23-11-2021

23-NOVEMBER-2021

The Hindu News Analysis – 23rd November 2021 – Shankar IAS Academy
S. Page Number*
News Articles
No. C B D H T

1 We care more for a policy on MSP than PM’s apology: Tikait 1, 8 1, 8 1, 8 1, 8 1, 8

2 Falling short (Editorial) 6 6 6 6 6

3 JPC retains exemption clause, adopts personal data Bill 9 9 9 9 9

4 Air quality remains ‘very poor’; Govt. lifts ban on construction - - 3 - -

5 China doesn’t seek hegemony, says Xi 11 11 11 11 11

6 Prelims Practice Questions

@ end of the video
7 Mains Practice Questions
*C – Chennai; B – Bengaluru; D – Delhi; H – Hyderabad; T – Thiruvananthapuram
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Pgs: 1, 8 – C, B, D, H, T

Part A—Preliminary Examination

Paper I - (200 marks)
• Current events of national and international importance.
• Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
• Economic and Social Development - Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
Part B—Main Examination
PAPER-III
General Studies‐ II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations
• Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
• Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms,
laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
PAPER-IV
General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management
• Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System - objectives, functioning,
limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
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Minimum Support Price (MSP)

• Minimum guaranteed price - fixed each year for major agricultural crops by Government.

• Price at which government purchases crops from the farmers.

• Important agricultural price policy.

Crops covered
• Cereals • Pulses • Oilseeds • Raw cotton
 Paddy  Arhar/tur  Groundnut • Raw jute
 wheat  Gram  Rapeseed/mustard • Copra
 Jowar  Moong  Soybean • De-husked coconut
 Barley  Lentil  Toria • Virginia flu cured (VFC)
 Bajra  Urad  Sesamum tobacco

 Ragi  Sunflower seed

 Maize  Safflower seed
 Niger seed

• Need - prices of agricultural commodities  Helps in food grains supply to buffer stocks and
- inherently unstable. supports the food security programme through the
Public Distribution System etc.
 Reasons - variation in the supply of
agricultural commodities, lack of market • Determination:
integration and information asymmetry.
 Fixed on the recommendations of Commission for
• Benefit: Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP).

 Guarantee to farmers about fair amount  CACP recommends prices for Kharif and Rabi
of price fixed to their upcoming crop. seasons through separate reports.

 Encourages higher investment and 1. Demand and supply

production of agricultural commodities.
 Assured market offered by the Govt.
 Sufficient remuneration to the farmers.
2. Cost of production
3. Price trends in the domestic and international market
4. Inter-crop price parity
5. Terms of trade between agriculture and non-agriculture
6. A minimum of 50% as the margin over cost of production
7. Likely implications of MSP on consumers of that product

 Considers the views of the
Governments + overall demand and
situation → final decision.
• Final price - fixed at a level of at least 1.5
times of the all-India weighted average cost
of production for the Kharif and Rabi crops.
Cost of production
• Cost incurred on account of hired human labour
• Bullock labour/machine labour
• Rent paid for leased in land
• Expenses incurred on use of material inputs like
seeds, fertilizers, manures, irrigation charges,
depreciation on implements and farm buildings
• Interest on working capital
• Diesel/electricity for operation of pump sets etc.
• Miscellaneous expenses
• Imputed value of family labour
23-11-2021
State
supply Practice Question – Prelims
Q. With reference to the Minimum Support
Price, consider the following statements:
1. It is fixed at a level of at least 1.5 times
of the all-India weighted average cost of
production for the Kharif and Rabi crops.
2. It is fixed by the Commission for
Agricultural Costs and Prices .
Which of the statements given above
is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
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Pgs: 9 – C, B, D, H, T

Pg: 6 – C, B, D, H, T
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Part A—Preliminary Examination Classification of

Data
Paper I - (200 marks)
 Current events of national and international importance.
Part B—Main Examination
PAPER-III
General Studies‐ II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social
Justice and International relations Non personal
Personal Data
 Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive Data
and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the
Government; pressure groups and formal/informal
associations and their role in the Polity. Data Protection
 Important aspects of governance, transparency and
• Data protection refers to policies and procedures
accountability, e-governance applications, models,
successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, aimed at limiting intrusion into an individual’s
transparency & accountability and institutional and other privacy as a result of the collecting and use of
measures. their personal data.

Right to Privacy
• Directed - Centre to come up with a data
• 2017 - Justice K. S. Puttaswamy vs Union Of
protection framework for the country.
India
• An expert panel headed by former Supreme
• Recognised - right to privacy as a precious
Court judge Justice B.N. Srikrishna.
fundamental right under Article 21.
• 2019 - The Personal Data Protection (PDP) Bill
introduced in parliament.
Three fold Requirement to intrude in someone's
• A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) was
privacy:
formed - consider the bill, make suggestions,
(i) Legality;
and present a report to Parliament.
(ii) The need for a legitimate aim
(iii) Proportionality.
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Recommendations by JPC
Need for data protection
• Proposes formation of a Data Protection Authority (DPA) -
• Data - simply another word for
regulate the use of users’ personal data by social media
information.
companies and other organizations within the country.
• Business world - Allows to store
• Clause 35 exempted any agency under the Union Govt from
and evaluate crucial information
all or any requirements of the law in the interest of
about current and potential
"public order”, "sovereignty”, "friendly relations with other
consumers.
govts,” and "state security.”
• Used to provide with personalized
• Stricter regulations for social media platforms -
suggestions.
 All social media platforms - which did not act as
• Sold to other companies - mostly
intermediaries - should be treated as publishers.
for advertising and competitive
research purposes.  To be held accountable for the content they host.

 Should be held responsible for the content from unverified

accounts on their platforms.

• No social media platform - allowed to operate

unless the parent company handling the
technology sets up an office in India.
Practice Question – Mains

• A statutory media regulatory authority - should

GS – II
be established to regulate the content on all Q. Although the right to privacy has been
such platforms, regardless of where their declared a fundamental right by the
content is published.
Supreme court, it is not an absolute right.
Elucidate.
• Development of an alternative indigenous
(250 Words, 10 Marks)
financial system for cross-border payments.
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Pg: 3 – Delhi edition

News

• Delhi Government has lifted the ban that was

imposed on the construction and demolition Air pollution
activities.
• Contamination of the indoor or outdoor
environment by any agent that modifies the
Pollution
natural characteristics of the atmosphere.
• Contamination with materials that interfere
 Agent - Chemical, physical or biological
with human health, quality of life or the natural
functioning of the ecosystems. • Sources - Household combustion devices, motor
vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires
• Major forms - Water pollution, air pollution,
noise pollution and soil contamination

• Other forms - Thermal pollution and radioactive

hazards.
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• Pollutants of major public health concern - Particulate matter, Carbon monoxide, Ozone, Nitrogen
dioxide and Sulphur dioxide.

• World health Organization - Air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every
year.

Air pollution in Delhi

Major Reasons

• National capital shares border with the

states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

 Indulge in crop burning

• Vehicular emission - Increasing the

hazardous effects of air pollution and smog.

• Winter season - dust particles and pollutants

in the air become unable to move.

• Stagnant winds - pollutants get locked in

the air.
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Other Reasons

• Over-population
Practice Question – Mains
• Dust caused by large scale construction
GS – III
activities
Q. “Fighting air pollution is everybody’s
• Industrial pollution
responsibility.” In the light of the
• Garbage dumps statement critically analyze the role of
general public in mitigating the air
• Burning of firecrackers
pollution in our national Capital.
(150 Words, 10 Marks)
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Pg: 11 – C, T, B, D, H

News
• Origin - Signing of the ASEAN Declaration
• Virtual conference held among the ASEAN members (Bangkok Declaration)
to mark the ASEAN-China Special Summit.
• Founding Fathers of ASEAN
 To Commemorate the 3 0th Anniversary of
 Indonesia
ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations.
 Malaysia

Association of Southeast Asian Nations  Philippines

• Regional organization - to promote socio-cultural,  Singapore

economic, and political advancement in the region.
 Thailand
• Established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand.
• Motto - “One Vision, One Identity, One
 8th August - ASEAN Day. Community”.
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Objectives of ASEAN

• Accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region through joint
endeavors in the spirit of equality and partnership in order to strengthen the foundation for a prosperous
and peaceful community of Southeast Asian Nations;
• Promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the
relationship among countries of the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter;
• Promote active collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of common interest in the economic, social,
cultural, technical, scientific and administrative fields;
• Provide assistance to each other in the form of training and research facilities in the educational,
professional, technical and administrative spheres;
• Collaborate more effectively to encourage further growth in the agriculture and industry, and trade
sectors. This includes improving transportation and communications facilities and conducting studies on
international commodity trade with the overarching goal of raising the living standards of ASEAN peoples;
• Promote Southeast Asian studies; and
• Maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing international and regional organizations with
similar aims and purposes, and explore all avenues for even closer cooperation among themselves.

Members of ASEAN

• Indonesia

• Malaysia

• Philippines

• Singapore

• Thailand

• Brunei

• Vietnam

• Laos

• Myanmar

• Cambodia
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India - ASEAN relations

• Key pillar - foreign policy and Act East Policy.

• India - Separate Mission to ASEAN and the
• Trade Relations - ASEAN was India’s fourth
largest trading partner. East Asia Summit in Jakarta in April 2015

• Occupies a central place in the security  Dedicated Ambassador to strengthen

architecture of the Indo-Pacific region. engagement with ASEAN and ASEAN-centric

processes.
• Good Partnership with ASEAN nations - Help
India in countering the growing presence of
Beijing.

Practice Question – Prelims

Q. With regard to the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations, consider the
following statements:
1. It is a regional organization that came
into being with the signing of the
Bangkok Declaration.
2. India has set up a separate Mission to
ASEAN and the East Asia Summit in
Jakarta with a dedicated Ambassador.
Which of the statement(s) given above
is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
 23-11-2021

. Practice Question – Prelims

Q1. With reference to the Minimum
Support Price, consider the following
statements:
1. It is fixed at a level of at least 1.5 times Cost* of Cost* of Increase in
MSP for MSP for Return over
of the all-India weighted average cost of Crop
production
for RMS
RMS 2021-
22
production
for RMS
RMS 2022-
23
MSP for
2022-23
cost
(in per cent)
production for the Kharif and Rabi crops. 2021-22 2022-23 (Absolute)

Barley 971 1600 1019 1635 35 60

2. It is fixed by the Commission for
Agricultural Costs and Prices .
Which of the statements given above
is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
 23-11-2021

Practice Question – Prelims

Q2. With regard to the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations, consider the
following statements:
Practice Question –
1. It is a regional organization that came
into being with the signing of the Prelims Answer
Bangkok Declaration. Q1. Option (a)
2. India has set up a separate Mission to Q2. Option (c)
ASEAN and the East Asia Summit in
Jakarta with a dedicated Ambassador.
Which of the statement(s) given above
is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
 23-11-2021

Practice Question – Mains

Practice Question – Mains
GS – III
GS – II
Q. “Fighting air pollution is everybody’s
Q. Although the right to privacy has been
responsibility.” In the light of the
declared a fundamental right by the
statement critically analyze the role of
Supreme court, it is not an absolute right.
general public in mitigating the air
Elucidate.
pollution in our national Capital.
(250 Words, 10 Marks)
(150 Words, 10 Marks)