InstaLinks : help you think beyond the issue but relevant to the issue from UPSC prelims and Mains exam point of view. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background. This helps you study a topic holistically and add new dimensions to every current event to help you think analytically
1. Renewing India’s federalism pledge
2. The spectrum of law-making in independent India
1. 75 Ramsar Sites in 75th Year of Independence
2. The fastest-growing large economy in the world
Content for Mains Enrichment (Essay/Ethics)
1. Data Points: Comparision of India in the 1950s to India Now (2020)
5. Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS)
Note: Today we had a lot of articles. We will gradually cover all of the relevant ones in the next few days
Direction: Go through it once.
Context: On the eve of 75 years since independence, the author gives the evolution of the changing contours of the caste system in India
Caste definition: Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, the hereditary transmission of a style of life.
Caste today is active in three main ways:
The contexts of caste have changed in ways that affect all three modalities:
Caste as a mechanism for regulating material opportunities:
Caste as a form of political mobilization:
As per World Inequality Database, the Upper caste in India earned about 47% more than the annual national average household Income in 2012. Further Oxfam report says the top 10% of the Indian population own 77% of national wealth, but the condition of SC and ST and other lower caste still remain at the lower bottom of the income group. India’s historical and present Caste disability is a big factor in determining one’s opportunity and subsequently wealth.
Government measures to address increasing inequality are:-
· Article 15 protects from discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.
· Article 16 (equality of opportunity in public employment)
· Article 38 (asks state to minimize inequalities in income, status, facilities, and opportunities)
· Article 46 (state to promote the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections esp. SC and STs)
· Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 (Transgender are as discriminated as Dalits in India)
· The ‘Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013’
· The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989
· The Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955
· Institutional support for entrepreneurship: using MUDRA Bank, microfinance, and by creating National Hub for SC/ST entrepreneurs
· Standup India scheme and Credit Enhancement Guarantee Scheme for Scheduled Castes
· Public Procurement: 4% of procurement by PSUs to be done from MSME owned by SC/ST
· National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation: to provide Skill development and financial assistance to Scheduled Castes
· National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation: to uplift the economic situation of Safai Karamcharis (mostly belong to lower castes)
· Entrepreneurship: Venture Capital Fund promoted for SC/ST young entrepreneurs
Community measures (by including Gram Sabha and Civil Society Organizations)
· Greater voice to traditionally oppressed and suppressed groups: e.g. ActionAid India works for a world free from poverty and injustice esp. of among the Dalit community
· Allowing the formation of unions and associations at workplaces that promote social equality and raise voices against any discrimination.
In view of increasing social and economic inequality, there is a need for government to formulate a robust social security net for socially disadvantaged sections, introduce further progressive taxation to redistribute wealth, bring behavioral change to reduce discrimination (using the help of CSO, NGO, and SHG), and increase spending on Education, Health, Skill development, etc.
Q. Discuss in detail features of the Caste System in India, also, identify various reasons for strengthening caste-based identity in today’s times. (15M)
Syllabus: Parliament-Structure, functioning and conduct of business, federalism etc
Social justice and secularism, Issues of Muslims:
Definition of Federalism: Federalism is a mixed or compound mode of government that combines a general government with regional governments in a single political system, dividing the powers between the two.
Federalism as a multidimensional framework:
Amrit Kaal needs a new discussion on equitable power-sharing and resource-sharing across regions, castes, linguistic groups and genders. That will be essential for India’s progress, anchored in a new federalism compact.
Q. Parliament’s power to amend the constitution is a limited power and it cannot be enlarged into absolute power”. In the light of this statement explain whether parliament under article 368 of the constitution can destroy the Basic structure of the constitution by expanding its amending power? (UPSC 2019)
Syllabus: Parliament-structure, functioning and conduct of business and law-making power of parliament and state legislature etc
Direction: Not so important. But do go through it once to understand the contours of various laws in India.
Building blocks of the Nehruvian years:
Legislations by the Nehru government:
The Constitution was amended within his lifetime (16)
Lal Bahadur Shastri’s brief tenure:
It was 18 months, confronted with acute national food insecurity.
Indira Gandhi’s long shadow:
P.V. Narasimha Rao’s government:
Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government:
Q. What are the two major legal initiatives by the state since Independence, addressing discrimination against Scheduled Tribes (ST)(UPSC 2017)
Direction: Ramsar Site is important. Since the number is growing rapidly each week. Just go through it once.
Context: Government has added 11 more wetlands to the Ramsar list of wetlands.
Importance of Ramsar Site: Many of the sites are already notified under the Union government’s Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017 meaning development activities within the waterbody as well as within its zone of influence are regulated.
Eleven Ramsar Sites added are:
Ansupa Lake (Odisha, Cuttack district)
Yashwant Sagar (Indore, Madhya Pradesh)
Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary ( Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu)
Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex (Kanya Kumari, Tamil Nadu)
Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu)
Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary (Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu)
Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve (Baramulla district, J&K)
Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve (Sri Nagar, J&K)
To remember all the previous Ramsar Sites: Click here
Q. Discuss the importance and role played by Wetlands in the Ecological conservation of Earth. (15M)
Consider the following pairs: (UPSC 2022) Wetland / Lake Location
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?
Hokera- J&K; Sasthamkotta (Kerela)
If a wetland of international importance is brought under the ‘Montreux Record’, what does it imply? ( UPSC 2014)
(a) Changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring or are likely to occur in the wetland as a result of human interference.
(b) The country in which the wetland is located should enact a law to prohibit any human activity within five kilometres from the edge of the wetland.
(c) The survival of the wetland depends on the cultural practices and traditions of certain communities living in its vicinity and therefore the cultural diversity therein should not be destroyed.
(d) It is given the status of ‘World Heritage Site.’
Direction: Just go through it once
Context: Success of India’s economy in the last 75 years
At the time of Independence: The newborn nation was highly impoverished, thanks to centuries of colonial exploitation.
Conclusion: To generate 10 million jobs annually, we need lakhs of new enterprises to be born. That calls for ease of doing business, especially in areas such as dispute resolution and contract enforcement. Judicial reform is as urgent as job creation. India is the fastest-growing large economy, proud of its democratic foundations, but much work remains to be done.
Indian economy in the present times
Q. Evaluate the performance of the Indian economy in the last 75years since Indian independence. Has it been able to live up to the initial expectations? (250 Words)
Direction: Do keep note of some of the important data.
Context: As India completes 75 years of its independent journey, let us compare various aspects then and now
Context: The Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), run by GMR, announced the soft launch of the Centre’s DigiYatra initiative, rolling out the beta version of its app for Android platforms.
The ‘DigiYatra’ is a Biometric Enabled Seamless Travel experience (BEST) based on Facial Recognition Technology. It aims to provide a paperless and seamless travel experience to the passengers. “DigiYatra is a unique initiative of the Government of India, coordinated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
DigiYatra envisages that travellers pass through various checkpoints at the airport through paperless and contactless processing, using facial features to establish their identity, which would be linked to the boarding pass.
The DigiYatra Foundation will be the custodian of the passenger ID validation process. It will also define the criteria for compliance and guidelines for the local airport systems.
Context: India will produce over 6cr bottles of Nano urea and make it available to farmers in 2022-23.
Urea is chemical nitrogen fertilizer, white in colour, which artificially provides nitrogen, a major nutrient required by plants.
Nano urea vs imported/urea – Which is better?
Other benefits of Nano urea:
Context: Continuation of 13th August Facts for Prelims ( Elephant)
The central government has notified Agasthyamalai Elephant Reserve (Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli, TN) as India’s 31 elephant reserve
Benefits: The forest department may be eligible for additional financing through the centrally sponsored Project Elephant after notifying the Agasthiyarmalai Elephant Reserve.
About Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve (ABR)
Context: It is a bilateral air exercise between India and Malaysia at Kuantan (Malaysia)
Other exercises: Joint military exercises “Harimau Shakti” are held annually between the two countries.
Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS)
Context: An indigenously developed howitzer gun, ATAG, became part of the 21-gun salute during the Independence Day ceremony for the first time.
The ATAGS is an indigenous 155 mm x 52 calibre howitzer gun developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) with its Pune-based facility Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) being the nodal agency.
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