General Studies Paper -1 Context: The Prime Minister inaugurated Mission Mausam to mark the 150th anniversary of the India Meteorological Department (IMD). About Mission Mausam Aim: To upgrade the capabilities of India’s weather department in forecasting, modelling, and dissemination. Features: Budget allocation: Rs 2,000 crore for the first two years of its implementation. Focus areas: Weather surveillance, modelling techniques and forecasting. Beneficiary Sectors: Agriculture, aviation, defence, disaster management, tourism and health. Phases: Phase 1 (2025- March 2026): Focus on expanding observation capabilities and conducting simulation experiments. Phase 2 (2026 onwards): Introduce satellites and aircraft to enhance observational precision. Supervision: Mission....Read More
General Studies Paper -1 Context: The ambitious project of river interlinking in India, aimed at connecting surplus rivers with those facing water deficits, has been touted as a solution to the country’s water woes. However, this grandiose idea, which has been in the making for decades, is fundamentally flawed and poses significant environmental risks. Historical Context The concept of interlinking rivers dates back to the 19th century, with Sir Arthur Cotton’s designs for irrigation dams in the Godavari and Krishna river valleys. Over the years, this idea evolved, with notable contributions from engineers like M. Visvesvaraya, K.L. Rao, and Captain....Read More
General Studies Paper -1 Context: Recently, the United States has experienced one of the most severe winter storms in over a decade, largely attributed to the polar vortex. About the Polar Vortex It is a large area of low-pressure and cold air that swirls around the Earth’s polar regions. It exists in two forms: Tropospheric polar vortex, which occurs in the lowest layer of the atmosphere (up to about 10-15 km), and Stratospheric polar vortex, which occurs higher up (around 15-50 km). The tropospheric polar vortex is responsible for most weather phenomena, while the stratospheric polar vortex is strongest during....Read More
General Studies Paper -1 Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the interstate Ken-Betwa river linking project. Ken-Betwa River Linking Project In 2021, a memorandum of agreement was signed among the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the governments of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to implement the Ken-Betwa Link Project. Project: Transferring water from the Ken river to the Betwa river, both tributaries of the Yamuna. The Ken-Betwa Link Canal will be 221 km in length, including a 2-km tunnel. It has two phases. Phase-I will involve building the Daudhan Dam complex and its subsidiary units. Phase-II....Read More
General Studies Paper -1 Context: The India Meteorological Department expects a La Niña to set in by late 2024 or early 2025, plus a milder winter due to this delay. Emergence of La Nina Historically, the La Niña has usually formed during the monsoon or the pre-monsoon period, and it has formed only twice between October and December since 1950. Predicting La Nina: The oceanic Niño index (ONI) compares the three-month average sea surface temperatures in the East-Central Tropical Pacific with the 30-year average. When the difference between the two is 0.5º C or higher, it is an El Niño,....Read More
General Studies Paper-1 Context: The Lok Sabha has passed the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024. About The Bill amends the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The DM Act establishes: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), and the District Disaster Management Authority. These authorities are responsible for disaster management at the national, state, and district level, respectively. Key Highlights of the Bill Preparation of disaster management plans: The Bill provides that NDMA and SDMA will prepare disaster management plans, which was earlier prepared by the National a State Executive Committee. Functions of NDMA and SDMA: The Bill adds....Read More
General Studies Paper-1 Context: As per The Central Water Commission’s (CWC) report, Himalayan glacial lakes are rapidly expanding, posing an increasing threat to communities and ecosystems. Major Findings The total inventory area of glacial lakes within India increased from 1,962 hectares in 2011 to 2,623 in 2024 i.e. a 33.7% increase. It also identified 67 lakes in India that witnessed an over 40% increase in surface area, placing them in the high-risk category for potential GLOFs. Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh showed the most notable expansions, signalling a heightened risk of GLOFs. Glacial lakes and other water....Read More
General Studies Paper-1 Context: India has reaffirmed its commitment to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), a UN-backed global agreement adopted in 2015. The framework aims for the substantial reduction of disaster risks and losses to protect lives, livelihoods, and the assets of communities and nations. Key Dimensions of India’s Disaster Risk Reduction Initiatives Adoption of the Sendai Framework Principles: The Sendai Framework emphasizes reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing resilience. India has incorporated these principles into national policies, such as the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP), which aligns closely with Sendai’s four priority areas: Understanding Disaster Risk Strengthening Disaster....Read More
General Studies Paper-1 Context: October 31 is observed every year as World Cities Day. The world’s urban population has reached an estimated 4.7 billion, or 57.5% of the world’s total population, with projections to double by 2050. The theme for this year’s World Cities Day is ‘Youth Climate Changemakers: Catalysing Local Action for Urban Sustainability’. Urbanisation in India In Western countries, urbanisation followed industrialisation, which created jobs that absorbed rural labour. Their urbanisation was sustained also because of massive economic transfers from colonies. In contrast, India’s urbanisation is largely driven by economic distress, resulting in poverty-driven urbanisation, with both rural-to-urban....Read More
General Studies Paper-1 Context: Recently, a new hydrology model-based study titled as ‘Detection and Socio-economic Attribution of Groundwater Depletion in India’ has proven a clear correlation between urbanisation and a decline in groundwater reserves in Indian states of Punjab and Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Kerala. About India hosts around 18% of the global population, faces a severe water crisis despite having only 4% of the world’s freshwater resources. Groundwater, which supports over 60% of irrigated agriculture and around 85% of domestic water supply in rural areas, is depleting at an alarming rate. The belief that the country....Read More
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