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.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

1. ‘WORLD FOOD PRICES ROSE TO A NEW RECORD IN MARCH 2022’: FAO

THE CONTEXT: World food prices jumped to a new record high in March 2022 as the war in Ukraine caused turmoil in markets for staple grains and edible oils, the U.N. food agency.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) food price index, which tracks the most globally-traded food commodities, averaged 159.3 points last month versus an upwardly revised 141.4 for February 2022.
• FAO said Russia was the world’s largest exporter of wheat and Ukraine was the fifth largest. Together, they provide 19% of the world’s barley supply, 14% of wheat, and 4% of maize, making up more than one-third of global cereal exports.
• They both are major exporters of sunflower oil via the Black Sea, and Moscow’s six-week-old invasion of its neighbour has stalled Ukrainian exports.
• FAO warned last month (March 2022)that food and feed prices could rise by up to 20% as a result of the conflict in Ukraine, triggering a jump in global mal nourishment.
• FAO also cut its estimate of world wheat production in 2022 to 784 million tonnes from a forecast of 790 million last month (March 2022) as it factored in the possibility that at least 20% of Ukraine’s winter crop area would not be harvested. It also lowered its projection of global cereals trade in the 2021/22 marketing year.
• Also, the UN agency highlighted the fact, Russia is also a world leader in fertilizer exports.”The likely disruptions to agricultural activities of these two major exporters of staple commodities could seriously escalate food insecurity globally.

 2. CENTRE SETS UP TASK FORCE TO PROMOTE ANIMATION, GAMING

THE CONTEXT: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has constituted an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) promotion task force. Headed by the I&B Secretary, the task force will submit its first action plan within 90 days.

THE EXPLANATION:

• It has representation from the industry, academia and State governments.Earlier, Union Finance in her Budget speech, had announced the creation of AVGC promotion task force.
• The body will frame a national AVGC policy; recommend national curriculum framework for graduation, post-graduation and doctoral courses in AVGC-related sectors; and facilitate skilling initiatives in collaboration with academic institutions, vocational training centres and industry.
• It will boost employment opportunities and help in the promotion and market development activities to extend global reach. of the Indian industry; enhance exports and recommend incentives to attract foreign direct investment in the sector.
• The I&B Ministry said the AVGC sector in the country had the potential to become the torch bearer of “Create in India” and “Brand India”. “India has the potential to capture 5% of the global market share by 2025, with an annual growth of around 25-30% and creating over 1,60,000 new jobs annually”.
• The task force comprises Secretaries of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.

 3. SC UPHOLDS NEW RESTRICTIONS ON RECEIVING FOREIGN FUNDS

THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court upheld amendments introducing restrictions in the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) while holding that no one has a fundamental or absolute right to receive foreign contributions.

THE EXPLANATION:

• In a judgment that may hit non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working at the grass-root level with no direct link to foreign donors, the court reasoned that unbridled inflow of foreign funds may destabilise the sovereignty of the nation.
• The restrictions involve a bar on using operational FCRA accounts to get foreign contributions and mandatory production of the Aadhaar card for registration under the FCRA. They require NGOs and recipients to open a new FCRA account at a specified branch of the State Bank of India in New Delhi as a “one-point entry” for foreign donations.
• The petitioners, including individuals and NGOs engaged in cultural, educational, religious activities, argued that the amendments suffered from the “vice of ambiguity, over-breadth or over-governance” and violated their fundamental rights. They said the new regime amounts to a blanket ban on the capacity of intermediary organisations in India to distribute foreign donations to smaller and less visible NGOs. But the court countered that the amendments only provide a strict regulatory framework to moderate the inflow of foreign funds.

‘No absolute right’

• According to the three bench judge, “No one can be heard to claim a vested right to accept foreign donations, much less an absolute right”.
• Free and uncontrolled inflow of foreign funds has the potential to impact the socio-economic structure and polity of the country. “Philosophically, foreign contribution (donation) is akin to gratifying intoxicant replete with medicinal properties and may work like a nectar,” the ruling said.

Value Addition:

Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act:

• It is an act of Parliament enacted in 1976 and amended in 2010. It was to regulate foreign donations and to ensure that such contributions do not adversely affect internal security.
• Coverage: It is applicable to all associations, groups, and NGOs which intend to receive foreign donations.
• Registration: It is mandatory for all such NGOs to register themselves under the FCRA. The registration is initially valid for five years. Further, it can be renewed subsequently if they comply with all norms.
• Registered NGOs can receive foreign contributions for five purposes — social, educational, religious, economic, and cultural. There are 22,591 FCRA registered NGOs.

Foreign Contribution Regulation (Amendment) Rules 2020:

• New rules require any organization that wants to register itself under the FCRA to have existed for at least three years. Further, it should have spent a minimum of Rs. 15 lakh on its core activities during the last three financial years for the benefit of society.
• Office bearers of the NGOs seeking registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act must submit a specific commitment letter from the donor. It should indicate the amount of foreign contribution and the purpose for which it is proposed to be given.
• Any NGO or person making an application for obtaining prior permission to receive foreign funds shall have an FCRA Account.

 4. RBI TO ‘FOCUS’ ON INFLATION

THE CONTEXT: The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee raised its estimate for inflation in FY23 to 5.7%, from the 4.5% forecast in February 2022 before Russia invaded Ukraine, and stressed that it would now turn its focus to the “withdrawal of accommodation to ensure that inflation remains within the target going forward”.

THE EXPLANATION:

• According to RBI Governor, “For the last three years growth was ahead of inflation in sequence. This time we have reversed it because we thought the time is appropriate.

 ‘War-induced factors’

• Also the Governor noted, MPC had decided to revise the inflation projections for FY23 upwards with the estimate for Q1 at 6.3%; Q2 at 5.8%; Q3 at 5.4%; and Q4 at 5.1% due to “war-induced factors”.
• He pointed to the sharp increase in crude oil, edible oil and wheat prices, and the cost of feed — which has pushed prices of poultry, egg and dairy products — as reason for the higher estimates.
• Earlier, the MPC voted unanimously to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 4%.
• He also noted, the escalating geopolitical tensions had cast a shadow on India’s economic outlook. As a result, real GDP growth for FY23 has been projected at 7.2%, compared with 7.8% estimated earlier.

VALUE ADDITION:

What is Monetary Policy Committee?

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is a committee constituted by the Central Government and led by the Governor of RBI. Monetary Policy Committee was formed with the mission of fixing the benchmark policy interest rate (repo rate) to restrain inflation within the particular target level. The RBI governor controls the monetary policy decisions with the support and advice of the internal team and the technical advisory committee.

Initially, the main decisions related to interest rates were taken by the Governor of RBI alone before the establishment of the committee. MPC was constituted under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 as an initiative to bring more transparency and accountability in fixing the Monetary Policy of India. MPC conducts meetings at least 4 times a year and the monetary policy is published after every meeting with each member explaining his opinions.

Instruments of Monetary Policy

There are both direct and indirect instruments used for implementing monetary policy. Few include:

• Repo rate
• Reverse Repo rate
• Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF)
• Marginal Standing Facility (MSF)
• Corridor
• Bank Rate
• Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)
• Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR)
• Open Market Operations (OMOs)
• Market Stabilisation Scheme (MSS)

 THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5. INDIA SUCCESSFULLY FLIGHT TESTS MISSILE SYSTEM SFDR BOOSTER

THE CONTEXT: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) achieved yet another feat by successfully testing the solid fuel ducted ramjet (SFDR) booster from a defence facility off the Odisha coast. The new technology will help develop long-range air-to-air missiles.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The test has successfully demonstrated the reliable functioning of all critical components involved in the complex missile system and met all the mission objectives.
• According to DRDO, “After the ground booster phase the missile was guided to high altitude to simulate aircraft release conditions. Subsequently, the nozzle-less booster was ignited and it accelerated the system to the required Mach number for ramjet operation.”
• The performance of the system has been confirmed from the data captured by a number of range instruments like telemetry, radar and electro optical tracking systems (EOTS) deployed by ITR.
• Developed by Hyderabad-based Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories, the SFDR based propulsion enables the missile to intercept aerial threats at supersonic speeds at very long range.
• All the subsystems including the booster and nozzle-less motor performed as expected. So far, the technology was available only with a handful of countries in the world. The successful validation of the technology will enable DRDO to develop
  long range air-to-air missiles.
• The air breathing ramjet technology will propel long range air-to-air missiles to engage with targets at supersonic speed and high accuracy. The missiles will provide a multi-layered aerial protection to important establishments from hostile.

Value Addition:

Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)

• The Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) developed under a joint Indo-Russian R&D project achieved a speed of Mach 3 on its first flight.
• The ramjet propulsion system used in the SFDR acts as an oxidizer and the solid propellant reacts as air flows through a solid propellant duct.
• Unlike conventional rockets that carry propellant and oxidizer, Ramjet uses the air as an oxidizer just like a jet engine.
• Possible usage of SFDR: These are to be used in the future variants of missiles, including an advanced version of the ASTRA, Beyond Visual Range AAM (BVRAAM) expected to extend the range to 150 km in the Mk-3 version.
• According to the DRDO, the SFDR has a range of 120 km with a speed range of 2.3-2.5 Mach.
• Unbound by the diameter of aerial weapons, a ground-launched SFDR would accelerate a missile over 250 km. A potential application of the Indo-Russian SFDR is extended range SAM – such as the futuristic Indian SAM-X.

 THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q. Consider the following statements about Standing Deposit Facility (SDF):

1. It is a tool available with RBI to inject liquidity in the economy.
2. It replaces the earlier Marginal Standing Facility (MSF).

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 8TH APRIL 2022

Answer: B

Explanation:

• 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.
• The Council was created by the United Nations General Assembly on 15 March 2006.
• It meets at the UN Office at Geneva.
• The Council is made up of 47 United Nations Member States which are elected by the UN General Assembly. Each elected member serves for a term of three years. (Statement 1 is correct and 2 is incorrect).
• Countries are disallowed from occupying a seat for more than two consecutive terms.(Statement 3 is correct).
• Human Rights Council replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights.The UNHRC passes non-binding resolutions on human rights issues through a periodic review of all 193 UN member states called the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. INDIA-NETHERLANDS BILATERAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: The three-day visit of President to the Netherlands is also significant as the two nations celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations. President during his visit to the Netherlands also visited Keukenh of- the world’s largest flower garden.

THE EXPLANATION:

Celebration of 75 years of India’s Independence in Netherlands

The President also met the members of the Indian community living in the Netherlands. As part of the 75 years of India’s Independence celebrations, President hosted a cultural performance which will be graced by Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. The performance will be by Kalakshetra Foundation and a 25 member troop will enact a piece from Ramayan.

India-Netherlands relations: Background

In 2022, the diplomatic relations between India and Netherlands will complete 75 years which were established back in 1947. As India developed into a rapidly expanding economy, the bilateral trade between India and Netherlands continued to gather momentum. This was despite the slow economic growth of the Netherlands. The Netherlands is also among the top 10 partners of India in terms of trade volume.

Trade and Commercial Relations: The Netherlands was the fifth largest investor in India for FY 2020-21 with FDI inflows of USD 2.8 billion. For the same period, the Netherlands was the third largest destination for overseas direct investment from India (approx. USD 1.22 billion). The Netherlands was India’s 3rd largest trading partner in the Europe in FY 2020-2021. During FY 2020-2021, total two-way trade stood at US$13 billion with export from India amounting to US$ 8.85 billion and imports from the Netherlands at US$ 4.1 billion.

Indian Community and Diaspora: The Netherlands hosts the largest Indian Diaspora on mainland Europe, including 2,00,000 strong Surinami-Hindustani community of Indian origin. Descendants up to sixth generation of the original Indian immigrants who had arrived in Suriname and later migrated to the Netherlands can avail OCI facility. The approximate 48,000 NRIs/PIOs are mainly businessmen, knowledge workers, professionals and students. Indian students are amongst the top 3 in terms of numbers amongst non-EU foreign students in the Netherlands.

Renewable Energy: The Netherlands signed the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in May 2018. India is one of the convening countries of the Global Commission on Adaptation. The Netherlands joined the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) in 2021. India invited the Netherlands to support CDRI’s Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) for Small Island Developing States. Cooperation in the area of renewable energy continues under an MoU singed in 2014. In the virtual Dutch Trade Mission held in February 2021 solar energy, hydrogen, biofuels, energy transition and e-mobility were a core theme.

THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL ISSUES

2. INDIA’S FIRST CASE OF CORONAVIRUS VARIANT XE REPORTED FROM MUMBAI

THE CONTEXT: India’s first case of Coronavirus variant XE was reported in Mumbai, also one case of the Kappa variant has also been detected.

THE EXPLANATION:

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced that a 50-year-old woman with a travel history to South Africa may have been infected with the newly discovered ‘XE’ variant of the coronavirus.

What is the XE variant of coronavirus?

• The Omicron variant, which is responsible for over 90 percent of the infections detected this year, has two prominent sub-variants, called BA.1 and BA.2. There is a BA.3 sub-variant as well, but that is less common.
• During the initial phase, the BA.1 sub-variant was the most widespread. In India, however, it was the BA.2 that was the most dominant during the third wave.
• 2 was found to be slightly more transmissible than BA.1, even though it was not more dangerous. In the last couple of months, the BA.2 variety has become the most widespread across the globe, accounting for almost 94 percent of all Omicron infections in the last month, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The incidence of the BA.1 variety is declining sharply.

Also known as Recombinant:

• The XE variant is what is called a ‘recombinant’. This means it contains the mutations found in BA.1 as well as BA.2 varieties of Omicron. This was first discovered in the United Kingdom in January, and so far more than 600 samples of XE have been found in different countries.
• Recombinant variants are not uncommon. Variants that contain mutations characteristics of two or more known variants occur all the time. In fact, variants that contain the characteristic mutations of Delta and Omicron have also been identified.
• The random process of genetic mutations in viruses and other organisms keeps happening continuously. But only a small fraction of these mutations significantly alter the abilities of the virus to infect, or to cause severe diseases.

Will the XE variant of Covid-19 come to India?

• It would not be surprising if the XE variant is indeed found in India — in the Mumbai woman, or in some other patient at a later stage. Travel restrictions have been mostly done away with, and international air travel is back to almost where it was in the pre-pandemic period.
• Also, the possibility of XE, or any other recombinant variety of Omicron, developing within the Indian population cannot be ruled out. It is also possible that the XE variant is already circulating in the Indian population, but is yet to be detected.

3. THE MANACLES OF CASTE IN SANITATION WORK

THE CONTEXT: According to the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry, a total of 971 people lost their lives while cleaning sewers or septic tanks since 1993, the year law prohibiting the employment of manual scavengers was enacted.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Even in 2020, the Indian government and our civil society continue to grapple with the inhuman nature of manual scavenging. While civil society started a movement in the 1990s to abolish dry latrines, the focus now is on manhole deaths and the provision of safety equipment to sanitation workers.
• The movement has been demanding the abolition of the dehumanizing practice of the manual removal of human excreta and calls for the introduction of mechanization for handling waste. Various State governments and the previous Central governments have responded to these civil society demands by introducing different laws to stop manual scavenging and provide incentives to build toilets.
• If, on the one hand, the civil society has tended to approach this issue as a collective problem that needs to be addressed by the State, on the other, the current ruling dispensation seems to be framing the issue as a spectacle in the form of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and is addressing the problem in terms of an obstacle in the way of tourism promotion.

Background:

Manual Scavenging

• It is defined as the removal of human excrement from public streets and dry latrines, cleaning septic tanks, gutters and sewers.
• In the past, this referred to the practice of removing excreta from dry latrines.
• However, new modern sanitation technologies brought new forms of manual scavenging work, which include manual and unsafe cleaning of drains, sewer lines, septic tanks and latrine pits.

Concerns 

• Scavenging is mostly carried out by a subgroup of the Dalits, an outcast community also known as “untouchables” within India’s ancient system of caste hierarchies.
  • “Untouchables” are often impoverished, shunned by society and forbidden from touching Indians of other castes, or even their food.
• Scavenging continues in parts of India largely due to governmental indifference and social prejudice.
• There is a complete absence of planning for the maintenance of sewerage, septic tanks, and waste disposal systems in the urban policies made for the city by the state and private companies.
• The number of people killed while cleaning sewers and septic tanks has increased over the last few years.
• 2019 saw the highest number of manual scavenging deaths in the past five years.

Measures to tackle the Manual Scavenging:

Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act in 1993

• The  Act prohibited the construction of unsanitary dry latrines and employing manual scavengers.
• The Act had defined ‘manual scavenger’ as a person engaged in or employed for manually carrying human excreta.
• However, the government’s description of the dry latrine was a problem, as it defined dry latrine as “latrine other than a water-seal latrine”.
• Manual scavenging was not just a practice related to dry latrines, but also to insanitary latrines and open defecation.

Safai Karamchari Andolan

• The Safai Karamchari Andolan, a social movement that campaigned against manual scavenging, along with other organizations, filed public interest litigation(PIL) in the Supreme Court.
• The demand was to direct State governments and Union Territories to strictly enforce the law to stop the practice of manual removal of human excreta.

Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act,2013

• Though the construction of dry latrines has drastically reduced, thenumber of deaths in manholes, sewers and septic tanks continues to remain high.
• The Indian government had plans to amend the 2013 Act to completely mechanize the cleaning of sewers and manholes and build new sewers.
• However,neither the past nor the present amendment addresses the issue of labor safety.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

• The same is the case with the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, which skirts the issue of labor rights and the stigma attached to sanitation.
• Also, not only toilets but even cleaning work is seen as a lowly job in India.
• Most sanitation contracts are given to private contractors or self-help groups, and such staff hardly have ID cards, leave alone the protection of medical insurance policies.

What lies ahead?

• The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan should make expansion of the sewer network a top priority and come up with a scheme for scientific maintenance that will end the manual cleaning of septic tanks.
• The laws should be enforced vigorously to eliminate manual scavenging in its entirety.
• There should be trials and testing of protective gears and provisions for better healthcare facilities, insurance cover, pension plans and regulations on preventive and social medicine education for the manual scavengers.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

4. EXPLAINED: WHAT IS SDF, THE RBI’S NEW TOOL TO ABSORB EXCESS LIQUIDITY TO CONTROL INFLATION?

THE CONTEXT: While retaining the reverse repo rate at 3.35 per cent, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF), an additional tool for absorbing liquidity, at an interest rate of 3.75 per cent.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is a Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)?

A Standing Deposit Facility or SDF allows the RBI to absorb liquidity (deposit) from commercial banks without giving government securities in return to the banks.

Role of SDF

• The main purpose of SDF is to reduce the excess liquidity of Rs 8.5 lakh crore in the system, and control inflation.
• In 2018, the amended Section 17 of the RBI Act empowered the Reserve Bank to introduce the SDF – an additional tool for absorbing liquidity without any collateral. By removing the binding collateral constraint on the RBI, the SDF strengthens the operating framework of monetary policy. The SDF is also a financial stability tool in addition to its role in liquidity management.

The SDF will replace the fixed rate reverse repo (FRRR) as the floor of the liquidity adjustment facility corridor. Both the standing facilities — the MSF (marginal standing facility) and the SDF will be available on all days of the week, throughout the year.

How it will operate

The SDF rate will be 25 bps below the policy rate (Repo rate), and it will be applicable to overnight deposits at this stage. It would, however, retain the flexibility to absorb liquidity of longer tenors as and when the need arises, with appropriate pricing. The RBI’s plan is to restore the size of the liquidity surplus in the system to a level consistent with the prevailing stance of monetary policy.

Reverse repo rate

The fixed rate reverse repo (FRRR) rate which is retained at 3.35 per cent will remain part of the RBI’s toolkit, and its operation will be at the discretion of the RBI for purposes specified from time to time. The FRRR along with the SDF will impart flexibility to the RBI’s liquidity management framework, the RBI said.

Question of liquidity

• The “extraordinary” liquidity measures undertaken in the wake of the pandemic, combined with the liquidity injected through various other operations of the RBI, have left a liquidity overhang of the order of Rs 8.5 lakh crore in the system.
• This has pushed up the retail inflation level in the system. “The RBI will engage in a gradual and calibrated withdrawal of this liquidity over a multi-year time frame in a non-disruptive manner beginning this year.

5. EXPLAINED: INDONESIA’S PALM OIL CRISIS, AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR INDIA

THE CONTEXT: The world’s largest producer and exporter of palm oil is facing domestic shortages, leading to price controls and export curbs.

THE EXPLANATION:

• It’s rare for any country that is the largest producer and exporter of a product to experience domestic shortages of the same product — so much so as to force its government to introduce price controls and curbs on shipments.
• But that is precisely the story of Indonesia vis-à-vis palm oil. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has estimated the archipelago’s palm oil production for 2021-22 (October-September) at 45.5 million tonnes (mt). That’s almost 60% of the total global output and way ahead of the next bigger producer: Malaysia (18.7 mt). It is also the world’s No. 1 exporter of the commodity, at 29 mt, followed by Malaysia (16.22 mt).

Plausible factors

How does one explain this conundrum — consumers unable to access or paying through the nose for a commodity in which their country is the preeminent producer and exporter?

There are two possible reasons.

The first has to do supply disruptions — man made and natural — in other cooking oils, especially sunflower and soyabean.

• Ukraine and Russia together account for nearly 80% of the global trade in sunflower oil, quite comparable to the 90% share of Indonesia and Malaysia in palm. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which is ongoing, has resulted in port closures and exporters avoiding Black Sea shipping routes.
• Sanctions against Russia have further curtailed trade in sunflower oil, the world’s third most exported vegetable oil (12.17 mt, according to USDA estimates for 2021-22) after palm (49.63 mt) and soyabean (12.39 mt).
• Soyabean oil, too, is facing supply issues due to dry weather in South America. The USDA has projected the combined soyabean output of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay for 2021-22 to fall by 9.4%, translating into the continent’s lowest harvest in six years. Supply tightness in sunflower and soyabean — from war and drought, respectively — has, in turn, transmitted to palm oil.

The second factor is linked to petroleum, more specifically the use of palm oil as a bio-fuel.

• The Indonesian government has, since 2020, made 30% blending of diesel with palm oil mandatory as part of a plan to slash fossil fuel imports. The country’s domestic consumption of palm oil is forecast at 17.1 mt, of which 7.5 mt is for bio-diesel and the balance 9.6 mt towards household and other use.

Impact on India

• India is the world’s biggest vegetable oils importer. Out of its annual imports of 14-15 mt, the lion’s share is of palm oil (8-9 mt), followed by soyabean (3-3.5 mt) and sunflower (2.5). Indonesia has been India’s top supplier of palm oil, though it was overtaken by Malaysia in 2021-22 (see table).
• On March 2022, the Indonesian government lifted its retail price caps on palm oil along with the 30% domestic market sale obligation on exporters. At the same time, it levied a progressive tax on exports, linked to a reference price for CPO. These rates range from $175 per tonne (when the reference export price is $1,000-1,050) to $375 (when prices are above $1,500).

The restrictions on exports, even in the form of levy, take into cognizance Indonesia’s higher population (27.5 crore, against Malaysia’s 3.25 crore) as well as its ambitious bio-fuel programme (Malaysia is still to fully implement even 20% palm oil admixture in diesel). To that extent, the world – more so, the bigger importer India – will have to get used to lower supplies from Indonesia.

Meanwhile, import prices of edible oils have eased from March 2022  peaks, although higher than one year back. That should provide some relief, both for households and industrial consumers (including soap and cosmetic makers) in India.

Landed prices of CPO (cost plus freight, Mumbai) are currently ruling around $1,750 per tonne, as against $2,000 and $1,175 in March 2021, respectively. The corresponding import prices (current versus month-ago and year-ago) stood at $1,690 ($1,960 and $1,115) for RBD palmolein and $1,800 ($1,925 and $1,290) for crude de-gummed soyabean oil.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q. Consider the following statements about UNHRC:

1. 1. It is made up of 47 United Nations Member States elected by the UN General Assembly.
   2. Each elected member serves for a term of two years.
   3. Countries are disallowed from occupying a seat for more than two consecutive terms.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only

b) 1 and 3

c) 2 and 3

d) 1, 2 and 3

ANSWER FOR 7TH APRIL 2022

Answer: B

Explanation:

The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act (2013) amended the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act (1946) and made the following changes to the composition of CBI:

The Central Government shall appoint the Director of CBI on the recommendation of a three-member committee consisting of the Prime Minister as Chairperson, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India or Judge of the Supreme Court nominated by him.

THE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS: BUDGET SESSION 2022

1. PARLIAMENT PASSES CONSTITUTION (SCHEDULED TRIBES) ORDER (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2022

THE CONTEXT: Both the houses of the Parliament has passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Bill seeks to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, which specifies the tribes and tribal communities deemed to be Scheduled Tribes (STs) in various states and union territories.

• Inclusion of certain community in the list of STs in Tripura: The Bill seeks to amend Part XV of the Schedule to the 1950 Order, which specifies the STs in Tripura.  It includes the Darlong community as a sub-tribe of the Kuki tribe in the list of STs in Tripura.

Value Addition:

• Darlongs is a small community of around 11,000 people in Tripura.
• Despite its small population, the community has a high prevalence of education, cultural activities and members of the community are serving in different high positions in the local administration.
• Tribal musicologist and Rosem (tribal instrument) maestro Thanga Darlong was conferred the prestigious Padma Shri award a few years back for his contribution to culture.
• Darlongs, despite being Scheduled Tribes, were never given ST certificates.
• Since they were considered a generic tribe under the Kuki community, they were handed their tribal certificates as members of ‘Kuki’ community.
• The subsequent identity crisis among them, especially Darlong youths, who were equipped with modern education, culminated in the demand for a separate statutory identity of their own in 1995.

Tribes of Tripura-

• Tripura, the tiny Northeast state of 37 lakh people houses 19 tribal communities. 
• These include Tripuri or Debbarma, Reangs or Brus, Jamatia, Noatia, Uchoi, Chakma, Mog, Lushai, Kuki, Munda, Kour, Oram, Santhal, Bhil, Bhutia, Chaimar or Sermai, Garo, Khasi, Lepcha and Halam.
• Many of these communities are further divided into sub-tribes. For example, Kuki’s have nearly 17-18 sub-tribes within the community.
• It is an umbrella tribal community including many smaller clans like Khasi, Lushai, Hmars and other generic clans.
• In course of time, Lushai, Hmar, Garo etc. came out of Kuki as separate communities.
• Halam community also has several sub-tribes such as Rangkhawl, Ranglong, Dab, Chaimar or Sermai, Bong, Korbong, Harbong, Bongcher etc.
• Out of 37 lakh people of Tripura, nearly 30 per cent are tribals, who mostly live in areas under jurisdiction of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), spread in patches across all eight districts and covering 70 per cent of the state’s geographical area.
• The state, which was ruled by tribal kings for over 500 years till 1949, when it merged into the Indian Union, saw tribals become minority in their own state due to arrival of East Pakistani refugees who fled their country.

2. RESERVATION TO OBCS

THE CONTEXT: According to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment,

(i) The following States have provided 27% to OBCs: –

Assam, NCT of Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana (27% in Class III & IV posts, 10% in Class I & II posts), Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh, Daman & Diu.

(ii) The following States have given more than 27% reservation to OBCs:-

Andhara Pradesh (29%), Bihar (33%), Karnataka (32%), Kerala (40%),Tamil Nadu (50%),Andaman & Nicobar (38%), Puducherry (34%).

(iii) The following States have given less than 27% reservation to OBCs:-

Chhattisgarh (14%), Himachal Pradesh (12% in Category-I posts & 18% in Category-II posts), Jharkhand (14%), Madhya Pradesh (14%), Manipur (17%), Punjab (12%), Rajasthan (21%), Sikkim (21%), Uttarakhand (14%), West Bengal (17%), Dadra & Nagar Haveli (5%).

(iv) The following States have not given any reservation to OBCs:-

Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Lakshadweep.

The reservation policy in State/UT Government services etc. is decided and implemented by the concerned Governments, while keeping in view the interests of the citizens of the State/UT. The Central Government has no role in deciding the reservation policy of State Government.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

3. INVESTMENT AND EXPORT IN STEEL SECTOR

THE CONTEXT: According to the Union Ministry of Steel, the investment and export in steel sector as follows:

THE EXPLANATION:

1. Notification of the following policies having impact on investment and export in the steel sector:-

a. National Steel Policy 2017 which envisages inter-alia domestically meeting the entire demand of steel and high-grade automotive steel, electrical steel, special steel and alloys for strategic applications.

b. Domestically Manufactured Iron & Steel Products (DMI&SP) Policy for promoting procurement of Made in India steel.

c. Steel Scrap Recycling Policy to enhance the availability of domestically generated scrap for making steel at competitive prices.

d. Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS)in order to enhance production through disseminating advance information regarding grades of the imports for enhancing investment and import substitution.

e. Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Specialty Steel with an outlay of Rs 6,322 Crore to promote the manufacturing of specialty steel within the country for domestic use and export by attracting Capital investments.

2. Establishment of Project Development Cell in the Ministry to attract and facilitate investment in the steel sector.

3. ‘Make in India’ initiative and the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, with further engagement with potential users, including from Railways, Defence, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Housing, Civil Aviation, Road Transport and Highways, Agriculture and Rural Development sectors to enhance the steel usage, overall demand for steel and investment in steel sector in the country.

4. Adjustments in basic custom duty on steel products and trade remedial measures like Anti-dumping duty (ADD), Countervailing duty (CVD) on certain raw materials and steel products to enhance competitiveness of India’s steel sector.

5. Other measures to improve Ease of Doing Business and Reducing Compliance burden, Market Access Initiatives (MAI), Startup India initiative etc. to help domestic industry in capacity creation, providing level playing field and creating a conducive business environment to attract investments and promote exports.

4. ADB PROJECTS INDIA’S ECONOMY TO GROW BY 7.5% IN FY23

THE CONTEXT: Asian Development Bank projected a 7 per cent collective growth for South Asian economies in 2022 with the subregion’s largest economy India growing by 7.5 per cent in the current fiscal year before picking up to eight per cent the next year.

THE EXPLANATION:

The Manila-based multilateral funding agency, Asian Development Bank (ADB) has projected the GDP growth rate of the Indian economy, in its flagship Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2022, as follows:

• 2022-23 (FY23): 7.5 per cent
• 2023-24 (FY24): 8.0 per cent

ADB said developing Asia’s economies are forecast to grow 5.2% this year and 5.3% in 2023, thanks to a robust recovery in domestic demand and continued expansion in exports.

VALUE ADDITION:

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

• ADB is a regional development bank established in 1966, Headquartered at Manila, Philippines
• It has 68 members. India is a founding member. Forty-nine are from within Asia and the Pacific and 19 outside.
• It aims to promote social and economic development in Asia and the Pacific.

Voting rights:

• It is modelled closely on the World Bank and has a similar weighted voting system where votes are distributed in proportion with members’ capital subscriptions.
• As of 31 December 2020, ADB’s five largest shareholders are Japan and the United States (each with 15.6% of total shares), the People’s Republic of China (6.4%), India (6.3%), and Australia (5.8%).

Roles and functions:

• Dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.
• This is carried out through investments – in the form of loans, grants and information sharing – in infrastructure, health care services, financial and public administration systems, helping nations prepare for the impact of climate change or better manage their natural resources, as well as other areas.

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5. GROSS EXPENDITURE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (GERD)

THE CONTEXT: According the Department of Science and Technology, that the Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD), in absolute terms, has been consistently increasing over the years and has increased 3 times during the last 10 years.

THE EXPLANATION:

• According the department, some of the key efforts made by Government include the successive increase in plan allocations for Scientific Departments, incentivizing investment by private sector to increase their share in GERD, improving the ease of doing  business in the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) activities; introducing flexible tools for public procurement; creating avenues for collaborative STI funding through portfolio-based funding mechanisms such as Public-Private-Partnerships and other innovative hybrid funding mechanisms.
• It also noted that, the Government has allowed corporate sector to make R&D investments under the provision of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Corporates can invest in technology business incubators or contribute in research efforts carried out by institutions and national research laboratories as a part of their CSR.
• Also the Department noted that as part of the new draft Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policy, several provisions have been included with the focus to increase GERD. Some of the key provisions include; greater participation of central, state, local governments and public sector enterprises; fiscal incentives to attract private sector; fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to attract Foreign Direct Investment; Micro-financing through crowdfunding and philanthropic sources; linking public procurement with domestic industries; Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and industry led mission oriented joint initiatives; etc.

Value Addition:

• According to UNESCO’s stats, the global expenditure on research and development (R&D) has crossed $1.7 trillion. The most used indicator to measure country-wise investments in R&D is the gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) as the percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).
• A comparison of the R&D spending of some of the countries representing different regions of the world and India in terms of GERD as a percentage of GDP shows India to be a low spender (only 0.66 per cent of the GDP) in comparison to the developed countries and emerging economic powers of East Asia.
• Worst still, the percentage expenditure for the last couple of years is showing a downward trend. A quick analysis of the allocations to various R&D organisations in the recently presented 2022-23 budget shows continued stagnation.

THE PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

6. EXPLAINED: WHY CENTRE HAS OPPOSED ODISHA’S PLANS FOR LANDMARK LINGARAJ TEMPLE

THE CONTEXT: The Ministry of Home Affairs has said several sections of the proposed ordinance are in conflict with the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act.

THE EXPLANATION:

The Central government has told the Odisha government that its ordinance to bring the 11th-century Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar and its associated temples under a special law is outside the legislative competence of the state legislature. It also said the ordinance is in conflict with the rules laid down under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMASR Act).

What is the Lingaraj Temple Ordinance, 2020?

• Lingaraj temple, the largest in Bhubaneswar, was constructed by King Jajati Keshari in the 10th Century and completed by King Lalatendu Keshari in the 11th Century.
• In December 2019, the Odisha Government had announced a development plan for the temple and its peripheral area in Bhubaneshwar. The 66-acre “Ekamra Kshetra” development plan was launched to preserve the heritage and development of the nine sites and their nearby areas at a cost of around Rs 700 crore.

Why has the Centre opposed the ordinance?

The Ministry of Home Affairs has said several sections of the proposed ordinance conflicted with the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act. The AMASR Act provides for preservation of ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance.

Value Addition:

Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958

• The AMASR Act provides for the preservation of ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance. It also provides for the regulation of archaeological excavations and for the protection of sculptures, carvings and other like objects.

• The Archaeological Survey of India functions under the provisions of this act. It was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham- the first Director-General of ASI. Alexander Cunningham is also known as the “Father of Indian Archaeology”.

• The Act prohibits construction in a ‘prohibited area’, an area of 100 meters around a protected monument was amended in 2010 to declare the 100-metre radius of protected monuments as prohibited areas and the next 300-metre radius as regulated areas.
• It does not permit construction in such prohibited areas even if it is for public purposes, except under certain conditions. The iconic monuments in India, Taj Mahal, Ajanta Caves, The Great Stupa at Sanchi and the Sun Temple of Konark, among others are designated as “ancient monuments of national importance” and protected under the AMASR Act.
• The Archaeological Survey of India is the custodian of these monuments.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q1. Director of CBI is appointed by Central Government on the recommendation of a committee consisting of which of the following?

1. The Prime Minister as Chairperson
2. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha
3. The Chief Justice of India or Judge of the Supreme Court nominated by him
4. The union home minister

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) 1 and 3 only

b) 1, 2 and 3 only

c) 1, 3 and 4 only

d) All of them

ANSWER FOR 6TH APRIL 2022

Answer: C

Explanation:

• Antarctic Treaty signed in 1959 — India joined the Treaty System in 1983.
• The Antarctic Treaty came into force on June 23, 1961, after ratification by the 12 countries that were then active in Antarctic science. (Statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is incorrect).
• The Treaty covers the area south of 60°S latitude. (Statement 3 is correct).
• Its key objectives are to demilitarize Antarctica, to establish it as a zone free of nuclear tests and the disposal of radioactive waste, and to ensure that it is used for peaceful purposes only; to promote international scientific cooperation in Antarctica and to set aside disputes over territorial sovereignty. (Statement 4 is correct).
• Of the 54 signatory countries, 29 have ‘consultative’ status that give them voting rights. The Treaty parties meet each year at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting.

THE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS: BUDGET SESSION 2022

1. THE DELHI MUNICIPAL CORPORATION (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2022

THE CONTEXT: The Parliament passed Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2022 which seeks to merge three municipal corporations of Delhi into a single entity. 

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Bill seeks to amend the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 passed by Parliament.  The Act was amended in 2011 by Delhi Legislative Assembly to trifurcate the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi into: (i) North Delhi Municipal Corporation, (ii) South Delhi Municipal Corporation, and (iii) East Delhi Municipal Corporation.  The Bill seeks to unify the three corporations.

• Unification of Municipal Corporations in Delhi:  The Bill replaces the three municipal corporations under the Act with one Corporation named the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

• Powers of the Delhi government: The Act as amended in 2011 empowers the Delhi government to decide various matters under the Act. These include: (i) total number of seats of councillors and number of seats reserved for members of the Scheduled Castes, (ii) division of the area of corporations into zones and wards, (iii) delimitation of wards, (iv) matters such as salary and allowances, and leave of absence of the Commissioner, (v) sanctioning of consolidation of loans by a corporation, and (vi) sanctioning suits for compensation against the Commissioner for loss or waste or misapplication of Municipal Fund or property.  Similarly, the Act mandates that the Commissioner will exercise his powers regarding building regulations under the general superintendence and directions of the Delhi government.  The Bill instead empowers the central government to decide these matters.

• Number of Councillors: The Act provides that the number of seats in the three corporations taken together should not be more than 272.  The 14^th Schedule to the Act specifies 272 wards across the three Corporations.  The Bill states that the total number of seats in the new Corporation should not be more than 250.

• Removal of Director of Local Bodies: The Act provides for a Director of Local Bodies to assist the Delhi government and discharge certain functions which include: (i) coordinating between Corporations, (ii) framing recruitment Rules for various posts, and (iii) coordinating the collecting and sharing of toll tax collected by the respective Corporations.  The Bill omits the provision for a Director of Local Bodies.

• Special officer to be appointed by the central government: The Bill provides that the central government may appoint a Special Officer to exercise powers of the Corporation until the first meeting of the Corporation is held after the commencement of the Bill.

• E-governance system for citizens: The Bill adds that obligatory functions of the new Corporation will include establishing an e-governance system for citizen services on anytime-anywhere basis for better, accountable, and transparent administration.

• Conditions of service for sweepers: The Act provides that a sweeper employed for doing house scavenging of a building would be required to give a reasonable cause or a 14 day notice before discontinuing his service.   The Bill seeks to omit this provision.

2. THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS, THE COST AND WORKS ACCOUNTANTS AND THE COMPANY SECRETARIES (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2021

THE CONTEXT: The Chartered Accountants, the Cost and Works Accountants and the Company Secretaries (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed by both the houses of the Parliament.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Bill seeks to amend
  • The Chartered Accountants Act, 1949,
  • The Cost and Works Accountants Act, 1959, and
  • The Company Secretaries Act, 1980.
• The three Acts provide for the regulation of the professions of chartered accountants, cost accountants and company secretaries, respectively.  The Bill seeks to strengthen the disciplinary mechanism under these Acts, and provide for time bound disposal of cases against members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, the Institute of Cost Accountants of India and the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.

Key features of the Bill include:

• Registration of firms: The Bill adds that firms must register with the Institutes by making an application to the respective Councils of the Institutes.  The Councils must maintain a register of firms containing details such as pendency of any actionable complaint or imposition of penalty against the firms.
• Disciplinary Directorate: Under the Acts, the respective Councils of the three Institutes must each constitute a Disciplinary Directorate, headed by Director (Discipline) who is an officer of the Institute.  The Bill adds that each Directorate must also include at least two Joint Directors.
• Under the Acts, on receiving a complaint, the Director arrives at a prima facie opinion on the alleged misconduct.  Depending on the misconduct, the Director places the matter before the Board of Discipline or the Disciplinary Committee.  The Bill amends this to empower the Directorate to independently initiate investigations against members or firms.  The Director must decide whether a complaint is actionable within 30 days of receiving such complaint.  If the complaint is actionable, the Director must submit a preliminary examination report to the Board or the Committee (as the case may be), within 30 days.  Under the Acts, a complaint may be withdrawn if permitted by the Board or Committee.  The Bill provides that a complaint filed with the Directorate will not be withdrawn under any circumstances.
• Board of Discipline: Under the three Acts, each Council constitutes a Board of Discipline.  Members of the Board include: (i) presiding officer (having experience in law and knowledge of disciplinary matters), (ii) two members and (iii) Director (Discipline) as secretary.  Under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949, one of the two members is nominated by the central government while the other is a member of the Council.  As per the other two Acts, both the members are from the Councils or the Institutes.
• The Bill empowers the three Councils to constitute multiple Boards.  The presiding officer and one of the two members must not be a member of the institutes and will be nominated by the central government from a panel of persons provided by the Councils.  An officer of the Institute, of the rank of Deputy Secretary, will function as the Secretary of the Board.  After receiving the preliminary examination report, the Board must conclude its inquiry within 90 days.
• Disciplinary Committee: Under the three Acts, the Councils constitute Disciplinary Committees consisting of: (i) Presiding Officer (President or Vice-President of the Council), (ii) two members elected from the Council, and (ii) two members nominated by the central government.  The Bill amends the Acts to provide that the Presiding Officer must not be a member of the institutes and shall be nominated by the central government.  The Committee must conclude its inquiry in 180 days from the receipt of preliminary examination report.
• Penalties:  Under the Acts, in cases of professional or other misconduct the Committees may: (i) reprimand or remove the member from the register of the Institute, or (ii) impose a fine of up to five lakh rupees.  The Bill increases the maximum amount of fine to ten lakh rupees.  The Bill also adds that if a partner or owner of a firm is repeatedly found guilty of misconduct during last five years, the Committee may take certain actions against the firm.  The actions include: (i) prohibiting the firm from undertaking activities related to the profession of chartered account, cost accountant, or company secretary, as the case may be, for up to two years, or (ii) impose a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh.

Key Issues and Analysis

• The Bill proposes to change the composition of the two disciplinary entities to allow for more external representation.  However, these external members will be selected from a panel of persons prepared by the three Councils.  This may be against the objective of resolving conflict of interest between the disciplinary and administrative functions of the three professional Councils.
• The mandate of the proposed Coordination Committee may overlap with certain functions of the three Institutes.  Further, being chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, it may impinge on the independence of the three Institutes.
• The Bill provides for disclosure of pending complaints or actionable information against members and firms.  Disclosing details of pending complaints before finding guilt may tarnish their professional reputation.

• Though the President will have a non-executive role, he will be held responsible for implementation of decisions of the Councils.

 THE POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

3. MULLAPERIYAR SUPERVISORY PANEL CONTINUES FOR A YEAR WHILE AUTHORITY: CENTRE TO SUPREME COURT

THE CONTEXT: The Central Government suggested to the Supreme Court to let the Mullaperiyar dam supervisory committee continue for a year, by which time the National Dam Safety Authority under the new Dam Safety Act will become fully functional.

THE EXPLANATION:

• “According to the Government statement, during the period of one year, when the National Dam Safety Authority becomes fully functional, the Supervisory Committee on Mullaperiyar Dam may continue its functioning as per the existing mandate in regulating the operations of the Mullaperiyar dam”.
• The Centre suggested that the Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu and Kerala be made accountable in order to ensure that the decisions of the supervisory committee on the maintenance and safety of the dam are duly complied with by the two States.
• “To address the technical concerns of both the States, the Chief Secretaries of the States may be requested to nominate technical experts as members to participate in the meetings conducted by the supervisory committee. This would ensure accountability of the decisions/ action taken,” the Centre further recommended.

VALUE ADDITION:

ABOUT MULLAIPERIYAR DAM

• It is a masonry gravity dam on the Periyar River in the Indian state of Kerala.
• It was constructed between 1887 and 1895 and also reached an agreement to divert water eastwards to the Madras Presidency area.
• The dam created the Periyar Thekkady reservoir, from which water was diverted eastwards via a tunnel to augment the small flow of the Vaigai River.
• It originates from the Sivagiri hills of Western Ghats and flows through the Periyar National Park.
• The main tributaries of Periyar are Muthirapuzha, Mullayar, Cheruthoni, and Perinjankutti.
• According to a 999-year lease agreement made during British rule, the operational rights were handed over to Tamil Nadu.

Mullaiperiyar dam: The current dispute

The Supreme Court order came after a court-appointed supervisory committee had suggested 139.50 ft as the permissible level. The court has directed both states to go by the committee’s recommendation. Tamil Nadu had wanted the level increased to 142 ft as fixed by the Supreme Court in 2014, while Kerala wanted it within 139 ft as per a rule curve fixed until the end of the month.

Kerala’s stance: 

• The state governments of Kerala have pointed out the unfairness of the 1886 lease agreement and its validity itself. Its core issue is the safety of the Mullaperiyar Dam. Kerala wants to decommission the 100+-year-old dam and construct a new one in its place, as not doing so will endanger many lives in the process.
• The Kerala Government stated that it did not object to giving water to Tamil Nadu but pointed out that raising its level would add more pressure than the dam could take. The dams, as pointed out by Kerala, were leaking and had many structural faults.
• In addition, the Kerala government has accused Tamil Nadu of adopting an “obsolete” gate operation schedule dating back to 1939.

Tamil Nadu’s Stance:

• For Tamil Nadu, the Mullaperiyar dam and the diverted Periyar waters act as a lifeline for Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga, Dindigul and Ramnad districts, providing water for irrigation and drinking, and also for the generation of power in Lower Periyar Power Station.
• Tamil Nadu argues that building a new dam is for gaining unfair tax revenues from developing states.
• Tamil Nadu is not able to access data that is in Kerala’s terrain. There is no road built, the power supply has not been restored, although Tamil Nadu has paid for it.

THE GOVERNMENT SCHEMES IN THE NEWS

4. BUDGET FOR PRADHAN MANTRI ANNADATA AAY SANRAKSHAN ABHIYAN(PM-AASHA)

THE CONTEXT: Under PSS, Government has provided Government Guarantee amounting to Rs. 40,500/- cr. for extending cash credit facilities to Central Nodal Agencies i.e. NAFED & FCI for procurement of pulses, oilseeds & copra at Minimum Support Price (MSP). Central Nodal Agencies withdraw the required funds against the Government Guarantee for making payment of MSP value to farmers and other incidental costs involved in the PSS operations.

THE EXPLANATION:

Components of PM-AASHA

The new Umbrella Scheme includes the mechanism of ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers and is comprised of,

Price Support Scheme (PSS):

• In Price Support Scheme (PSS), physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and Copra will be done by Central Nodal Agencies with proactive role of State governments. It is also decided that in addition to NAFED, Food Cooperation of India (FCI) will take up PSS operations in states /districts.
• The procurement expenditure and losses due to procurement will be borne by Central Government as per norms.

Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS):

• Under Price Deficiency Payment Scheme this scheme (PDPS), it is proposed to cover all oilseeds for which MSP is notified. In this direct payment of the difference between the MSP and the selling/modal price will be made to pre-registered farmers selling his produce in the notified market yard through a transparent auction process. All payments will be done directly into the registered bank account of the farmer.
• This scheme does not involve any physical procurement of crops as farmers are paid the difference between the MSP price and Sale/modal price on disposal in the notified market. The support of central government for PDPS will be given as per norms.

The pilot of the Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS):

• Under this scheme, participation of the private sector in procurement operations will be piloted.
• States have the option to roll out the scheme on a pilot basis in selected districts/APMCs involving private stockists.

Need for PM-AASHA:

• A major issue with the MSP is its poor coverage. Further, there are certain problems with the implementation of MSP such as the procurement centres being far away resulting into heavy transportation cost, non-opening of Procurement centres timely, lack of covered storage/godowns facility for the temporary storage of produces, delays in payments, etc. Thus to address the gaps in the MSP system and give better returns to farmers, PM-AASHA is an important step.
• Increasing MSP is not adequate and it is more important that farmers should get full benefit of the announced MSP. Further, it is essential that if price of the agriculture produce market is less than MSP, then in that case State Government and Central Government should purchase either at MSP or work in a manner to provide MSP for the farmers through some other mechanism.
• A holistic approach of solving any issue is important rather than in fragments. Thus, to address issue of farmer’s income and enhancing livelihood, a compressive policy has been the need of the hour

Significance of PM-AASHA:

1. Income Security to farmers: The policy is an important step to achieve government’s commitment to double farmers’ income by 2022. If properly implemented, the scheme is expected to help revive the rural economy by assuring better income to farmers and thus address farmers’ distress
2. Stabilizing commodity markets: It will help in stabilising commodity markets and will also benefit the farmers by providing options to the state governments to compensate farmers when the market prices fall below MSP.
3. Better coverage of MSP: MSP procurement system has been very poor both in terms of geography and the crops covered. The new scheme would ensure better coverage of MSP and provision of crop-wise procurement is expected to benefit both farmers and states.
4. Reduce the need for physical procurement: The PDPS scheme under PM-AASHA will reduce the need for the government to physically procure food crops as the difference between the support and market prices can instead simply be paid in cash to the farmer.
5. Reduce storage and wastage: As the need for physical procurement will reduce, it will also reduce the consequent needs for transport and store them and then dispose of them under PDS. This would also reduce wastage of grains/crops.
6. Reduce food subsidy bill: In recent years, the government has been seeing the accumulation of large food grain stocks in its godowns over and above the buffer requirement. This entails storage and wastage costs that add on to the food subsidy bill. Thus the new policy would help in bringing down India’s food subsidy bill.

THE DATASHEET

5. THE CORPORATE DONATIONS TO POLITICAL PARTIES

VALUE ADDITION:

WHAT IS AN ELECTORAL BOND?

An electoral bond is like a promissory note that can be bought by any Indian citizen or company incorporated in India from select branches of State Bank of India. The citizen or corporate can then donate the same to any eligible political party of his/her choice. The bonds are similar to bank notes that are payable to the bearer on demand and are free of interest. An individual or party will be allowed to purchase these bonds digitally or through cheque.

How to use electoral bonds?

Using electoral bonds is quite simple. The bonds will be issued in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 100,000 and Rs 1 crore (the range of a bond is between Rs 1,000 to Rs 1 crore). These will be available at some branches of SBI. A donor with a KYC-compliant account can purchase the bonds and can then donate them to the party or individual of their choice. Now, the receiver can encash the bonds through the party’s verified account. The electoral bond will be valid only for fifteen days.

The 29 specified SBI branches are in cities such as New Delhi, Gandhinagar, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Mumbai, Jaipur, Lucknow, Chennai, Kolkata and Guwahati.

When are the bonds available for purchase?

The electoral bonds are available for purchase for 10 days in the beginning of every quarter. The first 10 days of January, April, July and October has been specified by the government for purchase of electoral bonds. An additional period of 30 days shall be specified by the government in the year of Lok Sabha elections.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q1. Consider the following statements about Antarctic Treaty:

1. It was signed in 1959 and came into force in 1961.
2. India is the foundation member of this treaty.
3. The Treaty covers the area south of 60°S latitude.
4. Its one of the objective is to create a nuclear tests free zone.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

     a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2, 3 and 4 only

c) 1, 3 and 4 only

d) All of them

ANSWER FOR 5TH APRIL 2022

Answer: b)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: It is built by the kings of the Ganga dynasty.
• Statement 2 is correct: It is an example of Kalinga Architecture.

THE POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. UNIFORM CIVIL CODE OF UTTARAKHAND

THE CONTEXT: Uttarakhand’s CM recently announced, that his government will implement the Uniform Civil Code in the state soon. The state cabinet unanimously approved that a committee of experts will be constituted at the earliest and it will be implemented in the state.

THE EXPLANATION:

The CM has claimed that it will boost equal rights for everyone in the state and enhance social harmony, boost gender justice and strengthen women empowerment.

What is UCC?

• The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) calls for the formulation of one law for India, which would be applicable to all religious communities in matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption.
• The code comes under Article 44 of the Constitution, which lays down that the state shall endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code for the citizens throughout the territory of India.
• It is intended to replace the system of fragmented personal laws, which currently govern interpersonal relationships and related matters within different religious communities.

What Do We Have Now?

• Different religious communities in India are currently governed by a system of personal laws, which have been codified over the years through various pieces of legislation.
• These laws largely focus on the following areas: Marriage and divorce Custody and Guardianship Adoption and Maintenance Succession and
  • For example, Hindu personal law is codified in four bills: the Hindu Marriage Act, Hindu Succession Act, Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, and Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act. The term ‘Hindu’ also includes Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists for the purpose of these laws
• Muslim personal law is not codified per se, and is based on their religious texts, though certain aspects of these are expressly recognised in India in acts such as the Shariat Application Act and Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act.
• Christian marriages and divorces are governed by the Indian Christian Marriages Act and the Indian Divorce Act, while Zoroastrians are subject to the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act.
• Then, there are more ‘secular’ laws, which disregard religion altogether, such as the Special Marriage Act, under which Inter-religion marriages take place, and the Guardians and Wards Act, which establishes the rights and duties of guardians.
• Furthermore, to protect distinct regional identities, the Constitution makes certain exceptions for the states of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Andhra Pradesh and Goa with respect to family law.
• Goa is, at present, the only state in India with a uniform civil code.
• The Portuguese Civil Code of 1867, which continues to be implemented after India annexed the territory in 1961, applies to all Goans, irrespective of their religious or ethnic community.

2. 13 NEW DISTRICTS INAUGURATED IN ANDHRA PRADESH

THE CONTEXT: Andhra Pradesh officially created 13 new districts taking the total number to 26.

THE EXPLANATION:

How are new districts carved?

The power to create new districts or alter or abolish existing districts rests with the State governments. This can either be done through an executive order or by passing a law in the State Assembly. Many States prefer the executive route by simply issuing a notification in the official gazette.

How does it help?

States argue that smaller districts lead to better administration and governance. For example, in 2016, the Assam government issued a notification to upgrade the Majuli sub-division to Majuli district for “administrative expediency”.

Does the Central government have a role to play here?

• The Centre has no role to play in the alteration of districts or the creation of new ones. States are free to decide.
• The Home Ministry comes into the picture when a State wants to change the name of a district or a railway station. The State government’s request is sent to other departments and agencies such as the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Intelligence Bureau, Department of Posts, Geographical Survey of India Sciences and the Railway Ministry seeking clearance. A no-objection certificate may be issued after examining their replies.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

3. BUDAPEST MEMORANDUM ON SECURITY ASSURANCES

THE CONTEXT: Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances refers to three identical political agreements signed at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) conference in Budapest, Hungary in 1994.

THE EXPLANATION:

About the memorandum

The Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurance, signed on December 5, 1994, sealed Ukraine’s membership in the NPT and its status as a non-nuclear country in return for security assurances. The signatories were the presidents of Ukraine, the US , Russia, and the British Prime Minister.

• The signatories of the memorandum agreed to provide security assurances to Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine in return for their accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
• It came after the Lisbon Protocol of 1992, which made Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan parties to the first Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I). It was a treaty signed by the US and the Soviet Union in 1991 to reduce the number of nuclear weapons.
• As a result of the agreements and the memorandum, between 1993 and 1996, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine gave up their nuclear weapons and became non-nuclear states.
• At that time, Ukraine had the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal.

Signatories

• The memorandum was originally signed by three nuclear powers: Russia, the USA, and the UK.
• Later, China, and France, who became NPT members in 1992, also became signatories. However, they gave weaker individual assurances in separate documents.

Provisions

Russia, the US, and the UK agreed to the following:

• Respect Belarusian, Kazakh & Ukrainian independence & sovereignty in existing borders.
• Refrain from the threat or the use of force against Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.
• Refrain from using economic pressure on Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine to influence their politics.
• Refrain from the use of nuclear arms against Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.
• Seek immediate UN Security Council action to assist Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine if they “should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used”.

THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

4. 99% OF THE WORLD’S POPULATION IS BREATHING POLLUTED AIR: WHO

THE CONTEXT: According to the data from the UN health agency showed that every corner of the globe is dealing with air pollution, although the problem is much worse in poorer countries. “Almost 100% of the global population is still breathing air that exceeds the standards recommended by the World Health Organization,”

THE EXPLANATION:

• In its previous report four years ago, WHO had already found that over 90% of the global population was affected, but it has since tightened its limits.
• “The evidence base for the harm caused by air pollution has been growing rapidly and points to significant harm caused by even low levels of many air pollutants”.
• WHO’s study provides air quality data from more than 6,000 cities and other settlements across 117 countries — representing around 80 percent of urban settings.
• In addition, WHO used satellite data and mathematical models to determine that air quality is falling short basically everywhere.
• The poorest air quality was found in the eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asia regions, and Africa.The findings were alarming, it said, and highlighted the need for rapidly curbing fossil fuel use.

WHO’S AIR QUALITY GUIDELINES:

Governments Measures taken:

• Notification of National Ambient Air Quality Standards and sector-specific emission and effluent standards for industries;
• Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of ambient air quality;
• Introduction of cleaner gaseous fuels like CNG, LPG etc and ethanol blending;
• Launching of National Air Quality Index (AQI);
• Leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI standards for vehicles by 1st April 2020;
• Regulating the bursting of pollution-emitting crackers;
• Notification of graded response action plan for Delhi identifying source-wise actions for various levels of air pollution, etc.
• National Clean Air Programme.

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5. BIOLOGICAL E. TO RECEIVE MRNA VACCINE TECHNOLOGY FROM WHO

THE CONTEXT: Vaccine maker Biological E has been selected to receive mRNA technology from the World Health Organization technology transfer hub.

THE EXPLANATION:

• After examining a number of proposals from India, the WHO’s Advisory Committee on Vaccine Product Development has selected Biological E as a recipient.
• The WHO’s technology transfer hub has the potential to expand manufacturing capacity for other products as well, including treatments, and target other priorities such as malaria, HIV and cancer. The WHO and partners will work with the Indian government and Biological E to put in place training and support for the company to start producing mRNA vaccines.

BACKGROUND:

The COVID-19 pandemic awakened the world to the power of RNA therapies — two of the first vaccines that emerged in late 2020, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, used this technology. At Present, an Indian company is developing an mRNA vaccine from scratch, signalling possibilities of the use of the molecule in a variety of diseases beyond COVID-19.

What are mRNA vaccines and how do they work?

• Most vaccines contain weakened or dead bacteria or viruses. However, scientists have developed a new type of vaccine that uses a molecule called messenger RNA (or mRNA for short) rather than part of an actual bacteria or virus. Messenger RNA is a type of RNA that is necessary for protein production.
• In cells, mRNA uses the information in genes to create a blueprint for making proteins. Once cells finish making a protein, they quickly break down the mRNA. mRNA from vaccines does not enter the nucleus and does not alter DNA.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q1. Consider the following statements about the Jagannath Puri temple:

1. It is built by kings of the Pala dynasty
2. It is an example of Kalinga Architecture

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWER FOR 4TH APRIL 2022

Answer: d)

Explanation:

UNEP hosts the secretariats of several multilateral environmental agreements and research bodies, including CBD, The Minamata Convention on Mercury, CMS and CITES.

THE POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. NEW CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (IDENTIFICATION) BILL, 2022

THE CONTEXT: According to the new provisions of the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, it will allow police and prison authorities to collect, store and analyze physical and biological samples including the retina and iris scans of convicted, arrested, and detained persons.

THE EXPLANATION

What is the legislation about?

• The Bill seeks to repeal the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920. The over 100-year-old Act’s scope was limited to capturing finger impressions, footprint impressions, and photographs of convicted prisoners and a certain category of arrested and non-convicted persons on the order of a Magistrate.
• The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the 2022 Bill said that new ‘‘measurement’’ techniques being used in advanced countries are giving credible and reliable results and are recognized the world over. It said that the 1920 Act does not provide for taking these body measurements as many of the techniques and technologies had not been developed then.

What are the major changes proposed?

It proposes four major changes.

• First, it would define ‘‘measurements’’ to include “signature, handwriting, iris and retina scan, physical, biological samples, and their analysis, etc.” It does not specify what analysis means, implying that it may also include storing DNA samples. The “etc.” mentioned in the text of the Bill could give unfettered powers to law enforcement agencies to interpret the law at their convenience, sometimes to the disadvantage of the accused.
• Second, it empowers the National Crime Records Bureau of India (NCRB), under the Union Home Ministry, to collect, store and preserve the record of measurements for at least 75 years. The NCRB will be able to share the data with other law enforcement agencies as well. Police is a State subject and NCRB works under the Union government, and experts contend this provision may impinge on federalism.
• Third, it empowers a Magistrate to direct any person to give vital details, which till now was reserved for convicts and those involved in heinous crimes.
• Fourth, it empowers police or prison officers up to the rank of a Head Constable to take details of any person who resists or refuses to do so.

What are some other changes?

• The Bill also seeks to apply to persons detained under any preventive detention law. The Bill also authorizes taking vital details of “other persons” for identification and investigation in criminal matters. It doesn’t define the “other persons”, implying its ambit extends beyond convicts, arrested persons, or detainees.
• The Bill’s stated objective is it provides legal sanction for taking such details and will make the investigation of crime more efficient and expeditious, and help in increasing the conviction rate.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

2. INDIA-AUSTRALIA ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND TRADE AGREEMENT (ECTA)

THE CONTEXT: India and Australia signed an Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (IndAus ECTA) which is set to provide zero-duty access to 96 percent of India’s exports to Australia including shipments from key sectors such as engineering goods, gems, jewelry, textiles, apparel, and leather.

THE EXPLANATION:

• ECTA encompasses cooperation across the entire gamut of bilateral economic and commercial relations between the two friendly countries and covers areas like Trade in Goods, Rules of Origin, Trade in Services, Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, Dispute Settlement, Movement of Natural Persons, Telecom, Customs Procedures, Pharmaceutical products, and Cooperation in other Areas.
• Goods: The ECTA between India and Australia covers almost all the tariff lines dealt in by India and Australia respectively. India will benefit from preferential market access provided by Australia on 100% of its tariff lines.
  • This includes all the labor-intensive sectors of export interest to India such as Gems and Jewellery, Textiles, leather, footwear, furniture, food, agricultural products, engineering products, medical devices, and Automobiles.
  • On the other hand, India will be offering preferential access to Australia on over 70% of its tariff lines, including lines of export interest to Australia which are primarily raw materials and intermediaries such as coal, mineral ores and wines, etc.
• Services: As regards trade in services, Australia has offered wide-ranging commitments in around 135 sub-sectors and Most Favoured Nation (MFN) in 120 sub-sectors which cover key areas of India’s interest like IT, ITES, Business services, Health, Education, and Audiovisual.
  • Some of the keys offered by Australia in the services space include a Quota for chefs and yoga teachers; a Post-study work visa of 2-4 years for Indian students on a reciprocal basis; mutual recognition of Professional Services and Other licensed/regulated Occupations; and Work & Holiday visa arrangement for young professionals.
  • On the other hand, India has offered market access to Australia in around 103 sub-sectors and Most Favoured Nation in 31 sub-sectors from the 11 broad service sectors such as ‘business services’, ‘communication services’, ‘construction and related engineering services, and so on. Both sides have also agreed to a separate Annex on Pharmaceutical products under this agreement, which will enable fast-track approval for patented, generic, and biosimilar medicines.
• India and Australia are partners in the trilateral Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) arrangement along with Japan which seeks to enhance the resilience of supply chains in the Indo-Pacific Region. Further, India and Australia are also members of the recently formed Quad, also comprising the US, and Japan, to further enhance cooperation and develop partnerships across several issues of common concerns.
• The India-Australia ECTA will further cement the already deep, close, and strategic relations between the two countries and will significantly enhance bilateral trade in goods and services, create new employment opportunities, raise living standards, and improve the general welfare of the peoples of the two countries.

Background:

• India-Australia bilateral trade for both merchandise and services is valued at US$ 27.5 billion in 2021. India’s merchandise exports to Australia consist primarily of a broad-based basket largely of finished products like gold jewelry, polished diamonds, etc. India’s merchandise imports consist largely of raw materials, minerals, and intermediate goods.

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

3. NFC TECHNOLOGY FOR INSTANT PAYMENTS

THE CONTEXT: Google Pay has recently launched a new feature in India, ‘Tap to pay for UPI’, in collaboration with Pine Labs. The feature makes use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is NFC and how does it work?

• NFC is a short-range wireless connectivity technology that allows NFC-enabled devices to communicate with each other and transfer information quickly and easily with a single touch — whether to pay bills, exchange business cards, download coupons, or share a document.
• NFC transmits data through electromagnetic radio fields, to enable communication between two devices. Both devices must contain NFC chips, as transactions take place within a very short distance. NFC-enabled devices must be either physically touching or within a few centimeters from each other for data transfer to occur.

 How will this technology work with the recently launched feature, ‘Tap to pay for UPI’?

• Google Pay has been the first among UPI apps to bring the Tap to Pay feature working on POS terminals. It will allow users with UPI accounts configured on Google Pay to make payments just by tapping their NFC-enabled Android smartphones on any Pine Labs Android POS terminal.
• Once users tap their phones on the POS terminal, it will automatically open the Google pay app with the payment amount pre-filled. Users can then verify the amount and merchant name and authenticate the payment, using their UPI PIN. They will be notified once the payment is successful.
• The process is much faster compared to scanning a QR code or entering the UPI-linked mobile number which has been the conventional way till now.

What are the other applications of NFC technology?

How safe is this technology?

• NFC technology is designed for an operation between devices within a few centimeters from each other. This makes it difficult for attackers to record the communication between the devices compared to other wireless technologies which have a working distance of several meters.
• The user of the NFC-enabled device determines by the touch gesture which entity the NFC communication should take place with, making it more difficult for the attacker to get connected. The security level of NFC communication is by default higher compared to other wireless communication protocols.
• The NFC Forum has also added Peer to Peer communication which is a mechanism to cipher all exchanged data to avoid external interpretation of recorded communication. Since the receiving device reads your data the instant you send it, NFCs also reduce the chance of human error.

THE GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES IN THE NEWS

4. IDEX INITIATIVE

THE CONTEXT: Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) framework was launched by the Government to foster innovation and technology development in Defence and Aerospace Sector by engaging Industries including MSMEs, startups, individuals innovators, R&D institutes, and academia and promoting self-reliance.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Government has approved a central sector scheme for iDEX with budgetary support of Rs. 498.78 crore for the next 5 years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• Aim: to foster innovation and technology development in Defence and Aerospace Sector by engaging Industries including MSMEs, startups, individual innovators, R&D institutes, and academia and promote self-reliance.

About Innovations for Defence Excellence (IDX):

• The Government has approved a central sector scheme for iDEX with budgetary support of Rs. 498.78 crore for the next 5 years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• Objective of the scheme: to provide financial support to nearly 300 Startups/ MSMEs/individual innovators and about 20 Partner incubators through the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO).
• For the current financial year 2021-2022, Rs. 45 crore have been released by the Government to iDEX-DIO.
• The iDEX framework and establishment of the DIO by the Department of Defence Production (DDP) is aimed at promoting innovation and indigenization in the aerospace and defense sector at the start-up level.
• iDEX will be funded and managed by a “Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO)‟ formed as a “not for profit‟ company as per Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013 for this purpose.
• It aims at empowering a culture of technology co-creation and co-innovation in the sector and boosts innovation among the start-ups and encourages them to be a part of the ecosystem.

THE HEALTH AND COVID CORNER

5. WHO RECORDS THE NEW SARS-COV-2 VARIANT

THE CONTEXT: The World Health Organization (WHO) has flagged the emergence of a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the XE recombinant, in the United Kingdom, and with a possibly higher rate of transmission.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The WHO, in its recent epidemiological update, said the recombinant was detected in the United Kingdom on January 19, 2022, and over 600 sequences have been reported and confirmed since.
• It also added, “the early-day estimates indicate a community growth rate advantage of about 10% as compared to BA.2, however, this finding requires further confirmation.”
• The U.K. Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which tracks SARS-CoV-2 variants, analyzed three recombinants, known as XF, XE, and XD. Of these, XD and XF is recombinant of Delta and Omicron BA.1, while XE is a recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2.
• According to WHO, While XE only accounts for a small fraction of the cases, its extremely high transmissibility could mean that it becomes the most dominant strain shortly.
• A recombinant variant occurs when an individual becomes infected with two or more variants at the same time, leading to a mixing of genetic material in the human body. Several such recombinants have emerged in the past during the pandemic.
• The UKHSA has stated that in the United Kingdom, only 38 cases of XF recombinant have been identified, though none since mid-February 2022.
• The new variant is 10 percent more transmissible than the most contagious BA.2 subvariant.

THE DATASHEET

6. THE SPACE JUNK, A CAUSE OF CONCERN

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q1. UNEP hosts a secretariat of which of the following?

1. Convention on Migratory Species
2. Minamata Convention
3. Convention on Biodiversity

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) All of them

ANSWER FOR 2ND APRIL 2022

Answer: B

Explanation:

• Olive Ridley Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) are migratory species visiting Indian coasts for nesting.
• These turtles travel all the way from the South Pacific Ocean to breed on the coast of Gahirmatha.
• Their mass nesting phenomenon is called arribadas.
• IUCN Status: Vulnerable
• They have the highest degree of protection as they are included in Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• The turtle eggs normally take 45 days to hatch. After this, tiny hatchlings come out and make their way to the sea.
• Threats: Heavy predation of eggs by dogs and wild animals, indiscriminate fishing with trawlers and gill nets, and beach soil erosion.

THE POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. INDIAN ANTARCTIC BILL, 2022

THE CONTEXT: The Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022, introduced in Lok Sabha is pursuant to India’s accession to Antarctic Treaty, 1959 as well as the Protocol on Environment Protection (Madrid Protocol) to the Antarctic Treaty.

THE EXPLANATION:

Indian Antarctic Bill will also be useful in building credibility and enhancing the status of the country globally.

Objective:

1. The Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022 introduced in Lok Sabha aims at providing national measures to protect the Antarctic environment, and the dependent and associated ecosystems.
2. The Indian Antarctic Bill also aims to give effect to the Antarctic treaty, 1959, the protocol on the Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, 1998, and the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, 1982
3. The latest bill also aims at promoting Antarctica as a natural reserve that is devoted to science and peace and to ensure that the Antarctic does not become the scene of international discord.

About India’s expedition to Antarctic

1. The Indian Antarctic Programme is a multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary programme. It is under the control of the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.
2. The Indian Antarctic Programme was initiated in 1981 with the first Indian expedition to Antarctica.
3. It further gained global acceptance with India’s signing of the Antarctic Treaty as well as the construction of the Dakshin Gangotri Antarctic research base in 1983 which was superseded by the Maitri base from 1989.
4. In 2012, the newest Bharati base was commissioned which was constructed out of 134 shipping containers.
5. Under India’s Antarctic Programme, biological, earth, atmospheric, medical sciences, and chemical are studied in India. The country has carried out 30 scientific expeditions to the Antarctic as of October 14, 2010.

Value addition:

The Antarctic Treaty

• The Antarctic Treaty was signed in Washington on 1 December 1959 by the twelve nations (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States and USSR).
• The Treaty now has 52 signatories. India became a member of this treaty in 1983.
• Headquarters: Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• The Treaty, applies to the area south of 60° South latitude.

Provisions:

• Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only(Art. I).
• Freedom of scientific investigation in Antarctica and cooperation toward that end shall continue(Art. II).
• Scientific observations and results from Antarctica shall be exchanged and made freely available(Art. III).
• Article IV effectively seeks to neutralise territorial sovereignty in Antarctica.
• The treaty also put a freeze on any disputes between claimants over their territories on the continent.

 THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

2. EXPLAINED: WHY INDIA’S PACT WITH SRI LANKA ON A MARITIME RESCUE CENTRE IS SIGNIFICANT

THE CONTEXT: The agreement appears to be part of India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for all in the Region) initiative in the Indian Ocean, which has also seen India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives give a new push to their 2011 Colombo Security Conclave that now includes Mauritius.

THE EXPLANATION:

• India and Sri Lanka have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the Indian public sector Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) to set up a state-of-the-art Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) in Colombo.
• The agreement is significant as it enhances co-operation on maritime security between the two countries in a part of the Indian Ocean region where the India-China rivalry has taken centre stage over the last decade. Earlier this month, India also provided a naval floating dock to the Sri Lankan Navy, and two Dornier aircraft to the Sri Lankan Air Force.
• According to senior officials, the engagement between the forces of the two countries will augment interoperability and seamless maritime actions like carrying out anti-smuggling operations in the Indian Ocean Region.

Enhancing Sri Lanka capacity

• MRCCs are part of an international network under the UN’s International Maritime Organisation to monitor the sea lanes with the objective of swift response to emergencies, such as vessels in distress, rescue and evacuation of people, and prevention of and containing environmental disasters such as oil spills.
• Each country is responsible for its own Search and Rescue Region. The work of MRCCs is co-ordinated by the Navy or Coast Guard in each country. In India, the Coast Guard is the co-ordinating agency. In Sri Lanka, it is the Navy.
• The Bengaluru-based BEL has proposed enhancing Sri Lanka’s small MRCC by setting up advanced software systems that will increase Sri Lanka’s capacities for communication and co-ordination in its SRR (Search and Rescue Region) in the Indian Ocean, where it is the first responder. The MRCC will be established with a grant of $6 million from India.
• The enhanced MRCC will work out of the Sri Lankan Navy headquarters at Colombo, with a sub-center at Hambantota, where a Chinese state-owned company runs a deep water port that it helped to the bill, and which was controversially leased to it by Sri Lanka in 2016.
• Seven other sub-units along Sri Lanka’s coastline will make up the proposed new network. In situations in which regional assistance has to be mobilised, as happened with the two recent ship fires in Sri Lankan waters, this MRCC will be able to share information with its Indian counterparts.

SAGAR push

• Sri Lanka’s SRR is a wide swathe of 1,778,062. 24 sq km of the Indian Ocean and nearly 200 ships pass through these waters every day.
• The agreement appears to be part of India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for all in the Region) initiative in the Indian Ocean, which has also seen India, Sri Lanka and Maldives give a new push to their 2011 Colombo Security Conclave that now includes Mauritius.
• The recent meeting of the CSC National Security Advisers identified “five pillars” of co-operation: maritime safety and security; countering terrorism and radicalisation; combating trafficking and transnational organised crime; cyber security, protection of critical infrastructure and technology; and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY, AND CLIMATE CHANGE

3. RECORD NESTING OF OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLES

THE CONTEXT: As a record number of 4.92 lakh Olive Ridley turtles have crawled to the Rushikulya coast in Odisha, scientists have tagged more than 6,000 turtles to gather more information about their breeding behaviour and migration.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Odisha is the largest mass nesting site for Oliver Ridleys in the world. As temperatures start rising and getting warmer, the mass nesting season for Olive Ridley turtles on the Odisha coast starts. Lakhs of Olive Ridley sea turtles have flocked this year to Rushikulya river mouth for their annual mass nesting.
• These species flock to the place every year from the third week of February to the first week of March for nesting. After a long journey, all the way from the Indian Ocean, the turtles take a rest for some days after burying the eggs.
• According to the officials,This increased to 4.92 lakhs at Rushikulya and 5.20 lakhs at Gahirmatha.
• Arribada is a Spanish word meaning “arrival by sea” and refers to the mass nesting behaviour exhibited by Kemp’s Ridley and Olive Ridley sea turtles.

Value Addition:

Olive Ridley Sea Turtles

Olive Ridley Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) are migratory species visiting Indian coasts for nesting.

• These turtles travel all the way from the South Pacific Ocean to breed on the coast of Gahirmatha. Their mass nesting phenomenon is called arribadas.
• IUCN Status: Vulnerable; CITES: APPENDIX 1
• They have the highest degree of protection as they are included in Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• The turtle eggs normally take 45 days to hatch. After this, tiny hatchlings come out and make their way to the sea.
• Threats: Heavy predation of eggs by dogs and wild animals, indiscriminate fishing with trawlers and gill nets, and beach soil erosion.
• Every year, the Indian Coast Guard’s “Operation Olivia”, initiated in the early 1980s, helps protect Olive Ridley turtles as they congregate along the Odisha coast for breeding and nesting from November to December.
• KURMA App: It is aimed at turtle conservation by providing users with a database to identify a species but also provides the location of the nearest rescue centre for turtles across the country.

Developed by: The application has been developed by the Indian Turtle Conservation Action Network(ITCAN) in collaboration with the Turtle Survival Alliance-India and Wildlife Conservation Society-India.

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

4. ISRO TO STEP UP TRACKING OF SPACE DEBRIS

THE CONTEXT: ISRO is building up its orbital debris tracking capability by deploying new radars and optical telescopes under the Network for Space Objects Tracking and Analysis (NETRA) project.

THE EXPLANATION:

Tracking of space debris:

• A space debris tracking radar with a range of 1,500 km and an optical telescope will be inducted as part of establishing an effective surveillance and tracking network under NETRA.
• The government has given the go-ahead for the deployment of the radar, which will be capable of detecting and tracking objects 10 cm and above in size, he said.
• It will be indigenously designed and built.
• Radars and optical telescopes are vital ground-based facilities for keeping an eye on space objects, including orbital junk.
• Space junk or debris consists of spent rocket stages, dead satellites, fragments of space objects and debris resulting from ASAT.
• Hurtling at an average speed of 27,000 kmph in LEO, these objects pose a very real threat as collisions involving even centimetre-sized fragments can be lethal to satellites.
• For protecting its space assets, ISRO was forced to perform 19 collision avoidance manoeuvres (CAM) in 2021, of which 14 were in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and five in the geostationary orbit. The number of CAMs jumped from just three in 2015 to 12 in 2020 and 19 in 2021.

About Network for Space Objects Tracking and Analysis (NETRA) project:

• Project NETRA is an early warning system in space to detect debris and other hazards to Indian satellites.
• ISRO SSA Control Centre, “NETRA”, is now set up within the ISTRAC campus at Peenya, Bangalore.
• NETRA’s eventual goal is to capture the GEO, or geostationary orbit, the scene at 36,000 km where communication satellites operate.
• Under NETRA, or Network for space object Tracking and Analysis, the ISRO plans to put up many observational facilities:

• • connected radars, telescopes
  • data processing units
  • a control centre

• They can, among others, spot, track and catalogue objects as small as 10 cm, up to a range of 3,400 km and equal to a space orbit of around 2,000 km.

THE PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. PANCHESHWAR MULTIPURPOSE PROJECT

THE CONTEXT: During his upcoming visit, Nepal’s Prime Minister is expected to focus on his personal experience of handling India-Nepal relations over Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project.

THE EXPLANATION:

• In India and Nepal, the proposed catchment area for the water is expected to submerge a total of 11600 hectares of land (7600 hectares in India and 4000 hectares in Nepal).
• This mega dam (Pancheshwar) will be built upon the Mahakali river (known in India as Sharada) which originates in Nepal and flows through Uttarakhand where various tributaries like Dhauli, Gori, Sarayu and Ramganga feed the Mahakali. Upon completion, this dam, the biggest in South Asia, is expected to generate 6480 MW of power, and will service both India and Nepal, besides controlling floods and decreasing the fear of drought.

IMPORTANCE:

• Nepal shares a border with 5 Indian states- Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Sikkim and Bihar. Hence an important point of cultural and economic exchange.
• Importance for India can be studied from two different angles: a) their strategic importance for India’s national security; and b) their place in India’s role perception in international politics.
• Nepal is right in the middle of India’s ‘Himalayan frontiers’, and along with Bhutan, it acts as northern ‘borderland’ flanks and acts as buffer states against any possible aggression from China.
• The two countries not only share an open border and unhindered movement of people, but they also have close bonds through marriages and familial ties, popularly known as Roti-Beti ka Rishta.
• India is Nepal’s largest trade partner and the largest source of foreign investments, besides providing transit for almost the entire third-country trade of Nepal.
• Indian firms engaged in manufacturing, services (banking, insurance, dry port), power sector and tourism industries etc.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q1. Consider the following statements about Olive Ridley Turtles:

1. They are migratory species visiting Indian coasts for nesting.
2. Their mass nesting phenomenon is called arribadas.
3. Their IUCN conservation status is endangered.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only

b) 1 and 2 only

c) 2 and 3 only

d) 1, 2 and 3

ANSWER FOR 1^ST APRIL 2022

Answer: B

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Koodiyattam is a traditional performing art form in the state of Kerala, India.
• Statement 2 is correct: It is a combination of ancient Sanskrit theatre with elements of Koothu, an ancient performing art from the Sangam era.
• Statement 3 is correct: It is officially recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. CHINA, SOLOMONS ISLANDS INK DRAFT OF CONTROVERSIAL SECURITY PACT

THE CONTEXT: China and the Solomon Islands have signed a draft version of a security pact that could see Chinese police and other forces take up duties in the Pacific Island nation.

THE EXPLANATION:

• A leaked document has revealed that China and the Solomon Islands are close to signing a security agreement that could open the door to Chinese troops and naval warships flowing into a Pacific Island nation that played a pivotal role in World War II.
• Although it is marked as a draft and cites a need for “social order” as a justification for sending Chinese forces, it has set off alarms throughout the Pacific, where concerns about China’s intentions have been growing for years.
• The Solomon Islands, home to about 700,000 people, switched its diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019 a contributing factor to riots in November 2021 between residents of different islands within the country.

What is the Pact?

• The leaked document states that “Solomon Islands may, according to its own needs, request China to send police, armed police, military personnel and other law enforcement and armed forces to Solomon Islands to assist in maintaining social order, protecting people’s lives and property.”
• It allows China to provide “assistance on other tasks” and requires secrecy, noting, “Neither party shall disclose the cooperation information to a third party.”

2. THE 20TH EDITION OF THE ‘VARUNA’ BILATERAL NAVAL EXERCISE

THE CONTEXT: In an effort to further strengthen Defence ties, India and France began a five-day mega naval wargame in the Arabian Sea in reflection of growing congruence in their maritime security cooperation.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The bilateral exercises between the two Navies were initiated in 1993. The exercise was christened as ‘Varuna’ in 2001 and has become a vital part of India – France strategic bilateral relationship.
• Various units including ships, submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, fighter aircraft and helicopters of the two navies are participating in the exercise. These units will endeavour to enhance and hone their operational skills in maritime theatre, augment inter-operability to undertake maritime security operations and demonstrate their commitment to promote peace, security and stability in the region as an integrated force.
• Having grown in scope and complexity over the years, Varuna series of exercises continue to provide both the navies opportunities to learn from each other’s best practices.
• The exercise has been a principal driver for operational level interactions between the two navies and has underscored the shared commitment of both nations to security, safety and freedom of the global maritime commons.
• The maritime cooperation between India and France has witnessed a major expansion in the last few years.  The Indian and French navies in April last year too carried out a mega wargame in the Arabian Sea.
• The French Navy deployed its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, and its entire carrier strike group in that exercise, reflecting growing congruence in naval ties.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

3. INDIA’S EXTERNAL DEBT ROSE TO $614.9 BILLION AT END OF DEC. 2021

THE CONTEXT: According to Finance Ministry India’s external debt rose by $11.5 billion to $614.9 billion in the three months ended December 2021.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The external debt to GDP ratio fell marginally to 20% at the end of December last year from 20.3% at the end of September 2021.
• According to India’s Quarterly External Debt Report for quarter ended December 2021, the country’s external debt was placed at $614.9 billion, recording an increase of $11.5 billion over its level at the end of September 2021.
• Valuation gains due to the appreciation of the U.S. dollar vis-a-vis major currencies such as Euro, Yen and Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) was placed at $1.7 billion.
• Commercial borrowings remained the largest component of external debt, with a share of 36.8%, followed by non-resident deposits (23.1%) and short-term trade credit.
• The share of short-term debt, with original maturity of up to one year, in total external debt increased to 18.6% at the end of December 2021 from 17.4% at end-September 2021.
• S. dollar denominated debt remained the largest component of India’s external debt, with a share of 52% at end-December 2021, followed by the Indian rupee (32%), SDR (6.7%), Yen (5.3%), and the Euro (3.1%).
• Also, the report added, “the borrower-wise classification shows that the outstanding external debt of government marginally declined while that of non-government sector increased as at end-December 2021 over the previous quarter”.

Value Addition:

What is External Debt?

• External debt can be regarded as one of the forms of a tied loan, where the borrower needs to apply any spending of the funds to the country which has provided the loan.
• In case of an inability of the borrower country to produce and sell goods so as to make a profitable return to repay the loan, there arises a debt crisis.
• As of June 2021, India’s external debt was placed at US$ 571.3 billion, recording an increase of US$ 1.6 billion over its level at the end-March 2021.
• India’s external debt to GDP ratio declined to 20.2 per cent at the end-June 2021 from 21.1 per cent at end-March 2021.
• External debt sustainability can be measured based on the following parameters:

1. Government’s debt and current fiscal revenue ratio.
2. The overall share of short and long-term debt in the total debt burden.
3. Share of concessional debt.
4. Foreign debt to exports ratio
5. Debt to GDP ratio
6. The share of external debt to the total debt of the country.

THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

4. DOLPHIN COUNT SURGES IN GAHIRMATHA, DIPS IN CHILIKA

THE CONTEXT: According to the Annual Dolphin Census, the population of the dolphin along Odisha’s coast and in its water bodies has increased but the number of Irrawaddy dolphins in Chilika lake has fallen.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The report stated that Gahirmatha is home to the State’s largest population of dolphins, even more than Chilika.
• As per the 2022 dolphin census, Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary and nearby areas in Bhitarkanika saw dolphin count skyrocket to 540 from 342 last year. These included 45  Irrawaddy , 135 ottlenose, 332  humpback, 13 striped and 15 spinner dolphins.
• In the 2021 census, forest officials sighted only  342 dolphins including 39  Irrawaddy, 22 bottlenose and 281 humpback dolphins. Dolphins are commonly sighted in water bodies in Khola, Nalitapata, Dhamara and in the sea near Satabhaya, Pentha, Agaranashi, Eakakula, Hukitola and other areas within the sanctuary.
• However, the count of dolphins in Chilika Wildlife Division saw a dip from 188 in 2021 to 167 in 2022.

Value Addition:

• Dolphins have been included in Schedule I of the Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972, in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), in Appendix II of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and categorised as ‘Endangered’ on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List.

THE INTERNAL SECURITY AFFAIRS

5. CENTRE REDUCES DISTURBED AREAS UNDER AFSPA IN 3 NORTH EAST STATES

THE CONTEXT: According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), AFSPA is being removed from 15 police station areas in seven districts of Nagaland; 15 police station areas in six districts of Manipur; and 23 districts entirely and one district partially in Assam.

THE EXPLANATION:

• After Assam and Meghalaya resolved a part of their 50-year boundary dispute in the Centre’s push for a “dispute-free Northeast”, Union Home Minister announced that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) will be removed from several districts across Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur.
• According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), AFSPA is being removed from 15 police station areas in seven districts of Nagaland; 15 police station areas in six districts of Manipur; and 23 districts entirely and one district partially in Assam.
• The decision comes in the backdrop of vociferous demands for AFSPA to be lifted after six civilians were gunned down in Nagaland’s Mon district last December in a botched operation by security personnel. Seven more civilians and security personnel died in the retaliatory violence that followed, prompting the Nagaland Assembly to pass a resolution for the repeal of AFSPA.
• However, Mon district remains a “disturbed area since this is a border district and has a strong presence of NSCN-K (YA),” said sources in the Nagaland government.
• The notification of “disturbed areas” under AFSPA has been in force in Assam since 1990, in Nagaland since 1995, and in Manipur, except the Imphal Municipality area, since 2004. Starting in 2015, the Government removed AFSPA entirely from Tripura and Meghalaya, and partially from Arunachal Pradesh, which currently has three districts and two police station areas in a fourth district under the Act.
• In Assam, AFSPA will remain in the districts of Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Golaghat, Jorhat and the Lakhipur subdivision of Cachar.

Demands to repeal AFSPA

• Anger over the incident is rising in Nagaland, where people have frequently accused security forces of wrongly targeting innocent locals in counterinsurgency operations against rebel groups under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
• Besides sweeping powers of search and arrest, the law, enforced in parts of four of the seven northeastern states as well as Indian-administered Kashmir, allows Indian forces to open fire to maintain public order in areas designated as “disturbed areas”.
• Nagaland is covered by the law as India says rebel groups operate from thick jungles of an unfenced region that also spans the neighbouring states of Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, which border Myanmar.

What is Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)?

 How is a region declared ‘disturbed’?

Section (3) of the AFSPA empowers the governor of the state or Union territory to issue an official notification in The Gazette of India, following which the Centre has the authority to send in armed forces for civilian aid.

• Once declared ‘disturbed’, the region has to maintain the status quo for a minimum of three months, according to The Disturbed Areas (Special Courts) Act, 1976.

Criticism of AFSPA:

Sec 4(a) in which army can shoot to kill, as it violates article 21 which gives the right to life.

• Section 4(b) search without warrants violates the right to liberty and article 22.
• Dispersion of civil assembly by armed forces under section 121 violates the right to assembly
• No judicial magistrate permission required while arresting –violate article 22
• Overrides CrPC.
• Violation of human rights
• It alienates the people from the army and then from the rest of India. A feeling of otherworldliness is generated in their mind.

What should be done?

• Create committees at the district level with representatives of the army, administrators and the public which will report, assess and track complaints in that area.
• All investigations should be time-bound reasons for the delay must be communicated with the aggrieved.
• Amendments In-Laws: The lacunae in the Act, as a result of definitional voids with respect to terms like “disturbed”, “dangerous” and “land forces” need to be amplified to ensure greater clarity.
• The onus of proving the alleged person as a terrorist should lie with the forces. Sec 7 should be suitably amended to this effect.

SCHEMES & INITIATIVES IN NEWS

6. CJI INTRODUCES ‘FASTER’ SYSTEM

The Context: The Chief Justice of India has introduced the “Fast and Secured Transmission of Electronic Records” (FASTER) system.

About ‘FASTER’ System:

• The ‘Fast and Secured Transmission of Electronic Records’ (FASTER) software transmits court orders swiftly and securely through electronic mode, ensuring quicker communication of judicial orders.

• It also proposed that the e-authenticated copies of the record of proceedings/orders, digitally signed by the authorized officer may be transmitted through FASTER system to the duty-holders of the justice system.

Need:

• There have been cases where the jail inmates are not released despite bail orders passed by the court due to delays in communication of such orders. So, it was needed to utilize information and communication technology tools for efficient transmission of court orders.

Significance:

• Ensure that undertrials are not made to wait for days on end behind bars to be released because the certified hard copies of their bail orders took time to reach the prison.
• Undertrials are the people who are yet to be found guilty of the crimes they have been accused of.
• Prevent unnecessary arrests and custody of people even after the court had already granted them its protection.
• Communicate a stay on an execution ordered by the final court on time.

Challenges:

• The availability of internet connection in jails across the nation as without this facility transmission of such orders to prisons will not be possible.
• Awareness and training to jail officials about the use of digital technology.

 THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q1. Consider the following statements about Koodiyattam:

1. It is a traditional performing art form in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.
2. It has elements of Koothu, an ancient performing art from the Sangam era.
3. It is officially recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 and 3 only

c) 3 only

d) 1, 2 and 3

 ANSWER FOR 31^ST MARCH 2022

Answer: C

Explanation:

• Project NETRA is an initiative by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) which is an early warning system in space to detect debris and hazards to Indian satellites.
• Under this project, the Indian space organization plans to put up many observational facilities like telescopes, connected radars, data processing units, and a control center.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. SRI LANKA TO SET UP SPECIAL NORTH-EAST FUND

THE CONTEXT: The Sri Lankan government will set up a ‘North-East Development Fund’ to increase investments in the war-affected areas, while probing cases of enforced disappearances and land grabs that remain chief concerns of the Tamil people 13 years after the war ended.

THE EXPLANATION:

• It was first meeting with the country’s Tamil political leadership since his election to office in November 2019.
• The TNA has been demanding that the government deliver the long-pending political solution to Sri Lanka’s national question, through a new constitutional settlement.
• The President agreed to focus on four key areas, including
  • possibly releasing long-term detainees under the country’s draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act — which the government recently amended but critics want repealed — and suspects held without being charged.
  • ending the incessant land grabs in the north and east by different state agencies to allegedly change the demographics of the region.
  • inquiring into cases of enforced disappearances.
  • establishing a special development fund for the north and east.
• The initiative to set up a development fund exclusively for the war-affected areas comes nearly three years after his election, amid widespread joblessness, indebtedness, and poverty in the region that the pandemic and Sri Lanka’s current economic crisis have only aggravated.

2. INDIA, U.K. END ROUND TWO TALKS ON FTA

THE CONTEXT: India and the United Kingdom concluded a second round of negotiations towards a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in London, with a draft treaty text discussed across most chapters that will make up the pact.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The FTA is expected to facilitate the target of doubling bilateral trade between India and the United Kingdom by 2030, set by the Prime Ministers of both nations.
• According to the agreements, the Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) on Pharma could provide additional market access. There is also great potential for increasing exports in service sectors like IT/ITES, Nursing, education, healthcare, including AYUSH and audio-visual services. India would also be seeking special arrangements for the movement of its people.
• India-UK FTA will also contribute to integrating value chains and help augment our mutual efforts to strengthen the resilience of supply chains. Reminding that the leaders of both nations had envisioned launching the FTA Negotiations in early 2022.

What is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)?

A free trade agreement is a pact between two or more nations to reduce barriers to imports and exports among them. Under a free trade policy, goods and services can be bought and sold across international borders with little or no government tariffs, quotas, subsidies, or prohibitions to inhibit their exchange.

Key features of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs):

1. The member nations of FTAs explicitly identify the duties and tariffs that are to be imposed on member countries when it comes to imports and exports.
2. FTAs typically cover trades in (a) merchandise — such as agricultural or industrial products (b) services — such as banking, construction, trading and so forth (c) intellectual property rights (IPRs), (d) investment (e) government procurement (f) competition policy and so on.
3. FTAs additionally, for the most part, provide a criterion called the ‘Rules of Origin (RoO)’, required for the determination of the product’s country of origin for the imposition of the preferential tariff on international trade.
4. FTAs act as an exception to the Most Favored Nation principle adopted by WTO (World Trade Organization).

Value Addition:

India-UK bilateral trade

• Bilateral trade between India and UK stood at 18.3 billion in the year 2020. It was lesser than the trade of 3 billion pounds in 2019. India and UK have also launched a new Enhanced Trade Partnership. It opened ways for future Free Trade Agreements.
• Currently, India is the largest market with which the UK has committed to negotiating any trade deal. India is the second-largest investor in the UK economy.
• About 842 Indian companies in the UK, are employing more than 110,000 people. The combined revenue of Indian companies has increased by 87% in the last five years.

3.  THE HOUTHI ATTACK ON THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

THE CONTEXT: A Yemeni rebel attack on a Saudi oil plant set off a huge fire near Jeddah’s Formula One circuit, part of a wave of assaults on Aramco facilities.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Shia Houthi rebels of Yemen, who have been controlling the northern parts of the country, including the capital Sana’a, for almost seven years, have claimed responsibility for the attack.

Who are the Houthis?

Founded in the 1990s by Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, a member of Yemen’s Shia majority, the Houthi movement has a pretty straightforward slogan or sarkha: “God is great, death to America, death to Israel, the curse on the Jews, victory to Islam.” After Yemeni soldiers killed Hussein in 2004, his brother Abdul Malik took over.

How did Saudi Arabia get involved?

The rise of the Houth is sent alarm bells ringing across Sunni Arab states, particularly Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition — backed by the US, UK and France — then launched an air campaign in Yemen, with the aim of defeating the rebel group.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

4. RBI SETS GEO-TAGGING RULES FOR PAYMENT TOUCH POINTS

THE CONTEXT: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released a framework for geo-tagging of payment system touch points, issuing instructions to bank and non-bank payment system operators to maintain and submit to it the geographical locations of their touch points on a regular basis.

THE EXPLANATION:

According to the central bank, this framework is intended to ensure that there is a robust payment acceptance infrastructure with multiple types of touch points across India, available and accessible at all times.

According to RBI, the banks and non-bank payment system operators need to capture and maintain geographical coordinates for all payment touch points.

Both banks and non-banks need to maintain a registry with accurate location of all payment touch points across the country that should include merchant-related information and payment acceptance infrastructure details.

Besides, banks and non-banks need to report information on payment touch points to the RBI through the Centralised Information Management System (CIMS) of RBI, the framework said.

How does it work?

• In a geo-tagging infrastructure, the geographical coordinates (latitude and longitude) of payment touch points deployed by merchants to receive payments from their customers are captured. According to the RBI, geo-tagging has several benefits including providing insights on regional penetration of digital payments, monitoring infrastructure density across different locations, identifying scope for deploying additional payment touch points, facilitating focused digital literacy programmes.
• The central bank had focussed on the setting up of Payments Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) to encourage deployment of acceptance infrastructure, and creating additional touch points is a step in this direction.

 5. ‘GUJARAT TOPS AGAIN IN EXPORT PREPAREDNESS INDEX’

THE CONTEXT: Gujarat has been named India’s top State in terms of export preparedness for the second year in a row as per an index released by the NITI Aayog.

THE EXPLANATION:

Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu were ranked second, third and fourth in the index, as coastal States with higher industrial activity and access to seaports account for a majority of India’s exports.

Challenges:

The index identifies three major challenges to India’s export promotion efforts.

• “These are intra- and inter-regional differences in export infrastructure.
• Weak trade support and growth orientation across States and
• Lack of R&D infrastructure to promote complex and unique exports,”

EPI 2021 – Key Goals

The EPI’s primary goal is to instill competition among all Indian states (‘Coastal’, ‘Landlocked’, ‘Himalayan’, and ‘UTs/City-States’) to bring about favourable export-promotion policies, ease the regulatory framework to prompt sub national export promotion, create the necessary infrastructure for exports, and assist in identifying strategic recommendations for improving export competitiveness. It promotes competitive federalism and a fair contest among States/UTs.

THE GOVERNMENT SCHEMES/INITIATIVES IN NEWS

6. ‘PROJECT UDAAN’ GIVES GIRLS WINGS TO A BETTER FUTURE IN RURAL RAJASTHAN

THE CONTEXT: The Udaan project, launched by the Rajasthan government in collaboration with a development consulting group ‘IPE Global’, has made attempts to keep girls in schools through their enrollment at the secondary level while ensuring that the eligible ones among them get their scholarships. While generating awareness about scholarship schemes, the programme has also mobilised rural communities to support girls’ education and facilitate their attendance in school without a break.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Project Udaan seeks to reduce adolescent pregnancies in Rajasthan by leveraging existing government platforms and programmes across the Health and Education Departments, for scale up and sustainability.
• It adopts a multi-sectoral approach to prevent adolescent pregnancy, layering interventions beyond sexual health, to fundamentally change the way adolescent programming is carried on.
• Udaan attempts to keep girls in school through their enrollment (school-going and dropout girls) at secondary school level while ensuring that the eligible girls receive their scholarship through collective efforts.
• School and community-level interventions have been designed to increase girls’ enrollment at secondary level school by generating wide public awareness on the scholarship schemes and mobilising communities to support girls’ education and facilitate their going back to school. It works towards strengthening scholarship delivery systems (IT enabled) and builds capacities of government functionaries for effective state-wide scale up to ensure sustainability and stability.
• It is an integrated intervention which seeks to prevent adolescent pregnancies in Rajasthan by leveraging existing government programmes and platforms for realizing girl’s potential and reducing the number of babies born low birth weight from teenager mothers.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY 26^th MARCH 2022

Q1. Which of the following statement is incorrect about Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC)?

a) It was established in 1969.

b) It has total 57 member countries.

c) Its headquarter is located in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

d) India is not a member of OIC.

ANSWER FOR 25^TH MARCH 2022

Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat) seeks to create an enabling environment to ensure universal acquisition of foundational literacy and numeracy, so that every child achieves the desired learning competencies in reading, writing and numeracy by the end of Grade 3, by 2026-27.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Although the National Education Policy had included a 2025 deadline to achieve the goal, the Centre has pushed back the target date to 2026-27, given that COVID-19 has already disrupted two academic years.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. PLASTIC PARK PROJECT GETS FINAL APPROVAL

THE CONTEXT: Union ministry of chemicals and fertilisers, department of chemicals and petrochemicals, has given final approval for the setting up of a Plastic Park at Ganjimutt in Dakshin Kannada.

THE EXPLANATION:

According to the Ministry the park will be set up on 104 acres of Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) land at an estimated cost of ₹62.77 crore. In that, 50% of the project cost, that is ₹31.38 crore, will be borne by the Union Government and the remaining 50% by the KIADB.

About the Plastic Park:

• Plastic Park has state-of-the- art infrastructure with common facilities including plastic waste management system. Plastic Parks plays key role in growth of the plastic processing community material and machinery suppliers, plastic processing companies, plastic recycling companies.
• The park is to generate hundreds of employments for the local youths. A poly propylene unit is to be set up in the park. This unit will provide raw materials to the polymer and plastic units inside the park. Polypropylene is a thermoplastic polymer. It is mainly used in plastic packaging. The park will include admin building, export building, warehouse facility, etc.
• The plastic parks have so far been created in Tamont village in Madhya Pradesh, Billaua village in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Pradeep village near Jagatsinghpur in Odisha, Gellapukhuri in Assam, Devipur in Jharkhand, Voyallur in Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu.

Significance of the Plastic Park Scheme?

• The plastic parks aim to boost the value addition and competitiveness in the plastics processing industry. The scheme strives to achieve it though measures led by research and development.
• The plastic industry is classified into two broad categories in India.
• The first is polymer manufacturing that is called upstream category.
• The second category is industries involved in the conversion of processable polymers into useful end products. These industries are called downstream.
• India’s share in global plastic exports just 1%. The Indian plastic industry is big. However, it is highly fragmented. The plastic parks will help to consolidate the industry.

2. KERALA GETS ITS FIRST-EVER SCIENTIFIC BIRD ATLAS

THE CONTEXT: The Kerala Bird Atlas (KBA), the first-of-its-kind state-level bird atlas in India, has created solid baseline data about the distribution and abundance of various bird species across all major habitats giving an impetus for futuristic studies.

THE EXPLANATION:

• KBA is said to be Asia’s largest bird atlas in terms of geographical extent.
• KBA has been conducted as a citizen science-driven exercise with the participation of over 1,000 volunteers of the birdwatching community.
• KBA has created strong benchmark information about the distribution and abundance of bird species across all major habitats, giving momentum to futuristic studies.

The KBA accounts for nearly three lakh records of 361 species, that includes,

• 94 very rare species
• 103 rare species
• 110 common species
• 44 very common species
• 10 most abundant species

The KBA is considered to be a valuable resource for testing various ecological hypotheses and suggesting science-backed conservation measures.

Bird Atlas surveys shall be done twice a year.

1. July mid – September mid [60 days, 9 weekends]
2. January mid – March mid [60 days, 9 weekends]

3. PERU DECLARES ‘ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY’

THE CONTEXT: The Peruvian government declared a 90-day “environmental emergency” in damaged coastal territories, after an oil spill that saw 6,000 barrels of crude oil pour into the sea.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The oil spill came out of a tanker belonging to the Spanish energy firm Repsol. The incident occurred at the La Pampilla refinery, some 30 kilometers (around 19 miles) north of the Peruvian capital of Lima in the Ventanilla district of the port city of Callao.
• According to the refinery, the spill was caused by freak waves, which resulted from the eruption of a volcano in Tonga. Currents spread the oil to distances more than 40 kilometers from the refinery, tarring some 21 beaches.

What damage has the spill caused?

The spill has caused the death of marine wildlife and raised concerns around the livelihood of local fishermen and the economic consequences from the loss of tourism.

International Efforts for curtailing Oil Pollution: 

• International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL): Rolled out by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 1973. It recognized the need for international coherent efforts for curbing oil spill.
• International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation 1990: Nearly 90 countries came up after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, 1989 to prepare an emergency plan under IMO. Creates a special fund out of the contribution of shipping companies
• Double Hull Ruling, 1993 by IMO: As per these guidelines, By July 1993, all tankers must have double hulls for additional safety. All single-hulled ships must be phased out by 1995.

Note: TERI has developed Oil Zapper Bacteria which can degrade the oil quickly.

4. SPECIES OF FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH BASAL STEM ROT FOUND

THE CONTEXT: Researchers from Kerala have identified two new species of fungi from the genus Ganoderma that are associated with coconut stem rot. They have also genotyped the two fungi species, named Ganoderma keralense and G. pseudoapplanatum and identified genetic biomarkers.

THE EXPLANATION:

Basal stem rot

• The butt rot or basal stem rot of coconut is known by several names in different parts of India: Ganoderma wilt (Andhra Pradesh), Anaberoga (Karnataka) and Thanjavur wilt (Tamil Nadu).
• The infection begins at the roots, but symptoms include discolouration and rotting of stem and leaves. In the later stages, flowering and nut set decreases and finally the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) dies.
• A reddish brown oozing is seen. This oozing has been reported only in India. Once infected, recovery of the plants is not likely. Not surprising then, that this causes a huge loss: By some estimates made in 2017, in India, around 12 million people are said to depend on coconut farming.
• Another sign of infection is presence of shelf-like “basidiomata,” which are the fruiting or reproductive structures of the fungus, on the tree trunks. “Although microscopic, many fungi, produce macroscopic fruiting structures on the substrates where they grow [for example, Ganoderma]”.
• Since the fungus is microscopic, it is only detected after the symptoms start manifesting or when the reproductive structures are borne, which can be too late.

THE MISCELLANEOUS

5. AMAR JAWAN JYOTI MERGED WITH NATIONAL WAR MEMORIAL FLAME

THE CONTEXT: The iconic Amar Jawan Jyoti (AJJ), which was inaugurated after the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, even as Prime Minister announced the construction of a statue of Subhas Chandra Bose, restructuring the symbolism around the India Gate.

Symbol of colonial past’

• India Gate was a “symbol of our colonial past” as it has only some of those who fought for the British in First World War 1 and the Anglo-Afghan War. It is designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, was unveiled by Lord Irwin on February 12, 1931. It was built to honour the over 83,000 soldiers of British India who died from 1914 to 1921. It has 13,516 names inscribed all over the monument.
• The AJJ was set up to pay homage for the soldiers who laid down their lives in the 1971 war. The memorial of the unknown soldier, an inverted bayonet with a helmet structure, along with the AJJ was inaugurated under the arch of India Gate by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on January 26, 1972 to commemorate India’s victory in the 1971 war, in which 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war surrendered and saw the birth of Bangladesh.

About the National War Memorial:

The National War Memorial was inaugurated by Prime Minister on February 25, 2019 and ever since it was set up, political and military leaders of the country lay wreaths in remembrance at the new site rather than at the Amar Jawan Jyoti. It was built to commemorate all the soldiers who have laid down their lives in the various battles, wars, operations and conflicts of Independent India.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY 24^TH JANUARY 2022

Q1. Hogenakkal Falls are located across which of the following river of India?

              a) River Krishna

b) River Godavari

c) River Sharavati

d) River Kaveri

ANSWER FOR 22^ND JAN 2022

Answer: B

Explanation:

Highlights of Tiger Census 2018:

• India is home to almost 70% of the world tiger population.
• India has 2,967 tigers, a rise of 33% over the figure found in the previous census of 2014 (2,226).
• Madhya Pradesh (526) has the highest tiger population. Karnataka (524) has the second- highest tiger population. Uttarakhand (442) has the third-highest tiger population.
• Among the NE states, Assam (190) has the highest tiger population.
• Tiger population fell in Chhattisgarh and Mizoram.
• There is no change in the tiger population in Odisha.
• In Buxa, Dampa and Palamau tiger reserves, tiger was not found.

Note: India has already fulfilled its resolve of doubling tiger numbers, made at the St. Petersburg Declaration in 2010, much before the target year of 2022.