TOP 5 TAKKAR NEWS OF THE DAY- 12TH JAN 2023

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

1. WHAT IS BASE EFFECT?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III-INDIAN ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: According to revised estimates, India’s industrial output measured in terms of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) bounced back to rise 7.1% in November 2022, after plummeting 4.2% in October 2022 and this rise was aided by base effects.

THE EXPLANATION:

The rise was aided by base effects as November 2021 had clocked just 1% growth, but also marked a 6% uptick in output levels over October 22, which incidentally recorded the lowest level for the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) since November 2021.

What is a Base Effect?

  • The base effect is the impact that selecting a different reference point for a comparison between two data points can have on the comparison’s outcome.
  • For Eg: In the context of inflation, the base effect is a distortion in a current inflation figure caused by exceptionally high or low levels of inflation in the previous reference period.
  • If the inflation rate was low in the corresponding period of the last year, then even a small increase in the price index will give a high rate of inflation in the current year.
  • When comparing two data points, choosing a reference point will be crucial as the base effect can highly distort or mislead the interpretation of numbers.
  • The base effect could also result in major differences in percentage comparisons. If we chose a reference point that is too low, there could be an overestimation and if the base is too high, it could result in gross underestimation of the situation.

VALUE ADDITION:

Index of Industrial Production (IIP)?

  • The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) is an index which shows the growth rates in different industry groups of the economy in a stipulated period of time.
  • Who publishes IIP? The IIP index is computed and published by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation on a monthly basis.
  • Currently IIP figures are calculated considering 2004-05 as base year.

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

2. INDIAN SKIMMERS

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS-III- ENVIRONMENT- SPECIES IN NEWS

THE CONTEXT: Recently around 250 Indian Skimmers were sighted in Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary in a day during the Asian Waterbird Census-2023.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Indian Skimmers:

  • It is found in the coastal estuaries of western and eastern India.
  • It occurs primarily on larger, sandy, lowland rivers, around lakes and adjacent marshes and, in the non-breeding season, in estuaries and coasts.
  • About 20% of the total population of fewer than 2,500 birds nest along river Chambal.
  • Protection status:
    • IUCN: Endangered

About the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary:

  • It is a wildlife sanctuary and estuary situated in Andhra Pradesh.
  • Between this sanctuary area and the sea Hope Island blocks the direct confluence of the sea and Godavari. As a result, about 40% of the sanctuary is only sea backwaters and the rest of the area is intermingled with creeks and gets inundated with tidal waters.
  • Flora: It has extensive mangrove and dry deciduous tropical forests. It is the second-largest stretch of mangrove forests in India.
  • Fauna: It is home to the critically endangered white-backed vulture and the long-billed vulture.

3. SETHUSAMUDRAM PROJECT

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS-III-INFRASTRUCTURE

THE CONTEXT: The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has recently moved a resolution in the state assembly seeking the revival of the Sethusamudram Project, a proposed shipping canal project in India that would connect the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The project, which has been controversial since its inception, was put on hold by the Government of India in 2007.
  • The Sethusamudram Project aims to construct a shipping canal through the shallow waters of the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar, which would reduce the distance and time required for ships to travel between the east and west coasts of India. The project would bypass the traditional shipping route through the Palk Strait, which is considered a navigational hazard.

Controversies

The Sethusamudram Project has been met with opposition from various groups, who raise concerns about its potential impact on the environment, the Ram Setu, and its economic viability.

  • Environmental impact: Critics argue that the construction of the canal would cause significant damage to the marine ecosystem of the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar. They claim that the dredging and blasting required for the construction of the canal would harm the coral reefs and other marine life in the area.
  • Damage to Ram Setu: Some Hindus consider Ram Setu to be sacred and believe that the bridge was built by Lord Rama himself. They argue that the construction of the canal would cause damage to the bridge and desecrate a religious site.
  • Economic viability: Critics question the economic viability of the project, arguing that the cost of construction would be high and the benefits would be limited. They say that the canal would not be able to accommodate large ships and would not offer a significant reduction in the distance travelled by ships, compared to the existing route through the Palk Strait.
  • Technical feasibility: There are also concerns about the technical feasibility of the project, with critics arguing that the canal would not be able to handle the large tidal differences and would be susceptible to silting and other issues.
  • Political and legal disputes: The project has been on hold since 2007 following a legal dispute involving the Indian government and the opposition party, which challenged the project on the grounds that it would cause damage to the Ram Setu.
  • Security: Critics also argue that the project would increase the security risk for India, as it would provide an opening for foreign ships to enter into the Bay of Bengal, making it easier for hostile forces to attack India’s eastern coast.

VALUE ADDITION:

What is Ram Setu?

Ram Setu, also known as Adam’s Bridge, is a chain of limestone shoalsthat runs between the Indian mainland and Sri Lanka. According to Hindu mythology, the bridge was built by the monkey-god Hanuman and his army to help Lord Rama, an incarnation of the god Vishnu, rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana, who had abducted her and taken her to Lanka. The bridge is considered sacred by Hindus and is believed to be the physical manifestation of a bridge mentioned in the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

4. THIS WORD MEANS: MEGARAPTOR

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Scientists have found the remains of four species of dinosaurs, including a megaraptor, in an inhospitable valley in Chilean Patagonia for the first time.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Megaraptorid was a large theropod of the Cretaceous Period, 84 to 65 mya.
  • Megaraptors possessed strong arms that wielded sickle-like claws that could inflict fatal wounds on prey, along with a more lightly built skull and jaws studded with smaller teeth.
  • They also had air-filled, bird-like bones.
  • Megaraptor was about 25–26 feet (7.5–8 meters) long.
  • Incomplete Megaraptor remains were found in 1996 in Northwest Patagonia, Argentina, by paleontologist Fernando E. Novas. Novas named it in 1998.

Cretaceous Period:

  • The Cretaceous Period, in geologic time, is the last of the three periods of the Mesozoic Era.
  • The Cretaceous began 145.0 million years ago and ended 66 million years ago.
  • It followed the Jurassic Period and was succeeded by the Paleogene Period.

What is a Theropod?

  • This group includes all the known carnivorous dinosaurs as well as the birds.
  • They have a carnivorous dentition and large, recurved claws on the fingers.
  • They have a distinctive joint in the lower jaw.

Patagonian Region:

  • It is a sparsely populated region located at the southern end of South America, shared by Argentina and Chile.
  • The region comprises the southern section of the Andes mountains as well as the deserts, steppes and grasslands east of this southern portion of the Andes.
  • Patagonia has two coasts; a western one towards the Pacific Ocean and an eastern one towards the Atlantic Ocean.

5. WHAT IS VISCOSE FIBRE?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Association of Man-made Fibre Industry of India (AMFII) has appealed to the Union Finance Ministry to accept the recommendations of the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) on the levy of anti-dumping duty (ADD) on imports of Viscose Staple Fibre from Indonesia.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Viscose is a type of rayon. Originally known as artificial silk, in the late 19th century, the term “rayon” came into effect in 1924.
  • The name “viscose” is derived from the way this fibre is manufactured; a viscous organic liquid used to make both rayon and cellophane.
  • Viscose is made from tree wood pulp, like beech, pine, and eucalyptus, but can also be made from bamboo
  • As a manufactured regenerated cellulose fibre, it is neither truly natural (like cotton, wool or silk) nor truly synthetic (like nylon or polyester) – it falls somewhere in between.
  • Chemically, viscose resembles cotton, but it can also take on many different qualities depending on how it is manufactured.
  • It is versatile, Highly absorbent and Inexpensive fibre.



DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (NOVEMBER 11, 2022)

POLITY AND CONSTITUTION

UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Solicitor-General at the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva stated that India appreciates the role of human rights defenders, journalists and activists in the democratic system but the activities of these groups and individuals should be in conformity with the law of the land.

THE EXPLANATION:

Starting the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of India at the HRC, Greece, the Netherlands and Vatican City called upon the Government of India to ensure freedom of religion and end discrimination against human rights defenders and religious minorities.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MEETING:

  • The strongest comment on the freedom of religion came from Greece that called upon India to “ensure full implementation of freedom of religion”. Germany expressed concern about the rights situation in India and said, “Germany remains concerned about the rights of marginalised groups, especially religious minorities as well as women and girls.” Germany also said that the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act should not “unduly restrict” the “freedom of association” in India. The German representative called upon India to strengthen the National Human Rights Commission and said the discrimination against Dalits should end.
  • Ireland recommended that the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act be applied in a transparent manner and that Indian States should “repeal” anti-conversion laws to ensure compliance to international human rights laws. The representative of South Korea also raised the issue of FCRA. Italy asked India to enable civil society organisations and freedom of expression and freedom of religion. “Take concrete measures to end violence against them (minorities)”.
  • Lithuania called upon India to end restrictions on freedom of expression and civil society. Belgium which had submitted advance questions raised the issue of civil liberties in India and called for an end to restrictions on freedom of religion. Mauritius praised India for following the principle of vasudhaiva kutumbakam (the world is one family).
  • Maldives thanked India for India’s support during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Marshall Islands expressed condolences for the victims of the Morbi bridge tragedy and called for an end to caste-based violence and violence against women. Mexico raised the National Register of Citizenship and called for measures that can reduce chances of stateless people. France and Montenegro called upon India to ratify the Convention against Torture.
  • Nepal called for India to strengthen measures to end violence against women and end child marriage. Israel called upon India to end violence against women and create an enabling environment for transgender persons. Russia asked India to continue to take policies that will eradicate poverty and called for “responsible corporate behaviour”.

Connect the Dots: FCRA,  Vasudhaiva kutumbakam , National Register of Citizenship

VALUE ADDITION:

United Nations Human Rights Council

  • The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system made up of 47 States responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe.

Functions:

  • It is responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the world.
  • It also addresses and makes recommendations on situations of human rights violations.
  • It can discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations.
  • The Council also works with the UN Special Procedures established by the former Commission on Human Rights, consisting of special rapporteurs, special representatives, independent experts, and working groups.
  • Their work is to monitor, examine, advise and report on thematic issues or human rights situations in specific countries.

Tenure:

  • The members serve for three years and are not eligible for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive terms.

 

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

MANGROVE ALLIANCE FOR CLIMATE

THE CONTEXT: Amid the 27th Session of Conference of Parties (COP27), this year’s UN climate summit, the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) was launched with India as a partner.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The move, in line with India’s goal to increase its carbon sink, will see New Delhi collaborating with Sri Lanka, Indonesia and other countries to preserve and restore the mangrove forests in the region.
  • Attending the event in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, Union Minister for Environment Forest and Climate Change said that India is home to one of the largest remaining areas of mangroves in the world — the Sundarbans — and has years of expertise in restoration of mangrove cover that can be used to aid global measures in this direction.

The MAC

  • An initiative led by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Indonesia, the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) includes India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, and Spain. It seeks to educate and spread awareness worldwide on the role of mangroves in curbing global warming and its potential as a solution for climate change.
  • UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, while launching the alliance, said that her country intends to plant 3 million mangroves in the next two months, in keeping with UAE’s COP26 pledge of planting 100 million mangroves by 2030.

The significance of mangroves

  • Mangroves have been the focus of conservationists for years and it is difficult to overstate their importance in the global climate context. Mangrove forests — consisting of trees and shrub that
  • live in intertidal water in coastal areas — host diverse marine life. They also support a rich food web, with molluscs and algae-filled substrate acting as a breeding ground for small fish, mud crabs and shrimps, thus providing a livelihood to local artisanal fishers.
  • Equally importantly, they act as effective carbon stores, holding up to four times the amount of carbon as other forested ecosystems. Mangrove forests capture vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and their preservation can both aid in removal of carbon from the atmosphere and prevent the release of the same upon their destruction

The current state of the mangroves

  • South Asia houses some of the most extensive areas of mangroves globally, while Indonesia hosts one-fifth of the overall amount.
  • India holds around 3 percent of South Asia’s mangrove population. Besides the Sundarbans in West Bengal, the Andamans region, the Kachchh and Jamnagar areas in Gujarat too have substantial mangrove cover.
  • However, infrastructure projects — industrial expansion and building of roads and railways, and natural processes — shifting coastlines, coastal erosion and storms, have resulted in a significant decrease in mangrove habitats.
  • Between 2010 and 2020, around 600 sq km of mangroves were lost of which more than 62% was due to direct human impacts, the Global Mangrove Alliance said in its 2022 report.

WHAT IS MEANT BY GREENWASHING?

THE CONTEXT: Recently the UN Secretary-General set up an expert group solely to look into Greenwashing as a practice is prevalent enough to create concerns over climate goals that were completely undermined and was considered as serious.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is greenwashing?

  • Greenwashing is a term used to describe a false, misleading or untrue action or set of claims made by an organization about the positive impact that a company, product or service has on the environment.
  • The term greenwashing was first coined in 1986 by environmentalist Jay Westerveld in an article where he decried the common practice of hotels asking guests to reuse towels to help conserve energy. Westerveld claimed that those same hotels did little to help the environment and that the towel request was an act of greenwashing.

NEW COLLECTIVE QUANTIFIED GOAL ON CLIMATE FINANCE (NCQG)

THE CONTEXT: Developing countries, including India, are pushing rich countries to agree to a new global climate finance target—also known as the new collective quantified goal on climate finance (NCQG)—which they say should be in trillions as the costs of addressing and adapting to climate change have grown.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • At a high-level ministerial dialogue on NCQG at COP27, India highlighted that climate actions to meet the NDC targets require financial, technological, and capacity-building support from developed countries, people aware of the developments.
  • According to the Indian delegation in the meeting, the ambitious goal set down by the developing countries requires substantive enhancement in climate finance from the floor of $100 billion per year. The mobilisation of the resource needs to be led by the developed countries and should be long-term, concessional, and climate-specific with equitable allocation between adaptation and mitigation projects.
  • “The commitment of $100 billion made in 2009 by developed countries, was not only miniscule given the scale of needs, but has also not been achieved yet.
  • According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental body consisting of wealthy nations, developed countries mobilised $52.5 billion in 2013.
  • After dropping to $44.6 billion in 2015, the finance flow has steadily increased. In 2020, the developed countries raised $83.3 billion, a jump from $80.4 billion in 2019, according to a factsheet published by the Centre for Science and Environment.
  • The Standing Committee on Finance has estimated that resources in the range of $6 trillion to $11 trillion are required till 2030 to meet the targets set by developing countries in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and other communications including the Needs Determination Reports.
  • NDCs are national plans to limit global temperature rise to well below two degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

VALUE ADDITION:

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): The Paris Agreement and NDCs

  • The Paris Agreement requests each country to outline and communicate their post-2020 climate actions, known as their NDCs.
  • Together, these climate actions determine whether the world achieves the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement and to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as soon as possible and to undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with best available science, so as to achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of GHGs in the second half of this century.
  • It is understood that the peaking of emissions will take longer for developing country Parties, and that emission reductions are undertaken on the basis of equity, and in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty, which are critical development priorities for many developing countries.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

PLACES IN THE NEWS: KHERSON

THE CONTEXT: Recently Russia’s Defence Minister announced the withdrawal of the troops from Kherson to a new defensive line on the eastern bank of the Dnipro river.

THE EXPLANATION:

Where is Kherson and why is it important?

  • Geographically, Kherson is a strategic location for Russia and Ukraine. Situated in the northwest of the Dnipro River, the province shares borders with Donetsk, Crimea and the Black Sea.
  • With Moscow capturing Crimea in 2014, the occupation of Kherson in March 2022 has benefited Russia in transferring its military from Crimea to counter Ukraine. It provides access to Odesa and Black Sea ports in the west and serves as the main route to secure southern Ukraine.
  • For Ukraine, regaining Kherson is significant to protect its population in Kalanchak and Chaplynka districts and also to recapture Crimea. Kherson is also an important region for its agricultural produce, with irrigation channels.

How did Kherson come under Russia’s control?

  • In early March 2022, Kherson was captured by Russia through intense fighting. The battle of Kherson proved to be the starting point to capturing and occupying the southern part of Ukraine while the battles for Kharkiv and Kyiv in the north progressed.
  • Russia’s hold over Kherson since March 2022 enabled Moscow to capture the key port cities — Mariupol in the Sea Azov, and Odesa, thus expanding control. Kherson’s irrigation canals were used as defence positions, creating a strong line preventing Ukraine’s counter-attacks. Russia also had positioned its soldiers in Kherson and stockpiled the ammunition.

Why has Moscow announced its withdrawal from Kherson?

  • There are three reasons behind the move. First is the mobilisation failure. When Russia was advancing rapidly in capturing the southern and northern cities of Ukraine, its military personnel and weapon systems started to run thin.
  • Secondly, the inability of Russia to govern Kherson. Despite imposing martial law, Russia could not effectively rule Kherson; the three-level security in the occupied areas could not enforce Russia’s control on the ground.
  • Third, Ukraine’s expanding counter-offensive. Until August, Ukraine was supplied only with short-range and low-grade weapons by the West. Later, Ukrainian soldiers received military training; as Moscow continued its onslaught, the West upgraded its support with medium to high-range weapons systems such as the Howitzers, HIMARS, air defence systems, battle tanks and drone technologies. It came from the U.S., the U.K. and Germany, whereas Russia’s procurement was slow and limited to Shahed drones.
  • This helped Ukraine recapture Russian-occupied areas including Izyum, northeast, southeast of Kharkiv, Izyum-Slovyansk, Kupiansk in Eastern Ukraine, and northwest Kherson in the south. On the other hand, Russia has been facing challenges in augmenting its military hardware on the battleground.

THE RIVER: DNIEPER

The Dnieper or Dnipro is one of the major transboundary rivers of Europe, rising in the Valdai Hills near Smolensk, Russia, before flowing through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. It is the longest river of Ukraine and Belarus and the fourth-longest river in Europe, after the Volga, Danube, and Ural rivers.

ARMISTICE DAY: 11th NOVEMBER

THE CONTEXT: Armistice Day, also known as Remembrance Day or Poppy Day. It is marked on 11 November annually, remembering those who died in World War I. Marking the end of the Great War.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Armistice Day also remembers all those who sacrificed their lives in the First World War and other conflicts that followed it. In the four-year-long gruesome war, millions sacrificed their lives, including more than 74,000 Indian soldiers.
  • The first Great War ended ‘at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month’, and therefore Remembrance Day is celebrated every year on 11 November.

Why does Poppy hold significance?

  • In the Commonwealth nations, poppies were widely sold before the origin of Remembrance Day. The flower is worn to show respect for all the people who sacrificed their lives while fighting in World War I, as well as the conflicts that followed the war.
  • Poppy was one flower that grew on many of the battlefields during the war and was later adopted by American academic Moina Michael to remember the loss of life in the Great War. Poppy is also associated with the charity that was founded by the veterans of World War I, known as the Royal British Legion.

How is the day observed?

  • To mark the anniversary of the end of the First World War, people across the globe observe two minutes of silence at 11 AM on 11 November. It was the moment in the past when the armistice agreement was signed between the Allied Forces and Germany.




DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (NOVEMBER 07, 2022)

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

WHAT IS THE STATUS OF REMOTE VOTING FOR NRI’S?

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Supreme court disposed a batch of petitions seeking remote voting for NRIs. On the assurance of the Attorney general, the Centre was looking at ways to facilitate distance voting for non-resident Indians (NRIs), mainly migrant laborers.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is the size of the NRI electorate?

  • According to estimates, India has the largest diaspora population, with nearly 35 crore non-resident Indians spread across the globe. Many of them are in the Gulf countries, the U.S. and the U.K. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, 99,844 NRIs registered and 25,606 electors turned up to vote, with a majority hailing from Kerala (25,534).
  • In the 2014 Parliamentary elections, 11,846 NRIs registered and only a fraction turned up to vote. Of the registered overseas electors, 90% belonged to Kerala. Others registered are from Gujarat, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu among other States.
  • A major reason for low NRI registration and voting despite India amending the Representation of the People Act in 2010 to enable eligible NRIs who had stayed abroad beyond six months to vote is the condition that they have to visit the polling booth in person.

What has the government done so far?

  • Since the in-person proviso of the amended Act discouraged many, petitions were filed in the Supreme Court between 2013 and 2014 by NRIs. The Election Commission of India (ECI) formed a Committee in 2014 on the Court’s direction to explore the options for overseas electors. The committee narrowed it down to two remote voting options — e-postal ballot and proxy voting.
Proxy voting is a form of voting whereby a member of a decision-making body may delegate his or her voting power to a representative, to enable a vote in absence.

  • The Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) involves the NRI voter sending an application to the returning officer in person or online. The returning officer will send the ballot electronically. The voter can then register their mandate on the ballot printout and send it back with an attested declaration. The voter will either send the ballot by ordinary post or drop it at an Indian Embassy where it would be segregated and posted. Proxy voting, meanwhile, enables voters to appoint proxies to vote on their behalf.
  • Both ETPBS and proxy voting are currently available to only service voters, like those in the armed forces or diplomatic missions. In its report, the ECI said proxy voting would be a “convenient” and “doable” method.

HEALTH ISSUES

EBOLA VIRUS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Ugandan officials have reported 11 more cases of Ebola in the capital since October 21, a worrisome increase in infections just over a month after an outbreak was declared in a remote part of the East African country.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • According to a top World Health Organization official in Africa said that Uganda’s Ebola outbreak was “rapidly evolving,” describing a challenging situation for health workers.
  • Ugandan health authorities have confirmed 75 cases of Ebola since September 20, including 28 deaths. There are 19 active cases.

VALUE ADDITION:

What is Ebola Virus Disease?

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a deadly disease with occasional outbreaks that occur mostly on the African continent. EVD most commonly affects people and nonhuman primates (such as monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees). It is caused by an infection with a group of viruses within the genus Ebolavirus:

  • Ebola virus (species Zaire ebolavirus)
  • Sudan virus (species Sudan ebolavirus)

  • Taï Forest virus (species Taï Forest ebolavirus, formerly Côte d’Ivoire ebolavirus)
  • Bundibugyo virus (species Bundibugyo ebolavirus)
  • Reston virus (species Reston ebolavirus)
  • Bombali virus (species Bombali ebolavirus)

Of these, only four (Ebola, Sudan, Taï Forest, and Bundibugyo viruses) have caused disease in people. Reston virus can cause disease in nonhuma

n primates and pigs, but there have not been cases in people. Bombali virus was first identified in bats in 2018, and experts do not know yet if it causes disease in either animals or people.

When was the first instance?

  • Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then, the virus has been infecting people from time to time, leading to outbreaks in several African countries.

Vaccines:

  • An experimental Ebola vaccine, called rVSV-ZEBOV proved highly protective against EVD in a major trial in Guinea in 2015.
  • The rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine is being used in the ongoing 2018-2019 Ebola outbreak in DRC. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should have access to the vaccine under the same conditions as for the general population.
  • The public mistrust and militia attacks have prevented health workers from reaching some hard-hit areas for administering the vaccines.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

WHO ARE KURDISH GROUPS?

THE CONTEXT: According to Sweden Foreign Minister new government will distance itself from the Kurdish YPG militia as it tries to win Turkey’s approval to join NATO.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The Syrian Kurdish YPG militia and its political branch PYD are considered by Turkey extensions of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which launched an insurgency against Turkey in 1980 and is regarded as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
  • Sweden, along with the United States and several other NATO countries, has supported the YPG in the fight against Islamic State.
  • However, Turkey has vowed to block Sweden’s application to join NATO if it doesn’t stop supporting the militia group.

Who are Kurds?

  • At an estimated 25 million to 35 million population, they are the world’s largest stateless ethnic group.
  • The majority among the Kurdish people today are Sunni Muslim, but there are adherents of other faiths too, including Sufism and other mystical practices.
  • They live in the highlands of southern and eastern Turkey, northern Iraq, the northeastern Syria, northwestern Iran, and parts of south Armenia, and are a minority in each of these countries. Small communities live in Georgia, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, and eastern Iran as well.
  • Kurds have long had a reputation for being fearless fighters, and they have served as mercenaries in many armies over the centuries.
  • The mediaeval warrior Saladin, founder of the Ayyubid dynasty that replaced the Fatimids in Egypt and ruled over large parts of the Middle East in the 12th and 13th centuries, was of Kurdish ethnicity.

What’s happening now?

Recently, the Trump administration ordered US troops to step aside from the border in northern Syria, effectively paving the way for Turkey to launch an offensive against US-backed Kurdish forces who they regard as enemies.

What are their demands?

  • The Kurds have never achieved nation-state status, except in Iraq, where they have a regional government called Iraqi Kurdistan.
  • Kurdistan is made up of five different regions: southeastern Turkey, northeastern Syria, northern Iraq, northwestern Iran and southwestern Armenia.
  • In the early 20th century, the Kurds began working toward the creation of homeland known as Kurdistan. In 1920, the Treaty of Sèvres — one of a series of treaties that the Central Powers signed after their defeat in World War I — outlined the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire and called for an autonomous Kurdistan.
  • Three years later, after the end of the war, Western allies dropped demands for an independent Kurdish state and the Kurdish region was divided among several countries.

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

A THIRD OF WORLD HERITAGE GLACIERS UNDER THREAT, WARNS UNESCO STUDY

THE CONTEXT: According to UN study, a third of the glaciers on the UNESCO World Heritage list are under threat, regardless of efforts to limit temperature increases.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The study highlighted that it was still possible to save the other two-thirds, if the rise in global temperatures did not exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial era. UNESCO said this would be a major challenge facing delegates at the upcoming COP27.
COP27: The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, or COP27, will be the 27th United Nations Climate Change conference. It will be held from November 6-18, 2022, in Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh.
  • According to UNESCO Director General, UNESCO is determined to support states in pursuing this goal. In addition to drastically reduced carbon emissions, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is advocating for the creation of a new international fund for glacier monitoring and preservation.
  • Such a fund would support comprehensive research, promote exchange networks between all stakeholders and implement early warning and disaster risk reduction measures.
  • The study noted that Half of humanity depends directly or indirectly on glaciers as their water source for domestic use, agriculture, and power. Glaciers are also pillars of biodiversity, feeding many ecosystems.
  • “When glaciers melt rapidly, millions of people face water scarcity and the increased risk of natural disasters such as flooding, and millions more may be displaced by the resulting rise in sea levels.
  • Fifty UNESCO World Heritage sites are home to glaciers, representing almost 10% of the Earth’s total glacierised area. They include the highest (next to Mt Everest), the longest (in Alaska), and the last remaining glaciers in Africa.
  • The UNESCO study, in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), showed that these glaciers have been retreating at an accelerated rate since 2000 due to CO2 emissions, which are warming temperatures.
  • They are currently losing 58 billion tons of ice every year – equivalent to the combined annual water use of France and Spain – and are responsible for nearly 5% of observed global sea-level rise. The glaciers under threat are in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and Oceania.

VALUE ADDITION:

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that was outlined in a constitution signed November 16, 1945. It promotes international collaboration in education, science, and culture to promote peace.

Headquarters: Paris, France

Member Countries:  It has 195 member countries, and it pursues its objectives through five major programs: education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication and information.

 Reports Published: 

  • Global Education Monitoring Report
  • Gender Parity Index.

ONE WORD A DAY: ACCLIMATIZATION

THE CONTEXT: According to officials, two of the eight cheetahs inside the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh were released into an acclimatization enclosure from the quarantine area where they were kept since their translocation from Namibia in mid-September 2022.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is meant by Acclimatization?

  • Acclimation is a gradual, reversible change to the body to help adapt to changes to the environment. Temperatures, precipitation, and food sources are always changing. One way that living things can handle these changes is through a process called acclimation.
  • It is a slow, reversible change to the body that allows an organism to handle a different environment. This change can occur over a few days, several weeks, or even months.

How is Acclimatization Different from Adaptation?

  • The presence of special features or habits in a species that help to survive in a particular habitat is called adaptation. For example, desert plants have leaves reduced into spines to reduce water loss by transpiration.  But, acclimatization helps to overcome the small problems caused by changes in the surroundings.
  • For example, tomatoes are plants that grow best in temperate climates. However, they can survive freezing temperatures if the temperature drop happens over a few days rather than occurring suddenly. This short-term “adjustment” is how the tomato acclimatizes to the harsh temperature. It happens in short period within the lifetime of an entity. On the other hand, the adaptation of a species to a particular environment takes place over generations.

 

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

EQUAL RESPECT TO VANDE MATARAM: CENTRE TO DELHI HIGH COURT

THE CONTEXT: The Centre has told the Delhi High Court that the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ and the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ “stand on the same level” and that citizens should show equal respect to both.

THE EXPLANATION:

ABOUT OUR NATIONAL SONG:

  • ‘Vande Mataram’ is the national song of India. It was written by Mr. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay to praise the “Mother India” on 7th November 1875, and was published in a Bengali fiction novel ‘Anandmath’.
  • He wrote Vande Mataram at Chinsurah, near the river Hooghly (near Mallik Ghat).
  • It is assumed that the concept of Vande Mataram clicked to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay when he was serving as a government official (a District Collector), around 1876.
  • Jadunath Bhattacharya was asked to set a tune for this poem just after it was written
  • It was adopted on January 24, 1950, by providing it equal status with national anthem Jana Gana Mana.
  • It is taken from the novel Anand Math published in 1882.
  • It was sung for the first time at the congress session at Calcutta in 1896.
  • It is formed for the proclamation of Mother Land. It played a vital role in the Indian independence movement.
  • The original Vande Mataram comprises of 6 stanzas.
  • It was translated in prose by Shri Aurobindo in Karmayogin on 20 November 1909.



DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (NOVEMBER 05, 2022)

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT (CEPA)

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the 9th round of the India-Republic of Korea (ROK) Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) up-gradation negotiation was held in Seoul.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • India raised serious concerns on the growing trade deficit between the two countries and discussed market access issues. Both sides agreed to work closely to address tariff and non-tariff barriers and deepen the relationship in the services sector.
  • It was agreed that the 10th round of CEPA upgradation negotiations will be hosted by India in early 2023.

India – ROK Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)

  • ROK and India signed a CEPA in Seoul on 7th August, 2009.
  • It commits both countries to lower or eliminate import tariffs on a wide range of goods, over the next 10 years. ROK is reducing tariffs on 90 percent of Indian goods while India will do so on 85 percent of Korean goods.

Types of Trade Agreements:

  • Free Trade Agreement: It is an agreement in which two or more countries agree to provide preferential trade terms, tariff concession etc. to the partner country. Here a negative list of products and services is maintained on which the terms of FTA are not applicable.
  • Preferential Trade Agreement: In this, two or more partners give preferential right of entry to certain products. This is done by reducing duties on an agreed number of tariff lines. India signed a PTA with Afghanistan.
  • Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement: It is comprehensive than an FTA. CECA/CEPA also looks into the regulatory aspect of trade.
  • Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement: CECA generally covers negotiation on trade tariff and TQR rates only. It is not as comprehensive as CEPA. India has signed CECA with Malaysia.
  • Framework agreement: It primarily defines the scope and provisions of orientation of the potential agreement between the trading partners. It provides for some new area of discussions and set the period for future liberalisation. India has previously signed framework agreements with the ASEAN, Japan etc.
  • Early Harvest Scheme: It is a precursor to an FTA/CECA/CEPA between two trading partners. At this stage, the negotiating countries identify certain products for tariff liberalization pending the conclusion of actual FTA negotiations.

 

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

BLUE WHALES EAT 10 MILLION PIECES OF MICROPLASTIC A DAY: STUDY

THE CONTEXT: A new study found that the blue whale – the largest mammal on Earth – swallows millions of microplastics each day as do fin and humpback whales.

THE EXPLANATION:

What are the key findings of the report?

  • Blue whales may swallow some 10 million microplastic pieces each day or around 95 pounds of plastic
  • Fin whales swallow an estimated 6 million microplastic pieces, which is equivalent to 57 pounds of plastic.
  • Humpback whales either consume krill or eat small schooling fish. Krill-eating humpback whales are found to consume 4 million microplastic pieces (38 pounds) each day. Those humpback whales favouring small schooling fish are at lesser risk of microplastic consumption since only 200,000 pieces were found.
  • In the moderately polluted waters off the West Coast of the US, baleen whales are still ingesting millions of microplastics and microfibers each day.
  • About 99 per cent of the microplastic ingestion by the baleen whales is from prey that had previously ingested plastic and not from the water they filter.
  • The large amount of microplastic ingestion is also attributed to baleen whales’ habitats overlapping with polluted regions like the California Current that flows south along North America’s western coast.

Why was the study conducted?

  • Research recently provided an estimate of the amount of microplastics ingested by three species of baleen whales – blue, fin and humpback – off the coast of the US Pacific. This study was conducted in light to the enormous amount of microplastics currently polluting the oceans.
  • Baleen whales are filter feeders. They use baleen plates in mouth made of keratin to strain food such as krill and other small preys. These species are at high risk of microplastic ingestion due to their unique mode of feeding, quantity of food they consume and habitats close to polluted regions.

How was the study conducted?

  • The estimates of the daily microplastic consumption by baleen whales was made by assessing the foraging behaviour of 126 blue whales, 65 humpback whales and 29 fin whales using measurements from electronic tag devices suction-cupped on the back of the animal. A camera, microphone, GPS locator and a tracker were used to study the movement of these baleen whales.
  • The researchers then factored in the concentration of microplastics in the California Current. They found that the whales mainly feed at the depth of 165 to 820 feet. This depth has the highest concentration of microplastic in the open-ocean ecosystem.
VALUE ADDITION:

Plastic and Marine Environment

·         Plastic is a synthetic organic polymer made from petroleum with properties ideally suited for a wide variety of applications, including packaging, building and construction, household and sports equipment, vehicles, electronics and agriculture.

·         Plastic is cheap, lightweight, strong and malleable. Over 300 million tons of plastic are produced every year.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES IN THE NEWS

INDIA INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT FUND (IIPDF) SCHEME

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance notified Scheme for Financial Support for Project Development Expenses of PPP Projects – India Infrastructure Project Development Fund Scheme (IIPDF Scheme).

THE EXPLANATION:

It is a Central Sector Scheme which will aid the development of quality PPP projects by providing necessary funding support to the project sponsoring authorities, both in the Central and State Governments.

Funding:

  • The corpus of the IIPDF shall comprise of initial budgetary outlay of Rs. 100 Crore by the Ministry of Finance. This would be supplemented, should it become necessary, through budgetary support by the Ministry of Finance from time to time.
  • Funding under IIPDF Scheme is in addition to the already operational Scheme for Financial Support to PPPs in Infrastructure (VGF Scheme).

Organisational Structure: The IIPDF will be administered by the Empowered Institution. The Empowered Institution will:

  • Select projects for which project development costs will be funded.
  • Set the terms and conditions under which the funding will be provided and recovered.
  • Set milestones for disbursing and recovering (where appropriate) the funding.
  • The Public Private Partnership Cell of the DEA will provide support functions examine the applications received for assistance under IIPDF.

GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL INDEX

THE CONTEXT: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) tops Grievance Redressal Index third month in a row.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Grievance Redressal Index is published by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
  • UIDAI has launched its new AI/ML based Chatbot, Aadhaar Mitra to further enhance residents’ experience. The new Chatbot comes with enhanced features like – check Aadhaar enrollment/update status, tracking of Aadhaar PVC card status etc.
  • UIDAI is gradually rolling out advanced and futuristic Open-Source CRM solution.
VALUE ADDITION:

UIDAI

·         It is a statutory authority established under the provisions of Aadhaar Act 2016 by the Govt. of India under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology.

·         Its aim to provide for good governance, efficient, transparent and targeted delivery of subsidies, benefits and services, the expenditure for which is incurred from the Consolidated Fund of India or the Consolidated Fund of State to residents of India through assigning of unique identity numbers.

·         Its mission is to ensure security and confidentiality of identity information and authentication records of individuals.

 

 

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

BONALU FESTIVAL

THE CONTEXT: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently joined the Budaga Jangalu community of Telangana and whipped himself as part of the ‘Potharajulu’ tradition. The custom is part of the state’s acclaimed Bonalu festival.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Bonalu is a Hindu Festival where Goddess Mahakali is worshiped.
  • It is an annual festival celebrated in the twin Cities Hyderabad and Secunderabad and other parts of Telangana state, India.
  • Bonalu is ce
  • lebrated usually during Ashada Masam that falls in July/August.
  • Special poojas are performed for goddess Yellamma during the first and last day of the festival.
  • The festival is considered as a form of thanksgiving to the Goddess after the fulfillment of vows.
  • Bonam literally means Meal in Telugu, which is an offering to the Mother Goddess.

Celebrations:

Every year, the festival starts at Golconda Fort, and on the second Sunday, it moves to the Balkampet Yellamma temple in Balkampet, and the Ujjaini Mahakali Temple in Secunderabad. On the third Sunday, it moves to the Pochamma and Katta Maisamma temple of Chilkalguda and the Mateshwari temple of Lal Darwaza in Hyderabad.




DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (NOVEMBER 04, 2022)

INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

WHAT IS TWO FINGER TEST?

THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court recently said that those conducting the ‘two-finger test’ on alleged rape victims will be held guilty of misconduct.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • A woman who has been sexually assaulted undergoes a medical examination for ascertaining her health and medical needs, collection of evidence, etc.
  • The two-finger test, carried out by a medical practitioner, involves the examination of her vagina to check if she is habituated to sexual intercourse. The practice is unscientific and does not provide any definite information. Moreover, such ‘information’ has no bearing on an allegation of rape.
  • A handbook released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on dealing with sexual assault victims says, “There is no place for virginity (or ‘two-finger’) testing; it has no scientific validity”.

The Supreme Court Observations:

  • In 2004 SC observed that whether a woman is ‘habituated to sexual intercourse’ or ‘habitual to sexual intercourse’ is irrelevant for the purposes of determining whether the ingredients of Section 375 (rape) of the IPC are present in a particular case.
  • In 2013, the SC court had held that the two-finger test violates a woman’s right to privacy and asked the government to provide better medical procedures to confirm sexual assault.
  • Invoking the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights 1966 and the UN Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power 1985, the apex court said rape survivors are entitled to legal recourse that does not re-traumatise them or violate their physical or mental integrity and dignity.

UNIFIED DISTRICT INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR EDUCATION PLUS (UDISE) 2021-22

THE CONTEXT: Ministry of Education recently released a detailed report on Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2021-22 on school education of India.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • According to the report, Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) has improved at primary, upper primary, and higher secondary levels of school education in 2021-22 as compared to 2020-21.
  • GER in higher secondary has made a significant improvement from 53.8 percent in 2021-21 to 57.6 percent in 2021-22.
  • In 2021-22, the Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) stood at 26 for primary, 19 for upper primary, 18 for secondary, and 27 for higher secondary showing an improvement since 2018-19.
  • In 2021-22, over 12.29 crore girls are enrolled in primary to higher secondary showing an increase of 8.19 lakh as compared to the enrolment of girls in 2020-21.
  • More than 20,000 schools were closed across the country during 2020-21 while the number of teachers also declined by 1.95% in comparison to the previous year.
  • It pointed out that only 44.85% schools had computer facilities while nearly 34% had internet connection.
  • While only 27% schools have special toilets for children with special needs (CSWN), more than 49% of them have ramps with handrails

VALUE ADDITION:

Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE):

  • The UDISE+ system of online data collection from the schools was developed by Department of School Education & Literacy in the year 2018-19 to overcome the issues related to erstwhile practice of manual data filling in paper format.
  • In UDISE+ system, improvements have been made particularly in the areas related to data capture, data mapping and data verification.
  • In UDISE+ 2021-22, additional data on important indicators viz., digital library, peer learning, hard spot identification, number of books available in school library, etc have been collected for the first time to align with the National Education Policy 2020 initiatives.

 

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

BIOLOGICAL WEAPON CONVENTION

THE CONTEXT: India has abstained on yet another resolution involving Ukraine, this time a motion sponsored by Russia at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

THE EXPLANATION:

It aims to establish a commission to investigate claims by Moscow that the U.S. and Ukraine are carrying out “military biological activities” in laboratories in Ukraine in violation of the biological weapons convention (BWC).

About Biological Weapons Convention:

  • It is a key element in the international community’s efforts to address Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) proliferation and it has established a strong norm against biological weapons.
  • WMD is a weapon with the capacity to inflict death and destruction on such a massive scale and so indiscriminately that its very presence in the hands of a hostile power can be considered a grievous threat.
  • Formally known as “The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction”, the Convention was negotiated by the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • It opened for signature on 10th April 1972 and entered into force on 26th March 1975.

Members:

  • 183 States Parties and 4 Signatory States.
  • India is a signatory of the convention.

Convention Prohibits:

  • It effectively prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological and toxin weapons.
  • It was the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning an entire category of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).

SECURITY AFFAIRS

SURGE IN OPIUM POPPIES CULTIVATION IN AFGHANISTAN

THE CONTEXT: According to UNODC findings, cultivation of opium poppies in Afghanistan increased by 32 per cent over the previous year, to 233,000 hectares – making the 2022 crop the third largest area under cultivation since monitoring began.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The UNODC report says the 2021 harvest of 6,200 tonnes, 10 per cent less than in 2021, could be converted into 350-380 tonnes of export-quality heroin. Eighty per cent of the world’s opiates come from Afghanistan.
  • The income of farmers from opium sales more than tripled from $425 million in 2021 to $1.4 billion in 2022, according to the report — 29 per cent of the Afghan agricultural sector’s total value in 2022, higher by 20 percentage points over the previous year.
  • Cultivation continued to be concentrated in the southwestern parts of the country, which accounted for 73 per cent of the total area, and registering the largest crop increase.
  • In Helmand province, one-fifth of all arable land was dedicated to opium poppy cultivation.

Potential Threat:

  • According to the sources, opium production in Afghanistan has surpassed 6,000 tonnes for the sixth year in a row.
  • As a result of the stated increase in worldwide opium prices, the exponential output of opiates has increased by 8%.
  • The Taliban controls 85 percent of the world’s opium-growing land, making them the world’s most powerful narcotics gang.
  • According to a report by the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), illegal drugs account for up to 60% of the Taliban’s annual earnings.
  • India’s fears of ungoverned regions and a lawless Afghanistan being a major source of domestic security danger are increasingly becoming a reality.

VALUE ADDITION:

Golden crescent

  • The Golden Crescent is the name given to one of Asia’s two principal areas of illicit Opium production, located at the crossroads of central, south and western Asia.
  • This space overlaps three nations, Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan whose mountainous peripheries define the crescent.

Golden triangle

  • The Golden Triangle is located in the area where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet at the confluence of the Ruak and Mekong Rivers.
  • Along with the Golden Crescent, it is regarded as one of the largest producers of opium in the world since the 1950s until it was overtaken by the Golden Crescent in the early 21st century.

 

THE PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

PLACES IN NEWS: MAUNA LOA

THE CONTEXT: The recent incidents of ground shaking and swelling at Mauna Loa indicate that the largest active volcano in the world could erupt.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that together make up the Big Island of Hawaii, which is the southernmost island in the Hawaiian archipelago.
  • It’s not the tallest (that title goes to Mauna Kea) but it’s the largest and makes up about half of the island’s land mass.
  • It sits immediately north of Kilauea volcano, which is currently erupting from its summit crater.
  • Kilauea is well-known for a 2018 eruption that destroyed 700 homes and sent rivers of lava spreading across farms and into the ocean.
  • Mauna Loa last erupted 38 years ago. In written history, dating to 1843, it’s erupted 33 times.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTION

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q1. In which of the following states of India, Amur Falcons have stopovers while on their journey as a migratory birds?

a) Manipur

b) Tamil Nadu

c) Nagaland

d) Kerala

 

Answer: C

Explanation:

  • Wokha district, in Nagaland is the most preferred stopover of the Amur falcons while travelling from east Asia to southern Africa.



DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (OCTOBER 26, 2022)

POLITY AND CONSTITUTION

WHAT IS FCRA, AND WHEN CAN AN NGO’S REGISTRATION BE CANCELLED?

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs has cancelled the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) licence of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) and Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT), organisations that are associated with the Nehru-Gandhi family, for alleged violations of the provisions of the Act.

THE EXPLANATION:  

What is the FCRA?

  • The FCRA was enacted during the Emergency in 1976 amid apprehensions that foreign powers were interfering in India’s affairs by pumping money into the country through independent organisations.
  • These concerns were, in fact, even older; they had been expressed in Parliament as early as in 1969.

Aim: The law sought to regulate foreign donations to individuals and associations so that they functioned in a manner consistent with the values of a sovereign democratic republic.

Prohibition:

The Act prohibits the receipt of foreign funds by candidates for elections, journalists or newspaper and media broadcast companies, judges and government servants, members of legislature and political parties or their office-bearers, and organisations of a political nature.

New guidelines to banks on Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act rules

  • State Bank of India’s New Delhi branch: A new provision that makes it mandatory for all NGOs to receive foreign funds in a designated bank account at the State Bank of India’s New Delhi branch was inserted.
  • Designated FCRA account: All NGOs seeking foreign donations have to open a designated FCRA account at the SBI branch.
  • The NGOs can retain their existing FCRA account in any other bank but it will have to be mandatorily linked to the SBI branch in New Delhi.
  • Only banking channels allowed: Foreign contribution has to be received only through banking channels and it has to be accounted for in the manner prescribed.
  • OCI or PIO: Donations are given in Indian rupees by any foreign source including foreigners of Indian origin like OCI or PIO cardholders” should also be treated as foreign contributions.
  • Sovereignty and integrity: It requires NGOs to give an undertaking that the acceptance of foreign funds is not likely to prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India or impact friendly relations with any foreign state and does not disrupt communal harmony.

SATELLITE PHONES: WHAT ARE THEY, AND WHY IS THEIR USE RESTRICTED IN INDIA?

THE CONTEXT: A senior executive of Saudi Arabian oil company Saudi Aramco spent several days in prison in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand after he was arrested by police in July with an unauthorised satellite phone.

THE EXPLANATION:

What’s wrong with carrying a satellite phone?

  • It’s not legal to carry one in India unless you have permission. Visitors to the country are specifically advised not to carry a satellite phone without permission. Restrictions on the possession and use of these phones were tightened after the Pakistani terrorists who attacked Mumbai in November 2008 used these devices to keep in touch with their Lashkar-e-Taiba handlers.
  • The person was arrested under sections of the Indian Telegraph Act and the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act.

What do these rules say?

  • Section 6 of The Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933 makes it illegal to possess “any wireless telegraphy apparatus, other than a wireless transmitter, in contravention of the provisions of section 3 [of the Act]”.
  • Section 3 says “no person shall possess wireless telegraphy apparatus” without a licence “save as provided by Section 4”.
  • Section 4 of the Act allows the central government to make rules under the Act to “exempt any person or any class of persons from the provisions of this Act either generally or subject to prescribed conditions, or in respect of specified wireless telegraphy apparatus”.

According to the Department of Telecommunications says: “Satellite phones are permitted: (i) With specific permission/ NOC from Department of Telecommunications, Government of India; or (ii) As provisioned by M/s BSNL in accordance with license granted to M/s BSNL for provision and operation of satellite-based service using Gateway installed in India.”

 

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

DELHI BREATHES ITS CLEANEST POST-DEEPAVALI AIR IN 8 YEARS

THE CONTEXT: According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the national capital breathed the cleanest post-Deepavali air in eight years.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Though violations of the ban imposed on bursting crackers were reported from across the city leading to a spike in PM2.5 levels (particulate matter 2.5), the air quality improved with time due to favourable meteorological conditions, according to experts. PM2.5 are fine inhalable particles which can get into the bloodstream through the lungs leading to a number of respiratory illnesses.
  • Experts also attributed better air quality in the city a day after Deepavali to the festival occurring earlier this year when conditions are comparatively warmer and windier, aiding in the dispersion of the pollutants.
  • Every year, Delhi experiences extreme air pollution in winter due to internal and external factors, including stubble burning in the neighbouring States.

Why better?

  • Explaining the meteorological factors behind the fall in PM2.5 levels, experts say when Deepavali occurs later in the year “temperature drops and wind speed also drops. As wind speed drops, pollutants are not effectively dispersed and this leads to their accumulation”.
  • As temperature drops, the mixing height (the height measured from the surface of the earth up to which pollutants can be dispersed in the atmosphere) also reduces.
  • “When wind speed falls and mixing height lowers at the same time, the air gets trapped and this leads to higher pollution. But this year it was warmer, the wind speed was better and the mixing height was also not so low.
  • That is why though firecrackers were burst, there was a dispersion of pollutants and it did not lead to a build-up”.

VALUE ADDITION:

Why Delhi air pollution rises in October?

  • Northwesterly Winds: Month of October marks the withdrawal of Monsoon winds (South-West) from North India, leading to the arrival of North-Easterly winds.
    • Monsoon winds carry Moisture and rainfall all over the country, whereas northwesterly winds carry dust from dust storms originating in Rajasthan and sometimes Pakistan and Afghanistan.
    • As per the study conducted by scientists at the National Physical Laboratory, 72 per cent of Delhi’s wind in winters comes from the northwest, while the remaining 28 per cent comes from the Indo-Gangetic plains.
    • One of such examples is a storm of 2017, originated from Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait that led to a drastic dip in Delhi’s air quality in a couple of days.
  • Low-level inversion: Another factor is the temperature dip in the month of October. Low-temperature results in low-level inversion i.e. the layer that stops the upward movement of air from the layers below. It leads to the concentration of pollutants in the air at the lower heights.
  • Wind speed: High wind speed in summers facilitates the faster movement of particulate matters in the air. As the wind speed decreases in winters, the air is not able to draw the pollutant away from a region.
  • Industrial chimney wastes: There are a number of industries which are source of pollution. The chief gases are SO2 and NO2. There are many food and fertilizers industries which emit acid vapours in air.
  • Automobiles pollution: The Toxic vehicular exhausts are a source of considerable air pollution. In all the major cities of the country about 800 to 1000 tonnes of pollutants are being emitted into the air daily, of which 50% come from automobile exhausts. According to the IIT Kanpur study, 20 % of PM 2.5 in winters comes from vehicular pollution.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)

  • It is a statutory organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. It was established in 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of pollution) Act, 1974.
  • It is also entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
  • It provides technical services to the Ministry of Environment and Forests under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
  • It Co-ordinates the activities of the State Pollution Control Boards by providing technical assistance and guidance and also resolves disputes among them.
  • It is the apex organisation in country in the field of pollution control.

 

THE PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THIS WORD MEANS: HAWK AIR DEFENCE EQUIPMENT

THE CONTEXT: The United States is considering retrieving older HAWK air defence equipment from storage to send to Ukraine which is facing a heavy barrage of Russian drone-fired and cruise missiles.

THE EXPLANATION:  

HAWK after Stinger

  • The HAWK interceptor missiles would be an upgrade to the Stinger missile system, which is a smaller, shorter-range air defence system. The US sent the shoulder-fired anti-aircraft Stingers to Ukraine early on in the war, and then placed orders for more stocks of the missiles with Raytheon Technologies Corp. after they demonstrated great success in stopping Russian air assaults.
  • The US would likely initially send interceptor missiles for the HAWK system to Ukraine because it was unclear if enough US launchers — in storage for decades — were in good repairs.

PATRIOT predecessor

  • HAWK, short for ‘Homing All the Way Killer’, entered service with the US Army in 1959, during the Vietnam war. It underwent upgrades over the decades that followed, including a major one in 1971 that produced the so-called I-HAWK (or improved HAWK), with a kill probability of 85%.
  • The HAWK system was the predecessor to the PATRIOT missile defence system that Raytheon built in the 1990s. US forces largely stopped using HAWK from the early years of the new century. PATRIOT remains off the table for Ukraine.

 

 

THE CONTROVERSY AROUND BHOOTA KOLA RITUAL DEPICTED IN KANTARA

THE CONTEXT: Kannada film Kantara is being appreciated from all corners for its visual storytelling as well as compelling music and performances. However, the movie has also garnered controversies regarding the cultural practice of Bhoota Kola depicted in the movie.

THE EXPLANATION:  

What is Bhoota Kola?

Bhoota Kola is an annual folk ritual of Tulu-speaking people in Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada and Udupi in Karnataka where local spirits or deities are worshiped.

  • As per Tulu Adivasi tradition, Bhoota Kola or Daiva Kola is a “non-vedic” ritual where Bhootas or Daivas (guardians and ancestors) are worshipped, reports The Quint.
  • “Idols representing ‘bhoothas’ are taken out in a procession to the beating of drums and bursting of firecrackers.

Performance: Bhootada Kola is performed by a trained person who is believed to have temporarily become a god himself.

  • The performer displays an aggressive outlook, dances fiercely and performs multiple rituals.
  • This performer is feared and respected in the community and is believed to give answers to people’s problems on behalf of god. Drums and music give company to the dancing and pooja rituals.

Popular Bhootas: Panjurli, Bobbarya, Pilipoota, Kalkuda, Kalburti, Pilichamundi, Koti Chennaya are some of the popular gods (Bhootas) worshipped as part of Bhootada Kola.

Influence: Bhootada Kola is said to have some influence from Yakshagana, a more popular and widely performed folk dance in coastal Karnataka. Some of the Bhootada Kola rituals also involve walking on a bed of hot coal.

 

CYCLONE SITRANG’

THE CONTEXT: According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) the developing cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal — Cyclone Sitrang — will bypass Odisha and make landfall near West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The India Meteorological Department forecasted that a low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal.
  • The low-pressure area in turn could intensify into a cyclonic storm that could affect Odisha, West Bengal, the northern part of Andhra Pradesh and adjoining areas.

The name Sitrang

  • The name Sitrang has been given by
  • Sitrang will follow cyclone Asani, which developed in the Bay of Bengal in early May this year. This will be the second cyclonic storm of 2022.
  • The cyclones that are forming over the north Indian Ocean, including the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, are given names by IMD. Thirteen members—Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen—are given warnings about tropical cyclones and storm surges by the IMD.

 

 

 

 

 

 




DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (OCTOBER 18, 2022)

SOCIAL ISSUES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

GLOBAL MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY INDEX (MPI) 2022

THE CONTEXT: Recently a study was released by the research centre Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) which states that India is among many countries that have reduced poverty significantly faster.

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:

  • It is the first time that the report highlights a special section on India, giving information on 15 years of trends in the country.
  • The number of poor people in India dropped by about 415 million over the last 15 years, the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index report has revealed. However, the country still has the highest number of poor people and children worldwide.
  • About 71 per cent of the data for the country from the Demographic and Health Survey was obtained in 2019 before the pandemic and the rest in 2021.
  • The poorest states reduced poverty the fastest and deprivations in all indicators fell significantly among poor people.
  • Poverty among children fell faster, it indicated. However, India has the world’s highest number of poor children, amounting to a total of 97 million or about 21.8 per cent of the Indian children population between the ages 0 and 17 years.
  • Half of the poor people in India, accounting for about 593 million are children under 18 years of age. This means that one in every three children lives in poverty compared to the one in seven ratio among adults.
  • About 140 million exited poverty since 2015-16 as per the Demographic and Health Survey for India. Also, the MPI value and incidence of poverty more than halved from 0.283 in 2005-06 to 0.122 in 2015-16 and reduced again to 0.069 in 2019-21.
  • Meanwhile, the incidence of poverty dropped from 55.1 per cent to 16.4 per cent over 15 years.
  • Nationally, the relative drop between 2015-16 and 2019-21 was faster at the rate of 11.9 per cent annually compared with 8.1 per cent per year between 2005-06 and 2015-16.

About Global Multidimensional Poverty Index

Definition: The global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) is an international measure of acute multidimensional poverty covering over 100 developing countries.

  • It complements traditional monetary poverty measures by capturing the acute deprivations in health, education, and living standards that a person faces simultaneously.

Developed by: The global MPI was developed by Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) for inclusion in UNDP’s flagship Human Development Report in 2010.

 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

HOW DOES TOKENISATION PREVENT ONLINE CARD FRAUD?

THE CONTEXT: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has mandated the tokenisation of credit/debit cards for online merchants from October 1. Till then, card details for online purchases were stored on the servers of these merchants in order to help customers avoid keying in their details every time they shopped with that merchant.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is tokenisation?

  • As per the RBI’s FAQ on tokenisation updated late last month, tokenisation “refers to the replacement of actual card details with an alternative code called the ‘token’, which shall be unique for a combination of card and the token requestor (i.e. the entity which accepts the request from the customer for tokenisation of a card and passes it on to the card network to issue a corresponding token).”

Why is tokenisation necessary?

  • When you visit a restaurant, or even an ATM machine, it is possible for card thieves to clone your card with a skimmer, a gadget that quietly reads the magnetic strip at the back of your card.
  • Similarly, hackers can also break into online websites and mobile apps that store your credit card details. Such data breaches could give con artists access to millions of cards in one go which are then sold on the dark web.
  • To help lessen the chances of such fraud, some banks have mandated the use of an OTP delivered to your registered mobile number to withdraw cash at ATMs. Other banks have enabled the use of their mobile app to allow cash withdrawal without the physical use of cards.
  • Some credit card-issuing banks allow limits that you can set up yourself, per day, per transaction, etc on the bank’s app. The tokenisation mandate of the RBI is a similar exercise in caution.

What are the benefits of tokenisation?

  • According to RBI, a tokenised card transaction is safer as the actual card details are not shared with the merchant.
  • Even if a hacker/scammer were to get their hands on one’s token number, they would not be able to make indiscriminate use of it.
  • The token generated upon request for a specific merchant is unique to a specific card number and is usable only on that particular site or mobile app.
  • The token is useless outside of that merchant’s ecosystem.” The “new mandate is only for the use of credit/debit cards online. For offline merchants, users would continue to swipe the cards on the POS machines as per previously existing guidelines.”
  • Popular card network Visa further explains the concept of tokenisation through the example of a metro train ticket. It is useful only for that route and not on any other. Similarly, the unique token generated for a specific site is only applicable on that site and nowhere else.
  • And if an undesirable third-party gains access to that specific token and shops within that specific website, the chances of identifying the party are more as their login and phone details would be with the site.

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

WHAT ARE GREEN CRACKERS & HOW DO WE IDENTIFY THEM?

THE CONTEXT: According to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), green crackers are only allowed in cities and towns where air quality is poor or moderate and helps to reduce sound emissions.

THE EXPLANATION:

Difference between green and traditional crackers:

  • Both green and traditional crackers cause pollution, and people should refrain from using either. The only difference is that green crackers cause 30 per cent less air pollution than traditional ones.
  • Green crackers reduce emissions substantially, absorb dust, and don’t contain any hazardous elements such as barium nitrate. Toxic metals in traditional crackers are replaced with less dangerous compounds in green crackers. According to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), green crackers are allowed only in cities and towns where air quality is poor or moderate.

What are the toxic metals released from conventional crackers?

  • Crackers release many toxic metals that can be harmful to health. The white colour emitted through crackers is aluminium, magnesium and titanium, while the orange colour is carbon or iron.
  • Similarly, the yellow colour emits sodium compounds, while blue and red are copper compounds and strontium carbonates. The green agent is barium monochloride salts, barium nitrate, or barium chlorate.

What damage can these chemicals do when people are exposed to them?  Who is vulnerable to them?

  • Crackers can impact the nervous system, while copper triggers respiratory tract irritation, sodium causes skin issues, and magnesium leads to mental fume fever.
  • Cadmium not just causes anaemia but also damages the kidney, while nitrate is the most harmful that causes cognitive impairment. The presence of nitrite irritates mucous membranes, eyes and skin.
  • Experts added that the most vulnerable population are infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions. Yet no one remains untouched by the harm these chemicals cause.

 5TH ASSEMBLY OF INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ALLIANCE (ISA)

THE CONTEXT: Recently 5th Assembly of International Solar Alliance (ISA)  began in New Delhi under India’s presidentship. Participants from 109 countries will be sharing their experiences towards a low-carbon economy through the promotion of solar energy.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The Assembly is the apex decision-making body of the International Solar Alliance makes decisions concerning the implementation of the ISA’s Framework Agreement.
  • The Assembly meets annually at the ministerial level at the ISA’s seat.

About International Solar Alliance (ISA)

  • The ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France to mobilise efforts against climate change through the deployment of solar energy solutions.
  • It was presented by the leaders of the two countries at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Paris in 2015.
  • Headquarters: India
  • The Assembly is the apex decision-making body of the ISA. It meets annually at the Ministerial level at the seat of the ISA.
  • Membership: A total of 80 countries have signed and ratified the ISA Framework Agreement and 101 countries have only signed the agreement.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES IN THE NEWS

PRADHAN MANTRI BHARTIYA JAN URVARAK PARIYOJANA – ONE NATION ONE FERTILISER

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Prime Minister launched Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana – One Nation One Fertiliser.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Under the scheme, all fertiliser companies, State Trading Entities (STEs) and Fertiliser Marketing Entities (FMEs) will be required to use a single “Bharat” brand for fertilisers and logo under the PMBJP.
  • All subsidised soil nutrients – urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), Muriate of Potash (MoP), and NPK – will be marketed under the single brand Bharat across the nation.
  • With the launch of this scheme, India will have a common bag design across the country like Bharat urea, Bharat DAP, Bharat MOP, Bharat NPK, and so on.
  • The new “Bharat” brand name and PMBJP logo will cover two-thirds of the front of the fertiliser packet
  • The manufacturing brands can only display their name, logo, and other information on the remaining one-third space.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SCHEME:

The government introduced a single ‘Bharat’ brand for all subsidised fertilisers because:

  1. There are some 26 fertilisers (inclusive of urea), on which government bears subsidy and also effectively decides the MRPs.
  2. Apart from subsidising and deciding at what price companies can sell, the government also decides where they can sell. This is done through the Fertiliser (Movement) Control Order, 1973.
  3. When the government is spending vast sums of money on fertiliser subsidy (the bill is likely to cross Rs 200,000 crore in 2022-23), plus deciding where and at what price companies can sell, it would obviously want to take credit and send that message to farmers.
PM- Kisan Samruddhi Kendras (PM-KSK):

·         The Union government also intends to convert more than 3.3 lakh fertiliser retail shops in the country into PM- Kisan Samruddhi Kendras (PM-KSK) in a phased manner.

·         The PM-KSK will supply agri-inputs like seeds, fertilisers, and farm implements. It will also provide testing facilities for soil, seeds and fertilisers.

·         Information about government schemes will also be provided.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

NATIONAL MARITIME HERITAGE COMPLEX AT LOTHAL

THE CONTEXT: Recently the Prime Minister reviewed the site work progress of the National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal in Gujarat.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • It would be developed as an international tourist destination, where the maritime heritage of India from ancient to modern times would be showcased.
  • The idea is to create an edutainment (education with entertainment) approach for this destination that would be of great interest for the visitors.
  • It is going to cover an area of 400 acres, with structures such as Heritage Theme Park, National Maritime Heritage Museum, Lighthouse Museum, Maritime Institute, eco-resorts, and more.
  • There will also be many pavilions where all coastal states in India and union territories can showcase their artifacts and maritime heritage.
  • The unique feature of NMHC is the recreation of ancient Lothal city, which is one of the prominent cities of the ancient Indus valley civilization.
LOTHAL:

·         Lothal was one of the southernmost cities of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization located in Gujarat.

·         Construction of the city began around 2400 BCE.

·         According to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Lothal had the world’s earliest known dock, which connected the city to an ancient course of the Sabarmati river on the trade route between Harappan cities in Sindh and the peninsula of Saurashtra.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTION

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q1. With reference to culture of India, ‘pahandi’ refers to –

a) Annual Rath Yatra at Jagannath puri temple.

b) Kanwariyas travel during Kanwar Yatra.

c) Vaishno Devi Yatra

d) Char Dham Yatra

 

Answer: A

Explanation:

  • Puri temple is famous for its annual Ratha yatra, or chariot festival, in which the three principal deities (Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are a trio of deities) are pulled on huge and elaborately decorated temple cars.
  • At Jagannath Puri temple, annually, three deities are taken out in a chariot procession called Rath Yatra covering 3 kms along the Grand Road connecting the 12th century Shri Jagannath temple and the Mausi Maa temple. Servitors carry huge wooden idols from temple swaying them rhythmically in a ritual described as pahandi.




DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (AUGUST 27, 2022)

THE HEALTH ISSUES

1. WHAT IS THE ‘PEN-PLUS’ STRATEGY?

THE CONTEXT: Recently Africa adopted a pen-plus strategy at the 72nd session of the Regional Committee of the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) held in Lomé, Togo.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is the PEN-PLUS strategy?

  • PEN-PLUS is basically a regional strategy to address serious non-communicable diseases at first level referral health facilities.
  • This strategy supports capacity building of district hospitals and other first-class referral facilities for early diagnosis and management of serious non-communicable diseases, resulting in a reduction in mortality.
  • The strategy urges countries to establish standardized programs to combat chronic and serious non-communicable diseases to ensure that essential medicines, technologies and diagnostics are available and accessible in district hospitals.

What is a Non-Communicable Disease?

  • A disease which does not result from the presence of pathogens and may result from the imbalance in the dietary constituents, general wear and tear of tissues and uncontrolled growth of tissues, metabolic disorders or injury to any part of the body is called a non-communicable disease.
  • The non-communicable diseases include heart diseases, cancers, diabetes, asthma, Anemia, Polycythemia, Leucopenia, Hodgkin’s Disease etc.
  • Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) kill 41 million people each year, equivalent to 71% of all deaths globally.
  • Each year, more than 15 million people die from an NCD between the ages of 30 and 69 years; 85% of these “premature” deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
  • In Africa, the most prevalent severe non-communicable diseases include sickle cell disease, type 1 and insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes, rheumatic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, severe hypertension and moderate to severe and persistent asthma.

Status of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in India

  • According to the WHO report, In India, nearly 5.8 million people die from NCDs (heart and lung diseases, stroke, cancer and diabetes) every year in other words, 1 in 4 Indians has a risk of dying from NCD before they reach the age of 70.
  • The major NCDs are heart disease, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. Physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol are the main behavioural risk factors for NCD.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

2. INDIA-TANZANIA TASK FORCE FOR DEFENCE COOPERATION

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Defense Minister held bilateral talks with Dr Sturgomena Lawrence Tax, Minister of Defense and National Services of Tanzania in New Delhi.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • During the meeting, the two ministers agreed to set up a task force to prepare a five-year roadmap to enhance defence cooperation between the two countries and to hold the next joint defence cooperation meeting in Tanzania at the earliest.
  • The Defense Minister also invited his Tanzanian counterpart to the India-Africa Defense Dialogue and DefExpo, scheduled to be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from October 18-22, 2022.

India-Tanzania Relations

  • India and Tanzania have maintained warm and cordial relations. Since the 1960s and 1980s, the countries have had common interests and have raised voices together against colonialism. The countries also shared commitments to non–alignment and South-South cooperation. During the post cold war era, India and Tanzania together initiated economic reform programs.
  • The high commission of India was established in 1961 in Dar es Sallam. However, the consulate was built late in 1974 in Zanzibar. Tanzanian embassy in New Delhi is also accredited to Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
  • Several agreements were signed between India and Tanzania during PM’s visit to the country in2016. It includes an MoU on water resource management and development, a joint action plan on small industries, visa waiver agreements, vocational training centres and a line of credit of 92 million USD for the improvement of water supply in Zanzibar.
  • It has a substantial population of around 70 thousand Indian diasporas.

 THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

3. GERMANY: FLEET OF HYDROGEN-POWERED PASSENGER TRAINS

THE CONTEXT: Recently Germany launched the world’s first fleet of hydrogen-powered passenger trains to replace 15 diesel trains running on non-electrified tracks in the state of Lower Saxony.

 THE EXPLANATION:

  • The new trains are equipped with a hydrogen tank and fuel cells on the roof and will produce electricity by combining water and hydrogen. The company revealed that the excess energy produced will be stored in ion-lithium batteries.
  • The estimated cost of this project is around a 93-million-euro (USD 92 million).
  • These bright blue Coradia iLint trains are built by French TGV-maker Alstom, which are costlier than diesel-powered trains but eco-friendly.
  • The green trains can travel 600 miles (1,000km) and a maximum speed of 140 kph (87 mph) on a single tank of hydrogen, similar to the range of diesel trains.

Hydrogen trains

  • Hydrogen trains are equipped with fuel cells that produce electricity by combining hydrogen with oxygen. This conversion process only emits steam and water, thus producing zero emissions. Excess energy produced is stored in ion-lithium batteries on board the train.
  • These trains also make very little noise. Moreover, hydrogen fuel cells have advantages over batteries. Instead of recharging, they can easily be refuelled like gas or diesel engine.
  • It is also easier to build refuelling infrastructure for these trains at railway stations.
  • These trains can run for around 1,000 km on a single tank of hydrogen, similar to the range of diesel trains.
  • These trains offer an attractive prospect to many cities scrambling to combat air pollution. The only disadvantage these hydrogen trains is that they are more expensive than fossil fuel-based trains.

THE GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INTERVENTIONS

4. INTEGRATION OF GATI SHAKTI MASTER PLAN WITH GEOSPATIAL MAPS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Union Minister announced that the Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti National Master Plan will now be linked to geospatial maps to prevent unnecessary cost escalation.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • This linking will help in developing future infrastructure in a planned manner, curbing cost escalation and saving taxpayers money, besides enhancing India’s cost competitiveness.
  • As of now, 1,000 geospatial maps have been formed for forests, wildlife sanctuaries, highways and railway infrastructure, power plants and industrial zones in India. For example during the construction of an overbridge, diverting routes if a forest or wildlife sanctuary comes in the way, so it will help to figure out how to construct a bridge with the smallest length for a river, etc.

About Gati Shakti Platform

Gati Shakti platform was launched to provide information instantaneously. It will allow for better coordination among ministries. Gati Shakti Scheme was launched with the aim of achieving three basic goals namely,

  1. Seamless multimodal connectivity for facilitating easy movement of goods & people,
  2. Improved prioritisation, optimal usage of resources, timely creation of capacities, and
  3. Resolution of issues like disjointed planning, standardisation & clearances.

Aim of the Master Plan

  • This Master Plan will provide a framework for ‘The National Infrastructure Pipeline program’.
  • The plan also aims to make Indian products more competitive by cutting down their logistics costs and improving supply chains. It also aims to give a foundation for holistic infrastructure and an integrated pathway for the economy.
  • It will help the local manufacturers of India in turning globally competitive.
  • Apart from that, this scheme of worth over one hundred lakh crore rupees will create employment opportunities for the youth.
  • It seeks to attract investment from worldwide to improve the infrastructure in India and will provide new direction & fresh momentum for overall infrastructure development in India.

Significance of the Plan

It is a seamless multi-modal connectivity platform and will ensure seamless movement of goods & people and will enhance ease of living & ease of doing business.

 

5. AQUACULTURE TILAPIA FISH”.

THE CONTEXT: Recently, TDB-DST enters new domain, funds its first ever ‘Aquaculture’ project using ‘state of the art’ Israeli technology for production of Tilapia Fish”. TDB-DST (Technology Development Board – Department of Science and Technology) contributes to ‘Blue Revolution’ through technology intervention, supports sustainable & responsible development of fisheries sector in India”.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is Aquaculture?

  • Aquaculture can be simply put as the controlled process of cultivating aquatic organisms, especially meant for human consumption.
  • According to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations”, The farming of aquatic organisms including fish, molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic plants. Farming implies some sort of intervention in the rearing process to enhance production, such as regular stocking, feeding, protection from predators, etc.”
  • Such farming also implies individual or corporate ownership of the stock being cultivated, the planning, development and operation of aquaculture systems, sites, facilities and practices, and production and transport.

Why is Fisheries important for India?

  • Fisheries is one of the fastest growing sectors amongst the primary producing sectors. The sector plays a vital role in the economic and overall development of the country, also referred to as the “sunrise sector”, it is poised to bring in immense potential through equitable and inclusive growth.
  • The sector is recognized as a powerful engine for providing employment to 14.5 million people and sustaining a livelihood for 28 million fishermen community of the country. Thus, the sector urges young entrepreneurs of the country to come forward and offer solutions, resolving on-ground challenges through technology interventions and innovative solutions.

 What is the Neel Kranti Mission?

  • Blue Revolution, the Neel Kranti Mission has the vision to achieve economic prosperity of the country and the fishers and fish farmers as well as contribute towards food and nutritional security through full potential utilization of water resources for fisheries development in a sustainable manner, keeping in view the bio-security and environmental concerns.
  • Its vision is to create an enabling environment for integrated development of the full potential of fisheries of the country.
  • Also, it aims to improve the income status of fishers and fish farmers keeping in view the sustainability, bio-security and environmental concerns.

The objectives include:

  • To increase the overall fish production in a responsible and sustainable manner for economic prosperity
  • To modernise the fisheries with special focus on new technologies
  • To ensure food and nutritional security
  • To generate employment and export earnings
  • To ensure inclusive development and empower fishers and aquaculture farmers
What is Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana?

·      The cabinet under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Prime Minister, came up with ‘Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)’ to bring about ‘Blue Revolution’ through sustainable and responsible development of fisheries sector in India.

·      The scheme targets to enhance fish production to 220 lakh metric tons by 2024-25, at an average annual growth rate of about 9%. The ambitious scheme also aims to double the export earnings to Rs.1,00,000 crore and generate about 55 lakhs direct and indirect employment opportunities in fisheries sector over a period of next five years.

What is the latest development and ‘Tilapia’?

  • Realising the potential of Fisheries sector, Technology Development Board, a statutory body under Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India supports M/s Fountainhead Agro Farms Private Limited, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra for ‘Advanced, Intensive, All Male Tilapia Aquaculture Project with Israeli Technology’.
  • The board has penned a mutual agreement, to provide loan assistance of Rs. 8.42 crores out of the total project cost of Rs. 29.78 crores to the company.
  • Tilapia’ has emerged to be one of the most productive and internationally traded food fish in the world.
  • The culture of tilapia has become commercially popular in many parts of the world and fishery experts have dubbed the tilapia as “aquatic chicken” due to its quick growth and low maintenance cultivation.
  • Today, if any fish could be named a global fish, no better name can be thought of than Tilapia.

 

6. ‘XYLITOL’: NEW SUGAR SUBSTITUTE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati have developed an ultrasound-assisted fermentation method to produce a safe sugar replacement called “Xylitol” from bagasse, which is the residue left after crushing sugarcane.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Xylitol, recently developed by researchers at IIT Guwahati, has reduced the fermentation time to 15 hours as against about 48 hours in conventional processes and also increased the yield of the product by about 20%.
  • Previously only 8-15% of the D-xylose from which xylitol is made is converted to xylitol which translates to a higher price for the consumer.
  • The research has also been published in the journal Bioresource Technology and Ultrasonics Sonochemistry.

What is Xylitol?

  • Xylitol, a sugar alcohol derived from natural products.
  • It has potential antidiabetic and anti-obesogenic effects, is a mild prebiotic and protects teeth from caries.
  • It is a colorless or white crystalline solid that is soluble in water.
  • Xylitol is manufactured industrially by a chemical reaction in which wood-derived D-xylose, an expensive chemical, is treated with a nickel catalyst at very high temperatures and pressures which makes the process highly energy-consuming.

Is xylitol an artificial sweetener?

Xylitol is a natural sugar substitute safe for diabetics. It is not an artificial sweetener but is a natural sugar alcohol sweetener found in the fibres of many fruits and vegetables, and can be extracted from various berries, oats, and mushrooms, as well as fibrous material such as corn husks and sugar cane bagasse. Xylitol is roughly as sweet as sucrose with only two-thirds the food energy.




DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JULY 19, 2022)

THE INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

MINORITY STATUS IN INDIA IS STATE-DEPENDENT, SAYS SC

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the apex court said , every person in India can be a minority in one State or the other. Minority status of religious and linguistic communities is “State-dependent”.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The court was hearing a petition filed by a Mathura resident, complaining that followers of Judaism, Bahaism and Hinduism, who are the real minorities in Ladakh, Mizoram, Lakshadweep, Kashmir, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Punjab and Manipur, cannot establish and administer educational institutions of their choice because of non-identification of ‘minority’ at the State level.
  • But the court indicated that a religious or linguistic community which is a minority in a particular State can inherently claim protection and the right to administer and run its own educational institutions under Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution. The court asked whether a specific notification was required.
  • This question from the Bench came in response to submissions made by a senior advocates that Hindus residing in certain States were unable to exercise their rights under Articles 29 and 30 in the absence of a specific notification declaring them a minority.
  • The petition has argued that the recognition of Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis nationally by the Centre as ‘minorities’ ignored the fact that religious communities such as Hindus were “socially, economically, politically non-dominant and numerically inferior” in several States.

VALUE ADDITION:

Minorities in India

  • They are not explicitly mentioned anywhere in the Constitution.
  • Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jain and Zoroastrians (Parsis) have been notified as minority communities under Section 2 (c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.
    • Jains were added to the list in 2014.
  • As per the Census 2011, the percentage of minorities in the country is about 3% of the total population of the country.
  • The population of Muslims are 14.2%; Christians 2.3%; Sikhs 1.7%, Buddhists 0.7%, Jain 0.4% and Parsis 0.006%.

Constitutional provisions:

  • Article 29 deals with the “protection of interest of minorities”, and says that “any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India or any part thereof having a distinct language, script or culture of its own shall have the right to conserve the same”.
  • Article 30, which deals with the “right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions”, says that all minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.
    • Minority for the purpose of Article 30 cannot have a different meaning depending upon who is legislating. Language being the basis for the establishment of different states for the purposes of Article 30, linguistic Minority will have to be determined in relation to the state in which the educational institution is sought to be established.
    • The position with regard to the religious minorities is similar since both religious and linguistic minorities have been put in power in article 30.
  • Article 350 A says there shall be a Special Officer for linguistic minorities to be appointed by the President. “It shall be the duty of the Special Officer to investigate all matters relating to the safeguards provided for linguistic minorities under this constitution and report to the President upon those matters.”

Who are the minorities who have been notified by the Indian government?

  • Currently, only communities notified by the central government under section 2(c) of the NCM Act, 1992, are recognized as minority communities.
  • With the enactment of the NCM Act, 1992, the MC was given the status of a statutory body and renamed the NCM.
  • The first Statutory National Commission was established in 1993, and five religious communities, namely Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Zoroastrians (Parsis), were notified as minority communities.
  • Jains were also notified as a minority community in 2014.

EXPLAINED: HOW CHIEF MINISTERS’ FOREIGN TRIPS ARE CLEARED, AND BY WHOM

THE CONTEXT: Delhi Chief Minister has questioned why the Centre has delayed the clearance of his trip to Singapore, where he has been invited to attend a World Cities Summit scheduled from July 31- August 3.

THE EXPLANATION:

In October 2019, the Centre had not given him the approval to attend another conference abroad, which he eventually addressed through videoconferencing.

What clearance do Chief Ministers require to travel abroad?

They have to inform the Cabinet Secretariat, which stated in a circular on May 6, 2015: “The Cabinet Secretariat and the Ministry of External Affairs should be kept informed of the proposed foreign visit, either official or private, of Chief Ministers and Ministers of State Governments/Union Territories. However, prior political clearance and FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) clearance are mandatory.” In case of Chief Ministers and Ministers of state governments, a copy of the application must also be sent to the Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA).

What is political clearance?

This comes from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). This is required not only for public servants but any government servant for a foreign trip. The MEA gets hundreds of requests for political clearance every month from ministries, secretaries, bureaucrats and other officials.

THE HEALTH ISSUES

WHAT IS THE MARBURG VIRUS, THE EBOLA-LIKE OUTBREAK NOW CONFIRMED IN GHANA?

THE CONTEXT: The first two cases of the Marburg virus, a highly infectious Ebola-like disease, have been confirmed officially by Ghana after test results were verified by a Senegal laboratory.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • According to the World Health Organisation, the first case was a 26-year-old male who checked into a hospital on June 26 and died a day later. The second case was a 51-year-old male who went to the hospital on June 28 and died the same day.
  • This outbreak is only the second time that the disease has been detected in West Africa.

 What is the Marburg virus disease?

  • Marburg virus disease (MVD), earlier known as Marburg haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal hemorrhagic fever, according to the WHO.
  • Marburg, like Ebola, is a filovirus; and both diseases are clinically similar.
  • Rousettus fruit bats are considered the natural hosts for the Marburg virus. However, African green monkeys imported from Uganda were the source of the first human infection, the WHO points out.
  • It was first detected in 1967 after simultaneous outbreaks in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany; and in Belgrade, Serbia.
  • The disease has an average fatality rate of around 50%. However, it can be as low as 24% or as high as 88% depending on virus strain and case management, says the WHO.

What are the symptoms of Marburg virus disease?

  • After the onset of symptoms, which can begin anytime between 2 to 21 days, MVD can manifest itself in the form of high fever, muscle aches and severe headache. Around the third day, patients report abdominal pain, vomiting, severe watery diarrhoea and cramping.
  • In this phase, the WHO says, the appearance of patients has been often described as “ghost-like” with deep-set eyes, expressionless faces, and extreme lethargy.
  • Between days 5 and 7, patients report bleeding from the nose, gums and blood appearing in vomits and faeces. Severe blood loss leads to death, often between 8 to 9 days after symptoms begin.

How can Marburg virus disease be diagnosed and treated?

It is difficult to clinically distinguish MVD from diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever and other viral haemorrhagic fevers. However, it is confirmed by lab testing of samples, which like Coronavirus and Ebola are extreme biohazard risks.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANISATION AND ITS STATURE IN THE MODERN WORLD

THE CONTEXT: Iran and Belarus could soon become the newest members of the China and Russia-backed Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). “In the Samarkand summit [in September], we expect the leadership to adopt a document on the obligations Iran must fulfil to gain membership.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The legal procedures of Belarus’s accession are about to start. We need to build consensus on the acceptance of Belarus,” Chinese diplomat and incumbent Secretary-General of SCO, Zhang Ming, stated last week. According to him, the suggested expansion would exhibit the collective’s rising international influence and its principles being widely accepted.

What is the SCO?

  • Founded in June 2001, it was built on the ‘Shanghai Five’, the grouping which consisted of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. They came together in the post-Soviet era in 1996, in order to work on regional security, reduction of border troops and terrorism. They endowed particular focus on ‘conflict resolution, given its early success between China and Russia, and then within the Central Asian Republics.
  • In 2001, the ‘Shanghai Five’ inducted Uzbekistan into its fold and named it the SCO, outlining its principles in a charter that promoted what was called the “Shanghai spirit” of cooperation. The charter, adopted in St. Petersburg in 2002, enlists its main goals as strengthening mutual trust and neighbourliness among the member states; promoting their effective cooperation in politics, trade, economy, research and technology, and culture. Its focus areas include education, energy, transport, tourism and environmental protection.
  • It also calls for joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region; and the establishment of a democratic, fair and rational new international political and economic order. The precise assertion, combined with some of the member states’ profiles, of building a “new international political and economic order” has often led to it being placed as a counter to treaties and groupings of the West, particularly the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
  • The grouping comprises eight member states — India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The SCO also has four observer states — Afghanistan, Iran, Belarus and Mongolia — of which Iran and Belarus are now moving towards full membership.

How is this relevant to India?

  • India acquired the observer status in the grouping in 2005 and was admitted as a full member in 2017. Through the years, the SCO hosts have encouraged members to use the platform to discuss differences with other members on the sidelines. It was on such an occasion that Prime Minister held a bilateral meeting with former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 2015 in Ufa, and Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar negotiated a five-point agreement with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Moscow conference in 2020.
  • India is also a part of the ‘Quadrilateral’ grouping with the U.S., Japan and Australia. Its association with the grouping of a rather different nature is part of its foreign policy that emphasises on principles of “strategic autonomy and multi-alignment”.

What is the organisational structure?

  • The SCO Secretariat has two permanent bodies — the SCO Secretariat based in Beijing and the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) based in Tashkent. Other than this, the grouping consists of the Heads of State Council (HSC), the Heads of Government Council (HGC) and the Foreign Ministers Council.
  • The HSC is the supreme decision-making body of the organisation. It meets annually to adopt decisions and guidelines on all important matters relevant to the organisation. The HGC (mainly including Prime Ministers) also meets annually to zero in on the organisation’s priority areas and multilateral cooperation strategy. It also endeavours to resolve present economic and cooperation issues alongside approving the organisation’s annual budget.
  • The Foreign Ministers Council considers issues pertaining to the day-to-day activities of the organisation, charting HSC meetings and consultations on international problems within the organisation and if required, makes statements on behalf of the SCO.

Is it about countering the West?

  • The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) noted in 2015 that decades of rapid economic growth had propelled China onto the world’s stage, whereas Russia found itself beset with economic turmoil following the Crimean annexation in 2014 and ejection from the G8 grouping.
  • Most recently, Russia’s action in Ukraine caused it to be subjected to sanctions on multiple fronts by the West. China, in what could be referred to as ‘distance diplomacy’, had held that security of one country should not be at the expense of another country — blaming the West (specifically referring to NATO) for the entire episode. Thus, the organisation spearheaded by both Russia and China does not find its supporters in the West.
  • The Iranian leadership has often stressed that the country must “look to the East”. This is essential not only to resist its economic isolation (by addressing the banking and trade problems on account of U.S. sanctions) from the West, but also find strategic allies that would help it to reach a new agreement on the nuclear program. In other words, using its ties with China and Russia as a leverage against the West. Additionally, it would help it strengthen its involvement in Asia.

 THE PAKISTAN AND IMF TALKS: WHAT LIES AHEAD?

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the staff-level talks between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded for the seventh and eighth review under Extended Fund Facility (EFF). The talks were originally aimed at releasing a tranche of $900 million.

THE EXPLANATION:

Finally, the IMF team reached an understanding with Pakistan to release $1.17 billion, subject to the board’s approval. This brings the total disbursement under the current EFF to $4.2 billion so far, to support policy actions under FY 2023 budget, power sector reforms, and monetary policy to restrain inflation. The latest IMF press release maintains it would consider an extension of the current EFF to end June 2023 and augment the fund amount to $7 billion.

What was the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), and why did the talks take longer to conclude?

  • The 39-month EFF between the two was signed in July 2019 to provide funds amounting to Self-Drawing Rights (SDR) — $4,268 million. The EFF was signed by Pakistan to address the medium-term balance of payment problem, work on structural impediments and increase per capita income.
  • The IMF placed demands including fiscal consolidation to reduce debt and build resilience, the market-determined exchange rate to restore competitiveness, eliminate ‘quasi-fiscal’ losses in the energy sector and strengthened institutions with transparency.

How important is the IMF support to Pakistan?

  • Pakistan’s economic situation is dire. According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan 2022, the fiscal deficit in FY 22 was $18.6 billion, and the net public debt at $252 billion, which is 66.3% of the GDP. The power sector’s circular debt is $14 billion.
  • According to the State Bank of Pakistan’s latest report, the current account deficit has peaked to $48.3 billion. The budgeted expenditure outlay for FY 23 states that 41% ($19 billion) of total expenditure will be used in debt servicing.
  • The IMF’s support in addressing the above numbers is crucial. According to the latest quarterly report of the Economic Affairs Division, during the financial year 2021-22, the IMF’s contribution to the total external debt (of $9.4 billion), is only $834 million. However, the IMF’s support is not limited to fixing the balance sheet but validates and provides economic confidence to other multilateral institutions.

Why have the Pakistan-IMF relations remained complicated? Will the new government be able to improve the trust deficit?

  • Structural reforms require long-term commitment, which has been sacrificed due to Pakistan’s short-sighted political goals; hence the urge to go to the IMF for financial stability has been repeated over time.
  • Pakistan has signed various lending instruments with the IMF and sought support from IMF around 22 times. However, only once has a programme been completed. Since the 1990s, the IMF has placed specific demands but were addressed by Pakistan in bits and pieces.
  • For example, during the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) rule in 2008, Pakistan was to implement economic reforms, including improvements in tax administration, removal of tax exemptions as well structural reforms. However, successive governments kept domestic political calculations a priority, then economic reforms.
  • The latest EFF was on the verge of collapse, but the ruling coalition government continued its efforts to revive the discussions. To address the structural benchmarks of the IMF, the authorities have worked on specific legislation, for example, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) amendment act, and the Finance Bill 2022.

What lies ahead for Pakistan and the IMF?

  • Despite the latest agreement, the road ahead for the IMF and Pakistan is not an easy one. Political calculations and the elections ahead will play a role in Pakistan’s economic decision-making.
  • In 2019, the Director-General Debt Office of the Ministry of Finance revealed that Pakistan has to pay $31 billion by 2026. Total public debt as a percentage of gross domestic product is expected to increase further.
  • There is also a narrative that Pakistan has the fifth largest population with nuclear weapons that cannot be allowed to fail. A section within Pakistan also places the geo-strategic location of the country would provide an edge for cooperation, rather than coercion. Hence, this section believes, the IMF would continue to support.
  • Given the IMF’s increased assertion, Pakistan’s political calculations and the elections ahead, the relationship between the two is likely to remain complicated.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

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

  1. Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are titled under 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 18TH JULY 2022

ANSWER: B

EXPLANATION:

  • All the elected members of the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament participate in the election
  • A vote cast by each MP or MLA is not calculated as one vote. There is a larger vote value attached to it.



DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JULY 11, 2022)

THE GEOGRAPHY: CLIMATOLOGY

EXPLAINED: WHAT ARE CLOUDBURSTS, AND WHY DO THEY OCCUR MORE IN PLACES LIKE AMARNATH

THE CONTEXT: In highly-localised rains in Amarnath, Jammu and Kashmir caused flooding and led to the deaths of at least 16 people and injuries to more than 20 others. Those who died were at a camp near the cave, a site of pilgrimage. However, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) later said that a cloudburst may not have actually occurred.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is a cloudburst?

  • A cloudburst refers to an extreme amount of rain that happens in a short period, sometimes accompanied by hail and thunder, and this has a precise definition. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) defines it as unexpected precipitation exceeding 100mm (or 10 cm) per hour over a geographical region of approximately 20 to 30 square km. Significant amounts of rainfall such as this can result in floods.
  • Basically, all instances of cloudbursts involve heavy rain in a short period, but all instances of heavy rain in a short period are not cloudbursts if they do not fit this criterion.

What can be the impact of a Cloudburst?

  • A cloudburst can have a devastating impact triggering flash floods. These floods can cause the uprooting of trees and movement of boulders and other debris. On its way down, the water gathers speed and force and can sweep aside structures in the way. Cloudbursts can also cause landslides in hilly areas while in the plains, it can lead to rapid flooding.

Why do cloudbursts occur in hilly areas like Amarnath?

  • Experts have said it is difficult to predict when exactly a cloudburst will occur, and there is little definitive data on the exact number of cloudbursts that occur in India. Due to their definition dealing with a very small area, it is difficult to accurately predict and identify cloudbursts immediately. However, they are more likely to occur in mountainous zones mainly because of terrain and elevation.
  • This is because, in hilly areas, sometimes saturated clouds ready to condense into rain cannot produce rain, due to the upward movement of the very warm current of air. Instead of falling downwards, raindrops are carried upwards by the air current. New drops are formed and existing raindrops increase in size. After a point, the raindrops become too heavy for the cloud to hold on to, and they drop down together in a quick flash.
  • A study published in 2020 examined the meteorological factors behind the cloudburst over the Kedarnath region, where a cloudburst aided the devastating 2013 floods. It found that during a cloudburst, the relative humidity and cloud cover was at the maximum level with low temperature and slow winds. “It is expected that because of this situation a high amount of clouds may get condensed at a very rapid rate and result in a cloudburst”.

THE HEALTH ISSUES

EXPLAINED: IMPACT OF DIABETES MEDICINE SITAGLIPTIN GOING OUT OF PATENT

THE CONTEXT: According to industry experts, with the diabetes medicine sitagliptin going out of patent, many pharmaceutical companies have jumped on the chance to market generic versions of the drug–a move likely to bring down the price of the medicine by at least a third, With sitagliptin not prone to causing low blood sugar episodes and being backed by robust data, doctors believe many diabetics might switch over to it if it becomes cheaper.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is sitagliptin and how does it work?

Sitagliptin is a blood sugar-lowering drug. It was first in the category called gliptins, where a protein called DPP-4 is restrained by it, and this impacts the metabolic system so that the pancreas is prompted to increase insulin secretion and regulate sugar in the blood. Another medicine from the same category developed by the pharmaceutical company Novartis, called Vildagliptin, also went off patent late last year, resulting in a subsequent price drop.

Does it have any benefit over other categories of oral drugs?

  • It was the drug of choice for treating type-2 diabetes where the body cannot regulate the blood sugar levels because it either does not produce enough insulin or resists its impact. It was toppled by a new class of drugs called SGLT-2 inhibitors, also known as gliflozins, which prevent the re-absorption of glucose from the blood when it is filtered by the kidneys, thereby reducing the blood glucose levels.
  • It was the blockbuster drug for diabetes till another type of drug came and overshadowed it. A new category of drugs, called SGLT-2 inhibitors, came in some years ago and it had a better effect on the heart and hence, is now used more frequently.
  • The second thing that happened was teneligliptin (a drug from the same category) became available at a very low price. That is why the sitagliptin market was eaten up by the SGLT-2 inhibitors and teneligliptin”.
  • “Another benefit is that it has almost no side effects. Some have a problem with hypoglycaemia (sugar level dropping too low), metformin has a major problem with gastro-intestinal side-effects, the new SGLT-2 inhibitors have a problem as far as urinary infections are concerned”.

VALUE ADDITION:

Diabetes Prevalence in India

  • There are about 1.3 billion people in India — roughly four times the population of the United States. However, 72.9 million people in India had diabetes as of 2017, which rose from 40.9 million in 2007.
  • Most of this increase is in cases of type 2 diabetes, which is caused by insulin resistance and the pancreas slowly losing the ability to make insulin. A complex set of factors can contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes, including:
  • genes
  • environment
  • lifestyle
  • Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that results from your body attacking beta cells in the pancreas that makes insulin.
  • Type 1 diabetes has increased by about 3 to 5 percent Trusted Source each year in India, according to 2015 research. Research from 2016 found that type 2 diabetes increased by an average of almost 8 percent per year in urban areas in Tamil Nadu, India since 2006.
  • These numbers are expected to rise, too. It’s estimated that there will be 134 million people living with diabetes in India by 2045.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

EXPLAINED: WHAT IS CAATSA, THE US LAW TO SANCTION TRANSACTIONS WITH RUSSIA, AND HOW IS INDIA IMPACTED?

THE CONTEXT: Recently, US Democratic Representative said the US government must not impose sanctions on India under the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for its purchase of S-400 missile weapons system from Russia.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • In the past, other American lawmakers have demanded India should not be sanctioned. In April 2021, Republican Senator, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote that if the Joe Biden administration imposes sanctions on India, it would undermine their relations and also affect the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), the strategic security grouping of the US, Japan, Australia, and India that is billed as a network of democracies in the Indo-Pacific region.
  • The Biden administration has not yet issued a clear statement on whether India might be subjected to sanctions under CAATSA, even as India began receiving the weapons from Russia in late 2021.

What is the CAATSA, and could it apply to India?

COUNTERING AMERICA’S ADVERSARIES THROUGH SANCTIONS ACT (CAATSA)

  • CAATSA is a law that came into effect in the US in 2017, meant to punish countries having deep engagements with Russia, North Korea, and Iran using economic sanctions. It said countries having a “significant transaction” with Russian intelligence and military agents will be subject to at least five kinds of sanctions.
  • Ordinary transactions will not invite sanctions, and the decision of who has sanctions imposed on them comes down to the interpretation of “significant transaction”. This is one of the various waivers or exemptions mentioned, such as the transaction not affecting US strategic interests, not endangering the alliances it is a part of, etc.
  • Section 231 of the law notifies 39 Russian entities, including all the major defence companies like Rosoboronexport, Sukhoi Aviation, Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG, transactions with whom could invite sanctions. Almaz-Antey Air and Space Defence Corporation JSC, who have made the S-400 system, are in this list.
  • India has purchased the S-400 Triumf missile systems, which have advanced capabilities to judge the distance from a target and launch a surface-to-air missile attack. Five such systems were bought by India in 2018 for US$ 5.5 billion and in November last year, their delivery began. They were deployed in Punjab.
  • However, the application of CAATSA is not limited to the S-400 and may include other joint ventures for manufacturing or developing weapons in the future, or any other kinds of major deals with Russia.

Why did the US enact a law like CAATSA?

  • The US flagged issues of Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 Presidential elections, and its role in the Syrian war as some of the reasons for punishing engagement with it. Former US President Donald Trump, who was accused of “colluding” with Russia in the elections and during whose term it came into effect, called the Act “seriously flawed”.
  • EU countries such as France and Germany that had even more significant ties with Russia for oil and gas supply before the Ukraine-Russia conflict in 2022, had also criticised CAATSA.
  • In 2020, Turkey was sanctioned for its purchase of the S-400 system.

So why has India not faced CAATSA sanctions yet?

  • The US has never categorically stated whether CAATSA would apply to India. In March 2022, it was reported that President Biden was yet to decide on the matter.
  • With the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the US hardening its stance against Russia, India has continued its neutrality and not joined any of the sanctions against Russia imposed by Western countries. India has mentioned the need for the S-400 missiles for its border defence several times in the past.

VALUE ADDITION:

ABOUT S-400

  • India had bought five units of the system in 2018 and had made the first tranche of the payment, $800 million, a year later.
  • The S-400 is among the most advanced air-defence systems in the world, with a range of around 400 km. It is capable of protecting its air defence bubble against rockets, missiles, cruise missiles and even aircraft.
  • The system is already available with China, which has deployed it along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh amid the 18-month military standoff.

Significance of S-400

  • The S-400 is considered the most advanced air-defence system worldwide. The missile is capable of protecting its air defence bubble against missiles, rockets, cruise missiles and aircraft. This system is available with China, which was deployed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, amid a military standoff with India.

About S-400 Triumf

  • S-400 Triumf is a mobile, surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. It was developed by Almaz Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering in the 1990s, as an upgrade to the S-300 family.
  • The first battalion of the newest surface-to-air missile systems assumed duty on August 6, 2007. China was the first foreign buyer of the missile, in 2014.
  • Since then, countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Belarus and India have all acquired or expressed interest in the system. S-400 missile systems are organized across the 30K6E administration system. It is having a range of 400kms.

 

EXPLAINED: WHY SRI LANKA’S ECONOMY COLLAPSED, AND WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE ISLAND NATION?

THE CONTEXT: Amid the economic crisis, both PM Wickremesinghe and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa agreed to resign amid mounting pressure from protesters who stormed both their residences and set fire to one of them.

THE EXPLANATION:

Sri Lankans are skipping meals as they endure shortages and lining up for hours to try to buy scarce fuel. It’s a harsh reality for a country whose economy had been growing quickly, with a growing and comfortable middle class, until the latest crisis deepened.

How serious is this crisis?

  • The government owes $51 billion and is unable to make interest payments on its loans, let alone put a dent in the amount borrowed. Tourism, an important engine of economic growth, has sputtered because of the pandemic and concerns about safety after terror attacks in 2019. And its currency has collapsed by 80 per cent, making imports more expensive and worsening inflation that is already out of control, with food costs rising 57 per cent.
  • The result is a country hurtling towards bankruptcy, with hardly any money to import gasoline, milk, cooking gas and toilet paper.
  • Political corruption is also a problem; not only did it play a role in the country squandering its wealth, but it also complicates any financial rescue for Sri Lanka.

How is it affecting real people?

  • Tropical Sri Lanka normally is not lacking for food, but people are going hungry. The UN World Food Program says nearly nine of 10 families are skipping meals or otherwise skimping to stretch out their food, while 3 million are receiving emergency humanitarian aid.
  • Doctors have resorted to social media to try to get critical supplies of equipment and medicine. Growing numbers of Sri Lankans are seeking passports to go overseas in search of work. Government workers have been given an extra day off for three months to allow them time to grow their own food.
  • In short, people are suffering and desperate for things to improve.

What is the government doing about the crisis?

  • So far Sri Lanka has been muddling through, mainly supported by $4 billion in credit lines from India. An Indian delegation came to the capital, Colombo, in June for talks on more assistance, but Wickremesinghe warned against expecting India to keep Sri Lanka afloat for long.
  • Sri Lanka has also sought more help from China. Other governments like the US, Japan and Australia have provided a few hundred million dollars in support.
  • Earlier in June, the United Nations launched a worldwide public appeal for assistance. So far, projected funding barely scratches the surface of the $6 billion the country needs to stay afloat over the next six months.

 

THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

SUSTAINABLE USE OF WILD SPECIES CAN MEET NEEDS OF BILLIONS: IPBES 9 REPORT

THE CONTEXT: A report released by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has stated that about 50,000 wild species globally can meet the needs of billions of people.

THE EXPLANATION:

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT:

  • The report was released, after delegates from 140 countries came together to discuss and reach an outcome on the sustainable use of wildlife. The report is the first of its kind and has been conceived after a period of four years.
  • With about 50,000 wild species used through different practices, including more than 10,000 wild species harvested directly for human food, rural people in developing countries are most at risk from unsustainable use, with lack of complementary alternatives often forcing them to further exploit wild species already at risk.
  • “One out of five source their food from wild plants, algae and fungi, while 2.4 billion depend on firewood for cooking and around 90 per cent of the 120 million population pursuing fisheries rely on small-scale fishing,”
  • The use of wild species defines identities and livelihoods and also holds cultural significance, according to the report. Certain species have cultural importance as they offer multiple benefits that define tangible and intangible features of people’s cultural heritage.
  • Helping indigenous and local communities maintain their ability to use wild species sustainably and protecting their cultural practices associated with them would ensure their survival. The use of wild species is also a source of culturally meaningful employment for such communities and they have engaged in the trade of wild species and materials since millennia.

The report noted that indigenous people and local communities used local knowledge, practices and spirituality for the sustainable use of wild species. They respected nature and only took what they needed. This ensured that healthy populations of wild species were maintained.

  • The assessment shortlisted five categories of practices used for wild species — fishing, gathering, logging, terrestrial animal harvesting which includes hunting and non-extractive practices such as observing.
  • The report examined specific uses for each category regarding food, materials, medical benefits, energy, recreational and ceremonial purposes and decorations over the past two decades.
  • It indicated the increasing use of wild species but added that its sustained use has been varied.
  • Fromentin cited an example of fisheries. “Recent global estimates confirm that about 34 per cent of marine wild fish stocks are overfished and 66 per cent are fished within biologically sustainable levels. But within this global picture, there are significant local and contextual variations”.
  • Countries with robust fisheries management had seen stocks increasing in abundance. “The Atlantic bluefin tuna population, for instance, has been rebuilt and is now fished within sustainable levels”.
  • The report also presented concerns of effective regulations without which the unsustainable use and trade would increase, leading to population collapse. It also cited illegal use and illegal trade in wild species which is estimated to be about $199 billion (Rs 150,000,000 lakh).
  • The report further found that characteristics like integration of diverse value systems, equitable distribution of costs and benefits, changes in cultural norms and social values and effective institutions and governance systems would facilitate the sustainable use of wild species in future.
  • It stressed that the sustainable use of wild species needed “constant negotiation and adaptive management” along with a common understanding of “sustainable use”.
About IPBES

Established in 2012, the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is an international organization committed to strengthening the role of science in public decision-making on biodiversity and ecosystem services.

To achieve this, IPBES will:

  • respond to government requests for information on biodiversity and ecosystem services;
  • identify and prioritize key scientific information needed for policymakers;
  • perform regular and timely, scientifically credible, independent, and peer-reviewed assessments of knowledge on biodiversity and ecosystem services on a comprehensive global, regional, and sub-regional scale;
  • support policy formation and implementation by identifying relevant tools and methodologies;
  • identify and create key capacity-building tools to support the use of science in policy.

 

EXPLAINED: HEALTHY STOCK IN RESERVOIRS

THE CONTEXT: According to Central Water Commission, despite a poor pre-monsoon season, especially during March and April (2022) when the all-India rainfall was 32% short of normal, reservoirs in the country have accumulated reasonably healthy stock overall in July so far. This is because surplus rainfall during the northeast monsoon of 2021 kept stocks replenished through the summer of 2022.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The Central Water Commission (CWC) monitors the water status of 143 reservoirs. As on July 7, the collective stock was 53.649 billion cubic metres (BCM), compared to 56.253 BCM at the same time last year. In other words, the present stock amounts to 95% of the live storage available this time last year. And in half these reservoirs, the water stock is higher than it was in July last year (2021).

Region by region

  • Ten dams in the Northern Region — in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan — have 24% of their total live storage capacity, or 4.79 BCM. At this time last year, the stock was 18%. For comparison, the ten-year average is 33% of the live storage capacity in these 10 reservoirs.
  • In the 21 reservoirs of the Eastern Region (Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Tripura, Nagaland and Bihar), whose total live storage capacity is 20.09 BCM, the available live storage on July 7 was 3.66 BCM (18%) — less than in July 2021 (32%) and less than the ten-year average (24%).
  • In the Western Region (Gujarat and Maharashtra), which have 46 reservoirs monitored by the CWC, the current storage is at 26% of total live capacity (9.36 BCM available out of 36.41 BCM total capacity), which is less than the 29% of July 2021.
  • In the Central Region (Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh), the 26 reservoirs together have 14.57 BCM or 30% of the total live storage capacity, which is higher than in July 2021 and the ten-year average of 26%.
  • The Southern Region (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka) has 40 reservoirs. Their combined stock is 40% of their total live storage capacity, compared to 41% in July last year, but much higher than the ten-year average of 23%.
  • With the southwest monsoon in the active phase since June 30, and widespread rainfall forecast during the next five days over most regions of the country, reservoir stocks are set to get further replenished. In the last one week itself, many dams in Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra have seen their stocks rise significantly.
  • Southwest monsoon rainfall has been below normal so far from East Uttar Pradesh (–48%), Gangetic West Bengal (–46%), Jharkhand (–43%), Kerala (–35%), Madhya Maharashtra (–24%), Odisha (–22%), Gujarat (–21%). Good rain spells will need to continue to make up for deficit stocks in dams along some of these states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. On the other hand, larger states like Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, as well as Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Nagaland, have better stocks than last year.

VALUE ADDITION:

Significance of Dams

  • Source of Clean Energy: Dams are the sources of clean power. Many countries have embraced dams as a way to reduce reliance on expensive fossil fuels.
  • Irrigation: Dams and waterways store and provide water for irrigation so farmers can use the water for growing crops.
    • In areas where water and rain are not abundant (like the desert), irrigation canals from rivers and dams are used to carry water.
  • Prevent Flooding: Dams, if planned well, help in preventing floods. They catch extra water so that it doesn’t run wild downstream.
  • Source of Drinking Water: Since the water stored in dams is freshwater, it can also be used as drinking water.
About CWC:

·         Central Water Commission is a premier Technical Organization of India in the field of Water Resources and is presently functioning as an attached office of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India.

·         Functions: The Commission is entrusted with the general responsibilities of initiating, coordinating and furthering in consultation of the State Governments concerned, schemes for control, conservation and utilization of water resources throughout the country, for purpose of Flood Control, Irrigation, Navigation, Drinking Water Supply and Water Power Development. It also undertakes the investigations, construction and execution of any such schemes as required.

 

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

  1. Consider the following statements about Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA):
  2. CAATSA meant to punish countries having deep engagements with Russia, North Korea, and Iran using economic sanctions.
  3. India has purchased the S-400 Triumf missile systems, However, the application of CAATSA is not limited to the S-400.

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWER FOR 9TH JULY 2022

ANSWER: B

EXPLANATION:

What is a derecho?

  • A derecho, according to the US’s National Weather Service is “a widespread, long-lived, straight-line windstorm” that is associated with a “band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms”. The name comes from the Spanish word ‘la derecha’ which means ‘straight’. Straight-line storms are those in which thunderstorm winds have no rotation unlike a tornado. These storms travel hundreds of miles and cover a vast area.
  • Being a warm-weather phenomenon, a derecho generally – not always – occurs during summertime beginning in May, with most hitting in June and July. However, they are a rare occurrence as compared to other storm systems like tornadoes or hurricanes.
  • For a storm to be classified as a derecho it must have wind gusts of at least 93 km per hour; a wind damage swath extends more than 400 km. According to University of Oklahama’s School of Meteorology, the time gap between successive wind damage events should not be more than three hours.



DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JULY 04, 2022)

THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL ISSUES

EXPLAINED: WHAT IS ANTHRAX, THE INFECTIOUS DISEASE FOUND IN KERALA?

THE CONTEXT: After finding several carcasses of wild boar, Kerala health officials confirmed the presence of anthrax, a serious infectious disease caused by spore-forming bacteria, in Athirappilly of Thrissur district.

THE EXPLANATION:

Anthrax has usually been found in India’s southern states and is less frequently found in the northern states. Over the past years, it has been reported in Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Odisha and Karnataka.

What is Anthrax?

  • Anthrax, also known as malignant pustule or woolsorter’s disease, is a rare but serious disease caused by rod-shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis. It occurs naturally in soil and, according to the WHO it is primarily a disease of herbivores, with both domestic and wild animals being affected by it.
  • Anthrax is a zoonotic disease, meaning that it is naturally transmissible from animals (usually vertebrae) to humans. People can get the disease through contact with infected animals or animal products that are contaminated with bacteria.
  • According to the WHO, Anthrax is generally regarded as non-contagious. There have been instances of person-to-person transmission, however, such instances are extremely rare.

How do animals get Anthrax?

  • Domestic and wild animals can get infected when they breathe in or ingest spores in contaminated soil, plants or water.
  • According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s National Health Portal, Herbivorous animals can get the disease through contaminated soil and feed, while omnivorous and carnivorous animals get infected through contaminated meat, bones and other feeds. Wild animals get sick through feeding on anthrax-infected carcasses.

How do humans get infected?

  • Humans almost always contract the disease directly or indirectly from animals or animal products.
  • People get infected with anthrax when spores enter the body, through breathing, eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water, or through cuts or scrapes in the skin. The spores then get “activated” and multiply, spreading across the body, producing toxins and causing severe illness.

Use in Bioterrorism:

  • Anthrax has been used in biological warfare by agents and by terrorists to intentionally infect.
  • It was spread in the US through mail. It killed 5 people and made 22 sick.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

EXPLAINED: HOW KERALA HAS STRUGGLED TO IDENTIFY BUFFER ZONES AROUND ITS PROTECTED FORESTS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, in its order on (June 3, 2022) said national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and such protected forests must have an ESZ of a minimum 1 km from their boundaries.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The court said the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MEF & CC) on 9 February 2011, which have either banned or regulated a bunch of activities within the ESZ, should be strictly adhered to.
  • In 2011, the environment ministry had issued a set of guidelines, which either completely banned or regulated certain activities in ESZ. The banned activities are mining, running of sawmills, polluting industries, commercial use of fire woods, mega hydel-power projects and manufacturing of hazardous objects. Mining would be allowed only for local use, the guidelines said.
  • The permissible activities are ongoing agricultural and horticulture practices, rainwater harvesting, organic farming and the adoption of green technology for all activities.

About ESZs:

  • Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) or Ecologically Fragile Areas (EFAs) are areas notified by the MoEFCC around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.
  • The purpose of declaring ESZs is to create some kind of “shock absorbers” to the protected areas by regulating and managing the activities around such areas.
  • They also act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection.
  • The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 does not mention the word “Eco-Sensitive Zones”.
  • An ESZ could go up to 10 kilometres around a protected area as provided in the Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 2002.
  • Moreover, in the case where sensitive corridors, connectivity and ecologically important patches, crucial for landscape linkage, are beyond 10 km width, these should be included in the ESZs.

Significance of ESZ:

  • The purpose of declaring ESZs around national parks, forests and sanctuaries is to create some kind of a “shock absorber” for the protected areas.
  • These zones would act as transition zone from areas of high protection to those involving lesser protection.

VALUE ADDITION:

SIGNIFICANCE OF WESTERN GHATS:

  • Older than the Himalayan mountains, the mountain chain of the Western Ghats represents geomorphic features of immense importance with unique biophysical and ecological processes.
  • The site’s high montane forest ecosystems influence the Indian monsoon weather pattern. Moderating the tropical climate of the region, the site presents one of the best examples of the monsoon system on the planet.
  • It also has an exceptionally high level of biological diversity and endemism and is recognized as one of the world’s eight ‘hottest hotspots’ of biological diversity.
  • The forests of the site include some of the best representatives of non-equatorial tropical evergreen forests anywhere and are home to at least 325 globally threatened flora, fauna, bird, amphibian, reptile and fish species

Connect the Dots:

  • Madhav Gadgil and Kasthurirangan Committees are related to the Western Ghats.

EXPLAINED: IS GROWING SPACE TOURISM POSING A RISK TO THE CLIMATE?

THE CONTEXT: Recently, an article published in the journal, Earth’s Future wherein researchers from University College London (UCL), the University of Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that the soot emissions from rocket launches are far more effective at warming the atmosphere compared to other sources.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The researchers state that routine launches by the rapidly growing space tourism industry “may undermine progress made by the Montreal Protocol in reversing ozone depletion.”
  • They argue that there is an urgent need for environmental regulation to reduce the climatic damage from this fast-growing industry.

Space tourism industry

  • According to the authors of the recent study published in Earth’s Future, “The space industry is one of the world’s fastest-growing sectors”.
  • From $350 million in 2019, the industry is forecasted to grow to more than $1 trillion by 2040. With companies like Virgin Galactic, SpaceX and Blue Origin launching commercial space flights, space tourism has become, at least theoretically, a possibility for enthusiasts.

What are the study’s findings?

  • Unlike other sources of pollution, the study finds that environmental damage caused by rockets is far greater, as they emit gaseous and solid chemicals directly into the upper atmosphere.
  • The space tourism’s current growth trends also indicate a potential for the depletion of the ozone layer above the Arctic. This is because the pollutants from rocket fuel and heating caused by spacecraft returning to Earth, along with the debris caused by the flights are especially harmful to the ozone layer.
  • What is of great concern is the black carbon (BC) soot that is emitted by rockets directly into the atmosphere. These soot particles have a far larger impact on the climate than all other sources of soot combined, as BC particles are almost 500 times more efficient at retaining heat.
  • “Soot particles from rocket launches have a much larger climate effect than aircraft and other Earth-bound sources, so there doesn’t need to be as many rocket launches as international flights to have a similar impact. According to researchers, what we really need now is a discussion amongst experts on the best strategy for regulating this rapidly growing industry”.
  • The team of researchers showed that within only 3 years of additional space tourism launches, the rate of warming due to the released soot would more than double.
  • This is because of the use of kerosene by SpaceX launches and hybrid synthetic rubber fuels by Virgin Galactic.

Undermining Montreal Protocol

  • While the loss of ozone from current rocket launches is “small”, the researchers argue that in the likelihood of weekly or daily space tourism rocket launches, the recovery of the ozone layer caused by the Montreal Protocol could be undermined.
  • Researchers also noted, “The only part of the atmosphere showing strong ozone recovery post-Montreal Protocol is the upper stratosphere, and that is exactly where the impact of rocket emissions will hit hardest.

VALUE ADDITION:

MONTREAL PROTOCOL

  • The Montreal Protocol is a landmark international treaty that was adopted in Montreal in 1987 and was aimed at protecting the Earth’s ozone layer by regulating the production and consumption of nearly 100 chemicals called ozone-depleting substances (ODS).
  • The treaty phases down the consumption and production of various ODS in a stepwise manner.
  • As per the Montreal Protocol, developing and developed countries have equal and differentiated responsibilities, however all countries have to follow binding, time-targeted and measurable commitments.
  • Considered to be one of the most successful environmental interventions on the global scale, it is the first treaty to achieve universal ratification by all countries in the world.
  • The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) states that without this treaty, ozone depletion would have increased by more than ten times by 2050, as compared to current levels.

THE PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

MAYURBHANJ’S SUPERFOOD ‘ANT CHUTNEY’ READY FOR GI-TAG

THE CONTEXT: In Odisha, scientists are now fine-tuning their research to make a presentation for the Geographical Indications (GI) registry of Kai chutney.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Applied under food category, the GI tag will help develop a structured hygiene protocol in the preparation of Kai chutney for standard wider use. Geographical Indications labels enhance the reputation and value of local products and support local businesses.
  • People often keep a safe distance from red weaver ants as their sting inflicts a sharp pain and reddish bumps on the skin. Despite this, weaver ants are popular among the tribes of the Mayurbhanj district in Odisha for the mouth-watering dish made of them — the Kai chutney.
  • This savoury food item, rich in proteins, calcium, zinc, vitamin B-12, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, copper, fibre and 18 amino acids, is known to boost the immune system.
  • Weaver ants, Oecophylla smaragdina, are abundantly found in Mayurbhanj throughout the year. They make nests with leaves of host trees.

VALUE ADDITION:

About GI tag:

  • A GI is primarily an agricultural, natural or manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory.
  • Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin.

Security:

  • Once the GI protection is granted, no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products. It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product.

Who is a registered proprietor of a geographical indication?

  • Any association of persons, producers, organisation or authority established by or under the law can be a registered proprietor.
  • Their name should be entered in the Register of Geographical Indication as registered proprietor for the Geographical Indication applied for.

How long the registration of Geographical Indication is valid?

  • The registration of a geographical indication is valid for a period of 10 years. Also, It can be renewed from time to time for further period of 10 years each.
  • In India, Geographical Indications registration is administered by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 which came into force with effect from September 2003. The first product in India to be accorded with GI tag was Darjeeling tea in the year 2004-05.

EXPLAINED: WHY AUSTRALIA HAS HAD TO KILL MILLIONS OF BEES TO SAVE ITS HONEY INDUSTRY

THE CONTEXT: The recent outbreak of the deadly varroa mite, a sesame seed-sized parasite that was first spotted at a port near Sydney, Australia poses a massive threat to the country’s multimillion-dollar honey industry.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Recently, Australia was one of the few countries that was able to successfully clamp down on the spread of Varroa mite-induced plagues, known to be the biggest threat to bees worldwide.
  • According to the Australian Honeybee Industry Council, Colonies of honeybees have been put under “lockdown” as part of a wide range of biosecurity measures to limit the outbreak. “It is critically important that beekeepers in the Newcastle area do not move any hives or equipment in or out of the area”.

What is the Varroa mite?

  • The Varroa mite, or Varroa destructor, is a parasitic insect that attacks and feeds on honeybees. Reddish-brown in colour, the tiny pests are known to kill entire colonies of honeybees. They often travel from bee to bee and also via beekeeping equipment, such as combs that have been extracted.
  • The spread of the mite is largely blamed for a sharp decline in the number of honeybee colonies worldwide. It has plundered bee colonies across the globe.
  • According to Australian beekeeping website Bee Aware “Although Varroa mites can feed and live on adult honeybees, they mainly feed and reproduce on larvae and pupae in the developing brood, causing malformation and weakening of honey bees as well as transmitting numerous viruses.”

Why do bees’ matter?

  • According to a report, the latest lockdown could adversely impact the growth of several crops — including almonds, macadamia nuts and blueberries — that are dependent on hives for pollination.

THE MISCELLANEOUS

EXPLAINED: ARE HUMANS OLDER THAN WE THOUGHT? EXPLAINING THE STUDY OF THE SKELETAL REMAINS FROM SOUTH AFRICA

THE CONTEXT: According to a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, the fossils of our earlier human ancestors, located in a cave in South Africa, is a million years older than previously understood.

THE EXPLANATION:

The researchers analysed the fossilised remains of Australopithecus from Sterkfontein caves and argued they lived at the same time as their East African counterparts like the famous Lucy, complicating the way scholars have understood human evolution.

What is Australopithecus?

  • Australopithecus, meaning “southern ape”, was a group of hominins or now-extinct early humans, that was closely related to and almost certainly the ancestors of modern humans.
  • They inhabited the planet 4.4 million to 1.4 million years ago, likely encompassing a time period longer than our own genus, Homo. Their fossils have been found across sites in eastern, northern, central and southern Africa.
  • Australopithecus was originally defined by the anthropologist Raymond Dart in 1925, after the discovery of the first australopith fossil (a small child’s skull) in Tuang, South Africa. Through his research, Dart argued that early humans first evolved in Africa, challenging the conventional wisdom that they had done so in Europe and Asia.
  • Our early ancestors were bipedal in nature and travelled on the ground (but used trees for food and protection), had large teeth with thick enamel caps for chewing, and their brains were only slightly larger than apes. The facial and dental features suggest that they were able to consume tough foods, such as nuts, seeds, tubers and roots.
  • They stood at a height of around 3 ft 9 inches to 4 ft 11 inches, and likely weighed around 30 to 50 kg, with males almost double the size of females.

What are the Sterkfontein caves?

The “Cradle of Humankind” is a 47,000-hectare paleoanthropological site, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Located 40 km northwest of Johannesburg, it contains a complex system of limestone caves, where a significant number of hominin fossils have been found.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q.The Athirappilly Falls is located in which state?

a) Kerala

b) Tamil Nadu

c) Karnataka

d) Maharashtra

 

ANSWER FOR 2ND JULY 2022

Answer: D




DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JULY 02, 2022)

THE GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

QS BEST STUDENT CITIES RANKINGS 2023

THE CONTEXT: The QS Best Students Cities Rankings 2023 was published recently. In the ranking, London has been ranked as the best city.

THE EXPLANATION:

The QS Best Student Cities ranking showcases the best urban destinations for international students, based on a diverse range of indicators grouped into six key categories.

The six key categories are:

  • University rankings
  • Student mix
  • Desirability
  • Employer activity
  • Affordability
  • Student’s voice

WORLD CITIES

  • London was ranked best for students, who are looking to study abroad in terms of university standards, affordability and student facilities.
  • London is followed by Seoul and Munich in second and third place.
  • Zurich and Melbourne have been ranked fourth and fifth places.
  • Buenos Aires took the top spot in Latin America. It has been ranked 23rd

INDIAN CITIES

  • India’s highest-ranked student city is Mumbai. At the global level, it has been ranked at 103rd. Mumbai was scored for affordability. However, it struggles with student mix and desirability.
  • Mumbai is followed by Bengaluru at 114 ranks. Chennai and Delhi made their entries in the list and have been ranked at 125th and 129th places, respectively.

Arab Region

  • The best student city in Arab Region is Dubai. It has been ranked 51st place, globally.

VALUE ADDITION:

About QS Best Student Cities Ranking

  • Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) is a leading global career and education network for ambitious professionals looking to further their personal and professional development
  • The QS Best Student Cities Ranking provides independent data related to factors that are relevant to students taking their study decisions. Factors include standard of university, affordability, and quality of life, besides the views of previous students who have studied in that destination. It ranks around 140 cities worldwide.

All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE)

  • International students account for only a small fraction of overall students in India. as per the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2018-19, the number of international students who were enrolled in Indian universities was just 47,427.
  • India has aimed to attract 200,000 international students by 2023, which is four times the current total.

UN-HABITAT WORLD CITIES REPORT 2022

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the United Nations published its report titled “Habitat World Cities Report 2022”.

THE EXPLANATION:

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORTS

  • The UN-Habitat World Cities Report 2022 highlights that, rapid urbanisation in India was delayed temporarily due to covid-19 pandemic.
  • The urban population in India is estimated to reach 675 million in 2035. It will be the second-highest figure, behind China’s one billion.
  • After covid-19 pandemic, the global urban population is growing again. It will grow by another 2.2 billion by 2050.
  • India’s urban population is likely to reach 675,456,000 in 2035, as compared to 483,099,000 in 2020.
  • The percentage of the population in urban areas of India will be 43.2 per cent, by 2035.

Global Scenario

  • Urban Population in China is estimated to reach at 1.05 billion in 2035.
  • The urban population in Asia will increase to 2.99 billion in 2035.
  • Big economies such as China and India account for a large share of the world’s population. Development trajectories across these countries have influenced global inequality.
  • In the last two decades, India and China experienced rapid urbanisation and economic growth. As a result, the number of people living in poverty was reduced.

Natural Growth in Population

  • As per the report, in lower-income countries, existing urban populations continue to increase naturally with increasing birth rates. The urban population is expected to grow from 56 per cent of the world’s total in 2021 to 68 per cent by 2050.

Impact of covid-19 pandemic

  • As per the report, large-scale flight from major cities to smaller towns, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, was the short-term response. It will not hinder the course of global urbanisation.

Urban poverty and inequality

  • According to the report, urban poverty and inequality are the most intractable and highly complex problems. Overcrowded slums in Mumbai, Nairobi, Rio de Janeiro, chronic homelessness in London etc highlight that, tackling urban poverty and inequality are key priorities to building inclusive and equitable urban futures.

VALUE ADDITION:

About UN Habitat:

  • The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN–Habitat) is the United Nations agency for human settlements and sustainable urban development.
  • It was established in 1978 as an outcome of the First UN Conference on Human Settlements and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat I) held in Vancouver, Canada in 1976.
  • It is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all.
  • It is a member of the United Nations Development Group.
  • UN-Habitat reports to the United Nations General Assembly.
  • It has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

WHAT IS MEANT BY DUMPING?

THE CONTEXT: Recently, India’s optical fibre industry has seen unfair competition from cheap imports from China, Indonesia and South Korea. These countries have been dumping their products in India at rates lower than the market price.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is dumping?

  • The World Trade Organisation defines dumping as “an international price discrimination situation in which the price of a product offered in the importing country is less than the price of that product in the exporting country’s market”.
  • Therefore, dumping is, in general, a situation of international price discrimination this unfair trade practice has a negative impact on international trade.
  • Simply put, when the goods are exported by a country to a foreign country at a price lower than the price it charges in its own home market is called dumping.

IS DUMPING REALLY LEGAL?

  • Dumping is legal under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules if the foreign country can reliably show the negative effects the exporting firm has caused its domestic producers. In order to protect domestic producers from dumping, countries use tariffs and quotas.
  • To ensure dumping activities do not affect the domestic market, the Indian government has imposed anti-dumping duties against an exporter who causes any material or substantial injury to a domestic industry in India. The anti-dumping law in India is the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, which was amended in 1995.

What do we understand by the term “anti-dumping” as a concept?

  • The WTO Agreement does not regulate the actions of companies engaged in “dumping”. Its focus is on how governments can or cannot react to dumping — it disciplines anti-dumping actions, and it is often called the “Anti-dumping Agreement”.
  • Anti-dumping is a protectionist tariff, imposed by a domestic government on foreign imports that are at a price lower than the price it normally charges in its own home market.
  • Anti-dumping duty is imposed as a remedy to the distortive trade which arises due to the dumping of goods. This tool of fair competition is permitted by the WTO.
  • From a long-term perspective, anti-dumping duties can reduce the international competition of domestic companies producing similar goods.

Note: There is a difference between Anti-dumping duty and Countervailing duty.

  • Countervailing duty is a customs duty on those goods that have received some kind of government subsidy, whether in the originating or exporting country.
  • Anti-dumping duty is a form of customs duty on imports. It actually provides protection against the dumping of goods at prices substantially lower than the normal value.

What is the WTO’s provision of sunset review related to Anti-Dumping Duty?

  • Unless revoked earlier, the validity of anti-dumping duty is for five years from the date of imposition. It can be extended for a further period of five years through a sunset or expiry review investigation.
  • Simply put, it is a valuation of the need for the continued existence of a program or an agency.

Which authority in India administers trade remedial measures like anti-dumping?

  • Directorate General of Trade Remedies, the apex national authority under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry administers all trade remedial measures.
  • Trade remedial measures include anti-dumping, countervailing duties and safeguard measures.

RBI’S FINANCIAL STABILITY REPORT 2022

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released its bi-annual Financial Stability Report (FSR).

THE EXPLANATION:

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT:

  • On NPA: The asset quality of the banking system has improved with the gross non-performing assets (GNPA) ratio declining from 7.4 per cent in March 2021 to a six-year low of 5.9 per cent in March 2022.
  • Reason: Banks have reduced the GNPA ratio through recoveries, write-offs and reduction in slippages.
  • Provisioning coverage ratio (PCR): It improved to70. 9 per cent in March 2022 from 67.6 per cent a year ago.
  • PCR is the percentage of funds that a bank sets aside for losses due to bad debts. A high PCR can be beneficial to banks to buffer themselves against losses if the NPAs start increasing faster.
  • Buffer to withstand shocks: According to the RBI’s report, banks, as well as non-banking financial institutions, have sufficient capital buffers to withstand shocks, and support from it during Covid helped banks arrest their GNPA ratio.

Concerns Raised:

  • Global spillover: US rate increase and the threat of recession; Ukrain crisis; Oil price rise.
  • Risks of Fintech: The report cautioned that the advent of fintech has exposed the banking system to new risks such as safeguarding of data privacy, cyber security, consumer protection, competition and compliance with AML (anti-money laundering) policies.
  • The Indian fintech industry —is amongst the fastest growing Fintech markets in the world.
  • India has the highest fintech adoption rate globally (87 per cent), receiving funding of $8.53 billion during 2021-22.
  • The risk from BigTechs (big technology firms): They can scale up rapidly and pose a risk to financial stability, which can arise from increased disintermediation of incumbent institutions.
  • Moreover, complex intertwined operational linkages between BigTech firms and financial institutions could lead to concentration and contagion risks and issues relating to potential anti-competitive behaviour.
  • Cryptos a ‘clear danger’: RBI Governor termed cryptocurrencies as a “clear danger” and anything that derives value based on make-believe, without any underlying, is just “speculation under a sophisticated name”.
VALUE ADDITION:

Provision coverage ratio (PCR)

·         The Provisioning Coverage Ratio is the percentage of bad assets that the bank has to provide for from their own funds. In other words, it is the ability of banks to service their debt and meet their financial obligations such as interest payments or dividends.

·         The higher the coverage ratio, the easier it is to make interest payments on debt or pay dividends.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

INDIA’S LARGEST FLOATING SOLAR POWER PROJECT COMMISSIONED

THE CONTEXT: India’s largest floating Solar Power Project is now fully operational. NTPC declared Commercial Operation of the final part capacity of 20 MW out of 100 MW Ramagundam Floating Solar PV Project at Ramagundam, Telangana.

THE EXPLANATION:

    • With the operationalisation of the 100-MW Solar PV Project at Ramagundam, the total commercial operation of Floating Solar Capacity in the Southern Region rose to 217 MW. Earlier, NTPC declared Commercial operation of 92 MW Floating Solar at Kayamkulam (Kerala) and 25 MW Floating Solar at Simhadri (Andhra Pradesh).

The 100-MW Floating Solar project at Ramagundam is endowed with advanced technology as well as environment friendly features. Each block consists of one floating platform and an array of 11,200 solar modules. The floating platform consists of one Inverter, Transformer, and a HT breaker. The solar modules are placed on floaters manufactured with HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) material.

  • The entire floating system is being anchored through special HMPE (High Modulus Polyethylene) rope to the dead weights placed in the balancing reservoir bed. The power is being evacuated up to the existing switch yard through 33KV underground cables. This project is unique in the sense that a
    ll the electrical equipment including inverter, transformer, HT panel and SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) are also on floating Ferro cement platforms. The anchoring of this system is bottom anchoring through dead-weight concrete blocks.
  • From an environmental point of view, the most obvious advantage is the minimum land requirement mostly for associated evacuation arrangements. Further, with the presence of floating solar panels, the evaporation rate from water bodies is reduced, thus helping in water conservation. The water body underneath the solar modules helps in maintaining their ambient temperature, thereby improving their efficiency and generation. Similarly, while coal consumption of 1,65,000 Tons can be avoided per year; Co2 emission of 2,10,000 tons per year can be avoided.

ADD TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE

  • Solar power in India is a fast-developing industry. The country’s solar installed capacity reached 12 GW as of 30 June 2020. India has the lowest capital cost per MW globally of installing solar power plants.
  • India has established nearly 42 solar parks to make land available to the promoters of solar plants. In the decade ending 31 March 2020, India expanded its installed solar power capacity by 233 times from 161 MW to 37,627 MW.
  • Rooftop solar power accounts for 2.1 GW, of which 70% is industrial or commercial. In addition to its large-scale grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) initiative, India is developing off-grid solar power for local energy needs.
  • The International Solar Alliance (ISA), proposed by India as a founder member, is headquartered in India. India has also put forward the concept of “One Sun One World one Grid” to harness abundant solar power on a global scale.

Government Initiatives:

  • The Government of India announced a massive renewable power production target of 175,000 MW by 2022, of which 100,000 MW is from solar power.
  • The Government of India is taking a number of steps and initiatives like a 10-year tax exemption for solar energy projects.
  • The National Solar Mission aims to promote the development and use of solar energy for power generation.
  • Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) provide an incentive to those who generate green power by providing financial incentives for every unit of power they generate.

THE PRELIMS PERSPECTIVES

ASHADHI BIJ: THE KUTCHI NEW YEAR

THE CONTEXT: The Prime Minister has greeted everyone, especially the vibrant Kutchi community spread across the world, on the auspicious occasion of Ashadhi Bij.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • It is the Hindu New year observed in the Kutch region of Gujarat.
  • In other parts of Gujarat, Hindu New Year is observed on the day after Diwali which is Kartik Shukla Paksha 1.
  • Ganesha, Goddess Lakshmi and other regional deities are worshipped on the occasion.

Significance of Kutchi New Year

  • This festival marks the beginning of rains in the Kutch region of Gujarat.
  • During Ashadhi Bij, moisture in the atmosphere is checked to predict which crop would yield better in the coming monsoon.

PT PERSPECTIVES

  • Kutch is virtually an island, as it is surrounded by the Arabian Sea in the west and the Gulf of Kutch in south and southeast. The northern and eastern parts are surrounded by the Great and Little Rann (seasonal wetlands) of Kutch.
  • The history of Kutch can be traced back to prehistoric times. There are several sites related to the Indus valley civilization in the region, and it is mentioned in Hindu mythology. In historic times, Kutch is mentioned in Greek writings during Alexander.
  • It was ruled by Menander I of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom which was overthrown by Indo-Scythians followed by the Maurya Empire and Sakas. In the first century, it was under Western Satraps followed by Gupta Empire.
  • The border with Pakistan lies along the northern edge of the Rann of Kutch, of the Sir Creek. The Kutch peninsula is an example of active fold and thrust tectonism.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q1. Consider the following statements about the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of nuclear weapons (NPT):

  1. India, Israel, and Pakistan never signed the NPT and possess nuclear arsenals.
  2. The provisions of the Treaty envisage a review of the operation of the Treaty every five years.
  3. The Treaty establishes a safeguards system under the responsibility of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only

b) 3 only

c) 2 and 3 only

d) 1, 2 and 3

 

ANSWER FOR 1ST JULY 2022

ANSWER: B

EXPLANATION:

A waterspout is a column of rotating, cloud-filled wind. A waterspout descends from a cumulus cloud to an ocean or a lake. Waterspouts are similar to tornadoes but are usually smaller and less intense.

 




DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JULY 01, 2022)

THE GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

REPORT ON FUTURE PENETRATION OF ELECTRIC TWO-WHEELERS IN THE INDIAN MARKET

THE CONTEXT: NITI Aayog and Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) have released a report titled ‘Forecasting Penetration of Electric Two-Wheelers in India’.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Using a tool made by NITI Aayog and TIFAC, eight scenarios have been developed for analysing the future penetration of electric two-wheelers in the country.
  • In an optimistic scenario, the report forecasts 100% penetration of electric two-wheelers in the Indian market by FY 2026–27. In another scenario, which is technology driven and where current incentives are withdrawn by 2024, the report predicts 72% penetration by 2031.

The eight scenarios considered are:

  • Challenged Diffusion
  • Performance Driven
  • Low Battery Cost
  • Technology Driven
  • Incentive Driven
  • Battery Cost Challenged
  • Same Performance
  • Optimistic

The future scenarios have been constructed on the basis of three major factors that influence the market penetration of electric two-wheelers:

  • demand incentives
  • cost of battery
  • (iii) vehicle performance in terms of both range and power.

Four broad constraint levels have also been identified for the eight scenarios, in terms of installed vehicle manufacturing capacity and available charging infrastructure:

  • full constraint (where both vehicle production and charging infrastructure are constraints)
  • (ii) production constraint (where only vehicle production is a constraint)
  • (iii) charge constraint (where only the charging infrastructure is a constraint)
  • (iv) no constraint.

Highlights:

  • In the ‘Technology Driven’ scenario, if an R&D programme manages to enhance the range and power of electric two-wheelers by 5% annually between FY 2023–24 and 2025–26, and by 10% in FY 2026–2027, then the penetration of electric-two wheelers may reach about 72% in FY 2031–32—even with no extension of demand incentives.
  • The sale of electric two-wheelers may cross 220 lakh units in FY 2028–29 under the Optimistic’,Same Performance’ and ‘Battery Cost Challenged’ scenarios. It may reach 180 lakh units under the ‘Technology-Driven’ scenario. Under the ‘Incentive Drive’ scenario, the sale is expected to reach only 55 lakh units in FY 2031.
  • If there is sufficient installed capacity of electric two-wheelers and charging infrastructure, then sale (which finally reaches about 250 lakh units) may at some point even surpass the production under the ‘Optimistic’, ‘Same Performance’ and ‘Battery Cost Challenged’ scenarios.
  • The report provides important insights into the required infrastructure, manufacturing capability, policies, and technology-development priorities in the area.
  • The scenarios can be used by government agencies, the industry, and academic/R&D institutions for evidence-based analysis of policies, market scenarios and technology development strategies.

THE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

EXPLAINED: HOW CHINA, AND UAE ARE HELPING PAKISTAN TIDE OVER ITS ECONOMIC CRISIS

THE CONTEXT: Amid Pakistan’s current economic crisis, it may consider giving minority shares in its public-owned companies to the United Arab Emirates at a negotiated price, according to news media in Pakistan.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • China, another Pakistan ally, has also stepped in to help the country with a $2.3 billion loan.
  • As Pakistan’s economic condition has worsened over the last few years with foreign exchange reserves dipping, it has turned to various kinds of loan deals. According to data, the UAE was unwilling to give $2 billion, after Pakistan failed to pay back the loan it had received in February 2019 of the same amount.

Who all has been helping Pakistan deal with the crisis?

  • As per sources, the UAE government has offered to acquire 10 to 12 per cent shares in government-owned companies in Pakistan through its sovereign wealth funds.
  • “There is a proposal from a friendly country to purchase Pakistani companies’ stocks on a buy-back basis, which means buying secured-loan-based securities,” said Finance Minister Miftah Ismail while talking to The Express Tribune. This means that Pakistan would want to buy back the stakes in its companies after a certain period.
  • Meanwhile, China to has offered loans to Pakistan in the past in March 2019 it gave a loan of $2.1 billion to the South Asian country. It was reported that in the same year the country had received $1 billion each from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as part of the bailout packages given by the two Gulf nations. Saudi Arabia’s loans were a part of a $6 billion bailout package, which was agreed to in 2018.

Has the IMF offered help?

  • Currently, Pakistan is requesting a bailout from the IMF but has not received any confirmation for it. According to sources, the IMF has set four “tough prior conditions” that include increasing electricity tariffs, and imposing a Rs 50/litre petroleum levy. While it is not a part of the prior conditions, the IMF has also asked for an anti-corruption body set up to probe government corruption.
  • Once this is done, the IMF would present Pakistan’s request for approval to its executive board. At the end of it, approval could help the country secure a loan of USD 2 billion.

Why is wrong with Pakistan’s economy?

  • In the last few years, due to multiple factors, Pakistan has seen economic problems of worsening inflation and depletion of its foreign exchange reserves. According to the World Bank’s outlook for the country from April this year, this has been due to “long-standing structural weaknesses of the economy and low productivity growth”.
  • A “less conducive external environment for exports” has additionally contributed to a record-high trade deficit, weighing on the Pakistani Rupee.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

THE FREE FALL OF THE RUPEE

THE CONTEXT: The Indian rupee hit an all-time low against the U.S. dollar this week weakening past the 79 rupees to a dollar mark and selling as low as 79.05 against the dollar.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Many analysts expect the rupee to weaken further in the coming months and move past the 80 rupees to a dollar mark. In fact, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects the rupee to weaken past the 94 rupees to a dollar mark by FY29.

What is happening with the rupee?

  • The Indian rupee has been witnessing a steady decline this year, losing more than 6% against the U.S. dollar since the beginning of 2022. India’s forex reserves have also dropped below $600 billion, plunging by more than $50 billion since September 3, 2021, when forex reserves stood at an all-time high of $642 billion.
  • The drop in India’s forex reserves is believed to be largely due to steps taken by the Reserve Bank of India to support the rupee. RBI officials, however, have noted that the drop in forex reserves is due to a fall in the dollar value of assets held as reserves by the RBI. For instance, if a portion of the reserves are in euros and the euro depreciates against the dollar, this would cause a drop in the value of forex reserves.
  • It should be noted that, as a matter of policy, the Indian central bank has usually tried to slow down or smoothen, rather than reverse or prevent, the fall in the exchange value of the rupee against the U.S. dollar.
  • The aim of the RBI’s policy is to allow the rupee to find its natural value in the market but without undue volatility or causing unnecessary panic among investors. State-run banks are usually instructed by the RBI to sell dollars in order to offer some support to the rupee.
  • By thus selling dollars in the open market in exchange for rupees, the RBI can improve demand for the rupee and cushion its fall.

What determines the rupee’s value?

  • The value of any currency is determined by the demand for the currency as well as its supply. When the supply of a currency increases, its value drops. On the other hand, when the demand for a currency increase, its value rises. In the wider economy, central banks determine the supply of currencies, while the demand for currencies depends on the number of goods and services produced in the economy.
  • In the forex market, the supply of rupees is determined by the demand for imports and various foreign assets. So, if there is high demand to import oil, it can lead to an increase in the supply of rupees in the forex market and cause the rupee’s value to drop.
  • The demand for rupees in the forex market, on the other hand, depends on foreign demand for Indian exports and other domestic assets. So, for instance, when there is great enthusiasm among foreign investors to invest in India, it can lead to an increase in the supply of dollars in the forex market which in turn causes the rupee’s value to rise against the dollar.

What is causing the rupee to lose value against the dollar?

  • Since March this year, the S. Federal Reserve has been raising its benchmark interest rate causing investors seeking higher returns to pull capital away from emerging markets such as India and back into the U.S. This, in turn, has put pressure on emerging market currencies which have depreciated significantly against the U.S. dollar so far this year.
  • Even developed market currencies such as the euro and the yen have depreciated against the dollar and the dollar index is up more than 9% so far this year. In fact, some analysts believe that the RBI’s surprise decision to raise rates in May 2022 could have simply been to defend the rupee by preventing any rapid outflow of capital from India.
  • Moreover, India’s current account deficit, which measures the gap between the value of imports and exports of goods and services, is expected to hit a 10-year high of 3.3% of gross domestic product in the current financial year. This means that India’s import demand amid rising global oil prices is likely to negatively affect the rupee unless foreign investors pour sufficient capital into the country to fund the deficit. But foreign investors are unlikely to plough capital into India when investment yields are rising in the U.S. Yields on U.S. 10-year Treasuries, for instance, have risen from around 0.5% in mid-2020 to over 3% now.
  • The rupee, it should also be noted, has consistently lost value against the U.S. dollar for several decades now. A major reason for this has been consistently higher domestic price inflation in India. Higher inflation in India suggests that the RBI has been creating rupees at a faster rate than the U.S. Federal Reserve has been creating dollars. So, while capital and trade flows gain a lot of attention in discussions on the rupee’s value, the difference in the rates at which the U.S. Federal Reserve and the RBI regulate the supply of their currencies may play a much larger role in determining the value of the rupee in the long run.

What lies ahead?

  • Analysts believe that, over the long run, the rupee is likely to continue to depreciate against the dollar given the significant differences in long-run inflation between India and the U.S.
  • At the moment, as the U.S. Federal Reserve raises rates to tackle historically high inflation in the country, other countries and emerging markets in particular will be forced to raise their own interest rates to avoid disruptive capital outflows and to protect their currencies. It should be noted that inflation in the U.S. hit a 41-year high of 8.6%.
  • The RBI too has been trying to rein in domestic consumer price inflation, which hit a 95-month high of 7.8% in April, by raising rates and tightening liquidity. As interest rates rise across the globe, the threat of a global recession also rises as economies readjust to tighter monetary conditions.

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

EXPLAINED: WHAT IS ISRO’S ‘POEM’ PLATFORM?

THE CONTEXT: Besides placing three Singaporean satellites in precise orbit, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) also achieved the feat of successfully launching the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module or ‘POEM’.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is POEM?

  • The PSLV Orbital Experimental Module is a platform that will help perform in-orbit experiments using the final, and otherwise discarded, stage of ISRO’s workhorse rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
  • The PSLV is a four-stage rocket where the first three spent stages fall back into the ocean, and the final stage (PS4) — after launching the satellite into orbit — ends up as space junk.
  • However, in PSLV-C53 mission, the spent final stage will be utilised as a “stabilised platform” to perform experiments.

·      It is the first time that the PS4 stage would orbit the earth as a stabilised platform,” ISRO said in a statement prior to the launch. After the primary mission, the fourth stage will “write some poems in orbit”.

·      POEM is carrying six payloads, including two from Indian space start-ups Digantara and Dhruva Space.

How will ISRO keep POEM ‘alive and stable’ in orbit?

·      According to ISRO, POEM has a dedicated Navigation Guidance and Control (NGC) system for attitude stabilisation, which stands for controlling the orientation of any aerospace vehicle within permitted limits. The NGC will act as the platform’s brain to stabilize it with specified accuracy.

·      POEM will derive its power from solar panels mounted around the PS4 tank, and a Li-Ion battery. It will navigate using “four sun sensors, a magnetometer, gyros & NavIC”.

·      “It carries dedicated control thrusters using Helium gas storage. It is enabled with a telecommand feature”.

Has ISRO repurposed and used PS4 rocket junk earlier?

·      The Indian space agency first demonstrated the capability of using PS4 as an orbital platform in 2019 with the PSLV-C44 mission that injected Microsat-R and Kalamsat-V2 satellites into their designated orbits. The fourth stage in that mission was kept alive as an orbital platform for space-based experiments.

·      In a statement after the successful PSLV-C44 launch, ISRO had said: “Subsequently, the fourth stage (PS4) of the vehicle was moved to a higher circular orbit of 453 km after two restarts of the stage, to establish an orbital platform for carrying out experiments. Kalamsat-V2, a student payload, first to use PS4 as an orbital platform, was taken to its designated orbit about 1 hour and 40 minutes after lift-off.”

DRUG-RESISTANT SUPERBUG SPREADING IN HOSPITALS: STUDY

THE CONTEXT: Researchers at the University of Melbourne discovered three variants of the multidrug-resistant bug in samples from 10 countries, including strains in Europe that cannot be reliably tamed by any drug currently on the market.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • A superbug resistant to all known antibiotics that can cause “severe” infections or even death is spreading undetected through hospital wards across the world.
  • The bacteria, known as Staphylococcus epidermidis, is related to the better-known and more deadly MRSA superbug. It’s found naturally on human skin and most commonly infects the elderly or patients who have had prosthetic materials implanted, such as catheters and joint replacements.
  • The team looked at hundreds of S. epidermidis specimens from 78 hospitals worldwide. They found that some strains of the bug made a small change in its DNA that led to resistance to two of the most common antibiotics.
  • Another Australian study, published last month, suggested some hospital superbugs are growing increasingly tolerant to alcohol-based disinfectants found in handwashes and sanitisers used on hospital wards.

VALUE ADDITION:

What are Superbugs?

  • Superbugs are strains of bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi that are resistant to most of the antibiotics and other medications commonly used to treat the infections they cause. A few examples of superbugs include resistant bacteria that can cause pneumonia, urinary tract infections and skin infections.
  • Drug resistance (antimicrobial resistance) is a naturally occurring phenomenon that can be slowed, but not stopped. Over time, germs such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi adapt to the drugs that are designed to kill them and change to ensure their survival.
  • This makes previously standard treatments for some infections less effective, and sometimes ineffective. Researchers continue to evaluate how these germs develop resistance. They also study how to diagnose, treat and prevent antimicrobial resistance.

Certain actions may step up the appearance and spread of antimicrobial-resistant germs, such as:

  • Using or misusing antibiotics
  • Having poor infection prevention and control practices
  • Living or working in unclean conditions
  • Mishandling food

THE NEWS IN NUMBERS

INDIA’S FISCAL DEFICIT

According to data from the Controller General of Accounts, 12.3 per cent, of the Indian government’s fiscal deficit of the annual budget target for 2022-23 at the end of May, mainly due to higher expenditure, In actual terms, the deficit stood at ₹2,03,921 crore. The fiscal deficit was at 8.2% of the Budget Estimate for 2021-22 during the corresponding period. The country’s fiscal deficit is projected at 6.4% of the GDP for this fiscal ending March 2023 as against the 6.71% for the previous year.

URBAN POPULATION RISES

According to the United Nations Habitat’s World Cities Report 2022,  675  million, the estimated urban population in India by 2035, the second-highest behind China’s 1.05 billion. The global urban population is back on track to grow by another 2.2 billion people by 2050. By 2035, the percentage of the population in India residing in the urban region will be 43.2%. The report noted that the rapid urbanisation was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic but only temporarily.

RISE IN COFFEE EXPORTS

According to the Coffee Board of India, 19 percent, in the rise of coffee exports from India, Asia’s third-largest producer and exporter, to 2,24,293 tonnes in the first half of this year,. The country had exported 1,88,736 tonnes in the year-ago period.

India ships both robusta and Arabica varieties, besides instant coffee. The shipment of Robusta coffee jumped 39.43% from January to June 2022, while Arabica coffee exports declined by 16.75%. The shipments of instant coffee increased by 24% compared to the year-ago period.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q. A waterspout, a column of cloud-filled wind, descends from  a :

a) Stratus cloud

b) Cumulus cloud

c) Cumulonimbus cloud

d) Stratocumulus cloud

 

ANSWER FOR 30TH JUNE 2022

Answer: C

Explanation:

Haumea, makemake, and Eris are examples of Plutoids, which are dwarf planets with an orbit outside that of Neptune.




DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JUNE 30, 2022)

THE POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

THE ELECTION TO THE OFFICE OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF INDIA, 2022

THE CONTEXT: The Election Commission of India announced that the election to the office of the vice-president of India would be held on August 6, 2022.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Article 324 of the Constitution read with the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952 and the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Rules, 1974, vests the superintendence, direction and control of the conduct of election to the office of the Vice-President of India in the Election Commission of India.
  • The Election Commission is mandated to ensure that the election to the office of the Vice-President of India must be a free and fair election and the Commission is taking all necessary steps for discharging its constitutional responsibility. The Election Commission of India is privileged and honoured to announce today the schedule of election for the 16th Vice-Presidential Election.
  • As per Article 68 of the Constitution, the election to fill the vacancy caused by the expiration of the term of office of the outgoing vice-president is required to be completed before the expiration of the term.
  • Section 4(3) of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952 provides that the notification for election shall be issued on or after the sixtieth day before the expiration of term of office of the outgoing Vice-President.
  • As per Article 66 of the Constitution of India, the Vice-President is elected by the members of the Electoral College consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. For 2022, 16th Vice-Presidential Election, the Electoral College consists of:
    • 233 elected members of Rajya Sabha,
    • 12 nominated members of Rajya Sabha, and
    • 543 elected members of Lok Sabha.

Electoral College comprises of a total of 788 members of both Houses of Parliament. Since all the electors are members of both Houses of Parliament, the value of the vote of each Member of Parliament would be the same i.e.1 (one).

  • For marking the vote, the Commission will supply particular pens. The pen will be given to the electors in the polling station by the designated official when the ballot paper is handed over. Electors have to mark the ballot only with this particular pen and not with any other pen. Voting by using any other pen shall lead to invalidation of the vote at the time of counting.
  • The Election Commission, in consultation with the Central Government, appoints the Secretary-General of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, by rotation, as the Returning Officer. Accordingly, the Secretary-General, Lok Sabha will be appointed as the Returning Officer for the present election to the Office of the Vice-President of India. The Commission has also decided to appoint Assistant Returning Officers in Parliament House (Lok Sabha) to assist Returning Officers.

THE SOCIAL ISSUES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

NEW RESEARCH: BETTER ROAD SAFETY MEASURES COULD SAVE HALF A MILLION LIVES ANNUALLY WORLDWIDE

THE CONTEXT: According to a study published in the Lancet, the benefits of more motorcyclists wearing helmets would be the biggest in China, where 13,703 lives could be saved every year, followed by Brazil (5,802 lives), and India (5,683 lives).

THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORTS:

  • New global and country-level estimates suggest that routinely wearing helmets and seat belts, obeying speed limits, and avoiding driving drunk could save between 347,000 and 540,000 lives worldwide every year.
  • Analysis of data from 74 studies in 185 countries estimates that targeting four key risk factors for road injuries and deaths (speeding, drink driving, and non-use of crash helmets and seat belts) could prevent between 25% and 40% of all fatal road injuries worldwide every year.
  • According to the study, the Interventions to reduce speeding such as infrastructure changes and electronic speed control could save an estimated 347,258 lives globally each year, while measures to tackle drunk driving such as enhanced drink driving enforcement could save a further 16,304 lives.
  • An estimated 121,083 and 51,698 lives could be saved by passing and enforcing rules on wearing seat belts and motorcycle helmets respectively.
  • Improving seat belt use would have a particularly large effect on reducing road deaths in the United States (saving an estimated 14,121 lives every year) and China (13,228). Tackling speeding would be the single most effective measure to reduce road fatalities in most countries, preventing an estimated 88,374 deaths in China, 1,027 in Spain, and 815 in the United Kingdom.
  • The Lancet Series on road safety, published ahead of the first ever UN High-Level Meeting on Road Safety, calls for increased political and financial commitments, and for road safety to be included in mainstream development policies. It argues that this is essential to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the target to halve road traffic crash fatalities and injuries by 2030.
  • Deaths on roads are a major problem in India. Each year road accidents kill about 150,000 people and injure another 450,000 in the country. The World Bank noted in a report this month that with only 1 per cent of the world’s vehicles, India accounts for almost 10 per cent of all crash related deaths.

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

  • Brasilia Declaration: Related to Road Safety.

THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

GREEN HYDROGEN IS CRITICAL TO INDIA’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND NET-ZERO AMBITIONS: REPORT

THE CONTEXT: A new report released today by NITI Aayog highlights that green hydrogen can substantially spur industrial decarbonisation and economic growth for India in the coming decades.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • THE REPORT: Harnessing Green Hydrogen: Opportunities for Deep Decarbonisation in India provides a pathway to accelerate the emergence of a green hydrogen economy, which is critical for India to achieve its net-zero ambitions by 2070.

  • The report,co-authored by NITI Aayog and RMI, underscores that green hydrogen—produced by renewable energy through electrolysis of water—will be crucial for achieving decarbonisation of harder-to-abate sectors such as, fertilisers, refining, methanol, maritime shipping, iron & steel and transport.
  • It further states that with emerging global momentum on hydrogen, India can situate this decarbonisation opportunity not just within the context of a low-carbon economy but also as an enabler of energy security and economic development for the nation.
  • While hydrogen can be produced from multiple sources, India’s distinct advantage in low-cost renewable electricity means that green hydrogen will emerge as the most cost-effective form. The report concludes that hydrogen demand in India could grow more than fourfold by 2050, representing almost 10% of global demand. Given that the majority of this demand could be met with green hydrogen in the longterm, the cumulative value of the green hydrogen market in India could reach US $8 billion by 2030.

The report describes pathways that can capture the benefits of green hydrogen:

  • Near-term policy measures can bring down the current costs of green hydrogen to make it competitive with the existing grey hydrogen (hydrogen produced by natural gas) prices. Medium-term price targets should be set to guide the industry towards making green hydrogen the most competitive form of hydrogen.
  • Government can encourage near term market development by identifying industrial clusters and enacting associated viability gap funding, mandates and targets.
  • Opportunities around research and development and manufacturing of components like electrolysers need to be identified and appropriately encouraged with adequate financial mechanisms such as production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes to enable 25 GW of manufacturing capacity of electrolysers by 2028.
  • A globally competitive green hydrogen industry can lead to exports in green hydrogen and hydrogen-embedded low-carbon products like green ammonia and green steel that can unlock 95 GW of electrolysis capacity in the nation by 2030.
  • NITI Aayog’s partner for this report, RMI, works for the transformation of global energy systems through market-driven solutions to align with a 1.5°C future and secure a clean, prosperous, zero-carbon future for all. It works in the world’s most critical geographies and engages businesses, policymakers, communities, and NGOs to identify and scale up energy system interventions that will cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent by 2030.

VALUE ADDITION:

  • ‘Green’ hydrogen is produced by using renewable energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. In contrast, the conventional process of making hydrogen uses fossil fuels.
  • Hydrogen is a key input in fertilizers and refineries, so green hydrogen would help these industries cut aggregate emissions. It could also be used in steel manufacturing to reduce emissions by replacing the use of coal as an energy source and as a reducing agent.

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

WHAT IS CAPSTONE, NASA’S NEW SATELLITE?

THE CONTEXT: Recently, NASA launched CAPSTONE, a microwave oven-sized CubeSat weighing just 55 pounds (25 kg). CAPSTONE, short for Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment, is designed to test a unique, elliptical lunar orbit.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The satellite, launched on Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket from the Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, is heading toward an orbit intended in the future for Gateway, a Moon-orbiting outpost that is part of NASA’s Artemis program.
  • As a pathfinder for Gateway, CAPSTONE aims to help reduce risk for future spacecraft by validating innovative navigation technologies, and by verifying the dynamics of the halo-shaped orbit.
  • The orbit is known as a near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO). It is significantly elongated, and is located at a precise balance point in the gravities of Earth and the Moon. This offers stability for long-term missions like Gateway, NASA said on its website.
  • At the Moon, CAPSTONE will enter NRHO, where it will fly within 1,600 km of the Moon’s North Pole on its near pass and 70,000 km from the South Pole at its farthest. The spacecraft will repeat the cycle every six-and-a-half days and maintain this orbit for at least six months to study dynamics.
  • According to NASA, CAPSTONE will gain experience with small dedicated launches of CubeSats beyond low-Earth orbit, to the Moon, and beyond.
  • The spacecraft is currently in low-Earth orbit. It is attached to Rocket Lab’s Lunar Photon.

EXPLAINED: HOW INDIA’S FIRST MRNA VACCINE FOR COVID-19 WAS CREATED

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the country’s first home-grown mRNA Covid-19 vaccine — GEMCOVAC-19 — developed at Pune’s Gennova Biopharmaceuticals has got a ‘restricted emergency use’ nod for the 18-and-above age group.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • As mRNA vaccines are required to be kept at sub-zero temperatures, it was a mammoth task for Gennova scientists to develop a thermostable mRNA Covid-19 vaccine. Scientists had to innovate to suit local needs to make it affordable and deployable. The new vaccine can now be stored at the temperature of a standard medical refrigerator.

The mRNA platform

  • As the Covid-19 pandemic spread, an mRNA vaccine candidate was the first to enter human trials globally. The first two vaccines that were made available for use in the US were based on mRNA technology.
  • Unlike vaccines that put a weakened or inactivated virus in your body to activate an immune response, these two Covid-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) used messenger RNA or mRNA to deliver a message to your immune system.
  • Basically, the technology uses genetically engineered mRNA to instruct cells to make the S-protein found on the surface of the Covid-19 virus. According to reports from US-based Mayo Clinic, after vaccination, the muscle cells begin making S-protein pieces and displaying them on cell surfaces. This causes the body to create antibodies.

But these vaccines have to be stored at sub-zero temperatures as mRNA is fragile and breaks down easily.

Thermostable vaccine

  • “Unlike in the West, where the vaccine has to be stored at sub-zero temperatures, the challenge in India was to be able to store the vaccine between 2-8 degree Celsius. We had to innovate to suit our local needs as to what is affordable and deployable. GEMCOVAC-19 can now be stored at the temperature of a standard medical refrigerator,” says Dr Sanjay Singh, CEO of Gennova Biopharmaceuticals.
  • The conversion from liquid to powder form of the vaccine takes place via Lyophilisation — this is freeze-drying, a process where the water is removed from the product after it is frozen and placed under a vacuum allowing the ice to change directly from solid to vapour without passing through a liquid phase.
  • However, just removing water by Lyophilisation of the mRNA vaccine does not work. So, the surrounding pressure has to be tweaked and then kept stable to ensure the characteristics of the vaccine are the same as before Lyophilisation. For this to be achieved, the key was to add an external agent which at a certain critical concentration keeps it stable under lyophilized conditions. The Lyophilisation technology is not new, but a lyophilized mRNA vaccine is unique.

Trials and safety

  • Freeze-drying the large and unstable mRNA molecule with the nanoparticle was a daunting challenge. However, Gennova invested countless man-hours in the hope of lyophilizing the mRNA vaccine in a single vial within a year. This thermostable vaccine was thoroughly tested in various animal models to ensure its safety and immunogenicity before entering human clinical trials.
  • Phase 1 and 2 trial data across 480 participants had been submitted earlier, and data from Phase 3 trial across 4,000 participants was then presented to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). During the Phase 3 trials, 3,000 participants were administered the mRNA Covid-19 vaccine and 1,000 were given Covishield.
  • According to officials at Gennova, the trial data showed that the vaccine was safe and well-tolerated. Immunogenicity measured at 2 weeks post-dose showed that GEMCOVAC-19 is non-inferior to Covishield.
  • The two-dose vaccine will have to be administered intramuscularly, 28 days apart.

 

HIGH-SPEED EXPENDABLE AERIAL TARGET – ABHYAS – SUCCESSFULLY FLIGHT-TESTED

THE CONTEXT: Recently, ABHYAS – High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) was successfully flight-tested from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.

 THE EXPLANATION:

  • The performance of the aircraft at low altitudes including sustained level and high manoeuvrability was demonstrated during the test flight. The target aircraft was flown from a ground-based controller in a pre-designated low-altitude flight path, which was monitored by various tracking sensors deployed by ITR, including radar and an electro-optical targeting system.
  • ABHYAS is designed & developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The air vehicle was launched using twin under-slung boosters which provide the initial acceleration to the vehicle.
  • It is powered by a small gas turbine engine to sustain a long endurance flight at high subsonic speed. The target aircraft is equipped with Micro-Electromechanical Systems-based Inertial Navigation System for navigation along with the Flight Control Computer for guidance and control along with Indigenous Radio Altimeter for very low altitude flight and Data Link for encrypted communication between the Ground Control Station and Target Aircraft. The vehicle is programmed for fully autonomous flight.

 

THE GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND INTERVENTION

EXPLAINED: WHY A PROPOSED MEGA TEXTILE PARK IN LUDHIANA UNDER THE PM MITRA SCHEME IS FACING OPPOSITION

THE CONTEXT: A proposal to set up a mega textile park in Punjab’s industrial hub, Ludhiana, has been red-flagged by locals, environmentalists and even some political leaders.

THE EXPLANATION:

The project

  • A Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel Park, under the PM-MITRA scheme, has been proposed to be set up in Ludhiana.
  • The land required for the project, being undertaken jointly by the Centre and the state government, falls near the Mattewara forest and on the river Sutlej floodplains.
  • The notification issued by the Union Ministry of Textiles says that under the PM-MITRA, a total of seven such parks will come up across the country with a total outlay of Rs 4,445 crore. The notification also specifies the ‘objective of the project’ as ‘sustainable industrialisation’ that does not harm the environment to ‘meet the United Nations sustainable development goal 9.’

The opposition

  • The proposed project site is located near the Mattewara forest and on floodplains of river Sutlej.
  • It touches Mattewara forest from two sides, and also borders river Sutlej on one side.
  • There are fears that the project would not only disturb the biodiversity of the protected forest but might also lead to chemical discharge from factories into the river.
  • Spread over 2,300 acres, the Mattewara forest is often called the lungs of Ludhiana district and is home to several animal and avian species including peacocks, sambhar, antelopes (nilgai), monkeys, deers etc.

VALUE ADDITION:

ABOUT PM MITRA SCHEME:

  • Ministry of Textiles has issued a notification to set up 7 Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks with a total outlay of Rs. 4,445 crore.
  • These are aimed at helping India to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9: “Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”.
  • It is hoped that the PM MITRA Parks will have world-class industrial infrastructure which would attract cutting age technology and boost FDI and local investment in the textiles sector.

KEY FEATURES

The PM MITRA scheme is Inspired by the 5F vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister – Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign. It aspires to fulfil the vision of building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat and to position India strongly on the Global textiles map.

  • PM MITRA Parks will offer an opportunity to create an integrated textiles value chain right from spinning, weaving, processing/dyeing and printing to garment manufacturing at 1 location
  • Integrated Textile Value chain at 1 location will reduce logistics cost of Industry
  • Intended to generate ~1 lakh direct and 2 lakh indirect employment per park
  • Sites for PM MITRA Parks will be selected by a Challenge Method based on objective criteria
  • Proposals of State Governments having ready availability of contiguous and encumbrance-free land parcel of 1,000+ acres along with other textiles related facilities & ecosystem are welcome

Several states such as Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Assam, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana have expressed interest.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q. Haumea, Makemake, and Eris are –

a) Comets

b) Satellites of Jupiter

c) Plutoids

d) Stars

 

ANSWER FOR 29 JUNE 2022

Answer: D

Explanation:

  1. Gennova Biopharmaceuticals – mRNA vaccine
  2. Oxford-AstraZeneca – Vector based vaccine
  3. Zydus Cadila – DNA based vaccine
  4. Novavax – Protein Subunit Vaccine

 




DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JUNE 29, 2022)

THE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

EXPLAINED: HOW A G-7 BAN ON RUSSIAN GOLD WOULD WORK

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Group of Seven nations will formally announce a ban on Russian gold imports in the latest round of sanctions over Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The US says Russia has used gold to support its currency as a way to circumvent the impact of sanctions. One way to do that is by swapping gold for a more liquid foreign exchange that is not subject to current sanctions.
  • Some experts say since only a few countries are implementing the gold ban, the move is largely symbolic, while others, including those in the administration, say a ban on imports of Russian gold will target its ability to interact with the global financial system.

How much gold does Russia have?

  • According to data, Russia’s gold is the second most lucrative export after energy and nearly 90% of the revenue comes from G-7 countries, “cutting that off, denying access to about $19 billion of revenues a year, that’s significant.”
  • “It can’t acquire what it needs to modernize its defence sector, to modernize its technology, to modernize its energy exploration,” Blinken said.
  • Russia began increasing its gold purchases in 2014 after the US issued sanctions on Russia for Putin’s invasion of Crimea. The country holds $100 billion to $140 billion in gold reserves, roughly 20% of the holdings in the Russian Central Bank, according to US officials.

What other measures have been made on the gold trade?

  • In March 2022, the US and its allies moved to block financial transactions with Russia’s Central Bank that involve gold, aiming to further restrict the country’s ability to use its international reserves. That came after calls from members of Congress to restrict Russia’s gold trade.
  • The Treasury Department issued guidance that American individuals, including gold dealers, distributors, wholesalers, buyers, and financial institutions, are generally banned from buying, selling or facilitating gold-related transactions involving Russia and the various parties that have been sanctioned.
  • Russia appears to have defaulted on its foreign debt for the first time since the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, and the US and its allies are taking aim at the former Soviet Union’s second-largest export industry after energy — gold.

VALUE ADDITION:

What is G7?

  • The G7, originally G8, was set up in 1975 as an informal forum bringing together the leaders of the world’s leading industrial nations.
  • Composition: The summit gathers leaders from the European Union (EU) and the following countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
  • The major purpose of the G-7 is to discuss and deliberate on international economic issues. It sometimes acts in concert to help resolve other global problems, with a special focus on economic issues.

How did G7 become G8?

  • Russia was formally inducted as a member in the group in 1998, which led G7 to become G8.
  • However, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s condemnable act of moving Russian troops into eastern Ukraine and conquering Crimea in 2014 drew heavy criticism from the other G8 nations.
  • The other nations of the group decided to suspend Russia from the G8 as a consequence of its actions and the group became G7 again in 2014.

 

THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

BAN ON IDENTIFIED SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ITEMS FROM 1ST JULY 2022

THE CONTEXT: According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Government of India notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, on 12 August 2021, India will ban the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single-use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, all across the country from July 1, 2022.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The adverse impacts of littered single-use plastic items plastic on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, including in marine environments are globally recognized. Addressing pollution due to single-use plastic items has become an important environmental challenge confronting all countries.
  • In the 4th United Nations Environment Assembly held in 2019, India piloted a resolution on addressing single-use plastic products pollution, recognizing the urgent need for the global community to focus on this very important issue. The adoption of this resolution at UNEA 4 was a significant step. In the recently concluded 5th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in March 2022, India engaged constructively with all member states to develop a consensus on the resolution for driving global action on plastic pollution.
  • The Government of India has taken resolute steps for mitigation of pollution caused by littered Single-Use Plastics. The list of banned items includes –earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (Thermocol) for decoration, plastic plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 micron, stirrers.
  • The Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, also prohibit the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of plastic carry bags having a thickness less than seventy-five microns with effect from 30th September 2021, and having a thickness less than the thickness of one hundred and twenty microns with effect from the 31st December 2022.
  • CPCB Grievance Redressal App has been launched to empower citizens to help curb the plastic menace. For wider public outreach, the PRAKRITI – mascot was also launched on 5th April 2022.

VALUE ADDITION:

Why do we need to ban single-use plastic?

  • Pollution: One of the biggest threats to plastic bags is that they threaten the environment. Plastic bags pollute the land and water, since they are lightweight, plastic materials can travel long distances by wind and water.
  • Non-renewable: Only 1-13% of the plastic items are recyclable, the rest ends up either buried in the land or water bodies, eventually reaching the oceans, leading to pollution of water bodies and killing of marine life. With climate and environment becoming a rising global concern, plastic pollution and plastic waste management have become the point of worry.
  • Energy-intensive: The production of plastic material are very energy-intensive. They require a lot of water for their production. Thus using plastic bags is not advisable.
  • Threat to aquatic life: Being non-recyclable, plastic bags end up in the oceans. While they reach, they break up into tiny little pieces and are consumed by wildlife. Thereby leading to health issues or even death. Many animals also get entangled or trapped in plastic bags.
  • Harmful to human health: Toxic chemicals from plastic bags can damage the blood and tissues. Frequent exposures can lead to cancers, birth defects, impaired immunity, hormone changes, endocrine disruption and other serious ailments.

Negative Impact of plastic ban:

  • The Plastic industry in the country employs about 40 lakh people. A ban on plastics will affect the industry, leading to job loss and economic slowdown.
  • A piece of plastic bag cost no more than 10-15 paise which is much cheaper than a paper bag costing 20-25 paise per piece. The plastic ban would Impact cost of the products and would lead to inflation.

Positive Impact of plastic ban:

  • It will help in tackling air pollution and water pollution.
  • It will save Many marine lives.
  • It will reduce health issues in humans due to pollution.
  • It will spread nationwide awareness about the harmful effects of single-use plastic.
  • The plastic ban forces the customer to buy recyclable plastic bags and reuse of disposable bags. This can also encourage reuse of the bags.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

EXPLAINED: WHAT IS THE GST COUNCIL, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the 47th meeting of the Goods and Se

rvices Tax Council began in Chandigarh, almost marking five years of the tax system coming into effect on July 1, 2017.

THE EXPLANATION:

Over these five years, the GST setup has gone through numerous changes, and the ongoing two-day meeting is expected to look at matters such as the GST compensation to states, and the imposition of taxes on some currently-exempt goods and services.

What is the GST Council?

  • The Goods and Services Tax regime came into force after the Constitutional (122nd Amendment) Bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament in 2016. More than 15 Indian states then ratified it in their state Assemblies, after which the President gave his assent.
  • The GST Council – a joint forum of the Centre and the states — was set up by the President as per Article 279A (1) of the amended Constitution.
  • The members of the Council include the Union Finance Minister (Chairperson), the Union Minister of State (Finance) from the Centre. Each state can nominate a minister in charge of finance or taxation or any other minister as a member.

Why was the Council set up?

  • The Council, according to Article 279, is meant to “make recommendations to the Union and the states on important issues related to GST, like the goods and services that may be subjected or exempted from GST, model GST Laws”.
  • It also decides on various rate slabs of GST.
  • For instance, an interim report by a panel of ministers has suggested imposing 28 per cent GST on casinos, online gaming and horse racing.

What has changed this time?

  • The ongoing meeting is the first since a decision of the Supreme Court in May this year, which stated recommendations of the GST Council are not binding.
  • The court said Article 246A of the Constitution gives both Parliament and state legislatures “simultaneous” power to legislate on GST and recommendations of the Council “are the product of a collaborative dialogue involving the Union and States”. This was hailed by some states, such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu, who believe states can be more flexible in accepting the recommendations as suited to them.
  • The council’s meeting is also likely to focus on the issue of extension of the GST compensation regime beyond June 2022. This was a special mechanism by which states were assured that their revenues would not be affected by the new GST system. Some states are already demanding that the compensation be continued.
  • Earlier, the Council had agreed to extend the levy of compensation cess till 2026, but only for repayment of the borrowings made in the aftermath of the pandemic to provide compensation to states.

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

UPSC ESSENTIALS: ONE WORD A DAY- PSYCHE

WHAT IS THE PSYCHE?

  • Psyche is an asteroid. What makes it unique is that it appears to be the exposed nickel-iron core of an early planet, one of the building blocks of our solar system.
  • This asteroid is in between Mars and Jupiter and is orbiting the Sun.

What is NASA’s Psyche mission?

  • NASA’s Psyche mission is a journey to a unique metal asteroid orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.
  • Psyche was selected in 2017 as part of NASA’s Discovery Program, which is a line of low-cost competition missions led by a single principal investigator.

What are the main objectives of the mission?

  • To understand how planets and other bodies are separated into layers such as cores, mantles, and crusts.
  • To examine an asteroid made of metal.
  • To explore early eras of the solar system.

 

THE SECURITY AFFAIRS

WHAT IS HERMIT, THE PEGASUS-LIKE SPYWARE THAT TARGETED ANDROID, AND IOS DEVICES?

THE CONTEXT: ‘Hermit’ is the latest sophisticated spyware in the news, and it is believed to have targeted iPhones and Android devices in Italy and Kazakhstan. Hermit’s deployment – the spyware has been developed by an Italian vendor called RCS Lab – was first reported by cyber security researchers at the Lookout, a San-Francisco-based cybersecurity firm.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is Hermit and what exactly does it do on a device?

  • Hermit is a spyware on the lines Pegasus by NSO Group. of Once installed on a device, it can record audio on the device, carry out unauthorised calls, and carry out many unauthorised activities. According to Lookout, the spyware can steal stored account emails, contacts, browser bookmarks/searches, calendar events, etc.
  • It can also take pictures on the device, steal device information such as details about applications, the kernel information, model, manufacturer, OS, security patch, phone number, etc. It can also download and install APK (the app software files on Android) on a compromised phone.
  • The spyware can also upload files from the device, read notifications, and take pictures of the screen. Because it can gain access to the root or the ‘privilege’ access of an Android system, Lookout’s research showed, it can uninstall apps like Telegram and WhatsApp. According to the researchers, the spyware can silently uninstall/reinstall Telegram. Except the reinstalled version is likely a compromised one. It can also steal data from the old app. For WhatsApp, it can prompt the user to reinstall WhatsApp via Play Store.
  • So, once Hermit has been deployed to a phone, it can control and track data from all key applications.

 

PADMA, THE CENTRALISED PAY SYSTEM FOR THE INDIAN COAST GUARD LAUNCHED

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Ministry of Defence launched a Pay Roll Automation for Disbursement of Monthly Allowances (PADMA), an automated Pay & Allowances module for the Indian Coast Guard.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • PADMA is an automated platform leveraging the latest technology which will provide seamless and timely disbursal of Pay & Allowances to around 15,000 Indian Coast Guard personnel. This module has been developed under the aegis of the Defense Accounts Department and will be operated by Pay Accounts Office Coast Guard, Noida. The launch marked the beginning of the Centralized Pay System (CPS), the foundation of which is being laid down by the Defence Accounts Department Headquarters to provide one-stop pay accounting solutions for all organisations under the Ministry.
  • The CGDA emphasized that the Government has campaigned for Digital India to ensure dedicated services and reduce manual intervention at every level & to promote E-Governance in a big way. The launch of PADMA will strengthen the Digital India concept. Also, it is an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative as the entire module has been designed and developed by Indian entrepreneurs assisted by domain experts.

 

THE MISCELLANEOUS

THE “STATISTICS DAY”: JUNE 29

THE CONTEXT: In recognition of the notable contributions made by Professor (late) Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis in the fields of statistics and economic planning, the Government of India has de

signated 29th June every year, coinciding with his birth anniversary, as “Statistics Day” in the category of Special Days to be celebrated at the national level.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The objective of this Day is to create public awareness, especially in the younger generation for drawing inspiration from Professor (late) Mahalanobis about the role and importance of statistics in socio-economic planning and policy formulation.
  • Every year, Statistics Day is celebrated with a theme of contemporary national importance. The theme of Statistics Day, 2022 is ‘Data for Sustainable Development.
  • On this occasion, MoSPI also recognizes the outstanding contribution through high-quality research in the field of applied and theoretical statistics benefiting the official statistical system through awards instituted for this purpose. This year, the winners of P.C. Mahalanobis National Award in Official Statistics, 2022 and Prof. P.V. Sukhatme National Award for lifetime contribution in the field of statistics, 2022 will be announced during the event. The winners of the ‘On the Spot Essay Writing Competition, 2022’ for Post Graduate Students on the theme of Statistics day will also be felicitated.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

  1. Which of the following pairs are correctly matched?
  2. Gennova Biopharmaceuticals – mRNA vaccine
  3. Oxford-AstraZeneca – Vector based vaccine
  4. Zydus Cadila – DNA based vaccine
  5. Novavax – Protein Subunit Vaccine

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) Only 1 pair

b) Only 2 pair

c) Only 3 pair

d) All pairs

ANSWER FOR 28TH JUNE 2022

Answer: D

Explanation:

  • The Telugu Ganga project is a joint water supply scheme implemented in the 1980s by Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to provide drinking water to Chennai city.
  • Water is drawn from the Srisailam reservoir and diverted towards Chennai through a series of interlinked canals, over a distance of about 406 kilometres, before it reaches the destination at the Poondi reservoir near Chennai.
  • The main checkpoints en-route include the Somasila reservoir in Penna River valley, the Kandaleru reservoir, the Zero Point near Uthukkottai where the water enters Tamil Nadu territory and finally, the Poondi reservoir, also known as Satyamurthy Sagar.
  • From Poondi, water is distributed through a system of link canals to other storage reservoirs located at Red Hills, Sholavaram and Chembarambakkam.



DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JUNE 28, 2022)

      THE WORLD GEOGRAPHY: NATURAL RESOURCES

NIGERIA’S LATEST LITHIUM RESOURCE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, high-grade lithium has been discovered in Nigeria. In 2019 the total production volume of lithium, not high grade, in Nigeria reached 50 metric tonnes This is small compared to Zimbabwe which produced 1,200 metric tonnes the same year.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is lithium and why is it important?

  • The Geological Agency described the lithium as a high grade because what’s been found has between 1-13 per cent oxide content. Normally exploration begins at levels as low as 0.4 per cent.
  • Grade (in per cent) is a measure of the concentration of the lithium in the minerals and or rocks that contains it. Therefore, the higher the grade the more the economic viability. Higher grades are very rare for metals like lithium.
  • Lithium is a metallic mineral in very high demand by manufacturing industries. Seven years ago the bulk of demand for lithium was split between ceramics and glasses (35 per cent) and greases, metallurgical powders, polymers, and other industrial uses (over 35 per cent). Less than 30 per cent was for batteries. But by 2030, batteries are expected to account for 95 per cent of demand.

APPLICATIONS OF LITHIUM:

Lithium-ion batteries are generally more expensive but have better performance and are becoming the preferred technology. The different types are:

  • Lithium-cobalt oxide battery. It is used in consumer electronics and is finding application in electric vehicles. It is relatively cheap.
  • Lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt is a newer, higher-performing range of battery chemistry. It is mainly developed for the electronic vehicle market but is finding a wider use because of its increasing cost-effectiveness.
  • Lithium iron phosphate, is the safest technology with relatively high performance but is relatively expensive. It is very popular in China but is likely to become overtaken by Lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt over the longer term; and
  • Lithium-nickel-cobalt-aluminium oxide was developed to reduce cobalt consumption and is known as a solid performer and of reasonable cost. It is also becoming popular outside China.
  • Lithium-ion batteries are used in mobile phones, computers, electronics, energy storage systems and electric vehicles. The forecast is that they will dominate the lithium market over the next decades. However, there are many different types of lithium-ion batteries for different applications.

Lithium Mines

  • Lithium and most lithium minerals are mined along with other high-value metallic minerals such as tin, niobium-tantalum (columbite-tantalite) and uranium (in pyrochlore).
  • Greenbushes mine in Western Australia is the largest hard-rock lithium mine in the world. Tantalum is also mined there. In 2019, the mine’s output capacity doubled to 1.34 million tonnes of lithium concentrates annually after a second processing plant was added.
  • Global lithium mine production hit a record high of 100,000 tonnes in 2021, a 21 per cent increase over 2020 (82,500 tonnes).
  • Due to the growing interest in clean energy, the demand for lithium has skyrocketed as most countries draw plans to phase out fossil fuel vehicles and switch to zero-emission electric vehicles.

Points to remember: Lithium Triangle

ABC: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile

 

THE POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

EXPLAINED: WHAT IS THE 2/3RDS RULE IN ANTI-DEFECTION LAW?

THE CONTEXT: The political crisis in Maharashtra has given rise to the question of whether the Maharashtra MLA’s rebels can avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law.

THE EXPLANATION:

Law and exception

  • Under the anti-defection law, a member of a legislature can be disqualified if he or she has voluntarily given up membership of their political party; and if he/she votes or abstains from voting in the House contrary to any direction issued by their party (or by any person or authority authorised by the party).
  • There is a provision to protect such legislators from disqualification. If two-thirds of the members agree to a merger with another party, they will not be disqualified. Under the 91st Amendment to the Constitution in 2003, the exemption from disqualification if one-third of the members form a separate group (the rule prior to the amendment) was removed.

How courts have ruled

  • In February 2022, the High Court of Bombay at Goa held that 10 UPA MLAs and two two MGP MLAs, who had defected to the NDA in 2019, are exempted from disqualification and held that a merger of this group of Congress MLAs is “deemed to be a merger” of the original political party with the NDA (Girish Chodankar v Speaker, Goa Legislative Assembly).
  • In Rajendra Singh Rana v Swami Prasad Maurya (2007), a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court interpreted the term “voluntarily giving up membership of a political party”, and held that “a person may be said to have voluntarily given up membership of an original party even though he or she has not tendered resignation from membership of the party” and that an inference can be drawn from conduct of the member.

The two-thirds rule

According to experts believe that even if two-thirds of legislators have broken away, they will be protected from disqualification only if they merge with another party or become a separate group in the legislature.

VALUE ADDITION:

  • The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, commonly known as the anti-defection law, was introduced in 1985 with a view to curb the tendency among legislators to switch loyalties from one party to another and facilitate the toppling of regimes and formation of new ones. It provides for the Presiding Officer of the legislature to disqualify any defector on a petition by another member.
  • The law contemplates two kinds of defection:
  1. by a member voluntarily giving up membership of the party on whose symbol he got elected
  2. by a member violating a direction (whip) issued by his party to vote in a particular way or to abstain from voting.
  • While voting contrary to the party’s whip is quite a straightforward instance of defection, the other mode of defection has proved to be a source of dispute and litigation. A member ‘voluntarily giving up membership’ does not refer to a simple resignation letter and formally joining another party. It is often an inference drawn by the party that loses a member to another based on the legislator’s conduct. The Supreme Court has also ruled that ‘voluntarily giving up membership’ can be inferred from the conduct of a person.
  • It is important to note that, the ruling of the Presiding officer is subject to Judicial Review.

REPORT ON PERFORMANCE GRADING INDEX FOR DISTRICTS FOR THE YEAR 2018-19 AND 2019-20

THE CONTEXT: The Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSE and L), Ministry of Education (MoE) has released the Performance Grading Index for Districts (PGI-D) for 2018-19 and 2019-20. PGI-D assesses the performance of school education system at the district level by creating an index for comprehensive analysis.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Rajasthan leads in performance in school education with all of the three districts with Utkarsh grade (scoring 81% to 90% in a scale of 100) coming from the state with Junjhunu scoring the maximum (236 out of 290) in learning outcomes.
  • In fact, in the second grade (Ati-uttam) in the new Performance Grade Index-District (PGI-D) 2019-20 report Rajasthan is significantly ahead of the second and third top states having 24 of its districts in this category. The top three districts in terms of performance are Sikar (488), Jhunjhuni (486) and Jaipur (482) out of a score of 1,000 points.
  • The other states whose districts have performed best in the latest index released by the Ministry of Education (MoE) are Punjab with 14 districts in Ati-uttam grade (scoring 71% to 80% in a scale of 100) followed by Gujarat and Kerala with each having 13 districts in this category. On the other hand there are 12 states/ UTs which don’t have any districts in the ati-uttam and uttam categories which include seven of the eight states from the North East region.
  • This is the third PGI report and so far no districts have managed to secure the Daksh grade (districts scoring more than 90% of the total points). The PGI-D scores are the aggregate score of six categories of educational attainment of districts viz., learning outcomes, effective classroom interactions, infrastructure facilities and student’s entitlements, school safety and child protection, digital learning and governance process.

THE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

EXPLAINED: WHY IS TURKEY OPPOSING THE ENTRY OF SWEDEN AND FINLAND INTO NATO?

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Turkey announced its opposition to fast-track NATO membership for Finland and Sweden.

THE EXPLANATION:

In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, historically neutral Sweden and Finland first applied to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in May 2022. Turkey had opposed their entry, accusing the two Nordic countries of supporting Kurdish militant groups, which it deems to be terrorist organizations.

What is NATO?

  • The United States, Canada and various western European countries formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in 1949, in response to the perceived threat of the Soviet Union’s expansion in post-war Europe.
  • There are currently 30 members in NATO, and according to article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty, any European country that can “contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area” can join the alliance.
  • However, accession requires the approval of each member state. In 2008, Greece vetoed North Macedonia’s bid to join NATO due to a long-term dispute over the country’s name, ‘Macedonia’. Only in 2018, when the country changed its name to North Macedonia, did Greece grant its approval, after which the country was officially admitted as a member in March 2020.
  • NATO is essentially a collective security alliance, with its members committed to mutual defence if any one of them is attacked by an external force.

What are Turkey’s grievances?

  • Turkey, which has been a member of NATO since 1952 and has the second-largest military force in the alliance, has repeatedly opposed Finland and Sweden’s entry.
  • Erdogan claims that they are “home to many terrorist organisations”, like the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the People’s Protection Units (YPG). The PKK has engaged in armed struggle with Turkey for decades, first seeking an independent Kurdish state, but has since evolved to seek greater Kurdish autonomy and increased rights of Kurds within Turkey.
  • The PKK has been designated as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US, the UK and the EU. Finland and Sweden have also banned it as a terrorist outfit.
  • Ankara wants the Nordic countries to make written commitments to suppress the PKK and YPG forces in Syria. Affiliated with the PKK, the YPG is a militia that is active in the Rojava region of northeastern Syria. They supported western forces in the military campaigns against ISIS in Syria and played a pivotal role in their defeat. Turkey, according to a Bloomberg report, has accused the YPG of attacking its fighters near the country’s border.
  • According to a Brookings Institution report, Turkey has been angered by Sweden and Finland’s refusal to extradite PKK members and followers of the Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of instigating a failed 2006 coup.
  • Also, Turkey wants Sweden and Finland to lift their restrictions on the sale of arms to the country, which was imposed after Ankara’s military campaign in Syria in 2019.

EXPLAINED: WHAT ARE THE US-LED ‘PARTNERS IN THE BLUE PACIFIC’ INITIATIVE TO COUNTER CHINA?

THE CONTEXT: Amid China’s aggressive push to increase its Pacific sphere of influence, the US and its allies — Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the United Kingdom — have launched a new initiative called ‘Partners in the Blue Pacific’ for “effective and efficient cooperation” with the region’s small island nations.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The geostrategic competition in the region has intensified of late after China made the projected scope of its growing footprint clear by pushing for a sweeping, common cooperation agreement with 10 Pacific nations.

What are the Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP) initiative?

  • The PBP is a five-nation “informal mechanism” to support Pacific islands and to boost diplomatic, economic ties in the region. Announced on June 24,2022 it speaks of enhancing “prosperity, resilience, and security” in the Pacific through closer cooperation. It simply means that through the PBP, these counties — together and individually — will direct more resources here to counter China’s aggressive outreach.
  • The initiative members have also declared that they will “elevate Pacific regionalism”, and forge stronger ties with the Pacific Islands Forum.

How is China trying to transform its ties in the Pacific?

  • As China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands in April 2022, the deal flagged serious concerns about the Chinese military getting a base in the southern Pacific, close to the US island territory of Guam, and right next to Australia and New Zealand.
  • The deal, which boosted Beijing’s quest to dominate crucial shipping lanes criss-crossing the region, rattled the US and its allies. It also triggered urgent moves to counter China’s growing Pacific ambition amid a power vacuum fuelled by apparent lack of US attention.
  • But Beijing followed up on that win with its Foreign Minister Wang Yi undertaking a multi-nation tour to push 10 Pacific nations to endorse a “game-changing” agreement called the “Common Development Vision”.
  • The draft agreement, accessed by the Associated Press, spoke about China wanting to work with “traditional and non-traditional security,” and expand law enforcement cooperation with these countries.

What is being done by the US and its allies to counter China?

  • Before launching the PBP the US and its partners started the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), a trade-boosting play in the region with 13 nations — Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Fiji and Vietnam — as partners.
  • Away from the Pacific, the G7 announced a plan — Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) — to rival China’s Belt and Road Initiative by promising to raise $600 billion to fund development projects in low and middle-income countries.

 

WORLD BANK APPROVES $250 MN LOAN FOR ROAD SAFETY

THE CONTEXT: The World Bank has approved a $250 million loan to support the Government of India’s road safety programme for seven States under which a single accident reporting number will be set up to better manage post-crash events.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The India State Support Program for Road Safety, financed by the World Bank, will be implemented in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The $250 million variable spread loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has a maturity of 18 years including a grace period of 5.5 years.
  • The project will also establish a national harmonised crash database system in order to analyse accidents and use that to construct better and safer roads.
  • It will also fund network expansion of basic and advanced life support ambulances and training of first responder caregivers to road crash victims on the spot.
  • The project will also provide incentives to the States to leverage private funding through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) concessions and pilot initiatives.
  • According to a World Bank study, road crashes are estimated to cost the Indian economy between 5% to 7% of GDP a year. Official government data show that each year road accidents in India kill about 1,50,000 people and injure another 4,50,000. More than half of the victims are pedestrians, cyclists, or motorcyclists and almost 84% of all fatalities are among road users between the working ages of 18-60 years.
  • Poor households that account for over 70% of crash victims bear a higher proportion of the socio-economic burden of road crashes due to loss of income, high medical expenses and limited access to social safety nets.

VALUE ADDITION:

ABOUT WORLD BANK:

  • The World Bank is like a cooperative, made up of 189 member countries. These member countries, or shareholders, are represented by a Board of Governors, who are the ultimate policymakers at the World Bank.
  • Generally, the governors are member countries’ ministers of finance or ministers of development. They meet once a year at the Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Which of the following reservoir is not located in Tamil Nadu?

a) Sholavaram

b) Chembarambakkam

c) Satyamurthy Sagar

d) Srisailam reservoir

ANSWER FOR 27TH JUNE 2022

Answer: C

Explanation:

The Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment is an initiative of G7 countries (launched in G7 Summit 2022) to counter China’s BRI.




DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JUNE 27, 2022)

THE POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

INDIAN LAWS ON ABORTIONS

THE CONTEXT: In a significant step backwards for women’s rights in the U.S., the Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade judgement of 1973, which gave women in America the right to have an abortion before the foetus is viable outside the womb or before the 24–28-week mark. With the setting aside of the historic judgement on abortion in the U.S, here’s a look at the laws that govern abortion in India.

THE EXPLANATION:

How did abortion laws come about in India?

  • In the 1960s, in the wake of a high number of induced abortions taking place, the Union government ordered the constitution of the Shantilal Shah Committee to deliberate on the legalisation of abortion in the country. In order to reduce maternal mortality owing to unsafe abortions, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act was brought into force in 1971.
  • This law is an exception to the Indian Penal Code (IPC) provisions of 312 and 313 and sets out the rules of how and when a medical abortion can be carried out.
  • Under Section 312 of the IPC, a person who “voluntarily causes a woman with child to miscarry” is liable for punishment, attracting a jail term of up to three years or fine or both, unless it was done in good faith where the purpose was to save the life of the pregnant woman.
  • Section 313 of the IPC states that a person who causes the miscarriage without the consent of the pregnant woman, whether or not she is the in the advanced stages of her pregnancy, shall be punished with life imprisonment or a jail term that could extend to 10 years, as well as a fine.

What is the MTP (Amendment) Act, 2021?

  • Under the 2021 Act, medical termination of pregnancy is permitted if it is backed by medical opinion and is being sought for at least one of the following reasons —
    1. If the continuation of pregnancy would involve a risk to the life of the pregnant woman
    2. If its continuation would result in grave injury to the woman’s physical or mental health
    3. In the case of a substantial risk that if the child was born, it would suffer from serious physical or mental abnormality.
  • The pregnancy can be terminated upto 24 weeks of gestational age after the opinion of two registered medical practitioners under these conditions —
    • If the woman is either a survivor of sexual assault or rape or incest
    • If she is a minor
    • If her marital status has changed during the ongoing pregnancy (i.e. either widowhood or divorce)
    • If she has major physical disabilities or is mentally ill
    • (5) On the grounds of foetal malformation incompatible with life or if the child is born, it would be seriously handicapped
    • (6) If the woman is in humanitarian settings or disaster, or emergency situations as declared by the government.
  • Besides, if the pregnancy has to be terminated beyond the 24-week gestational age, it can only be done on the grounds of foetal abnormalities if a four-member Medical Board, as set up in each State under the Act, gives permission to do so.
  • The law, notwithstanding any of the above conditions, also provides that where it is immediately necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, abortion can be carried out at any time by a single registered medical practitioner.
  • Unmarried women can also access abortion under the above-mentioned conditions, because it does not mention the requirement of spousal consent. If the woman is a minor, however, the consent of a guardian is required.

Have there been judicial interventions in cases of abortions?

  • Despite the fact that existing laws do not permit unconditional abortion in the country, in the landmark 2017 Right to Privacy judgement in the Justice S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India and others, the Supreme Court had held that the decision by a pregnant person on whether to continue a pregnancy or not is part of such a person’s right to privacy as well and, therefore, the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.
  • Several women annually approach the apex court and High Courts, when medical boards reject their application to access MTP beyond the gestational upper limit (now 24 weeks), seeking permission to abort a pregnancy, mostly in cases where it is a result of sexual assault or when there is a foetal abnormality.

What are the criticisms against the abortion law?

  • According to a 2018 study in the Lancet, 6 million abortions were accessed every year in India as of 2015. The MTP Act requires abortion to be performed only by doctors with specialisation in gynaecology or obstetrics. However, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s 2019-20 report on Rural Health Statistics indicates that there is a 70% shortage of obstetrician-gynaecologists in rural India.
  • As the law does not permit abortion at will, critics say that it pushes women to access illicit abortions under unsafe conditions. Statistics put the annual number of unsafe and illegal abortions performed in India at 8,00,000, many of them resulting in maternal mortality.

 

THE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

EXPLAINED: WHY GERMANY IS PUSHING FOR A ‘CLIMATE CLUB’

THE CONTEXT: Germany is hosting this year’s meeting of leaders from the Group of Seven leading economies and also, plans to get the G-7 to commit to collective progress on curbing global warming, and one of the ideas being discussed is the creation of a climate club’ for countries that want to speed ahead when it comes to tackling the issue.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is a climate club?

  • The idea was first floated by Yale economist and Nobel Prize winner William Nordhaus, who said the voluntary nature of existing climate agreements hasn’t resulted in sufficient progress.
  • He proposed that countries which were serious about reducing their emissions could come together and form a club which would jointly set ambitious targets and exempt each other from climate-related trade tariffs that non-members would be subject to.

Who might join?

  • Germany’s Scholz hopes to get the whole G-7 behind the idea. France and Italy are virtually given, since both countries are also members of the European Union that is itself a club with strong climate targets. Canada is keen to finalize a long-discussed trade agreement with the EU and membership of the climate club could help.
  • Britain left the EU in 2020 and is skeptical about joining any arrangement with the bloc. But a club that includes members beyond the EU would likely be acceptable to London, especially if the United States is in.
  • Washington has always had a problem entering into binding agreements on climate change, particularly due to Republican opposition. President George W. Bush withdrew America’s signature under the 1997 Kyoto treaty and President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 Paris accord — a much less stringent pact.
  • The US rejoined Paris under President Joe Biden, however, and there is growing realization that a go-it-alone approach may not be in America’s interest, especially if it wants to force China to pull its weight on reducing emissions.
  • Japan may also be swayed by the prospect of putting pressure on its big neighbour and privileged access to European and North American markets.

What about China?

  • The world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gas isn’t likely to join But if it wants to export its wares to the rest of the world without having climate tariffs slapped on them, it may have to join.
  • Expect Beijing to be sharply critical of the idea, just as it has been of the EU’s planned “carbon border adjustment mechanism” — which also entails tariffs for polluters who don’t play by the bloc’s rules.
  • China has tried to rally other emerging economies such as South Africa and Indonesia in opposition to the plan. That’s one reason why Scholz has invited both of those countries attend the G-7 as guests and made clear that the climate club is open to all.

Will the idea take off?

  • Experts say a critical mass of countries will need to join the club for it to become attractive enough that others feel compelled to apply too.
  • The exact details of how the club’s rules would work are still sketchy. General support by the G-7, without any formal commitments, could help put the idea on the agenda at upcoming meetings, particularly the UN climate summit in November 2022. An endorsement there would show that the club isn’t the exclusive preserve of rich nations but a genuine addition to existing climate efforts.

INDIA REOPENS EMBASSY IN KABUL

THE CONTEXT: According to the External Affairs Ministry, the decision to have a diplomatic presence in Kabul was taken keeping in mind ‘historical and civilisational relationship’ with Afghans.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • A little over 10 months after the Taliban seized power in Kabul and India subsequently shut its mission down, New Delhi deployed a “technical team” consisting of diplomats and others to the Afghan capital to “closely monitor and coordinate” the delivery of humanitarian assistance there.
  • The ministry also said, “Our longstanding links with Afghan society and our development partnership, including humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan, will continue to guide our approach going forward.”
  • India’s announcement was welcomed by the Taliban government, which said it demonstrates the country’s security situation.

STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE OF AFGHANISTAN FOR INDIA:

  • Natural resources: Afghanistan is known for its geo-strategic importance and abundance of natural resources. Afghanistan has an estimated 1 trillion USD of untapped resources according to a joint report of The Pentagon and US Geological Survey. Stable Afghanistan with better relations means more economic development in the region and of India.
  • Security: A stable Afghanistan is crucial for regional and domestic security and stability for India. With Afghanistan becoming a centre of radical ideology and violence again, such a development would affect Pakistan and would inevitably reach India. Further, there is threat of drug trafficking through the Afghanistan route. Peaceful Afghanistan is thus a necessity to reduce the threat to internal security of india.
  • Connectivity: Afghanistan is always considered as India’s gateway to Central Asia. It implies continental outreach. For instance, connectivity with Afghanistan and further with Central Asia have been primarily the reasons for India’s engagement with Iran to develop Chabahar port. Similarly, Delaram-Zaranj highway is an important route to connect Indian economy via Afghanistan.
  • Strengthening regional foothold: Increasing strategic engagements with Afghanistan combination is beneficial for India in strengthening a foothold in the region. For example, India’s relations with Iran at present are dominated by oil. Diversification of engagements would strengthen India’s relations with Iran and other countries.
  • Energy ambitions: To address its energy needs to sustain its economic growth, pipelines from Iran and Central Asia would be extremely important. India sees Afghanistan as an essential component of the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) pipeline. An unstable Afghanistan would hurt the construction of this pipeline and the subsequent flow of gas.
  • Trade: In case of trade, Afghanistan can help India export its products to Europe, gaining foreign exchange. The railway line from Chabahar to Zahedan in Afghanistan envisages to connect New Delhi with Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia and Europe.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

NITI AAYOG LAUNCHES REPORT ON INDIA’S GIG AND PLATFORM ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: NITI Aayog launched a report that presented comprehensive perspectives and recommendations on the gig economy in India titled ‘India’s Booming Gig and Platform Economy’.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The report is a first-of-its-kind study that presents comprehensive perspectives and recommendations on the gig–platform economy in India. The report provides a scientific methodological approach to estimate the current size and job-generation potential of the sector.
  • It highlights the opportunities and challenges of this emerging sector and presents global best practices on initiatives for social security and delineates strategies for skill development and job creation for different categories of workers in the sector.

Who are Gig Workers?

  • A gig worker is a person who performs work or participates in a work arrangement and earns from such activities outside of the traditional employer-employee relationship.
  • The gig economy encompasses freelancers, online platform workers, self-employed, on-call workers, and other temporary contractual workers.
  • Gig workers get the flexibility to work for several employers at the same time. A gig economy can benefit employees as well as companies. While workers can choose the projects they want to be associated with, companies can manage costs by adjusting their flexible workforce based on the demand.

Key findings and recommendations of the report:

  • The report estimates that in 2020–21, 77 lakh (7.7 million) workers were engaged in the gig economy. They constituted 6% of the non-agricultural workforce or 1.5% of the total workforce in India. The gig workforce is expected to expand to 2.35 crore (23.5 million) workers by 2029–30. Gig workers are expected to form 6.7% of the non-agricultural workforce or 4.1% of the total livelihood in India by 2029–30.
  • At present, about 47% of the gig work is in medium skilled jobs, about 22% in high skilled, and about 31% in low skilled jobs. Trend shows the concentration of workers in medium skills is gradually declining and that of the low skilled and high skilled is increasing.
  • To harness the potential of the gig-platform sector, the report recommends accelerating access to finance through products specifically designed for platform workers, linking self-employed individuals engaged in the business of selling regional and rural cuisine, street food, etc., with platforms to enable them to sell their produce to wider markets in towns and cities.
  • The report puts forth suggestions for platform-led transformational and outcome-based skilling, enhancing social inclusion through gender sensitization and accessibility awareness programmes for workers and their families and extending social security measures in partnership mode as envisaged in the Code on Social Security 2020.
  • Other recommendations include undertaking a separate enumeration exercise to estimate the size of the gig and platform workforce and collecting information during official enumerations (Periodic Labour Force Survey) to identify gig workers.

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

IMPLICATIONS OF INDIA’S NEW VPN RULES

THE CONTEXT: India’s cybersecurity agency (CERT-IN) passed a rule mandating Virtual Private Network (VPN) provider to record and keep their customers’ logs for 180 days. It also asked these firms to collect and store customer data for up to five years.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • It further mandated that any cybercrime recorded must be reported to the CERT-In (Computer Emergency Response Team) within six hours of the crime. The new directives, if passed, will be effective from June 28.
  • In response to the CERT-In rules, Nord VPN, one of the world’s largest VPN providers, has said it is moving its servers out of the country.

Who all will be affected by the new rules?

CERT-In directions are applicable to data centres, virtual private server (VPS) providers, cloud service providers, virtual asset service providers, virtual asset exchange providers, custodian wallet providers and government organisations. Firms that provide Internet proxy-like services through VPN technologies also come under the ambit of the new rule. Corporate entities are not under the scanner.

What is a virtual server, and what are its uses?

  • A virtual server is a simulated server environment built on an actual physical server. It recreates the functionality of a dedicated physical server. The virtual twin functions like a physical server that runs software and uses resources of the physical server. Multiple virtual servers can run on a single physical server.
  • Virtualising servers helps reallocate resources for changing workloads. Converting one physical server into multiple virtual servers allows organisations to use processing power and resources more efficiently by running multiple operating systems and applications on one partitioned server. Running multiple operating systems and applications on a single physical machine reduces cost as it consumes less space and hardware.
  • Virtualisation also reduces cost as maintaining a virtual server infrastructure is low compared to physical server infrastructure. Virtual servers are also said to offer higher security than a physical server infrastructure as the operating system and applications are enclosed in a virtual machine. This helps contain security attacks and malicious behaviour inside the virtual machine.
  • Virtual servers are also useful in testing and debugging applications in different operating systems and versions without having to manually install and run them in several physical machines. Software developers can create, run, and test new software applications on a virtual server without taking processing power away from other users.

How will the law impact India’s IT sector?

  • On the impact of removal of physical servers from the country on jobs, SurfsharkVPN said “It would be difficult to estimate the exact number of individuals impacted in terms of employment because we were renting servers from Indian providers.”
  • VPN suppliers leaving India is not good for its burgeoning IT sector. Taking such radical action that highly impacts the privacy of millions of people in India will most likely be counterproductive and strongly damage the IT sector’s growth in the country, the company said in a release last week.
  • It estimated that 9 million Indians have had their accounts breached since 2004 and raised its concern that collecting excessive amounts of data within Indian jurisdiction without robust protection mechanisms could lead to even more breaches.
  • The Netherlands-based company further said that they have never received a similar directive on storing customer logs from any other governments in the world.

 

THE NEWS IN NUMBERS

INDIA-EGYPT WHEAT TRADE

According to Egyptian Government, 1.8 In lakh tonnes, the amount of wheat Egypt has contracted to buy from India, Shipment will happen once the cargo “reaches the ports” in India. Egypt has strategic reserves of wheat sufficient for 5.7 months. The country has procured 3.9 million tonnes of wheat in the harvest so far. The strategic reserves for sugar are sufficient for more than six months, 6.3 months for vegetable oils while rice reserves will be enough for 3.3 months.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

The Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment was recently launched by which of the following?

a) WEF

b) OECD

c) G7

d) G20

 

ANSWER FOR 25TH JUNE 2022

Answer: B

Explanation:

  • Guiding principles of NITI Aayog –

 

 




DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JUNE 23, 2022)

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

38TH INDIA – INDONESIA COORDINATED PATROL

THE CONTEXT: The 38th edition of India–Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) between the Indian Navy and the Indonesian Navy is being conducted from 13-24 Jun 22.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Maritime interaction between India and Indonesia has expanded substantially with frequent port visits, participation in bilateral/ multilateral exercises and training exchanges. Under the broad ambit of this strong maritime relationship, the two navies have been carrying out CORPATs along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) every year since 2002, with the aim of keeping this vital part of the Indian Ocean Region safe and secure for commercial shipping and international trade.
  • The CORPAT has also strengthened understanding and interoperability between the navies and facilitated the institution of measures to prevent unlawful activities at sea as well as conduct Search and Rescue (SAR) operations.
  • The CORPAT has helped both navies to better understand each other’s operating procedures and enhance interoperability whilst facilitating institutional measures for preventing/ suppressing Illegal Unreported Unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery and piracy in the region. The sea phase for the 38thedition of CORPAT was undertaken from 20 – 21 Jun 22 along the IMBL in the Andaman Sea, whilst the closing ceremony is scheduled at Sabang, Indonesia on 23 June 22.
  • The 38th Ind-Indo CORPAT will contribute to Indian Navy’s efforts to consolidate inter-operability and forge strong bonds of friendship with the Indonesian Navy.

VALUE ADDITION:

INDIA -INDONESIA TIES

  • It is the World’s largest Island Country with more than 17,000 islands.
  • It has the 4th largest population in the world.
  • Indonesia was one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement along with India.
  • India is the largest buyer of crude palm oil from Indonesia and also imports coal, minerals, rubber, pulp and hydrocarbon in significant quantities. India exports refined petroleum products, maize, commercial vehicles, telecommunication equipment, oil seeds to Indonesia. There is a need to balance our bilateral trade as India’s import from Indonesia was US$ 15 billion against export of US$ 4 billion in 2014-15.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

INDIA REPORTS FY22 CAD OF 1.2% AS TRADE DEFICIT WIDENS

THE CONTEXT: According to data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India recorded a current account deficit (CAD) of 1.2% of GDP in 2021-22 against a surplus of 0.9% in 2020-21 as the trade deficit widened to $189.5 billion from $102.2 billion a year earlier.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Net invisible receipts were higher in 2021-22 on account of an increase in net exports of services and net private transfer receipts though net income outgo was higher than a year ago.
  • Net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows at $38.6 billion in 2021-22 were lower than $44 billion in 2020-21. Net Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) recorded an outflow of $16.8 billion in 2021-22 as against an inflow of $36.1 billion a year earlier.
  • For the January-March 2022 quarter, the CAD narrowed on a sequential basis to $13.4 billion, or 1.5% of GDP, against $22.2 billion, or 2.6% of GDP, in the December 2021 quarter.
  • The merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $54.5 billion in the March quarter compared with a deficit of $60.4 billion in the previous quarter. The deficit in the same quarter a year earlier, however, had stood at $41.7 billion.
  • As per the data, net External Commercial Borrowings to India recorded an inflow of $7.4 billion in 2021-22 compared with $0.2 billion in 2020-21. In 2021-22, there was an accretion of $47.5 billion to foreign exchange reserves on a Balance of Payment (BoP) basis, the RBI data showed.
  • Net foreign portfolio investment recorded an outflow of $15.2 billion – mainly from the equity market. Net ECBs to India were lower at $3.3 billion in Q4 2021-22 as compared with $6.1 billion a year earlier.
  • As per preliminary data on India’s BoP for the fourth quarter (January to March), current account deficit (CAD) decreased to $13.4 billion (1.5% of GDP) in Q4 2021-22 from $22.2 billion (2.6 % of GDP) in Q3:2021-22. “The sequential decline in CAD in Q4 2021-22 was mainly on account of a moderation in trade deficit and lower net outgo of primary income”.

VALUE ADDITION:

Current Account Deficit:

  • The current account deficit is a measurement of a country’s trade where the value of the goods and services it imports exceeds the value of the products it exports. The current account includes net income, such as interest and dividends, and transfers, such as foreign aid, although these components make up only a small percentage of the total current account.
  • The current account represents a country’s foreign transactions and, like the capital account, is a component of a country’s balance of payments (BOP).

External Commercial Borrowing:

  • External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) refers to the debt shouldered by an eligible entity in India for solely commercial purposes, that has been extended by external sources, i.e. from any recognized entity outside India. These borrowings are expected to conform to norms and conditions put forth by the RBI. The ECB’s fall under the umbrella of RBI regulations.

THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

FOUR NEW CORALS WERE RECORDED FROM INDIAN WATERS

THE CONTEXT: Scientists have recorded four species of azooxanthellate corals for the first time from Indian waters. These new corals were found in the waters of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Azooxanthellate corals are a group of corals that do not contain zooxanthellae and derive nourishment not from the sun but from capturing different forms of plankton. These groups of corals are deep-sea representatives, with the majority of species reporting from between 200 m to 1000 m. Their occurrences are also reported from shallow coastal waters.
  • Zooxanthellate corals, meanwhile, are restricted to shallow waters.
  • “Most studies of hard corals in India have been concentrated on reef-building corals while much is not known about non-reef-building corals. These new records enhance our knowledge about non-reef-building, solitary corals”.
  • There are about 570 species of hard corals found in India and almost 90% of them are found in the waters surrounding Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The pristine and oldest ecosystem of corals shares less than 1% of the earth’s surface but they provide a home to nearly 25% of marine life.
  • Four species of azooxanthellate corals were recorded for the first time from the waters of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
  • The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) scientist behind these new records, said that all four groups of corals are from the same family Also, they noted that the coral reefs are one of the most productive, sustainable and pristine ecosystems of the world’s oceans, especially in shallow coastal waters.

VALUE ADDITION:

What are corals?

  • Corals are invertebrate animals belonging to a large group of colourful and fascinating animals called Cnidaria.
  • Each coral animal is called a polyp, and most live in groups of hundreds to thousands of genetically identical polyps that form a ‘colony’. The colony is formed by a process called budding, which is where the original polyp grows copies of itself.

What are coral reefs?

  • Coral reefs are created by millions of tiny polyps forming large carbonate structures. Coral reefs are the largest living structure on the planet, and the only living structure to be visible from space.
  • Corals are found across the world’s ocean, in both shallow and deep water, but reef-building corals are only found in shallow tropical and subtropical waters. This is because the algae found in their tissues need light for photosynthesis and they prefer water temperatures between 22-29°C.

DISTRIBUTION OF CORALS ALONG THE INDIAN COASTS

THE SECURITY AFFAIRS

DIGITAL WEARABLES CAN EXPOSE USERS TO CYBERATTACKS: IEEE

THE CONTEXT: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a global outfit for technical professionals warned that Digital wearables, smartwatches and fitness trackers pose unique threats to the security and privacy of customer data.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • As per a document shared by the IEEE, most criminal intrusions of computer networks have a financial motive. That may lead people to conclude that wearables have a low cybersecurity risk. But wearables data, especially in healthcare settings, is often tied to financial information.
  • It also noted that, “Depending on the organisation from which it was obtained, stolen health data can be extremely valuable because it often includes so much personally identifiable information – including birthdays, email addresses and other login information, that can be used for identity theft purposes.
  • Hospitals, for example, should maintain extensive databases of personally identifiable information for billing purposes. Hence the rise of wearables, implants and other connected devices adds a new dimension to cybersecurity risk, the body suggested.
  • India has been witnessing massive adoption of wearable technology in recent years. Wearables have become popular in the country as they allowed users to stay connected and also offered tracker services for health, medication, sleep, exercise/walk etc.
  • The wearables market in India had record-breaking double-digit growth in the first quarter of 2022, with shipments surpassing 13.9 million devices, as per International Data Centre (IDC).

VALUE ADDITION:

What is wearable technology?

Wearable technology is any kind of electronic device designed to be worn on the user’s body. Such devices can take many different forms, including jewellery, accessories, medical devices, and clothing or elements of clothing. The term wearable computing implies processing or communications capabilities, but in reality, the sophistication among wearables can vary.

CHALLENGES OF WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES

  1. Lack of authentication: Manufacturers often ship wearable devices without a built-in security mechanism such as user authentication or PIN system protection features.
  2. Lack of encryption: Data collected by wearables are very valuable but some third-party apps neglect to include basic security standards and send or store information that’s not encrypted.
  3. Insecure wireless connectivity: Wearable devices connect to smartphones wirelessly via protocols such as Bluetooth, NFC, and WiFi. But the security of these wireless channels can be insufficient against determined hackers.
  4. Insecure Cloud data: Data synchronized to cloud storage are also vulnerable to a number of threats such as distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, SQL injection or back door attacks.

If left unchecked, these vulnerabilities can be a point of entry for attackers that can exploit legitimate enterprise credentials or hospital records which would lead to loss of or the ransom of sensitive data.

THE HISTORICAL TIDBITS

THE TOTAL WAR

THE CONTEXT: Long-drawn wars such as the Russian-Ukraine war raise fears of another world war. But world wars are different from limited wars.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is Total War?

  • Total war is a military conflict in which the participants are willing to make any sacrifice in lives and other resources so that they obtain a total or complete victory. This feature makes it different from limited war.
  • The modern concept of total war can be traced to the writings of the 19th-century Prussian military strategist Carl von Clausewitz. Clausewitz denied that wars could be fought by laws. In his major work Vom Kriege (On War) described wars as tending constantly to escalate in violence toward a theoretical absolute. Clausewitz also stressed the importance of crushing the adversary’s forces in battle.

What are some of the features of total war?

  • Total war is categorised by the participation of most countries of the world. Most of the major powers of the world participate in a total war.
  • Total war is fought at multiple fronts simultaneously.
  • Total participation of warring nations is another important feature. It is not just military forces but the entire society that participates in the war to ensure favourable outcomes.
  • It is also categorised by the latest weapons and technologies.
  • Use of weapons for mass destruction is also an important feature of total war.
  • A total war is always long-drawn.
  • No difference is seen between the combats and non-combats in a total war.
  • Development of new military infrastructure is witnessed during total war.
  • Total war is also characterised by its decisive outcomes. One of the parties involved in the war has to lose to bring the war to an end.
  • A total war is also a war of attrition.
  • Total impact is another important feature of total war. As the entire nation participates, the impact of the war is felt by every dimension of human life.

THE MISCELLANEOUS

ISRAEL UNCOVERS A RARE EARLY MOSQUE IN NEGEV

THE CONTEXT: Israeli archaeologists unveiled a rare ancient mosque in the country’s south that the antiquities officials said sheds light on the region’s transition from Christianity to Islam.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • According to the Archaeologists, the remains of the mosque, believed to be more than 1,200 years old, were discovered during works to build a new neighbourhood in the Bedouin city of Rahat.
  • The mosque located in the Negev desert contains “a square room and a wall facing the direction of Mecca”, with a half-circle niche in that wall pointing to the south.
  • “These unique architectural features show that the building was used as a mosque,” the authority said, noting it probably hosted a few dozen worshippers at a time.
  • Three years ago, the authority unearthed another mosque nearby from the same era of the seventh to eighth century AD, calling the two Islamic places of worship “among the earliest known worldwide”.
  • The mosques, estate and other homes found nearby illuminate “the historical process that took place in the northern Negev with the introduction of a new religion — the religion of Islam, and a new rulership and culture in the region”.
  • “These were gradually established, inheriting the earlier Byzantine government and Christian religion that held sway over the land for hundreds of years.”

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION FOR 23RD JUNE 2022

  1. Consider the following statements:
  2. Loktak lake is located in Nagaland.
  3. It is famous for the phumdis, floating organic matter.
  4. It is last natural refuge of the Sangai.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 and 2

b) 2 and 3

c) 1 and 3

d) 1, 2 and 3

ANSWER FOR 22ND JUNE 2022

ANSWER: C

EXPLANATION:

  • Boyfriend loophole refers to a gap in American federal and some state gun laws that allow access to guns by dating abusers.
  • It would prohibit dating partners- not just spouses- from owning guns if they had been convicted of domestic violence.



DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JUNE 22, 2022)

THE INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

THE JUDICIAL VALIDITY OF THE TALAQ-E-HASAN MODE OF DIVORCE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to invalidate Talaq-e-Hasan, the prescribed Islamic way of a divorce, has been filed in the Supreme Court.

THE EXPLANATION:

BACKGROUND:

Unlike other religions where marriage has been traditionally viewed as a sacrament, under Muslim law, marriage is a civil and social contract.

Talaq-ul-Sunnat of the divorce sanctioned by Prophet is sub-divided into:

  • Talaq-e-Ahsan
  • Talaq-e-Hasan
  • (iii) Talaq-e-Biddat

What is the PIL about?

  • The petition filed by a Ghaziabad-based woman, seeks to make the prescribed Islamic way of divorce Talaq-e-Hasan unconstitutional as it is violative of Articles 14, 15, 21 and 25 of the Constitution.
  • The petitioner who claimed to have been unilaterally divorced through the Talaq-e-Hasan mode by her husband Yousuf, also prayed that Section 2 of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 that permits Muslims to practise unilateral divorce be declared void.
  • It was argued that the aggrieved lady and her child would be left without a remedy if no intervention was made.

What is Talaq-e-Hasan ?

Talaq-e-Hasan is a type of extra-judicial divorce mentioned under Islam that only men can practice. In this, a man can divorce his wife by saying the word “Talaq” in three instalments over three months.

  • It is a revocable form of divorce. Extra-judicial divorce forms are approved by prophet Mohammad and are valid under all schools of Muslim law.
  • The husband has to make sure that the wife is not menstruating when he’ll be pronouncing ‘Talaq’.
  • There needs to be a gap of one month between all three pronouncements.
  • These three months are also known as a period of abstinence.
  • The duration for this ‘Iddat period is 90 days or three menstrual cycles or three lunar months.
  • In case, the couple starts cohabitation during the abstinence period, the divorce will be revoked.
  • The idea behind this period of abstinence is that the evil of divorce doesn’t become final at once.

Though Triple Talaq Is Banned In 2019, Why Is It Challenged?

  • In a landmark Shayara Bano v Union of India judgment in 2017, the Supreme Court declared Talaq-e-Biddat unconstitutional. It was a form of extra-judicial divorce when a man pronounces ‘talaq’ thrice in just one sitting and marriage between the two parties gets dissolved.
  • Triple talaq was declared unconstitutional by a five-judge bench on grounds of being arbitrary and against the Quran. These are two different forms of divorce and therefore need to be challenged separately.

Will Banning Talaq-e-Hasan Deprive Men of Their Rights?

  • Article 25 of the Indian Constitution allows every citizen the freedom to profess, practice and propagate religion. All personal laws, including the Muslim Personal Laws (Shariat) Application Act of 1937, draw their powers from Article 25. Islamic personal laws have recognised extra-judicial divorce procedures and therefore, Shariat Act allows extra-judicial divorce proceedings legally.
  • As Muslim women also have the right to practice extra-judicial divorce, a challenge to the constitutional validity of a man’s right to pronounce extra-judicial divorce on his wife is violative of Article 14 and Article15 becomes questionable.
VALUE ADDITION:

Talaq- e- Ahsan form: Under this form, once the husband pronounces talaq, there has to be a three-month iddat period to factor in the three menstrual cycles of the woman. This time is meant for reconciliation and arbitration. During this period, if any kind of cohabitation occurs, the talaq is considered to have been revoked.

 

THE SOCIAL ISSUES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE GLOBAL TRENDS REPORT 2022

THE CONTEXT: The 2022 annual Global Trends Report was published by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). June 20 is designated as World Refugee Day by the UN. The theme for World Refugee Day 2022 is whoever, whatever, whenever. Everyone has got a right to seek safety.

THE EXPLANATION:

Who is a refugee?

According to the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention, A refugee is someone who fled his or her home and country owing to “a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion”.

What are the major findings of this year’s report?

  • On Earth, 1 in every 78 people is now displaced.
  • There were 7 million new internal displacements worldwide, due to disasters. It is a decrease of 23 percent as compared to the last year (2021).
  • The largest displacement occurred in China in 2021 (6 million), the Philippines (5.7 million), and India (4.9 million).
  • The number of people who were forced to flee their homes has increased in the past decade. It stands at the highest level since records started. By the end of May 2022, more than 100 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide. The reasons cited are violence, war in Ukraine, food insecurity, human rights abuses, climate crisis, and other emergencies from Africa to Afghanistan.
  • By 2021 end, the number of people displaced by war, persecution, violence, and human rights abuses was 3 million. This has increased by 8% and has doubled as compared to the figure 10 years ago.
  • Importantly, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused the fastest and largest forced displacement crises after World War II from Africa to Afghanistan and beyond.
NOTE:

·         India is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and does not have a national refugee protection framework.

·         However, it continues to grant asylum to a large number of refugees from neighbouring States and respects UNHCR’s mandate for other nationals, mainly from Afghanistan and Myanmar.

  • In India’s case, the report points out that around five million people were internally displaced. The reason cited is due to disasters and climate change in 2021.
  • Low and middle-income countries hosted 83% of the world’s refugees. Turkey hosted nearly 3.8 million refugees, the largest population worldwide.
  • The number of new individual asylum applications registered globally in 2021 increased by 25% to 1.4 million from 1.1 million. Important to note that it is less than pre-pandemic levels. Also, Unaccompanied or separated children (UASC) accounted for two per cent of new asylum claims. The S. was the most popular choice among refugees to seek asylum, followed by Germany, Mexico, Costa Rica, and France.

VALUE ADDITION:

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):

  • It is a UN Refugee Agency and a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting their rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.
  • It was created in 1950 to help millions of Europeans who had fled or lost their homes.
  • It is headquartered at Geneva, Switzerland.
POINTS TO REMEMBER:

What is Non-refoulement?

It is the principle under international law that a person fleeing persecution from his own country should not be forced to return.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

INDIA’S EMERGING TWIN DEFICIT PROBLEM

THE CONTEXT: According to the latest ‘Monthly Economic Review’, the Ministry of Finance has painted an overall optimistic picture of the state of the domestic economy. “The World is looking at a distinct possibility of widespread stagflation. India, however, is at low risk of stagflation, owing to its prudent stabilization policies”.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • According to the Finance Ministry report, the economic growth outlook is likely to be affected by several factors owing to the trade disruptions, export bans and the resulting surge in global commodity prices —all of which will continue to stoke inflation — as long as the Russia-Ukraine conflict persists and global supply chains remain unrepaired.
  • “Also, it stated that the momentum of economic activities sustained in the first two months of the current financial year augurs well for India continuing to be the quickest growing economy among major countries in 2022-23”. But, given the uncertainties, the report highlights two key areas of concern for the Indian economy: the fiscal deficit and the current account deficit (or CAD).

Fiscal deficit

  • The report states that “as government revenues take a hit following cuts in excise duties on diesel and petrol, an upside risk to the budgeted level of gross fiscal deficit has emerged”.
  • The fiscal deficit is essentially the amount of money that the government has to borrow in any year to fill the gap between its expenditures and revenues. Higher levels of fiscal deficit typically imply the government eats into the pool of investible funds in the market which could have been used by the private sector for its own investment needs.
  • At a time when the government is trying its best to kick-start and sustain a private sector investment cycle, borrowing more than what it budgeted will be
  • The report underscores the need to trim revenue expenditure (or the money government spends just to meet its daily needs). “Rationalizing non-capex expenditure has thus become critical, not only for protecting growth supportive capex but also for avoiding fiscal slippages”. The “Capex” or capital expenditure essentially refers to money spent towards creating productive assets such as roads, buildings, ports etc. Capex has a much bigger multiplier effect on the overall GDP growth than revenue expenditure.

Current account deficit

The current account essentially refers to two specific sub-parts:

  • Import and Export of goods — this is the “trade account”.
  • Import and export of services — this is called the “invisibles account”.

If a country imports more goods (everything from cars to phones to machinery to food grains etc) than it exports, it is said to have a trade account deficit. A deficit implies that more money is going out of the country than coming in via the trade of physical goods. Similarly, the same country could be earning a surplus on the invisibles account — that is, it could be exporting more services than importing.

If, however, the net effect of a trade account and the invisibles account is a deficit, then it is called a current account deficit or CAD. A widening CAD tends to weaken the domestic currency because a CAD implies more dollars (or foreign currencies) are being demanded than rupees.

 

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE COSMIC CANNIBALISM

THE CONTEXT: Astronomers have observed for the first time a phenomenon, called, “cosmic cannibalism,” a dead star is ripping apart its planetary system. A star is ending its life so violently that the dead star left behind, called a white dwarf, is disrupting an entire planetary system by sucking in debris from both its inner and outer reaches.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is a white dwarf?

  • A White Dwarf is the final evolutionary stage of a star. White Dwarf Stars are called so because they were first discovered in that particular colour.
  • Their characteristics include having a mass as that of the Sun, a radius comparable to the Earth and low luminosity.
  • Scientists believe that White dwarfs are the end-stage of those states whose mass is insufficient to become a neutron star or a black hole. It is believed that 97% of stars of the Milky Way galaxy are white dwarfs.
  • Compared to our sun, a white dwarf has a similar carbon and oxygen mass though it is much smaller in size — similar to Earth. According to NASA, the White dwarf temperatures can exceed 100,000 Kelvin. Despite having too high a temperature, white dwarfs have a low luminosity as they’re so small in size.
  • Where a star ends up at the end of its life depends on the mass it was born with. Stars that have a lot of mass may end their lives as black holes or neutron stars. A low or medium mass star (with a mass less than about 8 times the mass of our Sun) will become a white dwarf. A typical white dwarf is about as massive as the Sun, yet only slightly bigger than the Earth. This makes white dwarfs one of the densest forms of matter, surpassed only by neutron stars and black holes.
  • This case of cosmic cannibalism was diagnosed with the help of archival data from the Hubble Space Telescope and other NASA observatories.

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

·         The nearest white dwarf is Sirius B located at 8.6 light-years.

·         There are believed to be eight white dwarfs among the hundred-star systems nearest to the Sun.

·         A white dwarf is very hot when it forms, but because it has no source of energy, it will gradually cool as it radiates its energy.

 

VALUE ADDITION:

ABOUT HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE:

  • The Hubble Space Telescope is a large telescope in space. NASA launched Hubble in 1990.
  • It was built by the United States space agency NASA, with contributions from the European Space Agency.
  • Hubble is the only telescope designed to be serviced in space by astronauts.
  • Expanding the frontiers of the visible Universe, the Hubble Space Telescope looks deep into space with cameras that can see across the entire optical spectrum from infrared to ultraviolet.
  • The Hubble Space Telescope makes one orbit around Earth every 95 minutes.

THE EMERGENCE OF DRUG-RESISTANT TYPHOID STRAINS

THE CONTEXT: According to a study published in the Lancet Microbe, the effectiveness of antibiotics for typhoid fever is threatened by the emergence of resistant strains, as per the large genome sequencing study of the bacteria Salmonella Typhi.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The study sequenced 3,489 S Typhi isolates from 2014-19 from people in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, and 4,169 samples isolated from over 70 countries during 1905-2018. Strains were classified as MDR if they had genes giving resistance to antibiotics ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole.
  • According to the researchers, “In recent years, they have seen increasingly resistant strains that are threatening to leave us without effective antibiotics against this bacterium. The strain for which there is only a single oral antibiotic remaining is termed XDR typhoid. Strains resistant to the antibiotic (azithromycin) have been seen in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.
  • Evidence to date suggests that much of the drug resistance in typhoid has evolved within India, so certainly need to be concerned about the appearance of drug resistance in the country.
  • Typhoid fever causes 11 million infections and more than 100,000 deaths per year. South Asia accounts for 70% of the global disease burden.
  • India’s Health Ministry is considering introducing new typhoid conjugate vaccines into the national immunisation program. Two WHO-prequalified vaccines have been developed in India (by Bharat Biotech (Typbar TCV) and Biological E).

VALUE ADDITION:

  • Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection that can spread throughout the body, affecting many organs. Without prompt treatment, it can cause serious complications and can be fatal.
  • It’s caused by a bacterium called Salmonella typhi, which is related to the bacteria that cause salmonella food poisoning.
  • Typhoid fever is highly contagious. An infected person can pass the bacteria out of their body in their poo or, less commonly, in their pee.

THE PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THIS WORD MEANS: BOYFRIEND LOOPHOLE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, US senators reached a bipartisan deal on gun safety measures. The reform outline includes a significant provision to address the ‘boyfriend loophole’.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is the boyfriend loophole?

  • It refers to a gap in American federal and some state gun laws that allow access to guns by dating abusers.
  • It would prohibit dating partners- not just spouses- from owning guns if they had been convicted of domestic violence.
  • The framework says that convicted domestic violence abusers and individuals subject to domestic violence restraining orders would be included in criminal background checks

THE DUTCH DISEASE

  • Dutch Disease in economics refers to a phenomenon wherein a country witnesses uneven growth across sectors due to the discovery of natural resources, especially large oil reserves.
  • According to the concept, when a country discovers natural resources and starts exporting them to the rest of the world, it causes the exchange rate of the currency to appreciate significantly and this, in turn, discourages the exports from other sectors while encouraging the import of cheaper alternatives.
  • While the idea was first proposed by economists Peter Neary and Max Corden in 1982, the term ‘Dutch disease’ was first coined by The Economist in 1977 to describe the decline of the manufacturing industry in the Netherlands.

 

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION FOR 22ND JUNE 2022

Q1. The term “Boyfriend Loophole” is recently seen in the news related to?

a) A new dwarf planet found by NASA

b) It is a small object, passing close to the Sun

c) It is US federal framework for Gun safety measures

d) None

ANSWER FOR 21ST JUNE 2022

Answer: D

Explanation:

  • Dutch Disease in economics refers to a phenomenon wherein a country witnesses uneven growth across sectors due to the discovery of natural resources, especially large oil reserves.
  • The idea was first proposed by economists Peter Neary and Max Corden in 1982, the term ‘Dutch disease’ was first coined by The Economist in 1977 to describe the decline of the manufacturing industry in the Netherlands.
  • In the 1960s, the Netherlands discovered gas reserves in the North Sea. The subsequent ex- port of oil and the appreciation of the Dutch currency made Dutch exports of all non-oil products less competitive on the world market. Unemployment rose from 1.1% to 5.1% and capital investment in the country dropped.

 

Answer: D

Explanation:

Please refer to the given map-




DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JUNE 21, 2022)

THE INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

MUSLIM GIRL AGED ABOVE 15 COMPETENT FOR MARRIAGE: PUNJAB AND HARYANA HIGH COURT

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that a Muslim girl above 15 years of age is competent to enter into a contract of marriage with a person of her choice.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The couple contended before the Court that in Muslim law, puberty and majority are one and the same and that there is a presumption that a person attains majority at the age of 15 years.
  • It is further submitted that a Muslim boy or Muslim girl who has attained puberty is at liberty to marry anyone he or she likes and the guardian has no right to interfere.

THE RIGHT TO MARRY IS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT:

  • The right to marry is a part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.
  • The right to marriage is also stated under Human Rights Charter within the meaning of the right to start a family.
  • The right to marry is a universal right and it is available to everyone irrespective of their gender.
  • Various courts across the country have also interpreted the right to marry as an integral part of the right to life under Article 21.
  • A forced marriage is illegal in different personal laws on marriage in India, with the right to marry recognized under Hindu laws as well as Muslim laws.

Other laws that lay down a person’s right to marry in India are:

  • The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006
  • The Guardians and Wards Act, 1890
  • The Majority Act, 1875
  • The Family Courts Act, 1984
  • The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005

SCOPE OF ARTICLE 21:

  • Article 21, considered the heart and soul of the Constitution, states, ‘No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to the procedure established by law.

It has a much more profound meaning that signifies the:

  • Right to live with human dignity
  • Right to livelihood
  • Right to health
  • Right to pollution-free air
  • Right to live a quality life
  • Right to go abroad
  • Right to privacy
  • Right against delayed execution,

And anything and everything that fulfils the criteria for a dignified life.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

EXERCISE “EX KHAAN QUEST – 2022”

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the multinational peacekeeping Exercise “Ex Khaan Quest -2022” was held at the Peace Support Operations Training Centre in Ulaanbaatar Mongolia.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The exercise conducted from 06 June to 20 June 2022 provided a platform for mutual learning and sharing best practices amongst the armies of 16 Nations. The Indian contingent consisting of personnel from the LADAKH SCOUTS participated in the field training as well as the Command Post-exercise. A number of training activities were organised during the course of the exercise, which included mock tactical operations as per United Nations (UN) mandate, combat discussions, training of staff & command appointments; as part of a combined UN brigade, in order to enhance multinational interoperability.
  • The bonhomie, espirit-de-corps and goodwill generated during the exercise will go a long way in future strengthening of bonds between the Armies of participating Nations.
Value Addition:

NOMADIC ELEPHANT:

It is a bilateral exercise between two nations – India and Mongolia. The troops of armies of both countries participate in the Nomadic Elephant exercise.

THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

EXPLAINED: WHY IS SINGLE-USE PLASTIC BEING BANNED IN INDIA FROM JULY 1?

THE CONTEXT: The Centre has banned the use of ‘single-use plastic’ from July 1. The Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change had issued a gazette notification last year announcing the ban and has now defined a list of items that will be banned from next month.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • According to Ministry’s Notification “The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of following single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited with effect from the 1st July, 2022’’.

What is single-use plastic?

  • As the name suggests, it refers to plastic items that are used once and discarded. Single-use plastic has among the highest shares of plastic manufactured and used — from packaging of items, to bottles (shampoo, detergents, cosmetics), polythene bags, face masks, coffee cups, cling film, trash bags, food packaging etc.
  • A 2021 report by one of the Australian philanthropic organisations the Minderoo Foundation said single-use plastics account for a third of all plastic produced globally, with 98% manufactured from fossil fuels. Single-use plastic also accounts for the majority of plastic discarded – 130 million metric tonnes globally in 2019 — “all of which is burned, buried in landfills or discarded directly into the environment”.
  • On the current trajectory of production, it has been projected that single-use plastic could account for 5-10% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
  • The report found that India features in the top 100 countries of single-use plastic waste generation – at rank 94 (the top three being Singapore, Australia and Oman. With domestic production of 11.8 million metric tonnes annually, and import of 2.9 MMT, India’s net generation of single-use plastic waste is 5.6 MMT, and per capita generation is 4 kg.

What are the items being banned?

  • The items on which the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) have announced a ban are earbuds; balloon sticks; candy and ice-cream sticks; cutlery items including plates, cups, glasses, forks, spoons, knives, trays; sweet boxes; invitation cards; cigarette packs; PVC banners measuring under 100 microns; and polystyrene for decoration.
  • The Ministry had already banned polythene bags under 75 microns in September 2021, expanding the limit from the earlier 50 microns. From December, the ban will be extended to polythene bags under 120 microns. Ministry officials have explained that the ban is being introduced in phases to give manufacturers time to shift to thicker polythene bags that are easier to recycle. While manufacturers can use the same machine for 50- and 75-micron bags, the machinery will need to be upgraded for 120 microns.
  • According to the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, there is also a complete ban on sachets using plastic material for storing, packing or selling gutkha, tobacco and pan masala.

Why these items?

  • Ministry officials have said that the choice for the first set of single-use plastic items for the ban was based on “difficulty of collection, and therefore recycling”.
  • “The enemy is not that plastic exists per se, but that plastic exists in the environment. When plastic remains in the environment for long periods of time and does not decay, it turns into microplastics – first entering our food sources and then the human body, and this is extremely harmful.

How are other countries dealing with single-use plastic?

  • Earlier this year, 124 countries, parties to the United Nations Environment Assembly, including India, signed a resolution to draw up an agreement which will in the future make it legally binding for the signatories to address the full life of plastics from production to disposal, to end plastic pollution.
  • Bangladesh became the first country to ban thin plastic bags in 2002. New Zealand became the latest country to ban plastic bags in July 2019. China issued a ban on plastic bags in 2020 with phased implementation.
  • As of July 2019, 68 countries have plastic bag bans with varying degrees of enforcement.

 

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

DESIGN-LED MANUFACTURING UNDER A PRODUCTION-LINKED INCENTIVE (PLI) SCHEME

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Department of Telecommunications(DoT) had notified the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme on 24th February 2021, with a financial outlay of ₹ 12,195 Crores. A total of 31 companies, comprising of 16 MSMEs and 15 Non-MSMEs including 8 Domestic and 7 Global companies were given approval on 14th October,2021.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • With the objective to build a strong ecosystem for 5G, the Union Budget 2022-23 has proposed to launch a Scheme for design-led manufacturing as part of the existing PLI Scheme. After consultations with stakeholders, the Guidelines for the PLI Scheme for Telecom & Networking Products have been amended to introduce the Design-led Manufacturing with additional incentive rates.
  • Further, DoT based on feedbacks from stakeholders including the selected PLI Applicants, has decided to extend the existing PLI Scheme by one year. The existing PLI beneficiaries will be given an option to choose financial year 2021-22 or financial year 2022-23 as the first year of incentive.
  • DoT has also approved addition of 11 new telecom and networking products to the existing list, based on suggestions from the stakeholders.
  • Applicants will have to satisfy the minimum Global Revenue criteria to be eligible under the Scheme. The Company may decide to invest for single or multiple eligible products. The Scheme stipulates a minimum investment threshold of ₹10 Crores for MSME and ₹100 Crores for non MSME applicants. Land and building cost will not be counted as investments. Eligibility shall be further subject to Incremental Sales of Manufactured Goods (covered under Scheme Target Segments) over the base year (FY2019-20). The allocation for MSME has been enhanced from ₹1000 Crores to ₹2500 Crores.

 VALUE ADDITION:

What is the Design Linked Incentive (DLI)Scheme?

  • Domestic companies, startups, and MSMEs will be eligible for the financial incentives and design infrastructure support under the DLI Scheme.
  • Over 5 years, incentives will be provided at various stages of development and deployment of the semiconductor design for Integrated Circuits (ICs), Chipsets, Systems & IP Cores, System on Chips (SoCs),and semiconductor-linked design.

 DLI Scheme Components

The scheme is made up of three parts: Chip Design Infrastructure Support, Product Design Linked Incentive, and Deployment Linked Incentive.

Product Design Linked Incentive

This provides fiscal support to eligible applicants involved in semiconductor design by reimbursing up to 50% of eligible expenditure up to a maximum of Rs.15 Crore per application.

EXPLAINED: WHAT IS A BLACK SWAN EVENT?

THE CONTEXT: A study by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has spoken about the possibility of capital outflows to the tune of $100 billion (around Rs 7,80,000 crore) from India in case of a major global risk scenario or a “black swan” event.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is a ‘black swan’ event?

A black swan is a rare, unpredictable event that comes as a surprise and has a significant impact on society or the world. These events are said to have three distinguishing characteristics – they are extremely rare and outside the realm of regular expectations; they have a severe impact after they hit; and they seem probable in hindsight when plausible explanations appear.

When did the term originate?

  • The black swan theory was put forward by author and investor Nassim Nicholas Taleb in 2001, and later popularised in his 2007 book – The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable. The news agencies described his work as one of the 12 most influential books since World War II.
  • In his book, Taleb does not try to lay out a method to predict such events, but instead stresses on building “robustness” in systems and strategies to deal with black swan occurrences and withstand their impact.
  • The term itself is linked to the discovery of black swans. Europeans believed all swans to be white until 1697, when a Dutch explorer spotted the first black swan in Australia. The metaphor ‘black swan event’ is derived from this unprecedented spotting from the 17th century, and how it upended the West’s understanding of swans.

When have such events occurred in the past?

  • Interestingly, Taleb’s book predated the 2008 global financial crisis – a black swan event triggered by a sudden crash in the booming housing market in the US. The fall of the Soviet Union, the terrorist attack in the US on September 11, 2001, also fall in the same category.

Is the Covid-19 pandemic a black swan event?

  • Taleb does not agree with those who believe it to be one. In an interview to Bloomberg in 2020, he called it a “white swan”, arguing that it was predictable, and there was no excuse for companies and governments not to be prepared for something like this.
  • While the outbreak of any pandemic is difficult to individually predict, the possibility of one occurring and having a major impact on systems around the world was known and documented.

THE PLACES IN THE NEWS

THE KALININGRAD REGION

THE CONTEXT: Russia called Lithuania’s decision to ban the transit of some goods to Russia’s Kaliningrad region “unprecedented” and vowed to respond.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • Lithuanian authorities banned the transit of goods which are sanctioned by the European Union across its territory, which includes the only rail route between mainland Russia and the Kaliningrad exclave on the Baltic Sea. Banned goods include coal, metals, construction materials and advanced technology.

Kaliningrad region:

  • Kaliningrad is the only Russian Baltic Sea port that is ice-free all year round and hence plays an important role in the maintenance of the country’s Baltic Fleet.
  • Sandwiched between EU and NATO members Poland and Lithuania, Kaliningrad receives supplies from Russia via rail and gas pipelines through Lithuania.

THE NEWS IN NUMBERS

RUSSIAN CRUDE EXPORTS

  • According to figures from the Customs Administration. 8.42 In million tonnes, the quantity of oil China imported from Russia last month, a 55% on-year rise. The latest number was a spike from the 5.44 million tonnes China imported in May 2021.
  • Thus, Russia has overtaken Saudi Arabia as China’s main source of oil. Beijing, which has refused to condemn Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, has also been accused of providing diplomatic cover for Russia by blasting Western sanctions and arms sales to Kyiv.

ENERGY CRISIS IN AFRICA

  • According to the International Energy Agency (IEA). 43 per cent of the African population, or 600 million people, who lack access to electricity — mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. The number of Africans with access to electricity fell during the COVID pandemic, but $25 billion in annual investments could bring full coverage by 2030.
  • Africa is facing far more severe effects of climate change than most other parts of the world, despite emitting less energy-related carbon dioxide than any other region, the IEA added.

SEA OF WASTE

  • 68,500 In tonnes, the amount of medical waste the city of Shanghai produced during its recent COVID lockdown, with daily output up to six times higher than normal.
  • While the mass testing strategy has allowed the world’s most populous nation to avoid a public health catastrophe, it is creating a sea of hazardous waste and a mounting economic burden for local governments.
  • The disposal systems in the poorer rural parts of the country have long been overburdened.

 TWO-YEAR HIGH- SAUDI ARABIA’S CRUDE EXPORTS

  • Data shows that 7.38 In million barrels per day (bpd), is Saudi Arabia’s crude exports in April 2022. Crude exports in April rose about 2% from about 7.235 million bpd reported for March 2022.
  • The world’s largest oil exporter’s April crude production rose to its highest level in two years at 10.441 million bpd from 10.300 million bpd in the previous month.
  • Oil product exports eased 0.015 million bpd to 1.473 million bpd in April, while demand for oil products rose 0.177 million bpd to 2.234 million bpd.

 

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION FOR 21ST JUNE 2022

Q1. With reference to the economy, which of the following best explains the meaning of ‘Dutch disease’?

a) When a country has high level of unemployment and inflation simultaneously.

b) When a country has huge trade deficit.

c) When a country has wide current account deficit and may face Balance of Payment crisis.

d) When a country witnesses uneven growth across sectors due to the discovery of natural resources.

Q2. Which of the following countries does not have border with Russia?

a) Estonia

b) Latvia

c) Lithuania

d) Romania

ANSWER FOR 20TH JUNE 2022

Answer: C

Explanation:

Teesta River:

  • It is a tributary of the Jamuna River (Brahmaputra River), flowing through India and Bangladesh.
  • It rises in the Himalayas near Chunthang in Sikkim, India, flows to the south, cutting a deep gorge through the Siwalik Hills east of Darjiling (in West Bengal, India), and turns southeast to run through the Sivok Khola pass onto the plains of West Bengal.
  • Originally, the river continued southward to empty directly into the upper Padma River (Ganges River). About 1787, however, the river changed its course to flow eastward, crossing the Rangpur region of Bangladesh to join the Jamuna River near Chilmari after a total course of about 200 miles (320 km).
  • Teesta is the largest river of Sikkim and second largest river of West Bengal after Ganges.



DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JUNE 19 & 20, 2022)

THE INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

EXPLAINED: WHAT IS THE INTER-STATE COUNCIL?

THE CONTEXT: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister wrote to Prime Minister, asking that at least three meetings of the Inter-State Council should be held every year to “strengthen the spirit of cooperative federalism”.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • He also suggested that bills of national importance should be placed before the Council before being tabled in Parliament. He also stated that there is no “effective and interactive communication” between the states and the Centre on issues of common interest.

What is the Inter-State Council?

  • It is a mechanism that was constituted “to support Centre-State and Inter-State coordination and cooperation in India”. The Inter-State Council was established under Article 263 of the Constitution, which states that the President may constitute such a body if a need is felt for it. The Council is basically meant to serve as a forum for discussions among various governments.
  • In 1988, the Sarkaria Commission suggested the Council should exist as a permanent body, and in 1990 it came into existence through a Presidential Order.
  • The main functions of the Council are inquiring into and advising on disputes between states, investigating and discussing subjects in which two states or states and the Union have a common interest, and making recommendations for the better coordination of policy and action.
  • The Prime Minister is the chairman of the Council, whose members include the Chief Ministers of all states and UTs with legislative assemblies, and Administrators of other UTs. Six Ministers of Cabinet rank in the Centre’s Council of Ministers, nominated by the Prime Minister, are also its members.

What issues has Chief Minister raised?

  • Mainly, the DMK chief has flagged the lack of regular meetings, saying the Council has met only once in the last six years — and that there has been no meeting since July 2016. Since its constitution in 1990, the body has met only 11 times, although its procedure states it should meet at least three times every year.
  • TN Chief Minister appreciated the reconstitution of the Council, carried out last month. The body will now have 10 Union Ministers as permanent invitees, and the standing committee of the Council has been reconstituted with Home Minister as Chairman. Finance and the Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, UP, and Gujarat are some of the other standing committee members.

What happened in the last meeting of the Inter-State Council?

  • In 2016, the meeting included consideration of the Punchhi Commission’s recommendations on Centre-State Relations that were published in 2010. At the time, M Karunanidhi had criticised then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa for not personally attending the meeting.
  • The meeting saw a detailed discussion on the recommendations. States asked for maintaining the federal structure amid growing “centralisation”. The imposition of Article 356 of the Constitution, which deals with the imposition of President’s Rule in states, was a matter of concern. Bihar Chief Minister, who was then with the Opposition, demanded that the post of Governor should be abolished.

THE HEALTH ISSUES

WHAT DRIVES SUSTAINED GROWTH OF MONKEYPOX CASES

THE CONTEXT: According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, As of June 15, 1,882 monkeypox cases have been lab-confirmed from more than 30 countries worldwide. With 1,158 confirmed cases from 22 countries, Europe has reported the highest number of cases so far.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is Monkeypox Disease?

  • Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirusgenus in the family Poxviridae. The Orthopoxvirus genus also includes variola virus (which causes smallpox), vaccinia virus (used in the smallpox vaccine), and cowpox virus.
  • While monkeypox has been endemic in about a dozen countries in Central and West Africa, the virus is not endemic in people.
  • In contrast, the current outbreak in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Australia has shown a clear trend of sustained spread among people, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM). Before this outbreak, there have been about 100 cases of monkeypox cases outside Africa, with the outbreak in the U.S in 2003 being the biggest with over 70 people infected by the virus.
  • But all 70 cases were due to exposure to imported animals with no human-to-human transmission reported back then. In the past, outside Africa, the virus had spread to just one healthcare worker and two household contacts, a far cry from the sustained human-to-human transmission now being reported.

TRANSMISSION:

  • Monkeypox spreads in different ways. The virus can spread from person to person through:
    • direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs, or body fluids
    • respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact, or during intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling, or sex
    • touching items (such as clothing or linens) that previously touched the infectious rash or body fluids
    • pregnant people can spread the virus to their fetus through the placenta
    • It’s also possible for people to get monkeypox from infected animals, either by being scratched or bitten by the animal or by preparing or eating meat or using products from an infected animal.

Monkeypox can spread from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. This can take several weeks. People who do not have monkeypox symptoms cannot spread the virus to others. At this time, it is not known if monkeypox can spread through semen or vaginal fluids.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

EXPLAINED: UKRAINE IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO JOINING THE EU

THE CONTEXT: The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, recommended that Ukraine be formally granted candidate status in the EU, the first step in the long journey to become a member state of the bloc.

THE EXPLANATION:

The announcement by EU President Ursula von der Leyen, who was dressed in yellow and blue, the colours of the Ukrainian flag, came a day after representatives of France, Germany, and Italy, the most powerful member states of the organisation, visited Kyiv for the first time, where they backed Ukraine’s bid to join the bloc.

  • What is the current relationship between Ukraine and the EU?
  • Four days after Russia invaded Ukraine, Zelenskyy requested the EU on February 28 to allow his country to become a member through a special procedure immediately, after which he officially signed an application for Ukraine’s membership.
  • Currently, Ukraine, along with Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Republic of Moldova are categorised under the Eastern Partnership, which was formed in 2009. This joint policy partnership seeks to strengthen and deepen political and economic ties between the EU member states and the six “partner countries”.

What is the requirement for joining the EU?

  • Article 49 of the EU treaties state that any European nations that seek to join the bloc, must be committed to respecting and promoting the EU’s fundamental values set out in Article 2. These include respect for freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, etc. After the application is received, the EU members judge the suitability of the nation on the basis of these terms.
  • The European Council meeting in Copenhagen in 1993 set out more specific criteria. Called the Copenhagen Criteria, these include essential conditions that all candidate countries must satisfy. Among them are a functioning market economy, a stable democracy and rule of law, and the acceptance of all EU legislation, including that of the Euro.

What is the process of joining the EU?

  • The procedure to gain membership of the EU consists of three stages.
  • In the first stage, the country is given the status of an official candidate.
  • In the second stage, formal membership negotiations with the candidate begin, which involves the adoption of EU law into national law, and the implementation of judicial, administrative, economic and other reforms, called the accession criteria.
  • Once the negotiations are completed and the candidate has met all the accession criteria, they can join the EU.
  • Becoming a member of the bloc involves a long and complex process. Even after candidate status is granted, the rest of the process takes years to complete. The negotiation in particular goes on for long, and its duration can vary from country to country. The EU’s most recent member Croatia joined the EU in 2013, and it took 10 years to complete the process.

EXPLAINED: THE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE 12TH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE OF THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference 2022 concluded in Geneva where a number of deals relating to many issues including waiver of COVID-19 vaccines, and food security, were signed.

WHAT IS THE WTO AND THE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE?

The World Trade Organization is the only international organization that deals with the rules of trade between countries. Founded in 1995, the WTO is run by its 164 members, and according to its rules, all decisions are taken through consensus and any member can exercise a veto.

  • Its aim is to promote free trade, which is done through trade agreements that are discussed and signed by the member states. The WTO also provides a forum for countries to negotiate trade rules and settle economic disputes between them.
  • The Ministerial Conference is the WTO’s top decision-making body and usually meets every two years. All members of the WTO are involved in the MC and they can take decisions on all matters covered under any multilateral trade agreements.
  • The WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference was held in Geneva from 12-17 June. It was supposed to end on 15 June, but with intensifying negotiations, the conference was extended by two days.

What were the debates around agriculture at the MC?

  • The agreements on the subject are of particular significance to India. Referring to its status as a significant contributor to the World Food Programme (WFP), India had earlier stated that it had never imposed export restrictions for procurement under the programme.
  • It put forth that a blanket exemption could constrain its work in ensuring food security back home. In such a situation, it would have to keep its WFP commitments irrespective of its domestic needs. Negotiators agreed that member countries would not impose export prohibitions or restrictions on foodstuffs purchased for humanitarian purposes of the WFP.
  • The decision would however not prevent member countries from adopting measures for ensuring domestic food security.
  • Negotiators could not reach agreements on issues such as permissible public stockholding threshold for domestic food security, domestic support to agriculture, cotton, and market access.
  • The central premise of the agreements was to ensure the availability, accessibility and affordability of food to those in need, especially in humanitarian emergencies. It encouraged member countries with available surplus to release them on international markets in compliance with WTO regulations. Moreover, it instituted a work programme to come up with measures to help LDCs (least-developed countries) and NFIDCs (Net Food Importing Developing Countries) enhance their domestic food security and bolster agricultural production.

What about fisheries-related agreements?

  • India successfully managed to carve out an agreement on eliminating subsidies to those engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. The only exception for continuing subsidies for the overfished stock is when they are deemed essential to rebuild them to a biologically sustainable level.
  • Overfishing refers to exploiting fishes at a pace faster than they could replenish themselves — currently standing at 34% as per the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
  • Declining fish stocks threaten to worsen poverty and endanger communities that rely on aquatic creatures for their livelihood and food security.
  • Further, the agreements hold that there would be no limitation on subsidies granted or maintained by developing or least-developed countries for fishing within their exclusive economic zones (EEZ).

Have the current moratoriums on electronic transmissions been extended?

  • Member countries agreed to extend the current moratorium on not imposing customs duties on electronic transmission (ET) until MC13 — scheduled to take place in December 2023. 105 countries which including the U.S., the U.K., Australia, China and Japan among others, had sought an extension of the moratorium, with India and South Africa being in opposition.
  • Broadly, ETs consist of online deliveries such as music, e-books, films, software and video games. They differ from other cross-border e-commerce since they are ordered online but not delivered physically.
  • Proponents had put forth that the moratorium would help maintain certainty and predictability for businesses and consumers particularly in the context of the pandemic. On the other hand, India and South Africa, citing data from the UN Conference on Trade and Development (which calculates the amount of printed matter, music and video downloads, software and video games), submitted that extending duty-free market access due to the moratorium resulted in a loss of $10 billion per annum globally — 95% of which was borne by developing countries. Additionally, they had also sought more clarity on what constitutes electronic transmission.
  • Customs duties have been traditionally used to avert an undesired surge in imports, allowing nascent domestic industries to remain competitive. Developing countries would need to import sizeable equipment and services for upscaling their digital capabilities.
  • Customs duties provide the necessary capital infusion for capacity building and in turn, attempt to address the digital divide — particularly high in low-income and developing countries, further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • It is in this context that India and South Africa had sought to preserve policy space for the digital advancement of developing countries by letting them generate more revenues from customs and thereby facilitate more investment.

What were the discussions on patent relaxations?

  • Member countries agreed on authorising the use of the subject matter of a patent for producing COVID-19 vaccines by a member country, without the consent of the rights holder. Further, it asks member countries to waive requirements, including export restrictions, set forth by WTO regulations to supply domestic markets and member countries with any number of vaccines. The agreement, however, comes too little, too late for economically poorer countries.
  • Several LDCs have suffered in their efforts to combat the now nearly three-year-old pandemic, owing to factors such as a stressed balance of payments situation , different levels of development, financial capabilities and varying degrees of import dependence on those products.
  • Within the next six months, members are expected to decide on increasing the scope of the agreement to cover the production and supply of COVID-19 diagnostics and therapeutics as well.

 

WHAT WEST SETI POWER PROJECT CAN MEAN FOR INDIA-NEPAL TIES

THE CONTEXT: India will be taking over an ambitious hydropower project in Nepal — West Seti — nearly four years after China withdrew from it, ending a six-year engagement between 2012 and 2018.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • India’s National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) has already begun preliminary engagement of the site in far-western Nepal following the Indian Prime Minister visit to Lumbini on May 16. in fact, the groundwork and informal discussion seem to have begun much earlier when Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba visited India in April. During a local bodies election campaign in early May, Deuba had declared that since India was Nepal’s power market and it had a policy of not buying power from China-executed projects, West Seti would be given to India.
  • Four days prior to the Lumbini visit, the NHPC’s intent in writing had reached the headquarters of the Investment board headed by the Prime Minister. The board is likely to clear it soon and formally ask the NHPC to handle the project.
  • The CWE Investment Corporation, a subsidiary of China Three Gorges Corporation, had informed the Nepal Government in August 2018 that it would not be able to execute the 750-MW West Seti Hydropower Project it had undertaken on the ground that it was “financially unfeasible and its resettlement and rehabilitation costs were too high”.
  • Prior to that, the Snowy Mountain Engineering Corporation (SMEC) had been refused renewal of its licence following its failure to begin the work “convincingly” during an entire decade from the mid-1990s. The Australian company had been given a generation licence for 30 years under a Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) scheme.

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE GLOBAL INNOVATION INDEX 2021

THE CONTEXT: Recently, India ranked 46th in Global Innovation Index (GII) 2021, released by  WIPO.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • This finding corroborates an earlier one by UNCTAD in its Digital Economy Report 2021 where India was seen as exceeding expectations. While these findings are encouraging, India, which aspires to emerge as one of the largest economies of the world, needs to move up further in the innovation rankings, for building self-reliance in technology, especially in the context of the incipient digital revolution.
  • China occupies the 12th rank in GII, ahead of Japan at 13th. This shows that it is possible to move up the ladder with sustained effort.

Boosting R&D activities

  • India has much room for enhancing its innovative activity. Among the key indicators, gross R&D expenditure (GERD) as a percentage of GDP at 0.7% is low. It needs to rise to upwards of 2% of GDP, as in the leading innovative nations.
  • Furthermore, only about 30% of the GERD is spent by business enterprises, despite the generous tax incentives offered by the government. This suggests that Indian enterprises have not got into an R&D culture, not to talk of innovative rivalry. The bulk of innovative activity is conducted by a handful of companies in the pharma and auto sectors.

The patent system

  • The number of patents registered by residents is another indicator of innovative activity. The patent filings by Indian enterprises and other institutions have increased from 8,841 in 2011 to 23,141 in 2020 (WIPO).
  • However, patents granted have been only 776 and 4,988 respectively. Although the ratio of applications to grants has gone up over the years, many patent applications fail to satisfy the three-pronged test of novelty, inventive step and utility.
  • In that context, another policy to promote local innovation could be to protect minor innovations through the so-called utility models or petty patents, as has been done by several East Asian countries.
About World intellectual property organization:

  • The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is one of the 15 specialized agencies of the United Nations (UN).
  • Formation: 14th July 1967.
  • It began operations on 26 April 1970 when the convention entered into force
  • Headquarter: Geneva, Switzerland
  • WIPO also works with governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and individuals to utilize IP for socioeconomic development.
  • WIPO currently has 193 member states, including 190 UN member states and the Cook Islands, Holy See and Niue; Palestine has permanent observer status. The only non-members are the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and South Sudan.
  • India joined WIPO in 1975.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION FOR 20TH JUNE 2022

Q1. Consider the following statements about the Teesta River:

  1. It originates in Tibet and flows into India in the state of West Bengal.
  2. It joins the Padma River in Bangladesh.

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWER FOR 17TH JUNE 2022

Answer: C

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is incorrect: Spending through the use of credit cards is more than on debit cards in India.
  • Statement 2 is incorrect: RuPay credit cards are issued by the RBI-promoted National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
  • Statement 3 is correct: Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform is managed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).



DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JUNE 17, 2022)

THE INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

IPC SECTION 295A

THE CONTEXT: Amid controversy surrounding the comments by Political Spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal have put the spotlight on the law that deals with criticism of or insult to religion. Provisions in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), primarily Section 295A, define the contours of free speech and its limitations with respect to offences relating to religion.

 

What is IPC Section 295A?

  • Section 295A defines and prescribes punishment for deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.
  • “Whoever, with the deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class of citizens of India by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise, insults or attempts to insult the religion or the religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to [three years], or with fine, or with both.”
  • Simply put, Section 295A is one of the key provisions in the IPC chapter to penalise religious offences.
  • The chapter also includes offences to penalise damage or defilement of a place of worship with intent to insult the religion (Section 295); trespassing in a place of sepulture (Section 297); uttering, words, etc, with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person (Section 298); and disturbing a religious assembly (Section 296).
  • Section 295A has been invoked on a wide range of issues from penalising political satire and seeking bans on or withdrawal of books to even political critique on social media.
  • Note: India does not have a formal legal framework for dealing with hate speech. However, a cluster of provisions, loosely termed hate speech laws, are invoked. These are primary laws to deal with offences against religions.

What are the other similar Sections or Provisions?

  • Section 153A IPC penalises ‘the promotion of enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony.
  • Section 153B IPC penalises ‘imputations, and assertions prejudicial to national integration.
  • Section 505 of the IPC punishes statements conducing to public mischief.
  • Part VII of the Representation of People Act, 1951 classifies hate speech as an offence committed during elections into two categories: corrupt practices and electoral offences. The relevant provisions regarding hate speech in the RPA are Sections 8, 8A, 123(3), 123(3A) and 125.
  • Model Code of Conduct (MCC) Item 1 (General Conduct)- prohibits parties and candidates from making any appeals to caste or communal feelings for securing votes.
  • Section 66A of the Information Technology Act – In cases of hate speeches online, the section punishes sending offensive messages through communication services is added. In a landmark verdict in 2015, the Supreme Court struck down Section 66A as unconstitutional on the ground that the provision was “vague” and a “violation of free speech”. However, the provision continues to be invoked.

Why is Rangila Rasool case important ?

  • Section 295A was brought in 1927. The case which becomes important as it is linked to the origin of Section 295A is Rangila Rasool case.

THE SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

EXPLAINED: GOVT’S NEW GUIDELINES BANNING SURROGATE ADS

THE CONTEXT: Sellers of alcoholic beverages have asked the government to provide clarity on ‘surrogate advertisements’, which have been banned under the new guidelines to tackle misleading advertisements.

THE EXPLANATION:

According to the Consumer Affairs Ministry guidelines were issued on June 10 2022, by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), and include a Rs 10 lakh penalty for first violation and a Rs 50 lakh penalty for subsequent violations.

What do the new advertising guidelines say?

The Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022, have been released to “protect the consumers” and “to ensure that consumers are not being fooled with unsubstantiated claims, exaggerated promises, misinformation and false claims”.

  • These guidelines focus on misleading ads and ads shown during programming for children.
  • Surrogate ads, meanwhile, have been banned completely.
  • Misleading ads have not been defined, instead characteristics of non-misleading ads have been mentioned such as those which “contain truthful and honest representation” and do not exaggerate benefits.

On advertisements aimed at children, detailed criteria has been spelt out to disqualify certain ads, such as: ads that encourage practices detrimental to children’s physical health or mental well-being, imply children are “likely to be ridiculed or become less popular” if they do not purchase the goods, and ads that use qualifiers such as ‘just’ or ‘only’ to make the price of goods seem less expensive even when additional charges are present.

What is surrogate advertising?

  • Surrogate advertising is the strategy of advertising a product that cannot be advertised openly. Advertisers instead create ads that help in building a brand, and often involve popular celebrities – all without naming the actual product that is being indirectly advertised.
  • In India, tobacco products and alcohol cannot be advertised openly under laws like the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, which bans all kinds of direct and indirect advertisements of tobacco products.
  • To circumvent them, surrogate advertising is done.

Why are advertisers seeking clarity?

As per the new guidelines, a surrogate ad will refer to an ad which indicates directly or indirectly to consumers that it is an advertisement for the goods whose advertising is prohibited. Using any brand name, logo, colour, etc. associated with goods whose advertisement is banned is also not allowed.

EXPLAINED: WHY ARE JOB ASPIRANTS PROTESTING AGAINST THE ‘AGNIPATH’ SCHEME?

THE CONTEXT: Days after the government unveiled its Agnipath scheme for recruiting soldiers across the three services, protests raged in several cities against the new defence recruitment path with aspirants raising job security and post-service benefits as their major concerns.

THE EXPLANATION:

Why are job aspirants up in arms?

Job security and pension are two major issues being cited by protesters. Under the previous system, troops joined for a 17-year period, which could be extended for some personnel, and it resulted in a lifelong pension.

The new scheme, however, envisages just a four-year tenure for most, and the Agniveers will not be eligible for pension benefits.

What is the Agnipath scheme?

  • The Agnipath scheme is the government’s defence recruitment reform under which around 45,000 to 50,000 soldiers will be recruited annually, and most will leave service in just four years.
  • Of the total annual recruits, only 25 per cent will be allowed to continue for another 15 years under permanent commission.
  • The new system is only for personnel below officer ranks (those who do not join the forces as commissioned officers). The scheme is not optional as all personnel below officer rank will be hired only through this route from now on. Under the Agnipath scheme, aspirants between the ages of 17.5 years and 21 years will be eligible to apply.

EXTENSION OF ENTRY AGE : AGNIPATH SCHEME

·         Amid tensions in Bihar and other states for the consequent to the commencement of the AGNIPATH scheme, the entry age for all new recruits in the Armed Forces has been fixed as 17 ½  – 21 years of age.

·         ​Cognizant of the fact that it has not been possible to undertake the recruitment during the last two years, the Government has decided that a one-time waiver shall be granted for the proposed recruitment cycle for 2022.

·         Accordingly, the upper age limit for the recruitment process for the Agnipath scheme for 2022 is increased to 23 years.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

I2U2 GROUPING OF INDIA, ISRAEL, UAE AND U.S. TO RE-ENERGISE AMERICAN ALLIANCES GLOBALLY

THE CONTEXT: According to the White House, the new I2U2 grouping of India, Israel, the UAE, and the U.S. will hold its first virtual summit next month (July 2022) as part of the Biden administration’s efforts to re-energise and revitalise American alliances across the world.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is I2U2?

I2U2 is the new grouping formed by four nations- India, Israel, UAE, and the US. The countries share various common global issues including food security crisis and defence, which will also be a highlight of the meeting of the four nations.

India-Israel-UAE-US grouping

  • The grouping of the four nations- India, Israel, United Arab Emirates, and the United States met for the first time under a new framework in October 2021. The grouping dealt with the issues concerning maritime security, infrastructure, digital infrastructure, and transport.
  • At that time, the Ambassador of UAE to India Ahmed Albanna had referred to the new grouping as the ‘West Asian Quad’.

I2U2 Grouping: Background

In October 2021, a meeting of the foreign ministers of the four countries took place when the External Affairs Minister of India was visiting Israel. At that time, the grouping of the four-nation was called ‘International Forum for Economic Cooperation’. This time, the meeting between the grouping of four nations will take place at the level of the heads of government/state- an upgrade.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

THE MOVE TO LINK CREDIT CARDS WITH UPI

THE CONTEXT: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed to allow the linking of credit cards with the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform. The move is part of the central bank’s efforts to enhance the scope of UPI.

THE EXPLANATION:

RBI Governor stated that RuPay credit cards issued by the RBI-promoted National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will be enabled first and will become available after system developments. The UPI, also managed by the NPCI, was first introduced in 2016.

What explains the effort to link credit cards with UPI?

The UPI has, over time, become a popular mode of payment in India with more than 26 crore unique users and five crore merchants on the platform. In May 2022, about 594 crore transactions amounting to ₹10.4 lakh crore were processed through the interface.

At present, the UPI facilitates transactions by linking savings/current accounts through users’ debit cards. It is now proposed to allow linking of credit cards on the UPI platform. This is intended to provide additional convenience to users and enhance the scope of digital payments.

When will the facility be made available?

This facility would be available after the required system development is complete. The RBI will issue necessary instructions to NPCI separately to facilitate the change. To begin with, the indigenous RuPay credit cards would be linked to the UPI platform. It is likely to be followed by other card networks such as Visa and MasterCard which would bring in more users.

What is the benefit of this provision?

The arrangement is expected to provide an additional avenue for payment to customers and hence enhance convenience. the linking of credit cards to UPI has been proposed to further deepen the reach and usage of credit cards.

 

Why do authorities expect this move to spur the use of credit cards?

  • It is expected to bolster transactions and acceptance at more merchant sites. people who generally prefer to pay by credit card so as to avail of a longer pay-back period or loans on credit-card outstanding, or who do not wish to touch their savings at the moment of purchase, can pay using credit cards via UPI.
  • Currently, many merchants do not have credit card point-of-sale (POS) terminals especially in semi-urban and rural areas but a significant number do have the QR code-based UPI acceptance facility. now, they too will be able to accept credit payments via UPI without needing a POS device.
  • Linking of credit cards with UPI is likely to increase the use of such cards in small-ticket-size payments, as it would provide users with more options to pay from. the move will provide a significant boost to overall spending via credit cards — currently, spending through the use of credit cards is more than double the average spend via debit cards. more spending is generally a force multiplier for the economy.
  • Besides accelerating digital transactions this measure is also expected to affect the average ticket size of financial transactions. currently the average ticket size per transaction is ₹1,600 while it is ₹4,000 in credit cards. so, with the new development the UPI transaction ticket size is likely to go up to somewhere around ₹3,000 to ₹4,000, analysts claim. many people use credit cards for rewards and benefits and UPI for its convenience & security. the new provision of linking credit cards to UPI brings both these advantages together.

Will a merchant discount rate be applicable for these payments?

  • There is no word yet on the merchant discount rate (MDR) applicable on transactions using credit card numbers via UPI, other than for RuPay, which attracts no such charge. Today, since foreign card issuers such as Visa and MasterCard have a lion’s share of the credit card network business, part of the fees goes to them.
  • However, the Indian government has shown its intent to promote the indigenous RuPay card system. It remains to be seen if it indeed does turn out more economical for merchants to accept payments from users with credit cards from foreign issuers.

 

THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

URBAN HEAT ISLANDS GROW IN CAPITAL

THE CONTEXT: According to experts, Delhiites await some respite from the intense heatwave, when the mercury surpassed 35 degrees Celsius even at night, discussions on the growing number of urban heat islands in the Capital have once again come to the fore.

“The combination of high day and night-time temperatures is dangerous as it seriously impacts the blood circulation and other bodily functions of people, especially the elderly,”

 

THE EXPLANATION:

  • “The combination of high day and night-time temperatures is dangerous as it seriously impacts the blood circulation and other bodily functions of people, especially the elderly”.
  • “As the house becomes hot and is unable to cool down by midnight, it starts acting as a heat trap. In such a situation, the body gets heated and the heart starts pumping more blood to fight dehydration if adequate water intake is not maintained. If one’s heart is already weak, it may fail and the person may die due to cardiac failure induced due to heatwaves.

Growing heat islands

An image captured by NASA on May 5, 2022, showed how night-time temperatures in Delhi and adjoining villages were above 35 degrees Celsius, peaking at about 39 degrees Celsius, while the rural fields nearby had cooled to around 15 degrees Celsius.

  • According to Climate Activists Experts, “One way of looking at the cause of urban heat islands is global warming but the other is that these heat islands are linked to micro-climatic changes, which occur when we start disrupting our landscapes”.
  • “Over 60% of Delhi’s landscapes are disrupted, signalling alteration or encroachment of tree cover, forest cover, wetlands and natural ecosystems”.
  • One way to counter the growing impact of urban heat islands is ‘green infrastructure’ that includes cool roofs or painting house roofs in a light colour to reflect heat and using sustainable cooling mechanisms. Promoting urban forestry and green transport can also help curb heat emissions. Industries, which also act as heat traps, need to minimize heat emission through thermal innovations

Heat-related deaths

  • Data on ‘Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India’ released by the National Crime Records Bureau show that over the years, heatstrokes have become the second leading cause of death from a natural force in India, with 11,555 people being killed from 2011 to 2020 due to the condition.
  • In 2020, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, which have heatwave action plans that track every heat-related death, reported heatstroke to be the reason for the maximum – 50% – deaths due to natural forces. Delhi reported no such death, according to the data. The Delhi government did not provide a comment on whether it tracks heat-related deaths.
  • Taking insights from India’s first heat action plan that came up in Ahmedabad in 2013, the Centre is currently working with 23 heatwave-prone States and over 130 cities, including Delhi, to implement a similar action plan.

Value Addition:

What is a heatwave?

A region is considered to be under the grip of a heatwave if the maximum temperature reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius or more in the plains and at least 30 degrees Celsius or more in hilly regions. When the maximum temperature departure ranges between 4.5 and 6 degrees, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) declares a heatwave. A severe heatwave is declared when the recorded maximum temperature of a locality departure from normal is over 6.4 degrees Celsius. Also, if an area records over 45 degrees and 47 degrees Celsius on any given day, then the IMD declares heatwave and severe heatwave conditions, respectively.

Lack of pre-monsoon showers

Except for the southern peninsula and northeast regions, the weather has remained dry across the rest of the country. Once, in the last week, parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi reported light to moderate rainfall. The lack of pre-monsoon showers has also led to an increase in the overall maximum temperature. Maharashtra recorded 63 per cent deficient rainfall from March 1 to April 26, 2022.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION FOR 17TH JUNE 2022

Q1. Consider the following statements:

  1. Spending through use of debit card is more than credit card in India.
  2. RuPay credit cards are issued by RBI.
  3. Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform is managed by National Payments

Corporation of India (NPCI).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. a) 1 and 2 only
  2. b) 2 and 3 only
  3. c) 3 only
  4. d) 1 and 3 only

ANSWER FOR 16TH JUNE 2022

Answer: C

Explanation:

Agnipath Scheme

  • The government on 14th June 2022, unveiled its new Agnipath scheme for recruiting soldiers in three services.
  • Soldiers recruited under the scheme will be called

What is the Agnipath scheme?

  • Under the new scheme, around 45,000 to 50,000 soldiers will be recruited annually, and most will leave the service in just four years.
  • Of the total annual recruits, only 25 per cent will be allowed to continue for another 15 years under permanent commission.
  • The move will make the permanent force levels much leaner for the over 13-lakh strong armed forces in the country. This will, in turn, considerably reduce the defence pension bill, which has been a major concern for governments for many years.

What is the eligibility criteria?

  • New system is only for personnel below officer ranks (those who do not join forces as commissioned officers).
  • Under the Agnipath scheme, aspirants between the ages of 17.5 years and 21 years will be eligible to apply. The recruitment standards will remain the same, and recruitment will be done twice a year through rallies.

What happens after selection?

  • Once selected, the aspirants will go through training for six months and then will be deployed for three and a half years.
  • During this period, they will get a starting salary of Rs 30,000, along with additional benefits which will go up to Rs 40,000 by the end of the four-year service.
  • Importantly, during this period, 30 per cent of their salary will be set aside under a Seva Nidhi programme, and the government will contribute an equal amount every month, and it will also accrue interest.
  • At the end of the four-year period, each soldier will get Rs 11.71 lakh as a lump sum amount, which will be tax-free.
  • They will also get a Rs 48 lakh life insurance cover for the four years.
  • In case of death, the payout will be over Rs 1 crore, including pay for the unserved tenure.
  • However, after four years, only 25 per cent of the batch will be recruited back into their respective services, for a period of 15 years. For those who are re-selected, the initial four-year period will not be considered for retirement benefits.

How will the scheme benefit the armed forces and the recruits?

  • The average age in the forces is 32 years today, which will go down to 26 in six to seven years, the scheme envisions.
  • Announcing the scheme, Defence Minister said that “efforts are being made that the profile of the Armed Forces should be as youthful as the wider Indian population.” Youthful armed forces will allow them to be easily trained for new technologies.
  • The minister added that it will increase employment opportunities and because of the skills and experience acquired during the four-year service such soldiers will get employment in various fields.
  • The government will help rehabilitate soldiers who leave the services after four years. They will be provided with skill certificates and bridge courses. The impetus will be to create entrepreneurs.



DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JUNE 16, 2022)

THE HEALTH ISSUES

DRINKING COFFEE DOES NOT RAISE RISK DURING PREGNANCY: STUDY

THE CONTEXT: A new genetics-based study from the University of Queensland, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, has found that drinking coffee during pregnancy didn’t increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The researchers referred to WHO guidelines that pregnant women should drink less than 300 mg of caffeine (two to three cups) per day. “But that’s based on observational studies where it’s difficult to separate coffee drinking from other risk factors like smoking, alcohol or poor diet. We wanted to find out if coffee alone really does increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, and the research shows this isn’t the case.
  • The researchers used a method called Mendelian Randomisation, which used eight genetic variants that predicted pregnant women’s coffee-drinking behaviour and examined whether these variants were associated with birth outcomes.
VALUE ADDITION:

WHAT IS MENDELIAN RANDOMIZATION?

Mendelian randomization is a method of using measured variation in genes of known function to examine the causal effect of a modifiable exposure on disease in observational studies.

 

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

EXPLAINED: WHY THE UAE HAS ‘SUSPENDED’ RE-EXPORT OF INDIAN WHEAT-MILLING

THE CONTEXT: The United Arab Emirates’ decision, to “suspend” re-export of wheat and flour from grain originating in India is basically an assurance that whatever it imports will be used only for domestic consumption.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • According to the sources, “India doesn’t want its wheat exported to Dubai or Abu Dhabi to go out to other countries, whether as grain or flour. It would want that wheat to be consumed locally, including the migrant Indian workers in UAE.
  • This will, in turn, allow India to provide an exception to its wheat export ban and ship out some quantities to the Gulf federation. India, on May 14, banned export of all wheat, except against outstanding contracts backed by already-issued letters of credit and to countries on case-to-case food security considerations.
  • India exported 4.71 lakh tonnes (lt) of wheat valued at $136.53 million to the UAE in 2021-22. That constituted about 6.5 per cent of its total 72.35 lt shipments of the cereal worth $2,120.27 million last fiscal.
  • While the quantities exported may not be that big for India, they aren’t small for UAE. The US Department of Agriculture has estimated UAE’s annual wheat consumption, which is entirely imported, at 15 lt. The wheat-milling capacity is higher, at 16.7 lt, which is driven both by local consumption and re-export of flour sold to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Ethiopia, Taiwan and Philippines. Such exports amount to about 1 lt annually.
  • More than 50 per cent of UAE’s wheat imports are from Russia, followed by Canada, Ukraine and Australia. From 2020-21, India also emerged as a key supplier, exporting 1.88 lt to the Gulf federation. Exports rose further in 2021-22, before the export ban decision that came on top of the Russia-Ukraine war, which has disrupted shipments from the Black Sea ports.
  • The trade sources pointed out that the global wheat supply situation should ease somewhat, with the harvesting and market arrivals of Russian and Ukrainian wheat from July. The USDA has projected Ukraine’s wheat exports to nearly halve to 10 million tonnes (mt) in 2022-23, from 19 mt in 2021-22. However, it expects a substantial jump in Russia’s exports, from 33 mt in 2021-22 to a record 40 mt in the new marketing year.
Value Addition:

Wheat production in India

·      India is the second-largest wheat producer in the world.

·      Indian wheat accounted for about 14.14% of the world’s total production in 2020.

·      India produces nearly 107.59 million tonnes of wheat per year and most of it is consumed domestically.

·      Major wheat-growing states: Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Gujarat.

·      In 2019-20, wheat exports were worth 61.84 million USD, which increased to 549.67 million USD in 2020-21.

·      Key export destinations: Bangladesh, Nepal, the UAE, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Afghanistan, Qatar, Indonesia, Oman and Malaysia.

 

EXPLAINED: WHAT IS THE FATF’S GREY LIST, AND COULD PAKISTAN BE TAKEN OFF IT AT LAST?

THE CONTEXT: The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the international watchdog monitoring money laundering, terror financing, and other threats to global financial networks, is expected to decide whether to take Pakistan off the ‘grey’ list at the end of its ongoing plenary session in Berlin.

THE EXPLANATION:

Pakistan has been on the FATF grey list continuously since June 2018, working to comply with the requirements of the watchdog to combat money laundering and terror financing.

What is the FATF?

  • The FATF is an inter-governmental body that sets international standards seeking to prevent international financial crimes that aid terrorism. It is a policymaking body that works to generate political will in national jurisdictions for legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas. (Headquartered at Paris).
  • The FATF was established in 1989 by a G-7 Summit in Paris, initially to examine and develop measures to combat money laundering. After the 9/11 attacks, the FATF in October 2001 expanded its mandate to incorporate efforts to combat terrorist financing, and in April 2012, it added efforts to counter the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
  • The FATF currently comprises 37 member jurisdictions and two regional organisations (European Commission and Gulf Cooperation Council), representing most major financial centres in all parts of the globe. The FATF has developed the FATF Recommendations, or FATF Standards, which ensure a co-ordinated global response to prevent organised crime, corruption and terrorism. Over 200 jurisdictions around the world have committed to the FATF Recommendations through the global network of nine FATF-Style Regional Bodies (FSRBs) and FATF memberships.
  • India has been a member of the FATF since 2010. It is also a member of its regional partners, the Asia Pacific Group (APG) and the Eurasian Group (EAG). Pakistan has argued unsuccessfully that India is biased and motivated against it.

What is the grey list, and why is Pakistan on it?

  • Grey listing means FATF has placed a country under increased monitoring to check its progress on measures against money laundering and terrorism financing. The “grey list” is also known as the “increased monitoring list”.
  • As of March 2022, there are 23 countries on the FATF’s increased monitoring list — officially referred to as “jurisdictions with strategic deficiencies” — that include, apart from Pakistan, Syria, Turkey, Myanmar, Philippines, South Sudan, Uganda, and Yemen.

How does grey-listing impact a country?

  • Pakistan’s grey-listing by the FATF from 2008 to 2019 may have resulted in a cumulative GDP loss of USD 38 billion as per a working paper by Tabadlab, an Islamad-based advisory firm.
  • This is because, although being added to the grey list does not imply any economic sanctions (unlike the black list), it signals to the global financial and banking system about increased risks in transactions with the country in question, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit.
  • Also, given that major financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank are affiliated with FATF as observers, a grey-listed country “faces complications in accessing international lending instruments,” the Tabadlab paper said. One instance is of a USD 6 billion IMF loan contract from July 2019 that emphasised the need for Pakistan to comply with the FATF’s action.
  • Pakistan’s economy is in poor shape, and it is staring at low reserves of foreign exchanges, despite loan assistance from Saudi Arabia and China.

What is the road ahead for Pakistan?

  • After the plenary session of June 2021, FATF had said Pakistan needed to “investigate and prosecute” senior leaders and commanders of UN-designated terror groups, including Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, and its ‘operational commander’ Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi. The FATF gave Pakistan until October 2021 to meet the remaining conditions of compliance.
  • Pakistan’s progress was appreciated in March this year by the global body, which noted that it had “completed 26 of the 27 action items in its 2018 action plan”. The FATF encouraged Pakistan to address the one remaining item by continuing terror financing investigations and prosecutions of senior leaders and commanders of UN-designated terrorist groups.
  • Quoting unnamed diplomatic sources, the Pakistani daily Dawn reported that China, Malaysia, and some other allies of Pakistan were “quietly working” to get the country off the grey list. Dawn also reported Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark KSE-100 index opened in the green on (June 15), and one reason for investors’ regained confidence was hopes of Pakistan exiting the grey list.

 

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

CABINET APPROVES MEGA 5G AUCTION

THE CONTEXT: The Union Cabinet has approved the auction of airwaves capable of offering fifth generation, or 5G, telecom services, including ultra-high-speed Internet, and gave its nod for setting up of captive 5G networks by big tech firms.

THE EXPLANATION:

  • The 5G auctions at reserve prices are recommended by the sector regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
  • TRAI had earlier recommended a 39% reduction in the reserve or floor price for the sale of 5G spectrum for mobile services.
  • While the 5G spectrum in nine frequency bands will be auctioned to telecom operators such as Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, the Notice Inviting Applications — a bid-related document issued by the Department of Telecom (DoT) — said big tech firms for the time being will be allowed to take the 5G spectrum for their captive non-public network, on lease from the telecom companies.
  • The notice inviting offer said direct allocation to the big tech companies will follow a demand study and sector regulator TRAI’s recommendation on aspects such as pricing and modalities of such allocation.
  • Big tech companies like Google have been seeking direct allocation of spectrum for applications such as machine-to-machine communications, IoT and AI, while telecom companies have been opposing direct allocation of 5G spectrum to them saying it will distort the level playing field and rob the government of revenues.

 

EXPLAINED: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NEXT MONTH’S SPECTRUM AUCTIONS

THE CONTEXT: The Union Cabinet cleared a proposal to auction 72,097.85 MHz of airwaves. The government has invited applications from potential bidders for spectrum auctions planned next month (JULY 2022), taking the first step towards rolling out 5G services in the country.

THE EXPLANATION:

Which spectrum bands will be auctioned?

  • A total of 72,097.85 MHz of spectrum with a validity period of 20 years will be put on auction from July 26. The auction will be held for spectrum in the frequencies of 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, 2,300 MHz, 3,300 MHz and 26 GHz bands.
  • “It is expected that the Mid and High band spectrum will be utilised by telecom service providers to roll out 5G technology-based services capable of providing speed and capacities which would be about 10 times higher than what is possible through the current 4G services”.

How will the auction be conducted?

The e-auction will be conducted on a simultaneous multiple rounds ascending model. Bidders will have to submit an earnest money deposit ahead of the auction, on the basis of which each bidder will be allocated eligibility points. During the auction, the company will be able to place its bids using these eligibility points.

How much will the spectrum cost?

  • At reserve price, the entirety of the spectrum is valued at over Rs 5 lakh crore. Last year, the government announced a telecom sector relief package, and some facets of the scheme have been included in the terms of this auction. A mandatory requirement to make upfront payment by the successful bidders has been done away with for the first time.
  • Payments for spectrum can be made in 20 equal annual instalments to be paid in advance at the beginning of each year. The bidders would be given an option to surrender the spectrum after 10 years with no future liabilities with respect to balance instalments.
  • The government will also not collect any spectrum usage charge on airwaves auctioned in this round, and the requirement for bank guarantees and financial guarantees has been done away with.

What are some of the technical highlights of the auction?

  • After years of keeping the decision in abeyance, the government has finally decided to increase the number of microwave backhaul carriers in the existing frequency bands of 13, 15, 18 and 21 GHz bands.
  • In the official statement, the government said that it has decided to provisionally allot two carriers of 250 MHz each in the E-Band spectrum, and also decided to double the number of traditional microwave backhaul carriers in the existing frequency bands.
  • Currently, across these bands, there are 2,090 microwave backhaul carriers available. This has been done because high bandwidth telephony services like 5G require additional backhaul capacity for smooth functioning.

What are private captive networks?

  • The government has also cleared the path for tech companies to acquire spectrum directly from it to test and build industry 4.0 applications such as machine-to-machine communications, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, etc. Companies such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) have expressed interest earlier in building these non-public 5G networks to develop such solutions.
  • These networks will not be accessible to the general public. DoT said it will undertake demand studies and thereafter seek TRAI recommendations for direct assignment of spectrum to such enterprises.

 

THE NEWS IN NUMBERS

ECONOMIC GAINS RISE-WORLD COMPETITIVENESS INDEX

According to a global study showed that India’s ranked 35th in the World Competitiveness Index, an annual index compiled by the Institute for Management Development based on gains in economic performance. India has witnessed the sharpest rise among the Asian economies, with a jump of six positions from 43rd rank in 2021. Denmark has moved to the top of the 63-nation list from the third position last year, while Switzerland slipped from the top ranking to the second position and Singapore reached the third spot from the fifth.

POURING DOWN-IMD REPORT

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) 27 years after which Cherrapunji experienced a record high rainfall of 811.6 mm in 24 hours in 14th June 2022, One of the wettest places in the world, Cherrapunji has recorded more than 750 mm of precipitation on a June day on 10 occasions since the IMD started keeping records. The department further informed that intense rainfall is likely to continue in the northeast and sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim in the next five days.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION FOR 16TH JUNE 2022

Q1. Consider the following statements about Agnipath Scheme:

  1. It is a new scheme launched for recruiting soldiers for the tenure of four years in the Army and Navy only.
  1. Only 50 per cent of recruits will be allowed to continue for another 15 years under permanent commission.
  1. The aspirants between the ages of 17.5 years and 21 years will be eligible to apply.
  2. 30 per cent of their salary will be set aside under a Seva Nidhi programme.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 and 3 only

c) 3 and 4 only

d) 1 and 4 only

ANSWER FOR 15TH JUNE 2022

Answer: B

Explanation:

  • It is founded in 1997 by Bangkok Declaration.
  • Its permanent secretariat is in Dhaka, Bangladesh.