 Happy New Year everyone. I welcome you all to the Hindu News Analysis by Shankar A.S. Academy for the date 1st of January 2024. Displayed here are the list of news articles that we will be going through today. Now without wasting time, let's start the news analysis. Look at this news article. Recently, the government appointed former Nithya Yoga Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya as the Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission. The 16th Finance Commission will recommend devolution of funds between the centre and the state for the next five-year period. This is about the article. In our discussion today, let us see some problems related facts about the Finance Commission. First of all, what is a Finance Commission? Finance Commission is a constitutional body constituted for every five years. It is constituted by the President of India under Article 280 of the Constitution. Know that it is a quasi-judicial body. The main purpose of the body is to give recommendations on the distribution of tax revenues. This means how the distribution should be made between the union and the states and amongst the states themselves. Moreover, it also determines the method and the formula for distributing the tax proceeds between the centre and the state. The Finance Commission also decides the share of the taxes and the grants to be given to the local bodies in the states. Now let us look at the composition. The Finance Commission has a chairman and four members appointed by the President. See, they hold office for the period as specified by the President. Note that they are eligible for re-appointment. Now let us see the main functions of the Finance Commission. According to Article 280, Clause 3 of the Constitution, the Finance Commission will give recommendations to the President on the distribution of the net proceeds of tax between the union and the states. This is called vertical distribution of taxes. Moreover, it also makes recommendations to the President on the allocation of the net proceeds of the taxes between the states. See, this is called horizontal distribution of taxes. The second function is that the Finance Commission will also decide on the principles which should govern the grant in aid given to the states out of the consolidated funds of India. Thirdly, the Finance Commission will also decide on the steps taken to augment the consolidated fund of the state. See, this will supplement the resources of the panchayats and the municipalities of the states on the basis of the recommendations made by the State Finance Commission. An important thing you should note here is that the recommendations made by the Finance Commission are of advisory nature only. Therefore, they are not binding on the government. It is up to the government to implement the recommendations on granting money to the states. These are some of the important functions of the Finance Commission. So, that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, we covered some basic problem-solid facts about the Finance Commission. Now, let us conclude this and take up the next news article. Look at this editorial article. It talks about the perennial issues of floods in India. Here, the author took the case of Chennai floods 2023. He spoke about the general steps taken for combating floods. He also analyzed the steps and the efficacy of the steps. This is about the article in general. In our discussion today, let us understand some points about urban flooding, its causes using our mains answer rating approach. Let us look at the question of the day. Let me read out the question. The frequency of urban floods due to high intensity rainfall is increasing over the years. Discussing the reason for urban floods, highlight the mechanism for preparedness to reduce the risk of such events. This question was asked in 2016 mains paper. Now, let us see how to approach the question. See, this question has two parts. In the first part, we have to write the reasons for increasing urban floods in India. Moreover, in the second part, we have to write some steps that can be taken to prevent urban flooding. This is a straightforward question. So, let us start answering. Let us start with the introduction. Since the question is about urban flooding, we have to write the definition of urban flooding in the introduction. We can also give some data to substantiate to your answer. Now, let us see the definition given by the NDMA, that is the National Disaster Management Authority. According to the NDMA, urban flooding is the inundation of land or property in a built environment, particularly in a more densely populated area. Know that the primary cause of urban flooding is excessive rainfall in a very short period of time. This increasing water level will exceed the capacity of the drainage systems and lead to flooding. See, the urban flooding is significantly different from rural flooding. This is because urbanization leads to developed catchments, which increases the risk of flood from 1.8 to 8 times and flood volumes by 6 times. Now, let us see some recent examples of urban flooding in India. In India, significant flooding incidents were recorded in the cities like Hyderabad in 2020 and 2021, Chennai in 2015 and 2023, Ahmedabad in 2022 and Nagpur in September 2023. This can be your introduction. Now, coming to the body of the answer. In the main body of the answer, first we have to discuss the causes of urban flooding. Second, we have to suggest some practical solutions to tackle urban flooding. Let us start with the causes of urban flooding. See, the causes can be divided into two sub-bedding. First is the natural cause and the second one is the anthropogenic causes. Now, let us see the causes one by one. Within the natural causes, the first reason is the meteorological one. See, India witnesses a very heavy rainfall throughout the monsoon season. Apart from this, the coastal areas of India, particularly the east and coast, experiences storm surges due to cyclonic activity. Here, storm surges are nothing but abnormal race in sea level caused by the cyclonic winds. See, this storm surges along with high tides can inundate low-lying coastal areas. This causes flooding in the urban zone present along the coast. This is the first cause. That is, heavy rainfall and storm surges causes urban flooding. Secondly, India is prone to frequent thunderstorms. These thunderstorms can produce intense and short duration rainfall known as flash floods. The flash floods can in turn lead to urban floods. Thirdly, hydrological reasons like overbank flow can lead to urban flooding. See, overbank flow typically occurs when there is an excessive amount of rainfall over a watershed. If the rainfall is intense or prolonged, rivers and streams can exceed their capacity. This leads to overflow of water from the riverbank and causes flooding in the adjacent urban areas. These are all some of the natural causes of urban flooding. Now coming to the man-made causes. The first main cause is encroachment on drainage channels. See, due to increased land prices and less availability of land in urban areas, new developments have come up in low-lying areas of cities like encroachments over lakes, wetlands and developments. This narrows down the natural drains available for the rainwater to flow during heavy rainfall. This in turn results in urban flooding. The second important cause is poor urban planning. See, urban areas with inadequate or poorly managed drainage system can cause significant challenges during cyclonic storms. For example, due to poor maintenance of drainage system, blocks can develop along the drains. This leads to restriction in the flow of water during heavy rainfall. This can prevent proper water flow and in turn can cause urban flooding. The third important cause is climate change. See, the human induced climate change has increased the frequency of short duration heavy rainfall. Sometime, this leads to higher water runoff in urban areas and causes flooding. Fourthly, unplanned and sudden release of water from dams and lake can lead to flooding in the urban area. For example, the 2015 Chennai floods was caused due to unplanned release of water from the Chembarambakkam lake. Finally, illegal mining can also cause urban flooding. Illegal mining of river sand for use in building construction depletes the natural bed of the river of the natural river sand. It causes soil erosion and reduces the water retention capacity of the water body. This phenomenon increases the speed and the scale of water flow and causes urban flooding. These are all some of the important causes of urban flooding in India. Now moving on to the second part of the question. In the second part, we have to suggest some practical solution to tackle urban flooding. Firstly, the government should take necessary preparedness in the pre-mournsoon season. This includes steps like removing the encroachment along the water bodies, desilting of the urban water bodies, proper maintenance of the drainage channel. It also involves estimation of the emergency needs of the people, familiarization of the stakeholders, particularly the community through training and stimulation exercises. This is the first step that the government can take. Secondly, increasing the flood vulnerability mapping can also help reduce the impact of urban flooding. Flood vulnerability mapping involves identification of the vulnerable areas by analyzing the topography and historical data of inundation. See, these activities can help to reduce the floods by micromanaging the areas of repeated flooding. Thirdly, we can improve the urban flooding governance by emulating the best practices of the world. It includes implementing the techniques like mobile walls of Germany and sponge cities of China. Now let us see about the sponge cities in brief. See, sponge city is a type of city which is designed in such a way to act as a sponge for rainwater. Here, the water is absorbed and allowed to naturally filter through the soil to reach the aquifers. In turn, these aquifer recharge will help fulfill the water needs of the city. The fourth step is with respect to the governance of urban area. See, generally urban governance is plagued by various issues like lack of functionaries and lack of funds. This affects the capacity of the corporation to combat urban flooding. This can be reduced by various steps like devolution of funds, election of mayor for the corporation. Finally, existing green cover of the cities should be protected. The other steps like reforestation and removal of debris from catchment area could also prevent soil erosion. This in turn reduces the impacts of urban flooding. Here, note that schemes like Nagarvanyojna, Smart Cities, Amrut and Smart City Mission are very important. These are also some of the possible solutions that can be taken to address the issue of urban flooding in India. This is the body of the answer. Finally, let us take up the conclusion part. In the conclusion, you can provide some way forward. Your conclusion can be like this. See, urban areas are important centers of economic activities due to presence of vital infrastructure. Our country is undergoing massive urbanization phase. This is evident from 31.16% urbanization in 2011 census. Moreover, according to the World Bank survey of 2030, 40.76% of the country's population is expected to reside in urban areas. So, any hazard like urban flooding will lead to deterioration of life and property for our country, as most of the city assets are in urban areas. So, the government must give necessary priority to conserve the urban areas. Moreover, our government should aspire to have a climate resilient infrastructure in line with the sustainable development goal lover of the United Nations. This can be your model conclusion. So, that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, we saw the causes of urban flooding and we also saw the steps that can be taken to address urban flooding. Now, with this, let us conclude this discussion and take up the next news article. Look at this article. This article is providing an analysis of sovereign gold bonds in comparison to physical gold as an investment tool. In this context, let us understand about sovereign gold bond scheme and the important details related to the scheme. See, the sovereign gold bond scheme was launched by the central government in 2015. It was launched under the gold monetization scheme. The main objective of the scheme is to reduce the demand for physical gold. In simple terms, the sovereign gold bonds are government securities denominated in grams of gold. They are substitutes for holding physical gold. Investors have to pay the issue price in cash and the bond will be redeemed in cash on maturity. The bond is issued by the RBA on behalf of the government of India. The maturity period of the bond will be for a period of 8 years with exit options in 5th, 6th and 7th year. Now, let us see the eligibility for the scheme and the limit. The eligible investors include individuals, Hindu undivided families, trust, universities and charitable institutions. Individuals can subscribe up to 4 kilograms. It is the same for Hindu undivided families. In the case of trust and other charitable institutions, they can subscribe up to 20 kilograms. Now, what are the benefits of this scheme? The first benefit is that the investors get a safe investment option. The second benefit is that when investors choose sovereign gold bond instead of physical gold, the risk and the cost of storage associated with physical gold are eliminated. The third benefit is that the investors get assured periodical returns. The last benefit is that the sovereign gold bond scheme is free from issues like market changes and purity in case of physical gold or jewelry form. This benefit makes the bond more attractive for the common man. These are the some of the benefits associated with the sovereign gold bond. Finally, let us see the concerns with the bond. The first major concern is the maturity period. The 8 year maturity period may make a lot of investors uninterested in sovereign gold bonds because the 8 year maturity period makes the sovereign gold bond less liquid than physical gold. The second concern is that the investment in sovereign gold bond may result in a capital loss. How? Let me explain. Let us assume person X has 1 crore in excess cash. He has no business ideas and don't know how to invest. So, what is the easiest option? The person X deposits the money in a fixed deposit account in a bank. What will the bank do? The bank will use the money deposited by person X and provide loan to person Y who actually has a business idea. So, through this, the non-productive capital in the hands of person X is converted into a productive capital in the hands of person Y. But what happens if the person X decides to inverse his 1 crore in sovereign gold bond? The bank will not have money to provide a loan to person Y. This is why I mentioned that investment in sovereign gold bond may result in a capital loss. These are some of the concerns associated with the sovereign gold bond. And that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, we saw the basic support sovereign gold bond and we also saw the positives and the negatives associated with the sovereign gold bond. Now with this, let us conclude this discussion and take up the next news article. Look at this news article. A petition was filed by World Boxing Champion Neetu Gangas urging the authorities to review and grant her the Arjuna Award. The Delhi High Court has responded to her petition and issued a notice. This is the news given here. In this context, let us see the important details about the Arjuna Awards. See, this Arjuna Award was created in 1961 to recognize outstanding achievement in national sports event. It is given for good performance over a period of previous four years and for showing qualities of leadership, sportmanship and discipline. The award includes a cash prize of Rs. 15 lakhs, a bronze statue of Arjuna and a scroll of honour. The award was given annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. An interesting thing to note here is that this award is named after Arjuna, one of the characters of Mahabharata. He was seen as a symbol of hard work, dedication and concentration. Note that Arjuna Award is the second highest sporting honour of India. So what is the first highest award in sports? It is the Major Dayanshanth Kail Ratna Award. Now we will see some points about this award also. The Major Dayanshanth Kail Ratna Award is formally known as the Rajiv Gandhi Kail Ratna Award. In 2021, the award was renamed after Major Dayanshanth, who is an Indian field hockey player and regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time. It is the highest sporting award given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Major Dayanshanth Kail Ratna Award is given for the most outstanding performance in the field of sports over a period of four years. It carries a cash prize of Rs. 25 lakhs, a medal and a scroll of honour. This award was initiated in 1991 and the first recipient was chess legend Vishwanathan Anand. Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra is the youngest sportsman to receive this award. So that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion we saw certain prelims related facts about the Arjuna Award and the Major Dayanshanth Kail Ratna Award. Now let us conclude this discussion and take up the next news article. Look at this news article. This article is about the Aroma Mission. See, Odisha's tribal communities were facing difficulties in earning a livelihood from rain-fed agriculture and limited natural resources. But now they have new alternatives to sustain their livelihood. The CSER launched the Aroma Mission in 2016. This mission was launched to enhance the cultivation of aromatic plants. The Aroma Mission was first initiated in the Moon Kashmir in 2016. It was also known as the Lavender or the Purple Revolution. It was later extended to other states including Odisha. Various aromatic plants like menthol, mint, rosemary, damas, crosses were introduced to the Odisha's tribal people. This is because Odisha has favourable climate and availability of vast amount of land. Many areas in Odisha have taken up strawberry and lemongrass cultivation to augment their livelihood. This is about the article given here. See, this case study can be used in the main censor to give you an edge over your competitors. So, make note of case studies like this and try to include it in your answer-writing practice. So, that's all regarding this discussion. With this, we have come to the news article discussion session. Now let us take up the practice prelims questions. We have four practice prelims questions today. Let us see them one by one. Look at the first question. This question is about the sovereign gold bond scheme. Four statements are given. We have to find the correct one. Look at the first statement. They are issued only by the Government of India. The statement is incorrect because the sovereign gold bonds are issued by the RPA. Okay? Look at the second statement. The interest earned from these bonds are free from taxation. This statement is also wrong because the interest earned from these bonds are taxed. Okay? Now look at the fourth statement. They provide a flexible interest rate. This statement is also wrong because they provide a fixed interest rate. Okay? The correct answer is option C because these bonds can be used as a collateral for loans. Okay? This is about this question. Now moving on to the next question. Which of the following grass is cultivated as a fodder for livestock? The answer is D, elephant grass. Elephant grass is actually grown as a fodder for livestock. Okay? Moving on to the third question. It is a three statement question. Three statements about Arjuna award is given. We have to find how many of the statements are correct. Look at the first statement. It was the highest sporting honour of India. This statement is incorrect because from our discussion we know that Major Dayanchand Kel Ratna award is the highest sporting honour in India. Okay? Look at the second statement. It is given for achievement over a period of four years. This statement is correct. This we saw in the discussion. Moving on to the third statement. This award is not limited to Indian nationals. This statement is incorrect because this award is only limited to Indian nationals. Okay? So here only one statement is correct. So the correct answer is option A, only one. Moving on to the last question. It is an assertion reasoning type question. Now let us look at the assertion statement. The finance commission prescribes the framework for the working of the planning commission. This is false because firstly there is no planning commission right now. Also the finance commission does not prescribe the framework for the working of the planning commission. So the assertion is false. Moving on to the reason. The jurisdiction and the functions of the finance commission are outlined in the constitution of India. This is true because it is given in section 3 of article 280 of the constitution. Okay? So the correct answer here is option D, A is false but R is true. With this we have come to the end of the news analysis. If you like today's video, like, comment and share it with your friends. For more updates regarding UPSC preparation subscribe to Shankara IS Academy's YouTube channel. Thank you for listening.