GS: 1
Society related issues:
Khap menace(The Hindu Opinion)
Each time the Supreme Court feels impelled to remind khap panchayats and the society at large that they have no business interfering in the life choices of individuals regarding marriage and love, it is an implicit commentary on our times.
GS: 2
International relations:
Sushma takes part in Saudi festival (The Hindu)
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday participated in the national festival of Saudi Arabia and held bilateral discussions with the Saudi royals, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday.
Indian immigration conundrum (The Hindu Opinion)
A group of approximately 800 Indian-Americans gathered on Pennsylvania Avenue outside the White House last weekend to march — wait for it — in favour of U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Apparently, there are some Indian-origin persons who do support Mr. Trump’s harsh rhetoric on securing America’s borders, not only through the southern border wall with Mexico, but also stricter enforcement of controls over legal migration.
Drama on the high seas, 30 years ago(The Hindu Opinion)
‘Operation Cactus’, the code name for India’s military intervention in the Maldives in 1988, following an attempted coup d’état against the government of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and his request for help, was spontaneous and swift. But its finale, in mid-ocean, was a rescue operation that had a thorny side to it.
Indian Constitution and Polity:
What’s wrong with one identity, asks SC(The Hindu)
Aadhaar becomes the sole record by which a person can establish his identity, or he runs the risk of a “civil death.”
GS: 3
Economy:
RBI holds rates on inflation risk(The Hindu)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday kept its policy interest rate unchanged, citing risks to the outlook for inflation.
Ujjwala Yojana to benefit eight crore women now (The Hindu)
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the increase in the target for the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, meant to provide cooking-gas connections to rural women, to eight crore from the earlier five crore. The deadline for achieving the target is 2020.
Government’s turn (Indian Express)
RBI’s stance is a recognition of challenges to growth. It is now for the government to counter the headwinds
The formal-informal divide(The Hindu Opinion)
It is now well recognised that there is an investment slowdown in India, which is delaying a full-blooded recovery in the economy. Private investments, the principle engine of growth, are out of steam. The fall is so severe that it has more than offset the government’s macroeconomic stimulus of increased public investments.
In inflation’s shadow(The Hindu Opinion)
The Reserve Bank of India’s decision to keep the repo rate unchanged was no surprise given the focus with which the Monetary Policy Committee has approached its mandate: of keeping inflation in check.
Environment:
Air pollution behind poor lung capacity among kids: study(The Hindu)
Particulate matter pollution monitored over 15 different locations across the Capital for more than three months in a row this winter on a sample size of 343 revealed that 80% of the sample population had unhealthy or below the normal lung functioning.
NGT seeks report on rainwater harvesting(The Hindu)
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on February 5 directed the Delhi government to submit within three weeks a report on the number of flyovers here having rainwater harvesting systems.
Science and Technology:
India successfully test-fires nuclear capable Prithvi-II(The Hindu)
India on Wednesday successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile as part of a user trial by the Army from a test range in Odisha, Defence sources said. The trial of the surface-to-surface missile, with a strike range of 350 km, was carried out from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur.
Biologics, patents and drug prices (The Hindu Opinion)
India’s rejection of secondary patents has kept blockbuster medicines affordable for many
Yesterday’s current affairs material by Forum IAS
7 PM Editorial: A challenging year ahead for Indian Space Research Organisation
Discover more from Free UPSC IAS Preparation Syllabus and Materials For Aspirants
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
