UPSC Key- April 21, 2023: Know about Census of water bodies, VVPAT, Hakki Pikki, and C+C5

Bilawal to attend SCO meet in Goa, says Pak, but attack casts shadow

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies II: India and its neighbourhood- relations.

• General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s Interests.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers’ meeting in Goa on May 4-5. This was announced by Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch on Thursday. While the meeting is still two weeks away, the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, hours after the announcement by Islamabad, once again puts a question mark on the visit. The political temperature in New Delhi and Islamabad will determine the diplomatic and military response to the attack. A tough response from Delhi has the potential to scuttle the Pakistan foreign minister’s visit the first in over six years.

• ‘While the meeting is still two weeks away, the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, hours after the announcement by Islamabad, once again puts a question mark on the visit’-Know in detail about the exact issues?

• What is Shanghai Cooperation Organisation?

• What kind of a grouping is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation?

• Know the members and observer countries in Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

• Map Work-Mark Shanghai Cooperation Organisation member countries with their capital

• India’s invitation to Pakistan is significant-Why?

• For Your Information-The last time an Indian Foreign Minister visited Pakistan was in December 2015, when Swaraj travelled to Islamabad for the Heart of Asia conference. This was followed by Modi’s surprise visit to Lahore in December 2015. But, the ties between the two countries have nosedived since then, with the terrorist attacks in Pathankot (January 2016), Uri (September 2016), and Pulwama (February 2019), and the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 revoking special status to Jammu and Kashmir. This led to downgrading of diplomatic relations, suspension of bilateral trade, review of bilateral arrangements, and suspension of all bus and train services between the two countries. In January this year, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in what is perceived as conciliatory remarks from Islamabad, called for “serious and sincere talks” with Modi on “burning issues like Kashmir”. He also sought the intervention of UAE ruler Mohamed bin Zayed for bringing India and Pakistan together for talks, and gave his “word of honour” that he would talk to India with “sincerity of purpose”. Simultaneously, Pakistan’s ally, China, lifted the block on India’s bid to list Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba’s deputy chief Abdul Rehman Makki as a “global terrorist”. These two developments were viewed positively in New Delhi, as a signal towards re-engagement.

• How does membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation help India?

• How does global geopolitics play out for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and India?

• How does it play out in the India-Pakistan or India-China relationship?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Five soldiers killed in J&K terror attack, Army says firing, likely use of grenades

📍What is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit?

📍Shah: India ready to share disaster risk reduction expertise

Assam and Arunachal ink pact to end decades-old border dispute

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance

Main Examination: General Studies II: Inter-States disputes and Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-In a move that both Assam and Arunachal Pradesh say would put to rest an issue festering for nearly five decades, Chief Ministers of the two states signed a Memorandum of Understanding over disputed areas along the roughly 800-km shared boundary. The MoU was signed by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Arunachal Pradesh counterpart Pema Khandu in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Law Minister Kiren Rijiju at the North Block. Shah called it a “historic occasion”.

• Assam and Arunachal Pradesh border Dispute- Historical Background and What is the present status?

• Know the Background-Arunachal Pradesh, which was earlier a part of Assam, shares a boundary of roughly 800 km with the state—with frequent flare-ups reported along the border since the 1990s. The dispute dates back to colonial times, when the British in 1873 announced the “inner line” regulation, demarcating an imaginary boundary between plains and the frontier hills, which were later designated as the North East Frontier Tracts in 1915. The latter corresponds to the area that makes up present-day Arunachal Pradesh. After Independence, the Assam government assumed administrative jurisdiction over the North East Frontier Tracts, which later became the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) in 1954, and finally, the Union Territory (UT) of Arunachal Pradesh in 1972. It gained statehood in 1987. However, before it was carved out of Assam, a sub-committee headed by then Assam chief minister Gopinath Bordoloi made some recommendations in relation to the administration of NEFA (under Assam) and submitted a report in 1951. Based on the Bordoloi committee report, around 3,648 sq km of the “plain” area of Balipara and Sadiya foothills was transferred from Arunachal Pradesh (then NEFA) to Assam’s then Darrang and Lakhimpur districts.

• What was the dispute between the two states?

• Assam and Arunachal Pradesh border Dispute-Bone of contention: 1951

• For Your Information-The dispute in question is over 123 villages that stretch across 12 districts of Arunachal Pradesh and eight of Assam. These villages had been claimed by Arunachal Pradesh in 2007, before a Supreme Court-appointed Local Commission to identify the boundary between the two states. As per the MoU signed, disputes over 34 of these villages stand resolved. The disputes over 37 villages had been resolved through the Namsai Declaration of July 2022, in which the two CMs “agreed on principle over them”.

• What was the Namsai Declaration?

• What was the Local Commission report of 1972 in this regard?

• Why the Local Commission report of 1972 remained disputed at various levels?

• Map Work-Lower Siang, West Kameng

• Interstate border disputes in India

• Article 263 of the Constitution of India and Interstate Border Disputes

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Explained: At the root of Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border dispute, a committee report from 1951

GOVT & POLITICS

2024 preparations: EC to replace circuit boards of 2.2 lakh VVPATs

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story– In the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission (EC) is set to replace the printed circuit board (PCB) of 2.2 lakh Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines as a part of routine maintenance, according to top EC officials. The EC had on January 27, 2022 written to all chief electoral officers of states and Union Territories, apart from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Daman and Diu and Lakshadweep, saying that “all M3-VVPATs” of the series numbers mentioned “are required to be shifted to the manufacturers” Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) Bengaluru and Panchkula and Electronics Corporation of India (ECIL) in Hyderabad. As per the letter, a total of 3,43,741 VVPATs were to be shifted to the manufacturers for various tasks of rectification from February to August 2022.

• What is Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)?

• Where was the first time the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) was used?

• What was the rationality behind the introduction of VVPAT?

• Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)-Know key features as well as its applications

• What are the challenges and concerns with VVPAT?

• Who conduct the First Level Checking of VVPATs?

• How VVPAT is different from EVMs?

• Why are the EVMs and VVPATs kept in separate strong rooms after counting?

• Do You Know-The VVPAT, compared to the Electronic Voting Machine and its Ballot Unit and Control Unit, was more susceptible to failure, particularly being affected by the weather, the functionary said. For instance, high
temperature or moisture can lead to the paper slip getting stuck or crumpled.

• What are the recent key electoral reforms proposed by Election Commission of India?

• Election Commission of India and Article 324 of the Constitution-Know in detail

• The independent and impartial functioning of the Election Commission-How it is ensured?

• Election Commission of India- Powers and Functions

• System of Election- First past the post electoral system.

• How Elections are conducted in India?

• The Constitution of India has prescribed the qualifications (legal, educational, administrative or judicial) of the members of the Election Commission-True or False?

• The Constitution has not specified the term of the members of the Election Commission-True or False?

• Chief Election Commissioner and the two other Election Commissioners have equal powers-True or False?

• In case of difference of opinion amongst the Chief election commissioner and/or two other election commissioners, the matter is decided by the Supreme Court of India-Right or Wrong?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍What is VVPAT? How does it work?

EXPRESS NETWORK

New space policy sets out roles of private and govt entities

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

• General Studies III: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nanotechnology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-Three years after opening up the space sector to private entities, the Union government Thursday released the Indian Space Policy document that sets out and formalises the roles of private and government entities in the sector — including envisaging the Indian Space Research Organisation as a body that moves beyond manufacturing into research and development.
The release of the document came after the cabinet on April 6 approved the Indian Space Policy 2023. The policy aims to not only create space-based resources and services, but also promote research and development along with education in the space sector.

• The Indian Space Policy 2023-Know key highlights

• What are Private companies according to the Indian Space Policy 2023?

• For Your Information-Private companies, referred to as non-governmental entities in the policy, will be allowed to undertake end-to-end space activity — launching and operating satellites, developing rockets, creating ground stations, building spaceports and mobile launch platforms, and providing services like communication, remote sensing and navigation, nationally and internationally.
Private entities have also been encouraged to develop space situational awareness capabilities — a mechanism to track objects in space and avoid collision of satellites and space stations with each other or space debris.

• The policy also says that private players can engage in “commercial recovery” of asteroids or space resources-Is it good or bad?

• What is Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe)?

• Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) and ISRO-Compare and Contrast

• What is New Space India Ltd?

• Under which organisation New Space India Ltd comes?

• Although a move in the right direction, the policy is still short of a Bill that can provide legal framework for commercial use of space-Know the drawbacks of this policy

• For Your Information-A consolidated space policy has been long anticipated to clarify roles and ways of participation of the government space agency, start-ups, and industries. Although the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre set up in 2020 provided a single window for all approvals and resource sharing, these came on case to case basis.
Since the space sector was opened up to private players in 2020, over 200 space start-ups have come up in the country and many of them are also working towards providing launch services. Private company Skyroot Aerospace has already conducted a sub-orbital flight with its solid fuel based single-stage Vikram S rocket.

• How India’s first privately developed launch vehicle will be Beneficial for India’s Space Sector?

• What about Foreign Investment in Space sector?

• Is there any Government initiatives taken so far in this regard?

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of private players in the space sector?

• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)-About the Organisation

• Know about India’s satellite launch vehicles

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Cabinet approves space policy to streamline private participation

THE IDEAS PAGE

Mega science, mega dreams

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life and Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-Tarun Souradeep Writes: A fortnight ago, the Union Cabinet approved the full budget for the LIGO-India mega-science project, which includes the construction, commissioning and joint scientific operation of a state-of-the-art, advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in India in collaboration with the NSF-funded LIGO Laboratory, USA, operated by Caltech and MIT. The approval emphatically reiterates the Indian government’s commitment to meet the rising aspirations of Indian science to make a far-reaching impact in the global arena. As noted in the “in-principle” approval granted by the Union Cabinet in February 2016, LIGO-India will provide a very broad spectrum of opportunities to Indian youth to pursue research careers in cutting-edge areas of science and technology.

• India’s Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO, project-Know the Key features and highlights

• LIGO-India will be located in Hingoli district of Maharashtra-Mark on the Map

• For Your Information- The LIGO-India Observatory will enable dramatically enhanced global capability in the emergent field of gravitational-wave astronomy and astrophysics (A&A). This enabling of an entirely new window to our universe parallels in significance of its potential contribution to the growth of modern astronomy after Galileo pointed his first telescope to the skies 400 years ago. The global science community is unanimous that the key to gravitational-wave observations blooming into an essential, valuable element of multi-messenger A&A lies with LIGO-India.

• “LIGO-India will also prompt Indian S&T in academia, national laboratories and industries to leap-frog in a sweeping range of cutting-edge technologies of great national relevance”-How?

• How LIGO works

• Do You Know- It is to measure these tiny effects of gravitational waves that scientists have set up the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO), one of the most complex pieces of scientific equipment ever built. The observatory comprises two 4-km-long vacuum chambers, built perpendicular to each other. Highly reflective mirrors are placed at the end of the vacuum chambers. Light rays are released simultaneously in both the vacuum chambers. They hit the mirrors, get reflected, and are captured back. In normal circumstances, the light rays in both the chambers would return simultaneously. But when a gravitational wave arrives, one of the chambers gets a little elongated, while the other one gets squished a bit. In this case, light rays do not return simultaneously, and there is a phase difference. The presence of a phase difference marks the detection of a gravitational wave.

• Why LIGO India matters?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍What LIGO-India will do

EXPRESS NETWORK

In first-ever waterbody census, Bengal tops list of states with most ponds and reservoirs

Syllabus:

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

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, – different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-India has 24.24 lakh waterbodies like ponds, tanks and lakes, with West Bengal accounting for the most (7.47 lakh) and Sikkim the least (134), according to the report of the first census of waterbodies released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti recently. The report states, “24,24,540 waterbodies have been enumerated in the country, out of which 97.1% (23,55,055) are in rural areas and only 2.9% (69,485) in urban areas.”

• What is census of water bodies in India?

• Which state has highest number of ponds & reservoirs?

• Which state has highest number of tanks?

• Which state has highest number of lakes?

• Which state is the leading state for water conservation scheme?

• Most of the water bodies are used in pisciculture and not for the irrigation-True or False?

• Why there is a need for Water Bodies Census?

• How Water Bodies Census defines waterbody?

• For Your Information-The census defines a waterbody as “all natural or man-made units bounded on all sides with some or no masonry work used for storing water for irrigation or other purposes (example industrial, pisciculture, domestic/drinking, recreation, religious, ground water recharge etc)”. “Waterbodies are usually of various types known by different names like tank, reservoirs, ponds and bundhies etc. A structure where water from ice-melt, streams, springs, rain or drainage of water from residential or other areas is accumulated or water is stored by diversion from a stream, nala or river will also be treated as waterbody,” state the report. The waterbodies census was conducted along with the 6th Minor Irrigation Census for 2017-18. As per the report, 59.5 per cent (14,42,993) of waterbodies are ponds, followed by tanks (15.7 per cent i.e. 3,81,805), reservoirs (12.1 per cent i.e. 2,92,280), water conservation schemes/percolation tanks/check dams (9.3% i.e. 2,26,217), lakes (0.9% i.e. 22,361) and others (2.5% i.e. 58,884)”. According to the report, “West Bengal has the highest number of ponds and reservoirs, whereas Andhra Pradesh has highest number of tanks. Tamil Nadu has the highest number of lakes and Maharashtra is the leading state with water conservation schemes.”

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍26% world population lacks clean drinking water, 46% sanitation: UN report

THE WORLD

NATO chief makes first visit to Ukraine since start of conflict

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s Interest

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story– NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is visiting Ukraine for the first time since Russia launched its full-scale invasion more than a year ago, an alliance official said on Thursday. “The NATO secretary-general is in Ukraine. We will release more information as soon as possible,” said an alliance official, who asked not to be identified in line with NATO procedures.

• The visit of NATO Chief to Ukraine symbolises what?

• For Your Information-Earlier this month, Finland joined NATO, dealing a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a historic realignment of Europe’s post-Cold War security landscape triggered by Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The Nordic country’s membership doubles Russia’s border with the world’s biggest security alliance. Neighbouring Sweden is expected to join in coming months too, possibly by the time US President Joe Biden and his NATO counterparts meet in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on July 11-12.

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-Know the historical background and current Status

• What is Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty (Collective Security)?

• What is Article 4 of NATO’s Founding Treaty?

• NATO: Why Russia has a problem with its eastward expansion

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Finland joins NATO, Russia issues warning

📍The new Warsaw pact

EXPLAINED

Caught in Sudan conflict: Why the Karnataka Hakki Pikki go to Africa

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story– More than 181 members of the Hakki Pikki tribal community from Karnataka are stuck in violence-hit Sudan, even as the government is making efforts to bring them back. Who are the Hakki Pikki, and why did so many travel to far-away Sudan?

• Who are the Hakki Pikki?

• For Your Information-The Hakki Pikki is a tribe that lives in several states in west and south India, especially near forest areas. Hakki Pikkis (Hakki in Kannada means ‘bird’ and Pikki means ‘catchers’) are a semi-nomadic tribe, traditionally of bird catchers and hunters. According to the 2011 census, the Hakki Pikki population in Karnataka is 11,892, and they live majorly in Davangere, Mysuru, Kolar, Hassan and Shivmogga districts. In different regions, they are known by different names, such as Mel-Shikari in northern Karnataka and Maharashtra.

• Where do they live?

• What were their traditional jobs, and what do they do now?

• How Hakki Pikki ended up in Sudan?

• Do You Know-According to Nanjunda Swamy, state president of the Karnataka Adivasi Budakattu Hakki Pikki Jananga, an organisation that works for members of the tribe, said that, the Hakki Pikkis in Tamil Nadu travelled to Singapore, Thailand and other places about 20-25 years ago to sell some marbles, in the process discovering there was a huge demand for Ayurvedic products in the African continent. They started selling their products in Africa, and Karnataka Hakki Pikkis followed them. People from the state have been traveling to African countries for the past 20 years now.

• What are their rituals and customs?

• How well do they earn in African countries?

• What is the origin of the Sudan conflict?

• Map Work-Sudan

• Tussle between Army and RSF-Why?

• ‘The battle between the army and RSF has likely made Sudan’s transition to democracy more difficult’-Discuss

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Healers and travellers, Karnataka tribe awaits rescue of some members from Sudan as conflict drags on

China and Central Asia

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s Interest

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story– Earlier this week, China convened an online meeting of trade ministers of the grouping known as C+C5 — China and the five Central Asian republics, namely Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan. It was the latest in a series of diplomatic engagements by Beijing with the region since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

• What is C+C5?

• Map Work-Mark Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan

• The Central Asia region (CA) comprises the countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan-True or false?

• China and Central Asia: How have the bilateral relations between these nations changed?

• For Your Information-China shares a long history of trade, cultural, and people-to-people links with the Central Asian region, which lies on the ancient Silk Route. Modern China’s involvement with the region began with the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, when it moved deftly to formalise its boundaries with Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan, as well as Russia. Diplomatic relations were established in January 1992, and China’s relationship with the region was institutionalised as the Shanghai Five, the forerunner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Over the next two decades, China’s interest in the region grew rapidly. Central Asia was a readymade market for cheap exports, and gave China overland access to markets in Europe and West Asia. The region is resource-rich, with massive gas and oil reserves, and strategic minerals such as uranium, copper, and gold. It grows foodgrains and cotton. China also had another priority in its relationship with these countries to ensure peace in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, which forms its frontier with Central Asia.

• Belt and Road and Central Asian Countries-Connect the dots

• Xi has reportedly told Central Asian leaders that he is “eager to discuss a grand plan to develop relations” with them-What is that ‘Grand Plan’?

• India and Central Asia- Where does India stand in this situation?

• What are the India’s strategic Interest in the Central Asia region?

• India’s Central Asia Policy- Connect Central Asia Policy

• Importance of Central Asian Region for India

• India’s Bilateral Relation with each Countries like Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan etc.

• Ashgabat Agreement and International North South Transit Corridor (INSTC)

• Do You Know- New Delhi made its biggest outreach to Central Asia with last year’s summit, but its relationships in the region, including in the SCO, remain security-driven. India considers the Central Asian countries as the “heart of Asia” and they are also members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). While India has trading ties with these countries, it is hobbled by the absence of a land route to Central Asia, with Pakistan denying it passage and Afghanistan being uncertain territory after the Taliban takeover. The Chabahar port in Iran offers an alternative route, but it is not fully developed yet. There have been suggestions that India should provide connectivity for people and trade in Central Asia through “air corridors”, as it had done for Afghanistan. New Delhi’s leadership of the SCO this year may provide it an opportunity to diversify relations with this strategic region.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Afghanistan meet: India, Central Asian nations seek peace and stability

For any queries and feedback, contact priya.shukla@indianexpress.com
The Indian Express UPSC Hub is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest Updates.