07 November 2022

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

1-Kali Syahi of Jaipur: GS I – Topic Indian Culture

Context:

• A Vaishya family in the Walled City of Jaipur continues a tradition that dates back to the time of the Kachhwaha emperors by producing the indelible Kali Syahi or black ink still used 250 years ago for issuing the royal firmans (decrees) and writing the account ledgers. The fourth generation of the family is now responsible for producing the ink for Deepavali each year.

About:

• Black ink, also known as Kali shyahi, is used in Laxmi Puja on Diwali, however most of us are unaware of its significant role in this ritual.
• Its importance has likewise diminished throughout time. It was once the preferred ink for keeping track of transactions on ledgers of accounts and was especially well-liked for writing on university certificates. The advent of ballpoint pens, computers, and digitization has caused this age-old craft to unexpectedly lose some of its appeal.
• Few people in Jaipur, mostly wealthy royal family members and wealthy businessmen, were skilled at producing the black ink needed to write bahi khata (accounts).

Source The Hindu

 2 – Old Pension Scheme: GS II – Topic Government Policies and Interventions

Context:

• The National Pension System (NPS), according to a federation of Central government employees’ unions, is a calamity for retiring personnel in their old age. The unions begged the Cabinet Secretary to reinstate the Old Pension Scheme in a letter (OPS).

The National Pension System: What is it?

• In January 2004, the Central Government implemented the National Pension System (NPS). (apart from the armed forces).
• The Union Cabinet adopted adjustments to the NPS for 2018–19 in order to help central government employees who are covered by the programme and to streamline and strengthen it.
• The government created the NPS to get out from under its pension obligations.
• An article in the press emphasised the early 2000s study that revealed India’s pension debt was out of control.
• The Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 were changed as a result of the establishment of NPS.
• Government employees who choose to participate in the NPS can choose where to invest their money by making regular contributions to a pension account during their employment.
• Retired people have the option of taking a lump sum distribution from part of their pension and using the balance to purchase an annuity to provide a steady income.

Defined pension benefit plans, also referred to as the “old pension plan,” are what exactly?

• A lifetime post-retirement income guarantee is offered under the scheme.
• Frequently, the amount that was promised was equivalent to 50% of the most recent payment.
• The cost of the pension is covered by the government. The programme was cancelled in 2004.
• Issues:
• According to economists, the answer is straightforward: longer lifespans indicate more pension payments.
• Employees must get remuneration for at least 20 years following superannuation, for instance, if they retire at age 60 and have a life expectancy of at least 80 years.
• Additionally, under the OPS, a deceased pensioner’s spouse is entitled to a share of their pension. The Union and state governments currently have significant pension debt as a result.
• What problems does the national pension system have?
• Employees received a pension under the previous setup that was equal to half of their most recent pay and was decided by a predefined formula. Additionally, they benefit from the biennial modification to the Dearness Relief (DR). There was no salary deduction because the compensation was established. Additionally, the General Provident Fund was included in the OPS (GPF).
• However, the NPS mandates that employees withdraw from their deposits 10% of their basic wage and the dearness allowance. The pension amount is not fixed, and there is no GPF benefit. The plan’s return-based structure and market linkage are its main drawbacks. Simply said, the reward is unknown.

Source The Hindu

 3 – Western Ghats: GS III – Topic Environmental Conservation

Context:

• A brand-new indigenous honeybee species has been discovered in the Western Ghats. The new species’ popular names include Indian black honeybee and Apis karinjodian, according to its scientific name.

Introduction:

• The Sahyadri Hills, also referred to as the Western Ghats, are recognised for their extraordinary and diversified range of vegetation and fauna.
• The range is referred as as Sahya Parvatham in Kerala and Sahyadri in northern Maharashtra.
• The narrow coastal plain between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea’s Konkan Coast is divided into northern and southern portions.
• The Malabar Coast is the name of the southern portion, and Kanara is the name of the central region.
• Desh refers to the eastern foothills of Maharashtra east of the Ghats, and Malanadu to the eastern foothills of central Karnataka state.
• The range is known as the Nilgiri malai in Tamil Nadu.
• It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• It is one of the eight hotspots of biological diversity in the globe due to the high level of endemism and biological diversity there.

Geology of the Western Ghats:

• There are two perspectives on the geology of the Western Ghats.
• The Western Ghats, which are made up of Block Mountains, were formed when a piece of land was bent downhill into the Arabian Sea.
• In reality, the mountains of the Western Ghats are the faulted border of the Deccan Plateau.
• The main rocks in the area include basalt, charnockites, granite gneiss, khondalites, leptynite, metamorphic gneisses with isolated occurrences of crystalline limestone, iron ore, dolerites, and anorthosites.

Basic Topography:

 Geographical Scope:

• The Western Ghats begin in the Satpura Range in the north and go south through Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and finally end at Kanyakumari, hugging the Indian Ocean.
• A mountain range can be found between 30 and 50 kilometres inland, parallel to India’s western coast.
• These mountains cover an area of over 140,000 km2 and span a distance of about 1,600 km.

Chains of Mountains:

• Southeast of Mysore in Karnataka, the Shevaroys (Servarayan range) and Tirumala ranges meet the Niligiri mountains, linking the Western and Eastern Ghats.
• In addition to being the highest peak in India outside of the Himalayas, Anamudi is also the highest peak in the Western Ghats and is located in Kerala.
• Along with Matheran, Lonavala-Khandala, Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Amboli Ghat, Kudremukh, and Kodagu, this range is home to other well-known hill towns.

Rivers:

• Rivers that travel westward include the Periyar, Bharathappuzha, Netravati, Sharavathi, and Mandovi; these rivers originate in the Western Ghats.
• The Western Ghats’ west-flowing rivers travel fast due to their shorter distance and sharper inclination.
• As a result, hydroelectricity production is better suited for the Western Ghats. The slope
• Several smaller/tributary rivers, such as Tunga, Bhadra, Bhima, Malaprabha, Ghataprabha, Hemavathi, and Kabini, as well as the three principal rivers Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri, all flow eastward from the Western Ghats.
• In comparison to other rivers, these ones that travel eastward move more slowly. Eventually, these smaller rivers join to produce larger ones like the Kaveri and Krishna.

Climate and Plant Life:

• At least 325 species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and other creatures that are threatened globally reside in the site’s woodlands. The non-equatorial tropical evergreen forests in these areas are among the best in the world.
• The Indian monsoon weather pattern is influenced by the high-mountain forest habitats.

Source The Hindu

 4 – EWS Quota: GS II – Topic Government Policies and Interventions

Context:

• The 103rd Constitutional Amendment, which grants 10% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions to the “economically weaker sections [EWS] of the society,” but excludes the “poorest of the poor” among Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes, will be decided on by a five-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India U.U. Lalit on November 7.

About:

• The 103rd Constitution (Amendment) Act of 2019 amended Articles 15 and 16 to include the 10% EWS quota.
• Articles 15(6) and 16 have been added (6).
• Regarding the preference for employment and enrolment in educational institutions among the economically advantaged segments of the population (EWS).
• To promote the welfare of the poor who were not covered by this law, the policy of 50% reservation for the socially and educationally disadvantaged classes, scheduled castes, and scheduled tribes (SCs) was passed (SEBC).
• It enables the EWS to obtain funding from the Center and the States simultaneously.

Significance:

Focuses on inequality:

• The 10% quota is progressive and may address India’s issues with educational and income inequality because the economically underprivileged portions of the population have been prevented from pursuing higher education and obtaining government posts owing to their financial inability.

Recognizing the Financial Crisis:

• In addition to the backward classes, many other people and classes are also impacted by hunger and extreme poverty.
• The planned reservation will give lower caste poor people constitutional status through a constitutional amendment.

Getting Rid of Discrimination Related to Caste:

• Additionally, it would progressively eliminate the stigma attached to reservations as they have historically been linked to caste and frequently the upper caste despises people who enter through reservations.

Concerns:

The absence of data:

• The Union or state governments do not have access to these statistics, which would demonstrate that members of the “upper” caste who earn less than Rs 8 lakh annually are not fairly represented in public employment and higher education. They most likely have an excessive presence in these locations.

Inconsistent standards:

• The government’s selection criteria for who qualifies for this reservation are unclear and not supported by any evidence or analysis.
• The administration was questioned by the Supreme Court on whether it had considered the GDP per capita for each State when determining the maximum number of EWS reservations.
• According to statistics, state per capita income varies greatly. Goa has the greatest per capita income, which is roughly Rs. 4 lakhs, while Bihar has the lowest, which is Rs. 40,000.

Source The Hindu