BrainBuzz Academy

Why in the News?
India's real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth is projected to slow to 6.4% in the financial year 2024-25, compared to 8.2% in 2023-24, as per the first advance estimates by the National Statistics Office (NSO).
This marks the lowest GDP growth in four years.
Key Takeaways:
Economic Growth Trends:
First Half vs. Second Half Growth:
Growth in the first half of FY 2024-25: 6%
Expected rebound in the second half: 6.8%
Real Gross Value Added (GVA):
Growth rate projected at 6.4%, down from 7.2% in 2023-24.
Sectors with higher growth compared to last year:
Agriculture: 3.8% (up from 1.4%)
Public Administration, Defence, and Other Services: 9.1% (up from 7.8%)
Sectors with Declining GVA Growth:
Manufacturing: Expected to halve, from 9.9% to 5.3%.
Mining and Quarrying: Down to 2.9% from 7.1%.
Investment and Expenditure:
Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF):
Growth projected at 6.4%, compared to 9% in 2023-24.
Indicates a slowdown in fresh investments in the economy.
Private Final Consumption:
Growth expected to rise to 7.3% from 4% last year, showing increased household spending.
Government Final Consumption:
Projected to grow 4.1%, up from 2.5%.
Sectoral Insights:
Construction GVA:
Growth estimated at 8.6%, compared to 9.9% in 2023-24.
Trade, Hotels, Communication, and Broadcasting:
Growth projected at 5.8%, down from 6.4%.
Challenges Identified:
Lower Fiscal Stimulus:
Decline in government capital expenditure during Q2.
Private sector investment remains sluggish despite favorable conditions.
High Interest Rates:
Stricter lending norms and tighter monetary policies affecting growth.
Need for Budgetary Interventions:
Budget 2025-26 expected to focus on reviving growth engines and addressing investment slowdown.
Additional Observations:
Advance estimates are preliminary and subject to revisions as better data becomes available.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revised its growth forecast to 6.6%, while the Finance Ministry expects growth to be around 6.5%.
Expert Insights:
Crisil Chief Economist Dharmakirti Joshi:
Highlights "sluggish investment" and the slowdown in government spending as major contributors to deceleration.
Emkay Global Financial Services:
Notes that advance estimates may undergo significant revisions, given they are extrapolations of data up to November.

Why in the News?
A devastating earthquake struck China’s remote Tibet region on Tuesday, killing 126 people and injuring 188 others, according to state media reports.
The earthquake also caused tremors in neighboring Nepal’s capital Kathmandu and parts of India.
Key Takeaways
Earthquake Details:
Location:
Epicenter: Tingri County, about 80 km north of Mount Everest, near China’s border with Nepal.
Tingri is a rural, high-altitude region with approximately 62,000 people.
Magnitude:
China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC): 6.8
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): 7.1
Casualties and Damage:
Deaths: 126 confirmed as of 7 p.m.
Injuries: 188, including 28 in critical condition.
Buildings: 3,609 houses collapsed.
Responses and Relief Efforts:
Rescue Operations:
Rescuers worked in freezing temperatures, distributing blankets and aiding the injured.
Footage showed rubble-strewn ruins in Tingri.
Government Response:
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “all-out search and rescue efforts.”
Emergency teams were dispatched to the affected regions.
Impact on Neighboring Areas:
Nepal:
Tremors felt in Kathmandu and areas near Everest.
India:
Tremors were felt in parts of Bihar, but no injuries or significant damage were reported.
Historical Context:
The earthquake was the most powerful recorded in a 200-km radius in the last five years, according to CENC.
Past incidents:
December 2023: A quake in northwest China killed 148 people and displaced thousands.
2014: Over 600 people were killed in Yunnan province, making it one of China’s deadliest quakes.

What is an Earthquake?
An earthquake is the shaking of the ground caused by the sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust. This energy, stored as stress, is typically released along faults, which are fractures in the Earth's crust.  
How do Earthquakes Happen?
Plate Tectonics: The Earth's outer layer is made up of several large plates that are constantly moving.  
Plate Boundaries: Earthquakes most commonly occur along the boundaries of these plates where they interact with each other.  
Types of Plate Boundaries:
Convergent Boundaries: Plates collide, causing one plate to be pushed beneath the other (subduction). This creates enormous stress and can lead to powerful earthquakes.
Divergent Boundaries: Plates move apart, creating new crust. Earthquakes here are generally smaller.  
Transform Boundaries: Plates slide past each other horizontally. This creates significant friction and can result in large earthquakes.  
Types of Seismic Waves:
When an earthquake occurs, it releases energy in the form of seismic waves that travel through the Earth. There are two main types:  
Body Waves: These travel through the Earth's interior.  
P-waves (Primary Waves): Fastest waves, travel through both solids and liquids.  
S-waves (Secondary Waves): Slower than P-waves, travel only through solids. 
Surface Waves: These travel along the Earth's surface.  
Love Waves: Cause horizontal shaking.
Rayleigh Waves: Cause rolling motion. 
Measuring Earthquakes:
Richter Scale: Measures the magnitude of an earthquake based on the amplitude of seismic waves.  
Moment Magnitude Scale: A more modern scale that measures the total energy released during an earthquake.  
Effects of Earthquakes:
Ground Shaking: The most immediate and destructive effect, causing buildings to collapse, roads to crack, and bridges to crumble.  
Tsunamis: Powerful ocean waves generated by undersea earthquakes.  
Landslides: Can be triggered by strong shaking.  
Liquefaction: Soil loses its strength and behaves like a liquid.  
Earthquake Preparedness:
Building Codes: Strict building codes help to make structures more resistant to earthquake damage.  
Early Warning Systems: Can provide crucial seconds or minutes of warning before strong shaking arrives.  
Public Education: Educating people about earthquake safety, such as "drop, cover, and hold on."

Why in the News?
V. Narayanan, a prominent spacecraft and rocket propulsion expert, has been appointed as the new Chairman of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation).
He will take over from S. Somanath on January 14, 2025.
He has also been designated as the Secretary of the Department of Space and Chairman of the Space Commission.
Key Takeaways
1. Appointment Details
Approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
Tenure: Two years starting from January 14, 2025, or until further orders.
Current Role: Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Valiamala.
2. Professional Background
Joined ISRO in 1984 and worked in multiple capacities.
Specialized in solid propulsion systems for:
Sounding Rockets
Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV)
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)
Contributed significantly to GSLV Mk-II and GSLV Mk-III development.
3. Contributions to Chandrayaan Missions
Chandrayaan-2:
Led the National Expert Committee to analyze the reasons for the hard landing of the lander.
Chandrayaan-3:
Delivered all propulsion systems, ensuring the mission's success.
4. Legacy of Predecessor (S. Somanath)
Oversaw landmark missions during his tenure, including:
Chandrayaan-3: Successful lunar landing.
Aditya L1: Solar observation mission.
Gaganyaan Mission: India's first manned spaceflight (developmental phase).
Significance
V. Narayanan's leadership is expected to further strengthen India's space research capabilities.
His expertise in propulsion systems will be pivotal for upcoming missions like Gaganyaan, interplanetary explorations, and advancements in satellite technology.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO):
Formed: 15 August 1969
Preceding agency: INCOSPAR (1962–1969)
Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka
Current Chairman: S. Somanath (10th Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation)
Newly Appointed Chairman: V. Narayanan (11th Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation)
Primary spaceports: Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station, Kulasekarapattinam Spaceport