15-09-2023

15-SEPTEMBER-2023

The Hindu News Analysis – 15th September 2023 – Shankar IAS Academy
S. Page Number*
News Articles
No. C B D H T
1 Rubber crisis: farmers stage stir in Delhi, seek fair price 14 16 16 12 10

2 Rubber Board to increase area under rubber in Northeast States 15 17 17 13 11

Sc Sc Sc Sc Sc
3 Does vagus nerve dysfunction have a connection with COVID-19? Pg 1 Pg 1 Pg 1 Pg 1 Pg 1
4 SC information a click away as it joins National Judicial Data Grid 13 15 15 11 9

5 Disentangling the 2030 global renewable energy target (Editorial) 10 12 10 8 6

6 PMMSY: bridging gaps in the fisheries sector 14 16 16 12 10

7 Changing the way the postman knocks (Editorial) 10 12 10 8 6

8 Prelims Practice Questions

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

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Pg: 14 – C ; Pg: 15 – C ;
Pg: 16 – B, D ; Pg: 17 – B, D ;
Pg: 12 – H ; Pg: 13 – H ;
Pg: 10 – T Pg: 11 – T

Natural Rubber

• It is a naturally occurring polymer.

Climate requirements
• Polymer - natural or synthetic substances
• Equatorial climate.
composed of very large molecules.
• Under special conditions, Rubber grows in
• Natural rubber - polymer of isoprene (2-
tropical and subtropical areas.
methyl-1,3-butadiene).

• Obtained from latex of Hevea brasiliensis.

 A tree indigenous to south America.

 Late 19th century - introduced in the

tropical belts of Asia and Africa.

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Condition required for growth of Rubber

• Rainfall

 >200 cm - well distributed.

 Moist and humid climate.

• Temperature

 Optimal - 25°C.

 Range - 20°C to 35°C.

• Soil

 Deep and well-drained soil.

 Acidic soil.

• Commercial plantation crop.

Rubber production in India Origin in India

Traditional areas • Commercial cultivation started by British.

• Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andaman • 1873 - experiment in Botanical Gardens,

and Nicobar islands and Garo hills (Meghalaya). Calcutta.

Non Traditional areas • 1902 - First commercial cultivation in

Thattekadu, Kerala.
• Goa, Maharashtra (Konkan Region), coastal
Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Tripura.

Do you Know ?

Major Rubber Producers in India

Kerala > Karnataka > Tripura > Assam

> Tamil Nadu

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The Rubber Board

Functions of the board
• Rubber (Production and Marketing) Act 1947
- Indian Rubber Board (IRB). • Development of the rubber industry.

• Rubber Production and Marketing • Assistance & encouragement - research,

(Amendment) Act 1954 - IRB was renamed development, extension & training activities
into the Rubber Board. related to rubber.

• Statutory body under the administrative • Maintenance of statistical data of rubber.

control of Ministry of Commerce and • Taking steps to promote marketing of
Industry. rubber.
• Composition - a chairman + 28 members, • Undertaking labour welfare activities.
• Headquarters - Kottayam. Kerala.

Science page
Pg: 1 – C, B, D, H, T

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Vagus Nerve

• Part of parasympathetic nervous system.

• Pair of nerve starting from the brainstem.

• Longest Cranial nerve.

• It regulates swallowing, vocalization, breathing, heart

rate, blood pressure, digestion, immune responses, and
the microbiome.

• Bidirectional nerve - facilitating communication between

the brain and the body.

• Triggering the nerve can help treat diseases.

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Applications of Vagus nerve stimulation

• Implantable vagus nerve stimulators to treat

epilepsy and depression.

• Help treat inflammation.

• Might treat migraines, polycystic ovary

syndrome, alcoholism, rheumatoid arthritis,
Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis and gut
disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease
and Crohn’s disease.

Long COVID

• Extending COVID symptoms after initial

infection.

• It can last for several weeks or months.

• Symptoms - fatigue, shortness of breath,

brain fog, chest pain, joint pain, and loss
of taste or smell.

• People with Long covid has vagus nerve

dysfunction.

 Corona virus affects Vagus nerve.

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Pg: 13 – C;
Pg: 15 – B, D;
Pg: 11 – H;
Pg: 9 – T

National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) Features

• Initiative of the e-Committee, Supreme Court. • Real time data.

• It helps to track the backlog and resolution • Categorized into civil and criminal.
of cases in Supreme Court, High Courts and
• Information warehouse.
Subordinate Courts.
Benefits
• Open source - Data available to everyone.
• Transparency.

• Will make judiciary responsible and bring

down pendency.

• Help policy makers take informed decisions.

• Efficient management of workforce.

• Accountability.

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Supreme Court Pendency of Cases

• Total pendency - 64,854 registered cases and

15,490 unregistered cases.

Practice Question – Prelims Practice Question – Prelims

Q. Consider the following facts about the pendency of Q. Consider the following statements about the
cases in India:
National Judicial Data Grid:
1. In the Supreme Court, the number of pending
civil cases exceeds that of pending criminal
1. NJDG was built as part of Phase II of the e-
cases. Courts project.
2. More cases are waiting to be heard by the 9- 2. The platform has been developed by the
judge bench than the 7-judge bench in Supreme National Informatics Centre (NIC).
Court.
3. NJDG works as a monitoring tool to
3. The Delhi High Court had the highest number of identify, manage & reduce pendency of
pending cases in India, with 10.3 Lakh cases cases.
awaiting resolution.
How many of the above mentioned
How many of the above mentioned statements are statements are correct ?
correct?
(a) Only One
(a) Only One
(b) Only Two
(b) Only Two
(c) All Three (c) All Three
(d) None (d) None

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Pg: 10 – C, D;
Pg: 12 – B;
Pg: 8 – H;
Pg: 6 – T

Tripling of renewable energy (RE)

• COP 28 - agreement on tripling of RE

• Renewable Energy - Energy from natural World data

sources.
• 2021 - Global installed capacity of
 Replenishable rate higher than usage. renewable energy sources (RES) - 3026 Giga

Reasons for Tripling of RE Watts (GW).

• Weapon to fight climate change. • Actual production from RES - 28% i.e.
leakages in production.
• Protect from geo-politics and geo-
economical shocks. • 9000 GW needed to meet the tripling of RE
target.
• Increase accessibility of rural & backward
areas.

• Fight pollution and improve livelihood.

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India specific data

• Installation capacity - 4th place globally.

• Generation capacity - 3rd place.

• India’s target - 500 GW by 2030.

• India’s need to triple the RE capacity -

717 GW of RE capacity by 2030.

Challenges and constraints

• Over dependency on hydro power.

Way forward
 Establishment is time consuming.
• Increase co-operation and inter-dependence.
• Electricity demand - not same.
• Greater investments & Technology transfers.
 Different for Developed and developing
nations. • Green skill development , Joint R&D etc.

• Absolute opaqueness of the target. • Shifting of the subsidies from non-renewables

to Renewables.
 Not considered the infrastructure of
developing nations. • Increasing investments in the RE sector.

• Non consideration of the resource constraints

of poor and developing nations.

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Practice Question – Mains

GS III
Q. “Recently, there is a worldwide buzz around
tripling of Renewable energy capacity around
the world ” – In the light of above statement,
critically examine the constraints in tripling
and suggest ways to achieve it ?
(250 words , 15 marks)

Pg: 14 – C;
Pg: 16 – B, D;
Pg: 12 – H;
Pg: 10 – T

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Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana

Fishing Sector
• Bring blue revolution in a sustainable way.
• 2.80 crores direct employment.
• Implementing agency - Department of
• Fish rich source of cheap animal protein.
Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal
• Efficiency in the sector to be addressed by Husbandry and Dairying.
Blue Revolution.
• Time period - 5 years

• Implemented in all states and UTs.

• Aim

 Holistic development of the fisheries

sector.

 Welfare of the fishers.

Objectives
• Enhancing contribution to Agriculture GVA
• Harnessing of fisheries potential in a and exports.
sustainable, responsible, inclusive and
• Social, physical and economic security for
equitable manner.
fishers and fish farmers.
• Enhancing of fish production and productivity
• Robust fisheries management and regulatory
 How? - Through expansion, intensification, framework.
diversification and productive utilization of
land and water.

• Modernizing & strengthening of value chain -

post-harvest management and quality
improvement.

• Doubling fishers and fish farmers incomes and

generation of employment.

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Components of Scheme

Sub Components of Centrally Sponsored

Scheme component

• Enhancement of Production and

Productivity.

• Infrastructure and Post-harvest

Management.

• Fisheries Management and

Regulatory Framework.

Practice Question – Prelims

Q. How many of the beneficiaries listed below
are intended beneficiaries under Pradhan
Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana?
1. Fish Farmers
2. Fish Vendors
3. Fishing cooperatives
4. State Fisheries Development Boards
Choose the correct answer using the codes
below:
(a) Only One
(b) Only Two
(c) Only Three
(d) All Four

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Pg: 10 – C, D;
Pg: 12 – B;
Pg: 8 – H;
Pg: 6 – T

The Post office bill, 2023

• Repeals the Indian Post Office Act, 1898.

 Focus on delivering citizen centric services.

• Additional powers to intercept shipments.
Important provisions
 Before - carried out by the central
• Enhancing the power of Director General of
government, state governments, or any
Postal Services.
officer specially authorised by them.
 Before - powers only to decide the time and
 Grounds - occurrence of any public
manner of delivery of postal services.
emergency, or in the interest of
 Now - he can make regulations regarding public safety or tranquility.
fixing charges for postal services.

 Make regulations on supply and sale of

postage stamps and postal stationery.

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• Provides standards for addressing on the

 Now - specific grounds items, address identifiers and usage of post
codes.
 Security of the state,
 Boost India’s digital addressing vision.
 Friendly relations with foreign states,

 Public order, emergency, or public

safety, and

 Contravention of the provisions of the

Bill or any other law.

 Interception - it will be carried out by

an officer empowered by the central
government through a notification.

• Done away with provision of “exclusive

privilege” to the central government. Practice Question – Mains
 Before - wherever the central government GS – II
establishes posts, it will have the exclusive
Q. Highlight the changes that the Post
privilege of conveying letters by post & Office Bill of 2023 aims to bring about.
incidental services. How can Postal Services in India be made
 Now - Post Office will have the exclusive
more effective?
privilege of issuing postage stamps. (150 words, 10 marks)

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Practice Question – Prelims

Q. Consider the following facts about the pendency of
cases in India:
1. In the Supreme Court, the number of pending
civil cases exceeds that of pending criminal
cases.
2. More cases are waiting to be heard by the 9-
judge bench than the 7-judge bench in Supreme
Court.
3. The Delhi High Court had the highest number of
pending cases in India, with 10.3 Lakh cases
awaiting resolution.
How many of the above mentioned statements are
correct?
(a) Only One
(b) Only Two
(c) All Three
(d) None

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Practice Question – Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements about the
National Judicial Data Grid:
1. NJDG was built as part of Phase II of the e-
Courts project.
2. The platform has been developed by the
National Informatics Centre (NIC).
3. NJDG works as a monitoring tool to
identify, manage & reduce pendency of
cases.
How many of the above mentioned
statements are correct ?
(a) Only One
(b) Only Two
(c) All Three
(d) None

Quiz of the day – 15-09-2023

Q. How many of the beneficiaries listed below
are intended beneficiaries under Pradhan
Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana?
1. Fish Farmers
2. Fish Vendors
3. Fishing cooperatives
4. State Fisheries Development Boards
Choose the correct answer using the codes
below:
(a) Only One
(b) Only Two
(c) Only Three
(d) All Four

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Practice Question – Mains Practice Question – Mains

GS – II
Q. Highlight the changes that the Post Office
Bill of 2023 aims to bring about. How can
Postal Services in India be made more
effective?
(150 words, 10 marks)
GS – II
Q. Highlight the changes that the Post Office
Bill of 2023 aims to bring about. How can
Postal Services in India be made more
effective?
(150 words, 10 marks)

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