1.

UPSC Current Affairs: India-Africa Relations

UPSC Syllabus: International Relations | Mains: GS-2

Significance of Africa for India:

● Natural Resources- India is looking at African nations like, Zambia, Namibia, Congo, Ghana
and Mozambique for minerals, including cobalt, and other critical minerals;
Invitation from Central African republic.
● Global Convergence- India’s global ambitions rest on South-South cooperation, which hinges
on an “ascendant India and a resurgent Africa”.
UNSC reforms; Reforms in Bretton wood institutions.
● Maritime Security- Piracy, Trade, Chinese incursion.
● Tackling terrorism and radicalisation issues
● Tackling food insecurity and malnutrition
● Economy- both are emerging economies and hence, immense potential to integrate their
growth.

Areas of Cooperation between India and Africa:

● Economic sector:
o India enjoys observer status in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
(COMESA), Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
o India-Africa trade has grown 18 percent annually since 2003 reaching $103 billion in
2023.This makes India Africa’s third largest trading partner after the European Union
and China.
o India is now one of the top five investors in Africa with cumulative investments
worth US$ 73.9 between 1996 to 2022.
o India is also the second largest lender in Africa, with strong public-private
partnerships and safeguards protecting borrowers from debt distress. In fact, most
Indian aid is channeled through the African Development Bank (ADB), which India
joined in 1983. India’s total investments in Africa amount to $70 billion, a figure the
powerful Confederation of Indian Industry aims to increase to $150 billion by 2030.
o India’s EXIM bank has devoted 50 percent of its international financing, technical
assistance, and trade promotion schemes to Africa.
o The ‘India-Africa Trade Ministers Dialogue’ is an annual event, since the first one held
in 2011.
● Global and geo-political:
o India and South Africa in BRICS.
o India and South Africa opposed the Investment facilitation for Development
agreement
o India and South Africa for TRIPS waiver
o In January 2023, 47 African countries attended the Voice of the Global South
Summit.
o India’s global ambitions rest on South-South cooperation, which hinges on an
“ascendant India and a resurgent Africa
● Defence and strategic ties:
 o In 2023, the two sides convened the first ever India-Africa Army-Chiefs Conclave,
alongside the second edition of the Africa-India Field Training Exercise (AFINDEX).
o The two sides conduct an annual India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD) that coincides
with India’s Defence Expo.
o India’s October 2022 “Gandhinagar Declaration” calls for more professional military
education (PME) training slots for African countries under ITEC.
o Additionally, India and Africa engage in specialized training and joint research in new
areas like artificial intelligence, cyber security, munition systems, maritime
surveillance, unmanned vehicles, space, and undersea scanning technologies.
o Since 1960, 100,000 Indian troops have participated in over 40 missions.
● Social:
o India builds capacity for good governance through institutions like the India
International Institute of Democracy and Election Management, which has trained
hundreds of African and Asian stakeholders building the National Assembly in
Gambia, erecting prefabricated health posts, and building a hydro power project in
Zambia, building social housing, the new Supreme Court, and the metro express in
Mauritius, a Centre for excellence in IT in Namibia, establishing solar panel
production unit and training local scientists in Maputo, Mozambique.
o Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC), which, since 1964, has devoted
more than a third of its accounts to African countries in four areas: capacity building,
project assistance, scholarships and institution building. It has trained over 2
lakhs civilian and defense professionals from 160 countries—mostly in Africa and
Asia.
o Africa’s largest digital project, the Pan African e-Network, is connecting Africa's 54
countries to India and one another to share expertise in telecoms, medicine, health,
resource mapping and e-governance.
o India also leverages its unique access to African grassroots communities. An
illustration of this is the Solar Mamas Project, a people to people venture in
Rajasthan, India, created by Barefoot College in Tiloniya. This College equips women
from impoverished communities in India and faraway African towns as solar
engineers. After training together for 6 months, they go back to electrify their
villages, earning them the title of ‘Solar Mamas. Indian government helped extend it
to 36 African countries.

Areas of Conflict/Challenges/Issues:
● Chinese incursion-
● Delivery deficit
● Political instability
● Terrorism and Piracy
● Irregularity in political engagement-

Way Forward:
● strengthening of political and diplomatic cooperation:
o by restoring the periodic leader’s summit through the medium of India-Africa Forum
summit
 o A new annual strategic dialogue between the chairperson of African Union and
India’s External Affairs Minister should be launched
o MEA should have a secretary exclusively in charge of African affairs to further
enhance the implementation and impact of the Africa Policy.
● strengthening defence and security cooperation:
o increase the number of defence attaches deployed in Africa
o expand the dialogue on defence issues
o widen the footprint of maritime collaboration
o expand the lines of credit to facilitate defence exports.
o increase the number of defence training slots
o enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism, cyber security, and emerging
technologies.
● Economic and development cooperation:
o better access to finance through the creation of Africa Growth Fund promoting
trilateral cooperation and deepening science and technology cooperation
o Indian private sector should diversify into new areas in Africa in addition to
traditional ones like pharmaceuticals, education, and agriculture
o African countries are also wary of taking more loans and clearly prefer foreign direct
investment.
o subnational Indian actors crafting their own relationships with African counterparts.
The partnership between the Kerala State government and Ethiopia and South Africa
on poverty reduction and empowering women is one example. “There is demand in
Africa for more of these ties, which can play a critical role in the continent’s growth
story.

● Socio-cultural cooperation:
o greater interaction between universities, think tanks, civil society, and media
organisations.
o setting up of National Centre for African Studies.
o Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) and Indian Council for Cultural
Relations (ICCR) scholarships awarded to Africans should be named after famous
African figures.
o Visa Measures for African students should be liberalised. They should be given work
visas for short periods.

● Abiding by the Kampala principles:

A. Africa will be at the top of India’s priorities. sustained and regular efforts to
intensify and deepen India Africa relations.
B. development partnership will be guided by African priorities. It will be on terms
that will be comfortable for Africans, that will liberate their potential and not
constrain their future. rely on African talent and skills. Build as much local capacity
and create as many local opportunities as possible.
C. keep Indian markets open and make it easier and more attractive to trade with
India. We will support Indian industry to invest in Africa.
D. harness India’s experience with digital revolution to support Africa’s development;
improve delivery of public services; extend education and health; spread digital
literacy; expand financial inclusion; and mainstream the marginalised. to equip the
youth of Africa for their place in the digital age.
 E. Africa has 60 per cent of the world’s arable land but produces just 10 per cent of the
global output. We will work with you to improve Africa’s agriculture.
F. Our partnership will address the challenges of climate change. We will work with
Africa to ensure a just international climate order; to preserve our biodiversity; and
adopt clean and efficient energy sources.
G. We will strengthen our cooperation and mutual capabilities in combating terrorism
and extremism; keeping our cyberspace safe and secure; and supporting the UN in
advancing and keeping peace.
H. We will work with African nations to keep the oceans open and free for the benefit
of all nations. The world needs cooperation and not competition in the eastern
shores of Africa and the eastern Indian Ocean. That is why India’s vision of Indian
Ocean Security is cooperative and inclusive, rooted in security and growth for all in
the region.
I. This is especially important to me: as global engagement in Africa increases, we must
all work together to ensure that Africa does not once again turn into a theatre of
rival ambitions but becomes a nursery for the aspirations of Africa’s youth.
J. Just as India and Africa fought colonial rule together, we will work together for a
just, representative, and democratic global order that has a voice and a role for
one-third of humanity that lives in Africa and India. India’s own quest for reforms in
the global institutions is incomplete without an equal place for Africa. That will be a
key purpose of our foreign policy.

2. UPSC Current Affairs: India Employment Report 2024: Youth employment, education, and skills
UPSC Syllabus: Economy | Mains: GS-3

Context: The report titled India Employment Report 2024: Youth employment, education and
skills underlines that the problem of unemployment in India has become increasingly concentrated
among the youth, especially educated youths and women in urban areas.

Key Highlights of the Report:

● In 2022, the share of unemployed youths in the total unemployed population was 82.9%.
Further, the report mentioned that the share of educated youths among all unemployed
people increased 11.5% from 54.2% in 2000 to 65.7% in 2022. Among the educated
(secondary level or higher) unemployed youths, women accounted for a larger share
(76.7%) than men (62.2%).

● In 2022, the unemployment rate among youths was six times greater for those who had
completed secondary education or higher (18.4%) and nine times higher for graduates
(29.1%) than for persons who could not read or write (3.4%). Moreover, this trend was
higher among educated young women (21.4%) than men (17.5%), especially among female
graduates (34.5%), compared to men (26.4%) with similar qualifications.
● Labour force participation rate (LFPR) among youths has been declining, with a reduction
from 54% in 2000 to 42% in 2022, and the decline has been sharper among youths aged
15-19 compared to youths aged 20-24 and 25-29. The LFPR in India for individuals aged 15
years and older was 55.2% in 2022, which was lower than the world average of 59.8%.

● LFPR consistently declined over the past two decades, from 61.6% in 2000 to 50.2% in 2019,
before increasing to 55.2% in 2022. The worker population ratio also exhibited a similar
trend, declining from 60.2% in 2000 to 47.3% in 2019 before increasing to 52.9% in 2022, the
report mentioned.

● Moreover, there is a significant gender gap in the labour market. In 2022, the LFPR of young
men stood at 61.2% compared to young women at 21.7%, and the gender gap was similar in
both rural and urban areas. In 2022, women’s LFPR stands at 32.8% which is around 2.3
times lower than the rate for men which is at 77.2%. Overall, India’s low LFPR is largely
attributed to the low female LFPR, which is much lower than the world average for 2022 —
47.3% — but higher than the South Asian average of 24.8% (ILO 2023).

● Nearly, 82% of the workforce engages in the informal sector, and nearly 90% is informally
employed. Further, a significant proportion of regular workers in the formal sector are
informal — “informalization” of the formal sector is a visible development — this trend was
accentuated between 2019 and 2022, as reflected in the decline in the proportion of regular
formal workers or better-quality work.

● Quality and condition of employment among youths are poorer compared with the older
cohort, although more youths are in industry and services. They are more likely to be
engaged in self-employed unpaid family work and casual wage work. They are also more
likely to be involved in no-skill and low-skill informal work, which typically offers lower wages
or earnings.

● The share of high- and medium-skill jobs increased from 5.1% in 2000 to 9.6% in 2019, while
low-skill jobs increased from 60.5% to 65.1%.

● Simultaneously, the share of unskilled jobs decreased from 34.4% in 2000 to 25% in 2022.
These trends suggest a rise in high- and medium-skill jobs and a decline in no-skill or
routine-type jobs. However, the trend shifted, with a consistent increase in low-skill jobs
and a decrease in high- and medium-skill jobs between 2019 and 2022.

As per the report, there are five general employment challenges:

First, India is experiencing a “stunted” structural transformation which means there has been
falling employment intensity in the growth process. Unliked most developed countries, the
growth process in India is services-led and not manufacturing-led.

Second, the jobs requiring low skills have been contracting and the jobs requiring high skills
have been increasing. Moreover, the labour market exhibits high levels of inequality in terms
of regions, social groups, gender, and occupation. Despite affirmative action and targeted
policies, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes still lag in terms of access to better jobs.
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have greater participation in work due to economic
necessity but engaged more in low-paid temporary casual wage work and informal
employment.

Third, many large states in the eastern and central parts of India are characterised by a youth
bulge. These states are relatively underdeveloped and have low per capita income and have
a small proportion of highly educated youths, low incidence of formal (regular) employment
and a large proportion of young people not in employment, education or training, which
underscores the need for regional policies designed to address such differences in the
employment situation for youths and promote more-balanced opportunities. Therefore, there
is disparity in employment outcomes, particularly youth employment, across the regions, the
report mentioned.

Fourth, the proportion of youths with a higher education level rose substantially among
unemployed persons over the past two decades, from 2000 to 2022. It also means that
education levels don’t necessarily mean skill levels, given the co-existence of educated
unemployed persons with an underqualified workforce in high-skill and medium-skill jobs.

Fifth, technology and climate change will increasingly have major implications in the various
aspects of the labour market and employment. For example, artificial intelligence has created
opportunities as well as major challenges.
Way Forward:

● companies must diversify and expand their workforce to include workers with expertise in
robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), AI and analytics. Job openings for roles such as Robot
 Teaming Coordinators, Smart Factory Managers, Digital Twin Engineers, and Smart Quality
Assurance (SQA) Managers are increasingly common

● There is a need to increase the proportion of formally skilled labour to at least 15 per cent of
India's workforce

● The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) should collaborate with industries to
identify skill gaps. Establishing a District-level Skill Development Plan (DSDP) to create a
state-level Skill Development Plan (SSDP) is crucial. The central and state governments must
share the financial burden of unskilled workers with employers for the first six months.

● Addressing the gap between the demand and supply of skilled workers through on-the-job
training (OJT) is essential.

● Fostering a culture of continuous learning and upskilling within workforces is essential for
maintaining competitiveness

● Employers should provide access to training programmes and resources to enhance

individual skill sets and foster adaptability and innovation within the organisation.

3. UPSC Current Affairs: GeM Portal

UPSC Syllabus: Economy| Prelims: GS-3

Context: The Government e- Marketplace (GeM) plans to seek the Centre’s approval to enable work
contracts for construction and building projects to also be bid out through the platform.

What is Government e-Marketplace (GeM)?

● It is the Public Procurement Portal for procurement of goods and services for all Central
Government and State Government Ministries, Departments, Public Sector Units (PSUs) and
affiliated organisations.
● It acts as a centralised and unified public procurement platform for government buyer
organisations and suppliers of goods and services.
● GeM endeavours to make the public procurement process transparent, efficient and inclusive.

Benefits for Buyers

● Provide transparency and ease of buying
● Offers rich listing of products for individual category of goods/services
● Direct purchase for amounts up to INR 25000
● Price Trends and Price Comparison From Multiple Suppliers
 ● Direct notifications to sellers
● Integrated Payment System
● Easy to comprehend interface to search, compare, select and buy
● User friendly dashboard for monitoring supplies and payments
● Online grievance redressal mechanism for quick resolution

Benefits for Sellers

● Access to National Public Procurement market
● No charges or fee for getting registered
● Special provisions and sections for startups, MSMEs and Emporium products
● Fully online, paperless and contactless platform
● Easy access to participate in bids/reverse auction
● Online grievance redressal mechanism for quick resolution
● Seller friendly dashboard for monitoring supplies & payments
● Dynamic Pricing- Price can be changed based on market conditions
● Direct access to Government departments and their organisations.

Q. Which of the following statements does not reflect the benefits of Government e-Marketplace
(GeM)?
(a) It highlights price trends and price comparison from multiple suppliers.
(b) It provides online grievance redressal mechanism for quick resolution
(c) It has special provisions and sections for startups, MSMEs and emporium products.
(d) It enables sellers to fix the price of their products irrespective of the market conditions.
Answer: (d)

Explanation:

Benefits for Buyers:

● Price Trends and Price Comparison From Multiple Suppliers
● Online grievance redressal mechanism for quick resolution

Benefits for Sellers:

● Special provisions and sections for startups, MSMEs and Emporium products
● Dynamic Pricing- Price can be changed based on market conditions

PYQ 2017: What is/ are the advantage/advantages of implementing the 'National Agriculture Market
Scheme'?
1. It is a pan-India electronic trading portal for agricultural commodities.
2. It provides the farmers access to nationwide markets, with prices commensurate with the quality
of their produce.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c)

4. UPSC Current Affairs: Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS)

UPSC Syllabus: Economy | Prelims: GS-3

Context: The utilisation of RBI’s Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) has been scaling new highs due
to the surge in the number of Indians travelling, investing and studying abroad. The money sent
abroad under this scheme during April 2023-January 2024 was the highest ever, at $27.4 billion.

About Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS)

● As per the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA), persons resident in India are
free to buy or sell foreign exchange for any current account transaction except for those
transactions for which drawal of foreign exchange has been prohibited by the Central
Government.
● Under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme, all resident individuals, including minors, are
allowed to freely remit up to USD 2,50,000 per financial year (April – March) for any
permissible current or capital account transaction or a combination of both. There are no
restrictions on the number of transactions but the cumulative amount should not exceed USD
2,50,000.
● The Scheme was introduced on February 4, 2004, with a limit of USD 25,000. The LRS limit has
been revised in stages consistent with prevailing macro and micro economic conditions.
● Remittances under the LRS facility can be consolidated (clubbed together) in respect of close
family members subject to the individual family members complying with the terms and
conditions of the Scheme.
● The remittances can be made in any freely convertible foreign currency (apart from dollars).
● Only certain capital account transactions are allowed under LRS rules such as opening a bank
account abroad i.e. a Foreign Currency Account, purchasing real estate property overseas, for
making investments overseas which includes investing in shares, mutual funds, and debt
instruments amongst others.
● The Scheme is not available to corporates, partnership firms, HUF, Trusts etc.

Who is Covered Under this Scheme?

Individuals can avail of foreign exchange facility for the following purposes within the LRS limit of
USD 2,50,000 on financial year basis:
● Private visits to any country (except Nepal and Bhutan)
● Gift or donation
● Going abroad for employment
● Emigration
● Maintenance of close relatives abroad
 ● Travel for business, or attending a conference or specialised training or for meeting expenses
for meeting medical expenses, or check-up abroad, or for accompanying as attendant to a
patient going abroad for medical treatment/ check-up
● Expenses in connection with medical treatment abroad
● Studies abroad
● Any other current account transaction which is not covered under the definition of current
account in FEMA 1999.

What is Excluded From this Scheme?

The remittance facility under the Scheme is not available for the following:
● Remittance for any purpose specifically prohibited like purchase of lottery
tickets/sweepstakes, proscribed magazines, etc.
● Remittance from India for margins or margin calls to overseas exchanges / overseas
counterparty.
● Remittances for purchase of FCCBs issued by Indian companies in the overseas secondary
market.
● Remittance for trading in foreign exchange abroad.
● Capital account remittances, directly or indirectly, to countries identified by the Financial
Action Task Force (FATF) as “non- cooperative countries and territories”, from time to time.
● Remittances directly or indirectly to those individuals and entities identified as posing
significant risk of committing acts of terrorism as advised separately by the Reserve Bank to
the banks.

Q. With reference to ‘Liberalised Remittance Scheme’, consider the following statements:

1. Under this scheme, all resident individuals are allowed to freely remit up to USD 2,50,000 per
financial year.
2. Remittance for trading in foreign exchange abroad is not available under the scheme.
3. The Scheme is available to corporates, partnership firms, HUF, Trusts etc.
How many of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer: (b)

PYQ 2019: In the context of India, which of the following factors is/are contributor/ contributors to
reducing the risk of a currency crisis?
1. The foreign currency earnings of India's IT sector
2. Increasing the government expenditure
3. Remittances from Indians abroad
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b)

5. UPSC Current Affairs: Directorate General of Civil Aviation

UPSC Syllabus: Polity and Governance| Prelims: GS-2

Context: The Director General of Civil Aviation has recently introduced changes to Flight Duty Time
Limitations (FDTL) to reduce pilot fatigue in a professional and scientific manner.
This in pursuance with the International Civil Aviation Organization established guidelines in
the 1950s to limit flight and duty hours for safety which is evolving to include Fatigue Risk
Management Systems.

Need for Changes:

● The changes are intended to provide more rest time for pilots, redefine night duty, and
require airlines to file regular fatigue reports, with implementation scheduled by June 1.
● The Indian aviation market is experiencing high growth, leading to increased flying and stress
on flight crews, especially with the rise of ultra-long-haul flights and widebody aircraft
induction.
● Flight crew fatigue is a significant factor contributing to human errors in aircraft operations
and can lead to catastrophic accidents, as well as being dangerous for crew health.
● The DGCA cited incidents of pilot deaths allegedly due to exhaustion while urging airlines to
adhere to the new regulations starting from June 1.
● The new rules include extending the mandatory weekly rest period for pilots to 48 hours
from the current 36 and reducing night flying by extending the definition of 'night' by an
hour and limiting the number of authorized night landings.
● Over the time, prioritizing airline economics over safety has led to the lowering of safety
standards, allowing pilots to continue facing fatigue-related issues.
Argument of the airlines:
● Airlines expressed concerns that implementing new rules aimed at better fatigue
management would require around 25% more pilots, which they wouldn't be able to hire
and train in a short period.

Taking airline management concerns into account, the DGCA recently allowed airlines to continue
operating under previous regulations until their new schemes are approved.

About DGCA: Directorate General of Civil Aviation is an attached office of the Ministry of Civil
Aviation.
● The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is the regulatory body in the field of Civil Aviation
which primarily deals with safety issues.
● It is responsible for regulation of air transport services to/from/within India and for
enforcement of civil air regulations, air safety and airworthiness standards. It also
co-ordinates all regulatory functions with International Civil Aviation Organisation.
● The headquarters are in New Delhi with regional offices in the various parts of India.
Functions carried out by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation:
● Registration of civil aircraft
● Formulation of standards of airworthiness for civil aircraft registered in India and grant of
certificates of airworthiness to such aircraft.
● Licensing of pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, air traffic controllers and flight engineers,
and conducting examinations and checks for that purpose.
● Certification of aerodromes.
● Maintaining a check on the proficiency of flight crew, and of other operational personnel
such as flight dispatchers and cabin crew.
● Granting of Air Operator’s Certificates to Indian carriers and regulation of air transport
services operating to/from/within/over India by Indian and foreign operators, including
clearance of scheduled and non-scheduled flights of such operators.
● Conducting investigation into incidents and serious incidents involving aircraft up to 2250 kg
AUW and taking accident prevention measures including formulation of implementation of
Safety Aviation Management Programmes.
● Carrying out amendments to the Aircraft Act, the Aircraft Rules, and the Civil Aviation
Requirements for complying with the amendments to ICAO Annexes and initiating proposals
for amendment to any other Act or for passing a new Act in order to give effect to an
international Convention or amendment to an existing Convention.
● Coordination of ICAO matters with all agencies and sending replies to State Letters and
taking all necessary action arising out of the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme
(USOAP) of ICAO.
● Approval of institutes engaged in flying training including simulator training, AME training, air
traffic services training or any other training related with aviation, with a view to ensuring a
high quality of training.
● Granting approval to aircraft maintenance, repair, design and manufacturing organizations
and their continued oversight.
● To act as a nodal agency for implementing Annex 9 provisions in India and for coordinating
matters relating to facilitation at Indian airports including holding meetings of the National
Facilitation Committee.
● Rendering advice to the Government on matters relating to air transport including bilateral
air services agreements, on ICAO matters and generally on all technical matters relating to
civil aviation, and to act as an overall regulatory and developmental body for civil aviation in
the country.
● Regulation and oversight of matters related to Air Navigation Services. Coordination at
national level for flexi-use of air space by civil and military air traffic agencies and interaction
with ICAO for provision of more air routes for civil use through Indian air space.
● Keeping a check on aircraft noise and engine emissions in accordance with ICAO Annex 16
and collaborating with the environmental authorities in this matter, if required.
● Promoting indigenous design and manufacture of aircraft and aircraft components by acting
as a catalytic agent.
● Approving training programmes of operators for carriage of dangerous goods, issuing
authorizations for carriage of dangerous goods, etc.
● Safety Oversight of all entities approved/ certified/ licensed under the Aircraft Rules 1937.
 PYQ on regulatory body (2019): MCQ based on the issue:
In India, which of the following review the With reference to Directorate General of Civil
independent regulators in sectors like Aviation, consider the following statements:
telecommunications, insurance, electricity, etc.? 1. It is the nodal agency for laying down
1. Ad Hoc Committees set up by the standards and measures with respect to
Parliament. security of civil flights.
2. Parliamentary Department Related 2. It is an attached office under the Ministry
Standing Committees of Home Affairs.
3. Finance Commission Which of the statements given above is/are
4. Financial Sector Legislative Reforms correct?
Commission (a) 1 only
5. NITI Aayog (b) 2 only
Select the correct answer using the code given (c) Both 1 and 2
below. (d) Neither 1 nor 2
(a) 1 and 2 Answer: Neither 1 nor 2
(b) 1, 3 and 4 Explanation:
(c) 3, 4 and 5 Statement 1 is incorrect: Bureau of Civil Aviation
(d) 2 and 5 Security is the nodal agency for laying down
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 standards and measures with respect to security
of civil flights.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Directorate General of
Civil Aviation is an attached office of the Ministry
of Civil Aviation.

6. UPSC Current Affairs: Renewable Energy Scenario in Indian States

UPSC Syllabus: Environment and Ecology| Prelims: GS-3
Context: With over 26,800 MW of installed renewable energy capacity, Rajasthan is at the helm of
India’s transition towards green energy. Following close behind is Gujarat, which is looking to
overtake the former as the leader in renewable energy in the next couple of years.

Scenario

● Rajasthan and Gujarat:

Rajasthan leads with 26,800 MW of renewable energy capacity, while Gujarat follows closely
behind. Gujarat aims to surpass Rajasthan with the operationalization of a 30,000 MW
renewable energy park in Kutch.

● Experts point out that 64.5 per cent of Rajasthan’s power generation capacity comes from
renewable energy sources. This is much higher than the 47 per cent of renewable energy mix
present in Gujarat’s energy basket.

Current Energy Production:

● In 2023-24, Rajasthan produced 39,300 million units of green energy, triple the amount from
2019-20.

● Gujarat generated 36,184 million units in the same period, doubling its production from 2019-20.
National Trends:

● India is on track to exceed renewable energy targets ahead of schedule. States like Maharashtra
and Karnataka are expected to attract more renewable energy projects.

Shifts in Southern States:

● Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, once leaders in renewable energy, have seen declines. Karnataka
grew by 83%, Tamil Nadu by 88% between 2019-23.

Top Producers:

● Karnataka ranks third with 33,500 million units, followed by Tamil Nadu with 29,000 million units.

Among the top biggest renewable energy producing states Slowest Growth in Andhra Pradesh is
witnessed.

● Andhra Pradesh registered only 28% growth since 2019.

Maharashtra's Growth:

● Maharashtra, which currently has the highest quantum of thermal power (28,916 MW), grew
by nearly 61% in renewable energy production.

Previous year question (2022)

Q. Consider the following statements:

1. Gujarat has the largest solar park in India.

2. Kerala has a fully solar powered International Airport.

3. Goa has the largest floating solar photovoltaic project in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3

(d) 3 only

Answer-(b)
Practice question

Q. With reference to energy scenario in India, consider the following statements:

1. Gujarat is the leading producer of renewable energy in India.

2. Uttar Pradesh is the leading producer of thermal energy India.

3. Rajasthan has more share of renewable energy in total energy mix than Gujrat.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Answer: (a)

Explanation:

● Rajasthan and Gujarat:

Rajasthan leads with 26,800 MW of renewable energy capacity, while Gujarat follows closely
behind. Gujarat aims to surpass Rajasthan with the operationalization of a 30,000 MW
renewable energy park in Kutch.

● Experts point out that 64.5 per cent of Rajasthan’s power generation capacity comes from
renewable energy sources. This is much higher than the 47 per cent of renewable energy mix
present in Gujarat’s energy basket.

● Maharashtra, which currently has the highest quantum of thermal power (28,916 MW), grew by
nearly 61% in renewable energy production.

7. UPSC Current Affairs: MATUA MAHA SABHA

UPSC Syllabus: History | Prelims: GS-1

Context: Matua Community, who have migrated from Bangladesh to India over the years, possess
Aadhaar cards and voter identity cards and believe that the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules are
necessary.

Matua Mahasangha:
● A religious reform movement that originated, around 1860 AD, in modern-day Bangladesh.
● A sect of depressed class ‘AVARNA; Hindus who are Namasudras, a Scheduled Caste group.
● Launched as a reformation by the followers of Harichand Thakur.
Harichand Thakur (1812-1878):
 ● Worked among the untouchable people of Bengal Presidency.
● Formed the Matua sect of Hindus along with his son Guruchand Thakur and organized
downtrodden peoples of his own community under the banner of ‘Matua religion’.
● They considered him as God (Param Brahma) Harichand.
● Based on only three basic principles: Truth, Love, and Sanity.
● After experiencing Atma darshan or self-revelation, he began to preach his own religious
realization which is only based on Bhakti philosophy.
● This sect opposed caste oppression and later drew members from other communities,
including Malis and Telis, that was ostracised by the upper castes.
● Doctrine:
o All traditional rituals, except devotion to God, faith in mankind, and love for living
beings, are meaningless.
o It also emphasised on reforming Vaishnava devotionalism.
● Matua-Namasudras in 1915, built the 'Sri Sri Harichand Mission', Orakandi in Faridpur,
Bengal Presidency (now in Bangladesh).
● In the early 1930s, Pramatha Ranjan Thakur, great-grandson of Harichand Thakur,
rejuvenated the organization. He founded the town of Thakurnagar, which became the new
headquarters of the Matua Mahasangha in 1947.

Prelims Previous Year Question: (2016)

Q. Satya Shodhak Samaj organized
(a) a movement for upliftment of tribals in Bihar
(b) a temple-entry movement in Gujarat
(c) an anti-caste movement in Maharashtra
(d) a peasant movement in Punjab
Answer: (c)

Practice Questions for Prelims:

Q. Consider the following statements:
1. Matua religion emerged as a social reform movement in the Bombay presidency during the
colonial rule.
2. Matua religion organised the ‘Namasudras sect’ and emphasised on reforming Vaishnava
devotionalism.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (b)