Syllabus: GS-III

Subject: Economy

Topic: Inflation

Issue: Inflation

Context:  A slight decrease in food price inflation contributed to a three-month low    in retail inflation.

Prelims connect:

Inflation is an increase in the prices of goods and services.

Core inflation Vs headline inflation:

• Core inflation = Headline inflation – (Food and Fuel) inflation.
• Headline Inflation is the measure of total inflation within an economy.
• It includes price rise in food, fuel and all other commodities
• Core inflation does not consider the inflation in food and fuel

Wage price spiral:

• A wage price spiral occurs when workers demand higher wages in response to rising prices, and employers raise prices in response to higher wage costs.
• This can create a cycle of wage increases and price increases, leading to overall inflation in the economy

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS- III

Subject: Economy

Topic: Financial markets

Issue: IRDAI; insurance sector in India

Context: The chairman of the IRDAI said that the approach of ‘one-size-fits-all’ has outdated due to the radical technology-driven changes taking place in the insurance industry.

 +1 Advantage for Mains:

Reforms to be taken in Insurance sector:

• To revolutionize the insurance sector and achieve the goal of ‘insurance for all’ by 2047.
• Data-driven insights essential.
• Use of technologies such as
  • block chain-enabled smart contracts,
  • data analytics for fraud detection,
  • artificial intelligence, machine learning,
  • big data, and the Internet of Things (IoT) in reshaping the insurance sector.

Prelims Connect:

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS- II

Subject: International Relations

Topic: International institutions, agencies and fora

Issue: NATO

Context: US former president Donald Trump said that he would not defend the NATO allies who have not been able to spend enough on defence.

What is NATO’s Article 5?

an armed attack against one member shall be considered an attack against all, and members are committed to assisting the attacked party as necessary. However, it does not mandate automatic military action

Prelims Connect:

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus: GS-II

Subject: Polity

Topic: Constitutional Bodies.

Issue: Appointment of CEC’s & EC’s.

Context: The Supreme Court refused to grant interim stay on a new law regarding the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs).

Synopsis:

• The petitions challenged the constitutional validity of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023.
• Which states that CEC and ECs shall be appointed by the President based on recommendations from a Selection Committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.
• The court declined to stay on grounds of violating Article 14 and the basic features of the Constitution.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus: GS-III

Subject: Economy

Topic: Food security.

Tags: #Foodsecurity #Tradedisputes.

Issue: Food Security.

Context: India may face potential trade disputes at WTO without permanent solution for food security, according to the discussions ahead of 13th ministerial conference (of WTO) in Abu Dhabi.

Concerns:

• Uncertainty around ‘peace clause’ provisions prompts push for clearer guidelines.
• India invoked ‘peace clause’ due to rice subsidy.
• There is pressure to reduce support by 50% by 2030.
• Developing countries seek permanent solution to avoid disputes, ensure trade compliance.

  Prelims connect

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus: GS- II

Subject: International Relations

Topic: India’s relations with other nations.

Tags: #India-UAE #IMEC #BAPSTemple.

Context: India and the UAE signed pacts on trade, energy, and digital payments.

Key Agreements:

• investment promotion,
• port infrastructure,
• power trade.
• India-Middle East Economic Corridor.
• digital payment platforms
• cultural cooperation.
• Modi thanked UAE for supporting the construction of the BAPS Temple in Abu Dhabi,

IMEC (India-Middle East Economic Corridor ): ·         It involves India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the EU, France, Italy, Germany, and the US. ·         It aims to boost trade, particularly in energy products, among these countries. ·         IMEC consists of an Eastern Corridor linking India to the Gulf and a Northern Corridor connecting the Gulf to Europe. ·         It includes railway, ship-rail transit, and road transport networks. ·         The corridor features rail, electricity, hydrogen, and data cable links.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus: GS-II

Subject: Art & Architecture

Topic: Temple Architecture.

Issue: India- UAE

Context :

Abu Dhabi’s first Hindu temple, built in Nagara style, resembles Ayodhya’s Ram Temple.

The temple symbolizes UAE-India friendship and tolerance.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus: GS-III

Subject: Science & Technology

Topic: Computers, Information & communication technologies

Issue: Community Radio Stations.

Context: Information and Broadcasting Minister released revised policy guidelines for Community Radio Stations (CRS) in India.

• Community Radio Stations (CRSs) are low power Radio Stations, which are meant to be set-up and operated by local communities.
• They play an important role in disseminating content in local dialects and languages.

Important guidelines:

• 50% of the Advisory and Content Committee members will be women.
• It allow eligible organizations operating in multiple districts to set up a maximum of six CRSs in different districts.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS-II

Subject: Polity

Topic: Legislature

Issue: Lok Sabha.

 (+1 Advantage for Mains)

• The 17^th Lok Sabha:
  • was the First one to not appoint a Deputy Speaker.
  • it recorded the lowest number of sittings.

Changing trends in Lok Sabha:

• A decrease in number of bills scrutinized, compared to previous Lok Sabhas.
• A decrease in number of sitting days and sitting hours of the house.
• A decrease in use of various parliamentary tools like Calling Attentions, Adjournment Motions

Prelims Connect:

• “Calling Attention” – a parliamentary procedure to call the attention of the Government to a matter of urgent public importance.
• adjournment motion: to draw the attention of the House to a recent matter of urgent public importance having serious consequences.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS-II

Subject: International Relations

Topic: India’s relations with other nations

Issue: India-Qatar

• Context: the release of the eight former Indian naval personnel from Qatar.
• Significance: it highlights the importance of quiet diplomacy at a time of brinkmanship and geopolitical conflict.

India – Qatar Relations:

• For Qatar:
  • ties with India are historic and dependable.
  • consistent even when Qatar was boycotted by its Gulf neighbours
• for India:
  • Qatar supplies India with a third of its natural gas import needs.
  • More than 8,00,000 Indians provide important services to Qatar.
  • bring in critical remittance earnings for India.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS-III

Subject: Economy

Topic: Industry and Industrial policies

Issue: Industrial Policy

• India is dealing with industrial stagnation and unequal growth.

Challenges to Growth:

• Traditional reliance on manufacturing-led growth not yielded desired results.
• Continuing rise in unemployment.
• Increasing trade deficit: a reliance on imports.
• Services-driven growth doesn’t absorb labor effectively, leading to inequality.

Education Disparities: The quality divide in education gives to inequality, benefitting the elite over rural and small-town graduates.

Way forward:

• India must prioritize deep industrialization along with service sector growth to foster inclusive economic development and societal transformation.

Source: The Hindu