6 May 2024, The Hindu
PwDs to get quotas on all trains irrespective of concessional fares
Page 1
GS 2: mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of vulnerable sections
- The Ministry of Railways has approved quotas for people with disabilities (PwDs) in all trains, irrespective of whether any concessional fare facility is available or not.
- These quotas will be allocated in all reserved Express/Mail trains, including premium services like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Humsafar, Gatimaan, and Vande Bharat Express trains.
- This initiative aims to enhance inclusivity, accessibility, and travel opportunities for PwDs, promoting social inclusion and equal participation in society.
It is time to operationalise the Indian Defence University
Page 6
GS 2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources
- Thucydides' quote emphasizes the importance of integrating scholars and warriors. Several nations, including Pakistan and China, have established defence universities to enhance strategic thinking in their armed forces.
- However, India's lack of an Indian Defence University (IDU) is concerning, given the evolving geopolitical landscape.
- This absence may impede India's ability to develop effective defense strategies and address national security challenges.
Make the poor richer without making the rich poorer
Page 7
GS 2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources
- Since the release of the Congress party's election manifesto on April 5, the term 'redistribution' has become central to the election discourse in India.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi accuses the Congress of promising wealth redistribution through measures like taking away people's gold and imposing new taxes, despite no mention of such policies in the manifesto.
- This controversy has sparked a nationwide debate on India's growing inequality and the need for redistribution to address the gap between the rich and poor.
- Economic inequality has widened significantly over the past two decades, both in India and globally, making it a pressing issue.
- Politicizing this issue detracts from finding solutions to bridge the gap and create a more equitable society.
- The focus should be on how to achieve greater equality and justice for all members of society.
The battle for water in Bengaluru
Page 7
Prelims syllabus: Current events of national and international importance
- Bengaluru is facing a severe water crisis, characterized by disrupted water supplies, soaring tanker prices, and stringent usage restrictions.
- This crisis stems from a combination of geographical challenges and unplanned urbanization.
- Historically reliant on lakes and tanks for water, the city now faces a scarcity of these resources, with only a fraction of water bodies remaining.
- Groundwater, a crucial supplement, is rapidly depleting due to over-extraction and inadequate replenishment.
- Despite receiving water from the Cauvery River, which only meets around 50% of the city's needs, the remaining 50% is sourced from groundwater, exacerbating the depletion issue.
- With a significant number of borewells out of service and dwindling water levels in others, the situation is dire.
Unveiling the veil: expenditure disparities in India’s electoral system
Page 9
GS 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment
- The issue of electoral expenditure in Indian democracy raises fundamental questions about the fairness and integrity of the electoral process.
- Despite strict expenditure limits outlined for individual candidates by the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RPA), there is a notable absence of comparable restrictions on political party spending and third-party campaigners.
- In the 2019 general elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress collectively spent over ₹20 billion, highlighting the immense financial resources involved.
- This discrepancy has created an uneven playing field where financial strength often outweighs meritocracy, undermining the democratic principles of equality and fairness in elections.
India has stringent norms for pesticide residues limit: Centre
Page 10
GS 3: Public Distribution System; issues of buffer stocks and food security
- The Indian government has emphasized that India maintains stringent norms for pesticide residues in food items, refuting reports that suggest otherwise.
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been accused of permitting high levels of residues in spices and herbs, but this claim has been rejected by the government.
- The clarification follows bans imposed by the Hong Kong and Singapore food regulators on certain spice products from leading Indian brands MDH and Everest due to the alleged presence of the pesticide Ethylene Oxide in their samples.
Gold, silver surge on West Asia, U.S. Fed stalemate
Page 13
Prelims syllabus: Current events of national and international importance
- In April, following a robust performance in March, precious metals experienced a slight increase.
- Geopolitical tensions in West Asia and heightened demand from central banks contributed to the uptick. Comex gold notably surpassed the psychological threshold of $2,400 per ounce during the month.
Where does ‘us versus them’ bias in the brain come from?
Page 18
GS 3: Science and Technology- Recent developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
- The quote from George Orwell's 'Animal Farm', "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others," aptly captures the operation of bias in human societies.
- A study published in May last year examined how individuals subconsciously evaluate different racial groups.
- Psychologists analyzed responses from over 60,000 participants categorized into 'white', 'blacks', 'Hispanics', and 'Asians', with a majority residing in the U.S.
