InstaLinks : help you think beyond the issue but relevant to the issue from UPSC prelims and Mains exam point of view. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background. This helps you study a topic holistically and add new dimensions to every current event to help you think analytically
1. Should there be limits on ‘freebies?
2. Status quo on move to put the panel in charge of IOA
3. China’s BRI projects slow, but lending rises
2. Big bang privatization of banks can be harmful: RBI report
Content for Mains Enrichment (Ethics/Essay)
1. Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL)
3. Resurrecting the extinct Tasmanian Tiger
4. China’s BRI projects slow, but lending rises
6. Modified Interest Subvention scheme (MISS)
Syllabus: Issues related to development, welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of society, subsidies etc
Context: While hearing a petition demanding the derecognition of political parties that promise “irrational freebies’‘ to voters, the Supreme Court recently called for a balance between welfare measures and loss to the public exchequer.
Is India spending too much on welfare or freebies?
How to raise taxes and engage in greater redistribution:
Q. Explain the meaning of investment in an economy in terms of capital formation.Discuss the factors to be considered while designing a concession agreement between a public entity and private entity.(UPSC 2020)
With respect to the government expenditure in India, which of the following is / are Transfer Payments?
Select the correct option from the codes given below:
The All-India Football Federation (AIFF):
Belt and Road Initiative(BRI)
Syllabus: S&T/ Governance
Context: The author argues for use of blockchain technology for e-governance in India
A digital infrastructure based on blockchain technology will transform the digital ecosystem in India and will enable the future of digital services, platforms, applications, content, and solutions.
Recent steps for digital infrastructure: Digital India mission in 2015, our payments, provident fund, passports, driving licenses, crossing tolls, and checking land records all have been transformed with modular applications built on Aadhaar, UPI, and the India Stack.
Limitations of public digital infrastructure
Web 3.0: It is the next iteration of the internet. It heavily relies on blockchain technology, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI). It aims to create a decentralized internet with open, connected, intelligent websites and web applications.
Estonia is the blockchain capital of the world and uses blockchain infrastructure to verify and process all e-governance services offered to the public.
China launched a program in 2020 called BSN (Blockchain-based Service Network) to deploy blockchain applications in the cloud at a streamlined rate.
The Brazilian government recently launched the Brazilian Blockchain Network to bring participating institutions into governance.
Need for an All-India Blockchain Platform for India:
The Indian digital community, including fintech, academia, think tanks, and institutions, should focus on supporting research in standards, interoperability, and efficient handling of current known issues with the distributed technologies, e.g., scalability and performance, consensus mechanisms, and auto-detection of vulnerabilities.
Q. Analyze the potential of blockchain technology in transforming the public sector works and citizen service delivery. (15M)
With reference to Web 3-0, consider the following statements: (UPSC 2022)
Which of the statements given above are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
With reference to “Blockchain Technology”, consider the following statements: (UPSC 2022)
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Syllabus: Privatization of banks, Monetary policy, the role of RBI etc
Q. Explain the meaning of investment in an economy in terms of capital formation. Discuss the factors to be considered while designing a concession agreement between a public entity and a private entity. (UPSC 2020)
Which of the following are/are the Reasons for the Privatization of Banks?
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the transgender community found itself at a triple disadvantage. Their main sources of livelihood, such as singing at functions, sex work, and begging, were disrupted. Living in groups, they were at increased risk of infection. On top of this, there was a high rate of vaccine hesitancy in the community, over fears of the vaccine reacting badly with sex change hormones, and of humiliation at the vaccination centres.
In Chhattisgarh’s Durg, Kanchan Sendre, a trans woman, has taken it upon herself to dispel fears about the Covid-19 vaccine in her community. It was because of Sendre’s efforts, that 65 transgendered people in the Durg district have taken the shot, earning her the epithet of ‘Vaccine Didi’.
This example can be used in ethics (persuading people to get vaccinated, value of dedication towards social work, fight aginst disrimination).
Context: Tribal-dominated Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh has become the first completely “functionally literate” district in India.
Functional illiteracy comprises reading and writing skills that are required to manage daily living and employment tasks. Such tasks require reading skills beyond the basic level. It is the opposite of illiteracy, which is defined as the inability to read or write in any language.
To make people functionally literate, a major campaign was launched on Independence Day 2020, in association with the school education department, Anganwadi & social workers, women and child development department, to educate women and senior citizens.
Context: Access to TKDL has been widened to users (previously it was limited to 14 Patent offices for search and examination)
Traditional Knowledge: Traditional knowledge refers to the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous peoples. Developed from experience gained over the centuries and adapted to the local culture and environment.
Context: Using fossil evidence to create a three-dimensional model, researchers have found new evidence about the life of one of the biggest predatory animals of all time — the Megalodon.
Megalodons roamed the oceans an estimated 23 million to 2.6 million years ago.
Megalodon could “completely ingest, and in as few as five bites,” a prey as big as the killer whale. According to the study, the Megalodon was bigger than a school bus at around 50 feet from nose to tail. In comparison, the great white sharks of the present can grow to a maximum length of around 15 feet. Using their digital model, the researchers have suggested that the giant transoceanic predator would have weighed around 70 tonnes — or as much as 10 elephants.
Context: Scientists in the US and Australia have embarked on a $15-million project to resurrect the thylacine or Tasmanian Tiger, a marsupial that went extinct in the 1930s, using gene-editing technology.
Context: WHO had established an intergovernmental negotiating body to draft and negotiate a Pandemic treaty. WHO says it will be ready in the next 18 months and help prevent future global health disasters.
In December 2021, the Health Assembly adopted a decision titled “The World Together” at its second special session since it was founded in 1948.
Context: Government will provide interest subventions (kind of subsidy) to all financial institutions (Banks) for short-term agriculture loans given to farmers. This will be valid for FY22 to FY24 (2 years) and up to 1.5% interest subvention.
Other schemes for interest subvention: Kisan Credit Card, Agri Market Infrastructure Fund (provide subsidized loans to state and UT) and PM Fasal Bima Yojana.
Context: India and other countries (of the G24 grouping) have objected to the proposal that they can’t levy any future digital service tax (similar to an equalization levy)
In order to streamline the global governance of digital companies such as Google, and Facebook, a global tax deal under OECD’s two-pillar plan was agreed upon in 2021 (including by India)
Equalization Levy is a direct tax (of 6%), introduced in India in 2016 to tax foreign firms (such as Google, and Facebook) with now permanent establishments in India but profits from it. It was reaffirmed in Finance Act 2020 and expanded to include non-resident e-commerce operators (such as Amazon), by a new levy of 2% (digital service tax)
What is the digital tax scheme?
Government in Finance Bill of 2020-21, imposed a 2% digital service tax on trade and services of foreign e-commerce companies such as Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart and others having an annual turnover of ₹2 crores or more.
Group of 24: It was established in 1971 as a chapter of the Group of 77 of developing countries in order to coordinate on monetary and developmental issues.
Context: National Integrated Database on Arrested narco-offender (NIDAAN) gets operationalized
It is 1st of its kind database for data on all arrested narcotics-related offenders.
Developed by: Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)
The portal will source its data from the Inter-operable criminal justice system (ICJS), e-Prison and CCTNS (when integrated). Earlier it was part of the NCORD Portal (Narcotics Coordination Mechanism)
Context: Vietnam-India Bilateral Army exercise Vinbax 2022 concluded at Chandimandir (Haryana)
The exercise commenced on 01 August and was focused on the deployment of Army Engineer and Medical teams in UN Peacekeeping operations.
Aim: It aims to strengthen mutual confidence, and interoperability and enable sharing of best practices between the Indian Army and Vietnam People’s Army.
It was the first time ever that the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) was undertaking a Field Training Exercise with any foreign Army.
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