Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for October 24, 2024. If you missed the October 23, 2024 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here

FRONT PAGE

Modi-Xi handshake

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: Taking the first step to revive bilateral ties frozen ever since Chinese incursions in eastern Ladakh over four and a half years ago triggered a military standoff along the Line of Actual Control, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping held talks Wednesday and underlined that “maintaining peace on border should be our priority” and “mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity should be the basis of our ties”.

Key Points to Ponder:

• PM Modi-Xi Jinping meet at 16th BRICS Summit-Know the key highlights of the meeting between PM Modi-Xi Jinping

• ‘India and China have agreed to restore patrolling rights to each in the Depsang Plains and Demchok region’- what are the key discussions on patrolling agreement along the LAC?

• Why Depsang Plains and Demchok region are important?

• Map Work-Depsang Plains and Demchok region

• Know the terms ‘De-induction’ ‘Disengagement’ and ‘De-escalation’?

• What ‘De-induction’, ‘Disengagement’ and ‘De-escalation’ means in India-China Context

• Why patrolling agreement along the LAC is important?

• What are the main reasons for the Sino-Indian conflict?

Key Takeaways:

• Prime Minister Modi, in a post on X, said, “Met President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Kazan BRICS Summit. India-China relations are important for the people of our countries, and for regional and global peace and stability. Mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity will guide bilateral relations.”

• At the start of the meeting, Modi said, “We welcome the agreements that we have reached over the border. Maintaining peace and tranquillity over the border should remain our priority, and mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity should remain the basis of our relationship. I am confident that we will hold talks with an open heart and our discussions will be constructive.”

• At the meeting, President Xi said, “Mr Prime Minister, it’s my great pleasure to meet you in Kazan. It’s the first time for us to have a formal meeting in five years’ time. Both, the people in our two countries and the international community, are paying great attention to our meeting. China and India are both ancient civilisations, major developing countries, and important members of the Global South. We are both at a crucial phase in our respective modernisation endeavours.”

• It said the two leaders “agreed” that the “Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question will meet at an early date to oversee the management of peace and tranquillity in border areas and to explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question”.

Do You Know:

• According to the Maj Gen (retd) Prof G G Dwivedi, every conflict has a cycle – it begins with escalation, and is followed by contact, stalemate, de-escalation, resolution, peace-building and reconciliation. The de-escalation process entails talks at multiple levels, and ground action in various stages. For example, there have been three rounds of talks at the Corps Commander level, simultaneous talks between Joint Secretaries, and at the level of Special Representatives between India and China after Galwan clash. On the ground, the first step in the de-escalation process is of disengagement – i.e., to break the ‘eyeball-to-eyeball’ contact between the opposing troops on the forward line by pulling back to create a buffer zone. The next step is the pulling back of the troops in the immediate depth, followed by reserve formations in the rear.

• Given the potential for clashes, five major agreements were signed between India and China to ensure peace on the border. —The first one on ‘Maintenance of Peace and Tranquillity along the LAC’ was signed in 1993, which formed the basis for the subsequent agreements. — In 1996, a follow-up agreement on ‘Confidence Building Measures’ along the LAC was inked, denouncing use of force or engaging in hostile activities. — In the 2005 Agreement, ‘standard operating procedures’ were laid down to obviate patrol clashes. —The Agreement of 2012 set out a process for consultation and cooperation. — The ‘Border Defence Cooperation Agreement’ was signed in 2013 as a sequel to the Depsang intrusion by the PLA. Its emphasis was on enhancing border cooperation and exercising maximum restraint in case of ‘face-to-face’ situations. Wherever there was a difference of perceptions in disputed areas termed as ‘grey zones’, both sides could patrol up to the perceived line, but were not to undertake any build-up.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????PM Modi, X Jinping hold bilateral talks in Russia: Top 5 highlights

We support dialogue & diplomacy, not war… no double standards on terror: PM

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: Calling for “single-minded, firm support of all” to “counter terrorism and terror financing” and making clear that “there is no place for double standards on this serious matter”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told leaders of the BRICS grouping Wednesday that India supports “dialogue and diplomacy, not war”.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is BRICS?

• Why BRICS matter?

• Is the BRICS alliance no longer relevant and effective?

• The geopolitics of BRICS looks quite different today-how?

• Map Work-BRICS Countries

• What you know about New Development Bank (NDB) and Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA)?

• What were the key takeaways from the 16th BRICS summit?

• “The 16th BRICS Summit concluded on October 23 with a happy ending”-Comment

• BRICS and Global South-connect the dots

• “The Kazan Declaration, issued at the end of the Summit, touches on practically every salient issue”-Elaborate

• What are the issue’s and challenges with BRICS?

Key Takeaways:

• The key points from the Kazan declaration, opens new tab issued by the BRICS group after a summit in Russia are as following —On Ukraine: “We emphasize that all states should act consistently with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in their entirety and interrelation. We note with appreciation relevant proposals of mediation and good offices, aimed at a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.” —ON THE MIDDLE EAST: “We reiterate our grave concern at the deterioration of the situation and humanitarian crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in particular the unprecedented escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip and in West Bank as a result of the Israeli military offensive, which led to mass killing and injury of civilians, forced displacement and widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure.” “We express alarm over the situation in Southern Lebanon. We condemn the loss of civilian lives and the immense damage to civilian infrastructure resulting from attacks by Israel in residential areas in Lebanon and call for immediate cessation of military acts.” — ON WESTERN SANCTIONS: “We are deeply concerned about the disruptive effect of unlawful unilateral coercive measures, including illegal sanctions, on the world economy, international trade, and the achievement of the sustainable development goals.” — ON THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SYSTEM REFORM: “We underscore the need to reform the current international financial architecture to meet the global financial challenges including global economic governance to make the international financial architecture more inclusive and just.” — ON BRICS GRAIN EXCHANGE: “We welcome the initiative of the Russian side to establish a grain (commodities) trading platform within BRICS (the BRICS Grain Exchange) and to subsequently develop it including expanding it to other agricultural sectors.” —ON BRICS CROSS-BORDER PAYMENT SYSTEM: “We recognise the widespread benefits of faster, low cost, more efficient, transparent, safe and inclusive cross-border payment instruments built upon the principle of minimizing trade barriers and non-discriminatory access. We welcome the use of local currencies in financial transactions between BRICS countries and their trading partners.” —ON BIG CATS: “While appreciating the efforts of our countries to preserve rare species and noting the high vulnerability of big cats, we take note of the Republic of India’s initiative to create an International Big Cats Alliance and encourage BRICS countries to work together to make further contributions to the conservation of big cats.”

Do You Know:

• According to Rajan Kumar who teaches at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University and also the author of Locating BRICS in the Global Order: Perspectives from the Global South, the 16th BRICS Summit sent a clear message that the non-Western countries want to engage with Russia. Non-Western states still find Russia attractive due to its strategic importance and as a supplier of weapons and energy. Since it invaded Ukraine, the West began to treat Russia as an outcast. Putin cannot travel to many countries because the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him. He skipped the last BRICS summit in South Africa and will likely miss the G20 Summit in Brazil this year. Under these circumstances, hosting a Summit carries symbolic and substantive meaning for Putin’s regime. He will showcase it as proof that Russia is respected globally and that he is making an effort to reshape the world order.

• According to Rajan Kumar who teaches at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University and also the author of Locating BRICS in the Global Order: Perspectives from the Global South, the non-Western states have exhibited the acumen to successfully run an institution which, in some sense, rivals Western institutions. Western experts often dismiss BRICS as too diverse to be coherent. BRICS is indeed an unusually varied and heterogeneous association. Its members do not share territory, culture and political systems. This grouping includes democracies, authoritarian regimes and even monarchies. Further, its economies are also not comparable. Nonetheless, BRICS has managed to keep its differences under wraps and work on areas of convergence. It holds an annual Summit, has created successful institutions, and a large number of non-Western states covet its membership.

• BRICS has become an influential bloc in global politics. The West fears the emergence of a rival to the G7 with the potential to disrupt the functioning of the G20. BRICS remains an economic grouping but has not shied away from propagating its politics. It has consistently raised the issue of discrimination and hierarchy in the international system. Its members hold a lingering grudge of being unrepresented or underrepresented in institutions such as the UNSC, IMF and World Bank.

• According to Rajan Kumar who teaches at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University and also the author of Locating BRICS in the Global Order: Perspectives from the Global South, BRICS has become an influential bloc in global politics. The West fears the emergence of a rival to the G7 with the potential to disrupt the functioning of the G20. BRICS remains an economic grouping but has not shied away from propagating its politics. It has consistently raised the issue of discrimination and hierarchy in the international system. Its members hold a lingering grudge of being unrepresented or underrepresented in institutions such as the UNSC, IMF and World Bank.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????BRICS Summit at Kazan: The takeaways for India, Russia and China

????PM Modi attends BRICS Summit in Russia: What is the group, its significance for India

????Kazan Declaration

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

????Compare the significance of IBSA and BRICS in the context of India’s multilateral diplomacy. (UPSC CSE GS2, 2012)

THE CITY

‘Declaring Jama Masjid protected monument will have substantial impact’

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: History of India and Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies I: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

What’s the ongoing story:The Union government on Wednesday filed an affidavit before the Delhi High Court stating that “there would be a substantial impact of declaring Jama Masjid a protected monument”. This comes nearly two decades since the Ministry of Culture under the Manmohan Singh government decided not to declare the Jama Masjid as a protected monument.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What does a protected monument means?

• What you know about Jama Masjid?

• Who built Jama Masjid?

• “There would be a substantial impact of declaring Jama Masjid a protected monument”-What kind of impact?

• What is Jama Masjid architecture?

• What you know about Indo-Islamic architectural style?

• What makes Mughal art and architecture distinct?

• Could you identify some monuments constructed with red sandstone?

• Know about Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

Key Takeaways:

• In an affidavit dated October 21, the Union government – through the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) – submitted, “…there would be a substantial impact of declaring Jama Masjid a protected monument. The provision of the prohibited area will be applicable to Jama Masjid, which is a 100-m zone from a protected monument in which new construction is prohibited. Further, in a regulated area (200-m zone beyond a prohibited area) all construction-related activities are regulated and require prior permission from the competent authority and National Monuments Authority. Thus, there is (a) substantial impact of central protection on a 300-m zone around the monument.”

• “Further, Jama Masjid is under the protection and guardianship of Delhi Waqf Board under the Waqf Act, 1995… In the event of declaring it as a protected monument, the regulations of prohibited and regulated areas would come (into) effect,” it added.

• The HC has been dealing with two petitions from 2014, which raised issues regarding Maulana Syed Ahmed Bukhari’s announcement that he would anoint his youngest son as Naib Imam of Jama Masjid at a ceremony on November 22, 2014, after he had proclaimed himself the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid. The petitions challenged the legality of this anointment and highlighted the need for the Jama Masjid to be declared a protected monument.

• The court has been directing the government to produce the original file where the decision was taken to not declare it as protected, since 2018. While the file was subsequently produced before the court, on August 28, the ASI submitted that the original letter dated October 20, 2004 – written by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh – was “missing”. On Wednesday, the ASI submitted that the original file is “still not traceable”.

Do You Know:

• According to Ministry of Culture website, An ancient monument which is declared to be of national importance by or under this act is called protected monument. All ancient and historical monuments which have been declared by the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Declaration of National Importance) Act, 1951, or by section 126 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 to be of national importance shall also be deemed to be protected monuments for the purposes of this Act.

• Despite not being declared a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, the ASI continues to carry out conservation and restoration work of the monument. According to a statement of expenditure submitted by the ASI in the affidavit, it incurred an expenditure of Rs 61.82 lakh on the same from 2007-2008 to 2019-2020.

• In 2003, the Ministry of Culture had emphasised that “ASI would be able to undertake restoration and conservation work only if Jama Masjid is declared a protected monument”. However, the proposition was not agreed to by Imam Syed Ahmad Bukhari on the ground that the Union government protection “may open up avenues of interference with the management of the mosque and even compromise its use for public purposes of Namaz, etc”.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Imam of India’s biggest mosque has a successor: his 19-yr-old son

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

1. With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE, 2018) 1. White marble was used in making Buland Darwaza and Khankah at Fatehpur Sikri. 2. Red sandstone and marble were used in making Bara Imamabara and Rumi Darwaza at Lucknow. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both 1 and 2 D. Neither 1 nor 2

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

????Persian literary sources of mediaeval India reflect the spirit of the age. Comment. (UPSC CSE, GS1, 2020)

????Safeguarding the Indian art heritage is the need of the moment. (UPSC CSE, GS1, 2018)

EXPRESS NETWORK

Rights body demands rollback of new rules for disability certificates

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

• General Studies II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

What’s the ongoing story: A day after the Central Government notified the amended Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Rules, 2024, the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD), a cross disability rights organisation, has sought its rollback on grounds that the new rules make the process of availing disability certificates more stringent and cumbersome.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What exactly amended Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Rules, 2024 says?

• Why Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Rules was amended?

• Why National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD), a cross disability rights organisation, has sought its rollback?

• Who was Pooja Khedkar, and her ‘disability’ was questioned?

• What is India’s disability law?

• What exactly Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 says?

• Disabled population Statistics given by Census 2011-Know the Data

• What are the Constitutional Frameworks for Differently abled in India?

• Know the Government Programmes and initiatives for Disabled in India

• United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and International Day of Persons with Disabilities by the United Nations.

Key Takeaways:

• Broadly, the new norms have brought changes in the process of applications made to obtain Unique Disability Identity (UDID) cards and the process of issuance of these cards.

• One key change among them is that only a medical authority or any other notified competent medical authority can issue disability certificates at the district level. However, NPRD had pointed during the consultation stage that this addition should be dropped and suggested that experts associated with non-profits should also be authorised to carry out checks.

• The new norms also introduced colour-coded white, yellow and blue UDID cards signifying ascending levels of disability, with blue being the highest, for persons having disability at 80 per cent and above.

Do You Know:

• A draft of the Rules was issued in July by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DePwD), Ministry of Social Justice, to seek views of stakeholders and the amended Rules were published recently. The RPwD Rules, 2024, have come in the wake of the IAS probationer Puja Khedkar controversy.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Puja Khedkar controversy: What are the rules governing civil servants?

India goes to Kenya, looking to source cheetahs better suited for home conditions

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: With sourcing of cheetahs on agenda, a four-member delegation of the Union Environment Ministry and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is in Kenya to discuss finalisation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on wildlife conservation. Under the ambitious Project Cheetah, which saw the intercontinental translocation of African cheetahs to Madhya Pradesh, the government’s aim is to introduce eight to 14 cheetahs each year, subject to availability.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Cheetah in India- Background

• Extinction of Cheetah from Indian Landscape-know the reasons

• What is the Reintroduction of the cheetah in India plan?

• Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India-Important Highlights

• Know the difference between cheetah and Leopard and African cheetah and Asiatic cheetah

• Supreme Court of India on Translocating Animals-know in detail

• Trans-continental translocation of Animals-know the Issues and Challenges

• Map Work World-South Africa, Namibia and Botswana

• Map Work India-Kuno Palpur National Park (Madhya Pradesh)

• National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)-know in brief

Key Takeaways:

• A draft of the MoU was first exchanged and discussed by officials of the two countries in May when a six-member Kenyan delegation visited Delhi as well as Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.

• A key component of the MoU is “promotion and exchange of relevant wildlife species”, indicating the discussions the countries have undertaken on potential import of cheetahs from Kenya and discussions that are likely to happen on the issue during the visit of the Indian delegation.

• India has been exploring the option of sourcing cheetahs from Kenya for Project Cheetah as it is believed that they would adapt better to India’s tropical climate, as part of the African country lies in the northern hemisphere.

• Cheetahs sourced from southern hemisphere countries — Namibia and South Africa — had developed winter coats during Indian monsoon, and the dampness led to fatal infections under their radio collars.

Do You Know:

• Cheetahs are among the oldest of the big cat species, with its ancestors going back about 8.5 million years. It is listed as “vulnerable” by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Two subspecies, the Asiatic cheetah and the Northwest African cheetah, are listed as “critically endangered”.

• Project Cheetah, which saw the introduction of the African sub-species of the wild cat in India, recently completed two years.

• The ambitious project has two overarching objectives. First, to establish a stable, breeding population of cheetahs in central India. Two, to use cheetahs as an umbrella species to restore open natural ecosystems such as scrubs, savannahs, grasslands, and degraded forests.

• Project Cheetah began with the intercontinental translocation of African cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa to the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. This translocation took place in two batches of eight and then 12 cheetahs.

• These cheetahs were initially kept in soft-release bomas, small enclosures inside the national park to get them adapted to the local environment. Although confined to an area of roughly 1 sq. km, the cheetahs hunted live prey inside these bomas. While some cheetahs were later released in the wild, they were later brought back into the enclosures. Mating within the translocated cohort of cheetahs led to the birth of 17 cubs.

• The ‘Action Plan for Reintroduction of Cheetah in India’ proposes bringing in 12-14 cheetahs each year from South Africa, Namibia, and other African countries for five years to build a founder stock.

• One of the project’s most significant obstacles is a lack of prey. According to the project’s most recent yearly report, the density of chital, the principal prey for cheetahs (and leopards), has dropped from 23.43 animals per square kilometre in 2021 to 17.5 animals per square kilometre in 2024.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Explained: How cheetahs went extinct in India, and the plan to reintroduce them into the wild

????What it takes to successfully move big cats like cheetahs out of their natural habitats

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: 2. Consider the following: (UPSC CSE 2012) 1. Black-necked crane 2. Cheetah 3. Flying squirrel 4. Snow leopard Which of the above are naturally found in India? (a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 1, 3 and 4 only (c) 2 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

PERPETUAL EMERGENCY

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: On several occasions in the past five years, the Supreme Court has said that the Right to Clean Air is essential to the Right to Life. On Wednesday, the Court referred to this Fundamental Right once again while upbraiding the Centre and the governments of Delhi and its neighbouring states for failing to ensure a pollution-free environment in the Capital and its adjoining areas.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What contributed to the recent severe AQI in Delhi?

• What are the other reasons for Air pollution in Delhi?

• Why Delhi pollution is always in News?

• Know the Geographical location of Delhi

• Being landlocked makes Delhi’s air pollution worse-How far you agree with this?

• Know the Supreme Courts Judgments on Delhi Air Pollutions

• What is stubble and stubble burning?

• Stubble burning-Impact on Environment

• Ways to Check Stubble Burning (targeted and cluster-based approach)-Know in detail

• What is In-Situ Management of Crop Residue?

• Ex-situ management of crop residue- why it is preferred more by the Farmers?

• Know the National Green Tribunal and Various Decisions given by NGT like modification in National Clean Air Programme

• Air Quality Management in NCR Region-Role and Steps Taken so Far

• What is Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)?

• Know the best International Practices to Curb Air Pollution in Urban Areas

Key Takeaways:

• NCR residents have been breathing “very poor” quality air for the past four days. The problem, as the SC pointed out, stems from an unfortunate lack of resolve from both the Centre and state governments.

• The data does show that seasonal stubble burning — one reason for the pollution spike before winter — has come down in some parts of Delhi’s neighbourhood. However, the gravity of the problem is such that incremental changes are insufficient to make an appreciable difference in air quality.

Do You Know:

• Stubble burning, also known as parali burning, is a prevalent agricultural practise employed to clear paddy crop remnants from fields in order to facilitate the sowing of wheat. This practise often occurs between the last week of September and November. Stubble burning refers to the practise of intentionally igniting the residual straw stubble that remains after the harvest of various grains such as rice and wheat. The practise of leaving agricultural residue behind is typically mandated in regions that employ the combined harvesting method.

• The combustion of agricultural residue is a prominent contributor to air pollution in certain regions of northern India, resulting in the degradation of air quality. The practise of burning paddy stubble is predominantly observed in the Indo-Gangetic plains of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, with the primary objective of preparing the fields for the cultivation of rabi crops.

• The harvesting of paddy crop in the regions of Punjab and Haryana typically takes place within the time frame spanning from the initial to the final weeks of October. Subsequently, farmers commence the process of sowing the wheat crop, often commencing in the first week of November and extending until the midpoint of December.

• The primary factor contributing to the practise of stubble burning is the limited timeframe between rice harvesting and wheat sowing, as any delay in the latter process can adversely impact the wheat crop. Following the completion of the paddy crop harvest and preceding the commencement of the subsequent crop sowing, a relatively brief time frame of approximately two to three weeks remains.

• The incidence of rice stubble burning has the highest prevalence in the state of Punjab, with Haryana following closely behind. Farmers engage in the practise of crop residue burning as a means of soil preparation for subsequent agriculture. This approach involves the combustion of crop residues, such as straw, which persist in the field following the completion of the harvesting process. Hence, the practise of stubble burning is widely regarded as a cost-effective approach for field maintenance following the conclusion of the harvesting season.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Explained: Why does air pollution rise in October every year?

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

3. In the cities of our country, which among the following atmospheric gases are normally considered in calculating the value of Air Quality Index? (UPSC CSE, 2016) 1. Carbon dioxide 2. Carbon monoxide 3. Nitrogen dioxide 4. Sulfur dioxide 5. Methane Select the correct answer using the code given 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

4. In the context of WHO Air Quality Guidelines, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE, 2020) 1. The 24-hour mean of PM2.5 should not exceed 15 μg/mÑ and annual mean of PM2.5 should not exceed 5 μg/m3. 2. In a year, the highest levels of ozone pollution occur during the periods of inclement weather. 3. PM10 can penetrate the lung barrier and enter the bloodstream. 4. Excessive ozone in the air can trigger asthma. Which of the statements given above are correct? (a) 1, 3 and 4 (b) 1 and 4 only (c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) 1 and 2 only

5. How is the National Green Tribunal (NGT) different from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)? (UPSC CSE, 2018) 1. The NGT has been established by an Act whereas the CPCB has been created by an executive order of the Government. 2. The NGT provides environmental justice and helps reduce the burden of litigation in the higher courts whereas the CPCB promotes cleanliness of streams and wells, and aims to improve the quality of air in the country. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

????Describe the key points of the revised Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) recently released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). How are these different from its last update in 2005? What changes in India’s National Clean Air Programme are required to achieve these revised standards? (UPSC CSE, GS3, 2021)

????What are the key features of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) initiated by the Government of India? (UPSC CSE, GS3, 2020)

????Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata are the three Mega cities of the country but the air pollution is much more serious problem in Delhi as compared to the other two. Why is this so? (UPSC CSE, GS1, 2015)

EXPLAINED

Geoengineering idea: diamonds in the sky, cooling the Earth

Syllabus:

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

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story:A new study has argued that spraying millions of tonnes of diamond dust in the Earth’s upper atmosphere every year could help cool down the Earth and combat global warming. It might appear to be a rather outlandish claim, but this is not the first time such a solution has been proposed.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is Earth’s upper atmosphere called?

• What is the central idea of this new study?

• What is geo engineering?

• What are the Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies?

• What do you understand by the term ‘Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS)’?

• The most ambitious and potentially rewarding form of geoengineering is ‘Solar Radiation Management’-what is that?

• What are the challenges and concerns?

Key Takeaways:

• The new study published in Geophysical Research Letters found that diamonds would be more effective in doing the job than any other material previously considered.

• The bare minimum for achieving the target requires the world to cut its emissions by at least 43 per cent from the 2019 levels, by 2030. Ongoing and promised actions, however, will likely result in a reduction of just two per cent by 2030. As a result, scientists have been looking for radical technology solutions that achieve dramatic results within a short period, even if only temporarily. Geoengineering offers such options.

Do You Know:

• Geoengineering refers to any large-scale attempt to alter the Earth’s natural climate system to counter the adverse impacts of global warming. Solar Radiation Management (SRM), in which materials are proposed to be deployed in Space to reflect incoming solar rays and prevent them from reaching Earth, is one of the two broad geoengineering options being explored.

• The most ambitious and potentially rewarding form of geoengineering is SRM, which is still at the conceptual stage. It draws inspiration from the natural process of volcanic eruptions, in which large amounts of sulphur dioxide are released. These combine with water vapour to form sulphate particles that reflect sunlight into space, reducing the amount reaching Earth.

• Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a way to catch carbon and trap it beneath the earth. It is different to carbon dioxide removal (CDR) — where carbon is sucked out of the atmosphere — although some of the technologies overlap. The key difference is that CDR brings down the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, cooling the planet, while CCS in fossil fuel plants and factories prevents the gas from getting out in the first place.

• Scientists see a big role for CCS in factories that make cement and fertiliser, as well as in plants that burn rubbish. They are split on whether it makes sense to use it to make steel and hydrogen, which have some greener alternatives. Most of their skepticism goes to capturing carbon when making electricity, because there are already cheaper alternatives that work better, like wind turbines and solar panels. In theory, it could play a role in gas plants as a back-up when the sun doesn’t shine and wind doesn’t blow — particularly in countries that are still building fossil fuel plants today — but it would have to quickly grow cheaper and more effective.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Warming up to climate change: What is carbon capture and can it help save the planet?

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

6. Consider the following activities: (UPSC CSE, 2023) 1. Spreading finely ground basalt rock on farmlands extensively 2. Increasing the alkalinity of oceans by adding lime 3. Capturing carbon dioxide released by various industries and pumping it into abandoned subterranean mines in the form of carbonated waters How many of the above activities are often considered and discussed for carbon capture and sequestration? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None

Taxing industrial alcohol

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

What’s the ongoing story: A nine-judge Bench of the Supreme Court held in a 8:1 ruling on Wednesday that states have the power to tax not just alcoholic beverages, but also ‘industrial’ alcohol.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What exactly nine-judge Bench of the Supreme Court said?

• What is intoxicating liquors”?

• What is excise duty?

• ‘Excise duty levied on drinking alcohol is a key component of the revenue generated by most states’-Comment

• The key interpretative question before the court?

• How Constitution divides the taxing powers between the Centre and the states?

• What is Seventh Schedule of the Constitution?

• How this recent verdict will affect Centre-state relations?

Key Takeaways:

• The key interpretative question before the court was whether “intoxicating liquor” can be defined to also include “industrial alcohol”.

• IN A decision that will boost the coffers of States, the Supreme Court, in an 8:1 majority ruling on Wednesday, held that the phrase “intoxicating liquors” in the State list includes industrial alcohol, and States have the power to regulate and tax it.

• Writing for the bench, the CJI said that analysis of previous judgments on the subject make it “clear” that the “meaning of the phrase ‘intoxicating liquor’ in Entry 8 of List II (State list) has been expanded beyond the narrow definition of alcoholic beverages that produce an ‘intoxicating effect’ upon consumption. Liquids which contain alcohol and which can possibly be used (or misused) as intoxicating liquor have been included within the meaning of the phrase.”

• “The Constitution uses three distinct expressions relating to alcohol: ‘intoxicating liquor’, ‘alcoholic liquor for human consumption’ and ‘intoxicating drinks’… The expressions ‘alcoholic liquor for human consumption’ and ‘intoxicating drink’ are used in the context of ‘consumption’. However, the provision relating to ‘intoxicating liquor’ is not limited to its consumption. It stretches to ‘production, manufacture, possession, transport, purchase and sale of intoxicating liquors’ and beyond. The second difference is the use of the expression ‘intoxicating’ instead of ‘alcoholic’ as the adjective to liquor,” the majority ruling said.

• In her dissenting verdict, Justice Nagarathna said that states can only tax intoxicating alcohol which can be consumed by direct ingestion.

Do You Know:

• The SC’s majority judgment on Wednesday overturned its 1990 seven-Judge judgment in Synthetics & Chemicals Ltd vs State of Uttar Pradesh, which held that States cannot tax industrial alcohol. Several state governments, including Uttar Pradesh, had challenged this judgment. The matter was referred to the nine-judge bench in 2010.

• The seven-Judge bench “did not determine the meaning of the expressions ‘intoxicating’ or ‘liquors’ or ‘intoxicating liquors’ independently,”.

• The core of the dispute arises from two “overlapping” entries in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, which lays down the division of lawmaking powers between the Centre and the states.

• Entry 8 of List II (State List) gives states the power to regulate “the production, manufacture, possession, transport, purchase and sale of intoxicating liquors”, while Entry 52 of List I (Union List) allows the Centre to regulate industries as a whole to the extent “declared by Parliament by law to be expedient in public interest”.

• As alcohol and other products of fermentation industries that deal with non-potable (non-drinkable) alcohol are included in the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1961 — a law passed by Parliament — the Centre argued that it “occupied the field” when it comes to industrial alcohol, and that states could not regulate the subject. States, on the other hand, argued that industrial alcohol can be misused to produce consumable alcohol illegally, which required them to enact legislation.

• The ruling also set aside the SC’s 1990 judgment in Synthetics & Chemicals Ltd. v State of Uttar Pradesh, which held that “intoxicating liquor” refers only to potable alcohol and, therefore, states could not tax industrial alcohol.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????States can tax, regulate industrial alcohol: SC in 8:1 majority ruling

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

7. The sales tax you pay while purchasing a toothpaste is a (UPSC CSE, 2014) a) Tax imposed by the Central Government b) Tax imposed by the Central Government but collected by the State Government. c) Tax imposed by the State Government but collected by the Central Government. d) Tax imposed and collected by the State Government.

For any queries and feedback, contact priya.shukla@indianexpress.com

 Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.

The Indian Express UPSC Essentials brings to you the October issue of its monthly magazine. Click Here to read. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com