Oct 15, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 15th October 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) Global Hunger Index - 2022 Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs In News: India ranks 107th out of 121 countries on Global Hunger Index. About the Global Hunger Index: The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a tool for comprehensively measuring and tracking hunger at global, regional, and national levels. Annual Report: Jointly published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe. It was first produced in 2006. It is published every October. The 2022 edition marks the 17th edition of the GHI. Aim: To comprehensively measure and track hunger at the global, regional, and country levels. Calculation: It is calculated on the basis of four indicators: Undernourishment: Share of the population with insufficient caloric intake. Child Wasting: Share of children under age five who have low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition. Child Stunting: Share of children under age five who have low height for their age, reflecting chronic undernutrition. Child Mortality: The mortality rate of children under the age of five. Scoring: Based on the values of the four indicators, the GHI determines hunger on a 100-point scale where 0 is the best possible score (no hunger) and 100 is the worst. Each country’s GHI score is classified by severity, from low to extremely alarming. Indian Scenario: India also ranks below Sri Lanka (64), Nepal (81), Bangladesh (84), and Pakistan (99). Afghanistan (109) is the only country in South Asia that performs worse than India on the index. India’s score of 29.1 places it in the ‘serious’ category. India’s child wasting rate, at 3%, is worse than the levels recorded in 2014 (15.1%) and even 2000 (17.15%), and is the highest for any country in the world and drives up the region’s average owing to India’s large population. Prevalence of undernourishment, has also risen in the country from 14.6% in 2018-2020 to 16.3% in 2019-2021. This translates into 3 million people in India considered undernourished out of the total 828 million people undernourished globally. India has shown improvement in the other two indicators – child stunting has declined from 38.7% to 35.5% between 2014 and 2022 and child mortality has also dropped from 4.6% to 3.3% in the same comparative period. On the whole, India has shown a slight worsening with its GHI score increasing from 28.2 in 2014 to 29.1 in 2022. Global Scenario Globally, progress against hunger has largely stagnated in recent years. The 2022 GHI score for the world is considered “moderate”, but 18.2 in 2022 is only a slight improvement from 19.1 in 2014. This is due to overlapping crises such as conflict, climate change, the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the Ukraine war, which has increased global food, fuel, and fertiliser prices and is expected to “worsen hunger in 2023 and beyond.” There are 44 countries that currently have “serious” or “alarming” hunger levels and “without a major shift, neither the world as a whole nor approximately 46 countries are projected to achieve even low hunger as measured by the GHI by 2030”. Initiatives taken by the government National Food Security Act, 2013: It legally entitled up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to receive subsidized food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme: Launched on 2nd October, 1975, the ICDS Scheme offers a package of six services (Supplementary Nutrition, Pre-school non-formal education, Nutrition & health education, Immunization, Health check-up and Referral services) to children in the age group of 0-6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana: A centrally sponsored scheme executed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, is a maternity benefit programme being implemented in all districts of the country with effect from 1st January, 2017. POSHAN Abhiyan: Launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2018, it targets to reduce stunting, undernutrition, anemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls). Food Fortification: Food Fortification or Food Enrichment is the addition of key vitamins and minerals such as iron, iodine, zinc, Vitamin A & D to staple foods such as rice, milk and salt to improve their nutritional content. Must Read: Malnutrition Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) The Global Competitiveness Report is published by the (2019) International Monetary Fund United Nations Conference on Trade and Development World Economic Forum World Bank Q.2) Rule of Law Index” is released by which of the following? (2018) Amnesty International International Court of Justice The office of UN Commissioner for Human Rights World Justice Project Paddy Straw Torrefaction Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Environment – Current Affairs In News: Centre to help set up paddy straw pellet units to arrest stubble burning. The Union Environment Ministry announced a ₹50 crore scheme to incentivise industrialists and entrepreneurs to set up paddy straw pelletisation and torrefaction plants. Stubble Burning Paddy stubble burning is practised mainly in the Indo-Gangetic plains of Punjab, Haryana, and UP. The farmers clear their fields for sowing the winter crop, burns straw stubble after harvesting paddy. Every year, about 27 million tonne of paddy straw is generated in Punjab and Haryana. The problem is that about 75% or 20 million tonne is from non-basmati rice, which cannot be fed to cattle as fodder because of its high silica content. About 11 million tonne can be managed in the field and the rest is usually burnt which adds to the air pollution crisis in Delhi. The government has attempted to dissuade farmers from burning straw through penalising them as well as incentivising them. The present scheme: The Central Pollution Control Boards (CPCB) released guidelines for an incentive scheme for promoting establishment of paddy straw based pelletisation and torrefaction plants. Paddy straw made into pellets or torrefied can be mixed along with coal in thermal power plants. This saves coal as well as reduces carbon emissions that would otherwise have been emitted were the straw burnt in the fields. New units set up would be eligible for government funding in the form of capital to set up such plants. Under the scheme, the Centre will fund such plants to a maximum of ₹70 lakh subject to capacity. Torrefaction is costlier but can deliver a product whose energy content is much higher and theoretically substitute for more coal in a power plant. This would be a “one-time only” scheme and regular pellet plants would be eligible for ₹40 crore of the overall pie. Note: Torrefaction is the thermochemical conversion method to produce coal fuel (bio char) from biomass. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) It is a statutory organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Mo.E.F.C). It was established in 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of pollution) Act, 1974. It is also entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. It provides technical services to the Ministry of Environment and Forests under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It Co-ordinates the activities of the State Pollution Control Boards by providing technical assistance and guidance and also resolves disputes among them. It is the apex organisation in country in the field of pollution control. Must Read: Stubble burning – In Depth Source: The Hindu Share Buyback Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Economy Tech companies, which are sitting on a cash pile, usually prefer buybacks instead of bonus issues as the latter bloat the equity capital. A share buyback, also known as share repurchase, is a corporate action to buy back its own outstanding shares from its existing shareholders usually at a premium to the prevailing market price. It is seen as an alternative, tax-efficient way to return money to shareholders. Shares bought back by the company will be extinguished, leading to a higher earning per share. Reducing the number of shares means earnings per share (EPS) can grow more quickly as revenue and cash flow increase. It will also boost the share price of the company as the reduction in the capital will lead to a fall in the equity capital. Companies tend to repurchase shares when they have cash on hand and the stock market is on an upswing. Few Disadvantages: May lead to drop in price, which means company isn’t healthy Market may believe the company doesn’t have growth opportunities Can create challenges during economic downturn News Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) Which one of the following situations best reflects “Indirect Transfers” often talked about in media recently with reference to India? (2022) An Indian company investing in a foreign enterprise and paying taxes to the foreign country on the profits arising out of its investment A foreign company investing in India and paying taxes to the country of its base on the profits arising out of its investment An Indian company purchases tangible assets in a foreign country and sells such assets after their value increases and transfers the proceeds to India A foreign company transfers shares and such shares derive their substantial value from assets located in India Carbon Dating Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science & Technology In News: A court in Varanasi rejected a plea asking for a scientific investigation into the structure found inside the Gyanvapi Mosque that the Hindu side has claimed is a Shivling. If Carbon Dating or Ground Penetrating Radar is permitted and if any damage is caused to the ‘Shiva Linga’ then it would be a violation of the Supreme Court order to protect it and it might also hurt the religious sentiments of the general public. What is carbon dating? Of Living things A widely-used method to establish the age of organic materials, things that were once living. Living things have carbon in them in various forms. The dating method is based on the fact that Carbon-14 (C-14), an isotope of carbon with an atomic mass of 14, is radioactive, and decays at a well-known rate. This is how it works: The most abundant isotope of carbon in the atmosphere is C-12. A very small amount of C-14 is also present. The ratio of C-12 to C-14 in the atmosphere is almost static, and is known. Plants get their carbon through photosynthesis; animals get it mainly through food. Because plants and animals get their carbon from the atmosphere, they too acquire C-12 and C-14 in roughly the same proportion as is available in the atmosphere. When they die, their interactions with the atmosphere stops. While C-12 is stable, the radioactive C-14 reduces to one-half of itself in about 5,730 years — known as its ‘half-life’. The changing ratio of C-12 to C-14 in the remains of a plant or animal after it dies can be measured, and can be used to deduce the approximate time when the organism died. Of Non-living things Why is Carbon dating not used: Though extremely effective, carbon dating cannot be applied in all circumstances. It cannot be used to determine the age of non-living things like rocks, for example. Also, the age of things that are more than 40,000-50,000 years old cannot be arrived at through carbon dating. This is because after 8-10 cycles of half-lives, the amount of C-14 becomes almost very small and is almost undetectable. Usage of radiometric dating methods Many of these involve elements with half-lives of billions of years, which enable scientists to reliably estimate the age of very old objects. Two commonly employed methods for dating rocks are potassium-argon dating and uranium-thorium-lead dating. The radioactive isotope of potassium decays into argon, and their ratios can give a clue about the age of rocks. Uranium and thorium have several radioactive isotopes, and all of them decay into the stable lead atom. The ratios of these elements present in the material can be measured and used to make estimates about age. Useful in studying buried objects or changes in topology: Cosmogenic nuclide dating, or CRN, and is regularly applied to study the age of ice cores in polar regions. In some situations, carbon dating can be used indirectly as well. For example, a way in which the age of ice cores in glaciers and polar regions is determined by studying carbon dioxide molecules trapped inside large ice sheets. The trapped molecules have no interaction with the outside atmosphere, and are found in the same state as when they were trapped. Determining their age gives a rough estimate of the time when the ice sheets were formed. How long a rock has been at a particular place can also be determined similarly — organic materials like dead plants or insects trapped underneath can give an indication of when that rock reached that place. Must Read: Gyanvapi case Source: Indian Express Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – International Relations (Important Organizations, forum etc.) In News: The 6th Summit meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) held in Astana, Kazakhstan. About CICA The Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is a multi-national forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia. The CICA was convened in 1992, at the 47th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Members and Observers – To be a member of CICA, a state must have at least a part of its territory in Asia. Currently, CICA has 27 Member States and 14 observers. The CICA Secretariat – It is an administrative body of CICA and is located in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Summit – The highest decision making organ of CICA is the Meeting of the CICA Heads of State and Government (Summit). The CICA Summit is convened every four years in order to conduct consultations, review the progress of, and set priorities for CICA activities. India and CICA – India is a founding member of CICA. India is the coordinator of CICA’s confidence building measures in combating terrorism. Source: The Hindu Just Energy Transition Partnership Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Environment In News: The Union Ministry of Power has opposed the G7 nations’ plan of persuading India to start negotiations on a Just Energy Transition Partnership. About Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) JETP, an initiative of the rich nations to accelerate phasing out of coal and reducing emissions. The JETP initiative is modelled for the South Africa, to support South Africa’s decarbonisation efforts. It aims to reduce emissions in the energy sector and accelerate the coal phase-out process. JETP makes various funding options available for this purpose in identified developing countries. The JETP was launched at the COP26 in Glasgow with the support of the United Kingdom (UK), the United States (US), France, Germany, and the European Union (EU) Following that G7 has announced for a similar partnership in India, Indonesia, Senegal, and Vietnam. India’s stand – India argues that coal cannot be singled out as a polluting fuel, and energy transition talks need to take place on equal terms. Must Read: G7 – covered comprehensively Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) Consider the following statements: (2022) “The Climate Group” is an international non-profit organization that drives climate action by building large networks and running them. The International Energy Agency in partnership with the Climate Group launched a global initiative “EP100”. EP100 brings together leading companies committed to driving innovation in energy efficiency and increasing competitiveness while delivering on emission reduction goals. Some Indian companies are members of EP100. The International Energy Agency is the Secretariat to the “Under2 Coalition”. Which of the statements given above are correct? 1, 2, 4 and 5 1, 3 and 4 only 2,3 and 5 only 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test DART Mission Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Space, Science & Tech In News: NASA’s DART gives hope that science can ward off extraterrestrial threats. For the very first time, NASA scientists have succeeded in slightly altering the trajectory of an asteroid by using a spacecraft to slam into it. The Testing DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) was aimed at a 160-metre-wide asteroid Dimorphos, which was orbiting a larger asteroid Didymos, both of which were circling the Sun, 11.2 million kilometres from the earth. Since neither body would have come closer than about 6.4 million km of the earth in their lifetime, they did not pose any threat. However, DART was a test mission to see if this technique, known as kinetic impactor, would give the necessary ‘nudge’ to an asteroid and alter its course by a desired amount. After studying the two bodies for nearly 10 days, NASA announced that the course of the smaller asteroid has indeed been altered a little: initially, the orbit of Dimorphos around Didymos took 11 hours and 55 minutes. After the impact, a 32-minute alteration in its orbital period has taken place — it is now 11 hours and 23 minutes only. The reason for this test is to learn how to use the kinetic impactor technique to ‘nudge’ earth-bound asteroids out of the way, years before impact. This is not a last-minute effort. Way Forward: Since all asteroids are not similar, more tests have to be done to perfect this technique. The Utility of this Effort There is a need to develop this technique because an impact with even a small asteroid can have serious consequences. The Chicxulub crater is a reminder of the impact of a 10 km wide large asteroid that fell on the earth 66 million years ago and wiped out nearly 75% of plant and animal life. An impact with an asteroid even about 100 m wide can destroy a city the size of Chennai. The other question is whether this technique can be used to deflect asteroids bearing rich bounties of minerals and moving them to closer locations from where these can be harvested. No country has made this an explicit aim till now. News Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) The experiment will employ a trio of spacecraft flying in formation in the shape of an equilateral triangle that has sides one million kilometres long, with lasers shining between the craft”. The experiment in question refers to (2020) Voyager New Horizons LISA Pathfinder Evolved LISA Indian Deep Tech and a case for a strategic fund Open in new window Syllabus Mains – GS 3 (Science & Technology) Context: In order to become a developed country in 25 years, India will need to build world-class deep tech capabilities in certain sectors. Government of India is making a concerted push for self-reliance in military technology, semiconductors and science-based businesses. However, there is a market failure where typical venture capital will not invest in this asset class, and government money is not nearly enough or is not fast enough. To solve this market inefficiency, India should focus on “India Strategic Fund”. Certain innovations in the existing corporate social responsibility (CSR) budgets and high net worth (HNI) tax breaks will incentivise capital flowing into strategic tech. Importance of Self reliance Our way of life, economic and national security are underpinned to certain general purpose technologies (GPTs). Today, four technology battlegrounds exist, i.e. semiconductors, 5G, revolutions in biology and autonomy. Each of these is vulnerable to military conflict, health emergencies and natural disasters. They are areas where India is still at the base of the ladder. Self-reliance is not just a ‘feel good’ slogan. It is a survival imperative. Crucial role of funding In the United States, Israel and North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries, government is still the largest source of funds for Deep Tech — a cutting-edge, quantum jump in capability that creates an intellectual property moat. This funding becomes the oxygen that small businesses survive on. This has allowed start-ups to emerge as a bridge between bench top prototypes of academia and production-hungry large industry. In India, this bridge remains unbuilt. This is because Indian Venture capital ecosystem is not willing to invest in it or even to discuss it. While the western rhetoric is now beginning to shift towards increasing the military utility of commercially available technology, India need to be cognisant of the fact that strategic technology cannot become the burden of commercial industry alone. India Strategic Fund – Redirecting CSR and tax incentives While there are schemes like Indian Semiconductor Mission and the Ministry of Defence’s flagship iDEX and TDF schemes, depending solely on an already stretched pool of funding is not the solution to galvanise the ecosystem. There are two avenues to build a movement of patriotic capital. CSR budgets: By some estimates, the annual CSR budget is ₹15,000 crore, of which a substantial portion goes unutilised. CSR has traditionally been utilised for the social sector. However, this growing corpus should also be used for the development of strategic technology. Large corporations can be incentivised to use some of this budget to serve the strategic needs of the nation. High Net Worth (HNI) HNIs can also be offered tax incentives to make equity investment in the same critical technology startups This would help mitigate the pinch felt with lower short-term returns. The corpus of investment should be tax deductible and no more than a certain percentage of annual income. Staying the course India will remain a net importer of critical technology in the foreseeable future. While the Prime Minister’s vision for an Atmanirbhar Bharat has created the right momentum, it will take close to a decade or more to fructify. If correctly aligned with the programmes launched by the Government, CSR funds and the right tax incentives to HNIs can create an almost self-fulfilling prophecy in the nascent Indian Deep Tech ecosystem. Source: The Hindu Livestock sector - Role of Women Open in new window Syllabus Mains – G3 1 (Society); GS 3 (Agriculture) Context: On the International Day of Rural Women (October 15), we need to recognise the role of women in livestock rearing, and to include women in all facets of livestock development, be it breeding, veterinary care, extension services, training or access to credit and markets. The livestock sector is one of the most rapidly growing components of the rural economy of India, accounting for 5% of national income and 28% of agricultural GDP in 2018-19. In the last six years, the livestock sector grew at 7.9% (at constant prices) while crop farming grew by 2%. Studies show that in rural households that own livestock, women are invariably engaged in animal rearing. It is widely recognised that the majority of women workers in rural areas (72%) are engaged in agricultural activities. An underestimation To illustrate, 12 million rural women were workers in livestock-raising, an estimate based on the Employment and Unemployment Survey of 2011-12. However, with the augmented definition, it was estimated that around 49 million rural women were engaged in livestock raising. The National Livestock Policy (NLP) of 2013, aimed at increasing livestock production and productivity in a sustainable manner, rightly states that around 70% of the labour for the livestock sector comes from women. One of the goals of this policy was the empowerment of women. However, the NLM does not propose any schemes or programmes specific to women livestock farmers. The policy proposes that the State government allocates 30% of funds from centrally-sponsored schemes for women. Core problems The problem clearly is that women livestock farmers are not visible to policymakers, and one reason is the lack of gender-disaggregated data. First, recent employment surveys such as the Periodic Labour Force Survey fail to collect data on specific activities of persons engaged primarily in domestic duties. So, the undercounting of women in the livestock economy continues. Second, the reach of extension services to women livestock farmers remains scarce. According to official reports, 80,000 livestock farmers were trained across the country in 2021, but we have no idea how many were women farmers. Around 15 lakh new Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) were provided to livestock farmers under the KCC scheme during 2020-22. There is no information on how many of them were women farmers. Fourth, women livestock farmers lacked technical knowledge on choice of animals (breeding) and veterinary care. Fifth, village studies showed that women were not aware of the composition and functions of dairy boards and that men exercised decisions even in women-only dairy cooperatives. Further, the voice of women from landless or poor peasant Scheduled Caste households was rarely heard. Way Forward Efforts are needed to correct gender biasness, increase the capacity of women to meet their strategic needs and to document systematically their inputs and outputs. They should be promoted to participate in outside exposure activities like marketing, selling and purchasing of animals. Seven important pillars of women empowerment are: decision making, access to knowledge, self-esteem, credit facility, livestock services, social support, market accessibility and asset ownership. Trainings should be organised for women farmers to remove their knowledge gaps regarding specific animal husbandry activities. Women’s labour is critical to the livestock economy. It follows then that women should be included in every stage of decision-making and development of the livestock sector. Source: The Hindu Bio Age Open in new window Syllabus Mains – GS 4 – Ethics Context: The report titled  ‘Law in the Emerging Bio Age’, have proposed giving legal rights to plants, animals, and non-living entities is crucial to building meaningful human-environment relationships in the future. The report focused on rapid developments in biotechnology and the need to understand its ethical consequences on humanity’s relationship with the environment. What is the “bio age”? As per the report, the increased integration of biotechnology in human life will bring in the bio age. Integration of life sciences with modern technology through the production of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), engineering of genes to enhance disease resistance, gene editing, and more, indicate that biotechnology is most likely to pervade our lives in the future. This era will require legal intervention to hold researchers accountable for the impact of their work on the environment. This is where the question of nature as a “juristic person” or an entity recognized in law as a person, which otherwise is not, comes in. Granting legal rights and protection to non-human systems – flora, fauna, rivers, ecosystems and landscapes – would recalibrate human-environment relationships and bring ethical conduct to the field. Recognising the rights of Nature At a time when the world is battling climate change and exploitation of natural resources, countries like Ecuador, Bolivia, and New Zealand have taken some significant steps in bringing laws into the natural world, for a variety of reasons. Ecuador: The first country in the world to recognise the rights of nature Ecuador, in 2008, approved a Constitution that grants tropical forests, islands, rivers and air, legal rights to “exist, flourish and evolve”. The country’s courts now recognize the rights of “Pacha Mama” or nature, to maintain and regenerate its cycles, structure, functions and evolutionary processes, as highlighted by Article 71 of the Ecuadorian Constitution. More recently, in April 2022 Ecuador became the first country to grant legal rights to individual wild animals. Bolivia: Establishing the Law of Mother Earth Bolivia granted all nature rights equal to that of humans in 2011. It established the Law of the Rights of Mother Earth, which redefined Mother Earth as “an indivisible community of all living systems and living organisms, interrelated, interdependent and complementary, which share a common destiny.” New Zealand’s Whanganui river: First in the world to be given legal status The Maori people had been fighting for the river to be recognized as a living entity for about 160 years. The New Zealand parliament, on March 15, 2017, passed the Whanganui River Claims Settlement Bill, which granted legal personhood to river Whanganui and its surrounding ecosystem. Where does India stand? Article 51-A (g) of the Constitution of India lays down that it is the fundamental duty of every citizen to protect wildlife and have compassion for all living creatures. However, such duties are not enforceable by law. The Uttarakhand High Court, on March 20, 2017, granted the river Ganga and its longest tributary Yamuna the legal right to be protected and not be harmed. How does granting legal rights help? Just granting the rights is not sufficient. There should be proper implementation and strict monitoring from the respective agency. Ecuador’s courts have since held more than three dozen lawsuits in the name of nature. Many have been successful but verdicts have not always been enforced on the ground. A compelling shift from competition to cooperation between humans and living systems for future survival is currently an underexplored area, with the question of how India is preparing for the “bio age” still remaining. Source: Indian Express Daily Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) Consider the following statements about Global Hunger Index – 2022 It is an annual report jointly published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe. It is calculated on the basis of three indicators – child wasting, child stunting and child mortality. India ranked 107 out of 121 countries on Global Hunger Index, 2022. Choose the correct statements: 1 only 1 and 3 1, 2 and 3 2 and 3 Q.2) Consider the following statements about Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) It is a multi-national forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia. To be a member of CICA, a state must have at least a part of its territory in Asia. India is a founding member of CICA. Choose the incorrect statements: 3 only 2 only 2 and 3 None Q.3) DART mission, recently seen in news is an initiative of? National Aeronautics and Space Administration Indian Space Research Organisation Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency European Space Agency Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’15th October 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs. ANSWERS FOR 14th October – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) –  c Q.2) – c Q.3) – a table, td, th { border: 1px solid;} table {width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; }

Oct 15, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 15th October 2022

For Previous Daily Quiz (ARCHIVES) – CLICK HERE The Current Affairs questions are based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, which are very important sources for UPSC Prelims Exam. The questions are focused on both the concepts and facts. The topics covered here are generally different from what is being covered under ‘Daily Current Affairs/Daily News Analysis (DNA) and Daily Static Quiz’ to avoid duplication. The questions would be published from Monday to Saturday before 2 PM. One should not spend more than 10 minutes on this initiative. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” Important Note: Don’t forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today’s test 🙂After completing the 5 questions, click on ‘View Questions’ to check your score, time taken, and solutions.To take the Test Click Here

Oct 14, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 14th October 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) Exercise IBSAMAR Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – International Relations Context: INS Tarkash reached Port Gqeberha (also known as Port Elizabeth), South Africa to participate in the seventh edition of IBSAMAR. Key details of the Exercise: It is a joint multinational maritime exercise among Indian, Brazilian and South African Navies. It was initiated in 2008 Ex IBSAMAR highlights the maritime dimension of the IBSA Dialogue Forum and the robust South-South cooperation. The Indian Navy is represented by the Teg class guided missile frigate, INS Tarkash, a Chetak helicopter and the personnel from the Marine Commando Force (MARCOS). The harbour phase of IBSAMAR VII includes professional exchanges such as damage control and fire-fighting drills, VBSS/cross boarding lectures and interaction among special forces. The Joint Maritime Exercise will strengthen maritime security, joint operational training, sharing of best practices and building interoperability to address common maritime threats. The IBSA Dialogue Forum: The IBSA Dialogue Forum (India, Brazil, South Africa) is an international tripartite grouping for promoting international cooperation among these countries. It represents three important poles for galvanizing South–South cooperation. The forum provides the three countries with a platform to engage in discussions for cooperation in the field of agriculture, trade, culture, and defence among others. Source: PIB Lead Poisoning in India Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Environment Context: A central government report has found that India bears the world’s highest health and economic burden due to lead poisoning. Key findings of the report: The report was prepared jointly by government think tank Niti Aayog and the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR). Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh had the highest average blood lead levels (BLL) among Indian states. Some 23 states have an average BLL that goes beyond five microgram per decilitre (μg / dl) — the standard used to gauge poisoning. The statistics are worrying on a national level with the average for the country being 4.9 μg / dl for children less than two years old. The UNICEF report also noted that lead poisoning shaved off an estimated five per cent of Indian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to lower economic productivity and reduced lifetime earnings. It also caused 230,000 premature deaths in India. Details about Lead: Lead is a naturally occurring toxic metal found in the Earth’s crust. Lead in the body is distributed to the brain, liver, kidney and bones. It is stored in the teeth and bones, where it accumulates over time. Human exposure is usually assessed through the measurement of lead in blood. Lead in bone is released into blood during pregnancy and becomes a source of exposure to the developing foetus. There is no level of exposure to lead that is known to be without harmful effects. Lead exposure is preventable. About Lead Poisoning: Lead poisoning or chronic intoxication is caused by the absorption of Lead in the system and is characterised especially by fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, anaemia, a dark line along the gums, and muscle paralysis or weakness of limbs. Children younger than 6 years are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning, which can severely affect mental and physical development. At very high levels, lead poisoning can be fatal. Lead exposure also causes anaemia, hypertension, renal impairment, immunotoxicity and toxicity to the reproductive organs. More than three quarters of global lead consumption is for the manufacture of lead-acid batteries for motor vehicles. Sources of lead poisoning: battery recycling, lead mining, smelting, welding, soldering and automobile repatriating adulterated spices, cosmetics and traditional medicines. Indian Government Initiatives: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) has passed a notification as “Regulation on Lead contents in Household and Decorative Paints Rules, 2016” and has prohibited manufacture, trade, import as well as export of household and decorative paints containing lead or lead compounds in excess of 90 Parts Per Million (PPM). Source:  Down To Earth Previous Year Question Q.1) Magnetite particles, suspected to cause neurodegenerative problems are generated as environmental pollutants from which of the following?  (2021) Brakes of motor vehicles Engines of motor vehicles Microwave stoves within homes Power plants Telephone lines Select the correct answer using the code given below 1, 2, 3 and 5only 1, 2 and 4 only 3, 4 and 5 only 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Q.2) Lead, ingested or inhaled, is a health hazard. After the addition of lead to petrol has been banned, what still are the sources of lead poisoning? (2012) Smelting units Pens and pencils Paints Hair oils and cosmetics Select the correct answer using the codes given below: 1, 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 2 and 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 4 Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science and Technology In news: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is developing a rocket named Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) to replace its ageing workhorse the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). ISRO to develop a ‘Bharat Krishi satellite’ to study the growth pattern of crops, identify irrigation deficiencies and provide information that will help in pest-control and verification of farm insurance claims besides many other applications. ISRO is also exploring the possibility of increasing civilian use of the country’s indigenous satellite navigation system NaVIC. About NGLV: NGLV will use ‘semi-cryogenic’ technology which is both efficient and cost-effective. The new rocket could also be ‘reusable’. A reusable rocket will have a smaller payload than an expendable one. If it is reusable, the payload will be around five tonnes and if it’s expendable, it will go up 10 tonnes. Participation of the industry would ensure that capability is created outside ISRO to build, operate and launch it on a commercial basis. About PSLV technology: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is the third generation launch vehicle of India. It is the first Indian launch vehicle to be equipped with liquid stages. It is a four-staged launch vehicle with first and third stage using solid rocket motors and second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines. The PS4 is the uppermost stage of PSLV, comprising of two Earth storable liquid engines. The third stage of PSLV is a solid rocket motor that provides the upper stages high thrust after the atmospheric phase of the launch. PSLV uses an Earth storable liquid rocket engine for its second stage, know as the Vikas engine, developed by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre. PSLV uses the S139 solid rocket motor that is augmented by 6 solid strap-on boosters. PSLV uses 6 solid rocket strap-on motors to augment the thrust provided by the first stage in its PSLV-G and PSLV-XL variants. However, strap-ons are not used in the core alone version (PSLV-CA). Initially, PSLV had a carrying capacity of 850 kg but has been enhanced to 1.9 tonnes. It comes in the category of medium-lift launchers with a reach up to various orbits, including the Geo Synchronous Transfer Orbit, Lower Earth Orbit, and Polar Sun Synchronous Orbit. All the operations of PSLV are controlled from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. MUST READ: Indigenisation of PSLV technology About GSLV technology: Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is an expendable space launch vehicle designed, developed, and operated by ISRO to launch satellites and other space objects into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits. GSLV is 49.13 m tall and tallest among all other vehicles of ISRO. It is a three-stage vehicle with a lift-off mass of 420 tonnes. Stages in GSLV First stage – comprises S139 solid booster with 138-tonne propellant and four liquid strap-on motors, with 40-tonne propellant. Second stage – is a liquid engine carrying 40-tonne of liquid propellant. Third stage – is the indigenously built Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) carrying 15-tonne of cryogenic propellants.  GSLV rockets using the Russian Cryogenic Stage (CS) are designated as the GSLV Mk I while versions using the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) are designated the GSLV Mk II. All GSLV launches have been conducted from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. GSLV has the capability to put a heavier payload than PSLV. PSLV can carry satellites up to a total weight of 2000 kg into space and reach up to an altitude of 600-900 km. GSLV can carry weight up to 5,000 kg and reach up to 36,000 km.  PSLV is designed mainly to deliver earth observation or remote sensing satellites, whereas, GSLV has been designed for launching communication satellites. GSLV delivers satellites into a higher elliptical orbit, Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO). Mission Chandrayan-2 was launched by GSLV Mk-III MUST READ: NaVIC Source: New Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) With reference to India’s satellite launch vehicles, consider the following statements: (2018) PSLVs launch the satellites useful for Earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites. Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth. GSLV Mk III is a four-staged launch vehicle with the first and third stages using solid rocket motors; and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 and 3 1 and 2 3 only Snow Leopard Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Environment In News: Wildlife officials in Arunachal Pradesh are awaiting analysis of the data of a survey conducted in 2021 to ascertain the presence of the elusive snow leopard. The data was collected from a high-altitude Himalayan belt across 11 wildlife divisions from Tawang in the west and Anini to the east and was sent to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Namdapha is the known home of three other large cats — tiger, leopard and clouded leopard. About Snow Leopard:                             Snow leopard, is often referred to as a mountain ghost because of its coat that helps it blend in a snowy-rocky environment. The tiger is called Lama in the Lisu dialect and is also called ‘Lamaphu. It is a felid in the genus Panthera native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It inhabits alpine and subalpine zones at elevations of 3,000–4,500 m (9,800–14,800 ft), ranging from eastern Afghanistan, the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau to southern Siberia, Mongolia and western China. In the northern part of its range, it also lives at lower elevations. Snow leopards become sexually mature at two to three years, and normally live for 15–18 years in the wild. In captivity they can live for up to 25 years. The snow leopard has never been spotted nor recorded in the Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district. Threats: poaching and illegal trade of skins and body parts as well as habitat destruction. Conservation efforts IUCN status: Vulnerable Listed in CITES Appendix I Listed as threatened with extinction in Schedule I of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) of Wild Animals since 1985. Listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Flagship conservation species of India – part of 21 critically endangered species for the recovery program under MoEF&CC India is a party to the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Programme since 2013. SECURE Himalayas initiative of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Project Snow Leopard 2009 About WWF: Established in 1961, it is an international non-governmental organization that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. WWF works to help local communities conserve the natural resources they depend upon; transform markets and policies toward sustainability; and protect and restore species and their habitats. WWF is the world’s largest conservation organization. Their work is focused around six ambitious goals: Climate, Food, Forests, Freshwater, Oceans, Wildlife. Its initiatives include: Debt-for-Nature Swap Earth Hour Healthy Grown Marine Stewardship Council Living Planet Index WWF-India was established as a Charitable Trust in 1969 and is headquartered in New Delhi. WWF-India is one of India’s leading conservation organizations MUST READ:  Namdapha National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary Source:  The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) Which one of the following groups of animals belongs to the category of endangered species? Great Indian Bustard, Musk Deer, Red Panda and Asiatic Wild Ass Kashmir Stag, Cheetal, Blue Bull and Great Indian Bustard Snow Leopard, Swamp Deer, Rhesus Monkey and Saras (Crane) Lion-tailed Macaque, Blue Bull, Hanuman Langur and Cheetal National Highway InvIT Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Economy In News: National Highways Infra Trust (NHAI InvIT) has raised a sum of Rs 1,430 crore from domestic and international investors for funding its road projects. NHAI InvIT is issuing Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) which are proposed to be listed on BSE and NSE (collectively, the “Stock Exchanges”). Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvIT): InvITs are instruments that work like mutual funds. They are designed to pool small sums of money from a number of investors to invest in assets that give cash flow over a period of time. Part of this cash flow would be distributed as dividend back to investors. InvITs are listed on exchanges just like stocks — through IPOs. The InvITs listed on the stock exchange are IRB InvIT Fund and India Grid Trust. InvITs are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) (Infrastructure Investment Trusts) Regulations, 2014. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are similar to InvITs but they are present only in Real estate sector. For a dedicated peer group, Motivation & Quick updates, Join our official telegram About NHAI InvIT: The infrastructure investment trust is sponsored by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to support Government of India’s National Monetization Pipeline. It will have minimum investment amount at Rs.10,000 and will be open to institutional investors, non-institutional investors, high-net-worth individuals, and retail investors including the common man. NHAI launched its InvIT to facilitate monetisation of roads and also to attract foreign and domestic institutional investors to invest in the roads sector. The advantages of an InvIT instrument are that it has stable and predictable cash flows and experienced professionals manage the InvIT and operate and maintain the roads. Miscellaneous: NHAI has the largest share under the National Monetization Pipeline at 27%. Such government initiatives will bring logistics cost down from 13-14% to 5% of GDP. Source: PIB Living Planet Report 2022 Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Environment In News: Nature NGO WWF has published the latest edition of its Living Planet Report. The last edition, published two years ago, revealed that the population sizes of animals (excluding insects) had decreased by an average of 68% between 1970 and 2020. About Living Planet Report: The Living Planet Report 2022 is a comprehensive study of trends in global biodiversity and the health of the planet. It is an annual flagship World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) publication. It is the world’s leading, science-based analysis, on the health of our planet and the impact of human activity. It links climate change and biodiversity loss for 1st time. Biodiversity loss and climate crisis should be dealt with as a single issue. Findings: WWF identified six key threats to biodiversity — agriculture, hunting, logging, pollution, invasive species and climate change — to highlight ‘threat hotspots’ for terrestrial vertebrates. Wildlife populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish across the globe decline by 69% in the last 50 years. Latin America and the Caribbean region recorded the highest decline i.e. 94 per cent. Africa recorded a 66 per cent fall in its wildlife populations from 1970-2018 Asia Pacific recorded a decline of 55 per cent. Freshwater species populations globally reduced by 83 per cent. The vertebrate wildlife populations are plummeting at a particularly staggering rate in tropical regions of the world. Habitat loss and barriers to migration routes were responsible for about half of the threats to monitored migratory fish species. Mangroves are lost to aquaculture, agriculture and coastal development at a rate of 0.13 per cent per year. Many mangroves are also degraded by overexploitation and pollution, alongside natural stressors such as storms and coastal erosion. India Findings: Around 137 square kilometres of the Sundarbans mangrove forest in India and Bangladesh has been eroded since 1985, reducing land and ecosystem services for many of the 10 million people who live there. Climate change in India will impact key areas, such as water resources, agriculture, natural ecosystems, health and the food chain Source:   Down To Earth Democratisation of India Open in new window Syllabus Mains – GS 2 Polity and Governance Context: The socio-political movement that led to this phenomenon known as “Mandal” has dramatically changed the demographic diversity of people’s representatives. Christophe Jaffrelot called it, ‘India’s Silent Revolution’. ‘India’s Silent Revolution’ identified socially and educationally backward castes and communities by not letting religion become a barrier. Historical reference: Historically, in Varna system, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) formed most of Shudra, the fourth category. They mostly engaged in activities such as agriculturalist, field workers or artisans or in the field of construction. OBC especially in Hindu belt and social system, situated above the untouchables, but below the twice born known as “dvij” or called as kshtriya and vaishyas. Issues of OBC: According to Mandal commission report of 1980, OBC formed half of Indian population and in 2006 when national sample survey organization conducted, they are found around 41%. Low political representation Caste bias in development projects and lack of political will to steer development initiatives towards backward communities. Long-established upper-caste patronage networks and ‘elite capture’ of government programmes. Kaka Kalekar Commission: Government of India formed first backward commission in 1953 headed by Kaka Kalelkar. The commission presented its report in 1955. There were many contradictions within the report such as 5 members of the commission put a disagreement note, few opposed the clause that says backwardness should be jointly seen with cast. Thus, the commission didn’t present a neutral report and it was thus, not accepted by the government. The B.P. Mandal Commission: Constituted in 1978 by Morarji Desai government, the second backward class commission was headed by B.P. Mandal. Recommendations: Reservation of 27% government jobs for OBCs for those who do not qualify on merit Reservation of 27% for promotions at all levels in government jobs for OBCs. Quota of reservation, if didn’t fill, should be carried forward for 3 years. A roster system should be prepared for backward classes on the same pattern as that of Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes and the age relaxation for OBCs to be same as SC, STs. Government must make legal provision to make these recommendations a reality. The VP Singh government accepted the recommendations of Mandal Commission. About the Mandal Movement: The acceptance of Mandal Commission’s recommendations led to gradual political rise of the backward communities. There were many reasons for the same. First, the demographic weight of the backward communities. The second was the fact that OBCs were not a natural constituency of the Congress and preferred peasant-based formations, socialist parties and regional parties — all of which were on the ascendant then. And the third was the impact of the Green Revolution which led to their economic empowerment and desire for upward professional mobility. The Mandal moment saw ferocious backlash by sections of upper castes. This opposition was articulated on two axes — the fact that reservations compromised merit, and if at all reservations should open up beyond what was offered to Scheduled Castes and Tribes, it should be on economic lines. These arguments hid beneath it a real fear of losing power and opportunities. And it launched an era of open hostility between upper castes and backward communities, particularly in the Hindi heartland. OBCs became a force to contend with, and it is no surprise that no government in Uttar Pradesh or Bihar can now be formed without their active support. But it also opened up a Pandora’s Box. For one, the resentment of those communities which did not have a share in the reservation pie increased. Further, political parties, in order to appease them, continued to expand reservation — to the extent that now economically weaker sections of dominant communities avail quotas, and in many states, there is over 70% reservation in key spheres. This has undermined the entire purpose of reservation, envisaged as a tool to address historic injustice, and made it an exercise in power distribution and employment generation. Second, within OBCs, some communities benefited more than others, which led to a political divide and demands for sub-categorisation. The role played by two Dalit icons, Kanshi Ram and Ram Vilas Paswan for mobilisation and implementation of Mandal has been immense. Democracy & Social justice: The social justice discourse in modern India can be traced to the initiatives of social revolutionaries such as Jyotiba Phule, Savitribai Phule, Sahuji Maharaj and Periyar during colonial rule. But a sustained intervention with a concrete outcome in terms of policy prescriptions surfaced only with B.R. Ambedkar arriving on the national scene. The “depressed classes” (Dalits) and “tribals” (Adivasis) — as they were termed by the colonisers — were already listed as Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, respectively, by 1935. The benefits of reservation in education and employment for these social groups in proportion to their population were adopted as soon as the Constitution of India came into force. But a large section of the “backward classes” and occupational caste groups remained socially and educationally backward; hence, their presence in the bureaucracy, the judiciary, academia or the media remained abysmal. The Constituent Assembly had debated caste-class dichotomy. It was envisioned that backward classes would be backward communities. This was endorsed by B.R. Ambedkar who said: “…a backward community is a community which is backward in the opinion of the government….” But the Mandal report reaffirmed this with the line “a caste can be and quite often is a social class in India”. Constitutional provisions: Article 340 of the Constitution entailed egalitarian possibility that resulted in two Backward Classes commissions, the Kalelkar Commission (1953-1955) and the Mandal Commission (1978-80). The mobilisation campaign for implementing the recommendations of the latter led to a “Mandal movement” characterised by the announcement of 27% reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the central service in 1990. The 73rd and 74th Amendments have furthered the idea of social justice by extending reservation benefits to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs. Horizontal reservation was also extended to all women. In 2006, reservations were extended to OBC candidates in institutions of higher learning — popularly known as Mandal II. Success of Mandal Movement: Mandal parties checkmated communal mobilisations and hate mongering by the right wing. There were two spectacular political decisions in 1990 — the arrest of L.K. Advani by the Lalu Prasad-led government in Bihar at the height of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Second, the Mulayam Singh-led government in Uttar Pradesh ordering the police to fire at kar sevaks assembled in Ayodhya near the Babri Masjid. Another point of merit derived from “Mandal” has been the identifying of socially and educationally backward castes and communities by not letting religion become a barrier. The consciousness generated by Mandal demolished a perception about Indian Muslims being a homogenous monolith. The churning around Mandal also led to the emergence of a pasmanda (backward in Persian) movement among backward Muslims demanding democratisation and representation. Way forward Mandaite political parties have made serious blunders too by restricting key organisational positions to family members and extending favours to caste brethren. Hence, the entire architecture of reservations needs a review, with the aim of creating a just, inclusive and equal society, without pandering to populist movements. There could be possible course correction such as being more accommodative towards the aspirations of the lower castes such as the economically backward classes or most backward classes; forging alliances with parties championing Dalit and Adivasi agendas; and pushing for quota within quota in the women’s reservation Bill — which is still pending — with fresh insights, and also fielding more women candidates from the marginalised communities. Source: The Hindu Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022 Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Governance Mains – GS 2 (Governance) Context: Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022 after the announcement by the Union Cooperation Minister. Provisions of the Amendment Bill 2022: Incorporation of provisions of the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act 2011: Regarding constitutional status and protection to cooperatives and guarantees democratic and independent functioning of the cooperative societies. Democratic governance: The bill has provisions for setting up of cooperative election authority, cooperative information officer, cooperative ombudsman etc. to make governance of multi-state cooperative societies more democratic, transparent and accountable. Reform electoral processes: The cooperative election authority will ensure fair, free and timely elections and reduce electoral complaints and malpractices. The Bill also provides for debarring offenders for three years, hence will bring in more electoral discipline. Grievance redressal: The cooperative ombudsman will set up a mechanism for grievance redressal of the cooperative societies members in a structured fashion. Strengthen monitoring mechanisms: The bill empowers the Central government to suspend the Board of a MSCS for fraud or embezzlement of funds or failure to conduct elections within a stipulated time. It will also debar relatives of a sitting director to be recruited as an employee in the same cooperative. Improved composition of the Board: For promoting the professional management of the cooperatives, the bill has provisions- To bring in co-opted directors with experience in the field of banking, management, cooperative management and finance. The option of including the members having specialization in any field relating to the objects and activities undertaken by such multi-state cooperative society. Enhance transparency and accountability: The Bill proposes to appoint a Cooperative Information Officer who will enhance the transparency in functioning by providing the members timely access to information. To promote equity and facilitate inclusiveness, the bill includes provisions relating to representation of women and Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe members on the board of multi-state cooperative societies. Improve ease of doing business: The amendment Bill proposes- To reduce the period of registration, with a provision for the applicants to seek additional time of two months for rectification of mistakes. For electronic submission and issuance of documents, thus providing for a comprehensive digital ecosystem. Simpler registration: Presently, India has nearly 800,000 cooperative societies of which around 1,600 are MSCS thus serve the interest of members in more than one state. For example, IFFCO, Kribhco and NAFED. Increase financial discipline: The bill provides for the Rehabilitation Fund for the revival of sick cooperatives and enables raising of funds in multi-state cooperative societies. Regulation: For cooperative banks, the banking functions will be governed by the Banking Regulation Act. However, all other operational issues will be regulated by the MSCS Act and its new amendments. About Cooperative Societies in India: A co-operative society is a voluntary association of individuals having common needs who join hands for the achievement of common economic interest. Its aim is to serve the interest of the poorer sections of society through the principle of self-help and mutual help. 97th Constitutional Amendment Act 2011: It established the right to form cooperative societies as a fundamental right (Article 19). It included a new Directive Principle of State Policy on the Promotion of Cooperative Societies (Article 43-B). It added a new Part IX-B to the Constitution titled “The Co-operative Societies” (Articles 243-ZH to 243-ZT). It authorizes the Parliament to establish relevant laws in the case of multi-state cooperative societies (MSCS) and state legislatures in the case of other cooperative societies. Of the 1600 odd MSCS, the majority are in Maharashtra (570), followed by UP (150) and New Delhi (133). Credit cooperatives constitute the bulk of the MSCS (610), followed by agriculture-oriented MSCS (244). There are around 100 multi-state cooperative diaries and 70 multi-state cooperative banks. About new Ministry of Cooperation: The Union Ministry of Cooperation was formed in 2021, its mandate was looked after by the Ministry of Agriculture before. Objectives of creation of the new ministry: To realize the vision of “Sahakar se Samriddhi” (prosperity through cooperation). To streamline processes for ‘’Ease of doing business’’ for co-operatives and enable development of Multi-State Co-operatives (MSCS). To provide a separate administrative, legal and policy framework for strengthening the cooperative movements in the country. To deepen the cooperative as a true people-based movement reaching up to the grassroot level. Way Forward: The Bill is expected to be introduced during the winter session of Parliament. The bill if passed will enhance transparency, accountability and improve ease of doing business for the cooperatives. The Union Cooperation Minister had also announced bringing in a new national cooperative policy for holistic management and success of cooperatives movement in India. Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) With reference to Urban Cooperative Banks in India, consider the following statements: They are supervised and regulated by local boards set up by the State Governments. They can issue equity shares and preference shares. They were brought under the purview of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 through an Amendment in 1996 Which of the statements given above is/are correct?    (2021) 1 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.2) With reference to Urban Cooperative Banks in India, consider the following statements: They are supervised and regulated by local boards set up by the State Governments. They can issue equity shares and preference shares. They were brought under the purview of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 through an Amendment in 1996 Which of the statements given above is/are correct?  (2020) 1 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Governance Mains – GS 2 (Governance) Context: The Union Cabinet has recently approved the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for the North East Region (PM-DevINE). About the Scheme: PM-DevINE is a new scheme for the Northeastern states which was announced in the Union Budget. The scheme will be operational for the remaining four years of the 15th Finance Commission, from 2022-23 to 2025-26, and will have an outlay of Rs 6,600 crore. PM-DevINE will target: The creation of infrastructure, Support industries, Social development projects and Create livelihood activities for the youth and women, with a focus on job creation. These projects will include basic infrastructure in all primary healthcare centres and government schools. Funding and implementation: It is a central sector scheme with 100% central funding. PM-DevINE will be implemented by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), through the North Eastern Council or central ministries and agencies. Time constraints: Efforts will be made to complete the PM-DevINE projects by 2025-26 so that there are no committed liabilities beyond this year. Significance of bringing the scheme: The parameters of N-E states in respect of Basic Minimum Services (BMS) are well below the national average and there are critical development gaps as per the NER District Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index 2021-22 prepared by NITI Aayog, UNDP and MDoNER. Challenges to the Development of the NER: Difficult Terrain: North Eastern Region is majorly a mountainous region, except the state of Assam, which has plains as a major part of its area. This makes it difficult for the government schemes to be implemented in the area, because of the problem of access to the remote areas. Backward Areas: Unlike the mainland, people of the North East Region are still content with a simple lifestyle and lack of technology in their day-to-day lives. The standard of living continues to be low, due to the absence of high-income generation opportunities. For e.g., the farmers practice primitive methods of agriculture, with the tribals still practising Shifting agriculture in the country. Connectivity: As stated above, the North Eastern Region is a landlocked region. Therefore, it has limited access to the sea. Similarly, it has a difficult terrain that renders expressways and wider roads infeasible. This is complicated by the absence of railway infrastructure in the region. Insurgencies: One of the major regions for the lack of development in the region is the lack of political and social stability in the country. The artificial boundaries of the British legacy have not been fully accepted by the tribal communities of the region, which is compounded by political opportunism. The region is still caught in the vicious circle of violence due to political reasons and the diversion of youth towards the insurgent groups, which leads to a lack of skill enhancement and consequent lack of opportunity. Government initiatives for the development of NER: North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS): The aim of the scheme is to enhance the physical infrastructure related to power, connectivity and water supply, and social infrastructure in the form of health infrastructure. It is a Central Sector Scheme. NITI Forum for North East: In collaboration with the NITI Aayog, the ‘NITI Forum for North East’ constituted for accelerated, inclusive and sustainable development in the North East Region has identified 5 focus sectors, viz. Tea, Tourism, Bamboo, Dairy and Pisciculture. Mission Organic Value Chain Development (MOVCD-NER): The program has been implemented in the North-Eastern states since 2017. The aim of the mission is to promote organic farming in the region. It seeks to replace traditional subsistence farming with a cluster-based approach. Sub Mission on Seeds and Planting Material (SMSP): It aims to increase the availability of seeds of the High Yielding Varieties of crops. The overall objective is to double farmers’ income by 2022, as envisioned by the Government. The scheme is run alongside other support programs like Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), integrated farming systems etc. Connectivity Projects: To create alternate routes to the region and decrease its dependence on the Chicken’s Neck, the Indian government has planned additional routes through South East Asia like Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Project, Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Corridor, etc. India’s Look-East connectivity projects connect Northeast India to East Asia and ASEAN. NEHHDC: Home Minister recently launched the North Eastern Handicrafts & Handlooms Development Corporation Limited (NEHHDC) Mobile Application during the session. The NEHHDC would help register artisans and weavers online and collect authentic data through the app. It is expected to provide training through specially designed online courses and help the beneficiaries and redress grievances. NESAC: North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) was established as a joint initiative of Department of Space (DOS) and the North Eastern Council (NEC) and came into being on 5th of September, 2000. The Centre helps in augmenting the developmental process in the region by providing the advanced space technology support. External aided projects for NER: North Eastern States Roads Investment Programme (NESRIP) assisted by Asian Development Bank (ADB): The scheme envisaged construction/up-gradation of total 433.425 km long roads in 6 North Eastern States of Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura. North East Rural Livelihood Project assisted by World Bank: The objective of the North East Rural Livelihood Project (NERLP) is “To improve rural livelihoods especially that of women, unemployed youth and the most disadvantaged, in four North Eastern States”. The proposed project has four major components: Social empowerment; Economic empowerment; Partnership development & management and Project management. Source:  Indian Express Telecom industry in India Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Governance Mains – GA 2 (Governance) Context: With the launch of  5G services in the country at the Indian Mobile Congress 2022 on October 1, 2022 it is hoped the remarkable progress the telecom industry has made, especially in mobile services, will continue. It is indeed timely that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has released the draft Indian Telecommunications Bill 2022, replacing the age old Indian Telegraph Act of 1885. However, though technology has evolved exponentially in the last decade, the draft Bill, disappointingly, lacks a vision for the future. Brief details about telecom industry in India: The Telecom industry in India is the second largest in the world with a subscriber base of 1.17 billion as of July 2022. India has an overall tele-density of 85.11 %, with the tele-density of the rural market at 58.37% while that of the urban market is at 134.78%. By the end of December 2021, the total number of internet subscribers increased to 829.3 million (narrowband + broadband subscribers), out of which 37.25% of the internet subscribers belong to the rural areas. The number of broadband subscribers has increased to 807.42 million as of July 2022. The average monthly data consumption per wireless data subscriber has also increased by 22,605% to 14.97 GB in December 2021 from 61.66 MB in March 2014. The Telecom sector is the 3rd largest sector in terms of FDI inflows, contributing 6.44% of total FDI inflow, and contributes directly to 2.2 million employment and indirectly to 1.8 million jobs. 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has now been allowed in the Telecom sector under the automatic route. Positive side of draft Indian Telecommunications Bill 2022: It is stated clearly that any revisions to the telecom policies, including licensing conditions and payment, will not have any retrospective effect. This provides certainty to the firms. Provisions related to verifiable identification of the calling party to be displayed to the receiver to limit the ubiquitous unsolicited commercial calls. The Bill recognises the optimal utilisation of radio spectrum for commercial mobile services and provides the way forward for spectrum trading, sharing, leasing and re-purposing in a technology-neutral manner. The opening up of the option for allocation to assign radio spectrum other than using auctions. This provides opportunities for the government to allocate spectrum using other methodologies such as administrative or beauty parades as applicable in specific use cases. The recognition of telecommunication facility providers and the associated Right of Way (ROW),{ the area around a pipeline or transmission line that is either government- or privately-owned for which you receive permission to work on}enablement for the laying down of the passive infrastructure. The bill has also proposed that if a telecom entity in possession of spectrum goes through bankruptcy or insolvency, the assigned spectrum will revert to the control of the Centre. Caveats in draft Indian Telecommunications Bill 2022: Inclusion of Over the Top: Though the policy makers have attempted to re-define telecommunication services to include all forms of digital communication including Over the Top (OTT) communication and broadcasting services, the way in which this sector is addressed in the Bill severely lacks depth and vision. Role of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI): The total absence of any modification to the role of the Telecommunications Regulatory of Authority of India (TRAI), except for cosmetic changes to the TRAI Act 1997. The TRAI has done remarkable job as the regulator of this dynamic technologically advanced sector for the past 25 years. The government must provide the much needed autonomy — both financially as well as administrative. The Regulator plays a very important role in shaping the digital communication landscape of the country. The only additional power that has been given to TRAI is the checking of predatory pricing in telecommunications which in fact is an antitrust action and should be in the Competition Commission of India’s (SCCI) ambit and not TRAI. Centre’s overarching power: The Centre’s overarching power to regulate all aspects of telecommunications in the interest of national security, without appropriate safeguards including the designation of authorities who can issue such orders. This is likely to send jitters to the service providers as well as consumers, so there is a need to clearly indicate the precautionary measures and processes to reduce possible misuse. Sanctions and penalties: Granular level of details regarding sanctions and penalties in the Bill for deviating conduct of the service providers should be prescribed in the subsequent regulations and rules. No provisions on cyber security: The draft Bill has no provisions on cyber security of either telecommunications or related infrastructure. This assumes more significance given the fact that India does not have a dedicated law on cyber security. Hence, it becomes even more essential to address issues concerning cyber security in telecommunications. Way Forward: However, the Bill has only paid lip service to the fast evolving ecosystem. The Bill’s scope should be expanded to address the newly emerging digital communications sector; The sector regulator’s role also needs to be enhanced for appropriate coordination with other related regulators including the soon-to-be enacted Data Protection Authority, CCI and Consumer Protection Authority. The draft Bill represents an important step forward. But there is a need to address the various concerns of the stakeholders, both public and private, in the telecommunication ecosystem in order to enable the legislation to be more effective, relevant and topical. Source: The Hindu Baba’s Explainer – Language Panel Recommendations Language Panel Recommendations Syllabus GS-2: Indian Society – Diversity GS-2: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure. Context: The 11th volume of the Report of the Official Language Committee headed by Home Minister which was submitted to President recently has triggered angry reactions from the Chief Ministers of Southern States, who have described the Report as an attempt by the Union government to impose Hindi on non-Hindi-speaking states. Read Complete Details on Language Panel Recommendations Daily Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) With reference to New Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) technology, which of the following statements are correct? NGLV uses a cryogenic upper stage like GSLV Mk-III NGLC is a reusable technology. NGLC will be used for the 2023 lunar mission Chandrayan-3 Select the correct answer using the code given below: 1 and 2 only 1 only 2 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.2) If one can want to see snow leopards in their natural habitat, which one of the following is the best place to visit? Khangchendzonga National Park Namdapha National Park Hemis National Park Manas National Park Q.3) The 97th Constitutional Amendment Act 2011  made changes to which of the following parts of the Constitution? Part III Part IV Part IX A Select correct answer code given below: 1 and 2 only 1 and 3 only 2 and 3 only 1 2 and 3 Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’14th October 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs. ANSWERS FOR 13th October – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) –  a Q.2) – c Q.3) – b  table, td, th { border: 1px solid;} table {width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; }

Oct 14, 2022 Baba’s Explainer

Baba's Explainer - Language Panel Recommendations

ARCHIVES Syllabus GS-2: Indian Society – Diversity GS-2: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure. Context: The 11th volume of the Report of the Official Language Committee headed by Home Minister which was submitted to President recently has triggered angry reactions from the Chief Ministers of Southern States, who have described the Report as an attempt by the Union government to impose Hindi on non-Hindi-speaking states. What is this language panel led by Union Home Minister? The Committee of Parliament on Official Language was set up in 1976 under Section 4 of The Official Languages Act, 1963. The Committee is chaired by the Union Home Minister, and has, in accordance with the provisions of the 1963 Act, 30 members — 20 MPs from Lok Sabha and 10 MPs from Rajya Sabha. The job of the Committee is to review the progress made in the use of Hindi for official purposes, and to make recommendations to increase the use of Hindi in official communications. The name of the Committee is a little misleading. This is because unlike the other Parliamentary panels, this Committee of Parliament on Official Language is constituted by the Home Ministry, and it does not submit its report to Parliament, like the Committees of Parliament. Instead the panel submits its report to the President, who “shall then cause the report to be laid before each House of Parliament, and sent to all the State Governments”. The 2021 panel has the largest representation from the BJP — the majority of members belong to the ruling party — and includes MPs from the BJD, Congress, JD(U), Shiv Sena, LJP, AAP, and TDP. What is the status of Hindi in India? India being a linguistic diverse country has always celebrated diversity. Our Constituent makers were conscious of this fact and hence debated hotly on the topic of language in Constituent Assembly. Division in Constituent Assembly on the issue: Members of Constituent assembly who came from states that did not speak Hindi opposed the declaration of Hindi as National Language for they feared it would lead to domination of Hindi at the cost of regional languages. Proponents of Hindi were insistent that English was the language of enslavement and that it should be eliminated as early as possible. There were demands to make Sanskrit the official language, while some argued in favour of ‘Hindustani’. Compromise Ultimately, it was decided that the Constitution will only speak of an ‘official language’ and not National Language. It said that Hindi will be the Official Language of the Union. And that English would continue to be used for a period of 15 years The Constitution said that after 15 years, Parliament may by law decide on the use of English (dealt by Official Languages Act, 1963). Status of Hindi Under Article 343 of the Constitution, the official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script. The international form of Indian numerals will be used for official purposes. Hindi is spoken by nearly 57% of Indians and 43% of people reported it as their mother tongue (Census 2011) What about regional languages? The Constitution does not provide for the official language of states. However, It says that : The legislature of a state may adopt any one or more of the languages belonging to the state or Hindi as the official language of that state. Until then, English will continue as the official language of that state. As a response to this the states have adopted the following regional languages as their official language: Andhra Pradesh – Telugu Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland – English Jammu and Kashmir – Urdu (and not Kashmiri) Goa – Marathi and Konkani Gujarat – Hindi and Gujarati Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana, and Rajasthan – Hindi. Odisha–Odia West Bengal–Bengali Assam–Assamese Kerala–Malayalam Note, there is no compulsion for the state to choose the language from the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Any two or more states are free to agree to use Hindi (instead of English) for communication between themselves What is the language of Higher Judiciary? Article 348(1)(a) states that unless Parliament by law provides otherwise, all proceedings before the Supreme Court and in every High Court shall be conducted in English. Article 348(2) provides further that notwithstanding the provisions of Article 348(1), the Governor of a state may, with the previous consent of the President, authorize the use of Hindi or any other language used for any official purpose, in proceedings in the High Court Therefore, the Constitution recognizes English as the primary language of the Supreme Court and the High Courts, with the caveat that when some other language is used in the proceedings of High Courts, judgments of the High Courts must be delivered in English. Currently, the language of SC proceedings is English only All pleadings, documents and arguments in the Supreme Court are in English. Reasons for using English are: Just like cases from all over the country come to the Supreme Court, judges and lawyers of the Supreme Court also come from all parts of India. Judges can hardly be expected to read documents and hear arguments in languages with which they are not familiar. Without the use of English, it would be impossible to discharge their duty. All judgments of the Supreme Court are also delivered in English. Interestingly, bills have also been introduced in Parliament – the High Courts (Use of Official Languages) Bill, 2016 and the Supreme Court, High Courts and District Courts (Use of Official Languages) Bill, 2018 – to mandate the use of regional languages in courts including the Supreme Court, but so far nothing has come of these. What has the Official Language Committee headed by Home Minister recommended in its latest (2021) report? The contents of the Committee report are not in the public domain. However, sources close to the Committee said it has made around 100 recommendations, some of which are: Hindi should be the medium of instruction in IITs, IIMs, and central universities in the Hindi-speaking states. The Committee had certain parameters to assess the usage of language and it has found that in many central universities including Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia, BHU, and AMU, the usage is just 25-35 per cent when it should have been 100 per cent The language used for communication in the administration should be Hindi, and efforts should be made to teach the curriculum in Hindi, but the latter is not mandatory. Lower courts in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, and Rajasthan already use Hindi. High Courts in other states, where proceedings are recorded in English or a regional language can make available translations in Hindi, because verdicts of High Court of other states are often cited in judgments. The panel is learnt to have taken a serious view of officers and other employees in the central government who do not use Hindi in Hindi-speaking states. The panel wants state governments to warn officials that their reluctance to use Hindi would reflect in their Annual Performance Assessment Report (APAR) Communication, which includes letters and emails, question papers for recruitment exams, events organised by the government and its departments, will have to be in Hindi. It is also suggested that “there are specific proposals to make the language in official letters and invitations simpler.” The crux of the recommendations is that “there should be a deliberate attempt to reduce the usage of the English language in official communication and to increase the usage of Hindi. What are the concerns expressed against latest recommendations? Attempts to promote Hindi have revived decades-old anxieties over the alleged imposition of Hindi. Parliament has witnessed heated exchanges between the Treasury and Opposition, especially members from Tamil Nadu, over Union Ministers replying to questions in Hindi. Over the past few years, Karnataka has seen protests over the use of Hindi in signboards and posters. Are these recommendations intended for every state government, its institutions and departments across the country? No, they are not States like Tamil Nadu and Kerala are exempt as per The Official Languages Act, 1963 and the Rules and Regulations (of the Act), 1976. The law is implemented only in ‘A’ category states, in which the official language is Hindi. According to the Rules, region ‘A’ includes the states of Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, and the Union Territories of Delhi and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Region ‘B’ includes Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Punjab, and the Union Territories of Chandigarh, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Other states, where the use of Hindi is less than 65 per cent, are listed under region ‘C’. The Committee has suggested that efforts should be made to use Hindi “100 per cent” in the ‘A’ states. Is this the first time that such recommendations have been made? The makers of the Constitution had decided that both Hindi and English should be used as official languages for the first 15 years of the Republic, but in the wake of intense anti-Hindi agitations in the south, the Centre announced that English would continue to be used even after 1965. On January 18, 1968, Parliament passed the Official Language Resolution to build a comprehensive programme to increase the use of Hindi for official purposes by the Union of India. With the active promotion of Hindi being mandated by Article 351 of the Constitution, the Official Language Committee was set up to review and promote the use of Hindi in official communications. The first Report of the Committee was submitted in 1987. The ninth Report, submitted in 2011 by the panel headed by then Home Minister P Chidambaram, made 117 recommendations, including suggestions to increase the use of Hindi in computers in government offices. The recommendations were criticised, and concerns were expressed in Tamil Nadu especially over the alleged “Hindi imposition”. What does the new education policy say about teaching in Hindi and other regional languages? The announcement of the new National Education Policy (NEP) in 2020 too had triggered controversy over this issue. Politicians from Southern India had alleged attempts to “impose Hindi and Sanskrit”; however, the Centre had said it was only promoting regional languages. The NEP says that mother tongue or the regional language would be the “preferred” mode of instruction until Class 5, and possibly Class 8. The three-language formula will continue to be implemented while keeping in mind the need to promote multilingualism as well as promote national unity. NEP also stated that there will be a greater flexibility inthe three-language formula, and no language will be imposed on any State. The three languages learned by children will be the choices of States, regions, and of course the students themselves, so long as at least two of the three languages are native to India. Main Practice Question: How has federalism dealt with linguistic diversity in India especially in the context of demand for making Hindi as lingua franca of the country? Note: Write answer his question in the comment section. table{ border: 1px solid; } table tr, table td{ border: 1px solid; }

Oct 14, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 14th October 2022

For Previous Daily Quiz (ARCHIVES) – CLICK HERE The Current Affairs questions are based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, which are very important sources for UPSC Prelims Exam. The questions are focused on both the concepts and facts. The topics covered here are generally different from what is being covered under ‘Daily Current Affairs/Daily News Analysis (DNA) and Daily Static Quiz’ to avoid duplication. The questions would be published from Monday to Saturday before 2 PM. One should not spend more than 10 minutes on this initiative. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” Important Note: Don’t forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today’s test 🙂After completing the 5 questions, click on ‘View Questions’ to check your score, time taken, and solutions. To take the Test Click Here

Oct 13, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 13th October 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) Map of Milky Way Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science and Technology In news: Researchers have used complex models of the Milky Way galaxy to map out the locations of neutron stars and black holes that were created by long-dead stars. The researchers carefully recreated the full lifecycle of these ancient star corpses to construct the first detailed map of the “galactic underworld”. About: The compact remnants of dead stars show a fundamentally different distribution and structure to the visible galaxy. The Milky Way’s ‘galactic graveyard’ stretches three times the height of the galaxy itself, while one-third of the neutron stars and black holes have been flung out of the galaxy. How are Black holes formed: Black holes and neutron stars are formed when stars which are more than eight times larger than our Sun exhaust their fuel supply and suddenly collapse. When this happens, it triggers a reaction that blows apart the outer portion of the star in a supernova explosion. Meanwhile, the core keeps compressing itself until it becomes either a neutron star or a black hole, depending on its starting mass. Supernova explosions are asymmetric, and the remnants are ejected at high speed – up to millions of kilometres per hour – and, even worse, this happens in an unknown and random direction for every object. Neutron stars have cores so dense that electrons and protons combine at the subatomic level to form neutrons. This squeezes its total mass into a sphere that is “smaller than a city.” If the starting mass of the star is more than 25 times that of our Sun, this collapse will continue until the core gets so dense that even light cannot escape, creating a black hole. Both kinds of stellar remnants warp space, time and matter around them due to their density. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) Recently, Scientists observed the merger of giant blackholes’ billions of light-years away from the Earth. What is the significance of this observation?(2019) ‘Higgs boson particles’ were detected. ‘Gravitational waves’ were detected. Possibility of inter-galactic space travel through ‘wormhole’ was confirmed. It enabled the scientists to understand ‘singularity’. Online News Dissemination Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science & Technology In News: The News Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA) approached the Competition Commission of India (CCI) against search-engine operator Google, alleging that the latter had deprived them of their justifiable revenue acquired from news dissemination on the tech-giant’s platforms. The complaint would be clubbed with similar cases filed by the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) in February this year and the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) last year. About: The traditional newspaper industry in India has sustained itself on a business model wherein advertising accounts for two-third of its total revenue. However, with online proliferation, there is an increased reliance of news publishers on digital ad revenues, and in turn, tech-based companies. Search engines like Google are an important determinant in online news consumption. Readers would more often opt for an online web search rather than reaching out to a specific news website by typing its URL in a browser. This has made search-engines the first port of call for information online. A news website sells advertising spaces on its platform through ad-exchanges. In addition to this, Google also operates a platform that manages a publisher’s sale of online ads and tools to purchase display ad space.  Allegations against Google: Dominance of Google: Google’s search engine commands a 94% market share in the country. More than half of the total traffic on news websites is routed through Google. The search engine, by way of its algorithms and internal quality vetting, determines which news websites would be prioritised in search queries. Google not compensated news publishers for their contribution to (Google’s various) platforms and has engaged in practices to bolster its monopoly in the space. The DNPA had put forth that website publishers receive only 51% of the advertisement revenue. “Unilateral and non-transparent” determination and sharing of ad revenues, lack of transparency and information asymmetry in the ad-tech services provided by Google. This bothers the quality of services and innovation in the news realm. Publishers have been “forced” to integrate content on their platforms and use its buying tool, Google Ads/DV 360, to receive bids from advertisers. Encouraging members to disable header bidding – It refers to a programmatic bidding process that unifies multiple exchanges for a single bidding event. “Forcing” members into using their Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) or building mirror-like ‘light-weight’ webpages. However, it restricted paywall options unless publishers rebuild their websites as per AMP standards. Google represents the buyer and the seller in the same transaction, while also operating the auction house in the middle, and selling its own inventory. What is happening outside India? European Publishers Council filed an anti-trust complaint against Google. Australia introduced the ‘Media Bargaining Code’ to address the imbalance. Source: The Hindu                  Odisha’s Millet Mission Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Agriculture In News: The state launched the Odisha Millet Mission (OMM), which aims to bring millets back to its fields and food plates by encouraging farmers to grow the crops that traditionally formed a substantial part of the diet and crop system in tribal areas. About Odisha Millet Mission (OMM): To improve nutritional security and promote sustainable agricultural practices OMM also sells millet products, such as cookies, savoury snacks, vermicelli and processed millets, under a brand called “Millet Shakti” through food trucks, cafés, kiosks and other outlets. Green Revolution(GR): The Green Revolution within India commenced in 1968, during which agriculture in India was converted into a modern industrial system Mainly led by agricultural scientist M. S. Swaminathan in India, this period was part of the larger Green Revolution endeavour initiated by Norman E Borlaug. Features of GR: Introduction of new and high yielding variety of seeds including high disease resistance varieties so that production will enhance. Increased use of fertilizers, pesticides and weedicides in order to reduce agricultural loses. Use of latest agricultural machinery like tractor, seed drills, threshers and harvester. Provision of irrigation facilities. Significance: Increase in food grain production, especially in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Development of high-yielding varieties of wheat and rust resistant strains of wheat. The Green Revolution has transformed India to a food grain surplus country from a deficit one. MUST READ:  Negative impact of GR on soil About Millets: Millets are hardy, resilient crops that have a low carbon and water footprint, can withstand high temperatures and grow on poor soil. India is the 5th largest exporter of millets in the world and produces 21MT of millets annually. Types of millets: Pearl Millet aka Bajra – is a popular grain in North-West India, including Rajasthan and Haryana. The fulfilling millet helps keep a check on cholesterol and is also recommended for diabetics. Finger Millet aka Ragi – has multiple macronutrients and micronutrients such as Vitamin B3, folate and calcium. Buckwheat Millet aka Kuttu – A popular grain during Navratri, Kuttu is known to help manage blood pressure and aid weight loss too. Barnyard Millet aka Sanwa – is a gluten-free source of both insoluble and soluble fibres. Foxtail Millet aka Kangni – is a grain well-known for promoting good cardiac health and maintaining good hair and skin. Kodo Millet – is rich in fibre and iron and helps prevent constipation and control blood sugar. Source: Down to Earth Kadavur Slender Loris sanctuary Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Environment In News: In a first in the country, Tamil Nadu government notified Kaduvur Slender Loris sanctuary under Section 26 (A)(1)(b) of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. About: The Kadavur Slender Loris sanctuary is to cover 11,806 hectares in Karur and Dindigul districts. About Slender Lois: Slender Loris that are small nocturnal mammals are arboreal in nature as they spend most of their life on trees. The species acts as a biological predator of pests in agricultural crops and benefits farmers. Slender Loris has a wide range of ecological roles to play in the terrestrial ecosystem. The survival of the species depends on its habitat improvement, conservation efforts and mitigation of threats. IUCN status: Endangered Conservation measures in TN: Tamil Nadu government notified India’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay, Kazhuveli bird sanctuary in Villupuram and Nanjarayan Tank birds’ sanctuary in Tiruppur and the State’s fifth elephant reserve at Agasthyamalai in Tirunelveli. Further, 13 wetlands across the State were declared as Ramsar sites. Source:  The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) With reference to ‘dugong’, a mammal found in India, which of the following statements is/are correct?(2015) It is a herbivorous marine animal. It is found along the entire coast of India. It is given legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act; 1972. Select the correct answer using the code given below. 1 and 2 2 only 1 and 3 3 only Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Governance Context: Expanding the mandate of the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ scheme, the Central government recently announced the inclusion of skilling of girls in non-traditional livelihood (NTL) options in its flagship programme. The scheme will now also focus on increasing the enrolment of girls in secondary education, particularly in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subjects. Women have been historically under-represented areas such as technology. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between: Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Ministry of Minority Affairs. It emphasises convergence between Ministries and Departments to ensure adolescents complete their education, build skills, and enter the workforce in a diverse range of professions, including in STEM fields. A national committee headed by the Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development will be the apex committee to review the implementation of the scheme at regular intervals with State governments and Union Territory administrations. Need for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme: The scheme was launched after the national census results for 2011 revealed detraction in key gender metrics – Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB). CSR is defined as the number of girls per 1,000 boys aged 0-6 years. This ratio has showcased a steady decline, from 945 in 1999 to 927 in 2001. This declined further to 918 girls for every 1,000 boys in 2011. Dip in these ratios is a significant indicator of gender discrimination and women disempowerment. It also reflects both pre-birth discrimination through gender-biased, sex selective abortion and post-birth discrimination by neglecting health, nutrition, and educational needs of the girl child. About the Scheme: In 2015, the Indian government introduced the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme to address concerns of gender discrimination and women empowerment in the country. The scheme aims to educate citizens against gender bias and improve efficacy of welfare services for girls. It was launched with an initial funding of Rs. 100 crore. Objectives: Improve the child sex ratio Ensure gender equality and women empowerment Prevent gender-biased, sex selective elimination Ensure survival and protection of the girl child Encourage education and participation of the girl child Progress of the Scheme: The National SRB Index has shown an upward trend from 918 (2014-15) to 934 (2019-20), an improvement of 16 points in five years. 422 districts out of the 640 districts covered under BBBP have shown improvement in SRB from 2014-15 to 2018-19. The National Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of girls in secondary schools improved from 77.45 (2014-15) to 81.32 (2018-19). Proportion of schools with separate, functional toilets for girls rose from 92.1% in 2014-15 to 95.1% in 2018-19. Institutional deliveries rate soared from 87% in 2014-15 to 94% in 2019-20. Source: The Hindu Right to Information (RTI) Act Open in new window Syllabus Mains –GS 2 Governance In news: According to a report by the Satark Nagrik Sangathan, the backlog of appeals or complaints with regard to RTI Act is steadily increasing in commissions every year. Over 32,000 RTI appeals pending with Central Information Commission(CIC). About RTI Act: The RTI Act came into force with effect from October 2005. The Right to Information (RTI) is an act of the Parliament of India which sets out the principles and techniques in regards to citizens’ right to information. It supplanted the previous Freedom of Information Act, 2002. It is an initiative taken by Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. The basic object of Act is to empower the citizens, promote transparency and accountability in the working of the Government, contain corruption, and make our democracy work for the people in real sense. Provisions of RTI Act: any citizen of India may request information from a “public authority” (a body of Government or “instrumentality of State”) which is required to reply expeditiously or within thirty days. In case of matter involving a petitioner’s life and liberty, the information has to be provided within 48 hours. The Act also requires every public authority to computerize their records for wide dissemination and to proactively publish certain categories of information so that the citizens need minimum recourse to request for information formally. Section 13 of the original Act: It sets the term of the central Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners at five years (or until the age of 65, whichever is earlier) The Public Information Officer (PIO) or the First Appellate Authority in the public specialists performs semi-legal capacity of settling on the application and appeal individually. To document the request, pay Rs. 10 in cash or through bank draft or cash request or court expense stamp. Significance: It protects the fundamental rights to Freedom of Expression and Speech under Article 19(1)(a) and Right to Life and Personal Liberty under Article 21 guaranteed by the Constitution. The authorities under RTI Act 2005 are called public authorities. The Public Information Officer (PIO) or the First Appellate Authority in the public authorities perform quasi-judicial function of deciding on the application and appeal respectively. Pendency of cases in RTI: Statistics: Every day on an average, over 4800 RTI applications are filed. In the first ten years of the commencement of the act, over 17,500,000 applications had been filed. 2019 – 2.18 lakh from data obtained from 26 information commissions. 2020 – 2.33 lakh with data obtained from 23 information commissions, 2021 – nearly 2. 86 lakh complaints or appeals pending with 26 commissions 2022 – Nearly 3.15 lakh complaints or appeals In several commissions a large backlog of cases has built up, resulting in a long waiting time for disposal, as governments have failed to make appointments of information commissioners in a timely manner. Tardy disposal rates in several commissions and the lack of transparency in their functioning. Transparency International’s report says that till now more than 4.2 crore RTIs have been filed and 26 lakh second appeals are there before the commissions. States like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu State information commissions are getting more appeals than the Central government CIC. The top information commissions receiving maximum number of RTIs were Central government 1.19 crore, Maharashtra 86.06 lakh,  Tamil Nadu 36.99 lakh and Kerala 32.82 lakh. The highest number of pending cases were in Maharashtra at 99,722 followed by Uttar Pradesh at 44,482, Karnataka at 30,358, the Central Information Commission at 26,724 and Bihar at 21,346 Other challenges of RTI: Completely defunct: Two out of 29 information commissions across the country are completely defunct, four of them headless at the moment and only 5% of the positions being occupied by women. Three information commissions were found to be non-functional for varying lengths of time for the period under review as all posts of commissioners were vacant while two commissions were found to be completely defunct. Jharkhand and Tripura have been completely defunct for 29 months and 15 months respectively. Manipur, Telangana, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh are without chiefs. Also, several information commissions, including the Central Information Commission, are working at reduced capacity with less than the stipulated number of members being in office. Imposing of penalties: The commissions did not impose penalties in 95% of the cases where penalties were potentially imposable. The entire system was also in need of digitisation. Only 11 information commissions out of 29 provide e-filing facility for RTI applications or appeals, but only five are functional. Currently, 41 out of 165 posts of Chief Information Commissioner and information commissioners are vacant as compared to 36 last year in 2021. According to a separate report by the Transparency International, one-fourth information commissioner posts are vacant and there are only 5% (only 8) women information commissioners in the country. Out of total 165 posts of information commissioners, 42 are vacant, including two chief State information commissioners. Commissions are becoming parking lots for retired bureaucrats and the casual attitude by PIO/First Appellate Authority Way forward: Proper functioning of information commissions is crucial for people to realise their right to information. There is an urgent need for the transparency watchdogs to function in a more effective and transparent manner. The digital RTI portal (website or mobile app) can deliver more efficient and citizen-friendly services which are not possible through conventional mode. Source: The Hindu Surrogacy in India Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Governance Mains – GS 2 (Governance) Context: The recent announcement by Tamil film director Vignesh and his wife, actress Nayantara, that they had become parents to twin boys is building up into a controversy, with speculations that the couple opted for surrogacy. Meaning of Surrogacy: Surrogacy is defined as a practice wherein one woman bears and gives birth to a child with the intention to thereafter hand it over to the intending couple. While commercial surrogacy is not allowed in India such procedures are allowed only for altruistic purposes with many restrictions on the person seeking to apply under the law. No other monetary consideration will be permitted. The Surrogacy Laws in India: The parliament in 2021 passed two laws: The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act It governs the practice and process of surrogacy in India. It provided a gestation period of ten months from the date of coming into force to existing surrogate mothers’ to protect their wellbeing. The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act: It was enacted for regulation and supervision of the assisted reproductive technology clinics and banks. Under the Act, the services can be made available to a woman above the age of 21 years and below the age of 50 years and to a man above the age of 21 years and below the age of 55 years. ART procedures include gamete donation, intrauterine insemination, and in-vitro fertilisation or IVF. Major provisions of the Law: Eligibility: According to the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, only a married couple who has a medical condition necessitating gestational surrogacy can avail it. They have to first obtain a certificate of recommendation from a District Medical Board. Gestational surrogacy’ means: She has no uterus or missing uterus or abnormal uterus or if the uterus is surgically removed due to any medical conditions such as gynaecological cancer. Intended parent or woman who has repeatedly failed to conceive after multiple In vitro fertilization or Intracytoplasmic sperm injection attempts. Multiple pregnancy losses resulting from an unexplained medical reason, unexplained graft rejection due to exaggerated immune response; Any illness that makes it impossible for a woman to carry a pregnancy to viability or pregnancy that is life threatening. An intending woman who is a widow or divorcee between the age of 35 to 45 years- can also avail the surrogacy. The intending couple where the woman is of the age of 23 to 50 years and a man between 26 to 55 years- is eligible under the law. Only such intending couples can apply who have not had any surviving child biologically or through adoption or earlier surrogacy. An exception has been provided for the couples whose child is “mentally or physically challenged or suffers from life threatening disorder or fatal illness with no permanent cure”. The intending couple or intending woman is not allowed to abandon the child, born out of a surrogacy procedure, for any reason whatsoever. A child born out of a surrogacy procedure is deemed to be a biological child of the intending couple or intending woman. Eligibility to be a surrogate mother A married woman of the age of 25 to 35 years on the day of implantation, with a child of her own, can be a surrogate mother. She can act as a surrogate mother only once in her lifetime and with only three attempts of procedure is allowed. The woman has to give a written informed consent for the purpose and also be medically and psychologically fit. No charges other than medical expenses can be given to the surrogate mother or her dependents or her representative by the intending couple or woman. Abortion A surrogate mother can be allowed abortion during the process of surrogacy only in accordance with the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. She also cannot disclose the identity of the couple seeking the surrogacy. Penalty Offences under the Act include commercial surrogacy, selling of embryos, exploiting, abandoning a surrogate child etc. These may invite up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs. 10 lakh. Regulation of Surrogacy Clinics No Surrogacy Clinic can conduct or associate with or help in any manner in conducting the surrogacy procedure unless it is registered under the law. Major Challenges: The two Acts have been described as discriminatory against the single man who may desire to become a father via surrogacy or the married woman who already has a child and is desirous of expanding her family through the procedure. Disqualifying other persons on basis of nationality, marital status, sexual orientation or age does not pass the test of equality. Reproductive autonomy: inclusive of the right to procreation and parenthood, is not within the domain of the State. Infertility cannot be compulsory to undertake surrogacy: the certificate to prove infertility is a violation of privacy as part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. India as Surrogacy hub: India has emerged as a hub for infertility treatment, attracting people from the world over with its state-of-the-art technology and competitive prices to treat infertility. Way forward: Surrogacy is legal in India but making it commercial is illegal. It is a humanitarian act and is recognized by law. Surrogacy comes under the reproductive choices of women and it is included as a fundamental right under the purview of Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. Prior to the coming into effect of the laws, the Indian Council of Medical Research had issued a ‘Code of Practice, Ethical Consideration and Legal Issues’ for clinics involved in such procedures. The guidelines said surrogacy by assisted conception should normally be considered only for patients for whom it would be physically or “medically impossible” to carry a baby to term and that a surrogate mother should not be over 45 years of age. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the Maternity Benefit Amendment Act, 2017?  (2019) Pregnant women are entitled for three months pre-delivery and three months post-delivery paid leave. Enterprises with creches must allow the mother minimum six creche visits daily. Women with two children get reduced entitlements. Select the correct answer using the code given below. 1 and 2 only 2 only 3 only 1, 2 and 3 The Court and the problem with its collegium Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Polity and Governance Mains – GS 2 (Polity and Governance) Context: The incumbent Chief Justice of India (CJI), Justice U.U. Lalit, had set in motion the procedure contemplated for the collegium of the Supreme Court which is enshrined in the Memorandum of Procedure of 1999. He also forwarded the name of Justice D Chandrachud as his successor. This has again put in focus the institution of the ‘collegium’ system that rules the appointments in higher judiciary. About the collegium system: ‘Collegium’ is an in-house mechanism of higher judiciary in India, created for the appointment and transfer of judges, that has evolved through judgments of the Supreme Court (SC), and not by any Act of Parliament or Constitutional provision. Evolution of the Collegium System: First Judges Case (1981): It declared that the “primacy” of the Chief Justice of India (CJI)s recommendation on judicial appointments and transfers can be refused for “cogent reasons.” The ruling gave the Executive primacy over the Judiciary in judicial appointments for the next 12 years. Second Judges Case (1993): SC introduced the Collegium system, holding that “consultation” really meant “concurrence”. It added that it was not the CJI’s individual opinion, but an institutional opinion formed in consultation with the two senior-most judges in the SC.  Third Judges Case (1998): SC on President’s reference expanded the Collegium to a five-member body, comprising the CJI and four of his senior-most colleagues while HC collegium is led by its Chief Justice and four other senior most judges of that court. Names recommended for appointment by a HC collegium reaches the government only after approval by the CJI and the SC collegium. Judges of the higher judiciary are appointed only through the collegium system and the government has a role only after names have been decided by the collegium. The government’s role is limited to getting an inquiry conducted by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) if a lawyer is to be elevated as a judge in a High Court or the Supreme Court. It can also raise objections and seek clarifications regarding the collegium’s choices, but if the collegium reiterates the same names, the government is bound, under Constitution Bench judgments, to appoint them as judges. Criticisms of the collegium system: Time and again, it has been widely commented that the collegium is an extra-constitutional or non-constitutional body brought in force by judgments of the Supreme Court virtually wresting the power of appointment of judges. The Constitution of India gave the last word to the President of India but mandated consultation with the Court. These judgments give the last word to the Court mandating consultation with the government. Not only that, what makes the problem even worse is that there is no seat in the collegium for any non-judge — neither from the executive, the Bar or anywhere else. In other words, there is no one to offer suggestions or raise questions or even to observe what is going on. In 2014, Parliament by unanimity backed by State legislatures enacted the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC). it comprised three judges, the Law Minister and two eminent persons to handle the task of appointing judges. By a 4:1 majority, the Supreme Court struck that down, setting at naught the entire legislative will of the country which was trying to reverse a constitutional coup. If the Court was concerned about being overruled in appointments, it could have just tinkered with and read down the Act, deleted the second eminent person and thus secured a situation where the judges were in the majority. This would have secured judicial primacy, provided for some executive involvement as well as had one person representing a larger public constituency. This has put entire process of judicial appointments under a cloud of secrecy, insularity and opacity. About NJAC: By the 99th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2014, the National Judicial Commission Act (NJAC) was brought in to replace the collegium system for the appointment of judges. NJAC restored to some extent the executive primacy in judicial appointments, as envisaged by our Constitutional makers. NJAC was established to achieve greater transparency and accountability for the appointment of judges. But it was struck down by the Supreme Court on the grounds that it was against the “Independence of Judiciary” i.e., Principles of Basic Structure since it involved the Political Executive in the appointment of Judges. Constitutional Provision: Article 124: Establishment and constitution of Supreme Court: “There shall be a Supreme Court of India consisting of a Chief Justice of India and, until Parliament by law prescribes a larger number, of not more than seven other Judges. Every Judge of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his/her hand and seal after consultation with such of the Judges of the Supreme Court and of the High Court in the States as President may deem necessary for the purpose and shall hold office until he attains the age of 65 years.” In judicial appointments, it is obligatory for the President to consider the opinion of the Chief Justice of India. Way Forward: In recent times, the Government seems to have given up on pursuing the commission for judicial appointments. It is time to revisit this question and secure a better, broad-based and transparent method of appointing senior judges to the High Courts and the Supreme Court. While doing so, we may also ask why there have been no appointments from the category of distinguished jurists which Article 124 of the Constitution contemplates. Appointments to the top court seem to be the preserve of judges from the High Courts with a handful of appointments from the Bar. Filling up of vacancies is a continuous and collaborative process involving the executive and the judiciary, so it is time to think of a permanent, independent body to institutionalize the process with adequate safeguards to preserve the judiciary’s independence guaranteeing judicial primacy but not judicial exclusivity. The mechanism for judicial appointments and transfer should ensure judicial independence, reflect diversity, demonstrate professional competence and integrity. Instead of selecting the number of judges required against a certain number of vacancies, the collegium must provide a panel of possible names to the President to appoint in order of preference and other valid criteria. Apart from the above suggestions, government may also examine the feasibility of reviving the idea of a National Judicial Oversight Committee (NJOC) that gives executive greater role in ensuring transparency and efficiency in higher judiciary of India. Source:  The Hindu Previous Year Questions Q.1) With reference to Indian Judiciary, consider the following statements. Any retired judge of the Supreme Court of India can be called back to sit by the Chief Justice of India with prior permission of the President of India. A High court in India has the power to review its own judgement as the Supreme Court does. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?  (2021) 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements: The- motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. The Constitution of India defines and gives details of what Constitutes ‘incapacity and proved misbehaviour’ of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India. The details of the process of impeachment of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India are given in the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. If the motion for the impeachment of a Judge is taken up for voting, the law requires the motion to be backed by each House of the Parliament and supported by a majority of total membership of that House and by not less than two-thirds of total members of that House present and voting. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?  (2019) 1 and 2 3 only 3 and 4 only 1, 3 and 4 Oceans Rises Some Nations Doomed Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Environment Mains – GS 3 (Environment and Ecology) Context: According to UN climate experts, sea levels have already risen 15 to 25 cm (six to 10 inches) since 1900, and the pace of rise is accelerating, especially in some tropical areas. According to a study cited by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, five nations (the Maldives, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, Nauru and Kiribati) may become uninhabitable by 2100, creating 600,000 stateless climate refugees. Key facts about Sea level rise: Over the past century, the average height of the sea has risen more consistently—less than a centimetre every year, but those small additions add up. Today, sea level is 6 to 10 inches (6-25 centimetres) higher on average than it was in 1900. That’s a pretty big change: for the previous 2,000 years, sea level hadn’t changed much at all. The rate of sea level rise has also increased over time. Between 1900 and 1990 studies show that sea level rose between 1.2 millimetres and 1.7 millimetres per year on average. By 2000, that rate had increased to about 3.2 millimetres per year and the rate in 2016 is estimated at 3.4 millimetres per year. Causes for rising sea level: Scientists agree that the changes in climate evident today are largely caused by human activity, and it’s climate change that drives sea level rise. Sea level started rising in the late 1800s, soon after we started burning coal, gas and other fossil fuels for energy. When burned, these high-energy fuel sources send carbon dioxide up into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide absorbs heat from the sun and traps it, warming the atmosphere and the planet. As the planet gets warmer, sea level rises for two reasons. First, warmer temperatures cause ice on land like glaciers and ice sheets to melt, and the meltwater flows into the ocean to increase sea level. Second, warm water expands and takes up more space than colder water, increasing the volume of water in the sea. Difference between global and local sea levels: Global sea level trends and relative sea level trends are different measurements. Just as the surface of the Earth is not flat, the surface of the ocean is also not flat—in other words, the sea surface is not changing at the same rate globally. Sea level rise at specific locations may be more or less than the global average due to many local factors: subsidence, upstream flood control, erosion, regional ocean currents, variations in land height, and whether the land is still rebounding from the compressive weight of Ice Age glaciers. Sea level is primarily measured using tide stations and satellite laser altimeters. Tide stations around the globe tell us what is happening at a local level—the height of the water as measured along the coast relative to a specific point on land. Satellite measurements provide us with the average height of the entire ocean. Taken together, these tools tell us how our ocean sea levels are changing over time. Vulnerability to Island Nations: The IPCC report pointed that the global mean sea level in the Indian Ocean is rising at 3.7 meters annually, adding that extreme sea level events that previously occurred once every 100 years, will now be seen nearly every year, contributing to more frequent and severe coastal flooding in low-lying areas and coastal erosion. This seriously comes up as a major threat to the low-lying island nations of the Indian Ocean like the Maldives etc. Even the coastal areas of the nations like India and Africa are under serious threat from the sea level rise. Sea level rise will hit the coasts the hardest. Over the coming centuries, land that is today home to between 470 and 760 million coastal residents will be inundated by sea level rise associated with a 4 degree Celsius warming that will occur if we fail to curb the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Much of this population lives in cities. Sea level rise already makes storms more dangerous, causing more flooding and damage in areas crowded with people and it will affect different parts of the world differently, with some parts of the planet being particularly hard hit. Various steps taken to tackle sea level rise: Relocation: Many coastal cities have planned to adopt relocation as a mitigation strategy. For example, Kiribati Island has planned to shift to Fiji, while the Capital of Indonesia is being relocated from Jakarta to Borneo. Building Sea Wall: Indonesia’s government launched a coastal development project called a Giant Sea Wall or “Giant Garuda” in 2014 meant to protect the city from floods. Using Beaches as Barriers: Similar to seawalls, beaches and dunes can act as a natural wall and reduce the impact of storm surges. The bigger the beach or larger the dune, the more water can be stopped from reaching homes and roads. Towns can add sand to make beaches bigger or to prevent them from eroding. Using this type of natural infrastructure can protect against flooding while maintaining beaches for the community to enjoy. Building Enclosures: Researchers have proposed Northern European Enclosure Dam (NEED), enclosing all of the North Sea to protect 15 Northern European countries from rising seas. The Persian Gulf, the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Irish Sea, and the Red Sea were also identified as areas that could benefit from similar mega enclosures. Architecture to Steer Flow of Water: Dutch City Rotterdam built barriers, drainage, and innovative architectural features such as a “water square” with temporary ponds. Across the globe, we can see innovative and resourceful solutions from communities that are coming together to combat sea level rise. Such solutions can become the guiding path for other cities to follow. Source:  The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) “Climate Action Tracker” which monitors the emission reduction pledges of different countries is : (2022) Database created by coalition of research organisations Wing of “International Panel of Climate Change” Committee under “United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change” Agency promoted and financed by United Nations Environment Programme and World Bank Q.2) Which one of the following statements best describes the term ‘Social Cost of Carbon’? It is a measure, in monetary value, of the (2020) long-term damage done by a tonne of CO2, emissions in a given year requirement of fossil fuels for a country to provide goods and services to its citizens, based on the burning of those fuels efforts put in by a climate refugee to adapt to live in a new place contribution of an individual person to the carbon footprint on the planet Earth Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Economy and Governance Mains – GS 2 (Governance) and GS 3 (Economy) Context: Probing the links between twin balance sheet crisis and external commodity shocks could lead to a better understanding of the problem of resolving Non Performing Assets. Definition of NPAs: Non-Performing Assets: In most cases, debt is classified as non-performing, when the loan payments have not been made for a minimum period of 90 days. Twin balance sheet crisis: A twin balance sheet is a scenario where banks are under severe stress and the corporates are overleveraged to the extent that they cannot repay their loans. Categories of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) Based upon the period to which a loan has remained as NPA, it is classified into 3 types: Substandard Assets: An asset which remains as NPAs for less than or equal to 12 months. Doubtful Assets: An asset which remained in the above category for 12 months. Loss Assets: Asset where loss has been identified by the bank or the RBI, however, there may be some value remaining in it. Therefore, loan has not been not completely written off. Reasons for rise in NPAs: Governance issues: Poor management in public sector banks stemming from government ownership has been cited as the major causes of the NPA crisis. Wrong narrative: The government ownership does not explain the improvement in performance that public sector banks saw throughout the 2000s.It is improbable that governance improved suddenly (late 2000s) and dwindled subsequently (2011-18). Distinct business models: A careful examination of the data gives overwhelming evidence that a large fraction of the difference between NPAs in the public and private sector banks arose due to differences in their business models. Price decline: The rise in NPAs from 2011 onwards coincides with the fall in international commodity prices. No NPA stress despite pandemic: It is because of the commodity price boom in the last two years that despite the worst kind of economic crisis due to Covid-19, hardly any stress in the banking sector during the pandemic is heard. Statistics: According to the Reserve Bank of India’s latest financial stability report, gross non-performing loans (GNPAs) of the banking system have declined from 7.4 per cent in March 2021 to a six-year low of 5.9 per cent in March 2022. Impacts of rise in NPAs: Lenders suffer a lowering of profit margins. Stress in banking sector causes less money available to fund other projects, therefore, negative impact on the larger national economy. Higher interest rates by the banks to maintain the profit margin. Redirecting funds from the good projects to the bad ones. As investments got stuck, it may result in it may result in unemployment. Investors do not get rightful returns. Balance sheet syndrome of Indian characteristics that is both the banks and the corporate sector have stressed balance sheet and causes halting of the investment-led development process. NPAs related cases add more pressure to already pending cases with the judiciary. Government’s Initiatives to tackle NPAs: Lok Adalats – 2001 They are helpful in tackling and recovery of small loans however they are limited up to 5 lakh rupees loans only by the RBI guidelines issued in 2001. They are positive in the sense that they avoid more cases into the legal system. Compromise Settlement – 2001 It provides a simple mechanism for recovery of NPA for the advances below Rs. 10 Crores. It covers lawsuits with courts and DRTs (Debt Recovery Tribunals) however wilful default and fraud cases are excluded. SARFAESI Act – 2002 The Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act, 2002 – The Act permits Banks / Financial Institutions to recover their NPAs without the involvement of the Court, through acquiring and disposing of the secured assets in NPA accounts with an outstanding amount of Rs. 1 lakh and above. Mission Indradhanush – 2015 The Indradhanush framework for transforming the PSBs represents the most comprehensive reform effort undertaken since banking nationalization in the year 1970 to revamp the Public Sector Banks (PSBs) and improve their overall performance. Insolvency and Bankruptcy code Act-2016 It has been formulated to tackle the Chakravyuaha Challenge (Economic Survey) of the exit problem in India. The aim of this law is to promote entrepreneurship, availability of credit, and balance the interests of all stakeholders by consolidating and amending the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons, partnership firms and individuals in a time-bound manner and for maximization of value of assets of such persons and matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. Bad Banks – 2017 A bad bank is a corporate structure that isolates illiquid and high-risk assets or non-performing loans held by a bank or a financial organisation. It is also referred to as Asset Management Company (AMC). The concept of a bad bank originated at the Pittsburgh headquartered Mellon Bank in 1988. The idea and discussions over bad bank have been in place since 2015 when former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan started a debate on bad bank as a possible solution to the problem of NPAs. Afterwards, former Interim Finance Minister put forth the idea of National ARC on a recommendation of the Committee headed by Sunil Mehta. The Economic Survey 2017 also propounded to create a Public Sector Asset Rehabilitation Agency (PARA). National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd: National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd.(NARCL), India’s first-ever Bad Bank, was set up in 2021, and RBI has recently granted the same under the SARFAESI Act 2002. If the bad bank is unable to sell the bad loan or has to sell it at a loss, then the government guarantee will be invoked. To manage assets with the help of market professionals and turnaround experts, the Government will also set up India Debt Resolution Company Ltd. (IDRCL) along with NARCL. The IDRCL is a service company or an operational entity wherein public sector banks (PSBs) and PFIs will hold a maximum of 49% stake and the rest will be with private-sector lenders. When the assets are sold, with the help of IDRCL, the commercial banks will be paid back the rest. Way Forward: There must be a sunset clause to the resolution process through Bad Banks. It is quintessential to develop time-bound strategies for the resolution of assets, or else the bad bank will be reduced to a mere parking space of bad loans. Bad Banks should have a suitable mechanism in place that can facilitate funding for maintaining the quality of assets till their resolution. Banks have to accept losses on loans (or ‘haircuts’). They should be able to do so without any fear of harassment by the investigative agencies. The Indian Banks’ Association has set up a six-member panel to oversee resolution plans of lead lenders. To expedite resolution, more such panels are required. An alternative is to set up a Loan Resolution Authority, if necessary, through an Act of Parliament. Also, the government must infuse at one go whatever additional capital is needed to recapitalise banks — providing such capital in multiple instalments is not helpful. The pandemic has hit the economy hard and has exposed the vulnerabilities of our banking system. Source:  Indian Express Daily Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) The term ‘header bidding’ is used in the context of which of the following: Online news dissemination Market-related auction of dated securities 5G spectrum allocation Captive coal mining Q.2) Consider the following statements: ‘Right to information’ is a fundamental right. Under RTI Act, request for information must be replied within 60 days. In case of matter involving a petitioner’s life and liberty, the information has to be provided within 48 hours. Which of the statements given above is/are correct: 1 only 2 only 1 and 3 2 and 3 Q.3) With reference to India’s biodiversity, consider the following statements: India’s first Slender Loris sanctuary was recently notified by Kerala government in the part of Nilgiri hills in the state. The species acts as a biological predator of pests in agricultural crops and benefits farmers. Its IUCN red list status is Critically Endangered (CR). Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 only 1 and 3 only 3 only Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’13th October 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs. ANSWERS FOR 12th October – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) – d   Q.2) – c Q.3) – a table, td, th { border: 1px solid;} table {width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; }

Oct 13, 2022 Baba’s Explainer

Baba's Explainer - Jay Prakash Narayan (JP)

ARCHIVES Syllabus GS-1: The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.  Context: Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled a 15-foot statue of Jayaprakash Narayan or JP on his 120th birth anniversary on October 11, at the socialist icon’s birthplace, Sitab Diara village in Bihar’s Saran district. Leaders from across the political spectrum paid tribute to the freedom fighter and anti-Emergency campaigner. Who was Jayaprakash Narayan, what movement did he lead and who are the political leaders whose careers kick-started at the time? We explain. Who was JP? JP was born in 1902 in Bihar’s Sitab Diara, a village prone to frequent-flooding, after which his family moved to a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Balia district. He quit college to join the non-cooperation movement, before going to study at the University of California, Berkeley, where he was influenced by the ideas of Karl Marx. Jayaprakash came to the conclusion that Marxism was the best strategy for easing the suffering of the masses after hearing news of the Bolsheviks’ victory in the Russian Civil War. He returned to India in 1929 and joined the freedom struggle and the Indian National Congress, upon the invitation of Jawaharlal Nehru and drawn by a speech by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. Maulana was a master orator, and when he urged people to stop studying English, Jayaprakash was “swept away and briefly lifted to the skies” as he put it. The momentary sensation of riding on a strong wind of a great idea left imprints on his inner being”. With only 20 days left until his exams, Jayaprakash took Maulana’s advice to heart and left Bihar National College. Jayaprakash enrolled in the Rajendra Prasad-founded Bihar Vidyapeeth and became one of Anugraha Narayan Sinha’s original students. In 1932 he was sentenced to a year’s imprisonment for his participation in the civil disobedience movement against British rule in India. Upon release he took a leading part in the formation of the Congress Socialist Party, a left-wing group within the Congress Party He was imprisoned by the British again in 1939 for his opposition to Indian participation in World War II on the side of Britain, but he subsequently made a dramatic escape and for a short time tried to organize violent resistance to the government before his recapture in 1943. After his release in 1946 he tried to persuade the Congress leaders to adopt a more militant policy against British rule. In 1948 he, together with most of the Congress Socialists, left the Congress Party and in 1952 formed the Socialist Party, which was merged with J B Kripalani’s Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party to form the Praja Socialist Party While Nehru was keen on JP joining the Union government, JP sought to distance himself from electoral politics, opting to focus on social causes He was disillusioned with political parties and called for communitarian democracy. Parties, he believed, were centralised and susceptible to moral and financial corruption. Soon becoming dissatisfied with party politics, he announced in 1954 that he would thenceforth devote his life exclusively to the Bhoodan Yajna Movement. Bhoodan movement founded by Vinoba Bhave demanded that land be distributed among the landless. What was the JP Movement? Students in Gujarat began demonstrating in late 1973, in response to mounting mess bills. The protests became widespread in the state, with workers, teachers and several other groups joining in the movement, calling for a change in government. JP saw the youth of Gujarat that had been able to bring about political change as an alternative route from electoral politics, and recognised the power of students in helping him realise his ideas of a new politics, distinct from the one he had grown weary of. The protests against corruption grew widespread, and students of Bihar began their movement in March 1974. The students approached JP, who left his self-imposed political exile and led the movement. In 1974 Narayan suddenly burst on the national political scene as a severe critic of what he saw as the corrupt and increasingly undemocratic government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. At a rally in Patna on June 5, he called for Sampoorna Kranti (Total Revolution). He advocated a program of social transformation by participation of youth in social activities. Although he gained a following from students and opposition politicians, there was less enthusiasm from the masses. The next year a lower court convicted Gandhi of corrupt election practices, and Narayan called for her resignation. Instead, she declared a national emergency and this propelled JP to emerge as National face against the anti-emergency movement. What was JPs opposition to Emergency? When Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency on June 25, 1975, JP shifted his focus to opposing authoritarian rule and opposition parties looked to him for leadership. The Socialists were naturally drawn to him ideologically, while the RSS and its political front the Jana Sangh sought to return to the mainstream, and were happy to be dissolved into the Janata Party that JP had formed. As a repressive measure by Indira Gandhi government to crackdown on political opposition, JP was jailed Narayan along with other opposition leaders. In prison his health broke down. He was released after five months but never regained his health. However, JP is celebrated for launching a popular, mass movement against the Indira Gandhi government. Upon Narayan’s call, a large number of young people joined the JP movement. On January 18, 1977, Indira Gandhi declared the emergency to be over and called for elections. Under JP’s direction, the Janata Party was created as a vehicle for the diverse Indira Gandhi opposition. The Janata Party was elected into office and established the first centrally located non-Congress government after Indira Gandhi and her party were defeated in elections in 1977. Narayan advised the victorious Janata party in its choice of leaders to head the new administration. What was his view on communalism and Majoritarianism? In order to rebuild politics and the state from the grassroots level, where real power would be with people’s movements, JP had to engage with the RSS and the Jana Sangh, despite disagreeing with them on many counts. During an address to a national conference in 1968, JP said that while every religious community had its own version of communalism, Hindu communalism was more dangerous than the others because “Hindu communalism can easily masquerade as Indian nationalism and denounce all opposition to it as being anti-national”. He further stated that “such kind of masquerading is pregnant with national disintegration, because members of other communities can never accept the position of second class citizens. Such a situation, therefore, has in it the seeds of perpetual conflict and ultimate disruption” Main Practice Question: Discuss the contributions made by Jayaprakash Narayan to pre and post independent India. Note: Write answer his question in the comment section. table{ border: 1px solid; } table tr, table td{ border: 1px solid; }

Oct 13, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 13th October 2022

For Previous Daily Quiz (ARCHIVES) – CLICK HERE The Current Affairs questions are based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, which are very important sources for UPSC Prelims Exam. The questions are focused on both the concepts and facts. The topics covered here are generally different from what is being covered under ‘Daily Current Affairs/Daily News Analysis (DNA) and Daily Static Quiz’ to avoid duplication. The questions would be published from Monday to Saturday before 2 PM. One should not spend more than 10 minutes on this initiative. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” Important Note: Don’t forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today’s test 🙂After completing the 5 questions, click on ‘View Questions’ to check your score, time taken, and solutions.To take the Test Click Here

Oct 12, 2022 IASbaba's Courses

Sociology Optional Foundation Course for UPSC 2023/2024 by Abhijeet Srivastava Sir – ONLINE (LIVE) & OFFLINE (BANGALORE) Starts 10th November

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Oct 12, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 12th October 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) Space Economy of India Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science and Technology and Economy Context: Indian space economy is set to reach $13 billion by 2025, according to a joint report prepared by EY and the Indian Space Association (ISpA), an apex industry association of space and satellite companies in the country. Important points from the report: The satellite launch services segment is set to witness the fastest growth spurred by increasing private participation. The growing demand for smaller satellites is set to boost satellite manufacturing in the country and will attract global start-ups in the sector to help incubate space tech companies here. In dollar terms, the satellite services and applications segment would be the largest with a turnover of USD 4.6 billion by 2025, followed by ground segment at USD 4 billion, satellite manufacturing at USD 3.2 billion and launch services at USD 1 billion. Indian space launch is expected to get a boost due to the government’s positive step towards the inclusion of private players in the Indian space ecosystem. The availability of low-cost satellite launch vehicles coupled with mass production will lead to demand from customers around the world. Setting up space parks across the country is likely to give a fillip to companies operating across the space value chain, especially manufacturing. Several companies are utilising cutting-edge technologies to develop innovative launch solutions in India and have built considerable expertise around the launch of LEO, MEO and GEO satellites and orbit management solutions. Currently, India boasts of over 100 space tech start-ups with investments in the segment touching USD 68 million in 2021. Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) Which one of the following statements best reflects the idea behind the “Fractional Orbital Bombardment System” often talked about in media? (2022) A hypersonic missile is launched into space to counter the asteroid approaching the Earth and explode it in space. A spacecraft lands on another planet after making several orbital motions. A missile is put into a stable orbit around the Earth and deorbits over a target on the Earth. A spacecraft moves along a comet with the same surface. speed and places a probe on its Sodium Chromate Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Economy and Environment Context: A section of environmentalists have flagged irregularities in the draft Environmental Impact Assessment report for a proposed chemical plant in Telangana’s Nalgonda district. More than 96% resources of chromite are located in Odisha, mostly in Jajpur, Kendujhar and Dhenkanal districts. Minor deposits are scattered over Manipur, Nagaland, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key details about Sodium Chromate and dichromate: Sodium Chromate: Sodium chromate is the inorganic compound with the formula Na2CrO4. It exists as a yellow hygroscopic solid, which can form tetra-, hexa-, and decahydrates. It is an intermediate in the extraction of chromium from its ores. Sodium chromate is It is obtained on a vast scale by roasting chromium ores in air in the presence of sodium carbonate The compound is also corrosive and exposure may produce severe eye damage or blindness. Human exposure further encompasses impaired fertility, heritable genetic damage and harm to unborn children. Sodium dichromate: Sodium chromate converts to sodium dichromate when treated with acids. Sodium dichromate is a hazardous chemical. It is corrosive to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Exposure to the substance may cause affect kidney and liver. Even a brief exposure to the substance can damage tissues. Repeated or prolonged inhalation may cause nasal ulceration. This may result in perforation of the nasal septum. The substance is very toxic to aquatic organisms. It may cause long-term effects on the marine environment. Uses of Sodium Chromate: Production of chromium from its ores. Used as a corrosion inhibitor in the petroleum industry. A dyeing auxiliary in the textile industry. A diagnostic pharmaceutical in determining red blood cell volume. In organic chemistry, sodium chromate is used as an oxidant, converting primary alcohols to carboxylic acids and secondary alcohols to ketones. Sodium chromate is a strong oxidizer. Source: Down To Earth Previous Year Question Q.1) Magnetite particles, suspected to cause neurodegenerative problems are generated as environmental pollutants from which of the following?   (2021) Brakes of motor vehicles Engines of motor vehicles Microwave stoves within homes Power plants Telephone lines Select the correct answer using the code given below 1, 2, 3 and 5only 1, 2 and 4 only 3, 4 and 5 only 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Tele-MANAS Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs In news: Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) initiative launched on occasion of World Mental Health Day. Tele-MANAS aims to provide free tele-mental health services all over the country, particularly catering to people in remote or under-served areas. About: It’s an initiative of Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare NIMHANS will be the nodal centre while National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHRSC), IIT Bengaluru and IIITB will provide technology support. The services will be available 24×7 on Toll Free Number– 14416, allowing callers to select the language of choice for availing services. At least One Tele-MANAS Cell to be established in each State/UT. Tele-MANAS will be organised in two tier system; Tier 1 comprises of state Tele-MANAS cells which include trained counsellors and mental health specialists. Tier 2 will comprise of specialists at District Mental Health Programme (DMHP)/Medical College resources for physical consultation and/or e-Sanjeevani for audio visual consultation. Presently there are 5 regional coordination centres along with 51 State/UT Tele MANAS cells. The initial rollout providing basic support and counselling through centralized Interactive Voice Response system (IVRS) is being customized for use across all States and UTs. Specialised care is being envisioned through the programme by linking Tele-MANAS with other services like National tele-consultation service, e-Sanjeevani, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, mental health professionals, Ayushman Bharat health and wellness centres and emergency psychiatric facilities. Eventually, this will include the entire spectrum of mental wellness and illness, and integrate all systems that provide mental health care. Source:  PIB The Nord Stream pipelines Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science & Technology In News: The recent Nord Stream explosions in the Baltic took place northeast of Bornholm, a major dumping ground for German chemicals and explosives including mustard gas. About Mustard Gas: Mustard gas or sulphur mustard is a cytotoxic and blister agent used in warfare which is not actually a gas, but is in the form of a fine mist of liquid droplets Such compounds prevent cellular division, leading to programmed cell death. Alternatively, if cell death is not immediate, the damaged DNA can lead to the development of cancer. Oxidative stress is another pathology involved in mustard gas toxicity. It can form large blisters on exposed skin and in the lungs. Relation with Nord Stream: During the pre-laying works for Nord Stream 1 in the Danish EEZ, four KC 250 mustard gas bombs were discovered. Effects: Mustard gas has burned people in the area including 25 Polish fishermen, and 102 children. The chemicals have severely affected marine life around Bornholm contaminating 196 tonnes of fish MUST READ: Nord Stream Pipeline Source:  Down to Earth Previous Year Question Q.1) With reference to two non-conventional energy sources called ‘coalbed methane’ and ‘shale gas’, consider the following statements: Coalbed methane is the pure methane gas extracted from coal seams, while shale gas is a mixture of propane and butane only that can be extracted from fine-grained sedimentary rocks. In India, abundant coalbed methane sources exist, but so far, no shale gas sources have been found. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ASAT weapons Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science and Technology In News: India’s anti-satellite (ASAT) test in March 2019 made it the fourth country (after the United States, Russia, and China) to have a demonstrated ASAT capability. Indian Context: India for decades has had a policy against the Weaponization of space, however India had remained concerned about China’s growing space power since its first successful ASAT test in January 2007. This pushed India to invest in its own capabilities to deter China. Therefore, even states that want to keep their space programmes focused on civilian applications will likely focus on national security considerations under duress. Concerns: A classic security dilemma where all sides end up worse off –  As long as certain countries believe they have a legitimate security interest in pursuing an ASAT capability, others will find ways to justify it as well. It accentuates regional insecurities rather than diminishing the threats faced by countries. China’s increasing tendency to use force, including potentially in outer space, has increased the vulnerabilities not just for the big powers but for India as well. ASAT weapons and such systems make other states vulnerable. Compared to the Cold War days and the superpower rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, the competition now involves many more countries. Also, given the much larger dependence on space by all major space powers, including for conventional military operations, the temptations for targeting each other’s space assets are that much higher. Solutions: One fortunate aspect is that ASAT weapons have not been deployed yet by states. They are still in the phase of demonstration of technical feasibility. This provides a narrow window of opportunity to prevent deterrence requirements from driving state policy in outer space. This necessitates urgent multilateral discussions on ways to reduce tensions, enhance openness and transparency. The US decision for a unilateral moratorium on destructive ASAT tests is gaining some interest. Acknowledging the dangers of ASAT weapons and making ASAT tests a prime issue in multilateral arms control discussions. A limited conversation among the four ASAT powers can be a starting point and a step in the right direction. The current Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) under the UN on reducing space threats through norms, rules, and principles of responsible behaviours could be a platform that might generate such commitments. Indian ASAT: Mission Shakti: On 27 March 2019, India tested an anti-satellite weapon (ASAT). The target of the test was a satellite present in a low Earth orbit, which was hit with a kinetic kill vehicle. India’s ASAT test hit a target satellite at an altitude of 300 kilometres. The ASAT test utilized a modified anti-ballistic missile interceptor code-named Prithvi Defence Vehicle Mark-II which was developed under Project XSV-1. The test made India the fourth country after the United States, Russia and China to have tested an ASAT weapon. The test sparked concerns regarding the creation of space debris. Others: U.S.: In 2008, US Navy fired RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 ABM weapon at a decaying satellite Russia: In 2015, Russia successfully conducted anti-satellite mission known as PL-19 Nudol. China: In 2017, China destroyed a satellite called Fengyun-1C with a kinetic kill warhead Source: Observer Research Foundation Neo-Buddhism Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Environment In News: Every year Dussehra is also celebrated as Ashoka Vijaya Dashami to commemorate Buddhist Conversion Day. On October 14, 1956, Ambedkar embraced Buddhism in a grand ceremony at Nagpur’s Deekshabhoomi, along with more than five lakh followers. The neo-Buddhism adopted by Ambedkar is called Navyana Buddhism. Navayana Buddhism: To end the inhuman practice of untouchability, in 1935, Ambedkar, as president of the ‘Yeola Conversion Conference’, announced his decision to renounce Hinduism and asked the depressed castes to leave Hinduism entirely. After a detailed contemplation on various religions, Buddhism was chosen as It is rational and progressive It challenged the Brahmanical caste-based social hierarchies It focused on modern ethical values and a scientific temperament and preached peace and compassion for social coexistence He then recited the three jewels (Trisharan), five precepts (Panchsheel), pronounced the self-crafted 22 vows. Under the presence of monk Chandramani, Ambedkar and his wife took the Buddhist vows. The event is marked as the renaissance of Buddhism in India. Navayana Buddhism differs with the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions of Buddhism. The 22 vows are divided into three major sections. First part – to refuse to worship the Hindu pantheon or to follow Hindu religious dogmas Second – it challenges the authority of the Brahmin priest Third –promises to follow Buddhist principles. Demographic status of neo-Buddhists in India: The Buddhist population is a mere 0.70%, of which 87% are neo-Buddhists. Further, a large majority of it (around 80%) reside in Maharashtra (5.8% of the total population). However, it is mainly the Mahar caste that primarily converted to Buddhism. Some other converted communities include the Matang castes and some sections of Maratha castes. The rest are traditional Buddhists and are scattered mainly in north-eastern States like Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Tripura, etc. There has been a decline in the growth rate of Buddhists in India in recent years. The neo-Buddhists of Maharashtra have established numerous viharas and meditation centres. Source:  The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) Consider the following: (2019) Deification of the Buddha Treading the path of Bodhisattvas Image worship and rituals Which of the above is/are the feature/ features of Mahayana Buddhism? 1 only 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.2) With reference to the religious practices in India, the “Sthanakvasi” sect belongs to (2016): Buddhism Jainism Vaishnavism Shaivism Solutions by the people, for the people Open in new window Syllabus Mains – GS 3 Economy, GS 2 Governance Context: Economics is a social science that focuses on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, and analyses the choices that individuals, businesses, governments, and nations make to allocate resources. Economic science determines the way an economy functions. There are debates related to Economic science such as between “Keynesian” economists and “Friedman” economists; between “welfarists” and “monetarists” who want to let an “invisible hand” produce good outcomes for all. Demands to include the needs of ‘People’ in economic policy are becoming louder. The “3P” slogan — People, Planet, and Profit — demands a paradigm shift in economics. Theories of Economics: In 1776, Adam Smith published An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. He observed that in a “commercial society” each individual is driven by self-interest and can exert only a negligible influence on prices. The sum of all individuals’ separate actions, however, is what ultimately determines prices. The “invisible hand” of competition assures a social result that is independent of individual intentions and thus creates the possibility of an objective science of economic behaviour. In 1817, David Ricardo wrote Principles of Political Economy and Taxation. Ricardo invented the concept of the economic model—a tightly knit logical apparatus consisting of a few strategic variables—that was capable of yielding, after some manipulation and the addition of a few empirically observable extras, results of enormous practical import. At the heart of the Ricardian system is the notion that economic growth must sooner or later be arrested because of the rising cost of cultivating food on a limited land area. Malthusian principle defined in Essay on Population” (1798) – As the labour force increases, extra food to feed extra mouths can be produced only by extending cultivation to less fertile soil or by applying capital and labour to land already under cultivation—with dwindling results because of the so-called law of diminishing returns. As land prices were increasing, Malthus concluded, the chief beneficiaries of economic progress were the landowners. Karl Marx had espoused a “labour theory of value,” which holds that products exchange roughly in proportion to the labour costs incurred in producing them He added to it “the theory of surplus value,” which rests on the axiom that human labour alone creates all value and hence constitutes the sole source of profits. Value of Labour – it is socially undesirable for some people in the community to derive their income merely from the ownership of property. Keynesian Economics of 1930s: John Maynard Keynes was interested in macroeconomic aggregates i.e., level of national income and the volume of employment. “Demand” in the Keynesian model means the total level of effective demand in the economy, while “Supply” means the country’s capacity to produce. When effective demand falls short of productive capacity, the result is unemployment and depression; conversely, when demand exceeds the capacity to produce, the result if The Keynesian model of effective demand consists essentially of three spending streams: consumption expenditures, investment expenditures, and government expenditures. Milton Friedman earned the Nobel Prize in economic sciences in 1976 for his research on consumption analysis, monetary history and theory, and the complexity of stabilization policy. Monetarism: A monetary economic theory which focuses on the role governments play in controlling the amount of money in circulation and determines business cycles and inflation. He argued it was monetary policy, and not a failure of free-market capitalism, that led to the Great Depression. Friedman concluded that the Federal Reserve was a main cause of the depression because it curtailed the money supply by over a third between 1929 and 1933. This contraction caused a crash that extended into a depression. Need for a shift: In 1972, far-sighted thinkers showed that pursuit of GDP growth was destroying the earth’s capacity to renew itself and provide resources for unbridled economic growth. They introduced the health of the planet into calculations of profit and growth. Meanwhile, economists continue to treat the natural environment as external to the economy. Pleas by communities to protect it are dismissed as impediments to “ease of doing business” and GDP growth. Needs of citizens who earn their livelihoods by work, not investments of money, were relegated in national economic policies wherever the “Thatcher-Reagan-Chicago” model of neo-liberal economics prevailed. The 2008 global financial crisis revealed the fragility of insufficiently regulated markets. Governments of the G7 (later G20) collaborated to stabilise the financial system. They bailed out the “too large to fail” institutions while millions of common citizens, who lost homes and livelihoods, were barely compensated. In fact, some solutions to stabilise the global financial system, such as the austerity package imposed on Greece, harmed common citizens even further. While the ideology of “minimum government”, with balanced budgets and low inflation has continued, waves of protest have erupted around the world. Out of box economics – A new approach: An outline of five systemic solutions for simultaneously improving People, Planet, and Profit is provided in Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity. They do not model the economy as a closed system as macro-economists do. Rather, their ‘whole system’ model includes feedback loops between the economy, the natural environment, and social systems. Five tracks for their solutions are: ending poverty; addressing gross inequality; empowering women; making food systems healthy for people and ecosystems; and transitioning to clean energy. The report projects outcomes in two forms – if the present pattern of solutions continues versus systemic change in approach. The present path is called “Too Little Too Late”; the other, “Big Leap”. Business as usual for present gains will lead to environmental and societal collapse later this century.  “Big Leap” evolves a more equitable distribution of economic wealth and social power; it avoids a need for disruptive political revolutions. It advocates equitable access to technologies, and in the ways the technologies are incorporated by local actors into solutions fitting their own contexts. The model forecasts that by 2050, on its present trajectory, India will be the most unequal society in the world. Mistrust in institutions: Two novelties in the model are the Social Tension Index and the Average Well-Being Index. Social Tension Index: If social tensions rise too far due to policies related to income redistribution, societies may enter a vicious cycle where declining trust causes political destabilization, economies stagnate, and well-being declines. In that situation, governments will struggle to deal with rolling shocks let alone long-term existential challenges like pandemic risk, climate change, or ecological challenge. Effect: Disillusionment with democratic institutions is increasing in light of social tensions. Authoritarian governments are coming to power in many countries, often supported by citizens, as alternatives. Suggestions: People are not just numbers, nor merely resources for the economy. On the economic front, recoupling monetary policy with fiscal policy is necessary but insufficient. GDP must also be recoupled with nature and society. From a vertical process of experts at the top trying to understand complex systems through numbers and then imposing solutions on the people, to a lateral process of problem solving by deliberations amongst diverse disciplines and dialogue amongst experts and citizens. Way forward: The socio-political world will break into more fragments before the planet becomes too hot because of the ways in which solutions are being found to global problems is unfair. Voices of less powerful people are not listened to. Policy-making at all levels has to become more inclusive and less dominated by the powerful and the wealthy, while a paradigm shift is needed in problem solving at global and national levels. Source: The Hindu Mineral Supply Chains Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Geography and Economy Mains – GS 1 (Geography) and GS 3 (Economy) Context: In his Independence Day address, Prime Minister of India  exhorted the country to pursue Atmanirbharta in energy by focusing on clean energy technologies. Concerns over the pricing and availability of oil and gas in the wake of the Ukraine crisis continue to fuel global policy debates on energy security. However, the fragility of clean energy supply chains obscures pathways for countries to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Securing access to key minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and rare earth metals is critical for building resilient and indigenous supply chains for clean energy technologies. About Rare Earth Metals: They are a set of 17 metallic elements including the fifteen lanthanides plus scandium and yttrium that show similar physical and chemical properties to the lanthanides. They are called ‘rare earth’ because earlier it was difficult to extract them from their oxides forms technologically. They occur in many minerals but typically in low concentrations to be refined in an economical manner. The 17 Rare Earth Metals are cerium (Ce), dysprosium (Dy), erbium (Er), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), holmium (Ho), lanthanum (La), lutetium (Lu), neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), scandium (Sc), terbium (Tb), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), and yttrium (Y). These minerals have unique magnetic, luminescent, and electrochemical properties and thus are used in many modern technologies, including consumer electronics, computers and networks, communications, health care, national defense, etc. A Challenging task ahead: Imported inflationary pressures through exposure to volatile oil and gas markets also pose risks to macroeconomic growth and stability, particularly for India, import-dependent for around 85% of its oil and half of its gas needs. We face several challenges in being self-reliant on key minerals and REM: Reserves are often concentrated in regions that are geopolitically sensitive or fare poorly from an ease of doing business perspective. A portion of existing production is controlled by geostrategic competitors. For example, China wields considerable influence in cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo through direct equity investments and its Belt and Road Initiative. Future mine production is often tied up in offtake agreements, in advance, by buyers from other countries to cater to upcoming demand. As a first step towards the sourcing of strategic minerals, the Indian government established Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) in 2019 with the mandate to secure mineral supply for the domestic market. Based on a CEEW study, here are suggestions that policymakers could consider to further this objective. Future Prospects: First, figure out the mineral requirements of the domestic industry. This could best be accomplished by a task force which includes the ministries of power, new and renewable energy, heavy industry, and science and technology. Further, assess the technology mix that would support this deployment. On this basis, determine the quantities of minerals necessary to support indigenous manufacturing. Second, coordinate with the domestic industry to determine where strategic interventions by the government would be necessary for the purpose. KABIL could collaborate with industry to bolster its market intelligence capabilities for tracking global supply-side developments. Third, if conducive investments opportunities don’t exist, KABIL should pre-emptively sign offtake agreements with global mineral suppliers to secure future production. It could aggregate a reliable supply of minerals for domestic requirements and sign back-to-back sales agreements with the domestic industry. Fourth, the government should jointly invest in mining assets with geostrategic partners. KABIL should make equity investments in mining jurisdictions that private sector investors may deem too risky. It should leverage government-to-government partnerships to mitigate investment risks. This could be done through joint investments with sovereign entities from geostrategic partners or private sector entities with expertise in specific geographies. The External Affairs Ministry could initiate conversations with partner countries. Establishing resilient clean energy supply chains is a priority for the Quad, for instance. Fifth, support technologies that utilise domestically available materials. The deployment of technologies such as sodium-ion batteries could reduce requirements for sourcing minerals from beyond India’s borders. While the current performance-linked incentive scheme on batteries is technologically agnostic, India could consider creating a tranche of capital to incentivise investments in technologies that rely on local raw materials. Way Forward: Apart from above suggestions, developing policies on urban mining aimed at recycling mineral inputs from deployments that have completed their useful life could help further reduce dependence on international sourcing. Besides Ukraine, other potential geopolitical flashpoints also exist against a backdrop of dwindling multilateral cooperation. India must act immediately and decisively to mitigate these risks to its energy security. Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) With reference to the management of minor minerals in India, consider the following statements: Sand is a ‘minor mineral’ according to the prevailing law in the country. State Governments have the power to grant mining leases of minor minerals, but the powers regarding the formation of rules related to the grant of minor minerals lie with the Central Government. State Governments have the power to frame rules to prevent illegal mining of minor minerals. Which of the statements given above is / are correct? 1 and 3 only 2 and 3 only 3 only 1, 2 and 3 China’s Poverty lessons for India Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Governance Mains – GS 2 (Governance) Context:  According to a new World Bank report, titled “Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2022: Correcting Course“ that economic upheavals brought on by Covid-19 and later the war in Ukraine” had produced “an outright reversal” in poverty reduction across the planet. The pace of poverty reduction had been slowing down anyway since 2015 but the pandemic and war have caused an outright reversal. So much so that the “world is unlikely to meet the goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030. How can poverty be measured? The World Bank (WB) defines extreme poverty by particular consumption level. This is called the poverty line and it is pegged at US$2.15. In other words, anyone living on less than $2.15 a day is considered to be living in extreme poverty. About 648 million people globally were in this situation in 2019. PPP equivalent of $2.15 is the number of Indian rupees an Indian would need to buy the same basket of goods in India that an American can buy with $2.15 in the US. What has the World Bank stated about India’s poverty levels? According to the WB, India is the country with the highest number of poor people. World Bank used the data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), it found that the number of people living in abject poverty increased by 56 million (5.6 crore) in 2020. That’s almost 80% of the total 70 million the world over that the World Bank estimates to have been pushed into poverty in 2020. According to the Bank, close to 600 million Indians survive at less than $3.65 (Rs 84) a day level of expenditure. What did China achieve? Intending to provide lessons to other developing countries, the World Bank and China’s Ministry of Finance undertook a study in 2019 to understand what China achieved and how it did it. This study was finally published earlier this year. The World Bank found that between 1978 and 2019, China’s poverty headcount dropped from 770 million to 5.5 million people. In other words, China lifted 765 million (76.5 crore) people from extreme poverty in the past four decades It means, on average, every year China pulled 19 million (1.9 crore) poor people out of extreme poverty for the past 40 years. In doing so, China accounted for almost 75 per cent of the global reduction in the number of people living in extreme poverty during this period. In 2021, China declared that it has eradicated extreme poverty according to the national poverty threshold, lifting 765 million people out of poverty since 1978, and that it has built a “moderately prosperous society in all respects.” Decades of progress in China are also reflected in substantial improvements in other measures of well-being. Life expectancy at birth went from 66 years in 1978 to 77 years by 2019, and the infant mortality rate dropped from 52 in 1978 to 6.8 per thousand infants in 2019. Education achievements in China were also relatively higher than in its peers before 1978 and progressed further since, as the country universalised basic and secondary education. Taken together, improvements in health, education, and income over the four decades are reflected in China’s rising position in the Human Development Index from 106 (out of 144 countries) in 1990 to 85 (out of 189 countries) in 2019, and the narrowing of the gaps with other large developing countries How did China do it? The main conclusion is that China’s poverty reduction success relied mainly on . The first pillar was rapid economic growth, supported by broad-based economic transformation, which provided new economic opportunities for the poor and raised average incomes The report states that China’s poverty reduction story is primarily a growth story. But rapid and sustained economic growth was accompanied by a broad-based economic transformation. In other words, reforms began in the agricultural sector, where poor people could benefit directly from improvements in productivity associated with the introduction of market incentives. Some other areas which led to poverty reduction The development of low-skilled, labour-intensive industries provided a source of employment for workers released from agriculture. Urbanization helped migrants take advantage of the new opportunities in the cities and migrant transfers boosted incomes of their relatives remaining in the villages. Public investment in infrastructure improved living conditions in rural areas but also connected them with urban and export markets,” A crucial point to note here from India’s perspective is that reforms were gradual. Reforms in all these areas were incremental, which may have helped businesses and the population adjust to the rapid pace of change. The second pillar was government policies to alleviate persistent poverty, which initially targeted areas disadvantaged by geography and a lack of economic opportunities, but subsequently focused on poor households, irrespective of their location. Effective governance, which was key to the successful implementation of the growth strategy as well as the evolving set of targeted poverty reduction policies. China also benefited from some favourable initial conditions at the time of opening up, such as a relatively high level of human capital which is widely recognised as a critical input for the population to rapidly benefit from new economic opportunities once market reforms set in. Way Forward: Therefore, India can also adopt mentioned areas of improvements while learning form the steps taken by China in order to reduce poverty, However Indian government need to modify these initiative as per the requirement of India. It will help in poverty reduction which will represent a better picture of inclusive India which will be free from hunger, poverty and malnutrition.  Source:  Indian Express Address Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Governance Mains – GS 2 (Governance) Context: The Lancet recently released a new report calling for radical action to end stigma and discrimination in mental health. The World Mental Health Day was also celebrated on October 10th. About new Lancet Commission: It is a grouping of over 50 contributors across the world, including people, academics, policymakers with lived experience of mental health. Highlights of the report: The report indicated that 90% of people living with mental health conditions feel negatively impacted by stigma and discrimination. Further, 80% said stigma and discrimination can be worse than the condition itself. Additionally, 90% of those surveyed felt that media could play a major role in reducing stigma. On ‘stigma’ associated with mental health: As per the commission, stigma can cause social exclusion and disempowerment of people with mental health conditions leading to discrimination and human rights violations, including problems in accessing healthcare, challenges in securing employment, and increased likelihood of health complications leading to early death. Women with a diagnosis of severe mental disorder and their family members do face more stigma which has ramifications for marriage and employment preventing social inclusion. Report recommendations: Putting the involvement or participation of people with mental illness at the centre of the matrix, the commission has urged governments, international organisations, schools, employers, healthcare, civil society and media to act immediately. For instance, it has been recommended that all countries take action to decriminalise suicide, therefore reducing the stigma around suicide and leading to fewer occurrences. Determinants of Mental Health: Multiple social, psychological, and biological factors determine the level of mental health of a person at any point of time. For example, violence and persistent socio-economic pressures are recognized risks to mental health. The clearest evidence is associated with sexual violence. Poor mental health is also associated with: rapid social change, stressful work conditions, gender discrimination, social exclusion, unhealthy lifestyle, physical ill-health and human rights violations. There are specific psychological and personality factors that make people vulnerable to mental health problems. Biological risks include genetic factors. Status of mental health in India: WHO estimates that about 7.5 percent of Indians suffer from some mental disorder and predicts that by the end of this year roughly 20 percent of India will suffer from mental illnesses. WHO states that there is a huge shortage of psychiatrists and psychologists in India. According to the numbers, 56 million Indians suffer from depression and another 38 million Indians suffer from anxiety disorders. India also accounts for 36.6 percent of suicides globally. A report published in The Lancet Psychiatry in February 2020 indicates that in 2017, there were 197.3 million people with mental disorders in India. Various Government of India Initiatives: Constitution and Legal Provisions: Article 21: The right to a dignified life extends to the right to seek Mental Health care. Article 47: Duty of the state to raise the level of nutrition and the standard of living and to improve public health. National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) in 1982: To ensure the availability and accessibility of minimum mental healthcare for all in the foreseeable future, particularly to the most vulnerable and underprivileged sections of the population. Mental Healthcare Act, 2017: It was passed in 2017, came into effect in May 2018 and replaced the Mental Health Act of 1987. To the joy of most Indian medical practitioners and advocates of mental health, the act decriminalised suicide attempts in India. It also included WHO guidelines in the categorisation of mental illnesses. The most significant provision in the act was “advanced directives”, which allowed individuals with mental illnesses to decide the course of their treatment and also appoint someone to be their representative. It also restricted the use of electro-convulsive therapy (ECT), and banned its use on minors, finally introducing measures to tackle stigma in Indian society. Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2017: The Act acknowledges mental illness as a disability and seeks to enhance the Rights and Entitlements of the Disabled and provide an effective mechanism for ensuring their empowerment and inclusion in society Mano Darpan Initiative: An initiative under Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan aims to provide psycho-social support to students for their mental health and well-being. Kiran Helpline: The helpline is a giant step towards suicide prevention and can help with support and crisis management. The helpline aims to provide early screening, first-aid, psychological support, distress management, mental well-being, and psychological crisis management and will be managed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD). SAATHI: It is a South-Asian Mental Health Outreach Program of ASHA International that aims to: Promote awareness about mental health and emotional wellbeing Improve access to care. Way Forward: There is a need for more promotive programs & campaigns on mental health. The government should press more on allocating more funds in Mental Health Organisations. Source: The Hindu Baba’s Explainer – Publishers Vs Google Publishers Vs Google Syllabus GS-2:  Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment Context: There are allegations and concerns raised across the globe that big tech companies like Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook, have exploited, entrenched and expanded their power over digital markets in anti-competitive and abusive ways. Also, due to their metastatic growth, they now have a vast influence on politics, policy and personal reputations across the spectrum, making cost of data privacy breaches by these firms catastrophic. Read Complete Details on Publishers Vs Google Daily Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) Consider the following statements: Tele-MANAS is an online auction portal to allocate spectrum for 5G services in India. Tele-MANAS is under the charge of Department of Telecommunication. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) The term ‘ASAT’ is talked about in the context of India’s own satellite navigation system Communication satellites Deployment of a kinetic kill vehicle Development of an astronomical observatory Q.3) Consider the following metallic minerals: Lanthanum (La) Promethium (Pm) Gadolinium (Gd) which of the above minerals are rare earth metals? 1 2 and 3 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’11th October 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs. ANSWERS FOR 10th October – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) –  a Q.2) – d  Q.3) – c table, td, th { border: 1px solid;} table {width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; }