UPSC Daily Current Affairs

DECLINE OF INDIAN VULTURES: SIMPLIFIER

Aug 01, 2024

Indian Vultures: Their Role in Ecology • Natural Scavengers: Vultures are crucial in maintaining ecological balance by scavenging on carcasses, preventing the spread of diseases. • Sanitation Service: By consuming dead animals, vultures eliminate bacteria and pathogens, acting as nature’s sanitation service. • Human Health Impact: Their scavenging reduces the risk of diseases spreading to humans and other animals. ... Read More...

INDIA-UK TECHNOLOGY SECURITY INITIATIVE

Aug 01, 2024

What is the India-UK Technology Security Initiative (TSI)? • The Technology Security Initiative (TSI) is a collaborative effort between India and the UK aimed at ensuring telecommunications security and fostering cooperation in critical technology areas. These include critical minerals, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and health technology. When was the TSI announced? • The TSI was announced on a Wednesday following ... Read More...

Climate finance taxonomy:Budget 2024-25

Aug 01, 2024

The Budget 2024-25 addresses climate finance through the development of a climate finance taxonomy, which is a significant step towards channeling investments into climate-friendly projects. Here's an expanded explanation: 1. Definition: A climate finance taxonomy is a classification system that defines and categorizes economic activities that are considered environmentally sustainable or climate-friendly. 2. Purpose: It aims to provide clear guidelines for investors, companies, and policymakers on what qualifies as a green or sustaina... Read More...

KARGIL WAR AND INDIA’S DEFENCE REFORMS

Aug 01, 2024

What was the significance of the Kargil War in 1999? • The Kargil War of May-July 1999 with Pakistan was a significant conflict in India’s history due to its high casualties, intensity of operations, and geopolitical impact. It was a “mini-war” that marked a turning point in India-Pakistan relations and had substantial strategic implications. What were the primary reasons behind the Kargil conflict? • The conflict arose from P... Read More...

OBESITY AND OVERWEIGHT CHALLENGES OF MALNUTRITION IN INDIA

Aug 01, 2024

What are the current statistics on obesity and overweight in India? • According to the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) conducted from 2016-2018, 1.3% of children aged 5-9 years and 1.1% of adolescents aged 10-19 years were classified as obese. The prevalence of obesity among adult females (18+ years) increased from 2.3% in 2000 to 5.1% in 2015. Why is obesity a growing concern in India? • Obesity leads to several non-commu... Read More...

THE DOUBLE BURDEN OF MALNUTRITION IN INDIA

Jul 31, 2024

Understanding the Double Burden of Malnutrition (DBM) The Double Burden of Malnutrition (DBM) refers to the simultaneous occurrence of undernutrition and overnutrition within the same household. This phenomenon is increasingly prevalent in India, where economic disparities and changing lifestyles contribute to both forms of malnutrition. Causes of Double Burden of Malnutrition 1. Economic Disparities: • Poverty leads to ... Read More...

MALNUTRITION IN INDIA: OVERVIEW

Jul 31, 2024

What is the current state of malnutrition in India? • Over 100 crore (1 billion) people in India cannot afford healthy food, resulting in diets with insufficient nutrition. More than 74.1% of the Indian population cannot afford healthy food. How does India compare globally in terms of food affordability? • Globally, 42.1% of people cannot afford healthy food. In India, this figure is much higher at 74.1%. In contrast, only 10.9% of the populati... Read More...

Initiatives to Boost Employment Intensity of Growth

Jul 31, 2024

1. What is the main employment-focused initiative in Budget 2024-25? Answer: The budget introduces fiscal incentives for companies hiring first-time job seekers, aiming to increase the employment intensity of economic growth. 2. How does the budget address the 'no experience, no jobs' problem? Answer: It offers financial benefits to companies hiring inexperienced workers, making it more attractive to employ first-time job seekers. ... Read More...

Employment Intensity/elasticity of Growth

Jul 31, 2024

1. What is employment intensity/elasticity of growth? Answer: It refers to the relationship between economic growth and job creation. Higher employment intensity means more jobs are created for a given increase in GDP. 2. How is employment intensity achieved? Answer: It's achieved through policies that encourage labor-intensive sectors, incentivize job creation, and promote technologies that favor employment over automation. Read More...

Agri Stack and India's agriculture:Economic Survey 2023-24

Jul 31, 2024

1. Purpose of Agri Stack: - It's a digital infrastructure for the agriculture sector, similar to India Stack. - Creates a database of farmers with details on land holdings, crop data, income, credit history, etc. - Aims to formalize and streamline the agriculture sector. 2. Components: - Unique farmer ID for each farmer - Land registry with GPS coordinates of plots - Crop data - Linkage to government benefits - Unified Farmer Service Interface (UFSI) as an API layer 3. Current status: ... Read More...

ILLEGAL MIGRATION ROUTES FROM INDIA TO WESTERN COUNTRIES

Jul 31, 2024

1. What are "Dunki" routes? "Dunki" routes refer to illegal migration pathways used by people trying to enter Western countries without proper documentation. 2. Which countries are popular destinations? The United States and Canada are often mentioned as popular destinations. 3. How do people attempt these illegal journeys? Methods can include using fake documents, transit thr... Read More...

HEATWAVES NOT A NATURAL DISASTER IN INDIA

Jul 31, 2024

Introduction The 15th Finance Commission of India recently decided against classifying extreme heat as a natural disaster. Despite the severe impact of heatwaves on health and mortality, the Commission concluded that current disaster relief frameworks are sufficient to address related challenges. This decision was discussed in a recent Lok Sabha session, where Minister of State for Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh outlined the reasoning behind it. List of Recognized Natural Dis... Read More...

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN INDIA

Jul 31, 2024

1. What Are the Primary Causes of Mental Health Issues in India? Overuse of the Internet and Social Media: • Unrestrained and unsupervised use of the internet, especially social media, is linked to various mental health problems in children and adolescents. This includes issues like obsessive consumption, doom scrolling, and cyberbullying. COVID-19 Pandemic: • The pandemic has exacerbated mental health issues, with students reporting increased feelings of anxiety, ext... Read More...

CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION OF MINING IN INDIA

Jul 31, 2024

Overview The constitutional framework governing mining in India is detailed and involves both the Central and state governments. The distribution of legislative powers related to mining is primarily outlined in the Constitution of India, with specific entries in the Union and State Lists delineating responsibilities. Key Constitutional Provisions 1. Article 246: Defines the legislative powers of the Parliament and the state legislatures. It ... Read More...

ALLOCATIONS FOR SCIENCE MINISTRIES AND DEPARTMENTS

Jul 31, 2024

### Overview: The Union Budget 2024, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, has seen varying allocations for the traditional science Ministries and departments. While some have received marginal increases, others have seen cuts, reflecting a mixed picture when compared to the previous year's figures. Read More...