17 Feb 2020: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

17th Feb 2020 CNA:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
SOCIAL JUSTICE
1. Madhya Pradesh grapples with spiralling neonatal deaths
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. India inks 14 MoUs with Russia for defence support, spares
C. GS 3 Related
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. GISAT-1 (Geo Imaging Satellite)
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. Perverse zeal: On Kafeel Khan arrest (NSA)
1. In political micro-targeting, the vulnerable Indian voter
F. Tidbits
1. Kataeb Hezbollah, or Brigades of the Party of God
2. Reconsider ban on Army chief, Sri Lanka tells U.S.
3. Poll panel working on remote voting system
G. Prelims Facts
1. Cyrtodactylus Urbanus
2. Goiter
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. India inks 14 MoUs with Russia for defence support, spares

Context

  • In the 5th India Russia military industry conference held during the Defexpo 2020 in Lucknow, 14 MoUs were signed between Indian and Russian companies.

Details

  • Much of Indian military equipment is sourced from Russia. There is a lack of timely spares and support for such equipment. The MoU will address the issue of regular spares and support for Russian military equipment which are currently being used by the armed forces in India.
  • It will cover joint ventures covering a range of equipment from modern T-90 tanks to legacy Pechora air defence systems (surface-to-air missile system).
  • Under the proposed Indo-Russian Joint Venture ICT Center of Excellence, there are also agreements on emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, blockchain and robotics based on Russian technologies.
  • One important MoU was signed between the Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and the Almaz Antey of Russia for exploring the feasibility of establishing a joint venture in India for the production of various subsystems of “air defence missile systems like Tunguska, Kavadrat, the OSA-AKA, Pechora air defence system as well as the Shilka self-propelled air defence gun system”.
    • The MoU also covered refurbishment and life extension of the missiles.

2. Reconsider ban on Army chief, Sri Lanka tells U.S.

  • The U.S. government has issued a travel ban on Sri Lanka’s army chief, saying there is “credible information of his involvement” in human rights violations during the final phase of Sri Lanka’s civil war.
  • The army chief and his immediate family members are now prohibited from traveling to the U.S.
  • Sri Lanka said the U.S. should reconsider its decision to refuse entry and warned that relations were being “unnecessarily complicated”.

3. Poll panel working on remote voting system

  • A new model of voting is being developed by the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) for the Election Commission of India.
  • It would be an Aadhaar-linked electronic voting system, which will enable electors to cast their votes from any part of the country — irrespective of where they are registered to vote — or even abroad.
    • The IIT-M is developing a system for two-way remote voting in a controlled environment using blockchain technology.
  • The model is likely to be presented before the Commission next month (March 2020).

G. Prelims Facts

1. Cyrtodactylus Urbanus

  • Guwahati has yielded a new species of lizard – the urban bent-toed gecko.
    • The new species of lizard is zoologically named Cyrtodactylus urbanus.
  • It is markedly different in molecular structure, blotch and colour from the Cyrtodactylus guwahatiensis, or the Guwahati bent-toed gecko.
  • Though the urban bent-toed gecko falls within the khasiensis group, it differs from other members of this group in mitochondrial sequence data as well as aspects of morphology such as the number and arrangement of certain pores in males, the number of mid-ventral scales and colour pattern.
  • This is the second Cyrtodactylus endemic to the Guwahati region, the fourth from Assam and the twelfth from Northeast India.

2. Goiter

  • It is an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland.
  • Iodine deficiency is known as the common cause of goiter.
  • Goiter is more often due to the over- or underproduction of thyroid hormones or to nodules in the gland itself.

Context

  • Doctors remove large thyroid growths from Melghat tribals.

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Mukurthi National Park is in which state?

a) Karnataka
b) Gujarat
c) Kerala
d) Tamil Nadu

See
Answer

Ans: d

Explanation:

Mukurthi National Park

  • It is a protected area located in the western corner of the Nilgiris Plateau west of Ootacamund hill station in the northwest corner of Tamil Nadu.
    • It is bordered by Mudumalai National Park and Silent Valley National Park.
    • The park is part of the Nilgiri Bio Reserve.
  • Being a part of the Western Ghats, the jungle is heavy with a wide range of animals, birds, reptiles and even insects.
    • The park was created to protect its keystone species, the Nilgiri Tahr.
  • Montane grasslands and shrublands on a high altitude, strong winds, low temperature and sholas scattered around are features of this park.

Q2. Consider the following statement/s about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs):
  1. PVTGs are less developed among the tribal groups.
  2. Currently there are 75 tribals identified under the PVTG classification.
  3. They are spread over 18 states and one Union Territory (UT) in the country.
  4. Saharia and Asurs are included in the list.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a) 1, 3 and 4 only
b) 2, 3 and 4 only
c) 1, 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

See
Answer

Ans: d

Explanation:

  • In 1973, the Dhebar Commission created Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) as a separate category, that are less developed among the tribal groups.
  • In 2006, the Government of India renamed the PTGs as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

There are 75 PVTGs.  The criteria followed for determination of PVTGs are:

  • A pre-agriculture level of technology;
  • A stagnant or declining population;
  • Extremely low literacy; and
  • A subsistence level of economy.

Q3. Consider the following statements with respect to National Capital Territory
of Delhi:
  1. The Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Lt. Governor and the Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the Lt. Governor.
  2. Delhi and Puducherry are the two union territories to have a Separate High Court.
  3. The number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes is regulated by the Election Commission of India.

Which of the above statement/s is/are incorrect?

a) 2 only
b) 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

See
Answer

Ans: d

Explanation:

  • The total number of seats in the Legislative Assembly, the number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes, the division of the National Capital Territory into territorial constituencies (including the basis for such division) and all other matters relating to the functioning of the Legislative Assembly shall be regulated by law made by Parliament.
  • The Chief Minister shall be appointed by the President and other Ministers shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Chief Minister and the Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the President.
  • Puducherry does not have s separate high Court, it comes under the jurisdiction of Madras High Court.

Q4. With reference to Korku Tribe, consider the following statements:
  1. Korku language is a member of the Munda language.
  2. The Korkus socially consume liquor made from the flowers of the Mahua tree.
  3. They are found in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

See
Answer

Ans: a

Explanation:

  • The Korku are an Adivasi ethnic group predominantly found in the Khandwa, Burhanpur, Betul and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh and adjoining areas near the Melghat Tiger Reserve of Maharashtra.
  • They speak the Korku language, which is a member of the Munda languages and is written using Devanagari.
  • They are classified as a Scheduled Tribe.
  • ‘Koru’ meaning man and ‘ku’ for plural gives the meaning ‘tribal men’.
  • They socially consume liquor made from the flowers of the Mahua tree which is prepared in almost all the houses.

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

  1. Does the National Security Act (NSA) violate the fundamental ethos of the Constitution? Critically examine.
  2. Has India’s desire to diversify its defence imports impacted India-Russia relations? Discuss.

Read previous CNA.

17th Feb 2020 CNA:- Download PDF Here

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