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Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for February 7, 2023. If you missed the February 6, 2023 UPSC key from the Indian Express, read it here
Front Page
Over 2,200 killed, two major quakes rock Turkey & Syria
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
Mains Examination: General Studies I: Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story- As rescue teams search through the rubble in earthquake-hit Turkey and Syria, 5,102 people have been reported dead on Tuesday, and thousands more are injured. Countries are rushing aid, with India’s first batch of relief materials reaching an airport in the nearby city of Adana. Three devastating quakes – of 7.8, 7.6 and 6.0 – hit Turkey’s southern regions on Monday causing widespread destruction in Turkey and in neighbouring Syria. Another 5.6 temblor struck on Tuesday. There have been many aftershocks as well. Turkey has declared seven days of national mourning.
• Recent Turkey and Syria Earthquake-Know in detail
• Map Work-Mark the epicentre of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria
• Which part of Turkey and Syria affected by earthquake?
• Why is Turkey so prone to earthquakes?
• What is Earthquake?
• Do shallow earthquakes cause greater damage?
• For Your Information-As we know, the earth’s outermost surface, crust, is fragmented into tectonic plates. The edges of the plates are called plate boundaries, which are made up of faults. The tectonic plates constantly move at a slow pace, sliding past one another and bumping into each other. As the edges of the plates are quite rough, they get stuck with one another while the rest of the plate keeps moving. Earthquake occurs when the plate has moved far enough and the edges unstick on one of the faults.
• Why earthquakes remain unpredictable?
• What exactly causes earthquakes?
• Do You Know-The region where the earthquake has struck lies along a well-known seismic fault line called the Anatolia tectonic block that runs through northern, central, and eastern Turkey. It is a seismically active zone — though not as active as, say, the Himalayan region which is one of the most dangerous regions in the world from the perspective of earthquakes. Large earthquakes, of magnitude 5 or higher, have not been very frequent in recent years. According to USGS, only three earthquakes of magnitude 6 or more have happened in the region since 1970. The last major quake in this area came in January 2020. The seismicity in this region is a result of interactions between the African, Eurasian, and Arabian plates. The Arabian plate is known to be pushing northward, which results in a slight westward movement for the Anatolian plate, where Turkey is located.
• Can earthquakes be predicted?
• What is focus or seismic focus of Earthquake?
• What is epicentre of Earthquake?
• The intensity of earthquake is highest in the epicentre and decreases as one moves away-True or False?
• Earthquakes take place in the lithosphere-True or False?
• What is seismic waves or earthquake waves?
• What is Body waves and Surface waves?
• Know in detail-Primary waves (p-waves), Secondary waves (s-waves), L-waves and Rayleigh waves
• Map Work-Mark Circum-Pacific Belt
• Earthquake zones in World-Know in detail
• Circum-Pacific Belt and Earthquake-Connect the dot
• For Your Information-Hours after a massive earthquake hit south-central Turkey and northern Syria, aftershocks have continued to cause damage and spread chaos. According to data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), over 30 earthquakes over a magnitude of 4 have been recorded in Turkey since the original quake, with the strongest being a quake measured at 7.5 Mv at 13:24 local time (GMT +3). Massive earthquakes are often followed by multiple aftershocks, which can last for hours or even days. These aftershocks add to the damage and chaos of the original quake, sending weakened structures crashing down and spreading fear amidst an already traumatised population.
• What are aftershocks and why do they occur?
• How strong are aftershocks likely to be?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Explained: Understanding the earthquake
📍Deadly earthquake ravages Turkey, Syria — Key developments
📍‘Aftershocks’ in Turkey after earthquake: Why do aftershocks occur?
Rajasthan plans zoo for dolphins, rhinos inside Bharatpur sanctuary
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization
Main Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story-The Rajasthan state Forest Department has proposed to construct a zoo inside Keoladeo National Park, a World Heritage Site popularly known as Bharatpur bird sanctuary, to display a range of wetland species, including rhinos, water buffaloes, crocs, dolphins and exotic species.
• Map Work-Keoladeo National Park
• What is Wetland ex-situ Conservation Establishment (WESCE)?
• What is ex situ conservation?
• What is the difference between the In-situ and ex situ conservation?
• Indus River dolphin and the Gangetic dolphin-Compare and Contrast
• How are Indus River dolphin and the Gangetic dolphin are conserved?
• Project Dolphin-Know in detail
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Project Dolphin: Minister pulls up officials over slow pace of work
Previous year Prelims Question Based on similar theme:
📍Other than poaching, what are the possible reasons for the decline in the population of Ganges River Dolphins? (For Complete question, please refer GS-1 Prelims Paper, 2014)
1. Construction of dams and barrages on rivers
2. Increase in the population of crocodiles in rivers
3. Getting trapped in fishing nets accidentally
4. Use of synthetic fertilisers and other agricultural chemicals in crop-fields in the vicinity of rivers
GOVT & POLITICS
PM unveils India’s largest chopper unit, attacks Cong for HAL remark
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Main Examination: General Studies III: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story– Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday attacked the Congress for “using” the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as a pretext to level allegations against his government and instigate people. He was addressing a gathering in Tumakuru where he inaugurated the HAL helicopter factory, country’s biggest, nearly seven years after he had laid its foundation stone.
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited-Know the historical background
• For Your Information-According to the Prime Minister’s Office, this helicopter factory is Asia’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility and will initially produce Light Utility Helicopters (LUHs). LUH is an indigenously designed and developed 3-ton class, single-engine multipurpose utility helicopter with the unique feature of high maneuverability.
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited-Know its role and significance
• What is Light Utility Helicopters (LUHs)?
• Do You Know-This facility will enable India to meet its entire requirement of helicopters indigenously and will attain the distinction of enabling self-reliance in helicopter design, development and manufacture in the country. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the factory will have a manufacturing setup of Industry 4.0 standards. Over the next 20 years, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is planning to produce more than 1,000 helicopters in the class of 3-15 tonnes from Tumakuru. This will result in providing employment for around 6,000 people in the region, the PMO said.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
EXPRESS NETWORK
Fund cut for food grain procurement
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development
Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment, Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story- The Centre has cut allocation for ‘Food Subsidy for Decentralised Procurement of Food grains’ under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, Budget documents show. The documents show Rs 59,793 crore has been allocated under the head “Food Subsidy for Decentralised Procurement of Food grains under NFSA” for 2023-24, which is lower than 2022-23 revised estimates (RE) of Rs 72,282.50 crore. It is also lower than the BE (budgetary estimates) of Rs 60,561.19 crore for the year 2022-23.
• What is food grain procurement?
• Who is responsible for procurement of food grains?
• Food grain procurement in India-Know the statistics
• Overall food grain production target and present status of overall food grain production-Know in detail
• How the procurement of food grain for the Central Pool is done?
• Centralised procurement system (Non-DCP) and the Decentralised procurement system (DCP)-Compare and Contrast
• Why the reduction in allocation for the Decentralised procurement system (DCP) is significant?
• Do You Know-Under the Decentralised procurement system, state governments and their agencies procure, store, and distribute (against the Centre’s allocation for Targeted Public Distribution System and Other Welfare Schemes) rice, wheat and coarse grains in their states. While they distribute the quantity required for PDS and OWS, the remaining quantity — or “excess stocks” (rice & wheat) — are handed over to FCI in the Central Pool. The Centre reimburses the states the expenditure incurred.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Budget 2023 is betting on recovery
THE EDITORIAL PAGE
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
Main Examination: General Studies III: Government Budgeting and Infrastructure
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story– Parameswaran Iyer Writes: Infrastructure is universally acknowledged as a key driver of growth. Traditionally, though, infrastructure is associated with physical assets, typically roads, ports, power transmission lines, etc. However, since 2014, India’s development story has been closely linked with a strong focus on not just physical, but also social and digital infrastructure. Budget 2023 gives a powerful thrust to these three dimensions of infrastructure development which, put together, accelerate inclusive growth.
• What is infrastructure development in India?
• What is the role of infrastructure in development?
• How much budget allocated for infrastructure development?
• Do You Know-The Government of India’s capital expenditure as a percentage of GDP increased from 1.7 per cent in 2014 to nearly 2.9 per cent in 2022-23. In Budget 2023-24, Rs 10 lakh crore (3.3 per cent of the GDP), an increase of three times from 2019, was allocated for infrastructure. The Ministry of Railways received its highest-ever allocation of Rs 2.4 lakh crore, approximately nine times the allocation in 2013-14. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways saw a 36 per cent increase in its budget to about Rs 2.7 lakh crore.
• How the targeted investments in infrastructure will create jobs?
• ‘Roads and railways have been two sectors that have seen higher additional capital outlays over the last few budgets and have been central to the government’s capex push’-Elaborate
• “The world has acknowledged India’s phenomenal success in building population-scale platforms at Startup speed”-Analyse
• “Investment in social infrastructure — which includes education and skilling, public health and nutrition, drinking water and sanitation can lead to a more productive and proficient workforce, reduced mortality, wasting and stunting, increased social mobility and a higher quality of life”-Discuss
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Renewed thrust on capex: Outlay hiked 33% to Rs 10 lakh cr
Previous year Prelims Question Based on similar theme:
📍Economic growth in country X will necessarily have to occur if (UPSC Prelims GS-1, 2013)
(a) there is technical progress in the world economy
(b) there is population growth in X
(c) there is capital formation in X
(d) the volume of trade grows in the world economy
THE IDEAS PAGE
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Main Examination:
• General Studies I: Social empowerment and Salient features of Indian Society
• General Studies II: 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- Faizan Mustafa writes: The Assam government should use a mass campaign to educate parents, rather than a coercive criminal law, to deal with the problem of child marriages.
• What is child marriage?
• What is the current situation of child marriage in India?
• Some data’s and facts-As many as 650 million women in the world today were married as children. About a third of them were married before the age of 15. In India, which has the dubious distinction of being home to the most number of child brides, UN estimates suggest that 1.5 million girls get married before they turn 18. About 16 per cent of girls in the age group of 15-19 are married at present. According to the 2011 census, 44 per cent of women in Assam were married before the age of 18. The figures for Rajasthan, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh were 47 per cent, 46 per cent and 43 per cent, respectively.
• Child Marriages and Assam-what is happening?
• What are the causes of child marriage in Assam?
• “The Assam police began a crackdown on child marriage and arrested more than 2500 people”-why this crackdown?
• Is this a correct way to stop child marriages-What experts are saying?
• Where does India stand in Child Marriages statistics?
• What does the constitution and laws says about Child Marriages?
• “Child marriages affect the national economy negatively and do not allow us to come out of the vicious cycle of inter-generational poverty”-Elaborate
• Are mass arrests and the indiscriminate use of criminal sanctions, that the Assam government has resorted to, the only solution to the problem of child marriage?
• What does the UN Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages (1962), the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979) and the Beijing Declaration (1995) says on child marriages?
• The Age of Consent Act 1891-Know in detail
• The Child Marriage Restraint Act , 1929 or the Sharda Act-Know in detail
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
THE WORLD
China accuses US of using indiscriminate force on spy balloon
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
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story-China on Monday accused the United States of indiscriminate use of force when the American military shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon Saturday, saying that had “seriously impacted and damaged both sides’ efforts and progress in stabilising Sino-US relations.” The US shot down a balloon off the Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America. China insisted the flyover was an accident involving a civilian aircraft.
• What’s a surveillance balloon or ‘Spy balloon’?
• What is the use of ‘Spy balloon’?
• What do we know about the balloon floating over the US?
• Is the balloon a security threat?
• Why has China sent the balloon up now?
• Why hasn’t the Pentagon shot the balloon down?
• How has the US responded?
• Why was the F-22 used to shoot down a spy balloon?
• What are the capabilities of the F-22 Raptor?
• How expensive is the F-22 Raptor?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Downing of Chinese spy balloon ends chapter in a diplomatic crisis
📍What you need to know about the Chinese spy balloon floating over the US
📍Why the US used an F-22 aircraft to shoot down the alleged spy balloon from China
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