UPSC Key: AFSPA, Birsa Munda, and Wayanad landslides

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Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Role of outer authorities and non-state actors successful creating challenges to interior security; Security challenges and their absorption successful borderline areas – linkages of organized transgression with terrorism

What’s the ongoing story: A twelvemonth and a fractional aft the commencement of taste unit successful Manipur, the Centre Thursday reimposed the Disturbed Areas presumption nether the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) successful the jurisdiction of six constabulary stations successful the state’s vale areas, including violence-hit Jiribam.

Key Points to Ponder:

What is the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA)?

What are the arguments successful favour and against AFSPA?

What is the past of taste struggle successful Manipur?

What are the steps taken by the authorities to power Manipur violence?

What are the main tribes of Manipur?

Why is determination unrest successful Manipur?

What are the important recommendations connected AFSPA?

Key Takeaways:

The Disturbed Areas status, which was successful spot for each of Manipur but 19 constabulary stations successful the Meitei-dominated vale areas from wherever it was withdrawn betwixt April 2022 and April 2023, has present been extended to the jurisdictions of Sekmai and Lamsang constabulary stations successful Imphal West, Lamlai successful Imphal East, Moirang successful Bishnupur, Leimakhong successful Kangpokpi and Jiribam constabulary presumption successful Jiribam.

Festive offer

The archetypal 4 areas are located connected the borders of the cardinal Imphal valley, on the borders of Kuki-Zomi bulk elevation areas, wherever the Disturbed Areas notification nether AFSPA is already successful place.

Jiribam, which is presently successful the throes of violence, is located astatine the state’s western-most utmost on Assam’s Cachar district. It has a mixed colonisation and is bordered by the elevation districts of Pherzawl and Tamenglong.

The Disturbed Area presumption had been rolled backmost from Sekmai, Lamsang, Lamlai and Jiribam successful 2022, and from Moirang and Leimakhong successful 2023, conscionable a period earlier the ongoing struggle began.

Leimakhong is the location of the 57 Mountain Division, besides known arsenic the Red Shield Division and portion of the III Corps of the Indian Army.

 AFSPA, Birsa Munda, and Wayanad landslides

The AFSPA provides immunity to equipped forces unit – it disallows prosecution of persons acting nether the Act but with the authorisation of the Central government. It empowers an serviceman of the equipped forces to “fire upon oregon different usage force, adjacent to the causing of death” against “any idiosyncratic who is acting successful contravention of immoderate instrumentality oregon order” if they are of the sentiment that it is necessary.

Manipur has had the Disturbed Area presumption nether the AFSPA since 1980, and it was lone withdrawn from immoderate parts of Imphal successful 2004 pursuing beardown protests aft the sidesplitting of 32-year-old Thangjam Manorama earlier that year.

Since 2022, areas notified arsenic Disturbed Areas person been incrementally reduced. It had been removed from 15 constabulary stations successful six districts successful April 2022, and with its removal from different 4 constabulary stations connected April 1, 2023, it had been withdrawn from the jurisdiction of 19 constabulary stations successful total, each located successful the Meitei-dominated valley.

The Disturbed Areas notification is applicable for a play of six months, pursuing which it tin beryllium periodically extended by the MHA aft assessing the situation. Just a fewer weeks ago, connected September 30, the MHA had extended the Disturbed Areas notification for the parts of Manipur wherever it was already successful place.

Do You Know:

What is AFSPA: The Act successful its archetypal signifier was promulgated by the British successful effect to the Quit India question successful 1942. After Independence, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru decided to clasp the Act, which was archetypal brought successful arsenic an ordnance and past notified arsenic an Act successful 1958.

AFSPA provides for peculiar powers for the equipped forces that tin beryllium imposed by the Centre oregon the Governor of a state, connected the authorities oregon parts of it, aft it is declared “disturbed’’ nether Section 3. The Act defines these arsenic areas that are “disturbed oregon unsafe information that the usage of equipped forces successful assistance of the civilian powerfulness is necessary’’. AFSPA has been utilized successful areas wherever militancy has been prevalent.

The Act, which has been called draconian, gives sweeping powers to the equipped forces. It allows them to unfastened fire’, adjacent causing death, against immoderate idiosyncratic successful contravention to the instrumentality oregon carrying arms and ammunition. It gives them powers to apprehension individuals without warrants, connected the ground of “reasonable suspicion”, and besides hunt premises without warrants.

The Act further provides broad impunity to information unit progressive successful specified operations: There tin beryllium nary prosecution oregon ineligible proceedings against them without the anterior support of the Centre.

Other Important Articles Covering the aforesaid topic:

📍Explained: What is AFSPA, and wherefore are states successful Northeast against it?

Previous twelvemonth UPSC Mains Question Covering akin theme:

Human rights activists perpetually item the information that the Armed forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) is simply a draconian enactment starring to cases of quality rights abuses by information forces. What sections of AFSPA are opposed by the activists? Critically measure the request with notation to the presumption held by the Apex Court. (UPSC CSE 2015)

EDITORIAL

Birsa Munda lives on

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: History of India and Indian National Movement

Mains Examination: General Studies I: Modern Indian past from astir the mediate of the eighteenth period until the contiguous – important events, personalities, issues.

What’s the ongoing story: President Droupadi Murmu writes: As the federation begins the year-long celebrations of the 150th commencement day of this iconic fig successful the past of modern India, I bow successful gratitude to his blessed memory. I besides callback how, during my childhood, proceeding the legends of Bhagwan Birsa Munda made maine and my friends consciousness precise arrogant of our legacy.

Key Points to Ponder:

What are tribal movements?

Why are Janjatiya Gaurav Divas celebrated?

What is the Munda Rebellion?

What is the taste value of Birsa Munda?

What are the important tribal movements of assemblage India?

How tribal question is antithetic from the peasant movements?

What are the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)?

What are the important schemes of the authorities for the payment of PVTGs?

What is the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN)?

What are the authorities schemes related to tribes successful India?

Key Takeaways:

In a abbreviated beingness of lone 25 years, the lad from Ulihatu successful today’s Jharkhand became the leader of the people’s absorption against assemblage exploitation. When the British authorities and section landlords were exploiting tribal communities, grabbing their lands and committing atrocities, Bhagwan Birsa roseate against this societal and economical injustice and led radical to combat for their rights.

Known arsenic “Dharti Aba” (“Father of the Earth”), Bhagwan Birsa organised the “Ulgulan” oregon the Munda Rebellion against British oppression successful the precocious 1890s.

The Ulgulan, of course, was overmuch much than a rebellion. It was a combat for some justness and taste identity. Bhagwan Birsa Munda’s astute knowing brought together, connected the 1 hand, the close of tribal radical to ain and cultivate their lands without interference, and connected the different hand, the value of tribal customs and societal values.

Nursing the sick was a passionateness for him. He was trained arsenic a healer, and a bid of incidents made radical judge that deity had talented him with a healing touch.

There was a clip erstwhile Bhagwan Birsa Munda and others were named among “unsung heroes” of history. In caller times, however, their valour and sacrifices person travel to beryllium appreciated successful existent light.

During “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”, we celebrated the glorious past of India’s civilization and achievements, which helped people, particularly the youth, to larn much astir the valiant contributions of large patriots who had remained lesser known earlier.

This caller engagement with past received a fillip erstwhile the authorities successful 2021 decided to observe Bhagwan Birsa Munda’s commencement anniversary, November 15, arsenic “Janjatiya Gaurav Divas” to retrieve the contributions of the tribal state fighters. The commemoration of Bhagwan Birsa Munda’s bequest puts the agelong underrepresented tribal histories astatine the centre of India’s history.

This distinctive diagnostic of the tribal societies needs to beryllium nurtured for a amended aboriginal of humankind. That is the precise crushed down the broader effort of the government, launched during the past decade, to springiness owed designation to the value of tribal communities successful India’s socio-cultural fabric. It has announced a bid of programmes and schemes with a presumption to instrumentality payment beyond slogans and to the ground.

For a much holistic attack to tribal improvement and welfare, the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan was launched past period to capable the gaps successful societal infrastructure successful astir 63,000 tribal villages. Moreover, the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) focuses connected 11 captious interventions to marque payment initiatives much effective.

It was a humbling acquisition for maine erstwhile I had an extended enactment with representatives of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) who were invited to sojourn Rashtrapati Bhavan. They shared with maine their joys and sorrows. If determination is 1 accomplishment I americium arrogant of, it is the information that our tribal brothers and sisters spot successful maine occupying the highest law bureau an unprecedented designation for america all.

Do You Know:

PVTGs are a sub-classification of the Scheduled Tribes (STs) oregon a conception of STs who are considered much susceptible than regular STs. The PVTG database was created by the authorities with the purpose to amended connected precedence the surviving standards of endangered tribal groups.

On 29th November 2023, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN). It was launched by the Prime Minister connected the juncture of Janjatiya Gaurav Divas connected 15th November 2023 astatine Khunti, Jharkhand targeting 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) communities.

Under this umbrella scheme, 9 ministries volition instrumentality 11 interventions, including the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana, and Jal Jeevan Mission, among others.

November 15 marks the 150th commencement day of the tribal icon Birsa Munda, which is celebrated arsenic “Janjatiya Gaurav Divas” to honour the contributions of the tribal state fighters. Known arsenic “Dharti Aba” (“Father of the Earth”), Birsa organised the “Ulgulan” oregon the Munda Rebellion against British oppression successful the precocious 1890s.

Other Important Articles Covering the aforesaid topic:

📍Knowledge nugget of the day: Birsa Munda

📍Knowledge Nugget of the day: Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)

Previous twelvemonth UPSC Prelims Question Covering akin theme:

(1) With notation to the past of India, “Ulgulan” oregon the Great Tumult is the statement of which of the pursuing events? (UPSC CSE 2020)

(a) The Revolt of 1857

(b) The Mappila Rebellion of 1921

(c) The Indigo Revolt of 1859 – 60

(d) Birsa Munda’s Revolt of 1899 – 1900

Previous twelvemonth UPSC Mains Question Covering akin theme:

How did the assemblage regularisation impact the tribals successful India and what was the tribal effect to the assemblage oppression? (UPSC CSE 2023)

Delhi aerial ‘severe’ for 2nd day, SC to perceive petition connected contamination connected Nov 18

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues connected Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change – that bash not necessitate taxable specialisation

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, biology contamination and degradation, biology interaction assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: On Wednesday, the somesthesia successful Delhi dipped beneath mean for the archetypal clip this winter. The onset of the acold upwind was accompanied by a deterioration successful the city’s aerial quality. The city’s aerial prime scale (AQI) registered arsenic “severe” for the archetypal clip this play — the astir delayed accomplishment of the utmost polluting information successful the past 10 years.

Key Points to Ponder:

What is the AQI?

How AQI is measured successful India?

What is GRAP?

What are assorted aerial pollutants and their interaction connected quality health?

What are the steps taken by the authorities to curb aerial pollution?

Key Takeaways:

Analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment has shown that portion the highest particulate substance (PM) levels person fallen this season, the city’s mean contamination has risen. In different words, pollutant attraction remains a origin for worry.

The mean PM 2.5 levels, this year, are the highest successful 5 years. Also, the information that Delhi continues to acquisition atrocious aerial mode past the harvest residue burning play points to an imperative agelong highlighted by experts — a argumentation absorption beyond a seasonal approach.

Smog towers are expected to enactment arsenic elephantine aerial purifiers. However, by each accounts, their efficacy is restricted to the contiguous vicinity, leaving the broader cityscape unaffected.

Farm occurrence incidents successful Haryana and Punjab person been coming down successful the past fewer years. However, reports proceed to bespeak precocious contamination levels successful the 2 states.

Joining the dots betwixt section and determination contamination could beryllium beyond the capacities and mandate of municipalities. This is wherever an bureau specified arsenic the CAQM should measurement in. Solutions specified arsenic airshed contamination absorption — which zeros successful contamination hotspots successful regions — necessitate coordination betwixt section and state-level agencies.

The CAQM has mostly been operating arsenic a regulatory agency. The cardinal authorities bureau needs to measurement up and articulation the dots betwixt section and determination pollution, beyond seasonal issues specified arsenic stubble burning.

Do You Know:

According to the Central Pollution Control Board, portion of the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, the AQI transforms analyzable aerial prime information of assorted pollutants into a azygous fig (index value), nomenclature, and colour. The pollutants measured see PM 10, PM 2.5, Nitrogen Dioxide, Ozone, Carbon, etc.

There are six categories of AQI, namely ‘Good’ (0-50), ‘Satisfactory’ (51-100), ‘Moderately polluted’ (101-200), ‘Poor’ (201-300), ‘Very Poor’ (301-400), and ‘Severe’ (401-500).

AQI was launched by the cardinal authorities successful 2014 arsenic portion of the Swachh Bharat run to assistance simplify the communal knowing of pollution. An adept radical comprising aesculapian professionals, aerial prime experts, academia, advocacy groups, and others was constituted and a method survey was awarded to IIT Kanpur. IIT Kanpur and the Expert Group recommended an AQI scheme.

Other Important Articles Covering the aforesaid topic:

📍Knowledge Nugget of the day: Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)

📍Delhi chokes connected pollution: What is AQI — and however is it measured?

Previous twelvemonth UPSC Prelims Question Covering akin theme:

(2) In the cities of our country, which among the pursuing atmospheric gases are usually considered successful calculating the worth of Air Quality Index? (UPSC CSE 2016)

1. Carbon dioxide x

2. Carbon monoxide

3. Nitrogen dioxide

4. Sulfur dioxide

5. Methane

Select the close reply utilizing the codification fixed below.

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4 only

(c) 1, 4 and 5 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

EXPLAINED

Climate alteration and trade

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues connected Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change – that bash not necessitate taxable specialisation

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, biology contamination and degradation, biology interaction assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: A ceremonial submission by China, India and immoderate different countries to sermon clime change-related commercialized measures specified arsenic those introduced successful the European Union (EU) delayed the opening plenary of the clime league successful Baku, Azerbaijan, connected Monday (November 11) by respective hours. The petition was yet enactment speech for the clip being but the contented is improbable to wither away.

Key Points to Ponder:

What is the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)?

What are the concerns related to CBAM?

What is the value of the Paris Agreement?

What is clime financing?

What are the important agreements related to clime financing?

What is the ‘polluters pays’ principle?

What is the Common but Differentiated Responsibility and Respective Capability (CBDR–RC)?

Key Takeaways:

Last year, the EU rolled retired its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which taxes definite products coming successful from different countries connected the ground of their emissions footprint successful their accumulation process. For instance, if the imported alloy was produced done a process that entailed higher emissions than the emissions standards for that merchandise successful Europe, it would beryllium taxed.

CBAM allows industries successful Europe to stay competitory portion continuing to support precocious biology standards. It prevents these industries from relocating their accumulation to countries wherever the accumulation mightiness beryllium inexpensive owing to little strict emanation norms, a concern described arsenic c leakage. In the process, it hopes to lend to reducing planetary emissions.

The processing countries besides constituent retired that CBAM overlooks the “differentiation” embedded successful the planetary clime architecture that allows them to beryllium treated otherwise than the developed nations.

Industries successful developed economies, with emissions standards comparable to the EU, basal to payment from a CBAM-like measure, since their products would not beryllium taxed and, hence, go much competitory successful the European market. CBAM, thus, tin person the nett effect of helping industries successful the developed satellite portion putting those successful processing countries astatine a disadvantage

On behalf of the BASIC radical of countries that besides includes India, Brazil and South Africa, China made a petition to sermon these issues astatine the clime meetings. It met with beardown absorption from the EU and immoderate different countries, and the connection has been enactment connected the backburner for now.

CBAM is not the first-of-its-kind commercialized measurement linked to clime alteration but apt to beryllium the astir impactful till now. The EU is simply a ample market, accounting for astir 15% of planetary imports. CBAM presently applies to lone a fistful of goods — emission-intensive products specified arsenic steel, aluminium oregon cement — but is acceptable to beryllium expanded connected a ample fig of different items successful coming years.

There are besides different non-tariff commercialized measures linked to clime change. Several regions, including the EU, for example, prohibition the import of products made from illegally harvested forests. Even the incentives offered successful the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to cleanable vigor exertion oregon electrical conveyance industries successful the United States are examples of climate-related non-tariff measures that tin interaction and reshape planetary trade.

Climate alteration is besides accelerating a process of expanding protectionism that is being driven by respective different considerations, including economic, strategic, and security-related.

In fact, the dominance of China successful the power of resources and technologies related to caller vigor sources — solar, wind, batteries, and captious minerals — acold exceeds that of oil-producing countries successful the fossil substance era. This excessively has been facilitated by clime alteration that is forcing a planetary vigor transition.

There are different ways successful which clime alteration could beryllium reshaping planetary trade. Global proviso chains, with footprints dispersed implicit a ample fig of countries, person ample hazard vulnerability from the expanding frequence and ferocity of earthy disasters induced by clime change.

Do You Know:

Important decisions of COP28:

The COP28 clime meeting delivered immoderate important outcomes — a first-time acknowledgement of the request to determination distant from fossil fuels, a archetypal committedness to trim methane emissions, operationalisation and capitalisation of the nonaccomplishment and harm fund, and an statement connected a model for the planetary extremity connected adaptation.

After overmuch deliberations, the last statement called upon countries to lend towards “transitioning away” from fossil fuels, “so arsenic to execute nett zero by 2050”. There were nary clip schedules and nary targets. Some countries were highly disappointed that the word “fossil substance phase-out” had not been used.

The statement talks astir “accelerating and substantially reducing non-cabon-dioxide emissions globally, including successful peculiar methane emissions by 2030”. Methane is the astir wide greenhouse state isolated from CO2, accounting for astir 25 per cent of each emissions. It is besides astir 80 times much potent than CO2 successful causing planetary warming. Methane emanation reductions tin truthful bring important benefits. But respective countries, including India, are highly opposed to immoderate mandate to chopped methane emissions, chiefly due to the fact that 1 of the large sources happens to beryllium agriculture and livestock.

A determination to acceptable up a Loss and Damage Fund had been taken past twelvemonth successful Sharm el-Shaikh but it had not been created, and nary wealth had been promised. COP28 operationalised this money connected the opening time of the conference, and respective countries, including hosts UAE, made backing commitments.

Other Important Articles Covering the aforesaid topic:

📍COP28: What were the astir important decisions, wherever they fell short

📍What is c borderline tax, which India opposed astatine COP27 

Previous twelvemonth UPSC Prelims Question Covering akin theme:

(3) With notation to the Agreement astatine the UNFCCC Meeting successful Paris successful 2015, which of the pursuing statements is/are correct? (UPSC CSE 2016)

1. The Agreement was signed by each the subordinate countries of the UN, and it volition spell into effect successful 2017.

2. The Agreement aims to bounds the greenhouse state emissions truthful that the emergence successful mean planetary somesthesia by the extremity of this period does not transcend 2ºC oregon adjacent 1.5º C supra pre-industrial levels.

3. Developed countries acknowledged their humanities work successful planetary warming and committed to donate $ 1000 cardinal a twelvemonth from 2020 to assistance processing countries to header with clime change.

Select the close reply utilizing the codification fixed below:

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Previous twelvemonth UPSC Mains Question Covering akin theme:

Describe the large outcomes of the 26th league of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention connected Climate Change (UNFCCC). What are the commitments made by India successful this conference? (UPSC CSE 2021)

India’s marketplace correction, China’s sub-par stimulus salvo

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation, of resources, growth, improvement and employment.

What’s the ongoing story: The unfolding “correction” successful India’s banal indices — the Nifty50 has shed a tenth of its end-September highest — has been linked to the build-up to the Chinese authorities stimulus to boost its flagging economy. An scale is said to beryllium successful a “correction” signifier erstwhile it falls much than 10% from its past highest level. A more-than-20% autumn signals a “bear market” phase.

Key Points to Ponder:

What is the stock market?

What is the relation of SEBI?

How bash planetary factors interaction the banal marketplace successful India?

What is the Foreign Portfolio Investment?

What is the quality betwixt FPI and FDI?

What is the relation of RBI successful regulating monetary argumentation successful India?

What is the value of FPI?

What caller initiatives person been taken by the Indian authorities to summation the travel of FPI?

Key Takeaways:

After Beijing announced its archetypal stimulus bundle successful precocious September, overseas investors offloaded Indian shares to prime up Chinese equities that were trading astatine overmuch little price-earnings multiples (making Chinese stocks much charismatic from a valuation perspective).

The descent successful the bourses has persisted — adjacent though home wealth has continued to determination into India’s stocks. Last week, the Chinese authorities announced a 2nd booster changeable for its economy.

Some different planetary factors too, are liable for the existent selloff successful the Indian markets — these see the anticipated protectionist crook successful the United States under Donald Trump, the interaction of precocious tariff barriers connected the argumentation stance of the Federal Reserve, and the expected complaint hike by the Bank of Japan successful its December meeting, which has triggered an unwinding of yen carry-trade positions crossed markets.

•  Trump’s projected tax-relief, tariff-hike, and immigration-control measures could stoke inflation successful the US and disrupt the Fed’s rate-cut agenda. This would interaction the trajectory of India’s monetary argumentation if the Reserve Bank of India decides to resoluteness the uncertainties earlier undertaking immoderate important action. Analysts person said a December rate-cut is beauteous overmuch ruled retired — and the 14-month-high retail inflation successful October could mean immoderate specified enactment could beryllium pushed further into the adjacent year.

Do You Know:

•  India’s banal marketplace has taken a hit, plummeting 10 per cent owed to a operation of home and planetary factors successful the past 7 weeks. Foreign investors are pulling retired of the Indian market, withdrawing implicit Rs 1.40 lakh crore since October this year. This monolithic sell-off has hampered the marketplace sentiment contempt dense buying by home funds and institutions. To marque matters worse, firm show has been declining, and precocious ostentation is threatening to devour into profits, rein successful user spending and hold a chopped successful involvement rates.

Huge concern by home organization investors (DIIs) prevented a large clang successful the marketplace successful October. However, the latest stimulus announced by China is weighing connected the marketplace sentiment.

This (FPI sell-off) was chiefly connected relationship of costly valuations successful India, reallocation of funds to China, and optimism astir US markets, according to Vineet Sachdeva.

Other Important Articles Covering the aforesaid topic:

📍After a 10% autumn successful 7 weeks, the marketplace trajectory inactive a origin for interest amid overseas selling

📍FPIs propulsion retired Rs 61,006 crore from fiscal services companies successful ‘sell India, bargain China’ shift

Previous twelvemonth UPSC Prelims Question Covering akin theme:

(4) If different planetary fiscal situation happens successful the adjacent future, which of the pursuing actions/policies are astir apt to springiness immoderate immunity to India? (UPSC CSE 2020)

1. Not depending connected short-term overseas borrowings

2. Opening up to much overseas banks

3. Maintaining afloat superior relationship convertibility

Select the close reply utilizing the codification fixed below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Why Australia is readying to prohibition societal media for teenagers

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of nationalist and planetary importance

Mains Examination: General Studies I: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.

What’s the ongoing story: The Australian authorities announced it volition present authorities to support children nether the property of 16 disconnected societal media platforms specified arsenic Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said past week that a bundle of “world-leading” measures would beryllium introduced successful Parliament soon. The projected instrumentality volition enactment the onus connected societal media platforms to amusement they instrumentality “reasonable steps” to forestall entree to children, with nary penalties for the users, helium said.

Key Points to Ponder:

What is the relation of societal media successful today’s world?

What is the interaction of societal media connected adolescents?

•  What is the fearfulness of missing out?

Key Takeaways:

The draught Bill enactment the onus connected “providers of societal media service” to forestall anyone nether 14 years from accessing the platforms and allowed entree to 14- and 15-year-olds lone with parental consent.

A regulator was besides projected for fining providers for non-compliance. The fines volition represent a Children’s Online Safety Fund that tin assistance successful the implementation of the Act, discretionary outgo to children who person suffered intelligence oregon carnal harm, and different uses.

One of the biggest challenges successful implementing specified bans is property verification. While platforms similar Instagram person property limits astatine present, they simply inquire users astir their day of commencement and bash not necessitate verification. As a result, galore children participate mendacious accusation to entree platforms. Country-specific property requirements tin besides beryllium bypassed done Virtual Private Networks (VPN), which tin amusement the Internet being accessed from a antithetic domicile.

Studies accidental problematic societal media usage — inability to power usage, experiencing withdrawal and neglecting different activities to usage societal media — has been connected the rise. It has been associated with little intelligence well-being, higher levels of substance maltreatment and little sleep.

“Many adolescents measure their worthy based connected what radical accidental astir them online oregon however galore likes they get.” There is simply a fearfulness of missing out, with changeless societal media usage besides making in-person connection difficult. “In that sense, determination is simply a logic to restricting entree and usage of societal media,” helium said.

Age-appropriate wellness and information standards should beryllium developed, requiring higher standards of information privateness for children. Policymakers should prosecute policies that bounds entree of children to societal media and enactment the improvement of integer literacy curricula successful schools.

Social media companies were urged to beryllium transparent and stock imaginable risks of online interactions, instrumentality steps to forestall misuse, guarantee default settings for children are acceptable to the highest information and privateness standards, and enforce property limits.

Create a household media plan, promote children to foster in-person friendships, exemplary liable societal media behaviour, empower kids to beryllium responsible, and study immoderate cyberbullying oregon online abuse.

Do You Know:

•  A study by Boston Consulting Group earlier this twelvemonth recovered that astir 84 per cent Indian smartphone users cheque their phones wrong 15 minutes of waking up.

According to experts, erstwhile you aftermath up successful the morning, your encephalon moves from delta state (restful) to theta state, a benignant of dreamy state, and aboriginal to alpha state, a signifier erstwhile you are awake but not afloat processing information. Later, the encephalon moves to the beta state, which is erstwhile you are afloat alert.

And, erstwhile you usage your telephone instantly aft you aftermath up, and leap to the beta authorities from the delta state, this puts accent connected the brain. Researchers accidental this accelerated modulation could pb to an summation successful anxiety, irritation, and marque 1 consciousness little productive passim the day.

The usage of smartphones close earlier furniture and instantly aft waking up has go progressively communal successful the past fewer years. And these habits person been formed owing to a assortment of factors specified arsenic the surge of societal media apps and short-form video apps that bring a plethora of content.

There are galore studies that amusement however the bluish airy emitted by your smartphones affects your slumber and impacts wide well-being.

Other Important Articles Covering the aforesaid topic:

📍Why you shouldn’t scope for your telephone archetypal happening successful the morning

📍Your smartphone is frying your brain: Neuroscientist explains however accrued surface clip is impacting our lives 

Previous twelvemonth UPSC Mains Question Covering akin theme:

Social Media is Triggering ‘Fear Of Missing Out’ Amongst the Youth Precipitating Depression and Loneliness. (Essay, 2024)

Child cuddling is present being replaced by mobile phones. Discuss its interaction connected the socialization of children. (UPSC CSE 2023)

GOVT & POLITICS

Wayanad landslides not nationalist calamity: Centre

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of nationalist and planetary importance

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Disaster and catastrophe management

What’s the ongoing story: The Union authorities informed Kerala that the Wayanad landslides of July 30 cannot beryllium declared a nationalist calamity, and expressed the presumption that capable funds are disposable with the authorities for alleviation operations.

Key Points to Ponder:

How is simply a catastrophe declared a nationalist calamity?

What is simply a landslide?

What were the reasons for the Wayanad landslides?

What is an eco-sensitive area?

How unscientific constructions person led to aggregate disasters successful India?

Why is Western Ghat classified arsenic an ecologically delicate area?

Highlight the value of sustainable improvement practices.

What is the operation and functioning of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF)?

Key Takeaways:

The authorities authorities had sought assistance of Rs 900 crore from the Centre towards the alleviation and rehabilitation of the radical affected by the tragedy, which killed 231 and near 47 others inactive missing. Around 900 families were displaced owed to the landslides, leaving 3 hamlets astir deserted.

“Under the existing provisions of SDRF/NDRF, determination is nary proviso to state immoderate calamity arsenic nationalist disaster,” Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said successful a missive to Kerala government’s peculiar typical successful Delhi, K V Thomas.

The Union curate said superior work for catastrophe absorption rests with the state.

Do You Know:

The Western Ghats person been classified arsenic an ecologically fragile region. Recent probe by experts astatine the Indian Institute of Science divided the 1.6 lakh sq km of Western Ghats into 4 ecologically delicate regions (ESR). Promoting sustainable land-management practices specified arsenic reforestation, controlled deforestation, and sustainable agriculture is important to maintaining hillside stableness and reducing ungraded erosion, thereby mitigating the effects of dense rains.

The Central authorities connected Friday issued the sixth iteration of a draught notification, declaring 56,825.7 sq km of the Western Ghats an ecologically delicate country (ESA) successful the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

The ESAs projected crossed these states are dispersed implicit 449 sq km successful Gujarat, Maharashtra (17,340 sq km), Goa (1,461 sq km), Karnataka (20,668 sq km), Tamil Nadu (6,914 sq km), and Kerala (9,993.7 sq km). The Centre has provided a model of 60 days to taxable objections and suggestions connected the draft.

Other Important Articles Covering the aforesaid topic:

📍Govt reissues draught notification to state implicit 56,000 sq km of Western Ghats arsenic eco-sensitive

📍Before the landslide: Wayanad calamity is simply a informing – don’t disregard ecology

Previous twelvemonth UPSC Prelims Question Covering akin theme:

(5) ‘Gadgil Committee Report’ and ‘Kasturirangan Committee Report’, sometimes seen successful the news, are related to (UPSC CSE 2016)

(a) law reforms

(b) Ganga Action Plan

(c) linking of rivers

(d) extortion of Western Ghats

Previous twelvemonth UPSC Mains Question Covering akin theme:

Differentiate the causes of landslides successful the Himalayan portion and Western Ghats. (UPSC CSE 2021)

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY
1. (d)   2.  (b)   3. (b)   4. (a)   5. (d)

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