployed.
 The Indian Navy's two aircraft carriers
Email :would
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mostly amount to just a single
operationally deployed carrier.
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 Similarly, operationally deploying
three carriers would require a four-
carrier fleet.
The significance of warships:
 Naval forces have an unparalleled
capability for dispensing humanitarian
aid and disaster relief as the Indian
Navy did after the Asian tsunami of
2004.
 The US has come up with the National
Y
Defence Authorisation Act that
specifies the annual defence budget
M
and expenditures under various heads.
E
It has for the first time; the US has given
the navy legal and budgetary powers
to discharge a clear peacetime as well

as its combat role.
India plays a role of security provider
in the Indian Ocean Region. It has a role
and interest in protecting sea lines of
communication (SLOCs) that carry 70
per cent of global trade.
 China's expanding navy poses a threat
to India. China's warship is building
yards in Dalian and constructing four-
five large and sophisticated destroyers
simultaneously.
The challenges in front of India:
 India is facing a dilemma whether it
should focus on sea or land borders to
counter China.
 India is the only member country of the
Quadrilateral that shares a land border
with China. PLA's multiple
encroachments, across the LAC, have
heightened the tensions on India's land
borders.
 However, the US and Australia are
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pushing India to focus on the Indian
Ocean Region.
 India must resolve its stand since
India's own economic prosperity
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
depends upon keeping open its
SLOCs in the Indian Ocean.
Background:
Important features of INS Vikrant
 Vikrant is the first aircraft carrier
designed and built in India. It has over
76% of the material and equipment

which is indigenous.
The ship has over 2400 compartments.
It has a maximum designed speed of
28 knots with an endurance of 7,500
AD
around 14,000 km.
AC
nautical miles which is equivalent to
 Around 16,000 crew members can fit
S
into the carrier. It can accommodate
A
I
around 30 aircraft on board. It also has
specialised cabins to accommodate

SB
women officers and sailors.
It has a 16-bed hospital and an
C
emergency medical care unit along
with an Intensive Care Unit, a
radiology wing and other medical
facilities.
 Using a novel aircraft-operation mode
known as STOBAR (Short Take-Off but
Arrested Landing), the carrier is
equipped with a ski-jump for
launching aircraft and a set of 'arrester
wires' for their recovery onboard.
Significance of INS Vikrant
 With the launch of INS Vikrant, India
also joins the elite group of nations -
the US, Russia, France, the UK and
Email :China - who are capable of designing
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
and constructing aircraft carriers.
 Also, with a displacement of 43,000
tonnes when fully loaded, INS Vikrant
is set to be the seventh largest among
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the carriers or carrier classes in the
world.
The strategic advantages of aircraft carriers
like IAC Vikrant:
 Access to littoral spaces: In peace and
in war, no platform provides access to
littoral spaces as thoroughly and
emphatically as the aircraft carrier.
 India's proactive maritime strategy:
Vikrant will boost India's maritime
capability in the Indo-Pacific and the
Indian Ocean Region. It will also aid
India's 'SAGAR' or Security and Growth
for All in the Region initiative.

Y
Trade benefits: A strong Navy is critical
E M
to India's ambition to grow its share in
global trade. This is because India's
merchandise exports are largely
maritime.
 Economic empowerment: One
shipyard job leads to the creation of 5-
6 jobs in ancillary industries. Over 500
Indian firms and 100 MSMEs
contributed to building INS Vikrant.
For example, Vikrant generated
employment opportunities for almost
15,000 personnel across various

segments including 2,000 personnel at
the Cochin Shipyard.
The versatility of aircraft carriers: With
Vikrant, India's aircraft carriers can be
used as versatile assets, switching
between power projection, soft and
hard power diplomacies. This is
because the navy earlier had only one
aircraft carrier.
 Counter China: INS Vikrant
significantly expands the Indian Navy's
footprint in the backdrop of increasing
Chinese activity in the region. For
instance, Under the People's Liberation
Army Navy's (PLAN) "far-seas"
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strategy, China deploys 7-8 vessels in
the IOR at any given time. There will
be a Chinese Carrier battle group
(CBG) moving into the IOR on a near-
permanent basis in the future.
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The challenges raised while building taking a call on the second indigenous
aircraft carriers: aircraft carrier.
 Critics were concerned about the Mains point:Defense Technology -
relevance of aircraft carriers in the Indigenization of technologies
contemporary world. They say there is
little point in spending billions for a 2. The world of clean hydrogen
carrier strike force to protect the Bay buzzing with activity
of Bengal or the Arabian Sea. This is
because a Context:Green hydrogen has a critical role
to play in decarbonisation and the
a) The near-seas defence can be easily achievement of net-zero emissions.
ensured from airbases on India's
island territories, Green Hydrogen:
b) Aircraft carriers are logistically
unviable and highly vulnerable to new
hypersonic weapons and disruptive
technologies,
Y
c) Susceptibility to enemy attack: The
flattop of aircraft carriers is
E M
defenceless(a virtual sitting duck)
against modern-day underwater
A
attacks, long-range strategic airpower
D
and ballistic missiles;
AC
d) Prized target for enemies: In a conflict
 There are various ways to produce
hydrogen gas that can be used for

A S
scenario, the destruction of the
opponent's aircraft carrier is a priority
commercial purposes. The most
common method is Steam Methane
mission.
I Reforming which uses methane gas.


SB
India move ahead after IAC Vikrant:
Increase indigenous content: The IAC
Sometimes propane, gasoline, or coal
are also used. The by-products of this

C
Vikrant has 76% of indigenous content
overall, but its critical technology has
been imported. This points out the
need for persistence and increases
further indigenisation.
 Build a second indigenous aircraft
carrier: The Indian Navy's ambition is
to have three aircraft carriers. (INS
Vikramaditya procured from Russia is
undergoing a major repair-and-
maintenance cycle). The expertise
gained from building Vikrant could
now be used to build a second, more
capable, indigenous carrier.
 Solve the fighter jet conundrum:
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India's plans to develop its own twin-
engine deck-based fighter remain a
distant dream. So, India should resolve
the fighter jet conundrum while also
process are carbon dioxide and carbon
monoxide i.e., the process has high
carbon footprint. The hydrogen
produced through this process is called
grey hydrogen.
 Green Hydrogen is the clean hydrogen
generated by using renewable energy
such as solar and wind energy instead
of fossil fuels. The electricity produced
through solar/wind energy is used to
undertake electrolysis of water (in
electrolysers) to produce hydrogen.
The carbon footprint of green hydrogen
is negligible compared to other
methods of production.
www.csbias.com
 The Green Hydrogen Policy defines
Green Hydrogen/Ammonia as
hydrogen/ammonia 'produced by way
of electrolysis of water using renewable
energy' including banked renewable

CSB IAS ACADEMY 103

 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
energy and 'hydrogen and ammonia
produced from biomass'.
 According to the certification
standards of CertifHy (established by
European Commission and Fuel Cell
and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH
JU)) the hydrogen needs to be
produced from renewable energy
sources and should have a carbon
footprint that is below 36.4 g CO2equ/
MJ to be classified as Green Hydrogen.
AD
AC
A S
To increasing the production of Green
Hydrogen: I climate neutrality target.

SB
Green hydrogen has a critical role to
play in decarbonization and the
C
achievement of net-zero emissions.
There are four things needed to scale it up:
 Competitively priced renewable
energy
 Electrolysers
 Supporting physical infrastructure
 Policy push
One of India's advantages is cost-
competitive renewable energy.
The steps have been taken in India:
 Reliance is one of the largest producers
of grey hydrogen globally.
 It has announced plans to deliver
Email :green
hydrogen at the lowest cost and
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
to progressively commence transition
from grey hydrogen to green hydrogen
by 2025.
 This will be supported by a giga-scale
electrolyser manufacturing facility.
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 The Adani Group announced a
partnership with Total Energies for its
green hydrogen push.
 The company targets production of 1
million tonnes of green hydrogen per
year by 2030.
The steps have been taken worldwide:
 The US has recently passed the Inflation
Reduction Act. It is the world's first tax
credit for hydrogen.
 Amazon announced to buy almost
11,000 tonnes of liquid green hydrogen
from Plug Power annually.
 Walmart had signed a similar deal with
Plug Power to get up to 20 tonnes per
Y
day of carbon free hydrogen to power

E M
material-handling lift trucks in the US.
Canada is aiming to become a major
producer and exporter of hydrogen as
well as related clean technologies.
 Germany is aiming to import
significant amounts of renewable
hydrogen to decarbonise its hard-to-
abate sectors in line with its 2045
Mains point: Energy and associated issues.
3. Hydration of proteins could act as
a potential marker for an early
detection of neuro-degenerative
diseases.
Context:A study has found that hydration
dynamics of proteins play a pivotal role in
the aggregation of several proteins which is
a preliminary step toward various
neurodegenerative diseases
Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation(LLPS):
 Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation(LLPS)
is a self-aggregated system. It is an
intermediate step during the formation
of stable protein aggregates.
 This process plays an important role in
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the formation of cells organelles like P
bodies, nucleolus which are
membrane-less compartments in the
cytoplasm of cells
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
 LLPS and neurodegenerative diseases:
Protein aggregation is the main
hallmark of neurodegenerative
diseases. Many proteins found in
pathological inclusions are known to
undergo liquid-liquid phase
separation.
The study conducted by scientists:
 Scientists have explored how the
hydration of proteins gets altered as
LLPS sets in.
 They found that hydration dynamics
of proteins play a pivotal role in the
aggregation of several proteins which
is a preliminary step toward various
neurodegenerative diseases.
 Thus, the aggregation process could be
spotted early by detecting altering
water network dynamics and
modulated using inactive substances
AD
that serve as the vehicle or medium for
a drug or other active substance.
Mains point:neurodegenerative diseasesAC
A S
4.
I
NASA scheduled its Artemis-1
mission launch at 11.47 pm, why
SB
so precise?
Context:After an aborted attempt, NASA
C
was to make another bid to launch its
Artemis-1 mission.
 There was a two-hour window to
launch the mission. However, the
mission was aborted for a second time
due to a hydrogen leak.
The launch windows for space missions:
 Space missions cannot be launched
anytime they are ready to go. Very
precise time slots are calculated for
their launch.
Two main factors
 Shortest Distance: Nothing in space is
stationary. The origin (Earth) is
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moving, and so is the destination
(Moon, or any other planetary body the
mission is headed to).Hence, one
reason for scheduling a launch
window is to look for the shortest
distance to the destination.
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 Fuel Efficiency: The other related
reason is the need for fuel efficiency.
There is no refuelling opportunity in
space. And, the more fuel the rocket
carries, the heavier it becomes, which
again means more fuel is required to
propel it.
Other Factors
 Weather: A space mission cannot be
launched if the temperature is too cold
or too hot or if the wind is blowing at a
very strong speed. Rainfall, humidity,
lightning, cloud or smoke are all factors
that need to be considered for a safe
and successful launch.

Y
Favourable weather conditions are
required not just at the time of the
M
launch, but also during the fuelling of
E
the engines.
Background key points:
Artemis Mission
 NASA's Artemis mission is touted as
the next generation of lunar
exploration, and is named after the
twin sister of Apollo from Greek
mythology.
 Artemis is also the goddess of the
moon.
 It is the first in a series of increasingly
complex missions that will enable
human exploration to the Moon and
Mars.
 With the Artemis programme, NASA
aims to land humans on the moon by
2024, and it also plans to land the first
woman and first person of colour on
the moon.
 NASA will establish an Artemis Base
Camp on the surface and a gateway (the
lunar outpost around the Moon) in
lunar orbit to aid exploration by robots
and astronauts.
 The gateway is a critical component of
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NASA's sustainable lunar operations
and will serve as a multi-purpose
outpost orbiting the moon.
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Prelims cum mains point:Artemis-1
mission
5. Scientists are unsure about how
'Nano Urea' benefits crop"
Context:Nano Urea (a fertilizer) has been
approved by the government for commercial
AD
use because of its potential to substantially
AC
reduce the import bill, but several experts
have questioned the science underlying its
efficacy.
A S
I indiscriminate use of conventional
SB
C 
About the efficacy of Nano Urea:
 Plants need nitrogen to make protein
and they source almost all of it from
soil bacteria which live in a plant's
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roots and have the ability to break
down atmospheric nitrogen or from
chemicals such as urea into a form
usable by plants.
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 Chemically packaged urea is 46%
nitrogen which means a 45 kg sack
contains about 20 kg of nitrogen.
Contrastingly, Nano Urea sold in 500
ml bottles has only 4% nitrogen (or
around 20 gm). How this can
compensate for the kilogrammes of
nitrogen normally required puzzles
scientists.
 Urea is highly water soluble and
already reaches the lowest form of
concentration when absorbed. How
nanoparticles can increase the
effectiveness of nitrogen uptake by
being still smaller is unclear.
Liquid Nano Urea: Y
Background key points:

E M
It is essentially urea in the form of a
nanoparticle. Urea is chemical nitrogen
fertilizer, white in colour which
artificially provides nitrogen, a major

nutrient required by plants.
Purpose: It has been developed to
reduce the burden of urea subsidy,
reduce the unbalanced and
urea, increase crop productivity and
reduce soil, water, and air pollution.
Developed by: Indian Farmers
Fertilizer Cooperative (IFFCO)'s Nano
Biotechnology Research Center(NBRC)
at Kalol.
The advantages of Liquid Nano Urea over
Conventional Urea:
 Higher Efficiency: While conventional
urea has an efficiency of about 25%, the
efficiency of liquid nano urea can be as
high as 85-90%.
 Gets Directly absorbed by plant:
Conventional urea fails to have the
desired impact on crops as it is often
applied incorrectly and the nitrogen in
it is vaporised or lost as a gas. On the
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other hand, liquid nano urea is sprayed
directly on the leaves and gets
absorbed by the plant.
 Higher Shelf Life: Liquid nano urea has
a shelf life of a year and farmers need
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
not be worried about "caking" when it
comes in contact with moisture.
 No Burden of Urea Subsidy: Liquid
nano urea produced by IFFCO comes
in a half-litre bottle priced at Rs 240,
and carries no burden of subsidy
currently. By contrast, a farmer pays
around Rs 300 for a 50-kg bag of
heavily subsidised urea.
Mains point:Nano Urea' benefits crop
6. Blue Energy Motors unveils India's
first LNG-fuelled green truck near
Pune.
Context:Blue Energy Motors has launched
India's first Liquified Natural Gas(LNG)
fuelled green truck manufacturing facility
at Chakan in Pune.
Liquified Natural Gas(LNG) trucks work:
 Liquefied natural gas (LNG) vehicles
AD
work much like gasoline-powered
AC
vehicles with a spark-ignited internal
combustion engine.

A S
The natural gas is supercooled and
I
cryogenically stored in liquid form,
usually in a tank on the side of the

truck.
SB
Because it is a liquid, the energy
C
density of LNG is greater than CNG,
so more fuel can be stored on board
the vehicle.
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Source: Energy.gov.in
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Liquified Natural Gas (LNG):
 Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural
gas that has been cooled to a liquid
state, at about -260° Fahrenheit, for
shipping and storage.
 The volume of natural gas in its liquid
state is about 600 times smaller than its
volume in its gaseous state. This
process makes it possible to transport
natural gas to places where pipelines
do not reach.
Benefits of LNG:
 Reduces greenhouse gas emissions: It
generates 30% less carbon dioxide than
fuel oil and 45% less than coal. The
Y
combustion of natural gas evaporates
E M
much more quickly in the air,
compared to fossil fuel, leaving no
particles or residue. So, there's far less
spreading of oils after LNG spills. It
contributes to far lower carbon

emissions also.
Consistency and reliable supply: LNG
has a higher energy density, which
means, in comparison to crude oil,
more energy can be stored and
transported for the same amount of
volume.
 Cost effective: LNG's volume has been
reduced to 1/600th of its un-liquified
state, making it easier to contain and
transport. LNG also weighs less than
one-half as much as water, so it is
lighter also.
 Cleaner atmosphere and more efficient:
Natural gas burns extremely
efficiently, producing mainly heat and
water vapour, and it's much more cost-
effective.
 It reduces nitrogen oxide emissions,
does not emit soot, dust or fumes, and
produces insignificant amounts of
sulphur dioxide, mercury, and other
www.csbias.com
particulates compared to other fuels.
Mains point:India's first Liquified Natural
Gas(LNG) fuelled green truck.
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7. Bharat Biotech's intra-nasal
COVID vaccine gets emergency
use approval.
Context:Bharat Biotech International
Limited (BBIL) gas announced that the
iNCOVACC (BBV154) vaccine has received
approval under Restricted Use in
Emergency Situation for ages 18 and above.
iNCOVACC:
AD
Source: Hindustan Times AC

A S
It is an intra-nasal Covid-19 vaccine.

I
Developed by: Bharat Biotech
International Limited (BBIL)

SB
Working: It is a recombinant
replication-deficient adenovirus
C
vectored vaccine with a prefusion
stabilised spike protein. It uses a
modified chimpanzee adenovirus
which cannot replicate in the body to
carry Covid spike protein to induce
immunity.
 Usage: This vaccine will be used for
primary immunisation against
COVID-19 in the 18+ age group for
restricted use in emergency situations.
 Storage: The vaccine is stable between
two and eight degrees Celsius for easy
storage and distribution.
The benefits of iNCOVACC:
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
 Likely to block both infection and
transmission of COVID-19,
 Non-invasive and needle-free,
 Easy to administer as it does not
require trained healthcare workers,
CSB IAS ACADEMY
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 Eliminates needle-associated risks
(injuries and infections),
 High compliance - ideally suits
children and adults and
 Scalable manufacturing - able to meet
global demand.
Mains point:iNCOVACC (BBV154) vaccine
.
8. Coming: cyborg cockroaches to
help in urban search-rescue
missions.
Context:An international team of researchers
has devised a system that can create cyborg
cockroaches.
Cyborg Cockroaches:
 Y
Cyborg Cockroaches are part insect and
E M
part machine. These insect movements
are controlled by tiny integrated

circuits.
Purpose: These cockroaches can be
used to conduct surveillance in
procedures like urban search and
rescue, environmental monitoring and
inspection of areas dangerous to
humans.
Scientists make Cyborg Cockroaches:
 Scientists used the Madagascar hissing
cockroach. This cockroach is not only
the largest species of cockroach but is
also known for making hissing sounds
when disturbed, which they make by
expelling air from the openings on their
back.
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 The scientists fitted this cockroach with
a thin electronic backpack which they
had created on the upper section of its
body. As this was so lightweight, it had
very little impact on the insect's ability
to move around with ease.
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 The backpack contained
rechargeable battery and what's
known as a wireless control module
which enabled the researchers to
control the cockroach's movements
remotely.
 A solar cell module was attached to the
lower section of the cockroach. This
meant the backpack could be
recharged using artificial sunlight
which would come in handy if the
cockroach is out on missions.
Prelims point: Cyborg Cockroaches
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a 10. From promise to reality: 10 years
after breakthrough, a CRISPR
solution to problems of health
begins to take shape.
Context: In the 10 years since the CRISPR
technology has been developed, it has begun
to deliver on its unlimited potential which
will help in improving the quality of human
life.
CRISPR Technology:

9. James Webb Space Telescope

captures image of near-perfect
Y
'Einstein ring'
Context:The James Webb Space Telescope
E M
has captured an image of an almost perfect
"Einstein ring."
AD
The Einstein Ring:

AC
The Einstein Ring is created when the
light from a galaxy or star passes by a
S
massive object en route to the Earth.
A

I
Due to the effects of gravitation (called
gravitational lensing), the light is

SB
diverted, which makes it seem to come
from different places. If the light

C
source, lens, and observer are all in
perfect alignment, the light appears as
a ring.
 The first example of an "Einstein Ring"
was discovered in 1988.
The James Webb Telescope discover an
Einstein Ring:
 The James Webb Telescope discovered
an Einstein Ring formed from the light
of a distant galaxy SPT-S J041839-
4751.8, which is around 12 billion light-
years away from earth, which also
makes it one of the oldest galaxies in
the universe.
Email
Mains : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
point:Einstein ring'
 CRISPR is short for Clustered
Regularly Interspaced Short
Palindromic Repeats.
 It is a powerful gene editing
technology which replicates natural
defense mechanisms in bacteria to fight
virus attacks using a special protein
called Cas9.
 Working: CRISPR-Cas9 technology
behaves like a cut-and-paste
mechanism on DNA strands that
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contain genetic information.
 The specific location of the genetic
codes that need to be changed, or
edited, is identified on the DNA strand,
and then, using the Cas9 protein, which

CSB IAS ACADEMY 109

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acts like a pair of scissors, that location
is cut off from the strand.
 A DNA strand, when broken, has a
natural tendency to repair itself.
Scientists intervene during this auto-
repair process, supplying the desired
sequence of genetic codes that binds
itself with the broken DNA strand.
 Applications: It has many potential
applications, including correcting
genetic defects, treating and
preventing the spread of diseases, and
improving the growth and resilience
of crops.
CRISPR technology being used in different
sectors:
 Health: Several therapeutic
interventions using CRISPR for
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scientists currently want the technology
to be used for, and
 The changes were made in the embryo
itself which means the newly acquired
traits were likely to be passed to future
generations. CRISPR is not 100%
precise and could induce a few errors
as well, making changes in other genes.
This has the possibility of being
inherited by successive generations.
Prelims and Main point: CRISPR
Technology.
11. National List of Essential
Medicines(NLEM): 384 drugs on
Y
essential medicines list.
M
Context:The Ministry of Health and Family

E
Welfare has released the National List of

anaemia have gone into clinical trials,

mainly in the United States, and the AD
diseases like thalassaemia or sickle cell Essential Medicines (NLEM) list.
 It has added 34 new medicines and


initial results have been flawless.
AC
In India, researchers at CSIR's Institute
dropped 26 old ones from the previous
list.A total of 384 medicines now
features on NLEM 2022 under 27

A S
of Genomics and Integrative Biology
have indigenously developed a
therapeutic categories.

I
CRISPR-based therapeutic solution for
Note: This revised list has come out after a
gap of seven years.

SB
sickle cell anaemia, which is now being
readied for clinical trials. The National List of Essential
Medicines(NLEM):

C
Agriculture: Japan has approved the
commercial cultivation of a tomato
variety that has been improved using
CRISPR-based intervention.
 In India, several research groups are
working on CRISPR-based
enhancements for various crops
including rice and banana.
The ethical concerns related to CRISPR
Technology:
 In 2018, a Chinese researcher disclosed Source: Business Standard
that he had altered the genes of a
 Essential medicines are those that
human embryo to prevent the infection
satisfy the priority health care needs,
of HIV. This was the first documented
based on efficacy, safety, quality and
case of creating a 'designer baby'.
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com total cost of the treatment. www.csbias.com
This has caused widespread concern in the
 The primary purpose of NLEM is to
scientific community because:
promote the rational use of medicines
 Preventive interventions to obtain considering the three important aspects
special traits are not something that i.e. cost, safety and efficacy.

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 The NLEM was first formulated in 1996
and has been revised in 2003, 2011, and
2015.
 In NLEM, the medicines are
categorised based on the level of the
healthcare system as P- Primary; S-
Secondary and T- Tertiary.
 Medicines that feature in the NLEM
are called scheduled drugs. The
National Pharmaceutical Pricing
Authority(NPPA) fixes the prices of
these drugs based on the wholesale
price index inflation.
 For other drugs, companies are
allowed to take a maximum hike of up
to 10% annually.
 Currently, scheduled drugs roughly
constitute 17-18% of the estimated Rs
1.6-trillion domestic pharma market.
The significance of NLEM:
AD
 NLEM plays an important role in
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banking "Trojan" virus that is currently
targeting Indian customers.
 SOVA is a new mobile banking 'Trojan'
virus.
 Note: Trojan is a file, program, or piece
of code that appears to be legitimate
and safe but is actually malware.
Malware is software intentionally
designed to cause disruption to gain
Y
unauthorised access to information or
M
systems.
E
SOVA targeting users:
 SOVA malware hides itself within fake
Android applications that show up

AC
ensuring the accessibility of affordable
quality medicines at all levels of
with the logo of a few famous legitimate
apps like Chrome, Amazon, NFT (non-
fungible token linked to

A S
healthcare. This will give a boost to
cost-effective, quality medicines and
cryptocurrency) platform to deceive

I
contribute to the reduction in Out of

users into installing them.
Once the fake android application is

SB
Pocket Expenditure on healthcare for
the citizens. installed on the phone, it sends the list
of all applications installed on the

C
This is critical because the recently
released National Health Accounts
Estimates 2018-19 point to a high
device to the C2 (command and control
server) controlled by the threat actor in
order to obtain the list of targeted
burden on households to pay for
applications.
healthcare which is a key reason
pushing Indians into poverty. The information can SOVA collect:
 For instance, in Uttar Pradesh, out-of-  SOVA can collect keystrokes, steal
pocket health expenditure accounts for cookies, intercept multi-factor
71.3% of the state's total health authentication (MFA) tokens, take
expenditure. For India, the figure was screenshots and record video from a
48.2%. webcam and can perform gestures like
screen click, swipe using the android
Mains point:The National List of Essential
accessibility service. It also has the
Medicines (NLEM) list.
capability to encrypt all data on an
Android phone and hold it to ransom.
Email :What
12. is the Sova virus? All you
csbiasacademy@gmail.com www.csbias.com
Application be deleted from the phone:
need to know about the new
 SOVA protects itself from different
mobile banking virus.
victim actions For example, if the user
Context:Indian Computer Emergency tries to uninstall the malware from the
Response Team (CERT-IN) has given settings or pressing the icon, SOVA is
advisory on SOVA virus - a novel mobile
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
able to intercept these actions and
prevent them by returning to the home
screen and showing a toast (small
popup) displaying "This app is
secured".
Prelims point :Sova virus
13. The lumpy skin disease
Context:Lumpy Skin Disease has spread in
India and it has severe implications on the
economy of India.
Lumpy Skin Disease LSD:
 Virus: It is caused by lumpy skin
disease virus (LSDV) which belongs to
AD
a part of the poxviridae family.
AC
the genus capripoxvirus. This virus is
Smallpox and monkeypox viruses are

S
also a part of the same family.
A

I
The LSDV shares antigenic similarities
with the sheep pox virus (SPPV) and
SB
the goat pox virus (GTPV) and it is
similar in the immune response to

C
those viruses.
Effect of LSD: LSD affects the lymph
nodes of the infected animal causing
the nodes to enlarge and appear like
lumps on the skin. The nodules may
turn into ulcers which can develop
scabs over the skin.
 Incubation period: According to the
FAO, the time between infection and
symptoms is about 28 days.
It safe to consume the milk of affected cattle:
 LSD is a non-zoonotic disease therefore
it is safe to drink milk from the infected
cattle.
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
 Moreover, a large portion of milk
produced is either pasteurised or
boiled, or dried in order to make milk
powder.
CSB IAS ACADEMY
CURRENT AFFAIRS
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 This process ensures that the virus is
inactivated or destroyed.
LSD has become a challenge for India:
 India is the world's largest milk
producer and it also has the largest
number of cattle and buffalo
worldwide.
 The disease has reduced the milk
supply which will affect the dairy
sector in India.
 It will also affect the livelihoods of
smaller poultry farmers.
The government doing to control the
disease:
The Food and Agriculture

Y
Organisation (FAO) has suggested a
E M
few measures to control the disease. It
includes vaccination of the cattle with
more than 80% coverage, controlling the
movement of animals, etc.
 The government has informed that
Goat Pox Vaccine is very effective
against LSD. It is being used across
affected States to contain the spread.
 The affected States have put bans on the
movement of cattle. They are also
isolating infected cattle and buffaloes,
spraying insecticides to kill vectors like

mosquitoes, etc.
Some affected States are also setting up
dedicated control rooms and helpline
numbers to guide farmers whose cattle
have been infected.
Mains point:Lumpy Skin Disease and
challenges associated with it.
14. Cabinet approves Production
Linked Incentive Scheme on
'National programme on High
Efficiency Solar PV Modules' for
achieving manufacturing capacity
of Giga Watt (GW) scale in High
www.csbias.com
Efficiency Solar PV Modules.
Context:Cabinet has approved the
implementation of the Production Linked
Incentive Scheme on 'National programme
on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules'.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022 CURRENT AFFAIRS
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The National programme on High
Efficiency Solar PV Modules:
 Nodal Ministry: Ministry of New &
Renewable Energy
 Aim: To build an ecosystem for
manufacturing of high efficiency solar
PV modules in India and thus reduce
import dependence in the area of
Renewable Energy.
 Under the scheme, Solar PV
manufacturers will be selected through
a transparent selection process. The
PLI will be disbursed for five years
post commissioning of solar PV
manufacturing plants on sales of high
efficiency solar PV modules from the
domestic market will be incentivised. Y
Expected Benefits of the scheme:

M
Source: Economic Times
E
eSIMs were first established a decade
1) It is estimated that about 65,000 MW
per annum manufacturing capacity of
AD
fully and partially integrated, solar PV 
ago in 2012.
It is an embedded SIM. It essentially

2)
modules would be installed,
Generate employment and direct AC has the same hardware of a regular SIM
card chip but now it is permanently
investment,

A S embedded in the motherboard of a

3)
I
Import substitution of approximately
Rs.1.37 lakh crore and
4)
SB
Provide impetus to Research and
Development to achieve higher
C
efficiencies in Solar PV Modules.
Solar PV Modules:
 Solar PV modules are created by
joining together solar cells with
photovoltaic (PV) cells. They are
produced using semiconductors like
crystalline silicon. Solar modules
transform solar energy into electric
energy.
15. Tech InDepth: Understanding
eSIMs, their advantages and
disadvantages.
Context:Apple Inc, an American
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
multinational technology company has
come up without a physical SIM slot or an
eSIM in order to access mobile networks.
eSIM:
watch or smartphone.
 Just like a traditional SIM card, an eSIM
also consists of some components,
which are part of a phone's internal
organs. They also function the same
way, acting as a unique identifier for
telecom operators and other
consumers to reach your exact
smartphone when they make a call or
send a text.
 However, being attached to the
motherboard also allows re-
programming, letting users switch
operators without having to replace
any physical SIM cards.
The advantages of eSIM:
 Provides Security: An eSIM provides
security to sim theft, as there is no
physical element to pull out and use
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in another device.Attackers cannot use
your phone after being robbed to
breach your social media or bank
accounts.

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CSB IAS ACADEMY
 Saves space in the phone: One less
opening on the frame of your phone
reduces the likelihood of elements like
dust and water entering the phone.It
also saves some space on the inside of
the phone to be used elsewhere.
 Emergencies: If a phone stops
working, runs out of battery or simply
falls and gets a cracked screen, then the
communication with the person is
brought to a complete standstill with
eSIMs. Traditional SIMs, meanwhile,
can be quickly pulled out of the
affected phone and into another backup
device or secondary phone.
 Unusable in countries with no eSIM
support: eSIM phones cannot be used
in a country where the telecom
operators simply don't support the

technology yet.
Telcos have more control: An eSIM
AD
may save one's initial trip to the
AC
telecom operator's store to get a SIM
card, but one has to rely on the
S
operator while switching one's phone.
A
Prelims : eSim
I 
SB
16. Draft Indian Telecommunication
C
Bill,2022.
Context:The Department of Telecommuni-
cations(DoT) has issued the draft Indian
Telecommunication Bill, 2022.
The purpose of the Draft Indian
Telecommunication Bill, 2022:
 The Bill consolidates three separate
acts that govern the
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
telecommunications sector - Indian
Telegraph Act 1885, Indian Wireless
Telegraphy Act 1933, and The
Telegraph Wires, (Unlawful
Protection) Act 1950.
CSB IAS ACADEMY
CURRENT AFFAIRS
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The key provisions of the Bill:
 Inclusion of OTTs in the definition of
Telecommunications services: The Bill
proposes to bring over-the-top (or
OTT) communications services such as
WhatsApp, Telegram, satellite-based
communication services and the
internet into the definition of
telecommunication services.
 So, OTT communication services have
to take a licence now and be subjected
to the same conditions governing
telecom players in India, like the
quality of service and security rules,
etc.

Y
Assigning of Spectrum: The Bill laid
down a clear statutory framework and
E M
regulations on assigning spectrum. It
says spectrum should primarily be

given through auction.
For specific functions related to the
government and public interest like
defence, transportation and research,
the Bill proposes assignment through
the administrative process.
Trading of Spectrum: The Bill enables
sharing, trading, leasing, surrender of
spectrum assigned and a process to
return unutilised spectrum.
 The government will also have the
power to terminate spectrum
allocations partly or in full if it
determines that the assigned spectrum
has remained unutilised for insufficient
reasons over a period of time.
 Moreover, the bill says that if a telecom
entity in possession of spectrum goes
through bankruptcy or insolvency, the
assigned spectrum will revert to the
control of the Center.
 Right of Way(ROW): The Bill tries to
achieve through law a 'right of way'
(ROW) enforceable at the state- and at
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the municipal-corporation level.
 It lays down a framework in which a
public entity that owns the land has to
grant 'right of way' permission
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 SEPTEMBER 2022 CURRENT AFFAIRS
CSB IAS ACADEMY Contact us: 9966436875
expeditiously unless it gives a DART Spacecraft:
substantive ground for refusal.
 Cyber Security: To prevent cyber
fraud, the Bill provides that the
identity of the person sending a
message through telecom services
shall be available to a user receiving
it.
 Telecommunication Development
Fund(TDF): The Bill proposes to
replace the Universal Service
Obligation Fund(USOF) with the
Telecommunication Development
Fund(TDF).
 USOF is the pool of funds generated
by the 5% Universal Service Levy that
is charged upon all telecom fund Y
operators on their Adjusted Gross
Revenue. E M
 The USOF has largely been used to aid
rural connectivity. However, with theAD
TDF, the objective is also to boost
connectivity in underserved urban
AC
S
areas, R&D, skill development etc.

A
I
17. Explained | The NASA spacecraft-

B
asteroid collision".

S
C
Context:NASA's DART (Double Asteroid
Redirection Test) spacecraft has collided
with the asteroid Dimorphous.
Asteroids:
 Asteroids are small, rocky objects that
orbit the Sun. Although asteroids orbit
the Sun like planets, they are much
smaller than planets.
 There are lots of asteroids in our solar
system. Most of them are located in the
main asteroid belt - a region between
the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
NASA undertook this mission:
 NASA undertook the 'kick' technique.
Compared to the massive Dimorphos,
DART is a tiny Goliath.
 Yet crashing at a breakneck speed of
23,760 kilometres per hour, the
momentum is adequate to slash the
angular momentum of Dimorphos,
making it speed up and move closer
to Didymos.
 All of these reduce the orbital period
and the time taken for the moonlet to
go around the primary asteroid. The
www.csbias.com
pair's trajectory is thus deflected as the
net result of these dynamics.
 Consider it like this: a fast-moving
moped slamming into a truck is sure
to undergo a massive crash and burn,

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CSB IAS ACADEMY
yet will veer the massive truck a bit.
This is the essence of the 'kick'
technique.
The impact assessment:
 The DART craft carried a high-
resolution DRACO (Didymos
Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera
for Optical navigation) camera to
observe the collision and its
consequences. The close-up images
until its fatal crash are being analysed.
There other countries launching similar
missions:
 China is set to deflect a 40 m diameter
earth-crossing asteroid called 2020 PN1
sometime in 2026.
Prelims and Mains : NASA's DART
programme
18. India announces the launch of the
AD
"Innovation Roadmap of the
Mission Integrated Biorefineries"
developed by co-leads and active AC
S
inputs from Brazil, Canada, EC and
A
the UK.
I
Context:The Government of India has
SB
announced the launch of the "Innovation
Roadmap of the Mission Integrated
C
Biorefineries" at the Global Clean Energy
Action Forum in Pittsburgh in the United
States.
 Note: Global Clean Energy Action
Forum is an international clean energy
event organised jointly by the 13th
Clean Energy Ministerial and the 7th
Mission Innovation ministerial.
The Innovation Roadmap of the Mission
Integrated Biorefineries:
 Mission Integrated Biorefineries was
Launched by India with active inputs
from Brazil, Canada, EC and the UK
 To fill the void by identifying gaps and
Email :challenges
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
in current biorefining value
chains, prioritising Eight key actions
to support the Mission and guiding
the Mission's overall path in achieving
its goal.
CSB IAS ACADEMY
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 The roadmap also provides
policymakers with a strategic
framework to establish a rising R&D
portfolio over the next five years,
specific financing proposals across the
entire spectrum of vital Biorefinery
technologies and rapid action
suggestions.
Mission Integrated Biorefineries:
 Launched under Mission Innovation
and Co-Led by: India and Netherlands
 Develop and demonstrate innovative
solutions to accelerate the
commercialization of integrated
biorefineries, with a target of replacing
Y
10% of fossil-based fuels, chemicals and
materials with bio-based alternatives
M
by 2030.
E
 The mission is a PPP (Public Private
Participation) mode initiative that
unites countries, international
organisations, the corporate sector,
academic institutions and civil society
to accelerate innovation for renewable
fuels, chemicals, and materials for a
low-carbon future.
 Other Countries Involved in the
Mission: The other countries involved
are Brazil and Canada as core members
and the European Commission and the
United Kingdom as supporting
members.
The other initiatives mentioned:
 Hydrogen Valley Platform: It is a global
initiative to optimise the hydrogen
demand and supply by onsite
generation and utilisation. The
platform utilises renewable resources
effectively, and water in excess areas
with geographical identity.
 Note: DST has committed to facilitate
the delivery of three clean hydrogen
valleys in India by 2030.
www.csbias.com
 National Funding Opportunity on
Sustainable Aviation Fuels: It aims to
support and conduct RD&D (Research,
Development & Demonstration) to
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foster technological innovations in
advanced biofuels for aviation
applications.
 Three Material Acceleration
Platforms(MAP): It has been set up by
the Department of Science and
Technology (DST). These platforms
would leverage emerging capabilities
in next-generation computing, artificial
intelligence (AI) and machine learning
and robotics to accelerate the pace of
materials discovery up to 10 times
faster.
Prelims and mains point: Mission
Integrated Biorefineries
19. Nutrition rating stars set to
appear soon on food pack labels.
Context:The Food Safety and Standards
notification on front-of-package labelling A
Authority of India(FSSAI) has issued a draftD
which proposes "Indian Nutrition
Rating"(INR) on food packets. AC
A S
I
This move is aimed at letting consumers
know the items with high salt, fat and sugar
SB
and to allow them to make informed choices
while purchasing them.
C
Indian Nutrition Rating(INR):
 The INR system rates the overall
nutritional profile for packaged food
by assigning it a rating from ½ % star
(least healthy) to 5 stars (healthiest).
 More stars indicate the food product
is better positioned to provide for the
daily human need of nutrients.
 The rating shall be displayed close in
proximity to the name or brand name
of the product on front of pack.
 To generate the star-rating logo for the
product, food businesses have to
submit nutritional profiles of the
Email :products
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
concerned on FSSAI's FoSCoS
(Food Safety Compliance System)
portal.
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The criteria for food Rating:
 Contribution of energy
 Content of saturated fat, sugar,
sodium, fruit and vegetables (FV), nuts,
legumes, and millets (NLM), dietary
fiber, and protein per 100 gm of solid
or 100 ml of liquid foods.

Y
Solid food with a score of more than 25
E M
will be given 0.5 stars and those with a
score less than minus 11 (-11) will get 5
stars.
Exempted Products from the star rating:
 Food such as milk and milk products,
whey, butter oil, ghee, vegetable oil
and fat, fresh and frozen fruit and
vegetables, fresh and frozen meat, egg,
fish, flour and sweeteners will not have
to display the star rating.
 Carbonated beverages without any
energy or sugar will also not be eligible
for declaring the rating.
20. Nasa's risk focus adds up and so
does the US Fed's.
Context: NASA is estimated to have invested
above $320 million in Dart (Double Asteroid
Redirection Test). It is the US space agency's
project to protect the planet from hitting any
asteroid headed for earth.
 NASA launched its Dart (Double
Asteroid Redirection Test) spacecraft in
November 2021 with Didymos in its
target sights.
 Didymos is a large asteroid which is
11 million km away. NASA iswww.csbias.com
planning
to hit the asteroid with Dart.
The use of Dart project:
 America's Dart project assures
everyone on the earth to save the world
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
from any such situation arising out of
the asteroid hitting the earth.
 It would coordinate with other space
agencies of the countries to execute the
mission in saving the earth.
The problems associated with such space
missions:
 Cost: The cost of the mission is huge
when compared to the probability of
an asteroid hitting the Earth.
 Alteration in data: Further, drones at
over 25,000 kmph may alter the
orbiter's speed and make it difficult for
NASA to detect and study.
 Probability: The probability for an
asteroid to hit the earth is very low. Till
now, Nasa knows of no asteroid or
comet that is on course to hit the earth.
 For example, last year Asteroid
Bennu's was estimated to crash into
AD
to happen. AC
Earth till 2300 CE. Its probability was
1 in 1,750 and it's still highly unlikely

S
However, Dart can be useful in the bad
A
I
times when such a situation arises.
Mains point:problems associated with
B
space weaponization.
S
C
21. ISRO eyeing 200th successful
launch of RH-200 sounding rocket
in a row.
Context: The Indian Space Research
Organization(ISRO) is planning the 200th
successful launch of the Rohini RH-200
sounding rocket in a row.
RH-200:
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 RH-200 is a part of the Rohini-sounding
rocket family used by the ISRO for
atmospheric studies. It has completed
198 consecutive successful flights so
far.
 Features: It is a two-stage rocket
capable of climbing to a height of 70
km bearing scientific payloads. The
first and second stages of RH-200 are
powered by solid motors.
 Note: The '200' in the name denotes the
diameter of the rocket in mm.
Sounding Rockets:
 Sounding rockets are usually one or
two-stage solid propellant rockets.
Y
They are primarily intended for
E M
probing the upper atmospheric
regions using rocket-borne

instrumentation.
They also serve as platforms for testing
prototypes of new components or
subsystems intended for use in launch
vehicles and satellites.
History of Sounding Rockets in India:
Source: ISRO
 The launch of the first sounding rocket
US made 'Nike Apache' from Thumba
near Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala in
1963 marked the beginning of the
Indian Space Programme.
 Later days saw the launching of two-
stage rockets imported from Russia (M-
100) and France (Centaure).
 In 1967, ISRO started launching a series
of its own sounding rockets named
www.csbias.com
Rohini from the Thumba Equatorial
Rocket Launching Station(TERLS).
 RH-75 was the first truly Indian-
sounding rocket which was followed
by RH-100 and RH-125 rockets.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022 CURRENT AFFAIRS
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 Currently, the RH200, RH300 MkII and  However, the manufacturers,
RH560 Mk-III rockets are operational. including companies like Samsung,
Prelims point : ISRO RH200 Xiaomi and Apple are worried about
the elevated costs and disruptions as
the move requires hardware changes.
22. AVGAS 100 LL, special aviation
fuel meant for piston engine NavIC;
aircrafts and Unmanned Ariel
Vehicles launched .
Context:The Ministry of Petroleum and
Natural Gas has launched indigenously-
developed AVGAS 100 LL.
AVGAS 100 LL:
 AVGAS 100 LL is a special aviation
fuel meant for piston engine aircrafts
and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
Currently, India is importing this  Y
NavIC, or Navigation with Indian


product from European countries.
Indian Oil Corporation(IOC) has
E M
Constellation is an independent stand-
alone navigation satellite system
indigenously-produced AVGAS 100

AD
LL at its Vadodara Refinery in Gujarat.
developed by the Indian Space
Research Organization(ISRO).


AC
This fuel is designed for use in turbo-
charged reciprocating piston engine
 NavIC was originally approved in
2006. It was expected to be completed
aircraft mainly used by Flying Training by late 2011 but only became

A S
Organisations(FTOs) and defence operational in 2018.

 I
forces for training pilots.
It is a higher-octane Aviation fuel
 NavIC consists of eight satellites and
covers the whole of India's landmass

SB
meeting the product specifications
with superior performance quality
C
standards as compared to imported
grades.
The significance of this development:
 The indigenous availability of AVGAS
100 LL will help reduce dependence
on imports and address the associated
logistical challenges.
 The country will be able to save
precious foreign exchange with the
inhouse availability of this product.
Prelims point:.AVGAS 100 LL
23. NavIC system: Why is the Centre
Email :promoting this home-grown
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
alternative to GPS.
Context: India is pushing tech giants to make
their smartphones compatible with its
NavIC system.
and up to 1,500 km from its boundaries.
NavIC used currently:
 Currently, NavIC's use is limited. It is
being used in public vehicle tracking
in India, for providing emergency
warning alerts to fishermen venturing
into the deep sea where there is no
terrestrial network connectivity, and for
tracking and providing information
related to natural disasters.
The NavIC work compared to other satellite
navigation systems like GPS:
 The main difference is the serviceable
area covered by these systems. GPS
caters to users across the globe and its
satellites circle the earth twice a day
www.csbias.com
while NavIC is currently for use in
India and adjacent areas.
 Moreover, like GPS, there are three
more navigation systems that have a
global coverage - Galileo from the

CSB IAS ACADEMY 119

 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
European Union, Russia-owned
GLONASS and China's Beidou.
 QZSS operated by Japan is another
regional navigation system covering
the Asia-Oceania region with a focus
on Japan.
India promoting NavIC:
 India says NavIC is conceived with the
aim of removing dependence on
foreign satellite systems for navigation
service requirements, particularly for
strategic sectors.
 Relying on systems like GPS and
GLONASS may not always be reliable
as those are operated by the defence
agencies of respective nations, and it
is possible that civilian services can be
degraded or denied.
Prelims and Mains point: .NavIC system
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laboratories and Indian Industry
Partners.
 Purpose: To neutralise low-altitude
aerial threats at short ranges.
 Features: The missile is propelled by a
dual-thrust solid motor. It also
incorporates a number of novel
technologies, including a miniaturised
Reaction Control System and integrated
avionics.
 Significance: VSHORAD is considered
extremely vital for the defence of any
major city or any strategically
important location. The present stock
with the Indian Army like the Air
Y
Defence Guns L-70 and the ZU-23 is
over four decades old and hence totally
M
obsolete.
E

AD
24. Successful Flight Tests of Very
Short Range Air Defence
System(VSHORADS) Missile by AC
DRDO.
A S
I
Context:The Defense Research and
Development Organization(DRDO) has

SB
conducted two successful test flights of the
Very Short Range Air Defense

C
System(VSHORADS).

A Very Short Range Air Defense

System(VSHORADS):
 VSHORADS is an indigenously
Email :designed and developed Man
csbiasacademy@gmail.com www.csbias.com
Portable Air Defence System
(MANPAD).
 Developed by: DRDO's Research
Center Imarat(RCI), Hyderabad in
collaboration with other DRDO

CSB IAS ACADEMY 120

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Environmental Science
1. Effecting the ban on single-use
plastics.
Context:The Ministry of Environment, Forest
and Climate Change has notified the Plastic
Waste Management Amendment Rules,
2021. Since July 1, 2022, India has banned
the manufacture, import, stocking,
distribution, sale, and use of single-use
plastic (SUP) items with low utility and high
littering potential.
Plastic Waste Management Amendment
Rules:
Y
 plastic Waste Management
(Amendment) Rules, 2021: The rules M
Source: NITI Aayog UNDP Handbook on
Plastic Waste Management
E
aim to prohibit the use of specific
single-use plastic items, which have
"low utility and high littering AD  Domestic Targets: It would help the
Government meet its targets in a more
potential" by 2022.
The significance of the new rules: AC effective way e.g., the latest deadline
for eliminating the single-use plastic


A S
Manage High Usage: India has more
than 1.3 billion people whose plastic 
waste is July 2022.
Ease of Trading: These norms seek to
I
usage has witnessed a considerable create a market for the sale, purchase

SB
rise in the pandemic times. New rules
will help manage the increasing
and sharing of EPR compliance
certificates on the lines of the carbon


C
demand of plastic and result in
decreasing plastic pollution.
Circular Economy: The rules seem to
evolve a circular economy in the
plastics sector by encouraging
recycling, sharing, leasing, trading and
safe disposal of the end-of-life plastic
materials.
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
. 

trading mechanism for mitigating
climate change.
Substitute promotion: The enhanced
penalties and stricter norms would
induce the manufacturers to shift to
more environmentally friendly
alternatives like jute.
 Landfill Reduction: The country is
witnessing a rise in landfill creation
especially across major cities like
Delhi, Mumbai etc. The Ghazipur
landfill in Delhi is soon expected to
surpass the height of Qutub Minar. The
promising provisions of new rules will
reduce their creation.
www.csbias.com
Other countries that banned SUPs:
Bangladesh became the first country to
ban thin plastic bags in 2002; New
Zealand banned plastic bags in July
2019. China had issued a ban on plastic

CSB IAS ACADEMY 121

 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
bags in 2020 with a phased
implementation.
The international commitment that led to
banning SUPs:
 India is a party to the United Nations
Environment Assembly (UNEA). India
has also signed a resolution to draw
up an agreement in the future that will
make it legally binding for signatories
to address the full life cycle of plastics,
from production to disposal.
 India also piloted a resolution on
single-use plastics pollution at the 4th
United Nations Environment
Assembly in 2019, recognising the
urgent need for the global community
to address this issue. This resolution
was adopted at the UN Environment
Assembly as an important step
forward.
Single-use plastics harmful: AD
 Pollution: Plastic bags pollute the
land and water, since they are AC
A S
lightweight, plastic materials can
travel long distances by wind and
water.
I in place to support the industry,

SB
Non-renewable: When plastic remains
in the environment for long periods of
C
time and does not decay, it turns into
microplastics - first entering our food
sources and then the human body.
 Energy intensive: Production of plastic
material is very energy intensive. They
require a lot of water for their
production.
 Threat to aquatic life: Being non-
recyclable, plastic bags end up in the
oceans. While they reach, they break
up into tiny little pieces and are
consumed by wildlife. Thereby
leading to health issues or even death.
Many animals also get entangled or
trapped in plastic bags.
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
 Harmful to human health: Toxic
chemicals from plastic bags can
damage the blood and tissues.
Frequent exposures can lead to
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cancers, birth defects, impaired
immune
The measures taken to enforce the ban on
SUPs:
 In an effort to empower citizens to help
curb the plastic menace, the Central
Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has
launched a grievance redressal
application.
 The Government has been taking
measures for awareness generation
towards the elimination of single-use
plastics. The awareness campaign has
brought together entrepreneurs and
start-ups, industry, Central, State and
Y
local Governments, regulatory bodies,
experts, citizen organisations, etc.
E M
The challenges in enforcing the ban on
SUPs:
 Issue of providing alternative
opportunities: Millions of workers are
involved in producing SUPs in
thousands of factories. In the past, no
attempts were made to rehabilitate
them. Similarly, no plan has been put

especially the MSME sector.
Unprepared for the ban: Consumers are
not ready to sacrifice convenience.
Most market surveys show that SUPs
are widely sold, and alternatives are
expensive or unavailable.
 Seeking extension: All India Plastic
Manufacturers Association (AIPMA) is
seeking an extension of 6-12 months on
the ban, citing issues like unavailability
of alternatives, economic infeasibility
and demand-supply gap, which will
increase the cost of their product
packaging.
Note: An extension of six months was already
granted to the industry, to transition
away from single-use plastic items
www.csbias.com
listed for phase-out.
To properly enforce the ban on SUPs:
 The solution to the plastic pollution
problem is not the responsibility of the
government alone, but of industries,
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
brands, manufacturers and most
importantly consumers,
 Greener alternatives to plastic may be
considered a sustainable option. For
example, compostable and
biodegradable plastic, etc.
Background point:
Single-Use Plastic (SUP) and magnitude of
its usage:
 It refers to plastic items that are used
once and discarded. The Plastic Waste
Management Rules, amended in 2021,
define single-use plastic as a plastic
item intended to be used once for the
same purpose before being disposed
of or recycled.
 There are different types of plastic:
PET, High-density Polyethylene, Low-
density Polyethylene, Linear low-
density polyethene (LLDPE), PVC,
Polypropylene and Styrofoam. AD
AC
A S
I 
SB
C provide essential goods. For example,
Types of Plastics and their Applications.
Source: NITI Aayog-UNDP Handbook
Sustainable Urban Plastic Waste
Management
Mains Point: :the ban on SUPs(single-use
plastics).
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
2. Fungi form a kingdom of life - they
show us how we all need others
to live
Context:The fungi and problems associated
with it.
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Fungi:
 They are neither plants nor animals.
They are a body of species. They vary
in size
 Y
Yeast, moulds, lichens, mushrooms,

E M
and conks or wood are types of fungi.
Fungi decompose matter. They also
perform a symbiotic role. Plants can
only synthesize nutrients from the soil

with the help of fungi.
Fungi are impacted by climate change,
use of chemicals, habitat loss, and
fragmentation.
Some fungi are critically endangered.
The uses of fungi:
 Some fungi cause diseases and some
Yeasts give us food preservation and
liquid sterilization technique.
Antibiotics come from moulds and
penicillin and statins from fungus.
Medicines needed for organ
transplants come from fungi.
To save fungi:
 The IUCN Red List should be applied
to fungi as well.
 They need to be added to flora and
fauna in environment legislation.
 Fungi are dependent on plants and
animals to grow. In order to preserve
fungi we should preserve those trees
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and animals.
 Fungal conservation is integral habitat
conservation.
Mains point:fungi and its uses
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
3. Microbes enable all life - and they
adapt constantly
Context:Microbes and issues related to
them.
Microbes
 They have the ability to respond to the
environment by constantly adapting to
the environment.
 Microbes have groups of molecules or
D
proteins that behave like sensors when
they see sugar and light. A 

they move in that direction. AC
They pass this information to cells and

taxis.
A S
This process of movement is called
 I
They have a photoreceptor that senses
SB
different molecules and light
wavelengths including infrared.

C
The problems with microbes:
Fertilisers entering into lakes allow
microbes to grow into algal blooms.
 Algal blooms expand very fast and
suck up nutrients and release viruses
and toxins which can poison animals.
Cyanobacteria:
 It is a type of microbe.
 They are blue-green in colour because
they have pigments which let them
absorb lights for photosynthesis.
 They have existed for about two
billion years and over the time they
Email :became mineralized.
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
Mains point:Biodiversity
4. Government pushes to coarse
cereals as climate change affects
wheat, paddy cultivation.
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Context:The Government of India is
considering pushing toward coarse cereals
as climate change is affecting wheat and
paddy cultivation.
Coarse Cereals:
 Coarse cereals are a broad sub-group
of several short-duration warm
weather (Kharif) crops such as Jowar
Y
(Sorghum), Bajra (Pearl Millet), Maize,
Ragi (Finger Millet) etc.

E M
They are used in food, fodder, fuel;
value added products and also fast
food products.
In India, coarse cereals are mainly
grown in poor agro-climatic regions,
particularly rainfed areas of the

country.
These crops are grown in areas with
high temperatures and are called
dryland crops because they can be
grown in areas with 50-100 cm rainfall.
 These crops are also less sensitive to
soil deficiencies and can be grown in
an inferior alluvial or loamy soil.
Coarse Cereals Production in India
 Coarse cereals have been sown in 17.63
million hectares in 2022 as against 16.93
million hectares in 2021.
 About 50 million tonnes of coarse
cereals are produced in the country at
present. Maize and millets are grown
the most.
 The major coarse cereals growing states
in India are Rajasthan, Maharashtra,
Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya
Pradesh and Gujarat. www.csbias.com
The Government shifting focus toward
coarse cereals:
 Climate change has affected the
production of wheat and paddy in the
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
country, indicating a need to shift focus
to coarse cereals.
 Coarse cereals have characteristics like
drought tolerance, photo-insensitivity
and resilience to climate change etc.
 The cost of cultivation of coarse cereals
is less compared to summer paddy
cultivation and also it requires a lesser
quantity of water for irrigation.
Mains point:coarse cereals as climate
change is affecting wheat and paddy
cultivation.
5. India's first-ever "Night Sky
Sanctuary" to be set up in Ladakh;
the proposed Dark Sky Reserve
will be completed at Hanle in
Ladakh within 3 months
Context: The Department of Science &
Technology (DST) has announced the setting
AD
Ladakh in the next three months.
India's First ever Dark Sky Reserve: AC
up of India's first Dark Sky Reserve in Hanle,
A S
I idea of climate reparation.
SB
C Reparations or compensation from the rich
 Located at: Hanle in Ladakh as a part
of Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary.
 To be Developed by: Ladakh
administration will work with Ladakh
Autonomous Hill Development
Council(LAHDC) and the Indian
Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) for
developing this reserve.
 Significance: The reserve will boost
Email :Astro
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
tourism in India and will be one
of the world's highest-located sites for
optical, infrared, and gamma-ray
telescopes.
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Dark Sky Reserve:
 A Dark Sky Reserve is a designation
given to a place that has policies in
place to ensure that a tract of land or
region has minimal artificial light
interference.
 The International Dark Sky Association
is a U.S.-based non-profit that
designates places as International Dark
Sky Places, Parks, Sanctuaries and
Reserves depending on the criteria they
meet. Several such reserves exist
around the world but none so far in
India.
The Hanle chosen for setting up Dark Sky
Reserve:
Y

E M
Hanle is best suited for the project as it
is located in Ladakh's cold desert
region with clear sky and dry weather
conditions throughout the year and
away from human disturbance.
Mains point: Dark Sky Reserve.
6. Difficult to implement, what is the
Context:Pakistan has been facing the worst
flooding disaster in its history. Due to this,
Pakistan has been demanding Climate
countries that are mainly responsible for
causing climate change.
Climate reparations:
 Climate reparations are about
rectifying climate injustice. It is a
framework where those most
www.csbias.com
responsible for climate change must
provide support to those who have
been wronged.
 This demand for climate reparations is
an extension of the universally
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
acknowledged "Polluter Pays"
principle. This principle makes the
polluter liable for paying not just for
the cost of remedial action, but also for
compensating the victims of
environmental damage caused by their
actions.
Historically responsible for Climate
Change:
 In the climate change framework, the
burden of responsibility falls on those
rich countries that have contributed
most of the greenhouse gas emissions
since 1850, generally considered to be
the beginning of the industrial age.
 The United States and the European
Union including the UK, account for
over 50% of all emissions during this
time.

too are included, the combined AD
If Russia, Canada, Japan, and Australia
two-thirds of all emissions.
AC
contribution goes past 65% or almost

A S
Historical responsibility is important
because carbon dioxide remains in the
I
atmosphere for hundreds of years, and
SB
it is the cumulative accumulation of
carbon dioxide that causes global
warming.
China:
C
The developing countries like India and
 A country like India, currently the third
largest emitter, accounts for only 3%
of historical emissions.
 China, which is the world's biggest
emitter for over 15 years now, has
contributed about 11% to total
emissions since 1850.
The institutional mechanisms for climate
finance:
 UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) (1994): It
Email :lays down the broad principles of the
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
global effort to fight climate change. It
explicitly acknowledges this
differentiated responsibility of
nations.
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 It makes it very clear that rich countries
must provide both finance and
technology to developing nations to
help them tackle climate change.
 It is this mandate that later evolved into
the $100 billion amount that the rich
countries agreed to provide every year
to the developing world.
 While this promise is yet to be met, this
$100 billion per year amount is not
meant for loss and damage.
 Warsaw International Mechanism
(WIM): The WIM for Loss and
Damages, was set up in 2013. It was the
first formal acknowledgement of the
Y
need to compensate developing
countries struck by climate disasters.

E M
However, the progress on this front has
been painfully slow. No funding
mechanism, or even a promise to
provide funds, has come about.
Developed countries provided funds for
Climate reparations:
 Developed countries are struggling to
even put together the $100 billion per
year flow that they had reluctantly

agreed to provide.
Further, loss and damage claims can
easily spiral into billions of dollars or
even more. According to a UN report,
annual funding requests related to
climate-linked disasters averaged $15.5
billion in the three-year period
between 2019 and 2021.
 The report also said that the United
States alone is estimated to have
inflicted more than $1.9 trillion in
damages to other countries due to its
emissions.
Mains point:Climate reparations
7. Delhi: How national clean air plan
has failed to make a dent" www.csbias.com
Context:An analysis by the Center for Science
and Environment(CSE) has found that there
is barely any difference in trends in
particulate matter pollution (PM2.5) between
the group of cities under the National Clean
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
Air Programme(NCAP) and those outside
its ambit.
The National Clean Air Programme
(NCAP):
 Launched in: 2019 by the Ministry of
Environment, Forests and Climate

Change(MoEFCC).
Aim: To bring a 20%-30% reduction in
AD
levels as a base year. AC
pollution levels from PM2.5 and PM10
particles by 2024, using 2017 pollution

A S
Cities covered: The program covers
I
132 of India's most polluted or so-
called non-attainment cities. This is
SB
defined as a city whose air quality did
not meet the national ambient air

C
quality standards from 2011 to 2015.
Funding: Under the programme, cities
are required to quantify improvement
starting 2020-21, which requires a 15%
and more reduction in the annual
average PM10 concentration and a
concurrent increase in "good air" days
to at least 200. Anything fewer will be
considered 'low' and the funding
consequently reduced.
 Note: For disbursing funds, the Central
Pollution Control Board(CPCB) only
considers levels of PM10, the relatively
larger, coarser particles. However,
Email :PM2.5, the smaller, more dangerous
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
particles, aren't monitored as robustly
in all cities mostly due to the lack of
equipment.
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The analysis of CSE on the NCAP
programme:
Y
E M
Source: TOI
 Performance of NCAP cities on PM2.5
levels (2019-21): Only 43 NCAP cities
have adequate PM 2.5 data for the
period 2019-2021.Out of this, only 14
of 43 (NCAP) cities registered a 10% or

more reduction in their PM2.5 levels.
On the other hand, out of 46 non-NCAP
cities with adequate data, 21 recorded
significant improvement in their
annual PM2.5 value with 5% or more

decline between 2019 and 2021.
Only about half of NCAP cities have
real-time monitoring: In 2019, only 51
out 132 NCAP cities had real-time
monitoring stations. The number grew
to 63 in 2021; six more NCAP cities have
installed real-time monitors in 2022 so
far.
Mains point:The National Clean Air
Programme(NCAP)
8. Battling Global Crises Locally"
Context:The difficulty in collective response
at international level, as seen in the case of
Covid and climate change. Thus,www.csbias.com
national
level policy responses are required to
compensate for it.
The challenges associated with collective
response at international level:
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
 Benefits of global public goods like
climate change are enjoyed by other
countries also due to its spillover
effects in terms of reduced global
warming.
 But the burden falls exclusively on
countries reducing emission levels,
they are not even incentivized to
reduce emissions. Thus, countries pass
on this responsibility to each other.
 The only way to solve the problem is
through international cooperation.
UNFCCC is an example of joint
understanding at international level.
The result has been significant yet
insufficient progress toward reducing
the danger of global warming.
The current challenges faced by the existing
global framework to fight climate change
collectively:
 According to its latest IPCC AD
assessment, beyond 2020, the world
AC
can add only another 500 billion metric
A S
tons of carbon to the existing stock. It
will cap the increase in temperature at
I
1. 5°C above its pre-industrial level.

SB
But China, US, EU, UK, India, Russia
and Japan alone would end up adding
594 billion metric tons of carbon to the
C
atmosphere before bringing their net
emission to zero under their nationally
determined commitments.
 The US and EU-28 account for more
than 45% of the existing carbon stock
in the atmosphere. They have less than
15% share in the world population and
have the highest living standards in the
world.
 Therefore, the remaining carbon space
of 500 billion metric tons can be
allocated to poorer nations.
The collective global response against
Covid pandemic:
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 Given its global public goods nature,
no single country could eradicate the
infection fully on its own because there
was threat of its reappearance as long
as the virus remained active in other
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countries. Therefore, it was beneficial
for countries that discovered vaccines
against coronavirus to share it with
other countries. Yet, there was limited
response to it.
The suggestions for countries:
 When it comes to global public goods,
countries must take supplementary
actions at the national level to
compensate for suboptimal actions at
the international level.
 According to a recent book by public
servants.
 India must expand its production of
solar and wind energy. It will not just
Y
meet its NDC obligations but also to
E M
satisfy the extra demand for Air
conditioning that would arise from
emission-induced increases in
temperatures. States will have to play
a critical role in promoting climate
resilient livestock production, climate-
smart agriculture and water

conservation.
Response to pandemic will have to
become an integral part of future
disaster risk management strategy of
India. It will have to include
developing systems to minimise the
spillover effects of epidemics from
outside of national borders.
Mains point:Environmental Pollution and
Degradation.
9. The governance model to take on
climate change.
Context:The collaborative governance model
needed to manage the ongoing transition in
the world economy.
There scepticism about the government's
ability to lead the transition:
 Polarisation and authoritarian
populism have undermined the
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capacity of societies to mount collective
action at local and international levels.
 Government has neither sufficient
information nor the capabilities
necessary to achieve positive structural
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
change in the economy. If given too
much power, they will direct resources
toward the wrong places. They will
promote special interests.
The policy challenges on climate:
 Governance is difficult here. The
regulations must not only be effective
at the national level, they also must be
negotiated globally among states with
different interests and circumstances.
The Montreal protocol successful in
comparison with UNFCCC:
 Both have similar challenges because
both involve significant scientific and
technological uncertainty. There are
also major differences among the
positions of advanced and developing
economies. This is the reason why
UNFCCC took Montreal protocol as its
model.
Case of Montreal protocol- Montreal AD

which ODS emitting firms joined AC
Protocol created sectoral committees in
A S
national regulators and scientists in
seeking technological alternatives.
 I
These groups multiplied as
SB
knowledge was accumulated,
capabilities were acquired and trust
 C
was built among parties.
This approach worked because the
problem solving was devolved to local
actors called firms with the requisite
technological know-how.
 Case of UNFCCC- Under the climate
regime, firms have been kept at arm's
length from regulators. This has
created conflicts of interest and
hampered innovation.
The other successful examples:
 There are examples like the US
Advanced Research Projects Agency-
Energy (ARPA-E) Ireland's
agricultural-pollution regime.
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
 In each case, ground level
experimentation is coupled with
higher level goal setting.
 At the local level, the most successful
initiatives took the form of private-
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public collaborations. They bring
together training programs,
businesses, non-profit groups and
public officials.
The proper strategy:
 We should start out with ambitious,
somewhat ill-defined goals. Program
leaders must acknowledge deep
uncertainty and hence the likelihood of
mistakes.
 We must use a carrot and stick
approach. There must be incentives for
the parties with the most detailed and
accurate information. There must also
be a threat of regulation.

Y
There is a need for frequent
E M
reassessments and revisions, setting
milestones and monitoring progress.
When solutions do emerge, they can be
generalised in the form of standards or
regulations.
 This kind of policy making differs from
current approaches. The 'state versus
market' dichotomy is simply
irrelevant. States and markets are
complementary. The standard top-
down, principal-agent model of
regulation is not useful.
Mains point:the governance model to take
on climate change.
10. Cheetahs will do well as India has
a history of their Presence.
Context:The government action plan for
African Cheetah reintroduction to Kuno
National Park.
 Eight African Cheetahs will be
reintroduced to Kuno national park.
 The last Cheetah was recorded in 1947.
After independence, it became extinct.
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The plan for the Cheetah reintroduction to
Kuno:
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 The cheetahs will be first released in
large fenced areas for adapting to the
new environment. They will be fitted
with satellite collars to track their
AD

movements.
AC
After a short stay, they will be released
into a large enclosure to make them
S
familiar with the new environment.
A
I
Here they will remain for around a
month before being released into the

wild.
SB
Their movements will be monitored by
C
researchers.
The issues related to reintroduction:
 The animals being brought are
southeast African Cheetah. It is a
different subspecies from Asiatic
Cheetah.
 Instead of being allowed to run wild,
they will be held up in tightly
controlled Kuno national park.
 Earlier plans to relocate Asiatic lions
from Gujarat to Kuno national park
were not successful.
 Other cats will have to be removed
first. Recently, leopards entered
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
enclosures meant for Cheetah into
Kuno national park.
 It will have to survive alongside tigers
and leopards. The habitat of cheetahs
is totally different from that of tigers
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and leopards. Cheetahs thrive in
grasslands while tigers and leopards
survive in dry deciduous forests.
The factors favouring its reintroduction:
 It can survive in Indian habitats. Kuno
is the same place where cheetahs once
existed. The area has grasslands and
forest habitats appropriate for this
species.
 African and Indian cheetahs have little
genetic difference.
The reintroduction of the species:
 Bringing back cheetahs will restore the
historic evolutionary balance. Dryland
ecosystems of India will have a chance
Y
to return to their natural state as it is

E M
the flagship species of grasslands.
It will also uplift the livelihood of the
indigenous forest communities. It will
increase tourism as India is the only

country where all the six big cat species
are found.
In saving the cheetah, grassland-
dependent species like caracal, which

are on the brink, will also be saved.
Project Cheetah will boost the
ecosystem and biodiversity where it
will live.
The needs to be done:
 Other cats that are extinct like caracals
also need attention.
 We need to focus upon other Indian
animals like great Indian bustards and
vultures.
 Cheetah conservation can be used for
consolidation of grassland and
shrubland that are languishing.
Mains point:About species reintroduction.
11. Climate change as business: Crisis,
opportunity and everything in
between.
www.csbias.com
Context:There is a need to take steps towards
climate change and adopt net zero emission
targets as soon as possible.
 This net zero target will not only have
a positive impact on the climate but it
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
will also change the economic
activities of the nation.
The net zero goal change the economy:
 It will help in transformational
economic change through massive
investment.
 This change will be seen in almost
every major industry and it will also
give a boost to businesses like solar
panels and batteries amongst others.
 For example, new hydrogen pipeline
grids may supplement existing ones
for gas and oil, and charging stations
could be found everywhere.
 Therefore, net zero target has led to the
opportunity for new businesses.
The climate change has led to different
business opportunities:
 Reliance has asked the Gujarat
government for 1,800 sq km of land in
AD

Kutch for its green energy project.
AC
Public sector companies like Indian Oil
and NTPC, Larsen & Toubro and
A S
ReNew Power, among others, are also
opportunities. I
in the race to catch the new

SB
Ola has already taken advantage of e-
scooters.
 C
Investment by big companies now
focuses on electric cars and scooters,
electric traction for the railways, and
scaling up of solar and wind energy
farms.
 Even though climate change brings
new opportunities for businesses,
there are many businesses that will
suffer.
 Businesses like travel and hospitality,
office-wear market, cinema halls and
commercial real estate are some of the
businesses that will suffer because of
the change in human activities.
Email : csbiasacademy@gmail.com
The climate change will impact human
activities:
 Digitization, virtual communication
and data revolution will help in
decarbonizing human activities.
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 This will lead to a change in the
traditional methods of communicating
or living.
 For example, daily travel will be
changed with virtual meetings and
offline education with online
education, etc. These will have impacts
on long-term lifestyle changes.
Mains point:Climate Change.
12. Reducing air pollution: Stubble
burning needs economic solutions.
Context:As the paddy-harvesting season is
near, none of the northern rice-growing states
seems to have a workable strategy in place
Y
to prevent farmers from burning crop
E M
residues. This might aggravate air pollution
in the National Capital Region in October-
November.
The stubble burning:
 Stubble burning refers to the practice
of farmers setting fire to plant debris
that remain in farms after harvest.
 Stubble burning is practised
predominantly by farmers in north
India.
 It is to be noted that, before the 1980s,
farmers used to till the remaining
debris back into the soil after
harvesting the crops manually.
The farmers resort to stubble burning:
Advent of the Green Revolution: It resulted
in increased production of rice and wheat
which simultaneously increased stubble
post-harvest.
 Mechanised harvesting: Machines
used in combined harvesting
technique is not efficient as they leave
behind one-foot-tall stalks.
 Economic reason: Due to the limited
time period of 20-25 days between
harvesting one crop and sowing
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another, Stubble burning offered a low-
cost and speedy solution to farmers.
The negative impacts of Stubble burning:
 Source for toxic gases: It releases
harmful gases including nitrogen oxide
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
and carbon monoxide into the
atmosphere.
 Air pollution: It creates vast smoke
blankets across the Indo-Gangetic
Plains. As per TERI (The Energy and
Resources Institute) report, in 2019 the
air pollution in New Delhi and other
parts of north India was 20 times higher
than the safe threshold level as
prescribed by the World Health
Organization.
 Impact on crop production: It degrades
soil fertility, destroys organic
fertilizers and reduces ground water
levels.
 Impact on Health: Stubble burning
during a pandemic could worsen the
situation by making lungs weaker and
people more susceptible to disease.
The Steps taken to control stubble burning:
Laws & Regulations AD
 In 2013, the Punjab government-
imposed a ban on stubble burning.AC

A S
Later, in 2015, the National Green
I
Tribunal imposed a ban on stubble
burning in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh,

SB
Haryana and Punjab.
Stubble burning is an offence under
C
Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code
and the Air (Prevention and Control of
Pollution) Act of 1981.
Technological intervention
 To control stubble burning, the NGT
directed the government to assist
farmers by obtaining equipment like
happy seeders and rotavators.
Setting up of independent Commissions
 Recently, in Aditya Dubey v. Union of
India, the Supreme Court appointed a
one-man committee under Justice
Madan B. Lokur to monitor and
provide steps to prevent stubble
Email :burning
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activities in Punjab, Haryana
and U.P. Haryana.
 Presently, a permanent commission
for air quality management was set up
by the Union government through an
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ordinance. It will replace the Justice
Madan B. Lokur Commission.
The way forward:
 Setting up Custom Hiring Centres: it
will facilitate farmers removing stubble
by providing them with machinery
such as the happy seeder, rotavator,
paddy straw chopper, etc.
 Innovative solutions: For example, the
Union government is testing an
innovative method, the PUSA
Decomposer. It helps the paddy straw
to decompose at a much faster rate
than usual.
 Technological innovations can offer a
Y
better solution for problems like
E M
stubble burning. The application of
happy seeders and super SMS
machines along with innovative
solutions like PUSA Decomposer will
not only reduce air pollution bur also
increase soil fertility and agricultural
productivity
Mains point: Stubble burning needs
economic solutions
13. The 'triple dip' La Niña, and its
likely impact in India.
Context:The World Meteorological
Organization(WMO) is predicting that the
current La Niña phase will likely continue
for the next six months, making it a Triple
dip La Nina.
El Nino and La Nina:
 El Nino and La Nina, which mean 'the
boy' and 'the girl' in Spanish, are
mutually opposite phenomena.
 La Niña refers to the phase in which
sea-surface temperatures are cooler
than normal. The warmer phase is
known as El Niño.
 Together they constitute what is known
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as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation
system, or ENSO for short.
 Normally, El Nino and La Nina occur
every four to five years. El Nino
episodes occur more frequently and are
usually associated with more impactful
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
weather events. La Niña, on the other
hand, has a longer run.
AD
AC
A S
I
SB
La Nina and El Nino impact the Indian
monsoon:

C
El Niño years in India have witnessed
extreme heat and below-normal
rainfall levels during monsoon, even
though El Niño might not be the only
factor or even have direct links to them.
In 2014, an El Niño year, India received
12% deficient rainfall from June to
September.
 On the other hand, La Nina years are
known to favour the Indian summer
monsoon. This year, India has received
740.3 mm of rainfall, quantitatively 7%
higher than the seasonal average till
Email :August
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
30.
Triple Dip La Nina:
 'Triple Dip' La Niña is a period where
the La Niña period extends for up to
three consecutive winters.
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 For instance, the La Niña phenomenon
started building up in September 2020
and will continue for another six
months. There is a 70% chance of this
phenomenon to continue from
September to November 2022 and a
55% chance of it continuing through
December 2022 - February 2023.
Its impact:
 The continuance of La Niña further into
2023 is not bad news from the Indian
standpoint. But it is not the same for
many other regions where La Niña has
very different impacts.
 In most parts of the United States, for
Y
example, La Niña is associated with
very dry winters. In Australia and
E M
Indonesia, and generally in the tropical
region, La Niña is expected to bring

more rainfall.
The excessive rainfall in Pakistan,
which is experiencing its worst
flooding disaster, can also be blamed
in part on La Niña.
Mains point: Triple Dip La Nina:
14. The failure of safety norms.
Context:The reason behind the incident of
fire at a hotel in Telangana and the steps that
need to take place to prevent such accidents.
The reasons behind the fire accident:
 There was absence of set-back spaces
and escape routes.
 Fire Fighting equipment was defunct.
 Spiral staircase around the elevator
shaft.
 The basement was utilised illegally for
commercial purposes.
 Absence of smoke management and
emergency lighting.
The issues with fire safety norms of the state
government: www.csbias.com
 The Building Registration Scheme of
the state government allowed builders
to circumvent the norms.
 Applicability of fire safety norms is
another issue. Only buildings above a
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CSB IAS ACADEMY
certain height are required to seek
safety clearance.
The needs to be done:
 Amendment to fire safety norms to
include all commercial buildings
irrespective of their height within the
ambit of fire safety norms.
 There should be proper enforcement
of fire safety norms.
15. The seed of idea: How millets can
help mitigate climate impacts on
food.
Context:The need for increasing millet
production in the context of climate change.
It also discusses the methods to improve the
yield of millet.
The impacts of climate change:
 Climate change is impacting
AD
agriculture production, food stability

and nutritional security.
AC
Increasing temperature, erratic rainfall
S
and prolonged drought are having
A
severe effects on plant growth. It is
I
causing shorter grain filing periods,
reduced yield and biomass of grains.

SB
However, Indian agriculture needs to
safeguard the nutritional requirements
C
of over a billion people. Thus,
growing millets can be a way forward.
The benefits of promoting millets:
 Nutritional benefits- They are a rich
source of macronutrients and
micronutrients like calcium, protein
and iron.
 They have a low glycemic index that
prevents type 2 diabetes.
 They can help to prevent
cardiovascular diseases, lower blood
pressure.
 Climate resilient- They have higher
Email :photosynthetic efficiency. Their
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
potential yield is unaffected by higher
carbon dioxide levels.
 Water efficient- They require less
water. It is about one-third of rice,
wheat and sugarcane.
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 Cultural significance-Millets have a
rich cultural history in India. They have
been a traditional source of nutrition
for southern and northeastern India. In
rainfed farming areas, millet
cultivation provides livelihood to 50%
of tribal and rural population.
The market scenario for millets:
 It is overall positive.
 MSP for millets has been continuously
increasing.
 India declared 2018 as the "National
year of millets".
 2023 was declared as the "International
year of millets" by the UN.
The way forward: Y

E M
We have to enhance millet cultivation.
There is a need to increase crop area

under millet cultivation.
We need to research programmes to
develop seeds for millets that are high-
yielding, stress-resistant, have higher
biomass and nutritional value.
 These varieties need to be popularised
through frontline demonstration and
extension activities.
 Millets should be included in PDS
(Public Distribution System).
 There is a need to promote agribusiness
startup incubation centres and increase
popular awareness of benefits of
millets among consumers.
 We need to have a national regulatory
policy and institutional framework to
bolster the entire value chain for
millets.
Mains point:Adaptation to climate change.
16. Burning fuel to carry fuel: Govt's
ethanol programme to face
transport challenges.
Context:The need to have a newwww.csbias.com
logistical
arrangement for transporting ethanol. It also
proposes solutions for transporting it.
 India's ethanol production for blending
with petrol has soared to an estimated
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450 crore litres in the current 2021-22
supply year.
 The government has set the target of
20 per cent blending by 2025-26 that is
projected at 1,016 crore litres by NITI
Aayog. It is creating new logistical
challenges.
The logistical challenges:
 Currently, the entire quantity of
ethanol is being transported by road
on truck-tankers. Carrying the
projected 1,016 crore litres would
require about 3.5 lakh tankers.
 This will prove very costly. It will also
result in greenhouse gas emissions of
around 76 million tonnes.
The needs to be done:
 The government can consider
alternative options for ethanol
movement, including through
AD

and ferries in coastal areas.
AC
dedicated pipelines, rail tank wagons
They can also look at the RORO (roll-
A S
on/roll-off) model of moving ethanol
 I
truck-tankers themselves by rail.
In Brazil, the entire movement of oil
SB
and ethanol is through pipelines,
railway and coastal ships.

C
There is no need for dedicated
pipelines for ethanol. We can use
multi-product pipelines.
 There is a need for precautions because
ethanol is a solvent that dissolves the
gums formed in gasoline and
accumulated in tanks. We need to have
filters in fuel hose pipes to resolve this
issue.
Mains point:Ethanol blending programme.
17. Explained | Shifting monsoon
patterns.
Context:The India Meteorological
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Department (IMD) has said that the
monsoon has begun to retreat from
Rajasthan.
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The Monsoon withdrawal:
 The monsoon is a sea breeze that has
consistently landed in the Indian sub-
continent for thousands of years.
 It enters mainland India between the
last week of May and the first week of
June - through June 1 is its official onset
date over Kerala.
 The IMD only counts the rainfall
between June 1 and September 30 as
monsoon rainfall. This doesn't mean
that the monsoon system ceases to pour
rain over India from October 1.
 In fact, monsoon-related rain can
continue well into the first fortnight of
Y
October and only really retreats from

E M
India by late October.
It is then replaced by the retreating, or
northeast monsoon in November
which is the key source of rainfall for
several parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh and north interior Karnataka.
The monsoon withdraw:
 The monsoon begins its withdrawal
from the last State it reaches, which is
Rajasthan.
 Around September 15, cyclonic
systems from the Arabian Sea and the
Bay of Bengal that fuels the monsoon
from June-September are replaced by
an 'anticyclone' circulation which
means dry, windless conditions start to
prevail over western and northern
India.
 Monsoon rainfall in India has been
surplus by around 7% this year though
with extreme inequity.
 Central and southern India saw a sharp
surge in rainfall. Rains in Central India
were surplus by 20% and in southern
India by 25%, with the last month seeing
several instances of flooding in Kerala,
Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. www.csbias.com
 On the other hand, large parts of the
U.P, Bihar, and Odisha have seen large
deficits. The east and northeast of India
have reported a 17% shortfall and the
northwest 2%.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022 CURRENT AFFAIRS
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The excessive rains in Southern and Central  IUCN Status: Least Concern
India:
 These heavy rains are due to La Nina,
the converse phenomenon of El Nino
and characterised by cooler than
normal sea surface temperatures in the
central Pacific.
 While El Ninas are linked to reduced
rains over India, La Ninas indicate
surplus rainfall.
 India is seeing an extended spell of the
La Nina, called a 'triple dip' La Nina Nanjarayan Tank Bird Sanctuary:
which is a phenomenon lasting across  Nanjarayan Tank, a biodiversity
three winter seasons in the Northern hotspot has recently been announced
Hemisphere. This is only the third time as the 17th bird sanctuary of Tamil
since 1950 that a triple-dip La Nina has
been observed.
Nadu.
Y
Nanjarayan Tank, also known as Sarkar

M
Periyapalayam Reservoir, is located on
E
the outskirts of Tirupur city near
18. Broad-billed sandpiper spotted for
the first time at Nanjarayan tank
bird sanctuary. AD Koolipalayam about 60 kilometres
from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
Context:Broad-billed sandpiper (Calidris
AC
falcinellus) has been spotted for the first time
 The tank was built by the then-local
King Nanjarayan as a source for

Nadu.
A S
at Nanjarayan tank bird sanctuary in Tamil irrigation and is a haven for migratory
birds.
a Broad-billed sandpiper: I
SB 19. Thamirabarani: Govt, ATREE
adopt 'hyper local' approach to

C restore one of south Asia's oldest

rivers"
Context:The district administration of
Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu along with
Bengaluru-based non-profit Ashoka Trust for
Research in Ecology and the Environment
(ATREE) are using a 'hyper local' approach
to restore the Thamirabarani River.
The Thamirabarani River:
 Broad-billed sandpiper is a migratory
bird species found in Northern
Europe, particularly in the Nordic
Countries such as Norway, Sweden,
Finland, and in Siberia.
Email :The
 bird spends its non-breeding
csbiasacademy@gmail.com www.csbias.com
season foraging on insects and
crustaceans in the shallow waters and
mud flats, mostly in the coastal belt of
the eastern part of Africa, South Asia  Thamirabarani is the only perennial
and Southeast Asia. river in Tamil Nadu.

CSB IAS ACADEMY 136

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 It originates in the Pothigai Hills of the
Western Ghats in Tirunelveli district.
 The river flows through Tirunelveli
and then neighbouring Thoothukudi
and ends in the Gulf of Mannar at
Punakayil. It thus originates and ends
in the same state.
 Significance: The river supports
wildlife such as the Nilgiri marten,
slender loris, lion-tailed macaque,
white spotted bush frog, galaxy frog,
Sri Lankan Atlas moth and the great
hornbill.
 Besides the ecosystem services it
provides, the river also has historical
value for the people of the state. It is
mentioned extensively in Sangam Era
literature.
 Threats: The river is stressed because
of industrial effluent release, sewage
and water hyacinth. Initial study AD
due to industrial discharge and the
AC
suggests that the river gets polluted
A S
dumping of solid waste, especially in
the form of clothes and flowers by
devotees.
I which could increase with glacier melt

SB
The TamiraSES project:
District administration of Tirunelveli
C
in Tamil Nadu along with Bengaluru-
based non-profit ATREE Launched
the project
 To restore the Social Ecological
Systems of the Tamiraparani
riverscape from head-waters to the
estuary to enable conditions for native
biodiversity to thrive and maintain
and enhance multiple ecosystem
services to local stakeholders.
 Five social ecological observatories
will be set up as part of the first phase
of the project. These will serve as
pilots to scale up from the learnings
from these sites.
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 The idea is to rejuvenate not just the
Thamirabarani but all the water bodies
in the riverscape of Tirunelveli.
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20. How climate change is
threatening Himalayan
hydropower projects.
Context:According to a study, more than 650
hydropower projects planned or under
construction in the Himalayan region are at
risk from hazards related to melting glaciers.
The study on Hydropower projects in the
Himalayas:
 Hydropower as a low-carbon source of
energy is projected to play an
important role in meeting the rising
energy demands in South Asia.
 Y
For instance, hydropower potential in
E M
the Himalayas are mostly untapped
with 650-odd projects representing

around 260 gigawatts of power.
However, these hydropower projects
are facing hazardous threats due to
climate change. These hazards include
landslides, rock-ice avalanches, debris
flow and lake outburst floods, all of
and slope destabilization.
 For example, the avalanche-triggered
flood in Chamoli, Uttarakhand in
February last year destroyed two
hydropower projects.
 Global warming is also expected to
lead to more glacier melt and extreme
precipitation events in the region.
Increased development in the
mountains could also aggravate risks.
 The biggest threat may be lake outburst
floods including landslide-driven lake
outbursts and glacial lake outburst
floods (GLOFS).
Note: GLOFS refer to the sudden release of
water from a lake formed by glacial
melt.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
Glacial burst:
 Retreating glaciers usually result in
the formation of lakes at their tips.
These lakes are called proglacial lakes.
These proglacial lakes are often bound
by sediments, boulders, and moraines.
 If the boundaries of these lakes are
A
breached, then flooding will take place
D software update in May this year, it has
AC
downstream of that glacial lake. This
is called a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood

or GLOF.
A S
The occurrence of GLOF will release a
I
significant amount of water retained in
a glacial lake. A large amount of water
SB
rush down to nearby streams and
rivers (like the recent glacial burst that
C
flooded the Rishiganga river). This
further gathers momentum by picking
up sediments, rocks, and other
materials on the way.
 In conclusion, GLOF will result in
large-scale flooding downstream.
These GLOFs have three major
characteristics. They are,
1. There will be a sudden release of water
and sometimes this might be cyclic in
nature.
2. GLOFs are generally rapid events.
They can range from a few hours to
days.
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3. GLOFs result in large downstream
discharges in the river. (This often
depends on the amount of glacial lake
size, level of the breach in the
boundary of the glacial lake, etc).
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21. Dvorak: How this cyclone intensity
estimation technique has helped
save millions of lives
Context: The American meteorologist
Vernon Dvorak passed away at the age of
100. In the era of advanced satellite
technology, Machine Learning (ML),
Artificial Intelligence (AI), this key technique,
named after him, continues to be widely
relied upon by forecasters till date.
Vernon Dvorak
 Dvorak was an American
meteorologist best credited for
developing the Dvorak (read as Do-
Y
rak) technique in the early 1970s. The
E M
technique has been upgraded multiple
times since then, and after a recent
been named the Advanced Dvorak
Technique (ADT), coined by the
National Hurricane Centre of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA).
The updated technique, the American
meteorologists had said, would
improve the tropical storm forecasts by
many folds as they would have access
to sharper and detailed images than

ever before.
Advanced Dvorak Technique(ADT) is
a widely used system to estimate
tropical cyclone intensity. This
technique utilises the available satellite
images obtained from polar-orbiting
satellites to examine the features of the
developing tropical storms (hurricanes,
cyclones and typhoons).
 During the daytime, images in the
visible spectrum were used while at
night, the ocean would be observed
using infrared images.This technique
cannot help make any predictions, or
measure wind or pressure orwww.csbias.com
any other
meteorological parameters associated
with the cyclone. But it is a guide to
estimate the storm's intensity and
possible intensification.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
Importance: The Dvorak technique, said to
be one of the greatest meteorological
innovations, has undergone several
advancements since its inception. Even in
the present day, when forecasters have access
to several state-of-the-art tools like model
guidance, animations, artificial intelligence,
machine learning and satellite technology,
it is the advanced versions of the 50-year-
old technique that continues to be widely
used. It has saved the lives of millions of
people across the world and will continue
to do so.
Prelims point:Advanced Dvorak Technique
22. What is the solution to India's
garbage disposal problem?
Context: There is a garbage problem
everywhere around the country. Companies
make the product but they are unable to take
AD
this garbage back to the recycling plants due
to the low cost of the packaged material.
 AC
A consumption tax based on concrete
A S
aspects of sustainability, and its local
devolution, would create the right
I
incentives for a scientific analysis of
B
garbage and the logistics of its
S
disposal.

C
In a large consumer goods (FMCG)
company's most recent annual report,
it is stated that of every 100 rupees
spent on the company's products, Rs.
5 are lost in vehicle emissions and Rs.
8 are spent on the packages we hold in
our hands.
 Because the products have a lengthy
shelf life and can survive heat,
sunshine, and severe handling during
transportation, this packaging is
necessary. Following use, customers
toss the product in the trash, which is
visible littering the road and clogging
drains. Different laws, nevertheless,
Email :are
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
in place to deal with the issue.
Government steps to address the issue
 Despite having several laws, the
government does not enforce them.
The law states that the ultimate
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manufacturers (UMs) of plastic are in
charge of gathering and processing
garbage.
 They must establish collecting systems
and collaborate with local and state
governments as well as the pollution
control boards. It will make sure the
garbage gets to the producers and
recyclers.
 However, the connected economy has
prevented this system from
succeeding. For instance, Rs 8 out of
every 100 was spent on packing the
product, whereas the materials for
packaging only cost about Rs 1.

Y
Even with the most cutting-edge
recycling equipment, the final
E M
producer would only consider the trash
in our hands to be worth less than 50
pence. Therefore, returning the
garbage to the producer is just not cost-

effective.
This makes the last mile options for our
recycling system-garbage dumps,
ragpickers, and neighbourhood
kabaddi shops-necessarily the only
ones available.
 A reasonable amount of money can be
imposed as a sustainability tax on a
product's packaging and transportation
costs. The administration of this tax and
its transmission to the districts and
towns are simple.
 This would give the business a sizable
sum to deal with their rubbish disposal
issue. A consumption tax based on
sustainability would therefore provide
the proper incentives for a scientific
investigation of waste and the logistics
of its disposal.
 Additionally, it will produce a
collection of expert businesses that
specialise in this industry and offer
their services to hundreds ofwww.csbias.com
cities and
towns.
Mains Point: Garbage disposal problem in
India : Solutions ahead discuss
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 SEPTEMBER 2022 CURRENT AFFAIRS
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23. MoHUA to launch 'Swachh

Toycathon', a unique competition
to make toys from 'Waste'
 Swachh Toycathon is a convergence
between the National Action Plan for
Toys (NAPT) and Swachh Bharat
Mission phase two(SBM 2.0). With a
major objective of using waste in the
manufacture of toys.
 Ministry of Housing and Urban
Affairs(MoHUA) has launched the
"Swachh Toycathon" under the Swachh
Amrit Mahotsav. The major focus will
be on bringinging efficient designs to
replicate larger scale manufacturing and
the toys produced should meet all the Y
safety standards and aesthetics should
be maintained. The Center for Creative
E M
Learning, IIT Gandhinagar is the
knowledge partner for the initiative.
AD


A
Gandhinagar is the knowledge partnerC
The Center for Creative Learning, IIT

for the initiative.

Prelims point:Swachh Toycathon
A S
I
SB
24. Dibang hydel project: Arunachal
says no land for national park, NGT
drops its own case
C
Context:In February this year, the NGT took
"suo motu notice" of a report in The Indian
Express on six mega projects that did not
comply with stringent clearance conditions
imposed to compensate for their high
environmental impact.
 National Green Tribunal (NGT) has
dismissed the case it took up suo motu
on the grant of forest clearance for the
3000-MW Dibang hydel project without
meeting the precondition of declaring a
National Park.
 The NGT did so after it was informed
by Arunachal Pradesh that the local
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people are not willing to part with their
land for the declaration of National Park.

CSB IAS ACADEMY 140

 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
Miscellaneous
1. PIN code @50 years
Context:The 75th Independence Day
coincides with another milestone in the
country's history - it was on August 15, 1972,
that the Postal Index Number(PIN) was
introduced in India.
As the PIN Code turns 50 this year, let us
look at the history of PIN Code:
The PIN Code introduced:
 At the time of independence, there
were 23,344 post offices primarily in
urban areas in India. But, the country
was growing rapidly, and the postal
network had to keep pace.
 The PIN code was then introduced to
A
ease the process of mail sorting andD
C
delivery in a country where different
A
places, often, have the same or similar
names and letters written in a wide
variety of languages.
A S
The PIN Code work:
 I
The PIN is made up of six digits. The
B
first number indicates the postal
S
region - Northern, Eastern, Western,
C
Southern; and the number 9, which
signifies the Army Postal Service. The
second number denotes a sub-region,
and the third represents the sorting
district. The remaining numbers
narrow the geography further to the
specific post office making the
delivery.
The person behind the PIN Code initiative:
 The person behind the initiative was
Shriram Bhikaji Velankar, an
additional secretary in the Union
Ministry of Communications and a
senior member of the Posts and
Email :Telegraphs Board.
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
 Note: Shriram Velankar was also a
Sanskrit poet of eminence who had
been conferred the President's Award
for Sanskrit in 1996. One of his most
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important books of his was Viloma
Kavya which is considered a literary
masterpiece because it comprises
verses in praise of Lord Rama when
read from one side and, when read
backwards, it transformed into verses
dedicated to Lord Krishna.
The PIN Code still relevant:
 In today's world where emails have
replaced letters, and WhatsApp,
Instagram and other social media
Y
platforms have become means of
E M
communication, one may think that the
'pin code' does not hold the same

relevance.
However, as more and more e-
commerce platforms, couriers and food
delivery services set up shop, the pin
code is still required to avoid
duplication and identify the correct
address.
Prelims and Mains point: Importance of
PINCODE in connecting the world
2. Online portal "E-Baal Nidan" for
redressal of grievances against
violation of child rights revamped
Context:To facilitate much better in resolving
the grievances against violation of child
rights portal E -BaaL Nidan has been
enhanced as per supreme court
observations..National Commission for
Protection of Child Rights(NCPCR) has
added several new features to the "E-Baal
Nidan" portal.
E-Baal Nidan Portal
 National Commission for Protection of
Child Rights(NCPCR) in 2015
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launched the portal E-Baal Nidan. Any
person can register a complaint
reporting any violation committed
against a child in this portal.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 Complainants can track the status of
the complaint from the portal time to
time. In order for the State
Commissions for Protection of Child
Rights (SCPCRs) to evaluate the
complaints submitted to the portal and
take appropriate action, NCPCR will
first provide user IDs and passwords
to SCPCRs. The NCPCR-registered
complaints may also be forwarded to
the relevant State Commission via the
portal.
 If the state commissions wish the
NCPCR to be involved in the handling
of complaints, they will also have the
option of conducting a joint probe.
Based on the type of complaint,
complaints will be divided into subject
areas such juvenile justice, POCSO,
labour, and education.
National Commission for Protection of Child
AD
Rights(NCPCR): NCPCR is a statutory body
constituted under Section 3 of the
A
Commission for Protection of Child Rights
C bilateral treaties entered between the
S
(CPCR) Act,2005 to protect child rights and
A
I
other related matters in the country. The
Commission is further mandated to monitor
SB
the proper and effective implementation of
the Protection of Children from Sexual
C
Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012; Juvenile Justice
(Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
and the Right to Free and Compulsory
Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
Prelims Point : E-Baal Nidan
3. Operation Megh Chakra
 The Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI) conducted searches at 59
locations across 20 States and one
Union Territory, as part of a pan ­India
drive against the circulation and
sharing of child sexual abuse material.
 In November 2021, the agency had
Email :launched
csbiasacademy@gmail.com
a similar exercise code
­named "Operation Carbon", searching
the premises of suspects in 13 States
and one Union Territory.
 The CBI decided to send requests to
several countries for sharing and
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gathering information under the
Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties
(MLATs) on those involved in the
racket.
Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs)
 Mutual Legal Assistance is a
mechanism whereby countries
cooperate with one another in order to
provide and obtain formal assistance
in prevention, suppression,
investigation and prosecution of crime
to ensure that the criminals do not
escape or sabotage the due process of
law for want of evidence available in
different countries.

Y
A mutual legal assistance request is
commonly used to formally interrogate
E M
a suspect in a criminal case, when the
suspect resides in a foreign country.
 The Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties
(MLATs) in criminal matters are the
countries for providing international
cooperation and assistance. India has
entered into Mutual Legal Assistance
Treaties/Agreements with 42 countries
(November 2019).
Benefits of Treaty:
 Investigation and Prosecution of
Crime: It will enhance effectiveness of
both the countries in investigation and
prosecution of crime, through
cooperation and mutual legal
assistance in criminal matters.
 Transnational Crime and its Linkages
to Terrorism: It will provide a broad
legal framework for bilateral
cooperation with Poland in
investigation and prosecution of crime
as well as in tracing, restrain and
confiscation of proceeds and
instruments of crime as well as the
funds meant to finance terrorist acts.
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 Gaining Better Inputs: It will be
instrumental in gaining better inputs
and insights in the modus operandi of
organized criminals and terrorists.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022
CSB IAS ACADEMY
 These in turn can be used to fine tune
policy decisions in the field of internal
security.
Nodal Agency in India:
 The Ministry of Home Affairs is the
nodal Ministry and the Central
authority for seeking and providing
mutual legal assistance in criminal law
matters.
 The Ministry of External Affairs may
be involved in this process when such
requests are routed through
diplomatic channels by these
Ministries.
Legal Basis:
 Section 105 of the Criminal Procedure
Code (CrPC) speaks of reciprocal
arrangements to be made by the
Central Government with the Foreign
A
Governments with regard to the service
of summons/warrants/judicial
D An individual may moonlight by

processes.
A
India has entered into Mutual Legal
C addition to a normal 9 to 5 job as their
A S
Assistance Treaties/Agreements with
42 countries (November 2019)
I
Prelims point: Operation Megh Chakra
4. SB
MeitY Startup Hub and Meta
C
collaborate to accelerate XR
technology startups in India
 MeitY Startup Hub (MSH) in
collaboration with Meta will launch a
program to support and accelerate XR
technology startups across India.The
MeitY Startup Hub, an initiative of
MeitY, is a national platform focused
on promoting technology innovation,
start-ups, and the creation of
intellectual properties.
 It currently supports more than three
thousand IT organisations, with an aim
to grow to more than ten thousand
Email :businesses in the following three to
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five years.
 This collaboration is part of the
Government's efforts for skilling in
emerging and future technologies.
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 India is uniquely placed to play a
pivotal role in the metaverse with a
large talent pool of creators,
developers and a vibrant technology
ecosystem. The world looks to it for
supply technology, innovation and
talent to cater to the greater demand for
digital products.
5. Moonlighting is neither ethical nor
a work trend
Context:Wipro has sacked 300 employees it
found guilty of working for its competitors,
drawing a hard line in the 'moonlighting'
debate.
Moonlighting
Y

E M
Moonlighting is the practice of doing a
second job after regular business hours.
working for another company,
typically in the evening or at night, in
primary source of income.
 Moonlighting is the term for working
a hidden job, especially at night.
Employees would choose to work
"under the moonlight," or at night, after
finishing their day shifts at their

principal job.
Moonlighting is not a new concept. We
may remember some of our teachers,
who worked in the school from 9 am to
5 pm and provided tuition to kids in
the evenings or on weekends.
 Doctors who work full-time in private
hospitals may also occasionally do
part-time private practice at home. At
times when we are ill and want to
consult a doctor, we may do so at their
private clinic close to their residence.
 During the COVID-19 lockdown, when
everyone started working from home,
especially IT employees got more time
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on their hands. Further, there was no
continuous supervision that usually
happens in office jobs.
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 SEPTEMBER 2022 CURRENT AFFAIRS
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Setbacks with Moon Lighting
 Because they frequently handle client
data that needs to be kept private and
because moonlighting personnel may
jeopardise their credibility, IT
companies are opposed to the practice.
Moonlighting can be avoided : It's not
necessary for a gig economy to be more
employee-friendly. Aligning corporate
principles and missions is important in
differentiating one organisation from
another. Additionally, stronger value
addition and greater job satisfaction are
provided by employment security.
Employees should be aware that
moonlighting is neither moral nor popular
in the workplace. Y
Prelims and main point : .Moonlighting is
new corporate culture or challenge E M
6. Kyrgyzstan tajikistan border map AD
 Borders drawn by the former Soviet
AC
Union regardless of ethnic, political,

A S
economic, and cultural factors caused
critical issues between the newly
I
independent Central Asian countries


SB
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which are

C
neighbours in the Fergana Valley, were
the states that faced off due to the
border problem. The territorial claim
between the two countries, issues
related to the use of water resources
and plateaus came to the forefront
decisively.

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CSB IAS ACADEMY 144