DELIMITATION
In News, why?
Many politicians in the Southern States are protesting the population-based constituency delineation, which they view as unfair. Despite their effectiveness in reducing population growth, Southern states who adopted population control programmes today face significant drawbacks.
What exactly is delimitation?
About:
The act or procedure of establishing the limits or borders of geographical constituencies in a nation or province with a legislative body is known as delimitation. The Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assembly have distinct delimitations than local bodies.
In 1952, the Delimitation Commission Act was passed.
The President of India appoints the Delimitation Commission, which operates throughout
participation in a joint effort with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Delimitation Commissions were established in 1952, 1963, 1973, and 2002, respectively.
according to the 1952, 1962, 1972, and 2002 Acts.
In 1950–1951, the President conducted the first delimitation exercise with the assistance of the Election Commission.
History:
On the basis of the 1971 census, the latest delimitation procedure that altered the state-by-state makeup of the Lok Sabha was finished in 1976. According to the Indian Constitution, the Lok Sabha’s seat distribution must take into account the population of each state to ensure that the proportion of seats to people is as similar as practicable across all states. It is meant to guarantee that every voter’s vote, regardless of where they reside, roughly equal weight. However, this clause could result in states with more seats in Parliament having little interest in population management. The 42nd Amendment Act of 1976, which altered the Constitution, frozen the distribution of Lok Sabha seats to the states and the division of each state into territorial constituencies until the year 2000 at the 1971 level. According to the population estimates from the 1991 census, the 84th Amendment Act of 2001 gave the government the authority to rebalance and rationalise the geographical constituencies in the states. The 87th Amendment Act of 2003 allowed for constituency delineation based on the 2001 census rather than the 1991 census. However, this is possible without changing the number of Lok Sabha seats assigned to each state.
Need:
to ensure that all population segments are equally represented.
fair allocation of geographic areas to prevent election advantages for one political party over another.
should adhere to the “One Vote, One Value” premise.
Provisions of the Constitution:
After each Census, the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act in accordance with Article 82. States are additionally divided into geographical constituencies under Article 170 in accordance with every Census, a Delimitation Act is passed.
What worries do people have about delimitation?
Regional Inequality
Population disparity between the northern and southern parts of India in terms of representation in the Lok Sabha. Delimitation merely based on population disregards the gains made in population management by the southern states and could result in differences in the federal organisation. The southern states make up 18% of the nation’s population, yet contribute 35% to the GDP of the nation. Due to their stronger population increase, the northern states, who did not prioritise population management, are anticipated to gain from the delimitation process.
Insufficient Funding
Concerns were expressed about southern states losing cash and seats in parliament when the 15th Finance Commission utilised the 2011 Census as the foundation for its recommendation. The premise for prior spending and tax devolution recommendations to states was the 1971 Census.
Having an impact on reservations for SCs/STs:
The planned redistricting and seat reallocation could lead to an increase in power for political parties with their bases of support in the north as well as a loss of seats for southern states. This can result in a transfer of power away from the south and towards the north. The distribution of seats under Articles 330 and 332 designated for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) in each state would also be impacted by the exercise.
The Delimitation Commission is what?
Appointment:
The Election Commission of India collaborates with the Commission, which is appointed by the Indian President.
Composition:
former Supreme Court justice
chief electoral officer
responsible state election officials
Functions:
to set up the boundaries and number of constituencies so that the population of each is roughly equal. to identify the places where seats designated for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are located.
Powers:
If there is a disagreement between the opinions of two or more Commission members, the majority view is taken into account. In India, the Delimitation Commission is a powerful organisation whose decisions are binding and cannot be challenged in court.
Way ahead
The 2031 Census should be used to redraw constituency borders, and a delimitation commission should be established. Additionally, a State Reorganisation Act should be passed to divide states into smaller ones in accordance with the Delimitation Commission’s recommendations on population. Since the last delimitation exercise, India’s population has increased significantly, underscoring the urgency of addressing the inequality in political representation that has resulted. Other criteria, such as development indicators, human development indices, and efforts to implement family planning programmes, should be taken into consideration rather than just using population as the basis for delimitation. In doing so, states’ needs and accomplishments would be represented in a more thorough and equitable manner. States that have successfully implemented family planning initiatives ought to be commended and given incentives for their efforts. A more impartial strategy should be incorporated into the rules for the devolution of funding. The proposed merging municipalities’ population growth and growth potential were used as factors for the delimitation procedure.
Questions from the previous year’s UPSC Civil Services Exam (PYQs)
- Consider the following remarks in relation to the Delimitation Commission: (2012)
- The Delimitation Commission’s orders cannot be contested in a court of law.
- The Lok Sabha or State Legislative Assembly cannot modify the Delimitation Commission’s directives once they have been put before them.
Which of the aforementioned statements is true?
(a) 1 alone
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 2 together
None of 1 or 2 (d)
Ans: (c)
Origin: TH
INDIAN SUPPORT FOR UN PEACEKEEPING
In News, why?
The UN General Assembly declared May 29 as the 75th International Day of UN Peacekeepers, and the Indian Army recently observed it at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.
‘Peace begins with me’ is the theme for 2023.
As the anniversary of the first UN peacekeeping (UNPK) deployment in 1948, this day is significant. In addition, as part of its cooperation with ASEAN in the defence sector, India announced plans to carry out two programmes later in 2023, specifically tailored to train women personnel from South East Asia.
What is the India-ASEAN Women in UNPK Operations Initiative?
A joint initiative between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to encourage women’s participation in UNPK operations is known as the “India-ASEAN Initiative for women in UNPK operations.” The goal of this programme is to support and train women from ASEAN member states who are interested in working as peacekeepers. India has made two particular announcements under this initiative:
The Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK) in New Delhi offers specialised courses. Women peacekeepers from ASEAN nations will receive specialised training in peacekeeping operations through these courses.
The objective is to give them the abilities and information needed to effectively support UNPK missions.
Tabletop exercise for female ASEAN officers. By simulating numerous situations and difficulties experienced by UN peacekeepers, this exercise will help participants better comprehend and prepare for UNPK missions.
UN peacekeeping: What is it?
About:
The United Nations uses UN peacekeeping as a crucial tool to assist nations in transitioning from war to peace. It entails sending military, police, and civilian people to areas plagued by armed conflicts or unstable political systems. Protecting civilians, promoting peace and security, and assisting in the restoration of stable governmental systems are the main goals of UN peacekeeping. In an endeavour to uphold global peace and security, it brings together the UN General Assembly, UN Security Council, Secretariat, troop and police contributors, and the host states.
Initial Mission:
When the UN Security Council gave the go-ahead to send military observers to the Middle East to help establish the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) to keep an eye on the Armistice Agreement between Israel and its Arab neighbours in May 1948, the first UN peacekeeping mission was established.
Mandates:
Although the requirements differ from operation to operation, they often involve all or some of the following components:
keeping an eye on security arrangements, peace accords, and cease-fires.
safeguarding citizens, particularly those at danger of physical harm.
promoting political healing, political discourse, and election support.
establishing security institutions, the rule of law, and human rights advocacy.
supplying relief to the needy, assisting with refugee reintegration, and encouraging
sustainable environmental practises.
Principles:
Accord between the Parties:
The primary parties to the conflict must agree on peacekeeping operations. Without permission, a peacekeeping operation runs the risk of joining the conflict and straying from its mandate.
Impartiality:
In their interactions with the conflicting parties, peacekeepers should act impartially. Peacekeepers should actively carry out their role and maintain international rules; impartiality does not equate to neutrality.
Non-use of Force, unless necessary for self-defense or to uphold the mandate:
Force should not be used in peacekeeping missions unless it is required for self-defense or to uphold their mandate. With the approval of the Security Council, the host country’s assent, and the agreement of all parties involved, “robust” peacekeeping permits the use of force.
Achievements:
UN Peacekeeping has been instrumental in putting an end to wars and fostering peace in many nations since its founding in 1948. There have been successful peacekeeping operations in nations including Cambodia, El Salvador, Mozambique, and Namibia. The restoration of stability, facilitation of the shift to democratic rule, and promotion of economic development have all benefited from these activities.
What role does India play in UN peacekeeping?
Troop Participation
India has a long history of supporting UN peacekeeping missions. It is one of the nations that supplies the most troops, and it has a history of sending soldiers, medical workers, and engineers to different peacekeeping missions all around the world. Up to now, India has sent almost 2,75,000 soldiers on peacekeeping missions.
Casualties:
With 179 soldiers dying in the line of duty, Indian Army soldiers serving in UN peacekeeping missions have made enormous sacrifices.
Infrastructure and infrastructure:
The Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK) has been created in New Delhi by the Indian Army. This centre hosts national and international courses for future peacekeepers and trainers and offers specialised training for more than 12,000 personnel annually in peacekeeping operations. CUNPK is essential for exchanging best practises and boosting peacekeepers’ capabilities.
Female Peacekeepers:
In order to advance gender equality in peacekeeping operations, India has taken aggressive initiatives.
India has sent Female Engagement Teams, the second-largest deployment of women after Liberia, to the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei. India has also sent female staff officers, military observers, and women military police to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, among other operations.
Origin: TH
HOTSPOTS FOR HUNGER: FAO-WFP
In News, why?
India’s neighbours, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Myanmar are among the world’s hunger hotspots, according to a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) titled Hunger Hotspots – FAO-WFP early warnings on acute food insecurity.
What are the Report’s Highlights?
Hot Spots of Extreme Concern
Acute Food Insecurity may get worse and spread to more places in 18 of the 22 countries. Hotspots that warrant extreme worry include Pakistan, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Syrian Arab Republic. A significant portion of the population in each of these hotspots is suffering from acute food insecurity, and the conditions are anticipated to get worse in the next months due to deteriorating driving conditions.
Highest Concern Level Countries:
At the highest worry level, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen continue to be. Due to severe limitations on the movement of people and products in Haiti as well as in Burkina Faso and Mali, as well as the recent escalation of Conflict in Sudan, Haiti, the Sahel (Burkina Faso and Mali), and the Sudan have been moved to the highest worry categories.
Expected to Experience Hunger:
Given that they already have extreme food insecurity and are dealing with significant aggravating factors, all of the hotspots at the highest level include populations that are either expected to face famine or who are at risk of deteriorating towards catastrophic conditions.
Fresh, upcoming conflicts:
A number of nearby nations will likely be impacted by new emergent conflicts, which will likely influence global conflict trends. People in various hunger hotspots continue to experience catastrophically high levels of acute food insecurity as a result of the use of explosive ordnance and siege tactics.
Extreme weather:
In some nations and regions, weather extremes such torrential downpours, tropical storms, cyclones, flooding, drought, and increased climatic variability continue to be major factors. El Nio conditions are likely to begin in the May–July 2023 timeframe, according to the May 2023 forecast, with substantial ramifications for certain areas that are particularly vulnerable to hunger.
monetary shocks
Low- and middle-income countries continue to slide deeper into catastrophe as a result of escalating economic shocks.
What suggestions are made?
In areas where severe hunger is at a high risk of getting worse from June to November 2023, immediate humanitarian intervention is required to save lives, preserve livelihoods, and avoid starvation and death. Forecasts and their effects on output must be continually monitored. All 18 hunger hotspots need immediate and stepped-up help to safeguard livelihoods and improve access to food. To prevent acute food insecurity and malnutrition from getting any worse, this is crucial. Humanitarian efforts are essential in preventing more famine and death in the areas of greatest concern.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation defines itself as.
About:
The FAO is a specialised agency of the UN that directs global initiatives to end hunger. Every year on October 16th, people all over the world commemorate World Food Day. The anniversary of the FAO’s inception in 1945 is commemorated on this day. One of the UN’s agencies for food assistance, it is situated in Rome, Italy. The World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) are its sister organisations.
Taking Initiatives:
Systems of Agricultural Heritage of Global Importance (GIAHS).
keeps an eye on the Desert Locust situation worldwide. The entity in charge of overseeing the joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme’s implementation is the Codex Alimentarius Commission, or CAC. The FAO Conference’s Thirty-First Session adopted the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in 2001.
prestigious publications
The State of World Aquaculture and Fisheries (SOFIA).
The SOFO, or State of the World’s Forests.
The Global Status of Food Security and Nutrition (SOFI).
The SOFA, or State of Food and Agriculture.
The State of Commodity Markets for Agriculture (SOCO).
The World Food Programme: What Is It?
The WFP is the top humanitarian organisation, saving lives and transforming lives by providing food aid in times of need and collaborating with local communities to improve nutrition and foster resilience. Its headquarters are in Rome, Italy, and it was established in 1961 by the FAO and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Additionally, it is a part of the UNSDG, a coalition of UN agencies and organisations working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By 2030, the global community has pledged to eradicate hunger, ensure food security, and enhance nutrition. WFP works in more than 120 nations and territories to provide food that can save lives to those who have been uprooted by conflict or made poor by natural catastrophes.
Questions from the previous year’s UPSC Civil Services Exam (PYQ)
- Traditional agricultural systems have been given the designation of “Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS)” by the FAO. What is the initiative’s main objective? (2016)
- To help local communities of GIAHS be identified with new technology, instruction in contemporary farming practises, and financial support in order to significantly increase their agricultural productivity.
- to locate and protect environmentally benign traditional farming methods, as well as the landscapes, agricultural biodiversity, and indigenous knowledge systems that they are connected with.
- To grant Geographical Indication designation to all agricultural produce kinds in such
recognised GIAHS.
Using the code below, choose the right response:
(a) Only 1 and 3
(b) 2 only
just (c) 2 and 3
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (b)
Author: DTE
MAINTAINING LOANS
In News, why?
In a recent speech to bank boards, the governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised worry over banks’ too aggressive expansion strategy and evergreening of loans. The governor highlighted examples of hiding the true situation of stressed loans and emphasised the necessity for strong corporate governance.
What does loan “evergreening” entail?
About:
Providing fresh or additional loans to a borrower who is unable to repay the existing debts is a practise known as “evergreening loans,” which hides the true condition of non-performing assets (NPAs) or bad loans.
Various Evergreening Loan Approaches
Trading loans or debt instruments back and forth between two lenders helps keep them out of the NPA category. convincing credit-worthy borrowers to sign structured agreements with distressed borrowers in order to conceal their default. the modification of borrowers’ repayment responsibilities through the use of internal or office accounts. extending or making new loans available to troubled debtors or affiliated companies around the due date of older loans.
Impact:
Evergreening loans can postpone the identification and resolution of stressed assets and give a deceptive image of the asset quality and profitability of banks. Additionally, it may weaken borrower moral hazard and credit discipline while undermining depositor, investor, and regulatory confidence.
A non-performing asset is what?
Loans or advances that are in default or are behind on planned principal or interest payments are categorised as NPAs. Based on the length of time an asset has been non-performing and the realizability of the debt, banks are required to further categorise non-performing assets into the following three groups:
Assets designated as NPA for a period of less than or equal to 12 months are considered poor assets.
Assets that have been nonperforming for longer than a year are considered questionable assets.
Assets that need to be completely written off because they are uncollectible, have little to no chance of recovery, and are therefore considered loss assets.
Evergreening vs. Loan Forgiveness:
After making sufficient provisions for them, banks remove problematic loans from their books through the process of loan write-offs. Loan write-offs do not relieve borrowers of their repayment obligations or result in a halt to the banks’ efforts to collect from them. Writing down loans helps banks’ balance sheets reflect their underlying financial situation. In the last five years, banks have been managed to cut their non-performing assets, or defaulted loans, by Rs 10,09,510 crore ($123.86 billion).
While disguising the true state of the non-performing assets (NPAs) or bad loans, the practise of “evergreening” loans involves giving new or additional loans to borrowers who are unable to repay the previous debts.
RBI initiatives:
The RBI has advised banks to avoid too aggressive expansion strategies, underpriced or overpriced products, concentration in one area of deposit or credit, or a lack of diversity in these areas, since these actions can expose them to greater risks and vulnerabilities. The development of an asset reconstruction company (ARC), regulatory forbearance, the resolution framework, and the provision of liquidity support are just a few of the additional initiatives the RBI has put in place to assist the banking industry. The RBI has emphasised that if banks do not enhance their risk management and governance practises, these measures alone will not be sufficient. The RBI has fined several banks for breaking numerous rules pertaining to KYC (Know Your consumer), consumer complaints, fraud reporting, etc. The RBI has also taken supervisory action against some significant private sector banks due to governance issues.
A specialist financial company known as an Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC) focuses in acquiring and resolving non-performing assets (NPAs) of banks and other financial institutions. In India, ARCs were first implemented in the late 1990s in an effort to address the growing NPA issue in the banking industry.
What Controls Can Be Used to Prevent Loan Evergreening?
Enhanced Risk Assessment: To effectively analyse borrowers’ creditworthiness, financial institutions should use strong risk assessment procedures. This entails performing in-depth due diligence, examining the borrower’s ability to repay, and evaluating the feasibility of the borrower’s business plan. Lenders can prevent the necessity for evergreening loans by precisely recognising possible problems. Transparency is essential for avoiding loans from being renewed indefinitely. Lenders must promptly and accurately provide information about their loan portfolios, including details about loan restructuring and non-performing loans (NPLs). Regulators, investors, and other stakeholders can evaluate the financial health of banks and spot any potential evergreening practises thanks to clear and transparent disclosure standards.
Asset-liability Management: The significance of asset-liability management (ALM) must be emphasised. ALM entails evaluating and keeping track of potential risks related to the maturity mismatch between assets and obligations, interest rate swings, and other market hazards. In order to refute any false information or rumours on social media that can cause panic among depositors, banks have been encouraged to quickly engage with the media.
ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) Norms: As ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) Norms become more important to investors and stakeholders, banks must abide by them. Banks should use ethical business practises, report on their ESG performance, and link their lending practises with regional, national, and global objectives for social welfare and combating climate change. ESG objectives are a collection of requirements for business operations that compel organisations to adhere to greater governance, moral behaviour, eco-friendly practises, and social responsibility.
P J Nayak Committee’s recommendations:
Wherever significant evergreening in a bank is discovered by the RBI, penalties should be imposed through cancellation of unvested stock options and claw-back of cash bonuses on the concerned officers and on all full-time directors, and the chairman of the audit committee should be asked to leave the board, according to the Committee to Review Governance of Boards of Banks in India.
Questions from the previous year’s UPSC Civil Services Exam (PYQ)
- Consider the following comments in relation to the governance of public sector banking in India: (2018)
- Over the past ten years, the Indian government has consistently raised the amount of capital it has injected into public sector banks.
- The merging of associate banks with the parent State Bank of India has been impacted in order to organise the public sector banks.
Which of the aforementioned statements is true?
(a) 1 alone
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 2 together
None of 1 or 2 (d)
Ans: (b)
Origin: IE
LADAKH: UNCOVERING ANCIENT CLIMATE SECRETS
In News, why?
Understanding climate fluctuations from the end of the last deglaciation, roughly 19.6 to 6.1 thousand years ago, has advanced significantly in recent years. They have been able to reconstruct historical temperature records and provide insight on the area’s climate history by analysing sedimentary deposits from ancient lakes in the Indus River basin in Ladakh.
What are the Research’s Key Findings?
Research Techniques:
At a height of 3287 metres, silt deposits from an 18-meter-thick succession were identified along the Indus River. The samples were carefully examined in the lab by the researchers, who looked at physical traits like colour, texture, particle size, grain composition, total organic carbon, and magnetic properties. The palaeolake sedimentary archive was mined for data on historical climatic conditions using these characteristics.
Major Climate Evolutionary Findings:
A cold, arid climate predominated in the area between 19.6 and 11.1 thousand years ago due to the effect of westerly circulation. Monsoon forcings took control of the climate from 11.1 to 7.5 thousand years ago, resulting in an era of active monsoons. Later, through affecting the location of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and the variability of air circulations, orbitally regulated solar insolation had a significant role in regulating the climate. The westerlies recovered during the mid-Holocene (7.5 to 6.1 thousand years ago), which was also a time of declining insolation, a weakening monsoon, and increased El Nino activity. The work also reveals the potential for reconstructing paleoclimate variations—changes in Earth’s climate that happened in the geological past—with great precision and accuracy utilising a variety of physical properties of sediments.
What role does Ladakh play in climate research?
High-altitude Environment: The Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh acts as a natural barrier between the North Atlantic and the monsoon influences. Aridity, low oxygen levels, and severe temperatures all define this location. Scientists can better comprehend the effects of climate change on comparable places worldwide by studying the dynamics and changes in the climate in such high-altitude situations. Its geographic location makes it the perfect place to investigate fluctuations in atmospheric circulation, such as the westerly winds and the Indian summer monsoon. Regarding global warming and its effects on regional climate patterns, it is essential to comprehend the variability of these atmospheric circulations.
Sedimentary Archives: The sediment deposits in lakes are among the many sedimentary archives that can be found in Ladakh and are important for documenting both short-term and long-term climate changes. This is so because lakes have a constant pace of sedimentation and maintain the physical and chemical properties of the sediments that are a reflection of earlier environmental circumstances.
Glacial Retreat: The Himalayan region, which includes Ladakh, is home to a large number of glaciers that serve as an essential source of freshwater for rivers like the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra. These glaciers’ retreat has been hastened by climate change, raising issues of water security, altered river flow patterns, and potential effects on nearby ecosystems and communities. Ladakh is a key region for tracking glacier changes and researching the effects of glacial retreat. Additionally, there will be significant changes to the climate as we move from a glacial to an interglacial period. Understanding the dynamics of this transitional stage is essential for understanding the evolution of the climate. Mountainous areas, like Ladakh, are especially vulnerable to these changes because of their distinctive geomorphological traits.
Southwest Circulation
In both hemispheres’ mid-latitudes, the major wind flow is from west to east. It results from both the Earth’s rotation and the temperature variations between the equator and the poles. The westerlies are important for determining weather patterns and moving heat, moisture, and pollutants from one area to another.
Solar Insolation Controlled by Orbit
It speaks of changes in the amount of solar radiation that Earth receives as a result of modifications to Earth’s orbit around the sun. These long-term, tens of thousands of years long, orbital fluctuations can alter climate patterns.
Zone of Intertropical Convergence
In the ITCZ, trade winds from the northern and southern hemispheres converge in a low-pressure area close to the equator. It is distinguished by a lot of rain, which leads to the development of tropical rainforests and monsoon systems. The ITCZ follows the sun’s zenith position as it moves north and south with the seasons.
El Nino Events
The tropical Pacific Ocean is home to the El Nino climate phenomenon. This causes a disruption in the regular patterns of air circulation and weather systems by raising sea surface temperatures. El Nino events modify worldwide rainfall patterns because the trade winds deteriorate and warm seas from the western pacific migrate eastward. El Nio has a big impact on ecosystems, agriculture, and fisheries as well as the weather.
Previous Year Questions (PYQ) for the UPSC Civil Services Exam
Prelims
- Which of the following claims about the “Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD),” which is occasionally referenced in the news when predicting the Indian monsoon, is true? (2017)
- A difference in sea surface temperature between the tropical Western Indian Ocean and tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean is what defines the IOD phenomena.
- The effects of an El Nino on the monsoon can be influenced by the IOD phenomena.
Using the code below, choose the right response:
(a) 1 alone
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 2 together
None of 1 or 2 (d)
Ans: (b)
Q.2 Take into account the upcoming pairings (2019)
Polar River
- Yamuna bandarpunch
- Shigri Chenab Bara
- Mandakini Milam
- The Siachen Nubra
- ема MANAS
Which of the pairs listed above matches are accurate?
(a) 1, 2 and 4
(b) 1, 3 and 4
(c) 2 and 5
(d) 3 and 5
Ans: (a)
Exp:
The Bandarpunch glacier in the Garhwal region of the Himalayas is a significant glacier in the Yamuna river basin. The northern slopes of Bandarpunch West, Khatling Peak, and Bandarpunch Peak are where it is located. Three cirque glaciers combine to form the glacier, which flows into the Yamuna river. Pair 1 is therefore correctly matched.
The largest glacier in Chandra Valley, Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul Spiti region, is named Bara Shigri.
Pradesh. It is the second-longest glacier in the Himalayas after Gangotri, measuring 30 kilometres in length. It moves in a northerly direction and feeds the Chenab river. Pair 2 is therefore correctly matched. The Gori Ganga river originates from the Milam glacier in Munsiyari, Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand. Gori
A significant branch of the Kali River is the Ganga. As a result, pair 3 is mismatched. Ladakh’s Siachen glacier is situated at a height of around 5,400 metres. The Nubra river, an Indus River tributary that flows into Pakistan and the Arabian Sea, has its origins there. Thus, pair 4
accurately matched.
The Zemu glacier in Sikkim is the biggest in the Eastern Himalayas. It is one of the Teesta River’s sources and is located at the foot of the Kanchendzonga. One of the tributaries of the Brahmaputra river is the Teesta river. As a result, pair 5 is mismatched. As a result, choice (a) is the appropriate response.
Mains
- Give a brief overview of the alignment of the world’s major mountain ranges and explain how it affects local weather using examples. (2021)
- The El-Nino effect is used to explain the majority of unexpected climate events. Do you concur? (2014)
Origin: PIB
‘LIGHTWEIGHT’ PAYMENTS AND SETTLEMENT SYSTEM THAT THE RBI IS PLANNING
IN NEWS, WHY?
In its annual report for 2022–2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) advocated the introduction of a “Lightweight” Payment and Settlement System (LPSS) for emergencies. The lightweight system intends to ensure efficiency in times of crisis while ensuring the continuity and resilience of payment and settlement services.
LIGHTNING-FAST CURRENT AFFAIRS
DAY OF THE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment of the Government of India’s Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) participated in the global MS community’s efforts to raise awareness and develop relationships by observing World Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Day on May 30, 2023. The MS links campaign sought to create links within the community, connections inside oneself, and connections to high-quality care with its “connections” theme for the years 2020–2023. The brain and spinal cord are included in the central nervous system, which is affected by the chronic autoimmune illness known as multiple sclerosis (MS). The natural flow of electrical impulses is interfered with, and it is characterised by inflammation and damage to the protective covering of nerve fibres. This causes a variety of symptoms, such as weariness, problems with balance and coordination, muscle weakness, and issues with vision and cognition. Although the precise aetiology of MS is still unknown, it is thought to be a result of both hereditary and environmental factors. MS is a chronic disorder that can progress and vary in severity. Even though there is no treatment for MS, there are ways to control symptoms and stop the illness from getting worse.
UAE WITHDRAWS FROM THE MARITIME COALITION AS TENSIONS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO HAVE INCREASED.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has made the decision to leave the US-led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a coalition tasked with guarding the volatile and important Gulf seas that are a major hub for international oil commerce. The CMF was founded in 2001 as a cooperation between 12 countries, but it has now grown to include 38 partner countries, including the UAE. The UAE is still a partner country even though it has suspended its participation. Tensions in the region have risen as a result of recent events like Iran seizing tankers and a drone attack on an Israeli-owned ship. As a significant oil exporter, the UAE underlines its dedication to diplomatic engagement, peaceful discussion, and the responsible protection of maritime navigation.