News: CAG presented its performance audit of Aadhaar’s regulator, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). The audit covered its mature phase, from 2014-15 to 2018-19. CAG’s audit portrays an unsatisfactory picture of the systems and processes in UIDAI. How does the UIDAI function? UIDAI operates Aadhar through a layer of subcontractors. So, when an applicant’s… Continue reading Safeguard Aadhar: CAG’s audit of UIDAI reveals worrisome laxity. It needs to improve fast
Tag: gs paper 3
On fire hazard from e-vehicles: Read the smoke signals
News: Safety concerns have emerged after several recent incidents in which e-scooters have caught fire, causing panic and loss of life. While the government has ordered an enquiry, the authorities must review and reorder the road-safety ecosystem. Contents1 What are the reasons behind fire incidents?2 What are some issues with battery packs used in e-vehicles… Continue reading On fire hazard from e-vehicles: Read the smoke signals
Biogas: A sustainable solution for curbing pollution, improving livelihoods & enhancing quality of life
News: Pollutants emitted due to the burning of fossil fuels and biomass not only affect the health of people, but are also responsible for climate change. The organic portion of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) produces Methane, when dumped improperly, like in landfills. Disposing of organic wastes in landfills or burning trash is an environmental… Continue reading Biogas: A sustainable solution for curbing pollution, improving livelihoods & enhancing quality of life
Export Opportunity
News: Union Commerce and Food Minister Piyush Goyal’s stated optimism about India’s wheat exports scaling a new high in FY23, though his projection of the volume of likely shipments being around 10 million tonnes seems rather modest. What are the new opportunities for Indian exports? Russia-Ukraine war: Russia and Ukraine together normally account for 25-30%… Continue reading Export Opportunity
Up & Up: Airports, Pilots, Passengers, Cargo, Drones
News: Recently, India has opened its airspace for international travel for the first time since the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020 after a period of two-year. The sector is going to witness rebound due to easing in the covid-led disruptions, and simultaneously, due to important reform measures undertaken by the government. What are the expected… Continue reading Up & Up: Airports, Pilots, Passengers, Cargo, Drones
What latest climate report says: No time to waste, but world is not out of options yet
News: Working group III of the IPCC has released the third and final instalment of the AR6. The report cautions that to have any chance of restricting global temperature rise to 1.5-2oC from pre-industrial levels, the world must act now. It emphasises that strengthening of climate action to keep alive the 1.5 degree target was… Continue reading What latest climate report says: No time to waste, but world is not out of options yet
Why India needs to bring back nature-positive farming
Context: The pandemic showed that human interventions in natural processes can have disastrous consequences. It’s time to scale up natural-positive food systems that would simultaneously promote crop, soil and human health. There is growing consensus among agri-scientists, policymakers and farmers that the Green Revolution has reached its limits and raised several issues of environmental sustainability.… Continue reading Why India needs to bring back nature-positive farming
Atom-Nirbhar India: Nuclear energy is critical for the future. The civil liability clause deters foreign participation
News: Meeting the net-zero carbon emissions pledge by 2070 requires an overhaul of both the logistics and electricity sectors to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. So far the solar energy sector has received much attention when it comes to India’s transition to renewables, but without nuclear energy, India won’t be able to fulfil its pledge.… Continue reading Atom-Nirbhar India: Nuclear energy is critical for the future. The civil liability clause deters foreign participation
IPCC report on Mitigation of Climate Change scientifically establishes India’s position on the historical responsibility of developed countries for consuming the carbon budget
News: IPCC has come out with the third instalment of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6). The IPCC reports are created by its three working groups. This report, which deals with actions that can be taken to combat climate change, has been prepared by the Working Group III. Assessment reports by Working group I and… Continue reading IPCC report on Mitigation of Climate Change scientifically establishes India’s position on the historical responsibility of developed countries for consuming the carbon budget
How individuals can save a warming planet
News: Recently, the IPCC report for the first time included a chapter on “demand, services and social aspects of mitigation”. It implies a paradigm shift in the way we think about climate action. The chapter puts people and their well-being at the centre of climate change mitigation. What is this new understanding, as mentioned in… Continue reading How individuals can save a warming planet
