DECEMBER 2021

1 INSIGHTSAIAS INSTA CURRENT AFFAIRS DECEMBER 2021 1 InsightsIAS Table of Contents GENERAL STUDIES 1 .. 5 Topics: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.. 5 1. Significance of Raigad fort: .. 5 2. Char Dham: .. 6 3. Durga Puja inscribed on UNESCO s Intangible Cultural Heritage list: .. 7 Topics: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.. 8 1. Veer Savarkar: .. 8 2. Paika Rebellion: .. 9 3. 75 yrs of Constituent Assembly s 1st sitting: .. 10 4. Alluri Sitaram Raju and the Rampa Rebellion: .. 11 5. Salar Masud-Raja Suhaldev battle: .. 12 6. Sri Aurobindo: .. 13 7. Rani Lakshmibai: .. 14 Topics: Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.. 15 1. Goa Liberation Day: .. 15 Topics: Women and women related issues.. 16 1. What s in ART, Surrogacy Bills? .. 16 2.

2 Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme: .. 17 3. Women Judges: .. 17 4. Raising legal age of marriage for women:.. 18 5. Maharashtra government s Shakti Bill: .. 20 Topics: Population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues.. 21 1. Smart Cities Mission (SCM): .. 21 2. World Inequality Report: .. 21 3. Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM): .. 23 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.. 24 1. Cyclone Jawad: .. 24 2. Why has the Northeast monsoon remained subdued this year? .. 25 3. More Cyclones in Arabian Sea: .. 25 4. Pacific ring of fire: .. 26 5. IMD has predicted a cold wave in Northwest India.. 27 GENERAL STUDIES 2 .. 29 Topics: Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure; Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries.

3 29 1. Renunciation of Indian citizenship: .. 29 2. Bill to amend Preamble: .. 30 3. Anti-defection law:.. 30 4. 6th Schedule of the Indian Constitution: .. 32 5. Jammu and Kashmir Delimitation Commission:.. 33 6. Right to be Forgotten : .. 34 7. Defamation case: .. 35 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.. 36 1. Private members Bills: .. 36 2. The Belagavi border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka: .. 36 Topics: Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.. 37 1. Disruptions in Parliament: .. 37 2. Executive shows a trend to disrespect court orders: .. 38 Topics: Parliament and State Legislatures structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.. 40 1. How are MPs' questions allowed, disallowed? . 40 2.

4 Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019: .. 41 3. Privilege Motion: .. 42 4. Public Accounts Committee: .. 43 5. House panel to review Bill on raising marriage age of women: .. 44 Topics: Salient features of the Representation of People s Act.. 45 1. Bill on voter ID-Aadhaar link: .. 45 Topics: Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.. 46 1. Collegium System: .. 46 2. Questioning the impartiality of the Election Commission: .. 47 3. Election of Speaker: .. 48 Topics: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.. 49 1. Law Commission of India: .. 49 Topics: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.. 51 1. What is J&K s Roshni Act? .. 51 2. National Export Insurance Account (NEIA): .. 51 2 InsightsIAS 3. Caste census:.. 52 4. What is the negative imports list for defence? . 54 5. Dam Safety Bill 2019.

5 55 6. Uttarakhand s Char Dham Act: .. 56 7. It s time to define limits of sedition, says SC: .. 56 8. Nod for Ken-Betwa link project: .. 58 9. Bills to Extend tenure of ED and CBI Chiefs: .. 59 10. Sedition law: .. 60 11. Bank deposit insurance programme: .. 61 12. Special status for Bihar: .. 62 13. RBI allows Payments Banks, SFBs to conduct Govt agency business: .. 63 14. India s data protection Bill: .. 64 15. Tamil Nadu makes it mandatory to stand while state song is being played: .. 65 16. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960: 66 17. Need for a Bill on lynching: .. 67 18. Karnataka s draft anti-conversion Bill: .. 68 19. NDPS Bill, 2021: .. 70 20. 4 labour codes: .. 72 21. Mekedatu issue: .. 73 22. Special Category Status: .. 74 23. Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010:.. 75 24. PLI scheme for textiles: .. 76 25. Steps to monitor illegal liquor manufacturing in Bihar: .. 77 26. PESA Act:.. 78 Topics: Development processes and the development industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other 80 1.

6 CSR funds for monuments: .. 80 2. Good Governance Index 2021: .. 81 Topics: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.. 82 1. Mission Indradhanush (IMI) : .. 82 2. Bird Flu: .. 83 3. Supplementary Child Nutrition: .. 84 4. Poshan Tracker:.. 84 5. What is parvovirus? .. 86 6. NITI Aayog Health Index:.. 86 7. Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA): .. 87 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.. 88 1. Centre disagrees with India s rank on World Press Freedom Index: .. 88 Topics: India and its neighbourhood- relations.. 89 1. India- Russia Annual Summit: .. 89 2. Ukraine Issue: .. 90 3. Chinese project at Balochistan port: .. 91 4. Indo-Pacific: .. 93 5. India-Taiwan relations.

7 93 6. India seeks early return of democracy in Myanmar: .. 95 Topics: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India s interests.. 96 1. Logistics agreements and their benefits: .. 96 2. G7: .. 97 3. Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA): .. 98 Topics: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India s interests, Indian diaspora.. 99 1. How is Hong Kong administered? .. 99 2. China- Hong Kong Relations: .. 100 3. S-400 and CAATSA:.. 100 4. Uighurs: .. 101 5. UAE s Golden Visa: .. 102 6. Iran nuclear talks set to resume after five months: .. 104 Topics: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.. 104 1. What are International Financial Services Centres (IFSC)? .. 104 2. World Gold Council: .. 105 3. UN Observer status to Solar Alliance: .. 106 4. UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea): .. 108 5. Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

8 108 6. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): .. 109 7. Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP): .. 110 8. New Development Bank (NDB): .. 111 GENERAL STUDIES 113 Topics: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.. 113 1. What are negative yield bonds? .. 113 2. Inflation targeting: .. 113 3. Reimbursement scheme for RuPay Debit Card, BHIM UPI transactions .. 114 4. The suspension of futures trading in agri products: .. 115 Topics: Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.. 116 1. Co-Lending Model- Bank-NBFC co-lending: .. 116 2. RBI introduces prompt corrective action framework for NBFCs: .. 117 3. What is tokenisation and why has RBI issued new guidelines? .. 118 Topics: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, 3 InsightsIAS limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.

9 119 1. Minimum support price (MSP):.. 119 Topics: Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.. 120 1. Cryptocurrencies a challenge for emerging markets, regulation needed: IMF chief economist .. 120 2. Amazon- Future deal: .. 122 3. Retrospective taxation: .. 124 Topics: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.. 125 1. Hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas (HCNG): .. 125 2. The problems within the UDAN scheme: .. 125 3. Govt Policies of 2021 To Help Boost EV Adoption: .. 126 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.. 128 1. What is NASA s new communications system LCRD? .. 128 2. Unified payments interface (UPI): .. 128 3. Push for semiconductor manufacturing .. 129 4. National Mathematics Day: .. 130 5. China conducts nuclear fusion experiment for artificial sun.

10 131 6. What is Quantum entanglement? .. 132 Topics: Awareness in space.. 133 1. Parker Solar Probe: .. 133 2. Hypersonic weapons: .. 134 3. Parker Solar Probe: .. 136 4. James Webb Space Telescope: .. 137 5. NASA s DART mission: .. 137 6. Tiangong Space Station: .. 138 Topics: Awareness in the fields of IT, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.. 140 1. Central bank digital currency (CBDC): .. 140 2. 5G technology: .. 141 3. Facial recognition technology: .. 142 4. PepsiCo patents issue: .. 144 5. RBI wants full ban on crypto, legal experts say it is too late: .. 145 6. GI tag: .. 146 7. FSSAI draft regulations for GM foods: .. 147 Topics: Conservation related issues, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.. 148 1. Atmosphere & Climate Research-Modelling Observing Systems & Services (ACROSS) scheme: . 148 2. CAMPA Funds:.. 149 3. Kasturirangan Committee on Western Ghats: 149 4.