08-07-2022

07-JULY-2022

The Hindu News Analysis – 7th July 2022 – Shankar IAS Academy
S. Page Number*
News Articles
No. C B D H T

1 Taking stock of five years of GST (OPED) 9 9 7 9 9

T&C T&C T&C T&C

2 The new rules to keep advertisements in check (Text & Context) 1 1
8
1 1

3 Himachal Pradesh hit by flash floods and landslips 12 12 - 12 12

4 For the soul’s welfare 12 12 12 12 12

5 P.T. Usha, Ilaiyaraaja among four picked for Rajya Sabha 11 11 11 11 11

6 Self-help groups use 60-70% of loans for personal needs: Report - 6 - - -

7 Prelims Practice Questions

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

1
 08-07-2022

Pg: 9 – C, B, H, T;
Pg: 7 – Delhi Edition

Part A—Preliminary Examination

Paper I - (200 marks)

Current events of national and international importance.

Economic and Social Development -Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social
Sector Initiatives, etc.

Part B—Main Examination

PAPER-IV

General Studies‐ III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster
Management

• Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and
employment.

2
 08-07-2022

Goods and Services Tax (GST)

• Indirect Tax

• Came into force on 1st July, 2017.

• 17 indirect taxes consolidated into one GST.

• reduced ill effects of cascading taxation.

• paved the way for a common national market.

• reduction in the overall tax burden on goods

for customers.

• Benefit assumed - lower inflation.

Reason for lower inflation criteria

Arvind Subramanian committee on GST.

• Designed GST to avoid adding to inflationary pressures - no aggregate impact on inflation

and the price level.

• A revenue neutral GST.

• Revenue Neutral Rate (RNR) in GST tax rate

rate at which tax revenue remains the same despite giving credit of duty paid on inputs
and other factors.

allows same revenue despite changes in the tax laws.

In theory - single rate, which preserves revenue at desired (current) levels.

In practice - structure of rates.

Provides what commodities to charge at a lower rate, and at a very high rate

3
 08-07-2022

Items under GST.

• Inflation measured using Retail Price Index

• Distinguished RNR from the “standard” rate
or Consumer Price Index (CPI).
under GST.
• CPI - 6 components
• Under a dual rate GST, the aggregate
impact on inflation will depend on both the Food and beverages
RNR and the standard rate.
Pan, tobacco and intoxicants
• Suggestion - a normal RNR in the 15-15.5 %
Clothing and footwear
range with a lower rate of 12% RNR and a
standard rate of 18%. Housing

Fuel and light

Miscellaneous.

• Half of the groups of items that GST covers • GST had inflationary pressures on the Indian
are not included in the CPI basket. economy.

Essential food items - exempted or taxed
at low rates - inflation reflected will be
low.
• Other factors responsible for inflation.
Rise in the tax rate of some goods and
services.

Author’s analysis Inclusion of business activities that were

• GST implementation: not taxed earlier - passed on the cost to
the consumers - higher prices.
Decrease in inflation of food items.
Increase in market power increases -
Raised inflation of non-food items - CPI,
prices rise and profit.
paan, tobacco and intoxicants, clothing
and footwear, housing, miscellaneous. Causes cost-push inflation.

Raised inflation - non-exempted food and

beverages.

4
 08-07-2022

Conclusion

• Countries like Australia witnessed a similar Practice Question – Mains

pattern in rise in inflation. GS – III
• Need of the hour - appropriate measures Q. In principle, the GST should have no
to curtail inflation. aggregate impact on inflation and the
price level. Examine.
(150 words, 10 marks)

Text & Context 1 – C, B, H, T; Pg: 8 – Delhi Edition

5
 08-07-2022

Part A—Preliminary Examination

Paper I - (200 marks) New Guidelines for advertisement

Current events of national and international • Central Consumer Protection Authority -

importance.
Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading
Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution,
Advertisements and Endorsements for
Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy,
Rights Issues, etc Misleading Advertisements, 2022

Part B—Main Examination Objectives

PAPER-III • To curb misleading advertisements

General Studies‐ II: Governance, Constitution, • To protect the consumers from exploitation
Polity, Social Justice and International relations.

• Government policies and interventions for

development in various sectors and issues arising
out of their design and implementation.

Important provisions of guidelines

Section 4 – valid & non-misleading advertisements

a) it contains truthful and honest representation;
b) it does not mislead consumers by exaggerating the accuracy, scientific validity or practical
usefulness or capability or performance or service of the goods or product;
c) it does not present rights conferred on consumers by any law as a distinctive feature of
advertiser’s offer;
d) it does not suggest that the claims made in such advertisement are universally accepted if
there is a significant division of informed or scientific opinion pertaining to such claims;
e) it does not mislead about the nature or extent of the risk to consumers’ personal security, or
that of their family if they fail to purchase the advertised goods, product or service;
f) it ensures that the claims that have not been independently substantiated but are based
merely on the content of a publication do not mislead consumers;
g) it complies with the provisions contained in any other sector specific law and the rules and
regulations made thereunder.

6
 08-07-2022

Section 4 – clause (2) - lapse in the Surrogate advertisements

fulfilment of an advertised • Refers to the advertisement of goods in the

promise will not invalidate the shadow of other goods
advertisement if
• Example - advertisement of tobacco in the
a) Such promise or claim is capable of
shadow of pan masala
fulfilment by a typical specimen of the
product advertised; • Section 6 - prohibits the surrogate or
b) The proportion of product failures is
within the generally acceptable limits; indirect advertisement
c) The advertiser has taken prompt
action to make good the deficiency to
the consumer.

Prohibited children targeted advertisements

• Advertisements • Prohibited

That condone, encourage, inspire or Advertisements that state any health or

unreasonably stimulate behaviour that nutritional claims or benefits without being

could be dangerous for children adequately and scientifically substantiated

Surgery that may have adverse effects on

That take advantage of children’s
inexperience, credulity or sense of the physical and mental health of children

loyalty • Advertisement for junk foods - not to be

advertised during a program meant for
• Goods that require a health warning –
not to be advertised through children, children

personalities from music, sports and

cinema

7
 08-07-2022

Why to take action Other reforms

• Youth - impressionable demographic • Need

Individually capable of making buying Disclaimers in advertisements to clarify

decisions claim & to resolve ambiguities

Influence the decisions of parents Must be visible to normally sighted

persons & prominently placed
Make up the future adult demographic
• Imposed duties on the manufacturers, service
• Marketing strategy – violates
providers and advertising agency – if
Right to choose comparison is made which relates to
objectively ascertainable facts
Right to be informed and protected
against unsafe goods, services and unfair • Advertisements - must be framed to gain the
trade practices trust of the consumers

Practice Question – Mains

GS - II
Q. Advertisements influence the behaviour of
children tremendously. In lights of the above
statement given an account of the
restrictions brought to advertisements which
target the children.
(150 Words, 10 Marks)

8
 08-07-2022

Pg: 12 – C, B, H, T

Landslides Landslide causes

• A natural phenomenon. • Natural factors - heavy rain, snowfall,

• Relatively rapid and perceptible movements. earthquake.

• Materials involved - relatively dry. • Induced by human factors over-

interference with the slope-stability.
• Size and shape of the detached mass depends
on 3 main conditions By deforestation, unplanned construction, or
mining.
• Nature of rock discontinuities.
• Intensity and magnitude of the landslide
• Degree of weathering
Largely depend on the geological structure,
• Steepness of the slope.
slope angle, nature of rocks, and human
interaction.

9
 08-07-2022

• Causes of landslides in the Himalayan region Plate Tectonic movement:

and the Western Ghats are different.
• Indian Plate moving towards Eurasian Plate
• Landslides in the Himalayan region - natural and collides with it.
causes.
• Himalayan region - north of the Indian Plate.
High seismicity due to plate tectonic
• Due to collision with Eurasian Plate -
movement, easily erodible sedimentary
tectonically active.
rocks, young and energetic rivers with
high erodible, heavy downpour, and snowfall. • Causes frequent tremors.

• Landslides in the Western Ghats • Isostatic imbalance causes frequent

landslides.
Concentrated rainfall, overburdening of
hills, mining, and quarrying. • Western Ghats region tectonically more stable.

• Has less frequency of tremors and landslides

due to it.

Rock structure:
Earthquakes:
• Himalayan region comprised of sedimentary rocks.
• Most important factor for the landslides
• Rocks are more susceptible to denudation and
in folded mountain regions.
erosion as compared to the rocks of Western
Ghats. • Landslides appear more frequently in the
folded mountains of the Himalayas.
• With little rainfall and construction activities,
sedimentary rocks result in denudation. • Western Ghats less susceptible to
Earthquakes.
• Major part of Western Ghats is comprised of
basalt rocks. • Have fewer Earthquake-induced
Landslides.
• Rocks have great resistance to erosion and
denudation.

• Result in fewer landslides due to differences in

rock composition.

10
 08-07-2022

Topography and exogenetic forces:

Rainfall and snowfall:
• Many young and rapid-flowing rivers - Ganges,
• Heavy or continuous downpours result in
the Indus, and the Brahmaputra originated in
severe landslides.
the Himalayan region.
• Particularly in the regions of steep
• Rapid-flowing rivers cause large-scale
slopes.
denudation and erosion of mountainous regions.
• Due to denudation and soil erosion.
• Himalayas mighty, steep sloped and easily eroded.
• Himalayan region & Western Ghats face
• By rivers due to their topography.
severe landslides due to concentrated
• Leads to landslides. rainfall.

• Western Ghats have mature rivers and denuded

topography.

• Results in fewer landslides.

Practice Question – Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements:
1. Since Himalayas has basalt rocks, it
causes more landslides.
2. Western Ghats region tectonically
more stable and has less frequency of
landslides.
Which of the above statements is/are
correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2 only
d) Neither 1 nor 2

11
 08-07-2022

Pg: 12 – C, B, D, H, T

Adi Shankara or Adi Shankaracharya

• One of the most influential philosophers of India.

• Born in Kalady, Kerala - Brahmin family in the 8th

century.

• child prodigy - mastered Veda, Vedanta,

Upanishads and Puranas.

• Philosophy - Brahman is the Supreme God.

Brahman is the only or Ultimate Reality.

Nirvisesha.

Nirguna.

Nirakara.

Akarta.

12
 08-07-2022

• Advocate of Advaita, a Vedanta School of Unifier of Hari, Hara and Shakti cults
thought.
Legendary shlokas for each group and
Oneness of the individual soul and the brought all into the common fold.
Supreme God.
Unified the sects and their rituals of
• Preached renunciation of the world and Hinduism.
adoption of the path of knowledge - to
• Wrote many a Bhashya - Brahma-sutra-
understand Brahman and attain salvation.
bhashya is a prominent one.
• Considered world to be an illusion or maya.
• Established four mutts in four corners of
• Introduced the Panchayatana form of India.
worship - Ganesha, Surya, Vishnu, Shiva and
• Died young – at age of 32 years at
Devi/shakti.
Kedarnath.
All deities were different forms of the
one Brahman.

Practice Question – Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements with
reference to Adi Shankaracharya.
1. He was an advocate of Dvaita Vedanta
School of thought.
2. He considered the world around us to be
maya.
3. According to him, the best means of
attaining salvation was through intense
devotion to Vishnu.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 only
c) 3 only
d) 1 and 2 only

13
 08-07-2022

Pg: 11 – C, B, D, H, T

Rajya Sabha Rajya Sabha member’s election

• Indian Parliament bicameral in nature - 2 • Article 80 of the Constitution - provisions for

houses. members of RS.

• Rajya Sabha - upper house of the • Now - 245 members.

Parliament.
• 233 members - elected members
• Lok Sabha - Lower House of the Parliament.
• 12 members - nominated.
• Second chamber of the parliament
• Constitutional limit for Upper House strength
• Represents the states and union territories cannot exceed 250.
of the nation.
• Number of RS members a state can send
• Empowered to protect the interests of the depends on its population.
states and union territories.
• Number of elected seat changes as states
If there is an interference by the centre are merged, bifurcated or new ones are
in their work. created.

14
 08-07-2022

Process of election Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha

• RS members elected indirectly by the people. • Nominated by the President of India.

• By the Members of a state's Legislative • From the field of art, literature, science and

Assembly (MLAs). social service.

• MLAs vote in the RS elections in proportional • Vice-President ex-officio chairperson of

representation with the single transferable the RS.

vote (STV) system. • Deputy Chairman - elected from amongst the

• Each MLA’s vote is counted only once. house's members.

• To win a Rajya Sabha seat • Takes care of the day-to-day matters of the
house in the absence of the Chairman.
A candidate should get a required number
of votes.

Required vote = Total number of votes /

(Number of Rajya Sabha seats + 1 ) + 1.

Tenure of members Practice Question – Prelims

• Every Rajya Sabha MP has a tenure of six Q. Consider the following statements:
years. 1. President can nominate 20 to 25
members as Rajya Sabha members .
• Elections to one-third seats are held every
two years. 2. All Rajya Sabha members are indirectly
elected by Member of Legislative
• Section 154 of the RPA 1951
Assembly.
A member chosen to fill a casual vacancy Which of the above statements is/are
Will serve for the remainder of his
correct?
predecessor's term of office. a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2

15
 08-07-2022

Pg: 6 – Bengaluru Edition

• Villages faced problems - poverty illiteracy,

lack of skills health care etc. • A development group for the poor and

• Cannot be tackled individually marginalized.

• Solved through group efforts - Self-help • Recognized by government.

groups (SHG’s) • No formal registration.

• Vehicle of change for the poor and • An informal group

marginalized.
• No registration - Societies Act, State
cooperative Act or a partnership firm.

16
 08-07-2022

• Purpose & functions

To build functional capacity of the poor and

• Who helps to form SHGs?
the marginalized - employment & income
A educated & helpful local person
generating activities.
Tells benefits of thrift and the
Meeting - encouraged to discuss & find
advantages of forming groups.
solutions to problems of members of group.
An ‘animator’ or ‘facilitator’.
Promote small savings among their members.
Usually known to the community.
Savings are kept with the bank - common
fund.

Gives small loans to its members from its

common fund.

“Savings first - Credit later”.

17
 08-07-2022

Practice Question – Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements with
reference to Adi Shankaracharya.
1. He was an advocate of Dvaita Vedanta
School of thought.
2. He considered the world around us to be
maya.
3. According to him, the best means of
attaining salvation was through intense
devotion to Vishnu.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 only
c) 3 only
d) 1 and 2 only

Practice Question – Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements:
1. President can nominate 20 to 25
members as Rajya Sabha members .
2. All Rajya Sabha members are indirectly
elected by Member of Legislative
Assembly.
Which of the above statements is/are
correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2

18
 08-07-2022

Quiz Question – Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements:
1. Since Himalayas has basalt rocks, it
causes more landslides.
2. Western Ghats region tectonically
more stable and has less frequency of
landslides.
Which of the above statements is/are
correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2 only
d) Neither 1 nor 2

Practice Question – Mains

GS - II
Q. Advertisements influence the behaviour
of children tremendously. In lights of the
above statement given an account of the
restrictions brought to advertisements
which target the children.
Practice Questions – Answers
(150 Words, 10 Marks)
Q1. Option b – 2 only
Practice Question – Mains Q2. Option d – Neither 1 nor 2.
GS – III
Q. In principle, the GST should have no
aggregate impact on inflation and the
price level. Examine.
(150 words, 10 marks)

19