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Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for January 2, 2025. If you missed the January 1, 2025 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here
FRONT PAGE
Govt extends special subsidy on DAP, weakening rupee upsets calculations
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Main Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
What’s the ongoing story: The Centre has extended a special subsidy of Rs 3,500 per tonne on di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), which was to end on December 31, for a further one-year period from January 1, 2025.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What is Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP)?
• What is the rationale behind the government’s decision to extend special subsidies on fertilizers like Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP)?
• What are the key challenges in sustaining such subsidies in the context of a weakening rupee?
• What are the impact of global fertilizer prices and exchange rate volatility on India’s agricultural economy?
• Evaluate the Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme’s effectiveness in promoting balanced fertilizer usage and reducing the subsidy burden.
• What are the steps taken by the government to enhance self-reliance in fertilizer production while ensuring affordability for farmers?
• The government’s fertilizer subsidy policy aims to support farmers, but it has fiscal and environmental implications-What are they?
• How India can achieve a balance between economic, social, and environmental goals in its fertilizer policy?
• Why government has brought di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), muriate of potash (MOP) and other such fertilisers under “reasonable pricing” controls?
Key Takeaways:
• The decision, cleared by the Union Cabinet Wednesday, is aimed at containing any surge in farmgate prices of India’s second most-consumed fertiliser. That pressure is more, given the rupee’s recent slide against the US dollar.
• The Modi government has informally frozen the maximum retail prices (MRP) of all non-urea fertilisers. This is despite them being “decontrolled” on paper, unlike urea whose MRP has been statutorily fixed at Rs 266.50 per 45-kg bag (after neem-coating and goods and services tax) since November 2012.
• Companies are not being allowed to charge more than Rs 1,350 for a 50-kg bag of DAP, with the corresponding per-bag MRPs at Rs 1,300 for the popular complex fertiliser ‘20:20:0:13’, Rs 1,470 for ‘12:32:16:0’ and ‘10:26:26:0’, and Rs 1,500-1,600 for muriate of potash.
• In the case of DAP, its landed import price of $632 per tonne works out to about Rs 54,160 at the present exchange rate of Rs 85.7-to-the-dollar. That’s more than the Rs 52,960 per tonne three months ago, when the rupee was at 83.8-to-the-dollar.
• Fertiliser companies are being given a subsidy of Rs 21,911 per tonne on DAP, plus the “one-time special package” concession of Rs 3,500 that has now been extended until December 31, 2025.
• Together with the MRP of Rs 1,350/bag or Rs 27,000 per tonne, it takes the gross realisation to Rs 52,411, which does not cover even the landed import cost of Rs 54,160.
Do You Know:
• DAP contains 46 per cent phosphorus or P, a nutrient crops need at the early growth stage of root establishment and development. Alternatives to DAP include complex fertilisers containing nitrogen (N), P, potassium (K) and sulphur (S) in varying proportions, such as 12:32:16:0, 10:26:26:0, 20:20:0:13 and single super phosphate or SSP (0:16:0:11). These have much less P content compared to DAP.
• India consumes 10.5-11 million tonnes (mt) of DAP annually — next only to the 35.5-36 mt of urea — more than half of which is supplied through imports from China, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Russia, and other countries.
• In addition, India imports phosphoric acid (mainly from Jordan, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia) and rock phosphate (from Morocco, Togo, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE) for the domestic production of DAP, as well as other P-containing fertilisers. In 2022-23, India imported 6.7 mt of DAP (valued at $5,569.51 million), 2.7 mt of phosphoric acid ($3,622.98 million) and 3.9 mt of rock phosphate ($891.32 million). These amounted to $10 billion-plus of imports — excluding imports of other inputs, namely ammonia and sulphur/ sulphuric acid.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Explained: How fertiliser subsidy works
Previous year UPSC Prelims question covering same theme:
1. Why does the Government of India promote the use of ‘Neem-coated Urea’ in agriculture? (UPSC CSE GS1, 2016)
A. Release of Neem oil in the soil increases nitrogen fixation by the soil microorganisms.
B. Neem coating slows down the rate of distribution of urea in the soil
C. Nitrous oxide, which is a greenhouse gas, is not at all released into the atmosphere by crop fields.
D. It is a combination of a weedicide and a fertilizer for particular crops.
2. With reference to the international trade of India at present, which of the following statements is/are correct? (UPSC CSE GS1, 2020)
1. India’s merchandise exports are less than its merchandise imports.
2. India’s imports of iron and steel, chemicals, fertilisers and machinery have
decreased in recent years.
3. India’s exports of services are more than its imports of services.
4. India suffers from an overall trade/current account deficit.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4 only
New turn to Battle of Begums: Bangladesh rewrites textbooks on 1971 liberation war
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Main Examination:
• General Studies I: History of the world
• General Studies II: India and its neighbourhood- relations.
What’s the ongoing story: Textbooks in Bangladesh will now state that Ziaur Rahman — not ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman — declared the country’s independence in 1971, The Daily Star reported on Wednesday. The new textbooks have also removed Mujib’s title of ‘Father of the Nation’
Key Points to Ponder:
• The rewriting of history textbooks in Bangladesh to reinterpret the 1971 Liberation War reflects the intersection of politics and historical narrative—How this may impact Bangladesh’s domestic politics and its relations with India?
• ‘The 1971 Liberation War marked a significant turning point in South Asian geopolitics’—Why?
• Examine the role played by India in the war and its implications for India-Bangladesh relations.
• What are the challenges and opportunities for historical narratives in maintaining national unity and fostering international relations, with specific reference to the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh.
• The role of the Mukti Bahini and the Indian Armed Forces in Bangladesh’s liberation is well-documented. Evaluate how these historical contributions have shaped the perception of India in Bangladesh’s socio-political fabric.
• Rewriting history textbooks to reinterpret critical national events is a contentious issue. Suggest how nations can ensure a balanced approach in revising historical narratives without compromising historical accuracy and international relations.
Key Takeaways:
• “The new textbooks for the 2025 academic year will state that ‘on March 26, 1971, Ziaur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh, and on March 27, he made another declaration of independence on behalf of Bangabandhu’,” Prof A K M Reazul Hassan, chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board, told The Daily Star.
• Ziaur was the founder of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and husband of current BNP chief Khaleda Zia. Mujib, father of recently deposed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, led the Bangladesh liberation struggle.
• This is not the first time that Bangladesh textbooks have undergone such changes.
• The legacies of Mujib and Ziaur have always been politically contested, and the question of who proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh disputed. While the Awami League, the party which steered the Bangladesh liberation struggle under Mujib, claims that it was ‘Bangabandhu’ who made the declaration, the BNP credits its founder Ziaur.
• This has meant that official history has varied depending on the dispensation in Dhaka. In 1978, during Ziaur’s reign as Bangladesh President, official history was changed for the first time to proclaim Ziaur as the person who made the declaration of independence.
• Since then, official histories have been rewritten multiple times, including most recently after Sheikh Hasina came to power in 2009.
• In 2010, the third volume of ‘Bangladesh Independence War: Documents’, published in 1978, presenting Ziaur as the proclaimer of independence, was declared null and void by the Bangladesh Supreme Court.
Do You Know:
• At the heart of the contestation regarding who declared Bangladesh’s freedom are what Mujib and Ziaur stand for in Bangladesh. Mujib won the 1973 elections with a massive mandate, although by most accounts, the process was mired by rigging and manipulation. He went on to ban Islamist parties, which he claimed supported Pakistan during the Liberation War, and sought to establish Bangladesh as a secular republic.
• He was assassinated, along with most of his family, in 1975 during the first of multiple coups in independent Bangladesh. This paved the way for the eventual rise of Ziaur Rahman, who went from being Bangladesh’s military chief to President. Ziaur, too, would be killed during another coup in 1981, but during his years in power, he ended the clampdown on Islamist elements and most notably, removed ‘secularism’ from the Bangladesh Constitution in 1978.
• This has till date remained the central contention between the political successors of Mujib and Ziaur, Hasina and Khaleda. Hasina governments have notably clamped down on Islamist elements, while under Khaleda, they have been emboldened and given space in high offices.
• The decision by the current dispensation to highlight the contributions of Ziaur in Bangladesh’s Liberation War over those of Mujib, reflects the legacy they wish to associate with and the vision of Bangladesh they champion.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Vijay Diwas: India’s historic role in the 1971 war and Bangladesh’s liberation
UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
3. The Mukti Bahini in the 1971 Liberation War was:
(a) A paramilitary force created by India to combat Pakistan.
(b) An armed resistance group formed by Bangladeshi freedom fighters.
(c) A UN-backed force sent to mediate the conflict.
(d) A group of Indian soldiers deployed under covert operations.
For Kerala nurse on Yemen death row, hope hangs on a thread — pardon from victim’s kin
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.
What’s the ongoing story: With Yemen President Rashad al-Alimi approving the death sentence for 37-year-old Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, for her family in Kerala, any hope of reprieve now hangs by a thread – a pardon from the family of Talal Abdo Mehdi, the Yemeni citizen whose murder she has been convicted of.
Key Points to Ponder:
• Who is Nimisha Priya?
• What is the case against her?
• The Nimisha Priya case has brought to light the challenges faced by Indian expatriates in conflict zones. Analyse the legal, diplomatic, and humanitarian aspects of India’s approach in such cases.
• How bilateral and multilateral diplomacy can be leveraged to address legal cases involving Indian nationals overseas, such as the Nimisha Priya case?
• Examine the strategic importance of Yemen for India, focusing on its geographical location near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and its implications for India’s maritime and energy security.
• Yemen has been facing prolonged civil unrest and humanitarian crises. Discuss the significance of India-Yemen relations in the context of regional stability and India’s strategic interests.
• Map Work-Yemen
Key Takeaways:
• Nimisha was awarded a life sentence in 2020 after she was convicted of killing one Talal Abdo Mahdi in 2017. Nimisha has accused Mahdi of fraud and abuse.
• According to the prosecution’s case, Nimisha, who worked as a nurse in Yemen, allegedly murdered Talal in July 2017 by “injecting him with sedatives to get her passport that was in his possession’’.
• Samuel Jerome Baskaran, a social worker who is currently involved in the negotiations with government officials in Yemen and Talal’s family, told The Indian Express that the President’s order reached the prosecutor on Monday, December 30.
• On December 31, the Ministry of External Affairs said it would extend “all possible help” to Nimisha. Since April, Nimisha’s mother Prema Kumari, a domestic worker in Kochi, has been camping in Yemen.
• In December last year, Kumari had approached the Delhi High Court to secure an exemption from the travel ban to conflict-ridden Yemen. Since her arrival in Sanaa, Kumari has had a few meetings with Nimisha in prison, Samuel said.
Do You Know:
• According to Islamic law, victims of crimes have a say in how criminals are punished. In cases of murder, this principle applies to the families of victims. Although murder is punished via the death penalty, the victim’s family (specifically, heirs) may choose to “forgive” the murderer in exchange for monetary compensation.
• This is the principle of diyya, or “blood money”. It can be traced to the Holy Quran: “O believers! The law of retaliation is set for you in cases of murder — a free man for a free man, a slave for a slave, and a female for a female. But if the offender is pardoned by the victim’s guardian, then ‘blood money’ should be decided fairly and payment should be made courteously. This is a concession and a mercy from your Lord.” [2:178]
• Scholars believe that the idea behind this is to encourage the virtue of forgiveness, while also providing reparative justice to the victim’s family. The scriptures do not set any specific amount as compensation, with the sum generally arrived at via negotiation between the murderer’s family/representatives and the victim’s family. Some Islamic countries, however, have set minimum compensation amounts.
• In November 2023, a $40,000 payment was made to get negotiations started. Priya’s family will likely have to pay up to $400,000 to waive the death penalty. The ‘Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council’, formed in 2020, is in the process of raising the required funds.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Kerala nurse facing death penalty in Yemen: the murder case Nimisha Priya is convicted in
Previous Year Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
4. Very recently, in which of the following countries have lakhs of people either suffered from severe famine/acute malnutrition or died due to starvation caused by war/ethnic conflicts? (UPSC CSE GS1, 2018)
(a) Angola and Zambia
(b) Morocco and Tunisia
(c) Venezuela and Colombia
(d) Yemen and South Sudan
EXPRESS NETWORK
40 years later, relocation of toxic waste from Bhopal’s Union Carbide plant starts
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
What’s the ongoing story: After 40 years, the process of relocating the toxic waste from Bhopal’s Union Carbide factory began Wednesday night when 12 containers carrying 337 metric tonnes of hazardous waste departed for Pithampur.
Key Points to Ponder:
• The disposal of 337 metric tonnes of toxic waste from the site of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy remains a major challenge—Examine the technological, legal, and logistical barriers to safe waste disposal in such industrial disaster sites.
• The Bhopal Gas Tragedy is a stark reminder of the risks associated with industrial activity-Discuss
• What are the long-term environmental and health impacts of the Bhopal Gas tragedy, with a focus on toxic waste management?
• Analyse the role of the Indian government, judiciary, and civil society in addressing the aftermath of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, including the remediation of toxic waste?
• The Bhopal Gas Tragedy led to significant legislative changes in India’s environmental framework. evaluate the effectiveness of these laws in preventing industrial disasters and managing hazardous waste.
• Compare the Bhopal Gas Tragedy with other global industrial disasters, such as Chernobyl and Fukushima.
• What lessons can India learn in managing post-disaster toxic waste and rehabilitation efforts?
• The Bhopal Gas Tragedy continues to highlight the importance of corporate accountability in industrial operations-Discuss
• Suggest measures to strengthen the corporate liability framework in India for handling industrial accidents.
Key Takeaways:
• Officials said the waste is being transported under tight security through a 250 km-long green corridor.
• Each container has a unique identification number, and detailed route information has been shared with the district administration and police. The chosen route was selected to minimize traffic disruptions at night.
• The specialised containers, which are moving at a speed of 40-50 km per hour, will halt briefly at designated points. Along with the containers, police escorts, ambulances, fire brigades, and a quick response team are accompanying the convoy. Each container is manned by two drivers.
• On December 3, the Madhya Pradesh High Court set a four-week deadline for the authorities to dispose of the toxic waste material. On December 5, the high court had pulled up the state government over the lack of progress in disposing of 337 MT of toxic waste, observing that the authorities were “still in a state of inertia despite 40 years”.
• Pithampur is an industrial town near Indore, and the government’s plans to dispose of the waste in the town have long been met with
protests from activists and residents with petitions being filed in the HC asking for a stay in the disposal of the waste.
• The project is expected to be executed in 180 days. In the first 20 days, the waste will be transported from the contaminated site to the disposal site in packed drums. Later, this waste is shifted from storage to a blending shed where it is mixed with regents and then packed into small bags weighing 3-9 kg.
• The 337 tons of waste, stored in bags inside the factory, were packed into jumbo HDPE (high-density polyethylene) non-reactive liners, ensuring no chemical reactions during transport. Over 50 labourers, clad in full PPE kits, were employed to fill the bags, officials said.
• To maintain safety, workers were rotated every 30 minutes, and health checks were conducted immediately after they removed their PPE kits. A temporary medical facility, staffed with doctors, provided meals, rest areas, and bathing facilities for the labourers involved in the process.
Do You Know:
• The Bhopal disaster, also known as the Bhopal gas tragedy, was a chemical accident that occurred at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide facility in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, during the night of December 2-3, 1984. The industrial disaster is regarded as the worst in history.
• Union Carbide (India) Ltd. (UCIL) was a subsidiary of the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), a US corporation. The UCIL pesticide manufacturing factory was located on the outskirts of Bhopal. On December 2, highly toxic MIC gas escaped the plant. People living in nearby areas reported a burning sensation in their eyes and difficulties in breathing, with many also losing consciousness.
• Its effects were such that apart from killing thousands of people in a short span of time, it led to disease and other long-term problems for many who inhaled the gas. The scale of environmental pollution also became clearer only later. For example, the sources of water around the factory were deemed unfit for consumption and many handpumps were sealed. To date, the reproductive health of many of Bhopal’s women has been affected, and children born to those exposed to the gas have faced congenital health problems.
• A 2019 report by the UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO) said at least 30 tonnes of the poisonous gas affected more than 600,000 workers and nearby inhabitants. It added the disaster was among the world’s “major industrial accidents after 1919”.
• After the disaster, the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster (Processing of Claims) Act was passed in 1985, giving certain powers to the Indian government for settling claims. It said the Central Government would have the “exclusive right” to represent, and act in place of every person connected with the claims.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Bhopal gas tragedy 1984: Looking back at one of India’s worst industrial disasters
📍Explained: What are the safeguards against chemical disasters in India?
UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
5. Which of the following substances was primarily responsible for the Bhopal Gas Tragedy?
(a) Benzene
(b) Methyl Isocyanate (MIC)
(c) Phosgene
(d) Ammonium Nitrate
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.
What’s the ongoing story: Renowned taxonomist K S Manilal, who was conferred with Padma Shri, died in Kerala’s Thrissur on Wednesday after a prolonged illness. He was 86.
Key Points to Ponder:
• How K S Manilal work impacted the understanding of India’s botanical history?
• Discuss the contributions of K S Manilal in making ‘Hortus Malabaricus’ accessible to the modern world.
• The ‘Hortus Malabaricus’ is considered a significant work in the history of botany—Why?
• Analyse ‘Hortus Malabaricus’ importance in documenting traditional medicinal knowledge and its relevance for modern science.
• How did K S Manilal overcome the challenges in translating historical botanical works like ‘Hortus Malabaricus’ into modern languages?
• The ‘Hortus Malabaricus’ highlights the rich biodiversity of the Malabar region. Discuss the current threats to biodiversity in this region and suggest measures for its conservation.
• Historical works like ‘Hortus Malabaricus’ demonstrate the integration of indigenous knowledge systems in scientific research— Evaluate the role of such integration in contemporary science and policymaking.
• K S Manilal’s efforts to revive the significance of ‘Hortus Malabaricus’ underscore the need to preserve India’s scientific heritage—Discuss
• Suggest ways to document and preserve India’s traditional knowledge systems for future generations.
Key Takeaways:
• Among his contributions to botanical research, Kattungal Subramaniam Manilal is best known for research, annotation and translation of the botanical treatise in Latin, Hortus Malabaricus, which is the oldest comprehensive printed book on the natural plant wealth of Asia and medicinal properties of the flora in the Western coast of India, particularly Kerala, Karnataka and Goa.
• Originally authored by Hendrik Adriaan van Rheede, who had been a governor of Malabar during the days of the Dutch East India Company in 1669-1676, Hortus Malabaricus contained descriptions and illustrations about 742 plants.
• This was published from Amsterdam during 1678-1693 and was the most comprehensive study of the medico-botanical resources of Asia published from Europe before the 18th century.
• Manilal, who served as a botany professor at the University of Calicut for 23 years from 1976 to 1999, devoted 35 years to the research, translation and annotation work of this Latin botanical treatise. His translation of this enormous 12-volume document into English and Malayalam served as an opening for the Latin treatise, which had remained inaccessible to the academic world.
• Apart from the translation, Manilal gave annotation, and modern botanical and historical interpretation for this Latin treatise, which shed light on the the life and culture of the Malabar coast.
Do You Know:
• Hailing from Paravur in Ernakulam district, Manilal obtained PhD in Botany and became a faculty at the University of Kerala before moving to the University of Calicut. In 2020, the country honoured him with a Padma Sree, considering his work on Hortus Malabaricus.
• Manilal also authored 198 research papers and 15 books on taxonomy and botany, mainly about the medico-botanical aspects, or the historical, socio-political and linguistic significance of Hortus Malabaricus.
• In 2003, the University of Calicut published the 12 volumes of the translation of Hortus Malabaricus. In the 1980s, Manilal conducted extensive research about the flora and fauna of the Silent Valley rain forest in Kerala, which later turned into a major cause for its conservation.
• He was the founder of the Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy and was also honoured by the Netherlands with the ‘Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassu Award’, one of the highest civilian awards given by the country.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Prime Minister condoles the demise of Padma Awardee and eminent botanist, Dr. KS Manilal
UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
6. Consider the following statements about ‘Hortus Malabaricus’:
1. It is a 17th-century botanical work documenting the flora of the Malabar region.
2. The original text of ‘Hortus Malabaricus’ was written in Latin.
3. It is considered one of the earliest works to describe the medicinal properties of plants in India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3
2024 was India’s warmest year since 1901, says Met department
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.
What’s the ongoing story: India experienced its warmest year since 1901, beating the previous temperature record of 2016, the India Meteorological Department said on Wednesday.
Key Points to Ponder:
• Analyse the factors contributing to rising temperatures in India and their socio-economic implications.
• Discuss the role of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in monitoring and addressing climate-related challenges.
• How can India Meteorological Department (IMD) enhance its capabilities to tackle future climate risks?
• Rising temperatures in India pose significant challenges for agriculture, water security, and public health. Suggest strategies to mitigate these impacts through policy interventions and community participation.
• Examine the relationship between El Niño and the Indian monsoon system.
• How can India prepare for climate anomalies?
• Evaluate India’s climate mitigation policies and suggest measures to strengthen them.
• Extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and droughts, are becoming more frequent in India. Discuss the importance of climate resilience and suggest ways to integrate it into urban and rural planning.
Key Takeaways:
• The annual mean land surface temperature averaged over the country was up by 0.65 degrees Celsius, making 2024 the warmest in 123 years.
• Globally also, the year gone by was racing to become the warmest ever, but the official announcement in this regard is awaited.
• ” Under the influence of climate change, the temperature has been showing an increasing trend and 2024, too, continued to remain warm and has become the warmest year ever,” said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general, IMD.
• During 2024, rainfall during the northeast monsoon was near normal, with October and December recording normal to excess rainfall over the country.
Do You Know:
• The sharpest rise in the temperatures have all been recorded in the recent past. IMD’s temperature data (long period average based on 1991 – 2020) suggested that the top five warmest years have been : 2016 (0.54 degrees Celsius), 2009 (0.40 degrees Celsius), 2010 (0.39 degrees Celsius) and 2017 (0.38 degrees Celsius). Seasonally, the post monsoon (October – December) reported the sharpest jump (0.83 degrees Celsius) followed by monsoon (June – September) – 0.71 degrees Celsius in the year.
• Last year, India experienced its second warmest (with respect to maximum temperature) November and the fifth warmest monsoon season since 1901.
• 2025 is likely to begin with mostly warm days and nights over most parts of the country and it is linked with few strong cold wave conditions. However, northwest India — spanning Rajasthan, Gujarat and some parts of adjacent north Maharashtra could experience cold day conditions, when maximum temperatures during the day would remain below normal.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍What the warmer November of 2024 means for India and the world
UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
7. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is responsible for:
1. Monitoring and predicting weather conditions in India.
2. Issuing early warnings for cyclones and extreme weather events.
3. Implementing mitigation measures for climate change in India.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3
EXPLAINED
The story of Binodini Dasi, after whom Star Theatre in Kolkata has now been named
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: History of India and Indian National Movement.
Main Examination: General Studies I: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues and Role of women
What’s the ongoing story: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday (December 31) announced that Kolkata’s Star Theatre, a cultural institution of the city, would be renamed Binodini Mancha or Binodini theatre. Many have hailed this as the “correction of a 141-year-old wrong” committed against Binodini Dasi, or Nati (performer) Binodini, as she was known.
Key Points to Ponder:
• Analyse Nati Binodini’s contribution to Indian theatre.
• How Nati Binodini’s legacy is relevant in the context of women’s empowerment today.
• Discuss the importance of recognizing historical figures in the performing arts and their impact on contemporary society.
• The story of Nati Binodini underscores the intersection of art, gender, and social stigma in 19th-century Bengal—Discuss
• Compare challenges faced by female artists in 19th century era to the issues faced by women in creative fields today.
• The Star Theatre was a hub of cultural and artistic activity during the Bengal Renaissance. Describe the role of theatre in shaping socio-political discourse during this period.
• Nati Binodini’s autobiography Amar Katha offers insights into the lives of women in 19th-century Indian society. Discuss the role of
autobiographical literature in challenging and reshaping historical narratives.
• The cultural contributions of icons like Nati Binodini are often overshadowed by their personal struggles. Suggest measures to ensure that their legacies are preserved and celebrated in modern India.
Key Takeaways:
• Born in 1863, Binodini was one of the first few women to join theatre in Bengal as professional actors. She found great success, but had to contend with the stigma of her birth in a red light district and of being a woman who performed publicly.
• When the Star Theatre was being built, Gurumukh Roy, a young businessman, had promised to fund it if Binodini agreed to be his mistress. She was persuaded to do so, with the promise that the theatre would be named B. Theatre in her honour. But when the theatre was finally ready in 1883 (at a different location from where it stands now), it was named Star Theatre. Many believe it was this betrayal that caused
Binodini to quit acting, at the height of her popularity.
• However, after stepping off the stage, Binodini took greater control over her own story. In 1913, her autobiography, Aamar Katha, was published, in which she wrote in detail about the challenges caste, class, and patriarchy threw her way.
Do You Know:
• Binodini was born into a poor family in a Kolkata suburb inhabited by sex workers. Struggle for money was so acute in the family that her five-year-old brother was married off and the dowry used to buy food. The family also took in lodgers, one of whom was the tawaif Ganga Bai. Ganga Bai taught the child Binodini to sing, and also introduced her to the theatre.
• Binodini played her first part when she was 12. Her talent was noticed by Girish Ghosh, one of the best writers/managers of the theatre scene in Bengal, and soon, she became a successful actor.
• Author Rimli Bhattacharya, in her paper ”Public Women’: Early Actresses of the Bengali Stage — Role and Reality’ (India International Centre Quarterly, Vol. 17, The Calcutta Psyche (Winter 1990/1991)), noted that theatre actresses in the late 19th century were in the unique position of being ‘public women’ actually performing in public, as opposed to “respectable women” confined to their homes, and walled-off sex workers who were visited in secret.
• After quitting the theatre, Binodini became the second wife of a wealthy man. However, her hurts still smarted, and in 1913, she decided to write her story. In the preface, she says she had chosen to put pen to paper as there was no one she could confide in, no kin or companion to share her pain with, because “the world sees me as a sinner — a fallen woman.” This autobiography became important for her story, but also as a historical record of a shadowy world.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
8. The term ‘fallen woman,’ as used in the context of Nati Binodini’s life, highlights:
(a) Her defiance of societal norms and barriers for women in her era.
(b) Her failure to gain recognition as an artist during her lifetime.
(c) Her lack of education and literacy in a patriarchal society.
(d) Her rejection of religious and cultural values of 19th-century Bengal.
THE EDITORIAL PAGE
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Main Examination: General Studies III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
What’s the ongoing story: Rakesh K Singh, Sudip Sural Writes: It could put small players and PSUs units at a disadvantage. But city gas distributors could also consolidate
Key Points to Ponder:
• The rise in global gas prices poses significant challenges for energy-importing countries like India—How?
• What is the Current Gas Pricing in India?
• What is Administered Price Mechanism (APM)?
• What are the factors driving the increase in gas prices globally as well as in domestic market?
• ‘Donald Trump’s expected policies on energy are likely to influence global gas markets’—Do you agree?
• What can be possible implications of Donald Trump’s policies on the global energy landscape and India’s energy strategy.
• Discuss the role of geopolitical conflicts in shaping global gas prices.
• How can India navigate international conflicts challenges to ensure stable and affordable energy supplies?
• India’s current progress in adopting renewable energy and suggest strategies to reduce dependency on fossil fuels—Comment
• Rising gas prices have economic and environmental implications. Examine the impact of these trends on India’s efforts to balance energy access, affordability, and sustainability.
• Analyse the role of international organizations such as OPEC and GECF in influencing global gas prices.
• How can India engage with international organizations such as OPEC and GECF to safeguard its energy interests?
• Suggest measures India can adopt to enhance its energy security?
Key Takeaways:
• Higher gas costs will lead to faster consolidation in the city gas distribution (CGD) sector. The sector is facing headwinds from a sharp cut in the allocation of gas supplied under the administered price mechanism (APM) for the priority sectors — domestic piped natural gas (D-PNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG).
• The APM gas allocation for these segments has reduced from 72 per cent in the second quarter of the financial year to 44 per cent effective from November 16.
• The higher share of HPHT and RLNG will likely increase the gas costs of players in the priority segment by around Rs 5.0 per standard cubic metre (scm) or Rs 7 per kg.
• With benign crude prices that may pan out in the backdrop of Donald Trump’s expected pro-drilling policies in the US, there’s a distinct possibility of a price cut in diesel. This may narrow CNG’s advantage even further.
• The commercial and industrial segment that accounts for one-third of CGD sector volumes is unlikely to offset this decline in profitability as it is extremely price sensitive.
• CNG consumption by this segment had declined by 25 per cent in 2022-23 due to an increase in gas prices driven by higher RLNG prices as competing fuels like propane gained in competitiveness.
Do You Know:
• LPG is the primary cooking fuel in more than 70 per cent of Indian households, and 85 per cent households have LPG connections, according to an independent study released on Thursday by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). However, 54 per cent households continue to use traditional solid fuels such as firewood, dung cakes, agriculture residue, charcoal, and kerosene, either exclusively or with LPG — increasing the exposure to indoor air pollution.
The CEEW findings are from the India Residential Energy Survey 2020, conducted in collaboration with the Initiative for Sustainable Energy Policy in FY 19-20 in nearly 15,000 urban and rural households across 152 districts in 21 most populous states.
• Under the APM, prices in the hydrocarbon sector are controlled at four stages production, refining, distribution and marketing on the principle of compensating normative cost and allowing a pre-determined return on investments.
• The APM was based on the principle of compensating normative cost and allowing a predetermined return on investments. The government operated the APM through an oil industry pool account, which was kept in balance through statutory levies, devaluation of the rupee, and ad hoc price adjustments.
• India imports more than 55% of its LPG requirement. Prices of LPG in the country are based on Saudi Contract Price (CP), the benchmark for international prices of LPG. For domestic LPG, the Government continues to modulate the effective price to consumer to insulate the common man from rise in international prices.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Changes in domestic gas pricing formula: Math, rationale, and how consumers are affected
UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
9. Which of the following organizations play a key role in influencing global gas prices?
1. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
2. Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).
3. International Energy Agency (IEA).
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3
THE WORLD
Ukraine halts transit of Russia’s gas into Europe, ends its supply dominance
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
What’s the ongoing story: Russian natural gas exports via Soviet-era pipelines running through Ukraine to Europe were halted in the early hours of New Year’s Day as a transit deal expired and warring Moscow and Kyiv have failed to reach an agreement to continue the flows.
Key Points to Ponder:
• Why did Russian gas flow to Europe via Ukraine halted?
• How much gas was Russia exporting to Europe?
• Nord Stream gas pipeline-what is this and why it is crucial?
• Will there be an electricity shortage?
• USA and Europe’s role in Ukraine-Russia Conflict-Example of Energy Geopolitical Conflict?
• What are alternative options for Europe?
• Analyse the geopolitical and economic implications of the halt in Russian gas transit through Ukraine for Europe’s energy security.
• What is the role of international agreements and energy transit deals in maintaining regional stability, using the Russia-Ukraine gas transit deal as a case study?
• Discuss the long-term environmental and economic consequences of Europe’s shift from Russian natural gas to alternative energy sources.
Key Takeaways:
• The shutdown of Russia’s oldest gas route to Europe ends a decade of fraught relations sparked by Russia’s seizure of Crimea in 2014. Ukraine stopped buying Russian gas the following year.
• The stoppage of gas flows was expected amid the war, which started in February 2022. Ukraine has been adamant it would not extend the deal amid the military conflict.
• According to an industry source, Gazprom last year assumed the absence of gas transit via Ukraine, which accounted for roughly half of Russia’s total pipeline gas exports to Europe.
• Russia still exports gas via the TurkStream pipeline on the bed of the Black Sea. TurkStream has two lines – one for the Turkish domestic market and the other supplying central European customers including Hungary and Serbia.
• The European Union redoubled its efforts to reduce its dependence on Russian energy after the outbreak of the military conflict in Ukraine in 2022 by seeking alternative sources.
Do You Know:
• Moldova, once part of the Soviet Union, is among the countries worst affected. It says it will now need to introduce measures to reduce its gas use by a third.
• The five-year gas transit deal between Russia and Ukraine expired early on Jan 1.
• Russia and the former Soviet Union spent half a century building up a major share of the European gas market, which at its peak stood at around 35%, but the war has all but destroyed that business for Gazprom.
• The Yamal-Europe pipeline via Belarus has also shut and the Nord Stream route across the Baltic Sea to Germany was blown up in 2022.
• Combined, the various routes delivered a record-high 201 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas to Europe in 2018.
• Russia shipped about 15 bcm of gas via Ukraine in 2023, down from 65 bcm when the last five-year contract began in 2020.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Explained: What is the Nord Stream 1 gas link, why its shutdown has Europe on edge
UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
10. Consider the following pipelines and their significance:
1. Nord Stream: Connects Russia directly to Germany via the Baltic Sea.
2. Druzhba Pipeline: Supplies oil from Russia to Central and Eastern Europe.
3. TurkStream: Facilitates gas transit to Southern Europe bypassing Ukraine.
Which of the pipelines listed above relate to the energy trade between Russia and Europe?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3
|
PRELIMS ANSWER KEY |
| 1. (b) 2. (d) 3. (b) 4. (d) 5. (b) 6. (d) 7. (a) 8. (a) 9.(d) 10. (d) |
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