UPSC Key-July 1, 2022: Why to read ‘Office of Chief Minister’ or ‘Sponge city technology’ or ‘POEM’ for UPSC CSE

Shinde new Maharashtra CM, Fadnavis deputy in last-minute twist in script

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Eknath Shinde became the 20th Chief Minister of which state?

• In parliamentary system of government provided by the Constitution, why it is said that the governor is the de jure executive and the Chief Minister is the de facto executive?

• ‘The position of the Chief Minister at the state level is analogous to the position of prime minister at the Centre’-Attest this statement

• The Constitution of India contains procedure for the selection and appointment of the Chief Minister-True or False?

• What is Article 164 of the constitution?

• The Chief Minister shall be appointed by the governor, this implies that the governor is free to appoint any one as the Chief Minister-True or False?

• What happens when no party has a clear majority in the state assembly?

• What is the role of governor when no party has a clear majority in the state assembly?

• Can governor of a state exercise his personal discretion in the selection and appointment of the Chief Minister when no party has a clear majority in the state assembly?

• According to the Constitution, the Chief Minister shall be a member of state assembly only-True or false?

• Before the Chief Minister enters his office, who administers to him the oaths of office and secrecy?

• The salary and allowances of the Chief Minister are determined by the parliament of India-True or False?

• What are the duties of Chief Minister according to Article 167 of the Constitution as respects the furnishing of information to Governor, etc.?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍SHINDE & DEPUTY

📍Fall and rise in Maharashtra

THE CITY

Encroachment, poor urban planning add to waterlogging woes

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change

Mains Examination: General Studies I: Urbanisation, their problems and their remedies.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What does water-logging mean?

• There are different types of water logging that happen due to different conditions in an area-What are they?

• What are the causes of urban water-logging?

• Water-logging is a prelude to urban flooding-Do you agree with this?

• Issues related to urban stormwater management

• What do you understand by “Concretisation”?

• ‘Concretisation’ a by-product of urbanisation which has almost engulfed major cities in India-know it’s impact?

• ‘Concretisation’ and water logging-Connect the dots

• ‘Concretisation’ is turning the city into an urban heat island with threats of water logging and urban floods in metro cities”-how far you agree with this statement?

• What is ‘Sponge city technology’?

• Several cities in India have attempted to address issues regarding water logging-Know in detail

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍An every monsoon affair: How to tackle urban flooding

GOVT & POLITICS

CM Shinde starts with veto to Uddhav’s Aarey shed plan

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Do you Know-Aarey Forest also Aarey Colony is a urban forest which is within the eco sensitive zone of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP)

• Why Aarey forest is in news once again?

• Proposed car shed in Aarey-What is it all about?

• What is the tussle over the location of the car shed?

• What happened in the Bombay High Court on the Aarey Metro car shed issue?

• Why Several environmentalists in Mumbai had opposed the construction of the car shed in Aarey?

• What was the Maha Vikas Aghadi government decision with respect to construction project in Aarey?

• It is said that construction project in Aarey is for development and growth, then why so much of hue and cry?

• What has the Shinde-Fadnavis government said on the matter?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍UPSC Ethics Simplified: What is Environmental Ethics?

📍Explained: The long legal battle over Mumbai’s Metro-3 car shed, now shifted back to Aarey by Maharashtra’s new Shinde Govt

EXPRESS NETWORK

MGNREGS fund misappropriation of Rs 22 cr in Kerala: Social audit report

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: 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:

• Why in News-Financial deviation and misappropriation of MGNREGS funds worth at least Rs 22.39 crore has been detected in Kerala during a social audit.

• Social Audit-What do you understand by this?

• Do you know-Section 17 of the MGNREGA has mandated Social audit of all Works executed under the MGNREGA

• Who conducts MGNREGA social audit?

• What is the need of social audit in panchayat institution?

• How Social Audit is different from Financial Audit?

• Know the Key features of Social Audit

• What are the benefits of Social Audit?

• Social Audit-Issues and Challenges

• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)-Mandate, Goals

• What are the core objectives of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)?

• What is the relationship between the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (Mahatma Gandhi NREGA) and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS)?

• In what way paradigm shift has taken place with the implementation of MGNREGA?

• Who are the key stakeholders of MGNREGS?

• What is the role of Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat in MGNREGS?

• How is Household defined in MGNREGA?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Social audit isn’t enough

GOVT & POLITICS

Eco-sensitive zone: Kerala to file modification plea in SC

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the recent SC judgment that has caused an uproar in Kerala?

• Why farmers in Kerala are protesting against the Supreme Court’s recent order to establish 1-km Eco-Sensitive Zones around all protected areas, wildlife sanctuaries and national parks?

• What are Eco-Sensitive Zones?

• Why are Eco-Sensitive Zones created?

• How an Eco-Sensitive Zones is declared?

• How many Eco-Sensitive Zones are there in India?

• What does environmental Protection Act 1986 say?

• What sort of activities Allowed in Eco-Sensitive Zones?

• What is prohibited in eco sensitive zone?

• What is the significance of Eco-Sensitive Zones?

• What are the challenges and threats to Eco-Sensitive Zones?

• Have similar protests taken place before in Kerala?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Explained: What are Eco-Sensitive Zones and why are there protests in Kerala against them?

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

Five years stronger

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development and Indian Polity and Governance

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein

Key Points to Ponder:

• Do you Know-July 1 marks the completion of five years since the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was introduced in our country

• What is the Goods and Services Tax (GST)?

• The Kelkar Task Force on the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2003 and the Genesis of Goods and Services Tax (GST)

• Goods and Services Tax (GST) and 101st Amendment Act, 2016-Know in detail

• What are the different types of Goods and Services Tax (GST)?

• Know the differences between Central GST (CGST), State GST (SGST), Union territory GST (UTGST) and Integrated GST (IGST)

• How would a particular transaction of goods and services be taxed simultaneously under Central GST (CGST) and State GST (SGST)?

• What are the benefits of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India?

• Goods and Services Tax (GST)-Issues and Challenges

• GST Council and Article 279A of the Constitution-Key Provisions

• GST Council and Members-Know in detail

• What is the role of GST Council?

• Several countries moved to the GST regime long before India did in 2017. But, the mechanism of the GST Council itself is unique to India-What is unique in India’s GST?

• What Supreme Court of India said on Federalism in India in Union of India and Anr versus M/s Mohit Minerals Through Director case?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Explained: The SC ruling that GST Council decisions are not binding on Centre or states

📍 12 Different Types of Federalism (with Examples and Pros & Cons)

📍 The Paradox of ‘Centralised Federalism’: An Analysis of the Challenges to India’s Federal Design

EXPLAINED

Why the single-use plastic ban

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What are the single-use plastic items being banned from July 1?

• What is Single-use plastics?

• How will the ban be enforced?

• How are other countries dealing with single-use plastic?

• Why is the ban being enforced?

• What are the various health hazards associated with single-use plastic, and what are the sources from which it enters the human body?

• How will the ban help our environment and health?

• What are the alternatives to single-use plastics?

• What are Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016?

• Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022-Key Provisions

• Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016 and Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022-Compare and Contrast

• What do you understand by ‘Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)’?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Who is behind the global surge in single-use plastic?

POEM

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM)?

• How PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) will help perform in-orbit experiments using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)?

• How will ISRO keep POEM ‘alive and stable’ in orbit?

• Has ISRO repurposed and used PS4 rocket junk earlier?

• Know about ISRO

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Isro places 3 Singapore satellites, 6 experiments in orbit in second launch this year

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