Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Veer Bal Divas
Mains level: Not Much
Introduction
- The Prime Minister paid homage to the courage and sacrifice of the Sahibzade, the sons of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru.
- This day, announced on January 9, 2022, commemorates the martyrdom of Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh.
Veer Bal Divas: A Day of Remembrance
- Inception: Veer Bal Divas was established to honor the young Sahibzade who were martyred at the ages of 6 and 9.
- Guru Gobind Singh’s Legacy: Guru Gobind Singh, as the tenth Guru of Sikhs and founder of the Khalsa, holds a significant place in Sikh history.
The Legend of the Sahibzades
- Meaning of Sahibzada: In Punjabi, “Sahibzada” means “son,” referring to the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh.
- Sacrificial Week: The week from December 21 to 27 is observed in memory of the Sahibzades’ sacrifices for Sikhism and Hinduism.
- Martyrdom for Faith: The Sahibzades, Ajit Singh, Jujhar Singh, Zorawar Singh, and Fateh Singh, were martyred defending their faith against forced conversion.
Backstory of Their Martyrdom
- Khalsa Panth and Anandpur Sahib: After establishing the Khalsa Panth, Guru Gobind Singh left Anandpur Sahib with his family in December 1704 amidst Aurangzeb’s invasion.
- Capture and Martyrdom: The younger Sahibzades were captured by Subedar Wazir Khan of Sirhind and faced pressure for religious conversion, leading to their tragic martyrdom.
- Elder Sahibzades’ Sacrifice: The elder Sahibzades, Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh, were martyred in the battle of Chamkaur in 1705.
Implications and Historical Impact
- Guru Gobind Singh’s Response: Upon learning of their martyrdom, Guru Gobind Singh wrote the ‘Zafarnama’ to Aurangzeb, declaring the Khalsa’s readiness to challenge his empire.
- Baba Banda Singh Bahadur’s Revenge: He avenged the Sahibzades’ martyrdom, punishing Wazir Khan and establishing Sikh dominance in the region.
- Emergence of the Sikh Empire: This sacrifice paved the way for the later establishment of a vast Sikh empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Significance in Indian History
- A Watershed Moment: The martyrdom of the Sahibzades is a pivotal event in Indian history, remembered with both respect and sorrow.
- Legacy in Sikh Tradition: The Sahibzades’ names are honored in the Sikh Ardas, symbolizing their enduring legacy in Sikh faith and history.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Konsachem Festival
Mains level: Read the attached story
Central Idea
- In Goa, August marks the formation of new rice grains, celebrated through the festival of Konsachem.
Konsachem Festival and Its Traditions
- Background: Konsachem, observed by Goan Hindus and Catholics, honors the new rice grains, known as konxeo in Konkani.
- Shared Rituals: The first harvested rice sheaves are taken for blessings – to deities by Hindus and to saints by Catholics.
- Catholic Celebrations: For Goan Catholics, the festival peaks on August 24, the Feast Day of St. Bartholomew, one of Jesus Christ’s 12 Apostles.
- Observances: The celebration includes a procession, ritual cutting of grain, and a thanksgiving mass, with offerings made to St. Bartholomew.
Bartholomew’s Legacy and Christian Faith in India
- Missionary Journey: Bartholomew is believed to have landed in Kallianpur and preached along the Konkan coast, reaching as far as Karachi.
- Lesser-Known Apostles: While St. Thomas’s mission in Kerala and Tamil Nadu is well-documented, St. Bartholomew’s contributions in India are less known but significant.
- Martyrdom and Influence: He is revered for his martyrdom in Azerbaijan and his role in the Christianization of Armenia and Georgia.
- Pre-Portuguese Christian Origins: Research by scholars underscores Christianity’s roots in India dating back to the Apostles, reinforcing its integral place in Indian faith traditions.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Longitudinal Studies
Mains level: Read the attached story
Central Idea
- Historical Surveys: Starting in 1916-17, Gilbert Slater initiated a series of surveys in five Tamil Nadu villages, marking the beginning of a century-long study of rural India.
- Unique Village Studies: Palakurichi and Palanpur stand out as unique Indian villages extensively studied over a century and decades, respectively.
Methodology and Evolution of Village Studies
- Initial Approach: Slater’s students, natives of the surveyed villages, used questionnaires to understand the socioeconomic conditions of rural households.
- Subsequent Surveys: These villages were revisited for studies in subsequent years, including 1936-37, 1964, 1983, 2004, and 2019, providing a longitudinal perspective.
Significance of Longitudinal Studies
- Contrast with Cross-Sectional Surveys: Unlike the National Sample Survey Office’s cross-sectional surveys, village studies are longitudinal, focusing on in-depth analysis over time.
- Objective: The aim is to trace changes in the specific village over time, providing micro-level insights that complement macro-level data.
Key Findings from Recent Surveys
- Economic Shifts: The 2019 survey of Palakurichi revealed a decline in agriculture’s dominance, with only 43.3% of the workforce engaged in farming, down from 85% in 1983.
- Diversification of Workforce: Similar trends were observed in Palanpur, with a significant shift from agriculture to non-farm jobs over the decades.
Changing Social Dynamics
- Diminished Dominance of Traditional Landholders: In both Palakurichi and Palanpur, traditional upper caste landholders’ power has declined, with middle castes and Dalits gaining more land ownership.
- Economic and Social Mobility: These changes reflect broader social and economic mobility within these rural communities.
Policy Implications and Challenges
- Land Leasing Practices: As some communities move away from agriculture, land leasing becomes common, often based on oral agreements to avoid legal complications.
- Need for Policy Reforms: There’s a need for policies that balance the interests of landowners and tenant farmers, encouraging investment in land improvement.
- Sustaining Agricultural Productivity: With rural India becoming less dependent on agriculture, ensuring continued or improved farming practices on existing agricultural lands is crucial.
Conclusion
- Insights from Micro-Level Studies: Longitudinal village studies offer valuable insights into the patterns of change in rural India, informing policy and understanding of rural dynamics.
- Balancing Agricultural and Non-Agricultural Growth: These studies highlight the need for balanced development policies that support both agricultural sustainability and non-farm employment opportunities.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Field Pansy Flower
Mains level: NA
Central Idea
- Researchers have found that a flower species in Paris, the field pansy (Viola arvensis), is evolving rapidly, exhibiting reduced nectar production and smaller flower sizes.
- This study aims to understand the impact of these evolutionary changes on plant-pollinator interactions.
Changing Nature of Field Pansy
- Decreased Nectar and Size: The wild pansy variety in Paris showed a 20% reduction in nectar production and a 10% decrease in flower size.
- Comparative Analysis: Scientists compared current flower growth with seeds from 20-30 years ago, observing notable changes.
- Adaptation to Pollinator Decline: The evolution towards self-pollination in field pansies is attributed to the decreasing availability of insect pollinators.
- Experimental Design: The study employed the “resurrection ecology” method, planting seeds from the 1990s and 2000s alongside their 2021 descendants.
Implications of Self-Pollination and Evolutionary Shifts
- Contrast with Angiosperm Convention: The move towards self-pollination deviates from the typical reliance of angiosperms on insects for pollination.
- Long-Term Coevolution: The traditional plant-insect relationship, involving nectar production for pollination, has evolved over 100 million years.
- Genetic Analysis: Population genetics analysis revealed a 27% increase in selfing rates, with consistent trait shifts across studied populations.
Concerns and Potential Consequences
- Short-Term Benefits, Long-Term Risks: While self-pollination may offer short-term advantages, it poses long-term survival threats to plants amid environmental changes.
- Feedback Loop Risks: Reduced nectar production could lead to further declines in pollinator populations, creating a detrimental eco-evolutionary feedback loop.
- Network Degradation: The study highlights the degradation of plant-pollinator networks, as observed in previous research.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Stagflation
Mains level: Read the attached story
Central Idea
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) officials have reported a decreased risk of stagflation in India, now estimated at 1%, down from 3% in August
What is Stagflation?
|
Details |
| Definition |
An economic condition characterized by stagnant growth, high unemployment, and high inflation. |
| Indian context |
Fluctuating growth rates; periods of slowdown have raised concerns about stagnation. |
| Inflation Dynamics in India |
Historically high at times, often driven by rising food and fuel prices. |
| Supply Shocks |
Vulnerable to global oil price fluctuations and agricultural supply shocks (e.g., monsoon variability). |
| Past Episodes |
Elevated stagflation risks were noted during the Asian Crisis, Global Financial Crisis, taper tantrum, and COVID-19 pandemic. |
Methodology for Assessing Stagflation
- Two-Pronged Approach: RBI assessment utilized two methods: analyzing periods of low economic growth with high inflation, and employing ‘at-risk’ frameworks, namely “Inflation at Risk” (IaR) and “Growth at Risk” (GaR), using quantile regression.
- Determinants of Stagflation: Key factors identified include supply-side shocks, commodity price spikes, tighter financial conditions, and currency depreciation.
Key Risk Factors for India
- Financial Conditions and Rupee Depreciation: Financial conditions and the depreciation of the rupee against the U.S. dollar are significant risk factors for stagflation in India.
- Empirical Evidence: The integrated IaR and GaR frameworks corroborate these findings, although the impact of crude oil prices on domestic fuel prices has limited predictive power for stagflation.
- Global Concerns: Post-pandemic, higher commodity prices and the U.S. dollar’s appreciation raised global stagflation concerns.
Back2Basics: Economic Conditions: Definitions and Concepts
|
Explanation |
| Depression |
A sustained, long-term downturn in economic activity.
Characterized by significant decline in GDP, high unemployment, low spending, and reduced industrial output. |
| Deflation |
A general fall in the price level of goods and services over some time, indicating negative inflation rates. |
| Disinflation |
A decrease in the rate of inflation, i.e., a slowdown in the rate at which prices increase.
Example: Inflation rate falling from 8% to 6%. |
| Reflation |
Economic measures, such as increasing money supply or reducing taxes, aimed at stimulating the economy to reach its long-term growth trend after a downturn. |
| Skewflation |
A situation where the price of some items rises significantly while others remain stable.
Example: Seasonal rise in the price of onions while other prices are stable. |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITGA)
Mains level: Not Much
Central Idea
- India seeks to modernize the ASEAN India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITGA) to reduce the significant trade deficit with ASEAN nations in February 2023 with a target to complete the revamp by 2025.
About ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITGA)
|
Details |
| Signing Date |
August 13, 2009, w.e.f. January 1, 2010. |
| Objectives |
Eliminate tariffs and liberalize trade in goods.
Facilitate economic integration between ASEAN and India. |
| Key Features |
Gradual reduction and eventual elimination of tariffs
Measures to facilitate trade and customs efficiency |
| Member Countries |
ASEAN Members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and India. |
| Economic Impact |
Growth in trade between India and ASEAN countries – Diversification of trade basket. |
| Recent Developments |
Discussions on reviewing and upgrading the agreement. |
| Challenges |
Concerns over trade imbalances.
Potential impact on certain domestic industries in India. |
| Strategic Significance |
Part of India’s “Act East” policy.
Step towards broader regional economic integration. |
Need for review
- Significant Trade Partner: ASEAN countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, accounted for 11.3% of India’s global trade in 2022-23.
- Existing Trade Imbalance: The current trade deficit with ASEAN stands at $43.57 billion, a substantial increase from $7.5 billion per annum when the pact was first implemented.
- Trade Statistics: In 2022-23, India’s exports to ASEAN were valued at $44 billion against imports of $87.57 billion.
- Rebalancing Trade: The primary goal is to address the disproportionate benefits that have favored ASEAN since the agreement’s implementation in 2010.
- Modernization of the Agreement: The focus is on updating the FTA to reflect current global trade dynamics and include new elements like product-specific rules and trade remedies.
Key Areas of Negotiation
- Rules of Origin (ROO): Modifications in ROO are planned to increase market access for Indian products and prevent the rerouting of goods, particularly from China, through ASEAN countries.
- Trade Remedies: A new chapter on trade remedies will aim to protect domestic industries from unfair trade practices and import surges.
- Exclusion of New Areas: The agreement will not expand to cover additional areas like labor, environment, MSMEs, or gender to avoid complicating the pact.
Challenges and Industry Perspectives
- Need for Concessions: While India seeks to balance the trade deficit, concessions may be necessary to ensure mutual benefits.
- Sectoral Focus: Industries such as chemicals, plastics, minerals, leather, textiles, and gems and jewellery are identified for potential growth in exports.
Conclusion
- Strategic Approach: India’s efforts to modernize the AITGA reflect a strategic approach to enhance trade relations while protecting domestic interests.
- Balancing Act: The challenge lies in negotiating terms that benefit both India and ASEAN members, fostering a more equitable trading environment.
- Long-Term Implications: Successful negotiations could significantly impact India’s trade dynamics, potentially reducing the trade deficit and strengthening economic ties with ASEAN nations.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Disinvestment
Mains level: Read the attached story
Central Idea
- India’s disinvestment process, primarily focusing on minority stake sales rather than full privatisation, is expected to fall short of its fiscal year 2024 target.
- The government’s cautious approach, influenced by the upcoming general elections, has led to a slowdown in the privatisation of major public sector undertakings (PSUs).
Disinvestment Performance and Targets
- Past Achievements: Over the past decade, disinvestment has generated over ₹4.20 lakh crore, but the current fiscal year’s target appears challenging.
- FY24 Target: The government set a disinvestment goal of ₹51,000 crore for FY24, a reduction from the previous year’s estimate.
- Major PSUs on Hold: Plans for the privatisation of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), and CONCOR have been deferred.
- Progress So Far: Approximately ₹10,049 crore, or 20% of the budgeted amount, has been raised through IPOs and OFS.
- Pipeline Projects: Strategic sales of CPSEs like SCI, NMDC Steel Ltd, BEML, HLL Lifecare, and IDBI Bank are planned but face delays due to various procedural hurdles.
Factors Influencing Disinvestment
- Political Considerations: Strategic disinvestment decisions are being influenced by the upcoming elections, leading to a cautious approach.
- Challenges in Strategic Sales: The sale process involves multiple stakeholders and complex procedures, making it a lengthy affair.
- Public and Political Resistance: Certain sectors, particularly defence and shipping, face opposition to privatisation, causing delays and policy reassessments.
- Economic Think Tank Views: Observers note a recent slowdown in PSU stake sales, attributed to regulatory processes, global economic volatility, and shifting government priorities.
Historical Context and Government Policy
- Post-2014 Strategy: Since 2014, the government has revived its disinvestment policy, focusing on stake sales and listing of PSEs on the stock market.
- Union Budget 2023-24: The disinvestment target for FY24 is the lowest in seven years, with the government yet to meet the target for 2022-23.
- Reasons for Disinvestment: The government undertakes disinvestment to reduce fiscal burdens, finance deficits, invest in development, and retire debt.
- Types of Disinvestment: The process includes minority disinvestment, majority divestment, and complete privatisation, managed by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM).
Recent Disinvestment Performance
- Meeting Targets: The government has met its disinvestment targets only twice since 2014.
- Challenges in Execution: Strategic sales have been complicated by various factors, including market volatility and political opposition.
Future of Disinvestment in 2023-24
- No New Additions: The government plans to continue with the already announced privatisation of state-owned companies without adding new ones.
- Challenges and Vision: Observers suggest that disinvestment should align with the government’s long-term vision for privatisation and sectoral presence, rather than being driven solely by revenue needs.
Conclusion
- Strategic Policy Shifts: The government’s disinvestment strategy is evolving, balancing between raising revenues and managing political and public sentiments.
- Impact of Upcoming Elections: With general elections approaching, the focus on disinvestment might shift, impacting the progress and priorities of stake sales.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Kaldor-Verdoorn
Mains level: addressing the skills gap and improving the quality of the workforce
![Burning Issue] Jobless growth in India - Civilsdaily](https://d18x2uyjeekruj.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/word-image-13.png)
Central idea
The article discusses the challenge of “jobless growth” in India, where the employment growth rate remains unresponsive despite increased GDP and value-added growth rates. It emphasizes the unique characteristics of India’s jobless growth regime, involving a high Kaldor-Verdoorn coefficient, and calls for a distinct policy focus on employment in addition to the traditional emphasis on GDP growth.
Key Highlights:
- The article discusses the distinction between wage employment and self-employment, emphasizing the challenge of inadequate labor demand, particularly for regular wage work in the formal sector.
- India’s historical employment scenario includes open unemployment, high levels of informal employment, and a stagnant growth rate of salaried workers in the non-agricultural sector.
- The lack of employment opportunities in the formal sector is attributed to factors such as output growth, labor productivity, and the introduction of labor-saving technologies.
Key Challenges:
- India faces the challenge of “jobless growth,” where the employment growth rate remains unresponsive despite a rise in GDP growth and value-added growth rates.
- The article highlights the connection between labor productivity growth rate and output growth rate, contributing to the phenomenon of jobless growth in India.
- The distinct form of jobless growth in India, characterized by a higher than average Kaldor-Verdoorn coefficient, poses a qualitative challenge for macroeconomic policies.
Key Terms:
- Kaldor-Verdoorn coefficient: A measure reflecting the responsiveness of labor productivity growth rate to output growth rate.
- Dual economy structure: An economic structure characterized by the coexistence of a modern and traditional sector, often seen in developing countries.
- Mahalanobis strategy: A development strategy that prioritizes heavy industrialization to overcome the constraints on output and employment.
Key Phrases:
- “Jobs generally refer to relatively better-paid regular wage or salaried employment.”
- “The lack of opportunities is reflected by a more or less stagnant employment growth rate of salaried workers in the non-agricultural sector.”
- “The positive effect of output growth rate on employment fails to counteract the adverse effect of labor-saving technologies in the Indian jobless growth regime.”
Key Quotes for value addition:
- “The Indian economy has historically been characterized by the presence of both open unemployment as well as high levels of informal employment.”
- “Jobless growth in India makes the macroeconomic policy challenge qualitatively different from other countries.”
Key Examples and References:
- Reference to the Mahalanobis strategy focusing on heavy industrialization as a policy for overcoming constraints on output and employment.
- Mention of the higher than average Kaldor-Verdoorn coefficient in India’s non-agricultural sector as a distinctive feature of jobless growth.
Key Facts:
- India’s employment growth rate in the formal non-agricultural sector has remained unresponsive despite significant increases in GDP and value-added growth rates.
- Jobless growth in India is associated with a high Kaldor-Verdoorn coefficient, indicating a strong connection between labor productivity growth rate and output growth rate.
Critical Analysis:
- The article critically examines the traditional presumption that increasing the output growth rate would be a sufficient condition for increasing the employment growth rate in the formal sector.
- It highlights the need for a separate policy focus on employment, including both demand and supply side components, in addition to the focus on GDP growth.
Way Forward:
- Advocate for policies addressing the skills gap and improving the quality of the workforce to make automation less attractive for firms.
- Propose direct public job creation as a demand-side component of employment policies.
- Suggest reorienting the macroeconomic framework to finance employment-related expenditures, including increasing the direct tax to GDP ratio and improving compliance.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Pir Panjal range
Mains level: Shift of terrorist activity to Poonch-Rajouri
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Colombo Security Conclave (CSC)
Mains level: vulnerability of the CSC to domestic political changes
Key Highlights:
- The Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) aims to promote a safe, secure, and stable Indian Ocean, with India playing a leadership role.
- The CSC’s revival in 2020, after a standstill since 2014, reflects India’s evolving strategic vision for the Indian Ocean.
- India seeks to institutionalize its role in the region, addressing security challenges and emerging threats through the CSC.
- China’s growing influence in the Indian Ocean is a significant factor driving the CSC’s revival, with Beijing investing in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and establishing a presence in key locations.
Key Challenges:
- Domestic political changes in member-states can impact the CSC’s effectiveness, as seen with the Maldives’ absence from a recent meeting.
- The nationalist and pro-China sentiments in member-states may hinder collaboration, affecting the CSC’s ability to address regional challenges.
- Despite concerns about China’s actions in the Indian Ocean, some regional countries may not view China as a threat, limiting the CSC’s collective response.
Key Terms/Phrases:
- Colombo Security Conclave (CSC)
- Indian Ocean
- Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
- Maritime security
- Regional collaboration
- Extra-regional powers
- Indo-Pacific
- National Security Adviser (NSA)
Key Quotes:
- “The lack of capacity of island nations to secure the seas and counter transnational threats has continued to motivate India.”
- “China’s outreach to the Indian Ocean is to control crucial sea lines of communication and trade, limiting India’s influence.”
Key Statements:
- “The CSC offers India an opportunity to institutionalize its role, shape the regional security architecture, and better address existing and emerging threats.”
- “The strategic accommodation and flexibility of the CSC contribute to the security of the Indian Ocean.”
Key Examples/References:
- China’s naval capabilities, defense relationships, and infrastructure projects in the Indian Ocean.
- Maldives’ absence from a recent CSC meeting due to preferences for a close relationship with China or nationalist sentiments.
Key Facts/Data:
- The CSC was revived in 2020, with the inclusion of Mauritius, Seychelles, and Bangladesh.
- China’s investments in the Indian Ocean include the Belt and Road Initiative projects and control of Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port.
Critical Analysis:
- The vulnerability of the CSC to domestic political changes highlights challenges in maintaining consistent regional collaboration.
- The balance between addressing security concerns and managing relationships with China is crucial for the CSC’s success.
Way Forward:
- Strengthen institutional mechanisms within the CSC to mitigate the impact of domestic political changes.
- Continue to focus on the five pillars of cooperation, addressing maritime security, counter-terrorism, cyber-security, humanitarian aid, and disaster relief.
- Enhance efforts to build trust among member-states and address concerns related to nationalist and pro-China sentiments.
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![Solved] Where is the Pir Panjal Range located?](https://physicalfeaturesindia9d-15-16.weebly.com/uploads/5/2/7/3/52736089/2847490.png)