01-04-2024

01-04-2024

Table of Contents
No. Article Newspaper Syllabus

1 2023 PYQ Analysis – Ports GS - 1

2 2023 PYQ Analysis – Rivers GS - 1

3 Gold, silver regain sheen in March The Hindu GS - 3

Tropical cyclones of higher intensity demand a new category

4 The Hindu GS - 1
( 31/3/24)

5 ‘Will global forest expansion hit tribals (31/3/24) The Hindu GS - 3

Indian
6 Pointers from wheat GS - 3
Express
Other 1. Israeli strike on hospital camp in central Gaza kills 4
Articles
2. 2. The ART of India’s HIV/AIDS response

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Previous year Question

Discussion

UPSC Prelims 2023

Question 2 – Set A

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Classification of Ports in India

Major vs. Minor Ports

• Jurisdiction: Major Ports are under the

Central Government, while Minor Ports fall
under State Governments.

Legislation

• Major Ports are governed by the Indian

Ports Act, 1908, and the Major Port Trust
Act, 1963. Minor ports are managed by
state legislation or State Maritime Boards.

Tariff Regulation

Governance • Major Ports: Tariffs are regulated by the

Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP).
Major Ports: Managed by Boards of
Trustees appointed by the Government of • Minor Ports: Tariff and operational policies are

India, following directives from the central set at the state level.

government. India's Port Infrastructure

Minor Ports: Operated by State Governments • Number of Ports: 13 major ports and 200+
or specific State Maritime Boards, with non-major or intermediate ports.
similar functions to those of Major Port
• Distribution: Major ports are distributed
Trusts.
across the coastlines of India, playing crucial
roles in international trade.

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Transshipment Ports in India

• Gateway Ports Limitation: The east coast

of India lacks direct-service gateway
ports, making transshipment necessary.

• Overseas Dependence: Reliance on foreign

ports like Colombo and Singapore for
transshipment makes Indian trade less Key Transshipment Ports in Development
competitive.
• Vizhinjam International Seaport, Kerala
• Economic Impact: About 25% of India's
 Location Advantage: Near major
container cargo is transshipped through
international shipping routes.
foreign ports, increasing costs.
 Depth: Natural draft exceeding 18
meters, facilitating large vessels.

• Galathea Bay Port, Great Nicobar Island

 Capacity: Plans to handle 16 million

containers annually by 2058.

 Strategic Importance: Aims to boost

India's transshipment capabilities
significantly.

• Vallarpadam ICTT, Cochin, Kerala

 Strategic Position: Located on the

southwestern coast of India.

 Objective: To emerge as a
competitive international
transshipment hub.

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UPSC Prelims 2023

Question 1 – Set A

• Wular Lake - largest freshwater lake in

India.

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• Kolleru Lake - state of Andhra Pradesh.

• Located between Krishna and Godavari deltas.

• 15 kilometres away from the city of Eluru &

65 kilometres from Rajamahendravaram.

• River is fed by water from the Budameru and

Tammileru streams.

• Kanwar Lake - largest freshwater lake

in the state of Bihar.

• Located north-west of the town of

Begusarai.

• Formed by the meandering of the Gandak

River, a tributary of the Ganges River,
in the geological past.

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The Hindu
Pg 15

Part A—Preliminary Examination

Paper I - (200 marks)
 Current events of national and international
importance.
 Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social,
Economic Geography of India and the World.

Gold:

• Bright, slightly reddish yellow, dense, soft

malleable and ductile metal.

• Least reactive chemical elements.

• Occurs in free elemental (native) form.

• It is resistant to corrosion and to most acid

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Reserves:

• Bihar (44%) followed by Rajasthan (25%),

Karnataka (21%), West Bengal & Andhra
Pradesh (3% each) and Jharkhand (2%).

• 2% resources of ore - Chhattisgarh, Madhya

Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

• Metal content - Karnataka remained on top

followed by Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar,
Jharkhand, etc.

Trends:

• Significant deposits - South Africa, Australia,

Indonesia, Canada, Ghana, Chile, China, USA,
Russia etc.

• Imports by India - Switzerland (41 per cent)

followed by UAE (about 13 per cent) and
South Africa (about 10 per cent).

• Accounts for over 5 per cent of the country's

total imports.

• World's second-biggest gold consumer after

China.

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Practice Question – Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements with
reference to silver:
1. It exhibits highest electrical conductivity.
2. It reflects almost all wavelengths in the
visible spectrum.
3. The metal is found in the Earth's
crust as an alloy and not in the pure,
free elemental form.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3 only

The Hindu
Pg 13

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Tropical cyclones

• Violent storms - originate over oceans or

Conditions for the formation of tropical cyclones
seas in tropical areas.
• Large sea surface with temperature >27° C.
• Cyclones - tend to move over to the
coastal areas. • The Presence of the Coriolis force.

 Result - large-scale destruction. • Small variations in the vertical wind speed

in the ocean areas.
Different names
• A pre-existing weak low-pressure area or
• Cyclones - Indian Ocean
low-level-cyclonic circulation.
• Hurricanes - Atlantic
• Upper divergence above the sea level system.
• Typhoons - W Pacific & South China Sea

• Willy-willies - Western Australia

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The Hindu
Pg 16

Part A—Preliminary Examination

Paper I - (200 marks)
 Current events of national and international
importance.

Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity

Framework (GBF):

• Adopted during the 15th Conference of the

Parties of UN Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD).

• Purpose - accelerate full implementation of

the 3 objectives of the CBD in a balanced
manner.

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Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) Concern:

• The four goals are: • 3rd target - areas of particular importance

 Conserve and restore biodiversity. for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and
 Ensure sustainable use of biodiversity. services should be increased to at least 30%
 Share benefits fairly and equitably.
of the world’s terrestrial area.
 Enable transformative change.
• May limit indigenous peoples' access to natural
resources within their traditional lands.

• Divert the land for economic gains of

corporates in the name of sustainable
development.

Practice Question – Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements with
reference to “Kunming-Montreal Global
Biodiversity Framework”:
1. Under this framework, countries agreed
Solution: to protect 30% of land and water
considered important for biodiversity by
• Amendments to laws to make tribals 2030.
custodians of protected areas 2. The framework has been made legally
binding on the member countries due to
• Equal distribution of protected areas. failure of Aichi targets.
3. It is also known as the 30 by 30 Initiative.
• Addressing human rights violations within
How many of the statements given above is/are
protected areas. correct?
a) One only
b) Two only
c) All three
d) None of the above

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Indian Express
(Delhi) - Pg 10

Part B—Main Examination

PAPER-IV Practice Question – Mains

General Studies‐III : Technology, Economic GS - III
Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security
Q. Discuss why India needs 'Green
and Disaster Management.
Revolution 2.0' in the context of its
• Major Crops : Cropping Patterns in various parts of agricultural development. Analyze
the country, - Different Types of Irrigation and challenges associated and potential
Irrigation Systems; Storage, Transport and Marketing impact on sustainable agriculture and
of Agricultural Produce and Issues and Related
food security
Constraints; E-technology in the aid of farmers. (150 words, 10 marks)

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Reasons why India needs green revolution 2.0

 Declining Soil Fertility - The intensive

farming practices led to soil degradation,

Introduction marked by nutrient depletion and decreased

fertility.
• The first Green Revolution was pivotal in
transforming India's agricultural landscape,  Indian soil has only 0.4 ppm (parts per

enhancing food security, and reducing million) of soil organic carbon as against

dependence on food imports. the standard norm of 0.8ppm.

• However, the evolving demands of the  GR promoted water intensive crops which

present day call for a new wave of resulted into ground water depletion.

innovations and reforms.  Paddy consumes 2-3 times more water

than alternative crops like maize or
pulses. Every kilogram of paddy produced
in Punjab consumes about 800-1,200 litres
of water.

• GR led to the loss of biodiversity and

genetic diversity of crops, displacement of Challenges Associated with Green Revolution 2.0
indigenous crops and traditional farming
• Environmental Concerns: The intensive farming
practices.
practices have led to soil degradation,
• Production of wheat and rice doubled reduced biodiversity, and water scarcity.
after the Green Revolution,
• Climate Change: With erratic weather
• Indigenous rice types and millets, patterns, increased frequency of extreme
decreased. weather events, and rising temperatures,
agriculture is more vulnerable than ever.
• GR increased the vulnerability of crops to
pests, diseases, and climate change. • Socio-economic Issues: Smallholder farmers,
often lack access to the resources, technology,
• The monoculture of rice and wheat
and markets needed to benefit from advanced
made them more susceptible - the
agricultural practices.
brown plant hopper and the wheat
rust.

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• Technological and Knowledge Gaps: There's a • By developing crop varieties that are high-
need for innovation in sustainable farming yielding, resilient to climate change,
techniques and their widespread adoption.
 help in stabilizing food prices, thereby
potential to transform Indian agriculture into making food more accessible to the
a more sustainable and resilient sector. vulnerable sections of the society.

• By integrating advanced biotechnologies, • Rejuvenation of ecosystems : Practices such

precision agriculture, and climate-smart as crop rotation, mixed cropping, and
practices, conservation agriculture can enhance
biodiversity, improve soil health, and reduce
 enhance soil health, reduce water and
greenhouse gas emissions
decrease reliance on chemical inputs

• Incorporating digital technologies for

precision farming can empower farmers
with real-time information on weather, soil
health, and market prices, enabling them to
• Its success will require coordinated efforts
make informed decisions.
to overcome the associated challenges and
conclusion
realize its full potential.
• The Green Revolution 2.0 offers a pathway
to sustainable agriculture and food security
by addressing the limitations of the
previous revolution and adapting to the
current challenges of climate change.

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Other Articles

The Hindu The Hindu

Pg 1 Pg 8

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PRACTICE QUESTIONS
DISCUSSION

Practice Question – Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements with
reference to silver:
1. It exhibits highest electrical conductivity.
2. It reflects almost all wavelengths in the
visible spectrum.
3. The metal is found in the Earth's
crust as an alloy and not in the pure,
free elemental form.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3 only

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Practice Question – Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements with
reference to “Kunming-Montreal Global
Biodiversity Framework”:
1. Under this framework, countries agreed
to protect 30% of land and water
considered important for biodiversity by
2030.
2. The framework has been made legally
binding on the member countries due to
failure of Aichi targets.
3. It is also known as the 30 by 30 Initiative.
How many of the statements given above is/are
correct?
a) One only
b) Two only
c) All three
d) None of the above

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