Contribution of Uttar Pradesh to India's Development, and Current Affairs

What the official syllabus says

Main Examination, General Studies V:

• Contribution of UP in development of India.
• Current Affairs of UP.

Topics in detail

People and politics

• The most populous state: about 19.98 crore people in Census 2011, roughly one-sixth of India
• 80 Lok Sabha and 31 Rajya Sabha seats: a large voice in national politics and in the election of the President
• Leaders of the freedom movement and several Prime Ministers from UP
• Members of the Constituent Assembly from the United Provinces

Agriculture and food security

• A leading producer of wheat, sugarcane, potatoes and milk
• The western UP Green Revolution belt and its role in national food stocks
• Contribution to the central pool through procurement of wheat and rice

Industry, infrastructure and labour

• Traditional industries: textiles and leather in Kanpur, carpets in Bhadohi, brassware in Moradabad, glass in Firozabad
• Modern industry: electronics and mobile phones in the Noida region, the defence industrial corridor, food processing
• Expressways and freight corridors that link north India
• Workers from UP in the industries and cities of other states, and their remittances

Culture, religion and knowledge

• Pilgrimage centres of several religious traditions: Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mathura, Prayagraj, Sarnath, Kushinagar
• Hindi and Urdu literature, Hindustani music and Kathak
• Educational institutions of national rank that have trained scientists, administrators and leaders
• The Lion Capital of Sarnath as the State Emblem of India

How to follow UP's current affairs

• Budget and finance: the state budget speech, supplementary budgets, Finance Commission devolution to UP
• Policy: new state policies, cabinet decisions, laws passed by the legislature, ordinances
• Schemes: launch, coverage and results of state schemes and of central schemes in UP
• Infrastructure: expressways, airports, metro rail, power plants, industrial corridors
• Society and culture: big fairs and festivals, GI tags for UP products, awards to people from UP
• Environment: wildlife, river cleaning, pollution, disasters
• Courts: important judgments of the Allahabad High Court and Supreme Court judgments on UP laws
• Sources: the state government's official portals and gazette, the Governor's address, the budget documents, Press Information Bureau releases on UP
• For each item, note the facts (what, where, when), the reason, and the wider issue it links to in the syllabus

Science, defence and national institutions

• CSIR laboratories in Lucknow: the Central Drug Research Institute, National Botanical Research Institute, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research and Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
• Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow
• Defence production: ordnance and defence units in Kanpur; divisions of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited at Lucknow and Korwa (Amethi)
• Command headquarters of the Army (Lucknow) and the Air Force (Prayagraj)

Sport

• Hockey tradition: Major Dhyan Chand and K.D. Singh 'Babu'
• Sports colleges and hostels; sportspersons from UP in national teams

Challenges that shape UP's future contribution

• Per capita income below the national average and regional gaps within the state
• Demographic dividend: a young population that needs skills and jobs
• Health, nutrition and learning outcomes that decide human capital

Overlaps

• Current affairs of regional, national and international importance: General Studies II.
• UP's economy, budgets and schemes: General Studies VI.