The Hindu
Prelims Corner
- Ten-fold rise in NSCS budget: Bhushan The Budget allocation for the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) increased 10 times from ₹33.17 crore in 2016-17 to ₹333.58 crore in 2017-18.
GS2: Statutory, Regulatory and various Quasi-judicial Bodies, GS3: Indian Economy
- HC upholds CCI probe against Flipkart, Amazon Competition panel looking into charges of anti-competitive deals by e-comm giants
GS3: Changes in Industrial Policy and their Effects on Industrial Growth.
- Tweak draft e-com rules, says Nasscom Consumer consent for sharing information, limiting fallback liability to timely refund, and aligning some of the proposed amendments that are currently beyond the scope of the Consumer Protection Act 2019..
GS2: Social issues
- ‘Gatekeeper Model’ mooted to prevent suicides in prisons Detailed guidelines issued for dealing with mental health challenges of inmates, staff
GS2: Indian Constitution—Historical Underpinnings, Evolution, Features, Amendments, Significant Provisions and Basic Structure.
- SC says secrecy of vote a must in any election Nobody can be permitted to dilute right to free and fair polls: Bench.
GS3: Disaster and Disaster Management, Climate change
- Rise in extreme rainfall events Konkan coast has seen 29% more rain than normal while central and northeast India have seen a deficit
GS3: Environmental conservation
- Empowering nature with biocentric jurisprudence In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court of India has sought to move away from an anthropocentric basis of law
- The Ganga’s message India must take its laws on waste seriously to stop microplastics pollution
Indian Express
GS2: Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections of the population by the Centre and States and the Performance of these Schemes
- MGNREGA was safety net for workers during first wave, but there are holes in it now The government has not only reduced its budget this year but has also neglected it in relief measures post the second wave.
GS3: Cybersecurity
- Pegasus scandal shows we cannot take privacy for granted As a citizenry, we are at a tipping point, witnessing the slow erosion of democracy: If they are targeting those with power, what of ‘us’ with quieter voices?
GS2: Indian Constitution—Historical Underpinnings, Evolution, Features, Amendments, Significant Provisions and Basic Structure.
- Explained: The ‘Right to be Forgotten’ in India Ashutosh Kaushik, who won reality shows Bigg Boss in 2008 and MTV Roadies 5.0, wants videos, photographs and articles of him to be removed from the internet. He has cited his "Right to be Forgotten".
GS2: Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors and Issues arising out of their Design and Implementation.
- What is the Essential Defence Services Bill and what is its objective? Essential Defence Services Bill is aimed at preventing the staff of the government-owned ordnance factories from going on a strike. Is it needed and who does it impact?
PIB Corner
GS2: Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections of the population by the Centre and States and the Performance of these Schemes
- Schemes for the Betterment of Girl Child Ministry of women and Child Development implements BetiBachaoBetiPadhao (BBBP) Scheme which aims to address declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of empowerment of girls and women over a life cycle continuum. The objective of the scheme are, to prevent gender biased sex selective elimination, to ensure survival and protection of the girl child and to ensure education and participation of the girl child. The key elements of the scheme include nation-wide media and advocacy campaign and multi-sectoral intervention in selected districts.
- Rare Diseases Policy The Policy aims at lowering the incidence and prevalence of rare diseases based on an integrated and comprehensive preventive strategy encompassing awareness generation, premarital, post-marital, pre-conception and post-conception screening and counselling programmes to prevent births of children with rare diseases, and within the constraints on resources and competing health care priorities, enable access to affordable health care to patients of rare diseases.
GS3: Environmental Pollution and Degradation
- "Significant progress made by India in meeting its NDC targets while staying committed to meeting its climate goals under the Paris Agreement" G20 Energy and Climate Joint Ministerial Meeting 2021 was held under the Italian Presidency on 23 July 2021 in Naples. Energy and Environment Ministers from the G20 nations participated and deliberated upon the pressing issue of climate change. The Indian Delegation was represented by Ministry of Power and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
