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Current Affairs – 27 Feb 2024

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Current Affairs – 27 Feb 2024

Know Your Customer (KYC)

The government of India has formed an expert committee headed by Finance Secretary T V Somanathan to make its recommendations to bring out uniform Know Your Customer (KYC) norms.

About the Know Your Customer:

  • It is a comprehensive process that financial and non-financial institutions follow to verify the authenticity and identity of their customers.
  • The KYC process is mandatory for every customer before investing in any instruments or starting a bank account. 
  • In India at present, separate KYCs are needed for different financial products such as opening a bank account, investing in mutual funds, buying a life cover or investing in retirement-savings funds.
  • Multiple KYCs, regular updates and even the exact specifications often prove to be a deterrent for new investors.
  • To eliminate the need to do repeated KYC for investing across financial assets, the central government launched the Central KYC Records Registry.
  • What is the Central KYC Records Registry?
    • It was launched by the central government of India in 2016.
    • It has been limited only to the capital markets.
    • In fact, while dealing in securities markets, once KYC is done through a Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) registered intermediary such as a broker, depository participant or mutual fund, customers do not have to undergo the same process again for fresh investments.
    • The government authorised the Central Registry of Securitisation Asset Reconstruction and Security Interest of India (CERSAI) to perform the functions of the CKYCR.
    • This centralised registry receives, stores, safeguards and retrieves the KYC records of a customer in a digitally secure electronic format.
    • Customers have to submit their KYC details only once with any of the reporting entities of the Reserve Bank of India, Sebi, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority at the time of opening an account.
    • Once the information is registered, customers will receive a 14-digit KYC Identification Number that can be used at any financial institution registered with CERSAI.
    • Financial institutions can access the CKYCR database to retrieve the KYC records of customers while onboarding them.
    • In case of any changes in the details of a customer, the reporting entity will initiate a centralised KYC (CKYC) update after taking the latest KYC record of the customer.

Aegis Graham Bell Awards

Recently, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), the premier Telecom R&D centre of the Government of India, strikes a hat-trick by securing top position in three awards at 14th Annual Aegis Graham Bell Awards.

About Aegis Graham Bell Awards:

  • It was initiated in 2010 by the Aegis School of Data Science.
  • It is a tribute to the father of telephony and great innovator, Alexander Graham Bell.
  • The Aegis School of Business, Data Science and Cyber Security has initiated this award to promote innovations and recognise the outstanding contributions by innovators in various fields including education, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data science.
  • This award in India is supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Skill India and the National Informatics Centre.
  • Following are the projects of C-DOT which received this award:
    • ASTR Project: ASTR (AI & Facial Recognition-powered Solution for Telecom SIM Subscriber Verification) is a game-changer in the fight against cybercrimes.
    • Designed to analyse, identify, and eliminate fake/forged mobile connections, it’s a crucial step towards ensuring a secure telecom environment.
    • CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register) solution: CEIR helps revolutionise mobile security by detecting clone IMEIs, restricting the import of counterfeit mobile devices and also enabling the blocking and tracing of lost or stolen phones.
    • Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) product: India employs quantum mechanics to create an unbreakable cryptographic protocol even with Quantum computers.

INDRA RV25: 240N

Hyderabad-based Raghu Vamsi Machine Tools Private Limited recently launched its fully indigenous Micro Turbojet Engine “INDRA RV25: 240N”.

About the INDRA RV25: 240N

  • It is a micro turbojet engine.
  • It is designed and developed indigenously by Hyderabad-based firm Raghu Vamsi Machine Tools with support from IIT Hyderabad.
  • It has primarily been developed for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones.
  • The engine has applications in UAVs, air taxis, jetpacks, auxiliary power units, range extenders, and power generation in the future.

What is a turbojet engine?

  • A turbojet engine is a jet engine which produces all of its thrust by ejecting a high-energy gas stream from the engine exhaust nozzle.
  • In contrast to a turbofan or bypass engine, 100% of the air entering the intake of a turbojet engine goes through the engine core.
  • Components: The component parts of a turbojet engine are the inlet, the gas turbine engine, consisting of a compressor, a combustion chamber and a turbine, and the exhaust nozzle.
  • Working:
    • Air is drawn into the engine through the inlet and compressed and heated by the compressor. 
    • Fuel is then added to the combustion chamber and ignited. 
    • The burning fuel adds energy to the exhaust stream by heating and expanding the air. 
    • Sufficient energy to drive the compressor is extracted from the exhaust stream by the turbine.
    • The remainder of the exhaust energy is used to produce thrust, a process which is enhanced by the geometry of the exhaust nozzle.
    • As the exhaust gas passes through the nozzle, it is accelerated to high speed as it expands, thus providing propulsion.
    • The thrust produced by the engine can be selectively increased by incorporating an afterburner or re-heat into the engine design.
    • Turbojet aircraft work on the principle of accelerating a relatively small mass of air to a high speed.
    • As optimum efficiency is achieved when the speed of the accelerated air approximates that of the aircraft, turbojet engines do not reach peak efficiency until speeds approach Mach 2.
    • Thus, turbojets have relatively poor propulsive efficiency at lower airspeeds, limiting their usefulness to high-speed aircraft.

Flue-Cured Tobacco

The government of India permits the sale of Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) Tobacco on Tobacco Boards auction platform and waives off penalty on the sale of excess production of registered growers and unauthorised production of unregistered growers in Karnataka.

About the Flue-Cured Tobacco:

  • Curing is a process by which the harvested tobacco leaf is made ready for the market.
  • It is a well-standardised process especially in FCV tobacco to achieve the desirable qualities in the cured leaf along with the removal of moisture.
  • There are three types of tobacco curing methods traditionally used: Air-Cured, Fire-Cured, and Flue-Cured.
  • Each of the different curing methods results in a tobacco product that is distinguishable by both its nicotine content and its aroma.
  • Why is Tobacco cured?
    • To create smoking tobacco, the tobacco leaves need to be cured, or dried out.
    • The wet, green tobacco leaves of a tobacco plant initially contain too much moisture to catch fire.
    • They also have higher chlorophyll content. By releasing a certain amount of chlorophyll from the leaves during the drying-out process, the natural tannins come out giving the smoked tobacco its flavour and scent.
  • Key characteristics of Flue-Cured Tobacco:
    • Produces primarily cigarette tobacco
    • Contains a high sugar content
    • Contains medium to high levels of nicotine
    • Rich in natural tannins which create its distinct mild and slightly sweet flavour and aroma
  • In India Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) Tobacco is mainly produced in India in 2 states, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Stratospheric Aerosol Intervention (SAI)

A recent study looked at the impact of stratospheric aerosol intervention (SAI) in mitigating global warming effects in West Asia (also known as the Middle East) and North Africa (MENA).

About the Stratospheric Aerosol Intervention (SAI):

  • Stratospheric Aerosol Intervention (SAI), also known as Stratospheric Aerosol Injection, is a geoengineering or climate engineering approach that uses tiny reflective particles or aerosols to reflect sunlight into space in order to cool the planet and reverse or stop global warming.
  • It aims to mimic the cooling effects of volcanic eruptions by injecting Sulphur dioxide (SO2) directly into the stratosphere, where it forms sunlight-reflecting sulphate aerosols. 
    • The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, often cited as the inspiration for this concept, deposited massive amounts of particulate matter and Sulphur dioxide (SO2) into the atmosphere.
    • This aerosol layer was reported to have lowered average temperatures around the world by about 0.5 °C (0.9 °F) over the following few years. 
  • It is believed that as more radiation is scattered in the stratosphere by aerosols, less would be absorbed by the troposphere, the lower level of the atmosphere where weather primarily occurs.
  • The production of such an artificial aerosol layer could be accomplished by shooting Sulphur particles into the stratosphere with cannons or dispersing them from balloons or other aircraft.

Key Facts about Aerosols:

  • They are tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in air or gas.
  • Aerosols can be natural, such as fog or gas from volcanic eruptions, or artificial, such as smoke from burning fossil fuels.
  • Aerosol particles are either emitted directly into the atmosphere (primary aerosols) or produced in the atmosphere from precursor gases (secondary aerosols).
  • Aerosol particles are tiny, but numerous, and often comprise a number of inorganic and organic substances.
  • Particles with a diameter of less than 0.1 micrometre are sometimes referred to as Aitken nuclei.
  • Visible forms of atmospheric aerosol plumes include smoke, smog, haze, and dust.

Garbhini-GA2

Researchers recently developed Garbhini-GA2, an India-specific artificial intelligence model to precisely determine the gestational age of a foetus.

About Garbhini-GA2:

  • It is the first India-specific artificial intelligence (AI) model to precisely determine the age of a foetus in a pregnant woman in the second and third trimesters.
  • It has been designed by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras and the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad.  
  • It is part of an interdisciplinary group for advanced research on birth outcomes – the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) India initiative (GARBH-Ini) programme.
  • It is the first late-trimester GA estimation model to be developed and validated using Indian population data.
  • The Garbhini-GA2 accurately estimates the foetus’ age, reducing error by almost three times.  
  • Accurate ‘Gestational Age’ (GA) is necessary for the appropriate care of pregnant women and for determining precise delivery dates.
  • Once validated in pan-India cohorts, Garbhini-GA2 holds the potential to be widely deployed in clinics across the country, contributing to improved maternal and infant healthcare outcomes and reducing mortality rates.

Key Facts about Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI):

  • It is an autonomous institute of Biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and Technology, with the prime ideology of contributing most of its work beyond discovery and research.
  • It was established in 2009 in Faridabad, Haryana.
  • It integrates multidisciplinary teams from the fields of medicine, science, and technology to harness translational knowledge for clinical research.
  • It also facilitates social Innovation and entrepreneurship in the field of maternal and child healthcare.

Large Language Models (LLMs)

The ability of Generative AI models to “converse” with humans is due to something known as the Large Language Model, or LLM.

About Large Language Models (LLMs):

  • A large language model (LLM) is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) program that can recognize and generate text, among other tasks.
  • LLMs are trained on huge sets of data—hence the name “large.”
  • LLMs are built on machine learning: specifically, a type of neural network called a transformer model.
  • In simpler terms, an LLM is a computer program that has been fed enough examples to be able to recognize and interpret human language or other types of complex data. 
  • Many LLMs are trained on data that has been gathered from the Internet—thousands or millions of gigabytes’ worth of text.
  • However, the quality of the samples impacts how well LLMs will learn natural language, so an LLM’s programmers may use a more curated data set.
  • LLMs use a type of machine learning called deep learning in order to understand how characters, words, and sentences function together.
    • Deep learning involves the probabilistic analysis of unstructured data, which eventually enables the deep learning model to recognize distinctions between pieces of content without human intervention.
  • LLMs are then further trained via tuning: they are fine-tuned or prompt-tuned to the particular task that the programmer wants them to do, such as interpreting questions and generating responses, or translating text from one language to another.
  • What are LLMs used for?
    • LLMs can be trained to do a number of tasks. One of the most well-known uses is their application as generative AI: when given a prompt or asked a question, they can produce text in reply. 
    • The publicly available LLM ChatGPT, for instance, can generate essays, poems, and other textual forms in response to user inputs.

Extrajudicial Divorces

The Kerala High Court will reconsider its 2021 ruling on whether Muslim women lost their right to extrajudicial divorce by a way of Khula after the passage of the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, 1939.

Khula

  • Khula refers to the right of a Muslim woman to unilaterally divorce her husband.
  • This is similar to the right of talaq conferred upon Muslim men under Sharia law.
  • The recognition of khula as a form of divorce stems directly from the Holy Qur’an.

In 1972, the case of K.C. Moyin vs. Nafeesa negated the right of Muslim women to invoke extra-judicial divorce in light of the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, 1939.

Shariat Act

  • The Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, recognizes both judicial and extrajudicial divorce.
  • Section 2 – Recognizes all forms of extrajudicial divorce except faskh.
  • Section 5 – Allows the dissolution of marriage by court in certain circumstances and allows a district judge to dissolve a marriage based on the woman’s plea.

1939 Act

  • The 1939 Act was passed to clarify and consolidate the provisions of the law relating to the dissolution of marriage by Muslim women.
  • The 1939 Act recognised the faskh route of extrajudicial divorce.

Quick Facts
Other forms of extrajudicial divorce available to Muslim women
Illa

  • Illa is when a husband takes an oath not to have sexual intercourse with his wife.
  • After the expiry of 4 months of such abstinence, a marriage is dissolved according to Hanafi law.

Zihar

  • In zihar, the husband swears that his wife is like his mother, which was regarded as an insult in Arab society, and a wife could obtain divorce on this ground.
  • In India, illa and zihar are of no practical importance.

Ithna Ashari

  • Ithna Ashari (predominant within the Shia sect) and Shafi law (Sunni Sect), legal proceedings are necessary for dissolution after 4 months of abstinence.

Lian

  • Lian (mutual imprecation) is when a husband accuses his wife of infidelity, and is liable to punishment for defamation (qadhf) unless he proves his allegation.
  • In case of failure to prove such an allegation, the wife can file a suit for dissolution of marriage.

Talaq-e-Bidat

  • Talaq-e-Bidat (instant triple talaq) having been criminalized now, talaq-e-Ahsan and talaq-e-Hasan are recognized forms of divorce for Muslim men under Indian Law.

Nikah halala also known as tahleel marriage, is a practice in which a woman, after being divorced by triple talaq, marries another man, consummates the marriage, and gets divorced again in order to be able to remarry her former husband.

Talaq-e-Tafwiz

  • This is contract-based divorce and the parties are free to choose the terms of their contract and decide how their marital lives will be regulated.

Mubara’at

  • This is a form of separation by mutual consent.
  • Both Shi’a and Sunni sects deem this form of divorce to be irrevocable.

Faskh

  • This is divorce through a third party or external authority like an arbitrator, mediator, judge or an authority like a qazi.

Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB)

Union Minster of Jal Shakti has inaugurated the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) building at Noida.

  • A memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Chief Ministers of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and National Capital Territory of Delhi in 1994 provides for creation of a board called Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB).

Upper Yamuna refers to the stretch of Yamuna from its origin upto and including the Okhla Barrage at Delhi.

  • UYRB is a sub-ordinate office under the Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
  • Chairman – Union Minister / Minister of State for Water Resources
  • Members – Chief Ministers of basin
  • Secretary – Chairman, UYRB
  • Functions – Regulation and supply of water from all storages and barrages upto and including Okhla barrage.
  • Maintenance of minimum flow in Yamuna from ecological considerations.
  • Monitoring return flows from the waters withdrawn:
    1. By Delhi for domestic use.
    2. By the States of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana for the purpose of silt exclusion.
    3. For Khara hydel station.

Basin States includes Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi.

  • Barrages – Tajewala/Hathnikund; Wazirabad; Okhla.
  • Canal Networks – Western Yamuna Canal; Eastern Yamuna Canal; Agra Canal/Gurgaon Canal.

Yamuna River
  • The Yamuna rises on the slopes of the Bandarpunch massif in the Great Himalayas near Yamnotri (Jamnotri) in western Uttarakhand.
  • Near Prayagraj (Allahabad), the Yamuna joins the Ganges (Ganga) River.
  • The confluence of the two rivers is an especially sacred place to Hindus and is the site of annual festivals as well as the Kumbh Mela.
  • The important tributaries of the Yamuna River are Tons, Chambal, Hindon, Betwa and Ken.
  • Other small tributaries of the Yamuna River include the Giri, Sind, Uttangan, Sengar and the Rind.

 



Current Affairs – 26 Feb 2024

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Current Affairs – 26 Feb 2024

Ribosomes

Using electron microscopy, scientists have recently managed to produce a 3D model of a part of the human cell, the ribosome.

About Ribosomes:

  • Ribosomes are non-membrane-bound cell organelles made of RNA and proteins.
  • They are found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
    • In eukaryotic organisms, ribosomes are found in the cytoplasm, mitochondria, and chloroplast.
    • All prokaryotic ribosomes are found free in the cytoplasm of the cell.
  • Ribosomal structure and function are strikingly similar in all organisms and organelles.
  • They are made of two subunits, the large and the small subunit which comprises ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and proteins.
  • Primary Function:
    • They are complex molecular machines that make proteins from amino acids in a process called protein synthesis, or translation.
    • Every cell needs ribosomes to manufacture proteins.
    • The ribosome reads the messenger RNA (mRNA) sequence and translates that genetic code into a specified string of amino acids, which grow into long chains that fold to form proteins.
    • The newly formed proteins detach themselves from the ribosome site and migrate to other parts of the cell for use.

What is mRNA?

  • mRNA is a type of single-stranded RNA involved in protein synthesis.
  • mRNA is made from a DNA template during the process of transcription.
  • The role of mRNA is to carry protein information from the DNA in a cell’s nucleus to the cell’s cytoplasm(watery interior), where the protein-making machinery reads the mRNA sequence and translates each three-base codon into its corresponding amino acid in a growing protein chain.
  • So, mRNA really is a form of nucleic acid which helps the human genome, which is coded in DNA, to be read by the cellular machinery.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

UNCTAD recently raised an alarm over escalating disruptions in shipping routes for global trade in a new report.

About the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD):

  • It is the UN’s leading institution dealing with trade and development.
  • It is a permanent intergovernmental body established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1964. 
  • Its objective is to assist developing countries, especially the least developed countries, and countries with economies in transition, to integrate beneficially into the global economy.
  • It also seeks to help the international community promote a global partnership for development, increase coherence in global economic policy-making, and assure development gains for all from trade.
  • It provides economic and trade analysis, facilitates consensus-building, and offers technical assistance to help developing countries use trade, investment, finance, and technology for inclusive and sustainable development.
  • Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
  • UNCTAD membership consists of 195 states.
  • Its activities are advisory by nature.
  • Reports published by UNCTAD:
    • Trade and Development Report
    • World Investment Report
    • The Least Developed Countries Report

Loss and Damage Board

Developed countries have delayed nominating members to the Loss and Damage Board, hampering efforts to fully operationalise the fund to developing countries in time.

About Loss and Damage Board:

  • Background:
    • At the 27th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) held in Egypt, Parties reached an agreement on providing loss and damage funding to nations most vulnerable and impacted by the effects of climate change.
    • At COP28, the fund was formally established and a decision text stated that the fund would be governed and supervised by a board, a decision-making body.
  • The board is tasked with setting up a strategic direction for the Fund as well as its governance and operational modalities, policies, frameworks and work programme, including relevant funding decisions.
  • The Board will comprise 26 members, 12 members from developed countries and 14 from developing nations.

What is the Loss and Damage Fund?

  • It is a global financial package to ensure the rescue and rehabilitation of countries facing the cascading effects of climate change.
  • The term refers to the compensation that rich nations, whose industrial growth has resulted in global warming and driven the planet into a climate crisis, must pay to poor nations, whose carbon footprint is low but are facing the brunt of rising sea levels, floods, crippling droughts, and intense cyclones, among others.
  • It is often categorised as economic or non-economic.
    • Economic loss and damage are negative impacts that we can assign a monetary value to.
    • These are things such as the costs of rebuilding infrastructure that has been damaged due to a flood, or the loss of revenue from agricultural crops that were destroyed due to drought.
    • Non-economic loss and damage are negative impacts where it is difficult or infeasible to assign a monetary value.
    • These are things such as trauma from experiencing a tropical cyclone, loss of community due to displacement of people, or loss of biodiversity,” 

‘Sudarshan Setu’ Bridge

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated the ‘Sudarshan Setu’ bridge connecting Beyt Dwarka island to mainland Okha in Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district.

About ‘Sudarshan Setu’ Bridge:

  • It is India’s longest cable-stayed bridge, at 2.32 km, on the Arabian Sea, connecting Beyt Dwarka island to mainland Okha in Gujarat‘s Devbhumi Dwarka district.
  • It boasts a unique design, featuring a footpath adorned with verses from the Bhagavad Gita and images of Lord Krishna on both sides.
  • It also has solar panels installed on the upper portions of the footpath, generating one megawatt of electricity.
  • The 2.32 km bridge, including 900 metres of a central double-span cable-stayed portion and a 2.45 km long approach road, has been constructed at a cost of Rs 979 crore.

Key Facts about Beyt Dwarka:

  • Beyt Island (also called Bet Dwarka or Shankodhar) is a small island off the coast of Dwarka, Gujarat.
  • Located at the mouth of the Gulf of Kutch, the island is enclosed by a few temples, white sand beaches, and coral reefs.
  • History:
    • It is believed to be the home of Lord Krishna when he was the king of Dwarka. 
    • It derives its name from the word ‘bet’, which translates to ‘gift’, and it is believed that Lord Krishna received it from his friend Sudama.
    • Explorations and excavations carried out under the sea have revealed the presence of settlements whose age can be traced back to the era of the Harappan civilisation and that of the Mauryan rule.
    • In the later years, the region was under the administration of the Gaekwad clan of the state of Baroda.
  • Shri Keshavraj Ji Temple:
    • It is a Lord Krishna temple located on the island. It is an important site for Hindu pilgrimage.
    • The temple is 500 years old and was built by Vallabhacharya.

Exercise Dharma Guardian 2024

Recently, India and Japan kicked off a two-week military exercise ‘Dharma Guardian’ in Rajasthan’s Mahajan field firing range to foster deeper cooperation in confronting common security challenges.

About Exercise Dharma Guardian:

  • It is an annual exercise and is conducted alternatively in India and Japan.
  • It is the 5th edition of joint military exercise between India and Japan.
  • The aim of the Exercise is to foster Military Cooperation and enhance combined capabilities to execute joint operations in the semi-urban environment under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
  • The Exercise would focus on a high degree of physical fitness, joint planning, joint tactical drills and basics of special arms skills.
  • Significance
    • It will enable the two sides to share their best practices in Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for conducting tactical operations.
    • The Exercise will also facilitate developing interoperability, bonhomie and camaraderie between troops of both sides.
    • This will enhance the level of defence cooperation, further fostering bilateral relations between the two friendly nations.

Other Exercises between India and Japan:

  • Malabar: It is a multinational naval exercise in which India, Japan, the United States and Australia participate.
  • JIMEX(naval)
  • SHINYUU Maitri (Air Force)

Edwards syndrome

Researchers have reported chromosomal disorders discovered from prehistoric skeletal remains, dating up to approximately 5,500 years old — including six cases of Down syndrome and one case of Edwards syndrome.

About Edwards syndrome:

  • It is also known as trisomy 18.
  • It is an autosomal chromosomal disorder due to an extra copy of chromosome 18. 
  • It is a very severe genetic condition that affects a child’s body development and growth.
  • Symptoms: Children diagnosed with trisomy 18 have a low birth weight, multiple birth defects and defining physical characteristics.
  • There are three types of Edwards syndrome
  • Complete trisomy 18:
    • It is the most common form (94%).
    • In this type, every cell contains three complete copies of chromosome 18.
    • The extra chromosome is most often of maternal origin.
  • Mosaic trisomy 18:
    • It is the second most common type (less than 5%).
    • In this type, both a complete trisomy 18 and a normal cell line exist.
  • Partial trisomy 18:
    • In this type, only a partial segment of chromosome 18 is present in triplicate.
    • The partial triplicate often results from a balanced translocation or inversion carried by one of the parents.
  • Treatment: There are no specific treatments for trisomy 18. Treatment will focus on the symptoms of the condition, such as heart conditions, breathing difficulties and infections.

G-33

Ahead of the 13th ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), a majority of the G-33 countries have called for a permanent solution to public stockholding for food security.

About G-33:

  • The G33 (or the Friends of Special Products in Agriculture) is a coalition of developing and least-developed countries.
  • Despite the name, there are currently 47 member nations. Some of the main countries include India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Philippines, Turkey, Tanzania, Kenya, and South Korea.
  • It was established prior to the 2003 Cancun ministerial conference that was coordinated during the Doha Round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations, specifically in regard to agriculture.
  • Dominated by India, the group has “defensive” concerns regarding agriculture in relation to WTO negotiations, and seeks to limit the degree of market opening required of developing countries. 
  • The group has advocated the creation of a “special products” exemption, which would allow developing countries to exempt certain products from tariff exemptions, and also a “special safeguard mechanism” which would permit tariff increases in response to import surges.

SAMAR Assessment Certificates

Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over SAMAR assessment certificates to nine Industry Partners.

About SAMAR Assessment Certificates:

  • System for Advance Manufacturing Assessment and Rating (SAMAR) certificateis a benchmark to measure the competency of defence manufacturing enterprises.
  • It is an outcome of the collaboration between DRDO and the Quality Council of India (QCI) to strengthen the defence manufacturing ecosystem in the country to further the vision of making India self-reliant in defence manufacturing. 
  • Objective:
    • Provide an objective assessment of the manufacturing capability of Defence Manufacturing Enterprises
    • Enable enterprises to benchmark their performance across a range of business capabilities to enhance quality, reliability and competitiveness
    • Create a credible database of Defence manufacturers for ease in vendor selection and development
    • Strengthen the Defence manufacturing ecosystem in the country with an objective to realise the vision of making India self-reliant in Defence manufacturing
  • Eligibility: All defence manufacturing enterprises, both MSME and Large enterprises, are eligible to apply for this certification.
  • Validity: It is valid for a period of 2 years from the date of issuance of the certificate.
  • The certification is based on a maturity assessment model developed by QCI and is applicable to all defence manufacturing enterprises i.e., micro, small, medium and large enterprises.

Ken River

The Prime Minister in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ recently cited crocodiles in Ken River to hail how technology is being used extensively for the conservation of wildlife in different parts of the country.

About Ken River:

  • It is one of the major rivers of the Bundelkhand region of central India.
  • It flows through two states, namely Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
  • It is a tributary of the Yamuna River. The river is the last tributary of the Yamuna before the Yamuna joins the Ganga.
  • Course:
    • The river originates near the village of Ahirgawan on the northwest slopes of the Kaimur Range in the district of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
    • Crossing the Bijawar-Panna hills, the river cuts a 60 km long, and 150- 180 m deep gorge. It is joined by several streams in this gorge, making waterfalls.
    • It travels a distance of 427 km and then merges with the Yamuna at Chilla village, near Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh. 
  • It is known for its rare Sajhar or Dendritic Agate stone.
  • Tributaries: The major tributaries of the Ken River are Bawas, Dewar, Kaith, Baink, Kopra, and Bearma.

Island On The Air (IOTA) Programme

A dedicated team of amateur radio operators (HAMs) embarked on a significant journey from the cyclone shelters of Nachugunta Island, Andhra Pradesh, to participate in the Island on the Air (IOTA) expedition Programme.

About Island On The Air (IOTA) Programme:

  • It is a pioneering programme that connects radio amateurs worldwide with stations on islands.
  • It was established in 1964.
  • It is managed by IOTA Ltd in collaboration with the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), categorising islands into groups for communication.

 Key Facts about Amateur Radio (HAM Radio)

  • Amateur radio is a popular hobby involving the use of radio frequency spectrum for non-commercial purposes.
  • HAM radio operators communicate using designated radio frequencies, engaging in diverse activities like contests, emergency communication support, experimentation, technical learning, and community engagement.
  • The hobby offers a unique blend of technical learning, community engagement, and global connectivity through radio waves, emphasising innovation and service.
  • In India, as per the Indian Wireless Telegraphs (Amateur Service) Amendment Rules, 1984
    • ‘Amateur service’ means a service of self-training intercommunications and technical investigation carried on by Amateurs that is, by persons duly authorised under these rules interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.”
    • Any citizen of India who is above 12 years of age can become a ham by qualifying in the Amateurs Station Operators’ examination (ASO) and obtaining a valid Amateur wireless telegraph station licence.

Shahpur Kandi Barrage

The flow of water from River Ravi to Pakistan has been completely halted with the completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage as per the media reports.

  • Foundation – The foundation stone for the Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project was laid by former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao in 1995.
  • Location – Shahpur Kandi barrage is situated on the Ravi River in the border of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.
  • Purpose – Shahpur Kandi barrage allows India to ensure that the water previously flowing towards Pakistan will now be utilized for Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab regions.
  • The newly-built barrage will help India fully exploit the allocated water resources.
  • The Indus Water Treaty, 1960, facilitates the usage of the Rivers flowing in India and Pakistan for both the countries.

Indus Waters Treaty
  • IWT, signed in 1960 under the World Bank’s supervision, is a pivotal agreement regulating the use and distribution of the Indus River system between India and Pakistan.
  • While India maintains absolute control over the waters of the eastern rivers, the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas, Pakistan enjoys unrestricted use of the western rivers, the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab.
  • Other projects – India has already constructed several storage works, including the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej, Pong and Pandoh Dam on the Beas, and Thein (Ranjitsagar) on the Ravi.
  • These projects, along with others like the Beas-Sutlej link and the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project, have allowed India to utilize nearly its entire share (95%) of the waters from the eastern rivers.

Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP)

RBI has asked the National Payment Council of India (NCPI) to examine the request of Paytm, to become a Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP) for continued Unified Payments Interface operation.

  • TPAP – A Third-Party Application Provider is an entity that provides the UPI compliant app(s) to the end-user customers to facilitate UPI-based payment transactions.
  • Applications – These applications could be mobile wallets, merchant apps, or any other platform that utilizes UPI for payments.
  • NPCI – NPCI is the umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India, owns and operates the UPI platform.
  • Working of TPAP – TPAPs leverage the UPI infrastructure provided by NPCI and work with payment service providers (PSPs) and banks to facilitate transactions.
  • They are responsible for ensuring that their applications adhere to security standards and compliance guidelines set by NPCI.
  • Payment service providers (PSPs) need to obtain a TPAP license from NPCI to run UPI services and facilitate merchant transactions through partner banks, as per the current regulations.
  • Currently, there are 22 NPCI-approved 3rd party Unified Payments Interface (UPI) apps that can be used to send and receive money from other UPI users by using UPI IDs.
  • They include Amazon Pay, Google Pay, Groww, Jupiter Money, Mobikwik, Phonepe, Samsung Pay, TataNeu and Whatsapp.

RBI barred Paytm Payments Bank from accepting deposits or top-ups in any customer account, prepaid instruments, wallets, FASTags and NCMC card after February 29, 2024, in the wake of persistent non-compliances.

Quick Facts
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
  • NPCI is an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India.
  • It is an initiative of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian Banks’ Association (IBA).
  • It works under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, for creating a robust Payment & Settlement Infrastructure in India.
  • NPCI has been incorporated as a Not for Profit Company under the provisions of Section 25 of Companies Act 1956 (now Section 8 of Companies Act 2013).

Tangail Saree

West Bengal gets GI Tag for Tangail Saree.

  • Tangail sarees named after the place called Tangail, located in Bangladesh.
  • Weavers from Tangail region of then East Bengal, migrated to different parts of West Bengal and continued their weaving profession for production of Tangail Sarees.
  • The Tangail saree is a simplification of Jamdani cotton saree but with minimal designs in body portion, thereby minimizing the labour and price.

The traditional tangail borders had a ‘paddo’ or lotus pattern, pradeep or lamp pattern apart from popular ‘ans par’ that was common in Shantipur region.

  • Materials used – Tangail weavers normally used cotton and the texture is usually high and compact.
  • Tassar silk yarn, Mercerized cotton yarn, dyed twisted cotton yarn are used as extra warp for making designs in the borders of the sarees.
  • Jacquards fabrics are used for making designs in the borders.
  • Coloured yarns are used for both warp and weft and in extra warp also.

Tangail sarees are often highlighted with gold or silver thread, which heightens their elegance.

  • Weaving technique – Tangail sarees have an unusually fine and smooth texture with a pattern running through every alternate or every two weft threads apart.
  • Tangail cotton saree is woven with figured motifs, in transparent plain ground, with designs of extra warp in borders and extra weft in the body portion.

West Bengal bagged the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag for Tangail Saree in January 2024.

Quick Facts
Geographical Indication (GI) Tag
  • It is defined under Article-23 and 24 of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
  • GI tag is a form of certification that recognizes unique products based on their origin.
  • GI tagged products can be natural or man-made.
  • The raw materials for such products do not necessarily have to come from that region, unless it is an agricultural tag.
  • The essential difference between GI and other intellectual properties (IP) is that, GI is a collective Intellectual Property Right.
  • India is a member of WTO and enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999 that came into force from 2003.

Other Important Topics
Vimarsh 2023
  • It is a 5G Hackathon will focus on addressing key issues and exploring innovative solutions for Law Enforcement Agencies based on user specific problem statements.
  • Conducted by – The Telecom Centres of Excellence (TCoE) India in collaboration with Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Ayutthaya
  • Ayutthaya named after the birth city of Lord Ram in Ayodhya, was located above the tidal bore of the Gulf of Siam in Thailand.
  • The Historic City of Ayutthaya, founded in 1350, was the 2nd capital of the Siamese Kingdom after Sukhothai.
  • Ayutthaya was strategically located on an island surrounded by 3 rivers connecting the city to the sea.
  • Ayutthaya is now home to archaeological treasures, characterized by the remains of tall prang (reliquary towers) and Buddhist monasteries.
DHARMA GUARDIAN
The 5th edition of EXERCISE ‘DHARMA GUARDIAN’ commenced recently in Rajasthan.

  • Exercise ‘DHARMA GUARDIAN’ is a Joint annual military exercise and conducted alternatively in India and Japan.
  • Aim – To foster Military Cooperation and enhance combined capabilities to execute joint operations in semi-urban environment under Chapter VII of United Nations Charter.
Nisarg Gram
PM Modi recently inaugurates National Institute of Naturopathy (NIN) named ‘Nisarg Gram’ in Pune.

  • The National Institute of Naturopathy (NIN) in Pune, Maharashtra has been named Nisarg Gram.
  • The campus is named after Mahatma Gandhi’s Nature Cure campaign of 1946 at the Nisarg Upchar Ashram in Uruli Kanchan village near Pune.
  • The NISARG GRAM is a bedded hospital with multi-disciplinary research and extension service centre along with a Naturopathy Medical College.
Right to Adopt Child
  • The Delhi High Court has recently ruled that the right to adopt cannot be raised to the status of a fundamental right within Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
  • It also includes that it cannot be raised to a level granting Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs) the right to demand their choice of who to adopt.
KALIA Scheme
The Odisha state cabinet recently extended the KALIA scheme for 3 more years.

  • KALIA stands for “Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation”.
  • It is a cash assistant scheme launched by Odisha Government in 2018 to accelerate Agricultural Prosperity and reduce poverty in the State.
  • Financial assistance of Rs.25,000 will be given per farm family over 5 seasons.
India’s largest Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)
  • It has been commissioned successfully by Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI), under the aegis of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
  • It has an installed capacity of 152.325 megawatt hours (MWh) and a dispatchable capacity of 100 megawatts AC solar power.
  • Battery energy storage systems (BESS) work with renewable energy sources like solar and wind to store energy.
  • They charge batteries when resources are abundant and generally have a discharge duration of four hours or less at rated power.
Purple Fest
  • Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is organizing a long ‘Purple Fest’ at Amrit Udyaan in the Rashtrapati Bhawan recently.
  • The ‘Purple Fest’ will have fully inclusive and interactive stalls of organizations working in the field of accessibility, inclusion and disability rights.
Meow Meow, White Magic, M-Cat and Drone
  • Mephedrone, which has various street names such Meow Meow, White Magic, M-Cat and Drone, is a synthetically manufactured stimulant of the amphetamine and cathinone category.
  • Mephedrone, also known as 4-methylmethcathinone (4-MMC) and 4-methylephedrone, is a synthetic stimulant drug.
  • It’s chemically similar to the cathinone compounds found in the Khat plant of eastern Africa.
Language Atlas
  • The Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, an autonomous body under the Union Culture Ministry, proposes to conduct a linguistic survey across the country to create a ‘Language Atlas’ of India.

 



Current Affairs – 24 Feb 2024

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Current Affairs – 24 Feb 2024

Injunction

The Supreme Court recently held that the suit for injunction may not be maintainable against the defendants if the plaintiff fails to prove the title of the property while praying for the injunction.

About Injunction:

  • In India, an injunction is a legal remedy available to parties who wish to prevent the other party from carrying out a certain action or behaviour. 
  • Injunctions can be granted in a variety of situations, such as in cases of intellectual property infringement, breach of contract, or defamation.
  • An injunction is a powerful legal tool that acts as a court order requiring a party to do or cease doing specific actions. 
  • It plays a crucial role in many legal battles, serving as a preventive measure to stop legal wrongs or as a remedy to enforce rights. 
  • Injunctions are a discretionary remedy, and the court will consider various factors before deciding whether to grant an injunction. These factors may include the urgency of the matter, the balance of convenience, and the likelihood of success in the underlying lawsuit.
  • Types of Injunctions in India:
    • Temporary Injunctions: They are granted to preserve the status quo until a final decision can be reached. These are usually granted at the start of a case and can last for the duration of the legal proceedings.
    • Permanent Injunctions: They are granted after the court has made a final determination in the case. They prohibit the defendant from continuing a particular action or behaviour.
    • Mandatory Injunctions: They require the defendant to carry out a particular action. They are often granted in cases of breach of contract, where the plaintiff requires the defendant to fulfil their contractual obligations.
    • Prohibitory Injunctions: They prohibit the defendant from carrying out a particular action or behaviour. They are often granted in cases of intellectual property infringement or defamation.
  • Provision of Injunction in Indian Law:
    • Under Indian law, injunctions are governed by the Specific Relief Act, 1963. The act provides for two types of injunctions – temporary injunctions and perpetual injunctions.
    • In addition to the Specific Relief Act, injunctions are also governed by the Civil Procedure Code, 1908.
  • What happens if the party violates the injunction? If a party violates the injunction, they may be held in contempt of court and could face penalties such as fines or imprisonment.

Nihang Sikhs

Amid the recent standoff between the protesting farmers and the government, Nihang Sikh warriors have joined the protest, extending support to farmers facing off with security forces.

About Nihang Sikhs:

  • Nihangs, originally known as Akalis or Akali Nihangs, are a distinct warrior order within the Sikh community, known for their martial traditions, unique attire, and adherence to a specific code of conduct.
  • They have a rich history dating back to the times of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru.
  • They are easily recognizable by their distinctive blue attire, which includes blue robes, and high turbans adorned with steel quoits (chakrams), and they often carry traditional weapons like swords, spears, and daggers.
  • They are highly skilled in Gatka martial arts and have historically served as a dedicated and elite force to protect Sikh shrines and communities.
  • Nihangs had a major role in defending the Sikh Panth after the fall of the first Sikh rule (1710-15) when Mughal governors were killing Sikhs and during the onslaught of Afghan invader Ahmed Shah Durrani (1748-65).
  • Current Status:
    • Nihangs are today divided into several groups, each with its own “chhaoni” (cantonment), but are loosely organised into two “dals” (forces)—Buddha Dal and Taruna Dal, names initially given to the two sections into which the ‘Khalsa’ army was divided in 1733.
    • The Buddha Dal has its headquarters at Talvandi Sabo, in Bathinda district, while the principal cantonment of the Taruna Dal Nihangs is at Baba Bakala in Amritsar district.
    • Anandpur Sahib, the birthplace of the Khalsa, remains the main centre of Nihang gatherings.
    • They assemble there in the thousands in March every year to celebrate Hola Mahalla, a Sikh festival introduced by Guru Gobind Singh. 
    • On that occasion, they hold tournaments of military skills, including mock battles.

Nordic-Baltic cooperation

The eight Nordic-Baltic countries are participating in the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi together as representatives of the Nordic-Baltic cooperation.

About Nordic-Baltic cooperation:

  • It is a regional cooperation format that brings together five Nordic countries and three Baltic countries in order to discuss important regional and international issues in an informal atmosphere.
  • In 2000, it was decided that the Nordic-Baltic cooperation format would be called the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8).
  • Member countries: Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
  • Nordic countries are members of the European Union (except Iceland and Norway which are members of EFTA).
  • Nordic countries collectively represent an economy of more than USD 2.012 trillion with a population of just above 27 million allowing a very high standard of living.
  • India and NB8:
    • The Nordic-Baltic cooperation with India spans fields as diverse as innovation, green transition, maritime, health, intellectual property rights, new technologies, space cooperation and artificial intelligence, student exchanges, culture and tourism.
    • Trade and investment figures between the Nordic region and India are steadily increasing

Virtual Private Network

Recently, a 21-year-old from Gujarat allegedly sent five threatening emails to an industrialist after masking his IP address using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and was arrested by the Mumbai police.

About Virtual Private Network:

  • VPN stands for virtual private network, which establishes a digital connection between your computer and a remote server owned by a VPN provider.
  • It creates a point-to-point tunnel that encrypts personal data, masks your IP address, and lets you sidestep website blocks and firewalls on the internet.
  • This ensures online experiences are private, protected, and more secure.
  • It is
    • Virtual because no physical cables are involved in the connection process.
    • Private because through this connection, no one else can see your data or browsing activity.
    • Networked because multiple devices—your computer and the VPN server—work together to maintain an established link.
  • Advantages of VPN
    • Secure your data: A VPN connection scrambles your data into code and renders it unreadable to anyone without an encryption key. It hides your browsing activity so that no one else can see it.
    • Bypass censorship and surveillance: Some regions may not have access to certain sites or services due to government restrictions, censorship, or surveillance. Location spoofing gives these users the ability to circumvent firewalls, view blocked websites, and move freely online.
    • Prevent ISP and third-party tracking: Internet service providers (ISPs) log and track your browsing history through your device’s unique IP address. By routing to a remote VPN server instead of your ISP’s servers, a VPN masks your IP address, prevents ISP tracking, and keeps your personal data private.

Guru Ravidas

To mark the 647th birth anniversary celebrations of Sant Guru Ravidas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a statue of Sant Ravidas at Varanasi.

About Guru Ravidas:

  • Guru Ravidas (1377-1528E.) was a renowned saint known for his contributions to the Bhakti movement.
  • His devotional songs and verses made a lasting impact upon the Bhakti Movement.
  • Guru Ravidas is also known as Raidas, Rohidas, and Ruhidas.
  • He was born in a small village called Seer Govardhanpur in Uttar Pradesh.
    • His birthplace is now known as Shri Guru Ravidas Janam Asthan, and it is a major place of pilgrimage for the followers of Guru Ravidas.
  • Even though he was born into a poor family, Ravidas became well-known for his teachings about human rights and equality.
  • He was the disciple of the revered Brahmin bhakti poet Ramananda.
  • He abandoned the saguna (with attributes, image) forms of supreme beings and focussed on the nirguna(without attributes, abstract) form of supreme beings.
  • Guru Ravidas was a social reformer, and his teachings were based on gender equality, the abolition of the caste system, social justice, and equality.
  • He also became a symbol of opposition to untouchability in society by the higher caste people for the lower caste people.
  • He emphasised the philosophy of spiritual freedom.
  • He was a well-known poet. 41 of his devotional songs and poems are included in the Sikh Scriptures, Guru Granth Sahib.
  • Meera Bai, a revered figure in Hindu spiritualism, is said to have considered Guru Ravidas as her spiritual Guru. 
  • The Guru’s teachings now form the basis of the Ravidassia sect. Ravidassis believe that Guru Ravidas should be treated as a saint just like the other gurus, as he lived before the first Sikh Guru and his teachings were studied by the Sikh Gurus.
  • Guru Ravidas Jayanti is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas.

Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara

Recently, the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs visited the Sammakka- Saralamma Maha Jatara, in Medaram, Mulugu district of Telangana.

About Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara:

  • It is also known as Medaram Jatara.
  • It is a tribal festival honouring the goddesses celebrated in the state of Telangana.
  • The festival is a demonstration of tribal devotion, and people from all walks of life join together to commemorate the revolt led by Sammakka and Saralamma, a mother-daughter duo, against imposing taxes on the tribal populace during a period of drought by the Kakatiya rulers in the 12th century.
  • Location: Medaram is a remote place in the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, a part of Dandakaranya, the largest surviving forest belt in Mulugu.
  • It is held every two years (biannually). It is celebrated during the time the goddesses of the tribals are believed to visit them.
  • Ritual: People offer bangaram/gold (jaggery) of a quantity equal to their weight to the goddesses and take a holy bath in Jampanna Vagu, a tributary to River Godavari.
  • Significance: It serves as a platform for understanding and fostering harmony between the people and tribal communities, promoting the preservation of their unique traditions, culture, and heritage on a global scale.

Buffalo fights & Bulbul fights

People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have mounted a legal challenge against the practices of buffalo and bulbul fighting in the Gauhati High Court.

  • These fights are part of the folk culture associated with the Assamese winter harvest festival of Magh Bihu.
  • Moh Juj – It is a traditional buffalo fight organized in Assam.
  • Bulbuli – It is a traditional bird fight organized in Assam.

This traditional folk culture was recently organized in January 2024 after a 9 years ban.

Magh Bihu

  • Magh Bihu, also known as Bhogali Bihu or Maghor Bihu, is a harvesting festival celebrated in Assam.
  • The festival has its roots in the agricultural traditions of Assam and falls in the month of Magh, which falls in January.
  • It marks the end of the harvesting season, and it is celebrated in other parts of the country such as Makar Sankranti, Pongal and Lohri.

Quick Facts
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

  • It is the largest animal rights organisation in the world.
  • PETA focuses its attention on 4 areas in which includes, in laboratories, in the food industry, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment business.
  • It also works on other issues, including the cruel killing of rodents, birds, and other animals.

Important News

Sepahijala Wildlife sanctuary
  • Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Tripura.
  • The sanctuary was established in 1972.
  • It is famous for its “Clouded Leopard enclosure” and Clouded Leopard National Park is a part of SWL.
  • It has 2 natural lakes, namely Abasarika and Amrit Sagar.

Kiru Hydel Project
  • The Kiru Hydroelectric Power Project is a run-of-river scheme on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir to be completed in 2025.
  • It is being constructed between the existing Kirthai II and Kwar hydel power projects.
  • It will be developed near the convergence point of river Chenab and the Singad and Bela streams.

Gemma
Google has recently introduced Gemma, latest open artificial intelligence (AI) model.

  • Gemma is a family of open-source AI models developed by Google DeepMind.
  • Its name is derived from the Latin word ‘gemma,’ which translates to precious stone.
  • It has been built using the same research and technology used in Gemini models by Google.
  • Gemma is being offered in 2 model sizes, Gemma 2B and Gemma 7B, which have been released with pre-trained and instruction-tuned variants.

J0529-4351
Scientists has recently discovered the fastest-growing black hole known to date in the quasar named Jo529-4351.

  • The object was first detected using a 2.3-m telescope at the Australian National University.
  • The quasar is so far away from our planet that its light took more than 12 billion years to reach us.
  • Quasars are the known as the brightest objects in the sky thus J0529-4351 is over 500 trillion times more luminous than the Sun.

Spur-winged lapwing (Vanellus spinosus)
Recently, a birdwatching team from Telangana for the first time spotted a spur-winged lapwing near Warangal.

  • The spur-winged lapwing (Vanellus spinosus) is a wading bird in Charadriidae family, native to North Africa, the Middle East and Mediterranean regions.
  • It is abundant in tropical Africa and can be found at almost any wetland habitat in its range.
  • The spur-winged lapwing is a carnivore that eats insects, insect larvae, and small invertebrates.
  • Conservation status
    • IUCN– Least Concern.

Dosti-16
The 16thedition of the Dosti-16 exercise has been recently concluded with observers from Bangladesh.

  • Dosti-16 is a trilateral exercise between the coast guards of India, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka.
  • The exercise aims to improve maritime interoperability, enhance cooperation, and strengthen friendship.
  • The exercise has been held every 2 years since 1991, except in 2021.

Cerrado savannah
  • The Cerrado is a tropical savanna ecoregion in South America.
  • It’s the world’s most biodiverse savanna, home to 5% of the planet’s animals and plants.
  • The Cerrado covers mainly within Brazil and extending into parts of Bolivia and Paraguay.

U Tirot Sing
A statue of U Tirot Sing was unveiled recently at Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, Dhaka.

  • Tirot Sing is a tribal chief known as ‘the Hero of the Khasi Hills‘ of Meghalaya against the British colonizers.
  • He was born in 1802 and died in Dhaka on July 17, 1835.
  • Every year on July 17, Meghalaya commemorates U Tirot Sing Day.

Skill India Centre in Odisha
Union Minister of Education and Skill Development inaugurated the 1st Skill India Centre (SIC) in, Odisha recently.

  • The SIC will play a pivotal role in designing curriculum along with industry experts to promote standardization and create employment opportunities across industries.
  • It aims to leverage modern technologies, gain technology-driven learning experiences and explore potential career avenues with renowned organizations.
  • The training process will be implemented by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).

Special Tiger Protection Force
Arunachal Pradesh recently signs MoU with NTCA to raise first special tiger protection force.

  • It is the Arunachal’s 1st Special Tiger Protection Force (STPC) in order to revamp conservation efforts.
  • The special force would be deployed in the frontier state’s 3 tiger reserves, Namdapha, Kamlang and Pakke.

 



Current Affairs – 23 Feb 2024

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Current Affairs – 23 Feb 2024

NaViGate Bharat Portal

Recently, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting launched four portals — Press Sewa, National Register for LCOs, CBC, NaViGate Bharat.

About NaViGate Bharat Portal:

  • The ‘National Video Gateway of Bharat (NaViGate Bharat) is developed by the New Media Wing of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
  • It is a unified bilingual platform which hosts videos on the entire gamut of Government’s development-related and citizen welfare-oriented measures.
  • It empowers citizens by providing a single platform with an interactive user interface to search, stream, share, and download videos related to various Government schemes, initiatives, and campaigns, with a filter-based advanced search option.
  • The portal eliminates the hassle of searching for official and reliable information from multiple sources, providing a one-stop platform for media and the general public.

Key facts about Press Sewa Portal

  • It is developed under the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023 (PRP Act, 2023) by the Press Registrar General of India (PRGI – erstwhile RNI).
  • This portal aims to simplify the cumbersome registration procedures that were prevalent under the colonial PRB Act, 1867.
  • Key features
    • Online Application: Publishers can file applications for title registration online, using Aadhar-based e-signatures.
    • Probability Metre: Indicates the likelihood of title availability.
    • Real-time Tracking of application status: Accessible through an intuitively designed dashboard.
    • Dedicated DM Module: Enables District Magistrates to manage applications received from publishers in a centralised dashboard.

Other portals:

  • National Register for Local Cable Operators (LCOs):
    • It is the first step to bring registration of LCOs currently with Post Offices spread across the country under a Centralised Registration System.
    • A web form has been designed to collect information from local cable operators for the purpose of the National Register.
  • Central Bureau of Communication (CBC):
    • It is a vital unit within the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, established on December 8, 2017, through the amalgamation of the erstwhile Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), Directorate of Field Publicity (DFP), and Song & Drama Division (S&DD).

Rani Chennamma

Recently, several social groups across the country organised a national campaign Naanoo Rani Chennamma (I am Rani Chennamma too) to commemorate 200 years of Rani Chennamma’s rebellion against the British East India Company.

About Rani Chennamma:

  • Chennamma was born in Kakati, a small village in today’s Belagavi district of Karnataka.
  • She became queen of Kittur (now in Karnataka) when she married Raja Mallasarja of the Desai family.
  • After Mallasarja’s death in 1816, his eldest son, Shivalingarudra Sarja, ascended the throne.
  • Before his death in 1824, Shivalingarudra adopted a child, Shivalingappa, as the successor.
  • However, the British East India Company refused to recognise Shivalingappa as the successor of the kingdom under the ‘doctrine of lapse’.
  • Key facts about the Kittur Rebellion
    • John Thackery, the British official at Dharwad, launched an attack on Kittur in October 1824.
    • In this first battle British forces lost heavily and the Collector and political agent, St. John Thackeray was killed by the Kittur forces. 
    • Two British officers, Sir Walter Elliot and Mr. Stevenson, were also taken as hostages. 
    • However, the British army again attacked the Kittur Fort and captured it.
    • Rani Chennamma and her family were imprisoned and jailed at the fort in Bailhongal, where she died in 1829.

What was the doctrine of Lapse?

  • Under the doctrine of Lapse, any princely state without a natural heir would collapse and would be annexed by the Company.
  • The princely state of Kittur was taken over by the British East India Company in 1824 by imposing the ‘doctrine of lapse’, even before it was officially articulated by Lord Dalhousie, Governor General for the British East India Company, between 1848 and 1856.

Badami Chalukyas

Two Badami Chalukya temples, at least 1,300-1,500 years old and a 1,200-year-old label inscription were recently discovered in Mudimanikyam village along the banks of Krishna.

About the Chalukya dynasty:

  • The Chalukyas ruled over the central Indian plateau of the Deccan between the sixth and twelfth centuries.
  • During that period, they ruled as three closely related but individual dynasties.
  • The Chalukyas of Badami, who ruled between the sixth and the eighth centuries, and the two sibling dynasties of the Chalukyas of Kalyani, or the Western Chalukyas, and the Chalukyas of Vengi, or the Eastern Chalukyas.

Key Facts about Badami Chalukyas

  • Origin:
    • Pulakesi I established the Chalukya dynasty in 550.
    • Pulakesi I took Vatapi (Badami in Bagalkot district, Karnataka) under his control and made it his capital.
    • Historians refer to Pulakesi I and his descendants as the Chalukyas of Badami.
  • They ruled over an empire that comprised the entire state of Karnataka and most of Andhra Pradesh in the Deccan.
  • Pulakesi II had been perhaps the greatest emperor of the Badami Chalukyas.
    • Pulakesi II extended the Chalukya Empire up to the northern extents of the Pallava kingdom and halted the southward march of Harsha by defeating him on the banks of the river Narmada. 
    • He then defeated the Vishnukundins in the southeastern Deccan.
    • Pallava Narasimhavarman reversed that victory by attacking and occupying the Chalukya capital, Vatapi (Badami).
    • Hiuen-Tsiang, a Chinese traveller, had visited the court of Pulakesi II.
    • Later, Persian emperor Khosrau II exchanged ambassadors with Pulakesi II.
  • The Badami Chalukya dynasty went into a brief decline following the death of Pulakesi II due to internal feuds.
  • It recovered during the reign of Vikramaditya I, who succeeded in pushing the Pallavas out of Badami and restoring order to the empire. 
  • The empire reached its peak during the rule of the illustrious Vikramaditya II, who defeated Pallava Nandivarman II and captured Kanchipuram. 
  • The Rashtrakuta Dantidurga overthrew the last Badami Chalukya king, Kirtivarman I, in 753.
  • At their peak, they ruled a vast empire stretching from the Kaveri to the Narmada.
  • Art and Architecture:
    • It saw the evolution and proliferation of a new style of architecture known as Vesara, a combination of the South Indian and the North Indian building styles. 
    • The rock-cut temples of Pattadakal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Badami, and Aihole constitute their most celebrated monuments.
  • Government:
    • The army consisted of infantry, cavalry, elephant corps, and a powerful navy.
    • Hiuen-Tsiang mentions that the Chalukya army had hundreds of elephants intoxicated with liquor prior to the battle.
    • Rashtrakuta inscriptions use the term Karnatabalato refer to their powerful armies.
    • The government levied taxes called Herjunka, Kirukula, Bilkode, and Pannaya.
    • The empire was divided into Maharashtrakas(provinces), then into smaller Rashtrakutas (Mandala), Vishaya (district), and Bhoga (group of ten villages).
    • Many autonomous regions existed, ruled by feudatories like Alupas, Gangas, Banas, and Sendrakas.
    • Local assemblies looked after local issues.
    • Groups of mahajanas(learned brahmins) looked after agraharas (like Ghatika, a place of higher learning), like the ones at Badami (2000 mahajans) and Aihole (500 mahajanas).
  • Coinage:
    • The Badami Chalukyas minted coins of a different standard compared to the northern kingdoms.
    • The coins had Nagari and Kannada legends. They minted coins with symbols of temples, lion or boar facing right, and the lotus.
  • Religion:
    • They initially followed Vedic Hinduism.
    • Later, from the time of Vikramaditya I, the people took an inclination towards Shaivism, and sects like Pashupata, Kapalikas, and Kalamukhas existed.
    • They actively encouraged Jainism, as attested to by one of the Badami cave temples and other Jain temples in the Aihole complex.

Tupolev Tu-160M

The Russian President recently unveiled the newly modernised Tupolev Tu-160M nuclear-capable strategic bomber at Kazan Aviation Plant.

About Tupolev Tu-160M:

  • The Tu-160M, is a modernised version of a Cold War-era bomber that the former Soviet Union would have deployed in the event of nuclear war to deliver weapons at long distances.
  • It is a Russian supersonic variable-sweep wing strategic missile-carrying bomber.
  • It is called “White Swan” in Russia and is code-named “Blackjacks” by NATO.
  • Russia claims it is the world’s fastest-flying supersonic and heaviest payload-carrying bomber.
  • It is designed to hit targets in remote areas with nuclear and conventional weapons.
  • Features:
    • The Tu-160M, which has a crew of four, is capable of carrying 12 cruise missiles or 12 short-range nuclear missiles.
    • It can fly 12,000 km (7,500 miles) non-stop, without refuelling.
    • It is powered by four afterburning turbofan engines.
    • It has a maximum speed of 2,220 kilometres per hour and ascends to heights of 16,000 metres. 
    • It showcases features like an innovative navigation system, an upgraded radar, and even a refuelling probe for in-flight refuelling, which further extends its range.

Anti-hydrogen Experiment: Gravity, Interferometry, Spectroscopy (AEgIS)

In a first, an international team of physicists from the Anti-hydrogen Experiment: Gravity, Interferometry, Spectroscopy (AEgIS) collaboration has achieved a breakthrough by demonstrating the laser cooling of Positronium.

About Anti-hydrogen Experiment: Gravity, Interferometry, Spectroscopy (AEgIS):

  • It is an experiment approved by CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) with the goal of studying antihydrogen physics.
  • The primary goal of AEgIS is the direct measurement of the Earth’s gravitational acceleration, g, on antihydrogen.
    • Once performed this could be the first direct test of the gravitational interaction between matter and antimatter. 
  • AEgIS is a collaboration of physicists from a number of countries in Europe and from India.

What is Antimatter?

  • Antimatter is the same as ordinary matter except that it has the opposite electric charge.
  • It is also known as “mirror” matter.
  • For instance, an electron, which has a negative charge, has an antimatter partner known as a A positron is a particle with the same mass as an electron but a positive charge. 
  • The antimatter particles corresponding to electrons, protons, and neutrons are called positrons, antiprotons, and antineutrons; collectively they are referred to as antiparticles.
  • These anti-particles can combine to form anti-atoms and, in principle, could even form antimatter regions of our universe.
  • Matter and antimatter cannot coexist at close range for more than a small fraction of a second because they collide with and annihilate each other, releasing large quantities of energy in the form of gamma rays or elementary particles.
  • Antimatter was created along with matter after the Big Bang.
  • Humans have created antimatter particles using ultra-high-speed collisions at huge particle accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider, which is located outside Geneva and operated by CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research).
  • There are also naturally produced antiparticles made sporadically throughout the universe.

Key Facts about Positronium:

  • The matter, which forms the world around us, consists of atoms, the simplest of which is hydrogen, which is the most plentiful element in the Universe. This is made up of a positively charged proton and a negatively charged electron.
  • Positronium, on the other hand, is a short-lived hydrogen-like atom, which consists of an electron and its antimatter equivalent, a positron (rather than an electron and a proton).
  • Due to its very short life, it annihilates with a half-life of 142 nano-seconds.
  • This hydrogen-like system is a great contender for attempting laser cooling and thereby performing tests of fundamental theories in physics.
  • Positronium can generate huge amounts of energy. It can shed light on ‘antimatter’ which existed at the beginning of the Universe.

Exercise Dosti

Indian and Sri Lankan coast guard ships reached the Maldives recently to take part in the trilateral coast guard exercise Dosti 16.

About Exercise Dosti:

  • It is a trilateral coast guard exercise between India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
  • It is a biennial exercise.
  • It was first conducted in 1991 between the Indian and Maldives Coast Guards. Sri Lanka joined the exercise for the first time in 2012.
  • The exercises have focused on exercises and drills on providing assistance in sea accidents, eliminating sea pollution, and the Coast Guard’s procedures and conduct during situations such as oil spills.
  • The aim of the exercise is to further fortify the friendship, enhance mutual operational capability, exercise interoperability and build cooperation between the Coast Guards of India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. 
  • Dosti 16:
    • It is the 16th edition of the exercise.
    • The Coast Guards of the Maldives, India, and Sri Lanka, along with observers from Bangladesh, are participating in Dosti 16 to enhance collaboration between the forces.
    • India is sending ICGS Samarth, ICGS Abhinav, and ICG Dornier for the exercise.

Purple Frog

The recently announced Tamil Nadu Endangered Species Conservation Fund (TNESCF) in 2024 includes Purple frog among other species.

Tamil Nadu Endangered Species Conservation Fund (TNESCF) with a corpus of Rs. 50 crore, will cover rare, endangered, threatened, and lesser-known species like pangolin, otter, Nilgiri marten, slender Loris, lion-tailed macaque, and dugong.

  • It is also known as pignose frog, a soil-dwelling frog that belongs to the Nasikabatrachidae family.
  • Native – Endemic to the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
  • Anamalai hills is one of its prime habitats but occur in higher numbers in the Western Ghat mountains in Kerala.
  • 2 types in Tamil Nadu
    • Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis – 1st seen in 2003 in Idukki, Kerala.
    • Nasikabatrachus bhupathi – 1st seen near Srivilliputhur Grizzled Giant Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary in 2017.
  • A Living fossil – It has similarities to the Sooglossidae family of frogs in Seychelles, supporting the Gondwana landmass hypothesis.
  • It is also believed to have co-existed with dinosaurs.
  • Subterranean life – It remains underground for almost a year except for 2-3 weeks during the monsoon as it comes out to mate.
  • Features – A bloated body, pointed snout and stout limbs, while the tadpoles have a sucker-like mouth which helps them stick onto the rocks in the fast-flowing streams.
  • When out, they become prey to owls, the water snake among others.
  • The females lay 3,000 to 4,000 eggs, which develop into tadpoles in 7 to 8 days and the tadpoles become froglets in 100 to 130 days.

PurpleFrog

  • Major threats – Habitat loss, road networks, use of pesticides in plantation areas like Valparai and climate change.
    • Lack of rain after they lay eggs, the egg-laying sites will become dry, leading to destruction of eggs.
    • Heavy rain with landslips can also damage their habitats.
  • Protection status
    • IUCN Red List – Near Threatened, since 2020.
    • Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Act, 2022 – Schedule I

According to initial assessments, the Purple Frog ranked 4 on the ‘EDGE (Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered) of Existence’ priority amphibians list collated by the Zoological Society of London.

Sub-national Climate Fund

Goa to be 1st state in India to get Subnational Climate Fund (SCF) with the support of World Bank.

  • A global blended finance initiative to develop mid-size climate resilient infrastructure & nature-based solutions.
  • Aims – To catalyse climate mitigation and adaptation solutions at the subnational level through a transformative finance model.
  • To attract public & private investment, to deliver certified climate & Sustainable Development impacts and Nature-based Solutions.
  • Fund Manager – Pegasus Capital, accredited by the GCF.
  • Technical Assistance Manager – IUCN.
  • Anchor Investor of Concessional Capital – Green Climate Fund (GCF)

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is the is the world’s largest dedicated fund helping developing countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, set up by the UN system.

  • Need – 70% of known climate solutions are located within the boundaries of subnational authorities.
  • To overcome project-level barriers and limitations in attracting private investment.
  • The opportunities – Sustainable energy solutions, waste and water management, urban development solutions and sustainable agriculture.
  • Target impact – Enable access to clean & affordable energy and water.
  • Reduce CO2 emissions, combat domestic and ambient pollution.
  • Support education, economic growth through reliable electricity and create jobs.
  • Support a circular economy and sustainable use of resources.
  • Sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems.
  • Provide human well-being and biodiversity benefits.
  • Significance – It presents a positive disruptive solution on how subnational climate projects should be structured, de-risked, and funded.

SubnationalClimateFund

UAE’s Golden Visa

Dubai introduces 5-year multiple-entry visa for Indians.

  • A long-term residence visa that enables foreign talent to live, work, or study in the UAE
  • Aim – To further bolster travel between India and Dubai, to foster sustained economic collaborations and encourage tourism and business ties.

In 2023, Dubai welcomed 2.46 million overnight visitors from India, a 25% increase from the pre-pandemic era. With exceptional 34% year-on-year growth, India continued to be the number one source market with the highest number of international visitors from a single country.

  • Covers 7 emirates – It includes Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm Al Quwain.
  • Benefits – 6 month entry visa with multiple entries, leading to residency issuance.
  • Renewable 5 or 10-year long-term residence visa.
  • No requirement for a local sponsor.
  • Ability to stay outside the UAE for over 6 months without losing residency status.
  • Option to sponsor family members, including spouses and children.
  • Freedom to sponsor any number of domestic workers.
  • Provision for family members to remain in the UAE under the visa.
  • It also allows investors to invest in public investments for the issuance of a 10 year self-sponsored residency permit without the need for a sponsor or host residing in the country.
  • Significance – It enables the tourists to contribute significantly to the UAE’s diversification strategy, reduce reliance on oil, boost sectors like technology, education, health, and fortify its position as a global business and talent hub.

 



Current Affairs – 22 Feb 2024

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Current Affairs – 22 Feb 2024

Solar Maximum

A new visualisation from the European Space Agency (ESA) shows activity ramping up on the sun’s surface as it approaches solar maximum this year.

About Solar Maximum:

  • The sun is a huge ball of electrically charged hot gas. This charged gas moves, generating a powerful magnetic field. 
  • The sun goes through a natural solar cycle approximately every 11 years.
  • Over the course of 11 years, the magnetic field between the Sun’s northern and southern hemispheres winds up until it becomes so dense that the hemispheres flip. The north hemisphere becomes the south, and vice versa.
  • This flipping point marks the Solar Maximum. It occurs approximately halfway through the solar cycle.
  • It’s associated with a greater number of sunspots observable on the surface of the sun.
  • By contrast, the Solar Minimum, which marks the beginning and end of each Solar Cycle, has fewer sunspots.
  • As the sun approaches the solar maximum, we see more brilliant explosions, dark sunspots, loops of plasma, and swirls of super-hot gas.
  • Impacts:
    • This increased solar activity can cause extreme space weather events, including solar flares and eruptions. 
    • It can also disrupt radio communications and the power grid and have serious health consequences for astronauts.

What are Sunspots?

  • Sunspots are dark, planet-size regions of strong magnetic fields on the surface of the sun.
  • Sunspots form when concentrations of the magnetic field from deep within the sun well up to the surface.
  • They consist of a central darker region, known as the umbra, and a surrounding region, known as the penumbra. 
  • They can spawn eruptive disturbances such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). 
  • These regions of the sun appear darker because they are cooler than their surroundings. 
  • The frequency and intensity of sunspots visible on the surface indicate the level of solar activity during the 11-year solar cycle, that is driven by the sun’s magnetic field.

Flood Management and Border Areas Programme

Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal of Department of Water Resources, RD & GR for the continuation of “Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP)” with a total outlay of Rs. 4,100 crores for a period of 5 years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

About the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme:

  • It is a centrally sponsored Scheme.
  • The Scheme has two components: 
    • Flood Management Programme (FMP) component: In this central assistance will be provided to State Governments for taking up critical works related to flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development and anti-sea erosion, etc.
    • Funding: The pattern of funding to be followed is 90% (Centre): 10% (State) for Special Category States (8 North-Eastern States and Hilly States of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and UT of Jammu & Kashmir) and 60% (Centre): 40% (State) for General/ Non-Special Category States.
    • River Management and Border Areas (RMBA) component: Under this flood control and anti-erosion works on common border rivers with neighbouring countries including hydrological observations and flood forecasting, and investigation & pre-construction activities of joint water resources projects (with neighbouring countries) on common border rivers will be taken up with 100% central assistance.
    • The works implemented under the RMBA component also protect important installations of security agencies, border outposts, etc. along the border rivers from flood and erosion.
  • The Scheme has the provision of incentivizing the States which implement flood plain zoning, recognized as an effective non-structural measure for flood management. 
  • Significance: This is particularly relevant as the increased incidence of extreme events has been witnessed during the last few years in view of the likely impact of climate change and the situation may further aggravate in times to come exacerbating the problem of floods in terms of extent, intensity and frequency. 

Green Anaconda

A National Geographic expedition in the Amazon rainforest has led to the reclassification of the world’s largest snake as two genetically distinct species: the southern green anaconda and the newly-discovered northern green anaconda (Eunectes akayima).

 

About Green Anaconda:

  • It is the largest snake in the world when both weight and length are considered.
  • It can reach a length of 30 feet (9 metres) and weigh up to 227 kilograms.
  • It has two species: the southern green anaconda and the northern green anaconda.
  • Distribution: They are native to South America east of the Andes, and can be found in several countries, including Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, the island of Trinidad, and as far south as northern Paraguay.
  • Habitat: They generally live in tropical rainforests and tend to prefer shallow, slow-moving waters, such as streams, rivers, and flooded grasslands.
  • The green anaconda is a member of a family of snakes called constrictors.
    • Constrictors are not venomous snakes. They don’t kill prey by delivering venom through a bite.
    • Instead, constrictors wrap their bodies around their prey and squeeze until it stops breathing.
    • The giant snake opens its mouth wide enough to swallow its victim.
    • Anaconda jaws are held together with stretchy ligaments so they can open wide enough to swallow prey whole.
  • They are well adapted to aquatic life. Their nose and eyes are located on the top of their heads to help them see and breathe while swimming in the water. 
  • These anacondas are olive-green with dark oval spots along their spines and similar spots with yellow centres along their sides. 
    • Their colour and pattern provide camouflage, allowing them to blend in with the wet, dense vegetation of their habitat.
  • Conservation Status:
    • IUCN Red List: Least Concern
  • The northern green anaconda can grow up to 7.5m and weigh close to 500kg, making it the largest and heaviest snake yet known in the world.
    • It diverged from the previously known southern green anaconda about 10 million years ago, differing genetically from it by 5.5 per cent.

Pigeon pea

According to the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) a new fast-breeding protocol is likely to make it easier for scientists to develop better quality varieties of the pigeon pea crop at a faster rate.

About Pigeon pea:

  • It is also called arhar and tur in India.
  • It is an important legume crop and protein-rich food which is primarily consumed as dal in India.
  • It is predominantly a crop of tropical areas mainly cultivated in semi-arid regions of India.
  • Climatic conditions
    • Rain: It requires 600-650 mm of annual rainfall along with moist conditions for the initial eight weeks and dry conditions during its flowering and pod development phase.
    • Temperature: It can be grown with a temperature ranging from 260C to 300C in the rainy season and 170C to 220C in the post-rainy (November to March) season.
    • Soil: It can be grown on all types of soil; however, sandy loam or loam soil is most suitable for its cultivation.
    • It is very sensitive to low radiation at pod development, therefore flowering during the monsoon and cloudy weather, leads to poor pod formation.
  • It is commonly intercropped with a wide range of crops. In India, it was estimated that 80 – 90 % of the pigeon pea were intercropped.
  • The important diseases of Pigeon pea are Wilt, Sterility mosaic disease, Phytophthora blight, Alternaria blight and Powdery mildew etc.
  • Concern: The Pigeon pea’s long growth cycle and sensitivity to day length have hindered breeding efforts, with only about 250 varieties released globally over six decades.
  • Health benefits: It has a low glycaemic index and is rich in thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate, vitamin A, calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium and phosphorus.
  • Major Pigeon pea-producing states: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand.

New protocols of ICRISAT

  • The new convention promises to substantially cut the time required to develop new Pigeon pea lines with desirable traits, effectively bringing food to dryland communities faster.
  • The new protocol shortens the breeding and control over factors like photoperiod, temperature, humidity, and breeding cycle to 2 to 4 years while the traditional Pigeon pea breeding takes up to 13 years.

Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)

A data breach that impacted the systems of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) in 2018 exposing the personal data of millions of Indians was found to have been “repackaged” by a Chinese cyber agency, as per a preliminary probe by New Delhi’s cybersecurity agency.

About the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO):

  • It is a statutory body that came into existence under the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
  • It is one of the world’s largest social security organisations in terms of clientele and the volume of financial transactions undertaken.
  • It is under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Labor and Employment. 
  • Structure of EPFO:
    • The Act and all its schemes are administered by a tripartite board called the Central Board of Trustees.
    • The board comprises representatives of the government (both central and state), employers, and employees. 
    • The board is chaired by the Union Minister of Labour and Employment, Government of India. 
  • The Central Board of Trustees administers a contributory provident fund, a pension scheme and an insurance scheme for the workforce engaged in the organised sector in India, namely the EPF Scheme 1952, the Pension Scheme 1995 (EPS), and the Insurance Scheme 1976 (EDLI). 
  • EPFO is also the nodal agency for implementing Bilateral Social Security Agreements with other countries on a reciprocal basis. 
  • Coverage: The schemes offered by EPFO cover Indian workers and international workers (from countries with whom the EPFO has signed bilateral agreements).
  • Headquarters: New Delhi

Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana

Recently, the Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship inaugurated the Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana, in Sambalpur, Odisha.

About Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana:

  • It is tailored specifically for beneficiaries of the PM SVANidhi scheme, this unique National Entrepreneurship Development Project underscores the government’s steadfast commitment to nurturing job providers across the nation. 
  • Aim: It aims to equip individuals with comprehensive entrepreneurship training, creating job providers rather than job seekers.
  • This initiative focuses on reskilling and upskilling employees to enhance their competitiveness and adaptability in an era of disruptive technology.
  • It will offer comprehensive entrepreneurship training over a period of 22 weeks, combining theoretical knowledge with practical exposure through experiential learning.
  • The training will be conducted through offline, online and hybrid modes, with certificates awarded upon completion, enhancing the course’s credibility and value.
  • The Government of India has partnered with Flipkart to skill street vendors and small shopkeepers.
  • Under the pilot program, street vendors in 10 big cities of the country will be given a stipend along with training to expand their businesses.

Smishing

In today’s digital age, where smartphones are practically an extension of ourselves, smishing poses a real and growing threat.

About Smishing:

  • It is a form of phishing that targets individuals through text messages or SMS.
  • It is just like phishing emails, smishing messages aim to trick you into divulging personal information or downloading malware onto your device.
  • It is done in through following ways:
    • Fake alerts and warnings: Scammers send texts pretending to be from legitimate institutions like banks, government agencies, or delivery services. They’ll claim there’s a problem with your account or a package delivery, prompting you to click on a link for more information.
    • Urgent requests: Smishers play on your emotions by creating a sense of urgency. They might promise prizes, warn of impending legal action, or claim your account is compromised, pressuring you to act quickly without thinking.
    • Exploiting current events: During tax season, scammers might pose as the income tax officers, offering tax refunds or threatening penalties if you don’t respond immediately. Similarly, they might capitalise on natural disasters or health crises to solicit donations or spread misinformation.
  • How to identify and stay safe from smishing?
    • Poor grammar and spelling: Many smishing messages contain grammatical errors or spelling mistakes, indicating that they may not be from a legitimate source.
    • Unsolicited requests for personal information: Be wary of messages that request sensitive information like passwords, Social Security numbers, or banking details. Legitimate organisations typically won’t ask for this information via text message.
    • Suspicious links: Hover over any links in the message (without clicking them) to see the URL. If it looks suspicious or doesn’t match the purported sender, it’s likely a smishing attempt.
    • Verify the sender: Before clicking on any links or providing sensitive information, verify the sender’s identity. Contact the institution directly using official contact information to confirm the legitimacy of the message.
    • Keep software updated: Ensure your smartphone’s operating system and security software are up to date to protect against malware and other threats. Consider installing reputable antivirus apps for an added layer of protection.

Paruveta Festival

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is making efforts to secure UNESCO recognition for the annual ‘Paruveta’ festival.

About Paruveta Festival:

  • The festival, also known as the ‘mock hunting festival’, is celebrated at the Sri Narasimha Swamy temple in the town of Ahobilam, Andhra Pradesh.
  • It is celebrated by all sections of people, irrespective of their caste.
  • It is a festival of communal harmony, as devotees from other religious communities like Muslims also offer prayers to the Lord.
  • Origin:
    • According to folklore, Lord Vishnu, upon his incarnation as a man-lion (Narasimha) in Ahobilam, married Maha Lakshmi, born as a tribal girl Chenchulakshmi.
    • The Kurnool District Gazetteers, published by Government Press in 1881, record several beliefs of the Chenchu tribes, including their reverence for Ahobila Narasimha as their brother-in-law and inviting him home for Makar Sankranti.
  • While Paruveta rituals are commonly observed in many temples during Vijayadashami or Sankranti, at Ahobilam, it is conducted for a ‘mandala’ (forty days).
  • Activities:
    • During the festival, the deity from the temple’s inner sanctum is taken to the 32 Chenchu tribal villages surrounding Ahobilam town for a duration of 40 days.
    • The spiritual sojourn starts with the tribals aiming their bow and shooting two arrows at the palanquin, not only as a mark of reverence but also to show that the deity is under their protective cover.
    • Chenchus take ‘Narasimha Deeksha’ by wearing yellow robes and ‘Tulasi Mala’ and observe celibacy during this period.
    • The temple staff stay in these hamlets for the entire period, indicating the presence of a casteless society in the past with no hint of untouchability.

Key Facts about Chenchu Tribes:

  • They live in the hills of southern India, primarily in the state of Andhra Pradesh. 
  • Other Chenchu communities can be found in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Orissa. 
  • Their native language (also called Chenchu) belongs to the Dravidian language family. Many also speak Telugu.
  • Many Chenchu have been forced out of their traditional wandering, food-gathering lives by the growing number of peasant farmers. They now work as farmers or forest labourers.
  • They live in hive-shaped houses made of wattle thatch (poles intertwined with twigs, reeds, or branches).
  • Chenchu society consists of clans (extended family units), local groups, and families.
  • They are exogamous, which means that they do not allow marriage within the same clan.
  • They are also patrilineal, tracing the line of descent through the males.

Fair and Remunerative Price

Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved ₹340/quintal as the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane for the sugar season 2024-25 at a sugar recovery rate of 10.25%.

About Fair and Remunerative Price:

  • It is the price declared by the government, which mills are legally bound to pay to farmers for the cane procured from them.
  • Who determines it? The FRP is fixed by the Union government (Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)) on the basis of recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
  • The payment of FRP across the country is governed by the Sugarcane Control Order, 1966 which mandates payment within 14 days of the date of delivery of the cane.
  • Mills have the option of signing an agreement with farmers, which would allow them to pay the FRP in instalments.
  • Delays in payment can attract an interest of up to 15 per cent per annum, and the sugar commissioner can recover unpaid FRP as dues in revenue recovery by attaching properties of the mills.
  • The amended provisions of the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966 provide for fixation of FRP of sugarcane having regard to the following factors: –
    • cost of production of sugarcane
    • return to the growers from alternative crops and the general trend of prices of agricultural commodities
    • availability of sugar to consumers at a fair price
    • price at which sugar produced from sugarcane is sold by sugar producers;
    • recovery of sugar from sugarcane;
    • the realisation made from the sale of by-products viz. molasses, bagasse and press mud or their imputed value
    • reasonable margins for the growers of sugarcane on account of risk and profits

Cantor’s Giant Softshell Turtle

A team of conservationists, uncovered the nesting site of Cantor’s giant softshell turtle on banks of the Chandragiri River in Kerala.

  • It is the 1st breeding site that has been discovered in India.

The Chandragiri River also known as the Perumpuzha River, is the longest river in Kasaragod district in Kerala. River Payaswini is its tributary.

  • Scientific name – Pelochelys cantorii
  • Nativity – It is native to the rivers of South and Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and India.
  • It is also called Asian giant softshell turtle.
  • Habitat – Mainly inland, slow-moving, freshwater rivers, lakes, streams, and estuaries but also extends to coastal areas.
  • Features – It is an exceptionally large freshwater turtle, which reach over 1m in length and weigh more than 100 Kgs.
  • It has broad head with eyes close to the tip of the snout, a frog-like appearance and so the name ‘Frog Head Turtle’.
  • They are primarily carnivores (piscivores) feeding on fish, crustaceans, and mollusks but may also eat some aquatic plants.
  • Secretive Nature – Mostly, they lie buried and motionless, with only their eyes and mouth protruding from the sand.
  • They surface only twice a day to take a breath and capture their prey by sit-and-wait strategy using an element of surprise.

Cantor'sTurtle

  • Threat – Harvesting by local people for meat, accidental killing and persecution from fishermen when caught in fishing gear, and the destruction of its freshwater and coastal habitats.
  • Protection status
    • IUCN – Critically Endangered (CR)
    • CITES – Appendix II
    • Wildlife Protection Act,1972 – Schedule 1

Badwater Basin

The recent images of NASA shows that Badwater Basin, the driest place in North America has been home to a lake for 6 months.

  • It is an endorheic basin with a depth of 282 feet below sea level.
  • Location – Death Valley National Park, Death Valley in USA.

Death Valley is well-known as the hottest place on Earth and the driest place in North America and is essentially a dry salt flat.

  • Lake formation – Being endorheic in nature, it allows water flows into it but not out, typically resulting in rapid evaporation and ephemeral lakes.
  • Manly lake – It was formed in August 2023 after Hurricane Hilary.
  • While the lake initially shrank as expected, it surprisingly persisted through the fall and winter months.
  • Its resurgence came in February 2024, when a powerful atmospheric river replenished its waters.
  • At its largest, it was about 11 kms long, 6.5 km wide and about 60 cm deep.
  • It now fills the low-lying salt flat, sspanning several kilometers.

BadwaterBasin

Quick Facts

  • Basin – A depression, or dip, in the Earth’s surface which are shaped like bowls, with sides higher than the bottom.
  • Ephemeral lakes – They are basins that remain flooded for short periods of time during a year but may not hold water for several years if the rainfall regime is not suitable to produce flooding.
  • Atmospheric River – A relatively narrow plume of moisture that forms over an ocean and can produce intense rainfall or snowfall when it reaches land.

Other Important Topics

Kalpana
Skyroot Aerospace, an Indian private aerospace manufacturer, has launched the Kalpana fellowship for women interested in space tech.

  • This new program is India’s first fellowship exclusively dedicated to empowering women engineers in the realm of space technology.
  • It is named in honor of the late astronaut Kalpana Chawla.
  • It is open to final year students and recent graduates in relevant engineering disciplines.

Pigeonpea
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has created the world’s 1st Pigeonpea speed breeding protocol to reduce breeding cycle of Pigeonpea by 3-5 years.

  • Scientific name – Cajanus cajan; Family – Fabaceae
  • India ranks 1st in area and production of Pigeonpea.
  • The state-wise trend shows that Maharashtra ranks 1st both in area and production.
  • It is also called as arhar, tur or red gram.
  • It has low glycaemic index and is rich in vitamins and minerals.
  • Traditionally, Pigeonpea breeding can take up to 13 years.
  • After gram, Pigeonpea is the 2nd most important pulse crop in the country.

Iraq’s Rivers
Stricken by drought and depleted by upstream dams, Iraq’s rivers – the Tigris and Euphrates are suffocating under pollutants.

  • Tigris – It flows south from the mountains of the Armenian Highlands through the Syrian and Arabian Deserts, and empties into the Persian Gulf.
  • Surrounded by 4 countries (Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria), the Tigris River is the second largest river in western Asi a.
  • Originating in Lake Hazer in Turkey, the river flows parallel to the Euphrates River.
  • Euphrates – It is the longest river in the Southwest Asia.
  • The river rises in Turkey and flows southeast across Syria and through Iraq and then empties into the Persian Gulf.
  • Tigris and Euphrates makes up a river system that borders Mesopotamia in the area known as the Fertile Crescent.

Iraq is known as the “land of two rivers”.

Mundra Port
To bypass Red Sea, new trade route to Israel involving Mundra port was suggested by Israeli Transport Minister.

  • It is India’s largest commercial port.
  • It is a flagship facility of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ).
  • It is located in the district of Kuchchh, Gujarat.
  • In the new route, goods move from Mundra to ports in the UAE, such as Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port and then through Saudi Arabia and Jordan to Israel.

Safety of Women
Cabinet approved the proposal of Ministry of Home Affairs of continuation of implementation of Umbrella Scheme on ‘Safety of Women’ during the period from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

  • Funding – By Ministry of Home Affairs and from Nirbhaya Fund.
  • The projects under the Umbrella Scheme for Safety of Women:
  1. Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) 2.0;
  2. Upgradation of Central Forensic Sciences laboratories, setting up of National Forensic Data Centre;
  3. Strengthening of DNA Analysis, Cyber Forensic capacities in State Forensic Science Laboratories (FSLs);
  4. Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children;
  5. Capacity building and training of investigators and prosecutors in handling sexual assault cases against women and children;
  6. Women Help Desk & Anti-human Trafficking Units.

Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP)
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approves ‘Fair and Remunerative Price’ (FRP) of sugarcane for 2024-25 at Rs. 340 per quintal at sugar recovery rate of 10.25%.

  • FRP is the minimum price to be paid by sugar mills to farmers for buying sugarcane.
  • The FRP has been determined on the basis of recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
  • The new FRP is 107% higher than A2+FL cost (Includes value of unpaid labour of family workers in addition to A2) of sugarcane.
  • Sugarcane is grown mainly in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka.
  • It is based on the Rangarajan Committee report of reorganizing the sugarcane industry.

Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC)
Union Finance Minister chairs the 28th meeting of Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) in New Delhi.

  • FSDC is an autonomous body constituted by the Union Government as a non-statutory apex body under the Ministry of Finance in 2010.
  • The Raghuram Rajan Committee (2008) on financial sector reforms first proposed the creation of FSDC.
  • Chairman – The Finance Minister
  • Members – Reserve Bank of India (RBI); Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA); Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI); Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA)
  • Other members are Finance Secretary, Chief Economic Advisor and Secretary of the Department of Financial Services.

World Day of Social Justice 2024
The World Day of Social Justice is observed every year on 20th February

  • The UN General Assembly has declared the World Day of Social Justice in 2007.
  • The theme for the year 2024 – Bridging Gaps, Building Alliances.
  • This day is dedicated to promoting social justice and ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP)
The Union Cabinet has recently approved the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP) for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26.

  • It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme that supplements the efforts of the State Governments in flood management.

The scheme has two components:

  1. Flood Management Programme (FMP) Component – Central assistance is provided to State Governments and the expenditure on these schemes are shared between the centre and state.
  2. River Management and Border Areas (RMBA) component – Taken up with 100% central assistance.

The scheme was initially launched during XI plan & has continued thereafter.

 



Current Affairs – 21 Feb 2024

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Current Affairs – 21 Feb 2024

Section 91 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC)

Recently, the Supreme Court observed that the courts cannot issue processes under Section 91 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to compel the production of things/documents based on the application made by the accused at the stage of framing of charges.

About Section 91 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC):

  • Section 91 of the CrPC empowers the court to issue a summons or a written order to produce a document or other material that is necessary for the purpose of any investigation, inquiry, trial, or other legal proceedings.
  • Under this section, if the court considers that the production of any document or material is necessary or desirable for the administration of justice, it can issue a summons or written order to any person in possession of that document or material, directing them to produce it in court.
  • Purpose: To ensure the availability of relevant evidence and materials during legal proceedings. This helps facilitate a fair and just resolution of the case by ensuring that the necessary evidence is presented before the court.
  • Production of documents under Section 91: The document or material can be produced either in its original form or in the form of certified copies, as specified in the summons or written order. 
  • Compliance with the Section 91 order: The person receiving the summons must comply with it and produce the document or thing as required. 
  • Section 91 does not cover the production of the following items:
    • Those listed under Sections 123 and 124 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872), or the Bankers Books Evidence Act, 1891 (13 of 1891), or
    • a letter, postcard, telegram, or other document, or any parcel or thing in the custody of the postal or telegraph authority.
  • The court must be informed of the name of the person in whose possession or power the document is, or else the application for summons will not be entertained.
  • The term ‘person’ mentioned in the Section does not include an accused person in trial.
  • The police officers and courts are required to adhere to specific protocols and precautions while issuing and carrying out summonses under Section 91 CrPC.
    • For instance, they must abide by Sections 123 and 124 of the Indian Evidence Act, (1872), which protects the confidentiality and privilege of specific documents.
    • Additionally, they must offer the person called a fair amount of time and a chance to comply with the request.

Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH)

Achieving one of the three priority areas agreed upon during India’s G20 presidency in 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently launched the Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH) virtually.

About Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH):

  • It is a WHO-managed network aiming to amplify and align resources toward country-led digital health transformation through strengthened collaboration and knowledge exchange.
  • It is a platform for sharing knowledge and digital products among countries.
  • The initiative aims to achieve the following objectives through collaborative efforts:
    • Assess and prioritise the country’s needs for sustainable digital health transformation.
    • Increase the alignment of country-level digital health resources and unfunded priorities.
    • Support the accelerated achievement of the strategic objectives of the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2025.
    • Build capacity and converge efforts to encourage local development, maintenance, and adaptation of digital health technologies to continuously changing needs.
  • The initiative will be a network of networks with four main components:
    • country needs tracker
    • country resource portal (a map of resources available in a country)
    • transformation toolbox that will share quality-assured digital tools
    • knowledge exchange.
  • GIDH will support countries in three ways: by listening to their needs, by aligning resources to avoid fragmentation and overlap, and by providing quality-assured products.
  • Membership: Membership is open to all institutions engaged in digital health.

Rhodamine-B

Recently, the Tamil Nadu government banned the sale and production of cotton candy in the state after it was found that the chemical Rhodamine-B was being used for making it.

About Rhodamine-B:

  • It is a water-soluble chemical compound.
  • While it appears green in powder form, it turns vivid fluorescent pink when it comes in contact with water.
  • It is a chemical commonly used for dyeing in the textile, paper, leather, and paint industries as a colouring agent that helps in attaining the red and pink spectrum.
  • “As per the Food Safety Standards Act, 2006, preparation, packaging, importing, selling and serving food items with Rhodamine-B in wedding ceremonies and other public events is a punishable offence.
  • It is an industrial dye which is not allowed in food anywhere in the world as it is toxic.

Why is it harmful?

  • Researchers have identified that if food containing this chemical is consumed regularly, it can cause damage to the cerebellum tissue in the brain and to the brainstem that connects the brain to the spinal cord.
  • These damages can lead to functional abnormalities and can hinder human motor functioning. 
  • The chemical is toxic to humans and can cause oxidative stress on cells and tissues if ingested.
  • It becomes particularly hazardous when it is mixed with food products, leading to cancer and tumours over time.

Raisina Dialogue

The ninth edition of the Raisina Dialogue will be held from February 21 to 23rd in New Delhi.

About Raisina Dialogue:

  • It is an annual conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, which aims to address the most challenging issues faced by the world.
  • It is held annually since 2016 in New Delhi.
  • The conference is attended by people from political, business, media, and civil society backgrounds.
  • The Dialogue is structured as a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral discussion, involving heads of state, cabinet ministers and local government officials, who are joined by thought leaders from the private sector, media and academia.
  • It is organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
  • The theme of the 2024 edition is “Chaturanga: Conflict, Contest, Cooperate, Create,”
  • During the three-day conference, the participants will engage with each other over six “thematic pillars”. These include:
    • Tech Frontiers: Regulations & Realities
    • Peace with the Planet: Invest & Innovate
    • War & Peace: Armouries & Asymmetries
    • Decolonising Multilateralism: Institutions & Inclusion
    • The Post 2030 Agenda: People & Progress
    • efending Democracy: Society & Sovereignty,

Model Code of Conduct (MCC)

An Indian delegation is set to leave for London in an effort to seal the free trade agreement with the UK, as dates for the general elections are expected to be announced in less than a month, which will trigger the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

About Model Code of Conduct (MCC):

  • MCC is a set of guidelines intended to regulate political parties and candidates during elections to ensure that the conduct of polls by the Election Commission of India (ECI) is free and fair.
  • This is something political parties and candidates voluntarily agree to.
  • Divided into eight parts, the guidelines cover dos and don’ts for electioneering as well as on publication of advertisements at the cost of the exchequer, among other things.
  • The ECI ensures observance of the MCC by a political party in power and contesting candidates for conducting free and fair elections under Article 324 of the Constitution of India.
  • The salient features of the Model Code of Conduct lay down how political parties, contesting candidates and party(s) in power should conduct themselves during the process of elections i.e. on their general conduct during electioneering, holding meetings and processions, poll day activities and functioning of the party in power etc.
  • MCC also ensures that official machinery for electoral purposes is not misused. Further, it is also ensured that electoral offences, malpractices, and corrupt practices are prevented by all means. In case of violation, appropriate measures are taken.
  • The code comes into effect from the time the EC announces the schedule of elections and will be in force till the results are announced.
  • Applicability:
    • During general elections to the Lok Sabha, the code is applicable throughout the country.
    • During general elections to the Legislative Assembly of the state, the code is applicable in the entire State.
    • During bye-elections, the MCC would be applicable in the area of the concerned Constituency only.
  • Is MCC Legally Enforceable?
    • The MCC by itself is not legally enforceable but certain provisions of the MCC may be enforced through invoking corresponding provisions in other statutes such as the Representation of the People Act, 1951, IPC and CrPC.

Kapilvastu Relics

Four bone fragments of Lord Buddha, also known as Kapilvastu Relics, presently kept in the National Museum will be taken to Thailand after about 30 years.

About Kapilvastu Relics:

  • The relics were excavated from Piprahwa in the Siddharthnagar District of Uttar Pradesh, an erstwhile part of the ancient city of Kapilavastu.
  • A British colonial engineer and an estate manager William Claxton Peppé discovered an inscribed casket in 1898 at the stupa site in Piprahwa.
  • The inscription on the casket’s lid refers to the relics of Buddha and his community, the Sakya.
  • History:
    • At the age of 80, according to Buddhist beliefs, Buddha attained salvation in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar district.
    • The Mallas of Kushinagar cremated his body with ceremonies befitting a universal king.
    • His relics from the funeral pyre were collected and divided into eight shares to be distributed among the Ajathsatrus of Magadha, the Licchavis of Vaishali, the Sakyas of Kapilavastu, Mallas of Kushinagar, Bullies of Allakappa, the Mallas of Pava, the Koliyas of Ramagrama and a Brahmana of Vethadipa.
    • The purpose was to erect stupas over the sacred relics.
    • Two more stupas came up — one over the urn in which the relics had been collected and the other over the embers.
    • Thus, stupas erected over the bodily relics of Buddha (Saririkastupas) are the earliest surviving Buddhist shrines.
    • It is stated that Ashoka (circa 272–232 BCE) being an ardent follower of Buddhism, opened -up seven of these eight stupas, and collected a major portion of the relics for enshrinement within innumerable (84000 stupas) built by him in an effort to popularise Buddhism and spread the dharma.

IBSA Fund

Recently, India has contributed USD 1 million to a fund established by India, Brazil and South Africa.

 About IBSA Fund:

  • It was established in 2004 and became operational in 2006.
  • The IBSA countries – India, Brazil and South Africa – each contribute one million dollars annually to the Fund in a spirit of partnership and support for Southern-led, demand-driven, transformational projects in developing countries.
  • The purpose of the fund is to identify replicable and scalable projects that can be disseminated to developing countries on a demand-driven basis.
  • IBSA Fund-supported projects help partner countries in the Global South to achieve their national priorities, as well as all other internationally agreed development goals.
  • Objectives: It includes promoting food security, addressing HIV/AIDS, and extending access to safe drinking water all to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, the release said.
  • The IBSA Fund has allocated USD 50.6 million to date, supporting 45 projects across 37 countries of the global South.
  • The UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) serves as the Fund Manager and Secretariat of the IBSA Fund.

What is IBSA?

  • It is a unique Forum which brings together India, Brazil and South Africa, three large democracies and major economies from three different continents, facing similar challenges.
  • The grouping was formalised and named the IBSA Dialogue Forum when the Foreign Ministers of the three countries met in Brasilia on 6 June 2003 and issued the Brasilia Declaration.
  • Five IBSA Leadership Summits have been held so far.
  • The 5th IBSA Summit was held in Pretoria on 18 October 2011.
  • India was the IBSA Chair under the theme “Democracy for Demography and Development” in 2021. 
  • Brazil assumed on March 2, 2023, the rotating presidency of the India, Brazil, South Africa Dialogue Forum – IBSA.

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

According to a new report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), at the current pace of growth, the region will not attain the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) until 2062 or will be 32 years behind schedule.

About the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific:

  • It is the most inclusive intergovernmental platform in the Asia-Pacific region.
  • It was established in 1947.
  • Mandate: To promote economic and social development in the Asian and Pacific region by fostering cooperation between its members and associate members.
  • The Commission promotes cooperation among its 53 member States and 9 associate members in pursuit of solutions to sustainable development challenges.
  • It is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations.
  • It carries out work in areas like Macroeconomic Policy, Poverty Reduction and Financing for Development, Trade, Investment and Innovation, Transport, Environment and Development, Information and Communications Technology, Disaster Risk Reduction and Social Development etc.
  • Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand

What are Sustainable Development Goals?

  • These were adopted by the United Nations in 2015as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
  • The SDGs framework sets targets for 231 unique indicators across 17 SDG goals related to economic development, social welfare, and environmental sustainability, to be met by 2030.
  • The 17 SDGs are integrated; they recognise that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NPDS) Act, 1985

In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court recently overturned an order granting anticipatory bail to a respondent accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act).

About Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NPDS) Act, 1985:

  • The NDPS Act prohibits any individual from engaging in any activity consisting of the production, cultivation, sale, purchase, transport, storage, and/or consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance.
  • Objectives:
    • To take measures for preventing, combating, and regulating operations relating to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
    • To provide for the forfeiture of property derived from or used in, illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
    • To implement the provisions of the international conventions on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and for all relevant matters.
    • To add or omit the list of psychotropic substances.
  • What are Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances?
    • “Narcotic Drug” means coca leaf, cannabis (hemp), opium, poppy straw, and includes all manufactured drugs.
    • “Psychotropic substance” means any substance, natural or synthetic, or any natural material or any salt or preparation of such substance or material included in the list of psychotropic substances specified in the Schedule.
  • Applicability: The NDPS Act prohibits a person from manufacture/production/cultivation/ possession/sale/purchase / transport / store / consume any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance without due permission from the appropriate authorities.
  • Punishment under the NDPS Act:
    • The Act follows a graded system of punishment, with the punishment varying and the quantum of punishment being dependent upon whether the offence pertains to small, commercial, and intermediate quantities of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
    • For offences involving commercial quantities of drugs, a minimum penalty of ten years of rigorous imprisonment is prescribed, which may extend to twenty years.
    • Repeat offences attract one and a half times the penalty and, in a few cases, even the death penalty.
    • By amendment to the Act in 1989, due to the serious nature of the offence, the sentence awarded under the NDPS Act became non-commutable except for the sentence awarded for the consumption of drugs. 
  • Alongside these stringent provisions, the Act has procedural safeguards as follows:
    • Personal search: Any person being searched has a right to be searched before a Gazetted Officer or a Magistrate (Section 50).
    • Searches: Gazetted Officers of the empowered Departments can authorise Such authorization has to be based on information taken down in writing. 
      • Searches can be made under certain circumstances without a warrant (from a magistrate) or authorization (from a Gazetted Officer). 
    • Arrests: The person who is arrested should be informed, as soon as may be, of the grounds of his arrest [Section 52(1)].
      • If the arrest or seizure is based on a warrant issued by a magistrate, the person or the seized article should be forwarded to that magistrate.
      • The officer who arrests a person has to make a full report to his official superior within 48 hours.
  • Immunities:
    • Officers: Officers acting in the discharge of their duties in good faith under the Act are immune from suits, prosecution, and other legal proceedings.
    • Addicts: Addicts charged with the consumption of drugs or with offences involving small quantities will be immune from prosecution if they volunteer for de-addiction. This immunity may be withdrawn if the addict does not undergo complete treatment.
    • Offenders: Central or state governments can tender immunity to an offender in order to obtain his evidence in the case. This immunity is granted by the government and not by the court.
    • Juvenile offenders: Juvenile offenders (below 18 years of age) will be governed by the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000.
    • Immunities to diplomats as applicable.

Lake Lough Neagh

2024 is the 1st year, to encounter no appearance of Lake Lough Neagh’s fly in the lake, indicating accelerated ecosystem collapse.

  • Located in – East-central Northern Ireland.
  • It covers an area of approximately 392 square kms with a catchment area of 5,700 square km.
  • Water source – Upper River Bann, the River Blackwater, and the River Main, and it is drained northward by the Lower Bann.
  • Importance – It is the largest freshwater lake in British Isles.

British Isles, group of islands off the northwestern coast of Europe. It consists of 2 main islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and numerous smaller islands and island groups.

  • It supplies more than 40% of Northern Ireland’s drinking water
  • It hosts the largest wild eel fishery in Europe.
  • Over 100 different bird species can be spotted here throughout the year, including the iconic Arctic Tern and the elusive Brent Goose.
  • It is also considered a cultural and archaeological jewel.

LakeLough

  • Threat – Long-term pollution, largely from agriculture was a key part of the problem as increased nutrient discharge leads to growth of a vast “bloom” of blue-green algae.
  • Along with invasive species like water-clearing zebra mussels, and the weather effects of climate change, the perfect conditions were created for the potentially toxic algae to bloom from the depths where it has always been present.
  • Loss of biodiversity – Algal bloom, a thick, photosynthesising blanket deprives the lake of oxygen, choke the aquatic life and thus accelerates biodiversity crisis.
  • Decreased numbers of Lough Neagh fly, a crucial insect that support fish, wildfowl, frogs and predatory insects lead to loss of those dependent species as well
BharatNet Project
State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has floated around Rs 65,000-crore tender for the implementation of the phase-III BharatNet project.

About BharatNet Project:

  • It is one of the biggest rural telecom projects in the world.
  • It is implemented in a phased manner to all Gram Panchayats in the country to provide non-discriminatory access to broadband connectivity to all the telecom service providers.
  • Objective: To enable access providers like mobile operators, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Cable TV operators, and content providers to launch various services such as applications like e-health, e-education and e-governance in rural and remote India.
  • The project was approved in 2011.
  • It is being executed by a Special Purpose Vehicle namely Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), which was incorporated in 2012 under the Indian Companies Act 1956.
  • The Telecom Commission approved the implementation of the project in three phases.
  • BharatNet Phase-I:
    • It was approved in 2011 the project for the creation of the National Optical Fibre Network (now BharatNet) to provide broadband connectivity at the Gram Panchayat (GP) level by connecting block headquarters to GPs by using existing fibre of Central Public Sector Undertakings such as Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited and RailTel Corporation of India Limited and laying incremental fibre to bridge the connectivity gap up to the GPs.
  • BharatNet Phase-II
    • It was approved in 2017, which integrates the implementation experience of Phase-I of the project and aligns it with the vision of Digital India.
    • The modified strategy provides an optimal mix of media (OFC, Radio and satellite) to connect Gram Panchayats (GPs).
    • Under Phase II, GPs are to be connected through multiple implementing models like the State-led Model, Private Sector Model and CPSU Model, along with last-mile connectivity in GPs through Wi-Fi or any other suitable broadband technology.
  • In the third phase from 2019 to 2023, a state-of-the-art, future-proof network, including fibre between districts and blocks, with ring topology to provide redundancy would be created.

 



Current Affairs – 17th Feb 2024

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Current Affairs – 17th Feb 2024

Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT)

Recently, the I.T. department froze Congress bank accounts over 2018-19 returns but the appellate tribunal provided partial relief.

About Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT):

  • ITAT is a quasi-judicial institution set up in January 1941.
  • It specialises in dealing with appeals under the Direct Taxes Acts.
  • Functions:
    • It hears income tax appeals from taxpayers against orders passed by the Income Tax Authorities.
    • The orders passed by the ITAT are final, an appeal lies to the High Court only if a substantial question of law arises for determination.
  • Benches:
    • Presently ITAT has 63 Benches in 27 different states covering almost all the cities having a seat of the High Court.
    • Strength: One President, who is assisted by ten (10) Zonal Vice Presidents and 115 Members (i.e. Accountant Members and Judicial Members).
    • The ITAT is headed by a President, who is appointed by the Central Government.
  • Monetary Limits set by the CBDT are the following:
    • Before the ITAT – Rs 50 lakh.
    • Before the High Court – Rs 1 crore.
    • Before the Supreme Court – Rs 2 crore.
  • ITAT is referred to as the ‘Mother Tribunal’ being the oldest tribunal in the country.

APEDA

The Union minister of state for commerce and industry addressed a gathering of farmers and Agri-produce buyers in the ‘Agri-Export: Capacity Building Cum Buyer-Seller Meet’ organised by APEDA in Mirzapur.

About APEDA:

  • The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) was established by the Government of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act, 1985.
  • This Authority replaced the Processed Food Export Promotion Council (PFEPC).
  • The Authority with its headquarters at New Delhi, is headed by a Chairman.
  • In order to reach out to the exporters in different parts of the Country, APEDA has set up 15 Regional Offices in different cities like- Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata etc.
  • Functions: The following functions have been assigned to the Authority:
    • Registration of persons as exporters of the scheduled products on payment of such fees as may be prescribed;
    • Fixing of standards and specifications for the scheduled products for the purpose of exports;
    • Improving of packaging of the Scheduled products;
    • Improving marketing of the Scheduled products outside India;
    • Promotion of export-oriented production and development of the Scheduled products;
    • Training in various aspects of the industries connected with the scheduled products;
  • APEDA also functions as the Secretariat to the National Accreditation Board (NAB) for the implementation of accreditation of the Certification Bodies under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) for Organic exports.
  • Ministry: Ministry of Commerce and Trade.

Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)

The State Bank of India (SBI) has requested the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a lower cash reserve ratio (CRR) on green deposits raised from customers.

About Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR):

  • Under CRR, commercial banks have to hold a certain minimum amount of deposits as reserves with the RBI.
  • The percentage of cash required to be kept in reserves against the bank’s total deposits is called the CRR.
  • The RBI decides the amount and is kept with them for financial security. 
  • The bank cannot use this amount for lending and investment purposes and does not get any interest from the RBI. 
  • The CRR applies to scheduled commercial banks, while regional rural banks and NBFCs are excluded.
  • The following are the critical objectives of the CRR:
    • CRR helps control inflation. In a high-inflation environment, the RBI can increase CRR to prevent banks from lending more.
    • CRR also ensures banks have a minimum amount of funds readily available to customers, even during huge demand.
    • CRR serves as the reference rate for loans. Also known as the base rate for loans, banks cannot offer loans below this rate.
    • Since the CRR regulates the money supply, it boosts the economy whenever required by lowering the CRR.
  • How is the CRR Calculated?
    • There is no CRR formula. In technical terms, CRR is calculated as a percentage of Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL).
    • NDTL for banking refers to the aggregate savings account, current account, and fixed deposit balances held by a bank.
  • In case a bank fails to maintain its CRR, it will have to pay fines to the RBI because of that default. The fine is charged for the shortfall.

PM-SVANidhi

Recently, the Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Minister disbursed loans to 10,000 beneficiaries of the PM SVANidhi scheme.

About the PM SVANidhi Scheme:

  • The PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) was launched on June 01, 2020, for providing affordable Working Capital loans to street vendors to resume their livelihoods that have been adversely affected due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
  • Time duration: Initially it was until March 2022. After that, it has been extended till December 2024.
  • Eligibility: The Scheme is available for beneficiaries belonging to only those States/UTs which have notified Rules and Scheme under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.
  • Benefits: A micro-credit scheme, facilitating a working capital collateral-free loan of Rs. 10,000, with subsequent loans of Rs. 20,000 and 50,000 with 7% interest subsidy.
  • Implementation agency: Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
  • Ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

INSAT-3DS

According to ISRO, The countdown for the launch of the INSAT-3DS meteorological satellite onboard a Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle has commenced.

About INSAT-3DS:

  • INSAT-3DS Satellite is a follow-on mission of Third Generation Meteorological Satellite from Geostationary Orbit.
    • Presently, meteorologists make extensive use of data generated by satellites like the INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR (launched in September 2016, still operational).
  • It is fully funded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
  • The primary objectives of the mission are:
    • To monitor Earth’s surface, carry out Oceanic observations and its environment in various spectral channels of meteorological importance.
    • To provide the vertical profile of various meteorological parameters of the Atmosphere.
    • To provide the Data Collection and Data Dissemination capabilities from the Data Collection Platforms (DCPs).
    • To provide Satellite Aided Search and Rescue services.
  • Weight: 2,274 kg.
  • Orbit: Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
  • It will be launched by using the Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F14).

What is GSLV-F14?

  • It is a more advanced rocket utilising liquid propellant.
  • It is a three-stage 51.7 m long launch vehicle having a liftoff mass of 420 tonnes.
  • The third stage (GS3) is a cryogenic stage with a 15-ton propellant loading of liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid hydrogen (LH2).

Schengen Area

Recently, Kosovo secured visa-free access to the Schengen zone in Europe, world’s largest zone of free movement

  • Schengen agreement – A treaty, signed in 1985 in Schengen, by France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and Netherlands and came into force in 1995.

Schengen is a village in Luxembourg, bordering France and Germany.

  • Aim – To abolish internal border checks and to provide a single set of rules for controls at the external borders in Schengen area.
  • Parties – 27 countries
  • Membership – It has allowed both EU and non-EU countries.
  • Today, 23 of 27 EU countries are parties except Cyprus and Ireland but Bulgaria and Romania to join in March, 2024.
  • It includes non-EU States like Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Schengen Area

 

United Kingdom (UK) is a non-EU and non-Schengen Country.

  • Schengen Visa – It is issued for short stays under 90 days.
  • Benefits – Freedom to travel to other European nations without border checks.
  • Alongside the single currency adopted by 20 EU countries, Schengen visa is the most visible symbol of European integration.
  • Challenges – The flow of migrants and asylum seekers is seen as a threat to internal security and affected member states uses the Schengen Borders Code to introduce internal border controls.

Quick facts

  • Kosovo – A Balkan nation which broke away from Serbia in 1999 and declared independence in 2008.
  • It has not been accorded legal statehood by the UN and denied recognition by Russia and China.
  • Balkan countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)

Recently, Vice-Chairman (Chairman in-charge) of the NCSC submitted its annual report 2022-23 to the President of India.

  • It is a constitutional body under Article 338 of the Constitution of India.
  • Aim – To provide safeguards against the exploitation of SCs and Anglo Indian communities and to promote & protect their social, educational, economic and cultural interests.
  • Composition (5) – Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and 3 other Members.
  • Appointed by – President, by warrant under his hand and seal.
  • President may by rule determine the conditions of service and tenure of office of all the members.

89th Constitutional Amendment Act (2003), separated the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes into 2 separate commissions – National Commission for SC and National Commission for ST (NCST).

  • Powers and Function – It shall have the power to regulate its own procedure.
  • To investigate and monitor all matters relating to all safeguards provided for the SCs and to evaluate their working.
  • To inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the SCs.
    • It has all the powers of a civil court like summoning attendance, requiring documents, receiving evidences, requisition public copy from court or office and examining the witnesses.
  • To advise on the planning process of socio-economic development and to evaluate the progress under the Union and any State.
  • To discharge such other functions as the President may, subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament, by the rule specify.
  • The Union and every State Government shall consult the Commission on all major policy matters affecting SCs.
  • Report – Presented to the President, annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit where it recommends measures that should be taken by the Union or any State.

National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) under Article 338(A) and National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) under Article 338 (B) are constitutional bodies for the protection and development of STs and BCs of India respectively.

India’s open-sourced DPIs

India and Colombia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation to share India’s open-sourced DPIs.

  • India Stack Solutions – It is India’s open-sourced DPI, a democratic and inclusive set of open Application Programming Interface (APIs) that stack upon each other to address various social challenges arising from economic underdevelopment.
  • Digital public infrastructure (DPI) – It is a set of shared digital utilities powered by interoperable open standards providing equal access to drive innovation, inclusion, and competition at scale having open, transparent, and participatory governance.

Open source software (OSS) is software with a source code that that anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance with its original rights.

  • Digital public goods (DPGs) – A set of digital assets made freely available allowing anyone to build and operate their own DPIs in a faster, cheaper, and interoperable manner.
  • India’s DPI framework

IndiaDPIFramework

  • Significance – DPI approach can reduce implementation cost thereby increasing society-wide impact of digitalisation.
  • It can make India genuinely a leader of the Global South, as is evident from the fact that 8 countries have already signed MoU for the stack.

India has launched Global DPI Repository (GDPIR), a virtual repository of DPI voluntarily shared by G20 members and beyond. Currently, the GDPIR features 54 DPIs from 16 countries.

Operations of Railway Protection Force

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) undertake various operations to safeguard railway property, passenger areas, and the well-being of travellers.

  • Railway Protection Forces – It is established through RPF Act, 1957 and was amended in 1985 to make RPF an Armed Force.
  • Aim – To ensure a safe and comfortable travel experience for all rail passengers and thereby upholding the values of integrity, compassion, and responsibility.
Operation Objective Significance
Nanhe
Faristey		 Rescuing Lost Children Reuniting the children in need of care and protection with their families.
Jeevan
Raksha		 Saving Lives Saving the lives of passengers who had accidentally fallen while de-boarding or boarding moving trains.
Meri
Saheli		 Empowering Women Passengers Providing security assurance to lady passengers.
Uplabdh Cracking Down on Touts Arresting touts and Seizing future reserved railway tickets.
NARCOS Combating Drug Crimes Arresting drug peddlers and seizing narcotics.
Yatri
Suraksha		 Protecting Passengers Supplementing police in preventing and detecting crimes against passengers.
Sanraksha Ensuring Safety Maintaining passenger safety from perilious acts of stone pelting on running trains.
Seva Assisting Those in Need Assisting elderly, sick or injured passengers during their rail travels.
Satark Curbing Illegal Goods Transport Seizing illegal tobacco products, illegal liquor and unaccounted cash, gold and silver.

In addition to this, RPF promptly addressed security-related passenger complaints through Rail Madad Portal and the Helpline (No. 139 integrated with Emergency Response Support System No. 112).

Anti-Dumping Duty

India has initiated an anti-dumping probe into imports of certain solar glass from China and Vietnam, following a complaint by domestic players.

About Anti-Dumping Duty:

  • Anti-dumping duty is a tariff imposed on imports manufactured in foreign countries that are priced below the fair market value of similar goods in the domestic market.
  • The government imposes anti-dumping duty on foreign imports when it believes that the goods are being “dumped” – through low pricing – in the domestic market.
  • Anti-dumping duty is imposed to protect local businesses and markets from unfair competition by foreign imports.
  • Thus, the purpose of anti-dumping duty is to rectify the trade distortive effect of dumping and re-establish fair trade.
  • The use of anti-dumping measures as an instrument of fair competition is permitted by the World Trade Organization (WTO). 
    • The WTO allows the government of the affected country to take legal action against the dumping country as long as there is evidence of genuine material injury to industries in the domestic market.
    • The government must show that dumping took place, the extent of the dumping in terms of costs, and the injury or threat to cause injury to the domestic market.
  • While the intention of anti-dumping duties is to protect local businesses and markets, these tariffs can also lead to higher prices for domestic consumers.

What is Countervailing duty (CVD)?

  • It is a specific form of duty that the government imposes to protect domestic producers by countering the negative impact of import subsidies.
  • CVD is thus an import tax by the importing country on imported products.
  • Why is CVD imposed?
    • Foreign governments sometimes provide subsidies to their producers to make their products cheaper and boost their demand in other countries.
    • To avoid flooding the market in the importing country with these goods, the government of the importing country imposes CVD, charging a specific amount on the import of such goods.
  • The duty nullifies and eliminates the price advantage enjoyed by an imported product.
  • The WTO permits the imposition of CVD by its member countries.

Countervailing duty v/s Anti-dumping duty:

  • Anti-dumping duty is imposed to prevent low-priced foreign goods from damaging the local market. On the other hand, CVD will apply to foreign products that have enjoyed government subsidies, which eventually leads to very low prices.
  • While the Anti-dumping duty amount depends on the margin of dumping, the CVD amount will completely depend on the subsidy value of the foreign goods.

New crustacean Species

Researchers at Odisha’s Berhampur University recently found a new crustacean in Odisha’s Chilika lagoon.

About the New Crustacean Species:

  • It is a new species of marine amphipod-a shrimp-like crustacea of genus Parhyale.
  • This genus is represented by 15 species globally, occupying both marine and brackish water environments.
  • Features:
    • It is brown in colour and around eight mm in length.
    • It has 13 pairs of legs. The first pair of legs is used for capturing prey and feeding.
    • It differs from all other 15 species by having a stout robust seta -a spine-like structure on the surface of the propodus of the male gnathopod (first pair of legs).

What are Amphipods?

  • Amphipods are any member of the invertebrate order Amphipoda (class Crustacea) inhabiting all parts of the sea, lakes, rivers, sand beaches, caves, and moist (warm) habitats on many tropical islands.
  • Amphipods are a significant group in the marine ecosystem and play a vital role in the marine food chain.
  • They range in size from a millimetre in length to the supergiant amphipod Alicella gigantea at 340 mm. 
  • They can be found in all marine habitats (even the deepest ocean trenches, e.g., Hirondellea dubia), and have also colonised freshwater and terrestrial habitats.
  • The generic diversity of amphipods is apparently higher in cold waters than in warm ones.
  • They are important food for many fish, invertebrates, penguins, shore birds, small cetaceans, and pinnipeds.
  • Most amphipods are active swimmers, propelled by three pairs of abdominal appendages. 
  • They also serve as indicators for studying the impact of climate change and the health of coastal ecosystems.

Interpol’s Red Corner Notice

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently said it has brought back an absconding life convict, against whom there was a Red Corner Notice (RCN) in a murder case.

About Interpol’s Red Corner Notice:

  • Criminals or suspects often flee a country to evade facing justice.
  • A Red Corner Notice, also called a Red Notice (RN), is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest such fugitives.
  • It alerts the police forces across the world about these fugitives who are wanted internationally. 
  • A red notice contains information that helps identify the wanted person, including name, date of birth, nationality, and physical attributes like colour of hair, eyes, etc., along with pictures and biometric information.
  • It also includes information about the crimes that they are wanted for. 
  • Interpol issues an RN at the request of a member country.
  • The country which issues the request need not be the home country of the fugitive.
  • Interpol acts at the request of the country where the alleged crime is committed.
  • An RN request can also be raised by International Criminal courts and Tribunals.
  • It is not an international arrest warrant. It is a request to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.  
  • Interpol cannot compel the law enforcement authorities in any of the countries to arrest someone who has an RN issued. Each member country determines on the legal value it gives to an RN. 

Key Facts about Interpol:

  • The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO), commonly known as Interpol, is an intergovernmental organisation that facilitates international police cooperation to control crime.
  • It has 195 member countries, with its headquarters in Lyon, France. 
  • Each of the member countries has an Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB).
    • They facilitate the respective country’s national law enforcement with other countries and with the General Secretariat, which is Interpol’s body that coordinates its policing and administrative activities. 
    • CBI represents Interpol in India as the country’s NCB.’
  • Interpol helps coordinate police networks & experts in different crime areas to control crime.
  • All the member countries are connected through Interpol’s communication system, called I-24/7.
    • This secure network is used by member countries to contact each other and allows them to access Interpol’s databases. 
  • Interpol manages 19 databases, which include information on varied crimes and criminals and are available in real-time to countries.
  • It offers investigative support, including forensic analysis, locating fugitives across the world, etc.

SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy)

Scientists recently detected water molecules on the surface of two asteroids for the first time ever, using the data from NASA’s now-retired SOFIA airborne observatory.

About SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy):

  • SOFIA was a telescope mounted on a Boeing 747 SP aircraft that studied infrared light, essentially heat, emitted by objects in the universe. 
  • SOFIA was operated jointly by NASA and the German space agency.
  • It is the world’s largest airborne astronomical observatory, complementing NASA’s space telescopes as well as major Earth-based telescopes.
  • The observatory, fitted with an 8.9-foot-wide (2.7 metre) telescope with a nearly 20-ton mirror, used a door in the side of the aircraft to peer at the sky. 
  • Flying into the stratosphere at 38,000-45,000 feet put SOFIA above 99 percent of Earth’s infrared-blocking atmosphere, allowing astronomers to study the solar system and beyond in ways that are not possible with ground-based telescopes. 
  • SOFIA could observe the universe in the widest range of infrared light.
  • The aeroplane is capable of ten-hour flights, with flight paths chosen to keep ahead of the sunrise and maximise the amount of darkness.
  • The observatory’s mobility allowed researchers to observe from almost anywhere in the world and enabled studies of transient events that often take place over oceans, where there are no telescopes. 
    • For example, astronomers on SOFIA studied eclipse-like events of Pluto, Saturn’s moon Titan, and Kuiper Belt Object MU69, the next flyby target for NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, to study the objects’ atmospheres and surroundings.
  • The SOFIA project prematurely ended in 2022 after operating for 12 years.
 
 


Current Affairs – 16th Feb 2024

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Current Affairs – 16th Feb 2024

Diphtheria

World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday published the guidelines on the clinical management of diphtheria.

About Diphtheria:

  • It is a serious contagious bacterial infection of the nose and throat. 
  • Cause: It is caused by strains of bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae that make a toxin.
  • Transmission:
    • It can spread from person to person, usually through respiratory droplets, like from coughing or sneezing. 
    • People can also get sick from touching infected open sores or ulcers.
  • The bacteria can also infect the skin, causing open sores or ulcers. However, diphtheria skin infections rarely result in severe disease.
  • Although diphtheria can be treated with medications, in advanced stages, the bacterial infection can damage the heart, kidneys and nervous system.
  • Symptoms: A thick, grey membrane covering the throat and tonsils, sore throat and hoarseness, swollen glands (enlarged lymph nodes) in the neck difficulty breathing etc. 
  • The current treatments include:
    • neutralisation of unbound toxin with Diphtheria Antitoxin (DAT)
    • antibiotics to prevent further bacterial growth;
    • monitoring and supportive care to prevent and treat complications, e.g. airway obstruction, and myocarditis.

What are the new recommendations of WHO?

  • In patients with suspected or confirmed diphtheria, WHO recommends using macrolide antibiotics (azithromycin, erythromycin) in preference to penicillin antibiotics.
  • In patients with suspected or confirmed diphtheria, WHO recommends not to perform routine sensitivity testing prior to administration of diphtheria antitoxin (DAT).
  • In patients with suspected or confirmed symptomatic diphtheria, WHO suggests an escalating dosing regimen for diphtheria antitoxin (DAT) which is based on disease severity and time since symptom onset, in comparison with a fixed dose for all patients.

Sangam: Digital Twin Initiative

Recently, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has unveiled the ‘Sangam: Digital Twin’ initiative.

About Sangam: Digital Twin Initiative:

  • It is a Proof of Concept (PoC) distributed in two stages to be conducted in one of the major cities of India.
  • The first stage is exploratory for clarity of horizon and creative exploration to unleash potential.
  • The second stage is for practical demonstration of specific use cases generating a future blueprint that may serve as a roadmap to scale and replicate successful strategies in future infrastructure projects through collaboration.
  • Aim: The initiative aims to demonstrate practical implementation of innovative infrastructure planning solutions, to develop a model framework for facilitating faster and more effective collaboration and to provide a future blueprint that may serve as a roadmap to scale and replicate successful strategies in future infrastructure projects.
  • Digital Twin technology offers a solution by creating virtual replicas of physical assets, allowing for real-time monitoring, simulation and analysis for experimental iterations and feedback loops to adapt to the changes to achieve the best outcomes.
  • The initiative comes against the backdrop of the past decade’s breakthroughs in communication, computation and sensing in the era of techade striving for the vision 2047.
  • Sangam: Digital Twin symbolises a collaborative leap towards reshaping infrastructure planning and design, combining the prowess of 5G, IoT, AI, AR/VR, AI native 6G, Digital Twin and next-gen computational technologies with the collective intelligence of public entities, infrastructure planners, tech giants, startups, and academia to break the silos and engage in a whole-of-nation approach.
  • Sangam brings all stakeholders on one platform aiming to transform innovative ideas into tangible solutions, bridging the gap between conceptualization and realisation, ultimately paving the way for groundbreaking infrastructure advancements.

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA)

At the request of petitioners, the Supreme Court recently allowed pleas challenging provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) to be withdrawn.

About Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA):

  • The UAPA was introduced in 1967 as a legislation to set out reasonable restrictions on the fundamental freedoms under Article 19(1) of the Constitution, such as freedom of speech, the right to assemble peacefully, and the right to form associations. 
  • Over the years, terror-specific legislations like the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) were repealed after running into legal trouble, and the UAPA became the primary anti-terror legislation in India. 
  • In line with its stated objectives, the UAPA punishes the commission, funding, and support of “unlawful activities” and “terrorist acts”.
  • It lays down the definitions and rules for designating an organisation as an “unlawful association” if it is engaged in certain types of activities.
  • ‘Unlawful activity’ is defined as any action taken by an individual or association – through an act, words, spoken or written, or by signs or visible representation – which is intended to, or supports a claim to, bring about the cession of a part of the territory of India, or the secession of a part of the territory of India from the Union, or which incites any individual or group of individuals to bring about such cession or secession.
  • It covers activities which disclaim, question, disrupt, or are intended to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, and which cause or intend to cause disaffection against India.
  • In 2004, the UAPA was amended, and ‘terrorist activities’ were brought within its fold, under which 34 outfits, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad, were banned.
  • Under the Act, the central government may designate an organisation as a terrorist organisation if it:
    • commits or participates in acts of terrorism;
    • prepares for terrorism;
    • promotes terrorism;
    • is otherwise involved in terrorism;
  • The 2019 Amendment gave the Home Ministry the power to designate individuals as terrorists.
  • The Act extends to the whole of India.
  • The UAPA applies to anyone who commits a UAPA crime in India or outside India. It applies to Indian citizens irrespective of where the crime is committed and also includes people in Government service and people on ships and aircraft registered in India.

Coal Gasification

The Ministry of Coal, Government of India, is set to host an Industry Interaction in Hyderabad aimed at fostering the development and proliferation of coal/lignite gasification projects across the nation.

About Coal Gasification:

  • It is the process of producing syngas, a mixture consisting primarily of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and water vapour (H2O) – from coal and water, air and/or oxygen.
  • Gasification occurs in a gasifier, generally a high temperature/pressure vessel where oxygen and steam are directly contacted with the coal or other feed material causing a series of chemical reactions to occur that convert the feed to syngas and ash/slag.
  • Syngas can be used for electricity production, used in energy-efficient fuel cell technology, or as chemical “building blocks” for industrial purposes. The hydrogen can also be extracted for use in fuelling a hydrogen economy.
  • Benefits of coal Gasification
    • Coal gasification can help address local pollution problems.
    • It is considered a cleaner option compared to the burning of coal.
    • It will help in reducing reliance on imports of natural gas, methanol, ammonia and other essential products.
    • This holds the potential to alleviate the environmental burden by reducing carbon emissions and fostering sustainable practices, contributing to India’s global commitments towards a greener future.

Young Scientist Programme (YUVIKA)

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to conduct its special ‘Young Scientist Programme’ or ‘YUVIKA’ for school children.

About the Young Scientist Programme (YUVIKA):

  • “Young Scientist Programme”, or “YUva VIgyani KAryakram” YUVIKA, is a learning and awareness-creating programme of the ISRO to impart basic knowledge on Space Technology, Space Science, and Space Applications to younger students with a preference for rural areas.
  • The programme is aimed at creating awareness about the emerging trends in science and technology amongst the youngsters, who are the future building blocks of our nation. ISRO has chalked out this programme to “Catch Them Young”.
  • The programme is also expected to encourage more students to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) based research /careers.
  • Eligibility:
    • Those who have finished class 8 and are currently studying in class 9 can apply for the programme.
    • Three students from each state/Union Territory will participate in this programme every year, covering CBSE, ICSE, and state-board syllabus. 
    • The selection is based on 8th Standard academic performance and extracurricular activities.
    • Students belonging to the rural area have been given special weightage in the selection criteria.
    • In case there is a tie between the selected candidates, the younger candidates will be given priority.
  • What is being offered?
    • It is a two-week residential programme offered by ISRO.
    • It will include invited talks, experience sharing by eminent scientists, facility and lab visits, exclusive sessions for discussions with experts and practical and feedback sessions.
    • A minimum participation will be ensured from each State / UT.

European Free Trade Association (EFTA)

India has rejected the demand of the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA) for ‘data exclusivity’ provisions in the free trade agreement that both sides are negotiating.

About the European Free Trade Association:

  • It is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1960 by the Stockholm Convention.
  • Objective: Promotes free trade and economic integration between its members within Europe and globally.
  • Member Countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
  • The members of this organisation are all open, competitive economies committed to the progressive liberalisation of trade in the multinational arena as well as in free trade agreements. 
  • In contrast to the European Union (EU), it is not a customs union. 
  • Governance:
    • Its highest governing body is the EFTA Council. It generally meets 8 times a year at the ambassadorial level and twice a year at the ministerial level.
    • EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA): It monitors compliance with European Economic Area (EEA) rules in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. 
    • EFTA Court: It is based in Luxembourg and has the competence and authority to settle internal and external disputes regarding the implementation, application or interpretation of the EEA agreement.
    • The headquarters of the EFTA Secretariat is located in Geneva. It assists the EFTA Council in the management of relations between the 4 EFTA States and deals with the negotiation and operation of EFTA’s FTAs.

What is India’s concern?

  • Data exclusivity provisions will bar generic drug producers from using data of preclinical tests and clinical trials of former patent holders.
  • If generic medicine makers wish to introduce their version of an off-patent drug then they will have to either generate their own clinical data or wait for the exclusivity period to end.

Gulf Stream

A recent scientific study estimates a timescale for the collapse of the Gulf Stream between 2025 and 2095, with a central estimate of 2050, if global carbon emissions are not reduced.

About Gulf Stream:

  • It is a swift and warm ocean current that flows along the eastern coast of North America and crosses the Atlantic Ocean towards Europe.
    • This extension towards Europe is known as the North Atlantic drift.
  • The Gulf Stream transports more water than all the world’s rivers combined.
  • Key characteristics:
    • Location: It originates in the Gulf of Mexico. It then travels northward along the eastern coast of the United States. It follows a north-eastward path across the western North Atlantic Ocean.
    • Sources: The two equatorial sources of the Gulf Stream are the North Equatorial Current (NEC), which flows generally westward along the Tropic of Cancer, and the South Equatorial Current (SEC), which flows westward from southwestern Africa to South America and then northward to the Caribbean Sea. Together, these two warm currents, along with waters from the Gulf of Mexico, form the Gulf Stream.
    • Warmth: The current carries warm water from the tropics (around 25 to 28°C or 77 to 82°F) to higher latitudes.
    • Width and Speed: The Gulf Stream is several hundred kilometres wide and can flow at an average speed of about four miles per hour (6.4 kilometres per hour). However, its speed can vary depending on the location and other factors.
    • Depth: The current is also very deep, extending to depths of up to 1,000 metres.
  • Importance and Impact:
    • Climate Regulation: It moderates the temperatures along the eastern coast of North America, keeping the coastal areas warmer in winter and cooler in summer compared to inland regions at the same latitudes. Since the Gulf Stream also extends toward Europe, it warms Western European countries as well.
    • Weather Patterns: The warm and moist air above the Gulf Stream can lead to the formation of low-pressure systems, which may develop into storms or hurricanes. It can also contribute to the formation of fog in certain areas.
    • Maritime Navigation: The Gulf Stream has been a crucial factor in maritime navigation for centuries. It provides a fast and efficient route for ships travelling between North America and Europe, as it aids in faster travel times due to its speed.
    • Ocean Circulation: The Gulf Stream is an essential part of the larger oceanic circulation system known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). The AMOC plays a vital role in redistributing heat around the Earth and regulating global climate patterns.

Golden-backed Frog

Scientists made a surprising discovery in the foothills of the Western Ghats in India — a Bonnet mushroom growing out of the side of the Golden-backed Frog.

About Golden-backed Frog:

  • It is endemic to the Western Ghats of Karnataka and Kerala, specifically above the Palghat Gap, where it is known to thrive in relative abundance.
  • It is about the size of a human thumb.
  • These frogs prefer to reside near streams, ponds, and other water bodies, where they can lay their eggs and find their food.
  • They are primarily insectivorous and feed on a range of small insects and arthropods such as ants, beetles, and crickets.
  • Threats: The major threats to the survival of these frogs are habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution of water bodies, and the introduction of non-native species.

What is Bonnet mushroom?

  • It is commonly found as a saprotroph (an organism that feeds on non-living organic matter) on rotting wood.
  • It belongs to the Mycena genus.
  • Mycenas are hard to identify to species and some are distinguishable only by microscopic features such as the shape of the cystidia.
  • Some species are edible, while others contain toxins.

Lord Mahavira

Archaeology students and professors in Tamil Nadu recently unearthed a rare 1000-year-old stone statue of Mahavira, the 24th tirthankara of Jainism.

 

About Lord Mahavira:

  • He was the twenty-fourth and the last Tirthankara of the Jain religion.
  • Mahavir was born in 599 B.C. as a prince in Bihar. At the age of 30, he left his family and royal household, gave up his worldly possessions, including clothing, and became a monk.
  • He followed an extreme ascetic life, attaining kaivalya, the stage of omniscience or highest perception. 
  • Mahavira advocated nonviolence (ahimsa) in all circumstances and the acceptance of the mahavratas, the five “great vows” of renunciation.
  • At the heart of right conduct for Jains lie the five great vows:
    • Nonviolence (Ahimsa): not to cause harm to any living beings
    • Truthfulness (Satya): to speak the harmless truth only
    • Non-stealing (Asteya): not to take anything not properly given
    • Chastity (Brahmacharya): not to indulge in sensual pleasure
    • Non-possession/Non-attachment (Aparigraha): complete detachment from people, places, and material things.
  • Mahavir’s Teachings:
  • He organised his followers into a fourfold order, namely monk (Sadhu), nun (Sadhvi), layman (Shravak), and laywoman (Shravika). Later on, they are known as Jains.
  • The ultimate objective of his teaching is how one can attain total freedom from the cycle of birth, life, pain, misery, and death, and achieve the permanent blissful state of one’s self. This is also known as liberation, nirvana, absolute freedom, or Moksha.
  • He preached that right faith (Samyak-darshan), right knowledge (Samyak-jnana), and right conduct (Samyak-charitra) together will help attain the liberation of one’s self.
  • Mahavir’s message of nonviolence (Ahimsa), truth (Satya), non-stealing (Achaurya), celibacy (Brahma charya), and non-possession (Aparigraha) is full of universal compassion.
  • Mahavir rejected the concept of God as a creator, a protector, and a destroyer of the universe. He also denounced the worshipping of gods and goddesses as a means of material gains and personal benefits.

Vermin Species

Kerala Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution urging the Centre to address the escalating human-animal conflict in the state and to classify wild boar as vermin.

  • Vermin – It means any wild animal notified under section 62 of Wildlife Protection Act.
  • Need – To control the population of small wild animals that carry disease and destroy plants and food.

The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
  • It provides the legal framework for the
    • Protection of various species of wild animals
    • Management of their habitat
    • Regulation and control of trade in the products derived from various parts of wild animals.
  • It was amended in 2022 to increase the protection.
  • Schedule I – For animal species enjoying the highest level of protection.
  • Schedule II – For animal species subject to a lesser degree of protection but protected from hunting.
  • Schedule III – For protected plant species.
  • Schedule IV – For scheduled specimens under CITES.
  • Declaration of Vermin – The Central Government may, by notification, declare any wild animal specified in Schedule II to be vermin for any area and for such period as may be specified therein and so long as such notification is in force.
  • Once declared as vermin, these animals can be hunted.
  • Currently, it includes only 4 species of wild animals namely Common Crows, Fruit Bats, Rats, and Mice.
  • Authority empowering hunting – Section 11 of the Act empowers Chief Wildlife Warden of a State (CWLW)
    • To declare any wild animal specified in Schedule I to be hunted if it has become dangerous to human life or disabled or diseased beyond recovery.
  • Kerala wants to amend this powers to be given to Chief Conservators of Forests (CCF) to enable speedy and timely decisions taken at a more localised level.

Wheat Blast

A new study has warned of links between warming climate and the devastating plant disease wheat blast.

  • It is a fungal disease for warm and humid wheat production regions whose outbreak was 1st reported in Brazil in 1985.
  • Caused by – Magnaporthe oryzae pathotype Triticum (MoT).

Magnaporthe oryzae can infect many grasses, including barley, lolium, rice, and wheat.

  • Spread – It originated in South America and spread to North America in 2011, to Asia in 2016 and to Africa in 2018.
  • Suitable conditions – Rain, followed by hot, humid weather during the flowering stage, can promote disease development.

By 2050, there will be more wheat blast-prone locations due to a confluence of factors like increasing temperatures and persistent leaf moisture.

  • Transmission – Through infected seeds, crop residues, as well as by spores that can travel long distances in the air.
  • Disease – It can shrivel and deform the grain in less than a week from 1st symptoms, leaving farmers no time to act.

WheatBlast

  • Impact – It alone has the potential to cut wheat production worldwide by 13%, affects food security.
  • Challenges – It is resistant to fungicides and are capable of affecting other crops as well.
  • Currently, it threats 6.4 million hectares and by 2050, climate change is likely to threaten 13.5 million hectares of cropland.
  • Control measure – Using disease free seed, following crop rotation, removing grassy weeds, choosing appropriate timing of sowing and spraying fungicides.

Other important topics

Nokhra Solar Project
PM to dedicate 300 MW Nokhra Solar Project of NTPC Green Energy Ltd to the nation.

  • The project is located in Bikaner district of Rajasthan and is being executed under the Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) Scheme (Phase-II).
  • The project aims to ensure green power to the state of Telangana.
  • The project works under the aegis of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

Intuitive Machines Mission (IM-1)
Falcon 9 launches first Intuitive Machines lunar lander.

  • A moon lander built by Houston-based aerospace company Intuitive Machines was launched from Florida.
  • The mission will conduct the first U.S. lunar touchdown in more than a half century and the first by a privately owned spacecraft.
  • The lander from the mission is dubbed as Odysseus.
  • The IM-1 flight is carrying 6 NASA payloads of instruments designed to gather data about the lunar environment.
  • Intuitive Machine’s IM-2 mission is scheduled to land at the lunar South Pole in 2024, followed by an IM-3 mission later in the year with several small rovers.

Same Sex Marriage in Greece
Greece legalizes same sex marriage in landmark change.

  • Greece is one of the first Orthodox Christian countries to allow such unions.
  • The law gives same-sex couples the right to wed and adopt children.
  • India does not recognise same-sex marriage, civil unions or other forms of partnerships, but provides some limited legal recognition to cohabiting same-sex couples in the form of live-in relationships.

Claude
Claude has been created to tackle socially irresponsible actions by unregulated use of AI.

  • Claude is a group of large language models (LLMs) developed by Anthropic, a San Francisco-based artificial intelligence (AI) startup.
  • The chatbot is capable of handling text, voice messages, and documents.
  • Claude has some limitations compared to ChatGPT or Google Gemini, mainly when it comes to access to the Internet and extensions.
  • Claude is built on Constitutional AI, which allows developers to lay down a constitution, a set of values that the system must follow.

MethaneSAT
Google will use AI to identify methane gas leaks from space.

  • Google has partnered with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to launch a satellite project that will gather data on global methane levels.
  • Methane is said to be a significant contributor to global warming due to its heat-trapping properties and is considered to be a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
  • Google is using AI to map oil and gas infrastructure to create a global map of pollution sources.

Endometriosis
A report finds women’s health gap equates to 75 million years of life lost due to poor health or early death per year.

  • Endometriosis is a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus.
  • It can cause severe pain in the pelvis and make it harder to get pregnant.
  • Endometriosis can start at a person’s first menstrual period and last until menopause.

Kaleshwaram Irrigation Project
CAG says Kaleshwaram project cost likely to exceed Rs. 1.47 lakh crore as against Rs. 81,911 crore projected.

  • Kaleshwaram is a town on Godavari right bank about 300 km downstream of major dam, Sriram Sagar project (SRSP).
  • At Kaleshwaram, the major tributary Pranahita, which merges with Godavari brings large quantity of water, the place is also known as Sangam and Dakshin Ganga.
  • The project proposes to lift about 180 TMC (about 5 billion cubic meters) of water.
  • It includes construction of barrages, high speed pumps for transport of water upstream for providing for irrigation.
  • Besides, it involves constructions of network storage dams, series of tunnels, canals water passing through several stages of pumping and reverse flow into Godavari River.

Xiaokang
China’s Xiaokang border defence villages along the LAC, now being occupied.

  • China has been constructing Xiaokang or well-off villages along India’s borders with the Tibet Autonomous Region.
  • These have been constructed all along the LAC, including the Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh borders.
  • The structures include mostly double-storey, large and spacious buildings.
  • They are understood to be dual-use infrastructure, can be used both for civil and military purposes, and have thus been a concern from a defence perspective.
  • Vibrant Village Programme (VVP) – VVP has been announced in the Finance Minister’s Budget Speech 2022.
  • The programme envisages coverage of border villages on India’s Northern border having sparse population, limited connectivity and infrastructure, which often get left out from the development gains.

Cairns Group
India faces WTO pressure on farm subsidies amid protests for minimum support price.

  • It is a group of agricultural exporting nations lobbying for agricultural trade liberalization.
  • It was formed in 1986 in Cairns, Australia just before the beginning of the Uruguay Round.
  • Members – The Cairns Group comprises Australia, Brazil and Canada among others members.

Musi River
Rs 58,000-cr Musi river redevelopment possess a significant challenge to the state.

  • The river runs in the State of Telangana and is a tributary to the Krishna River.
  • The city of Hyderabad is located on the banks of this river.
  • It was previously known as the Muchukunda River and originated in the Anantagiri Hills.
  • The Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar dams are built on this river.

 



Current Affairs – 15th Feb 2024

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Current Affairs – 15th Feb 2024

Baltic Sea

A Stone Age wall has been discovered beneath the Baltic Sea in Germany, believed to be the oldest megastructure built by humans in Europe.

About Baltic Sea:

  • It is a semi-enclosed inland sea located in Northern Europe.
  • It is an arm of the North Atlantic Ocean, extending northward from the latitude of southern Denmark almost to the Arctic Circle and separating the Scandinavian Peninsula from the rest of continental Europe.
  • It has a coastline of approximately 8,000 km, shared by several countries, including Sweden, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Estonia, Germany, Denmark, and Russia.
  • It covers an area of approximately 377,000 sq.km. The sea is approximately 1,600 km long and 193 km wide.
  • It is connected to the White Sea via the White Sea Canal and to the North Sea’s German Bight via the Kiel Canal.
  • It connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the Danish Straits.
  • The Baltic Sea contains three major gulfs: the Gulf of Bothnia to the north, the Gulf of Finland to the east, and the Gulf of Riga slightly to the south of that.
  • It is often cited as the world’s largest brackish inland water body.
  • Its water salinity levels are lower than that of the World Oceans due to the inflow of fresh water from the surrounding land and the sea’s shallowness.
  • More than 250 rivers and streams empty their waters into the Baltic Sea. Neva is the largest river that drains into the Baltic Sea.
  • Islands: It is home to over 20 islands and archipelagos. Gotland, located off the coast of Sweden, is the largest island in the Baltic Sea.

Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC)

The Supreme Court recently decided to examine a plea on whether a divorced Muslim woman can seek maintenance under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

About Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC):

  • It deals with the maintenance of wives, children, and parents.
  • It is a legal provision that allows certain categories of individuals to claim financial support from their spouses or children, as the case may be, in the event they are unable to maintain themselves.
  • Who Can Claim Maintenance?
    • Wife: A wife who is unable to maintain herself can claim maintenance from her husband. The wife is entitled to maintenance if she is unable to support herself. The word “wife” refers to a woman who has been divorced or sought divorce from her spouse and has not remarried.
    • Children:  Children, whether legitimate or illegitimate, who are unable to maintain themselves and are below a certain age or mentally/physically disabled can claim maintenance from their parents.
    • Parents: Under this, both father and mother are entitled to be maintained equally by son and daughter, but the court must be satisfied that the daughter has the means to support herself. Parents also include “Adoptive father” and “Adoptive mother.”
  • To successfully claim maintenance under Section 125 CrPC, certain conditions must be met:
    • Neglect or Refusal: The person seeking maintenance must demonstrate that the respondent (the person from whom maintenance is sought) has neglected or refused to provide financial support.
    • Dependency: The claimant must establish their inability to maintain themselves and their dependency on the respondent for financial assistance.
    • Sufficient Means: The person from whom maintenance is claimed must have sufficient means to maintain the person claiming.
  • Quantum of Maintenance: The court will determine the amount of maintenance based on various factors like the income and financial capacity of the person liable to pay, the needs of the claimant, and other relevant circumstances. The objective is to ensure that the claimant gets a reasonable and fair amount for their maintenance.
  • Duration: Maintenance can be awarded on a monthly basis, and the court can specify a duration for which it should be paid. It can be a temporary or permanent arrangement, depending on the circumstances.
  • Enforcement: If the person ordered to pay maintenance does not comply with the court’s order, the person seeking maintenance can file an application for the enforcement of the order. The defaulter may face legal consequences for non-compliance.
  • The wife is not entitled to receive an allowance from her husband in three cases,
    • if she is living in adultery
    • if she refuses to live with her husband and without any sufficient cause
    • if they are living separately by mutual consent

Kaji Nemu

Recently, the Assam government declared the GI-tagged ‘Kaji Nemu’ (Citrus Limon) as the State Fruit.

About Kaji Nemu:

  • It is elongated and oblong compared to other lemon varieties.
  • It is popular for its unique aroma and health benefits. It has been traditionally associated with the Assamese cuisines.
  • The fruit had been exported to several countries, including to the Middle East.
  • With its unique aroma and antioxidant properties, the Assam lemon enriched the local cuisines.
  • The oval-shaped Kaji Nemu is a lot juicier than other lemon varieties. Kaji Nemu is majorly used in culinary and commercial purposes, and it is extensively used for its medicinal properties.
  • Cultivation: It is grown in almost all the districts of the state, is available throughout the year.
  • The fruit is a powerhouse of nutrients, boosting health
  • Assam has as many as 16 species and 52 varieties hybrids of citrus.
  • Kaji Nemu’ (Citrus Limon) bears GI Geography Indication tag in 2019, is linked to Assamese food.

Electoral Bonds (EBs)

The Supreme Court recently directed the State Bank of India to stop issuing electoral bonds immediately.

About Electoral Bonds (EBs):

  • Electoral bonds are interest-free bearer bonds or money instruments that can be purchased by companies and individuals in India from authorised branches of the State Bank of India (SBI).
  • The bonds are similar to bank notes that are payable to the bearer on demand and are free of interest.
  • These bonds are sold in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh, and Rs 1 crore.
  • They can be purchased through a KYC-compliant account to make donations to a political party.
  • EBs have a life of only 15 days during which it can be used for making donations to political parties.
  • The name and other information of the donor are not entered on the instrument and thus electoral bonds are said to be anonymous.
  • There is no cap on the number of electoral bonds that a person or company can purchase.
  • Under the Income Tax act, one’s electoral bond donations are considered tax-exempt under Section 80 GG and Section 80 GGB.
  • Who can receive funding via electoral bonds?
    • Only political parties registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and which secured not less than 1% of votes polledin the last general election to the House of the People or the Legislative Assembly of the State, are eligible to receive electoral bonds.
    • The political parties have to encash them within a stipulated time.
    • The bond can be encashed by an eligible political party only through a designated bank account with the authorized bank.
    • The political parties have to disclose the amount to the Election Commission.

Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah’s tomb

Recently, a reality tech firm unveiled the digital twin of Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah’s tomb in Hyderabad.

About Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah’s tomb:

  • It is one the grandest monuments in the Qutb Shah’s tombs complex at the foothill of Golconda, Hyderabad.
  • The majestic tomb built in 1602, is one of the largest tombs at the Qutb Shahi heritage park complex reaching to a total height of 60 m.

Who was Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah?

  • He was the fifth king of the Qutb Shahi dynasty laid the foundation of Hyderabad.
  • Shah who wrote in Persian, Telugu, and Deccani—a variant of Urdu–is justifiably the first poet in Deccani Urdu with at least fifty thousand shers to his credit.
  • He wrote on a variety of issues concerning communal life and the sentiments of the common man, their festivals and faiths, love and the pleasures of union, in a frank and disarming manner. 
  • A contemporary of Tulsidas, he blended the best traditions of the two streams of thought and life to impart a new halo to his poetry.  

Key facts about Qutub Shahi Tombs

  • These are erected in the memory of the departed kings of Golconda.
  • They are located one kilometer north of Golconda Fort’s called Banjara Darwaza.
  • Built by the Qutub Shahis, these tombs are considered to be among the oldest historical monuments of Hyderabad.
  • These tombs are present in a large group on a raised platform.
  • Architectural style: They resemble Persian, Pathan and Hindu architectural styles that makes use of grey granite, with stucco ornamentation and is a one-of-its-kind place in the world where the whole dynasty is buried at a single spot.

What is a digital twin?

  • It is a digital model of an object, system or a process that acts the same as its real world counterpart.
  • It helps companies and organisations to understand a physical object or a process well.

Cassini Spacecraft

Recent findings from data collected by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft reveal the presence of a vast ocean beneath the icy surface of Saturn’s moon Mimas.

About Cassini Spacecraft:

  • Cassini-Huygens was a joint NASA/European Space Agency (ESA)/Italian Space Agency (ASI) space mission to Saturn.
  • It was launched on October 15, 1997.
  • The mission consisted of NASA’s Cassini orbiter, which was the first space probe to orbit Saturn, and the ESA’s Huygens probe, which landed on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon.
  • Spacecraft:
    • It was one of the largest interplanetary spacecraft.
    • The Cassini orbiter weighed 2,125 kg (4,685 pounds) and was 6.7 metres (22 feet) long and 4 metres (13 feet) wide.
    • The instruments on board Cassini included radar to map the cloud-covered surface of Titan and a magnetometer to study Saturn’s magnetic field. 
    • The disk-shaped Huygens probe was mounted on the side of Cassini. It weighed 349 kg (769 pounds), was 2.7 metres (8.9 feet) across, and carried six instruments designed to study the atmosphere and surface of Titan.
  • Highlights:
    • It orbited Saturn from 2004 to 2017, circling the planet 294 times and teaching us almost everything we know about Saturn.
    • It measured the structure of Saturn’s atmosphere and rings, as well as how they interact with the planet’s moons.
    • It also discovered six named moons and revealed Enceladus and Titan as promising locations to search for extraterrestrial life.

Key Facts about Mimas:

  • It is the smallest and innermost of the major regular moons of Saturn. 
  • The surface is icy and heavily cratered.
  • The most striking feature of this small moon is a gigantic crater known as Herschel. This crater measures 80 miles (130 km) across. 
    • A central peak in the center of the crater rises to a height of 4 miles, almost as high as Mount Everest on Earth. 
    • Herschel is one of the largest impact structures, relative to the size of the body, known in the solar system.
  • The low density of Mimas indicates that it is composed almost entirely of water ice.

Advanced Chemistry Cell

Recently, the Ministry of Heavy Industries successfully convened a pre-bid meeting in New Delhi, laying the foundation for the second round under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cells (ACC) for cumulative 10 GWh PLI ACC capacity.

About Advanced Chemistry Cell:

  • These are the new generation technologies that can store electric energy either as electrochemical or as chemical energy and convert it back to electric energy as and when required.

Key facts about PLI scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cells

  • The scheme is called National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage.
  • The Indian government aims to promote the manufacturing of technology-agnostic ACCs within the country, aligning with its commitment to fostering innovation and self-reliance in the renewable energy sector.
  • The scheme envisages setting up of a cumulative ACC manufacturing capacity of fifty (50) GWh for ACCs and an additional cumulative capacity of (5) GWh for Niche ACC Technologies.
  • The manufacturing facility as proposed by the beneficiary firm would have to be commissioned within a period of 2 years.
  • The subsidy will be disbursed thereafter over a period of 5 years.
  • The beneficiary has to ensure achieving a domestic value addition of at-least 25% and incur the mandatory investment (₹ 225 crore /GWh) within 2 Years (at the Mother Unit Level) and raise it to 60% domestic value addition within 5 Years, either at Mother Unit, in-case of an Integrated Unit, or at the Project Level, in-case of “Hub & Spoke” structure.
  • Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Heavy Industries

Pallava Dynasty

Archaeologists recently discovered an eighth-century Kotravai sculpture, an artifact that dates back to the Pallava period, near Ulundurpet, Tamil Nadu.

About Pallava Dynasty:

  • The Pallava Dynasty was a famous power in South India that existed between the 3rd and 9th Centuries. 
  • They ruled the northern parts of Tamil Nadu, parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, with Kanchipuram as their capital.
  • The Pallavas supported Buddhism, Jainism, and the Brahminical faith and were patrons of music, painting, and literature. 
  • Origin:
    • Pallava Dynasty was earlier feudatories of Andhra Satavahanas. Pallavas grew to be autonomous subsequent to their decline at Amaravati.
    • They progressively moved southward and instituted their capital at Kanchipuram in the 4th century CE. 
    • The rule of Mahendravarman I(571 – 630 CE) and Narasimhavarman I (630 – 668 CE) witnessed the augment in the wealth and vigour of the Pallava realm.
  • Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang portrays Bodhidharma, the founder of the Chan (Zen) school of Buddhism in China, as a prince of the Pallava empire. Tsang traveled to Kanchipuram during the Pallava era and praised their benevolent decrees.
  • Architecture:
    • The Pallava Dynasty was typically distinguished for their benefaction of Dravidian architecture. 
    • They were the most noted for temple architecture. They were instrumental in the transition from rock-cut architecture to stone temples.
    • The most noted architectural accomplishments of the Pallavas are at Mahabalipuram, which, under the Pallava reign, became an important centre of art, architecture, and literature.
    • The Kailasanatha Temple in Kanchipuram and the Shore Temple were built by Narasimhavarman II.
    • Of all the temples, Kailasanatha and Vaikuntaperumal are best known for their architectural virtues. 
      • The Vaikuntaperumal shrine is a multi-storied temple built in the 8th century A.D and is acknowledged for the sculptures illustrating the history of the Pallavas.
  • Religion: They adopted the local religion Shaivism, and became Dravidians.
  • Combats of the Pallava Dynasty:
    • Throughout their supremacy, they were in steady conflict with both the Chalukya Dynasty in the north and the Tamil kingdoms of Chola and Pandyas in the south. 
    • The Pallavas were occupied in continuous combat with the Chalukyas of Badami and lastly concealed by the Chola kings in the 8th century CE.
  • Decline:
    • The rise of Rashtrakutas had seen the decline of the Pallava Dynasty.
    • Vijayalaya, the Chola King, completely overpowered Aparajitavarman, the last Pallava King, in 897 AD.

UN World Restoration Flagships

The United Nations named seven initiatives from across Africa, Latin America, the Mediterranean and Southeast Asia as the intergovernmental organisation’s World Restoration Flagships.

About UN World Restoration Flagships:

  • The World Restoration Flagship are part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration – led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization.
  • It aims to prevent, halt, and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean. 
  • The award conferred by the UNEP and FAO of the UN makes the initiatives eligible for technical and financial support from the organisation.  
  • The awards track notable initiatives that provide support to global commitments in order to restore one billion hectares.
  • The seven initiatives are
    • The Restoring Mediterranean Forests Initiative: It involves the countries of Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Türkiye.
    • It consists of a novel approach said to have protected and restored natural habitats and vulnerable ecosystems. It is also said to have led to around two million hectares of forests restored across the region since 2017.
    • The Living Indus initiative received approval from the Pakistan parliament in the wake of the devastating 2022 climate change-induced floods.
    • Its official launch took place at the 27th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Sharm el-Sheikh.
    • It designates the Indus River as a living entity with rights — a measure taken to protect rivers elsewhere as well.
    • The Acción Andina social movement led by Peruvian conservation non-profit ECOAN aims to protect and restore a forest area of one million hectares.
    • The Sri Lanka Mangrove Regeneration initiative: It is a science-driven programme co-led by local communities. It focuses on the restoration of natural balance in the ecosystem
    • The Terai Arc Landscape initiative: It is aimed to restore the forests of critical corridors of the Terai Arc Landscape in collaboration with local communities working as citizen scientists, community-based anti-poaching units, forest guards, among others.
    • “It also supported the tiger population in the landscape shared by India and Nepal, which increased today to 1,174.
    • Regreening Africa’s agriculture: It is expected to benefit over 6,00,000 households.
    • Growing forests in Africa’s drylands initiative: It aims to expand from 41,000 restored hectares today to 229,000 hectares by 2030.

Bharat Ratna Awardees 2024

The prestigious Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, is set to be conferred upon five eminent personalities who have made remarkable contributions to politics, governance, and agriculture. They are Karpoori Thakur, Mankombu Sambasivan (MS) Swaminathan, Pamulaparthi Venkata (P. V.) Narasimha Rao, Lal Krishna Advani, and Chaudhary Charan Singh. 

What are the Notable Contributions of Bharat Ratna Awardees (2024)? 

  • Karpoori Thakur: 
    • Karpoori Thakur, known as “Jan Nayak,” served as Bihar’s 11th Chief Minister twice, from 1970-71 and 1977-79. He will be conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously. 
    • Karpoori Thakur was the pioneer in providing the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) with the benefit of reservation as he implemented the recommendations of the Mungeri Lal Commission during his tenure as Bihar CM from 1977 to 1979. 
    • In 1978, he introduced a groundbreaking reservation model, allocating 26% of reservations with specific quotas for OBCs, Economically Backward Classes (EBCs), women, and economically backward classes among upper castes. 
    • Thakur advocated for marginalised communities’ rights, emphasising social justice and inclusive development. 

  • Mankombu Sambasivan (MS) Swaminathan: 
    • MS Swaminathan, the ‘Father of India’s Green Revolution,’ helped India become self-reliant in agriculture and modernised it. He will be conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously. 
    • Developed high-yielding wheat and rice varieties with Norman Borlaug, revolutionising agriculture in India in the 1960s and ’70s. 
    • He Advocated for fair prices for agricultural produce and sustainable farming practices, leading the National Commission of Farmers. 
    • He played a pivotal role in developing the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Right Act, 2001. 
    • Swaminathan received numerous prestigious awards, including the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in 1961, the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1971, and the Albert Einstein World Science Award in 1986. 
      • Recognised with the Padma Shri (1967), Padma Bhushan (1972) Padma Vibhushan (1989). 

  • Pamulaparthi Venkata (P. V.) Narasimha Rao: 
    • P. V. Narasimha Rao served as  the 9th Prime Minister of India from 1991 to 1996, he will be conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously. 
    • As Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao reset India’s foreign policy, improving ties with the United States and establishing relations with Israel. 
    • He maintained national independence by refusing to give up India’s right to pursue its nuclear strategy. 
    • Rao’s tenure left behind a polity more confident, with India on a path of economic liberalization and resurgence, following the LPG reforms of 1991 that opened up the economy to globalisation, reduced trade barriers, and initiated privatisation in various sectors. 
    • He published ‘SahasraPhan’, a Hindi translation of the famous Telugu Novel ‘Veyi Padagalu’. 
    • The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments Acts were enacted during the tenure of P.V. Narasimha Rao. 
      • The 73rd and 74th Amendment Acts mandate the reservation of one-third of seats for women in Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies (ULBs). 

  • Lal Krishna Advani: 
    • Advani through the years has served as the 7th Deputy Prime Minister of India (1999-2004) and  as the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the longest period since its inception in 1980.  
    • Advani is widely regarded as an individual of great intellectual ability, strong principles, and unwavering support for the idea of a strong and prosperous India.  

  • Chaudhary Charan Singh: 
    • Chaudhary Charan Singh was an Indian politician and a freedom fighter. He served as the 5th prime minister of India and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.  
      • In 1952, as agriculture minister, he led Uttar Pradesh in abolishing the zamindari system. 
    • He advocated for the interests and rights of the peasants and introduced several measures to improve their conditions and welfare. He also promoted the values of democracy, secularism, and social justice. 
    • Charan Singh followed Mahatma Gandhi in a non-violent struggle for independence from the British Government and was imprisoned several times. 

Note

  • The rule of maximum three awards in a year is a guideline for the Bharat Ratna. The rule was broken for the first time in 1999, when four recipients were conferred the award: Jayaprakash Narayan, Amartya Sen, Gopinath Bordoloi, and Ravi Shankar. 
    • The rule was broken again in 2024, when five recipients were conferred the award. 

UPI Services in Sri Lanka and Mauritius

Recently, the Prime Minister of India along with the President of Sri Lanka, Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Mr Pravind Jugnauth jointly inaugurated the launch of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) services in Sri Lanka and Mauritius, and also RuPay card services in Mauritius.

  • This move aims to facilitate seamless digital payments among citizens of the three countries, fostering stronger economic ties.
  • These projects have been developed and executed by NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), along with partner banks/non-banks from Mauritius and Sri Lanka, under the guidance and support of the Reserve Bank of India.

What are RuPay and UPI?

  • RuPay:
    • RuPay is a payment system and financial services product developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
    • It is a domestic card payment network that can be used at automated teller machines (ATMs), point of sale (POS) devices, and e-commerce websites across India.
    • The provision under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, empowered the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) to create a secure electronic payment and settlement system in India.
    • RuPay has launched various card variants catering to the different segments of society.
      • In addition to the Government scheme cards, RuPay Classic, Platinum & Select variant cards are designed for the masses and affluent customers.
    • After Nepal, Bhutan, Singapore and UAE, the RuPay card is now available in Africa through Mauritius, the first non-Asian country to issue it.
      • The use of RuPay technology will allow banks in Mauritius to issue RuPay cards locally through the Mauritius Central Automated Switch (MauCAS) card network.
        • MauCAS is a novel state-of-the-art digital hub fully owned and operated by the Bank of Mauritius for routing payments among operators.
  • UPI:
    • The UPI is a digital and real-time payment system developed by the NPCI in 2016.
    • UPI is built over the IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) infrastructure and allows users to instantly transfer money between any two parties’ bank accounts.
    • UPI allows merging several banking features, seamless fund routing, and merchant payments into one mobile application.
    • More than 100 billion transactions took place via UPI in 2023 worth Rs 2 lakh crores.
    • The countries that accept UPI payments are France, UAE, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Bhutan, and Nepal.

How will RuPay and UPI Benefit the Users in Mauritius and Sri Lanka?

  • Facilitating Seamless Transactions:
    • Users in Mauritius and Sri Lanka will experience convenience in making transactions, both domestically and internationally, through the adoption of RuPay and UPI.
      • With RuPay cards and UPI connectivity, individuals travelling between India, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka can conduct transactions seamlessly, eliminating the need for currency exchange and reducing transactional complexities.
  • Enhanced Financial Access:
    • RuPay cards will be accepted at ATMs and PoS terminals in Mauritius, expanding the accessibility of digital payments for users in the region.
    • UPI connectivity in Sri Lanka enables users to make QR code-based payments at merchant locations, providing a convenient alternative to traditional payment methods.
  • Promotion of Financial Inclusion:
    • The availability of RuPay cards and UPI services empowers individuals from diverse socio-economic backgrounds to participate in the digital economy, fostering financial inclusion.
    • UPI transactions offer a cost-effective solution for users, reducing the expenses associated with traditional banking services and facilitating affordable financial transactions.
  • Strengthened Economic Ties:
    • Seamless payment solutions contribute to the growth of trade and tourism between India, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka, fostering economic cooperation and collaboration.
      • Increased digital transactions support local businesses by promoting cashless transactions, enhancing transparency, and reducing reliance on cash-based transactions.
    • The launch of UPI and RuPay services will also strengthen the economic and strategic ties between the three countries, as part of India’s “neighbourhood first” policy and “SAGAR” (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision.
  • Innovation and Technological Advancement:
    • The introduction of RuPay and UPI reflects a commitment to embracing digital innovation, positioning Mauritius and Sri Lanka as progressive economies in the global digital landscape.
      • By leveraging advanced payment technologies, users gain access to innovative financial solutions that empower them to manage their finances more efficiently and securely.

India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)

  • India’s DPI also known as the India Stack, is a set of open and interoperable platforms yet independent “blocks” that provide identity, payment, data sharing, and consent mechanisms for various digital applications.
  • These platforms are built on the principles of user-centric design, policy objectives, developing use cases, and engagement.
  • Some of the key components of India’s DPI are Aadhaar, DigiYatra, DigiLocker, and Account Aggregator (AA).
  • The DPI holds the promise of driving economic transformation and fostering inclusive growth. The modular layers of India Stack create opportunities for innovation, inclusion, and competition in the digital realm.

 



Current Affairs – 14th Feb 2024

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Current Affairs – 14th Feb 2024

Market Capitalisation

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) became the first Indian company to surpass Rs 20 lakh crore in market capitalisation.

About Market Capitalisation:

  • Market Capitalization, or Market Cap, is a term used to represent the market value of a company based on its current share price and the total number of its outstanding shares. 
  • It can be calculated by multiplying the number of outstanding shares of a company by the current price of its shares. 
  • It represents the market’s perception of a company’s worth and indicates its size and significance in the financial markets. 
  • On the basis of market cap, companies may be classified as large-cap, mid-cap, or small-cap companies.
    • Large-cap companies are usually stable, reputable, and well-established businesses that have a significant market share. They have market caps of INR 20,000 crore or more. 
    • Mid-cap companies have a market cap ranging from INR 5,000 crore to INR 20,000 crore.
    • Small-cap companies operate at a smaller scale than large-cap and mid-cap companies. Consequently, their market cap is also lower (less than INR 5,000 crore). 
  • Why is market capitalization important?
    • It allows potential investors to understand the true value of companies and the size of one company in relation to another. 
    • It helps investors predict the future performance of the stock of a company because it reflects what the market is willing to pay for the stock.

What is Free float market capitalisation?

  • While calculating the total market capitalization of a company, all the shares, including the ones publicly traded as well as those held by promoters, government, or other private parties, are multiplied by the stock price.
  • But in the free-float market capitalisation, we exclude shares held by private parties like promoters, trusts, or the government.
  • We only consider shares held and traded by the public and multiply them by the share price to arrive at the free-float market capitalisation of a company.

Swachhata Green Leaf Rating

Swachhata Green Leaf Rating system for the hospitality sector is yet to take off as there has been no response from States despite the Union Tourism Ministry sending three communiques so far.

About Swachhata Green Leaf Rating:

  • A government-initiated rating system for the hospitality sector which aims to ensure world-class hygiene and sanitation in hotels, resorts and homestays has become a non-starter with no State opting for it as of now.
  • Objective: The objective is to prevent pollution in water bodies and keep the environment clean.
  • Target group: The target groups are hotels, lodges, homestays, ‘Dharamshalas’ and camps which have portable toilets. The rating will be based on compliance with the safe sanitation practices outlined in the guidelines.
  • The ranking scheme was launched in November 2023 by the Union Tourism Ministry in collaboration with the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
  • As part of the initiative, the State teams of Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (rural) and the tourism department will organise workshops on the concept, process and desired outcomes for the stakeholders.
  • Implementation: A three-tiered committee system has been proposed for implementation, beginning with a Verification Sub-Committee formed by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) for the on-ground verification, followed by a District Committee, which the District Collector will chair and then a State-level committee, headed by the Chief Secretary of the State.

Cuscuta dodder

An invasive weed Cuscuta dodder is slowly choking the Chengalpet forests and Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, threatening the local vegetation, ecology and habitat of migratory birds.

About Cuscuta Dodder:

  • It is native to North America.
  • It is a parasitic vine without roots, has already infested acres of trees in the reserve forests and has begun to spread inside India’s oldest bird sanctuary.
  • It is the holoparasitic plant that builds a canopy on the host plant and casts thousands of tendrils to form a dense spectacle before it strangles and eventually kills it.
  • As per a technical paper published by the National Research Centre for Weed Science, in India, Cuscuta poses a serious problem in oilseeds, pulses and fodder crops in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Orissa, West Bengal and parts of Madhya Pradesh under rain fed as well as irrigated conditions.
  • Legislation in 25 countries has listed the dodder as a ‘declared noxious weed’ with seeds and plant material denied entrance. In the United States, it is the only weed seed whose movement is prohibited in every state.
  • The seeds of Cuscuta are spheroid and have a hard coat, which aids them to survive up to 50 years in dry storage and at least 10 years in the field.
  • Unlike root parasites, Cuscuta seeds do not require a specific stimulant to induce germination.

World Government Summit (WGS) 2024

The Indian Prime Minister will attend the World Government Summit 2024 as a guest of honour in the UAE.

About World Government Summit (WGS):

  • It is an annual global gathering that brings together world leaders, policymakers, experts, and thought leaders from various fields to discuss and address pressing global issues.
  • It was established in 2013 under the leadership of the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE.
  • It is annually held in Dubai, UAE.
  • The Summit, in its various activities, explores the agenda of the next generation of governments, focusing on harnessing innovation and technology to solve universal challenges facing humanity.
  • Since its inception, the Summit has championed the mission of shaping future governments and creating a better future for humanity. 
  • World Government Summit (WGS) 2024:
    • Theme: “Shaping Future Governments”
    • It will focus on six main themes:
      • Government Acceleration and Transformation
      • Artificial Intelligence and the Next Frontiers
      • Reimagining Development and Future Economies
      • Future Societies and Education
      • Sustainability and The New Global Shifts
      • Urbanisation and Global Health Priorities

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana

Prime Minister of India launched PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana to provide free electricity to its beneficiaries.

About PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana:

  • In this scheme, the central government will provide 300 units of free electricity per month to its beneficiaries by investing worth ₹75,000 crores.
  • The free electricity scheme was earlier announced by the Finance Minister in an interim budget speech.
  • Target: It aims to light up 1 crore households.
  • Under the scheme, Urban Local Bodies and Panchayats shall be incentivised to promote rooftop solar systems in their jurisdictions. 
  • The Central Government will guarantee no financial burden on the people by providing significant subsidies directly to their bank accounts and offering highly concessional bank loans.
  • Expected benefits:
    • Savings of up to fifteen to eighteen thousand rupees annually for households from free solar electricity and selling the surplus to the distribution companies;
    • Charging of electric vehicles;
    • Entrepreneurship opportunities for a large number of vendors for supply and installation;
    • Employment opportunities for the youth with technical skills in manufacturing, installation and maintenance.

Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species

The Fourteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (COP14) will be hosted by the Government of Uzbekistan, in Samarkand from 12-17 February 2024.

About the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species:

  • It also known as the Bonn Convention, is an environmental treaty under the aegis of the United Nations Environment Programme.
  • It provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats. 
  • It was signed in Bonn, Germany, on 23 June 1979.
  • It is the only global and UN-based intergovernmental organisation established exclusively for the conservation and management of terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory species throughout their range.
  • The parties to the convention acknowledge the importance of conserving migratory species, and the need to pay special attention to species whose conservation status is unfavourable.
  • Activities by CMS Parties may range from legally binding treaties(called Agreements) to less formal instruments, such as Memoranda of Understanding.
  • The Conference of Parties (COP) is the decision-making organ of this convention. 
  • It has two Appendices. 
    • Appendix I lists endangered migratory species and includes prohibitions regarding the take of these species.
    • Appendix II lists species that have an ‘unfavourable conservation status’ (as per the conditions set out in the Convention) and encourages range states to draft range-wide agreements for the conservation and management of these species.

e-Jagriti Portal

The Consumer Affairs Secretary recently asserted that integration of artificial intelligence in the ‘e-Jagriti’ portal will help reduce the number of pending cases in consumer courts.

About e-Jagriti Portal:

  • It is an initiative of the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution.
  • It is a portal for consumer commissions.
  • This portal has been designed to further improve the customer experience.
  • It provides a simple, fast, and cost-effective consumer dispute redressal software solution at all levels.
  • It is envisaged to integrate consumer grievance platforms, namely, the Online Case Monitoring System (OCMS), E-Daakhil, the National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC) Case Monitoring System, CONFONET website, mediation application, on a single platform.
  • The e-Jagriti platform has case filing, online fee payment, case monitoring modules for seamless disposal of cases by all the Commissions, has Smart search facility on archived consumer complaints/cases/judgements using AI technology for metadata and keyword creation, and Voice-to-text conversion of judgements, case history and other details using AI / ML technology.
  • The portal will integrate a Virtual court facility for a convenient and accessible resolution of consumer complaints, reducing the time of disposal, multiple hearings, and physical court appearances, bringing effective and fast decisions & disposals in all Consumer Commissions.

Key Facts about the National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC):

  • It is a quasi-judicial commission in India which was set up in 1988 under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986.
  • Its head office is in New Delhi.
  • The Commission is headed by a sitting or retired Judge of the Supreme Court of India or a sitting or retired Chief Justice of the High Court.
  • Section 21 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, posits that the National Commission shall have jurisdiction to entertain a complaint valued at more than two crores and also have appellate and revisional jurisdiction from the orders of State Commissions or the District, as the case may be.
  • Any person aggrieved by an order of NCDRC may prefer an appeal against such an order to the Supreme Court of India within 30 days.

Olive Ridley Turtles

The Andhra Pradesh government recently imposed a month-long ban on fishing in the 5-km radius of Hope Island to prevent the death of Olive Ridley turtles off the Kakinada coast.

About Olive Ridley Turtles:

  • They are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
  • It gets its name from the olive-green colouration of its carapace (shell). 
  • Scientific Name: Lepidochelys olivacea
  • They are best known for their unique mass nesting, called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.
  • Distribution:
    • They are mainly found in the warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans.
    • Odisha’s Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is known as the world’s largest rookery (a colony of breeding animals) of sea turtles.
  • Features:
    • An adult typically measures between 62 and 70 cm in length and weighs about 35-45 kg. 
    • They have one to two visible claws on each of their paddle-like flippers. 
    • They are omnivorous, meaning they feed on both plants and animals.
    • They are solitary, preferring the open ocean.
    • These turtles spend their entire lives in the ocean and migrate thousands of kilometres between feeding and mating grounds in the course of a year.
  • Conservation Status:
    • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
    • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1
    • CITES: Appendix I

Key Facts about Hope Island:

  • It is a tadpole-shaped island, located off the coast of Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, in the Bay of Bengal. 
  • Hope Island is so named for providing a natural haven to sailors against the forces of wind and tide against the weary traveller. 
  • This island is young, as it was formed in the late 18th century, by the waters of the Koringa River, which is a distributary of the River Godavari.
  • The area between Kakinada coast and Hope Island is known as Kakinada Bay.
  • It acts as a natural barrier from storm surges and is a natural breakwater for the Kakinada coast. 

Bubonic Plague

Officials in the US state of Oregon recently said they are dealing with a rare human case of bubonic plague that was likely transmitted by a pet cat.

About the Bubonic Plague:

  • Plague is an infectious disease caused by a specific type of bacterium called Yersinia pestis, a zoonotic bacterium usually found in small mammals and their fleas.
  • pestis can affect humans and animals and is spread mainly by fleas.
  • Bubonic plague is one type of plague. It gets its name from the swollen lymph nodes (buboes) caused by the disease.
    • Called the Black Death, it killed millions of Europeans during the Middle Ages.
  • The other types of plague are:
    • Septicemic plague, which happens when the infection goes all through the body.
    • Pneumonic plague, which happens when the lungs are infected.
  • Plague can be a very severe disease in people, with a case-fatality ratio of 30% to 60% for the bubonic type, and is always fatal for the pneumonic kind when left untreated.
  • Symptoms: Bubonic plague symptoms include
    • Sudden high fever and chills.
    • Pain in the areas of the abdomen, arms, and legs.
    • Headaches. 
    • Large and swollen lumps in the lymph nodes(buboes) that develop and leak pus.
  • Transmission:
    • pestis is spread mostly by fleas on rodents and other animals. 
    • It is transmitted between animals and humans by the bite of infected fleas, direct contact with infected tissues, and inhalation of infected respiratory droplets.
  • The incubation period of bubonic plague is usually 2 to 8 days.
  • Treatment:
    • It can be treated and cured with antibiotics.
    • Antibiotics that treat bubonic plague include Ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, Gentamicin and Doxycycline.
    • It can be fatal if it’s not treated.

J&K Bills on Local Bodies and SC/ST lists

Recently, the Rajya Sabha has passed 3 bills related to reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and modification of the lists of SC and ST in Jammu & Kashmir.

  • Since Lok Sabha had previously passed them, all 3 bills are deemed to be passed by the Parliament to become an Act.
  • J&K Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill 2024 – It seeks to amend certain provisions of the
    • Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989
    • Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Act, 2000
    • Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Corporation Act, 2000
  • It seeks to provide reservation to the OBC in the Panchayats and the Municipalities and will empower State Election Commission of J&K to conduct local body polls.
  • The removal of state election commissioner shall be similar to those of a judge of a high court as enshrined in the Constitution of India.

J&K Bills on SC/ST List

  • The Constitution (J&K) SCs Order (Amendment) Bill – It seeks to amend the Constitution (J&K) SCs Order of 1956, which lists the castes deemed to be SC in J&K and Ladakh.
  • It adds Valmiki community as a synonym of Chura, Balmiki, Bhangi, and Mehtar communities.
  • The Constitution (J&K) STs Order (Amendment) Bill – It seeks to amend the Constitution (J&K) STs Order, 1989.
  • It proposes the creation of separate lists of STs for the UTs of J&K and Ladakh.
  • It also adds Gadda Brahmin, Koli, Paddari Tribe, and Pahari Ethnic Group communities in the list of STs in Jammu & Kashmir.

NATO & its Funding

Former US President Donald Trump has once again attacked NATO with respect to member nation’s lack of funding to the organisation.

  • NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, was conceived to provide collective security against the erstwhile USSR.
  • Launched in – 1949, with the passage of Washington Treaty.
  • Headquarters – In Brussels, Belgium since 1967.
  • Aim – To guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means.
    • Political – To solve problems, build trust and, in the long run, prevent conflict in defence & security-related issues.
    •  Military – For peaceful resolution of disputes, if failed then using military power for crisis-management operations.
  • Membership – 31 (most of European nations, US and Canada).
  • It is open to any other European state that accepts this Treaty and accepts to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area.

The newest member is Finland in 2023. Sweden has applied but is waiting for Hungary to ratify its application as the final major step before membership.

  • Decision making – It is by consensus.
  • Collective defence – An attack on 1 member is considered an attack on all of them as per Article 5 of the treaty.

NATO derives its authority from Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which reaffirms the inherent right of independent states to individual or collective defence.

  • Limitation – Article 5 failed to commit automatic military response to help an ally under attack.
  • It depends on clear statements from political leaders that it will be backed up by action.

NATO’s Funding Mechanism

  • It has some common funds, to which all members contribute.
  • But it majorly depends on members’ own national defence spending to maintain forces and buy arms that can also be used by NATO.
  • Funding commitment – To spend at least 2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) every year on defence.
  • Issues – Most of the members did not meet their funding commitments in 2023.

BAPS Swaminarayan Temple

Prime Minister of India to inaugurate the BAPS Swaminarayan temple in Abu Dhabi in UAE, the 1st Hindu temple in the Gulf nation.

  • A traditional 108 feet high Hindu temple.
  • Built by – BAPS.

Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is a denomination of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya (a Vaishnav sect of Hinduism). It has a network of around 1,550 temples across the world.

  • Style – Nagara style.
  • Construction material – Its external facade uses pink sandstone from Rajasthan, while the interior uses Italian marbles.
  • 2 central domes – Dome of Harmony and Dome of Peace, emphasising human coexistence.
  • A Wall of Harmony – 3D-printed wall, features a video showcasing key milestones of the temple’s construction.
  • 7 shikhars (spires) – It represents of the 7 Emirates of the UAE.
  • It also includes an assembly hall, a community centre, exhibitions, classrooms, and a majlis venue.
  • Inter-faith harmony – It is open to everyone.
  • A Muslim king donated land and it has participation of personalities from Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Parsi and from Jainism.
  • Temple’s front panel depicts universal values, stories of harmony from different cultures, Hindu spiritual leaders and avatars.

The Indian diaspora is almost 3.3-million strong in UAE, a huge percentage of the country’s population. Of these, some 150 to 200 families are BAPS Swaminarayan devotees.

Key architectural features of BAPS Temple in UAE

  • Conception scene – A stone carving of the scene of Pramukh Swami Maharaj envisioning the temple in Abu Dhabi in 1997.
  • Pillars – Circular and hexagonal, a special pillar named Pillar of pillars which has around 1,400 small pillars carved into it.
  • Deities – It has deities from all 4 corners of India like Lord Ram, Shiv, Jagannath, Tirupati Balaji and Lord Ayappa.
  • A ‘holy river’ – It surround the temple, has waters of River Ganga and Yamuna with Varanasi-like ghat, where the ‘Ganga’ passes.
  • The river Saraswati has been depicted in the form of white light.
  • Depiction of civilisations – It depicts stories of Indian, Mayan, Aztec, Egyptian, Arabic, European, Chinese and African civilisation.
  • Other features – Its surrounding buildings are modern and monolithic, with their colour resembling sand dunes.
  • It has 96 bells and gaumukhs around the path leading to the temple, a tribute to Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s 96 years of life.
  • No ferrous material is used, thereby prevent corrosion.
  • Nano tiles allows devotees to walk even in the hot weather.

The BAPS temple of UAE was judged the Best Mechanical Project of the Year 2019 at the MEP Middle East Awards, and the Best Interior Design Concept of the Year 2020.

Lymphatic Filariasis

Recently, the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare launched the first phase of the Bi-annual Nationwide Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign for Lymphatic filariasis (LF) elimination.

Note:

  • The campaign aims to check disease transmission by providing free preventive medications to the residents in areas affected by the disease. The campaign will cover 92 districts across 11 states.

What is Lymphatic Filariasis?

  • About:
    • Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a neglected tropical disease(NTD) caused by infection with filarial parasites transmitted through mosquitoes.
  • Prevalence:
    • In 2021, approximately 882.5 million people in 44 countries lived in areas requiring preventive chemotherapy to halt the spread of infection.
    • LF is a serious public health problem in India. Currently, there are 345 lymphatic filariasis endemic districts in 20 states and union territories of the country.
      • 75% of MDA districts are from 5 states Bihar, Jharkhand, UP, Odisha and Telangana.
    • Lymphatic filariasis is more prevalent among the urban poor and affects all segments of the rural population.
  • Impact:
    • The infection starts in childhood and accumulates through adulthood, resulting in irreversible chronic disease conditions.
      • The disease inflicts stigma, mental suffering, social deprivation and economic loss and is a major cause of poverty in the affected communities.
  • Cause and Transmission:
    • Parasitic Infection:
      • Lymphatic filariasis is caused by infection with parasites classified as nematodes (roundworms) of the family Filariodidea. There are 3 types of these thread-like filarial worms:
        • Wuchereria bancrofti (responsible for 90% of the cases)
        • Brugia malayi (causes most of the remainder of the cases)
        • Brugia timori (which also causes the disease)
    • Transmission Cycle:
      • Adult worms reside in the lymphatic vessels, producing microfilariae that circulate in the blood.
      • Mosquitoes become infected by biting an infected host and transmit the larvae to humans, perpetuating the transmission cycle.
  • Symptoms and Complications:
    • Asymptomatic and Chronic Conditions:
      • The majority of infections are asymptomatic, but chronic conditions can lead to lymphoedema (swelling of the limbs), elephantiasis (thickening of the skin and tissues), and hydrocele (swelling of the scrotum), causing physical disfigurement and psychological distress.
    • Acute Episodes:
      • Acute inflammatory episodes often accompany chronic conditions, leading to debilitating symptoms and loss of productivity among affected individuals.
  • Treatment and Prevention:
    • Preventive Chemotherapy:
      • MDA with annual doses of medicines to the at-risk population is the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended strategy for eliminating lymphatic filariasis.
    • MDA Regimens:
      • Different drug regimens are recommended based on co-endemicity with other filarial diseases, aiming to reduce microfilariae density and interrupt transmission.
    • Morbidity Management:
      • Surgery, hygiene measures, and clinical care are essential for managing chronic manifestations and preventing disease progression.
    • Vector Control:
      • Supplemental strategies such as mosquito control help reduce transmission and complement preventive chemotherapy efforts.
  • WHO Response and Goals:
    • Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF):
      • Launched in 2000, GPELF aims to eliminate lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem through preventive chemotherapy and morbidity management.
      • In 2020, GPELF set the following goals for the new NTD Road Map (2021–2030):
        • Validation: 80% of endemic countries (58) to validate elimination, maintaining low infection rates post-MDA.
        • Surveillance: All endemic countries (72) to implement surveillance to prevent disease resurgence.
        • MDA Reduction: Targeting zero population needing mass drug administration.
  • India’s Initiatives:
    • Mission Mode India Multi-drug administration (MDA) Campaign twice a year synchronized with National Deworming Day (10th Feb and 10th August)
    • India is committed to eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis by 2027, three years before the global target.

 

 


Current Affairs – 13th Feb 2024

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Current Affairs – 13th Feb 2024

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI)

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has now mandated that Resolution Professionals (RPs) provide a copy of its report to both creditors and debtors in all cases.

About the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI):

  • The IBBI was established on October 1, 2016, in accordance with the provisions of the ‘Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016’.
  • It is responsible for the implementation of the IBC. The IBC amends and consolidates the laws relating to the insolvency resolution of individuals, partnership firms, and corporate persons in a time-bound manner. 
    • The IBBI regulates professionals as well as processes.
    • It has regulatory oversight over insolvency professional agencies, insolvency professional entities, insolvency professionals, and information utilities.
    • It enforces rules for processes of corporate insolvency resolution, individual insolvency resolution, corporate liquidation, and individual bankruptcy under the IBC.
  • It has also been designated as the ‘Authority’ under the Companies (Registered Valuers and Valuation Rules), 2017 for the regulation and development of the profession of valuers in the country.
  • Constitution of the Board: The Board consists of the following members who are appointed by the Central Government: 
    • A Chairperson. 
    • Three members from among the officers of the Central Government equivalent or not below the rank of a Joint Secretary. Out of the three members, each will represent the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and the Ministry of Law, ex-officio. 
    • One member nominated by the RBI (Reserve Bank of India), ex-officio. 
    • Five other members are nominated by the Central Government, out of which at least three should be whole-time members. 
    • The term of office of the Chairperson and members (other than ex-officio members) is five years or until they attain sixty-five years, whichever is earlier, and they are eligible for re-appointment.

Bor Tiger Reserve

The Bor Tiger Reserve (BTR) recently sought Rs 1 crore for various works to start wildlife safaris in the Bangdapur and Hingni forest ranges.

About Bor Tiger Reserve:

  • It is a wildlife sanctuary which was declared a tiger reserve in July 2014.
  • Location: It is located in the Wardha District of Maharashtra. 
  • It is the smallest tiger reserve in India by area.
  • The reserve covers an area of 138.12 sq. km, which includes the drainage basin of the Bor Dam.
  • It is centrally located among several other Bengal Tiger habitats.
    • Towards the northeast lies the Pench Tiger Reserve, towards the east is Nagzira Navegaon Tiger Reserve, and to the southeast is Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary.
    • The Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is located to the southeast, Melghat Tiger Reserve stands to the west; Satpura Tiger Reserve lies to the north-west.
  • Vegetation: The area is populated by Dry Deciduous Forest type.
  • Flora: Teak, tendu, bamboo, tarot, and gokhru are some of the abundant species.
  • Fauna: Apart from tigers, the reserve is home to several other mammals like leopards, sloth bears, sambar deer, Indian bison (gaur), chital, wild boars, and more.

GROW Portal

Recently, the GROW report and portal was launched by a Member of NITI Aayog.

About GROW Portal:

  • The “Greening and Restoration of Wasteland with Agroforestry (GROW)-Suitability Mapping” portal allows universal access to state and district-level data.
  • It is hosted on the Bhuvan website.
  • The GROW initiative aligns with national commitments, aiming to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 and create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
  • The initiative, led by NITI Aayog, involved a collaborative effort from multiple institutions and employed advanced technologies such as remote sensing and GIS to assess agroforestry suitability across all districts in India.
  • Utilising thematic datasets, the project resulted in the creation of an Agroforestry Suitability Index (ASI). This index enables national-level prioritisation for greening and restoration projects.
  • This project on prioritisation of wasteland areas suitable for greening is based on the analysis of five remote sensing derived thematic layers land use, wasteland, slope, water proximity and soil organic content.
  • These parameters were selected as a result of expert consultations and considered to be the most critical layers in identifying areas that are amenable to interventions with agroforestry. Highest weightage was given to wastelands.
  • The developed system provides information on areas suitable for agroforestry across India.
  • The areas available in the system are classified as highly suitable, moderately suitable, and less suitable for agroforestry.
  • The key features of the system:
    • Generates district-level information on wasteland areas suitable for agroforestry
    • Generates area prioritisation regime i.e. highly suitable area, moderate and less suitable for agroforestry
    • Generates live maps
    • Generates area analysis-statistic report
    • Offer an interactive mode/tool that provides flexibility in handling the weights as per local conditions/need

Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)

In a remarkable display of citizen science and enthusiasm for birdwatching, India emerged as a key participant in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC).

About Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC):

  • It is an annual, four-day event that engages bird enthusiasts of all ages around the world in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are. 
  • It was launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society.
  • It was established to help researchers learn more about how birds are doing and how to protect them and the environment.
  • How is it done? Participants count birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the four-day event and report their sightings online.
  • Who can participate? Anyone can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, from beginner bird watchers to experts. One can participate from his/her backyard, or anywhere in the world.
  • Significance: Each checklist submitted during the GBBC helps researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society learn more about how birds are distributed across the country and how they are affected by changes in habitat and weather.
  • India and GBBC:
    • Indian birders have participated in the GBBC since 2013.
    • In India, GBBC is coordinated by the Bird Count India (BCI) collective, a coming-together of a number of groups and organisations that are interested in birds, nature, and conservation.

Retail Inflation

India’s retail inflation eased to a three-month low of 5.1% recently.

About Retail Inflation:

  • Retail inflation, also known as Consumer Price Index (CPI)inflation, tracks the change in retail prices of goods and services which households purchase for their daily consumption.
  • CPI is calculated for a fixed basket of goods and services that may or may not be altered by the government from time to time.
  • The change in the price index over a period of time is referred to as CPI-based inflation or retail inflation.
  • What Does the CPI tell? Following are a few things that the CPI index interprets:
    • Cost of living
    • The purchasing power of consumers
    • The expensiveness of different articles that consumers buy and services that are availed
    • Value of the Indian rupee
  • How is CPI calculated?
    • CPI is calculated as a percentage. It is a comparison of the general price level in the markets in a particular time period from a time frame in the past. This is known as the base year.
    • CPI, therefore, is calculated by referring to a base year, which is a benchmark. Currently, the base year is 2012.
    • The National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) compiles All India as well as state-wise CPI for Rural, Urban, and Combined sectors and releases the CPI numbers every month.
  • How is the Consumer Price Index (CPI) Used?
    • It is used as a macroeconomic indicator of inflation, as a tool by the central bank and government for inflation targeting and for inspecting price stability, and as a deflator in the national accounts.
    • CPI also helps understand the real value of salaries, wages, and pensions, the purchasing power of the nation’s currency, and regulating rates.

Fire Capped Tit

Recently, Birders have spotted the trail of species flying back home including the fire-capped tit in the Aravalli hill region suggesting reverse migration as the season changes from winter to summer

About Fire Capped Tit:

  • It is a small bird species assigned to the family Paridae.
  • Migration pattern: It is a Himalayan bird which flies down south towards Western Ghats and Kerala around Sept, and is back around Feb-end and March.
  • Habitat: Inhabits forest feeding on invertebrates, nectar and pollen, usually high in the canopy but will descend to low growth.
  • It is found in montane broadleaf forests at middle to high elevations, sometimes mixed in with other species.
  • These birds breed in the Himalayas during summer and have a melodious song.
  • Distribution: 
    • A local breeding summer visitor to northern mountains from Pakistan east to Arunachal Pradesh.
    • Winters in foothills and rarely in plains south to Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
  • Conservation status
    • IUCN: Least Concern

Why early reverse migration?

  • The winters were not very harsh in central India. So, the bird could have started moving early.

Bond Yield

As inflation continues to moderate, bond yields will also soften and borrowing costs will come down, the Reserve Bank of India Governor said recently.

What is a Bond?

  • A bond is a fixed-income instrument that represents a loan made by an investor to a borrower (typically corporate or governmental) for a set period of time in return for regular interest payments.
  • The time from when the bond is issuedtowhenthe borrower has agreed to pay the loan backiscalled its ‘term to maturity’. 
  • The bond issuer uses the money raised from bonds to undertake various activities, such as funding expansion projects, refinancing existing debt, undertaking welfare activities, etc. 

What is Bond Yield?  

  • It is the return an investor expects to receive each year over its term to maturity.
  • It partially depends on coupon payments, which refer to the periodic interest income obtained as a reward for holding bonds.
  • The bondholders receive the bond’s face value at the end of the bond’s life. However, one may buy bonds at par value, discount (at a price lower than par value), or premium(at a price higher than par value) as they trade in the secondary market. 
  • Therefore, the prevailing market price of bonds also affects the bond yield.
  • It is calculated by using the following formula:
    • Bond Yield= Coupon Amount/ Price
  • Bond Yield vs. Price:
    • Price and yield are inversely related.
    • As the price of a bond goes up, its yield goes down, and as yield goes up, the price of the bond goes down.
    • Example: Suppose interest rates fall.New bonds that are issued will now offer lower interest payments. This makes existing bonds that were issued before the fall in interest rates more valuable to investors because they offer higher interest payments compared to new bonds. As a result, the price of existing bonds will increase.
    • However, if a bond’s price increases, it is now more expensive for a potential new investor to buy. The bond’s yield will then fall because the return an investor expects from purchasing this bond is now lower.

Biodiversity Heritage Site

Recently, the Odisha government declared the Gupteswar forest in Koraput district as its fourth Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS).

About Biodiversity Heritage Site:

  • These are areas that are unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems having rich biodiversity comprising of any one or more of the components such as;
    • species richness, high endemism, presence of rare, endemic and threatened species, keystone species, species of evolutionary significance, wild ancestors of domestic/cultivated species or landraces or their varieties, past pre-eminence of biological components represented by fossil beds and having cultural or aesthetic values.

Who can declare BHS?

  • Under the Biological Diversity Act, the State Governments areempowered to notify in the official gazette, in consultation with ‘local bodies’, areas of biodiversity importance as Biodiversity Heritage Sites.
  • Also, the State Government in consultation with the Central Government may frame rules for the management and conservation of BHS.
  • The State Governments are empowered to frame schemes for compensating or rehabilitating any person or section of people economically affected by such notification.
  • Importance of Biological Diversity Heritage Sites: Biodiversity is closely linked to ecological security.
    • Loss of biodiversity and bioresources show an increasing trend mainly due to human activities. Therefore, it is necessary to instil and nurture conservation ethics in the community.

Brumation

Researchers have observed instances of brumation in various reptilian species across habitats. 

About Brumation:

  • It is the name to describe a period of dormancy or slowed activity in reptiles, much like hibernation in mammals.
  • It typically occurs during colder months, when temperatures drop and food becomes scarce.
  • During brumation, reptiles may retreat to underground burrows, rock crevices or other sheltered areas where temperatures are relatively more stable.
  • Their metabolism slows significantly, allowing them to go weeks or even months without eating.
  • This period of reduced activity allows reptiles to conserve energy and minimise their resource requirements.
  • Such species include box turtles and painted turtles, which burrow into the mud at the bottom of ponds or lakes. Snakes may seek refuge in underground dens or caves while lizards may hide under rocks or within vegetation.
  • Why brumation?
    • Reptiles enter a state of brumation to conserve energy and survive these adverse environmental conditions.
    • Brumation is crucial for reptiles to survive cold climates and endure challenging environmental conditions until they can reemerge to feed and reproduce in more favourable climates.

Hastsal Minar

In an era where heritage preservation is paramount, efforts are being made to unravel the mysteries surrounding the Hastsal Minar.

About Hastsal Minar:

  • Location: It is located in a small village in western Delhi.
  • Its construction was finished in 1634 during the reign of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.
  • It is also known as Mini Qutab Minar.
  • Among the locals, it is also known as Hastsal Ki Laat and Kaushal Minar.
  • Architecture
    • It was constructed using lakhori bricks and clad with red sandstone.
    • The minar is 17 metres (five storeys) tall, standing on a square platform and with an octagonal body.
    • A staircase inside the five-storey tower led to the domed Chhatri pavilion at the top. 
    • It has three storeys, each with a reducing diameter, and is accessible through a narrow staircase
  • Shah Jahan utilised Hastsal as one of his hunting lodges during the 17th century.
  • Present condition:
    • In 2018, the minaret was deemed as Grade A in heritage value and was given permission to be conserved under Phase IV of the Delhi government’s project to protect lesser-known monuments in the capital.

Other Important News

Eratosthenes
Israeli scientists find new underwater canyon near Cyprus.

  • The canyon dates back to the Messinian Event that transpired about 5.5 million years ago, is near an underwater mountain.
  • It was created when the level of the Mediterranean Sea decreased at the same time there was a rise in the salinity of the water.
  • The Messinian salinity crisis or the Messinian event was a geological event during which the Mediterranean Sea went into a cycle of partial or nearly complete desiccation.

Mankur Mango (or) Malcorado
Goa’s most popular mangoes going for Rs 5,000 a dozen.

  • Mangoes known in Goa as mankurad, was originally called malcorado, meaning poor colour in Portuguese.
  • Usually, mankurad mangoes arrive by the end of February or March.
  • Goa mankurad mango, or mankurad, got the geographical indication (GI) tag in 2023.

Cuscuta Dodder
Parasitic creeper preys on Chengalpet forests, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary.

  • It is a parasitic vine without roots, and is an invasive weed, native to North America.
  • It poses a serious problem in oilseeds, pulses and fodder crops in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Orissa, West Bengal and parts of Madhya Pradesh.
  • In United States, it is the only weed seed whose movement is prohibited in every state.
  • The seeds of Cuscuta are spheroid and have a hard coat, which aids them to survive up to 50 years in dry storage and at least 10 years in the field.
  • Unlike root parasites, Cuscuta seeds do not require a specific stimulant to induce germination.

Nalgonda Lamppost
Telugu-Tamil Inscription on 17th Century Lamppost Unearths Trade Links.

  • A 390-year-old towering lamppost with an inscription dedicated to Kasi Visvanatha found in Mudimanikyam of Adavidevulapally mandal in Nalgonda district in Telangana revealed trade links.
  • The inscription is engraved on a deepasthabham, near the ruined Siva temple on the banks of Krishna River in the village Mudimanikyam.
  • It is written in Telugu mixed with Tamil language and Telugu characters and dated to 1635 C.E.
  • The inscription begins with obeisance to the god Kasi Visvanatha and records the erection of a pillar for the god Kasi Visvanatha by Polinedu, son of Vali Munulayya.

List of countries that use UPI
Government releases list of countries where UPI Payments are accepted.

  • France, UAE, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Bhutan, and Nepal are the countries that accept UPI payments, according to the government.

Gupteswar Forest
Gupteswar forest in Odisha declared as Bio-Diversity Heritage site (BHS).

  • The forest, has been declared as the 4th BHS.
  • The other 3 are Mandasaru BHS, Mahendragiri BHS, and Gandhamardan BHS.
  • The limestone caves of Gupteswar are adorned with eight species of bats out of the total 16 species found in southern Odisha.
  • Among them, two species Hipposideros galeritus and Rhinolophus rouxii are under the near-threatened category of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Golden IT Corridor
Railway line to connect Nilambur in Kerala to Nanjangudi in Karnataka on Golden IT Corridor.

  • The proposed railway line is a 236 kilometre broad-gauge railway line that will run through Bandipur National Park.
  • The railway line will connect Nilambur in Kerala to Nanjangudi in Karnataka, which is known as the Golden IT Corridor.

White Paper
The government has come out with a white paper on the Indian economy.

  • A white paper typically provides information about a specific issue.
  • It is an informational report that highlights policies, achievements and issues of the government.
  • Government papers are colour-coded for distribution and white is designated for public access.
  • A government may present a white paper, to make people aware of the nature and scope of the problem and the possible ways to resolve it.

Obelisks
A new virus-like entity has just been discovered.

  • Biological entities called obelisks have been hiding, in large numbers, inside the human mouth and gut.
  • They are circular bits of genetic material that contain one or two genes and self-organise into a rod-like shape.
  • Like viroids, Obelisks have a circular single-stranded RNA genome and no protein coat.
  • However, like viruses, their genomes contain genes that are predicted to code for proteins.
  • All obelisks so far described encode a single major protein known as obulin, and many encode a second, smaller obulin.
Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development (PARAKH)
Department of School Education & Literacy, chaired a review meeting on PARAKH.

  • It is the National Assessment Center established in the National Education Policy 2020.
  • It serves as a standard-setting body, and it assists states in supplying high-quality, standardized exams as well as regular data for quality improvement.
  • All recognized school boards in India will observe, teach, and evaluate as per the PARAKH guidelines.

 



Current Affairs – 7th Feb 2024

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Current Affairs – 7th Feb 2024

SAMARTH Centres

Recently, the Minister of State for Heavy Industries informed the Lok Sabha about SAMARTH Centres.

About SAMARTH Centres:

  • The Smart Advanced Manufacturing and Rapid Transformation Hub (SAMARTH) centres are set up under the Scheme for “Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector.
  • These centres have been providing assistance to the MSMEs to train the workforce and make them aware of Industry 4.0 technologies in the following ways:
    • Organizing Seminars/ Workshops and knowledge-sharing events on Industry 4.0;
    • Training industries to create awareness about Industry 4.0;
    • Providing consultancy (in areas such as IOT Hardware, Software development, and data analytics) and incubation support to start-ups including MSMEs.

Key facts about the Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector scheme:

  • It has been launched by the Ministry of Heavy Industries to address technological obsolescence and limited access to quality industrial infrastructure and common facilities. 
  • In order to address the skill gaps and infrastructure development and technology needs for the Capital Goods Sector, Phase I of the Capital Goods scheme was rolled out in November 2014.
  • Phase I of the scheme fostered partnerships between Academia and Industry for engendering technology development with Government support.
  • The objective of Phase II (on January 25, 2022) is to expand and enlarge the impact created by the Phase I pilot scheme, thereby providing greater impetus through the creation of a strong and globally competitive capital goods sector that contributes at least 25% to the manufacturing sector.
  • Components of the Scheme
    • Identification of Technologies through Technology Innovation Portals
    • Setting up of four New Advanced Centres of Excellence and augmentation of Existing Centres of Excellence
    • Promotion of skilling in the Capital Goods Sector–the creation of Qualification packages for skill levels 6 and above
    • Setting up of four Common Engineering Facility Centres (CEFCs) and augmentation of existing CEFCs
    • Augmentation of Existing Testing and Certification Centres
    • Setting up of ten Industry Accelerators for Technology Development

Lupus

Australian researchers recently worked out how to fix a defect that causes lupus.

About Lupus:

  • It is an autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to damage organs and tissue throughout your body. 
  • It causes inflammation that can affect your skin, joints, blood, and organs like your kidneys, lungs, and heart. 
  • Causes: The cause of lupus is unknown. It’s thought to be the result of a mix of genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors.
  • Lupus is much more common among women than men.
  • There are several kinds of lupus:
    • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the most common type. It can be mild or severe and can affect many parts of the body.
    • Discoid lupus causes a red rash that doesn’t go away.
    • Subacute cutaneous lupus causes sores after being out in the sun.
    • Drug-induced lupus is caused by certain medicines. It usually goes away when you stop taking the medicine.
    • Neonatal lupus, which is rare, affects newborns. It is probably caused by certain antibodies from the mother.
  • Symptoms: Lupus can have many symptoms, and they differ from person to person. Some of the more common ones are:
    • Pain or swelling in joints
    • Muscle pain
    • Fever with no known cause
    • Red rashes, most often on the face (also called the “butterfly rash”)
    • Chest pain when taking a deep breath
    • Hair loss
    • Pale or purple fingers or toes
    • Sensitivity to the sun
  • Treatment: There is no cure for lupus, but medicines and lifestyle changes can help control it.

Rights Issue

Indiabulls Housing Finance plans to raise ₹3,693 crore through the rights issue.

About Rights Issue:

  • A rights issue is an offering of rights to the existing shareholders of a company that gives them an opportunity to buy additional shares directly from the company at a discounted price rather than buying them in the secondary market. 
  • It gives preferential treatment to existing shareholders, where they are given the right (not obligation) to purchase shares at a lower price on or before a specified date.
  • The number of additional shares that can be bought depends on the existing holdings of the shareowners.
  • Until the date at which the new shares can be purchased, shareholders may trade the rights on the market the same way that they would trade ordinary shares.
  • Existing shareholders can also choose to ignore the rights; however, if they do not purchase additional shares, then their existing shareholding will be diluted post-issue of additional shares.
  • Dilution occurs because a rights offering spreads a company’s net profit over a larger number of shares. Thus, the company’s earnings per share, or EPS, decreases as the allocated earnings result in share dilution.
  • Why issue a Rights Offering?
    • Companies most commonly issue a rights offering to raise additional capital.  A company may need extra capital to meet its current financial obligations. 
    • Troubled companies typically use rights issues to pay down debt, especially when they are unable to borrow more money.

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras

Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) have been allowed by the Government to operate Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras (PMBJK) under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana.

About Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras:

  • These are set up under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, which was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisersin November 2008.
  • Objective: To provide quality medicines at affordable prices for all, particularly the poor, so as to reduce out-of-pocket expenses in healthcare.
  • These Kendra’s provide generic drugs, which are available at lesser prices but are equivalent in quality and efficacy to expensive branded drugs.
  • All therapeutic medicines are made available from Jan Aushadhi Stores.
  • Jan Aushadhi stores also sell allied medical products commonly sold in chemist shops so as to improve the viability of running the Jan Aushadhi store.
  • Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) has been established under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Govt. of India, with the support of all the CPSUs for coordinating procurement, supply, and marketing of generic drugs through the PMBKs.

Who is eligible to open a Jan Aushadhi Kendra?

  • State Governments or any organisation / reputed NGOs / Trusts / Private hospitals/ charitable institutions / Doctors / Unemployed pharmacists/ individual entrepreneurs are eligible to apply for the new Jan Aushadhi Kendra.
  • The applicants shall have to employ one B Pharma / D Pharma degree holder as a Pharmacist in their proposed store.
  • Primary Agricultural Credit Societies.

India’s first Hypervelocity Expansion Tunnel Test Facility

The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) has successfully established and tested India’s first Hypervelocity Expansion Tunnel Test Facility recently.

About India’s first Hypervelocity Expansion Tunnel Test Facility:

  • The S2, nicknamed ‘Jigarthanda’, is a 24-metre-long facility located at IIT Kanpur’s Hypersonic Experimental Aerodynamics Laboratory (HEAL) within the Department of Aerospace Engineering.
  • It is India’s first Hypervelocity Expansion Tunnel Test Facility.
  • It was indigenously designed and developed over three years with funding and support from the Aeronautical Research and Development Board (ARDB), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and IIT Kanpur.
  • It is capable of generating flight speeds between 3-10 km/s, simulating the hypersonic conditions encountered during the atmospheric entry of vehicles, asteroid entry, scramjet flights, and ballistic missiles.
  • It will be a critical asset for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
  • It will serve as a testing ground for ongoing missions of ISRO and DRDO like Gaganyaan, Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLV), and hypersonic cruise missiles, enabling the development of more advanced and reliable aerospace technologies.

Altermagnets

In a new study, scientists have investigated the newly discovered class of altermagnetic materials for their thermal properties, offering insights into the distinctive nature of altermagnets for spin-caloritronic applications.

About Altermagnets:

  • Altermagnets exhibit a unique blend of magnetic characteristics, setting them apart from conventional magnetic materials like ferromagnets and antiferromagnets.
  • Properties:
    • These materials exhibit properties observed in both ferromagnets and antiferromagnets, making their study enticing.
    • Altermagnets defy conventional norms by embodying a dual nature—resembling antiferromagnets with zero net magnetization and ferromagnets with non-relativistic spin splitting.
    • This unique behaviour emerges from the intricate interplay of atoms within the crystal structure.
    • Additionally, altermagnets exhibit a unique spin polarisation. The term “spin polarisation” means that a preponderance of electron spins tends to align in a particular direction.
    • The spin polarisation is noteworthy in altermagnets because it occurs in the physical arrangement of atoms (real space) and in the momentum space, where the distribution of electron spins in the material is considered.
    • The researchers believe that altermagnets could have a pivotal role in spin caloritronics, a field of research that explores the interplay between spin and heat flow, which are not achievable with ferromagnets or antiferromagnets.
    • This field has potential applications in developing new technologies for information processing and storage.
  • The researchers focused on studying the emergence of crystal Nernst and crystal thermal Hall effects in rubidium dioxide (RuO2), chosen as a showcase representative of altermagnetism.
  • The crystal Nernst effect (CNE) observed in altermagnets is a result of their distinctive magnetic nature.
    • In simple terms, as the material experiences a temperature difference across its dimensions, it leads to the emergence of a voltage perpendicular to both the temperature gradient and the magnetic field.
    • This phenomenon reveals that the material’s magnetic properties influence its response to temperature changes, providing insights into the intricate connection between thermal and magnetic behaviours in altermagnets.

Vidyanjali Scholarship Programme

The Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship recently launched the EdCIL Vidyanjali Scholarship Programme.

About Vidyanjali Scholarship Programme:

  • This initiative guarantees access to high-quality learning systems by facilitating a seamless transition from secondary to higher education and extending financial support for the meritorious Navodaya Vidyalaya students who lack means.
  • It symbolises a whole-of-society approach to empowerment through access to and opportunities for education, particularly for students belonging to economically disadvantaged sections.
  • The Vidyanjali programme intends to garner assistance and funding from non-government partners and private sources such as CSR grants, national and international donors, and impact investors. 
  • The beneficiaries of the Vidyanjali programme in its initial phase will be students of grades XI and XII studying in Navodaya Vidyalayas across the country.
  • A fintech platform has been specifically curated under Vidyanjali, and the sponsorship will be disbursed to students through this platform as Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
    • This platform will be instrumental in capturing data, receiving, hosting, and viewing student applications, tracking student progress, tracking grant disbursement, monitoring fund utilisation, generating impact reports towards SDG realisation, individual mentions of notable student achievement, and publicly acknowledging the support of the funders, among other platform utilities. 

What is EdCIL?

  • Educational Consultants India Limited (EdCIL) is the only Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
  • It was incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956, on June 17, 1981.
  • It is categorised as a ‘Mini Ratna Organisation’ by the Government of India.
  • It offers consultancy and technical services in different areas of Education and Human Resource Development not only within the country but also on a global basis.
  • Clients of EdCIL include most State and Central Govt. Departments including MHRD, PSUs, and autonomous bodies including IITs, IIMs, IIITs, Kendriya Vidyalaya, and Navodaya Vidyalaya.

Vaccine Safety Net

The Healthy Indian Project (THIP), a health information platform in India, is included as a member of the World Health Organization’s Vaccine Safety Net (VSN).

About Vaccine Safety Net:

  • It is a global network of websites, established by the World Health Organization that provides reliable information on vaccine safety.
  • It is a network of a diverse group of digital information resources (websites and social media), VSN members, located in countries around the world and providing scientifically based information on vaccine safety in various languages.
  • A key player in the Project is the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS), established by WHO in 1999, to respond promptly, efficiently, and with scientific rigour to vaccine safety issues of potential global importance. 
  • At the outset of the Project, GACVS developed three categories of criteria for good information practices – regarding credibility, content, accessibility and design to which digital resources providing information on vaccine safety should adhere.
  • WHO evaluates those electronic resources for their adherence to these criteria.
  • It is continuously expanding and to date, 110 websites from 45 countries provide vaccine safety information in 43 languages.

Himalayan griffon

In the first-ever Tri-State synchronised vulture survey 320 individual vultures were counted in the seven-protected areas spread over Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and Himalayan griffon is only reported from Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

About Himalayan griffon:

  • It is an Old-World vulture in the family Accipitridae. 
  • It is one of the two largest Old-World vultures and true raptors.
  • These are monogamous and pairs return to the same nesting and roosting sites from year to year.
  • These are diurnal and mostly solitary species.
  • Distribution:
    • It is found along the Himalayas and the adjoining Tibetan region and is also found in the Central Asian mountains.
    • Occasionally it migrates to northern India but migration usually only occurs altitudinally.
  • Conservation status
    • IUCN: Near Threatened

Key facts about Wayanad Wildlife sanctuary

  • It is located in Kerala and is an integral part of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve.
  • It is contiguous to the tiger reserves of Nagarhole and Bandipur of Karnataka and Mudumalai of Tamil Nadu.
  • The Kabini River which is a tributary of the Kaveri River flows through the sanctuary.
  • Vegetation: It includes moist deciduous forests and West Coast semi-evergreen forests
  • Flora: It consists of plantations of teak, eucalyptus and Grewelia.
  • Fauna: Elephant, Gaur, Tiger, Panther, Sambar, Spotted deer, Barking deer, Wild boar, Sloth bear, Nilgiri langur etc.

The Law of Criminal Defamation Report

The 22nd Law Commission of India has submitted its Report No. 285 titled “The Law of Criminal Defamation” to the Government of India.

 

The Law Commission of India, a non-statutory body constituted by the Government of India. It was originally constituted in 1955 and is re-constituted from time to time. 22nd Law Commission tenure is up to August 2024.

Criminal Defamation in India
  • Defamation – It is the communication of a false statement that harms the reputation of an individual person, business, product, group, government, religion, or nation.
  • It is dealt by Section 499 & 500 of Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860.
  • Section 499 – Defamation could be through words spoken or intended to be read, through signs about a person with the intention of damaging the reputation of that person.
  • Section 500 – It stipulates imprisonment of up to 2 years, with or without a fine, for someone held guilty of criminal defamation.
  • It was referred to the law panel by the law ministry in August, 2017.
  • Report – It stresses upon both the constitutional importance of defamation laws and their potential misuse.

In Subramanian Swamy v. Union of India, 2016, SC had upheld the constitutional validity of Section 499 of IPC, on account of it being a reasonable restriction under Article 19(2) to the freedom of speech and expression enshrined in Article 19(1) (a) of Indian Constitution.

  • Recommendation – Criminal defamation be retained within the scheme of criminal laws in the country.
  • Balance the right to freedom of speech and the right to reputation through the application of criminal defamation laws.
  • Right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(2) is subject to reasonable restrictions, like the right to reputation.
  • Right to reputation is derived from Article 21 that guarantees the right to life and personal liberty and so it has to be protected.

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 has introduced community service as an alternative punishment, which has shown the most balanced approach in protecting one’s reputation and speech too.

Uttarakhand’s Uniform Civil Code Bill

Uttarakhand state government tabled the Uniform Civil Code Uttarakhand 2024 Bill (UCC) in the state’s legislative assembly.

What is the Uniform Civil Code?

  • A Uniform Civil Code is conceptualised as a set of laws that govern personal matters, including marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance, and succession, for all citizens regardless of religion.
  • The UCC aims to replace the existing diverse personal laws that vary based on religious affiliations.

Key-highlights of the Uniform Civil Code Uttarakhand 2024 Bill:

Panel:

  • The Uttarakhand government had formed a panel – led by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai – to prepare a draft for the UCC in 2022.
  • The UCC Uttarakhand 2024 Bill includes recommendations such as a complete ban on polygamyand child marriage.
  • It also includes equal property rights for sons and daughters, elimination of the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, equal property rights after death, and inclusion of adopted and biological children.
  • Marriage: As it sets out common provisions, the Bill effectively bans polygamy and halala – without naming them — practiced among a section of Muslims. Marriages can be solemnised through separate rituals, like saptapadi, nikah and anand karaj, followed by different communities.
  • Live-in Relationships: Live-in partners in Uttarakhand will have to register themselves with district officials or face imprisonment under the state’s Uniform Civil Code bill, once it becomes a law.
    • Children born of such relationships will be considered legitimate and deserted women will be entitled to maintenance from their partners.
    • Like marriages, live-in relationships must be registered.
    • Live-in partners must not be under 18. But if any one of them is under 21, the registrar is bound to inform their parents or guardians.
  • Exemption: The hill state’s small tribal community is exempted from the proposed law, which also mandates registration of live-in relationships.
Tribals in UttarakhandUttarakhand have 5 major tribes identified by the Government of India. These are Tharu, Jaunsari, Buksa, Bhotia, and Raji. As of 2011 India census, Uttarakhand has a tribal population of 2,91,903, with Tharu being the largest tribe, followed by Jaunsari and Buksa.

 Way Forward

  • If passed, Uttarakhand will be the first state after independence to have a Uniform Civil Code. Goa has a similar civil code that was implemented during the Portuguese colonial era.

Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies (Amendment) Bill, 2024

The Lok Sabha passed Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to provide reservation to other backward classes in local bodies in Jammu and Kashmir, with the government reiterating that the repeal of Article 370 in 2019 has brought important changes in the Union territory and the opposition demanding that statehood be restored and assembly elections held at the earliest.

Key-highlights of the Bill

Nationally, OBCs have been accorded 27% reservation; however, there is no reservation for OBCs in J&K and most OBC communities have been listed under SEBC.
  • Reservation for OBCs: The bill seeks to provide reservation to OBCs in panchayats and municipalities in Jammu and Kashmir and bring consistency in the local body laws of the Union territory with the provisions of the Constitution.
    • With the new amendment, the Centre proposes to replace the term ‘weak and under-privileged classes (social castes)’ with ‘other backward classes’ (OBC) in the Act.
  • Reservation for Valmiki: This bill targets yet another community – the Valmikis. The constitutional amendment seeks to add the Valmiki communityto J&K’s Scheduled Castes list, opening up the 8% reservation. 
Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023

  • Lok Sabha also passed the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023, granting scheduled tribe status to the Pahari people and other communities in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.
  • ·The Bill aims at empowering the following by providing Scheduled Tribe status.
    • Pahari Ethnic Group
    • Padari Tribes
    • Koli
    • Gadda Brahmin by providing Scheduled Tribe status.

 Reservation Policy in J&K

  • Currently, reservation stands at
    • 8% for SC
    • 10% for STs
    • 4% for social castes
    • 4% for residents along line of actual control/international border
    • 10% for residents in backward areas
    • 4% for Paharis
    • 10% for EWS
    • 6% horizontal reservation for ex-servicemen
    • 4% for physically challenged people
Important Castes and their inclusion in reservation list

  • While there are no Scheduled Castes listed in the Kashmir Valley, the following groups are listed as Scheduled Tribes — Balti, Bedah, Bot, Boto, Borkpa, Drokpa, Dard, Shin, Changpa, Garza, Mon, Pugapa, Gujjar, Bakerwal, Gaddi and Sippi. Currently these classes are eligible for reservation in J&K.
  • In 2020, the Union territory (UT) government further amended the reservation policy to accord 4% quota to the Pahari community.
  • The government also included 15 new classes under social castes — Waghey (Chopan), Ghirath/Bhati/ Chang, Jat, Saini, Markabans/PonyWalas, Sochi, Christian Biradari (converted from Hindu Valmiki), Sunar/Swarankar Teeli, Perna/Kouro, Bojru/Decount/ Dubdabay Brahmin Gorkans, Gorkhas, West Pakistani refugees and Acharyas — taking the total to 42 social castes, availing 4% reservation

Grammy Award 2024

Shakti, a fusion music group comprising tabla maestro Zakir Hussain and singer Shankar Mahadevan, has won the 66th Grammy Award (2024) for Best Global Music Album for “This Moment”.

  • Shakti’s third studio album, “This Moment,” was released on 23rd June 2023, marking their return after 46 years under the same name.

What are Grammy Awards?

  • About:
    • Grammy Award (originally named Gramophone Award) is a series of awards presented annually in the United States (US) by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) or the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (LARAS), (LARAS only for recordings in Spanish/Portuguese languages).
      • This annual event to recognize musical achievements was started in 1959 to respect the performers for the year 1958. The honorees receive a golden statuette of a gramophone.
  • India’s Performance in 2024 Awards:
    • Shakti, comprising Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan, John McLaughlin, Ganesh Rajagopalan, and Selvaganesh Vinayakram, won the 2024 Grammy for their album “This Moment.”
      • Described as an “unprecedented transcontinental collaboration,” Shakti brings together musicians from both Eastern and Western traditions, pioneering the blueprint for what is now recognized as world music.
    • Zakir Hussain clinches an additional pair of victories, securing two more Grammys at the ceremony.
      • He earned one for the best global music performance with ‘Pashto’ and another for the best contemporary instrumental album ‘As We Speak,’.
      • The album also features Indian flute player Rakesh Chaurasia, the nephew of the renowned flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia.

Other Important Topics
EdCIL Vidyanjali Scholarship Programme
Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship launched EdCIL Vidyanjali scholarship program and fintech platform recently.

  • It is a powerful force aimed at revolutionizing opportunities for quality education and access to higher education institutions.
  • It is in alignment with the National Education Policy 2020.
Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme
  • The PMFME Scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme launched by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries in 2020.
  • The scheme aims to provide financial, technical, and business support to upgrade existing micro food processing enterprises.
  • The PMFME scheme provides a credit-linked capital subsidy of 35% of the eligible project cost (Rs. 10 crore) up to a maximum of Rs. 3 Crore.
  • The beneficiary contribution should be a minimum of 10% and the balance should be a loan from a bank.
Umiam Wetland
As per the Asian Waterbird Census, 2024, there are over 155 water birds found at the wetland areas of Umiam Lake.

  • Umiam Lake (Barapani Lake) is the largest artificial lake in Meghalaya.
  • The name, Umiam, which means ‘water of tears’, derives from a local legend of 2 sisters who wished to descend from their abode in heaven.
  • The lake was created when the Umiam River was dammed in the 1960s as part of the Umiam Umtru Hydro Electric Power project (1st hydel project in the state).
National Science Day
  • The National Science Day (NSD) is celebrated every year on 28 February to commemorate the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’.
  • Government of India designated 28 February as National Science Day (NSD) in 1986.
  • On this day Sir C.V. Raman announced the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’ for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930.
  • The day aims to promote science communication activities across the country, encouraging scientific inquiry and collaboration.
Canshala
T.N. Minister recently inaugurates satellite school, Canshala in Chennai for students battling cancer.

  • Canshala is a special school for children battling cancer, ensures continuity of education and support during treatment.
  • Canshala is a formal school for children with cancer in India. It was launched in 2012 at the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai.
  • It provides formal education and helps children make up for lost time while undergoing treatment.
  • It is LGBTQ+ friendly, has a gender-neutral restroom, and a wheelchair accessible entrance.
Free visa for Indians by Iran
Iran has announced a visa-waiver programme for Indians visiting the country for tourism recently.

  • As of February 2024, Indian tourists with ordinary passports can visit Iran for up to 15 days without a visa for tourism purposes.
  • However, the relaxation does not apply to those traveling for other purposes, like work or study.
Herculaneum papyri or scrolls
  • A team of student researchers is using artificial intelligence (AI) to reveal what is written inside a charred scroll that was buried under the eruption of Mont Vesuvius 2,000 years ago.
  • It uses the same AI technology that could be used to decipher the rest of the “Herculaneum scrolls.”
  • The Herculaneum papyri or scrolls are more than 1,800 papyrus scrolls that were discovered in the 18th century in Italy, were long thought to be unreadable.
  • The Herculaneum scrolls as essentially lumps of carbonised ash but they are also the only library that survives from the ancient world.
PACE mission
NASA and SpaceX were scheduled to launch the PACE mission on February, 2024, but the launch was delayed due to unfavorable weather conditions.

  • The Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission is a NASA satellite mission that will study the ocean’s carbon cycle, ecology, and biogeochemistry.
  • Duration – 3-10 years (Planned).
  • The mission will also measure atmospheric particles and clouds, and study phytoplankton.
  • It will also help us understand the ocean carbon cycle and Earth’s climate.
TARINA Programme
  • Technical Assistance and Research for Indian Nutrition and Agriculture (TARINA) is a program launched in 2015 by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TCI).
  • The program’s goal is to promote a more nutrition-sensitive food system in India.
  • TARINA aims to help marginalized women.
  • TARINA’s Center of Excellence in New Delhi supports nutrition-sensitive agriculture in India through evidence building.
Bharat Rice, Bharat Atta & Bharat Dal
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs launched the sale of Rice under ‘Bharat’ brand and flagged off 100 mobile vans here recently.

  • Bharat Rice, Bharat Atta & Bharat Dal commodities will now be available at all
    • Kendriya Bhandar,
    • National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and
    • National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF).
  • Bharat Rice will be sold at maximum retail price (MRP) of Rs. 29/kg.
  • Bharat Atta is being sold at Rs. 27.50 per Kg.
  • Bharat Dal (chana dal) is also being sold at Rs.60 per kg along with onions at Rs.25 per kg.

 



Current Affairs – 6th Feb 2024

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Current Affairs – 6th Feb 2024

Black-necked Crane

Recently, the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change informed the Lok Sabha about the important steps taken to protect Black-necked Crane by the government.

About Black-necked Crane:

  • The Black-Necked Crane (Grus nigricollis) is classed as a medium-sized member of the crane family.
  • Habitat: The high-altitude wetlands in the Tibetan plateau are the main breeding ground of the species. These wetlands with small mounds provide an excellent habitat for the birds to breed.
  • Distribution: This species is found in India, China and Bhutan and breeds in high-altitude wetlands in the Tibetan plateau at elevations of 2950-4900 m above mean sea level.
  • Threats: Habitat loss and degradation related to climate change, changes in agriculture practices, pollution and environmental contamination.
  • Conservation status
    • IUCN: Near Threatened
    • The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
    • CITES: Appendix I
  • The important steps taken by the government of India to protect bird species include:
    • The important habitats of the Black-necked Crane have been notified as Protected Areas, for example, Changthang Sanctuary, Ladakh.
    • The Tso Kar Wetlands Complex, an important foraging and breeding ground for Black-necked Crane, has been designated as a Ramsar Site in December 2020.
    • The National Wildlife Action Plan (2017-2031) released by the Ministry in October 2017 provides for specific Chapters and priority actions on various aspects of wildlife conservation.
    • The Central Government provides financial assistance to State/Union Territory Governments under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’ for the management of wildlife and its habitat in the country.
    • The Government of India has initiated the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) programme, which aims to generate public awareness about the environment, and conservation.

Nagoya Protocol

Cameroon recently adopted the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing.

About Nagoya Protocol:

  • The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation (the Protocol) is a legally binding global agreement that implements the access and benefit-sharing obligations of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
  • It was adopted by the CBD in Nagoya, Japan, in October 2010 and entered into force on October 12, 2014, 90 days after the deposit of the fiftieth instrument of ratification. 
  • It provides a transparent legal framework for the effective implementation of one of the three objectives of the CBD: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources.
  • What are the benefits?
    • It establishes a framework that helps researchers access genetic resources for biotechnology research, development, and other activities, in return for a fair share of any benefits from their use. 
    • This provides the research and development sector with the certainty they need to invest in biodiversity-based research.
    • Indigenous and local communities may receive benefits through a legal framework that respects the value of traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources.
  • What does the Nagoya Protocol cover?
    • It applies to genetic resources that are covered by the CBD, and to the benefits arising from their utilisation.
    • It also covers traditional knowledge (TK) associated with genetic resources that are covered by the CBD and the benefits arising from their utilisation.

Key Facts about the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD):

  • CBD, with 196 contracting parties, is the most comprehensive binding international agreement in the field of nature conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources.
  • It was opened for signing at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. 
  • It has three overarching objectives:
    • The conservation of biological diversity (genetic diversity, species diversity, and habitat diversity).
    • The sustainable use of biological diversity.
    • The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources.
  • It covers biodiversity at all levels: ecosystems, species, and genetic resources. 
  • The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the highest political decision-making body of the Convention.
  • The Secretariat is based in Montreal, Canada. 
  • To support the implementation of the CBD objectives, two internationally binding agreements were adopted within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
    • The Cartagena Protocol, which was adopted in 2000 and entered into force in 2003, regulates the transboundary movement of living modified organisms (LMOs).
    • The Nagoya Protocol, adopted in 2010, establishes a legally binding framework for access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from their use.

Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar programme

Recently, the Union Minister for Culture, Tourism And Development of North Eastern Region informed the Lok Sabha about the Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar programme.

About Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar programme:

  • It is a pan-India initiative of the Ministry of Culture under the National Mission on Cultural Mapping and was launched on 27th July 2023. 
  • It seeks to compile comprehensive information detailing the life, history, and ethos of Indian villages and to make the same available to virtual and real-time visitors.
  • Under the MGMD, information is collected under seven broad categories as given below-
    • Arts and Crafts Village
    • Ecologically Oriented Village
    • Scholastic Village Linked with Textual and Scriptural Traditions of India
    • Epic Village linked with Ramayana, Mahabharata and/or Puranic legends and oral epics
    • Historical Village linked with Local and National History
    • Architectural Heritage Village
    • Any other characteristic that may need highlighting such as fishing village, horticulture village, shepherding village etc.
  • Objective: The main objective of the project is to culturally map India’s 6.5 lakh villages, spanning 29 States and 7 Union Territories, on a comprehensive virtual platform.
  • Through MGMD, people will get an opportunity to immerse themselves in the diverse and vibrant cultural heritage of India.
  • The core idea behind this project is to encourage appreciation for India’s culture and traditions, paving the way for economic growth, social harmony, and artistic development in rural communities.
  • The financial outlay of Rs.353.46 Crore is approved under the scheme of Financial Assistance for Promotion of Art and Culture consisting of 08 scheme components namely;
    • Financial Assistance to Cultural organisations with National Presence
    • Cultural Function & Production Grant (CFPG)
    • Financial Assistance for the Preservation & Development of Cultural Heritage of the Himalayas
    • Financial Assistance for the Preservation & Development of Buddhist/Tibetan Organization
    • Financial Assistance for Building Grants including Studio Theatres
    • Financial Assistance For Allied Cultural Activities
    • Scheme for Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage

ABHYAS

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted four flight trials of the high-speed expendable aerial target ‘ABHYAS’ recently.

About ABHYAS:

  • It is a high-speed expendable aerial target (HEAT).
  • It is designed by the DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE).
  • ABHYAS offers a realistic threat scenario for the practice of weapon systems.
  • It is the ideal platform for the validation of Armed Forces equipment slated for induction (only those that require aerial engagement).
  • Features:
    • It is designed for autonomous flying with the help of an autopilot indigenously made by the ADE.
    • It has a radar cross-section and a visual and infrared augmentation system required for weapon practice.
    • The target drone has a laptop-based Ground Control System with which the aircraft can be integrated and pre-flight checks, data recording during the flight, replays after the flight and post-flight analysis can be carried out. 

Key Facts about DRDO:

  • It is the R&D wing of the Ministry of Defence, Govt. of India, with a vision to empower India with cutting-edge defence technologies and a mission to achieve self-reliance in critical defence technologies and systems.
  • It is India’s largest research organisation. 
  • Formation: The organisation was formed in 1958 from the amalgamation of the then-existing Technical Development Establishment (TDEs) of the Indian Army and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production (DTDP) with the Defence Science Organisation (DSO). 
  • Headquarters: New Delhi.
  • It has a network of laboratories engaged in developing defence technologies covering various fields, like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, land combat engineering, life sciences, materials, missiles, and naval systems.

International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development

Experts from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) declared the Hindu Kush Himalaya region a biosphere on the brink of collapse and called for bold action and urgent finance to prevent nature loss.

About the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development:

  • It is an intergovernmental knowledge and learning centre working on behalf of the people of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH).
  • It was formally established and inaugurated on 5 December 1983.
  • Mission: To build and share knowledge that drives regional policy and action and attracts investment that enables the diverse countries and communities of the HKH to transition to greener, more inclusive, and climate-resilient development.
  • Member countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.
  • Governance
    • The Board of Governors is the highest governing body of the centre. 
    • It consists of one representative from each of the eight regional member countries and independent members who are nominated by the ICIMOD Support Group based on their recognized professional expertise and experience.
  • Functions
    • It serves the region through information and knowledge generation and sharing to find innovative solutions to critical mountain problems.
    • It bridges science with policies and on-the-ground practices.
    • It provides a regional platform where experts, planners, policymakers, and practitioners can exchange ideas and perspectives towards the achievement of sustainable mountain development.
  • Headquarters: Kathmandu, Nepal

Key facts about Hindu Kush Himalaya

  • The HKH region extends 3,500 km over all or part of eight countries from Afghanistan in the west to Myanmar in the east.
  • It is the source of ten large Asian river systems – the Amu Darya, Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra (Yarlungtsanpo), Irrawaddy, Salween (Nu), Mekong (Lancang), Yangtse (Jinsha), Yellow River (Huanghe), and Tarim (Dayan).
  • It provides water, ecosystem services, and the basis for livelihoods to people in the region.

Messinian Event

The Geological Institute of Israel recently uncovered a never-before-known underwater canyon near Cyprus that dates back to the Messinian Event.

About Messinian Event:

  • Also known as the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC), the Messinian event was a geological event during which the Mediterranean Sea went into a cycle of partial or nearly complete desiccation (drying up).
  • It was one of the most severe ecological crises in the Earth’s history.
  • The MSC began approximately 6 million years ago (MYA) and lasted until around 5.3 MYA.
  • How has it unfolded?
    • It began when the connection between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea was cut off.  
    • This occurred due to a combination of lowered sea levels in the global oceans and a collision between the European and African plates that caused the land to lift. 
    • Normally, there is much more evaporation than precipitation over the Mediterranean Sea. This means that much more water is leaving than entering the sea.  
    • Without a significant source of water from the Atlantic Ocean, this led to the evaporation of much of the Mediterranean Sea.  
    • A large underground canyon formed, and rivers made deep incisions into the bottom of the basin. This canyon was much larger than the Grand Canyon and had a depth of up to 2,000 metres (6562 feet).
    • As the water in the Mediterranean evaporated, the salt that was in the water was left behind and began to build up in layers on the floor of the Mediterranean. 
    • Two major salts that were deposited on the floor were Halite and Gypsum.  Some of the salt deposit areas were 800 metres (2,500 feet) deep.
    • However, the salt in the Mediterranean did not deposit on the floor as quickly as the water was evaporating. This means that whatever water was left in the Mediterranean became very salty. 
    • This high amount of salt in the water (also known as salinity) caused the Mediterranean to become deadly to all marine life.  
    • The Mediterranean continued to dry up until there was almost no water left. 
    • It ended with the Zanclean flood when the Atlantic reclaimed the basin.

What is a Deep-sea Canyon?

  • Deep-sea canyons are steep-sided valleys cut into the seafloor of the continental slope, sometimes extending well onto the continental shelf.
  • These submarine canyons vary in size, shape, and morphological complexity; some were scoured by the flow of rivers during past low sea level periods, but most formed via other erosional processes, such as mudslides, debris flows, and turbidity currents.

Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)

Using data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), astronomers have recently discovered and characterised a habitable zone planet named TOI-715b.

About Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS):

  • It is a NASA mission that’s searching for planets orbiting the brightest stars in Earth’s sky. 
  • The satellite is a follow-up to NASA’s highly successful Kepler space telescope, which found thousands of exoplanets during a decade of work after its launch in 2009.
  • Launch: It was launched on April 18, 2018, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket out of Cape Canaveral.
  • Orbit: TESS circles Earth in a unique high Earth orbit of 12 to 15 days, which is inclined in such a way that the telescope’s sky view is largely free from obstructionsby our bright planet and the Moon.
  • Over the course of its two-year primary mission, TESS’ four sensitive cameras systematically scanned over 200,000 of the nearest and brightest stars, imaging 75% of the sky. It found 2,100 planetary candidates and 66 confirmed exoplanets.
  • The prime mission ended on July 4, 2020, and TESS is now on an extended mission.
  • TESS is finding planets ranging from small, rocky worlds to giant planets, showcasing the diversity of planets in the galaxy.
  • How does TESS find exoplanets?
    • It uses the transit method to detect planets.
    • It looks for periodic dips in stars’ brightness as planets cross in front of them along our sightline.
    • The larger the planet, the greater the drop in brightness during the transit. 
    • How long it takes a planet to pass in front of the star and come back tells us the shape of its orbit.
    • This method reveals the diameter of the planet and the size of its orbit.
    • Orbits within a certain range lie in the “habitable zone”, where liquid water can exist on the surface of an Earth-like world.

Thrips Parvispinus

Union Agriculture Minister informed the Rajya Sabha that Thrips Parvispinus might have dominated or even replaced the native chilli thrips known as scirtothrips dorsalis in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh region.

About Thrips Parvispinus:

  • It is an invasive pest species.
  • It is a polyphagous pest, which can also grow and multiply on alternate hosts like drumstick, pigeon pea, chickpea, papaya, mango and weed species like Parthenium, Cleome viscosa, Prosopis sp., Lantana camara, Calotropis sp., Tecoma sp. and wild solanum plants.
  • It has been reported from Thailand, Australia and Europe.
  • The last two decades witnessed a drastic extension in the geographic distribution and it is now known to occur in France, Greece, Hawaii, Mauritius, Reunion, Spain, Tanzania and the Netherlands, besides India.
  • In India, this species was first reported on Papaya from Bengaluru in 2015.
  • Thrips parvispinus adults mainly colonise on flowers and the underside of leaves whereas larvae suck sap from the undersurface of the leaves.
  • Infestation causes heavy flower drop thereby reducing fruit production.
  • Its infestation increased during heavy rainfall of North East monsoon in contrast to other thrips species.

What are Thrips?

  • Thrips are an important group of sucking pests which cause significant economic losses both as pests and vectors of serious plant viruses in several horticultural crops.
  • There are reports of the outbreak of sucking pests like thrips in different regions due to changes in crop production patterns, pesticide usage and climate change.

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)

An Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) team along with their international collaborators recently developed a new model of the internal thermal evolution of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), as they travel from the sun toward the Earth.

About Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs):

  • CMEs are large expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the sun’s atmosphere—the corona, that propagate outward into interplanetary space.
  • During a CME, the sun releases a colossal amount of material, including electrons, protons, and heavier ions, as well as magnetic fields.
  • How are they formed?
    • They form similarly to solar flares—a result of the twisting and realignment of the sun’s magnetic field, known as magnetic reconnection.
    • When magnetic field lines “tangle” they produce strong localised magnetic fields which can break through the surface of the sun at active regions, subsequently generating CMEs. 
    • CMEs usually take place around sunspot groups and are often accompanied by a solar flare, though the two don’t always occur in tandem. 
  • CMEs travel outward from the sun at speeds ranging from slower than 250 kilometres per second (km/s) to as fast as 3000 km/s. 
  • The fastest Earth-directed CMEs can reach our planet in as little as 15-18 hours. 
  • They expand in size as they propagate away from the Sun, and larger CMEs can reach a size comprising nearly a quarter of the space between Earth and the Sun by the time they reach our planet.
  • CMEs, like solar flares, are most common during the solar maximum, a period in the sun’s 11-year cycle of activity when the star is at its most active.
  • Impact on Earth:
    • Geomagnetic Storms: The interaction between the CME’s magnetic fields and Earth’s magnetosphere can lead to geomagnetic storms. These can disrupt satellite communications, navigation systems, and even power grids.
    • Auroras: CMEs can cause spectacular displays of the Northern and Southern Lights, also known as auroras, by energising particles in Earth’s atmosphere.
    • Radiation Hazards: Astronauts in space or passengers on high-altitude flights can be exposed to elevated levels of radiation during a CME event.

Aldabra giant tortoise

A six-year-old project to return giant tortoises to the wild in Madagascar could result in thousands of megaherbivores re-populating the island for the first time in 600 years.

About Aldabra giant tortoise:

  • It is the second-largest species of land tortoise in the world, after the Galapagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra).
  • It can live for 100 years and has a fascinating history.
  • This tortoise evolved from ancestors of Aldabrachelys abrupta, one of two giant tortoises that inhabited Madagascar for 15 million years.
  • Four million years ago, the Aldabrachelys abruptalineage migrated, likely via a combination of drifting with floating vegetation and assisted by their natural buoyancy and good swimming abilities, to Seychelles.
  • These are endemic to the Aldabra Atoll of the Seychelles, an archipelago nation in the western Indian Ocean about 930 miles east of Africa and northeast of Madagascar.
  • Habitat:
    • These are terrestrial and occur in a wide variety of habitats, including scrub forests, mangrove swamps, and coastal dunes and beaches, each with their respective vegetation.
    • The largest populations of tortoises are found on grasslands called “platins.”
    • Due to prolonged periods of heavy grazing, a habitat known as “tortoise turf”, consisting of a variety of grasses, has developed in certain areas.
  • Conservation status
    • IUCN: Vulnerable
    • CITES: Appendix II

Conservation Reserve

The Telangana Forest Department moots conservation reserve in Tadoba-Kawal tiger corridor.

The proposed conservation reserve comprises areas of tiger corridor between the Tadoba-Andhrari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra and the Kawal Tiger Reserve in Mancherial district of Telangana State.

  • Conservation Reserve – A protected area that act as buffer zones to or connectors and migration corridors between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserved forests.
  • Aim – To protect landscapes, seascapes, flora and fauna and their habitat.
  • Legality – Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002, the amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
  • It is designated by the state government after discussing it with nearby communities.
  • Criteria for designation – Uninhabited and completely owned areas of the Government.
  • Managed by – Conservation Reserve Management Committee.
    • 1 from each village panchayat.
    • 3 from NGOs and 1 each from the departments of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry.
    • A member-secretary who will be the representative from the Forest or Wildlife wing.
  • Coverage – There are 115 existing Conservation Reserves in India covering an area of 5548.75 km2, which is 0.17% of the geographical area of India as of 2023.

The 1st conservation reserve of India is located near Tiruppadaimarathur in Tamil Nadu.

  • Rajasthan has highest number of conservation reserves (36) followed by Jammu and Kashmir as on July, 2023.

Community reserves are protected areas which includes those areas owned by government but part of the lands are also privately owned.

First Human Neuralink Implant

Recently, Elon Musk made a recent announcement concerning the successful implantation of a Neuralink device in a human subject.

  • The device is roughly the size of a large coin, specifically designed for implantation in the skull for brain-computer interface.
  • Neuralink has obtained approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the “investigational device exemption.”

What is the Brain-Computer Interface?

  • A Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) is a technology that enables direct communication between the brain and external devices, such as computers or prosthetics, without using traditional neuromuscular pathways like nerves and muscles.
  • BCIs typically involve the use of sensors to detect brain activity, which is then translated into commands or actions, allowing individuals to control devices or interact with the external world using their thoughts.

What are the Potential Applications of Brain-Computer Interface?

  • Medical Treatments:
    • Neurological Disorders: Monitoring and treating conditions like epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and neurodegenerative disorders by directly interfacing with the brain.
    • Stroke Rehabilitation: Assisting in motor function recovery and rehabilitation after a stroke.
  • Assistive Technology: Enabling individuals with paralysis or motor impairments to control devices, such as prosthetics, wheelchairs, or robotic limbs, using their thoughts.
    • Restoring communication for individuals with conditions like locked-in syndrome (paralyzed except for the muscles that control eye movement).
  • Mental Health Monitoring: Providing real-time data for monitoring and managing mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety.
  • Virtual and Augmented Reality Interaction: Enhancing virtual and augmented reality experiences by allowing users to interact with digital environments using their thoughts.

What are the Ethical Considerations Related to Brain-Computer Interface (BCI)?

  • Privacy Concerns: BCIs can potentially decode thoughts and emotions. Unauthorised access to this information raises concerns about cognitive privacy.
    • As with any technology that involves the collection and storage of sensitive data, there are risks of hacking and unauthorised access to the brain data, which could lead to identity theft or other malicious uses.
  • Neurosecurity: There is a risk that BCIs could be manipulated to unauthorised control or manipulation of a person’s thoughts or actions.
  • Equity and Accessibility: Critics argue that BCIs could exacerbate existing social inequalities if only specific socioeconomic groups can afford the technology due to its high cost and may lead to a situation of “cognitive divide.”
  • Medical and Therapeutic Applications: Distinguishing between therapeutic uses of BCIs and threats to normal cognitive function is subjective.

Way Forward

  • Towards Neuroethics and Neuroprivacy: Establishing ethical frameworks that define therapeutic and assistive applications of BCI and addressing privacy, security, and consent issues associated with it.
  • Transparency and Informed Consent: Foster transparent communication about the capabilities, limitations, and potential risks of BCIs to ensure users are well-informed.
  • Equitable Access: Implement initiatives to bridge the digital and cognitive divides, ensuring that BCIs are accessible to individuals from diverse backgrounds, especially those facing physical and mental disabilities.
  • Education and Awareness: Provide education and training for researchers, healthcare professionals and the general public to ensure ethical practices.

Vyommitra

Recently, the Ministry of Science & Technology announced that woman robot astronaut “Vyommitra” will fly into Space ahead of Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) ambitious “Gaganyaan” mission, which will be India’s first human manned Space Flight carrying Indian Astronauts into Space.

  • The “Vyommitra” Mission is scheduled for the third quarter of 2024 while a manned mission “Gaganyaan” is scheduled to be launched in 2025.
  • “Vyommitra” is a name derived from two Sanskrit words namely, “Vyoma” (meaning Space) and “Mitra” (meaning Friend). This Female Robot Astronaut is equipped with the capability to monitor Module Parameters, issue Alerts and execute Life Support operations.
    • It can perform tasks such as operating six panels and responding to queries.
    • Vyommitra Astronaut is designed in such a manner to simulate human functions in the Space environment and interact with the Life Support System.
  • The Gaganyaan project aims to demonstrate human space capabilities, launching astronauts into a 400-kilometer orbit and safely bringing them back to Earth, landing in India’s sea waters.

Other Important Topics
MERA GAON MERI DHAROHAR (MGMD)
The Government of India has decided to map and document all villages under Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar (MGMD) Programme.

  • The Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar (MGMD) Programme is a National Mission on Cultural Mapping.
  • The Ministry of Culture is conducting the program in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).
  • The program will create a virtual platform that allows people to explore India’s cultural heritage.
High-speed Expendable Aerial Target ‘ABHYAS’
4 Four flight trials of High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) ABHYAS were successfully carried out by Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) recently.

  • ABHYAS – The High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) ABHYAS is a high-speed indigenously-designed target developed for the Indian Armed Forces.
  • It is designed for autonomous flying with the help of an auto pilot made by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
E-SAKSHI
  • It was launched for revised fund flow procedure under Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS).
  • Launched by – Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
  • It offers convenience and accessibility, allowing MPs to propose, track, and oversee the projects in real-time and enabling swift responses to emerging needs or issues.
Robotic Elephant
  • A robotic elephant was handed over to the Shivan Temple in Devarshola in Gudalur, Tamil Nadu by an NGO recently.
  • The aim was to ensure traditions involving elephants could still be continued, but without the actual animals, who deserved to live in the wild.
OBC Reservation Bill in Jammu & Kashmir
The Union government recently introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha to provide reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in panchayat and municipal bodies of Jammu and Kashmir.

  • The number of seats reserved for OBCs will be decided by a commission that will be formed after the legislation has been passed by the Parliament.
  • Presently, there is no reservation for OBCs in panchayats and municipalities in the Union Territory.
Dhanauri wetland
  • The Dhanauri Wetlands & birdwatching area is located in Dhanauri village in Uttar Pradesh.
  • The Dhanauri Wetland is a vital birding and nesting site for more than 217 bird species, including over 150 Sarus cranes (State Bird of U.P.)
  • It is also home to 23 species of endangered, critically endangered, and threatened birds.
  • The wetland is an Important Bird Area recognized by Bird Life International and has been documented by the Bombay Natural History Society.
Astronomical Society of India
Bengaluru will host the largest annual gathering of astronomers from India when the 42nd meeting of the Astronomical Society of India will be held in the capital of Karnataka.

  • The Astronomical Society of India was established in 1972 and has grown to become the prime association of professional astronomers in India.
  • The objectives of the society are the promotion of Astronomy and related branches of science in India.
  • The society organizes scientific meetings and supports the popularization of Astronomy and other similar activities.
Brown Wood Owl (Strix leptogrammica)
  • The brown wood owl is found in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Taiwan, and south China.
  • It is a resident breeder in south Asia.
  • These owl species do not have ear tufts and have high forest dependence and are polytypic species (contains two or more subspecies).
  • Conservation status
    • IUCN – Least Concern
    • CITES – Appendix II
Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY)
  • PMKKKY is meant to provide for the welfare of areas and people affected by mining related operations.
  • It will be implemented by the District Mineral Foundations (DMFs) of the respective districts using the funds accruing to the DMF.
Lunar Nuclear Fission Reactor
NASA finishes 1st phase of ambitious lunar nuclear reactor project recently.

  • Solar power has its limitations on the Moon because night on Earth’s lone satellite lasts for the equivalent of 14 days here on Earth.
  • But a nuclear reactor, even one placed in permanently shadowed areas where there might be water ice, could generate power continuously without any dependence on weather.

 



Current Affairs – 5th Feb 2024

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Current Affairs – 5th Feb 2024

PM congratulates France for formal launch of UPI

India is internationalising UPI with France being latest country to adopt it for payments.

Background

  • UPI is an instant payment system that allows users to transfer money between bank accounts using a single mobile app. It was developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in 2016 and is regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
  • As of November 2022, the platform had over 300 million monthly active users in India. The proportion of UPI transactions in total volume of digital transactions grew from 23% in 2018–19 to 55% in 2020–21 with an average value of ?1,849 per transaction. It enabled over 2,348 transactions every second in 2022. In Aug 2023, UPI crossed 10 billion transactions with a value of ?15.7 lakh crore. In FY 2023, the value of annual transactions reached $1.7 trillion, out of which $380 billion is in merchant payments.

Partnership, merchant adoption and benefits for Indian tourists

  • The launch of UPI in France was facilitated by a partnership between NPCI International Payments (NIPL), a subsidiary of NPCI, and Lyra, a French e-commerce and proximity payments company.
  • Indian tourists visiting the Eiffel Tower can now purchase entry tickets online using UPI by scanning a QR code generated on the merchant’s website and initiating a payment. Eiffel Tower is the first merchant to offer UPI payments in France, and the service will soon be extended to other merchants in the tourism and retail space across France and Europe.

Significance for India-France relations

  • The launch of UPI in France is a significant step towards taking UPI global, as envisioned by Prime Minister Modi. It is also a testament to the strong bilateral relations between India and France, which have been enhanced by the recent visit of French President Emmanuel Macron as the chief guest for the 75th Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi on January 26.

Global vision for UPI

  • UPI is a transformative force in the global payment landscape making payments instantaneous and low cost.
  • It has potential for offering a simple, secure, and interoperable solution for cross-border transactions.
  • UPI is now being pitched as a standard for global public infrastructure in payments as outlined during recent G20 summit.

Conclusion

UPI is a shining example of India’s innovation and leadership in the digital payment space. It has the potential to transform the global payment landscape by offering a simple, secure, and interoperable solution for cross-border transactions. UPI is not just a payment system, but a symbol of India’s digital empowerment and global integration.

Hydrothermal Systems

New maps have revealed a hidden hydrothermal system beneath Lake Rotorua, which sits at the heart of a dormant volcano in New Zealand.

About Hydrothermal Systems:

  • Hydrothermal systems occur in areas with high heat fluxes, both on continents, near convergent plate boundaries, and on the ocean floor, near the mid-ocean ridges. 
  • Their formation requires the existence of three important components: fluids, heat, and permeability through rocks so that fluids can circulate. 
  • These systems are often found near mid-ocean ridges, where tectonic plates diverge and new seafloor is created.
  • How do hydrothermal systems work:
    • Hydrothermal systems occur when seawater percolates down through fractures in the oceanic crust, heating up as it nears the earth’s hot interior.
    • Descending seawater interacts with the oceanic crust, removing chemicals from the rocks as it heats to 350-400 degrees Celsius, about four times hotter than boiling water (the extreme pressure in the ocean’s depths prevents fluids from boiling). 
    • This interaction of seawater and crust produces hydrothermal fluid, a chemically modified slurry of gases and dissolved elements, including metals. 
    • The superheated fluid is then ejected back up to the seafloor and promptly chilled by near-freezing ocean bottom waters.
    • Chemicals dissolved in the fluid precipitate at the vent, forming chimney-like deposits.
    • These deposits support deep-sea chemosynthetic communities—organisms that rely on chemicals rather than photosynthesis to fuel their metabolism. 

Corbett Tiger Reserve

Five people have been killed near Uttarakhand’s Corbett Tiger Reserve in the past two months.

About Corbett Tiger Reserve:

  • Location:
    • It is located on the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand.
    • By and large, the reserve is spread over the Bhabar and lower Shivalik regions with a deep-water table.
  • Corbett was the first national park in India and was established in 1936. It was named Hailey National Park then. In 1957, the park was rechristened Corbett National Park in memory of the late Jim Corbett, a great naturalist and eminent conservationist.
  • Today, after the addition of areas to the originally declared National Park, the total area of Tiger Reserve extends to 1288.31 sq. km.
  • Vegetation: In general, the vegetation comprises sal and mixed forests, interspersed with grasslands and riparian vegetation.
  • The terrain is undulating, with several valleys. The rivers Ramganga, Pallaen, and Sonanadi flow through the valleys.
  • The habitat is characterised by open meadows (chaurs) interspersed with sal and moist, mixed deciduous forests.
    • The grasslands are locally known as ‘Chaur’, which are an outcome of abandoned settlements or past clearings.
  • Flora: It consists of evergreen Sal and its combined trees, the Sheesham, and the Kanju found extensively on the ridges.
  • Fauna: Tiger and elephant are the charismatic mammals, besides a large array of co-predators (leopard, small carnivores), ungulates (sambar, hog deer, spotted deer), birds, reptiles (gharial, crocodile) and fishes.

GRAPES-3 experiment

The GRAPES-3 experiment discovered a new feature in the cosmic-ray proton spectrum at about 166 tera-electron-volt (TeV) energy while measuring the spectrum spanning from 50 TeV to a little over 1 peta-electron-volt (PeV).

About the GRAPES-3 experiment:

  • Gamma Ray Astronomy PeV EnergieS phase-3 (GRAPES-3) is designed to study cosmic rays with an array of air shower detectors and a large area muon detector.
  • Location: It is located in Ooty, India.
  • It is operated by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.
  • It aims to probe the acceleration of cosmic rays in different astrophysical settings.
  • Its objectives are to study:
    • The origin, acceleration and propagation of >1014 eV cosmic rays in the galaxy and beyond.
    • Existence of “Knee” in the energy spectrum of cosmic rays.
    • Production and/or acceleration of the highest energy (~1020 eV) cosmic rays in the universe.
    • Astronomy of multi-TeV γ-rays from neutron stars and other compact objects.

Key facts about Cosmic rays:

  • These rays were discovered more than a century ago.
  • They are considered to be the most energetic particles in the universe.
  • Our planet is constantly bombarded by them from outer space almost uniformly from all directions at a constant rate.
  • They enter into Earth’s atmosphere and induce a shower of particles that travel to the ground almost at the speed of light.
  • The shower particles constitute electrons, photons, muons, protons, neutrons etc.
  • They have been observed over a remarkably wide energy range (108 to 1020 eV).

Dusted Apollo

Recently, Dusted Apollo (Parnassius stenosemus), a rare high-altitude butterfly, has been sighted and photographed for the first time in Himachal Pradesh.

About Dusted Apollo:

  • It is an extremely rare butterfly and has never been photographed before in Himachal Pradesh.
  • Distribution range: It is found from Ladakh to West Nepal and it flies between 3,500 to 4,800 metres in the inner Himalayas.
  • Appearance
    • It closely resembles Ladakh Banded Apollo (Parnnasius stoliczkanus) but the discal band on the upper fore wing in dusted Apollo is complete and extends from costa to vein one while this discal band is incomplete and extends only up to vein four in Ladakh Banded Apollo.
    • Moreover, the Dark marginal band on the hind wings is much narrower in Dusted Apollo while it is broad in Ladakh Banded Apollo.
  • Another rare species Regal Apollo (Parnnasius charltonius) was also photographed at Manimahesh, which is protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
  • There are 11 Apollo species recorded from Himachal Pradesh and five of them are declared as Scheduled species.
  • It is an encouraging indication of the flourishing diversity of Apollo butterflies in the region.
  • Threats: Apollos are considered commercially important butterflies and they fetch high prices in the poaching industry.
  • Most of the Apollo butterflies are now endangered and need immediate attention for their conservation and protection.
  • Conservation measures:
    • Community awareness about poaching and the importance of these species may play an important role in their conservation.
    • Also, establishing butterfly parks and conservation reserves in the State should be on the priority list of the government.

National Agriculture Market (eNAM)

With more states facilitating the trade of agricultural commodities on the eNAM, a spurt in trading among various markets within the state as well as at the inter-state level is being witnessed.

About eNAM:

  • It is an online trading platform for agricultural commodities in India.
  • It was launched on April 14, 2016, and is completely funded by the Government of India.
  • The Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) acts as the lead agency for implementing e-Nam under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. 
  • It aims to create better marketing opportunities for the farmers to sell their products through a competitive and transparent price discovery system, along with an online payment facility for the buyers.
  • The NAM portal networks the existing APMC (Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee) / Regulated Marketing Committee (RMC) market yards, sub-market yards, private markets, and other unregulated markets to unify all the nationwide agricultural markets by creating a central online platform for agricultural commodity price discovery. 
  • Features:
    • It will enable farmers to showcase their products through their nearby markets and facilitate traders from anywhere to quote prices.
    • It provides single-window services for all APMC-related services and information. This includes commodity arrivals, quality and prices, buy-and-sell offers, and e-payment settlements directly into farmer’s accounts, among other services.
    • Using the eNAM service, licences for traders, buyers, and commission agents can be obtained from state-level authorities without any pre-condition of the physical presence or possession of a shop or premises in the market yard.
    • Harmonisation of quality standards of agricultural products and infrastructure for quality testing are made available in every market.
    • Provision of Soil Testing Laboratories is provided for the selected mandi (market) in order to facilitate the farmers visiting the mandi.
  • e-NAM is designed and implemented to benefit all the stakeholders: farmers, mandis, traders, buyers, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and exporters.
  • The benefits to stakeholders include:
    • Transparent online trading with enhanced accessibility to the market.
    • Real-time price discovery for better and more stable price realisation for producers.
    • Reduced transaction costs for buyers.
    • Availability of information on the e-NAM mobile app about commodity prices.
    • The details of the price of the commodity sold, along with the quantity, are received through SMS.
    • Quality certification.
    • More efficient supply chain and warehouse-based sales.
    • Online payment directly to the bank accounts of the farmers.

InTranSE Program

During the launch event of “Digital India FutureLABS Summit 2024” held at IIIT- Delhi, three Indigenous Technologies – Thermal camera, CMOS camera and Fleet Management System designed and developed by CDAC Thiruvananthapuram under InTranSE Program of MeitY were transferred to 12 Industries.

About InTranSE Program:

  • The Intelligent Transportation System Endeavor (InTranSE) is a revolutionary collaborative research and development programme.
  • It is an initiative of the Ministry of Electronics & IT.
  • Purpose: To synergize the transformation in Intelligent Transportation Systems the Ministry of Electronics & IT took early steps by bringing together premier academic institutes like the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Indian Institute of Management (IIM) etc. and Premier R&D Centre like C-DAC under one umbrella.
  • This initiative formulated the Collaborative Intelligent Transportation Systems Endeavor for Indian Cities (InTranSE) during the year 2009-2012 (Phase-I) that witnessed IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIM Calcutta and C-DAC Thiruvananthapuram collaboratively developing, implementing, demonstrating and knowledge transfer of ITS products and solutions.
  • The InTranSE Phase-II program (2019-2021) is aiming at undertaking R&D projects collaboratively with IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IISc Bangalore and C-DAC Thiruvananthapuram
  • Significance: It will achieve traffic efficiency by minimising traffic problems, prompting efficient infrastructure usage, enriching users with prior information about traffic and reducing travel time as well as enhancing the safety and comfort of commuters.

Candida auris (C. auris)

A deadly fungal infection called Candida auris has been spreading rapidly in the United States recently.

About Candida auris (C. auris):

  • It is an emerging multidrug-resistant yeast (fungus) that represents a global health threat. 
  • It is capable of causing invasive infections in the human body. It can cause severe illness in people with weakened immune systems.
  • Scientists first discovered C. auris in Japan in 2009. Since then, it has spread quickly to other countries. 
  • Transmission:
    • It is primarily contracted in healthcare settings, such as hospitals and nursing homes.
    • It can also live on the skin or other body parts without making a person sick. This is called being “colonised.”
    • The fungus can either colonise a specific region of the body, such as the skin, rectum, or mouth, without causing symptoms or it can cause severe invasive infections by entering the bloodstream or wounds.
    • It can be spread through contact with contaminated surfaces or equipment, or from physical contact with a person who is infected or colonised.
  • Symptoms:
    • It can cause infections in different parts of the body, such as the bloodstream, open wounds, and ears.
    • The symptoms depend on the location and severity of the C. auris infection. 
    • Symptoms may be similar to those of an infection caused by bacteria. There is not a common set of symptoms specific to C. auris infections.
    • A high fever with chills that do not get better after taking antibiotics may be a sign of a C. auris infection.
  • Treatment:
    • Most C. auris infections are treatable with antifungal drugs. 
    • However, some C. auris infections have been resistant to all three main classes of antifungal medications, making them more difficult to treat and often requiring the use of combination therapies.

Mekong River

A multibillion-dollar dam project underway across the Mekong River in Laos has prompted concerns that it could result in Luang Prabang City losing its UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

About the Mekong River:

  • It is the longest river in Southeast Asia, the 7th longest in Asia, and the 12th longest in the world.
  • It has a length of about 2,700 miles (4,350 km). 
  • Course:
    • It rises in southeastern Qinghai Province, China.
    • It originates from the Sanjianyuang in the Tibetan Plateau, with the area designated a national nature reserve to protect the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow, and Mekong Rivers.
    • The river drains approximately 795,000 square kilometres and flows through six Asian countries: China, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia, where it is referred to by different names. 
  • Vientiane(Viangchan), the capital of Laos, and Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, both stand on its banks.
  • The river drains into the South China Sea south of Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam).
  • Tributaries: The left-bank tributaries (draining high rainfall areas) include Nam Ou, Tha, and Nam Khan, while the right-bank tributaries (draining the lower relief region) are Ruak, Kok, Tonle Sap, and Mun.
  • Its biodiversity is only second to the Amazon River Basin and contains about 20,000 plant species, 1,200 birds, 430 mammals, 800 amphibians and reptiles, and 850 fish species.
  • It is the river with the largest fish species, including giant freshwater stingrays, giant pangasius, Mekong giant catfish, and giant barb.
  • The Mekong creates a huge delta, or triangular piece of land, in southern Vietnam. The delta has rich soil and is one of the world’s great producers of rice.

Directorate General of GST Intelligence

The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) is investigating Mahadev Online Book, an allegedly illegal betting application, and its promoters for suspected violation of GST rules and non-payment of tax.

About Directorate General of GST Intelligence:

  • The Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence (DGCEI) is now renamed as Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI).
  • It is an apex intelligence organisation functioning under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs, Department of Revenue, and Ministry of Finance.
  • It is entrusted with the task of collection, collation, and dissemination of intelligence relating to the evasion of Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the duties of Central Excise and Service Tax on an all-India basis.
  • Functions of DGGI:
    • Intelligence gathering: It is responsible for gathering intelligence about potential violations of the GST law. This includes collecting information from various sources, such as GST returns, financial statements, and other documents.
    • It develops intelligence, especially in new areas of tax evasion through its intelligence network across the country and disseminates such information, by issuing Modus Operandi Circulars and Alert Circulars to sensitise the field formations about the latest trends in duty evasion.
    • Investigation: It has the power to conduct investigations into suspected cases of GST evasion or non-compliance. This may involve summoning persons, examining records, and carrying out searches and seizures.
    • Enforcement: It is responsible for enforcing the provisions of the GST law. This includes taking legal action against offenders, imposing penalties, and recovering any taxes or duties due.

Thrips parvispinus

The recent study states that ‘new invasive species of Thrips Parvispinus in Florida is tiny but deadly to landscapes and crops’.

Thrips are important group of sucking pests which cause significant economic losses both as pests and vectors of serious plant viruses in several horticultural crops.

  • Common name – Karny, an invasive pest species.
  • Size – The adult female is smaller than a pencil tip but visible to naked eye and their larvae are transparent.
  • Life cycle – About 2 weeks, the female is fertile within 9 days, laying about 15 eggs in a clutch.
  • Feed – It is a polyphagous species, infesting beans, eggplant, papaya, chilli, pepper, potato, strawberry, tobacco and also it inflicts injury to ornamentals plants like Chrysanthemum.
  • Infestations – Adults mainly colonize on flowers and underside of leaves whereas larvae suck sap from under surface.
  • It also scratches the flesh, leading to curling leaves, stippling, scabbing and stunted growth, heavy flower drop and thereby reducing fruit production.
  • Spread – They are present in at least 17 countries, including India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Thailand.
  • In India – It was 1st reported on Papaya from Bengaluru in 2015.
  • During Rabi season of 2021-22, they were reported in chilli growing areas of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka.
  • Its infestation increased during heavy rainfall of North East monsoon in contrast to other thrips species.
  • Control measures – Promotion of cultural practices like deep summer ploughing, intercropping, clean cultivation, balanced use of fertilisers, uprooting and destruction of plant debris and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies for pest control.

In India, Thrips Parvispinus might have dominated or even replaced the native chilli thrips known as scirtothrips dorsalis.

Seabed Curtain project

Scientists are working on an unusual plan to prevent Antarctic glaciers from melting through seabed curtain project.

  • Aim – To build a set of giant underwater curtains in front of ice sheets to protect them from being eroded by warm sea water.
  • Need – Ice in Polar Regions is now disappearing at record rates as global warming intensifies.
  • Warmer air melts the surface of glaciers, while they are also eroded at their bases by warm seawater.

Loss of the Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers could be enough to raise sea levels round the world by 3 metres if they melted.

PineIsland

  • Proposal – To construct a 100km-long curtain attached to the bed of the Amundsen Sea and would rise by about 200 metres.
  • Curtain – It would stretch along the seabed opposite the Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers to act as plugs that prevent the giant ice sheets behind them from sliding into the ocean.
  • Working – It would partially restrict the inflow of relatively warm water that laps at the bases of coastal Antarctic glaciers and undermines them.

SeabedCurtainProject

The Seabed Curtain project, if implemented, would be one of the biggest geo-engineering programmes ever undertaken

Interim Budget 2024-2025

Why in News?

  • Recently, the Interim Budget 2024-25 was tabled in the parliament. It envisions ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, with all-round, all-pervasive, and all-inclusive development.

What is an Interim Budget?

  • An Interim Budget is presented by a government that is going through a transition period or is in its last year in office ahead of general elections.
  • The purpose of the interim budget is to ensure the continuity of government expenditure and essential services until the new government can present a full-fledged budget after taking office.

What is the Difference Between Interim Budget and Vote on Account?

 

Feature Interim Budget Vote on Account
Constitutional Provision Article 112 Article 116
Purpose Financial Statement presented by the government ahead of general elections. To meet essential government expenditures for a limited period until the budget is approved.
Duration of Expenditure Covers a specific period, usually a few months until a new government is formed and a full budget is presented. It is generally granted for two months for an amount equivalent to one-sixth of the total estimation.
Policy changes Can propose changes in the tax regime Cannot change the tax regime under any circumstances
Impact on Governance Provides continuity in governance during the transition period between two governments. Ensures the smooth functioning of the government and public services until the regular budget is approved.

Highlights of Union Budget 2024-25

What are the Major Highlights of the Interim Budget 2024-25?

  • Capital Expenditure: An 11.1% increase in the capital expenditure outlay for 2024-2025 was announced.
    • The capital expenditure is set at Rs 11,11,111 crore, constituting 3.4% of the GDP.
  • Economic Growth Projections: The GDP growth for FY 2023-24 real GDP growth is projected at 7.3%, aligning with the RBI’s revised growth projection.
    • The International Monetary Fund upgraded India’s growth projection to 6.3% for FY 2023-24. It also anticipates India becoming the third-largest economy in 2027.
  • Revenue and Expenditure Estimates (2024-25):
    • Total Receipts: Estimated at Rs 30.80 lakh crore, excluding borrowings.
    • Total Expenditure: Projected at Rs 47.66 lakh crore.
    • Tax Receipts: Estimated at Rs 26.02 lakh crore.
  • GST Collections: Reached ₹1.65 lakh crore in December 2023, crossing the ₹1.6 lakh crore benchmark for the seventh time.
  • Fiscal Deficit and Market Borrowing: Fiscal deficit is estimated at 5.1% of GDP in 2024-25, aligning with the goal of reducing it below 4.5% by 2025-26 (announced in budget 2021-22).
    • Gross and net market borrowings through dated securities in 2024-25 are estimated at Rs 14.13 and 11.75 lakh crore, respectively.
  • Taxation: The Interim Budget maintains the existing rates for direct and indirect taxes, including import duties.
    • For Corporate Taxes: 22% for existing domestic companies, 15% for certain new manufacturing companies.
    • No tax liability for taxpayers with income up to ₹7 lakh under the new tax regime.
    • Certain tax benefits for Start-Ups and investments extended by one year up to March 31, 2025.
  • Priorities: Emphasizing the focus on the Poor, Women, Youth and Farmer.
    • Poor: Successful movement of 25 crore people out of multidimensional poverty.
      • Credit assistance was provided to 78 lakh street vendors under PM-SVANidhi.
    • Women: Disbursement of 30 crore Mudra Yojana loans to women entrepreneurs.
      • 43% of female enrolment in STEM courses.
      • Assistance to 1 crore women through 83 lakh SHGs, fostering ‘Lakhpati Didis.’
      • 28% increase in female enrolment in higher education over a decade.
    • Youth: Training of 1.4 crore youth under the Skill India Mission.
      • Fostering entrepreneurial aspirations with 43 crore loans sanctioned under PM Mudra Yojana.
    • Farmers: Direct financial assistance was provided to 11.8 crore farmers under PM-KISAN.
      • Crop insurance extended to 4 crore farmers through Fasal Bima Yojana.
      • Integration of 1,361 mandis under eNAM for streamlined agricultural trade.
  • Major Development Plans:
    • Infrastructure:
      • Railways: Three major economic railway corridor programmes will be implemented- energy, mineral & cement corridors, port connectivity corridors, and high traffic density corridors.
        • Forty thousand normal rail bogies will be converted to Vande Bharat standards for enhanced safety, convenience, and passenger comfort.
      • Aviation: Expansion of existing airports and comprehensive development of new airports under the UDAN scheme.
      • Urban Transport: Promotion of urban transformation via Metro rail and NaMo Bharat.
    • Clean Energy Sector:
      • Viability gap funding for wind energy
        • It will help in harnessing offshore wind energy potential, aiming for an initial capacity of 1 gigawatt.
      • Establishment of coal gasification and liquefaction capacity of 100 million tonnes by 2030.
      • Phased mandatory blending of CNG, PNG and compressed biogas
      • Financial assistance for procurement of biomass aggregation machinery
      • Rooftop solarization: 1 crore households will be enabled to obtain up to 300 units of free electricity per month
      • Strengthening e-vehicle ecosystem by supporting manufacturing and charging
      • New scheme of biomanufacturing and bio-foundry to be launched to support environment friendly alternatives
    • Housing Sector: Government plans to subsidize the construction of 30 million affordable houses in rural areas.
      • Housing for Middle Class scheme to be launched to promote middle class to buy/built their own houses
    • Healthcare Sector: Encouraging Cervical Cancer Vaccination for girls (9-14 years).
      • U-WIN platform for immunization efforts of Mission Indradhanush to be rolled out.
      • Expanding the Ayushman Bharat scheme to include all ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, and helpers.
    • Agricultural Sector: Encouraging the use of ‘Nano DAP’ for various crops across all agro-climatic zones.
      • Formulating policies to support dairy farmers and combat Foot and Mouth Disease.
      • Strategizing for AtmaNirbharta (self-reliance) in oilseeds, covering research, procurement, value addition, and crop insurance.
    • Fishery Sector: Establishing a new department, ‘Matsya Sampada,’ to address the needs of fishermen.
    • For States Capex: The continuation of the fifty-year interest-free loan scheme for capital expenditure to states was announced.
      • A total outlay of Rs 1.3 lakh crore, with a provision of Rs 75,000 crore for fifty-year interest-free loans to support state-led reforms.
      • Special attention will be paid to the eastern region to make it a powerful driver of India’s growth.
    • Others:
      • Establishment of a corpus of Rs 1 lakh crore with a fifty-year interest-free loan to encourage research and innovation in sunrise domains.
        • Also, aiming to boost private sector participation in research and innovation.
      • To address rapid population growth and demographic shifts, the government will form a high-powered committee.
        • The committee will provide comprehensive recommendations aligned with the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat.’

Note

Nano-DAP (Di-ammonium Phosphate) is a nanotechnology-based agri-input developed by the Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO). It helps in correcting the Nitrogen & Phosphorus deficiencies in standing crops.

What are the Funds Related to the Budget in India?

  • Consolidated Fund of India: Article 266 (1) of the Constitution consolidates all revenues, loans, and loan repayments received by the Union Government into a single fund known as the Consolidated Fund of India.
    • Withdrawal needs parliament permission (except for Charged Expenditure like Judges’ salaries).
  • Public Account of India: Under Article 266 (2), it includes incoming money from provident fund, small savings, postal deposit etc.
    • Government acts similar to a banker transferring funds from here to there so parliament permission is not necessary.
  • Contingency Fund of India: It is established under the Contingency Fund of India Act, 1950 and operates as an imprest in accordance with Article 267(1).
    • It serves the purpose of offering advances to the government for unforeseen expenditures during the fiscal year, pending authorization by Parliament.
    • Funds withdrawn from the Contingency Fund are replenished upon parliamentary approval through Supplementary Demands for Grants.

Resilient Performance of the Indian Economy

Interim Budget

 

Interim Budget

https://youtu.be/3aCZEu9xNFM?si=eG9OnzuXTUcKt8JW

Other Important Topics
Chamundi Hills
Chamundi Hill ropeway plan in Mysuru resurfaces, green activists maintain opposition.

  • It has an average elevation of 1,060 meters and is located in Mysore, Karnataka.
  • The name comes from the Chamundeshwari Temple at the peak.
  • These hills have been mentioned in the ancient Hindu scriptures such as ‘Skanda Purana’.
Typbar
India-made typhoid vaccine efficacy lasts for four years.

  • Typbar is an active immunizing agent, given to prevent typhoid fever caused by certain bacteria called S. Typhi.
  • It is the world’s first vegetarian or non-bovine typhoid vaccine.
  • Bharat Biotech is the largest primary manufacturer of typhoid vaccine in the country.
Climbing Himalayan Treelines
Himalayan treelines might be climbing higher in response to climate change.

  • A new study of the Trans-Himalayan region in Nepal and Hengduan Mountains in China revealed that the former is experiencing rapid shifts in treeline.
  • Alterations in treeline elevation may disrupt the delicate balance of the hydrological cycle, affecting water availability downstream as snow and ice melt patterns change.
  • In the Himalayan region, temperatures are rising more than the global average, with fewer cold days and more warm days, making ecosystems there vulnerable to climate change.
Patna Declaration
Bihar to bring ‘Patna declaration’ at international workshop to discuss bird conservation efforts.

  • The international workshop on ‘Bird Conservation Initiatives in India’ is being organised by the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (DEFCC) of Bihar government.
  • The declaration will talk about the state’s action plan for conserving the birds with respect to CAF.
  • It will also talk about developing strategies and concerted actions for curbing illegal hunting, taking and trade of birds in the CAF Region.
Thangjing Hill
A cross has been installed atop the Thangjing hill by the Kuki community near Manipur’s Moirang town which was seen as destabilizing in the already violence-hit Manipur.

  • Thangjing is a primordial deity in Meitei mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak (Antique Manipur).
  • The hill falls under Churachandpur district, in Manipur.
  • According to the 2011 census, 83.38% of Meiteis practice Hinduism,
Pong Dam
Over 83000 migratory birds descend upon Pong wetland, count lower than last winter.

  • It is a manmade reservoir formed due to the construction of Pong Dam on Beas River in the wetland zone of Shivalik hills.
  • It is also known as the Maharana Pratap Sagar.
  • It is the highest earth fill dam in India and was constructed in 1975.
  • Pong Dam Lake Wildlife Sanctuary – It is located in Himachal Pradesh.
  • It is listed as one of the Ramsar sites in the year 2002.
Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary
  • It is situated at the tri-junction of Sikkim, Bhutan and West Bengal.
  • The Pangolakha range in the east separates Sikkim from Bhutan.
  • It is home to various species, including red pandas, snow leopards, Himalayan musk, deer, goral and black bears.
  • The area includes Lake Tsongmo, a biodiversity hotspot for migratory birds.
  • Major rivers like Rangpo and Jaldhaka originate from nearby lakes within the sanctuary.
China’s Fifth Research Station
Helipad construction starts in China’s new Antarctic research station.

  • The new scientific research station is located along the coastal areas of the Ross Sea.
  • The station will monitor and study the atmospheric and marine environment of Antarctica as well as the biological and ecological conditions there.
Other Chinese Stations
Name Location
Great Wall King George Island
Zhongshan Larsemann Hills, Prydz Bay
Taishan East Antarctic Ice Sheet
Kunlun Princess Elizabeth Land
Red Sea Naval Mission
EU aiming to launch Red Sea naval mission by mid-Feb.

  • France, Greece and Italy have shown interest in leading the mission, with seven countries so far indicating they would be willing to send naval assets.
  • The operation would initially see three vessels under EU command.
  • France and Italy already have warships in the region, and Germany plans to send the Hesse frigate to the area.
First Woman Chief Justice of Uttarakhand
First woman Chief Justice of Uttarakhand appointed.

  • Justice Ritu Bahri becomes first woman Chief Justice of Uttarakhand.
  • Before becoming the Chief Justice of Uttarakhand, Justice Bahri was a judge in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

 



Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) scheme

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The Karnataka government recently suspended five officers for dereliction of duty in the implementation of the Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) scheme.

About Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) scheme:

  • IEDSS has been launched from the year 2009-10. This Scheme replaces the earlier scheme of Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC). 
  • The aim of this scheme is to enable all students with disabilities to pursue four years of secondary education in an inclusive and enabling environment, after completing eight years of elementary schooling.
  • It provides assistance for the inclusive education of disabled children in classes IX-XII.
  • The scheme covers all children studying at the secondary stage in Government, local body and Government-aided schools, with one or more disabilities as defined under the Persons with Disabilities Act (1995) and the National Trust Act (1999) in the class IX to XII, namely blindness, low vision, leprosy cured, hearing impairment, locomotory disabilities, mental retardation, mental illness, autism, and cerebral palsy, and may eventually cover speech impairment, learning disabilities, etc.
  • Girls with the disabilities receive special focus to help them gain access to secondary schools, as also to information and guidance for developing their potential. 
  • Setting up of Model inclusive schools in every State is envisaged under the scheme.
  • Components:
    • Student-oriented components, such as medical and educational assessment, books and stationery, uniforms, transport allowance, reader allowance, stipend for girls, support services, assistive devices, boarding the lodging facility, therapeutic services, teaching learning materials, etc.
    • Other components include appointment of special education teachers, allowances for general teachers for teaching such children, teacher training, orientation of school administrators, establishment of resource room, providing barrier free environment, etc.
  • Implementing Agency:
    • The School Education Department of the State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations are the implementing agencies.
    • They may involve NGOs having experience in the field of education of the disabled in the implementation of the scheme.
  • Financial Assistance:
    • Central assistance for all items covered in the scheme is on 100 percent basis.
    • The State governments are only required to make provisions for scholarship of Rs. 600/- per disabled child per annum.
  • This scheme now subsumed under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) from 2013.


Stingless Bees

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In Peru, conservators try to save stingless bees to save Amazon forests.

  • Scientific name – Melipona eburnean.
  • Nativity – Amazon region.
  Stingless Bees Honey Bees
Nativity South and Central America mainly Amazon Africa, spread to China, America, Europe and India
Habitat Forested areas and tropical climates Most tropical and subtropical regions
Sting No Yes
Viscosity Less, so highly liquid High
Honey Production Less More
Adaptation to agricultural areas Vulnerable to death Adapted to live
  • Pollinator – It pollinate much of the Amazon’s native flora, a creative way to fight deforestation.
  • Medicinal properties – It contains anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and other health-promoting properties.
  • It might be from the resin of Amazonian trees that the stingless bees are pollinating, which are used by different trees for protection when they have a wound.

Amazon is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world and is also known as Lungs of the Earth.

  • Popularity – It became a favoured ingredient in alternative treatments for upper respiratory infections during COVID-19.
  • Threats – Deforestation, use of pesticides, climate change and competition with the honey bee.
  • Challenges – Stingless-bee honey isn’t considered honey under the law.
  • A traces of environmental pollutants are reported in the honey, likely a result of the bees pollinating within pesticide-doused lands


Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

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UPI gets global launch at Eiffel Tower in France.

  • Launched in – 2016
  • Developed by – National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI).

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
  • Initiated by – Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian Banks’ Association (IBA).
  • Working under – Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
  • Aim – To create a robust Payment & Settlement Infrastructure in India.
  • Role – An umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India.
  • UPI – A system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application (of any participating bank), merging several banking features, seamless fund routing and merchant payments into one hood.
  • It also caters to the “Peer to Peer” collect request.
  • Benefits – It benefits banks, customers and merchants.
  • Immediate money transfer through mobile device round the clock 24*7 and 365 days and single mobile application for accessing different bank accounts.
  • Virtual address of the customer for Pull & Push and single click 2 factor authentication provides for incremental security.
  • Enables multiple payments like utility bill payments, over the counter payments, QR Code (Scan and Pay) based payments.
  • UPI based products – Hello! UPI, Credit Line on UPI, UPI LITE X, UPI Tap & Pay and BHIM app.

NPCI International Payments (NIPL), an arm of NPCI has tied up with French e-commerce and proximity payments Lyra, in enabling UPI in France. Eiffel Tower is the 1st merchant to offer UPI payments in France.

  • Significance of global UPI – It encourages digital payments and foster stronger ties between the partner nations.


GHAR (GO Home and Re-Unite) Portal

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GHAR – GO Home and Re-Unite Portal have been developed and launched by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).

About GHAR Portal:

  • It is a portal to digitally monitor and track the restoration and repatriation of children according to the protocols under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and Rules thereof. 
  • It has been developed and launched by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
  • The following are the salient features of the portal:
    • Digital tracking and monitoring of children who are in the Juvenile Justice system and have to be repatriated to another Country/State/District.
    • Digital transfer of cases of children to the concerned Juvenile Justice Board/Child Welfare Committee of the State. It will help in the speedy repatriation of children.
    • Where there is a requirement of a translator/interpreter/expert, request will be made to the concerned State Government.
    • Child Welfare Committees and District Child Protection Officers can ensure proper restoration and rehabilitation of children by digitally monitoring the progress of the case.
    • A checklist format will be provided in the forms so that the children who are being hard to repatriate or children who are not getting their entitled compensation or other monetary benefits can be identified.
    • List of Government implemented schemes will be provided, so that at the time of restoration, the Child Welfare Committees can link the child with the schemes to strengthen the family and ensure that the child remains with his/her family.

Key Facts about NCPCR:

  • It has been constituted by the Government of India under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005, and is mandated to function for the protection and promotion of child rights.
  • It has the following functions:
    • Examine and review existing safeguards for the protection of child rights and recommend measures for their effective implementation.
    • Report annually and at other intervals to the central government on the effectiveness of these safeguards.
    • Investigate violations of child rights and recommend legal proceedings in appropriate cases.
    • Review existing policies, programs, and activities related to child rights and make recommendations for their improvement.
    • Promote research in the field of child rights.
    • Raise awareness of child rights and available safeguards through various means, such as publications, media, and seminars.
    • Inspect institutions where children are detained or reside, including juvenile homes, and recommend remedial action if necessary.
    • Investigate complaints and take suo motu notice of issues related to the deprivation and violation of child rights and the non-implementation of laws protecting and developing children.
  • The Commission, while investigating, shall have all the powers of a civil court.
  • The Commission is further mandated to monitor the proper and effective implementation of
    • Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
    • Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
    • Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.


Millipedes

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Researchers recently discovered a new genus and five new species of millipedes in remote African jungles.

About Millipedes:

  • They are any member of the arthropod class Diplopoda. (Arthropods are animals with hard exoskeletons and jointed limbs.)
  • They are cylindrical or slightly flattened invertebrates. 
  • The word “millipede” translates to “a thousand feet”—but while millipedes have many feet, none of them quite have a thousand.
  • They’re not insects. They are actually more closely related to lobsters, crayfish, and shrimp.
  • There are approximately 12,000 species distributed worldwide.
  • Habitat: They are typically found in areas of high moisture and decaying vegetation, such as under trash, in piles of grass and leaves, etc.
  • Features:
    • They are usually blackish or brownish in color, but some are also red, orange, or have mottled patterns. 
    • Their bodies are split into a number of segments, and each segment has two sets of legs that attach to the body’s underside, except for the first (head) segment, which is legless, and the next three segments, which each contain one pair of legs.
    • In addition, each segment contains two pairs of internal organs (i.e., two pairs of ganglia and two pairs of heart arteries). 
    • The length ranges from 2 to 280 mm (0.08 to 11 inches). 
    • They are not poisonous, but many species have glands capable of producing irritating fluids that may cause allergic reactions in some individuals.
    • Most millipedes are nocturnal and are primarily scavengers, feeding on decaying plants and occasionally dead insects. , although some species attack the roots of living plants.

Millipedes vs Centipedes:

  • Both centipedes and millipedes are made up of segments that link together to form one long body.
  • Millipedes have two sets of legs per segment, positioned directly under their body.
  • Centipedes have one set of legs per segment, positioned on the side of their body.
  • Centipedes mostly eat insects after killing them with their venom. Millipedes feast on decomposing plants.
  • They respond to threats in different ways. A millipede will coil up and release a smelly secretion. Centipedes can bite, (which is typically harmless to humans) and run away quickly.


Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA)

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IREDA in partnership with its knowledge partner Boston Consulting Group (BCG) recently convened a Strategic Meeting focusing on key aspects of business expansion and initiatives aimed at cost reduction in fund utilization.

About Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA):

  • It is a Mini Ratna (Category–I) non-banking financial institution under the administrative control of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
  • It is a Public Limited Government Company established as a Non-Banking Financial Institution (NBFC) in 1987.
  • IREDA has been notified as a “Public Financial Institution” under Section 4 ‘A’ of the Companies Act, 1956, and registered as  NBFC with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
  • IREDA is primarily engaged in promoting, developing and extending financial assistance for setting up projects relating to new and renewable sources of energy and energy efficiency/conservation.
  • IREDA is the single largest “Green Financier” in the country. It caters to all technologies in the renewable energy sector and predominantly provides financing for the sector.
  • Motto: ENERGY FOR EVER
  • Objectives:
    • To give financial support to specific projects and schemes for generating electricity and/ or energy through new and renewable sources and conserving energy through energy efficiency.
    • To maintain its position as a leading organization to provide efficient and effective financing in renewable energy and energy efficiency/ conservation projects.
    • To increase IREDA`s share in the renewable energy sector by way of innovative financing.
    • Improvement in the efficiency of services provided to customers through continual improvement of systems, processes, and resources.
    • To strive to be a competitive institution through customer satisfaction.
  • Funding: IREDA generates its revenue through the interest and principal repayments from the projects it finances, as well as by raising funds from the market and through borrowings.