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11th March 2023 Current Affairs

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DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS BITS

TOPIC – 1 – India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFP)

Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh will jointly inaugurate the maiden cross-border oil pipeline between the two countries.

About India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFPL):

  • IBFPL will carry diesel from Assam-based Numaligarh Refinery Ltd’s (NRL) marketing terminal at Siliguri in West Bengal to the Parbatipur depot of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC).
  • IBFPL is 5 Kilometers long, out of which 126.5 kilometer pipeline is in Bangladesh and 5 kilometers in India.
  • The pipeline has a capacity of one million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA).
  • The total project cost for the construction of the IBFPL is Rs 377.08 crore. 
  • The project is built under grant assistance from the government of India.
TOPIC – 2 – Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

Scientists have created a gargantuan synthetic survey of a section of the universe that shows what we can expect from the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s future observations

About Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope:

  • The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope or Roman Space Telescope (RST) is a NASA deep space infrared observatory.
  • Though originally referred to as the Wide Field Infrared Space Telescope (WFIRST), NASA renamed the mission in 2020 after Nancy Grace Roman, NASA’s first chief astronomer.
  • Objective: RST will help answer essential astrophysics questions about dark energy, dark matter, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics.
  • It is set to launch around 2026 or 2027.
  • The mission is projected to last for five years.
  • RST will be situated at Lagrange point 2, a stable gravitational point between Earth and the sun located around 1 million miles (1.5 million kilometers) from our planet. 

Features of the Mission:

    • The primary mirror of the RST has a diameter of 2.4 meters, the same size as the mirror of the Hubble Space Telescope.
    • It will have a field of view that is 100 times greater than the Hubble infrared instrument, capturing more of the sky with less observing time. 
    • Roman’s gigantic field of view will enable the mission to create infrared images that are around 200 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope.
    • It has two other instruments: the Wide Field Instrument and the Coronagraph Instrument. 
    • The Wide Field Instrument performs microlensing surveys to find exoplanets, and the Coronograph Instrument performs high-contrast imaging and spectroscopy of nearby exoplanets.

Key facts about the Hubble telescope:

  • It is NASA’s large, space-based observatory which has revolutionized astronomy since its launch in 1990.
  • Hubble’s domain extends from the ultraviolet through the visible (which our eyes see) and into the near-infrared.
  • It is larger than a school bus in size, has a 7.9 feet mirror, and captures stunning images of deep space, playing a major role in helping astronomers understand the universe by observing the most distant stars, galaxies, and planets.

TOPIC – 3 – WINS Awards 2023

Recently, to highlight the impact of women in sanitation and waste management, the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs announced the ‘Women Icons Leading Swachhata’ (WINS) Awards 2023

About WINS awards 2023:

  • The WINS Awards 2023 aims to recognize celebrate and disseminate inspiring and exemplary initiatives in urban sanitation and waste management by women-led organizations and individual women.
  • Applications for the Awards are open to Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Micro-enterprises, Non-Government Organisations, Startups and Individual Women Leaders/Swachhata champions.
  • Applications will be considered under the thematic areas of Management of Community/Public Toilets Septic Tanks, Cleaning Services Treatment Facilities (Used Water/Septage),  Municipal Water collection and /or Transportation, Operation of Material Recovery Facilities and Others.
  • Process: The Application Form will be made available to all States.
  • States & Cities will publicize details of WINS Awards 2023 via their website, portals, and social media.
  • Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) will evaluate entries & nominate up to 5 applicants to the State via the Swachhatam portal.
  • ULBs can organize public felicitation of their nominees as city winners.
  • ULB-wise nominations will be evaluated at the State level. Up to 3 entries in each category will be nominated by the State to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
  • A state can organize public felicitation of nominees as State winners.
  • State nominations will be evaluated at the national level on their innovativeness, impact, uniqueness, sustainability & replicability.
  • At the national level, the MoHUA team will set up a Jury to evaluate the applications and select winners in each category.
  • The Jury shall comprise stakeholders from cities and States, independent experts, brand ambassadors, influencers and industry representatives. Winning entries will be featured in a compendium.

TOPIC – 4 – National Bamboo Mission

Recently, the National Workshop of Bamboo Sector Development was conducted under the National Bamboo Mission (NBM) in New Delhi on 10th March 2023.

About National Bamboo Mission:

  • It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme started in the year 2006-07 and was subsumed under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), for the years 2014-15 and 2015-16.
  • MIDH is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented from 2014-15 for the holistic development of horticulture in the country, covering fruits, vegetables, root and tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashew and cocoa.
  • The aim of the National Bamboo Mission will focus on the development of bamboo in limited States where it has social, commercial and economical advantages. in the
  • Nodal Ministry: Department of Agriculture & Cooperation (DAC) under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
  • Bamboo is majorly grown in North Eastern region and States including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
  • Benefits of the Mission:
    • The initiative would assist farmers, local craftspeople, and other persons involved in the bamboo industry, including allied sectors, both directly and indirectly.
    • The initiative aims to reduce the import of bamboo goods while also increasing farmer income.
    • It establishes a full value chain for the expansion of the bamboo sector.

TOPIC – 5 – U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET)

India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry and U.S. Secretary of Commerce welcomed the recently launched U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).

Why in News?

  • Recently, the National Security Advisors of India and the US led the inaugural meeting of the iCET in Washington, DC.

About the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET):

  • It was launched by the US President and Indian Prime Minister on the sidelines of the Quad summit on May 2022.
  • Goal: To elevate and expand Indo-U.S. strategic technology partnership and defense industrial cooperation between the governments, businesses, and academic institutions of the two countries. 
  • The initiative will be spearheaded by the National Security Council Secretariat in India and the US National Security Council.
  • The initiative would help forge links between the government, academia, and industry in areas such as AI, quantum computing, 5G/6G, biotech, space, and semiconductors.
  • Under iCET, the two sides have identified six focus areas of co-development and co-production: 
    • strengthening innovation ecosystems;
    • defense innovation and technology cooperation;
    • resilient semiconductor supply chains;
    • space;
    • STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) talent;
    • next-generation telecom; 

TOPIC – 6 – Coffee production

Recent research said that coffee production across the world is threatened by synchronous crop failures, characterised by broad, simultaneous yield losses in various countries at the same time.

About Coffee production:

  • The vast majority of the world’s coffee comprises two species — Coffea Arabica (Arabica) and Coffea Canephora (Robusta). Coffee, especially Arabica, is considered a sensitive crop, vulnerable to climate variability and change.
  • Climatic conditions required for coffee production
    • It requires a hot and humid climate for its growth.
    • Temperatures ranging between 15°C and 28 °C
    • Rainfall: 150 to 250 cm.
    • Soil: Well-drained, loamy soil containing a good deal of humus and minerals like iron and calcium are ideal for coffee cultivation.
    • It is generally grown under shady trees.
    • Dry weather is necessary at the time of ripening of the berries.
    • It is grown on hill slopes at elevations from 600 to 1,600 metres above sea level.
  • In India coffee is largely cultivated in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, among which, Karnataka produces the most with over 70% of the total output.
 
TOPIC – 7 – ALH Dhruv helicopters

 

The defence forces have halted the operations of the ALH Dhruv helicopters till the time investigators find the reason behind the accident that took place off the Mumbai coast recently.

About ALH Dhruv helicopters:

  • Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv is a multi-role and multi-mission light utility helicopter in the 5.5-ton weight class, intended for both military and civil operators.
  • It is developed indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
  • The ALH choppers are operated by all three Indian defense forces, including the Army, Navy, and Air Force, along with the Indian Coast Guard.
  • The major variants of Dhruv are classified as Dhruv Mk-I, Mk-II, Mk-III & Mk-IV. 
  • Exported countries: Bolivia, Myanmar, Israel, Maldives, and Nepal.
  • The Mk-IV version of the HAL ALG Dhruv helicopter is the Armed variant for Attack, Close Air Support, and High altitude operations.

Features of Dhruv Mk-IV:

    • It is also called ALH Rudra and can carry a 20 mm Turret Gun, 70 mm Rocket, and Air to Air missiles.
    • It has a twin-engine configuration allowing continued flight virtually throughout the flight envelope. 
    • It has a maximum take-off weight of 5800 kg and a range of 590 km.
    • ALH Mk-IV has a rigid rotor design making it aggressively maneuverable in air.
    • It has a dedicated Electronic Warfare suite for self-protection.
    • Its countermeasures suite can include: radar and missile detectors, infrared jammer, chaff and flare dispensers.
 
TOPIC – 8 – Cyclone Freddy
 

World Meteorological Organisation recently announced the constitution of an expert committee to evaluate the intensity and lifespan of Cyclone Freddy, which is on track to set a record as the longest-lasting tropical cyclone on record.

About Cyclone Freddy:

  • Origin: It originated off the northern coast of Australia and became a named storm on February 6, 2022.
  • It crossed the entire South Indian Oceanand traveled more than 8,000 kilometers, affecting Mauritius and La Réunion, before making landfalls in Madagascar two weeks later and then Mozambique.
  • Freddy was the first tropical cyclone in the Southern Hemisphere to undergo six separate rounds of rapid intensification.
  • It also holds the record for all-time accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) (storm strength during its lifetime) for the Southern Hemisphere.
  • Freddy is fuelled by the energy provided by the warm ocean surface, consistently sourcing heat and moisture throughout its lifetime. 

What is a Tropical Cyclone?

  • It is a rapidly rotating storm originating over warm tropical oceans from where it draws the energy to develop. 
  • It has a low-pressure center and clouds spiraling towards the eyewall surrounding the “eye”, the central part of the system where the weather is normally calm and free of clouds. 
  • Its diameter is typically around 200 to 500 km but can reach 1000 km.
  • The winds blow counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphereand clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • A tropical cyclone brings very violent winds, torrential rain, high waves, and, in some cases, very destructive storm surges and coastal flooding.

TOPIC – 9 – National Startup Advisory Council (NSAC) 

The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry will chair the sixth meeting of the National Startup Advisory Council (NSAC) in New Delhi today, March 11.

About National Startup Advisory Council:

  • It was constituted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
  • Objective: To advise the Government on measures needed to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation and startups in the country to drive sustainable economic growth and generate large-scale employment opportunities.
  • Composition of the council
    • Chairman:Minister for Commerce & Industry.
    • Ex-officio Members:Nominees of the concerned Ministries/Departments/Organisations not below the rank of Joint Secretary.
    • Besides the ex-officio members, the council has non-official members, representing various stakeholders such as founders of successful startups, veterans who have grown and scaled companies in India
  • NSAC is playing an important role in identifying areas of intervention for the expansion of the startup ecosystem and ideating and nurturing national programs under the Startup India initiative. 

What is the Startup India initiative?

  • Startup India is a flagship initiative of the Government of India, intended to catalyse startup culture and build a strong and inclusive ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship in India. 
  • It was launched in 2016.

TOPIC – 10 – Propylene Glycol

Recently, the Drugs Controller General of India directed drug manufacturers to stop using propylene glycol sourced from the Delhi-based firm that supplied the ingredient to Marion Biotech, whose cough syrups were linked to the deaths of 19 children in Uzbekistan.

About Propylene Glycol:

  • Propylene glycol is a synthetic food additive that belongs to the same chemical group as alcohol.

Characteristics of Propylene Glycol

    • Propylene glycol is a synthetic liquid substance that absorbs water.
    • It is a clear, colourless, slightly syrupy liquid at room temperature.
    • It may exist in air in the vapour form, although propylene glycol must be heated or briskly shaken to produce a vapour.
    • It is practically odorless and tasteless.

What are the uses of Propylene Glycol?

  • Propylene glycol is used to make polyester compounds and as a base for deicing solutions.
  • Propylene glycol is used by the chemical, food, and pharmaceutical industries as an antifreeze when leakage might lead to contact with food.
  • It is used to absorb extra water and maintain moisture in certain medicines, cosmetics, or food products.
  • It is a solvent for food colors and flavours and in the paint and plastics industries.
  • Propylene glycol is also used to create artificial smoke or fog used in fire-fighting training and theatrical productions.

TOPIC – 11 – IBSA and Digital Governance Reform

Why in News?

According to the Geneva-based DiploFoundation, India, Brazil, and South Africa, which have together formed the tripartite IBSA Forum, may play a prominent role in the process of reforming digital governance.

What is IBSA?

  • About:
    • The IBSA is a trilateral, developmental initiative between India, Brazil and South Africa to promote South-South cooperation and exchange.
  • Formation:
    • The grouping was formalised and named the IBSA Dialogue Forum when the Foreign Ministers of the three countries met in Brasilia (Brazil) on 6th June 2003 and issued the Brasilia Declaration.
  • Collaboration:
    • Joint Naval Exercise:
      • IBSAMAR (IBSA Maritime Exercise) is an important part of IBSA trilateral defence cooperation.
    • IBSA Fund:
      • Established in 2004, IBSA Fund (India, Brazil and South Africa Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation) is a unique Fund through which development projects are executed with IBSA funding in fellow developing countries.
      • The fund is managed by the United Nations (UN) Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC).

How can IBSA Contribute to Global Digital Governance?

  • Potential of IBSA:
    • Digital inclusion:
      • Digitalisation is driving growth in the IBSA economies.
      • The three countries have spearheaded digital inclusion by prioritising affordable access to citizens, supporting training for digital skills, and creating a legal framework for the growth of small digital enterprises. India leads the way, with a vibrant digital economy.
    • Data Governance:
      • India’s G-20 presidency aims to take strategic leadership with practical initiatives, such as a self-evaluation of nations’ data governance architecture, modernisation of national data systems to regularly incorporate citizen voices and preferences, and transparency principles for governing data.
      • With a big population, IBSA countries also see data as a national resource.
  • Issues:
    • Geopolitical Rivalry:
      • Satellite collisions, cyber-resilience and security of space services, exploration of space resources has increased competition between countries with a potential of weaponization of outer space.
        • Also, semiconductors are at the centre of the geopolitical battle between the US and China.
    • Sovereignty vs Integration:
      • The Foundation observes that many countries will have to balance data sovereignty and integration in the global economy.
      • Free flow of data will be essential for small and export-oriented economies.

What is India’s Progress in Digital Governance?

  • Aadhar: India’s Aadhaar biometric ID system is seen by many as a leading digital identity initiative, inspiring similar systems in other countries.
  • MyGov Platform: It has laid the robust foundation for citizen engagement and participatory governance in the country by providing a common digital platform, where citizens can share their views on government programmes and schemes.
  • Unified Payments Interface (UPI): Launched in 2016, UPI is a real-time payment system that enables instant money transfers between bank accounts using a mobile device.
    • UPI has transformed the way payments are made in India, making it faster, more convenient, and more secure. UPI’s success has inspired other countries to tie up with India and adopt similar payment systems.
  • Digital India Act: Government of India has proposed to come up with Digital India Act 2023 that envisages to act as catalysts for Indian economy by enabling more innovation, more startups, and at the same time protecting the citizens of India in terms of safety, trust, and accountability.

Way Forward

  • Collaborate with Other Countries & Organizations: IBSA countries should work together and with other nations and international organizations to develop global standards for digital governance, data protection, and cybersecurity.
  • Develop a Common Strategy: IBSA countries should develop a common strategy on digital governance and work towards a shared vision of a global digital economy that prioritizes digital inclusion, data privacy, and security.
    • This strategy should be based on their shared values and principles, such as respect for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.

TOPIC – 12 – India and Australia sign audio-visual co-production agreement

India and Australia have signed an audio-visual co-production agreement.

About

  • Under the agreement, private, quasi-government or governmental agencies of the two countries enter into contracts to produce films together.
  • The agreement seeks to offer filmmakers financial incentives amounting to up to 30 per cent of the expenditure incurred in the respective countries.
  • Producers’ contributions: The respective contributions of the producers of the two countries may vary from 20% to 80% of the final total cost of co-produced work.
  • The government has so far entered into 15 such agreements with various countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Canada.

Film Facilitation Office (FFO)

  • The government established a Film Facilitation Office (FFO) to ease the process of film shooting in India. 
  • The FFO acts as a single-window platform for coordination with various states as well as bodies such as the Indian Railways and the Archaeological Survey of India among others

TOPIC – 13 – Saffron Farmers Fight Climate Change with Indoor Farming

To tackle the impacts of climate change and increase saffron production, farmers in Kashmir have resorted to a new technique: indoor farming.

About

  • Saffron (Crocus sativus L.), commonly known as red gold, is one of the most expensive and valuable spice crops in the world market.
  • Crocus sativus, commonly known as saffron crocus or autumn crocus, is a species of flowering plant in the iris family Iridaceae. 
  • Cultivation: Saffron cultivation is simple and easy. Its harvest cycle is also 3 – 4 months, and it can reach a height of 15-20 cm.
  • Major Saffron Production states: Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh 
  • Ideal Conditions: fertile soil, good climate, a long photoperiod and a dry, moist soil.
  • Soil type required: loamy, sandy, calcareous, gravelly soil 
  • Water requirement: Less

TOPIC – 14 – Severe scrub typhus

A team of Indian scientists has identified a significantly more effective treatment for severe scrub typhus.

Effective treatment: 

Combination of intravenous antibiotics doxycycline and azithromycin is more effective than the current monotherapy of using either drug alone.

About Scrub typhus

  • Scrub typhus is a life-threatening bacterial infection that kills thousands of people every year.
  • Also known as bush typhus, it is a disease caused by a bacteria called Orientia tsutsugamushi. 
  • Scrub typhus is spread to people through bites of infected chiggers (larval mites). 
  • The most common symptoms of scrub typhus include fever, headache, body aches, and sometimes rash.

TOPIC – 15 – STEM courses in India

Prime Minister Modi said the enrolment of girls in STEM in India is at 43%, more than countries like America, the U.K. and Germany. 

About STEM

  • STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
  • STEM is an educational program developed to prepare primary and secondary students for college, graduate study and careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, celebrated on 11 February, is implemented by UNESCO and UN-Women.

TOPIC – 16 – H3N2 influenza A virus

Context

The H3N2 virus has recently been gaining traction as the number of people contracting the seasonal flu-like virus has increased in India.

What is H3N2 Virus?

  • Influenza is a viral disease. It is caused by Orthomyxovirus (influenza virus) pathogen. 
  • The four types of influenza viruses that cause the contagious illness known as the flu are A, B, C, and D.
  • H3N2 is a subtype of virus in the classification ‘A’.
  • The virus causes respiratory infection and can infect birds and mammals.
  • According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), H3N2 caused the 1968 flu pandemic that led to the death of around one million people globally. 
  • Symptoms: Cough, runny or congested nose, sore throat, headache, body aches and pains, fever, chills, fatigue, diarrhoea, vomiting
  • Vaccine:  flu vaccine reduces the risk of flu illness in the general population by between 40 and 60 per cent 
  • Prevention:  Washing hands before eating or touching your face, nose or mouth, carrying pocket sanitiser, and avoiding people already infected with the virus or any other seasonal flu are some of the steps to prevent infectious disease. 
TOPIC – 17 – Women’s Reservation Bill
Why in news?

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader began a day-long hunger strike in New Delhi, demanding passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill (WRB).

What is the Women’s Reservation Bill (WRB)?

  • The Constitution 108th Amendment Bill, 2008 seeks to reserve one-third (33%) of all seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies. 
  • Reserved seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in the state or union territory.
  • Reservation of seats for women shall cease to exist 15 years after the commencement of this Amendment Act.

What is the timeline of the bill?

  • 1996 – The WRB was 1st introduced in 1996, and was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee, however, the Bill lapsed with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha and had to be reintroduced.
  • 1998 – The Bill was reintroduced and yet again, it failed to get support and lapsed.
  • 1999 – The Bill was reintroduced by the NDA government in the 13th Lok Sabha and was subsequently introduced twice in the year 2003.
  • 2004 – The UPA government included it in its Common Minimum Programme and finally tabled it, this time in Rajya Sabha to prevent it from lapsing again, in 2008.
  • Few recommendations made by the 1996 Geeta Mukherjee Committee were included in this version of the Bill.
  • 2010 – The Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha and lapsed in the Lok Sabha, since then the demand for reservation for women in legislative bodies is not new.

WRB is seen as a logical extension of the 72nd and 73rd constitutional amendments (1992, 1993), which reserved one third of all seats and chairperson posts for women in rural and urban local governments.

Why did the parliament fail to pass the WRB?

  • Heated debates & sexist taunts – The WRB has seen some of the heated debates and a fair share of sexism.
  • Quota within quota – The 1996 committee recommended reservation for OBC women within the 1/3rd reservation for women of the Bill, however, this demand has never been incorporated.
  • This has led to opponents saying that the WRB will not benefit their women.
  • Lack of political ability – Only Odisha’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and West Bengal’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) have reserved seats for women for election candidatures.
  • Diverts attention – Opponents contend WRB diverts attention from the larger issues of electoral reform such as criminalisation of politics and inner party democracy.

What is the status of Women Reservation in India?

  • Gujarat – It elected just 8% of women legislators in its 182-member assembly.
  • Himachal Pradesh – Where every second voter is a female, has elected 67 men and only 1 woman.
  • National average – The national average of women in all state assemblies remains around 8%.
  • Rankings – India ranks 144 out of 193 countries in the representation of women in parliament according to Inter-Parliamentary Union’s report.
  • Among our immediate neighbours, India falls behind Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal.

Why is WRB important?

  • Women have historically suffered due to systemic inequality and barriers.
  • Caste groups – Any scheme of women’s reservation must be within the constitutional tenets and must also account for its representation across caste groups.
  • Gender quota – Without a gender quota, women’s representation will continue to remain marginal causing a massive deficit in our democracy.
  • Panchayats – Some recent studies on panchayats have shown the positive effect of reservation on empowerment of women and on allocation of resources.
  • Vote share – Though women’s vote share has increased the number of women in positions of power has not increased.

What is the way forward?

  • With its massive women population, India has a huge reservoir of potential which, if unleashed, will take the country much ahead.
  • Women’s reservation will jump-start the democratic process, allowing significant majority to have a say in how their lives must be governed.
TOPIC – 18 – Water Trade
Why in news?

India’s per capita water availability has touched the water-stressed benchmark, and is likely to reach the water-scarce scenario by 2050.

What is the issue?

  • India’s water resources are under tremendous pressure.
  • India receives more than 80% of the rainfall during 4 months of the year.
  • Unequal spatial distribution – The Barak and Brahmaputra basins have a per capita water availability that is more than that of the Ganga basin.

What is the water credit system about?

  • Water credits – It deals with the transaction between water deficit and water surplus entities within a basin and represents a fixed quantum of water that is conserved or generated.
  • Carbon credits – It is almost a mirror image of the concept of carbon credits.
  • However, unlike carbon credits, the water credit system is confined to hydrological boundaries, that is, river basin or watershed.
  • Multiplayer approach – Industries can buy water credits from water-rich municipalities, who are fund crunched to finance large-scale floodwater harvesting, & wastewater treatment projects, aiding in conserving water.

What is importance of water credit system?

  • Australia – India should learn from global water trading successes like that of Australia, to lay a roadmap for water trading and also ensure water regulation by setting up related authorities.

The Murray-Darling basin in Australia is a great example of how water credit system works successfully.

  • Chicago Mercantile Exchange – Participation in water credit system is seen from actual users such as farmers and municipalities and financial investors.
  • Improved water quality – With the effective implementation and stringent regulatory standards, water trading also paves way for water quality standards.
  • Recycling – It promotes growth in the recycle and reuse markets through the utilisation of heavy metals organics released in the water from both the industrial and agricultural sectors.
  • Strengthen economic ties – The credit system can be used to highlight the water quality merits and strengthen economic relations both at a global as well as regional level.
  • Reduce government’s burden – The system can reduce the burden of the government that releases funds towards mitigation as well as post-disaster events such as floods and droughts.
  • Insurance – The markets can even insure irrigated and rain dependent agriculture against droughts by locking in water prices.

What are the limitations of the system?

  • Rich institutions dominating – An innate flaw of this water credit system is that the market is dominated by a small number of rich institutions or sellers.
  • Hence, rich sellers can control the market by buying credits from the poor, and continue to misuse the shared water resources.
  • Lack of awareness – The market competition among sellers is further reduced due to the lack of awareness about the water credit concept.

What is the way forward?

  • There has been no strong dialogue on the implementation of a water credit system, so far.
  • India needs to aggressively alter and adopt practices to expand finance opportunities within the water sector.
  • It is anticipated that India could face opposition if water is made a tradable commodity.
  • In such a case, a regulatory body must be in place to facilitate and successfully maintain free market conditions.
DAILY EDITORIAL BITS
 
EDITORIAL -1 – State Visit of Prime Minister of Australia to India

 

Why in news?

  • The Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, paid a State Visit to India.
    • ​This was Albanese’s first visit to India in his current role.
  • During the visit, PM Modi and PM Albanese held the Annual Summit to discuss areas of cooperation under the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
    • The Strategic Partnership between the two countries was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in June 2020

What’s in today’s article?

  • News Summary: State Visit of Prime Minister of Australia to India

News Summary: State Visit of Prime Minister of Australia to India

  • During this visit, PM Albanese and PM Modi participated in the 1st India-Australia Annual Summit.
  • This was the first Annual Summit between India and Australia at the level of the Leaders.
    • The summit mechanism itself was established as an outcome of the 2nd Virtual Summit that was held in March 2022.

List of Outcomes: State Visit of Prime Minister of Australia to India

  • Joint Statement of First India-Australia Annual Summit was released
  • Audio-visual Co-production Agreement between the two countries were signed.
  • MoU on Cooperation in Sports was signed.
  • The two sides agreed on the establishment of two task forces one on solar (solar task force) and second on Green Hydrogen.
  • Letter of Intent was signed between the India’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation for Furthering Cooperation in Innovation.

Other highlights of this visit

  • Cricket Diplomacy
    • PM Modi and PM Albanese went to the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad, where India and Australia were playing the fourth test match of the Border-Gavaskar series.
  • Business Delegation
    • The Australian prime minister brought with him a huge delegation of business leaders.
    • This assumes significance as the business relations between the two countries have not taken off fully.
      • Australian businesses have mainly concentrated on China, which buys about a third of Australia’s exports.
      • Despite concerns about China, Australia’s economy is closely tied to that country.
      • Australia is now trying to wean its economy away from China.
  • First foreign leader to visit INS Vikrant
    • During the current visit, PM Albanese became the first foreign leader to visit INS Vikrant, India’s locally built aircraft carrier.
    • While visiting INS Vikrant, Albanese said: For Australia, India is a top security partner.
  • Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA)
    • India and Australia discussed the finalisation of a CECA.
    • CECA is aimed at upgrading an interim trade deal finalised last year in the form of Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA).
      • The entry into force of ECTA (entered into force December 2022) eliminated tariffs on more than 85% of Australian exports to India.
    • The two also decided to move ahead with negotiations on a migration and mobility pact to benefit students and professionals.
      • India and Australia recently finalised a mechanism for recognising each other’s educational qualifications.
      • In this context, the mobility agreement will benefit students, workers and professionals.
  • India was invited to join the Talisman Sabre exercises
    • Australia invited India to join the Talisman Sabre exercises later this year, a major operation for the Australian Defence Force.
  • General Rawat Australia-India Young Defence Officers’ Exchange Programme
    • As part of General Rawat Australia-India Young Defence Officers’ Exchange Programme, a 15-member Australian contingent, visited the Agra-based Military establishment.
      • This programme was instituted in honour of India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat.

Why there is growing synergy between India and Australia?

  • China Factor
    • Ties between Australia and China were strained after Canberra in 2018 banned Chinese telecom firm Huawei from the 5G network.
    • Later, it called for an inquiry into the origins of Covid-19, and slammed China’s human rights record in Xinjiang.
    • China responded by imposing trade barriers on Australian exports, and by cutting off all ministerial contact.
    • On the other hand, India has been facing an aggressive Chinese military along the border.
  • Centrality of Indian Ocean for both the countries
    • The Indian Ocean is central for the security and prosperity of both the countries.
    • Both the countries depend on free and open access to sea lanes in the Indo-Pacific for trade and economic well-being.
  • Economic imperative
    • Australia is looking to diversify its economic relation which is heavily dependent on China.
      • India, being a fast-growing economy with a large market, is an attractive destination for Australia.
    • India, on the other hand, wants to increase economic cooperation in the form of bilateral free trade agreements with countries across India-Pacific.
      • This is because, India has not joined join the RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership).
      • It wants to compensate the loss of not joining the RCEP with signing multiple bilateral FTAs with countries in the region.

EDITORIAL -2 – Landslide Atlas of India

Why in News?

  • The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently released the Landslide Atlas of India, a detailed guide identifying landslide hotspots in the country.

What’s in today’s article?

  • About Landslide (Definition, Causes, Classification, India’s Scenario, etc.)
  • Landslide Atlas of India (Purpose, Highlights, etc.)

What is a Landslide and what Causes one?

  • A landslide is defined as the movement of a mass of rock, debris, or earth down a slope.
  • Landslides are a type of “mass wasting,” which denotes any down-slope movement of soil and rock under the direct influence of gravity.
  • Landslides occur mainly in mountainous terrains where there are conducive conditions of soil, rock, geology and slope.
  • Natural Causes that trigger it include heavy rainfall, earthquakes, snow melting and undercutting of slopes due to flooding.
  • Landslides can also be caused by Anthropogenic Activities such as excavation, cutting of hills and trees, excessive infrastructure development, and overgrazing by cattle.
  • In India, rainfall-induced landslide events are more common.

How are Landslides Classified and Mapped?

  • Landslides are broadly classified based on the –

How Prone is India to Landslides?

  • India is considered among the top five landslide-prone countries in the world.
  • In India, at least one death per 100 sq. km is reported in a year due to a landslide event.
  • Rainfall variability pattern is the single biggest cause for landslides in the country, with the Himalayas and the Western Ghats remaining highly vulnerable.
  • Excluding snow covered areas, approximately 12.6 per cent of the country’s geographical land area (0.42 million sq. km) is prone to landslides.
    • As many as 66.5 per cent of the landslides are reported from the North-western Himalayas,
    • About 18.8 per cent from the North-eastern Himalayas, and
    • About 14.7 per cent from the Western Ghats.

About Landslide Atlas of India:

  • The Landslide Atlas of India is prepared by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC).
  • NRSC is one of the primary centres of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Department of Space (DOS).
  • NRSC has created a pan-India database of ~80,000 landslides those occurred during last two decades using satellite data.
  • This database contains both seasonal landslides and event-based landslides.
  • It is a rich collection of landslide inventory which will help user departments in prioritisation of developmental activities in tectonically and ecologically sensitive mountainous areas in India.

What does the Landslide Atlas Suggest?

  • Uttarakhand, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh reported the highest number of landslides during 1998 – 2022.
  • Mizoram topped the list, recording 12,385 landslide events in the past 25 years, of which 8,926 were recorded in 2017 alone.
  • Likewise, 2,071 events of the total 2,132 landslides reported in Nagaland during this period occurred during the 2017 monsoon season.
  • Manipur, too, showed a similar trend, wherein 4,559 out of 5,494 landslide events were experienced during the rainy season of 2017.
  • Of the total 690, Tamil Nadu suffered 603 landslide events in 2018 alone.
  • Among all these states, an alarming situation is emerging from Uttarakhand and Kerala.
    • Uttarakhand –
      • Uttarakhand’s fragility was recently exposed during the land subsidence events reported from Joshimath since January.
      • The state has experienced the second highest number (11,219) of landslides since 1998.
    • Kerala –
      • Kerala has been consistently reporting massive landslides since it suffered the century’s worst floods in 2018.
      • The year-wise landslide events here are 2018 (5,191), 2019 (756), 2020 (9) and 2021 (29).
  • Most Vulnerable District?
    • From the events and images obtained, the NRSC ranked Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand at the top of 147 vulnerable districts.
    • It has the highest landslide density in the country, along with having the highest exposure to total population and number of houses.

EDITORIAL -3 – H3N2 virus: Influenza virus kills 2, Centre issues advisory

Why in News?

  • India has recorded 2 deaths, one each in Karnataka and Haryana, due to the Influenza A subtype H3N2 virus.

 What’s in Today’s Article?

  • What is the H3N2 Virus?
  • What are the Symptoms/Cure/Preparedness of H3N2?

 What is the H3N2 Virus?

  • Influenza viruses, which cause the infectious disease known as flu, are of four different types: A, B, C and D.
  • Influenza A is further classified into different subtypes and one of them is the H3N2.
  • According to the USA’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), H3N2 caused the 1968 flu pandemic that led to the death of around one million people globally.
  • The strains of the virus have dramatically evolved in the past five decades as people born in the late 1960s and 1970s got infected by it as children.

 What are the Symptoms/Cure/Preparedness of H3N2?

  • Its symptoms are similar to that of any other flu (cough, fever, body ache and headache, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose and extreme fatigue).
  • According to the Indian Medical Association (IMA), an infection caused by H3N2 generally lasts for 5-7 days and usually preys on individuals below the age of 15 years or above 50 years of age.
  • Self-hygiene is the best way to thwart the spread of H3N2.
  • Oseltamivir, a drug used to treat H1N1, has been recommended by the World Health Organization for the treatment of H3N2 cases as well.
    • The Indian government has made the drug available through the public health system free of cost.
  • The Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme of the National Centre for Disease Control of India is undertaking a real-time surveillance of cases of influenza-like/severe acute respiratory infections present in health facilities.

 

EDITORIAL -4 – Saudi Arabia and Iran Agree to Restore Ties

Why in news?

  • Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations and reopen embassies after seven years of tensions.
  • This major diplomatic breakthrough was negotiated after the talk between Iran and Saudi Arabia which was hosted by China.

What’s in today’s article?

  • Iran – Saudi Arabia Rivalry
  • News Summary

Why Saudi Arabia and Iran are bitter rivals?

  • Struggle for regional dominance
    • Saudi Arabia and Iran – two powerful neighbours – are locked in a fierce struggle for regional dominance.
    • Historically Saudi Arabia, a monarchy and home to the birthplace of Islam, saw itself as the leader of the Muslim world.
    • However, this was challenged in 1979 by the Islamic revolution in Iran.
      • The revolution created a new type of state in the region – a kind of revolutionary theocracy – that had an explicit goal of exporting this model beyond its own borders.
  • Religious differences
    • The decades-old feud between them is exacerbated by religious differences.
    • They each follow one of the two main branches of Islam – Iran is largely Shia Muslim, while Saudi Arabia sees itself as the leading Sunni Muslim power.
  • Series of events further increased tension
    • 2011 – Arab Spring
      • The Arab Spring saw protest movements against the status quo across the Middle East.
      • Saudi Arabia accused Iran of inciting protests in Bahrain against the royal family.
    • 2011 – Syrian war
      • Shia-ruled Iran backed President Bashar al-Assad and provided him with military forces and money to battle Sunni rebels.
      • Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia backed the rebel groups.
    • 2015 – War in Yemen
      • When the civil war in Yemen began in 2015, Saudi Arabia backed its internationally recognised government and targeted Houthi rebel strongholds. The Houthis are aligned with Iran.
    • 2015 – Mecca stampede
      • A stampede in Mecca during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in 2015 further inflamed tensions.
      • Iran accused the Saudi government of mismanaging the most important event in the Muslim calendar.
    • 2016 – Saudi Arabia cuts ties
      • After the stampede in Mecca, Saudi Arabia executed prominent Shia leader Nimr al-Nimr, a critic of the Saudi government.
      • Protesters in Tehran stormed the Saudi embassy. Riyadh then cut ties with Tehran.
    • 2017 – Qatar blockade
      • Another regional rupture took place in June 2017 when Saudi Arabia and its allies (United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt) imposed a blockade on Qatar.
      • They said Qatar was too close to Iran and supported “terrorism”.
    • 2019 – Attacks on Saudi targets
      • Saudi Arabia blamed Iran for a series of attacks on targets in the kingdom, including one that struck the heart of the country’s oil industry, temporarily halving the kingdom’s crude production.
    • 2020 – Qassem Soleimani killed
      • When the Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad, official Saudi media celebrated the attack.

News Summary: Saudi Arabia and Iran Agree to Restore Ties

  • Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to resume diplomatic ties that have been severed for years, following Beijing-hosted talks.

What are the key highlights of the agreement?

  • The two countries agreed on a meeting between their top diplomats to implement the restoration of ties and organize the logistics of exchanging ambassadors.
    • The two countries plan to reopen their respective embassies in Tehran and Riyadh within two months.
  • Both the countries also agreed to activate a 2001 security cooperation agreement, as well as a general economy, trade and investment agreement signed in 1998.
  • They also confirmed their “respect for the sovereignty of states and non-interference in their internal affairs.

What is the significance of this agreement?

  • Peace and stability in the middle east
    • Iran and Saudi Arabia had been engaged in many proxy wars in the region.
    • Against this backdrop, the recent agreement would help end the war in Yemen and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region.
  • Highlights Beijing’s growing role
    • China hosted the talks that led to the breakthrough, highlighting Beijing’s growing role as a global economic and political power, and counterbalance to Washington — particularly in the Middle East.
      • So far, middle east had been a region that was long shaped by the military and diplomatic involvement of the United States.
  • For the United States
    • For the United States, the agreement signals that it cannot take for granted the pre-eminent influence it once wielded in Saudi Arabia.
  • For India
    • So far, India had maintained a good relationship with both the countries.
    • However, due to the rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia, India had to walk on a diplomatic tight rope.
      • Tension between the two major countries in the region often endangered India’s interests.
    • Hence, this agreement would provide much needed space for India to manoeuvre.

EDITORIAL -5 – Belated but Essential

In a gazette notification, the Finance Ministry said the anti-money laundering legislation has been applied to crypto trading, safekeeping and related financial services.

  • After this, Indian crypto exchanges will have to report suspicious activity to the Financial Intelligence Unit India (FIU-IND).

Issues with crypto currencies

  • Criminal misuse: FATF has been continuously flagging the potential that virtual digital assets have for criminal misuse considering the speed and anonymity. 
  • Absence of a regulatory framework: Few countries have moved to regulate virtual assets, while a majority have not taken any action. It has created a global system with loopholes for criminals and terrorists to abuse.
  • Money laundering: ED was ‘investigating several cases related to cryptocurrency frauds wherein a few crypto exchanges had been found involved in money laundering’.

Steps taken in India

  • Application of PLMA: The Government placed all transactions involving virtual digital assets under the purview of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). 
  • Introduction of a tax regime: Government has introduced the tax regime for the virtual digital assets in previous year’s Budget. 
  • Draft legislation: Government has formulated the draft legislation seeks to prohibit mining, holding, selling, trade, issuance, disposal or use of cryptocurrency in the country.