Syllabus GS II Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

GS III Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation, of resources, growth, development and employment. 

1.List out the reasons for the accelerating depreciation of the Indian rupee.Discuss

Rupee depreciation, they note, is a long-term phenomenon and reflects not just a weakening of the rupee but also a strengthening of the dollar against all currencies for “external” reasons.

Reasons for the accelerating depreciation of Indian rupee:

Excess outflow of reserves a reason:

This was possibly because it fears that a fall in reserves may send out the signal that the defence of the rupee cannot be sustained. That would encourage speculators to bet that the rupee would fall even further, accelerating the slide.

The recent and rapid depreciation of the rupee vis-à-vis the dollar does give cause for concern. The drivers of the depreciation are not all short term. The trade deficit threatens to remain high for quite some time. And the excess inflow of capital that propped up the rupee even when deficits widened has all but dried up. In these circumstances, the depreciation may persist, attracting the attention of speculators who will resort to measures that accelerate the currency’s decline.

~Source FrontLine

Syllabus GS III Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. 

2.Carbon neutrality is not the sole responsibility of the government alone,Individuals, businesses, civil society organisations and even places of worship can also play a role in addressing the crisis. Discuss with the example of Mumbai’s Church’s recent initiatives.

India has about 2 million temples, 150,000 mosques, 10,000 churches, innumerable gurdwaras, agiaries and other places of worship. The impact will be huge if others follow in the church’s footsteps.

Additionally, several large Indian corporations have announced plans to reduce their carbon footprint. Indian Railways has a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. Many others are expected to jump on the bandwagon to avert the climate disaster.

~Source DownToEarth