March 19, 2024

Governance


General Studies Paper -2 Context: Global child deaths reached a historic low in 2022,according to the latest estimates by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.  About The report noted the annual number of global under-five deaths in 2022 declined by more than half from the 2000 estimate — from 9.9 million to 4.9 million. However, the numbers are still bad. Globally, neonatal deaths, or the death of a baby within 28 days of birth, happened every 14 seconds; a child aged under five died every six seconds and an adolescent (ages 10 to 19)died every 35 seconds in 2022, the....Read More

General Studies Paper -2 Context: As per the latest data available with the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), about one-third members of Rajya Sabha declared criminal cases against themselves. Criminalisation of Politics in India It refers to the involvement of individuals with criminal charges or backgrounds in Indian politics. It means that persons with criminal backgrounds contest in the election and get selected as a member of parliament or state legislature. Key Findings of ADR ü  Rajya Sabha Candidates: About 36% of Rajya Sabha candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves while the average assets of candidates analysed stood at ₹127.81 crore. ü  Electoral....Read More

General Studies Paper -2 Context: The article discusses the impact of poor nutrition on health issues like anemia in India. It covers government efforts to improve nutrition through programs and food fortification, the shift in dietary patterns, and the importance of awareness and education to tackle these challenges. What is nutritional deficiencies? Nutritional deficiency occurs when a body lacks essential nutrients due to insufficient nutrient-rich food intake (primary deficiency) or medical conditions hindering nutrient absorption (secondary deficiency). It can lead to various health issues but is preventable or resolvable through a balanced diet or targeted nutrient consumption. What are the....Read More

General Studies Paper -2 Context: The article discusses the issues with using Aadhaar-Based Payment Systems (ABPS) in MGNREGS wage payments. Background: Recently, the Rural Development Ministry made Aadhaar-Based Payment Systems (ABPS) mandatory in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). There are 2 modes of wage payments in MGNREGS: account-based and ABPS. As per the government’s data, out of 25.6 crore registered workers, only 16.9 crore workers are eligible for ABPS while all are eligible for account-based payments. How are payments made through ABPS? For ABPS, the following procedure needs to be done: First, a worker’s Aadhaar number must....Read More

WATER EVERYWHERE MISSION

General Studies Paper -2 Context: The article discusses the challenges in achieving 100% coverage under the Jal Jeevan Mission. It also highlights what needs to be done to ensure it. Background: Launched in 2019, the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to achieve the objective of providing piped water in adequate quantities and of prescribed quality on a regular and long-term basis to every rural household in India (55 litre per capita per day of water). Data shows 73.57% of the rural households have already been covered by this flagship scheme. What are the Challenges in achieving 100% Coverage? There are challenges in achieving....Read More

General Studies Paper -2 Context: More than 3,000 flats are likely to be allotted to slum dwellers by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) under the PMAY-U. About PMAY-U TheMinistry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) in 2015, as a flagship Mission of the Government of India. Objective:It addresses urban housing shortage among the Economically Weaker Section (EWS)/Low Income Group (LIG) category including the slum dwellers by ensuring a pucca house to eligible urban households. Coverage: The Mission covers the entire urban area consisting of Statutory Towns, Notified Planning Areas, Development Authorities, Special Area Development....Read More

General Studies Paper -2 Context: The 1st meeting of the Social Audit Advisory Body (SAAB) was held recently. About The Meeting was chaired by the Secretary, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment.  This advisory body, a first of its kind, has been established to guide the Ministry in institutionalizing social audits for its various schemes. Members:Representatives from key ministries and academic institutions are members of this advisory body. What is Social Audit? Social Audit is the examination and assessment of a programme/scheme for comparing official records with actual ground realities.  It includes an audit of the quality of works being executed at different levels along....Read More

General Studies Paper -2 Context: The article discusses the recent attacks on civil society in India. It also highlights the instruments being used to attack civil society. What is civil society? Civil society refers to a wide variety of communities and groups such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), labor unions, indigenous groups, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, and foundations that function outside of government to provide support and advocacy for certain people or issues in society. A free civic space regulated under constitutionally guaranteed principles is the essence of democracy. India is lucky to have a diverse and vibrant civil....Read More

General Studies Paper – 2 Context: The Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) was launched by the Prime Minister in January 2018. With this initiative, the Government has tried to change the development narrative by referring to these districts as ‘aspirational’ instead of ‘backward’. Since its launch, all 112 underdeveloped districts included in the programme have improved their performance. It was launched in 2018 to improve the socio-economic status of 112 aspirational districts across 28 States. These districts had witnessed the least progress along certain development parameters. The districts accounted for more than 20% of the country’s population and covered over 8,600....Read More

General Studies Paper- 2 Context: The Telecom Bill 2023, raises concerns about privacy, Favors select corporations, and lacks democratic scrutiny. Nationalistic rhetoric obscures its shortcomings, contributing to an erosion of democratic principles. Introduction: Tweet by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav announces parliamentary passage of Telecom Bill, 2023. Digital Bharat Nidhi and the Digital Divide: The Telecom Bill introduces “Digital Bharat Nidhi,” renaming the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF). Despite the name change, little structural change in addressing the digital divide. Nationalistic rhetoric distracts from the lack of fresh ideas or solutions for improving connectivity. Innovation and State Control: Provisions favoring select private firms....Read More

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