FRONT PAGE
At least 68 killed as Nepal plane crashes before landing
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination:
• General Studies II: India and its neighbourhood- relations.
• General Studies III: Disaster and disaster management.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story- At least 68 people were dead after a Yeti Airlines ATR 72 aircraft carrying 72 on board including five Indians crashed in Nepal’s Pokhara around 11 am on Sunday. Reports said the aircraft, with 68 passengers and four crew on board, crashed a few kilometres from its destination about 20 minutes after it took off from Kathmandu for Pokhara. This is Nepal’s worst crash since March 2018, when a US-Bangla flight from Dhaka crashed on landing in Kathmandu, killing 51 of the 71 people on board.
• What causes air crash?
• What makes flying risky in Nepal?
• What are the causes for a post-crash fire?
• What happens when there is a post-crash fire?
• Do chances of survivors decrease when a plane catches fire after a crash?
• Know some significant plane crashes in Nepal as well as in India
• Even though plane crashes don’t happen very often, they cause a lot of damage and give the people involved very little chance of surviving. It has been observed that the majority of accidents occur during take-offs and landings. What role does disaster management play in the aviation industry?
• What factors contribute to aircraft accidents?
• What are the potential risk-reduction strategies and post-disaster requirements for the aircraft disaster?
• Past aviation disasters-What Lessons did we learn?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍18 air crashes in 22 yrs, more than 350 killed: Nepal’s deadly record
High interest costs may force RBI to cut dividend to govt
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development
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-The surplus available with the Reserve Bank of India for transfer or the RBI dividend to the Union government is likely to remain low in the current financial year ending March 2023 because of higher expenditure incurred by the central bank due to rising interest rates and higher costs in managing surplus liquidity in the system.
• What do you understand by ‘RBI dividend’ or ‘RBI surplus’?
• What are the rules regarding payment of dividend?
• How does RBI pay dividend to government?
• How much excess does RBI have now?
• Why RBI gives dividend to government?
• How does the RBI earn profits?
• Why have dividend payments fallen so dramatically?
• What RBI will do in the case of any emergency requirement?
• The surplus available with the Reserve Bank of India for transfer or the RBI dividend to the Union government is likely to remain low in the current financial year ending March 2023-Why?
• For Your Information-While the RBI transferred a lower surplus of Rs 30,307 crore in FY2022 (Rs 99,126 crore in FY2021) to the government, the lowest in 10 years, the surplus this financial year is also likely to be on the lower side. The lower dividend could be due to higher interest paymeznts to banks which parked their surplus liquidity in the reverse repo window. The RBI can bank on the Contingency Fund which was at Rs 3,10,986.94 crore as of March 2022 in the case of any emergency requirement.
• What is ‘reverse repo’ rate?
• Do You Know-Under reverse repo, the RBI borrows from banks, while under the repo window, RBI lends to banks. The reverse repo rate is 3.35 per cent and the repo rate is 6.25 per cent.
• What is Currency and Gold Revaluation Account (CGRA) and Investment Revaluation Account-Foreign Securities (IRA-FS)?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Explained: RBI’s payouts to the govt — why, and how much
THE CITY
Mohalla clinics for women start: Short queues, need for diagnostic machines
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development
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– Two months after the launch of four mahila mohalla clinics by the Delhi government, women have started visiting the clinics for treatment related to gynaecological issues and other ailments. Launched on November 3, the clinics are still in their pilot project. The clinic caters to children less than 12 years and women visiting for gynaecology-related issues.
• What exactly is the Mohalla Clinic?
• What is the concept of Mohalla clinic?
• How successful is Mohalla clinic in Delhi?
• The COVID-19 pandemic damaged even the most advanced healthcare systems around the world. In this case, how crucial is the mohalla clinic?
• What are the key issues faced by the healthcare sector of India?
• India’s Health Budget-Know the Statistics
• The National Health Policy 2017-know its key features
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Sisodia seeks action against officials who ‘stalled mohalla clinic system’
📍Express Explained: What Are Mahila Mohalla Clinics And What Services Do They Provide?
GOVT & POLITICS
Opp to challenge remote voting proposal
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story- On the eve of a meeting convened by the Election Commission (EC) to demonstrate the functioning of the multi-constituency Remote Voting Machine (RVM), several Opposition parties led by the Congress on Sunday met and decided to oppose the proposal at the meeting on Monday.
• Remote Electronic Voting Machine (RVM)-Know in detail
• “Migration based disenfranchisement is indeed not an option in the age of technological advancement”-Discuss
• Why Remote Electronic Voting Machine?
• Remote Electronic Voting Machine and Migrants enfranchisement-connect the dots
• What are the challenges associated with migrant voters?
• What does the term “domestic migrant” mean?
• Implementation of Remote Electronic Voting Machine-What are the Administrative, legal and technological challenges?
• What are the recent key electoral reforms proposed by Election Commission of India?
• Election Commission of India and Article 324 of the Constitution-Know in detail
• The independent and impartial functioning of the Election Commission-How it is ensured?
• Election Commission of India- Powers and Functions
• System of Election- First past the post electoral system.
• How Elections are conducted in India?
• The Constitution of India has prescribed the qualifications (legal, educational, administrative or judicial) of the members of the Election Commission-True or False?
• The Constitution has not specified the term of the members of the Election Commission-True or False?
• Chief Election Commissioner and the two other Election Commissioners have equal powers-True or False?
• In case of difference of opinion amongst the Chief election commissioner and/or two other election commissioners, the matter is decided by the Supreme Court of India-Right or Wrong?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Election Commission says ready to roll out pilot for migrants to vote remotely
THE EDITORIAL PAGE
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
Mains Examination: General Studies III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story- Sudeep Lakhtakia and Grant Ennis writes: Evidence-based interventions can radically decrease crash fatalities. The language used to describe crashes is critical in building public demand and political will for these changes
• Do You Know-Across India, the National Crime Records Bureau reported over four lakh road “accident” cases in 2021, with 1.6 lakh fatalities — up by four per cent from 2017.
• “The fact that road deaths are routinely labelled “accidents” contributes to public inaction against this preventable killer”-Analyse
• “Evidence from places with sterling road safety records shows that road deaths can be prevented by strong government action”-Elaborate further
• Road Accidents in India-Know Broad Profile of Road Accidents 2020 vis-a-vis 2019
• Why Road Safety is must in India?
• What position does India have in terms of Road safety?
• What are the Initiatives Related to Road Safety?
• What actions are being taken by the Supreme Court of India in the matter of Road Safety?
• What are the Initiatives Related to Road Safety at national as well at international level?
• What is ‘Brasilia Declaration on Road Safety’?
• Know in detail about Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 2019
• What is the Significance of Road Safety in India?
• ‘Every road crash is preventable’-How?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍In Cyrus Mistry car crash tragedy, a reminder of high numbers of road deaths in the country
THE IDEAS PAGE
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story-Dushyant Dave writes: In declaring the NJAC Act unconstitutional the Supreme Court did what it is mandated to do under the Constitution. Nothing more and nothing less
• How does the Constitution defines and creates the three organs of the state that is executive, legislature, and judiciary and their powers and limitations?
• Quick Recall-On December 7, presiding over Rajya Sabha for the first time on the opening day of the winter session of Parliament, Dhankhar had called the striking down of the NJAC Act a “severe compromise” of parliamentary sovereignty and disregard of the “mandate of the people”. He had also said that Parliament, being the custodian of the “ordainment of the people”, was duty-bound to “address the issue” and expressed confidence that “it will do so”.
• “The Supreme Court declared the NJAC Act and the consequential amendment to the Constitution as unconstitutional. The Supreme Court did what it is ordained to do under the Constitution. Nothing more and nothing less”-Analyse the statement
• ‘The framers of the Constitution were clear in Articles 141 and 144’-What is Articles 141 and 144?
• ‘The Constituent Assembly passionately debated the independence of the judiciary and provided for the judiciary to be independent of the executive and legislature’-Know that debate
• What is Doctrine of the ‘basic structure’?
• How has the doctrine of basic structure evolved?
• What are the basic features of the Indian Constitution?
• What power is granted by Article 368 of the Indian Constitution?
• Shankari Prasad case (1951), Golak Nath case (1967), Kesavananda Bharati case (1973), Indira Nehru Gandhi case (1975), Minerva Mills case (1980), Waman Rao case (1981) and the evolution of basic Structure of the Constitution-connect the dots
• What are the features of the ‘Basic Structure of Constitution’?
• Can Parliament change the basic structure doctrine of the Indian Constitution?
• Why is the doctrine criticised?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍With VP Jagdeep Dhankar’s remarks, a look at the basic structure of the Indian Constitution
📍Who was Kesvananda Bharati and how was he associated with the ‘Basic Structure’ doctrine?
EXPLAINED
Inflation moderating, but the big worry this year is growth: here’s why
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development
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- – Official data last week showed retail inflation grew by 5.7% in December — the fourth successive month when retail inflation has moderated. This was seen as a relief, given that inflation was the biggest economic story of calendar year 2022. The elevated inflation levels robbed people of their purchasing power and worsened India’s trade deficit, which resulted in India’s currency becoming weaker and the RBI losing significant forex reserves as it tried to stem the rupee’s slide.
• Does that mean inflation has been tamed now?
• Why is economic growth a bigger worry this year?
• What factor distinguishes Indian inflation from many other developed countries?
• What is Inflation?
• Know the Types of Inflation like Moderate Inflation, Galloping Inflation, Hyper-Inflation, Stagflation, Deflation, Core Inflation etc.
• What are the causes of Inflation in the present situation
• How Inflation is Measured in India?
• What is the Long term, Medium Term and Short-term impact of Inflation?
• New Standard for Measuring Inflation in India and Old Standard for Measuring Inflation-Key Differences
• Steps or Measures Taken by GOI to Control Inflation
• What do you understand by Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and Consumer Price Index? WPI and CPI is published by whom?
• What is the Monetary Policy Committee?
• The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is a Statutory Body-True or False?
• What is the Primary Objective of monetary policy in India?
• There are several direct and indirect instruments that are used for implementing monetary policy-What are they?
• What is REPO rate?
• What is Current Repo Rate?
• What’s the RBI assessment on inflation?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Inflation vs growth: RBI’s tricky challenge
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