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INDEX

1. IMPORTANT TOPICS OF THE MONTH4 8. BILATERAL ISSUES......................... 40

1.1 All about Jallikattu ............................................. 4 8.1 Indian Nuclear Liability Law ........................... 40
1.2 Tussle between Union and Delhi Government ... 7 8.2 Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation
1.3 Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) .. 9 (FIPIC) ............................................................. 41

1.4 Outcomes of G7 Summit ................................... 11 8.3 India & South Pacific ....................................... 42

G.S PAPER I .......................................... 12 9. INTERNATIONAL ISSUES ................ 43

9.1 Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) ..... 43
2. HISTORY......................................... 12 9.2 The Paradox of BRICS ..................................... 44
2.1 Global Buddhist Summit 2023 .......................... 12
G.S PAPER III ....................................... 46
3. GEOGRAPHY ................................... 14
3.1 Cyclone Systems ............................................... 14
10. ECONOMY ....................................... 46
3.2 Delayed Arrival of the Southwest Monsoon ..... 15 10.1 Welfare Expenditure ......................................... 46
10.2 Withdrawal of 2000 Rupee Currency Notes and its
4. SOCIAL ISSUES ............................... 17 implications ...................................................... 47
4.1 Polygamy in India ............................................ 17 10.3 New PMLA Rules .............................................. 48
4.2 Internal Complaints Committees (ICC) ............ 18 10.4 Ways and Means Advances............................... 49
4.3 Kerala’s Kudumbashree Programme ............... 18 10.5 Fundraising Issues in Indian Startup Ecosystem ..
.......................................................................... 50
4.4 Caste-Based Survey .......................................... 20
10.6 Legal remedies available to Gig Workers ........ 51
G.S PAPER II ......................................... 21 10.7 Co-Lending Model of Loan............................... 53
10.8 A Digitally Unprepared Workforce .................. 53
5. INDIAN POLITY ............................... 21
10.9 Global Benchmark Interest Rates ..................... 54
5.1 Freedom of speech............................................ 21
10.10 The Internationalization of the Rupee .............. 55
5.2 Hate Speech ...................................................... 22
10.11 US banking crisis and its impact on India ........ 56
5.3 Maharashtra Political Crisis ............................ 24
10.12 U.S. Debt Ceiling Crisis ................................... 57
5.4 Judicial Recusal ............................................... 25
10.13 Gold Rush by Central Banks ............................ 58
5.5 Default Bail ...................................................... 27
10.14 Global Credit Rating Agencies ......................... 59
5.6 Divorce under Article 142 ................................ 27
10.15 World Trade Organization’s Information
5.7 Krishna Water Dispute ..................................... 29 Technology Agreement (ITA) ............................ 61

6. GOVERNANCE ................................. 30 10.16 European Union’s Carbon Border Tax

Mechanism ........................................................ 62
6.1 India's progress on Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) ................................................... 30 11. AGRICULTURE ................................ 62
6.2 Copyrights and Intellectual Property ............... 31 11.1 India’s First National Water-Body Census ...... 62

7. HEALTH .......................................... 33 11.2 Drip irrigation needs further push ................... 64

11.3 Economic Viability of Agriculture .................... 65
7.1 Law for mandatory recall of substandard drugs ..
.......................................................................... 33 11.4 Agriculture Commodity Value Chains .............. 65
7.2 Medical Value Travel ....................................... 34
12. ENVIRONMENT ............................... 66
7.3 WHO Report on Preterm Births ....................... 35
12.1 The 1.5 degree Celsius Target .......................... 66
7.4 WHO Recommendation on Artificial Sweeteners .
.......................................................................... 37 12.2 Green Deposits ................................................. 68
7.5 World Health Organization (WHO) ................. 37 12.3 Total Ban on Diesel Vehicles in India .............. 69
7.6 Menstrual Health and Hygiene ........................ 38 12.4 Clean Cooking Fuel in India ............................ 70

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12.5 Land Restoration .............................................. 71 Forum Shopping ........................................................... 96

13. SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY............... 73 18. GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS &

13.1 India’s Science and Technology Sector ............ 73 SCHEMES ............................................. 97
13.2 Methanol poisoning .......................................... 74 Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) .................... 97

13.3 Pangenome Reference Map .............................. 75 SDGs Localisation ........................................................ 97

13.4 Mitochondrial Donation Treatment.................. 77 Rehabilitation Council of India .................................... 98

13.5 Fermi Energy and Fermi Level ........................ 78 Sanchar Saathi Portal .................................................. 98

13.6 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) .. 79 ASTR and CEIR ............................................................ 98

13.7 Role of Calcium-41 in Radiometric Dating ...... 80 World Bee Day ............................................................. 99
Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States
14. INTERNAL SECURITY ...................... 81 (STARS) Program ....................................................... 100
14.1 Increasing Maoist Activities ............................. 81 Khadi and Village Industries Commission ................. 100
14.2 Tensions between hill and valley people in Meri LiFE, Mera Swachh Seher Campaign ............... 101
Manipur ............................................................ 82
19. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ........ 101
PRELIM BITS ........................................ 83 Laundromat countries ................................................ 101

15. HISTORY, ART & CULTURE ............. 83 Sahel Region ............................................................... 101

Bihan Mela ................................................................... 83 Global Greenhouse Gas Watch (G3W) ...................... 102

Maharana Pratap ......................................................... 83 Operation Karuna ...................................................... 102

Dancing girl ................................................................. 84 Mand-Pishin Border Sustenance Marketplace ........... 103

Neanderthals ................................................................ 84 Fiji & Papua New Guinea Awards on Modi .............. 103

Nigrantha ..................................................................... 85 SCO Goa Meet 2023................................................... 103

Porunai Museum .......................................................... 85 United Nations Economic and Social Commission for
Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) .................................... 104
Kutch Harappan Graveyard ......................................... 86
Arab League ............................................................... 105
Sengol .......................................................................... 86
United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF18) ............ 105
Foucault’s Pendulum ................................................... 87
Sendai Framework ..................................................... 106
Purana Qila or the Old Fort ........................................ 88
Health for All .............................................................. 106
16. GEOGRAPHY ................................... 88 Pandemic Treaty......................................................... 107
Summer Cyclones ......................................................... 88 Dag Hammarskjold Medal ......................................... 107
Goa Forest Fires .......................................................... 89 NHRC and Paris Principles ....................................... 108
Chittagong Hill Tracts.................................................. 89 WTO Appellate Body Division .................................... 108
Submarine Volcano ...................................................... 90 Global Plan of Action for the Health of Indigenous People
........................................................................ 108
Flash Droughts ............................................................. 90
Millets .......................................................................... 90 20. ECONOMY ..................................... 109
Palghat Gap ................................................................. 91 India and EFTA .......................................................... 109
Cyclone Mocha ............................................................. 92 Adhaar-enabled Payment System ............................... 109
Groundwater Extraction and Land Subsidence ............ 93 CVV-less payments ..................................................... 110
Ocean Leak................................................................... 93
21. AGRICULTURE .............................. 110
River Kolak ................................................................... 93
Maximum Residue Limit in tea ................................... 110
Deep ocean currents in Antarctica ............................... 94
Lightweight Payment and Settlement System (LPSS) . 111
17. POLITY ........................................... 95
22. ENVIRONMENT ............................. 111
Electronic Voting Machines ......................................... 95
Sonorous submarine ................................................... 111
UPSC Chairman ........................................................... 95
Zoonomia Project ....................................................... 112
Sikkim Integration ........................................................ 96
Green hydrogen bunks by 2035 .................................. 112

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Petersberg Climate Dialogue ..................................... 113 Donanemab ................................................................ 122

Petermann Glacier, Greenland .................................. 113 World Thalassemia Day ............................................. 122
Community-based initiative for Hornbills .................. 114 Chlamydia .................................................................. 123
Babool ........................................................................ 114 UN Report on Maternal and Newborn Deaths ........... 124
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary ........................................ 115 Mpox ........................................................................ 124
Eretmoptera murphyi (Midge) .................................... 115 Dengue ....................................................................... 124
Gharial in Pakistan .................................................... 115 International Pathogen Surveillance Network ........... 125
Leatherback Turtles.................................................... 116 Global Polio Eradication Initiative ............................ 126
Pygmy Hogs ............................................................... 116 Animal health emergency in Brazil ............................ 126
Biosynthetic Clock ...................................................... 127
23. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ........ 117
Quantum Biology ........................................................ 127
Scary Barbie ............................................................... 117
Neuralink .................................................................... 128
TROPICS Mission ...................................................... 117
Pokhran-II .................................................................. 128
Indian Space Policy 2023 ........................................... 118
WTO Information Technology (IT) Agreement ........... 129
Fomalhaut .................................................................. 118
Vapes ........................................................................ 129
AX-2 Mission .............................................................. 118
Carbon Dating ............................................................ 129
Polar Cyclone on Uranus ........................................... 119
Artificial Leaf ............................................................. 130
Da Vinci glow ............................................................. 119
XPoSat ........................................................................ 120 24. INDEX AND REPORT ..................... 130
GSLV-F12 & NVS-01 ................................................. 120 World Press Freedom Index ....................................... 130
Shenzhou-16 ............................................................... 120 UNEP report: Turning off the Tap ............................. 131
Solar Power Plant in Space........................................ 121 NITI Aayog's Health Index ......................................... 131
ASEAN India maritime exercise (AIME-2023) ........... 121

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MAY 2023

1. IMPORTANT TOPICS OF THE MONTH

1.1 All about Jallikattu

Why in news?
The Supreme Court upheld the amendments made by the legislatures of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka to
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, allowing bull-taming sports and bullock-cart races.
What is Jallikattu?
• The term Jallikattu is a union of two words - ‘Calli’ (coins) and ‘Kattu’ (tie), which denotes a bundle of coins tied
to the bull’s horns.
• Jallikattu is a 2,000 years old competitive bull taming sport in Tamil Nadu which contestants attempt to
tame a bull for a prize, wherein if they fail, the bull owner wins the prize.

• It is celebrated in the second week of January at the time of Sports involving Animals
the Pongal (harvest) festival.
• Kangayam, Pulikulam, Umbalachery, Bargur and • Jallikattu - Tamil Nadu
Malai Maadu are among some native cattle breeds reared for • Rekla – Tamil Nadu
Jallikattu.
• Bail Gadi Shariat – Maharashtra
• Its first references date back to a seal discovered at
Mohenjodaro, which is dated between 2,500 BC and 1,800 BC. • Kambala – Karnataka

• Back then, it was called Eru Thazuval, meaning, “embracing • Maramudi Bull Surfing – Kerala
the bull.”
• Dhirio bull fight – Goa
• Jallikattu also finds mention in Silappadikaram, one of the
• Buffalo fight during Bhogali Bihu
great Tamil epics from the Sangam age.
festival - Assam
• The best guide to the cultural universe of Jallikattu is C S
• Camel racing – Rajasthan
Chellappa’s brilliant novella, ‘Vaadivasal’ (Arena), written in
the 1940s. • Bulbul fight - Assam
Why jallikattu is important to people of Tamil Nadu? • Cock fighting - Andhra Pradesh,
Chattisgarh, Jharkhand
• Tradition - Jallikattu is a centuries-old tradition in Tamil
Nadu.
• Preservation of native breeds - It has become a traditional way for the agriculturist community to preserve
their pure-breed native bulls, which are otherwise used only for meat or ploughing.
• A social identity - Jallikattu is one of the few markers of their social standing and identity in a fast-changing
world for agrarian communities.
• Emotional connect - The sport represents a cordial man-animal relationship, wherein the owner strives to
develop an emotional connect with the bull through the long process of
rearing.
What is the controversy over jallikattu?
• HC verdict - In 2006, a Madras High Court barred the conduct of events
such as rekla race (a kind of bullock cart race) and jallikattu.
• Tamil Nadu Regulation of Jallikattu Act – It was enacted in 2009 by
adopting regulations and safety measures during jallikattu.
• MoEFCC notification - In 2011, Union Ministry of Environment and Forests issued a notification which
included ‘bulls’ in a list of animals that are prohibited from being exhibited or trained for any performance.
• Efforts to organise the sport as a regulated event failed and Jallikattu could not take place for some years.

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What led to massive agitations in Tamil Nadu?

• SC Judgement – In the landmark Welfare Board of India vs A. Nagaraja (2014), the SC imposed a ban on
jallikattu and similar sports involving animals citing the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960.
• The court cited ‘Five Freedoms’ recognised for animals by the World Health Organization for Animal Health.
1. Freedom from hunger, thirst and malnutrition
2. Freedom from fear and distress
3. Freedom from physical and thermal discomfort
4. Freedom from pain, injury and disease
5. Freedom to express normal patterns of behaviour
• These freedoms flow from the Fundamental Duties (Art 51A(g)), which imposes a duty on citizens to protect
and improve the natural environment and to have compassion for living creatures.
• Agitation in Tamil Nadu - A massive agitation broke out in 2017 against the government’s failure to facilitate
the conduct of Jallikattu for successive years.
• Tamil Nadu government obtained the President’s prior instruction to issue an ordinance that sought to remove
the basis for the 2014 Supreme Court judgment.
• The ordinance, which was replaced by an Act, was adopted as a State-specific amendment to the PCA Act, 1960.
• The amendment defines the practice of Jallikattu as an event involving bulls conducted with a view to follow
tradition and culture.
• It added the sport as another exception to the list of acts that do not amount to cruelty (other exceptions include
dehorning, castration and destruction of stray dogs and other animals).

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What is the argument for and against the ban of Jallikattu?

What is the recent Supreme Court judgement about?

• The court upheld the amendments made by Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka to PCA Act, 1960,
allowing bull-taming sports like jallikattu, kambala, and bullock-cart races.
• The Constitution Bench has accepted jallikattu as a part of the cultural heritage of Tamils.
• It observed that the judiciary cannot examine the question whether something was part of tradition and culture.
• As the State amendment has been followed up with stringent regulations for conducting jallikattu, the court
held that there are no statutory violations now that warrant a ban on jallikattu.

Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) Important Articles

• It is a statutory advisory body set up under the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 .
• Article 29 (1) states that “any section of citizens
• Ministry - Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry residing in the territory of India or any part thereof
and Dairying. having a distinct language, script or culture of its own
shall have the right to conserve the same.”
• Shrimati Rukmini Devi Arundale pioneered the
setting up of the Board.
• Headquaters - Ballabhgarh, Haryana • Article 48 of the Constitution urges the state to
endeavor to organize agriculture and animal
• Chair - A senior MoEFCC official. husbandry on modern and scientific lines.
• The term of members is for a period of 3 years.
• Functions performed by AWBI • Art 51A (g) imposes a duty on citizens to protect and
o To advice the Central Government on the improve the natural environment and to have
matters, relating to the medical care compassion for living creatures.
provided in animal hospitals.
o To advice, the Government related to the
design of slaughterhouses and vehicles to
lessen the burden on draught animals.

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1.2 Tussle between Union and Delhi Government

Why in news?
The Supreme Court has ruled unanimously in favour of Delhi government on the issue of who controls the bureaucracy
in the national capital.
What is the Constitutional provision with respect to Delhi?
• Article 239AA that was inserted in the Constitution by the 69th Amendment Act, 1991 contains special
provisions with respect to Delhi.
• Article 243 AA conferred special status upon Delhi based on the recommendations of Balakrishnan
Committee (1987) that was set up to look into Delhi’s demands for Statehood.

Articles Provisions

• The Union territory of Delhi shall be called the National Capital Territory of Delhi
Article 239AA (1) (NCTD) and the administrator appointed shall be designated as Lieutenant Governor
(L-G).

• There shall be a Legislative Assembly for the NCT and the seats shall be filled by
Article 239AA (2)
members chosen by direct election.

• It states that the legislative assembly shall have power to make laws for the whole or any
Article 239AA (3) part of the NCTD in any matters enumerated in the State list or in the Concurrent
list except on the subjects of police, public order, and land.

• There shall be a Council of Ministers consisting of not more than 10% of the total
number of members in the Legislative Assembly, with the Chief Minister (CM) at the
Article 239AA (4) head to aid and advise the Lieutenant Governor.
• In the case of difference of opinion between the L-G and his Ministers on any matter,
the L-G shall refer it to the President for decision and act accordingly.

• The Chief Minister shall be appointed by the President and other Ministers shall be
Article 239AA (5) appointed by the President on the advice of the CM.
• The Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the President.

What is the case about?

• The question of the regulation of services was a major part of the
overall dispute between the elected government in Delhi and the
Lieutenant Governor (LG) nominated by the Centre.
• Centre’s arguments - The Centre argued that since no Union
Territory has power over services, Delhi too could not exercise such
power.
• Essentially, Delhi could only legislate on issues that other Union
Territories are explicitly allowed to legislate upon.
• Court’s consideration - The current Constitutional bench looked into the issue that only relates to the scope
of legislative and executive powers of the Centre and NCTD with respect to the term “services”.
• The court had to interpret clause (3)(a) of Article 239AA (Special provisions with respect to Delhi) of the
Constitution.
What are interpretations of Article 239AA by the Supreme Court?
• Supreme Court held that the Delhi government has the power to make laws and administer civil services in the
national capital.
• The court limited the role of the Lieutenant Governor (LG) over bureaucrats in the capital to three specific areas
such as public order, police and land.
• Role of Lieutenant Governor - The LG's role is to either act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers
or implement their decisions.

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• The court clarified that the

Lieutenant Governor should
not act in a mechanical
manner and refer every
decision of the Council of
Ministers to the President.
• Executive Power - Lies
under the exclusive executive
power of the Delhi
government expect for police,
land and public order.
• The court held that LG does
not possess independent
decision-making power and
must act on the aid and advice
of the Council of Ministers,
subject to sound rationale.
• Legislative Powers - The
court clarified that the
Legislative Assembly of Delhi
has the power to make laws
on subjects in the Concurrent List and all but three excluded subjects in the State List.
• Concept of Federalism - The court recognized that
the concept of federalism applies to Delhi, despite it not Government of National Capital Territory of
being accorded the status of a state. Delhi Ordinance, 2023

• It emphasized the importance of federal cooperation Power to Lieutenant

and acknowledged the special status of Delhi as reflected Governor (LG)
in Article 239AA and other articles.
•The ordinance give the Lieutenant
• It concluded that the legislative and executive power Governor (LG) of Delhi more power over
over services such as IAS or joint cadre services shall lie the administration of services in the
with the NCTD. national capital.
• It clarified that the executive power of the State will be
subject to the law existing of the union.
Supreme Court's verdict
What is the new ordinance about?
• To restore certain powers to the Lieutenant Governor •The ordinance nullify the Supreme Court's
verdict and strengthen the role of the
(LG), the President promulgates the Government of
Lieutenant Governor
National Capital Territory (Amendment) Ordinance,
2023.
• The Ordinance seeks to amend the Government of NCCSA
National Capital Territory of Delhi Act 1991.
•A new statutory body responsible for
What are the provisions of National Capital Civil making recommendations to the LG
Service Authority (NCCSA)? regarding transfer postings, vigilance, and
other related matters was establised.
• NCCSA consists of Chief Minister of Delhi, the Chief
Secretary and the Principal Secretary of the Home
department. Federalism
• Decisions made by the NCCSA will be based on
a majority vote, which means that the elected Chief • It violates the principle of federalism by
Minister can be overruled by the two senior giving the LG more power than the elected
bureaucrats. government of Delhi
• If the LG disagrees with the recommendations made by
the NCCSA, NCCSA have the power to return the Undemocratic
recommendations for reconsideration.
• If a difference of opinion persists, the final decision will •As it gives the LG more power, it
be made by the LG, effectively reversing the Supreme undermines the powers of the elected
Court's verdict. government of Delhi.

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What are the issues with ordinance route?

• Re-promulgations without bringing the Ordinance to the legislature would usurp the legislature’s function, and
will be unconstitutional.
• Governors in many instances have misused the ordinance making powers to push their agenda.

Definition of Ordinance
Article 123
•Power of president to promulgate ordinances during recess of Parliament. He can also withdraw
an ordinance at any time.

Article 213
•Power of governor to promulgate ordinances during recess of the state legislature. He can also
withdraw an ordinance at any time.

Article 239B
•Power of administrator to promulgate Ordinances during recess of Legislature.

Act of Parliament
•Ordinances have the same force and effect as an act of Parliament but are in the nature of
temporary laws.

National emergency
•While a proclamation of national emergency is in operation, the President can issue ordinances
on the state subjects also, if the Parliament is not in session.

Re-promulgation of Ordinance
•If an Ordinance lapses, the only option for the government is to reissue or re-promulgate it.

Non-justiciable
•38th Amendment Act 1975 made the promulgation of ordinances by the president, governors
and administrators of union territories non-justiciable.

Judgments associated with Ordinances

• D.C. Wadhwa case (1987) - The court ruled successive re-promulgation of ordinances with the same text
without any attempt to get the bills passed by the assembly would amount to violation of the Constitution.
• Krishna Kumar Singh vs State of Bihar - SC noted that legislation should normally be done by the legislature
and the Governor’s power to issue an Ordinance is in the nature of an emergency power.

1.3 Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)

Why in news?
After the revolution of Unified Payments Interface (UPI), the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is set to
break new ground in India’s digital commerce ecosystem.
What is Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)?
• ONDC – It is a network based on open protocol and will enable local
commerce across segments (mobility, grocery, food order, hotel booking,
etc.) to be engaged by any network-enabled application.
• Aim - To dramatically increase e-commerce penetration in the country
by enabling inclusion of all types and sizes of sellers.
• ONDC goes beyond the current platform-centric digital commerce
model where the buyer and seller have to use the same platform or
application to be digitally visible and do a business transaction.

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• Initiative of - It is an initiative of Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade

(DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• ONDC entity – It is a not-for-profit company incorporated under Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013 that
manages and operates the ONDC Network.
• Founding members - Quality Council of India and Protean eGov Technologies Limited.

•Funding - Multiple investors includes private and public sector banks, depositories, development banks, and
other financial institutions.
What ae the key features of ONDC? Challenges of ONDC

• Backed by government - It is backed by government to create a more • Lack of awareness

open and inclusive digital commerce ecosystem in India.
• Technical challenges
• Data storage - Through ONDC, merchants will be able to save their data
to build credit history and reach consumers. • Regulatory challenges
• Compliance - The platform will be compliant with the Information • Lack of consensus among
Technology Act, 2000 and the emerging Personal Data Protection Bill. e-commerce companies
• Independency - It aims at promoting open networks developed on open- • It is still in a nascent stage
sourced methodology, using open specifications and open network
protocols independent of
any specific platform.
• Privacy - ONDC shall
take all measures to
ensure confidentiality
and privacy of data in the
network.
• Confidentiality - It
shall not mandate
sharing of any
transaction-level data by
participants with ONDC.
• User Council - A User
Council will be
established, comprising
representatives from
Network Participants
and civil society.
• It will provide regular guidance on various aspects of the network’s functioning and governance, serving as a
link between Network Participants, Consumers, and the network.
What are the advantages of ONDC?

For businesses For consumers

• Level playing field – It aims to curb digital • Inclusive - ONDC will make e-Commerce more
monopolies of few e-commerce platforms and create inclusive and accessible for consumers.
a more level playing field for businesses of all sizes.
• Freedom of choice - Consumers can discover any
• Benefits to small businesses – It will support seller, or product by using any compatible platform.
micro, small and medium enterprises and small
traders in getting on online platforms. • Transparency – It require all sellers to publish
their prices which will be easy for comparison.
• Sellers - The network-centric approach of ONDC
reduces the skewed bargaining power in favour of the • Lower costs – It would streamline the process of
platforms, which often results in higher entry buying and selling goods online, which could lead to
barriers and lower margins for sellers. faster delivery times and lower costs.

• Economic development – It will help to boost the • Preferring local business - It will enable the
Indian economy by creating new jobs and businesses. consumers to match demand with the nearest
available supply and gives consumers the liberty to
choose their preferred local businesses.

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1.4 Outcomes of G7 Summit

Why in news?
The recent G-7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, aimed to send a message of global solidarity for peace discussing various
key issues which was attended by Indian PM.
What is the G7 Summit?
• The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal
group of leading industrialized nations.
• G7consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, the United Kingdom and the United
States.
• This year is Japan’s turn to host, but
the presidency of G-7 summits revolves
among the seven members.
• As is customary in recent years, leaders from
some non-G-7 countries and international
organizations will also participate in some
sessions as India did in this year.
• The first summit was in 1975, hosted by France what was then a Group of Six meeting to discuss tackling a
recession that followed an Arab oil crisis of 1973. Canada became the 7th member.

• Russia joined to form the G8 in 1998 but was expelled

after Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. PM Modi’s 10-point Action Plan

• The leaders discuss a wide range of issues, including 1. Inclusive food system that protects the most
economic policy, security, climate change, and gender. vulnerable
What are the outcomes of the G7 summit? 2. Depoliticize the global fertilizer supply chain
• Hiroshima Vision Statement on Nuclear 3. Develop an alternative model for fertilizers
Disarmament - Commitment to achieving a
world without nuclear weapons with undiminished 4. Stop food wastage to strengthen food security
security for all through taking a realistic, pragmatic, and 5. Development models for global south
responsible approach.
6. Promote holistic healthcare
• They are also expected to discuss ways to strengthen
international cooperation to prevent the spread of 7. Adopting millets
nuclear weapons. 8. Resilient healthcare systems
• Support for Ukraine - G7 leaders reaffirmed their 9. Promote digital healthcare
commitment to supporting Ukraine by providing
additional military and financial assistance in its war 10. Ensure mobility of healthcare professionals
against Russia.
• Announced new sanctions against Russia, including a ban on the import of Russian gold.
• De-risking not decoupling from China - Countering China's economic coercion. Pledged to work together
to promote fair and open trade.
• Addressing the global food crisis - New initiative to provide $5 billion in food assistance to countries that
are most affected by the crisis.
• To increase food production and to reduce food waste.
• Investing in clean energy and infrastructure - Invest USD 600 billion in clean energy and infrastructure
over the next five years.
• To make clean energy more affordable and accessible.
• Compensating for the developed world’s contribution to global warming and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Protecting human rights and democracy - Reaffirmed their commitment to protecting human rights and
democracy around the world.
• To provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.

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• Condemned the human rights abuses in China, Russia, and other countries.
• The global health crisis - Discussed about the global health crisis and to discussed ways to strengthen the
global health system.
What is De-risking vs decoupling strategy against China?
• De-risking is the phenomenon of financial institutions terminating or restricting business relationships with
clients or categories of clients to avoid, rather than manage, risk.
• De-risking is to move business away from areas that are considered risky in terms of the returns they could
generate.
• Back in 2016, the World Bank had said that global financial institutions were increasingly terminating or
restricting business relationships with smaller local banks in some regions in order to de-risk, as it is often
perceived that such banks would not be able to pay back loans.
• In the context of China, de-risking can be interpreted as a reduction of the reliance on China in the economic
sphere.
What is the way forward?
• If the G7 grouping wishes to broaden its prism and it must recognize that it is grossly unrepresentative of the
world today.
• The G7 summit must propose concrete measures to help defray these responsibilities.
• The G7 grouping should work towards a more inclusive outlook and help in building a more comprehensive
global consensus on some of the bigger challenges the world faces today.

G.S PAPER I

2. HISTORY

2.1 Global Buddhist Summit 2023

Why in news?
The recently concluded global Buddhist summit could leverage India’s soft power to connect the Buddhist population
around the world.
Theme of the summit - Responses to Contemporary challenges: Philosophy to Praxis.
What is the significance of the summit?
• Shakyamuni Buddha - The prime vision of the Summit is to look into the teachings of the Shakyamuni
Buddha.
• Buddhist diplomacy efforts - The summit could be a good push to the foreign soft power diplomacy.
• Buddhist culture and heritage - The Indian government hopes to demonstrate its commitment to
preserving and promoting Buddhist culture and heritage by conducting such event.
• Four themes - The discussion during the summit revolves around
1. Buddha Dhamma and Peace,
2. Buddha Dhamma: Environmental Crisis, Health and Sustainability,
3. Preservation of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition,
4. Buddha Dhamma Pilgrimage, Living heritage and Buddha Relics.
• 173 international participants - Comprising 84 Sangha member and 151 Indian delegates comprising 46
Sangha members, 40 nuns and 65 laity from outside Delhi.
• Resolve Buddhist issues - India is well-positioned to play a leading role in shaping the discourse around
Buddhist issues on the global stage.

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• Foreign policy - The Panchamrit principles

includes Sanskriti Evam Sabhyata which
means cultural and civilizational links, which
were heighted in the summit.
What are the recent efforts taken?
• Buddhist tourist circuit -
Promotes Buddhism via tourism.
• The circuit includes places such as Kapilvastu,
Kaushambi, Sarnath, Sankisa, Sravasti, and
Kushinagar.
• Buddhist culture and heritage - Global
Buddhist summit promotes the Buddhist
culture and heritage in India.
• Shared Buddhist Heritage - An
international conference of Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO) with focus on
India’s civilizational connect with the SCO
nations.
• Press Information Bureau - Released a
digital compilation of 20 speeches made by
Modi that were important in understanding
the rich connection between Prime Minister
and Lord Buddha.
What is the way forward?
• The Indian Council for Cultural Relations
(ICCR) could play a significant role in
promoting such summit.
• Like China, India must use Buddhist
diplomacy to engage with its neighbouring
countries effectively.
• India can use the Bollywood to promote the
Buddhist heritage.

• India’s G-20 presidency this year could be

used to promote Buddhist diplomacy on a
bigger scale.

Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)

• ICCR was founded in 1950 by Maulana Abul

Kalam Azad, independent India’s first Education
Minister.
• ICCR objectives are to actively participate in the
formulation and implementation of policies and
programmes pertaining to India’s external cultural
relations.
• ICCR foster and strengthen cultural
relations and mutual understanding between
India and other countries.
• ICCR promotes cultural exchanges with other
countries and people, and to develop relations with
nations.

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3. GEOGRAPHY

3.1 Cyclone Systems

Why in news?
Due to rapid intensification of cyclones, there is a need for change in forecasting the cyclones.

Definition of a cyclone

Atmospheric
Eye of the cyclone Eye-wall
disturbances

•Cyclones are caused by •The low-pressure center •Surrounds the eye with
atmospheric disturbances of the cyclone is called the the strongest winds and
around a low-pressure eye. Eye provides heaviest rain and is
area distinguished by energy to the cyclones. the most destructive
swift and often destructive The lower the pressure in part of the cyclone.
air circulation. the eye, the more intense
is the cyclone.

What is seedling of a cyclone?

• Rotating low-pressure system - It is the seed of the cyclone.
• It is the moisture converging near the surface when warm light air rises and takes the evaporated water with it.
• Rising air expands, cools and condenses to release energy in the middle atmosphere.

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• Madden-Julian Oscillations (MJO) - Throw seeds of rotational low-pressure systems over the Indian and
the Pacific Oceans.
• MJOs show a strong association with cyclogenesis, especially for the post-monsoon season.
• El Niño and La Niña - Influence the number of cyclone seeds and also the location and the expanse of warm
water.
• Easterly waves - Produced by West Africa propagate cyclones from west from land onto the tropical Atlantic
Ocean and sow the seeds for most hurricanes.
What are the environmental factors involved in cyclogenesis?
• Rotation or vorticity of a low-pressure system at the surface
• Sea surface temperatures or the volume of warm water available.
• The vertical motion of air in this low-pressure system.
• The amount of humidity available in the middle atmosphere.
• The vertical shear or the change in winds from the surface to the upper atmosphere.

3.2 Delayed Arrival of the Southwest Monsoon

Why in news?
India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that the monsoon will be delayed this year.
What is southwest monsoon system?
• Southwest monsoon - It is a sea-breeze from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal that officially onsets over
Kerala on June 1 and retreats from Rajasthan by the end of September.
• Northeast monsoon - It is the retreating monsoon, which is the key source of rainfall for several parts of
Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and north interior Karnataka.
• Rainfall - Southwest monsoon brings more than 75% of India’s annual rainfall.

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• Interdependent - An early or delayed onset of

southwest monsoon over Kerala does not in any
way dictate monsoon performance over the rest
of the season.
• Movement - The monsoon then moves
northwards, the speed of its movement dictated
by local atmospheric conditions and the
development of low-pressure areas.
• The Andaman and Nicobar Islands - Start
getting the rains at least two weeks before Kerala
does.
• No correlation - There is no correlation
between the date of arrival and intensity of the
monsoon.
What are the reasons for the delayed onset of
southwest monsoon?
• Cyclone Mocha - Have weakened the
conditions for the arrival of southwest monsoon over the Bay of Bengal region.
• Cyclone Fabien - The twin cyclone of Mocha just below the Equator is disrupting the incoming monsoon
flows.
• Strong positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) - For the past 5 years the
strong positive IOD haven been delaying the monsoon. The Indian Ocean dipole
• El Nino - The warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean that impacts weather (IOD) is the difference in
events worldwide, is likely to develop earlier than expected. temperature between the
Eastern (Bay of Bengal)
• El Nino has the effect of suppressing the Indian monsoon rainfall. and western Indian
oceans (Arabian Sea).
• An El Nino event can increase the risk of a delayed monsoon in India.
What are the implications of delayed southwest monsoon?
• The follow up showers after the southwest monsoon may be delayed as a result and it could delay sowing of
oilseeds such as soybean.
• A prolonged dry period could result in the Government asking
farmers to switch over to crops sowing to nutri-cereals, which The interplay of the wind and the
consume less water unlike paddy. monsoon system combined with the
Earth system produces twin
How to overcome the challenges of delayed monsoon?
synchronous cyclones and the twin
• Farmers can adopt drought-resistant crops. tropical cyclones are caused by what
are called equatorial Rossby waves.
• The government can provide subsidies for irrigation and other
water-saving measures.
• The government can also provide food assistance to people who are affected by drought.

India Meteorological Department (IMD)

• IMD is the national meteorological agency of India.

• It was established in 1875 as the Meteorological Office of India.
• It was renamed the India Meteorological Department in 1901.
• It is a member of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
• It is a scientific department under the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India.
• The IMD is responsible for providing weather forecasts, warnings, and other meteorological services to the
Indian public.

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4. SOCIAL ISSUES

4.1 Polygamy in India

Why in news?
Assam Chief Minister proposed to enact a legislative law to ban polygamy to address the growing incidents of the child
marriages in the state.
What are the provisions that ban polygamy?
• Polygamy is governed both by personal laws and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). • Polygamy refers
• The Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act 1936 - Prohibited polygamy in the Parsi to the practice of
community. having more
than one
• Shariat Act 1937 - Governs the marriage in Islam. The act allows Muslim man married spouse
to have 4 wives. (wife or
husband).
• The Special Marriage Act 1954 - A radical legislation that proposed the
requirement of monogamy.
• Bigamy refers to
• Section 4 of the act states that “at the time of marriage neither party should have the offence of
a spouse living”. marrying
someone while
• The Hindu Marriage Act 1955 - Outlawed the concept of having more than one already married
spouse. to another
• Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs are also included under the Hindu Marriage act 1955. person.

• Section 17 of the act states that bigamy is an offence.

• IPC Section 494 - Penalizes bigamy or polygamy. A person wife or husband in any case engages in second
marriage should be imprisoned for e period of 7 years and liable to fine.
• This provision does not apply to a marriage which has been declared void by a court
• Section 495 of the IPC - Protects the rights of the second wife in case of a bigamous marriage.
• Article 44 - States that the State shall endeavor to secure for all the citizens a Uniform Civil Code.
What is the status of polygamy in India?
• Kanwal Ram and Ors v The Himachal Pradesh Administration (1965) - The Supreme Court reiterated
the legal position that the standard of proof must be of marriage including
second marriage should be performed as per customs.
• Desertion of marriage - IPC Section 494 penalizing polygamy doesn’t
apply in case of desertion by the spouse that is who has been continuously
absent for 7 years.
• Goa - A crucial exception to the bigamy law for Hindus is Goa, which follows
its own code for personal laws.
• A Hindu man in the state has the right to bigamy under specific
circumstances mentioned in the Codes of Usages and Customs of Gentile
Hindus of Goa.
• No uniform civil code - Even now various religions are governed by their
respective religion personal laws.
• Tribal population - Since they are governed and protected by special laws and the prevalence of polygamy is
high among tribal population.
What is the way forward?
• Any move to outlaw polygamy for Muslims would have to be a special legislation which overrides personal law
protections like in the case of triple talaq.
• The tribal population needs to be educated about the consequences of the polygamy.
• Uniform civil code needs to be followed to bring uniformity across India.

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4.2 Internal Complaints Committees (ICC)

Why in news?
The protest by Indian wrestlers has highlighted the importance of internal complaints committees.
To read about POSH Act, Click here
What is the Internal Complaints Committees (ICC)?
• First port of call - ICC was designed to be the first port of call for any grievance under the POSH (Prevention
of Sexual Harassment Act) Act 2013.

• Section 4 of the POSH Act - Every office of an Challenges to ICC

organization employing 10 or more employees must have an
internal committee dedicated to hearing and resolving sexual • The POSH act is not gender
harassment complaints. neutral so the ICC can conduct
investigations only if it is filed by
• Members - It needs to have a minimum of four members with at women which excludes men and
least half should be women. LGBTQ+ members.
• Among women 1 shall be shall be an external member • Lack of awareness about ICC to the
1. Preferably from an NGO or workers.
2. An association that works for women’s empowerment or • There is no mandate to form ICC in
the informal sectors.
3. A person familiar with issues related to sexual harassment.
• Even though many association
• Mandatory for recognitions - A functional ICC is one of the key have ICC the structure and
conditions set up by the Ministry of Sports to grant annual functions are not conductive with
recognition to the sporting federations. POSH act.
• Court verdict - In Global Health Private Limited & Mr. Arvinder
Bagga v. Local Complaints Committee, District Indore and Others (2017), the Court held that there should be
a fine imposed under the POSH Act for failing to constitute the ICC.
• Female Presiding Officer - Has been made mandatory and should be an employee at a senior level at work.

• Power of a civil court - Regarding investigation National level Sports Federations (NSFs)
complaints of workplace sexual harassment ICC have
the same powers as civil court under the Code of Civil
• A list of 56 NSFs recognized by the Government for
Procedure 1908.
different sports disciplines.
• Tenure - ICC members have a maximum term of
• NSFs can be recognized only by the union
3 years.
government.
•
Section 10 of the POSH Act - ICC can resolve a
• Elections are held by the NSFs at the intervals
complaint between the parties at the request of the
prescribed under the bye-laws of the concerned
aggrieved woman through conciliation by reaching
NSFs.
an amicable settlement.
What is the way forward? • National Sports Development Code of India 2011
provides the guild lines to conduct election for
• Strict actions should be taken by government in case NSFs.
of a national sporting body having no ICC.
• From 2010 the Government has introduced a
• The functions and structure of the ICC needs to be re- system of annual recognition procedure for the
examined by the government which should be in NSFs.
conducive with current demands.
• Before starting of any tournament, the awareness should be made about ICC.

4.3 Kerala’s Kudumbashree Programme

Why in news?
Kerala’s Kudumbashree programme is at a crossroads after 25 years since its inception.
What is the programme about?
• Kudumbashree is the poverty eradication and women empowerment programme launched in 1998.

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• The State Poverty Eradication

Mission (SPEM) of the
Government of Kerala
implements it.
• It was renamed
Kudumbashree Mission in
1999 and began to function
under the local self-
government department.
• The name Kudumbashree in
Malayalam language means
‘prosperity of the family’.
What is the organizational
structure of Kudumbashree?
• The community structure of
Kudumbashree evolved from
the experiments conducted in
Alappuzha Municipality and Malappuram in early 1990s.
• Kudumbashree has a three-tier structure for its women community network.
What are the functions of
Kudumbashree? Impacts of the programme

• The Mission converges the Kudumbashree

community network with local
self-government institutions. •It became a multifaceted entity with footprints in all spheres
of society apart from being a credit programme.
• It provides financial and technical •Community restaurants, branded products in stores and on
assistance to economic and social e-commerce platforms, micro and small scale industries, e-
empowerment programmes. service centres, all-women construction sites
• It monitors the overall
implementation of the poverty Impacts
eradication and women •Haritha Karma Sena volunteers who collect non-
empowerment programme across biodegradable waste from households for disposal.
the State. For example - DDU- •Snehitha gender helpdesk and gender resource centres.
GKY. •The workforce for the animal birth control programme for
regulating the population of community dogs.
• It also works as the platform for
partnerships with government
departments at the district and DDU-GKY
State levels. •Kudumbashree is the implementing agency for the Deen
Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY).
• Lending - Thrift and credit
•Under DDU-GKY, it gave vocational training to some 62,000
programme is the first level entry
people and placement for over 44,000.
point for Kudumbashree.
• NHGs start lending to members LSG
using the group’s savings.
•Kudumbashree pushed the representation for women in local
• The qualified NHGs are eligible for bodies.
bank linkage and loans are availed •Women constitute 54% of Kerala’s 21,900 local body
thereafter. members and about 70% of these women are from
Kudumbashree.
What are the new challenges faced
by the programme?
• After 25 years, Kudumbashree has to address the aspirations of the new generation in a tech-driven world.
• Majority of the micro enterprises facilitated by Kudumbashree stick to the gendered vocations of women.
• Only 0.64% of the population in Kerala is categorised under extreme poverty, hence it is now focusing on skilling
educated members of the auxiliary groups.
• This skilling enables the educated members to take up employment or start enterprises.
• While over 26,000 enterprises under the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme have been launched,
just few are noteworthy.

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What is the way forward?

• To improve productivity of women, they should have more time for themselves.
• Ward-level day care centres and day homes for the elderly has to be set up to give women adequate productive
time.

4.4 Caste-Based Survey

Why in news?
The Patna high court has halted the ongoing caste-based survey in Bihar.
To read about census - Click here According to UDISE+ data
Why is Bihar conducting a caste census? OBC children comprise 45 per
cent students in primary
• To channel welfare policies and implement schemes effectively. schools, SCs 19 % and STs 11 %.
• Since Bihar’s coalition government comprises mainly Other Backward
Classes (OBCs) and they have been undermined in the current
reservation system.
• Potential political benefits that would help identify the true population of the Bihar’s OBCs.
• Even though UPA government in 2011 conducted a caste census it was not released due to various reasons.
• Survey would facilitate in preparing state budget tailored for welfare of oppressed classes.
What exactly Patna high court said?
• The court said that the state government had no power to conduct a census as it would infringe on the
legislative powers of the Parliament.
• Difference between survey and census - Census is a collection of accurate facts and verifiable details.
• Whereas a survey is intended at collection and analysis of opinions and perceptions of the general public, which
may be aimed at a specific community. So, the present exercise by Bihar is a census done in the name of survey.
• Right to privacy - Certain entries in the survey such as conditions of the labour work affects the right to
privacy.
• Data security - Certain entries in the survey contains birth and death which may lead to data security.
• Principle of voluntary disclosure - Data should be entered only after each and every individual, who is a
native of Bihar and not resident within the state, at the time of survey and not from the head of the family.
What is the data, the enumerators are collecting?
• The total number of households in the state are being counted in the first phase.
• In the second phase the data about Castes, religions and economic backgrounds and the number of family
members living in and outside the state.
• The exercise covers an estimated population of 12.7 crore across 38 districts and will only enumerate caste
and not sub-caste.

Definition of caste census Importance of caste census

• India runs the world’s largest affirmative welfare
• Caste census means inclusion of caste-wise
programme based on caste identity.
tabulation of India’s population belonging to all
• Reservation in educational institutes and
castes, primarily the Other Backward Classes (OBCs),
government jobs are provided on the basis of caste
and not just SCs and STs.
identities.
• In 1952 census the first separate data on Scheduled
• The absence of fresh caste census data means that the
Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) was
caste estimates of 1931 are being projected for
published.
formulating welfare policies in 2021.
• The first caste census data was released in 1931.
• The highest reservation mandate for the Other
• The 2011 census even though had caste census the
Backward Classes (OBCs) at 27 % is caste based as the
data was not released.
BP Mandal Commission ascertained the
backwardness of the class on the basis of caste.

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What is the socio economic and caste census (SECC) 2011?

• A study of socio-economic status of rural and urban households.
• Allows ranking of households based on predefined parameters.
• SECC 2011 was conducted by ministry of rural development.
• This is the first time such a comprehensive exercise has been carried out for both rural and urban India.

Socio Economic Census Caste Census

• Conducted at a particular community and

• Conducted across the household without any focus
provides a portrait of certain caste population.
to identify the identify beneficiaries.
• The data collected is confidential.
• The data collected is not confidential.

Quick facts

• Article 162 provides that the executive power of a State shall extend to the matters with respect to which the
Legislature of a State has power to make laws.
• In the 1931 census, the population of OBCs was estimated to be 52 %.

G.S PAPER II

5. INDIAN POLITY

5.1 Freedom of speech

Why in news?
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has struck down the government order of Andhra government that seeks to regulate
public assemblies, processions which violates the freedom of speech.

Freedom of speech

Freedom of speech implies that every citizen has the right to express his views, opinions, belief and convictions freely
by word of mouth, writing, printing, picturing or in any other manner.

• Article 19 provides for the right • These rights are not absolute and the reasonable
restrictions includes
o to freedom of speech and expression
o Sovereignty and integrity of India
o to assemble peaceably and without arms
o Security of the state
o to form associations or unions
o Friendly relations with foreign states
o to move freely throughout the territory of
India o Public order
o to reside and settle in any part of the o Decency or morality
territory of India
o Contempt of court, defamation and
o to practise any profession, or to carry on
o Incitement to an offence
any occupation, trade or business

The Supreme Court includes the following rights under freedom of speech and expression

Right to propagate one’s views as well as views of others Right to know about government activities

Freedom of the press Freedom of silence

Freedom of commercial advertisement Right against imposition of pre-censorship on a newspaper

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Right against tapping of telephonic conversation Right to demonstration or picketing but not right to strike

Right against bundh called by a political party or

Right to telecast
organization

What is the issue?

• Government Order - The Government of Andhra Pradesh had issued the G.O. in the wake of two stampedes
witnessed during the rallies organised by the Opposition Party.
• It was issued under relevant provisions of the Police Act, 1861
• The government had said that the G.O. was aimed at regulating the Under Section 144 of Criminal
rallies and meetings on public roads and highways. Procedure Code (1973), a
magistrate can restrain an
• The government had contended that the G.O. did not prohibit, or assembly, meeting or procession if
ban any public gathering, but would only regulate such meetings by there is a risk of obstruction,
making prior permission mandatory. annoyance or danger to human life,
• High Court Observations - The High Court observed that the health or safety or a disturbance of
G.O. was in violation of Section 30 of the Police Act, 1861. the public tranquillity or a riot.

• It also held that the power conferred by the G.O. is “arbitrary,

excessive, and also fails on the test of proportionality”.
• It clarifies that Section 30 of the Police Act only gives authorities the power to “regulate” the conduct of
assemblies, processions, etc., on public roads.
• Hence, the state cannot restrict the right to assemble or protest peacefully in streets, public places or
thoroughfares.
• The court noted that freedom of speech is the bulwark of democracy and is regarded as the first in the
hierarchy of liberties.
• The court relied on the ‘Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan v Union of India and Another, 2018’, which laid
down guidelines for peaceful assembly.
What were the guidelines laid down in the 2018 SC ruling?
• The court laid down guidelines for regulating protests and demonstrations while adding that the right to
peaceful assembly under Article 19(1)(b) can be reasonably restricted.
• The guidelines included
1. Regulating the intended number of participants in such demonstrations.
2. prescribed the minimum distance from the Parliament House, North and South Blocks, SC, and the
residences of dignitaries within which no demonstrations were allowed
3. imposed restrictions on certain routes where the PM, Central Ministers, and Judges pass through
4. said that demonstrations would not be allowed when foreign dignitaries were visiting a place or route
5. Disallowed demonstrators from carrying firearms, lathis, spears, swords, etc.

5.2 Hate Speech

Why in news?
The Kerala High Court has delivered its judgement against a slew of petitions seeking a ban on the film ‘The Kerala
Story’.
What is the case about?
• Case - The Kerala Story, a film allegedly based on the instances of a few women joining the Islamic State,
claimed that 32,000 girls went missing in Kerala after being recruited by the radical Islamist group.
• After a slew of petitions were filed before various courts seeking a ban on the film, the filmmakers agreed to
withdraw the teaser and carry a disclaimer that the film’s content is fictional.
• Supreme Court - A division bench of the Supreme Court refused to grant a stay and suggested to approach
the Kerala High Court for relief.

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• High Court - The Kerala High Court refused to stay the film’s release, saying that there was no allegation
against a particular religion as a whole and that certain claims have been made only against ISIS.
• The bench highlighted that artistic freedom must be protected and there was a need to balance competing
interests.
• However, it allowed the petitioners to prosecute their complaint before the Central Board of Film Certification
(CBFC) seeking re-examination of the film.

Arguments for Ban Arguments against the Ban

• Likely to cause hatred and enmity between different

sections of society in India • The film was merely a form of art and cannot be
• Infringes upon the constitutional values of equality conflated with hate speech.
and fraternity. • There was no allegation against a particular
• Film blatantly promotes hateful and malicious religion as a whole and that certain claims have
propaganda. been made only against ISIS.

• Has the potential to disturb public order, decency • Artistic freedom must be protected and thus there
and morality, particularly women and the Muslim was a need to balance competing interests.
community.

What is the legal framework for dealing with hate speech?

• Constitution - Hate speech is not defined in the constitution.
• Article 19(1)(a) – It guarantees the right to freedom of speech and expression but imposes reasonable
restrictions on speeches that cause hate, violence, ridicule or indignity.
• Indian Penal Code (IPC)
1. Section 153A - Promotion of enmity between different groups on Hate speech is an
grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., incitement to hatred
doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony against a particular group
of persons marginalized
2. Section 153B - Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national- by their religious belief,
integration sexual orientation, and
3. Section 295A - Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage gender and so on.
religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious
beliefs
• The Cinematograph Act 1952 - Empowers the Board of Film Certification to prohibit and regulate the
screening of a film if it is likely to incite offence against public order, decency or morality, or involves defamation
or contempt of court.
• Cable Television Network Regulation Act 1995 - Requires cable news channels to adhere to a list of
restrictions on content, prescribed under the programme code or advertisement code which have been defined
under the Cable Television Network Rules 1994.
• Law Commission - Proposed the addition of new provisions to the IPC, which are
o Prohibiting incitement to hatred under sections 153C and
o Prohibiting causing fear, alarm or provocation of violence under 505A.
What are the concerns with hate speech?
• Concerns – Hate speech
1. Infringes the dignity and equality of individuals
2. Creates barriers of mistrust
3. Creates hostility between individuals and groups
4. Plants fears and obstructs normal relations
5. Increases the caste-based violence

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What is the way forward?

• Recognizing the insufficiency of existing laws to deal with different forms of hate speech, the Law Commission
proposed the addition of new provisions to the IPC
o Section 153C - Prohibiting incitement to hatred
o Section 505A - Prohibiting causing fear, alarm or provocation of violence

Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)

• CBFC is a statutory body under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

• It regulates the public exhibition of films under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act, 1952.
• Films can be publicly exhibited in India only after they have been certified by the CBFC.
• CBFC consists of non-official members and a Chairman all being appointed by Central Government.
• Headquarters - Mumbai

5.3 Maharashtra Political Crisis

Why in news?
The Supreme Court has passed a unanimous judgement on various issues related to the split in Shiv Sena in June 2022.
What was the case about?
• The Maharashtra political crisis started, when Uddhav Thackeray headed the Maharashtra government as part
of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
• MVA is a three-party alliance consisting of the Shiv Sena, the Congress
and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). In Kihoto Hollohan versus
• The ruling Shiv Sena called a meeting of all its MLAs in Mumbai but Zachillhu & Ors (1992), the
some of its legislators have aligned themselves with the party’s rebel SC had held that it could not
leader (Eknath Shinde). interfere in the jurisdiction of a
Speaker, except when there is an
• Treating anti-party activities as ‘voluntarily’ giving up membership of interim disqualification.
the political party, Thackeray had issued 16 disqualification petitions,
through Deputy Speaker under the Tenth Schedule.

Previous court orders

Shinde’s petition Thackeray’s petition

• Shinde’s petition - The Shinde group challenged • The then Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari ordered a
the notices before the Supreme Court on the grounds floor test to be held in the Assembly based on the
that a no-confidence motion for the removal of request of the Shinde faction.
Deputy Speaker has been moved and that he couldn’t
decide on the disqualification petitions. • The Thackeray-led government in the Supreme Court
challenged this but the Court refused to interfere and
• In 2022, the vacation bench of the Supreme Court did not stay the floor test.
stayed the disqualification proceedings, and gave
extended time period to the legislators led by Shinde • Therefore, Thackeray resigned as Chief Minister and
to respond to these petitions. Eknath Shinde was later sworn in as the Chief
Minister.
• This order created a controversy because the
Supreme Court, in its landmark judgment of Kihoto • In 2023, the Election Commission ruled that the
Hollohan case. Shinde faction had the right to use the name ‘Shiv
Sena’ and the election symbol ‘Bow and Arrow’ that is
reserved for the party under The Symbols
(Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.

What is the recent Supreme Court ruling about?

• Disqualification of MLAs - The SC said that it cannot interfere in the proceedings and the Speaker must
decide on the issue of the disqualification of the 16 MLAs, including Shinde.

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• Restoring Uddhav Thackeray government - Since Uddhav Thackeray resigned as the chief minister and
did not face the floor test, his government cannot be restored.
• Governor’s role in calling floor test - The court held that the then Maharashtra governor did not act in
accordance with the law, as he had no objective material to doubt the confidence of the Thackeray government.
• Appointment of Chief whip - The SC held the appointment of Bharat Gogawale as the Chief Whip of the
Shiv Sena to be “illegal” and held that the speaker should have conducted an independent inquiry to identify
two whips issued by two factions of the political party.
• Speaker and ECI - The SC also held that the Speaker and Election Commission can concurrently adjudicate
the disqualification issues and the dispute related to the poll symbol of Shiv Sena.
• Issues with Nabam Rebia judgement - The SC referred certain issues related to its 2016 judgment in the
Nabam Rebia case to a larger bench.

Offices Mentioned in

Leader of the House Rules of the House (Not mentioned in the Constitution)

Leader of the
Parliamentary Statute (Not mentioned in the Constitution)
Opposition

Neither in the Constitution of India nor in the Rules of the House nor in a Parliamentary
Whip
Statute

5.4 Judicial Recusal

Why in news? Rules governing Judicial Recusal

The Supreme Court judge Justice MR Shah
refused to recuse himself from hearing a No codified rules governing recusals
plea by former Indian Police Service (IPS)
officer Sanjiv Bhatt. •In India but several Supreme Court judgments have dealt
with the issue.
What is Judicial Recusal?
• Judicial recusal is when a judge Supreme Court
withdraws from a case due to a
conflict of interest or a reasonable •Has over time outlined various factors to be taken into
consideration for deciding the impartiality of a judge.
apprehension of bias.
• This is done to ensure that the case Ranjit Thakur v. Union of India (1987)
is decided fairly and that the
outcome is not influenced by the •SC held that it is important for the judge to be honest in the
personal biases of the judge. eyes of the concerned party rather than himself.
• The practice of judicial recusal
stems from the cardinal principle State of West Bengal v. Shivananda Pathak
(1998)
of due process of law, which
requires that all parties to a case •Defined that it is a condition of mind which renders the
be treated fairly and judge incapable of impartiality in a particular case, the
impartially. Court explained.

• If a judge recuses themselves, the

case is assigned to a different judge. Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record
Association v. Union of India (2015)
• In legal terms, bench fixing, bench
hunting or forum shopping refers to •Court observed that where a judge has a pecuniary interest,
petitioners managing to get their no further inquiry is needed as to whether there was a ‘real
cases heard by a particular judge or danger’ or ‘reasonable suspicion’ of bias.
court to ensure a favourable order.
Indore Development Authority v. Manoharlal
Why do judges recuse themselves? and Ors (2019)
• Financial or personal interest in the •Court held that held that a judge who had rendered any
outcome of the case decision in a smaller combination is not disqualified from
being part of a larger Bench to which a reference is made.

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• Prior involvement in the case, such as having served as a lawyer or judge in the case
• A close personal relationship with one of the parties and a belief that they cannot be impartial in the case

What are the rules governing judicial recusal in India?

• No codified rules governing recusals - In India but several Supreme Court judgments have dealt with the
issue.
• Supreme Court - Has over time outlined various factors to be taken into consideration for deciding the
impartiality of a judge.
• Ranjit Thakur v. Union of India (1987) - SC held that it is important for the judge to be honest in the eyes
of the concerned party rather than himself.
• State of West Bengal v. Shivananda Pathak (1998) - Defined that it is a condition of mind which renders
the judge incapable of impartiality in a particular case, the Court explained.
• Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association v. Union of India (2015) - Court observed that
where a judge has a pecuniary interest, no further inquiry is needed as to whether there was a ‘real danger’ or
‘reasonable suspicion’ of bias.
• Indore Development Authority v. Manoharlal and Ors (2019) - Court held that held that a judge who
had rendered any decision in a smaller combination is not disqualified from being part of a larger Bench to
which a reference is made.

Judicial recuse practice in foreign nations

United States United Kingdom Canada

• The Code of Conduct for United • The Judicial Conduct and • Canadian Judicial Council
States Judges sets out the rules Investigations Office (JCIO) is (CJC) is responsible for
governing judicial recusal. responsible for investigating overseeing the conduct of
allegations of judicial judges.
• The Code of Conduct provides that misconduct.
a judge must recuse themselves if • CJC has published a code of
they have a financial interest in the • JCIO has published guidance on conduct for judges, which sets
outcome of the case, or if they have judicial recusal, which sets out out the rules governing judicial
a close personal relationship with the principles that judges recusal.
one of the parties. should follow when considering
whether or not to recuse
• The Code of Conduct also provides themselves.
that a judge must recuse himself or
herself if there is a reasonable
apprehension of bias.

What is the way forward?

Types of judicial recusal

Automatic recusal Discretionary recusal

• This occurs when a judge has the discretion to

• This occurs when a judge is required to recuse
recuse themselves.
themselves by law.
• Example - A judge may recuse themselves if they
• Example - A judge must recuse themselves if they
have a close personal relationship with one of the
have a financial interest in the outcome of the
parties.
case.

• Need for clarity and transparency in recusal procedures

• Need of Balancing the impartiality with the discretion of judges
• Need of maintaining public confidence in the justice system through fair and transparent recusal practices

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5.5 Default Bail

Why in news?
The Supreme Court directed lower courts to decide pending default bail applications without relying on its own
judgment of Ritu Chhabaria case.
What is Ritu Chhabaria case Default Bill
about?
• Supplementary charge Default bail
sheets - Investigating •The right to statutory bail, often known as default bail or
authorities routinely file compulsive bail, is granted because of the default of the
incomplete or supplementary investigating agency in not completing the investigation within
charge sheets within the the specified time.
60/90 day period, to prevent
the accused from seeking CrPC
default bail.
•Under Section 167(2) of CrPC, a Magistrate can order an
• Ritu Chhabaria Case - The accused person to be detained in the custody of the police for 15
Supreme Court, in Ritu days.
Chhabaria, delegitimised •Beyond 15 days, the Magistrate can authorise the detention of the
such illegal practices and accused person in judicial custody (jail) if necessary.
held that incomplete charge
sheets filed by police would Maximum period of detention
not prevent an accused from •However, the accused cannot be detained for more than:
applying for default bail. •90 days (when an authority is investigating an offence
punishable with death, life imprisonment or imprisonment for
• It held that the right of at least 10 years)
default bail under Section •60 days (when the authority is investigating any other offence)
167(2) of CrPC is not merely
a statutory right, but a
fundamental right that flows Right to bail
from Article 21 of the •After the period of 90/60 days, if the investigation has not been
Constitution. completed and charge-sheet not filed, the accused person has the
right to be released on bail.
What is the Supreme Court’s
(SC) interim order about?
Judicial custody
• Arguments of ED - The
government, through the •The default bail prevents the misuse of judicial custody by the
investigation agency.
Enforcement Directorate
(ED), moved an application
Article 21
in SC to recall the Ritu
Chhabaria judgment. •The court in multiple judgments have held that the default bail
flows from the Article 21 of the Constitution which guarantees the
• The ED argued that the right to life and personal liberty.
judgment contradicted the
Supreme Court’s own past
verdicts.
• The ED also argued that the judgment would not apply to special laws like the Prevention of Money Laundering
Act (PMLA).
• SC’s interim order - The Supreme Court in its interim order directed courts to postpone any decision on
default bail pleas filed on the strength of the Ritu Chhabaria judgment.
What are the concerns with the order?
• The Supreme Court’s interim order is said to curtail the rights of under trial prisoners seeking default bail.
• The Court’s decision to suspend the rights of defendants in criminal cases would lead to erosion of constitutional
rights of the accused and deviate from fundamental principles of criminal procedure.

5.6 Divorce under Article 142

Why in news?
A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court held that it can directly grant divorce to couples on irretrievable
breakdown of marriage under Article 142 of the Constitution.

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What was the case and its judgement?

• Originally filed in the Supreme Court in 2014, the parties sought a divorce under Article 142.

• Judgement - The SC can exercise its plenary power to do ‘complete justice’ under Article 142(1) of the
Constitution to dissolve a marriage on the ground that it had broken down irretrievably.
• It can grant divorce without referring the parties
to a family court for divorce by mutual consent Factors laid down for irretrievable breakdown
petitions. of marriage
What is the current procedure for divorce under
• The court laid down the following factors to
the Hindu Marriage Act?
determine irretrievable breakdown of marriage:
• The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 lays down the law o The period of time that the parties had cohabited
for divorce which applies to Hindus, Buddhists, after marriage;
Jains, and Sikhs. o When the parties had last cohabited;
• Divorce by mutual consent - provided under o Nature of allegations made by the parties
Section 13B of the Act. against each other and their family members;
o Orders passed in the legal proceedings from
• Filing - Both parties to the marriage must time to time;
together file a petition to the district court on the o Cumulative impact on the personal relationship;
ground that they have been living separately for a o Whether, and how many attempts were made to
period of one year or more and have mutually settle the disputes by a court or through
agreed on divorce. mediation, and when the last attempt was made.
• The parties must move a second motion before the o The period of separation should be sufficiently
court between 6-18 months after the date of the long (more than 6 years is irrelevant for
presentation of the first petition. reconciliation).

• Six-month period - The mandatory six-month wait is intended to give the parties time to withdraw their plea.
• Condition for mutual divorce - A petition for divorce by mutual consent can be moved only after a year of
the marriage.
• In case of ‘exceptional hardship to the petitioner or of exceptional depravity on the part of the respondent’, the
petition can be moved earlier under Section 14 of HMA.
• A waiver of the six-month waiting period under Section 13B (2) can be sought in an exemption application filed
before the family court.
How does SC grant decree of divorce under Article 142?
• The decision to exercise the power Scope of Article 142 of the Constitution
under Article 142(1) to grant divorce
should be based on considerations
of fundamental general and specific Article 142
public policy.
•Article 142 of f the Constitution titled ‘Enforcement of decrees and
• Fundamental general public orders of the Supreme Court and orders as to discovery, etc.’ has
policy - Fundamental rights, two clauses - Article 142 (1) and Article 142 (2).
secularism, federalism, and other
basic features of the Constitution. Article 142(1)
• Specific public policy - Defined by
the court to mean some express pre- •It reads the Supreme Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction may
eminent prohibition in any pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for
substantive law, and not stipulations doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before
it.
and requirements to a particular
statutory scheme. Prem Chand Garg
(1962) case
Why do we need direct decree of
divorce under Article 142? •The order to do complete justice must be consistent with the
fundamental rights and the substantive provisions of the relevant
• The process of obtaining a decree of statutory laws.
divorce is often time-consuming and
lengthy.
• A large number of similar cases pending before family courts.
• It emphasised the need to evaluate the factors according to the economic and social status of the parties.

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5.7 Krishna Water Dispute

Why in news?

The nagging dispute over the water share of the Krishna River between Andhra Pradesh (A.P.) and Telangana remains
unresolved, even nine years after the bifurcation of the combined State.
What is the history of the dispute?
• 1,400-km Krishna River flows east from Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra to the Bay of Bengal. It passes through
Karnataka, and forms part of border between Telangana &
Andhra. Krishna River
• The Telangana-Andhra Pradesh water dispute has its roots in
the formation of Andhra Pradesh in 1956. • The Krishna is the second-largest east-
flowing river of the Peninsula.
• The dispute centers on the sharing of water from the Krishna
River, which flows through both states. • Krishna River rises at Mahabaleshwar at
an altitude of 1336 m near the Jor village
• Bachawat Tribunal was constituted to settle the dispute and in the extreme north of district Satara,
it allocated 811 tmcft of water to Andhra Pradesh, which was Maharashtra in the west, and meets the
then a single state. Bay of Bengal in Andhra Pradesh, on the
east coast.
• The Tribunal also recommended that the water be shared in
the ratio of 512:299 tmcft between Andhra and Telangana, • It is bounded by the Balaghat range on the
respectively and to share water in the ratio of 34:66. north, by the Eastern Ghats on the south
and the east, and by the Western Ghats on
• However, the Andhra Pradesh government did not
the west.
implement the Tribunal's recommendations. Instead, it
continued to divert water from the Krishna River to areas in
Andhra Pradesh that were outside of the Krishna River basin.
How is the water shared among the states?
• Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) was set up in 1969 in keeping with the Inter-State River Dispute Act
1956.
• In 1976 the states entered into an agreement to divide the estimated 2,060 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft)
of Krishna water into three parts
o 560 tmc feet for Maharashtra, 700 for Karnataka and roughly 800 for erstwhile Andhra Pradesh (before
bifurcation).
• Andhra Pradesh during bifurcation asked the union ministry to include Telangana as a separate state and divide
the Krishna River into 4
states instead of 3.
• In 2014, the two Telugu
states agreed to split the
water on a temporary or ad
hoc basis in a 66:34 ratio.
• Of the total 811 tmc feet
allotted to the combined
state, Telangana would
receive about 299 tmc feet of
water, while residual Andhra
Pradesh would get 512 tmc
feet.
• Projects in the Krishna River
includes Jurala, Nagarjuna
Sagar, Pulichintala and
Srisailam.
What are the key factors contributing to the dispute?
• Lack of definition - On the Krishna River since it is complex and there is no clear consensus on which areas
should be included in the basin.
• The different needs of the two states - Telangana is a largely agricultural state, while Andhra Pradesh is a
more industrial state.

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• So Telangana needs water for irrigation, while Andhra Pradesh needs water
for industrial use.
MDDL is the minimum
• The lack of trust between the two states - The two states have a long level of water that must
history of mistrust, which has made it difficult for them to reach an agreement be maintained in a
on water sharing. reservoir in order to
ensure its safety and to
• Minimum draw down level (MDDL) - Andhra Pradesh wants to increase
allow for continued
the MDDL so that it can draw more water for irrigation in Rayalaseema.
power generation and
• Telangana wants to keep the MDDL at its current level so that it can continue irrigation.
to generate power and irrigate its own lands.
What is the way forward?
• The two states could agree to a new water sharing arrangement that takes into account the needs of both states.
• The Centre could intervene and impose a water sharing arrangement on the two states.
• The two states could cooperate on water conservation measures to reduce the amount of water that is needed.
• The best solution to the dispute will depend on the willingness of the two states to compromise and cooperate.

6. GOVERNANCE

6.1 India's progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Why in news?
The Prime Minister expressed concern that progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) seems to be slowing
down.
What are Sustainable Development Goals?
• The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 with a vision to achieve
a better and more sustainable future for all.
• The SDGs, officially known as ‘Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ is a set
of 17 Global Goals with 169 targets between them.
• India is one of the signatory countries that has committed to achieving these goals by 2030.
• The UN member states use the SDGs to frame their agendas and political policies over the next 15 years.
• The SDGs framework sets targets for 231 unique indicators related to economic development, social welfare and
environmental sustainability.

India’s position in the progress on SDG indicators

• India is roughly halfway to the deadline to achieve SDGs.

• A recent study assesses India’s progress on 33 welfare indicators, covering 9 SDGs and the results are mixed.

Positive Trend Concerning Trend Heightened Concern

• India is ‘On-Target’ to meeting • For 19 of the 33 SDG • No district in India has yet
14 of the 33 SDGs, including indicators, the current pace succeeded in eliminating
indicators for neonatal and of improvement is not the practice of girl child
under-five mortality, full enough to meet SDG marriage before the legal
vaccination, improved targets. age of 18 years.
sanitation, and electricity
access. • Despite a national policy • Despite the overall
push for clean fuel for expansion of mobile phone
• But, the national ‘On-Target’ cooking, more than two- access in India (93% of
designation does not apply thirds (479) of districts households), only 56%
equally across all districts. remain ‘Off-Target’. women report owning a
mobile phone.

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Why India’s SDG progress is important?

• India is expected to surpass China as the world’s most populous country in 2023, as per UN projections.
• India will become the third largest economy in the world over the next decade.
• Regardless of the global progress that has been made to date, realising Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
at a global scale is intrinsically tied to the success of India for the above 2 reasons.
What could be adapted from India’s recent mobilisation for COVID-19?
• India adopted an ‘optimisation’ approach to the COVID-19 pandemic giving the focus and resources necessary
to succeed.
• The following lessons from COVID-19 could be adopted in realising SDGs.
• Political-administrative synergy - Strong and sustained political leadership supported by a responsive
administrative structure at all levels, from national to the district level.
• This synergy which was willing to learn and undertake course corrections in real-time was critical to the success
of vaccination programme and rollout of a comprehensive relief package.
• Public data platform - The existing digital infrastructure, as well as new, indigenous initiatives such as the
Co-WIN data platform made India’s success with COVID-19 possible.
• India must put in place a coordinated, public data platform for population health management, by
• India must consolidate its many platforms into an integrated digital resource for district administrators, as well
as State and national policy makers.
• Proactive Programmes - A targeted SDG strategy delivered at scale must be executed with the same
timeliness of India’s COVID-19 relief package.
• For example, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (March 2020)
‘Optimisation problem’ is the
later augmented Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (2023)
designing and implementing
covering 800 million people.
a policy response to a
• The relief programme was a mix of spending to provide direct in-kind pressing issue relying on
and economic support, as well as measures aimed at revitalising the political will, responsive
economy, small businesses, and agriculture. administration, adequate
resources, and sound data.
• This was critical in blunting the adverse effects of COVID-19, especially
for vulnerable and the socio-economically disadvantaged groups.
• It also measurably demonstrated the value of a proactive, government-supported programme specifically aimed
at improving people’s well-being.
What does India need to do?
• There is no historical precedence on how to deliver development to a billion-plus people in a healthy and
sustainable manner.
• India needs to innovate a new policy path in order to meet the aspirations of its people in the decade ahead.
• India has proved that it is possible to deliver at scale in such an ambitious and comprehensive manner, in
successfully delivering a real-time response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To succeed in meeting its SDG targets, a similar concerted, pioneering, nation-wide effort would be the need of
the hour.

6.2 Copyrights and Intellectual Property

Why in news?
The Bombay high court ruled that FM radio channels must pay royalties to composers and lyricists for the copy righted
music that they use in the channel.
What are radio royalties?
• Although 'royalty' has not been defined under the Copyright Act 1957, the Income Tax Act 1961 defines royalty.
• Income tax act 1961 defines royalty as royalties are payments to the copyright owners made by the user in
exchange for the right to use, broadcast, or communicate their music to the public.

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• These royalties are administered by numerous copyright

societies like the IPRS, the Indian Singer Rights Association
(ISRA), Novex, and Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL). Copyright is a type of intellectual
property right and Authors who have
To know more about Intellectual Property Rights. original works such as works of
What is the status of copyrights protection in India? literature dramatic, musical, and
artistic works, cinematographic films,
• Copyrights act 1957 - Governs the law pertaining to copyright and audio recordings are all awarded
in India. copyright safeguards under Indian law.
• The original authors were not entitled to claim royalty once their
original works became part of a film.
• India’s first copyright law and six amendments have been made since then.
• Indian Performing Right Society Limited (IPRS) - A society
registered under the Copyright Act 1957. Intellectual Property
• IPRS v Eastern India Motion Pictures - The court held that, once the Appellate Board is a
underlying original works of the authors became part of a cinematograph statutory body under
film, the producer enjoys the exclusive right of the said work. Department for Promotion
of Industry and Internal
• 2012 amendment of copyright act 1957 - Recognized performers’ Trade (DIPP).
rights under the copyright framework.
• Performers’ rights cannot be transferred or sold through an agreement.
• The 2012 amendment ensured that the rights of the original authors could not be overridden.
• The amendments also mentions that if an author’s work is used for new formats he should be compensated for
it.
• WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) - The 2012 amendment of copyrights act 1957 is in line with WCT.
• Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) - In December 2022 IPAB fixed royalties for radio
broadcasts at 2% of the Net Advertisement Revenues.
• Delhi high court - In the case IPRS vs Entertainment Network India Ltd (ENIL) held that there is no
need of separate license to be obtained or royalties paid to the IPRS.
What is the recent verdict by Bombay high court?
• The Bombay high court recently pronounced the verdict of cases IPRS vs Rajasthan Patrika Pvt.
Ltd and IPRS vs Music Broadcast Limited.
• The Bombay High Court has upheld the rights of IPRS to collect music royalties from FM radio broadcasters.

Quick facts

Indian Performing Right Society Limited (IPRS)

• IPRS is a representative body of Owners of Music, viz. Composers, Lyricists (or Authors) and the Publishers
of Music and is also the sole authorized body to issue licenses for usage of Musical Works & Literary Music
within Indian.
• IPRS legitimize use of copyrighted Music by Music users by issuing those licenses and collect Royalties from
Music Users for and on behalf of IPRS members.
• IPRS members include Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music.
• IPRS came into existence on August 1969.

WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT)

• The WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) is a special agreement under the Berne Convention.
• Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works adopted in 1886.
• WCT deals with two subject matters to be protected by copyright.
• Computer programs, whatever the mode or form of their expression and Compilations of data or other material
(databases).

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7. HEALTH

7.1 Law for mandatory recall of substandard drugs

Why in news?
There is rise of substandard drugs in the India due to lack of regulatory standards and no law to recall drugs.
What are the measures taken for law on drug recall?
• Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) - In 1976 discussed the issues of recall of bad drugs.
• The meeting resolved to
have greater cooperation Reasons for drugs failure
between various state
drug controllers in order
to facilitate better Fragmented regulatory structure
coordination to recall and
destroy drugs that failed •Since each state have its own regulators and there are totally 38
tests. drug regulators in India, so if a drug is banned from one state it can
be sold in another state.
• Parliamentary
Standing Committee Jurisdictional issues
on Health & Family
Welfare - In 2012 raised
•Many regulators has led to inconsistent enforcement of the law and
the issue of recall of drugs jurisdictional issues.
but it didn’t materialize.
• Central Drugs No focus on process
Standard Control
Organization •The Indian system is still oriented towards end products (medicines
(CDSCO) - Proposed a sold in the market) rather than processes.
set of draft recall
guidelines, but the
national regulator didn’t No transparency
convert the guild lines
into the binding law. •There are no transparency requirements or mandatory disclosures
of medicinal requirements in the law.
• To know more about
CDSCO click here.
Drug regulation being complex
• Drug Controller
General of India •Drug regulation section of the union health ministry find it difficult
(DCGI) - Announced that to regulate since the regulation process is complex.
the guild lines proposed
by the CDSCO will be
converted into the binding Lack of expertise
law but it didn’t
materialize. •In the drug relation section of the union health ministry.

• Drugs Technical Pharmaceutical industry over protecting

Advisory Board public health
(DTAB) - Also discussed
the issues concerning the •The government has greater interest in enabling the growth of the
pharmaceutical industry than protecting public health.
recall on drugs but there
was no resolution taken.
No law on drug recall
What is the way forward?
• To have comprehensive •Even though government has been mulling for a binding a law on
and clear public health drug recall since 1976, there exists guild lines for drug recall.
policy that prioritizes
public health over profit.
• To create an effective recall mechanism, the responsibility of recalling drugs has to be centralized so as to have
legal responsibility over the drug companies.
• All manufacturing facilities should be licensed by a single national regulator so that it can be held accountable.

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7.2 Medical Value Travel

Why in news?
India hosted ‘One Earth One Health - Advantage Health Care-India 2023’ summit at New Delhi to promote Medical
value travel in India.
What is ‘One Earth One Health - Advantage Healthcare India 2023’ program?
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce
& Industry has co-branded the 6th edition of One Earth One Health - Advantage Healthcare India 2023
with India’s G20 Presidency.
• The event will emphasize the importance of global collaborations and partnerships for building resilient global
health architecture.
• It is a two-day event is to showcase India as the new hub of Medical Value Travel and its emergence as a
major hub for world-class healthcare, wellness services and medical tourism.
• It also aims to highlight India as preferred MVT destination
India’s significance in
medical potential and
create and explore Trained and experienced doctors
opportunities for
healthcare •The doctors in India are more experienced compared to rest of the world.
collaborations between
the participating
countries. Well trained nurses
What is medical tourism?
•According to Ministry of Tourism website, India has 1000 recognized
• Medical tourism also nurses-training centers with 10,000 nurses graduating annually.
known as medical value
travel (MVT) is the
practice of India’s traditional medical
travelling across
international •Such as ayurveda, yoga & naturopathy and other traditional systems of
borders seeking medicine are considered best for the treatment of various ailments,
medical services, promoting wellness tourism.
mainly elective or
complex surgeries.
Low cost of treatment
• Stakeholders in
medical tourism
include airlines, •The treatment in India is very low compared with the other countries. The
hospitals, wellness cancer treatments are 65-90% cheaper rates when compared to US,
Europe, Australia or even Singapore.
centers and hotels
among others.
• Currently, the most 200 types of medical services
sought-after
destination for medical •India offers over 200 types of medical services ranging from fertility
value travel treatments to skincare.
is Canada.
What are the initiatives to Others
promote MVT?
• National Strategy •Cost-effective healthcare services, quality diagnostic equipment and
and Roadmap for trained doctors, with many of them fluent in English.
Medical and
Wellness Tourism - Was rolled out by union government in January 2022 to provide health services to the
world at large.
• Heal in India campaign - Launched by union government to market the nation as a wellness and medical
tourism destination.
• 37 hospitals including 30 private hospitals across 17 cities have been identified to cater to MVT.
• E-visas - India has launched e-visas for MVT travelers from 156 nations.

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• Online MVT portal - The union

government plans to launch a one-stop
online MVT portal.
• The portal will include mapping of all
medical facilitators including government
and private hospitals, booking of services,
payments and post-operative services.
What are the challenges to MVT sector?
• Lacks government regulations and
monitoring.
• Lacks a separate body to head MVT and
coordinate between various stakeholders.
• No standard prices for treatments across
India.
• The lack of a price range leaves tourists
susceptible to cheating.
• No medical insurance portability for MVT travelers.
• Lack of awareness about National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers, India’s national
medical accreditation.

National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH)

• NABH is a constituent board of Quality Council of India.

• NABH set up to establish and operate accreditation program for healthcare organizations.
• NABH is being supported by all stakeholders including industry, consumers, government, have full functional
autonomy in its operation.
• NABH is an Institutional Member of the International Society for Quality in Health Care (lSQua).

7.3 WHO Report on Preterm Births

Why in news?
World Health Organization (WHO) has released the “Born Too Soon: Decade of
Action on Preterm Birth” report highlighting the urgent need to address the
preterm births. Preterm birth is the 4th
leading cause of loss of
What is preterm birth? human capital worldwide,
• Preterm babies - Babies born alive before 37 weeks of pregnancy are at all ages.
completed.
• Subcategories of preterm births
1. Extremely preterm - less than 28 weeks
2. Very preterm - 28 to less than 32 weeks
3. Moderate to late preterm - 32 to 37 weeks
• Reasons for preterm births
1. Spontaneously
2. Medical reasons – Infection, chronic conditions such as diabetes SDG Target 3.2 aims to
and high blood pressure, pregnancy complications that require end preventable deaths
early induction of labour or caesarean birth of new-borns and
children under 5 years of
3. Other reasons - Multiple pregnancies
age by 2030
4. There could also be a genetic influence

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What are the key findings of the report? Impacts of the preterm births
• Preterm birth – It is the single largest
killer of children under five years of age.
Child mortality
• Worldwide, 1 in 10 babies is born preterm
•It is the leading cause of child mortality worldwide,
(<37 weeks gestation).
accounting for nearly 1 in 5 deaths of children under
• The global preterm birth rate was 9.9% in five years of age.
2020, compared to 9.8% in 2010.
Loss of human capital
• Neonatal disorders- They are the leading
cause of burden of disease. •Preterm birth is the 4th leading cause of loss of
human capital worldwide, at all ages, behind
• Inequalities - 9 in 10 extremely preterm ischemic heart disease, pneumonia and diarrheal
babies survive in high-income countries but disease.
less than 1 in 10 survive in low-income
countries. Health concern
• Regional disparity - Preterm birth rates •Preterm birth damages respiratory and cardiac
vary between regions, the highest occurring systems in long term for many survivors.
in Southern Asia (13.2%) and sub-Saharan
Africa (10.1%). Neurodevelopmental problems
• In 2020, Bangladesh had the highest •Babies born between 37 and 39.9 weeks are at a
estimated preterm birth rate (16.2%), slightly higher risk of adverse neurodevelopmental
while India ranks first in terms of preterm outcomes.
birth numbers.
Learning and behavioral disorders
• Threat for vulnerable women and
babies - The “4 Cs” – Conflict, Climate •Even a few weeks preterm can cause learning and
change, COVID-19 and the Cost-of-living behavioral disorders.
crisis.
Adult survivors
• Covid19 pandemic - Maternal Covid-19
infection may directly affect the foetus •Adult survivors of preterm births face increased
through pathways of viral transmission from risks of chronic disorders, including psychiatric and
mother to baby. cardiovascular disorders.

What is the way forward?

• The quality care of the babies should be ensured to improve child health and reduce the preterm births.
• Every women should have access to quality health care.
• WHO’s antenatal care guidelines should to made aware to everyone.

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7.4 WHO Recommendation on Artificial Sweeteners

Why in news?
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended against using artificial sweeteners to achieve weight loss and
prevent lifestyle diseases.
What are artificial sweeteners?
In India, the Food
• Artificial sweeteners –They are sugar substitutes that are used to sweeten Safety and Standards
foods and beverages with very little to no calories. Authority of India
• They are also called as non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS), non-sugar sweeteners (FSSAI) prescribes
(NSS), low calorie sweeteners and intense sweeteners. the maximum limit of
artificial sweetener.
• Common NSS - Acesulfame K (Ace-K), aspartame, advantame, cyclamates,
neotame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia, and stevia derivatives

Recommendations

Recommendations by WHO Recommendations by health experts

• Lacks long term benefits - Artificial • Natural Alternatives - Health experts

sweeteners do not provide any long term benefits recommend considering natural alternatives
in reducing body fat in adults or children. such as fruits, dates, carrots, etc. to artificial
sweeteners.
• Diseases caused - The use of sugar alternatives
has been found to increase the risk of type 2 • Limiting Intake - Emphasize the need to be
diabetes, depression, cardiovascular diseases, conscious of limiting the intake of artificial
and causes digestive issues. sweeteners.
• It also causes bladder cancer and preterm • Well balanced diet - Including high quality
births when consumed by pregnant women. natural foods, while avoiding high calorie drinks
and snacks.
• Weight loss - Even though there could be
weight loss in short term, in long term it leads to • Diet colas - Diet colas may not be as healthy as
weight gain. they seem. They may lead to weight gain and
other health problems.
• The WHO has made these recommendations for
everyone other than those who are already
diabetic.

What is the way forward?

• More research is needed so that it could help to clarify the risks and benefits of artificial sweeteners, and it could
lead to the development of new, safer artificial sweeteners.
• Artificial sweeteners could be regulated more strictly.
• Consumers could be educated about the potential risks and benefits of artificial sweeteners.

7.5 World Health Organization (WHO)

Why in news?
On global world health day, April 6, 2023 the WHO has completed 75 years, despite some great successes, the WHO has
received its fair share of criticism.
What is World Health Organization (WHO)?
• The World Health Organization (WHO) came into effect on April 7, 1948.
• The WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that is responsible for international public health.
• The WHO's mission is to achieve health for all people.
• WHO states that health is a human right that every human being is entitled to, without distinction of race,
religion, or political belief, an individual’s economic or social condition.
• It also states that the health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security.

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• The WHO’s headquarters is based in

Geneva, Switzerland with six regional and
150 country offices across the world.
• The WHO is a democratic organization
with role to guide the response, develop
guidance, but not to go into a country to
help address a specific health threat.
What are the activities of WHO?
• Smallpox - Is the only human disease to
be eradicated by WHO.
• WHO played a key role galvanizing the
world around about eradication of small
box.
• Ebola outbreak - The organization was
criticized, among other things, for not
reacting swiftly enough to address the
epidemic.
• The WHO has even made structural
changes considering the future.
• Malaria - WHO launched the Global
Malaria Eradication Programme (GMEP)
in 1955.
• It looked promising, with 15 countries and
one territory managing to eradicate the
disease.
• But there was little to no progress in sub-
Saharan Africa under the program, and in
many places, failure to sustain GMEP
actually led to a resurgence of malaria and
eventually discontinued in 1969.
• COVID-19 – US President Donald Trump and others complained at the beginning of the COVID-
19 pandemic that the WHO was not doing enough to support member states in their fight against the disease.

Success of WHO Challenges of WHO

• Eradication of smallpox in 1980 • Lack of funding

• Reduction in the number of deaths from malaria • Political interference and lack of coordination by
and tuberculosis members
• Development of vaccines and treatments for • Inefficient bureaucracy
HIV/AIDS, polio, and other diseases
• Resistance to change
• Provision of technical assistance to countries to
improve their health systems • The spread of new and complex diseases

• Coordination of the global response to health

emergencies

7.6 Menstrual Health and Hygiene

Why in news?
Menstrual Hygiene Day is observed on May 28th to highlight the critical importance of proper menstrual hygiene
management and break stigma around it.
What is Menstrual Health and Hygiene?
• Menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) means the ability to access menstrual products, privacy to change the
pads/menstrual cups etc, and access to facilities to dispose of used product.

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• Menstrual products - Pads (or sanitary napkins), cloth napkins, tampons, menstrual cups, etc.
What are India’s efforts towards MHH?
• India has been a front runner for action on menstrual hygiene but often the focus has often been on India’s rural
population.
• The National Health Mission 2011 promoted a menstrual hygiene scheme among adolescent girls in rural areas.
• Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) is an integral part of the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ guidelines.
• The Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation also issued MHM guidelines for schools in 2015.
• Free Napkins - Different states have their own schemes, but the primary focus of service delivery remains on
the distribution of sanitary napkins.
• Kerala and Karnataka governments have been distributing menstrual cups as a sustainable alternative to
sanitary napkins.
• Click here, to know more about India’s efforts.
What are the other issues around Menstruation?
• Inclusivity - The menstrual needs of the differently abled, transgender men, and people with other gender
identities who menstruate like intersex has to be addressed.
• Disposal - Safe disposal of sanitary napkins is often overlooked and has misconceptions around it.
• Quality - The quality issues in sanitary napkins distributed could possibly undermine the goal of providing it.
• Alternatives - Menstrual cups are a cheap, sustainable, and eco-friendly alternative to sanitary napkins but
still women are sceptical.
• Socio-economic Factors - these factors limit their choice of menstrual products and disposal mechanisms.

Challenges in MHH

Urban India
•India’s rapidly growing urban areas lack accessibility to toilets in many public spaces.

Educating Men
•Menstrual health is not a ‘women’s subject’ and it is important to educate boys and men about
menstruation. Comprehensive and meaningful education on menstrual processes, supportive
environments, encouraging participation, and honest conversations make them better understand.

Social Taboos
•The social taboos about menstruation limit girls’ and women’s lives and restricts them at different
levels. The practice of segregating menstruating girls and women to ‘kurmaghars’ (period huts) are
still found in places like Maharashtra.

Accessibility
•Women in informal work (e.g. construction work) often have no access to washrooms, clean water,
and to cost-effective hygiene products or their safe disposal.

Menstrual Leave
•The 2022 ‘Right of Women to Menstrual Leave and Free Access to Menstrual Health Products Bill’
specified three days of paid leave for women. Only Kerala and Bihar currently have menstrual
leave policies for women.

What need to be done to improve MHH?

• Awareness about periods along with efforts to address harmful social and gender norms.
• Menstrual products, both reusable and disposable, must be more available through various access channels.
• Female-friendly community and public toilets to be built more to provide safe, private, clean facilities to manage
periods.

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• The provision of dustbins and incinerators in female toilets for waste disposal and management.
• Addressing the needs of menstruating people in urban slums and refugee camps.
• Catering the menstrual needs of formal and informal women workforce and workspaces.

Menstrual Hygiene Day

• Menstrual Hygiene Day is observed every year on the 28th day of the fifth month.
• It is because menstrual cycle averages 28 days in length and people on an average menstruate for five days
each month.
• Menstrual Hygiene Day was started by Germany-based NGO WASH United and it was observed for the first
time on May 28, 2014.

8. BILATERAL ISSUES

8.1 Indian Nuclear Liability Law

Why in news?
A French private company and Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) are resolving the issues in building the six
nuclear power reactors in Maharashtra’s Jaitapur.
What is a nuclear liability law? Key aspects of CLNDA 2010
• Laws on civil nuclear liability
ensure that compensation is
available to the victims for Speedy compensation to victims
nuclear damage caused by a •Provides speedy compensation mechanism for victims of a nuclear
nuclear incident or disaster. accident.
• The international nuclear
liability regime consists of Strict and no-fault liability on the operator
multiple treaties and was •Provides that the operator will be held liable for damage regardless of
strengthened after the 1986 any fault on its part.
Chernobyl nuclear accident.
• Umbrella Convention on Right of recourse
Supplementary
•The operator of the nuclear plant, after paying their share of
Compensation (CSC) was compensation for damage shall have the right of recourse where the
adopted in 1997 with the aim nuclear incident has resulted as a consequence of an act of supplier or
of establishing a minimum his employee.
national compensation
amount. Supplier liability
• India was a signatory to CSC •The act has introduced the concept of supplier liability over the operator
but Parliament ratified the liabilities leading to many ambiguities. The supplier liability
convention only in 2016. includes supply of equipment or material with patent or latent defects or
sub-standard services.
• To keep in line with the
international convention, Rs 1,500 crore as compensation
India enacted the Civil
Liability for Nuclear •In case of any damages the operator has to provide the minimum
Damage Act (CLNDA) in amount of 1500 crore rs to the victims through insurance or other
2010. financial security.

What are the issues now? Rs 2,100 to Rs 2,300 crore

• CLNDA is the only law where •As compensation in case of the damages exceeding the 1500 core
suppliers can be asked to pay rupees.
damages
• Ambiguity over how much insurance to set aside in case of damage claims have been concerns for suppliers

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• It allows criminal liability to be pursued where applicable which have made wary scenario to many players to
build nuclear reactors in India
• CLNDA lacks the definition on the types of nuclear damages
• Even if the operator the operator damages any equipment while fixing it the, supplier can be sued for the
faultiness of the operator

8.2 Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC)

Why in news?
The Prime Minister attended the 3rd summit of Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) was held in Papu
New Guinea.
What is Oceania? Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC)
• Oceania is a region made up
of thousands of Multinational grouping
islands throughout the
Central and South Pacific •Forum for India-Pacific Islands cooperation (FIPIC) is a
Ocean. multinational grouping developed in 2014 for cooperation
between India and 14 Pacific Islands.
• It includes Australia, the
smallest continent in terms of 14 Pacific Islands nations
total land area.
•Include Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands,
• Oceania has traditionally been Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Palau,
divided into four parts which Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
are Australasia (Australia and
New Zealand), Melanesia, Fiji
Micronesia, and Polynesia.
•All Head of state/head of government of the above countries
• The marine environment is an met in Suva, Fiji in November 2014 for the first time where the
important and influential annual summit was conceptualized.
physical region in Australia
and Oceania.
Exclusive economic zones (EEZs)
What is Free and Open Indo-
Pacific (FOIP)? •Since many have large exclusive economic zones (EEZs) it offers
promising possibilities for fruitful cooperation with India.
• Freedom of navigation - It
is a vision for the region that is Strategic and commercial interests in
based on the principles of Indian Ocean
freedom of navigation, the rule •India's focus has largely been on the Indian Ocean where it has
of law, and respect for sought to play a major role and protect its strategic and
sovereignty. commercial interests.

• China’s rise - The FOIP is

Business Accelerator for Forum for India
seen by many as a way to
counter China's growing •Pacific Islands cooperation (FIPIC) - An initiative to
assertiveness in the region. strengthen the India ties with pacific nation countries.
• Supporting countries - The
FOIP is supported by a number Free and open Indo-Pacific
of countries, including the
•PM Modi underlines importance of free and open Indo-Pacific
United States, Japan, Australia at FIPIC summit in Papua New Guinea.
and India.
• Maintaining peace and
stability - The supporting countries believe that the FOIP will help to promote economic growth, prosperity,
maintain peace and stability in the region.
• China's opposition - China has been critical of the FOIP, arguing that it is a thinly veiled attempt to contain
China's rise.
What is the significance of India-Papu New Guinea relations?
• Modi is the first Indian prime minister to visit the country.
• Can strengthen India stands in the forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation.

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• Can be vital to counter the china’s growing presence in the region.

• Lauch of Tamil classic ‘Thirukkural’ to the Tok Pisin language of Papua New Guinea give impetus to cultural
exchange relationship.

8.3 India & South Pacific

Why in news?
The visit of the Indian PM to south pacific region, reflects India’s global status, and its significance of its engagement
with Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC).
What are the PICs?
• PICs is a cluster of 14 island nations dotting the Southwestern Pacific: the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, the
Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Tonga,
Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
• All these islands are located at the crossroads of strategically important maritime trade corridors.
• Of the 14 PICs, Fiji and Papua New Guinea (PNG) are the ones with the biggest populations and the most heft.
What is the relationship between India with Fiji and PNG?
• India’s interaction with the PICs has traditionally focused on its engagement with Fiji and PNG, mainly due to
the presence of a large diaspora.
• About 37% of Fiji’s 849,000 population (2009 estimates) is of Indian origin, and about 3,000 Indians live in
PNG.
What is the relationship between India and Pacific Island Countries (PICs)?
• Fiji and Papua New Guinea - India’s interaction with the PICs has traditionally focused on its engagement
with Fiji and PNG, mainly due to the
presence of a large diaspora.
• India’s Act East Policy - Indian
officials say the engagement with the
14 PICs is part of India’s Act East
Policy.
• Strengthen India’s
engagement - The visit aimed to
strengthen India's engagement with
the Pacific Island Countries (PICs)
and the Forum for India-Pacific
Islands Cooperation (FIPIC).
• Reassuring presence - India
aimed to establish a reassuring
presence in the region that is not
solely based on financial assistance.
• Global South - India to amplify the voice of global south in international forums.
• South-South cooperation - India's engagement with the PICs includes development assistance through
South-South Cooperation.
• This assistance takes the form of capacity building, training, scholarships, grants, and loans.
• Community development projects, such as solar electrification, supply of agricultural equipment, and
infrastructure development, are also part of India's engagement.
• Climate Change and Resilience - India's initiatives such as International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the
Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) complement its relationship with the PICs.
• Reliable Partner - Recent visit by Prime Minister Modi has emphasized India's role as a reliable partner to
the PICs.
• FIPIC - Prime Minister Modi attended FIPIC which was held at Papua New Guinea.
• Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) - Provided by India to PICs during critical times
which includes supply of covid-19 vaccines.

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• India aims to be a development

partner based on mutual respect and
aligned with the priorities of the
PICs.
What is the status of China in Pacific
Island Countries (PICs)?
• China has made forays into the
Pacific Islands through economic
incentives and has sought to boost its
security relationship with the island
states.
• There is an increasing rivalry
between China and the US and its
allies in the region.
• China’s increasing presence in the
region has unnerved the US and has
caused alarm in Australia and New
Zealand.
• China’s development support peaked
in 2016, and its loans and grants amounted to 8% of all foreign aid to the area between 2011 and 2017, surpassing
the US’s 0.3% over the same period.

9. INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

9.1 Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF)

Why in news?
There are apprehensions that the U.S.-driven Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) would result in
a complete stranglehold over the economic systems of the participating countries.
What is IPEF?
The 14 IPEF partners
• Launch - IPEF is launched by by USA in 2022 to reassert U.S. economic represent 40 % of global
engagement and to provide a U.S.-led alternative to China’s economic statecraft GDP and 28 % of global
in the region. goods and services trade.
• Member countries – 14 – USA, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, India,
Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam excluding China.
• Aim - To contribute to cooperation, stability, prosperity, development, and peace within the region.
• No tariffs - IPEF proposal completely removes the tariff element of typical trade deals.
• Four pillars
1. Trade
2. Supply chains
3. Clean energy, decarbonization, and
infrastructure
4. Tax and anti-corruption
• The IPEF is flexible as IPEF partners are not
required to join all four pillars.
What is the India’s position in IPEF?
• India has joined 3 pillars expect the trade pillar.
• Since India is in the process of firming up its own
digital framework and laws, regarding privacy and
data, India will wait for the final outlines to emerge.

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• India expects that certain responsibilities of the developed world should also be an integral part of any such
agreement.
• India has also few concerns about environment, labor, digital trade and public procurement.
How is IPEF different from RCEP?

IPEF RCEP

The bloc is led by USA The bloc is led by China

The bloc represents 40% of world’s GDP The block represents 30% of the world’s GDP

India didn’t join the bloc but still has a window to join the
India is a member of the bloc
bloc

The block focuses on digital economy, supply chains, clean The block focuses on negotiation on tariffs or market
energy infrastructure, and anti-corruption measures access

The bloc has no tariffs The bloc has tariffs

What are the concerns in joining the IPEF?

• There is great pressure on India to join the trade pillar, but the other pillars also contribute to developing hard
new economic architectures and structures that are not tariff-based.
• In the long run, it could have a stronger effect on economic and
trade flows than tariffs. In 2019, India walked out from the
• In an increasingly digitalising world, fixed supply chains and Regional Comprehensive Economic
giving up policy spaces in key areas would lead to an irreversible Partnership (RCEP) involving
economic dependency. China, Japan, South Korea,
Australia, New Zealand and the 10-
• The IPEF can already be seen to have deep implications in state Association of Southeast Asian
o Agriculture, in terms of genetically modified seeds and Nations (ASEAN) grouping.
food,
o Surrendering policy space for regulating Big Tech,
o Compromising a comparative advantage in manufacturing because of unfair labour and environment
standards.
• It will also seriously affect India’s ability to create a vibrant domestic ecosystem in emerging areas such as a
digital economy and green products.

Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

• RCEP is a comprehensive free trade agreement being negotiated between the 10 ASEAN Member States and
ASEAN’s free trade agreement (FTA) partners.
• The ASEAN’s FTA partners include Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea and New Zealand.
• The 15 member countries account for about 30% of the world's population and 30% of global GDP, making it
the largest trade bloc in history.
• RCEP is the first free trade agreement among the largest economies in Asia, including China, Indonesia, Japan,
and South Korea.

9.2 The Paradox of BRICS

Why in news?
BRICS continues to attract interest from numerous nations despite facing challenges and losing some of its initial shine.
What is BRICS?
• Originally conceived as BRIC by Jim O'Neill, the grouping consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.

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• BRICS comprises of Brazil, Rise of BRICS

Russia, India, China and South
Africa.
Global influence
• It was launched by a meeting of
the Foreign Ministers of Brazil, •China is pushing the expansion as a strategic device to extend
Russia, India and China in 2006. its global influence.

• BRIC turned into BRICS in 2010, FOMO

with the entry of South Africa.
•The demand to join BRICS stems from FOMO or ‘fear of
• BRICS is chaired by member missing out’ on the membership of a club.
countries in rotational basis.
• BRICS together represent 27% Lack of choice
of the world’s land mass, and
42% of the world’s population, •Many countries realize that the doors of other groupings are
24% of global GDP, and 16% of closed to them.
Global trade, and produce 33% of
the world’s food. Global South
• The first summit was held •Prevailing anti-western sentiments and a pervasive desire to
in Yekaterinburg in 2009. create a sizeable forum of the Global South.
• The 19 countries seeking for
Curb west’s domination
BRICS admission are
• Latin America (4) - Argentina, •BRICS strengthened the world’s march towards multi-
Nicaragua, Mexico and Uruguay, polarity, thus helping to curb the dominating influence of the
West.
• Africa (5) - Nigeria, Algeria,
Egypt, Senegal and Morocco and
New Development Bank
• Asia (10) - Saudi Arabia, the
United Arab Emirates (UAE), •Has committed USD 32.8 billion in 96 projects on the
Turkey, Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, economic front.
Indonesia, Thailand, Kazakhstan
and Bangladesh.
Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA)
What are some concerns about
BRICS? •A financial mechanism to protect against global liquidity
pressures and a comprehensive programme to expand trade
• UN Security Council - The and investment cooperation among the five-member
China and Russia did not back countries.
any of the member countries to
join UN Security Council.
• Ukraine-Russia war - Has undermined the role of Russia in the grouping and Russia have at many times
supported China.
• Inner trouble - China pushing for intra-BRICS trade is also symptomatic of the group’s inner troubles.
What could be the possible outcome of the forth coming BRICS summit?
• A mega expansion that raises the membership from 5 to 21, thus surpassing the G-20.
o India favors expansion if it is based on agreed criteria and moves gradually.
• Chances are that the summit will held in digit space due to the notification by international criminal court
(ICC) to arrest Russian president Putin.

The Group of 77 (G-77)

• The Group of 77 (G-77) was established on 15 June 1964 by seventy-seven developing countries signatories of
the “Joint Declaration of the Seventy-Seven Developing Countries”.
• Charter of Algiers is a permanent institutional structure gradually developed which led to the creation of
Chapters of the Group of 77.
• The Group of 77 is the largest intergovernmental organization of developing countries in the United
Nations.
• The South Summit is the supreme decision-making body of the Group of 77.

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G.S PAPER III

10. ECONOMY

10.1 Welfare Expenditure

Why in news?
The Union Budget 2023 was criticized over a decline in allocations for welfare schemes in real terms, at a time of post-
COVID-19 recovery.
What is welfare expenditure?
• Welfare expenditure is expenditure on social welfare programmes that provide a social safety net to citizens and
ensure basic rights, including livelihoods, health, nutrition and education.
• The budget 2023 indicates that it is the first time since 2009, that social sector spending is less than 20% of
total government expenditure.
• The reduction in welfare expenditure is mainly due to increased capital expenditure spending.

Trends of welfare expenditure

Hunger and malnutririon Healthcare

• Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 – • The share of central health expenditure in GDP
Aims to address child malnutrition and hunger. went up from 0.25% in 2014-15 to 0.30% this
year but it is too little in a post-COVID world.
• The expenditure on Saksham Anganwadi and
Poshan 2.0 went down from 0.13% of GDP in • PM Matru Vandana Yojana
2014-15 to 0.07% in 2023-24. (PMMVY)- Provides maternity benefits as a
conditional cash transfer of Rs. 5,000 to women
• Mid-day meal (MDM) scheme – For in the unorganised sector
improvement in class attendance, learning as
well as nutritional outcomes and reduced • The PMMVY Budget is yet to cross Rs 3,000
stunting in children. crore against the need of Rs 14,000 crore.
• National Food Security Act (NFSA) • Out-of-pocket expenditure - India’s out-of-
- Provides subsidised grains to over 80 crore pocket expenditure on health remains much
people. higher than the global average, pushing millions
into poverty each year.
• For NFSA, expenditure as a share of GDP went to
0.65% this year from 0.94% in 2014-15.

Working class

• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) - Guarantees 100
days of employment to every rural household
• Expenditure of MGNREGA as share of GDP went from 0.26% in 2014-15 to 0.20% in 2023-24.
• However, since 2020-21, NFSA and MGNREGA allocations have declined rapidly as a share of GDP.
• National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)- Provides pensions to elderly, widows, and disabled
individuals below the poverty line and monetary assistance to families that have lost a breadwinner.
• Expenditure on NSAP as a share of GDP went down from 0.06% in 2014-15 to 0.03% in 2023-24.
• Real wages - Real wages of casual workers grew at less than 1% per year from 2014-15 to 2021-22 according
to RBI data.

What are the impacts of reduced welfare expenditure?

• Major effects of reduced welfare expenditure includes
1. Lower economic growth
2. Lower rate of people coming out of poverty

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3. Low human development index

4. Reduced economic activities
• Its result can be clearly seen in India’s stagnant Human Development Index rank at 132 and rising malnutrition
levels.

10.2 Withdrawal of 2000 Rupee Currency Notes and its implications

Why in news?
The RBI has decided to withdraw 2000 rupees currency notes in circulation due to increasing digital payments and in
pursuance of the clean note policy.
Why did RBI introduce 2000-rupee
Implications of withdrawal
notes?
• The Rs 2000 note was introduced in Slowdown economic growth in the short
November 2016 under Section 24(1) term
of The RBI Act 1934. •Since withdrawal could lead to a slowdown in cash based
• Introduced primarily with the transactions.
objective of meeting the currency Long term benefits
requirement of the economy
expeditiously after the legal tender •Even though in short term the economy may down in long term it
status of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes will lead to increased transparency and efficiency in the economy.
was withdrawn.
Banks
• With the fulfilment of that
objective, and once notes of other •Ease the pressure on deposit rate hikes. There will be reduction in
denominations were available in cash in circulation and that will in turn help improve banking
adequate quantities, the printing of system liquidity.
Rs 2000 notes was stopped in 2018- Shorter term government securities
19.
•Improved banking system liquidity and an inflow of deposits into
• This denomination is no longer
banks could mean that short term interest rates in the market drop
commonly used for transactions as these funds get invested in shorter-term government securities.
besides, there is adequate stock of
banknotes in other denominations Clean Notes
to meet currency requirements.
•To provide good quality currency notes with better security
Why did RBI decide to withdraw features to the public.
2000-rupee currency notes?
• Since they were intended to replenish the Indian economy's currency in circulation quickly after demonetization
and has achieved its objective.
• Some experts feel the upcoming state and general elections also may the reasons since the usage of cash spike
these times.

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• In pursuance of the ‘Clean Note Policy’ of the Reserve Bank of India, it has been decided to withdraw the Rs
2000 denomination banknotes from circulation.
• Increasing digital payments.
• The majority of the Rs 2000 denomination notes were issued prior to March 2017 and they have an estimated
lifespan of 4-5 years.
What is the clean note policy?
• The Clean Note Policy seeks to give the public good-quality currency notes and coins with better security
features, while soiled notes are withdrawn out of circulation.
• The RBI had earlier decided to withdraw from circulation all banknotes issued prior to 2005 as they have fewer
security features as compared to banknotes printed after 2005.
• However, the notes issued before 2005 continue to be legal tender.
• They have only been withdrawn from circulation in conformity with the standard international practice of not
having notes of multiple series in circulation at the same time.

Indian currency system

• As per Section 22 of the RBI Act 1934, RBI has the sole authority to issue banknotes in India.
• RBI Act 1934 empowers RBI to issue all the banknotes except 1 Rs. note.
• Every currency notes, other than Rs. 1 rupee note, bears on its face a promise from the Governor of RBI.
• The one rupee note, carries the name of India's Finance Secretary.
• Coins and 1 Rs. notes are issued by the Government of India under the coinage act 1909.
• One Rupee note is considered as coins as per the definition of coins given under Coinage Act.
• One Rupee note is issued by the Ministry of Finance and it bears the signatures of the Finance Secretary.

10.3 New PMLA Rules

Why in news?
Finance Ministry brought chartered accountants, company secretaries, and cost and works accountants under the ambit
of the money laundering law.
What were the changes made to prevention of money laundering act 2002?
• Section 2(1) (sa) of PMLA, 2002 - The recent changes are made under this section of PMLA.
• This section already includes Gaming activity, Registration Authority, Real Estate Agents, Dealer in precious
metals and stones.
• Politically exposed persons (PEPs) - Defined PEPs under PMLA as individuals who have been “entrusted
with prominent public functions by a foreign country.
• It also includes heads of States or Governments, senior politicians, senior government or judicial or military
officers, senior executives of state-owned corporations and important political party officials.
• Increased the ambit - Finance Ministry brought in practicing chartered accountants, company secretaries,
and cost and works accountants carrying out financial transactions on behalf of their clients into the ambit of
the money laundering law.
• Financial transaction - Included are
1. Buying and selling of any immovable property,
PMLA states that both the
2. Managing of client money, securities or other assets, Adjudicating Authority and
3. Management of bank, savings or securities accounts, the Appellate Tribunal shall
not be bound by the Code of
4. Organization of contributions for the creation, operation or Criminal Procedure, 1908
management of companies, but by the principles of
5. Creation, operation or management of companies, limited natural justice.
liability partnerships or trusts, and

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6. Buying and selling of business entities.

• Non-banking reporting entities - Are widened to allow 22 financial entities to verify the identity of their
customers via Aadhaar under the ambit of the money laundering law.
What is the need for the changes?
• Plug loopholes ahead of India’s proposed assessment later this year under the Financial Action Task Force
(FATF).
• To know more about FATF click here.
• To bring uniformity in the definition of PEPs.
• To aid investigative agencies further in their probe against dubious transactions involving shell companies and
money laundering.
• To address the Chinese loan app scams, in which professionals where were actively involved in assisting to set
up shell companies to act as a foil for the apps.
What is the way forward?
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) will work with authorities and will conduct an awareness
programme amongst its members for the implementation of the changes in PMLA 2002.
• Lawyers and legal consultants needs to be included in the PMLA act.
• Encompassing professionals under PMLA could also be a pre-cursor to India becoming a part of the Financial
Action Task Force (FATF).

10.4 Ways and Means Advances

Why in news?
RBI caped the limit of ways and means advances to Rs 1,50,000 crore for the first half of the financial year to address
the poor cash management.
What are Ways and Means Advances Features of WMA
(WMA)?
• Ways and means advances are special Short-term credit
features of the Indian economy, that are
temporary advances given by the RBI to
the Centre and state governments to tide •Provided by the RBI to both Central and State
governments to bridge a temporary mismatch in
over any mismatch in receipts and their cash flows, the short term credit is a duration
payments. of 3 months.
• It was introduced in 1997 and comes
under Section 17(5) of the RBI Act of 1934, Section 17(5) of the RBI Act 1934
to end the four-decade-old system of ad-
hoc treasury bills to finance the central
government deficit. •Contains provisions about the ways and means
advances (WMA).
• States and Centre pay interest linked to
the repo rate on WMA withdrawals.
Not a resource
• The government can avail of immediate
cash from the RBI is required, but it has to •WMA is not a resource to finance government
return the amount within 90 days, the expenditure.
interest is charged at the existing repo
rate.
WMA limits
• If the WMA exceeds 90 days, it would be
treated as an overdraft (the interest rate •Currently fixed at Rs 1,50,000 crore for the first half
on overdrafts is 2 percentage points more of financial year 2024.
than the repo rate).
• WMA is not part of the Fiscal Repo rate
Responsibility and Budget Management
Act (FRBM) because they get paid within •The interest rate on WMA is repo rate which is 6.5%.
the year itself.

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What are the impacts of arbitrarily fixing the WMA?

• Lack of transparency.
• Lacks integrity of the interface between the monetary authority and the fiscal authority.
• Government’s poor cash management.
• Mismatch in WMA (actuals) and Budget Estimates. In 2019-20, receipts for WMA (actuals) were Rs 11,79,582
crore as against Budget Estimates of Rs 5,00,000 crore.
• Weakens the integrity of the union budget.
What is the need of the hour?
• A new model - Should be formulated which considers the actual data for the past three years of actual
budgetary transactions in receipts and expenditure before fixing WMA limits.
• Revenue deficit - WMA should not be used as a resource to meet the revenue deficit.
• Expert committee - On the similar line of the State governments should be formed for fixing WMA limits and
overdrafts.
• Monetary limit - On the overdraft facility should be fixed to address the poor cash management.
• RBI press release - Should explicitly provide the current position of availment of the overdraft.
• Ensure data transparency - The RBI and the government should consider publishing the WMA data along
with the overdraft position in the RBI bulletin to ensure data transparency.

10.5 Fundraising Issues in Indian Startup Ecosystem

Why in news?
Due to interest rate hikes of global central banks and the ongoing banking crisis in the US, startups are facing difficulties
in fund-raising.
What is a startup?
• Startup - A startup is defined as an entity
that is headquartered in India which
1. Was opened less than 10
years ago and
2. Has an annual turnover less than
Rs 100 crore
• It is an entrepreneurial venture in the early
stages of operations, typically created for
resolving real-life problems.
• Unicorn – It is a term given only to
startups who have a valuation of over $1
billion.
• Decacorn - The startups that exceed the
valuation of $10 billion are grouped
under the term called decacorn (a super
unicorn).
What is the role of startups in the growth of
the Indian economy?
• Employment creation – The startups
are enabling more jobs than large
companies or enterprises thus curbing the
unemployment problems.
• New investments - Many multinational
corporations are now outsourcing their
tasks to small businesses in order to focus
on their core competencies.

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• Research and Development (R&D) - Start-ups heavily subsidise R&D as they frequently have to deal with
high-tech and knowledge-based services.
• Better GDP - It is feasible to increase revenue domestically by promoting and supporting more start-up
initiatives.
• Democratizing the technology benefits - Fintech startups are reaching out to remote areas with their
solutions and making financial solutions easily accessible in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.
Why there is shortages in fund-raising?
• Interest rate hikes of global central banks
• Steep correction in valuation of technology stocks India had become the
3rd largest startup
• Increased risk aversion environment in the
world and as the
• Ongoing banking crisis in the US and Europe
3rd highest number of
• Failure to deliver on their exaggerated growth promises due to Covid-19 unicorns in the world
pandemic next to US and China.
• Excessive liquidity created during the pandemic
• Change in consumption habits post-Covid
• High borrowing cost impacting profitability, leading to massive lay-offs in this segment
• Global venture capital investors who have suffered large losses in their portfolio are unlikely to provide much
funding support
What could be done to address fund-
raising?
• Policy support - The high-net-worth
investors, investment funds and
companies who have displayed a
willingness to invest in fledgling
companies should be channelized.
• Fiscal and regulatory policies -
Investors need to be encouraged with
suitable fiscal and regulatory policies to
support the segment in periods when
global funding dries up.
• Abolition of angle tax - Angel tax,
which requires start-ups to pay income
tax on capital received at a premium to
their fair valuation should be abolished, since it deters fund raising from angel investors.
• Alternate Investment Funds - Investment into Alternate Investment Funds which invest in start-ups could
be incentivized through a tax concession.
• Capital gains tax rate - Paid by resident individual investors on their start-up investment can be lowered.
• Overseas exchanges - Indian startups should be allowed to list on overseas exchanges.

10.6 Legal remedies available to Gig Workers

Why in news?
The strikes by Blinkit workers has once again brought to the forefront the issues plaguing the gig economy in the country.
What is the proposed law for gig workers?
• National Commission on Labour – It recommended to consolidate central labour laws.
• Hence, the Ministry of Labour and Employment introduced the Code on Social Security, 2020 which brings
workers within the ambit of labour laws for the first time.
• Social Security Schemes – The Code stipulates that Central and State Governments must frame suitable
social security schemes for gig workers.

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• The Code also mandates the Gig worker and the Gig Platform
compulsory registration of all gig
workers to avail of benefits
under these schemes. Gig workers
• National Social Security
Board – The Code also •It refers to workers outside the traditional employer-employee
relationship.
envisages the constitution of a
National Social Security Board
by the Central government to Gig economy
monitor the implementation of
such schemes. •It falls outside the scope of traditional, full-time employment.
There are two groups of gig workers, platform workers and
What are the concerns of the gig non-platform workers.
workers?
• Mixed nature – The unique Platform workers
nature of gig work display
characteristics of both •Those working for an organisation that provides specific
employees and independent services using an online platform directly to
individuals/organisations.
contractors and thus do not
squarely fit into any rigid
categorisation. Non-platform workers
• Little recognition – Out of the •These include the construction workers and non-technology
four new labour codes proposed, based temporary workers.
gig work finds reference only in
the Code on Social Security.
Status of India
• Excluded – Gig workers
remain excluded from vital •In India, employees are entitled to a host of benefits under
benefits and protections offered statutes such as the: Minimum Wages Act, 1948; Employees’
by other Codes such as minimum Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952
(EPFA); Payment of Bonus Act, 1965.
wages, occupational safety and
health benefits, and overtime
pay. Contract Labourers
• No unions – They cannot •They are governed under the Contract Labour (Regulation
create legally recognised unions and Abolition) Act, 1970 and are also entitled to benefits such
and access a national minimum as provident funds in accordance with the EPFA.
wage that applies to all forms of
employment.
• No minimum wage – Even the proposed law does not guarantee minimum wages for gig workers.
• Redundancy – Minimum wages, which is presently governed by the Minimum Wages Act, will be subsumed
under
the Wages Rulings of Various Courts
Code.
• No redressal UK Netherland Germany Singapore
mechanism
– Gig workers •The UK Supreme •The Dutch High •Germany’s •It has also
are excluded Court classified Court also Temporary proposed
from accessing Uber drivers as handed down a Employment Act legislative
the redressal workers under similar ruling, provides for changes to
mechanism the UK stating that the equal pay and extend work
Employment legal relationship equal treatment injury insurance
under the Rights Act 1996, between Uber of gig workers. and pension
Industrial thus entitling and the drivers coverage to such
Disputes Act, them to various meets all the workers.
1947. benefits like paid characteristics of
holidays and an employment
What is the way minimum wages. contract.
forward?
• Statutory affirmation – The deplorable working conditions of the employees of digital labour platforms in
India and the need for statutory affirmation of the rights of gig workers.
• Legislations – With the gig industry gaining prominence across the world it is necessary that legislations are
being passed to that effect, over and above social security benefits.

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10.7 Co-Lending Model of Loan

Why in news?
The RBI tightened the norms for co-lending models since borrower’s misuse the provision.
What is Co-lending? Advantages of co-lending
• Co-lending is an arrangement
where the loan origination is
Multiple partners
by one entity usually non-
banking financial company •An NBFC can partner with multiple banks and a bank can partner with
(NBFC) but the risk is shared multiple NBFCs.
by two entities (NBFC and
banks). Wide range of loans

• NBFC is the originator while a •It includes wide range of loans such as housing, affordable housing,
bank is where the major gold, commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles or even microfinance
portion of the loan rests. loans.

• Co-lending model is developed Formulate its own policy

by RBI to address the flow to •The NBFC and banks can formulate their own policy on internal
credit to un served sectors of practices and risk management framework.
the economy.
Risk sharing
What are the impacts of tighter
regulations by RBI? •80% of the loan risk is borne by the bank and the rest 20% by the NBFC.
• Borrowers with not-so-good
credit record may find it more Financial inclusion
difficult to get loans.
•This model allows banks to penetrate outside the urban and semi urban
• The penetration of loans to areas.
areas outside metro zones may
Flow of credit
be reduced.
•This model improves the flow of credit to the un served and underserved
• The borrower gets a loan from
sector of the economy.
a particular bank and under
stress pulls out and gets a new Higher growth for NBFCs
loan from different bank is
addressed by RBI’s tighter •This model has helped the NBFCs to grow substantially during recent
norms. years.

10.8 A Digitally Unprepared Workforce

Why in news?
The need for the digital jobs is in high demand and India’s demographic divided could be a leverage if the youth are
equipped with adequate digital skills.
What are the challenges to digital workforce?
• Pace of technological change - Continues to accelerate and demand for such skills doesn’t meet the skill
supply.
• Availability of training is not available in wide range - The training provided by the government is
available only in the few areas within the digital space.
• Artificial intelligence - According to World Economic Forum the AI will replace the jobs of the digital
workforce but also create new jobs in different fields.
• Lack of skills in Data-driven field - The jobs of the future are expected to rely more on data-driven and
machine-powered processes.
• Disproportionate enrolment - Youth enroll in IT-ITeS vocational or technical courses, with a significantly
high percentage of 34.7%, in comparison to other courses.
• Inadequate training - 29% of the 30% trained workforce are unemployed due to inadequate training content
or poor training quality.

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What can be done to address the digital skills crisis?

• Revamping skills - To adapt to the changing job market the entire skill development system needs to be
restructured.
• Upskilling - To upskill the
workforce in line with the
emerging technologies.
• Strategic investment -
Particularly in the reskilling of
the workforce to keep up with the
digital transformation.
• Skill India Mission and
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal
Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 4.0. -
Needs to be implemented
efficiency to provide digital skills
on digital skills on emerging
technologies like artificial
intelligence, mechatronics and
robotics.

10.9 Global Benchmark Interest Rates

Why in news?
Financial institutions are yet to facilitate an absolute transition away from the London The interbank market is
Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) benchmark. an informal market
What is London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) benchmark? where banks borrow from
and lend to each other
• Transparency - LIBOR was created in the 1970s as a way to provide a more with established internal
transparent and efficient way to set interest rates. limits based on an
• Global bench mark interest rate - LIBOR or London Interbank Offered institution's risk appetite.
Rate is a global benchmark interest rate.
• Estimated interest rate - LIBOR is calculated daily based on the estimated interest rates at which banks can
borrow unsecured funds from other banks in the London wholesale or interbank market.
• Reference rate - LIBOR is used as
Issues of LIBOR
a reference rate for a wide range of
financial products including
floating-rate loans, derivatives, and Central flaw
securities.
•LIBOR relies heavily on banks to be honest with their
What are the alternates to LIBOR? reporting disregarding their commercial interests.
• Secured Overnight Financing
Rate (SOFR) - Is a broad measure Manipulation by banks
of the cost of borrowing cash
overnight collateralized by Treasury •The manipulation was particularly on display during the
2008 financial crisis when submissions were artificially
securities.
lowered.
• In 2017 the U.S. Federal Reserve
that SOFR as a preferred alternative Phase out
to LIBOR.
•In 2021 the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
• Mumbai Interbank Forward announced that it would be phasing out LIBOR by the end
Offer Rate (MIFOR) - Is the rate of 2023.
that Indian banks use as a
benchmark for setting prices on Concerns in India
forward-rate agreements and
derivatives. •RBI stated that both LIBOR and MIFOR would cease to be
a representative benchmark from June 30 2023.
• MIFOR is a mix of the London
Interbank Offered Rate and a
forward premium derived from Indian forex markets.

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• RBI issued an advisory in mid-2021 encouraging all national banks to stop using MIFOR for new contracts by
the end of 2021 as a result of the plan to phase out LIBOR.
• Modified Mumbai Interbank Forward Outright
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Rate (MMIFOR) – It would be used to adjust SOFR
among other components.
• IFC was founded in 1956 with a key objective
• SOFR and MMIFOR - In India new that the private sector has the potential to
transactions were to be undertaken using the SOFR transform developing countries.
and the Modified Mumbai Interbank Forward Outright
Rate (MMIFOR), replacing MIFOR. • IFC is a member of the World Bank Group,
advances economic development and improves
• It is based on observable repo rates, or the cost of the lives of people by encouraging the growth of
borrowing cash overnight, which is collateralized by U.S. the private sector in developing countries.
Treasury securities.
• IFC is the largest global development institution
• This would make it potentially less prone to market focused on the private sector in developing
manipulation. countries.
What are the challenges faced by the banks?
• Indian Banks’ Association said that there were many products linked to LIBOR which had to be redesigned with
an alternate reference rate (ARR) as the base.
• Challenges related to technology and legal aspects (such as handling of legacy contracts, modification of
contracts with the counter parties/interbank as well as borrowers).
• Banks have to intimate the customers about the transition, insertion of fallback clause in the contracts,
assessment of the impact on their P&L, changes in the technology platform and so on.
• Some banks and financial institutions were yet to facilitate an absolute transition away from the London
Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) benchmark due to fullback clauses.

10.10 The Internationalization of the Rupee

Why in news?
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has put in place the mechanism for rupee trade settlement with as many as 18 countries.
What is internationalization of Rupee?
• Internationalization of the Rupee – It is the process of increased cross-border transactions involving the
Indian currency.
• It corresponds to trade especially in import-export, current account transactions, and capital account
transactions.
• International settlement - This would enable the international settlement of trade in Indian rupees in
foreign trades, as opposed to other currency including US dollars.
• The goal of internationalizing the rupee is to make it a more widely accepted currency in international trade and
investment.

Internationalisation of Rupees

Benefits Challenges

• Mitigate exchange rate risk - • Process being complex - Rupee-trade

Internationalization of the INR can lower arrangements have not been easy to implement.
transaction costs of cross-border trade and
investment operations by mitigating exchange • Tarde arrangement with Russia is not yet fully
rate risk. operational even after a year-long engagement
between the two partner countries.
• Reduce risk – Eliminates the risk of exposure
to currency volatility faced by Indian businesses. • Large trade deficit - With Russia would saddle
Russia since with large rupee balances, it would
• Exports becoming competitive - Reducing have to find a way to use or invest.
currency risk can reduce the cost of doing
business and can hence help in making exports • Small market - The Indian economy is not as
more competitive in the global market. large as some other economies, so there is less

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• Increased financial integration - Help to demand for the rupee in the global financial
integrate the Indian financial system with the markets.
global financial system.
• Too much regulation - The Indian
• This could lead to increased investment and government has a number of controls on the
economic growth. rupee and these controls make it difficult for the
rupee to be used as a global currency.
• Reduced need for foreign exchange
reserves - The need to maintain foreign • Lack of liquidity - The Indian rupee is not as
exchange reserves can reduce if a sizeable share liquid as some other currencies, so it can be
of India’s trade can be settled in terms of the difficult to buy and sell large amounts of rupees.
domestic currency.

What is the way forward?

• India should learn from China's Experience of China's success in internationalizing the renminbi (RMB) and it
also had trade surplus across the world.
• Currency swap agreements and creation of offshore market should be enhanced.
• Considerable thinking and planning would be required to make it function in a manner that does not adversely
affect the economy’s fundamentals.
• Allow the settlement of foreign trade in rupees.
• Create special rupee-denominated bonds.

10.11 US banking crisis and its impact on India

Why in news?
The recent banking crisis in the US and the resultant global slowdown impacted India.

US banking crisis

US Banks Silicon Valley Bank

• The massive fiscal and monetary stimulus after • Wholesale depositors began to rapidly withdraw
COVID led to a huge surge in bank deposits. deposits to avoid losses, forcing the bank to
realise the losses.
• Banks invested much of these in government
bonds to avoid credit risks. • The bank created a self-fulfilling deposit run and
the central bank came to rescue.
• Meanwhile, the fiscal and monetary stimulus
interacted with adverse supply shocks led to the • The central bank created expansive liquidity
highest global inflation in 50 years. facilities and de facto insured all deposits
creating moral hazard for the medium term.
• Consequently, the bond prices fell sharply and
the US banks were left with ‘unrealised bond • To know more about US bank crises, click here
loses’. - Silicon Valley Bank crisis, Credit Suisse Crisis

How resilient is the present economy?

• The global economy likely grew at 4% last quarter (2023).
• The pace at which global economy is accelerating in 2023 reflects the
resilience of private sector balance sheets in advanced economies. A natural hedge is a
strategy that seeks to
• Globally, banks are much better regulated and capitalised than they were mitigate risk by investing in
in 2008. assets whose performance
is negatively correlated
• The central banks will now have to pursue two objectives to avoid
through some intrinsic or
any recession:
natural mechanism.
o Contain inflation using interest rate policy while managing
financial stability.
What are the impacts of US bank stress on India?
• Soft-landing - A soft landing is a cyclical slowdown in economic growth that avoids recession.

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• Soft landing is unlikely in the US because it will necessitate sharp increase in wage inflation without noticeable
rise in the unemployment rate.
• At some point the global economy will be forced to slow, to generate the needed disinflation, and that will impact
India.
• There are multiple transmission channels from current global events to impact India.
• The channels are exports, commodity prices, capital flows, US bond yields on Indian bond yields, etc.
What is the impact of global slowdown on the Indian exports?
• Indian Exports - Software services and other IT-enabled services have shown dynamism.
• Increased digitalisation and work-from-home during the pandemic has increased offshoring and made services
previously deemed non-tradeable into tradeable.
• The surge in service exports and the softening of commodity prices has also contributed to the dramatic
compression of the current account deficit.
• Thus, exports have been key to India’s recovery and a sharp global slowdown will slow down its recovery.
What are policy changes prescribed for India?
• Public investment Natural hedges of India
should be pushed to
mitigate slowing Oil prices Imports-Exports Bond Yields
exports.
•Oil prices are typically •If there’s a demand •Decline in US bond
• Crowding in of states inversely correlated shock in the world and yields in response to
and PSU capital with the US dollar global growth slows, the banking crisis,
expenditures (capex). Index. India’s exports will be pushed down bond
•When the dollar index hit. yields around the
• Keeping inflation strengthens, oil prices •As a commodity world, including India.
under control, typically soften. importer, India can •In India, and other
continuing with fiscal •Due to this natural benefit from improving emerging markets,
consolidation and hedge, India gets ‘terms of trade’ when financial conditions
building buffers. adversely impacted on the commodity prices eased due to the fears
the capital account but depress due to slow in of weaker US growth.
• India should keep a favourably impacted global growth.
very close eye on on the current account.
financial stability.

10.12 U.S. Debt Ceiling Crisis

Why in news?
The US government could default on its borrowings, an unprecedented situation that could potentially hit economies
worldwide, if Congress doesn’t raise the nation’s debt ceiling.
What is Debt ceiling?
• The debt ceiling, or debt limit, is the total amount the US government is allowed to borrow to finance its
expenditure, such as paying salaries and welfare allowances.
• The debt limit was introduced in 1917, when the US entered World War I.
• The debt ceiling was introduced in order to make it easier for the executive to operate without having to turn to
Congress every time it wanted to spend.
• The debt ceiling allows the government to borrow as required as long as it kept under the debt limit approved
by Congress.
• The debt ceiling has been raised 78 times (49 times under Republicans and 29 times under Democrats) since
1960, with the most recent raising was in 2021.
What is the issue?
• Constitutionally, Congress controls the government’s purse strings.
• Currently the limit of debt ceiling is at $31.4 trillion.
• The Republicans, who have a majority in the House, are refusing to raise it unless the Democrat-run government
agrees to their demands, which include a significant cut in spending.

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• If the debt ceiling is not raised, the government will be unable to pay its bills and will default on its debt.
What are the demands of Republicans?
• The Republicans are ideologically fiscal conservatives, while Democrats believe the government should spend
more on social welfare schemes.
• To agree to raise the debt ceiling, the Republicans have demanded that spending be kept at 2022 levels in the
next financial year, and subsequent increases capped at 1% for some years.
• The Democrats say the spending should be kept at 2023 levels.
What happens if the government defaults?
• The US government has never defaulted, and hence there is no exact answer, however, the consequences could
be catastrophic.
• The government would no longer have the money to function, and would have to decide who gets salaries, and
how much.
• The dollar would weaken, the stock markets would collapse, and millions might lose their jobs.
• Also, the US’s credit rating would be downgraded, making future borrowing more expensive.
• The crisis in the US will have wider repercussions.
Has anything similar happened earlier and is there a way out?
• The crisis is similar to what happened in 2011 when Barack Obama was President but the House of
Representatives was controlled by Republicans.
• Back then, the crisis ended just hours before the deadline, only after the Obama administration agreed to
spending cuts worth more than $ 900 billion.
• Technically, the US President can sidestep Congress by invoking the 14th Amendment, whose Section Four
states that the “validity of the public debt of the United States … shall not be questioned.”
• But if Biden were to use this option, it could trigger lawsuits, and he has seemed to prefer the Congressional
route.
What is the way forward?
• The debt ceiling is a terrible way to try to impose fiscal responsibility.
• However, the US government needs to find ways to reduce the deficit and the national debt.
• The two parties in the congress should arrive at an agreement at the earliest.

10.13 Gold Rush by Central Banks

Why in news?
The RBI has been increasing its gold reserve as part of the diversification process and a precaution to growing global
financial uncertainty.
What is the status of Gold in foreign exchange reserves
RBI gold reserve?
Commodity- Weak global
• As of financial Increasing Foundation for
linked financial
value of gold the rupee
year 2023, the currencies system
RBI have 794.64
•Gold has •The rate of the •The financial •Gold reserves
metric tons of performed even gold has system is coupled with a
gold an increase better when been increasin expected to face strong economy,
of nearly 5 % expressed in g more than several crisis balanced current
financial year terms of the US dollar. because of more account deficit
2022. commodity- volatility. and good
linked balance of
• Of total 794.64 currencies. payment lay the
metric tons of foundation for
gold, 437.22 tons the rupee in long
of gold is held term.
overseas in safe

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• custody with the Bank of England and the Bank of International Settlements (BIS)
Bank of International Settlements (BIS)
and 301.10 tons of gold is held
• BIS was established in 1930.
domestically.
• BIS is owned by 63 central banks including RBI that
• As on March 31, 2023 the country’s
account for 95% of the GDP.
total foreign exchange reserves stood at
USD 578.449 billion, and gold reserves • BIS’s head office is in Basel, Switzerland and it has two
were pegged at USD 45.2 billion. representative offices in Hong Kong and Mexico City.
• Central banks across the world are • The mission of BIS is to support central banks' pursuit of
increasing its gold reserve due to the monetary and financial stability through international
increasing global uncertainty. cooperation, and to act as a bank for central banks.
Why RBI is increasing the gold in foreign • Basel Committee on Banking Supervision of BIS
exchange reserve? provides the Basel norms.
• Long term benefits - Since gold is safe
and secure and liquid assets it has long term benefits.
• Diversification - RBI is diversifying its foreign exchange reserve because of the growing global uncertainty.
• Negative rates - To overcome the negative rates in the past.
• Dollar - Since dollar has been weakening gold can be good alternate.
• Transparency - Since gold have standard international price which is transparent.
• Low confidence in Swiss financial centers - Because of the demise of Credit Suisse and the total loss of
its AT1 bonds.

10.14 Global Credit Rating Agencies

Why in news?
Recently Fitch, a global rating agency accorded “BBB” ratings to India’s sovereign rating.
What is credit rating agency?
• A credit rating agency is an agency that assess the creditworthiness of organisation, individual or entity and
assign ratings to it.
• In India, CRAs are regulated by SEBI (Credit Rating Agencies) Regulations, 1999 of the Securities and
Exchange Board of India Act, 1992.
• The global credit rating industry is highly concentrated, with 3 agencies - Moody's, Standard & Poor's, and Fitch.
What is sovereign credit rating?
• A sovereign credit rating is an independent assessment of the creditworthiness of a country or sovereign entity.

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• By allowing external credit rating agencies to review its economy, a country shows that it is willing to make its
financial information public to investors.
• The factors that determine the sovereign credit rating of a country include:
o Per capita income; GDP growth; Rate of inflation; External debt; Economic development; History of
defaults
• A country with high credit ratings can access funds easily from the international bond market and also secure
foreign direct investment.
What is the sovereign credit rating of India?
• India’s Rating - All three global rating agencies accorded lowest investment grade rating in India.
• Rating agency Fitch affirmed India's sovereign rating at ''BBB-'' with a stable outlook on robust growth and
resilient external finances.
• BBB ratings – It indicates that expectations of default risk are currently low.
• The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic
conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.
• Reasons for low rating - India is expected to face headwinds from elevated inflation, high-interest rates and
subdued global demand.
• Other concerns include low labour force participation rates
and an uneven reform implementation.
• The fiscal consolidation path, under which the fiscal deficit
is to be brought down to 4.5 % of GDP by 2025-26, remains
challenging.
• Public finance remains weak while structural indicators are
lagging.
What are the positive signs of growth in India?
• Low forex risk - Since all debt is exclusively in rupees and
even participation of FPIs is in rupee bonds the forex risk is
very low.
• So, forex situation in India remains strong.
• Financial growth - The projected financial growth is 7%
for the year 2023 which is quite impressive compared with
rest of the countries.
• India’s response during COVID - The approach was more through the reform and policy route than fiscal
deficits in the form of payouts, which was followed by developed countries.
• Banking system – It has as rebounded well to pandemic period levels indicating it can provide funds that
enable the economy to move on to a higher growth path.
• RBI - Ensured a smoother path to normalcy compared with central banks of other nations in after math of the
COVID (RBI moved the interest rates without any significant impact on growth)
• Rupee-Dollar - Even though the dollar appreciated, the rupee always remained at the median level of
depreciation compared with dollar and other currencies.
• Quality of government spending - Budget has increased the share of capital expenditure from around 12-
13 % pre-pandemic to 22 % for FY24.
• Rupee trade agreement with Russia - The strategy to go-domestic is a unique model even though may be
slow and time taking.
• Digitization - The digitization drive has brought about structural changes in the economy making systems
more efficient.
What lies ahead?
• The rating methodologies need to adapt with the changing times.
• Global credit rating agencies have to do away with the fixed mindset policy where it is believed that emerging
markets can never really move up the scale.

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10.15 World Trade Organization’s Information Technology Agreement (ITA)

Why in news?
India lost the WTO dispute on customs duties on mobile phones and other IT products due to the IT Pact.
What is WTO’s IT agreement (ITA)?
• ITA was concluded by 29 participants at the Singapore ministerial conference in December 1996 by WTO.
• The main proponents of the ITA included the European Union (EU), Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore,
Thailand and the US.
• Number of participants increased to 82 including India which represents 97% of the world trade in IT products.
• The participants are committed to completely eliminating tariffs on IT products.
• At the Nairobi ministerial conference (2015) over 50 members concluded the expansion of the agreement which
now covers an additional 201 products valued at USD 1.3 trillion per year.

Pros & Cons of India’s membership in ITA

Pros Cons

• Reduced customs duties for the IT products. • The real gainer from that agreement has been
China which raised its global market share from
• Strengthening of the global information 2% to 14% between 2000-2011.
technology infrastructure would be generally
beneficial. • Countries with strong technology and
manufacturing base stood to benefit from the IT
• The competitiveness of the IT hardware agreement which India did not.
manufacturers has increased.
• IT hardware - Took a massive hit and Trade in
Value Added (TiVA) was declined.

What is the way forward?

• India in the future talks with the free trade agreements should be to choose an option that preserves the policy
flexibility of the government to support its domestic producers to the maximum possible extent.
• India negotiators should demand the necessary information to take a correct decision to avoid any mistakes.
• Indian negotiators should demand necessary policy tools through trade agreements for supporting domestic
producers, especially in new and emerging areas.

Department of commerce (DOC)

• DOC formulates, implements and monitors the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) which provides the basic
framework and strategy to be followed.
• DOC comes under Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• DOC is headed by a secretary who is assisted by Special Secretary & Financial Advisor.
• The medium-term vision is to achieve 2 trillion USD in exports of goods and services by 2027-28 with a
long-term objective of doubling India’s share in global trade.
• Department is also entrusted with responsibilities relating to
o Multilateral and bilateral commercial relations,
o Special Economic Zones,
o State trading,
o Export promotion and trade facilitation, and
o Development and regulation of certain export-oriented industries and commodities.

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10.16 European Union’s Carbon Border Tax Mechanism

Why in news?
The European Union (EU) introduced Carbon Border Tax Mechanism which will impose a levy on imported carbon-
intensive goods from countries (including India) where climate rules are less strict.
What are the impacts on India?
Carbon Border Tax Mechanism (CBAM)
• High CBAM - The share for
many Indian exports covered Level playing field
under CBAM going to the EU is •CBAM aims to create a level playing field for EU and non EU
high. manufacturers to reduce carbon footprints.
• Less market share - Indian
firms risk losing market share Carbon leakage
to EU-based producers or those •CBAM was introduced to address the carbon leakage.
in other more carbon-efficient
nations.
Tariff on carbon intensive import
• Affects exports - CBT will products
affect substantial exports as the •CBAM plans to impose a tariff on a set of carbon-intensive
EU is an important trade imports, which will have to be paid by EU importers and
partner for India. companies who export such goods to EU countries.
• Expensive - Even though a
Carbon intensive import products
product from India may be
cheaper than an American •Includes iron and steel, cement, fertilizers, aluminum and
product tax plus product price electricity.
will make Indian products
more expensive. High tax on developing countries
• Trade divisions - CBT will •The highest tax under CBAM is on developing countries like
lead to sharper trade diversion India.
and more trade among
developed countries. Green hydrogen
What is the way forward? •The tax is zero if steel is made using green hydrogen as fuel and
a reducing agent.
• Many Indian steel firms use
electric furnace, a more
carbon-efficient process, so India must use its strength to avoid the carbon tax.
• CBTM may force many European steel firms to shut down will provide an opportunity for Indian steel firms to
increase its market share.
• The manufacturing process needs to be transformed to sustainable being climate friendly.

11. AGRICULTURE

11.1 India’s First National Water-Body Census

Why in news?
The Jal Shakti ministry has released the report of India’s first water- body census, which provides a comprehensive
database of ponds, tanks, lakes and reservoirs in the country.
What is the need for water-body census?
• To get a more accurate picture of the status of India’s water. The country’s water
resources have become
• To formulate policies to address ground water crisis and biodiversity loss. extremely polluted, with
• Water bodies contribute to food and water security and livelihoods by 70% of surface water
recharging ground water. found to be “unfit” for
human consumption.
• Water bodies are the sources of irrigation and livestock.
• Water bodies have an important role in supporting biodiversity.

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• Water bodies are increasingly under threat from pollution, encroachment, urbanization, and drying up.
What are the salient features of the census?
• Objective - To develop a national database for all water bodies by collecting information on all important
aspects of the subject including their size, condition, status of encroachments, use, storage capacity, status of
filling up of storage.
• Water bodies - Are structures where water from ice-melts, streams, springs, rain or drainage from residential
or other areas is accumulated.
• Storage of water diverted from a stream, river is also included.
• The definition excludes oceans, rivers, waterfalls, and swimming pools, covered water tanks made by
individuals, factories and temporary water bodies.
• Water bodies - India has 2.42 million water bodies, out of which 97.1% are in rural areas and 2.9% in
urban areas.
• Non-functional - 83.7% are ‘in use’ and the remaining 16.3% are non-functional on account of drying up,
silting and construction activities and so on.
• Private entities -
55.2% are owned by
private entities and
44.8% are under
public ownership.
• In the wetter states
like Kerala, West
Bengal and North
Eastern states more
than three-
quarters of the
water bodies are
privately owned.
• Encroachment - Only 1.6% water bodies out of all the enumerated bodies have been encroached out of which
95.4% are in rural areas and remaining 4.6% in urban areas.
• Water conservation - Maharashtra State is the leading state for water conservation schemes.
• Others - West Bengal has highest number of ponds and reservoirs.
• Andhra Pradesh has highest number of tanks.
• Tamil Nadu has highest number of lakes.
• Mid-sized water bodies are largely panchayat-owned.
• In drier states, the water bodies are primarily used for irrigation and groundwater recharge.

What are the shortcomings of the census?

India-Water Resources Information System (WRIS)
• Lack of categorization - The water
bodies which were abandoned were had
• Provides a single window solution for all water resources data
no categories such as industrial pollution,
and information in a standardized national GIS framework.
construction, and salinity.
• Funded by the Central Water Commission.
• Lack of focus - No focus to conserve
water bodies instead focuses on human • Initiated through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on
use. December 2008 between
• Lack of clarity in definition - o Central Water Commission (CWC), Ministry of Jal
Glossary of the census defines a pond as Shakti and the Indian Space Research Organization
a smaller water body than a tank, while (ISRO), Department of Space.
“water conservation structures” might
include check dams and percolation • Under National Hydrology Project, a central sector scheme.
tanks.
• Lack of standardization across states - Some states like Gujarat don’t show any water bodies not being in
use, whereas Karnataka reports almost 80% of its water bodies as being in a state of disuse.

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11.2 Drip irrigation needs further push

Why in news?
Israel has presented a drip irrigation system for Children’s Park near India Gate for conservation of water and electricity.
What is drip irrigation?
• Water at slow rate - Drip irrigation involves dripping water onto the soil at very low rates (2-20 liters/hour)
from a system of small diameter plastic pipes fitted with outlets called emitters or drippers.
• Directly to root zone - Drip irrigation provides water directly to the root zone of the crop through a network
of pipes/emitters.
• Different from traditional methods - Drip irrigation unlike surface and sprinkler irrigation, which involves
wetting the whole soil profile.
What are the advantages of drip irrigation?
• Water loss is completely prevented
• Conserve electricity, time and ground
water
• Minimize crop failure during summer
• The profit margin of the farmers can be
increased
• The crop yield can be increased up to 230%
• Fertilizer use efficiency increases by 30%
• Crop grows consistently, healthier and
matures fast
• Helps crops growth during even in periods of water scarcity and load-shedding
What is the need of the hour?
• The lands suitable for drip irrigation which is around 270 lakh is applicable needs to be brought into the ambit.
• Drip irrigation should be made mandatory for water intensive crops to reduce the risk of ground water crisis.
• Measures should be taken to gradually bring sugarcane cultivation entirely under drip with the support of
sugarcane mills.
• The government should guarantee interest-free bank loans and immediate electricity connection for pump sets
to farmers who agree to cultivate only through drip irrigation.

Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)

• CGWB is a subordinate office of the Ministry of Water Resources, head quartered in Haryana..
• It was established in 1970 under the Ministry of Agriculture.
• CGWB was merged with the Ground Water Wing of the Geological Survey of India during 1972.

Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP)

• CACP is an attached office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

• CACP comprises a Chairman, Member Secretary, one Member (Official) and two Members (Non-Official).
o The non-official members are representatives of the farming community and usually have an active
association with the farming community.
• CACP is mandated to recommend minimum support prices (MSPs).
• CACP submits its recommendations to the government in the form of Price Policy Reports every year.

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11.3 Economic Viability of Agriculture

Why in news?
Policymakers have been striving hard to make Indian agriculture economically viable as majority of the farmers want to
quit agriculture.
What is the status of agriculture sector in
India?
• Contribution to India’s GVA -18.3%
(2022-23)
• Population involved - 54.6% of the total
workforce (Census 2011)
• Growth - 3% in 2021-22 compared to 3.3%
in 2020-21
• In recent years, India has also rapidly
emerged as the net exporter of agricultural products.

• During 2021-22, agricultural exports reached an all-time high of US$ 50.2 billion.
What can be done to make agriculture an economically viable one?
• Digitalization of agriculture - Agri start-ups have been helping in putting the ‘farmer first’ in supplying
inputs directly through apps/call centres/channel partners.
• Farmers with smart phone can access digitalized agri-services for agri-inputs, farm advisory, and marketing of
agri-produce.
• Integrated farming - Integrated farming system (IFS) is a sustainable agricultural system that integrates
different components such as crop production, livestock, fish, poultry, tree, etc. that benefit each other.
• It is based on the concept that 'there is no waste' and 'waste.
• Family labour is the most important component of IFS, which Issues faced by farmers
makes it commercially viable and environmentally sustainable.
• Lack of infrastructure
• Climate smart agriculture – Soil position in Punjab is
unhealthy as 246 kg of fertilisers are used per hectare compared • Lack of access to credit
to the national average of 135 kg.
• Lack of insurance
• It is imperative to shift to eco-friendly agri-inputs such as Nano
• Uncertain water rights and supply
Urea which is cost-effective, ease in logistics and enhances crop
yields substantially. • Lack of remunerative income
• Adopting best farm practices – Though Israel does not have • Poor price discovery
conducive climate for agriculture, water resources and land
area, it is a major exporter of farm-produce and a global leader • Land fragmentation
in agricultural technologies. • Erratic monsoon
• Co-operative principles based on social equality, co-operation • Uncertain nature
and mutual aid in generating agricultural output can be adopted
from Israel.
• Discouraging informal credit - Besides easing access to formal credit, farmers need to be counselled on
financial prudence to prevent borrowing from informal sources such as money lenders, traders and landlords.
• Leveraging Collectives - Convergence of SHGs, Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs) and Co-operatives
will lead to better bargaining power of farmers.
• Development of agri-value chains - Development of agri-export clusters may be encouraged besides
managing the risks of monsoon and market.

11.4 Agriculture Commodity Value Chains

Why in news?
Since agricultural commodity value chains has global significance, the sector is need of government inventions to make
it sustainable.

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What is an agricultural commodity of global significance?

• Agricultural commodity of global significance – They are the commodity crops that are primarily
grown to be sold on international markets.
• They are defined based on the level of their orientation towards international
demand and supply in the form of exports. Example - Soybean, cocoa, coffee, Agricultural and
tea, rubber, palm oil, and cotton Processed Food Products
• India is one of the leaders of global agricultural commodity trade both as major Export Development
consumer and producer. Authority (APEDA) is the
apex body responsible for
• Agricultural commodity value chain - It refers to the entire process export trade promotion.
involved in the production, processing, distribution and consumption of
agricultural commodities.
• It encompasses all the stages and actors involved in bringing agricultural products from the farm to the end
consumer.
How agriculture commodity value Impact on global sustainability
chains can be sustainable?
Deforestation
• Considering the producer
attributes - For commodity •Agricultural production can lead to deforestation, as trees
production led by agri-businesses are cleared to make way for crops and livestock.
with a global footprint, sector-wide
sustainability commitments and Biodiversity loss
standards are needed.
•Conversion of forests to cultivable farms can have a number
• Low-cost certification - Effective of negative environmental impacts, including climate change
and low-cost certification could and biodiversity loss.
improve practices throughout the
value chain, simultaneously Water pollution
delivering price premiums to
producers. •Agricultural production can lead to freshwater depletion and
water pollution, as fertilizers and pesticides run off into
• Regional efforts - Regionally, waterways.
some efforts have led to climate,
biodiversity, and livelihood benefits Soil degradation
while preserving the ecological
heritage in production landscapes. •Agricultural production can also lead to soil degradation as
the soil is depleted of nutrients and organic matter.
o For example, evidence
suggests that the
introduction of biodiversity-friendly coffee in Karnataka has mitigated human-animal conflicts in the
region to a significant extent.
• Government policies - Strong governance mechanisms and policies can support the value chains, either by
providing subsidies, market access, and infrastructural support.
• Targeted regulation may be used to incentivise agri-businesses to report and reduce the environmental
consequences of their supply chain.
• Working conditions and labour rights - The marginalized labors must be provided with adequate safety
nets in the form of rewards, farm-level flexibility, and robust insurance mechanisms.
• Understanding the global demand - India needs to expand its understanding to include commodities that
are actively imported, such as oilseeds, whose production is both for domestic and international markets.

12. ENVIRONMENT

12.1 The 1.5 degree Celsius Target

Why in news?
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released two decadal prediction reports in which it says, the average
global temperature will exceed the critical point of 1.5 degree Celsius by 2027.
What does the World Meteorological Organisation’s recent reports say?

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• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released two reports titled ‘Global Annual to Decadal Climate
Update 2023-2027’ and ‘State of Global Climate 2022.’
• Predictions - In 2022, the annual mean global surface temperature was 1.15 degrees above the baseline
temperature of pre-industrial levels (1850-1900).
• The global surface temperature will be 1.1-1.8 degree Celsius higher than the baseline temperature between 2023
and 2027
• This average global temperature will exceed 1.5 degrees by 2027.
What is the 1.5 degree Celsius target?
• Countries agreed to limit the global average warming to below 2 degree Celsius, in 2010 at the Cancun COP16
to UNFCCC.
• The Paris Agreement (2015) also pledged to limit the average temperature rise to below 2 degree ad actively
aimed for 1.5 degrees.
• The 2 degree target was unaccepted by small island countries as it compromised their survival and the 1.5 degree
seemed ambitious.
• After the 2018 IPCC repot, the target moved to 1.5 degree.
Why is the 1.5 degree target critical?
• In 2018, the IPCC released a report on the impact of global warming when temperatures reaches 1.5 degree
Celsius above the baseline temperature of pre-industrial levels.
• The report compared the effects of 2 degree temperature rise and 1.5 degree temperature rise.
• The 2 degree temperature rise witnessed mostly irreversible changes.
• Also, the temperature rise is not uniform across the planet and the regional differences and their vulnerability
has been taken into account.
• For example, ‘polar amplification’ happens at Arctic where warming is greater than the global average.
• For the above factors climate action must limit the average global warming to 1.5 degree.
Why are we missing targets?
• The developed countries are
expected to assume more
responsibility and implement
climate action due to the
historic reasons.
• The Climate Performance
Index over the years has shown
the major polluters have made
little progress in climate action.
• The pandemic has pushed the
world into a socio-economic
crisis.
• The Ukraine conflict has aggravated the situation and pushing in an energy crisis threatening climate goals.

Global Impacts Impacts on India

• Climate risks and hazards impact human • India has been increasingly facing the effect of
population and the ecosystem depending on climate change.
exposure, vulnerability, and adaptive capacity.
• February 2023 was recorded as the hottest
• The Horn of Africa has been witnessing extreme month since record-keeping began in 1901.
drought conditions since 2020, while the western
African countries are seeing floods and heavy • In 2022, India witnessed extreme weather events
rainfall. for 80% of the days.

• The cryosphere is shrinking, and there is a mass

loss of glaciers in High-mountain Asia, Western
North America, and South America.

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What are India’s climate action?

• Being an emerging economy, India is attempting to balance its development needs with ongoing climate action
at all levels.
• India introduced initiatives like green bonds and Green Hydrogen Mission at domestic level.
• At international level, India is spearheading International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient
Infrastructure against climate change.

12.2 Green Deposits

Why in news?
RBI has unveiled a framework for banks and NBFCs to accept green deposits that are meant for investing in eco-friendly
climate projects.
What are green deposits?
• A green deposit is a fixed-term deposit for investors looking to invest their surplus cash reserves
in environmentally friendly projects.
• It indicates the increased awareness of the importance of ESG (Environmental, social and governance) and
sustainable investing.
• Many lenders like HSBC and HDFC have launched green deposits in India for corporates as well as individuals.
• Common themes for green deposits are renewable energy, clean transportation, pollution prevention and
control, green building, sustainable water, wastewater management, and others.
What is the RBI framework about?
• Aim - To prevent greenwashing, which refers to making misleading claims about the positive environmental
impact of an activity.
• Deposits - As per the RBI framework, banks will offer the deposits as cumulative/ non-cumulative deposits.
• On maturity, the green deposits would be renewed or withdrawn at the choice of the depositor.
• The green deposits shall be denominated in rupees only.
• Application - The framework applies Challenges of green deposit
to all scheduled commercial banks and
small finance banks (except for regional
rural banks and local area banks) Flaws in design
and non-banking finance •Flaws in design leads to limitation of the range in the green
companies (including housing finance projects that the banks can invest.
companies).
Reality being different
• Investors - Both corporate and
individual customers can invest in •Green investment products are often just a way to make investors
green deposits. feel good about themselves and that these investments don’t really
do much good to the environment.
• Banks and NBFCs shall put in place a
comprehensive board-approved policy Project sustainability
on green deposits, and a copy of the •It is not sure whether the banks invested in the green projects will
policy shall also be made available on be sustainable.
their websites.
Lack of awareness
• Sectors eligible to receive green
deposits – The sustainable and eligible •Lack of awareness among the bank staffs leads to delay in the
sectors include renewable energy, process of obtaining green deposits.
waste management, clean
Lower interest rate
transportation, energy efficiency, and
afforestation. •The investor seeks only for high return deposits and doesn’t care
about being green.
• Banks will be barred from investing
green deposits in business projects involving fossil fuels, nuclear power, tobacco, etc.
• Review - The allocation of funds raised through green deposits during a financial year shall be subject to
an independent Third-Party Verification (TPV) on an annual basis.

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• Impact assessment by lenders - Lenders must annually assess the impact associated with the funds lent for
or invested in green finance activities and submit a review report before their Board.
• Penalty - There are no penal provisions when the bank doesn’t utilise the deposits.
How are green deposits different from normal deposits?
• Projects - Normal deposits cannot be allocated for specific projects, whereas green deposits are carved out
specifically towards green financing.
• Interest rate on green deposits – It is at the prerogative of the lender and currently the rates on these
deposits aren’t significantly different from regular deposits.

12.3 Total Ban on Diesel Vehicles in India

Why in news?
A government panel has recommended to ban all the diesel four wheelers by 2027.
Why did the panel recommend to ban diesel vehicles?
• Greenhouse gas emissions - To achieve the stated aim to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by 40% to
mitigate climate change.
• Net zero goal - To produce 40% of its
electricity from renewables as part of its
2070 net zero goal.
• Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) - The
higher compression ratio of diesel
engines increase emissions of oxides of
nitrogen (NOx).
• Volkswagen emissions scandal -
Led to an increase in the negative
perception against diesel
across markets, including India.
What is the importance of the diesel vehicles?
• Diesel engines have higher fuel economy than petro engine.
• Diesel engines do not use high-voltage spark ignition (spark plugs), and thus use less fuel per kilometer.
• Diesel engines have higher compression ratios, making it the fuel of choice for heavy vehicles.
• Diesel engines offer more torque (rotational or turning force) and are less likely to get stalled.
What will be the consequences if there is a total ban?
• Affects transportation - Around 87% of diesel fuel sales are in the transport segment, with trucks and buses
accounting for about 68%.
• Affects the state’s GDP - Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Haryana makes 40% of the diesel sold in India.
• Affects the auto manufactures - The auto manufactures have heavy
invested in transition their diesel fleet from BS-IV to BS-VI emission
A panel formed by the
norms.
Ministry of Petroleum and
• Low availability of alternates - The commercial vehicle segment have Natural Gas has
not explored much of the alternatives such as electric vehicles which would recommended a ban on the
cause serious disruptions in the segment. use of diesel-powered four-
wheel vehicles by 2027
What is the way forward? in cities with a population of
• According to Energy Transition Advisory Committee report LNG has the more than 1 million.
potential to replace both diesel and CNG in heavy-duty vehicles and
thereby reduce GHG emissions.
• The diesel should be phased out, rather than proposing a complete ban to avoid any serious disruptions.
• Railways and gas-powered trucks could be used for the movement of cargo.
• Indian should built underground gas storage to meet any unforeseen demand of energy in the future.

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Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell (PPAC)

• PPAC is attached to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas was created effective from 1st April 2002.
• PPAC assists the Government in discharge of some of the functions earlier performed by Oil Coordination
Committee (OCC).
• The expenditure of PPAC is borne by Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB).
• The functions of PPAC includes
o Administration of subsidy on PDS Kerosene and domestic LPG and freight subsidy for far flung
areas.
o Maintenance of information data bank and communication system to deal with emergencies and
unforeseen situations.
o Analyzing the trends in the international oil market and domestic prices.
o Forecasting and evaluation of petroleum import and export trends.

12.4 Clean Cooking Fuel in India

Why in news?
In the recently conducted India Energy Week exhibition the Indian oil has launched Surya Nutan which could be the
sustainable solution for clean cooking fuel.
What is clean cooking fuel?
• Clean fuels and technologies are those that attain the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide
(CO) levels recommended in the WHO global air quality guidelines (2021).
• Modern and clean cooking fuels are fuels with very low levels of polluting emissions when burned. Examples
include biogas, LPG, electricity, ethanol, natural gas, and solar power (BLEENS).
• Pellets used in specialised biomass stoves can also be a clean fuel.
What is the need for clean cooking fuel?
• Provides energy access to poor people of
the country.
• Reduces health issues and premature
deaths.
• Helps India achieve its net zero targets by
reducing carbon emissions.
• Boost GDP by reducing the economic
burden resulting from the use of
unsustainable fuels.
What are the challenges to India’s clean
cooking transition?
• Cylinder refill being costly - Over 50 %
of the households that received new LPG
cylinders did not choose to refill due to high
costs of refill.
• Cylinder distribution networks - Lack
of access to the cylinder distribution
networks especially in rural India.
• Lack of choice - The government only
promotes LPG cylinder leaving out the
alternatives such as electric cooking (e-
cooking), especially solar photovoltaic
(PV) connected e-cooking.

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What are the measures taken for clean cooking fuel?

• Rajiv Gandhi Gram LPG Vitrak Yojana (RGGLV scheme) - Was launched in 2009 to provide clean
coking fuel.
• Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) - It aimed to replace solid and other biomass-based polluting
cooking fuels used in urban and rural households in India with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). Launched in
2016 and replaced the RGGLV scheme.
• Piped natural gas (PNG) - The government has been actively promoting PNG, which is a more economically
viable fuel than LNG.
• Go Electric campaign – It encourages the use of electric vehicles and electric cooking.
• Energy Efficiency Services Limited - Working towards better utilization of renewable energy in cooking
sector.
• Surya Nutan - It is an indigenous, stationary, rechargeable and kitchen-based indoor solar cooking platform.
Developed by Indian Oil Corporation and Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Works in hybrid
mode, using both solar energy as well as an auxiliary energy source.
• The Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP) - It announced clean cooking fund
for assistance through technical support and investments in developing nations. The programme is by World
Bank. In India, this programme is being developed through the Modern Energy Cooking Services
programme.
What are the impacts of unclean fuels?
• The air quality index will further be worsen.
• Cause adverse long-term health impacts.
• Impact GDP due to sickness and loss of productivity.
• Wooden fuel leads to deforestation.

Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL)

• EESL was founded in 2009 and promoted by Ministry of Power.

• EESL is a Joint Venture of four reputed public- sector undertakings such as
o NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation) Limited,
o Power Finance Corporation Limited,
o REC (Rural Electrification Corporation) Limited and
o POWERGRID Corporation of India Limited.
• EESL focuses on solution-driven innovation without taking support of any subsidy from the
Government.
• EESL is a Super Energy Service Company (ESCO), which enables consumers, industries and governments to
effectively manage their energy needs through energy efficient technologies.

12.5 Land Restoration

Why in news?
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has
released the Global Land Outlook report highlighting the depletion of finite UNCCD defines ‘land
land resources and the need to urgently restore the world’s land. degradation neutrality’ as “a state
whereby the amount and quality
Why land restoration is important? of land resources necessary to
• Land restoration - Defined as the continuum of activities that support ecosystem functions and
avoid, reduce, and reverse land degradation with the explicit objective services and enhance food
of meeting human needs and improving biodiversity. security remain stable or increase
within specified temporal and
• Solves interconnected crisis - Land acts as an operative link spatial scales and ecosystems”.
between biodiversity loss and climate change which can solve various
interconnected climate crisis.

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• Equitable and sustainable future - Effective land restoration, coupled with efforts to meet future needs is
essential to recover from the current crises.
• It is also essential to move towards an equitable and sustainable future.
• Economic benefits - Each dollar invested in land restoration activities has also been estimated to return
between $7 and $30 in economic benefits in future.
• Sustainable Development Goals - According to U.N. General Assembly, achieving ‘land degradation
neutrality’ is an effective way to accelerate progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals by
2030.
• Sustainable food production - Sustainable land use planning and productivity within our agricultural
practices will be the key to switch to sustainability in global food systems.
• Global warming - Land and ecosystem restoration will help slow global warming.
• Reduce disaster - Land and ecosystem restoration
will reduce the scale and frequency of disasters like
droughts, floods and so on.
• Planetary boundaries - Restoration of lands can stop
the breach of planetary boundaries.
What are the impacts of land degradation?
• Global warming and environmental degradation.
• Rise in poverty, hunger, inequality and zoonotic disease
transmission.
• Loss of forest land.
• Soil and water degradation.
• Fractures the supply chains that connects the suppliers
and producers.
• Great risk to global food security.
What are the ways to restore land?
• Sustainable management - Adopting sustainable
land and water management practices.
• Livelihoods - Improving livelihoods and preparing for future challenges with the eventual goal of sustaining
all life forms on the planet.
• Integrated land
use planning -
Identifying the best
combination of land
uses which is both
sustainable to meet
the needs of the
stakeholders as well
as preserve the land
resources is an
efficient way to
address land
degradation.
• Regenerative
agricultural
practices - Like
terrace farming and
rainwater
harvesting should
be followed.
• Inclusive and
responsible

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governance - Is crucial to facilitate the shift to sustainable land use and management practices.
• Cost-effective approach - A best way to restore the lands and global hotspots which can maximize the
economic benefits of the land.
• Others - Revitalizing soil, watersheds, and other elements of natural ecosystems.
• The drought conditions need to be addressed.

Planetary Boundaries

• Planetary boundaries are the thresholds of environmental limits that define a “safe operating space for
humanity”.
• The nine planetary boundaries are:
• Biodiversity loss; Land-use change; Climate change; Nitrogen & phosphorus (geochemical) cycles Freshwater
use; Ocean acidification; Chemical pollution; Atmospheric loading; Ozone depletion
• Of these 9 planetary boundaries, climate change, biodiversity loss, land-use change, and geochemical cycles
have already been exceeded.

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

• UNCCD is the global voice for land.

• UNCCD promote practices that avoid, reduce and reverse land degradation.
• UNCCD is the driving force behind Sustainable Development Goal 15 and Land Degradation Neutrality.
• The UNCCD works to engage governments, international organizations, scientists, farmers, private enterprise
and local communities
o To promote sustainable practices and shared knowledge that help improve land productivity and create
a more resilient future.
• Global Land Outlook report is published by UNCCD.

13. SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

13.1 India’s Science and Technology Sector

Why in news?
The year 2022 marks the 25 years since we started celebrating the National Technology Day (May 11).
What is so special about May 11?
• On May 11, 1998 3 special technologies were launched which includes
TRISHUL - Short range low-
1. Operation Shakti ( Pokhran-II nuclear tests)
level surface-to-air missile.
2. Successful test firing of Trishul missile HANSA-New Generation
(HANSA-NG) - India’s first
3. First test flight of the indigenously developed aircraft Hansa indigenous Flying Trainer is
• The achievements of May 11, 1998 contributes significantly to the the revamped version of the
economy. original, developed in 1993.
What is the journey of India’s nuclear program?
• Homi Bhabha - India’s nuclear programme can be traced to the work of physicist Homi J Bhaba.
• In 1945, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, India’s first research institution dedicated to the study of
nuclear physics was opened in Bombay.
• DAE - In 1954, the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) was founed, with Bhabha as director.
• NPT - In 1968, the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) came into existence.

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• The treaty defines nuclear-weapon states as those that have built and tested a nuclear explosive device before
January 1, 1967 (The US, USSR, the UK, France and China) and effectively disallows any other state from
acquiring nuclear weapons.
• India is one of the few non-signatories of NPT.
• Vikram Sarabhai - Bhaba’s successor at the DAE, Vikram Sarabhai, had worked to significantly broaden
India’s nuclear technology
• Pokhran-I - On May 18, 1974, India carried out its first nuclear test at the Pokhran test site.
• Pokhran-I, codenamed Operation Smiling Buddha, would be billed as a “peaceful nuclear explosion”, with
“few military implications”.
• Missile Major initiatives in the S&T sector
development - In
1983, the Defence Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)
Research and
•Established by NITI Aayog, it fosters a robust entrepreneurial landscape in
Development
India.
Organisation’s
(DRDO) funding
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)
was increased and
Dr APJ Abdul •Plays a crucial role in supporting not only industrial R&D for established
Kalam was put in industries but also startups and MSMEs.
charge of India’s
missile programme. The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT)
• CTBT - India •An autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
also did not sign the
Comprehensive Test The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)
Ban Treaty
(CTBT) that was •Committed to deploying atomic power for improving life quality and
finalised in 1996. fostering national development.

• Pokhran-II - In The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)

1998, India
responded to •Space science data from missions like Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan is used
Pakistan’s launch of for hackathons and workshops.
Ghauri missile
with Operation Shakti (Pokhran-II).
• Indian Government declared itself as a state possessing nuclear weapons following Pokhran-II.

Achievements Challenges

• India as a pharmaceutical hub of the world • Lack of urban infrastructure and planning
• Democratisation of financial transactions by • Low diversification of agricultural produce
digital payment gateways
• Inadequate investments in research and
• Mapping of subsurface water channels for development
sustainable use of water

What is the way ahead?

• Scientists, innovators, and entrepreneurs should be encouraged to pursue their endeavors to create a brighter
future for India.
• There is a need to unleash the immense potential India holds in various fields, from atomic energy to space
exploration and biotechnology.

13.2 Methanol poisoning

Why in news?
Recently around 20 people died after consuming spurious liquor in Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts of Tamil
Nadu.

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What is the difference between liquor and spurious liquor? Beverage Alcohol content
• Liquor – It is an alcoholic beverage made by distillation rather than by
fermentation. Beer 5% or so
• The alcohol content varies from the 5% or so (beer) to 12% or so (wine) Wine 12% or so
to 40% or so (distilled spirits) by volume.
• The alcohol used is almost always ethanol (C 2H 5OH), a psychoactive Distilled spirits 40% or so
drug that, in low doses, reduces the level of neurotransmission in the
body, leading to intoxicating effects.
• Spurious alcohol – It is an illicit liquor made up by improper distillation.
• It is a liquid mixture containing methanol (CH 3OH) as well ethanol.

What is methanol and how is it regulated?

Maximum permissible
• Methanol – It is a colorless, fairly volatile, flammable liquid Liquor quantity of methanol
with a faintly sweet pungent odor like that of ethyl alcohol. (grams per 100 litre)
• It is primarily used as an industrial solvent and as antifreeze.
Coconut fenny Absent
• Methanol is also used as an alternative motor fuel and as an
ingredient in paint and varnish removers. Country liquor 50
• Regulations - The Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic
Beverages) Regulations 2018 stipulate the maximum Pot-distilled spirits 300
permissible quantity of methanol in different liquors.
• Schedule I of the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules 1989 includes methanol.
• The Indian Standard IS 517 applies to how the quality of methanol is to be ascertained.
• Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has notified Quality Control Order for the mandatory
certification for methanol that shall come into force on the 3rd August, 2023.

What is methanol poisoning? WHO’s Lists of Essential Medicines

• Methanol poisoning - The
deadliness of spurious liquor • Essential medicines, as defined by the WHO, are the medicines that
arises from methanol due to its satisfy the priority health care needs of the population.
conversion into formic acid.
• These are the medications to which people should have access at all
• The accumulation of formic acid times in sufficient amounts and the prices should be at generally
over time leads to a baneful affordable levels.
condition called metabolic
acidosis. • The lists are updated every 2 years by the Expert Committee on
Selection and Use of Essential Medicines.
• Treatment - There are 2
immediate ways to treat • The current versions, updated in 2021, are the 22nd Essential
methanol poisoning. Medicines List (EML) and the 8th Essential Medicines List for Children
(EMLc).
• To administer ethanol of a
pharmaceutical grade by healthcare workers & to administer an antidote called fomepizole (that is present in
WHO’s list of essential medicines)

13.3 Pangenome Reference Map

Why in news?
A pangenome reference map has been built using genomes from 47 anonymous individuals (does not include Indians).
What is genome?
• The genome is the entire set of DNA instructions found in a cell.
• It contains all the information needed for an individual to develop and function.
• In humans, the genome consists of 23 pairs of chromosomes located in the cell’s nucleus, as well as in the
mitochondria.

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• Each chromosome is a contiguous stretch of DNA

string which in turn is composed of millions of
individual building blocks called nucleotides or
bases.
• The four bases include adenine, thymine, guanine
and cytosine (A, T, G and C).
• The genome is an identity card like Aadhaar as
each our genome is unique.
• To date, humans are the only life form that has
successfully sequenced its own genome, yet there
are many life forms that have substantially larger
genomes.
What is genome sequencing?
• Genome sequencing is the method used to
determine the precise order of the four bases (A,
T, G and C) and how they are arranged in
chromosomes.
• It helps us understand human diversity at the
genetic level and how prone we are to certain
diseases.

What is a reference genome and a pangenome reference map?

Feature Reference Genome Pangenome Map

A complete sequence of DNA for a particular A collection of genomic sequences found in

Definition species that acts as a reference map for the entire species rather than a single
newly sequenced genomes. individual.

Used as a standard for comparing other Used to study genetic diversity and identify
Purpose
genomes. genes associated with diseases.

Typically more accurate than pangenome

Accuracy More comprehensive than reference genomes.
maps.

Typically based on the genomes of a small Typically based on the genomes of a large
Diversity
number of individuals. number of individuals.

Gene mapping, genome sequencing, and Disease research, personalized medicine, and
Applications
drug discovery. evolutionary biology.

What is the importance of pangenome reference map?

• Human genetic diversity - A complete and error-free human pangenome map will help to understand the
differences and explain human diversity better.
• Genetic variation - It will also help us understand genetic variants in some populations.
• Health - It will allow scientists to identify the genes and gene variants that are associated with specific diseases.
• Personalized medicine - Information in the map can be used to develop personalized medicine approaches
that are tailored to the individual patient's genetic makeup.
• New insights into human evolution - Can be used to study how genetic variation has changed over time
and the history of our species.

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Quick facts

• Human Genome Project- The HGP was the international, collaborative research program for complete
mapping and understanding of all the genes of human beings.
• It began in 1990 and was completed in 2003.
• Genome India Project – It was initiated and funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in 2020
for 3 years.
• It aims to build a grid of the Indian “reference genome”, to understand fully the type and nature of diseases
and traits that comprise the diverse Indian population.
• This is spearheaded by the Centre for Brain Research at Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science as the
nodal point of about 20 institutions.
• The Human Pangenome Reference Consortium (HPRC) – It is a project funded by the National
Human Genome Research Institute, Maryland, United States.
• It aims to sequence and assemble genomes from individuals from diverse populations in order to better
represent genomic landscape of diverse human populations.

13.4 Mitochondrial Donation Treatment

Why in news?
An announcement was made recently that a baby was born using three persons’ DNA in the UK.
What is mitochondria?
• Mitochondria - They are membrane-bound cell organelles that are the powerhouses of the cells as they
generate the energy needed to power the cell's biochemical reactions.
• Chemical energy produced by the mitochondria is stored in a small molecule called adenosine triphosphate
(ATP).
• Mitochondria contain their own small chromosomes.
• Generally, mitochondria, and mitochondrial DNA, are inherited only from the mother.
• Mitochondrial diseases - When the mitochondria are impaired and do not produce sufficient energy, it
affects the functioning of organs.
• The diseases that arise
out of mitochondrial
mutations are called
mitochondrial
diseases.
• Mitochondrial
diseases
are only passed on
by the mother.
• It has no cure, but can
be treated.
• In order to prevent the
child from inheriting
the mother’s
mitochondrial
disease, the three
parent technology was
used.
What is Mitochondrial Donation Treatment?
• Mitochondrial donation treatment is also known as mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT).
• Advanced in-vitro fertilization technique is used for mitochondrial donation treatment.

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• The baby’s biological father’s sperm was used to fertilise the eggs from the biological mother, who has a
mitochondrial disease, and a third, female donor with clear mitochondria, separately.
• Then, the nuclear genetic material from the donor’s egg is removed and replaced with the genetic material from
the biological parents’.
• The final product (the egg) which has the genetic material from the parents, and the mitochondria from the
female donor, is implanted in the uterus.
• This baby (three-parent baby) will be free from the mother’s mitochondrial disease.
What are the short falls of mitochondrial donation treatment?
• Sometimes it is possible that a small amount of the maternal mitochondria with errors may get passed on during
the procedure.
• So-called reversion or reversal could lead to a disease in the child.

13.5 Fermi Energy and Fermi Level

Why in news?
More research in quantum physics in recent times have shown that the fermi energy are significant and produce high
energy.
What is fermi energy?
• Fermi energy is defined as the highest occupied energy level of a material at absolute zero temperature (-273º
C or 0K).
• In other words, all electrons in a body occupy energy states at or below that body's Fermi energy at 0K.
• It is an energy difference of the kinetic energy of a system
containing fermions and Fermi energy is constant for each
solid.
What are fermions?
• Fermion is any member of a group of subatomic particles
having odd half-integral angular momentum (spin 1/2,
3/2).
• Fermions mainly include quarks and leptons along with electrons, protons, and neutrons.
• Fermions obey Fermi-Dirac statistics, which means that when one swaps two fermions, the wave function
of the system changes sign.
• Fermions obey the Pauli exclusion principle - no two fermions can exist in the same quantum state at the
same time.
What is fermi level?
• Fermi level is the measure of the energy of the least tightly held electrons within a solid.
• It is the surface of that sea at absolute zero where no electrons
will have enough energy to rise above the surface.
• The fermi energy levels enable us to
1. Calculate the density of electrons and number of holes
in the material
2. Relative proportion of holes and density with respect to
temperature
What are the applications of fermi energy?
• Fermi energy is
1. Applied to Determine the electrical and thermal
characteristics of solids
2. Important in nuclear physics to understand the stability of white dwarfs
3. Used in semiconductors and insulators and used to describe insulators, metals, and semiconductors

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13.6 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)

Why in news?
Car manufactures have started providing 1. Adaptive Cruise Control 5. Autonomous Valet Parking
ADAS which could create a safe traffic 2. Glare-Free High Beam Light 6. Navigation System
environment resulting in reduced
accidental death. 3. Adaptive Light Control 7. Night Vision
What is advanced driver assistance 4. Automatic Parking 8. Unseen Area Monitoring
systems (ADAS)?
• Electronic
system - Advanced
Driver Assistance
Systems (ADAS) is an
electronic system of
automated vehicle
safety features.
• The System
uses innovative
sensor technology to
provide information,
warnings, and
assistance to the
driver while they are
driving.
• Prevent death -
The role of ADAS is to
prevent deaths and
injuries by reducing the number of car accidents and the serious impact of those that cannot be avoided in road.
• Applications - Some applications of ADAS are
• Autonomous driving - Many of the features that are included in an ADAS system are essential for
autonomous driving.
What is
autonomous-
driving?
• Autonomous
driving is the
ability of a
vehicle to drive
itself.
• There are
different levels
of autonomous
driving, each
with its own set
of
requirements
and
capabilities.
What are the
challenges to self-driving cars?
• Limited success - The test conducted by various companies for self-driving have not yielded any success.
• No consensus - While few companies choose cameras for self-driving whereas few companies uses
combination of technology such as include LIDAR, radar, sensors and camera.
• Lack of government support - Only the private companies are investing in the self-driving technologies and
there is lack of support from the government.

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13.7 Role of Calcium-41 in Radiometric Dating

Why in news?
Recent study shows that Calcium-41 can be used the same way as Carbon-14 in carbon dating, but with several
advantages.
What is radio carbon dating?
• Carbon-14 - Radiocarbon (Carbon 14) is an isotope of the element carbon that is unstable and weakly
radioactive [The stable isotopes are carbon 12 and carbon 13]
• It has a half-life of 5,700 years, so the technique can’t determine the age of objects older than around 50,000
years.
• Radiocarbon dating – It is a method that provides objective age estimates for carbon-based materials that
originated from living organisms.
• Plants and animals assimilate Carbon 14 from carbon dioxide throughout their lifetimes.
• When they die, they stop exchanging carbon with the biosphere and their carbon 14 content then starts to
decrease at a rate determined by the law of radioactive decay.
• An age could be estimated by measuring the amount of carbon-14 present in the sample.
• There are 3 principal techniques used to measure carbon 14 content of any given sample.
1. Gas proportional counting
2. Liquid scintillation counting
3. Accelerator mass spectrometry (Advanced method)
• The method was developed 1940s by Willard Libby, who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to this
work in 1960.
• The issue with carbon dating
was to detect carbon-14 atoms,
which occur once in around
1012 carbon atoms.
What is Calcium-41?
• Calcium-41 is a rare long-
lived radio-isotope of
Calcium that has a half-life
of 99,400 years.
• Calcium-41 is called
a cosmogenic
nuclide, because it is produced
when cosmic rays from space
smash into calcium atoms in the
soil in a fission reaction,
called spallation.
• It is found in the earth’s crust,
opening the door to dating
fossilized bones and rock.
• The issue is Calcium-41 is rarer,
occurring once in around
1015 Calcium atoms.
How can the issue of detecting C-14 and CA-41 be resolved?
• Atom Trap Trace Analysis (ATTA) - Researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China
pitched a technique called atom-trap trace analysis (ATTA) to spot these atoms.
• ATTA is both extremely sensitive and selective, and is based on the laser manipulation and detection of neutral
atoms.
• Procedure - A sample is vaporised in an oven.
• The atoms in the vapour are laser-cooled and loaded into a cage made of light and magnetic fields.

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• In ATTA, a laser’s frequency is tuned such that it imparts the same energy as required for an electron transition
in Calcium-41.
• The electrons absorb and release this energy, revealing the presence of their atoms.
• Significance - It can spot one calcium-41 atom in every 10 16 calcium atoms with 12% precision in seawater.
• ATTA also avoids potassium-41 atoms, which are similar to calcium-41 atoms but lack the same electron
transition.
• It can also be modified to study isotopes of some noble gases that have defied techniques developed for carbon-
14, such as argon-39, krypton-81, and krypton-85.
What are the applications of ATTA and Calcium-41?
• Opens the possibility of extension to other metal isotopes
• To study how long rocks has been covered by ice
• Open avenues for exploring Earth-science applications

14. INTERNAL SECURITY

14.1 Increasing Maoist Activities

Why in news?
The Maoists conducted an IED attack in Jharkhand killing 10 personnel.
Why the Maoist activities in the Jharkhand are on the rise?
• The special units local police force was formed late in the state which led to the state becoming the Maoist zone.
• The absence of roads in the
Measures taken
interiors in the interior places
• Minimal presence of the
administration in the interiors in Security related expenditure (SRE)
the Maoist area •Constituted by central government to provide financial
support to the states affected by left wing extremisms (LWE).
• Local support from the people
• The state geographical (jungle) Special infrastructure scheme (SIS)
provides a perfect condition for
Tactical Counter Offensive •To strengthen local police and intelligence.
Campaigns (TCOCs)
Special central assistance
What is Tactical Counter Offensive
Campaigns (TCOCs)? •To build infrastructure such as roads in LWE districts.

• It is a campaign carried out by the CRPF

CPI Maoist between February and
June every year. •Has been consistently enlarging its footprint by opening new
camps deeper in the jungles of Jharkhand.
• This period is chosen because with
the onset of the monsoon in July. Bastariya Battalion
• During this period the over flowing • By CRPF to recruit the local people to gain the local
rivers cannot be crossed. intelligence about the Maoist.
• The tall grass and shrubs
everywhere reduce visibility. NIA and ED

• The TCOC period this year has been •Have been directed to track CPI (Maoist) cadres, leaders and
sympathizers with the aim to choke their funding.
characterised by increasing IED
attacks.
District Reserve Guard (DRG)
• Almost all major attacks by Maoists
on security forces, including the •Have been constituted to include the local police in
2010 Chintalnar massacre of 76 neutralizing the Maoists.

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CRPF personnel, have taken place during the TCOC period.

Quick facts

• Maoist violence in the country has gone down by 77% since 2010.
• The number of resultant deaths (security forces + civilians) has come down by 90 % from the all-time high of
1,005 in 2010 to 98 in 2022.
• The number of districts declared to be Naxal-affected has reduced from over 200 in the early 2000s to just
90 now.
• The presence of Naxals is said to be minimal to zero in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Jharkhand, and
Bihar, which were at one time their strongholds.

14.2 Tensions between hill and valley people in Manipur

Why in news?
The clashes in Manipur corresponds to the genesis of the decades-old Meitei-Kuki divide.

Demographic dividend of Manipur Communities of Manipur

• Manipur is bounded by Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, • The central valley in the state accounts for about 10%
and Myanmar. of the landmass of Manipur.
• Most of Manipur is surrounded by hills with a fertile • The majority Meitei community (Hindus) and the
saucer shaped valley in the middle. Meitei Pangal (Muslims) who constitute roughly
64.6% of the state’s population, live in the densely
• It has 10 hill districts inhabited by various tribes. populated valley.
• About 40% of the state’s 28 lakh people (2011 census) • This is because of the power centre from a time when
live in the hills. Meitei Kings rules the region.
• There are 34 recognized tribes, which are broadly • The remaining 90% of the state’s geographical area
classified as ‘Any Kuki Tribes’ and ‘Any Naga Tribes’. comprises hills surrounding the valley, which are
home to the recognized tribes, making up about
35.4% of the state’s population.

Who are Meitei people?

• Meiteis, are the valley people present predominantly in the
Imphal valley, and they are Hindus.
• Meiteis speak Meitei language which is one of the 22 schedule
languages of the constitution.
• Meitei enjoyed tribal status even before September 1949 when
the princely state of Manipur signed merger agreement with
Indian union.
• Meiteis also get more representation in the state assembly as 40
of the total 60 assembly seats in Manipur are from the Imphal
Valley region.
What are the reasons for the clash?
• Dominant status of Meitei people since Meiteis are the largest
community in Manipur and constitute 64.6% of the Manipur
population.
• Part of Meitei’s also enjoy the status of backward caste (OBC).
• Meitei population which was 59% of the total population of Manipur in 1951 has now been reduced to 44% as
per 2011 Census data.
• Protections given to hill areas and restrictions on non-tribals buying land in hill districts led to a demand seeking
ST status for the Meiteis 12 years ago.

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• Recently the Manipur high court directed the Manipur government to submit a report on the granting ST status
to Meitei.
• Land survey conducted in the hills areas have created fear of eviction to the tribes in the hilly region fueling the
tension in the Manipur.

Scheduled Tribes (STs)

• Article 366 - Defines schedule tribe as any tribe deemed under article 342.
• Article 342 - Provides for specification of tribes which are deemed to be for the purposes of the Constitution
the Scheduled Tribes in relation to that State or Union Territory.
• Criteria - To specify any community as ST the following are the criteria
o Indications of primitive traits,
o Distinctive culture,
o Geographical isolation,
o Shyness of contact with the community at large, and
o Backwardness.
• These criteria are not spelt out in the Constitution.
To know about National Commission for Scheduled Tribes click here.

PRELIM BITS

15. HISTORY, ART & CULTURE

Bihan Mela
A seed festival aims to help tribal Kondh farmers in Odisha return to their agricultural traditions
Features
• Bihan Mela, literally the seed festival, participated by farmers from as many as 40 villages in members of the
Kondh tribe in Odisha’s Nayagarh district.
• Preparations begin as soon as farmers have harvested kharif crops, which includes both hybrid and indigenous
varieties of paddy, millets, maize and sorghum.
• Women, who are at the helm of this festival, carefully collect seeds of the indigenous varieties and store them in
earthen pots.
• Then, on a designated day in December, they decorate the pots with red and white motifs, place them in a
bamboo basket and carry it on head to the village where the fair is being organised.
• The fair mimics a traditional market where farmers used to exchange seeds.
• Even in dongars or hilltops, where families used to practice mixed cropping until recently, have shifted to
monoculture cash crops like cashew.
• This has not only affected their food and nutritional security, but also degraded the soil and made the farmers
more vulnerable to crop loss.
• “The seed festival was thus introduced to help farmers return to their traditional ways of farming like mixed-
cropping.

Maharana Pratap
PM pays tributes to Maharana Pratap on his Jayanti.
• Birth – Maharana Pratap was born in Rajasthan on May 9th, 1540.
• Maharana Udai Singh II, the king of the Kingdom of Mewar was his father.

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• Early life – Pratap was the Crown Prince as he was the eldest of 25 sons and after his father's death he ascended
the throne of Mewar.
• Maharana Pratap was a Hindu Rajput King who belonged to the Sisodiya clan of Rajputs.
• He is revered and worshipped by many royal families in Rajasthan for his bravery and courage.
• The legendary king is revered as a true patriot who initiated the country’s first war of independence.
• Against Mughals – In the battle of Haldighati, he fought alongside Akbar, one of the most famous Mughal
Emperors.
• Maharana Pratap was eventually forced to flee.
• Jayanti – Every year on the third day of the Jyeshtha Shukla phase, the third month of the Hindu calendar, his
birth anniversary is observed as Maharana Pratap Jayanti.

Dancing girl
The Prime Minister unveils Mascot of the International Museum Expo 2023 - the Chennapatnam style dancing girl.
• The International Museum Expo is being organized as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate the
47th International Museum Day.
• The Mascot of the International Museum Expo is a contemporized version of the Dancing Girl made of wood in
the Channapattana art style.
Channapattana Toys
• Channapattana is a place in Ramanagara district in Karnataka famous for handmade lacquer wooden toys.
• The origin of the wooden toys date back to the period of Tipu Sultan.
• Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore, was a great admirer of wooden toys.
• He invited artisans from Persia and trained the local artists to earn the process of making of the wooden toys.
• The artisans still follow the traditional method of making the toys, using only ivory wood for making the toys.
• Very rarely rosewood and sandalwood are used.
• Now the artisans have also started to use other woods like teak, pine, rubber and cedar wood.
• The colours used on these toys are vegetable dyes, non-toxic and safe for children.
• Channapattana toys hold GI tag under Handicrafts category.
Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-Daro
• The 'Dancing Girl' belongs to the Indus Valley Civilization and
dates back to 2500 BCE.
• The dancing girl is a sculpture made of bronze.
• The sculpture was made using the 'Lost Wax' method.
• The statue is named the 'Dancing Girl' owing to her posture, with
her right hand on the back of her hip and the left hand resting on
her left thigh.
• She is adorned by a necklace and some bangles.
• Presently, it is on display in the Indus Valley Civilization gallery in the National Museum, New Delhi.

Neanderthals
A new study by a team of researchers has found some genes responsible for our nasal
anatomy may have been inherited from Neanderthals.
• Neanderthals (or Neandertals) are the closest extinct relatives to humans (Homo
sapiens).
• Neanderthals were shorter and stockier with angled cheekbones, prominent brow
ridges and wide noses.

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• Neanderthals were equipped with tall noses that could warm and moisten the
cold and dry air around them in chilly climates.
• Neanderthals lived during the Ice Age.
• Neanderthals lived across Eurasia, as far north and west as the Britain,
through part of the Middle East, to Uzbekistan.
• They often took shelter from the ice and snow in Eurasia's limestone caves.
• Neanderthals were primarily carnivorous.
• Neanderthals had some control of fire and ate cooked vegetables fairly regularly.

Nigrantha
The naked ascetics of the Nigrantha sect and other nude ascetics.
• The word ‘Nirgrantha’ means ‘without knots’ or ‘without bonds’ (Nir - without; Granth - knot or bond).
• In Jainism, the Nirgranthas are those who have achieved a state of spiritual purity and liberation.

• They are free from all attachments, desires, Nude Ascetics

and passions.
• As per the Buddhist texts, Mahavira was the • The idea of nude ascetics is at least 2,500 years old.
founder of the Nigrantha movement.
• The Greeks who accompanied Alexander, 2,300 years
• The name of the order refers to those who have ago, encountered nude ascetics and referred to them as
destroyed the worldly ties as well as have given gymnosophists or naked philosophers.
up their clothes.
• Buddhism - Buddha forbade monks from wandering
• They were pravrajita (houseless ascetics) as in the nude as he was against nudity.
well as the naked ascetics (nigrantha).
• Jainism - Male nudity is integral to the more
• These ascetics abstain from animal food and conservative Digambara (sky-clad) Jain monasticism.
all food cooked by fire. They live on fruits
• Mahavir practised nudity that made him belong to sky-
picked up when they had dropped to the
clad (Digambara sect).
ground.
• Ajivika - Gosala, the eventual founder of Ajivika sect,
• They believed in soul's existence and
accepted nudity.
abstained from killing animals and destroying
plants.
• Epic Manimegalai - The Tamil epic Manimegalai, which is about 1,500 years old, refers to two types of naked
ascetics: the Ajivika and the Nigrantha.

Ajivika Nigrantha

Nigrantha refers to those who consciously untie all knots

Ajivika means those who endure life.
of life.

The Ajivika believed that humans have no free will Nigrantha believed humans have free will.

Both were yogis, seeking to do yoga to uncrumple the crumpled mind and break free from the limitations of the body.

Porunai Museum
The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu laid the foundation for the ‘Porunai Museum’ project in Tirunelveli district,
Tamilnadu.
• The ‘Porunai Archaeological Museum’ would come up in Tirunelveli district near Reddiyarpatti hillock.
• The museum will showcase the artefacts collected at Porunai excavation sites.
• The museum will have three separate sections for exhibiting the artefacts recovered from Korkai, Sivakalai and
Aditchanallur excavations.
• The architecture of the museum will have local flavour with courtyards, verandah and stone and wooden pillars.
• A craft workshop will also be part of the project, to give a comprehensive idea about the handicrafts of the region.

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• Artefacts - The museum will exhibit 2,617 artefacts artefacts that

were collected at Sivakalai, Korkai and Adichanallur and artefacts that
would be collected in the upcoming excavations.
• The artefacts includes utensils, terracotta, copper and iron tools, coins,
burial urns, bangles, beads, polished black ware and porcelain pieces
among others.
• Porunai Civilisation - Aditchanallur and Korkai (Pandya kingdom’s
port town) and Sivakalai, in Thoothukudi district are few among the
other Porunai sites.
• The entire Tamirabharani watercourse is known as ‘Cradle of
Civilization of South India’.
• Large quantities of ornaments made of gold and tin-mixed bronze,
reflect the life style of people.
• The carbon dating of the rice found in one of the burial urns in
Sivakalai hillock revealed that it is from 1155 BC making the
Tamirabharani civilisation 3,200 years old.

Kutch Harappan Graveyard

A Kutch Harappan graveyard unravels the mystery of the life and times of those buried.
• Khatiya village is located in the outskirts of Gujarat’s Kutch district.
• A pre-urban Harappan cemetery was discovered in this village.
• The burial site is found in the dry, arid soiled outskirts of the village which spreads over 16 hectares.
• This site is considered to be the largest pre-urban Harappan cemetery.
• Since 2018, a multi-disciplinary team of archaeologists has discovered 500 graves and excavated 197 of those.
• The site demonstrates the transition from earth-mound burials to stone graves.
• The rectangular graves were made of shale and sandstone.
• A shell bangle, pottery shards, stones blades are also found in this site.
• So far, the findings at the burial site are consistent with its pre-urban Harappan
status.
• Another Harappan site Dholavira is 150 kilometres away from Khatiya village.
• Dholavira is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the biggest metropolises
of the Harappan civilisation.
• Desalpar and Khirsara, Kotda Bhadli and Nadapa are the other well-known Harappan sites in western Kutch.
• All these sites are located more than 50 km away from Khatiya and belong to urban and post-urban periods of
the Harappan civilisation.

Sengol
The new building of Parliament will witness the same historic event of vesting the Hon’ble PM with the Sengol.
• When India attained independence from the British, a question aroused about the
ceremony to symbolise the transfer of power from British to Indian hands.
• To signify the transfer of power from one ruler to another, C.Rajagopalachari suggested
using a Sengol followed by Cholas.
• The Adheenams (Priests) gave the Sengol to Lord Mountbatten first and then took it back
in a procession to Jawaharlal Nehru.
• On the night of August 14, 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru received the 'Sengol' from the priest of
the Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam (Mutt) in Tamil Nadu.
• A song composed by the 7th-century Tamil saint Tirugnana Sambandar, was played during
the ceremony.

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• This exact moment signifies the independence of India and transfer of its power.
• Sengol - The ‘Sengol’ was later kept in a museum in Allahabad.
• The Sengol is a historic sceptre which symbolises power.
• The recipient of the Sengol has the ‘order’ (‘Aanai’ in Tamil) to rule justly and fairly.
• The sceptre measures five feet in length and has a ‘Nandi’ bull on top.
• The Nandi, with its unyielding gaze is the beholder of “Nyaya” and symbolising justice.
• The word ‘Sengol’ is derived from the Tamil word ‘Semmai’, meaning ‘Righteousness’.
• The golden sceptre was crafted by Vummidi Bangaru Chetty, a famous jeweller in the Madras Presidency.
• The makers of the sceptre are Vummidi Ethirajulu and Vummidi Sudhakar, both are living in Chennai.

Foucault’s Pendulum
The pendulum hangs from a skylight at the top of the Constitution Hall at the new Parliament building.
• The original Foucault’s pendulum, named after 19th century French
scientist Leon Foucault, is an experiment to demonstrate the earth’s
rotation.
• When Foucault carried out this experiment for the public in 1851, it was
the first direct visual evidence of the fact that the earth rotates on its axis.
• The experimental set-up involves a heavy object hung from a height with a
string, free to swing in any direction.
• Once set in to-and-fro motion, the pendulum is seen to change its
orientation slowly over time.
• For example, if the initial motion imparted to it was in the north-south direction, after a few hours it could be
seen moving in the east-west direction.
• Actually, it is not the pendulum that changes its plane of motion, but the ground beneath it.
• Observers standing on the ground do not notice the earth’s rotation, because they too are rotating with the earth,
but can notice the change in orientation of the pendulum.
Working
• At the north and south poles, when the pendulum is aligned with the axis of rotation of the earth, the pendulum’s
back-and-forth motion comes back to its original plane in exactly 24 hours.
• That is, if it starts swinging in the north-south direction, it then slowly turns in the northeast-southwest
direction, then in the east-west direction.
• It keeps on changing its orientation, till it is back in its original orientation after 24 hours.
• At other latitudes, it takes longer for the pendulum to return to its original orientation of swinging.
• That is because the pendulum is not aligned with the axis of rotation of the earth.
• At the equator, the pendulum is perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and hence it never changes its orientation
of the swing.
• Meaning, a Foucault’s pendulum at the equator would not show any deviation from its original course.
• At other latitudes it will, and would return to the original course after fixed time periods.
India
• The pendulum signifies the integration of the idea of India with the idea of the cosmos.
• Created by the National Council of Science Museum (NCSM) in Kolkata, the pendulum is being dubbed as the
largest such piece in India, 22 metre in height, and weighing a staggering 36 kg.
• On the ground, a circular installation has been created to allow the pendulum’s movement.
• At the latitude of the Parliament, it takes 49 hours, 59 minutes, and 18 seconds for the pendulum to complete
one rotation.

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Purana Qila or the Old Fort

The excavations at Purana Qila reveal pre-Mauryan era settlement.
• The Purana Qila is a timeless monument that stands on the South Eastern part of the present city of New Delhi.
• The Purana Qila, built by Sher Shah Suri and Mughal emperor Humayun, is believed by many to be the site of
Indraprastha, as mentioned in the Mahabharat.
• Humayun built it as a part of his new city of Dinpanah in the 16th century.
• A strong local tradition believes that the area in which the Purana Qila stands today is the site of Indraprastha,
the capital of the Pandavas of the great epic Mahabharata.
• It is for the same reason that the Purana Qila is often called the Pandavon ka Qila.
The excavations
• The findings include shards of Painted Gray Ware pottery which are usually dated to around 1200 BC to 600
BC.
• The new excavations have found:
o Remains of a 900-year-old Vaikuntha Vishnu from the Rajput period
o A terracotta plaque of Goddess Gaja Lakshmi from the Gupta period
o Structural remains of a 2,500-year-old terracotta ring well from the Mauryan period
o A well-defined 4 room complex from the Sunga-Kushan period dating back to 2,300 years ago, besides
beads, seals, copper coins and a bone needle.
• This was the third round of excavations at the site, beginning from January.
• Earlier excavations had been carried out in 2013-14 and 2017-18.

16. GEOGRAPHY

Summer Cyclones
Cyclone Mocha, a summer cyclone is likely to take place in the Bay of Bengal.
• A summer cyclone is likely to take place in the Bay of Bengal and its path and intensification is not assessed yet.
• Predicting the path of summer cyclones is very difficult.
• From the past events, it is known that the impact of summer storms is very high.

Monsoon Cyclone Summer Cyclone

Cyclone that occur during the monsoon season. Cyclone that occur during the summer season.

September, October and November are monsoon cyclone April, May and June are considered as summer cyclone
months months

Summer cyclones are extremely rare events in the Bay of

Monsoon cyclones have regularly hit the east coast of India
Bengal

• Rarity - Between 1891 and 2017, only 14 severe tropical cyclones have formed in summer over the Bay of
Bengal, and most of them did not make landfall.
• Cyclone Mocha will be the fourth summer cyclone in Bay of Bengal since Fani in 2019.

Recent summer cyclones that hit India

• Cyclone Fani (May 2019) - The longest-lived cyclone in the Bay of Bengal and the worst cyclone to hit
Odisha in this century.
• Super Cyclone Amphan (May 2020) - First super cyclone in the Bay of Bengal in the last 21 years and
made landfall near Digha in West Bengal.

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• Cyclone Nisarga (June 2020) - Originated in the Arabian Sea and made landfall on the Maharashtra coast.
• It was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike Maharashtra in June since 1891.
• Cyclone Yaas (May 2021) - Formed in the Bay of Bengal, devastated several parts of West Bengal.
• Cyclone Tauktae (May 2021) - Originated in the Arabian Sea and made landfall along Gujarat’s Saurashtra
coast.
• Cyclone Asani (May 2022) - Formed in the Bay of Bengal and brought heavy rains in Kerala, Andhra
Pradesh and Odisha.

Goa Forest Fires

A forest department probe into the bushfires that impacted an area of about 4 sq km in Goa in March concluded that
the fires were largely triggered by natural causes.
• 74 fire incidents were reported in the first fortnight of March, out of which 32 fires affected 3 wildlife sanctuaries.
• The inquiry report suggests that a conducive environment and extreme weather conditions like deficient rainfall
in the preceding season, unusually high temperatures, low moisture and humidity led to the fires.
• Conclusion - Prolonged dry spell, unprecedented high temperatures, and low humidity caused sporadic fire
incidents in Goa.
• Pattern - Incidents of forest fires in Goa during the summer have been more in
the years following those of poor monsoon rain.
• A similar pattern has been seen in Karnataka as well.
• Surface fires are common in moist deciduous forests of Goa but Goa does not
experience crown fires which is caused by friction of trees.
Forest Fires
• Wildfire is also called forest, bush or vegetation fire.
• It can be described as any uncontrolled and non-prescribed combustion or burning of plants in a natural setting
such as a forest, grassland, brush land or tundra.
• Wildfire can be incited by human actions, such as land clearing, extreme drought or in rare cases by lightning
• Types - There are 3 basic types of wildfires:
o Crown fires burn trees up their entire length to the top. These are the most intense and dangerous
wildland fires.
o Surface fires burn only surface litter and duff. These are the easiest fires to put out and cause the least
damage to the forest.
o Ground fires (underground or subsurface fires) occur in deep accumulations of humus, peat and similar
dead vegetation that become dry enough to burn. - Very difficult to fully put out.

Chittagong Hill Tracts

Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, an important leader of the Chittagong Hill
Tracts (CHT) in Bangladesh has arrived in India.
• The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) is located in the southeastern part of
Bangladesh.
• CHT combine 3 hilly districts of Bangladesh: Rangamati, Khagrachhari
and Bandarban districts.
• CHT forms a large part of the Chittagong region bordering Myanmar and
India.
• CHT is bounded by Tripura on the north, Arakan Hills of Myanmar on the
south, Lushai Hills of Mizoram and Arakan Hills of Myanmar on the east
and by Chittagong District on the west.
• Significance - It is a strategically important region for Bangladesh,
Myanmar and India.

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• The CHT region is home to a diverse population that includes the Buddhist, Hindu and Christian minority ethnic
groups.
• It is home to the Chakmas, Moghs, Lushais, Kuki and Chin communities who are common to the northeastern
states as well as Bangladesh and Myanmar.
• The region witnessed decades of ethnic insurgency which came to an end through the 1997 CHT Agreement.
• Related Topics - Kuki-Chin Refugees, Chittagong Port at CHT, Kuki tribes

Submarine Volcano
In a recent discovery, scientists have reported finding 19,325 new seamounts created by volcanic activities.
• From Hawaii to Indonesia to Iceland, hundreds of islands across the globe have been formed by submarine
volcanoes.
• Submarine volcanoes are exactly what they sound like volcanoes located beneath the ocean’s surface.
• Because they erupt into water instead of air, submarine volcanoes behave quite differently than terrestrial
volcanoes.
• For instance, it’s uncommon for submarine volcanoes to have explosive eruptions.
• The sheer weight of the water above them creates very high pressure, usually resulting in what are known as
passive lava flows along the seafloor.
• Eruptions and lava flow from submarine volcanoes allow volcanic islands to grow and develop thriving
ecosystems.
• Most submarine eruptions do not disturb the ocean surface.

Flash Droughts
There has been an increased occurrence of flash droughts across the globe.
• Droughts are periods of continuous water deficit, often caused by a lack of precipitation in a given area.
• They have a significant adverse impact on the regional environment and economy.
• A flash drought is a rapid onset or intensification of drought.
• Low rates of precipitation, along with abnormally high temperatures, winds, and solar radiation are factors that
can rapidly alter local climate, leading to flash drought.
• It can also be linked to climatic patterns like La Niña.
• According to scientists, an early warning sign of flash droughts is evapotranspiration, which leads to a decrease
in soil moisture.
• Evapotranspiration is the process of water transfer from land to atmosphere by evaporation from soil and
transpiration from plants.
• Flash droughts may lead to irreversible changes in terrestrial ecosystems. In such conditions, ecosystems may
not have enough time to adapt to a large water deficit and extreme heat, leading to lower productivity.
• Flash droughts can also significantly challenge drought monitoring and prediction.

Millets
Grain-processing of millets raises new concerns in the consumption of millets.
• Millets are a group of cereal grains that belong to the Poaceae
family (grass family).
• Millets are primarily grown during the kharif season in
rainfed areas as these crops require less water and agricultural
inputs than other cereals.
• As proposed by India, the United Nations General Assembly
(UNGA) has declared 2023 as International Year of Millets
(IYM).

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• Nutrients - The nutritional content of millets includes carbohydrates, proteins, fibre, amino acids, and various
minerals.
• Different millet varieties have different nutrient Millet Variety Rich in
profiles.
• Processing of Millets - ‘Whole grain’ refers to the Higher protein content than rice,
Pearl millet
endosperm, germ, and bran (pericarp + aleurone) maize, and sorghum
whereas ‘refined grain’ refers only to the endosperm.
Foxtail millet Amino acid lysine
• Each millet kernel consists of 3 major parts, called
pericarp, endosperm, and germ.
More crude fibre than wheat and
Finger millet
• The pericarp has an outer covering called the husk. rice
• The husk and the pericarp together protect the Amino acids leucine, isoleucine,
kernel from inhospitable ambient conditions, Proso millet
and methionine
disease, and physical damage.
• The husk is removed from the grains because it is composed of cellulosic matter that the human body can’t
digest.
• Decortication of Grain - Removes any other outer covering and expose the seed.
• Both mechanical and hand-worked removescrude and dietary fibre.
• Milling - Grinding the grains into flour, and sieving to remove large ‘impurities’, including bran.
• Sieving makes the flour more digestible and its nutrients more accessible to the body but reduced nutrient
content due to the loss of bran.
• The longer the grains were milled, the more protein, fat, and fibre contents the process removed.
• Polishing - Polishing is the process where the bran and the germ are rubbed off.
• For example, brown rice is changed to white rice by polishing.
• Effects of polishing - Processing and preparing millets for consumption can affect nutrients in three ways:
o Enhance them
o Suppress/remove them
o Ignore them
• Polishing which removes 8-10% of grain weight also removed 60-80% of iron, magnesium, phosphorus,
potassium, and manganese in both varieties.
• The loss of bran also compromised the grains’ fibre content.

Palghat Gap
The Palghat Gap is a significant discontinuity in the Western Ghats, which has unique features from the rest of Western
Ghats.
• The Palghat Gap is a significant discontinuity in the Western Ghats of about 40 km wide.
• The steep Nilgiris and Anamalai hills both rising above 2,000 MSL, on either side of the Palghat gap.
• The Gap is a geological shear zone that runs from east to west.
• Shear zones are weak regions in the earth’s crust.
• Origin - After Australia and Africa broke off from the
Gondwana landmass, India and Madagascar remained as one
landmass.
• A large-scale volcanic activity split the two and the split
occurred where the Palghat Gap is located.
• This is mirrored in the Ranotsara Gap on the eastern face
of Madagascar.
• The landmass split about 100 million years ago, and the Gap
had formed long before this.

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• Significance - The Palghat Gap has historically been important as a significant gateway into the State of
Kerala.
• It is a corridor for both roads and railways that connects Coimbatore with
Palakkad.
• The Bharathappuzha River flows through the Palghat Gap.
• Distinct differences - The vegetation in the Palghat Gap is classified as dry
evergreen forest whereas the Western Ghats is a tropical rainforest.
• The Western Ghats in north of the Palghat Gap receive more rain annually, but
the south gets rain more evenly throughout the year.
• The gap also marks a divide in the flora and fauna of the region.
• For example: several species of frogs are found only on one side of the Gap.
• Elephant populations on the Nilgiris side differ in their mitochondrial DNA from elephants in the Anamalai and
the Periyar sanctuaries.
• The Blue robin found around Ooty and Baba Budan are called the Nilgiri blue robin and the Anamalai group is
called the White-bellied blue robin.
• Biodiversity - The species richness and phylogenetic diversity of the biodiversity of the region of Western
Ghats south of the Palghat Gap are abundant.

Cyclone Mocha
The cyclone Mocha is the strongest cyclone on earth so far in this year.
• Cyclone Mocha, which formed over the southeast Bay of Bengal, intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm.
• It made landfall on the Myanmar coast near Sittwe and Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh).
• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) categorised Cyclone Mocha as an
‘Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm’.
• Mocha became the strongest cyclone ever recorded in the North Indian Ocean,
including for all seasons and in both Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, since 1982.
• It also became the strongest cyclone in the North Indian Ocean during the pre-
monsoon season, tying with Cyclone Fani.
• It did not undergo ‘stalling’, but brought heavy rainfall over the north Myanmar-
southeast Bangladesh coasts.
• Tropical Cyclone - Tropical cyclones are intense circular storm that originates over warm tropical oceans.
• It is characterized by low atmospheric pressure, high winds, and heavy rain.
• It draws its energy from the sea surface and maintaining its strength as long as it remains over warm water.

• These strong winds are Name Area

accompanied by
torrential rains and
Hurricanes The North Atlantic Ocean and the eastern North Pacific
storm surge.
• It can elevate of the sea The western North Pacific around the Philippines,
Typhoons
surface by 6 metres (20 Japan, and China
feet) above normal
levels. Tropical cyclones or
The western South Pacific and Indian Ocean
cyclones
• Such a combination of
high winds and water
makes cyclones a serious hazard for tropical and subtropical coastal areas.
• It can occur over the late summer months (July–September in the Northern Hemisphere and January–March
in the Southern Hemisphere).
• Tropical cyclones are known by various names in different parts of the world.

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Groundwater Extraction and Land Subsidence

The groundwater exploitation is silently sinking the ground beneath India’s feet.
• Agricultural practices in northwest India are heavily dependent on groundwater withdrawal.
• Over time, when the underlying aquifers aren’t recharged, they run dry.
• The layers of soil and rock above the dry aquifers start to sink.
• The subsidence from groundwater extraction was gradual and barely visible
annually.
• Similar Activity - soil settlement is seen in the mines where the soil sinks in to fill
voids created from mining.
• Government Measures - The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) monitors
water levels 4 times a year.
• However, CGWB does not analyse the consequences of ‘over exploitation.’
• Study - A study by the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, reported land subsidence of nearly 7-12 cm per year
and groundwater extraction rates of 46 cm to 236 cm annually in Punjab and Haryana.
• Other areas - A research paper linking groundwater extraction to subsidence in Gandhinagar, Gujarat
published, shows that the issue was not specific to north India alone.
• Over exploited groundwater blocks and land subsidence has been reported in Kolkata and parts of eastern India
too.

The Jakarta case

• Jakarta is the fastest-sinking city in the world and its core land subsidence problem is excessive extraction of
groundwater.
• Excessive groundwater extraction, particularly from deep aquifers results in massive pumping of both the water
and air.
• Jakarta has lost its hydraulic support in the soil.
• Extra pressure on the soil owing to the growing population and massive urban development, leads to compaction
and land subsidence.
• This phenomenon is also seen in Semarang (Indonesia), Bangkok (Thailand), Yokohama (Japan) and Mexico City.
• The deep groundwater cannot be replenished immediately since the process is slow hence, the control of
groundwater extraction crucial.

Ocean Leak
A leak at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean is spewing warm tectonic lubricant.
• The leak off the coast of Oregon in US was originally thought to be water.
• It was previously believed the chemically distinct fluid” was 16 degrees
Fahrenheit warmer than the surrounding ocean water.
• However, recently it is found that the liquid is coming from the Cascadia
megathrust, where temperatures are estimated to be around 300 and 500
degrees Fahrenheit.
• The leak was first identified in 2015, and it is called Pythia’s Oasis after the
Greek oracle, it was found on top of the 600-mile-long Cascadia Subduction Zone fault.
• The researchers believe this is the first known leak of its kind in this ocean.

River Kolak
Kolak fisherfolk living along the banks of River Kolak is in distress as chemicals from Vapi industries destroy river
catch.

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• Kolak River is a river in Gujarat in western India.

• The west flowing river originates is Kaprada taluka.
• Kolak River flows into the Arabian Sea near Udwada.
• Its basin has a maximum length of 50 km.
• It is also connected to Madhuban reservoir of Damanganga River.
• It flows through the north side of Vapi city in Gujarat.
• Kolak village on the bank of River Kolak in Gujarat’s Valsad district.
• The village is home to 4,646 people, most of whom rely on fishing for
their livelihood.
• The effluent discharge from Vapi’s industries is causing pollution of the
river.

Deep ocean currents in Antarctica

Deep ocean currents in Antarctica are slowing earlier than predicted.
• Antarctica sets the stage for the world’s greatest waterfall, where the action takes place beneath the surface of
the ocean.
• Trillions of tonnes of cold, dense, oxygen-rich water cascade off the continental shelf and sink to great depths.
• This Antarctic bottom water then spreads north along the sea floor in deep ocean currents, before slowly rising,
thousands of kilometres away.
• In this way, Antarctica drives a global network of ocean currents called the overturning circulation that
redistributes heat, carbon and nutrients around the globe.
• The overturning is crucial to keeping the earth’s climate stable and is the main way oxygen reaches the deep
ocean.
Recent findings
• There are signs this circulation is slowing down and it’s happening decades earlier than predicted.
• This slowdown has the potential to disrupt the connection between the Antarctic coasts and the deep ocean.
• Melting of Antarctic ice is disrupting the formation of Antarctic bottom water.
• The meltwater makes Antarctic surface waters fresher, less dense, and therefore less likely to sink.
• This puts the brakes on the overturning circulation.
• As the flow of bottom water slows, the supply of oxygen to the deep ocean declines.
• The shrinking oxygen-rich bottom water layer is then replaced by warmer waters that are lower in oxygen,
further reducing oxygen levels.
Implications
• Ocean animals, large and small, respond to even
small changes in oxygen.
• Deep-ocean animals are adapted to low oxygen
conditions but still have to breathe.
• Losses of oxygen may cause them to seek refuge
in other regions or adapt their behaviour.
• The overturning circulation carries carbon
dioxide and heat to the deep ocean, where it is
stored and hidden from the atmosphere.
• As the ocean storage capacity is reduced, more carbon dioxide and heat are left in the atmosphere.
• This feedback accelerates global warming.
• Reductions in the amount of Antarctic bottom water reaching the ocean floor also increases sea levels because
the warmer water that replaces it takes up more space (thermal expansion).

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17. POLITY

Electronic Voting Machines

The Election Commission denies Congress’ claim on EVMs being brought from South Africa for Karnataka elections.
• Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) is an electronic device for recording votes.
• An Electronic Voting Machine consists of two Units – a Control Unit and a Balloting Unit – joined by a five-
meter cable.
• The Control Unit is placed with the Presiding Officer or a Polling Officer and the Balloting Unit is placed inside
the voting compartment.
• The Polling Officer in-charge of the Control Unit will release a ballot by pressing the Ballot Button on the Control
Unit.
• This will enable the voter to cast his vote by pressing the blue button on the Balloting Unit against the candidate
and symbol of his choice.
• Capacity - An EVM can record a maximum of 2,000 votes and a Balloting Unit has a provision for 16
candidates.
• EVMs (M3 EVMs) can cater to a maximum of 384 candidates including NOTA by connecting 24 Balloting Units.
• Design - The EVMs are devised and designed by the Technical Experts Committee (TEC) of the Election
Commission in collaboration with 2 other Public Sector undertakings.
• Manufacturing - Bharat Electronics Ltd., Bangalore and Electronic Corporation of India Ltd., Hyderabad are
the 2 PSUs that manufacture EVMs.
• Discarding - ECI has laid down a Standard Operating Procedure to discard EVMs and its chip.
• The process of destruction of EVM & its chip is carried out in the presence of the Chief Electoral Officer of the
state or his representatives inside the factory of manufacturers.
• Abroad connections - India does not use any EVMs produced abroad, but many countries used EVM
machines made in India in their elections, like Bhutan, Nepal and Namibia.
• The chip is manufactured abroad because India does not have the capability of producing semi-conductor
microchips within the country.
• Time line of EVMs - EVMs were first used in 70-Parur Assembly Constituency of Kerala in the year 1982.
• EVMs are used from 1989 after the 1988 amendment to the Representation of the People Act of 1951.
• By 2001, all State Assembly elections saw EVM usage.
• In 2004’s Lok Sabha election, all 543 constituencies had EVMs.
• The VVPAT was first introduced on 4th September, 2013 in the bye-election for 51-Noksen (ST) Assembly
Constituency of Nagaland.

UPSC Chairman
Educationist Manoj Soni became the chairman of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
• Mr. Soni joined the Union Public Service Commission as the member in 2017.
• Prior to his appointment in the UPSC, Soni has served three terms as Vice-Chancellor.
• UPSC - The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is a Constitutional Body under Article 315-323 Part XIV
of the Constitution.
• UPSC is the central recruiting agency of India.
• It conducts examinations for appointments to the All-India Services and various Group A and Group B
Services of the Union.
• The Commission with maximum of 10 members is headed by a Chairman.
• Appointment, Removal and Tenure -The appointment of the Chairman and members of UPSC is given in
the Article-316 of the Constitution.

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• The Chairman and other members of UPSC shall be appointed the President of India.
• The Chairmen and members can be removed only by the President.
• The chairman and members hold office for a term of five years or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever
is earlier.
• Their salary is charged from the Consolidated Fund of India.
• Acting Chairman - the President can appoint one of the members of the UPSC as an acting Chairman when,
o The office of the Chairman falls vacant or
o The Chairman is unable to perform his/her functions due to absence or some other reason.
• Members - The Commission can have a maximum of 10 members.
• The number of members is decided by the President under his discretion.
• The members of the commission are not eligible for the reappointment to the same commission.

Sikkim Integration
The 22nd Sikkim day was celebrated on May 16 2023, recalling the history of the former kingdom’s integration with
India in 1975.
• ‘Sikkim day’ or ‘Sikkim Statehood day’ is celebrated annually on May 16.
• It is celebrated to commemorate the day on which Sikkim’s kingdom’s integrated with India in 1975.
• Sikkim Kingdom - The kingdom of Sikkim was established in 1642.
• Phuntsong Namgyal as the first ruler or Chogyal (king) of Sikkim.
• Sikkim’s Chogyal dynasty was of Tibetan origin.
• Sikkim often saw conflicts over land with Bhutan and Nepal.
• The Namgyal dynasty came to an end with the statehood of Sikkim and the position of Chogyal was abolished.
• Sikkim in British era - The British saw Sikkim as a buffer state against China and against Nepal, with whom
they fought in the Anglo-Gorkha war of 1814-16.
• In the Anglo-Gorkha war the British helped Sikkim secure a number of territories that Nepal had previously
captured.
• The monarchy of the Namgyal dynasty was maintained for the next 333 years, until its integration with India in
1975.
• The Treaty of Tumlong in 1861 gave the British control over Sikkim but the Chogyals continued to hold onto
power.
• Post-Independence - After India’s independence, princely states had the option to accede to India or
Pakistan.
• In 1950, the Indo-Sikkim Treaty was signed, making Sikkim an Indian protectorate.
• India controlled Sikkim’s defence, external affairs and strategic communications.
• In 1974, a new constitution for Sikkim was adopted, which restricted the role of the monarch to a titular post.
• A referendum was held in Sikkim in 1975 where majority people voted in favour of joining India.
• The 36th Constitutional Amendment Act was passed in the Parliament to recognise Sikkim as a state in the Union
of India.
• With the assent of then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, Sikkim became the 22 nd Indian state on May 16, 1975.

Forum Shopping
The Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud condemns ‘forum shopping’.
• Forum shopping as the practice of choosing the court which is likely to provide the most favourable outcome.
• Litigants or lawyers attempt to deliberately move their case to a particular judge or Court where they think the
judgment could be more favourable.

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• In 2017 ruling of ‘Union of India & Ors. Vs. Cipla Ltd.’ case, the court
condemned forum shopping.
• It laid down a ‘functional test’ to be adopted to determine whether a
litigant is indulging in forum shopping or not.
• Test - If there is any functional similarity in the proceedings between one
court and another or there is some sort of subterfuge on the part of a
litigant, then it is considered forum shopping.
• Prevention - Most common law countries use the ‘forum non-conveniens’ principle to prevent forum
shopping.
• It is the discretionary powers of a court to refuse to exercise its jurisdiction over a matter where another court,
or forum, may more conveniently hear a case.
• Using this power, the court can dismiss a case in the interests of justice and the parties while allocating it to the
appropriate bench.

18. GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS & SCHEMES

Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)

The department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) seeks an increase in corpus of Startup India
Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) as it accelerates pace of funding to incubators for supporting early stage companies across
India.
Key features
• Easy availability of capital is essential for entrepreneurs at the early stages of growth of an enterprise.
• It is essential to provide seed funding to startups with an innovative idea to conduct proof of concept trials.
• DPIIT has created Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) with an outlay of INR 945 Crore.
• It helps to provide financial assistance to startups for Proof of Concept, prototype development, product trials,
market entry, and commercialization.
• Seed Fund offered to such promising cases can have a multiplier effect in validation of business ideas of many
startups, leading to employment generation.
• It will support an estimated 3,600 entrepreneurs through 300 incubators in the next 4 years.
• The Seed Fund will be disbursed to eligible startups through eligible incubators across India.

SDGs Localisation
Bhopal becomes the first city in India to adopt the localisation of the United Nations-mandated sustainable
development goals (SDG).
• In 2015, all 193 member states of the UN adopted the Agenda 2030, which comprises of 17 SDGs and 169 targets.
• The member states report their progress towards achieving the goals through a voluntary national review (VNR)
to UN’s high-level political forum (HLPF).
• ‘Agenda for Action: Sustainable Urban Transformation in Bhopal’ was released by the Chief
Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
• Bhopal will now have voluntary local reviews (VLR) demonstrate local government’s capacity and
commitments.
• Bhopal Municipal Corporation, UN-Habitat, other local stakeholders collaborate for VLR to track the progress
towards the 2030 Agenda.
• Bhopal’s VLR will measurably demonstrate the city’s aspirations for a sustainable and inclusive urban
transformation.
• The SDGs localisation translates the ‘Agenda 2030’ into local actions and impacts that contribute to the global
achievement of the goals.
• In SDG localisation, VLRs have emerged as a powerful tool that forefronts local action towards SDGs.

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• New York City became the first city to present its VLR to the HLPF in 2018.
• By 2021, some 33 countries had made 114 VLRs or similar review documents publicly available.

Rehabilitation Council of India

The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) spearheads transformation in education with national workshop on
inclusive learning.
• The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) is a statutory body under Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment.
• It was established in 1986 as a society and became a statutory body in 1993 by Rehabilitation Council of India
Act of 1992.
• Its main mandate is to standardize, regulate, and monitor training programs in the field of special
education and disability.
• RCI is also responsible for maintaining the central rehabilitation register (CRR) and promoting research in this
domain.
• The Council also prescribes minimum standards of education and training for 16 categories of professionals and
personnel allocated to RCI.
• The RCI plans to initiate various national programs that promote flexible education, experiential learning,
practical skill-based education, and ultimately, inclusive education.

Sanchar Saathi Portal

The Department of Telecom has launched the Sanchar Saathi portal that allows users to block/track their lost/stolen
mobile phones across India.
• Sanchar Saathi portal is an initiative of Department of Telecommunications to empower mobile subscribers and
strengthen their security.
• It empowers citizens by allowing them -
o Check the connections registered on their names
o Report fraudulent or unrequired connections
o Block the mobile phones which are stolen/lost
o Check IMEI genuineness before buying a mobile phone
• Developed by - The Sanchar Saathi facilities have been developed by C-
DoT.
• Modules - Sanchar Saathi contains various modules like CEIR,
TAFCOP, etc.
• CEIR module facilitates tracing of the lost/stolen mobile devices.
• TAFCOP module facilitates a mobile subscriber to check the number of mobile connections taken in his/her
name.
• Know Your Mobile facilitates the citizens to check the genuineness of IMEI of their mobile device.
• ASTR tool to identify SIMs issued using fraudulent/forged documents.

ASTR and CEIR

The government developed AI and face recognition tool ASTR claims to detect phone frauds.
• The ‘Artificial Intelligence and Facial Recognition powered Solution for Telecom
SIM Subscriber Verification’ is an artificial-intelligence-based facial recognition
tool shortly known as ASTR.
• ASTR is developed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under
Ministry of Communications.
• Mobile connections obtained using fake/ forged documents are then used for cyber-
frauds.

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• ASTR is designed to identify SIMs issued using fraudulent/forged documents.

• It has the capability of running checks on subscriber databases of telecom operators to deduce multiple
connections associated with the same person.
• ASTR used various techniques of facial recognition and data analytics.
• Facial Recognition - In 2012, DoT had issued an order to all telecom operators to share their subscriber
database including users’ pictures with them.
• These images constitute the core database on which authorities are running their facial recognition algorithm
using ASTR.
• The subscribers’ images are encoded using convolutional neural network (CNN) models.
• A face comparison is carried out for each face against all faces in the database, and similar faces are grouped
under one directory.
• Action Taken - the DoT prepares a list of numbers obtained through fraudulent means.
• The list of connections is shared with telecom operators to block.
• The same list is also shared with banks, payment wallets, and social media platforms for disengaging these
numbers from their respective platforms.
Centralized Equipment Identity Register (CEIR)
• CEIR was launched by Department of Telecom for blocking stolen/lost mobiles.
• The system is integrated with the Telecom Service Providers and Law
enforcement Agencies.
• Working - The user submits the IMEI number along with the copy of police
complaint of lost/stolen phone on the portal.
• The information is verified and then the system blocks the stolen mobile phones
from being used in Indian networks.
• The system allows Law Enforcement Agencies to trace the stolen device if still in
use.
• On recovery of stole devices, the user can unlock the device on the portal.
• Benefits - The system prevents use of stolen/lost mobiles.
• It also prevents mobile devices with inaccurate or forged IMEIs being used in Indian networks.

World Bee Day

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW), Government of India is celebrating World Bee Day.
• World Bee Day is observed on 20 May each year to draw attention to the
essential role bees and other pollinators play in keeping people and the planet
healthy.
Importance of bees
• They are important pollinators, ensuring food security, sustainable agriculture,
and biodiversity.
• Bees significantly contribute to the mitigation of climate change and the
conservation of the environment.
• Protection of bees can help reduce poverty and hunger, and help preserve a
healthy environment and biodiversity.

National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)

• The mission aims for the promotion and development of scientific beekeeping in mission mode to achieve the
goal of Sweet Revolution in the country.
• The scheme is implemented by the National Bee Board (NBB) and is approved for three years from 2020
to 2023.

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• The scheme works under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
• It is a central sector scheme (100% central government funding).
• The scheme will work in tandem with the various other schemes related to beekeeping such as:
1. KVIC’s Honey Mission,
2. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH),
3. Ministries of rural development, MSME, AYUSH, commerce and industry, tribal affairs, etc.

Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) Program

Ministry of Education and World Bank organised a one of its kind workshop on School-to-Work Transition under the
STARS Program.
• It is government of India approved education reform initiative in India which is financially aided by the World
Bank.
• The program aims to improve the assessment system in schools and to ensure equal education for all.
• The program comes under the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education (MoE).
• The programme aims at working on similar objectives as followed by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
• There are six Indian states which will be covered under the STARS Project are:
1. Himachal Pradesh
2. Rajasthan
3. Maharashtra
4. Madhya Pradesh
5. Kerala
6. Odisha
• STARS Program is carved out of Samagra Shiksha Scheme.
• It focus on those elements of Samagra scheme that will support school education enhancement.

Khadi and Village Industries Commission

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) celebrated Diamond Jubilee at Central Bee Research Training
Institute, Pune.
• The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is a statutory body established by 'Khadi and Village
Industries Commission Act of 1956' in 1957.
• KVIC took over the work of former All India Khadi and Village Industries Board since then.
• It was established with the object to plan, support and promote Khadi and Village Industries.
• Ministry - KVIC functions under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME).
• It is an apex body with regard to khadi and village industries within India.
• Functions - It is charged with the planning, promotion, organisation and implementation of programs for the
development of Khadi and other village industries in the rural areas.
• It acts in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.
• Schemes - Some of the schemes and projects implemented by KVIC -
1. PM’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP)
2. National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM)
3. Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI)
4. Project RE-HAB
5. Project BOLD

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• In order to effectively implement the schemes of KVIC, the state level Khadi and Village Industries Boards
(KVIBs) were also set up.

Meri LiFE, Mera Swachh Seher Campaign

‘Meri LiFE, Mera Swachh Shehar’ campaign has gained momentum as Cities pushed for sustainability and better
LiFE.
• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)’s launched a campaign titled ‘Meri LiFE, Mera Swachh
Shehar’.
• The campaign is launched to champion the RRR’s of waste management- Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
• Urban India is increasingly adopting the principles of making ‘Wealth’ from waste and the 3R’s form the
backbone of ‘Waste to Wealth’.
• The nationwide campaign aims to setup ‘RRR’ Centres in cities, one stop solution for citizens, institutions,
commercial enterprises, etc.
• The RRR Centres will serve as one-stop collection centres to deposit unused or used plastic items, clothes, shoes,
footwear, books, and toys.
• After collection, these items will be given to different stakeholders to be refurbished for reuse or would be made
into new products.
• The campaign is for 3 weeks and will culminate on June 5 (World Environment Day).
• The campaign will also champion Mission LiFE’s objective and Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 (SBM 2.0).

19. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Laundromat countries
India leads five countries named as the “Laundromat” countries that buy Russian oil and sell processed products to
European countries, sidestepping European sanctions against Russia.
Issues
• The five countries are responsible for 70 per cent of Russia’s crude oil exports.
• They are India, China, United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Turkey
• Price cap coalition countries have increased imports of refined oil products from countries that have become
the largest importers of Russian crude.
• The Price Cap Coalition comprising Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, the United Kingdom and
the United States.
• India emerged as the leading exporter of refined oil products at 3.7 million tonnes to Price Cap Coalition
countries in 2022.
• Among laundromat countries, India, which in April remained the highest global consumer of seaborne Russian
crude.
• The EU was the largest importer of oil products from these laundromat countries worth €17.7 billion, despite
partially banning crude oil imports from Russia last year.

Sahel Region
The ongoing fighting in the Sudan threatens the entire Sahel region.
• The Sahel region of Africa is a 3,860-kilometre arc-like land mass
lying to the immediate south of the Sahara Desert and stretching
east-west across the breadth of the African continent.
• It is a largely semi-arid belt of barren, sandy and rock-strewn land.
• The Sahel marks the physical and cultural transition between the
continent’s more fertile tropical regions to the south and its desert in
the north.

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• Geographic definitions of the Sahel region vary.

• Sahel stretches from Atlantic Ocean eastward, from Senegal to Sudan.
• In between, it covers southern Mauritania, the great bend of the Niger River in Mali, Burkina Faso (formerly
Upper Volta), southern Niger, north-eastern Nigeria, and south-central Chad.
• It forms a transitional zone between the arid Sahara (desert) to the north and the belt of humid savannahs to
the south.
• Culturally and historically, the Sahel is a shoreline between the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa.
• This means it is the site of interaction between Arabic, Islamic and nomadic cultures from the north, and
indigenous and traditional cultures from the south.

Global Greenhouse Gas Watch (G3W)

The World Meteorological Congress has approved a new greenhouse gas (GHG) monitoring initiative in a landmark
decision.
• Global Greenhouse Gas Watch (G3W) is an initiative coordinated by World Meteorological Organisation
(WMO).
• G3W aims to establish internationally coordinated monitoring of greenhouse gas fluxes (top-down) to support
the provision of the UNFCCC parties and other stakeholders.
• The new global GHG watch will fill critical information gaps and provide an integrated and operational
framework.
• The framework will bring all space-based and surface-based observing systems, as well as modelling and data
assimilation capabilities, under one roof.
• Components - There are 4 main components of G3W
1. Surface-based and satellite- based observations.
2. Prior observations.
3. Near-real time international exchange of input and output data.
4. Global high-resolution modelling/data assimilation.
• Output - The system will provide sustained delivery of monthly global estimates of net GHG fluxes into and
out of the atmosphere at a 100 by 100 km resolution.
• Benefits - Improved evaluation of sources and sinks of greenhouse gases.
• Indicate their association with the biosphere, the ocean and the permafrost areas.

BILATERAL RELATIONS

Operation Karuna
India launched ‘Operation Karuna’ to assist Myanmar which has been devastated by Cyclone Mocha.
• Super cyclone Mocha hit Bangladesh and Myanmar causing widespread devastation.
• In Myanmar, Rakhine state is the worst-hit while in Bangladesh the Cox’s Bazar which shelters in the world’s
largest refugee camp is worst-hit.
• Indian Navy remains committed to ensuring Security and Growth for All in the Region and continues to be the
first responder in the region during such calamities.
• India launched 'Operation Karuna' to provide assistance to Mocha-hit Myanmar.
• Indian Naval Ships Shivalik, Camorra and Savitri were the first naval ships to arrive at Yangon with relief
material.
• The fourth ship is also sent with relief material.
• The ships are carrying emergency food items, tents, essential medicines, water pumps, portable generators,
clothes, sanitary and hygiene items, etc.

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Mand-Pishin Border Sustenance Marketplace

Pakistan and Iran inaugurate border market.
• In a bid to boost cross-border trade, both countries inaugurated the first border market at the Mand-Pishin
crossing point of the Pakistan-Iran border.
• It is one of the six border markets to be constructed along the
Pakistan-Iran border.
• The market would enhance cross-border trade, foster economic
growth and open up new avenues of opportunity for local
businesses.
• The market is located at Mand town in Pakistan’s Balochistan
province and adjacent to Pishin city in Iran’s Sistan-
Baluchestan province, has been set up on 10 acres of land.
• The decision to open border markets was first taken by the two
countries in 2021, when they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish six such facilities.
• The countries had also agreed to inaugurate the Mand-Pishin border crossing point to boost trade, it was the
third border crossing point to be opened along the 959 km-long border between Pakistan and Iran.
• Three Border Markets are now being established at Gabd, Mund & Chedgi in Balochistan, along the Pakistan’s
border with Iran.

Fiji & Papua New Guinea Awards on Modi

Papua New Guinea and Fiji conferred their respective highest civilian awards on PM Narendra Modi.
• PM Modi travelled to Papua New Guinea to co-chair the summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands
Cooperation.
• The Summit was attended by leaders of 14 small island nations.
• In this visit, he launched a translation of the Tamil classic Thirukkural to the Tok
Pisin language.
Order of Logohu, Grand Companion
• Papua New Guinea Governor-General Bob Dadae conferred the Grand
Companion of the Order of Logohu on Modi.
• ‘Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu’ is the country’s highest civilian award.
• The recipients are entitled to the post-nominal letters GCL and to the title ‘Chief’.
• The Order of Logohu was instituted by Queen Elizabeth II and the Governor-General of Papua New Guinea on
August 23, 2005.
• The Grand Companion is the First Class award of the Order of Logohu.
• It is conferred in recognition of the highest degree of achievement and meritorious service provided over 20
years to the state or to humanity.
Order of Fiji, Companion
• Prime Minister Modi was conferred with the highest honour of Fiji by its premier Rabuka in recognition of his
global leadership.
• The Order of Fiji was instituted by the President of Fiji, Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda in 1995.
• The Companion is conferred upon citizens, or other foreigners by an Honorary Award.
• The Companion is conferred in recognition of eminent achievement or the highest degree of meritorious service
to Fiji or humanity.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

SCO Goa Meet 2023

The Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is meeting in Goa, India.

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• India holds the rotating presidency of the SCO this year and is the current chair of SCO Council of Heads of
State.
• India in its presidential capacity has hosted several ministerial-level SCO meetings, including a tourism
ministers’ meeting at Varanasi.
• The Council of Foreign Ministers of SCO met at Goa, India.
• The foreign ministers of all the 8 members of SCO including Pakistan, participated in the meeting.
• The foreign ministers’ meeting is to prepare for the upcoming meeting of the Heads of State Council, or the SCO
summit.
• SCO leaders’ summit will be held on July 3 and 4 in Delhi.
• Pakistan - This is the first visit to India by a Pakistan
Foreign Minister after a 6-year hiatus.
• The last such visit was in December 2016, when Pakistan’s
then Foreign Minister, Sartaj Aziz, attended the Heart of
Asia conference at Amritsar.
• SCO - Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a
Eurasian political, economic, and military organisation
which was formed in 2001.
• SCO was founded by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
• Current member states (8) - China, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and
Pakistan.
• Observer States (4) - Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia.
• The observers Iran and Belarus will be the newest members of SCO and will be joining under India’s
presidency in SCO summit.
• Dialogue Partners (6) - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey, Sri Lanka.
• The official working languages of SCO are Chinese and Russian.
• The Beijing based SCO Secretariat is the main permanent executive body of the SCO.
• The Council of Heads of State is the top decision-making body in the SCO.
• The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), is a permanent organ of the SCO which serves to promote
cooperation of member states against terrorism, separatism and extremism.
• RATS is headquartered in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
Most Asia-Pacific countries ill-prepared for natural disasters: ESCAP.
UN-ESCAP
• The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is the most inclusive intergovernmental
platform in the Asia-Pacific region.
• The Commission promotes cooperation among its 53 member States and 9 associate members in pursuit of
solutions to sustainable development challenges.
• ESCAP is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations.
• The ESCAP secretariat supports sustainable development in the region by generating action-oriented knowledge
for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Findings
• Lack data – Countries in the region lack the necessary data as well as means to support adaptation and
mitigation efforts.
• Poverty – In the absence of decisive action, climate change will remain a leading cause of poverty and
inequality across the region.

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• Increased temperature – Over the past 60 years, temperatures in the region have increased faster than the
global mean.
• Disasters – Tropical cyclones, heatwaves, floods and droughts have brought immense loss of life and
displacement, damaging people’s health and pushing millions into poverty.
• Of the 10 countries most affected by these disasters, six are in the region.
• Food systems – Food systems here are being disrupted, economies damaged and societies undermined.
• SDG – If left unchecked, climate change will exacerbate the strains of ongoing overlapping crises and imperil
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
• Greenhouse emissions – The Asia-Pacific region accounts for more than half of the world’s greenhouse gas
emissions.
• Most populous – It is one of the most rapidly developing regions of the world, with a significant proportion
of the global population.
• Vulnerable island states – The region is also home to most of the world’s low-lying cities and vulnerable
small island states.

Arab League
Syria is back in the influential Arab League, more than a decade after being thrown out for its brutal repression of
pro-democracy protests, which led to the ongoing civil war.
• The Arab League, formally known as the League of Arab States, was established in 1945 with initially just six
nations: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.
• Currently, it has 22 member states, who have pledged to cooperate on economic and military affairs, among
other issues.
• Syria – Syria was ousted from the Arab League in 2011 following President Bashar al-Assad’s brutal crackdown
on pro-democracy protests, which led to the ongoing civil war in the country.
• The conflict has since killed around half a million people and displaced about 23 million.
• The new move allows Syria to attend the upcoming Arab League Summit in Saudi Arabia.
• Saudi has called for a resolution of the civil war and the resulting refugee and drug smuggling crises.
• A committee involving Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq will soon be created to ensure Syria
achieves these goals.

United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF18)

UNFF18 held in New York, discussed the contributions of SFM to energy, livelihoods and the SDGs.
• UNFF - The UN ECOSOC established a subsidiary body the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFCC) in
2000.
• The UN General Assembly adopted the first ever UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030.
• The Strategic Plan provides a global framework for actions at all levels to sustainably manage all types of forests
and trees outside forests and halt deforestation and forest degradation.
• There are 6 Global Forest Goals and 26 associated targets to be achieved by 2030 in the Strategic Plan.
• These goals and targets are voluntary and universal.
• The Forum has universal membership, and is composed of all Member States of the United Nations and
specialized agencies.
• The UNFF meet happens annually and will focus on discussions on implementation, technical advice and
exchange of experiences.
• UNFF18 - The 18th session of UNFF held in New York.
• UNFF18 discussed the contributions of sustainable forest management (SFM) to energy, livelihoods and the
SDGs.
• India presented a case of a UNFF country-led initiative on long-term SFM.
• India also shared concerns on wildfires and the problems associated with current forest certification schemes.

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Sendai Framework
India and Japan organized a side event during the High-level meeting of the
midterm review of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR)
2015-2030.
• The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030
(Sendai Framework) is an international document on disaster risk
reduction.
• The framework provides Member States with concrete actions to
protect development gains from the risk of disaster.
• It was adopted at the Third UN World Conference on
Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan, in 2015.
• It is the successor instrument to the Hyogo Framework
for Action (HFA) 2005-2015.
• The Sendai Framework outlines 4 specific priorities of
action and 7 global targets to guide and against which
to assess progress.
• It focuses on the adoption of measures which address
the 3 dimensions of disaster risk in order to prevent the
creation of new risk, reduce existing risk and increase
resilience.
• Exposure to hazards, vulnerability and capacity, and
hazard’s characteristics are the 3 dimensions of disaster risk.
• UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) supports the implementation, follow-up and review of the
Sendai Framework.

Health for All

WHO launches first-ever roadmap to link health with sustainable economic growth at the 76 th World Health Assembly.
• WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All launched the first of a kind roadmap during the ongoing
76th World Health Assembly (WHA).
• The Council on the Economics of Health for All launched ‘Health for All: Transforming economies to deliver
what matters’ report.
• The roadmap focuses on the links between health and sustainable, inclusive and innovation-led economic
growth.
• The roadmap structures economic activity in a way that will allow us to reach the goal of seeing all people with
access to essential health services faster with better result.
• WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All was established in November 2020 in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic.
• It recommended reorienting economies to deliver health for all across four interrelated themes:
• Measurement: Valuing and measuring Health for All.
o Valuing and measuring what matters through new economic metrics.
• Capacity: Pathways to Health for All.
o How to strengthen dynamic public sector capacity to achieve health for all.
• Finance: Investing in Health for All.
o How to finance health for all as a long-term investment, not a short-term cost.
• Innovation: Governing Innovation for All.
o how to advance health innovation for the common good;
• The Council is currently comprised of 10 members, including the Chair.
• The Council is all-female group comprises distinguished economists and area experts.

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Pandemic Treaty
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) is drafting new rules for dealing with pandemics.

• The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) published a ‘zero-draft’ of
the pandemic treaty on February 1, 2023.
• After five rounds of formal negotiations, the latest International Health Regulations
208-page draft of the treaty is still under negotiation.
• The International Health Regulations was
• The WHO already has binding rules known as the adopted after the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak.
International Health Regulations.
• In 2005, it set out countries’ obligations where
• These regulations are also being reviewed in the wake public health events have the potential to cross
of COVID-19. borders.
• Genesis - At a Special Session of the World Health • These include advising the WHO immediately of
Assembly (WHASS) in 2021, member states agreed by a health emergency and measures on trade and
consensus to establish an intergovernmental travel.
negotiating body (INB).
• These regulations are still considered
• The purpose of INB is to draft an international appropriate for regional epidemics, such as
instrument for pandemic preparedness and response Ebola but inadequate for a global pandemic.
by the WHO.
• The ‘pandemic treaty’ was first proposed by Chile and the European Union (EU).
• It has subsequently gained public endorsement by multiple world leaders and the WHO.
• The treaty aims to improve preparedness for future pandemics and enhance global cooperation in responding
to them.

Dag Hammarskjold Medal

Three Indian U.N. peacekeepers will be honoured posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjold Medal for their supreme
sacrifice in the line of duty.
• The Security Council established the United Nations Dag Hammarskjöld Medal as a posthumous award to
members of peacekeeping operations.
• The medal is a tribute to the sacrifice of those who have lost their life as a result of service in peacekeeping
operations of UN.
• In 1997, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of peacekeeping, the
Security Council held a meeting to honour United Nations peacekeepers.
• The medal is the highest honour awarded to U.N. Peacekeepers.
• In 1998, the first Medal was presented to the family of Dag Hammarskjöld.
• The second medal honoured Commandant René de Labarrière, who was
the first peacekeeper to lose his life in a United Nations peacekeeping
operation, in 1948.
• The International Day of Un Peacekeepers is observed every year on 29 May.
• Each year on Peacekeeper's Day, this medal is awarded at a ceremony at UN headquarters.
• Other Awards given on Peacekeeper’s day
o Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage
o UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award
• 2023 peacekeeper’s day marks the 75th anniversary of the UN Peacekeeping Mission.
• The three Indian U.N. peacekeepers will be honoured posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjold Medal this
year. They are,
• Border Security Force (BSF) personnel Head Constables Shishupal Singh and Samwali Ram Vishnoi served with
the Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Shaber Taher Ali was employed in a civilian capacity with the U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq.
Related Topics - Women U.N. Peacekeepers, Group of Friends, UN Peacekeeping Missions and Blue Helmets

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NHRC and Paris Principles

An organisation affiliated to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has deferred re-accreditation of the
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India for a year.
• The Global Alliance for National Human Rights Institutions’ (GANHRI) Sub Committee on Accreditation (SCA)
deferred re-accreditation to NHRC for the second time.
• The first such instance was in 2016 and accreditation was restored in 2017.
• Significance of Accreditation - Without the accreditation, NHRC will be unable to represent India at the
UN Human Rights Council.
• NHRC - The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India was established on 12 October, 1993.
• It is a statutory body under the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993.
• The statute was amended by the Protection of Human Rights
(Amendment) Act, 2006.
• NHRC is in conformity with the Paris Principles.
• The NHRC is an embodiment of India’s concern for the
promotion and protection of human rights.
• Paris Principles - Officially known as ‘Principles Relating to
the Status of National Human Rights Institutions’.
• The Paris Principles set out the minimum standards that NHRIs
must meet in order to be considered credible and to operate
effectively.
• The key pillars of the Paris Principles are pluralism,
independence and effectiveness.
• Paris Principles was adopted Paris in October 1991, and adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations
in 1993.
• Paris Principles are a crucial step in development of standards for national human rights institutions across the
world.
• The six principles require a country‘s human rights agency to be independent from the government in its
structure, composition, decision-making and method of operation.

WTO Appellate Body Division

India has appealed against a ruling of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) trade dispute settlement panel in the
Appellate Body.
• The World Trade Organization's (WTO) trade dispute settlement panel ruled that India’s import duties on
certain information and technology products are inconsistent with the global trade norms.
• India has appealed against it ruling in the Appellate body of WTO.
• The Appellate Body was established in 1995.
• It is a standing body of seven persons that hears appeals from reports issued by panels in disputes brought by
WTO Members.
• The Appellate Body can uphold, modify or reverse the legal findings and conclusions of a panel.
• Appellate Body Reports are adopted by the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) unless all members decide not to do
so.
• The Appellate Body has its seat in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Currently, the Appellate Body is unable to review appeals given its ongoing vacancies.
• The term of the last sitting Appellate Body member expired on 30 November 2020.

Global Plan of Action for the Health of Indigenous People

Member states of the World Health Organization accepted a draft resolution that proposed developing a Global Plan
of Action for the Health of Indigenous People during the World Health Assembly.

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The plan
• The plan will be up for consideration at the 79th World Health Assembly in 2026.
• It should be executed in consultation with indigenous peoples, with their free, prior and informed consent, a
document presented at the assembly emphasised.
• The document also stated that the global plan should be done in consultation with member states along strategic
lines of action for the improvement of the health of Indigenous People.
• The draft resolution was proposed by Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada,
Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, the European Union and its Member States,
Guatemala, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the United
States of America and Vanuatu.
The status of Indigenous people
• The world presently has 476 million indigenous people across the world
in about 90 countries, according to the United Nations.
• They speak 7,000 languages and come from 500 different cultures.
• They are marginalised individuals without access to basic infrastructure and oftentimes cannot claim titles over
their land and surrounding natural resources.
• However, over the last few decades representation for them has improved on the world's stage.
• The life expectancy of indigenous people is 20 years lower than that of an average person.

20. ECONOMY

India and EFTA

India and EFTA take further steps towards a new Trade and Partnership Agreement (TEPA) in the Ministerial meeting
held in Brussels.
• The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is a four-nation bloc founded by the Stockholm Convention in
1960.
• The inter-governmental organisation is for the promotion and intensification of free trade to benefit the member
countries.
• It was founded as an alternative for states that did not wish to join the European Community.
• Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland are the
EFTA States.
• The four EFTA countries are not part of the European Union
(EU).
• India and ETFA - India is the ninth-largest trading partner
of EFTA, accounting for about 2.5% of India’s total
merchandise trade in 2020-21.
• India’s main exports to EFTA - Textiles, chemicals, gems, and
jewellery, machinery, and pharmaceuticals.
• India’s main imports from EFTA - Machinery, chemicals,
precious metals, and medical instruments.
• TEPA - India and EFTA started negotiating a broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement in 2008.
• The free trade agreement between the two regions is officially dubbed as Trade and Economic Partnership
Agreement (TEPA).
• TEPA will enhance two-way commerce, investment flows, job creation and economic growth between India and
EFTA countries.

Adhaar-enabled Payment System

Scammers are reportedly using the gaps in Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS).

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• AEPS is a bank led model which allows online interoperable financial transaction.
• These transactions are done at PoS (Point of Sale / Micro ATM) through the Business Correspondent (BC) of
any bank using the Aadhaar authentication.
• AePS removes the need for OTPs, bank account details, and other financial details.
• It empowers the customers to use Aadhaar as their identity to access their respective Aadhaar enabled bank
account and perform basic banking transactions.
• Services provided under AePS - Balance enquiry, cash deposit, cash withdrawal, remittances through a
Business Correspondent and Aadhaar to Aadhaar Fund Transfer .
• Requirement for transaction - It allows fund transfers using only the
o Bank name
o Aadhaar number
o Fingerprint captured during Aadhaar enrolment
• Transfer Limit - The banks define limit of fund transfer. The RBI does not have such limit.

CVV-less payments
RuPay has introduced the CVV (Card Verification Value) free payment experience for its debit, credit and prepaid
cardholders who have tokenised their cards on the merchant application or webpage.
• CVV - Card Verification Value (CVV) is a three or four-digit number located on the back of a physical debit or
credit card.
• It is used as an additional security measure to ensure that the person making
the transaction is a legitimate cardholder.
• Tokenisation is a simple technology to secure card transactions without
sharing the clear or real card details with the merchants.
• It refers to the replacement of actual card details with an alternate code called
the ‘token’.
• RBI mandate - The RBI had made it mandatory for all credit and debit card
data used in online, point-of-sale, and in-app transactions to be replaced with
unique tokens.
• Process - A cardholder opts to save their card for a domestic e-commerce transaction.
• The cardholder authenticates the transaction through the card details (Card number, CVV, Card expiry date) as
a one-time activity.
• It is followed by entering the OTP (two-factor authentication).
• Now, the details are then Tokenised and saved with the merchant.
• For the subsequent transactions customer can complete the payment by just entering the OTP without the need
to enter the CVV or other card details again.
• Benefits - In tokenisation, the real card details are not saved with the merchant.
• Safeguards the card details of the customer from cyber frauds.
• Removes the necessity to remember any card details for the customer.
• Requirement - The cards has to be saved (tokenised) on the e-commerce merchant which supports for CVV-
less payments.
• Card types - Debit, credit and prepaid cards.

21. AGRICULTURE

Maximum Residue Limit in tea

Food Safety Standards Authority of India notifies residue cap for five pesticides in tea plantation

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Issue
• The five pesticides are emamectin, benzoate, fenpyroximate, hexaconazole, propiconazole, and quinalphos.
• In 2018, the FSSAI came out with a notification which lowered the MRL for certain compounds which affected
the industry.
• Quinalphos is considered to be important for pest control under the integrated pest management programme.
• However, the Assam government recently prohibited the sale, distribution, and use of four insecticides,
including quinalphos with relevance to tea cultivation for a period of 60 days.
• MRLs of the important plant protection formulations being revised to realistic levels from the erstwhile LOD
(limits of detection) level would help the tea sector.
• Indian tea exports got a boost in 2022 on the back of supply disruptions in Sri Lanka and inroads into newer
markets.
• Accepted residual levels in most of the countries for many of the pesticides that have been allowed is very low.

Lightweight Payment and Settlement System (LPSS)

RBI is planning to use the lightweight payment system for emergencies and as an alternative to UPI, NEFT, and RTGS.
• In its annual report 2023-23, RBI has mentioned conceptualising this new lightweight and portable payment
system.
• The RBI has conceptualised a lightweight payment and settlements system, which it is calling a bunker.
• The bunker is an equivalent of digital payments, which can be operated from anywhere by a bare minimum staff
in exigencies such as natural calamities or war.
• The lightweight and portable payment system is expected to operate on minimalistic hardware and software,
and would be made active only on a need basis.
• The infrastructure for this system will be independent of the technologies that underlie the existing systems of
payments such as UPI, NEFT, and RTGS.
• The system is expected to process transactions that are critical to ensure the stability of the economy, including
government and market related transactions.
• The central bank has not offered a timeline for the launch of this payments system yet.
• The difference – Existing conventional payments systems such as RTGS, NEFT, and UPI are designed to
handle large volumes of transactions while ensuring sustained availability.
• As a result, they are dependent on complex wired networks backed by advanced IT infrastructure.

22. ENVIRONMENT

Sonorous submarine
Researchers have recorded the bustling sounds of marine organisms in coral reefs off the coast of south Goa to
understand their behavior.
• The researchers from the Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s National Institute of
Oceanography (NIO) used hydrophones to eavesdrop on underwater organisms in a reef in the Arabian Sea.
• Hydrophones are a low-cost means of monitoring species.
• If the coral reef system is healthy, fish will be there and the presence of soniferous (sound-producing) fish will
generate sound.
• The technology can help researchers to study the abundance, diversity and behaviour of organisms.
• It can also reveal how they respond to climate change and anthropogenic disturbances.
• Soniferous fish represent a group of vocal vertebrates that produce sounds during various social interactions.
• Hydrophones also pick up the sounds of wind (50-20,000 Hz) and oceanic traffic (10-10,000 Hz).

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• The technology compares the recorded sounds with archival information to distinguish calls coming from fish
species or families.
• Fish communication is more active in the pre-monsoon than in the post-monsoon season.
• Hydrophones help in examining how marine life responds to climate change and anthropogenic activities.

Zoonomia Project
The ambitious genome project, Zoonomia, shows how humans fit with other mammals.
• The Zoonomia Project is an international collaboration to discover the genomic basis of shared and specialized
traits in mammals.
• A team of scientists from Uppsala University and Broad Institute started the project in 2015 and later joined by
researchers across the world.
• Zoonomia project compares the genomes of 240 mammal species as well as people to trace evolutionary changes
spanning 100 million years.
• It aims at pinpointing genetic traits widely shared and those more uniquely human.
• Key Findings - The project identified parts of the genome functionally important in people and other
mammals.
• It showed how certain mutations can cause disease.
• The project revealed the genetics of uncommon mammalian traits like hibernation and showed how the sense
of smell varies widely.
• Some mammals have a very keen sense of smell like the African savanna elephant while others have almost none
like whales and dolphins.
• Humans have average sense of smell.

Green hydrogen bunks by 2035

The government said green hydrogen bunkering and refuelling facilities shall
be established at all major ports by 2035.
• The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) launched
green port guidelines, ‘HaritSagar’.
• The guidelines, ‘HaritSagar ’ is a part of efforts to achieve zero carbon
emission goal.
• The guidelines said that green ammonia bunkers and refuelling
facilities shall be established at all Major Ports by 2035.
• Under this, all ports will make efforts to achieve the target of renewable energy as envisaged in Maritime India
Vision (MIV) 2030/Blue Economy 2047 documents.

• Targets - Share of renewable energy at Ports India’s Ports

should exceed 60% by the Year 2030 and 90%
by year 2047. • India’s coastline stretches 7,500 km and has more than
• The ports has to set up at least one LNG 200 ports in addition to the 12 major ones.
bunkering station by 2030 and e-vehicle • These ports all together accounts for 95% of its trade by
charging stations in and around port areas by volume and 65% by value.
2025.
• 12 major ports - Deendayal (Kandla), Mumbai, Mormugao,
• Bunkering - Bunkering operation is a New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Ennore (Kamarajar),
procedure for transferring oil, sludge or cargo Tuticorin (VOC), Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata
to and from a ship. (including Haldia) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port.
• Three of India’s 12 major ports would initially
have bunker facilities for green hydrogen and ammonia.
• The initial ports in the effort are to be Paradip in the east, Kandla in the west, and Tuticorin in the south.
• Related Topic - Green Tug Transition Programme

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Petersberg Climate Dialogue

The two-day meeting recently held in Berlin is a key negotiating step in the run-up to the 2023 international climate
conference COP 28 in Dubai.
• The Petersberg Climate Dialogue (PCD) is an annual high-level political and international forum that takes place
ahead of the annual United Nations Climate Change Conferences (COP).
• The 14th Petersberg Dialogue on Climate Change was held in Berlin,
Germany.
• It was hosted by Germany and the United Arab Emirates, the incoming COP-
28 Presidency.
• Delegates from 40 countries attended this year’s high-level dialogue series
including Indian Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate
Change.
• COP28 President-Designate Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber called on meeting
participants to ramp up renewable energy capacity building.
• He called for a tripling of renewable energy capacity by 2030 followed by a doubling in 2040, but his address
focused on reducing fossil fuel ‘emissions’.
• Global Stocktake - It is a periodic review of global climate action which aims to assess whether current efforts
will enable us to reach the objectives set out in the Paris Agreement.
• 2023 is the year for the Global Stocktake and also the first Global Stocktake year since the Paris Agreement was
signed in 2015.

Petermann Glacier, Greenland

Glaciologists have found the grounding line of Petermann Glacier in northwest Greenland to shift substantially during
tidal cycles.
• Grounding line of a glacier is where the ice detaches from the
land bed and begins floating in the ocean.
• The shifting of grounding line substantially during tidal cycles,
allows warm seawater to intrude and melt ice at an accelerated
rate.
• Exposure to ocean water causes the ice to slide more quickly to
the sea in two ways -
o Melts the ice vigorously at the glacier front.
o Erodes resistance to the movement of glaciers over the
ground.
• Petermann Glacier - It is located on the northwestern coast of
Greenland.
• It covers 1,295 square kilometers and is 15–20 kilometers wide and 70 kilometers long.
• It is the longest floating glacier in the Northern Hemisphere.
• In 2010 and in 2012, large pieces of the Petermann glacier broke off its end and floated out to sea.
• Petermann Glacier's grounding line retreated nearly 4 kilometers between 2016 and 2022.

Petersberg Climate Dialogue

• The first Petersberg Climate Dialogue took place in 2010 at Petersberg hill near Bonn city, where the UNFCCC is
headquartered.
• In subsequent years, the Petersberg Climate Dialogue conference was held in Berlin.
• Initiated by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel after unsuccessful negotiations at the 2009 United Nations
Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP15)
• It is aimed at improving communication between leaders and environmental ministers.

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• The warm water carved a 200-metre-tall cavity in the underside of the glacier, and that abscess remained there
for all of 2022.
• These ice-ocean interactions make the glaciers more sensitive to ocean warming.

Community-based initiative for Hornbills

A community-based conservation initiative, involving the Kadar tribal community, has restored the dwindling
hornbill population.
• Initiative - The Hornbill nest tree monitoring programme was started in 2005 to address the declining hornbill
population and restore their vanishing nesting habitat

• It involved the Kadars, an indigenous community, in the Kadar Tribal Community

Vazhachal forest division.
• Kadar, small tribe of southern India
• The programme had technical support of the Western Ghats residing along the hilly border between
Hornbill Foundation for the conservation processes. Cochin in Kerala and Coimbatore in
• The Athirappilly - Vazhachal areas is the only location where Tamil Nadu.
all the four south Indian species of hornbills are seen. • Kadar live in the forests and do not
1. The Great Hornbill (the State bird of Kerala) practice agriculture.
2. Malabar Pied Hornbill • They are specialized collectors of honey,
wax, sago, cardamom, ginger.
3. Malabar Grey Hornbill
4. Indian Grey Hornbill

Babool
Features
• Babool is also known as gum arabic (Acacia nilotica).
• This perennial tree, whose pods grow abundantly in the months of April and
May.
• It can thrive on marginal land, which is unsuitable for agriculture, and can
survive both droughts and floods.
• Babool seeds are highly nutritious and are also rich in minerals such as
potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and manganese.
• The tree works as a windbreak and haven for biodiversity where it is planted.
• As a nitrogen-fixing legume, it also helps in reclamation of areas degraded by mining or erosion.
• Negative – Excess consumption of babool seeds may affect milk yield in cows.
Health Benefits
• The babool tree is packed with medicinal properties.
• Babool pods have antibacterial activity.
• They are effective against gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus.
• Extracts of the pods can be used to replace synthetic food preservatives that have negative impact on health.
• The pods and seeds are used as feed after grinding them up for easy digestion and better absorption of nutrition.
• People chew on its young leaves to improve digestion, and on the woody stems to keep teeth clean and gums
healthy.
• Farmers also use the leaves and pods of babool as animal feed, and say that the feed prepared using babool seeds
is comparable to cottonseed meal in terms of nutrition.
• The bark is used to treat burns, skin diseases and clean infected wounds and is a common ingredient in
toothpastes.
• Its resin helps deal with skin diseases, oral inflammation and indigestion.

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Status of India
• Though native to Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent, babool is found in almost all
tropical and subtropical areas of the world.
• India is home to at least three of nine subspecies of the tree, with natural babool forests found in Maharashtra,
Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Karnataka.
• Historically in India, the bitter babool has been used as famine food in arid and semi-arid regions like Rajasthan.
• Even now, people in these regions consume its seeds both raw and roasted, or grind them and mix with sorghum
or pearl millet flour.
• Some also use the young babool pods or phali, which look like a string of beads with flat, elliptical seeds
separated by constrictions, as vegetable.
• As part of the natural vegetation of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the tree has been extensively for the
reclamation of the Chambal ravines.

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary

The tribal settlements in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary are reviving cultivation of millets and endemic crops through
Punarjeevanam scheme.
• Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary in Idukki district of Kerala and comes under Munnar Wildlife Division.
• Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is home to the Great Grizzled Squirrel of India.
• There are 11 tribal settlements comprising Muduvan and Hill Pulaya communities under the Wildlife Division.
• Punarjeevanam (revival or resurrection) scheme was launched in 2016 by Kerala Forest and Wildlife
Department.
• The scheme was launched to revive farming of millets and endemic crops in the tribal settlements under Chinnar
Wildlife Sanctuary.
• It has revived 34 varieties of ragi, in addition to multiple kinds of beans, millets, amaranthus, maize and
pumpkin.

SPECIES IN NEWS

Eretmoptera murphyi (Midge)

Antarctica’s Signy Island, half of which is always covered in ice, has been dealing with an unwelcome guest, a flightless
midge, for years.
• Eretmoptera murphyi feasts on dead organic matter and has led to faster plant decomposition.
• It leads to increasing the soil nitrate levels by three-five times compared to places
on the island where the midge is absent and only native invertebrate species live.
• Midge is not new to the island, it is a native of South Georgia, a sub-Antarctic
island, and was accidentally introduced to Signy in the 1960s during a botany
experiment.
• The fear is that it can spread through other islands as it can survive in water.
• The invasion has made it clear that the harsh living conditions such as very low temperatures, moisture and
nutrient availability, is no longer impenetrable.

Gharial in Pakistan
A gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) has been seen in Pakistan’s Punjab province for the first time after three decades.
• Gharials had become extinct years ago in the Punjab region of both India and Pakistan.
• Gharials were reintroduced to the Beas River in 2017, in the Punjab region now divided between India and
Pakistan
• Between 2017 and 2021, some 94 gharials were released into the Beas River to bring back the species to its
rivers.

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• The animals were brought mostly from the Chambal basin in Madhya Pradesh

• The gharials found in the Pakistan’s Punjab is possibly moved from India during floods last year and stayed
there in the Sutlej River.
• Gharials - Gharials are fish-eating fresh Protection Status
water crocodiles characterised by narrow
and bulbous nasal snout. Wild Life Act, 1972 Schedule I

• Habitat - Gharials live in clear freshwater IUCN Critically Endangered

river systems and are a good indicator of
clean river water. CITES Appendix I
• Distribution - Gharial were historically
found in the river system of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and southern part of Bhutan and Nepal.
• The surviving population can be found within the tributaries of the Ganges river system.
• Girwa (Uttar Pradesh), Son (Madhya Pradesh), Ramganga (Uttarakhand), Gandak (Bihar), Chambal (Uttar
Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan) and Mahanadi (Orissa).
• The largest and most populous location, the protected National Chambal Sanctuary.
• Diet - They are largely piscivorous (eats fish).
• Threats - Dams and Barrages, irrigation, sand mining, illegal fishing and bycatch of young ones.
• Conservation Status -

Leatherback Turtles
The nesting site of leatherback turtles is threatened by a massive infrastructure plan of great Nicobar Island.
• Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) are marine turtles found worldwide.
• Leatherback turtles are named for their shell, which is leather-like.
• Leatherback turtles are the largest turtles on Earth. They can grow up to 2 meters
long and weigh as much as 700 kilograms.
• Diet - They feed almost exclusively on jellyfish.

• Distribution - Leatherbacks are distributed circumglobally.

• Nesting Sites - Tropical sandy beaches Conservation Status
• Forage Sites - Temperate coastal waters and sub-polar latitudes.
IUCN Vulnerable
• In India - The Great Nicobar Island is a globally important nesting site of
leatherback turtles in India. CITES Appendix I
• The turtles nests at Galathea Bay in the Great Nicobar Island.
CMS Appendices I and II
• Threats - Fisheries bycatch, marine pollution, habitat loss due to climate
change, egg collection and coastal development affecting critical turtle habitat.

Great Nicobar Island

• Great Nicobar Island a remote archipelago at the southernmost tip of India which spans about 1,000 square
kilometres.
• Great Nicobar Island lies about halfway between India and Thailand.
• It is home to the indigenous Shompen and Nicobarese people.
• It has a rich diversity of plant and animal species.

Pygmy Hogs
The conservation of pygmy hogs is crucial to India’s wildlife protection goals.
• Pygmy hogs are smallest and rarest wild piggy.

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• Their skin is dark brownish-black in colour and their hair is dark.

• Distribution - Native to alluvial grasslands in the foothills of the Himalayas.
• Once found all the way from Uttar Pradesh to Assam, but vanished by the
early 1960s.
• Now their population is confined to Assam and southern Bhutan.

• Diet - They are omnivores and feed on roots, tubers, insects, rodents, and small Conservation Status
reptiles.
• Significance - they are an indicator species. They live only in the wet high IUCN Endangered
grasslands at the foothills of the Himalayas.
CITES Appendix I
• Their presence ensures a healthy habitat for other rarities such as the one-horned
rhinoceros, hog deer, Eastern barasingha, tiger, water buffalo, lesser florican and the hispid hare.
• Threats - loss and degradation of habitat due to agricultural encroachments, human settlements, livestock
grazing, etc.
• Conservation Efforts - Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme in 1995

23. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

SPACE

Scary Barbie
Scientists discovered a supermassive black hole and have named it ‘Scary Barbie,’ after a beloved children’s character.
• Scary Barbie is a supermassive black hole that is devouring a star with a thousand times the brightness of a
supernova.
• Scary Barbie was first observed in 2020 and it was named ZTF20abrbeie.
• It is one of the most luminous, energetic, long-lasting transient objects in the
sky.
• But it is also extremely far away and in a somewhat neglected corner of the
sky.
• The researchers discovered it using an AI engine
called REFITT (Recommender Engine For Intelligent Transient Tracking).
• The AI engine looks through observations from many different telescopes around the world.

TROPICS Mission
NASA launches 'TROPICS' mission to improve understanding about hurricanes, cyclones.
• TROPICS is a constellation of observing platforms that will measure temperature, humidity and precipitation
with spatial resolution on hourly basis.
• It also provides real-time data on hurricanes and cyclones which enables timely evacuation of people in coastal
areas.
• The mission will provide rapid microwave measurements over the tropic regions to observe the thermodynamics
of the troposphere.
• The mission consists of four Cubesats in three low earth orbital planes.
• These Cubesats are different from other weather tracking satellites in frequency of observations, as they collect
data more frequently for scientists involved in weather forecasts.
• The objective of the mission is to focus on terrestrial disasters, tropical cyclone analysis, and cyclone modelling
and data assimilation and understand tropical cyclones and tropical dynamics.
• The missions measures environments and inner core of tropical cyclones on global scale and serve as model for
future missions.

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Indian Space Policy 2023

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), released the Indian Space Policy 2023.
• The ‘Vision’ is to enable, encourage and develop a flourishing commercial presence in space economy.
• It defines the role of ISRO in socio-economic development, protection of environment, pursuing peaceful
exploration of outer space, stimulation of public awareness and scientific quest.
• The policy creates 4 distinct entities that will facilitate greater private sector participation in activities that have
usually been the traditional domain of the ISRO.
• Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (InSPACe) – It will be a single window
clearance and authorisation agency.
• It will provide clearance for space launches, establishing launch pads, buying and selling satellites, and
disseminating high-resolution data among other things.
• It will also share technologies, products, processes and best practices with non-government entities (NGEs) and
this will include private companies and government companies.
• New Space India Limited (NSIL) – It will be responsible for commercialising space technologies and
platforms created through public expenditure.
• It is also responsible for manufacturing, leasing, or procuring space components, technologies, platforms and
other assets from the private or public sector.
• Department of Space – It will provide overall policy guidelines and be the nodal department for
implementing space technologies.
• It will also co-ordinate international cooperation and coordination in the area of global space governance and
programmes in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs.
• It will also create an appropriate mechanism to resolve disputes arising out of space activity.

Fomalhaut
Webb telescope spots three debris belts around luminous star Fomalhaut.
• Scientists’ unveiled observations by the James Webb Space Telescope showing new
details about such features around a luminous star called Fomalhaut.
• It is located in the neighbourhood of the Milky Way galaxy.
• These observations of three concentric dusty rings of debris orbiting Fomalhaut
provide the fullest view to date of such structures outside our solar system.
• Fomalhaut, one of the brightest stars in our night sky and the brightest in the southern
constellation Piscis Austrinus, is located 25 light years from Earth.
• Astronomers first discovered a single belt of debris around Fomalhaut in 1983.
• These three belts appear to be populated by objects called planetesimals, some of
which are thought to join together early in a star system’s history to form planets
while others remain as debris like asteroids and comets.
• Planetesimals are a minute planet, which could come together with many others
under gravitation to form a planet.
• Fomalhaut is 16 times more luminous than the sun and almost twice as massive.
• It is about 440 million years old, less than a tenth the age of the sun, but is probably nearly halfway through its
lifespan.

AX-2 Mission
A SpaceX capsule delivered the crew members of Axiom Mission 2 (AX-2) which includes
first Saudi Arabian female astronaut at the ISS.
• Axiom Mission 2 (AX-2) is the second wholly private mission to visit the
International Space Station (ISS).
• The Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) carried 4 astronauts Peggy Whitson, John Shoffner,
Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi.

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• AX-2 members will stay for roughly 10 days and conduct approximately 20 experiments.

Rayyanah Barnawi

• Barnawi is a cancer stem-cell researcher from Saudi Arabia.

• She is Saudi Arabia's first female astronaut, heading to the ISS to advance breast cancer research.
• Sultan al-Neyadi and Rayyanah Barnawi are the first Saudi Arabia’s Astronauts.
• Other Saudis in Space - A prince of Saudi is the only Saudi flown to space before.
• He rode on NASA's shuttle Discovery in 1985.

Polar Cyclone on Uranus

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) announced that for the first time, scientists have strong evidence of a polar
cyclone on Uranus.
• Uranus is the 7th planet from the Sun and it takes about 84 years to complete a full revolution.
• For many decades, the poles of the planet were not pointed towards Earth.
• Since about 2014, scientists have had a better view of Uranus’s pole as it is slightly pointed towards our planet.
• Therefore have been able to look deeper into the polar atmosphere.
• The Very Large Array in New Mexico observed warm and dry circulation of air at poles, which are signs of strong
cyclone.
• Polar cyclone in other planets - The evidence of a Polar Cyclone on Uranus shows the dynamic nature of
the planet.
• It also reiterates the hypothesis that all planets with substantial atmospheres in our solar system show signs of
a swirling vortex at the poles, irrespective of whether they are composed of rock or gas.
• Apart from Mercury, every planet in the solar system have been identified with cyclones at the pole now.
• Mercury does not have a substantial atmosphere to have cyclones.
• Uranus cyclone - Unlike Earth, cyclones on Uranus are not formed over water as they don’t have water.
• Methane clouds are formed at poles due to circulating winds.
• The cyclones on Uranus are locked at the poles and do not drift.
• Cyclones in Saturn also exhibit same property of locked to the poles.

Da Vinci glow
The experts predicted that a ‘da Vinci glow’ would be visible around the new moon on May 19, 2023.
• The da Vinci glow is a phenomenon in which the crescent moon is on the horizon, but
the outline of a full moon is visible.
• The phenomenon usually happens close to sunset.
• On some days, this happens after the sun sets, and the sky is dark but not completely
dark.
• This glow is also called earthshine, since it occurs due to light reflected from the earth and not the sun.
• The earthshine is the sunlight first reflected by the earth’s surface, and then it’s reflected by the moon before it
reaches our eyes.
• Since it is reflected twice, it is dimmer than the visible part of the moon and thus appears as a faint glow, called
the da Vinci glow.
• Earth's clouds are the primary source of this earthshine.
• Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was the first person to describe the phenomenon in the 16th century and it was
named after him.
• Before da Vinci’s theory, the ‘ashen glow’ of the moon was often called the ‘old moon in the new moon’s arms’.

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XPoSat
The X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) that is scheduled to be launched later this year by the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO).
• The X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) is being built in collaboration with the Raman Research Institute
(RRI), Bengaluru.
• XPoSat will study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions.
• India’s first, and only the world’s second polarimetry mission.
• It is meant to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions.
• IXPE - The first polarimetry mission is NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) that was launched
in 2021.
• Payloads - The spacecraft will carry two scientific payloads in a low earth orbit.
1. Primary payload POLIX
2. XSPECT
• POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) is being developed by RRI in
collaboration with ISRO’s U.R.Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru.
• POLIX will measure the polarimetry parameters (degree and angle of
polarisation).
• The XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) payload will give spectroscopic
information.
• It would observe several types of sources, such as X-ray pulsars, blackhole binaries, low-magnetic field neutron
star, etc.

GSLV-F12 & NVS-01

The GSLV-F12/NVS-01 mission was launched from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR,
Sriharikota.
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully placed the NVS-01 navigation satellite, weighing
about 2232 kg, into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
• The GSLV-F12 is the 15th flight of India’s GSLV and the 9th flight with
indigenous cryostage.
• This is the 6th operational flight of GSLV with indigenous cryogenic stage.
• The NVS-01 carried navigation payloads L1, L5 and S bands.
• The satellite would ensure the continuity of navigational (NavIC) services and
also provide new service in L1 band.
• Interestingly, for the first time, an indigenous atomic clock was flown in NVS-
01.
L1, L5 and S bands
• The GPS L1 band (1575.42 MHz) has turned to be the most important band for navigation purposes.
• The two sorts of services given by the Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) satellites are
Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and Restricted Service (RS).
• Both services will be given at two frequencies of L5 (1164.5 MHz) and S (2472.5 MHz) band.

Shenzhou-16
China launches Shenzhou-16 mission to Chinese space station.
• The spacecraft, Shenzhou-16, or Divine Vessel, and its three passengers lifted off atop a Long March-2F rocket
from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi Desert in northwest China.
• China has already announced plans to expand its permanently inhabited space outpost, with the next module
slated to dock with the current T-shaped space station to create a cross-shaped structure.

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• Beijing is expected to launch one more crewed mission to the orbiting outpost this year.
• Xuntian – By the end of 2023, China is due to a launch space telescope the size of a large bus.
• Known as Xuntian, or Surveying the Heavens in Chinese, the orbital telescope will boast a field of view 350
times wider than that of the Hubble Space Telescope, which was launched 33 years ago.
• Tiangong – Tiangong is China’s permanent space station that will operate in low-Earth orbit at an altitude
from 340 km to 450 km.
• Tiangong Space Station is named after the Chinese word for ‘heavenly palace’ or ‘celestial palace’.
• The station has a designed lifespan of at least 10 years.

Solar Power Plant in Space

Japan is aiming to launch solar panels into orbit and transmit electricity to the ground using microwaves.
• Countries around the world are in a race to set up solar power plants in space and beam energy back to Earth.
• The United Kingdom and China have already displayed interest in building such a technology and now, Japan
seems to be the latest member to join the bandwagon.
• Space Energy Initiative – The UK-based Space Energy Initiative proposed building such a plan to beam back
energy from space.
• Its reasoning was that a space-based plant would produce so
much more electricity than one of a similar size on Earth.
• According to the organisation, if there were two plants with
the exact same size, one on Earth in the UK and one in space,
the one in space would be able to generate over 13 times the
energy.
• Space-based power plant will not face any intermittence
problems.
• The Sun will always be shining on it in space.
• On Earth, the Sun will not always shine on a solar plant.
• Due to this, solar energy plants will have to be complemented with battery storage systems to prevent power
loss during unfavourable weather.
Japan’s plans to build a solar power plant in space
• A Japanese public-private partnership aims to launch solar panels into space at an altitude of 36,000 kilometres
above our planet.
• The power generated by the solar facility will be converted into microwave radiation and sent down to ground-
based receiving stations.
• U.K. – In UK over 50 British organisations, including Airbus, Cambridge University and satellite maker SSTL
have joined the UK Space Energy Initiative to work towards such a technology.
• The initiative has a plan to have a demonstrator plant in orbit as early as 2035.
• China – The country plans to launch a solar power plant in space by the year 2028.
• However, the Chinese satellite will be launched to an altitude of 400 kilometres.

DEFENCE

ASEAN India maritime exercise (AIME-2023)

Indian Naval Ships Satpura and Delhi arrived at Singapore to participate in the Inaugural ASEAN India Maritime
Exercise (AIME-2023)
Salient features
• The AIME-2023, scheduled to be held in two phases.
• The Harbor Phase of the exercise is scheduled to be held at Changi Naval Base and the Sea Phase will be
conducted in the South China Sea.

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• The exercise will provide an opportunity for Indian Navy and ASEAN navies to work closely and conduct
seamless operations in the maritime domain.
• The ships, during their port call at Singapore, will also participate in the International Maritime Defence
Exhibition (IMDEX-23) and International Maritime Security Conference being hosted by Singapore.
• INS Delhi, India’s first indigenously-built guided missile destroyer.
• INS Satpura, an indigenously-built guided missile stealth frigate are a part of Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet based
at Visakhapatnam.

HEALTH

Donanemab
A US pharmaceutical company has released the positive results from phase 3 trials for its drug to treat Alzheimer’s
treatment, donanemab.
• Alzheimer’s disease affects at least 55 million people worldwide.
• Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia.
• Drug development for Alzheimer’s disease was not taken up by pharma companies as their success rate was low
and unprofitable.
• The US aims to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025 and gave “accelerated” approval for
drug lecanemab.
• These gave a renewed push to find treatments for Alzheimer’s.
• Donanemab - A drug developed to cure Alzheimer’s by a US pharma company.
• Donanemab which is yet to be approved, is not a cure for Alzheimer’s.
• Donanemab has similar antibody-based therapy like lecanemab, but targets different forms of amyloid-beta
(Aβ) proteins.
• The drug aims to remove the plaques from the brain and slow the progression of the disease.
• Lecanemab is another drug for Alzheimer’s, approved in the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but it
is still under evaluation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
• Comparison - Both donanemab and lecanemab are given intravenously.
• Donanemab was given every four weeks and lecanemab every two weeks.
• Both donanemab and lecanemab have a high-risk of side effects like ‘amyloid-related imaging abnormalities’
(ARIA) which include swelling or bleeding in the brain.
• Donanemab slows cognitive decline by 35% whereas Lecanemab trial results showed it slowed cognitive decline
by 27%.

World Thalassemia Day

On 8th May 1994, Thalassemia International Federation (TIF) observed World Thalassemia Day in memory of George
Englezos.
Thalassemia
• Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder caused when the body doesn’t
make enough of a protein called haemoglobin, an important part of red blood
cells.
• When there isn’t enough haemoglobin, the body’s red blood cells don’t
function properly and they last shorter periods of time, so there are fewer
healthy red blood cells traveling in the bloodstream.
• Red blood cells carry oxygen to all the cells of the body.
• When there are not enough healthy red blood cells, there is also not enough
oxygen delivered to all the other cells of the body, which may cause a person
to feel tired, weak or short of breath.

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• This is a condition called anaemia.

• People with thalassemia may have mild or severe anaemia.
• Severe anaemia can damage organs and lead to death.
India
• In India, thalassemia, along with two other blood disorders, was recognised as a benchmark disability in the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, of 2016.
• This brought a landmark shift in recognition and advocacy for thalassemia that went beyond the health sector
and preventative awareness.
• In the present context, thalassemia and other blood disorders are
becoming part of the invisible disability discourse.
• The Government of India has been working on thalassemia
prevention and management.
• The National Health Mission has come up with guidelines for the
prevention and management of hemoglobinopathies.
• The mission is to improve the care of Thalassemia and Sickle Cell
Disease patients and reduce the prevalence of hemoglobinopathies
through screening and awareness strategies.
• Community education and awareness programs, sustainable carrier screening programs, premarital and pre-
conception screening, and extended family screening are all part of the strategy.
• The goals include providing optimal care through day-care facilities and safe blood, financial support for
essential medicines, early diagnosis and intervention protocols, and community education.
• The strategy aims to improve treatment and management options and make them available through public
health facilities.

Chlamydia
Australian scientists have begun vaccinating wild koalas against chlamydia in an ambitious field trial in New South
Wales.
Chlamydia
• Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD).
• It is caused by bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis and anyone can get Chlamydia.
• Chlamydia can be treated with Antibiotics.
Symptoms
• A pregnant person can also pass chlamydia to the
baby during childbirth.
Women Men
Chlamydia in Koalas
• The origins of chlamydia in koalas aren’t • Discharge from male
• Abnormal vaginal genitals.
confirmed.
discharge, which may
• However, scientists believe it’s likely the have a strong smell. • A burning sensation
marsupials initially caught the disease from when urinating.
• A burning sensation
exposure to the feces of infected sheep and cattle. • Pain and swelling in one
when urinating.
• Then it’s spread sexually, or passed from mother or both testicles.
to offspring.
• While humans and livestock infected with the bacteria that causes chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics, it’s
not so simple for koalas.
• Chlamydia is killing koalas because they become so sick they can’t climb trees to get food, or escape predators,
and females can become infertile. The complex microbes inside the stomachs of koalas are designed to neutralize
toxins in eucalyptus leaves that are their main food source.
• However, their digestive systems can also neutralize some medicines which means they don’t respond well to
antibiotics treatment.

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UN Report on Maternal and Newborn Deaths

The report on improving maternal and newborn health and survival and reducing stillbirth placed India at the top of
the list of global maternal deaths, stillbirths and neonatal births.
Findings
• MMR – Maternal mortality ratio observed an annual reduction rate of 2.8% during 2000-2009, which
decreased to 1.3% during 2010-2020.
• An improvement of reducing this indicator by 11.9% is required in the next decade to meet global targets of an
MMR equivalent to 70 deaths per 1,000 live births.

• SBR – Between 2000 and 2009, the Quick Facts

stillbirth rate was reduced by 2.3 per cent
and by 1.8 per cent between 2010 and 2021.
• The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) – It is defined
• A 5.2 per cent reduction is required between as the number of maternal deaths during a given time
2022 and 2030 to meet global targets of less period per 100,000 live births during the same time
than 12 stillbirths per 1,000 live births. period.
• NMR – Neonatal mortality rate (NMR) • The stillbirth rate (SBR) – It is defined as the number
records a similar trend; a 3.2% reduction of babies born with no signs of life at 28 weeks or more of
between 2000 and 2009, 2.2% reduction in gestation, per 1,000 total births.
2010 and 2021.
• Neonatal mortality rate (NMR) – It is the rate of
• NMR needs to be reduced by another 7.2% deaths per 1,000 live births at which babies of either less
between 2022 and 2030 to meet the global than four weeks or of one year of age die, respectively.
target of ending newborn mortality.
• It is also known as Infant Mortality Rate (IMR).
• Rankings – India tops the list of 10
countries which bear 60% of global maternal deaths, stillbirths & newborn deaths burden.
• Following India are Nigeria, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia,
Afghanistan and Tanzania.

Mpox
WHO declares end to viral disease 'mpox' public health emergency.
• Viral – Mpox is a rare disease caused by infection with the mpox virus.
• Mpox virus is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox.
• Symptoms – Mpox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder, and mpox is rarely fatal.
• Mpox is not related to chickenpox.
• Mpox was discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept
for research.
• Source – Despite being named monkeypox, the source of the disease remains unknown.
• However, African rodents and non-human primates (like monkeys) might harbor the virus and infect people.
• The first human case of mpox was recorded in 1970.
• Types – There are two types of mpox virus: Clade I and Clade II.
• Infections in the current outbreak are from Clade II, or more specifically, Clade IIb.
• Infections with Clade IIb are rarely fatal.

Dengue
Developing a viable universal vaccine for dengue has remained a challenge.
• Dengue is largely accepted as an annual epidemic in several countries and it is the world’s fastest-growing vector
borne disease.
• Dengue (break-bone fever) is a viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people.
• Spread - It is more common in tropical and subtropical climates.

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• Transmission - Dengue is transmitted to humans by the Aedes mosquito species, which also spreads
Chikungunya and Zika virus.
• Types - There are four serotypes of the dengue virus - DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4.
• Each virus interacts differently with antibodies in the human body and is capable of manifesting into dengue
fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome.
• Symptoms - mostly asymptomatic, but the most common symptoms are high fever, headache, body aches,
nausea and rash.
• Treatment - No specific treatment. Generally treated with pain medicine.
• Vaccine - Dengvaxia was the first vaccine to receive a nod in 2015, and has been licensed in 20 countries since.
• Dengvaxia - It is a live attenuated vaccine.
• WHO recommends ‘Dengvaxia’ for children aged 9 to 16 years.
• But Dengvaxia’s efficacy is limited to those with confirmed previous infections.
• Dengvaxia is not licensed in India.
• Five types of dengue vaccines are currently being investigated:

Vaccine Type Description Example

Measles or chickenpox
Live Attenuated Vaccine Uses the weakened or “attenuated” form of the virus
vaccine

Inactivated vaccine Uses the dead virus Hepatitis A and rabies

Recombinant subunit Non-structural proteins of the dengue virus are used, aiding a
COVISHIELD
vaccine balanced immune response

Viral vectored vaccine A modified, weakened version of a different virus Ebola vaccine

DNA vaccine Use engineered DNA to induce an immunologic response HIV, malaria, TB

Challenges in Vaccine development - Lack of research around different dengue types.

• The evolving ‘inimitable’ nature of the virus making vaccine development a dynamic challenge.
• Apprehensions over vaccine safety.
• Lack of funding for a disease.

International Pathogen Surveillance Network

The World Health Organization launched the International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN).
• The International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN) was launched on the side-lines of the World Health
Assembly in Geneva by WHO.
• IPSN is a global network to help protect people from infectious disease threats through the power of pathogen
genomics.
• Aim - To help ensure infectious disease threats are swiftly identified and tracked and the information shared
and acted on to prevent catastrophes like the COVID pandemic.
• Function - IPSN will provide a platform for connecting countries and regions.
• It improves systems for collecting and analysing samples.
• The data gathered will feed into a broader disease surveillance system used to identify and track diseases.
• The data is also used to develop treatments and vaccines
• Organisational Structure - The IPSN consists of 3 main operational bodies that bring together different sets
of stakeholders and supported by a Secretariat.
• Bodies - The 3 main operational bodies are -

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1. Communities of Practice (COPs) - To collaborate partners and increase harmonization and innovation
in pathogen genomics.
2. Country Scale-Up Accelerator (CSUA) - To scale-up country capacity building through stakeholders
working together.
3. Funders Forum - To coordinate philanthropic, multi-lateral and governmental donors and financing
efficiency of pathogen genomic surveillance.
• Secretariat - The IPSN Secretariat will be hosted by the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence.
The WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence
• The WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence (the WHO Pandemic Hub) forms part of the WHO
Health Emergencies Programme.
• The WHO Pandemic Hub was established in September 2021 in Berlin, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• It facilitates a global collaboration of partners from multiple sectors to address future pandemic and epidemic
risks.
• It aims to address pandemic and epidemic risks with better access to data, better analytical capacities, and better
tools and insights for decision-making.

Global Polio Eradication Initiative

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) observes its 35th Anniversary in 2023.
• GPEI held a high-level influencer briefing with polio experts from around the world in which over 200 attendees
from 63 countries took part.
• The leaders of the G7 countries urged for global support to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) during
the G7 summit.
• GPEI was launched in 1988 after the World Health Assembly passed a resolution to eradicate polio.
• Its goal is to eradicate polio worldwide.
• The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is a public-private partnership led by national governments with 6 core
partners -
1. World Health Organization (WHO),
2. Rotary International,
3. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
4. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),
5. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and
6. GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance.
• In 2020, the GPEI launched a revision of the strategy for polio eradication called ‘Polio Eradication Strategy
2022-2026: Delivering on a Promise’
• Polio Endemic countries - Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only countries where indigenous wild poliovirus
subtype-1 transmission continues uninterrupted.
• Polio Status - When the World Health Assembly established GPEI, wild poliovirus subtype-2 and subtype-3
have been successfully eradicated.
• According to a recent report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 859 cases of circulating vaccine-
derived polioviruses (cVDPVs) have been reported last year.
• cVDPVs have been reported from countries where poliovirus transmission had long been eliminated such as
Canada, Israel, the U.K. and the U.S.

Animal health emergency in Brazil

Brazil has declared 180-day animal health emergency for the first time amid avian flu cases in wild birds.
• Brazil has so far confirmed 8 cases of the H5N1 in wild birds.
• Brazil is the world's biggest chicken meat exporter.

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• Infection by the H5N1 subtype of avian flu in wild birds does not trigger trade bans, based on guidelines of the
World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).
• Avian influenza (AI) is a highly contagious viral disease that affects both domestic and wild birds.
• It is a viral disease and the viruses are divided into multiple subtypes (i.e. H5N1, H5N3, H5N8 etc.)

World Organisation for Animal Health

• World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) is an intergovernmental organisation working across borders to
improve the health of animals.
• WHOA is headquartered in Paris.
• It has 182 Members including India.
• WHOA has adopted its Seventh Strategic Plan for 2021 - 2025.
• It aims to help policymakers and governments to improve animal health globally as well as promote safe
international trade.
• They coordinate the global response to animal health emergencies, the prevention of zoonotic diseases and better
access to animal health care.

BIO-TECHNOLOGY

Biosynthetic Clock
Cells degenerate and die eventually after variety of molecular changes throughout their entire lifespan according to
the biosynthetic clock.
• A biosynthetic ‘clock’ keeps the body’s cells from getting old.
• It keeps the body’s cells reaching normal levels of deterioration related to ageing.
• Cells follow a variety of molecular changes through their entire lifespan until they eventually degenerate and
die.
• But cells of the same genetic material and within the same environment can travel along distinct ageing routes.
• Recent research has shown that cells follow 2 distinct paths during ageing which are controlled by a
central, genetic regulatory circuit.
• About half of the cells age through a gradual decline in the stability of DNA and the other half along the decline
of mitochondria.
• These regulatory circuits can be rewired to operate like a gene oscillator to stall the ageing process.

Quantum Biology
Quantum physics proposes a new way to study biology which could revolutionise our understanding of how life works.
• Quantum biology is the application of quantum theory to aspects of biology that cannot be accurately described
by the classical laws of physics.
• Electrons, protons, excitations, chemical bonds, and electronic charges are by definition quantum.
• Biology and biological processes often deal with electrons, protons and their transfer.
• The protons and electrons are continuously being transferred between different parts of a cell or a
macromolecular system.
• In these transfer processes the system exchanges energy with its environment in the form of molecular
vibrations and phonons.
• Such a system is called an ‘open quantum system’.
• The open quantum systems are connected to life and life processes.
• Quantum biology aims to develop a consistent open quantum systems model to explain all these phenomena.
• With open quantum system and quantum mechanics, there is a scope to understand life and life processes.

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Neuralink
Elon Musk's brain chip firm, Neuralink wins US approval for human study.
• Neuralink Corporation is an American neuro-technology company that is developing implantable brain–
computer interfaces.
• Neuralink hopes to use its microchips to treat conditions such as
paralysis and blindness, and to help certain disabled people use
computers and mobile technology.
• The chips, which have been tested in monkeys, are designed to
interpret signals produced in the brain and relay information to devices
via Bluetooth.
• The company plans to use its microchips to treat conditions such as
paralysis.
• Its initial aim was to start planting chips in human brains in 2020, in order to honour a pledge made the year
before and it later vowed to get started in 2022.
• Mr Musk also suggested that the proposed technology could help ease concerns about humans being displaced
by AI.
• Experts have cautioned that Neuralink's brain implants will require extensive testing to overcome technical and
ethical challenges if they are to become widely available.

NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY

Pokhran-II
25 years ago India carved out a new future for itself by conducting
underground nuclear tests at Pokhran.
• On May 11, 1998, the veil was finally lifted. After conducting three
underground tests at Pokhran, followed by two more on May 13.
• Pokhran-II consisted of five detonations, of which the first was a fusion
bomb and the remaining four were fission bombs.
• Sanctions – For nearly two months, the U.S. refused to have any
dialogue with India and implemented the Glenn Amendment for the
first time.

Nuclear Organisations

• Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) – It prohibits any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other
nuclear explosion anywhere in the world.
• The treaty was opened for signature in September 1996, and has been signed by 186 nations and ratified by
176.
• The treaty cannot formally enter into force until it is ratified by 44 specific nations, eight of which have yet to
do so: China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, Iran, Egypt, and the United States.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) – Also known as the world’s Atoms for Peace and
Development organization within the United Nations.
• It is the international centre for cooperation in the nuclear field.
• The Agency works with its Member States and multiple partners worldwide to promote the safe, secure and
peaceful use of nuclear technologies.
• Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) – It is a group of nuclear supplier countries that seeks to contribute to
the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
• The NSG Guidelines also contain the so-called Non-Proliferation Principle, adopted in 1994.
• India is not a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

WTO Information Technology (IT) Agreement

The WTO’s IT Agreement has done little for India’s IT services and India’s hardware sector was hit instead of
benefitting from the pact.
• The Information Technology Agreement (ITA) was Information Technology Agreement-II
concluded by 29 participants at the Singapore Ministerial
Conference in December 1996. • At the Nairobi Ministerial Conference 2015,
• It entered into force on 1st July 1997. over 50 members concluded the expansion of
the Agreement, which now covers an
• Since then, the number of participants has grown to 82, additional 201 products valued at over $1.3
representing about 97% of world trade in IT products. trillion per year.
• It seeks to accelerate and deepen the reduction of trade • The aim of this agreement is to increase the
barriers for the critically important ICT industry. coverage of IT products on which customs
duty would be bound at zero.
• India is a signatory to the agreement.
• The participants are committed to completely eliminating tariffs on IT products covered by the Agreement.

OTHERS

Vapes
Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems-ENDS (e-cigarettes) are 95% less harmful than tobacco cigarettes claimed by a
study is a myth.
• Vaping consists of inhaling the vapour of a heated liquid inside e-cigarettes.
• The liquid inside e-cigarettes normally contains nicotine, the highly addictive substance present in regular
tobacco.
• Myth - In a 2014 paper detailing the outcomes of that meeting, the authors rated e-cigarettes as having only
4% of the maximum relative harm of cigarettes.
• Public Health England used the 95% figure in its 2015 review of e-cigarettes based on the above survey which
took off the ‘95%’ figure.
• Effects - E-cigarette use involves the inhalation of toxic substances and is associated with poisoning, lung injury
and burns.
• Nicotine e-cigarettes can cause dependence or addiction in non-smokers.
• Young non-smokers who use e-cigarettes are more likely than non-users to initiate smoking and become regular
smokers.
• E-cigarettes do not result in reduced harm if users continue to smoke.
• In India - Since 2019, the production, manufacture, import and export, transport, sale, distribution, storage
and advertisement of vapes has been banned in India.
• Related Topics - Banning Single-stick Cigarettes

Carbon Dating
The Allahabad High Court ordered a ‘scientific survey’, including carbon dating, of a ‘Shivling’ said to have been found
at the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi.
• Carbon dating is a widely-used method to establish the age of dead organic materials.
• Isotopes - Carbon occurs naturally in three isotopes: carbon 12, carbon 13 and carbon 14.
• 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.
• The dating method uses Carbon-14 (C-14) which is radioactive and decays at a well-known rate.
• Half-life - The radioactive C-14 reduces to one half of itself in about 5,730 years, known as its ‘half-life’.

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• Carbon dating - Living things have carbon in them in various forms.

Plants and animals get their carbon from the atmosphere.
• When they die, C-14 decay and the ratio of C-12 and C-14 changes.
• The changing ratio of C-12 to C-14 in the remains of a plant or animal after
it dies is measured to deduce its approximate age.
• Exceptions to carbon dating - 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.
• Alternate methods - Radiometric dating methods which involve
elements with half-lives of billions of years are used to determine age of very
old objects.
• Potassium-argon dating - The radioactive isotope of potassium decays into argon, and their ratios can give a
clue about the age of rocks.
• Uranium-thorium-lead dating - Uranium and thorium have several radioactive isotopes, and all of them decay
into the stable lead atom.
• Cosmogenic nuclide dating (CRN) - It is applied to study the age of ice cores in Polar Regions.

Artificial Leaf
Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed an “artificial leaf” to harness the power of sunlight.
• Artificial leaf is a light absorbing material with different catalytic materials bonded onto its two sides with no
external wires or control circuits to operate.
• Earlier attempt - The first version of the artificial leaf that makes syngas was developed in 2019.
• The syngas produced can be used for generating electricity or producing some liquid fuels like synthetic diesel
(conversion through intermediary steps).
• Due to its thick glass and moisture-protective coatings, the first version was bulky.
• New prototype - This artificial leaf converts carbon dioxide into liquid fuels by harnessing the power of
sunlight.
• It is a standalone artificial leaf which generates multicarbon alcohol driven by sunlight.
• Thin-film oxides and ‘perovskite’ materials that can be coated onto flexible plastic and metal foils were used.
• The leaf is coated with micrometre thin water-repellent carbon-based layers to protect it from moisture.
• Artificial photosynthesis - The researchers replicated the process of photosynthesis by converting carbon
dioxide, water and sunlight into 2 multicarbon fuels - ethanol and propanol.
• Drawback - Both ethanol and propanol are produced together in a photoreactor.
• A separation process will be required to get pure ethanol and propanol.

24. INDEX AND REPORT

World Press Freedom Index

India’s ranking in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index has slipped to 161 out of 180 countries, according to the
Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
Highlights of the index
• In comparison, Pakistan has fared better when it comes to media freedom as it was placed at 150, an
improvement from last year’s 157th rank.
• In 2022, India was ranked at 150.

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• Sri Lanka also made significant improvement on the index, ranking 135th this year as against 146th in 2022
• Norway, Ireland and Denmark occupied the top three positions in press freedom, while Vietnam, China and
North Korea constituted the bottom three.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

• It comes out with a global ranking of press freedom every year.

• RSF is an international NGO whose self-proclaimed aim is to defend and promote media freedom.
• Headquartered in Paris, it has consultative status with the United Nations.
• The objective is to compare the level of press freedom enjoyed by journalists and media in 180 countries and
territories.

UNEP report: Turning off the Tap

The report, tilted Turning off the Tap: How the world can end plastic pollution and create a circular economy, has
been launched by UNEP.
• The report was released ahead of a second round of negotiations in Paris on a global agreement to beat plastic
pollution.
• The report is a solutions-focused analysis of concrete practices, market shifts, and policies that can inform
government thinking and business action.
• It outlines the magnitude and nature of the changes required to end plastic pollution and create a circular
economy.
• Roadmap laid - The report urged governments and businesses alike to adopt a circular economy approach for
tackling the problem of plastic pollution.
• Global plastic pollution can reduce by 80% by 2040 if countries and companies make deep policy and market
shifts using existing technologies and shift to a circular economy.
• The report calls for three market shifts — reuse, recycle, and reorient and diversify products.
• Reuse - Promoting reuse options can reduce 30% of plastic pollution by 2040.
• To realise its potential, governments must help build a stronger business case for reusables.
• Recycle - By making recycling a more stable and profitable venture, plastic pollution can be reduced by an
additional 20% by 2040.
• Reorient and diversify - Careful replacement of products such as plastic wrappers, sachets and takeaway
items with products made from alternative materials (such as paper or compostable materials) can deliver an
additional 17% decrease in plastic pollution.

Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution including in the marine

environment

• UNEA adopted a resolution to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution,
including in the marine environment.
• The resolution has the ambition to complete the negotiations to frame the instrument by end of 2024.
• Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) is the committee formed to develop the instrument on
plastic pollution.
• INC-1 - The first session of the INC took place at Punta del Este Convention and Exhibition Centre from 28
November to 2 December 2022.
• INC-2 - The second session of the INC will take place at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France from 29
May to 2 June 2023.

NITI Aayog's Health Index

NITI Aayog’s annual ‘health index’ for the COVID year of 2020-21 was released.

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• The annual health index was launched by the NITI Aayog in 2017.
• The Health Index is a weighted composite index based on 24 indicators grouped under the domains of ‘health
outcomes’, ‘governance and information’, and ‘key inputs/ processes’.
• The health index measures the performance of states and UTs on a weighted composite score on 2 parameters
o Incremental performance (year-on-year progress)
o Overall performance.
• The states and UTs are categorised separately as ‘larger states’, ‘smaller states’ and UTs and they are then ranked
based on their scores.
• The fifth health index (2020-21) report has not been made public yet.
• COVID year 2020-21 assessment report

Category Top Performers Bottom Performers

Kerala (1st) Bihar (19th)

Tamil Nadu (2nd) Uttar Pradesh (18th)

Larger States (19)
Telangana (3rd) Madhya Pradesh (17th)

Tripura (1st) Arunachal Pradesh (6th)

Sikkim (2nd) Nagaland (7th)

Smaller States (8)
Goa (3rd) Manipur (8th)

Rajasthan

Incremental Performance Uttarakhand -

Odisha

UTs (8) Lakshadweep Delhi

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