2nd June - AAJ KA QUALITY ENRICHMENT

KEYWORDS
Taking ties to Himalayan heights:

• Meaning: It refers to elevating or deepening a connection, relationship, or experience to a profound and extraordinary level. 
• It draws inspiration from the majestic Himalayan Mountain range, known for inspiring peaks and spiritual significance.
• Usage: GS 2 (Polity & IR–Center-State relations, bilateral/multilateral relations, cooperation among developed & developing countries), GS 3 (Cooperation between countries/multilateral organization for climate change/disaster management)

From Piece-meal changes to ever-lasting reforms; From Band-aid approach to Sustainable Solutions:

• Meaning: It suggests a strategy of implementing incremental or gradual changes with the aim of achieving long-lasting, sustainable reforms rather than small, individual modifications or adjustments. 
• Usage: GS 1: urbanization, women/vulnerable section empowerment; GS 2: Polity (policy/schemes, Good Governance, Center-State relations, election reforms, poverty, inequality, education & health reforms), International relations (Afghanistan issue, Russia-Ukraine crises), GS 3: Economic reforms, climate change/disaster management, LWE, NE insurgency

Tinkerpreneur to entrepreneur:

• Meaning: A tinkerpreneur is someone who enjoys tinkering, experimenting, and exploring ideas without necessarily having a specific business goal in mind. Entrepreneur is an individual who has an idea & acts on that idea, usually to disrupt the current market with a new product or service. 
• Reference: Atal tinkering lab: Sub-mission under the Atal Innovation Mission to foster curiosity, creativity, and imagination in young minds.
• Usage: GS 2: Education, Skills, Demographic dividend, GS 3: Start up ecosystem & innovation, Employment generation, make in India, Industry 4.0/5.0 Developed in by 2047, S&T, etc. 

3Ss to women: Suvidha, Suraksha, Samman:

• Meaning: Suvidha, Suraksha, Samman refers to “convenience, security, and respect”. 
•    Suvidha: The provision of ease, comfort, and accessibility in various aspects of life to ensure that      individuals have access to necessary services, resources, and facilities that make their lives easier      and more convenient.
•    Suraksha: It encompasses the implementation of measures to safeguard individuals from                 physical, emotional, and social harm.
•    Samman: It signifies the recognition and appreciation of an individual's inherent worth and the         right to be treated with dignity.
• Usage: GS 1: women empowerment, Empowerment of vulnerable (SC/ST, Transgender, Elderly, PwD, poor, migrant workers) GS 2: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections; GS 3: Women Labour force participation

Teething problems:

• Meaning: It refers to the initial challenges or difficulties that arise when starting or implementing something new. 

• Example: Technical issues, operational challenges, unforeseen external factors in sectors like – startups, New policies and reforms (Farm laws), Innovation – Space technology.
• Usage: GS1: Social reforms & Transitions (urbanization, Globalisation, dismantling of caste system, etc), GS 2: Governance, Implementation New Legislations & Institutional structures (IBC, GST), International relations, GS 3 (Economy, infrastructure creation, Land acquisitions, R&D, technology, Renewable energy adoption, climate adaptation).

License-permit Raj to License-free Raj:

• Meaning: License-permit Raj: Under this system, businesses in India were required to obtain licenses from the government in order to operate, and these licenses were often difficult to obtain.
•     License-free Raj: After 1991, the government announced the end of the license-permit Raj and rolled out economic liberalization in India.
• Usage: GS 2: Good Governance, Regulatory constraints, red tapism, GS 3: Manufacturing, MSME, start up, Economic Liberalization, Ease of doing business, digital India, New India, Labour reforms etc.

From Govt-to-Govt exchanges to people-to-people exchanges:

• Meaning: Government to government (G2G): Interactions between governments in a variety of forms, including diplomatic relations, economic cooperation, military alliances and so on.
•     People-to-people exchanges: Regional, cultural and educational ties.
• Usage: GS 2 (Polity and governance: Policy formulation and implementation, people participation, grassroot democracy; SHGs, NGOs; GS 3: Inclusive growth

Short-term wealth redistributive strategies to long-term social development strategies:

• Meaning: Short-term wealth redistributive strategies: Freebies, loan waiver, free food, electricity etc.
•    Long-term social development strategies:  Poverty alleviation steps and investing in health and education.
• Usage: GS 1: Vulnerable sections, GS 2: poverty and developmental issues, Subsidies, DBT, UBI, Elections Freebies, GS 3: Agriculture waivers.

CASE STUDIES/ EXAMPLES

Impacts of violence and disruptions:

• The Manipur violence has forced many Manipur and adjacent area people to other States like in NCR region without any means of livelihood and uncertain future. 
• This has also hampered education and dreams of many young people. 

Environment friendly development/infrastructure creation:

• Case: New Delhi (PWD). The redesigning of the capital’s roads to make them as good and beautiful as those in the capitals of developed nations.
• Steps taken:  Increasing the greenery on the stretches where shrubs and grass have been planted on empty patches of land.

India’s economic status and global contribution:

• India: 5th largest economy in the world in terms of nominal GDP and the 3rd largest by PPP. 
• UNCTAD’s ‘World Investment Report 2022: In 2021, India ranked 7th among the top 20 recipients of foreign direct investment. 
• India's digital economy is growing rapidly with more than 82,000 start-ups and 107 unicorn companies. 
• Contribution to global growth: The contribution of China and India to world economic growth in 2023 will be over 50% (IMF).

Overdependence on dollar:

• About 58% of the world’s foreign reserves are held in US dollars, followed by Euro with around 20% share.

Lithium Market:

• India imported its maximum requirement of lithium batteries in 2019-2020, thus, domestic lithium reserves is a matter of high importance.
• Largest reserves: Chile and Bolivia.
• Lithium triangle: Argentina, Bolivia and Chile (ABC).

KEY FACTS

Steps taken for women empowerment and financial inclusion:

• Mission Shakti: Comprises two sub-schemes ‘Sambal’ and ‘Samarthya’.
• Impact: Improved sex ratio at birth which is now for the first time 1020 women per 1000 men, a rise in institutional deliveries, declining infant mortality, and a lower maternal mortality rate.
• Ujjwala Yojana: Saved crores of women from chronic respiratory disorders through smoke-free kitchens.
• Swachh Bharat Abhiyan: Crores of women are now able to access toilets in their homes without any fear of safety or violation of dignity. 
• Jal Jeevan Mission: Tap water connections is being provided  save time, quality health etc.
• MUDRA Yojana: 68% of loans have been extended to women, to pursue micro-level entrepreneurship and become financially independent.

• Mahila Samman Savings Certificate: Introduced as part of the Union Budget 2023-24

PM/VP/PRESIDENT SPEECHES

PM Speech on Women:

• “Women are being transformed from being targets of welfare to agents of empowerment.” 
•  “It is no longer women development, but women-led development.” 

JUDGEMENTS/ COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

22nd Law Commission recommendations:

• Sedition being a “colonial legacy” is not a valid ground for its repeal but, in view of the misuse of Section 124A, the panel has recommended that the Centre should issue model guidelines to curb any misuse.

DEFINITION

Western Disturbances:

• Definition: Western disturbances are storms that originate in the Caspian or Mediterranean Sea, and bring non-monsoonal rainfall to northwest India, according to the IMD.

Total Fertility Rate: 

• Definition: TFR is the average number of children born to a woman in her lifetime.
• TFR of 2.1 is considered as the replacement level fertility rate at which population stability is achieved.
  

QUOTES

Quote on public opinion and public policy: “There is a tremendous gap between public opinion and public policy”. - NOAM CHOMSKY

• Meaning: It signifies that there exists a gap often exists between public opinion (what people want) and public policy (what government delivers).

Quote on evil and virtue: “Anything that stops your evolution in consciousness is evil/sin and anything that helps you to move toward more consciousness is a virtue”.

• Meaning: It reflects a perspective that views the evolution of consciousness as a moral compass, where anything that impedes growth is considered evil or sinful, and anything that promotes growth is seen as virtuous.