Prelims Exclusive Handouts (PEH)

IAS Exam Congress

PEH Series
for
CS (Prelims) - 24

Introduction:
“Prelims Exclusive Handouts’’ (PEH) is a set of 12 pdfs compiled by Team IASEC for our PRIME
members but these are now open to all. These 06-10 page documents are just the plain compilation of all the
CSE – prelims relevant affairs/content/events of a given month in the most condensed form possible.
One may rely completely on these pdfs along with i-Connect series (that gives more contemporary and
thematic coverage) or PT-365 (Vision IAS). Lastly, reading the newspaper should not be discontinued as it has
its own utility especially for mains.
Best wishes 🙏

JULY-2023

July-23 1 @iasexamcongress
 Prelims Exclusive Handouts (PEH)
1. India Stack
● India Stack is a set of APIs (Application programming interface) that allows
governments, businesses, startups and developers to utilize a unique digital
Infrastructure to solve India’s hard problems towards presence-less, paperless and
cashless service delivery.
● It is a government-led initiative that focuses on building a robust digital infrastructure
to enable various digital services .
● Aims to streamline and enhance identity verification, data exchange, and digital
payment processes to make them more accessible and efficient for citizens.
● The key components of INDIA STACK include Aadhaar (unique biometric-based
identification system), Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for instant digital payments,
and Digital Locker for secure storage of personal documents.

2. Zero FIR
● Zero FIR is an FIR that can be registered by any police station, irrespective of
jurisdiction, when it receives a complaint regarding a cognisable offence.
● No regular FIR number is assigned at this stage. After receiving the Zero FIR, the
revenant police station registers a fresh FIR and starts the investigation.
● It is meant to help victims of serious crimes, especially women and children, to lodge
a complaint quickly and conveniently, without having to go from one police station to
another.
● READMORE:https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/everyday-explainers/what-
is-zero-fir-why-it-is-registered-8854310/

3. Intellectual Property Rights Policy Management Framework:

July-23 2 @iasexamcongress
 Prelims Exclusive Handouts (PEH)

● The framework was launched in the form of National IPR (Intellectual Property Rights)
Policy 2016 encompassing all IPRs into a single vision document setting in place an
institutional mechanism for implementation, monitoring and review of IP laws.
● IPR are the rights given to persons over the creation of their minds. They usually give
the creator an exclusive right over the use of his/her creation for a certain period of
time.

July-23 3 @iasexamcongress
 Prelims Exclusive Handouts (PEH)
4. Flue gas:
• It is the emitted material produced when fossil fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas,
or wood are burned for heat or power.
• It contain pollutants such as particulates, sulfur dioxide, mercury, and carbon
dioxide. Most flue gas, however, consists of nitrogen oxides.
• Devices such as electrostatic precipitators and scrubbers, can successfully remove
90 percent or more of certain pollutants.

5. Namda Art
● Namda Art began in the 16th century when mughal emperor Akbar desired protective
coverings for his horses.
● It was introduced to Kashmir by Sufi saint Shah-e-Hamdan.
● Namda is a type of traditional Kashmiri felted carpet made using
sheep wool.
● Each layer is sprinkled with water and pressed using a tool
called a ‘pinjra’ (woven willow wicker).
● Kashmir has also been seeking GI registration for various
products, including Kashmir Namda and Gabba (two types of
Valley-specific woollen rugs) (besides Wagguv (mat made of
reed and paddy straw), Shikara and Kashmir Willow bat).

6. Corporate Debt Market Development Fund (CDMDF)

● The CDMDF is an alternative investment fund established to address the needs of the
corporate debt market in India and it will be launched as a close-ended scheme.
● It serves as a backstop facility for investment grade corporate debt securities,
providing stability and enhancing investor confidence in the market.
● CDMDF provides a backstop facility of Rs 33,000 crore has been established for Mutual
Funds. The government will contribute Rs 30,000 crore and the Asset Management
Companies will provide the remaining Rs 3,000 crore.
● It aims to enhance secondary market liquidity by creating a permanent institutional
framework that can be activated during periods of market stress.
● ReadMore:https://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/govt-clears-
guarantee-scheme-for-corporate-debt-sebi-issues-guidelines-8864175/

7. Full-Reserve Banking V/s Fractional-Reserve Banking

● Full-reserve banking: Banks are strictly prohibited from lending out demand deposits
received from customers reducing the risk of bank runs. Instead, they must always
hold 100% of these deposits in their vaults, acting merely as custodians.
● Banks serve as safe keepers of depositors’ money, charging fees for this service.
● Banks can only lend money received as time deposits.
● Fractional-Reserve Banking: Fractional-reserve banking system, currently in practice,
allows banks to lend more money than the cash they hold in their vaults. This system
relies heavily on electronic money for lending.
● Bank runs are a potential risk if many depositors simultaneously demand cash.
However, central banks can provide emergency cash to avert immediate crises.
● READMORE:https://www.thehindu.com/specials/text-and-context/full-reserve-
banking-where-banks-act-solely-as-custodians-of-customers-
money/article67121146.ece

July-23 4 @iasexamcongress
 Prelims Exclusive Handouts (PEH)
8. Gallium and Germanium
● Context: China has recently announced that it will impose export controls on gallium
and germanium, which are essential for semiconductor manufacturing.
● Germanium is particularly useful in space technologies such as solar cells because it is
more resistant to cosmic radiation than silicon.
● It is used in semiconductors to improve things like electron flow and thermal
conductivity.
● As for gallium, 95% of it is used in a material called gallium arsenide.
● These are used in blue and violet LEDs and microwave devices.
● Gallium nitride is used in semiconductors in components for things like electric
vehicles, sensors, high-end radio communications, LEDs and Blu-Ray players.
● ReadMore-https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/how-to/germanium-and-
gallium-what-are-they-used-for-here-are-some-facts-about-these-high-tech-
strategic-materials/articleshow/101503589.cms?from=mdr

9. Microplastics and gut microbiome

● The gut micro biota
plays an important role
in nutrient and mineral
absorption, synthesis
of enzymes, vitamins
and amino acids.
● Microplastics are less
than 5mm
● Accumulation of
microplastic in the
gut, changes in the
mucus layer.
● The severity of the
impact is proportional
to the concentration
and particle shape of
microplastics.

10. Methane rich groundwater in Arctic

● Context: As global warming drives
glaciers to retreat, methane-rich
groundwater springs are punching
through the surface in the Arctic
● The release of methane from glacial
groundwater springs is anticipated to rise
as global warming continues and glaciers
continue to recede, increasing the risk
and consequences of these emissions.
● The presence of methane near shale
rocks suggests a geologic or thermogenic source of gas that moves upward through
fractures in the rocks and accumulates beneath the glacier.
● ReadMore-https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/climate-change-
unveils-new-methane-source-groundwater-springs-of-norway-90427

July-23 5 @iasexamcongress
 Prelims Exclusive Handouts (PEH)
11. Deep Sea Mining
● Deep sea mining involves removing
mineral deposits and metals from
the ocean’s seabed.
● There are 3 types of such mining:
1. Taking deposit - rich
polymetallic nodules off the
ocean floor
2. Mining massive seafloor
sulphide deposits
3. Stripping cobalt crusts from
rock
● Despite the risks to ocean ecosystems, the Pacific Island nation of Nauru plans to
start deep-sea mining, invoking a two-year rule as a part of the UN Convention on Law
of the Seas (UNCLOS).
● The “two-year rule” clause of the UNCLOS requires the ISA to put in place the
governance infrastructure – the rules, regulations, and procedures governing the
contours of deep-sea mining within two years of approval.
● ReadMore-https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/what-
deep-sea-mining-permits-implications-8698411/

12. PM-PRANAM
● PM-PRANAM stands for PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness, Nourishment and
Amelioration of Mother Earth.
● The scheme aims to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers by incentivizing states to
adopt alternative fertilizers.
● Encourage the balanced use of fertilizers in conjunction with biofertilizers and organic
fertilizers.
● The scheme will be financed by the savings of existing fertilizer subsidies under schemes
run by the Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers.
● There will be no separate budget for the PM-PRANAM scheme.

13. National Multidimensional Poverty Index

● Context: Recently, NITI Aayog has released the Report “National Multidimensional
Poverty Index: A Progress Review 2023”, claiming that a significant number of people
have come out of multidimensional poverty in India.
● The MPI seeks to measure Poverty across its multiple dimensions and in effect
complements existing poverty statistics based on per capita consumption expenditure.
● About 135.5 million (13.5 crore) persons have exited poverty between 2015-16 and 2019-
21.
● Rural areas saw a faster reduction in their MPI value, compared to urban areas.
● The incidence of poverty fell from 32.59% to 19.28% in rural areas compared to a decline
from 8.65% to 5.27% in urban areas between 2015-16 and 2019-21.
● Nearly 3.43 crore people escaped poverty in Uttar Pradesh, registering the largest
decline among the 36 States and Union Territories.

July-23 6 @iasexamcongress
 Prelims Exclusive Handouts (PEH)

14. STARFIRE:
● Simulation of Terrestrial Radio Frequency Interference in orbits around Earth
(STARFIRE) is an advanced algorithm developed to estimate and map unwanted RFI
signals in space.

July-23 7 @iasexamcongress
 Prelims Exclusive Handouts (PEH)

15. Objects in Space:

16. Hierarchical Double Network of Polymers:

● Hierarchical Double Networks of Polymers are a type of interpenetrating polymer
networks (IPNs).
● IPNs are soft matter systems that combine different polymer networks to optimize
various properties.
● IPNs have potential applications in fields like smart windows and sensors.
● Hierarchical Double Networks combine rigid and soft networks to achieve desired
thermal, electrical and optical properties.
● They can be tailored to specific requirements such as mechanical, optical and
electrical properties.

July-23 8 @iasexamcongress
 Prelims Exclusive Handouts (PEH)
17. Rubber Cultivation India:
• Natural rubber is a polymer of isoprene, an
organic compound.

18. Seagrass Meadows:

● Context: Scuba divers in Northern Germany are extracting seagrass shoots to replant
in barren areas, aiming to combat climate change and revive these ocean carbon sinks.
● Seagrass meadows are composed of flowering plants that grow in shallow coastal
waters, forming dense underwater carpets that can cover large areas
● They thrive in areas where sunlight can penetrate the water, allowing them to undergo
photosynthesis for growth.
● They typically grow in sandy or muddy substrates, where their roots can take hold and
stabilize the plant.
● In India, the major seagrass beds exist along the coastline of Gulf of Munnar and Palk
Bay regions on the east coast, Gulf of Kachchh region on the west coast, the lagoons
of islands in Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea and Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the
Bay of Bengal.

July-23 9 @iasexamcongress
 Prelims Exclusive Handouts (PEH)
19. Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary:
● Located in the Northern part of Goa near Valpoi town. Encompasses picturesque
waterfalls, including Vazra Sakla Falls and Virdi Falls.
● Mhadei River, a lifeline of Goa, originates in Karnataka, passes through the sanctuary,
and meets the Arabian Sea at Panaji.
● Known for its nesting grounds of critically endangered Long-billed vultures near Vazra
Falls.
● Diverse landscape with thick moist deciduous forests and some evergreen species.
Notable for sacred groves protecting rare and indigenous trees.
● Rich biodiversity with Indian gaur, Tigers, Barking deer, Sambar deer, Wild boar,
Indian hare, and more.
● Attracts herpetologists due to the presence of various snakes, including the ‘big four’
venomous snakes which are Indian krait, Russell’s viper, Sawscaled viper and
Spectacled cobra.
● Designated an International Bird Area for hosting several bird species like Malabar
parakeet and Rufous babbler.
● Represents a crucial habitat for tiger conservation in Goa.

20. Ludwigia peruviana:

● Context: An Invasive weed called Ludwigia peruviana is posing a significant threat to
elephant habitats and foraging areas in Valparai, Tamil Nadu
● Ludwigia Peruviana also known as primrose willow is originally native to Central and
South America.
● It is an aquatic plant that was likely introduced as an ornamental species due to its
attractive pale yellowish flowers.
● However, its introduction to new regions has resulted in it becoming an invasive weed,
causing ecological disruptions in various swampy areas worldwide.

21. Saltpan Workers of Little Rann of Kutch:

● Commonly known as Agariyas
● Koli, Sandhi, and Miyana communities
residing in villages around the Little
Rann of Kutch in North Gujarat, Kutch
and Saurashtra regions are dependent
on salt cultivation in the area called
Saltpan workers.
● They are engaged in the profession
for 600-700 years, dating back to the
British rule.

July-23 10 @iasexamcongress
 Prelims Exclusive Handouts (PEH)
22. Silvopasture system:
● Silvopasture is an ancient and proven practice that harmoniously integrates trees,
forage and livestock on the same land.
● Benefits of Silvopasture system:
● Trees in silvopasture act as potent natural carbon sinks, capturing five to ten
times more carbon than treeless pastures, without compromising productivity.
● It also regulates local climatic conditions, buffering against temperature and wind
extremes, providing a favourable living environment for livestock.
● Trees in silvopasture aid nutrient cycling enhance soil stability and quality, and
combat erosion through their extensive root systems. Silvopasture is a sustainable
land-use practice that can improve the health and productivity of the land over
the long term.
● ReadMore:https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-
sciences/silvopastoral-systems

23. India’s Only Ape Species: The Hoolock Gibbon

● Context: The conservation status of India’s sole ape
species, the hoolock gibbon, has become a pressing
global concern.
● Gibbons, known as the smallest and fastest of all apes,
inhabit tropical and subtropical forests in Southeast
Asia.
● They have high intelligence, distinct personalities and
strong family bonds similar to other apes.
● They are found in forested areas of Northeast India,
Bangladesh, Myanmar and Southern China.
● Two distinct hoolock gibbon species are found in India’s
north eastern region, the eastern hoolock gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys) and the
western hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock).
● Gibbon populations and their habitats have significantly declined over the past
century, leaving small populations restricted to tropical rainforests.
● IUCN: Western Hoolock Gibbon: Endangered
● Eastern Hoolock Gibbon: Vulnerable.
● Wildlife protection Act 1972: Schedule 1

24. Silver Cockscomb

● Silver cockscomb, also known as lagos spinach, is a
troublesome weed that can spread rapidly and hinder the
growth of other crops.
● However, the Soliga tribe in Karnataka’s Chamarajanagara
district considers it a nutritious leafy green vegetable,
using it in traditional dishes like massanne and ullsoppu
sambar.
● Silver cockscomb has beneficial properties, including
antibacterial activity, high nutrient content (vitamin E,
calcium and iron), and lower levels of harmful substances
like oxalic acid and phytic acid.

July-23 11 @iasexamcongress
 Prelims Exclusive Handouts (PEH)
● These weeds prevalent in regions like South and Southeast Asia, Latin America and
parts of the US and Australia has been used by communities worldwide for medicinal
purposes and as a wild vegetable and fodder.

25. Tankai Method

● Context: The Ministry of Culture and the Indian Navy sign a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) to revive the ancient, stitched shipbuilding method (Tankai
method).
● The ‘stitched shipbuilding method’ is a traditional boat building technique that
involves sewing the planks of a boat together with cord or wire instead of using nails
or screws.
● This method is still used in some parts of the world for building small boats. It is a
2000-year-old technique of shipbuilding known as the ‘stitched shipbuilding method’

26. Gambusia Fish

● Context: The Andhra Pradesh government’s recent release of approximately 10 million
Gambusia fish, also known as Mosquito fish, into the state’s water bodies to combat
mosquito-borne diseases.
● The Gambusia fish, native to the southeastern United States, can consume 100 to 300
mosquito larvae per day.
● While the fish is widely used as a biological agent to control mosquito larvae, its
introduction as an invasive alien species raises questions about its effectiveness and
unintended consequences.
● International Union for Conservation of Nature declare Gambusia one of the 100 worst
invasive alien species in the world. Multiple countries, including India have also listed
Gambusia as invasive species.

27. Places in news

1. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
2. Kaas plateau
3. Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary
4. Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime route
5. Guam Islands

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Compiled by TEAM IASEC for @iasexamcongress.

July-23 12 @iasexamcongress