Comprehensive News Analysis - 30 January 2016

Table of Contents:

A. GS1 Related:
B. GS2 Related:

1.‘Urban poor own nominal assets

C. GS3 Related:

1.Mammoth tragedy

2.WHO unit to focus on achieving universal health coverage

D. GS4 Related:
E. Important Editorials: A Quick Glance

1.Giving cities the smart edge

2.More than a numbers game: moving beyond the floor test

F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn
G. Practice Questions
H. Archives

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Useful News Articles

A. GS1 Related:

— Nothing here today, folks! —

B. GS2 Related:

1. ‘Urban poor own nominal assets’

Topic: Social Justice
Category: Poverty, Inequalities
Location: The Hindu, Page 13
Key Points:
Survey conducted by the NSSO
Highest average assets per household in rural areas : Haryana and Punjab
Highest average assets per household in urban areas : Maharashtra and Kerala
Lowest average assets per household in rural as well as urban areas : Odisha
Land and buildings held the nominal share

massive inequality

C. GS3 Related:

1. Mammoth Tragedy

Topic: Biodiversity
Category: specie extinction
Location: The Hindu, Page 9

Mammoth Tragedy
Read about whale beaching and the reason for it

2. WHO unit to focus on achieving universal health coverage

Topic: Economy
Category: Health, International institutions
Location: The Hindu, Page 14
Key Points:
WHO to set up a dedicated unit for focusing on the sustainable development goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
Unit’s focus: a. country engagements and global framework should align, b. health service resilience, c. quality
It will also ensure establishing partnerships to reach these goals
Health Service Resilience : focus on learning from experiences in recovery. for example, Ebola disease

Global Goals

Others:

Indian Express: Rajan Cautions : Don’t over spend to spur growth

Topic: Economy, Paper III
Category: Fiscal Deficit, Fiscal consolidation
Key points:

The costs of becoming an unstable country far outweigh any small growth benefits that can be achieved through aggressive policies
With UDAY scheme, the states will be increasing their expenditure, which puts more pressure on the government to manage expenditures for maintaining the fiscal deficit targets

D. GS4 Related:

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E. Important Editorials: A Quick Glance

1. Giving cities the smart edge

Topic: Governance, Constitution. Also Economy (paper III)
Category: Infrastructure
Location: The Hindu, Page 10

Key Points:

Need to make intelligent use of information technology to deliver better civic services
Current state : rapid and poorly regulated urbanisation, lack of basic amenities such as clean water, sewage, pedestrian- friendly roads, public transport, power, recreational spaces etc. along with impact on congestion, air quality and flood management with the violation of building structures
Smart city plan proposes : upgrading the physical infrastructure, incentivising the use of information and communication technology
Smart city concept defined by the government : one that enables a decent life to the citizens, and green and sustainable environment, besides enabling adoption of smart solutions
Area based development approach followed
Initial seed fund of Rs. 500 cr. by the government. Additional finances to come through the Public-Private partnership (PPP)
Challenge : provide proof of concept quickly and make outcomes sustainable

2. More than a numbers game: moving beyond the floor test

Topic: Governance, Constitution.
Category: Emergency, centre-state relations
Location: The Hindu, Page 11

Key Points:
Article 356 is subject to judicial review
It is not an absolute but conditional power

Read along the emergency chapter

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F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:

i. Fiscal Consolidation

ii. Smart Cities

iii. WHO

iv. Sustainable development Goals

v. Whale beaching

vi. Inequality

vii. NSSO

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F. Fun with Practice Questions 🙂
Question 1: Which one of the following is not a part of sustainable development goals of the United Nations?

a. No Poverty

b. Affordable consumption

c. Partnership for the goals

d. Life on land

Question 2: Whale beaching can be called:

a. Aqua Stranding

b. Linacious Stranding

c. Cetacean Stranding

d. All of the above

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Check Your Answers

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