UPSC Key- June 8, 2023: Know about PoSH Act, Terrorism, Portuguese in India and Minimum Support Price

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Preparation for the UPSC Examination requires studying multiple newspaper articles on a single topic, while at the same time we experience a paucity of time. Covering all the articles on our own is quite tedious. Thus, we are coming up with a new initiative called the Indian Express 360° UPSC Debate.
The 360° UPSC Debate: Should Artificial Intelligence Be Regulated? covers all the dimension after sifting through multiple articles. This initiative and the topics covered will immensely help students in enhancing their in-depth knowledge as well as their answer writing for the upcoming civil service main examination.

FRONT PAGE

Wrestlers-Govt logjam breaks: protest on pause, police chargesheet by June 15

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies I: Role of women and Social empowerment

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-SIGNALLING the first breakthrough in the protracted standoff between the wrestlers and the Government over allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation by federation president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the wrestlers agreed Wednesday to pause their protest until June 15. This is the date by which, according to the Sports Minister Anurag Thakur who held talks with the wrestlers, a chargesheet in the case will be filed by Delhi Police.

• What are the key takeaways from the six-hour meeting between Sports Minister Anurag Thakur and the protesting wrestlers?

• Why top wrestlers including Bajrang Punia (Olympics Bronze, 2021) and Sakshi Malik (Olympics Bronze, 2016) are protesting?

• What you know about the protest so far?

• Why these Wrestlers are protesting?

• How Government has responded?

• For Your Information-These wrestlers began the protest on April 23, demanding the arrest of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, on grounds of sexual harassment of female athletes, including a minor.

• Who is Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh?

• What is the accusation against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh?

• What are the “major findings” after a preliminary scrutiny of the probe committee that looked into allegations of sexual harassment?

• What is PoSH Act Rules 2013?

• How did the PoSH Act come to be?

• How does the PoSh Act describe sexual harassment at the workplace?

• What does the PoSH Act say about the complaints committee?

• What is internal complaint committee?

• What is the role of internal complaint committee?

• What is the procedure for complaint under the Act?

• What protection is available in the Act against a false complaint of sexual harassment?

• Women in sports in India-what data’s and facts says?

• What is the major issue that affects female athletes participation in sports?

• What are the challenges faced by Indian sportswomen?

• How are females discriminated against in sporting activities?

• ‘Absence of Internal Complaints Committee under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, 2013 in the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI)’-comment

• Can the problem be solved by putting together anti-sexual harassment committees in all sports departments, federations, and government sports bodies?

• Does the Vishaka guidelines apply to female athletes?

• When was Wrestling Federation of India established?

• Did India’s most esteemed female wrestlers make the correct decision by publicly condemning the Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh?

• “The recent case of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is characterised by a dangerous combination of political nexus and male domination of positions of power”-Analyse

• ‘Politicians and politics should not have any say in sports’-do you agree?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Not just wrestling, half of national sports federations don’t have sexual harassment panel mandated by law

📍The PoSH Act, and the procedure for complaint against sexual harassment at the workplace

📍Olive branch: Clean-up in WFI, no Brij Bhushan; wrestlers to have a say

📍The idea of women wrestlers

J&K terror shift: Valley dominates count but bigger strikes in Jammu

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Security challenges and their management in border areas – linkages of organized crime with terrorism.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story– Since 2021, three districts of Jammu region – Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu – have seen fewer but bloodier and more high-visibility terror attacks when compared to the strikes in the Valley. Data for the last three years, accessed by The Indian Express, show that between January 2021 and May 30 this year, 24 security personnel and 75 civilians were killed on either side of the Pir Panjal mountain range in the Union Territory of J&K.

• Map Work-Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu

• What separates Jammu region from the Kashmir Valley?

• Map Work-Pir Panjal Range, East, North, South and West of the Pir Panjal

• Despite the numbers pointing to more terror attacks and casualties in the Valley than in the Jammu region, the security establishment has taken note of a changing trend-What changing trend?

• Why this change is happening?

• For Your Information-“Fewer but high-impact incidents, especially involving casualties of security personnel and civilians, give the terrorists the publicity they seek,” said an official in the security establishment, adding, “The areas to the south of the Pir Panjal range can be accessed through easier and all-weather infiltration routes. However, since the terrorists lack adequate logistics support in this region, the ones who are eventually chosen to infiltrate here are more hardened and target security forces and civilians.” The attacks in Jammu tend to have a higher impact, the official said, because of the “routine nature of small-scale incidents in the Valley… As a result, at times, even fairly bigger incidents (in the Valley) fail to capture public attention which they would have if they had taken place to the south of the Pir Panjal”.

• Who are called militants?

• What is terrorism in Indian law?

• Militant and Terrorist-What are the differences?

• What are the types of terrorism?

• What are the reason for terrorism especially in the Jammu and Kashmir?

• What are the components of terrorism?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Centre’s Kashmir policy ignores that prolonged exposure to insurgency situations takes its toll on military personnel

GOVT & POLITICS

Portuguese razed temples; should erase signs of their rule: Goa CM

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: History of India

Mains Examination: General Studies I: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present significant events, personalities, issues.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has accused the Portuguese, who ruled Goa for over four centuries until 1961, of destroying temples in the state, and called for wiping away the traces of Portuguese rule from the state. Sawant also claimed that the Portuguese had stopped the practice of destroying temples after they signed a peace pact with the Marathas. Hailing the pivotal role played by Maratha ruler Shivaji in deterring the Portuguese from destroying more temples in the state, he said, “The treaty mandated that the Portuguese will not destroy temples. The destruction of temples stopped after that.” Sawant was speaking at an event on Tuesday commemorating the 350th anniversary of the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Betul Fort, which was built on the orders of the Maratha ruler.

• Portuguese in India-Know the historical background

• “Disruptions in trade routes and changing political scenarios in the Middle East compelled European traders to search for new trading routes to India”-Elaborate

• “The coming of Vasco de Gama at Calicut in May 1498 marked the beginning of a new era in Euro-Asian trade”-Analyse the statement

• Why Indian rulers were tolerant towards these Portuguese traders?

• Where did the Portuguese establish their trading settlements?

• Who was Francisco de Almeida?

• Blue Water Policy and Cartez System-What were these two policy or system?

• Who was Alfonso-De-Albuquerque?

• ‘Goa became the capital of the Portuguese Commercial empire in India in 1530’-Then what happened?

• How did the Portuguese influence architecture in Goa?

• What style of architecture was introduced by the Portuguese?

• How was the relation between the Portuguese and the Maratha Empire?

• Who ended Portuguese rule in India?

• Portuguese did not succeed like the British in India-why?

• How did the Portuguese affect India and, more specifically, Goa?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍How the French and Portuguese territories had contrasting paths to merger with India

📍Goa Liberation Day: How India’s smallest state was freed from Portuguese rule

Cabinet announces hike in MSP for kharif crops in 5% to 10% range

Syllabus:

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

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies III: Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

• General Studies III: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- The Centre on Wednesday announced a 5.3% to 10.35% hike in minimum support prices (MSP) of all mandated Kharif crops for marketing season 2023-24, with moong seeing the highest increase and urad the lowest. A decision of this effect was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA); the meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The CCEA approved the hike as recommended by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices.

• What are the Kharif crops?

• Which is the main Kharif growing states in India?

• Kharif and Rabi Crops-Compare and Contrast

• MSP (minimum support price) and effectiveness of MSP implementation

• Which are the Crops Covered under MSP?

• Public distribution system (PDS) and MSP

• How MSP is calculated (paid out costs, labour etc.) and Crops covered under the MSP

• The Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP)-Know in Detail

• The Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) and Minimum support prices (MSP)-Connect the dots

• How Government fix MSPs of crops before every planting season?

• How unseasonal rains affects crops?

• For Your Information-In the 2022-23 marketing season, the increase in kharif crop MSP was recorded in the range of 4.44% to 8.86%. A higher hike in MSP of kharif crops for 2023-24 is significant since it comes months before the General Election next year. Meanwhile, MSP of paddy, the most cultivated crop in the country, has seen a hike of 7%, with MSP of common paddy fixed at Rs 2,183 per quintal for 2023-24 — a 7.01% increase over last year’s Rs 2,040 per quintal. For paddy-grade A, MSP has been announced at Rs 2,203 per quintal, which is 6.94% more than last year’s Rs 2,060 per quintal.

• What are the demands by Farmers in the context of MSP in the recent scenario?

• “Right to MSP”-is it possible to implement and if not, then what are the issues and Challenges?

• Kharif, Rabi crops, MSP and Doubling Farmers Income-How they are interconnected?

• Recommendation of Ashok Dalwai Committee and M. S. Swaminathan Committee on MSP-Key highlights

• What do you understand by the term ‘comprehensive cost of production of a crop’?

• Demand for legal guarantee for MSP-Pros and Cons

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Explained: What is minimum support price (MSP), and how is it fixed?

📍Explained: MSP and govt panel’s task

ECONOMY

BSNL revival: Govt allocates `89K-cr for 4G, 5G spectrum

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Main Examination: General Studies III: Changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth and Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story– The Union Cabinet has approved a third revival package for state-owned telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) with an outlay of Rs 89,000 crore for allotment of 4G and 5G spectrum through equity infusion. The approval sets the stage for the struggling telco to launch 4G, and, eventually, 5G services.

• Fifth generation wireless technology (5G)-what do you understand by this?

• Difference between 4G and 5G

• 5G Technology – Key Features

• Spectrum Auction in India-How they are done?

• For Your Information-BSNL has been allotted 10MHz in the 700MHz band for 22 licenced service areas (LSAs) worth Rs 46,338.60 crore, 70MHz in the 3300MHz band for 22 LSAs worth Rs 26,184.20 crore, 800MHz in 21 LSAs and 650MHz in one LSA in the 26GHz band worth Rs 6,564.93 crore, 20MHz in six LSAs and 10MHz in two LSAs in the 2500MHz band worth Rs 9,428.20 crore. BSNL, struggling with poor infrastructure, has been battered by intense competition from Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, which have rolled out 4G services at low prices on voice calls and data. The company has yet to launch 4G services, which will soon change following the frequency allotment.

• 5G Spectrum Allocation-who Decides? (Nodal Ministry/Department)

• Telecom Regulatory Authority of India -Role and Mandate

• What are the recommendations made by TRAI with respect to 5G spectrum?

• What concerns has industry raised on TRAI’s 5G spectrum price recommendation?

• What are the other concerns raised by industry bodies over TRAI recommendations?

• Long-term evolution (LTE) mobile broadband networks

• What are Electromagnetic Spectrum and Radio Spectrum? Any correlations between these two terms?

• International Telecommunication Union (ITU)-About, Role and Member Countries

• Department of Telecommunications and Digital Communications Commission- About, Vision, Mission, Functions

• C-Band and 5G communications-what are the apprehensions and challenges associated with 5G Communication

• What is the procedure of Spectrum allocation in India?

• What is Adjusted gross revenue (AGR)?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Where 5G rollout stands, and how it will change user experience

📍Explained: What is 5G, and how prepared is India to adapt to this tech?

Why has Byju’s sued its lenders, calling them ‘predatory’?

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

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

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-Two tumultuous days at ed-tech giant Byju’s have culminated in the firm suing some of its lenders in the New York Supreme Court – on Monday (June 5), it failed to pay interest of $40 million on its term loan B of $1.2 billion, and the next day, it initiated legal action against the lenders, calling their tactics “high handed” and “predatory”. This is perhaps the first instance of an Indian start-up suing its own lenders after failing to pay the interest amount. Byju’s, the world’s most valuable ed-tech firm, has also decided to halt payment to the lenders. In particular, it accused US-based hedge fund Redwood of buying the company’s distressed debt “with the intent of making windfall gains”.

• What is a term loan B?

• When did Byju’s raise such a loan?

• Why has Byju’s initiated legal action against its lenders?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Byju’s files suit against lender in New York court

EXPLAINED

Big plans, some key gains

Syllabus:

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

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:

• What’s the ongoing story-From a new policy that outlines the education roadmap for the next 20 years to sweeping changes in school textbooks and the opening up of the Indian higher education space to foreign players, the Modi government’s second term has proven to be more eventful in terms of education compared to the first.

• What initiative been taken by the government in education sector?

• What are the salient features of New Education Policy 2020?

• ‘The implementation of quality measures alone is likely to further reduce the access of weaker sections to higher education, as these measures possess elements which may enhance unequal access, unless the government comes with corresponding measures to safeguard them’-Critically analyse New Education Policy 2020 in the context of the given statement

• “There is an absence of a policy to improve the access of students from weaker sections to private education institutions”-do you agree?

• Who prepares the National Curriculum Framework for school education?

• What are some of the key changes carried out in the textbooks?

• What do you understand by National Curriculum Framework?

• National Policy on Education (NPE) and National Curriculum Framework (NCF)-Connect the dot

• “If NEP is the guiding philosophy, then NCF is the pathway”-Elaborate

• ‘The last nine years have witnessed initiatives aimed at increasing female representation in traditionally male-dominated educational institutions’-Elaborate

• Do You Know-According to AISHE data, there has been a reduction in gender disparity in higher education enrolment since 2014. The gender gap in the BCom program closed in 2019-20, resulting in a balanced ratio of 100 women to 100 male students. This was the third major programme in which the gender gap in enrollment had closed, following similar progress in the B.Sc and MBBS programs in 2017-18. However, the pandemic year posed challenges and caused setbacks to some of the significant strides made in bridging the gender gap across various undergraduate programs.

• What are the Other significant changes and initiatives in education taken by the Government?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍New degree on table: Bachelor of Science for humanities, commerce

GROUND-LEVEL OZONE IN DELHI: WHAT CONCERNS CSE REPORT FLAGGED

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’s the ongoing story-According to a new analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), parts of the Delhi-NCR region witnessed ground-level ozone readings exceeding the national standards on 87 out of 92 days in the summer period between March and May. The worst affected parts in the area are New Delhi and South Delhi neighbourhoods.

• What is ground-level ozone?

• For Your Information-Also known as tropospheric ozone, ground-level ozone is “a colourless and highly irritating gas that forms just above the Earth’s surface (up to 2 miles above the ground).,” as per Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Notably, it’s not directly emitted into the air but rather produced when two primary pollutants react in sunlight and stagnant air. These two primary pollutants are nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Therefore, ground-level ozone is called a “secondary” pollutant. “NOx and VOCs come from natural sources as well as human activities. About 95 per cent of NOx from human activity comes from the burning of coal, gasoline and oil in motor vehicles, homes, industries and power plants.

• What are the harmful effects of ground-level ozone?

• What is the situation of ground-level ozone in India?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍World Environment Day 2023: CSE finds ground-level ozone pollution in Delhi-NCR all-year problem, persists at nights too

CANADA WILD FIRES: HOW BAD IT IS, WHICH REGIONS ARE HIT, AND WHY

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’s the ongoing story– Canada on Wednesday was struggling to fight an extraordinary outbreak of wildfires across the country that sent smoke pouring over the border and forced millions of Canadians and Americans to stay indoors as skies darkened over large portions of both nations. More than 400 fires burned in Canada, and blazes this year have already scorched roughly 9.8 million acres of forest — more than 10 times the acreage that had burned by this time last year, officials say — sending smoke billowing down the east coast of the United States, from New York past Washington, D.C., and as far west as Minnesota.

• Outbreak of wildfires across the Canada-Know the reasons

• For Your Information-Canada has the world’s largest intact forest ecosystem. Drought and high heat, which many parts of the country have experienced recently, can make trees vulnerable to fire and dry out dead grass, pine needles and any other material on the bottom of the forest floor that act as kindling when a fire sweeps through a forest. Wildfire experts see the signs of climate change in the dryness, intense heat and longer fire season that have made these fires more extreme.

• What is Forest Fires?

• What is the connection between weather and fires?

• Does Canada have a history of forest fires?

• Why exactly are environmentalists worried?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Air pollution cloaks eastern US for a second day. Here’s why there is so much smoke

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