THE HINDU 10.05.2025
🟡 GS Paper 1: Indian Society, Culture, and Geography
1. Heatwaves and Urban Informal Workers
- Issue: Rising heatwaves are threatening health, productivity, and urban resilience.
- Key Points:
- RBI highlighted potential GDP loss of 4.5% due to heat.
- Informal workers (street vendors, rickshaw pullers, etc.) are neglected in Heat Action Plans (HAPs).
- Current HAPs are short-term, crisis-based and exclude long-term worker-focused strategies.
- Lack of inter-ministerial coordination worsens the problem.
- Global Examples: France’s “Plan Canicule”, adjusted work norms in Qatar and Australia, Odisha’s work ban during peak heat.
- Suggestions:
- Explicit inclusion of workers in HAPs.
- Mandating rest zones, water access, cooling shelters.
- Creating inter-ministerial task forces for climate resilience.
- UPSC Link: Geography (climate), Urbanization, Vulnerable sections, Inclusive governance.
2. Cultural Conflict: Parasnath Hill Santhal Ritual vs Jain Pilgrimage
- Issue: Tensions between Adivasi (Santhal) customs and Jain religious sensitivities.
- Context:
- Santhals insist on conducting symbolic hunting ritual on Parasnath Hill, despite Centre’s eco-sensitive zone notification.
- Jain groups oppose the ritual, citing religious sanctity.
- Governance Angle:
- Clash between Article 25 (religious freedom) and Scheduled Tribes’ customary rights.
- Legal enforcement by Jharkhand HC for Centre’s environmental orders.
- UPSC Link: Indian society, communal harmony, tribal rights, conflict resolution.
🟢 GS Paper 2: Polity, Governance, Social Justice & IR
1. Supreme Court on Media Takedown Orders
- Issue: Judiciary limits on directing media to delete content.
- Details:
- Delhi HC had directed Wikipedia to delete content related to a defamation case.
- SC ruled this violated freedom of speech (Article 19).
- Doctrine Applied:
- Necessity and proportionality in free speech restrictions.
- Preventive injunction valid only if there’s real and imminent threat to justice.
- UPSC Link: Freedom of speech, Judicial review, Media ethics, Role of Judiciary.
2. Delhi School Fee Regulation Bill
- Objective: To prevent arbitrary fee hikes in private schools.
- Features:
- Steep penalties for violations, including deregistration.
- Regulatory framework for transparency in fee fixation.
- Significance: Ensures RTE compliance and accessibility in education.
- UPSC Link: Governance, Right to Education, State’s role in education policy.
3. India-Mauritius and Chile Agreements
- Updates:
- Indo-Mauritius Tax Treaty amended to prevent tax evasion.
- CEPA signed with Chile; negotiation round with New Zealand also underway.
- Economic Diplomacy:
- Lower tariffs on selected goods.
- Avoidance of double social security contribution under “Double Contribution Convention” to benefit Indian workers in UK.
- UPSC Link: IR, Bilateral treaties, Economic agreements, Diaspora welfare.
4. Karnataka Caste Census Debate
- Context: State seeks local body feedback on Socio-Economic and Educational Survey.
- Issue: Validity, utility, and political implications of caste-based census.
- UPSC Link: Social Justice, Data for welfare schemes, State policy-making.
🔵 GS Paper 3: Economy, Environment, Technology, Security
1. Cybersecurity Preparedness Review
- Action:
- Finance Minister chaired meeting with RBI, CERT-In, and banks.
- Directed appointment of nodal cyber officers, continuous monitoring.
- Ensured ATM cash, digital payments continuity during border crises.
- UPSC Link: Cybersecurity, National Critical Infrastructure, Public sector preparedness.
2. Nutrition Crisis and Food System Reform
- Stats:
- GHI 2024: India ranks 105/127.
- NFHS-5: 35.5% children stunted, 57% women anaemic.
- 55.6% Indians can’t afford nutritious food.
- Policy Needs:
- Shift from food quantity to nutritional quality.
- Strengthen PDS, mid-day meals with nutrient-rich foods.
- UPSC Link: Health, SDGs, Food Security, Agriculture and Public Distribution.
3. Border Security & Emergency Response (India-Pakistan Tensions)
- Developments:
- Pakistani shelling and drone incursions.
- Rajasthan imposes blackout, suspends civilian movement.
- Delhi activates air-raid sirens; NDMA-led drills ongoing.
- Security Forces: Coordination between BSF, CISF, local govts.
- UPSC Link: Border Management, Civil Defence, Internal Security.
4. Essential Commodities and Food Buffer Stock
- Current Data:
- Rice: 356.4 lakh tonnes (norm: 135 lt), Wheat: 383.3 lt (norm: 276 lt).
- Edible oil, sugar, LPG stocks adequate.
- Relevance:
- Crisis management, food inflation control.
- Ethanol blending affects sugar availability.
- UPSC Link: Food economy, Strategic reserves, Government policy.
🟣 GS Paper 4: Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude
1. Ethics of Communal Harmony in Media
- Report: South Asia Press Freedom Report flags rising hate speech, political propaganda, media suppression.
- Highlights:
- Legal misuse (sedition, defamation).
- Gig worker exploitation.
- Political IT cells fuelling misinformation.
- UPSC Link: Ethics in journalism, Role of media in democracy, Public accountability.
2. Lairai Devi Temple Stampede & Governance
- Event: Stampede killed 6, injured 80 at Shirgao temple, Goa.
- Issues:
- Poor crowd management.
- Temple committee vs government over festival control.
- UPSC Link: Ethics in public administration, Accountability, Religious governance.
