- The Supreme Court majority ruling found no flaw in the 2016 demonetization process initiated through a government notification under the RBI Act. However, one judge disagreed, saying the notification was unlawful as it was not initiated by the RBI central board. - There are calls to reduce state control over Hindu temples and involve communities more in temple administration instead of bureaucracy. However, laws also aim to ensure access and reform. - A new government scheme aims to boost development along border villages but details are still unclear, especially regarding coverage of border areas. - Prisons in India are still governed by colonial era laws and focus more on punishment than rehabilitation. Overcrowding is also an issue as preventative measures are lacking.

3. Headlines
SC majority ruling finds no flaw in 2016 demonetisation process -
Page No.1 , GS 2
The case against state control of Hindu temples - Page No.6 , GS 2
Over the borderline - Page No.6 , GS 2,3
Towards reducing India’s prison footprint - Page No.7 , GS 2
India’s toy story is still in the making - Page No.7 , GS 3
Questions (Map, Prelims, Mains)
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7. Pg no. 1 GS 2

9. • A majority of four judges on a Constitution Bench of the
Supreme Court on Monday found no flaw in the Union
government’s process to demonetise ₹500 and ₹1,000
banknotes through a Gazette notification issued on
November 8, 2016.
• The sole woman judge on the five-member Bench, Justice B.V.
Nagarathna, however, disagreed with the majority, saying
the government’s notification issued under Section 26(2) of
the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Act was unlawful.
• Justice B.R. Gavai, delivering the judgment for the majority,
which included Justices S. Abdul Nazeer, A.S. Bopanna, and V.
Ramasubramanian, pronounced that the statutory
procedure under Section 26(2) was not violated merely
because the Centre had taken the initiative to “advise” the
Central Board to consider recommending demonetisation.

10. • Differing, Justice Nagarathna said the Centre could have
issued a notification under Section 26(2) only if the Central
Board of the RBI had initiated the proposal to demonetise a
specified series of banknotes by way of a recommendation.
Here, in 2016, the government had initiated the
demonetisation, not the Central Board.
• In cases in which the government initiates demonetisation,
Justice Nagarathna said, it should take the opinion of the
Central Board. The opinion of the Board should be
“independent and frank”. If the Board’s opinion was in the
negative, the Centre could still go forward with the
demonetisation exercise, but only by promulgating an
ordinance or by enacting parliamentary legislation.

11. Pg no. 6 GS 2

12. • State management of temples is often justified as a way of ensuring
access to temples for worshippers and archakas (priests). Regulating
secular activities associated with religious practice can be traced to
Article 25(2)(a) of the Constitution. Temple control legislation is
purportedly justified by this Article.
• However, the framers of the Constitution, being aware of the temple
entry movement, advisedly provided a separate power under Article
25(2)(b) which empowers the state to enact laws “providing for social
welfare and reform or the throwing open of Hindu religious institutions”
to “all classes and sections of Hindus”.
• Hence, the issue of regulating secular aspects of religious practice is
distinct from providing access to worship. This is why there are separate
laws for temple control and temple entry. They co-exist; one does not
depend on the other.

13. • The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE), 1959, is the
governing law on the administration of Hindu temples and religious
institutions.
• A long line of judicial precedents, post the 42nd Amendment, emphasise
that secularism means the state cannot mix with religion. Whatever
brand of secularism you subscribe to, nothing justifies a state official
dictating to a religious functionary how worship is to be conducted.
• It is fashionable for supporters of temple control laws to question how
temples will be handed to the communities. This begs the question of
whether something illegal in its original form can become legal over
time. The purpose is to involve the community, which has been excluded
by the state. The objective is not to replace one bureaucracy with
another. The participation of different stakeholders and the building of
consensus among them will determine who will take over temples.

14. • Article 25(2)(a) empowers the state to regulate “economic,
financial, political or other secular activities which may be
associated with religious practice”.
• Article 25(2)(b) empowers the state to enact a law to prohibit
the exclusion of ‘classes and sections’ of Hindu society to
enter into Hindu temples of a public character and also
make law for social welfare and reform.
• However, these safeguards are being misused by the state to
assume ownership of properties belonging to religious
institutions.

15. Pg no. 6 GS 2,3

16. • The Government of India is paying special attention to the
development of border villages, especially from a security
perspective. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on December 29
that borders could be permanently secured only when border
villages are populated by patriotic citizens who are concerned for
the country.
• Mr. Shah asked the Border Security Force (BSF) to effectively use
the Vibrant Village Programme (VVP), announced by the Centre in
the 2022 Budget, to promote development and communication in
border villages.
• The scheme is for funding development of “border villages with
sparse population, limited connectivity and infrastructure (that)
often get left out from the development gains,” Finance Minister
Nirmala Sitharaman had said in her Budget speech in 2022.

17. • One year after it was announced, there is little clarity on
the details of VVP, including on the question of whether it
will cover all border areas or only the northern border
with China as mentioned in the Budget.
• The government has said VVP would cover construction of
village infrastructure, housing, tourist centres, road
connectivity, provisioning of decentralised renewable
energy, direct-to-home access for Doordarshan and
educational channels, and support for livelihood
generation.

18. Pg no. 7 GS 2

19. • At the Constitution Day celebrations organised by the
Supreme Court in November 2022, President Droupadi
Murmu shared a snippet of her journey with the audience.
She reflected on her visits to prisons across India and the
circumstances of those incarcerated.
• She highlighted that these individuals were often unaware of
their fundamental rights and had been incarcerated for
prolonged periods for minor offences, while their families,
struggling with poverty, were unable to bail them out.
• French philosopher Michel Foucault has extensively written
about how the architecture of prisons is often used as a tool
to surveil, torture, and break the souls of inmates.

20. • Prisons in India are still governed by the Prisons Act, 1894, a
colonial legislation which treats prisoners as sub-par
citizens, and provides the legal basis for punishment to be
retributive, rather than rehabilitative.
• These laws are also highly casteist, and remain largely
unchanged since they were drafted by the British. For
example, some jail manuals continue to focus on purity as
prescribed by the caste system, and assign work in prison
based on the prisoner’s caste identity.
• The primary reason why prisons are overcrowded is because
India has not done enough to truly prevent crime. Our
approach to crime should be preventive, rather than
reactive.

21. Pg no. 7 GS 3

23. • The scale of exports by India is still miniscule and about 200 times
smaller than that of China’s.
• Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in August 2020, Prime Minister Narendra
Modi exhorted that India can become a global toy hub. In July 2021, he
rued the fact that about 80% of the toys were imported, with crores of
rupees going abroad, calling on people to be “vocal for local toys”.
• In July 2022, he announced that India’s exports of toys surged from ₹300-
400 crore to ₹2,600 crore, a boost that “no one could have imagined.”
Beyond an increase in exports, Mr. Modi also said that imports of toys,
which used to be over ₹3,000 crore, has fallen by 70%, signifying a drop in
India’s reliance on foreign-made toys — especially from China.
• One of the major reasons behind the decline was the increase of Basic
Customs Duty on import of toys from 20% to 60%. Also, stringent
conditions were imposed on the quality of imported toys.

25. Consider the following statements
regarding Inter-state Council.
1. The Constitution gives powers to
the Parliament to set up an Inter-
state Council for resolution of
disputes between states.
2. The Sarkaria Commission
suggested that the Council should
exist as a permanent body.
Which of the above statements is/are
correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
अंतर-राज्य पररषद क
े संबंध में निम्िलिखित कथिों
पर विचार करें।
1. संविधाि संसद को राज्यों क
े बीच वििादों क
े
समाधाि क
े लिए अंतर-राज्यीय पररषद गठित करिे
की शक्तत देता है।
2. सरकाररया आयोग िे सुझाि ठदया कक पररषद एक
स्थायी निकाय क
े रूप में मौजूद होिी चाठहए।
उपरोतत कथिों में से कौि-सा/से सही है/हैं?
A. क
े िि 1
B. क
े िि 2
C. 1 और 2 दोिों
D. ि तो 1 और ि ही 2

26. Solution: b)
Inter-state Council: Article 263 of the Constitution gives
powers to the President to set up an Inter-state Council for
resolution of disputes between states.
The Council is envisaged as a forum for discussion between
the states and the Centre.
In 1988, the Sarkaria Commission suggested that the Council
should exist as a permanent body, and in 1990 it came into
existence through a Presidential Order.

27. Consider the following statements
regarding Dr. R. Ambedkar.
1. Mahaparinirvan Diwasis observed
to commemorate the death
anniversary of B R Ambedkar.
2. He founded the Bahishkrit
Hitkarini Sabha.
Which of the above statements is/are
correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
डॉ आर अम्बेडकर क
े संबंध में निम्िलिखित
कथिों पर विचार करें।
1. बी आर अम्बेडकर की पुण्यनतथथ मिािे क
े लिए
महापररनििााण ठदिस मिाया गया।
2. उन्होंिे बठहष्कृ त ठहतकाररणी सभा की स्थापिा
की।
उपरोतत कथिों में से कौि-सा/से सही है/हैं?
A. क
े िि 1
B. क
े िि 2
C. 1 और 2 दोिों
D. ि तो 1 और ि ही 2

28. Solution: c)
Mahaparinirvan Diwas is observed every year
on December 6 to commemorate the death anniversary
of Dr. B R Ambedkar.
He founded the Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha (1923).
Round table conferences: He participated in all three
round-table conferences.

29. Consider the following statements
regarding the jurisdiction of the
Supreme Court of India.
1. It has the jurisdiction to issue writs
under Article 32 of the Constitution.
2. It has the original jurisdiction
under Article 131 of the Constitution.
Which of the above statements is/are
Incorrect?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
भारत क
े सिोच्च न्यायािय क
े अथधकार क्षेत्र क
े
संबंध में निम्िलिखित कथिों पर विचार करें।
1. इसे संविधाि क
े अिुच्छेद 32 क
े तहत ररट जारी
करिे का अथधकार है।
2. संविधाि क
े अिुच्छेद 131 क
े तहत इसका मूि
अथधकार क्षेत्र है।
उपरोतत में से कौि सा/से कथि गित है/हैं?
A. क
े िि 1
B. क
े िि 2
C. 1 और 2 दोिों
D. ि तो 1 और ि ही 2

30. Ans: (d)
Explanation:
•The Supreme Court of India is regarded as the world’s most
powerful top court, on account of its wide power of judicial
review.
•It has the jurisdiction to issue writs under Article 32 of the
Constitution. It also has the original jurisdiction under Article 131
of the Constitution.
•There is also wide appellate power under Articles 132, 133, 134
and 136 of the Constitution. More significantly, the Supreme
Court has the power to “make such an order as is necessary for
doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it”,
as per Article 142 of the Constitution.

31. Consider the following statements
about the Central Pollution Control
Board of India:
1. It is a statutory organization under
the Ministry of Environment, Forest
and Climate Change.
2. It was established under the
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
Which of the above statements is/are
correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
भारतीय क
ें द्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोडा क
े बारे में
निम्िलिखित कथिों पर विचार करें:
1. यह पयाािरण, िि और जििायु पररिताि मंत्रािय क
े
तहत एक िैधानिक संगिि है।
2. इसकी स्थापिा पयाािरण (संरक्षण) अथधनियम, 1986
क
े तहत की गई थी।
उपरोतत कथिों में से कौि-सा/से सही है/हैं?
A. क
े िि 1
B. क
े िि 2
C. 1 और 2 दोिों
D. ि तो 1 और ि ही 2

32. Ans: (a )
Explanation:
•PCB is a statutory organisation which was constituted in
September 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of
Pollution) Act, 1974.
•It was entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air
(Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
•It serves as a field formation and also provides technical services
to the Ministry of Environment and Forests under the provisions
of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
•Important functions:
•to promote the cleanliness of streams and wells in different
areas of the States by prevention, control and abatement of
water pollution.
•to improve the quality of air and to prevent, control or abate air
pollution in the country.

36. What are the present challenges before crop diversification? How do
emerging technologies provide an opportunity for crop diversification? (150
words)
फसि विविधीकरण क
े सामिे ितामाि चुिौनतयााँ तया हैं? उभरती प्रौद्योथगककयां फसि
विविधीकरण क
े लिए अिसर क
ै से प्रदाि करती हैं? (150 शब्द)
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Mains Practice Question:

37. Introduction:
• Crop diversification refers to the addition of new crops or cropping systems to
agricultural production on a particular farm taking into account the different
returns in socio-economic and environmental terms. Due to diverse set of
climates, soil types and cultures, India has diverse range of cropping systems.
Body:
The challenges before crop diversification:
• Impact of Green Revolution:There has been shift towards Mono cropping of
wheat and rice at cost of coarse grains (Government policy of MSP).
• Monsoon Dependence:Around 55% of India’s Cultivable Land is Rain-fed with
heavy dependence on monsoon.
• Fragmented land holding: It makes it difficult to use efficient modern technology
on large scale, raises cost of land boundary management, land disputes etc.
• Shift from Food crops to Commercial Crops:This especially includes Cotton in
Deccan belt; and Sugarcane in Green revolution belt and Krishna-Godavari basin.

38. EmergingTechnologies and opportunities provided by them:
• IT Revolution: It is helping to connect farmers directly with grocery-customers (
farm to fork model) leading to cultivation of high value perishable products (e.g
Big Basket, BlinkIt startup platforms)
• Aquaponics and Urban Farming:To meet the heavy urban demand for Persisahble
items, this technique of controlled environment cultivation is helping in crop
diversification.
• Financial Inclusion and Digitization: It has helped small farmers, women SHGs to
ensure crop diversification through credit supply.
• Irrigation: PM Krishi SinchaiYojna has ensured access to micro irrigation (Per
Drop More Crop), drip irrigation, sprinklers etc.
• Dryland Agriculture: Indo-Israel Agriculture Project has introduced technologies
like Urea Deep Placement (UDP), Poly-bag Nursery farming etc in arid areas(e.g
Rajasthan has seen cultivation of strawberries and olives).
• Soil Health Management: It has helped ensuring right Fertilizer usage, developing
Organic Framing, providing GIS based thematic mapping for soil.(e.g. Soil Health
Card)

39. Are we losing our local identity for the global identity? Discuss. (150 words)
तया हम िैक्विक पहचाि क
े लिए अपिी स्थािीय पहचाि िो रहे हैं? विचार-विमशा करिा।
(150 शब्द)
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Mains Practice Question:

40. Thank you
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