AUGUST 2021

1 INSIGHTSIAS INSTA CURRENT AFFAIRS AUGUST 2021 1 InsightsIAS 2 InsightsIAS Table of Contents GENERAL STUDIES 1 .. 6 Topics: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.. 6 Sree Narayana Guru: .. 6 Topics: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.. 7 Abanindranath Tagore: .. 7 Maharaja Ranjit Singh: .. 8 Malabar rebellion of 1921: .. 9 Moplah martyrs and the rebellion: .. 10 Who was Hari Singh Nalwa, the Sikh warrior who won many battles against Afghans? .. 11 Renovated Jallianwala Bagh Complex .. 12 Topics: The Freedom Struggle its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country.. 13 Martyrs of various uprisings to be considered freedom fighters: .. 13 Topics: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.. 14 Do we need a caste-based census for India?

2 14 Topics: Women and women related issues.. 15 UN slams child marriages: .. 15 Arunachal Pradesh Draft Inheritance Bill: .. 17 Topics: Population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues.. 18 What is Census? .. 18 Topics: Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.. 18 What is the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)? .. 18 Rise in frequency and intensity of cyclones in Arabian Sea: .. 19 Hurricane Ida strikes USA .. 20 GENERAL STUDIES 2 .. 22 Topics: Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure; Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries.. 22 Bill to amend Scheduled Tribes list: .. 22 Bill to Restore States rights to specify OBC groups.

3 23 Flag Code of India: .. 24 Right to be forgotten .. 25 Can t curtail right to move freely or reside anywhere on flimsy grounds .. 26 Topics: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.. 27 What is the sovereign right to taxation? .. 27 Topics: Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.. 28 Preventive detention only to forestall public disorder: SC: .. 28 What is recusal or judicial disqualification of Judges? .. 29 Consumer Dispute Redressal Panels: .. 30 Increasing vacancies in courts:.. 31 Criminal justice reforms: .. 32 Lack of manpower in Probe Agencies: .. 33 Topics: Parliament and State Legislatures structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.. 35 What is MPLAD Scheme? .. 35 Public Accounts Committee.

4 36 What/who is a whip? .. 37 Termination of a Session of Parliament: .. 37 Topics: Salient features of the Representation of People s Act.. 38 Criminalisation of politics .. 38 Topics: Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.. 39 Governor s pardon power overrides 433A: SC: 39 Suspension of MPs for disorderly conduct: .. 40 Supreme Court Collegium: .. 42 What is the procedure to arrest a cabinet minister in India? .. 43 Topics: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.. 43 Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Bill, 2021: .. 43 Tribunal law Reforms .. 45 Topics: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.. 46 The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2021: .. 46 Who is a Bhumiputra in Goa? .. 47 Essential Defence Services Bill, 2021.

5 48 3 InsightsIAS The Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill 2021: .. 49 Mekedatu issue: .. 50 Centre moves bill in House to stop retrospective tax: 51 The new Information Technology (IT) Rules .. 52 Delhi HC says Adoption not limited by religion:53 Do we need a Central law against forced conversion?.. 54 What is midday meal scheme? .. 55 Why has NCPCR recommended minority schools be brought under RTE? .. 56 Vehicle scrappage policy: .. 57 Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021: .. 57 Need for a separate security force to protect judiciary, courts: .. 59 What are Foreigners Tribunals? .. 60 RoDTEP scheme: .. 61 Gujarat anti-conversion law: .. 61 What are detention centres for foreigners? 62 PM-KUSUM Scheme: .. 63 Ubharte Sitaare Fund: .. 64 SC sets aside Haryana order creating a sub-category of creamy layer: .. 65 Issues surrounding Haryana s new land law: 67 India s new drone rules: .. 68 Topics: Development processes and the development industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other 69 UP's Two-child policy.

6 69 Topics: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes.. 70 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs): .. 70 Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi (PM-DAKSH) Yojana: .. 71 Ujjwala scheme: .. 72 Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS): .. 73 TN announces a wage employment scheme for urban poor: .. 74 Topics: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.. 75 Zika virus: .. 75 'Samagra Shiksha Scheme ' to continue till 2026: .. 75 What is a bulk drug park, and why does Himachal Pradesh want one? .. 76 Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY:.. 77 Activists flay exemption to disability quota rule 78 Karnataka State Mental Health Authority: .. 79 What is Havana Syndrome , what does the latest report say about the mysterious illness? .. 80 Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination .. 81 Topics: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.

7 82 Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC): . 82 Topics: Role of civil services in a democracy.. 83 Police stations must display legal aid info: .. 83 Topics: India and its neighbourhood- relations.. 84 Pak. finalises Bill to grant new status to Gilgit-Baltistan: .. 84 What's behind the China-Taiwan divide? .. 84 How and why should India deal with Afghanistan now? .. 85 China for adoption of cultural symbols, language in Tibet .. 87 What is an electronic visa (e-visa)? .. 87 Topics: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India s interests.. 88 No agreement yet on Gogra, Hot Springs: .. 88 India's 5-point agenda to enhance maritime cooperation: .. 89 Greater Mal Connectivity Project (GMCP): .. 90 The Malabar Exercise of Quad nations: .. 90 Topics: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India s interests, Indian diaspora.. 91 How is Hong Kong administered? .. 91 China's three-child policy.

8 92 Oslo I Accord and Israel- Palestine Conflict: .. 93 India and Russia Ties amidst uncertainties in Afghanistan: .. 94 Topics: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.. 96 India assumes UNSC presidency: .. 96 Indian supports Palestine peace process .. 97 Who is an emergency arbitrator in Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC)? .. 98 Why should India be given a permanent seat at UNSC? .. 100 UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea): .. 101 International Criminal Court: .. 102 UN peacekeepers: .. 102 UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA): 104 N. Korea may have restarted N-reactor: IAEA 105 GENERAL STUDIES 107 Topics: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.. 107 US not interested in trade pact .. 107 4 InsightsIAS Loan scheme to be notified soon .. 107 Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme: .. 108 NITI bats for tax breaks to achieve monetization goal 109 India Inc.

9 Not sanguine about growth .. 111 Ire over toy train monetization plan .. 112 Topics: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.. 113 Hidden costs of food: .. 113 Record sugar exports help reduce cane dues . 114 How is Minimum selling price for sugar decided?.. 114 Topics: Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.. 115 Experts warn against mandatory food fortification: .. 115 National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP):.. 116 Rice fortification plan to tackle malnutrition: . 116 Topics: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.. 117 What is Hydrogen Fuel? .. 117 What are Special Economic Zones (SEZs)? .. 119 Gati Shakti infrastructure plan.

10 120 Topics: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.. 121 Deep Ocean Mission: .. 121 'Historic' Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough acheived:.. 122 Vande Bharat Express .. 122 Topics: Awareness in space.. 123 NASA s Perseverance rover: .. 123 GSLV-F10 launch and EOS-03 satellite: .. 123 Merger of three jumbo black holes spotted: .. 125 Topics: Awareness in the fields of IT, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.. 126 South Africa grants patent to an artificial intelligence system: .. 126 Import of crushed genetically modified (GM) soybean allowed: .. 126 Bill on cryptocurrency: .. 127 World's second-largest refurbished gene bank at New Delhi: .. 128 GM soya cake imports: .. 129 What is LiDAR? .. 130 Topics: Conservation related issues, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.