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GS 1
Social issues
Is prohibition the answer?: (The Hindu, Editorial)
Whether or not people can drink is a debate fuelled by upper-caste hypocrisy, a mix of religious guilt and bigotry.
GS 2
Effects of developed and developing countries policies
India flags U.S. military aid to Pakistan:
Agenda set for Prime Minister Modi’s first meeting with President Donald Trump later this week.
Government policies
Debunking myths about the cattle rules: (The Hindu, Editorial)
The new rules governing cattle markets only attempt to prevent cruelty.
Inclusion in the Backward Classes list: (The Hindu, Editorial)
A widely welcomed move to grant constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has also brought with it a whiff of controversy over whether it amounts to encroaching on the domain of the States. The Lok Sabha passed the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017, in April.
GS 3
Security
NATGRID can soon access PAN, I-T records:
The Centre has empowered the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID), the integrated mechanism to keep track of security-related data, to access the Income Tax department’s records on individual taxpayers as well as PAN card holders.
Indian Economy. Planning, Growth and Employment
The clean-up begins: (The Hindu, Editorial)
But will the RBI’s move for insolvency proceedings against borrowers succeed?
Issues related to subsidies
Are farm loan waivers really so bad?: (Live Mint, Editorial)
The Centre and states need to work together to evolve a farm loan model which protects both farmers and banks without bringing politics into it.
External state and non-state actors in internal security
Missing a strategic culture: (Indian Express, Editorial)
External threats to India’s security persist but more worrisome are vulnerabilities on new fronts. When memory and experience are missing, knee-jerk reactions and ad-hoc decision-making follow
Prelims Related News
A law, this time for Antarctica:
Preparing for a populous future in which Antarctica — the world’s only continent without countries and citizens—may see more tourists, over-exploited fisheries, disputes and crime, India is drafting a dedicated Antarctica policy.
ISRO plans complex manoeuvres:
The engines in the fourth stage will be reignited three times, in a bid to master the technique that will enable ISRO to inject satellites into different orbits in a single launch.
