[WpProQuiz 101]

[WpProQuiz 211]

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

1. INDIA’S TRADE DEFICIT WITH CHINA HIT A RECORD $77 BN IN FY22

THE CONTEXT: China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) data showed that India’s exports to China stood at $26.46 billion while its imports from China stood at $103.47 for April 2021 to March 2022.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Despite the government’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ push and attempts to reduce the nation’s dependence on goods manufactured in China, India’s trade deficit with the neighbouring country hit a record $77 billion from April 2021 to March 2022.
• Electrical and electronic goods, machinery and fertilizers are the main drivers of India’s imports from China, according to the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), the apex trade promotion body under India’s commerce ministry.

• Unlike the GACC, which has provided data for the month of March 2022 the Indian commerce ministry has only furnished figures up to February this year (2022). From the Indian side, the trade deficit so far stands at approximately $65.34 billion from April 2021 to February 2022.
• According to commerce ministry data, this is still far higher than what was recorded in previous years – the trade deficit stood at $53.57 billion in 2018-19, $48.65 billion in 2019-20 and $44.02 billion in 2020-21.
• In fact, the trade deficit breached the $60 billion-mark was in 2017-2018 at $63 billion. Reports at the time attributed this to the significant decline in India’s exports of ores and cotton to China.

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

India’s total trade with China was $125.7 billion in 2021. The sharp uptick in imports has pushed India’s trade deficit with China to $69.4 billion in 2021, up from $45.9 billion in 2020 and $56.8 billion in 2019.

2. INDIA’S OIL IMPORT BILL DOUBLES TO USD 119 BN IN FY22

THE CONTEXT: According to data from the oil ministry’s Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell (India, the world’s third-biggest oil consuming and importing nation, spent USD 119.2 billion in 2021-22 (April 2021 to March 2022), up from USD 62.2 billion in the previous fiscal year PPAC).

THE EXPLANATION:

• India’s crude oil import bill nearly doubled to USD 119 billion in the fiscal year that ended on March 31 2022, as energy prices soared globally following the return of demand and war in Ukraine.
• According to PPAC, India imported 212.2 million tonnes of crude oil in 2021-22, up from 196.5 million tonnes in the previous year. This was, however, lower than pre-pandemic imports of 227 million tonnes in 2019-20. The spending on oil imports in 2019-20 was USD 101.4 billion
• India, which is 5 percent dependent on imports to meet crude oil needs, has a surplus refining capacity and it exports some petroleum products but is short on the production of cooking gas LPG, which is imported from nations like Saudi Arabia.
• Import of petroleum products in the 2021-22 fiscal was 40.2 million tonnes worth USD 24.2 billion. On the other hand, 61.8 million tonnes of petroleum products were also exported for USD 42.3 billion.
• Besides, India also spent USD 11.9 billion on the import of 32 billion cubic meters of LNG in 2021-22. This compared to USD 7.9 billion spent on the import of 33 bcm of gas in the previous fiscal and USD 9.5 billion on the import of 33.9 bcm in 2019-20.
• India had spent USD 62.2 billion on the import of 196.5 million tonnes of crude oil in the previous 2020-21 fiscal when global oil prices remained subdued in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. A higher crude oil import bill is expected to dent the macroeconomic parameters.
• The country’s import dependence has increased owing to a steady decline in domestic output. The nation produced 32.2 million tonnes of crude oil in 2019-20, which fell to 30.5 million tonnes in the following year and to 29.7 million tonnes in FY22, the PPAC data showed.
• According to PPAC, India’s oil import dependence was 85 percent in 2019-20, which declined marginally to 84.4 percent in the following year before climbing to 85.5 percent in 2021-22.

QUICK FACTS

Where does India import oil?

India imports most of its oil from the Middle East, with Iraq and Saudi Arabia being primary.

India‘s crude oil imports according to regions

1. Middle East: 52.7 %
2. Africa: Africa:15%
3. United States: 14%

Top Five countries  where India imports most of its crude oil from:

1. Iraq
2. United States
3. Nigeria
4. Saudi Arabia
5. UAE

THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY, AND CLIMATE CHANGE

3. PALLI IN JAMMU BECOMES INDIA’S FIRST CARBON-NEUTRAL PANCHAYAT

THE CONTEXT: Palli village in Jammu’s Samba district has become the country’s first panchayat to become carbon neutral, fully powered by solar energy, and with all its records digitized and saturation of benefits of all the Central schemes.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Inaugurating the 500 KW solar plant at the country’s first carbon-neutral panchayat, Prime Minister it would take three weeks to move a ‘Sarkari’ file from Delhi to Jammu and Kashmir but this project with the help of villagers was completed in a record time of three weeks.
• All 1,500 solar panels put up in a total area of 6,408 square metres, as per the officials, will provide clean electricity to 340 houses in the model panchayat under the Centre’s ‘Gram Urja Swaraj’ programme.

VALUE ADDITION:

• Carbon neutrality means every ton of anthropogenic CO2 emitted is compensated with an equivalent amount of CO2 removed, according to the World Resources Institute.
• In order to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, carbon neutrality by the mid-21st century is essential. This target is also laid down in the Paris agreement signed by 195 countries, including the EU.
• Carbon sink is any system that absorbs more carbon than it emits.
• The main natural carbon sinks are soil, forests and oceans.
• To date, no artificial carbon sinks are able to remove carbon from the atmosphere on the necessary scale to fight global warming.
• The carbon stored in natural sinks such as forests is released into the atmosphere through forest fires, changes in land use, or logging.
• Another way to reduce emissions and pursue carbon neutrality is to offset emissions made in one sector by reducing them somewhere else. This can be done through investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency or other clean, low-carbon technologies.

4. AIR POLLUTANTS IMPACT IMMUNE CELLS IN CAUSING CANCER

THE CONTEXT: According to the latest research by Zhenzhen Wang of Nanjing University, China, experts believe that the new findings may lead to new approaches for treating the initial lung changes that eventually progress to cancer.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Air pollutants have many forms. Apart from gaseous chemical components like carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, etc., some tiny powdery particles also contribute to air pollution. These inhalable fine particulate matter (FPM) that circulate in the air have already been recognized as carcinogens. These particulate matters are now considered a substantial threat to global health. Although their role in the genesis of cancer is widely acknowledged, the mechanism through which they develop the disease remains largely enigmatic.
• In this context, it is worth mentioning that the highly complex cancer disease also involves cells from our immune system (our body’s defence mechanism).
• Some immune cells play a crucial role in preventing cancer progression by destroying the cells where cancer has been initiated.

According to the study,

• To explore the indirect way through which the FPMs can exert their impact on cancer progression, the researchers first collected samples of FPM from seven locations in China. The team then attempted to analyze their effects on a particular kind of immune cell called the cytotoxic T cells (CTL).
• The CTLs play a crucial role in defending the growth of tumours. The researchers first administered lung cancer cells in mice not exposed to FPM. In these mice, induced with lung cancer cells but unexposed to FPM, the important immune cells were recruited to the lung to destroy the tumour cells. On the other hand, the researchers conducted the same experiment with mice administered with lung cancer cells and exposed to FPMs.
• They found that in the second set of mice, the movement of CTLs was delayed, which concomitantly allowed the tumour cells to grow and establish in the lung tissue.
• The FPM exposed lung tissues got dramatically compressed up to the level where the space between the lung tissue and the space where CTLs move became congested. In addition, the researchers found that there was a high level of collagen.

• The CTLs struggled to move into the FPM exposed lung tissues where tumour formation had started.
• They further analyzed the lung tissues and found that they showed structural changes because of an increase in a particular type of collagen known as collagen IV. However, the team could not find any clue how FPM triggered this. Nevertheless, they found another hint. The enzymes, known as peroxidasin, make the collagen drive a specific type of situation, leading to the collagen formation becoming absurd.

PLACES IN NEWS

5. FALKLAND ISLANDS

THE CONTEXT: The Government of Argentina will launch a campaign in India demanding negotiation with the United Kingdom to settle the territorial dispute over the Islas Malvinas that are known as the Falkland Islands in the UK.

THE EXPLANATION:

The initiative, which comes two days after the visit of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, coincides with the 40th anniversary of the conflict between the UK and Argentina, which ended with the re-establishment of British control over the archipelago.

ABOUT FALKLAND ISLAND:

• The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf.
• As a British overseas territory, the Falklands have internal self-governance, and the United Kingdom takes responsibility for their defence and foreign affairs. The capital and largest settlement is Stanley on East Falkland.
• Argentina has maintained that the Falklands were illegally taken from it in 1833 and invaded the British colony in 1982. That incident resulted in what later came to be known as the Falklands War which lasted a little over three months, ending in victory for the United Kingdom.

THE MISCELLANEOUS

6. WORLD MALARIA DAY

THE CONTEXT: On April 25, 2022, the Union Health Ministry organized Malaria awareness campaigns and events across the nation on the occasion of World Malaria Day.

THE EXPLANATION:

• World Malaria Day 2022 will be marked under the theme “Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives.” No single tool that is available today will solve the problem of malaria.
• WHO is calling for investments and innovation that bring new vector control approaches, diagnostics, antimalarial medicines and other tools to speed the pace of progress against malaria.
• The Global technical strategy for malaria 2016–2030 was adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2015. It provides a comprehensive framework to guide countries in their efforts to accelerate progress towards malaria elimination. The strategy sets the target of reducing global malaria incidence and mortality rates by at least 90% by 2030.

Status:

• According to World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the World Malaria Report 2021, highlighting the havoc malaria continues to wreck on the world’s poorest and most vulnerable.
• An estimated 14 million more cases and 69,000 more deaths were caused by malaria in 2020 compared to 2019. India was the only high burden country to record progress by sustaining a reduction in malaria burden between 2019 and 2020. However, the rate of decline was slower than before the pandemic, the WHO report stated, with the country still sharing over 80 percent of the malaria burden of South-East Asia.
• The WHO report also highlighted sizable gaps in malaria funding, as the demand to sustain progress increased to a year to $6.8 billion with only a tiny increase in malaria funding. In the South-East Asia region, the malaria funding per person at risk in India has been slower than the neighboring countries, stated the report.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

1. Which of the following carries out an all-India survey on household consumption expenditure?

a) Labour Bureau

b) Union Ministry of Finance

c) Union Ministry of Home Affairs

d) National Statistical Office

ANSWER FOR 23RD APRIL 2022

Answer: B

Explanation:

THE INDIAN POLITY

1. EXPLAINED: THE PROCESS OF ELECTING INDIA’S PRESIDENT

THE CONTEXT: The tenure of the current President of India is set to end in July this year(2022), which is also when the 16th Indian Presidential election will be held to elect his successor.

THE EXPLANATION:

How is the President elected?

• The Indian President is elected through an electoral college system, wherein the votes are cast by national and State-level lawmakers. The elections are conducted and overseen by the Election Commission (EC) of India. 

• The electoral college is made up of all the elected members of the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament (Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha MPs), and the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of States and Union Territories (MLAs).
• This means, in the upcoming polls, the number of electors will be 4,896 — 543 Lok Sabha MPs, 233 MPs of the Rajya Sabha, and 4,120 MLAs of all States, including the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi and Union Territory of Puducherry.
• Before the voting, comes the nomination stage, where the candidate intending to stand in the election, files the nomination along with a signed list of 50 proposers and 50 seconders. These proposers and seconders can be anyone from the total of 4,896 members of the electoral college from the State and national levels.

What is required to secure a victory?

• A nominated candidate does not secure victory based on a simple majority but through a system of bagging a specific quota of votes. While counting, the EC totals up all the valid votes cast by the electoral college through paper ballots and to win, the candidate must secure 50% of the total votes cast + 1.
• Unlike general elections, where electors vote for a single party’s candidate, the voters of the electoral college write the names of candidates on the ballot paper in the order of preference.

What is the value of each vote and how is it calculated?

A vote cast by each MP or MLA is not calculated as one vote. There is a larger vote value attached to it.

The fixed value of each vote by an MP of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha is 708. Meanwhile, the vote value of each MLA differs from State to State based on a calculation that factors in its population vis-a-vis the number of members in its Legislative Assembly. As per the Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Act 2001, currently, the population of States is taken from the figures of the 1971 Census. This will change when the figures of the Census taken after the year 2026 are published.

THE WORLD GEOGRAPHY: CLIMATOLOGY

2. NO EL NINO EXPECTED, IT WILL BE A ‘NORMAL’ MONSOON, SAYS SKYMET

THE CONTEXT: According to Skymet, the southwest monsoon 2022 will likely be “normal”, though rainfall in August, the second rainiest month, will likely be subdued.

THE EXPLANATION:

• “Normal”, according to Skymet, is 98% of the historical average of 88 cm for the four-month stretch from June-September. Rajasthan, Gujarat, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura are likely to be rain deficit throughout the season. The northeastern states have a high base level of rainfall.
• In the South, Kerala and north interior of Karnataka would see subdued rainfall in the core monsoon months of July and August. On the other hand, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh — key Kharif crop regions — and rainfed areas of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh would witness “above normal”’ rainfall, the agency stated.
• The El Nino, characterized by a warming of temperatures in the Central Pacific and associated with drying up rainfall over India, wasn’t expected to surface this year. Its converse, or a La Nina, had helped with two years of above-normal rainfall in 2019, 2020 and “normal” rain in 2021.
• “The last two monsoon seasons have been driven by back-to-back La Nina events…the occurrence of El Nino, which normally corrupts the monsoon, is ruled out.

Indian Ocean dipole

• Another factor that influences monsoon was the Indian Ocean dipole, whose “positive” phase corresponded to good rains and “negative” the opposite. “The Indian Ocean Dipole is neutral, albeit having a propensity of negative inclination… Monsoon will have to ride over ENSO — neutral conditions, while battling resistance from IOD, especially during the 2nd half of the season. This possibly can lead to extreme variability in the monthly rainfall distribution,” the agency said.
• The first half of the monsoon — June and July — was expected to be better than the second. June was expected to get 7% more rain than what’s usual, July 100%, August 95% and September, when the monsoon starts to wane, 90%. The last few years, however, have seen unusually high rains in September.
• The India Meteorological Department (IMD), which issues the official forecast, is expected to announce its first forecast for the season later this week. The agency follows a multiple-stage forecast system with an update in June.

VALUE ADDITION

1. El Niño:  A warming of the ocean surface, or above-average sea surface temperatures (SST), in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.  Over Indonesia, rainfall tends to become reduced while rainfall increases over the tropical Pacific Ocean.  The low-level surface winds, which normally blow from east to west along the equator (“easterly winds”), instead of weakening or, in some cases, start blowing the other direction (from west to east or “westerly winds”).
2. La Niña: A cooling of the ocean surface, or below-average sea surface temperatures (SST), in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.  Over Indonesia, rainfall tends to increase while rainfall decreases over the central tropical Pacific Ocean.  The normal easterly winds along the equator become even stronger.
3. Neutral:  Neither El Niño or La Niña. Often tropical Pacific SSTs are generally close to average.  However, there are some instances when the ocean can look like it is in an El Niño or La Niña state, but the atmosphere is not playing along (or vice versa).

THE SOCIAL ISSUES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

3. EXPLAINED: MIDDAY MEAL AND SUPPLEMENTS

THE CONTEXT: From the next academic session, Karnataka is likely to become the 13th state to provide eggs under the midday meal scheme, which is among the largest initiatives in the world to enhance the nutrition levels of school-going children through hot cooked meals.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The proposal, which faces opposition and awaits the Karnataka government’s final stamp of approval, comes on the back of successive surveys pointing out the high prevalence of malnutrition, anemia and low immunity among children in many parts of the state, where the National Family Health Survey-V found 35% children under five stunted, and around 20% wasted.
• The current version of the programme, renamed PM Poshan Shakti Nirman or PM Poshan in 2021, traces its roots to 1995; it was launched as a centrally sponsored scheme on August 15 that year across 2,408 blocks for students up to Class 5. In 2007, the UPA government expanded it to Class 8.
• However, the first initiative to provide meals to children had been taken by the erstwhile Madras Municipal Corporation around 1920. In post-Independence India, Tamil Nadu was again the pioneer, with Chief Minister K Kamaraj rolling out a school feeding scheme in 1956. Kerala had a school lunch scheme run by a humanitarian agency since 1961. The state government officially took over the initiative on December 1, 1984, making Kerala the second state in the country to have a school lunch programme. Over the next few years, many other states launched their own versions of the scheme, and finally, in 1995, the Centre stepped in.

What is the scale of the scheme today?

• The scheme covers 11.80 crore children across Classes 1 to 8 (age group 6 to 14) in11.20 lakh government and government-aided schools and those run by local bodies such as the municipal corporations in Delhi under the provisions of the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA).
• In the Budget for 2022-23, the Centre has earmarked Rs 10,233 crore for the scheme, while the states are expected to spend Rs 6,277 crore. It is not just a scheme, but a legal entitlement of all school-going children in primary and upper primary classes, through the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, as well as the Supreme Court’s ruling in the People’s Union of Civil Liberties vs Union of India and Others (2001).

Do the Centre and states run the scheme jointly?

• Under the rules, the allocation of Rs 4.97 per child per day (primary classes) and Rs 7.45 (upper primary) are shared in a 60:40 ratio with states and UTs with a legislature, and 90:10 with the Northeastern states, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, while the Centre bears 100% of the costs in UTs without legislature.
• But the states and UTs that supplement the meals with additional items such as milk and eggs contribute more. Components such as payments to cooks and workers are also split in the same ratio between the Centre and states. However, the Centre bears the entire cost of foodgrains and their transportation and also handles the expenditure on management, monitoring and evaluation of the scheme.

THE INDIAN ECONOMY

4. EXPLAINED: HOW WILL THE CARDLESS CASH WITHDRAWAL SYSTEM AT ATMS WORK?

THE CONTEXT: India’s central bank announced cardless cash withdrawals at ATMs in the country. The feature will let consumers use the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) on their smartphones to withdraw cash from ATMs.

THE EXPLANATION:

How will this system work?

• Cardless cash withdrawals are to be authenticated via UPI. So, ATMs are expected to show an option for withdrawing cash using UPI. Once a user selects this option, they can input the amount to be withdrawn. A QR code will be generated on the ATM.
• Users will then need to scan that code via their UPI app and enter the password to withdraw cash from the ATM. Until now, only fund transfers between accounts were enabled via UPI. With this option, consumers can take cash out from ATMs without a card.

What issues does this tech solve?

• According to the RBI Governor, cardless cash withdrawals will enhance the security of cash withdrawal transactions. Besides, it would help prevent frauds like card skimming and card cloning.
• Currently, only existing customers of a few banks are allowed to withdraw cash without cards, and from specific bank’s ATM networks. However, RBI’s move to allow interoperability in cardless withdrawals will enable users to take cash from any all bank’s ATM.
• RBI’s move will invite more players into the payment ecosystem in India to innovate and solve further problems of customers.

What is card skimming?

• Criminals steal data from credit or debit cards by tracking a card swiped at ATMs. They pick this information using a skimming device that reads the card’s magnetic strip. These devices are surreptitiously installed on ATMs. And once the device picks up the data, it can be used to gain unauthorized access to the user’s banking records.
• The stolen information can be coded onto a new card, a process called cloning, and be used to make payments and transact with other bank accounts. Problematic ATMs that function intermittently and the ones located in isolated areas are often used to install such skimming devices.
• Fraudsters also install scanning devices on point of sale machines. These devices can stealthily scan a card before it is swiped at the payment counter at a departmental store. This is especially tough to spot if the billing counter is not in the line of sight of the card owner.
• These devices are difficult to identify as they appear to be a legitimate part of an existing ATM, or like a regular in-store card reader. It is skillfully fitted to the payment machines.

What is the future of debit cards?

• According to the statement, Issuing cards will not be stopped, as they have several other utilities beyond cash withdrawals. They can be used at a restaurant, shop, or for payments in a foreign country.
• The debit card is a very evolved financial product and has already gone through a lot of iterations to its perfection. In its further evolution, we are seeing new use cases for debit cards like having standing instructions or EMI payments.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

5. ODISHA’S BARBARA FOREST SET FOR ECOTOURISM PUSH

THE CONTEXT: According to the state forest officials, the Odisha’s Barbara forest is set to open for the public from the next tourist season in September 2022.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Odisha’s Barbara Forestdubbed as Asia’s largest teak and sal forest, the Barbara forest in Odisha was perhaps the only forest in India guarded by the jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (for protecting forest resources).
• Spread over 870-sq km, the forest touches three districts Khordha, Nayagarh and Ganjam of Odisha and, as per legend, is named after a British forest officer’s wife, who was killed in a tiger attack in the area, 100-odd years ago.
• The dense teak forest, about 150 km from Bhubaneswar, lent to a flourishing timber market in Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Cuttack and Nayagarh. It is said the timber mafia worked in tandem with the locals, prompting former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik to seek deployment of CRPF in 1994-95 to check tree felling and protect the forest.
• “The CRPF presence had instilled fear in the mind of timber smugglers and the immediate destruction of precious teak treasure was contained.
• Though the CRPF deployment in Barbara was initially for three years but given the continued threat from the timber mafia, the State Government kept extending the date. According to sources, the CRPF wanted to withdraw from Barbara forest due to its commitment in other parts of the State, where Maoist violence was on the rise. However, a non-government organization moved to Orissa High Court seeking to retain CRPF deployment. The Orissa High Court stayed CRPF’s withdrawal.
• Once the State government deployed Odisha Special Striking Force (OSSF), the CRPF withdrew in 2016. According to reports, about 1,000 timber smugglers were arrested and sawmills around the forest area were shut down during the first decade of CRPF deployment.

VALUE ADDITION:

About Barbara Forest:

• It is nature’s best-kept secret near Chilika Lake in coastal Odisha.
• It is named after a British woman, Barbara who had been killed by a tiger in the late 19th century while she was with her husband on a hunting expedition.
• The Barbara landscape is an enriched area that boasts several century-old plants sown by the British back in 1910.
• Giant squirrels are found in great numbers in the thick forests of Barbara, making it a major contender to become a sanctuary for giant squirrels.
• Barbara was once historically famous for its tigers, now one can find sambar, deer, mouse deer and bison.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q. Which of the following is not a part of the electoral college for the election of the President of India?

a) Elected members of the State Assembly

b) Elected members of Lok Sabha

c) Nominated members of Rajya Sabha

d) Elected Members of Rajya Sabha

ANSWER FOR 12TH APRIL 2022

Answer: D

Explanation:

• Gujarat has topped the list for larger States in the NITI Aayog’s State Energy and ClimateIndex–Round 1 that has ranked States and Union Territories (UTs) on six parameters.
• States have been categorized based on size and geographical differences as larger and smaller States and UTs.The index is based on 2019-20 data.
• Gujarat, Kerala and Punjab have been ranked as the top three performers in the category of larger States, while Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh were the bottom threeStates.
• Goa emerged as the top performer in the smaller States category followed by Tripura and Manipur. Among UTs, Chandigarh, Delhi and Daman & Diu/Da- dra& Nagar Haveli are the top performers. The SECI developed by NITI Aayog which includes 27 indicators under 6 parameters is expected to play a crucial role in pushing the states to adopt best practices and move the needle on clean energy transition.

[WpProQuiz 200]

THE ART AND CULTURE

1. SANGEET NATAK, LALIT KALA AKADEMI AWARDS GIVEN

THE CONTEXT: Forty-three artists were presented Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship and Sangeet Natak Awards for 2018, while Lalit Kala Akademi’s Fellowship and National Awards for 2021 were given to 23 by Vice-President.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards are national honours bestowed by the government on performing artists and teachers and scholars in the field of performing arts. The awards were given in the categories of music, dance, and theatre. In addition, one category was reserved for traditional, folk, and tribal dance, music, theatre and puppetry.

About Sangeet NatakAkademi:

• It was the first national academy of arts set up by the Government of India in 1952. It is registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1986.
• It functions as the apex body of the performing arts in the country, preserving and promoting the vast intangible heritage of India’s diverse culture expressed in the forms of music, dance and drama.
• It also collaborates with an international organization like UNESCO to save the cultural heritage of the country.

About Lalit Kala Akademi:

• It is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture, established in 1954, by the then Minister for Education, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. It is fully funded by the Ministry of Culture.
• It is the Government’s apex cultural body in the field of visual arts in India.
• It has headquarters at New Delhi and regional centers at Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Garhi (Delhi), Kolkata, Lucknow and Shimla.

THE GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENT

2. BENGAL COAST FACES THE MOST EROSION

THE CONTEXT: The Ministry of Earth Sciences, in a response to a question, informed the Lok Sabha earlier this week that of the 6,907.18-km-long coastline of the Indian mainland, about 34% is under varying degrees of erosion, while 26% is of an accretional nature and the remaining 40% is in a stable state.

THE EXPLANATION

• The National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), Chennai, an attached office of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), is monitoring shoreline erosion since 1990 using remote sensing data and GIS mapping techniques.
• In terms of percentage, West Bengal, located on the eastern coast of the country, with a 534.35-km-long coastline, suffered erosion along about 60.5% of the coast (323.07 km) over the period from 1990 to 2018. This is followed by Kerala on the west coast, which has 592.96 km of coastline and 46.4% of it (275.33 km) faced erosion.
• Another organisation under the Ministry, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has prepared and published an atlas of Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) maps for the entire coastline of India at a 1:100000 scale.

3. RHINO POPULATION UP BY 200 IN KAZIRANGA

THE CONTEXT: The population of the greater one-horned or Indian rhinoceros in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve has increased by 200 in four years to 2613, the latest census of the World Heritage Site’s flagship animal has revealed.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The last rhino census conducted in 2018 had put the number at 2,413.
• This year’s census had a first — the use of drones for the recheck of 26 park compartments where the sample survey was done.

INDIAN RHINO VISION 2020 (IRV 2020)

• Launched in 2005.
• Initiative led by Forest Department, Government of Assam, in partnership with WWF India, International Rhino Foundation, and several other organizations.
• Goal of IRV2020 was to increase the rhino population in Assam to 3,000 by establishing populations in new areas.
• Rhinos are now found in four Protected Areas in Assam: Pabitora Wildlife Reserve, Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park, Kaziranga National Park, and Manas National Park.

ABOUT ONE-HORNED RHINOS

• Only the Great One-Horned Rhino is found in India.
• Also known as Indian rhino, it is the largest of the rhino species.
• It is identified by a single black horn and grey-brown hide with skin folds.
• They primarily graze, with a diet consisting almost entirely of grasses as well as leaves, branches of shrubs and trees, fruit, and aquatic plants.

CONSERVATION STATUS:

• IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I.

FIVE SPECIES OF RHINO IN THE WORLD:

1. Sumatran Rhino: The Sumatran rhino has been on earth longer than any other living mammal. IUCN status- Critically endangered.
2. Javan Rhino: The Javan rhino is possibly the rarest large mammal on earth. IUCN status- Critically endangered.
3. Black Rhino: Black rhinos are the smaller of the two African species.
4. Greater one-horned Rhino: Greater one-horned rhinos are semi-aquatic and often take up residence in swamps, forests and riversides. IUCN status- Vulnerable
5. White Rhino: The White rhino is also known as the Square-lipped rhino. There are two subspecies of White rhino:

• Southern: Ceratotheriumsimumsimum approximately between 19,666 and 21,085 individuals exist. The Southern white rhino can be found mostly in South Africa, with smaller translocated populations found in Kenya, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
• Northern: Ceratotheriumsimumcottoni (only two animals remain). The Northern White Rhino is critically endangered. The sub-species was declared extinct in the wild in 2008, and there are only two individuals remaining in Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya.

THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS

4. MODI, BIDEN TO DISCUSS BILATERAL TIES AT SUMMIT

THE CONTEXT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joseph Biden will hold a virtual meeting prior to the “2+2” Foreign and Defence ministerial meeting in Washington on 11th April 2022, to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the U.S. White House announced.

THE EXPLANATION:

• India and the U.S. will hold their fourth annual “2+2” Defence and Foreign Ministry dialogue in Washington on 11^th April 2022, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine looming over the discussions and occupying a prominent place on the agenda. The last meeting in this format was in October 2020.
• The two sides will discuss defence, science and technology (particularly emerging technology), climate and public health (particularly cooperation on managing the COVID-19 pandemic), fortifying and building supply chains, as well as people-to-people ties, as per the readouts of the talks from the U.S. State and Defence Departments.
• India has raised the issue of commodity price impacts of the war, including at the United Nations. It has also purchased oil at a discounted price from Moscow — a move that has ruffled feathers in the Biden administration. The U.S. has said it is willing to help provide alternatives to India’s sourcing of oil from Moscow — which accounts for 1–2% of its energy imports.
• Several big-ticket defence deals are in the pipeline, especially for the Navy. The purchase of 30 Predator armed drones for the three Services is in advanced stages but has been delayed pending approval from the Defence Acquisition Council.
• Another major deal is a Navy tender for around 26 deck-based fighter aircraft for its existing INS Vikramaditya and the indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant, which is scheduled to be commissioned in August.

ABOUT 2+2 DIALOGUE

·         The 2+2 dialogue is held between the foreign and defence ministers of two countries and is generally seen to be aimed at creating a mechanism under which the bilateral relationship takes a decisive strategic turn with greater integration of defence, security and intelligence apparatus.

·         A 2+2 ministerial dialogue enables both sides to understand each other’s strategic sensitivities more deeply, while taking into account the political nuances of the relationship, and also enabling the building of a more strategic grouping in a rapidly changing global environment, diplomatic and strategic.

• India has 2+2 dialogue with USA, Japan, Australia and Russia.

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5. IMPROVED GSLV TO BE READY BY THIS YEAR

THE CONTEXT: The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) with improvements added to its cryogenic upper stage (CUS) is expected to be ready in the second half of this year.

THE EXPLANATION:

• A high-level panel that examined last year’s failed GSLV-F10/EOS-03 mission had recommended measures for making the CUS more robust. Indian Space Research Organisation’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) is tasked with making the required modifications to the cryogenic engine-powered upper stage of the GSLV Mk II rocket.
• The GSLV-F10 mission on August 12, 2021, was designed to place the earth observation satellite EOS-03 in a geosynchronous transfer orbit, but the upper stage of the rocket malfunctioned, forcing the space agency to abort the mission. A national-level Failure Analysis Committee (FAC) later concluded that a leak in a Vent and Relief Valve (VRV) had led to a lower build-up of pressure in the Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) propellant tank, leading to a failed mission.
• Modifications planned to include a mechanism to ensure sufficient pressure in the tank before the engine burns and strengthening of the VRV to avoid leaks.

WHAT IS A GEOSYNCHRONOUS SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE (GSLV)?

• Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is an expendable space launch vehicle designed, developed, and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) to launch satellites and other space objects into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits. GSLV is 49.13 m tall and the tallest among all other vehicles of Isro. It is a three-stage vehicle with a lift-off mass of 420 tonnes.

STAGES IN GSLV

• The first stage comprises S139 solid booster with 138-tonne propellant and four liquid strap-on motors, with 40-tonne propellant. The second stage is a liquid engine carrying 40-tonne of liquid propellant. The third stage is the indigenously built Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) carrying 15-tonne of cryogenic propellants.
• GSLV rockets using the Russian Cryogenic Stage (CS) are designated as the GSLV Mk I while versions using the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) are designated the GSLV Mk II. All GSLV launches have been conducted from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

 Difference between PSLV and GSLV

• GSLV has the capability to put a heavier payload in the orbit than the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). PSLV can carry satellites up to a total weight of 2000 kg into space and reach up to an altitude of 600-900 km. GSLV can carry weight up to 5,000 kg and reach up to 36,000 km.
• PSLV is designed mainly to deliver earth observation or remote sensing satellites, whereas, GSLV has been designed for launching communication satellites. GSLV delivers satellites into a higher elliptical orbit, Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO).

 GSLV Launches

• Isro first launched GSLV on April 18, 2001 and has made 13 launches since then. The GSLV has had 8 launches successfully reaching its planned orbits, three outright failures and two partial failure, yielding a success rate for GSLV Mk I at 29% and 86% for Mk II. All launches have taken place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, known before 2002 as the Sriharikota Range (SHAR).

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q. Which of the following animals in India receive the same level of protection as the tiger under Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972?

1. Lion-tailed maquaque
2. One-horned rhinoceros
3. Spotted Dear
4. Andaman Wild Pig

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) 1 only

b) 1 and 2 only

c) 2, 3 and 4 only

d) All of them

ANSWER FOR 9TH APRIL 2022

Answer: C

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: The standing deposit facility (SDF) is the basic tool available with RBI to absorb excess liquidity.
• The SDF has its origins in a 2018 amendment to the RBI Act and is an additional tool for absorbing liquidity without collateral.
• The Reserve Bank on 8th April 2022, took steps towards normalization of liquidity management to pre-pandemic levels, with the introduction of the standing deposit facility (SDF) as the basic tool to absorb excess liquidity.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The SDF would be at 3.75%, i.e., 0.25% below the repo rate and 0.5% lower than the marginal standing facility (MSF) which helps the banks with funds when required.
• At both ends of the LAF corridor, there will be standing facilities – one to absorb and the other to inject liquidity. Accordingly, access to SDF and MSF will be at the discretion of banks, unlike repo/reverse repo, OMO and CRR which are available at the discretion of the Reserve Bank.

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