GS 1

Why Turkey is prone to devastating earthquakes?

Source – Indian Express

Syllabus: Disaster Management

In News

Three earthquakes of varying magnitudes devastated Turkey and Syria along with areas of Cyprus, Lebanon, Israel and Egypt.

Turkey has announced a Level 4 alert calling for international aid; U.S., European Union, Russia, and Azerbaijan have reportedly dispatched aid.

Why is Turkey prone to earthquakes?

• Complex interactions between the African, Arabian, and Eurasian tectonic plates and the Anatolian tectonic block
• The Red Sea Rift, spreading center between the African and Arabian plates
• The Dead Sea Transform, a major strike-slip fault that accommodates Africa-Arabia relative motions
• The North Anatolia Fault, a right-lateral strike-slip structure in northern Turkey
• The Cyprian Arc, a convergent boundary between the African plate and the Anatolia block

What are aftershocks and why do they occur?

• A sequence of earthquakes that happen after a larger main shock on a fault
• Occur near the fault zone where the main shock rupture occurred
• Part of the “readjustment process” after the main slip on the fault
• Can continue for days, weeks, months, or even years for a very large mainshock
• Becoming less frequent with time.

Decoding India’s population conundrum

Source – The Hindu

Syllabus: Population and Associated Issues

• India set to overtake China as the world’s most populous nation in 2023
• UN World Population Prospects 2022 predicts India’s population to be 1.668 billion in 2050
• India currently has a youth bulge, with a median age of 28.7 years, which presents a demographic dividend
• Demographic dividend refers to the economic advantage of having a large working-age population

Background:

• India’s population stands at 1,428.6 million in 2023 and is projected to have a population of 1.668 billion in 2050
• China’s population is 1,411.8 million in 2022

Implications for India

Positive:

• Young population, with prospects to reap the demographic dividend
• High growth rate potential due to a larger working-age population and more tax revenues
• Lower number of elderly and young children needing care

Negative:

• Lack of policies for education, skilling, and health in place
• Vast underemployment among educated youths
• Uneven population growth in different states
• The absence of meaningful opportunities for the youth could lead to a demographic nightmare

Way Ahead:

• India must shift its focus from population control to population development
• India must frame policies and strategies to effectively unleash the full potential of its young people
• India must create high-quality jobs and equip its young, skilled workforce to fill them.

GS 2

NCST functioning with less than 50% of sanctioned strength

Source – The Hindu

Syllabus: Constitutional and Statutory bodies

In News

Data from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) revealed that the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) is currently functioning with less than 50% of its sanctioned strength.

Issues with the staffing in the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST):

• Sanctioned strength: The NCST is supposed to have a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and three Members, with two of the Vice-Chairperson and Members being from the ST community and one being a woman. Currently, only the Chairperson and one Member are serving, with all other positions being vacant for the last three years.
• Posts under Group A, B, and C:
  • 70 out of 124 sanctioned posts are currently vacant
  • Group A posts (Superintendent of Police, Law Officer, Accounts Officer) have been vacant since 2004 and are filled by the Ministry
  • Groups B and C posts are the NCST’s responsibility, but recruitment rules for these posts have yet to be framed
  • Posts of Research Officers, Investigators, and Directors are also vacant
  • Ministry claims the eligibility bar was set too high, leading to a lack of applicants
• Other concerns:
  • Fewer meetings: Held only four times in the financial year 2021-22
  • High rate of pendency of cases: Close to 50% rate of resolution of complaints and cases

About the NCST:

• Set up in 2004 through a constitutional amendment
• Created as a separate commission from the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, which was replaced by two separate commissions: the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).

For Daily Current Affairs Click Here

Join our Official Telegram Channel HERE
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel HERE
Follow our Instagram ID HERE