Samachar Manthan Weekly Notes
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
WEEK 12 09 - 15 August SAMACHAR 2020 MANTHAN Table of Content Economics History The new consumer 3 How Quit India movement gave a new direction Submarine Cable Connectivity to to India’s freedom struggle? 27 Andaman and Nicobar Islands 4 Story of our National Flag 28 What is the Negative Imports List for Defence? 5 What is Balance of Payments? 5 Enviro & Biodiversity Increasing dependence on indirect taxes and issues with it 6 Boreal Summer Intra-Seasonal Oscillation (BSISO) 29 Making up for shortfalls in GST collection 7 In news: Mount Sinabung 29 RBI revises guidelines for opening Current Accounts 8 [pib] Himalayan Geothermal Springs release huge What is the Business Responsibility Report? 9 amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere 30 One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG) Initiative 10 Species in news: Great Indian Hornbill 31 Myth of the pristine forest 32 Governance [pib] E-Sanjeevani Tele-Medicine Platform 11 Science Tech Art Culture Making sense of population growth of India 11 [pib] Krishi Megh: A Cloud-based Data Recovery Centre 34 Census 2021 and the long-pending reforms 12 Perseids Meteor Shower 34 SPT0418-47: The Baby Milky Way 35 Polity abscisic acid (ABA) 36 Contempt of Court 14 What is Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)? 37 [pib] Appointment of the UPSC Chairman 15 Clause 6 of the Assam Accord 16 Trivia The future of Indian secularism 17 Hindu Women’s Inheritance Rights 38 Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution 18 International Relations Pakistan’s new Political Map 19 What are Confucius Institutes, and why are they under the scanner in India? 20 Back in news: Indus Water Treaty (IWT) 21 A new direction for India-U.S. ties 22 In news: Loya Jirga 23 Strategic autonomy in foreign policy 23 Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP) 24 UAE, Israel reach agreement to establish diplomatic ties 24 www.civilsdaily.com 1 09 - 15 August 2020 THIS WEEK’S HOTTEST STORIES Coronavirus - Disease, Medical Sciences Involved & Preventive Measures Foreign Policy Watch: India-China Digital India Initiatives History- Important places, persons in news Foreign Policy Watch: India-United States Citizenship and Related Issues Foreign Policy Watch: India-Pakistan International Space Agencies - Missions and Discoveries 2 SAMACHAR MANTHAN | WEEK 12 ECONOMICS ECONOMIC INDICATORS AND VARIOUS REPORTS ON IT- GDP, FD, EODB, WIR ETC The new consumer Economics | GS3: Indian Economy 8) The entertainment industry has been drastically hit. The media Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important : and entertainment industry needs to pay heed to this and Prelims level : Not much curate content accordingly. Mains level : Paper 3- Demand problem and ways to deal with it 9) With a lot of people laying emphasis on their health and immunity, theres been a substantial rise in the consumption of organic, ayurvedic, and immunity-boosting products. - Apart from the obvious products, financial and medical The focus of this article is on the behavioural changes in the insurance will play an important role. consumer post Covid. It also suggest the ways to deal with 10) Real estate will suffer as no long-term, high investment these changes. purchases will be favoured, but renting will increase. Context Role of the government • The consumer during and post-COVID is showing remarkable 1) People need to be provided with their daily needs basic flexibility, bringing about a paradigm shift in her consumption essentials such as food, water, housing, and electricity. pattern. - The government is already taking care of that, but money also needs to be given. Issue of generating demand 2) Jobs need to be provided through development of infrastructure projects. • Some state governments are busy demanding the opening 3) Farmers need to have insurance for their crops and the up of the economy. infrastructure to sell at the right price. • However, the issue is that the economy does not merely need 4) Migrant workers with their livelihoods being disrupted are opening up, but it requires urgent generation of basic demand. looking for support,and many are focusing on agriculture as • That is why consumer behaviour needs to be closely watched. a means of income. • Since the lockdown, the priorities of consumers have seen a drastic shift. Way forward Factors to consider to increase demand • The government should focus on generating demand for products, and create jobs by improving infrastructure. 1) The decrease in the purchasing power to buy products needs • The government must incentivise spending by offering tax to be addressed. benefits on the amount spent. - The government must look at ways like a reduction in taxes • Government must forget about fiscal prudence this year. which will help the common man. • Consumers in rural areas are buying more than before.Companies 2) The current scenario has also made all of us go back to the should focus on tapping the rural demand basic needs. - Luxury products hold little value. But renting will increase. 3) The emphasis will be on saving for a rainy day, whether in Consider the question “Demand has been the driver of India’s the case of banks or households growth. But the pandemic has dampened it with devastating 4) Aviation, tourism and hospitality sectors have been hit and effect. Agaist this backdrop suggest the measures to be taken continue to remain so even after the restrictions are lifted. by the government to revive the demand.” 5) e-commerce has shown exponential growth and will continue to do so. 6) With Vocal for Local gaining momentum, theres a huge increase Conclusion in local apps, local kirana stores, local artisans and brands. With focus on these emerging trends and changing behaviour 7) Schools and colleges have taken a hit as e-learning and online of the consumers, the government must take steps to bring the courses are being preferred. economy fast on the tracks. www.civilsdaily.com 3 DIGITAL INDIA INITIATIVES Submarine Cable Connectivity to Andaman and Nicobar Islands Economics | GS3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc. • Compared to satellites, using internet connection through Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important : submarine cables is more reliable, cost-efficient and of large Prelims level : Optical fibre cables and their working, AandN Islands capacity. Mains level : Digital India outreach in AandN Islands About the project • About 2,300 km of submarine optical fibre cable (OFC) has been laid at a cost of about Rs 1,224 crore to provide better connectivity in the UT. • The project envisages better connectivity from Chennai to Port Blair and seven other Islands -- Swaraj Deep (Havelock), Long Island, Rangat, Hutbay (Little Andaman), Kamorta, Car Nicobar and Campbell Bay (Great Nicobar). • The project is funded by the government through the Universal Service Obligation Fund under the ministry of communications. • The foundation stone for the project was laid by PM Modi in December 2018 at Port Blair. Expected outcomes • The OFC will enable the delivery of faster and more reliable mobile and landline telecom services to Andaman & Nicobar PM has launched the submarine Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) Islands, at par with other parts of India. connecting Andaman & Nicobar Islands to the mainland. • The submarine optical fibre cable link will deliver bandwidth of 2 x 200 Gigabits per second (Gbps) between Chennai and Port Blair, and 2 x 100 Gbps between Port Blair and the other islands. Try this PYQ: • 4G mobile services, which were constrained due to limited Q. Consider the following statements regarding optical fibres: backhaul bandwidth provided via satellite, will also see a A layer called the cladding, which has a refractive index more major boost. than that of the core, surrounds the core of the optical fibre. Light is propagated in an optical fibre by refraction and internal reflection. Benefits of the project Which of the above statements is/are correct?(CSP 2010) • Better connectivity in the region will facilitate the delivery of (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 e-governance services such as telemedicine and tele-education. • E-commerce : Small enterprises will benefit from opportunities in e-commerce, while educational institutions will utilise What is a submarine communications cable? the enhanced availability of bandwidth for e-learning and • A submarine communications cable is a cable laid on the seabed knowledge sharing. between land-based stations to transmit telecommunication • Business Process Outsourcing services and other medium signals across stretches of ocean and sea. and large enterprises too also benefit from better connectivity. • The optical fibre elements are typically individually coated with • Low cost internet: The internet bills in Andaman and Nicobar plastic layers and contained in a protective tube suitable for will also come down substantially. the environment where the cable will be deployed. 4 SAMACHAR MANTHAN | WEEK 12 DEFENCE SECTOR - DPP, MISSIONS, SCHEMES, SECURITY FORCES, ETC. What is the Negative Imports List for Defence? Economics | GS3: Effects Of Liberalization On The Economy, Changes In • Boost domestic industry : By denying the possibility of importing Industrial Policy and their effects on Industrial Growth the items on the negative list, the domestic industry is given Note4Students | From UPSC perspective, the following things are important : the opportunity to step up and manufacture them for the Prelims level : Negative Import List needs of the forces. Mains level : Defence manufacturing promotion measures • Boost exports: The government has been hoping that the defence manufacturing sector can play a leading role in The Defence Ministry announced a list of 101 items that it will boosting the economy, not just for the domestic market, but stop importing. to become an exporter as well. Try this question for mains: Items included in the negative list Q.Being one of the top importers of defence equipment The items mentioned in the negative imports list include: India is well placed to enhance its domestic manufacturing • water jet fast attack craft to survey vessels, pollution control capacity of defence equipment.