14 Feb 2023: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 14 Feb 2023:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
C. GS 3 Related
ENVIRONMENT
1. Draft Geo-heritage Sites and Geo-relics (Preservation and Maintenance) Bill, 2022
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
1. Hill or city, urban planning cannot be an afterthought
INDIAN CONSTITUTION AND POLITY
1. Honour of office
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. Not a pipe dream
F. Prelims Facts
1. Aadi Mahotsav festival
G. Tidbits
1. Top court upholds constitution of J&K delimitation panel
2. Retail inflation rises to 3-month high of 6.52% in January
3. Foreign Secretary Kwatra meets Nepal PM in Kathmandu
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
FIP Magazine

  • The Supreme Court dismissed a petition challenging the constitution of the Jammu & Kashmir Delimitation Commission.
  • According to the Supreme Court Bench, Articles 2 and 3 of the Indian Constitution empowers the Parliament to create new States and UTs based on which the two new UTs namely J&K and Ladakh have been created.Β 
    • Further, the J&K Reorganisation Act besides creating the two new UTs has also assigned the role of readjustment of constituencies to the Delimitation Commission under the Delimitation Act, 2002.
  • The Supreme Court Bench also noted that legislations made under Article 3 of the Constitution can always provide for readjustment of the constituencies in the newly constituted States or UTs through a Delimitation Commission and therefore there is no illegality associated with the establishment of the J&K Delimitation Commission.
  • However, various J&K parties have expressed displeasure over the Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss a petition challenging the establishment of the J&K Delimitation Commission.

For more details, watch the following video:

2. Retail inflation rises to 3-month high of 6.52% in January

retail inflation

Image Source: The Hindu

  • According to data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), India’s retail inflation once again increased to 6.52% in January 2023 after a two-month streak below the 6% mark mainly due to an increase in food inflation driven by higher prices of cereals and products.
    • The retail inflation based on the Combined Price Index (Combined) had reduced to 5.72% in December 2022.
    • Also, the Combined food price inflation (CFPI) increased to 5.94% in January 2023 as compared to 4.19% in December 2022 and 5.43% in the year-ago period.
  • Further, rural inflation has overtaken urban inflation in recent months as it increased from 6.05% in December 2022 to 6.85% in January 2023.
    • And, urban consumers have experienced a retail price rise of 6% in January 2023 as compared to 5.4% in December 2022.
  • Economists believe that the higher-than-expected increase in January’s prices may continue for a few more months on account of ongoing pass-through of higher input costs by producers, amidst robust demand for services and may force the RBI to consider yet another rate hike in its next monetary policy review.Β 
  • According to the latest data, Telangana recorded the highest inflation in January at 8.6% among the major States which was followed by Andhra Pradesh (8.25%), Madhya Pradesh (8.13%), Uttar Pradesh (7.45%) and Haryana (7.05%).
  • Furthermore, the core inflation which includes non-food and non-fuel components also remained sticky at 6.1% in January 2023 which indicates pricing power from the suppliers and manufacturers.

3. Foreign Secretary Kwatra meets Nepal PM in Kathmandu

  • India’s Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra met Nepal’s new Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal β€˜Prachanda’ in Kathmandu which marked the first high-level interaction between the two countries since the new government took charge in Nepal in December 2022.
  • A wide range of aspects such as power sector cooperation, trade, transit, education, culture, healthcare and connectivity infrastructure with respect to the Nepal-India relations were said to have been discussed during the meeting.
  • It is said that issues such as increasing development assistance to Nepal, increasing Indian investment, resolving challenges associated with connectivity, and bilateral trade were also discussed.
  • Further, the Foreign Minister of Nepal urged the Indian Foreign Secretary to provide an international air route for the effective operation of the newly opened Gautam Buddha International Airport (Siddharthanagar) and Pokhara International Airport (Pokhara, Gandaki Province).

Read more about – India-Nepal Relations

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Which of the following statements are true about the UDAN Scheme? 
(Level – Moderate)
  1. It is a regional connectivity scheme under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
  2. It aims to provide connectivity to only the unserved airports of the country.
  3. The scheme has a provision to increase international connectivity as well.

Options:

  1. 1 and 2
  2. 2 and 3
  3. 1 and 3
  4. 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, β€œUde Desh ka Aam Nagarik” or UDAN Scheme is a regional connectivity scheme spearheaded by the Civil Aviation Ministry.
  • Statement 2 is not correct, The Scheme aims to develop smaller regional airports to allow common citizens easier access to aviation services and operationalization and development of hundreds of underserved or unserved airports in the country is one of the primary objectives.
  • Statement 3 is correct, International UDAN is an extension of the domestic UDAN scheme which aims to enhance air connectivity from certain States of the country with selected international destinations to promote socio-economic growth.
Q2. Identify the correct statements: (Level – Easy)
  1. Retail inflation data is released by the National Statistical Office.
  2. Core inflation includes inflation in only the food and fuel sectors.

Options:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, Retail inflation data in India is released by the National Statistical Office (NSO).
  • Statement 2 is not correct, Core inflation includes non-food and non-fuel components.
Q3. Which of the following is/are constitutional bodies? (Level – Moderate)
  1. National Commission for Women
  2. National Commission for Scheduled Castes
  3. National Commission for Backward Classes

Options:

  1. 1 and 2
  2. 2 and 3
  3. 1 and 3
  4. 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

  • The National Commission for Women is a statutory body set up in 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990.Β 
  • The National Commission for Scheduled Castes is an Indian constitutional body established with a view to providing safeguards against the exploitation of Scheduled Castes.
    • Article 338 of the Indian Constitution deals with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.
  • The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) was initially constituted as a statutory body under the provisions of the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993.
    • However, NCBC has been accorded constitutional status through the 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2018.
Q4. Which of the following are correctly matched? (Level – Moderate)

Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β IP Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Protects:

  1. Copyright Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Literary and Artistic work
  2. Patent Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Invention
  3. Trademark Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Goods or services of an enterprise

Options:

  1. 1 and 2
  2. 2 and 3
  3. 1 and 3
  4. 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • Pair 1 is correct, The Indian Copyright Laws protect literary works, musical works, dramatic works, artistic works, sound recordings and cinematography.
  • Pair 2 is correct, Inventions are protected by patents.
  • Pair 3 is correct, Trademarks distinguish the goods or services of one undertaking from those of other undertakings.
Q5. In case of which one of the following biogeochemical cycles, the weathering of 
rocks is the main source of release of nutrients to enter the cycle? 
(Level – Easy) PYQ 2021
  1. Carbon Cycle
  2. Nitrogen Cycle
  3. Phosphorous Cycle
  4. Sulphur Cycle
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • In the Phosphorous Cycle, phosphorus moves through the hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere.Β 
  • Phosphorous is extracted by the weathering of rocks.

CNA 14 Feb 2023:- Download PDF Here

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