Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 17 February 2023

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC 2023

Q) Recently seen in news, the military exercise ‘Dharma Guardian’ was conducted between which two countries?

1. India and France
2. India and Nepal
3. India and Indonesia
4. India and Japan

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 16 February 2023

Explanation:

• Option (4) is correct: Exercise Dharma Guardian is a joint military exercise between India and Japan. It is an annual training event with Japan, is crucial and significant in terms of security challenges faced by both nations in the backdrop of current global situation. The scope of this exercise covers platoon level joint training on operations in jungle and semi urban/urban terrain. The joint exercise enable the two armies to share best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures of conducting tactical operations under a United Nations Mandate, in addition to developing inter-operability and friendship between the two armies. Further, the exercise is expected to enhance the level of defence co-operation between Indian Army and Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces, furthering the bilateral relations between the two nations.

Q) Consider the following statements about Current Account Deficit (CAD):

1. The foreign investors withdraw funds as the bond yield decreases with rise in the CAD.
2. A current account deficit benefits the debtor nation in the short term.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

• India’s current account deficit in 2021-22 stood at $38.8 billion. However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022 led to a massive surge in global commodity prices and pushed the import bill up to record highs. CAD widened to 3.3 per cent of GDP in first half of 2022-23 from 0.2 per cent in the comparable period of 2021-22 on the back of a sharp increase in the merchandise trade deficit. In the July-September quarter of 2022, India’s current account deficit surged to an all-time high of $36.4 billion.
• Statement 1 is incorrect but statement 2 is correct: In the short-run, a current account deficit is helpful to the debtor nation. Foreigners are willing to pump money into it. That drives economic growth beyond what then country could manage on its own. In the long run, a current account deficit saps economic vitality. Foreign investors question whether economic growth will provide enough return on their investment. Demand weakens for the country’s assets, including the country’s government bonds. As foreign investors withdraw funds, bond yields rise. The national currency loses value relative to other currencies. That lowers the value of the assets in the foreign investors’ strengthening currency. It further depresses investor demand for the country’s assets. This can lead to a tipping point where investors will dump the assets at any price.

Q) With reference to the ‘Parhaiya’ community, consider the following statements:

1. They are a settled agriculturist tribal community that resides in the state of Madhya Pradesh.
2. They are one of the 75 communities identified under the ‘particularly vulnerable tribal groups’ list.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect but statement 2 is correct: The Parhaiya community of Jharkhand is one of the 75 communities listed under the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in the country.  PVTGs constitute the most vulnerable section among tribals and inhabit isolated, remote and difficult areas in small and scattered hamlets/ habitats. In Jharkhand, there are nine PVTGs:  Asur, Birhor, Birjia, Hill Kharia, Korwa, Mal Paharia, Parhaiya, SauriaPaharia and Sabar.  Traditionally, their main source of living for Parhaiya community came from shifting agriculture and hunting-gathering. The tribes of Jharkhand consist of 32 tribes inhabiting the Jharkhand state in India. They are classified as:
• Hunter – Gatherer type – Birhor, Korwa, Hill Kharia
• Shifting Agriculture – SauriaPaharia
• Simple Artisans – Mahli, Lohra, Karmali, ChikBaraik
• Settled Agriculturists – Santhal, Munda, Oraon, Ho, Bhumij, etc.

Q) Consider the following statements about ‘Tipu Sultan’:

1. He established the kingdom of Mysore by seizing power from the Kakatiya dynasty in the 18th century A.D.
2. He set up an arms factory at Dindigul with the help of the French.
3. He introduced iron-cased rockets in Anglo-Mysore Wars.

Which of the statements given above are not correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 3 only
4. 1 and 3 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1 and 2 are incorrect: Tipu Sultan was born on November 10, 1750, in Devanahalli, present-day Bangalore. His father was Haider Ali, who rose through the ranks of the army of the Wodeyars, the Hindu rulers of Mysore. Haider Ali seized power from the Wodeyars in 1761 and ruled for 20 years, a period in which the kingdom of Mysore had slowly expanded by capturing disputed areas at its borders. After his father’s death in 1782, Tipu consolidated the territories of Malabar, Kodagu, and Bednur which were crucial to Mysore’s strategic and economic interests. The rebels during his reign were punished by either forced conversionor transfer of people from their home territories to Mysore. Haidar Ali took the help of the French to set up an arms factory at Dindigul (now in Tamil Nadu), and also introduced Western methods of training for his army. He also started to use his considerable diplomatic skill to outmanoeuvre his opponents.
• Statement 3 is correct: Tipu Sultan (1750-1799) introduced iron-cased rockets in warfare which were used in Anglo-Mysore Wars. He is credited with introducing a number of administrative and economic reforms in Mysore, including the introduction of a new coinage system and the establishment of a government monopoly on the sale of salt. He is also credited with beginning capitalist development at a time when feudalism was prevalent. Upon hearing of the plight of the so called lower caste women who were not allowed to wear blouses, Tipu personally supplied them with cloth. He died while defending his fortress of Srirangapatnam against British armies in 1799.

Q) With reference to the ‘Lavani’ dance, consider the following statements:

1. It is a combination of song and dance associated with the Malabar region.
2. The Lavani dance is generally performed by the Dhangar community.
3. The dance form generally contains tales associated with the birth of the local deity Biruba.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 3 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect but statement 2 is correct: Lavani is a traditional folk art form in which women dancers wearing nine-yard-long sarees in bright colours, make-up, and ghunghroos perform on dholak beats on a stage before a live audience. Lavani is a combination of song and dance that is most commonly associated with the state of Maharashtra as well as the surrounding areas in the Konkan or Coastal Region. As an indigenous art form, Lavani has a history going back several centuries, and it attained particular popularity in the Peshwa era in the 18th century. Lavani aims to take various aspects of social life such as politics, religion, romance, etc. and present them in an entertaining form. The Lavani dance is generally performed by Dhangars or shepherds community living in the Sholapur district of Maharashtra.
• Statement 3 is correct: This dance form is inspired by nature and the generally contains tales of the birth of Biruba, their deity. Various category of Lavani are
• Nirguni Lavani: It deals with philosophy.
• Shringarik (erotic) kind: In this, lyrics are often teasing, with sensuous dance steps and delicate gestures employed to convey erotic meaning.

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