POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. NATIONAL CIVIL SERVICES DAY 2023

TAGS: GS-II-POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT:The National Civil Services Day is celebrated annually in India on April 21 to recognize the contributions and achievements of civil servants in the country. On this day, the Prime Minister of India awards officers from the central and state governments for their outstanding contributions to public administration.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The theme of this year’s Civil Service Day is – Viksit Bharat (विकसितभारत) aimed at ‘Empowering Citizens and Reaching the Last Mile’.
• The theme underscores the Government’s resolve and firm commitment to achieving a more equitable and prosperous India for all its citizens by engaging in inclusive growth.

History and Significance:

• The first National Civil Services Day was celebrated at a function held in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on April 21, 2006.
• The date April 21, is chosen for the celebration of National Civil Service Day, commemorates the day when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Independent India’s first Home Minister, addressed the probationers of the Administrative Services Officers in 1947.
• In his inspirational speech, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel acknowledged the civil servants of the country as the “steel frame of India.” National Civil Services Day recognises the exemplary services of the government workers in the country.
• The civil servants in India play a vital role in shaping the policies and programs that drive the country’s development. They work tirelessly to ensure that the government’s vision is translated into action on the ground. The day is a reminder of the importance of public service and the critical role that civil servants play in the development of the country.

PRIME MINISTER’S AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

• On the occasion of Civil Services Day,Prime Minister will address civil servants on April 21, 2023 in honour of National Civil Services Day.
• During the event, PM will confer the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration. These have been instituted with a view to recognize the extraordinary and innovative work done by districts and organizations of the central and State governments for the welfare of common citizens.

Exemplary work done in four identified priority programmes will be given awards and they are:

1. Har Ghar Jal Yojana
2. Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan
3. Ayushman Bharat – Health and Wellness Center
4. Aspirational Districts Programme

Eight awards for these four identified programmes will be given while seven awards shall be for innovations.

HEALTH ISSUES

2. N-NITROSODIMETHYLAMINE (NDMA)

TAGS:GS-II-HEALTH ISSUES-PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT: The Gujarat High Court recently issued a notice to the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), under the Union Health Ministry, and the Gujarat Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA), in a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking immediate removal of drugs and medicines containing “cancerous impurities” such as NDMA from the Indian market.

THE EXPLANATION:

• N-Nitrosodimethylamine is a volatile, combustible, yellow, oily liquid nitrosamine with a faint characteristic odor that decomposes when exposed to light and emits toxic fumes of nitrogen oxides when heated to decomposition.
• N-Nitrosodimethylamine is primarily used in laboratory research to induce tumors in experimental animals.
• This substance may be formed during the cooking of foods, especially cured meats and fish, that contain sodium nitrite as a preservative, but is also found in several vegetables, cheeses, alcoholic beverages and fruits, and as a contaminant in rubber products.
• Exposure to Nitrosodimethylamine irritates the skin and eyes and damages the liver. This substance is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.

Applications:

• n-Nitrosodimethylamine is produced by industry only in small amounts for research. At room temperature, it is a yellow liquid with no distinct odor. It was used to make rocket fuel, but this use was stopped after unusually high levels of this chemical were found in air, water, and soil samples collected near a rocket fuel manufacturing plant. It is used in some cosmetic and toiletry products and in cleansers.n-Nitrosodimethylamine is unintentionally formed during various manufacturing processes and in air, water, and soil from reactions involving other chemicals called alkylamines. It is also found in some foods and may be formed in the body.

AGRICULTURE

3. TEA MOSQUITO BUG INFESTATION

TAGS: GS-III-AGRICULTURE-PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT:The United Planters Association of South India (UPASI) has urged the government to immediately intervene and take appropriate steps to control the Tea Mosquito Bug (Helopeltis theivora) (TMB) problem in the tea plantations in India.

THE EXPLANATION:

Tea Mosquito Bug (Helopeltis theivora):

• Tea mosquito bugs (TMB) (Helopeltis spp.)are serious pests of cashew during cropping season in India and other cashew growing countries.
• Pest damage begins during flushing stage of cashew and continues during flowering and fruiting. As such, TMB is a low-density pest, but causes reduction in nut yields ranging between 20 and 80 percent depending on the intensity of pest population.

Distribution and status: Serious pest of tea and widely distributed in Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

Host range: Cashew, neem, moringa and guava are other host plants.

Symptoms of damage:

• Adults and nymphs suck the sap from buds, young leaves and tender stems
• Puncturing the plant tissues with their needle like rostrum and inject toxic saliva.
• Punctures appear as reddish brown spots.
• Leaves curl up, badly deformed and shoots dry up.

Identification of the pest:

• Adult – black colour with red thorax, black and white abdomen and greenish brown wings.

4. BIOMASS PELLETS

TAGS: GS-III-AGRICULTURE-PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT:The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revised the financial grants for biomass pellet manufacturing units in March 2023.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Biomass pellet is one kind of biofuel resources.
• Biomass pellets are of two kinds — torrefied and non-torrefied. Biomass, if processed at 250-350°C in the absence of oxygen, leads to the formation of torrefied biomass. Whereas, in the case of non-torrefied pellets, biomass is shredded, grinded and sent to a pellet reactor, where it is compressed into pellet form with the help of binders such as sawdust, bagasse, molasses, starch and others.

Biomass Pellets Application

• Building heating: Biomass pellets can be used in a pellet stove or furnace to heating room at school, hospital, marketplace, company, etc. Cooking with biomass pellets is also available.
• Industrial boiler: Bio-pellets can partly(or entirely) replace coal or fossil fuel in co-firing heating for large-scale industrial operation to reduce the energy cost.
• power plants :Biomass pellets can be used in power plants to solve the problem of insufficient power supply.
• Animal bedding:Bio-pellets made of softwood is a kind of slap-up animal bedding to raising animal experience.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INTERVENTIONS

5. SATHI PORTAL

TAGS:GS-III-GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

THE CONTEXT: The Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister launched the Sathi (Seed Traceability, Authentication and Holistic Inventory) portal and mobile app, a centralized online system designed to address seed production challenges, seed quality identification, and certification.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Seed Traceability, Authentication and Holistic Inventory (SATHI) portal is a Centralized Online System designed to deal with the challenges of seed production, quality seed identification and seed certification.
• Developed by the NIC in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the portal aims to curb the sale of spurious seeds and ensure quality seeds reach farmers.
• It will ensure a quality assurance system, and identify the source of seed in the seed production chain.
• The system will consist of integrated 7 verticals of the seed chain – Research Organisation, Seed Certification, Seed Licensing, Seed Catalogue, Dealer to Farmer Sales, Farmer Registration and Seed DBT.
• Seeds with valid certification can only be sold by valid licensed dealers to centrally registered farmers who will receive a subsidy through DBT directly into their pre-validated bank accounts.

About NIC:

The National Informatics Centre (NIC) was initially established in 1976 by Late N Seshagiri under the Electronics Commission of India. It was subsequently transferred under the then Planning Commission of India and eventually came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. INDIA –SRILANKA ANNUAL BILATERAL MARITIME EXERCISE (SLINEX-23)

TAGS: GS-II-INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS-PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: The 10th edition of IN-SLN bilateral maritime exercise SLINEX-23 is scheduled at Colombo from 03 – 08 April 2023. The exercise is being conducted in two phases: the Harbour Phase from 03-05 April 2023, followed by a Sea Phase from 06-08 April 2023. Indian Navy is being represented by INS Kiltan, an indigenous Kamorta class ASW corvette and INS Savitri, an Offshore Patrol Vessel.

THE EXPLANATION:

• AIM: SLINEX aims at enhancing interoperability, improving mutual understanding and exchanging best practices while jointly undertaking multi-faceted maritime operations. Professional, cultural and sporting events, as also social exchanges are planned during the harbour phase to further bolster the bonds of friendship and camaraderie between both the navies.
• The Indian Navy has already held multiple bilateral and multilateral exercises with foreign navies this month. In March, Konkan 2023—the annual bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy—was held off the Konkan coast in the Arabian Sea. The Navy also participated in the third edition of the multilateral exercise La Perouse last month in the Indian Ocean Region.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

2. WHAT IS PURCHASING MANAGERS’ INDEX (PMI)?

TAGS:GS-III-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

THE CONTEXT: India’s manufacturing sector activity continued to expand in March 2023, with the S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) coming in at 56.4, up from February’s 55.3, according to data released.

About Purchasing Managers’ Index:

• The PMI or a Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) is an indicator of business activity — both in the manufacturing and services sectors.
• It is a survey-based measure that asks the respondents about changes in their perception of some key business variables from the month before. And these surveys are conducted on a monthly basis.
• It is calculated separately for the manufacturing and services sectors, and then a composite index is constructed.
• The survey is compiled by IHS Markit for more than 40 economies worldwide.

• IHS Markit is a global leader in information, analytics and solutions for the major industries and markets that drive economies worldwide.
• IHS Markit is part of S&P Global.

How is the PMI derived?

• The PMI is derived from a series of qualitative questions to a large number of companies in the concerned sector. For manufacturing PMI, the questionnaire is sent to manufacturing companies. The questions are factual in nature, and the survey is not meant for opinions, intentions, or expectations.
• The questions are related to 5 key variables. The variables with their weights in the index are — new orders (30%), output (25%), employment (20%), suppliers’ delivery times (15%) and stock of items purchased (10%).
• It is calculated as:

PMI = (P1 * 1) + (P2 * 0.5) + (P3 * 0)

Where:

• P1 = percentage of answers reporting an improvement
• P2 = percentage of answers reporting no change
• P3 = percentage of answers reporting a deterioration

• A PMI number greater than 50 indicates expansion in business activity. A number less than 50 shows a contraction. The rate of expansion is also judged by the difference from the mid-point (50) and also by the previous month’s data.

What are its implications for the economy?

• The PMI is usually released at the start of the month, much before most of the official data on industrial output, manufacturing, and GDP growth becomes available.
• Economists consider the manufacturing growth measured by the PMI as a good indicator of industrial output.
• The index also helps investors who are looking to invest in the stock markets as it helps in determining the economic health of the country. Central banks of many countries also use the index to make decisions on interest rates.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES IN NEWS

3. REVISION SERIES: PM-DEVINE

TAGS:GS-III- GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

THE CONTEXT: Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE), was announced as a new Central Sector Scheme with an initial allocation of Rs 1500 crore in the Union Budget 2022-23.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The approval of the Cabinet was accorded for the PM-DevINE Scheme on 12 October, 2022. The scheme will have 100% Central funding, and has an outlay of Rs. 6,600 crore for the 4 year period from 2022-23 to 2025-26 (remaining years of the 15th Finance Commission period).
• The objectives of PM-DevINE are to: (i) Fund infrastructure convergently, in the spirit of PM GatiShakti; (ii) Support social development projects based on felt needs of the NER; (iii) Enable livelihood activities for youth and women; and (iv) Fill the development gaps in various sectors.
• PM-DevINE Scheme projects will lead to creation of infrastructure, social development projects, support industries and create livelihood activities for youth and women, thus leading to income and employment generation.

Significance of PM-DevINE Scheme to North Eastern Region:

• The PM-DevINE scheme is considered a boon for North East India. Mr. HimantaBiswaSarma, the Chief Minister of Assam, rightly stated that the PM-DevINE scheme is the first of its kind and that the government’s commitment towards the north-eastern states is being reflected in deeds and not simply in words. The scheme would provide the following benefits:
• Investments: The scheme includes funding for projects in infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture and livelihood. This would help improve the standard of living of people in the region.
• State-specific projects: Mizoram-based projects such as Aizawl bypass and bamboo link roads suggest that Mizoram would be the biggest beneficiary of this initiative, followed by Sikkim. The Aizawl bypass is expected to reduce traffic and congestion. Also, the construction of bamboo link roads for the transport of bamboo from forests would help bamboo growers in remote and inaccessible areas connect better with the outside world, and promote local and regional development.
• Healthcare: Under the scheme, services for the management of paediatric and adult haemotolymphoid cancers would be established. This would help improve cancer care in the region.
• Co-existence with other schemes: The scheme would complement the existing schemes in the region rather than substituting any of them. Thus, the north-eastern states will continue to enjoy the benefits provided by the existing schemes.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

4. GIR CALF AND BREED

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, India’s first cloned desi Gir female calf, Ganga was produced at NDRI.

THE EXPLANATION:

• This breed is otherwise known as Desan, Gujarati, Kathiawari, Sorthi, and Surati.
• It originated in the Gir forests of South Kathiawar in Gujarat.
• It derives its name from the Gir forest, which is the natural habitat of the breed.
• Gir cattle is a dairy cattle breed and is mainly raised for milk production in India.
• Under a project by National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal to work on cloning of indigenous cow breeds such as Gir and Sahiwal, India’s first cloned Gir female calf named ‘Ganga’.

Distribution:-

• The native tract of Gir cattle is the Gir hills and forests of Kathiawar.
• It includes the Amreli, Bhavnagar, Junagadh and Rajkot districts of Gujarat.
• The breed is also known as Bhodali, Gujarati, Sorthi, Surti, Kathiawari and Desan.

Export:-

• Gir cattle are also very popular outside India.
• United States, Mexico, Venezuela and Brazil have imported this breed.

Process:-

• To clone the Gir, oocytes are isolated from live animals using ultrasound-guided needles, and then, matured for 24 hours under control conditions.
• The somatic cells of elite cows are used as donor genomes, which are fused with OPU-derived enucleated oocytes.
• Following chemical activation and in-vitro culture, the developed blastocysts are transferred into recipient mothers to deliver the Gir calf.

VALUE ADDITION:

About National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI):-

• ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) is located in Karnal, Haryana.
• It is one of the premier Institutes in the dairy sector.
• It has played a crucial role in India’s development in milk production with its continuous research.
• The Institute has the distinction of being a Deemed University for implementing its academic programmes since 1989.
• The Institute provides high-quality education in the field of dairying, which has no parallel in Asia
• The Institute has been ranked first among all Agricultural Universities of India including 4 Deemed Universities consecutively three times in the years 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.
• The Institute has also conferred the ‘Sardar Patel Outstanding ICAR Institute award’ in 2014.
• It was awarded Agriculture Leadership Award 2013 for setting up a benchmark in dairy research by contributing to research efforts to augment milk productivity, value addition, quality and safety of milk and economic and marketing aspects related to dairying.
• Prior to this, the Institute also received Education Leadership Award in recognition of the talent and leadership among educational institutes across India.

5. GI TAG FOR LADAKH’S WOOD CARVING AND BASOHLI PAINTINGS FROM KATHUA

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: World famous Basohli Paintings from Kathua district of Jammu & Kashmir (UT) and Ladakh Wood Carving of Ladakh (UT) recently received Geographical Indication (GI) Tagging.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Basohli Painting’: the famous Pahari miniature style of painting known for its use of bright and bold colours and bold colours and peculiar facial forms, from Jammu’s Kathua district, has received the geographical indication (GI tag.)
• Ladakh’s Wood Carving: The craft is practiced in the Wanla and Cjoglamasar districts of Leh.Items ranging from folding tables called choktse, wooden pot called fehpur, tea mixing pot  called gurgur, larger tables, cupboards, ritual bowls, cup with lids to printing blocks are produced under thiscraft-form.
• The GI is an authorization given to a product originating from a specific geographic area having unique attributes. It is a form of Intellectual Property (IP) but unlike other Ips such as patents, copyrights, trademarks etc, is not owned by individuals but by community.
• A GI tag product carries the guarantee of authenticity associated with a specific region.  Some of popular GI products in India include Darjeeling tea, Banarasi saree, Kullu shawls, Mysore silk etc.
• There are 432 GIs granted by Government of India so far.

SOCIAL JUSTICE- GOVERNANCE

1. THE ANNUAL STATUS OF EDUCATION REPORT 2022

TAGS: GS-II- GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: The ASER Report 2022 released recently revealed that almost all (98.4%) students in the age bracket of 6-14 years are now enrolled in schools.

Highlights of ASER 2022:

• In ASER 2022 Survey, 7 lakh candidates from 19,060 schools in 616 districts were surveyed to calculate the learning outcomes post-pandemic on school children.
• Enrollment has gone from 97.2 per cent in 2018 to 98.4 per cent in 2022.
• As many as 72.9 per cent of the surveyed students go to government schools.
• In only three states, the number of girls not going to school is above 10% – Madhya Pradesh (17%), Uttar Pradesh (15%), and Chhattisgarh (11.2%).
• Nationally, children’s basic reading ability has dropped to pre-2012 levels, reversing the slow improvement achieved in the intervening years.
• In both government and private schools, only 20.5% students of Class 3 can read, compared to 27.3% in 2018.
• The proportion of Class 5 students who can read has dropped to 42.8% in 2022, compared to 50.5% in 2018.

VALUE ADDITION:

About ASER Survey:

• It is a citizen-led household survey that provides estimates of the enrolment status of children aged 3-16 and the basic reading and arithmetic levels of children aged 5-16 at the national, state and district level.
• ASER is published by NGO Pratham, and the survey has been conducted every year since 2005.
• The survey reaches children in the age group of 3-16 in almost all rural districts of India.
• It uses household rather than school-based sampling.

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

2. YANGTZE FINLESS PORPOISE

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III- ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Scientists recently found that checking sand mining in Dongting lake in China can help the rebounding of the population of the Yangtze finless porpoise.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Previous reports had shown the porpoise were pushed out of certain stretches of their habitat due to sand mining.
• The Chinese government announced a crackdown on illegal sand mining along the entire length of the river Yangtze.

ABOUT YANGTZE FINLESS PORPOISE

• The Yangtze River, the longest river in Asia is home to these porpoises.
• Yangtze finless porpoise is known for its mischievous smile and has a level of intelligence comparable to that of a gorilla.
• These are very small compared to whales and slow-moving inhabitants
• These are good indicators of the health of their environment.
• Conservation status:
  o IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered

3. WHAT IS SEDGE WARBLER?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III- ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Birders and ornithologists recently in the State of Kerala spotted a migratory bird the Sedge Warbler.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The sedge warbler is a medium-sized warbler of marshes, reedbeds and wetlands that can be spotted singing from perches on reeds and willow bushes.
• The male sedge warbler introduces random phrases into its repertoire which is known for mimicking.
• The male warbler never sings the same song twice; he attracts more mates the more phrases his song has.
• These are insectivores in nature.
• Distribution and habitat:
  o It breeds across Europe and western and central Asia and is migratory. After feeding up post-breeding, they migrate quickly across southern Europe and the Sahara from August to September.
  o All sedge warblers spend winter in sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east, and as far south as the eastern Cape Province of South Africa and northern Namibia.
• Conservation status:
  o IUCN Red List: Least concern

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

4. WHAT IS THE ADVANCE AUTHORISATION SCHEME?

TAGS:GS-III- ECONOMY- GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) simplifies the composition fee for export obligation extension under the advance authorisation scheme.

THE EXPLANATION:

About the Advance authorisation scheme:

• An advance authorisation scheme allows duty-free import of inputs, which have to be mandatorily used in products that are required to be exported within a specified time.
• They are not allowed to sell the products in the domestic market.
• Advance Authorization is valid for 12 months from the date of issue of such Authorization.
• The revised composition fee formula is based on a specific rate for different levels of the ‘CIF (cost, insurance, freight) value of authorisation.
• The fees levied under these 3 slabs; at ₹5,000 for a cost, insurance, freight (CIF) value of advance authorization license valued at up to ₹2 crores, ₹10,000 for a value between ₹2 crore and 10 crores, and ₹15,000 for value over ₹10 crores.
• The simplification of calculations for composition fees helps in automation and faster service delivery by making the process more efficient and easier to understand.

Exemptions under Advance Authorisation Scheme

• Under the Advance Authorisation Scheme, the following duties are exempt: basic customs duty, education cess, social welfare cess, anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty, and safeguard duty. IGST and compensation cess are also exempted.

VALUE ADDITION:

DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF FOREIGN TRADE (DGFT)

• About: Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) organisation is an attached office of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and is headed by Director General of Foreign Trade. It is responsible for formulating and implementing the Foreign Trade Policy with the main objective of promoting India’s exports.
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Functions: Licensing of imports and exports. Regulate, restrict or prohibit exports and imports. It plays an advisory role to the Government on Policy measures pertaining to national and international economic scenarios.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. WHAT DOES THE TERM ‘GREENBACK ‘ INDICATE?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: The rupee weakened sharply against the US dollar recently amid sparse trading volumes as some foreign banks purchased the greenback, likely on account of overseas investors exiting the domestic market.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is Greenback?

• A greenback is a term for U.S. paper dollars.
• It was legal tender by law backed by the United States government.
• The issuance was primarily intended to cover up the expenses of the American Civil War.

Why is it called Greenback?

• Since the backside of this paper money is inked in green color, it got the name greenback.
• Because they were not fully backed by gold, greenbacks lost value and caused inflation in the economy.
• Even though they were not minted after the nineteenth century, the terminology is now used in reference to the United States Dollar.

What is greenback trading?

• Traders in the foreign exchange market use the term greenback to refer to the United States Dollar.
• Hence it indicates the trading in the United States Dollar or U.S. dollar index.