General Studies Paper-2 Context: The article discusses India‘s ‘National One Health Mission,’ which aims to prepare us for better management of diseases affecting humans, animals, and the environment. It involves various ministries and departments working together for disease control, research, and pandemic preparedness. The mission includes setting up a national network of laboratories and using technology like AI for disease monitoring. What is the India’s ‘National One Health Mission’? Mission Overview: The ‘National One Health Mission’ is India’s integrated approach to managing diseases affecting humans, animals, and the environment. Participating Bodies: Coordination among 13 Ministries and Departments, including those for....Read More

General Studies Paper -2 Context: Recently, the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) scrutinised the affidavits of the sitting MPs, and revealed several sitting MPs with criminal charges. Criminalisation of Politics in India It is a phenomenon, where individuals with criminal charges are elected to positions of power, posing a significant threat to the democratic fabric of the nation. 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. Major Reasons Unholy Nexus between....Read More

General Studies Paper-2 Context: Recently, the Prime Minister of India and Bill Gates discussed the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for digital governance in key focus areas like health, agriculture and education. About the Digital Governance: It is the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)for delivering government services, exchange of information, communication transactions, integration of various stand-alone systems and services between government-to-customer (G2C), government-to-business (G2B), government-to-government (G2G), and also back-office processes and interactions within the entire government framework. Data Governance is a crucial aspect of digital governance. The launch of India’s Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA), a consent management tool,....Read More

General Studies Paper-2 Context: Environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk, currently on a 21-day fast to demand the implementation of the Indian Constitution’s Sixth Schedule and statehood for the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh. About Sixth Schedule  The Sixth Schedule under Article 244 of the Constitution protects tribal populations, allowing for the creation of autonomous development councils which can frame laws on land, public health, agriculture.  autonomous councils exist in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. Under the provision of the Sixth Schedule, the Governor of the State is empowered to determine the area or areas as administrative units of the Autonomous Districts and Autonomous Regions. Demand of Ladakh ....Read More

General Studies Paper-2 Context: According to the ILO’s World Social Protection Report, 2022, India spends too little on social protection. Social security is a human right, according to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. The ILO’s Recommendation of 2012 has called for all nations to institute a “social protection floor”. Social Security It is the protection that a society provides to individuals and households to ensure access to health care and to guarantee income security, particularly in cases of old age, unemployment, sickness, invalidity, work injury, maternity or loss of a breadwinner.  Social security is a human right, according to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. The....Read More

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

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