UPSC Key- May 11, 2023: Know about State Visit, Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi, Saksham Anganwadi and India’s Nuclear Doctrine

Rajasthan, Assam and Andhra oppose plea on same-sex marriage

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-THE CENTRE on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it had received responses from seven states on the plea to grant legal recognition to same-sex marriages. While three states Rajasthan, Assam and Andhra Pradesh have opposed the plea, the remaining four Sikkim, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Manipur have sought more time. The Centre had sought the views of all states and Union territories after the Supreme Court took up petitions seeking legalisation of same-sex marriages.

• What is the recent update in same-sex marriages?

• Why Rajasthan, Assam and Andhra Pradesh have opposed the plea to grant legal recognition to same-sex marriages?

• How same-sex marriages will create imbalance in the social fabric, which can have far-reaching adverse implications for the social and family system-How?

• “Legislation is the prerogative of the legislature, both at the Centre and in the states, and courts may like to view the matter in accordance with the core principles of our democratic structure”-Discuss

• Marriage, divorce and ancillary subjects fall under the State list, Union list or in the Concurrent list of the Constitution?

• What exactly Supreme Court said?

• What is government’s objections to the maintainability of the same sex marriage petitions?

• What is the Special Marriage Act, 1954?

• Who can get married under the Special Marriage Act?

• What is the “legislative intent” of marriage

• The legal recognition for same sex marriage is a little more complex-why?

• What is the Concept behind marriages in Indian Subcontinent or in the Indian Society?

• The Institution of Marriage-Why marriage is referred as an institution?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Supreme Court hearing on same-sex marriage: Top quotes

US President Biden to host Modi for state visit in June

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: 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- FOR THE first time in nine years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to the US for an official state visit from June 21 to 24, where he will be hosted by US President Joe Biden at the White House. Modi, who will travel to Australia, Japan and Papua New Guinea this month, is likely to meet Biden at least four times within a month, between May 19 and June 22. He will go to Hiroshima (Japan) for the G-7 summit (May 19-21), then to Papua New Guinea for the Pacific Islands’ leaders’ summit, and Australia for the Quad leaders’ summit. Biden will also visit these three countries at the same time.

• What is meant by state visit?

• Do You Know-This is Modi’s first state visit to the US since he assumed office in 2014. His previous visits to the US to meet then Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump at the White House were not classified as state visits. The last official state visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the US was undertaken by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November 2009.

• What is the difference between state visit and official visit?

• Is every visit by a foreign leader a state visit?

• For Your Information- State visits are considered to be the highest expression of friendly bilateral relations and are replete with official public ceremonies. In the US, these ceremonies include a flight line ceremony (where the visiting head of state is greeted at the tarmac after landing), a 21-gun salute White House arrival ceremony, a White House dinner, exchange of diplomatic gifts, an invitation to stay at the Blair House (US President’s guesthouse across the Pennsylvania Avenue), and flag street-lining.

• “The visit will underscore the growing importance of the strategic partnership between India and the United States as the two nations collaborate across numerous sectors”-Discuss

• Why this visit will be significant?

• “China’s aggressive behaviour at the India-China border as well as the Indo-Pacific region has brought the two countries closer”-Analyse India-China -USA relations

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Narendra Modi invited to the US on a state visit: What are state visits?

Alumina exports to Russia surge as others avoid sale to Moscow

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: 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 THE SURGE in India’s import of Russian crude oil has come under the spotlight, but a sharp pick-up in India-Russia trade in another commodity has largely been under the radar. India’s exports of aluminium oxide, or alumina, to Russia jumped to 2.58 lakh tonnes in April-February of financial year 2022-23 (FY23) from nil in the corresponding period of FY22, latest available data with the Indian commerce ministry shows.

• What is Alumina?

• What is the use of alumina?

• For Your Information-As a major producer of aluminium, which is used in a wide array of industries, Russia is a major alumina consumer. Alumina is mainly used in the production of aluminium metal, but is also used as an abrasive due to its hardness and as a refractory material due to its high melting point.

• Why the surge in exports?

• Do You Know- The sharp surge in India’s alumina exports to Russia, which in volume terms accounted for over 14 per cent of total exports of the commodity during the first 11 months of last fiscal, corresponds with the collapse in imports from two of Moscow’s traditional supply sources. This has now turned Russia into the third-biggest buyer of Indian alumina, replacing China.

• How much trade does India have with Russia?

• Russia plays a very important role in logistical as well as technological support when it comes to defence forces-Know India and Russia Military trade

• India’s bilateral trade with Russia has soared to an all-time high in just five months (April-August) of this financial year (2022-23)-Know the reasons

• Do You Know– India had a positive trade balance with Russia from 1997-98 (the most recent year for which comparable data is available) to 2002-03. But from 2003-04, New Delhi’s trade balance with Moscow has remained negative. Russia’s position gradually fell, slipping to 34th in 2013-14. It began climbing up from 2014-15, and was India’s 23rd biggest trading partner in 2017-18. After that, it remained between 25th to 30th place, before climbing to seventh place in 2022-23.

• What is India’s Stand on Russia-Ukraine War?

• India-Russia Relations-Know the background

• How is New Delhi positioning itself as a player with credibility in the Russia-Ukraine conflict?

• India and China have been consistently calling for a diplomatic settlement but at this historical juncture, India and China are the obstacle to a possible diplomatic solution-Critically analyse India’s stand over Russia-Ukraine Crisis.

• How India can help to maintain ‘Peace’ in Ukraine-Russia Conflict?

• Indian stance on Ukraine-Analyse India’s Stand on Ukraine-Russia Conflict

• Role of United Nations in Ukraine-Russia Crisis-Analyse

• Ukraine-Russia War-Try to understand the changing dynamics in diplomatic relations and its impact on India

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍India-Russia trade soars to record high as imports of oil and fertiliser drive surge

📍C Raja Mohan writes: In light of the Russia-Ukraine war, an opportunity to modernise India’s defence industry

GOVT & POLITICS

Anganwadi scheme for early childhood care, education launched

Syllabus:

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

Mains 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’s the ongoing story-Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani on Wednesday launched the Centre’s flagship programme ‘Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi’, which will focus on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) at anganwadis across the country. Irani said the ministry has allocated Rs 600 crore for the training of anganwadi workers to implement the ECCE. The National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) has been roped in for the training of Anganwadi workers, she said.

• Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi-Know its features

• Why ‘Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi’?

• What is the meaning of early childhood care and education?

• Why early childhood care and education is important?

• For Your Information-As per PIB, “With the National Education Policy 2020, and with the ‘Poshan bhi Padhai bhi, Government has taken up the goal of strengthening the foundations of the country’s future generations. Government will target children’s development in every domain mentioned in the National Curriculum Framework, viz., physical and motor development, cognitive development, socio-emotional-ethical development, cultural/artistic development, and the development of communication and early language, literacy, and numeracy. All States will follow the national ECCE taskforce recommendations for a play-based, activity-based learning pedagogy, targeted specifically at developmental milestones of 0-3-year olds as well as 3-6-year olds, including special support for Divyang children. Through the changes introduced by the “Poshan bhi, Padhai bhi” ECCE policy, every child would be provided with at least two hours of high-quality pre-school instruction on a daily basis. As stated in the NEP, Anganwadi Centres will be strengthened with high-quality infrastructure, play equipment, and well-trained Anganwadi workers/teachers. Poshan bhi Padhai bhi will focus on promoting holistic and quality early stimulation and pre-primary education for children, ensuring the use of developmentally appropriate pedagogies and emphasizing the links with primary education as well as early childhood health and nutrition services. Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi program will provide for mother tongue as primary teacher instruction medium, different types of teaching-learning material (visual aids, audio aids, audio-visual and bodily-kinesthetic aids) to Anganwadi Sewikas, and help build a Jan Andolan, to involve communities in strengthening the foundations of the country’s future generations.

• What is Mission Saksham?

• What is the aim of Saksham Anganwadi?

• What is Poshan 2.0?

• What are the objectives of Poshan 2.0 ?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍‘POSHAN BHI PADHAI BHI’

📍 ‘Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi’: Centre to push Early Childhood Care and Education through Anganwadis

PM to lay LIGO foundation stone today

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-A month after his government granted the final clearance to the ambitious LIGO project, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Thursday remotely lay the foundation stone for the construction of the facility in Hingoli district in Maharashtra. Also, to mark the 25th anniversary of the 1998 nuclear tests, the Prime Minister would launch several projects of the atomic energy department.

• National Technology Day-Why we celebrate it?

• 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

• What is General Theory of Relativity?

• What is Special theory of relativity?

• What is the difference between the two theories of relativity?

• E=mc2, equation is theory of special relativity or general theory of relativity?

• What is Newton’s law of gravitation?

• Deficiencies in Newton’s law-What were those?

• For Your Information-Its success notwithstanding, the theory suffered from a couple of major deficiencies, one of which was evident even during Newton’s time. Newton himself acknowledged it while describing the gravitational force in his landmark publication, The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy in 1687, and his contemporaries were aware of it. The theory did not explain the reason for the existence of the attractive force between any two bodies. Why should every piece of matter feel attracted towards everything else? The second problem became apparent much later, at the start of the 20th century, as a consequence of Albert Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity. Special Relativity, published in 1905, established that nothing could travel faster than the speed of light. But the gravitational force seemed to be propagating instantaneously, over any large distance, without any delay at all. Time does not even figure in Newton’s gravitational equation.

• What is gravitational waves?

• What creates gravitational waves?

• How do gravitational waves affect Humans?

• 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

📍On National Technology Day, celebrating India’s thriving innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem

Previous Year Prelims Questions Covering the same theme:

📍 Consider the following phenomena (UPSC Prelims GS1, 2018)
(1) Light is affected by gravity.
(2) The Universe is constantly expanding.
(3) Matter warps its surrounding space-time.
Which of the above is/are the prediction/predictions of Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, often discussed in media ?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

📍The terms ‘Event Horizon’, ‘Singularity’, `String Theory’ and ‘Standard Model’ are sometimes seen in the news in the context of (UPSC Prelims GS1, 2017)
(a) Observation and understanding of the Universe
(b) Study of the solar and the lunar eclipses
(c) Placing satellites in the orbit of the Earth
(d) Origin and evolution of living organisms on the Earth

📍Recently, scientists observed the merger of giant ‘blackholes’ billions of light-years away from the earth. What is the significance of this observation? (UPSC Prelims GS1, 2019)
(a) ‘Higgs boson particles’ were detected.
(b) ‘Gravitational waves’ were detected.
(c) Possibility of intergalactic space travel through ‘wormhole’ was confirmed.
(d) It enabled the scientists to understand ‘singularity’.

THE IDEAS PAGE

Deterrence and us

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance and General Science

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-Manpreet Sethi Writes:On this day 25 years ago, then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced that India had conducted three nuclear tests at Pokhran. On May 13, after the conduct of two more tests, he declared, “India is now a nuclear weapon state”.

• Why did India choose to exercise the nuclear option in 1998 after having followed a policy of ambivalence since conducting a peaceful nuclear explosion (PNE) in 1974?

• What is India’s Nuclear Doctrine?

• India’s Nuclear Journey-Know the background

• For Your Information-By the mid-1990s, China had already conducted as many as 45 nuclear tests, developed modest delivery systems, including first-generation nuclear missile-carrying submarines. China had also conducted a nuclear test for Pakistan, reportedly in May 1990, thereby boosting Rawalpindi’s nuclear confidence and emboldening it to foment insurgency in J&K and Punjab. Meanwhile, Washington was pressurising countries to join the non-proliferation treaty as non-nuclear weapon states and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty had been put out for signature. Caught in a security and non-proliferation bind, India felt compelled to develop its own nuclear weapons to establish credible deterrence against nuclear coercion or blackmail by countries that claimed Indian territories.

• What is Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty?

• What is the purpose of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty?

• Why India did not joined CTBT?

• What is the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)?

• Is India a NPT?

• ‘The Indian action took the world by surprise. Criticism and sanctions followed’-what sort of criticisms and sanctions?

• What do you understand by credible minimum deterrence (CMD) and a no-first-use (NFU) policy?

• What is No First Use doctrine, and how did it come into being?

• “The sole purpose of India’s nuclear deterrence is to deter adversaries’ use or threat of use of nuclear weapons”-Discuss

• What is the current Status of Nuclear Energy and Nuclear power plants in India?

• Map Work-Mark Nuclear power plants

• The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is under the direct charge of the Prime Minister through a Presidential Order-True or False?

• What is Nuclear Energy? Why Nuclear Energy is required?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Explained: India’s doctrine of Nuclear No First Use

EXPLAINED

The slower heating of India

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-The annual mean temperature of the world is known to have increased by 1.1 degree Celsius from the average of the 1850-1900 period. But this increase, as can be expected, is not uniform. It varies in different regions and also at different times of the year. This single number denoting global temperature increase, very effective for communicating the dangers of climate change, is built on top of several layers of averages.

• Temperature rise over land is much higher than over oceans-Why?

• For Your Information-The warming trends over the Indian region are very different. An assessment of climate change over the Indian subcontinent, published by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in 2020, said annual mean temperatures had risen by 0.7 degree Celsius from 1900. This is significantly lower than the 1.59 degree Celsius rise for land temperatures across the world. It could give the impression that the problem of climate change over India was not as acute as other parts of the world. But that is not entirely accurate.

• Why is warming over India lower?

• How aerosols impacts atmosphere?

• Do You Know-Aerosols refer to all kinds of particles suspended in the atmosphere. These particles have the potential to affect the local temperature in multiple ways. Many of these scatter sunlight back, so that lesser heat is absorbed by the land. Aerosols also affect cloud formation. Clouds, in turn, have an impact on how much sunlight is reflected or absorbed.
Aerosol concentration over the Indian region is quite high, due to natural as well as man-made reasons. Due to its location in the tropics and the arid climate, India is no stranger to dust. But it also happens to be experiencing heavy pollution right now. Emissions from vehicles, industries, construction, and other activities add a lot of aerosols in the Indian region. A reduction in warming could be an unintended but positive side-effect.

• “A major part of India’s relatively lesser warming can be attributed to its location in the lower latitudes”-Explain further

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Around 15,000 deaths caused in Europe in 2022 due to heat: What the new World Meteorological Organisation report says

📍Phase out methane emissions by 2030, eliminate carbon intensity, urges COP28 President Designate

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