18 Oct 2021: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

Oct 18th, 2021, CNA:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
GEOGRAPHY
1. Kottayam, Idukki worst hit; Kerala rain toll at 27
SOCIETY
1. ‘Only 3.9% children malnourished’
B. GS 2 Related
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Tamil Nadu police warn of likely attack on fishermen
C. GS 3 Related
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. China tested ‘nuclear capable hypersonic missile’, says report
DEFENCE
1. UAVs boost Army watch in eastern sector
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
GOVERNANCE
1. Alarming hunger or statistical artefact?
ECONOMY
1. Powering the energy sector
F. Prelims Facts
1. India, U.S. militaries match skills in Alaska
2. Unorganised workers’ portal sees good traffic
3. The founder of a ‘mini-India’
G. Tidbits
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

Category: SOCIETY

1. ‘Only 3.9% children malnourished’

Context:

The Government of India has said that the value of a key indicator used in the Global Hunger Index is ‘inflated’ as only 3.9% of the Anganwadi children were found to be undernourished.

Details:

  • The GHI 2021 ranked India at 101 out of 116 countries.
  • India’s performance is shown to deteriorate only for undernourishment, which is what the Government has challenged.
    • According to FAO’s data, which is used in the Index, the prevalence of undernourishment in India rose from 14% in 2017-2019 to 15.3% in 2018-2020.
  • However, undernourishment and undernutrition used as synonyms by the Government of India are treated as two different indicators by FAO and in the GHI.

This topic has been covered in Oct 16th, 2021 CNA.

Category: DEFENCE

1. UAVs boost Army watch in eastern sector

Context:

The Army Aviation has recently got control of Heron-I unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in the eastern sector.

Heron-I unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)
  • It is a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned air vehicle (UAV) system primarily designed to perform strategic reconnaissance and surveillance operations.
  • It was developed by the Malat division of Israel Aerospace Industries.
  • These are not equipped with offensive weapons and are confined to being used in reconnaissance missions.
  • With this, India has the capability to attack enemy positions and even moving targets deep inside enemy territory without having to send across a fighter aircraft.

Details:

  • This brings all aviation assets under one roof and augments its ability to keep an eye on Chinese activities across the border.
  • In the last few years, the Army and Air Force have significantly upgraded their defences in the eastern sector, including induction of new equipment, as part of efforts to match China’s build-up and infrastructure development on its side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). There has also been a major impetus to infrastructure development in the region.
    • During the standoff in eastern Ladakh, the Army Aviation had seen a significant increase in the employment of helicopters along the northern borders.
  • The Army Aviation Brigade at Missamari, Assam was raised in March 2021 to enable better command and control of aviation resources.
    • The Brigade operates the Cheetah and Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv utility helicopters, Rudra weaponised ALH and Heron-I UAVs.

Significance:

  • There are certain advantages of UAVs or remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) being with Army Aviation.
    • Heron-I unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) were earlier with the Artillery.
  • All aerial assets under one umbrella allows optimised employment of RPAs during operations in conjunction with other aviation assets.
  • In the future battlefield, manned and unmanned aircraft teaming will reap huge dividends.

2. Unorganised workers’ portal sees good traffic

What’s in News?

Over four crore unorganised sector workers have been registered on the e-Shram portal in under two months of its launch.

  • The Union Ministry of Labour has launched the National Database of Unorganised workers (E-Shram) portal.
  • It is the first-ever national database of unorganised workers.
  • The E-Shram portal maintains a database of workers in the country’s unorganised sector.
  • Unorganised workers, Building and Other Construction Workers, SHG members, domestic workers, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, street vendors, rickshaw-pullers, brick-kiln workers, agricultural labourers, MGNREGA workers, fishermen, shopkeepers and small retailers can register on the website.
  • The new E-Shram portal will help in accessing social security schemes available for the unorganised workers.
  • The workers who register on the portal will get an e-SHRAM card which will have a 12 digit unique number.
    • This card is aimed at the integration of the Centre’s social security schemes.
  • The Universal Account Number on the e-Shram card will be acceptable across the country.

3. The founder of a ‘mini-India’

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan:

  • Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was an Islamic reformer and educationist in nineteenth-century British India.
  • Believing that the future of Muslims was threatened by the rigidity of their orthodox outlook, Sir Syed began promoting Western-style scientific education by founding modern schools and journals and organising Islamic entrepreneurs.
  • He called for a shift from medieval thinking towards broad-mindedness, reason and progress.
  • Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was the founder of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
  • Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s ideas on religious unity and the use of education for national integration continue to remain relevant even in contemporary times.

Context:

G. Tidbits

Nothing here for today!!!

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements:
  1. Article 17 is an Absolute Right.
  2. Primary responsibility for the prevention of atrocities against SC/ST under Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, rests with the Central Government.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both
  4. None
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • Absolute right is a right that has no exceptions in its applicability.
  • Article 17 of the Indian Constitution abolishes the practice of untouchability. This is an absolute right and it has no exceptions or relaxations against it.
  • Primary responsibility for the prevention of atrocities against SC/ST under Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, rests with the State Government.
Q2. With respect to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, which of the following statements is/are correct?
  1. He is the founder of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
  2. He was awarded the Kaisar-i-Hind for his contribution to Indian education.
  3. He was critical of the Indian National Congress ever since its formation.

Options:

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

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • Sir Syed Ahmad Khan is the founder of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
  • AMU was originally established by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan as the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in 1875.
  • In 1869, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan received the Order of the Star of India from the British government.
  • He opposed the Indian National Congress since its formation as he believed that it was established to cater to the needs of the majority community (i.e, Hindus).
Q3. Which of the following statements is/are correct?
  1. Unorganised workers are essentially those who do not have the benefit of pension, provident fund, gratuity, maternity leave etc. and work mostly on daily/hourly wages.
  2. The unorganized workers do not receive sufficient attention from the trade unions.

Options:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both
  4. None
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • Unorganised workers are those who do not have the benefit of pension, provident fund, gratuity, maternity leave, etc. and work mostly on daily/hourly wages.
  • The unorganized workers do not receive sufficient attention from the trade unions.
Q4. Marib, recently seen in the news, is in which country?
  1. Iran
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Yemen
  4. Lebanon
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

Marib is a city in Yemen. The Saudi­-led military coalition supporting Yemen’s government has said that it has killed hundreds of Houthi rebels in strikes south of Marib.

Q5. Consider the following statements: [UPSC 2016]
  1. New Development Bank has been set up by APEC.
  2. The headquarters of New Development Bank is in Shanghai.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Answer: b

Explanation:

  • The New Development Bank (NDB), formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, is a multilateral development bank established by the BRICS states (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
  • The headquarters of New Development Bank is in Shanghai.

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

  1. Evaluate the role of caste demographics in influencing electoral outcomes, particularly in state elections. (250 words; 15 marks) (GS 2 Polity)
  2. The low rank on the Global Hunger Index should push India to look again at its policies and interventions. Discuss. (250 words; 15 marks) (GS 2 Governance)

Read the previous CNA here.

Oct 18th, 2021, CNA:- Download PDF Here

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