POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. JAN VISHWAS (AMENDMENT OF PROVISIONS) BILL, 2022

TAGS: GS- III-Indian Polity-Parliamentary Proceedings

THE CONTEXT: The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2022 was introduced in Lok Sabha to promote ease of doing business in India.

THE EXPLANATION:

Key provisions of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2022

• The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2022 proposes to amend 183 provisions across 42 Acts administered by 19 ministries.

Some of the Acts the Bill proposes to amend are:

• Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940
• Public Debt Act, 1944; Pharmacy Act, 1948
• Cinematograph Act, 1952
• Copyright Act, 1957
• Patents Act, 1970
• Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
• Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
• Trade Marks Act, 1999
• Railways Act, 1989
• Information Technology Act, 2000
• Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002
• Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
• Legal Metrology Act, 2009
• Factoring Regulation Act, 2011
• These laws are administered by 14 ministries, which include food production and distribution, finance, commerce, agriculture, environment, road transport and highways, posts, and IT.
• It seeks to promote ease of doing business by decriminalizing a large number of minor offenses under these Acts and replacing them with monetary penalties.
• The Bill also proposes to rationalize the monetary penalties based on the gravity of the offence.

Why is this Bill significant?

• The fear of imprisonment for minor offences is among the major hurdles for the business growth. The Bill proposes to replace such provisions with monetary penalties so that businesses can function without fearing incarceration.
• The Bill will make India a more attractive investment destination for foreign businesses by ushering in trust-based governance.
• It will save time, energy, and resources by enabling individuals to settle minor contraventions and defaults through compounding method, adjudication and administration mechanisms without involving courts. This will help significantly minimize the burden on the judiciary.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

2. VEER GUARDIAN 2023 EXERCISE

TAGS: GS-II-International Relations- Bilateral defense exercise

THE CONTEXT: India and Japan are set to conduct their first-ever bilateral combat air exercise over 10 days in Japan from January 2023.

THE EXPLANATION:

The exercise named ‘Veer Guardian 23’ will be conducted from January 16 to January 26. The Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) will conduct a bilateral fighter training with the Indian Air Force (IAF).

What is Veer Guardian 2023 Exercise?

• Veer Guardian 23 will be the first-ever bilateral combat air exercise between India and Japan.
• This 10-day exercise will be held between the Indian Air Force and the Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) at Japan’s Hyakuri air base and Iruma air base.
• The objective of this maiden exercise is to strengthen the mutual understanding and defence relations between the two air forces. It also seeks to enhance JASDF’s tactical skills to strengthen its preparedness to potential armed conflicts.
• The Indian side is represented by a contingent of around 150 personnel who will be transported by two C-17 transport aircraft. It will include 1 IL-78 mid-air refueller and 4 Su-30MKI fighters from No. 220 squadron, which comes under the Western Air Command.
• The Japanese side will field 4 F-15s and 4 F-2 fighter jets for this bilateral exercise.

What are the other defence exercises involving India and Japan?

• India and Japan are currently conducting Dharma Guardian exercise between the armies, SHINYUU Maitri between the air forces, and JIMEX between the navies. The two countries’ navies also conduct regular bilateral exercise, and passage exercises with the focus on the Indo-Pacific.
• Japan has been taking part in the India-US Malabar naval combat exercise since 2015. This exercise also includes Australia. These four countries form the QUAD alliance, which is currently working towards deterring any “coercion” in the Indo-Pacific.
• Japan took part in the Milan Exercise conducted by the Indian Navy for the first time in 2022. The Milan exercise is a biennial multilateral naval exercise conducted by the Indian Navy since 1995 at the Andaman and Nicobar Command.

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

3. LION@47: VISION FOR AMRUTKAL: NEW PLAN FOR CONSERVATION OF ASIATIC LIONS

TAGS: GS-III- SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY-GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES IN NEWS

THE CONTEXT: The central government has unveiled a plan for the conservation of Asiatic lions in Gir, a region in Gujarat.

THE EXPLANATION:

Titled “Lion@47: Vision for Amrutkal,” the plan is part of Project Lion and aims to secure and restore habitats to manage the growing lion population. It also aims to generate livelihoods for local communities, establish a global hub of knowledge on big cat disease diagnostics and treatment, and promote inclusive biodiversity conservation.

Objectives of Project Lion

• The main objectives of Project Lion are to secure and restore habitats for the management of the growing lion population, scale up livelihood generation and participation of local communities, establish a global hub of knowledge on big cat disease diagnostics and treatment, and create inclusive biodiversity conservation through the project initiative.
• The project aims to conserve Asiatic lions in Gujarat through a landscape ecology-based approach that integrates conservation and eco-development.

Comparison to Project Tiger

• Project Lion is being implemented in the Gir landscape in Gujarat, which is the last remaining habitat of Asiatic lions.
• In contrast, Project Tiger is being implemented in 53 tiger reserves across the country. Both projects aim to ensure the overall conservation of the ecosystems inhabited by these flagship species.

Implementation and Funding

• Project Lion is being implemented by the Gujarat government and other stakeholders, including the Central Zoo Authority and is funded by the central government. The new plan for the conservation of Asiatic lions in Gir aims to secure and restore habitats, generate livelihoods for local communities, establish a global hub of knowledge on big cat disease diagnostics and treatment, and promote inclusive biodiversity conservation.

4. ACIDIFICATION OF GREAT LAKES

TAGS: GS-III-ENVIRONMENT- CLIMATE CHANGE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, a study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Acidification Research Plan said, by 2100 even the Great Lakes of North America might approach acidity at the same rate as the oceans.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide has caused the world’s oceans to turn more acidic, but the new finding that the freshwater bodies are also turning acidic is a shock.
• Scientists are building a sensor network to measure the carbon dioxide and pH levels of the Lakes, starting with developing a system to detect the water chemistry trends of Lake Huron, one of the five Great Lakes.

What is Acidification?

• It is a phenomenon resulting from the release of protons from certain substances into the ecosystem. These emissions increase the acidity (decrease in pH) of water and soils.
• Acidification of oceans or freshwater bodies takes place when excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere gets rapidly absorbed into them. The absorption of carbon dioxide leads to a lowering of the pH, which makes the water bodies more acidic.

Consequences of acidification

• It will decrease native biodiversity,
• It will create physiological challenges for organisms,
• There are possibilities of permanently altering the structure of the ecosystem.

Great Lakes

• The Great Lakes of North America, or simply the Great Lakes, are five interconnected bodies of water straddling the US-Canada border. They are the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world.
• The Great Lakes are Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. The US-Canada border passes through Lakes Superior, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. Lake Michigan lies entirely in the US.
• They drain into the Gulf of St Lawrence in the North Atlantic through the St Lawrence River.
• Formation: The Great Lakes are believed to be formed some 20,000 years ago when the Earth started to warm and water from melting glaciers filled the basins on its surface, according to NOAA.

Significance:

• Today, the Great Lakes contain a fifth of the world’s total freshwater and are a crucial source of irrigation and transportation.
• The Great Lakes also serve as the habitat for more than 3,500 species of plants and animals.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES IN NEWS

5. NIRMAN ACCELERATOR PROGRAM

TAGS:GS-III-ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Ministry of Science and Technology has said that 15 Startups are selected for the NIRMAN accelerator program.

THE EXPLANATION:

• This is the first cohort of the NIRMAN Accelerator Program launched by Start-ups Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) IIT Kanpur.
• The accelerator program is supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the Ministry of Science & Technology through its NIDHI scheme.

What is National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) scheme?

• It is an umbrella programme conceived and developed by the Innovation & Entrepreneurship division, Department of Science & Technology.
• Aim: To nurture start-ups through scouting, supporting and scaling innovations.
• Key stakeholders: Various departments and ministries of the central government, state governments, academic and R & D institutions, mentors, financial institutions, angel investors, venture capitalists and private sectors.

Funding: By the National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB).

NIDHI Accelerator: An accelerator is typically a 3-6 months fast track structured program helping ideas get accelerated to the next orbit.

Objectives of NIDHI-Accelerators

• To fast-track the growth of potential start-ups through rigorous mentoring and networking support in a short span through existing TBIs.
• To attract subject matter experts, mentors, and angel investors to get associated with technology Business Incubators through structured accelerator programs.
• To build a vibrant start-up ecosystem, by establishing a network between academia, financial institutions, industries and other institutions.
• To act as a hub for several incubators in the region, so that high-potential start-ups can be fast-tracked for increased exposure and validation.

Characteristics of NIDHI -Accelerator Programs

• It is envisaged that 2 broad types of Accelerator Programs will be supported by NSTEDB under this scheme

Sectoral Programs: These are accelerator programs focused specifically on start-ups focused on a certain sector or theme. For example Smart Cities or healthcare.

Non-Sectoral Programs: Non-sectoral accelerator programs are most relevant for locations where a critical mass of ventures within a specific sector may not exist.

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