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THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. AMERICA’S NEW LEGISLATION: COMPETES ACT 2022

THE CONTEXT: The United States House of Representatives unveiled the ambitious America
Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology, and Economic Strength
Act of 2022, or the America COMPETES Act of 2022, which proposes to open up new vistas for
talented individuals from across the world with a new start-up visa.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The bill provides $52 billion to encourage more semiconductor production in the US, and
  $45 billion for grants and loans to improve supply chain resilience and manufacturing, among other programmes.
• The bill also authorize $600 million a year to construct manufacturing facilities to make the US less reliant on solar components made in Xinjiang, China.

What are some of the specific provisions in the Act?

• The Act amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to create a new classification of “W” non-immigrants for entrepreneurs with an ownership interest in a start-up entity, essential employees of a start-up entity, and their spouses and children.
• It also directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish procedures for foreign
  nationals with an ownership interest in a start-up entity to self-petition for classification as
  a W-1 non-immigrant, and to receive extensions of such classification for up to eight years
  if the entity meets certain growth benchmarks.
• It also provides for a limited number of W-2 visas for personnel who are essential to the
  growth and success of the start-up entity if the start-up serves as the basis for the W-1
  status of a founder.

What would the signing of this bill into law mean for Indians?

• It is expected to create more opportunities in the US for Indian talent, and for skilled
  workers.
• Every year, Indians and Indian companies corner a lion’s share of the H-1B work permits
  issued that year. With this new category, Indian professionals will likely have a better shot
  at opportunities that the Act is likely to provide.

THE ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT

2. HIT TO EDIBLE OIL PRICES IN THE COUNTRY

THE CONTEXT: India is set to boost its sunflower oil imports from Argentina and Russia due to
worries that shipments from Ukraine, the biggest supplier, will be disrupted if Russia invades.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Ukraine is India’s biggest supplier of sunflower oil. Any escalation in Russia-Ukraine tension
  is likely to hit edible oil prices in the country as 70% of its requirement is imported.
• The South Asian nation, also the world’s biggest importer of palm and soybean oils, bought
  about 60,000 tons of sunflower oil from Russia and Argentina for shipments.
• Ukraine and Russia account for almost 80% of the world’s sunflower oil shipments. India
  bought 1.89 million tons of the crude variety of the cooking oil in the year ended October,
  2021 with Ukraine supplying almost 74% and Argentina and Russia each accounting for
  about 12%.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

3. WHAT IS NEMATODE INFESTATION?

THE CONTEXT: According to Andhra Pradesh’s Naupada swamp forest officials, over 150 spot-billed
pelicans have succumbed to the infestation since December 2021, with 21 birds died in another
single day.]

THE EXPLANATION:

• A nematode infestation has resulted in the mortality of over 150 spot-billed pelicans at
  Telineelapuram Important Bird Area (IBA) in Naupada swamp of Srikakulam district in
  Andhra Pradesh.
• The post-mortem reports have certified parasitic (nematode) infestation as the cause of
  death.” The experts have revealed that spot-billed pelicans are vulnerable to infestation as
  it is capable of hunting huge fish from the water bodies and swamps.

About Nematodes:

• Nematodes are microscopic worms many of which are parasites consisting of roundworms,
  threadworms and eelworms.
• They have successfully adapted to nearly every ecosystem from marine (salt or brackish
  water) to fresh water, to soils, and from the tropics to the harsh polar regions, as well as
  the highest to the lowest of elevations.
• Depending on the species, a nematode may be beneficial or detrimental to plant health.
• The predatory nematodes breed by soaking a specific recipe of leaves and other detritus in
  water.
• Crop rotation of agricultural plants with nematode-resistant species or varieties is one of
  the simplest ways of managing parasitic infestations of nematodes.

About Spot-billed Pelicans

Spot-billed Pelicans are one of the most threatened (listed as Near Threatened in the IUCN Red List) of the seven species of pelicans in the world. In India, they are listed in Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (WPA).

THE MISCELLANEOUS

4. PADMA AWARDS 2022

THE CONTEXT: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced the Padma awards on the eve of the
country’s 73rd Republic Day.

THE EXPLANATION:

BHARAT RATNA

• Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of the country. It is awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavor. It is treated on a different footing from Padma Award.
• The recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister to the President of India. No formal recommendations for Bharat Ratna are necessary. The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of three in a particular year. Government has conferred Bharat Ratna Award on 45 persons till date.

PADMA AWARDS

The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India announced annually on the eve of Republic Day. The award seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.
The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year. The nomination process is open to the public. Even self-nomination can be made.
The PADMA Awards were instituted in 1954 along with Bharat Ratna. At that time only Padma Vibhushan existed with three sub-categories – Pahela Varg, Dusra Varg and Tisra Varg. These were subsequently renamed as Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri vide Presidential Notification issued on January 8, 1955. During the years 1978 and 1979 and 1993 to 1997, Padma awards were not announced. The awards are given in three categories:

• Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service),
• Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order)
• Padma Shri (distinguished service).

All persons without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex are eligible for these awards.
However, Government servants including those working with PSUs, except doctors and scientists,
are not eligible for these Awards. A Padma awardee can be given a higher award only after five
years of the conferment of the earlier award.
The award does not amount to a title and cannot be used as a suffix or prefix to the awardees’
name.

Padma Vibhushan (4)

     S.no     Name                                                              Field                            State

1.        Ms. Prabha Are                                                    Art                               Maharastra
2.        RadheyshyamKhemka (Posthumous)            Lit & Edn                    UP
3.        General Bipin Rawat (Posthumous)               Civil Service               Uttarakhand
4.        Kalyan Singh (Posthumous)                             Public Affairs            UP

5. GALLANTRY AWARDS

THE CONTEXT: On the eve of 73 rd Republic Day 2022 , the Olympics gold medal list Subedar Neeraj
Chopra was named for the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) on the eve of Republic Day, while six
Army personnel, five of them posthumously, have been selected for the Shaurya Chakra, the third
highest peacetime gallantry award, by the President.

THE EXPLANATION:

Gallantry Awards are classified into two Categories:

a) Gallantry in the Face of Enemy:
1. Param Vir Chakra (PVC)
2. Mahavir Chakra (MVC)
3. Vir Chakra

b) Gallantry Other than in the Face of Enemy:
1. Ashok Chakra
2. Kirti Chakra
3. Shaurya Chakra

• Post-independence, first three gallantry awards namely Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir
  Chakra and Vir Chakra were instituted by the Government of India on 26th January, 1950
  which were deemed to have effect from the 15th August, 1947.
• Thereafter, other three gallantry awards i.e. Ashoka Chakra Class-I, Ashoka Chakra Class-II
  and Ashoka Chakra Class-III were instituted by the Government of India on 4th January,
  1952, which were deemed to have effect from the 15th August, 1947. These awards were renamed as Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra respectively in January, 1967.
• These gallantry awards are announced twice in a year – first on the occasion of the Republic Day and then on the occasion of the Independence Day.
• Order of precedence of these awards is the Param Vir Chakra, the Ashoka Chakra, the Mahavir Chakra, the Kirti Chakra, the Vir Chakra and the Shaurya Chakra.
• All the gallantry awards may be awarded posthumously.

6. INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

THE CONTEXT: The United Nations marks the International Holocaust Remembrance Day on 27
January in honour of six million Jews killed in the Holocaust, and millions of other victims of
Nazism. Also, the UN urges every member state to develop educational programs to help prevent
future genocides.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The theme of this year’s Holocaust remembrance and education is “Memory, Dignity and Justice”. The theme encompasses safeguarding the historical record, remembering the victims, and challenging the distortion of history often expressed in contemporary antisemitism. It encourages action to challenge hatred, strengthen solidarity and champion compassion.

Background:

• Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime and its collaborators led to the extermination of around six million
  Jews through a systematic, bureaucratic and state-sponsored persecution during World War
  II.
• In November 2005, the United Nations General Assembly officially proclaimed January 27 as
  International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
• The observance of this day also reaffirms a commitment to counter racism, anti-semitism,
  and other forms of intolerance that may lead to violence against a particular group based
  on race, ethnicity or religion.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY 27 TH JANUARY 2022

Q. Consider the following statements in respect of Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards:

1. Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are titles under the Article 18(1) of the Constitution of
   India.
2. Padma Awards, which were instituted in the year 1954, were suspended only once.
3. The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of five in a particular year.

Which of the above statements are not correct?
a) 1 and 2 Only
b) 2 and 3 Only
c) 1 and 3 Only
d) 1, 2 and 3

ANSWER FOR 25 TH JAN 2022

Answer: a)
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar is administered by the Ministry of
Women and Child Development.
Statement 2 is incorrect: It is conferred by the President of India in the week preceding Republic
Day, 26 January, in the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.