14 Oct 2022: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

Quote for the day Set 5 11

CNA 14 Oct 2022:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. UNGA resolution against Russia
2. The Interpol General Assembly meeting
C. GS 3 Related
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
ECONOMY
1. Falling reserves and the bogey of the RBI’s role
F. Prelims Facts
1. Snow Leopard
2. Next-Gen Launch Vehicle (NGLV)
3. Stubble burning
G. Tidbits
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
FIP Magazine

F. Prelims Facts

1. Snow Leopard

Syllabus: Biodiversity and Conservation

Prelims: National Parks and Tiger Reserves

Context: Wildlife officials in Arunachal Pradesh await results of a survey to ascertain the presence of the elusive snow leopard in the Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve.

Introduction:

  • Snow leopard, often referred to as a mountain ghost, has never been spotted or recorded in the Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Namdapha is the known home of three other large cats — tiger, leopard and clouded leopard. The belief that the national park is also the habitat of the snow leopard is based on the claim of a hunter from the Lisu ethnic community that he possessed the skin of the snow leopard. 
  • Local name for a snow leopard is Lamaphu in Arunachal Pradesh. The tiger is called Lama in the Lisu dialect.
  • Wildlife officials are awaiting confirmation on the presence of snow leopard after the survey which collected the data from a high altitude Himalayan belt across 11 wildlife divisions from Tawang in the west and Anini to the east. 

Namdapha National Park:

  • Namdapha National Park is a large protected area established in 1983 in Arunachal Pradesh. 
  • With more than 1,000 floral and about 1,400 faunal species, it is a biodiversity hotspot in the Eastern Himalayas.
  • The 1,985 sq. km reserve bordering Myanmar has an elevation varying from 200 metres to 4,571 metres above sea level. 
  • Hoolock Gibbons, the only ‘ape’ species found in India is found in this National Park.
  • It is located between the Dapha bum range of the Mishmi Hills and the Patkai range with a wide elevation range between 200 and 4,571 m. 
  • It is crossed from east to west by the Noa Dihing River that originates at the Chaukan Pass, located on the Indo-Myanmar border.

2. Next-Gen Launch Vehicle (NGLV)

Prelims: ISRO, PSLV

Context: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is working on a Next-Gen Launch Vehicle (NGLV) to replace operational systems like the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in future.

Introduction: 

  • Delivering the keynote address at the ‘Engineers Conclave-2022’, ISRO chairman Dr. S. Somanath shared his future perspective for the Indian space programme and industry. 
  • Pointing out the massive, revolutionary changes in rocket technology and how India must adapt to them, he told his colleagues and leading engineers from across domains in India that PSLV has to retire sooner or later 1980s-era technology can’t be used for missions in the 2030s.
  • A three-day Engineers Conclave 2022 is taking place at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Valiyamala, Kerala.

Next-Gen Launch Vehicle (NGLV):

  • According to Dr. S Somnath, in NGLV, ISRO is looking at a cost-efficient, three-stage, reusable heavy-lift vehicle with a payload capability of 10 tonnes to Geostationary Transfer Orbit.
    • NGLV is to feature semi-cryogenic propulsion for the booster stages which is cheaper and efficient.
    • NGLV will feature a simple, robust design that allows bulk manufacturing, modularity in systems, sub-systems and stages and minimal turnaround time.
    • Potential uses will be in the areas of launching communication satellites, deep space missions, future human spaceflight and cargo missions.

3. Stubble burning

Syllabus: Environmental Pollution & Degradation

Prelims: Policies on Air Pollution

Context: Recently,  the Union Environment Ministry announced a ₹50 crore scheme to incentivise industrialists and entrepreneurs to set up paddy straw pelletisation and torrefaction plants.

Introduction:

  • The Union government to provide one-time financial assistance to individuals and companies to set up torrefaction and pelletisation plants to ensure a regular supply of paddy straw for co-firing in thermal power plants and industries.
    • The Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change released central pollution control board (CPCB) Guidelines for grant of one-time financial support.
    • The financial assistance can be availed by individuals and companies setting up new plants and units using only paddy straw generated in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, and NCR districts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. 
  • New units set up after october 13,2022 would be eligible for government funding in the form of capital to set up such plants. 
  • The estimated cost of setting up a regular pelletisation plant, which can process a tonne per hour, is ₹35 lakh. 
    • Under the scheme, the union government will fund such plants to a maximum of ₹70 lakh subject to capacity. 
    •  Regular pellet plants would be eligible for ₹40 crore of the overall share. 
  • The cost of establishing a torrefaction plant is ₹70 lakh. Under the scheme, it is eligible for a maximum funding of ₹1.4 crore. 

Significance of the Scheme: 

  • The Government of India has taken various steps to tackle the issue of stubble burning and a large quantity of paddy straw is now being managed through in-situ and ex-situ management options.
    • Statutory directions have been issued to thermal power plants to co-fire biomass based Pellets, Torrefied Pellets.
    • These have led to a large demand for biomass based pellets, though supply is on the lower side. Thus, CPCB guidelines would bridge a crucial gap in the biomass supply chain. 
  • These plants, once set up, would utilise a sizeable portion of the unmanaged paddy straw and help address the issue of crop residue burning the resultant air pollution and generate income for farmers.
  • Paddy straw made into pellets or torrefied can be mixed with coal in thermal power plants. 
    • This saves coal as well as reduces carbon emissions that would otherwise have been emitted were the straw burnt in the fields, as is the regular practice of most farmers in Punjab and Haryana. 
  • Torrefaction is costlier but can deliver a product whose energy content is much higher and theoretically substitute for more coal in a power plant.

Issue of stubble burning and paddy straw:

  • Paddy straw burning in Northern regions of India has emerged as one of the major causes of air pollution during winters, especially in Delhi-NCR.
  • About 11 million tonnes can be managed in the field and the rest is usually burnt which adds to the air pollution crisis in Delhi. 
  • Through the years the government has attempted to dissuade farmers from burning straw through penalising them as well as incentivising them. “The Environment Ministry has so far been seen as an organisation that stops everyone. But I’d like to congratulate the Central Pollution Control Board for devising this scheme that will help convert waste to wealth and provide job opportunities to our rural youth in Punjab and Haryana,” said Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav.

G. Tidbits

Nothing here for today!!!

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements: (Level – Easy)
  1. Article 39A of the Constitution of India provides that the State shall secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity, and shall in particular, provide free legal aid, by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way.
  2. Articles 14 and 22(1) also make it obligatory for the State to ensure equality before law and a legal system which promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity to all.
  3. The President of India acts as the patron-in-chief of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).

Choose the correct code:

  1. 1 & 2 only
  2. 2 & 3 only
  3. 1 & 3 only
  4. All of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation: 

  • Statement 01 is correct, Directive Principles of State Policy under Article 39A of the Constitution of India provides that State shall secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity, and shall in particular, provide free legal aid, by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way, to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disability.
  • Statement 02 is correct, Fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 22(1) also make it obligatory for the State to ensure equality before law and a legal system which promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity to all. 
    • Legal aid strives to ensure that the constitutional pledge is fulfilled in its letter and spirit and that equal justice is made available to the poor, downtrodden and weaker sections of society. 
  • Statement 03 is incorrect, The Chief Justice of India is the Patron-in-Chief of the National Legal Services Authority.
Q2. The recently setup ‘Rythu Bharosa Kendras’ in Andhra Pradesh focus on the 
welfare of: (Level – Medium)
  1. Infants’ nutritional need
  2. School dropout children
  3. Farmers
  4. Women facing domestic abuse
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation: 

  • Set up for the first time in the country, the ‘Rythu Bharosa Kendras’ (RBKs) are unique seeds-to-sales, single-window service centres for farmers that have been set up across Andhra Pradesh.
  • They are a one-stop solution to all farmers’ needs and grievances. 
  • RBKs sell pre-tested quality seeds, certified fertilisers and animal feed. Farmers can purchase or hire farm equipment, and even sell their produce at the prevailing MSP in the RBKs.
  • Recently, an Ethiopian delegation led by the country’s Agricultural Minister Dr Meles Mekonen Yimer visited Andhra Pradesh to study Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs).
Q3. Who amongst the following releases the LEADS (Logistics Ease Across Different 
States) report? (Level – Medium)
  1. Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  2. NITI Aayog 
  3. Reserve Bank of India
  4. Quality Council of India
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation: 

  • It is released by the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
  • The Logistics Performance Index is an indicator of the efficiency of logistics services needed to fuel exports and economic growth. 
  • The index aims to focus on improving logistic performance across states, which is essential for improving the country’s trade and reducing transaction costs.
  • The annual survey processes the data received from stakeholders and States/UTs and ranks the logistics ecosystem of each State/UT using a statistical model.
  • The first logistic report was released in 2018. 
  • Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Gujarat are among the 15 states and UTs categorised as achievers in the logistics index chart 2022.
Q4. Consider the following statements: (Level – Difficult)
  1. It lies at the international border between India and Myanmar within Changlang District in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
  2. It is the only park in the world to have the four feline species of big cats namely the Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard and Clouded Leopard.
  3. Hoolock Gibbons, the only ‘ape’ species found in India is found in this National Park.

Which of the following National Parks is being referred to here?

  1. Balphakram National Park
  2. Dehing Patkai National Park
  3. Mouling National Park
  4. Namdapha National Park
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • Namdapha National Park is a large protected area established in 1983 in Arunachal Pradesh. 
  • With more than 1,000 floral and about 1,400 faunal species, it is a biodiversity hotspot in the Eastern Himalayas.
  • It lies on the international border between India and Myanmar (Burma) within the Changlang District in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in northeast India.
  • It is the only park in the world to have the four feline species of big cats namely the Tiger (Panthera tigris), Leopard (Panthera pardus), Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) and Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) and a number of lesser cats.
    • However, snow leopards in the national park have never been spotted nor recorded yet and are awaiting confirmation based on a recent survey.
  • Hoolock Gibbons, the only ‘ape’ species found in India is found in this National Park.
Q5. In the Indian context, what is the implication of ratifying the ‘Additional 
Protocol’ with the ‘International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’? (CSE-PYQ-2018)
(Level – Difficult)
  1. The civilian nuclear reactors come under IAEA safeguards.
  2. The military nuclear installations come under the inspection of IAEA.
  3. The country will have the privilege to buy uranium from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
  4. The country automatically becomes a member of the NSG.
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • Under the old IAEA safeguards, all NPT signatories would specify their nuclear sites and IAEA would carry out inspections in the specified sites. 
    • Thus, IAEA, under the old safeguards, could only carry out inspections for unauthorised activities only at designated or specified sites declared by a country. This basically left an option open for states to carry out covert nuclear programmes – as happened in the case of Iraq.
  • Thus, in 1993, the IAEA designed Additional Protocols (AP) to tighten the existing safeguarding regime. However, India-specific Additional Protocols (AP) do not give IAEA the right to hinder or interfere with activities which are outside the scope of India’s safeguard agreements, thus recognizing that India reserves a right to a military nuclear program outside the IAEA agreement.

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

  1. “Pellet Plants and torrefaction could be the answer to Delhi’s Pollution”. Elucidate. (150 words, 10 marks) (GS-3; Environment)
  2. “MGNREGS during and after the pandemic was both a failure and a success”. Critically analyze. (250 words, 15 marks) (GS-2; Governance)

Read the previous CNA here.

CNA 14 Oct 2022:- Download PDF Here

IAS General Studies Notes Links
Ies Officer Name The Union Territories Of India
Nrega 2021 Collector Salary
IAS Course Unesco World Heritage Sites In India 2021
Names Of Mountains In India Cabinet Ministers Of India 2021
UPSC Prelims Books Pmjby

Comments

Leave a Comment

Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published.

*

*