1. GLOBAL MARITIME INDIA SUMMIT 2023
TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY, GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
THE CONTEXT: Prime Minister has virtually inaugurated the third edition of the Global Maritime India Summit 2023 on 17th October 2023.
EXPLANATION:
- The summit is the biggest Maritime Event in the country and will witness the participation of Ministers from across the globe representing countries from Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia (including central Asia, Middle East and BIMSTEC region).
- The summit is also to be attended by Global CEOs, Business leaders, Investors, Officials, and other stakeholders worldwide.
- Further, several Indian states will also be represented at the summit by the Ministers and other dignitaries.
- The three-day summit will discuss and deliberate key issues of the maritime sector:
- Ports of the future
- Decarbonisation
- Coastal shipping and inland waterways
- Shipbuilding, repair, and recycling
- Finance, insurance, and arbitration
- Maritime clusters
- Innovation and technology
- Maritime safety and security
- The first Maritime India summit was held in 2016 in Mumbai while the Second Maritime Summit was held virtually in 2021.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SUMMIT:
- ‘Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’, a blueprint for the Indian maritime blue economy was unveiled.
- The blueprint outlines strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing port facilities, promoting sustainable practices, and facilitating international collaboration.
- In line with this futuristic plan the foundation stone for projects worth more than Rs 23,000 crores was laid that are aligned with the ‘Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’ for the Indian maritime blue economy.
- The summit provides an excellent platform for attracting investment in the country’s maritime sector.
- The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of Tuna Tekra all-weather deep draft terminal, to be built at a cost of more than Rs 4,500 crores at Deendayal Port Authority in Gujarat.
- This state-of-the-art greenfield terminal will be developed in Public–Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
- The terminal, which is likely to emerge as an international trade hub, will handle next-gen vessels exceeding 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
- It will act as a gateway for Indian trade via the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC).
- The Prime Minister also dedicated more than 300 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth more than 7 lakh crore for global and national partnerships in the maritime sector.
ABOUT THE SUMMIT:
- Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS) 2023 is a flagship event aimed at propelling the Indian maritime economy by promoting global and regional partnerships and facilitating investments.
- It is an annual meet of the Indian and international maritime community to address key industry issues and exchange ideas to bring the sector forward.
- Driven by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, GMIS 2023 brings together global maritime players, policy makers and regulators, key opinion leaders and industry leaders.
- The event includes an investor summit and an international exhibition to facilitate interaction and collaboration among the Indian and international maritime companies, policy makers, investors, and other stakeholders.
- To encourage dialogue and cooperation among key industry leaders, the event features a Global CEOs’ Forum.
- Further, to recognize partners that have made outstanding contributions to India’s development as a leading maritime center, the event will host Maritime Excellence Achievers’ ceremony.
- The 3-day event will be inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India and expected to be attended by the globally renowned industry players.
SOURCE: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1968331
2. SAME SEX MARRIAGE
TAG: GS 2: POLITY, GS 2: SOCIAL JUSTICE
THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court upheld constitutionality of Special Marriage Act in present form and entrusts legislature to debate, decide on providing legal status to same-sex relationships.
EXPLANATION:
- The Constitution Bench ruled that courts cannot intervene in the matter as there is no fundamental right to marry.
- It held that only the legislature can recognise or regulate queer marriage.
- All five judges on the Bench unanimously accepting that laws and society discriminate against same-sex couples.
- But they failed to reach a consensus to provide even long-abiding relationships between queer couples the status of a legally recognised “civil union”.
OPINION OF THE MINORITY OF THE BENCH:
- Minority of the bench hold the view that queer people have a fundamental right to form a relationship, and the state should not fail to give such unions a legal status so that same-sex couples could avail the material benefits provided under the law.
- The right to enter into a union cannot be restricted on the basis of sexual orientation. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is violative of Article 15 of the Constitution.
- Right to form a union was a feature of the fundamental right to choose partners and lead a dignified, meaningful life.
- Equality cannot be denied to same-sex couples on the basis of their sexual orientation. Queer persons have a right to form abiding relationships.
- Legal recognition to same-sex relationships was a step forward towards “marriage equality”.
- They held that constitutional authorities should carve out a regulatory framework to recognise the civil union of adults in a same-sex relationship.
- The majority views of Justices disagreed on the point, holding that it was for the legislature, and not the Court, to formally recognise and grant legal status to non-heterosexual relationships.
- But all the five judges on the Bench agreed that the Special Marriage Act of 1954 was not unconstitutional for excluding same-sex marriages.
- They said that tinkering with the Special Marriage Act of 1954 to bring same-sex unions within its ambit would not be advisable. It is Parliament and State legislature to enact laws on marriage.
FORMATION OF THE COMMITTEE:
- The Bench nevertheless unanimously agreed that same sex couples face discrimination and harassment in their daily lives.
- The court urged the government to form a high-powered committee chaired by the Union Cabinet Committee to expeditiously look into genuine human concerns faced by same-sex partners.
- The Chief Justice suggested that the committee should look into whether queer couples could be treated as members of the same family for the purpose of ration card; succession; maintenance; opening of a joint bank account; arrangement of last rites of partners; access benefits of rights and benefits of employment, etc.
LEGAL BATTLE OF THE SAME SEX MARRIAGE:
- The legal battle for same-sex marriage in India began in 2001, when Naz Foundation (India) Trust filed a petition in the Delhi High Court challenging the constitutionality of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalized “carnal intercourse against the order of nature”.
- In 2009, the Delhi High Court ruled that Section 377 was unconstitutional in so far as it applied to consensual sexual activity between adults.
- However, the Supreme Court of India overturned the Delhi High Court’s ruling in 2013 and held that the decision to decriminalise homosexuality could only be made by Parliament and not the Court.
- In 2014, a group of LGBTQ+ activists filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of Section 377 once again.
- In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that Section 377 was unconstitutional in its entirety.
- The Supreme Court’s ruling was a major victory for the LGBTQ+ community in India, and it paved the way for the legalization of same-sex marriage.
- In 2019, a group of LGBTQ+ activists filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking the legalization of same-sex marriage.
- The legal battle for same-sex marriage in India has been long and arduous However significant progress has been made in recent years.
- The Supreme Court’s ruling decriminalizing homosexuality and the Supreme Court’s recent judgement are both signs of progress.
- It is important to note that the legal battle for same-sex marriage is not just about the right to marry but right to equality and the right to be free from discrimination.
- The LGBTQ+ community in India faces discrimination in many areas of life, including employment, housing, and healthcare. The legalization of same-sex marriage would send a powerful message that the LGBTQ+ community is equal to any other community in India.
- The legal battle for same-sex marriage in India is a complex issue with many different perspectives. It is important to be respectful of all perspectives and to engage in civil discourse.
3. LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS (LF)
TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
THE CONTEXT: Lao People’s Democratic Republic has eliminated lymphatic filariasis (LF), a disease that cripples and has significant social and economic impact on the affected communities according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
EXPLANATION:
- This is the country’s second neglected tropical disease (NTD) to be eliminated in six years, following the elimination of trachoma as a public health hazard in 2017.
- The WHO attributed the success to decades of hard effort by the Lao government, health-care workers, communities, and national and international partners.
- Lao PDR is now the second country after Bangladesh to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF) in 2023.
- Nineteen countries have been able to eliminate LF, according to the WHO progress report on the disease released on October 13, 2023.
LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS (LF):
- Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a neglected tropical disease.
- Over 882 million people in 44 countries worldwide remain threatened by lymphatic filariasis and require preventive chemotherapy to stop the spread of this parasitic infection.
CAUSE, TRANSMISSION AND SYMPTOMS:
- Lymphatic filariasis is caused by infection with parasites classified as nematodes (roundworms) of the family Filariodidea.
- There are 3 types of these thread-like filarial worms:
- Wuchereria bancrofti, which is responsible for 90% of the cases.
- Brugia malayi, which causes most of the remainder of the cases.
- Brugia timori, which also causes the disease.
- Infection occurs when filarial parasites are transmitted to humans through mosquitoes.
- Infection is usually acquired in childhood and causes hidden damage to the lymphatic system.
- Lymphatic filariasis impairs the lymphatic system and can lead to the abnormal enlargement of body parts, causing pain, severe disability and social stigma.
ELIMINATION:
- Lymphatic filariasis can be eliminated by stopping the spread of infection through preventive chemotherapy with safe medicine combinations repeated annually.
- More than 9 billion cumulative treatments have been delivered to stop the spread of infection since 2000.
- As of 2018, 51 million people were infected – a 74% decline since the start of WHO’s Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis in 2000.
- Due to successful implementation of WHO strategies, 740 million people no longer require preventive chemotherapy.
- An essential, recommended package of care can alleviate suffering and prevent further disability among people living with disease caused by lymphatic filariasis.
4. BRIGHT TRANSIENT SURVEY BOT (BTSBOT)
TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
THE CONTEXT: For the first time, artificial intelligence (AI) has searched for, detected, confirmed, classified, and announced a supernova discovery without any human intervention.
EXPLANATION:
- This new AI tool called Bright Transient Survey Bot (BTSbot) has been developed by an international team of scientists, using over 1.4 million images from nearly 16,000 sources to train its machine-learning algorithm.
- It is reported that the new system allows automation of the entire star explosion discovery process, which not only eliminates human error but also dramatically increases speed.
- Removing humans from the loop provides more time for the research team to analyze their observations and develop new hypotheses to explain the origin of the cosmic explosions that we observe.
- This significantly streamlines large studies of supernovae and help to better understand the life cycles of stars and the origin of elements supernovae create, like carbon, iron and gold.
BRIGHT TRANSIENT SURVEY BOT:
- It is a machine-learning algorithm which has been trained by using over 1.4 million images from nearly 16,000 sources.
- It detected the newly discovered supernova named SN2023tyk in data from the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) which is believed to be a Type Ia supernova located around 760 million light-years from Earth.
WORKING MECHANISM:
- It automatically requested the potential supernova’s spectrum from Palomar Observatory – where another robotic telescope, the Spectral Energy Distribution Machine (SEDM) performed an in-depth observation to obtain the source’s spectrum.
- This new system not only allows automation of the entire search for new supernovae across the night sky but also eliminates human error and dramatically increases speed.
- It searched, detected, confirmed, classified, and announced the findings without any human intervention.
WHY IS IT COMPARATIVELY DIFFICULT FOR HUMANS TO DETECT?
- The current process of detecting and analysing supernovae involves humans working hand in hand with robotic systems.
- Though supernovae are bright and energetic events, they are not that common, and certainly not easy to spot.
- The traditional method involves relying on robotic telescopes repeatedly taking images of the same sections of the night sky to detect new sources of light after which humans take over.
- Subsequently, astronomers have to visually inspect large volumes of data.
- This time-consuming process is believed to be the reason why astronomers have only discovered a small fraction of all supernovae that occur in the universe.
- But automated software presents a list of candidate explosions to humans, who spend time verifying the candidates and executing spectroscopic observations.
5. RICE FORTIFICATION
TAG: GS 3: AGRICULTURE
THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court on October 14, 2023, directed the Centre to respond to concerns regarding the government’s iron fortified rice programme and its indiscriminate distribution to even those suffering from thalassemia and sickle cell disease.
EXPLANATION:
- The Supreme Court asked the government to apprise it in four weeks about the steps taken to comply with a provision of the regulations.
- Provision of the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2018 provides that labels on bags containing fortified rice should carry an advisory that it is harmful for people suffering from thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia.
- The 2018 regulations provided that every package of food fortified with iron shall carry a statement, “People with thalassemia may take under medical supervision and persons with Sickle Cell Anaemia are advised not to consume iron fortified food-products”.
- The directions were given in response to a public interest litigation filed by Rajesh Krishnan and others, challenging the government’s iron fortified rice programme.
ISSUES WITH THE IRON FORTIFIED FOOD:
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s statutory regulations has warned patients with thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia against consuming iron-fortified food or about using it only under strict medical supervision.
- Patients of haemoglobinopathies (a group of blood disorders that affect red blood cells) like thalassemia and sickle cell disease are contraindicated to eat iron, according to clause 7 (4) of the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulation, 2018 and also based on global scientific evidence.
- Consuming iron could lead to adverse outcomes like organ failure for people with such conditions.
- This means that giving iron-fortified rice indiscriminately, without any screening for such patients, is a non-compliance of the government with their own warnings.
- A fact-finding visit by Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture and Right to Food Campaign in the two states of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
- It revealed that the labelling requirements and the operational guidelines were not being followed; importantly, in food schemes where the food distribution is unpackaged or even cooked, there were no written or verbal warnings.
FOOD FORTIFICATION:
- Food fortification refers to the addition of chemical / synthetic vitamins and minerals (like iron, folic acid, iodine, zinc, vitamins B12, A, D) that are not available naturally in particular foods and is used as a strategy to address malnutrition in India.
HOW IS RICE FORTIFIED WITH IRON?
- Under the fortification scheme, milled broken rice is ground to dust and a premix of vitamins and minerals is added to it.
- Thereafter, an extruder machine is used to produce fortified rice kernels (FRK) resembling rice grains.
- The kernels are then mixed in a 1:100 ratio with regular rice to produce fortified rice.
- The cost to the consumer is estimated to be less than 50 paisa per kg.
- According to the food ministry, the fortification programme aims to cover 291 aspirational and high burden (nutrient deficient) districts across the country by March 2023, for which 9 million tonnes of fortified rice has been produced.
FORTIFIED RICE PROGRAMME:
- Prime Minister in his Independence Day address in 2021, said the government aims to distribute fortified rice via the government schemes by 2024.
- Thereafter, a scheme for the distribution of fortified rice, containing prescribed micronutrients (Iron, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12) was launched in October 2021 in a phased manner in order to address the problem of anaemia in children and women.
- In April 2022, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the supply of fortified rice throughout the Public Distribution System (PDS), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman-PM POSHAN (erstwhile Mid-Day Meal Scheme) and other welfare schemes in all states and Union Territories (UTs) by 2024 in a phased manner.
- The entire cost of rice fortification, which is around Rs 2,700 crore per annum, would be borne by the Centre as part of the food subsidy till its full implementation up to June 2024.
