 Very good evening to all our friends and welcome to the Hindu News analysis of Shankar IAS Academy for the date 10th December 2020. First of all, Shankar IAS Academy is really thankful to all of you for the overwhelming response which you have received towards our programs from you guys. We are also happy to inform you about our pre-storming 2021 program that is the prelims test series for the upcoming UPSC preliminary examination 2021. Shankar IAS Academy also started the admissions for the second test batch and this will be starting from tomorrow that is 11th December 2020. Our pre-storming program is India's first full-fledged artificial intelligence supported preliminary test series. All the required details are provided in the description box and also in the comment section. With this, we'll start our news analysis for today. The relevant news articles taken for today's discussion from five different editions of the Hindu newspaper along with their page numbers is given here for your reference. Also, the handwritten notes in the PDF format and time stampings for all the news articles taken up for today's discussion is given in the description box and also in the comment section for the best interest of the viewers. Now, let us start with our first news article. Now, this news article says that a crocodile from Chalakudi River in Kerala has strayed into human-inhabited areas. In this context, let us discuss in detail about the crocodilians in India, the conservation status, etc. The syllabus relevant for this analysis is highlighted here for your reference. Please go through it. Know that India is home to three crocodile species. They are the mugger or marsh crocodile, then the estuarine or saltwater crocodile and the gharial. See, the saltwater crocodile is the largest of all crocodilians and the largest reptile in the world. The species has a relatively large head with a pair of ridges that run from the eye along the center of the snout. Adults are generally dark in color with lighter tan or gray areas and dark bands and strips on the lower flanks. Apart from the eastern coast of India, it is extremely rare on the Indian subcontinent. A large population is present within the Bitar Kanika wildlife century of Odisha, while smaller populations occur throughout the Sundarbans and also the mangrove forests and the coastal areas of the Andaman and Nicobar islands. They are also found in Bangladesh and many of the southeast Asian countries. The mugger crocodile is a medium to large crocodilian species. It is the most alligator-like of all crocodilian species and while juveniles generally have a light tan coloring with some black cross-banding on the body and the tail, adult specimens are generally gray to brown. This species is found in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and its range extends westwards into eastern Iran. The species has become locally extinct over large parts of its range with viable populations only according in protected areas. India and Sri Lanka retain the major populations. In India, it is reported to be present in 15 of the Indian states, including much of the Ganga River drainage. Significant populations occur in the middle Ganga that is Bihar and Jharkhand, then Chambal River in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and also in Gujarat. Now coming to Gharia, it can grow to 7m in length and has a thick skin covered with smooth epidermal scales that do not overlap. The snout of the Gharia is uniquely the thinnest and the most elongated among all the crocodilians. In addition, the adult male sport a large bulb at the tip of the snout called as Gharia. Gharia's reside exclusively in river habitants with deep, clear, fast flowing waters and steep sandy banks. Gharia's were once widely distributed in the large rivers that flow in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. And these included the Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra and the Mahanadi Brahmini-Bhaitrani river systems. They are also thought to have been found in the Irravadi river of Myanmar. Today, the major population occur in the three tributaries of Ganga river. And they are the Chambal and the Girwa rivers in India and the Rapti Narayani river in Nepal. The Gharia reserves of India are located in three states and they are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. See, crocodilians were threatened in India due to indiscriminate killing for commercial purpose and also due to severe habitat loss until the enactment of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Crocodile population started to decline because of the increasing human activities in the rivers and also in their other traditional habitats and the consequent reduction in the extent of habitable stretches. Also, the survival rate of the crocodile hatchlings were relatively low because of predation. Hence, the Government of India launched a crocodile conservation project in 1975 in different states. Since Odisha is recognized for the existence of all the three species of the Indian crocodilians, the Gharia and Saltwater Crocodile Conservation Program was first implemented in Odisha in early 1975 and subsequently the Mugger Conservation Program was initiated. Finally, let us have a look at the conservation status. See, the Saltwater Crocodile comes under the least concerned category of IUCN and Schedule 1 of Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and Appendix 1 of Sites. And Mugger Crocodile is under the vulnerable category of IUCN and Schedule 1 of WPA and Appendix 1 of Sites. And remember, Gharia is categorized as critically endangered under IUCN and Schedule 1 and Appendix 1 of WPA and Sites respectively. So, with this, we have come to the end of analysis of this news article. Now, let us move on to the next news article. Now, this editorial article talks about malnutrition. The author of this editorial article talks on how malnutrition is a national priority and a threat to India's promising future. In this regard, he focuses on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on it and also about the need to fill the nutritional gap of our nation. He also talks about government initiatives like the Portion Abhiyan, which are taken to eliminate the problem of malnutrition from our nation. In this context, let us discuss about malnutrition and the views of the author. First, let us see what is malnutrition? See, it refers to deficiencies, excesses, or imbalances in a person's intake of energy or nutrients. The term malnutrition covers two broad groups of conditions. One is undernutrition, which includes stunting, meaning low height for age, then wasting, meaning low weight for height, then underweight, which means low weight for age. And it also includes micronutrient deficiencies or insufficiencies, that is a lack of important vitamins and minerals. And the other group is overweight, obesity, and diet-related non-communicable diseases. And such diseases include heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. Now, talking on malnutrition in children, it is the lack of proper nutrition caused by improper diet and inadequate care post-childbirth. And it is indicated based on growth. So, due to malnutrition, children become stunted. And sometimes, they become wasted also. So, together, the stunted and wasted children are considered to be underweight. Now, let us see what the author has to say regarding the importance of fighting malnutrition. See, first, the author points to a recent study conducted by Lancet, and it stated that in 2017, around 68% of 1 million deaths of children under 5 years in India was attributable to malnutrition. Since the future of India lies in the physical well-being and mental potential of its people, particularly children, malnutrition should be curbed at any cost. See, the malnourished children lack the potential to compete with the normal children, both physically and mentally. And this is because it hinders the brain development, and also the weak bodies become more vulnerable to many diseases. Therefore, filling the nutritional gaps guarantees a level playing field for all. It will also strengthen the foundations so that our nation can be a superpower as we dream. So, in this regard, the author talks about the portion Abyan which is also known as National Nutrition Mission. See, it is a government of India flagship program to improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers. And it was launched in 2018. It aims to improve the nutritional status of children of 0 to 6 years and pregnant women and also the lactating mothers in a time-bound manner for a three-year period. And the author states that under this mission, the government strengthened the delivery of essential nutrition interventions so that more children have the right start in the life for optimum growth, health, development and a prosperous future. The objectives of this scheme are given here for your reference. Please go through it. Now know that the portion Abyan program completes 1000 days by this week. So, in this regard, the author presses on the need to revamp this program, and he gives two reasons to support his claim. First, it is because the scheme covers the first 1000 days in a child's life right from its conception till it turns two years. And this is a very crucial period for developing nourishment in children. And failure in utilizing this period can leave a long-lasting impact on the health of the child. Secondly, the COVID-19 pandemic is posing an extra threat to lose the track of nutritional achievements that India has made in its past. We all know that the pandemic has thrown many people into poverty. The reduction in income has made people, especially the economically disadvantaged sections of the society, more vulnerable to malnutrition and food insecurities. Additionally, lack of transportation and lockdown restrictions had further disturbed the implementation and delivery of essential services from reaching people. For example, Anganwadi centers, midday meals and immunization services found it difficult to reach the targets. So, to fight these challenges, leaders from various fields have grouped as a part of commitment to action, which seeks to support the government in a six-pronged action to save and build the nutritional developments made by India. It includes commitments around sustained leadership, dedicated finances, multi-sectoral approach, and increased uninterrupted coverage of vulnerable population under programs enhancing nutrition. See programs enhancing nutrition include the early childhood public intervention programs such as the Integrated Child Development Scheme, the Midday Meal Scheme and Public Distribution System. In this regard, remember some of the other schemes which were introduced to fight malnutrition. The first is Pradhanamantri Surajchit Madrithava Abhiyan. See the objective of this program is given here for your reference. And we also have the Integrated Child Development Services and the objectives are given here. So, for more detailed analysis on these schemes, please watch our 5th December news analysis. So, the author is of the opinion that all these programs are to be implemented efficiently to eliminate the havoc caused by the pandemic and to save our children from the devil hands of malnutrition. Now, the author concludes by mentioning the importance of funds in improving the nutrition status in India. He talks about the need for India to retain financial commitments for the present schemes and for additional funds to preserve nutritional security in vulnerable communities, particularly women and children in slum areas, migrants and the population in tribal areas, and also districts with high malnutrition rates. He also says that these schemes are to be implemented directly by the respective government heads. So, this is all about the discussion of this editorial article. With this, we'll move on to the next news. Now, this news article is about a new study which found the presence of animal products, including cattle and buffalo meat in ceramic vessels dating back about 4,600 years ago at seven Indus Valley civilization sites. And the sites are in the present day, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Over 50 to 60 percentage of domestic bones found at these sites are of buffalo or cattle remains. So, this shows a high preference of beef consumption, which was present among the Indus Valley civilization people. In this context, let us discuss about Indus Valley civilization. See, it was a Bronze Age civilization in the northwestern regions of South Asia, which lasted from 3300 BC to 1300 BC. And its matured stage was from 2600 BC to 1900 BC. See, the civilization was also known as Harappan civilization, which was named after its type site, Harappa. Know that Harappa was the first of Indus Valley sites to be excavated early in 20th century. And it is present in the Punjab province of British India, which is now in Pakistan. See, the Indus Valley civilization extended from Pakistan's Baluchistan in the west to India's western Uttar Pradesh in the east. And it also extended from northeastern Afghanistan in the north to India's Gujarat state in the south. The southernmost site of Indus Valley civilization is Daima Badin Maharashtra. Now, let us talk about the diet of the people. See, the IVC people consumed wheat, barley, lentil, chickpea and sesame, millets, rice, etc. They also consumed animals and domesticated them. And the animals include cattle, sheep, goat, buffalo, pig, etc. And also, bonds of wild species such as boar, deer and garyal were found. And importantly, note that no mention of horse or its remains were there. So, probably they did not use horse or horse was not present in those areas during those times. Now, when we talk about the agricultural technology, it should be noted that bulls and oxen were used extensively in agriculture. One can also find terracotta plows which were used in Cholistan and at Banawali. And another important aspect is that, agricultural fields here had two sets of furrows at right angles. And this suggests that two different crops were grown together. And it seems that Harappan villages were mostly situated near the flood plains, which resulted in production of sufficient food grains. And most Harappan sites were situated in semi-arid areas. So, irrigation was inevitable. And due to this reason, traces of canals have been found at the Harappan sites of Shor Tugai in Afghanistan. It is also likely that water drawn from wells were used for irrigation. And in some areas like Dolavera in Gujarat, water reservoirs which were used to store water for agriculture purpose were found. Now, let us see about the urban planning or town planning during the Indus Valley civilization. See, town planning was well known for the site of Mohanjadaro. The town was divided into two sections, one smaller and the other bigger. The smaller one was called as Lower Town and the upper one was called as Citadel. And Citadel was built on mud brick platform. And it was also found that the Citadel was separated from the Lower Town by walls, which meant that it was physically separated from the Lower Town. And the bricks which were used throughout all Harappan settlements were sun-dried or baked. And they were also standardized, which means they had a standard measurement. Now, another interesting fact about Harappan cities are its well-planned drainage system. In Lower Towns, the drainage system was laid at grid pattern, intersecting at right angles. And it is surprising to know that the drainage system was laid first and then the houses were built. Now, talking about the Citadel, it played an important part in the economic and ritual life of Harappans. It not only served as a warehouse where grains were stored, but it also had something called Great Bath. See, the Great Bath in the Citadel was constructed like a rectangular tank. And archaeologists suggest that this could be used for special ritual bath. Now, let us see some of the cultural aspects of the Harappan civilization. First, talking about burials, there were significant differences in the way people buried their dead. And this shows that social differences existed in Harappan culture. Generally, the dead were buried, but in some cesspit, the hollowed out spaces were lined with brick walls. And this brick wall lining shows that the buried were people belonging to the higher strata of the society. Now, talking about the industrial aspects, see the entire settlement of Chanudaro was dedicated for craft production. And this included bead making, shell cutting, metalworking, seal making, and weight making. Now, it is interesting to know that Harappans made so many products and handicrafts. So, where did they get the raw materials from? Let us see some examples of raw materials and the places from where they were obtained. See the Harappans got shells from Nagasur and Balakot, lapis lazuli from Shotugai in Afghanistan, stated and metal from Rajasthan, and interestingly, copper from Oman. So, all this says that Harappans extensively traded with their surrounding areas. Now, let us see some other important aspects of Harappan culture. See, a large building found at Mohanjadaro was considered as a palace by archaeologists. They also found a stone statue which represented a bearded man which they called the priest king. Now, talking about the religion, know that temples have not been found in Harappan settlements. But female figurines were worshipped, and this points to the presence of fertility cult in Harappa. Male deity was also worshipped, and the male deity is represented on the seal with three horned heads in a sitting posture of a yogi. And he was referred to as Pashupati Mahadeva. Also know that phallus and female sex organs were worshipped. So, these are some of the important information regarding the Indus Valley civilization. With this, we'll move on to the next news. Now, have a look at this question. It is based on this news article which says that the union cabinet chaired by the prime minister has given its approval for public Wi-Fi access network interface also known as PM Vani. Earlier, the department of telecommunication had proposed setting up of public Wi-Fi networks by public data office aggregators or PDOS in order to provide public Wi-Fi services through public data offices. See, PM Vani is proposed across length and breadth of the country to accelerate the proliferation of broadband internet services through public Wi-Fi network. Now, once it is implemented, there shall be no license fee for providing broadband internet services through these public Wi-Fi networks. The proposal will promote growth in public Wi-Fi networks in the country, and in turn, it will help in proliferation of broadband internet, enhancement of income, and also employment and empowerment of people. So, what are the salient features of PM Vani? See, the PM Vani ecosystem will be operated by different players, and this includes the public data office. See, it will establish, maintain, and operate only Vani compliant Wi-Fi access points, and it delivers broadband services to subscribers. The public data office aggregator will be an aggregator of PDOS and perform the functions relating to authorization and accounting. The next is app provider. See, it develops an app in order to register users and discover Vani compliant Wi-Fi hotspots in the nearby areas, and it also displays the same within the app for accessing the internet service. See, the central registry will maintain the details of app providers, PDOS and PDOS. Now, to begin with, the central registry will be maintained by the Center for Development of Telematics or CDOT, which is an Autonomous Telecom Research and Development Wing of Department of Telecommunication. And know that no registration would be required for PDOS, PDOS, and app providers. They will get themselves registered with the Department of Telecommunication through the online registration portal of DOT, and it will be without paying any registration fee. See, registration shall be granted within seven days of the application, and this is expected to be more business-friendly and in line with the efforts for ease of doing business. It will also deliver stable and high-speed broadband internet services to an increasingly large number of subscribers in the country, including the areas which do not have 4G mobile coverage. Further, the proliferation of public Wi-Fi will not only create employment, but also enhance disposable incomes in the hands of small and medium entrepreneurs and boost the GDP of the country. See, the proliferation of broadband services through public Wi-Fi is a step towards digital India and its consequential benefits thereon. The elimination of license fee for providing broadband internet services using public Wi-Fi hotspots will massively encourage its proliferation and penetration across the length and breadth of our country. Now, this is all about PM1E. With this information, have a look at this question. Consider the following statements regarding PM1E scheme. It is a two-statements-based question. The first statement reads, it is proposed across length and breadth of the country to accelerate proliferation of broadband internet services through public Wi-Fi network. Yes, this statement is correct. Now, the second statement reads, the central registry which maintains the details of app providers and public data offices will be maintained by the National Informatics Centre under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. See, this statement is wrong. As you have seen, it will be maintained by the Centre for Development of Telematics or CDOT which is an Autonomous Telecom Research and Development Wing of Department of Telecommunication which is under Ministry of Communications. So, here the first statement is correct and the second statement is wrong and we have to identify the correct statement of statements. So, the correct answer is option A1 only. With this, we'll move on to the next news. Now, have a look at this question. It is based on this news article which talks about the flooding of Ayuravateshwara Temple in Darasuram of Tanjavur district which is in Tamil Nadu. Due to the developments around the temple, the temple complex became a low-lying area and it gets inundated or flooded during the Mansoon season. And since it is a temple of national importance, the Archaeological Survey of India or ASI is exploring ways to find a permanent solution to prevent this flooding. So, in this context, let us see some of the important facts relating to this temple. Know that it is one of the three temples under the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Great Living Chola Temples. See, Great Living Chola Temples were built by the kings of the Chola Empire and the site includes three great 11th century and 12th century temples. And these are the Brihadeshwara Temple of Tanjavur, then the Brihadeshwara Temple at Gangaikonda Choli Suram and the Ayuravateshwara Temple at Darasuram. See, these temples are exemplary productions in the Dravidian style of temple architecture. They are also the examples of excellent achievements of the Chola Empire in architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze casting. And these temples encapsulate a very distinctive period of Chola history and Tamil culture. In this, the temple at Tanjavur was the first to be declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. And it was declared as the World Heritage Site for the best representation of Dravidian architecture and Chola sculptures. The other two sites were later declared as World Heritage Sites in 2004 for similar architectural brilliance and the representation of Chola art in the form of sculptures and paintings. Our today's focus is on Ayuravateshwara Temple. See, it was built by the Chola King Raja Raja II and the legend states that the white elephant of Lord Indra of Hindu mythology, which is known as Ayuravata, worshipped Lord Shiva in this temple. So, for this reason, Lord Shiva has been named as Ayuravateshwara. And this temple features a 24 meter Vimana and a stone image of Shiva. See, Vimana means the monumental pyramidal roof over the Sanctum Sancturum at any Hindu temple or simply the temple tower over the main shrine. Know that, Brihadeshwara temple at Tanjavur is a classic example of monumental Vimana roof as it can be seen over a great distance. And know that Ayuravateshwara temple is much smaller in size as compared to the Brihadeshwara temple at Tanjavur and Gangaikonda Cholapuram. Ayuravateshwara temple also differs from them in its highly ornate or elaborate execution. Thus, Ayuravateshwara temple is more intricate and different in terms of architecture compared to the other two. And the other two are known for their grandeur and style. Now, the front mandapam also known as Rajagambiran Thirumandapam is unique. And this is because it is designed in the shape of a chariot. And the bottom panels have horses carved in them. Thus, it gives an impression that the chariot is being pulled. It is believed that Lord Shiva wrote this chariot as Tripurantaka. See, Tripurantaka is a manifestation of Shiva. And also remember that a number of sculptures from this temple are the master pieces of Chola art. The temple also consists of labelled miniature phrases, which praise the events that had happened to the 63 Nainas or Shiva saints. See, phrases means a broad horizontal band of sculpted or painted decoration, especially on a wall near to the ceiling. And these labelled miniature phrases reflect the deep root of Shaivism in this region. Now, with this information, have a look at this question. Which of the following temples are part of UNESCO World Heritage Site of Great Living Chola Temples? We have four temples given here. The first one is Brihadeshwara Temple at Tanjavur. See, this is correct. It is one of the three great 11th century and 12th century temples, which are part of the Great Living Chola Temples. And remember, the other two are Brihadeshwara Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Ayuravateshwara Temple at Daraasuram. So, the third temple which is given here in this question, that is Ayuravateshwara Temple at Daraasuram, is also correct. And the temple of Virupaksha was built by Queen Lokamaha Devi in Karnataka. It is a part of group of monuments at the Pattadakal, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple was originally called Lokeshwara. And this temple is built in the Southern Dravidian style. It has a massive gateway and several inscriptions. And the Virupaksha temple also served as a model for the Rashtrakuta rulers to carve out the Great Kailasa at Ellora. Now, the fourth temple which is given here, that is the Shor and Ratha Cave Temples at Mahabalipuram, were built by Pallava kings and not Chola kings. These temples are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of group of monuments at Mahabalipuram. And they are situated along the shores of the Bay of Bengal in Tamil Nadu state. So, from this, we know that Brihadishwara Temple at Tanjavur and Ayuravateshwara Temple at Daraasuram, which are given in this question, are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Great Living Chola Temples. So, the correct answer for this question is option B, 193 only. With this, we have discussed all the relevant news articles from today's newspaper. Now, let us move on to the practice questions discussion section based on today's analysis. First, we have this pair-based question. On the left hand side, we have the species. And on the right hand side, we have the IUCN status. We have three crocodilian species given here. And here, the correct answer is option D, none of the above. Because saltwater crocodile is under the least concerned category of IUCN and mugger crocodile is under the vulnerable category. And finally, gharial is listed as critically endangered under the IUCN red list. So, the correct answer is option D, none of the above. Secondly, we have this main question. Please write your answers and post it in the comments section. Our feedback will be given in a reasonable timeframe. Now, we have come to the end of analysis of all the news articles taken up for today's discussion and also the discussion of practice questions. If you like this video, please press the like button, comment, share, and do subscribe to Shankar IAS Academy YouTube channel for more videos and updates related to civil service preparation. Thank you.