{"id":13800,"date":"2023-10-27T11:55:51","date_gmt":"2023-10-27T11:55:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/?p=13800"},"modified":"2023-10-27T11:55:55","modified_gmt":"2023-10-27T11:55:55","slug":"upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"UPSC Daily Current Affairs &#8211; 16th August 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/upsc\/upsc-cse-geography-optional-integrated-course-test-series-2024-august-batch-online\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"416\" src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/kIeqD3sVupPhMpbkeneNVhOWnGarcNuFri0nJNxE.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9539\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/kIeqD3sVupPhMpbkeneNVhOWnGarcNuFri0nJNxE.png 1320w, https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/kIeqD3sVupPhMpbkeneNVhOWnGarcNuFri0nJNxE-1170x369.png 1170w, https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/kIeqD3sVupPhMpbkeneNVhOWnGarcNuFri0nJNxE-585x184.png 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1320px) 100vw, 1320px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In today&#8217;s daily current affairs briefing for UPSC aspirants, we explore the latest developments that hold relevance for the upcoming civil services examination. Our focus today includes a critical analysis of recent policy changes, international affairs, and national developments, all of which play a pivotal role in shaping the socio-political and economic landscape of India. Stay informed and stay ahead in your UPSC preparations with our daily current affairs updates, as we provide you with concise, well-researched insights to help you connect the dots between contemporary events and the broader canvas of the civil services syllabus.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a01dd41e5ab0\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a01dd41e5ab0\"  \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#CAG_Report_on_National_Social_Assistance_Programme\" title=\"CAG Report on National Social Assistance Programme&nbsp;\">CAG Report on National Social Assistance Programme&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#In_News\" title=\"In News:\">In News:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#About\" title=\"About&nbsp;\">About&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Implementation\" title=\"Implementation:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\">Implementation:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Impact_of_NSAP\" title=\"Impact of NSAP&nbsp;\">Impact of NSAP&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Key_Findings_from_the_Report\" title=\"Key Findings from the Report&nbsp;\">Key Findings from the Report&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Misuse_of_Pension_Funds_for_Publicity\" title=\"Misuse of Pension Funds for Publicity:&nbsp;\">Misuse of Pension Funds for Publicity:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Discrepancies_in_Advertisements\" title=\"Discrepancies in Advertisements:&nbsp;\">Discrepancies in Advertisements:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#States_Involved_in_Fund_Diversion\" title=\"States Involved in Fund Diversion:&nbsp;\">States Involved in Fund Diversion:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Impact_on_Implications_and_Beneficiaries\" title=\"Impact on Implications and Beneficiaries:&nbsp;\">Impact on Implications and Beneficiaries:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Centres_Bill_on_Election_Commission_Appointments\" title=\"Centre\u2019s Bill on Election Commission Appointments&nbsp;\">Centre\u2019s Bill on Election Commission Appointments&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Why_in_News\" title=\"Why in News:\">Why in News:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Current_Provisions_for_appointment_of_CEC_and_ECs\" title=\"Current Provisions for appointment of CEC and ECs:&nbsp;\">Current Provisions for appointment of CEC and ECs:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Key_features_of_the_Bill\" title=\"Key features of the Bill:&nbsp;\">Key features of the Bill:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Issues_with_the_Bill\" title=\"Issues with the Bill:&nbsp;\">Issues with the Bill:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Fertilizer_Availability_and_Local_Production\" title=\"Fertilizer Availability and Local Production&nbsp;\">Fertilizer Availability and Local Production&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Why_in_News-2\" title=\"Why in News:\">Why in News:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Fertilizers_used_in_India\" title=\"Fertilizers used in India:&nbsp;\">Fertilizers used in India:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Concerns_raised_by_the_Committee\" title=\"Concerns raised by the Committee:&nbsp;\">Concerns raised by the Committee:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Recommendations_from_the_Committee\" title=\"Recommendations from the Committee:\u00a0\">Recommendations from the Committee:\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#National_Policy_on_Official_Statistics\" title=\"National Policy on Official Statistics&nbsp;\">National Policy on Official Statistics&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#In_News-2\" title=\"In News:\">In News:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#About_the_draft_National_Policy_on_Official_Statistics_NPOS\" title=\"About the draft National Policy on Official Statistics (NPOS):\u00a0\">About the draft National Policy on Official Statistics (NPOS):\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Different_Plans_suggested_by_NPOS\" title=\"Different Plans suggested by NPOS:&nbsp;\">Different Plans suggested by NPOS:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#CAG_Report_on_Railway_Finance\" title=\"CAG Report on Railway Finance&nbsp;\">CAG Report on Railway Finance&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#In_News-3\" title=\"In News:\">In News:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#About_the_CAG_Report_Findings\" title=\"About the CAG Report Findings:&nbsp;\">About the CAG Report Findings:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Reasons_for_lower_surplus_generation\" title=\"Reasons for lower surplus generation:&nbsp;\">Reasons for lower surplus generation:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Zayed_Talwar\" title=\"Zayed Talwar&nbsp;\">Zayed Talwar&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Why_in_news\" title=\"Why in news?\">Why in news?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#About-2\" title=\"About:\u00a0\">About:\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-32\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#INS_Visakhapatnam\" title=\"INS Visakhapatnam:&nbsp;\">INS Visakhapatnam:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-33\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Indonesias_Aceh_Province\" title=\"Indonesia\u2019s Aceh Province\u00a0\">Indonesia\u2019s Aceh Province\u00a0<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-34\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Why_in_news-2\" title=\"Why in news?\">Why in news?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-35\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#About-3\" title=\"About:\u00a0\">About:\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-36\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Aceh_Province\" title=\"Aceh Province&nbsp;&nbsp;\">Aceh Province&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-37\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Hawaii_USA\" title=\"Hawaii, USA&nbsp;\">Hawaii, USA&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-38\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Why_in_news-3\" title=\"Why in news?\">Why in news?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-39\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#About-4\" title=\"About:\u00a0\">About:\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-40\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#RBI_launches_new_features_for_UPI\" title=\"RBI launches new features for UPI&nbsp;\">RBI launches new features for UPI&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-41\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Why_in_news-4\" title=\"Why in news?\">Why in news?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-42\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#About-5\" title=\"About:\u00a0\">About:\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-43\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#New_features_for_UPI\" title=\"New features for UPI:&nbsp;\">New features for UPI:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-44\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Deflation\" title=\"Deflation&nbsp;\">Deflation&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-45\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Why_in_news-5\" title=\"Why in news?\">Why in news?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-46\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#About-6\" title=\"About:\u00a0\">About:\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-47\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Reasons_for_deflation_in_China\" title=\"Reasons for deflation in China:&nbsp;\">Reasons for deflation in China:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-48\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Katchatheevu_Island_Tamil_Nadu\" title=\"Katchatheevu Island (Tamil Nadu)&nbsp;\">Katchatheevu Island (Tamil Nadu)&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-49\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Why_in_news-6\" title=\"Why in news?\">Why in news?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-50\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#About-7\" title=\"About:\u00a0\">About:\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-51\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#FAQs\" title=\"FAQs\">FAQs<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-52\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Q_What_are_daily_current_affairs\" title=\"Q: What are daily current affairs?\">Q: What are daily current affairs?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-53\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Q_Why_is_it_important_to_stay_updated_with_daily_current_affairs\" title=\"Q: Why is it important to stay updated with daily current affairs?\">Q: Why is it important to stay updated with daily current affairs?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-54\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Q_Where_can_I_access_daily_current_affairs_information\" title=\"Q: Where can I access daily current affairs information?\">Q: Where can I access daily current affairs information?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-55\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Q_How_can_I_effectively_incorporate_daily_current_affairs_into_my_routine\" title=\"Q: How can I effectively incorporate daily current affairs into my routine?\">Q: How can I effectively incorporate daily current affairs into my routine?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-56\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Q_What_are_some_tips_for_critical_analysis_of_daily_current_affairs\" title=\"Q: What are some tips for critical analysis of daily current affairs?\">Q: What are some tips for critical analysis of daily current affairs?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-57\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#In_case_you_still_have_your_doubts_contact_us_on_9811333901\" title=\"In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.&nbsp;\">In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-58\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/upsc-daily-current-affairs-16th-august-2023\/#Visit_our_YouTube_Channel_%E2%80%93_here\" title=\"Visit our YouTube Channel &#8211;&nbsp;here\">Visit our YouTube Channel &#8211;&nbsp;here<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CAG_Report_on_National_Social_Assistance_Programme\"><\/span><strong>CAG Report on National Social Assistance Programme<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong>Tag:<\/strong> GS-2 Polity and Governance\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"In_News\"><\/span><strong>In News: <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the CAG report (2017-2021) government diverted funds from the National Social Assistance Programme for publicity of other schemes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About\"><\/span><strong>About<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>NSAP was introduced as a centrally sponsored scheme on <strong>August 15, 1995<\/strong>. The NSAP is an important step in achieving the <strong>Directive Principles outlined in Articles 41 and 42 <\/strong>of the Indian Constitution.&nbsp;<\/li><li>NSAP aims to offer assistance to elderly <strong>people, widows, disabled people, and bereaved families from below-poverty-line <\/strong>households who have lost their primary earner.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"602\" height=\"283\" data-src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/image-210.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13805 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/image-210.png 602w, https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/image-210-585x275.png 585w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 602px) 100vw, 602px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 602px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 602\/283;\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Implementation\"><\/span><strong>Implementation:<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The <strong>Ministry of Rural Development works<\/strong> with the state\/UT governments to implement NSAP. To transfer <strong>money to beneficiaries&#8217; bank accounts<\/strong> or postal accounts, NSAP uses the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Impact_of_NSAP\"><\/span><strong>Impact of NSAP<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The NSAP has <strong>aided in lowering poverty, raising living standards,<\/strong> and boosting the recipients&#8217; sense of dignity and empowerment.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li>The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) pertaining to poverty eradication, social protection, and inclusion have all been advanced thanks in part to NSAP.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li>Between 2017 and 2021 approximately 4<strong>.65 crore beneficiaries relied on old ag<\/strong>e, widow, disability, and family benefits each year.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Findings_from_the_Report\"><\/span><strong>Key Findings from the Report<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Misuse_of_Pension_Funds_for_Publicity\"><\/span><strong>Misuse of Pension Funds for Publicity:<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The <strong>Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD)<\/strong> redirected funds designated for the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) \u2013 <strong>aimed at providing pensions<\/strong> \u2013 to finance publicity campaigns for different ministry initiatives.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Allocated funds for NSAP were meant for pension disbursement and administrative costs, including 3% for administration.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Instances of fund diversion were identified both at the ministry level and within state\/union territory administrations.&nbsp;<\/li><li>In 2017, MoRD initiated a publicity campaign using billboards to promote various ministry programs.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Approximately <strong>Rs 39.15 lakh was sanctioned for billboards,<\/strong> and around Rs 2.44 crore was approved for campaigns in multiple states.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The campaign funds were originally intended to be sourced from the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme but were instead drawn from NSAP resources.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Discrepancies_in_Advertisements\"><\/span><strong>Discrepancies in Advertisements:<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) discovered that <strong>advertisement work orders excluded NSAP schemes from mention<\/strong> but emphasized schemes like Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana &#8211; Gramin (PMAY-G) and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY).&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"States_Involved_in_Fund_Diversion\"><\/span><strong>States Involved in Fund Diversion:<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Six states \u2013 Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Odisha, Goa, and Bihar \u2013 were identified as <strong>diverting funds that were originally intended <\/strong>for pension schemes.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Impact_on_Implications_and_Beneficiaries\"><\/span><strong>Impact on Implications and Beneficiaries:<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Planned Information, <strong>Education, and Communication<\/strong> (IEC) endeavors under NSAP suffered due to the diversion of funds.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Funds <strong>totaling Rs 2.83 crore, initially allocated for NSAP IEC activities, were repurposed<\/strong> to promote other initiatives of the ministry.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/india\/cag-govt-diverted-funds-of-pension-schemes-for-publicity-of-other-schemes-8885049\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Indian Express<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Centres_Bill_on_Election_Commission_Appointments\"><\/span><strong>Centre\u2019s Bill on Election Commission Appointments<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong>Tags:<\/strong> GS \u2013 2: Indian Polity (Constitutional Bodies, Election)\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_in_News\"><\/span><strong>Why in News:<\/strong> <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently, the Government has introduced a bill in the Rajya Sabha which aims to change the process of appointing the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Current_Provisions_for_appointment_of_CEC_and_ECs\"><\/span><strong>Current Provisions for appointment of CEC and ECs:<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The <strong>Supreme Court (SC) in March 2023<\/strong> ruled that CEC and ECs will be appointed by the President of India on the advice of a <strong>Committee consisting of the Prime Minister, and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India<\/strong> until a law is enacted by Parliament on their appointments.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Currently, there is <strong>no specific legislative process<\/strong> defined in the Constitution for the appointment of the CEC and ECs.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Article 324<\/strong> of the Constitution vests the <strong>&#8220;superintendence, direction, and control of elections&#8221; in an Election Commission<\/strong> consisting of the CEC and other ECs as determined by the President from time to time.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Before the Supreme Court ruling of March 2023, the CEC and ECs were appointed by the President on the recommendation of the government.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_features_of_the_Bill\"><\/span><strong>Key features of the Bill:<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The <strong>Selection Committee<\/strong> will consist of the <strong>Prime Minister as Chairperson<\/strong>, the <strong>Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha<\/strong> as member and a <strong>Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister<\/strong> as member.&nbsp;<\/li><li>If the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha has not been recognised, the leader of the single largest opposition party in Lok Sabha will assume the role.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The Bill proposes the <strong>establishment of a Search Committee<\/strong> to prepare a panel of five persons for consideration for the positions of CEC and ECs.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The Search Committee will be <strong>headed by the Cabinet Secretary<\/strong> and will also include two members not below the rank of Secretary who have knowledge and experience in matters related to elections.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The proposed Bill <strong>repeals the<\/strong> <strong>Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The 1991 Act provides that the salary of the ECs will be equal to that of a Supreme Court judge. The Bill provides that <strong>salary, allowance, and service conditions of the CEC and other ECs will be the same as that of the Cabinet Secretary<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Issues_with_the_Bill\"><\/span><strong>Issues with the Bill:<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The Bill potentially gives the <strong>Executive dominance in appointments<\/strong>, undermining the independence of the Election Commission.\u00a0<\/li><li>The Bill <strong>reduces judicial representation<\/strong> in the committee by replacing the Chief Justice of India with a nominated Cabinet Minister and might affect impartiality.\u00a0<\/li><li>The Bill <strong>allows the Selection Committee to choose anyone from outside<\/strong> the shortlisted candidates, undermining the purpose of the shortlisting process.\u00a0<\/li><li>The rank of Election Commissioner is being reduced in the warrant of precedence. This could impact their stature.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-law\/bill-election-commission-members-appointment-process-explained-8885676\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Indian Express<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fertilizer_Availability_and_Local_Production\"><\/span><strong>Fertilizer Availability and Local Production<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong>Tags:<\/strong> GS \u2013 1: Indian Geography (Agriculture)\u00a0<\/p><p>GS \u2013 3: Indian Economy (Agriculture)\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_in_News-2\"><\/span><strong>Why in News:<\/strong> <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently, the Standing Committee on Chemicals and Fertilizers has presented its reports highlighting concerns about fertilizer availability, subsidies, and GST rates on fertilizer components.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fertilizers_used_in_India\"><\/span><strong>Fertilizers used in India:<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>A fertiliser is a <strong>natural or artificial substance containing chemical elements<\/strong> (such as <strong>Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K))<\/strong> that improve the growth and productiveness of plants.&nbsp;<\/li><li>There are <strong>3 basic fertilisers in India \u2013 Urea, DAP and Muriate of Potash (MOP)<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li><li>In India, <strong>urea is the most produced, imported, consumed<\/strong> and physically regulated fertiliser of all. It is <strong>subsidised only for agricultural uses<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The price of non-urea fertilisers is fixed by the companies. <strong>All Non-Urea based fertilisers (such as DAP and MOP) are regulated under the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Concerns_raised_by_the_Committee\"><\/span><strong>Concerns raised by the Committee:<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>India <strong>heavily depends on imported fertilizers<\/strong> like urea, DAP, MOP, NPK, etc. (30% of urea, 100% muriate of potash, 60% Diammonium phosphate imported)&nbsp;<\/li><li>Irregularities in fertilizers sale such as <strong>diversion, black marketing, hoarding, sub-standard quality<\/strong> etc.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Current NBS policy excludes urea from subsidies<\/strong>. This creates price control for urea, unlike other fertilizers.&nbsp;<\/li><li>GST rate <strong>for fertilizers: 5%;<\/strong> GST rate <strong>for raw materials (sulphuric acid, ammonia): 18%<\/strong>; This highlights the <strong>inconsistency in GST rates<\/strong> between fertilizers and their raw materials.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Recommendations_from_the_Committee\"><\/span><strong>Recommendations from the Committee:<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Increase local fertilizers production<\/strong> (especially urea) by facilitating investments for public, cooperative and private fertilizers manufacturers.\u00a0<\/li><li>Creating <strong>a separate tariff code for urea used for non-agricultural purposes<\/strong>. Develop a central monitoring mechanism to conduct random checks.\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Review NBS policy to remove disincentives<\/strong> for using other fertilizers and promote balanced use.\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Lower GST on raw materials<\/strong> to support fertilizer manufacturing and farmers.\u00a0<\/li><li>Implement purchase policy reforms. Advocated for long-term import contracts for fertilizers and raw materials.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/ensure-availability-of-fertilizers-increase-local-production-house-panel-tells-centre\/article67177219.ece#:~:text=The%20reports%20have%20also%20called,the%20consumption%20was%20401.46%20LMT\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Hindu<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"National_Policy_on_Official_Statistics\"><\/span><strong>National Policy on Official Statistics<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong>Tag: GS-3<\/strong> Growth and development, Planning&nbsp;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"In_News-2\"><\/span><strong>In News<\/strong>: <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) unveiled the revised draft national policy on official statistics, which focused on creating an overarching framework for the creation and release of statistics in the country <strong>using big data analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_the_draft_National_Policy_on_Official_Statistics_NPOS\"><\/span><strong>About the draft National Policy on Official Statistics (NPOS):<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"blob:https:\/\/edukemy.com\/efeb17b0-9897-41b8-b2e2-437c4788fb69\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The revised NPOS is introduced five years after the government released its draft policy based on suggestions from the <strong>National Statistical Commission and United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li><li>This policy will provide an overarching framework for providing <strong>reliable, timely and credible social and economic statistics<\/strong> to assist decision-making within and outside the Government.\u00a0<\/li><li>The Indian Official Statistical system is required to reorient their strategies with the emerging technologies including AI\/ ML dovetailed with commensurate instruments of <strong>data collection, compilation processing, storage, integration, analysis and dissemination<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li><li>Besides its focus on technology, the new policy envisages the <strong>creation of an integrated data system, optimisation of administrative statistics<\/strong>, innovation in surveys to reduce the burden on respondents and continuous augmentation quality of official statistics.\u00a0<\/li><li>National Statistical Commission (NSC) and central ministries have prepared a list of core statistics in eight domains: \u201c<strong>National Income, Production &amp; Services sectors, Budgetary Transactions, Money and Banking, Capital Market, Indices and other short-term indicators, External Sector, and Demography, Social and Environment Sectors<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Different_Plans_suggested_by_NPOS\"><\/span><strong>Different Plans suggested by NPOS<\/strong>:&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Short Term Plan: <\/strong>Guidelines for designation of statistical advisers and finalisation of core statistics are its short-term plan to be completed within 1-2 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Medium Term Plans:<\/strong> Integrated data systems, the creation of the National Data Sheet for a uniform format of data on a system, and the innovation of surveys are medium-term projects.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Long term Plans:<\/strong> Coordination with sub-national governments and training form part of the long-term plan.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/economictimes.indiatimes.com\/news\/economy\/policy\/big-data-ai-and-ml-focus-of-draft-revised-national-policy-of-statistics\/articleshow\/102577936.cms?from=mdr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Economics Times<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CAG_Report_on_Railway_Finance\"><\/span><strong>CAG Report on Railway Finance<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong>Tag: GS-3<\/strong> Infrastructure- Railways\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"In_News-3\"><\/span><strong>In News<\/strong>: <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to a new Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) report, the Indian Railways\u2019 finances have <strong>slipped into a \u201cconcern zone\u201d, <\/strong>with the railways spending \u20b9107 to earn \u20b9100 during 2021-22.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_the_CAG_Report_Findings\"><\/span><strong>About the CAG Report Findings:<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The report said that the <strong>Operating Ratio (OR) of the Railways was 107.39%<\/strong> in 2021-22 as against 97.45% in 2020-21.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li>Operating Ratio is a measure to calculate the <strong>ratio of working expenses to earnings<\/strong>. Higher ratio indicates lower ability to generate a surplus.\u00a0<\/li><li>Indian Railways could not generate a net surplus during 2021-22 as it had done in <strong>2020-21.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><li>The report also found that the total expenditure (revenue and capital heads) of the ministry of railways was \u20b93,96,658.66 crore (35.19% more than the previous year), which was comprised of \u20b91,90,267.07 crore (22.61% more than the previous year) of capital and 2,06,391.59 crore (49.31% more than the previous year) of revenue expenditure.\u00a0<\/li><li>The railways <strong>incurred around 75.47%<\/strong> of the total working expenses on staff costs, pension payments and lease hire charges on rolling stock.\u00a0<\/li><li>The report found that the Railways was not able to follow the guidelines for digital payment\/limited cash transactions and made <strong>cash transactions of Rs 2,395.52 crore<\/strong> from 2017-18 to 2021-22.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reasons_for_lower_surplus_generation\"><\/span><strong>Reasons for lower surplus generation:<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>I<\/strong><strong>nadequate generation of internal resources<\/strong> resulted in greater dependence on Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) and Extra Budgetary Resources (EBR).\u202f&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Cross subsidising of passenger fares through profits generated on freight operations<\/strong>. This cross-subsidisation continues to be a concern, as railways has not been able to raise fares in the sleeper class.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Higher appropriation to pension funds<\/strong> in the FY 2021-2022 led to decline in profits,&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The overall loss decreased over the previous year but the entire profit of \u20b936,196 crore from freight traffic was utilised to cross-subsidise and compensate the loss on operation of passenger and other coach services.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hindustantimes.com\/india-news\/indian-railways-finances-slip-into-concern-zone-as-operating-ratio-rises-to-107-39-in-2021-22-cag-report-101691608397958.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hindustan Times<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Zayed_Talwar\"><\/span><strong>Zayed Talwar<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong>Tags: <\/strong>GS \u2013 3 Security\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_in_news\"><\/span><strong>Why in news? <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Two ships of the Indian Navy, <strong>INS Visakhapatnam, and INS Trikand<\/strong> have arrived in Dubai to conduct the bilateral exercise \u2018Zayed Talwar\u2019 with the UAE Navy.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/image-214.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13812 lazyload\" width=\"436\" height=\"290\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 436px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 436\/290;\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About-2\"><\/span><strong>About:<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Zayed Talwar is a <strong>Bilateral Exercise between India and UAE Navy.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li><li>The <strong>aim <\/strong>of the exercise is <strong>to enhance interoperability and synergy between the two navies.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li><li>The <strong>ships will undertake professional interactions with the UAE Naval Force<\/strong> on multiple elements of maritime operations during their visit.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The visit seeks to strengthen the maritime partnership, share best practices, and foster a common understanding of security challenges in the region.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"INS_Visakhapatnam\"><\/span><strong>INS Visakhapatnam:<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It is the <strong>lead ship and the first of the Indian Navy\u2019s Visakhapatnam-class stealth guided-missile destroyers.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><li>It was commissioned on November 21, 2021, is one of the largest destroyers in Indian Navy service.\u00a0<\/li><li>Features:\u00a0<ul><li>Displacement: 7,400 tonnes.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>Propulsion: It is <strong>propelled by four powerful Gas Turbines, in a Combined Gas and Gas (COGAG) configuration.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><li>Speed: It is capable of achieving speeds in excess <strong>of 30 knots.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><li>The ship is <strong>equipped to fight under Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) warfare conditions.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><div class=\"pcrstb-wrap\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Other exercises between India and UAE:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Exercise Desert Flag (Air Force)&nbsp;In-UAE BILAT (bilateral naval exercise)&nbsp;Desert Eagle (bilateral air force exercise)&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hindustantimes.com\/india-news\/indian-navy-to-conduct-bilateral-exercise-zayed-talwar-with-uae-101691598535725.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hindustan Times<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Indonesias_Aceh_Province\"><\/span><strong>Indonesia\u2019s Aceh Province<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong>Tags: <\/strong>GS \u2013 1 Geography, GS \u2013 2 International Relation\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_in_news-2\"><\/span><strong>Why in news? <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently, Authorities in Indonesia\u2019s Aceh province have issued an order requiring men and women not immediately related or married to stay apart in vehicles and public spaces.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About-3\"><\/span><strong>About:<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/image-215.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13813 lazyload\" width=\"487\" height=\"329\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 487px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 487\/329;\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>This move aims to enforce stricter adherence to Islamic law in the ultra-conservative province of Aceh.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Aceh_Province\"><\/span><strong>Aceh Province&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Aceh is a province in Indonesia <strong>located on the northwestern tip of Sumatra Island.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li>Aceh is <strong>surrounded by water on three sides<\/strong>: the <strong>Indian Ocean to the west and north and the Strait of Malacca to the east.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><li>Its <strong>boundary with the province of North Sumatra (Sumatera Utara)<\/strong> to the southeast extends north-south from Salahaji, on the northeastern coast just north of Aru Bay, to a point on the southwestern coast about midway between Singkil and Barus.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li>The <strong>capital is Banda Aceh<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/international\/indonesias-aceh-orders-men-and-women-apart-in-vehicles-public\/article67180382.ece#:~:text=Authorities%20in%20Indonesia's%20ultra%2Dconservative,seeks%20to%20tighten%20Islamic%20law\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Hindu<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hawaii_USA\"><\/span><strong>Hawaii, USA<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong>Tags: <\/strong>GS \u2013 1 Geography, GS \u2013 3 Climate Change\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_in_news-3\"><\/span><strong>Why in news? <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently, A devastating wildfire swept through Maui, Hawaii, leading to destruction, fatalities, and evacuations.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About-4\"><\/span><strong>About:<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/image-216.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13814 lazyload\" width=\"427\" height=\"368\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 427px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 427\/368;\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The Hawaiian Islands are an <strong>archipelago of eight major volcanic islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets<\/strong> in the North Pacific Ocean.\u00a0<\/li><li>The eight major islands at the eastern end of the chain are<strong>, from west to east, Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Maui, and Hawaii.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><li>The<strong> capital is Honolulu<\/strong>, located on the island of Oahu.\u00a0<\/li><li>Formation:\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li>The Hawaiian Islands <strong>were formed by a hot spot occurring in the middle of the Pacific Plate<\/strong>. While the hot spot itself is fixed, the plate is moving. So, as the plate moved over the hot spot, the string of islands that make up the Hawaiian Island chain was formed<strong>.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><li>Maui is an <strong>island in the Central Pacific, part of the Hawaiian archipelago<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/international\/several-killed-thousands-flee-as-wildfires-burn-through-maui-hawaii\/article67179960.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Hindu<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"RBI_launches_new_features_for_UPI\"><\/span><strong>RBI launches new features for UPI<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong>Tags: <\/strong>GS \u2013 3 Economy\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_in_news-4\"><\/span><strong>Why in news? <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Recently,<\/strong> The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced a clutch of measures aimed at deepening the scope of digital payments.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About-5\"><\/span><strong>About:<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>A unified payment system (UPI) <strong>powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application<\/strong>, merging several banking features like Instant transfer of funds, bill-sharing facility, etc.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li>It has been <strong>developed by: National Payments Corporation of India<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"New_features_for_UPI\"><\/span><strong>New features for UPI:<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Conversational Payments with AI:<\/strong> The RBI is launching \u201c<strong>conversational payments\u201d (audio interaction with AI bots) on UPI, enabling users to interact with an AI-powered system<\/strong> to initiate and complete transactions safely.\u00a0<\/li><li>This innovative mode aims to enhance ease of use and expand UPI\u2019s reach.\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Transaction Limit Increase for Small-Value Payments:<\/strong> The transaction limit for small-value offline digital payments <strong>will be increased to \u20b9500.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Offline Transactions with Near Field Communication (NFC):<\/strong> The RBI proposes enabling offline transactions using NFC technology.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li>This approach supports digital payments in scenarios with weak or no internet connectivity, enhancing speed and accessibility.\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Expansion of UPI-Lite<\/strong>: The UPI-Lite wallet introduced by RBI, aimed at optimizing processing resources for banks<strong>, <\/strong>now <strong>processes over 10 million transactions a month<\/strong>, enhancing transaction reliability.\u00a0<\/li><li>UPI-Lite is an on-device wallet service that enables low-value transactions without utilizing a Remitter bank\u2019s core banking systems in real-time.\u00a0<\/li><li>Digital Public Tech Platform: The <strong>Reserve Bank Innovation Hub is developing a digital platform for frictionless credit delivery<\/strong> <strong>with open architecture and APIs<\/strong>, allowing seamless connectivity for all financial sector players.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.livemint.com\/industry\/banking\/rbi-rolls-out-features-to-deepen-digital-banking-through-upi-11691669563168.html#:~:text=Mumbai%3A%20The%20Reserve%20Bank%20of,digital%20payments%20to%20%E2%82%B9500\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Livemint<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Deflation\"><\/span><strong>Deflation<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong>Tags: <\/strong>GS \u2013 3 Economy\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_in_news-5\"><\/span><strong>Why in news? <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently, China has officially slipped into deflation for the first time in two years as the country struggles with post-pandemic recovery.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"302\" height=\"201\" data-src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/image-217.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13815 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/image-217.png 302w, https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/image-217-300x201.png 300w, https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/image-217-263x175.png 263w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 302px) 100vw, 302px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 302px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 302\/201;\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About-6\"><\/span><strong>About:<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Deflation is the economic term used to describe the <strong>drop in prices for goods and services.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li><li>It normally takes place <strong>during times of economic uncertainty when the demand for goods and services is lower<\/strong>, along with <strong>higher levels of unemployment<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Deflation <strong>slows down economic growth<\/strong> by causing businesses to cut jobs, freeze hiring, and offer discounts to maintain sales.&nbsp;<\/li><li>It is the <strong>opposite of inflation<\/strong>, where prices tend to rise over time.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reasons_for_deflation_in_China\"><\/span><strong>Reasons for deflation in China:<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>China\u2019s post-COVID-recovery<\/strong> momentum has faltered as domestic demand weakens.\u00a0<\/li><li>Government intervention in IT, Real state industries\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Geopolitical tensions<\/strong> leading to the trade war with the USA.\u00a0<\/li><li>Crackdown on polluting industries\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Rising wages<\/strong> in China\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Consumer Price Index (CPI) Dropped <\/strong>in China\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Product Price Index (PPI) Decline<\/strong>: The product price index, a measure of wholesale prices, continued its downward trajectory.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/china-slips-into-deflation-as-post-covid-recovery-stalls\/a-664781\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DW<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Katchatheevu_Island_Tamil_Nadu\"><\/span><strong>Katchatheevu Island (Tamil Nadu)<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><strong>Tags: <\/strong>GS \u2013 1 Geography\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_in_news-6\"><\/span><strong>Why in news? <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his speech in the Parliament mentioned the island of Katchatheevu.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"317\" height=\"261\" data-src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/image-218.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13816 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 317px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 317\/261;\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About-7\"><\/span><strong>About:<\/strong>\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Katchatheevu Island is a <strong>tiny uninhabited landmass located in the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li>It is between <strong>Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><li>Formation: It was <strong>formed due to volcanic eruptions in the 14th century.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><li>Katchatheevu is <strong>not suited for permanent settlement as there is no source of drinking water on the island.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><li>History:\u00a0<\/li><li>In the early medieval period, it was <strong>controlled by the Jaffna kingdom of Sri Lanka<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li><li>In the 17th century, control passed to the <strong>Ramnad zamindari based out of Ramanathapuram<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li><li>It <strong>became part of the Madras Presidency during the British Raj<\/strong>. But in 1921, both India and Sri Lanka, at the time British colonies, claimed Katchatheevu in order to determine fishing boundaries.\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>In 1974, <\/strong>Indira Gandhi made attempts to settle the maritime border.\u00a0<\/li><li>As a part of this settlement, known as the \u2018<strong>Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime agreement\u2019,<\/strong> <strong>Indira Gandhi \u2018ceded\u2019 Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><li>Today, the uninhabited island is <strong>administered by Sri Lanka.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-politics\/pm-modi-katchatheevu-tamil-nadu-8887679\/#:~:text=Katchatheevu%20was%20%E2%80%9Cgiven%20away%E2%80%9D%20to,rights%20of%20Indian%20Tamil%20fishermen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Indian Express<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs\"><\/span>FAQs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_What_are_daily_current_affairs\"><\/span>Q: What are daily current affairs? <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A: Daily current affairs refer to the most recent and relevant events, developments, and news stories that are happening around the world on a day-to-day basis. These can encompass a wide range of topics, including politics, economics, science, technology, sports, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_Why_is_it_important_to_stay_updated_with_daily_current_affairs\"><\/span>Q: Why is it important to stay updated with daily current affairs? <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A: Staying updated with daily current affairs is crucial because it helps individuals make informed decisions in their personal and professional lives. It enables people to understand the world around them, stay aware of significant events, and engage in informed discussions about important issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_Where_can_I_access_daily_current_affairs_information\"><\/span>Q: Where can I access daily current affairs information? <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A: There are various sources for daily current affairs, including newspapers, news websites, television news broadcasts, radio programs, and dedicated apps or newsletters. Social media platforms are also widely used to share and access current affairs information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_How_can_I_effectively_incorporate_daily_current_affairs_into_my_routine\"><\/span>Q: How can I effectively incorporate daily current affairs into my routine? <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A: To incorporate daily current affairs into your routine, consider setting aside specific times each day to read or watch news updates. You can also subscribe to newsletters or follow news apps to receive curated content. Engaging in discussions with peers or participating in online forums can further enhance your understanding of current events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q_What_are_some_tips_for_critical_analysis_of_daily_current_affairs\"><\/span>Q: What are some tips for critical analysis of daily current affairs? <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A: When analyzing daily current affairs, it&#8217;s essential to cross-reference information from multiple sources to ensure accuracy. Additionally, consider the source&#8217;s credibility and bias, if any. Develop the ability to identify the main points and implications of news stories, and critically evaluate the significance and impact of the events reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"In_case_you_still_have_your_doubts_contact_us_on_9811333901\"><\/span><strong>In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For UPSC Prelims Resources,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/upsc-cse-prelims-resource-centre\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Click here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Daily Updates and Study Material:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Join our Telegram Channel &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/WithEdukemy4IAS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Edukemy for IAS<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>1. Learn through Videos &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3vOD8sU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/li><li>2. Be Exam Ready by Practicing Daily MCQs &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3Q9z2nF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/li><li>3. Daily Newsletter &#8211; Get all your Current Affairs Covered &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3bE2y5J\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/li><li>4. Mains Answer Writing Practice &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3mZuVxl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Visit_our_YouTube_Channel_%E2%80%93_here\"><\/span>Visit our YouTube Channel &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ShabbirsEduKemyforIAS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In today&#8217;s daily current affairs briefing for UPSC aspirants, we explore the latest developments that hold relevance for the upcoming civil services examination.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":13818,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[265],"tags":[160,161,232,140],"class_list":["post-13800","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-daily-current-affairs","tag-daily-current-affairs-upsc","tag-upsc","tag-upsc_preparation_strategy"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13800","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13800"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13800\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13819,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13800\/revisions\/13819"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13818"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13800"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13800"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}