UPSC CSE Key – April 20, 2022: What you need to read today

Russians are honouring fertilizer supply agreement, says Govt

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies

Key Points to Ponder:

• Fertilizer Consumption in India

• What is Fertilizer?

• Primary (Macro) Nutrients and Secondary (Micro) Nutrients in Fertiliser-Know the difference

• Know more about Fertiliser Sector in India and Related Policies

• Fertilizer comes under Union List, State List or Concurrent List?

• know the basics-Fertiliser Subsidy

• Subsidy Mechanism in the form of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)-know more in detail

• What is the fertiliser requirement of a typical farmer?

• How much subsidy does a farmer really get per acre?

• What is Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP)?

• NPK in Fertilisers-Have you heard of ‘NPK’? What is NPK and Its Ideal Ratio in Fertilizers?

• Advantages of fertigation in agriculture?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Explained: How fertiliser subsidy works

📍 Explained: Why has the Modi government increased subsidy on DAP?

Must ensure traditional Indian medicine meets global standards: PM

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

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

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is traditional medicine?

• What will the Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) be about?

• Why has the World Health Organisation (WHO) felt the need to advance knowledge of traditional medicine?

• Has India taken up similar collaborative efforts earlier?

• Why Jamnagar for Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM)?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine

Honda to Maruti, carmakers eye strong mid-size hybrids to ease switch to EVs

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: General Studies‐III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Hybrid Technology-What do you understand by this term in the context of Electric Vehicles?

• Know these terms-Battery Electric Vehicle, Hybrid Vehicle, Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle and Fuel Cell Vehicle

• Electric Vehicles Scope in India

• Electric Vehicles in daily use-will be successful in Long run?

• What do you understand by ‘Electric Vehicle’? How it is different?

• Why Government of India is Pushing for adaptation of Electric Vehicles?

• Electric Vehicles-What are the issues and Challenges especially in India’s Scenario?

• India’s Commitment to reduce Carbon Emission like recent advocacy of five elements for climate change- “Panchamrit” at the COP26 in Glasgow

• Transition to electric mobility- pros and cons

• Various Government measures such as remodelled Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME II) scheme for the consumer side to production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC)

• Delhi’s Electric Vehicle Policy-Key Highlights

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 India’s electric vehicle push will lead to brighter, greener future

THE CITY

Among city’s urban poor, unemployment biggest crisis, 76% were out of jobs during pandemic

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination:

• General Studies I: Urbanization, their problems and their remedies.

• General Studies II: Issues relating to poverty and hunger.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What do you understand by the term ‘Urban Poor’?

• Lokniti-CSDS study on urban slums in Delhi-Key Highlights

• ‘Delhi model of governance’, ‘Kerala model of governance’ and Gujrat model of governance’-These expressions often comes in news. What are the key features of said model of governance?

• What do you understand by term ‘Urbanisation’?

• Urbanisation in India-Key Features and Associated Challenges

• Can you name some Schemes by the Government of India for Urban Poverty Alleviation?

• Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (National Urban Livelihoods Mission)-Key Features

• Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation-Key Features

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Poverty estimates are a shot in the dark

EXPLAINED

What the increase in MCLR means for you, your loan

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is marginal cost of funds-based lending rate or MCLR?

• If banks increase the marginal cost of funds-based lending rate or MCLR, what is its impact on the economy?

• Know about these terms-Bank Rate, Repo Rate, Reverse Repo Rate, Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), Marginal Standing Facility (MSF), Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)

• Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS)-Key Provisions

• What do you Understand by the term ‘Credit Growth’?

• Why Credit Growth matters in an Economy?

• What Are Capital Expenditures (CapEx)?

• Why Capital Expenditures (CapEx) is important in an Economy?

• What is credit off-take? How does it affect the Economy?

• What Is Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)?

• Monetary Policy Committee MPC-Importance

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍  Key takeaways from MPC meeting: Repo, Reverse repo rates unchanged, SDF introduced

The case against Amway

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Main Examination: General Studies III: money-laundering and its prevention

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the ED case about?

• Money-Laundering investigation against Amway by Enforcement Directorate, Why?

• What is the magnitude of the alleged fraud?

• What is Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) Company?

• What is Amway’s Business Model?

• How long has Amway been under probe in India?

• What Is a Pyramid Scheme?

• How Pyramid Schemes Work

• What is a Ponzi Scheme?

• Ponzi vs Pyramid Scheme: What’s the Difference?

• What is Money Laundering and how does it work?

• Money Laundering-Meaning of Placement, Layering and Integration

• Different forms of Money Laundering

• Role of Enforcement Directorate

• Steps Taken by Government of India to Prevent Money Laundering like Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002

• International efforts to Prevent Money Laundering

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 What Is a Pyramid Scheme?

Significance of a Corps of Engineers officer as Chief of the Indian Army

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Main Examination: General Studies‐III: Internal Security and challenges to internal security

Key Points to Ponder:

• Chief of Army Staff-Role, Function and Significance

• Lieutenant General Manoj Pande appointed as the 29th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS)-Why his appointment is historic?

• Appointment of Chief of Army Staff-Who Appoints?

• The Corps of Engineers-Know in Brief

• What is the operational role of the Corps of Engineers?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Explained: The significance of a Corps of Engineers officer becoming Army Chief

ECONOMY

FM puts in a word with IMF, assures Lanka of ‘cooperation’

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination:

• General Studies II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

• General Studies II: India and its Neighbourhood- Relations.

Key Points to Ponder:

• International Monetary Fund (IMF)-Objective, History, Role and Functions

• India and International Monetary Fund (IMF)-Key Points

• Economic Crisis-How did Sri Lanka get here?

• What happens with Sri Lanka’s foreign debt?

• What do you know about IMF’s ‘Rapid Credit Facility and Rapid Financing Instrument’?

• What Is a Currency Swap?

• How a Currency Swap Works?

• What Is a Credit Line?

• How Does a Credit Line Work?

• Who is helping Sri Lanka?

• How India is helping Sri Lanka in this crisis Situation?

• ‘Sri Lanka’s current economic crisis predates the “manmade” agriculture disaster’-How far you agree with this statement?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Sri Lanka economic crisis explained: How did the country get here, who is helping?

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