Oct 1st The Hindu Imp News Articles & Editorial

 Edition: International Table of Contents

Page 06 : Prelims Fact

Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty has been awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2022, recognizing his significant contributions to Indian cinema.

• Known for iconic roles in films like Mrigayaa, Disco Dancer, and Agneepath, Mithun Chakraborty has also been active in social causes.

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award:

• The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India’s highest recognition in the field of cinema.
• It was instituted in 1969 by the Government of India.
• Named after Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema, who directed Raja Harishchandra, the first full-length Indian feature film in 1913.
• The award is given for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema, honouring outstanding achievements and dedication.
• It includes a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize.
• The award is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony.
• The first recipient was actress Devika Rani, awarded in 1969.
• Prominent recipients include Raj Kapoor, Lata Mangeshkar, Satyajit Ray, and Amitabh Bachchan, acknowledging their impact on the Indian film industry.

UPSC CAPF Prelims PYQ : 2017

Ques : Who among the following has won the Dadasaheb Phalke award for the year 2016?

1. K Viswanath
2. Shashi Kapoor
3. Gulzar
4. Manoj Kumar

Ans: a)

Page 07 : GS 3 : Science and Technology

The article discusses the ongoing climate emergency, highlighting the debate over whether climate scientists should focus solely on research or also engage in activism to effectively address climate change.

• It examines the roles scientists can play in advocating for awareness and action.

Climate Emergency and the Role of Scientists

• The world is currently facing a climate emergency, with record-breaking heat waves, floods, and landslides affecting cities globally.
• The debate arises: should climate scientists only focus on data analysis, or should they also engage in advocacy and activism?

Arguments in Favour of Scientists’ Activism

• Increased Awareness: Activism can help raise public awareness about climate change, making complex scientific data accessible and understandable.
• Influencing Policy: Engaging in activism allows scientists to directly influence policymakers, advocating for evidence-based decisions that address climate challenges.
• Urgency of Action: Given the climate crisis, scientists may feel a moral obligation to act beyond their research, promoting immediate and effective responses.
• Collaboration Opportunities: Activism opens avenues for collaboration with environmental groups and the public, fostering a collective effort towards solutions.
• Challenging Status Quo: Scientists can counter entrenched interests that resist change, pushing for innovative practices and technologies.

Arguments Against Scientists’ Activism

• Loss of Objectivity: Engaging in activism may compromise scientific neutrality, potentially leading to biases in research and communication.
• Distraction from Research: Activism might divert focus and resources away from essential scientific work, undermining the integrity of research.
• Polarisation of Public Discourse: Activist roles can polarise public opinion, making it harder for scientists to engage constructively with differing viewpoints.
• Reputation Risks: Scientists who take political stances may face backlash, impacting their credibility and the perceived reliability of their work.
• Limited Impact: Activism alone may not lead to substantial changes without broader systemic and policy reforms.

Challenges of Scientists’ Activism

• Balancing Roles: Scientists must navigate the delicate balance between their roles as researchers and activists without compromising scientific integrity.
• Public Engagement: Effectively communicating scientific findings to a lay audience can be challenging, especially in a landscape filled with misinformation.
• Institutional Barriers: Institutional policies and funding restrictions may limit scientists’ ability to engage in activism openly.
• Emotional Toll: Witnessing the impacts of climate change can lead to emotional fatigue, affecting scientists’ mental health and productivity.
• Political Pressures: Scientists may face political backlash for advocating certain positions, complicating their ability to conduct impartial research.

Conclusion

• The debate over scientists’ activism reflects the urgency of addressing climate change while maintaining scientific integrity.
• Balancing research with advocacy can enhance public understanding and influence policy.
• Ultimately, the role of scientists should be to communicate evidence-based knowledge while engaging responsibly with societal challenges.

UPSC Mians PYQ: 2023

Ques : Discuss the consequences of climate change on the food security in tropical countries. (200 words/10m)

Page 07 :  Prelims Fact

A rocky planet has been discovered orbiting a white dwarf, hinting at the possible fate of Earth when the Sun dies.

• This discovery suggests Earth might survive the Sun’s transformation, although as a cold, lifeless world in the distant future.

Analysis of the news:

• A rocky planet has been found orbiting a white dwarf, providing a potential glimpse into Earth’s distant future.

What Is White Dwarf?

• A white dwarf is the remnant of a low- to medium-mass star that has exhausted its nuclear fuel and collapsed.
• It consists mostly of electron-degenerate matter and is extremely dense and hot.
• The planet, with a mass about 1.9 times that of Earth, orbits a white dwarf 4,200 light-years away in the Milky Way galaxy’s central bulge.
• The white dwarf started as a star similar in mass to the Sun, now reduced to about half the Sun’s mass.
• The planet originally orbited within its host star’s habitable zone, at a distance similar to Earth’s from the Sun, but now orbits at 2.1 times that distance.
• The planet is currently extremely cold, as the white dwarf is much fainter than its original star.
• The Sun will eventually become a white dwarf after expanding into a red giant and shedding its outer layers.
• When the Sun becomes a white dwarf, Earth may be engulfed during its red giant phase or remain as a cold, lifeless planet orbiting the faint remnant of the Sun.

UPSC Prelims PYQ : 2024

Ques : Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: Giant stars live much longer than dwarf stars.

Statement-II: Compared to dwarf stars, giant stars have a greater rate of nuclear reactions.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I

(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I

(c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect

(d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Ans: d)

Page 12 : Prelims Fact

India’s trade with the U.S. continued to grow in 2024, with bilateral goods trade surpassing $190 billion and Indian exports increasing significantly.

• Despite the U.S. withdrawal of GSP benefits, Indian exports remained strong, highlighting resilient trade relations.

Analysis of the news:

• The U.S. remained India’s top trading partner in the January-July 2024 period, with bilateral goods trade surpassing $190 billion.
• Indian exports to the U.S. grew by 9.3%, reaching $48.2 billion during this period.
• Top exports from India included garments, textiles, pharmaceuticals, precious stones, smartphones, and mineral fuels.
• India’s imports from the U.S. declined by 5%, falling from $25.9 billion to $24.6 billion.
• India’s imports from the U.S. included mineral fuels, machinery, aircraft, chemicals, and edible fruits.
• India’s total exports to the U.S., including services, grew from $83.2 billion in 2018 to $120.1 billion in 2023.
• The U.S. withdrawal of the GSP scheme for Indian exporters had minimal economic impact.

Trade Deficit

• A trade deficit occurs when a country imports more goods and services than it exports. This imbalance can be measured in terms of money and can indicate economic trends.

Key Points:

• Causes:
  • Strong domestic demand for foreign products.
  • Competitive currency value making imports cheaper.
  • Economic growth that encourages buying from abroad.
• Impacts:
  • Short-term benefits like lower prices for consumers.
  • Long-term concerns include potential negative effects on domestic industries.
  • Can lead to borrowing or selling assets to finance the deficit.
• Economic Context:
  • A trade deficit isn’t inherently bad; it can reflect a strong economy.
  • Countries may experience trade deficits during periods of growth.
• Measurement:
  • Calculated as: Trade Deficit = Total Imports – Total Exports.

UPSC Prelims PYQ : 2020

Ques : With reference to the international trade of India at present, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. India’s merchandise exports are less than its merchandise imports.
2. India’s imports of iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizers, and machinery have decreased in recent years.
3. India’s exports of services are more than its imports of services.
4. India suffers from an overall trade/current deficit.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 4 only
3. 3 only
4. 1, 3 and 4 only

Ans: d)

Lakes In News : Lake Michigan

Researchers recently surveyed the bottom of Lake Michigan after spotting strange circles on the lakebed in 2022, and new observations show the circles are craters.

About Lake Michigan:

• It is the third largest of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one lying wholly within the United States.
• It is the fourth largest freshwater lake and the fifth largest lake in the world ranked by surface area.
• The lake is 321 miles (517 km) long (north to south); it has a maximum width of 118 miles (190 km).
• Drainage basin area: 45,600 square mi (118,095 square km)
• Lake Michigan is connected directly to Lake Huron, into which it drains, through the broad Straits of Mackinac.
• This hydrologic connection through the Straits keeps the water levels of the two lakes in equilibrium, causing them to behave in many ways as though they are one lake.
• Water flows into Lake Michigan from several rivers in the 45,600 square mile Lake Michigan drainage basin, including the Fox-Wolf, the Grand, the Joseph, and the Kalamazoo rivers, among others.
• The lake boasts a variety of natural habitats, including tallgrass prairies, wide savannas, and the world’s largest freshwater sand dunes.
• It hosts a wealth of plant and animal species, many of which are rare or endangered (such as the Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly and the Dwarf Lake Iris).

UPSC Prelims PYQ : 2022

Ques : Which one of the following lakes of West Africa has become dry and turned into desert?

1. Lake Victoria
2. Lake Faguibine
3. Lake Oguta
4. Lake Volta

Ans: (b)

Page : 08 Editorial Analysis

Context :

• The ageing population in India and China presents both challenges and opportunities.
• Rising health-care needs, financial insecurities, and digital exclusion are key concerns that need reform.
• Addressing these issues through health care, economic support, digital inclusion, and the development of a “silver economy” can ensure better quality of life for the elderly.

Introduction

• While the rising quantum and share of the elderly population is a global concern, India and China, the two population giants in the world, have a disproportionate share of the elderly given their large population size. And rising longevity is intensifying this concern every day.
• Therefore, it is pertinent to transform this challenge into an opportunity that involves suitable reforms to cater to the evolving needs of this population.
• In this regard, evidence indicates that it is not merely the quantum of this population but also its quality that needs attention and intervention.

Rising health-care consumption and reform

• For instance, the health-care consumption of this segment of the population, presently estimated at $7 billion, is rising.
• Such a rise in India is because three-quarters of the elderly have at least one chronic ailment along with a quarter of them having limitations in daily living.
• In addition, a third of them display depressive symptoms along with low-life satisfaction.
• When these adversities are coupled with economic insecurities, there is every reason to dwell on senior care reform to ensure the better well-being of this population segment.

Multi-sectoral reform initiative

• Such a reform initiative needs to recognise the multi-sectoral attention involving health, social, economic/financial and, above all, digital domains towards mainstreaming the elderly within the evolving environment.
  • Health empowerment and inclusion can happen by improving health literacy among the elderly and their caregivers.
    • Policy efforts: On this front, the initiative of adopting comprehensive health care at health and wellbeing centres under the renewed mission of the Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) may be considered a good initiative.
    • About AAM: This involves a preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative component under the multiple system of ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy (AYUSH).
  • Strengthening the health-care infrastructure: to focus on the elderly by expanding tele-consultation services, enhancing the skilled workforce for the elderly, and capacity building of the existing workforce may facilitate the utilisation of health care among senior citizens despite limitations of means on the one hand and specific need on the other.

This all-inclusive package has a mental health services aspect as well as nutrition-related services that will operationalise senior care through preventive, wellness and therapeutic interventions and is thus holistic.

Addressing financial insecurities

• Need for Sensitisation: The social inclusion of the elderly may well be served by sensitising the larger community on their needs and sensitivities and by establishing peer support groups for interaction.
• Awareness about entitlements: At the same time there is a need to make them aware of their entitlements and legal safeguards on inheritance, succession and protection that will help their confidence in handling ugly eventualities that could arise in the course of life.
• Addressing insecurities: Economic and financial insecurities need to be addressed through innovative schemes and plans specifically for the elderly, in terms of investments, to reduce their financial burden.
• Curative and inclusive product portfolio: Such a burden that is largely on account of health care costs may be protected with well-designed insurance products such as ₹5 lakh coverage for every individual above the age of 70 years.
• Reskilling the younger population: that is also aging (given their adaptability to modern technology and infrastructure) to be engaged in the labour market may be another option to maintain the economic independence of the elderly.
• Digital Inclusion: the inclusion of the elderly in a rapidly growing digital environment is equally important for the elderly to benefit from many schemes and programmes with ease and convenience.
• Digital adaption among the elderly: still remains below expectation, excluding them from desirable schemes and benefits.
• Focussed targeting: the current elderly population and those younger who are also aging to go digital should get a second look from the domain of finance to the delivery of numerous care services that are meant for the elderly.

As an economic segment

• Tuning into opportunities: Besides this five-point care reform for seniors, the idea of turning this emerging challenge into an opportunity lies in viewing a silver economy that comprises economic activities, and goods and services catering to this population segment.
  • On this count, the available worth of this economy is estimated at ₹73,082 crore and is expected to grow manifold over the years.
• Elderly Population: While the 60-plus share is estimated at 13.2% in 2031, and at 19% by mid-century, the elderly will constitute a major consumer segment that is also characterised as the wealthiest given the professional in the age group of 45-64 years is the richest.
• Boost to wellness driven program: Further, as health-care consumption is about a third of their entire consumption, it can ignite the health and wellness-driven businesses among the senior care segment in India.
• Leveraging economic growth: On the whole, the silver economy is set to grow in India and the world, with a market size that has potential for innovation in the health technology domain as well as utility infrastructure for varying limitations that come with age.

One has the quote these days which says ‘they become rich before they grow old’.

Conclusion

• In recognition of this eventual reality, the government appears to have given consideration to rehabilitating the
• silver segment by launching the Senior Able Citizens for Re-Employment in Dignity (SACRED) portal to connect senior citizens with job providers in the private sector.
• Another initiative is the Senior care Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE), by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, to promote and incentivise senior care products.