Syllabus:

• Mains – GS 3

Context: The Indian agricultural export is valued at $53.1 billion in 2022-2023, up from $8.7 billion in 2004-2005, a six-fold increase in less than two decades. But the rapid surge in exports poses multiple challenges related to sustainability. Tea and sugar, two prominent commodities, offer good examples to illustrate the problems herein.

Background: –

• For an economically developing economy like India, exports play a significant role in strengthening the economy by increasing revenue, foreign exchange, and transactional options

Key takeaways

Tea

• India is the world’s fourth-largest tea exporter and second largest producer and makes up 10% of global exports. The total value of Indian tea exports for 2022-2023 was $793.78 million.
• There is growing evidence of stresses being imposed on production systems across the tea value chain. Three major challenges in the tea industry are the management of human-wildlife interactions, burgeoning chemical use, and labour concerns. 
• More than half of tea plantation workers are women and they are often underpaid. 
• There is a critical need for better management practices in and around tea estates in India, stricter monitoring of the maximum residue limits for pesticides, and better enforcement of existing labour regulations.

Sugar

• India is the world’s second-largest sugar producer, with 34 million metric tonnes of production, about a fifth of the global production. India’s sugar exports grew by 291% from $1,177 million in FY 2013-2014 to $4,600 million in FY 2021-22 and 64.90% in 2021-2022. 
• About 50 million farmers depend on sugarcane cultivation in India. An additional half million depend on sugar and allied factories.
• Sugarcane is well-known for requiring a lot of water to cultivate. On average, 1 kg of sugar requires between 1,500 and 2,000 kg of water.
• Natural ecosystems like grasslands and savannahs in these states have also been converted to plant sugarcane. Along with the ensuing biodiversity loss, this change has increased the pressure on water resources and increased the need for alternate cropping patterns.
• The social dynamics of sugar industries narrate another story. Media reports have unearthed poor working conditions, including long working hours. Rising temperatures in peninsular India acts as a threat multiplier. Workers trapped in vicious debt cycles incur even more stress.

Millets

• Even as the sustainability challenges of these commodities persist, there are some others that promote long-term ecological and socio-economic sustainability.
• One prime example is millets, a sustainable option with which to increase domestic consumption as well as exports. Millets are resilient to harsh conditions and don’t require more inputs to weather resource constraints. They preserve soil health and ensure nutritional security.
• In FY 2022-2023, the country shipped 169,049.11 metric tonnes of millets and millet-related products worth $75.45 million. The rising demand highlights their potential as a sustainable agricultural commodity contributing to growth and environmental resilience.
• Agricultural production in India lives in a unique context: a large domestic consumption base and now a rapidly growing export base. These dynamics may benefit producers but they could also yield a paradox: whereby increasing dependencies between different actors in the supply chain compromise ecological and social sustainability concerns.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENT EVENT

Context: Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharmaceutical company that manufactures the popular weight-loss drug Wegovy and diabetes medication Ozempic, has asked authorities in the United States to stop the compounding of these products saying that this could pose safety risks.

Background: –

• Wegovy and Ozempic, both of which contain semaglutide, have been in heavy demand for months, and many compounding pharmacies in the US have created their own versions to cope with this.

Key takeaways

• US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations allow human drug compounding — in which licensed pharmacists or physicians can combine, mix, or adjust the ingredients of a medication — to meet patient needs when popular branded formulations are in short supply.

Concerns over semaglutide

• Over the past year, Novo Nordisk has filed at least 50 lawsuits against clinics and pharmacies that have produced compounded versions of its drugs.
• On October 22, Novo Nordisk asked USFDA to put semaglutide on the Demonstrable Difficulties for Compounding (DDC) list, which restricts pharmacies from compounding a drug.
• The FDA considers a drug for the DDC list if factors such as its stability, dosage requirements, bioavailability, or necessary sterile handling make it difficult to create a safe and effective compounded version.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – POLITY

Context: After being nudged by the Fifteenth Finance Commission, all states, except Arunachal Pradesh, have State Finance Commissions (SFCs) in place, the latest being Gujarat.

Background:

• The 15th Finance Commission, formed in 2017, took serious note of the delay over constituting state finance commissions in its report in 2020, and recommended that those states which did not comply with the Constitutional provisions in respect of the SFCs — constitutional bodies at the state-level — would not be released grants after March 2024.

Key takeaways

• Under Article 243 I of the Constitution, “the Governor shall, as soon as may be within one year from the commencement of the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992, and thereafter at the expiration of every 5th year, constitute a Finance Commission to review the financial position of the panchayats, and to make recommendations to the Governor as to the principles which should govern the distribution between the State and the panchayats of the net proceeds of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees leviable by the State.”

Key Functions:

• Recommend principles for:
  • Distribution of the net proceeds of taxes, duties, tolls, and fees between the State and local bodies.
  • Allocation of funds to Panchayats and Municipalities from the State’s Consolidated Fund.
  • Suggest measures to improve the financial position of Panchayats and Municipalities.
  • Consider the taxes, duties, tolls, and fees assigned to or appropriated by local bodies.

Significance:

• Strengthens fiscal federalism at the state level.
• Ensures adequate funding for local self-governance institutions.
• Promotes accountability and transparency in financial management.

Challenges:

• Implementation delays: Recommendations often not implemented fully or on time.
• Limited autonomy: Dependence on State Governments for fund allocation.
• Inadequate data: Lack of accurate data on local finances hampers effective planning.
• Overlapping responsibilities: Ambiguity in roles of SFCs and State Planning Boards.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: The Union Home Ministry on Thursday reimposed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Manipur, declaring six police station limits in five districts “disturbed areas”, in the wake of the ethnic violence in the State.

Background: –

• The AFSPA was withdrawn from these areas in April 2022 by the Manipur government as the security situation improved; this time, Home Ministry has issued notification.

Key takeaways

• The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is a law that grants special powers to the Indian armed forces in regions classified as “disturbed areas.” It was enacted to maintain public order in areas experiencing insurgencies, militancy, or internal disturbances.
• First enacted: In 1958, the AFSPA was originally introduced to address insurgencies in the Northeast region, particularly in Nagaland.
• Extension to other areas: Over time, the AFSPA was extended to other parts of the country, including Jammu & Kashmir (1990) and various Northeastern states.
• Power to Declare Areas as Disturbed: The Act allows the central or state government to declare an area “disturbed” if it is experiencing insurgency or conflict.
• Special Powers to the Armed Forces:
  • Search and Arrest: Armed forces personnel can arrest without a warrant, enter and search premises to make arrests or recover weapons.
  • Shoot to Kill: Armed forces can open fire if they believe someone is acting against law and order, provided that due warning has been given.
  • Protection to persons acting under Act – No prosecution, suit or other legal proceeding shall be instituted, except with the previous sanction of the Central Government, against any person in respect of anything done or purported to be done in exercise of the powers conferred by this Act.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus:

• Prelims – SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Context: Sir Fredrick Banting’s birth anniversary is observed as World Diabetes Day on November 14 every year, as a tribute to the history behind the discovery of insulin, one of medicine’s greatest breakthroughs.

Background: –

• In 1989, Queen Elizabeth kindled the Flame of Hope in Sir Frederick G. Banting Square, Ontario, Canada, to honour Dr. Banting’s discovery of insulin. This eternal flame stands as a hope for millions affected by diabetes worldwide, representing the commitment to continue research until a definitive cure is found. 

Key takeaways

Pancreas

• The pancreas is a dual-function organ:
  • Exocrine function: Produces digestive enzymes to aid in breaking down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
  • Endocrine function: Produces hormones, including insulin which regulate blood sugar levels.

Insulin and its discovery

• Insulin : A hormone produced by the beta cells in the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas.
• Role:
  • Helps glucose enter cells, providing them with energy.
  • Stores excess glucose as glycogen in the liver and muscles for future use.
  • Maintains blood sugar within a narrow range (70–140 mg/dL in most individuals).
• Insulin was discovered in 1921 by Frederick Banting and Charles Best, working under the guidance of John Macleod.
• James Collip, a biochemist, played another important role. While Banting and Best had successfully extracted insulin, their preparations were impure and caused adverse reactions in patients. Collip developed a method for purifying insulin, removing impurities, and ensuring its safety and efficacy, as the insulin was prepared mostly from dogs and cows.
• In 1923, the Nobel Prize was awarded to Frederick Banting and John Macleod for discovering insulin. The award sparked controversy as Banting felt that Best deserved recognition instead of Macleod. Conversely, Macleod believed Collip, who refined the insulin extraction process, deserved credit. In response, Banting shared half of his Nobel Prize money with Best, and Macleod did the same with Collip.
• In a remarkable gesture, Banting sold the patent rights to the University of Toronto for just $1, ensuring that insulin could be produced widely and remain affordable.
• Collip’s extraction techniques to purify insulin were viable for human use but not scalable for mass production. 
• With recombinant DNA technology in the 1980s: scientists developed a method to insert the human insulin gene into Escherichia coli bacteria. This approach enabled bacteria to produce large quantities of insulin identical to that made by human bodies. The recombinant process allowed for mass production.

Source: The Hindu

Q1.) Under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which of the following powers is/are granted to the armed forces?

1. Arrest without warrant.
2. Open fire after giving due warning if it is necessary for maintaining public order.
3. Declare an area as a “disturbed area.”

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, and 3

Q2.) Consider the following statements regarding the State Finance Commission in India:

1. It is constituted by the Governor of a state every five years.
2. Its primary role is to recommend the distribution of taxes between the state and the Union Government.
3. Its recommendations are binding on the state government.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1 and 3 only

Q3.) When is World Diabetes Day observed annually?

a) 1st October
b) 14th November
c) 7th April
d) 20th December

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  Today’s – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs

Q.1) – b

Q.2) – b

Q.3) – a