 A very good evening aspirants, I welcome you all to the Hindu Daily News Analysis brought to you by Shankar Ayes Academy. Today, I am going to cover important news articles from the Hindu's paper dated 15th of September 2023. Displayed here is a list of news articles that we will be discussing today. At the end of the video, we will also have problems practice question discussions. So try to watch the entire video and a kind request to you all, those who haven't yet, subscribe to our YouTube channel, do subscribe and hit the bell icon button so that you will get regular notifications about our current affairs videos. Now let us get into our first news article discussion. Look at these two news articles here, both these articles are related to rubber plantations. Now let's take up the first article. Yesterday, the rubber farmers from the states of Kerala, Thirupura, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka held a protest in New Delhi against the central government. The farmers have demanded a fair, remunerative price of at least Rs 300 for a kilogram of natural rubber. Apart from this, the farmers also alleged that the policies of the central government are in favor of multinational tire manufacturers and it does not benefit the rubber farmers of India. Therefore, the farmers said that they should be adequately compensated in accordance with the increase in the cost of rubber production. Okay, this is all about the first news article. Now coming to the second article, this news article says that the rubber board is currently implementing a project to expand the area of natural rubber cultivation in the northeastern states. The project is implemented by the rubber board through the help of the central government and the Automotive Tire Manufacturers Association. The executive director of the rubber board said that the project would bring 2 lakh hectares under natural rubber in the northeastern states except Sikkim. The project also includes West Bengal state. Okay, this is all about the second news article. Now in this discussion, let us learn some points about rubber from an exam perspective. First of all know that the natural rubber is a naturally occurring polymer. Here polymer refers to the class of natural or synthetic substance that composed of very large molecules. See many of the materials in living organisms are made up of polymers. From this the polymers form the base of many natural and man-made materials. Okay, now coming back to the natural rubber, see natural rubber is a polymer of isoprene. So basically natural rubber is a very large molecule formed by the repeating units of isoprene. The natural rubber is obtained from the latex of rubber producing plants. Here latex is nothing but the milky white liquid that drips from rubber producing plants. See the natural rubber is obtained primarily from the tree of Hevia brasilensis which is a tree indigenous to South America. During the late 19th century, this tree was introduced to several other countries in the tropical belts of Asia and Africa. Okay, now coming to the climate requirements, see the rubber is actually an equatorial crop. But under special circumstances it is also grown in tropical and subtropical areas. Because of this suitability only, the Hevia brasilensis is able to grow in tropical climate of India. Okay, see the rubber requires moist and humid climate with rainfall of more than 200 cm. The rubber trees grow well and the distribution of rainfall is uniformly high all over the year. Since it is basically an equatorial tree, a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius is optimal. The rubber trees pretty steady and can withstand temperatures ranging between 20 degrees Celsius to 35 degrees Celsius. But when the temperature falls below 20 degrees Celsius, it is detrimental to the rubber tree. Okay, this is about climate requirements of rubber. Now coming to the soil requirements, the rubber trees grow well in deep and well drained soils. They also grow well on acidic soils. Okay, see the rubber is an important industrial raw material so it is commercially valuable. Due to this, the rubber trees are grown as a plantation crop in India. See, plantations are a type of commercial farming where a single crop like tea, coffee or rubber are grown with the help of huge labour and capital. Okay, now let us look at the rubber production in India. According to the NCRT book, in India, the rubber is grown mainly in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andamanakubar islands and Galo hills of Meghalaya. See these are the traditional areas. But currently, rubber plantations have been established in other areas also. And these areas are called non-traditional areas. These areas include Goa, Maharashtra, Kongan region, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Azam and Thirupura. Know that Kerala accounts for the majority of the rubber production in India. Kerala accounts for 75% of the rubber production in India. And it is followed by Thirupura, Karnataka, Azam and Tamil Nadu. Okay, now when did the rubber cultivation introduced in India? See the commercial cultivation of natural rubber was introduced in India by the British. In 1873, the British made an experiment of commercial cultivation of rubber at the botanical gardens of Calcutta. And after several years, the first natural rubber plantations in India were established at Thatte Kaudu Kerala in 1902. Okay, now finally let us see some points about rubber board. See the rubber board plays an important role in the development of rubber industry in India. The rubber board has evolved from the Estuwal Indian rubber board. See the Estuwal Indian rubber board was established under the Rubber Protection and Marketing Act 1947. Then in 1954, the Rubber Protection and Marketing Amendment Act was passed. This act renamed the Indian rubber board to rubber board. And as of now, the rubber board derives its power from the Rubber Production and Marketing Act 1947. So it is a statutory body. Note that the rubber board functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The board is headed by a chairman who is appointed by the central government. Apart from this, the rubber board also has 28 members representing various interests of the natural rubber industry. Note that the headquarters of the rubber board is located at Kaudu Kerala. Now come into the functions of the rubber board. See the rubber board is responsible for the development of the rubber industry in India. The board assists and encourages research, development, extension and training activities related to rubber. In addition to this, the board also maintains statistical data of rubber in the country. Apart from this, the board also takes steps to promote marketing of rubber and it also undertakes labour welfare activities. These are all some of the important functions of the rubber board. And that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion we saw about various aspects of rubber and we saw some points about rubber board. See this topic is very much important for your prelims exam. So revise all the facts that we discussed. With these points in mind, let us move on to the next news article discussion. Look at this news article from the science page. This article talks about the Vega snow and the possible connection between Vega snow dysfunction and long COVID. So in this discussion, we will cover the basics about Vega snow and we will also understand the important points mentioned in the article. Now before looking at the Vega snow, let us first familiarize ourselves with the parasympathetic nervous system. See our peripheral nervous system is divided into two types, such as somatic and autonomic nervous system. The somatic nervous system consists of nerves that go to the skins and muscles. And this nervous system is involved in conscious activities. The autonomic nervous system on the other hand consists of nerves that connect the central nervous system to the visceral organs such as heart, stomach and intestines. And this nervous system is involved in unconscious activities. See the autonomic nervous system is further divided into two types, that is sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system is often referred to as the fight or flight system. Its primary function is to prepare the body for action and to respond to stressful or challenging situations. On the other hand, the primary function of the parasympathetic nervous system is to regulate the body's rest and digest responses. It also helps conserve energy and promote relaxation after periods of stress or activity. I hope you understood about the peripheral nervous system of our body. Now having covered the basics, now let us take up the Vega snow. See the Vega snow forms a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system. As you can see in this image, it is not a single nerve but a pair of nerves that start from the brainstem. And it is the longest cranial nerve. It passes through important parts of our body like neck, heart, lungs, abdomen and digestive tract. As it travels through the body, the Vega snow regulates spallowing, vocalization, breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, immune responses and the microbiome of our intestines. See Vega snow being a bi-directional nerve, it helps the brain and the body to communicate with one another. See due to the wide variety of functions performed by the Vega snow, many in the scientific community believe that triggering the Vega snow will help treat many health conditions. Ok, these are some of the basic points about the Vega snow. Now let us see the applications of Vega snow stimulation or triggering. See people use implantable Vega snow stimulators to treat epilepsy and depression. In this, the trigger stimulates areas of the brain that are responsible for seizure and mood. People also use non-invasive stimulants like the one shown in the image to trigger the Vega snow. In addition to treating epilepsy and depression, the Vega snow stimulation is also used to treat inflammation. And note that research is underway for the use of Vega snow stimulation to treat various diseases like migraines, polycystic ovaries syndrome, alcoholism, arthritis, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and gut disorders. Ok, now having seen the application of Vega snow stimulation, now let us see the relation between Vega snow and long COVID. Here what is long COVID? Long COVID refers to a condition where individuals who have record from the acute phase of COVID-19 continue to experience a range of symptoms and health issues. See long COVID can last for several weeks or months after initial infection. Common long COVID symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, chest pain, joint pain and loss of taste or smell. See recently scientists have found that people who suffered long COVID also had Vega snow dysfunction. And there is also increasing evidence that symptoms of long COVID are linked to the effect of the coronavirus on the Vega snow. To put it simply, the long COVID hinders the function of Vega snow. So scientific community believes that symptoms of long COVID can be addressed by stimulating the Vega snow. They said that stimulating the Vega snow will prevent the effect of long COVID on Vega snow. Ok, and that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion we saw about the Vega snow. Then about the functions of Vega snow. Then we saw about the Vega snow stimulation and finally we saw some points about the relation between long COVID and Vega snow dysfunction. Now with these points in mind, let us move on to the next news article discussion. Look at this news article here. This news article is about the National Judicial Data Grid. Yesterday the Chief Justice of India announced that the data related to cases in the Supreme Court are made available on the National Judicial Data Grid. See earlier only data regarding the subordinate courts and the high courts were available in the grid. But now the data related to cases in the Supreme Court are also made available on the grid. So now everyone will be able to assess the data relating to cases admitted, cases pending and cases disposed of by the Supreme Court also. Ok, this is all about the news article. Now in this discussion let us learn some points about National Judicial Data Grid. The National Judicial Data Grid is a flagship initiative of the E Committee of the Supreme Court of India. Basically the National Judicial Data Grid is a system for tracking the backlog and resolution of cases in the Supreme Court, high courts and subordinate courts. Anyone visiting the National Judicial Data Grid portal, they can easily assess the data. The data in the portal provides clear cut information regarding the pendency of cases at national, state, district and individual court levels. What are the important features of the National Judicial Data Grid? Firstly, the grid provides real-time data. That is, the data in the portal is updated in real-time basis. So this helps us to have a clear cut idea about the pendency of cases in the Indian judiciary. Secondly, the pending civil and criminal cases are categorized separately for easy understanding. So this makes the portal very user-friendly. And finally, the National Judicial Data Grid acts as an information warehouse for the Indian judiciary. This means that whenever the court wants any information regarding the cases, they can assess through National Judicial Data Grid. Okay, these are all some of the important features of National Judicial Data Grid. Now what are the intended benefits of National Judicial Data Grid? The most significant benefit of the National Judicial Data Grid is that it brings in transparency in the Indian judiciary system. See, all other benefits are derived from this benefit. The transparency brought about by the National Judicial Data Grid will help the people to monitor Indian judiciary. This will make the judiciary more responsible and it will bring down the pendency of cases. In addition to this, the transparent data available in the National Judicial Data Grid will help policy makers to take informed policy decisions. Apart from this, data will help the Indian judiciary to better manage its limited workforce. This in turn ensures efficient use of resources and it will also bring down pendency of cases. Finally, the transparent availability of data will make the people more empowered. And what will the empowered people do? See, the empowered people will start asking questions on the judiciary. So this will make the judiciary more accountable to the people. Okay, these are all some of the intended benefits of National Judicial Data Grid. See, based on the data available in the National Judicial Data Grid website, I have displayed some data regarding the pendency of cases in the Supreme Court. Just make a note of it. And you can use the data in your main sensor. And that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, we saw about National Judicial Data Grid, then about the features of National Judicial Data Grid. And finally, we saw some points about the benefits of National Judicial Data Grid. Now, with these points in mind, let us move on to the next news article discussion. Look at this editorial here. Recently, the presidency of the COP28 of the UNFCCC has called for an agreement. The agreement is about a global target regarding renewable energy. The target is to triple the renewable energy capacity from current levels by 2030. And this was also a hard topic in the recent G20 summit that was held in India. This is the background of this editorial. Now, in this discussion, let us understand the important points mentioned in the editorial. Now, first, let us understand the definition of renewable energy. See, according to the UN definition, renewable energy is an energy derived from natural sources. As we all know, crude oil is also derived from natural sources. But the advantage of renewable energy over the crude oil is that the energy sources of renewables are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed. On the other hand, the crude oil can be replenished. From this point, we can observe that the renewable energy is sustainable in nature. Some of the examples of renewable energy sources are solar energy, wind energy, hydro power, geothermal energy, bio energy, etc. As we saw at the starting of the discussion, an agreement is going to be tabled at the upcoming COP28 meeting to triple the renewable energy capacity from the current levels. Now, why we need to triple the target of renewable energy production? There are various reasons for this. Now, let us understand the reasons one by one. Firstly, renewable energy is an important weapon to fight climate change. As we all know that in the COP27 Paris summit, world leaders agreed to limit the global temperature from rising beyond 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the end of this 21st century. But the latest synthesis report of the UN says that the world is not on the track to achieve this goal. So, it is necessary to triple the renewable energy target in order to achieve Paris Agreement goal. Secondly, shifting to renewable energy will protect the countries from geopolitical shocks and inflation. The recent UN report says that about 80% of the global population, that is about 6 billion people, lives in countries that are net importers of fossil fuels. So, if there arise any geopolitical tensions like coups or wars, it affects the energy security of the net importers of fossil fuels. Therefore, rising the renewable energy capacity will benefit the countries that mostly relies on imports of fossil fuels. Thirdly, enhancing the renewable energy production will benefit rural people and poor. See, most of the villages in backward areas of the world lacks access to electricity. This is due to various reasons like energy insufficiency, presence of hot terrains and so on. In such places, the renewable energy will play a significant role. For example, we can create wind or solar power generating plants in local areas, which in turn provide energy security to the poor and rural people. And fourthly, renewable energy is important to fight pollution. According to the World Health Organization report, about 99% of people in the world breathe the air that exits air quality limits. So, the polluted air severely threatening the health of the people. And it is estimated that more than 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes, including air pollution. As we all know, currently the world is mostly relying on fossil fuel to get electricity. And this is the main reason for high pollution in the world. Therefore, enhancing the renewable energy production becomes more important to fight air pollution in the world. And fifthly, enhancing the renewable energy production will also create additional employment. According to the International Energy Agency estimates, every dollar of investment in renewables creates three times more jobs than in the fossil fuel industry. So, enhancing the renewable energy production will help the countries to alter us on employment. These are all some of the advantages we will get out of tripling the renewable energy capacity. Now moving on to see about the current renewable energy capacity of the world and India. See, in 2021, the global installed capacity of renewable energy sources was stood at 3026 gigawatts. That is, the renewable energy accounts for 39% of the total energy generation capacity. But the problem is that in total electricity generation, the contribution by renewable energy sources was only 28%. And this shows that there is leakages in production. But now we are speaking to triple the renewable energy capacity target by 2030. So to meet this target, we need to achieve the renewable energy generation of 9000 gigawatt from current 3026 gigawatt. This means that we have to add about 6000 gigawatt of renewable energy capacity between 2022 and 2030. Now coming to the data of renewable energy capacity in the world, see the chart here shows the renewable energy capacity addition from 2013 to 2023. This data is sourced from the International Renewable Energy Agency. Here we can observe that the renewable energy capacity addition was almost stagnant between 2013 and 2019. In 2020, there was some rise. But due to COVID-19 pandemic, the renewable energy capacity addition again dipped in 2021. And currently there is some rise, but it is not sufficient to meet the tripling of renewable energy capacity. So the world needs to increase its space of addition of renewable energy capacity to meet the target. Now coming to India specific data, see India stands fourth globally in renewable energy installed capacity. And it is the third largest producer of renewable energy. In COP26, India has enhanced the target of 500 gigawatt of non fossil fuel based energy by 2030. But this is not sufficient to meet the tripling of renewable energy capacity. See to tripling the renewable energy capacity, India would need about 717 gigawatt of renewable energy capacity by 2030. But the target of India stood at 500 gigawatt. So India also needs to enhance its renewable energy capacity to meet the tripling target. This is all about the rate of renewable energy capacity in the world and in India. As we saw earlier, tripling of renewable energy capacity will provide various advantages. But there are some challenges that are left behind the countries in achieving the tripling target. Now let us see the challenges one by one. Firstly, the current model of renewable energy capacity is dependent more on hydropower. The data shows that more than half of the renewable energy generation was from hydropower. Whereas the solar contributes 13% and wind contributes 23% of renewable energy generation. The problem here is that, with the current model of hydropower based energy generation, we can't be able to achieve the tripling of renewable energy target. This is because the construction of hydropower plant requires years and years. So probably we can't able to construct the hydropower plants in short term to meet the tripling target by 2030. Secondly, the problem lies with the equity in renewable energy capacity. See, there is no such thing called global electricity demand. That is, electricity demand is different for developed and developing countries. For instance, developing countries like India and China needs more energy than US and European Union. This is because of huge population in India and China. On the other hand, the United States and the European Union needs little energy to meet its demand. So to meet the tripling of renewable energy capacity, India and China need to work more than the US and the European Union. Ultimately, the burden shifts from developed countries to developing countries. This is the second problem. Then the third problem is the absolute opaqueness of the target. See, the tripling target does not take into account the non-renewable energy demand of the poor and developing nations. It also does not take into account the storage and battery infrastructure of developing nations. This is the third problem. And finally, the resource constraint of the developing nations is not considered while framing the tripling target of renewable energy. These are all some of the challenges in achieving the tripling target of renewable energy. Now finally, let us see the steps that are needed to be taken to increase the renewable energy capacity of the world. Firstly, the world countries should increase the cooperation to ensure the meeting of tripling target by 2030. Secondly, greater investments are needed to ensure a just transition to renewable energy. It includes technology transfer from developed to developing nations, green-skilled development, joint research and development, etc. Thirdly, the government should shift to the subsidies from non-renewables to renewables. See a data from IMF says that about 5.9 trillion US dollars was spent on subsidizing the fossil fuel industry in 2020 alone. So the subsidies should be shifted to renewables to meet the tripling target. Finally, tripling the investments is a key to triple the renewable energy share. The recent World Bank data shows that at least four trillion US dollars need to be invested in renewable energy per year until 2030. This includes investment in technology and infrastructure. See the investment is necessary to reach net zero emissions by 2050. So enhancing the investments is a much-needed one to triple the renewable energy capacity. Okay, and that's all regarding this discussion. As the discussion is about the advantages of tripling the renewable energy capacity. Then we saw about the data regarding renewable energy capacity addition in the world. Then we saw about the challenges in achieving the tripling target. And finally, we saw some points about the steps that are needed to be taken to increase the renewable energy capacity. See this topic is very much important for your main exam. Then use these points while writing your main sensor. This will differentiate your main sensor from the others. Now moving on to the next news article discussion. Look at this news article. This news article highlights various initiatives taken by the government towards the development of Indian fishing sector. This article particularly highlights the initiatives taken under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampath Yojana. This is all about the news. Now in this discussion let us learn few points about Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampath Yojana. Before that, let us see some points about Indian fishing sector. See the fisheries and aquaculture play an important role in Indian economy. These sector provides livelihood to about 2.80 crores fishers and fish farmers. In addition to this, fish is an affordable and rich source of animal protein. So it helps in mitigating hunger and mutant deficiency. But the problem is that the fisheries and aquaculture in India are mostly inefficient. So to address the inefficiency and to increase the income earning potential of Indian fishers and fish farmers, our government decided to initiate the blue revolution. As a result, the government introduced Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampath Yojana. This scheme will bring about blue revolution in a sustainable manner. This scheme is being implemented by the department of fisheries which is functioning under the ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and varying government of India. And note that the scheme is implemented in all the states and union territories for a period of 5 years. That is from financial year 2020-21 to financial year 2024-25. See through the scheme, the government aims to ensure a holistic development of the fisheries sector and also to ensure the welfare of the fishers. Now what are the objectives of the scheme? Firstly, through the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampath Yojana, our government aims at utilizing the full potential of fisheries in a responsible and equitable manner. Secondly, the scheme aims to enhance fish production and productivity. It aims to enhance production through expansion, diversification and productive utilization of land and water. Thirdly, the scheme aims to modernize fishery-related value chains. The scheme also aims to enhance quality through efficient post-harvest management. Fourthly, the scheme aims to provide social, physical and economic security for fishers and fish farmers. Fifthly, the scheme aims at creating a good regulatory framework for efficient fisheries management. Finally, the scheme aims at doubling fishers and fish farmers incomes and generation of employment. The scheme also aims to enhance fish exports from India. Okay, these are some of the objectives of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampath Yojana. And note that the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampath Yojana has two components to realize these objectives. The first component is a central sector scheme component. In this component, the support is provided to government entities to take beneficiary-oriented activities. See, in cases of central sector scheme component, the central government provides 100% its funding. Then the second component is central sponsored scheme component. For the central sponsored scheme component, the funding is sad between the center and the respective states. The central sponsored scheme component is further segregated into non-beneficiary-oriented and beneficiary-oriented activities. And note that the central sponsored scheme component has some subcomponents. The first subcomponent is related to enhancement of fish production and fish productivity. The second one is related to creating fishery-related infrastructure and post harvest management. And the last one is fisheries management and regulatory framework. Okay, these are the two main components under the Pradhan Mantri Matsi Sampadhy Yojana. And that's all regarding this discussion. In this discussion, we covered important points regarding Pradhan Mantri Matsi Sampadhy Yojana. See, this topic is very much important for your prelims exam. So, revise all the points that we discussed. Now, with these points in mind, let us move on to the next news article discussion. Look at this editorial here. This editorial is about new post office bill 2023. Recently, the bill was tabled in the Rajasabha. Because of this only, this editorial here is written. This article speaks about some of the important provisions of new post office bill 2023. So, in a discussion today, we will understand all the important points mentioned in the editorial. First of all, know that the new post office bill 2023 reveals the Indian Post Office Act 1898. See, previously the role of post office was restricted only to the mail services. But the new bill has changed the role of post office to become a vehicle that delivers a variety of citizen-centric services. So, according to the new bill, the post offices will provide mail services and it will also focus on delivering citizen-centric services. Okay, now moving on to see about the important provisions of the bill. Firstly, the bill enhanced the role of director general of postal services. See, under the Indian Post Office Act 1898, the director general has powers only to decide the time and manner of delivery of postal services. On the charges for postal services are notified by the central government through various notifications. But the new bill has done away with this provision. Under the new bill, the director general can make regulations regarding any activity necessary to provide postal services including fixing charges for postal services. Apart from this, the director general can also make regulations on supply and sale of postage stamps and postal stationery. See, this provision is very important because the parliamentary approval will no longer be a condition for revision of charges for any service offered by post office including traditional mail services. Okay, so the postal department can now respond quickly to market demands. And various initiatives of India Post to dispense citizen-centric services will now have a strong legal framework. Okay, this is the first important provision of the bill. Secondly, the bill brought in some powers to intercept postal shipments. See, previously the postal interception may be carried out by the central government, state governments, or any other officer specially authorized by the governments. The grounds for the interception was public emergency, interest of public safety, and tranquility. But now the new bill lists few grounds on which interception of a shipment transmitted through post can be carried out. Such grounds include security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order emergency or public safety, and contravention of the provisions of new post office bill 2023 or any other law. See, according to the new bill, the interception will be carried out by an officer empowered by the central government through a notification. The bill also empowers the officer to open or detain the intercepted item. Okay, see this provision has both good and bad thing. The good thing is that it will arrest possibilities of smuggling and unlawful transmission of drugs through postal services. And the bad thing is that there is no similar legislation for courier firms. Cynthia Post has a share of less than 15% of market in courier or express or parcels industry. So this provision only detains any item in the course of postal transmission. But it does not take into account the courier firms. Okay, this is the bad thing. Okay. Now coming to the third important provision, the new bill provides standards for addressing on the items, address identifiers, and usage of post records to the central government. See this gives a boost to India's digital addressing vision. See digital addressing is nothing but replacing physical address with a digital code using geospatial coordinates to identify a specific premise. It is a futuristic concept and it can ease the process of sorting and facilitate accurate delivery of mails and parcels. This provision may even facilitate the delivery of parcels by drone as it is being experimented in some countries. Okay, this is the third important provision. Finally and most importantly, the new bill has done away with the provisions of exclusive privilege provided to the central government. See previously, the act provides that wherever the central government establishes posts, it will have the exclusive privilege of conveying letters by post as well as incidental services like receiving, collecting, sending and delivering letters. But the new bill does not contain any such privileges. Previously, the act provided for the issuance of postage stamps as per the rules prescribed by the central government. The bill also states that the postal office will have the exclusive privilege of issuing postage stamps. Okay, these are some of the important provisions of the new post office bill 2023. And that's all regarding this discussion. Now with these points in mind, let us move on to the next part of the video that is to discuss preliminary practice questions. Today we are having three questions. I will solve two of them and one will be a quiz question for you. Look at the first question. This question is regarding pendency of cases in India. Look at the first statement. In the Supreme Court, the number of pending civil cases exceeds pending criminal cases. Now look at this chart here. Here you can see that the number of pending civil cases exceeds pending criminal cases. So first statement is correct. Now come to the second statement. More cases are waiting to be heard by the nine-judge bench than the seven-judge bench in the Supreme Court. Again look at this chart here. Here you can see that there are more cases left to be before nine-judge bench when compared with seven-judge bench. So second statement is correct. Now come to the third statement. The Delhi High Court had the highest number of pending cases in India with 10.3 lakh cases awaiting resolution. See this statement is incorrect because it is the Alhabad High Court which has the highest number of pending cases in India with 10.3 lakh cases awaiting resolution. So third statement is incorrect. Here only first and second statements are correct. So the correct answer for the question is option B only two. Moving on let's take up the second question. This question is regarding National Judicial Data Grid. Here three statements are given. You have to find how many of the statements are correct. Look at the first statement. The National Judicial Data Grid was built as part of phase two of E-Courts project. See this statement is correct. The National Judicial Data Grid was created during the phase two of E-Courts project. Now come to the second statement. The platform has been developed by the National Informatics Centre. See this statement is also correct. The National Judicial Data Grid portal was developed by the National Informatics Centre. Now come to the third statement. The National Judicial Data Grid works as a monitoring tool to identify, manage and reduce dependency of cases. See this statement is also correct. It is one of the objectives of creating National Judicial Data Grid. Here all the three statements are correct. So a correct answer for the question is option C all three. This is a question for you today. I will post this question in the community section. Try to answer it. And displayed here are the main questions for the practice. Go through the questions, write your answers and post it in the comment section. With this we have come to the end of the video. If you found our video to be useful, do like, comment and share it with your friends. And don't forget to subscribe Shankar AS Academy YouTube channel. Thank you for listening.